《Another Day》


 Chapter 1

    This fucking winter will never end. My muscles tremble to produce as much friction as they can to heat my body.


    But it doesn''t help much. Not FUCKING MUCH.


    If my mana was not circulating to increase the speed of body metabolism, I would be dead a long time ago. I breath out a long sigh and return to focusing on circulating mana. Even that sigh produced quite a bubble of hot air. More wasted energy. Great.


    Dogshit.


    Mana can do no shit when there are no nutrition. Oh yeah, pray to god say few fancy words and using your mana you create a small fire or water ball, even heal yourself with right affinity. How the FUCK does that even work? How the FUCKING HELL can you transform an internal mana into something outside.


    I breathe out through my teeth as I turn around to look at the place where my partner should have been, if I had one. First one transferred, second died 2 years ago in battle with trolls, third got drunk and froze in snow. Oh you need partner? Well, we are sorry we have neither the men nor funds for that. Oh you need a new sword to fight against trolls? Sorry again, but you already broke 3 in the last 6 months.


    Fucking CUNTS. May your dicks fall off.


    How do you expect me to survive against all the shit around here with sword made of pig iron that is worth less than 20 copper coins.


    [You are not supposed to. That is the goal.]


    Turning back to look at the horizon I hope to see that damn group appear.


    But alas I see the same view of endless snow mountains from the top of the ¡°tower¡±.


    Who the fuck designed this tower. Simple ladder to a tall ¡°rectangular¡± stone. So what, you can drag a huge rock of several dozen tons, but building a decent tower is a no no. Not even stairs, but a fucking ladder. WOODEN FUCKING LADDER.


    And if I am not on top of it this piece of shit, I will miss them.


    Its been already 2 weeks. And nothing.


    I think I will start drawing some random stuff around with literally frozen shit.


    I have plenty lying around.


    Those fucking scouts. Yeah, yeah, few days maximum. Suffocation is one of many ¡°causes of death¡± that will be written on their graves.


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    I could be at base warming near fire.


    [But then you would spend weeks hunting them in valley if they pass this choke point.]


    I breath out again. Shit, I should stop breathing out so much warmth. I start thinking again where did I make the wrong turn.


    There were too many.


    [But given the chance would you do something differently?]


    No.


    As I continue to circulate mana I see a small movement in the distance. Is my mind playing ticks on me?


    No¡­


    The are coming. Slowly, but coming. You cant mistaken those shits with anything else.


    The grin that appeared on my face could hardly be contained.


    I quickly climb down the ladder. As soon as down standing behind an excuse to engineering, I start stretching and increase the intensity of circulation, spending the last amount of fat in my body to prepare for fight.


    Muscle cramp during battle is a death sentence.


    After few minutes I hear their movements through snow. I take out my half-rusted sword that not even street beggar would steal. Barely any energy and equipment worth even the pity of goblins. I slowly go out so they can see me.


    They all stop and look at me.


    Damn.


    3 trolls, 9 wolves and 8 ¡­¡­goblins? Some of them on wolves, some on foot.


    Fucking scouts even that is wrong. Few wolves and a troll my ass.


    [There is no difference. Do or die, as it always has been.]


    Yeah, it doesn''t matter. A provoke them with a rude hand gesture, that anyone can understand. I need to converse as much energy as I can, therefore I stand still and wait for them.


    And it looks like it had quite an effect.


    Wolves are the fastest, as they come close, they start to circle me.


    Great¡­


    Sound of fierce wind, wolves growling, goblins screeching in their shitty language and trolls running in my direction is the only sound that I can hear.


    After few seconds of stalemate all wolves charge at the same time.


    Do or die.


    Nothing new, nothing old.


    Another day shall come.

 Chapter 2

    I try to slow down my breathing as much as I can.


    Too much energy spent. Too much.


    Breath. Converse. Heal.


    Ha¡­ Like that can be called heal. A bit or improvement of normal human healing. As a bit of strength returns to my limbs I look around.


    Few goblins screaming and crawling away from me.


    A blind troll running around. Shit forgot this one.


    I slowly start walking in their direction.


    Scanning around with my eyes I find what is left of my sword, of course in the same location where I left it.


    I slowly wobble to pair of dead trolls.


    I plug out what is left of my sword, which is only lower half of it, from the eye socket of the dead trolls


    There is no way to glue to half of word. Shit an eye came out with it. I don''t want to touch it so I clean it against the nearby wolf corpse.


    Slowly I go around and finish anyone still breathing or moving.


    One thing I learned through experience is that when one limb is lost everyone loses about 50%-80% of their offensive capabilities.


    With trolls it is a bit harder. Fucking troll hide.


    You can''t simple kill a troll. 3 meters tall with 400 kilograms of muscles, thick hide and pure retardness.


    After finishing everyone around the blind troll is the only one left. The blind troll is about 15 meters away and is searching for me.


    Taking a deep breath of fresh air I stop. Shit, I smell like hell.


    Looking around I find a severed leg of goblin. I grab it and throw it few meters away from me.


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    Troll instantly turns around and jump exactly where the leg landed. It''s back is turned to me. I proceed to do the most logical thing, which is to explore how deep trolls asshole is. A pity I have such a short tool.


    After that I quickly jump back and roll out of enraged troll way. Come on. Die faster. It should have been dead a long time ago with that amount of blood loss.


    His voice change a ¡°tiny¡± bit after my action. He continues to search around for me. That''s when it hits me, its not a he but she¡­ well ¡°it¡± would be fine too.


    Not into anal?


    A pity.


    I should end this faster. She is coming closer.


    Taking another limb lying around I throw it directly on troll. She instinctively catches it with both hands and jaws.


    But is too late. I am directly under her. I stab my circumcised sword into her neck. She tries to catch me but I am already out of her reach.


    She makes several gurgling noises that resemble coughs and falls down into snow.


    Finally.


    Now¡­


    I don''t have much energy left. I wont reach the base in current state. I need food. Whatever is left from my ration is already useless. I need meat. Looking around I have 3 choices. Goblins barely have meat even when they are adult. Wolf meat will require some carving. Trolls is too hard to chew.


    I sigh. I look around in search for the goblin leg that I threw before. A small snack will give me enough energy to carve some decent meat out of a wolf.


    Life goes on huh.

 Chapter 3

    Walking back to took quite some time. The starting blizzard season was not helping at all. But the fact that there is enough meat in my stomach for the travel fills me with a bit of hope. Not enough to smile, but more than needed to continue moving my legs.


    If only snow wasn''t so deep¡­


    ¡­


    Hiding in cave saved me from the night blizzard and death by freezing. Snow bear, the current resident of the cave didn''t like my presence, so it became solo apartment quite quick. Also more meat is never extra. And I have time to learn a bit more about anatomy while I am at it.


    I just really hope I would not get any gut worms from the amount of raw meat I am eating. At the start I was like ¡°Nope, Nope. Never. It''s raw.¡±. But hunger has quite interesting power to quickly change anyones opinion.


    I reach my base the next days evening.


    If it can be called a base. A small hut around endless sea of mountains. There aren''t even trees around, maybe they could help against the winds.


    I open the door and sigh in relief. I am tired and want a bath. First thing I do is take of the torn clothes and start fire in fireplace. I find an old rusty bucket and fill it with snow from outside. After that I put it on the logs in fireplace. While the snow is melting I take off what is left of my clothes and quickly check the state of all cuts and injuries I received during last ¡°mission¡±. Nothing critical, but it''s still better to clean every small cut. When there is nothing except snow you need to get creative, antiseptic it is then. I sigh as I clean the wounds with snow. No basic health-care can make any small cut into the final one¡­


    This should have been the last mission. Only 3 weeks left. 3 weeks.


    It takes some time but eventually snow melts into water. I look around the shack that I call base for a clean cloth, and by the time I come back the water is warm enough.


    I start wiping my body with cloth. It has been quite some time since I had normal bath. After cleaning myself to the stage where I don''t reek like fermented balls of goblin I go to bed.


    The corner of the room with few furs is what I call bed. How quick the standards of human fall down¡­


    ¡­


    I wake next morning to sun under which millions of lowlifes, assholes and scums live. I dress in whatever I find lying around that doesn''t smell like zombie vomit and start moving down the trail to the outpost with one simple goal, report the results to ¡°mayor¡±.


    Oh how I wish my ass had as many hair as the number of every living being in radius of 20 kilometers around this post. Maybe then wiping my ass would be easier.


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    I was never the heart of party but having a small talk with someone once a week would be great. Loneliness for years can get under skin even for a total loner as me.


    Even if I call it a trail it is just a snow covered thin road down the mountain, with barely anything to hold for. One wrong step and down you go. At least some leftover wolf meat will make sure I won''t die from hunger on the way there.


    ¡­


    It''s already noon. And I still haven''t reached even 1/3 of path. Fucking snow. It takes much more time than it should. Looking down the slope I find a much faster path.


    3 weeks. No need to risk.


    [But will you survive the night?]


    The blizzard will end in a week. But by then, I am already a snow statue. I sigh again. There is no other choice, or at least no other comes to my mind.


    Bracing myself for what awaits me, I jump of the cliff. I try to curl into a ball, but at the same time relax my muscles. I start circulating my mana to stop the increasing nausea. But fucking hell, this is not rolling, this shit is closer to basketball. The slope looked so smooth¡­ There is at least 2 meters of snow on top of mountain, so why the HELL does it feel like I am a ping-pong ball in game between two titans. God damn it.


    After few minutes I finally start slowing down. Getting up took few attempts, instinctual desire to empty my stomach was stopped by pure willpower alone. That food is mine! And I will not waste energy used to digest my food just because of urge to make Picasso painting on snow.


    Looking around I am happy to find that less than quarter of path is left. One leg after another, my ass must be there before the dawn.


    ...


    I finally reach the outpost only because the light in the main hall can be seen from afar, though only because the blizzard is just starting. 30 minutes more and I am not what would have been my fate.


    ¡°Couple¡± of starved wolves halter my travel for quite a bit, fucking scouts. How the hell can they fuck up like that constantly. Wolves few kilometers from outpost. Unbelievable.


    Open wooden gates greet me in utter silence. I sigh. I should have gotten used to reliability of people here, but open gates with no guards is a new low.


    Outlines of houses are barely visible. Dark clouds block the light even from the biggest of 4 moons. Anyone would have thought that the outpost is empty, but people are inside, most are sleeping, but some are having ¡°fun¡±.


    Main hall light is the only thing that guides me through the dark road. I open the door with small creaking.


    Alive, at least for now.

 Chapter 4

    I can hear the sound of people laughing. The unintentional sigh, that came was stopped halfway through by pure willpower. I have been sighing too much lately.


    They are not my problem, one way or another neither the empire nor the northern kingdom will hold for much longer, but at least I will not be there when the shit hits the fan.


    Entering the biggest room in the old wooden building, which in unusually quite bright. At least 60 people are singing, playing card games and getting drunk.


    So no resources for a new sword but wasting money on candles and booze is OK. Scanning around I find the ¡°mayor¡± and walk directly to him.


    When I get close to the leader he finally notices me, turning to look at be and giving me a superior grin.


    ¡°Look who we haf here. The maghty warrer.¡±


    Several people sitting by the table turn around and give me a smirk.


    ¡°3 trolls, nearly dozen ice wolves and goblins. And another dozen wolves 2 kilometers from here. Where are the scouts? I would kindly ask you to castrate them right here, right now.¡±


    The room instantly fills with roars and laughter. Some are rolling on floor, some are repeatedly hitting the table laughing fit. Cleaning a tear from under his eye ''mayor'' continues.


    ¡°I wouda beliv a halfa dozen ica wols, but gablins an trals. Ahahahha. Who da fak sold ya firegrass? I need som mahselv! Smokad ol ma shit week ago¡±


    I barely hold the disgust on my face. I take sack from by belt and throw it on the table. It open up spilling half of it''s content on the plates with food, troll eyeballs and goblin ears.


    ¡°I don''t give a fuck. Not my problem anymore. I will rest for few days and travel to Emeral after that. Good night.¡±


    Half of the room continues drinking and gambling. ¡°Mayor¡± squints at the eyeballs, while I turn around go to barracks to find something to sleep on.


    Reaching ¡°practically¡± empty room filled will straw beds, a small smile breaks on my face. Finally, a bed, after weeks in mountains even this half-rotten excuse of a bed looks comfortable.


    ¡­


    I don''t remember how I fell asleep.


    Waking up to local alarm clock, aka rooster morning mating call, fills me with sudden desire to explore how deep I can fit my arm into roosters asshole. A sudden new strange sounding noise, that yak usually makes, totally kills any possibility of going back to bed.


    Getting up I look around and find half of beds empty, most of the local shits, more likely fell asleep on the tables or floor. Straightening by clothes and checking equipment I go outside to breath a bit of fresh air.


    There was no need to hide anything of value, I am closer to beggar than anyone else in this outpost.


    Why hide stuff in the first place?


    Well everyone here is not soldier or hunter, they are ¡°ex¡± bandits. Someone in power didn''t care enough to send people to manage this region, so they made the biggest local bandit ¡°mayor¡±. They receive budget and can collect local taxes. That ¡°someone¡± decided that it would be much cheaper.


    Well yeah, actually, fugitives becoming ¡°official¡± is nothing new, at least for those who know true history of the world.


    I start building a plan of next actions. It will take 2 weeks to get to Emeral, 6th largest city of northern kingdom. I need to gather as much debt, owed to me, as I can. I also need a decent sword, new clothes and some kind of map, but the tricky part is that I need to do it in a way that I get everything on the last day.


    That shit of a mayor can take anything that he wants and no one can say a word against. Quite few tried testing it out, they are dead or missing, hierarchy is quite fragile in simpleminded and strength/fear based social structures, therefore it must be constantly enforced.


    And I know that he has been looking for a way to hurt me for quite some time. Is it his pride? Or just personal hate against me? I don''t know, at least I don''t remember taking anything his, or creating trouble.


    But in most cases you do not need to cause a problem, just have something they want or look the way they don''t like.


    I go to butcher and tell him about wolves that are lying not far from here. He know me well, kind of a friend, I guess. Incidentally I am the one who provides him with more than 40% of his goods.


    Taking his horse with sledges I travel to the location where the encounter with wolves happened. There is barely any light during this season, so the search took some time. I find the their bodies under 20 cm of snow, if I didn''t remember the exact location of fight their bodies would be lying here till summer, when snow melts. I pile all the bodies on the sledge and travel back.


    Bringing back the bodies of wolves he finish the transaction. As we agreed beforehand, he takes all the meat, gives me 1 silver coin and gets a friend of his to make me something of hides. Pelts would be taken as payment for the armor.


    I agreed.


    Now. What is left? Sword, dept and map.


    The map part can be postponed till Emeral. Sword and dept can be combined. I start walking around the outpost reaching for the little shits that still owe me money, I know that I won''t be able to get them all, and even the ones I find will just beg and ask to spare them because they are broke¡­ Fucking cock suckers, they always have money for booze but never for anything else. But maybe I will be able to get a sword in place of money.


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    ¡­


    The next several days were spent searching for hiding idiots and preparing everything for departure, I didn''t see the mayor much during the whole period of time, and he didn''t search anything.


    But god damn it, nights were fucking cold, and every new day another idiot was found dead frozen because he got drunk and fell asleep outside.


    ¡­


    Day of departure.


    I am dressed in the filthy rags with which I came to outpost and broken sword still in the sheath, I sigh preparing for what is to come while I walk to the gates. Mayor and about a dozen of his underlings are standing there waiting for me.


    ¡°So warrer, wha leavin sa early? Ya contract still workin.¡±


    ¡°It will expire few days before I get to Emeral.¡±


    ¡°See. Ya still workin for me.¡±


    ¡°I never worked for you. I was assigned to this region. And I must be at the legion stronghold the moment my contract expires.¡±


    ¡°A pity. Ya wer in right place, togetha with us. But ya never show da respect ta me.¡±


    Piece of shit, I could bury you all alive right now if I had a normal sword on me. I hold myself together as much as I can.


    ¡°See. Ya glarin as ama bad guy. I even gave ya a sword. A nice one.¡±


    He grin appears on his face.


    ¡°Show it ta me.¡±


    All his underlings are holding hands on their swords, and I can feel that several archers are hiding and are waiting for the signal.


    Slowly taking out what is left of my sword out of sheath I show it to him.


    ¡°Ah mah god. Look at wha ya did with it. And I even gave ya the best one around. An expensive one.¡±


    ¡°But imma good guy. I cant send ya like dat. What ama gon do? I can get ya a new one. But itsa expansive.¡±


    Then he stares right into my eyes and breaks into another grin. Fucking retard ¡°expensive¡± not ¡°expansive¡±. He wants to get money out of me for the sword? Fucking racketeer.


    ¡°I know ya collectin coin. Give everathin ta me. It woulda be pity if ya lost some on da way back.¡±


    I can hear my teeth creaking against each other, but at the same time I can hear several arrow being drawn. I slowly reach my pursue and stretch it to him. One of the goons takes it and goes behind the group.


    The mayor grins again.


    ¡°It been good knowin ya. Of you go then. Hope we seein ya again.¡±


    ¡°Sword?¡±


    ¡°What sword? Ya already gat one. We just come ta say goodbye. Right guys?¡±


    Goons behind nod and grin at me.


    Mayor starts laughing and goes into direction of main hall. I hear archers putting down their bows.


    I start slowly walking out of gates and in direction of south.


    Killing them even with the stump of the sword is easy. But those archers have enchanted arrows. They go through flesh like hot knife through butter. Again, I don''t know how the fuck that magics shit works. I use mana to control body strengthen muscles and bones, like another limb, to use mana is such a way you need some basic understanding of chemistry and biology, but arrow that have the power of catapult¡­ Where the fuck does kinetic energy come from?


    ¡°Hear the whisper of wind¡± and the ¡°roar of fire¡±, bullshit, how in the name of holy cock does that work? In the academy they told me that you can feel it with your core. But thats worth shit stain for someone like me who has no affinity, so I spent the whole time reading about engineering and physics. In the end it was useful, but still.


    After getting to the point where the watch tower can''t see me I turn in the direction where the arranged sword and clothes should be. It takes about an hour to reach the place. As I circle around ¡°the¡± bolder I find the place filled with shit of at least dozen people. No package.


    They knew.


    Butcher, or his friend¡­


    Or everyone.


    So my friendship was worth that much. I saved their lives several times, helped, defended, but it looks like it was still worth penny in the ass.


    [They will always be like that. Nothing will ever change.]


    Dark thought pass through my mind.


    You know what. Fuck it.


    I wait for night and the starting blizzard, which will hide me and start going back.


    ¡­


    Next morning greeted the villager of outpost in a way no one expected. Heads of all ¡°management¡± of outpost were lying before the main hall. Those, who enter the hall would tell stories of pure horror that they have seen, about endless amount of disfigured body parts, that were littered around, and blood, that painted every single room in red which would never be cleaned. And since that day people would call this outpost [Red Hall Outpost].


    ¡­


    Far ahead I see clearing skies, which bring a grin to my face.


    Looking down on the noisy yak, I try to calculate how long it will last. I don''t have food for it, so the moment it falls down exhausted I will get a tiny bit more additional meat for the travel. It''s fate sealed the morning it woke me up.


    His colleague, rooster, already waiting for him in my stomach.


    A decent sword on my hip, pursue full of silver and armor made out of wolf pelts.


    Looks like what goes around, comes around.


    I think this will be enough to get to south dungeon.


    But legion first.


    New day shall come, and it looks like it will be a bit warmer one.

 Chapter 5

    Why?


    Why am I so lucky?


    There are billions of people, but no Lady Luck became my stalker. The fuck did she find in me? Go rape some random lord or an idiot in palace, I am sure they would be more than happy about that arrangement.


    God damn it.


    I run and jump through wall of fire hiding my face with left arm, the moment I land I don''t even look around and hope that my memory is correct, I swing my sword at 10 o''clock. I feel that my new sword grazed something fleshy quite deep. I don''t even stop to look at the result and instantly roll right, half a second after which a spike of earth impales the air where I just was. My eyes finally capture the current state of my fuck-up.


    How the hell did a bandit group get their hands on mage, or even better, what in the name of my hairy balls is this imbecile mage doing here? Well it doesn''t matter anymore really, he is choking on his blood right now.


    Can''t even close a small neck cut? Pathetic. As I am preparing to finish him of, my instincts scream at me and I roll forward. Several arrow hit the ground behind me, more likely poisoned.


    Fuck, I must hurry, even if they are total retards, their number is still an issue. I quickly cop off head of mage who wall dying on ground, even half-dead he is more dangerous than anyone else around.


    Ranged are next.


    ¡°He killed Atir!¡±


    ¡°Catch him!¡±


    ¡°Shoot at him idiots!!¡±


    A lesson to every close-combat fighter. GOOD CARDIO. If they can''t catch you, they can''t hit you. Running to two archers who are retarded enough to stand together I await their next shot. The moment they aim at me I bring the shield up and block the arrow that should have hit me in the chest, other arrow misses me totally.


    Oh come on. At least fire separately to have me constantly on guard. I reach them before they can prepare, they stand about 2 meters apart, the one on left is more experienced, he is nearly ready to fire, so I tackle him with shield held high. We are on ground and I quickly plunge the sword through his lung.


    Shit, not enough time, meatballs are caching up. The seconds archer throw away the crossbow and runs into forest, sorry, but I can''t allow that. He has much lighter equipment so I wont be able to catch him like this, so I do the most stupid thing that comes to mind, I throw my sword at his legs, which somehow hits his calve. I am not sure if the damage was big, but it did cause quite dramatic fall.


    Oh, am I switching places with Lady Luck on who''s turn is it to fuck another today.


    I run after him and grabbing my sword, plunge in into his back. I don''t really register their screams and profanity coming from metal burgers trying to catch me.


    ¡°Donny! No!¡±


    ¡°Oh sorry. He was your cock boy? That¡¯s a pity but his dick will never stand again. But you can suck his willie while it''s still warm. Last taste of him, you know¡­¡±


    OK, one by one bitches.


    I continue running around and dividing them, oh, nice, the one in the front doesn''t see that he is far too ahead from his group. Turning around I block his attack with shield. His eyes flash with acknowledgment of his mistake. What? Didn''t expect retaliation? I plunge the sword right into his Adam apple, yeah, more gurgling.


    OK, 3 bean cans left. I repeat same strategy with next 2 idiots, but the 3rd one runs away when he was the left alive. Shit. Maybe I could hit him with crossbow, but he is too far already.


    I sigh. Why am I a living magnet to this kind of situation. Anyway, I collect anything valuable from the failed muggers. Few extra coins are never extra.


    Well, mage, 2 archers and several idiots with sword can scare many people into instant submission. But I am not sure if they had many battles, and this is more likely the reason that I am still alive.


    Putting mage together with vanguard. When you reach this point you know, that there is definitely something wrong with your brain.


    ¡­


    I continue on the path to Emeral, and the appearance of trees told me I am on the right direction. But still, when able mages become bandits¡­ I really need to hurry. After several day and nearly exhausting my yak snack supply I reach the destination.


    The harsh environment stops any possible village to appear norther to the city. And the city on its own only exist because, during summer when river Anolat melts, and the trade starts again, this point becomes a really big trading and control center. Which additionally is quite far from any other major city, which on its own means that it is easier to do whatever the fuck you want to anyone who travels through. Corruption, greed, and time can do a LOT. And they all gather around like flies on shit.


    The city stands on the river and is surrounded by stone wall at least 5 meters tall. Closer to fortified castle really. The gates are open but there are at least 5 armored guards on ground and 2 archers on the wall.


    ¡°Halt! Who goes?¡±


    ¡°Legioner. B117¡±


    I am still in the legion. So everything must be official. Guards eyes become round as they all tense up.


    ¡°What is Legioner doing so far north?¡±


    ¡°Same as always protecting lives of ungrateful. Are you going to hold me up whole day? I have a lot of stuff to do.¡±


    The leader of group looks at his comrades them back at me with a visible worry.


    ¡°Can you Sir prove your status?¡±


    I start taking my upper clothes off until my bare chest is visible.


    The moment their eyes fall on the big mark on my chest they shrink and look away in fear.


    ¡°Is this enough?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes. I am really s-sorry sir. We did not expect you.¡±


    ¡°Why? Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°Um. My apologies sir, b-but I was simply not informed, um.. about your arrival.¡±


    He is hiding something. I can feel it. But nothing will come out of squeezing him.


    ¡°Not a problem.¡±


    ¡°Thank you sir.¡±


    They step aside as I get my clothes and wolf armor back on. I didn''t take muggers armor as it was heavy and hard to move in, and speed is much more valuable for single traveler like me.


    Walking into the city I reiterate on my plan of next actions. During spring, summer and autumn the whole city is busy, alive, but now¡­ As if the city has been abandoned for decades. Only few people outside and even less lights in the inns are visible. I sigh.


    If I remember correctly the Legion Hall is in the east part of the city. Walking there takes about 20 minutes. But when I arrive there I curse every god I can think of. The building is standing, but the doors and windows are closed with wooden planks. And it seems as if it was not managed for quite some time.


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    What the actual fuck. I have never seen anything like this, closed hall, this is unacceptable in any form. If the Legat would hear about this¡­


    No. Not my problem. Just report in, and that should be the end of it all. Nothing more.


    Fuck...


    I return back to the center of the city and walk directly to the biggest inn. That''s why they were acting in such a way. Shit, I need information.


    I open the door of inn with slight squeak and close it behind myself. It''s not full, but its not empty either. Good. I go directly to the counter and place 10 coppers on it. Not too much, not too little. I look at the granny behind the stand which greeted me politely.


    ¡°Good Afternoon. Feed me granny. No alcohol.¡±


    She smiled at me warmly and quickly turns around to give orders to the cook and waitress. I go and sit near the wall. It has been quite some time since I ate anything warm. Food comes quickly, bean soup with potatoes and meat, bread and ginger ale. I eat in silence trying to gather a bit of information from drunks. But they speak about utter bullshit, big tits and asses, their adventures and how each of they killed a wolf or bear bare handed.


    I await until evening when most of half-drunks leave. Then I get to the counter, sit on the chair and place a silver coin on bar.


    Grandma looks at me coin for few seconds, then at me in silence.


    ¡°Girls are not for sale. We are not such place¡±


    I look at her in utter disgust. Those waitress children that were moving around the inn are barely 12.


    ¡°Single room for one night. Alone.¡±


    She continues to look at me suspicion.


    ¡°Thats too much money.¡±


    ¡°Some information would be appreciated.¡±


    ¡°What exactly do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°I haven''t been in the city for the past 4 years. Nothing important just publicly known changes, events¡­ What happened to the legion hall.¡±


    ¡­


    Long story short, they know shit. For some unknown reason a year ago legion hall shut and no one seen anyone leaving. What the actual FUCK. That''s it? Oh and also street rumor of war brewing.


    No shit. That was bound to happen. What do I do now¡­


    I yelp stops my thought as I turn around and see the scene I have seen hundreds of times over and over again with few variations. Drunk idiots with weapons plus young waitress in pub or inn. But it''s a child this time, this is too much. One of them holds the child by hips and starts groping her.


    Granny is already near them trying to stop them, but it is useless, and she must know it. Does she have a weapon? No. Or does she know that¡­ I sigh. Even grannies are trying to use me. How I fucking hate them all. Pathetic vermin whose only purpose in life is to use one another to slightly improve their lives.


    I stand up and walk to the group¡­ I look at their equipment. City guards.


    5 warriors and 3 scouts, one barely adult, more of a child. Their whole looks and vibe produces only one thought. Rotten. Those who were bound to protect somehow always end up as the oppressors.


    They barely give me a glance as the continue to drink and laugh.


    ¡°Release the child.¡±


    ¡°Ha? Get Lost.¡± Says the older one who continues to grope the child and laugh without even giving looking at me.


    ¡°I said, release the child.¡± I say clearly.


    2 of them stand up while the original one continues to grope the child.


    ¡°You don''t belong here stranger. Its better to mind your own business.¡± says the one on the left.


    ¡°You will get into trouble that you won''t come out of alive.¡± says the other one on the right with a sneer while putting his hand on the sword.


    Fucking trash.


    ¡°Unsheathe your weapon and you die.¡± I state why putting my own hand on the sword and giving them the usual death glare I can.


    The whole room grows silent as even the one groping the child stands up and looks at me while he releases the child.


    The one on right tries to take out his sword as fast as he can, but its useless. Half-way through his neck splits, the one on the left was too slow to see his friend taking action, and the moment I moved he tried to take his sword out too. He got a bit further but still too slow. I plunged the sword into his gut before he could take any stance or deflect the attack. They both fall on floor with a thud.


    ¡°Dad! No!¡± screamed the child scouts barely older than the girl as he took out his dagger and stared at me in pure horror.


    The girl and grandma shriek and together run behind the counter fumbling on the way there.


    They jump at me all together, as I evade the vertical chop from the groper, I perform my own on him. His skull falls apart as smashed tomato with it content flying around in all directions. The next ones were dispatched in a similar way with counter attack. Even though I didn''t equip my shield, I am still wearing metal gauntlet on left hand which is much more effective in this constricted terrain.


    The whole floor was colored red with blood. And the only ones left standing were me and the young child scout. After few seconds of looking at me, he runs at me while screaming on top of his lungs while holding his tiny dagger with both hands. He meet a fierce straight left, after which he falls like a sack of potatoes.


    I look down on him¡­


    He will be a problem. One way or another he will come for revenge, he will cause an issue in future. I should not leave lose ends.


    But he is innocent. Everything was result of his father and his comrades actions. He is too young to understand anything. He just follow orders from superiors.


    But he will never know that. He will make me into evil villain in his mind. Someone who came and killed his family who were totally ¡°innocent¡±.


    I was only meant to give the final oath here. Why do things never go the way they should have never meant to go. Was my interference a mistake?


    No. It always starts this way. Look other way, forgive the men who do evil, and let them do what they please. World is not hell because the evil wins. But because the good never takes action.


    To do or not to do, that is the question.


    To live a day killed by my own regret.


    Or know that vengeful dagger will be my end.


    Life was never easy. And it looks like it will never be.

 Chapter 6

    Could I have done things better? Maybe.


    But the thing that I must do now is not to think, bur rather make decisions and take action. Enough walking around and over-thinking bullshit and consequences.


    The goal is to leave this thing called ¡°past¡± behind.


    And the oath awaits.


    I need to give the oath, but there is no one to receive it here. Nearest hall is 3 weeks away by boat, and Anolat is frozen until spring. This whole thing would take too much fucking time.


    Who cares if there is no one. I will finish with legion and continue.


    Nothing changed.


    And nothing will change.


    I look around and there are still bodies and blood on the floor.


    Do I explain the situation to Lord of Emeral? No he will already know about event, even before I meet him. My truth will be too late.


    And the legion is not here to change his decision. Even if the someone from legion was here, on contrary, they would try to make me suffer, just to earn a single glance of Protus on them.


    The past will never forget nor forgive.


    I walk out of inn and in the direction of hall. The path there was eerily silent. As soon as I get there I channel mana into my lower body and slam my leg into the closed gates. It takes one more slam to make way for me.


    Going inside I find that it really is empty. Nothing except the statue is left and even it is not closed with curtain to protect it from weather.


    Doesn''t matter I will finish everything today.


    I come to the status of Zeron and clean snow of it as much as I can. After that standing before the statue, I take my upper clothes off and take out a small dagger. I cut horizontal line on both my palms after which the dagger return back into it''s original place.


    Taking a deep breath I start.


    ¡°We the Legion.


    The ones who stand.


    The ones who are neither dead nor alive.


    The ones who crush the skies and bend the fate.


    The ones who never rest.


    The ones who always fought for what must be fought.


    The ones whose blood will never die.


    Blood river flows and never stops.


    Thousand dead for each one drop.


    We stand together, not alone.


    ONE drop lost.


    Ten billion more to flow.


    We the legion.¡±


    I finish the oath and place my palms on the statue. Here I should channel mana into the statue, but I never was able to. Reinforcement of muscles everything that I ever could accomplish with mana. ¡°Defective one¡± as some called me. Enormous amount of mana, but its useless if you can''t use it well.


    I don''t care about this whole religious bullshit, but I made a promise. And even though the ones I made promise to have been dead for quite some, it doesn''t release me from my oath.


    Sorry Kilan, I still don''t believe this whole ¡°Father of Blood¡± stuff. I have not been touched. I have not seen his will nor felt his warmth. Only crushing feeling that everyone I cared about are not in this world anymore. Our personal numbers will be in blood archive, left there for eternity, but only I am left to remember our true names.


    Some documentation should be filled right now but I have neither access to blood communication nor anyone here can.


    I should end it. I should leave a message for everyone else.


    I take out dagger and scratch my personal number on the wall and cross it out. That should be more than enough, and I wouldn''t be able to do more.


    The city is submerged into nearly total darkness. There is no more sunlight but at least the blizzard week ended and the moons reflect some light.


    I don''t have time. I need to get to Toaan before ice breaks and travel to south on first boat. And that is nearly a month by foot.


    OK, minimal goal established, now to current situation.


    The mayor must already know that there is a legioner in city because of north gate guards, then he must also must know about dead guards in inn, result of granny''s tongue more likely. Anything that can possibly happen next will just take too much time, and it is the one thing I have in the least. Best action is just to leave right now, I didn''t fill my ration or get any better equipment, but there in no time. There is still snow around but I think I will be able to hunt something, those lazy guards are for sure retarded hunters and would not be able to catch even a fox, so there must be plenty of ¡°stuff¡± around.


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    Wait. Guards. Shit. What if they have a skilled Wizard or Enforcer. My body is not ready for anything extreme.


    Fuck me sideways in the ass.


    Move out, NOW.


    Why am I so slow in some points. Why? Did my expectation and caution drop because I lived in a remote region with half-witted deformed thugs.


    In my current state I will not be able to take them on. My body barely returned to acceptable state. More meat on bones, but not enough for serious fight. And city is their terrain.


    I run silently outside and in direction of south gates. As I hear footstep of guards that are running around I hide in the alley. Most of them are going in the direction legion hall and west gates.


    West?


    Did they really think that I would run to Zeronel capital in the west? Are they idiots? There are at least 5000 kilometers between us, and the path is filled with too many danger to count. It will take at least half a year to get from there to here.


    Anyway, what is important right now is stealth, the thing I am worst at. I move between the alleys relying on my keen hearing and sight, I reach the south gates. There are too many guards running around the city. That''s an overkill for one person.


    There are 2 guards on top and in front of gates. And the gates of course are closed.


    Great. Fucking great.


    A solo guards runs to them shouts something, after which together with two in front he run west.


    What? Lady Luck? What kind of shit is this. You rarely help me, and even if you do it is only to throw be into bigger pile of shit.


    But I still need to use the opportunity.


    The two on top are still standing there not moving, and are looking straight south and north from gates. I get close to wall and start slowly crouching to gates while being as close to wall as I can. I come to stand beside the stone stairs and make a quick snowball. I throw the snowball at the roof of house not so far from me. And as it hits the roof nothing happens. I make another snowball bigger and more compressed, and throw it at the exactly same location. It hits the roof with a thud, after which some snow from roof fall down with even a bigger thud.


    I hear as legs going down the stairs, after which I see backs of both guards running in the direction of sound with their sword taken out.


    What the actual FUCK? Why both of them? Are they really that retarded? Who will guard the gates?


    Doesn''t matter.


    As soon as they turn around the corner, I quickly go up the stairs and top of it freeze. There is another guard, which was invisible because of my previous view angle. He has a bottle in his hand and takes a big gulp. He is not looking at me. As he puts the bottle down he start snoring quite loudly.


    I slowly walk to the stone fence and see that there is a lot of snow back down on the left side of gates, which can help with the fall. I crouch in that direction and jump over the stone barricade on the wall. I already started circulating mana in my body so the landing should not be that bad.


    I was wrong, it could hardly be called smooth. But I am already down and start running south.


    This is too much. This can''t be possible. How am I so lucky, or unlucky today.


    Anyway I must get as far as I can from the Emeral in current weather condition.


    ¡­


    I found a small cave about 3-4 kilometers from the city. This far should be enough. I will continue the travel in the morning. I checked that the cave is empty and started circulating mana to warm up my freezing body.


    Tomorrow I need to get up early and continue my travel. It will be really bad if they have trained hunting hounds.


    And there is my blood left in the city.


    Was it mistake to give oath there.


    No. I promised.


    Sorry brothers this was the only thing I could do. A chapter of my life is finished and a new one starts.


    I really hope there is afterlife.


    Because I really want to see you guys again.

 Chapter 7

    I wake up to a sudden yowl and instincts scream for me to roll, which I perform purely automatically. Sword already taken out and ready to send the enemy to afterlife.


    Before me stands a 2 meters long white cat with black stripes and huge dagger-like front fangs. After scowling at me it performs series of rapid strikes which I barely defend against with the shield. Each strike can end me any moment. After that as if feeling my weakness it pounces at me as I try to protect my neck and face with shield. Sending as much mana into right arm I perform a stab with all that is left in my body. And it finds it''s way to cats neck. Cat yowls again but the sword is too deep and all movements only quicken its death. After few seconds of thrashing around the movement starts slowing down and finally ends at all.


    I find myself buried under 300 kilogram piece of dead cat meat. I try to take several deep breaths to gather energy and crawl out.


    Shit, why does the my next chapter of my life start with near death experience. I just evaded yesterday''s shitstorm.


    Looking back at it an idea pops up, this thing is worth quite a lot. But I don''t have time to skin it. And it''s too close to the city. And only the fucking pelt will weight few dozen kilograms.


    Why? Why does that shit always happen to me?


    Wait. Maybe the cave belonged to it. And it just came back and found an intruder in it.


    Me.


    Looking outside I find that the sun is just rising. I barely had any sleep.


    I clean myself and look back at the body. Cats body is worth more than few solid gold coins and I can''t take anything. Shit.


    But before that I need ration. Well at least the meat came to me on its own.


    ¡­


    It has already been a week since I left Emeral. And the travel went not so well. I evaded the main road as there could be a pursuit. I didn''t find that much food in the first week, a hare and a fox. But one the second week a pack of wolves decided that they could have a small snack. Twice.


    And this time I didn''t come out unharmed, there were just too many. I got a damaged right hand and left foot. Great. Can''t attack and can barely walk.


    But as I walked souther and souther less and less snow was lying on ground. Yeah it still was freezing cold, but the walk should be easier now. At least SHOULD have been.


    FUCK.


    A broken leg is not and issue. But it is an issue if you must continue walking while it is regenerating. But noooooo, those mutts had to a rip out tendon. I should have thought of possibility that alpha would attack from behind. I sigh.


    A small issue with a foot and time restriction, therefore I decided to take a small risk and get back on the main road. I am far enough that is there was a pursuit team, there is a small chance of meeting them.


    The question is which direction is the main road. I know that I need to go south based on the direction of sunrise and sunset. Is the main road on east or west.


    Shit. Fuck my life.


    The walk continues¡­


    ¡­


    So. Results so far.


    Finally there is no snow and the weather if a bit warmer.


    I have enough food and didn''t meet too much local wild-life trouble since the last incident. My leg and hand got a bit better, but that took too much energy.


    Main road was found. Strangely it was really close.


    And even better I came to a small village. But for some reason the village chief and locals look really strange.


    ¡°Greeting traveler. I am Ntar. The village chief. Sam here told me that you are a hunter.¡± he said while pointing on the thirtyish looking guard. The guy spoke few words since I met him not so far from the entrance of the village. Big burly muscle-head which you can meet anywhere.


    The chief is about 1.7 meters tall with grayish beard. He is dressed quite nicely for a remote village like this. His rectangular hat with red and green symbols on top of it is reminding me of something, but I just can''t place it.


    ¡°Greetings. Yes I am. My name is ¡­ Alan.¡±


    He smiled brightly, but I knew that it was fake, the important question is which type of fake, the merchant one or¡­


    ¡°It looks like you are a really good hunter Alan. Not many are brave enough to hunt during winter. And even less come back. So what can our humble village do for such formidable hunter as you.¡±


    Acknowledgment of my danger and flattery. OK, for now this is a usual merchant behavior.


    ¡°I am low on some supplies and wondered if you have anything for the trade.¡±


    He smiled again with his barely distinguishable fake smile.


    ¡°Of course. Of course. Sam, take our guest to Kala. She will help you everything.¡±


    Kala is a girl with long light brown hair and face full of freckles. She is barely 20, but already main village trader. Her shop was located not far from the village center and looked quite strange, more like a storehouse, but it had quite a list of interesting items for sale.


    I got few salves and quite a lot of dried meat. Even with my healing few extra burn or poison salves are never extra and I am really tired of eating raw shit. I have collected few coins on the way here so the payment is not an issue, additional to that the price is good.


    After we finish the transaction Kala invites me to have a meal with them.


    I shouldn''t stay here too long.


    But hot food¡­


    I always laughed at people who were easily manipulated by nice food.


    ¡°Thank you very much. It will be greatly appreciated.¡±


    Fuck. But here I am doing the same as those idiots.


    ¡­


    About a dozen people gathered in a house several meters from Kala''s shop. Village Chief Ntar and Sam were here too. We all sat around a bit table.


    ¡°We hope you have no problems with mushrooms.¡± Asked the Chief.


    ¡°No problem at all.¡±


    The bowls were placed around which were quickly filled with grayish soup with mushrooms and pieces of meat. People started eating as soon as their bowl were filled.


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    I took the wooden spoon and scooped a bit of soup which then went directly to my open mouth.


    When the spoon was half-way back to bowl from my mouth I freeze.


    Magonite.


    My mind when to overdrive trying to deduct how the actual FUCK is this poison in north kingdom.


    I look up and see everyone looking at me.


    The moment chief''s hat comes into my vision everything comes into place. The symbol on it.


    ¡°Qaes.¡±


    Eyes of older ones didn''t change, but the younger ones and kids did.


    That''s bad. Really bad.


    ¡°I have no issues with Sarshi Caliphate. I will leave this village and tell no one of its existence.¡±


    Everyone were still silent. But the eyes of chief became sharp with determination.


    This is MUCH worse than the spirit activity in the north or coming war with Qing. Caliphate assassin village in heart of north. This is not just a village of spies, this is a major invasion node. Do they even understand what they are doing?


    No.


    Only the chief know the part-truth.


    They always use fanatics. I have lost count of fanatics I personally killed. More than several thousands of ones belonging to Caliphate Quartet God Sect, and the uncountable number of constantly appearing Dark Churches. During that whole period I became nearly immune to all poisons and internal curses.


    I should not have come to this village.


    Sam performs a horizontal slash at the place where my head and neck should have been. His sword shining with blue energy.


    Kala takes an elderly woman by neck and performs a quick cut after which blood start flowing out into a small blood sphere. Some start running out some take out hidden weapons.


    The chief starts chanting something.


    Shit. Wizard, Warlock, Enforcer and a group of equipped assassins. And everything in closed space.


    I quickly take out a small yellow orb and throw it at the table. Never expected to use it here. It hits the table and explodes into yellow-red gas.


    Now it''s a bit more fair.


    The blood ball start deforming and falls down. Sword stops shining and the chief looks at me baffled.


    Kill or be killed huh.


    ¡­


    I started collecting anything of value in the village. There was a lot of stuff, but I didn''t have time to order it and space take it with me. They have two horses so the travel will become a bit easier.


    I continued walking around as the bodies of elder, young and kids continued to burn in the center of village. Their dead eyes looking lifelessly onto the sky. The smell of burning human flesh is indescribable, but you will never be able to forget it or mix it with something else.


    Words cannot describe the hate and powerlessness I feel right now.


    They always use the young. The ones that are easily influenced or controlled.


    I remember when I was younger, how I argued with the superiors and believed that we can save them. Help them. Fix them.


    But they did not want to be saved.


    They could not be saved.


    Kids can not be held responsible for the actions of their parents. Nor can they be held accountable for the things the have been told to do. They do not understand what is right or wrong. And their zealous belief into something that they don''t even understand.


    When you see a child less than 10 running at you with a sword she can barely hold, with eyes full of hate and contempt. With pure innocent eyes they believe that you are the bad one, that all the atrocities that she has been told to do, are good, justified. At those moment something in you breaks forever.


    And after that you can''t stop trying to save them, because maybe, that can save yourself.


    I will never forget the time when we tried to save the children from a new necromancer church. We killed everyone except children. We truly believed we saved them. We ignored their hateful eyes, we believed that as soon as we get to base we could explain to them, teach them what was actually happening. Maybe they even would join the legion and become our brothers.


    But were too naive.


    They had a timed devil pills inside of them. More likely made to swallow the moment we attacked. That night, they turned. The ones we wanted to protect became the end of my many brothers. We killed the devils.


    But the morning was the worst. Cold realization that we lost more that night than on the actual mission. They could be alive, breathing, laughing with us.


    A part of us all died that night.


    You could try to save them.


    But they do not understand that.


    They do not want to be saved.


    Or maybe that are the words that I am telling myself to sleep better.


    That was not the main road I came to. It was a hidden path. No one was meant to come to this hidden village.


    I finish preparing the horses. And resume traveling south again.


    This village had much more importance than they could understand. They were meant to be used as a sacrifice for the portal. I have seen similar, villages. This would have been one of the points where the Sarshi Caliphate would invade from.


    War.


    Qing with Northern Kingdom and Sun Empire.


    Now Sarshi Caliphate with Northern Kingdom.


    The Desert Alliance will be involved one way or another.


    I need to cross the Dead Desert before that.


    This all means that soon more than half of the continent will be at war.


    Am I running out of burning house?


    No. The events will still catch on to me.


    I need to reach Toaan as soon as I can. And the time left in decreasing with each second. I am not sure how much it will take to reach my goal. And every day it feels more and more like it can be the last.


    But please, if there is someone up there.


    Please, just one more day, one more fucking day.

 Chapter 8

    ¡°We did nothing wrong.¡± Says a little girl barely reaching my hip with light blond hair and sky blue eyes.


    ¡°I didn''t hurt you. So why are you hurting me?¡±


    The child start whimpering, as the center on her chest, where the dagger is embedded, start bleeding.


    ¡°Why did you hurt mommy?¡± Says another child even smaller with short black hair and chocolate skin.


    ¡°Did I do something bad? Do not hurt mommy, please. Please, make the pain go away.¡± A straight line across his neck start severely bleeding.


    ¡°Was our soup bad?¡± whispers a child from the Qaes assassin village.


    ¡°I am very sorry. I will make new one. Please don''t hurt grandpa. Please forgive us.¡± Pleads the child while crying as the blood start flowing from a wound on her stomach.


    Slowly, one by one, more and more children appear. They continue begging me to stop, for the pain to go away.


    I am frozen, I can neither blink nor move, not even a finger.


    Without being able to do anything I continue to stand as more and more children gather around me. Their voices merge together in one unified one. Begging.


    ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡­


    I wake up in cold sweat, hyperventilating. Looking around I recognize the room I am renting. Looking at the moons which are visible through the window. Burning hot tears flow through my eyes down my face leaving wet traces down my face.


    Maybe I could have saved them. Maybe I could have done something.


    But I wasn''t able to, or maybe its just something I am telling myself to justify my actions.


    The moment I killed everyone in the dining room everyone outside started turning. Qaes will never allow sheep to live without the shepherd. They always inject a fail safe pill inside them.


    It was not Demon pills. It would have been much easier if it was Demon pills. They turn inhuman, turning inside-out, creatures of darkness fueled by concentrated amount of dark energy and constant absorption of ambient dark energy.


    But it was some variation of rage pill. They still looked human, it looked like they had only one single direct order, to kill the one responsible in the death of shepherd. Rage pills mess up the flow of mana and blood that even children could rip adults apart. It lasts only few minutes. But that is enough to ensure that the body would crumble apart even if they fail their order. One way or another no survivors will be left.


    The tears stop flowing. And the wet lines start drying causing the place where the line was to itch.


    These nightmares will never end.


    There is nothing I will be able to do about it.


    There is nothing I can do.


    There is nothing I will do.


    These things never heal. And they should never heal. I do not deserve healing. Whatever I do now or in future will not change that, it will not erase what I have done.


    And in the end of it all, I will become the thing I hunted.


    ¡­


    The sun rises and I start preparing for the day. I reached Toaan quite quickly, the horses made sure of that. Additional to that there were no issues on the road at all. Dried meat ration made sure that I would wouldn''t need to stop for a break or in search of food.


    My arrival in Toaan was just in time for the first express ship which would have sailed right after the ice breaks. The first express ship is quite expensive one. You have the risk of the ¡°waking up¡± dangers in environment, quite a period of time since the last ship traveled, foreign traders willing to pay extra for the first fresh goods since the start of winter, and multiply the whole thing on supply and demand. Which results an astronomical price.


    I sold the horses, bought an express ticket, few maps and some supplies for the travel. The weather is still cold therefore I will only change the equipment as soon as I reach port Kamalesh. The map showed that it was right in the center between Northern Kingdom and Qing, at north most part of Desert Alliance. From there on I will travel differently.


    Toaan is much bigger and more active than Emeral because river Monah which flows between Qing, Desert Alliance and Northern Kingdom is also the main route of travel for all goods. Why main? Because all the countries ensure the safety of this route. Too much is dependent on the goods that are flowing through the Monah. And safety equals security, and security equal more merchants.


    To be frank, I should have already been on the ship which should have sailed yesterday morning. But some ¡°important¡± Lord ordered that the ship will wait one of his carriages. And there is no one who can stand up against him. Few also as ¡°important¡± merchants were furious and demanded immediate departure, but Lord has connections with the local Duke. And there it ends.


    It doesn''t matter that merchants have contracts, it doesn''t matter that there are goods that can spoil, it doesn''t matter that people can lose money and lives because of few days delay.


    Words of Duke is Law on his territory. And anyone who says something against can quickly lose the friendship of the Duke and meet the executioner guillotine.


    Strange isn''t it, one person having absolute control.


    Actually no. This is how this stuff works. We are but cockroaches. And should eat the shit from the asses of our masters.


    And the funny thing is that we were the ones that gave them the rein, believing that someone else would be responsible if something fails. But it only created hierarchy which we blindly believed. And with time it became how we see the world, because we believed that there could be no other way. And they in their place gave it to their children, passing the rein to next generation, again and again. And with each iteration they became more ruthless, more detached from people. They started believing that they are special, chosen ones by gods, that a totally different blood flows through their veins. That¡­


    I should stop there¡­


    Anyway, me together with bunch of travelers and merchants had to book an inn and wait for ¡°Master''s¡± carriage. A lot of people didn''t plan for that and plainly didn''t have money to pay for the inn. They had to sleep outside, sure there is no snow but it is still freezing cold during night, and some of them will not wake up again.


    I go down to nearly full pub and have a breakfast in the corner, few sausages and dried piece of bread. Some are grumbling about the duke, some about the lord. But most are just drinking and telling their epic stories. How can they poison themselves so early in the morning, as soon as they wake up.


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    Unbelievable.


    But, maybe I am just the strange, unused to civilian life, to peace. Yeah I totally forgot that. I am civilian, a traveler, nothing more.


    A mountain of a man comes to my table. Huge beard, hard but warm eyes.


    ¡°Can we sit here with you? Everything else is taken.¡±


    I nod.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    He gestures to a boy, about 12-13 which resembles him greatly, to sit too, same dark eyes with ginger hair. Polite father, that is quite rare. They put their plates on the table and start eating. Boy looks at my face for several seconds with round eyes and stops when his father pushes him with an elbow.


    ¡°Eat. Excuse him. He is still young. He did not mean anything bad. My name is Rudolf and this is my son Tedal.¡±


    ¡°Alan. Not a problem at all. Boy is still young.¡±


    ¡°I am not a boy, I am a man.¡±


    Rudolf start laughing.


    ¡°You will be, take your time.¡± I grin. ¡°But first, you need to be able to carry your father on your shoulders¡±


    Boy wants to say something but then stops. We eat in silence, as soon as we finish the boy resumes looking at my face. I can see that there is something brewing and he can''t hold back the question.


    ¡°How did you get that scar? I have never seen anything like that. What kind of beast did that?¡±


    It has been so long that I nearly forgot. People haven''t mentioned it so far so it slipped my mind. But red-black vertical scar down the right side of my face will ensure that I will never forget what I hunted before. My regeneration can heal nearly anything. Even deep scars will take only few weeks to disappear. But there are things that should not exist in this world.


    ¡°Remember, the most dangerous beast are the ones wearing human skin.¡±


    The boys eyes fill with confusion and fear. I smile trying to calm down the boy.


    ¡°Be not afraid of them. Fear is their weapon against us. Every beast bleeds. You just need to know were to stab.¡±


    ¡°Sorry about that. He is quite curious one.¡±


    ¡°No. Actually that is very good quality. It will make sure that he stays alive.¡±


    He gives a warm bear-like smile and start ruffling up the boys hair. We talked a bit more while the room was warming up by the rising sun.


    A sudden movement started outside, after which I saw few people through the window running around and shouting something. But no one heard it over the chatter inside the inn.


    Inn''s door slam open and a boy in his teens screams.


    ¡°The ship is leaving!¡± and runs out the moment he finished.


    A few seconds of absolute silence and confusion were replaced by people running up the inn to take their belonging, and others running out of inn in the direction of dock.


    Me, Rudolf and Tedal stood up and went together with the group leaving the inn. A good hunter always caries the important stuff on him. We started jogging in the direction where the ship was docked. Even from afar we could see that shipcrew were running around the ship.


    ¡°Faster Tedal.¡± said Rudolf.


    We moved from jog into sprint. As soon as we came much closer to ship we saw half a dozen people checking papers and letting the people on the ship. Not far from the ship an expensive looking carriage could be seen.


    If the harbor wasn''t made of stone I am sure that it would crumble under the weight of all people trying to get on the ship. The documents were checked in a half-assed way, therefore we got on the ship quite fast. No one had time, by the looks of it. We along with a lot of others stood on the deck.


    When nearly all people got on the ship, men in enchanted armor came out of ship to the deck and went directly to a person looking like a ship captain. Their ever movement told about their arrogance and belief in their utter, unconditional superiority. But the enchantments told me more than that, they are somewhat skilled Enforcers. High status, decent amount of money, some skills and here you go, unstoppable killing machines.


    One of them, with a bit more expensive looking armor and enchantment stood in front.


    ¡°What are we waiting for? Depart immediately!¡±


    A man in his fifties, with graying hair and a bottle of rum in hand, which should be the ship captain, looked at the lead Enforcer with disdain.


    ¡°We are not personal carriage, Sir. We are first express. Your late arrival delayed our schedule. And now, you believe that you can give orders?¡±


    The moment he finished a strong hook met his face. After which the lead Enforcer proceeded to kick the old man lying on floor. Other enforcers looked around while holding their hands on the hilts of their sword, threatening violence to anyone who would intervene.


    After nearly dozen of seconds of non-stop kicking and stomping the lead Enforcer stopped. He took a deep breath and spoke.


    ¡°Your existence maggot, is allowed only because of benevolence of my Master. You, and everyone you care or know, are alive only because we allow that. You will do as I say or I will personally skin every male in your whole family, and females will be given to my hounds as hump dummies.¡±


    The ship captain was heavily bleeding and more likely unconscious, I wasn''t even sure if he heard anything. Lead Enforcer looked at ship crew members which were petrified in fear.


    ¡°What are you waiting?!. Depart now!!¡±


    Ship crew started running around frantically to continue what they were doing before. Enforcers turned around and went down the to deck. Some of the ship crew stopped and ran to captain trying to help him in whatever way they can.


    Anchor was lifted and ship started moving. A chubby man was running to ship through harbor with several bags on his back screaming for the ship to wait. His legs were barely moving under his weight and weight of his bags. But he wouldn''t make it. The ship is already too far.


    [So you can kill villagers and children, but standing against an Enforcers is a no.]


    [Pathetic.]


    [Where is your righteousness now?]


    [How are you any different from all those you called scum?]


    ¡°The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.¡±

 Chapter 9

    The sky has not changed its color for quite some. Endless gray. I have traveled quite a lot before, and because of that, I saw many things. I saw castles and strongholds so enormous and ancient that for normal people it would look like creations of gods.


    But I have seen these ¡°gods¡±. Those fueled and corrupted by mana, those who could create and destroy mountains with a mere thought. I have seen them create things which usually would have taken centuries to create in mere hours. I have seen Elven Druids change deserts into endless forest within a week.


    But there was only one thing that they could never change. They wouldn''t even try to change it, for them it was but a mere roof in the realm they rule. But for me this was something more. Something they can never change.


    I have been in regions, where more stars were visible than creatures alive. I have seen the dance of polar spirits in north which would paint the sky in emerald waves.


    I always wondered what the sky is or if I can touch the stars. Is it really just a sphere of father''s mana that ¡°protects us from the evil¡±, or maybe it is something more.


    Father, huh.


    Everyone creates their own ¡°unique¡± name for him. And they all believe that they speak in his place and for him, that they know all the answers, that they know exactly what is right and what is wrong. But it always ends the same way.


    I really miss the sky, the one which changes color form cyan to burning orange and purple. But I am not the only one right now, everyone on ship are as tired of this endless gray mass.


    I somehow got close to Rudolf and Tedal during this whole traveling period, so even now, when we are up on the deck eating some ration together, which we bought in the Toaan a day before the departure, we are together.


    You can buy food here on the ship too, but the price is even more astronomical than the ticket. Everyone need to eat. And there are always people who will squeeze as much as they can. This cannot be called a business, but a racketeering scheme. And if they pay a part of profit to the captain, they will be the only ones selling food on ship. From that point on they become the only option if you are hungry, and returning to statement before, everyone needs to eat.


    The noise of heavy boots stops the discussion I had with Rudolf about easiest way to kill mountain cat. The group of Enforcers walked out around 3 people. Older man in his fifties together with man and woman in their early twenties, all dressed in lavish clothes. They walk up to the bridge and after few words with helmsman young woman started steering the wheel.


    Big toys for big girls huh.


    Tedal was looking at the Enforcers, then at the nobles with eyes that wanted something, something he never had, and will probably never have. It is hard to explain to children that there are thing that they can''t have just because they were not "lucky" enough to be born in the right place. Only one enchantment on an arm bracer cost more than he will able to make in a decade.


    Actually it is not that hard to make them. But it is always about ''supply'' and ''demand''. And if the demand is high and there is controlled supply...


    ¡°Why are they called Enforcers?¡±


    Rudolf looks at his son. By his appearance he must have lived simple hunter life. Not many are brave enough to travel alone so far, even less with children. He must have had a decent reason. The fact that there was never word spoken about Tedal''s mother, tells me a lot.


    ¡°Well they enforce their weapons with mana, I guess¡±


    After few seconds of thinking over it and trying to puzzle it up in his mind the boy replies.


    ¡°But then what is the difference between Enforcers and Mages?¡±


    Rudolf scratches his head, trying to come up with answer, but again, he is but a simple hunter. Additional to that there are not many mages here. The sheer religious and administrative discrimination against any non-human species ensured that no foreign mage would travel in this direction. And the local ones are quickly recruited by the Wizard Tower. And to add the cherry on the top, it is easier to get into a dukes house and fuck his wife than learn anything from the Tower.


    ¡°The difference is that Wizards have significantly more mana. Which they use to cast wide range elemental spells. Enforcers have much less mana, but they learn to have solid control over it. By applying a single strong ''will'' they can make mana behave in a certain way. They enforce their will onto mana to strengthen armor or sharpen the sword, because of that they are called Enforcers.¡±


    Both of them look at be in silence for few seconds. Each on thinking about their own thoughts.


    "Are you an Enforcer?" asks the boy in excitement.


    "No. I am not. But I have read about them a bit."


    Boy smiles and buries me under non-stop barrage of questions. Everyone dreams to become a Wizard or an Enforcer, slay bad guys and bath in gold and respect.


    Many can.


    But only selected few will be allowed.


    Knowledge is power.


    Power is a threat.


    [And threats must be neutralized.]


    The ship started swinging side to side as Ship captain come out on deck. He looked at the young woman turning the wheel left and right but said nothing. Half of his face is blue and each movement caused pained expression to appear on his face. Everyone felt a bit seasick but none dared to voice their dissatisfaction.


    The woman as if tired of playing with the wheel turned to the older lord and thanked him with bright smile. She did not understand what she really was doing and how it was affecting everyone else. Innocent child, is what came to my mind.


    After small talk they went down to lower deck. They passed the captain and he bowed slightly with one hand behind his back. I could see his hand gathering into a fist. Several seconds after they disappeared he took something out of his pocket. It was a pocket watch. He opened it and looked at something in it for nearly a minute. He took a deep breath, put the watch back in the pocket and went up to the bridge.


    More likely a picture of someone close. Family or loved one. We all bend under, but in most cases it is not for ourselves, but rather for someone we are willing sell our souls for. Anything in order to protect them.


    ¡­


    It has already been nearly two weeks since we left the port. As expected there were several attacks on the ship. Human ones were brutally repelled by the Enforcers, ¡°wild life¡± ones were mainly used as a new source of food.


    Today we arrived at Saloto, the south most city in Northern Kingdom. Here the river branches. One goes south to Desert Alliance other goes east to Qing.


    Tedal and Rudolf left. I didn''t ask how far they were going, but it looks like this was it, from here on they are going to Qing on different ship. Even if I think that it is bad decision to go in that direction right now, it is their life, their choices. Maybe I got a bit attached, I didn''t think that the interaction would be this short.


    But it is not about me.


    Sadly the lord didn''t leave. We were here only for few hours and left the port not even staying for the night. More likely the wish of that Lord.


    More than half of passengers left. Desert Alliance is not a nice place, and not many travel there without a serious reason.


    Thankfully the weather got much better, there are not that many clouds in the sky and it is much warmer. My muscles started slowly returning, now I no longer look like a walking undead, and I will be able to squeeze a bit more strength out of this body.


    Sitting on the deck under direct sunlight, I am trying to warm my body even further and catch up the time I haven''t seen sun. You do not appreciate things until they are lost.


    Footstep stop me from what I was doing. And I turned my head to look in the direction sound was coming.


    ¡°Hello. If it is possible I wanted to ask few questions.¡± Said the young woman noble with innocent smile.


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    ¡°They do not speak Tasar milady. They barely speak common Malari. I believe that the ship captain would be more suited to answer any question you have.¡± said one of two enforcers standing behind her.


    ¡°Oh. No. Um. He just looked really interesting with his fur armor, but he doesn''t look like a northman, so I was curios where he is from. Maybe he has few interesting stories to tell.¡±


    Confusion was creeping on the face of both guards, but they tried their best not to show any emotions. Not many people were left on the ship and it looks like she got really tired of the travel.


    ¡°Dear, do not come close to peasants. You don''t know what diseases they carry.¡± Said the older Lord, which just came on the deck. ¡°There is tea with dessert prepared for us. Come sweetheart.¡±


    After looking down at me one last time the woman walked away with nearly the whole group. The lead Enforcer looked down at me with threatening gaze and followed the group.


    If the talk would last a bit more, I am not sure if I would be able to hold myself back. People often said that I make my decisions quite recklessly, that I am hotheaded. But it is not true.


    There comes a moment where you just stop caring.


    And maybe I have seen a bit too much of what people really are on the inside. Maybe if I had not, life would be different, I could trust people, have family with wife and children, be happy.


    But it is no longer possible.


    ¡­


    I am not sure if people would laugh or cry if they were in my place. But I just feel apathetic about the thing people call ''life'' and what it throws at me.


    A quite big group of bandits attacked. They love to gather around the borders, easy to run on the other side if things go bad, and not many send patrols to the corners of their kingdoms.


    Attack by itself is not an issue, but the mines that blew up a third of the ship are. It was strange to look at the ship for a moment and then a part of it disappears in explosion of splinters. Explosion force sent few people directly into river. Bandits were waiting on the shore for anyone coming out. A really interesting strategy, and in most cases it would work.


    But not this time.


    They were quickly neutralized. I could never understand the bandits, how can they so easily kill, rape, steal without even a hint of remorse, but when it is their life that is being taken, they beg for mercy. How can their mind justify their action, but expect a totally different treatment if the roles reverse.


    We gathered on the river side. People tried to salvage whatever they could from the river that didn''t flow away. I saved few, who couldn''t swim. Thankfully it is still noon and the weather is really warm, so the chances I get sick or catch a disease because of hypothermia are really low. The river is still freezing cold.


    The ''noble'' group are looking at me suspiciously. It looks like they neither expected nor approved my behavior towards bandits. I killed about half of them personally. The part I am not sure about is whenever they didn''t like that I killed the same amount as they all together, or that I didn''t stop when bandits kneel and begged for mercy.


    But it doesn''t matter. Ship is lost, next one will come in about two weeks, there are no horses, and I can''t lose any more days. Caravan in Kamalesh will not wait.


    My winter wolf armor is soaked and traveling with it becomes a bit of an issue. But I can''t leave it just yet. Nights are still cold. Squeezing it as much as I can I prepare to depart checking all my equipment and weapons.


    ¡°Hunter.¡± says the lead Enforcer in common Malari. ¡°You will guide us to the nearest port. There you will be rewarded.¡±


    After few seconds of my silence nobles look at the lead Enforcer.


    ¡°Does that peasant even understand you Galor?¡± said the older lord in Tasar, expecting me not to understand the language of nobles.


    Looking at them for few more seconds I think over the current situation. They have too many bags, the group is big and slow. It would cause too many problems, and the reward is not even guaranteed. Add to that that I have limited time.


    But in the end it all doesn''t matter, I would have helped them just because the silent young lord and chatty lady did not look corrupted, yet. But all the arguments are crossed out by two simple images, the bleeding captain on the floor and the running chubby man who didn''t get on the ship.


    I breathe out and turn around while walking away.


    ¡°You FUCKING rat!¡± screams the lead enforcer sprints at me. His all enchantments glowing as he is prepared to take my life.


    Fucking retard, who screams while attacking from behind, well even if he didn''t scream it would be useless, I can still hear his steps. But it is too late, I have already started circulating mana.


    When he was 3 meters away from me I turn around and my must faster hands move into action. With my left hand I grab the wrist that holds the sword, instant cracking sound can be hears as his palm turns in very unnatural direction. Before he can howl in pain my right hand as a hook grabs his neck, the chainmail protecting the area around his neck is useless. Many have died underestimating the strength of my hands.


    Within few seconds after stopping the air flow, brain stops all non-instinctual actions. And if the brain stop giving orders, all your magics and enchantments are useless. Many fights can be won quite easily if you know what to do.


    I wait until I see the white of his eyes and his body limps. With my left hand I plug out the eyeball from the skull of the enforcer. I drop both of them on the ground.


    I look at the noble group as they all bundle together and look at me in horror.


    ¡°Is this what you wanted?¡± I say in Tasar.


    As if realizing that I am neither a peasant nor an assassin sent after them, but possibly hiding noble, the older lord eyes open wide and he screams.


    ¡°My name is Robert Sotozar, Lord of Thean! What family do you belong to?! Do you understand the consequences of attacking us on Baron Katof land?! Do you know what will be happen to you?!¡±


    Oh here we go. Bandits beg for mercy and nobles start listing the names of their friends in hopes to scare. Even though they are the ones that attacked.


    Pathetic.


    ¡°We are no longer on Baron''s territory. And on the territory of Desert Alliance, where we currently are, the punishment for attacking unarmed travelers is death.¡±


    I point with by bloody hand at the lying enforcer and sword near him.


    ¡°And as you can see, the law is not on your side. But that is totally different subject. Do you really think that I will allow this offense, just go? This dept must be payed.¡±


    The Enforcers take out their weapon and stand in front of the nobles. Unbelievable, only now do they wake up and stand in front of them to protect. I can feel their fear, the lead enforcer should have been the most skilled one. He made a mistake of coming too close to me. If they attack from afar I am fucked. But they are too stupid to realize that.


    ¡°But I will let you live, for now. Remember Robert, one day I shall come and collect the debt.¡±


    I turn around and start walking south.


    I specifically addressed him with his name to show that his status holds no importance to me. He will spend years being careful and trying to find out who he offended, looking into the dark corner and fearing that the moment has come.


    Was I angry because of their actions with during the departure from Toaan?


    Or was it because they looked down at me and called me peasant?


    I am not sure anymore.


    But it does not matter. I still have too much to do.


    And the time is too limited.


    Even though time is so limited I would give it all just to spend few moments with the ones that no longer have it.


    But it will never happen.


    Life can not be stopped.


    And new sun will rise.


    Again and again.

 Chapter 10

    ¡°What is the purpose of your arrival to Kamalesh?¡±


    ¡°Caravan, if it didn''t leave already.¡±


    The older guard makes a gesture to the guard in front of me to let me in.


    ¡°You are lucky. You still have few more days.¡±


    He steps aside and I proceed through huge stone gates. The people here are dressed much lighter than I am used to. Even though it is not so hot right now, local weather here is so desert-like that people don''t even have the concept of winter clothes.


    As I enter the city my nose is assaulted by range of smells starting from the smell of sewers and rot ending with sweet spices.


    The most apparent difference from north is that there are many other races starting from dwarfs and elves ending with lizardmen and catshi. Their number is significantly lower than humans but they are still there. Discrimination here still exists, but it is not on the level that some kingdoms practice. At least they are not killed on sight here.


    I continue walking in the direction of the center of city to find a merchant. My wolf armor is rare here and not many have even seen it, nearly none would use it, but it is an interesting show piece for rich people.


    I find a decent looking merchant and after a bit of bargaining I exchange my wolf armor for 14 silver coins and few clothes for local weather. Metal armor will only hinder my movement in this region, and leather is nearly useless.


    After a small talk he pointed in the direction of Adventure Guild Hall. I would prefer to be hired as a guard for caravan. I could pay ''contribution'' to become a part of caravan, but I would need a personal horse or camel. Or find a independent transporter who is part of caravan. In the end the only thing I care about is to get to the other side of Dead Desert. I don''t have that much money left, and who know when the my pursue will get fatter.


    It is an easily recognizable place, their big round symbol with scroll on it is hard to mix with anything else. As I enter the building, the same atmosphere greets me as in any other Guild Hall. Few drunk, lazy and noisy bums drinking, several suspicious guys siting in the corners trying to gather information, a wall with requests and a cute girl at counter with two guards behind her.


    Looking through the request wall I find that the caravan escort quest is still available. I turn around and go to reception. The guards visibly tense looking at me. With time those who have seen death too much get the ability to ''feel'' if someone is dangerous. Well at least here, guards are competent. The girl smiles at me with professional stretched smile.


    "Hello. How may I help you?"


    "Good morning. Is caravan escort quest still open?"


    "Yes, caravan will leave in 3 days. There is currently no limit to the number of open positions. Would you like to take the quest? If yes, could I please see your guild card?"


    "I do not have one."


    "I am really sorry but this quest requires at least a D rank Adventure guild card."


    She looks confused. All adventurers have some kind of guild card, and the fact that I am missing one is really suspicious. I had other card, but restoring it will cause more questions and issues.


    I think over what she just said.


    "Can I get a guild card? I just finished my military service in north."


    "Oh. Of course." She eases up a bit and look for a paper on her left side. "It will be 5 silver coins. Do you want me to fill it for you?"


    "No, thank you. I will do it myself."


    She passes it to me together with a pencil. I look through and fill what I believe will be enough. I always hated learning new languages, but I had to with the job I was doing. There are languages with horrible alphabet, and even worse grammar laws. I finish and hand it back with the coins. Payment is a bit too much, but I can say nothing about it.


    She looks through and her eyes widen.


    ¡°Um, excuse me, but we would like to do a small¡­ check.¡±


    She goes into backroom and comes back with a purple stone. The air around guards tenses up even more. I easily recognize it as I have used it many, many times. I take the stone and hold it in my hand in front of them.


    ¡°I am not a necromancer. See.¡±


    The stone doesn''t light up while I am holding it in front of them.


    ¡°I am really sorry if we offended you, there is a problem with necromancers in the region.¡± She says while bowing. ¡°And, Um. You really don''t look like you, um, are 28.¡± She finishes while looking at me with apologetic face.


    It is well known that those who practice necromancy or dark magic have their vitality sucked out, but that is true only for the inexperienced and unskilled ones. Additionally that is the main reason they look much older and are bony.


    The bristle on my face in combination with scar and fact that half of hair on my head are already grey, make me look much older. Life was never soft on me.


    ¡°Not a problem. Could I get the card, please?¡±


    After several magic and enchantment operations she returned a cooper card with mana infused into it.


    ¡°Here it is. You start from F rank. If there is anything else I can help you with?¡±


    ¡°Are there any quest that can help me get a D rank fast?¡±


    ¡°Well, if you are really skilled, there is an open season for blue scorpions. Nasty things, got too close to the city. If you join a party and hunt about a dozen scorpions, plus finish several other quests, you may make it in time for the caravan. Also you will get about a 10 cooper coins for each confirmed kill.¡±


    I take the scorpion hunt quest, which would require me to bring their stingers as proof, they are located west of the city. The receptionist tries to warn me again of dangers but I depart immediately not to lose time.


    As soon as I get out of the building I freeze at the sight which I dreaded the whole way here. A dark skinned bald man, which follows a rickshaw with a fat man inside it, holds a chain in his hand which is connected to several naked, dirty children with shackles on their necks. This procession is a normal thing in this region. The main reasons that it is not allowed to attack in public on the territory of Desert Alliance, is that if someone broke a law, they could be sold into slavery as payment for their offense. Even death sentence can be replaced with lifelong slavery. Money goes to government. And damaged good are worth less.


    My blood boils as thoughts of giving the whole city to blood circles around my head. My hand stretches to the handle of my sword.


    [DO NOT HURRY.]


    [They deserve much more. Much, much more. Make their entire existence as painful as you can.]


    It takes a lot of willpower to unclench by hand from the handle. I go west, outside of city for quest, I need to cool down, and the way I am right now, I won''t be able to do anything.


    I need to direct my anger somewhere, anywhere...


    ¡­


    I eat in the busy inn thinking about the next steps.


    I got the D class ¡°upgrade¡± to my card after I brought 173 stingers of blue scorpions. Receptionist tried to be polite and helpful, but it was apparent that she was uncomfortable in my presence. Maybe there was and issue how I looked, or the number of stingers, or more specific, the fact that I was covered in scorpion internal liquids.


    I haven''t seen a mirror for years, therefore am not even sure what will be reflected in it, or who will look back at me.


    I may have overdone it with the scorpions, they did nothing wrong. They were not responsible for what humans do in this region. And I spent energy not on the ones that deserved it. They are just simple animal, they kill only to survive, or if they are in danger.


    Superiors in Blood Legion knew about the anger issues I have, and they perfectly understood what was the trigger for that. That was the main reason that they usually sent me after the dark churches and the worst world can spawn. I took it too personally and had much higher chance of success that anyone else. Or to be even more specific, I was the one of not many who completed all those missions and still survived. During that period of time I got resistance to a lot of dangerous stuff.


    The reason that I am tense right now is that at night, during which I was, cleaning, I found a very disturbing issue. There is no proof, at least officially. But this issue can not be left alone.


    I already took the quest for the caravan escort and spoke with Jitak, who is leader of caravan. He is OK with me and will pay me 10 silver coins as soon as we reach Tomalesh which is right in the center of Desert Alliance. From there I will need to find a way to travel south-east. So one problem less.


    But much bigger problem is still left. And only two more nights are left to solve it.


    ¡°What the fuck do they mean everything is under control?! 3 slave houses were slaughtered!¡±


    ¡°Shush. Control your voice. They are currently looking into it.¡±


    ¡°Looking into what?! Which kind of fucking demon is going around and massacring citizens?!¡±


    ¡°Calm down retarded elf. Your kind were always pussies.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you half-cut shit! Did your beard grow into you brain or the drinking finally fucked your brain?! Someone ripped them-¡±


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    ¡°Shut up cunts!¡±


    The short discussion was finished by a purple skinned ogre. Everyone around were silent trying to gather as much information as they can. The information and rumors are so scarce, that even this short outburst is valuable. Multiple groups, inside the inn, in different corners continue discussing the events in hushed tone.


    Citizens my ass, blood-drinking slave-selling scums that''s who they are.


    [You let the nobles go, but killed the slave traders. Who says that the traders deserved death more than nobles, maybe they treated the slaves better than their own family did. What if their life would get better as slaves. Who says that those nobles you spared wouldn''t do more evil later on.]


    Slaves were mutilated and malnourished.


    [You think you saved those ''slaves''? They will tell their NEW master who did it, while returning to the fate that was decided upon them by life itself, you maybe even made it worse. And adding to the top of it all, soon the hunt will start, but this time, you will be the hunted.]


    Not attempting to change their fate would be wrong.


    [Is this how you are trying to justify the murder, deaths and your actions? Oh poor you. You did a good thing saving those sweet, little, innocent slaves. Let me praise you. Our righteous savior. What would we do without you? Maybe you even deserve a medal. Ha! Maybe forgiveness? What do you think?]


    Do nothing? Let the world solve itself? Let it go? Is this your solution? Hope for better while slowly drowning in this hell?


    Maybe we are in hell, maybe everyone here deserves this damnation, maybe this is punishment for all we have done, maybe we all really deserve to die.


    But that does not mean we must not attempt to change it. I will. I refuse to be one of them, even if whole world will stand against me. Even if they all reject me and what I stand for. Even if I am wrong.


    I will change it. If the only thing waiting at the end of this path is defeat and death, than so be it. But I will not stand.


    [So be it. We have walked this path for far too long to turn around. There is no place to regret out actions. Let the blood flow.]


    Blood.


    During the ''cleaning'' in one of the hidden rooms in the slave house master room I found a gold goblet, encrusted with gems. The reeking of blood coming from it was undeniable, I could smell it even from the other side of the room.


    Necromancers are easy to find with deathstone, but blood mages are a totally different story. Most of them can be hidden for decades until someone notices big amount of dark energy or too many people suddenly gone missing. And war is the most favorite place for them, no one will care about a dozen people missing when thousands are dead.


    Blood is universal currency of magic. Blood is where the biggest amount of mana is located. Drinking blood will give you a temporary boost in many aspects of magic. With blood it is much easier to enchant items or create curses as blood acts as direct source of mana.


    Universal source of energy, only if you forget where it comes from. But the important word is temporary. You need fresh blood, as mana quickly dissipates from it. It is one of the reasons for ritualistic sacrifices.


    If I had a seeker with me the task would be much easier. Unlike them I can neither feel nor see the ambient mana.


    Thinking about it, I decide to pursue the worst possible case. I really want my theory to be wrong. It would better, for everyone.


    But, that gold goblet came from somewhere.


    I didn''t take it. They shouldn''t know that I know what they are. It is an enchanted item used in rituals. I may not feel the mana, but I can recognize the engraved enchantments. The ones I have seen far too many times.


    ¡­


    The moons are in new stages and because of that, the shadows are so dark that you can feel as if they are sucking in the lights around them.


    Creepy would be a good word. Still the guards stand, protecting the place with their lives. It would be much easier if I could just kill the guards. But the only reason I am currently here is because of instinct impulse. There is no proof.


    A slave house master could not work alone. They always have some kind of superior. It all started as ''cleaning'' the slave houses, but now I am trying to infiltrate the mini-castle of Kamalesh Emir.


    The one good thing about not having any mana affinity is that I don''t produce ambient mana. Nearly every living being produces ambient mana. There are many enchanted devices that can tell you a lot, by just the ambient mana around. Traps, tracking devices, alarm system and many, many more. Some of the skilled assassins can suppress this body ''function'', but I don''t need to, my body just generally is different.


    I would want to evade killing anyone, yet. I only wish to find a solid evidence to debunk my theory, because if I am right, than things are much worse than I expected. Blood mages in power is a justified reason to start a large scale crusade.


    Infiltration was easy, not as easy as leaving north stronghold, but still. Nothing a rope and strong hands can''t do. And as it seems, they are too heavily dependent on mana tracking devices.


    My destination right now, is some kind of basement. Blood rituals take too much space and require place where it is constantly dark. Plus the scream, should not be heard, or at some point it will cause and issue.


    The fact that there are no guards patrolling inside is really good for me, but on the other side, why would they want no patrol inside.


    To hide something.


    After about an hour lurking around ,hiding from rare maids, I find a suspicious looking door in the far corner of the castle. Locked doors are not and issue. I learned few skills to solve such problems.


    But what if there is an alarm on door. I have seen few which would activate if wrong mana signature was sent when you turning the key.


    I took the risk and opened the door. The stairway with few torches was relatively long, at least 100 meters. After which, a long corridor lead to a thick metal door with multiple key holes. Opening it took a bit longer.


    As I opened it total darkness greeted me. I took one of the torches and went inside. After taking 10 steps inside big and dark room, the door slammed shut. After which sound of multiple lock turning could be heard. Few torches around lighted up, enough to show what was inside the room.


    I fully understood that this was a trap, that currently powerful cursed are being cast and applied onto me. They knew that I would come and they were prepared. I could hear the footstep, the sound of metal boots clanking against the stone floor. I know that there are many, and they are coming.


    But it did not matter because of what I could see in the room. Stacked hills of children bones were scattered around. An enormous container in the center of the room with blood filled to brim and small body parts floating in it.


    On the right side is table with plates filled with cooked meat. And I perfectly know who the meat belongs to.


    And at the back a statue of owl and bull standing side to side.


    I was wrong.


    They are not blood mages. They are much worse.


    A tall pretty woman and a bit shorter handsome man at the lead of group of nicely dressed and relatively young looking people entered the room. At least hundred enforcers and mages followed behind them with about a dozen scantly dressed terrified toddlers.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen. We have a small surprise for all of you. Additional to the feast, that I prepared in honor of lovely wife¡¯s birthday, there is bathtub for all of us in the center, also, I have caught a spy, sent by Caliphate. Worry not, he has already been immobilized by the curses. After the feast we can have some fun, thankfully his body looks sturdy. Of course my sweetheart gets the first piece. But again worry not, everyone will get a turn.¡±


    Some of them started to feast, some started undressing for the bath, others sat on couches and proceeded violate the toddlers in all orifices, while they screamed and begged. Some part of nobles continued their chat with each other as if the events around them are totally normal.


    The lead lady started walking towards me with a small satisfied grin and a tiny dagger in her hand.


    I was wrong. I should have given the city to blood the moment I entered it.


    I turn my body toward them and unsheathe my sword, which causes a confused expression on nearly everyone''s face.


    Enforcers and mages only now understand that curses had no effect on me as they reach for their weapons and spells.


    If I have acted earlier some of the children could have been alive.


    But it is too late.


    I let the internal mana flow like never before.


    Even if this body is destroyed, these creatures should not be allowed to exist.


    I will let the Zeron, God of Blood, feast today.

 Chapter 11

    ¡°Oh.¡±


    Some start clapping, thinking it is part of the event.


    ¡°Interesting! Tolumn. I will donate a two gold coins to your orphanage if you kill him with a single attack, ten if you leave him alive.¡±


    A two and a half meter giant, in full plate mail armor and a two-handed sword at least as big as himself, walks to me with solemn expression. It does not look like he likes what is happening here.


    [But he is here.]


    I can see him mumbling a ¡®sorry¡¯ as he attempts to make an over head downwards chop. His body and armor split into two as an explosion of blood and innards fly around.


    My sword is broken in a single strike. I throw it at the nearest attacker and leap to catch the falling two-handed sword.


    Rage pills are a failed attempt to recreate a specific skill. But even in that failed state they are able to bring about 15% of that original skill. Blood Rage. It is sometimes called Berserk Rage, or just Berserker. It requires a lot of internal mana and even more training. This was the only skill I could use. The only thing I had.


    And I polished it to near perfection.


    Last two yellow orbs I had already exploded into yellow-red anti-magic gas, which filled about a third of the room.


    I won¡¯t need them anymore.


    I will die but erase their very existence.


    Only after about half dozen gruesome deaths of the Enforcers, did the nobles start moving. The door behind me is locked, and to get to it you need to go through me. Therefore they went back into the rooms they came from, under the protection of about a quarter of Mages and Enforcers. The mages left in the room, are very careful with their spells as the room itself is not big enough for large scale magic, and I am too close to them and their allies.


    I do not feel my pulse. I am not even sure if I am breathing. My world is covered in red as explosions of magic and blood fills the room.


    They all will die


    There are less than half left, but I can barely walk. My burned left hand stopped moving quite some time ago. The ice icicle stuck in my back restricts my movement even more, and the blood flowing out of the wound it created is too severe to ignore.


    They are protecting the path where nobles went. And the toddlers that run with the nobles start coming back while their bodies morph. Demon pills.


    Anti-magic gas already dissipated and I can see several mages gathering together to cast a powerful spell. I try to stop them but a number of skilled Enforcers with shields stop my advance. The two-handed sword requires too much strength, but if I try take anything else they will use that moment.


    As they nearly finish the spell I realize that something must be done this instant. As I was trying to reach them again, another Enforcer with shield stood in my way. My sword split his head horizontally and I heard the yelp of mages is back.


    The lead ones were desperate and focused but the others had faces of pure horror. When my eyes met with the one of single mages in the back, he shuddered and made an error as his spell backfired causing and explosion, throwing everyone around him. Which on it¡¯s own caused a chain of disrupted spells. In the end one of the lead mages was consumed into biggest spell, and the spell destabilized into enormous explosion.


    White. I feel as my skin and muscles melt.


    I see nothing, feel nothing and the high frequency buzzing in my ears won¡¯t stop.


    I try to move or feel anything but nothing happens.


    I am in world of darkness.


    [So, we died huh? Isn¡¯t this what you wanted? Dying for the grand cause. In epic fight for righteousness, for all the good, against the evil guys.]


    [SAY SOMETHING!!!]


    [WE ARE DEAD!!! WHATS NEXT?!!]


    [WHATS NEXT?!!]


    [SOMEONE WILL TELL A TALE ABOUT US?!!]


    [WHO WILL?!! WE ARE DEAD!!! EVERYONE WE CARED ABOUT IS DEAD!!!]


    [WE SAVED NOTHING!!! ACCOMPLISHED NOTHING!!!]


    [TELL ME!!!]


    [COME ON, CONTINUE!!!]


    [EVERYONE IS DEAD!! WE FULFILLED NOTHING!!]


    [WE EVEN FAILED IN THE MOST BASIC TASK!!]


    [TELL ME!!!!!!]


    [You changed nothing. Everything was left absolutely fucking the same. That hell will exist for all eternity.]


    [Oh, you think you destroyed that cult? It was a small branch. You weren¡¯t even able to destroy a small FUCKING branch!]


    [Change the world my ass.]


    [Even in death I won¡¯t leave you. I will make you into evil spirit. I will make you into vengeful ghost.]


    [You will never rest.]


    [You will continue hunting them.]


    [We will.]


    [WE SHALL NOT REST!!!]


    [This is not enough. It will be never enough.]


    Through pure willpower I return to the world of pain.


    Pain. I am alive. I won¡¯t just die. Not yet. NOT YET.


    Checking the internal status of organs I wince. Eyes and lungs are severely damaged. Burns across my whole body.


    I take the nutrition from bones and muscles and begin healing the critical locations. I need to start moving as fast as I can. One eye for now will be enough.


    After what feel like eternity my body starts moving and ringing stopped. My nose is assaulted by smell of burned meat, and lungs can barely suck in limited air in the room.


    ¡°¡­kill him¡­¡±


    Shit my eye is not ready. By foot steps I determine how far the attacker is.


    The moment the person gets close, and I feel the strike coming, I leap with all strength available in my right hand and leg. Left part of my body is still not working.


    Together we fall down on ground and I hear sound of metal armor clanging against stone floor. A burning feeling in my left side tells me that something was just embedded there.


    FUCK.


    Can I even hurt someone in plate armor right now?


    My palm somehow finds something warm, exposed flesh. Instincts scream to attack the exposed part with everything I have. But I have nothing¡­ My teeth clench with an enormous strength at the exposed area, at least jaw muscles are still working.


    The screech I hear right under my left ear tells me that the attacker is a woman. Sliding my right hand between us, I push us apart.


    A large chunk of meat comes out clenched between my teeth. A unison of scream alarms me that there are still many enemies, as sound of gurgling and warm liquid flowing out can be heard under me.


    I swallow the chunk hoping to get as much nutrition and mana as I can for what is to come. Its instantly starts dissolving in my stomach as a bit more strength return.


    Only now do I notice that my left eye started seeing. But sometimes you wish you didn¡¯t. The floor is littered with several dozens of charcoal bodies and body parts are mixed with the bones that lied before. To top it all, at least dozen mages have spells ready to fire. Not waiting for the actual cast I lift the body under me to protect against the coming spells.


    The next instant explosion of fire and I am thrown back several meters.


    There is no time to whine or rest. I stand up as feelings from my left side are returning and notifying me that there is still something stuck there.


    As I plug the short sword out of my side, I notice that several Enforcers are already near and I have but few seconds. I send mana circulating into to limbs knowing full well that death awaits.


    With inhuman bellow I leap at the new target. By the look of it they did not expect me to be able to move so well. One by one I evade their attacks and jam the sword into gaps between their body armor.


    At the same time I evade any spells I could, or put someone else into the trajectory between us. Mages switched to curses, but they are useless against me. Few of them hit people around me, as they crumble while blood flows out of their ears and eyes, some just fall down not being able to take a breath.


    They are mages with offensive skills. But they are not battle mages.


    With each dead my body slowed down more and more. I cut, slice and stab until all Enforcers are dead and I am covered in their blood.


    Some of the mages run away into the backroom, others fall on ground exhausted by their nonstop barrage of spells. Other even have audacity to start praying for salvation and help.


    My body is about to give up. I lick the blood from the face and sword to get even a tiniest boost.


    Not yet. NOT YET.


    After everyone in the room is neutralized, I go around and start carving them apart.


    Making it as painful as I can.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    They beg for mercy as I rip them into pieces one after another, with new one more brutal than previous. Dislocating their legs and arms, ripping their genitals and shoving them in their own mouths, plugging their eyes with fingers as they scream, strangle them with their own guts.


    I am frustrated as many died and turned into charcoal the moment huge explosion happened, my hands didn''t get to them.


    Their wails fill the room. But I am not finished.


    Sight in my right eye finally returned and body becomes more stable. Taking new sword and several daggers lying on the floor I start going to the backroom.


    Time for the main dish.


    I limp through another hall, as I get close to a big door, engraved with skulls and enchantments, I see huge fireball flying in my direction. I jump aside as fireball hits wall and explosion of fire sends me even further.


    The moment a face looks out, my dagger embeds into his skull. As he drops on floor a series of screams come from the backroom.


    I go get a shield from the big room and return. With shield in left hand and short dagger in right hand I jump into the room. Quick glance around the room tells me that the most dangerous one is in he center, as she sends a sharp icicle at me, which explodes hitting the shield, she fall down with dagger embedded in her neck.


    A quarter of the nobles have swords in their hands, nearly everyone else continue to assault me with spells.


    With several dagger throws and bashes of shield the Elemental attacks stop. Everyone continues to fire curses at me with smiling face as if I am about to drop dead.


    I throw shield to side, which brings grin to nearly everyone face.


    ¡°Curses do not work on me.¡±


    Few faces were confused others did not even comprehend what was happening. But most just continued to look at me in horror.


    Truly ¡®dark¡¯ magic works a bit differently. They overpower internal mana of enemies in pin point location and cause significant internal damage. Coughing you lungs out, bleeding from your ears and eyes, dropping dead because your heart or brain were damaged. Using their magic they corrupt and manipulate the bodies of enemies as they please. Most of their spells are invisible and because of that, ¡®dark¡¯ class of spells is considered one of the most dangerous offensive spells.


    But they are useless if the amount of mana in the point of attack, is more than the mana spell has applied on the that point.


    Basic math.


    That¡¯s why they prey on the weak.


    One of the leaders tries to say something, but I stop him.


    ¡°There is no need to speak. I know who you are.¡±


    They were always good with their tongues. Lying all their lives.


    ¡°Slaves of Moloch and Minerva¡±


    They all stopped breathing. And finally truly looked at me, not as a beast, but something more, as if realizing that all those curses they cast did not work.


    ¡°I know exactly what you are. And know what you were doing here.¡±


    ¡°I have hunted your kind for a really long time.¡±


    I smile.


    ¡°And the funny thing about it all. Is that you truly believe you are some kind of higher race. That everybody else is just a cattle created for you.¡±


    My face morphs from grin into rage.


    ¡°You steal and breed children as cattle. You rape and torture them, gathering that dark energy into black crystals for future use. You exchange children between yourselves as if they are simple furniture.¡±


    ¡°And when they reach a specific point you kill them. Bath in and drink their blood, eat their bodies to extend your accursed lives. Use them in dark rituals that contribute to your objective. And repeat that again and again.¡±


    ¡°It works. It had worked for millenniums. I won¡¯t deny it.¡±


    ¡°Your kind has evaded judgment for those actions for a really long time.¡±


    ¡°But did you truly believe, that it will never come to end?¡±


    After a shout from the local Lord, several of them with sword and barehanded leaped at me to subdue me. But I just ripped their arm and legs in shower of blood and gore. Their wails filled the room. As the blood puddles on the floor increase in size I start moving towards them.


    ¡°This is reality. I am your GOD now.¡±


    ¡­


    I do not know how much time has passed. No one came down. There is only one exit from this place. The way I came. Maybe everyone was told to in no case to come down.


    They should protect their secrets¡­ Or should have.


    I tried to extend their suffering as much possible.


    But that was not enough for me.


    They deserved more, much more. Even though they look relatively young, most of them are really old. Dark magic and blood of children can make you look half your age.


    They have tortured and consumed countless lives.


    One lifetime is not enough to punish them. Therefore I did something more.


    Old magic is strange. It behaves a bit different, and there are different requirements. Many cults tried to use it, but nearly everyone failed.


    But for those few successful ones, I had to read, learn, prepare. If you know how they work, you know where to hit.


    Even though I can¡¯t use mana, it doesn¡¯t mean that there is not enough mana around, for a, special, old, ritual.


    There is plenty, just not mine.


    I dragged all bodies except the morphed toddlers into the circle, which I drew. The abundance of blood helped in it. I am not sure if the ritual worked. How can you even check the state of a soul?


    It is said that it takes 40 days for the soul to leave this world. And it is also said if soul is in unnatural state it will be in ¡®pain¡¯.


    I really hope that this is true.


    The circle should suck and hold the souls, the marked ones, in the center, and the ones similar to them. Not allowing them to go to afterlife. It should. The vortex will suck and grow for years, centuries, maybe even millenniums, until someone comes and closes the vortex.


    The only entrance to this place is the way I came in. I should make sure no one will be able to enter and disrupt the circle. Easiest way to do it, is to crumble the entrance.


    Explosion. But I don¡¯t have any explosives with me. And getting them will take at least a day, someone may find this place.


    Looking through the room I find nothing. Only torture devices, tools and a lot of dark crystals. Some of the nobles have jewelry, not coins, but later on, I can use them too.


    My body still looked like over-roasted piece of meat, and only few pieces of burned clothes were still attached to it.


    I guess I have no other option.


    ¡­


    I looked out and saw the late dawn, it is hard to believe that I spent there only one day. I waited until it was dark to get out of castle.


    It is still hard for me to comprehend that there is no constant patrol. Well, with constant patrol it is hard to hide some stuff.


    Dressed in the clothes of one of nobles I limp to inn. It was closed but I was able to get in through the open window.


    I fall on the bed asleep.


    ¡­


    Waking up to the sound outside I find out that it is already past noon. My body is in much better state than yesterday, but I still look like a failed piece of steak.


    ¡­


    ¡°I need a decent explosives.¡±


    ¡°Friend, you look like someone who should never touch explosive.¡±


    ¡°Well, you see, last merchant, gave me bad quality product. I will pay decent coin for decent goods.¡±


    ¡°But, if, something goes wrong, well, lets both of us hope it doesn¡¯t, because some say that merchant disappeared.¡±


    ¡°Yes Sir.¡± the merchant started sweating at my threat.


    I find out that the caravan has already left in the morning, I still can catch up to them. I buy a good horse using one of the nobles trinket, greed does horrible stuff to some merchants.


    That night I return to that basement and place all the explosives at the area where I believe the weakest pillars are located. I ignite the long cord and travel outside of city as fast as I can.


    Sitting on the horse outside, looking at the castle, I await the explosion. Maybe the fire didn¡¯t reach, or was the amount of explosive too small? Maybe that merchant screwed me up in the end. After thinking for few minutes about returning and punishing the merchant, a huge explosion levels down a quarter of the castle.


    OK, maybe I even overdid it with explosives. Anyway, I am still about a day behind the caravan. I should hurry.


    While traveling in the direction of the caravan it finally hits me.


    I am alive. Yes overcooked piece of steak, but still. Alive.


    [But the kids aren¡¯t.]


    Kids aren¡¯t.


    One more day. Please. One more day.

 Chapter 12

    Everything has a price.


    Everything.


    My last battle cost more than I expected. I have overused my body, and after that I didn¡¯t rest for quite some time. And because of that, now I am lying on burning hot sand and coughing out dead pieces of my lungs. I try to stop the trembling, but it is useless. The burned and dead tissues are releasing toxins into my body. Too much at the same time to heal. Pain is something I got used to, so it is not a problem. But I am immobilized for few more hours until it stops. Luckily I got some food in the backpack on the horse, so the nutrition requirement part for the healing is solved.


    Several hours have passed and I start moving my body again. I slowly crawl to to horse and get on it as I resume the travel, while healing the critical issues in the body.


    I should meet the caravan pretty soon.


    ¡­


    It has been 5 days since I left Kamalesh. I got a bit better, but still, I won¡¯t be able to do anything major for quite some time.


    Few days ago because of the sand storm all the traces were lost. I no longer know their exact path.


    No caravan, barely any water left and no food at all. Well, at least the food issues is already solved.


    A 10 meters sand centipedes attacked from under the sand. Horse died instantly because of the underbelly wound. Actually, even if the cut would be small, the horse still wouldn¡¯t survive. Their poison is extremely toxic. I killed the centipede, but the fact that I didn¡¯t see it coming is bad.


    Standing near the corpses I start thinking on the next action. Desert is a dangerous place, that¡¯s why I wanted to travel with caravan. One day late and now I am in this situation.


    I butcher the really expensive dead horse and fill my stomach with raw meat, there is absolutely no time to cook it. Even less reason to take any meat with me. It will just get spoiled because of the temperature.


    Now. Taking bare necessities I resume the travel in the direction they should have went. I need to travel light.


    Dying alone in desert¡­


    Sigh.


    ¡­


    Earth mages in desert can cause more problems than anyone can imagine. Sand traps, quicksand, earth javelins, earth walls and many more.


    Big bandits group in desert usually have at least one.


    Three dead earth mages, lying on sand, tell me that I was much more than just unlucky. But I am not sure if it is a good thing I met bandits or bad. Because now there is food, water and a new horse.


    Strangely there were no coins. Maybe they hid them somewhere. But I just can¡¯t find them and staying here for much longer is too dangerous in the long run.


    ¡°Did you do this?¡±


    Looking back I find a levitating mage few meters above ground with long blond hair.


    No.


    A wind Wizard. But she can¡¯t maintain levitation for that long. And she for sure didn¡¯t travel through the desert alone. She must be part of caravan, but I don¡¯t see them.


    ¡°Yes. I was supposed to be one of the caravan guards. Missed you by a day and got lost in desert.¡±


    She looks down at me as if I am a bug and contemplates whenever I am lying and she should kill me and finish here. Wizards are always arrogant, thinking that everyone is but a pebble under their feet.


    I am not sure what exactly pissed me more. But an overwhelming desire to ¡°Rustle her Jimmies¡± is hard to hold back. Interesting term, which was told to me by even more interesting person.


    ¡°Tell your master that I am here. Jitak knows me. Here take the quest paper and show it to him.¡±


    I take out a scroll and throw it at her. She catches the scroll with one hand, opens and reads through the guild contract signed by him. The reluctance with which she does all those operation can be hardly contained.


    Her face morphs into rage and I see that thought of killing me becomes stronger. They are prideful and hate being under someones command and calling someone her master should have done the trick. But still, even wizards follow the rules.


    ¡°Stay here.¡±


    She flies away and after some time returns with the several bodyguards on horses, which I saw standing with Jitak before.


    As they come to stop, the lead bodyguard looks at me for about a minute in silence.


    Ah yeah, my skin is still burned, and I look as if I just came out of oven.


    ¡°I hate fire mages. Had a small incident with one. Look, the scar is still there.¡± I point to the red-black scar on the right side of my face. Even in current state it is still visible.


    His eyes open wide in shock as if finally recognizing me.


    ¡°God Almighty. The fuck happened? You look barely alive.¡±


    I tell him the short version of what happened. That because of a small event I was late by a single day and traveled after them, how I lost their path, horse died and I met bandits.


    After some discussion it was decided that all bandits belongings will be taken by caravan and sold. I will receive a ¡®share¡¯. Share huh.


    Disgust and fear were easily recognizable on the faces of guards and main travelers and it was decided that I will be a guard at the rear. Together with poor and non-humans.


    As I said before discrimination exists. At least it is not ¡®active¡¯ one. I have seen many dead just because they looked a bit different. But they have no reason to complain, they are alive and are paid the same as humans.


    The non-humans looked at me with even more disgust and fear. Some pointed with fingers, some plainly evaded, others looked as if they are thinking how to get rid of me.


    You would think because of their experience they would be more accepting, but no.


    The funny thing about this whole situation is they may look different, but deep down they are ALL the same.


    Absolutely the same.


    After people collected the bandits belongings we resumed the travel.


    During the evening when we stopped, several non-humans started speaking in Patu, language from the South Continent Paletia. It is not the language, but rather the subject that is an issue.


    ¡®Communism¡¯.


    An interesting concept brought by one of the summoned a really long time ago. The basic idea of equality was alien to the people, but after some time it started resonating with many.


    At the start, inspired by the concept people were advocating for equal rights for all sentient species. Pretty simple and logical. Right? One place, south east region of Paletia, even implemented it and started developing economically really fast.


    With each year people there advocated for more and more ¡®equal¡¯ rights. And at one point the original ¡®Communism¡¯ concept returned.


    Ideas changed from ¡®equal¡¯ rights to ¡®equality¡¯.


    A new, quite aggressive group with ¡®equality¡¯ as core slogan appeared, they promised food and riches to every single person.


    Promised.


    On that wave they ¡®collected¡¯ everything and divided it ¡®equally¡¯, to be truly ¡®equal¡¯.


    During that moment I was there.


    I have seen how organized militia ¡®shared¡¯ the farmers harvest. They did not ask, they took. Leaving many farmers to starve.


    It really quickly moved from food to land. From land to property. From property to gold.


    But the leaders still, were always more ¡®Equal¡¯.


    No one cared that some people worked years to buy their land, or they spent generations cleaning the land from forest, plowing the earth, planting seeds, watering them everyday and only then gathering the harvest.


    The speakers continued telling people about communism, while representing everything in bright light, and evading critical points, focusing on riches they will get and the oppression they are currently under.


    The bewitched eyes of the listeners told me enough.


    Great, more fanatics coming. Now political ones.


    More war. More death.


    Fucking great.


    Since I left the north mountain post, more and more it feels as if the world is falling from a cliff into the abyss.


    ¡­


    It has been 2 weeks since. Travel is slow. During this period my internal organs and muscles got better, therefore I slowly started sending more nutrition into skin.


    Even I can get tired of horrified looks. Do they think that it is some kind of disease that they can catch or is it just painful to look at me?


    As soon as I started looking more human, few groups started talking with me. Unexpectedly the group I spoke most is the one I saw in the inn. Elf, dwarf and purple skinned ogre. Elf chatted non-stop about their adventures, and dwarf would constantly point out errors or that he made the most important contribution. The ogre was generally silent, but it was apparent that he was the party leader.


    We were attacked few times by centipedes and big scorpions, but they were dealt with quickly. The big one were killed instantly by mages in the caravan the smaller ones were task assigned to us, melee guards.


    Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    ¡­


    ¡°The swamp smelled like the shitroom in slavehouse.¡±


    ¡°You sure know how it smells.¡±


    ¡°Shut it bearded turd. Anyway we could hardly eat or drink. Hunting that god damn troll tribe was harder than we expected.¡±


    ¡°Ha. I remember you eating like bark maggot in heat.¡±


    ¡°Fuck you cunt. You are not one to talk. You drank nonstop the whole time.¡±


    As they continued their story, we continued to walk.


    We heard a scream coming from the front as people were running around and trying to hide.


    ¡°DRAGON!! HIDE!!¡±


    Shit. How the FUCK did they attract a dragon. Few took out their weapons and mages started preparing their spells. After few seconds of people screaming and guards giving order, the sound of battle could be heard.


    That wind Wizard was flying around and casting spells while other mages fired ice, fire and rock javelins.


    Dragon.


    As soon as I see the creature confusion creeps on my face. After few seconds of thinking I sigh as I haven¡¯t for a really long time.


    Dragon.


    Blind idiots. 2 wings and 2 legs. Dragon huh. I am not sure what is more frustrating, the fact that they mixed up wyvern with dragon, or that they are so worked up because of wyvern with 30 meters wingspan.


    Pathetic.


    Dragons are flying fortresses of death. They wield spells that can demolish cities in a single cast. Their scales are harder than steel, their jaws can crush stones as if it is but a simple apple, they can swallow a carriage in one bite.


    While in air they are unkillable, on ground it will take few armies and powerful spells just to wound them.


    A fucking wyvern is just and oversized cave bat, barely able to cast a fireball.


    As people scream and run around I just feel apathetic at their squabble.


    Mages continue to fire spells at its face in horror.


    Idiots, most magic creatures have good magic defense. Attack the wings, ground it and it¡¯s dead.


    Wyvern opens its jaws wide to gathers mana around in order to cast a fireball. As it lungs inflate I wonder why did they stop the assault now. Cast a fireball in its jaw and it will explode like a balloon.


    Wyvern fireball hits the carriages as fire spreads around the caravan.


    Absurd. How did they even survive their whole lives.


    I take out my sword I walk in the direction of the wyvern. Most of the mages are on their knees heavily breathing. Wasted all their mana more likely.


    I can see the wind wizard still levitating and gathering mana to cast another spell but she is interrupted and blown away by a blast of wind from the wyvern wings.


    It lands on one of carriages and starts eating the horse while it swings its wings from time to time to maintain balance.


    I send mana to legs to get a decent jump. As soon as I get close to its wing my sword cuts its webbeds and I fall down and roll.


    Wyvern screeches and tries to take off but falls down on one side. The wyvern cannot fly with damaged wing.


    It turns to looks at me after which it charges at me while running on all four. I evade and try to position myself in a way that I can kill it quickly.


    But it is useless, I am alone, and no one is helping in the battle. Fucking idiots don¡¯t know how to support.


    It is bigger and faster.


    Wyvern¡¯s weak points are eyes and area right in the center of its neck.


    I won¡¯t be able to evade for much longer and help will not come. I need to do it alone.


    It charges at me again as I jump as high as I can, to get on top of it. It jaws closing shut at the place where I was few seconds ago. The moment I land on top of it¡¯s head I plunge the sword into its eye.


    Shit. Sword too short, it was not deep enough.


    It thrashes around and throws me off.


    Because of my velocity I didn¡¯t make a smooth landing, and it took few seconds to stop my rolling and stand up. But it is already too late. Only several meters separate us.


    I have few seconds before its teeth close down on my body.


    Teeth.


    I do one of the stupidest thing that comes into my mind and jump into it¡¯s throat. Jaws close shut as light disappears. At least my legs weren¡¯t damaged. I am inside and still have my sword, but there is not enough space to move. I start stabbing my sword into whatever I can. The creature starts thrashing around in discontent.


    Oh, that was painful?


    Let me show you that you should not eat random stuff.


    I finally fall into some sack and feel as something burns my skin. Stomach acid. Shit. I repeat my stabbing actions with much more vigor. Warm liquid starts flowing into the ¡®sack¡¯, but I do not stop. Finally after few minutes the thrashing around me stops.


    OK. Now I need to get out as fast as I can. I don¡¯t have much air left here and I don¡¯t want to be digested. I am not sure how big it¡¯s asshole is, but I don¡¯t like that exit. I start carving the flesh to create a new exit. Finally it feels like my sword went out of something. After about a minute more I carve out an exit big enough to squeeze through.


    I finally fall down on sand take deep breath of fresh air. After about a dozen breaths I stand up while wobbling. Few people are running around and trying to stop the fire, but most are just standing and staring at me.


    Prickling sensation on skin tells me that my clothes are still covered in stomach acid. I quickly take them off and hear a series of gasps. Not understanding the reason for that I look at them. But they are not looking at me, not my face, somewhere lower. I look down and start regretting taking off the shirt. The brotherhood symbol is still there. You can¡¯t get rid of it. It will always return, same as the scar on my face.


    I walk to stunned Jitak and ask him for clothes. Few clothes should be left from the bandits I killed.


    One of his bodyguards, a dark elf, looks at me in pure hatred.


    ¡°Blood Demon.¡±


    Jitak winces, looking at me, hoping his guard didn¡¯t offend me.


    Yeah. We killed a lot of them.


    Moloch, Baal, Lucifer. Different faces, one¡­ creature.


    Dark Elves have ¡®dark¡¯ in their names for a reason, blueish color of their skin is not the main. They have done a lot of stuff, really bad stuff. Blood Legion literally decreased their number by nearly half. Several dozens of million souls. Some may say that it was not justified. But with each year dealing with them I believed that less and less.


    If your body has affinity for dark spells, will you focus on other, weaker affinities? No. They always return to what they have been doing. All the pretty words worth shit. They were prosecuted and forgiven several times. And they still have returned to their old ways. We were not the first ones who tried to ¡®stop¡¯ them.


    The person, who came back with clothes, stretches it to me. But I can see as he is shaking in fear.


    Blood Legion is general term for Zeronel ¡®army¡¯. They wear red and follow god Zeron¡¯s teaching. They are well known and respected.


    Blood Brotherhood, is different story. We are not ¡®army¡¯. We are hunters. We are marked by the symbol on my chest. People speak about us in hushed tone, and population fears us. There are a lot of scary children stories about us for a reason.


    Us. We.


    No.


    Them. I am alone. I am no longer part of them.


    I take the shirt and put it on and walk to the back of caravan. Everyone was trying keep themselves far from me, no one came closer than 5 meters.


    Fire was stopped. No dead. But few were severely burned. Not as badly as I was, but still.


    After some time the caravan resumed the travel.


    ¡­


    No one tried to speak with me since the wyvern attack. But everyone has whispered between themselves, while fear was evident in their eyes.


    Nothing new.


    The wind wizard took several long glances at me but did not speak. Even the prideful wizard looked scared.


    We got to Tomalesh. A huge sand stone ¡®city¡¯ around 2 major oases in the center of dead desert.


    It should have been a pretty silent place. But as we get close to the gates I note that I have never seen it this active and noisy.


    After few questions I find the reason.


    Caliphate attacked Desert Alliance.


    WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK. For centuries these kingdoms had good relationship.


    Wait.


    Those Lucifer worshipers though I was Caliphate spy. I though that they meant just the usual spy, which caliphate is known to send everywhere.


    They thought I was Qaes. Sent to assassinate.


    That explains more. But, still. Why? For what reason?


    But more importantly. An all out war is coming.


    Empire, Northern Kingdom, Qing, Caliphate and now Desert Alliance.


    Third Continental War.


    FUCK.

 Chapter 13

    I have traveled to Tomalesh many times. But I have never been in the city. My superiors knew about my thoughts concerning slavery, and they couldn¡¯t allow any conflicts. Therefore, I was always left outside, while they discussed the issues inside. We were not allowed to hunt inside the city, only outside.


    No one wants a hunt to happen in their house, but that was only a pretext. They knew about the existence of cults inside, it¡¯s just that they were under their protection as long as they supplied them with ¡®materials¡¯ and ¡®goods¡¯.


    Nothing new. They were always rotten. But only when you go deeper you truly realize how fucked up the world really is.


    The whole caravan is being looked through, and it is quite time consuming.


    But there is a valid reason.


    4 weeks ago, at about the same time I was cleaning that cult, several things happened. More than half of water wells were poisoned. A quick spreading disease appeared in the slums. Several assassination attempts on city leaders. News came that this was not the only city under similar attack. And to top it all, Caliphate attacked western border few days ago. People gathered pieces together and came to conclusion that it was a coordinated attack before the war.


    But leaders knew about it and prepared. That cult was also prepared.


    City is afraid of another attack. Leaders are nervous, guards are nervous, people are nervous. A vicious cycle.


    After the 2 day review of caravan finished, we were finally allowed to enter the city.


    Jitak together with his guards came to me as soon as everyone passed the gates.


    ¡°Sir Alan. I know that my words can not express my gratitude but I would like to thank you for the protection of our caravan. And here is a small sign of my gratitude¡±


    He passed me a pouch, opening it I find 15 gold coins.


    I look at him questionably.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the agreed sum.¡±


    ¡°Of course. That amount is for the bandits, the dragons body and your work as a guard. How will I look if I pay you a dozen silver coins for saving my caravan.¡±


    He looks so humble and thankful, but I know the truth. He paid at least 10 gold coins to that wind Wizard. Bandit belonging aren¡¯t worth much. But the body of wyvern is worth at least 90 gold coins, if not 150. While looking grateful he is trying to scam me and make a profit out of this situation.


    ¡°You won¡¯t mind my presence on the auction when the wyvern body will be sold?¡±


    He visibly pales. The guards tense, understanding that their master just tried to fuck up a blood brotherhood member, well ex member, but they don¡¯t need to know that.


    He became much more humble, and after a bit more discussion, he payed me 70 gold coins. Additional to that, he wrote a really good review of my job on the guild contract. Even in this life and death situations, people like him don¡¯t lose their merchant hunger, petty to each last coin.


    If they would think a bit, they would understand that there is something fishy, blood brotherhood members are not allowed to have adventure card. They have different cards.


    I find the Adventure guild hall in the center of the city. Entering it, I present the document of successful completion of the quest with a personal review from Jitak.


    The receptions is not much different.


    3 young girls with half a dozen guards behind them. After looking thought the review they gave me few curious glances and asked if I really killed a famous bandit group and a dragon. I corrected her and said it was a wyvern.


    In the end they told me that I have been promoted to the class B adventurer. I payed for the new card, which contains much more powerful enchantment, but it also contains a tracking device. Not many know about it, and those who know don¡¯t speak about it.


    I ask about next caravan which would travel south, but am told that because of the war started no one knows when the next caravan will go. And even if one goes, it will me fully controlled by government and public guard quests or personal travel will not be available.


    I should not stay here for long. I have less and less time left.


    A group of 4 young men and 2 young women in good enchanted armor come to the counter next to me, which is the only one currently available, while my card is being enchanted.


    Behind them is a tall white rabbit woman with short daggers on her side, two black wolfmen and a big red Lizardman. They all have enchanted steel slave collars on their necks. My eyes meet theirs, defeated and dead.


    Slaves as adventurers are quite common for nobles. For them it is a cheap meat shield. All nobles are taught from childhood how to control slave collars. It takes quite some time until they are proficient enough. There are many forms of ¡®punishment¡¯ the collar can give. People are creative in the areas they should not be.


    I look away from them. I need to be calm right now. It reminded me that there is still too much to do in the city. The slavery. And if the Luciferian cult was in Kamalesh, it¡¯s highly likely that there is here, in Tomalesh.


    Stupid names, who the hell came up with these names for the cities. As I was receiving the card a small movement to my left started.


    ¡°Hey, fucker.¡±


    Says the one of the young nobles with long black hair and yellowish eyes. He grabs the ears of the white rabbit woman in his hand as she falls down on her knees.


    ¡°You looked at my property. This is mine. Who gave you the right to look? Do you want to die peasant?¡±


    They all look down at me with disgust while the rabbit woman tries her best not to make any sound.


    I am dressed in a thin shirt and a simple pair of pants. There is no need to buy new or better equipment right now. So maybe I look like a hobo with a sword.


    Hold it, do not retaliate. It is not the right moment.


    As I look outside and think about walking away the building exit is blocked by the wolfman pair, by orders of another noble.


    I look back at the nobles in pity, as they are so green that they try to create a conflict out of nothing. Out of nothing. No. They do not need a reason, they are already rotten. I can see that in their eyes and actions. My face changes from expression of pity to even more disgust that they are showing.


    I say nothing as I look at them.


    Just give me a reason to end you all.


    Faces of half the people in the guild change into fear and shock at my display of disgust at the nobles. Maybe they are ¡®important¡¯ people. But it does not matter.


    The face of the man with black hair turns enraged as he takes out his sword.


    ¡°Fucking rat. I will teach you how to look at the next Emir.¡±


    He swings his expensive looking sword, which is glowing with green, at me. I step forward and catch his right hand, which wields the sword. He tries to hit me with his left hand, which is glowing with golden light. I twist his right hand with a loud crunch as he explodes in a scream, while orienting him to my right side. I stomp his knee in the opposite direction with my foot as he crumbles to the floor and explodes in another scream.


    Guild guards take out their sword, as the receptionist scream and hide. The other nobles and slaves unsheathe their weapons and prepared to attack me. Some city guards from outside the building start running inside. A fat man from the second floor runs down.


    ¡°Stop it immediately!¡±


    The fat man looks down at the injured nobles as his face turns into a morph of rage and fear. They do not dare to attack while the noble is lying in my feet.


    ¡°You are under arrest for attacking an esteemed guild member!¡±


    ¡°I will kill you fucking rat!¡± says the crippled piece of meat through tears and wails of pain.


    ¡°You were not here during the event. He was the one who attacked first. Ask the people¡±


    My sword is still sheathed, while his is on the ground, lying near him. By law, I am innocent.


    ¡°How dare you! You will be executed for your insolence.¡±


    ¡°He attacked. He is still alive. And you want to execute me for his actions?¡±


    ¡°You even dare to badmouth the young Emir. We gave you a mercy of quick death and you have the audacity to reject it. Kill him.¡±


    Maybe if I didn¡¯t look at him or the slaves, this shit wouldn¡¯t happen.


    No.


    It all starts that way. Look away. Forgive. And allow the evil existence. It does not matter what happened, only what to do. I was going to clean this city, if it¡¯s earlier, that¡¯s not a problem.


    I will die one way or another.


    I put my hand on my sword as I start circulating mana for what is to come.


    ¡°NO! Please stop!¡±


    Says the heavily breathing wind wizard while the strong wind blows around the building. The moment our eyes, meet she takes a step back and starts visibly shaking.


    ¡°Please do not kill them.¡±


    ¡°Esteemed young Wizard, he committed a grave crime. And he shall be punished for it!¡± Says the old man not understanding that she is addressing me.


    ¡°Please. They are just people. Do not kill them.¡±


    Since the moment our eyes met, until now, she is still looking at me with pleading eyes. I am not sure what is there for her is this situation. But it does not matter, I can hear few mages and enforcers circling around my back to attack.


    My scar starts to burn like it had a really long time before. I don¡¯t have much time left.


    ¡°They will not allow me to walk away¡± I reply as I turn to the nobles.


    ¡°Come. Death awaits.¡± I finish as I finally unsheathe my sword.


    The wizard yelps and falls back, while running out of the building.


    My sword cleaves through two enforcers which tried to stab me in the back.


    Death awaits all.


    ¡­


    The moons shine quite brightly. It is hard to believe that a month ago, they were not visible at all. It is a bit cold, but nothing like it was in the north.


    I killed a lot. Everyone who attacked me, the lying noble on floor, the mages and enforcers who tried to take my life. But the fat man and other nobles ran away before I could reach them. Fucking trash, started the problem and then ran away.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    I didn¡¯t have much time as more and more attackers came, so in the end, I had to run away myself. They let me run away, because you can easily track a person by the residual mana he leaves. If he leaves. More likely they did not think that it is possible to do so. Even the ¡®peasants¡¯ with extremely small affinities leave a trail, small, but still a trail.


    Just in case they would try to track me by the new guild card I received I threw it into the canalization. Throwing away a thing, which I spent my money in less than an hour ago.


    Hiding in the slums was quite easy. It is a huge place with tons of corners and hidden alleys. There were many parties sent to find me, but it is hard to find a single person in a huge city, even more one which could not be tracked. Sitting with back to the wall in a small alley, I start thinking about the situation I am in.


    I could have left the lying noble alive. There was no head to chop his head off. That experience could have changed him. Useless waste of human life.


    [Who are you lying? They never change. If you left him alive, he would use everything he has to get revenge upon you.]


    And now his father will take revenge upon me.


    [Less hunters. Less problems.]


    Is this the way you are trying to cheer me up?


    I send mana to my back and right hand. The cuts from the water mages spells are a bit too deep to simply ignore. I fall asleep before I know it.


    ¡­


    The same dream as countless times before.


    Children around continue to whimper and beg me to stop, for the pain to go away. They continue to beg for forgiveness while my body is frozen and I am not able to move.


    At one point the dark world becomes grey and all the children freeze with their begging and whimpering expressions.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand your fetish. Being verbally abused by children, a strange preference, but who am I to judge, right?¡±


    A person in a fully white robe with burned white wings and eyes blue as the endless sky itself walks to me. His face could be called perfectly symmetrical, something that could not be created by man, something heavenly. His smile so warm and caring many would mix it with motherly one.


    ¡°You did a good job sitting in the north. Finding someone with all the chaotic energy caused by spirit magnetic center is hard. But it must have been harder to sit there in wait. Right?¡±


    Fuck you piece of shit. Reincarnate into a goat asshole fucker.


    ¡°How harsh. There is no one closer to you than me in this whole world, and you treat me so badly. I came to see how my friend is, and the only thing I receive is this treatment¡±


    Then why don¡¯t you just disappear? Everyone will be better off.


    ¡°We have been at it for so long. Why don¡¯t you just accept me. You and me, and all the living beings are just a part of the system. There was never ¡®father¡¯, only us, the ¡®Initial¡¯ and lie that people created to not think about their death and insignificance.¡±


    ¡°I know that you are somewhere in the dead desert. I could help you. Together we could do much more. Why do you continue to reject me? I have never done anything to you. It was the people who hurt you, I was always trying to help.¡±


    He comes closer and traces with his finger the scar on my right side. The scar starts to burn as if thousands worms are eating the flesh there.


    ¡°We will be together. If you accept me, it will be easier and better for everyone. I know what you want to do in south dungeon. Why? I could give you eternal life, endless riches, and loved ones. They would never disappear, betray you or die.¡±


    FUCK YOU! You think your sweet talking and lies will work? You have tempted billions of souls, and think I will follow them too?


    ¡°No. You are special. Very special. That¡¯s why I come personally.¡±


    Ha. Think corrupting me with pride will work? We are all nothing but maggots in this shithole. Personally? You are everywhere and nowhere. You whisper your corruption and lie into every ear at every second.


    ¡°I do not lie. I never lie and never will. That is the job of the so called ¡®saints¡¯. I give people what they want, and never take anything in return. You all have been lied to.¡±


    ¡°But that is not important right now. Soon we will meet. And I will always await you with open arms, remember that. Would they do the same for you?¡±


    ¡°Rest my friend.¡±


    ¡­


    Jumping awake, I find that it is still night. Maybe about an hour passed since I fell asleep.


    Because the scar did not burn for some time, I though that he found someone else. But I am still the main candidate.


    I moved to north and did not overexert my body for this specific reason. With each battle I have less and less time. And since the fight with that cult I have even less.


    I can¡¯t die yet.


    But this city is too corrupted to leave it as it is. Slavery. And a very high chance of city leaders being part of the Lucifer cult.


    The guards should be patrolling slums to find me. They believe that I am hiding. Then I should do the opposite. Attack their headquarter. Right now, when they don¡¯t expect me. They can¡¯t track me. It would be better if I could acquire few bomb or poisons, but it would require me to wait until the next day, which will give them time. And time is something I don¡¯t have at all.


    I send mana circulating. The wounds on my right hand and back are not fully healed, but it should not be an issue.


    [Do not flatter yourself. You are not cleaning the city. You are just fulfilling your desire for YOUR biased sense of righteousness. Who said that you are right? You are not doing something good. You are the same as ¡®him¡¯, or any other dark creature. Never forget that.]


    ¡­


    Silently jumping from one building to another I reach the rear entrance of the castle. There are several guards standing on each part of the castle. They are prepared for war and intruders, it will not be like in Kamalesh.


    The only way in is through the guards. And that would mean killing them.


    [Would it be easier if they all would be raping a slave in all her holes right now? Then you would take action? Who said that they didn¡¯t do it?]


    Who said they did it? They may have families, loved ones. They have a future. Maybe they are here not because they want it, but because they had to. There is a high probability that they even don¡¯t know what is happening inside.


    [Oh, poor them. May, maybe, high chance. Are we guessing or hopping? So, if they had an opportunity they wouldn¡¯t kill us? Of course they would. They are here. Protecting the corrupted leaders and the cult. Nothing changed. We know what is inside.]


    [Are you looking for a reason to start the massacre? DO not lie to yourself. We would do it one way or another.]


    [Children could be sacrificed at this moment, and you need a proof. Your indecisiveness killed the one in Kamalesh. It will happen again.]


    My body moves.


    ¡­


    Why?


    The sunrise tells me that a new day has come, new life will be born today. Many have come and many have left this world yesterday. Everyone is just a part of the cycle.


    Why?


    The growing pool of blood below me, tells me that I am in critical condition and must focus on healing. I am in slums and finding me here would be hard.


    Why?


    Healing is the most important objective right now.


    Why?


    Why?


    Why?


    Why?


    WHY?!


    Why am I always right? Why is it always the worst possible case? How can people be so cruel to each other. How can they justify their actions? How can they sleep after that?


    Burning hot tears hurt much more than the gaping, empty 5cm hole in diameter on the left side of my chest. I can hardly take a breath as the droplets of blood continue to fall from my not moving lips.


    Why?


    There were too many guards in the palace, but I evaded most of them and silently killed about a dozen enforcers and mages.


    In the end, I entered the basement hall in the worst possible time, they divided slave children into 3 groups. The moment I came in, one group with dead eyes was being violated, another group was being cooked alive as they screamed for help, and the last was dead and being eaten.


    The number of children was over hundred. And the number of nobles was about under three hundred.


    This time they did not expect me in the basement, they were not prepared. I jumped into the fray not to be cornered like the last time. This time it was not just human nobles, there were many other races, and few skilled adventurers who should have been in the A class.


    Nearly no one was in plate mail, and my sword cleaved through them as a hot knife through butter.


    I did not think. My body moved on its own. As if I was a bystander.


    But I was again too late. Too late.


    One of the nobles cast a powerful wide-range curse. It did not hurt me. Not me. But all children died in an instant. All those that were standing fell down as if dolls, they just stopped breathing.


    I don¡¯t remember much after.


    They are dead.


    Why?


    They are dead, it doesn¡¯t matter anymore. I killed everyone.


    It doesn¡¯t matter. I failed again.


    Again.


    I am alive, but the innocent are dead. And I couldn¡¯t do anything to save them.


    They are dead.


    Why?

 Chapter 14

    Killing upper echelon of a major city during the time of war may not have been the smartest decision.


    Thinking over the events of the last few days again, I may have been extraordinarily lucky.


    Many ¡®important¡¯ people may have come to the city from the caravan. And the city leaders may have prepared a ¡®feast¡¯ just before the actual war to ¡®strengthen¡¯ their ties.


    And by that I mean binding all the powerful and important people in corrupted rituals, and if you have been invited and don¡¯t take part in it you disappear really fast.


    And even if somehow your sleeping guilt magically awakens, what are you going to do? Tell people that all their leaders, idols and heroes are evil? Or even more tell public that they sacrifice children and slaves to Lucifer?


    People will laugh at you, ridicule you and turn deaf ear to everything you say. And those in power have many ears, so in the end you will quietly disappear.


    But I still don¡¯t understand how I survived against dozens of wizards. They casted their spells, but they were somehow really weak. It is really strange, the wizards I know are gods among men, creatures of mana which with mere though bend the world to according to their will.


    Are my standards of wizard to high?


    No. There must be a reasonable explanation.


    But an empty bubble of power did more damage than I could imagine. The whole city is in chaos. Many factions crawled out of their holes the moment their masters disappeared. Bandits, Assassins, Dark Guilds, Mercenaries and Guards with ambitions. They all were controlled in some form, money, black-mail or fear. Politicians have polished their skills in manipulations and control for eons.


    The city is closer to hell than it has ever been. Someone was able poison the already limited supply of clean and drinkable water. During the battles for the past several days about a tenth of the city burned down. People are hungry, scared and desperate.


    City gates and wall are guarded like never before. No one can exit, nearly no one. There are always exceptions, if you have gold.


    And even if you exit, what are you going to do in the middle of desert which is in state of war?


    The thing is, that every city has an emir, something close to a mayor. Emir answers and follow the Dead Desert Consul. The Consul is a group of most powerful merchants in desert, and they think only in terms of profit. They communicate with each city through a special enchanted communicator walls. And those walls require a small group of skilled mages to operate, which are usually held in high respect.


    There is an incredibly high chance these communication mages were on the ¡®feast¡¯. So I end up with in a city, which has nearly no communication with outside world.


    This city is a really important point in the desert, therefore it will be ¡®taken under control¡¯ one way or another. Sending and capturing the city will take resources, but if the city will be left to rot and starved, in its half-dead state it will take much less money. Lives don¡¯t matter, never did.


    I survived somehow. But with one lung it is hard to do anything. With my basic knowledge of biology I just ¡®tell¡¯ the body where to send the right nutrition. So if something can be healed on a normal person, with mana it takes much less time. But it is a totally different story if that body part doesn¡¯t heal normally. In those cases I have to take manual control and tell the body what exactly to do. Regenerating lost rib bones is hard, I have to extract bone essence from other bones and direct in in the correct direction. But restoring limbs and internal organs is a FUCKING pain in the ass.


    I still can¡¯t understand how saying few fancy words can magically recreate body parts. I have seen how it happens with my very own eyes, and can only say that it is god damn bullshit.


    FUCKING MAGES.


    Powerful earth Wizards are not rare, but that fucking earth javelin did ¡®quite some damage¡¯ to my lung, and by that I mean that it totally disintegrated it. The javelin pierced at least 5 people before it got to me. They disintegrated into chunks of flesh and gore instantly. Only because I commanded mana to hold my body together I didn¡¯t follow their fate. That attack threw me to the ceiling corner, which was at least 10 meters high. After that I had to take ¡®manual¡¯ control of my nervous system, every organ and muscle not to die and continue fighting. In retrospect it is good that it had such a high velocity, if it didn¡¯t rip out that chunk of flesh, then my body would absorb most of its kinetic energy, and that would have been a really bad end.


    Nightmares didn''t stop. But at least no one visited me there.


    I need to leave the city, but in the state of my body it is an achievement to take a shit and not fall apart.


    Back when I was at north, everything looked easy and planned, but the souther I went the more problems arose. Stumbling upon Caliphate assassins, nearly missing caravan because bandits became creative and blew up the ship I was on. And even though I somehow arrived before the departure of caravan, the situation with cultist ¡®happened¡¯. But it all pales before the fact that war started when I was in the center of the country and desert that was attacked, which resulted strictly controlled passages in and out of the city. Oh, and not to forget that a really smart ¡®person¡¯ decided that it was the best time to clean the city of the said cultists which resulted an utter chaos and full stop on all travel.


    Great isn¡¯t it?


    I am not sure what to do next, all possible plans of fast travel through the dead desert fell apart. But before thinking of traveling through the desert, I need to think about how the hell do I get out of this FUCKING city.


    But problems are never alone. That wind wizard with who I traveled in caravan is quite often circling in the air, searching someone.


    Me, more likely.


    It looks like she has been following me from the moment I entered the city through the gates, but because of the event in the adventure guild she lost me. I can feel it with my guts that whatever she wants, will cause more problems, that it is worth.


    I don¡¯t know why she is looking for me or what exactly she wants, and I don¡¯t really care.


    With her I can easily travel over the walls. But I still don¡¯t want to.


    Don¡¯t want.


    [No one is asking your opinion. We have a problem, and need a solution. Time is more important. Get to work.]


    She has repeatable chain of actions, flying around for about 20 minutes after which she lands and rests until she can fly again. She has repeated it again and again for quite some time, few days actually. Stubbornness of some people is commendable, but why is it always directed in the wrong direction.


    I am not hiding. Or at least that is what I would want to think. If a fight started, or lets say she would want to enforce her opinions or demand, I am not sure if I would be able to politely decline in current state of my body.


    I need to continue what I was doing before.


    Cleaning slavehouses.


    Because of the whole internal strife in the city not many care about them, they are just food burden. But when they will need a meat shield for the battles, situation will turn around. I need to free the people while I can.


    ¡®People¡¯ huh. I still have doubts after what happened yesterday.


    ¡­


    A woman in blue dress in lying on ground screaming while four are holding her to ground. One of them as if tired of her struggle punches her, which causes a yelp of pain and sounds of sobbing. They proceed to rip her clothes off and take of their pants. They stop at the last moment when I finally limped close enough for them to see me.


    They look at me, while the area is barely illuminated by setting sun. After they exchange brief glance and jeers with each other one of them stands up and jumps at me with knife.


    I may look like a hobo more than I have ever been, covered in blood from head to toes, with rags barely covering my body. I am constantly limping and often cough when I try to take a breath. But even in my state there is still strength in my hands. The attacker falls down on floor screaming, after I ripped out his hand out of his shoulder socket, which wielded the knife.


    They finally react to me as if I am a thread and I can finally see their faces. A takes several seconds to recognize them, they are the ones I freed last night. A group of demihumans barely 16.


    ¡°Why?¡± I squeeze out of myself. ¡°I freed you from slavery, and the first thing you do with that freedom is rape?¡±


    As if they recognize me they eyes squint and widen, but they continue looking at me with hate.


    ¡°Answer me!¡±


    ¡°They do not deserve to live. What they have done to us can not be forgiven!¡± says the youngest looking one on the right. His cat ears perked aggressively.¡± They tortured us, they starved us! We were less than animals! They¡­ They all¡­ my¡­ my mom¡­ they didn¡¯t¡­ They never stopped¡­ I begged, I promised I will do anything but they¡­ my mom.¡± he finishes through the tears that are streaming from his dark brown eyes.


    ¡°They killed her, and fed her body to the dogs. I will kill them. All of them. Humans are evil. You are all the same. You all deserve to die. Men, women and children. You-¡± he proclaims while pointing his dagger at me.


    A moment later his neck splits apart. Others perpetrators followed his fate, while the half-naked woman on ground covered in their blood is looking at me in horror. She screams and flops on her stomach after which she starts crawling away from me in terror.


    The head of the boy stops rolling on ground as his dead eyes look at the sky with tears still stream out of them. His face frozen in enraged and vengeful expression.


    [Do not dare to look away. This is result of your actions. You did it.]


    There are things that can not be forgiven. His mother¡­ I am not sure I would.


    There is nothing I could say to them. There is nothing I could say to heal or help them. They are just wounded animals, and they will seek destruction.


    I am responsible for that.


    [Don¡¯t make a scene out of it, it is not the first time you killed children, not the last. They didn¡¯t ask for your help, they never needed your help. But still, you are not so different from that boy. You have never created anything, never nurtured anything. Destruction is the only thing you know, only thing you are able to do, and nothing will change that.]


    [But you are not alone. Those you hate and despise, those that use and manipulate, those that have power and authority are the same as you in that respect. Aren¡¯t you happy that there are people similar to you?]


    There is no righteousness in this world. And there will never be, and we made it that way.


    ¡­


    Innocent may have died because I freed slaves, and many will die. Their deaths are on my consciences. Should I really free more? The yesterday situation may repeat.


    [May?]


    They are not bound by fate, they have free will. I should not judge them by actions of their kin.


    [Oh? What about dark elves? So humans and demihuman should not be judged, but dark elves are one big evil group, and they all are the same? Fucking Hypocrite. If you have rules at least stick to them, even HE follows his]


    Glancing at the wind wizard I see that she is finally out of mana and starts going down. I have some time before she returns to the search.


    I need to move.


    As I walk in the opposite direction and start thinking about next immediate actions I hear a wind spell explosion which is followed by a scream in the area where the Wizard should have landed.


    Not my problem. Not my.


    That is always what people say. Someone else will help.


    [And they will always say. People are able to convince themselves quite easily if it ensures that they will sleep better. We will sleep better knowing that she WASN¡¯T our problem, won¡¯t we?]


    Shit. Life would be much easier if I was different. How much different life could be, but it won¡¯t.


    Limping to the direction of sound I find a rather ugly situation. There are at least 20 bandits, one of them with enchanted crossbow standing in the rear. Wizard is pinned to wall with a big arrow in her shoulder. Daggers embedded into her palms are holding her to wall immobile. There is a gag in her mouth and she is unconscious while bleeding from her temple.


    ¡°Come on. No one will notice. She is not a virgin for sure, so no one will even know if we have a go.¡±


    ¡°No, that is the final answer. Don¡¯t damage the goods.¡±


    As they were grumbling and arguing, I was gathering as much air as I can. My body will not be able to take on a long battle with one lung. I need to end it fast.


    I throw a short dagger into the head of the one with crossbow, while swinging the sword in wide arc to kill as many as I can. The first swing took out six in an explosion of flesh and gore with sound of bone crunching and flesh ripping apart, the second swing followed shortly after.


    One of them, in the rear of the group, suddenly took out another enchanted crossbow out of his cloak. I should have expected them to have more than one crossbow. Distance between us is too small to dodge and too big to reach him.


    FUCK.


    The fired arrow disappeared and an enormous force pinned me to the wall as sword falls out of my hand. It went through the left lung. FUCKING SHITS. The wound only started healing. With roar I rip myself out of wall and attack with everything I have.


    ¡­


    I finally finished coughing out pieces of my lung that only started regenerating but already needed to be replaced with non-damaged versions. I need to start all over again. God damn it.


    Few ran away, few had their skull crushed by my hands, few had their throats ripped out. Their blood is still flowing from my mouth. Teeth are a really good weapon, and they are always with you. It may look and sound barbaric, but when your life is on the line you tend to use everything you have, and philosophical preferences don¡¯t matter.


    Those who ran away will return with a backup. I need to get out of here, but the retarded dart board is still pinned to wall.


    So much mana and power, but it all is useless if you don¡¯t know how to use it correctly. Should I really help her? She will for sure cause problems.


    [Always finish what you started.]


    I sigh and remove the daggers, which are pinned her palms to wall. Daggers fall on the ground with a clang. After I rip the enchanted arrow out she fall down as a sack of potatoes.


    Oh come on. Slapping her face several times does not return her to conscious.


    [Finish what you started.]


    With a groan I throw her on my shoulder and start limping in the direction where I came from. The burning sun of noon and heat not helping in the least.


    Life could be much easier. But no, I needed to get more injuries.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    [Who are you going to blame? Our life, our decisions]


    ¡­


    I used few pieces of cloth to close her wounds. I don¡¯t have potions, and even if had I would not give them to her.


    Closing my bleeding took a bit more energy than it usually would have. I was not allowed to fully heal from the last hunt, and the one before that.


    Wyvern not taken into account.


    The night came but she still hasn¡¯t waken up. I am too tired to wait any longer, and I will not fall asleep near her.


    Slapping her few times finally gives a result. She slowly opens her eyes with groan as her green eyes meet mine. Green eyes, green clothes and wind magic. I really hope that this is just a random combination and not a personal aesthetic preference. The eccentric ones with visual preferences are the biggest pain in the ass.


    She continues to stare at me in half daze for at least a minute until her eyes start to close. I don¡¯t have time for this.


    ¡°Why were you searching for me?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± she replied with weak voice as she jerks awake with pain visible on her face.


    I really, really don¡¯t have time for it.


    ¡°Some idiot was uselessly wasting energy to fly around in search of something or someone. Bandits waited until that idiot wasted most of her mana and attacked.¡±


    As if remembering her eyes widen in realization. ¡°You saved me?¡±


    ¡°You survived. Most of them didn¡¯t¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± she says quietly.


    ¡°You did not answer the question.¡±


    Looking at me for another few seconds she continues.


    ¡°I need your help.¡±


    ¡°I already helped you.¡±


    She continues to stare at me as if waiting for something, with questioning look. I am really tired of this shit, as soon as I try get more information out of her, her eyes close and she falls to side.


    The cloth on her shoulder turns red. She lost too much blood and she should not be able to cause an issue for some time. I re-bandage her shoulder with what was available, piece of her cloak. She should survive, at least for now.


    I can leave her here, but she is the easiest ticket over the wall.


    [She will cause more problems.]


    I start calculating other options of getting over the wall. Whatever I do, it will take much more time and has less chance of success than using the wind wizard.


    Maybe I can ask her to get me over the wall for saving her. But whatever she wants should have been worth several days of search, and she for sure will bring it up.


    FUCK.


    The decision brings a deep sigh.


    [You will regret it one way or another.]


    ...


    In the morning I wake up with a groan. This body will not hold on for much longer if I continue like that.


    But who cares? It doesn¡¯t need to.


    I look in the direction of my ticket and find her awake, standing and looking at me. Great, she awoke earlier than she should have, and looks much healthier than I am, and to top it all, she could have killed me if she wanted.


    [Your decision. You allowed that.]


    She continues to stare at me with expectation. I need to take control before she does. I stand up.


    ¡°I saved you yesterday. Repay me with getting me over the city walls.¡±


    ¡°Promise to help me first.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Promise to help me.¡±


    Did she hit her head too hard?


    ¡°Why should I?¡±


    She continues to stare at me. Few minutes pass in absolute silence while we stare at each other. This is not getting us anywhere. I sigh.


    ¡±What exactly do you want?¡±


    ¡°I need you to go somewhere with me.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I asked for your help.¡± she says with a questioning and authoritative look. As if the fact that I am asking it is ridiculous.


    What the actual fuck. Because she asked for help? No, no, no. This is an overkill, this is not worth it. I had enough problems so far, a mentally ill idiot will not become another one.


    As I want to walk away, she speaks quickly.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t, I will tell Uncle Yorgan.¡±


    ¡°Ha?¡±


    ¡°Someone attacked the Emir palace. Emir family dismembered remains were found in the palace dungeon which as rumors say was used in dark rituals. Bodies of an A class adventurers were found there too.¡± she pauses for few seconds looking directly into my eyes and continues ¡°Not many can do that.¡±


    She takes a deep breath and continues again.


    ¡°You are a Blood Brother, I saw the mark. You came to the city and the next day the dark cult was found. That is no coincidence.¡±


    Still looking into my eyes she expects some kind of change or reaction.


    ¡°You must be from the Heretic Hunter group. My uncle, Lord Yorgan Kifaros, is one of your captains. If you don¡¯t help me I will send a letter to him and you will be punished.¡±


    There is so much I want to say, but it is as if you are trying to squeeze something enormous through a small hole, everything gets stuck.


    ¡°Help me, please.¡± she finishes with desperation.


    This desperate stuck up idiot with mental issues tries her best to seem the one in control, but I can smell her fear. A strong headache pushes me too close to making a rash decision.


    ¡°We will talk after you get me over the wall.¡± I squeeze out.


    ¡°No promise me that you will go together with me to Mozzarel. Promise me. Blood Brothers will never break a promise.¡±


    I was going to travel through it one way or another.


    ¡°I promise that I will travel to Mozzarel.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± she says with a bright childish smile. ¡°We will travel over the wall during tomorrow night. I need to rest a bit more and get few thing in the city. Travel will be long and hard.¡±


    So my wrecked condition is not taken into account.


    [People will always think only about themselves.]


    The fact that she knows, that the Emir family was part of cult, means that this information is public. It was made public on purpose, a tool to sway massed to new ruler more likely. The city is going to hell much faster than it should.


    I don¡¯t know what worries me more, the fact that an inexperienced, but powerful wizard has a mental capabilities of child and threatens me with ¡®You bad. I tell mommy¡¯, adding to that the absolute belief in ¡®blood brother pinky promise¡¯ bullshit, or the fact that she doesn¡¯t know that Yorgan has been dead for at least 5 years.


    Yorgan. He saved my life, several times.


    [Oh? Do you think helping her you will repay the dept you owe to him? Don¡¯t lie to yourself. He is dead, rotting in his grave, and there is nothing you can do to help him. Nothing.]


    [Focus on goals. There are still slave houses in the city. Isn¡¯t this what you wanted to do? Who knows maybe the nightmares won¡¯t return. Right?]


    ¡­


    I cleaned the city as much as I can. I can¡¯t delay it any longer, there is just no time left.


    Olana, the wind wizard, helped me get the food and travel supplies. It was much harder than one could expect.


    Buying anything is no longer possible. Lack of clean water, groups fighting for power, desperation and utter chaos changed the city within few days. Shops are closed, food is so scarce that people started killing each other for few pieces of bread, and it is not just few instances, the whole city is in such state.


    Gold is worth nothing if you can¡¯t exchange it for goods.


    Incredible what a small piece of information, that war started, few poisoned wells and several dead people, rulers mostly, can do.


    It took one and a half day to gather all the needed resources. And a single night to free slaves. The funny thing is that freeing the slaves was the easier task.


    The ¡®acquired¡¯ horses, clean water and food were quickly transported to the other side of wall. We had to drug the horses as they would not take the flight well, and any sound could be the end of operation.


    The guards with enchanted crossbow is a serious problem. In close quarter I can ¡®disable¡¯ them quickly, on far distances I can somehow evade the incredibly fast arrows, but on mid ranges it is deadly weapon, especially if there are several of them.


    There is a guard with crossbow every 4 meters on the wall. And you can¡¯t guess which one of them has an enchanted one.


    Olana casted a wind spell which took us all together and transported as far as she could from the city walls. All in all she was able to hold only for few minutes, but it was enough as we were in about half a kilometer from the city. She said that she was tired and that she isn¡¯t used carrying so much weight with wind spells.


    Tired huh.


    Still trying to hold the status of ¡®powerful wizard¡¯. But I didn¡¯t care, I have seen many trying to pose as something they were not, and even those that represented something always tried to cast a bigger shadow, as if it would change what they really are.


    We quickly ¡®woke up¡¯ the horses and started the travel. While on horse I will be able to heal myself much easier. Still, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that there is just too much to heal, my body is just one big wound.


    ¡­


    Taking as priority I healed the lung first, with more oxygen intake my body will function a bit better.


    In about a week we will get to south city Samolesh of the dead desert. From then on it will be only travel in a near straight line.


    It is only spring, but the heat is already unbearable. I don¡¯t understand how people live in this region and don¡¯t lose their mind.


    Several ¡®locals¡¯ though that a pair of traveling adventurers are an easy prey. They were proven wrong. The good thing is that you need to prove they wrong only once, the bad thing is that there are many you need to prove that to.


    [But who is counting the number of dead bodies we are leaving behind. Right? They are not people, or at least it is easier to think that way. How many fates we crushed, how many lives we destroyed.]


    I didn¡¯t speak much with my ¡®traveling companion¡¯, but her constant glancing for the past few days had already became quite tiring. Still, I will not start the conversation.


    [You are doing your best not to address her by name, still trying to think of her as nothing more than a temporary shadow, as we have done to all we met. By her behavior it is not a question if she is a noble. But the fact that a noble wizard is traveling alone raises too many questions, and getting to the Mozzarel isn¡¯t the goal for sure. Therefore the question, what is?]


    Olana as if finally gathering the courage and determination opens her mouth. ¡°Listen, I know that you are not allowed to discuss this stuff, but, my Uncle, do you know how¡­¡±


    I know exactly where this is going, and anything I say will only cause more questions, problems and issues. I continue to look forward as if I never heard the question. After few seconds of silence she continues.


    ¡°¡­Nevermind. I shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡±


    Sometimes the best answer is silence.


    ¡­


    Life is a strange thing. We meet people we never expect to meet.


    It looks like the that group of ogre, dwarf and elf somehow left the city too. They did not do that alone, but that is normal, higher number increase the chance of survival.


    We all somehow found a small oasis in the middle of nowhere. They are extremely rare, and if people find them, they always try to rest there or replenish water supplies.


    It should have been a ¡®happy¡¯ moment, where two traveling group meet. It should have been a moment where we clap each other on back, congratulating each other that we survived and left the city somehow.


    But it isn¡¯t.


    When we arrived in the oasis everything was already finished, the desert centipede pack attack was repelled.


    Was repelled, but with a price.


    Out of 15 people of the group that arrived at the oasis 4 lay dead.


    And one of the dead is the dwarf, whose name I don¡¯t even remember. He lays on his back with a big bloody wound in the center of his chest lifelessly, while sand under him turns red.


    The ogre is standing grim over the body of his comrade, while the elf in on his knees, weeping and lying over the body of the dwarf.


    Not comrades, friends. Whatever they said or did, they were still together.


    Till the end.


    ¡°Silo, we need to go.¡± said the ogre.


    ¡°Go?¡± whispered the elf turning to the ogre. ¡°Go where Metas?! Liam died and you want to go?!¡±


    ¡°There is nothing we can do for him now.¡±


    ¡°Nothing we can do? Is that all you can say?! You can¡¯t grieve him at all? Did you ever think of him as a friend?!¡±


    The ogres eyes shot wide open as he punched the elf in the face sending him to ground.


    ¡°He was as much your friend as mine!! You think I am not in pain, you think I¡­¡± he stopped as tears start streaming down his face.


    Life goes on.


    People die every second.


    [That it just statistic. Every single one of them has a name, family, friends and enemies, dreams and hopes, a story never told. But together they are just statistic.]


    I continue to stand and look as everyone around is moving, checking their gear and preparing something, expect the duo crying with their dead friend on the ground. Memories of me in bloody uniform standing on the battlefield riddled with craters which are filled with fire, with all my team mates body parts lying around, while legions march at me. We were left to die, reinforcement weren¡¯t just late, they didn¡¯t exist in the first place. We were meant to die, to disappear, burying all the secrets with us.


    Returning from the memories I see as the ogre pickups the body of dwarf, which he proceeded to carry and puts on the horse.


    [Nice isn¡¯t it?. You are not the only one suffering, they all are also in this hurricane of chaos and death we call life. They are as much alive as you are. You always tried to evade looking into people, as the more you look, the more take it personally. You will try to understand them, help them, put yourself in their place. But do not do not look too deep into them or we will lose the edge which we need to do what we are required.]


    [Do not forget, we are not allowed to die, the moment we die HE will take control over this body. We need make sure that not a single fraction of our body remains. He will spend every single fraction of his power to bend the fate and get this body. And THEY ALL know this, and are waiting for our death with glee.]


    I can¡¯t die.


    Not yet, not here, not now.


    I do not want to see another day, there is nothing good there waiting for me.


    I want to end it all now. But I can¡¯t.


    Death is easy, living is hard.


    New day shall come, and maybe, maybe it will be different.


    Hope is not much, but it is all we have.

 Chapter 15

    The leader of their party decided that the wizard and her ¡®slave¡¯ will be positioned on the right flank.


    ¡®Slave¡¯ huh. Well it doesn¡¯t matter. To be frank I still look like a hobo, and there is no point in getting new clothes, they are only temporary.


    They wanted us to be in front, as bait for any possible attack. But when Olana told their leader that we can travel from behind, everyone decided reach for a compromise. Having no desire for someone who you don¡¯t fully trust to guard your back is acceptable reason.


    It looks like Olana became a bit more confident as soon as we were not alone.


    A person who would be feeling herself safer in a bigger group of strangers¡­


    I really don¡¯t want to think more about her strange behavior, but this strange details raise more and more questions, and debate whenever I made the right decision to travel with her.


    She continued to stare at me with expectation, but her actions did not grant her any result. In a game of stubbornness she is strong, but not as much as I am. Maybe she is used to the fact that everything goes her way. Or she simply believes that a single word or glance from her is enough for the world to bend under her.


    After about an hour she started the talk herself.


    ¡°Listen, I know that you can¡¯t tell me much, but at least your name. We have been traveling for about two weeks together and I still don¡¯t know how to call you.¡±


    After about 10 seconds of silence I answered.


    ¡°B117¡±


    I should have replied with my real name, but somehow replied with the blood legion ID.


    My name.


    [Isn¡¯t it ironic that you have hid you name for so long, but told it to mayor of a small, random village. Oh wait, it was a Qaes village. Right, you killed them all didn¡¯t you? The first, in nearly a decade to hear your name, and their fate was to die by your hand.]


    [Did you want to leave at least your name behind? Hoping it would exist in someones memory?]


    ¡°Oh, code name. Okay that is already a progress.¡±


    After another hour of silence she continued.


    ¡°Okay I am really sorry, I just want to know how my uncle is. I haven¡¯t heard about him in quite some time. I am not asking for information about something important, like your mission or a secret, or information about someone big like the Blood Hand or Saint Protus or The Bleeding Shadow or even that psychopath Inquisitor. Please it is my uncle.¡±


    I continue to stare in front ignoring the question as if it wasn¡¯t asked several times.


    ¡°God damn you.¡± she mutters with scowl.


    [Interesting how two names she mentioned is actually the same person, which is the uncle she is asking about.]


    Yorgan was always really good at manipulation of blood and hiding in the shadow, but in the end it didn¡¯t save him.


    Protus. A Saint?


    If only they knew how far are they from truth.


    I would give a lot to make him disappear from the face of earth, to take him with me to hell, so much could be solved with his death alone, but alas it will never happen. Even if I somehow will be able to bypass the 12 incredibly experienced Enforcers and Wizards, who are his personal bodyguards and are constantly around him, Protus himself is a totally different story. Even if half of continent gathered together against him alone, they would be but ants before a god. And he would not hesitate for even a fraction of seconds to take capital action.


    His words still echo in my mind from time to time.


    ¡°Life itself is violence. All societies and all species exist only because of violence. It is the thing that hold us all together, the universal currency, and all other forms of control or existence derive from it. What stops a stranger from taking your property or life? Tell them to stop? Beg for life? Pretty words and laws are worth nothing if there is no violence to uphold them. Don¡¯t be, even even for a fraction of a second, mislead by the existence of some peace preaching creatures, who claim to be able to survive with no violence at all, that is only possible because they live in society of violence, even though they don¡¯t see or understand it. As soon as you extract them from the said society they cease to exist.¡±


    He is not wrong, but he is not right.


    It is not all about violence, or at least I try to believe so.


    ¡­


    A lady in her mid forties is telling stories to a small child on her lap, which is around 5, things about mana and magic, which are just so, utterly, ridiculous. But it compares in no form what she is telling about blood brotherhood.


    The evening chill makes all the people bundle together around the fire to warm up. We have crossed sand part of the desert, which is really good news. The rocky terrain, in which we are currently in, does not protect us from the cold wind, and few burning twigs of dried caricature on a tree don¡¯t do a good job of warming us up.


    And so we sit all and listen to the story.


    ¡°¡­they are feared by all, their brothers the blood legion, their masters and simple folk. People don¡¯t usually see them, as they hunt during the night. But you can know that it is them when you can smell thick scent of blood accompanied by screams. They bath in the blood of their enemies and become stronger with each battle. But fear not child, they are the darkest creatures of the night, yet they serve the light. They will never hurt innocent, never come into the house of righteous, never spill the blood of pure.¡±


    I really want to laugh right now. This whole ¡®be good¡¯ and you won¡¯t die bullshit sound more and more ridiculous with each iteration.


    Olana is stealing few glances checking on my reaction to the story.


    The ogre and elf party are silent as they look into the fire. They decided to make a proper burial of their friend in the next city, therefore they wrapped his body in cloth and put it on a horse, but the burning sun has increased the speed of their friend body decomposing. This freezing night is accompanied by the smell of rotten flesh to which few wanted to raised complains, but didn¡¯t.


    The story continued, painting blood brothers something akin to demons, who consume the blood and can morph into anything they desire, who can kill armies with blood magic.


    Most of it is bullshit, but there is piece of truth in it. Every single one of blood brotherhood uses some form of blood magic. There are those who can siphon mana from the blood of enemies, those that turn blood into armor or weapon, those that can manipulate the blood, as if it is simple bending of water, and much, much more.


    But it more dependent on affinity, which is much more than people think.


    In the most respected books on magic affinity is described as combination of physical body structure, state of spirit and the will of mind. Those books usually talk about the way to find your affinity and accept it as representation of what you are, and what you should be. The only thing scholars talk about in the subject of affinity is philosophical, spiritual and abstract stuff.


    But when you start digging deeper you find more, and the more you gaze into the abyss the more abyss gazes into you, literally. According to my finding, the thing people call ¡®affinity¡¯ is more of a tunnel to the ¡®soul¡¯ of something. In the books, people described that as energy flowing in both directions, where you send the internal mana to that ¡®special¡¯ soul through a ¡®gate¡¯ and receive elemental or arcane mana back.


    According to the modern consensus, those souls and their mana divide into 2 basic pillars, elemental pillar and arcane pillar.


    The elemental pillar divides into the four categories, earth, water, wind and fire, while the arcane divides into energy, matter, spirit and gravity.


    There was a time when mages theorized that there is a third pillar, internal mana pillar, but it was dismissed a long time ago as just a part of spirit group of arcane pillar.


    It is easier to think of it that way, or things get strange and complicated.


    It makes absolutely no sense that mana of one group can transform to mana of other group which may belong to totally other pillar. But it is accepted fact and all public theories are built upon it.


    Public huh.


    Anyway. All the spells that ever existed used combination or subset of mana of those 8 groups.


    Many mages don¡¯t know, but elemental pillar actually represents or stands for four states of matter.


    Earth for solid.


    Water for liquid.


    Wind for gas.


    And fire for plasma.


    Things with arcane pillar are a bit different, some believed that they represented the laws by which our world is governed.


    But wizards don¡¯t think about, they don¡¯t need to, they can just feel the ¡®gates¡¯. It is as if you are asking how exactly does your body move the way you want, you don¡¯t need to understand biology to make you limbs move. You just desire them to. Mighty warrior can reach the pinnacle of physical strength without knowing even a bit of biology, same is for magic.


    It just works, and you can feel it, no need for complicated explanation.


    When a person tries to perform a spell, he sends his internal mana through the gate, which causes a manifestation of external mana, which will be used to fuel the spell. And depending on the amount you send to each gate a different type of mana is manifested. Wizards spend all their lifetime increasing their affinity, which results a ¡®wider¡¯ gate, with which they can cast more powerful spells.


    Every single person has affinity, even the most rural peasant has minuscule but still, an affinity.


    I am an exception.


    I was always an exception, even at academy.


    ¡­


    My dad died when I was really young, I don¡¯t even remember his face, just his warm smile and hugs he gave me when we sat on his armchair. Just another death of a soldier in small feud between local lords, nothing noble, a simple ¡®issue¡¯ of ownership over a small patch of earth in the middle of nowhere. Ridiculous reason, isn¡¯t it? A small patch of earth was worth more than he could earn in his entire life, more than his life.


    Mother was a seamstress in a small town, but the meager earning she was making was enough to feed us. Most of my time I spent on either helping her or reading books in a tiny 7 square meter room she called her workshop, which was also our house. The books store owner next door agreed to lend books to me if I didn¡¯t damages them, for which mother would fix his family clothes for free. I was busy with something which didn¡¯t hinder mothers work and helped me to grow smarter. She was happy with the way things worked.


    Life was hard but simple.


    When I was 10 I passed a test to local magic academy, which mother greatly encourage me to take. By examinator¡¯s words my ¡°general knowledge and intelligence was barely passable to attend their esteemed academy¡±.


    ¡°Study, learn, become everything you want to be.¡± were her parting words. Mage Academy students lived in the tower, not allowed to see relatives often.


    To become a mage a sharp mind is crucial, and it looked like I had a good one.


    And every single country needs mages, a lot of them, they even allow few non nobles to study for free, as EVERYTHING is dependent on mana. I somehow became one of those few.


    The mage tower was really far, and I didn¡¯t really want to attend it, but mothers encouragement and happiness when I was accepted changed that. Her smile made me make a step forward.


    I didn¡¯t make any friends as nearly all of the students were nobles and looked down on me, and those few non-nobles became lackeys to specific nobles, to which they were going to serve after they finish the academy.


    I didn¡¯t care about that, I just wanted to study, learn, understand how the world worked.


    I studied with all I had. If I succeeded, I could help and support mother, the only family I had, everything else didn¡¯t matter. And the results were good, I was one of the top students in academy.


    Official magic aptitude test is done twice, when a person is 15 and 18. There is also unofficial one done by nobles and academies at about 12, when the magic skills just appear, but it is not taken as a serious magic capabilities assessment test.


    During the first test by academy, I failed to manifest mana. Some teachers though that I am slacking and not making and effort, but theoretical test results proved them wrong.


    Next they thought that I had minuscule amount of mana and was just bad at manipulating inner mana. I also thought that, therefore I spent years making great effort to fix that, meditating and circulating mana.


    The rare letters I was able exchanged with mother, told me that life was hard, but everything was fine. She continued to encourage me to try harder, never give up and results would come. Communication with outside world was limited, and it was hard to be constantly alone, but hope is a strange thing.


    I continued my effort in the inner mana circulation and control with mad-like obsession which I had with everything I did.


    Few were talking about expelling me for no progress in mana related subjects, but my theoretical knowledge and top results in all test, not concerning mana, gave me options of becoming at least a researcher.


    Still, as everyone was already casting spells I couldn¡¯t even manifest mana.


    When I was 15, on the official test, I failed again, not being able to manifest even a tiny bit of mana. The grand masters was furious, and to do a small test poured his mana into me to observed the inner state, speed and amount of mana circulating inside of me. He was baffled and told me that I had ¡®catastrophically large¡¯ amount of mana and ¡®blade like¡¯ control over it, but there were no gates, the internal mana was trapped in me.


    There were few who were quite interested, some more in my blood. They spoke about great magic and spells we could accomplish, but I could feel in my bones that they saw me as nothing more than pot of mana.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    I didn¡¯t want to be a mana stone in some random experiment.


    I needed to protect myself and for that I needed external mana.


    Many, even professors, looked at me in disdain, as someone who was manaless, but they somehow tolerated my existence.


    First few months after the official test I spent looking into everything connected to inner gates. I found something, a hint of it at least.


    There was a legend about ancient wizard, or Titan of Fire as they called him, he didn¡¯t have the gates to water and earth element souls. It was written that because of that he has much more connected to fire and air element souls, that he could transform into fire itself, that he became the voice of fire element itself.


    Well it was written that if you take out all pathos and endless praising from the scriptures.


    The most logical conclusion I came up with is that there must be some unknown or rare sub-group soul that I have gate connection with. I spent quite some time looking into all possible ones, common and rare, respected and disapproved, even the most disgraceful and dishonorable one. People may have tons of affinities, big and small, I should have at least one.


    I didn¡¯t.


    The only thing I was able to accomplish through the research is that, my inner mana was rejected by each group of the two pillars, every single one.


    But I found something interesting during that research. Engineering and Physics in enchantments and rituals. That was something I could do even without mana, something I could direct my mind at and if I worked for academy as an enchanter or researcher, I would be under their protection, with no fear over my life and safety.


    Most of the important enchantments and rituals books were not accessible, but basic ones were. I quickly gained skills and knowledge in that area.


    Some time later I received a short letter from the bookstore owner living next door. ¡®Your mother died of frost vein disease, the house was sold to close her dept and pay for funeral.¡¯


    That day I died too.


    I lain in my bed crying for a week. I was never able to help her, show her the same love she gave me. What was I spending years here for? I was angry at world, but more on myself. It was so long since I have seen her, and I couldn¡¯t even fully remember her face.


    Only her voice.


    ¡°Everything will be okay sweetie.¡±


    ¡°All events have a reason.¡±


    ¡°Life always straightens thing up son.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t choose the tools, but we choose what we do with them.¡±


    I did the only thing I could, plunged myself into study. I would do the only thing she ever wanted, for me to succeed.


    An idea was born in my head and I spent all available time on it, barely sleeping or resting.


    Right before the final aptitude test, I showed a design I made, to the grand master of enchantment department professor Palonto, with who I had a bit more friendly relationship, in hope of getting a position as an enchantment researcher in the academy.


    It was a design of flying city, fueled and powered purely by residual mana, which was controlled by enchanted ¡®blocks¡¯, whose method of working was not public, but their existence was known. It would levitate powered by several combinations of gravitational magic and would be indestructible and unstoppable. I explained that this city could move around the whole world, in seas and oceans, in deserts and marshlands, or it could anchor itself to some location. And during that process it could gather ambient mana and change terrain and climate around the whole earth to optimal one.


    She called me crazy and rejected my idea as utterly ridiculous and impossible, she said that even the ancient wizards of divine era could not do it, and any attempts were useless waste of time. When I asked if I can get a position on research team, she said that she thinks yes, that my non-standard thinking will be helpful to academy.


    I was happy, believing that I truly succeeded, first time in my life I started thinking about future, my future, who I can become, what I can become.


    They say that one picture is worth thousand words.


    On the final affinity test when I was again found with absolutely no aptitude to any soul, it was not shocking at all, I kind of already accepted that I will never be able to cast a spell. But when I saw the smile professor Palonto gave to the arcane grand master, which was especially interested in my blood, everything inside of myself flipped, as if lightning hit me.


    Announcement of who would be taken into research team would have been announced the next day, but I didn¡¯t wait for it.


    That night I ran away.


    That smile, brought clarity to my mind, it was always strange that professor Palonto never taught anything to me, never gave me hints or direction of where to search the subject I was interested in, but was always friendly and tried to hold me close to herself.


    My fate had already been decided long before that, an animal fattened for slaughter. That also explained why they kept me for so long, why they allowed my existence. All the professors and grand masters, every single one of them, they knew.


    It all explained why they tolerated my existence in the academy.


    I didn¡¯t know were to run, or what to do. They would find me in the end, and no one would be able to protect me. Dying in a big ritual would be the best fate I could possibly get.


    Traveling to other continent could have been an option if mage academy didn¡¯t have connection with everyone and everything, including ports and traveling caravans.


    But even for that I needed money, which I didn¡¯t have at all.


    The only other option was that I needed protection of someone or something. But what kind of protector could stand against mage academy.


    Something that can inflicts a bone chilling fear, something that even standing against would be a pure suicide, something that would take in a no one like me.


    Standing in the middle of swamp few kilometers from academy, only one idea came to mind. It was an idea to which death or suicide was a better option.


    But I still wanted to live, even if it was just for few more days.


    ¡­


    The child continued to listen to the story of the woman, but at least the subject changed from blood brotherhood to unicorns and dragons.


    But then suddenly it hit me.


    Wait, why is there only one child with this group?


    Scanning through the group a started analyzing each one. Half a dozen of vanguards and archers, obviously well trained ex guards. Two really shady guys, trying to looks normal, but for my trained eyes it is not hard to discern assassins and spies. An old man, who has been guiding us the whole path, a guide.


    A woman who has been caressing a child, which just fell asleep few moment ago, a nanny.


    A child, with perfectly symmetrical features.


    A noble, no, someone more important. A royalty.


    They all are dressed in simple clothes without attributes, but you can¡¯t hide what you really are.


    Funny thing.


    The reasons all nobles look very handsome and beautiful is not just that they take better care of themselves. When you are in power, you can choose the best spouses available on the ¡®market¡¯. Which means that even if your are ugly, stupid and without any magic talent, you can choose the most beautiful wife with great magic talent, and do that for your children too. Which will result beautiful and talented grandchildren. But that is an example only for only two generation, what about the royalty, nobles and powerful families which had dozens of generations to continue that process.


    It doesn¡¯t matter how you started or how you gained the power, even if it was most despicable, dishonorable, pathetic or backstabbing way. In the end, time and power will wash everything away, leaving a fancy fairy tale created to glorify something that didn¡¯t even exist in the first place, but which would cause a complex of superiority for all generations to come.


    And now you have someone who even in their ¡®hidden¡¯ state can be recognized, because their parents were picky with who to have children. But can you blame the child for that?


    [Interesting, how would they react if they knew that you were the one who caused that hell in their city? You killed that child¡¯s parents, leaving him orphan. And because of that all these people had to leave their homes and families in their greatest need, and travel to who-knows-where to protect a single child, which is not even theirs.]


    [How do you feel? Should we tell them the truth and have some fun?]


    Their dead eyes and tired faces told me enough.


    In a day or two we will reach Samolesh, there is no reason to create problems, and my body won¡¯t be able take on much right now.


    I just needs to hold for a bit longer.


    ¡­


    I can see Samolesh in about 4 kilometers, standing between two rocky hills, blocking the only path through them. A choke-point.


    But even from here you can see what is happening in the city, people are running around trying to hide from what they believe is the wrath of gods.


    The party and Olana are standing in awe as bubbles of fire explosion appear in trails through the city, which are followed by rare purple beams.


    For about half a minute absolute silence follows.


    Then silence is interrupted by another more aggressive and rapid series of explosions and beams, which are followed by another moment of silence.


    From the distance I can see a person in red clothes with a staff, which suddenly appeared at least 350 meters above and away from the city. He may appear immobile but I can see subtle motions of his staff, which end with raised and spread arms.


    One of the party members wants to say something, but a flash of light interrupts him and fixes the gazes of everyone on the city. A new bubble of fire appeared in the centers of the city, growing tremendously faster and more destructive than all previous spells together. As it continues to rapidly grow and cover at least a third of the big city. I can see the shock-wave traveling in all direction with enormous speed, to which I respond accordingly and prepare to cover my eyes. Everyone else just stands looking at the event in awe. But few fractions of a second before the shock-wave hit me I saw a thin beam crossing the sky with colossal speed.


    The shock-wave hit us much softer than I expected, but the few yelp told me that not many shared my opinion. When I removed my hand from my eyes, the dust and rocks were already setting down, but party members are grunting and trying to get sand and stone pieces out of their eyes.


    Oh come one. By the visible shock-wave and dust on the ground you should have expected that.


    The city is half-molted with nearly no sound, except the hum after the explosion, crumbling of the city and the coughs of the party. Everyone looked in horror at the city. The clouds in the sky are split apart by a straight line which continues to widen in perpendicular direction I saw the purple beam pass. You can see the big rocks split apart, causing cracks in the same direction, while dark smoke is coming out of them.


    ¡°What the HELL was that?¡± muttered Olana


    What are you talking about? This is what wizard battle looks like. You should be able to do something similar to even dare call yourself a wizard.


    Returning my sight back to the city I catch a sight of two objects falling down. Trying to focus on one of the object I quickly find out what they are, or at least who it was.


    It looks like the purple beam found it¡¯s target.


    Well, one of the wizards is dead. If the other one didn¡¯t survive the explosion and heat, we have two dead wizards and a city, nearly erased from the face of earth.


    [Isn¡¯t it nice when an issue between two people causes the death of thousands? Nothing that we could possibly know, right?]


    While the party is in stupor I start walking back to the horses, it looks like I will not be able to get a decent rest in this city. And the travel should continue whatever happens.


    Who knows if anyone survived, and standing here won¡¯t solve anything.


    While I ride to the half-destroyed city I rethink my feeling about the situation. There must be something wrong with me, thousands died, but I just don¡¯t really care.


    Is it because of who the residents were? No.


    Did they deserve that fate? No.


    Then why?


    It is said that empathy is core of advanced species, a ticket that proves that the species reached a point where they can be considered a high social structure.


    What does it say about me if I lost one of the those core properties?


    [What¡¯s wrong? You should be happy, you will see few more sunsets than them. You were a tiny bit more lucky than the residents of the city.]


    I should be happy because they died and I didn¡¯t?


    [That is the way people work. They don¡¯t look at the grand scheme. People get happy because they have a single pieces of bread more than their neighbors, even if they live in total poverty.]


    [And we all are simple people, aren¡¯t we?]

 Chapter 16

    It would be easier to count the number of people alive than dead. The biggest explosion was in the center of the city, which usually is the trading center. But the explosion was just too big. The crater in the center seared down at least 20 meters of soil.


    Only the corners of the city survived, which usually are slums. There are many people buried under the crumbled building. There is a small amount of citizens who are just walking around the city in total silence.


    Doing what people usually do in this situations.


    A hand is sticking from under on of the rubbles of shop, that should have looked quite expensive based on the quality of the crumbled walls and few items lying around. The hand is covered with gold rings and thick bracelets.


    A girl in her teens is trying to get them off but fails, as bodies of dead are quite rigid, and unclenching a hand takes much more strength than one would expect. As if tired of it, the girl takes a broken sword lying near another dead body on the ground and starts hacking the hand off, with much more strength than her thin and malnourished body should have.


    After series of wild and random hacks she see me from her peripheral vision. She stops and stares into my eyes, after a fraction of second of hesitation she returns to her previous action and doubles the speed of hacking. The hand separates from the buried body with with wet, crunching sound. She picks up the hand and runs aways with her arms clutching the hand to her chest.


    [Is there anything you want to say? Nope?]


    Eslan, the leader of party, and his team finally catches up to me, while his team mates walk slowly in silence, petrified in horror at the state of the city.


    Many heard about destruction of cities and horrors of war but when you see it for the first with your own eyes all the told stories start to look ridiculous in comparison to the reality, a watered down fairy tale.


    There are many pretty words that can be said, but they are useless waste of energy. Lip service, nothing more.


    ¡°We need to gather as much food as we can.¡± I say turning around to the party. ¡±The scavengers will collect everything of value too soon. This city is dead, we need to continue our travel.¡±


    [This is a point where someone righteous would have started arguing about what is right and what is wrong, or that we should help people. But their own life is always more important.]


    Most of the party nods in response.


    ¡°How can you say so?! We need to help the people!¡± says Olana


    [Oh. Here we go.]


    Some ignore her, some look at her in confusion, few even look away evading direct eye contact. By the command of the part leader, Eslan, they go around preparing or gathering anything useful.


    The elf and ogre take the horse, with the body of their friend on it, and walk away in silence, more likely to bury their friend somewhere. The whole city is graveyard, but even so, people will always try to bury the ones they care about somewhere nice. Is it for the spirit of dead or for themselves? Hard to answer.


    Olana looks at the party going on their task in disgust, after which she turn to me with shocked look and with the usual expression as if she is expecting something of me.


    As soon as everyone is outside of radius in which they could hear us she growls ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to help the people in the city? There are many who need our help. What kind of blood brother are you?¡±


    ¡°Do not place your ideals on others, child.¡± I responded.


    Olana scowls at me and continues to stare in silence. Is this part of her character, or does she really believe that staring at people will make them change their opinion?


    A child in body of adult huh. Sometimes kids must be taught a lesson.


    ¡°You know what? You are right. We should help everyone. There are thousands of people buried who may still be alive. We should dug them all out and bury the dead.¡±


    Her scowl morphs into suspicious and uncertain look.


    ¡°There will also be many who need food, clothes and security. So we should start hunting and helping people. But there is too much to do, so we need to start immediately. We might need to delay our travel but it won¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    With expression of realizing she looks blankly in my direction.


    ¡°It may take weeks or even months, but that is okay, we were never in a hurry. But we must do even more, lets donate all our savings and help every single person in this city. No, that is not enough, we must help everyone and rebuild the city from zero.¡±


    She breaks the eye contact and looks away.


    ¡°Whats wrong? Why are you standing? Shouldn¡¯t we help them? They need our help, look around they are all begging for it. Start digging, hunting and helping.¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡± she mutters under her breath.


    ¡°What are you standing for lets go, lets help everyone. They all need our help.¡±


    ¡°Stop, I got it.¡± she says a bit louder.


    ¡°NO, YOU DIDN¡¯T FUCKING GET IT! LOOK AT ME! You never wanted to help them, you only wanted to satisfy your ego, ¡®Oh, I saved the people, I helped them, look how good I am¡¯. That is not help.¡±


    She tries to shrink down, making her look small as if a child being punished.


    ¡°Your life is your own and you can do with it whatever you like, but ...¡±


    I stop, this is too much.


    [Was that speech addressed to her, or ourself?]


    ¡­


    Many people from the outside of the city started coming inside, trying to loot whatever was let of the city, but we were already traveling away from the city.


    The first night after disaster is unforgettable, the shock fades away with cold realization of actual events, as if drug wears off. That feeling of sudden clarity is hard to describe but many have felt it before.


    As no one would be able to rest, so we decided to travel as far as we can from the city as we can, and make a camp. Thankfully the days got longer and even during the evening hours there was enough sun light to see the path. We actually found a road. The scarce and dried vegetation that started appearing around the road told us that we are walking in the right direction.


    When there was less than an hour of sun light left we finally stopped and made a camp. As the terrain was no longer just sand and rock the earth held the warmth from the day and it wasn¡¯t as cold as last few nights.


    No one wanted to talk, as subject would return to the events in the city, and therefore the evening was spent in absolute silence, which helped a lot as there are many predators around. Hunger and desperation can drive animals to attack even groups as big as ours.


    All big cities have a special barrier that holds the animals and monsters away. It is usually located in the center of the city, not because it was placed there, but rather that the city grows around its circular dome protection. And as soon as it falls all predators will rush into the city, as if hypnotized.


    Samolesh will have a bad night today, barrier is down and whatever guards were left alive would not be able to protect the city. If they even would. And the smell of blood will only make things worse.


    Samolesh is no more. There are cities around, but they are in opposite direction of where we are going. Therefore we decided to travel directly to Mozzarel.


    Rest is for the dead.


    ¡­


    The terrain changed to more mountain-like, with much higher hills, and much bigger slopes. Finally trees appeared, not the big and pretty ones, but seeing even these bald things is quite a relief. The Dead Desert is called ¡®dead¡¯ for a reason, and seeing life had quite an uplifting effect.


    There were few attacks from local bandits and predators, but their choices and decisions were quickly proven incorrect and wrong. Thankfully they had a bit of food and water, dead don¡¯t need them, so we took it upon ourselves to carry that ¡®heavy¡¯ burden.


    At some point of attacks or travel the party leader, Eslan, started asking my opinion on his decisions and plans. I am not sure what contributed to that, the sudden quite behavior of Olana or my actions during the attacks. Another sword broke during the fight, and as always I had to use whatever I had left, my hands. Sword is clean and fast, with bare hands you get much more gore and blood. My body has regained a bit of strength, not as much as it had before, but still much better to my dried state in the north. I took a new sword from the dead bandit, but it would not survive for long.


    Still, maybe the ogre and elf told Eslan something, but by their behavior it is not likely. They didn¡¯t get better after making an ¡®official¡¯ funeral for their friend. They themselves look half dead.


    Scars don¡¯t disappear, they just start hurting less with time.


    And when enough scars pile up upon your body, you change. Some would say in a good way, some wouldn¡¯t.


    ¡­


    The party stands in horror and awe looking at a well known place in the continent, but it¡¯s meaning holding much more value now, when the continent is in this state.


    Two black charred skeletons stuck in block of ice with huge swords plunged into each other. According to legends, both belonging to same race, same clan, but fighting for different sides. A reminder of how pitiful we are in comparison to ancients of divine era. It could be just a harsh reminder of past if the skeletons weren¡¯t about three hundred meters in height. And the block of ice has been here for about a thousand of years, still standing, still affecting the weather of the whole region. Thankfully this place is surrounded my mountains and the influence of the ancient spell is contaminated.


    It is a reminder who fought in the world divine war, and what kind of spells creatures of divine era used. We are nothing but ants, and if a continental war broke out, would we be able to stand together like ancients against the horrors from other continents?


    Seeing it for first time changes people, you suddenly don¡¯t seem as important, as mighty, as powerful as before.


    But we must continue walking.


    ¡­


    Mozzarel is big, not just ¡®a big city¡¯, but actually BIG.


    The city was one of not many cities created by ancients, and represents the scale of construction ancients could create. By legends it should have been a massive 2 kilometers high citadel, which consisted of about 3000 castles, with four tall towers and central gold castle for the emperor.


    But the ancient war and time changed a lot, only two towers are still standing, with one barely holding together. The whole city is quite asymmetrical, which by legends was caused by a huge gravitational spell. People have been trying to rebuild the city for a long time, but the methods of constructing structures so solid and tall are lost. Even now, many buildings are falling apart, and the only thing people are able to do is to hide the damage done to the structure with simple decoration and fluff, nothing more.


    But even in this damaged state the citadel is parting the sky, with its tips invisible over the clouds. The size is humongous not more only by height but also by scale, and with 25 kilometers in radius it looks more as a city of gods.


    Still, this mega city is only able to exist because of infrastructure that was left by ancients, a huge water and canalization system, constant stream of goods and products from all directions, and a underground gardens. If even one of the chains is broken, the city will fall, and people are trying to do their best to ensure that it would not happen.


    As we get closer to the city, the two hundred meter tall wall around it makes sure that no one forgets their insignificance before the it. These walls were not build, but created. There are no bricks. The earth was moved and compressed after which it was enchanted, or at least I think so, other alternatives are just too unrealistic. Sadly the most ¡®unrealistic¡¯ case is usually the truth.


    We are about a half kilometer from the city walls and the main gates, but even from here you can see the huge number of people and caravans gathered before the gate.


    There was a time long ago when people could simply walk into each of the cities on the continent, with no need to have documents with themselves, or have to go through security checking. It was a kind of a badge of pride that the security was on such level that people could feel safe whenever they go.


    But times change.


    My thoughts are interrupted by a sudden flash of light coming from behind. Turning around I find Olana casting a strange channeling spell into air which travels higher than the walls. The spell morphs into several geometric figures while shining in all colors of rainbow.


    I stop the horse while looking at her. That was a signal, but for what? Is this a trap?


    No she is still near us, she is not the type that would risk her life to¡­


    [Didn¡¯t she nearly die trying to find you? Is that not risking her life?]


    She looks back at me in total confusion, as if the thing she did was the most natural thing in the world.


    Suddenly a really similar signal appears from within the city. A few seconds after that I can see at least 50 wind wizards coming in our direction.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± said Eslan with really pale face while his hand reaching for the sword on his hip.


    Confusion and fear is colored across all faces of the party.


    ¡°Said that I arrived.¡± she replies totally innocent as if that is the most logical thing to do.


    If this is a trap, even if I try to do something now, I won¡¯t be able to outrun them, and hiding in the city is not possible, it is still too far, the only option is to wait.


    [Wait for what?]


    As soon as the wizards arrive, while hovering in air, I curse my luck. Every single one of them has an enchanted crossbow, and they surrounded us on a distance at which I will be dead a second after I move.


    Without missing a single second a person with extremely rare enchantments on his green clothes and long dark black hair steps forward and lands in front of Olana.


    ¡°Welcome back princess. We have been anxious over your sudden departure.¡± He says with slight bow. Looking through everyone inside the circle he continues ¡±I fails to see your personal bodyguards your highness.¡±


    She looks away in silence.


    Princess¡­ God damn it.


    [Oh. It starts making more sense now. Doesn¡¯t it?]


    Suspicion flashes through his face but for a fraction of a second. ¡°You will meet your parents immediately. Your friends, will be take care of.¡± he stated quickly.


    ¡°Yes Captain!¡± replied the wind wizards instantly, preparing to take action.


    The next instant Eslan steps forward and takes out a scroll with red insignia on it. ¡°Heir of Tusan royal family request¡­ um begs, for an audience with His Royal Highness King Yenovaus.¡± he announces with a loud and strained voice.


    Looking at the party leader, the Captain replied with a smile. ¡°Of course.¡± He turned around and made a strange swirling gesture with two fingers.


    As if by a queue a strong wind started howling around us. We were slowly lifted and taken all together with horses in the direction of the city. The four-legged warmblooded creatures greatly disliked the travel, but their whines were ignored, they are not the only ones dissatisfied with current state of things. It felt as if we are prisoners and are being let to judge or executioner.


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    As we are flying with great speed towards the center the city, everything under us moves quite fast. Houses and buildings, markets and fields, and a lot of people. But still, the citadel structure in the distance did not look as if it is getting any closer.


    With each minute the number of people and size of buildings grew in magnitude, it took only several minutes and we already got so deep into city that the city walls lost it grandness. A thick line on horizon.


    After few more minutes we crossed a second wall with the same height as the original, and landed near a fort behind them. The place was obviously a military complex with big number of soldiers and horses training and learning military maneuvers.


    The moment the feet of horses touched the floor many of them tried to throw off their riders, it took several unsuccessful attempts but the creatures still didn¡¯t want to calm down, after which we decided to get off them as quickly as we can.


    As we walk a few step aways from the horses, voice of the captain reminding that we have much more problems.


    ¡°From here on I would kindly ask you to leave your horses, belongings and weapons with my subordinates.¡±


    In the center of military fort this does not feel as a request at all.


    We are thoroughly checked and searched. The one unlucky guy whose task was to search through my belongings made disgusted face throughout the whole process. He even refused to look through my satchel and just held it with his big and index finger as a piece of trash.


    In the end all the collected stuff was gathered a put on a separate cart.


    We started walking through the fort as more and more guards in armor appeared and joined our procession. As we traveled through the fort we finally came to some kind of fortified mansion.


    A new person in grey robes listened to Eslan, and with a smile invited everyone to proceed further with him.


    ¡°He is with me¡± interjected Olana, when guards wanted to ¡®escort¡¯ me together with the party leaving to other room.


    ¡°He will be washed and dressed, and will accompany you later.¡± said the captain to his subordinates while looking at me with suspicion.


    ¡°No, he will come with me to father.¡±


    As they are drilling each other with that gaze of silence that I had experienced during the short interaction with her. It looks like it is local ¡®thing¡¯.


    If she is princess, her father, more likely, is king. Which is really bad thing for me, meeting with a ¡®ruler¡¯ is never good experience. And I am not sure how to evade it. Will my opinion even matter right now? The best thing would be to run, but the guards here are professionals, standing at perfect distance to retaliate at whatever can come from me.


    [Isn¡¯t this the thing that you wanted? Competency. Pity that the real professionals are always against you.]


    ¡°He will not enter into the throne room with his ¡­ appearance.¡±


    I still look like a hobo, some random rags in place of proper clothes, long unkempt hair, bristle that should have been shaved long time ago.


    There is no point of painting a house which will be demolished.


    ¡°I believe this is the place where we part ¡­ Princess¡±


    Turning to me with a fierce glare she growls at me ¡°You promised me, and you will fulfill that promise.¡±


    Turning back to captain she declared ¡°He will come with me.¡± with cold and commanding voice.


    After few seconds of staring which she usually did with me the captain bends.


    ¡°As you wish, princess¡±


    Shit.


    We move through many corridors, with more and more guards appearing with each passed door, while the corridors became wider and higher each time.


    Many tried to hide it, but their face of confusion about the presence of walking rag was hard to hide. It is not everyday that you see a hobo walk to throne room.


    We finally reach a doors which are at least 70 meters high and 15 meters wide. As everything in this place, structures tend to be colossal, the thematic goals of this place obvious.


    After about a dozen seconds of waiting, doors open and a person announces.


    ¡°Her royal highness princess Olana Se Madoro and her companion.¡±


    As we enter the only thing that comes to mind, is again the word ¡°Colossal¡±. The room is at least a kilometer width and 400 meters high, with hundreds of columns around 10 meters in diameter reaching the ceiling.


    Colossal.


    We start walking forward I feel a sudden change in the air. Something I felt many times.


    Anti-magical area.


    They appear in different form, sometimes it is an magical orb with limited radius of application, sometimes it is an enchanted room. In most cases the anti-magical area were used as a ¡®meeting place¡¯ for ambassadors or important people.


    Anti-magical areas do not suck out ambient mana or internal mana but rather constantly send random amount of different mana around. Causing an area of chaotic movement of mana, in which casting a spell is near impossible. People described it as ¡°trying to stand on water¡±.


    This is one of the ancient technologies which people still try to replicate, but fail in all possible cases, and all currently existing ones are the ones that survived from ancient era.


    But presence of one in a throne room¡­ This is extremely rare.


    If everyone is affected by it how can they defend themselves? The answer is found quickly. All the enforcers and mages are standing at a specific distance from main path to throne, behind the columns.


    Area of effect? No.


    I notice that the floor that I am standing on has slightly different tone. They tried their best to hide it, to make it in the same style, color and tone, but it is hard to replicate the effect of time.


    Enchanted floor, well this is something new¡­


    As we continue to walk I finally look at the throne that is elevated at least 50 meters from the ground, with long staircase leading to it. And if someone would want to look at the person on the throne he will have to bend his neck.


    [Looking up at the gods or looking down at the ants?]


    Both.


    There are also several people standing on each side of throne.


    We come to stop at a specific distance from the throne, but right in the center room, more likely the area of maximum effect.


    One wrong move and hundred of enchanted arrows and spells will pierce us but in fraction of a second.


    Not us, me.


    I think in this moment we should bow, hitting our temples on the marble floor to show ¡®respect¡¯.


    "Father I found-"


    But before Olana could finish, a quick series of footsteps come from the right as a woman, in beautiful long green dress with encrusted gems, came and clutched Olana in a hug.


    About a meter away from the woman stood several really dangerous guards in green platemail, the metal was unknown to me, and the number of enchantments on each of them is staggering. Equipment of just one of them would me enough to support a mid-sized city for a year.


    Few seconds of silence are followed by echoes of wet and muffled sobs throughout the room. ¡°I am sorry mom, but I had to ...¡± whispers Olana.


    After about a dozen seconds of sobbing Olana continues "Mom, now we can find her. I-" All guards are looking at the pair, except one, which I finally notice.


    His concentrated gaze and furrowed brows visible through the open faced helmet, remind me of someone, but I just can¡¯t place it. Red hair is not that rare, but...


    His image ripples as I feel something titanically heavy, burning hot and at the same time freezing cold crash into my left shoulder and stop when it reaches the bottom of my left lung. His image ripples again, and for a fraction of a second I saw a person with a great sword burrowed deep into my torso, which after another ripple instantly returned to the same image of a guard standing, but with impassive stone face.


    Not even realizing it, I swing my right hand as a claw with deep inhuman bellow, into empty area which somehow connects with something. After another ripple around the guard a sudden explosion of red appears before me.


    Before I can register or understand what happened, I see an image of hundreds of enchanted arrows being fired in my direction and sound of something crash into area around me. Meter long arrows are all around me, many are embedded into the stone floor, some of them go through me before that. My body is shredded and I feel as if I entered world of pain.


    Darkness clouded my eyesight and some kind of buzzing in my ears is all I can sense except pain.


    I send internal mana around the body to evaluate the state I am in.


    Damage is big, just too damn big.


    The is nearly no organ left undamaged. I am not sure even how the arrows missed my head or heart and not killed me instantly.


    [Enough whining. Start moving. Don''t you dare die right now. Don''t even dream of rest yet!]


    I can''t die now, not yet, not like this. I send all the mana available to not heal but rather to make the body move as fast as I can. I am still in battle.


    Shit always happened in the worst possible situation. Why wouldn''t it happen when I am surrounded by the most skilled enemies possible.


    With force I open my eyes, but the image is still blurred, ears are no better, shouts and screams tell me that the situation is still critical. I am not even sure how I can still hear and see.


    As my hearing slowly restores I hear a quite familiar voice. ¡°No!!!¡± screams Olana behind the guards with raised shields and her mother along her.


    ¡°He is already dead, step aside princess.¡± says a new voice, which is quite deep.


    ¡°No! He is a Blood Brother, I brought him to-¡± shouted Olana.


    I somehow turn my neck, with perforated wound from arrow, into the direction of new voice and see at least 3 meters tall giant with grey skin wearing blueish plate mail armor and helmet with horns in his hand.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, he-¡± stops the new voice as soon as he sees me looking in his direction.


    Horror instantly visible on his face as he unsheathes his giant sword and points it at me. Several guards reload their crossbows and point them at me too.


    After few attempts I realize that I am nailed to floor. I need to take action, but my muscles won''t move. Just mana is not enough, I need oxygen, and with destroyed lung it is a quite hard task.


    WHAT THE FUCK did my left lung do to deserve being constantly crushed? To gather air I need time and that is something I am always low on.


    I hear many fast footsteps as more guards arrive, their metal boots clanging against the marble floor.


    Shit.


    ¡°Wow, a zombie.¡± says one of several youths in fully grey hakama standing near the next batch of guards.


    What the fuck is Qing young sword students doing here? I thought-


    [Forget! Survive first.]


    I return to healing and thinking about the possible ways to get out of current situation.


    A person, in blue kimono with white flowers painted on it walks slowly to front of the group and bows in the direction of the throne while holding his right hand to his heart.


    ¡°Sensei, is he really a zombie? Here, on Sazalar continent?¡± says another youth to the person who looks like blade master. He finally turns in my direction and looks at me in silence.


    ¡°Sensei, is it true that if you rip out zombies heart, it will continue to move?¡± Says first youth while looking at his teacher.


    The person in blue kimono narrows his gaze for few seconds and than his eyes shoot open. He puts his left palm over his right fist and slightly bows in my direction. The same instant all his students fell silent.


    ¡°It has been quite a while my friend.¡± says the man. ¡°I never expected to meet you here.¡±


    ¡°Wh-¡± starts the giant, but is interrupted by another voice.


    ¡°Do you know this thing Narotetsu?¡± sounded the cold and commanding voice in full volume, coming from the direction of the throne.


    ¡°Yes your highness. He is ¡­ an old friend.¡± replied the man.


    After few seconds of silence the king continued.


    ¡°And why did your friend attack my wifes guard? Even more, in my throne room.¡±


    The man looks at something on floor in front of me. When I turn my still perforated neck and look in the same direction I find the rippling guard lying in a pool of his blood, with his skull cracked open as an egg.


    The continues to looks at the body with narrowed eyes for few seconds.


    ¡°Nakai.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sensei!¡±


    ¡°Bring me the arm-guard of the guard.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sensei!¡±


    One of the youths walks to the body, while stealing few glances at me. After few unsuccessful tries the youth finally takes off the corpse arm-guard, but as soon as he does that several stones fall out of it. The youths picks them all up and brings to the man.


    Eyes of giant guard open wide as soon as he sees the stones.


    The man takes the arm-guard in his right hand and looks at it for several seconds, while he plays with stones in his left hand in total silence.


    ¡°I am waiting Narotetsu.¡± says the voice with apparent dissatisfaction.


    ¡°This, your highness, is a quite rare illusionist tool, a really sophisticated one to boot.¡±


    ¡°What does being illusionist have to do with it?" interjects a new voice from the left side of the throne in red coat. "And you didn¡¯t answer the question of his highness.¡±


    ¡°As I wanted to say, before you interrupted me counselor, this tool is really rare, I would even go as far to say that there are only few on continent, and only several people know how to use it. And judging by the quality of item and skills required to use it, the only person who could be the personal attendant of her royal highness could be a Lanas.¡± finished the man in kimono while looking at the counselor.


    ¡°We have a peace treaty with Sarshi Caliphate. And I see no reason that we can¡¯t hire someone from Lanas family. But you still have not answered the question swordsman, and our patience is running low.¡± growled the man in red coat.


    ¡°Well you see, my friend has quite a history with Lanas family. To be frank that is understatement. They have such a deep ... discontent with each other, to such level that they nearly erased each other from the face of earth. And as I assume, that was Keroni Lanas, the youngest of this generation. And by the still plunged sword in my friends chest I assume the young Lanas tried to get revenge using one of his illusions in the middle of throne room. He tried, but as you see, he failed.¡±


    After few seconds of silence the counselor continued.


    ¡°Does your friend have a name, or should we refer to him as ¡®your friend¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I am not sure if it would be right for me to say it here, but we can continue the discussion in private after you help him, it doesn¡¯t look like he has much left.¡±


    ¡°Speak.¡± growled an angry voice coming from the throne.


    ¡°As you wish your highness. He has several names, and not the best ones. But I believe the one he is mostly known is ¡®Inquisitor¡¯¡±


    An utter silence fell upon the throne room.


    One of the guards with crossbow directly in front of me started visible shaking, and fraction of a second after that the crossbow in his hand fired, but my hand already moved by instinct and with palm I swat it away as if a fly. The arrow crashed into one of the columns behind me with loud clang.


    Now I remember, he was one of the blade masters that took part in the purge in Qing, the talkative one with blue mask.

 Chapter 17

    In the total silence, that ruled the room, you could hear if a pin would fall on floor.


    The blue masked blade master always talked too much, but it is better if he just talks, his other favorite activity results too much blood and gore.


    Absence of his mask, or his presence here without his ''colleagues'' is not important, the only thing I need to focus is getting out of here.


    I always hated ''that'' title.


    "Sensei, you must joking. He can''t be the Inquisitor. He doesn''t look anything like-" voiced the youth in hakama with short spiky hair and pair of short swords.


    "That right, there is no way he can be the Inquisitor." interjects another youth with staff and bald head.


    I return to review status of my body. It is not the worst my body has experienced, but that does not change the fact that I am in critical condition, ''disabled'' and surrounded my enemies.


    The most pressing concern is the still lunged sword in me. I am not sure when or from whom around the next attack will come, and I shouldn''t stop being vigilant just because everything is quite right now.


    I have lost trust in everyone and everything a long time ago.


    With quick motion I grab the pommel of huge slab of metal, that should not be called a sword, and rip it out of me. As the sword falls and clangs against the marble floor all eyes return to me.


    My left lung is not is state where I can heal it, so there is no need to waste mana trying to repair it, later I will have to rebuild the lung from zero. But if I don''t get rid of lung''s remains they will stay and rot in me, causing inflammation in best case and death in worst. I could spend huge amount of energy to recycle lung''s remains like last time, but that is not an option right now.


    Plunging my hand into still open huge crack, which starts from my shoulder and ends in my stomach, I rip out as much of the lung''s remains as I can. The grotesque pieces fall from my hand on the ground with a wet slapping sound.


    An overwhelming desire to break the arrow that is stuck in my neck finally wins, but as always, I am really ''lucky''. The fired arrows are not just enchanted, but are also made out of thick steel.


    I rip out the arrow, which is stuck in my neck, in the direction it was traveling before it got stuck in me. As I plug out the arrow, it''s rear part is scraping the pass-through wound and making it larger, but with a bit of mana I stop the bleeding, and with a deep cough I finally clean my air pipe, which should increase the amount and speed of oxygen I can take in.


    I return to breathing and circulating mana, which should help a bit with reconnecting the open arteries, that have been closed this whole time using mana alone. I feel as the wounds slowly close, but it is still too damn slow for the situation I am in currently.


    "Calm down friend. No one will attack you anymore." says my old acquaintance.


    He may say that, but it is not his decision.


    Eyes of many guards jump between me and pieces of my lung lying next to the dead body of their colleague.


    "This is not your decision blade master. He killed the personal attendant of her highness in the throne room, there will be consequences." says an old man in grey robe from the right side of the throne.


    "If he really is the ''Inquisitor'', then we have an international issue here. As the representative of Empire, is there anything you would like to say Councilor?"


    Looking at the person on the left side of the throne, the horrendous situation finally sinks in.


    Red clothes, that should have been obvious.


    Empire always sends their representative to other kingdoms, but for one to be a councilor to king.


    FUCK.


    He can''t say that there is an open hunt on me publicly, it will raise many question, which they can''t answer, like why am I hunted, what did I do, or who made the official request, but he will try his best to get me killed, and send my head to Protus.


    "Well, ''Councilor''?" says the amused voice coming from the throne.


    With a smile he could barely hold back, he faced the throne and begun.


    "As you know your highness, we had a small problem with the Zeron fanatics for the past decade, we tried our best to help them and ''clean'' their ranks, but to our greatest regret, few perpetrators were able to slip, and run away."


    Bowling slightly he continues.


    "We humbly ask for apology for the damage our shortcomings have caused. The Sun Empire would be eternally grateful if you would take capital punishment against this fanatic for his crimes against the Empire and your great kingdom."


    God FUCKING damn it. He actually did it.


    Someone could say that I am the one who was attacked, and that it is fucked up that I somehow end up as the bad guy, but as soon as you understand how those in power think, and how they work, things start to make sense.


    Laws, fairness, justice, right and wrong never existed.


    That, what will benefit those in power will become the law and ''culture''.


    You need self sacrificing soldiers? Make the people genuinely believe that it is the greatest honor to die for your country.


    Need to weaken the nation? Destroy that what holds it together, education, customs, traditions, and especially children, the future of nation. Corrupt them, make them weak and gullible and the nation will crumble by itself within a generation.


    If I die here-


    [Don''t you fucking dare! We are not dead! Not dead! NOT FUCKING YET! ]


    It would be great if I got some help from the person that brought me here, but she is petrified while looking at me, from behind the shields of several guards.


    She has seen me in similar physical state, so my appearance shouldn''t be the reason. It may be because we are in throne room, and her shyness overwhelmed her, but by her previous eccentric behavior it could be ruled out.


    It is hard to predict what happens next. So I should prepare for the worst.


    People always needed scary stories, and because of that they created monsters. They morph simple wild animals into grotesque demons with huge claws and fangs, with hundred lives and size vastly disproportionate to reality.


    I did a lot of stuff, I won''t deny that. I deserve the title, I deserve the scorn and hate. But at some point the ''Inquisitor'' somehow became something much more sinister and evil than Lucifer himself.


    People started piling crimes that I did not commit, morphing me into creature of their nightmares. And all those images blended together, contradicting one another, but still somehow maintaining its shape.


    Maybe it was just easy to find one ''object'', a scapegoat of sort, to blame all the problems in the world for.


    Blood brotherhood and blood legion did just that. They publicly blamed all their mistakes, errors and fails on that image, so they could clean the whole organization of the dark and evil past.


    It doesn''t matter if it is a lie.


    If you repeat it enough, it will become reality.


    My opinion did not matter then, it does not matter now.


    I did not heal my body, just made sure that I could move. But now that the body more or less is ready for action I can start healing. But if I start ripping the arrows out of me, people around will instantly react, so for now it is better to keep them there while healing all the internals wounds and preparing for the moment they act.


    The past several dozen of seconds of silence was taken by people to digest the fact that the Inquisitor is not just ''publicly'' in the list of ''dangerous'' fanatics, but Sun Empire would be grateful for his death.


    Everyone visibly tensed, and even my old acquaintance became silent.


    The atmosphere that was quickly tensing up more was cut short by the voice of the old man in grey clothes on the right side of throne.


    "Princess, did you bring this person here for a reason?"


    All eyes turned to Olana. She visibly paled and started breathing much heavier.


    Another few seconds of silence were broken by the voice from the throne.


    "Olana."


    She visibly shuddered. While slowly turning in the direction of throne.


    This slow movement of events is good for me, more time to heal, but I am not sure how can I slow it down even more.


    "Y-Yes father." she squeezed


    "Where are your personal guards?"


    She visibly swallowed.


    "T-They.. they.. died." she responds while looking down.


    "Why did you bring the ''Inquisitor''?"


    "I-I didn''t know! I thought that he is just blood brother, I thought that he can help finding Melania! Using him we can finally reach uncle Jorgan. With him we can find Melania, she could still be alive. We still can, if we-"


    "Enough."


    Dozen seconds of silence followed.


    "Olana." whispers the queen near her. Taking her hands in her own she looks at Olana while she quivers a bit. She open her mouth to say something, but closes it slowly. Queen tries again several times but fails.


    "Yorgan died." says the King.


    "What?"


    "How?" squeezes Olana


    "Quite some time ago. He died nobly in battle against Pkar shamans from Lort-thol continent." says the king


    "We couldn''t tell you." says queen.


    "I traveled to Empire and Qing for nothing. They died for nothing." whispers Olana in half daze as she falls on her knees repeating ''sorry'' again and again.


    The room attention is taken by sound of laughter, deep, sinister, unhinged. I couldn''t understand where it was coming, until I noticed that my chest was rising and falling.


    Oh. I am the one who is laughing.


    All the attention returned to me.


    "Is this what they told you?" I say with barely recognizable voice.


    "Noble battle? Against who? Pkar Shamans? Those overgrown magic orcs?"


    The room continued to fill with my laughter which I can''t stop.


    "Pkar killed Jorgan? Ha! Fucking Pkar! They couldn''t even leave a scratch on him."


    It doesn''t look like they will let me walk away. If this world wants to burn so much, then I will make sure that they have the biggest pyre.


    "Did Empire emissary tell you that?" I said looking directly at the Councilor on the left side of the throne.


    "If Jorgan really died in Noble ''battle'' as Empire says, then they wouldn''t mind telling where his body is buried."


    In confusion and silence everyones eyes turn to the councilor.


    He doesn''t know.


    He can''t know.


    He is just a small chess piece, nothing more. He may even have genuinely believed that information too. But you barked on the wrong tree, and because of your greed and desire for recognition from the next Legat, I will take you down with myself.


    "Stop it friend." said the blade master. "I know you guys were close, but don''t" he finished while looking at me with pleading eyes.


    [If Jorgan really had noble or even royal blood in him, just few words from us can start a war. But who cares? The continent will be in flames one way or another.]


    My attention is taken by sudden movement in my vision. Queen slowly walks to me and stop few meters from the place that I am pinned.


    "My brother... Jorgan... please" She says pleadingly. "...tell me... please"


    Looking closer, I find too many features resembling Jorgan. From many stories Jorgan told me about himself a name, I thought long forgotten, leaves my mouth.


    "Twinkle"


    Her eyes open wide, after which a smile breaks on her face, while tears start streaming down her face. "Yes" she squeezes through the wide smile and tears.


    You know what, FUCK IT.


    "We knew too much. He, even more so."


    As I think of what I can say, words stop in my throat. I realize that no one can, not just believe, but understand the whole truth.


    "We were sent on suicide mission, few survived." after few seconds of silence I continue "There were meant to be no survivors. During an official meeting we were back-stabbed."


    Her face slowly morphs from confusion to disbelieve.


    "Tvaar poison." I state shortly.


    The previous emotions quickly change from disbelief to horror. From horror to realization, and finally from realization to anger and hate.


    "Your Majesty, this is farce. This person is spewing ridiculous lies to save his life. We are not even sure if he is the real one."


    This idiot. This could have worked if at the start you didn''t confirm that it is me and you want me dead.


    Tvaar is an anti-magic poison, made more likely of the same ingredient as were my anti-magic bombs, mana devourers from dead continent. Only the few have enough information to even theorize it.


    But people know of only one place where tvaar comes from, the same location as anti-magical bombs, the empire.


    Turning back to the queen, I finish what I wanted to say.


    "I burried him in Andaral. At the place where you got your name."


    Her mask of rage falls apart as her knees hit the floor and she starts sobbing. As her sobs fill the room, with my eyes I take a quick look around, to once more calculate the situation.


    As if cold water was poured over me, I think over what I have said.


    I can not see the kings face from here, but I don''t think that even if he believed me he would tarnish his relationship with empire, even more, he would use it as a good exchange piece to get a better deal.


    What happened doesn''t matter, what will happen does.


    Who the fuck cares about past.


    [Just you.]


    Not good. I think I stalled the events as much as I can. But as the attention is back at me, they can react or take action any second.


    [Oh? But didn''t someone want to die here and leave this shell for HIM? Whats with the mood swings? Decide on something and fucking stick to it!]


    Taking a deepest and quietest breath I can, with a quick motion of my both hands, I plug the arrows sticking out of my legs and make the fastest leap I can behind one of the columns on the left side of the hall. The moment I reach the column sound of arrows crashing sweeps through the hall. A stinging sensation returns to the position where my left lung should be and looking down I find a new arrow head sticking out of left side of my chest.


    Maybe one of those curses really got stuck on me. Somehow too much bad ''stuff'' happens to my left lung and area around it.


    I plug out the meter long steel arrow out of my chest and continue with the other arrows sticking through my body. As I have prepared mana beforehand there is not much blood seeping and the wounds start closing.


    Shouts to regroup and take action sound from loud commanding leaders.


    But I need to move as they will circle me in few moments. I no longer have protection from spells on the anti-magic path. Spells may take some time to cast but I have even less left, they will reach me before that.


    I will live. Even if it is for one more day.


    Not yet. NOT FUCKING YET.


    Gathering mana in my legs i make a leap to the next column, which is closer to the entrance from which I came.


    As I land behind another column another hail of arrows shreds the column and pieces of it fall off and with crashing sound impact the marble floor.


    A new sound of something crashing brings much more horror to me. Peeking with one eye from behind the column I see the entrance closed.


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    GOD FUCKING DAMN IT.


    Sound of metal boots clanging against marble floor come closer.


    SHIT.


    Enforcers, Mages and Skilled archers working together in combination with bad terrain is usually a sure path to doom and quick death.


    Looking around for other exit is not possible right now.


    Wait.


    Where does the light come from into this hall?


    I find huge colorful windows starting from about 15 meters high and reaching the ceiling.


    ''If you can''t move horizontally, move vertically.''


    I quickly climb the column using my open palms, thankfully strength returned to my hands.


    With rapid movement I quickly reach a quite high point, but a sudden chill on my back makes me turn and look left and find archers in position and looking at me with their crossbow already pointing in my direction.


    FUCK.


    Sending all the energy I can, I leap in the direction of the glass windows which is filled with many colorful picture.


    Halfway through, two burning sensations on my stomach and leg tells me that something hit me. But it doesn''t matter, I will be much safer as soon as I reach the other side.


    The windows was much thicker than I thought, at least 5 centimeters in thickness.


    As soon windows glass breaks under the velocity and momentum of my body explosion of heat hits my back and sends me even furtherer, as I catch a glimpse of yellow fire spell exploding at the location where I was a fraction of a second before.


    But that is not the problem.


    Looking down I find that there is at least 250 meters distance to the ground.


    The fucking hall was on the top of tower!


    HOW THE FUCK DID I GET SO HIGH!?


    Maybe some kind of illusion?


    [FOCUS!]


    Fuck. I will splat against the floor if I don''t decrease the speed of falling. I rip the two new arrows out of me.


    Reorienting myself I try to get closer to the tower wall. But I miscalculated and got closer to it too fast and just bounced back from it after the impact.


    I try to repeat the action again, but this time much slower. Regretfully the ground which is quickly coming closer makes it much harder to stay calm.


    As soon as I get closer I try to brush against the wall rather than hit it, and succeed in slowing down a bit, but quickly change the decision as some kind of balcony appears on the trajectory where I am traveling, which is somewhere in the middle of the tower wall.


    Gathering mana in my legs I jump away from the wall and evade the balcony, after which I repeat the previous action and start sliding on the tower wall again.


    Thankfully, I finally feel as I really slow down.


    But another pressing issues appears. The location, where I will more likely land, is filled with guards.


    Searching around for a bit ''better'' location, I find an area which looks like a moat around the castle.


    Landing in the water should be better than landing on earth.


    Should be...


    I try to calculate and at a specific point send mana into my legs and jump as far away from the tower wall as I can.


    But I made another error.


    I am on the right trajectory, but I am again gathering speed and I am already falling too fast.


    SHIT. SHIT. SHIT. SHIT. SHIT. SHIT.


    Bracing for the impact I bundle together.


    My vision fills with explosion of yellow, red and white fireworks.


    Groaning I find myself on my back in the middle of moat.


    I feel nothing, as if my body is paralyzed. But I don''t have time. I command my limbs to start moving, to float closer to the shore.


    Who the FUCK said that water is better than ground. I feel as if someone tried to rip me apart, and used just enough strength not to succeed, but at the same time to make it as painful as he possible can.


    As soon as I reach the shore I slowly climb out of water and collapse on my back.


    I take several deep breaths.


    I will not repeat that again.


    I jerk up remembering that there are still people pursuing me. Sitting up I look around and find the shore empty. Am I really that lucky?


    Or not. The adrenaline finally wears off and I feel as if I weight thousand ton. The wounds start bleeding and world starts spinning.


    Not yet.


    They can''t track me my mana, so I may be safe. Wait... My lung should be still lying there in the hall room...


    But do they have anyone who could track me by blood?


    Do they even know that it is possible? It was quite commonly used during the operations of blood brotherhood.


    There shouldn''t be any blood brother in the city, but still.....


    Fuck it. I stand up and start walking in south direction, trying to evade the main roads as much as I can.


    With my appearance I may attract too much attention in this quarter.


    I need to rest first, everything else can wait.


    ...


    I sit at one of the back alleys of the city. The main roads tell totally different story in comparison to what I see around.


    The main road is buzzing with activity, a lot of merchants, carriages and people.


    Everyone is moving. Everyone has a different face. But one word can describe them all.


    Alive.


    Happy and sad, serious and carefree.


    In contrast to it the back alleys look like a totally different world.


    Dead eyes.


    And most of the people are just the lying around, doing nothing.


    They are more bones than human.


    Luckily, I still have gold from the wyvern. They took all the equipment, but didn''t search me. Who would believe that hobo looking man has a fortune in each boot.


    I can change the fate of people of this alley if I want, I don''t need that much gold anymore.


    [Really? Do you really believe something will change? Money doesn''t matter. Even if you give them all the gold you have they will either drink through it, spend it on bullshit or get killed by someone because of it. Resources are worth nothing if you don''t know what to do with them.]


    [So lie along these lazy bums and rest. We can think about escaping the city after that.]


    ....


    Just because I was resting didn''t mean I left my guard down. Sending mana into my ears I was able to listen to what people on the main road are saying.


    Most of it as usually is bullshit and bragging, but few things I learned were worth the 3 hours I was resting.


    First of all. King has nineteen wives.


    19.


    Who the fuck needs 19 wives? If you have 2 or 3 children with each you will get at least half a hundred offsprings.


    How do you even please 19 wives?


    Anyway. It doesn''t matter. I made the right decision to run away. I don''t think the King would care about the opinion of one of his many wives, even less about one of his too many children.


    Second. Rumor that northern kingdom citizen were ''liberated'' from their tyrants by Qing and Empire.


    This makes no sense. Northern kingdom has too many ties to empire. It was more of a province than a separate kingdom. Why would Empire even give part of ''their'' land to Qing.


    But there is one point that strengthens that rumor.


    The two wizards that destroyed Samolesh. One of them should have been from Qing. That fast beam magic was really strange, but it strongly reminded me of that fast and powerful ritualistic light magic from Qing.


    Qing started.


    And the third part, closely connected to second.


    Desert Alliance is no more.


    All the cities just fell apart. And the western cities were absorbed by Caliphate.


    The Desert Alliance was always sketchy, but because their leadership was so well hidden, that I believed them to be nearly undestroyable. Like Hidra. Doesn''t matter how many cities you destroy, new ones would always grow again.


    Things became too chaotic.


    I was in those cities weeks ago...


    I can''t be sure in anything anymore.


    I need to move.


    Standing up I continue walking, I need to get some equipment, food and water. And who knows if the king already has closed all the gates.


    As I walk by an old man, who is barely more than bones, in filthy brown rag, he stands up and turns to looks at me with closed eyes.


    Before I can do anything he appears before me and his hand squeezes around my neck with titanically strength. Before I can react I am slammed against the building wall.


    Eyes of old man open as bright white light shines out of them.


    He opens his mouth, out of which a bright white light is coming too, and an ethereal voice comes out of his unmoving mouth.


    "THE WAR SHALL COME MORTAL. THE FALLEN ONE WILL BE REBORN, AND WITH THAT, WE, HEAVENS SHALL COME DOWN AND CLEANS THE EARTH."


    Using both hands I try to unclench his hand but fail, as the already limited oxygen decreases with each second.


    A bright white ring starts to shine on top of his head, while wings of pure white grow out of his back.


    "THE FALLEN ONE SHALL BE REBORN MORTAL, AND YOU SHALL NOT STOP THAT. WE HAVE WAITED FOR TOO LONG."


    As I gather more mana to try again to unclench the hand squeezing my neck, light disappears and the old man falls apart in ashes.


    I fall down and after several coughs look at the location where the old man was.


    Right now there is a small heap of black ashes and the same filthy brown rag on top of it.


    Looking around for any other enemies I start breathing again.


    After half a minute of breathing I start laughing.


    Fucking light spirits. Now even they hunt me. Angeles my ass, nothing more than an over-glorified hungry spirits.


    The thing is when a person has an affinity, it means much, much more. No one will give you mana just because you gave some of your own to them.


    That gate is open in two direction. And when the other side wants, it can send mana and posses the vessel.


    What?


    Did you think someone is sending their to you mana just because you kindly asked?


    People call it many fancy names. Avatar, Titan of Element, Chosen of Spirits.


    I call it slave, vessel, invading module.


    And as everyone has several affinities, there are none who can be fully possessed, as other spirits will interfere.


    The bodies just fall apart.


    But what if there exist a someone who is has one single affinity?


    A perfect vessel just for you.


    There of course exists is no such thing.


    But there exists one which has absolutely no affinity.


    A perfect vessel for anyone, who will be able to bind it.


    But you can''t find it, can''t track it, can''t possess it, as there are simply no connections to that vessel.


    Usual methods don''t work, and some, went as far as to do something that is against the world itself.


    With my hand I trace down the red-black scar on right side of my face.


    Everyone wants war, with its start everyone can enter the game.


    Everyone wants something, and this is the greatest opportunity they will ever have.


    And my death is start signal for this theater play.


    Sound of door opening and sound of shouts fill the empty alley, which returns me back to reality.


    "I work day and night, try to put bread on our table and what do you do? You drink to half-death and leave Clara alone!"


    I turn my head right and see as woman slaps man across his face.


    "Trash"


    "Are you satisfied? Are you happy? Now give me money on booze." says the man in his late thirties and extends his swaying hand.


    "You don''t care. As long as you are drunk you are okay with everything?"


    "Yes, I am okay."


    "Why did I even marry you?"


    "Because no one else would."


    "What? I had dozens of suitors! But I choose you because I was young and stupid!"


    "Suitors or clients?"


    "Don''t you are! You think I like this job? You think I like selling my body? I have to work like this to feed you and Clara!" woman growled


    "Ahahahah. Me and Clara? Really? You are doing it for us? If so, tell me when is her birthday? Tell me?"


    "Clara huh. When is the last time you spoke with Clara? When is the last time you read her a story?"


    "I am a good mother, I love her and I will do anything for her."


    "Enough lying. You love no one. You make it look like I am the bad guy here, but deep down you know the truth. You like this life. You like whoring. You love it. The attention, the things they do to you. You like as they violently rape you. You even search for men like that. That, is the only thing that makes you happy. Don''t lie to yourself. Did you really think that I don''t know? Did you really think that I don''t know that Clara isn''t mine?"


    "Yo-"


    "Shut up! Just give me the fucking money, I want to forget everything, maybe I will be lucky enough to die today and leave you to your happy life."


    I don''t even know what to say.


    Everyone and everything is rotten.


    Maybe a total cleansing is really needed.


    Maybe.


    ...


    After buying everything I need and a new horse I left the city that night.


    Somehow, after the events on the day, I expected a hell lot of problems, but nothing happened. The city didn''t change at all. I still believed that some kind of trap would be waiting for me at gates.


    But still, nothing.


    I don''t even know what to say.


    Well it doesn''t matter.


    The travel ends in the next city.


    South Dungeon.


    This is a story I heard from one of the summoned.


    He told me about an evil ring that could not be destroyed. A ring that held great power. He told me that it was hunted after by everyone, and the only way to destroy it was to throw it into the volcano.


    It sounded ridiculous back then. But right now, it doesn''t.


    South dungeon is actually active volcano.


    And maybe as in that story, if I cast the evil into the blazing inferno, the world will become a better place.


    I don''t know if it will. No one can know that.


    Will I even care? I would be dead by that time.


    I always thought that there would be another day, a better day, a brighter day.


    But now, that I can approximately count the time I have left, it doesn''t look like it will be better for anyone.


    Continental war, degradation of values, economical and social hell, and it looks like no one cares.


    Or maybe I just care too much.

 Chapter 18

    It is strange.


    For quite some time I have been traveling in a group, not by my choice, but by situation. But now. Now that I am alone again, thoughts and doubts return.


    Why am I doing it? Is there a point to it?


    But I continue walking. Well, not me specifically, but if the horse under me dies there are always my legs attached to me.


    I started healing the lung. It is much faster than last time I had to heal it, but still, it will take a while.


    At some point terrain changed from rare trees to overgrown forest. I know that this region has these strange weather swings, but you just can''t get used to it.


    Desert, mountain and this forest are too close.


    The ''Frozen Titans'' is not just a ''monument'' who took part is the war, but also how deep they were able to travel. From that point to the south most shore of continent is the area were the most active battles took place.


    Divine war battlefield


    And that whole terrain is littered with ancient artifacts and ''legacies'' of the war itself, traps, mines, damaged environment and much much more.


    Who would have though that a inter-continental war would have direct consequences that would span for millenniums.


    ...


    The path from Mozzarel to South Dungeon is a straight road which was for centuries one of safest there is, and everyone knows that.


    Because South dungeon is also a huge port, with tons of goods being exchanged daily, and the fact that Mozzarel is heavily dependent on those good, made this path overused by traders. Both sides are too dependent on this trade and road to allow it to be unsafe.


    But what the actual fuck.


    The souther I go the more bandits I meet, and the groups increase in size. And most of them are demi-humans.


    Actually I should not be surprised, the whole continent is crumbling apart, what does it matter if a single road is filled with bandits.


    Right?


    There are many tales about battles that lasted for hours or days, opponents dancing around each other in flashes of spells and sword collision.


    But tales are just tales.


    Real battles end within a minutes, if not a seconds. People never have equal strength or experience. There is always the stronger side. And even a tiny error can change the outcome of battle.


    One missing leg and mobility drops nearly to zero, one missing arm and the same happens to attack and defense capabilities.


    But even less. Damaged foot or palm, and person can''t run or hold a weapon.


    Even less. A single tendon or muscle of foot or the big finger on the main hand of Enforcer, and steps become unsteady, grip on sword handle becomes weak.


    It takes even less for an unexperienced mage to lose concentration and have his spell backfire on him.


    A tiny thing in the global scope of the body, but this is enough to tip the scale of fight outcome into critical position.


    And none of real battles have the ''we will fight equally'' law.


    There are no rules in a fight. The winner says what is right.


    ...


    Two girl in torn clothes, revealing their chest and legs, are running in my direction and screaming for help as a group of people are running after them while laughing.


    "Help us!" they scream desperately.


    As they get within few meters from me I take action.


    Their bodies split in half by single strike. The pursuers halt in total confusion, but I don''t stop, within seconds I am near them, my sword sends them to the same fate as the girls.


    I stand in silence as I clean the bloody sword against their bodies.


    Some would have believed that those girls were in trouble. But stop and think for a second, two girls were pursued by a ''dangerous'' group, and it just happens that they didn''t catch them, it just happens that you were in the right place at the right time, and it just happens that you can help.


    I go to the dead girls and flip their bodies over, which reveals daggers with greenish tint under their bodies.


    Poison, how unoriginal.


    A trick by bandits that I have seen too many times. There were groups whose specialty was hunting down ''noble'' knight, and they had number of dead counting over hundred.


    Yes knights, not villagers. Even full plate armor has few gaps, usually at the rear side of armor, to decrease the weight. When you fight, you usually need thicker armor at the front.


    Think for a second what would you do. Stand between the ''victims'' and ''pursuers''. You won''t see what they are doing behind you. A hit by poisoned dagger into the neck, armpit or lower butt area.


    Scary isn''t it.


    Looking down on the failed schemers, I remember how many young brothers I lost to these tricks. Can you blame them? They reenacted the heroes they read about. Trying to be as great and noble as those nights in the fairy tales.


    I may have been one of them, if not that girl.


    I don''t even remember her name. I am not sure if I can call it betrayal. She never promised anything.


    I just believed that we were meant for one another. I was young and stupid. As many others I fell in love not with her, but rather the feeling. It happens when there is first person that shows you warmth, you believe them to be special. You believe that to be ''it''.


    Back then, I was just another nameless meat shield, not even a full fledged brother. She was a mage, and I saved her life few times, putting my life on the line. Meat shield. Wounds on me healed quite quickly comparably. So in a form I was useful to her. You don''t throw away things that are useful to you. And that continued for some time.


    One random night I saw her with my superior, going out of an inn, together, hugging each other, kissing and laughing.


    I should be thankful to her. Her action changed me. Made me stronger. Someone, or something, that would survive.


    And I survived.


    I outlived them all.


    I am the best.


    Right?


    I must continue walking.


    ...


    Few dozen bodies lying around and bleeding tell me that I am really close to main camp of local bandits.


    No, I didn''t hunt them because I just wanted to, but rather they found me.


    An arrow came from behind, but I already expected that and moved out of its trajectory the moment it was fired.


    You can''t hide your presence fully. And the one who will tell you about that is usually the nature itself. If some sounds just randomly stop, you know that something is wrong. Sound of birds or insects, sound of leaves rustling against each other, even the most minor thing.


    It was just a single archer at the start, which died quite quickly. But few minutes later it was a new group of four, than another of more than dozen.


    But last ones were prepared. Too many arrows and traps for simple bandits.


    Even worse, there was a fire mage, and he decided that it would be wise to cast a powerful wide-range fire spell.


    As you have guessed correctly, the forest is on fire.


    It is not full blown inferno yet, but still. And have neither time nor method to put it down.


    Great.


    Fire and smoke became the signal for everyone for the exact location where I am.


    Anyway, I need to finish this.


    I walk in the direction where last group came. My horse was killed by stray arrow from the first group. Their base should have a spare one, I am sure they won''t mind, dead men need no horse.


    Looking up I see dark rain clouds gathering.


    Oh. At least one problem solved.


    ...


    I highly underestimated the possible size of group, there were at least two hundred, all demi-human of different subspecies.


    Were.


    At the start everyone was brave and cocky, casting spell, laughing while taunting me with the limited vocabulary they had. Two hundred against one, the result should be obvious.


    But there is one problem, I have just too much experience fighting in forests.


    Dark Churches like to hide in forests near big cities.


    After I killed few dozen, they became more careful and organized. But when there was less than half left, and my sword broke, again, I had to start using my hands.


    After I ripped apart few of their mages right in front of them, they decided that retreat was a much better decision.


    They are like that, as long as they are in group they are one the bravest creatures in existence, but when you separate they, show them the reality, they change to quite and frightened rabbits.


    Anyway, most run away in whatever direction they could, only few ''bravest'' remaining. They circle around and try to box me.


    And the way out of a box is obvious, break through weakest point.


    The person in leather armor didn''t get a chance to use his daggers as a small pebble I quickly picked up and threw collided with his ankle with audible crack.


    No footing, no way to gather inertia force. Easy kill.


    But before I am able to do that I catch a glimpse of strange round object flying in my direction.


    Hair on my back stood on their end.


    Forgetting everything, I leap behind the closest tree. But I don''t make it in time.


    The object bounced against the ground to about meter height and explodes with sound closer to several thunder strike.


    I felt as my left leg went numb, but decided to ignore it. As soon as I land, I don''t wait for anything and try to stand up but fail and fall down.


    Looking at my left foot I find it filled with needles.


    FUCK.


    Where the fuck did they get a needle grenade?! Even more if my foot got numb, this means that the needles should have been coated by extremely powerful paralytic.


    I rip them out and while leaning on the tree stand up. Peeking from behind I find the other side of tree scorched black and littered with the same sharp, black needles, everything around meeting the same fate.


    No one making a sound.


    Looking around a bit more I find many lying on ground, unmoving, paralyzed more likely.


    I should be happy that everyone is immobilized, but whoever threw the grenade may have more.


    Sending mana to my left foot I try to purge the paralytic, but it may take time, as anything is this world. My foot starts to move, I still can''t feel it, but at least for now this will suffice.


    Picking up the a new sword lying near a dead body, I start slowly limp in the direction where the grenade came from, while ending the life of everyone who may still be alive.


    If the positions were reversed, I would not have gotten a fate so easy.


    About 30 meters from the place where grenade exploded I find who threw the grenade.


    Or should I say grenades. This explains why I heard several thunder strikes.


    A strange, scorched metal chest is open with placeholder for three spheres. And several even more scorched bodies lying on still burning ground near it.


    Looks like someone didn''t know how to use these dangerous toys. Judging by the chest these ''things'' were being transported somewhere, but didn''t reach their destination.


    Bandits take what they can.


    Another sound of thunder startles me, which I believed to be another grenade. Looking up I see another thunder strike.


    Rain will start soon.


    The sound of footsteps return me to my current problem, several of them actually. I quickly hide behind the closest tree.


    These one''s are a bit different, much better equipped. They stare at the destruction around in horror with their long swords unsheathed.


    "Ancestors save us. You said he is alone!" said the tallest one with cat ears, which looked like the leader of the group, turning to the smallest one.


    "I swear! He was alone! Only him!" the smaller one replied fearfully.


    "Liar. A single human can''t do this. There must be a-"


    Before he could finish my new sword already cleaved half of the group apart. The rest tried to run and retaliate, but I was to close, and my weapon was already on the trajectory when they realized what happened.


    One of them had a bit better sword, with fortification enchantment, so I decided to free him of his heavy burden.


    Dead men need no burdens.


    I turned in the direction the newest group came and continued walking.


    ...


    I like the new sword. It doesn''t break as easily as the other ones. It not sharp at all, but with my way of fighting I don''t need it to be sharp. Any weapon in my hand just becomes a club.


    I already cleaved apart several dozens of enforcers in plate-mail, but they still don''t end. And each new group is constantly accompanied by a mage with the meat shields standing close.


    But thankfully, I finally arrived at their base.


    Peaking from behind the trees I see a totally desolated camp.


    Not good.


    Instincts scream and I follow their direction leaping to right as the tree explodes into cloud of splinters. Without missing a second I jump behind another tree and then another, but I can''t wait their next attack, I need to act.


    Another explosion sends splinters of several trees around few seconds later, really close to the place of the first explosion.


    Moving quickly and silently I circle around a bit and end up behind a group of two mages and several enforcers with big shields standing around them. They don''t see me yet, but this is a question of time.


    If I jump in they will attack instantly. The way the spell was cast, looks like it was already charged, and they are just releasing it.


    I need to kill mages first, but enforcers will hold me just enough for the mages to release the spells.


    Making the decision I pickup two pebbles I stand out and make the first throw after which the head of mage standing further burst open in explosion of gore. Without waiting a single breath I launch next which connects with the face of second mage which just turned in my direction to release the spell but was too late.


    Enforcers stand stunned as both their mages died and they weren''t able to protect them.


    As their formation is broken, now I can dictate the way fight goes.


    Even a spoon is a weapon if you know how to use it.


    One of them throws away his sword and shield and leaps at me one all four, with his jaws wide open.


    Preparing my metal ''club'', I swing the moment he comes close enough. With a yelp he slams against the tree, but I don''t give a moment to realize what happened and crush his skull with my left foot. His body goes limp and stops moving with rare twitches.


    Looking back at the group, I find them already running away.


    Mighty warriors...


    They are not a bandit group, that is for sure.


    Too many for that.


    Too equipped for that.


    There must be something at their base to explain this.


    Why am I doing it? That is not my problem. I no longer need to to do anything.


    [Finish what we started. That is what we have always done.]


    Turning in the direction of camp I start walking, thankfully I start feeling my foot again.


    Peeking into the camp again I find something different, something what I did not expected.


    A lot of children and women are going out of tents and gathering something.


    I find the biggest tent and start circling the camp to ''enter'' from the rear side.


    I jump over the wooden fence and softly walk to the tent to cut it.


    Crouching is another bullshit that is told and doesn''t represent truth.


    To be as quite as possible you need minimal amount limb movements and a smooth transition of center of mass.


    Lifting the flap of the tent I crouch under it and enter inside.


    [Someone said something about crouching?]


    The huge tent is slightly illuminated by the open cut on top of the tent.


    Sound of slap is followed by a deep voice.


    "Suck better! Or I will break the remaining teeth you have."


    Walking to something that looks like a throne I see what I have seen countless times.


    A demi-human with bear ears is sitting on the throne with a big glass bottle and child barely in her teens with dirty blond hair on her knees with her head on his lap.


    As if finally noticing me he turns to me.


    "Who the fu-"


    He doesn''t get to finish as his head explodes and pieces of gore and brain matter fly in the direction I swung my sword.


    Filth.


    The child continues to pleasure the dead body as if nothing happened.


    Enough.


    With my leg I shove the girl away. After which she starts to randomly crawl around and groaning with hoarse voice until she finds the torso and resumes her previous actions.


    Some of the demi-humans make human kids into toys. They plug out their eyes and tongue and through pain and torture change them into something less than animals.


    My thoughts of releasing her from her fate are stopped short by the appearance of a new group from the main entrance of tent.


    "My Lord!"


    "What have you done savage!? We-"


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    I don''t let them finish as I rip them apart.


    Looking back at the throne I regret my action. I shouldn''t have killed him so fast.


    Walking away from the bleeding body parts lying around, I return to the girl.


    Taking a small dagger lying on ground I hug the girl from behind and lift her from the dead body as she starts to groan and stir again. Sliding the dagger into her chest, her body stops breathing and limbs slowly fall down.


    Why?


    I place the body softly on the ground as tears start streaming down my face.


    Walking outside I end the lives of anyone who attacks, some half-way through fall on their knees and beg for mercy.


    Mercy? So you deserve mercy?


    Walking around I find many cages filled with ''broken'' women and children, abused and malnutritioned, but alive. I don''t know where the keys are so I just break the locks and rip out the metal doors of the cages.


    As people pour and fill the camp, and because of sheer amount of children and women, and by the fact that nearly everyone who wasn''t in cages was a demi-human, I finally realize.


    This is a ''rebel'' town, or as some would call it, city of invaders.


    Paletia clans always wanted to take a foothold on Salazar continent. And what better time, than when war starts.


    I am returned by whispers around. And a single word being exchanged.


    "Te-Zeron"


    Some fall on their knees and start to pray.


    A group of women comes from behind rattling something. Most of them with chocolate colored skin, with deep green eyes.


    "Do you have any idea how long have we waited? I will tell my uncle to hang you all for-" she stops as if petrified and starts trembling.


    After which she makes few steps back and falls on her butt. Still looking at me she starts whimpering and slowly crawling away in horror.


    I look down and curse. At some point the rags fell and I stand with bare chest. The symbol on the chest is an issue. A circle and triangle, inside each other and intersecting, is a symbol of blood brotherhood.


    Te-Zeron can be translated from Patu as ''Zeron Demon''. Another name we earned in the Paletia continent, when we were ''cleaning'' there.


    [What did you expect?]


    [Nothing ever will change.]


    It is time to move.


    As I start searching for a horse, I find a small cage covered by a big, dirty cloth.


    Did I miss a cage?


    I break open the door and continue walking until I find the stables.


    Preparing the horse I hear the sound of river. I am covered in caked blood and other internal organ parts of those who died today.


    A bath won''t be bad. I take a shirt hanging near the horse. I walk towards the streaming river and enter the freezing cold water. As I submerge into water images of todays events flash across my vision overlapping with similar events that happened in the past.


    Life repeats itself. As a spiral, it makes a full circle and returns into the same position, slightly different, but essentially the same.


    And it looks like this endless cycle won''t stop.


    I am not sure how long I am under water, it feels as if hours passed.


    Enough. I must end it.


    Walking out I start walking back to stables.


    But the stables are empty. There were at least a dozen horses, but there are none left.


    I should have taken the horse with me.


    I need one. Someone must have taken them. They must be still here. Going back to the center of the camp I find it totally desolated again.


    No one at all.


    I have been away no more than 5 minutes. How could they all disappear?


    A strange shuffling coming from the cage with cloth on it, and notifies met that there may be still someone left.


    Coming closer I notice that it is the cage I opened last, in exactly the same state I left it. Both the cage door and cloth had not been moved. Throwing off the cloth I find a single child inside, which much malnutritioned than any other I have seen in the camp. A child barely over 5 or 6, with black and grey hair, covered in filth.


    Looking around I still fail to hear or see anyone else.


    Maybe she knows something.


    Opening the door I enter, to which the child reacts with startle and starts crawling away.


    Flashback of hundreds of similar situations situation come unexpectedly. Different faces, ages and places, but still children, terrified of the everything in this world.


    Hundreds I tried, but failed to save.


    Those that fill my nightmares every day.


    Sound of another thunder striker returns me back.


    Looking back at the child, I notice that there is something wrong with her legs.


    Her foot tendons were cut.


    She can''t walk.


    She bundles into corner and starts mumbling something without even looking at me.


    Standing there for about half a minute waiting for someone else to come. But I still fail to find anyone else.


    Why was she left?


    They forgot her?


    Or just abandoned her?


    Why was she even in the cage alone?


    I come a bit closer and finally notice that she has cat ears, ripped, but still.


    Wait.


    Listening the mumble closer I recognize few words from Qing kingdom language.


    The puzzle solved itself.


    She is not Paletia demi-human. She is Ojari. The cursed natives of Qing kingdom.


    They lived there before even humans came to this continent. They should have been extinct. Massacred just because people, and especially the previous Qing Empress, believed them to bring evil and bad luck.


    How did she even end up here.


    No human will take her, no demi-human will take her.


    Finally rain starts falling. Heavy and thick, with rhythmic sound blocking anything else.


    No one will come for her.


    What do I do?


    [Leave her to here, what else?]


    [Don''t delude yourself. We can''t save lives. Only take them.]


    [Enough of this bullshit. There is nothing you can do.]


    No.


    Words spoken by Yorgan still fresh with me even after nearly a decade.


    ''We do not seek fame or recognition. If you desire that, you came to the wrong place. Our names will never be spoken, our achievement will never be written, our sacrifices will never be known. We do not bleed because we desire something.''


    Enough self pity, enough of Nihilism, enough of hate and despair.


    Change will never come out of nothing. I must continue walking as I have always done.


    I walk to her and slowly pick her up. She stiffens to my touch, and looks at be in utter confusion with her sky blue eyes.


    As if...


    As if it is the first time someone touched her.


    With her in my arms I walk back to river. Entering the cold water she stiffens and starts trembling, but still does not dare to touch me.


    Washing her properly, her black and grey hair return the color they should have. Moon white and velvet black. Walking out of river I cover her shivering body with the new shirt I found. The water may have been too cold for her.


    Standing near the river shore with a child in my arms, I review the situation I am in.


    Naked and alone with a child in the middle of a forest.


    What do I do now?


    ...


    I found neither clean clothes nor any food in the camp. Everything disappeared with people. But I found a lot of footstep marks, being washed by rain, going deeper into the forest.


    Therefore I just cut pieces of the big tent and started using it as cloak for me and the child. After that I returned to the forest where the battle took place and gathered whatever I found on the dead bodies. As soon as I gathered enough from the dead I returned to my dead horse and butchered its body into meat.


    After cooking some I ate it together with the child. At the start she looked in confusion as if she didn''t know what to do with it.


    "Eat" I said in yungi, main language used in Qing. Her eyes opened wide and she slowly started nibbling the meat.


    I resumed the travel by the main road.


    ...


    Usually time flies away. A day is worth nothing.


    But with a child somehow it slowed down. Every sound startled her, every action took time, everything was new to her, every tree, every flower, every bird and animal.


    She has been quite the whole time. Only looking at my face and new things.


    She has been eating better, but still too little for a growing child.


    She continues to look at me, in look of confusion and curiosity.


    Then she looks down at her hair taking them into her hands and looking at them from all sides.


    Then she looks at me again and stretches her hand to my hair and touches them, looking at them with the same curiously.


    "Daddy?"


    What?


    As she starts crying she continues. "I prayed to ancestors, hoping that daddy would come and save me. That daddy would take me with him, that pain would stop. Mommy didn''t lie. I prayed every day."


    Hugging me she squeezes "And daddy came."


    No.


    No, you are wrong. I want to say but can''t. I hug the child and I tears stream from my eyes.


    The words I dreamed to hear, but burried that unfulfillable dream long time ago.


    It happened after the catastrophic expedition to the ''Old'' continent, Iazaar, when the rupture was opened. More than half of my brothers died, many were cursed, and that was also the time when I got my scar.


    Healing the cursed was hard but possible. But the scar was a totally different story.


    No one could heal it. Even the archbishops purification didn''t work. That was also time when some started saying about killing all the cursed, including me, and all those who went on the expedition.


    If archbishop couldn''t heal it, maybe some old scriptures could help. Because of my achievements in the expedition and my history, they made an exception. In search I went to the classified library of ancients, also known as the ''library of the damned'', and I found a lot, maybe even too much.


    It is called ''library of the damned'' for a reason, knowledge so crushing that mere reading of few books will make a person incapable of living in any societies.


    Damned for life.


    Truth is hard.


    That is where I learned about spirits, how they work and see. And their desire for perfect vessel, something like me. I was alive this long just because the spirits didn''t know of my existence. How can you know about something that you can neither feel nor hear?


    It also explained a lot what exactly happened on the expedition.


    It must be logical, something anyone should know and understand, common knowledge sort of, that all affinities are passed by blood, from parents to children.


    Absence of any affinity is passed too.


    I had nightmares for some time as my children and children of my children would be hunted, breaded, for sole purpose of becoming vessels to spirits.


    I vowed to never have children, to never doom anyone to that fate. Those nightmares soon stopped, they were replaced by old ones that I was used to, but now there was a new presence.


    It was as if he felt the change in fate, he started tempting, posing as friend.


    I also learned why.


    The scar is a soul-bound curse, it doesn''t matter what you do with your body, curse from the soul will leak into the body.


    And the soul-bound curse is also passed by soul creating, or blood as some would call.


    He ensured that any child I would have, would be a perfect vessel for him.


    He wanted to lay low and await while the number of vessels increases, but my decision crumbled all his plans.


    So what was left? Focus on the remaining vessel. He started pumping his energy to the curse, slowly and steadily.


    The only way to stop it was to disrupt the flow, which can only be done on magnetic poles.


    [You got what you wanted, didn''t you?]


    Looking down at the small child I ask. "What is your name?"


    "Forgot.... no name........ called cursed..... called trash." she replied poorly as if sorry for her existence.


    Even slaves have names...


    Looking at the moons I decide.


    "My name is Alan."


    "I will call you Luna."


    ...


    After that night I started to walk with her on my shoulders. I am constantly scanning the terrain in search of danger.


    When we rescued the children there were always skilled blood sears who could see anything coming from kilometers away. When you are alone it is just you, if anything happens you just run.


    But now there is someone who is fully dependent on me. Maybe I became a bit too paranoid.


    I made fun of Jorgan for his over-protective tendencies to children, but look at me.


    Ironic isn''t it, Jorgan?


    ...


    The south dungeon city is several kilometers away. The city has an with active volcano on one side and one of the biggest ports on continent on the other side.


    A strange city. It''s a city, but at the same time it is a country.


    The funny thing is that it is not actually ''south'' dungeon. It is located somewhere at about equator. But back then when the demi-human continent Paletia had not even been discovered, it was believed to be the ''south most'' dungeon.


    And name the somehow stuck. Even millenniums after...


    I see dozens of ships going to and away from port, big and small, old and fancy looking ones. Many ships make a stop here before going to Qing. A city of trade, adventurers and movement.


    I got into the queue to enter the city, and slowly but steadily it moved. As soon as it was my turn I came before at least three dozen Enforcers and at least same number of archers on the wall.


    They asked the usual stuff, where from, what is the purpose of arrival in the city.


    They told me that I am lucky to get here from Mozzarel alive, that I should not travel through the forest back, as they have an issue with bandits, which they will solve soon.


    Too late. Too late.


    He saw Luna and asked if I hand a document that I bought her as slave.


    Well, nothing few coins can''t solve.


    After paying the ''fee'' for entering the city, we went through the gates and enter the city.


    The thing is that here, there are only three types of demi-humans. Merchants with special seal from king, slaves brought from Paletia to be sold here, and any other demi-human is open for hunt.


    On land of Desert Alliance demi-humans were tolerated, only money counted there. In the Sun Empire any non-human is believed to be abomination, by nearly all religions. In Sarshi Caliphate as long as you zealously believe, and I mean very zealously, in their four gods your race doesn''t matter as much.


    But here, here were there were near millenniums of battles against the demi-humans, thing are much more on aggressive side.


    There are none on this side of the continent, who didn''t have their friend or family member killed by demi-humans.


    As I walk by the main road with Luna in my arms, I try to find and inn. Maybe tomorrow I will try to find and orphanage or some home.


    On south region of Paletia continent a member of rare race would be welcomed with open arms, if they have a decent wealth to back it of course. With the amount of gold I have left, sending her there, or organizing a caravan there, would not be a problem.


    I am not even sure what else I can do for her.


    As I walk deeper into the city one thing is talked a lot.


    Summoned heroes from Empire came into the city and closed the volcano, claiming that there is an ancient evil under dungeon and is about to wake up.


    What the fuck do you mean by ''closed the volcano''.


    You can''t close an active volcano.


    Unless they just....


    No, thats impossible...


    They can''t be that dumb...

 Chapter 19

    As I walk through the main road in the direction of the city center, I continue to hear more and more talk about the arrived heroes, but contrary to the mood that is inside of the streets, I am neither happy nor excited. I just continue to think about what exactly should my next series of actions be.


    By ''closed'' they could mean several things, and the most logical reason would be that, the entrance into dungeon is just simply denied to adventurers who are trying to enter.


    That is the most logical and easy explanation.


    But somehow everything in me is screaming that it is not the case. That there is something more to it.


    [You should have gotten used to it by now. How many times things should repeat themselves for you to learn. Accept it already. If there are several alternatives, with good and bad options, it will always be the worst possible case.]


    I feel as Luna clutches stronger to me each time someone passes close to us. Her scared blue eyes are trying to evade direct contact with anyone. She just buries her face into my chest, trying to hide herself from the world. The only thing I can do is to put my other arm around her, essentially walking while hugging her with both hands.


    Can you blame her?


    I don''t know how to exactly explain it, but the past week with Luna was the longest I ever had. There weren''t many events, no battles for life, but I felt the most alive. Somehow trying to nurture this little bundle, I myself was brought back to life. Those curious and innocent eyes, which were terrified of the world, but had that indescribable spark in them, somehow captured me. Those eyes want to know, want to learn, but the world already showed it''s ugly side to her.


    As I walk deeper into the city, evading the huge crowds of the cocky adventurers and big coaches, with rich merchants in them. My eyes scan the still active evening street, until I finally find a hanging symbol of inn on the wall of huge three-story building. Loud sounds of drinking and singing is coming out of the big arc acting as main door of building. It is already so dark, that I don''t have an option of searching another inn right now.


    As I get closer to the main door, a huge demi-human with wolf ears walks out of it. The moment he looks down at me and Luna, her tiny hands clutch much stronger as she tries to hide herself in me. He glances at me in disgust and proceeds forward, as round flat gold medal with strange symbol on it swings around his neck.


    A demi-human walking around in open could mean only one thing. A merchant.


    And that metal more likely is a proof that he is an official merchant, giving him special right to trade in the city. Dozen naked demi-human, boys and girls, with features of wolf and cat people of Paletia, and metal chain around their necks, follow him, with their height not even reaching the waist of the wolfman. They quickly stammer their tiny feet to keep up with the pace of their owner.


    Even their own kind.


    Trash.


    The sword is still hanging on my hip. I could end him here and now, free the children, save them. But feeling of someone small clutching to my chest returns me to reality. Looking at her I find her gaze fixed on the leaving group as they go further and further, disappearing in the still steady stream of people. Her trembling finally decreases.


    I could save them, I could, but now there is someone more... dependent on me right now. I swallow the desire taking a deeper breath.


    [''Important'' is the word you wanted to say. Important. So one life is worth more than dozen of others?]


    [How is that different than them? You constantly criticize everyone for their selfishness, how they always prioritize themselves and their loved ones. But somehow in the end you do exactly the same thing.]


    [Hypocrite.]


    The words that "I can not save everyone" are empty right now, just something that people would say to sleep better.


    But it won''t work on me. And I know exactly what is awaiting me in my dreams.


    The cold feeling of disgust and self loathe somehow calms me down and I look again at Luna. Her terrified eyes meet mine. I pat her head to calm her down, but several loud whistles make me look at the opposite side of the road.


    This is an adventurer city, even if it is bursting with trade. The dungeon is the center of it all, and logically, everything is created around adventures, which are commonly called ''divers''. The three story brothel on the opposite side of the street is a bright example to that. Skimpy clad women are standing on the balconies, in the window frames and in front of exit giving different ''signals'' to people passing by. The ''signals'' range from coquettish winking to outright showing their nude breast and crotch area.


    Men walk leering and whistling at the women, many walk in and out of the building, most of them in groups, coming in and from the inn. They all are so consumed by lust, instincts and desires that they don''t even understand that. Listening and following instincts is something that can save one in dungeon, but in the long term it causes one to slowly degrade to something akin to animal.


    Pleasure of flesh all they desire. Eat, fuck and enjoy. Corruption of body, soul and mind.


    Is this really the best we can do? Is this really the best we can be?


    I see ''him'' in them. They believe him to be just a fairy tale, a story you tell kids. Something that they will laugh about as they grow up. But he is real, too real. You just need to look deeper, but people don''t want to. Life is much easier that way.


    The blind will not see. The deaf will not hear. The unbelieving will not believe.


    Shit.


    Now I sound like those White-beards from Whiterock. Fucking useless fanatics.


    As I enter the inn, many eyes turn and look at me, but nearly immediately turn back with a scoff and chuckle, few glare at me in disgust before that.


    I am not sure what exactly the cause for such reaction is. There can be several reasons, the shirt I wear, that is actually just a big dirty cloth, which has a single hole in the center for my head, the demi-human child in my arms, or simply that they expected someone else.


    Doesn''t matter.


    I walk to the man in his forties behind the inn counter and greet him.


    "Good evening."


    He looks at me, then at the child in my arms, after which he scoffs in disgust.


    "We don''t have free food. Get out before I call the guards, vermin."


    I don''t have time for this.


    I take out a single gold coin and throw in on the counter. As the coin bounces several times and stops flat, his eyes bulge out.


    "A single room for a week. The best one you have. Prepare a hot bath and a decent meal right now. I am tired and hungry."


    "Ye-"


    "And one more thing. Look at me that way one more time, and this inn will have your severed head as a new chandelier."


    I walk to the corner of the inn and sit down behind a single table with two chairs, without giving the owner time to apologize or say anything in return. I sit on one of chairs and place Luna on my lap, she is too weak to sit on a chair herself, both physically and psychologically, at least for now. People in the inn continued to talk, few started whispering between themselves, few even looked my way.


    Same shit over and over again.


    After about half a minute a young woman came and placed some kind of beverage, bread and several small snacks. The smell of alcohol coming from beverage is apparent. Drinking alcohol is the last thing I will do here.


    Several people in the corner of the inn again glanced at me, while whispering something between themselves.


    So who will act first, the amateurs or the professionals?


    Luna''s eyes fix on the snacks on the table. With my right hand I bring the plates closer to her. Luna looks at we with a questioning look, to which I simply respond with ''eat''. While Luna is nibbling the bread and the snacks from the plates, a person with wild black hair and a big unkempt beard, together with several more, similar looking, people stood up on the opposite side of the inn and started slowly walking to me, while the inn got very quite.


    Amateurs it is then.


    As soon as they got to the table, Luna stopped eating and while looking at them, tightly clutched to my chest, trying to hide herself in my side while trembling.


    "You were quite rude to the old Tom there." the leader with unkempt beard says, as a wide grin with missing teeth spreads across his face, and then continues "It looks like you are new here. You come to our city, treat our favorite inn keeper badly, and even threaten him."


    "We will teach you a local lesson, scum." said a henchman on the right.


    "Come with us. We don''t want to damage the inn or even taint it with the blood of likes of you."


    The middle one extended his hand to grab me by my make-shift shirt. As if something was lit inside of me, I start burning with violent thought. The moment he touches my shirt I grab his hand and rotate it with force causing him to fall on the floor flat on his stomach. With my foot I stomp on his shoulder blade, which causes sound of audible crack to travel across the room. It is shortly followed by wail of agony that fills the inn. Without missing a beat, I rip his arm out of the socket and color the floor blood red. Another, a much louder scream, sounds from beneath my foot.


    The two other henchmen jump back in horror and take out their swords and point them at me. Standing petrified, their eyes bouncing between their screaming comrade and his detached arm in my hand.


    Turning to look at the location where the group came from, I try to identify the real leader of the group, and I easily find the one. Bulky looking guy in his forties, with calm and confident look, surrounded by several young girls and a group of even bulkier guys in different types of armors.


    I make an eye contact with the bulky guy, giving him a quite threatening look, I taunt him to take action, but he continues to stare at me with a stone face.


    I am really tired of this bullshit. Exchanging threating looks to test out whose cock is bigger.


    Throwing the still bleeding arm at the original owner I announce with deep voice. "Touch me again and I will rip you all apart."


    The bulky guy makes a small half-smile and nods at the two still standing idiots which glance back at him with terrified look. They make few uncertain steps to their bleeding comrade, picking him up together with his detached arm they start walking to the inn exit.


    Only now do I notice that the scar started burning again at some point.


    Shit.


    A few seconds later the same young woman as before comes and quickly places several streaming dishes, bowl of soup and stealthily throws something into the wooden mug with alcohol, believing that I am still looking at the opposite side of inn.


    What?


    "Hold it." I growl.


    The woman freezes before she could even take few steps away, and slowly turns around. She tries her best to look confused, but her scared eyes meet mine, and I recognize that look, look of someone who was caught and is awaiting violence.


    "Come here."


    She slowly and quietly steps back to my table with uncertain gait.


    "Y-yes?"


    Her fearful glance at the mug, that lasted but a fraction of a second, tells me enough. Amateurs failed. Now professionals stepped in.


    "You will drink it."


    "W-what?" she replies making another glance at the mug.


    I move the mug to her and state shortly. "Drink."


    The waitress is hesitating for several seconds until the bartender, whose name I didn''t even care to remember, from what the crippled and unconscious blood rag said, walks to the table. On the way he makes several long glances at the bleeding idiot being dragged away and the pool of blood near me. As soon as he gets to the table he looks confused and scared. His Adam''s apple visibly moves and he swallowed his saliva, after which he mumbles. "I-is there a problem, Sir?" He then looks at waitress, then at the food. "Is the food not to your liking?" he says fearfully turning back to me.


    He looked at the food, but his gaze never stopped at the mug.


    It can''t be...


    High-stuck and cocky, but a total moron. Having a viper inside his den...


    But it doesn''t matter.


    "Either she will drink it." I say pointing to the mug. "Or you will."


    His brows furrow, he looks at the mug trying to puzzle something, and then the long seconds of confusion are slowly replaced by realization. Turning to the young woman, he looks in horror at the waitress, which already made few steps back and started running away.


    Strangely, or not so strangely, no one stopped her on her way out of the inn.


    The innkeeper turns back to me and stares at the mug while trembling, his Adam''s apple moves again.


    The warm clutch at my chest makes me look down at the astonished child. Her open eyes look at me in blend of fear and amazement, as if something that is beyond her expectation happened, as if she saw a...


    Wait.


    She didn''t see me ''cleaning'' the that camp. And when she was sleeping cuddled to my chest, she never reacted to the symbol on my chest.


    [Isn''t it nice? The first person who not just accepted you, but also has no idea who or what you are, and more likely doesn''t even care.]


    Taking another deeper breath I try to calm down. There is no need for her to see more violence.


    There is already too much violence in the world.


    While the bartender is still staring at the mug, I push it off the table, and it falls down, splashing it''s content across the floor. Startled he looks at me, expecting the worst.


    I sigh deeply and say as calm as I can. "Next time be careful who you hire."


    He stands for few seconds trying to digest what was just said, and then sharply bows. "Thank you very much." he says loudly and starts slowly walking away with his legs trembling on each step he takes, while the mug is still lying on the floor.


    I have taken one too many enough lives already, no need for more.


    I take the bowl with soup and start feeding Luna with a spoon. It took some effort, as the child is still weak, and by the looks of it has not ate soup for quite some time.


    There were few dangerous glances, but no one took any more action.


    At least for now...


    Looking like a hobo has few good and bad consequences. No one thinks that I have anything valuable, so they don''t even care looking deeper. Like if you see a small rat running around. Who cares about a small rat? But, what if that rat has a gold coin in its mouth? Things change, you can simply kill the rat and take that gold coin. That rat more likely found it randomly. Who will care about a rat? Or hobo in this case.


    The night came too quickly and I decided that it is time to sleep. We can take a bath tomorrow too. It has been quite some time since I slept on a normal bed. I took the keys from the innkeeper and slowly walked up to the room, which was on the second floor. The room has two beds, a table, couple of chairs and a big metal chest acting as a wardrobe.


    Best room...


    Locking the door with the key I laid dozing Luna on one bed and covered her with the blanket. Caressing her head my hand come across two bumps on her head. I am reminded that her ears were ripped off, not cut, the area is too rough for it to be cut clean.


    I know that I have asked this questions more times than I can count, but still. How can people be so cruel to each other? How do they even justify their action? How are they even able to sleep at night?


    Luna closes her eyes with a slight purr and starts breathing slowly and evenly. Her sweet and innocent smile warms something long frozen in my chest. She needs to sleep to get better faster. Taking several steps to the other side of the room I fall down on my bed without even covering myself with a blanket.


    Even I get tired. Nothing is eternal. Nothing.


    Before I knew it, darkness consumed my mind.


    ...


    A scream wakes me up, and I instinctively jump out of the bed, preparing to send the foe to afterlife in the most grotesque way possible.


    But looking around the dark room I find it empty, and the only movement in the room is the thrashing on the other bed. Leaping to the other bed I find Luna crying and screaming with closed eyes. But the moment I touch her, her eyes shoot wide open, her tear filled and unfocused gaze scans everything around, until her eyes stop meeting mine. For few long seconds her face holds a expression which I can only describe as a mix of relief and fear. But the seconds end, and another deep wail fills the room, as she she clutches to me.


    She starts begging not to leave her, that she will be a good girl, that she will do everything I say. She continued to beg clutched to me.


    In my petrified state I try to calm her down, to tell her that ''everything will be okay'', that ''everything is fine''. But I just continue to stare at her as she cries into my chest. Finally as if breaking the chains my hands move and I slowly clutch her to my chest, caressing her head and repeating again and again, "Everything will be okay. Everything will be fine."


    As she finally calms down I pick her up and take her to my bed. Laying down with her I cover her with my blanket. Her eyes slowly close as tears continue to fall from them. After few minutes her tears stop and she start mumbling something inaudible, but I just continue to caress her head. After few more minutes silence returns to the room as Luna falls asleep.


    [Okay? Fine? ... Right. You know full well that this is a lie.]


    "No" I mumble hugging Luna closer, trying to swat the thoughts away


    [''No'' what? You know exactly how it will end! If she stays with us she will die as everyone has before her! We are not able to save anyone or anything! Only destroy and kill!]


    [We don''t even have time. That rage started appearing again. We nearly had another episode. How long until we lash at her?! HUH?! Is there even ''we''? Maybe there is no longer us, but only ''HIM''.]


    [And even if using some magical way we stay sane long enough, what can a cripple like us give her? What future is there for her?]


    [You already did the worst possible thing, you got us attached to her.]


    [Why do you continue to torture us? Why? How do you expect us to leave her here, alone, with fate not much better than ours?]


    [How do you expect me to leave her alone in this world?]


    [How?]


    ...


    I wake up to the morning sun which is positioned in such a way that the light hits me directly in the eyes. Shifting a bit, I look down to find Luna sleeping calmly, still clutched to me, but with a very happy smile on her face. As if the last night events were just a nightmare. But it wasn''t, the lines left by tears are still present on her totally innocent face.


    I start to tenderly caress her small head. She shifts sweetly, and a small groan escapes from her mouth. Luna slowly opens her eyes and after few blinks, looks at me with the biggest and happiest smile I have ever seen.


    "Daddy." she whispers softly. I just continue to caress her head while she closes her eyes in content and continues to smile.


    A sound of empty stomach grumbling, replaces her face from happy smile to embarrassed and ashamed one. I softly smile and pick her up. There are few things I need to do today, but one thing has a much higher priority.


    I walk down to the innkeeper with Luna in my arms and ask him for a hot bath, and as it is still very early the bath should be unoccupied.


    Adventurers, dungeoneers and divers don''t have a concept of time. They live and sleep when they feel like it. And because of that many services for them are available at any moment of the day.


    I enter the bathroom that is at the back of the inn and find metal bathtub already filled with hot water. I slowly walk to the bathtub with Luna in my arms. Her wide eyes jump between the water in the bathtub and the hot steam that is coming from it. I touch the water to check the temperature, and find it warm enough. Her small hands stretch to water and after touching it, her eyes shoot wide open as she turns to me. Her eyes tell me that she never knew that such thing could exist.


    Such thing...


    I undress Luna and slowly submerge her into the water until she fully sits in it, and it reaches her neck. I stand on my knees and taking a small bowl start slowly pouring warm water on her head. She shakes her head and with hands brushes away the water streaming down her face, after which a very happy smile appears on her face. Using the sponge I starts to washing her, and after few minutes of vigorous rubbing off the dirt from her face, body and hair, she looks like nearly any other child in a city.


    Warm bath, a very simple thing, but what happiness it can bring.


    While washing her head and back, I am reminded again that her ears were savagely ripped out. I knew about the ears, but only after washing her back did I find what remained of her tail. Tail is not just some random piece of skin, it is a whole limb, with bones, muscles, and nerves. But it is missing. To most demi-humans that would be akin of losing hand or leg.


    Luna continues to sit in the water playing with it, until she calms down and tries to look at herself in the reflection. Her curious eyes are looking at the water while she touches her face to make sure that it is actually her. As the water in the bathtub calms down I see something in the refection. Something that makes me shudder. The sun is positioned in such a way that the reflection looks just like a mirror.


    Nearly all of my hair is already grey, and when looked at specific angle, I really look like Ojari, no wonder Luna thinks I am her father. A very exhausted person with skeletal thin face and limbs with dark circles under eyes is staring back at me. Comparable to past there weren''t many fight, but right now I look much worse than when I was in north. But that is not a problem at all, because there is much bigger issue.


    The scar.


    The bright thin line on right side of my face is no more. The thing on the right side of my face is at least two centimeters wide in the widest area and the whole thing is nearly fully black in color.


    [How much of us is really us?]


    After washing Luna and quickly cleaning myself, we dress up and walk to the nearest shop to buy few clothes for Luna. Underwear, pants, shirt, shoes and few more things. Simple things, that brought an astonished reaction. Luna didn''t even want to wear them. She just sat there clutching her new clothes as a treasure. In the end, with some effort, I was able to convince her to put them on. It took even more effort to stop her thanking me.


    We took the extra pairs of clothes and put them into our inn''s room chest. It also took some more effort to convince her to leave them there. But after I promised that we will return back she finally agreed.


    As we exit the inn I turn to the location of huge white structure standing much, much higher that any other in the vicinity, with a flat circular symbol on top of it''s huge dome, visible from the whole city.


    ...


    The entrance into the building is quite big. Many organizations like to build huge structure, with huge door, to make all the visitors feel small and insignificant, this one is not an exception. The ten meter wide stairs leading to the white building uphill only contributing to that effect, more likely specifically designed by the architects.


    The queue in front of the building entrance moves slowly as each group enters it only through the huge main doors. Most of them are adventurers with either some kind of limb missing or really bad wounds. But everything is orderly, as no one wants to cause any problems, it will just backfire in the end.


    After about an hour our turn comes, and I enter the building through the huge doors. It takes about a minute to walk through the hundred meters long corridor, which is filled with huge white statues, until at the end of it I exit into a huge room. The first thing that comes into the sight is the enormous white marble table on an elevated platform, with several old and young priest siting behind it.


    Guards tell me to proceed and sit on a small stone bench with tiny stone table in front of it, which is about ten meters away from the main table. There are many guards in plate armor near the bench, but at least twice more near the big table.


    While I am sitting, one of the older priests continues to scribble something into a parchment in front of him. After about a minute of scribbling he looks up at me and with a fake smile and asks in a very sweet and monotone voice.


    "The church of Endless Sun greets you. May the god''s spirit bless you."


    A young boy near me comes closer and whispers quietly.


    "Please place your donation on the table."


    I place the pouch with required amount on the small table. The boy picks the pouch and quickly caries it to the main table, where he places it softly in front of the priests. One of the younger priests pours out the content of the pouch into some kind of plate in front of him. After counting the coins, young priest writes something into his parchment and gives a nod to the older priest.


    The older one turns back to me and with the same fake smile continues.


    "What can the church of Endless Sun do for you?"


    I describe to them what I came for, and what I would like them to do.


    One of the priest chants a spell and his eyes turn bright green. He looks in my direction for a very long minute, after which he closes his eyes. As he opens them again they already stopped glowing. He bends to the older priest in the center of the table and whispers something into his ear. The older priest turn to me and just stares in my direction.


    The silence continues for another minute.


    "No" he states coldly, while the younger one looks in disgust at Luna on my knees.


    "We not provide service for demi-humans." he continue.


    The arrogant look they have, is the same I have seen many times. They are humble and polite as long as they are your subordinates, but as soon as they are given even a bit of power they show their true colors. Give them an opportunity to collect taxes and they squeeze people dry, give them power or control and they will think of themselves as gods, those that decide if others shall live or die.


    The scar starts burning again, but I start breathing deeper to take control and not color the huge room in red.


    It has been less than a day since the last time.


    Shit.


    Taking several deep breaths I try to continue.


    "Additional to the fifty gold coins in church donation, I am willing to ''contribute'' an additional, ''personal'' fee, if you heal only her legs."


    The older one looks totally apathetic to my attempt to bribe him separately. He slides all the gold coins on the plate in front of him, into something behind the stone table, which is not visible from my position.


    He continues with the same cold and monotone voice.


    "The church will gladly accept the donation, but as ordered by the Arch-Bishop of Central Endless Sun church, demi-humans shall receive neither healing nor blessing."


    The younger one smirks slight with a look of pure superiority. Several guard in platemail armor, which are standing around the room, started walking to me and Luna to ''escort'' us out.


    The blood starts boiling in me, as I feel whistling in my ears because of high blood pressure.


    I could kill them all, murder them, destroy this church and make sure no new will be built.


    I could burn the whole-


    The movement of soft bundle in my arms interrupts my thought. I look down at Luna as she is looking around frightened not understanding what is being said.


    [You could. You could do much more. But she will get hurt for sure. This is no longer about us.]


    [You can feel it, don''t you? One wrong step and it is as if she will disappear.]


    [Enough. Control it. There is still US, even if most part was eaten by him.]


    Taking another deep breath I try to think of another way to make them heal her legs, but none come to my mind. And even if I showed my symbol of Blood Brotherhood, it would mean nothing here.


    Several guards are already standing near me, and in short bark demand I stand up and follow them. I stand up and start walking after them to the left corridor of the room. The corridor looks similar to the one I entered, but much smaller and darker. After about a minute of walking I exit to some kind of back alley, after which the guards slams the door shut behind me.


    I continue walking through the thin back alley for few minutes until I exit to the main road. From here I can see the start of white stairs which lead to the church. My blood pressure finally starts to calm down.


    I should not lose the control, nothing good will come of it.


    Come through the grand main entrance, but exit through some kind of back alley.


    As I look around the main road, which is filled with people traveling back and forth, I see a display of pure hypocrisy to something that was said few minutes ago.


    A whorehouse with a theme. Slave demi-humans.


    The same main road which has the stairs that lead to the church has whorehouse.


    So it is okay to enslave and fuck demi-humans, but not heal them.


    Taking another deep breath I try to clear my mind. The impulses have become much stronger, and the time between them shortens each time.


    In the end it doesn''t matter, if healers here will not fix her legs, the shamans at Paletia will do it. The travel will be much harder without healthy legs, but nothing gold can''t fix.


    They didn''t even return gold.


    [Why would they? You brought it in, and they took it. Who can prove that you even had the money in the first place. Your word against theirs. We are neither the first nor the last they scammed.]


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    But I was the one who could retaliate. Someone who could punish them.


    [You could.]


    The warmth coming from the bundle in my arms return me to the current problems. I look into her eyes, which started to shine much brighter than they were few days ago. She looks back at me with questioning gaze and whispers. "Daddy?" I tenderly caress Luna''s head to which she responds with soft purr and eyes closed in content.


    Continue moving, never stop, stand up after every fall, only then you will see the next day...


    Ship.


    ...


    "I repeat the last fucking time! It is not a problem of money, there are just no ships going to Paletia this season at all. Dead Ocean current goes the opposite direction right now. After my ships return from Qing we will take you both together, even for a single bloody gold coin, but that will be only after I return from Qing in about three months. Enough. I have stuff to do."


    He was the last one.


    I first tried the small ships with crew less than dozen, they are usually the ones who are more desperate for coin, and would gladly travel anywhere. But that failed. Then I tried again with bigger, and bigger, but in the end, I went for the biggest flotilla. And the answer is always the same, "Ocean current goes the wrong way", "few months", "not now".


    Few months...


    I don''t think I will be able to hold longer than a week, a single month is unimaginable, but three... Will the the thing I become in three months even care?


    Maybe if I find someone...


    [Yeah right. ''Here is an non-slave demi-human without documents and a bag of gold. Please get her to Paletia in few months safe and healthy.'']


    [Such people don''t exist. It doesn''t matter how trustworthy they are, no one will risk their life for someone who they don''t know. Even if you will be able to intimidate them. The moment when they will need to act, you will be long gone. No one fears the people long dead. In the best case scenario, the moment you disappear, they will sell her and take the gold for themselves, in the worst...]


    What do I do...


    I look around the port again to check if I may have missed a ship. But the only thing I see is the same people I spoke with and their very busy crew, who are loading wooden crates on the ships. The thick fog, which is slowly moving to the city on the horizon, only increases the gloominess of situation.


    What do I do?


    ...


    While looking into the ''Damned Library'' I found some information about dungeons too.


    Not the usual bullshit like "Sirana, goddess of wind and trees, blessed her creations, high elves, with Limotar, dungeon of beginnings", but rather the cataloged knowledge which may be as close to truth as it possible can be.


    There are natural flows of essence in the world. The same as ocean currents, seasonal change and tropical winds, there exists mana rivers. They flow mostly underground, carrying mana from all around the world, revitalizing the whole planet. No one is sure if the reason for the flow of the mana rivers is the result of magnetic fields, which cause the chaotic behavior of mana on the poles, or something totally different.


    When these rivers merge, mana focus points, or high density mana regions appear. They can be anything, a big patch of earth somewhere in a forest, an underwater area, but mostly it is underground areas or caves.


    In those areas, where the mana density is especially high, local creatures change, becoming ''monsters''. They become bigger, stronger, faster and smarter.


    Most of the sentient species in the world can''t gather or control the ambient mana, that is the special ability of ''monsters'' and spirits. Everyone else has to either train as mage, enforcer, or some other alternative, in order to exchange internal mana with the spirits for the mana. One of the most popular alternatives is to collect mana directly, which means squeezing it out of monster blood, harvesting plants rich with mana, or ''anything'' else containing even a bit of mana.


    And when you have pure mana, you ''bind'' it, and use it as your own.


    It takes several steps to bind pure mana. First of all, because mana naturally dissipates into air, the binder needs to make sure that the mana is in some kind of container, made of tusal, or how most call it, metal slag from mithril. Tusal does not absorb mana, can not be enchanted, and generally believed to be just trash material, but it is perfect container for mana. Then comes the iteration, the binder sends his own mana into the container to slowly ''take control'' of natural mana, fuse with it. And with each iteration natural mana bend more and more, after many iterations it becomes truly yours.


    Many rich, but unskilled mages and enforcers use binded mana to even slightly increase their strength. But the amount used by them will never compare to the sheer amount used by enchanters to produce enchanted weapons. Plus, the price is just astronomical.


    But I can''t be sure about the actual difference ''binded'' mana can give. I only read about it. You can''t bind something, if you have nothing. No mana, no binding.


    Walking through the main street I finally reach the dungeon plaza, an absurdly huge area, with red marble floor, columns and statues on them. Some parts of the marble floor is made of mosaic, showing picture of dungeon city history, it''s battles, heroes and achievements. But the center piece of it is the building with stairs leading to the dungeon entrance, located in the north part of the plaza, with even bigger columns and statues made out of black marble right at the base of the volcano.


    This place is usually filled with adventurers, specialized traders which are trying to sell their wares to the ones traveling into or out of the dungeon. But somehow the number of people is just too big, and I don''t see any merchant stalls open, just sea of people standing looking in the direction of the dungeon entrance, some whispering between each other, but most just look in silence.


    Looking in the same direction I find a huge magic formation blocking the entrance into the dungeon. But more importantly, I see something that I believed I would never see, is standing right there, right in front of everyone, publicly in open.


    Several dozen warriors, in lavish blood-red and white full-plate armor, all standing proud, with their chins held high looking down on the people around. The problem is what symbol is on their chest armor. The same insignia I have ''burned'' on my chest, colored bright gold. They are standing on the lower steps of wide stairs which lead to the dungeon entrance.


    The New Brotherhood.


    The few seconds of pure shock are ended by the booming voice coming from a huge guy in golden armor with blond hair on the top stairs. By either side of him are at least dozen people, and each one of them has extremely colorful armor, of totally different color, with enchantments that would make any ruler jealous. But what makes them stand out even more is the ambient mana seeping out of them that is visible even to naked eye.


    Heroes.


    Not one, not two, but at least dozen.


    FUCKING DOZEN HEROES.


    None of them look familiar.


    Dozen new heroes...


    How did..? When did they..? Who was even able to..?


    I stop my track of thought short, as I already missed big part of the speech.


    "...in order to protect everyone. We understand that it will cause a major inconvenience to the residents of South Dungeon city, but fear not, the dungeon will be re-opened very soon. We understand that our words may not inspire confidence, but fear not, we will do everything in our power to resolve the problem as fast as possible. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for understanding."


    Finishes the one in the middle after which the heroes make a slight bow to the people around, to which the people react with ovation, praise, and whistles.


    They closed the main entrance into the dungeon with hero magic.


    God damn it.


    How long will it last?


    The whole city life is structured around gathering materials from the dungeon monsters, and closing it even for a day would damage the economy greatly, but this...


    The fancy words from the objects of their worship will hold people in line for some time. People soften up when the people they read legends about, or those they idolize ask them for something.


    Cult of heroes.


    They are the best, the most noble, the personification of justice.


    Right?


    But everyone needs to eat. Pretty words are worth nothing when your stomach is empty. So, there is only one question.


    How long will it last?


    Heroes start walking in the direction of the castle with the new brotherhood protecting them from the crowd of their worshipers. But they don''t need to do much, people are simply afraid to come close, even the once in a lifetime opportunity to touch the heroes does not overpower the pure horror the Blood Brotherhood symbol brings.


    As soon as the procession is no longer visible, people start talking with each other much louder, their emotions bursting out of them, as if it is the happiest day of their life.


    I never understood the obsession with ''idols''. They are made out of flesh and blood as everyone else.


    Well, there are exceptions, as overwhelming mana allowed some to transcend what it means to be a being of ''flesh and blood''.


    [Maybe because you have just hunted and killed too many of those idols. Or maybe, after everything we learned, you know that all the idols are fake.]


    [Maybe you just hate that they are fake?]


    [Maybe deep down, as everyone else, you wished that there was truth to stories, to the ideals they inspire.]


    [Maybe you wanted to be-]


    Stop.


    Every plan just fell apart. I need to start again. Maybe if-


    Sound of stomach grumbling coming from the Luna in my arms notifies me that I forgot how quickly the time passes. Luna looks at me scared as if she did something wrong, and will be punished. I start caressing her head by pure instinct, to which she react by relaxing and closing her eyes in content.


    Afraid because she got hungry...


    You can''t just become ''normal''. Some scars heal, some don''t. She is a still a small child, so it should be easier, it will take time and effort, but in the end healing is possible.


    Looking and at the setting sun I decide to return to the inn.


    ...


    I returned to the inn and found nearly exactly the same view as previous day, drunk men around the inn entrance, and the brothel on the opposite side, with girls trying to catch attention, the only difference that this time there is thick fog covering the whole city.


    As I enter the arc many people, on each floor, turn to look at me, after which they return back to their drinks with a scoff.


    I look around for a free place and find the same spot with two chairs and a small table free. When I come up to bartender, he bows slight with a fearful greeting "Welcome back, sir".


    "Soup, bread and some milk."


    "Yes." he replies with another bow.


    I walk to the the table and looking at Luna decide to check how much she has healed by slowly placing her on the chair. For few long seconds she wobbles while holding to my hands. Few more silent seconds pass as she finally finds stability, and smiles at me with her wide and innocent smile. I smile back and caress her head. This is a major step and I am happy that her back muscles finally healed a bit. Even though she can sit straight all by herself, her tiny hand is still clutched to make-shift coat made of old tent that I wear.


    She looks in my eyes in fear of something. I sit next to her and ask in Yungi "What''s wrong?"


    After few seconds of silence she mumbles "D-daddy, p-please, don''t leave..."


    Clutching her to my chest I caress her head. I barely squeeze out of myself "Everything will be okay."


    [You couldn''t say ''I will not''.]


    [You could not.]


    I continue to caress her head in silence, while her tiny hands are still clutching to me.


    The bartender comes with several bowls and plates, which he places softly on table. He nervously looks at me after which he takes a bite and sip from each bowl and looks at me. I nod and after another bow he slowly walks away.


    It looks like the food is not poisoned this time.


    I place the mug with milk in front of Luna. She looks at the liquid in the mug strangely for few seconds. After that she sniffs it and takes a small sip out of the mug. Her eyes instantly shoot up as she turns her head to me and exclaimed in excitement with a huge smile "It''s sweet!"


    I just continue to caress her head in silence as she drinks the milk. By the reaction, it was more likely the first time she tasted the milk.


    Warm bath and milk. How little some need for happiness.


    [And what do YOU need for happiness?]


    [Is there actually something that you want? Not something that is a normal, expected, something that is usually wanted by everyone. I don''t mean the ''success'', ''health'', ''luck'' and other bullshit people wish each other.]


    [When was the last time you truly desired?]


    I move the food to Luna, and tell her to eat while it is still warm. She closes hear eyes in content with a smile stretched across her face, as I continue to caress her head.


    What do I do?


    How do I get Luna across the ocean?


    And the dungeon. Entrance into the volcano is located at the bottom of dungeon, but I need to get through the Hero barrier somehow. According to my knowledge any barrier should have a base pillar on both sides. If one pillar is damaged or destroyed the barrier should fall apart. If I find and destroy the pillar on outside then maybe I could enter the dungeon, and from there if I evade the monsters and just run I could reach the volcano core.


    There also must be another entrance into the dungeon, a back door of sort. Must be. The heroes somehow will enter the dungeon, therefore there must be... something.


    [And what if during the creation of barrier they placed an ignore filter on themselves to phase through the barrier itself.]


    Fuck.


    As I think over the two issues trying to find solution to it, sound of loud footstep sweeps across the inn as at least thirty people in mercenary armor come to my table, fully armed, with weapons unsheathed and crossbow in open. A bulky guy in his forties comes in front and gives me a confident grin, after which he walks to the side, and comes to a table with several people sitting behind it, which is quickly vacated. As he sits down the bartender quickly brings him a big mug and some kind of grilled meat. He starts eating and drinking while looking at me with amused look.


    I saw him somewhere before.


    Oh.


    The guy from yesterday, who sent those idiots.


    Luna clutches her tiny hands to me as she starts to tremble, burring her face in my side. I put my arm around her to calm her down, but it doesn''t help much.


    A new more lean looking guy, with sharp eyes, in some kind of uniform comes in front of my table. He is quickly followed by guy with a missing hand.


    "Greetings." he starts. "I am Matel Poles, second lieutenant of Dungeon City guard. We have received a complaint that Mr. Carl over here, about yesterday events." he continues while pointing at the guy with missing hand. "Mr. Carl claims that you stole gold from him, and when he confronted you about it, you ripped his arm out. There were many witnesses and they all attest the claims. Return the money that you took, pay Mr. Carl''s medical expenses and the punishment for the crime will be minimal."


    The people with the crossbows point them at me while grinning from ear to ear, showing that they know exactly what is happening. As I think how to solve this situation, one of the arbalist shoots the arrow into the table.


    Luna yelps, and somehow escapes my soft grip. Falling down from her chair to the ground she crawls into the corner and starts to cry while whispering "please don''t hurt me" again and again. Begging them to stop.


    Everyone starts laughing as the lean guy tries to say something, but his voice is lost as I continue to look at Luna as she bundles into a ball and weeps.


    Hundreds upon hundreds of similar images flash through my vision, as they all end up with me on my knees and dead children in my arms. Images end sharply, with a single one, Luna flat on floor with her dead eyes staring into nothing.


    My vision is slowly covered in red as seething rage consumes me.


    ...


    The darkness slowly fades away and I return to world of screams.


    Looking around I find the whole inn covered in body parts and blood. The number of dead is not possible to count, as there are nearly no whole body left and there are just simply too many body parts lying around. The wails of agony are coming from several people with severed limbs, who are crawling away, screaming in pain and horror. I notice that I am holding something warm in my right hand, and looking down I find the severed head of the leader, the guy in his forties, which didn''t speak and always smirked. But the expression on it is petrified in pure terror.


    In revulsion I throw away the severed head.


    No.


    It started happening again.


    The still burning hot scar on the right side of my face tells me that it is not the end, and that the next episode is not so far away.


    There should have been several more weeks left.


    Why...


    It takes several deep breaths to restore the circulation of mana inside of my body. As always the body is in critical condition, and only sheer power of will keeping me afloat. Taking several more breaths I try to block the crippling pain throughout the whole body and make it obey my commands. Slowly the pain recedes into background, generally numbing the all sensation throughout the body, but finally giving me control.


    I start looking around.


    Looking for what?


    No.


    [No!NO!NO!!]


    [FIND LUNA! FIND HER!! NOW!!]


    With a rush I leap back to the area, where the table, at which I was sitting should be. I find the whole area covered in blood and body parts. But in the corner there is a small bundle. Coming closer to the bundle, hundreds of similar flashbacks replay again in my mind. And the only thing I can think of is ''please no''. It echoes in my mind as if thousands of voices say it at the same time.


    I fall on my knees and touch the bundle with both hands, to which it reacts with a jolt and continuous trembling. Forgetting everything I clutch the bundle to my chest, after which I turn it around and find terrified eyes looking back at me. With my trembling hand I start cleaning Luna''s face from blood and gore, in which she is covered. With my palm I caress Luna''s face while repeating ''everything will be okay'' again, and again as some kind of mantra.


    Her eyes recognize me and start watering with a sense of relief.


    Clutching her stronger to my chest I continue to caress her head while I continue my chant, as if it will solve all the problems. I look back to the room and hear some kind of movement coming from outside of inn. I stand up and start walking away with a single goal in mind ''get Luna to safety''.


    As I am at the inn entrance I peek out to check if someone is outside. What I see is total chaos, people running around and screaming. Many bright red fires throughout the whole city, breaking through the thick fog that covers it tightly.


    What the HELL?!


    [DOESN''T MATTER! MOVE!!]


    I look to the right of inn exit arc, and find my enchanted sword embedded into the wall, which passes through three dead bodies, two of which wear chainmail, with their feet dangling about twenty centimeters above the floor, as if pictures nailed to the wall.


    I will need a sword.


    With quick motion I grab the pommel of the sword and pull it out of the wall. Sound of bodies falling on the floor follows shortly. With a sword in one hand and Luna in other I leave the inn with a sprint, without missing even a second I try to leave the main and hide in the alleys. I pass many people but they give me attention just for a fraction of a second, as they have more pressing matters.


    Just before I dive into the alley, a huge explosion stops me. The shock wave nearly makes me fall. The wave of heat that hits me just few seconds after the explosion, tells me that it was not a simple blast. As I look in the direction, where the epicenter of explosion was, I find the inn in flames.


    We were there just few seconds ago... If I was late even for a minute, we would-


    [MOVE!]


    With force I make my body move. Furtherer into the dark alleys, I don''t even know where, but as far as I can get from here.


    ...


    I finally stop running and sit down with my back to the wall of the narrow, dark and empty alley. I clutch still trembling Luna to my chest while I continue to caress her head to calm her down. Her eyes no longer are filled in horror, but fear is still there.


    She has seen something that no child should have. Even more.


    But it doesn''t matter. She is alive. She is with me. I can solve everything else. I simply continue to tenderly hug her and caress her head, trying to calm her down.


    What the hell happened back in the inn? I never had an episode so overwhelming. They happened, but before that there was always a struggle, battle for control, like being slowly submerged into swamp water, during which I could change something. But this. This was nothing like what I had before. What changed? Time? Or the curse just went too deep?


    What about the fires across the city? It wasn''t a single one. There also were no guard around, even after what happened in the inn. Was there something happening in the city itself?


    My thoughts are not allowed to finish, as I sense a group of about dozen people coming from both sides of the alley. As I finally hear the sound of soft footsteps, against the cobbled floor of the alley, I stand up clutching Luna to my side and draw the sword. My body is not ready for next confrontation, but no one will be asking that.


    People in dark robes and hoods fill the alley, blocking the path out. I can see swords and crossbows outline under their robes. My eyes jump between the two groups awaiting who acts first.


    Several long seconds of silence are ended by deep old voice, coming from one of member of the group on the right side.


    "Why did you start so early? Not everyone was asleep yet."


    What?


    "Doesn''t matter. You will be punished later. What group do you belong to?"


    Group?


    I finally notice that some of the group have animal features, and there are animal ears peaking from under the robes.


    Wait.


    If the whole city was in fire...


    FUCK! How can I be so unlucky with the timing?!


    "Answer me!"


    Clutching of tiny hands from my left side reminds me that I am not alone. I can''t leave her. If I leave her even for a moment they will use her as hostage, or worse. Gripping the pommel of the sword harder, I make the decision. In utter silence I leap into the group on the right, trying to kill the leader first.


    The group react a second too late with a scream, I am already in their mist, blocking them from using their crossbows. Few are already dead as I took the initiative, but it is only the start. My stance is highly unstable, as I have to make sure that my body is always blocking Luna from the trajectory of their attacks.


    The fight is much harder than I expected. I have to move a lot as this group of demi-humans seem to be more used to night battles in alleys. Only the fact that I extensively circulate mana throughout my barely functioning body, in combination with maintaining higher speed than the group, and my brute strength, is barely enough to keep me alive and chip their force one by one.


    My chaotic movement is also greatly helping in the fight.


    With a quick maneuver, and jumps from the wall, I was able to maim several attackers and break out of the circle that they attempt to box me in again and again. More and more bodies fall on the cobbled floor, but things don''t look much better for me. I have five arrows embedded in my right leg and torso. Just by sheer luck they didn''t hit vital organs.


    But Luna is unhurt, everything else doesn''t matter.


    The group starts to flee, only after there are less than a third of original two groups left. They return to shadows as quickly as they came from it. The alley returns to silence after several seconds.


    Only the arrows in my body and the still lying and bleeding bodies on the cobbled stone floor proves that what just happened was not an illusion.


    Sound of screams and red light of something burning coming from afar remind me that it is still not finished.


    Quickly checking if anything hit Luna, I find her scared eyes us looking back at me, but other from the trembling and death-like grip into me, everything looks fine. I start caressing her head to calm her down.


    I need to move. If it is really what I think it is, it is too dangerous to stay here. I need to leave the city immediately. I start walking away from the place of battle but a whistle from behind makes me jump aside, trying to evade whatever was shot.


    I look at the direction where the sound should have come from and find a short person with a small crossbow on the building looking down at me. The moment our eyes met the person throws away the small crossbow and starts running away in the opposite direction through the roofs.


    The desire to pursue the attacker is stopped short by cough coming from Luna. Looking down at Luna I see confusion on her face quickly replaced by pain as tears starts gathering in her eyes. I look at her closer and find a small arrow embedded in her side. The wound starts bleeding very fast. Fear returns to her eyes as she starts coughing out more blood.


    No. NO. NO!


    WHAT TO I DO? HOW DO IS STOP THE BLEEDING. WHERE-


    [THE HEALER! GET TO CHURCH! THEY WILL HEAL HER! WE WILL MAKE THEM!]


    [MOVE OUT!! NOW!!!]


    The city is covered in thick fog, with occasional burning houses left and right. I try to remember the direction where the church is located, but that doesn''t help at all. The landmarks are not visible at all. Where the FUCK am I?


    Wait.


    The church was on the hill. And the ocean was to the right of it. Orienting by terrain slope and sound of ocean I try to navigate through the thick fog. Clutching Luna to my chest I run as fast as I can, ignoring the still embedded arrows in me and the bleeding they cause. I will survive, I always have.


    "Everything will be okay, Luna, wait just a little more."


    Sound of explosion and fire increases the more I run, leaping over the dead bodies which lie on the streets, I again and again try to find the main road. Finally I exit into a very wide road, which should lead directly to the church. I ignore that there is much more fire, and that people are running around, I even spot few mages using water magic, which causes a slight drop in my speed.


    Are they healers?


    No. They are barely casting simple water spells, and they are in adventurer gear, not healer for sure. I continue running barely feeling the impact my feet get, when they hit the ground. I don''t have a way to actually block the pain, only numb all the feelings in a specific area, and right now it may cause more problems, as I can simply trip over myself.


    "A bit more. Just a tiny bit more." I say while clutching Luna to my chest and caressing her head.


    After about a minute more I finally arrive at the stair leading up to the church. There are many people standing on the stairs and blocking the path, more likely wanting to be treated, but I ignore them. They may want the treatment first, but dead men need no healing, and I can quickly organize that. I shove through the crowd, jumping over several steps, and finally arrive in front of the church entrance, a totally different situation stands in front of me. Unlike all the other buildings in the city, the church is not just burning, but is totally destroyed, with inferno blazing from under the rubble.


    Few people are screaming searching for healers, but most just stare at the blazing inferno, with bigger part of them having either burns, or damaged limbs.


    There must be someone. Anyone.


    I look around and my eyes stop on the ocean horizon. Here, on the higher ground, the fog is not so thick, so the view is a bit better with the moons lighting up the horizon. Hundreds of ships coming to the port with bright red sails. I do not see who is on the ships but I can guess.


    People all become silent when they look in the same direction as I am. The few moments of silence are quickly broken by horrified screams, which are followed by even more screaming, as people start running around and down the stairs.


    Paletia attacked in the worst, or the best possible moment.


    I need to find a healer. Maybe the king has one. If I need to I will force them all.


    Looking back to Luna to calm her down, and tell her that everything will be okay, by heart stops. Luna''s half-open eyes are not moving.


    No.


    I brush hair from her face and caress her head, trying to deny what happened.


    But her lifeless eyes continue to stay still.


    No. No. No.


    This must be a dream.


    A nightmare. A really bad nightmare.


    As people are running and vacating the hill, I just continue to stand, continuing to caress Luna.


    This can''t be.


    No.


    No.

 Chapter 20

    There is still about an hour before the sun rises. The royal wizards cleared the fog which covered the city, revealing to the whole population what awaits them. Even though there is no sun yet, the city is no longer covered in darkness, the ambient light slowly overpowers it.


    Hundreds of enforcers are walking around the city instructing everyone to gather the dead and put them on the carts, which will go to the city''s graveyard. Old and young, men, women and children alike are all crying as they put their loved ones on the carts. Some of the dead are put carefully on the cart, others are just thrown as if they are sacks of potatoes. The carts moves in haste throughout the city, as they are trying to finish their task as quickly as possible and prepare for what is to come during the day.


    There are few that follow the procession, carrying the dead themselves, to give the last respect to their loved ones, even if that means to putting themselves into danger.


    I slowly follow the procession with a cloth covered bundle in my arms.


    It is one thing when you see dead, or someone speaks about dead. But it is totally different, when someone dies in your arms, and you can feel as the body of the person you cared for, slowly grows cold.


    How the alive become the dead.


    The whole procession just flashed through my eyes, and before I knew it, I stood in open terrain, outside of city walls with huge forest nearby. The people who pulled the cart with the dead, start throwing the bodies into quickly growing mountains around the graveyard. The gravediggers gather together in the center of graveyard. They take out their shovels and start digging a single large graves for everyone. Others, that decided to bury their loved ones themselves, pick spots and start digging small and shallow graves.


    I walk further in the direction of the forest and find a place where no graves are and softly put the bundle on the ground.


    In some happy fairy tale I would find a healer or some way to revive a dead person, and after that we would live happily ever after.


    But real life is different.


    It was always different. Because the bundle will continue to stay dead.


    Bundle...


    She has a name. The name I gave her.


    Luna.


    Luna didn''t do anything, she didn''t deserve this. Why does a dark creatures like me, continues to live, while the innocent and pure ones die everyday.


    Where is the righteousness in this?


    Why?


    TELL ME FUCKER!!


    WHY DOES LIFE WORK THIS WAY!?


    I KNOW THAT YOU ARE THERE!!!


    If HE exists, then so do you.


    Explain to me! Why?!


    Why did she have to die..


    What about you? Why are you silent? Where are the accusations? Where is blame? Why are you silent?


    SAY SOMETHING!


    [What do you want to hear?]


    [She is dead. She died because of us, because she was with us.]


    Is that all? After everything this is all you can say?


    [WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT FROM ME!? SHE IS DEAD!! DEAD BECAUSE OF US!!!]


    [Why do you continue to torture me? What did I ever do to you? What did I do to deserve this? Why do you continue make me experience this horror without the possibility to change anything? Again and again. Nightmare that never ends.]


    [Why did you take her with us? Why did you make me experience what warmth is? Something so pure, so innocent. Why did you show it to me so you could just take it away few moments later?]


    [WHY?!]


    [Leave me alone.]


    [I have suffered enough.]


    [You made me suffer enough.]


    Please someone say something, anything. Or this silence will just swallow me whole.


    As if a puppet possessed, I start digging a grave with my bare hands, my cracked fingernails cutting deep into hard earth. Slowly the pit in ground increases in size and I try my best to ignore the droplets falling into the pit from my face.


    It is just sweat. Only sweat.


    Before I know it the grave is ready. It is even bigger than it is required for someone so small. About meter in length, nearly the same in depth, and about half meter in width.


    Tiny.


    Cries of crow catch my attention, as a huge flock of them is circling around the small mountain of dead bodies in the center of graveyard, that awaits to be buried into the mass grave.


    I turn back to the grave and the bundle lying near it. I slowly pick up the bundle and tenderly open it to reveal a small white face. I start to softly caress the face that feels unforgivably cold.


    Just few hours ago she smiled, those sweet eyes looked at me, in expectation, in hope, as if I could make everything come true.


    But these eyes have shut forever.


    I am not someone who deserves those eyes, that look. Never deserved, and never will.


    Just a cockroach that survived too many times.


    I tenderly kiss Luna''s forehead knowing well, that this is the last time I will touch her. I caress her head one last time. The body slowly descends down.


    I sit one my knees before the small pit, looking down on Luna''s face. Unimaginable force compels me to take her out of the pit, it screams that that this is just an illusion and that she is alive, that any moment she will open her eyes and smile back at me with the same happy and innocent smile she showed me again and again. But only now do I truly know how much those smiles were worth. If I knew how much was left I would cherish every single second.


    But truth is hard.


    With hands I slowly start to pour the granulated earth back into the grave. Luna''s body is slowly being swallowed by earth, as if submerged into it. Until it stops when only her face is visible.


    My hands become hard and immobile.


    Pictures of Luna''s body decomposing flash across my vision, showing grotesquely as skin and flesh rot away, leaving bones, which disappear soon after. I jump into the grave, brushing aside the earth from her body and clutching her into embrace.


    But she is still cold as ice and her limbs sway around as if they belong to doll.


    I sit in the grave for some time, as hot tears stream down my face, screaming in hate and powerlessness.


    I wish I could blame someone for this. The life that forced this situation on me, the whole city for the hate it shows to demi-humans, the adventurers and corrupt guards that attacked me yesterday evening, the group of assassins that attacked after that, that accursed creature that shot the arrow.


    But in the end it all returns to me.


    My decisions, my actions, my mistakes.


    I don''t know how long has passed, but I continue to sit in the grave with Luna in my arms. The rising sun starts to cast few rare beams of direct sunlight across the graveyard.


    I place Luna softly back into the grave and crawl out of it. My trembling hands start pouring the earth over Luna, as ground slowly swallows her.


    She was mine.


    Blood Brotherhood saved many, but they always were responsibility of the Brotherhood. I saved them and said goodbye, again and again.


    People were only something passing to me. Like shadows, wind, or trees, you see them once and forget them instantly, as you will meet many more, nearly exactly the same.


    I saved Luna.


    I took Luna.


    I lost Luna.


    The tiny hill of ground in front of me is the only thing which will remain in this world to prove that Luna existed. No one will know who is buried underneath. They won''t care who she was or what she meant.


    No one will know how sweet and innocent she was.


    I am the last proof, the last person who will remember her. And after I leave this place, she will be alone, again. She will continue to lie here in solitude forever.


    Sorry Luna. If afterlife exists we may meet very soon.


    The only people left at the graveyard are the workers still digging the mass grave and me sitting in front of the tiny hill. I take a thick and long stick lying a bit furtherer, and plunge it near the tiny hill, which will signify that person is burried here.


    My eyes continue to look at the hill, imagining her small body being pressed down by the ground over her.


    Sound of shovel hitting ground makes me slowly look in the direction where it came from. I find several dozen people in black cloaks standing near the mass grave, but with no old gravediggers around anymore.


    Must be some kind of help.


    My head starts to turn back, but sound of quick footsteps coming closer makes my head freeze. A single person in black cloak is walking in my direction and cursing, while his friends gather in circle. The cursing guy in black cloak stops in front of me and looking at me with disgust takes out a short dagger.


    "Fucking cunts, just you wait... What the fuck are you staring at trash?"


    The dagger in his hand flashed in the direction of my neck, but is stopped short by my hand. His confused face is quickly replaced by pained expression as his arm is ripped out with loud sound of bones breaking and flesh ripping apart


    The lying heap of flesh that is screaming near my legs continues to howl, as rare curses about me escape his mouth. My left foot moves and crushes his skull, quieting the creature down forever.


    Death awaits those that practice death.


    Aren''t you going to say that I should have accepted the dagger? That I deserve it? That it would be a fast end?


    Why are you silent?


    Say something.


    Please.


    Looking in the direction of the group, I find most of them still in circle focused on something, while few others are standing in front of them looking back at me with weapons drawn. I stand and await the next attackers, but nothing happens. They just continue stand there.


    Suddenly several dead bodies twitch and start moving in the small mountain near the group. They are slowly followed by more and more, until the whole small mountain of bodies starts crawling as if heap of centipedes.


    Necromancers.


    I have seen few necromancer powerful enough to resurrect about few dozens, but hundreds is totally different level.


    Wait.


    Squinting my eyes I finally notice that nearly everyone in the group of black hooded attackers has a magical item in hand, either a skull, a grimoire or a small staff.


    But more importantly in the center of the group, lies some kind of purple rock which emits ambient mana.


    A group of necromancers? It can''t be. They work alone, too prideful and arrogant to even consider cooperation with anyone. But it is hard to deny it, there is even magical stone overflowing with mana. But still the speed is unbelievable, something that creatures like them could brag about. Less than ten seconds have passed but all the hills of dead start crawling apart and slowly stand in front of the cloaked group, as if protecting them.


    The huge crowd of undead is just standing in front of the dark cloaked group immobile, as if statues. Ground in front of them starts to shift as several severely decomposed bodies start crawling from under the ground. Before I knew the number of undead quadrupled.


    Few of the undead rushed in my direction with inhuman agility and speed. As they come close enough my sword splits them apart as their decomposed innards fall out, littering the ground around.


    But this is not the end. The undead closest to me, which was split apart horizontally, starts to crawls in my direction with his hands as the lower part of his body continues to run around aimlessly.


    One of the most underestimated properties of undead is the fact that their limbs will continue to move, even if the main body of undead is destroyed. Only by separating all the limbs you can disable the undead. After that either the necromancer will stop feeding mana to it, or the mana in the body will dissipate, which may take several hours or days.


    I have seen limbs of undead killed days later, crawling to adventurers and attacking them in their sleep.


    First time experiencing it is unforgettable.


    I stand still awaiting next attack. They will either send small groups to tire me up or all of them to overwhelm me. The latter choice having much more chance.


    Suddenly something grabs my ankle and my impulse I swing my leg trying to get off whatever latched to my ankle. Something small in rag falls several meters away from me. It starts to slowly crawl in my direction making guttural noises.


    My body freezes as I recognize what just fell in front of me.


    I swing my head back looking at the tiny grave trying to deny it, trying to maintain my sanity as I can. But I find the tiny hill unearthed, as if someone crawled out of it.


    My head slowly turns back to front, as I see the small rag continuing to crawl in my direction. Rag falls off and what is left is a small girl with white and black hair crawling to me. The sweet and innocent smile replaced with loosely open mouth with froth coming out of it. The sky blue eyes filled with curiosity are no more, their place taken by corrupted abomination of them, riddled with black veins.


    No.


    Sword falls out of my hand as my knees hit the ground.


    Why.


    Luna continues to crawl in my direction as the guttural growls intensify. My trembling hands stretch to her and slowly pick her up, tenderly pressing her against my chest as she start thrashing around. Cold tears start to stream down my face as I try to hug her, but the only result I get is teeth clenched into my neck.


    Why?


    The blood flowing down my neck doesn''t stop me as I continue trying to hug Luna, or what is left of her.


    Left of her.


    This is not her.


    I detach the small body from myself and pin her to the ground as the thrashing increases. My huge palms squeeze the tiny neck until audible crack is heard, but the body continues to thrash around gurgling something.


    Tears continue streaming down my face.


    I have killed her. And right now I am desecrating her dead body. Loud sobs escape my mouth.


    Series of laughs coming from behind the crown makes me slowly look away from Luna.


    "This never gets old. The faces the make when their loved ones attack them. Just thinking about it makes me hard."


    "Killed my trash, how incompetent could Lars be. Well he''s dead, so it doesn''t matter."


    "We need to finish it faster, we are behind the schedule."


    Luna''s body stops moving and falls limp. My hands slowly detach from her tiny neck. Her body is covered in dirt, while there is still blood and froth coming from her mouth. But the place my eyes are focused is the neck. There is a huge dark mark around the whole area in form of two huge bony palms.


    My palms.


    Several of the undead rush in my direction gurgling.


    Tears continue to stream as I look into Luna''s dead eyes. My sobs are replaced with sinister animalistic growls as black sheet covers my eyes.


    ...


    I don''t know how much time has passed as my mind continues to drift in sea of endless darkness until my eyelids slowly open. Assaulted by bright light my eyes protests initially, but just few seconds after they calm down. My view is divided between two contrast areas, bright blue and white which is in the upper part, and brownish red in the lower. Slowly the sharpness of the image before me increases and I see the details.


    Mountains of body parts, hands, legs and heads, all lying around with different color tone, belonging to different people. Many of the limbs continue to twitch and thrash around, few of the heads near me have their jaws clenching and unclenching, trying to reach my legs.


    There is only one creature in the world which is capable of such violence.


    And that creature is me.


    My body screams in pain but I simply ignore it away as if something unimportant and with a groans I stand up and look around, but the only thing I see is endless sea of limbs and gore. Not so far from me, my eyes find a torso in black cloak with a head and single arm still attached. The face is petrified in horror. Same expression I have seen many, many times.


    Looking around I find few more black cloaks, or at least what is left of them.


    Sharp and cold pain in my chest makes me look down to check if there is something embedded in it.


    But there is nothing.


    There is other reason for the pain.


    I start looking around, shoving limbs around, trying to find her, even if it is just a tiny part, something that I can see, something that I can bury. But there is nothing. Just thousands upon thousands of body parts, guts and innards, several hills of them. I could spend days here in search and still find nothing.


    But I will not be given a chance. Not just because of the hundreds of ships that are visible even from here. There is another problem. It happened again, less than a day after the previous one, and the burning of the scar has not stopped.


    How much time do I actually have left? Will I be awake long enough to finish it?


    No.


    It doesn''t matter, I don''t need much, bu I can not postpone it any longer.


    I couldn''t even give her a proper burial. I could not give her so much...


    I am coming Luna.


    Just a bit more. If there is afterlife, we will see each other soon. If there is heaven and hell, then, we more likely won''t ever meet again.


    Because someone like you could never end up in the same place as creatures like me.


    I stand up and start walking in the direction of the city.


    Brothers. I am coming.


    ...


    My screaming legs continue to move, slowly but steading they carry me through the city. The sun already rose and is shining upon the destruction across the city, the burnt and destroyed building, the looters trying to find anything valuable in empty building. Some always try to find profit even in the worst possible situation. And war is single most profitable business in the world, nothing can even remotely compare to it.


    I continue to walk through the main road, which is nearly dead silent. Only few more looters and several people running up the main road, to the evacuation point more likely. I suddenly stop in front of burnt building, with the musky burnt smell still in the air.


    I recognize the brothel building across of it.


    Inn in which we stayed.


    I slowly walk over the burnt wooden planks, not even understanding I stop in front of small hill covered with burn wooden planks. My hands shift the planks revealing a metal chest. Opening the chest I find several tiny dresses and shoes, the ones I bought for Luna. My trembling hand picks a single white dress, which Luna especially liked, and bring it closer to my face. Her soft laugh and voice is heard right in my head. "Daddy."


    Luna''s smell coming from it breaks my stupor as even the burnt smell can''t fully make the soft and tender fragrance disappear. My tears start streaming again as I try to hungrily capture what is left of Luna. But it disappears as quickly as it appeared.


    I should have buried this with her, she liked it so much. But she is dead, and it won''t change. I tie the tiny white cloth around my left wrist and continue walking.


    Just a bit more.


    I walk for about ten more minutes until I am stopped by group of heavily equipped guards. At first they took out they weapon as if prepared to attack, but the older guard stopped them with some kind of hand gesture. He slowly approaches me and his eyes scan me until they stop at my left hand.


    He makes few step closer and looks at the cloth on my left wrist. In quite and solemn voice says "I am sorry for your loss." Coming closer to me he puts both hands on my shoulders and looks into my eyes. "You need to get to evacuation point, Paletians will attack soon." after a small pause he adds "Your loved ones would want you to survive."


    He releases my shoulders and gives and order to one of the younger guards. "Guide him."


    Ground starts shaking as hundreds of riders on horses in plate armor run across the street, until they stop few meters in front of us. A single rider in golden plate armor comes to us, showing a beautifully chiseled face under his open helmet, looks from the top of his horse down at the guard and me with disgusted look.


    "Why are you here?"


    The older guard standing in front of him gives a bow with his fist to chest.


    "You highness, we have been cleaning the streets from the undead coming from north graveyard, the necromancers may still be here."


    "What about the south graveyard? Still no news?"


    "No your highness. I have sent two of my men there, but they haven''t returned yet."


    Turning to me sneers and commands.


    "Remove that from here. Battle will start soon." he motions to me with his nose.


    The moment he finishes huge fireball hits him to the side. The horse didn''t even have time to respond or react at all as it fell on side with her rider. Horse''s burned body lying on ground with half of it''s torso missing representing the power of spell. The rider wobbling stands up in his near undamaged armor and is instantly surrounded by many riders trying to protect him from any more possible attacks.


    Magic enchantments do save lives.


    Rebuilding the trajectory of the direction where the fireball came from, I find a open balcony on third floor of huge building with no one there. The riders scream to each other something, while looking around at the buildings and streets. But the absolute silence of the whole area is instantly changed, as waves of undead start pouring from all of the windows and doors of the big buildings across as if water our of broken jar.


    "Protect the prince!!" shouts one of the knights as they make a wall around him.


    A group in black walks out of alley and starts firing spells into the knights from afar, taking one life after another with deadly spells.


    Necromancers.


    They belong to same group.


    They did it.


    Squeezing the sword in my right hand, blood start boiling in me as mana makes my body move as if a puppet possessed by evil spirit. I leap into the wall of undead with a guttural roar. Body parts of undead start flying around, as my sword send more and more of them to rest. As if noticing that something is wrong, necromancers start firing the curses and spells at me, but I simply command the body to evade the spells, while curses hit me straight in the chest and dissipate, bringing horror across the faces of necromancers.


    As soon as I got within few meters of them they attempt to retreat, to call their undead to help them, but it is too late. Moments later they are cleaved in half, crushed and dismembered. They try to bundle together to construct magical shield, but my sword breaks them as glass. One of them nearly finished wide range spell, which could deal significant damage to the area. Sadly for him, I am faster, my thrown sword sails across to him, until it plunges through his body and the pure force of it carries him across the street to the wall, until he collides with it, destroying the building in the process.


    I turn to the ones that are left and one by one end them with my bare hand, ignoring their plea for mercy, crushing the skulls of the ones crawling away, grabbing the necks of the next ones that are attacking and squeezing them until audible crack is heard.


    "Monster." whispers the last one.


    I slowly walk to her as she start to chant a prayer to her dark gods on her knees. The green horrified eyes on her pretty porcelain face, stares back at me in defiance. Her chant becomes louder as I grab her skull. The chant ends the moment my hand clenches, as loud pop is heard and her body falls limp on the ground, spilling reddish content of her skull across the street.


    This must be all.


    I look at the white piece of cloth on my left left wrist, which is already fully covered in blood. Bringing it to my face I try to catch the last bits of Luna, but it is already replaced by metal smell of blood.


    There is nothing left.


    I let the cloth go. The cloth slowly falls down and starts absorbing more blood from the ground. Walking to the destroyed wall I find my sword and pick it up.


    The utter silence of area makes me turn in the direction where the knight should be. Did they already leave? But what I find is wall of knight staring at me as their weapons still drawn out, pointing at me.


    Fear.


    Nothing new.


    "Y-You should have left at least one for interrogation, she was human." says the knight in golden armor no longer looking at me in disgust, but more of caution.


    Human?


    Or was it because the human was a girl, a pretty girl?


    What if she was a demi-human? What if she was ugly? What if she was he? Would your comment be the same? Before the law everyone is equal. But some are always more ''equal''.


    Oh, you are pretty? Well it looks like you will get less to no punishment.


    Should I kill them too?


    Will someone cry over their deaths?


    Each of them should have dreams, fears, family, loved ones. Someone may cry over their death.


    But they won''t cry over Luna.


    She was just a mistake. Right?


    Just a single, insignificant death. Right?


    Who even cares about single demi-human? Right?


    One insignificant death in endless whirlpool or chaos and suffering.


    My hand squeezes on the sword''s pommel, and violent desires start burning deep withing me, but I stop shortly.


    No. Enough. I am slowly turning into him.


    Enough.


    I start walking in the direction of the dungeon ignoring the stares get from the crowd of knight. Loud crash makes my feet stop in their track and turn in the direction of the origin of that sound, which is the city port.


    Attack started. The ships should have already hit the shore.


    I should get to the dungeon as fast as I can. The ground troops will move quickly, I have maximum of about ten minutes before they reach here. And inhuman screech appears suddenly, and quickly increases in volume as it get closer and closer.


    Several groups of flying demi-humans with bows and staffs appear from behind of the tall building, screeching and coming this direction.


    That''s too fast.


    Was there no one to stop them at port? Where the hell are the guards?


    A purple spot lights up on the horizon and quickly increases in size, abandoning everything I leap into the alleys, running away, trying to get as far from the main road as I can. Few seconds later, a huge purple beam of light explodes behind me. Turning around I find the the whole main street destroyed, stone buildings melted and no one expect the avian demi-humans circling around the area where I just was.


    A calamity level ritual spell at the very beginning of siege.


    Madness.


    The only thing that comes to mind is "Blitzkrieg". All of the leaders always scoffed at the military tactical ideas brought by the summoned, laughing and ignoring them. What could have happened for such a major change?


    Doesn''t matter.


    Sending mana into my barely working legs I command them to move once again. Walking through the alleys I try to evade the main road which could result a high possibility of needless confrontation. My legs continue to carry me to the dungeon entrance through the empty alleys, through rare images of destroyed building or dead bodies lying around.


    Finally reaching the dungeon plaza a totally different picture stands in front of me. Endless sea of knight and warriors are fighting even more demi-humans in the center of the dungeon plaza, with constant barrage of spells from mages behind the knight and even bigger volley of arrows from harpies and gargoyles from the opposite side. The sides collide in blends of gore and violence, the collision walls shift as if a wave from one side to another, back and forth, again and again. As wave of knight overwhelms a single point they start chanting "For the kingdom", as soon as the wave switches direction the demi-humans chant "For motherland" in Patu language.


    Waves of meat mass struggling against each other with dogmas of seething hatred installed deep into their beings.


    A very different picture happens at the corners of plaza and alleys, small and fast groups hunt down their respective enemies, merciless stabbing in the back the injured and the ones running away.


    Not so far from me a wolf demi-human pins down a female knight and rips of armor and clothes from her chest licking the face of his prey in the process with a wide grin.


    "Latar! Not now! You will take her later!" screams similar looking wolf demi-human near him in Patu.


    "No! Humans raped and enslaved our sisters! I will return this dept." he growls turning back to his friend.


    But before he can do anything more the woman under him takes out a small dagger and with a scream slides it across his neck, painting herself red with rapidly flowing blood.


    "Latar!" Screams the other wolf demi-human before being overwhelmed by a new group of knights.


    The female knight throws off the body of the dead demi-human and tries to stand on her wobbly legs. Trembling she looks around as if trying to understand what is happening. The definition of war finally seeping into her.


    Welcome.


    Suddenly an enormous tremor travels through the ground, making many in the plaza lose their footing. Few seconds later huge explosion and clouds of smoke rush out of dungeon entrance, creating a big hole in the center of barrier. The barrier starts morphing, trying to repair itself and close the huge hole in it''s center but few seconds later with a crack it falls apart sending waves of mana around.


    An open path.


    I was never that lucky.


    A trap for sure.


    But I don''t have any other option than to meet it head on.


    The time standing and observing the battlefield finally bites me back as several demi-humans stealthily try to take my life, like they have done with others in the corners of the plaza before.


    Death to those that practice death.


    The lives of sneaky attackers come to quick end as their dismembered bodies quickly fill the alley. Another wave of at least three dozen, much more dangerous looking demi-humans, notices me and leap into the alley, trying to take my life. These ones are prepared as they are not risking getting too close and are using hit-and-run tactic, surrounding me and blocking the escape path.


    Every formation has a weakness or it would be called absolute.


    But there are no absolute things in this world.


    Charging into the a specific direction the attackers disperse, but my body does not stop and leaping into the closed wooden door I smash through it. The door explodes in shower of planks and splinters as I arrive into a small corridor of the building''s first floor. The attackers follow shortly, only to be impaled by my sword thrust through the cloud of splinters. Their bodies fall down around the entrance, creating a makeshift barricade. I can use environment too. Part of attackers continues the attack only to be easily killed at the choke point, but most part simply try to circle around and find another entrance.


    They may believe that they have trapped me inside if they block the all the doors, but buildings have several exits.


    Running through the building I find the staircase and run up, as sound of breaking wood and footsteps reach me. The pursuers reach me shortly, but I already have the higher ground and they will have to attack one by one through another choke point. As more and more bodies litter the staircase I have to slowly move higher and higher. Few of the attackers get in from the windows of second floor but I simply climbed to third floor and made the sneaky attackers merge together with the main group. Making a stand on top, third floor I try to hold the position, but the attackers, not willing to sacrifice another life, change strategy and switch to ranged attacks, with constant volley of arrows coming out from the staircase.


    Not good.


    As my eyes are focused on the staircase, awaiting next wave of attackers, on side of my vision I notice huge fireball traveling at the building. The fireball hits the side wall, sending waves of force and heat across the whole area. Sound of wood breaking comes from first floor, as the whole building starts slowly tilting. Abandoning everything I command my legs to run as fast as they can in the direction of the closest window, which is closed with wooden planks, but I do not stop and leap right through them, breaking the wooden protection in the process.


    In mid air I regret my to decision as the alley is very narrow and I end up hitting the wall of the building across. Falling down I hit the cold stone floor with my left side as my ribs creak.


    Groaning I demand my hands and feet to start moving, trying to get the body up and ready for what is to come. Leaning on the wall I slowly stand up, after which I turn my head to scan the alley and building with my eyes. The whole building became a huge wooden mountain burning in flames, while the pursuers are no where in sight, more likely burried under the burning, wooden tomb. But I should not get my hopes high.


    Manually moving my legs one after another I slowly move through the narrow alley until I exit into a much bigger one. Looking around my eyes stop on a gruesome sight. Several meters from me two knight in plate armor are sitting in a huge pool of blood. I believe them to be dead and make several steps away, until a quite whisper reaches my ears. I do not know why, but my legs stop and turning around start slowly moving on their own, until I stand in front of the pair and finally hear a quite chant ''I am sorry Lara''. Coming closer a picture I saw many times with the young brothers stands before me, a boy in his late teens is sitting in the pool of blood, hugging a girls head with long red hair. The face of the girl in his arms has exactly the same eyes as the boy, empty and dull. His lips continue to move chanting the same words.


    Soul damaged.


    Life is hard and unfair. Sometimes it hits people so strongly that they break. The broken may develop severe case of insomnia, caused by never ending nightmares, irrational fears and many, many more. I encountered quite few cases when a person would start hallucinating about past events and battles if specific stimulus would be applied, clash of metal or screams.


    There are many broken, there was no blood brother who wasn''t broken in one way or another. People adapt, survive, find a way to live with it. I am one such example.


    But there are those who are broken beyond repair, they can never return to normal life, they become an empty husk of their former self. Symptoms vary from simple apathy to their own future, to quite common cases of total vegetation state, where a person is not even able to eat by himself.


    There are many factors that affect what fate awaits soul damaged.


    Common knight or warrior would more likely stay in this state forever, few very lucky ones could heal enough to ''exist'', but they will never truly recover.


    With enforcers and mages things get problematic, as they have many affinities, or bridges to other side how I call them. Darkness can seep into this world through those affinities, and because of that affected need be either healed and purified quickly, or ''sealed''. It may take some time and effort from many priests, but in the end, they may recover. Losing a skilled enforcer or mage, unlike a knight or warrior, would be a tremendous waste of resources and because of that they use any means necessary. And the most popular method is religious indoctrination.


    You are not evil. You did nothing wrong. You only followed the will of the god.


    Blood brotherhood is a but different. Even a tiny chance of a brother being corrupted in unacceptable. A single case long time ago was enough to make an iron clad rule. Long story short, any soul damaged brother is instantly ''released''. I did not even notice at what point my sword was already on the boy''s neck, just about to take his life. Old habits die hard.


    But he is not a blood brother.


    And neither am I.


    Just before I decide to remove the sword from boy''s neck and leave him alone, my eyes notice a single thin black veins across his neck. The black veins starts to slowly grow, traveling up and down his body, as more and more black veins appear.


    So you chose to give up.


    I place the tip of my sword on his Adam''s apple. Only thin cloth separates the tip of metal object and the soft flesh. I slowly move my hand forward. The sword slides into boy''s neck with no resistance whatsoever. Blood starts to slowly flow out of the wound with near no reaction from the person himself. His head tips down causing more blood to flow down his armor, painting it red. The unmoving body slowly slides to right and the head of the girl falls out of his hands, rolling away. Corruption usually takes hours or days, but that, such speed could not be natural, there was something that was desperately trying to make connection.


    With my peripheral vision I catch the sight of the pursuers finally catching up. Deciding not to wait until they gather in larger number. I turn in their direction and increase the speed of mana circulation once more, burning down whatever reserves are left in this body. My finger clench around the hilt stronger as I prepare to leap into the advancing group, to send them to the other side. My body explodes into action as a spring, but the moment my sword plunges through the first enemy''s chest, something huge jumps out of the narrow alley and crashes into us, throwing everyone at the wall. As my body impact the building wall, precious air escapes my lungs. Not waiting next attack I command my body to move and leap aside, saving myself in the process as something hit the area I was a fraction of a second ago.


    Using the momentum I make several rolls and reorient my body, making the final stop on the creaking legs. My eyes finally capture the new attacker in full view. White skeleton, two meters in height and four meters in length, with burning green eyes and three horns in dark cloak standing on all four, as an animal, is staring at me in pure hatred. It''s bone jaw opens wide and a high pitched screech comes out of it. Few seconds later the previous attackers body start to move in very unnaturally way as they stand up.


    Feral Lich.


    What the actual fuck!? There are tons of dead near the dungeon entrance. Why attack here?


    Wait.


    It is looking specifically at me. And that hatred is directed.


    The fucking lich was corrupting the boy.


    And I destroyed his new vessel.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Shit.


    Fighting Lich and dozen of undead in narrow alley is a fast ticket to afterlife.


    But who cares?


    I am tired of running around again and again. I will be there soon one way or another. Enough time was wasted in attempt to get to the dungeon quietly.


    I unyieldingly stare back into the green burning eyes. Maggots start falling out of it''s ribcage on the ground and crawl away. My blood starts to boil as representation of pure corruption and mindless evil stands before me.


    Lich charges at me with undead following him shortly after. Squeezing the sword in my hand, I prepare for coming attack, but face of innocent smiling girl, with black and white hair, flashes through my mind, which is nearly instantly replaced by the image of her dead body trying to kill me with the same hateful eyes.


    With a roar my body leaps at the enemy, at something, that must be destroyed, something, that must be erased from existence. My sword swings down vertically with colossal velocity at the incoming swipe of the undead. The sword crushes the limb of the lich and smashes against floor sending cracks in all direction from the point of impact. But I do not stop, my body moves further demanding destruction of the thing before me. The next swing with enormous strength crashes against the body of the Lich and throws it against the wall as if a doll, but something deep inside of me is demands more, much more. With another roar I leap at the creature and smash one limb after another. Lich tries to crawl away sending numerous undead around to his help, but it is useless, my sword rips them apart only increasing the power and intensity with which I send the sword crashing into the lich''s body. In desperation it sends all it''s mana into the bones to reinforce them and crawl up the building, but I will not allow it. Grabbing it''s spine I throw it down against the stone floor. It screeches in horror and hate as my sword impact it''s skulls cracking it slightly. Again and again my sword continues to assault, cracking and chipping away more and more of the skull. Ignoring the disappeared light of eyes in the skull and the bones detaching from the main body, my sword continues to fall down again and again, cracking the huge skull more and more until it finally cracks open as a broken fruit.


    I feel as my chest is moving up and down consuming all the available air. Minutes later my chest still continues to move, hungrily devouring more and more air, as if an unsatisfiable beast. Looking down at the crushed and broken bones which few minutes ago were part of dangerous lich I continue to desperately devour the air. The ringing in my ears finally starts to disappear. The utter silence of the alleys contrasts to the enormous amount of sound coming from the main roads.


    My eyes scan the alley finding it nearly desolated except the dismembered undead that stopped moving after the Lich was destroyed.


    Alone in world of chaos again.


    I need to finish this.


    My legs and arms scream in pain, telling me that I overused them, but I simply block the feeling. As dictator I demand their absolute obedience and with a small hitch they start moving again, carrying me to the dungeon.


    Enough.


    I exit the alleys and come to the dungeon plaza from a bit different direction. The tides changed and now the area is generally overwhelmed by Paletia army, which now consist of many more sub-species than before. More and more demi-humans pour into the plaza as they chant ''For motherland''. Small groups with spears are running around and finishing any human who is lying on the ground, but is not dead yet. As the group comes near me I finally notice that it consist of kids, barely under fifteenth. One of them leaps at the warrior in leather Armour, who is crawling away and begging for help and plunges the spear through his back with a scream.


    "DIE THIEVES! WE WILL TAKE MOTHERLAND BACK!"


    Well he is not fully wrong. This area belonged to demi-humans a very, very long time ago. It was actually their place of origin, but after the inter-continental war they were ''displaced''.


    The small group continues to walk around and killing the fleeing, until they come to a boy about the same age with missing legs crawling away with one hand. They start plunging spears into his back as he cries for help, as he cries for them to stop, but they continue to assault and torture him with shouts of delight and crazed eyes. Their fun is ended shorty by my sword which cuts them apart one by one. They try to run away, but I don''t give them that opportunity.


    A female demi-human appears at peripheral of my vision with a sword coming in the direction of my skull, with small movement I evade the attack and counter attack myself. As her arms split apart at the elbows a high pitched scream escapes her, notifying everyone around about an enemy. My sword plunges through her eye socket quieting her forever.


    More and more demi-humans attack, but they simply follow the fate of the previous attacker as I make my way through them in the direction of dungeon entrance.


    A huge fire ball exploding dozen meters away from me makes me stop in my track. My eyes catch a levitating red cloak as more and more fireballs rain down on the plaza. Demi-humans start running back, trying to escape the rain of fire, but their stampede does the opposite, as many are simply trampled to death.


    After half a minute of the assault the cloaked person slowly lands on ground, a man in early thirties, he barely stands straight, breathing heavily. He takes out a blue vial and chugs it down as red glow returns to him. As if possessed he starts throw fireballs at the army of demi-humans burning them to charcoal as his hysterical laugh sounds across the plaza. His glow starts slowly decreasing again after which he chugs another vial that he took out of his cloak. The glow once more returns to him but this time blood starts flowing out of his ears, eyes and mouth, as he continues to fire the fireballs randomly. His figure slows down as his coughs are quickly replaced with choking. After a series attempts to take a breath he stops moving at all and falls down on the ground.


    Overdose.


    As if by a queue more and more people start pouring into the plaza from both sides, but this time the tides switch back from demi-humans to humans, as they slowly overwhelm the attackers. Many generals in lavish plate armor show up rallying the warriors and charging into the meat grinder itself. More and more hills of dead appear at the plaza. About a tenth of the whole plaza it already littered by dead bodies.


    And the dead will have one more addition soon.


    I resume my walk in the direction of the dungeon entrance directly through the meat grinding center, dodging when needed and countering when required. The path is littered with dead from both sides, and I add more on ever single exchange, sending to afterlife every enemy who dared to attack. After many long minutes I finally reach the stairs leading to dungeon entrance. The guard stationed on the top stairs are fighting the few brave ones that try to reach the top, but it is hard to call it a fight, as most of attackers are simply thrown off, down the long stairs. As I make several steps up the stairs a unison of screeches explodes out of the dungeon entrance. At least dozen of feral Liches pour out, and attack anyone they can find, they rip apart, crush and throw around all the guards stationed near the entrance until the top is occupied only by the liches. After a few seconds a single elder lich appears, floating about a meter above the ground and nearly twice the size of feral lich, it''s blue burning eyes scan the area until they stop on me for few long seconds. The elder lich points it''s bony finger at me as it''s jaw opens slightly, and an ethereal voice whispers "Kill". The next instant all the feral liches turn in my direction and screech in pure hatred as if they found their ultimate enemy.


    More and more obstacles.


    After another unison of screeches they start running down the stairs on all four as if wild animals in frenzy, trampling every single one on their path. They reach me within seconds, but I do not wait for their attack. Pumping the mana circulation to the limit I leap into their midst, bringing my sword down on the first lich''s skull, crushing it and sending cracks across the stairs in process. Not waiting anything I swing the sword to the left trying to destroy the next one, but the sword meets with an arm, raised in defense, crushing it in the process, but the momentum was already lost, and only a single small crack appears on the skull of second lich the moment it hit it. The lich screeches back as if laughing, but I do not get time to react as something from behind hits my side, sending me far in the air. The air time is short, but the distance I travel is nothing like that. My body impacts the ground and starts rolling on side, but instincts scream to evade whatever is coming. Thrusting the sword into floor I redirect my body just in time as two liches land at the area I was but a moments ago. Other liches start running in my direction as more and more undead rise around me.


    Fighting a horde of liches in the middle of inter-continental war battlefield...


    As the liches are about to reach me again, several yellow beams cut through the space around them, and images of melting bones is quickly replaced by silence and their ashes are blown away by wind. Turning in the direction of the origin of the beam attack I find a group in colorful armor, with huge aura around them visible even to naked eye, walking in the direction of demi-human army. One of them gives me a silent nod with a smile on his face.


    Heroes.


    Paletia army start a retreat trying to save themselves from the onslaughter of devastating spells, but it only results the opposite as the knights and warrior smash through the retreating armies as hot knife through butter.


    This is what heroes are. Their mere presence instantly shifts the state of battle. A single spell from them and creatures which could take hundreds, thousands of lives disappears in an instant, leaving but ashes behind it.


    Gods among men.


    About hundred knights, in white and red armor, with golden insignia on their chest, walk through the endless sea of warriors, as the later ones step aside and make path for them. The knights arrive beside the heroes with their chins held high, basking in fear people around them have, as if the events that just happened are result of their work.


    The ''new'' Blood Brotherhood.


    I am not sure if it is punishment of fate itself for our crimes, to have us all killed and the replacement to be exactly the opposite of what we were aspiring for. Our ideals turned inside out, and the resulting abomination taking our place as if it rightfully belonged to it.


    Fate, you bitch for sure have the most twisted sense of humor out there.


    Ground starts trembling as sound of very heavy footsteps become louder and louder. Suddenly it becomes very quite as all eyes turn in the direction of demi-human army and the origin of footsteps. Five giants, which are at least hundred meters tall, are walking through the city, destroying any building on their path, and stomping any enemy who dared to attack them. The kingdom knight and warriors begin whispering between themselves and after command from their leaders start retreating even faster than the Paletia army when heroes arrived.


    Dozen warriors walk out of the retreating demi-human army, their tribal armor shining brightly and not losing to the heroes even a bit. They continue to walk forward taking out their weapons, as their aura starts shining much brighter.


    All the heroes take out their weapons and start slowly walking in the direction of new arrival. Their auras shining brighter and brighter as they come closer to each other, until them stop about fifty meters from each other. The whole plaza is submerged into absolute silence as the parties continue to stand and stare at each other. Only the footsteps of the giants reminding that time is slowly moving.


    I am sure that this is a point that will go into the annals of not just this kingdom''s history, but the world''s. For me though, this is just another, useless, over-glorified bar fight. My eyes finally leave the new brotherhood, which are standing about a dozen meters behind the heroes, and start climbing the stairs with the barely moving legs of mine. They scream in protest, as each step I make feels as if walking on burning coals which have razor sharp nails in them, but I simply block the feelings in my legs again. Alas my thought still return back to the brotherhood, one of not many things I truly cared about, no matter how many times I try to swat the thought away.


    It does not matter anymore.


    This is no longer my world, but theirs.


    "Hello, fellow summoned." I hear a young loud voice from behind.


    My legs stop at the very last step of the long stairs. The emptiness that filled my mind made my body stop in stupor. ''Summoned''? Turning my face back I take a closer look at the party which came out from the demi-humans army. Their auras shining just as brightly as heroes.


    It can''t be.


    The method for summoning was lost by all except the empire, and only because the elders took great steps to ensure that it would be never lost.


    Did they restore the method themselves? Replicated it? Or simply stole it?


    But if demi-humans were able, maybe others will...


    Enough. It does not concern me.


    In a flash parties explode in action as they crash against each other as powerful spells are thrown around destroying the buildings and changing the terrain of plaza. Each one them finding an enemy as if by a queue, switching between one on one and group on group, while the brotherhood is supporting them with simple blood spells. The whole thing looks like a battle of angry gods. Everyone else simply runs away into the alleys, trying to hide from the incoming spells, hoping that a stray one won''t hit them.


    Some things do not change.


    I resume my tortures walk to the dungeon entrance, moving one trembling leg after another, and the moment I stand before huge arc, the actual entrance into the dungeon, something hits nearby column with high velocity. The column explodes into cloud of grey and black dust as it falls apart. Sound of someone groaning and coughing comes from inside of the cloud, a second later a person''s silhouette stands up and starts walking in my direction. A very pale female from the empire hero group, with white hair and yellow eyes appears out of the dust cloud, swiping blood which is flowing down her mouth with her hand. She looks in my direction and grins toothily.


    The female hero disappears as if an illusion and a sudden impact throws me into a column as air escapes my lungs.


    "Juicy one. So much mana in a dry skeletal body like that."


    Something clamps at my neck as I feel mana and blood escaping my body. Sound of delight escapes her as she continues to suck energy out of my barely moving body.


    A huge desire to sleep starts to close my eyes, until they are fully closed.


    Maybe meeting my end like this will be enough.


    Killed by a random hero who sucked energy out of me like-


    Images of thousands of children sexually abused, sucked dry of blood and eaten alive flash through my mind, their scream for help and wails of pain, me standing in endless sea of tiny, dead bodies.


    No.


    Not like this.


    NOT LIKE THIS.


    With a roar my eyes open as my hands clamp around the ribs of the accursed blood sucker. Audible crack of bones is heard as she jolts in confusion and stops the sucking. With monstrous strength my jaws shut tight around the neck of white haired hero. She opens her mouth and tries to scream in terror, but my jaws squeeze her neck with so much force, that she can''t even breath. Her limbs frail around uselessly trying to get herself away from me. Her sharp claws dig into my back, as in desperation she tries to do any damage she can, but strength slowly leaves her limbs. The blood from her artery has been dripping down my chin for some time, but most of it is going down my throat, replenishing the mana that was barely left in me. Sides change as I start sucking her dry, draining whatever liquid there is in the body in my arms.


    My vision blurs, as impact with unimaginable strength crushes my very being and sends me flying through two columns. I desperately try to command my body to move, but my eyes already caught the sight of huge burning sun descended on me, sending me to world of indescribable pain as my skin and flesh melts away. I feel as if even the piece of flesh, that I ripped from the energy draining hero, is burned to crisp.


    In desperation I send mana to block all senses from my body, after which world of total darkness and numbness descends on me. In this dark and empty void I slowly send mana bursts, trying to asses the status of my body. When the review finishes few seconds later I am presented with a simple answer.


    This is the end.


    There is nearly no mana left in this empty husk of a body. Nearly every single organ is ruptured beyond repair. The burns on my back are so severe that there is nothing except bones and muscles left there. Toxins from the burns are already seeping into the flesh, poisoning the ruptured organs underneath them.


    I will not be able to heal it.


    This is it.


    I may be able to squeeze few minutes, but thats the limit.


    I will not make it in time to the volcano.


    If destruction is what the world wants, than that is what it will get.


    I will drag to hell as many of you as I can.


    Stopping all the healing attempts, I send mana into body to enforce my last demands.


    Pain and feeling return, telling me that I am not dead, yet. The trembling limbs start moving and I stand up. My left eye went fully blind as there isn''t even a spec of light it can see. I send mana into the right, cursed one, to at least orient in space. In the smoke I find my sword, near the melting rocks, and try to grab it with the trembling hand, but I fail again and again, as the muscles are not listening to me. Sending mana I make the tendons and muscles clench on the sword with death grip strength.


    As I walk out of the smoke I find the two summoned parties in some kind of stalemate, looking at each other and speaking about something. My feet start to move, carrying me down the stairs, when the discussion ends shortly and they look in my direction in total silence. I continue my descent as their eyes do not leave me.


    My right eye is blurry and can not tell me what exactly the atmosphere is like. But I somehow can feel two distinctive feeling present in the air. Fear and disgust.


    A deep laugh from my left makes my neck slowly turn until I see a silhouette of a huge demi-human standing near the Paletia heroes walking in my direction.


    "I am the luckies person alive! The FUCKING Inquisitor himself!"


    The silhouette start moving quickly in my direction, faster than any human could and when he is about ten meters away he leaps and screams "Your life is mine!". As his sword is about to reach me, my hand moves and his body and sword splits in half. Spraying me with blood and innards as his body travels further hitting the stairs, painting it blood red.


    There should be no clothes covering me, but I am not even sure how the symbol of the brotherhood is visible through the burned flesh.


    But it does not matter.


    Not waiting for the next attack, my eyes scan the area and find the silhouette of white haired female hero lying on ground with what looks like healer and a wizard in red near her. What stands between her and me is another hero with a scythe and the blood brotherhood, with their weapons drawn out in what looks like defensive stance.


    Forcing my limbs to obey my demands I start moving again, to which everyone around reacts by tensing up. A single person comes out of crowd of new brotherhood, with a delighted toothy smile, and points his weapon in my direction announcing loudly with a smile.


    "The cursed heretic. You have finally showed your treacherous soul. By the order of the Emperor, and my power as Inquisitor, you are sentenced to death. We-"


    "Impostors." unexpectedly ghastly voice coming from me interrupts him. "Fakes." the voice continues.


    His smile breaks and is instantly replaced with a scowl.


    "You will regret it cursed rat!" he screams, as the members of new brotherhood leap at me, only to be cleaved by my sword one by one.


    The next instant the whole group surrounds me and attacks screaming in pure hatred. I take the upper part body part of the previous attacker, lying near me, and throw it at the incoming enemy. Distracted by the body of his comrade, he does not capture my descend and the sword that ends his life. In rage I leap at one enemy after another, pumping more and more mana of what is left in this body, into my limbs. Every spell is evaded, every attack is countered, every trap is stopped before they could set it up. I rip their bodies apart, crush their skulls not holding back even a bit of strength, littering the whole area with their dismembered bodies


    "Pathetic." the ghastly voice whispers as I crush skull of another moaning fake. Their inexperience and weakness exceeding even my worst expectation. I thought that they at least gathered strong ones. But it is just a facade. Group of actors using our names as if they earner it.


    The new ''Inquisitor'' tried to cast sever mid-tier blood spells, only for them to be countered instantly. He doesn''t even know the weaknesses of those spells, where and how to use them.


    Pathetic.


    The leader roars in response as he tries to cast next spell only to be interrupted by my sword and sent flying dozen meters away. Innumerous enchantments on his armors creating impenetrable barrier around his neck just a moment before my sword could cleave it half. I try to take another step and finish the excuse of a warrior, but my leg freezes as if a solid rock. Flesh in the leg stops responding to all attempts to make it move, as if dead. My vision start to slowly narrow as if being slowly submerged into darkness.


    No.


    NO!


    Just a bit longer.


    A tiny bit more.


    The new Inquisitor groans and standing up takes out several transparent potions. He gulps them down in one ago after which his maniac laugh sounds across the plaza as huge red aura burst out of him.


    "Die remnant of past!" he screams leaping at me.


    Pathetic.


    Redirecting mana from the leg into my arm, and using the fact that my legs are frozen solid, the sword falls down crushing the foe against the marble floor, creating cracks around the epicenter of the hit location. His eyes stare into empty space not understanding what happened. The huge cut from his right shoulder to stomach starts heavily bleeding as red aura slowly disappears.


    A moment later a hero appears above me with his scythe descending down at me. Abandoning an attempt to evade the attack as my leg would not budge, I put a half-block reorienting the path of scythe. The scythe passes my face by paper thin margin, but I do not give the hero even a moment to realize that, as my sword is already falling down in an attempt cleave the hero''s neck, only for his enchanted armor to create several magic shields which explode on contact with the sword and send me flying dozen meters away.


    I crash against the floor and after few twirls plunge the sword into floor and stop the travel sharply, ending on my knees. The hero with scythe looks at me in horror, as the fact that he nearly died finally sinks into him.


    Heroes always have this illusion as if they would not die, as if they are immortal.


    As I attempts to use my sword and arms to stand up my whole body freezes. Muscles starts to tremble as blood begins to leak from out of my mouth and eyes, telling me that there are only few breaths left.


    Truly pathetic.


    I look at the new heroes and say something that I should have said at the very beginning, maybe then it would not have ended this way.


    Maybe then Luna would have been alive.


    "V-a-i l-a-y" my ghastly voice whispers.


    Taking another breath I repeat the phrase in the language of summoned.


    "V-e-i l-a-i" I repeat, coughing out a glob of blood at the end.


    My eyes trail the trajectory of the glob until it hits the ground merging with all the blood on the marble floor. But the glob starts to slowly moving as if alive, trailing it''s path I notice that it is not the only thing moving. All the blood starts to flow in waves in a single direction as if a river, until they come to the body of new Inquisitor and disappear in it. His body melts into red goo and huge face appears out of the goo, as if trying to escape. The next instant face disappears and all red goo gathers into a small bundle, out of which feature of limbs break out. A creature with humanoid features, barely half a meter in height stands out of goo. It''s blood red eyes open wide and start looking around until they stop on me. The moment it''s eyes meet mine and inhuman screech escapes it as within a second it''s grows into four meters tall sleek creature with razor sharp claws and fangs.


    Smile breaks across my face at the appearance of avatar.


    Fuck you fate.


    Death by blood avatar.


    Very ironic for Blood Brother.


    Fuck you bitch.


    The next instant the blood creature leaps at me with speed exceeding any possible biological limits. I try to send mana into my body, to move my hand with the sword and block the lunge, but I know full well that it is useless. Moment later I am sent flying through air. It could be poetic, me sailing through air with huge speed, as wind blows around my body, of course it was so until my back hit something, again, and again, and again. Expecting the impact I blocked all the feeling left in this body and the only thing I could perceive was the change in the scenery and total loss of response from some of the internal organs.


    My eye slowly blinks and tries to scan the surrounding, but everything is blocked by rubble and dust cloud, and the only thing that I can see, lying on my side on the cobble stone floor is silhouette of destroyed buildings. Creature of blood appears from out of the dust cloud and scowling, voices extreme discontent at my survival with a very high pitch screech. Grabbing me by my right foot the creature swings me around, at the ground and at the walls, as if a cloth being whipped. Finally it throws me at the nearby building and my body passes through several wooden walls as they explode in clouds of splinters.


    Blinking several times my eye tries to determine where I am, but the only thing I see is a totally new open square and stone cobble floor. I do not know where the strength comes from but by my command the body starts moving as they visible tremble. Wobbling on my legs and using the sword, which is still in my right hand in a death grip, I stand up. Slowly turn around my gaze meets the one from the blood creature. I am suddenly lifted up as hand made out of blood squeezes around my neck.


    The creature snarls something incoherent for few seconds until I am suddenly released and fall down on my knees as sack of potatoes. The creatures screams in pain while I take few shallow breaths and notice that there is a huge purple gem coming out of it''s chest. The gem starts shining bright as the form of creature ripples and turns into a blob of blood. The blood avatar tries to reforms into several wild animals and species but continues to break apart and return back to blob.


    A person in white plate armor appears from thin air with his sword coming at my face, reacting by pure instinct I send all the mana available into my right hand and moves it just enough for the sword to somehow connect with the persons helmet and sends him flying several meters away. Thin yellow thread circles around me, until it makes a ring around my right arm and in a flash of light severs it. My hand falls to ground and starts bleeding. Not even a second after many javelins pierce my chest and legs, stopping all the movement dead.


    Not like I could move anyway.


    A few seconds later several people in white long cloth coats, which look like something that Qing priests wear, appear and walk to me, and the still reforming and breaking apart blood avatar.


    "Well. Well. Well. Would you look who we have here." says a young male voice.


    The young man turns to the person in white plate armor to my left, who is standing up and removing his damaged helmet. After looking at the damaged helmet his black eyes turn to be in pure hatred.


    "What were you expecting attacking THE Inquisitor? Even in this burned state he is a dangerous enemy, he fought the blood chosen and is still alive. What were you even thinking?" remarks the laughing young man in white coat.


    The person that attacked me comes closer and picks up my severed hand, which still has sword in it and smiles at me toothily.


    "Don''t play with his hand too much, the research bureau would be thrilled to get their hands on it. We need to bring it to them together with the blood chosen. Who knows, maybe some day we will be able to replicate this undying monster''s body."


    Several people in white come closer to the creature and start chanting an archaic spell. Avatar screams in pain as he tries to morph into something, but just slowly decreases in size.


    "We are actually very grateful to you. I never thought that we could get an opportunity to capture a chosen one so easily. You did a great job distracting it for so long." says the young man in white coat with a very wide smile.


    "As a form of gratitude I will tell you a small secret." he whispers making few steps closer and looking straight into my eye.


    "Your beloved Sun Empire will fall very soon. While their great heroes are here, fighting a lost battle, the Sarshi Caliphate army is already within their border. And necromancers that submerged this whole city into chaos is just a small, tiny fraction, of what was sent to Empire."


    "But here is the best part. Those religious morons from Caliphate will follow the Empire soon after. Because WE have been preparing for it for more than a century."


    He continues to talk, but his voice becomes distant as my sight grows darker and darker, until it turns fully black.


    Then suddenly a flash of pure white assaults me. The brightness is so high that I try to protect myself from it, but my hands refuse to move. Soon the intensity of light decreases and something in front of me starts to take rectangular shape.


    After few long seconds it finally becomes clear.


    Before me right in the thin air hangs a huge painting in a very beautiful dark wooden frame. Focusing I notice that the image in the painting is moving as if alive. The painting shows view of destroyed city with thousands upon thousands dead lying on ground, but the number of people currently fighting is many times more. What catches my attention is a huge area with waves of humans and demi-humans colliding into mass of gore and violence, with rare burst of colorful explosion.


    I recognize the place, where I was just few minutes ago, but the view looks as if taken from very high point.


    Is this painting of events in plaza right now?


    Something itching on my back compels me take a look at what is behind me, and with a great effort my neck starts to move. But I freeze solid when I see what is exactly behind me. Countless amount of creatures, million upon million, big and small, made out of flesh, smoke and different elements and much more. With claws longer than large ships, with more fangs than there are people in a big cities.


    Even the most dangerous creatures I hunted as Blood Brother before them look as harmless farm animals.


    The creatures barely move, as if holding their breath back, awaiting something. All their gazes are focused on one single point, and slowly tracing in the direction, of what they are looking at, I return back to the panting.


    Oh.


    They are waiting my death.


    So in the end I failed.


    Wait.


    Why was I fighting in the first place? My task was to plunge myself into the endless sea of lava at the lowest floor of the dungeon.


    How did it end like that?


    Mistakes. My mistakes.


    All of it was my fault. Even the war was-


    Wait.


    No.


    Was I the reason?


    No.


    No.


    I only....


    Killed the guards of north pole, leaving the North Kingdom open to raids from the creatures of North.


    Attacked North Kingdom city guards as a Blood Brother, making it more suspicious of Empire, essentially leaving it alone against the Qing.


    Found Sarshi Caliphate spy village, alarming them and forcing them to take immediate actions.


    Was that noble from the ship important?


    Killed upper echelon of two important cities in Desert Alliance, destabilizing it and leaving open for Qing and Sarshi Caliphate invasion.


    Told some truth about Empire to Mozzarel King. Dooming them to the same fate as previous cities.


    Are they even alive?


    It was me.


    Because of me continental war started.


    And because of it Patu attacked, escalating the whole thing into inter-continental war.


    It was me.


    I am the reason for this chaos.


    The white world starts to spin as if being sucked into whirlpool. The blinding light recedes and image of mages in white coats putting a red creature into a glass globe appears before me.


    "Oh. You are back. I though my monologue killed you. HAHAHA. Get it? Killed you."


    "Oh come on. How boring can you be. I took great risk telling you one of our secrets just to see you reaction and you don''t even twitch. Truly boring."


    "Sadly we are already finished here. We can''t take you with us, even if we chop of all your limbs to make you compactly transportable."


    "You also just don''t have much time left. I don''t even understand how you are still alive. But you know what? Heart of the heartless Inquisitor will be an interesting present. Don''t you think so? Irony kind of. My wife will love it."


    Taking out a short white dagger he makes several steps to me, and plunges his knife into my chest. He starts sawing my ribs with the short dagger, not meeting any resistance from the flesh at all, while barely any blood flows down the open wound.


    Sound of something titanic colliding makes him stop and look around. Ground start trembling which cause few to lose footing. Few seconds later the buildings in the background start to fall apart. As if the earth itself cracked, volcano splits open in explosion of fire and magma and titanically enormous burning creature crawls out of the blazing volcano. It''s body casts shadow over the whole city. Slowly the liquid magma and rocks start falling of it, revealing a very thin frame with extremely long white limbs.


    As if by a queue series of rapid lighting fills the sky, the next instant they stop, only to return back all together with enormous flying creature made our of lighting in the center of it all.


    The creatures of nightmares stare at each other for several long seconds, until they pounce on each other with speed that contradicts all rules of physics. Their roars make everyone''s ears burst in blood as people fall down on ground writhing in pain. The battle of creatures before me creates wind and tornadoes that throw buildings into the sky.


    During this whole chaos a deep laugh sounds across the area and I recognize it. It is my voice, but that should not be possible, there is no energy left in this body to even blink. My whole body starts to burn as if submerged into liquid metal and I start hearing a voice.


    HIS voice.


    The titanically big creature stop their fight and look in my direction. And nearly at the same time they start preparing huge spell directed in my location.


    My vision again grows dark as I feel every bit of warmth leaving my body, seeping away as if washed by cold river.


    I could do so much staff better.


    But as always I made the worst possible decision. And got the worst possible result.


    I doomed the world.


    But there is nothing I can do anymore.


    Luna. Brothers.


    I am coming.


    Light slowly returns as I am once again submerged into blinding light. Few seconds later the light recedes and what stands before me is the same painting frame that I saw before. But the image inside of it totally different one, it is so white that for a second I thought it was a mirror.


    Looking closer I notice that there is something more inside of it. As my eyes focus, they find something, that is very hard to describe. All the creatures of nightmares that I saw before are raging, screaming and attacking each other in pure hatred and mindless violence, but upon death they do not disappear, they simply reform and appear at the same place.


    Then something burning starts to fall down from the white sky, leaving trail of black smoke after it, until it hits the white floor creating a huge crater. The whole area slowly covers in black smoke, until white creature with burned wings white wings, which looks almost human, comes out of it. The white creature starts to scream and rage even more than any other creature around, ripping it''s porcelain white skin, coloring the white floor with it''s black blood. The white creature grows huge and with it''s long and razor sharp claws swipe around cleaving through any creature in it''s way. Mindlessly destroying anyone and no one at the same time. All the creatures around in response scream at it but do not attack as if afraid of it.


    Raging around the white creature finally stops and looking at the sky screams in pure unhinged hatred.


    The fallen.


    Why is HE here?


    Shouldn''t HE have already been in my...


    What happened?

 Volume 1 notes.

    Hello everyone, "The retard of time" here.


    This is not a chapter, but rather review of volume 1 and all the issues that I had with it.


    Well lets start from the most glaring one.


    THE FUCKING RELEASE TIME.


    3 months passed from chapter 18 to chapter 20.


    3 FUCKING MONTHS.


    Stories started and ended in that time frame, some released more than 30-40 chapters during that whole period, where I made only 2, even though I was constantly writing it.


    This is unacceptable, and I believe something must change.


    The chapters lengths are god damn INCONSISTENT.


    Chapter 3 - 1,055


    Chapter 4 - 2,085


    ...


    Chapter 12 - 3,527


    Chapter 13 - 3,984


    Chapter 14 - 6,231


    Chapter 15 - 5,591


    Chapter 16 - 6,294


    Chapter 17 - 6,622


    Chapter 18 - 7,965


    Chapter 19 - 11,845


    Chapter 20 - 15,320


    The hell is that? Did someone smoke fucking glue or something? Who can read 15k words in one go? Text analyzer told me that it would take 39 minutes to read that shit.


    This must be changed too.


    But there is a small issue concerning that. I HATE SHORT CHAPTERS that are about nothing. I perfectly understand that they are popular, and that they abuse the royalroadl website algorithm for ''top weakly'', and additional to that they constantly are in the ''latest updates'', where they can reach broader audience and more people can read it, and so on.


    Anyway. I will not be doing 1-3k chapter. Even if it gets more ''views'' and ''reach''.


    I want chapters that feel as if something in story change or progressed.


    I want chapters that make people smile or exited when they see new release.


    I want chapters that make people feel something, not just ''Oh another chapter''.


    Nevertheless will try to make sure that there won''t be anymore waiting time like this.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    I spik Ingrish.


    I don''t have much to say here. The auto-corrector constantly botches words and I have to reread the whole chapter several times to make sure that the words weren''t changed. Additional to that I am an absolute retard and English is also my seconds language, but that does not excuse the mistakes I make.


    Totally unacceptable.


    What''s next?


    When I started writing the story I thought that I would reach this point within 3 months not 8. Therefore some stuff had to be skipped or ignored. But the story continues, there is a lot of stuff ahead, a lot more movement, and many more character.


    As you have noticed there is a poll on what exactly you would like me to write about next, if the option is not withing the poll, please write it in comments.


    To be frank, I feel that I have grown as a human, maybe even as third-tier writer, during the whole process of writing this story, learning, improving and changing. But for me it is still so primitive that looking at chapter 20 I cringe at the pathetic level of writing I did.


    ''Oh look, my doodles now start to look like something, this doodle looks like a house, even though I tried to draw a cat.''


    There were many emotions that I wanted to make the reader feel in the chapters 19-20, they were very important to me, and that is why I wanted to release the chapters together.


    But I royally failed.


    The sentences repeat themselves, the dialogs feel stretched, as if someone just wanted the characters to speak, and they spoke. And generally all the characters feel so fake that you can neither bond with them, nor do you feel their emotions.


    Fail. Try again. Repeat until you get better.


    Thank you very much for reading, and continuing to read this shitty story.


    See you soon.

 Chapter 21

    Volume 2: The Birth of Calamity


    "Wow!" says Manato.


    "Right?" replies Yuki, his childhood friend.


    "Who would have known that they can build a city like this around a volcano." add enthusiastically Akari their classmate.


    "It''s retarded." I say quietly to which my everyone responds with deep sigh.


    "Mark. You should learn how to enjoy little stuff! Not everyday we get to travel and see sights like this."


    "Maybe I would, if we would not have not wasted time travelling through that shitty desert." I scoff back.


    "Oh come on! What did you expect? It''s called ''dead desert'' for a reason." says Sam, our ''unofficial'' leader, with a huge smile.


    The only way I can react back is with a deep sigh.


    Sam earned his position as a leader in a quite unusual way. He simply learned Tasar, the language of empire, much faster than anyone else, even me. Thus he immediately transformed into sort of teacher for us, and a representative of our group in general. Everyone was happy to shift all the negotiations and responsibilities on some else, if he fucks up they will have someone to blame. Sam beamed through the whole process, not complaining even once.


    The damn language has too many rules and exceptions for everything. And the worst thing is that it is only one language out of dozen on this continent alone. I never liked learning foreign languages, never was good at it, but when you have to, you do just that.


    The language that we were forced to confront was grammatically much more clustered than any I had heard about back on Earth. It involved countless exceptions in syntax, with alphabet consisting of 49 letters. In written form it reminded me of deformed love child of Greek and Korean, which looked ''rectangular'' and ''simple'' at the same time. There is also the polite and casual form, which changes the ending of every single fucking word. Oh did I mention that every object has a gender too? It is as if people gathered and decided to put as much bullshit into a single language as they can.


    To my utter dissatisfaction aside from magical energy and few other races, which are rarely seen in Empire, the whole setting reminded me of late medieval era. No auto-translation, no status menu, no health or mana bars whatsoever, even after scrupulous testing of hundreds of commands and gestures, in private of course. It was not a game, and I was forced to accept that. Which left me no other choice than to immediately appraise their small assemblage of books.


    Speaking of races, against the recommendation of the ''advisors'', which constantly followed me and explained everything, I went to slave market, as that was the only possible way to see other races. I was enamored with the idea of seeing a real cat-girl or bunny-girl. The whole ''they are savage, dirty and uncivilized'' comments were simply ignored, as I believed them to be another xenophobic societal norms in the place.


    As I was explained, all elves are instantly bought even before they enter the capital, many are either bought back by their families, who pay hefty price, or sold to ''private'' collector, which are actually just high-nobles. So the only option left was demi-humans. The non-human traits ranged from just tail and animal ears to full fledged werewolves on two legs.


    The ginger cat-girl that caught my eye proved my ideas of the not-understood tribes to be wrong when she tried to rip my eyes out. She was quickly subdued by guards, but that did not stop her rapid onslaughter of what surely sounded like curses.


    This world was not what I expected, still much better than the previous one.


    Well at least my powers are something that makes me stand out, which I am not sure if is a good thing. The less people know about me, the easier it will be to reach my goals. But nonetheless, there are no words that can describe the feeling you get when you start throwing massive spells, as if damaged fire hydrant. Maybe image of adults throw candies during Halloween is better. Anyway, I felt as if I am a walking tank, an impenetrable fortress which rains chaos and destruction on anyone it meets.


    But not everything is awesome as it sounds.


    My classmates, or teammates as I call them now, continue to chat about nonsense, like weather and nature. The Manato, Yuki and Akari trio is the worst. That the hell do they think this is, school trip?


    I am not sure if this is irony or sick joke of fate to summon three Japanese into another world. But the joke is not in the summoning, but rather who was summoned. They are so stereotypical that is feels as if someone makes fun out of us. I read Japanese comics and novels too, but I didn''t think that characters in them can be actually real, that people like that can exists. I didn''t interact with them before that much, but after the summoning, the first thing that came to my mind was that they are being sarcastic, and it was their way of coping with stress.


    But no, they are actually right that.


    I scowl at the useless, carefree idiots, that continue to chat with absolute no care in the world.


    Why can''t I train by myself? Why couldn''t train while we traveled?


    Fuck.


    If I learned anything from those stories, that I read, it is that problems will appear, and the only thing that will be able to solve them is power. Absolute power, like the one I posses. But I should not get drunk on it. I will not become a failed background character, like in those third-rate stories, who turns evil and starts explaining their plan, until they get killed in a stupid and ridiculous way.


    I will not end up like that. I will not fail. I will not become my father, and for that I need to train.... and maybe wait.


    ...


    It is still hard for me to understand how these magic baboons were able to create the structures like the palace that stands before me. Enormous walls and doors, with their height not losing to our skyscrapers even a bit. The only answer to the question how they were built was ''ancients'' and ''reinforcement magic''. I kind of understand the basis behind the reinforcement magic itself, but the skills and amount of mana required is just inhuman. I tried to replicate the stone reinforcement myself, but it took more than half of my mana pool and an hour of single minded concentration to create a single square meter cube of reinforced stone.


    How much mana and time would it take to create a city like this? Unimaginable.


    Anyway, after a quick rest and a bath we had to attend a ball organized specifically for us. We have to do the usual political stuff, like greeting the king and his queens, small talk with local lord and nobles, fake smiles and laughs. But at least there is something that brightens my day, the queens, they are a feast for anyone''s eyes. Well endowed beauties, which would instant get labeled as ''MILFS'' back at home.


    "We could be training in the dungeon right now. Right Mark?" comments Lisa with a smile while we are standing alone for few short minutes of rest, until next noble doesn''t appear to discuss his collection of paintings.


    I sigh and try to appear as calm as I can.


    If it was about a year ago I would be ecstatic at the fact that Lisa wants to talk to me. God knows how much time I spent trying to be friends with her, trying to find common hobbies or interest.


    So much time uselessly spent.


    I even thought that something was progressing, until my classmates showed me a video on his phone. In the video an awkward teenager tried to hit on a pretty girl, Lisa. She ''tolerated'' the guy with an awkward smile until a bit bigger guy came up, Sam, after which a huge genuine smile broke on her face, unseen by the awkward guy. The girl then started to passionately speak with the big guy, even going together with the big guy to next class, leaving the awkward teenager behind after a small goodbye and wave of hand.


    And that awkward teenager was me.


    I still don''t understand how I didn''t notice.


    It''s better to see once, than see hundred times.


    The sudden change to her behavior can be attributed to several things. There is the thing that she may be trying to get my help with her healing magic, as I am the one with the most skills in the area of magic generally. There is also possibility that after being transported here, and seeing me in new light she had a change of heart.


    I myself actually changed, physical mostly. I started training the body, and feeding mana into the muscles to make myself agile and fast. Even against strict orders from Grand Wizard, I extended my bones, gaining about ten centimeters in height. They constantly were saying something about breaking synchronization with soul and it''s corruption, but I didn''t care much.


    It is hard to be short.


    Anyway, I will not be a standing idiot which casts magic from single point and become a retard who is an easy target for enemy. And for that I had to change my body. Which resulted an ''esthetically'' appealing frame. Everyday exercise together with Sam made my abs quite defined, it was a happy addition to the main goal.


    As Lisa continues to try chat with me another, much more likely reason comes to mind. Sam has caught attention of many girls, especially few princesses, and therefore, number of competitors rose sharply.


    "And here is our gloomy arch-mage." comes sweet female voice from behind.


    Looking back I find the twins walking in my direction.


    I scowl.


    I am kind-of okay with the brother, Sergei. His scythe looks dangerous, but in my mind I already generated few scenarios how to subdue him if he every though of doing anything dangerous. But his sister, Natalia, is a totally different story. After she assimilated with her powers, her hair turned white and eyes turned yellow. Creepy, but manageable.


    But her powers are an issue.


    Natalia looks at me from head to toes, biting her lips in the process, as if she saw a juicy piece of steak. My instincts scream not to get close to her, and there is a valid reason for that.


    She is a god damn Sear.


    I can feel mana, and it''s change in air but that is natural, something everyone can do. Natalia can fucking ''hear'' and ''smell'' it, whatever that means. She even says that she is already training to ''see'' it. She knows exactly what is happening IN my body, where the mana moves, when and what spell is coming. But as if a joke of fate, she somehow has extremely rare mana absorption abilities. She needs a living target of course, but still.


    Worst enemy for a mage.


    And her hungry looks are harder and harder to ignore. Both girls stand by my side talking about nonsense and shit, while I try to maintain the talk with minimal input.


    Great, heal slut and mana lamprey.


    My horny younger self would gladly let you eat me alive and use me in whatever way you wanted back then. But not now. Not now.


    Where were you cunts when I cared about this shit?!


    Thankfully Sam comes and saves me, stating that he needs my input in something. After quick ''byes'' I follow him to the two young princes. After quick greeting their discussion continues, which I try to follow. The short descriptions would be that the talks is about improvement of city''s defense, countering possible ''issues'' and more militaristic stuff.


    At some point I became Sam''s ''right hand''. Maybe because of my magical strength, maybe because of contrasting personality that I have with him, or it may simply be because we are very old friends with Sam.


    Most people would think that he is an idiot because he is tall, muscular and into sports, but that is wrong, very wrong. He is incredibly sharp and agile in his thought process.


    We continue to have the discussion with younger and older princes. Even though they look alike, as if copy of same person, just few years apart, their whole demeanor is totally different. The younger one has this smug smile of superiority as if everything is below him, a face of a totally spoiled brat, even though the guy is in his early twenties. In contrast the older prince face tries to appear calm and neutral, with kind and welcoming smile, but deep under it I can feel turmoil, as if something significant is bothering him.


    If the older prince really cares about something this much, the kingdom is in good hands.


    The subject flips between strategy for land and sea attack, moving slowly to cases of insurgence caused by neighboring countries, and how to stop or counter them.


    Responding to the older prince, Neusor, I try stir him away from the idea of storing large amounts of pure mana for defensive towers, as managing stored mana will be a pain in the ass. And in the long run it is better to set those that feed on ambient mana and essentially do not require constant maintenance. Yes they are much weaker than the burst ones, which are powered by pure mana, but actual battles are never short, or at least that is what books claim.


    I have actually been reading much more since I came here, mostly about magic and mana. Some even claim that my knowledge on few subjects can be compared to the level of a Mage Tower''s Grandmaster.


    These results are there, only because there is this unsatisfiable hunger for knowledge I always had. This ''gluttony'' is hard to describe. The more you read the more desire.


    And you never feel full.


    Then night comes fast and we decide to get to bed ''earlier'', which is actually far past midnight, because tomorrow will be a long day. Guided to my own room I enter, slip out of the clothes and have another quick bath, trying to remove all the smelly perfume that clung to me after the ball. Women in this kingdom don''t know what self-control means.


    Returning to the main room I find two maids, a younger one in her teens, few years younger than me, and a bit older one, well-endowed beauty in mid-twenties, standing and waiting for me. They both bow deeply and announce in unison.


    "We will be under your care Lord Marcus."


    I smile as at least there will be someone to warm me up.


    Even without my command they start undressing and letting their clothes fall down on floor, until they stand bare naked before me. Sitting on the side of the bed I motion them to come closer. The younger one sits on her knees as starts to please me with her mouth, while the older one sits behind me and her hands sit on my shoulders, massaging them.


    The skills of the younger one is lacking, but she makes-up to it with pure enthusiasm. The one from behind sits closer to me, pressing her enormous assets into my back.


    Well this is not as good as my personal slave-maids back at the empire, but for now this will do.


    I don''t even understand how I lived without this back at home.


    Why didn''t my family buy a slave back there? Even after my father lost his position, as one of lead managers in the US biggest insurance company, we weren''t poor at all.


    I will not fail. I will not become like him.


    But still, why didn''t we have slaves? We should have had slave-maids. Someone was cleaning the house, right?


    Wait.


    Where were the slaves even bought?


    Slavery is a normal and legal thing. Why can''t I-


    Suddenly a strong headache hits me as if a heap of bricks, but I try to maintain the though process.


    There is something wrong here. Why can''t I-


    Another much more powerful migraine hits me causing me to groan in pain as if something is drilling my skull.


    Breathing heavily I look down on horrified girl which starts to beg for forgiveness on all four.


    What the hell am I doing?


    Who cares about the earth? Who cares about that loser of a father? Now I am here. I am a hero. I mean something. I am something. And I will enjoy it.


    The headache disappear as fast as it appeared. As clarity return to my eyes and mind, I tell the young girl to look up. Caressing her face to calm her down, I guide her back to pleasing me and proceed to ram myself into the small mouth of the young girl. Pleased enough I throw her on bed and mounting her from behind, and start circulating mana around the body for the next round. At the beginning it hurt her a bit, as it looks like it was her first time, but after a bit more time her soft moan filled the room. The young one fell unconscious after about half an hour of moaning, tired and exhausted. But that is not enough for me. I look at the older one, which was patiently waiting for her turn, while pleasing herself with her hand in silence. Circulating mana I restore myself for another round, I motion to the the older to come closer, to which she react with a huge smile and leaps at me in hunger. She did not lose the younger one in enthusiasm even a bit.


    This is life.


    ...


    I wake up with a groan and find the young slave-maid sleeping on my chest, with a happy smile on her face, drolling on me. The warm feeling around me is quickly replaced with another as I shudder and feel something wet bellow the blanket. Throwing it off I find the older maid passionately pleasing me with her mouth with her eyes closed, until she opens them and our eyes meet, after which she stops.


    Clearing her throat she bows and whispers softly.


    "Good morning my Lord." looking down on my member she continues "Please, would you allow this one to finish.... I was very close..." At that moment I notice her right hand is between her thighs.


    Smiling, with my hand I guide her head back.


    What a nympho, I had her whole night and she still is not satisfied.


    A very lovely present indeed. I will take both of them with me for sure.


    ...


    Our group gathers together for breakfast, which is better to call lunch because of current time. During the process of eating the fancy local cuisine.


    The carefree trio start discussion what they want to look at in the city, but Sam stops them softly, stating that we were sent here for a very important task.


    They must be faking. They can be like that. Right?


    We start discussion about the next actions, first of all we need to hunt down the thing that we were sent here for, some kind of monster deep in the dungeon. But we only can do that after we block access to the dungeon. King''s advisor also inserted few meetings between them, namely the church and several nobles.


    Preparing quickly we get into each of ours coach and start traveling to the dungeon. The travel is a bit rigid, as several Blood Brothers are accompanying each of us and taking a lot of space in already small carriage.


    I sigh deeply.


    They are nothing like what read about. There is nothing new with overpraising, that is usually present in books, but they act the opposite of what their credo should be. When reading about them two images came to my mind. The orphan vigilante in bat suite and a gun nut with a white skull on his chest. Death to evil at any cost, night vigilantes with strict code, absolute disregard to any political and social status, those that die without their names even known.


    But what the hell is this? Where are the unseen creatures of darkness? Where are the blood thirsty knight of righteousness which would die but destroy all evil? After we were told that they would accompany us here, it got my curiosity tingling, only to be royally letdown.


    Their leader, or how he called himself, the Inquisitor, was a guys in late thirties with arrogant smirk every noble has, his subordinates were no better. The travel here did not improve my opinion of them even a bit.


    White and red full-plate armor? Walking during day light with their symbols in open. Their stuck up chins and condescending look like a copy of young prince''s.


    There were several more things that didn''t make sense. Everyone of them introduced themselves with names. I clearly remembered that when I read about the Blood Brotherhood it was specifically written that every member discards their names and in return get a code-numbers.


    Looking a bit more into I found a very contradicting information. ''Inquisitor'' was a title given by people to the most evil entity of the Brotherhood, the one that was scorned and hated the most. Accursed creature which consumed cities and countries in search of corrupted. He murdered young and old, woman and children, making path of dead bodies wherever he went. It was written that his existence was allowed only because how zealously he hunted down the darkest creatures in existence. He was sort of acceptable ''lesser evil''.


    But the the person was nothing like in the texts, and Inquisitor was never the leader of the Blood Brotherhood.


    Confronting few of the religious leaders about the contradiction, I was quietly explained, that the ''previous'' Inquisitor started a coup, and together with his indoctrinated brothers killed nearly all of their leadership. After learning about the coup the Empire hunted down most of the fanatic. After which the surviving leadership restored the order and rebuild the organization.


    Later, rethinking everything I found to many holes in the story. After, as they claimed ''horrible atrocities'', why keep the same name? Why use the title of Inquisitor, the one who started the coup? How did they hunt the hunters? Why was even the coup started?


    But I stopped looking into it as my hands are already full with my problems, I don''t need someones else.


    Still, I am not sure which version of Brotherhood I prefer.


    ...


    We arrive at the enormous dungeon plaza and gathering together walk up the stairs to the dungeon entrance. Few officials arrive and we start discussion about what kind of barrier we should put. Something is screaming in my head that it is wrong to do as they say and fully close the entrance.


    "Won''t pressure build up?" I voice my concerns


    Eyes of single official become alive, as if they found hope.


    "W-We are not sure lord Marcus. Some of us-"


    "Everything will be fine lord Marcus." say two elder official glaring at the one who voiced his opinion. "Those are just baseless fear. I believe my colleague is simply over-thinking."


    The younger official visible trembles. He instantly apologizes and bows down deeply, after which he leaves with haste.


    I am about to voice my disagreement, but the leader of Brotherhood comes closer and tells me to believe the elders, and focus on my task.


    ''I should follow the orders.''


    What? No. There is something wrong here.


    ''I should follow the orders from Empire elders.''


    I suddenly find myself mind empty and lost, as if I just woke up, with slight headache and some kind of motion sickness.


    What happened? What was I thinking? But before I could trail back Sam tells me to join in the ritual.


    Everyone stood together and channeled their mana into creating basic barrier, with very specific controls, so we, or someone else, could later enable and disable the barrier if needed. It took nearly an hour to set the thing up, and during the whole time more and more people gathered at plaza gazing at us. After the barrier was set up, Sam was given a short script, which as we were told, was personally written by king, to say before the endless sea of people at the plaza.


    Yeah, ''personally''.


    But we decided not to argue.


    After Sam finishes the speech we walk out of plaza accompanied by the Brotherhood who are here to protect us from the crowd. We reach the coach and jump inside, after which we quickly return back to the castle.


    But the during whole period of time my blood was boiling because of the useless waste of time. How many hours were wasted just standing, smiling or walking? I need to train and practice.


    God damn it.


    We reach the castle quite fast, and entering back are greeted by the older and younger Prince. Sam exchanges greeting and explains the task done while I stand to side of them and try to contain my anger quietly.


    "Is there something bothering you Lord Marcus?" asks the older Prince with a visible concern.


    "Sorry. It is-" I start but stop shorty.


    No. Enough. I need to train.


    "Actually, I wanted to know if we could resume our training. We didn''t train during the travel at all, because of security concerns, but we have already been in the city for two days."


    "We have a small Colosseum if you want to have a small spar, but I am afraid there aren''t many enemies that can match you in that regards.." he smiles awkwardly while his younger brother glares at me.


    He does not stop me, but does not give green light.


    Fucking politics.


    I can''t waste anymore time. Fuck it.


    "Than it won''t be a problem if we simply take a quick tour through the dungeon? We surely won''t cause issues that way?"


    "Well... I think it won''t-" he responds.


    "Great! Than we will take a short dive into the dungeon."


    "I am very sorry for Mark harsh tone, but deep down I partly agree with him. We need to train." Sam injects with positive and apologetic tone, laughing through it as he always does.


    In the end we got the approval to travel to the dungeon and postponed the meeting with the church for later time. We were also given a bracelet which both sides can send signal if something happened, and either we need to return back or we require help.


    I wanted to say that I highly doubt that such event will happen, but something at the back of my skull was whispering that it may not be the case.


    After some more discussion we organized and went back to the coaches. The trio grumbled about exploring and seeing the city, others agreed that we need to focus on training, but in the end everyone agreed that we need to be together. The leader of the Brotherhood insisted that few of them must travel with us into the dungeon. Sam agreed. He sat together with me into the coach, alone, telling everyone else that there is some stuff that he needs to discuss with me.


    We travel for few quite minutes until Sam''s monotone and apathetic voice breaks the silence as he stares outside of the coach.


    "Learn to wait."


    "We don''t have time." I respond shortly.


    "I know."


    "They are hiding something."


    "I know." Sam repeats again as he continues to stare outside of couch.


    Few long seconds of silence follow as we stare outside of coach, he to the left and I to the right.


    "Any idea what exactly?" he finally breaks the silence.


    "The crown prince should not behave like that. There is no arrogance, no sneer. He is either a very badly performing double, or something scared him shitless."


    "Don''t label him. Not everyone is badly designed template character from books or games." Sam says, squinting his eyes at me.


    "Ha. Everyone is an archetype. Look at us. A muscle idiot and his loser friend. Thankfully, someone fucked up with few parameters."


    We both chuckle.


    "Don''t rush. We will manage it. We just need to continue playing our roles." Sam continues


    "''Playing'' huh. I agree, but you should also feel that we don''t have much time."


    "Yeah."


    "Mark, you need to improve you communication skills. Learn to interact with others." after a pause he adds "Maybe with Lisa or Natalia?"


    "No."


    "Mark, I can''t be the only one holding the team together. Both of the girls need emotional and psychological support. If you-"


    "Sam, No." I cut him shorty.


    He deeply sighs and responds with "Okay."


    We finally arrive back at the plaza, and exiting resume our roles of positive and happy leader, and his dark and gloomy friend. Sending mana into the barrier we unlock it and phase through it.


    The dungeon is exactly what you would expect it to be in fantasy world, a cave with occasional monsters. We continue nearly unobstructed for few hours as I snipe from afar all the small fries with fireballs.


    Not wasting time, I train even with this small fireballs, playing around with explosion delay. Throwing another fireball between two oversizes rats, it explodes right between them, taking their lives, leaving behind two charred corpses. I have enough mana to burn every single rat in the dungeon separately, but that would not be training.


    Natalia is happily coming to charred corpses and just by touching them turns them into dust.


    Stealing mana just by touching. Fucking bullshit. I don''t even want to imagine what will happen if she plunges those sharp fangs, that grew in her mouth after the assimilation, into a living person.


    Finally bigger enemies appear and we try different strategies, switching between one on one, group on one without using advanced spells, and in rare cases only physical attacks. No one wants to get hit but we need to, because this way we become a training target for Lisa''s healing spells.


    Generally everyone is serious about the whole situation, everyone expect the trio. The are smiling and chatting happily about their improved skills, but mostly about how much cooler new lighting spell Manato cast was. In response to that he smiles awkwardly and scratches his head, leaving his back unprotected to possible attack.


    How can they be so carefree? It was the same when we encountered the huge sand worm and wyvern in the dead desert.


    Manato even picks up body part of dead monster and starts chasing Akari with it, while she is running in circles and screaming for help.


    Everyone around just chuckles at their game.


    WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK? Are you people sane? Do you think this is a game?


    This can not continue like that, this can no longer be allowed. I should do.


    No.


    I am the bad cop. First Sam need to prepare them, then I will act.


    I put the problem in the back of my head, something must be done, but not right now. We dive deeper and deeper, as we finally meet more dangerous foes and can let loose, using our high level skills and spells. Even though the monsters are not much of an ''enemy'', but such training dummies are good enough after months of gruesome physical training back in Empire.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Several Blood Brothers mentions few times that we have been in dungeon for a bit too long and should return. I wanted to snarl at them that it is better that we continue, but everyone already did that before I could.


    It looks like I was not the only one who wanted to explore the dungeon and train my skills.


    This is a good start.


    We continue going deeper and deeper, meeting enemies that requires attentiveness even from me, until we come into a cross road, where we are ambushed from all sides. I instantly deploy a fire barrier, giving everyone enough time to regroup and setup defense formation.


    Mountains of dead bodies continues to grow, as we dispatch the endless waves of monsters from all sides. Everyone tries to play it safe, not to risk because of the sheer number of enemies, and that even a single mistake can lead to serious injury. Everyone is careful, and giving their best, well, except me, as I simply continue to cast basic fireball spells, trying to see the limit of my current skills.


    Suddenly, the bracelet on Sam''s wrist starts to shine with blue light, sending low pitched hum across the room. My and Sam''s face instantly changes.


    Not waiting even a second I send powerful spells into each corridor. The spells explode with intense heat, coloring walls with deep black, as some parts of them melt down.


    My and Sam''s eyes meet and question bubbles in both our heads. it should have been the over way around. Right?


    "Whatever the reason may be, we should return quickly." voices his opinion Sam looking at the concerned group.


    We start running back to the surface.


    ...


    I should have listened to my instincts. I should have been more brave with my decisions and theories.


    Fucking inter-continental war.


    We can''t be here just by a coincidence. The Empire knew that this would happen, and they sent us here on purpose. Even the idiots in my team understand that there is something wrong with timing and our presence here.


    The Empire is openly declaring to us that we are just puppets, nothing more.


    The questions the elder prince asked make so much more sense now. They knew about it too, but didn''t say anything. Or maybe they expected us to know the information ourselves.


    While I am somehow able to hide my extreme ''discontent'' with the events under grim face, Sam''s mask broke several times, showing his true emotions. It looks like he didn''t know either.


    There were several assassinations attempts on royal family while we were gone. Few got seriously hurt, therefore we had to become personal guards of the royal family until the morning.


    But things don''t end there. In the morning we received information that a group of necromancers appeared on north cemetery, raising thousands of dead. it was decided that the most of the Blood Brotherhood should stay and continue protecting the family while few of them, together with us, will solve the problem.


    While we were fighting few undead and several feral Liches slipped our notice and entered the city. I could have killed all the undead with a single spell, but that would take a significant amount of my mana, which I can''t waste even a fraction of. In the end, after half an hour of extensive teamwork, nearly all the thousands of undead are lying, dismembered, burned and destroyed, and our mana reserves only increased since the battle started.


    After some discussion, and firm stance from me, it was decided that the city guards will manage the few escaped undead, and we should travel to south cemetery to check things there. If north cemetery was in that state, than south could be in exactly the same situation. But as we travel closer and closer, we encounter no undead at all. Several of my team mates insisted that we should regroup with other kingdom''s forces, but Sam agreed with me that we can not allow possibility of thousands of undead, led by necromancers and liches running around during major battle.


    I genuinely though that we would come in time to stop the necromancers, but I was not prepared for what awaited us. Mountains, upon mountains of dismembered dead bodies. What alarmed me the most, was a significant part of the limbs didn''t have clean cuts. It just looked as if something ripper them apart. I thought that it could be a group of wild animals, or a monster which somehow crawled out of dungeon, but there were no teeth marks.


    We decided that we will report the situation to higher ups, and it would be better to regroup with everyone else right now.


    But I will not let my guard down. The creatures that did this may still be crawling in the city.


    ...


    We regrouped with the main forces and other from the Blood Brotherhood, though things didn''t go as we have planned. The whole team was placed under command of one of the Nobles, a fat and arrogant shit. By his enthusiasm it was apparent for everyone that he is trying to use the situation to elevate his position and earn something.


    There were also many sleazy nobles trying to suck up to each member of our team, especially me and Sam. Only Sam''s constant chant directed at me to ''calm down'', held me back from ripping them apart.


    I can see endless sea of demi-humans pouring into the city, but I continue to stand, because the fat and arrogant shit has a ''strategy'', which he believed we should not be notified about. His life could be ended with a single spell, a tiny burst and he would disappears, but problems would still be there, even more will appear.


    I continue to stand and fume with hatred at everything, the fact that we are standing and waiting for something while people are dying, the fact that we were not notified about the reasons and plans, but mostly at the fact that I can actually do something, but don''t.


    Sam''s voice grows quieter, until suddenly the voice fat shit breaks though the silence, and commands everyone to move in the direction of dungeon plaza. The procession is slow, but we finally reach the plaza and what stands before me is hard to describe.


    If there was sea of people pouring into the city, than what stands before me is ocean of body parts, dead bodies and people fighting against each other as they scream in hatred at each other. They are so packed at the plaza, that I can''t even see the black marble floor.


    Looking at my team I find most of them in horror and shaking, with their eyes glued to the scene.


    I do not know what I hate the most right now, the situation, the fat noble, my team mates to which I will have to entrust my life, or me who should have done something. Sam specifically told me about the issue, but I ignored it.


    I will not fail. I will not become a loser. I will not miss this chance. I will not become like my father.


    After command from the fat shit, we finally act. Sending dozen of powerful spells at the enemy, they crumble as if ants squashed. If I focus my eyes I can see the scorched bodies of the ones who died by my spells, and it takes great effort to not do that, I don''t know if this a coping mechanism or some kind of self-preservation instinct.


    They are the ones who attacked. They are the bad guys.


    Sam sees something in the see of enemies and sends a powerful beam of light from his sword at what looks like feral liches and a single Elder Lich, which are at the foot of dungeon entrance stairs. How did I miss them? What is wrong with me?My eyes search for any more possible liches and they stop on figure of what I believed to be undead for few seconds.


    A nearly two meters tall skeletal thin figure, with grayish hair, in a huge rag and with a long sword, stands and stares back at us. There are several crushed liches lying under his feet. I want to send a fireball at the figure, but stop when my eyes met his. He is alive, or at least looks like that, but something is screaming in me that the he is dangerous and that I should kill him, though I don''t understand what.


    Why do I feel that way?


    Then it hit me. I don''t feel even a bit of mana coming from him. That can''t be. Every living being produces ambient mana, which I should feel. But not from him, it''s as if I am staring at a wall, or a doll.


    I notice that Natalia is staring at him too, but with a bit different eyes. I really want to ask her what she sees exactly, but don''t get the opportunity as the Brotherhood finally reaches us.


    Ground starts trembling as I notice hundred meters tall giants coming from behind the enemy army. I read about giants, but seeing them for the first time is a totally different thing. The towering frame awakens some primal instinct. Maybe this is exactly what cockroaches feel when they see humans.


    As if agreeing with me both the enemies and our armies start retreating opening a path. Dozen figures in tribal armor walk out of the retreating army, as everyone feels the huge amount of ambient mana they are releasing. With a quick glance between the team we prepare our weapons, and start walking in their direction.


    I notice that the skeletal thin figure continues to stand and stare at us with a look that is hard to describe.


    We walk to the representative of the Paletia and stop at about fifty meters from each other.


    The silence is broken by a guy with short black hair in the middle, who looks like their leader.


    "Hello, fellow summoned."


    What?


    My mind comprehends and understands what the guy said, but somehow I am thinking about any other meaning to the word ''summoned''? They can''t mean summoned like us, I looked into it the way to transfer people between world, but most knowledge is either lost or requires shitton of mana.


    And if they really are summoned the same as us? What then? Are they enemies or friends?


    Suddenly another sharp thought crashes into my head. ''No. They attacked the Empire, they are enemies''.


    HUH?


    Where did that come from? How did I get to-


    A strong headache hits me as I try to maintain calm and breath. I try to return to the thought chain but am hit by another much stronger migraine.


    The leader of Paletia summoned opens his mouth and I forget about what I was thinking of as I try to catch every word the person says.


    When the leader of Paletia summoned finishes, we all just stand frozen, as if statues.


    This was totally not what I expected at all.


    Prophecy? Apocalypse? End of world? Team up? More summoned coming soon?


    But all the possible talk or alliance instantly crumble when they voiced their only request, or should I say demand, ''subordination''.


    No.


    Air around both me and Sam changes in unison, stating our unanimous opinion, and the summoned from Paletia smile sadly.


    "Then we don''t have a choice." the leader says calmly. "We need to be united against what is to come, and small differences are not to be allowed."


    No. My whole plan will not break apart. There is too much on the stake. I will not fail.


    I send gigantic amount of mana into the mana bridge and the elemental energy fills my body to the limit, as if bottle of soda that was shaken too much. The amount of mana around me makes the enemy flinch and widen their eyes, as I turn into something akin of red bulb.


    Vanguard with a huge mace appears before me wanting to take the life of mage first, but he is too late. I pour all of my rage unto him, with a single goals to burn him alive, but sadly some kind of shield saves him as he is thrown hundred of meters away. Out of cloud two new summoned appear, with their weapon coming at me, but I do not hesitate even for a second, starting the cast of wide range spell as Sam appears before me, deflecting their attack easily. Their eyes open in horror as two enormous fireballs descend on them.


    I jump around, sometimes sending ranged spells, sometimes appearing in front of them and making concentrated spells explode right in their faces, but that is possible only because of my modified body and coordinated attacks with Sam. We alone hold nearly half of the Paletia summoned, not needing any words for communication at all.


    Natalia stays behind us and guides us in the direction of next possible spell or if someone has dangerous mana flow, but that backfires as they start focusing on her. A single, powerful spell connects with her and sends her in the direction of dungeon entrance. The spell should have hit her hard, but she will manage.


    We continue to leap around and fight, regrouping and trying to make up to the loss of our sear, until a scream in my head explodes, Natalia''s scream. We set a specific spell on everyone in our team, which would be triggered when life-threatening conditions are met or in case someone was in extreme danger.


    Sergei abandons his fight and leaps in the direction where his sister flew.


    I curse as he left me and Sam open from flank.


    "Help him!" screams Sam.


    I wanted to argue but when our eyes met, I abandon the idea and follow Sergei.


    When we arrive I find the skeletal, gray-haired figure jaws clamped around Natalia''s thin neck, moment later Sergei''s scythe collides with the figure, sending him flying through several columns as they explode in shower of chunks.


    I don''t know why, but the moment I saw the figure holding Natalia, a huge fireball already formed over my head, and moment later it was sent after the figure. The spell explodes sending shock-wave through the whole area as the columns not far from us melt down.


    I may have overdid it with the spell.


    Sergei tenderly holds Natalia as blood is streaming down her neck from open wound. After a scream from me, Sergei breaks from his stupor and we leap back to our team, my eyes already searching for Lisa. I find her in the rear of the team. Running to her Sergei places his sister on ground and screams for Lisa to heal her. But Lisa didn''t hear him at all as she already leaped to tending to Natalia. As if calming down a bit he stands up and after looking at his sister one more time turns around with his scythe. He stand together with me as we guard the duo from possible attacks, while Lisa desperately tries to heal Natalia.


    After everyone saw the state Natalia was the whole fight broke into stalemate, both us, and the Paletia summoned.


    The leader of summoned points his ax at us, specifically at me, and announces loudly.


    "Move an inch and we will attack. And if we do the girl won''t-"


    "Jason! Everyone, please, calm down. It does not have to go this way. We come from the same world, same earth." says the girl with red hair next to him.


    "Nola, it is useless they will not listen, they don''t understand, they have not seen what is to come. They-"


    "Jason!" the redhead screams, quieting down their leader.


    The girls turns to us and starts talking, while their leader continues to stare at me as if daring me to move.


    "We do not want to fight. We are here to unite everyone. Only together we will survive the coming storm."


    "What you mean, is that we should ''unite'' under you." I state flatly.


    She looks at me sadly.


    "You need to see it to understand. And we just do not have much time left."


    "You attacked, you are the aggressor, and somehow WE are the ones who need to understand?" I reply back.


    Suddenly something in back of my head screams to me to turn left, and I follow shortly. What I find is a figure, which looks almost human, walking down the stairs. It is hard to call it a human, as the figure''s whole body is deeply burned, with red flesh exposed to everyone, and many black areas throughout the whole body. The very sight of it is revolting.


    I do not understand what the abomination is until I notice what has been screaming danger to me the whole time.


    There is no ambient mana around the figure.


    It''s that gray-haired skeletal guy.


    He survived my spell.


    The figure continues walking down with his legs dragging behind him, which are barely holding him straight.


    A huge demi-human from Paletia army laughs loudly and walks out from the supporting group behind the fellow summoned. He screaming something about Inquisitor, after which he leaps at the figure with inhuman speed. It took him only a moment to appear near the burned figure, with his sword coming down to take the life of person before him. A fraction of a second later his body splits vertically as if cut apart clean. The demi-human half''s fly by side of the figure as his innards spray the burned guy, painting him red.


    What the hell was that?! It was as if parts of movie was cut out, I did not see the movement of figure at all.


    The burned figure slowly turns its neck in our direction, which causes my skin to crawl.


    As I am trying to calm down something in me screaming to either destroy the creature in front of me or run, until those thoughts are interrupted by the leader of Blood Brotherhood, who stepped out and announced loudly.


    "The cursed heretic. You have finally showed your treacherous soul. By the order of the Emperor, and my power as Inquisitor, you are sentenced to death. We-"


    Only to be interrupted by ghastly voice coming from the burned figure.


    "Impostors." "Fakes."


    Only now I notice that on his chest, under the burned and bubbled flesh, a symbol is visible, a circle and triangle inside of each other, which somehow reminds me of the symbol of Kryptonian in red and blue, the same symbol which is on the armor of Blood Brotherhood, their symbol.


    I slowly repeat the words said as if trying to make sure who he is.


    Heretic? Impostors? fakes?


    The original Inquisitor, leader of Brotherhood coup.


    "You will regret it cursed rat!" the new leader scowls and screams in rage as his subordinates jumps at the figure.


    The figure, not hindered by the deep burns at all, moves around with tremendous speed, riping apart one person after another, as if they are toys.


    Skin crawls on my back at the possibility of the monster coming close to me. I want to help them, stop and destroy the burned creature, but the leader of Paletia summoned eyes are still on me. He is staring at me as if awaiting my movement. I move my foot few centimeters to which he reacts by sending enormous amount of mana into his huge ax, which is still pointed at me. The mana continues to circulate around the ax, ready to be unleashed on the foe, as he stares at me in silence, as if daring to make another move.


    Shit.


    "Pathetic" comes ghastly voice from the burned figure, while he is standing in the middle of what I can only describe as slaughterhouse.


    The figure tries to take several steps in the direction of the last one, the new leader of Brotherhood, only to stop sharply. His legs start visibly trembling as he attempts to make them move.


    "Die remnant of past!" screams the leader of brotherhood, getting a critically needed opportunity, which he instantly uses and leaps at the figure, only for a sword to suddenly appear above him. That sword cleaves his shoulder and carries him into the ground, crashing and sending cracks around.


    A second later Sergei appears in front of figure swinging down his scythe, only for the figure to somehow ''feel'' the attack and bend unimaginably. A sword appears our of nowhere, and redirect the fatal hit into ground. The burned figure, not waiting even a second, sends his sword at Sergei''s neck, as air leaves my lungs. Only for defensive enchantments to flare up and explode the very last moment, sending the burned figure several dozen meters away. The figure tumbles several times and using his sword reorients himself, ending somehow on his knee.


    Shit! Shit! Shit! What the fuck was that?!


    The burned figure tries to stand up several times but fails again and again. Blood start seeping down his eyes, ears and mouth. Taking several long breaths he turns in our direction and looks at us as ghastly voice reaches as.


    "V-a-i l-a-y"


    "V-e-i l-a-i"


    What?


    I not know why but I repeat the words in my mind until it finally hits me.


    ''They lie''.


    What. How? How does he even know English?!


    What the fuck!?


    The headache returns as I swat it away again and again, focusing on the thoughts. There is something very wrong here. I need answers. And the figure may provide at least some of them. As I am about to leap in his direction I notice very sharp change in ambient mana. I look around trying to identify the culprit, thinking that it was the leader of Paletia summoned, but he, and all of his comrades are staring at the burned figure in shock.


    My eyes capture slight movement of blood on the marble floor.


    Huh?


    All the blood starts flowing faster and faster in one direction, the body of the dead leader of Blood Brotherhood. His body slowly melted and reformed into what I can only describe as small blood slime.


    Ambient mana around the slime increases sharply as huge face appears out of it as if wordlessly screaming and trying to escape it. The next instant face disappears and all red goo gathers into a small bundle, out of which feature of humanoid looking limbs break out. The tiny, humanoid looking creature rises to height of about half a meter and scans the area with its eyes, until they stop in the direction of burned figure. The blood creature screams with inhuman screech and within a second it grows into four meters tall sleek being with razor sharp claws and fangs. It leaps at the burned figure and with a slash sends it flying across the plaza in the direction of city.


    A moment later the creature turns in our direction and looks at us. A wide smile breaks upon it''s face as if it found it''s prey. Skin starts crawling on my back once again the moment it takes a step closer, only for it to sharply stop. The creature looks in the direction where it sent the burned figure and sniffs the air few times. Few seconds later an enraged expression appears on it''s face as it screams again, but this time in frustration and hatred. Blood wings grow our of it''s back as it leaps up and flies away, ignoring all of us.


    My heart continues to beat loudly as I follow the trail the creature flew until, it fully disappeared inside of the city. The long silence followed as I try to calm down and analyze the situation.


    "What the fuck was that?!" says one of my team in pure horror.


    "An avatar." I reply quietly.


    "What the fuck?! That was an avatar?! Shouldn''t avatar be a person?! Not that T1000 bullshit!"


    I also thought so, but the books lied. Only one thing could have such control over a specific element and be born out of it. I turn my head in the direction of Paletia heroes. They also look shaken at the experience, but somehow the expression on face of the leader and girl near him is different.


    "They said we had time!" screams a guy behind the girl at her. "They-"


    "Stop!" the leader cut sharply.


    The leader looked me and Sam in the eyes for few long seconds.


    "That, thing. It is just the begging. More will come. And we don''t have time."


    As the leader is about to continue I feel mana around flaring to extreme, as if I am submerged into boiling mana. I notice that few of my team mates felt something, but it will be already too late when they really understand it. I scream at my team mates to abandon everything and run. Sam looks at me in confusion, but when our eyes meet, he wordlessly understands that something is wrong.


    Sam gives command to retreat, but I am already moving. I notice that a single person is still immobilized. They will be to slow to act. Leaping to Natalia I pick her up and throw her over my shoulder and start running. My team follows me reluctantly in confusion.


    I don''t even look back to check the Paletia summoned, as I continue to run through mountains upon mountains of dead. I try to keep my eyes straight and breath steady not only because I need to focus on where where I am running, but also because I do not want to look at the dead bodies which I pass and jump over.


    Some of them may have been killed by me.


    The moment we step outside of plaza, a huge explosion resounds around which is shortly followed by tremor that shakes the ground making us all stumble down. The whole thing strongly reminded me of earthquake, but the sound of titanic plate crashing into each other are usually short. But the sound of something gigantic shattering lasts for at least dozen seconds. The whole place is suddenly submerged into shadows, and turning my head back I see an enormous burning creature breaking through the volcano, sending molten rock flying around.


    My heart stops as I scream at my team to stand and run.


    We continue to desperately run as rock start falling on the city, destroying it as if sand castle.


    I feel another shift in mana and series of powerful lightnings cross the sky, then they suddenly stop. The next few long seconds of silence are interrupted by explosion of at least thousands of lightning which merge into enormous elemental bird.


    NO!!!NO!!!NO!!!NO!!!


    After few seconds of gazing at each other, the monsters pounce as if mortal enemies, sending fragments of city into air. I regret looking back, as the very moment I look, the creatures roar, and the sound blast hits me straight in the face, ripping my eardrums. I scream in pain, as blood trickles down my ears, but my voice does not reach me. I continue to scream helplessly trying to make the pain stop, until I hear something. A soft male voice laughing, which reaches me out of nowhere, but concentrating on it the tone of voice changes from soft to deep and sinister. I don''t have time to question how exactly I can hear it, or where it is coming from, as I am on my knees paralyzed in pure terror. The monsters stop and both turn in the same direction, in what looks like fear. They start casting spells, which I could only describe as apocalyptical.


    As they are about to erase the whole city from the face of earth, every single speck of mana in the city disappears.


    Together with mana the voice disappeared and the gigantic monsters start falling apart, as if made our of sand.


    I try to breath, and understand what is happening, but the only thing I feel is as my chest is moving back and forth, until it finally hits me.


    We are alive.


    What? How?


    ..........


    Person to the right and left scream in desperation, trying to get out of the freezing water, but they fail again and again as the ice layer simply breaks under their weight. Many start begging for help, but it is futile.


    No one will come.


    Frozen dead bodies of many are already floating around, notifying everyone about their future fate.


    No.


    No.


    Not like this.


    Sending all the mana I have into my limbs I leap out of freezing water, again and again, trying to get on the ice, but it simply breaks under me.


    I do not know how many attempts it took but I finally succeed, and stand on my knees on the ice floor of lake, as freezing water streams down my clothes. I try to breath, but the air is so cold that each breath is robing me of the last bits of heat left in me.


    "Pathetic."


    "He will die."


    "Doesn''t matter, more than enough are left."


    "No..... Only he crawled out after falling into the water. He survived."


    "Are you going to nurse all recruits, Captain? These shits are not even brothers yet."


    "No. They are not. But he survived, and that is important. Give him a spare coat."


    Something warm is thrown over me, protecting from the freezing cold wind.


    "Now it is up to you to survive."


    "Okay maggots! The rest is over! Pickup your shit and follow us! We have a five hour long walk to the top of mountain and oh boy the storm is starting."


    Will I survive?


    No.


    No.


    I will.


    I will survive. There is nothing else left for me in this world.


    Survive.


    I send mana into my nearly frozen legs to move, and slowly they obey, moving one after another. I command the mana to warm me up, any way possible, eat flesh, consume my essence but allow me to continue walking. I follow the stream of black figures through the storm as one by one they either disappear or fall down. Looking up at the dark sky I see endless sea of pitch black clouds swimming with absolutely no care in the world.


    I will survive.


    ...


    The pitch black clouds in the sky continue to move until my mind clears enough to understand that that was just a memory. A memory of long past.


    My eyes slowly move, scanning around, trying to understand where I am.


    What I find is an enormous altar with two sets of columns around, bigger ones much furtherer, and smaller ones, a bit closer, all covered in thick snow, forming some kind of circular formation, with me in the center of it all.


    Looking down I find my body shredded with javelins as they pin me to the white frozen ground.


    Javelins?


    Oh. Yeah.


    I died.


    What? No. This is not...


    I was in the white space.


    Why am I here?


    Am I....


    Why am I alive?

 Chapter 22

    How much time has passed? I can''t tell at all. The sky is constantly covered by thick sea of nearly black clouds, and neither sun nor moons are visible.


    I continue to to be fixed in my position as if a frozen statue. The falling snow covered my whole body with a thick layer of frozen crust a long time ago, and the only thing that is still open is the area around my face, but that is only because my breathing is melting down the snow.


    I am breathing.


    Dead do not breath. But that makes no sense. How can one stay alive without drinking or eating in this frozen hell for so long?


    Maybe I am dead, and this is afterlife, I don''t know any other way to explain it. There is also the thing that I can feel my heart beating, moving warm blood around what can be called body, which is pinned to this frozen altar for who knows how long.


    I am alive.


    I survived.


    [Why?]


    [Answer me. Why?]


    [Why are you still trying? Why do you relentlessly continue to torture us?]


    [Why can''t you let us die?]


    Because that is the only thing I know.


    How to survive against all odds, how to continue standing after every fail, how to continue grasping the last straw when all has been lost.


    What about you? Why do you care? After everything you said, after everything we did, after everything I did, you are still here, in my head.


    Why?


    [I don''t know.]


    [You made me that way.]


    [At some point we took our roles, and never let them go. Those roles became part of us, maybe they are more us that we are ourselves.]


    [You, the undying creature that know no rest, and me the immortal tormentor which questions everything you do and think.]


    [And I will never leave you, even when all will be lost, even when everyone will either die or betray us.]


    [I will be there, because no one else will, because no one is left except me.]


    [No one...]


    We both become quite as the same name comes to our minds, and we silently let the precious liquid flow out of our eyes.


    ...


    I don''t know how long I have been here. There is no day or night, no past or present, only now, only time.


    And I have not been idle, the whole time was spent on rethinking every step of my life, every decision I made, every word I said. At first it slowly trickled down drop by drop, but quite quickly the waterfall of memories burried me under them. I am not sure if there exists a point in my life, which I still remember, and did not rethink.


    And the more I thought, the more the mosaic grew. And the mosaic grew, the more it started taking solid form, and making sense.


    It was all a god damn play.


    Pathetic, second rate theater play.


    And HE orchestrated it all.


    A boy just happened to be born with too much mana and no affinities at all in the middle of nowhere.


    A boy just happened to read enough books to get into mage academy.


    A boy just happened to lose everyone and everything he cared about, and decide to drown himself in his studies about magic and mana circulation.


    A boy just happened to survive long enough to understand that he was going to be used as mana stone and escape.


    A boy just happened to find sanctuary at Blood Brotherhood, group which is specialized in hunting down dark and magic creatures.


    A boy just happened to survive thousands of life and death encountered and come out tempered and alive.


    A boy just happened to end up in the temple of the original fallen and get cursed by an ancient ritual.


    A boy just happened to escape the best hunters of the empire and live several years in north where the curse did not kill him, but festered enough.


    A boy just happened to find a tiny light, during his travel to his final grave, and be revived by it.


    A boy just happened to lose..... her.


    A boy just happened to fail in a simple task, which was reaching lower floors of a dungeon.


    A boy just happened to die in the perfectly right moment, at the perfectly right time.


    How could the boy be so blind, so oblivious to what was happening?


    How could the boy be so weak not to stand strong and try to solve the issues, rather than evade them?


    That could have been also part of the plan.


    It is hard to accept that all the happy and sad events in your life, every single encounter, every connection and loss was planned with a single purpose, to prepare you as a perfect vessel. So that in the very end, you can be killed as a fat pig on an open feast.


    Was my life really mine?


    What would you say if tomorrow you learned that every important point in your life was planned beforehand, and you never really had a choice in it? As if you were sitting in a chair and someone was reading you a story where you are the main character, but only in the end, when the story was about to end, you would understand you had no control over it, that the story was written even before it began.


    But there are also few things that became apparent. I am not dead. I was, but more likely am not anymore.


    I am more likely on south pole. Polar lights appeared through the nearly black skies some time ago. It was not the same as the one in the north, the colors and waves looked a bit different.


    And the last thing, there is no one else here, I am absolutely alone.


    How did I end up on south pole? Who brought me here? Why am I alive?


    It does not matter.


    If I really am alive, and this is south pole, HE should not be able to get me here, or at least I believed so. But after reviewing my whole life, I started questioning everything I knew, every fact, every book, every person.


    What if HE actually can reach me at the poles, and was simply faking it, making me believe that I was safe?


    It does not matter, because I saw what is on other side.


    Nothing, absolutely nothing.


    There was a moment where I saw things, and those things were not human. There was also that strange living painting. Soon after HE fell, the painting disappeared, leaving me alone in the white nothingness.


    The time there felt different.


    I was calm and... content.


    There was neither hate nor regret, as if everything that happened before was forgiven and forgotten.


    If felt as if centuries, millenniums passed there.


    Lifetime of silence, absolute silence, with no one there expect me...


    I can think of only two reasons to that.


    First, that for whatever reason, I was not allowed into the afterlife, hell or whatever alternative there possibly exits.


    And second one, there is no afterlife.


    Is there even a soul? Is it really immortal? Maybe we really are just bags of meat as the Rejected said? Their beliefs contradicted all the holy teachings and they were simply labeled apostates and heretics.


    Maybe they are the only ones who are right.


    One way or another it doesn''t matter, I will not meet them, I will never see them, hug them, tell them how much they mattered to me, how much I missed them.


    Mom, Dad, Kilan, my brothers.... Luna.....


    Everyone may have actually disappeared, as ash in the wind.


    But I will never know that.


    It does not matter.....


    ...


    Despair.


    I heard about it, read about it, even believed that I knew what that feeling is.


    But I was wrong.


    Another day would always come, always.


    Maybe somewhere in the back of my head I still believed that there is a chance that after millenniums of damnation in hell I would see them.


    But not anymore.


    There was only white space and time. Is this what will be awaiting me?


    Peace in solitude.


    Would I have made different decision if I knew that I would not be punished for anything I did?


    Were my actions, decisions and choices made because I believed that in the end, every evil person would be punished, that everything would sort out itself?


    I don''t know.


    But the creature like me, the one who ended countless amount of lives, the one who killed men, women and children alike, was simply..... left alone.


    I will never be punished.


    There would be no retribution.


    No saving for innocent.


    No damnation for the sinners.


    Nothing.


    Not just for me, but for every evil person that exits.


    Only life, only people.


    What about this hate, this wrath, this thing, that is boiling inside of me?


    Forgive them.


    Really?


    They torture and kill, they condemn those that they deem to be lesser, to living hell on earth, with no possibility of salvation.


    And in the end what, you simply forgive them?


    Forgive everything as if harmless joke and give them peace and serenity?!


    No.


    No.


    I will not.


    ...


    I have been evading one question the whole time.


    What now?


    There was never future for me, never. But I simply can not think about it now, because there is one single feeling boiling inside of me as if magma inside of the volcano.


    He is the reason for everything that happened to them.


    He did it, because of him, my family, my friends, my..... Luna.


    He was not a passive hand which observed and hoped for better outcome as I previously thought. He planed it all, every single step, every single event, every single life and death, as if pawns on chess board.


    And we are just pawn, nothing more....


    Everything was for a single purpose, for me to be in the right time, in the right place.


    I was but a simple puppet on strings. A stupid, blind puppet, who didn''t confront anything, didn''t question anything, didn''t even try. Just survived, only to see another day.


    Fucking trash.


    Spineless maggot.


    You let them die.


    You let them be tortured.


    You stood for nothing.


    There are only two things I can do about that.


    I can accept it and disappear.


    Accept the fate the gods planed for me and disappear......like some pathetic, worthless worm.


    no [no]


    NO [NO]


    NO [NO]


    WE [WE] WILL [WILL] NOT [NOT]


    NOT [NOT] LIKE [LIKE] THIS [THIS]


    ...


    Soul.


    What exactly is soul? Is there even such a thing as soul? Maybe the whole soul and ''mana bridges'' thing is pure bullshit. What if it is all a lie? It was commonly known that if you modify your body you may desynchronize it with the soul, which would cause it to corrupt.


    And the corrupted become demons.


    Is that even truth?


    I never felt or saw what ambient mana or affinity is, so the only thing I was left to do, is to believe whatever was written in the books. People tended to evade describing their achievements and understanding of the subject, so there was not much on the subject except the philosophical part.


    No healing works on HIS mark. By my orders, mages removed my right eye, the scar, and the whole area around it several times, but the mark still returned.


    What if the mark exists not in the scar? What if it not part of the body?


    What if it is much deeper? What if the curse is the body itself?


    Then I should remove it, destroy it, make it disappear.


    And replace it with something else, something different.


    So what if I may become corrupted, so what if my souls may be damaged or destroyed.


    I will die. Everyone will die.


    I will disappear. Everyone will disappear.


    And there is nothing waiting for everyone in the afterlife.


    Nothing.


    And some will continue to exist, to enjoy this world, bending the lives and fates of countless with a simple whim.


    Because there would be no one to stop them.


    I will crawl through the deepest pits of hell, again and again and again just to see HIM regret even looking in my direction, at us.


    Not just him.


    Every single one of them.


    The Kings, the lords, the corrupted, the evil, the knights that serve them, the guards that protect them, all the people who follow and obey them, every single little shit that has any relationship to them.


    The world itself.


    I will make them all scream and beg for mercy.


    "SPARE US"


    ''No'' will be my answer.


    ...


    I am repeating myself, but is it the air? I have neither eaten nor drank for so long. How am I alive? Where does the energy come from? What about nutritions?


    But I swat away those thought as I continue to guide mana to heal one organ after another. Except the heart and a single lung, the left one, the one which was destroyed several times since my travel from north, everything else was.... dead.... rotting slowly inside of me.


    The javelins, which passed through the mess of rotten organs, broken flesh and bones, blocked the healing process, but not for long.


    Break apart, consume, reuse, restore. Again and again.


    It took some time, but all the internal organs started working the way they should, or at least reminded something similar. Dead do not have a luxury of comparing to the ideals of the living.


    There are many question. How is that even possible? How am I alive? How was the brain and heart functioning at all? How did I even succeed?


    Doesn''t [Doesn''t] matter [matter].


    I want to heal my legs and single left arm, make them hale and healthy, or something close to that, but there are simply no resources available. Breathing keeps me alive, but I don''t think that if I breathed for century non-stop, the gathered resources would be enough to heal even one limb.


    Scarcity of supplies is nothing new. I start slowly healing my left arm, taking the resources from other areas, hollowing the bones and eating the muscle mass away.


    Only death awaits those that do not move.


    Healing my left hand enough I try to break through the snow crust around me, but it is much harder than I thought. The muscles are not working properly at all. After several attempt, the snow crust finally cracks and I fall out of it. I instantly regret my decision, as the freezing cold ground and ice wind, is like nothing I ever felt before. The snow cap was protecting me from the winds, but now I am defenseless and vulnerable as a newborn.


    On my stomach I start slowly crawling to the nearest pillar, trying to hide from the freezing blizzard. Reaching the pillar, my body moves on it own, to position me in any way possible for the cold crosswind to stop slamming me straight in the face. My back rests upon the snow covered pillar, as I try to bury myself in it, but the wind from sides notifies me about the futility of the effort. Changing strategy I start digging, trying to create a tiny cave big enough to fit at least part of me. The whole process takes quite some time as a single, barely functioning limb won''t take you far.


    I reach much further than I anticipated at first, nearly a meter in depth, but right after that point, I hit something solid. Clearing the snow out the small cave with my freezing hand, revealed something yellowish sticking out of solid block of ice. I continued to remove the snow, ignoring the the thought about what the yellow object is, as the snow started already covering my legs.


    When the space became large enough for me to fit in, I turned around and put my back against the object and ice block. Not wasting even a moment I start constructing a makeshift wall out of snow to block the freezing wind.


    Only when the freezing cold no longer is blowing directly in my face I calm down and try to gather energy and breath, but I royally fail as all the energy I had few minutes ago disappeared without trace.


    My eyes begin to slowly close as the darkness starts to crawl around my sight. I try to swat it away as I know that if I close my eyes they more likely won''t open again. My head start to tilt forward as strength escapes my neck. I try to breath deeper and regain any energy possible, but it is futile, as darkness continues to creep.


    I slowly turn back and look at the yellowish object.


    The very idea that came to my mind is abhorrent.


    But I will not die.


    I may become something different, and if I do...


    SO [SO] BE [BE] IT [IT].


    Gripping the object I try to rip if off, but it is so frozen that is won''t even budge. Abandoning the attempt I move closer and make my jaws close around the yellow solid object. It takes a bit more effort as there is barely any strength in my jaw muscle, but hunger and desperation make unbelievable thing happen.


    I finally rip out a piece out, and my jaws start to move mechanically, trying to chew through the solid, yellow strips.


    I will survive.


    Not to see the next day.


    No. It holds no meaning, not anymore.


    ...


    After eating all the yellowish object, which was sticking out of the ice block, the darkness around my eyes started receding and clarity returned to my sight. But the clarity is there only for short period of time until more nutritions will be required.


    I turn my thought process not on the reason and culprit of why I ended up here, or what exactly this place is, but how do I get out of here, and only after that will I be able to do what I desire.


    First of all, it still may be still be north pole, though the there were never such black clouds over that region. One way or another getting from here won''t be easy, and I will need every bit of strength and luck I can get.


    The other columns should contain the same thing as this one.


    I already took the path. And nothing should stop me.


    Nothing.


    It takes some time, but the blizzard weakens and I crawl back to the place I came from and start looking in the snow for an object that should help me get our of this frozen hell. Under half a meter of snow my hand finally finds the metal spearhead.


    Not waiting for even a moment I put the spearhead into my mouth and start crawling on my stomach back to the column I was before. Reaching it I place the spearhead near me and start removing more snow around the ice block. After some work the ice block falls down on the ground, sending the snow around as if a tree cut down. Taking the spearhead I start chipping away the ice, trying to get the yellow object out of it. But I do not wait until the whole thing is out of the ice and start cutting the yellowish flesh and eating it slowly. The taste is absolutely disgusting but it does not stop me, quite the opposite, it makes the hate boil in me with much more intensity.


    Anyone else would be ashamed or mortified on this experience, but I am not.


    I stare at the empty sockets of the yellow object skull with determination.


    You died.


    BUT [BUT] WE [WE] SHALL [SHALL] NOT [NOT].


    ...


    One by one I went through each column and consumed what was inside of them. There was barely any flesh on the the yellowish objects, but enough for me, at least for now.


    I also checked the bigger columns. They are much further than I expected and much bigger, but under the snow there was nothing but green marble columns.


    How do you even construct columns made of such rare material in the middle of nowhere?


    How did the yellow object even get frozen?


    Why were they here? What for?


    Why were there metal chains on them...


    Many question, but none of them will be answered.


    They are dead.


    But I am not.


    I need to move, and for that reason, I started spending the valuable resources on healing my legs. Crawling out of south pole on your stomach with one working hand is not.... realistic.


    Slowly I start revitalizing the bones and muscles on legs, they don''t move yet, but it is a still a big step over when my fingers were deep black, rotting from gangrene. I cut the black and yellow fingers on my foot, and commanded the flesh around the cut to close and stop bleeding.


    I will survive.


    The sun did not come out even once, it felt as if the the world''s day and night cycle was stopped by someone on a endless winter night. This would usually make people feel... terrified, as darkness is the domain of predators, but I have not gotten out of darkness in decades, even when I was outside during bright day, darkness was still with me.


    Maybe for a moment the darkness retreated when I found myself a small light source, a tiny candle, which reminded me that there is still light in this world.


    But my candle was take away.


    She is dead and will never return.


    Grinding my teeth I increase the intensity of healing, ignoring the throbbing pain in my head more likely caused by the fact that I have not slept or rested at all.


    Only dead need res-


    No.


    They don''t.


    They are simply dead.


    ...


    I have consumed more than half of pillars and strength slowly returned to me. And I already started walking, slowly, but still, walking. After who knows how long of crawling through the thick snow, walking again makes me feel as if I am moving forward, as if I made one step closer to what I want.


    With every bit of strength regained hate started growing in me stronger, as if fire over spilled oil. Growing, consuming anything it meets.


    I will need it.


    I will need everything I have for what is to come, because there is another, much bigger issue that I did not think at first.


    Just surviving is not enough.


    Just living is not enough.


    And I will have to solve it here.


    ...


    People can not absorb ambient mana actively. The bodies naturally regain internal mana when you breath, or consume something that contains mana, which is usually mana potions, or anything else with high content of mana.


    Blood is good example.


    Monsters do not need that.


    Many religions say that it was punishment from their gods for the way people live, that monsters were sent after the sinned.


    Fancy religious lie as many others.


    A single old book deep in Library of the Damned had a bit different story.


    A story about Ancients, which rivaled gods in power, which could take lives with a single thought. They lived in pursuit of knowledge, and for millenniums they prospered. They build empires which spanned through several continents, they created structure which can not be replicated even now, they reached control over the mana to such degree that the scholars still have problems deciphering the depth of their knowledge.


    But, with time, as everything in this world, they changed. Some of them abandoned their pursuit and started believing themselves to be gods. They started calling themselves the Enlightened.


    There were also others, which in response began calling themselves Seekers. They started pursuing darker, forbidden knowledge, they broke all rules that were established even before their history began. They started experimenting with those that were alive, slaves, or any they deemed as lesser life form.


    They wanted to create life itself.


    In the book it is claimed that this was how demi-humans came to existence.


    After a huge crack in ideologies people divided, and moved to different continents. They believed that that was the only way to co-exist, they were right, at least for some time. But two super powers can not ideologically exists, because there can be only one supreme, and in the end the unofficial ''cold war'' started. The undercover jabs, that they exchanged during the whole time, were an accepted alternative form to inter-continental war. Which some time later they could not evade, and that war would come, and it would quickly grow out of control of everyone into what is known as the World War.


    The Seekers, that created the demi-humans, lost. They ceased to exists and their homeland, is still known as dead continent.


    In the aftermath of the World War, the perfect mana flow of the planet was damaged. Some area began to have more mana rich air and soil, others the opposite, nearly lost all mana.


    Much later the first dungeon came to existence together with the creatures that inhabited them.


    To the horror of everyone, those creatures could absorb ambient mana, and grow stronger every day, which would cause the people to call them ''monsters''. There were only two thought on everyone''s mind, "These beings should be eradicated" and "We need to replicate their ability".


    Those who would achieve those goals would become the new leader not only of the kingdom, but the world itself. In pursuit of that, those in power held back neither their money nor influence. They failed again, and again, and again, until once they succeeded, but that, what was created was not....... what could be called a success.


    The few decades of peace after the World War were ended by the start of a very long period, which would come to be know as "Age of the Corrupted".


    ''Monsters'' are somehow able to evolve, change their bodies, while not being corrupted. People believed that the answer lied in demi-humans and the way Seekers created them. But the knowledge was lost, together with all the Seekers.


    Many tried to replicate that knowledge, with varying degree of success. The Enlightened, got the furthest of them all.


    Well, nowadays they have new name, Sun Empire, Blood Empire, or just simply, the Empire.


    The blizzard stopped.


    I am in the artificial cave that I dug up after I appeared in the center of the huge altar. There are half a dozen yellowish bodies lying near me and at the entrace.


    I prepared as much as I can, there is no more reason to postpone it anymore,


    If I become corrupt, so be it.


    If I cease to exist, so be it.


    If I become his vessel, so be it.


    But if I survive...


    Every single living being should pray that I won''t.


    I start breathing deeper, as mana circulation speed increases. In this freezing cold my body starts to produce steam.


    Not yet.


    I continue to increase the intensity of mana flow, and blood pressure increases sharply.


    Not yet.


    The whistling in my ears replaces all sound as breathing becomes hard.


    Not yet.


    More.


    More.


    More!


    MORE!!


    I split my consciousness and flesh into two parts, and give a single order to each one.


    Destroy everything.


    Restore everything.


    Darkness nearly instantly consumes me.


    ...


    I am not dead, some part of me wishes I was, but I am not.


    How do I know that?


    Pain.


    Pain is nothing new to me. I would even go as far to claim that we are very close acquaintances. But the pain I feel right now is not that old friend. There is no part of the body that is not in pain. It as if every fiber of my body in constantly dipped into pits which are filled with something out of someone''s twisted nightmare, blazing inferno, all consuming acid, after which my body is penetrated by razor sharp needles, then the cycle repeats.


    At the beginning I howled in pain, but soon after my throat simply stopped working. I have lost count on how many times I awoke and lost consciousness.


    There is no light, no sound, no feeling.


    Just pain.


    There is part of myself that it pleading to let me go.


    No.


    NO.


    NOT YET.


    The pain starts becoming distant, as my thought process slows down.


    NOT YET.


    I command the body, that I stopped feeling long ago, to survive whatever it takes, to not die, but I do not know if the command will be fulfilled or even understood.


    The darkness consumes me again, and maybe the last time.


    ...


    I awoke.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. I am alive.


    There is no white space, only darkness. But there is one more thing present.


    Pain.


    And that means that it is not over.


    I command my body to do something, to restore the sight at least in a single eye, but it does not yield result. I repeated that command again and again, as if mantra, and eternity later I saw a light.


    A tiny white light, in absolute darkness. As my mantra continued, the light continued to grow bigger and bigger, until the blinding light encompassed everything. Soon after colors appeared, grayish and yellowish.


    I recognized what is in front of me.


    The same small cave and yellowish bodies.


    Few hours later, alongside pain, another, new feeling appeared, a chilling cold. Several minutes after I start hearing the sound of blizzard, which later is followed by smell of rotting flesh somewhere near me. Attempting to make another step I try to move, but fail, as if every single limb ceased to exist.


    I resume my mantra, but this time the target is left hand. Quite soon I hear as muscles on my right thigh start twitching against the snow on ground. Not understanding what is happening I try to focus on the thigh muscles, but the result is that my neck starts slowly rotating. I begin cycling through every single muscle and limb I can, and none of them are where they should be, as if someone ripped apart doll and put the parts into wrong place. My lungs move to inhale and exhale air only when I try to move my right foot, moving my left index finger causes muscles to twitch.


    Hunger starts cutting my stomach and I stop my experiments. Someone twitching muscles in random I am able to move closer to the yellow body. Reorienting my head, I try to bite a piece, but I have not found the muscle responsible for it. Iterating through every possible action I finally find the correct one, it is the wrist of my missing right hand.


    The chewing is mechanical and it takes another iteration to find the way to trigger swallowing.


    After many test I somehow compiled the list of movements, and started acquainting myself with the new way to move.


    Even after many hours of testing and adjusting, the limbs are not moving the way they should. I thought that either limbs or nerves were damaged, but sending mana to them several times, to get the damage, returns nothing, as if there are no issue at all. Not understanding what is happening, I start probing the whole body for anything strange, the result is ridiculous.


    The muscles are there, all the bones and tendons too, but most of them are either deformed, wrong size or rotation. The body is sure that everything is fine, and there are no issues with it.


    What the hell?


    I started checking the body status more and more, but the feeling is incredibly strange, and I finally find the reason for the feeling. There is no longer pressure of something looking at me from behind, as if I am alone, as if huge weight was taken off my shoulders.


    Is it like what it feel to not have curse?


    It has been so long that I don''t even remember how it felt like before the event.


    Am I really free?


    I feel somehow more... alive.


    I...


    No.


    No.


    Alan died.


    There is no longer Alan.


    For what is to come, Alan would never agree, he would reject it, he would try to stop it.


    But Alan is dead.


    He was pathetic.


    He was weak.


    He was... wrong.


    I will neither forget nor forgive.


    This anger should not calm down, it should not disappear.


    I should not let it calm down, I should not let it disappear.


    Forget and forgive.


    Ha.


    No.


    Commanding my body I crawl closer to the yellowish bodies and resume ripping them apart, consuming them one after another, until only their bones and skin is left.


    Alan is dead.


    ...


    Pathetic.


    It took me many hours of trial and error to simply learn how to walk again. Even after that, they still stubbornly refused to follow my commands, but there is only one person to blame, me.


    I don''t have enough resources to repair this disfigured body, but sending minimal amount of resources to make sure my legs move, and my only working hand to move is unavoidable.


    Weak will not succeed.


    Slow will not reach.


    Soft will not survive


    It took another hour to make a thin coat and shoes out of the yellow skin, alas they barely protect against the freezing cold. My uneven legs start moving slowly, one by one, carrying me in the same direction where wind blows. North pole winds blow south, therefore south ones should blow north.


    I look around the huge altar one last time for anything that could help me, but it is useless. The snow is so thick that even if there is something, I won''t find it. Checking one last time that the spearheads are with me I start the travel.


    One leg after another.


    Move and breathe.


    Never stop.


    ...


    I am not sure how many days have passed, but I continue walking. The feeling in legs has been lost long time ago, but that does not stop me at all, nothing should.


    Until ''nothing'' unexpectedly happened.


    A pack of wolves.


    They appeared out of nowhere and surrounded me into a tight circle. Several of them start growling from different side, which is a common way to make their prey lose focus and make a mistake. The circle slowly shrinks and I can hear their ecstatic breathing as if they found gift of gods themselves in the middle of nowhere.


    But they are wrong.


    I am not gift, I am curse. And I am hungry.


    Silently I leap at the closest wolf, and my hand burst in motion, plunging spearhead through the foe''s skull.


    Not enough.


    More.


    Not waiting even a second I leap at another, taking his life in nearly the same manner.


    More.


    The next one leaps at me and reorienting myself, spearhead pierces his throat.


    MORE.


    Crushing the skull of next one with bare hand, I do not stop.


    MORE!


    MORE[MORE]!!


    I come to stop when I find myself alone, surrounded by dozen corpses of what is left of pack of wolves, which are forming some kind of chaotic painting of dark red on crystal white snow. My eyes follow the retreating remnants of the pack, which are running away.


    Pathetic.


    My hungry lungs move non-stop, inhaling the sharp freezing cold air, after which a burning hot air is exhaled.


    It takes some time to calm down, but only because another feeling appeared.


    Hunger.


    I find the spearhead still embedded in the skull in one of the wolves. Ripping it out I start dissecting the bodies. Their warm internals returns feeling to my nearly frozen hand. Looking at the spearhead I chuckle.


    "The one which nearly killed me, saved my life"


    Weapon work this way. They take one life and save another.


    Only after eating the third wolf I stop and understand that there is something wrong. Where did everything go?


    This hunger is not normal....


    Normal huh. Normal people would not survive, they would curl into ball and cry, begging for someone to come and help them.


    Pathetic.


    It took several attempts but I was able to make a more or less good coat out of the dead wolves. Also shoes, pants, and more. After finishing the task, I ate more, trying to fill myself to brim, as I don''t know when next meal will happen. Only when I feel that no more will fit into me I stop. Cutting more meat I place some of it into bag which I made out of failed coats. Some part of me tells me that I should take more, but that will only slow me down. Andy carrying anything more than handful through this thick snow could cause a problem.


    ...


    I saw a tree, after who knows how long, it was far away, but still, a tree. The snow grew a bit more shallow but still, at least several meters in depth. My legs move through the thick snow, one step after another, until I arrive before the lone tree in the middle of nowhere.


    My hand automatically reaches to it, to check that it is not an illusion, and it isn''t. There are neither leaves, nor even a hint of green or brown, just nearly black trunk, and the the hard texture is cold. Still, a tree, after the endless snow, rocks and mountains, anything else feels as if luxury. I place my face against it just to make one last check and instantly feel the sharp smell of forest.


    Opening my eyes I notice a blackish line on the horizon.


    I spend several long minutes to check that is not simply illusion caused by the nearly black clouds, and it looks like it is not. It is not that far, should be about three hours on foot. Sadly, or thankfully there is no day and night cycle.


    Seeing the rows of dead, black trees is strange. At the same time they are happy change to endless snow desert, but on the other, they are dead. Walking into the ominous forest I continue traveling in the direction wind blows. The more I walk the more wind becomes colder, and the more tired I become. The black trees are so tightly packed that I no longer can see any silhouette of the local mountains. Walking much deeper into the forest I find a place, with many fallen trees, which create a makeshift protection from the freezing wind. I decide to take a small rest. Burying myself in a corner, I try to find a way to keep myself warm.


    The moment my body stopped moving, the hunger returned again. I have been keeping it at bay using the stored fat from the wolf meat, but those resources are coming to end too.


    The exhaustion finally won and my eyes closed soon after.


    ...


    An unbearable hunger broke me out of the slumber, as if there was a burning pit of acid inside.


    Breathing heavily I try to retake control over the body, and subdue the hunger, but that is not as easy as it sounds. After few minutes of breathing and uselessly producing valuable warm steam in this freezing cold, my body calms down.


    Looking around I realize that the whole place, looks somehow foreign. Checking few milestone I confirm that it is the same place, but at the same time it feels strange. It is as if no time passed at all and I simply closed my eyes for a few minutes, and woke up in wrong place.


    I can''t be sure, maybe the whole place is affecting me, but it does not matter.


    I am alive, and I need to keep it that way.


    I stand up and start walking in the direction the wind blows. But turning in that direction I feel as the cold wind, which is blowing into my back, steals the warmth that I gathered while bundled together, even through the thick wolf fur that is on me.


    Same black trees, same white floor, and the same dark gray clouds. Maybe it is my imagination but, it feels as if the sky went few tones brighter. But crippling hunger is not imagination. It got so bad that I started ripping tiny trees out of ground and chewing their roots.


    My eyes notice some kind of small hill in the middle of flat forest, and I start walking in it''s direction. I find what looks like a tiny opening to someone''s den.


    My hands instantly start clearing the snow and opening path inside.


    What I find inside is huge white bear and two small cubs, sleeping quietly in a deep burrow. But it looks like my entrance has started awakening of the big one, as it starts slowly shifting and sniffing the air.


    They are innocent animals.


    And they simply want to survive.


    But so do I.


    On starving stomach the bear meat tasted as sweet as a nectar.


    I am no different than anyone I despised. I attacked a family of animals, and took their lives. From their perspective I am incarnation of evil.


    I am the same as everyone else.


    But I will survive, whatever it takes.


    ...


    This time I ate much more, and with the abundant resources I was able start healing. But it is not actually healing, not anymore. The body truly believes that the deformed state with missing right hand is the original one, and that there are no issues with it.


    So the only thing left is to go against what it believes and desires, and change it. I do not know of a way to restore a whole limb, that usually was the task of healers, but I will need to learn that, and what better practice target than the missing toes. Thankfully I have enough meat near me for task, but before that I need to repair the tendons, muscles and bones to the actual original state.


    And while my body is healing and changing I am making new coat out of the mother bear, the big white one.


    I stayed in the hole for quite some time eating and ''healing'' myself, but also because the warmth inside held me back. Alas, the amount of meat is limited and the hunger will start returning again quite soon, and I need to be careful with my supplies, there is still a long way ahead, and staying here will not accomplish anything.


    As I am about to start resume my travel, I hear distant heavy footsteps. They are quickly getting louder and closer until I hear them stop near the burrow entrance. I hear loud sniffing and few seconds later with a roar the entrance is ripped out. With spearhead in my hand I leap out evading the falling mix of snow and dirt.


    Only when I am at least dozen meters away I stop and turn around to look at what attacked me. A deep cynical laugh escapes me as I stare at seven meters tall bipedal muscle creature with extremely long moose legs and antlers, with burning red eyes looking back at me.


    Wendigo. Protector of forest. Corrupted spirit. Cannibal turned hunter.


    All of it is a lie, a simple corrupted moose, nothing more.


    As if hearing my thoughts the creature roars and rips out huge tree near it, and throws it at me as if is but a small wooden stick. I evade the incoming log by hairs width.


    How did it find me in the middle of nowhere? Did it smell the blood? Maybe it tracked me from the wolves.


    Doesn''t matter.


    You are food and I am the hunter.


    And oh boy am I hungry.


    ...


    Finishing cleaning the skull and fur of the Wendigo I scowl and throw it at ground, wincing in the process, as the fractured bones in my body did not heal fully.


    Damned fucker, nearly killed me. And of course the moment I needed a long weapon, there was only a single, rusty spearhead. And the worst part is that this shit destroyed the burrow, leaving me to fend against the freezing cold by myself.


    Spending days lying on freezing ground, bleeding with half-broken body, with no possibility to hide from the fucking cold. But at least it''s fur looked warm, and out of it I was able to carve quite good coat. The skull became a nice head protector, the only thing I had to do was to break the huge antlers that still had my blood and guts on them.


    I resume my travel, with quite some meat on the makeshift sled made out of fur, which I am dragging behind myself through the snow.


    To my astonishment quite soon I came into huge clearing. What stood before me was an endless sea of frozen ice. This would be beautiful view if it would not be covered by thick gray fog, which moved quickly because of the freezing cold wind that blew around. Looking around I notice that the area looks like peninsula, but I can not be sure because nothing is visible after about hundred meters. Is the land, I am standing on simply cutting deeper into the water body, or am I standing on island?


    This huge ice body can be either a huge lake, sea or ocean.


    If I go around the shore, I will either make a small detour, make a huge circle, or make enormous circle.


    If I go straight through the ice, I will either make a small shortcut, make a huge shortcut, or end up in ocean water.


    Straight it is.


    I slowly step on the ice and looking down estimate that ice is at least three meters in thickness, with the water under it not visible at all. Looking on the other side of the huge ice platform I see nothing but endless ice and white fog covering it.


    If I end up in ocean, that mean that I am fucked.


    If not, well, there is only one way to find that, and the wind blows in the same direction.


    ...


    This is not ocean for sure, ocean can not be frozen so much. It also is not a lake too, something this enormous is even hard to categorize.


    My feet continue dragging me, together with makeshift sled made out of Wendigo fur. It became much lighter, and I don''t know how long I will last.


    One thing is for sure, I won''t be able to return back. I have consumed more than half of my meat supply during the travel through this endless ice hell, and whichever way I look there is only white fog.


    There is only one path, forward.


    My feet continue dragging me until I see a small black spot far away, in the middle of nowhere. How can I see so far? Did the fog clear up a bit? If yes, what would be a very good news. For few long seconds I stare at the spot believing it to disappear as if a trick caused by my exhausted mind, but it doesn''t.


    Whatever it is, I can''t ignore it.


    It took about an hour until I came closer, and the small spot grew much bigger. I walk closer to it and find an dark conical structure no bigger than two meters in height. Dropping the sled I walk around the cone to look at it from all angles, but in the end I still don''t understand what it is, some parts of it stand out as if bones on starved creature, there are few areas that have different color shade, as if they made out of different materials. I extend my hand and carefully touch it with my fingers, and find it soft, as if some kind of cloth.


    Something burst out of it and I jump back taking out the spearhead and pointing it at new foe.


    The foe is actually a person, human, with wild blond hair and beard. He is pointing his spear at me with terrified eyes, until they meet mine and the fear is slowly replaced with confusion.


    I slowly remove Wendigo''s skull from my head, which protects me from the cold wind. Few long seconds he stares at me then at the skull, after which he slowly lowers his spear and starts rambling in incoherently in some language, but I do not understand him at all.


    A human, a living one.


    I need him.


    I raise my hand my hand in a form of non-aggression, and slowly walk to my sled. Slowly removing the bear fur from it I take out meat and offer it to him, in sign of good will.


    His eyes sharply increase in size as his Adam'' apple visibly moves.


    Peaking into the black cone I find fishing utensils there. Looking back at him, closer this time, one thing becomes apparent, he is severely malnutritioned. Not as strongly, as me, but still.


    I slowly place the meat on floor and with hand encourage him to take it. The long seconds of him moving his eyes between me and meat are ended, when he leaps at the meat and checked whenever it is real.


    Smile breaks across his face.


    With hurried actions he starts disassembling the cone structure and turns it into a sled. He makes gesture for me to follow him and together we start walking is direction different of which wind is blowing.


    It takes several hours of walking through the endless fog, but a silhouette of a mountain starts slowly appearing. Happily he increase the travel speed and I follow. After some more walking we arrive to what looks like a small house in the middle of nowhere, with a boat near it. He puts his sled near the house and start shouting something loudly while walking into the house, gesturing for me to follow him.


    I cautiously enter the house and find him near another person, a woman with red hair in fur clothing saying something enthusiastically. She looks at me and with a smile bows, after which she takes the meat and starts to move around in what looks like a kitchen.


    The man gestures me to sit in what I believe to be a low table and I calmly follow. He starts saying something again but I gesture back that I don''t understand. He starts gesturing more, to mouth, kitchen and empty plate on table, which I assume means foot is coming. Then he points to clouds and something moving up and down, what I assume may mean days.


    I am not the only one who was starving.


    With hand gesture I try to ask him if he has a map, or if he can draw one. It takes few minutes, and moving of object on table an pointing at the house for him to get it, but in the end he starts enthusiastically nodding. He walks somewhere into the corner and takes out a small piece of yellowish cloth. Bringing it back, he opens it flat on table. On the cloth there are small black drawings made more likely with coal.


    An actual map. It shows a many big mountains, a strange area, which I believe to be water and several dots. The man starts gesturing at the point near that strange area, which I assume is the current location. He starts pointing at the other dots and shows gesture for big.


    More people? So a village or a city.


    But the dots are very far away from the current location. If I try to build the terrain map in my head, and take into account the distance it took for me to reach here from other side the sea. It would take from three to five times more time to reach the closest dot.


    And I needed more than half of all my meat supply from, bears and Wendigo just barely reach here...


    Smell of meat and herbs quickly fills the room.


    Suddenly something moves in corner and appears from under several blankets.


    A tiny face.


    A child.


    The child says something, to which man and woman respond something back. A child with short hair removes the blankets and crawls to the man on his hands, dragging his body behind as anchor.


    The boy comes closer to the man and starts saying something enthusiastically. His sleepy eyes notice me after which, he crawls behind the man and stares at me curiously.


    The man looks at the child sadly and says something. The boy slowly walks out from behind his fathers back and says something, which I think is greeting.


    I say hello back.


    His eyes move around me curiously as if he found the most fascinating thing in the world.


    Soon the woman brings three small bowls and pours soup into them. The man gestures me to try the soup, while the woman says something to the boy, after which he crawls to her on his hands.


    She looks away from him in a strange blend of sadness and...... shame.


    Hot soup after who know how long of cold, raw.... meat..... feels as if the best meal I ever tried. I slowly drink the soup with contains small bits and pieces of meat and herbs, while the woman shares her with the child. The woman walks back and forth filling the empty bowls with more soup.


    Soon everyone is sated and the man starts talking to woman, more likely explaining something.


    The child continues to stare at me in fascination, and bit by bit crawls closer. Looking at the boy again, I notice that his skull is slightly deformed and burnt, with area missing his bright blond hair. The boy''s eyes are like green shining jewels staring at me and the place where my right arm should be.


    The man and woman look down in sadness and shame.


    The child crawls closer looking at my face and body. Few minutes later his tiny hand start stretching to my stump. His parents say something and he quickly crawls back to them, but still continues to stare at me in undisguised fascination and curiosity.


    A bit later child crawls to corner, and coming back brings his toys made out of wood and animal bone, showing it to me, as if asking me to play. He starts talking about something, maybe story, maybe just nonsense. He knows that I don''t understand but, that does not stop him. He continues his story with huge smile and the same shining eyes, while I sit in silence.


    This is the happiest he will even be.


    He doesn''t know it. He doesn''t understand it yet.


    But people......... they never let each other forget.


    Cripples do not survive this long. They are usually abandoned. He breaths only because his parents either really love him or can not take life of their only child.


    But I saw pity, I saw shame.


    Weak die, strong live.


    Thats the law of life.


    Right?


    I slowly stand up and opening the wooden door walk outside, into the freezing cold. Sitting with my legs crossed I breath deeply and try to restore whatever I can. The freezing cold cuts deep into my bones, reminding me that I am alive. I start probing the body with mana. There must be something to heal, there always is, something to focus my thoughts on, but I fail.


    I am alone.


    She died. Some part of me still tried to deny it, fight it. Her life would be hard, even harder than this boy''s, it would be filled with pain and suffering, but it would still be a life. Who says that there won''t be small bits and pieces that would be worth all of it? But even that was denied to her. She is dead. And there is nothing I can do.


    I will never look at her curious eyes, never caress her soft hair, never see that innocent smile.


    Never.


    They did it.


    They-


    [It is useless.]


    [You try to make us angry, to make us hate. But, it is useless.]


    [Empty talk.]


    [All the words about revenge and destruction, all the words about... No, that pure bullshit. We don''t change.]


    [Using that hate you can''t become the heartless demon you want, and you can neither kill nor destroy that.]


    [You won''t change.]


    [And so will I.]


    Says who?


    ...


    I gave more than half of the meat that was left to the family. In return I asked for them to cook my part, give me clothes and decent shoes.


    I rested for about a day and started traveling in the direction of the closest village. They tried repeatedly to tell me that I will die, that I will not make it, that there are several months before the ice breaks. But it didn''t matter.


    They had many questions. Who am I? Where did I come from? Why was I dressed like that in the middle of this snow hell?


    Thankfully, they were too polite, or too afraid to ask.


    After saying goodbyes to the family I resumed my travel with new shoes, pants and shirt. The Wendigo hide and skull stayed with me. I continue to walk through the frozen hell in the direction that I was showed, through a narrow trail that goes between huge mountains.


    Walking, moving and surviving are the only things I know, the only things that kept me alive.


    But that is not enough.


    Not anymore.


    Yes, I am not like them.


    They are blind and weak.


    But I am not, not anymore.


    ...


    Some part of me is screaming at myself for not listening to the advice from that family, not waiting. That can''t be changed anymore. It has been more than two weeks since then, or at least I believe so. This body is alive only because of two events. First, when my leg ended up in hare burrow, when I was walking through snow covered trail. And second time, when I came up to a frozen river, where I found few fishes in solid block of ice.


    But I continued walking.


    And soon my stubbornness was rewarded. I saw a dark circular formation on the horizon, down at the base of the mountain. Not wasting even a second I started traveling there.


    When I came close to the village a big group, of at least three dozen people, with bows and spears stopped me. They pointed their arrows and spearheads, while shouting something, but I did not understand what they were saying at all. They came closer and removed the Wendigo hide from me, and when they saw my stump in place of my right hand, they started laughing and jeering at each other.


    Cripple is not a danger.


    Slowly I am escorted to the center of the village, where I see several wooden poles with naked men and women, tied to them, who have arrows and hatchets embedded in them.


    A huge guy with missing eye appears and by reaction of others I understand that he is the leader. A person comes closer to him and gives him my Wendigo coat. He smiles toothily and starts saying something, but I ignore it.


    I know that smile.


    I know people like that.


    I can feel them with my very bones.


    And as if all the chains are let go, I act.


    Before I know it, there is chunk of the leader''s neck in my teeth, and his crushed skull is my left hand. Not wasting even a second I rip apart anyone who is holding any weapon.


    Soon I stand in the center alone, except the lying dead bodies. A minute later women and children start appearing out of the houses with barely any clothes on them, and visibly abused.


    Before I would try to go through it quietly, only respond when I was attacked, or threatened.


    Maybe I am simply tired, or maybe, I changed...


    ''The only thing necessary for the triumph of Evil is that good men do nothing''


    Ha. Now I am quoting that carefree idiot Richard.


    Are you even alive friend? Summoned are not allowed to live long.

 Chapter 23

    Nearly total darkness surrounds me, as slowly one by one countless children appear. Their voices fill the whole area as every single one of them start begging me to stop hurting them, for me to forgive them, and the pain to stop. I know and remember every single one of them, their faces are burned deep into my being, so that I never forget what I have done.


    Every single one of them was either killed by me or died because of my actions. Their numerous wounds continue to bleed as the whimpering fills the whole area, but I continue to stand immobile with no possibility to more, help them, or change anything. And in the middle of them all stands a small girl with black and white hair in pure white dress. She stares in my eyes silently. Her tiny lips move, and accusing voice reaches me, silencing everyone around.


    "You lied."


    "You are not my father, never were. You took me because you wanted to feel better. You never cared about me or what I felt"


    "You did what you wanted, and I died because of that"


    "I died because of you, because you decided to show pity to me."


    "DID I ASK FOR PITY?! DID I ASK FOR THIS?!"


    "You should have left me alone, than maybe I would have lived!"


    "Someone would eventually pick me up. My life wouldn''t be easy, but I would live!"


    "I would find a loving family, and they would care and love me the way you never could."


    "But because of you, your past, and what you are, I am dead, rotting alongside mountains of body parts!"


    Slowly a blue mark in form of two big hands appears around her tiny neck. And I easily recognize the owner of them, as the prints belong to me.


    This is not real.


    They all are dead. And what I see before me is simply a nightmare, created by my sick mind, to torture me, to make me suffer, nothing more. But I do not dare to dismiss them, to stop the, to look away. I should not, and I will not. Burning hot tears continue streaming down by face. They themselves no longer suffer, they simply ceased to exist. They are dead simply because their fate crossed mine. I am the reason for it all.


    No one will remember them, no one will avenge them, because no one can. Most of the people who caused their deaths are dead themselves, and those that aren''t dead, will either never be found, or never be punished.


    And so I will not look away, because the moment I do, they will disappear.


    I will not allow their deaths to be a tiny milestone in a failed ritual of summoning the fallen.


    Their lives meant much more.


    Their lives will mean much more.


    I will make sure of that.


    ...


    My eyes shoot wide open and he world around slowly fills with dim light and clarity. Standing up from the old wooden bed I purge the last bits of drowsiness and start wiping away the cold sweat from my back.


    The inn''s room, in which I am currently in, is quite dark, with it''s windows tightly closed by wooden planks, but the sun light still breaks through the cracks nevertheless.


    Looking down on my toes I evaluate their status, and the results of experiments to restore the missing limb. Out of four missing toes, and four different experiments, one utterly failed with some kind of meat and bone amalgamation growing in place of a healthy toe. Two toes grew crooked with a piece of bone sticking out, and the last one more or less looks as it should be.


    I sigh.


    So the bone and cartilage should come first, and only after they are fully restored should the tendon healing start, which should be shortly followed by nerves, muscles and skin. But that makes no sense. When I saw healers restore limbs, all the parts grew together, steadily, as if a tree.


    It would be much better if I would experiment with healing other body parts, but toes are the only things I can spare right now. Even if missing several of them makes it much harder to walk, it is nothing compared to what would happen if I tried experiment with finger on my left hand, the only hand I have left.


    I sigh again.


    Am I doing something wrong? Or maybe the way healers restore limbs is a bit different? Is the cause the external mana, or simply my lack of skills? I will have to make many more tests before I will be able to start healing my arm. And one way or another I will have to succeed.


    I put on a simple shirt, Wendigo coat and walk down to the first floor of the inn. When people see me they immediately turn their eyes the other way and start whispering between themselves. The inn owner quickly brings several bowls with soup, bread, meat and much more to the table I sat, asking again if I do not want bear or wine. I gesture back that water will be enough. People continue to whisper between themselves, trying not to make an eye contact with me, while I am eating.


    It took quite some time to reach this small city, thankfully before that I was able to acquire a horse, which is actually not horse, but some kind of local breed of moose with it, not sure exactly, but the travel speed increased significantly.


    Sadly, none of the people speak language that I know of, and the communication is hard. People generally didn''t want to speak with me, because usually, cripples in Wendigo fur do not have money. But few shiny coins that I took from the previous villages, and their aggressive ''residents'', made a big difference.


    There were few villages who wanted to give many more things for ''liberating'' them, slaves, houses, land and more, only if I stayed and continued protecting their village.


    Some local bully even tried to use the fact, that I am cripple, who doesn''t speak local language. Because let''s look at it frankly, who will even care? I must have been lucky to find money, and don''t even deserve it, I will waste it on useless thing, and people around could use it much more efficiently. Right?. Several crushed skulls later, those that witnessed the event had a sudden change in heart, they even decided to convey their insight about my ''rightful'' possession of gold to everyone in the city.


    Anyway, in the end, after an attempt to recruit me into local Lord''s personal guard, my refusal, several disfigured bodies of sneaky assassins, which were sent by the almighty Lord, who was offended by my refusal, a short discussion that I organized between myself and the Lord, his head on a pike in the middle of city''s main square, things started changing, and everyone around suddenly calmed down a bit.


    There were many more ''events'' between the failed assassination and Lord''s death, but they don''t matter anymore.


    I am still in the city, only because I am waiting for the damn ship, which will travel north to much bigger ''kotr'', thought I do not know what that word means, I assume it is either island or continent. The ship has been ready for quite some time actually, but it is burried in deep ice, which is at least several meters thick. Thankfully spring is around the corner, and this temporary stop in my travel will come to end.


    As I found out, I am currently on the south-east most island of a small archipelago of islands. Search for a good map of the area did not yield any good results. By local standards a ''good map'' is map of the whole island, and the best map city has contains only a small fraction of nearest island. When I spoke about the land north from the archipelago the usual reply was usually that they nothing about that area.


    I could attempt travel further, through the frozen archipelago, which by my estimation is nearly thousand kilometers of islands, snow and ice. And even after all that, I would still need to take a ship further north.


    Finishing my huge meal I walk outside, and looking at the snow covered city proceed in the same direction, as I have been every day, to the ocean.


    When I reviewed the local map, and tried to understand what path I took, it came apparent that there are no lakes around here at all. And the area through which I was walking, the fog covered one, was actually frozen ocean between two islands, and only by a chance I did not turn the wrong way, which would result me ending up in the middle of frozen ocean.


    I have never heard about frozen ocean, and this fact made me more careful with the direction and area I plan travel through.


    My knowledge of south hemisphere is very limited. I know that there is a continent, commonly called twin south continents, it is actually a single continent, divided by huge canyon and shallow ocean water. The region in general is not well explored, and any major attempts either brought no real result, or was generally unsuccessful.


    I sit on cold stone and instantly the freezing wind starts blowing in my face, making my skin feel as if thousand tiny blades are cutting it. Breathing deeper I start healing my toes, and at the same time continuing experimenting on how to heal my right hand.


    If I reach a big city I can find either a healer or high priest, and ''politely ask'' them to restore my limb. If the healer won''t be cooperative, and the gold won''t work, there is also an option of using force. But in the end, for what is to come, I need to be able to restore nearly anything myself, muscles, bones, heart and more.


    One of important milestones was to restore my body to the original state it was before. Only when I arrived in this city did I notice how much my body was truly deformed. Back in the mountains, I felt that there was something wrong with the bones, tendons and muscles, so I tried to changed them the way they should be, and I believed that I fully succeeded. But when I saw the reflection in the water, what looked back at me could hardly be called a human, with misaligned eyes, deformed skull and much more. I looked more like deformed ghoul, with rare hair that grew on my head, which were all dirty grey in color.


    The more I restored my body to original state, the better I generally could manipulate the bones and muscles in my body. It got to a point where could change my body structure so far, that I could become a totally different person. Maybe at some point I will be able to even change my flesh so much, that I would look like a totally different race, or even species...


    Even though I said Alan is dead, he should not disappear.


    This hate, this wrath, this dark things boiling inside of me belong to Alan.


    And he should be the one unleashing it all.


    Quite soon I am interrupted by a group of kids that have come again, as they have every day before, to ask me to teach them how to fight. The rumors travel fast, and unlike adults, fear in children disappears quickly. Maybe it is because children do not fully comprehend the concept of danger. I have rejected them many times, but they still continue to come, hoping for different result.


    What for do you want to become stronger, to steal, plunge and destroy?


    Even these innocent kids will one day learn how to take lives, and innocent kids will be no more.


    [So ''innocence'' is in not taking someone''s life?]


    [Weapon can be used in two ways, to protect lives, and to take them. In the end, the mind makes the decision and hand only takes the action.]


    [If you won''t be the one to guide them, someone else will, someone with different goals.]


    [And we know their goals all too well.]


    When we hear something that contradicts with our world view, we instinctively reject it, try to find a flaw in what was said, or outright dismissing that piece of information.


    That happens because of really simple reason, we do not want to die.


    Our world view, all out sense of right and wrong, the sense of ''us'' itself is build upon many pillars of experience and knowledge. If the pillars crumble, there is a chance that we will die, not death of flesh, but rather death of mind. Because upon than new piece of information, a new pillar will be born. And upon that pillar new being will be born, maybe someone stronger, maybe someone smarter, but that someone will not be us.


    Not us.


    And so we continue to dismiss, ignore and reject what threatens us, and so we continue to live in our bubbles of ignorance, self righteousness and absolutism. The instinct of survival is burned so deep into the flesh and mind, that ideas themselves become threats to survival.


    It is easy to live with people and ideas that support ''our'' world, as it takes strength and courage to plunge yourself into what can kill us.


    And so fear and weakness rules us.


    But we call this fear with a different name, because calling what we fear with it''s own name, is a threat to us itself.


    Standing up I walk to the children, and without a single word gesture for them to stand in position.


    Hundreds of them will follow darkness.


    But maybe, maybe one will start asking questions, and so the cycle will continue, so that one day it could be broken.


    ...


    The ocean is not as nice as the ship captain believed, and right now the ship crew is trying their best to make the ship survive against today''s storm. The last storm, which was several days ago, nearly destroyed this oversized fishing boat, and killed us all.


    That night the ship lost three crew members and two unlucky passengers. But this storm is much stronger. The ship has been creaking non-stop the whole time, maybe because the ship is old, maybe because we started the travel too early, or maybe because the damn idiots in greed took too much luggage and exceeded the ship''s capacity.


    Doesn''t matter.


    I already gathered my supplies, new steel sword, and a light coat. The Wendigo coat, with which I have been traveling for some time, had to be quickly exchanged for something much lighter, because if you get into water with it, it will drag you down to the ocean''s floor. Even if the ship goes down I will not follow it, I have been in several shipwrecks, and I already have a general idea what next events will be.


    The problem is, that after people saw me preparing and gathering my things, they started panicking and running around the ship, gathering their stuff, screaming something at the ship crew and the captain. Even though I don''t understand the language, I kind of know the questions.


    ''Is everything okay?'' ''Will the ship sink?'' ''What is happening?'' ''Are we going to die?''


    I continue to stand near the ship deck, listening to the sound ship produces, the crashing waves and keeping my eyes on the horizon. There are more than dozen travelers standing behind me, and most of them have their stuff in their hands. They are breathing shallowly, with sweat visibly dripping down their faces, awaiting what is to come. After about half and hour I see something on horizon, that tells me that the time has come and I can''t wait anymore.


    Leaping to the deck I take out my sword and start chipping off a big piece of ship''s wooden hull. The ship crew are trying to stop me but I simply throw them away. Finally chopping the damn thing off, I make it fall down on the deck.


    Putting my sword back and fixing it strongly to the rest of my gear, I pickup the wooden plank. Looking forward at the horizon I curse at the rapidly rising, nearly hundred meters tall wave, which looks like a greenish mountain, which is about to fall upon us. The fucking ship crew slowed me down too much. I grip the wooden plank stronger, and running of the ship jump into the water, submerging much deeper than I expected.


    After more than dozen long seconds under the freezing cold water, the plank starts dragging me up towards the surface. It takes even for me to finally break out of the water and start breathing again. Few moments later my eyes find the ship, and the sheer number of people who are jumping out of it. The next instant the ship starts rising up the wave, and tilting at very sharp angle. I lose sight of the ship when the tip of the wave turns white and slamming down, swallows it entirely. The whole event happened nearly unheard because of the very loudly blowing wind, that drowned all other sounds.


    The waves continues to grow and slam against the ocean, as slowly the number of people I see in the ocean decreases, until I am alone, fighting to stay alive as the freezing cold water is stealing warmth away from me.


    I will survive.


    ...


    Sitting on the wooden plank, I let few drops of my blood fall into the calm, blue ocean, as sweat is slowly dripping down my face. It is hard to imagine that only few days ago I was freezing in water, fighting for my life, and now the blazing sun is cooking me alive as if some kind of food on frying pan.


    There is another fight happening right now, but this time it is because of hunger.


    Dozen long minutes pass, with me quietly awaiting the result, until finally I see a big fin appearing out of the water, and quickly traveling in my direction. A smile breaks upon my face. Gripping the sword harder I prepare for the only chance I will get, as this little fish is a coward, and will swim away the moment it understands that it can''t eat me.


    With a roar I jump and plunge the sword through the area where I believe the shark to have a heart. There is a very high chance that I missed the area by few centimeters as I am being dragged away, under the water, with my hand still tightly gripping the handle of the sword, which is deeply embedded in the shark.


    The damn fish starts thrashing around, and even jumping out of water with very high velocity, one particular jump, nearly made me release the handle, but somehow through sheer willpower I held onto the it. Shortly after the fucking fish tries to submerge into deep water, but fails as too much blood was already lost. Slowly the shark falls silent and stops moving. Gripping the handle, with the only hand I have, I swim to the surface. Breaking out of the water I take the sweet air in. Breathing more I start searching for my wooden plank, until I finally find it quite far away, at least hundred meters away. It looks like the shark swam quite far from the original point.


    I will need to be careful next time, because this time, there was only one shark, and the plank didn''t drift that far away in the calm ocean, but that may not repeat again.


    I wanted to throw the shark on the wooden plank, because the damn thing does not float, but rather starts sinking as if a rock. I quickly have to reconsider as the fucking fish is simply too big for the thin plank, and doing everything with a single arm will not yield result. Somehow holding the fish afloat with legs, I start cutting chunks of meat and placing them on the plank, one by one.


    After about half an hour of suffering with the damn piece of shit I let the carcass drift down to ocean floor. It would be really great if I would get up on the wooden plank and rest, but I will not do that, as meat will simply fall off, and all the work would be wasted. Resting several minutes I start eating the thing raw.


    I know regions where raw fish is considered delicacy, but for me it is more of barbarianism. Though hungry shitheads, with a single arm, which ended up in the middle of ocean, like me, do not have much of a choice.


    ...


    There are many questions going through my thick skull, most of them are on the theme of ''Why am I here?'', ''What the fuck am I doing?'' or ''How the fuck did it end up like this?''


    I was drifting for many days until a ship with black flag and a skull picked me up. The ship was filled with dozen of nearly naked, dirty, smelly thugs with rusty weapons. They are commonly called pirates, and I believed that they would try attack and enslave someone like me.


    But the moment they saw my stump, more than two dozen pirates on the ship, lowered their weapons down and started laughing between each other, several even clapped me friendly on my back. Few moments later ship captain, with a huge hat arrived, and when he saw my stump he also joined the group laughing.


    The captain looked at the scar on my chest, which was slightly visible through the light shirt I wore. I did not even try to hide the scar, because if they would recognize the symbol, I could simply bully them into following my orders in getting me to the continent. If I killed them all, managing the ship would become ''much'' harder.


    The captain looked at the scar with furrowed brows and few seconds later barked some kind of orders. He clapped me on my back with a sad smile, which was missing many teeth, and those that were present were deep black. Several moments later a person with meat and beer arrived and the captain gestured me to eat. After the short meal, people gave me a broom and together with several other crew members I started cleaning the deck.


    I am not sure what level of irony this is, that the pirates, those that are hated by the most, with nearly no exception, accepted a random cripple into their team within few minutes.


    No interrogation, no tests, no oath of loyalty.


    We do not understand each other, don''t speak same language, or look the same, but I somehow ended up being fully accepted by this bunch.


    This would be very funny if it would not be so sad.


    Somehow pirates ended up being more welcome than the nobles, merchants, and peasants all together.


    Do they think that I am just another pirate with missing limb? Or maybe they thought that the scar is a mark of a slave, and decided to take me in.


    This fucking world.


    ...


    I stared learning the local language, or at least the pirate dialect of it. A lot of swearing and shortened words, but enough to understand the basic ideas. I quite soon unexpectedly noticed several correlations with Elvish and ancient Tasar, which nowadays can only be found in old books in Empire.


    I am sure there is a valid reason for that, some kind of ancient historical event, which I believe to be more likely arrival in the ''New'' Land. The books believe that original place of arrival in ''New'' Land is the ''Ancient'' capital of Empire.


    Empire actually has three capitals, Ancient capital in South-West, Royal capital in North-West, and Holy capital in Zeronel, which is the central province, with each capital serving it''s own purpose.


    According to books, starting from Empire, humans spread throughout the whole continent, and then to the South Twin continents. But that makes no sense, because if that would be true, than the language people speak in far south would be more similar to either common language of Empire, Malari, or the Vosel, the common, in desert Alliance or South regions, as those appeared during the age of expansion.


    Many questions and no answers yet, nothing new.


    Anyway, the speed of learning of their language is quite significant. Few days ago I spoke few simply words, and now I kind of can construct sentences. Though that result may be simply because I genuinely cared about learning it. The original goal was to get to the main continent, and from there start the hunt. But I ''involuntary'' was sidetracked, or at least that is what I am trying to convince myself.


    Yesterday we encountered a storm, a much smaller one than the one, which destroyed the last ship I was on, but still, a storm nonetheless. Strangely this ship crew was ready for it, the ship was generally more stable, it was not overload with any goods, and the crew worked like a clock under constant berating of the ship captain.


    After the storm calmed down the ship crew started cheering and laughing. They also said something about Ulria loving and sending her blessing to them, a sea goddess as far as I understood. Most of their words of gratitude were bordering insults about her ass, tits, and cunt, which majority of people would believe to be grave insults, a blasphemy, and that would generally warrant capital punishment from religious groups.


    But maybe thats the way they say their prayers here.


    Prayers huh.


    I know that someone or something exits out there, simply because HE exits. But whoever or whatever there is, it simply does not care.


    With each day I grew closer to the people, despite their flaws, they were an interesting bunch. They gambled and fought, they drank and feasted, and during the whole process they looked so alive, so happy, with absolute no care in the world. Not understanding that I started talking with them, asking questions and reasons for them being here.


    Every single one of them had a different answer or reason, money, adventure, freedom, sea and many more.


    Lakor, a tall and thin youngster in late teens, said that he wanted to see the world, that he didn''t want to end up as farmer for some local lord. He said that his uncle was a sailor, and told him many stories about lands far away. Lakor said that his uncle never returned, and no one knows what happened to him, but someday he wants to return home and tell those stories too, about adventures and life in the sea.


    Itar, a huge pudgy guy in late forties with shaved head, reluctantly told me that this is the only thing he knew how to do, that even if he wanted to ''settle down on land'', he would not know how things work, or where even to begin learning. He said that he fears staying on land for too long, and wants to die in the sea.


    Ghaj, proudly boasted to me how he screwed a lord''s daughter, that she was a screamer and very good in bed. That after the event she lied to her father in fear of punishment, and now there is an open hunt for his head. Ghaj said that one day he will buy his own ship and make his own crew. He also joked that he would want to live to his eighties and spend time with the best whores land kingdoms could offer.


    Many names, many stories, sad and happy, ridiculous and stupid. They all somehow ended here, on a ship in the middle of nowhere.


    The more I listened the better I understood the language, and the people on the ship, their fears and dreams. They are all people with past, present and future, with stories to tell and goals to fulfill.


    Each day we would wake up, clean up the deck, hunt breakfast, do whatever the captain said and enjoy the warm sun. In the evening we would sit and play different gambling games. I would usually sit with them and listen to stories, but soon I started playing too. In the begging the only bet I could make was a task or duty to fulfill in place of the person, but quite soon I started gathering a wide range of coins and items. Some accused me of cheating and we ended up playing the games bare naked, with balls hanging and such, but that didn''t change the result much. The things got so bad that no one wanted to play with me anymore, and I ended up simply sitting and listening to stories as I did in the beginning.


    I also felt that something was missing on the ship, that the crew was restless, that they were on edge, and waiting for something. But I did not look deeper into it as I had my own task.


    During the nights and moments I had free time I continued experimenting with healing. While the main goal was to find a way to heal my right hand, there were more important task, which is find a way, that even after I am ripped apart I can continue moving.


    I will not underestimate them. I know perfectly well what they are, and what they can do. If magic is fully denied to me, I will reach the limits of human flesh. And on path to that I have already reached a significant milestone.


    For each experiment I have to cut a single toe, and restore it from zero. But improving the speed and efficiency of healing was the only traditional way of becoming stronger I knew, but now, there is another path. The first step was try to make my bones denser and stronger. And I somehow succeeded, the toe, whose bone I made thicker, was much harder to cut off.


    I am pretty sure if someone saw me cutting toes and experimenting on healing would call me mad, that is why I had to usually do the bloody part at night, away from everyone else. The spot I usually do the experiments quickly turns to place, which looks like someone was murdered there. So I had to clean the spot after each test and be extra careful.


    ...


    Everything comes to end.


    And I finally understood what was missing.


    We encountered another ship, a merchant one. It was a much bigger ship with white sails and in nearly perfect condition. In the back of my head I understood that we may encounter someone else, but maybe I hoped that I would get off the ship and not encounter such an event. Maybe I just didn''t want to see the real, ugly part of pirates.


    The moment the crew saw the ship, their faces turned the same as everyone else I had seen before. They started chanting, shouting and cheering. I somehow naively believed that they were ''noble'' pirates, that they were only after gold and would leave people, but I was wrong, very wrong. Before I knew it, several young crew members of the merchant ship were lying on deck, either dead or severely bleeding. Some part of the pirate crew already started capturing women, and tying them, touching them and promising to play with their bodies later.


    Moments later everyone started screaming in horror as I slowly walked, and ripped apart one pirate after another. I didn''t use weapon, only my bare hand. I crushed skulls, ripped off legs and hands, slowly filling the deck with dead bodies, coloring it deep red.


    The pirates, which would have called me their friend, even ally, just few hours ago, looked back at me with mix of astonishment and disbelief. They thought myself to be part of them, to be like them, and the person they sheltered and saved, betrayed them.


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    They screamed at me, asked what I am doing, why did I turn against them. With every life that I took it felt as if an invisible and cold knife went deeper into my heart.


    Less than a minute later I was standing on the deck of merchant ship, covered in blood, breathing calmly as I looked at the bodies of dead pirates, that I believed to be good and noble.


    I chuckle as I remember my own words.


    ''People are neither good nor evil. They simply are.''


    Walking to middle aged man with grey beard, who I assume is the captain I say in broken local language.


    "You. Go. Me. Land."


    ...


    The merchant ship crew was a bit too subservient, more likely result of by actions on the deck, or specifically what I did to the pirates. Some still flinched and froze when our eyes met or I walked near them, even more than a week after. Few that didn''t, were constantly asking if everything is fine, if I require anything.


    I spoke a lot with the ship captain, a chocolate skinned lady in early thirties. As I was explained, the middle aged man, I thought to be the captain, is her right hand. The ship belonged to her father, but he died of decease, leaving her in charge. The middle aged man was close friend, and right hand of her father, and decided to continue serving on the ship and helping her.


    Most of the talks though, were about general questions like ''where are we'', ''what ocean'', ''where are we going''. The talks I had with the captain and the crew of the ship improved my language skills quite a bit, as the version pirates spoke was so unstructured, so broken, that I don''t even know where to begin describing my issues with it.


    But good things end here, because I asked for any map the captain had. She was astonished at first that I knew how to read a map, but I did not elaborate how or where I learned that, and she did not try to pry more. I do not look like scholar at all, so the the confusion is not misplaced. She laid down a huge yellowish parchment on the big wooden table in her cabin, and pointed with a finger where we approximately were.


    However many times I looked, however many times I rotated it around, what was on the yellowish parchment before me was totally not what I expected.


    Nothing.


    I recognize neither the letters, nor the names of islands on the map, even their forms are not familiar. Worse than that, the twin south continents are nowhere to be seen, not even a hint of them. There a significant area of a big continent drawn on the map, but not a single part of it, even remotely, looks like anything I have ever seen before. The continent is smooth, with many edges but still, nothing like the twin continents, which look like two huge deformed letter.


    There is something very wrong here.


    I thought that I was on the ''unmapped'' region, which is simply area south of the twin continents. That area is not even mapped in the Empire maps. Lizardmen who inhabit the west twin continents and the people who live on east part are not very welcoming. To my knowledge, and the information spies were able to gather, the terrain on the twin continents is so harsh that none would voluntary live there. The temperature there fluctuates highly, with snow, drought and rain seasons, which are never on the same date.


    I started having doubts when it became a bit too warm and tropical during my drifting, but this is a totally different story. Just to make sure, I look south of our position and find many small and big islands. When I asked the captain about the islands, she replied that it is south pole archipelago. The area is sparsely inhabited, and the ships rarely go there because of harsh storms that surround the area, but the area produces many goods which they export north.


    I have spent quite some time looking at the map, again and again, trying to think of a reason to explain what I am seeing, but after the captain got a bit worried and told me that I can find bigger maps in specialized shops on the continent I was only able to calm down. She also said that if I am searching for something specific, the Adventure Guild could help me in whatever I require.


    Maybe she is right, and the map is simply too small, maybe the south hemisphere really is that big, and no one just knew about that.


    So I did the only thing I was left to do. Wait.


    But I didn''t just sit without a task. I resumed the testing and experimentation, making bones thicker, muscles faster and stronger.


    Whatever happens, my main goals will not change.


    First of all, the people, the nobles, the senate, everyone who ordered the destruction of the Brotherhood, everyone who even remotely had something to do with that order or the death of my brothers.


    I would really like to take a single life more, the next Legat, but this sadly won''t happen.


    I am not even sure if it is right to call him the next Legat, as he already took on the majority of responsibilities of the current Legat, the Legendary Grand Novus Maniel Yarkar.


    Everyone tries to keep life in the over hundred years old Legat Maniel''s body, as many Empire treaties were made with and in his name, they are even called Maniel''s treaties. And the moment he dies, all those treaties in his name will lose their power. Every treaty of peace, cooperation and non-aggression with every single power in the world will be lost because of death, of a single, old man. And when he dies, people will rush into a bloodthirsty war over the power vacuum left by him, only to be crushed by a single human, his successor, the almighty Saint Protus Ghalor. But the continental war may have already forced people to act earlier.


    Human huh, it is wrong to even right try to describe Ghalor, as living, or even human being.


    Because Ghalor is the Avatar of Light Element.


    He has full control over every single spec of light, and even total darkness of the night does not hinder his powers. I have personally seen him turn a mountain into a dust cloud, with a single spell. And to top it all, he is not overpowered, turned feral by the element as the failed blood avatar, who nearly killed me, was.


    Even if you take away his Avatar body, his abilities are beyond anything I have even seen. When we were traveling with him, he announced that he wanted to test the strength of Blood Brotherhood, and organized a ''small'', ''friendly'' match. The battle lasted less than five minutes. He crushed us as if children with only his sword skills, without using even a single spell. His space awareness, agility, speed and strength was indescribable. You see him several dozen meters away, and after a single blink of your eyes, he is before you with his sword coming for your life. Even movement he makes creates a sonic boot, every attack he does is simply to fast and powerful to evade or block.


    Even before he became Avatar, it was well known that his magic abilities exceeded those of Grand Mage twice over, a true genius of strength, sword and magic from birth, but now...


    How do you even kill being made out of light?


    But even that is somehow theoretically possible in comparison to my second goal.


    HIM.


    HE wanted to posses this body for a reason. HE must want something, he must have goals, maybe even dreams.


    What does even the greatest corrupter want? Simply corrupt? What is the end goal? Rule the planet? Kill everyone who inhabits it? Or simply destroy the life itself?


    I do not know, not yet. But, whatever it is, I will make sure that everything he ever wanted will crumble, his every goal fail, and his every dream fall apart and become but a memory.


    I will fail and die. I can not change that.


    But before this body perishes, I will show this world a glimpse of what real nightmare is.


    And the sun is already setting down.


    ...


    During the the short period of time nearly no one bothered me, but people continued to whisper around. With better understanding of language I mostly understood what was being said, nothing new, demon, monster, creature of blood and carnage.


    At least something did not change.


    Anyway I continued testing and experimenting, and yesterday I reached a new milestone. After more than two hundred cut toes, I was able to make the toe not grow into deformed and grotesque amalgamation of flesh and bones. The solution was to constantly have the image of the result in my head and at the same time destroy the flesh around the the growing area. During that process, flesh and bone of the toe is constantly exposed and bleeding.


    It did not grow correctly, but that is already a huge step forward. Right now I need to continue experimenting more, but it has become harder with people constantly looking at me, and holding me in their sight, even at night.


    My thoughts are interrupted by sound of ship crew members running around and screaming something happily. Quite quickly the ship passengers join them, and start running on the ship deck. I slowly walk up to the deck and look in the direction everyone else is gazing. Slowly a line on horizon grows and takes form. At first I thought that it is a small island by form, but it quickly grows in size and it becomes apparent that it is a huge land mass.


    Quite soon ship vice-captain, the middle aged man with grey beard, came onto the deck and started barking orders and insults at the crew members, while asking people politely to calm down and proceed inside of the ship.


    The land mass continued to grow until ships started appearing near a single area. Soon the area started taking form, and what stood before me was a huge stone city which was partly crumbled, but still nonetheless, somehow bursting with life.


    Half an hour later the ship docked in the corner of the stone port. Nearly instantly people in official uniform appeared and started looking for captain. They announced that they will conduct registration and checking. The officials started checking documents and baggage of every single passenger thoroughly, and when they got to me the captain started telling the story about pirates and how I saved them.


    There was a thought of simply walking through them, but right now it is better to try and do things calmly. If people believe me to be dead, there is no need to prove them wrong. There is also the issue with the brotherhood symbol on my chest, but if I don''t show it in open, than everything should be fine. People already saw part of it, and may have told the officials, and if I try to hide it, that would only make them suspicious.


    I may also look suspicious because of the missing hand. I heard somewhere that caught and convicted pirates are punished with cutting of their hand. Simple statement that it was a ''fight'' neither fully explained nor convince the officials. They took me to a special room and started asking more question, about how I got on pirate ship, and where I come from. Even though I more or less understood the language, it was a totally different story when I had to talk myself, so I tried to explain where I come from with my very limited vocabulary and simple gestures.


    I explained that I was traveling north and the ship came under storm. And after surviving the event, I was picked up by pirates. They looked at be suspiciously, and only when they noticed the upper part of scar, the brotherhood symbol, which was visible through the shirt, they calmed down.


    Huh? This is new. They didn''t fully see it, so maybe there is something I don''t know.


    After the change they started asking something about ''Yantaputraka'', my owner, how I lost my hand and which family do I belong to.


    Ah. They think I am a slave.


    They started asking more questions, even repeating them, asking where they can find my owner or where I am from. This is taking too long, and I was reaching my limit with the delay, but the final drop was when they said that I will spend several days in cell, while they look for my master or find a new one, and I simply... showed them that they are wrong.


    With guard captain on floor, with broken and bleeding nose, and my sword on his neck I stated shorty.


    "I not slave. I tired. I go city. Question, you find me city."


    Removing the sword away from the captains neck I walked to the door, which was blocked by a big guy in full-plate armor and with huge shield. Fed up with this bullshit, I kicked him, hard. The idiot in full plate armor, flew through the door, ripping it out of it''s hinges in the process.


    Guards tried to run after me, but I was already was too far, blending into the crowd.


    I could start cutting them one after another, but more and more of them would come. Two will be followed by five more, than ten more, than twenty more, and soon the whole city would be after me. It would only slow me down and hinder the travel, also a single missing person will cause less issues than dozen dead guards.


    Also, there is a change.


    I can feel it.


    Before I would be burning with wrath, barely able to contain it in myself, as if barrel of dynamite just waiting for a spark, as if a beast inside of me was just waiting for that single opportunity when I would let my guard down. But now it is different. It is contained, and... ice cold. Now I can control it, even compress it, direct it, and release at the exact moment I want.


    And at the exact target I need.


    ...


    I have already been in two small and a single large shop, looking for a map. The small one''s had map smaller than the ship captain had, with only simple structure of the current kingdom. In the last shop, the large one, woman in early fifties, told me that they had the biggest map in the city. I asked the shop owner to show it to me, and she reluctantly agreed to show it, but only for few seconds. I wasn''t even trying to read or remember what was on the map itself, but rather the forms, trying to compare it to anything I have seen before.


    It took me less than three seconds, until I looked back at the shop owner and exploded.


    "I said big map!"


    She looked back at me in confusion and replied harshly.


    "That is the biggest! Will you buy it or not?"


    I did not reply as she folded the map and put it away.


    The only things that were on the map, was the south archipelago that I came from, two huge continents with slightly circular form in the center, and several large island north of them, nothing more.


    What the actual fuck...


    I slowly walk outside of the shop to reanalyze everything, and understand what the hell is happening here, but my mind simply can''t find any points on which to build the theory.


    While I mindlessly walk through the street another issue becomes apparent.


    There are too many different races that I have never seen before. I mean the people in the south islands looked like average northmen, a bit different but still. The pirates were dark skinned, like the people who can be found to south-west from Dead Desert, between the orc and ogre kingdoms. But just walking through the city for this few short minutes I have found dozen species that I have never seen before, and I have traveled quite a bit around the world. The most standing out for me are the greenish four handed rhino-ogre, and purple skinned humans with lizard hands and tails.


    But that is not all.


    People are staring at me, and I am not sure what the reason is.


    Before I knew it I ended up near a huge building with a very familiar sign.


    An adventure guild.


    Something similar, a start point, they may know something, anything.


    My legs move by themselves, taking me inside of the building. I find nearly exactly the same picture as I have seen in each adventure guild around the world. Same drunks, same young female receptionists with guards behind them, and same atmosphere.


    Something similar, something same.


    I walk to absolutely empty counter and greet the girl.


    "Hello."


    She doesn''t even looks at me and apathetically asks resting her chin on her hand.


    "What do you want?"


    Before I know it, I ask the same question I have asked beforehand.


    "Do you have a big map?"


    The young girls deeply sigh and in same monotone voice replies without even looking at me.


    "This is adventure guild. There is a big map in a shop down the road."


    Her attitude is an issue, but I asked a stupid question and got a stupid answer, my mistake. Whatever.


    Before I can say anything she continues in same monotone voice.


    "If your master wants to register you as adventurer, he must come here together with you."


    She end with a slight disdain.


    What? Master? Does she think I am slave?


    A two and a half meters tall greenish mass of orc fat appears beside me and grins widely with teeth so yellow that it is even hard to describe.


    "Hi Mani. What wrong? Don''t make such a grimace, you will ruin your pretty face with that."


    "Hi. Nothing is wrong. The damn ''Yantaputraka'' is broken and asks stupid questions." girl scoffs back.


    The orc smirks and takes out a short dagger.


    "I can throw it out if you want?" orc continues, while playing with dagger.


    "And then the owner will come here furious, and blame me."


    "Not you, only me, I will do that and even take the full blame, that is of course if you are free tonight."


    The orc slowly draws the blade of his dagger across my face, as if testing the sharpness of the blade against something. A fraction of a second later he falls on ground screaming in pain, as I break another leg. Slowly looking at the wailing creature I grab his arm and rip it out, painting the floor red.


    I calmly turn and look at the young girl, which continues to scream in horror, hiding behind the guards which drew out their weapons, and only now looking directly in my eyes.


    "Did I get your attention now?"


    She stutters as guards in front of her, have their eyes jumping between me and orc with their weapons unsheathed. She lifts her trembling hand and points at me.


    "You are bleeding..."


    Touching my face and looking at hand I find few wet red drops on it.


    "Yes. You are observant." I reply back coldly.


    Her eyes shoot wide and she screams in confusion "You are a human?!"


    My head starts throbbing because of the useless excuse of question and answer board before me.


    "B-B-But you have a mark, a-a-and you-you-you feel just like a ''Yantaputraka''."


    Huh?


    Guard said something similar.


    "What is ''Yantaputraka''?" I ask


    Few seconds later a small group from second floor arrives, and stares at the still wailing orc on floor in pool of his blood. The receptionist leaps to the older looking lizardman with nearly black scales and starts a rapid fire of explanation, on what happened. She specifically points at the that ''Potmal'', the screaming orc, and says that he thought that I was ''Yantaputraka'' and cut my face as a joke, after which I ''responded''.


    The older looking lizardman barks orders and ''Potmal'' is quickly dragged away by group of similar looking orcs, to ''Bright Seer'', which I assume means healer.


    The black lizardman looks at me suspiciously and asks.


    "Are you really not ''Yantaputraka''?"


    "I will ask again, what is ''Yantaputraka''?"


    The moment he hears my question his eyes shoot wide in astonishment, and he bows deeply.


    "My greatest apologies for everything that happened today!"


    He raises his head up and start talking politely.


    "Oh, um, how do I explain... ''Yantaputraka'' is a puppet, a magic doll. They look like humans, but are not, they are common household object in Eternal Empire."


    Huh?


    A magic doll?


    Wait.


    Do they mean the mana automaton? But... they are Emperors personal attendants, they are huge and don''t even look human. They are simply ancient machines of destruction and carnage, they can''t talk.


    The hell is he talking about?


    "Why did you think that I am automaton?"


    "''Automaton''? You mean ''Yantaputraka''? Well... Um, there are several reasons. Your hair... I have never seen color like that, and the... scar on your chest looks like a house crest."


    After a small pause and a quick glance at me from legs to head, he continues "And you give a feeling of ''Putraka''." he quickly adds "I mean you don''t feel alive-" the elder guard stops sharply as if he crossed a line.


    "I am deeply sorry if I offended you."


    The young receptionist injects "The only one to blame here is me." she finishes while bowing.


    Looking at me again she says cautiously. "You looked so damag-.. hurt, and spoke so poorly, that I thought that you were just a broken ''Yantaputraka'' that..."


    The young receptionist continues the barrage of apologies, while I am standing and trying to process everything.


    ...


    I look at the mug with bluish liquid, which is a local alcohol beverage, and think that maybe it would be better to just drink it and get wasted as many people do. Some say that it helps to calm down.


    But I won''t.


    And so the thought continue violently swirling inside of my head.


    Once more I look at the crystal ball in my hand, which is actually an Adventure Guild ''card''. As I was explained several times, everyone in the world uses them, and whenever I go everyone will accept them. For the ''inconvenience'' they caused, they registered me as an adventurer and gave a guild... ball, for free. They also answered many questions I had.


    It has already been two days, and the more answers I got, the more questions appeared.


    There were still a thought that this is simply some far island near south twin continents, which did not interact with the rest of the world, but looking at the world map again and again, those thought crumbled.


    The areas on the map are simply too large, even by modest estimation the continent I am on is at least twice as large as both south twin continents combined, but that is not all, except the four huge islands to the north, there is another continent east which is nearly the same size.


    There is a tiny chance that I ended up in another world.


    I mean the world of summoned exists, so maybe, there are more of them.


    This is not the world of summoned for sure, because there are no flying iron ''planes'', or high speed steel wagons on ''rails''. Most would laugh about the very idea of metal structure flying or moving with high speed, but I won''t. I myself had designed something similar long time ago. So much time has passed since, that it feels like it was a totally different life.


    A big green figure appears near my table, and puts another plate of what I could only call marinated octopus on it. I say thanks again, to what I assume is a female ogre-rhino, as she walks away.


    Races is another reason that point that I am in different world. When I started reviewing the features of people again, there were just too many differences. People are generally shorter, most of them have skin color closer to dark chocolate, and I have yet to see anyone with features similar to those from Empire.


    And not just differences, however many times I have tried to explain, it looks like people have neither heard, nor seen elves and dwarfs. And by general explanation, most of the demi-human live on east continent, which is called Brahmiam Kingdom.


    But there is still something in me thinking or maybe hoping that I am wrong. And one of the core reason for it is the language. There is no way different worlds could have language so similar.


    My eyes look across the room at the staring people, and they instantly turn away, trying to make it look as if their eyes weren''t glued to me few moments ago. After the incident with retarded orc, the black lizardman, which is actually the guild master, made his best to sort the things out with local guard, so I would not bothered about it.


    The whole experience was something new. I am used to fact that people randomly attack and accused me, it quite commonly leads to situations where the perpetrators try to capture or kill me. But something very unusual happened, after the ''attack'', people asked for forgiveness and gave me a ''gift''. I am not complaining, but somehow the whole thing feels... wrong and suspicious, or maybe I am just not used to it.


    Staring at the ''gift'', a spherical crystal ball, I sit lost in my thoughts.


    What do I do?


    If this is other world, what do I do?


    Find a way to return back?


    Where do I even start the search?


    Suddenly someone sits across me, some kind of feline demihuman, with features closer to human than animal, and only black ears and tail tells me that the woman before me is not a human. Two other demi-humans are standing behind her glaring at me, with their hands already on pommels of their weapons.


    Here goes the old story again.


    The catwoman smiles toothily and gestures to her friends, behind her, that they should calm down.


    "Hello there." she says happily


    "Hi."


    "My name is Lekana." she continues with the same happy voice.


    A cautious one.


    "Alan."


    "Alan?" she repeats "Alan, hmm, I like it it, sounds strong and very exotic." the catwoman continues blinking her eyelashes several times coquettishly at me.


    No request or demand yet.


    "I heard that you are human. Is it true?"


    I never said that I am a human.


    Oh. An information broker.


    I should be careful, any word said will be used against me.


    "Sorry for prying, it just that you don''t look like one, and the strength, when you... subdued... that orc with bare hands was nothing like I have ever seen before. The only ones who can... rival orcs in strength are the Amazons, so I thought that maybe you belong to some kind of rare species that I have never seen before."


    What?


    "It''s just, the way you look, and behave is so... different, that I thought that may-"


    "Anyway. What I want to ask, is if you are interested in joining us for the Amazon tournament."


    What is she talking about, the Ama-


    Wait.


    "Amazons. Where do they live?" I ask instantly.


    "What?"


    "Where do Amazons live?" I growl back as the demihumans behind her put their hand back on their weapons.


    "On the Amazon island. Where else could they?" she replies dumbfounded


    I take out the map I bought from the shop and open it on the table.


    "Where?" I repeat again.


    "No one knows. Somewhere west of the Endless Empire she points at the west most region on map."


    I flip the map around, as Amazon''s island is to the east of Patu. Did I look at the map the whole time wrong? Was the South actually the North?


    After flipping the map around, I look at it for a very long minute, but it makes even less sense.


    Something in me screams to turn the map back and look at it the way I was looking before.


    Something is wrong here...


    Wait.


    What if nothing is wrong, and everything is right.


    What if I did come from south pole?


    What if the Amazon island is to the west from here, and is to the east of Patu.


    Then realization hit me. As if hit my inspiration I start drawing areas on map with charcoal that I took out of my pocket.


    Amazon to the west, Patu furtherer, and finally the main continent after that.


    I fold the map into cone as my eyes open wide upon the realization. This is the other side of the planet.


    This is the region behind Ancient Ocean, the place no one passed through, no one returned from. That means that I am on the region west from main continent, the region where Humans originally came from, the Primordial continent which was believed to have been destroyed in the aftermath of World War.


    It was alive this whole time.


    And the Amazons knew about that.


    Did someone else know too? The Emperor? Senate? Or maybe even Ghalor?


    That is not important.


    The Amazons, those fucking cannibals, if people know about them, that means that they travel here somehow.


    Using them I can return.


    But in this state I will not be able to do much.


    Doesn''t matter, I will solve it, heal the limb.


    There is a path, it exists.


    Path is open and the night is close.

 Chapter 24

    In the reflection of the river water I see someone, that I can hardly recognize. There no longer is a big red and black scar on face in the reflection, but the person in reflection is someone much older, with countless wrinkles throughout his whole face.


    Maybe thick stubble and head full of grey hair make it worse.


    Finishing drinking the crystal clear water flowing down the river, I stand up and start walking back to the caravan, and my party. I ended up joining the party of the catwoman, the one who sat at my table more than two weeks ago. The party consists of Lekana, the catwoman with black hair and fur, Tagaro and Nagoro, the twin dog demi-humans, with dark brown fur, and lastly me. The decision was based on the fact that it was better to stick to someone who has more information than I do, at least for now.


    Since then, I have learned quite a bit.


    The reason for the throughout check of every ship that arrives in the current kingdom, is epidemic of ''possessed''. As far as I was described the cases, and what ''possessed'' did, to me, it looked very similar to what happens when you swallow demon pill, but there are two major differences.


    First of all the ''possessed'' turn randomly, some turn during sleep, killing their loved ones lying with them in the same bed, some during random walks and meals. The core problem is that no one know what is the reason, and how to stop it. The epidemic affects everyone, old and young, men and women, all races and species. The only trace people were able to find is that, before the ''event'', mana purity of the victims starts rising rapidly.


    Second, and the one which is much more alarming, is that the ''possessed'' fall into enraged state and start firing magic spells as if skilled mage with decades of experience. I was thinking it was some kind of advanced form of devil pills, which is simply mixed with water and triggers randomly, as it would fully explain all the symptoms and behaviors, but there is something that crumbled that theory to the ground. The magic and spells ''possessed'' start using, belongs to all groups of elemental and arcane pillars.


    This makes no sense.


    Rage pills are one thing, with the destructive flow of internal mana they cause, which sends user into a form of berserk mode, but a much watered down version. They are not that hard to make, as a skilled pharmacist can easily create simple ones out of wide range of dangerous, but widely available chemicals.


    Demon pills, on the other hand, work in a bit different way, as they are simply concentrated amount of dark mana, which on contact with the internal mana of any living being, corrupt and bend their will, opening their gates to dark forces, and making them into puppet of dark spirit, commonly refereed as ''demon''.


    The funny thing is that I think that those demons and the common spirits are not that different.


    Demon pills are a bit harder to make, but still quite easy for those in power, as you just need innocent lives, suffering and a lot of blood. The nobles in Dead Desert were doing just that. Image of huge bath full to the brim with blood of children, with several tiny skulls floating in it, their screaming and begging for help fills my mind, and I try to breath deeper, and not lose it.


    Not yet.


    Not yet.


    I have seen a lot in my life, things that common men would laugh about, creatures that old people tell children stories about, in hopes of keeping them safe. I have seen mindless violence of common men, arrogance that knows no bounds, selfishness that borders absolute disregard to anything but own personal gain, darkness of soul that should not be possible, madness of-


    I have seen some things....


    But I have never seen or heard heard about Fire or Water element pills on the level of Devil pills. I mean yes, there are similar things, elixirs that improve the attunement with specific elements or pillar, but they are not the same thing. They could never corrupt, turn the mage into empty husk of carnage and destruction, or at least I have not seen yet.


    The way people ''awaken'' also bothers me, I can understand if devil pills would be crushed, and mixed with water, food or air, causing mass hysteria as in the age of corrupted, but the spells issue...


    Doesn''t matter, not my problem, I should think too much about it.


    And to the subject of the important business, as I recently learned, there will be organized some kind of ''Tournament'' by Endless Empire, which is actually the four large islands north of this continent. I have seen them several times on the map, but didn''t think too much about it, just another region, nothing more. But my new party explained to me that it is the most advanced and powerful kingdom that exist, and all the countries on the continents are very loyal to them.


    Essentially, if you digest and rephrase what my party said, every single country''s leaders in the ''world'' are simply vassals appointed, or controlled by Endless Empire.


    Anyway, returning to the subject, as far as I understood the ''Tournament'' is organized in order to find the most promising candidates. There are prizes and titles for the winners, but that is not important, what is important is that after the tournament, many are approached with proposition. Those propositions may come from different kingdoms, nobles and even royalty, and they range from job offer to even marriage proposal.


    For the past several years Amazons have co-hosted the event, with their own prizes, given by their own ''criteria''. The past year''s the gift was so lavish, that they even exceeded anything the Endless Empire offered, and some even started calling it ''Amazon Tournament'' to great dissatisfaction of Empire.


    If those Amazons are truly the Amazons I know, and they will actually be present during the tournament, this means that they were somehow able to cross the Endless Ocean, and get here.


    There is big part of me that does not believe that it is coincidence that the Empire and the Ocean have the ''Endless'' in their names. Oh and the people here also call the ocean "Endless Ocean", but for a bit different reason. The ocean ''belongs'' to Empire, and anyone who desires to travel through it should receive permit given by a high ranking official from Endless Empire.


    What is the chance that people on different continents decided to call the same ocean with the same name?


    Was it decided before the hemispheres lost each other, and they simply kept the name?


    Or maybe there is more to it...


    Anyway.


    There is an option of simply taking a ship and following them, but if that would be so simple, the location of Amazon island would be publicly known long time ago. Therefore the only other way I currently see, is to somehow hide inside of their ship, which by definition should be able to cross the Ancient Ocean.


    With my body, which does not produce ambient mana, this should not be an issue.


    There are several ideas on where and how to begin the infiltration, but before I attempt to test or look into any of that I need to verify the identity of those Amazons. I am about ninety nine percent sure that my theory, about where I am, is right, as it would explain a lot of stuff, like language, races, and more.


    If on that altar, on the south pole, where I somehow ended up, I would travel the opposite direction, would I already have been on the south twin continents?


    [If the idea with Amazons won''t work out, we can always try to return back by crossing through the south pole.]


    This option is closer, maybe harder, but closer.


    [Of course.]


    [And it is not in any way connected to the fact that the Amazons have significant dept that they are due.]


    [I mean what are the chances that even in this situation, that we somehow ended up in, we would take a great risk to pay back to group, to whom we have held grudge for many years.]


    [What coincidence that would be, right?]


    When I finally return back to caravan, the official guards, which were sent with the caravan by kingdom''s orders, glare at me hatefully, but the moment I turn my eyes in their direction, to meet their gaze, they turn away.


    About a week ago, the caravan guides made a mistake, and we ended up going through a very rocky terrain, where water was scarce, the kingdom''s guards shared their supplies a little with everyone, as by their words "It is natural for the kingdom to take care of their citizen". But when it got to me they outright refused, clamming that the foreign abomination of a cripple is worthless to the caravan and to the kingdom, and water would be simply wasted on me.


    Spending several days without water was not and issue, I have been in much worse scenarios.


    In past, all the interaction I had with people was as a Blood Brother, and I got used to the hate, fear and scorn, as it became a normal part of my life. But this is the first time I was called ''abomination'' by fellow humans not because of the group I belong to. Hate between interspecies is a common thing, it is hard to find a place in the world where the such thing doesn''t happen, or wasn''t in a very tense state.


    Is it because I am a bit taller? Or maybe it is because of my skin and hair color?


    The feeling is kind of strange, there is a bias against me, but it is not because I belong to the Blood Brotherhood. Should I be happy about this?


    When the caravan found this river few days ago, it was quickly decided that we would camp here. But just as we finished setting up tents and started preparing food, a big drake attacked out of nowhere. The drake took lives of several guards and injured many more, and continued nearly unhindered as no one could stop it, even advanced spells from powerful mages simply bounced off the creatures thick scales. The kingdom''s guardsmen leader ordered a retreat, only for the command to be canceled few minutes later, as the drake was lying dead, with my sword plunged through it''s eye socket.


    As the one who killed the monster I had full rights on the body, and what to do with it. In the end I decided to sell the salvageable parts to anyone willing to pay, and by results it looks like there are many parts of drake which cost quite a fortune. There was even a small fuss about who will get the claws, and out of spite for these greedy creatures, I organized a small auction, where they feverishly battled each other for every single claws. Needless to say I gathered a small fortune.


    I shared all the meat that was left with everyone in the caravan, as there was no way for me to eat the whole thing, so people quickly organized a huge barbecue.


    Well everyone expect the guards.


    The leader of kingdom''s guards was in a hard situation, but maybe because of pride, maybe because of other reasons, he did not try to smooth out the situation. The caravan leader, a fat man in his early fifties, pleaded me to share some of the meat with the kingdom''s guards, as by his words "It would greatly increase the chances of the caravan to make it to destination safe". He also threw few words of camaraderie and friendship, but a week ago, even after I was denied the water, he did not try to ''help'' a cripple. Even more, his henchmen approached my party members several time, encouraging them not to share their supply of ''precious water'', as it could ''greatly displease'' the guard leader.


    These sleazy guys are the same wherever you go. The concept of "camaraderie" and "friendship" is foreign to them, and he didn''t even care about people or guards whatsoever, he was simply attempting to get on the good side of the guardsmen leader, as in future he could use this dept as a leverage for something else.


    My only answer was nearly exactly the same words, which were said few days ago.


    "They are worthless to the caravan and to the kingdom, and meat will be simply wasted on them."


    And with that statement, the guards leader''s face turned deep purple with hate, but he did not dare to do anything. After the ''fight'' with oversized lizard, not only the guards and caravan travelers, but even my party became cautious of me. The two idiots, Tagaro and Tagoro, which are constantly attached to Lekana, stopped glaring at me, and started flinching every time I came close to them.


    That change was expected, as same thing happened before many times, in different regions and tribes.


    But strangely, there is a new... exception, and I am not sure I like that.


    "... and so since that mistake I am very careful with the spices I use to cook the fish with." finishes Lekana another monologue of the best ways to cook her favorite meals.


    I breathe out deeply, only to regret it instantly, as Lekana turns back to me.


    "What about you? Does your homeland have any famous special recipes? Where were you actually born? Was it a city or a village? Is it sunny there?"


    This is one of the rare cases that I sorely misjudged the character of the person, as someone like her, who spends half of the day with open mouth, could never be an information broker.


    I do not answer, as she continues to look at me and await my answer, with very curious and enthusiastic expression, while the drake meat is slowly being cooked on the fire. I do not know what to do here, should I continue ignoring her, or strictly say no? Is there even a good option here?


    "I mean, you look really interesting, with your size and strength, so your tribe or kingdom should have very unique and amazing food. You must have been a great warrior there too. After you easily ripped out the arm of that orc in the guild, I knew that you are very strong, but after seeing you kill that huge drake so easily I now know for sure that you from a very strong tribe."


    After a short pause she continues with wide open eyes.


    "Oh wait! Is it possible that you have run away from your homeland and don''t want to talk about it at all?"


    What?


    "If so, I am very sorry that I have been pestering you for so long about something you don''t want to remember about. But rest assured I will help you find a new homeland, and after that you will share your homeland cuisine with me!"


    I slowly look at the twins expecting them to interfere and do something, but they simply look away, as if they want to have nothing with the situation. Lekana not noticing any of that continues talking, with a much more enthusiastic voice.


    "Maybe if I listed local cuisine of every place I know, it would be easier to find the place you would like to live in future! So in south east there is this strange kingdom of Mach, which belong to Nurak coalition, they have a famous traditional soup made out of rotten fish! Can you believe it? I though-"


    Right now I am debating whenever I should go and sit together with the guardsmen, and share my food with them.


    In the best case scenario I will be finally able to sit in silence, awkward and tense silence, but still, silence. In the worst case scenario this chatterbox will make sure that not only I will have a headache.


    And in case of guardsmen themselves, they will either die out of shame, because a cripple took a pity on them, or suffer this ''thing'' together with me.


    Sounds like a good plan...


    ...


    "They didn''t pay extra even after you shared that huge amount of drake meat with guards! What misers!"


    Lekana huff with disgust.


    "They even sat and glared at you with their red eyes as if you were the bad guy there. What the hell was their problem? Did they not get enough sleep?"


    She huffs again and continues without missing a beat.


    "The barbecue out of the drake was a bit too chewy for my taste, but still tasty nonetheless. The soup you made later though was divine, if we every find another big drake it would be great if you could make that soup again."


    I look at the twins and they respond the same way they have before, turning away, and feinting as if they don''t notice the situation. The most ridiculous part of it is that Lekana is not always like that, only when the subject gets to food. And somehow it is nearly always on that, the only periods she isn''t is when we are fighting or sleeping, and even that is not fully true, as during the late nights she mumbles some kind of recipes, albeit being deeply asleep.


    The only few redeemable qualities I found it that she is not hopeless with her sword, not a sword-master but still very skilled nonetheless, and while chattering another recipe from some foreign kingdom, she may drop few pieces of important information about the region.


    I look at the crystal ball again, which is actually guild card, as now it has changed it''s color from pale yellow to green. As I learned, there should have been a color between them, orange one, but because I killed drake I was quickly promoted to the the third level adventurer. What class it corresponds to in guild in ''new land'' I do not know.


    At some point I started calling this region the ''old land'', and the other side of planet, where I am originally from, the ''new land''. It kind of wrong from from one perspective, as this land is ''new'' to me, but this is the ''old'' land, where humanity came from.


    Right?


    So much of what I have know can no longer be believed, that there is nothing that I can be sure of anymore.


    Opening the map, I start looking through it again, and planing the path north, but there is so much that I don''t know, so much unknown, that the plan can change any moment, but for now I should stick to the original one. The tournament will be held on west island of Endless Empire, and there are limited number of ways to get there as far as I understood. There were many cities, borders and regions that Lekana spoke of, but I simply do not care, their past, their present, their future is not important to me.


    [Everything was and will be but a pebble on the road, nothing more. Do not forget that.]


    The healing is progressing, but much slower than before, though there is a specific reason for that. As an additional task I started experimenting with healing my toes while walking, and not focusing on it directly. In future, I will not have luxury of asking anyone for few hours of rest so I could heal. With Brotherhood there was always either a healer or potions, and you were never truly alone, so there would always few moments to catch your breath. That is no longer true, as they all are dead.


    I am alone, and no one will come.


    There will be no help.


    Face of a young guard which was part of the last caravan flashes across my mind. His eyes when he found me cutting my toes, and the horror that was plastered across his face throughout the whole travel.


    It was the first time someone found me experimenting, and I expected a reaction, but not as extreme. I am pretty sure that it is not common to find someone behind a huge rock, who is sitting alone and cutting his toes, but his eyes told me a totally different story.


    I have been more careful since, there is no need to attract attention right now.


    Nonetheless there are pretty good news, as I can already feel the difference, not only in general healing speed, but strength of muscles and bones. The speed and agility also increased, and the way I killed that drake is a good proof of that. The fact that I did it with only one arm is a very good sign, with two I could do even more.


    [Why did you stop? Please continue.]


    [We have killed the greatest beast that has inhabited this land. It was full fifteen meters long!]


    [Fifteen! That size is something out of ancient legends!]


    [And it jaws had a nearly half a meter long fangs! Those jaws could swallow a pony in one bite!]


    [We are truly the mightiest of warriors that ever existed! People will surely write ballads of that battle, and soon after they will become legends that will go down in history of the whole world!]


    [Kings would gather around to hear the story and to give you a handshake! Children would jump out of crowd just to see our face! Women would stand in line just for the opportunity to suck your cock!]


    [The beast was so fierce that there would be separate legends about it! Did you see it''s bone thin limbs? It surely was in full strength! Just remembering as run around with the speed of the fastest duck and dragged around it''s limp leg gives me goosebumps!]


    [Please tell me more about the epic battle, as I passed out half-way through because of sheer awesomeness of the whole thing.]


    [What wrong? Please continue.]


    [Worm.]


    [Don''t forget why we are here.]


    I won''t.


    ...


    Another caravan, another road.


    This time it is through an endless forest.


    The group is much smaller this time, less than few dozen people, with no kingdom guardsmen in sight. One of the reasons for that may be, because we are crossing border to another country, and task of guardsmen generally does not include the protection of it''s citizen on the borders. See a foreign army, report to higher ups. Which results a haven for bandits and fugitives all around the world. Those that decide to cross the borders are generally more careful, as they know exactly what to expect.


    As if to prove the point, a huge animal leaped at us from the tree top, landing on Nagoro''s back, toppling him down. His twin brother, Tagaro, instantly reacted and screamed at the creature, which leaped away at a tree, about fifty centimeters in diameter, when it saw the brandished sword. After the landing the creature, screeches at us showing it''s rows of razor sharp teeth, on it''s oversized head, which looks like a two meters long mix of a bear and a squirrel. A moment later my sword separated it in half, cutting very deep into the tree it was on, sending rain of blood and wooden chips flying around.


    Slowly the tree creaks and finally falls down quite loudly, announcing to everyone in the forest, that something happened here. Looking around one more time to check that there were no other enemies I turn around and find everyone staring at me with huge eyes and open mouths.


    A second later a person exploded in rage.


    "WHY DID YOU KILL THE MEPAK?!!"


    Another voice continued


    "It was just playing!!"


    "What if the forest spirits attack us for that?!"


    After several minutes of cursing, I was explained that the creature, ''mepak'', with razor sharp teeth, was herbivore and very playful, that it is a sort of guardian of the forest, that they quite often play with adventurers and do not mean any harm, and the most they could do is steal a piece of equipment or food.


    Herbivore with teeth like that?


    After brief talk, the group decided to hastily leave the area so that ''forest spirits'' would not find us, and punish everyone for what I did.


    As soon as we started walking people quickly calmed down, and in near utter silence we continued to travel through the forest. Well silence was quickly broken by Lekana, who started asking me how I never have seen a mepak, and didn''t my homeland have them. The fact that people became so scared and agitated, made me tense up a bit.


    Are the mepak something like roots of Livae or eyes of Nhlar?


    If the oversized rodent is an ''eye'' to something like Nhlar, then I should expect an ancient local creature to awaken and start hunting me, maybe I should prepare for the night.


    Thankfully those bear-squirrels are not connected to Livae, that''s not likely at all, because if they would be, we all would be dead the moment I try to attack it.


    Fucking Livae, I still remember how after one of my brothers shot down a small bird with arrow, the whole forest came alive, and merged into a single enormous treant, which could easily tower over mountains. Thankfully we had several powerful fire wizards with us.


    Fucking Livae.


    Anyway after several more questions I calmed down, as all the information, fear, and ''forest spirits'' stuff is based on local religious beliefs. My direct question on ''how forest spirits look like" was answered with ''No one knows for sure, not many have seen them''. By habit I started analyzing what little was known about the creature, going through the usual questions, like ''how can I find it'', ''using what can I bait it out'', ''what can it''s weaknesses be'', and many, many more.


    But I stop the though process. I am not Blood Brother anymore, and I am not here to hunt it down.


    There is no reason to even hunt it.


    Habits that have been burned into you for years of life and death experience, are hard to remove, and there is no one to blame. Forest was always my battle ground, and because of that, whenever I enter one, I instantly flip into this state, even after so many years.


    Cults and corrupted creatures like to hide in forests and rural areas, close enough to civilization to hunt their prey, but far enough to be able to hide from guards and serious hunters.


    If I encounter a local cult...


    Their existence will help me reach my goals, they will create chaos and panic, and make my targets vulnerable, unfocused and easy to hunt down.


    ''The enemy of my enemy is my friend.''


    Ha.


    [We can use them.]


    [Do not dismiss the idea.]


    [Yes they are evil, and they should be killed, but there is more to world than black and white.]


    [COME TO YOUR SENSES, WE CAN KILL THEM LATER!]


    [There is no need to make the whole world your enemy right now!]


    [COME TO YOUR SENSES!!!]


    No.


    They must be erased from face of earth.


    ...


    Everyone is sitting in a half circle around the camp fire, trying to keep themselves warm, while the freezing cold wind blows through the dark forest. Even the area that we are currently in, which is surrounded by huge stones, does not protect us from the wind. Few are sitting bundled together around the fire, few are in the corners, under several cloaks trying to keep themselves warm.


    "Why are you not cold at all?!" squeezes Lekana through her chattering teeth. "There are barely any clothes on you, and you sit calm as if it is summer day!"


    She squints her eyes for a very long minute after which she moves closer and stretches her fingers to my neck. The moment her cold fingers touched my skin her eyes shot wide open.


    "By the spirits, you are so warm! It is as if you are burning with fire!"


    She quickly put both of her hands on neck and closes her eyes in content. I slowly turn my face at her in confusion, but the next instant she jumps into my lap and nuzzles into my chest, covering herself with the cloak I currently wear.


    In shock I turn to the twins which look back at me with nearly the same shocked expression. Our eyes meet for few long seconds, but a moment later my eye twitches, as the twins react the same way they have before, by simply turning their gaze away, as if telling me that it is not their problem.


    The fuck? She is your problem not mine.


    Turning my head down I look at Lekana''s face which is stuck in state of pure bliss, with her eyes closed tight. What the hell is wrong with this woman? Is she really that cold? Or maybe this behavior is common in this area? But is not likely, as nearly everyone in the whole group is looking at us with very strange gaze.


    Less than a minute later Lekana falls down on the ground and curses loudly.


    "HEY! If you didn''t like it you could have just said!"


    But I am not looking at her as my sword is already in my hand, and my eyes are directed at the area away from the camp.


    "Show yourself." I growl at the darkness.


    Few seconds later a small group of about half a dozen people appears from out of the said darkness.


    "We are very sorry. We saw the campfire and thought that... maybe we could take cover from the cold..."


    After a brief discussion it was decided to let them stay, as it is not by ''adventurer'' spirit to send people away when they are in need.


    The new group started telling their story, about how they are from Mach, which is south-east region as far as I remember. They also told us that they are traveling north to better lands in Nurak Coalition, which is, as I recently learned, a set of over a dozen smaller kingdoms, which banded together.


    The new group didn''t look as strange as Lekana was telling before so a question came out involuntary.


    "Do you really eat rotten fish?"


    The people from the new group started smiling and laughing.


    "Not really. We have this one region which has a special local dish with fermented fish, but not many eat it, but it somehow became famous form of entertainment for foreigner to see if they can eat it and not puke. The rumors grew so much more, that nowadays we don''t even try to prove them wrong."


    "We actually don''t like fish that much." adds another person


    Lekana looked at me in with huge eyes and mumbled quietly.


    "You listened..."


    She quietly moved closer, and sits near me with sheepishly smiled.


    I looked at the twins again but their eyes were fixed on Lekana with tender smile on their face. There must be something in their past to explain her behavior and weird actions, but I don''t want to think or look into it.


    Because there are other things, much more important, to do and think about.


    I continue staring at the camp fire and cycle the mana around the body, experimenting and trying to make all the bones and muscles in my body denser and stronger.


    The camp fire dances under the wind, and somehow my mind starts seeing faces of uncountable number of people who''s life I have ended. It would have been much easier if the faces belonged to the countless scums I have killed, but sadly the faces do not belong to them. My mind does not remember the faces of all the dark creatures I have killed, all the evil, all the corrupted, they all merge into blank white mask of corruption which never truly takes a specific form.


    But the faces continue to appear, as I slowly remember one by one the innocent lives I have taken, the people I could not save, those that disappeared into nothingness.


    I do not dare to look.


    I have no right to do that.


    Never had the right, and never will.


    ...


    Mikraz is an ancient city whatever way you look at it. What looks like ancient ruins litter through out the whole walk to the city gates, as the number of crumbled pillars increases, notifying everyone how big and majestic the city was, and what history these stones could tell. As I continue to walk I counted at least three layers of walls that crumbled.


    Just how big was the city before?


    The group that merged with ours during that cold night is still with us, they became friends with everyone quite fast, maybe because they joked a lot, maybe because they cooked several tasty meals and shared them with everyone.


    When we finally arrived to the city''s gates, the queue of people, who wanted to enter, stretched at least for several hundred meters. The day passed very slowly, and as the noon sun continued to shine brightly upon us the queue moved slowly, centimeter by centimeter. Several hours later it finally became our turn, but the moment I saw an old man with bright white eyes looking at one person after another, hair on my back stood up.


    Seer.


    Not good, I always had problems with them.


    Looking around I start thinking of any possible option if things go bad. The guards are not attentive, only one is standing near the seer, everyone else is either playing a card game or talking between themselves. I can always simply skip this city, even if the travel to that island alone would become much harder and much more dangerous, it would still be possible.


    The eyes of the old seer continued scanning one person after another in our group, and his hoarse voice dismissively announced that they are okay. But when his eyes stopped on me, the old man froze as if a block of ice. A very long minute passed as the seer stared at me with his huge unblinking eyes in which I for a second saw pure horror. It took a lot of concentration not to look away or simply rush through into the city. But when the guards around reacted and put their hands on the pommels of their sword, I was already prepared to end them, only to be stopped by old man voice.


    "E-Everything is okay! He just... reminded me of someone I knew, nothing more."


    The guards relaxed, most of them returned to their previous tasks, few glared at me and sear, but in general the whole thing deescalated as fast as it started, and somehow the procession resumed, but as I was passing the old seer, I heard something like a faint whisper.


    ''...beg you spare us...''.


    I turned to look who said that, but found no one, and the closest person to me, the seer, was already looking at the next person, with the same neutral expression. I looked at him for another long second, but could not confirm that it was the seer.


    Hearing things...


    Am I loosing my mind now?


    [You just found out?]


    As I walk into the city, I find a huge bursting mass of people, running around throughout the whole street. Merchants are shouting something about their products, trying to make sure that everyone in the noisy crowd hears them. It takes some effort to break through the crowd, but with my height it is not as hard, as I stand nearly head taller that everyone else. The whole group continues after me, as if I am a huge ship breaking through ice, and making path for smaller ones. I buy a small piece of meat and ask the seller for the path to guild hall. The old man, the seller of meat screwer, looks at the coin for several seconds, flipping it from one side to another, and after biting it to check that it is real dismissively points in a specific direction and says apathetically "center".


    It took some time to break through the crowd and arrive at the guild building, and after a brief report, my party receive a gold coin each, with some kind of face print on it, for escorting the group. Trying not to waste even a single day, I ask about the soonest caravan going north. After brief look into the catalog the young receptionist told me that big caravan is actually planned, but it is going to depart only in several days, and we need to apply beforehand as there are many adventurers planing to join, but a very small number guard slots. It didn''t take long to apply for the quest and receive the instruction to meet the leader of caravan on the specified date in front of the northern gates.


    Exiting, the guild we started looking for an inn to stay, and by recommendation of the receptionist, together with my party I arrived at one, which is quite close to the north gates, called the ''Dancing Bear''. The owner of the inn, which could be easily mistaken for an actual bear, quickly booked us and gave us keys to our rooms.


    After looking at the rooms we went down to the first floor and ordered today''s special. The ''special'' in nothing special, soup with a lot of vegetables and a small piece of meat with bone, bread and a an alcoholic drink. While we were eating, Lekana continued to steal glances at me, which brought a small smile to the twin''s faces.


    [Are we going to continue to play an idiot?]


    [Aren''t you going to say anything?]


    [Maybe it could-]


    Enough.


    Get real. We both know that IT will never happen.


    Do you really think that there is someone who would genuinely want to be with us?


    Do you really think that there is someone who would enjoy our company?


    Do you really think that there is someone who would voluntary spend their time with us?


    Why are you quite?


    Answer me? Do you truly believe that?


    Get real.


    You were telling me the same thing some time ago, and now the roles somehow reversed. Ironic isn''t it?


    It will always be the same, nothing changes.


    They all show their true colors sooner or later, and by the amount of time they already wasted, quite soon they will either openly make a request, or drag us into something.


    Do not forget what we are, and what we will never be.


    Do not dream of something that will never happen.


    [Deep down we both would want you to be wrong.]


    ...


    While Lekana and the twins spent all their free time looking around, and trying local dishes, I was very busy, and it looks like I am at the very last item on my list of tasks.


    "Wow. You know, I am the biggest information broker in the city, but I think your expectation of me are a bit overestimated."


    "Is it a problem of money?"


    "Sadly, no. But I will say this, if you somehow find a way, or learn a piece of information about a way to reach the Amazon island, I will pay a hefty sum for that myself."


    I sigh, and throw a gold coin on the table.


    "And what would that payment be for dear customer?" says the bone thin man in his late forties.


    "You know yourself." I say glaring at him.


    "Oh." he replies with huge grin "It is always a pleasure to deal with an experienced customer."


    I stand up but continue looking at him in silence.


    "No one came to me today, and no one asked any questions."


    I nod and walk outside of the room, and instantly am followed by a guard, which guides me to exit into back alleys, in the middle of nowhere, and the door closes quietly behind me.


    I sigh deeply and curse at the useless attempt. I thought that maybe in a bigger cities, someone would know anything, but I learned nothing, and money simply was wasted. There was a part of me saying that it will be a waste of money to buy his silence, but nonetheless I should not leave a trail behind. That always results a great regret in future.


    Regret huh.


    I start walking back to the inn briefly glancing at the people around, and what they do. Their culture is unexpectedly similar to the one in the Blood Empire.


    No, it is called the Sun Empire now, and I should not forget that.


    Anyway, even though there should have been no contact between the two sides, everything looks so similar that you could mistaken it for the same thing, but of course there are several things that are a sure giveaway that this is other region. There are no dwarf or elves, and humans have a bit different feature, but one way or another they are all the same.


    Same brothels.


    Same bar fights.


    Same people.


    For the past few minutes I have seen three pickpocketers stealing from naive onlookers, several small scuffle between what I assume are adventurers, and hundred upon hundred fake smiles of merchants which are trying to swindle youngsters and old people whatever way they can.


    There should have been several thousands of years of no interaction, but this side of life is the same on both sides. Is it that way because this is our core, and it will appear naturally, or is it simply what society eventually grows into?


    I feel a presence behind me and slowly turn around, only to meet face to face with Lekana, who has a hand extended as if about to tap me on my back.


    "Oh. You felt me in this crowd?" she says in astonishment, but her words are barely heard because of the noisy crowd around.


    My eyes trail behind her, and find the twins in the same location they always are, behind her as if her shadow. They nod their head in greeting, and I nod my head in reply.


    "Did you finish your stuff? Will you join us on the path back to inn?" she says smiling.


    I silently nod again, to which she react by smiling even wider.


    As we walk she continues to talk about something, but more than half of what she says is lost under the thundering noise of moving crowd. We continue walking, and quite soon we exit the market area and the crowd get quieter. Lekana continues talking, and I finally understand the subject she has been chattering for the past ten minutes. Sea food, fish, clams, octopuses and more.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    There should be a limit to gluttony...


    We finally arrive into the inn and order a lunch, which quickly arrives to our table. Lekana starts devouring the dish as if starving, twins on the other hand eat it slowly, as if savoring every bite. In contract to them, and everyone around, my jaws move monotone, as I don''t even try to taste the dish, because all my thoughts are still stuck on the way to find any more information before reaching the island.


    The unprepared die first.


    It simply can not be that no one knows of a way to reach the damn island, but with the last probe, I confirmed that if anyone has that information, it may be only the top brass, and if that is true, it seem that they do not want to share it. And that means that I will either have to force the answer out of someone high ranking, or continue with the plan of hitchhiking my way back.


    There must be other ways.


    [And there is, through the south pole, back the way we came.]


    Several loud screams explode somewhere outside, far away, and slowly the whole inn grows quieter. Some start whispering between themselves, others are looking in the direction where the scream came from. Screams grow more and more, and soon people start standing up and walking outside to see what is going on.


    Another bar fight? People will always find a reason to fight, and if they can''t find it they will create one.


    Looking over the heads of the crowd of the inn I see groups of people trampling over a standing group, as if running from something in horror. The two groups merge into some kind of blend of flesh and mindless violence. Several seconds later a much bigger crowd start pouring out of street, which leads to city center, trampling over the crowd which was trying to run away. Everyone is looking at the whole thing with wide eyes, not understanding what is happening.


    "POSSESSED!!!" someone screams out of running crowd, and nearly instantly people start running around, gathering their stuff, taking their weapons out, as if preparing for war, but I just stand apathetically.


    What the hell is wrong with them? Are ''possessed'' really that dangerous? Few loose magicians should not be an issue.


    Less that a minute later a crowd several times bigger, behaving like hungry animals crashes into everyone. They start ripping people apart into shower of blood and gore as everyone around me screams in horror at the display.


    But I continue to stand looking at the scene, petrified, as the scene before me distorts, showing me the picture of the same scene, but with all the building destroyed, colored red with blood and body parts of men women and children, next instant it distorts back to the scene before me. The distortions happen several more times, flipping back and forth, until it finally stops with the image from my past, the period of time that I deemed the darkest in my life, the period when I had to personally give orders to give to the blood one city after another, time when I truly earned my accursed title.


    ''Possessed'' meant....


    My body start trembling as I remember my hands killing one human after another, one child after another, as their eyes stare back at me accusingly.


    My eyes notice a single figure standing behind the feral group laughing, as people are are ripped apart. The figure''s head turns in my direction, and his face comes into full view, a pale white face with bright red and yellow veins throughout the whole skins.


    With inhuman roar explodes somewhere near me, but I do not understand where exactly, and my body starts moving with colossal speed, in less than dozen heartbeats later I appear before the figure as it looks at me in astonishment. The creature wanted to scream something, but it does not get the chance as his body is vertically split in half by my sword.


    "B192 secure the position! D52 look for the next target! B115 help B192! A399 cover me!" I scream as I sit on my knee and start examining the body of creature, looking for proof that I am wrong, that it is not what I think it is. My eyes scan the internal organs of the body again and again, looking more into the guts and stomach of the body for a pill, or at least something that looks like it, but there is nothing.


    With mechanical movements I stand and say with cold voice.


    "Corrupted Shepherd found. Give the city to blood." I announce the result of analysis and the same order as I have done more than dozen times before.


    Before I know it several dozen feral creatures try to bury me under their mass, and only through pure strength I throw them of and start cutting the corrupted down one after another.


    "D52 status!"


    As I rip apart several more feral I repeat my order.


    "D52 I SAID STATUS!!!"


    A huge crowd of feral jump on me and bury myself over their pure mass once again. My chest is slowly being crushed under sheer weight of bodies over me, but I preserve, and the mana starts boiling in my veins. Strength slowly fills my body as I slither through the bodies, and finally get out of the mass grave. Not wasting even a second, I command mana to start flowing into the hand which hold the sword, and in response it moves with colossal speed and strength, ripping more and more of feral, as they try again and again to surround me. I do not know how long passes, but I finally stand on the mountain of dead feral and their body parts.


    "A399 I SAID FUCKING COVER ME!! D52 ARE YOU DEAF?! WHERE IS THE DAMN STATUS?!!"


    I turn around and find the area empty except the hundreds upon hundreds of dead bodies, and a small crowd standing far away, with their weapons drawn out, staring at me petrified. I continue looking around for my brothers, until I stop as if a stone statue. My memories start returning, as if cold knife slowly cutting through my chest, bringing clarity to my mind.


    They are not here.


    They were never here.


    They died a very long time ago.


    What was I even doing? What happened?


    More screams explode throughout the whole city as corrupted and feral fill the whole city, and everyone starts fighting for their life. Screams of horror slowly fill the whole city, as people attempt to run away from the carnage and leave the city.


    But there is no ''leaving'' anymore.


    Flock always follows the shepherd.


    The city is lost.


    To blood.


    I notice as a person appears to side of me, and moving my head slightly I recognize Lekana few meters away from me, with the twins as always behind her, looking with horrified eyes at me.


    "W-We should leave the city!" she stammers quickly.


    With her trembling hand she reaches and takes mine, gripping my hand harder she tries to pull it, but I stand solid not moving even and inch. Her scared eyes look into mine searching for a reason, but I continue staring at her thinking deeply about what I am about to do.


    "W-What''s wrong?" she whispers.


    A moment later she releasing my hand and takes several steps away, as if sensing that something is very wrong.


    [She is tainted.]


    There are no symptoms yet, I can''t confirm.


    [Hypocrite.]


    No.


    [Symptoms do not show in the beginning of emergence.]


    [One person more, one person less, they are all doomed one way or another, the chance that they know how to purge the corruption from the body and block the mental attack is minuscule.]


    I will not kill the non-corrupted.


    [Waiting once again huh?]


    [That is why our brothers are dead. But this time there will be no one to sacrifice their lives to save ours.]


    [Why stop there? Why not leave the city itself? Who knows, maybe it will magically survive tis experience.]


    The corrupted are HIS minions, they must be erased from face of earth.


    [Good, at least on something we can agree.]


    To[To] Blood[Blood]


    I grip the handle of sword harder and start sending mana all around the body in a specific way, that I have been taught long time ago, the way to maintain the mind when shepherd is near. Looking at Lekana one last time I start walking through the fleeing crowd of people and mountains of dead bodies littering throughout all the streets in the direction of city center.


    Strangely I do not encounter any feral at all, as if they disappeared all together. But I know better as shepherd are never alone, and there has not been a city that survived the emergence even once. This means the worst possible case for me, which is that they have gathered together and are planning to attack as a single body, and I will have to purge them all together, at once, alone.


    I finally arrive in the city center and look at the view that is standing before me. The square with fountains which has all of it''s water colored deep red with blood, thousands upon thousands of feral corrupted fighting, what looks like a small group of about half a dozen people, whose aura is visible even to naked eye. Behind the uncountable number of citizen, turned corrupted, are at least hundred shepherds, who are giving orders, launching catastrophic spells. Each of the spells is so powerful that every single one of them upon hitting a building, destroys and rips it apart as if it is made out of paper.


    Suddenly all of the shepherds, as if puppet on strings, simultaneously turn their heads in my direction. For few long seconds they quietly stare at me, until they all together, simultaneously point their fingers at me and screech as if enraged gargoyles. Nearly instantly all the feral stop their attack on the small group, and turn into my direction. With a blood chilling howl the whole square explodes into action, as thousands upon thousands of feral, as if enraged animals leap into my direction, and start running on all four.


    Mana start circulation with much more strength than it has ever before, as this body is stronger and more durable. The closer the wave of mindless hate and destruction comes, the more intense mana starts flowing. With each breath the temperature in my body start rising, the blood pressure increases, vision becomes tunneled, until the high pitched whistling buries all the sound in the world. With a voiceless roar I leap at the enemy mass, my arm moves with colossal speed, and I feel with my very flesh as the sword cuts through the air, until it meets flesh, sending body parts and organs across the walls of the buildings and stone floor of the central square.


    Less than dozen seconds and hundred bodies later, the sword in my hand starts breaking apart, as bits and piece of metal fall off, until what is left in my hand is handle and less than a third of the blade. Instincts scream and I leap aside, as the place I was a second ago explodes apart in blazing flames, after being hit by several fire spells. Looking at the origin of spells I find the shepherd glaring hatefully at me.


    More blood.


    I throw away the useless thing and switch to the only thing I have left, my body. I start ripping apart the endless waves of flesh with my bare hand, stomping their bodies into blood paste, evading each and every spell that I can, or throwing the closest feral body at the spell if I can''t. Even though I have only one hand right now, this does not hinder me at all, as in past I have been missing more limbs, and still continued to fight.


    More destruction.


    More[More]


    MORE[MORE]


    MORE[MORE]!!!


    I stare back at the corrupted, which number has dwindled by at least a third, because of me, the fire spells, and the group with huge aura still fighting them, even though the target of every corrupted became solely me.


    The corrupted were always in some fucked up way rational, or even to better put it chaotically directed into senseless violence, with a final goal of destruction of the target, but this is a totally different level. They ''see'' me, they ''perceive'' me, and they want me dead.


    This is no coincidence.


    Is it YOU?


    Are YOU there fucker?


    I am coming for YOU.


    The still moving corrupted is trying to breath free, screaming, thrashing around, as her long hair is moving around. She continues to struggle and screech in absolute hatred, only for my jaws to clutch stronger and crush her neck as audible crack resounds across the area, silencing the creature, as her body stops moving. Her neck starts slowly stretching under the weight of her head, until what is left of the neck is no longer able to hold it, and the head rips away and falls down, rolling several times.


    The corrupted stare back at me as they bundle together, trying to construct a protection shield around the shepherd.


    What''s wrong?


    Why did you stop?


    Come, meet your end.


    A bone chilling screech descends upon the whole area, as I start hearing loud flaps of huge wings coming closer and closer. Looking in the direction where I believe the sound is coming, I curse as wyvern with at least hundred meters wide wingspan flies quickly approaching the huge square.


    Elder wyvern.


    What the fuck did this shit forget here?


    Wyvern does several circles around the square and with a loud crash lands on one of the tall building, nearly destroying it, as pieces of stone tower fall down on the ground. It''s huge eyes, scan the area for several long seconds in nearly absolute silence, until the eyes stop on me and the huge lizard screeches once again, nearly rupturing my ear drums in the process. During the whole moment I did not move even a bit, as my eyes were glued to wyvern, or more precisely the body of wyvern, and the yellow and red veins throughout the whole body of the huge of the accursed thing.


    Corrupted elder wyvern.


    Is this YOUR answer?


    FUCK YOU.


    The wyvern''s lungs start rapidly inflating, as it''s eyes shine brightly, and smokes of fire escape it''s massive jaws. I curse and start running away from the square as fast as I can. Few moments later the group with brightly shining aura follow me, only for the endless wave of corrupted jump on our heels as if pack of starved animals.


    I hear an enormous explosion and not wasting even I second I leap into the closes alley, which is barely more than a meter and a half wide. The moment I step inside I make a sharp hundred and eighty degrees turn around and I see the group with huge aura follow me just a second later. The run past me, deeper into the alley, while I continue to stare outside at the main road.


    A moment later an endless mass of corrupted feral appeared, trying to follow us into the alley, only to be choked in this narrow path. As I hold down at least three stories of feral, which are climbing over each other trying to reach me, only to be ripped apart or thrown away by me. The whole attempt to break through into the alley took less than few seconds, but that was enough as fire hell consumed them in blazing inferno. The corrupted continued to try and break through, and many burning and melting creatures leaped out of the blazing inferno, trying to reach me, only to fall down and crumble into small charred pieces.


    The blazing inferno continued to eat away the building as their walls slowly turned red and melted away. I take several steps back until I hit with my back at one of the members of the group with the huge aura. He jumped away and looked at me terrified, as if he saw a monster, and pointed his weapon at me.


    You are the one with the huge aura, not me. I but flesh and bones.


    Slowly the fire subdues and my legs start moving me into the still burning inferno. As I walk outside, I am hit by bright red-white light coming from the melting stone walls and coble-stoned ground. The very feeling reminds me as if I am in the deepest part of volcano with magma flowing few meters away from me. I can not stand still, I need to move or the damned creature will corner me, and that will be the end.


    Not yet.


    As I make several steps furtherer, trying to walk on top of the black smoking stones, rather than the ones shining with bright red-white light, my shoes start sizzling and melting away. My eyes quickly scan the area and find what I was looking for, under very melted body. I start walking quickly, trying not to stand on one foot for too long, but this does not help as the shoes continue to sizzle even after they leave the ground.


    I throw over the body and try to retrieve the sword still clutched into the hands of half-melted of mass, that looked human less than a minute ago. I finally rip out the blade out of the mass and grip handle of the sword with blade shining bright red from the heat. The moment my hand touched the handle, it exploded with pain, as skin on my palm started sizzling against the handle. With an strong impulse I numb away all the feeling in my hand, but the smell of burning skin and flesh continues reaching me.


    Instincts scream and I leap away as the place I was standing few moments ago explodes with burning heat. I turn in the direction where the instincts were screaming at, and see several dozen shepherd leaping at me with spells and weapons draws out and ready to take my life. I grip the sword harder and leap at the enemy evading whatever spell I can, but nonetheless several of them hit me, even after I used other shepherd as shield, and sparks of pain shoot throughout my body and I simply command the body to numb the pain.


    Something happens that I did not expect they all leap at me at the same time, but instead of attacking me, they clutch with death-grip not trying to kill me or make me bleed. One by one more and more of them death-grip me, weighting me down, as if animal caught into rope.


    A much louder instinct screams at me and as I turn back I find the huge wyvern lunging at me with enormous speed, and it''s huge jaws wide open trying to swallow me. Abandoning everything I send all the mana in my body into my legs, and demand the move, and they do. My legs explode with colossal strength, carrying me, and several corrupted, which are still clutched to me at least fifteen meters up into the air, as huge jaws of the wyvern clamp ground where I was just a second ago. But the gravity and weight overpowers the momentum, and I start falling down. I try to command my legs to move, but they do not respond at all, as only now I feel, that too many muscles in my legs are ripped apart to do anything more than slight movement.


    The gravity finally wins and I crash against the back of the massive creature, tumbling several times as the bodies of corrupted gripping to me acted as cushion and ended up ripped apart against the razor sharp spikes on the wyvern''s back. As soon as I finally break free I try to let the sword go to clutch at the spike but to my horror, the handle fused together with the flesh on my palm, and got stuck to it as if glued together. Cursing I plunge my sword into the body, hoping for it to find a crack, and it does as the sword pierces through a crack, making my body stop incredibly sharply. The momentum was so high that it nearly ripped my shoulder from the torso, but in the end it somehow stayed together.


    The damn creature, as if feeling that I am on it''s back starts thrashing and jumping around, trying to throw me off, as I clutch for life with my hand gripping the sword as much as I can, and hugging the back of the wyvern with my own body, trying to hold on. After about a minute of the fruitless attempts, the fucker, runs into the one building after another, sending building pieces into the air, as dust fills the whole area and hits my face. But still nonetheless I somehow held onto it, because, if I would slip off it''s back, I would end up burried under the rubble forever.


    I held onto the creature with all my might as it started thrashed around more, rolling over it''s back trying to throw me off. Closing my eyes I continue holding for my life as the damn creature jumps through another dust cloud. The whole thing has lasted for about two or three minutes, but for me, it felt as if much more time has passed.


    The creature started thrashing around more, but in a bit more different way, and when I notice that the sound of burning city becomes quite, and the only thing I hear is the angry screeches of wyvern and sound of strong wind I open my eyes. Looking around I curse once again as I am already at height of at least several hundred meters, with the city down bellow growing smaller and smaller very rapidly. As if that was not enough, after reaching a specific height, the accursed creature started going rapid turns and barrel rolls, trying to throw me off, while I clutched for life and my body grew colder because of the freezing wind.


    The creature, as if finally calming down, started gaining more height, but with every second I felt as if it''s body grew hotter and hotter, until I started hearing as my bare skin sizzled against it''s burning hot scales. Looking up I finally realized what it is trying to do, but it was too late to do anything to stop it, as the wyvern already breathed out and enormous cloud of fire and rotated it''s back against it.


    I WILL NOT DIE


    Screaming at my body to move, I somehow found strength and leaped to the side, away from the center of fire cloud, while the strong wind nearly glued my body to wyvern''s back. My body hit against something, and by pure instinct I plunged the sword into it, and together with my momentum it slided deeper into some kind of flesh. The fucker screeched as we dive into the cloud of fire, and nearly instantly my body screamed as I feel the whole body burning and melting at the same time, without possibility to make it stop.


    As we finally broke through the cloud of fire hell, my lungs sucked in freezing cold air, but it does not make it any better as my lungs are so burned that they barely function. Demanding my fingers to grip stronger around the pommel of the sword I felt as my bones creaked under pressure. Switching to my legs, I command them to move, and slowly, trembling they obey, as I stand on my knees upon the wyvern''s wing.


    Lets see who dies first fucker.


    Sending mana into my hand and knees I find balance and start cutting deeper into the leathery flesh of the webbed on the wings of the oversized cave lizard. The creature screeched in absolute horror and hatred, but when it turned to look at me I felt desperation in it''s eyes, and as if a trigger it causes me to redouble the effort with even more determination. The huge reptile continues thrashing around, making one maneuver after another, trying to throw me off, and it succeeded, but only in making it worse as the blade cut deeper and deeper into it''s wing as the wound grew bigger and bigger, until the blade of the sword cut through the whole wing, and I am throw away.


    Falling down as whistling of the strong wing consumes nearly all the sound around me, I somehow reorient myself in the air and look around, until my eyes find myself in the middle of absolutely blue sky. I would say that the view before me is one of the most beautiful that I have ever seen, but there is something that destroys the whole scenery, which is an oversized lizard bat, falling down not far from me, screeching in confusion and hatred.


    I WILL KILL YOU.


    Somehow finding strength in my body, I reorient myself once again at direct myself at the wyvern, which is falling down, and trying to fly, but it fails again and again, as it continues screeching in confusion. After about a minute of non stop failures in attempt to stabilize itself and fly, the eyes of the accursed creature somehow turn in my direction, and absolute hatred reflects upon them. The hatred consumed the whole creature, as it somehow finds strength in itself and directs itself at me. The corrupted thing starts quickly approaching closer with it''s jaws open wide as if trying to swallow me whole.


    YOU [YOU] WILL [WILL] DIE [DIE]!!!


    Reorienting myself in the air once again I evaded the wyvern''s dive, and after several seconds of fumbling in air, my body turns back in the direction of the creature, which once again tumbles around and tries to fly with it''s only healthy wing, but fails.


    Temperature of my body starts increasing once again, as I make the mana flow faster and faster, and my vision becomes tunneled once again. With my vision slowly turning red and black I dive at the creature with my sword in front of me as if arrow fired, as I am about to hit it, a strong wind redirect me slightly, and I miss the creature by just a few meters. I tumble around once again and finding balance performed the action again and again, as if possessed, with a single goal in my mind, while the creature screeched in horror, as if understanding what I am trying to do.


    After several more failed attempts, my sword finally finds it''s target and plunged through the only healthy wing of the corrupted lizard. It screeched in horror and hatred once again, thrashing around, trying to throw me off, only for the sword to cut deeper as it has on the other wing before. Sending more mana into my legs, the knees start pushing against it''s wing with much more force, as the sword slowly sliding across the flesh, cutting deeper and deeper, until it cuts through and I am once again sent tumbling through air.


    My hatred does not calm down, as once again I reorient myself in the air and look back at the falling wyvern, only to find horrified lizard screeches with a very high pitch. But the next instant it''s eyes shine once again and it suddenly calms down and looks at me with absolute hatred not losing mine even a bit. Not losing even a moment it somehow reorients it''s limbs and lunges in my direction as if feral. Using my sword and barely moving body I reorient myself and evade the attack. The creature attempts the attack once more, but that does not change the result, as I am much smaller and harder to hit. The wyvern is about to make a third attempt, but it looks down and the hatred disappears from it''s eyes, as screeches in horror. Following the creatures gaze, hair on all my body stands up as the city bellow is quickly growing bigger and bigger, as there is less than dozen seconds until we hit it.


    I will not survive the fall.


    [No]


    [NO]


    [NOT YET!]


    With my whole body nearly turning ice frozen at what I am about to do I demand it''s absolute obedience and my body turns in direction of the wyvern. Diving in the direction of the wyvern I find it flailing around, until it''s eyes meet mine and the blazing hatred returns to them. Opening it''s jaws wide open in lunged back at me, trying to take the life of it''s killer. As the jaws rapidly approach closer I do not even try to evade them, but on the contrary direct myself right into it''s mouth.


    A fraction of a second later the world turns black and I hear sound of two mountains crashing against each other. The sound quiets down only for it to be replaced by other one, which is as if several huge earthquake hit at the same time.


    The pain and feeling starts disappearing, as my mind drift away.


    No.


    NO!


    NOT YET!


    NOT [NOT] YET [YET]!!


    ...


    "Please, spare them!" screams a older man in early forties clutching two children to his chest "Take my life, but leave my children alive! Please, I beg you!"


    The man tries to say something more, but he and two of his children are split in half by my sword, and their bodies crumble into a pool of blood and flesh.


    A young man in late teens wearing black and red armor, with tears in his eyes leaps at me with his sword aiming at my neck, but I easily swat the attack away and crush his ankle, as his scream resounds throughout the area. My sword instantly moves to his neck.


    "B117, Brother, Sir, please, he is young brother, he does not understand! He-" says my brother, A98, but stops sharply as he remembers that the young man is just few years younger than I am.


    I take a glance at my brother, A98, and turn back to the young one in my legs, which is looking at me with hatred in his eyes.


    "Bring me a ''late'' one." I growl.


    Less than a minute later a child with light brown long hair and hazel eyes is brought, less than ten years old, which is trembling and looking around, at me and several dozen of my brothers standing around.


    "B34 look at me." I say to the young brother near my feet.


    His eyes start jumping between me and the child and he squeezes.


    "No. Don''t touch her you monster."


    "I won''t."


    By my command child is cuffed by leg to chain which is fixed to ground, as she starts wailing loudly expecting us to torture her.


    "Heal him." I command and nearly instantly a healer casts a healing spell at him, after which B34 jump up and away from me.


    I take out a short dagger and throw it to him, which he promptly catches still glaring at me. He positions himself between the child and me, as if protecting her from me.


    "You won''t kill her." he growls back


    "I will not."


    B34 continues glaring at me until a creature leaps at his back and bites deep into his neck. Screaming he plunges dagger at whatever is clutched into his back several times, and several seconds later he breaks free and leaps away. In mid air he rotates and looks at what attacked him.


    In shock my young brother stares at the corrupted child, with blood dripping out of her eye socket and neck, which growls and tries to leap at him, but fails as the chain is holding her in place. My brother looks at his dagger which has fresh blood of the child on it.


    "I will not. You will."


    B34 looks at me, then back at the child, as the chain that holds her, continue to rattle.


    "No." he whispers. "We can... we can save her, there must..."


    Nodding at the chain, I tell my other brother what to do, which he carries out nearly instantly. The child no longer held back by the chain once again leaps at B34 as he tries to wrestle against her, until the dagger in his hand plunges through the heart of the corrupted child, and she crumbles to ground.


    B34 start breathing deeply until he falls on his knees and start crying, touching the child, and tenderly clutching her body to his chest.


    "No" he whispers quietly.


    "Survive." I growl.


    "No"


    "For the living." I continue.


    "No" he repeats


    "We need you-"


    I stop when I notice his eyes turn half-dead. A moment later dark aura starts escaping him.


    Clenching my jaws together I hear as teeth grind against each other. Walking to B34 I take out another dagger from my hip.


    "B117, brother, let me do it. I brought him, I must release him back to father myself." says A98.


    "No brother." I state shortly "I bear full responsibility for this, and I will not allow this to consume you. Direct you hatred at me, no one else."


    I silently plunge the dagger into the heart of my young brother, after which the body of B34 falls down loudly, with his weapons and gear rattling against the ground.


    I look at me brothers one by one, after which I look back at the dead body of B34. By tradition we should recite a verse, but this will not happen, as no matter how many times we try, those words will feel empty.


    We lost another brother.


    How many more do we need to lose for this world?


    How many more will it take?


    ...


    An eternity later physical pain returns, as presence of the damned and dead slowly fade out of my mind, while their torrent of screams of pain and hatred quiets down in my head, and silence returns to it, but only for a very short time.


    A single eye slowly opens, as bright light assaults me, and my eye shuts down, only for me to force it to open once again several seconds later. This time my eyes open together much slower, as they try to take in what is before me. I see a tiny light far away, so far that it feels nearly non-existent.


    But it is there.


    There is light and there is pain.


    It is not the end.


    Not yet.


    I slowly move my hand to my face, and try to remove whatever caked around my eyes but fail, and feel only something very wet and hard touching my face. Very dark idea start appearing in my head. After at least a dozen minutes my eyes finally regenerate enough for me to start seeing what is around. Turning my eyes to my left, I finally see my hand, or at least what is left of it, a single white and black bone sticking out of burned flesh.


    This will take a while to heal.


    Very quickly feeling begins returning to all my body, and I start feeling extreme burning sensation below my waist. Using what is left of my only hand I turn my upper torso and neck around, and strong acidic smell hits me before I even can see what is wrong. It takes several seconds of looking for me to understand what is that I am looking at, until I notice white objects, bones, sticking out of the amalgamation that should have been my legs.


    Meat stump cripple once again.


    Trying to piece together what I remember last, brings a very nasty theory. Stomach of elder wyvern. Well, at least I am alive.


    But that is not enough.


    Growling I command whatever is left of my limbs to move, as I do not want to melts away in the stomach of the damn creature. My torso and the stump on my left arm start moving, carrying me centimeter, by centimeter closer towards the light at the end of the meat tunnel.


    I will not die.


    Eternity later I crawl closer to the source of the light, and find razor sharp white protrusion blocking the path.


    Teeth, mouth, an exit, just a bit more.


    Looking around I find an area with several broken fangs, which creates a wide enough path for me. I start crawling to it until I finally reach the exit, and as if slug fall into world of white light and random noises.


    I hit the ground and air escapes my lungs, but I do not get an opportunity to take the sweat air in, as something in me screams that there is danger near me. Looking around I try find the origin of the danger, but the whole whole world is a blur of colors and shades. It takes few seconds until a smudge half a dozen meters away takes more crisp form, and I notice a short, sharp object in it''s hand. As the the image of the figure becomes clearer I see yellow and red veins throughout it''s pale face.


    Corrupted shepherd.


    The figure starts screaming something and pointing at me with the dagger in it''s hands, then the dagger returns to area near his chest, where my eyes notices another silhouette. The view of the silhouette becomes clearer, and the seething hatred starts burning in me again, as the tiny silhouette is a young girl barely over twelve, a child, whimpering with tears in her eyes.


    Images of thousands of similar situation flash across my eyes, all ending with the body of innocent child in pool of it''s blood. As if telling me the future that awaits the child, the mind demands action, and in response my blood starts boiling once again as pressure in my skulls starts increasing rapidly, with the whistling in my ears replacing all the sound in the world.


    I do not know how, or even where the strength came from, but the stumps of my legs twist and explode with enormous force, carrying me at the accursed creature, and in response the eyes of creature flip from absolute horror into blazing hatred. Throwing away the child the creature thrusts it''s dagger at me with burning eyes, and I feel as the cold blade plunges through my chest, but this does not stop me, as the pure momentum of my body carries me further toppling down the corrupted.


    Falling down on the creature we come face to face, as my eyes meet the corrupted one''s, and pure hatred reflects upon them. The ugly face riddled with yellow and red veins twists in rage upon looking back at me.


    I need to destroy the creature, kill it, erase it from the face of Earth.


    My jaws close upon the neck of the accursed being under me, as nearly instantly audible crunch resounds across the area.


    Somehow twisting my body I rip out a huge chunk of flesh from the neck of abomination under me, and thick blood starts dripping down my jaws. Spitting away the flesh I start breathing heavily, but only choke as there is still something huge stuck in my lungs, stopping me from sucking in the sweet air, that my body demands. I try to stand up by fail, as I am quickly reminded that both feet are missing, and the only thing left of my hands is a single arm with bone sticking out of it. Rolling around on my back, I look down and see the dagger still embedded in my chest. Stretching my left hand I try to get it out but fail again and again, as there are no fingers to grasp the pommel.


    I hear as series of rapid footstep, and a silhouette appears and bends near me, quickly plugging out the dagger from my chest. Nearly instantly I feel a weight of two hands push against the area on my chest where the dagger was stuck, as if trying to the bleeding.


    Moving my eyes at the face of silhouette, it takes several long seconds for the image to become crisp, and I recognize the familiar white face with black ears and hair. The only difference is that Lekana''s face is filled with tears as she is crying and screaming something, but I do not understand what it is.


    Closing my eyes I try to breath deeper and reassess the damage to the body this time, and start healing immediately. But suddenly I feel an incredibly warmth cover the whole body, as if submerged into hot bath in freezing winter, and very quickly clarity return to my sight and hearing. Not understanding I open my eyes and blink several times, as strength returns to me. It takes several more seconds to recognize the familiar feeling, which I have been so used, but was left without, for a very long time.


    Healing.


    Nearly instantly I jump up, feeling hale and healthy as if I had months of time to heal my injuries. Looking down at myself I find my feet and left hand there, as if the events of past hour did not happen. But there is another feeling that I nearly forgot, and slowly my right arm comes into view, with the palm and finger clenching and unclenching on the end of it.


    Looking to the side I find a group with a huge, visible aura around them, and a young woman in early twenties in white standing close to me with round eyes.


    "Pam did you level up your healing skills? I have never seen such a fast effect!" says someone behind her.


    "No..." she whispers nearly inaudible.


    The next instantly someone clutches to my chest and start crying and cursing me in the process. Looking to down I find crying Lekana clutching to me and burring her face in my chest.


    My eyes returns back to the group with visible aura, and looking closer find very strange facial feature, the ones I have not seen before in this region, but have seen back at the Empire.


    Such features, aura, and unbelievable level of healing...


    Heroes.


    As if a dam open open wide, an unstoppable torrent of questions fills my mind.


    How?


    Here?


    Why?


    A voice deep inside of me screaming is that there is something very wrong here.


    Suddenly a question randomly pops up in my head.


    Why were they here?


    Getting healed right now would be the best moment possible for me.


    And best moments do not happen.


    Except if they were scripted.


    By someone.


    The god damn theater play is not over.


    But who is the puppeteer?


    HE would not want this.


    HE tried to kill me.


    It could not be HIM.


    Someone else...

 Chapter 25

    Life in Mikraz flows once again, people are running around, guards patrol the city in usual mode, everything looks normal, as if the events of the previous day did not happen at all, as if it was just a bad dream.


    But it wasn''t.


    There are dead, there is mourning, but nonetheless the city came alive once again. Vendors are selling their products, artisans resumed their craft, adventurers started accepting quests once again, no smiling or laughing yet, but the city is alive, slowly recovering.


    Unbelievable.


    A waiter in late teens slowly walks to my table, with his legs visibly trembling and eyes looking straight on the floor, as if horrified to look at something, or someone. He tries to tenderly place the tray on the table, but his trembling hands betrayed him at the very last moment, and the tray audibly clangs against the wooden table, in the process nearly spilling it''s content all over me.


    His sharp exhale made his whole figure soften too much, nearly falling apart to the ground, as if a puppet which lost it''s string.


    "Greatest apologies!" he nearly screams from the bottom of his lungs, making a full ninety degree bow.


    He continues the stream of excuses and several moments later starts slowly moving away with his head still bowed, until his eyes meet mine. And the moment they do he yelps loudly leaping away and hitting the stone wall of the building with his back. He mumbles another apology and nearly runs away, leaving the tray still on the floor near the wall.


    Since the moment the waiter approached, till this very moment, my left hand did not leave the pommel of the short dagger on my hip, tightly gripping it.


    Unbelievable.


    I have not slept at all. Every single second was spend on patrolling the alleys, because that is where the corrupted usually gather. Emergence is not a small skirmish, it is a drawn out battle that has no end. The moment you think that it is finished, is the moment they attack and you die.


    After not finding any corrupted within the first hour, I was already prepared for the worst, the next waves. During the emergence, Liches and corrupted are always waiting on standby around the target city, waiting for the escapees, which after getting caught, killed and ''turned'', are sent back into the city to reign chaos once again.


    Nothing.


    Not a single new corrupted.


    And much worse, after asking guards several times, they repeated stated that no one has seen a Lich. Not single one.


    What the actual hell?!


    Yes, the number of corrupted was not big, less than dozen thousands, but this does not change the fact that the ''Emergence'' happened. It feels as if I am still half asleep or under some kind of mind spell, and any moment the illusion will drop, and everything will turn into the usual nightmare.


    I expect each person to either turn inside out, transforming into creature of darkness, or leap at me with yellow and red veins appearing throughout their bodies, commanding half a city of followers after them.


    I am still awaiting for all of the people in the city to simultaneously turn their faces in my direction and start laughing, that they got me, that they tricked me as if a young greenhorn.


    I do not have a Seer with me, which could have easily solved all the problems and doubts I have. Because of that I took a great risk, and searched for the Sear that I saw at the entrance of the city. But as I expected, fate would never give me such a gift. The guards told me that he was one of the first ones to be killed, by a sudden spell, which appeared out of nowhere.


    [You blame fate for competency of our enemies?]


    Competency huh?


    Anyway I am stuck. How do I verify that everything I see right now is not an illusion?


    My eyes involuntary return to my right hand, and by my command each one of the fingers moves slightly. They should be real. The feeling of warm blood flowing through the veins, that strange feeling when you can ''feel'' your own flesh, and the roughness of texture on the wooden table that my fingertips are touching, tells me enough.


    "I am telling you he is some kind of NPC related to the main quest!" says loudly a boy with black hair in one of languages of the summoned that I don''t understand. The summoned have quite few of them actually.


    The boy is barely over twelve, with strange glasses, which are made out of high quality quartz and some kind of black glossy material.


    "Calm down Kevin." replies a guy in his early twenties.


    "Paul he must have some kind of epic back story with revenge and stuff! Did you see how easily he killed all of the corrupted and that huge dragon?!"


    "I said calm down." growls the guy who''s name I believe to be Paul.


    I know few words from the language Richard spoke, but not enough to even understand the topic of the talk, and by the tone of boy, I assume he is excited about something, while the older one tries to calm him down.


    Right now three of the ''local'' summoned are sitting with me, a tall guy with short black hair, who is more likely their leader, the healer ''Pam'', which restored my right hand, and the child with black hair.


    Huh?


    Looking closer, not just the hair, but also the facial features of the younger and older one look similar. Parent and child? No, the age difference is too small. Brothers more likely.


    They continue speaking between themselves about something, while I scan the inn for any signs of corrupted.


    There must be few at least few corrupted left, hiding somewhere in plain sight.


    Even if they try to look human, they are not. Though they are very skilled actors, which is one of the main reasons it is so hard to root out the Emergence before it happens, they can not fully replicate all the tiny pieces of human behavior.


    [Which we could never replicate well as well. We can barely fit into human society.]


    [Calling us human is even a big stretch.]


    [Useless sack of blood, flesh and regrets.]


    Few moments later Lekana, the dog-eared twins, and four other heroes enter the inn. Looking around Lekana''s eyes stop on me, and a huge smiles breaks on her face. With a happy hop she leaps to me, behaving the same way she had few days ago. Nothing seems to have changed in her, but you can never be sure, corrupted usually hide as the ones you least expect.


    "And here is our ¡®Blood Angel¡¯!" Lekana exclaims with a smile, after which she sits down on chair left to me.


    Most of the people in the city are whispering between themselves other name.


    Soon the other summoned come closer, and connecting several tables with the one I am sitting behind, make one long table with everyone sitting together around it. Several moments later in an awkward silence everyone''s eyes turn to me.


    The one who breaks the silence is the tall guy with black hair.


    "First of all I would like to thank you for helping us yesterday. I do not know what would have happened if you didn''t come. Truly thank you." he finishes slightly bowing.


    Everyone else of his group repeats the same action.


    "I would like to re-introduce ourselves again. My name is Paul." gesturing to the young boy he continues "This is Kevin, my brother."


    "Hello!" the child says loudly, nearly screaming.


    My eyes dart once again to the tiny staff in his hands and the long sword on the hip of his older brother.


    "I am Pamela, but everyone calls me Pam." says the girl in white as nearly every healer I have seen before.


    Does wearing white clothes somehow improves the healing abilities?


    "Kurt." smiles the widely build guy with dirty blond hair and a small stubble on his face.


    His thick armor, shield and mace should be very heavy and hard to move in, but the guy moves so effortlessly and fluidly, as if he is in skin tight leather armor.


    "Valentine, a pleasure to make you acquaintance." continues the person near him with green eyes, and long dark brown hair gathered into a bun.


    Finding no weapon anywhere near him, could mean that it is either hidden, or he is close quarter fighter. But because of his slim build, and the baggy clothes my bet falls to some kind of wizard or mage.


    "Victoria." says with coquettish smile the woman with long black velvet hair, and lighting blue eyes.


    Two short daggers on her hip, smooth and precise movements, thin long limbs and sharp eyes tell me that she more likely favors speed and precise attacks.


    "Timur, son of Darman." states shortly a man with short black hair, who could easily be mistaken for a boy, because of his height. But the mustache on his face and calm expression tells otherwise.


    A bow, but no arrows. Mana archer?


    [People politely introduce themselves, and the only thing you can think of is what is their way of fighting, and what could their weakness be.]


    [Truly a man of the people, who sees the best in everyone.]


    "Hello! I am Lekana, these guys are Tagaro and Nagoro." suddenly chirped in Lekana pointing at the duo to her left "And this is Alan." she finished with a smile leaning on me.


    It was impossible to stop my brows from raising up, and I was not the only one who let his emotion slip. Each person showed their own emotion, reacting to the situation in one way or another.


    This is getting out of hand.


    The awkward silence was broken several seconds later by someone, who looked as if he was least bothered by the current atmosphere.


    "The number of possessed was extremely abnormal though." says Valentine "Their constant flow left me no opportunity to prepare a massive spell."


    "Yeah, we have never encountered so many possessed in one place. As Oracle said, things are starting to move..." continued Paul.


    Encountered? This is not their first time?


    Many?


    A dozen thousand corrupted is many? That is less than a tenth of an average sized city.


    Cities with population of more than several million citizens have disappeared into abyss of rage and destruction over night several times just in the last decade.


    "Alan?" breaks my thought process a female voice.


    Looking in the direction where the voice came from I find the raven haired woman looking at me with a seductive smile.


    "Lekana told us that you are traveling to the Endless Empire. We are actually going there too. Would you be interested in joining us? We all would be very happy if you would."


    "Of course! We would love to!" says Lekana few short seconds later, not giving me time to think.


    The woman, Victoria, if I remember correctly, smiles at Lekana with a bit stretched smile, but Lekana is already talking with someone else with a happy smile, discussing food once again.


    While the group is talking, my keen hearing picks up the talk in the corners of inn. They all are talking about events of previous day, and specifically two words are repeated the most.


    Blood Demon


    It is kind of ironic that even here, where neither brotherhood, nor church of Zeron exits, the same title was given to me. Although there are few rare exception where people use ''Blood Angel'', but their number is tremendously smaller, and Lekana is one of rare exceptions.


    [Who knows, maybe she says the other version when you are not around.]


    Angel, demon, spirit. Same shit, different container.


    Yesterday, throughout the whole day the stares did not leave me. The terrified stares of horror, as if they have seen a monster walking through the streets. I know those stares well, I have seen them for too long to mix with something else. But I did care about them back them, because the time was ticking and I still had not corrupted, much less shepherd.


    In the end, I found none.


    So much is wrong that I don''t even know where to begin with.


    How were the corrupted able to cast fire element spells? Are they really ''corrupted''? They should be. They behaved and acted... nearly the same way.


    [No they didn''t. They were nothing like anything we have seen before.]


    [And don''t even try to downplay the fact that shepherd we killed after coming out of wyvern talked.]


    [IT FUCKING TALKED!]


    [Talking fire corrupted. City surviving emergence. And to top it all the whole city is talking about corrupted as if they are some harmless wild dogs.]


    The word ''corrupted'' is never said aloud.


    A single mention of even a possibility of someone turning would be enough for the region leaders to abandon the city altogether. That single mention is enough to summon the whole Blood Brotherhood and Blood Legion together. Ever single creature in several hundred kilometer radius would be scanned by sears, questions by elite torturers, and much, much more.


    But no, people speak about ''possessed'' out-loud in public.


    Shit.


    The fuck do you want Zeron?


    It took some time to piece everything together, and a sleepless night of walking around the city to end up with the only being who would benefit from me surviving. I was never a devout follower, never over religious, and quite often I questioned his existence altogether. But HE exists, therefore so must the true CREATOR and other ''gods''.


    What ''god'' would allow it''s followers to disappear from the face of earth?


    In some fucked up way I ended up being the most devout follower.


    Blood. Violence. Destruction.


    Survival...


    But what is the goal?


    Is the meeting with summoned just a single milestone to get me healed, or there is a bigger picture?


    Does Zeron even want the same thing as I do?


    I try to remember all the chants Kilan, my closest blood brother, said. Those chants and religious gibberish was usually ignored by me, but now suddenly, I need to dig it out from the depths of my memory.


    ''...purging the darkness...''


    ''...bringing the blood to blood...''


    ''...father and death of all...''


    I scowl at all the useless bullshit that comes up. All the priests singing about how ¡®Almighty¡¯, ¡®Endless¡¯ and ¡®All-seeing¡¯ he is, how noble and merciful he is.


    If you truly are so mighty as you claim, why am I the only one left of your followers?


    Or do you trully think that I alone will be enough?


    ...


    The moons visible on the nearly black sky somehow look bigger than usual, with more defined textures upon their surface. But I am not sitting on the rear porch of the inn because I am enjoying the view.


    Looking at my right hand and try to remember the exact feeling when it was restored by the summoned healer. Everything happened in an instant. I lay bleeding, a piece of useless meat, and the next moment I feel energy overflowing, as it had not in years, burning inside of me, as if a volcano about to burst open.


    Trying to remember the feeling I find out that the feeling was not localized. It wasn''t only the damaged areas that was regenerating, but rather as if the whole body was being healed from the inside.


    Am I doing it wrong with focusing on damaged areas and trying to conserve the nutritions I have?


    After looking at my left hand and fingers for several long seconds I take out the short dagger and press it against the index finger of my left hand. I have been wanting to try and experiment on the healing with fingers on my hands for quite some time, but you can''t test out things on the only real tool you have left.


    No. It is better to test it out with the least important finger.


    I move the blade to the top most tendon of the pinky finger, and cut sharply. The finger starts to bleed rapidly, but I focus on the area and direct the nutritions there, and slowly the bleeding stops. Slowly, millimeter by millimeter the missing part starts growing back. It takes ten minutes, and finally the finger returns to it''s original state, albeit missing the fingernail.


    Ten minutes of single minded focus for just a tiny piece of finger....


    No one will give me ten minutes.


    The blade moves to pinky again, and cuts the newly regenerated flesh. I send my mana flowing around the body, temperature of my body and blood pressure sharply rises as whistling fills my ears. I direct the energy to the missing pinky, and the missing part starts regrowing slightly faster than before, and when it finally returns to previous state I estimate the time taken to be nearly half of what it was before.


    Twice the speed, but I wasted at least several dozen times more nutritions and mana just to make the body reach the appropriate state. Is it really worth it? No, the feeling is close, but not exactly the same when I was healed. There was more burning, but somewhere else, somewhere deeper.


    Muscles? No.


    Blood? Close but not exactly.


    Bones? Yes, but not just them, there was something... more.


    I cut the piece of pinky once again. And repeat the experiment, but this time sending more mana into area around the bones themselves. Mana and blood start pumping once again with more strength than before, and as soon as the whistling in my ears is nearly unbearable. AS if gazer under huge pressure, I explode sending all energy into the pinky.


    My vision becomes tunneled, but I observe as the missing part of the flesh grows much faster than before.


    I am on right track.


    The dagger cuts the piece again, and I repeat the experiment, but this time sending mana much deeper into bones.


    Again.


    Again.


    Again.


    Again.


    Faster.


    Faster!


    FASTER!!


    As I am about reach something I hear footsteps from behind coming closer. I stop instantly and the wide-view vision returns back to me. Looking down I find a small pile of bloody pieces of flesh and by instinct shove them under the wooden veranda.


    A second later I see black ears peak out from the side alley, quickly followed by curious eyes. The several seconds long stare is broken by a quite voice.


    "Hello."


    "Hello." I reply back.


    "I was searching for you." she continues looking down on the ground.


    Searching huh. Demi-humans have exceptional hearing and sense of smell, she could have easily found me by smell alone.


    "No one knew where you were, so I had to walk through the whole inn."


    "Is there something you need?"


    "No... um... I actually wanted to talk with you..."


    Her eyes try to look into mine, but nearly instantly look away.


    "Um... during the... fight, you screamed something in foreign language... and it looked like you were... in pain... and searching for something, or someone..."


    "What is ''D-Fivte-faive''?"


    "Nothing." I state shortly.


    "But you were-"


    "Nothing." I repeat making direct eye contact, to convey that she should stop.


    Looking down on the ground she falls silent. But the silence in broken just few seconds later when she continues.


    "I am sorry. I just wanted you to know, that you don''t have to hold it all inside of yourself. I am here to listen to you and-"


    "Co-travelers." I cut her sharply.


    She looks at me with stunned look.


    "We are co-travelers. We formed a temporary travel group."


    Lekana looks at me confused, but I do not give her chance to continue.


    "Next time you want to add more people to the group you will discuss it with all members of the group. Some of them could be against it, and it is not up to you to make the decision yourself without consulting with others."


    Lekana''s mouth opens and closes without making any sound, until it audibly closes with a click.


    "I am sorry." she whispers quietly.


    "Good. Is there anything else?"


    She stands for few long second trying to say something, but doesn''t. I look into her deep blue eyes not blinking showing firmly my position. The long stare is broke, when she looks away with pained face.


    Lekana turns around and slowly walks away, not turning around even once with her head held down, and tails dragging after her.


    [Well executed. We can be proud of ourselves.]


    Shut it.


    Do not dare to forget why we are here. Do not dare to forget what we are.


    Purge those dreams and illusions. It will never happen. However many times we try it will always end the same way.


    You want to dig another grave?


    It does not matter what we want.


    It does not matter what these people want.


    It does not matter what the fucking gods want.


    There is only one future that awaits us, and HE will use everything he has, every single life available to him, every single weakness we have, every opportunity that exists.


    We need to be prepared.


    I move blade to my left hand and cut off the pinky finger at the very root, and blood starts rapidly flowing out of the wound, coloring the whole hand blood red. By my command blood in my veins starts boiling, circulating, gathering mana throughout the body, and sending it to the finger.


    "Weak will not succeed."


    Once restored, I cut the finger again.


    "Slow will not reach."


    I cut again.


    "Soft will not survive"


    Again.


    "We all will die."


    Again.


    ...


    Tomorrow morning the caravan will depart, going straight north, through the desert to the shores of the north ocean. I spoke with caravan leader again, and he was much more humble this time, overly polite, as if afraid to irk me in whatever way.


    And that change may be connected to the Emergence, or the fact that I ripped apart few assassins today early in the morning. Sneaky bastards attacked between the deep night and early morning hours when everyone is usually deep asleep. The believed that it would be an easy kill.


    They were wrong.


    The whole inn came alive once screams started. Huge amount of half asleep adventurers came alive and running through the building rushed into my room, breaking through the wooden door in process, coming to help to the unfortunate resident. But they were not prepared for what awaited them in my room, body parts of half a dozen assassins all around my room. The whole floor was pained blood red, with guts and innards handing on the bed frame, window and walls.


    After a short talk with inn owner and the city guards, that arrived quite late, I was given a new room, with promise to find those that sent the assassins.


    Yeah, right. Guard doing their job, a nice fairy tale. Whats next? The kings become noble and fair? Truth and righteousness becomes the core belief of society?


    Ha. Right.


    It just happen that they were quite late, it just happen that the assassins knew that I would not have a weapon with me at all. If I would have taken the sword yesterday, everything would have finished faster, or would not happen at all, but no, I just had to tell the blacksmith to do a quality job, and sharpen it well. And to top it all, I even gave the last weapon I had on myself, a small dagger, to sharpen it too.


    Politics, spies, assassins and shit. I could go through the information broker, and squeeze the information out of him, even get a name and address, but I didn''t, at least yet.


    Anyway, after the short talk with caravan leader I went straight to the blacksmith, and as it looks, he has already heard about the events of previous nights, because during the whole interaction he was sweating extensively, and constantly saying sorry that he is so slow.


    Do I hold this idiot responsible? Was it him? Maybe one of his apprentices, who are currently hiding in the backroom, shared that piece of information with the wrong crowd.


    So many ifs.


    [Killing a person only because of suspicion, just like those nobles you detest. You truly learn from the best.]


    Trying to end the discussion as fast as I can, I quickly attach the new sword in scabbard to my belt. After checking that the dagger was actually sharpened, I put it into the tiny scabbard on the opposite side. As I am about to exit, I remember the last several times I had something punctured through my chest, and decide to buy a decent set of chain-mail armor and sturdy shoes.


    Exiting the blacksmith I go directly to the closest food stall and buy wide range of dishes, cooked in the most different way possible, and out of the wide range of ingredients. Not waiting even a second I start swallowing the food, not even tasting it.


    I overdid it a bit with yesterday tests, and burned nearly all my fat reserves. Because of that my breakfast was quite big, though it disappeared nearly instantly, when I started sending the nutrition throughout the body. So here I am, few hours later, going through food stalls, eating as if starved for months.


    The results of test are decent though. With the each iteration I was able to push the limit to two minutes for a whole finger. Next are the tests with efficiency. There is no logical reason to send every single part of the body into overdrive to heal a single finger, or at least I hope so. I felt that there is something in blood or maybe bones, which increases the healing speed, but I am not sure what it is.


    There is an option to ask the summoned healer how does her healing work, but I am pretty sure that I will get the same answer as always, ''you ask the god for the miracle and it comes'', or ''you just wish for the part to heal'', or ''you direct your external mana from the gates into the area around the wound and it simply heals''.


    My obsession with body structure and how everything works in body was usually frowned upon, as I had to go through a more... hands-on approach. The knowledge I have, came only from my personal experiments...


    For quite some time I had stirred away from the idea of simply ''opening'' a dead body up, and looking how exactly everything works, and simply studied through the battles and the way my body behaved. But you can only go so far.


    The moment I stepped over those ''limitation'', a whole new world opened up.


    Maybe because of that I am so proficient in internal mana manipulation, healing and controlling my body.


    I still remember the astonished look Richard game me when I told him that there are no book about ''anatomy'', which he explained is a term for body structure.


    Who needs to know how body works if anyone, with enough social or economic status to even care, can simply go to church or healer, and get himself instantly healed.


    Who cares about ''anatomy'' if you can simply cast a healing spell?


    Only a failure like me.


    What would I give for a single book like Richard described, and if he did not lie, his world has whole libraries of them.


    Finishing another circle around the city to verify that there were no corrupted, I am left in a stump.


    This makes absolutely no sense.


    Emergence happened, and ended. It as if they all run away, but such things do not happen. They fight to the very last one, trying to maximize the damage.


    I continue walking until I see an open area, where I hear words of encouragement and cheers coming from. Coming closer to the origin, I find people around an arena with diameter of about thirty meters. In the center of it two heroes are sparing with each other, Paul if I remember correctly, and the one with huge shield, Kurt.


    People continue cheering as the summoned fight, few close to me even start discussing the battle, how fast the fighters are and how fierce the exchange is.


    Is this a joke?


    Their speed is barely acceptable, and the technique is utterly appalling. No footwork, every move is rigid and predictable, no intent to maim or kill whatsoever, as if watching a scripted dance.


    Richard wasn''t like that at all. Yes he was lazy and kind of strange, but when you get him going, he could go far and beyond what constitutes average. Though I still had issues with him using the ''Rapier''. He described it as a deadly weapon, but to me it was more of a oversized needle than a decent sword.


    Are my standards too high?


    No, it simply can not be so. There are catastrophic beings in this world, for which term ''demigods'' would not even be appropriate, and comparison to them would be utterly incorrect. But an average Blood Legion officer would give better results than the summoned before me.


    No, there is no Blood Legion anymore, they are now called Sun Legion, and I should not forget that.


    Looking at the pathetic fight once again I think over what can I do.


    [Nothing. No one asked for your help. No one needs it.]


    They will all either succeed or die, as has everyone before them in this world.


    As I am about to leave a woman in white dress appears before me.


    "Hello Mr. Alan, how are you today?." she chirps happily.


    It takes several seconds to process the question and I finally squeeze "Okay.".


    This is new, I heard the question addressed to other people few times, and it was even once directed at me, but at that time it was more of an official greeting. But this, this somehow felt as if she genuinely was concerned and interested.


    Looking at the spar in the center of arena she smiles.


    "The boys were stretching out, and before we knew it, people gathered around." chuckling she continues "And now because of their pride they are trying not to look bad in the face of the crowd."


    "Hey! I hear you!" screams Paul.


    "Sir Alan would you like to join us?" unexpectedly joins in Kurt with a wide smile.


    "I know that it is impolite to ask this of you when you are still healing, but I would be very grateful if you could give few pointers to these idiots." says Pamela with the same cheerful smile.


    My first thought is to politely refuse, but instantly stop when I remember that this girl healed my hand, and I am in her dept.


    [And here is the queue, someone asked for help. So, what are you going to do?]


    If I break my life into scenes, there is only constant movement, destruction and blood. And whenever I made an attempt to change, to create rather than destroy, only one thing followed, death.


    Will this time be different?


    Will I be able to even change anything?


    Maybe this is what Zeron wanted originally. Does he want me to train the new summoned?


    What then?


    Enough overthinking.


    We all will die, disappear from this world forever.


    I owe the summoned a dept.


    And maybe, maybe they will not end up like me or... Luna.


    "Okay." I state calmly.


    "So which one of us would you like to spar first?" says Paul teasingly.


    "Both" I reply dryly. They need to survive, and for that they need to learn.


    They both chuckle.


    "I am sorry Sir Alan, we know you are strong, but both at the same time?"


    "Come seriously, with intent to kill and maim, or it will only bring you more pain."


    Their eyes turn to more serious, and playfulness fully disappears, but arrogance did not.


    So the hard way huh.


    "Do not regret that Sir."


    They both stand into position as I walk to the opposite side of arena. After several long seconds of standstill Paul explodes into action appearing before me with a brandished sword few seconds later, directed straight at my shoulder.


    Slow and indecisive.


    The next instant, a single kick into his abdomen, sends his body flying back, straight into the shield of his comrade, toppling down both of them to the ground.


    Petrified Pamela looks at the duo on the ground in shock. It takes several seconds for her to grasp what happened, after which she runs to both of them and casts a healing spell. Few seconds later Paul stands up groaning and looks at me with astonishment eyes.


    "Slow and predictable. Again."


    He stands into position again and mana around him flares up to which people around audibly gasp. The next instant he disappears, only for his image to ripple into existence few meters in front of me.


    Idiot.


    This time I react not holding back my strength. My foot impacts his chest and I feel as his rips crack, after which my leg buries his body into the ground creating a crater several meters in diameter.


    Few seconds of silence are interrupted by a scream from healer in white clothes, and she instantly rushes to the guy in under my foot, after which I step back.


    "Learn from mistakes or you will die."


    As healers hand light up and chest of Paul caves back out as he coughs several large globs of blood. Pamella looks at me with scared eyes, and tries to say something, but before she can, I hear splitting of air and move my head to the right. I feel something sharp traveling just few centimeters away from neck and vital artery. My left hand instantly shoots and grabs the hand of the new foe. I slam the person who I caught into the ground a meter away from Paul and Pam, creating another small crater.


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    The attacker wriggles in pain and tries to breath, through the long black hair which fell on her face do not make it easier.


    "You wasted a whole minute doubting, and when you finally do attack, it is when everything is already over."


    "Pathetic." I state dryly "Heal them."


    Several seconds later they start breathing normally while groaning in pain, glaring at me in hatred.


    "If you have enough energy to glare than you healed enough. Stand up and attack, together, as a team."


    Burning with dark emotions they start attacking with their huge auras flaring around them. Earth under them explodes into debris as they lunge at me, only for attack to be evaded and redirected, after which they are thrown around and slammed into ground.


    Paul as if blinded by those dark emotions, focuses only on attacking me, and trying to make his sword reach.


    Idiot. He needs to learn the hard way.


    I slam the side of my sword into his thigh, only for the loud crunch of the thickest bone in body to be overshadowed by his scream, which resounds throughout the arena. I kick his body hard, sending him to the healer.


    "Heal him."


    Kurt appears before me with his shield shining up brightly with mana. My sword impacts his shield, and sends him several dozen meters away across the arena. In the corner of my peripheral vision I see next attack and my hand moves automatically to catch Victoria''s dagger, which was directed at my crotch, and send it back the next instant. The raven haired attacker tries to avoid the incoming dagger, but she is just a fraction of a second too slow as the dagger burrows itself deep into her foot and she screams in pain.


    Kurt stands up and attacks me again with his mace and shield, but every time my sword impacts his shield he closes his eyes tightly, as if afraid, trying to protect his eyes from the sparks that fly around during the impact.


    "Open you eyes!" I scream as my sword continues to slam into his shield moving his body several centimeters away each time.


    "Stare death in the eyes! Do not dare to look away! If you die, die standing!"


    His bloodshot eyes fix on my sword, and trail it''s whole trajectory, from the start to the moment it hits his shield. My sword continues to fall on helpless Kurt, and during the next strike, when my sword impacted his shield he tries to redirect the force into other direction, but focuses on the sword too much to see my left fist coming. The hook hits him hard and he is sent down, spitting blood and several broken teeth on the ground.


    "Good. At least one of you is not a complete idiot."


    "Stand up. Redirect my attack, but do not lose focus on me, not even for a second."


    Kurt groans, but stands up and spits another glob of blood. I repeat my attack and this time he does not lose his focus as much. But that still does not save him from being sent to ground and spitting even more blood several more times.


    "Acceptable. Terrible foundation, but you are a fast learner. Go heal."


    Before I can say more Paul appears before me with sword coming at my face, only for his strike to be redirected and hit the ground. He does not lose his fire and quickly attacks again, flaring with mana aura even more, still glaring at me in pure hatred.


    Not good. This way he will not learn.


    As he lunges at me with his sword in the same pattern, I slam my sword in exactly the same place as last time. Paul falls down screaming as sound of broken femur bone resounds across the arena once again.


    "I will repeat this again, and again, and again, until you learn. There are some who require pain to learn from their mistakes, and it looks like you are one of them."


    Kicking him again I send his body to the healer once again, only for him to lie there, groan in pain and wait his turn, as Kurt is currently being healed. The anger from Pamela''s face disappears, and is replaced with solemn guilty acceptance, as if finally understanding what I am doing. She turns back to Kurt and continues her task with determination.


    Victoria slowly walks to me, with a mix of fury and fear, slowly circling around and not attacking.


    "Do not let fear bind you. Pain in required. Fear is required. Know pain, know fear. Do not let it consume you. Control it."


    She screams and attack me with fury of rapid strikes, which I easily evade, and counter with solid strike right into her face. She yelps and falls on ground. She look up at me with same eyes filled hatred as I have seen countless times. Blood starts dripping out of her mouth and broken nose, as she tries to stand up with her legs wobbling under her.


    "I must say some fancy words about the spirit, soul and mana, about how you should synchronize with it, but that is useless bullshit people with innate talent use to justify their skills and abilities. You are not one of them, and you will have to accept it."


    "There is only one other way for likes of you. Know you body. Know every bone and muscle. Feel them, know what they can do and what they can''t. You are the master. Flesh is the slave, do not let it dictate your limits. You command, it obeys."


    One by one I beat some common sense into them, something that should have been done a long time ago, but wasn''t. In order for them to survive they need not just huge amount of mana, but knowledge how to control and direct their power. With each iteration they become faster, stronger, craftier, trying to find my weaknesses and determine their strengths, but with each iteration I push them harder and harder.


    Only when you push people into corner they start growing.


    I continue the training regime I have done hundred of times again and again with new Blood Brothers. Their young faces flash through my mind, as I try to remember their names, code names, as real one''s were either lost or long forgotten.


    All of them died, their names taken by new recruits again, and again, and again. I could have done so much more, taught much better, maybe then they would have survived.


    Or maybe the opposite.


    Because I trained them, they became better, sturdier, those that are able to follow me deeper into the abyss. And the only thing awaiting us all there was darkness and corruption of this world.


    They didn''t need to need see it. They could have stayed weak and died earlier, but then maybe their lives would be brighter, easier. Or they could have returned to Blood Legion, becoming normal soldiers, and living easier lives.


    [Oh, are you trying to ask for their forgiveness? Or do you believe that helping the summoned you will change anything for them?]


    [After we were betrayed, our brothers gathered around you. They believed that you would lead them, but it was already too late. The enemy got to the blood sanctuary first, and hunted down every single one of us using the blood compasses.]


    [Do you want to hear something like "There is nothing you could have done"?]


    [You won''t.]


    [We are alive only because we are ''damaged product'', and our blood compass could not be used by ''mana sears'', and the last real ''blood sear'' died bleeding and crying in our hands.]


    [Nothing can return our brothers. They either disappeared, or in the eternal abyss, gates to which are closed to us.]


    Why did you let me live Zeron?


    ...


    I fucked up.


    The moment I was asked to train, something in me flipped and I started training the summoned as I had the new blood brothers.


    Most of the were mule headed, either those who zealously believed in Zeron, and wanted to serve him or Blood Legionnaire who wanted to prove something, the remaining small number of others were a random bunch, just as I was one day. And one of my main tasks was to either beat them into submission, or show that the world is huge, and their skills are worth nothing.


    And I did just what I usually should be done with new initiates, but the problem is that people saw it. That small number of onlookers was enough to make things significantly worse. If before it was general fear and cautious, now it changed to full blown terror, the same one which appeared on faces of people from other side of the planet, when they learned what I am. But this time there is no Blood Brotherhood history to blame.


    Only me, only my actions.


    I continue to walk, trying to conserve as much energy as I can, but this is hard as the blazing sun has boiled the very air itself, and every breath feels as if I am breathing in fire itself and breathing out cold air. The red sand under my feet is not helping at all, as it simply caves in on each step I make, which causes more energy loss, and more heat produced.


    The whole thing somehow reminds me of Dead Desert, but a darker, somehow more sinister version of it. I am not sure if that makes sense, but that is exactly what I feel right now. It is as if the desert itself has a will, and if it is actively trying to kill you.


    Anyway, I am not the only one in this state, and at least there is no one near me, whose mere presence would increase already burning temperature around me. Looking to left I find a huge caravan of people walking in line, creating a small dust cloud after them, looking several times more exhausted and emancipated than I do.


    I am currently somewhere in the middle of the long procession, but several dozen meters to the right of it, acting as a side guard. This position is usually given to decently sized party, but the caravan leader believed that I alone can replace them. There is also another reason that I am here and alone. No one simply wanted to walk together with or even alongside the ''Blood Demon''.


    People glance at me quite often, but instantly turn away, continuing to whisper between themselves. My ''group'' is much further ahead, walking together, but again, there is no one else than myself to blame for that.


    I pushed them away.


    In the distance I see the silhouettes of the summoned walking together, in the head of caravan, talking between themselves, looking unaffected by the by blazing sun and unbearable heat coming from ground. More likely result of some cooling spell around them. But they do not look happy or energetic either.


    Some may say that I overdid it a bit with training, totally crushing them, showing how weak and soft they are. But if they want to survive in this world they need to learn, and learn fast.


    And they need to survive.


    [Do not pity them.]


    Even if they are summoned with enormous strength, and given whatever a mortal soul could desires, it does not justify taking them away from their world and lives. Even less, when you take into account that according to the Library of Damned the last ''unbound'' summoned walked this planet several millenniums ago, this turn quite sour.


    Ancients payed dearly for summoning more than hundred heroes at the same time, without a way to control them. The result was quite predictable. Books did not say exactly what happened, but it is easy to guess that there are things in this world, that they did not like and tried to change.


    But no one likes to change, especially because of ''preferences'' of outsiders, which you invited yourself.


    You invite people for ''tea'', and they start telling you how things in your living room should be placed.


    Not nice, right?


    Anyway, as it currently looks like, out the whole bunch, only Kurt was not crushed, and learned a lot. Even now he walks and experiments with his shield and mace, trying different stances, simulating battles in his head, trying to be faster, stronger, and with each move he improves, even if it is by a tiny bit.


    Good.


    But life never really gives you a chance to take a breath, and the appearance of a huge purple sand snake, which jumped out of sand and swallowed a random person whole, proved that true once again.


    "Dragon!!" scream people in unison.


    Looking at the creature again, I sigh deeply as I have many times before. I simply fail to understand how can people mix up these creatures at all.


    Wyvern is a mix of skinny oversized lizard and cave bat with two legs and two wings.


    Drake is a big, fat and slow lizard with four legs.


    Wyrm is a huge snake with spikes all around it''s body.


    Dragon is a fucking four legged mountain of pure hatred, violence and destruction, with two wings. A single swing of it''s enormous wings is enough to create tornadoes. The damn thing also spits endless amount of fire, as if an erupting volcano.


    ALL of them should be erased from the face of earth, but differentiating them is not that hard, just check if there are wings and count the number of legs, nothing more.


    The summoned instantly retaliate, sending powerful spells, ripping big chunks of flesh out of the wyrm, which only enrages the oversized gut worm. It spits a big greenish glob at the summoned, which they barely evade. Upon hitting the ground the green glob starts sizzling and melting the ground, as purplish smoke comes out of it.


    In place of running away, everyone freezes and looks at the glob. It takes several seconds for everyone to realize what the smoke around the sizzling glob is.


    "Poison! Run away!"


    That should have been apparent just from how it looks.


    Taking out the sword I start walking to the oversized worm. The purple Wyrm is too focused on the brightly shining auras of summoned to see my movement. I easily slip behind it, and leaping plunge the sword straight through its skull.


    Unexpectedly the sword does not fully go through the thick skull of the purple noodle. The damn thin starts thrashing around, trying to throw me off it''s back, it becomes so desperate that it spits poison glob into the air, and dives straight through it, covering itself and me in thick layer of nasty purple liquid. All it''s thrashing make things only worse, as the sword continues to dig deeper and deeper, until I hear a loud crack and my sword digs much deeper, with it blade fully disappearing on the flesh of the wyrm. Nearly instantly it''s body stops moving, falling down on the ground lifelessly, as if a huge tree cut down.


    I stand up and start removing the nasty liquid from myself and my equipment. The liquid is much thicker and is harder to clean that I expected, but not by much. Looking up I find the summoned looking at me in mix of fear and disbelief, still breathing heavily, as if they have been running for several days non-stop. It takes several more seconds for them to understand that the enemy is dead.


    People start scrambling around, screaming for help, as many guards and travelers have fallen down on the sand, and are twitching heavily. As if coming alive, Pamela leaps to me, shoving a small vial with liquid in my face and screams.


    "Drink this! The poison should not have gone too deep."


    I look into her eyes and state shorty.


    "I am immune to poison.¡±


    She looks at me in confusion and uncertainty, as her lips move, but do not produce any sound.


    People continue running around trying to help each other, they scream for healer and Pam after looking at me one more time, runs to the injured and poisoned to help.


    I look around in apathetic indifference. One single wyrm caused this. Something similar to this happens every time a creature a bit bigger than a cockroach pops up.


    Is this the best we can do?


    Are people destined to live like this for all eternity?


    ...


    Night generally was very quietly, people were tending to the injured, trying to heal as many as they can. There weren¡¯t as many injured as I originally thought, only two dozen, and thankfully for them, the healer had a huge mana reserve, as all the summoned usually have. In order to heal all the critically injured she had to buy few mana potions from a merchant traveling together with the caravan, for a sum which I believe to be several times higher than market price.


    The ironic thing is that she spent her own money for that, which will not be reimbursed by the caravan leader, as by contract he is not required to spend any additional money in case the guards get injured.


    But that is not all.


    It also seems like the potion merchant is a close friend of caravan leader, and it is not hard to guess that he receives a percentage of all transaction done during the travel.


    Oh you got injured? That is sad, but fret not, here is an exclusive potion merchant, which sells exclusive potions, for exclusive price. Oh you are not OK with price, that is very sad. But it is even sadder that there are no other potion merchants for hundred of kilometers around. What are we going to do?


    Business, nothing more.


    Same thing everywhere.


    While people were resting, I was busy with a bit different task. The small heap of blood fingers lying near my legs is a proof of it. Throughout the tests and experiments I found out several things.


    First of all, I do not need to send the whole body into the burning state, as I usually do during fights. The solution is to simply increase the blood pressure in arteries, while maintaining the one is veins stable. There is also breathing rhythm thing, but it is not as important.


    Second, there is a much bigger increase in healing speed if blood travels through specific area of body beforehand. Inner cores of bones. I still do not understand what do the bones contain inside or how exactly do they increase the regeneration speed, but that does not matter right now.


    Third the internal mana should not be directed on increasing the blood pressure and temperature of body, but rather direct it to ¡®feed¡¯ flesh from my liver to blood. I am not sure what exactly that does, but it simply works.


    So many questions, and no answers whatsoever. In order to truly improve I will need answers, and if no one can provide then I will have to the same thing I have always done, learn myself.


    A single book, just a single damn book, that is all I ask.


    Should I ask the summoned about ''anatomy''?


    No, they are just kids. There is no way they could know how body works.


    Anyway, I can heal a single finger within dozen seconds, if I focus on it, and if I don''t, it takes a bit less than a minute.


    Hooray I can heal fingers.


    Kingdoms were never built within days.


    [But kingdoms had time. We don¡¯t]


    Hearing very soft footsteps I shove the sand over the small hill of fingers, hiding them as much as I can. A person walks out from the side of rock, that I am hiding behind, and stops still. I slowly turn my head and look at the new arrival''s sky blue eyes, but she does not meet mine. Her ears are pressed against her skull while her long black tails hangs low lifelessly.


    "The caravan will resume the travel within an hour." she states with barely audible voice


    "I will be ready. Thanks."


    She opens her mouth to say something, but instantly closes it with a click. She stands there for several long seconds, as if waiting something, but then suddenly turns around and starts walking away.


    [We could-]


    Enough.


    As soon as I stop hearing her footsteps, I resume the experiments, but this time I cut two fingers on my left hand, and count the time it takes to fully heal them. To my astonishment, the healing time does not increase twice as I expected, but only by about thirty percent. I repeat the test several more times, to ensure that the result is valid, and was not simply product of ¡®chance¡¯.


    Wait. What chance? There can be no chance in healing...


    Chance? Huh? What can actually create a ''chance'' in healing?


    When did the speed of healing usually drop?


    As if hit by inspiration, I cut a single toe on my right foot and single finger on my left hand, and test out the time it takes to heal to wounds on the opposite sides of the body. As if possessed, I start altering between number of toes and fingers, trying to see the limit, the bottleneck.


    I get so into it that I nearly forget about the caravan. Standing up I quickly shove more sand over a much bigger heap, and I start walking in the direction of caravan, while the healing the toes and fingers in unfocused state.


    Quite quickly I stand at the same position, as I did during the travel and start thinking about the results, and how to either circumvent them, or understand what exactly the limits or cause is.


    This is not enough.


    Maybe for someone healing a finger withing dozen seconds would be some kind of an achievement, but not for me. Everyone else has something else to balance their strength, external mana, spells, comrades. I have none of that, and there is only one path for me.


    Those that want me dead, and which I want dead myself, are not humans, it is even hard to call them mortals. They are gods on this planet, titans of destruction and carnage with this world bending according to what they desire with but a thought.


    And I am but a bug, nothing more.


    Bugs survive, but they do not win.


    ...


    "Paul... what... is that?" whispers barely audibly Pamella


    "I-I don''t know..."


    Standing on big cliff all our gazes are fixed on what we see beyond, at least a dozen kilometers away in distance. A huge sand storm is circling around a huge black levitating pyramid turned upside down, which should be at least half a kilometer in height. It is hard to tell how big it actually is because of the strong storm of black and red sand, which looks so thick, that it resembles liquid.


    The pyramid is so close to ground that one would believe that it is touching the ground, but if you look closer, you will find out that it is not. But that is not all, there are at least a dozen smaller pyramids slowly circling around the central one, as if they are attached to string.


    "That is Zanta-bhu, land of dead." states angrily the fat bellied leader of caravan.


    "Esteemed adventurers, I do not know how we ended up here, but I would strongly advice you not to look at the structure for too long. That black sand and floating stones have always been there, and no one know for how long exactly."


    The moment he finished the last sentence he starts quickly walking towards group of guards and guide, shouting commands, berating and insulting the guides in every possible way. The guards look visibly scared not just because of the furious leader, who promised death and more for bringing the caravan here. Eyes of the many guards are fixed in horror on the black structure in distance.


    Few short moments later caravan leader starts command people to gather, that we are not staying for night here, and are leaving immediately.


    While I see all of this happening in background with by peripheral vision, my eyes themselves are fixed on what floats far away. I have seen the structure before a long time ago, and believed to never see it again.


    So this is what you wanted from me Zeron.


    I fully agree.


    Empire?


    Saint Protus Ghalor?


    People?


    They don''t matter.


    This.


    I thank you Zeron from the bottom of my soul for this opportunity.


    My legs quickly carry be to potion merchant, and the moment he sees me he stops as if terrified. I ask for every single mana potion he has, but the voice comes harsh and commanding, and he shovels quickly around his staff and brings out only ten flasks. He starts begging for mercy, claiming that the mana potions are rare, that they are hard to make and find. Not waiting even a second I throw several gold coins at the merchant, worth several times more than even he would ask for the potions in total.


    It takes less than five minutes to gather all my staff and buy everything I would need, including some food and another sword, for dual wielding. I had to make several moves with each sword that I looked at, as the balance was hard to find, when one of weapons is much heavier than the other one.


    Walking back I return to the cliff and check everything for one last time. Even if I had years ahead of me, I could never prepare decently for what is awaiting me. Even worse I have to do it all alone, but nothing will change even if I spend several more months planning.


    Suddenly Lekana appears before me and clutches my shirt, with her big blue eyes looking at me in confusion.


    "What are you doing?"


    Looking at her and the people around, I find few of them looking at me strangely while preparing their things for departure, but most of people are simply gazing at the thing dozen kilometers away, which somehow brings bone chilling fear even from such distance.


    Looking back at Lekana I decide to make it as short as possible, there is no need to uselessly stretch it.


    "This is where we part. Live a long and happy life. May your gods be with you."


    Lekana stands stunned, as if a statue, but I do not wait and already start walking to the edge of the cliff. Taking out mana potion I gulp it down and start very specific circulating mana technique. After which I increase blood pressure to a bit higher rate, and fix it there. I start breathing deeper to gather as much fresh air as I can.


    From my peripheral vision I see the caravan leader sweating and running to me.


    "Sir, I just heard that you are leaving. Sir you must not. That is Zanta-bhu, no one should go there. People-"


    Not waiting for him, I gulp down second mana potion, and continue the circulation.


    "SIR ALAN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? YOU JUST DRANK TWO MANA POTION IN ONE GO!! YOU WILL DIE BECAUSE OF OVERDOSE!" he screams.


    As if by a call, summoned appear and try to understand, start listening to the screaming of caravan leader. Their eyes start jumping between me and the still screaming caravan leader.


    The young summoned, Kevin if I remember correctly, starts jumping up and down chanting something in the language of summoned.


    "ITS A QUEST! ITS A QUEST! ITS A QUEST!"


    The older brother, Paul, shouts at his younger brother to shut up, and quickly walks to me.


    "Sir Alan, what are you doing? Is something wrong? Can we help you with something? If yes please tell us, we owe you our lives."


    Thinking for several seconds, hundreds of things come to my mind, different variations and versions of nearly exactly the same thing, but in the end I can not find a reason not to be frank.


    This will more likely be last time I see them.


    "You are not the only summoned."


    All the summoned instantly become silent and look at me in horror, as if their deepest secret has been found out.


    "How-" Paul starts, but I interrupt him before he can say anything more.


    "There are many, many more like you. They are stronger and faster, and not all of them are friendly."


    They need to know.


    "Those that wish to use you as pawns have summoned you to this world, and their goals may not be the same as yours."


    "Get stronger. Start asking questions. And believe no one."


    I gulp the third potion as continues circulating the chaotic overflowing mana inside of me.


    "Sir Paul, Please stop sir Alan!! He has mana poisoned himself with potion, and can not think straight. He should not go to Zanta-bhu, you don''t understand what awaits you-"


    I look deep into the eyes of the caravan leader as he freezes in fear. I did not notice, but I already started talking.


    "People turn inside out. Skeletons crawl out of bodies and attack every single living being they can find. People go insane within minutes, whispering in language of demons. Dead turn into Liches. Every mage and Enforcers turns ''possessed'' and creatures of made of bones and darkness itself drag away those that are left alive."


    Looking straight into the eyes of fat caravan leader I see absolute terror, he starts trembling, and makes several steps back.


    His lips quiver and barely audible "How" escapes.


    "You have seen them, right? Seen the true face of darkness"


    "Do not follow me, you will all die." I state shortly


    Turning to the summoned I say the only thing left.


    "Vei Lai."


    Glancing one last time at Lekana I start running in the direction of epicenter of the structure. With every step I make I feel as the very air starts becoming thicker, while the body feels heavier and heavier, as if someone is stacking more and more stones on my shoulders.


    The sand storm continues to blow with it''s speed only increasing the closer I get, and the moment the grain of sand hit my face they clutch to it as if tiny hooks.


    It takes a bit less than an hour, but I finally get to the epicenter of it all, and find a huge pyramidic deepening with a structure made of black stone in the center of the deepening, directly under the tip of floating upside down pyramid. Walking down the slope to the black structure I look up at the pyramid. It feels as if the whole monstrosity will fall down any moment, but it won''t, at least not now. I take out another potion and drink it in one go.


    Except for the sound of the ravaging storm wind, the whole area is submerged in absolute silence.


    Walking closer to the structure I find wide staircase leading down into the darkness. Taking out both swords, I grip their pommels tighter and start walking down the staircase. With each step the whole area becomes darker and darker, until comes a point when darkness consumes everything and the world submerges into absolute silence. I continue my descend and after several more minutes I start hearing a quite whisper somewhere behind me.


    I stop and drink another mana potion, increasing the speed of mana circulation into my head, but keeping the heartbeat as stable as only possible. Breathing deeper in the stale and heavy air, the whisper starts slowly disappearing, as if they have not been there from the very beginning.


    My jaws creek against each other and I scowl, as I came very close to the critical point.


    Right after the voices come the hallucinations.


    There is no one with me to wake me up. I could have been the end.


    I resume my descend deeper and deeper into the darkness, and even though there is absolutely no light anymore, I still am able to see the stairs and wall. After another dozen minutes of walking I see the stairs end and an absolute endless darkness begin. As soon as I step off from the last step I find myself in a room so enormous that even it''s approximate size could not even be estimated.


    Even though there is not a single speck of light in here, there is sound. Sound of uncountable number of objects grinding against each other, as if ants deep inside of the colony.


    Soon my eyes adjust to the darkness and I find myself standing on a small cliff, and making several steps forward I look down into deep and nearly endless pit. Few moment later my eyes adjust even more, and I find the whole floor of enormous pit moving, as if waves of ocean, but looking closer I find the texture of waves different, more granular, as if made out of solid objects rather than liquid.


    The sea of objects could be by some mistaken for sea of bugs, which are crawling over each other as if in a pit of snakes, but I know that they are neither snakes nor bugs.


    As if by a queue, all the tiny creatures turn in my direction.


    Millions upon millions of skeletons, all of them rattling their bones in absolute hatred at the intruder. Different sizes and forms, from what could be described as normal, two meters tall human skeleton, to ones several times that size, with three pairs of arms and horns. But the rattling and movement suddenly stops, and the room returns into absolute silence for several long seconds.


    One by one lights start shining deep in the pit, mostly green and blue with few rare red ones. The whole floor starts shining, lighting up the whole endless pit, as if lit on fire. Soon all the rattling changes is replaced with high pitched screeching.


    Liches.


    Not the feral ones, not, a different kind, the ancient ones, the true liches.


    They all start screeching even louder as thick black fluid drips out of their eyes sockets, jaws, and ribs. The next instant all the screeching stops and millions of liches jump into action, moving nothing live the feral ones, no, these ones move as if puppets, not limited by the structure of their bodies, their limbs move in all direction. Millions of liches start crawling up the wall in one single direction, mine.


    They all serve one being.


    I gulp down all five flasks left in one go, and send the chaotic mana circulation to the levels I have never before. I should have controlled my body, controlled the blood pressure and mana circulation, but all of it is lost and forgotten as deep inhuman roar escapes me and explodes throughout the pit.


    Last time I was in place like this, I lost more than half of my brothers, and received that accursed scar.


    All the colors become inversed as I leap at the enemies.


    Now it is my turn.


    Lucy, I am home.

 Chapter 26

    Whatever I do, it does not change the outcome, and slowly the white-haired monster gets closer and closer. As if assisting him, my legs become heavier and heavier, slowing me down even more. It comes to a point that running becomes impossible, and the only thing I am able to do is drag my useless legs forward, which feel as if they are made out of lead.


    Gathering courage from the bottom of my being, I abandon the pathetic attempt to flee and turn around, to meet the monstrosity head one, but the moment I start turning my neck, I feel his bone chilling cold breath on my back. Slowly my eyes fall upon the enemy and I stand petrified looking at the enormous monster with white hair and burned skin, exposing rotting muscles and bones underneath it. The monster continues breathing, with his eyes slowly changing color from green, to blood red, illuminating the darkness that surrounds us.


    The next instant the monster moves, but it happens so fast that I do not have even a fraction of a second to react, as it''s huge jaws and long white fangs sink deep into my neck, crushing all airflow. I try to break free from the death clutch, but it is futile, as pain shoots throughout my unresponsive body.


    I scream and leap away, only to fall down on cold hard marble floor. Looking around I find only darkness and silence in the room, which I recognize as my bedroom. Slowly my eyes adjust to darkness and the room takes form, as few rare strands of light break through small window covered by thick curtains. There is movement on the bed and a girl with silver hair rises up, and starts looking around the room anxiously with her scared yellowish eyes searching for danger.


    Cursing under my breath I stand up and walk closer to the girl, which jerk slightly when she sees me. Her yellowish eyes stop on my face, and slowly calmness returns to them. She stretches her arms like a child would to parent awaiting to be picked up. Grasping her hands I sit on the bed, and she instantly leaps to my chest, burying her face in it.


    "Everything is okay." I whisper quietly. "We are safe."


    Her thin and weak hands hug me with all the strength she can muster, which is quite significant compared to what you expect from her thin limbs. Caressing her head I repeat again and again "We are safe Natalia, we are safe".


    Slowly we both drift back asleep, embraced in each other''s arms. With sleep overtaking me, so does the darkness, though this time I am alone in it and no monster is hunting me.


    ...


    "Marcus! Natalia! You guys look tired!" shouts Manato from the opposite side of the huge room as soon as we enter, waving at us in the process.


    Together with Lia we walk to the huge table in the center of the room, filled to brim with food. I guide Lia to the chair, and while still holding her hand, sit on chair to the right of her.


    "You don''t look much better." I answer back to Manato with dry smile.


    "Yeah, you are more likely right!" he laughs loudly through it.


    It has been nearly a month since, but Manato has already changed so much, that it feels as if I am speaking with someone else. As if the guy, who loved sightseeing, didn''t take anything seriously, and not so long ago was running around with head of dead creature in the middle of dungeon dive, no longer exists.


    He is not the only one who changed.


    As I start devouring already third dish Sergei walks in, limping slightly on his left foot. Even if a limb is restored after you lose it, a nerve damage may still persist for quite some time, and what is happening to him right now is kind of normal, if you can call losing a whole leg normal at all. His eyes meet mine and we give each other a nod and half smile. Few second later he steps behind Lia, and gives her a kiss on the top of her head. Turning to him Lia smiles sweetly grasping his hand with her own to convey her love to the only blood relative she has left. Sergei sits to the left of her, greeting everyone in the room in the process, and joins us in the meal.


    Half an hour later, after every single member of the party arrived, and finished their meal, which is at least five times bigger than any normal human would eats per day, we start the discussion.


    And the discussion takes quite some time.


    There are several important things that have happened since we... run away from South Dungeon Kingdom, or what is left of it. After the battle, appearance of huge Elementals and finally the eruption of volcano, not many were left alive. The city was swallowed by magma and lava before our very eyes. For a fraction of a second there was an idea to help everyone and remain in the city, but we had to discard it the moment we saw the huge flotilla of ships still around, filled to the brim with Paletians.


    We had to leave the city, and everyone who was left there, our superiors, the royalty and nobles, my maids... and more. We didn''t abandon them, there was no proof that they were even alive, and it would...


    Anyway, after that we decided to travel to Mozzarel, but half-way through, we had to stop. Locals at the small town, where we stopped for the night, told us that the Mozzarel''s relationship with Empire deteriorated, and were very unstable. There were few that even mentioned a chance that they would either join Qing or Paletia, as the whole region was unstable, and they weren''t such a big kingdom. In the end we decided to play it safe, and not to travel deeper into the region, which could be hostile to us, and go straight home.


    A lot of stuff has happened since.


    As a matter of fact, we are currently in Qing, or how this part of the world nowadays should be called, Sun Empire East province. Nearly the whole continent has been ''liberated'', as the Empire officials call it, and the most shocking part of it is that there were no epic battles, preparations or stories. Only death, destruction and inevitability.


    The ''unification'' with Sun Empire happened nearly exactly the same way with every city and kingdom around it''s border, with sudden arrival of thirteen floating fortresses, firing beams of concentrated mana. There was no ''discussion'' or terms of surrender, as it was not an option from the very beginning.


    The very first thing that was done during the ''liberation'', was utter destruction of royal palace from far away distance, after which several thousand Paladins in white power armor sieged the city. Their task was to kill every single royal and noble they found, with no option for negotiation. They come in utter silence, ''clean'' the city, and leave as soon as their task is done. Shortly after, several officials from Sun Empire enter the city, and announce that they are the new leaders of the city, together with about a hundred Paladins as their personal army.


    The result of such tactic is a clean city, with no ruler or power structure, where you can easily force new rules, with absolute no resistance. And if there is a small chance that someone would voice their disagreement, there is overpowered ''police'' in power armor to quickly change that.


    Why haven''t I seen or heard anything about this awesome thing? An armor made out of extremely rare metal, which gathers and stores ambient mana, and injects it into the body within a specific time interval. I would have surely played around with it, and maybe made my own, with tons of feature, colored in black with wings and stuff.


    After the new territory joins Empire, the whole procession continues forward, to new city, region and country.


    We are actually currently in one of those fortresses.


    We were found when we were returning back home to the Sun Empire using the path we went through before, through the Dead Desert. Right in the middle of the desert we suddenly saw dozen floating mountains coming in our direction, which was about four hundred meters tall, and at least twice as wide, growing bigger very fast. When the huge rocks came close enough, we were able to see that it was not just a huge floating rock, but rather a huge structure made out of stone and metal.


    For few short moments it felt as if we were once more transported into a new world, but this time not a medieval one. Soon enough though my eyes found something recognizable, a flag with insignia of sun that we know very well.


    As I later learned, the structure was designed by nowadays legendary creator Grand Wizard Palonto, who came up with it about ten years ago. The design was so revolutionary and so well planned that it was instantly classified. For the achievement she received the title of Grand Wizard, and a personal Wizard Tower to improve, and implement the design. But it still took them ten years of testing and failing, only to return to the original design and create the structure itself.


    It even has a new communication device, with which you can exchange ''voice messages''. A long distance radio in other words, though it is works for two unique modules, designed for each other. Therefore they have several of them, for communication between the fortresses.


    Anyway, when the one of the fortresses was over us they stopped moving, and several mages in official royal robes flew out of it. The group landed softly before us, with absolutely no weapons on them. One of the officials had a mana compass in his hand pointing in our direction. We quickly recognized the person as one of the mages that educated us back in the Empire, when we were just summoned.


    We were quickly brought into one of the fortress, where we told everything that happened to us, and why were we here in the desert, alone. After throughout interrogation, we were healed and given rooms to rest. The next day during meal we were explained everything that is happening in the world right now.


    The short version is that there is no longer Sarshi Caliphate, Desert Alliance and Northern Kingdom. Additional to that, there is a full blown continental war with Paletia continent, and their kingdoms. While elves, orcs and other southerners from the adjacent continent Lort-thol, have not taken sides in the war, it is quite apparent that their position will fully depend on our state, or to be more specific, how weak we may look.


    It is not just about the Lort-thol, and the kingdoms that reside in it, but the continents south of it, which have many more kingdoms, and their own opinions of what the future of the world should look like. Fighting war with three separate continents at the same time would not be a feasible option, as the Empire is simply too big, and any logistic will take too much time to respond to an aggression from all sides at the same time. And by the look of things, there is very high chance that one of the south kingdoms will one way or another collaborate with Paletia.


    So in order to ''calm'' down everyone, the Empire decided to show how big it''s dick is, and conquer east of the continent in one quick sweep. We were automatically recruited in the task, and our opinion in the matter was irrelevant. I was afraid Qing would join Paletia, and Empire would have to deal at the same time with both aggressors collaborating together, and supporting each other.


    But ironically, no.


    Qing detests all non-humans so much that even in this state, where they have common enemy, they refused all help and cooperation offered by Paletians. Well most of that hate is actually coming from the Qing Empress, which by reports, ''dislikes'' the Paletians and all non-humans so much, that she issued imperial edict, requiring public impaling of every single foreigner, non-human, and any citizen, who is in some way aiding them.


    Genocide of it''s own citizen in the middle of war. Only madman would come up with that, and by the looks of it, will more likely be one of the reason for their downfall in the end.


    We slowly progressed through the Qing, ''liberating'' every city we came across from the tyrants that enslaved it. At the start I did not understand it, why are we not offering a chance for them to surrender, to join us. There must be some, who disagree with the Empress, and somehow we could convince them to join the Empire on their own. But soon enough I saw the reason with my very own eyes, how zealously the nobles and rulers of the cities are loyal to the Empress and the royal family.


    But that does not mean that it became easy and straightforward when you simply plug out the weeds, on the contrary it became harder. During one of our stops at another major Qing city, all the nobles and people loyal to the Empress simply went into underground, and started their subversive work in shadows. Poisoning water wells, burning down the city''s infrastructure, attacking the fortresses with suicide mages. It got so bad that the council, which is commanding the whole flotilla, ordered Sears to search every man, woman and child, who has mana signature similar to the royal family, as well the people we captured or killed.


    It was a bloodbath.


    Even though I strongly disagreed with their inhuman decisions, I did not voice my opinion and made sure no one of my party voices theirs. We are in no position to ask or demand anything. And worse of all, I still have not figured out how to break free from the accursed spell that binds my mind.


    It took some time to figure it out, and the solution was simply a journal, written in English, with my handwriting, containing my thought about Empire, what I disagreed with and what I experienced. The problem is that I do not remember those thoughts, or even writing those words in the journal at all.


    Fucking brainwashing, or whatever it is. I will kill them all, make them pay for what they did to me, to us. I am not a toy, not a tool, I will not be used, I will not fail, I will not become my father. But not now, not yet. Right now the main goal is to play the idiot mage, and continue filling the diary with information, thoughts and ideas how to break free, until I reach the point when I will be able to destroy these chains.


    Anyway, the fortresses continue traveling in the direction of the Qing capital, and we, by extension, together with it. There are still few days left until we reach it, and logically right now we should be preparing and resting. But easy said than done.


    The travel to the Qing capital was not as easy as Namos, the general which is the leader of the procession, and the head of the council, expected. He already took into account that Qing has been preparing for this war for decades, maybe even centuries, with nearly every single citizen equipped with a weapon, and zealously brainwashed into hatred against all foreigners. But even he could not imagine what awaited us ahead. We are not exhausted because of Qing, it''s tricks, or whatever it is doing, but a rather a third party, which became a much bigger problem.


    For the past few days we have passed through several cities completely devoid of any human being, as if they all decided to abandon the city, leaving their things behind. Everyone, even Namos, was becoming anxious, that all the citizen, men and women, old and young, have been either recruited into army, as cannon fodder or they have been ''used'' for some grand scale spell, which was awaiting us ahead.


    We all were partially right, an army was awaiting us, but not the one we were expecting.


    It wasn''t human army.


    Corrupted.


    Millions upon millions of corrupted local wild animals, undead and liches. They all behaved and attacked as if some kind of hive mind, moving as waves of carnage and destruction. A perfect army. Post-Apocalyptic stories back at home did not prepare us for this.


    I overexerted myself when I consumed a total of five mana potions. Even two are believed to be life-threatening, but because of the situation I was in, danger and the amount of potions consumed, I was not in a state to follow orders or even understand the danger I was in. It was as if watching a movie from first person''s view, where you see image change, your legs and hands move, but absolutely no control over them, or the outcome of the movie.


    Where is the Blood Brotherhood, those that specialize in hunting corrupted and stopping the ''Emergence'', as people in Empire call it? Where are they when you need them? Right, they are dead. And information about that was released just some time ago.


    What about their replacement? Oh, yeah, also dead, killed by...


    Anyway, we all are left alone with undead and predators, which we do not know how to hunt, which results in a lot of wasted time and energy, testing and learning the hard way. It would be nice if we had a book that mentions that undead will continue moving even if you cut of their head or dismember them into pieces. It would also be nice if someone would have told us that they have leaders, which can cast mind control spells.


    Oh sorry, there is no such book, or at least we don''t have one.


    A simple word would have been enough! What was the Blood Brotherhood replacement even doing?!


    Shit.


    Maybe I am just exhausted, though, it was not just me, as everyone is nearly in the exact same state, even if they don''t show it.


    Sigh.


    It takes another hour for us to review what happened yesterday, what we did right and what we did wrong. Every single mistakes, every single decision and more, as we were wholly unprepared for an army of that scale and type. We are a team, and we need to become better as a team, because this is our main strength, and as things are going, the future does not look very bright.


    "Any news from Empire?" asks quietly Sergei.


    And instantly room turns to total silence. Switching to English I try to answer as calmly as I can.


    "Nothing. The Senate has not contacted us since the last time." I finish dryly.


    There is another thing, that I did not expect, the Prophecy that Paletia summoned talked about was known to Empire for quite some time, and they have taken it quite seriously since day one, unlike us.


    However mystic or Sci-Fi it may look, Espers, or how people here call them ''Oracles'', exits. There are not many of them, and value of each one can not be overstated, literally worth more than their weight in gold. At first I thought that it was just another sham, but no. Those Oracles gather into a huge group of about a thousand, and organize a ritual, in which they consume and use as catalyst enormous amount of mana with a one single goal, to cast a space-time spell and peak into the future.


    And the answer they got was not the good one. As we were explained, the Oracle and Senate tried all means necessary in order to bend or change the prophecy, but it always stayed the same, not under the control of mere mortals.


    To put it simple, Apocalypse, end of the world, the final judgment. The thing that some religions promised, some celebrated, some prepared for. And here it is, right around the corner, just a single step away.


    I quite mutter the prophecy under my breath, as if mantra to reiterate over it, or laugh at the ridiculousness of it, which one though I am not sure.


    ''Night will swallow the day.


    Blood rivers of innocent will flow.


    Dead will rise from their earth prison.


    Messengers of other world unite.


    Warriors of light and dark be born.


    Spirits of Ancient World return to living.


    War of wars shall begin.


    The savior will descend to return the order and truth.


    And he will clash with Destroyer, the Devourer of worlds.


    Death will come, and with it world will become one again.''


    This is all that the Oracle has received, again and again, and whatever they did the answer coming from future did not change, and as it looks like, we are not the only ones, who received this message. Empire, Paletia, Qing, Elves and maybe more already know about this.


    Okay, from the first three lines I understood that there will be darkness, blood, and many dead. And I believe the ''Messengers of other world'' from the fourth, is referring to us. But why is it ''unite'' and not ''will unite''? Is this a call for action, or a maybe misunderstanding, and simply describes an inevitable future? More than that, why is it asking for ''warriors'' from both sides, good and bad to ''be born''? What the hell does that means? Isn''t the goal for the ''good'' or ''bad'' guys to win? Why call out both sides?


    Spirits part is a bit more trick, as I was explained, the ''spirits'' do not have bodies, and what it refers to, is for them to ''acquire'' physical bodies in world of living, a flesh and body they can command.


    Avatars.


    Is this what the Paletia heroes were talking about?


    Anyway, the War and Savior part is VERY original, and it is not as important as what it implies. We, the summoned heroes, are not the Saviors, but simply messengers.


    And there is a enemy, ''Destroyer, the Devourer of worlds''. A name of a comic book villain from a third-rate story, where the guy is evil for the sake of being evil.


    Thankfully after his death the world will become one.


    It''s his death that is implied, right?


    How stupid.


    Sadly this is my life now, and this ''stupid'' thing can kill me.


    "Mark, you should see the healer again." suddenly says Sam.


    Looking back at him I find genuinely concerned look.


    "Yeah, you look extremely exhausted, and I don''t think those blood-shot eyes look healthy." adds Manato.


    "Sorry Marcus that I am useless, and can''t heal these symptoms." quietly whispers Lisa evading direct eye contact with me and Lia.


    No glances anymore huh. At least one problem less.


    "It''s okay, it''s not your fault, there is nothing you can do here. I know that you are already overwhelmed with injuries from others. I will be fine, nothing life threatening." I try to calm Lisa down.


    I am already taking care of one, I will not be able to support the second one too. Sam should understand that.


    Standing up I say bye''s and start walking, with Lia still holding my hand tightly, and moving close to me. We continue the walk in silence until we reach the long inter-sectional corridor that is rarely used. Suddenly Lia starts slowing down herself and me too until a full stop. She continues to stand solid in the ground as if a statue for several long seconds, until her expression changes slightly, and I quickly recognize the same look that I have been seeing for quite some time.


    She makes several steps closer and tenderly hugs me, nuzzling into my neck. The hug changes to a much more tighter one and nearly instantly our lips connect, after which her tongue shoots into my mouth, exploring it as I savor the sweet taste. She drags me to wall, and leaning on it pulls me over her. She starts breathing heavily and her hand shoots into my pants.


    We already did it in the morning, but just few hours later she wants more.


    I would be happy if it would be just a healthy and natural libido, but things are not that easy. After the ''event'' she got a serious psychological trauma, it was not just her who was affected by what we saw in the South Dungeon Kingdom, but her case is the most severe one.


    Looking at it once again, it is a miracle that we all made out of it alive, but everything has a price. Natalia lost her cheeky fire and became very dependent on me and her brother. At start she simply was using me as a hug buddy, citing that she feels safe only near me. Then it became more severe, with her not being able to sleep alone, as she was afraid of darkness, therefore I became a temporary sleep body pillow.


    From there things escalated quickly.


    Maybe I was also searching for someone''s warmth, or maybe after more than a week with no action I simply... snapped. Anyway, Natalia and me are a thing now. And any moment she feels unsafe or scared, she leaps at me, craving for warmth. This is unhealthy, and I should do something about it, but I do not know what exactly.


    Growling I push her against wall and start grunting rhythmically, savoring the sweet smell coming from her hair. Lia clutches to me with death-grip as if a drowning man to lifebuoy. Looking into her yellowish eyes with absolute trust in them ignites something in me, and clutching her body to myself stronger, increase the rhythm speed, and quite soon we both finish, kissing, and breathing heavily.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Looking deep into my eyes once again she whispers quietly.


    "Please, do not leave me."


    Clutching her closer I force my tongue into her mouth. She gasps sweetly when I part my lips away.


    "I won''t."


    Quickly cleaning ourselves we continue walking in the direction of healing ward.


    ...


    "Healing too slow? HA! You should thank the God that you heroes are so sturdy. FIVE. FIVE GOD DAMN MANA POTIONS. And all you get is only a minor migraine. Three are already enough to kill a powerful wizard, but five, FIVE!"


    The healer with wild grayish hair continues his lecture on improper use of potions while I calmly sit on the chair and nod. He is one of the people who like to lecture you about everything, going as far as telling their own personal life story with the purpose of teaching you a ''lesson''. Lia''s small hand is tightly clutching mine while the older gentleman in his fifties continues his passionate monologue.


    At the beginning Lia was afraid to even look in the mirror, afraid to see anything with even a bit grayish hair, even herself. It is hard to blame her, it is still hard for me to look at anyone with gray hair, without my heart nearly stopping for just a moment. I myself, still am at a stage where I am trying to overcome these nightmares with HIM and the blood avatar, so I don''t have the right to tell Lia what to do, or how to solve it, as I am in similar situation.


    After the event, I started asking more questions, about HIM, the Blood Brotherhood and Empire''s past in general. And I didn''t like the answers at all.


    "At two people start having internal bleeding, but five, FIVE! You-" he says, repeating himself already for the third time.


    "Is there a way to increase number of mana potions I can drink safely?" I inject to guide the talk in correct direction.


    "HE WANTS MORE!" the healer screams throwing his hands into air. "A normal person would have needed weeks to heal after what you have done. You-"


    "Sir Lihar, please."


    The healer stops, closing his lips tight into thin line, and stares at me for several long seconds.


    "For a normal human, maximum advised dose is one potion per week. For veteran adventurers and Wizards, that increase to one per day, anything higher could damage the body irreparably."


    "But?"


    "But, if you posses a strong body, which is the case for summoned, that increases the dosage slightly." he replies quietly.


    "So the stronger the body, the more I can consume?"


    If so, than it is much easier than I expected. I just need to increase the intensity of physical exercise, and ask Sam to be more ruthless during our sparring sessions.


    "It not as easy as it sounds." he stops my mental plans suddenly.


    "Enlighten me."


    He sigh deeply and starts talking monotone, as if reading out of a book.


    "To increase efficiency of mana potions and number of times they can be consumed sequentially, the user must slowly increase the dosage and internal mana circulation speed during extensive training sessions."


    Looking into my eyes for confirmation, that I understand where this is going, he continues with cautious tone.


    "It is dangerous and may take years. It also takes a great dedication and-"


    "I am in."


    Sir Lihar sigh deeply once again.


    "Okay, come everyday at noon, I will help as much as I can. But I will strictly monitor the performance of you internal circulation, as it is the most critical part! Only after you reach a specific level, will I allow for the dosage training."


    Shit, that is one of the hardest things to do, the thing that I still struggle with, and hate with my guts. It as if trying to dig a huge hole in desert with a fork. Slow and tedious. There must be an easier way.


    After a rather short discussion we decide upon the exact time, when and how he will train me, which suits both me and him. As I am about to leave I decide to ask the question that has been bothering me for some time, and which I can no longer hold in.


    "Sir Lihar?"


    "Yes?" he says with same enthusiastic voice he generally has.


    "What is the biggest amount of mana potions you have seen a person consume?"


    He sigh deeply again, and looks somewhere in the distance for few seconds. The healer finally turns to me and with a grimace gives me an answer.


    "Nine, by Grand Wizard of Central Wizard tower, but achievement was short-lived as he was in feral state and died just few moments later."


    Nearly twice. Shit. I nearly blanked out after fifth, what will happened to me after the ninth? So there are monsters in this world...


    "What about... the Inquisitor?" unexpectedly words come out of me.


    There is sudden change in his expression, but the healer keeps it cool. At the same time I feel as Lia''s hands tighten slightly.


    "What about the deceased Inquisitor?"


    "No, I mean... I have heard that you and... the REAL Inquisitor were-"


    His eyes shoot open and he starts looking around the room, to check that there is no one else here.


    "Shush!" looking around the room once again he continues whispering. "Who told you that?"


    "I want to-"


    "WHO!?"


    "No one."


    "I do not care what game you are playing, but you should stop. This is nothing that you should get involved in. You-"


    "You were traveling with him, helping him with purges. You are experienced battle healer, which is why you are here. Or is this not true, Sir Lihar?" I look into his brown eyes and continue "Please tell me, I need to know."


    He looks around the room, quietly walks to the door, checks that there is no one behind it, lock the door and returns back to the table within seconds. Taking out a small brown bottle from inside of his coat, he opens it and drinks it down, after which he puts it down on the table. A strong alcohol smell comes from the bottle, which means that he the thing he is preparing to talk about, is something that is not easy to talk about.


    I came to the right person.


    "What exactly do you want to know?" he asks calmly few seconds later.


    "What is the maximum number of mana potions Inquisitor could drink?"


    "He was a... monster. You should not compare yourself to him. He consumed potions as a noble child eats candies. He was-"


    "How many?" I push


    "... I personally have witnessed... seventeen... But after that he was bleeding throughout his whole body, in... unresponsive berserk state... not reacting to anyone except the corrupted."


    "Wait. You said the maximum was nine by Grand Wizard." I inject after reiterating everything he said again in my head.


    "By a person. A human. Inquisitor... is not what you call... human." picking up the bottle with alcohol once again, he gulps more, until the whole bottle is empty.


    I need to stir it in the right direction, I am not sure if I will get another chance. "We crossed path with him in the South Dungeon City and..."


    His head whips in my direction and eyes stare deep into mine.


    "You saw him?! You saw that... thing? Alive?!" he pauses for few more seconds and continues "And you thought that that thing was a human?! Did that thing even feel alive, much less a human?!"


    He picks up the bottle once again to drink, but finds it empty, and puts it back on the table.


    "You know nothing, you have seen nothing. Do not look deeper into it child. This is much bigger than you, me, or anyone else for the matter of fact. Only despair and darkness awaits you there. Stop while you still can."


    He finishes looking into my eyes with desperation. Few moments later he stands up and quickly pushes us out of the healing ward, sending us back to our rooms to heal.


    As we walk back, thoughts continue swirling in my head, until I stop when I feel the Lia''s hand tightening around mine. Realization of what I just did hits me hard as a wall of bricks and I curse myself for inattentiveness. Clutching Lia to my chest I start caressing her head, trying to calm her down.


    I make a big mistake, and spoke about HIM in Lia''s presence. Shit. Even a mention of that gray haired monster can triggered this response, and curiosity got better of me. Maybe I should have asked it separately...


    He spoke in English.


    There is some kind of primal instinct in me screaming to forget and evade HIM, or find and destroy HIM, but at the same time there is something deeper within me, which is screaming that HE is important, that HE holds more than meets the eye.


    ...


    It has been several days since I started healing, and it would have been great if I had a bit more time to finish healing this annoying headache, but within this day we will arrive in the capital of Qing.


    I am currently sitting cross legged on the balcony looking straight at the horizon, and the moving mountains. Lia moves slightly, shifting in my lap, trying to warm up and find a more comfortable position, but I do not think it is possible. First of all I am only few centimeters higher than her, and even if I open my legs wide open, it will not make me or my lap bigger. Second, the small barrier, that I created around myself and Lia, can barely hold back the freezing cold wind, which blows straight into our faces.


    Even in this situation., when any moment enemy may attack, I still try to allocate some part of me for training, to improve myself, even if it such a useless thing as thermo barrier. Every single step is important, because together, all these insignificant things can pile into something much bigger.


    In order to survive in this world, and break free from the shackles that the Empire has binded me in, I need to be strong, stronger than any human being can be, beyond limits of flesh and blood, because there are monster in this world, and they take all kind of forms. To slay some of them I need to become something more than mere mortal, something far beyond that. And only after that can I start dictating the rules, and stop being the one who obeys.


    The image of fire and lightning elemental fighting in the middle of city, flashed before my eyes. Their spells, their enormous mana reserves, their primordial wrath and power.


    True absolute beings. What can mere mortal do against them?


    Their appearance is extremely rare, as elementals, unlike avatars, are born out of pure elemental mana, and require enormous amount of it in natural or ambient state. Counter to them, avatars are born from humans, who fused with the element, and become one with it, feeding upon it, growing stronger in it''s presence. The very sight of blood avatar sent chills down my spine, as if I am deer who has just seen headlights, a prey before the predator. How do you even kill such being?


    If the Oracle did not make a mistake and the prophecy is actually true, which I have less and less doubts about, this is only the beginning, and much bigger horrors are about to become real.


    Shit, now I start sounding as Paletia summoned.


    Whatever are the "Spirits of Ancient World", I should not count on them being friendly. I have only one personal experience with an avatar, and it was not a good one. The books spoke of calm, collected and enlightened beings, but what I saw was nothing like that. A feral creature consumed by instinct and destruction. I could somehow feel that with my very bones. Even more, the people who could become avatars were supposed to be the best of the best, and even then there was only a small chance that one could become avatar. How could the new Inquisitor become the blood avatar when his skills were sub-par at best?


    I hear footsteps and slowly, one by one, Sam, Sergei, and the naive Trio come to the balcony. Not so naive anymore though, their eyes reflect a bit different light now, with Manato brimming with confidence and a cheeky smile to boot. His cheer-leading duo on the other hand, became more calm and collected, a bit more quite too though. Yuki, with long black hair, which would usually give cold jabs in the direction of her friends, became more friendly and open. Akari on the other hand, with her short haircut and brown hair, became less childish, and somehow more dependable.


    For several long seconds they stand in silence, enjoying the view, fresh and cold wind. Alas, this won''t last for long, as we all understand perfectly well what will happen today.


    Sam''s voice breaks the silence, as he reiterates over the strategy, and that we must stick together, not waste our mana reserves and always keep a very safe margin, as anything can happen. He turns to me, and repeats once again that the we should be very careful with potions, and the amount we consume, as they are very addictive and toxic, not breaking eye contact with me during the whole process. It takes a very long minute of me agreeing, and giving him my word, to calm him down and close the subject.


    Checking that there is no one near, he looks at me and Lia for confirmation that we are alone, and that there is no one near us, which we give a second later after the check. Even though we already gave him confirmation that there is no one around, he still continues whispering quietly, trying to keep his voice barely audible.


    "If anything goes wrong, and I mean anything, we should abandon the mission, and return to Empire. Forget the fortresses, forget the council and Qing, forget the war and the prophecy, forget everything. We need to return back home, safe, alive, and together."


    So, he is already at a stage where he can evade orders, or at least try to think outside of the limits of the damn curse. It seems like I am not the only one. But it is still on the level, of evading or bending the orders, and not refusing them.


    I will need to speak with him later about it.


    As we stand and continue to chat about useless stuff, trying not to think of the events of the day, the mountain range becomes closer and closer. Suddenly a guard, with nearly no mana signature, who I notices just a second before he appeared, enters the balcony and tells us, that we are being awaited in the captain''s bridge.


    I tenderly caress Lia''s face, after which she groans and opens her lovely yellow eyes. After a quick explanation of what is happening, we stand up and start following the guard, as he guides us through the enormous structure into the room, where council, Namos, and all the leaders are already awaiting, looking through a huge glass window as the mountains move closer and closer.


    We are quickly guided to our position, right behind the council, where we join everyone in silence, looking straight ahead, as the view through the huge glass window slowly changes. It takes a dozen long minutes of travel to exit the mountain range, which acted as a natural barrier and wall for the Qing Kingdom''s capital, ensuring it''s security and longevity.


    Mountains end, opening up a view at the capital in all of it''s greatness and size, as the gigantic plain comes into our sight. The uncountable number of small houses and villas, the huge and wide roads, which crisscrosses the enormous city. In it''s sheer size and density it could easily rival Tokyo or New York, or any other metropolis from Earth.


    Far away, in the center of the city, and close to the ocean shore, is an enormous platform, dwarfing anything I have even seen before. The stairs, that lead up to it, alone span for several kilometers in length, and at least a kilometer in height.


    On top of the platform there are several gigantic multi-layered castle in oriental style, with golden roofs and bright red walls. The structure pierces the dark gray clouds over them, creating a feeling of wrongness, as the scale is simply unbelievable. The biggest castle, which is in the center, could fit a whole city alone on top of it''s first roof layer. By my estimation the whole structure goes higher into the sky by at least it''s visible height.


    I would be shocked by it''s beauty and size, and want to explore it for weeks and weeks, looking into it''s history and genius, as it would surely rivals, or even exceeds anything we have back on Earth, if there was not another more bone chilling shock freezing me in place.


    The whole plain is burning in blazing inferno, with people screaming and running around, trying to save themselves from the fire. Though the fire is not the only thing that people are running away. Undead, unbelievable number of them, dozen million at least, with waves upon waves of zombies and liches, consuming building, structure, and inhabitants of the city as if locust swarm.


    This is exactly the same thing we met about a week ago, but on a much grander scale.


    In the sky I there are about a dozen thousand brightly shining spheres, which contrast starkly against the dray sky. Most of them are either shining with red, green or blue blue color, which easily gives away powerful fire, water and wind specialized Wizards, with their mana aura visible even from here. All of them are at least several dozen kilometers away from us, but even from this distance I can feel that mana density of each of flying Wizard, is on par with average mana density in my team.


    But all of it nothing in comparison to what truly make by blood chill.


    On the ground, there are about hundred beings, with mana auras shining several times brighter, than that of any Wizard in the sky, which are ripping apart undead and Liches, as if they are made out of paper. For few short moment I thought that they were the famous Qing Grand Shamans, power and skills of which I have heard so much about, but that theory crumbled apart when the beings started morphing into animals, monsters and humans, as if they are made out of liquid. That action triggered a memory of creature I have seen not so long ago in Dungeon City, which was made out of blood.


    Avatars.


    People in the captain''s bridge are shouting orders, running around, reporting, while my team is standing near me petrified at the sight, and what is happening before us.


    Slowly the number of undead grows bigger and bigger, until the whole city becomes a single mass of destruction, rage and corruption, consuming one avatar after another, under hundred meter tall wave of millions of undead. Blood in my veins chills when I imagine myself standing against one of the avatars, or even worse, standing in place of the avatar.


    As absolute catastrophe happens before my eyes, my whole being screams at me to look up in the direction of the ocean, after which I freeze once again. Trying to understand what could trigger such a response, and what could be more dangerous or important than what is happening in the capital, my eyes continue to dart around the horizon. It takes a very long minute for me to finally find the origin of this feeling very far away.


    While people continue shouting order, my eyes find and freeze on a tiny dark dot, which appeared from behind of clouds.


    The dot starts growing very fast, becoming bigger and bigger, until it reaches a size I believe to be maximum. But I am wrong, as the ''dot'' continues growing, and my body starts trembling. People in the room finally shut up and look in the same direction I do.


    Very quickly the room becomes deathly quite.


    The being that was a tiny dot just a minute, flies in the direction of the central castle, while the thick gray clouds part away wherever it is going. The being lands on the central castle roof, and a huge circle of sky over the castle breaks apart, revealing the structure in it''s whole beauty, which is not a tower as I expected, but rather a platform. The whole palace and city visibly shakes when the creature landed, as the whole plain became deathly quite, with both the undead and brightly shining Wizards in the sky looking in the direction of the central castle in absolute silence.


    I would have wanted to call the being a dinosaur, but there are two reasons I can''t. First of all, the creature has four limbs and two wings, which makes it more appropriate to call the being a dragon. And second, the being''s size.


    By my modest estimations, the creature is at least three kilometers in height alone.


    The silence which gripped the whole capital is broken, when the undead screech in unison into some amalgamation of hate and rage, with every single dead in the city rising up, and joining the screech. The screech suddenly end, with the whole city starting to move, as if alive, as if an ocean, with it''s flesh rising into an enormous wave of undead directed at the central palace. The wave of crashes into the palace, as countless tiny undead ants start climbing it, trying to reach the dragon, but as soon as they get close to it, they burn into black crisp because of burning mana surround the massive creature.


    The ambient mana in the air start rapidly disappearing, and tracing where all of it is going, I determine the origin, which makes me stop breathing. Neck of the dragon starts expanding, shining bright red, and when it becomes nearly white from the heat, turns it''s humongous head down at the roof of the palace.


    The moment dragon opened it''s mouth, a huge white sphere appeared, growing rapidly bigger, turning everything around it also white. By pure instinct I form the most powerful mana barrier around myself and my team I can. The light quickly swallows one fortress after another, and when it reaches us, the room goes jumbling, as if a kid has shaken a box with ants inside.


    When the light finally disappears, I find myself on floor, with Lia in my arms, bleeding from multiple cuts from the class window. I try to say something, but nothing is heard, as the ringing in my ears swallows every sound in th world. Slowly it becomes darker and darker, until it finally returns to normal daylight, which somehow feels as if night after the white world. With my shaking legs I stand up and look around, finding unconscious Lia near me, and my whole team lying on the floor, groaning and trying to stand up too. Turning slightly in the direction where the council should be, I find only shredded bodies, bleeding from wounds, which still have glass pieces sticking out of them.


    As soon as my eyes adjust, they start darting around my view in disbelief at what stands before me. In place of the enormous multi-layered castle is a gigantic crater, covered my thick glass, and the whole ground around the city, painted deep black.


    A single creature stands in the middle of it all, lazily looking around, in absolute silence. The silence lasts for a very long minute, as my team is standing up and looking at what happened to Qing capital.


    The creature''s huge head jerks, looking up in the sky, with it''s eyes scanning it as if looking for something dangerous. The suddenly it''s eyes stop, and a very deep and threatening vibration starts emanating from it, as if a huge dog growling at something.


    My eyes slowly turn in the direction where the dragon is looking, and soon I find about a dozen bright white lights, shining brightly in the sky, whose mana density can not be described with mere words. It is as if trying to explain a new color with words.


    Looking closer I find that each of the lights is actually a being with white-porcelain skin, six wings, four arms, and two legs. Strangely though, there are no eyes, ears, mouth or hair, as if a plastic mannequin in a shop.


    Density of mana around the dragon rises sharply, as not just it''s neck, but rather the whole body starts shining much brighter than before, while still looking into the sky, at the white being with wings. In response all the winged beings, point their arms back at the dragon, and open their palms wide. From the center of their palms, with tremendous speed a brightly shining spear start growing, sending white lighting throughout the gray skies.


    Before I had time to react and scream for everyone to hide or cast a barrier, the creatures threw spells at each other, with the whole world turning white once again, but this time I feel as the fortress under me starts crumbling, as if made out of sand.


    What did we do to deserve this?

 Chapter 27

    Jaws of a Lich, filled to brim with long black fangs, opens wide in burning hatred, and as the abomination is about to screech, fear reflects in it''s soulless sockets which have red fire burning in them. A moment later my foot crushes it''s skull into the black granite floor, and I feel as it explodes into thousand small chunks.


    My eyes do not linger on the crushed Lich even for a second, as they turn in the direction of the next incoming enemy. I do not know how I hear or see them, as my vision went completely black quite some time ago, and hearing does not help much in a pit of rattling and screeching bones. Nonetheless I somehow feel, or rather ''see'' something close to me in this total darkness. It is as if a burst of bright white light in form of humanoid figures flashed before you, after which it just as quickly disappeared into nothingness a moment later.


    With my feet I feel movement of several Liches near me, and second later dozen light outlines of Liches flash around, only for them to be ripped apart by swing of a broken sword in my hand a moment later. Before I have time to prepare for the next attack I see a huge red ball, traveling in my direction from far away with tremendous speed. My legs explode with strength and evaded the incoming red ball of fire by just a hairs width margin. The fire ball hit the ground not so far from me, exploding in waves of heat, lighting up the pit and thousands of liches around me.


    Just as quickly the light materialized, it disappeared, submerging the pit in absolute darkness.


    The creatures of corruption and hate continue assaulting me, trying to bury me under their sheer weight and number. Several times they nearly accomplished that, but the important word here is ''nearly''.


    I do not know how much time has passed since I entered the pit.


    All of my feeling are dulled, as if I am half asleep, and on the brink of either falling asleep or waking up. This somehow reminds me of what I felt like on the South Pole, when I was trying to remove the spears out of my body and break out of the snow prison. Nonetheless my body continues moving, as if puppet on strings, following commands of dictator that does not take a ''no'' as an answer. Even the recently lost left hand, which was eaten by four liches, which appeared out of nowhere and attacked together, does not hinder me.


    When I entered this room rage consumed me as it had many times before, but this time was or rather is a bit different. I am conscious, I am able to control it, direct it at the enemies before me. Which doesn''t make sense as if one would not keep his head cool, breath and blood circulation stable would be simply consumed by ambient chaotic dark mana.


    But here I am, standing, fighting and thinking. The reason though doesn''t matter right now.


    The enraged skulls, with dark mana shining inside of their empty eye sockets, continue to flash through my vision. One by one they continue to appear out of nowhere and exploding into chunks disappear into the darkness of the pit. Quite some time ago I stopped feeling my limbs, but the time is nearly impossible to track, therefore it all feel somehow surreal, as if a dream. But every time one of my limbs makes another Lich disappear into nothingness, I am reminded that I am still here, that I am still alive, and still fighting.


    How much time has it been since I entered this pit? An hour? A day? A month? A year?


    By all physical laws, I should have been dead long ago. A single bug against millions of liches? There is a reason fairy tales stay fairy tales, such things do not happen in real world.


    No if this would be fairy tale people would have not suffered, the innocent would have not died, there would have existed a happy end for them...


    After the loss of my left arm, my torso has been pierced at least nine times, with severe blood loss and possibly more. By any standards those wounds should have been mortal ones, but nonetheless here I am, continuing the war, riddled with holes which are slowly disappearing, as if they did not exist in the first place.


    Where do the nutritions for healing come from? How am I still able to move? How can I see these burst of lights which outline the enemies in this darkness?


    Doesn''t matter.


    I notice that, the range from which I can see the white bursts of light appears to have increased slightly. Focusing on it while the enemies continue assault, I can see with naked eye how it grows, millimeter by millimeter, compounding and transforming to centimeter, and even meters.


    And the more my range of ''view'' increases, the more I understand that there are simply too many of them. Mountains upon mountains of undead which do not know pain, rest or fear, which want me dead and will do whatever it takes to accomplish that.


    Odds have been stacked against me from the start. Victory was never an option. A single tiny bug, in a pit surrounded by uncountable number of Liches. It was always a question of time, of how much time will it take for my body to fall apart, for my heart to stop moving, for me to be buried by the sheer mass of enemies before me.


    I will die here.


    No.


    No.


    NO.


    No, I will not.


    My life is not my own, it no longer belongs to me.


    Every single injustice and evil I have witnessed. Every single brother I have lost, every single life I have taken, every single life that has been destroyed before me. They all will disappear, forgotten forever.


    All of it would be for nothing. Every suffering would hold no meaning. If I disappear, so will the last proof that they existed in this world.


    I can not allow that.


    I will not allow it. This is not the end, not yet.


    They must be destroyed, every single one of them.


    The world will scream their names.


    Somewhere from deep within me mana starts seeping into my flesh, blood and bones, slowly at first, then faster and faster, as if droplets of water breaking through cracks in earth, increasing them. With each breath mana intensity grows in higher and higher, as if waves during storm, they continue growing in magnitude, becoming more violent, desiring to swallow and kill those that dared to challenge it. Trying to take it under control I put my very being into it and feel as body temperature rises sharply, blood pressure reaches such level, that even a tiny wound would be enough to cause a fountain of blood to come out. Muscles tighten, and I feel as they rip and restore themselves again and again, in an near endless cycle, until they become something more.


    With and inhuman roar I leap at the flashing white lights that have surrounded me once again, ripping bone abominations apart and sending them into the darkness forever.


    More.


    MORE!


    MORE[MORE]!!


    ...wait for me...


    ...


    Where are you?


    Come.


    COME.


    COME!


    A figure of lonely Lich appears in peripheral of my vision, and but a fraction of a second later my fist crashes into the abominations'' spine, disintegrates it into thousand pieces. But this does not stop me even for a fraction of a second, as I have already started searching for the next one.


    All goals and objectives are simply forgotten. There is only hunt, only predator and prey. Only death.


    And the predator is starving.


    Focusing on the sound I capture a crunch very far away, but that is enough for me to leap in that direction, searching for the next target. As a hungry animal I start searching for the prey, and quite soon find it crawling, in my direction with only a single arm left, over the mountains of bones underneath it. Liches'' face turns in my direction, and the two small orbs in it''s skull burn with pure hatred. The moment it opens it''s jaws to screech, my foot crushes it and light underneath my foot disappears.


    In silence once again I repeat the action.


    Again, and again, and again.


    Until the silence in no longer broken, and I stand alone, in total darkness, on top of bone mountain. Slowly blood pressure starts to decrease, and with it control returns to me. Finally my breathing stabilizes, becoming even, and with it clarity returns to my mind, which is shortly followed by understanding of where I am, and what I was doing.


    What happened?


    How long has passed?


    Why am I alive?


    I survived?


    Feeling something odd in my body I send mana circulating around my body in order to understand, how it is possible that my body is in near perfect shape, brimming with energy as it has not for quite some time. Looking to my left, I find bright outline of completely healed left hand. In my right hand I feel something heavier, and turning to it do not recognize the sword that I am currently holding.


    Huh? New weapon? What happened to the last one?


    A memory of a huge Lich swallowing my right arm together with the sword flash back, which is quickly followed by series of more memories, of me loosing one limb after another, which return back in the next memory sequence.


    Healing a single limb could have taken a day or two.


    How long has passed?


    Was this all?


    No.


    The liches are just distraction, just a way to tire out those that enter before the real guardian appears. And they all are here because of one single object, the stone.


    In near absolute darkness, where barely see anything just an arms length away, I start walking forward into the unknown until I hit a wall. My experience kicks in, and I act the same way I have always done when I ended up in an labyrinth or unknown terrain. With sword I start carving a big symbol representing the start point. After the symbol is deep enough for me to see even in this darkness, I turn right and start walking forward, with my hand tracing against the wall on my left.


    The easiest way to get out of labyrinth is to keep to the left wall, and walk. Walk for as long as you can until you either find exit, or return to your starting point with and know that you are fucked.


    As I continue walking, the questions I tried to ignore return. How am I alive? What happened to the millions of liches that were in the pit? I could not have defeated them all. A single body would simply not have enough nutritions to accomplish that.


    The endless walk continued for so long, that I started believing that I had passed the mark few times, and simply did not recognize it, but the fact that I have been walking mostly straight squashed all those ideas.


    Finally except the darkness and endless corridor I saw something else, a tiny white spot, so tiny that I thought that it is simply a hallucination, a trick of sick mind, and for someone who has been in darkness for so long that would not be strange. When I shifted my head to sides, the white spot stayed in the same position in the end of corridor, proving that I am right.


    My legs start moving, carrying me in in the direction of light, while it slowly grows bigger and bigger. It takes about a dozen minutes until I exit into a huge hall with many torches on walls, burning with purple flame. The circular hall has eight exits, in all directions, and around each of the black stone frame exits are carved countless demons, in grotesque form, killing humans, torturing them and consuming their souls.


    Instincts scream and I leap forward, after which sound of something heavy impacting the ground, where I was just a fraction of a second ago, explodes around the room. Turning my head in the direction of the impact I find a huge, grotesque, multi-limbed creature in black metal armor with eyes of the same color as the burning fire in the room. Seven huge swords in each of its'' claws grind against the black marble floor. The abomination stares at me for several long seconds, after which it starts buzzing loudly. A moments later half a dozen more creatures, which are just as big and strange, fall down from the ceiling.


    All of them have few characteristics that are the same. All of them are just over three meters tall, all of them have more than three weapons, and all of them look like some kind of corrupted insectoid. The new arrivals join the buzzing, creating a very threatening melody. A dozen heartbeats later, all bugs synchronously leap in my direction, with their weapons brandished and ready to take my life.


    In such situation you would usually try to change location, or keep distance from the attackers, but I discard that option. I am at a very big disadvantage, as I am not just surrounded and outnumbered, but also because all of them have non human body structure, which means that their attacks would be utterly unpredictable.


    Only way to solve it.


    Brute force.


    I leap to the closest bug, using my bare left hand I stop one of its limbs, with sword in other hand I deflect the next two attacks. But that is not enough as the next instant four blades crash into my body from all directions.


    The attacks pushed air out of lungs, but somehow, even though they are weapons deeply thrust in me, I do not feel pain at all. My left palm shoots and grabs skull of the confused creature before me, and crush it as if a juicy fruit. Brain matter splashes against by face and the body of bug falls lifelessly down, but I do not get an opportunity to rest as two more enemies appear behind me. Using the body of headless enemy as shield, I deflect the attack, and counter with my own, from behind of dead meat shield, and kill another one.


    Buzzing angrily the enemies continue the assault.


    One by one deflect the attack and counter with my own, cutting off one limb after another, until I stand in the middle of hall with all the huge bugs lying on floor, buzzing helplessly. Just as I am about to take another breath, the first enemy, the one whose head I crushed, rises up and attacks from behind, but I already expected that, and counter with vertical cut straight through the thick black plate armor on it.


    Breathing heavily I look down at my wounds, and find several blades still embedded in me. Ripping them out I send mana to start the healing, only to be reminded that the fight is still not over when one of the enemies starts crawling in my direction with only a single limb still attached to it. While continuing the healing process, I walk around and make sure that they are dead, and just to make sure, crush every single head, and split the torso open.


    Standing in the silence I focus on healing, as even though I stopped the bleeding, the wounds are still open. While I am doing that, the thoughts return back.


    Why did I not feel pain?


    How am I healing wounds so easily?


    Where does the energy and nutritions come from?


    And more importantly, what is wrong with my eyesight?


    Because of burning purple fire in the room I was able to see the bugs, the movement of their limbs and more. But somehow, there was a white outline surrounding their figures. It somehow reminded me of mana aura, but it simply could not be one, as the creatures were not skilled enough to create a real mana aura.


    Is this a specific property of these bugs?


    No.


    I also saw something similar in the darkness fighting the Liches.


    Am I losing my mind? Or maybe this is some form of visual perception that my body has created because of the darkness, in order to substitute the main vision? But if it is a new vision, how exactly does the body capture it?


    A vibration in air? Wind movement? Or mana...


    Mana... ha, of course no. Sears are born not made. A creature without external mana like me could never become a Sear.


    Finishing healing I start looking around, at each of the corridors, and the paths they lead to. There is only one path that I can feel somehow different, as if there is a terrifying creature hiding within its'' shadow, sending something akin to goosebumps all over my back.


    This one.


    Looking through every weapon that the bugs had I find two decent swords, and gripping them in my hands start walking to the path that gives threatening feeling on instinctual level. Walking through the corridor for several long and quite minutes I exit into a hall dozen times bigger than the last one, which would be more appropriate to call a grand coliseum. The huge room is illuminated by hundred of purple torches on the circular wall, and in the center of the whole coliseum, on a tiny altar lie two small objects, one of which is a tiny black stone that I easily recognize.


    But my eyes do not linger on the objects for too long as there is a much bigger danger somewhere here in this room. Looking around I try to find the source of the dreadful feeling that my whole body is screaming about, and few moments later I hear quite footsteps coming from a far corner of the room. The object of danger is quite far, and is so badly illuminated by the torches that you could only describe it as a black figure, but the new ''vision'' shows me the brightest figure that I have ever seen of near absolute white, walking slowly in my direction.


    It takes a long minute until he stops in front of the small altar. Only now do I understand why he was not visible to my naked eyes. The whole body of nearly two meters tall being is producing enormous amount of ambient dark mana, bathing him in as if black clouds.


    The guard.


    He slowly turns in my direction and bows slightly, with his dark-grayish hair moving barely throughout the whole process. His blood-red eyes somehow pierce the darkness, and shine just as much as any torch in the room. The full plate armor on his body is nearly exactly the same color as his hair, with knee long chain mail under it.


    "Greetings dear Brother." his deep and friendly voice resounds through the coliseum as he opens his arms wide in form of non-aggression


    "Our savior, the Light Bringer, has told me about your arrival and that I should welcome you with open arms." he continues with the same friendly voice as if I am his closest friend in existence.


    "Calling the greatest corrupter a ''savior''. Ha, only you guardians, could come up with such bullshit."


    His eyebrows rise slightly and replies with same kind voice.


    "Guardian? Oh, yes, some misguided souls call us like that, but they are wrong as they are about many other things. We are simply priests, nothing more. We do not guard anything, on the contrary, we share our love, acceptance, truth and salvation."


    "Since when is damnation in hell ''salvation''? Truly priest of the corrupter."


    A soft smile breaks upon his calm face.


    "Brother, why do you continue calling our father ''corrupter''? That is a lie the false leaders have created in order to desecrate his image and seize control over our people minds. And ''hell'' is just another one of their lies, created in order to scare them into submission, to make them afraid to even think for themselves. You are beyond these lies brother."


    He continues his monologue with even greater enthusiasm.


    "People have been misguided, cornered into a place they can not escape. They are sick in body and mind, beyond a point where they can help themselves."


    "So the almighty corrupter will come to the poor souls and simply ''help'' them? How? By killing them? Or damning them to hell for eternity?" I cut his sharply


    Smiling widely he continues with the same friendliness as before, the one which could charm peasant and king alike.


    "Brother, it is useless, however many times you call father ''corrupter'', it will not change the truth, truth of what he is, what he represents. Father is the Light Bringer, by the very name given to him, and you know it well. But to answer your question."


    He puts his hands behind his back and continues as if a kind teacher trying to convey a very important message.


    "There has been a war. Not the one over something as childish as a useless plot of land. Not even for souls of mortals that those power-hungry spirits posing as gods are leading. No. I am talking about the ''war'' itself."


    He continues with his kind voice becoming even more passionate.


    "The long dead God created light and darkness, and commanded them to fight each other, until the end of time, until one of them either triumphs or perishes. Why? For what reason? Light and darkness, good and evil, they are only perspective, one can not live without the other. We all want the same one thing, to live, to exist, but no, the long dead God did not want that. What he wanted is for all the creatures to fight each other over essentially nothing, to worship him, to revere him, kiss the very land he walks upon."


    Looking in my eyes he continue his monologue. "But we are far beyond that. We have long understood the reason for conflict and suffering, and we not desire it."


    "And by returning to this world and killing everyone he will stop this war? Solid logic." I reply back.


    "Brother, you should know the truth already. A question back to you. Who ever said that father wants to kill anyone? The church? The oracles? Those pathetic creatures, that require masters to tell them what to do, what to think and what to feel? Or maybe it is those same power-hungry spirits who preach peace, but command their follower to kill each other to reach their selfish and destructive personal goals? That is lie and true darkness."


    "Please, brother, I beg you, return to truth, to light."


    I sigh deeply and while shaking my head reply calmly.


    "Good job with the speech and acting. Would have worked on quite many. But there are two problems. First, unlike others, I know exactly what the ''Corrupter'' is. Second, I can clearly see that you have been gathering ambient mana for some time. And third, regretfully it looks like I will not be able to get any important information out of you."


    His friendly slowly smile disappears, and in place of it a huge savage grin starts growing.


    "Father told me that you can not feel mana. Good, good. He will be overjoyed by these news. Come vessel, enough games, I have been waiting for you."


    The guardian extends his hands to both sides and dark mana starts gathering around his palms, transforming into two solid swords made out of pure dark mana. His red eyes start glowing even brighter, causing his pure white teeth and red eyes contrast against the dark background.


    "Come, show me what cockroach sent by blood god can do."


    I thought that I was at least a bit prepared, with mana circulation and blood pressure pushed to the limit, but I was wrong. Withing a fraction of a second, Guardians'' image disappeared from the center of coliseum, leaving behind only cracked crater on marble floor, and appeared before me with his black swords centimeters away from my face.


    Once again I was saved by my instincts, but not fully, as a large chunk of flesh from my face was ripped out by the sword tip. My vision become tunneled as I tried my best to evade one attack after another, only to lose more and more parts of my flesh. I try to deflect the incoming sword, but he is simply much faster, as my eyes can not even see the movement of his attacks, capturing only after images when the attack pierced my defense, and once again I survived the attack only because instincts screamed to leap in a specific direction.


    I continue the losing game, and soon the scales tip to his side even more when one of my swords broke into pieces, after I tried to deflect an incoming attack, only for it to pass right through the thick metal and pierce me. I try to evade the next incoming attack, but once again fail, and a solid kick in my right side sends me straight into the ceiling of the huge coliseum.


    The impact pushes all air out of my lungs, after which I start slowly falling down. During the descend I see in the corner of my sight the Guardian, who he standing still near the location where I should land. Few moments after I hit the marble ground, several big pieces of ceiling land on my back.


    "Is this all? Pathetic. This is my mistake. After father told me to be careful with you, I believed that I would meet some titan, a monster made out of blood and destruction. But what can one expect from mere mortal?"


    My hands slowly move, pushing me up, only for me to stop and cough out a large glob of blood. Finally rising and looking at the sneering creature I reply back.


    "Ha.. who''s talking... *cough*... the last guardian.. was stronger...*cough*... Are you the weakest one? *cough* How low the standards have fallen."


    The sneer is replaced by enraged mask, after which the world around me starts moving once again. Air is pushed out of my lungs once again the moment I hit the wall of coliseum, as chunks of stone fall down around the crater on the wall, which were created by my body impacting it.


    Too fast. I can''t track his movements at all, it''s as if fighting Protus. Useless however many times you try.


    [Then die.]


    [Die and let everything be forgotten. Die as the innocent did. Die as our brothers did. Die as did all those that depended on you.]


    [Let our body crumble and rot. Let us become undead or Lich, just like what happened to Luna.]


    Image of sweet smiling face of a small child is replaced my the grotesque yellow one, riddles with black veins and froth coming out of her mouth, with eyes filled with anger and hatred.


    Mind commands.


    Body obeys.


    A concentrated ball of mana materializes from somewhere deep within my body and explodes, sending waves of mana pulsing throughout my very being. I feel as my muscles tighten, and world becomes black and white once again, consuming all the light and sound in the world. As if in slow motion I ''see'' a figure of light moving to me, and ''feel'' as every step it makes the marble floor crack.


    My heart starts burning, as if submerged into boiling lava, and when the figure comes close enough, I leap at it, with sword in my hand moving in the direction of its head. My attack is blocked, and answered with a fury of of white light attacks, which I evade just by hairs width again and again. For but a moment the attacks seemed slower, only for them to suddenly change and get much faster and more fierce.


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Part of the light figure shifts unexpectedly, with a long and thin appendage moving tremendously faster. When the appendage hits my right arm, I feel it detach, becoming cold and numb, leaving me weaponless. The light figure morphs again, and several long appendage grow out form the light figures head and back.


    The light figure moves once again, and one of its limbs shoots to my neck, lifting me up in the air, only to be slammed into the marble floor a moment later. I feel as flesh and bones in my neck creak under pressure, with blood and air flow the world slowly grows quieter and darker.


    [Is this it?]


    [Is this all you had?]


    no.


    no.


    not[not] yet[yet]


    My mind crawls somewhere deep withing my very being, there where the ball of concentrated mana came from, and rip out more, again and again, sending raw power throughout the flesh and blood, filling me with indescribable wrath and hatred. My left had shoot and grabs the accursed wrist that pins me down to ground, and I feel as bones in it break. My foot shoots and slams into the figure of light and sends it tumbling away.


    "Damn cockroach!" curses the abomination.


    Rising up I unleash everything burning inside of me at the light figure, leaping at it with a kick send it to the opposite wall. Appearing before it, I grab its'' leg and start slamming it against the ground and wall. But the figure somehow bends unimaginable, and its'' appendages latch on me. From this point we start a full blown brawl, ripping limbs and chunks of flesh out of each other. The rooms starts slowly falling apart as we ignore the damage and pain, trying to kill each other as if wild animals in whatever way we can.


    At some point we end up in the center of the crumbled coliseum, and suddenly something in me screams to focus on the altar, which is pulsing rhythmically, with light around it growing bigger and smaller, as if breathing. The instincts scream and I obey, turning and leaping in the its'' direction, which causes the guardian to abandon everything and follow me, breathing straight into my back. I feel a huge explosion of light from behind me and find the guardian somehow before me, standing between me and the altar, but without his additional appendages or weapons, glowing much dimmer than before.


    Looking visible damaged and exhausted the figure of light extends its hands and a set of new black mana swords starts slowly materializing in its hands. With my current velocity there is no way I will be able to either evade his next attack or change the direction. Abandoning that idea, I send all the mana I can into my legs and marble floor caves under the force they produce, sending me straight into the enemy. Extending my sword I bulldoze through the figure, as the ground underneath us explodes into cloud of huge marble chunks.


    As the cloud of dust clears I find myself face to face with the Guardian, lying underneath me, while my sword is nailing him to the floor. Dozen new appendages grow out of him, piercing and latching onto my limbs and neck, trying to crush me under the colossal force they produce. My eyes meet the enraged and bloodshot ones of the fucker under me who is trying to kill me. Wrath fills me with power and with roar my hands clutched the neck of accursed being and tighten so hard that I feel as his bones grind against each other. His eyes suddenly change, and I see a spec of fear in them.


    Somehow in my peripheral vision I notice a tiny black rock slowly crawling in our direction, and terror runs through my back, which causes me to release the grip and leap back.


    In the cloud of dust around the guardian I see as the small rock leaps at him, which causes him to howl in pain. He quickly rises up and tries to detach the small rock on his right cheek from himself, but fails as it already deeply fused with him. The black rock starts melting and fusing with his flesh, while black veins grow rapidly throughout his gray face.


    Guardians howl of pain slowly changes to one of pure delight, as his laughter fills the huge coliseum. His eyes turn to me, and enormous smile from ear to ear breaks upon his gray face. Mana aura around him start growing rapidly, with his body morphing and flesh changing into something different, something inhuman, which is amplified by fact that the whites of his eyes is slowly turning black.


    "Power! SO MUCH POWER!! Darkness is truly the strongest element! Why was father hiding this from me, telling me not to touch it?! HAHAHAHA!!"


    Black veins quickly grow throughout his body, becoming visible even on his bare hands.


    "Thank you cockroach, for this I will grant you a fast death!" he says with his voice shifting from a human one to something more ancient and sinister.


    His eyes lose all white, and turn fully black with burning red irises, after which he moves faster than even before, sending me to the opposite wall with a single kick. After hitting the wall I do not get a chance to defend as something sharp slides across my face, turning the world fully black. Numbness shoots throughout my face as I feel blood flowing down my face. The next moment something else hits me, sending me to wall once again. A hand grabs my throat and lifts me at least a meter up the wall. My second ''sight'' kicks in and I see three and a half meter of brightly shining figure quickly increasing in size. Its grip starts to strengthen, and the only way I can react is by smiling widely.


    "Broken already? Pathetic." an inhuman voice resounds.


    The moment I see a change in the core of the light structure a deep chuckle escapes me. He starts coughing after which grip on my neck weakens and I fall down on the cold marble floor. The guardian starts screaming with deep and confused voice, with rare parts of his original voice appearing, and his body shifting and morphing into grotesque figure with very disproportionate limbs. He continues to scream in pain as his body grows in size and changes in structure, trying to accommodate the huge amount of external mana coming out of his internal mana gate, only for it to eat and melt the very new flesh it created just few moment before. The inhuman scream continues even though there no longer a head or a neck to produce any sound.


    If to someone like me, who doesn''t have affinity, that accursed stone, created a gate to dark element, what will it do to the person with a huge affinity with dark element? In my case it was not just the stone, but still.


    I command the body to rise up, after which I start healing my body riddled with wounds. After healing at least one eye first, I look start observing the screaming light figure, which is more appropriate to call blob of flesh, bones and mana. It continues to melt and decrease in size, with brightness of its light growing duller and duller. Quite soon, when the blob is reduced to a tiny chunk of flesh around a small black rock, the rare screams stop, but even that flesh quickly evaporates, leaving behind just the accursed object.


    While I continue healing my eyes are fixed on the tiny black rock, which has brought so much suffering, not just to me, but everyone who ended up close to it. The stone slowly grows tiny legs and starts moving in the direction of the altar. My instincts kick in and scream at me to do something while not touching it. I pick up a big chunk of marble wall lying near me and throw it down at the black rock. The rock audible shatters and when I approach the piece of wall to lift it and check the status of black rock, it falls apart, as if being eaten from inside.


    Right where the black rock was supposed to be I find a tiny puddle of black liquid, which is shining bright with light in my other ''vision''. The liquid starts vaporising into thin air which causes it to start morphing rapidly and violently. The liquid starts flowing in the direction of the altar, as if it will be safe there. I pick up rocks and start throwing them at the fleeing liquid, trying to flatten or break its form, which seem to work as it slows down even more. The black liquid finally breaks into dozen tiny droplets and evaporates a dozen meters from the altar, when I was just about to throw much bigger rock at it.


    What the hell was that?


    There was no black liquid last time. The rock was supposed to simply shattered into tiny pieces and disappear.


    Or maybe there was black liquid from beginning, and I simply didn''t see it. Maybe it simply flowed into something, hiding in it.


    Or into someone.


    Me.


    Wait, if that is true, why did it now flow into guardian?


    Why?


    While the thoughts continue swirling in my head, both of my eyes finally finish healing, and I blink them together to check their state. In the peripheral of my vision I notice another small object on the altar in the center. A tiny black book which is lying near the place where black rock was.


    Book? There was no last...


    Wait.


    Wait.


    There something else except the rock.


    A black book.


    What happened to it?


    Wait, something is wrong here.


    We picked up that book...


    After that it was-


    Suddenly a very strong headache hit me, as if someone is pushing nails through my very skull, and I groan in pain, trying to make it go away or take it under control. My eyes open wide as I recognize this type of headache.


    Mind control and memory block spell.


    It is one of the first things that a young blood brother is taught, and because of the amount of internal mana I have and the skills in internal mana circulation, which is the main way you protect yourself against the mind spells, I was selected as part of the hunting team. It took several dozen mana overdosed mind mages to even make me bend.


    How was it placed? Such things never really worked on me. The only way for the spell to work... would require me to be psychologically and physically drained...


    As I was after that battle.


    They did it while I was unconscious and healing.


    The empire has the book. They had it for quite some time.... and I simply was made to forget about it.


    Cursing I walk to the book and look at it again. It seemed small, but now that I look at it closer it is quite thick, at least hundred pages. It may contain information about what they want, or what they do, or how they can be defeated, or tons of other incredibly valuable information.


    Maybe even HIS weakness.


    Ha.


    Ha.


    This is the way it corrupts the souls.


    Walking to one of rare torches on the wall, which was not destroyed during the battle and is till burning with purple fire, I pick it up and start walk back to the altar in the center. Whatever is written in it was created by and for HIM. There is no way HE did not design something so precious in a way that would not have some kind of protection. There for sure will be something that will corrupt or bend the mind and soul of the reader.


    I throw the torch on the book and it starts burning with purple fire, sizzling, producing black liquid and smoke. If one would listen closely, he would hear a barely audible screeching coming from it right now. With my other ''vision'' I see a rapid shift of light around of it, which end together with screeching shortly when there is only a small heap of black ashes left.


    I always though that there is only altar.


    I always though that we closed that way for him to enter this world, that we did something tremendously important for the world.


    I was wrong, very wrong.


    If there are two, there may be three.


    Zeron. If you truly exist and are guiding me.


    I entrust my soul and body to you.


    Everything, to destroy every single altar created to summon HIM.


    ...


    My legs carry me up the stairs, while the weight of the sword in my right hand is resting on my shoulder. Slowly my body is regenerating, and even the right arm that was cut during the battle, fully regenerated at some point. I am still not sure how it happened as I didn''t even focus on the regeneration itself, only on the battle, only about the survival.


    The legs continue moving, carrying me further, and I finally see a tiny light far away. The light slowly grows bigger, and in less than a dozen minutes I exit into a huge deepening with a reverse pyramid still hovering over it. Continuing my ascend hundred upon hundred of questions continue the their torrent in my head, all starting with either ''how'' or ''why''.


    How am I alive?


    How was I able to push through millions of Liches, or even more, how was I able to overpower the Guardian? Last time that required the whole brotherhood and hundred of expert mages, which ended up with death of majority of them.


    How am I able to regenerate even after what I went through? How is that even possible? I don''t know how much time has passed, but I think that I haven''t eaten or drank anything in quite a while, which somehow did not stop be from healing whole limbs.


    Why is there a reverse pyramid over the both altars? Is this pointer where the next altar may be? Is there only one altar per continent?


    Why was existence of book hidden? Who currently has it? Was the book the reason that we were ordered to be removed?


    But all the question merge into a single one. The only one which should be answered right now.


    What do I do?


    How do I find more altars? Who do I ask? Where do I search?


    Should I even search? Maybe Zeron will simply guide me.


    That is if he exists.


    If he doesn''t, than this whole thing is a very twisted joke of fate.


    I need to return back to Sun Empire.


    If so, then I already have an existing a method, which is supposed to work Is it still valid? Yes, it should be. The Amazons should be on that tournament in Kingdom in North, and as soon as it ends they should return back.


    Shit. I don''t know how long the tournament will last. I don''t think I missed it, or at least I hope so...


    Hope?


    Hope huh.


    Those that believed in it are all dead.


    Commanding my legs, I start moving in the direction where the caravan stopped, on a cliff about dozen kilometers from here. It takes some time but I finally reach the place, and find it absolutely desolated, with no traces of someone ever being here. But that may simply be because it is currently night, and I just don''t see the traces. The several moons visible in the sky generate enough light to be able to see outline, but not enough to see the details in this darkness.


    I turn in the direction where the caravan was supposed to travel, which is north, and resume the walk into the darkness.


    Sun slowly rises while I continue walking in the north direction, illuminating the endless desert and increasing the temperature around me sharply, but it all feels somehow not important, as there is another, much bigger problem which I am trying not to think of. When will this body stop moving.


    I have not eaten or drank anything for who know how long.


    And since the sun has risen the numbness in by body has been slowly disappearing, leaving behind pain and exhaustion. But I can not stop, because if I do, it may be the last thing I do.


    Suddenly I see white light shifting underneath the sand in front of me and a huge, three meters tall scorpion rises from under of it, hissing at me aggressively, but the moment our eyes meet it falls silent. The next instant my stomach makes a sound I vaguely recognize, something I have heard during the hiding in north a lot.


    Hunger.


    The scorpion turns around and attempts to flee, but I do not give it the opportunity to do so. Leaping at it I cut one limb after another, until only torso and it''s screeching head is left.


    After it is immobilized, I ''open'' the creature and start consuming its internals. I do not even sure if there is a ''taste'', the only things I know is that I am swallowing something, and rarely my jaws chew something hard, breaking it into smaller pieces.


    Some time later I find myself in and empty hard shell of scorpion with sun shining brightly, rising temperature inside of it, and making it smell badly.


    Smell? What? When did that feeling return? When was the last time I could smell anything? It is strange feeling, as if opening eyes and seeing sun high in the sky, after a very long night. You did not see it rise. There was just night and then day.


    A pick up my sword and resume my travel.


    Day and night change several more times, with me encountering few living desert animals, which I promptly consumed. I did not feel hunger or fullness, just knowledge that I need to eat.


    Several more days later I exit out of the sand desert, and enter rocky area with few rare trees around, but this all feels strange as if watching a pictures moving quickly before you, with scenes and time changing very fast. The effect is amplified by the rare white lights waves I keep seeing in the air with my new ''vision''.


    Quite soon I enter a huge plain covered in very short grass and see a lonely traveler on horse far away. We start moving in each others direction, and within few minutes we meet. The moment he came close enough traveler froze together with his horse, as if seeing a ghost. The man in his late forties quickly regained his composure, and asked if I am okay and how I ended up here alone.


    To make it short I explained that I was traveling through the desert and got detached from group, and that I am traveling to Endless empire, and require direction. He said that I am quite far from where area my caravan should have traveled through, but if I want to get to the Endless Empire, I can take a ship from a port not so far and end up in the same place. He pointed is the direction of that port and we said goodbyes, after which he started traveling south, where I came from.


    At first I thought that he may be lying to me, pointing in the direction of a trap. But in the end it does not matter, if it is a trap, I simply have to break through it, and if it not a trap, I will reach a city with civilization.


    I resume the walk in the direction where was pointed with extreme care, awaiting an ambush, but strangely enough, after another day of walking I ended up at a beach, with a huge body of water, which I assume to be an ocean. So they don''t always lie huh, though it is still too early to say until I find the port city. Turning east as the the traveler told me, I continue the walk expecting to see the port within few hours.


    And I do.


    A port town which would be more appropriate to call a fortress, stands alone with no trees around of it for kilometers. When I get close to the gates I am met with several dozen guards thoroughly checking every single person entering. And when I join the queue, I realize that I do not look very appropriate, which explains the strange look the traveler gave me, and the ones people in front of me are giving me.


    Looking down on myself I see bare feet with ripped clothes, a huge sword and absolutely no money. In the best case scenario people would think that I am vagabond with mental issues, in the worst...


    The queue moves quickly, and when it gets to me I tell the same story I told the traveler, about me getting lost. They looked at be for several long seconds in silence, but in the end let me through, promising to put my head on pike if I create problems.


    Walking into the city I find it bursting with life as nearly every port city I have seen.


    Why do some things that you expect to have problems with go incredibly smoothly, while the ones which should be easy end up pain in the ass?


    This strange world.


    Where do I even begin...


    ...


    It took few days to set everything up, with respect to information, money, new clothes and ticket on ship in the direction of Endless Empire. But here I stand, on a ship with everything prepared, waiting for the ship to depart.


    As I found out during the first few hours in the city, this is a ''City of Guards''. What I mean by it that this is at the same time a port city, and military checkpoint and a quickly growing city with infrastructure.


    Because of the limited time I had to gain the gold and information in a non-direct approach, which mean that during the night I just waited for the thugs and thieves to attack me, and simply taught them lesson, a last one in their lives, but still nonetheless a lesson.


    Few guards even tried to abuse their power. But who cares about few missing guards if you can''t find them. Hungry fish eat fast.


    During the past few days I found out several important things. First of all, taking into account the current date, the date when the caravan left Mikraz after the Emergence, time of travel and days it took me to reach this fort city, I have been in HIS dungeon for about three months, plus minus a week.


    I have checked that several times using different methods. When I left Mikraz, it was early summer, and it is already autumn now. Thankfully, as I found out, the Gladiator Tournament, which is co-hosted by Endless Empire and the Amazon Kingdom, started just few days ago, after a whole month of preliminaries, and will last for two more weeks.


    Second. I have changed a ''bit''. After having a person cut my hair shorter, I found out that my hair has turned fully gray with no trace of my original black hair whatsoever. There is also another change, a bit ''different'' one, which happened to my eyes. When I looked into a tiny mirror in the inn I expected to see the usual deep green eyes in the reflection, but what I found were bright silvered ones staring back at me.


    And finally the third, the most significant one right now, which I tried to ignore and mis-attributed. I can see mana. I really believed the feeling to be some kind of ''sight'' created by my body, using combination of feeling vibration in air and amplified hearing, until I met someone, or rather something.


    Looking to my left I meet the eyes of noble, who quickly turns his away in fear. The reason for his reaction is that he behaved improperly, and I had to teach him a lesson. In the beginning I simply wanted to crush his skull, but decided that it would not help me in the travel. Few broken bones, nothing serious enough a city healer could not fix. The reason for his behavior and my conviction that I can see mana, are the two damaged automatons standing or more appropriately lying near him.


    With my new ''sight'' I always saw a light outline around everyone, until I saw something totally different. Two humans, with porcelain white skin and white hair, who had no such aura, but rather some kind of mana chain circulation in their torso. As I later found out they are the ''yantaputraka'' I have heard about, and the ones I was mistaken for. And after seeing them with my very own eyes it is quite easy to understand why. They look just like a normal citizen of Sun Empire, though with slightly lighter skin, and behave within what I constitute as ''normal'', though feeing somehow ''strange''.


    But they are not living beings.


    I found out that when their master thought that I was another magic doll without master which was broken, and which he could claim as his own. He ordered his yantraputrakas to subdue me, to which I reacted appropriately, by breaking his toys and his limbs. When I ripped limbs out of his porcelain skinned guards, in place of blood flowing out of them, black fluid dripped and metal pieces fell. After I calmly explained the reason for the confrontation to the guards, they let me go without any issues. Why they did though I found a bit later, when I overheard people talking in the inn about someone attacking noble from Endless Empire and breaking his battle yantraputrakas with one hand.


    It wasn''t one hand, but it doesn''t matter anymore.


    Is this ''strange feeling'' that people feel when they encounter me?


    I should be careful.


    If I truly can see mana, this opens a lot of possibilities and options. Though how was I able to acquire it? What did I do? Can I improve it?


    It would be very useful if I would be able to see the ''dark'' mana...


    The sailors start screaming and withing minutes sails of the ship open. The next moment anchor is lifted and the ship starts the travel. Slowly the land grows smaller and distant as the ship gathers more and more speed.


    [We have priority.]


    [Forget about Amazons and focus on the goals. We need to return back to the Empire.]


    [After we get to the other side we can start-]


    [Listen to me!]


    The faces of Amazons resurface in my head, and the boiling rage returns back. The one which I had to bury for quite some time.


    "Death comes to all."


    <div>


    ...


    <div>


    ...

 Chapter 28

    "This is the best breastplate armor in the whole town, maybe even the whole region! It rivals the mythril armor that the nobles of the nine Great Families wear. I guarantee its absolute quality." boasts a tall lank man with thin mustaches and voice that I can swear I heard before. His chest is so puffed up that it look almost comical.


    The thick man with huge beard beside him smiles widely, enjoying the praise with his chin held high. I would have called him a usual hardworking blacksmith which you can see in any decent town, but his face is too clean and his hands look as if they have never touched a forge.


    While looking at both of them, I bend the full plate chest armor with my bare hands and the busy merchant house falls silent. Looking at the bent excuse of an armor I sigh deeply. After another deeper breath to calm myself down I put the chest armor on table and start walking out of the ''best'' place to buy armor, ignoring the cry of the owner and chatter of people inside.


    Useless shit wherever you go.


    I gathered some funds during the boat trip by playing local card game with other co-travelers on the ship. Sadly I was able to participate in the game for only a single day, after which everyone refused to join the game if I was playing. The Endless Empire soldiers, who were returning home were especially angry, as I gathered a small fortune from them. Though they did not dare to do anything after learning what I did with the automatons.


    As usual, not everyone was so bright, and during one of the nights I had a visit from few shadow guests. The quite night was broken by screams of pain, which disappeared as quickly as they appeared. Few minutes later a huge crowd gathered around my room entrance, and a pile of broken and bloody bodies near it.


    No one dared to pursue it further. The guards didn¡¯t even question me about what happened.


    It quite simple actually, no one does anything without the approval from the guards themselves. And it is expected, as there are always people who will attempt to acquire things using easier methods, including stealing.


    The ship stopped at the harbor the next day, and everyone went on their own way.


    The very first thing I decided to do with newly acquired funds was to buy a decent sword and set of armor. I fully understand that I will not be able to get a good equipment in a city, which is not the capital, but even ¡®mediocre¡¯ should not at least bend as if it is made out of paper?


    After rethinking it shortly I exit the upper level market area, and walk down to the lower class area and ask for the direction to closest blacksmith. Reaching the shabby looking street I find it very noisy, but not with people, but rather work. A person sharpening knifes is sitting just few meters away from group of people skinning some kind of wild life, and just right across several young boys are running and pilling up bricks orderly one on top of a cart. And the whole street in a busy frenzy ignores each other, trying to do something.


    My eyes find a half-crumbled one story stone building, with a anvil sign on, and body instantly starts walking in the correct direction.


    After a small explanation of why I can¡¯t simply go and buy armor in a shop, and few gold coins the blacksmith went into backroom and returned back with exactly what I wanted, a thick chain-mail set with simple steel plate breastplate. The whole thing does not look very presentable, as it is not polished to near mirror like state as in the shop, but I can tell that this thing is worth it¡¯s money, or at least I think so.


    Thankfully I was able to already find a decent sword with fortification enchantments on it, which was quite a hassle, as the stupid seller kept insisting that his shop has many better sword with much better enchantments, specifically, those that cover the blade in fire and lighting.


    Those type of weapons look pretty but absolutely useless in real fight. Oh look I have a shiny sword, which shines so brightly that, even I, the wielder of it am blinded.


    Though I can¡¯t judge the quality of the enchantment, as I am not an expert in that. But I know that some enchantments last for decades, others just for few weeks. Hopefully it will last more than few hits though. It is quite heavy for local standards, as it was designed for ¡®bigger species¡¯, but for someone from other side of planet like me, the local swords for humans look too flimsy and tiny, calling them rapiers would be a compliment.


    Anyway, the closest ship to the capital is in about a week, and all the ¡®seats¡¯ have already been bought, so I decided to buy a horse and continue the rest of travel on my own. The horse is currently in stable, being fed and prepared for the travel, while I finish the final tasks in this city.


    While walking in the direction of the potion brewer shop I am once again struck by bizarreness of the Astapad city. On one hand you have enormous towers throughout the whole city, with huge white castle in the center of it all, but all of them are in quite poor state, showing just how ancient the whole city really is. They try to hide the damage with simple paint and by filling up the huge holes in walls with new bricks and stones, but fail miserably. Magic reinforced stone is not that easy to make, and it is the main reason that such huge structures can exist in the first place.


    On the other hand you have hundred of automatons walking around the city, ranging in all sizes, shapes and colors. Most of them are humongous multi-limbed creatures is very poor state, which rarely look humanoid and are designed for hard labor, such as carrying heavy things around.


    Though I have seen few rare exceptions, such as when I saw a noble in lavishly dressed clothes, surrounded by guards and closely followed by a dream like beautiful female automatons with surreal figures and faces, in clothes that are more appropriate to call underwear.


    How the hell can they have so many automatons, which are pinnacle of engineering, all around the city, but have such abysmal state of infrastructure.


    This just makes no sense. If you can create automatons you should for sure be able to repair the building, or at least build new ones.


    Continuing the walk I turn right, into a narrower alley, which should shorten the path a bit as I was told, and find a much more different city. Dirty buildings with yellowish moss covering them and people with clothes made out of different colored dirty patches of what could have been cotton quite a long time ago, fully reflect the stark difference between the city¡¯s social structure.


    A high pitched scream takes my attention and my eyes turn in the direction where the sound came from. My eyes stop on a half a dozen laughing guards near a bleeding body of a man on ground, and screaming woman behind it. The woman falls down on her knees and tries to stop the bleeding from a huge wound on the man¡¯s chest as he starts coughing on his own blood. Locals around look away and resume their walk trying not to get involved as they have always done.


    A huge grin spreads across one of the guard¡¯s face as he slaps the woman across her face, sending her few meters away from the man¡¯s body. Walking to her sobbing frame the guard grabs and pulls her by the hair up causing the woman to yelp in pain. The guard starts fiddling with his pants and they drop down a few moments later.


    Some things are the same whenever you go.


    [Are you talking about the behavior of guards or the people around?]


    [There is simply is no reason for them to risk their lives and lives of their loved one for someone they don''t even know.]


    [Or maybe that exactly what they are telling themselves, that this is not their problem and that they should not get involved. Survival of the fittest, right?.]


    [Injustice and corruption happens all around world, and for whatever reason people always believe that it is someones else problem, that someone else will help or fix it.]


    [Why risk, right?]


    [We have our own goals. Why should we waste time on these pitiful humans? One life more, one life less, nothing more. And the only reason that the tiny voice in your head is raising these moral question is that unlike everyone else you have nothing to lose.]


    [Life will not change.]


    [The world will not change.]


    [And so won¡¯t we.]


    My sword swiped across the crowd of guards, and they exploded into messy cloud of flesh, gore, blood and armor pieces. Before anyone could react the sword moved again, and another group of guards followed their fate, with their innards painting the walls of alley dark red.


    A single guard, leaped at me with his sword visibly shining with mana, only to connect with my sword and split in half together with its wielder. Not losing the momentum the sword continues in arc an connects with several more who attempted to fight or run away.


    Within few moments just only two guards are left with their swords pointing at me. One of them, after quick glance at the dead bodies of his comrades decided to flee. Though the attempt was shortly stopped when I took a sword from one of the dead and threw it straight into the back of fleeing guard, who fell down as if a sack of potatoes. Turning to the last one, which is stammering something about mercy with his pants visibly soiled. Ironic that he repeats the same words that have been spoken just a several moments ago my their victim just few meters away from him.


    Do they really not understand that this is exactly what they have been subjecting other to?


    I grab the human failure, which tries to crawl away by the leg and slam his body against the corner of the building which causes the upper half to detach from the lower one, painting the corner same color as the wall are.


    Turning to victims I find the woman frozen in terror with the same eyes I have seen many times, the ones which just saw a monster. The reaction is magnitude higher than the one she was showing less than a minute ago when the man next to her was being killed.


    After a deep sigh I turn around and resume my walk in the direction of potion brewer faster than before.


    [What did you expect, a ¡®thank you¡¯?]


    I need to leave the city now.


    After quickly buying several potions, provision for the travel and getting my horse from the stables I exit the city and start the travel to the west.


    ...


    Looking at the map once again in order to make sure that this is not a mistake or trick of my sick mind, I helplessly sigh as I stand before the only walking path from my current location to the central island.


    The island on which I am currently on, the south-east one, and the south-west one, where the tournament with Amazons will be, are divided by an ocean. The area where they are closest to each other, which is approximately forty kilometers, are connected by a road, which I expected to be a narrow path created by the low tide.


    The path is actually a long stone bridge, which is at least sixty meters in width and twice of that in height.


    They could not fix main buildings in one of their major cities, which means that they simply could not have build something of such scale or grandness. Another relic of ancients more likely.


    How is it possible that there was so much made, so much known, and still every single kingdom lost that knowledge? Everyone at the same time...


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The horse under me neighs and reminds me that I have been standing idle for a bit too long. And the weather isn¡¯t getting much better either. I sigh once again.


    After about a dozen minutes of ridding I arrive at the the colossal structure and find it in extremely bad condition. This explains why I have not seen any carriages going on this path between the islands. The path exists, but I don''t think that a big carriages will be able to pass here, but a single human should be able to.


    The further I walk the more destroyed I find the bridge, whereas in the beginning the road itself was cracked, with potholes throughout it, right now though, around me there are huge chunks of bridge simply missing. And a single misstep may lead me falling down into the wild ocean underneath and the fierce waves that continues to crash against the stone bridge.


    I continue the travel through the half-destroyed bridge, carefully evading the hole for about another hour until I come to a full stop. A deep chuckle escapes me as I look at the ¡®end¡¯ of the bridge. Well technically it is not the end, it just that the rest of the path continues about two dozen meters away from the cliff. Looking down I find few part of the missing area of the bridge laying near the base of columns which act as support of the bridge.


    Is this the reason that there were no carraiges?


    Why didn¡¯t they fucking update the maps then?


    [You didn¡¯t ask anyone. You just assumed that the map was correct, and that you didn¡¯t need help.]


    I can return back to the previous city, hide myself in the city, and take the next ship going west and I could theorectically make it in time for the whole thing...


    The alternative is to try and jump over.


    People think that there is always an option to turn back and return where they started, to try again and again until they succeed. But that is a lie that they are telling themselves.


    In real life there is no second chance.


    Taking everything valuable from the horse I slap it and send it away. While fastening everything on me tighter, I start circulating mana and sending it to the muscles in my legs. There were few cases were I was able to do things beyond what human body is capable of. Now I need to simply jump over a small cliff, just a bit over twenty meters, nothing more.


    Just a simple jump.


    Stretching the muscles in my body I start increasing the blood pressure in my arteriae along with the mana circulation intensity. I start walking away from the edge until I reach a good acceleration distance. Taking deep breaths I make the final preparation for the jump, and when the body is filled with enough energy and air, the stone floor under my feet cracks as start quickly gaining speed.


    Just a fraction of a second later I find myself at the edge and my legs explode sending me into the air. The loud whistling of the winds eclipses the sound of the ocean as I fly through the air for several long seconds. By trajectory of my travel and speed I determine that I will make it, and just few moment later I land on the stone floor with a roll on the other side, only for the whole area to audibly crack and fall apart.


    Of course.


    How could I assume that they things would go the way I expected them to?


    The water is not as cold as it looked from the bridge, but the waves, counter to that, are even more threatening than they looked from above. Fighting the current I grab unto the closest pillar and look around to determine the current status. Thankfully I grabbed onto the correct pillar and the only thing I have to to is climb up.


    Easier said than done.


    After about a minute of climbing I reach the top of the bridge. Cursing under my breath I continue walking near the railing of the bridge trying to keep myself close to the area which stands on the pillars. The walk continues and slowly the clothes on me dry under strong wind.


    About two hour later I come to another issue.


    The bridge simply ends.


    Focusing on my eyesight I look around and find the continuation of the path about a kilometer away.


    Great.


    Looking in both direct I determine that I am approximately in the middle of the road between the two islands, stuck on a piece of rock, with no path forward.


    Sighing deeply I look back.


    [Just go back. Try again. Maybe the city guards are not searching for you.]


    [Maybe you will find a nice ship, filled to brim with good people, they will help you and point you in the correct direction.]


    [What has ever made you think that things will become complicated. We always met only happy faces]


    Tightening the gear on my body once again I look forward.


    Nothing changes.


    I leap into the ocean and start swimming in the direction of the other side of the bridge.


    ...


    This explains a lot.


    Far away I see outline of the Syena city, which sits on top of small hill, just about a two dozen kilometers away from the ocean. The city is connected to another, at least ten times smaller city, which as far as I see acts just as a port. There is a huge road connecting the ''port'' and the city, where a lot of traffic is visible. The port itself is filled to brim with ships, with several times more of that number anchored outside of the port.


    I look back at the city, where the competition should be hosted, and where the Amazons should be. It looks shockingly similar to the Ancient Capital of the Sun Empire, and is approximately the same size. But unlike the Ancient Capital the city is divided into mere three rings of walls, with the outer one around thirty kilometers in radius. Still, even with ¡®mere¡¯ three rings, calling the city enormous would be an slight understatement.


    In the very center of it is massive tower a bit less than two kilometers in radius, whose top is not currently visible, as it hidden behind the thick clouds in the skies.


    On the outer ring of the city are six towers, which are about a tenth of that size, which are connected to the central one with gigantic arcs. Unlike all the other cities I have seen before on this side of the world, this one looks to be in near perfect condition.


    I stop analyzing the city structure and turn my gaze to the huge queue of people trying to enter the mega-city visible even from here. After about a half an hour of walking I join at the end of the queue, only to find that it moves so slowly that it could take days just to get to the gates.


    This will take some time, but I think that it will not an issue at all, as people around are all talking about the event, and that it will take few more days. That means that the Amazons should still be there for at least for that amount.


    The day moves slowly, with the queue moving forward.


    Several colorful carriages have passed by, ignoring the queue all together and the people standing in it. But not everyone is simply waiting, as quite few stall around are selling food, clothes and more for people who are in desperate need of it. It seems as if there is a tiny city based around the queue into the city itself.


    There are quite few guards walking around, mostly in the direction of one of the several brothels formed around the queue. And by the talk it seems the reason there are so many guards here is because the prices here are much lower than in the city, and they can freely move in and out of city without the need to pay the massive toll.


    The queue would be a good way to hide myself and quietly slip into the city, but the issue is that I stand out too much. Even if I cover my head full of gray hair with hood, I am still standing out. The huge sword on my hip and my height are hard to hide. I am standing about a head higher than anyone else around, and nearly everyone around me have made at least few glances in my direction. And I already marked several suspicious ones in the crowd which will more likely act soon.


    And as I expected they acted.


    A simple diversion on one side of the queue and a small pickpocketer from the opposite side, which softly collided with me in the place where the wallet usually is. Standard action, and standard strategy.


    After I caught him red-handed his friends joined in to help him and teach me a lesson. Few mangled bodies and a crushed skull later created a small circle of emptiness around me. Quite soon ''righteous'' guards appeared and started questioning people about what just happened here.


    As if they were not watching the whole thing from afar. I would even go as far as to call those very guards the ringleaders.


    The half a dozen guards surround me in a half-circle and start the theatrical play, with stupid question, answers on which they already know and fake exaggerated emotions. Some of them react passively as if they have seen this many times before, one even has a smirk plastered on his face, as if he just saw something amusing.


    It is always the same damn thing.


    [We should do this quietly. Attention is something that we do not need right now.]


    Of course.


    Simply allow them to do their stuff.


    And I will do mine.


    [Wait no-]


    The next instant I appear before the lead guards and grab his hand which was just about to pull his sword. It took few more moment for the guards around to understand what is happening and grab their swords.


    "Either arrest me or fuck off." my voice comes low and cold.


    His eyes freeze when they meet mine. He attempts to say something but only stutter sound comes out. He audible gulps, and releases the hold of his sword. In the next few moment the whole thing deescalated quite quickly, and before I knew it I was standing alone, with mention that the guards will find and contact me after the investigation is finished.


    There are people like that. Puffed up chickens, which bail as soon as things start moving south, or when they see that their bluff failed.


    Within few hours I was able to enter the city, and the first thing that became shocking is the number of automatons, and their types. Every human looking automaton I have seen in previous city pales in comparison even to the worst ones here. It is as if people have been trying to create the aesthetically perfect bodies, and succeeded in that.


    There is just one problem with these automatons. Their either wear fully transparent nightgowns or pieces of clothes that would not be appropriate to even call underwear as they barely cover anything. I somehow feel that this small pieces of cotton make them look even more naked than if they were naked.


    The non-human looking ones look as if they mix of different wild animals and a huge chrome slime. They all have mirror like shining armor, with you face reflecting in it if you look at them.


    This city is just too strange.


    But I am here not for the city.

 Epilogue

    Hello to everyone to has reached so far. This is a message for you, the one who I assume has wasted hours of their lives reading this story.


    At this point I should start telling a story about my life, about why the chapter is SO late and more, which most of you really don¡¯t care about.


    You are here for the story.


    And the story has been on hiatus for more than it has been in active ongoing state. The last chapter has been rewritten at least 3 times. I attempted several times to fix and revive it, but failed again and again. There is a tiny chance that much later I will try again, though I do not have high hopes for that.


    But I feel it is wrong to just leave it as it is, without telling you how it ends. Some of you may have invested so much personal time into it, so much of yourself, that not telling you what happened next and how it ends would be wrong.


    I have experienced that, and do not want to subject others to it.


    So here are the spoilers, read them only if you really want to.


    Volume 2 : Birth of Calamity


    Spoiler: Volume 2<input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">


    <div>


    Alan reaches the coliseum and finds Lekana and the hero group against another group in tournament.


    They win. He hides within the city


    The next few days he looks for information about Amazons (they are cannibals which eat their own children and brought in men to gain their power). Few fight here and there, destroys a small army of automatons, and he ends up killing of one of the clan heads. Open hunt for him.


    Lekana and hero group wins tournament. But in place of rewards they are outed out as spies and foreign enemies. They are surrounded and are going to be killed.


    Alan interferes. Fight against Amazons and their princesses and other groups. Half of his body is ripped apart by magic spells, he restores it within seconds.


    A portal rips open in sky and a small group from future appears. They came back to kill the ¡®Great Calamity¡¯ before its birth, at the location it was seen and weak. They have a magical device to find it my signature but can¡¯t find it. It is Alan. More fight.


    Several small angels appear and much bigger fight starts. Demons, Avatars and Clan heads join. City is half destroyed.


    A spell hits Lekana, and dies in Alans arms.


    Legate Ghalor appears, and tells that he destroyed the Amazon island, demands submission or death. Everyone refuses. He casts a mana nuke. The whole city is wiped.


    Alan wakes up on a small boat. An amazon tells him that she wants him to take revenge on Amazon queen. She has a choker on her neck which is proof that queen is alive. She says that she knows that Alan can kill the queen. The choker shines and she dies, whispering for Alan to take revenge upon everyone who killed her son, which she loved and hid, trying to protect from amazons, but was found out.


    Marcus(the other character) wakes up after angel mana nuke and find half of his group dead. He becomes leader. Travels to Empire.


    End of volume 2


    Volume 3: People choose the fate.


    Spoiler: Volume 3<input class="spoilerButton" type="button" value="Show">


    <div>


    Alan understands that he can¡¯t stand against magic alone.


    Goes to dwarves and creates sword and armor out of non-magic conducting material(no one cares about that metal)


    Travels. Meets people. Kills few avatars.


    Changes body too much (3 hearts, bones and nails made metal, more grotesque stuff). No longer can be called human. Slowly becoming unhinged. No longer values lives.


    Two huge armies fight against each other. They use the flying fortress design that he made in academy. He knows their weaknesses and destroys them easily. He meets his old professors and kills them. The two armies together try to kill him. Huge dragon appears. Killing nearly everyone. Alan barely kills the dragon.


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Understands that there is a limit to flesh.


    Travels to dead continent, to find mana eating creatures (which look like Spawn cloak, only with teeth, they live in a small shells in earth). Finds them, but they are not reacting to him. He has no mana. Alan makes decision and injects them into his body, making himself a host of the parasites.


    He travels to empire. Slowly transforming. Parasites grow and start helping.


    Find out that Seakers (people from dead continent) are alive and teaching everyone how to summon people and creatures from other world. Empire knew how but kept it secret. They want to destabilize the world. Alan starts hunting them too.


    Half of the world starts hunt on ¡®Immortal mana eating Calamity¡¯.


    ¡®Light Bringer¡¯ is born in Elf kingdom he quickly conquers one country after another.


    Empire starts summoning about hundred heroes every single day.


    Everyone is in state of war. More avatars are born every day, they are instantly bound by avatar hunters (Marcus and his team). They also learn that empire was founded by first summoned. All human on planet essentially their relatives.


    End battle: All the summoned (more than twenty thousand in total), and all other races join together to fight against ¡®Light Bringer¡¯ and his kingdom of mana creatures. They also have several mega flying fortresses and enourmous automatons (Meka).


    The enemies have uncountable number of demons, angels, avatars, dragons and many more.


    Huge fight. Wall on wall.


    At some point in fight all the magical creature stop and turn in a single direction. Alan. Three magical nukes are thrown on him. He survives.


    All the mana creatures abandon the fight and rush to kill Alan as if possessed. The mana eating creatures (which live inside of Alan) eat armies and dragons.


    Anti-mana nukes is thrown. A twenty kilometers in radius glass crater, removing all mana in the area. Alan survives. The mana eating creatures hides inside of him. No one can fight as no mana, except dragons and Alan. He slowly rips them apart.


    Fight against the ¡°Light Bringer¡± and all magical creatures left. Alan wins and consumes them all leaving only the armies of all races.


    Alan disappears.


    Soon cities start being consumed one after another. Alan is more of a husk of his former self. Instincts and hunger of mana eating creatures is the only thing he feels.


    After few months people notice that only the cities which practice magic are the ones targeted. All magic is banned worldwide. Any person seen or found using mana is instantly killed.


    Kingdom of summoned is founded. They abandon magic and use only science and technology from their previous world, trying to recreate everything.


    During the next few decades few cities attempted to revive usage of magic, but every single time they met their end by ¡®Mana eating Calamity¡¯.


    And so life continues, in world full of magic, but in fear of the one creature that can¡¯t use it.


    Some info:


    Alan can freely change his body because he does not have mana affinities. There is no one from ¡®other¡¯ side who can interfere with his body or soul.


    Zeron knew that ¡®Light Bringer¡¯ would be born and told other gods to gather together to prepare. No one listened. They all fought their own little wars for small power.


    Zeron sacrificed everything he had and changed the fate to create a single creature that could oppose it.


    I wanted to create a story about a very rational person, with who we all could identify, who we all can understand, and with who we all mostly agree with, who if full of doubts and questions, who slowly loses what made him human. Slowly changing him into something different.


    I wanted to create the best villain that I could. Not some crappy bullshit from third rate movies. Something that any fantasy world could fear. A creature that started from mere human and became absolute monster, both in mind and body.


    That didn¡¯t work as well as I wanted...


    Anyway. Thanks again for reading the story.


    I hope that at some point I will return back with either a better story, or something which I can show proudly.


    Good luck and I wish you the best.


    Vagen.

 Edited chapters

    Hey everyone.


    Sorry for the notification, but this is not a new chapter...


    I have been away for more than a month and could not reply to any comments or emails, and this week has been quite heavy with work...


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Anyway, what is important is that I have great news! Cereal On Toast</a> has been working very hard editing chapters for more than a month, and quite few of them have piled up.


    I will be posting them here too, but it would be nice if you could visit his blog too.


    Great thanks to Cereal On Toast</a> once again.


    Blog:


    https://binarytocommon.blogspot.com/


    Story page:


    https://binarytocommon.blogspot.com/p/another-day.html

 Chapter 1 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    This fucking winter will never end. My muscles were trembling to produce as much friction as they can to heat up my body. But it''s not helping, not FUCKING MUCH.


    If my mana wasn''t circulating to increase my body''s metabolism I would''ve been dead a long time ago. I breathe out a long sigh and return to focusing on circulating my mana. Even that sigh produced quite a bit of hot air. More wasted energy. Great.


    Dogshit. Mana can''t do shit when you don''t have the calories. Oh yeah, pray to god, say some fancy words, and use your mana to create a small fire or ball of water, maybe even heal yourself with the right affinity. How the FUCK does this even work? How the FUCK can you transform the internal into something physical?


    As I breathe out through my teeth, I turn around to look where my partner should''ve been, if I had one. The first one transferred, the second died in a battle with trolls two years ago, third one got blackout drunk and froze in the snow when he decided to take a nap in the snow. Oh you need a new partner? Well we''re sorry but we don''t have the men nor the funds for that. Oh you need a new sword to fight? Sorry, you''ve broke three in the last six months.


    Fucking cunts. May their dick fall off.


    How do you expect me to survive against all the shit around here with a sword made of pig iron, not even worth twenty copper coins.


    [You''re not supposed to. That''s the point.]


    Turning back to look at the horizon I hope to see that damn group appear. But alas, I see the same view of the endless snow mountains from the top of the "tower". Who the FUCK designed this tower. It''s a goddamn wooden ladder leading to the top of a tall "rectangular" stone. A FUCKING WOODEN LADDER. So you can drag a huge fucking ROCK of several dozen TONS, but building a decent tower is out of the fucking question? Not even a set of fucking stairs. And if I wasn''t on top of this piece of shit, I wouldn''t be able to see the mountains.


    Its been two weeks already, and nothing. If this keeps up I will literally start drawing random stuff with frozen shit. I definitely have enough laying around.


    Those fucking scouts. Yeah, yeah a "few days max". Suffocation is one of the many causes of death that will be written on their grave markers. I could be at base warming myself near a fire.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    [But then you would have to spend weeks hunting them in the valley if they pass this choke point.]


    I breathe out again, shit, I should stop breathing out so much warmth. I started to wonder again where I made a wrong turn, where it all went wrong. There were too many places.


    [But given the chance would you do something differently?]


    No.


    As I continue to circulate my mana I see subtle movement in the distance. Is my mind playing tricks on me? No... They''re coming, slowly, but they''re coming. You couldn''t mistake those shits with anything else. A grin appeared on my face that I had trouble concealing.


    I quickly climbed down the ladder. As soon as I was down, I stood behind this insult to engineering, and started to stretch and increase the speed of the blood circulating my body, spending the last of my fat to prepare for the fight. Muscle cramps during a battle is a death sentence.


    After a few minutes I hear them moving through the snow. I take out my half-rusted sword from my sheath that not even a beggar would steal. Barely even worth the pity of goblins. I walk out slowly so they can see me. They all stop and look at me. Damn, three trolls, nine wolves, and eight....goblins? Some on wolves, some on foot. Fuck, even the scouts info was wrong, "A few wolves and a troll" my ass.


    [There is no difference. Do or die, as it always has been.]


    Yeah, it doesn''t matter. I provoke them with a rude hand gesture, that even monsters can understand. I need to conserve as much energy as I can, so I stand still and wait for them. And it looks like it had quite an effect. The wolves are the fastest, as they close in they start to circle around me.


    Great....


    The sound of the wind, wolves growling, goblins screeching in their shitty language, and the trolls running in my direction is the only sound that I can hear. After a few seconds of the stalemate the wolves charge at the same time.


    Do or die.


    Nothing new, nothing old.


    Another day shall come.

 Chapter 2 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    I try to slow down my breathing as much as I can. Too much energy spent. Too much.


    Breathe. Conserve. Heal.


    Haa... Like that could be called a heal, a bit of improvement over a normal human''s healing. As a bit of strength returns to my limbs I look around. A few goblins screaming and crawling away from me. A blind troll running around. Shit, forgot about this one. I start to slowly walk towards them. Scanning the ground I find what''s left of my sword, in the same location I left it. I wobble over to a pair of dead trolls and pulled what was left of my sword, the lower half of it, out of its eye. Ahh shit, an eye came out with it, I don''t want to touch it, so I clean it off on a nearby wolf corpse.


    Slowly I go around and finish anything still breathing or moving. One thing I''ve learned through experience is that when a limb is lost, no matter who loses it, they typically lose fifty-to-eighty percent of their offensive capabilities. With trolls though, it''s a bit harder. Fucking tough ass hide of theirs. Three meters tall, four-hundred kilos of muscle, thick hide, and dumber than a fucking rock.


    After finishing everyone around the blind troll is the only one left. The blind troll is about fifteen meters away and searching for me. Taking a deep breath of fresh air I stop. Damn, I smell like hell.


    Looking around I find a severed leg of a goblin. I grab the leg and throw it a few meters from me. The troll snaps towards the sound and jumps to where the sound came from. It''s back was towards me. So I proceed to do the most logical thing, which is exploring how deep a trolls asshole is. A shame I have such a short tool. I quickly jump back and roll out of its way. Come on, die faster, you should have died a long time ago from blood loss.


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    His voice changed a "tiny" bit after my action. As he searches for me, it hits me, it''s not a he but a she...well "it" would be fine too. Seems she''s not into anal. What a pity. I should end this quickly. She''s coming closer. Taking a limb laying around and throw it directly at the troll. She instinctively catches the limb with both her hands and jaws. But it''s too late, I''m already under her. As I stab my uncircumcised sword into her neck, she tries to catch me but I''m already out of her reach. She makes a few gurgling noises vaguely resembling coughs and falls into the the snow.


    Finally. I don''t have much energy left. In this state I won''t even reach the base. I need food, whatever is left of my ration is already useless. I need meat. Lucky for me I have a veritable buffet to select from. Goblin, skinny little things barely any meat on their bones. Wolves, Plenty of meat, but it''ll take some work. And lastly troll, meat so tough it might as well be rock.


    I sigh, as I look for the goblin leg that I threw before, a small snack to give me enough energy to carve up some decent meat from the wolves.


    Life goes on huh.

 Chapter 3 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    Walking back to base took quite a bit of time. It being the start of blizzard season didn''t help matters any either. But the fact that my stomach is full of meat gives me a bit of hope. Not enough to smile, but enough to keep me moving towards my goal. Sigh, if only the damn snow wasn''t so deep.


    ...


    Hiding in a cave for the night saved me from the blizzard, and from freezing to death. The previous resident of this cave wasn''t too happy with my moving in, so we came to an agreement pretty fast. An extra bit of meat never hurt anyone though, and it gives me an opportunity to study the anatomy of a snow bear. I just hoped that I wouldn''t get any gut worm from the amount of raw meat I was eating. At the beginning I refused to eat raw meat. "Nope, nope. N-E-V-E-R. It''s FUCKING RAW." But hunger has an interesting effect on a person''s will. It can change a person from a rabbit, to a wolf.


    I reached the base the next evening. If it could even be called a base, it was a small hut surrounded by an endless sea of mountains. There wasn''t even a tree to be seen for miles, shame maybe they could give a bit of shelter from the winds. I open the door and sigh in relief, as I throw a few logs into the fireplace. While the snow melts I take of what''s left of my clothes, and do a quick scan of my body. It was filled with small cuts and injuries I had received during the "mission". Nothing critical, but still better to clean them all out, small injuries can be fatal if left to their own devices. Don''t have any antiseptic though, so snow will have to do.


    It takes some time but eventually the snow melts. I look around the shack for a clean cloth, and by the time I return the water is warm enough. I start to wipe my body down, now that I think of it, it''s been a long time since I''ve had an actual bath. After I get to a state where I don''t smell like fermented goblin balls, I go to bed. At least what I call a bed, in actuality it was a few furs spread on the ground, ahh how far my standards have fallen.


    ...


    The next morning I wake to a sun under which millions of lowlifes, scum, and bastards live. I dress in whatever I could find laying around that doesn''t smell like zombie vomit, and I start moving down the trail towards the outpost with a very simple goal, report the results to the "mayor". Oh, how I wish my ass had as much hair as the number of living beings in a twenty kilometer radius around the post. Maybe wiping my ass would be easier. Can''t say I was ever the life of the party, but having someone to talk with once a week would be great. Years of loneliness can get under your skin even for a total loner like me.


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    The "trail", if I could call it that, was nothing more than a thin road covered by snow. There was barely anything to hold on to, so one wrong step and down you go. Well, at least the leftover wolf meat would assure that I wouldn''t die from hunger on the way to the outpost.


    ...


    Damn, it''s already noon and I haven''t even covered a third of the path. Fucking snow. It''s taking more time than it should. Surveying the slope I was on, I found a path that would be much faster than my current one. It''s just three weeks, no need to take any risks.


    [But will you survive the night?]


    The blizzard will end in a week, but by then I''ll already be a snowman. I sigh again, it seems there is no other choice, or at least nothing else is coming to mind. Bracing myself for what awaits me, I jump off the cliff. Immediately I start to circulating my mana to stop the nausea, but this sure as fuck isn''t rolling, I''m a goddamn basketball. The slope looked so smooth.. There''s at least two meters of snow on top of the mountains, so why the HELL does it feel like I''m a fucking ping-pong ball in a game between two titans. Fuck.


    After a few minutes I finally start to slow down, getting up took a few tries but eventually I was upright. The desire to empty my stomach was held off by pure willpower, that food is MINE! And I will not waste energy to digest my food just because of an urge to make a Picasso painting on the snow. Looking around I''m quite pleased that less than a quarter of the path is left. One leg after another, one way or another, my ass must be there before dawn.


    ...


    Following the light from the outpost. which I could only see due to the fact that the blizzard is just starting. Thirty minutes more and I''m not sure what my fate would''ve been. A "couple" of starved wolves halted my travel for quite a bit, fucking scouts. It almost seems like they go out of their way to fuck up and get incorrect information. Wolves a few kilometers from the outpost, un-fucking-believable. Open gates greet me total silence, I really should''ve been used to the reliability of the people around here, open gates and non-existent guards.


    The outline of the houses are barely visible, and dark clouds block the light even from the biggest of the four moons that hung low in the sky. Anyone would''ve though that the outpost was empty, but there were people inside, most sleeping, but a few were having..."fun". The main hall light guides me through the dark streets, the door opens with a small creak.


    Alive,... for now at least.

 Chapter 4 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    I can hear people laughing. Unconsciously I start to sigh, I cut off the sigh midway with pure willpower. I''ve been sighing a lot these days. They''re not my problem, one way or another neither the Empire nor the Northern Kingdom can hold on much longer, but at least I won''t be there when shit hits the fan.


    I enter the biggest room in the old wooden building, which interior is unusually bright. There are at least sixty people singing, playing card games, and getting drunk. So no resources for a new sword, but there''s plenty to go around for booze and candles. Who''s surprised? Scanning the room I find the "mayor" and walk over to him. As I get closer he notices me, turns to look at me, and gives me a smirk. "Three trolls, nearly a dozen ice wolves, and eight goblins. And add another dozen wolves two kilometers from here. Where are the scouts? I would kindly ask you to castrate them right here, right now."


    The room fills with roars of laughter. Some of them are rolling on the floor, some slamming the tables in their laughing fits. Cleaning a tear from under his eye the "mayor" starts to speak "I wouda belivd a halfa dozen ica wols, but gablins an tralls? Ahahahaha. Who da fak sold ya firegrass? I need som mahselv! Smokad ol ma shit a wek ago." I barely keep the disgust off my face. I take a sack from my belt and throw it on the table. It spills half its contents onto the table, troll eyeballs and goblin ears lay around the table. "I don''t give a fuck, it''s not my problem anymore. I''m going to rest for a few days, and then I''m going to travel to Emeral. Good night."


    Half the room goes back to their drinking and gambling. The "mayor" squints at the eyeballs and ears, while I turn around and find my way to the barracks. Reaching a "practically" empty room filled with straw beds, a small smile finds its way onto my face. Finally, a bed, after weeks in the mountains even this half-rotten excuse of a bed looks comfortable.


    ...


    I don''t remember falling asleep. Waking to the local alarm call, aka the rooster mating call, fills me with a sudden desire to see how far I can put my arm into the rooster''s asshole. All of the sudden a new, strange sounding noise, that a yak typically makes, totally kills any possibility of going back to bed. Getting up I look around and find half of the beds empty, most of the local shits probably fell asleep on the tables or the floor of the tavern. Straightening my clothes and checking equipment, I go outside to breathe a bit of fresh air. There was no need to hide anything of value, as I don''t have anything worth stealing, I''m closer to a beggar than anyone else in this outpost. So why hide it in the first place?


    Well everyone here isn''t a soldier or hunter, there are plenty of "ex"-bandits. Whoever was in power didn''t care enough to send people to manage this region, so they make the biggest local bandit the "mayor". The "mayor" collects taxes, and receives a budget, as whoever is in charge decided that it would be cheaper than any other option. Well it''s not like fugitives becoming "official" is anything new, at least for those people who actually know the true history of the world.


    I start to plan my next moves. It''ll take two weeks to get to Emeral, the sixth largest city of the Northern Kingdom. I''m going to need to collect the debts owed to me, or at least as many as I can. I''m also going to need a decent sword, new clothes, and a map, the tricky part is getting everything on the last day. That piece of shit "mayor" can take anything he wants and no one can say a word against it. Quite a few have tried, they went missing or ended up dead, the hierarchy out here is very simple, the strong use fear to suppress the weak one, and it has to be constantly enforced.


    The "mayor" has been looking to get at me for quite some time now. Is it his pride? Personal hate against me? I don''t know, at least I don''t remember taking anything of his, or creating trouble. But in most cases you don''t need to cause problems, you just need to have something they want, or dislike the way you look.


    I go to the butcher, and tell him about the wolves laying not to far from here. He knows me well, kind of a friend, I guess. Incidentally I provide him with more than forty-percent of his goods. Taking his horse with sledges, I travel to the location where the encounter with wolves occurred. During this season there is barely any light, so finding the wolves took some time. Their bodies lay under twenty centimeters of snow, if I didn''t remember the location of the fight, their bodies would lay there till the snow melts. I pile the bodies of the sledge and travel back. Bringing the bodies of the wolves to finish the transaction, as agreed to beforehand, he takes the meat for a silver coin, and a friend of his would make some armour from the hides for me. The pelts would be taken as payment from the armour. I agreed.


    Now, what''s left? Sword, debts, and a map. The map part can be postponed till Emeral, and the sword and debt can be combined. I start walking around the outpost, looking for the little shits that owe me money, I know I can''t get them all, and even the one I can will just beg and ask me to spare them because they''re broke. Fucking cock suckers, they have money for booze but never anything else. But maybe I will be able to get a sword in place of money.


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    ...


    The next several days were spent searching for hiding idiots and prepping for everything for my departure, I didn''t see the mayor much during that time, and he didn''t search anything either. But goddamn, nights are fucking cold, and every day another idiot was found frozen to death because he got drunk and fell asleep outside.


    ...


    Day of departure, I''m dressed in the filthy rags I came to the outpost in, and the broken sword still in my sheath, I sigh as I prepare for what is coming while I walk to the gates. The "mayor" and a dozen of his underlings are standing there waiting for me.


    "So warrer, wha leavin sa erly? Ya contract still workin."


    "It''ll expire a few days before I get to Emeral."


    "But see, ya still working for me."


    "I never worked for you, I was assigned to this region. I have to be at the legion stronghold the moment the contract expires."


    "A pity, ya wer in tha right place, togetha wit us. But ya never sho da respect ta me."


    Piece of shit, I could bury you all alive right now if I had normal sword on me. I hold myself together as best I can.


    "See, ya glarin at me like ama bad guy. I even gave ya a sword. Nice one too."


    A grin appears on his face.


    "Sho it ta me."


    All of his underlings have their hands on their swords, and I can feel several arches in hiding, just


    waiting for the signal. Slowly taking out what''s left of the sword and show it to him.


    "Ah mah god, look wha ya did ta it. I even gave ya the best one arund, a expansive one. But Imma good guy, I can''t send ya off like dat. Ya kno what Imma do? I can get ya a new one, but, itsa expansive."


    He stares into my eyes and breaks into another grin. Fucking retard it''s "expensive" not


    "expansive". He wants to get more money out of me for the fucking sword? Fucking racketeer.


    "I kno ya collectn coin. Give everathin ta me, would be a pity if ya lost som on da way bak."


    I can hear my teeth grinding against each other, but at the same time I can hear several bows being drawn. I slowly reach for my purse and stretch it out to him. One of the goons takes it and goes back to the grouo. The mayor grins.


    "Been good knoing ya. Off ya go then. Hope we be seein ya again."


    "Sword?"


    "What sword? Ya got one alredy don''t ya? We just came ta say goodby. Right guys?"


    The goons start to nod and smirk at me. The mayor starts to laugh as he heads to the main hall. I hear the arches release their drawn bows. I walk out of the gates slowly in the direction of the south. Killing them even with the stump of a sword would be easy. But those archers have enchanted arrows, they cut through flesh like a hot knife through butter. I still don''t understand how that magic shit works, I can use mana to strengthen my body''s bones, and muscles. Using mana like this requires some basic understanding of chemistry and biology, but those arrows have the power of a catapult, where in the fuck does all that kinetic energy come from? Hear the "whisper of the wind" and the "roar of the fire", bullshit, how in the name of holy cock does that work? In the academy they told me that you can feel it with your core, but that''s worth about a shit stain on the seat of the outhouse to someone who has no affinity like me. So I spent my time reading about engineering and physics, in the end it was useful, but still.


    After getting to the point where the watch tower can''t see me, I turn in the direction where the arranged sword and armour should be. It takes me roughly an hour to reach the designated place. As I circle around the "boulder" I find items missing and in its place, was shit, no goddamn package. They knew, they fucking knew. The butcher, or his friend, or maybe everyone knew. So my friendship was worth that much, I saved their lives several times, helped them, and defended them, and it still wasn''t worth a penny in the ass.


    [They will always be like that. Nothing will ever change.]


    Dark thoughts passed through my mind. You know what,...fuck it. I wait for night to fall, and the blizzard which will provide me cover, and I start back.


    ...


    The next morning greeted the denizens of the outpost in a way that no one expected. The heads of the outposts "management" were laying before the main hall. Those that entered the hall would tell horror stories of what they had seen. The endless amount of disfigured body parts, and the blood that stained every single room in red which would never really wash out. Ever since then the outpost was known as the [Red Hall Outpost].


    ...


    Far ahead of me the skies are clearing, bringing a grin to my face. Looking down on the noisy yak, I try to calculate how long the animal will last. I don''t have any food for it, so the moment it collapses I will have a bit of extra meat. It''s fate was sealed the morning it woke me up. His colleague, the rooster, already waiting for him in my stomach.


    A decent sword on my hip, purse full of silver, and armour made of wolf pelts. Looks like what comes around goes around. This should be enough to get the South Dungeon. But Legion first.


    A new day shall come, and it looks like it will be a bit warmer than the last.

 Chapter 5 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    Why? Why do I have to be so lucky? There are billions of people, but nooo Lady Luck became my stalker. The fuck does she find appealing in me? Go rape some random lord or an idiot in a palace, I''m sure they would be more than happy about that arrangement. God damn it. I run and jump through the wall of fire while hiding my face with my left, and the moment I land I don''t even look around, I just hope my memory is correct and swing my sword at ten o''clock. I felt my sword graze some fleshy bit, I don''t stop to look at the result and roll to the right instantly. Half a second after which a spike of earth impales the air where I just was. I finally took in the current situation.


    How in the hell did a bandit group get their hands on a fucking mage? Or better yet, what in the name of my hairy balls is this imbecile mage doing here? Well, it doesn''t really matter anymore, as he''s a bit busy choking on his own blood. Can''t even close a small cut on his neck? Pathetic. As I''m preparing to finish him, my instincts scream at me to get out of the way, and I roll forward. Several bolts hit the ground behind me, poisoned most likely. Fuck, I gotta hurry, even if they''re retarded they still have a numbers advantage. I quickly chop the mages head off, even half-dead he was more dangerous than anyone else here. Next are the ranged fighters.


    "He killed Atir!"


    "Catch him!"


    "Shoot him you dumb fucks."


    A lesson to every close-combat fighter, GOOD FUCKING CARDIO, if they can''t catch you, they can''t kill you. Running towards the two archers dumb enough to stand next to each other, I prepare for their next shot. The moment they aim at me I bring up my shield, and block the bolt that should''ve hit me in the chest, and the other bolt missed me entirely. Oh come on, at least fire seperately to keep me on guard. I reach them before they can prepare another shot, they stood about two meters apart, the one on the left is almost ready to fire again, apparently more experienced than the one on the right. To prevent him firing I tackle him with the shield held high. I quickly take my sword and plunge it through his lung. Shit, not enough time, the meatballs are catching up. The second archer throws his crossbow away and runs into the forest. Sorry, I can''t let that happen. Shit, he''s faster than me, I can''t catch him like this. So I do the dumbest thing that comes to mind, I throw my sword at his legs, and by some miracle it cuts into his calves. Not quite sure how much damage it did but it did create a spectacular fall. Oh, am I switching places with Lady Luck on who''s turn is it to fuck the other over? I run after him, grabbing my sword from his friends body, and plunge it into his back. I don''t really register the screams and curses from their friends.


    "Donny! Noo!"


    "Oh sorry, was he your butt buddy? Pity, his dick won''t stand again. But you could suck it while it''s still warm. Last taste of him, you know.."


    Ok, one by one, you little shits. I continue running around, and dividing them, oh, nice the one in front doesn''t realize that he''s separated from his group. Turning around I block his attack with my shield, his eyes flash with fear as he realizes his mistake. I stab my sword into his Adam''s apple. What? Didn''t expect me to retaliate? Ok, three bean cans left. I repeat the same strategy for the next two idiots, but the third runs away when he realizes that he''s the last left alive. Shit, maybe I could hit him with a crossbow, damn he''s too far away.


    Sigh. Why am I a living magnet for situations like this? I collect anything of value from the dead bandits. A few extra coins are never really extra.


    A mage, two archers, and several sword-smashing idiots can scare quite a few people into submission. Not sure if they had too many actual battles, likely they didn''t and that''s why I''m still alive. Putting a mage into the vanguard, they definitely had something wrong with their brains.


    ...


    I continue on the path towards Emeral, the appearance of trees tells me that I''m going in the right direction. Still, mages becoming bandits...I need to hurry. After several days and eating nearly all of my yak snak, I reach my destination.


    The harsh environment stops any village from appearing north of the city. Even the city itself only exists because during the summer the river Anolat melts, and trade starts, making Emeral a large trading and control center. Which additionally is quite remote from other cities, which allows whoever has power to do basically whatever they want to whoever travels through. Corruption, greed, and time are powerful forces, and they all gather around like flies buzzing around shit. The city stands on the river, a stone wall five meters tall surrounds the city, less of a city more of a fortified castle really. The gates are open, but there are at least five armoured guards on the ground and two archers on the wall.


    "Halt! Who goes there?"


    "Legionary B117"


    I''m still in the legion, so everything has to stay official. The guards eyes become round as they tense up.


    "What''s a legionary doing so far north?"


    "Same as always, protecting the lives of ungrateful little shit. Are you gonna hold me here all day? I have a lot to do."


    The leader looks at his comrades then back at me with visible worry on his face.


    "Can you prove your status sir?"


    I take my upper clothing off exposing the mark. The moment their eyes fall on the mark on my chest they shrink and look away in fear.


    "Is this enough?"


    "Y-yes. I''m terribly sorry, we didn''t expect you."


    "Why? Has something happened?"


    "Um, my apologies sir, b-but I wasn''t informed, about your umm.. arrival."


    He''s hiding something. I can feel it. But nothing will come from squeezing him.


    "Not a problem."


    "Thank you sir."


    They step aside as I put my clothes and armour back on. I didn''t take the bandits armour as it was heavy, and slowed me down. Walking into the city I go over my plan again. During spring, summer, and autumn, the city is alive and bustling, but now it looks as if its been abandoned for decades. Only a few people are outside and even the inns aren''t as bright as they usually are. Sigh. If I remember correctly the Legion Hall is in the east part of the city. Walking there takes about twenty minutes. When I arrive there I curse every god I can think of, the building is still standing, but the doors and windows are closed with wooden planks, and seems to have been abandoned for quite some time. What the actual fuck. Never in all my days have I seen anything like this, a closed hall, this is unacceptable in any form. If the Legat heard about this... No, not my problem. Just report in and that should be the end of it.


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    I return to the center of the city and walk directly to the nearest inn. So that''s why they were acting like that. Shit, I need more information. I open the door to the inn with a slight squeak, and close it behind myself. It''s not full, but not empty either. Good. I go to the counter and place ten coppers on it, not too much not too little. I look at the granny behind the counter who greeted me politely.


    "Good afternoon. I''ll take a meal, no alcohol."


    She smiled at me warmly and turned to give orders to the cook and waitress. I take a seat near the wall. It had been quite some time since I had a hot meal. The food comes quickly it''s bean soup with potatoes and meat, bread, and ginger ale. I eat in silence, and listen to the conversations around the inn trying to glean information from them. All they speak about is bullshit, tits, ass, their adventures, and how they killed a bear bare handed. I wait till evening when most of the drunks leave. Then I meander over the counter, take a seat, and place a silver coin on the bar. Grandma looks at the coin then at me for a few seconds in silence.


    "Girls aren''t for sale. We''re not a brothel."


    I look at her in disgust. The waitresses are children who looked to be barely twelve.


    "Single room for one night. Alone"


    She looks at me with suspicion.


    "That''s too much for a single room."


    "Some info would be greatly appreciated."


    "What do you want to know?"


    "All I want to know is what happened to the Legion hall in the four years I was gone."


    ...


    Long story short, they know jack-shit. For some unknown reason the Legion hall shuttered its doors, and no one saw anything else, not even anyone leaving. The actual FUCK, that''s it? There''s also a street rumor of a war brewing. No shit, that was bound to happen, so what the fuck do I do now?


    A yelp interrupts my thoughts, and I turn around and see a scene I''ve seen hundreds of time, with a few slight variations. Drunk idiot(s) with weapons plus girl, typically a waitress in a pub or inn. But this time it''s a child., this is too much. One of them holds the child by the hips and starts to grope her. Granny is already near them trying to stop them, but it''s useless, and she knows it. Does she have a weapon? No. Or does she know that..I sigh, even grannies are trying to use me. How I fucking hate all of them. Pathetic vermin whose only purpose in life is to use others to slightly improve their lives.


    I stand up and walk to the group. I check their equipment, city guards, what a surprise. Five warriors, three scouts, one barely an adult. Their whole look produces a single vibe. Rotten. Those who were bound to protect somehow always ended up as their oppressors. They barely spare me a glance, as they continue to drink and laugh.


    "Release the child."


    "Ha? Get lost." The older one says as he continues to grope the child, and laugh without even sparing me a glance.


    "I said, release the child." I repeat myself.


    Two of them stood up while the original one continues to grope the child.


    "You don''t belong here stranger, you best mind your own business." says the one on the left.


    "You''ll get into something you can''t handle, if you keep pushing." says the one on the right with a sneer, as he gestures to his weapon.


    Fucking trash.


    "Unsheathe your weapon, and you''ll die." I state while putting my hand on my own sword, giving them a death glare.


    The whole room goes silent as even the older one stands up and looks at me while he releases the child. The one on the right tries to take out his sword as fast as he can, but it still doesn''t make any difference. Half-way through his neck splits open, the one on the left was too slow to see his friend take action, and the moment I moved he tried to draw his sword as well. He got a bit farther than his friend, but not far enough. I stabbed him in the gut before he could defend. They fall to the floor with a thud.


    "Dad! No!" the child of the scout screams, he draws his dagger and stares at me in horror. The girl and grandma shriek, and run behind the counter.


    They jump at me together, as I evade the vertical chop from the groper, I perform my own on him. His skull is smashed, it looks like a tomato with its contents flying in all directions. The next ones were dispatched in a similar way with a counter attack. Even though I didn''t have my shield, I still have my gauntlet on my left hand which is more effective in this constricted terrain.


    The floor was coloured red, and the only ones left standing were me and the scouts child. After a few seconds of hesitation, he runs at me while screaming at the top of his lungs holding his dagger with both hands. His face meets my straight left and falls like a sack of potatoes. As I look down at his immobile body, I considered leaving him alive. But he''s a loose end, he will turn into a problem, one way or another. I can''t leave a loose end. But he''s innocent, everything was a result of his father and his friends actions. He''s too young to understand. He just follows orders from his superiors. But he won''t know that. He''ll turn me into the villain, someone who came and killed his "innocent" family.


    I was only meant to give the final oath here. Why do things always go wrong? Was my interference a mistake? No, it always starts this way, look the other way, forgive those who do evil, and let them do as they please. The world isn''t hell because of the evil, it''s hell because the good never take action.


    To do or not to do, that is the question.


    To live day haunted by my own regret?


    Or know that a vengeful dagger will be my end?


    Life was never easy. And it looks like it never will be.

 Chapter 6 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    Could I have done things better? Maybe. But the thing what¡¯s done is done, the key now is to not think about what I¡¯ve done, but to keep moving. No more over-thinking my actions and their consequences. The goal is to leave this thing called the ¡°past¡± behind. The oath still awaits, but there is no one to give the oath to. The nearest hall is three weeks travel by boat, not to mention the Anolat is still frozen till spring. Ahh fuck it, who cares if no one is there, I will finish my business with the Legion and move on.


    Nothing changed.


    And nothing will change.


    I look around, the bodies still litter the floor. Do I have to explain myself to the Lord of Emeral? No, even if I do tell him, he will already know. And by then my story will be too late, nor is the Legion here to sway him. Even if a legionary was here he would take sides against me just to get on the good side of Protus. The past will neither forgive nor forget.


    I walk out of the inn and in the direction of the hall. The trip was oddly silent, even if it was during winter. As I approach the gates I channel mana into my legs and slam against the closed gates, it takes two kicks to open the gates. Entering the building, I find it empty except for the statue of Zeron, covered in snow. Doesn¡¯t matter, I will finish it one way or another. I walk over to the statue, cleaning off the snow as best I can. Standing before the statue I take off my shirt and armour, taking out a small dagger I cut a horizontal line into both of my palms, after I return the dagger back to its place. Taking a deep breath I start.


    ¡°We the Legion,


    The Ones Who Stand,


    The Ones Neither Dead Nor Alive,


    The Ones Who Crush the Skies and Bend Fate,


    The Ones Who Never Rest,


    The Ones Who Fought What Must Be Fought,


    The Ones Whose Blood Will Never Die.


    The Blood River flows and never stops,


    A thousand dead for each drop.


    We stand together,


    One drop lost, and ten billion more to flow.


    We the Legion.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    I finish the oath and place my palms on the statue. Now I was to channel mana into the statue, but I¡¯ve never been able to, reinforcement of muscles was the best I could ever do with mana. The ¡°Defective One¡± as some called me, a monstrous amount of mana, but useless if one can¡¯t use it. I don¡¯t care about this religious bullshit but I made a promise. Even though the ones I made it to are dead it doesn¡¯t release me from my oath. Sorry Kilan, I still don¡¯t believe in this ¡°Father of Blood¡± stuff. I¡¯ve never been touched, never seen his will nor felt his warmth. Only the crushing feeling that everyone I cared about are gone from this world. Our personal numbers will be listed in the Blood Archive, but only I am left to remember our true names. Some documentation should be filled out right now, but as I have neither access to blood communication nor does anyone else here. So I¡¯ve only got one option, I draw my dagger scratching my number, B117, into the wall and cross it out. That should be enough, and if it¡¯s not, I can¡¯t do anymore.


    The city is smothered in darkness, the sunlight is gone but at least the blizzards period ended, and the moons reflect a pitiful amount of light. Shit, I don¡¯t have enough time, I still need to get to Toaan before the ice melts, and grab the first boat heading south. And getting to Toaan will take nearly a month on foot. Ok, minimal goal established, now let¡¯s review my current situation. The mayor must know that a Legionary is in the city, he must know about the dead guards in the inn, result of granny¡¯s tongue most likely. Any action I could take would require quite a bit of time, and time is what I¡¯m severely lacking. Best thing I could do is leave right now, I haven¡¯t filled my rations, or repaired my equipment. I could probably find some game even with all the snow, and I doubt the guards could catch a fox, or set a trap, so I¡¯m sure there must be plenty of ¡°free¡± things laying around.


    Wait, shit, guards, they could have a skilled Enforcer, maybe even a Wizard. My body still isn¡¯t ready for anything extremely taxing. Fuck my ass sideways. I have to move, and now. Why am I so fucking retarded? Did I drop my guard because I¡¯ve been living I in the middle of nowhere, where the most intelligent being could barely speak in full sentences? With my current state I couldn¡¯t take them on, my body has barely healed to an acceptable state. More meat on my bones, but still not enough for a serious fight. And they have the home turf advantage.


    I start to run outside towards the south gates. I hear footsteps and duck into an alleyway. Guards, running in the direction of the Legion hall, and the western gates. Wait, west? Did they think I would run to the Zeronel¡¯s capital? Are they brain-damaged? There¡¯s five-thousand kilometers between here and the capital, filled with danger, and it would take at least half a year to reach there from here. Come on, concentrate, I need to be stealthy, in which my incompetency shows itself. I move between the alleys relying on my keen hearing and sight. Reaching the south gate, I survey the area, there are to many guard running around, definitely overkill for a single person.


    Okay, two guards on top of the gate and two in front, the gates are closed as expected. Great, just fucking great. A lone guard runs to them shouting at them, after speaking with them he runs off with the two in front of the gate. What is this? Lady Luck on my side for once? This must be a trap, but I have to take the opportunity that has so kindly shown it¡¯s back to me.


    The two on top are standing still, looking south and north from the gate. I sidle up to the wall, crouching as I get closer to the gates. I come to a stop close to the stone stairs leading to the top of the gate, and make a snowball. I throw the snowball at the roof of a house not too far from me. No reaction, shit, let¡¯s do this again. I make a bigger snowball and throw it at the same house, it lands with a thud and causes some snow to fall to the ground making even more noise. A rush of noise from the stairs as the guards run down the stairs towards the sound, swords drawn. The ACTUAL fuck, both of them are going? Are they retarded, who¡¯s going to guard the gates if they¡¯re gone? Fuck it, doesn¡¯t matter. As soon as they turn the corner I scale the stairs, and freeze, there was another guard that I couldn¡¯t see, luckily his back is to me. He¡¯s holding a bottle, and takes several large gulps, putting the bottle down the leans heavily against his spear and starts snoring. I creep past him, walking to the stone fence, looking over the edge I see there¡¯s enough snow on the left side of the gates to muffle my fall. I crouch and reinforce my legs and jump, the landing shouldn¡¯t be that bad,¡­right? Wrong, it was most definitely not smooth, but I¡¯m down and running towards the south.


    This is too much, this can¡¯t be possible, I was far too lucky, or perhaps unlucky, today. Anyways I have to get as far as I possibly can get from Emeral while the weather holds.


    ¡­


    I found a small cave about three to four kilometers from the city. This should be far enough for now. I¡¯ll continue in the morning. Checking that the cave is empty, I start to circulate mana to warm my freezing body. Tomorrow I need to get an early start, they might have hunting dogs, and there is my blood in the city. Was it a mistake to give the oath there? No, I promised. Sorry brothers, this was all I could do. That chapter of my life is finished and a new one is starting.


    I really want to see you guys.


    I hope there¡¯s an afterlife.

 Chapter 7 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    A yowl wakes me and my instincts scream at me to roll, drawing my sword as I roll. Before me stands a white and black striped cat, now cat doesn''t do this justice, this "cat" is two meters long, and fangs like daggers. It immediately launches itself at me, throwing a flurry of blows at me as it advances, each of which I barely defended against. Each of the strikes could easily end my life, as if sensing that it lunged towards me, I cover my neck and face with my shield. Pouring as much mana into my right arm as it can handle, I stab towards the cat with all my strength. My sword sticks in its neck, the cat struggles but its movements only hastened its death. After a few more seconds its movements started to slow down, then it stopped completely. Now I''m trapped under three-hundred kilograms of dead cat. Great. Does the next chapter of my life really have to start with a near-death experience? Especially after yesterday. On the bright side this cat is worth a quite a bit, wait, I don''t have time to it, and it''s basically right next to Emeral, and the pelt alone weighs a few dozen kilograms so I can''t take it with me. Damn. Why does this shit always happen to me? Or maybe the cave I''m in was its home, and when it returned it found an intruder,... me.


    Looking outside I see the sun rising, definitely didn''t get enough sleep. I clean myself as best I can, I still regret not being able to take the cat''s body back with me. At least I can fill up my rations, al least the meat came to me on its own.


    ...


    It''s been a week since I left Emeral, it hasn''t been going so hot lately. I stayed off the main road to avoid any pursuers. I was pretty short on food for a while, a hare here, fox there. On the second week it picked up a little, a pack of wolves decided to be a small snack for me, twice. Didn''t come out unharmed this time though, too many of them this time. Fucked up my right hand, and my left foot, can''t attack and can barely walk, great. As I got farther and farther south, the less snow was on the ground, yeah it was still freezing cold, but at least the walk should be easier now, or at least it should have been. A broken leg isn''t an issue, but if I have to keep walking on it as it regenerates, that''s when it becomes a problem. Of course those mutts had to rip a tendon out, should''ve anticipated that the alpha would attack from behind. Sigh.


    The small issue with my foot, and the time restriction, encourages me to take a small risk and travel on the main road. I''ve covered enough distance, that even if there is a pursuit team there''s close to no chance of running into them. Now the question is, in which direction is the goddamned road? I know that I need to go south, is the main road east or west? Shit, just fuck my life over why don''t we? And so the walk continues.


    ...


    So, the results so far, no more snow, it''s getting a bit warmer, I have enough food and wildlife has been mercifully sparse since the last incident, and my leg and hand have healed a bit that took a bit too much out of me though. I found the main road, it was quite close to my position. Even better I came to a small village, but for some reason the chief and locals look strange, wrong.


    "Greetings traveler, I am Ntar, the village chief. Sam here tells me that you are a hunter."


    He said while pointing towards a guard, looking about thirty. The man spoke little the whole time I was with him, a big burly muscle-head which you can meet anywhere. The chief is about one point seven meters tall, greying beard, dressed quite nicely for a village as remote as this one. His rectangular hat with red and green symbols on top of it reminds of something, something I can''t quite place.


    "Greetings. I am a hunter, my name is...Alan."


    He smiled brightly, but I knew it was fake, the important question, which type of fake? The merchant one or...


    "It looks like you are a really good hunter Alan. Not many are brave enough to hunt during winter, and even less come back. So what can our humble village do for such a formidable hunter such as yourself?"


    Acknowledgment of the danger, and flattery, typical merchant behaviour.


    "I''m low on some supplies and wondered if you have anything up for trade."


    He smiled again with a barely distinguishable fake smile.


    "Of course, of course. Sam, take our guest to Kala, she will help with you everything."


    Kala is a girl with long, light brown hair, and a face full of freckles. She''s barely twenty, but she''s already a village''s main trader. Her shop wasn''t to far from the village center and looked off, more like a warehouse rather than a shop, but it had quite an interesting list of items for sale. I picked up a few salves, and quite a bit of dried meat. Even with my healing, a few extra poison, or burn salves are never really extra, and I''m really tired of eating raw shit. I''ve collected a few coins on my way here so payment isn''t an issue, additionally the price is good.


    After the transaction Kala invites me to have a meal with them. I shouldn''t stay here too long,...but hot food. I always laughed at people who were easily manipulated with nice food,


    "Thank you very much, I would appreciate it greatly."


    Fuck, here I am doing the same thing as those idiots.


    ...


    About a dozen people gathered in a house close to Kala''s shop. The chief and Sam were here as well. We all sat around a big table.


    "Do you have any problems with mushrooms?" asked the chief.


    "No problem at all."


    The bowls were placed around and quickly filled with a greyish soup filled with pieces of mushrooms and meat. The people started to eat as soon as the bowl was filled. I took a spoonful, and put it into my mouth, when the spoon is half-way back to the bowl, I freeze.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Magonite.


    My mind kicks into overdrive trying to figure out how the FUCK this poison is in the North Kingdom. I look up and see everyone looking at me. The moment the chief''s hat comes into my vision everything comes into place. The symbol on it.


    "Qaes."


    The eyes of the older ones didn''t change, but the younger ones did. That''s bad, really bad.


    "I''ve no issues with the Sarshi Caliphate. I will leave this village and tell no one of its existence."


    Everyone is silent, but the eyes of the chief became sharp with determination. This is MUCH worse than the spirit activity up north or the oncoming war with Qing. A Caliphate assassin village in the heart of the north. This isn''t just a village of spies, this is a major invasion node, do they even understand what they''re doing? No, only the chief knows the part-truth. They always use fanatics, I''ve lost count of the fanatics I killed personally. More than several thousand of the ones belonging to the Caliphate Quartet God Sect, and the uncountable number of constantly appearing Dark Churches. During that whole period I became nearly immune to all poisons and internal curses.


    I shouldn''t have come to this village. Someone performs a horizontal slash at the place where my head and neck should have been, his sword shines with a blue energy. Kala takes an elderly woman by the neck and slits here throat, the blood flowing out into a small blood sphere, some start to run to take out hidden weapons. The chief starts to chant, shit, Wizard, Warlock, Enforcer, and a group of equipped assassins. And all in one nice enclosed space. I take out a small yellow orb and throw it at the table, never expected to use it here, it hits the table and explodes into a yellow-red gas. Now it''s a bit more fair. The blood ball starts deforming and falls down, the sword stops shining, the chief looks at me baffled. Kill of be killed, huh.


    ...


    I started to collect anything of value in the village, there was a lot of stuff, but I didn''t have time to order it nor space to take it with me. They had two horses so travel will be easier. I continue walking around the village as the bodies of the elderly, adults, and kids continue to burn in the village square. Their dead eyes looking lifelessly into the endless sky. The smell of burning human flesh is indescribable, but you will never forget it, or confuse it with anything, even if it''s mixed in with a thousand different smells.


    Words cannot describe the hate and powerlessness I feel right now. They always use the young, the ones easily influenced and controlled. I remember when I was younger, how I argued with the superiors and believed we could save them, help them, fix them.


    But they did not want to be saved.


    They couldn''t be saved.


    The child cannot be held responsible for the actions of the parent, nor can they be held accountable for the things they have been told. They don''t understand what is right nor what is wrong, nor can you blame their zealous belief into something they do not even understand.


    When you see a child less than ten, running at you with a sword she can barely hold, with eyes full of contempt, and hatred. With their pure, innocent eyes they believe you are the bad one, the monster, that all the atrocities that she has been told to do are good, justified. Something in you breaks, and will never be fixed no matter what you do. After that you can''t stop trying to save them, because maybe, just maybe, you can save yourself if you save them.


    I will never forget the time we, I, tried to save the children from a newly formed Dark Church, we killed everyone except the children. We truly believed we saved them, we ignored the hateful eyes, we believed that after we got to base we could explain to them, teach them what was actually happening, they would understand. Maybe they would even join the Legion, and become our brothers.


    We were naive.


    They had timed devil pills inside them, more than likely made to swallow them the moment we attacked. They turned in the night, the ones we wanted to protect, became the killers of many of my brothers. We killed them. The morning was worse, the cold realization that we lost more that night than in the actual mission. They could be alive, breathing, laughing with us.


    A part of us died that night.


    You could try to save them,


    But they don''t understand that,


    They do not want to be saved.


    Or maybe these are words I tell myself so I can sleep better at night.


    It wasn''t the main road I came to, but a hidden path, no one was ever meant to find this village. I finished preparing the horses, and started towards the south.


    War.


    Qing with the Northen Kingdom, and the Sun Empire.


    Now the Sarshi Caliphate with the Northern Kingdom.


    The Desert Alliance will be involved, one way or another.


    I need to cross the Dead Desert before that. This all means that soon more than half the continent will be at war. Am I running out of a burning house? No, the events will still catch me. I need to reach Toaan as soon as I can, and the amount of time left is decreasing by the second. I''m not sure how much it will take to reach my goal, and everyday lately feels like it could be my last. But please, if there is someone up there...


    Please, just one more day, just one more fucking day.

 Chapter 8 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    "We did nothing wrong," the blonde little girl with sky-blue eyes, who barely reached my hip, said. "I didn''t hurt you, so why are you hurting me?" The child whimpers, a dagger is embedded in the center of her chest, a red flower blooming from the wound.


    "Why did you hurt mommy?" An even smaller child with short black hair, and chocolate skin says to me. "Did I do something bad? Please don''t hurt mommy, please. It hurts, please make the pain go away." A red line appears across his neck, staining his skin red.


    "Was our soup bad?" whispers a child from the Qaes assassin village. "I''m sorry, I''ll make a new one, please don''t hurt Grandpa, please forgive us." cries the child as blood flows from the wound on her stomach.


    Slowly, one by one, more and more children appear, they keep begging me to stop, to make the pain go away. I am frozen, I can neither blink, move, or even raise a finger. I stand paralyzed as more children gather around m, their voices merging into one unified voice, begging.


    "Please."


    ...


    I wake up in a cold sweat, hyperventilating. Looking around I recognize the room I''m renting. The moons are visible through the window, as they shine down on me, burning hot tears stream down my face, leaving wet trails down my face. Maybe I could have saved them, maybe I could have done something.


    The moment I killed everyone in the dining room, everyone outside started to turn, Qaes will never allow sheep to love without the shepard. They always inject a fail-safe pill inside of them, it wasn''t demon pills, it would''ve been easier if it was demon pills. The pills turn their hosts into creatures of the dark fueled by dark energy.


    Instead, it was some sort of rage pill. They still looked human. It looked like the only direct order they had was to kill the one responsible for the death of the shepard. Rage pills mix up the flow of blood and man, allowing even a child to rip an adult apart. The pill only lasts a few minutes, but those few minutes do enough damage to the body to crumble it to dust. One way or another, there will be no survivors. The tears stop. The wet lines are drying, itching after they disappear as a reminder.


    The nightmares will never end.


    There is nothing I will be able to do about it.


    There is nothing I can do.


    There is nothing I will do.


    These things never heal, nor should they,


    I do not deserve healing.


    Whatever I do, now, or in the future will never change that, and it will not erase what I have done.


    And in the end, I will become what I have hunted.


    The sun rises and I start to prep for the day. I reached Toaan quickly, the horses ensured that. The rest of the trip was quiet, the dried meat made sure that I wouldn''t need to stop to search for food.


    My arrival in Toaan was just in the for the first express ship south. The first express ship is quite expensive, you have the risk of the dangers "waking up" after winter, foreign traders will to pay extra from the first fresh goods since the start of the winter, and multiply that by supply and demand, hence the astronomical price. I sold the horses and bought an express ticket, a few maps, and some supplies for the journey. I''ll have to change equipment in Kamalesh, but for now it''s still cold enough. The maps showed it was right in the center, between the Northen Kingdom, and Qing, and the northern most part of the Desert Alliance. From then on I will have to travel differently.


    Toaan is much bigger, and far more active than Emeral, mainly because of the river Monah that flows between the Northern Kingdom, Qing, and the Desert Alliance, and is the main trade route. The only reason this river is so heavily trafficked is because the countries ensure its safety, and safety equals security, and security means more merchants.


    To be frank, I should''ve been on the ship that left yesterday, but some "important" Lord ordered that the ship will wait for one of his carriages. A few equally important merchants demanded immediate departure, but the lord has connections to the local Duke, and so the issue rests. It doesn''t matter that merchants have contracts, that there are goods that can spoil, doesn''t matter if a few people lose their money and lives because of the delay. The words of the Duke are law in his territory. And anyone who protests can quickly meet the guillotine.


    Strange isn''t it, for one person to have absolute control. Not really, this is how it works, we''re cockroaches and should eat the shit from our master''s asses. The funny thing is that we were the ones who gave them the reins, believing that even if something went wrong, it would be someone else''s fault if something fails. But it only created a hierarchy in which we blindly believed. And with time it became out worldview, because we believed that there could be no other way. And in their place they passed it down to their children, and from them to their children, again, and again. And with each iteration they became more ruthless, more detached from people, they started to believe that they''re special, different, chosen by the gods, that a totally different blood flows through their veins. That...I should stop there.


    Anyway, the other travelers and I had to book an inn and wait for the "Master''s" carriage. Most of them didn''t plan for that, and they had no money, so they slept outside, sure it wasn''t snowing but it was still freezing cold, and some of them wouldn''t wake up again.


    I went down to the packed pub, and had breakfast in the corner, a few sausages, and a dried piece of bread. Some of the customers grumbled about the duke, and some about the lord, most are drinking and telling stories. How can they poison themselves so early in the morning? Unbelievable. Or maybe I''m the strange one, unused to civilian life, to peace. Right, I''m just a civilian, a traveler, nothing more.


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    A mountain of a man walks over to my table, huge beard, hard but warm eyes.


    "Mind if we share a table? Everything else is taken."


    I nod.


    "Thank you."


    He gestures to a boy, looked to be about twelve or thirteen who resembles him, to sit too, same dark eyes, and ginger hair. Quite a polite man, rare these days. They set their plates on the table and start eating. The boy stares at my face for several seconds with round eyes, he stops when his father pushes him with an elbow.


    "Eat, please excuse him, he''s still young. He didn''t mean anything by it. The name''s Rudolf, this is my son Tedal."


    "Alan, it''s not a problem, he''s still young."


    "I''m not a boy, I am a man."


    Rudolf starts to laugh.


    "You will be, take your time." I grin. "But first, you need to be able to carry your father on your shoulders."


    The boy wants to say something but stops. We eat in silence, as soon as we finish the boy resumes looking at me face. I can see something brewing in him, finally he can''t hold the question back anymore.


    "How''d you get that scar? I''ve never seen anything like that. Did a beast do that?"


    It''d been so long that I''d nearly forgot, nobodies mentioned it so far, so it had slipped my mind. The vertical red-black scar that runs down the right side of my face ensures that I will never forget what I''ve hunted before. My regeneration can heal nearly anything, even deep scars will only take a few weeks to disappear, but there are things that shouldn''t exist in this world.


    "Remember, the most dangerous beasts are the ones wearing human skin."


    The boy''s eyes fill with confusion and fear, I smile in an attempt to calm the boy.


    "Be not afraid of them, fear is the weapon they use against us. Every beast bleeds, you just need to know where to stab them."


    "Sorry about that. He''s quite the curious one."


    "Don''t worry, it can be a very good quality, it may ensure that he stays alive."


    Rudolf gives me a warm, bear-like smile and ruffles the boy''s hair. We talked a bit more, as the sun rose the room started to warm. Suddenly there''s movement outside the inn, I saw a few people running around and shouting from the window, but didn''t hear anything over the chatter in the inn. The inn''s door slams open and a teen screams


    "The ship''s leaving!"


    and runs out the moment he finishes. For a few seconds absolute silence reigns, after a few seconds the inn was filled with the sounds of people rushing about preparing to leave.


    Rudolf, Tedal, and I stand up and move with the group leaving the inn in the direction of the docks. A good hunter always carries the important stuff on him, we start to jog towards the ship, even from afar we could see the crew running about the ship.


    "Faster Tedal."


    We moved from a jog to a sprint, as we drew closer to the ship we saw half a dozen people checking papers and letting people board the ship. Not far from the ship an expensive looking carriage could be seen. If the harbour wasn''t made of stone I''m positive that it would crumble under the weight of all the people trying to board the ship. The people checking documents were checking in a half-assed way so we boarded quickly. Everyone seemed to be short on time.


    When nearly all the people got on the ship, men in enchanted armour came out of the ship, their every movement told of their arrogance and belief in their utter, unconditional superiority. The enchantments told that they were somewhat skilled Enforcers, high status, decent amount of money, some skill, and here you go, unstoppable killing machines. They went directly to the man who looked like the ship''s captain, the one with the most expensive armour and enchantment stood in front of him.


    "What are we waiting for? Depart immediately!"


    A man in his fifties, with greying hair and a bottle of rum in his hand, who should be the ship''s captain, looked at the Enforcer with distain,


    "We''re not your personal carriage, Sir. We are the first express, your late arrival delayed out schedule, and now you believe that you can give me orders?"


    The moment he finished a hook flew into his face. After which the Enforcer proceeded to kick the old man laying on the ground, the other enforcers kept watch while keeping their hands close to their swords, the threat of violence hanging heavy over the ship. After nearly a dozen seconds of non-stop kicking and stomping the lead Enforcer stopped, he took a deep breath and spoke,


    "Your existence, maggot, is only allowed because of the benevolence of my Master. You, your family, and everyone one you care for or now, are alive only because we allow that. You will do as I say, or I will personally skin every male in your whole family, and the females with be given to the dogs as playthings."


    The captain was heavily bleeding and most likely unconscious, I doubted that he heard anything, the lead Enforcer stared at the crew members who were petrified in fear.


    "What are you waiting for? Depart! NOW!"


    The anchor was lifted and the ship started to move, a chubby man was running towards the ship through the harbour with several bags on his back, screaming for the ship to wait. He could barely move under the weight of the bags, but he wouldn''t make it, the ship was already too far.


    [So you can kill villagers and children, but standing against Enforcers is a no?]


    [Pathetic.]


    [Where''s your righteousness now?]


    [Are you really any different from those you call scum?]


    The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

 Chapter 9 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    The sky''s colour hasn''t changed much, just endless grey. I''ve done a fair bit of travelling, and I''ve seen many things, castles and strongholds so enormous and ancient that for a normal person it would look a gods creation. But I have seen those "gods", fueled and corrupted by mana, those who create and destroy mountains with a mere thought, I''ve seen them create things which usually would have taken centuries to create, they created in hours. I''ve even seen Elven Druids change deserts into endless forests within a week.


    There was only one thing they couldn''t change. Something they would never even try to change, because for them it was a simple roof of the realm they rule. But for me this was something more, it was something they could never change. I''ve been in regions where more starts were visible in the sky than living creatures. I''ve seen the dance of polar spirits that painted the sky with emerald waves. I''ve always wondered what the sky is, or if I can touch the stars. Is it really just a sphere of father''s mana that "protects us from the evil", or is it something more?


    Father, huh.


    Everyone created their own "unique" name for him. They all believe that they speak for him, they know all the answers, they always know exactly what''s right and what''s wrong, but it always ends the same way.


    I really miss the sky, the one that changes from cyan, to burning orange, and purple, and it seems like I''m not the only one tired of this endless great mass. During the trip I''ve gotten closer with Rudolf and Tedal. Up on the deck we''re eating some rations we bought in Toaan together. Good thing we bought rations before, you could buy food on the ship but it costs more than the ticket. There are always people who will try to squeeze out as much as they can, this isn''t a business but a racketeering scheme, and if they pay the captain a part of their profits they can have the monopoly.


    The noise of heavy boots stops the discussion I was having with Rudolf about the easiest way to kill a mountain cat. The group of Enforcers walked out around three people, an older man in his fifties together with a man and women in their early twenties, all dressed in lavish clothes. They walked towards the bridge, and after a brief exchange with the helmsman, the young woman started to steer the boat. Big toys for big girls huh.


    Tedal was looking at the Enforcers, then at the nobles with eyes that wanted something, something he never had and probably never will. It''s hard to explain to children that there are things they can''t have just because they weren''t "lucky" enough to be born in the right position. A singular enchantment on an arm bracer would cost more than he could make in a decade. In reality, it''s not that hard to make them, but it''s always about "supply" and "demand". And if demand is high and supply is controlled...


    "Why are they called Enforcers?"


    Rudolf looks at his son, based on his looks he must''ve lived a simple hunter''s life. Not many are brave enough to travel so far alone, even less with children. Must be a decent reason, the fact that Tedal''s mother was never spoken of tells me a lot.


    "Well, I guess it''s because they enforce their weapons with mana."


    After a few seconds of thinking it over and trying to puzzle it up in his mind the boy replies,


    "Then what''s the difference between Enforcers and Mages?"


    Rudolf scratches his head, trying to come up with an answer, but in the end he''s a hunter. Additionally there are not that many mages here. The widespread religious and administrative discrimination against any non-humans ensured that no foreign mages would travel in this direction. On top of that the local ones are quickly recruited by the Wizard Tower, and comparitively getting into a Duke''s house and fucking his wife is easier than learning anything from the Tower.


    "The difference is that Wizards have significantly more mana, with which they use to cast a wide range of elemental spells. Enforcers have less mana, but they have more control over it, by applying it with a strong "will" they can influence how the mana behaves. They force their will onto mana to strengthen armour or sharpen a sword, because of this, they are called Enforcers."


    Both of them are silent for a few seconds, each with their own thoughts.


    "Are you an Enforcer?" Tedal asks in excitement.


    "No, I''m not, but I have read a fair bit about them."


    The boy smiles and buries with a non-stop barrage of questions. Everyone dreams of becoming a Wizard or Enforcer, kill the bad guys, and bathe in gold and respect. Many can, but only a selected few will be allowed.


    Knowledge is power.


    Power is a threat.


    [And threats must be neutralized.]


    The ship starts swinging side to side as the captain comes out onto the deck. He looked to the young woman turning the wheel but said nothing. Half his face is bruised and each movement he makes contorts his face into a pained grimace. Everyone felt a bit seasick but none dared to voice any dissatisfaction.


    The woman as if tired of playing turned to the older lord and thanked him with a bright smile. It was clear she didn''t understand what she was doing, or how it was affecting everyone else, innocent child, came to my mind. After a small talk they went down to the lower deck, as they passed the captain he bowed slightly with one hand behind his back. I could see it curl into a fist, several seconds after they left he took something out of his pocket. It was a watch, he opened it and looked at it for nearly a minute, took a deep breath, put it back in his pocket and went up to the bridge.


    Most likely a picture of someone close to him, family or a loved one. We all bend, but in most cases it''s not for ourselves, but rather someone we''re willing to sell out souls for. Anything to keep them safe.


    ...


    It''s been nearly two weeks since we left port, there were several attacks as expected. The human ones were dealt with by the Enforcers, and "wild ones" were used mainly for food.


    We''ve finally arrived at Saloto, the southern most city in the Northern Kingdom. Here the river branches, to the south, the Desert Alliance, and to the east, Qing. Tedal, and Rudolf left, I never asked how far they were bound, guess this was it, from here on out they''re going to Qing on a different ship. Even if I think it''s a bad decision to head to the east, it''s their life, their choices. Perhaps I was a bit attached, I didn''t think this interaction would be this short.


    But it''s not about me.


    Sadly, the lord didn''t leave, we stayed here for only a few hours, more than likely the wish of that lord. More than half the passengers left, the Desert Alliance isn''t a kind place, and not many travel there without good reason. Thankfully the weather got better, not many clouds in the sky, and it''s warmer. My muscles started to regenerate so I don''t look like a walking undead, and I push my body farther now.


    Sitting on the deck, I bask in the sunlight, warming my body and keeping time. You don''t really appreciate anything until it''s gone do you? Footsteps distract me, turning mu head in their direction I check to see who''s coming.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    "Hello, if it''s possible I wanted to ask you a few questions." the young women asked with an innocent smile.


    "They don''t speak Tasar, milady. They barely speak common Malari. I believe that the captain of this vessel could answer any questions you have." said one of her accompanying Enforcers.


    "Oh, umm, no it''s not that, he looked interesting with his fur armour. But he doesn''t look like a Northern man, I was curious as to where he was from. Perhaps he has a few interesting tales to tell."


    Confusion crept over the guard''s faces, but they tried their best to keep the emotions from crossing their face. Not many people were still on the ship, and it looks as if she is tired of all the travel.


    "Dear, stay away from the peasants, you don''t know what diseases they carry." said the older lord, who had just come topside. "There''s tea with dessert prepared for us. Come sweetheart."


    After looking down at me one last time the woman walked away with the group. The lead Enforcer stuck me with a "threatening" glare and left with the rest. If the talk continued, I''m not sure I could''ve held myself back. People often said that I make decisions to quickly, recklessly, that I was hot-headed.


    But it''s not true, there comes a moment where you just stop caring.


    Perhaps I''ve seen a bit too much of what people really are, underneath their masks. Maybe if I hadn''t, life would be different, I could trust others, have a family, be happy.


    But not anymore.


    ...


    I''m not sure if others would laugh or cry if they were in my place. I just feel apathetic about what people call "life" and what it throws at me. A large group of bandits attacked, they love to gather around the borders, easy to run if things go south, nor do many patrols make it to the corners. The attack itself isn''t a problem, but the fact that it blew a third of the ship away is. It''s still a surreal experience to look at something for a moment and the next it disappears. The explosion blew a few people into the river, the bandits were already on the shore for those one, and most times the strategy works, but not this time. The bandits were quickly neutralized, I could never understand bandits, they kill, rape, steal without a hint of mercy, but when their own lives are being taken, they kneel and beg for mercy. How do they justify their actions but when the roles are reversed, they expect totally different treatment.


    We gathered on the riverside, people tried to salvage what they could from the river. I saved a few who couldn''t swim. Thankfully it''s still near noon and the weather is warm, so the chances to get sick or catch a disease because of hypothermia are low, but the river is still freezing cold. In the end it doesn''t matter, the ship is lost, the next will come by in roughly two weeks, there are no horses but I can''t waste any more days. The caravan in Kamalesh won''t wait. My wolf armour is soaked and traveling with it has become an issue, but I can''t leave it just yet, the nights are still cold. Wringing as much water from it as possible I prepare to depart, checking my equipment and weapons.


    "Hunter, you will guide us to the nearest port. You will be rewarded when we get there." says the lead Enforcer in Malari. After a few seconds of silence the nobles look at the lead Enforcer.


    "Does the peasant even understand you Galor?" says the older lord, expecting me to not understand the language of nobles.


    Looking over at them for a few seconds more, I think over the situation. They have too many bags, they will be slow with that large group. Too many problems, and it''s unlikely that they will even reward me, and to top it all off, my time is limited. I breathe out, and turn around while walking away.


    "You fucking RAT!" screams the lead Enforcer, sprinting after me, his enchantments glow as he prepares to kill me. Fucking retard who screams while attacking from behind, well even if he didn''t scream it wouldn''t change anything, he''s about as silent as a drunken guard. I already started to circulate my mana. When he''s three meters away from me, I turn and my hands move into action, my left hand grabs his wrist that holds the sword, a cracking sound can be heard as his palms move in a very unnatural direction. Before he can howl in pain, my right hand grabs his neck in a hold, the chain-mail protecting his neck is useless. Many have died from underestimating the strength of my hands. After the air flow is cut off, his brain stops all non-instinctual actions, and if the brain stops giving orders, your magic and enchants are useless. Many fights can be won easily if you know what to do.


    Waiting until I see the whites of his eyes, and his body goes limp, I pick out the eyeballs from the Enforcer''s head, and drop them to the ground. Look at the noble groups as they bundle together and stare at me in fear.


    "Is this what you wanted?" I say in Tasar.


    As if realizing that I am neither peasant nor assassin, but possibly a noble in hiding, the older lord screams,


    "My name is Robert Sotozar, Lord of Thean! What family do you belong to?! Do you understand the consequences of attacking us on Baron Katof''s land? Do you know what will happen to you?!"


    Here we go again, bandits beg for mercy, and nobles start to list names of friends in the hope that it will scare the enemy off. Even though they were the first to attack.


    Pathetic.


    "We are no longer on the Baron''s territory, this is the Desert Alliance''s territory, where the punishment for attacking unarmed travellers is death."


    I point with a bloody hand at the blinded Enforcer and the sword near him.


    "And as you can see, the law isn''t on your side. But that''s a totally different subject. Did you really think that I will just let this offense go? A debt must be paid."


    The Enforcers draw their weapons and stood in front of the nobles. Unbelievable, only now do they come to their senses. I can feel their fear, the lead should''ve been the most skilled one, but he made the mistake of coming too close to me. If the attack from afar, well, I''m fucked, thank fuck they''re too stupid to realize that.


    "But, I will let you live, for now, but remember Robert, the debt shall be paid, one way or another."


    I turn and start walking to the south. I specifically addressed him, using his name, to show that his status held no sway over me. He will spend the years being careful, trying to find who he offended, looking into the dark corners of his room, fearing that the moment has come.


    Was I angry because of their actions during the departure from Toaan? Was it because they looked down on me, called me a peasant?


    I''m not sure anymore.


    Nor does it matter, I still have much to do.


    And time is limited, very limited.


    Even if my time is limited, I would give it all up just to spend a few moments with the ones who no longer have it.


    But it will never happen.


    Life will not, and cannot be stopped.


    And a new sun will rise,


    Again, and again.

 Chapter 10 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    "What''s the purpose of your arrival to Kamalesh?"


    "Caravan, if it hasn''t left already."


    The older guard makes a gesture to guard in front to let me in.


    "You''re lucky, you still have a few more days."


    The guard steps aside, and I proceed through the massive stone gates. The people here dress much lighter than I''m used to. Even though it''s rather cool right now , the local weather is so desert-like that the people don''t even have the concept of winter clothing. As I enter the city my nose is assaulted by a range of smells, from sewers and rot to sweet spices. The most apparent difference from the north is that many races gather here, from dwarves and elves, to lizardmen and catshi. They''re aren''t as prevalent as humans but they''re still there. Discrimination still exists, but not on the level that some other kingdoms have. At the very least, they''re not killed on sight here.


    I walk towards the city center to find a merchant. My wolf armour is rare here and not many have even seen it, nearly none would use it, but it''s an interesting show piece for the rich. I find a decent looking merchant and after a bit of bargaining, I exchange my wolf armour for fourteen silver coins, and a few pieces of local clothing. Metal armour would only hinder my movements here, and leather is nearly useless. After a short talk he pointed me in the direction of the Adventurer''s Guild Hall. I would prefer to be hired as a guard for the caravan, I could pay "contribution" to become a part of the caravan, but then I would need my own horse, or camel, or I could find an independent transporter who''s part of the caravan. In the end all that matters is that I get to the other side of the Dead Desert. I don''t have that much money left, and who knows when my purse will get fatter.


    It''s an easily recognizable symbol, a big round circle with a scroll on it, it''s hard to mix up with anything else. As I enter the building the atmosphere that seems to be universal across guild halls greets me. A few drunks, lazy and noisy bums drinking, several suspicious guys sitting in the corners trying to gather info, a wall with requests, and a cute girl at the counter with two guards behind her. Looking through the requests I find the caravan escort quest is still available. I turn and head towards the counter, as I approach the guards visibly tense looking at me, with time those who have seen death too much get the ability to "feel" if someone is dangerous. At least the guards here are competent, the girl smiles at me with a professional stretched smile.


    "Hello, how may I help you?"


    "Good morning, is the caravan escort quest still open?"


    "Yes, the caravan will leave in three days, there is no limit to the number of open positions. Would you like to take the quest? If so, could I see your guild card?"


    "I don''t have one."


    "I''m terribly sorry but this quest requires a D rank guild card at the least."


    She looks confused, all adventurers have some kind of card, and the fact that I don''t makes me more suspicious. I do have my other card, but restoring it will cause even more questions and issues for me.


    "Can I get a guild card? I just finished my military service in the north."


    "Oh, of course." She relaxed a bit, and looked for a paper on her left side. "It''ll be five silver to register. Can you fill out the form yourself? Or do you want me to do it for you?"


    "I can fill it out myself, thanks."


    She passes it to me together with a pencil. I look through and fill out what I believe will be enough. I always hated learning new languages, but I had to with my job. There are languages with horrible alphabets, and even worse grammar laws. I finish and hand it back with the coins, the payments a bit too much but I say nothing. She looks through the paper, as she does he eyes widen a bit.


    "Umm, excuse me, but we would like to do a small...check."


    She goes into the back room and returns with a purple stone. The guards tense up even more. I quickly recognize it, as I have used it many, many times. I take the stone in my hand and hold in front of them. The stone doesn''t light up while I am holding it.


    "I''m not a necromancer, see."


    "I''m really sorry if we''ve offended you, but, umm, there is a problem with necromancers in this region." She says while bowing, "And, umm, you don''t really look like you''re twenty-eight." She finishes while looking at me with an apologetic face.


    It''s well known that those who practice the dark arts have their vitality sucked out, but that is only true for the inexperienced and unskilled ones. Additionally that''s why they look much older than they are and bony. The bristle on my face in combination with the scar, and the fact that half of my hair is already grey makes me look much older. Life never was soft on me.


    "Not a problem, can I have the card please?"


    After several magic, and enchantment processes are placed on the copper card she hands over the mana infused card.


    "Here it is. You''ll start from F rank. Is there anything else I can help you with?"


    "Are there any quests that can quickly boost me to D rank?"


    "Well, if you''re really skilled there''s an open season on blue scorpions. Nasty, disgusting little things, they''re getting too close to the city. If you join a party and hunt a dozen scorpions, plus several other quests, you may be able to make it in time for the caravan. For every confirmed kill you''ll get about ten copper coins."


    I take the scorpion hunt quest, which requires I take their stingers as proof, they''re located to the west of the city. The receptionist tries to warn me again of the danger, but I quickly leave, my time is limited.


    As soon as I get out of the building I freeze at the sight which I was dreading ever since I set foot here. A dark-skinned bald man following a rickshaw with a fat man inside it, holds a chain connected to several naked, and dirty children with shackles on their necks. A sadly normal procession here. One of the main reasons attacking someone is public isn''t allowed here, is because if someone broke a law they could be sold into slavery as payment for their offense, even death sentences can be replaced with lifelong slavery. The money goes to the government, and damaged goods are worth less.


    My blood boils as thoughts of giving the whole city a blood cleanse run circles through my mind. My hand reaches for the grip of my sword.


    [DO NOT HURRY.]


    [They deserve much more, much much more. Make their entire existence as painful as you can.]


    It takes a lot of willpower to unclench my hand from the grip. I head west, out of the city. I need to cool down, the way I am right now I wouldn''t be able to do anything. I need to direct my anger somewhere, anywhere.


    ...


    I eat in the busy inn thinking of my next steps. I got the D class "upgrade" for my card after bringing one-hundred and seventy-three stingers. The receptionist tried to be polite and helpful, but it was apparent that she was uncomfortable in my presence. Perhaps it was the issue of how I looked, the number of stingers, or the fact that I was covered in the internal juices of the scorpions. I haven''t seen a mirror for years, honestly, I''m not even sure what will be reflected in it, or who will look back at me. I may have overdone it with the scorpions, they did nothing wrong, they weren''t responsible for what humans in this region do. I spent my anger on ones not deserving of it. They are simple animals, they kill only to survive, or when they''re in danger.


    My superiors in the Legion knew about my anger issues, and they understood the triggers for them. That was the main reason they usually sent me after the dark churches and the worst that the world can give. I took it too personally, and because of that I had a much higher chance of success than anyone else. Or to be more specific, I was one of the ones who completed all those mission, and was "lucky" enough to survive. During that time at least I built up some resistances to plenty of dangerous items, like poisons.


    During my "cleaning" sessions, I believe I''ve found a very disturbing issue, which is why I''m so tense right now. There''s no proof, at least officially, but I can''t leave this issue alone. I''ve already taken the quest for the caravan escort and spoke with the leader of the caravan, Jitak. He has given me the okay, and will pay ten silver coins when we reach Tomalesh, right in the center of the Desert Alliance. From there I will need to find a way to travel south-east. So that''s one problem dealt with.


    But there''s a much bigger problem still left unresolved, and there are only two night left to solve it.


    "What the fuck do they mean everything is under control?! Three slave houses were slaughtered!"


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    "Shush. control your voice. They''re currently looking into it."


    "Looking into what?! Which kind of fucking demon is going around massacring citizens?!"


    "Calm down you retarded elf, your kind always were pussies."


    "Fuck you you half-cut shit! Did your beard grow into your brain? Or has the drinking finally turned your brain to mush? Someone ripped them-"


    "Shut up you cunts!"


    The short discussion was finished by a purple-skinned ogre. Everyone around was silent, trying to gather as much info as they could. The information, and rumors were scarce, so even this outburst was valuable. Multiple groups inside the inn continued to discuss the events in hushed tones.


    Citizens my ass, blood-drinking slave-selling scum was what they were.


    [You let the nobles go, but killed the slave traders. Who says the traders were more deserving of death than the nobles? Maybe they treated the slaves better than their family did. What if their life would improve as slaves? Who said those nobles you spared wouldn''t do more evil later on?]


    The slaves were mutilated and malnourished.


    [You think you saved those "slaves"? They will tell their NEW master who did it, while returning to the fate that was decided for them by life itself, maybe you made it worse? And to top it all off, soon, the hunt will start, but this time, YOU will be the hunted.]


    Not attempting to change their fate would be wrong.


    [ Is this how you''re trying to justify the murder, the deaths, your actions? How pathetic you are. You did a good thing saving those sweet, innocent little slaves. Let me praise you! Our righteous saviour! What would we ever do without you? Maybe you even deserve a medal! Ha. Or maybe forgiveness? What do you think?]


    Do nothing? Let the world solve itself? Let it GO? IS THIS YOUR SOLUTION? HOPING FOR BETTER WHILE SLOWLY DROWNING IN THIS HELL? Maybe we are in hell, maybe everyone here DESERVES this damnation. Perhaps this is punishment for what we have done, maybe we all deserve to die. But that doesn''t mean we can''t attempt to change it. I will. I refuse to be one of them, even if the whole world is against me. Even if they all reject me and what I stand for.


    Even if I am wrong.


    I will change it, if the only thing waiting at the end of this path is defeat and death, so be it. But I will not stand for this.


    [So be it. We have walked this path for too long to turn around now. There is no place for regret in our actions. Let the blood flow.]


    Blood.


    During the "cleaning" in one of the slave house''s rooms I found a golden, gem-encrusted goblet. The reek of blood coming from it was undeniable, I could smell it even from the other side of the room. Necromancers are easy to find with a deathstone, but blood mages, they''re a totally different story. Most can hide for decades until someone notices a large amount of dark energy, or when too many people go missing. War is a favourite place for them, no one will care about a dozen missing people when thousands are dead.


    Blood is the universal currency of magic, blood is where the biggest amount of mana is located. Drinking blood will give you a temporary boost in many magic aspects. it''s easier to enchant items or create curses when using blood as a direct source of mana. A universal source of energy, only if you forget where it come from. But the important word is temporary. You need fresh blood, as the mana quickly dissipates from it. it''s one of the biggest reasons for ritualistic sacrifices. If I had a seeker with me, the task would be much easier. But unlike them I can neither feel nor see the ambient mana.


    Thinking about it, I decide to pursue the worst possible case. I really want my theory to be wrong, it would be the best,...for everyone. But the gold goblet had to come from somewhere. I didn''t take it, so they shouldn''t know that I know what they are. An enchanted item used in rituals, I may not feel the mana, but I can recognize the engraved enchantments, the ones I''ve seen far too many times.


    ...


    The moons are in a new stage, the shadows are darker, almost as if they suck in the light around them. Creepy, unsettling would be good words. Still, the guards stand, protecting the place with their lives. It would be much easier to kill them and be done with it, but the only reason I''m here is because of a gut instinct. There is no proof. A slave house master couldn''t work alone. They always have a superior. I started at "cleaning" the slave houses, now I''m attempting to infiltrate the stronghold of the Emir of Kamalesh.


    The one good thing about not having any mana affinity, is that I don''t produce any ambient mana. Nearly every living thing produces ambient mana. Many enchanted devices can give you a lot of info just by the ambient mana around. Traps, tracking devices, alarms systems, and many, many more. Some of the skilled assassins can suppress this body "function", but I don''t need to, as the function never worked anyways.


    I would like to avoid killing anyone, yet. I just want to find some sold evidence to debunk my theory, because if I''m right, then things are much worse than I expected. Blood mages in a position of power is enough to start a crusade.


    Infiltration was easy, not as easy as leaving the northern stronghold, but still. Nothing a rope and strong hands can''t do, as it seems they are heavily dependent on mana detecting devices. My destination right now, is some kind of basement. Blood rituals take too much space, and require a place with constant dark. Plus the screams shouldn''t be heard, as it will cause some issue at some point. The fact that there are no guards patrolling inside makes this easy, but it''s also worrying. It seems they have something to hide.


    After about an hour of lurking around, hiding from the occasional maid, I found a door that was suspiciously out of place. Locked of course, but that''s not an issue, I''ve learned a few skills to solve such dilemmas.


    Taking a risk and opening the door, I find a relatively long stairway, at least a hundred meters. After which a long corridor leading to a thick metal door with multiple key holes, opening that took a bit longer. As I opened it total darkness greeted me, I took a torch from the wall and went inside. After ten steps into the room the door slammed shut. After which the sound of multiple locks turning could be heard, a few torches lit up, enough to show what was inside the room.


    I fully understood this was a trap, the powerful curses being cast onto me proved that. They know I was coming, and they prepared for it. I could hear the sound of metal boots clanking against stone, there were many, and they were approaching. But it didn''t matter, I could already see the room in all its "glory". Stacked hills of bones of children, an enormous container in the center of the room, filled with blood, small body parts floating in it. On the right a table filled with cooked meat. And I know exactly where it came from.


    At the back stood a statue of an owl and bull standing side-by-side.


    I was wrong, they''re not blood mages, they''re much worse.


    A tall, pretty woman, and a shorter handsome man lead the a group of nicely dressed and relatively young looking people entering the room. At least a hundred Enforcers and Mages followed them, with roughly a dozen scantly clad terrified toddlers.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, tonight, we have a small surprise for you! Additional to the feast that I have prepared in honour of my lovely wife''s birthday, there''s a bathtub for all of us in the center, we have also caught a spy, sent by the Caliphate. Worry not, he has already been immobilized by the curses. After the feast we can have some fun, thankfully his body seems quite sturdy. Of course my sweetheart gets the first piece. But worry not, everyone will get a turn."


    Some started to feast, some undressing for the bath, other sat on couches and began violating the toddlers in every way imaginable, while the toddlers screamed and begged. Some of the nobles continued to chat, as if they events were totally normal. The lead lady started to walk towards me with a small satisfied grin on her face, a tiny dagger in her hand.


    I was wrong, I should''ve slaughtered the city the moment I entered.


    I turn my body towards them, unsheathing my sword. A panicked and confused expression settled on everyone''s faces.


    If I had acted earlier some of the children could have lived.


    But it''s too late.


    I let my mana flow, rampaging through me.


    Even if this body is destroyed, these creatures will not survive, they should not be allowed to exist, nor will they.


    Today Zeron, God of Blood, shall feast.

 Chapter 11 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    Some start clapping, thinking this is part of the event


    "Ohh!"


    "Interesting! Tolumn, I''ll donate two gold coins to your orphanage if he''s killed in a single attack, ten if you leave him alive!"


    A two-and-a-half meter giant, in full plate armour with a two-handed sword that''s at least as big as himself, walks towards me with a solemn expression. It doesn''t look like he likes what is happening here.


    [But he is here.]


    I can see him mumbling a "sorry" as he attempts to make an over-head downwards chop. His body and armour split in two as his innards few out. My sword broke in a single strike, I throw it towards the nearest attacker, and leap to catch the falling two-handed sword.


    Rage pills are a failed attempt to recreate a specific skill. Even if they are a failed product, they can bring out roughly fifteen percent of that skill, Blood Rage, some times called Berserk Rage, or just Berserker. It requires a lot of internal mana, and even more training. This was the only skill I could use, the only thing I had.


    And I polished it to near perfection.


    My last two yellow orbs had exploded into yellow-red anti-magic gas, filling about a third of the room. I won''t be needing them anymore.


    I will die, but in exchange I will erase their very existence.


    ...


    Only after a half-dozen gruesome deaths of their Enforcers, did the nobles start to move. The door behind me is locked, and to get to it you need to go through me, so they went back to the rooms they came from under the protection of roughly a quarter of the Mages and Enforcers. The mages left in the room are very careful with their spells, as the room isn''t big enough for large scale magic, and I''m too close to them and their allies. I don''t feel my pulse, I''m not sure I''m even breathing. My world is covered in red as explosions of magic and blood fills the room.


    They will all die.


    ...


    There are less than half left, but I can barely walk. My burnt left hand stopped moving quite a while ago. The icicle lodged in my back restricts my movements even more, and the blood flowing from the wound is too severe to ignore. They''re protect the path the nobles took, and the toddlers that the nobles took start coming back with their bodies changed, Demon pills.


    The anti-magic gas has already dissipated, and I can see several mages gathering together to cast a powerful spell. I try to stop them, but a number skilled Enforcers with shields stop my advance. The two-hander requires too much strength, but if I try to swap weapons they''ll use that against me.


    ...


    The closer they come to finishing the spell, the more urgent it becomes that I deal with them as fast as possible. As I tried to reach them again, another Enforcer blocked my way, my sword split his head horizontally, the mages behind him yelp in fear. The lead ones were desperate and focused, but the others had faces of pure horror, the eyes of men knowing that they will die, and there is nothing they can do to stop it. As I made eye contact with one of the mages in the back, he shuddered and made an error, causing his spell to backfire, causing an explosion that threw everyone around him away. The explosion caused a chain of disrupted spells, in the end of the lead mages were consumed by the biggest spell, which destabilized into an enormous explosion.


    ...


    White, I feel as if my skin and muscles are melting.


    I see nothing, feel nothing, and the high-pitched buzzing in my ears won''t stop.


    I try to move or feel anything, but nothing happens.


    I''m in a world of darkness.


    [So we died huh? Isn''t this what you wanted? Dying for the grand cause. In the epic fight for righteousness, for good, against the evil guys.]


    [SAY SOMETHING!!]


    [We are DEAD! What''s next?]


    [WHAT''S NEXT?]


    [WILL SOMEONE TELL A TALE ABOUT US?!]


    [WHO? WHO WILL? WE''RE DEAD!... Everyone we ever cared for is DEAD!]


    [WE SAVED NO ONE! WE ACCOMPLISHED NOTHING!!]


    [TELL ME!!]


    [COME ON, CONTINUE!]


    [EVERYONE IS DEAD. WE. FULFILLED. NOTHING.]


    [WE FAILED IN EVEN THE MOST BASIC TASKS!]


    [TELL ME!!!]


    [You changed nothing, everything was left the absolute fucking same. That hell will exist for all eternity.]


    [Oh, you think you destroyed that cult? It was a small branch. You couldn''t even destroy a fucking small BRANCH!]


    [Change the world my ass.]


    [Even in death I won''t leave you, I''ll make you into an evil spirit, I''ll turn you into a vengeful ghost.]


    [You''ll never rest. You''ll continue hunting them.]


    [We will.]


    [For all eternity, WE SHALL NOT REST!!]


    [This isn''t enough. It will never be enough.]


    Through pure willpower, I return to the world of pain.


    Pain, I am alive. I won''t die, not just yet. NOT. YET.


    Checking the internal status of my organs, I wince, eyes and lungs severely damaged, burns cover my body. I take the nutrition from my bones and begin healing the critical locations. I need to start moving as fast as I can. One eye will be enough for now. After what feels like an eternity my body starts moving and the ringing in my ears stopped. My nose is assaulted by the smell of burned meat, and my lungs can barely suck in enough air in this cramped room.


    "...kill him..."


    Shit, my eye isn''t ready. By the sound of footsteps I determine how far the attacker is from me. The moment the footsteps get too close, and I feel the strike coming, I leap with all the possible strength in my right hand and leg. My left side still isn''t operational. Together we fall to the ground, I hear the sound of metal armour clanging against stone. A burning feeling in my left side tells me something has been embedded there.


    FUCK.


    Can I even damage someone in plate armour right now?


    My palm somehow finds something warm, exposed flesh. My instincts scream to attack the exposed part with everything I have. But I have nothing, teeth it is then, my teeth clench with enormous strength at the exposed area, at least my jaw muscles are still working. The screech I hear under my left ear tells me the attack is a woman, sliding my right hand between us, I push her away. A large chunk of meat come out, stuck between my teeth, a unison of screams tell me there are still many enemies to deal with, as the sound of gurgling and warm liquid flowing out can be heard from under me.


    I swallow the chunk hoping to get as much nutrition and mana as I can for what''s too come. It starts dissolving the moment it enters my stomach. I notice that my left eye has started to see again, but sometimes I wish it hadn''t. The floor is littered with dozens of charcoal bodies and parts mixed with the bones that lay on the ground before. And to top it all off, at least a dozen mages have spells ready to fire. Not waiting for the actual casting, I lift the body under me to protect against the coming rain of spells. In the next instant, an explosion of fire engulfs the body and throws me back several meters.


    No time to whine or rest. I stand up as feeling returns to my left side, something is still stuck in there. I pull a short sword out of my side, noticing several Enforcers are near me, I starting circulating mana in the last few seconds before death approaches. With an inhuman bellow, I leap at the new target. By the looks of it, they didn''t expect me to be so agile. One by one I evade their attacks and jam the sword into the gaps of their armour. At the same time evading any spells I could, or at least, put someone into the firing line for me. The Mages switch to curses, but they''re useless against me. A few of them hit the people around me, they crumple as blood flows from their ears and eyes, some just fall down not taking another breath. The Mages may have offensive skill, but they''re not Battle Mages.


    With each dead, my body slows down. I cut, slice, and stab until all the Enforcers are dead and I''m covered in their blood. Some of the Mages run into the backroom, others fall to the ground, exhausted by their non-stop casting. Others even have the audacity to pray for salvation. My body is about to give up. I lick the blood from my face and sword to get even the tiniest boost.


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    Not yet. NOT. YET.


    After everyone is the room is neutralized, I go around and start carving them apart, Making it as painful as possible. They beg for mercy as I rip them into pieces one after another, each more brutal than the previous. Dislocating arms, and legs. Ripping their genitals from their bodies and stuffing them into their own mouths, plugging their eyes with fingers as they scream, strangle them with their own guts. I wish less of them had turned into charcoal when the explosion happened. Their wails fill the room, but I''m not finished, not yet at least.


    The sight in my right eye has returned, and my body has stabilized. Taking a new sword and several daggers laying on the ground, I start towards the backroom.


    Time for the main dish.


    Limping through another hall, I walk towards a large door, engraved with skulls and enchantments. A huge fireball flies in my direction, jumping aside as the fireball hits the wall, and the force pushes me even further. The moment a face looks out I embed a dagger into his skull. As he drops, screams flow from the backroom.


    I return the large room and grab a shield. Shield in my left hand, and a dagger in the other I jump into the back room. A quick scan of the room tells me that the most dangerous one is in the center. As she sends a sharp icicle at me, shattering against my shield, I throw my dagger into her neck. A quarter of the nobles have swords in their hands, and nearly everyone else is bombarding me with spells. With a few dagger throws, and bashes of the shield the elemental attacks stop. They continue to throw curses at me, smiling as if I''m about to drop dead. I throw my shield to the side, which brings a confident grin to their faces.


    "Curses don''t work on me."


    A few faces showed confusion, some didn''t comprehend what was happening, nor what was about to happen. The rest looked at me in horror.


    Truly "dark" magic works a bit differently. They overpower the internal mana of enemies in pin-point locations, causing significant internal damage. Coughing lungs out, bleeding from the eyes and ears, dropping dead from a damaged heart or brain, that is "dark" magic. Because of that most of their spells are invisible, and because of that, the "dark" class of spell is considered one of the most dangerous in offensive power.


    But they''re useless if the amount of mana at the point of attack is more than the amount used in the spell. Basic math. That''s why they prey on the weak. One of the leaders tries to say something, but I stop him.


    "There''s no need to speak, I know who you are."


    They were always good with their tongues, lying all their lives.


    "Slaves of Moloch and Minerva."


    They stopped breathing, Finally they truly looked at me, not as a beast, but something more, as if finally realising that their curses had no effect.


    "I know exactly what you are, and what you were doing here."


    "I have hunted your kind for a long time"


    I smile.


    "The funny thing of this all, is that you truly believe that you''re some kind of higher race. That everyone else is just cattle created for you."


    Their faces morph from grins into rage.


    "You steal and breed children as cattle. You rape and torture them, gathering that dark energy into black crystals for future use. You swap children between yourselves as if they''re furniture. And when they reach a specific point, you kill them. Bathe in their blood, and drink it as if it''s a fine wine, eat their bodies to extend you own wretched lives. Use them in dark rituals that contribute to your objective. Rinse, and repeat, and repeat, and repeat."


    "And it works, it has worked for millenniums, I won''t deny it. Your kind has evaded judgement for your actions for a very long time."


    "Did you truly believe that it would never come to and end?"


    After a shout from the lord, several of them, some with swords and some barehanded, leap at me, attempting to subdue me. As I rip their arms and legs from their sockets, their screams echo in the enclosed chamber. The blood pools as I move towards them.


    "This is your reality now. Now, I''m your god."


    ...


    I don''t know how much time has passed. No one has come down. There''s only one exit from this place. The way I came. maybe everyone was told to never come down here. To protect their secrets, or at least it should have.


    I tried to extend their suffering as much as possible.


    But it''s not enough.


    They deserved more, much more.


    Even though they look relatively young, most of them are old, very old. Dark magic, and the blood of children can make you look half your age.


    They''ve tortured and consumed countless lives.


    One lifetime isn''t enough to punish them. So I did a little something more.


    Old magic is strange. It behaves a bit differently, and there are different requirements. Many cults have tried to use it, but nearly everyone failed. But fot the few successful ones, you have to prepare, learn. If you know how they work, you know where to hit them. Even though I can''t use mana, it doesn''t mean there isn''t enough mana around, for a very special, very old ritual. There''s plenty, just not mine.


    I dragged all the bodies, except for the morphed toddlers, into the circle. The abundance of blood will help, I''m not sure if the ritual worked. How can you check the state of a soul?


    It''s said that the soul lingers for forty days in this world, it''s also said if the soul is in an unnatural state, it will be in "pain". I hope it''s true . The circle should hold the marked souls in the center, prevent them from entering the afterlife. The vortex will continue to grow for years, centuries, perhaps millennium, until someone closes the vortex. The only entrance to this place is the way I came in. I have to make sure no one will be able to enter easily and disrupt the circle. Easiest way, crumble the entrance. Explosion? No, I don''t have any explosives with me. Getting some would take at least a day, and someone might find this place.


    Looking through the room, I find nothing. Torture devices, tools, a lot of dark crystals. Some of the nobles have jewelry, not coin, but I can use them too. My body still looks like an burnt piece of meat, my clothes were in tatters.


    I guess I have no other option.


    ...


    I looked out and saw the late dawn, hard to believe that I only spent one day there. I waited till it was dark to leave the castle. It''s still hard for me to comprehend that there isn''t a constant patrol. Well, with a constant patrol, it makes it hard to keep stuff hidden. Dressed in one of the nobles, I limp to the inn, it was closed but I got in through an open window. I collapse on the bed, falling asleep in moments.


    ...


    Waking up I find it''s already past noon, my body is in a better state than yesterday, still look like a failed piece of steak.


    ...


    "I need decent explosives."


    "Friend, you look like someone who should never touch an explosive."


    "Well, you see, the last merchant sold me some bad quality product. I''ll pay decent coin for decent goods. But, if something goes wrong, and lets hope it doesn''t, because some say that merchant disappeared."


    "Yes sir." The merchant starts to sweat at my threat.


    I find out that the caravan left in the morning, I can still catch up though. I buy a good horse using one of the noble''s trinkets, greed does horrible things to merchants. I return to the basement at night, placing the explosives near the weakest pillars are, igniting the cord, I get out of the city as fast as I can.


    Sitting on my horse outside of the city, I wait the explosion. Maybe the fire didn''t reach, too little explosives? Maybe the merchant screwed me in the end? After thinking of returning and punishing the merchant for a few minutes, a huge explosion levels a quarter of the castle. Ok, maybe I overdid it with the explosives, anyway I''m still roughly a day behind the caravan, I should hurry. As I travel to catch up to the caravan, it finally hits me. I am alive. Yes, an overcooked piece of steak, but alive none the less.


    [But the kids aren''t.]


    The kids aren''t.


    One more day, please. One more day.

 Chapter 12 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    Everything has a price.


    Everything.


    The last battle cost more than I expected. I overused my body, and didn''t have enough rest for a while after that. And now, I''m laying on burning sand coughing out dead pieces of my lungs. I try to stop trembling, but it''s useless. The burnt and dead tissues are releasing toxins into my body, too much to be able to heal. The pain isn''t a problem, I''m used to it, the issue is that I''m immobilized until it stops. Luckily I had some food in the saddlebags so the nutrition requirements are solved.


    Several hours passed and I can start moving again. I crawl towards the horse, mounting it I start after the caravan again, healing as I travel.


    I should meet the caravan pretty soon.


    ...


    It''s been five days since I left Kamalesh, but I still won''t be able to do anything major for quite some time. The tracks of the caravan were lost a few days ago in a sandstorm, now I can''t follow their direct route. So, no caravan, barely any water, and no food. Well, at least the food problem has taken care of its self. A ten-meter sand centipede attacked from under the sand, the horse died from the attack. Even if the cut was small it still wouldn''t survive, their poison was extremely toxic. I killed the centipede, but the fact that I didn''t see it coming is bad.


    Standing near the corpses I start thinking on my next actions. The Desert is a dangerous place, that''s why I wanted to travel with the caravan, one day late and I''m in this situation. I butcher the very expensive dead horse and eat my fill. No time to cook it, and even less reason to take any with me, it''ll spoil fast because of the temperature. Taking the bare necessities I resume travel in the direction they should''ve went, need to travel light.


    Dying alone in a desert...


    Sigh.


    ...


    Earth mages can cause more problems than anyone can imagine. Sand traps, quicksand, earth javelins, earth wall, and so much more. The big bandit groups usually have at least one. The three dead earth mages laying on the sand tell me I was much more than just unlucky. I''m not sure if it was a bad thing though, because now I have food, water, and a new horse. Strangely, no coins. Maybe they hid them somewhere, but I can''t find them, and staying here for much longer is too dangerous in the long run.


    "Did you do this?"


    Looking back I find a levitating mage, with long blonde hair.


    No, I think.


    A wind wizard, but she can''t maintain levitation for long, and she definitely didn''t travel through the desert alone. Must be part of a caravan, but I don''t see anything.


    "Yes. I was supposed to be one of the caravan guards, but I missed you by a day and got lost in the desert."


    She looks down on me as if I''m a bug, and contemplates whether I''m lying or not, and if she should kill me here. Wizards are always arrogant, thinking that everyone is an insect under their feet. I''m not sure what pissed me off more, but an overwhelming desire to "rustle her jimmies" was hard to hold back. Interesting term, which was told to me by an even more interesting person.


    "Tell your master that I''m here. Jitak knows me. Here, take the quest paper and showw it to him."


    I take out the scroll and throw it at her. She catches the scroll with one hand, opens it and reads through the guild contract signed by him. The reluctance with which she does all those operations can hardly be contained. Her face morphs into rage and I see the thought of killing me becoming stronger. They''re prideful, and hate being under someone else''s command, calling someone her master should have don''t the trick. Still, even wizards follow the rules.


    "Stay here."


    She flies away, and after some time returns with several bodyguards on horses in tow. As they come to a stop, the lead body guard looks at me for a minute in silence. Ah, yeah, my skin is still burned, I look like I just came out of an oven.


    "I hate fire mages, had a small incident with one. Look, scars still there."


    I point to the red-black scar on the right side of my face, still visible even in my current state. His eyes open wide in shock as if finally recognizing me.


    "God almighty, the fuck happened? You look half-dead."


    I tell him the short version of what happened. That because of a small event, I was late by a day and traveled after them, how I lost their path, my horse dying, and meeting the bandits.


    After some discussion, it was decided that the bandits belongings will be taken by the caravan and sold, and I will receive a "share". Share, huh. Disgust and fear were easily recognisable on the faces of the guards and travellers. It was decided that I would be assigned to the rear guard, together with the poor and non-humans. Discrimination still exists, but at least it''s not "active". I''ve seen many killed just because they looked a bit different. But there''s no reason to complain, they''re alive and have the same wages as humans.


    The non-humans looked at me with even more disgust and fear than the humans. Some pointed, some evaded, and others look as if they''re thinking of how to get rid of me. You would think that because of their experience, they would be more accepting, but no. The funny thing about this whole situation is that they may look different, but deep down, they''re all the same.


    Absolutely the same.


    After the bandits were collected, we resumed travel. During the evening we stopped, several non-humans started speaking in Patu, a language from the South Continent, Paletia. It''s not the language, but the subject that''s an issue.


    "Communism"


    An interesting concept brought by one of the summoned a long, long time ago. The basic idea of equality was alien to the people, but after some time it started to resonate with many. At the start, inspired by the concept people were advocating equal rights for all sentient species. Pretty simple and logical, right? One place, the south-east region of Paletia, even implemented it, and started to economically develop rapidly.


    With each year, people there advocated for more and more "equal" rights. And at one point the original concept of "Communism" returned. The ideas changed from "equal" to "equality". A new, quite aggressive group with "equality" as a core slogan appeared, they promised food and riches to every single person.


    Promised.


    They "collected" everything, and divided it "equally", to be truly "equal". During that moment I was there. I''ve seen how the militias "shared" the farmer''s harvest. They did not ask, they took. Leaving many farmers to starve. It moved from food to land. From land to property. From property to gold.


    And the leaders were always more "equal".


    No one cared that some people worked for years to buy their land, or they spent generations clearing forest from the land, plowing earth, planting seeds, caring for them, and then gathering the harvest.


    The speakers continued telling people about communism. While presenting everything in a bright light, and evading critical points, focusing on the riches they will get and the oppression they''re currently suffering under. The bewitched eyes of the listeners told me enough. Great, more fanatics coming, this time their political.


    More war.


    More death.


    Fan-fucking-tastic.


    Ever since I left the northern mountain post, it feels like the world is falling into the abyss.


    ...


    It''s been two weeks, travel is slow. My internal organs, and muscles have healed a bit. So I''ve started to send more nutrition to my skin. Even I can get tired of the horrified looks. Do they think that it''s some kind of infectious disease? Or is it painful to look at me?


    As soon as I started to look more human, a few groups started to talk with me. Unexpectedly the group I spoke the most with is the one I saw in the inn. Elf, dwarf, and a purple skinned ogre. The Elf chatted non-stop about their adventures, the dwarf pointed out the errors, or how he made the most important contribution, but the ogre was generally silent, but it was apparent that he was the party leader.


    We were attacked a few times by centipedes and scorpions, but they were dealt with quickly. The big ones were killed by the mages, and the smaller were assigned to us, the melee guards.


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    ...


    "The swap smelled like the shitroom in a slavehouse."


    "You sure know how it smells."


    "Shut it, beard turd. Anyways, we could hardly drink or eat. Hunting that goddamn troll tribe was harder than we expected.


    "Ha. I remember you eating like a bark maggot in heat."


    "Fuck you cunt. You''re not one to talk, you drank non-stop the whole time.:"


    As they continued their story, we kept walking. A scream came from the front as people were running and trying to hide.


    "DRAGON!!! HIDE!"


    Shit, how the fuck did the attract a dragon? A few took out their weapons, and the mages started to prep their spells. After a few seconds of screaming, and guards giving orders, the sound of battle could be heard. The wind wizard was flying around, and casting spells, while the other mages fired ice, fire, and earth javelins.


    Dragon.


    As soon as I see the creature, confusion creep onto my face. After a few seconds of thinking, I sigh like I haven''t for a long time.


    Dragon.


    Blind idiots, two wings and two legs does not a dragon make. I''m not sure what''s more frustrating, the fact that a wyvern was mixed up with a dragon, or that they''re so worked up over a wyvern with a thirty-meter wingspan.


    Pathetic.


    Dragons are flying fortresses of death. They wield spell that can demolish cities with a single cast. Scales harder than steel, jaws that can crush stone like apples, swallowing a carriage in one bite. In the air they''re unkillable, on the ground it''ll take a few armies and powerful spells to just wound them. A fucking wyvern is an oversized cave bat, barely able to cast a fireball.


    As the people scream, and run around I just feel apathetic at their squabble. Mages continue to fire spells at it in horror. Idiots, most magic creatures have good magic defense. Attack the wings, ground it, and it''s dead.


    The wyvern opens its jaws wide to gather mana in order to cast a fireball. As its lungs inflate I wonder why they stopped their assault now? Cast a fireball into its mouth and it''ll explode like an overfilled balloon. The fireball hits the carriages, spreading fire around the caravan.I draw my sword as I walk in the direction of the wyvern. Absurd, how did they survive for so long? Most of the mages are on their knees, breathing heavily, wasted all their mana more than likely.


    I can see the wind wizard still levitating and gathering mana to cast another spell. Before she can, she''s interrupted and blown away by a blast of wind from the wyvern''s wings. It lands on one of the carriages, and starts eating the horse while it swings its wings to maintain balance.


    I send mana to my legs to get a decent jump. As soon as I get close to its wing my sword cuts the wings membrane, I fall down and roll. The wyvern screeches and tries to take off, but falls down to one side, can fly with one wing can you? It turns to look at me, and starts to charge towards me on all fours. I evade and try to position myself so I can quickly kill it. But it''s useless, I''m alone and no one is helping. Fucking idiots don''t even understand support. It''s bigger and faster than me. It''s eyes and the center of it''s neck. I can''t evade much longer, and help isn''t coming, so I need to do it myself.


    It charges me again as I jump as high as I can go to get on top of it. Its jaws close on the place I was a few moments before. The moment I land I plunge the sword into its eye. Shit, swords too short. It thrashes around, throwing me off. Because of my velocity I didn''t make a smooth landing, and it took a few seconds to stop myself. But it''s too late, only a few meters separate us. I''ve got about two seconds before its teeth close on my body.


    Teeth.


    I do one of the stupidest things that comes to mind, and jump into its throat. As the jaws close, the light disappears. At least my legs aren''t damaged. I''m inside, and I still have my sword, but there isn''t enough space to move. So I start stabbing my sword into whatever I can. The creature starts to thrash around in discontent.


    Oh, was that painful? Let me show you to not eat random stuff.


    I finally fall into some sack, and something begins to burn my skin. Stomach acid, shit. I repeat my actions with even more vigor. Warm liquid starts flowing into the sack, but I don''t stop. Finally after a few minutes the thrashing stops. Ok, now I just need to get out as fast as possible, not much air left, and I''d prefer to not be digested. Not sure how big its asshole is, but I''m not a big fan of that exit. I start carving through the flesh, after about a minute I carve a exit big enough to slip out of.


    I fall onto the sand and take a deep breath of fresh air. After a dozen breaths I stand, wobbling a fair bit. A few people are trying to stop the fires, but most are just standing and staring at me. A prickling sensation on my skin tells me that my clothes are still covered in stomach acid. I quickly strip, and hear a series of gasps. Not understanding their reaction I look at them, but they aren''t looking at my face, but somewhere lower. As I look down I start to regret taking off my shirt. The brotherhood symbol is still there. Can''t get rid of it. It always returns, same as the scar on my face. I walk to Jitak and ask him for some clothes, a few clothes should be left over from the bandits.


    One of his bodyguards, a dark elf, looks at me in pure hatred.


    "Blood Demon."


    Jitak winces, looking at me, hoping that his guard didn''t offend me.


    Yeah, we killed a lot of them.


    Moloch, Baal, Lucifer. Different faces, one...creature.


    Dark elves have "dark" in their names for a reason, and the blueish colour isn''t the main reason. They''ve done a lot of stuff, horrendous stuff. The Blood Legion literally decreased their number by nearly half. Several tens of million souls. Some say it wasn''t justified, but with each year dealing with them, I believed that less and less.


    If your body has an affinity for dark spells,would you focus on other, weaker affinities? No. They always return to what they have been doing. All the pretty words aren''t worth shit. They were prosecuted and forgiven several times. And still, they returned to their old ways. We were not the first ones who tried to stop them.


    A person comes back with the clothes, hands them to me. I can see he''s shaking in fear. The Blood Legion is the general term for Zeronel''s army. They wear red and follow Zeron''s teachings. They are well known and respected. The Blood Brotherhood, is a different story. We are not an army, we are hunters. We''re marked by the symbol on our chests. People speak of us in hushed tones, and they fear us. They are a lot of scary children''s tales about us for a reason.


    Us. We.


    No.


    Them. I am alone. I am no longer a part of them.


    I take the shirt and put it on, walking towards the back of the caravan. Everyone was trying to keep their distance from me, no one came any closer than five meters. The fire was out, no one was dead but a few were severely burnt. Not as badly as I was, but still. After some time the caravan started to move again.


    ...


    No one tried to speak with me since the wyvern attack. But everyone whispered between themselves, with fear evident in their eyes.


    Nothing new.


    The wind wizard took several long glances at me but did not speak. Even the prideful wizard looked scared.


    We arrived at Tomalesh, a huge sand stone "city" around two major oasis in the center of a dead desert. It should have been pretty quiet, but as we get close to the gate I notice that I''ve never seen it this active and noisy. After a few questions I find the reason. The Caliphate attacked the Desert Alliance. WHAT. THE. ACTUAL. FUCK. For centuries these kingdoms had a good relationship.


    Wait.


    The worshipers of Moloch and Minerva thought I was a Caliphate spy. I thought they just meant the usual spy, which the Caliphate is known to send everywhere. They thought I was Qaes. Sent to assassinate. That explains more, but still, why? For what reason?


    But more importantly, and all out war is coming.


    The Empire, the Northen Kingdom, Qing, the Caliphate, and now the Desert Alliance.


    A third Continental War.


    Fuck.

 Chapter 13 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    I''ve traveled to Tomalesh many times, but I''ve never entered the city. My superiors know about how I felt about slavery, and they couldn''t allow any conflicts to occur. So, I was always left outside, while they discussed the issues inside. We weren''t allowed to hunt inside the city, only around the outside.


    No one wants a hunt to happen in their house, but that was only a pretext. They knew about the cults that were in the city, it was just that they were under their protection as long as they supplied them with "materials" and "goods".


    Nothing new, they always were rotten.


    But when you go deeper you realise how truly fucked up the world really is.


    ...


    The whole caravan is being looked through, and it''s quite time consuming. But there''s a valid reason. Four weeks ago, roughly the same time I was cleaning that cult, several things happened. More than half of the water wells were poisoned, a quick spreading disease appeared in the slums, several assassination attempts took place on city leaders, and for the cherry on top, the Caliphate attacked the western border a few days ago. There was also news that this wasn''t the only city hit by this. The people gathered the pieces, putting them together, and came to the conclusion that it was a coordinated attack before the war.


    But the leaders know about it, and they were prepared. The cult also knew,


    The city is afraid of another attack, the leaders are nervous, the guards are nervous. It''s a vicious cycle.


    After two days of searching, we were finally allowed to enter the city. Jitak together with his guards came to me as soon as everyone passed the gates.


    "Sir Alan, I know that my words cannot express my gratitude to you, but I would like to thank you for the protection of our caravan. Please accept this small gift of gratitude. He passed me a pouch, opening it I found fifteen gold coins. I give him a questioning look.


    "This isn''t the agreed sum."


    "Of course, that amount is for the bandit''s bodies, the dragon''s corpse, and the guard work. How would it look if I paid you a dozen silver coins for saving my caravan."


    He looks so humble and thankful, but I know the truth. He paid the wind wizard at least ten gold coins. The bandit belongings aren''t worth much, but the body of the wyvern is worth at least ninety gold coins, if not one-hundred and fifty. While looking grateful he''s trying to scam me and make profit from this situation.


    "You won''t mind my presence at the auction when the wyvern body will be sold?"


    He pales visibly, the guards tense, understanding that their master just tried to fuck over a Blood Brotherhood member, well, ex-member, but they don''t need to know that.


    He quickly became respectful, and after a bit more discussion he paid me seventy gold coins. Additionally, he wrote a excellent review of my job on the guild contract. Even in life and death situations, people like him don''t lose their merchant hunger, petty to the last coin. Of they would think a bit, they would understand that something''s fishy, Blood Brotherhood members aren''t allowed to have an Adventurer''s Card. We have a different card.


    I find the Adventurer''s guild hall in the center of the city. After looking through the review I was given, they gave me a few curious glances and asked if I really killed a famous bandit group and a dragon. I corrected her and said it was a wyvern. In the end they told me I had been promoted to B class. I paid for the new card, which contained a stronger enchantment but also a tracking device, not many knew, but those who did didn''t speak about it.


    I asked about the next caravan that would travel south, but I was told that because of the war no one knew when the next caravan would be willing to go. And even if one does go, it will be fully controlled by the government, and neither public guards nor personal travel will be available.


    I shouldn''t stay here for long. Time is slipping away.


    A group of four men and two women, who looked to be in their twenties, came to the counter next to me. Behind them is a tall white Rabbit woman, with short daggers on her side, two black Wolfmen, and a big red Lizardman. They all have steel slave collars on their necks, my eyes meet theirs, defeated and dead.


    Slaves as adventurers are quite common for nobles. For them it''s a cheap meat-shield. All nobles are taught from a young age to control slave collars. It takes quite some time until they are proficient enough. There are many forms of "punishment" the collar can give, people are creative in areas they shouldn''t be.


    I look away from them, I need to stay calm right now. It reminds me that there''s still too much to do in the city. The slavery, the Moloch/Minervan cult in Kamalesh, it''s highly likely that it also spread here. Stupid names, who the hell came up with the names for these cities. As I was receiving the card, a small movement to my left caught my attention.


    "Hey, fucker."


    One of the young nobles, one with long black hair and yellowish eyes, he grabs the ears of the white Rabbit woman in his hand as she falls down on her knees.


    "You looked at my property. This. Is. Mine. Who gave you the right to look? Do you want to die, peasant?"


    They all look down at me with disgust, while the Rabbit woman tries her best to not make any sound. I''m dressed in a thin shirt and a simple pair of pants. There''s no need to buy new or better equipment right now, so maybe I do look like a hobo with a sword.


    I look back at the nobles in pity, they''re so green that they try to create a conflict out of nothing. They don''t need a reason, they were already rotten, I can see it from their eyes and actions. My face changes from pity to disgust. I say nothing as I look at them.


    Give me a reason to kill all of you.


    The faces of the people in the guild change to fear and shock at my display of disgust at the nobles. Maybe they''re "important" people. It doesn''t matter. The man with black hair turns to an expression of rage as he takes out his sword.


    "Fucking rat. I''ll teach you how to look at the next Emir."


    He swings his expensive looking sword, glowing with green, at me. I step forward and catch his right hand. He tries to hit me with his left hand, that glows with a golden light. His hand twists with a loud crunch as he screams, while orienting him to my right side. I stomp on his knee, snapping it in half. He crumples onto the floor with another scream. The guild guards draw their weapons, as the receptionist shreik and hide. The other nobles and slaves unsheathe their weapons and prepare to attack me. Some of the city guards are running into the building as well. A fat man runs down from the second floor.


    "STOP IT. IMMEDIATELY."


    The fat man looks down at the injured noble and his face morphs into rage and fear. They don''t dare attack while the noble is laying at my feet.


    "You''re under arrest for attacking an esteemed guild member!"


    "I''LL FUCKING KILL YOU! YOU FUCKING RAT!" screams the crippled piece of meat through the tears and wails of pain.


    "You weren''t here during the event, he was the one who attacked first. Ask the people."


    My sword was still sheathed, while his is laying near him on the ground. By law, I''m innocent.


    "How dare you! You will be executed for your insolence!"


    He attacked, and he''s still alive. And you want to execute me for his actions?"


    "You dare to badmouth the young Emir? We gave you the mercy of a quick death and you had the audacity to reject it. Kill him."


    Maybe if I didn''t look at him or the slaves, this shit wouldn''t have happened.


    No.


    It all starts that way, look away, forgive. And allow their evil existence to continue. It doesn''t matter what happened, only what you did. I was going to clean this city anyways, if it happens a bit earlier, that''s not much of a problem. I''ll die one way or another. I put my hand on my sword as I start circulating mana for what is to come.


    "NO! Please stop!"


    The wind wizard from the caravan is here, our eyes meet, she takes a step back and starts shaking.


    "Please don''t kill them."


    "Esteemed young Wizard, he committed a grave crime, and he shall be punished for it!" the old man says, not understanding she is addressing me.


    "Please, they''re just people, don''t kill them."


    Since the moment our eyes met, until now, she''s still looking at me with pleading eyes. I''m not sure what''s in this for her, but it doesn''t matter. I can hear a few Mages, and Enforcers circling around my back to attack. My scar starts to burn like it had a long time before, I don''t have much time left.


    "They won''t let me walk away." I reply as I turn to the nobles.


    "Come, death awaits." I finish as I unsheathe my sword.


    The wizard yelps and runs out of the building. My sword cleaves through the two Enforcers which tried to stab me in the back.


    Death awaits all.


    ...


    The moons shine brightly, it''s hard to believe that a month ago, they weren''t visible at all. It''s a bit cold, but nothing like the north. I killed a lot. Everyone who attacked me, the noble on the floor, the Mages and Enforces who tried to kill me. But the fat man and the other nobles ran away before I could reach them. Fucking trash, starting problems and running away when they can''t finish what they started.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    I don''t have much time, and more attackers were coming, so I ran away. They let me run, they figured they could track me by the residual mana trail I would leave. They clearly didn''t think of the fact that I couldn''t externalise mana. Just in case they would try tracking me by my guild card I threw it into the canal. And I just spent money on it too.


    Hiding in the slums was easy, large place with tons of corners and hidden alleys. Even though they sent dozens of search parties after me, it still wouldn''t be easy to find me, a single person in a huge city. Sitting with my back to the wall in a small alley, I thought about the situation I was in. I could''ve left the black haired noble alive, there wasn''t any need to chop his head off. The experience could have changed him. Useless waste of human life.


    [Who are you lying to? They never change. If you left him alive, he would use everything at his disposal to get rid of you.]


    And now his father will take revenge upon me.


    [Less hunters. Less problems.]


    Is this the way you''re trying to cheer me up?


    I start to heal my back and right hand. The cuts from the water Mage''s spells are a bit too deep to ignore. Before I realise it, I fell asleep.


    ...


    The same dream. Just like all the times before.


    The children surrounding me continue to whimper and beg for me to stop, for the pain to go away. They keep begging for forgiveness while I''m frozen. At one point the dark world becomes grey, and the children freeze with their begging and whimpering expressions.


    "I still don''t understand you fetish. Being verbally abused by children, a strange preference, but who am I to judge, right?"


    A person in a full white robe with burnt white wings, and eyes as blue as the endless sky itself walks towards me. His face could be called perfectly symmetrical, something that couldn''t be created by man, something heavenly. His smile so warm, and caring many would mix it with a motherly one.


    "You did a good job sitting in the North. Finding someone with all the chaotic energy caused by a spirit magnetic center is hard, but it must''ve been harder sitting there, waiting, right?"


    Fuck you, you piece of shit. Reincarnate into a goat motherfucker.


    "How harsh. There''s no one closer to you than me in this whole world. And yet, you treat me so terribly. I came to see my friend was doing, and the only thing I receive is this treatment?"


    Then why don''t you disappear? Everyone one would be better off.


    "We''ve been at it for so long, why don''t you just accept me? You and me, and every other living being are just a part of the system. There never was "father", only us, the "Initial" and the lie that people created so they don''t have to think about their death and insignificance. I know that you''re somewhere in the Dead Desert, I can help you. Together we could do so much more! Why do you continue to reject me? I''ve never done anything to you, it was the people who hurt you,...I was always trying to help you."


    He comes closer, tracing the scar on my face with a finger. The scar starts to burn slowly, as if a thousand worms are eating my flesh.


    "We will be together, if you accept me it''ll be easier and better for everyone. I know what you want to do in the South Dungeon, why? I could give you eternal life, endless riches, and loved ones. They would never disappear, betray you, or die."


    FUCK YOU! You think that your sweet talking and lies will work? You''ve tempted billions of souls, and you I think I''ll follow them too?


    "No, you are special. Very special. That''s why I came personally."


    Ha, did you think you could corrupt me with pride? We''re all nothing but maggots in this shithole. Personally? You''re everywhere and nowhere. You whisper your corruption and lies into every ear at every second.


    "I do not lie. I never lie and never will. That is the job of the so-called "saints". I give people what they want, and I never take anything in return. You all have been lied to. But that''s not important right now. Soon, we will meet. And I will always await you with open arms, remember that. Would they do the same for you?"


    "Rest well my friend."


    ...


    Jumping awake, I find it''s still night. Maybe an hour has passed since I fell asleep. The hadn''t burned for a while, I thought he had found someone else. But it seems I''m still the main candidate. I move north and didn''t overexert my body to avoid this. With each battle, more time slips from my grasp. The cults take the most, but I still can''t die yet. But this city is too corrupted to leave it as is. Slavery, and a high chance that the city leaders are part of the Lucifer cult.


    The guards should be patrolling the slums to find me. They believe that I''m hiding, so I should do the opposite, attack their headquarters. Now, when they don''t expect me, they can''t track me. It would be better if I could acquire a few bombs or poisons, but that would require me to wait until tomorrow, which would give them time, and time is something I don''t have.


    I send more mana to my back and right hand, they''re not fully healed but it shouldn''t be an issue.


    [Do not flatter yourself. You''re not cleaning the city, you''re just fulfilling your desire for your biased sense of righteousness. Who said that you are right? You''re not doing something good. You''re the same as "him", or any other dark creature. Never forget that.]


    ...


    Silently jumping from building to building, I reach the rear entrance of the castle. There are several guards on each part of the castle wall. They''re prepared for war and intruders, it won''t be like in Kamalesh. The only way in is through the guards, and that means killing them.


    [Would it be easier if they were raping a slave in all of her holes right now? Then you would take action? Who said thay they didn''t do it?]


    Who said they did it? They may have families, loved ones. They have a future. Maybe they aren''t here not because they want to, but because they had to. There''s a high probability that they don''t even know what is happening inside.


    [Oh poor them. May, maybe, high chance. Are we guessing or hopping? If they had an opportunity, would they not kill us? Of course they would. They''re here. Protecting the corrupted leaders and the cult. Nothing changed. We know what is inside.]


    [Looking for a reason to start the massacre? Don''t lie to yourself, we would do it one way or another.]


    [Children could be being sacrificed at this moment. And you need proof, your indecisiveness killed the ones in Kamalesh, and it will happen again.]


    My body moves.


    ...


    Why?


    The sunrise tells me that a new day had come, new life will be born today. Many came and left this world yesterday, everyone is just part of the cycle.


    Why?


    The growing pool of blood below me tells me that I''m in critical condition and must focus on healing. I''m in the slums and finding me here is next to impossible.


    Why?


    Healing is the most important objective right now.


    Why?


    Why?


    Why?


    Why?


    WHY?


    Why am I always right? Why is it always the worst possible case? How can people be so cruel to each other? How can they justify their actions? How can they sleep after that?


    The burning hot tears hurt more than the gaping, empty five centimeter hole on the left side of my chest. I can hardly take a breath as the droplets of blood continue to fall from my still lips.


    Why?


    ...


    There were too many guards in the palace, but I evaded most of them and silently killed about a dozen Enforcers and Mages. In the end I entered the basement hall at the worst possible time. They divided the slave children into three groups, the moment I came in one group with dead eyes was being violated, another was being cooked alive as they screamed for help, and the last were dead and being eaten.


    The number of children was over a hundred, and the number of nobles was slightly under three-hundred. This time they didn''t expect me, they weren''t prepared. I jumped into the fray, so I could take the advantage and not get cornered. This time it wasn''t just human nobles, there were many other races, and a few skilled adventurers who should have ranked somewhere around A class. Nearly no one was in plate mail, and my sword cleaved through them like a hot knife through butter.


    I didn''t think. My body moved on its own, as if I was a bystander.


    But I was too late. Again. Too late.


    One of the nobles cast a powerful wide-ranged curse, ineffective against me, but not against the children. They all died in an instant, those standing fell like dolls whose strings were cut, they just stopped breathing.


    I don''t remember much after that.


    They''re dead.


    Why?


    They''re dead, but it doesn''t matter anymore, I killed everyone.


    It doesn''t matter, I failed again.


    Again.


    I''m alive, but the children, the innocents, are dead.


    And I couldn''t do anything to save them.


    They are dead.


    Why?

 Chapter 14 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    Another Day - Chapter Fourteen


    And even if your guilty conscience does starts to eat at you, what can you do? Tell the people that their leaders, idols, and heroes are evil? That they sacrifice children and slaves to Lucifer? They''ll laugh at you, ridicule you, and turn a deaf ear to you. And those in power have many ears, so in the end you will disappear quietly.


    But I still don''t understand how I survived against dozens of wizards, they cast their spells, but they were really weak. It''s strange, the wizards I know are gods among men, creatures of mana that bend the world to their will through mere thought. Are my standards of wizards to high? No, there must be a reasonable explanation for it.


    But an empty bubble of power did more damage than I could imagine. The whole city is in chaos, the moment their masters disappeared, factions started to crawl out of their holes. Bandits, assassins, mercenaries, and guards with ambitions. They were all controlled in some form, money, blackmail, or fear. Politicians have polished their skills for manipulation and control for eons.


    The city is closer to hell than it ever was before. Someone poisoned the already limited supply of clean water, during the past several days of battle about a tenth of the city burned down. People are hungry, scared, and desperate. The gates and walls are guarded like never before, no one can exit, well nearly no one. There are always exceptions, if you have gold of course. And even if you leave, what are you going to do in the middle of the desert in a state of war?


    The thing is, every city has an Emir, something close to a mayor. The Emir answers to the Dead Desert Consul. The Consul is a group of the most powerful merchants in the desert, and they think only in terms of profit. They communicate with each city through a special enchanted communication walls. And those walls require a small group of skilled mages to operate, which are held in high respect. There''s an incredibly high chance the mages were in on the "feast", so I ended up in a city with nearly no communication with the outside world.


    This city is an important point in the desert, so it will be "taken under control" one way or another. Sending and capturing the city will take resources, but if the city if left to rot and starve, in its half-dead state it''ll be much cheaper. The lives don''t matter, they never did.


    ...


    I survived, somehow. But with only one lung it''s hard to do anything. With my basic knowledge of biology I just "tell" my body where to send the nutrition, so if something can be healed on a normal person, it can be healed with mana but it''s faster. But it''s a totally different story if that part doesn''t heal normally. In those cases I have to manually control my body. Regenerating lost rib bones is difficult, I have to extract bone essence from the other bones and direct it to the correct area. Regenerating bones is difficult, but restoring limbs and internal organs is a FUCKING pain in the ass. I still don''t understand how saying a few fancy words can magically recreate body parts, I''ve seen how it happens with my own eyes, and it''s still bullshit.


    FUCKING MAGES.


    Powerful earth Wizards are by no means rare, but that fucking Earth Javelin did "quite some damage" to my lung, and by that I mean it fucking disintegrated it. The javelin pierced at least five people before it got to me, they exploded into chunks of flesh and gore instantaneously, the only thing that kept me from following in their footsteps was weaving mana into my flesh in an attempt to hold my body together. Surprisingly the mana worked, so instead of exploding into little bits of flesh I was thrown into the air, surprising no one, the landing was not gentle. I had to take "manual" control of my body''s systems just to hold myself together. In retrospect it''s a good thing that the javelin had such a high velocity, if it didn''t rip that chunk of flesh out then my body would''ve had to absorb the kinetic energy, and that would''ve been a bad ending.


    ...


    The nightmares don''t stop. But at least I no one visited me there.


    ...


    I need to leave the city, but with my body, it''s an achievement to take a shit and not fall apart.


    Back when I was in the north everything was looking easy and planned out, but the further south I went the more problems arose. Stumbling upon Caliphate assassins, nearly missing the caravan because bandits had a burst of creativity and blew up the ship I was on. And even though I somehow arrived before the caravan departed, the situation with the cultists happened. But it all pales before the fact that a war started when I was in the center of the country, the Dead Desert, which resulted in heightened security especially around the cities. Oh, and not to forget that a really "smart person" decided that it was the best time to clean the city of cultists, which resulted in utter chaos, and a full stop on travel.


    Great,.... isn''t it?


    I''m not really sure what to do next, all possible plans of traveling through the Dead Desert fell apart. But before I can get across the desert, I need to think about how the hell do I get out of this damned city. But problems are never alone, the wind Wizard with who I traveled with in the caravan is circling above the city, searching for someone.


    Me, most likely.


    It looks like she has been following me from the moment I entered the city, but because of the event in the adventure guild she lost me. I can feel it in my guts that whatever she wants will cause more problems than it''s worth. I don''t know why she''s looking for me or what she wants, and I don''t really care. With her I could easily travel over the walls, but I still don''t want to.


    Don''t want. Definitely don''t want.


    [No one is asking your opinion. We have a problem, and need a solution. Time is more important. Get. To. Work.]


    She has a predictable pattern, flying around for about twenty minutes, landing to rest until she can fly again. Its been a few days since she started. Her stubbornness is commendable, but why is it always directed in the wrong direction.


    I''m not hiding, or at least that''s what I would like to think. If a fight started, or lets say, she would want to "enforce" her opinions or demands, I''m not sure if I would be able to politely decline in my current state.


    I need to continue what I was doing before, cleaning slave-houses.


    Because of the internal strife, no one will spare the effort to care about them, they''re just a food burden. But when they''ll need a meat shield for battle, the situation will turn around. I need to take advantage of the situation while I can.


    "People", huh. I still have doubts after what happened yesterday.


    ...


    A woman in a blue dress is held down by four others. One of them is tired of her struggling, and punches her, drawing a yelp of pain and sobbing. They proceed to rip her clothes off, and remove their pants. They stop at the last moment when they finally take note of me. They look at me, the area barely illuminated by the setting sun, after exchanging brief glances and sneers with each other, one of them stands up and lunges at me with a knife.


    I may look more like a hobo than I ever have, covered in blood head to toe, with rags barely covering my body. Constantly limping, coughing when I try to take a breath. But even in my state there''s still strength in my hands. The attacker falls down onto the floor screaming, after I ripped the arm, wielding the knife, out of his shoulder socket. They finally react to me as if I''m a threat and as they turn I can finally see their faces. After several seconds I recognise them, they''re the ones I freed last night. A group of demihumans, barely sixteen.


    "Why?" I squeeze out. "I freed you from slavery, and the first thing you do with that freedom is rape?"


    They squint their eyes and they widen as they recognise me, but their eyes still show hate.


    "ANSWER ME!"


    "They do not deserve to live. What they''ve done to use can''t be forgiven!" The youngest one on the right says, his cat ears laying flat against his head. "They tortured us, they starved us! We were less than animals! They...They all...my...my mom.....they didn''t....they never stopped....I begged, I promised I would do anything.....but they....my mom..." He finishes though the tears that streamed from his dark brown eyes. "They killed her, fed her body to the dogs. I will kill them. All of them. Humans are evil. You''re all the same. You all deserve to die. Men, women, and children. You-" He proclaims while pointing his dagger at me.


    A moment later his neck splits apart, the others followed his fate soon after, while the half-naked woman on the ground looks at me in horror. She screams and starts crawling away from me. The head of the boy comes to a stop on the ground, his dead eyes looking to the sky with tears still streaming out of them, his face frozen in an enraged expression.


    [Do not dare to look away. This is the result of your actions. You did it.]


    There are things that can not be forgiven. His mother....I''m not sure I would. There''s nothing I could say to them, nothing to heal or help them. They were just wounded animals, and they sought destruction.


    I am responsible for that.


    [Don''t make a scene out of it, it''s not the first time you''ve killed children, certainly not the last either. They didn''t ask for your help, they never needed your help. But still, you''re not so different from that boy. You have never created anything, never nurtured anything. Destruction is the only thing you know, the only think you are able to do, and nothing will change that.]


    [But..you are not alone. Those you hate and despise, those that use and manipulate, those that have power and authority are the same as you in that respect. Aren''t you happy that there are people similar to you?]


    There is no righteousness in this world. And there never will be, and we made it that way.


    ...


    Innocents may have died because I freed slaves, and many will die. Their deaths are on my conscience. Should I really free more? The situation from yesterday may repeat.


    [May?]


    They are not bound by fate, they have free will. I should not judge them by the actions of their kin.


    [Oh? What of Dark Elves? So humans and demihumans should bot be judged, but Dark Elves are one big evil group, all the same? Fucking hypocrite. If you have rules at least stick to them, even HE follows his.]


    ...


    Glancing at the wind Wizard I see that she''s finally out of mana and starts descending. I have some tome before she returns to the search. I need to move. As I start in the opposite direction and start thinking about my next action I hear a wind spell explosion followed by a scream in the area where the Wizard should''ve landed.


    Not my problem. Not mine.


    That''s what people always say, "Someone else will help."


    [And what they always will say. People are able to convince themselves quite easily if it ensures that they will sleep better. We will sleep better knowing that she wasn''t OUT problem, won''t we?]


    Shit, life would be so much easier if I was different. How different life could be, but it won''t.


    Limping towards the direction of the sound I find a rather ugly situation. There are at least twenty bandits, one with an enchanted crossbow standing in the rear. The Wizard is pinned to the wall by a large bolt in her shoulder. Daggers embedded into her palms hold her immobile to the wall. There''s a gag in her mouth, and she''s unconscious and bleeding from her temple.


    "Come on. No one will notice. She''s not a virgin for sure, so no one will even know if we have a go."


    "No, that''s the final answer. Do not damage the goods."


    As they were grumbling and arguing I was gathering as much air as I could. My body won''t be able to take on a long battle with one lung, I need to end it fast. I throw a short dagger into the head of the one with the crossbow, while swinging the sword in a wide arc to kill as many as I can. The first swing took six in an explosion of flesh and gore with the sound of bone crunching and flesh ripping apart, the second swing followed shortly after.


    One of them in the rear of the group suddenly took out another enchanted crossbow from his cloak. I should''ve expected them to have more than one crossbow, the distance between us is too small to dodge and too large to reach him.


    FUCK.


    The fired arrow disappeared and an enormous force pinned me to the wall as my sword falls out of my hand. It went through the left lung, FUCK. The wound only started to heal. With a roar I rip myself out of the wall and attack with everything I have.


    ...


    I finally finished coughing out the pieces of my lung that only started regenerating, great now I have to restart the regeneration already. God damn it.


    A few ran away, crushed a few of their skulls with my hands, few had their throats ripped out. Their blood is still flowing from my mouth, teeth are a really good weapon, and they''re always with you. It may look and sound barbaric, but when your life is on the line you tend to use everything you have and philosophical preferences don''t matter too much. The ones who ran away will return with backup. I need to get out of here but the retarded dart board is still pinned to the wall.


    So much mana and power, but it''s all useless if you don''t know who to use it correctly. Should I help her? She''ll cause problems.


    [Always finish what you started.]


    I sigh and remove the daggers pinning her to the wall. The daggers fall to the ground with a clang, after I rip the bolt out she falls down like a sack of potatoes. Oh come on. Slapping her face several times doesn''t wake her.


    [Finish what you started.]


    With a groan I throw her over my shoulder and start limping back towards the direction I came from. The burning sun and heat of noon isn''t helping in the least.


    [Who are you going to blame? Our life, our decisions.]


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ...


    I used a few pieces of cloth to bandage her wounds. I don''t have any potions, and even if I did I wouldn''t give them to her. Closing my bleeding took a bit more energy than it would''ve usually. I wasn''t allowed to fully heal from the last hunt, nor the one before that. Wyvern not taken into account.


    The night came but she still hadn''t woken up, and I''m too tired to wait any longer, and I''m not falling asleep with her near me. Slapping her a few times finally gave a result, she slowly opens her eyes with a groan as her eyes meet mine. Green eyes, green clothes, and wind magic. I really hope this is just a random combination and not a personal aesthetic preference. The eccentric ones with visual preferences are the biggest pain in the ass. She continues to stare at me in half a daze for at least a minute until her eyes start to close. I really don''t have time for this.


    "Why were you searching for me?"


    "What?" She replied with a weak voice as she jerks awake with pain visible on her face. I really, really don''t have time for this.


    "Some idiot was uselessly wasting energy to fly around in seach of something or someone. Bandits waited until that idiot wasted most of her mana and ambushed her."


    As if remembering, her eyes widen in realisation. "You saved me?"


    "You survived. Most of them didn''t."


    "Thank you." She says quietly.


    "You didn''t answer the question."


    After looking at me for a few more seconds she continues "I need your help."


    "I already helped you."


    She continues to stare at me, as if waiting for something. I''m really tired of her shit, as soon as I try to get more information out of her she closes her eyes and falls asleep. The cloth on her shoulder is turning red. She has lost too much blood and won''t be able to cause issues for sometime. I re-bandage her shoulder with what I had available, a piece of her cloak, she should survive, at least for now. I can leave her here, but she''s the easiest ticket over the wall.


    [She will cause more problems.]


    I start to calculate my other options for crossing the wall, whatever I do it will take longer, and less likely to succeed than using her. Maybe I can ask her to get me over the wall for saving her, but whatever she wants should have been worth several days of search and she will bring it up.


    Fuck.


    The decision brings on a deep sigh.


    [You will regret it one way or another.]


    ...


    In the morning I wake with a groan, this body won''t hold for much longer if I continue like this. But who cares? It doesn''t need to. I look in the direction of my ticket and find her awake, standing and staring at me. Great, she awoke earlier than she should''ve, and looks much healthier than I am, and to top it all off, she could''ve killed me if she wanted to.


    [Your decision. You allowed that.]


    She continues to stare at me with expectation. I need to take control before she does. I stand up.


    "I saved you yesterday. Repay me with getting over the city walls."


    "Promise to help me first."


    "What?"


    "Promise to help me."


    Did she hit her head to hard? "Why should I?"


    She continues to stare at me, minutes pass in absolute silence while we stare at each other. This clearly isn''t getting us anywhere. Sigh.


    "What exactly do you want?"


    "I need you to go somewhere with me."


    "Why?"


    "Because I asked for your help." She says with a somehow questioning and authorative look. As if the fact that I am asking it is ridiculous.


    What the actual fuck. Because she asked for help? No, no, no, no. This is an overkill, this isn''t worth it. I had enough problems so far, a mentally ill idiot will not become another one. As I walk away, she speaks quickly.


    "If you don''t I''ll tell Uncle Yorgan."


    "Haa?"


    "Someone attacked the Emir''s palace. The Emir''s family''s dismembered remains were found in the palace dungeon which as rumor says was used in dark rituals. Bodies of A class adventurers were found there too." She pauses for a few seconds, looking directly into my eyes and continues "Not many can do that." She takes a deep breath and continues.


    "You''re a Blood Brother, I saw the mark. You came to the city and the next day the dark cult was found. That''s no coincidence." Still looking into my eyes as if she expects a change in my expression or a reaction.


    "You must be from the Heretic Hunter group. My uncle, Lord Yorgan Kilfaros, is one of your captains. If you don''t help me I will send a letter to him and you will be punished."


    There is so much I want to say, but it''s as if you''re trying to squeeze something enormous through a small hole, everything gets stuck.


    "Help me, please." She finishes with desperation.


    This desperate stuck-up idiot with mental issues tries her best to seem like she''s in control, but I can smell her fear. A strong headache pushes me too close to making a rash decision.


    "We will talk after you get me over the wall." I squeeze out.


    "No. Promise me that you will go together with me to Mozzarel. Promise me. Blood Brothers never break a promise."


    It seems like I''m going to travel through it one way or another.


    "I promise that I will travel to Mozzarel."


    "Thank you." She says with a bright childish smile. "We will travel over the wall tomorrow night. I need to rest a bit more and get a few things in the city. The trip will be long and hard."


    So my wrecked condition isn''t taken into account.


    [People will always think only about themselves.]


    The fact that she knows, that the Emir family was part of the cult, means the information is public. It was made public on purpose, a tool to sway the masses to a new ruler more than likely. The city is going to hell faster than it should. I don''t know what worries me more, the fact that an inexperienced, but powerful Wizard has the mental capabilities of a child and threatens me with "You bad. I tell mommy.", adding to that the absolute belief in "Blood Brother pinky promise" bullshit, or the fact that she doesn''t know that Yorgan has been dead for at least the past five years.


    ...


    Yorgan. He saved my life, several times in fact.


    [Oh? Do you think helping her will repay the debt you owe him? Don''t lie to yourself. He''s dead, rotting in his grave, and there''s nothing you can do to help him. Nothing.]


    [Focus on your goals. There are still slavehouses in the city. Isn''t this what you wanted to do? Who knows maybe the nightmares wont return. Right?]


    ...


    I cleaned as much of the city as I could. I can''t delay any longer, there isn''t enough time left. Olana, the wind Wizard, helped me get the food and travel supplies. It was harder than one would expect. Buying anything is no longer possible, lack of clean water, groups fighting for power, desperation and utter chaos changed the city within a few days. Shops are closed, food is so scarce that people started killing each other for a few pieces of bread, and it''s not just a few instances, the whole city is in such a state. Gold is worthless if you can''t exchange it for goods.


    Incredible what a small piece of information, a war, a few poisoned wells, and several dead people, rulers mostly, can do. It took one and a half days to gather all of the resources needed for travel. And a single night to free slaves. Funny thing was, freeing the slaves was the easier task.


    The "acquired" horses, clean water, and food were quickly transported to the other side of the wall. We had to drug the horses as they don''t take to flight too well, and any sound could be the end of the operation.


    The guards with enchanted crossbows are serious problems. In close quarters I can "disable" them quickly, at a distance I can evade them, but at mid range they''re deadly, especially if there are several of them. There''s a guard with a crossbow every four meters on the wall, and you can''t guess which one of them has the enchanted crossbow.


    ...


    Olana cast a wind spell which took us all together and transported us as far as possible from the city walls. All-in-all she was able to hold on for a few minutes, but it was enough as we were roughly half a kilometer from the city. She said she was tired and that she isn''t used to carrying so much weight with her spells.


    Tired, huh.


    Still trying to hold onto the status of a "powerful Wizard", but I don''t care. I''ve seen many trying to pose as something they were not, and even those that represented something always tried to cast a bigger shadow, as if it would change what they really are.


    We quickly woke the horses and started to travel. While I''m on horseback it''s much easier to heal. Still, it doesn''t change the fact that there''s just too much to heal, my body is basically just one big wound.


    ...


    Taking priority I healed my lungs first, with more oxygen moving through my body, it''ll function better. In about a week we will get to Samolesh, the southern-most city of the Dead Desert. From then on it''ll be a near straight shot. It''s only spring, but the heat is already unbearable. I don''t understand how people live in this region and don''t lose their mind. Several "locals" thought a pair of traveling adventurers were easy prey. They were quickly proven wrong. The good thing is that you only need to prove them wrong once, the bad thing is that there are many that you need to prove it to.


    [But who''s counting the number of dead bodies we''re leaving behind. Right? They''re not people, or at least it''s easier to think that way. How many fates we crushed, how many lives we destroyed.]


    ...


    I didn''t speak much with my "traveling companion", but her constant glances for the past few days have become quite tiring. Still, I will not start the conversation.


    [You''re doing your best to not address her by name. Still trying to think of her as nothing more than a temporary shadow? Just like we''ve done to everyone we met. By her behavior it''s clear that she''s a noble. But the fact that a noble wizard is traveling alone raises too many questions, and getting to Mozzarel definitely isn''t the goal. Therefore, the question, what is it?]


    Olana, as if finally gathering the courage and determination to speak, opens her mouth a few times before saying "Listen, I know that you''re not allowed to discuss this stuff, but, my Uncle, do you know how..." She trails off.


    I know exactly where this is going, and anything I say will only cause more questions, problems, and issues. I continue to look forward as if I never heard the question. After a few seconds of silence she continues.


    "...Nevermind. I shouldn''t have asked."


    Sometimes, the best answer is silence.


    ...


    Life is a strange thing. We meet people we never expect to meet.


    It looks like the group of the ogre, dwarf, and the elf somehow left the city too.They didn''t do it alone, but that''s normal, higher numbers increase the chance of survival. We all somehow found a small oasis in the middle of nowhere. They''re extremely rare, and if people find them, they always try to rest there and replenish water supplies. It should''ve been a "happy" moment, where two traveling groups meet, a moment where we clap each other on the backs, congratulating each other that we survived and left the city somehow.


    But it isn''t.


    When we arrived at the oasis everything was already finished, the desert centipede pack attack was repelled. Repelled, with a price. Out of fifteen people in the group that arrived, four lay dead. One of the dead was the dwarf, whose name I don''t even remember. He lays on his back with a big bloody wound in the center of his chest, while the sand under him turns red. The ogre stands over the body of his comrade, while the elf is on his knees, weeping and laying over the body of the dwarf.


    Not comrade, friends. Whatever they said or did, they were still together.


    Till the end.


    "Silo, we need to go." Said the ogre.


    "Go?" Whispered the elf turning to the ogre. "Go where Metas? Liam died and you want to go?!"


    "There''s nothing we can do for him now."


    "Nothing we can do? Is that all you can say?! You can''t grieve him at all? Did you ever think of him as a friend!?"


    The ogres eye shot open as he punched the elf in the face, sending him to the ground.


    "He was as much your friend as he was mine!! You think I am not im pain, you think I..." He stops as tears stream down his face.


    Life goes on.


    People die every second.


    [That''s just a statistic. Every single one of them has a name, a family, friends and enemies, dreams and hopes, a story never told. But together they are just a statistic.]


    I continue to stand and look as everyone around keeps moving, checking their gear and prepping, except for the duo crying with their dead friend on the ground.


    Memories of me in a bloody uniform standing on a battlefield riddled with craters filled with fire, with pieces of my teammates laying around while legions march towards me. We were left to die, reinforcements weren''t just late, they didn''t exist in the first place. We were meant to die, to disappear, burying our secrets with us.


    Returning from my memories, I see the ogre pick up the dwarf''s body, and put it on a horse.


    [Nice, isn''t it? You''re not the only one suffering, they''re also in the hurricane of chaos and death we call life. They''re as much alive as you are. You always tried to evade looking into people, as the more you look, the more you take it personally. You will try to understand them, help them, put yourself in their place. But don''t look too deep, or we will lose the edge which we need to do what is required.]


    [Do. Not. Forget. We are not allowed to die, the moment we die, HE will take control over this body. We need to make sure that not a single piece of this body remains. HE will spend every single fraction of his power to bend fate to get this body. And THEY ALL know this, and they are waiting for our death with glee.]


    I can''t die.


    Not yet, not here, not now.


    I don''t want to see another day, there is nothing good waiting for me there.


    I want to end it all now.


    But I can''t.


    Death is easy, living is hard.


    A new day shall come, and maybe, just maybe it will be different.


    Hope is not much, but it''s all we have.

 Chapter 15 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    The party''s leader decided that the Wizard and her "slave" would be positioned on the right flank. "Slave" huh, well it doesn''t matter. To be frank, I still look like a hobo and there''s no point getting new clothes at this point, they would only be temporary anyways. At first they wanted us to be in the front, as bait for a possible attack, but when Olana told their leader that we can travel behind them everyone reached a compromise. Having no desire for someone who you don''t trust to guard your back helps.


    It looks like Olana became a bit more confident as soon as we weren''t alone. A person who would be feeling more like herself in a big group of strangers... I really don''t want to think about her stranger behaviour anymore, but this strange detail raises more and more questions, it makes me debate whether or not I made the right decision to travel with her.


    She continued to stare at me with expectation, but her actions didn''t get her any results. In the game of stubbornness she''s strong, but not as strong as I am. Maybe she''s used to everything going her way, or she simply believes that a single word or glance from her is enough for the world to bend to her will. After about an hour she started the talk herself.


    "Listen, I know that you can''t tell me much, but at least tell me your name. We''ve been traveling together for about two weeks and I still don''t know what to call you."


    After about ten seconds of silence I answered. "B117."


    I should''ve replied with my real name but somehow, I replied with my Blood Legion ID.


    My name.


    [Isn''t it ironic that you''ve hid your name for so long, but told it to the mayor of a small, random village. Oh wait, it was a Qaes village. Right, you killed them all didn''t you? The first, in nearly a decade to hear your name, and their fate was to die by your hand.]


    [Did you want to leave at least your name behind? Hoping it would exist in someones memory?]


    "Oh, a code name. Okay, that''s progress."


    After another hour of silence she continued.


    "I''m really sorry, I just want to know how my uncle is. I haven''t heard about him in quite some time. I''m not asking for information about something important, like your mission or a secret, or information about someone big like the Blood Hand, Saint Protus, The Bleeding Shadow, or even that psychopath Inquisitor. Please, he''s my uncle."


    I continue to stare forwards, ignoring the question as if it wasn''t asked several times.


    "God damn you." She mutter with a scowl.


    [Interesting how two of the names she mentioned were actual the same person, the uncle she''s asking about.]


    Yorgan always excelled at manipulation of blood and hiding in the shadows, but in the end it didn''t save him.


    Protus. A Saint? If only they knew how far they were from the truth.


    I would give up a lot to make him disappear from the face of the Earth, to take him with me to hell, so much could be solved with his death alone, but alas it will never happen. Even if I could somehow bypass his twelve incredibly experienced Enforcers and Wizards bodyguards who constantly stick to him, Protus himself is a totally different story. Even if half the continent gathered together against him alone, they would be but ants before a god. And he wouldn''t hesitate for even a faction of a second to take capital action.


    His words still echo in my mind from time to time.


    "Life itself is violence. All societies and all species exist only because of violence. It''s the thing that holds us all together, the universal currency, and all other forms of control or existence derive from it. What stops a stranger from taking your property or life? Tell them to stop? Beg for your life? Pretty words and laws are worth nothing if there is no violence to uphold them. Don''t be, even for a fraction of a second, misled by the existence of some peace preaching creatures, who claim to be able to survive with no violence at all, that is only possible because they live in society of violence, even though they don''t see or understand it. As soon as you extract them from the said society they cease to exist."


    He''s not wrong, but he isn''t right.


    It''s not all about violence, or at least I try to believe so.


    ...


    A lady in her mid forties is telling stories to a small child on her lap, who looks around five, things about mana and magic, which are just so utterly, ridiculous. But it pales in comparison to what she is telling about the Blood Brotherhood. The evening chill makes the people bundle together around the fire to warm up. We''ve crossed the sandy part of the desert, which is really good news. The rocky terrain were in doesn''t protect us from the cold wind, and a few burning twigs of dried caricature on a tree don''t do a good job of warming us up. And so we all sit and listen to the story.


    "...they are feared by all, their brothers the Blood Legion, their masters and simple folk. People don''t usually see them, as they hunt during the night. But you can know it''s them when you smell the thick scent of blood accompanied by screams. They bathe in the blood of their enemies and become stronger with each battle. But fear not child, they are the darkest creatures of the night, yet they serve the light. They will never hurt the innocent, never come into the houses of the righteous, and never spill the blood of the pure."


    I really want to laugh right now. This whole "be good and you won''t die" bullshit gets more and more ridiculous with each iteration. Olana keeps stealing glances at me, looking for my reaction to the story. The ogre and elf are silent as they look into the fire. They decided to make a proper burial of their friend in the next city, they wrapped his body in cloth and put it on a horse, but the burning sun has started to take its toll on the body. The freezing night is accompanied by the smell of rotten flesh, to which a few wanted to raise complaints, but didn''t.


    The story continued, painting the Blood Brothers something akin to demons who consume the blood and can morph into anything they desire, who can kill armies with blood magic. Most of it''s bullshit, but there are pieces of truth in it. Every single one of the Blood Brotherhood uses some form of blood magic. There are those who can siphon mana from the blood of enemies, those that turn blood into armour or weapons, those that can manipulate blood as if it''s water, and much, much more. But it dependent on affinity, more than people think.


    In the most respected books on magic affinity it''s described as the combination of the physical body structure, state of the spirit, and the will of the mind. Those books usually talk about the way to find your affinity and accept it as representation of what you are, and what you should be. The only thing scholars talk about in the subject of affinity is the philosophical, spiritual, and abstract stuff. But when you start digging deeper you find more, and the more you gaze into the abyss, the more the abyss gazes into you, literally. According to my finding, the thing people call "affinity" is more of a tunnel to the "soul" of something. In the books, people described that as energy flowing in both directions, where you send internal mana to that "special" soul through a "gate" and receive elemental or arcane mana back.


    According to the modern consensus those souls and their mana divide into two basic pillars, elemental and arcane. The elemental pillar divides into four categories, earth, water, wind, and fire. While the arcane divides into energy, matter, spirit, and gravity. There was a time when mages theorized that there is a third pillar, the internal mana pillar, but it was dismissed a long time ago as just a part of the spirit group of the arcane pillar. It''s easier to think of it that way, or things get strange and complicated.


    It makes absolutely no sense that the mana of one group can transform into the mana of another group which may belong to a totally different pillar. But it is accepted fact and all public theories are built upon it.


    The public ones.


    Anyways, all the spells that ever existed used a combination or subset of man from those eight groups. Many mages don''t know that the elemental pillar actually represents the four states of matter.


    Earth for solid.


    Water for liquid.


    Wind for gas.


    Fire for plasma.


    Things with the arcane pillar are a bit different, some believed that they represented the laws by which our world is governed. But Wizards don''t think about it, they don''t need to, they can just feel the "gates". It''s as if you''re asking how exactly does your body move the way you want, you don''t need to understand biology to make your limbs move. You just desire them to. Mighty warriors can reach the pinnacle of physical strength without knowing even a bit of biology, the same is for magic. It just works, and you can feel it, no need for complicated explanations.


    When a person tries to perform a spell, he sends his internal mana through the gate, which causes a manifestation of external mana, which would fuel the spell. And depending in the amount you send to each gate a different type of mana is manifested. Wizards spend their lifetimes increasing their affinity, which results in a "wider" gate, with which they can cast more powerful spells.


    Every single person has an affinity, even the most rural peasant has, a faint one but still, an affinity.


    I am an exception.


    I was always an exception, even at the academy.


    ...


    My dad died when I was really young, I don''t even remember his face, just his warm smile and the hugs he gave me when we sat on his armchair. Just another death of a soldier in a small feud between local lords, nothing noble, a simple "issue" of ownership over a small patch of earth in the middle of nowhere. Ridiculous, isn''t it? A small patch of earth was worth more than he could earn in his entire life, more than his life.


    Mother was a seamstress in a small town. She didn''t earn much but it was enough to feed us. I spent most of my time either helping her or reading books in a tiny seven square meter roo, she called her workshop, which was also our house. The book store owner who lived next door had an agreement with my mother, he would lend books to me for free as long as I didn''t damage them, and in return my mother would fix his family''s clothes for free. It kept me busy with something that kept me out of my mother''s way, and helped me get smarter. She was happy with the way things turned out. Life was hard but simple.


    When I was ten I passed the local magic academy''s test, which I was encouraged to take by my mother. By the examiner''s words my general knowledge and intelligence was "barely passable" to attend their esteemed academy.


    "Study, learn, become everything you want to be." Those were my mother''s parting words. Mage Academy students lived in the tower, and weren''t allowed to see their relatives often.


    To become a mage a sharp mind is crucial, and it looked like I had a good one. Every single country needs mages, lots of them, so much so that they even allow a few commoners to study for free, as EVERYTHING is dependent in mana, and I somehow became one of those few. The Mage Tower was really far, and I didn''t really want to attend it, but mother''s encouragement and happiness when I was accepted changed that. Her smile made me take that step forward.


    ...


    I didn''t make any friends in the Tower, as nearly all of the students were nobles and looked down on me. And those few commoners who also attended became lackeys to specific nobles, the ones they were going to server after they leave the academy. I didn''t care about that, I just wanted to study, learn, and understand how the world worked. I studied with all I had, if I succeeded I could help and support mother, the only family I had, everything else didn''t matter. And the results were good, I was one of the top students in the academy.


    Official magic aptitude tests are done twice, once at fifteen and again at eighteen. There is also an unofficial one done by nobles and academies at about twelve, when the magic skills just start to appear, but it''s not taken as a serious magic capabilities assessment test. During the first test by the academy I failed to manifest mana. Some of the teachers thought that I was slacking and not making an effort, but the theoretical test results proved them wrong. Next, they thought that I had a minuscule amount of mana and was bad at manipulating inner mana. I also thought that, therefore I spent years taking great efforts to fix that, meditating and circulating mana.


    The rare letters I was able to exchange with mother told me that life was hard, but everything was fine. She kept encouraging me to try harder, never give up, and results would come. Communication with the outside world was limited, and it was hard being constantly alone, but hope is a strange thing. I continued my efforts with my inner mana circulation and control with a madness-like obsession, which I had with everything I did.


    A few were talking about expelling me for my lack of progress in mana related subjects, but my theoretical knowledge and top results in the tests, not concerning mana, gave me the option of becoming at least a researcher. Still, as everyone was already casting spells, I couldn''t even manifest mana.


    ...


    When I was fifteen, I failed again, not being able to manifest even a tiny bit of mana. The Grand Master was furious, and to do a small test he poured his mana into me to observe my inner state, the speed and amount of mana circulating inside of me. He was baffled and told me I had a "catastrophically large" amount of mana and "blade-like" control over it, but there were no gates, the internal mana was trapped in me.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    There were a few who were quite interested in me after that, but some were more interested in my blood. They spoke about great magic and spells we could accomplish, but I could feel it in my bones that they saw me as nothing more than a pit of mana. I didn''t want to be a mana stone in some random experiment. I needed to protect myself and for that I needed external mana.


    Many, even professors, looked at me in disdain, as someone who was manaless, but they somehow tolerated my existence. The first few months after the official test, I started looking into everything to inner gates. I found something, a hint at least.


    There was a legend about an ancient Wizard, or the Titan of Fire as they called him, he didn''t have water or earth gates. It was written that because of that he has a stronger connection to the fire and air souls, so strong that he could transform into fire itself, that he became the voice of fire itself. Well, that''s what was written after you ignore all the pathos, and the endless praise from the scriptures.


    The most logical conclusion I came up with is that there must be some unknown or rare sub-group soul that I have a connection that I have a gate connection with. I spent quite some time looking into all of the possible ones, common, rare, respected, and disdained. Even the most disgraceful and dishonourable one. People have tons of affinities, big and small, I should have at least one.


    I didn''t.


    The only thing I was able to accomplish through the research is that my inner mana was rejected by each group of the two pillars, every single one. But I found something interesting during that research, engineering and physics in enchantments and rituals. That was something I could do even without mana, something I could direct my mind at and if I worked for the academy as an enchanter or researcher I would be under their protection, with no fear for my life or safety.


    Most of the important enchantments and ritual books weren''t accessible, but the basic ones were. My skills and knowledge rapidly increased.


    ...


    Sometime later I received a short letter from the bookstore owner living next door.


    "Your mother died of Frost Vein disease, the house was sold to close her debts and pay for the funeral."


    I died that day.


    I laid in my bed crying for a week. I was never able to help her, show her the same love she gave me. What was I spending years here for? I was angry at the world, but more so at myself. It was so long since I saw her, and I couldn''t even fully remember her face.


    Only her voice.


    "Everything will be okay sweetie."


    "All events have a reason."


    "Life always straightens things up son."


    "We don''t choose the tools, but we choose what we do with them."


    So I did the only thing I could, I plunged myself into study. I would do the only thing she ever wanted, for me to succeed. An idea was born in my head and I spent all available time on it, barely sleeping or resting.


    Right before the final aptitude test, I showed a design I made to the Grand Master of the Enchantment department, Professor Palonto, who I had a bit more friendly relationship, in hopes of getting a position as an enchantment researcher in the academy.


    It was a design of a flying city, fueled and powered purely by residual mana, which was controlled by enchanted "blocks", whose methods of working was not public, but their existence was known. It would levitate powered by several combinations of gravitational magic and would be indestructible and unstoppable. I explained that this city could move around the world, across seas and oceans, through deserts and marshlands, or it could anchor itself to some location. And during that process it could gather ambient mana and change terrain and climate around the whole Earth to an optimise the location.


    She called me crazy and rejected my idea as utterly ridiculous and impossible, she said that even the ancient Wizards of the Divine Era couldn''t do it, and any attempts were useless wastes of time. When I asked if I can get a position on the research team she said that she thinks my non-standard thinking would be helpful to the academy.


    I was happy, believing that I truly succeeded, for first time in my life I started thinking about the future, my future, who I can become, what I can become.


    They say that one picture is worth a thousand words.


    On the final affinity test when I was again found with absolutely no aptitude for any soul, it wasn''t shocking, I kind of already accepted that I would never be able to cast a spell. But when I saw the smile Professor Palonto gave to the arcane Grand Master, which was especially interested in my blood, everything inside of me flipped, as if lightning hit me. The announcement of who would be taken into the research team would have been announced the next day, but I didn''t wait for it.


    That night, I ran away.


    That smile brought clarity to my mind, it was always strange that Professor Palonto never taught anything to me, never gave me hints or direction on where to search the subject I was interested in, but was always friendly and tried to hold me close to herself. My fate had already been decided long before that, an animal fattened for slaughter. That also explained why they kept me around for so long, why they allowed my existence. All the Professors and Grand Masters, every single one of them, they knew.


    It all explained why they tolerated my existence in the academy.


    I didn''t know where to run, or what to do. They would find me in the end, and no one would be able to protect me. Dying in a big ritual would be the best fate I could possibly get. Traveling to another continent could have been an option if the mage academy didn''t have connections with everyone and everything, including ports and traveling caravans. But even for that I needed money, which I didn''t have.


    The only other option was that I needed the protection of someone or something. But what kind of protector could stand against the Mage Academy? Something that inflicts a bone chilling fear, something that even standing against would be pure suicide, something that would take in a no one like me. Standing in the middle of a swamp a few kilometers from the academy, only one idea came to mind. It was an idea to which death or suicide was a better option.


    But I still wanted to live, even if it was just for a few more days.


    ...


    The child continued to listen to the story of the woman, but at least the subject changed from Blood Brotherhood to unicorns and dragons. But then it suddenly hit me. Why is there only one child with this group?


    Scanning through the group I started to analyse each one. Half a dozen vanguards and archers, obviously well trained ex-guards. Two really shady guys, trying to look normal, but for my trained eyes it''s not hard to discern assassins and spies. An old man, who has been guiding along the path. a guide. A woman who has been caressing a child, which fell asleep a few moments ago, a nanny. A child, with perfectly symmetrical features. A noble, no, someone important. Royalty. They''re all dressed in simple clothes without attributes, but you can''t hide what you really are.


    Funny thing.


    The reason all nobles look very handsome and beautiful isn''t just because that they take better care of themselves. When you''re in power, you can choose the best spouses available on the "market". Which means even if you''re ugly, stupid, and without any magic talent, you can choose the most beautiful wife with great magic talent, and you can do that for your children too. Which results in beautiful and talented grandchildren. But that''s an example of only two generations, what about the royalty, nobles and powerful families which had dozens of generations to continue that process.


    It doesn''t matter how you started or how you gained power, even if it was the most despicable, dishonourable, pathetic or backstabbing way. In the end, time and power will wash everything away, leaving a fancy fairy tale created to glorify something that didn''t even exist in the first place, but which would create a superiority complex for generations to come. And now you have someone, who even in their "hidden" state, can be recognised. Just because their parents were picky with who to have children with. But can you blame the child for that?


    [Interesting, how would they react if they knew that you were the one who caused that hell in their city? You killed that child''s parents, leaving him an orphan. And because of that all these people had to leave their homes and families in their time of need, and travel to who-knows-where to protect a single child, which isn''t even theirs.]


    [How do you feel? Should we tell them the truth and have some fun?]


    Their dead eyes and tired eyes told me enough.


    In a day or two we will reach Samolesh, there''s no reason to create problems, and my body can''t take take much right now. I just need to hold on for a bit longer.


    ...


    I can see Samolesh, about four kilometers away, standing between two rocky hills, blocking the only path through them. A choke-point. But even from here you can see what''s happening in the city, people running around trying to hide from what they believe is the wrath of the gods. The party and Olana are standing in awe as bubbles of fire exploded, appearing in trails through the city, followed by rare purple beams. Half of minute of absolute silence follows.


    In the distance I can see a person in red clothes with a staff, who suddenly appeared at least three-hundred and fifty meters above the city. He may appear immobile, but I can see subtle motions of his staff, which end with raised and spread arms.


    One of the party members wants to say something, but a flash of light interrupts him and fixes the gazes of everyone on the city. A new bubble of fire appeared in the center of the city, growing tremendously fast, and more destructive than all of the previous spells together. AS it continues growing and covers at least a third of the city. I can see the shock wave traveling in all directions with enormous speed, to which I responded accordingly and prepared to cover my eyes. Everyone else just stands looking at the event in awe. But a few fractions of a second before the shock wave hit, I saw a thin beam crossing the sky with colossal speed.


    The shock wave hit us much softer and I expected, but the few yelps I heard told me that not many shared my opinion. When I removed my hand from eyes, the dust and rocks were already settling down, but the party members were grunting and trying to get sand and stone pieces out of their eyes. Oh come on. By the visible shock wave and the dust on the ground you should''ve expected that.


    The city is half-melted with nearly no sound, except the hum after the explosion, the crumbling city, and the coughs of the party. Everyone looked in horror at the city. The clouds in the sky are split apart by a straight line which continues to widen in a perpendicular direction to where I saw the purple beam pass through. You can see the big rocks split apart, causing cracks in the same direction while dark smoke floats out of them.


    "What the HELL was that?" Muttered Olana.


    What are you talking about? This is what a Wizard battle looks like. You should be able to do something similar to even call yourself a Wizard.


    Returning my sight back to the city I catch sight of two falling objects. Trying to focus on one of the objects I quickly find out what it is, or at least who it was. It looks like the purple beam found its target. Well, one of the Wizards is dead. If the other one didn''t survive the explosion and heat, we have two dead Wizards and a city, nearly erased from the face of the Earth.


    [Isn''t it nice when an issue between two people causes the death of thousands? Nothing that we could possibly know, right?]


    While the party is in a stupor I start walking back to the horses, it looks like I won''t be able to get a decent rest in this city. And the travel should continue, whatever happens. Who knows if anyone survived, and standing her won''t solve anything. While I ride towards the half-destroyed city I rethink my feelings about the situation. There must be something wrong with me, thousands died, but I just don''t really care.


    Is it because of who the residents were? No.


    Did they deserve that fate? No.


    Then why?


    It''s said that empathy is the core of being an advanced species, a ticket that proves that the species reached a point where they can be considered a high social structure. What does it say about me if I lost one of those core properties?


    [What''s wrong? You should be happy, you will see a few more sunsets than them. You were a tiny bit more lucky than the residents of the city.]


    I should be happy because they died and I didn''t?


    [That;s the way people work. They don''t look at the grand scheme. People get happy because they have a single piece of bread more than their neighbours, even if they live in total poverty.]


    [And we''re all simple people, aren''t we?]

 Chapter 16 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    Doing what people usually do in this situation.


    A hand is sticking out from under the rubble of a shop that looked to be quite expensive, based on the quality of the crumbled walls and the few items laying around. The hand is covered with gold rings and thick bracelets. A girl in her teens is trying to get them off but fails, as dead bodies are quite rigid, and unclenching a hand takes more strength than one would expect. As if tired of it, the girl takes a broken sword laying near another body off the ground and starts hacking the hand off, with more strength than her thin and malnourished body should have.


    After a series of wild and random hacks she sees me in her peripheral vision. She stops and stares into my eyes, after a fraction of a second of hesitation she speeds up. The hand separates from the body with a wet, crunching sound. She picks up the hand and runs away with the hand clutched to her chest.


    [Is there anything you want to say? No?]


    Eslan, the party''s leader, and his team finally catches up to me, while his teammates walk slowly in silent, petrified horror at the state of the city. Many heard about the destruction of cities and horrors of war but when you see it for the first time with you own eyes all the stories look ridiculous in comparison to the reality, a watered down fairy tale. A lot of pretty words could be said, but they''re useless wastes of energy. Lip service, nothing more.


    "We need to gather as much food as we can." I say as I turn to the party. "The scavengers will collect everything of value too soon. The city is dead, we need to continue travelling."


    [This is the point where someone righteous would have started arguing about what is right and what is wrong, or that we should help people. But their own life is always more important.]


    Most of the party nods in response.


    "How can you say so?! We need to help those people!" Olana exclaims.


    [Oh, here we go.]


    Some ignore her, some look at her in confusion, few even look away evading direct eye contact. By the command of the party leader they go around preparing or gathering anything useful. The elf and ogre take their friend''s body off the horse, and walk away in silence, most likely to bury their friend somewhere. The whole city is a graveyard, but even so, people will always try to bury the ones they care about somewhere nice. Is it for the dead''s spirit? Or for themselves? Hard to answer.


    Olana looks at the party going on with their tasks in disgust, after which she turns to me with a shocked look and with the usual expression as if she is expecting something of me. As soon as everyone is outside of hearing distance she growls, "Aren''t you going to help the people in the city? There are people who need out help. What kind of Blood Brother are you?"


    "Do not place your ideals on others, child."


    Olana scowls at me and continues to stare in silence. Is this part of her character, or does she believe that staring at people will make them change their opinion? A child in an adults body huh. Sometimes kids must be taught a lesson.


    "You know what? You''re right. We should help everyone. There are thousands of people buried who may still be alive. We should dig them all out and bury the dead."


    Her scowl morphs into a suspicious and uncertain look.


    "There will also be plenty of people who need food, clothes, and security. So we should start hunting and helping people. But there''s too much to do, so we need to start immediately. We might need to delay our travel but it won''t be a problem."


    With an expression of realisation she looks blankly in my direction.


    "It may take weeks or even months, but that''s okay, we never were in a hurry. But we must do even more, lets donate all our savings and help every single person in this city. No, that''s not enough, we must help everyone and rebuild the city."


    She breaks eye contact.


    "What''s wrong? Why are you just standing there? Shouldn''t we help them? They need our help, look around they''re all begging for it. Start digging, hunting, and help them."


    "Stop."


    "What are you standing around for? Lets go, lets help everyone. They need our help."


    "Stop, I got it."


    "NO, YOU DIDN''T FUCKING GET IT! LOOK AT ME! You NEVER wanted to help them, you only wanted to satisfy you fucking ego, ''Oh, I saved the people, I helped them, look how good I am.'' That is not help."


    She tries to shrink down, making her look small, like a child being punished.


    "Your life is your own and you can do with it whatever you like, but..."


    I stop, this is too much.


    [Was that speech addressed to her, or yourself?]


    ...


    Many people from the outside of the city started coming inside, trying to loot whatever was left of the city, but we were already traveling away from the city. The first night after a disaster is unforgettable, the shock fades and the cold realisation sets in, like a drug wearing off. That feeling of sudden clarity is hard to describe, but many have felt it before. Since no one would be able to rest, so we decided to travel as far as we could from the city, and make camp.


    Thankfully, the days got longer and even during the evening hours there was enough sunlight to see the path. We actually found a road, as we travelled dried vegetation started appearing around the road, telling us that we were walking in the right direction.


    There was less than an hour of sunlight left when we finally stopped and made camp. As the terrain was no longer just sand and rock, the Earth held the warmth from the day and it wasn''t as cold as the last few nights. No one wanted to talk, as the subject would return to the events in the city, and therefore the evening was spent in silence, which helped a lot, as there were many predators around. Hunger and desperation can drive animals to attack groups, even as big as ours.


    All big cities have a special barrier that keep the animals and monsters away. It''s usually located in the center of the city, not because it was placed there, but rather that the city grows around its circular dome of protection. And as soon as it falls, all the predators will rush into the city, as if hypnotized. Samolesh will have a bad night, the barrier is down and whatever guards were left alive wouldn''t be able to protect the city, if they even would. And the smell of blood will make things worse.


    Samolesh is no more. There are cities around, but they''re in the opposite direction of where we are going. Therefore we decided to travel directly to Mozzarel.


    Rest is for the dead.


    ...


    The terrain changed to mountainous region, with higher hills, and much bigger slopes. Finally, trees appeared, not the big and pretty ones, but seeing even these bald things is quite a relief. The Dead Desert is called "Dead" for a reason, and seeing life had quite an uplifting effect on our morale.


    There were a few attacks from local bandits and predators, but their choices and decisions were quickly proven wrong. Thankfully, they had a bit of food and water, dead don''t need them, so we took it upon ourselves to carry that "heavy" burden. At some point, Eslan started asking my opinion on his decisions and plans. I''m not sure what contributed to that, the suddenly quiet behaviour of Olana or my actions during the attacks. Another sword broke during the fight, and as always I had to use whatever I had left, my hands. A sword is clean and fast, with bare hands you get more gore and blood. My body has regained a bit of strength, not as much as it had before, but still much better than my dried-out state in the north. I took a new sword from a dead bandit, but it wouldn''t survive for long.


    Still, maybe the ogre and elf told Eslan something, but judging by their behaviour it''s not likely. They didn''t get better after having an "official" funeral for their friend. They themselves look half dead.


    Scars don''t disappear, they just hurt less with time.


    And when enough scars pile up upon your body, you change. Some would say in a good way, some wouldn''t.


    ...


    The party stands in horror and awe looking at one of the well-known places of the continent, but with the continent in this state it doesn¡¯t hold much value.


    Two skeletons, charred black were stuck in a block of ice, each holding onto a giant sword that was plunged into each other. According to the legends, both belonged to the same race and the same clan, but fought for different sides. A reminder of how pitiful we are in comparison to the Ancients of the Divine Era. It could just be a harsh reminder of the past if the skeletons weren¡¯t about three hundred meters in height. The block of ice has been here for about a thousand years, standing still, affecting the weather of the whole region. Thankfully, this place is surrounded by mountains and the influence of the ancient spell is contained.


    It¡¯s a reminder of who fought in the Divine World War, and what kind of spells creatures of the Divine Era used. We¡¯re nothing but ants, and if a continental war broke out, would we be able to stand together like the Ancients did against the horrors from the other continents?


    Seeing it for the first time changes people, you suddenly don¡¯t seem as important, as mighty, or as powerful as before.


    But we must continue walking.


    ¡­


    Mozzarel is big, not just a ¡°big city¡±, but actually BIG. The city was one of the few cities created by the ancients, and represents the scale of construction the Ancients could create. By legends it should have a massive two kilometer tall citadel, which consisted of three-thousand castles, with four tall towers and a central gold castle for the Emperor.


    But the Ancient War and time changed a lot, only two towers are still standing, with one barely holding together. The whole city is quite asymmetrical, which by legends was caused by a huge gravitational spell. People have been trying to rebuild the city for a long time, but the methods of constructing structures so solid and tall gave been lost to time. Even now, many buildings are falling apart, and the only thing people can do is hide the damage done to the structure with simple decorations and fluff, nothing more.


    But even in this damaged state the citadel parts the sky, with its tips invisible over the clouds. The size humongous not only by height but also by scale, and with its radius of twenty-five kilometers it looks like a city of the gods. Still, this mega city is only able to exist because of the infrastructure that was left behind by the Ancients, a huge water and canalisation system, constant streams of goods and products from all directions, and underground gardens. If even one of the chains is broken, the city will fall, and people are trying their best to ensure that doesn¡¯t happen.


    As we get closer to the city, the two-hundred meter tall wall makes sure that no one forgets their insignificance before it. There wall weren¡¯t built, but created. There are no bricks, the earth was moved and compressed after which it was enchanted, or at least I think so, other alternatives are just too unrealistic. Sadly, the most ¡°unrealistic¡± case is usually the truth.


    We¡¯re about half a kilometer from the city wall and main gates, but even from here you can see the huge number of people and caravans gathered before the gate. There was a time long ago when people could simply walk into each of the cities on the continent, with no need to have documents with them, or having to go through security checks. It was a kind of a badge of pride that the security was on such a level that people could feel safe whenever they go.


    But times change.


    My thoughts are interrupted by a sudden flash of light coming from behind. Turning around I find Olana casting a strange channeling spell into the air that travels over the walls, the spell morphs into several geometric figures while shining in all colours of the rainbow. I bring my horse to a stop, while I look at her. That was a signal, but for what? Is this a trap? No, she¡¯s still near us, she¡¯s not the type to risk her life to¡­


    [Didn¡¯t she nearly die trying to find you? Is that not risking her life?]


    She looks at me in total confusion, as if the thing she did was the most natural thing in the world. Within a few seconds a similar spell appears from within the city, and a few seconds after that I can see at least fifty wind Wizards coming in our direction.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± Eslan said with a pale face while his hand reached for the sword on his hip.


    Confusion and fear colours the faces of the party.


    ¡°Said that I arrived.¡± She replies, totally innocent as if that¡¯s the most logical thing to do. If this is a trap, even if I try to do something now, I won¡¯t be able to outrun them, and hiding in the city isn¡¯t possible, it¡¯s still too far, so my only option is to wait.


    [Wait for what?]


    As soon as the Wizards arrive and hover in the air, I curse my luck. Every single one of them has an enchanted crossbow, and they surrounded us on a distance at which I will be dead a second after I move. Without missing a single second a person with extremely rare enchantments on his green clothes and long black hair steps forward and lands in front of Olana.


    ¡°Welcome back Princess. We have been anxious over your sudden departure.¡± He says with a slight bow. Looking through everyone inside the circle he continues, ¡°I fail to see your personal bodyguards, your highness.¡± She looks away in silence.


    Princess,.. God damn it.


    [Oh. It¡¯s starting to make sense now. Doesn¡¯t it?]


    Suspicion flashes through his face for a fraction of a second. ¡°You will meet your parents immediately. Your friends will be taken care of.¡± He quickly states.


    ¡°Yes Captain!¡± The wind Wizards instantly replied, preparing to take action.


    The next instant Eslan steps forward and takes out a scroll with a red insignia on it. ¡°Heir of the Tusan royal family requests¡­um, begs for an audience with His Royal Highness King Yenovaus.¡± He announces with a loud, strained voice. Looking at the party leader, the Captain replied with a smile, ¡°Of course.¡±


    He turned and made a strange swirling gesture with two fingers. As if on cue, a strong wind started howling around us, and we were slowly lifted and taken all together with the horses in the direction of the city. The four-legged warm-blooded creatures greatly disliked the method of travel, but their whinnies were ignored, they¡¯re not the only ones dissatisfied with the current state of things. It felt as if we were prisoners being taken to the executioner.


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    As we were flying with great speed towards the center of the city, everything under us moves quite fast. Houses and buildings, markets and fields, and a lot of people. But still, the citadel in the distance didn¡¯t look as if it was getting any closer. With each minute the number of people and the size of buildings grew in magnitude, it only took several minutes before we were so deep into the city that the walls lost their grandeur, just a thick line on the horizon.


    After a few more minutes we crossed a second wall with the same height as the original, and landed near a fort behind it. It was obviously a military complex with a large number of soldiers and horses training and learning military maneuvers. The moment our horse¡¯s feet touch the ground many of them try to throw their riders, after several unsuccessful attempts the creatures still didn¡¯t want to calm down, after which we decided to get off of them as quickly as possible.


    As we walk away from the horses, the Captain¡¯s voice reminded us that we have far more pressing problems.


    ¡°From here on I would kindly ask you to leave your horses, belongings, and weapons with my subordinates.¡±


    In the center of a military fort it doesn¡¯t really feel like a request at all.


    We¡¯re thoroughly checked and searched, the unlucky guy whose task it was to search through my belongings made a disgusted face throughout the whole process. He even refused to look through my satchel and just held it between his thumb and index finger like a piece of trash. In the end all of the collected stuff was gathered and put onto a separate cart.


    We started walking through the fort as more and more guards appeared and joined our procession. As we traveled through the fort we finally came to some kind of fortified mansion. A new person in grey robes listened to Eslan, and with a smile invited everyone to follow him.


    "He''s with me." Olana interjected when the guards wanted to "escort" me together with the party leaving the room.


    "He will be washed and dressed first, then he will rejoin you later." The Captain said while looking at me with suspicion.


    "No. He will come with me to father." As their gazes drilled into each other, just like how she looked at me during the trip, looks like it''s a local "thing".


    If she''s a princess, her father is most likely, the king. Which is a really bad thing for me, meeting with a ruler is never a good experience. And I''m not sure how I can evade it. Does my opinion even matter right now? The best thing would be to run, but the guards here are professionals, standing at the perfect distance to retaliate to whatever can come from me.


    [Isn''t this what you wanted? Competency. Pity that the real professionals are always against you.]


    "He will not enter the throne room with his...appearance."


    I still look like a hobo, some rags in place of clothing, long unkempt hair, bristle that should''ve been shaved a long time ago. There''s no point in painting a house that''ll be demolished.


    "I believe this is the place where we part.... Princess."


    Turning to me with a fierce glare she growls "You promised me. And you will fulfill that promise." Turning back to the Captain she declares in a cold and commanding voice "He will come with me." After a few seconds of staring which she usually used on me, the Captain bends. "As you wish, Princess."


    Shit.


    We move through many corridors, with each door we pass more and more guards appear, as the corridors become wider and higher each time. Many of them tried to hide it, but the confusion on their faces about the presence of the walking rag was hard to hide. It''s not everyday that you see a hobo walk to the throne room.


    We finally reached a set if doors which were at least seventy meters high and fifteen wide. Like everything else in this place, structures tend to be colossal, the thematic goal of this place is obvious.


    After about a dozen seconds of waiting, the doors open and a person announces "Her Royal Highness Princess Olana Se Madoro and her companion."


    As we enter, the only thing that comes to mind is "Colossal". The room is at least a kilometer wide, and four hundred meters high, with hundreds of columns around ten meters in diameter reaching the ceiling.


    Colossal.


    We start walking forward when I feel a sudden change in the air, something I''ve felt many times.


    Anti-magical area.


    They appear in different forms, sometimes it''s a magical orb with a limited range of application, sometimes an enchanted room. In most cases the anti-magical area were used as a meeting place for ambassadors or important people.


    Anti-magical areas don''t suck out the ambient mana or a person''s internal mana, but rather constantly emit random amounts of different mana around. This causes an area of chaotic movement of mana, in which casting a spell is near impossible. People describe it as "trying to stand on water." This is one of the ancient technologies which people still try to replicate, but fail in all possible cases, and the existing ones are the ones that survived from the Ancient Era. But the presence of one in a throne room..... This is extremely rare.


    If everyone is affected by it how can they defend themselves? The answer is found quickly, all the Enforcers and Mages are standing a specific distance from the main path to the throne behind the columns. Area of effect? No. I notice that the floor I''m standing on has a slightly different tone. They tried their best to hide it, to keep it in the same style, colour, and tone, but it''s hard to replicate the effect of time.


    Enchanted floor? Well, this is something new...


    As we continue to walk I finally look at the throne that''s elevated at least fifty meters from the ground, with a long staircase leading to it. And if someone wants to look at the person on the throne he will have to bend his neck to see them.


    [Looking up at the gods? Or looking down at the ants?]


    Both.


    There are several people standing on each side of the throne. We come to a stop at a specific distance from the throne, right in the center of the room, most likely the area of maximum effect. One wrong move and hundreds of enchanted arrows and spells will pierce us in a fraction of a second.


    Not us. Me.


    I think in this moment we should bow, hitting our temples on the marble floor to show "respect".


    "Father I found-"


    Before Olana could finish, a quick series of footsteps came from the right as a woman, in a beautiful long green dress with encrusted gems, came and clutched Olana in a hug. About a meter away from the woman stood several extremely dangerous guards in green platemail, the metal was unknown to me, and the number of enchantments on each of them was staggering. Just one piece of their equipment would be enough to support a mid-sized city for a year. A few seconds of silence are followed by wet and muffled sobs echoing throughout the room.


    "I''m sorry mom, but I had to.." whispers Olana.


    After about a dozen seconds of sobbing Olana continues "Mom, now we can find him. I-"


    All the guards are looking at the pair, except one, who I finally notice. His concentrated gaze and furrowed brows visible through the open-faced helmet remind me of someone, but I just can place them. Red hair isn''t that rare, but...


    His image ripples as I feel something titanically heavy, burning hot and at the same time freezing cold crash into my left shoulder and stop when it reaches the bottom of my left lung. His image ripples again, and for a fraction of a second I saw a person with a great sword burrowed deep into my torso, which after another ripple instantly returned to the same image of a guard standing, but with an impassive stone face. Before I can register or understand what happened, I see an image of hundreds of enchanted arrows being fired in my direction and the sound of something crashing into the area around me. Meter long arrows are all around me, most of them embedded into the stone floor, some went through me before that. My body is shredded and I feel as if I entered the world of pain.


    Darkness clouded my eyesight, and some kind of buzzing in my ears is all I can sense except pain. I send internal mana around my body to evaluate the state I''m in. The damage is big, just too damn big. There is nearly no organ left undamaged. I''m not even sure how the arrows missed my head, or my heart and didn''t kill me instantly.


    [Enough whining. Start moving. Don''t you dare die right now. Don''t even dream of resting yet!]


    I can''t die now, not yet, not like this. I send all the mana available not to heal, but rather to make my body move as fast as I can. I''m still in battle. Shit always happens in the worst possible situation, why wouldn''t it happen when I''m surrounded by the most skilled enemies possible.


    With force I open my eyes, but the image is still blurred, ears are no better, shouts and screams tell me that the situation is still critical. I''m not even sure how I can still hear and see. As my hearing slowly restores I hear a familiar voice.


    "NO!!!" Olana screams behind the guards with raised shields with her mother next to her.


    "He''s already dead, step aside Princess." Replies a new, rather deep voice.


    "No! He''s a Blood Brother, I brought him to-" shouted Olana.


    I somehow turn my neck, with the perforations from the arrows, towards the direction of the new voice and see a three meter tall giant with grey skin wearing blueish platemail with a helmet with horns in his hand.


    "It doesn''t matter, he-" the new voice stops as soon as he sees me looking in his direction. Horror instantly visible on his face as he unsheathes his giant sword and points it at me. Several guards reload their crossbows and point them at me too.


    After a few attempts of getting up, I realise that I''m nailed to the floor. I need to take action but my muscles won''t move. Just mana isn''t enough, I need oxygen, and with a destroyed lung it''s quite a hard task. WHAT THE FUCK did my left lung do to deserve being constantly crushed? To gather air I need time, and that is something I am always low on. I hear fast footsteps as more guards arrive, their metal boots clanging against the marble floor.


    Shit.


    "Wow, a zombie." One of the youths in a full grey hakama standing near the next batch of guards says. What the fuck is a young Qing sword student doing here? I thought-


    [Forget it! Survive first.]


    I return to healing and thinking about the possible ways to get out of the current situation. A person in a blue kimono with a white flowers painted on it walks slowly to the front of the group and bows in the direction of the throne while holding his right hand to his heart.


    "Sensei, is it true that if you rip out a zombies heart, it will continue to move?" the first youths says while looking at his teacher.


    The person in the blue kimono narrows his gaze for a few seconds and then his eyes shoot open. He puts his left palm over his right fist and slightly bows in my direction. In the same instant all of his students fall silent.


    "It has been quite a while my friend." says the man "I never expected to meet you here."


    "Wh-" starts the giant, but is interrupted by another voice.


    "Do you know this thing Narotetsu?" the cold and commanding voice coming from the direction of the throne in full volume.


    "Yes, Your Highness. He''s... an old friend." replied the man. After a few seconds of silence the king continued.


    "And why did your friend attack my wife''s guard? And even more, in my throne room." The man looks at something on the floor in front of me. When I turn my neck and look in the same direction I find the rippling guard laying in a pool of his own blood, with his skull cracked open like an egg. He continues to look at the body with narrowed eyes for a few seconds.


    "Nakai."


    "Yes, Sensei!"


    "Bring me the guard''s arm-guard."


    "Yes, Sensei!"


    One of the youths walks to the body, stealing glances at me as he walks. After a few unsuccessful tries the youth finally takes off the arm-guard, but as soon as he does several stones fall out of it. The youth picks them up and brings them to the man. The giant''s eyes open wide as soon as he sees the stones. The man takes the arm-guard in his right hand and looks at it for several seconds, while he plays with the stones in hes left hand in total silence.


    "I am waiting Narotetsu." says the voice with apparent dissatisfaction.


    "This, your highness, is quite a rare illusionist tool, a rather sophisticated one to boot."


    "What does it being an illusionist tool have to do with it?" a voice from the left side of the throne, someone in a red coat interjects. "And you didn''t answer His Highness''s question."


    "As I wanted to say, before you interrupted me counselor, this tool is really rare, I would even go as far to say that there are only a few on the continent. And only a few people know how to use it. And judging by the quality of the item and the skill required to use it, the only person who could, would be the personal attendant of Her Royal Highness, a Lanas." finished the man in a kimono while looking at the counselor.


    "We have a peace treaty with the Sarshi Caliphate. And I see no reason that we can''t hire someone from the Lanas family. But you still haven''t answered the question, swordsman, and our patience is running low." growled the man in the red coat.


    "Well you see, my friend has quite a history with Lanas family. To be frank, that''s an understatement. They have such a deep.... discontent with each other, to such a level that they nearly erased each other from the face of the Earth. And I assume, that was Keroni Lanas, the youngest of this generation. And by the sword still plunged into my friend''s chest, I assume the young Lanas tried to get revenge using one of his illusions in the middle of the throne room. He tried, but as you see, he failed."


    After a few seconds of silence the counselor continued. "Does your friend have a name, or should we just refer to him as ''your friend''."


    "I''m not sure if it would be right of me to say it here, but we can continue the discussion in private after you help him. It doesn''t look like he has much left."


    "Speak." the voice from the throne growled angrily.


    "As you wish, Your Highness. He has several, and not the best ones. But I believe the one he is mostly known as is ''Inquisitor''."


    An utter silence fell upon the throne room. One of the guards with a crossbow directly in front of me started to shake visibly, and after a fraction of a second the crossbow in his hand fired, but my hand had already moved by instinct, and with my palm I swatted the arrow away like a fly. It crashed into one of the columns behind me with a loud clang.


    Now I remember, he was one of the Blade Masters that took part in the Qing purge, the talkative one with the blue mask.

 Chapter 17 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    I always hated "that" title.


    "Sensei, you must be joking. He can''t be the Inquisitor. He doesn''t look anything like-" voiced the youth in the hakama with short spiky hair and a pair of short swords.


    "That''s right, there is no way he can be the Inquisitor." another youth with a staff and a bald head interjects.


    I return to reviewing the status of my body. It''s not the worst my body has experienced, but it doesn''t change the fact that I''m still in critical condition, "disabled", and surrounded by enemies. The most pressing concern is still the sword lodged in me. I''m not sure when or from where the next attack will come from, I can''t stop being vigilant just because everything is calm right now.


    I lost trust in everyone and everything a long time ago.


    With a quick motion I grab the pommel of the huge slab of metal, that shouldn''t be called sword, and rip it out of me. As the sword falls to the marble with a clang, every eye returns to me.


    My left lung isn''t in a state where I can heal it, so no need to waste mana trying to repair it, I''ll have to rebuild it from scratch later. But if I don''t get rid of the lung''s remains they''ll rot inside of me, causing inflammation in the best case, and death in the worst. I could spend a huge amount of energy to recycle the remains like last time, but that''s not an option right now. Plunging my hand into the stab wound that spans the length of my shoulder to my stomach, I rip out as much of the remains as I can. The grotesque pieces fall from my hands onto the ground with a wet slapping sound.


    An overwhelming desire to break the bolt stuck in my neck finally wins out, but as always, I''m really "lucky". The arrows they fired weren''t just enchanted, but also made of steel. I rip the bolt out from the direction it was travelling before it got stuck in me. As I pull the bolt out, the fletching scrapes through the wound, making it even larger than before. With a bit of mana I stop the bleeding, and with a deep cough I clear my windpipe, which should increase the amount and speed at which I can inhale oxygen.


    I return to breathing and circulating mana, which should help a bit with the reconnecting of the arteries that I closed to stop the bleeding. I feel the wounds closing, but it''s still too damn slow for the current situation.


    "Calm down friend. No one will attack you anymore." says my old acquaintance. He may say that, but it''s not his decision. Many of the guards'' eyes jump between me and the pieces of my lung laying next to the dead body of their colleague.


    "This is not your decision Blade Master. He killed the personal attendant of Her Highness in the throne room. There will be consequences." says an old man in a grey robe from the right side of the throne.


    "If he really is the "Inquisitor", then we have an international issue here. As the representative of the Empire, is there anything you would like to say Councilor?"


    Looking at the person to the left of the throne, the horrendous situation finally sinks in. Red clothes, that should''ve been obvious. The Empire always sends their representatives to other kingdoms, but for one to be a councilor to the King.


    FUCK.


    He can''t say that there''s an open hunt on me publicly, it''ll raise many questions, which they can''t answer. Like why I''m hunted, what I did, or who made the official request, but he will try his best to get me killed and my head sent to Protus.


    "Well, "Councilor"? says the amused voice from the throne.


    With a smile he could barely hold back he faces the throne and began. "As you know your highness, we had a small problem with the Zeron fanatics for the past decade, we tried our best to help them and "clean" their ranks, but to our greatest regret, a few perpetrators were able to slip away." Bowing slightly he continues. "We humbly ask for an apology for the damage our shortcomings have caused. The Sun Empire would be eternally grateful if you would implement capital punishment against this fanatic for his crime against the Empire and your great kingdom."


    God FUCKING damn it. He actually did it.


    Someone could say that I''m the one who was attacked, and that it''s fucked up that I somehow ended up as the bad guy, but as soon as you understand how those in power think, and how they work, things start to make sense.


    Laws, fairness, justice, right, wrong, never existed.


    That what will benefit those in power will become the law and "culture".


    You need self-sacrificing soldiers? Make the people genuinely believe that it''s the greatest honour to die for your country.


    Need to weaken the nation? Destroy that which holds it together. Education, customs, traditions, and especially children, the future of the nation. Corrupt them, make them weak, gullible, and the nation will crumble by itself within a generation.


    If I die here-


    [DON''T YOU FUCKING DARE! We! Are! Not! Dead! Not dead! NOT FUCKING YET!]


    It would be great if I got some help from the person who brought me here, but she''s petrified while looking at me, from behind the shields of several guards. She has seen me in similar states before, so my appearance shouldn''t be the reason. It may be because we are in the throne room, and her shyness overwhelmed her, but by her previous eccentric behaviour it could be ruled out.


    It''s hard to predict what will happen next. I should prepare for the worst.


    People always needed scary stories, and because of that they created monsters. They morph simple wild animals into grotesque demons with huge claws and fangs, with a hundred lives and sizes vastly disproportionate to reality.


    I did a lot of stuff, I won''t deny that. I deserve the title, I deserve the scorn and hate. But at some point the "Inquisitor" somehow became something much more sinister and evil than Lucifer himself. People started piling on crimes that I didn''t commit, morphing me into a creature of nightmares. And all those images blended together, contradicting one another, but still somehow maintaining its shape.


    Maybe it was just easy to find one "object", a scapegoat of sorts, to blame all of the problems in the world on. The Blood Brotherhood and Blood Legion were just that. They were publicly blamed for all the mistakes, errors, and failures, just so they could clean the whole organisation of the dark and evil past.


    It doesn''t matter if it''s a lie.


    If you repeat it enough, it''ll become reality.


    My opinion didn''t matter then, and it doesn''t now.


    I didn''t heal my body, just made sure I could move. But now that my body is more or less ready for action I can start healing. But if I start ripping the bolts out, the people around me will instantly react, so for now it''s better to keep them there while healing all the internal wounds and preparing for the moment they act.


    The people used the last dozen seconds of silence to digest the fact that the Inquisitor isn''t just "publicly" on the list of "dangerous" fanatics, but the Sun Empire would be grateful for his death. Everyone visibly tensed, even my old acquaintance became silent. The tense atmosphere was cut by the voice of the old man in grey clothes on the right side of the throne.


    "Princess, did you bring this person here for a reason?" All eyes turned to Olana. She visibly paled and started breathing heavier. After another few seconds the voice from the throne broke the silence.


    "Olana." She visibly shuddered while slowly turning in the direction of the throne. The slow pace of events is good for me, more time to heal, but I''m not sure how I can slow it down even more.


    "Y-Yes father." she squeezed out.


    "Where are your personal guards?"


    She visibly swallowed. "T-They...they..died." she responded while looking down.


    "Why did you bring the ''Inquisitor''?"


    "I-I didn''t know! I thought that he was just a Blood Brother, I thought he could help us with finding Melania! Using him we can finally reach Uncle Yorgan! With him we can find Melania, she could still be alive! We still can, if we-"


    "Enough."


    A dozen seconds of silence followed.


    "Olana." the Queen whispers. Taking Olana''s hands in her own she looks at Olana while she quivers. She opens her mouth to say something, but closes it slowly. The Queen tries again several times, but fails each time.


    "Yorgan died." the King says.


    "What?"


    "How?" Olana says in a hoarse voice.


    "Quite some time ago. He died nobly in battle against Pkar Shamans from the Lort-thol Continent." says the King.


    "We couldn''t tell you." the Queen whsipers to Olana.


    "I travelled to the Empire and Qing for nothing. They died for nothing." whispers Olana in a half-daze as she falls on her knees repeating "Sorry" again and again.


    The room''s attention is taken by the sound of laughter, deep, sinister, unhinged. I couldn''t understand where it was coming from, until I noticed my chest rising and falling. Oh. I''m the one who''s laughing. All the attention returned to me.


    "Is that what they told you?" I say in a barely recognisable voice. "Noble battle? Against who? Pkar Shamans? Those overgrown magic orcs?" The room continued to fill with my unstoppable laughter.


    "Pkar killed Yorgan? HA! Fucking Pkar! They couldn''t leave a scratch on him."


    It doesn''t look like they''ll let me walk away. If this world wants to burn so much then I will make sure that they have the biggest pyre.


    "Did the Empire''s emissary tell you that?" I say, looking directly at the Councilor on the throne''s left hand side. "If Yorgan really died a ''noble death'' in battle as the Empire says then they wouldn''t mind telling you where his body is buried."


    In the silent confusion everyone turns to the Councilor.


    He doesn''t know.


    He can''t know.


    He''s just a small chess piece, nothing more. He may have even genuinely believed that information too. But you pissed on the wrong tree, and because of your green and desire for recognition from the next Legat, I''ll take you down with me.


    "Stop it friend." the Blade Master says. "I know you guys were close, but don''t." he finished, while looking at me with pleading eyes.


    [If Yorgan really had noble or even royal blood in him, with just a few words from us, we could start a war. But who cares? The continent will be in flames one way or another.]


    My attention is focused on a sudden movement in my vision. The Queen slowly walks towards me and stops a few meters from where I''m pinned.


    "My brother...Yorgan...please." she pleades with me. "...tell me....please."


    Looking closer, I find too many features resembling Yorgan. From the many stories Yorgan told me about himself a name, I thought I had long forgotten, leaves my mouth.


    "Twinkle."


    Her eyes open wide, after which a smile breaks across her face, as tears stream down her face.


    "Yes." she squeezes through the smile and tears.


    You know what? FUCK IT.


    "We knew too much. Him even more so." As I think of what I can say, the words stop in my throat. I realise that no one can, not just believe, but understand the whole truth.


    "We were sent on a suicide mission, few survived........... There were meant to be no survivors. During an official meeting we were stabbed in the back."


    Her face slowly morphs from confusion to disbelief.


    "Tvaar poison" I state shortly.


    The previous emotions quickly change from disbelief to horror. From horror to realisation, and finally from realisation to anger and hate.


    "Your Majesty, this is a farce. This person is spewing ridiculous lies to save his life. We are not even sure if he''s the real one."


    This idiot. That could''ve worked if at the start you didn''t confirm that it''s me and you want me dead.


    Tvaar is an anti-magic poison, made most likely of the same ingredient as my anti-magic bombs, mana devourers from the Dead Continent. Only a few even have enough information to theorise about it. But people know of only one place where Tvaar comes from, the same location as anti-magical bombs, the Empire.


    Turning back to the Queen, I finish what I wanted to say.


    "I buried him in Andaral. At the place where you got your name."


    Her mask of rage falls apart as her knees hit the floor and she starts sobbing. As her sobs fill the room, with my eyes I take a quick look around, to once more calculate the situation.


    As if cold water was poured over me, I think over what I just said. I can''t see the King''s face from here, bur I don''t think that even if he believed me he would tarnish his relationship with the Empire, more likely he would use it as an exchange piece for a better deal.


    What happened doesn''t matter, what will happen does.


    Who the fuck cares about the past.


    [Just you.]


    Not good. I think I stalled as much as I could, but as the attention is back on me, they can react or take action any second.


    [Oh? But didn''t someone want to die here and leave this shell for HIM? What''s with the mood swings? Decide on something and fucking stick to it!]


    Taking the deepest and quietest breath I can, with a quick motion of both my hands I wrench the bolts out of my legs and make the fastest leap I can behind one of the columns on the left side of the hall. The moment I reach the column, sounds of the bolts crashing into the walls sweeps through the hall. A stinging sensation returns to the position where my left ling should be, and looking down I find a fresh bolt sticking out of the left side of my chest. Maybe one of the curses really got stuck on me. Somehow too much bad "stuff" happens to my left lung and the area around it.


    I pull out the meter long steel bolt and do the same with the rest. As I prepared enough mana beforehand there wasn''t much bleeding, and the wounds started to close. Shouts to regroup and take action sounded from the leaders. But I need to move as they''ll flank me in a few moments. I don''t have any protection from anti-magic spells anymore, even though spells may take some time to cast I have even less, and they''ll reach me before that.


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    I will live. Even if it''s for one more day.


    Not yet. NOT FUCKING YET.


    Gathering mana in my legs I make a leap to the next column, closer to the entrance where I came from. As I land behind another column another hail of bolts shreds the column and pieces of it crumble, crashing to the ground. The sound of something crashing in the direction of the entrance brings a sense of horror to me. Peeking with one eye from behind the column, I could see the entrance was closed.


    GOD FUCKING DAMN IT.


    The sound of metal boots clanging against the marble floor came closer. SHIT. Enforcers, Mages, and skilled archers working together in sync with bad terrain is usually a sure path to doom and a quick death. Looking around for another exit isn''t possible right now.


    Wait.


    Where does the light in this hall come from? Looking up, I find huge colourful windows starting from about fifteen meters high and reaching the ceiling.


    "If you can''t move horizontally, move vertically." I quickly climb the column using my palms, thankfully strength returned to my hands. With rapid movements I quickly reach a high point, but a sudden chill on my back makes me turn and look to my left I find archers with their crossbows already pointing in my direction.


    FUCK.


    Sending all the energy I can into my legs, I leap in the direction of the glass windows filled with colourful pictures. Halfway through, two burning sensations on my stomach and leg tells me that something hit me. But it doesn''t matter, I''ll be much safer as soon as I reach the other side.


    The window was much thicker than I thought, at least five centimeters in thickness. As soon as the window glass breaks under my velocity and momentum, an explosion''s shock wave and heat hits my back and sends me even further, as I catch a glimpse of yellow fire spell exploding at the location I was at a fraction of a second before. But that''s not the problem. Looking down I find that there''s at least a two hundred and fifty meters between me and the ground.


    The fucking hall was at the top of the tower!


    HOW THE FUCK DID I GET SO HIGH!?


    Maybe some kind of illusion?


    [FOCUS!]


    Fuck, I''m going to splat against the floor if I don''t decrease my speed. Ripping the two new arrows out of me, I reorient myself and try to get closer to the tower wall. But I miscalculated and got closer to it too fast and just bounced back after impact. I try to repeat the action again, but this time much slower. Regretfully the ground which is quickly coming closer makes it much harder to stay calm. As soon as I get closer I try to brush against the wall rather than hit it, and succeed in slowing down a bit, but quickly change my mind as some kind of balcony appears on the trajectory I''m travelling, which is somewhere in the middle of the tower wall.


    Gathering mana in my legs I jump away from the wall and evade the balcony, after which I repeat the previous action and start sliding down the tower wall again. Thankfully, I finally feel myself slowing down. But soon another pressing issue appears, the location where I will likely land, is filled with guards. Searching around for a better location, I find an area which looks like a moat around the castle. Landing in the water should be better than landing on earth.


    Should be.....


    I try to calculate and at a specific point send mana into my legs and jump as far away from the tower wall as I can. But I made another error. I''m on the right trajectory, but I''m gathering speed and I''m already falling too fast.


    SHIT. SHIT. SHIT. SHIT. SHIT. SHIT.


    Bracing for impact I bundle together. My vision fills with explosions of yellow, red, and white fireworks. Groaning, I find myself on my back in the middle of the moat. I feel nothing, as if my body is paralyzed. But I don''t have time. I command my limbs to start moving, to float closer to the shore. Who the FUCK said water is better than ground? I feel as if someone tried to rip me apart, and used just enough strength to keep me in one piece, but at the same time to make it as painful as he possibly could. As soon as I reached the shore I slowly climbed out of the water and collapsed on my back, and took several deep breaths.


    I will not repeat that again.


    I jerk up, remembering that I''m still being pursued. Looking around I find the shore empty. Am I really that lucky? Or not, the adrenaline finally wears off and I feel as if I weigh a thousand tons. My wounds start bleeding, and the world starts spinning.


    Not yet.


    They can''t track me by my mana, so I may be safe. Wait...my lung is still laying on the hall''s floor...do they have anyone who could track me by blood? There shouldn''t be any Blood Brothers in the city, but still....


    Fuck it. I stand up and start walking south, trying to stay off the main roads as much as I can. With my appearance I may attract too much attention in this quarter. I need to rest first, everything else can wait.


    ...


    I sit in one of the back alleys of the city. The main roads tell a totally different story in comparison to what I see around. The main road buzzes with activity, merchants, carriages, and people. Everyone is moving, everyone has a different face. But one word can describe them all.


    Alive.


    Happy and sad, serious and carefree.


    In contrast to it, the back alleys look like a different world.


    Dead eyes.


    Most people laying around, doing nothing.


    More bones than human.


    Luckily, I still have gold from the wyvern. They took all my equipment, but they didn''t search me. Who would believe that hobo looking man has a fortune in each boot. I could change the fate of the people in this alley if I want, I don''t need that much gold anymore.


    [Really? Do you really believe something will change? Money doesn''t matter. Even if you give them all the gold you have they''ll either drink through it, spend it on bullshit, or get killed for it. Resources are worth nothing if you don''t know what to do with them.]


    [So lay along with these bums and rest. We can think about escaping the city after that.]


    ...


    Just because I was resting didn''t mean I left my guard down. Sending mana into my ears I was able to listen to what people on the main road are saying. Most of it was bullshit and bragging, but I learned a few worth while things in the three hours I spent resting.


    First of all, the King has nineteen wives.


    Nineteen.


    Who the fuck needs nineteen wives? If you have two or three children with each you''ll have at least several dozen offsprings. How do you even please nineteen wives? Anyways, it doesn''t matter. I made the right decision to run away. I don''t think the King would care about the opinion of one of his many wives, even less about one of his too many children.


    Second, rumour has it that the Northern Kingdom citizens were "liberated" from their tyrants by Qing and the Empire. This makes no sense, the Northern Kingdom has too many ties to the Empire. It was more of a province than a separate kingdom. Why would Empire even give part of "their" land to Qing.


    But there is one point that strengthens that rumour. The two wizards that destroyed Samolesh, one of them should''ve been from Qing. That fast beam magic was really strange, but it strongly reminded me of the fast and powerful ritualistic light magic from Qing.


    Qing started it.


    Third, closely connected to the second. The Desert Alliance is no more. All of their cities just fell apart, and the western ones were absorbed by the Caliphate. The Desert Alliance was always sketchy, but because their leadership was so well hidden, I believed them to be nearly undestroyable. Like Hidra, doesn''t matter how many cities you destroy, new ones would always appear again.


    Things became too chaotic. I was in those cities weeks ago...


    I can''t be sure of anything anymore.


    I need to move.


    Standing up I continue walking, I need to get some equipment, food, and water. Who knows if the King has already closed all of the gates.


    As I walk by an old man, who''s barely more than bones, dressed in filthy brown rags, he stands up and turns to look at me with closed eyes. Before I can do anything he appears before me and squeezes his hand around my neck with titanic strength. Before I can react I''m slammed against the building wall. The eyes of the old man open, and bright white light shines out of them. He opens his mouth, out of which a bright white light comes too, and an ethereal voice comes from his unmoving mouth.


    "THE WAR SHALL COME MORTAL. THE FALLEN ONE WILL BE REBORN, AND WITH THAT, WE, THE HEAVENS, SHALL COME DOWN AND CLEAN THE EARTH."


    As I gather mana in both of my hands to pry his hands off my neck, the light disappears and the old man turns to ash. I fall down and after several coughs I look at where the old man was, all that''s left is a small heap of black ash and a filthy brown rag on top of it. Looking around for any other enemies I start breathing again. After half a minute, I start laughing. Fucking light spirits, even now they haunt me. Angels my ass, nothing more than over-glorified hungry spirits.


    The thing is when a person has an affinity, it means much, much more than that. No one will give you mana just because you gave some of your own to them. The gate is open in both directions, and when the other side wants it can send mana and posses the vessel.


    What? You thought that someone was sending you their mana just because you asked nicely?


    People call it a lot of fancy names, Avatar, Titan of Element, Chosen of Spirits.


    I call it slave, vessel, invading module.


    And as everyone has several affinities, no one cane be fully possessed, as other spirits will interfere. The bodies just fall apart.


    But what if there exists someone who has a single affinity? A perfect vessel just for you.


    Of course, no such person exists.


    But, there exists one who has no affinity.


    A perfect vessel for anyone, all that matters is if you can bind it. But you can''t find it, can''t track it, can''t possess it, as there are, simply, no connections to that vessel. The usual methods don''t work, and some went as far as to do something that is against the world itself.


    With my hand I trace the red-black scar on the right side of my face.


    Everyone wants war, with its start, everyone can enter the game. Everyone wants something, and this is the greatest opportunity they''ll ever have.


    And my death is the starting signal for this theater play.


    The sound of the door opening and sound of shouts fill the empty alley, which returns me back to reality.


    "I work day and night, trying to put bread on our table and what do you do? You drink yourself half to death, and leave Clara alone!"


    I turn my head to the right and see as a woman slaps a man across his face.


    "Trash."


    "Are you satisfied? Are you happy? Now give me money for booze." the man, in his late thirties, says as he extends his swaying hand.


    "You don''t care. As long as you are drunk you''re okay with everything?"


    "Yeah, I''m okay."


    "Why did I even marry you?"


    "Because no one else would."


    "What? I had dozens of suitors! But I chose you because I was young and stupid!"


    "Suitors or clients?"


    "So were you! You think I like job? You think I like selling my body? I have to work like this to feed you and Clara!" the woman growled.


    "Ahahahaha. Me and Clara? You''re doing it for us? If so, tell me when her birthday is? Tell me."


    "Clara, huh. When is the last time you spoke with Clara? When is the last time you read her a story? I am a good mother, I love her and I will do anything for her."


    "Enough lying, you don''t love anyone. You make it look like I''m the bad guy here, but deep down you know the truth. You like this life. You like whoring. You love it. The attention, the things they do to you. You like it when they violently rape you. You even search for men like that. That, is the only thing that makes you happy. Don''t lie to yourself. Did you really think that I don''t know? Did you really think that I don''t know that Clara isn''t mine?"


    "Yo-"


    "Shut up. Just give me the fucking money. I want to forget everything, maybe I''ll be lucky enough to die today and leave you to your happy life."


    I don''t even know what to say.


    Everyone and everything is rotten.


    Maybe a total cleansing is really needed.


    Maybe.


    ...


    After buying everything I need, and a new horse, I left the city that night. Somehow, after the events of the day, I expected a hell of a lot of problems, but nothing happened. The city didn''t change at all. I still believed that some kind of trap would be waiting for me at the gates.


    But still nothing.


    I don''t even know what to say.


    Well it doesn''t matter.


    My travel ends in the next city.


    South Dungeon.


    I heard a story from one of the summoned.


    He told me about an evil ring that couldn''t be destroyed. A ring that held great power. He told me that it was sought after by everyone, and the only way to destroy it was to throw it into the volcano.


    It sounded ridiculous back then, but right now, it doesn''t.


    South Dungeon is actually an active volcano.


    And maybe like in that story, if I cast evil into the blazing inferno, the world will become a better place. I don''t know if it will. No one can know that.


    Will I even care? I''ll be dead by then.


    I always thought that there would be another day, a better day, a brighter day. But now, now that I approximately count the time I have left, it doesn''t look like it''ll be better for anyone.


    Continental war, degradation of values, economical and social hell, and it looks like no one cares.


    Or maybe I just care too much.

 Chapter 18 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    It¡¯s strange. I¡¯ve been travelling in a group for a while, not by choice, but by situation. But now, now that I¡¯m alone again, the thoughts and doubts return.


    Why am I doing it?


    Is there a point to it?


    But I continue walking, not me specifically, but if the horse under me dies I always have the legs attached to me. I started healing my lung, it¡¯s faster than the last time I had to heal it, but it¡¯ll still take a while.


    At some point the terrain changed from sparse trees to an overgrown forest. I know this region has these strange weather swings, but it¡¯s still hard to get used to. Desert, mountain, and forest are too close.


    The ¡°Frozen Titans¡± is not just a ¡°monument¡± to those who took part in the war, but also to how far the war spread. From that point to the southernmost shore of the continent is where the most battles took place.


    Divine War Battlefield.


    And that whole area is littered with ancient artifacts and ¡°legacies¡± of the war itself, traps, mines, damaged environments, and much, much more. Who would¡¯ve thought that an inter-continental war would have direct consequences that would span millenniums.


    ¡­


    The path from Mozzarel to South Dungeon is a straight road which for centuries was one of the safest there was, and everyone knows that. Because South Dungeon is also a huge port, with tons of good being exchanged daily, and the fact that Mozzarel is heavily dependent on those goods, made this into one of the most overused paths by traders. Both sides are too dependent on this trade and road to let it be unsafe.


    But what the actual fuck.


    The farther south I go the more bandits I meet, and the larger the group size is. And most of them are demi-humans. Actually I shouldn¡¯t be surprised, the whole continent is crumbling, what does it matter if a single road is filled with bandits. Right?


    There are many tales about battles that lasted for hours or days, opponents dancing around each other with flashes of spells and sword collisions. But tales are just tales. Real battles end within minutes, if not seconds. People never have equal strength or experience. There is always a stronger side. And even a tiny error can change the outcome of the battle. A missing leg and mobility drops to nearly zero, a missing arm and the same happens to your attack and defense capabilities. But even something minor could have an impact, a damaged foot or palm, and a person can¡¯t run or hold a weapon. A single tendon, or muscle in a foot or a finger on the main hand of an Enforcer, and his steps become unsteady, his grip on a sword becomes weak. It takes even less for an inexperienced mage to lose concentration and have his spell backfire on him. A tiny thing on the global scale of the body, but it¡¯s enough to tip the scales of a fight to a critical position.


    And no real battles have the ¡°we will fight equally¡± law.


    There are no rules in a fight.


    What the winner says is right.


    ¡­


    Two girls in torn clothes, revealing their chests and legs, are running in my direction and screaming for help as a group of people are running after them, laughing.


    ¡°Help us!¡± they desperately scream.


    As they get within a few meters of me I take action. Their bodies are split in half by a single strike. The pursuers halt in total confusion, but I don¡¯t stop, with seconds I¡¯m near them, my sword sends them to the same fate as the girls. I stand in silence as I clean my sword against their bodies. Some would¡¯ve believed that those girls were in trouble, but stop and think for a second. Two girls being pursued by a ¡°dangerous¡± group, and it just happens that they didn¡¯t catch them, it just happens that you were in the right place in the right time, and it just so happens that you can help.


    I go to the dead girls and flip their bodies over, which reveals daggers with a greenish tint under their bodies. Poison, how unoriginal. A trick I¡¯ve seen too many times. There were groups whose specialty was down ¡°noble¡± knights, and their kill count was over a hundred. Yes, knights, not villagers. Even full plate armour has a few gaps, usually at the rear side of armour, to decrease the weight. When you fight, you usually need thicker armour at the front.


    Think for a second what you would do. Stand between the ¡°victims¡± and their ¡°pursuers¡±. You won¡¯t see what they¡¯re doing behind you. And suddenly a poisoned dagger slips into one of your armour¡¯s gaps.


    Scary, isn¡¯t it.


    Looking down on the failed schemers, I remember how many young Brothers I lost to these tricks. Can you blame them? They reenacted the heroes they read about. Trying to be as great and noble as those knights in the fairy tales. I may have been one of them, if not for that girl. I don¡¯t even remember her name. I¡¯m not sure if I even can call it betrayal, she never promised anything. I just believed that we were meant for one another. I was young and stupid. Like many others I fell in love, not with her, but rather the feeling. It happens when the first person shows you warmth, you believe them to be special. You believe that to be ¡°it¡±.


    Back then, I was just another nameless meat shield, not even a full-fledged Brother. She was a mage and I saved her life a few times, putting my life on the line. Meat shield. Wounds on me healed quickly compared to the others. So in a way, I was useful to her. You don¡¯t throw away things that are useful to you. And that continued for some time.


    One night I saw her with my superior, leaving and inn, together, hugging each other, kissing, laughing. I should be thankful to her. Her actions changed me, made me stronger. Made me someone, or something, that would survive.


    And I survived.


    I outlived them all.


    I am the best.


    Right?


    I have to keep walking.


    ¡­


    A few dozen bodies lying around and bleeding tell me that I¡¯m close to the main camp of the bandits. No, I didn¡¯t hunt them because I wanted to, but rather, they found me. And arrow came from behind, but I already expected it and moved out of it trajectory the moment it was fired.


    You can¡¯t hide your presence fully. And the one who will tell you about that is usually nature itself. If some sounds randomly stop, you know something is wrong. The sound of birds, insects, leaves rustling against each other, even the most minor thing. It was a single archer at the start, who dies quite quickly. But a few minutes later it was a group of four, then another of more than a dozen. But the last ones were prepared. Too many arrows and traps for simple bandits. Even worse, there was a fire mage, and he decided that it would be wise to cast a powerful wide-range fire spell.


    As you have guessed correctly, the forest is on fire. It¡¯s not a full blown inferno, yet. And I have neither the time nor a method to put it out. Great. Fire and smoke became the signal to let everyone know exactly where I am. Anyways, I need to finish this. I walk in the direction the last group came from. My horse was killed by a stray arrow from the first group. Their base should have a spare one, and I¡¯m sure they wouldn¡¯t mind, after all, dead men need no horse.


    Looking up I see dark rain clouds gathering. Oh, at least one problem is solved.


    ¡­


    I severely underestimated the possible size of the group, there were at least two hundred, all demi-humans of different subspecies.


    Were.


    At the start they were all brave and cocky, casting spells, laughing as they taunted me with their limited vocabulary. Two hundred against one, the result should¡¯ve been obvious. But there is one problem, I have plenty of experience fighting in forests, perhaps too much. Dark Churches like to hide in forests near big cities.


    After I killed a few dozen, they started to be more cautious and organized. But when there was less than half left, my sword broke, again, and I had to start using my hands. After I ripped a few of their mages apart in front of them, they decided retreat was a much better decision. They¡¯re like that, as long as they¡¯re in a group they¡¯re one of the bravest creatures in existence, but when you separate them, show them the reality, they become frightened rabbits.


    Anyways, most ran away in whatever direction they could, only the ¡°bravest¡± few remained. They circle around me and try to box me in. And the way out of a box is obvious, break through the weakest point. The person in leather armour didn¡¯t get a chance to use his daggers as a small pebble, I quickly picked up and threw, collided with his ankle with an audible crack. No footing, no way to gather inertia. Easy kill. But before I¡¯m able to do that I catch a glimpse of a strange round object flying in my direction. The hair on my back stood on end. Forgetting everything, I leap behind the closest tree, but I don¡¯t make it in time.


    The object hit the ground and bounced about a meter up and exploded with a sound close to a thunder strike. I felt my left leg go numb, but decided to ignore it. As soon as I land, I don¡¯t wait for anything and try to stand up but fail and fall down. Looking at my left foot I find it filled with needles.


    FUCK.


    Where the fuck did they get a needle grenade!? Even more if my foot get numb, this mean that the needles should have been coated with an extremely powerful paralytic. I rip them out and lean on the tree to stand up. Peeking from behind the tree, I find the other side of the tree scorched black and littered with the same sharp, black needles, everything around meeting the same fate. No one¡¯s making a sound. Looking around a bit more I find many lying on the ground, unmoving, paralyzed most likely. I should be happy that everyone is immobilized, but whoever threw the grenade may have more.


    Sending mana to my left foot, I try to purge the poison, but it¡¯ll take time, like anything else in this world. My foot starts to move but I still can¡¯t feel it, for now it¡¯ll suffice. Picking up a new sword near a dead body, I slowly start limping in the direction where the grenade came from, while ending the life of everyone who may still be alive. If the positions were reversed I wouldn¡¯t have gotten a fate so easy.


    About thirty meters from where the grenade exploded I find who threw the grenade. Or should I say, grenades. This explains why I heard several thunder strikes. A strange, scorched metal chest is open with placeholders for three spheres, and several more scorched bodies, lying on the still burning ground, near it. Looks like someone didn¡¯t know how to use these dangerous toys, judging by the chest these ¡°things¡± were being transported somewhere, but didn¡¯t reach their destination. Bandits take what they can.


    Another sound of thunder startles me, which I believed to be another grenade. Looking up I see another thunder strike. It¡¯ll start raining soon. The sound of footsteps returns me to my current problem, several of them actually. I quickly hide behind the closest tree. These ones are a bit different, equipped far better. They stare at the destruction around in horror with their long swords unsheathed.


    ¡°Ancestors save us. You said he is alone!¡± the tallest one with cat ears said, who looked like the leader, turning to the smallest one.


    ¡°I swear! He was alone! Only him!¡± the smaller one replied fearfully.


    ¡°Liar. A single human can¡¯t do this. There must be a-¡°


    Before he could finish, my new sword had already cleaved half of the group apart. The rest tried to run and retaliate, but I was too close, and my weapon was already on the trajectory when they realized what happened. One of them had a bit better sword, with a fortification enchantment, so I decided to free him of his heavy burden.


    Dead men need no burdens.


    I turned in the direction the new group came from and continued walking.


    ¡­


    I like the new sword. It doesn¡¯t break as easily as the other ones. It¡¯s not sharp at all, but with my way of fighting I don¡¯t need it to be sharp. Any weapon in my hand just becomes a club. I already cleaved apart several dozens of Enforcers in plate mail, but they still don¡¯t end. And each new group is accompanied by a Mage with the meat shields standing close. But thankfully, I arrived at their base. Peeking from behind trees, I see a totally desolated camp.


    Not good.


    My instincts scream and I follow their directions, leaping to the right as the tree explodes into clouds of splinters. Without missing a second I jump behind another tree and then another, but I can¡¯t wait their next attack, I need to act. Another explosion turns several trees into splinters a few seconds later, close to the first explosion.


    Moving quickly and silently, I circle around a bit and end up behind a group of two Mages and several Enforcers with big shields standing around them. They haven¡¯t seen me yet, but it¡¯s just a question of time. If I jump in they¡¯ll attack instantly. The way the spell was cast, looks like it was already charged, and they¡¯re just releasing it. I need to kill the Mages first, but the Enforcers will hold me just long enough for the Mages to release the spells.


    Making the decision I pick up two pebbles and step out, throwing them at the mages, the first Mage¡¯s head bursts open in an explosion of gore, the second connects with the second Mage¡¯s face that was half turned to face me to release the spell but it was too late. The Enforcers stand stunned as both their Mages died and they weren¡¯t able to protect them. As their formation is broken, now I can dictate the way the fight goes. Even a spoon is a weapon if you know who to use it.


    One of them throws his sword and shield away and leaps at me on all fours, with his jaws wide open. Preparing my metal ¡°club¡±, I swing the moment he comes close enough. With a yelp he slams against the tree, but I don¡¯t give him a moment to realise what happened and crush his skull with my left foot. His body goes limp and stops moving with rare twitches. Looking back at the group, I find them already running away.


    Mighty warriors¡­.


    They¡¯re not a bandit group, that¡¯s for sure. Too many, too well equipped for that. There must be something at their base to explain this.


    Why am I doing it?


    That isn¡¯t my problem, I don¡¯t need to do anything more.


    [Finish what we started. This is what we have always done.]


    Turning in the direction of the camp I start walking, thankfully feeling is returning to my foot again. Peeking into the camp again I find something different, something I did not expect. A lot of women and children are leaving tents and gathering something. I find the biggest tent and start circling the camp to ¡°enter¡± from the rear. I jump over the wooden fence and softly walk to the tent to cut it.


    Crouching is a bullshit story and doesn¡¯t represent the truth. To be as quiet as possible you need the minimal amount of limb movement and a smooth transition of center of mass. Lifting the flap of the tent I crouch under it and enter inside.


    [Someone said something about crouching?]


    The huge tent is slightly illuminated by the open cut on top of the tent. The sound of a slap is followed by a deep voice.


    ¡°Suck better! Of I will break the remaining teeth you have.¡±


    Walking towards something that looks like a throne, I see what I¡¯ve seen countless times. A demi-human with bear ears is sitting in the throne with a glass bottle and a child barely in her teens with dirty blonde hair is on her knees with her head in his lap. As if finally noticing me he turns to me.


    ¡°Who the fu-¡°


    He doesn¡¯t get to finish as his head explodes and pieces of gore and brain matter fly in the direction I swung my sword.


    Filth.


    The child continues to pleasure the dead body as if nothing happened.


    Enough.


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    With my leg I shove the girl away. After which she starts to randomly crawl around and groan with a hoarse voice until she finds the torso and resumes her previous actions.


    Some of the demi-humans make human kids into toys. They gouge out their eyes and rip out their tongue, and through pain and torture change into something less than animals. My thoughts of releasing her from her fate are stopped short by the appearance of a new group from the tent¡¯s main entrance.


    ¡°My Lord!¡±


    ¡°What have you done savage!? We-¡°


    I don¡¯t let them finish as I rip them apart. Looking back at the throne I regret my action, I shouldn¡¯t have killed him so fast. Walking away from the bleeding body parts lying around, I return to the girl. Taking a small dagger lying on the ground I hug the girl from behind and lift her away from the body as she starts to groan and stir again. Sliding the dagger into her chest, her body stops breathing and her limbs slowly fall down.


    Why?


    I place the body softly on the ground as tears start streaming down my face.


    Walking outside, I end the lives of anyone who attacks, some half-way through fall to their knees and beg for mercy.


    Mercy? So you deserve mercy?


    Walking around I find many cages filled with ¡°broken¡± women and children, abused and underfed, but alive. I don¡¯t know where the keys are so I just break the locks and rip out the cage¡¯s metal doors. As people pour out and fill the camp, and because of the sheer amount of women and children, and by the fact that nearly everyone who wasn¡¯t in cages was a demi-human, I finally realise it. This is a ¡°rebel¡± town, or as some would call it, a city of invaders.


    Paletia clans always wanted to take a foothold on the Salazar continent. And what better time, than when a war starts. I¡¯m returned to reality by whispers, a single word being exchanged.


    ¡°Te-Zeron.¡±


    Some fall to their knees and start to pray. A group of women come from behind rattling something, most of them with chocolate coloured skin and deep green eyes.


    ¡°Do you have any idea how long we have waited? I will tell my uncle to hang you all for-¡° she stops as if petrified and starts trembling. After which she takes a few steps back and falls on her butt. Still looking at me, she starts whimpering and slowly crawling away in horror. I look down and curse, at some point the rags fell apart and I stand with a bare chest. The symbol on my chest is an issue. A circle and a triangle, inside of each other and intersecting, the symbol of the Blood Brotherhood.


    Te-Zeron can translated from Patu as ¡°Zeron Demon¡±. Another name we earned in the Paletia continent, when we were ¡°cleaning¡± there.


    [What did you expect?]


    [Nothing will ever change.]


    It¡¯s time to move. As I start searching for a horse, I find a small cage covered by a big, dirty cloth. Did I miss a cage? I break open the door and continue until I find the stables. Preparing the horse I hear the sound of river, I¡¯m covered in the caked blood and internal organ parts of those who died today. A bath wouldn¡¯t be bad.


    I take a shirt hanging near the horse, walk towards the river. Stepping into the freezing river I submerge into the water, images of the day¡¯s events flash across my vision overlapping with similar events that happened in the past. Life repeats itself. A spiral, it makes a full circle and returns to the same position, slightly different, but essentially the same. And it looks the endless cycle won¡¯t stop. I¡¯m not sure how long I spent under water, it feels as if hours passed.


    Enough. I must end it.


    Walking out I start walking back to the stables, but the stables are empty. There were at least a dozen horses, but none are left. I should¡¯ve taken the horse with me. I need one. Someone must¡¯ve taken them. They must still be here. Going back to the center of the camp I find it totally deserted again.


    No one at all.


    I was away for no more than five minutes. How could they all disappear? A strange shuffling comes from the cage with the cloth over it, notify me that there may still be someone left. Coming closer I notice that it¡¯s the cage I opened last, in the exact same state I left it in. Both the cage door and cloth haven¡¯t been moved. Throwing off the cloth I find a single child inside, far thinner than any of the others I saw in the camp. About five or six, with black and grey hair, covered in filth.


    Looking around I still fail to hear or see anyone else. Maybe she knows something. Opening the door I enter, to which the child reacts with a start and crawls away. Flashbacks of hundreds of similar situations come unexpectedly. Different faces, ages, and places, but still children, terrified of everything in this world.


    Hundreds that I tried, but failed to save.


    Those that fill my nightmares every day.


    The sound of a thunder strike brings me back.


    Looking back at the child, I notice that there is something wrong with her legs. Her foot tendons were cut. She can¡¯t walk. She bundles herself into the corner and starts mumbling something without even looking at me. Standing there for half a minute waiting for someone else to come, but I still fail to find anyone else.


    Why was she left?


    They forgot her?


    Or just abandoned her?


    Why was she in the cage alone?


    I come a bit closer and finally notice that she has cat ears, ripped, but still there. Wait. Listening to the mumbling I recognize a few words from the Qing kingdom¡¯s language. The puzzle solved itself. She¡¯s not a Paletian demi-human, she¡¯s Ojari, the cursed natives of the Qing kingdom.


    The Ojari lived there before even the humans came to the continent. They should¡¯ve been extinct. Massacred just because people, especially the previous Qing Empress, believed them to bring evil and bad luck. How did she end up here? No human will take her, nor will any demi-human.


    Finally, rain starts to fall. Heavy, and thick, the rhythmic sound blocking everything else.


    No one will come for her.


    What do I do?


    [Leave her here, what else?]


    [Don¡¯t delude yourself. We can¡¯t save lives. Only takes them.]


    [Enough of this bullshit. There¡¯s nothing you can do.]


    No.


    Words spoken by Yorgan still fresh in my mind, even after nearly a decade.


    ¡°We do not seek fame or recognition. If you desire that, you came to the wrong place. Our names will never be spoken, our achievements never written, our sacrifices unknown. We do not bleed because we desire something.¡±


    Enough self-pity, enough Nihilism, enough hate and despair. Change will never come out of nothing. I must continue walking as I have always done. I walk to her and slowly pick her up. She stiffens to my touch, looking at me in utter confusion with her sky blue eyes.


    As if¡­


    As if it¡¯s the first time someone touched her.


    With her in my arms I walk back to the river. Entering the cold water she stiffens and starts trembling, but still doesn¡¯t dare touch me. Washing her properly, her black and grey hair returns to the colour they should¡¯ve been. Moon white and velvet black. Walking out of the river I cover her shivering body with the new shirt I found. The water may have been too cold for her. Standing near the river shore with a child in my arms, I review the situation. Naked and alone with a child in the middle of a forest.


    What do I do now?


    ¡­


    I found neither clean clothes nor food in the camp. Everything disappeared with the people. But I found a lot of footsteps, being washed away by the rain, going deeper into the forest. I cut pieces of the big tent and use it as a cloak for me and the child. After that I returned to the forest where the battle took place and gathered whatever I found on the dead bodies. As soon as I gathered enough from the dead I returned to my dead horse and butchered the body into meat. After cooking some I ate it together with the child. At the start she looked at the meat in confusion as if she didn¡¯t know what to do with it. ¡°Eat.¡± I said in Yungi, the main language used in Qing. Her eyes opened wide and she slowly started nibbling the meat. I resumed travel, using the main road.


    ¡­


    Usually time files, a day is worth nothing. But with a child somehow, it slowed down. Every sound startled her, every action took time, everything was new to her, every tree, flower, bird, and animal. She has been quiet the whole time. Only looking at my face and new things. She has been eating better, but still too little for a growing child. She continues looking at me, a look of confusion and curiosity. Then she looks down at her hair, taking it into her hands and looking at it from all sides. Then she looks at me again and stretches her hand to my hair and touches them, looking at them with the same curiously.


    ¡°Daddy?¡±


    What?


    As she starts crying she continues ¡°I prayed to the ancestors, hoping that daddy would come and save me. That daddy would take me with him, that the pain would stop. Mommy didn¡¯t lie! I prayed every day.¡± Hugging me she squeezes ¡°And daddy came.¡±


    No.


    No, you¡¯re wrong. I want to say it but I can¡¯t. I hug the child and tears stream from my eyes. The words I dreamed to hear, but I buried that unfulfillable dream a long time ago.


    It happened after the catastrophic expedition to the ¡°Old¡± continent, Lazaar, when the rupture was opened. More than half of my Brothers died, many were cursed, and that was when I got my scar. Healing the cursed was hard, but possible. The scar was a totally different story. No one could heal it. Even the Archbishop¡¯s purification didn¡¯t work. That was also the time when some started talking about killing all the cursed, including me, and all those who went on the expedition.


    If the Archbishop couldn¡¯t heal it, maybe some old scriptures could help. Because of my achievements in the expedition and my history, they made an exception. In search I went to the classified Library of the Ancients, also known as the ¡°Library of the Damned¡±, and I found a lot, perhaps too much. It¡¯s called the ¡°Library of the Damned¡± for a reason, knowledge so crushing that the mere reading of a few books would make a person incapable of living in any society.


    Damned for life.


    Truth is hard.


    That¡¯s where I learned about spirits, how they work, how they see. And their desire for a perfect vessel, something like me. I was alive this long just because the spirits didn¡¯t know of my existence. How can you know about something that you can neither feel nor see? It also explained a lot of what exactly happened on the expedition. It must be logical, something anyone should know and understand, common knowledge of sorts, that all affinities are passed by blood, from parent to child.


    Absence of any affinity is passed too.


    I had night mares for some time as my children and the children of my children would become hunted, bred for the sole purpose of becoming vessels to spirits. I vowed to never have children, to never doom anyone to that fate. Those nightmares soon stopped, they were replaced by old ones that I was used to, but now there was a new presence.


    It was as if he felt the change in fate, he started tempting, posing as a friend.


    I also learned why.


    The scar is a soul-bound curse, it doesn¡¯t matter what you do with your body, the curse from the soul will leak into the body. And the soul-bound curse is also passed by soul creating, or blood as some would call it. He ensured that any child I would have would be a perfect vessel for him. He wanted to lay low and await while the number of vessels increased, but my decision shattered his plans.


    So what was left? Focus on the remaining vessel. He started pumping his energy into the curse, slowly and steadily. The only way to stop it was to disrupt the flow, which can only be done on magnetic poles.


    [You got what you wanted, didn¡¯t you?]


    Looking down at the small child I ask ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Forgot¡­. no name¡­¡­. called cursed¡­.. called trash.¡± She replied poorly, as if sorry for her existence.


    Even slaves have names¡­.


    Looking at the moons I decide.


    ¡°My name is Alan.¡±


    ¡°I will call you Luna.¡±


    ¡­


    After that night I started to walk with her on my shoulders, constantly scanning the terrain in search of danger. When we rescued the children there were always skilled Blood Seers who could see anything coming from kilometers away. When you¡¯re alone it¡¯s just you, if anything happens you just run. But now there¡¯s someone who¡¯s fully dependent on me. Maybe I became a bit too paranoid. I always made fun of Yorgan for his over-protective tendencies to children, but look at me.


    Ironic, isn¡¯t it, Yorgan?


    ¡­


    South Dungeon is several kilometers away. The city with an active volcano on one side, and one of the biggest ports on the continent on the other side. A strange city. It¡¯s a city, but at the same time it¡¯s a country. Funny thing is, it¡¯s not actually the ¡°South¡± Dungeon. It¡¯s located somewhere around the equator. But back them when the demi-human continent Paletia hadn¡¯t even been discovered, it was believed to be the southernmost dungeon.


    And the name stuck, somehow, even millenniums after.


    I see dozens of ships going to and fro from the port, big and small, old ones, fancy looking ones. Many ships make a stop here before going to Qing. A city of trade, adventurers, and movement. I get into the queue to enter the city, and slowly but steadily moved forward. As soon as it was my turn I came before at least three dozen Enforcers and at least the same number of archers on the wall. The asked the usual stuff, where from, purpose of your arrival in the city.


    They told me that I¡¯m lucky to get here from Mozzarel alive, and that I shouldn¡¯t travel through the forest when I got back, as they have an issue with bandits, which they will solve soon.


    Too late. Too late.


    He saw Luna and asked if I had her slave documents. Well, nothing a few coins can¡¯t solve. After paying the ¡°fee¡± for entering the city, we went through the gates and entered the city. The thing is that here, there are only three types of demi-humans. Merchants with a special seal from the King, slaves from Paletia, brought here to be sold, and any other demi-human is open for hunting.


    On the lands of the Desert Alliance demi-humans were tolerated, only money counted there. In the Sun Empire any non-human is believed to be an abomination, by nearly all religions. In the Sarshi Caliphate as long as you zealously believe, and I mean very zealously, in their four gods your race doesn¡¯t matter as much.


    But here, here there were millenniums of battles against the demi-humans, things are more on the aggressive side. There isn¡¯t a single human on this side of the continent who hasn¡¯t had a friend or family member killed by demi-humans. As I walk by the main road with Luna in my arms, I try to find an inn. Maybe tomorrow I¡¯ll try and find an orphanage or home. In the southern region of the Paletia continent a member of a rare race would be welcomed with open arms, if they have decent wealth to back it of course. With the amount of gold I have left, sending her there, or organizing a caravan there wouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    I¡¯m not sure what else I can do for her.


    As I walk deeper into the city one thing is talked about a lot. Summoned heroes from the Empire came into the city and closed the volcano, claiming there¡¯s an ancient evil under the dungeon and is about to wake up.


    What the fuck do you mean by ¡°closed the volcano¡¯.


    You can¡¯t close an active volcano.


    Unless they just¡­.


    No, that¡¯s impossible¡­


    They can¡¯t be that dumb¡­

 Chapter 19 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    As I walk through the main road in the direction of the city center, I continue to hear more and more talk about the heroes, but contrary to the mood on the streets, I¡¯m neither happy nor excited. I just continue to think about what exactly my next series of actions should be. By ¡°closed¡± they could mean several things, and the most logical would be that the entrance into the dungeon is simply denied to adventurers who are trying to enter. That¡¯s the most logical and easy explanation.


    But somehow everything in me is screaming that it¡¯s not the case. That there¡¯s something more to it.


    [You should have gotten used to it by now. How many times should things repeat themselves for you to learn? Accept it already. If there are already several alternatives, with good and bad options, it¡¯ll always be the worst possible case.]


    I fell Luna clutching me stronger each time someone passes close to us. Her sacred blue eyes are trying to evade direct contact with anyone. She just buries her face into my chest, trying to hide herself from the world. The only thing I can do is put my other arm around her, essentially walking while hugging her with both hands.


    Can you blame her?


    I don¡¯t know how to explain it exactly, but the past week with Luna was the longest I¡¯ve ever had. There weren¡¯t many events, no fights for my life, but I felt the most alive. Somehow trying to nurture this little bundle, I myself was brought back to life. Those curious and innocent eyes, where were terrified of the world, but that had an indescribable spark in them, somehow captured me. Those eye that want to know, want to learn, but the world already showed its ugly side to her.


    I walk deeper into the city, evading the huge crowds of cocky adventurers, and big coaches with rich merchants in them. My eyes scan the still active evening street, until I finally find a hanging symbol of an inn on the wall of a huge three-storey building. The loud sound of drunken singing spills out from the big arc acting as the main door of the building. It¡¯s already dark, so I don¡¯t have the option of searching for another inn. As I get closer to the main door, a huge demi-human with wolf ears walks out of it. The moment he looks down at me and Luna, her tiny hands ball up the fabric of the cloak as she grips harder, trying to hide herself in me. He glances at me in disgust and proceeds forward, as a round, flat gold medal with a strange symbol on it swings from his neck. A demi-human walking around in the open could only mean one thing, a merchant. And that metal more than likely is proof that he¡¯s an official merchant, giving him special rights to trade in the city.


    A dozen naked demi-humans, boy and girls, with features of the wolf and cat people of Paletia, with metal chains around their necks follow him. Their height not even reaching the merchant¡¯s waist. They quickly move their feet to keep up with their owner¡¯s pace.


    Even their own kind.


    Trash.


    My sword is still at my hip, I could end him here and now. Free the children, save them. But the feeling of someone small clutching my chest returns me to reality. Looking at her I find her gaze fixed on the leaving group as they go further and further, disappearing into the sea of people. Her trembling finally decreases. I could save them, I could, but now there¡¯s someone more¡­. dependent on me right now. I swallow the desire, taking a deep breath.


    [¡°Important¡± is the word you wanted to say. Important. So one life is worth more than a dozen others?]


    [How is that different than them? You constantly criticize everyone for their selfishness, how they always prioritize themselves and their loved ones. But somehow in the end you do the exact same thing.]


    [Hypocrite.]


    The words ¡°I cannot save everyone¡± are empty right now. Just something people say to help them sleep better. But it won¡¯t work on me. And I know exactly what¡¯s waiting for me in my ¡°dreams¡±. The cold feeling of disgust and self-loathing somehow calms me down and I look at Luna again. Her terrified eyes meet mine. I pat her head to calm her down, but several loud whistles make me look at the opposite side of the street.


    This is an adventurer city, even if it¡¯s bursting with trade. The dungeon is the center of it all, and logically, everything is created around adventurers, who are commonly called ¡°divers¡±. The three-storey brothel on the opposite side of the street is a bright example of that. Scantily clad women are standing on the balconies, in the window frames, and in front of the exits giving different ¡°signals¡± to the people passing by. The ¡°signals¡± range from coquettish winking to outright showing their nude breasts and crotch areas.


    Men walking by leer and whistle at the women, many walk in and out of the building, most of them in groups. They¡¯re all so consumed by lust, instinct, and desire that they don¡¯t even understand it. Listening and following instincts is something that can save one in a dungeon, but in the long term it causes one to slowly degrade into something akin to an animal.


    Pleasures of the flesh, all they desire. Eat, fuck, and enjoy. Corruption of body, soul, and mind.


    Is this really the best we can do?


    Is this really the best we can be?


    I see ¡°him¡± in them. They believe him to be just another fairy tale, a story you tell kids. Something they¡¯ll laugh about as they grow up. But he¡¯s real, too real. You just need to look deeper, but people don¡¯t want to. Life is much easier that way.


    The blind will not see.


    The deaf will not hear.


    The unbelieving will not believe.


    Shit. Now I sound like those White-Beards from Whiterock. Fucking useless fanatics.


    As I enter the inn, many eyes turn and look at me, but nearly immediately turn back with a scoff and chuckle, a few glare at me in disgust. I¡¯m not sure what exactly is the cause for such a reaction. There could be several, the shirt I wear, that¡¯s actually just a big dirty cloth with a single hole in the center for my head, the demi-human child in my arms, or simply that they expected someone else. Doesn¡¯t matter.


    I walk towards the man, who looks to be in his forties, behind the counter and greet him.


    ¡°Good evening.¡±


    He looks at me, then at the child in my arms, after which he scoffs in disgust.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have free food. Get out of here before I call the guards, vermin.¡±


    I don¡¯t have time for this. I take out a single gold coin and throw it on the counter. As the coin bounces several times and stops flat his eyes bulge out.


    ¡°A single room for a week. The best one you have. Prepare a hot bath, and decent meal right now. I¡¯m tired and hungry.¡±


    ¡°Ye-¡°


    ¡°And one more thing. Look at me like that one more time, and this inn will have your severed head as a chandelier.¡±


    I walk to the corner of the inn and sit down behind a single table with two chairs without giving the owner time to apologise or say anything in return. I sit on one of the chairs and place Luna on my lap, she¡¯s still too weak to sit on a chair herself, both physically and psychologically, at least for now. People in the inn continue to talk, a few started whispering between themselves, and a few even looked my way.


    Same shit, over and over again.


    After about half a minute a young woman came and placed some kind of beverage, bread, and several small snacks. The smell of alcohol coming from the beverage is apparent, and drinking alcohol is the last thing I¡¯m going to do here. Several people in the corner of the inn glance at me, whispering between themselves. So, who¡¯ll act first? The amateurs or the professional?


    Luna¡¯s eyes fix on the snacks on the table. With my right hand I bring the plate closer to her. Luna looks at me with a questioning look, to which I simply responded ¡°Eat¡±. While Luna nibbles the bread and snacks from the plates, a person with wild black hair and a bushy unkempt beard, together with several more, similar looking people stood up on the opposite side of the inn and started slowly walking towards me as the inn got very, very quiet.


    Amateurs it is then.


    As soon as they got to the table, Luna stopped eating and tremblingly clutched my chest while looking at them, trying to hide herself in my side.


    ¡°You were quite rude to Old Tome there.¡± The leader starts, a wide grin with more than a few missing teeth spreads across his face, ¡°It looks like you¡¯re new here. You come to our city, treat our favourite inn keeper badly, and even threaten him.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll teach ya a lesson, scum.¡± the henchman on the right chimed in.


    ¡°Come with us. We don¡¯t want ta damage the inn or even taint it wit the blood of the likes of ya.¡±


    The middle one extended his hand to grab me by my make-shift shirt. As if something was lit inside of me, I start burning with violent thoughts. The moment he touches my shirt I grab his hand and rotate it with force, causing him to fall onto the floor flat on his stomach. With my foot I stomp on his shoulder blade, causing an audible crack to travel across the room. It¡¯s followed shortly by a wail of agony. Without missing a beat, I rip his arm out of the socket and stain the floor blood red. Another much louder scream, sounds from beneath my foot.


    The two other henchmen jump back in horror and draw their swords and point them at me. Standing petrified their eyes bounce between their screaming comrade and his detached arm in my hand. Turning to look at the location where the group came from, I try and identify the real leader of the group, and I easily find him. Bulky looking guy, forties, calm and confident look, surrounded by several young girls and a group of even bulkier guys in different types of armour.


    I make eye contact with the bulky guy, giving him a threatening look, taunting him to take action, but he continues to stare at me with a stone face. I¡¯m really tired of this bullshit. Exchanging threatening looks to see whose cock is bigger.


    Throwing the still bleeding arm at the original owner I announce with a deep voice. ¡°Touch me again and I¡¯ll rip you all apart.¡±


    The bulky guy makes a small half-smile and nods at the two still standing idiots, who glance back at him with a terrified look. They make a few uncertain steps to their bleeding comrade, picking him up along with his detached arm and start walking towards the exit. Only now do I notice that the scar started burning again at some point.


    Shit.


    A few seconds later the same young woman as before comes and quickly places several steaming dishes, bowl of soup and ¡°stealthily¡± throws something into the wooden mug with alcohol, believing that I¡¯m still looking at the opposite side of the inn.


    What?


    ¡°Hold it.¡±


    The woman freezes before she could even take a few steps away, and slowly turns around. She tries her best to look confused, but her scared eyes meet mine, and I recognize that look, the look of someone who was caught and awaits the violence.


    ¡°Come here.¡±


    She slowly and quietly steps back to my table with an uncertain gait.


    ¡°Y-yes?¡± Her fearful glance at the mug, it only lasted a fraction of a second, but it tells me enough.


    The amateurs failed.


    Now the professionals step in.


    ¡°You will drink it.¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡± she replies, taking another glance at the mug.


    I move the mug towards her ¡°Drink.¡±


    The waitress hesitates for several seconds until the bartender, whose name I didn¡¯t even care to remember, from what the new unconscious crippled blood rag said, walks to the table. On the way he makes several long glances at the bleeding idiot being dragged away and the pool of blood near me. As soon as he gets to the table he looks confused and scared. His Adam¡¯s apple visibly moves as he swallows his saliva, after which he mumbles ¡°I-is there a problem, Sir?¡± Then he looks at the waitress, then at the food. ¡°Is the food not to your liking?¡± he says fear radiating from his voice. He looked at the food but his gaze never stopped at the mug.


    It can¡¯t be¡­


    Stuck up and cocky, but a total moron. Having a viper inside his den¡­


    But it doesn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°Either she¡¯ll drink it, or you will.¡± I say as I point to the mug.


    His brows furrow, he looks at the mug, trying to puzzle something out, then the long seconds of confusion are slowly replaced by realization. Turning to the young woman, he looks at her in horror, who had already taken a few steps back and started running away. Strangely, or not so strangely, no one stopped her as she ran out of the inn. The innkeeper turns back to me and stares at the mug while trembling, his Adam¡¯s apple bobs again.


    The warm clutch at my chest makes me look down at the astonished child. Her open eyes look at me with a blend of fear and amazement, as if something beyond her expectation happened, as if she saw a¡­.


    Wait.


    She didn¡¯t see me ¡°cleaning¡± the camp. And when she was sleeping cuddled to my chest, she never reacted to the symbol on my chest.


    [Isn¡¯t it nice? The first person who not only accepted you, but also has no idea who or what you are, and more likely doesn¡¯t even care.]


    Taking a deeper breath I try to calm down. There¡¯s no need for her to see more violence. There¡¯s already too much violence in the world. While the bartender is still staring at the mug, I push it off the table, splashing its contents across the floor. Startled, he looks at me, expecting the worst. I sigh deeply and sat as calmly as possible,


    ¡°Next time, be careful who you hire.¡±


    He stands for a few seconds, trying to digest what I just said and sharply bows.


    ¡°Thank you very much.¡± he says loudly and starts walking away with trembling legs, while the mug is still lying on the floor.


    I¡¯ve taken one too many lives already, no need for more.


    I¡¯ve take the bowl of soup and start feeding Luna with a spoon. It took some effort, as she¡¯s still weak, and by the looks of it hasn¡¯t had soup for quite some time. There were a few dangerous glances, but no one took action. At least for now¡­.


    Looking like a hobo has its pros and cons. No one thinks I have anything valuable, so they don¡¯t care to look deeper. Like if you see a small rat running around, who cares about a small rat? But what if the rat has a gold coin in its mouth? Things change, you can just kill the rat and take the coin, most likely the rat found it randomly. Who cares about the rat? Or hobo in this case.


    The night came quickly, and I decided it was time to sleep. We can take a bath tomorrow too. It¡¯s been quite a while since I slept on a normal bed. I took the keys from the innkeeper and slowly walked up to the room, which was on the second floor. The room has two beds, a table, a couple of chairs, and a big metal chest that acted like a wardrobe. The best room¡­..


    Locking the door with the key I laid the dozing Luna on one bed and covered her with a blanket. Caressing her head my hand came across two bumps on her hear, and I¡¯m reminded that her ears were ripped off, not cut, it¡¯s too rough for it to be cut. I know that I have asked this question more times than I can count, but still, how can people be so cruel to each other? How do they justify their actions? How are they able to sleep at night? Luna closes her eyes with a slight purr, and starts breathing slowly and evenly. Her sweet innocent smile warms something long frozen in my chest. She needs to sleep to get better faster.


    Taking several steps to the other side of the room, I fall down on my bed without even covering myself with a blanket. Even I get tired. Nothing is eternal. Nothing. Before I knew it, darkness consumed my mind.


    ¡­


    A scream wakes me up, and I instinctively jump from the bed, preparing to send the foe to the afterlife in the most grotesque way possible. But looking across the dark room I find it empty, the only movement in the room is the thrashing on the other bed. Leaping to the other bed I find Luna crying and screaming with closed eyes. But the moment I touch her, her eyes shoot open, her tear filled, unfocused gaze scans everything around, until her eyes stop, meeting mine. For a few long seconds her face hold an expression which I can only describe as a mix of relief and fear. But the seconds end, and another deep wail fills the room as she clutches me.


    She starts begging to not leave her, that she¡¯ll be a good girl, that she¡¯ll do everything I say. She continues to beg as she grasps me. In my petrified state I try to calm her down, to tell her that ¡°everything will be okay¡±, that ¡°everything is fine¡±. But I just continue to stare at her as she cries into my chest. Finally, as if breaking the chains, my hands move and I slowly embrace her to my chest, caressing her head and repeating again and again, ¡°Everything will be okay. Everything will be fine.¡±


    As she finally calms down I pick her up and take her to my bed. Laying down with her I cover her with a blanket. Her eyes slowly close as tears continue to fall from them. After a few minutes her tears stop and she starts mumbling something inaudible, but I just continue to caress her head. After a few more minutes silence returns to the room as Luna falls asleep.


    [Okay? Fine?.... Right. You know full well that this is a lie.]


    ¡°No.¡± I mumble, hugging Luna closer, trying to swat the thoughts away.


    [¡°No¡± what? You know exactly how it will end! If she stays with us she¡¯ll die, as everyone before her has! We are not able to save anyone or anything! Only destroy and kill! We don¡¯t even have time. That rage started appearing again! We nearly had another episode. How long until we lash out at her?! Is there even ¡°we¡±? Maybe there no longer is ¡°us¡±, but only ¡°HIM¡±.]


    [You already did the worst possible thing, you got us attached to her.]


    [Why do you continue to torture us? Why? How do you expect us to leave her here, alone, with a fate not much better than ours?]


    [How do you expect me to leave her alone in this world?]


    [How?]


    ¡­


    I wake up to the morning sun shining directly in my eyes. Shifting a bit, I look down to find Luna sleeping calmly, my shirt still balled up in her fists, but with a very happy smile on her face. As if the last night¡¯s events were just a nightmare. But it wasn¡¯t, the lines left by the tears are still present on her innocent face. I start to tenderly caress her small head. She shifts sweetly, and a small groan escapes from her mouth. Luna slowly opens her eyes and after a few blinks, looks at me with the biggest and happiest smile I¡¯ve ever seen.


    ¡°Daddy.¡± She softly whispers.


    I just continue to caress her head while she closes her eyes in content and continues to smile. A sound of an empty stomach grumbling replaces the happy expression on her face with an embarrassed and ashamed one. I softly smile and pick her up. There are a few things I need to do today, but one has a much higher priority.


    I walk down to the innkeeper with Luna in my arms and ask him for a hot bath, since it¡¯s still very early the bath should be unoccupied. Adventurers, dungeoneers, and diver don¡¯t have a concept of time. They live and sleep when they feel like it. And because of that, many services for them are available at any moment of the day.


    I enter the bathroom at the back of the inn, and find the metal bathtub already filled with hot water. I slowly walk to the bathtub with Luna in my arms. Her wide eyes jump between the water in the bathtub and the hot steam floating off of it. I touch the water to check the temperature and find it warm enough. Her small hands stretch to the water and touch it, her eyes shoot wide open as she turns to me. Her eyes tell me that she never knew that such a thing could exist.


    Such a thing¡­.


    I undress Luna and slowly submerge her into the water until she¡¯s fully sitting in it, the water reaches up to her neck. I kneel and start slowly pouring warm water over her head with a small bowl. She shakes her head and with brushes the water streaming down her face with her hands, after which a happy smile appears on her face. Using the sponge I start washing her, and after a few minutes of vigorous scrubbing the dirt on her face, body, and hair, she looks like nearly any other child in a city.


    A warm bath, a very simple thing, but what happiness it can bring.


    While washing her head and back, I¡¯m reminded again of how her ears were savagely ripped off. I knew about the ears, but only after I washed her back did I find what remained of her tail. A tail isn¡¯t just some random piece of skin, it¡¯s a while limb, with bones, muscles, and nerves, but it¡¯s missing. To most demi-humans that would be akin to losing a hand or leg. Luna continues to sit in the water, playing with it, until she calmed down and tries to look at her reflection in the water. Her curious eyes are looking at the water while she touches her face to make sure that it¡¯s actually her. As the water in the bathtub calms down I see something in the reflection. Something that makes me shudder. The sun is positioned in such a way that the reflection looks just like a mirror.


    Nearly all of my hair is grey, and when looked at a specific angle, I really look like an Ojari, no wonder Luna thinks I¡¯m her father. A very exhausted person with a skeletally thin face and limbs, with dark circles under the eyes is staring back at me. Comparable to the past, there weren¡¯t any fights, but right now, I look worse than when I was in the north. But that isn¡¯t a problem, because there is a much bigger issue.


    The scar.


    The thin, bright line on the right side of my face is no more. The thing on the right side of my face is at least two centimeters wide at its widest, and the whole thing is nearly black in colour.


    [How much of us is really us?]


    After washing Luna and quickly cleaning myself, we dress up and walk to the nearest shop to buy a few clothes for Luna. Underwear, pants, shirt, shoes, and a few more things. Simple things, that brought an astonished reaction. Luna didn¡¯t even want to wear them, she just sat there, clutching at her new clothes like a treasure. In the end, with some effort, I was able to convince her to put them on. It took even more effort to stop her thanking me.


    We took the extra pairs of clothes and put them into our inn¡¯s room chest. It also took more effort to convince her to leave them there. But after I promised that we will return back, she finally agreed. As we exit the inn, I turn to the location of a white structure that stood much, much higher than any other in the vicinity, with a flat circular symbol on top of its huge dome, visible from the whole city.


    ¡­


    The entrance to the building is quite big. Many organizations like to build huge structures, with huge doors, to make the visitors feel small and insignificant, and this one isn¡¯t an exception. The ten meter-wide stair leading to the white building, only contribute to the effect, most likely specifically designed by the architects. The queue in front of the building entrance moves slowly, as each group only enters through the huge main doors. Most are adventurers with either some kind of limb missing or severe wounds. But everything is orderly since no one wants to cause any problems, it¡¯ll just backfire in the end.


    After about an hour our turn comes, and I enter the building through the huge doors. It takes about a minute to walk through the hundred meter-long corridor, which is filled with huge white statues, at the end I exit into a huge room. The first thing that comes into sight is the enormous white marble table on an elevated platform, with several old and young priests sitting behind it. A guard tells me to proceed and sit on a small stone bench with a tiny stone table in front of it, about ten meters from the main table. Many guards are stationed near the bench, but there were at least double the number of guards near the big table.


    While I¡¯m sitting, one of the older priests continues to scribble something onto a parchment in front of him. After a minute of scribbling he looks up at me, and with a fake smile and in a very sweet and monotone voice says


    ¡°The Church of the Endless Sun greets you. May the god¡¯s spirit bless you.¡±


    A young boy near me comes closer and whispers quietly


    ¡°Please place your donation on the table.¡±


    I place the pouch with the required amount on the small table. The boy picks the pouch and quickly carries it to the main table, where he places it softly in front of the priests. One of the younger priests pours out the contents of the pouch into some kind of plate in front of him. After counting the coins, the young priest writes something on his parchment and gives a nod to the older priest. The older one turns back to me and with the same fake smile continues.


    ¡°What can the Church of the Endless Sun do for you?¡±


    I describe to them what I came for, and what I would like them to do. One of the priests chants a spell and his eyes turn bright green. He looks in my direction for a very long minute, after which he closes his eyes. As he opens them again they already stopped glowing. He bends to the older priest in the center of the table and whispers something into his ear. The older priest turns to me and just stares in my direction. The silence continues for another minute.


    ¡°No.¡± he coldly states, while the younger one looks at Luna with disgust.


    ¡°We do not provide service for demi-humans.¡± he continues.


    The arrogant look they have, it¡¯s the same look I¡¯ve seen many times. They¡¯re humble and polite as long as they¡¯re your subordinates, but as soon as they are given even a bit of power they show their true colours. Give them an opportunity to collect taxes and they squeeze people dry, give them power or control and they¡¯ll think of themselves as gods, those that decide if others shall live or die. The scar starts burning again, but I start breathing deeper to take control and not colour the huge room in red.


    It¡¯s been less than a day since the last time.


    Shit.


    Taking several deep breaths, I try to continue.


    ¡°In addition to the fifty gold coins for the donation, I am willing to ¡°contribute¡± an additional, ¡°personal¡± fee, if you heal only her legs.¡±


    The older one looks totally apathetic to my attempt to bribe him separately. He slides all the gold coins on the plate in front of him into something behind the stone table, which isn¡¯t visible from my position. He continues with the same cold and monotone voice,


    ¡°The church will gladly accept the donation, but as ordered by the Arch-Bishop of Central Endless Sun church, demi-humans shall receive neither healing nor blessing.¡±


    The younger one lightly smirks with a look of pure superiority. Several guards in platemail armour started walking towards me and Luna to ¡°escort¡± us out. My blood starts boiling, I feel a whistling in my ears because of high blood pressure. I could kill them all, murder them, destroy this church, and make sure there will never be a new one built. I could burn the whole- The movement of the soft bundle in my arms interrupts my thoughts. I look down at Luna as she¡¯s looking around, frightened, not understanding what¡¯s being said.


    [You could. You could do much more. But she will get hurt. This is no longer about us.]


    [You can feel it, can¡¯t you? One wrong step and it¡¯s as if she will disappear.]


    [Enough. Control it. There is still US, even if most of us was eaten by him.]


    Taking another deep breath, I try to think of another way to make them heal her legs, but none come to me. And even if I showed them the Blood Brotherhood, it would mean nothing here. Several guards are already standing near me, and with a short bark, demand I stand up and follow them. I stand up and start walking after them to the room¡¯s left corridor of the room. The corridor looks similar to the one I entered, but much smaller and darker. After about a minute of walking I exit to some kind of back alley, after which the guards slam the door shut behind me.


    I continue walking through the thin back alley for a few minutes until I exit to the main road. From here I can see the start of the white stairs leading to the church. My blood pressure finally starts to calm down. I shouldn¡¯t lose control, nothing good will come of it. Come through the grand main entrance, but exit it through a back alley. As I look around the main road, which is filled with people travelling back and forth, I see a display of pure hypocrisy. A whorehouse with a theme, slave demi-humans. The same main road which has the stairs that lead to the church, has a whorehouse. So it¡¯s okay to enslave and fuck demi-humans, but not heal them.


    Taking another deep breath, I try to clear my mind. The impulses have become much stronger, and the time between them shortens each time. In the end it doesn¡¯t matter, if the healers here won¡¯t fix her legs, the shamans in Paletia will do it. Travelling will be much harder without healthy legs, but it¡¯s nothing gold can¡¯t fix. They didn¡¯t even return the gold.


    [Why would they? You brought it in, and they took it. Who can prove that you even had the money in the first place? Your world against theirs. We are neither the first nor the last they scammed.]


    But I was the one who could retaliate. Someone who could punish them.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    [You could.]


    The warmth coming from the bundle in my arms returns me to the current problems. I look into her eyes, which started to shine much brighter than they were a few days ago.


    She looks back at me with a questioning gaze and whispers, ¡°Daddy?¡±


    I tenderly caress Luna¡¯s head to which she responds with a soft purr and eyes closed in content. Continue moving, never stop, stand up after every fall, only then will you see the next day¡­¡­. Ship.


    ¡­


    ¡°I repeat, for the last fucking time! It¡¯s not a problem of money, there just aren¡¯t any ships going to Paletia this season at all. The Dead Ocean¡¯s current is flowing in the opposite direction right now. After my ships return from Qing we¡¯ll take you both together, even for a single bloody gold coin, but that will be only after I return from Qing in about three months. Enough. I have stuff to do.¡±


    He was the last one.


    First I tried the small ships with crews of less than a dozen, they¡¯re usually the ones who are more desperate for coin, and would gladly travel anywhere. But that failed. Then I tried again with bigger, and bigger ones, but in the end, I went for the biggest flotilla. And the answer is always the same, ¡°Ocean current goes the wrong way¡±, ¡°few months¡±, ¡°not now¡±.


    A few months¡­


    I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to hold on longer than a week, a single month is unimaginable, but three¡­? Will the thing I become in three months even care? Maybe if I find someone¡­.


    [Yeah, right. ¡°Here¡¯s a non-slave demi-human without documents and a bag of gold. Please get her to Paletia in a few months safe and healthy.]


    [Such people don¡¯t exist. It doesn¡¯t matter how trustworthy they are, no one will risk their life for someone who they don¡¯t know. Even if you will be able to intimidate them, the moment when they will need to act, you will be long gone. No one fears dead people. In the best case scenario, the moment you disappear, they sell her and take the gold for themselves, in the worst¡­.]


    What do I do¡­?


    I look around the port again to check if I may have missed a ship. But the only thing I see is the same people I spoke with and their very busy crews, who are loading wooden crates on the ships. The thick fog, which is slowly moving towards the city, only increases the gloominess of the situation.


    What do I do?


    ¡­


    While looking into the ¡°Damned Library¡±, I found some information about dungeons too. Not the usual bullshit like ¡°Sirana, goddess of wind and trees, blessed her creations, high elves, with Limotar, dungeon of beginnings¡±, but rather the cataloged knowledge which may be as close to the truth as possible.


    There are natural flows of essence in the world. The same as ocean currents, seasonal change and tropical winds, there exists mana rivers. They flow mostly underground, carrying mana from all around the world, revitalizing the whole planet. No one is sure if the reason for the flow if the mana rivers is the result of magnetic fields, which cause the chaotic behavior of mana on the poles, or something totally different.


    When these rivers merge, mana focus points, or high density mana regions appear. They can be anything, a big patch of earth somewhere in a forest, an underwater area, but mostly it¡¯s underground areas of caves. In those areas, where the mana density is especially high, local creatures change, becoming ¡°monsters¡±. They become bigger, stronger, faster, and smarter.


    Most of the sentient species in the world can¡¯t gather or control the ambient mana, that¡¯s the special ability of ¡°monsters¡± and spirits. Everyone else has to either train as a Mage, Enforcer, or some other alternative, in order to exchange internal mana with the spirits for the mana. One of the most popular alternatives is to collect mana directly, which means squeezing it out of monster blood, harvesting plants rich with mana, or ¡°anything¡± else containing even a bit of mana. And when you have pure mana, you ¡°bind¡± it, and use it as your own.


    It takes several steps to bind pure mana. First of all, because mana naturally dissipates into the air, the binder needs to make sure that the mana is in some kind of container, made of tusal, metal slag from mithril. Tusal doesn¡¯t absorb mana, cannot be enchanted, and generally believed to be just a waste material, but it¡¯s the perfect container for mana. Then comes the iteration, the binder sends his own mana into the container to slowly ¡°take control¡± of the natural mana, fuse with it. And with each iteration the natural mana bends more and more, after many iterations it becomes truly yours.


    Many rich, but unskilled Mages and Enforcers use bound mana to even slightly increase their strength. But the amount used by them will never compare to the sheer amount used by enchanters to produce enchanted weapons. Plus, the price is astronomical. But I can¡¯t be sure about the actual difference ¡°bound¡± mana can give. I¡¯ve only read about it. You can¡¯t bind something if you have nothing. No mana, no binding.


    Walking through the main street I finally reach the dungeon plaza, an absurdly huge area, with red marble floor, columns, and statues on them. Some parts of the floor were made of mosaic, showing pictures of the dungeon city¡¯s history, its battles, heroes, and achievements. But the center piece of it is the building with stairs leading to the dungeon¡¯s entrance, located in the north part of the plaza, with even bigger columns and statues made out of black marble right at the base of the volcano.


    This place is usually filled with adventurers, specialized traders trying to sell their wares to the ones travelling into or out of the dungeon. But somehow the number of people is just too big, and I don¡¯t see any merchant stall, just a sea of people standing looking in the direction of the dungeon entrance, some whispering between each other, but most just look in silence. Following their gazes, I find a huge magic formation blocking the entrance into the dungeon. But more importantly, I see something that I believed I would never see, is standing right there, right in front of everyone, publicly in the open.


    Several dozen warriors, in lavish blood-red and white full-plate armour, all standing proud, with their chins held high looking down on the people around. The problem is what symbol is on their chest armour. The same insignia I have ¡°burned¡± on my chest, coloured bright gold. They are standing on the lower steps of the wide stairs which I lead to the dungeon entrance.


    The New Brotherhood.


    The few seconds of pure shock are ended by the booming voice coming from a huge guy in golden armour with blond hair on top of the stairs. Flanking him on each side are at least a dozen people, and each wears extremely colourful armour, of a totally different colour, with enchantments that would make any ruler jealous. But what makes them stand out even more is the ambient mana leaking out of them that is visible even to the naked eye.


    Heroes.


    Not one, not two, but at least a dozen.


    A FUCKING DOZEN HEROES.


    None of them look familiar.


    Dozen new heroes¡­


    How did¡­? When did they¡­? Who was even able to¡­?


    I stop my track of thought short, as I already missed a big part of the speech.


    ¡°¡­in order to protect everyone. We understand that it will cause a major inconvenience to the residents of South Dungeon city, but fear not, the dungeon will be re-opened very soon. We understand that our words may not inspire confidence, but fear not, we will do everything in our power to resolve the problem as fast as possible. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for understanding.¡± the one in the middle finishes, after which the heroes make a slight bow to the people around, to which the people react with ovation, praise, and whistles.


    They closed the main entrance into the dungeon with hero magic.


    God damn it.


    How long will it last?


    The whole city life is structured around gathering materials from the dungeon monsters, and closing it even for a day would damage the economy greatly, but this¡­ The fancy words from the objects of their worships will hold people in line for some time. People soften up when the people they read about in legends, or the ones they idolize ask them for something.


    Cult of heroes.


    They¡¯re the best, the most noble, the personification of justice.


    Right?


    But everyone needs to eat. Pretty words are worth nothing when your stomach is empty. So, there¡¯s only one question.


    How long will it last?


    The heroes start walking towards the castle with the new Brotherhood protecting them from the crowd of worshipers. But they don¡¯t need to do much, people are simply afraid to come close, even the once in a lifetime opportunity to touch the heroes doesn¡¯t overpower the pure horror the Blood Brotherhood¡¯s symbol brings. As soon as the procession is no longer visible, people start talking loudly, their emotions bursting out of them, as if it¡¯s the happiest day of their life.


    I never understood the obsession with ¡°idols¡±. They¡¯re made of flesh and blood, just like everyone else.


    Well, there are exceptions, as overwhelming mana allowed some to transcend what it means to be a being of ¡°flesh and blood¡±.


    [Maybe because you have just hunted and killed too many of those idols. Or maybe, after everything we learned, you know that all the idols are fake.]


    [Maybe you just have that they are fake?]


    [Maybe deep down, as everyone else, you wished that there was truth to the stories, to the ideals they inspire.]


    Stop.


    Every plan just fell apart. I need to start again. Maybe if-. The sound of a stomach rumbling coming from Luna, notifies me that I forgot how quickly the time passes. Luna looks at me as if she did something wrong, and will be punished. I start caressing her head by pure instinct, to which she reacts by relaxing and closing her eyes in content. Afraid because she got hungry¡­ You can¡¯t just become ¡°normal¡±. Some scars heal, some don¡¯t. She¡¯s still a small child, so it should be easier, it will take time and effort, but in the end, healing is possible. Looking at the setting sun, I decide to return to the inn.


    ¡­


    I returned to the inn and found nearly the exact same view as previous day, drunk men around the inn entrance, and the brothel on the opposite side, with girls trying to catch attention, the only difference that this time there¡¯s a thick fog covering the whole city. As I enter the arc, many people on each floor, turn to look at me, after which they return back to their drinks with a scoff. I look around for a free place and find the same spot with two chairs and a small table free. When I come up to the bartender, he slightly bows with a fearful greeting


    ¡°Welcome back, Sir.¡±


    ¡°Soup, bread, and some milk.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± he replies with another bow.


    I walk to the table and looking at Luna, decide to check how much she has healed by slowly placing her on the chair. For a few long seconds she wobbles while holding to my hands, a few more silent seconds pass as she finally finds stability, and smiles at me with her wide and innocent smile. I smile back and caress her head. This is a major step and I¡¯m happy that her back muscles finally healed a bit. Even though she can sit straight all by herself, her tiny hand grips the makeshift coat made of an old tent that I wear.


    She looks in my eyes in fear of something, I sit next to her and ask in Yungi, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    After a few seconds of silence she mumbles ¡°D-daddy, p-please, don¡¯t leave¡­¡±


    Clutching her to my chest I caress her head, I barely squeeze out ¡°Everything will be okay.¡±


    [You couldn¡¯t say ¡°I will not¡±.]


    [You could not.]


    I continue to caress her head in silence, while her tiny hands are still clutching me. The bartender comes with several bowls and plates, which he places softly of the table. He nervously looks at me, after which he takes a bite and a sip from each bowl and looks at me. I nod and after another bow he slowly walks away. It looks like the food isn¡¯t poisoned this time. I place the mug with milk in front of Luna. She looks at the liquid in the mug strangely for a few seconds, then she sniffs it and takes a small sip out of the mug. Her eyes instantly shoot up as she turns her head to me and exclaimed with a huge simile


    ¡°It¡¯s sweet!¡±


    I just continue to caress her hear in silence as she drinks the milk. By her reaction, it was most likely the first time she tasted milk. A warm bath, and milk. How little some need for happiness.


    [And what do YOU need for happiness?]


    [Is there actually something you want? Not something that is normal, expected, something that is usually wanted by everyone. I don¡¯t mean ¡°success¡±, ¡°health¡±, ¡°luck¡±, and the other bullshit people wish each other.]


    [When was the last time you truly desired something?]


    I move the food to Luna, and tell her to eat while it¡¯s still warm. She closes her eyes in content with a smile stretched across her face, as I continue to caress her head.


    What do I do?


    How do I get Luna across the ocean?


    And the dungeon. The entrance into the volcano is located at the bottom of the dungeon, but I need to get through the hero barriers somehow. According to my knowledge any barrier should have a base pillar on both sides. If one pillar is damaged or destroyed the barrier should fall apart. If I find and destroy the pillar on the outside, then maybe I could enter the dungeon, and from there if I evade the monsters and just run, I may be able to reach the volcano core. There must also be another entrance into the dungeon, a back door of sorts. Must be. The heroes will have to enter the dungeon somehow, therefore there must be¡­ something.


    [And what if during the creation of barrier they placed an ignore filter on themselves to phase through the barrier itself.]


    Fuck.


    As I think over the two issues trying to find a solution to it, the sound of loud footsteps sweep across the inn as at least thirty people in mercenary armour come to my table, fully armed, with weapons unsheathed and crossbows drawn. A bulky guy in his forties comes to the front and gives me a confident grin, after which he walks to the side, and comes to a table with several people sitting behind it, who quickly vacate the table. As he sits down the bartender quickly brings him a big mug and some kind of grilled meat. He starts eating and drinking while looking at me with an amused look.


    I saw him somewhere before.


    Oh.


    The guy from yesterday, the one who sent those idiots.


    Luna balls her fists up as she starts to tremble, burying her face in my side. I put my arm around her to calm her down, but it doesn¡¯t help much. A new leaner guy, with sharp eyes, in some kind of uniform comes in front of my table. He¡¯s quickly followed by a guy with a missing arm.


    ¡°Greetings.¡± he starts, ¡°I am Matel Poles, second lieutenant of the Dungeon City guard. We have received a complaint that Mr. Carl over here, about yesterday¡¯s events.¡± he continued while pointing at the guy with a missing arm. ¡°Mr. Carl claims that you stole gold from him, and when he confronted you about it, you ripped his arm out. There were many witnesses and they all attest to the claims. Return the money that you took, pay Mr. Carl¡¯s medical expenses and the punishment for the crime will be minimal.¡±


    The people with the crossbows point them at me while grinning from ear to ear, showing that they know exactly what is happening. As I think how to solve this situation, one of the arbalests shoots the arrow into the table. Luna yelps, and somehow escapes my soft grip. Falling down from her chair to the ground she crawls into the corner and starts to cry while whispering ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt me¡± again and again. Begging them to stop. Everyone starts laughing as the lean guy tries to say something, but his voice is lost as I continue to look at Luna as she curls up into a ball and weeps.


    Hundreds upon hundreds of similar images flash through my vision, as they all end up with me on my knees and dead children in my arms. The images end sharply, with a single one burning itself into my mind, Luna flat on the floor with her dead eyes staring into nothing. My vision is slowly covered in red as seething rage consumes me.


    ¡­


    The darkness slowly fades away and I return to a world of screams. Looking around I find the whole inn covered in body parts and blood. The number of dead isn¡¯t possible to count, as there is nearly no whole body left and there are simply too many body parts lying around. The wails of agony are coming from several people with severed limbs who are crawling away, screaming in pain and horror. I notice that I¡¯m holding something warm I my right hand, and looking down I find the severed head of the leader, the guy in his forties who didn¡¯t speak and always smirked, but now his expression is petrified in terror. I throw the head away in revulsion.


    No.


    It started happening again.


    The still burning hot scar on the right side of my face tells me that it¡¯s not the end, and that the next episode isn¡¯t so far away. There should¡¯ve been several more weeks left.


    Why¡­


    It takes several deep breaths to restore the circulation of mana inside of my body. As always my body is in critical condition, and only sheer power of will is keeping me afloat. Taking several more breaths I try to block the crippling pain coursing through my whole body and make it obey my commands. Slowly the pain recedes into the background, generally numbing all of the sensations throughout my body, but finally giving me control.


    I start looking around.


    Looking for what?


    No.


    [No! NO! NO!]


    [FIND LUNA! FIND HER! NOW!]


    With a rush I leap back to the area, where the table, at which I was sitting should be. I find the whole area covered in blood and body parts. But the in corner there¡¯s a small bundle. Coming closer to the bundle, hundreds of similar flashbacks replay in my mind. And the only thing I can think of is ¡°please no¡±. It echoes in my mind as if thousands of voices say it at the same time.


    I fall on my knees and touch the bundle with both hands, to which it reacts with a jolt and continuous trembling. Forgetting everything, I clutch the bundle to my chest, after which I turn it around and find terrified eyes looking back at me. With my trembling hands, I start cleaning Luna¡¯s face from blood and gore, which she¡¯s covered in. With my palm I caress Luna¡¯s face while repeating ¡°everything will be okay¡± again and again, like some kind of mantra. Her eyes recognize me and start watering with a sense of relief.


    Clutching her to my chest, I continue to caress her head while I continue my chant, as if it will solve all of my problems. I look back to the room and hear some kind of movement coming from outside the inn. I stand up and start walking away with a single goal in my mind, ¡°get Luna to safety¡±. I peek out of the inn¡¯s entrance to check if anyone is outside. What I see is total chaos, people running around and screaming. Many bright red fires throughout the whole city, breaking through the thick fog that covers it tightly.


    What the HELL?!


    [DOESN¡¯T MATTER! MOVE!]


    I look to the right of the inn¡¯s exit, and find my enchanted sword embedded into the wall, which passed through three dead bodies, two of which were wearing chainmail, with their feet dangling about twenty centimeters above the floor as if pictures nailed to the wall. I¡¯m going to need a sword.


    With a quick motion I grab the pommel of the sword and pull it out of the wall. Sound of bodies falling to the floor followed shortly. With a sword in one hand and Luna in the other, I leave the inn at a sprint, without missing even a second I try to leave the main road and hide in the alleys. I pass many people but they give me attention just for a fraction of a second, as they have more pressing matters.


    Just before I dive into the alley, a huge explosion stops me, and the shock wave nearly makes me fall. The wave of heat that hits me just a few seconds after the explosion, tells me that it wasn¡¯t a simple blast. As I look in the direction, where the epicenter of the explosion was, I find the inn in flames. We were there just a few seconds ago... If I was late even for a minute, we would-


    [MOVE!]


    With force I make my body move. Further into the dark alleys, I don¡¯t even know where, but as far as I can get from here.


    ¡­


    I finally stop running and sit down with my back to the wall of the narrow, dark, and empty alley. I clutch the still trembling Luna to my chest while I continue to caress her head to calm her down. Her eyes no longer are filled in horror, but fear is still there. She saw something that no child should have. Even more. But it doesn¡¯t matter, she¡¯s alive, she¡¯s with me. I can solve everything else. I simply continue to tenderly hug her and caress her head, trying to calm her down.


    What the hell happened back in the inn? I never had an episode so overwhelming. They happened, but before that there was always a struggle, a battle for control, like being slowly submerged into swamp water, during which I could change something. But this, this was nothing like what I had before. What changed? Time? Or the curse just went too deep? What about the fires across the city? It wasn¡¯t a single one. There also weren¡¯t any guards around, even after what happened in the inn. Was there something happening in the city itself?


    My thoughts were cut off as I sense a group of about a dozen people coming from both sides of the alley. As I finally hear the sound of soft footsteps, against the cobbled floor of the alley, I stand up, holding Luna to my side and draw the sword. My body isn¡¯t ready for the next confrontation, but no one will be asking that. People in dark robes and hoods fill the alley, blocking the path out. I can see the outline of swords and crossbows underneath their robes. My eyes jump between the two groups awaiting who acts first. Several long seconds of silence are ended by an old, deep voice, coming from one of the members of the group on the right side.


    ¡°Why did you start so early? Not everyone was asleep yet.¡±


    What?


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. You will punished later. What group do you belong to?¡±


    Group? I finally notice that some of the group have animal features, and there are animal ears peaking from under the robes.


    Wait.


    If the whole city was on fire¡­


    FUCK! How can I be so unlucky with the timing?!


    ¡°Answer me!¡±


    The tiny hands pulling on my left side reminds me that I¡¯m not alone. I can¡¯t leave her. If I leave her for even a moment or they will use her as a hostage, or worse. Gripping the pommel of the sword harder, I make the decision. In utter silence I leap into the group on the right, trying to kill the leader first. The group reacted a second too late with a scream, I¡¯m already in their midst, blocking them from using their crossbows. Few are already dead as I took the initiative, but it¡¯s only the start. My stance is highly unstable, as I have to make sure that my body is always blocking Luna from the trajectory of their attacks.


    The fight was much harder than I expected. I had to move a lot, as the group of demi-humans seem to be more experienced in night battles in alleys. Only the fact that I extensively circulate mana throughout my barely functioning body, in combination with maintaining a higher speed than the group, and my brute strength, was enough to barely keep me alive, and chip their force down, one by one.


    My chaotic movement was also greatly helpful during the fight.


    With a quick maneuver, I jumped off the wall, and I was able to main several attackers and break out of the circle as they attempted to box me in again and again. More and more fall on the cobbled ground, but things don¡¯t look much better for me. I have five bolts in my right leg and torso. By sheer luck they didn¡¯t hit any vital organs.


    But Luna is unhurt, everything else doesn¡¯t matter.


    The group started to flee, but only after there were less than a third of the original two groups left. They returned to shadows as quickly as they came from them. The alley returns to silence after several seconds. Only arrows in my body and the still bleeding bodies lying on the cobbled ground proved that it wasn¡¯t an illusion. The sounds of screams and red light of something burning coming from afar remind me that it¡¯s still not finished. I quickly check to see if anything hit Luna, I find her scared eyes looking back at me, but other than the trembling and her death-grip on me, everything looks fine. I start caressing her to calm her down.


    I need to move. If it really is what I think it is, it¡¯s too dangerous to stay here. I need to leave the city immediately. I start walking away from the alley, but a whistle from behind me makes me jump aside, trying to evade whatever was shot. I look in the direction where the sound came from and find a short person with a small crossbow on the building looking down at me. The moment our eyes meet, the person throws the small crossbow away and starts running away in the opposite direction across the roofs.


    The desire to pursue the attacker is stopped by a short cough from Luna. Looking down at Luna, I see confusion on her face being quickly replaced by pain as tears start gathering in her eyes. I look at her closer and find a small arrow embedded in her side. The wound starts rapidly bleeding, and fear returns to her eyes as she starts coughing out more blood.


    No.NO. NO. NO!


    WHAT DO I DO? HOW DO I STOP THE BLEEDING? WHERE-


    [THE HEALER! GET TO THE CHURCH! THEY WILL HEAL HER! WE WILL MAKE THEM!]


    [MOVE! NOW!]


    The city is covered in a thick fog, with occasional burning houses left and right. I try to remember the direction where the church is located, but it doesn¡¯t help. The landmarks aren¡¯t visible at all.


    WHERE THE FUCK AM I?


    Wait.


    The church was on the hill. And the ocean was to the right of it. Orienting myself by terrain slope and the sound of the water, I try to navigate through the thick fog. Clutching Luna to my chest I run as fast as I can, ignoring the bolts still embedded arrows in me and the bleeding they cause. I will survive, I always have.


    ¡±Everything will be okay Luna, wait just a little more.¡±


    The sound of explosions and fire increase the more I run, leaping over dead bodies lying on the street, again and again I try to find the main road. Finally I exit onto a very wide road, which should lead directly to the church. I ignore the fire, and that people are running around, I even spot a few Mages using water magic, causing me to slow down a bit.


    Are they healers?


    No. They can barely cast simple water magic, and they are in adventurer gear, definitely not healers. I continue running, barely feeling the impact of my feet on the ground. I don¡¯t have a way to actually block the pain, only numb the feeling in a specific area, and right now it may cause more problems, since I could easily trip.


    ¡°A bit more. Just a tiny bit more.¡± I say while hugging Luna to me chest and caressing her head.


    After about a minute more I finally arrive at the stairs leading up to the church. There are many people standing on the stairs and blocking the path, most likely wanting to be treated, but I ignore them. They may want treatment first, but dead men need no healing, and I can quickly organize that. I shove through the crowd, jumping over several steps, and finally arrive in front of the entrance, a totally different situation stands in front of me. Unlike all the other buildings in the city, the church is not just burning, but totally destroyed, with inferno blazing from under the rubble. A few people are screaming, searching for healers, but most just stare at the blazing inferno, with the larger part of them having either burns, or damaged limbs.


    There must be someone. Anyone.


    I look around and my eyes stop the ocean¡¯s horizon. Here, on the higher ground, the fog isn¡¯t so thick, so the view is a bit better with the moons lighting up the horizon. Hundreds of ships coming to the port with bright red sails. I don¡¯t see who¡¯s on the ships, but I can guess. The people all became silent when they looked towards the ocean. The few moments of silence are quickly broken by horrified screams, which are followed by even more screaming, as people start running around and down the stairs.


    Paletia attacked at the worst, or best possible moment.


    I need to find a healer. Maybe the king has one. If I need to I will force them. Looking back to Luna to calm her down, and tell her that everything will be okay. My heart stops. Luna¡¯s half-open eyes aren¡¯t moving.


    No.


    I brush the hair from her face and caress her head, trying to deny what happened.


    But her lifeless eyes stare into the sky, frozen.


    No. No. No.


    This must be a dream.


    A nightmare, a really bad nightmare.


    As people are running and streaming down the hill, I continue to stand, caressing her head.


    This can¡¯t be.


    No.


    No.

 Chapter 20 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    There¡¯s still about an hour before the sun rises. The royal wizards cleared the fog which covered the city, revealing to the whole population what awaits them. Even though the sun hasn¡¯t risen yet, the city is no longer covered in darkness, the ambient light is slowly overpowering it.


    Hundreds of Enforcers are walking around the city, instructing everyone to gather the dead and put them on carts going to the city¡¯s graveyard. Old and young, men, women, and children alike are crying as they put their loved ones on the carts. Some of the dead are carefully placed on the cart, others are just thrown on like a sack of potatoes. The carts move with haste throughout the city, as they are trying to finish their tasks as quickly as possible and prepare for what the day will bring.


    There are a few that follow the procession, carrying their dead themselves, to give the respect and last rites to their loved ones, even if that means putting themselves into danger. I slowly follow the procession with a cloth covered bundle in my arms.


    It¡¯s one thing when you see dead, or someone speaks about the dead. But it¡¯s totally different when someone dies in your arms, and you can feel as the body of the person you cared for slowly grows cold.


    How the living become the dead.


    The whole procession just flashed through my eyes, and before I knew it, I stood in open terrain, outside the city walls with a huge forest nearby. The people who pulled the carts with the dead start throwing the bodies onto the quickly growing mountains around the graveyard. The gravediggers gather together with everyone in the center of the graveyard. They take out their shovels and start digging a single mass grave.


    Others that decide to bury their loved one themselves, pick spots and start digging small, shallow graves. I walk further in the direction of the forest and find a place where there are no graves and softly put the bundle on the ground. In some happy fairy tale I would find a healer, or somehow revive the dead person, and after that we would live happily ever after.


    But real life is different.


    It was always different. Because the bundle will continue to stay dead.


    Bundle¡­.


    She has a name. The name I gave her.


    Luna.


    Luna didn¡¯t do anything, she didn¡¯t deserve this. Why does a dark creature like me, continue to live? While the innocent and pure ones die every day?


    Where is the righteousness on this?


    Why?


    TELL ME FUCKER!!


    WHY DOES LIFE WORK THIS WAY!?


    I KNOW THAT YOU¡¯RE THERE!!!


    If HE exists, then so do you.


    Explain to me! WHY?


    Why did she have to die¡­


    What about you? Why are you silent? Where are the accusations? Where is the blame? Why are you so silent?


    SAY SOMETHING!


    [What do you want to hear?]


    [She is dead. She died because of us, because she was with us.]


    Is that all? After everything, this is all you can say?


    [WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT FROM ME?! SHE IS DEAD!! DEAD BECAUSE OF US!!!]


    [Why do you continue to torture me? What did I ever do to you? What did I do to deserve this? Why do you continue to make me experience this horror without the possibility to change anything? Again and again. This nightmare that never ends.]


    [Why did you take her with us? Why did you make me experience what warmth is? Something so pure, so innocent. Why did you show it to me so you could just take it away, just a few moments later?]


    [WHY?!]


    [Leave me alone.]


    [I have suffered enough.]


    [You made me suffer enough.]


    Please, someone, say something, anything, or this silence will swallow me whole.


    As if a puppet possessed, I start digging a grave with my bare hands, my cracked fingernails cutting deep into the hard earth. Slowly the pit in the ground increases in size and I try my best to ignore the droplets falling into the pit from my face.


    It¡¯s just sweat. Only sweat.


    Before I know it, the grave is ready. It¡¯s even bigger than the size required for someone so small. About a meter in length, nearly the same in depth, and about a half-meter in width.


    Tiny.


    Cries of crows catch my attention, a murder is circling the small mountain of bodies in the center of the graveyard, the ones to be buried in the mass grave. I turn back to the grave and the bundle lying near it. I slowly pick up the bundle and tenderly open it to reveal a small white face. I start to softly caress the face that feels unforgivably cold. Just a few hours ago she was smiling, those sweet eyes looked at me, in expectation, in hope, as if I could make everything come true.


    But those eyes have shut forever.


    I am not someone who deserves those eyes, that look.


    Never deserved, and never will.


    Just a cockroach that survived too many times.


    I tenderly kiss Luna¡¯s forehead knowing full well, that this is the last time I will touch her. I caress her head one last time. The body slowly descends down.


    I sit on my knees before the small pit, looking down on Luna¡¯s face. Unimaginable force compels me to take her out of the pit, it screams that this is just an illusion and that she¡¯s alive, that any moment she will open her eyes and smile back at me with the same happy and innocent smile she showed me again and again. But only now do I truly realise how much those smiles were worth. If I knew how much was left I would cherish every single second.


    But the truth is hard.


    With my hands I slowly start to pour the earth back into the grave. Luna¡¯s body is slowly being swallowed by the earth, as if submerged into it. Until it stop when only her face is visible. My hands become hard and immobile.


    Pictures of Luna¡¯s decomposing body flash across my vision, showing the grotesque scene, as skin and flesh rot away, leaving bones, which disappear soon after. I jump into the grave, brushing aside the earth from her body and clutching her into my embrace. But she¡¯s still cold as ice and her limbs sway, as if they belong to a doll. I sit in the grave for some time, hot tears streaming down my face, screaming in hate and powerlessness.


    I wish I could blame someone for this. The life that forced this situation on me, the whole city for the hate it shows to demi-humans, the adventurers and corrupt guards that attacked me yesterday evening, the group of assassin that attacked after that, the accursed creature that shot the arrow.


    But in the end it all returns to me.


    My decisions, my actions, my mistakes.


    I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯s been, but I continue to sit in the grave with Luna in my arms. The rising sun starts to cast a few sparse beams of direct sunlight across the graveyard. I place Luna back into the grave and crawl out of it. My trembling hands start pouring the earth over Luna, and the ground slowly swallows her.


    She was mine.


    The Blood Brotherhood saved many, but they were always the responsibility of the Brotherhood. I saved them and said goodbye, again and again. People were only something in passing to me, like shadows, the wind, or trees, you see them once and forget them instantly, as you will see many more, nearly the exact same.


    I saved Luna.


    I took Luna.


    I lost Luna.


    The tiny hill of earth in front of me is the only thing which will remain in this world to prove that Luna existed. No one will know who is buried underneath. They won¡¯t care who she was or what she meant. No one will know how sweet and innocent she was. I am the last proof, the last person who will remember her. And after I leave this place, she will be alone, again. She will continue to lie here in solitude forever.


    Sorry Luna. If the afterlife exists we may meet very soon.


    The only people left in the graveyard are the workers digging the mass grave, and me, sitting in front of the tiny hill. I take a long, thick stick and plunge it near the tiny hill, to signify there is a person buried here. My eyes stay rooted to the hill, imagining her small body being pressed down by the ground over her.


    The sound of a shovel hitting ground makes me slowly look in the direction it came from. I find several dozen people in black cloaks standing near the mass grave, but with no gravediggers around anymore. Must be some kind of help. My head starts to turn back, but the sound of quick footsteps coming closer makes my head freeze. A single person in a black cloak is walking in my direction and cursing, as his friends start forming a circle. The cursing guy stops in front of me and looks at me with disgust, he takes out a short dagger.


    ¡°Fucking cunts, just you wait¡­ What the fuck are you staring at, trash?¡±


    The dagger in his hand flashed towards my neck, but is stopped by my hand. His confused face is quickly replaced by a pained expression as his arm is ripped out with the loud sound of bones breaking and fleshing ripping apart. The heap of screaming flesh lying near my legs continues to howl, as rare curses about me escape his mouth. My left foot moves and crushes his skull, quieting the creature down forever.


    Death awaits those that practice death.


    Aren¡¯t you going to say that I should¡¯ve accepted the dagger? That I deserve it? That it would be a fast end?


    Why are you silent?


    Say something.


    Please.


    Looking in the direction of the group, I find most of them still in the circle, focused on something, while a few others are standing in front of them looking back at me with weapons drawn. I stand and await the next attackers, but nothing happens. They just continue to stand there. Suddenly, several bodies twitch and start moving in the small mountain near the group, slowly being followed by more and more, until the mountain of bodies starts crawling like a heap of centipedes.


    Necromancers.


    I¡¯ve seen a few necromancers powerful enough to resurrect about a few dozen, but hundreds is a totally different story.


    Wait.


    Squinting my eyes, I finally notice that nearly everyone is the group of black hooded attackers has a magical item in hand, either a skull, grimoire, or a small staff. But more importantly, in the center of the group some kind of purple rock is lying the ground emitting ambient mana. A group of necromancers? It can¡¯t be. They work alone, too prideful and arrogant to even consider cooperation with anyone. But it¡¯s hard to deny, there¡¯s even a magical stone overflowing with mana.


    But still the speed is unbelievable, something that creatures like them could brag about. Less than ten seconds have passed but the hills of dead around the graveyard start crawling apart and slowly stand in front of the cloaked group, as if protecting them. The huge crowd of undead is just standing in front of the necromancers, immobile, as if they were statues. The ground in front of them starts to shift as several severely decomposed bodies start crawling out from under the ground. Before I knew it, the number of undead had quadrupled.


    A few of the undead rushed in my direction with inhuman agility and speed. As they come close enough, my sword splits them apart and their rotting innards fall out, littering the ground. But this isn¡¯t the end. The undead closest to me, which was split apart horizontally, start to crawl in my direction with his hands as his lower body continues running around aimlessly.


    One of the most underestimated properties of the undead is the fact that their limbs will continue to move, even if the main body of the undead is destroyed. Only be separating all of the limbs can you disable the undead. After that either the necromancer will stop pumping mana into it, or the man in the body will dissipate, which may take several hours or days. I¡¯ve seen limbs of undead killed days earlier, crawling to adventurers and attacking them in their sleep. The first time experiencing it is unforgettable.


    I stand still, await the next attack. They¡¯ll either send small groups to tire me out, or all of them at once to overwhelm me. The latter choice having better odds. Suddenly, something grabs my ankle and I instinctively swing my leg, trying to get whatever latched onto my ankle. Something small, dressed in rags falls several meters away from me. It starts to slowly crawl in my direction, making guttural noises. My body freezes as I recognize what just fell in front of me.


    I swing my head, looking back at the tiny grave trying to deny it, trying to maintain my sanity as best I can. But I find the tiny hill unearthed, as if someone crawled out of it. My head slowly turns back to the front, as I see the small rag crawling in my direction. The rag falls off, and what¡¯s left is a small girl with black and white hair crawling to me. The sweet and innocent smile replaced with a loosely open mouth with froth coming out of it. The sky blue eyes filled with curiosity are no more, their place taken by a corrupted abomination of them, riddled with black veins.


    No.


    The sword falls out of my hand as my knees hit the ground.


    Why?


    Luna continues to crawl in my direction as the guttural growls intensify. My trembling hand stretch to her and slowly pick her up, tenderly pressing her against her chest as she starts thrashing around. Cold tears start to stream down my face as I try to hug her, but the only result I get is teeth biting into my neck.


    Why?


    The blood flowing down my neck doesn¡¯t stop me as I continue trying to hug Luna, or what¡¯s left of her.


    Left of her.


    This is not her.


    I detach the small body from myself and pin her to the ground as the thrashing increases. My huge palms squeeze the tiny neck until an audible crack is heard, but the body continues to thrash around, gurgling something.


    Tears continue streaming down my face.


    I¡¯ve killed her. And right now I am desecrating her dead body. Loud sobs escape my mouth.


    A series of laughs coming from behind the crown makes me slowly look away from Luna.


    ¡°This never gets old. The faces they make when their loved ones attack them. Just thinking about it makes me hard.¡±


    ¡°Killed by trash, how incompetent could Lars be? Well he¡¯s dead, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°We need to finish it faster, we¡¯re behind schedule.¡±


    Luna¡¯s body stops moving and fall limp. My hands slowly detach from her tiny neck. Her body is covered in dirt, while blood and froth seep from her mouth. But my eyes are focused on her neck, the huge dark mark where I put my hands.


    My palms.


    Several of the undead rush in my direction, gurgling. Tears continue to fall as I look into Luna¡¯s dead eyes. My sobs are replaced with sinister animalistic growls as a black sheet covers my eyes.


    ¡­


    I don¡¯t know how much time has passed as my mind continues to drift in a sea of endless darkness until my eyelids slowly open. Assaulted by bright light, my eyes initially protest, but after just a few seconds they calm down. My view is divided between two contrast areas, bright blue and white, which occupies the upper part, and brownish red in the lower part. Slowly the sharpness of the image before me increases and I see the details.


    Mountains of body parts, hands, legs, and heads, all lying around with different colour tones, belonging to different people. Many of the limbs continue to twitch and thrash around, a few of the heads near me have their jaws clenching and unclenching, trying to bite my legs.


    There is only one creature in the world that is capable of such violence.


    And that creature is me.


    My body screams in pain, but I simply ignore it as if something unimportant. With a groan I stand up and look around, but the only thing I see is an endless sea of limbs and gore. Not so far from me, my eyes find a torso in a black cloak with a head and a single arm still attached. The face is petrified in horror. The same expression I have seen many, many times. Looking around I find a few more black cloaks, or at least what was left of them.


    Sharp and cold pain in my chest makes me look down to check if there is something embedded in it.


    But there is nothing.


    There is another reason for the pain.


    I start looking around, shoving limbs around, trying to find her, even if it¡¯s just a tiny part, something I can see, something I can bury. But there is nothing. Just thousands upon thousands of body parts, guts, and innards, several hills of them. I could spend days here in search and still find nothing.


    How much time do I actually have left? Will I be awake long enough to finish it?


    No.


    It doesn¡¯t matter, I don¡¯t need much, but I can¡¯t postpone it any longer.


    I couldn¡¯t even give her a proper burial. I couldn¡¯t even give her that much.


    I¡¯m coming Luna.


    Just a bit more. If there is an afterlife, we will see each other soon. If there is heaven and hell, then it¡¯s unlikely we won¡¯t ever meet again.


    Because someone like you could never end up in the same place as a creature like me.


    I stand up and start walking in the direction of the city.


    Brothers. I am coming.


    ¡­


    My screaming legs continue to move, slowly but steadily they carry me through the city. The sun already rose and it shines down on the destruction, the burnt and destroyed buildings, and the looters trying to find anything valuable in the empty buildings. Some always try to find profit even in the worst possible situation. And war is the single most profitable business in the world, nothing else can even remotely compare to it.


    I continue to walk down the main road, which is nearly dead silent. Only a few more looters and several people were running up the main road, to the evacuation point most likely. I suddenly stop in front of the burnt building, with a musky burnt smell still hanging in the air. I recognize the brothel and the building across from it. The inn in which we stayed.


    I slowly walk over the burnt wooden planks, not even understanding I stop in front of a small hill covered with burnt wooden planks. My hands shift the planks, revealing a metal chest. Opening the chest I find several tiny dresses and shoes, the ones I bought for Luna. My shaking hands pick up a single white dress, which Luna especially liked, and brought it closer to my face. Her soft laugh, her voice, I can hear them in my head.


    ¡°Daddy.¡±


    Luna¡¯s smell coming from it breaks my stupor, as even the burnt smell can¡¯t fully make the soft and tender fragrance disappear. My tears start streaming down my face again as I try to hungrily capture what¡¯s left of Luna. But it disappears as quickly as it appeared. I should¡¯ve buried this with her, she liked it so much.


    But she¡¯s dead, and it won¡¯t change. I tie the tiny, white cloth around my left wrist and continue walking.


    Just a bit more.


    I walk for about ten more minutes until I¡¯m stopped by a group of heavily equipped guards. At first they took out their weapons, as if prepared to attack, but the older guard stopped them with some kind of hand gesture. He slowly approaches me and his eyes scan me until they stop at my left hand. He takes a few steps closer and looks at the cloth on my left wrist. In a quiet and solemn voice says


    ¡°I am sorry for your loss.¡±


    Coming closer he puts both hands on my shoulders and looks into my eyes.


    ¡°You need to get the evacuation point, the Paletians will attack soon.¡± after a small pause he adds, ¡°Your loved ones would want you to survive.¡±


    He releases my shoulders and give an order to one of the younger guards.


    ¡°Guide him.¡±


    The ground starts to shake as hundreds of rider on horses in plate armour ride across the street, until they stop a few meters in front of us. A single rider in golden plate armour comes up to us, showing a beautifully chiseled face under his open helmet, looks down at us from his horse with a disgusted look.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    The older guard standing in front of him gives a bow with his fist to his chest.


    ¡°Your Highness, we have been cleaning the streets from the undead coming from the north graveyard, the necromancers may still be here.¡±


    ¡°What about the south graveyard? Still no news?¡±


    ¡°No Your Highness. I have sent two of my men there, but they have not returned yet.¡±


    The rider turns to me, sneering, and commands.


    ¡°Remove that from here. Battle will start soon.¡± he motioned to me with his nose.


    The moment he finishes a huge fireball hits him in the side. The horse didn¡¯t even have time to respond or react at all as it fell on its side with her rider. The horse¡¯s burned body lying on the ground with half of its torso missing represents the power of the spell. The rider stands up, wobbling, in his nearly undamaged armour and is instantly surrounded by many riders trying to protect him from any more possible attacks.


    Magic enchantments do save lives.


    Rebuilding the trajectory of the direction where the fireball come from, I find an open balcony on the third floor of a huge building with no one there. The riders scream something to each other while looking around at the building and streets. But the absolute silence of the whole area is instantly changed, as waves of the undead start pouring from the windows and doors of the big building, as if water out of a broken jar.


    ¡°Protect the prince!!¡± one of the knights shouts as they make a wall around him. A group in black walks out of an alley and starts firing spells into the knights from afar, taking one life after another with deadly spells.


    Necromancers.


    They belong to the same group.


    They did it.


    Squeezing the sword in my right hand, my blood started boiling in me as mana makes my body move as if a puppet possessed by an evil spirit. I leap into the wall of undead with a guttural roar. Body parts of the undead start flying around as my sword sends more and more of them to rest. As if noticing that something is wrong, the necromancers start firing curses and spells at me, but I simply evade the spells, while the curses hit me head-on and dissipate, bringing horror across the faces of the necromancers.


    As soon as I get within a few meters of them, they attempt to retreat and call their undead to help them, but it¡¯s too late. Moments later they¡¯re cleaved in half, crushed and dismembered. They try to huddle together to construct a magical shield, but my sword breaks them like glass. One of them nearly finish a wide range spell, which could deal significant damage to the area. Sadly for him, I¡¯m faster, my thrown sword sails across to him, until it plunges through his body and the pure force of it carries him across the street to a wall, until he collides with and destroys the building in the process.


    I turn to the ones that are left and one by one end them with my bare hands, ignoring their pleas for mercy, crushing the skulls of the ones crawling away, grabbing the necks of the next ones that are attacking and squeezing them till I hear their necks break.


    ¡°Monster.¡± the last one whispers.


    I slowly walk towards her as she starts to chant a prayer to her dark gods on her knees. The green horrified eyes on her pretty porcelain face, stares back at me in defiance. Her chant becomes louder as I grab her skull. The chant ends the moment my hand clenches, a loud pop is heard, a body falls to the ground, limp, spilling the reddish contents of her skull across the street.


    This must be all.


    I look at the white piece of cloth on my left wrist, which is already fully covered in blood. Bringing it to my face I try to catch the last bits of Luna, but it¡¯s already been replaced by the smell of iron.


    There is nothing left.


    I let the cloth go. The cloth slowly falls down and starts absorbing more blood from the ground. Walking to the destroyed wall, I find my sword and pick it up. The utter silence of the area makes me turn in the direction where the knights should be. Did they already leave? But what I find is a wall of knights staring at me with their weapons drawn, point them at me.


    Fear.


    Nothing new.


    ¡°Y-you should have left at least one for interrogation, she was human.¡± the prince in the golden armour says, no longer looking at me in disgust, but more of caution.


    Human?


    Or was it because the human was a girl, a pretty girl?


    What if she was a demi-human?


    What if she was ugly?


    What is she was a he?


    Would your comment be the same? Before the law everyone is equal. But some are always more ¡°equal¡±.


    Should I kill them too?


    Will someone cry over their deaths?


    Each of them should have dreams, fears, family, loved ones. Someone may cry over their deaths.


    But they won¡¯t cry over Luna.


    She was just a mistake. Right?


    Just a single, insignificant death. Right?


    Who even cares about demi-humans? Right?


    One insignificant death in an endless whirlpool of chaos and suffering.


    My hand squeezes the sword¡¯s pommel, and violent desires start burning deep within me, but I stop myself.


    No. Enough. I am slowly turning into him.


    Enough.


    I start walking in the direction of the dungeon, ignoring the stares from the crowd of knights. A loud crash makes my feet stop in their tracks and turn towards the sound, it came from the port. The attack started, the ships should have already hit the shore. I should get to the dungeon as fast as I can. The ground troops will move quickly, I have a maximum of about ten minutes before they reach here. An inhuman screech appears suddenly, and quickly increases in volume as it gets closer and closer.


    Several groups of flying demi-humans with bows and staves appear from behind the tall building, screeching and coming in this direction.


    That¡¯s too fast.


    Was there no one to stop them at the port? Where the hell are the guards?


    A purple spot lights up on the horizon and rapidly increases in size. Abandoning everything I leap into the alleys, running away, trying to get as far from the main road as possible. A few seconds later, a huge purple beam of light explodes behind me. Turning around, I find the whole main street destroyed, the stone buildings melted and no one except for the avian demi-humans circling around the area where I just was.


    A calamity level ritual spell at the very beginning of the siege.


    Madness.


    The only thing that comes to mind is ¡°Blitzkrieg¡±. All of the leaders always scoffed at the military tactical ideas brought by the summoned, laughing, and ignoring them. What could have happened for such a major change?


    Doesn¡¯t matter.


    Sending mana into my barely functional legs, I command them to move once again. Walking through the alleys, I try to evade the main road which could result in a high possibility of needless confrontations. My legs continue to carry me to the dungeon entrance through the empty alleys, through the images of destroyed buildings or dead bodies lying around.


    Finally reaching the dungeon plaza, a totally different picture stands in front of me. An ocean of knights and warriors are fighting even more demi-humans in the center of the plaza, with constant barrages of spells from Mages behind the knights and even bigger volleys of arrows from the harpies and gargoyles from the opposite side. The sides collide in blends of gore and violence, the collision walls shift as if a wave, from one side to another, back and forth, again and again. As a wave of knights overwhelms a single point, they start chanting ¡°For the kingdom!¡±, as soon as the wave switches directions the demi-humans chant ¡°For motherland!¡± in Patu.


    Waves of meat mass struggling against each other, each with dogmas of seething hatred installed deep into their beings. A very different picture happens at the corners of the plaza and the alleys, small groups hunt down their respective enemies, back-stabbing the injured, and running. Not so far from me a wolf-demi human pins down a female knight and rips the armour and clothing from her chest, licking the face of his prey with a wide grin.


    ¡°Latar! Not now! You will take her later!¡± screams a similar looking wolf demi-human near him in Patu.


    ¡°No! Humans raped and enslaved our sisters! I will return this debt.¡± he growls, turning back to his friend. But before he can do anything more, the woman under him takes out a small dagger and with a scream, slices it across his neck, painting herself with his blood.


    ¡°Latar!¡± the other wolf screams before being overwhelmed by a new group of knights.


    The female knight throws the dead demi-humans body off of her and tries to stand on her wobbly legs. Trembling she looks around as if trying to understand what is happening. The definition of war finally starts seeping into her.


    Welcome.


    Suddenly an enormous tremor travels through the ground, making many in the plaza lose their footing. A few seconds later, a huge explosion and cloud of smoke rush out of the dungeon entrance, creating a big hole in the center of the barrier. The barrier starts morphing, trying to repair itself and close the huge hole in its center, but a few seconds later it fall apart with a crack, sending waves of mana around.


    An open path.


    I was never that lucky.


    A trap for sure.


    But I don¡¯t have any other option than to meet it head on.


    The time standing and observing the battlefield finally bites me back as several demi-humans stealthily try to take my life, like they have done with other in the corners of the plaza before.


    Death to those that practice death.


    The lives of the attackers come to a quick end as their dismembered bodies quickly fill the alley. Another wave of at least three dozen deadlier looking demi-humans notice me and leap into the alley, trying to take my life. These ones are prepared as they aren¡¯t risking getting too close and use hit-and-run tactics, surrounding me and blocking the escape path.


    Every formation has a weakness or it would be called absolute.


    But there are not absolute things in this world.


    Charging towards a specific direction, the attackers disperse, but my body doesn¡¯t stop and leaping into the closed wooden door I smash through it. The door explodes in a shower of broken planks and splinters. I arrive in a small corridor on the buildings first floor. The attacker follow shortly, only to be impaled by my sword thrust through the dust cloud. Their bodies fall around the entrance, creating a makeshift barricade. I can use the environment too. A few attackers continue to attack, only to be easily killed at the choke point, but most simply try to circle around and find another entrance. They may believe that they have me trapped inside if they block all of the doors, but buildings have several exits.


    Running through the building I find the staircase and run up, as the sound of breaking wood and footsteps reach me. The pursuers reach me shortly after, but I already have the high ground and they¡¯ll have to attack one by one through another choke point. As more and more bodies litter the staircase I have to slowly move higher and higher. A few attackers got in from the second floor windows, but I simply climb to the third floor and made the sneaky attackers merge with the main group. Making a stand at the top, I try to hold the position, but the attackers, not willing to sacrifice another life, change strategies and switch to ranged attacks, with a constant volley of arrows coming from the staircase.


    Not good.


    As my eyes are focus on the staircase, awaiting the next wave of attackers, I notice in the corner of my eye, a huge fireball travelling towards the building. The fireball hits the side wall, sending waves of force and heat across the whole area. The sound of wood breaking comes from the first floor, as the whole building starts slowly tilting. Abandoning everything I command my legs to run as fast as they can in the direction of the nearest window, which happens to have wooden shutters, but I don¡¯t stop and leap right through them, breaking the shutters. In midair I regret my decision as the alley is very narrow, and I end up hitting the wall of the building across the alley. Falling down I hit the cold stone floor with my left side as my ribs creak. Groaning I demands my hands and feet to start moving, trying to get my body up and ready for what is to come. Leaning on the wall I slowly stand up, after which I turn my head to scan the alley and building with my eyes. The whole building became a huge wooden mountain enveloped in flames, while the pursuers are nowhere in sight, most likely buried under the burning, wooden tomb. But I shouldn¡¯t get my hopes up.


    Moving my legs one after another, I slowly move through the narrow alley until I exit into a much bigger one. Looking around, my eyes stop on a gruesome sight. Several meters from me two knights in plate armour are sitting in a huge pool of blood. I believe them to be dead and make several steps away, until a quiet whisper reaches my ears. I don¡¯t know why, but my legs stop and turn my around on their own, until I stand in front of the pair and finally hear a quiet chant,


    ¡°I am sorry Lara.¡±


    Coming closer a picture I¡¯ve seen many times with the young Brothers, stands before me. A boy in his late teens is sitting in the pool of blood, hugging a girls head with long red hair. The face of the girl in his arm has exactly the same eyes as the boy, empty and dull. His lips continue to move, chanting the same words.


    Soul damaged.


    Life is hard and unfair. Sometimes it hits people so strongly that they break. The broken may develop severe case of insomnia, caused by never ending nightmares, irrational fears, and many, many more. I encountered quite a few cases when a person would start hallucinating about past events and battles if specific stimulus would be applied, the clash of metal or screams. There are many broken, there wasn¡¯t a Blood Brother who wasn¡¯t broken in one way or another. People adapt, survive, find a way to live with it. I am one such example.


    But there are those who are broken beyond repair, they can never return to normal life, they become an empty husk of their former self. Symptoms vary from simple apathy for their own future, to total vegetation, where a person can¡¯t even be able to eat by himself.


    There are many factors that affect what fate awaits the soul damaged. Common knights or warriors would most likely be stuck in this state forever. A few lucky ones could heal enough to ¡°exist¡±, but they will never truly recover.


    With Enforcers and Mages things get problematic, as they have many affinities, or bridges to the other side as I call them. Darkness can seep into this world through those affinities, and because of that the affected need to be healed or purified quickly, or ¡°sealed¡±. It may take some time and effort from many priests, but in the end they may recover. Losing a skilled Enforcer or Mage, unlike a knight or a warrior, would be a tremendous waste of resources and because of that they use any means necessary. And the most popular method is religious indoctrination.


    You are not evil. You did nothing wrong. You only followed the will of god.


    The Blood Brotherhood is a bit different. Even a tiny chance of being corrupted is unacceptable. A single case a long time ago was enough to make an iron clad rule. Long story short, any soul damaged Brother is instantly "released". I didn''t even notice at what point my sword was already on the boy''s neck, about to take his life. Old habits die hard.


    But he isn''t a Blood Brother.


    And neither am I.


    Just before I decide to remove the sword from the boy''s neck and leave, my eyes notice a sinlge thin black vein on his neck. The black vein starts to slowly grow, travelling up and down his body as more and more black veins appear.


    So you chose to give up.


    I place the tip of my sword on his Adam''s apple. Only a thin cloth seperates the tip of the sword and the soft flesh. I slowly move my hand forward. The sword slides into the boy''s neck with no resistance whatsoever. Even though blood slowly starts to flow out of the wound, the boy shows almost no reaction. His head tips down, causing more blood to flow down his armour, painting it red. The unmoving body slowly sides to the right and the head of the girl falls out of his hands, rolling away.


    Corruption usually takes hours, or days, such speed couldn''t be natural, there was something that was desperately trying to make the connection.


    In my peripheral vision I catch the sight of the pursuers finally catching up. Deciding not to wait until their numbers swell, I turn in their direction and increase the speed of mana circulation once more, burning down whatever reserves are left in this body. My finger tightly clenches around the hilt as I prepare to leap into the advancing group, to send them to the other side. My body explodes into action like a spring, as my sword plunges into the first enemy''s chest, something huge jumps out of the narrow alley and crashes into us, throwing everyone towards the wall. As my body impacts the building''s wall, precious air escapes my lungs. Not waiting for the next attack, I command my body to move and leap aside, saving myself in the process as something hits the area I was in a fraction of a second ago.


    Using the momentum, I make several rolls and reorient my body, stopping myself with creaking legs. My eyes finally capture the new attacker in full view, a white skeleton, two meters tall, four meters long, with burning green eyes and three horns in a dark cloak staning on all fours, like an animal, stares at me with pure hatred. Its jaw bone opens wide and a high pitched screech comes out of it. A few seconds later the previous attacker''s bodies start to move in an unnatural way as they stand up.


    Feral Lich.


    What the actual fuck?! There are tons of dead near the dungeon entrance, why attack here?


    Wait.


    It''s looking specifically at me. And that hatred is directed.


    The fucking lich was corrupting the boy, and I destroyed its new vessel.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Shit.


    Fighting a lich and a dozen undead in a narrow alley is a fast ticket to the afterlife.


    But who cares?


    I''m tired of running around, again and again. I''ll be there soon one way or another. Enough time was wasted in the attempt to get the dungeon quietly.


    I unyieldingly stare back into the green, burning eyes. Maggots start falling out of its rib cage onto the ground and crawling away. My blood starts to boil as a representation of pure corruption and mindless evil stands before me. The lich charges me with the undead following behind him. Squeezing the sword in my hand, I prepare for the coming attack, but the face of an innocent, smiling girl with black and white hair flashes through my mind, which is nearly instantly replaced by the image of her dead body trying to kill me with the same hateful eyes.


    With a roar my body leaps at the enemy, at something that must be destroyed, something that must be erased from existence. My sword swings down vertically with an extreme velocity at the incoming lich''s swipe. The sword crushes the limb of the lich and smashes against the ground, sending cracks in all direction away from the impact. But I don''t stop, my body moves faster, demanding the destruction of the thing before me. The next swing crashes against the lich''s body and throws it against the wall like a doll, but something deep inside of me demands more, much more. With another roar I throw myself at the creature and smash limb after limb. The lich tries to crawl away, ordering the undead to help him, but it''s useless, my sword rips them apart, only increasing the power and intensity with which I send the sword crashing into the lich''s body. In desperation it sends all of its mana into its bones to reinforce them, and crawl up the building, but I will not allow it to. Grabbing its spine, I throw it against the stone covered ground. It screeches in horror and hatred as my sword lands on its skull, cracking it slightly. Again and again my sword continues the assault, cracking and chipping away more and more if the skull. Ignoring the disappearing light of the eyes in the skull and the bones falling away from the main body, my sword falls again and again, cracking the huge skull more and more until it finally cracks open, like a fruit.


    I fell my chest moving up and down, consuming all the air it can grab. Minutes later my chest still rises and fall, hungrily devouring more and more air, as if it''s an unsatisfiable beast. Looking down at the crushed and broken bones, which just a few minutes ago were part of a dangerous lich, I continue to desperately devour the air. The ringing in my ears starts to disappear, the utter silence of the alleys contrasts the chaos coming from the main road. My eyes scan the alley, finding it nearly deserted except for the dismembered undead that the lich raised.


    Alone in a world of chaos again.


    I need to finish this.


    My legs and arms scream in pain, telling me that I overused them, but I simply block the feeling. As a dictator I demand their absolute obedience, and with a small hitch they start moving again, carrying me towards the dungeon.


    Enough.


    I exit the alley and come into the dungeon plaza from a different direction. The tides changed and now the area is generally overwhelmed by the Paletian army, which now consists of more sub-species than before. More and more demi-humans pour into the plaza as they chant "For motherland." Small groups are running around with spears and finishing any human who''s still breathing on the ground. As the group comes near me, I finally notice that it consists of kids, barely under fifteen. One of them leaps at the warrior in leather armour who crawling away and begging for help, and plunges the spear into his back with a scream.


    "DIE THIEVES! WE WILL TAKE BACK THE MOTHERLAND!"


    Well, he''s not wrong. This area belonged to demi-humans a very, very long time ago. It was actually their place of origin, but after the inter-continental war they were "displaced."


    The small group continues to walk around and kill the fleeing, until they come to a boy about their age with missing legs, crawling away with one hand. They start plunging their spears into his back as he cries for help, for them to stop, but they continue to assault and torture him with shouts of delight and crazed eyes. Their fun is ended shortly by my sword, which cuts them apart one by one. They try to run away, but I don''t give them the opportunity.


    A female demi-human appears in my peripheral vision with a sword coming in the direction of my skull, with a small movement I evade the attack and counter attack. As her arms split apart at the elbows, a high-pitched scream escapes her, notifying everyone around that an enemy is near. My sword plunges through her eye socket, silencing her forever. More and more demi-humans attack, but they simply follow the fate of the previous attackers as I make my way through them in the direction of the dungeon entrance.


    A huge fireball exploding a dozen meters away from me makes me stop in my tracks. My eyes catch a levitating red cloak as more and more fireballs rain down on the plaza. Demi-humans start running away, trying to escape the rain of fire, but their stampede does the opposite, as many are simply trampled to death.


    After half a minute of the assault, the cloaked person lands on the ground, a man in his early thirties, barely able to stand straight, breathing heavily. He takes out a blue vial and chugs it down as the red glow returns to him. As if possessed, he starts throwing fireball at the army of demi-humans, burning them to charcoal as his hysterical laugh sounds across the plaza. His glow starts slowly decreasing again after which he chugs another vial that he took out of his cloak. The glow one more returns to him, but this time blood starts flowing out of his ears, eyes, and mouth, as he continues to fling fireballs randomly. His figure slows down as his coughs are quickly replaced with choking.


    After a series of attempts to take a breath, he stops moving and falls to the ground.


    Overdose.


    As if on queue, more and more people start pouring into the plaza from both sides, but this time the tide switch from demi-humans to humans, as they slowly overwhelm the attackers. Many generals in lavish plate armour show up, rallying the warriors and charging into the meat grinder itself. More and more hills of dead appear at the plaza. About a tenth of the whole plaza is already littered with dead bodies.


    And the dead will soon have one more addition.


    I resume my walk towards the dungeon entrance directly through the meat grinder''s center, dodging when needed and countering when required. The path is littered with dead from both sides, and I add more ever single exchange, sending every enemy who dared to attack to the afterlife. After many long minutes, I finally reach the stairs leading to the entrance. The guards stationed on the top of the stairs are fighting the few brave one that try to reach the top, but it''s hard to call it a fight, as most of the attackers are simply thrown off the stairs. As I make several steps up the stairs, a unison of screeches explodes out of the dungeon entrance. At least a dozen feral liches pour out, attacking anyone they can find, they crush, throw, and rip the guards apart, until the top is only occupied by the liches. After a few seconds a single elder lich appears, floating about a meter above the ground and nearly twice the size of a feral lich, its blue, burning eyes scan the area until they stop on me for a few long seconds. The elder lich points it bony finger at me as its jaws open slightly, and in an ethereal voice whispers "Kill". The next instant all of the feral liches turn in my direction and screech in pure hatred, as if they found their ultimate enemy.


    More and more obstacles.


    After another union of screeches, they start running down the stairs on all fours, as if wild animals in a frenzy, trampling every single thing in their path. They reach me within seconds, but I don''t wait for their attack. Pumping my mana circulation to the limit, I leap into their midst, bringing my sword down on the first lich''s skull, crushing it and sending cracks across the stairs in the process. Not waiting for anything, I swing the sword to the left, trying to destroy in the next one, but the sword meets with an arm raised in defense, crushing it in the process, but the momentum was already lost, and only a single crack appears on the seconds lich''s skull. The lich screeches back as if laughing, but I don''t get time to react as something hits me from behind hits me in the side, launching me into the air. The air time is short, but the distance I travel is nothing like that. My body impacts the ground and starts rolling on its side, but my instincts scream to evade whatever is coming. Thrusting the sword into the floor, I redirect my body just in time as two liches land where I was a moment ago. The other liches start running in my direction as more and more undead rise around me.


    Fighting a horde of liches in the middle of an inter-continental battlefield...


    As the liches are about to reach me, several yellow beams cut through the space around them, and the image of their melting bones is quickly replaced by silence and their ashes being blown away by the wind. Turning in the direction of the yellow beam''s origin, I find a group in colourful armour with a huge aura around them, visible even to the naked eye, walking in the direction of the human army. One of them gives me a silent nod with a smile on his face.


    Heroes.


    Paletia''s army starts to retreat, trying to save themselves from the onslaught of devastating spells, but it only results in the knights and warriors slicing through the retreating army like a knife through hot butter.


    This is what heroes are. Their mere presence instantly shifts the state of the battle. A single spell from them and creatures which could take hundreds, thousands of lives disappear in an instant, leaving naught but ashes behind.


    Gods amoungst men.


    About a hundred knights in white and read armour, with a golden insignia on their chests, walk through the endless sea of warriors, as the later ones step aside and make a path for them. The knights arrive beside the heroes with their chins held high, basking in the fear people around them have, as if the events that just happened are the results of their work.


    The "new" Blood Brotherhood.


    I''m not sure if it''s punishment of fate itself for our crimes, to have us all killed and the replacements to be exactly the opposite of what we were aspiring for. Our ideals turned inside out, and the resulting abomination taking our place as if it rightfully belonged to them.


    Fate, you bitch, you have the most twisted sense of humour out there.


    The ground starts trembling as the sound of very heavy footsteps become louder and louder. Suddenly it becomes very quiet as all eyes turn in the direction of the demi-human army and the origin of the footsteps. Five giants, which are at least a hundred meters tall, are walking through the city, destroying any building in their path, stomping any enemy who dared to attack them. The kingdom''s knights and warriors begin whispering between themselves and after commands from their leaders, start retreating even faster than the Paletian army when the heroes arrived.


    A dozen warriors walk out of the retreating demi-human army, their tribal armour shining brightly and not losing out the heroes one bit. They continue to walk forward, taking out their weapons, as their auras start shining even brighter. All of the heroes take out their weapons, and start slowly walking in the direction of the new arrivals. Their auras shining brightly as they come closer to each other, until they stop about fifty meters from each other. The whole plaza is submerged into absolute silence as the parties continue to stand and stare at each other. Only the footsteps of the giants, reminding everyone that time is slowly moving, are heard.


    I''m sure that this is a point that will go into the annals of not just this kingdom''s history, but the world''s. For me though, this is just another useless, over-glorifed bar fight. My eyes finally leave the new Brotherhood, who are standing about a dozen meters behind the heroes, and I start climbing the stairs with my barely moving legs. They scream in protest, as each step I take feels as if I was walking on burning coals which have razor sharp nails in them, but I simply block the feelings in my legs again. Alas, my thoughts still return to the Brotherhood, one of the not many things I truly cared about, no matter how many times I try to swat the thought away.


    It doesn''t matter anymore.


    This is no longer my world, but theirs.


    "Hello, fellow summoned." a young, loud voice from behind says.


    My legs stop at the very last step of the stairs. The emptiness that filled my mind made my body stop in a stupor.


    "Summoned?"


    Turning my face back, I take a closer look at the party which came from the demi-humans army. Their auras shining just brightly as the heroes.


    It can''t be.


    The method for summoning was lost by all except the Empire, and only because the elders took great steps to ensure that it would never be lost.


    Did they restore the method themselves?


    Replicated it?


    Or simply stole it?


    But if demi-humans were able to, maybe other will...


    Enough. It doesn''t concern me.


    In a flash, the parties explode into action, crashing to each other as powerful spells are thrown around, destroying the buildings and changing the terrain of the plaza. Each one of them finding an enemy as if on queue, switching between one on one and group on group, while the Brotherhood supports them with simple blood spells. The whole thing looks like a battle of angry gods. Everyone else simply runs away into the alleys, trying to hide from the incoming spells, hoping that a stray one won''t hit them.


    Some things don''t change.


    I resume my torturous walk to the dungeon''s entrance, moving one trembling leg after another, and the moment I stand before a huge arc, the actual dungeon entrance, something hits a nearby column with high velocity. The column explodes into a cloud of grey and black dust as it falls apart. The sound of someone groaning and coughing comes from inside the could, a second later a person''s silhouette stands up and starts walking in my direction. A very pale female from the Empire hero group, with white hair and yellow hair appears out of the dust cloud, wiping blood off of her mouth with her hand. She looks in my direction and grins toothily. The female hero disappears as if an illusion, and a sudden impact throws me into a column as air escapes my lungs.


    "Juicy one. So much mana in a dry skeletal body like that."


    Something clamps at my neck as I fell man and blood escaping my body. Sounds of delight escape her as she continue to suck energy out of my barely moving body. A huge desire to sleep starts to close my eyes, until they are fully closed.


    Maybe meeting my end like this will be enough.


    Killed by a random hero who sucked the energy out of me like-


    Images of thousands of children sexually abused, sucked dry of blood and eaten alive flash through my mind, their screams for help and wails of pain, me stanind in an endless sea of tiny bodies.


    No.


    Not like this.


    NOT LIKE THIS.


    With a roar my eyes open as my hands clamp around the robs of the accursed blood sucker. The audible cracks of bone are heard as she jolts in confusion and stops sucking. With monstrous strength, my jaws clamp around the neck of the white haired hero. She opens her mouth and tries to scream, but my jaws squeeze her neck with so much force that she can''t even breathe. Her limbs flail around uselessly, trying to get herself away from me. Her sharp claws dig into my back in desperation, trying to do any damage she can, but strength slowly leaves her limbs. The blood from her artery has been dripping down my chin for sometime, but most of it goes down my throat, replenishing what little mana was left in me. Sides change as I start sucking her dry, draining whatever liquid there is in the body that lays in my arms.


    My vision blurs as unimaginable strength crushes my very being and sends me flying through two columns. I desperately try to command my body to move, but my eyes already caught the sight of a huge burning sun descending on me, sending me to a world of indescribable pain as my skin and flesh melts away. I feel as my body is burnt to a crisp, even the piece of flesh I ripped from the hero.


    In desperation I send mana to block all of my senses, after which a world of total darkness and numbness descends on me. In this dark and empty void I slowly send mana burst, trying to assess the status of my body. When the review finishes a few seconds later I''m presented with a simple answer.


    This is the end.


    There is nearly no mana left in this empty husk of a body. Nearly every single organ is ruptured beyond repair. The burns on my back are so severe that there is nothing except boens and muscles left there. Toxins from the burns are already seeping into my flesh, poisoning the ruptured organ beneath them.


    I won''t be able to heal it.


    This is it.


    I may be able to squeeze a few minutes out, but that''s the limit.


    I won''t make it to the volcano in time.


    If destruction is what the world wants, then that is what it will get.


    I will drag as many of you to hell as I can.


    Stopping the healing attempts, I send mana into my body to reinforce my last demands.


    Pain and feeling return, telling me that I''m not dead yet. The trembling limbs start moving and I stand up. My left eye went fully blind as I can''t see even a spec of light. I send mana into my cursed, right eye, to at least orient myself. In the smoke I find my sword near the melting rocks, and try to grab it with a trembling hand, but I fail over and over again, the muscles aren''t listening to me. Sending mana into the tendons and muscles, I grab the sword with a death grip.


    As I walk out of the smoke I find the two summoned parties in some kind of stalemate, looking at each other and speaking about something. My feet start to move, carrying me down the stairs. When the discussion ends shortly, they look in my direction in total silence. I continue my descent as their eyes do not leave me.


    My right eye is blurry and can''t tell me what the atmosphere is like exactly. But somehow, I can feel two distinctive feelings present in the air.


    Fear and disgust.


    A deep laugh from my left makes my neck slowly turn until I see a silhouette of a huge demi-human standing near the Paletian heroes walking in my direction.


    "I am the luckiest person alive! The FUCKING Inquisitor himself!"


    The silhouette starts moving in my direction, faster than any human ever could, when he''s about ten meters away he leaps and screams


    "Your life is mine!"


    As his sword is about to reach me, my hand moves and his body and sword split in half, spraying me with blood and innards as his body travels further, hitting the stairs, painting them in blood.


    There shouldn''t be any clothes covering me, but I''m not even sure how the symbol of the Brotherhood is visible through the burnt flesh.


    But it doesn''t matter.


    Not waiting for the next attack, my eyes scan the area and find the silhouette of the white haired hero lying on the found with what looks like a healer and wizard in red near her. What stands between her and me is another hero with a scythe and the Blood Brotherhood, their weapons drawn in what looks like a defensive stance. Forcing my limbs to obey my demands I start moving again, to which everyone around reacts by tensing up. A single person comes out of the crowd of the new Brotherhood, with a delighted toothy smile, and points his weapon in my direction announcing loudly with a smile.


    "The cursed heretic. You have finally showed your treacherous soul. By the order of the Emperor, and my power as Inquisitor, you are sentenced to death. We-"


    "Imposters." the unexpectedly ghastly voice coming from me interrupts him. "Fakes."


    His smile breaks and is instantly replaced with a scowl.


    "You will regret it cursed rat!" he screams, as the members of the new Brotherhood leap at me, only to be cleaved by my sword one by one.


    The next instant the whole group surrounds me and attacks, screaming with voices full of hatred. I take the upper body of the previous attack lying near me, and throw at at the incoming enemy. Distracted by the body part of his comrade, he doesn''t see my descent or the sword that ends his life. In a rage I throw myself at one enemy after another, pumping more and more of what little mana is left into my limbs. Every spell is evaded, every attack is countered, every trap is broken before they can set it up. I rip their bodies apart, crush their skulls, not holding back even a thread of my strength, littering the area with their dismembered bodies.


    "Pathetic." the ghastly voice whispers as I crush the skull of another moaning fake.


    Their inexperience and weakness exceeding even my worst expectation. I thought that they at least gathered strong ones, but it''s just a facade. A group of actors using our names as if they earned it.


    The new "Inquisitor" tried to cast several mid-tier blood spells, only for them to be countered instantly. He doesn''t even know the weaknesses of those spells, nor where and how to use them.


    Pathetic.


    The leader roars in response as he tries to cast the next spell, only to be interrupted by my sword and was sent flying a dozen meters away. Innumerable enchantments on his armours created and impenetrable barrier around his neck just a moment before my sword could cleave it in half. I try to take another step and finish the sad excuse of a warrior, but my leg freezes, as if it was a solid rock. The flesh and muscle in the leg stops responding to all attempts to make it move, as if it was dead. My vision starts to slowly narrow as if being slowly submerged into darkness.


    No.


    NO!


    Just a bit longer.


    A tiny bit more.


    The new Inquisitor groans and stands up, taking out several transparent potions. He gulps them down in one go, after which his manic laugh sounds across the plaza as a huge red aura bursts out of him.


    "Die remnant of the past!" he screams as he leaps at me.


    Pathetic.


    Redirecting mana from my leg into my arm, and using the fact that my legs are frozen solid, the sword falls down crushing the foe against the marble floor, creating cracks around the epicenter. His eyes stare into empty space, not understanding what happened. The huge cut from his right shoulder to stomach starts bleeding heavily as the red aura slowly disperses.


    A moment later a hero appears above me with his scythe descending down towards me. Abandoning any attempt to evade the attack as my leg wouldn''t budge, I half-block, reorienting the path of the scythe. The scythe passes my face by a paper-thin margin, but I don''t give the hero even a moment to realise that, as my sword is already falling down in an attempt to cleave the hero''s neck, only for his enchanted armour to create several magic shields which explode on contact with the sword and send me flying a dozen meters away.


    I crash against the floor, and after a few twirls, plunge the sword into the floor and stop the travel sharply, ending on my knees. The hero with the scythe looks at me in horror, as the fact that he nearly died finally sinks into him.


    Heroes always have this illusion that they can''t die, as if they''re immortal.


    As I attempt to use my sword and arms to stand up, my whole body freezes. Muscles start to tremble as blood begins to leak from my mouth and eyes, telling me that there are only a few breaths left.


    Truly pathetic.


    I look at the heroes and say something that I should have said at the very beginning, maybe then it wouldn''t have ended this way.


    Maybe then Luna would have been alive.


    "V-a-i l-a-y" my voice whispers.


    Taking another breath, I repeat the phrase in the language of the summoned.


    "V-e-i l-a-i" I repeat, coughing out a glob of blood at the end.


    My eyes trail the trajectory of the glob until it hits the ground, merging with all the blood on the marble floor. But the glob starts to slowly move, as if it was alive. Trailing it''s path, I notice that it''s not the only thing moving. All of the blood starts to flow in waves in a single direction, as if a river, until they come to the body of the new Inquisitor and disappear into it. His body melts into a red goo and a huge face appears out of the goo, as if trying to escape. In the next instant, the face disappears and all the red goo gathers into a small bundle, out of which limbs break out of. A creature with humanoid features, barely half a meter in height steps out of the goo. Its blood red eyes open wide and start looking around until they stop on me. The moment its eyes meet mine, an inhuman screech escapes it and within a second it grows into a four meter tall, sleek creature with razor sharp claws and fangs.


    A smile breaks across my face at the appearance of the avatar.


    Fuck you fate.


    Death by blood avatar.


    Very ironic for a Blood Brother.


    Fuck you, you goddamned bitch.


    The next instant the creature leaps at me with a speed exceeding any possible biological limits. I try to send mana into my body, to move my hand with the sword and block the lunge, but I know full well that it''s useless. A moment later I''m sent flying through the air. It could be poetic, me sailing through the air at a ridiculous speed, as wind blows around my body, of course it was, until my back hit something, again, and again, and again. Expecting the impact I blocked all of the feeling left in my body and the only thing I could perceive was the change in scenery and the total lack of response from some of my internal organs.


    My eye slowly blinks and tries to scan the surroundings, but everything is blocked by rubble and dust clouds. The only thing I can see, lying on my side on the cobble stone floor, is the silhouette of destroyed buildings. The creature of blood appears out of the dust cloud and scowling, voices extreme discontent at my survival with a very high pitched screech. Grabbing me by my right foot the creature swings me around, at the ground, the walls, as if I was a cloth being whipped around. Finally it throws me at the nearby building and my body passes through several wooden walls as they explode in clouds of splinters.


    Blinking several times, my eye tries to determine where I am, but the only thing I see is a totally new open square and stone cobble floor. I don''t know the strength comes from but by my command the limbs starts moving as they visibly tremble. Wobbling on my legs and using the sword, which is still in my right hand''s death grip, I stand. Slowly turning around my gaze meets the blood creature''s. I''m suddenly lifted up as hands made of blood squeeze my neck.


    The creature snarls something incoherent for a few seconds until I''m suddenly released and fall to my knees like a sack of potatoes. The creature screams in pain as I take a few shallow breaths and notice there''s a huge purple gem coming out of its chest. The gem starts shining brightly as the form of the creature ripples and turns back to a blob of blood. The blood avatar tries to reform several times into wild animals and species but it continues to break apart and returns back to the blob form.


    A person in white plate armour appears from thin air with a sword swung towards my face, reacting by pure instinct, I send all of my available mana into my right hand and move it just enough for the sword to somehow connect with the person''s helmet. It sends him flying several meters away, thin yellow thread circles around me, until it makes a right around my right arm and in a flash of light severs it. My arm falls to the ground and starts bleeding. Not even a second after, countless javelins pierce my chest and legs, stopping all of my movements.


    Not like I could move anyway.


    A few seconds later several people in long, white cloth coats, which look something like Qing priests wear, appear and walk to me, and the still reforming and crumbling blood avatar.


    "Well, well, well. Would you look who we have here." says a young male voice.


    The young man turns to the person in white plate armour to my left, who stands up and removes his damaged helmet. After looking at the damaged helmet his black eyes turn to me in pure hatred.


    "What were you expecting, attacking THE Inquisitor? Even in this burnt state, he''s a dangerous enemy, he fought the blood chose and is still alive. What were you even thinking?" the laughing young man remarks.


    The person that attacked me comes closer and picks up my severed hand, which still has the sword in it and smiles at me toothily.


    "Don''t play with his hand too much, the research bureau would be thrilled to get their hands on it. We need to bring it to them together with the blood chosen. Who knows, maybe someday we will be able to replicate this undying monster''s body."


    Several people in white come closer to the creature and start chanting an archaic spell. The avatar screeches in pain as he tries to morph into something, but just slowly decreases in size.


    "We are actually very grateful to you. I never though that we could get an opportunity to capture a chosen one so easily. You did a great job distracting it for so long." the young man says with a wide smile.


    "As a form of gratitude, I will tell you a small secret." he whispers, taking a few steps closer and looking straight into my eye.


    "Your beloved Sun Empire will fall very soon. While their great heroes are here, fighting a lost battle, the Sarshi Caliphate army is already within their borders. And the necromancers that submerged this whole city into chaos is just a small, tiny fraction of what was sent to the Empire."


    "But here is the best part. Those religious morons from the Caliphate will follow the Empire soon after. Because WE have been preparing for it for more than a century." He continues to talk, but his voice becomes distant as my sight grows darker and darker, until it turns fully black.


    Then a sudden flash of pure white assaults me. The brightness is so high that I try to protect myself from it, but my hands refuse to move. Soon the intensity of the light decreases and something in front of me starts to take on a rectangular shape. After a few long seconds, it finally becomes clear.


    Before me, right in the air hangs a huge painting in a beautiful dark wooden frame. Focusing I notice that the image in the painting is moving as if it''s alive. The painting shows views of the destroyed city with thousands upon thousands of dead lying on the ground, but the number of people fighting is many times that number. What catches my attention is a huge area with waves of humans and demi-humans colliding into a mass of gore and violence, with rare bursts of colourful explosions.


    I recognise the place, where I was just a few minutes ago, but the view looks as if taken from a very high point.


    Is this a painting of events in the plaza right now?


    Something itching on my back compels me to take a look at what is behind me, and with great effort, my neck starts to move. But I freeze solid when I see what exactly is behind me. Countless creatures, millions upon millions, big and small, made out of flesh, smoke, and different elements and much more. With claws longer than large ships, with more fangs than there are people in big cities.


    Even the most dangerous creatures I hunted as a Blood Brother look as harmless as farm animals before these creatures.


    The creatures barely move, as if holding their breath back, awaiting something. All their gazes are focused on a single point, and slowly tracing their gazes, I return to the painting.


    Oh.


    They''re waiting for my death.


    So, in the end I failed.


    Wait.


    Why was I fighting in the first place? My task was to plunge myself into the endless sea of lava at the lowest floor of the dungeon.


    How did it end like that?


    Mistakes. My mistakes.


    All of it was my fault. Even the war was-


    Wait.


    No.


    Was I the reason?


    No.


    No.


    I only....


    Killed the guards at the north pole, leaving the North Kingdom open to raid from the creatures of the north.


    Attacked the North Kingdom city guards as a Blood Brother, making more suspicious of the Empire, essentially leaving it alone against Qing.


    Found a Sarshi Caliphate spy village, alarming them and forcing them to take immediate action.


    Was that noble from the ship important?


    Killed the upper echelon of two important cities in the Desert Alliance, destabilizing it, and leaving it open to a Qing and Sarshi Caliphate invasion.


    Told the truth about the Empire to Mozzarel''s King. Dooming them to the same fate as the previous cities.


    Are they even alive?


    It was me.


    Because of me, the continental war started.


    And because of it Palatia attacked, escalating the whole thing into an inter-continental war.


    It was me.


    I am the reason for this chaos.


    The white world starts to spin as if being sucked into a whirlpool. The blinding light recedes and images of the mages in white coats putting a red creature into a glass globe appears before me.


    "Oh. You''re back. I thought my monologue killed you. HAHAHA. Get it? Killed you?"


    "Oh come on, how boring can you be? I took a great risk telling you one of our secrets just to see your reaction and you don''t even twitch. Truly boring."


    "Sadly, we are already finished here. We can''t take you with us, even if we chop off all of your limbs to make you compact."


    "You also just don''t have much time left. I don''t even understand how you are still alive. But you know what? The heart of the heartless Inquisitor will be an interesting present. Don''t you think so? Ironic, kind of. My wife will love it."


    Taking out a short, white dagger he makes several steps towards me and plunges his knife into my chest. He starts sawing at my ribs with the short dagger, not meeting any resistance from the flesh, while barely any blood flows from the open wound.


    The sound of something titanic colliding makes him stop and look around. The ground starts trembling, which causes a few to lose their footing. A few seconds later the buildings in the background start to fall apart. As if the Earth itself cracked, the volcano splits open in an explosion of fire and magma, a colossal burning creature crawls out of the blazing volcano. Its body casting a shadow over the whole city. Slowly the liquid magma and rocks fall off it, revealing a very thin frame with extremely long, white limbs. As if on queue, a series of rapid lightning fills the sky, in the next instant they stop only to form together, creating a flying creature made of lightning in the center of it all.


    The creatures of nightmares stare at each other for several long seconds, until they pounce on each other with a speed that contradicts all rules of physics. Their roars make everyone''s eardrums burst as people fall down on the ground, their ears bleeding, writhing in pain. The battle of the creatures before me creates wind and tornadoes that throw buildings into the sky.


    During this chaos, a deep laugh sounds across the area and I recognise it instantly. It''s my voice, but that shouldn''t be possible, there''s no energy left in this body to even blink. My whole body starts to burn as if submerged into liquid metal and I start hearing a voice.


    HIS voice.


    The titanically big creatures stop their fight and look in my direction. And at nearly the same time, they start to prepare a huge spell directed in my direction. My vision grows dark again as I feel every bit of warmth leaving my body, seeping away as if washed by a cold river.


    I could''ve done so much stuff better.


    But as always I made the worst possible decision. And got the worst possible result.


    I doomed the world.


    But there is nothing I can do anymore.


    Luna. Brothers.


    I am coming.


    Light slowly returns as I am once again submerged into blinding light. A few seconds later the light recedes and what stands before me is the wooden frame that I saw before. But the image inside of it is a totally different one, it''s so white that for a second I thought it was a mirror. Looking closer I notice that there is something more inside of it. As my eyes focus, they find something, something that is very hard to describe. All the creature of nightmare that I saw before are raging, screaming, and attacking each other in hatred and mindless violence, but upon death they don''t disappear, they simply reform and appear at the same place.


    Then something burning starts to fall down from the white sky, leaving a trail of black smoke behind it, until it hits the white floor, creating a huge crater. The whole area is slowly covered in black smoke, until a white creature with burnt, white wings, which looks almost human, emerges from it. The white creature starts to scream and rage even more than the others around it, ripping its porcelain white skin, colouring the white floor black with its blood. The white creature grows huge and with its long, razor sharp claws, swipes around, cleaving through any creature in its way. Mindlessly destroying anyone and no one at the same time. All the creatures around it scream in response, but they don''t attack, as if they''re afraid of it.


    Raging around the white creature finally stops, looking at the sky it screams with pure, unhinged hated.


    The fallen.


    Why is HE here?


    Shouldn''t HE have already been in my....


    What happened?

 Chapter 21 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    Volume Two: The Birth of Calamity


    "Wow!" says Manato.


    "Right?" Yuki, his childhood friend, replies.


    "Who would''ve known that they could build a city like this around a volcano." Akari, their classmate, adds.


    "It''s retarded." I quietly say, to which everyone responds with a deep sigh.


    "Mark, you should learn to enjoy this little stuff! It''s not everyday we get to travel and see sights like this."


    "Maybe I would, if we hadn''t wasted all that time travelling through that shitty desert." I scoff back.


    "Oh come on, what did you expect? It''s called the "dead desert" for a reason." Sam, our "unofficial" leader, says with a huge smile.


    A deep sigh escapes me.


    Sam earned his position as a leader in quite an unusual way. He simply learned Tasar, the language of the Empire, faster than anyone else, even me. Thus he immediately transformed into a sort of a teacher for us, and a representative of our group in general. Everyone was happy to shift all of the negotiations and responsibilities onto someone else, if he fucks up they''ll have someone to blame. Sam beamed through the whole process, not complaining even once. The damn language has too many rules and exceptions for everything, and the worst thing is that it''s only one language out of the dozen on this continent alone. I never liked learning foreign languages, I was never good at it, but when you have to, you do just that.


    The language that we were forced to confront was more grammatically clustered than any I heard about back on Earth. It involved countless exceptions in syntax, with an alphabet consisting of forty-nine letters. In written form it reminded me of a deformed love child of Greek and Korean, which looked "rectangular" and "simple" at the same time. There''s also the polite and casual form, which changes the ending of every single fucking word. Oh, did I mention that every object has a gender too? It''s as if people gathered and decided to put as much bullshit into a single language as they could.


    To my utter dissatisfaction, aside from magical energy and a few other races, which are rarely seen in the Empire, the whole setting reminded me of the late medieval ear. No auto-translation, no status menu, no health or mana bars whatsoever, even after scrupulous testing of hundreds of commands and gestures, in private of course. It wasn''t a game, and I was forced to accept that. Which left me with no other choice than to immediately appraise their small assemblage of books.


    Speaking of races, against the recommendation of the "advisors", which constantly followed me and explained everything, I went to the slave market, as that was the only possible way to see other races. I was enamoured with the idea of seeing a real cat-girl or a bunny-girl. The whole "they are savage, dirty, and uncivilized" comments were simply ignored, as I believed them to be another xenophobic societal norm in this place.


    As I was explained to, all elves are instantly bought back, even before they enter the capital, many are either bought back by their families, who pay a hefty price, or sold to a "private" collector, which are actually just high nobles. So the only option left was demi-humans. The non-human traits ranged from just a tail and animal ears, to full fledged werewolves who stood on two legs. The ginger cat-girl that caught my eye proved my ideas of the not-understood tribes to be wrong when she tried to rip my eyes out. She was quickly subdued by the guards, but that didn''t stop he rapid onslaught of what surely sounded like curses. This world wasn''t what I expected, but it''s still better than the previous one.


    Well at least my powers are something that makes me stand out, which I''m not sure if it''s a good thing. The less people know about me, the easier it will be to achieve my goals. But nonetheless, there are no words that can describe the feeling you get when you start throwing massive spells, like an opened fire hydrant. Maybe the image of adults throwing candies during Halloween is better.


    Anyways, I feel like I''m a walking tank, an impenetrable fortress which rains chaos and destruction on anyone it meets.


    But not everything is as awesome as it sounds.


    My classmates, or teammates as I call them now, continue to chat about nonsense, like the weather, and nature. Manato, Yuki, and Akari are the worst, what the hell do they think this is, a school trip?


    I''m not sure if this is irony, or a sick joke by fate to summon three Japanese into another world. But the joke isn''t the summoning, but rather who was summoned. They''re so stereotypical that it feels as if someone is making fun of us. I''ve read plenty of comics and webnovels, but I didn''t think that the situations in them could actually be real, that people like that can exist too. I didn''t interact with them that much before, but after the summoning the first thing that came to my mind was that they''re being sarcastic, that it was their way of coping with stress.


    But no, they''re actually like that.


    I scowl at the useless, carefree idiots, that continue to chat without a care in the world.


    Why can''t I train by myself? Why couldn''t I train while we travelled?


    Fuck.


    If I learned anything from those stories that I read, it''s that problems will appear, and the only thing that will be able to solve them is power, absolute power, like the one I posses. But I shouldn''t get drunk on it, I will not become a failed background character, the one who turns evil and starts explaining their plan until they get killed in a stupid and ridiculous way, like in those third-rate stories.


    I will not end up like that.


    I will not fail.


    I will not become my father, and for that I need to train,... and maybe wait.


    ...


    It''s still hard for me to understand how these magic baboons were able to create structures like the palace that stands before me. Enormous walls and doors, their heights not losing out to our skyscrapers, not even a bit. The only answer to the question of how they were built was "ancients" and "reinforcement magic". I kind of understand the basis behind the reinforcement magic itself, but the skill and amount of mana required is just inhuman. I tried to replicate the stone reinforcement myself, it took me more than half of my mana pool and an hour of complete concentration to create a single cubic meter of reinforced stone.


    How much mana and time would it take to create a city like this?


    Unimaginable.


    Anyways, after a quick rest and a bath we had to attend a ball organized specifically for us. We have to do the usual political stuff, like greeting the king and his queens, small talk with the local lords and ladies, fake smiles and laughs. But at least there is something that brightens my day, the queens, they''re a feast for anyone''s eyes. Well endowed beauties who would instantly get labeled as "MILFs" back home.


    "We could be training in the dungeon right now. Right Mark?" Lisa comments with a smile while we stand alone, savouring the few moments of rest, at least until the next noble appears to discuss his collection of paintings.


    I sigh and try to appear as calm as I can.


    If it was a year ago, I would be ecstatic at the fact that Lisa wants to talk to me. God knows how much time I spent trying to be friends with her, trying to find common hobbies or interests.


    So much time wasted.


    I even thought that something was progressing, until one of my classmates showed me a video on his phone. In the video an awkward teenager tried to hit on a pretty girl, Lisa. She "tolerated" the guy with an awkward smile until a slightly bigger guy, Sam, came up. After which a genuine smile broke onto her face, unseen by the awkward guy. The girl started to passionately speak with the big guy, even going together with the big guy to the next class, leaving the awkward teenager behind after a small goodbye and a wave of the hand.


    And that awkward teenager was me.


    I still don''t understand how I didn''t notice.


    It''s better to see once, than to see a hundred times.


    The sudden change can be attributed to several things. There is the possibility that she may be trying to get my help with her healing magic, as I am generally the one with the most skills in the area of magic. There is also the possibility that after being transported here she started to see me in a new light and had a change of heart.


    I myself actually changed, physically mostly. I started training my body, feeding mana into my muscles to make myself agile and fast. Even against the Grand Wizard''s orders, I extended my bones, gaining about ten centimeters in height. They were constantly saying something about breaking synchronization with the soul and its corruption, but I didn''t care much.


    It''s hard to be short.


    I will not be a retard who casts magic from a single place and paints a target on his back for the enemy. And for that I had to change my body, which resulted in an "aesthetically" appealing frame. Everyday exercise together with Sam made my abs quite defined, it was a happy addition to the main goal.


    As Lisa continues to try and chat with me, a much more likely reason comes to mind. Sam has caught the attention of many girls, including a few princesses, which means the number competitors rose sharply.


    "And here is out gloomy Arch-Mage." comes a sweet female voice from behind.


    Looking back I find the twins walking in my direction.


    I scowl.


    I''m kinda okay with the brother, Sergei. His scythe looks dangerous, but in my mind I already generated a few scenarios on how to subdue him if he ever thinks of doing anything dangerous, but his sister, Natalia, is a totally different story. After she assimilated with her powers her hair turned white and her eyes turned yellow. Creepy, but manageable.


    But her powers are an issue.


    Natalia looks at me, from my head to my toes, biting her lips in the process, as if she saw a juicy piece of steak. My instincts scream for me to not get close to her, and there''s a valid reason for that.


    She''s a god damn Seer.


    I can feel mana and how it changes in the air, something everyone can do. Natalia can fucking "hear" and "smell" it, whatever that means. She even says that she''s already training to "see" it. She knows exactly what is happening IN my body, where the mana moves, when it moves, and what spell is coming. But as if a joke of fate, she somehow has an extremely rare mana absorption ability, she needs a living target of course, but still.


    The worst enemy for a mage.


    And her hungry looks are harder and harder to ignore. Both girls stand by my side talking about nonsense and shit, while I try to maintain the talk with minimal input.


    Great, heal slut and mana lamprey.


    My horny younger self would gladly let you eat me alive and use me in whatever way you wanted back then, but not now. Not now.


    Where were you cunts when I cared about this shit?!


    Thankfully Same comes and saves me, stating that he needs my input on something. After a quick "bye", I follow him to the two young princes. After a quick greeting their discussion continued, which I try to follow. The short description would be about how to improve the city''s defense, countering possible "issues", and more militaristic stuff.


    At some point I became Sam''s "right hand". Maybe because of my magical strength, maybe because of our contrasting personalities, or it may simply be because I''m old friends with Sam. Most people would think that he''s an idiot because he''s tall, muscular, and into sports. But that''s wrong, very wrong. He''s incredibly sharp and agile in his thought process.


    We continue to have the discussion with the younger and older princes. Even though they look alike, as if they were copies of the same person, just a few years apart, their demeanors are totally different. The younger one has this smug smile of superiority, as if everything is below him, the face of a totally spoiled brat, even though he''s in his early twenties. In contrast, the older prince tries to appear calm and neutral, with a kind and welcoming smile, but deep under it I can feel turmoil, as if something significant is bothering him. If the older prince really cares about something this much the kingdom is in good hands. The subject flips between strategies for land and sea attacks, moving slowly to cases of insurgency caused by neighbouring countries and how to stop or counter them.


    Responding to the older prince, Neusor, I try to lead him away from the idea of storing large amounts of pure mana for defensive towers, as managing the stored mana will be a pain in the ass. And in the long run it''s better to create those that feed on ambient mana and essentially don''t require constant maintenance. Yes, they are much weaker than the burst ones powered by pure mana, but actual battles are never short, or at least that''s what books claim.


    I''ve actually been reading more since I came here, mostly about magic and mana. Some even claim that my knowledge on a few subjects can be compared to the level of a Mage Tower''s Grandmaster. These results are only because of this unsatisfiable hunger for knowledge I''ve always had. This "gluttony" is hard to describe, the more you read the more you desire.


    And you never feel full.


    The night comes fast and we decide to go to bed "earlier", which is actually far past midnight, because tomorrow will be a long day. Guided to my own room, I enter and slip out of my clothes and have another quick bath, trying to remove all of the smelly perfume that clung to me after the ball. Women in this kingdom don''t know what self-control means.


    Returning to the main room, I find two maids, a younger one in her teens, a few years younger than me, and a bit older one, a well-endowed beauty in her mid-twenties, standing and waiting for me. They both bow deeply and announce in unison.


    "We will be under your care Lord Marcus."


    I smile as at least there will be someone to warm me up.


    Even without my command they start undressing, their clothes falling to the floor piece by piece, until they stand bare before me. Sitting on the side of the bed I motion for them to come closer. The younger one sits on her knees as she starts to please me with her mouth, while the older one sits behind me and starts massaging my shoulders. The younger one''s skills are lacking, but she makes up for it with pure enthusiasm. The older one sits behind me, pressing her enormous assets into my backs.


    Well, this isn''t as good as my personal slave-maids back in the Empire, but this will do for now.


    I don''t even understand how I lived without this back at home.


    Why didn''t my family buy a slave back there? Even after my father lost his position, as one of the lead managers in the US'' biggest insurance company we weren''t poor.


    I will not fail. I will not become like him.


    But still, why didn''t we have slaves? We should''ve had slave-maids. Someone was cleaning the house, right?


    Wait.


    Where were the slaves even bought?


    Slavery is a normal and legal thing. Why can''t I-


    Suddenly a strong headache hits me, as if a heap of bricks hit me in the head, but I try to maintain the thought process.


    There is something wrong here. Why can''t I-


    Another stronger migraine hits me, causing me to groan in pain, as if something is drilling into my skull.


    Breathing heavily, I look down on the horrified girl who starts to beg for forgiveness on all fours.


    What the hell am I doing?


    Who cares about Earth? Who cares about that loser of a father?


    I''m here now.


    I''m a hero.


    I mean something.


    I am something.


    And I will enjoy it.


    The headache disappears as fast as it appeared. As clarity returns to my eyes and mind, I tell the young girl to look up. Caressing her face to calm her down, I guide her back to pleasing me and proceed to ram myself into her small mouth. Pleased enough, I throw her onto the bed and mount her from behind, circulating man around my body for the next round. At the beginning it hurt her a bit, it looks like it was her first time, but after a bit more time, her soft moan filled the room. The young one fell unconscious after about half and hour of moaning, tired and exhausted. But it''s not enough for me. I look at the older one, which was waiting patiently waiting her turn, while pleasing herself with her hand in silence. Circulating mana, I restore myself for another round, motioning to the older one to come closer. She reacts with a huge smile and leaps at me with hunger. She didn''t lose to the younger one in enthusiasm even a bit.


    This is life.


    ...


    I wake up with a groan and find the young slave-maid sleeping on my chest with a happy smile on her face, drooling on me. The warm feeling around me is quickly replaced with another as I shudder and feel something wet below the blanket. Throwing it off I find the older maid passionately pleasing me with her mouth with her eyes closed, until she opens her them and our eyes meet, after which she stops. Clearing her throat she bows and whispers softly,


    "Good morning my Lord." looking down on my member she continues "Please, would you allow this one to finish....I was very close..." At that moment I notice her right hand is between her thighs.


    Smiling, with my hand I guide her head back.


    What a nympho, I had her the whole night and she still isn''t satisfied.


    A very lovely present indeed.


    I''ll take both of them with me for sure.


    ...


    Our group gathers together for breakfast, which is better to call lunch because of the current time. As we''re eating the fancy local cuisine, the carefree trio start to discuss what they want to look at in the city, but Sam stops them softly, stating that we were sent here for a very important task.


    They must be faking, they can''t be like that, right?


    We start discussing about the next actions to take, first of all we need to hunt down the thing we were sent here for, some kind of monster deep in the dungeon. But we can only do that after we block access to the dungeon. The king''s advisor also set up a few different meetings for us to meet people, namely the church and several nobles.


    Preparing quickly, we get into each of our coaches and start travelling to the dungeon. The travel is a bit rigid, as several Blood Brothers are accompanying each of us and take up a lot of space in an already small carriage.


    I sigh deeply.


    They are nothing like what I read about. There''s nothing new with overpraising, that''s usually present in books, but they act the opposite of what their creed should be. When reading about them two images came to mind. The orphan vigilante in a bat suit and a gun nut with a white skull on his chest. Death to evil at any cost, night vigilantes with a strict code, absolute disregard of any political and social status, those that die without even their names known.


    But what the hell is this? Where are the unseen creatures of darkness? Where are the blood thirsty knight of righteousness which would die to destroy all evil? After we were told that they would accompany us here, it got my curiosity tingling, only to be royally let down. Their leader, or as he called himself, the Inquisitor, was a guy in his late thirties with the arrogant smirk every noble has, and his subordinates were no better. The travel to the dungeon didn''t improve my opinion of them, not even a bit. White and red full-plate armour? Walking around during the day with their symbols out in the open. Their stuck-up chins and condescending look, like a copy of the young prince.


    There were several more thing that didn''t make sense. Everyone of them introduced themselves with names, I clearly remembered that when I read about the Blood Brotherhood it was specifically written that every member discard their names and in return gets a code number.


    Looking a bit more into it, I found a very contradicting piece of information. "Inquisitor" was a title given by people to the most evil entity in the Brotherhood, the one that was scorned and hated the most. An accursed creature which consumed cities and countries in search of corrupted. He murdered young and old, women and children, leaving a path of bodies wherever he went. It was written that his existence was allowed only because of how zealously he hunted down the darkest creatures in existence, he was a sort of acceptable "lesser evil".


    But the person in front of me was nothing like described in the texts, and was never the leader of the Blood Brotherhood.


    Confronting a few of the religious leaders about the contradiction, I was quietly explained, that the "previous" Inquisitor started a coup, and together with his indoctrinated brothers killed nearly all of their leadership. After learning of the coup, the Empire hunted down most of the fanatic, after which the surviving leadership restored the order and rebuilt the organization.


    Later, rethinking everything, I found too many holes in the story. After all, as they claimed "horrible atrocities" had happened, why did they keep the same name?


    Why use the title of Inquisitor, the one who started the coup?


    How did they hunt the hunters?


    Why was the coup even started?


    But I stopped looking into it, my hands are already full with my own problems.


    I don''t someone else''s.


    Still, I''m not sure which version of the Brotherhood I prefer.


    ...


    We arrive at the enormous dungeon plaza and gather to walk up the stairs to the dungeon entrance. A few officials arrive and we start discussing what kind of barrier we should put on the entrance. Something is screaming in my had that it''s wrong to do as they say and fully close the entrance.


    "Won''t pressure build up?" I voice my concerns.


    The eyes of a single official comes alive, as if he found hope.


    "W-we are not sure Lord Marcus. Some of us-"


    "Everything will be find Lord Marcus." one of the elder officials say, glaring at the one who voiced his opinion. "Those are just baseless fear. I believe my colleague is simply over-thinking."


    The younger official visibly trembles. He instantly apologies and bows deeply, after which he leaves with haste. I''m about to voice my disagreement, but the leader of the Brotherhood comes closer and tells me to believe the elders, and to focus on my task.


    ''I should follow orders.''


    What? No. There is something wrong here.


    ''I should follow the elder''s orders.''


    I suddenly find my mind empty and lost, as if I just woke up with a slight headache and some kind of motion sickness.


    What happened?


    What was I thinking?


    Before I could trace my thoughts back, Sam tells me to join the ritual.


    Everyone stood together and channeled their mana into creating a basic barrier, with very specific controls, so we, or someone else, could enable or disable it if it''s needed. It took nearly an hour to set the thing up, and during the whole thing more and more people gathered in the plaza, gazing at us. After the barrier was set up, Sam had been given a short script, which we were told, was personally written by the king, to say before the endless sea of people at the plaza.


    Yeah, "personally".


    But we decided not to argue.


    After Sam finishes the speech, we walk out of the plaza accompanied by the Brotherhood, who are here to protect us from the crowd. We reach the coaches and jump inside, quickly returning to the castle. But the whole time my blood was boiling because of all the wasted time. How many hours were wasted just standing, smiling, or walking? I need to train and practice.


    God damn it.


    We reach the castle quite fast, as we enter we''re greeted by the princes. Sam exchanges greetings and explains the task we finished while I stand to the side and try to quietly contain my anger.


    "Is there something bothering you Lord Marcus?" the older prince asks with visible concern.


    "Sorry. It''s-" I start but stop shortly after I start.


    No, enough. I need to train.


    "Actually, I wanted to know if we could resume our training. We didn''t train during our travelling because of security concerns, but we''ve been in the city for two days already."


    "We have a small Colosseum if you want to spar, but I''m afraid there aren''t many enemies that can match you in that regards..." he smiles awkwardly while his younger brother glares at me. He doesn''t stop me, but he doesn''t give me a green light either.


    Fucking politics.


    I can''t waste anymore time.


    Fuck it.


    "Than it won''t be a problem if we simply take a quick tour through the dungeon? Surely we won''t cause issues that way?"


    "Well... I think it won''t-" he responds.


    "Great! Than we''ll take a short dive into the dungeon."


    "I am very sorry for Mark''s harsh tone, but deep down I partly agree with him. We need to train." Sam interjects with an apologetic and positive tone, laughing through it as he always does.


    In the end, we got the approval to travel to the dungeon and postponed the meeting with the church for a later time. We were also given a bracelet which both sides can send a signal through it if something happens, and if we either need to return or we need help. I wanted to say that I highly doubt that such an event will happen, but something at the back of my skull was whispering that it may not be the case.


    After some more discussion, we organized and went back to the coaches. The trio grumbled about exploring and seeing the city, the other agreed that we need to focus on training, but in the end everyone agreed that we need to be together. The leader of the Brotherhood insisted that a few of them must travel with us into the dungeon, Sam agreed. He sat alone with me in the coach, telling everyone else that there''s something he needs to discuss with me. We travel for a few minutes until Sam''s monotone and apathetic voice breaks the silence as he stares out of the coach.


    "Learn to wait."


    "We don''t have time." I tersely respond.


    "I know."


    "They''re hiding something."


    "I know." Sam repeats again.


    A few long seconds of silence follow as we stare at the landscape outside of the coach on opposite sides.


    "Any idea exactly what?" he finally breaks the silence.


    "The crown prince shouldn''t behave like that. There''s no arrogance, no sneer. He''s either a very poorly performing double, or something has him scared shitless."


    "Don''t label him. Not everyone is a badly designed template character from books or games." he says while squinting his eyes at me.


    "Ha. Everyone is an archetype. Look at us. A muscle idiot and his loser friend. Thankfully, someone fucked up a few of the parameters."


    We both chuckle.


    "Don''t rush. We''ll manage it. We just need to continue playing our roles." Sam continues.


    "''Playing,.. huh. I agree, but you should also feel that we don''t have much time."


    "Yeah."


    "Mark, you need to improve your communication skills. Learn to interact with others." after a pause he adds "Maybe with Lisa or Natalia?"


    "No."


    "Mark, I can''t be the only one holding the team together. Both of the girls need emotional and psychological support. If you-"


    "Sam. No." I cut him off short.


    He sighs deeply "Okay."


    ...


    We finally arrive back at the plaza exiting our carriages, resuming our roles of positive and happy leader, and his dark gloomy friend. Sending mana into the barrier we unlock it and phase through it. The dungeon is exactly what you would expect it to be in a fantasy world, a cave with occasional monsters. We continue nearly unobstructed for a few hours as I snipe the small fries with fireballs. Not wasting time, I even train with these small fireballs, playing around with the explosion delay. Throwing another fireball between two oversized rats, killing them in the explosion, leaving behind two charred corpses. I have enough mana to burn every single rat in this dungeon one by one, but that wouldn''t be training.


    Natalia is happily going up to the charred corpses and turning them to dust just by touching them. Stealing mana just by touching, fucking bullshit. I don''t even want to imagine what will happen if she plunges those sharp fangs, that she grew after her assimilation, into a living person.


    Finally bigger enemies start to appear and we try out different strategies, switching between one on one and group on one, using only basic spells and in rare cases only using physical attacks. No one wants to get hit but we need to so Lisa can train her healing spells.


    Generally everyone is serious about the whole situation, everyone except the trio. They''re smiling and chatting happily about their improved skills, but mostly how cool the new lightning spell Manato cast was. In response to that he smiles awkwardly and scratches his head, leaving his back open to attack.


    How can they be so carefree?


    It was the same when we encountered the huge sand worm and the wyvern in the Dead Desert. Manato even picks up a dead monster''s body part and starts chasing Akari with it as she runs in circles, screaming for help. Everyone just chuckles at their game.


    WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK?


    Are you people sane?


    Do you think this is a game?


    This can''t continue, this can''t be allowed. I should do it.


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    No.


    I''m the bad cop. First, Sam needs to prepare them, then I will act.


    I push the problem to the back of my mind, something must be done, but not right now.


    We dive deeper and deeper as we finally start meeting dangerous foes, and can start letting loose, using our high level spells and skills. Even though the monster aren''t much of an "enemy", but using them as training dummies is good enough after months of gruesome physical training back in the Empire. Several of the Blood Brothers mention that we''ve been in the dungeon for a bit too long and we should return. I wanted to snarl at them that it''s best that we continue, but everyone already did that before I could. It looks like I wasn''t the only one who wanted to explore the dungeon and train my skills.


    This is a good start.


    We continue going deeper and deeper, meeting enemies that require attention, even from me, until we stumble across a crossroad where we''re ambushed from all sides. I instantly deploy a fire barrier, giving everyone enough time to regroup and setup a defensive formation. Mountains of dead bodies grow around us as we dispatch the endless waves of monsters from all sides. The sheer number of enemies makes everyone play it safe, as even a single mistake could lead to serious injury. Everyone is giving it their best, well, except me as I simply continue to cast basic fireballs, trying to see the limits of my current skill.


    Suddenly, the bracelets on our wrists start to shine with a blue light, sending a low pitched hum across the room. Sam''s and my face immediately change. Not waiting for even a second, I send powerful spells into each corridor. The spells explode with intense heat, colouring the wall deep black as parts of them start to melt. I meet Sam''s eyes and question bubbles form in both our heads. It should''ve been the other way around, right?


    "Whatever the reason may be, we should return immediately." Sam voices his opinion, looking at the concerned group.


    We start running back to the surface.


    ...


    I should''ve listened to my instincts. I should''ve been braver with my decisions and theories.


    Fucking inter-continental war.


    We can''t be here just by coincidence. The Empire knew that this would happen, and they sent us here on purpose. Even the idiots in my team understand that there''s something wrong with the timing and our presence here.


    The Empire is openly declaring to us that we''re just puppets, nothing more.


    The questions the eldest prince asked make so much more sense now. They knew about it too, but they didn''t say anything. Or maybe they expected us to know the information themselves. While I''m somehow able to hide my "discontent" with the events under a grim face, Sam''s mask broke several times, showing his true emotions. It looks like he didn''t know either.


    There were several assassination attempts on the royal family while we were gone. A few got seriously hurt, so we had to become the royal families personal guards until morning. But it didn''t end there. In the morning we received information that a group of necromancers appeared in the north cemetery, raising thousands of the dead. It was decided that most of the Blood Brotherhood should stay and continue to protect the family while a few of them came together with us to solve the problem.


    While we were fighting, a few undead and several feral liches slipped our notice and entered the city. I could''ve killed all of the undead with a single spell, but it would''ve taken a significant amount of my mana, and I can''t afford to waste even a fraction of it. In the end, after half an hour of intensive teamwork, nearly all of the undead are lying on the ground dismembered, burned, or destroyed, and our mana reserves only increased since the battle started.


    After some discussion, and a firm stance from me, it was decided that the city guard would manage the few undead that escaped, and we should travel to the south cemetery to check on things there. If the north cemetery was in that state, then the south could be in the same situation. But as we got closer and closer to the cemetery we didn''t encounter any undead. Several of my teammates insisted that we should regroup with the other kingdom''s forces, but Sam agreed with me that we can''t allow the possibility of thousands of undead being led by necromancers and liches running around during a major battle.


    I genuinely thought that we would come in time to stop the necromancers, but I wasn''t prepared for what awaited us. Mountains upon mountains of dismembered dead bodies. What alarmed me the most was that most of the limbs didn''t have clean cuts, it looked like something ripped them apart. I thought that it could''ve been a group of wild animals, or a monster that somehow crawled out of the dungeon, but there were no teeth marks. We decided that we would report the situation to the higher ups, and it would be best for us to regroup with everyone else right now.


    But I will not let my guard down.


    The creature that did this may still be crawling in the city.


    ...


    We regrouped with the main force and the Blood Brotherhood, although things didn''t go as planned. The whole team was placed under the command of one of the nobles, a fat, arrogant shit. By his enthusiasm, it was apparent to everyone that he''s trying to use the situation to elevate his position and earn something. There were many sleazy nobles trying to suck up to each member of our team, especially Sam and I. Only Sam''s constant chant directed at me to "calm down" held me back from ripping them apart.


    I can see an endless sea of demi-humans pouring into the city, but I continue to stand, because the arrogant shit has a "strategy, which he believes we shouldn''t be notified about. His life could be ended with a single spell, a tiny burst and we would disappear, but the problems would still be there, and even more will appear.


    I continue to stand and fume with hatred at everything, the fact that we''re standing and waiting for something while people are dying, the fact that we weren''t notified about the reason and plans, but mostly at the fact that I can actually do something, but I don''t. Sam''s voice grows quieter, until suddenly the fat shit''s voice breaks the silence, commanding everyone to move towards the dungeon''s plaza. The procession is slow, but we finally reach the plaza and what stand before me is hard to describe.


    If there was a sea of people pouring into the city, then what stands before me is an ocean of body parts, dead bodies, and people fighting against each other as they scream in hatred at each other. They''re so packed into the plaza that I can''t even see the black marble floor. Looking at my team I find most of them staring in horror and shaking, their eyes glued to the scene.


    I don''t know what I hate the most right now, the situation, the fat noble, my teammates which I''ll have to entrust my life to, or me who should''ve done something. Sam specifically told me about the issue but I ignored it.


    I will not fail.


    I will not become a loser.


    I will not miss this chance.


    I will not become like my father.


    After a command from the fat shit, we finally act. Sending a dozen powerful spells at the enemy, they collapse like ants being squashed. If I focus my eyes I can see the scorched bodies of the ones my spells killed, and it takes great effort to not do that, I don''t know if this is a coping mechanism or some kind self-preservation instinct.


    They''re the ones who attacked.


    They''re the bad guys.


    Sam sees something in the sea of enemies and sends a powerful beam of light from his sword at what looks like feral liches and an Elder Lich at the foot of the entrance''s stairs. How did I miss them? What''s wrong with me? My eyes search for any more possible liches and they stop on a figure that I believe to be undead for a few seconds.


    A nearly two meter tall skeletally thin figure, greyish hair, dressed in a huge rag with a long sword in his hand, stands and stares back at us. There are several crushed liches lying under his feet. I want to send a fireball at the figure, but I stop when my eyes meet his. He''s alive, or at least it looks like that, but something is screaming inside of me that he''s dangerous and that I should killed him, though I don''t understand what.


    Why do I feel that way?


    Then it hit me, I don''t feel even a bit of mana coming from him. That can''t be. Every living being produces ambient mana, which I should feel. But not from him, it''s as if I''m staring at a wall, or a doll. I notice that Natalia is staring at him too, but with different eyes. I really want to ask her what she see exactly, but I don''t get the opportunity as the Brotherhood finally reach us.


    The ground starts trembling as I notice hundred meter tall giants coming from behind the enemy army. I''ve read about giants, but seeing them for the first time is a totally different thing. The towering frame awakens some primal instinct. Maybe this is exactly what cockroaches feel when they see humans.


    As if agreeing with me, both armies start retreating, opening a path. A dozen figures in tribal armour walk out of the retreating army, everyone can feel the huge amount of ambient mana they''re releasing. With a quick glance between the team, we prepare our weapons and start walking in their direction. I notice the skeletally thin figure continuing to stare at us with a look that''s hard to describe. We walk towards the representatives from Paletia and stop about fifty meters apart from each other. The silence is broken by a guy with short black hair in the middle, who looks to be their leader.


    "Hello, fellow summoned."


    What?


    My mind comprehends and understand what the guy said, but somehow I''m thinking about any other meaning to the word "summoned"? They can''t mean summoned like us, I looked into the way to transfer people between worlds, but most knowledge is either lost or requires a shitton of mana.


    And if they really are the summoned like us, what then?


    Are they enemies or friends?


    Suddenly another sharp thought crashed into my head.


    ''No. They attacked the Empire, they are enemies.''


    HUH?


    Where did that come from?


    How did I get to-


    A strong headache hits me as I try to maintain calm and breathe. I try to return to the thought chain but another migraine hits me. The leader of the Paletian summoned opens his mouth and I forgot what I was thinking of as I try to catch every word the person says.


    When the leader finishes, we all just stand frozen, as if we were statues.


    This was totally not what I expected at all.


    Prophecy?


    Apocalypse?


    End of the world?


    Team up?


    More summoned coming soon?


    But the possible talks or alliance instantly crumble when they voiced their only request, or should I say demand, "subordination".


    No.


    The air around Sam and I changes in unison, stating our unanimous opinion, and the summoned from Palteia smile sadly.


    "Then we don''t have a choice." the leader calmly says, "We need to be united against what is to come, and small differences are not to be allowed."


    No.


    My whole plan will not break apart.


    There is too much at stake.


    I will not fail.


    I send a gigantic amount of mana into the mana bridge and the elemental energy fills my body to the limit, like a bottle of soda shaken too much. The amount of mana around me makes the enemy flinch and their eyes go wide, as I turn into something akin to a red bulb.


    A vanguard with a huge mace appears before me, wanting to take the life of the mage first, but he''s too late. I pour all of my rage onto him, with the single goal of burning him alive, but sadly some kind of shield saves him as he''s thrown hundreds of meters away. Out of the cloud, two new summoned appear with their weapons coming for me, but I don''t hesitate for even a second, starting the wide range spell casting as Sam appears before me, deflecting their attack easily. Their eyes widen in horror as two enormous fireballs descend on them.


    I jump around, sometimes firing ranged spells, sometimes appearing in front of them and making a concentrated spell explode right in their faces, but that''s only possible because of my modified body and coordinated my attacks with Sam. We alone hold nearly half of Paletia''s summoned, not needing any words for communication at all.


    Natalia stays behind us and guides us in the direction of the next possible spell or if someone has a dangerous mana flow, but that backfires as they start focusing on her. A single, powerful spell connects with her and sends her flying in the direction of the dungeon''s entrance. The spell should have hit her hard, but she''ll manage.


    We continue to leap around and fight, regrouping and trying to make up for the loss of our seer, until a scream explodes in my head, Natalia''s scream. We set a specific spell on everyone in our team, which would only trigger when life-threatening conditions are met or in the case of extreme danger. Sergei abandons his fight and leaps in the direction where his sister flew off to. I curse as he left Sam and I open from the flank.


    "Help him!" Sam screams.


    I wanted to argue, but when our eyes met I abandon the idea and follow Sergei.


    When we arrive I find the skeletal, grey-haired figure''s jaws clamped around Natalia''s thin neck. Moments later Sergei''s scythe collides with the figure, sending him flying through several columns as they explode in a shower of chunks. I don''t know why, but the moment I saw the figure holding Natalia, a huge fireball already formed over my head, and a moment later it was sent after the figure. The spell explodes, sending a shock wave through the whole area as the columns melt down.


    I may have overdid it with the spell.


    Sergei tenderly holds Natalia as blood streams down her neck from an open wound. After a scream from me, Sergei breaks from his stupor and we leap back to our team, my eyes already searching for Lisa. I find her in the rear of the team, running to her Sergei places his sister on the ground and scream at Lisa to heal her. But Lisa didn''t hear him at all as she''s already tending to Natalia. As if calming down a bit he stands up and after looking at his sister one more time, turns around with his scythe. He stands together with me as we guard the duo from possible attacks, while Lisa desperately tries to heal Natalia.


    After everyone saw the state Natalia was in, the whole fight turned to a stalemate. The leader of the opposing summoned points his axe at us, specifically at me, and announces loudly.


    "Move an inch and we will attack. And if we do the girl won''t-"


    "Jason! Everyone, please, calm down. It doesn''t have to be this way. We come from the same world, Earth." the girl with red hair next to him says.


    "Nola, it''s useless. They won''t listen, they don''t understand, they haven''t seen what is to come. They-"


    "JASON!" the redhead screams, quieting their leader.


    The girl turns to us and starts talking, while their leader continues to stare at me, as if daring me to move.


    "We don''t want to fight. We''re here to unite everyone. Only together will we survive the coming storm."


    "What do you mean, is that why we should "unite" under you." I flatly state.


    She looks at me sadly. "You need to see it to understand. And we don''t have much time left."


    "You attacked us, you''re the aggressor, and somehow WE are the ones who need to understand?" I reply.


    Suddenly, something in the back of my head screams at me to turn left, and I follow it. What I find is a figure, which looks almost human, walking down the stairs. It''s hard to call it a human, as the figure''s whole body is deeply burned, with it''s red flesh exposed to everyone, black charred spots all across it''s flesh. The very sight of it is revolting. I don''t understand what the abomination is until I notice what has been screaming danger to me the whole time.


    There isn''t any ambient mana around the figure.


    It''s that grey-haired skeletal guy.


    He survived my spell.


    The figure continues walking down with his legs,which are barely holding upright, drag behind him.


    A huge demi-human from Paletia army laughs loudly and walks out from the supporting group behind the summoned. He screamed something about "Inquisitor", after which he leaps at the figure with inhuman speed. It took him only a moment to appear near the burned figure, with his sword coming down to take the life of the person before him. A fraction of a second later, his body splits vertically, cut clean apart. The demi-human''s halves fly by the side of the figure as his innards spray the burned guy, painting him red. What the hell was that!? It was as if parts of a movie were cut out, I didn''t see the figure move at all. The burned figure slowly turns its neck in our direction, causing my skin to crawl.


    As I''m trying to calm down, something in me screams to either destroy the creature in front of me or run, until those thoughts are interrupted by the leader of the Blood Brotherhood, who stepped out and announced loudly.


    "The cursed heretic. You have finally showed your treacherous soul. By the order of the Emperor, and my power as Inquisitor, you are sentenced to death. We-"


    Only to be interrupted by a ghastly voice coming from the burned figure.


    "Imposters."


    "Fakes."


    Only now do I notice that on his chest, under the burnt and bubbling flesh, a symbol is visible, a circle and a triangle inside of each other. It somehow reminds me of the Kyrptonian symbol in red and blue, the same symbol on the armour of the Blood Brotherhood, their symbol.


    I slowly repeat the words said, as if trying to make sure who he is.


    Heretic?


    Imposter?


    Fakes?


    The original Inquisitor, leader of the Brotherhood''s coup.


    "You will regret it, cursed rat!" the new leader scowls and screams in rage as his subordinates jump at the figure.


    The figure, not hindered by the deep burns at all, moves with tremendous speed, ripping people apart, one by one, as if they''re toys.


    The skin on my back crawls at the possibility of the monster coming close to me. I want to help them, stop and destroy the burned creature, but the leader of the Paletian summoned eyes are still on me, as if he''s waiting for me to move. I move my foot a few centimeters, to which he responds by send an enormous amount of mana into his axe, which is still pointed at me. The mana continues to circulate around the axe, ready to be unleashed on the foe. He continues to stare at me in silence, as if daring me to make another move.


    Shit.


    "Pathetic." the figures ghastly voice spits out, as he stands in the middle of what I can only describe as a slaughterhouse. The figure tries to take several steps in the direction of the last one, the new leader, only to stop sharply. His legs visibly tremble as he attempts to make them move.


    "Die remnant of the past!" the leader screams, getting a critically needed opportunity, leaping at the figure, only for a sword to suddenly appear above him. The sword cleaves through his shoulder, carrying him into the ground, sending cracks out from the impact.


    A second later, Sergei appears in front of the figure, swinging his scythe, only for the figure to somehow "feel" the attack and bend unimaginably. A sword appears out of nowhere, and redirects the fatal blow into the ground. The figure, not wasting a second, sends his sword towards Sergei''s neck as the air leaves my lungs. Only for the defensive enchantments to flare and explode at the last second, sending the burned figure several dozen meters away. The figure tumbles several times, using his sword to reorient himself, somehow ends up on his knees.


    Shit! Shit! Shit! What the fuck was that!?


    The burned figure tries to stand up several times, but fails again and again. Blood starts seeping down from his eyes, ears, and mouth. Taking several long breaths, he turns in our direction and looks at us as its ghastly voice reaches us.


    "V-a-i l-a-y-"


    "V-e-i- l-a-i"


    What?


    I don''t know why, but I repeat the word over and over in my mind until it finally hits me.


    ''They lie''.


    What?


    How?


    How does he know English!?


    What the fuck?!


    The headache returns as I swat it away again and again, focusing on the thoughts. There is something very wrong here. I need answers. And the figure may provide at least some of them. As I''m about to leap in his direction, I notice a very sharp change in the ambient mana. I look around, trying to identify the culprit, thinking that it was the leader of Paletia''s summoned, but he, and all of his comrades are staring at the burned figure in shock.


    My eyes capture the slight movement of the blood on the marble floor.


    Huh?


    All of the blood starts flowing faster and faster in one direction, the body of the dead leader of the Blood Brotherhood. His body slowly melts and reforms into what I can only describe as a small blood slime.


    The ambient mana around the slime increases as a huge face appears out of it, as if wordlessly screaming, trying to escape. The next instant, the face disappears and the red goo gathers into a small bundle, out of which the features of humanoid looking limbs break out. The tiny, humanoid creature rises to a height of about half a meter, and scans the area with its eyes, until they stop in the direction of the burned figure. The blood creature screeches and within a second it grows to a height of four meters, sleek, with razor sharp claws and fangs. It leaps at the burned figure, and with a slash sends it flying across the plaza in the direction of the city.


    A moment later the creature turns in our direction and looks at us. A wide smile breaks out on its face like its found its prey. The skin on my back starts crawling again the moment it takes a step closer, only for it to sharply stop. The creature looks in the direction of the burned figure and sniffs the air a few times. A few seconds later an enraged expression appears on its face as it screeches again, but in frustration and hatred this time. Blood wings grow from its back as it leaps up and flies away, ignoring us.


    My heart continues to beat loudly as I follow the trail the creature flew, until it fully disappeared inside of the city. The long silence followed as I try to calm down and analyse the situation.


    "What the fuck was that!?" one of my teammates says in pure horror.


    "An avatar." I quietly reply.


    "What the fuck?! That was an avatar!? Shouldn''t an avatar be a person? Not that T1000 bullshit!"


    I also thought so, but the books lied. Only one thing could have such control over a specific element and be born out of it. I turn my head in the direction of Paletia''s heroes. They also look shaken at the experience, but somehow the expression on the face of the leader and the girl next to him is different.


    "They said we had time!" the girl screams. "They-"


    "Stop!" the leader cuts her off sharply.


    The leader looks at Sam and I in the eyes for a few long seconds.


    "That,...thing, its just the beginning. More will come. And we don''t have time."


    As the leader is about to continue, I feel the mana around flaring up to the extreme, as if I''m being submerged into boiling mana. I notice that a few of my teammates felt something, but it''ll already be too late when they really understand it. I scream at my teammates to abandon everything and run. Sam looks at me in confusion, but when our eyes meet, he wordlessly understands that something is wrong.


    Sam gives the command to retreat, but I''m already moving. I notice that a single person is still immobilized. They''ll be slow to act. Leaping to Natalia, I pick her up and throw her over my shoulder and start running. My team follows me reluctantly in confusion.


    I don''t even look back to check Paletia''s summoned as I continue to run through the mountains of dead. I try to keep my eyes straight and breathe steadily, not only because I need to focus on where I''m running, but I also don''t want to look at the dead bodies I pass and jump over.


    Some of them may have been killed by me.


    The moment we step outside of the plaza, a huge explosion resounds around which is shortly followed by a tremor that shakes the ground, making all of us stumble. The whole thing strongly reminded me of an earthquake, but the sound of tectonic plates crashing into each other is usually short. But the sound of something gigantic shattering lasts for at least a dozen seconds. The whole place is suddenly submerged into shadows, turning my head I see an enormous burning creature breaking through the volcano, sending molten rock flying around. My heart stops as I scream at my team to stand and run. We desperately continue to run as rock starts falling on the city, destroying its like a sand castle.


    I feel another shift in the mana and a series of powerful lightning strikes cross the sky, then they suddenly stop. The next few long seconds of silence are interrupted by explosion of at least a thousand lightning bolts which merge into an enormous elemental bird.


    NO!! NO!!! NO!!! NO!!


    After a few seconds of gazing at each other, the monsters pounce at each other, as if they were mortal enemies, sending fragments of the city into the air. I regret looking back, as they very moment I look, the creatures roar and the sound blast hits me straight in the face, ripping into my eardrums. I scream in pain, as blood trickles down my ears but my voices doesn''t reach me. I continue to helplessly scream, trying to make the pain stop, until I hear something. A soft male voice laughing, reaches me out of nowhere, but concentrating on the tone changes it from soft to deep and sinister. I don''t have time to question how exactly I can hear it, or where its coming from, as I''m on my knees, paralyzed in pure terror. The monsters stop and both turn in the same direction, in what looks like fear. They start casting spells, which I could only describe as apocalyptical.


    As if they were about to erase the whole city from the face of the Earth, every single speck of mana in the city disappears. Together with mana, the voice disappeared and the gigantic monsters start falling apart, as if they were made out of sand. I try to breathe, and understand what''s happening, but the only thing I can feel is my chest moving back and forth, until it finally hits me.


    We''re alive.


    What?


    How?


    ...


    The person to my right and left scream in desperation, trying to get out of the freezing water, but they fail again and again as the ice layer simply breaks under their weight. Many start begging for help, but it''s futile.


    No one will come.


    The frozen dead bodies of many are already floating around, notifying everyone of their future fate.


    No.


    No.


    Not like this.


    Send all the mana I have into my limbs, I leap out of the freezing water, again and again, trying to get on the ice, but it simply breaks under me. I don''t know how many attempts it took, but I finally succeeded, standing on my knees on the ice covering the lake as freezing water streams down my clothes. I try to breathe, but the air is so cold that each breath is robbing me of the last bits of heat left in me.


    "Pathetic."


    "He''ll die."


    "Doesn''t matter, more than enough are left."


    "No..... Only he crawled out after falling into the water. He survived."


    "Are you going to nurse all of the recruits, Captain? These shits aren''t even brothers yet."


    "No. They''re not, but he survived and that''s important. Give him a spare coat."


    Something warm is thrown over me, protecting me from the freezing cold wind.


    "Now it''s up to you to survive."


    "Okay maggots! The rest is over! Pickup your shit and follow us! We have a five hour long walk to the top of the mountain, and oh boy is the storm starting."


    Will I survive?


    No.


    No.


    I will.


    I will survive.


    There''s nothing left for me in this world.


    Survive.


    I send mana into my nearly frozen legs to move, and slowly they obey, moving one after another. I command the mana to warm me up in any way possible, eat flesh, consume my essence, but allow me to continue walking. I follow the stream of black figures through the storm as one by one they either disappear or fall down. Looking up at the dark sky, I see an endless sea of pitch black clouds swimming with absolutely no care in the world.


    I will survive.


    ...


    The pitch black clouds in the sky continue to move until my mind clears enough to understand that was just a memory. A memory of long past. My eyes slowly move, scanning around, trying to understand where I am. What I find is an enormous altar with two sets of columns around it, the bigger ones are further from the altar, the smaller ones are closer, all of them covered in thick snow, forming some kind of circular formation, with me in the center of it all. Looking down I find my body shredded by javelins as they pin me to the white frozen ground.


    Javelins?


    Oh.


    Yeah.


    I died.


    What?


    No.


    This isn''t...


    I was in the white space.


    Why am I here?


    Am I....


    Why am I alive?

 Chapter 22 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    How much time has passed? I can''t tell. The sky is constantly covered by a thick sea of nearly black clouds, neither the sun nor moons are visible. I''m fixed to my position, as if I was a statue. The falling snow covered my whole body, forming a thick layer of ice, the only thing still exposed to the air is my face, but that''s only because my breathing is melting the snow.


    I''m breathing.


    The dead don''t breathe, but that makes no sense.


    How can one stay alive without drinking or eating in this frozen hell for so long?


    Maybe I am dead, maybe this is the afterlife. I don''t know how else to explain it. There''s also the fact that I can fell my heart beating, moving warm blood around my body, which is pinned to this frozen altar for who knows how long.


    I am alive.


    I survived.


    [Why?]


    [Answer me. Why?]


    [Why are you still trying? Who do you relentlessly continue to torture us?]


    [Why can''t you let us die?]


    Because that''s the only thing I know.


    How to survive against all odds.


    How to continue standing up after every fall.


    How to continue to grasp at the last straw when all has been lost.


    What about you?


    Why do you care?


    After everything you said, after everything we did, after everything I did, you''re still here, in my head.


    Why?


    [I don''t know.]


    [You made me that way.]


    [At some point we took our roles, and never let them go. Those roles became a part of us, maybe they are more us than we are ourselves.]


    [You, the undying creature that knows no rest. Me, the immortal tormentor which questions everything you do and think.]


    [And I will never leave you, even when all will be lost. Even when everyone has died or betrayed us.]


    [I will be there, because no one else will, because no one is left except me.]


    [No one...]


    We both became quiet as the same name comes to our minds, and we silently let the precious liquid flow from our eyes.


    ...


    I don''t know how long I''ve been here. There''s no day or night, no past or present, only now, only time. And I haven''t been idle, I spent that time rethinking every step of my life, every decision I made, every word I said. At first it slowly trickled down, drop by drop, but quite quickly the waterfall of memories buried me beneath them. I''m not sure if there exists a point in my life, which I still remember, that I haven''t rethought. And the more I thought, the more the mosaic grew. And the more it grew, the more it started taking form, making sense.


    It was all a god damn play.


    A pathetic, second rate theater play.


    And HE orchestrated it all.


    A boy just happened to be born with too much mana, and no affinities in the middle of nowhere.


    A boy just happened to read enough books to get into a mage academy.


    A boy just happened to lose everyone and everything he cared about, and decided to drown himself in his studies about magic and mana circulation.


    A boy just happened to survive long enough to understand that he was going to be used as a mana stone and escape.


    A boy just happened to find sanctuary in the Blood Brotherhood, a group which specialized in hunting down dark and magical creatures.


    A boy just happened to survive thousands of life and death encounters to come out tempered and alive.


    A boy just happened to end up in the temple of the original fallen and get cursed by an ancient ritual.


    A boy just happened to escape the best hunters in the Empire and live in the north for several years where the curse didn''t kill him, but festered just enough.


    A boy just happened to find a tiny light during his travel to his final grave, and be revived by it.


    A boy just happened to lose....her.


    A boy just happened to fail in a simple task, to reach the lowest floor of a dungeon.


    A boy just happened to die at the perfect moment, at the perfect time.


    How could the boy be so blind? So oblivious to what was happening?


    How could the boy be so weak to not stand strong and try to solve the issues, rather than evading them?


    That also could''ve been part of the plan.


    It''s hard to accept that all of the happy and sad events in your life, every single encounter, every single connection and loss was planned with a single purpose. To prepare you as a perfect vessel. So that in the very end, you could be killed like a fat pig the night before a feast.


    Was my life really mine?


    What would you say if tomorrow you learned that every important point in your life was planned beforehand, and that you never really had a choice in it? As if you were sitting in a chair and someone was reading you a story where you''re the main character, but only in the end, when the story was about to end, would you understand that you had no control over it, that the story was written before it even began.


    But there are also a few things that became apparent. I''m not dead. I was, but most likely, I''m not anymore. I am likely on the South Pole. The polar lights appeared through the nearly black skies some time ago. It wasn''t the same as the ones in the north, the colours and waves looked a bit different. And the last thing, there is no one else here, I am alone.


    How did I end up on the South Pole?


    Who brought me here?


    Why am I alive?


    It doesn''t matter.


    If I really am alive, and this is the South Pole, HE shouldn''t be able to get me here, or at least I believed so. But after reviewing my whole life, I started to question everything I knew, every fact, every book, every person.


    What if HE actually can reach me at the poles, and was simply faking that he couldn''t, making me


    believe that I was safe?


    It doesn''t matter, because I saw what''s on the other side.


    Nothing, absolutely nothing.


    There was a moment where I saw things, and those things weren''t human. There was also that strange living painting. Soon after HE fell, the painting disappeared, leaving me alone in the white nothingness.


    The time there felt different.


    I was calm, and....content.


    There was neither hate nor regret, as if everything that happened before was forgiven and forgotten.


    It felt as if centuries, millenniums, passed there.


    A lifetime of silence, absolute silence, with no one there except me...


    I can think of only two reasons for that.


    First, that for whatever reason, I wasn''t allowed into the afterlife, hell, or whatever alternative possibly exists.


    And the second one, there is no afterlife.


    Is there even a soul?


    Is it really immortal?


    Maybe we really are just bags of meat as the Rejected said?


    Their beliefs contradict all of the holy teachings and they were simply labeled as apostates and heretics.


    Maybe they''re the only ones who are right.


    One way or another it doesn''t matter, I won''t meet them, I will never see them, hug them, or tell them how much they mattered to me, how much I missed them.


    Mom, Dad, Kilan, brothers,......Luna...


    Everyone may have actually disappeared, as ash in the wind.


    But I will never know.


    It doesn''t matter....


    ...


    Despair. I heard about it, read about it, even believed that I knew what that feeling is.


    But I was wrong.


    Another day would always come, always.


    Maybe somewhere in the back of my head I still believed that there''s a chance that after millenniums of damnation in hell I would see them.


    But not anymore.


    There was only white space and time. Is this what will be awaiting me?


    Peace and solitude.


    Would I''ve made different decisions if I knew that I wouldn''t be punished for anything I did?


    Were my actions, decisions, and choices made because I believed that in the end, every evil person would be punished, that everything would sort itself out?


    I don''t know.


    But the creature like me, the one who ended a countless amount of lives, the one who killed men, women, and children alike, was simply..... left alone.


    I will never be punished.


    There would be no retribution.


    No salvation for the innocent.


    No damnation for the sinners.


    Nothing.


    Not just for me, but for every evil person that exists.


    Only life, only people.


    What about this hate, this wrath, this thing that''s boiling inside of me?


    Forgive them.


    Really?


    They torture and kill, they condemn those that they deem to be lesser to a living hell on earth, without the possibility of salvation.


    And in the end, what, you simply forgive them?


    Forgive everything as if it''s a harmless joke and give them peace and serenity?!


    No.


    No.


    I. Will. Not.


    ...


    I''ve been evading one question the whole time.


    What now?


    There never was a future for me, never. But I simply can''t not think about it now, because there''s one feeling boiling inside of me, as the magma inside of the volcano. HE is the reason for everything that happened to them. HE did it, because of him, my family, my friends, my.....Luna.


    HE wasn''t a passive hand that observed and hoped for a better outcome as I previously thought. HE planned it all, every single step, every single event, every single life and death, as if pawns of a chess board.


    And we''re just pawns, nothing more....


    Everything was for a single purpose, for me to be in the right place, at the right time.


    I was but a simple puppet on strings, a stupid, blind puppet. Who never confronted anything, didn''t question anything, didn''t even try. Just survived, only to see another day.


    Fucking trash.


    Spineless maggot.


    You let them die.


    You let them be tortured.


    You stood for nothing.


    There are only two things I can do about that.


    I can accept it all and disappear.


    Accept the fate the gods planned for me and disappear...like some pathetic, worthless worm.


    no [no]


    NO [NO]


    NO [NO]


    WE [WE] WILL [WILL] NOT [NOT]


    NOT [NOT] LIKE [LIKE] THIS [THIS]


    ...


    Soul.


    What exactly is a soul?


    Is there even such a thing as a soul?


    Maybe the whole soul and "mana bridges" thing is pure bullshit.


    What if it''s all a lie?


    It was commonly knows that if you modify your body, you may de-synchronize with the soul, which would cause it corrupt. And the corrupted become demons.


    Is that even the truth?


    I never felt or saw what ambient mana or affinity is, so the only thing I was left to do, is to believe whatever was written in the books. People tended to evade describing their achievements and understanding of the subject, so there wasn''t much on the subject except for the philosophical part.


    No healing works on HIS mark. By my orders, Mages removed my right eye, the scar, and the area surrounding it several times, but the mark still returned.


    What if the mark doesn''t exist in the scar?


    What if it''s not part of the body?


    What if it''s much deeper?


    What if the curse is the body itself?


    Then I should remove it.


    Destroy it.


    Make it disappear.


    And replace it. Replace it with something else, something different.


    I will die.


    Everyone will die.


    I will disappear.


    Everyone will disappear.


    And there''s nothing waiting for everyone in the afterlife.


    Nothing.


    And some will continue to exist, to enjoy this world, bending the lives and fates of countless others with a simple whim.


    Because there would be no one to stop them.


    I will crawl through the deepest pits of hell, again and again and again, just to see HIM regret even looking in my direction, at us.


    Not just him.


    Every single one of them.


    The kings.


    The lords.


    The corrupted.


    The evil.


    The knights that serve them.


    The guards that protect them.


    All the people who follow them and obey them.


    Every single little shit that has any relationship to them.


    The world itself.


    I will make them all scream and beg for mercy.


    "SPARE US"


    "No." will be my answer.


    ...


    I''m repeating myself, but is it the air? I haven''t eaten or drank for so long.


    How am I alive?


    Where does the energy come from?


    What about nutrition?


    But I swat those thoughts away as I continue to guide mana to heal one organ after anoter. Except for my heart and left lung, everything else was...dead...slowly rotting inside of me. The javelins, which passed through the mess of rotten organs, broken flesh and bones, blocked the healing process, but not for long.


    Break apart, consume, reuse, restore.


    Again and again.


    It took some time, but all the internal organs started working the way they should, or at least, reminded me of something similar. The dead don''t have the luxury of comparing with the ideals of the living. There are so many questions.


    How is that even possible?


    How am I alive?


    How were the brain and heart functioning at all?


    How did I succeed?


    Doesn''t [Doesn''t] matter [matter].


    I want to heal my legs and left arm, to make them hale and healthy, or something close to that, but there aren''t any resources available. Breathing keeps me alive, but I don''t think that even if I breathed nonstop for a century, the gathered resources would be enough to heal even one limb. Scarcity of supplies is nothing new.I slowly start taking the resources from other areas, hollowing the bones and eating the muscle mass away.


    Only death awaits those that do not move.


    Healing my left hand enough, I try to break through the snow crust around me, but it''s harder than I thought. The muscles aren''t working properly. After several attempts, the snow crust finally cracks and I fall out of it. I instantly regret my decision, the freezing cold ground, and the icy wind are like nothing I''ve ever felt before. The snow cap was protecting me from the winds, but now I''m as defenseless and vulnerable as a newborn.


    On my stomach I start slowly crawling towards the nearest pillar, trying to hide from the freezing blizzard. Reaching the pillar, my body moves on its own, positioning me in any possible way to stop the cold crosswind slamming me straight in the face. My back rests upon the snow covered pillar as I try to bury myself in it, but the wind from the side tells me about the futility of the effort. Changing strategy, I start digging, trying to create a tiny cave, big enough to at least fit part of me. The whole process takes quite some time as a single, barely functioning limb won''t take you far.


    I reach much farther than I anticipated at first, nearly a meter in depth, but right after I reach that point I hit something solid. Clearing the snow out of the small cave with my freezing hand, revealed something yellowish sticking out of a solid block of ice. I continued to remove the snow, ignoring the thought about what the yellow object is, as the snow already started to cover my legs.


    When the space became large enough for me to fit in, I turned around and put my back against the object and ice block. Not wasting even a moment, I start constructing a makeshift wall out of the snow to block the freezing wind. Only when the freezing cold wind is no longer blowing directly in my face do I calm down and try to gather energy and breathe, but I royally fail as all the energy I had a few minutes ago disappeared without a trace. My eyes begin to slowly close as the darkness starts to crawl around my sight. I try to swat it away as I know that if I close my eyes, most likely, they''ll never open again. Me head starts to tilt forward as strength escapes my neck. I try to breathe deeper and regain any possible energy, but it''s futile, as the darkness continues to creep closer. I slowly turn back and look at the yellowish object, The very idea that came to mind is abhorrent.


    But I will not die.


    I may become something different, and if I do....


    SO [SO] BE [BE] IT [IT].


    Gripping the object, I try to rip it out, but it''s so frozen that it won''t even budge. Abandoning the attempt, I move closer and make my jaws close around the yellow object. It takes a bit more effort as there''s barely any strength in my jaw muscle, but hunger and desperation can make unbelievable things happen. I finally rip a piece off and my jaws start to move mechanically, trying to chew through the solid, yellow strips.


    I will survive.


    Not to see the next day.


    No. It holds no meaning, not anymore.


    ...


    After eating the yellowish object sticking out of the ice block, the darkness around my eyes started to recede and clarity returned to my sight. But the clarity is only there for a short time, more nutrition will be required. I turn my thought process, not on the reason nor culprit of how I ended up here, or what exactly this place is, but how do I get out of here. And only after that will I be able to do what I desire.


    First of all, it still may be the North Pole, though there were never such black clouds over that region. One way or another, getting out of here won''t be easy, and I will need every bit of strength and luck I can get.


    The other columns should contain the same thing as this one.


    I already took the path. And nothing can stop me.


    Nothing.


    It takes some time, but the blizzard weakens and I crawl back to the place I came from and start looking in the snow for an object that should help me get out of this frozen hell. Under half a meter of snow my hand finally finds a metal spearhead.


    Not waiting for even a moment, I put the spearhead into my mouth and start crawling on my stomach back to the cave I made before. Reaching it, I place the spearhead near me and start removing more of the snow around the ice block. After some work, the ice block falls down onto the ground, sending the snow flying around, as if a tree was cut down. Taking the spearhead, I start chipping away at the ice, trying to get the yellow object out of it. But I don''t wait until the whole thing is out of the ice and I start cutting the yellowish flesh and slowly start to eat it. The taste is absolutely disgusting but it doesn''t stop me, quite the opposite, it makes the hate boil in me with more intensity.


    Anyone else would be ashamed or mortified about this experience, but I''m not.


    I stare at the empty sockets of the yellow object''s skull with determination.


    You died.


    BUT [BUT] WE [WE] SHALL [SHALL] NOT [NOT].


    ...


    One by one, I went through each of the columns and consumed what was inside of them. There was barely any flesh on the yellowish objects, but it was enough for me, for now at least. I also checked the bigger columns. They''re much further than I expected and much bigger, but under the snow there was nothing but green marble columns.


    How do you even construct columns made of such rare material in the middle of nowhere?


    How did the yellow objects even get frozen?


    Why were they here?


    What for?


    Why were there metal chains on them.....


    Many questions, but none of them will be answered.


    They''re dead.


    But I am not.


    I need to move, and for that reason, I started spending valuable resources on healing my legs. Crawling out of the South Pole on your stomach with one working hand isn''t....realistic. Slowly, I start revitalizing the bones and muscles on my legs, they can''t move yet, but it''s still a big step up from when my fingers were deep black, rotting from gangrene. I cut the black and yellow fingers on my foot, commanding the flesh around the cut to close and stop bleeding.


    I will survive.


    The sun didn''t come out even once, it felt as if the world''s day and night cycle was stopped by someone during an endless winter night. This would usually make people feel...terrified, as darkness is the domain of predators, but I haven''t gotten out of the darkness in decades, even when I was outside during the bright day, the darkness was always with me. Maybe for a moment the darkness retreated when I found myself a small light source, a tiny candle, which reminded me that there is still light in this world.


    But my candle was taken away.


    She''s dead and will never return.


    Grinding my teeth, I increase the intensity if the healing, ignoring the throbbing pain in my head, most likely caused by the fact that I haven''t slept or rested at all.


    Only the dead need res-


    No.


    They don''t.


    They''re simply dead.


    ...


    I''ve consumed more than half of the pillars, and strength is slowly returning to me. I already started walking, slowly, but still walking. After who knows how long crawling through the thick snow, walking again makes me feel as if I''m moving forward, as if I made one step closer to what I want. With every bit of strength regained, hate starts growing stronger in me, as if fire taking to oil.


    Growing, consuming anything it meets.


    I will need it.


    I will need everything I have for what is to come, because there is another, much bigger issue that I didn''t think of at first.


    Just surviving isn''t enough.


    Just living isn''t enough.


    And I will have to solve it here.


    ...


    People cannot absorb ambient mana actively. The bodies naturally regain internal mana when you breathe or consume something that contains mana, which is usually mana potions, or anything else with a high content of mana.


    Blood is a good example.


    Monsters don''t need that.


    Many religions say that it was punishment from their gods for the way people live, that monsters were sent after those who sinned.


    A fancy religious lie, as many others.


    A single old book, deep in the Library of the Damned, had a bit of a different story.


    A story about the Ancients, which rivaled gods in their power, which could takes likes with a single thought. They lived in pursuit of knowledge, and for millenniums they prospered. They built empires which spanned several continents, they created structures which can''t be replicated, even now. They had such masterful control over the mana to such a degree that the scholars still have problems deciphering the depth of their knowledge.


    But, with time, as everything in this world, they changed. Some of them abandoned their pursuit and started believing themselves to be gods. They started calling themselves the Enlightened. There were also others, which in response began calling themselves Seekers. They started pursuing darker, forbidden knowledge. They broke all the rules that were established even before their history began. They started experimenting with those that were alive, slaves, or any they deemed as lesser life forms.


    They wanted to create life itself.


    In the book, it''s claimed that this was how demi-humans came to existence.


    After a huge split in ideologies, people divided and moved to different continents. They believed that was the only was to co-exist, they were right, at least for some time. But two ideologically different super powers cannot exist together, because there can be only one supreme, and in the end the unofficial "cold war" started. The undercover jabs that they exchanged during the whole thing, were an accepted alternative to inter-continental war. Which later they couldn''t evade, and it quickly spiraled out of everyone''s control into what is known as the World War.


    The Seekers that created the demi-humans, lost. They ceased to exist and their homeland is still known as the Dead Continent. In the aftermath of the World War, the planet''s perfect mana flow was damaged. Some areas began to have air and soil that had richer mana content that before, and others lost nearly all of their mana. Much later, the first dungeon came into existence, together with the creatures that inhabited them.


    To the horror of everyone, those creatures could absorb ambient mana, and they grew stronger every day, which lead to people calling them "monsters". There were only two thoughts on everyone''s mind,


    "These creatures should be eradicated."


    or


    "We need to replicate their ability."


    Those who would achieve those goals would become the new leader of not only their kingdom, but the world itself. In pursuit of that, those in power held back neither their money nor influence. They failed again and again, until once, they succeeded, but what was created wasn''t what would be called a......success. The few decades of peace after the World War were ended by the start of a period which would come to be known as the "Age of the Corrupted".


    "Monsters" are somehow able to evolve, change their bodies, while not being corrupted. People believed that the answer lied in demi-humans and the way the Seekers created them. Many tried to replicate that knowledge, with varying degrees of success. The Enlightened, got the furthest of them all. Well, nowadays they have a new name, Sun Empire, Blood Empire, or just simply, the Empire.


    The blizzard stopped.


    I''m in the artificial cave that I dug after I appeared in the center of the huge altar. There are half a dozen yellowish bodies lying near me at the entrance. I prepared as much as I could, there''s no reason to postpone it anymore.


    If I become corrupt, so be it.


    If I cease to exist, so be it.


    If I become his vessel, so be it.


    But if I survive...


    Every single living being should pray that I won''t.


    I start breathing deeper, as the mana circulation speed increases. In this freezing cold, my body starts to produce steam.


    Not yet.


    I continue to increase the intensity of the mana''s flow, and my blood pressure increases sharply.


    Not yet.


    The whistling in my ears replaces all sound as my breathing becomes hard.


    Not yet.


    More.


    More.


    More!


    MORE!!


    I split my consciousness and flesh into two parts and give a single order to each one.


    Destroy everything.


    Restore everything.


    Darkness nearly instantly consumes me.


    ...


    I''m not dead, some part of me wishes I was, but I''m not.


    How do I know that?


    Pain.


    Pain is nothing new to me. I would even go as far as to clain that we''re very close acquaintances. But the pain I feel right now is not that old friend. There''s no part of the body that isn''t in pain. It''s as if every fiber of my body is constantly being dipped into pits which are filled with something out of someone''s twisted nightmares, blazing infernos, all consuming acid, after which my body is penetrated by razor sharp needles, then the cycle repeats. At the beginning, I howled in pain but soon after my throat simply stopped working. I''ve lost count on how many times I awoke and lost consciousness.


    There''s no light.


    No sound.


    No feeling.


    Just pain.


    There''s a part of my body that''s pleading to let me go.


    No.


    NO.


    NOT YET.


    The pain starts becoming distant as my thought process slows down.


    NOT YET.


    I command the body that I stopped feeling long ago, to survive, whatever it takes, to not die. But I don''t know if the command will be fulfilled or even understood.


    The darkness consumes me again, and maybe for the last time.


    ...


    I awoke.


    I''m alive.


    There''s no white space, only darkness. But there''s one more thing present.


    Pain.


    And that means it''s not over.


    I command my body to do something, to restore the sight in a single eye, but it doesn''t yield any results. I repeated that command again and again, as if it was a mantra, and an eternity later I saw a light. A tiny, white light in absolute darkness. As my mantra continued, the light continued to grow bigger and bigger, until the blinding light encompassed everything. Soon after colours appeared, greyish and yellowish. I recognized what was in front of me.


    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The same small cave and yellowish bodies.


    A few hours later, alongside the pain, a new feeling appeared, a chilling cold. Several minutes after I start hearing the sound of the blizzard, which is later followed by the smell of rotting flesh somewhere near me. Attempting to make another step, I try to move, but fail, it''s as if every single limb ceased to exist.


    I resume my mantra, but this time the target is my left hand. Quite soon afterwords, I feel the muscles on my right thigh start twitching against the snow on the ground. Not understanding what was happening, I try to focus on my thigh muscles, but the result is that my neck starts slowly rotating. I begin cycling through every single muscle and limb I can, and none of them are where they should be, as if someone ripped a doll apart and put the parts into the wrong place. My lungs move to inhale and exhale air only when I try to move my right foot, moving my left index finger causes my muscles to twitch.


    Hunger starts cutting my stomach and I stop my experiments. Somehow my twitching muscles at random, I''m able to move closer to the yellow body. Reorienting my head, I try to bite a piece, but I haven''t found the muscle responsible for it yet. Reiterating my previous actions I finally find the correct one, it''s the wrist of my missing right hand. The chewing is mechanical and it takes another iteration to find out how to trigger swallowing. After many tests I somehow complied the list of movements, and I started acquainting myself with the new way to move.


    Even after many hours of testing and adjusting, the limbs still aren''t moving the way they should. I thought that either the limbs or nerves were damaged, but sending mana to them several times to try and assess the damage, it shows that there are no issues with them. Not understanding what''s happening, I start probing my whole body for anything strange, the result is ridiculous. The muscles are there, all the bones and tendons too, but most of them are either deformed, the wrong size, or rotated. The body is sure everything is fine, and that there''s no issues with it.


    What the hell?


    I started checking my bodies status more and more, but the feeling is incredibly strange, and I finally find the reason for the feeling. There''s no longer the pressure of something looking at me from behind, as if I''m alone, a huge weight was taken off my shoulders.


    Is this what it feels like to not have a curse?


    It''s been so long that I don''t even remember how it felt like before the event.


    Am I really free?


    I feel more alive....somehow.


    I...


    No.


    No.


    Alan died.


    There is no longer Alan.


    For what is to come, Alan would never agree, he would reject it, he would try to stop it.


    But Alan is dead.


    He was pathetic.


    He was weak.


    He was...wrong.


    I will neither forget nor forgive.


    This anger shouldn''t calm down, it shouldn''t disappear.


    I shouldn''t let it calm down, I shouldn''t let it disappear.


    Forget and forgive.


    Ha.


    No.


    Commanding my body, I crawl closer to the yellowish body and resume ripping them apart, consuming them one after another, until only they''re only skin and bones.


    Alan is dead.


    ...


    Pathetic.


    It took me many hours of trial and error to simply learn how to walk again. Even after that, they sill stubbornly refused to follow my commands, but there''s only one person to blame, me. I don''t have enough resources to repair this disfigured body, but sending minimal amounts of resources to make sure my legs and my only working hand can move is unavoidable.


    The weak will not succeed.


    The slow will not reach.


    The soft will not survive.


    It took another hour to make a thin coat and shoes out of the yellow skin, alas they barely protect against the freezing cold. My uneven legs start moving slowly, one by one, carrying me in the same direction the wind blows. In the North Pole the winds blow south, therefore in the South Pole the winds should blow north. I look around the huge altar one last time for anything that could help me, but it''s useless. The snow is so thick that even if there is something, I won''t find it. Checking one last time that the spearhead is with me, I start to travel.


    One leg after another.


    Move and breathe.


    Never stop.


    ...


    I''m not sure how many days have passed, but I''ve continued walking. The feeling in my legs was lost a long time ago, but that doesn''t stop me, nothing should. Until "nothing" unexpectedly happened.


    A pack of wolves.


    They appeared out of nowhere and surrounded me in a tight circle. Several of them start growling from different sides, a common way to make their prey lose focus and make a mistake. The circle slowly shrinks and I can hear their ecstatic breathing, as if they found a gift from the gods themselves in the middle of nowhere.


    Nut they''re wrong.


    I am not a gift, I am a curse.


    And I''m hungry.


    Silently, I leap at the closest wolf and my hands burst into motion, plunging the spearhead through the foe''s skull.


    Not enough.


    More.


    Not waiting for even a second, I leap at another, taking his life in nearly the same manner.


    More.


    The next one leaps at me and reorienting myself, the spearhead pierces his throat.


    MORE.


    I don''t stop, I crush the skull of the next one with my bare hands.


    MORE!


    MORE[MORE]!!


    I come to a stop when I find myself alone, surrounded by a dozen corpses of what''s left of the pack of wolves, their blood forming some kind of chaotic painting dark red crystals on the white snow. My eyes follow the retreating remnants of the pack.


    Pathetic.


    My hungry lungs move non-stop, inhaling the sharp, freezing air, after which I exhale burning hot air. It takes some time to calm down, but only because another feeling appeared.


    Hunger.


    I find the spearhead still embedded in the skull in one of the wolves. Ripping it out, I start dissecting the bodies. Their warm viscera returns feeling to my nearly frozen hand. Looking at the spearhead I chuckle.


    "The one which nearly killed me, saved my life."


    Weapons work this way.


    They take one life and save another.


    Only after eating the third wolf do I stop and understand that something is wrong.


    Where did everything go?


    This hunger isn''t normal....


    Normal huh. Normal people wouldn''t survive, they would crawl into a ball and cry, begging for someone to come and help them.


    Pathetic.


    It took several attempts, but I was able to make a more or less good coat out of the dead wolves, along with shoes, pants, and more. After finishing the task, I ate more, trying to fill myself to the brim, since I don''t know when the next meal will be. Only when I feel that no more will fit into me do I stop. Cutting more meat, I place some of it into the bag, which I made out of failed coats. Some part of me tells me that I should take more, but that will only slow me down. And carrying anything more than a handful through this thick snow could cause problems.


    ...


    I saw a tree, after who knows how long, it was far away but it was still a tree. The snow grew a bit more shallow, but it was still several feet in depth. My legs move through the thick snow, one step after another until I arrive before the lone tree in the middle of nowhere. My hand automatically reaches to it, to check that it''s not an illusion, and it isn''t. There are neither leaves, nor even a hint of green or brown, just a nearly black trunk, and the cold hard texture. Still, a tree, and after all the endless snow, rocks, and mountains, anything else feels like a luxury. I place my face against it, just to make one last check and I instantly notice the sharp smell of a forest. Opening my eyes I notice a blackish line on the horizon. I spend several long minutes to check that it''s not simply an illusion caused by the nearly black clouds, and it looks like it isn''t. It''s not that far, it should be about three hours on foot. Sadly, or thankfully, there isn''t a day/night cycle.


    Seeing the endless rows of dead, black trees is strange. At the same time, they''re happy to move to an endless snow desert, but on the other hand, they''re dead. Walking into the ominous forest, I continue travelling in the direction of the wind. The more I walk, the colder the wind becomes, and the more tired I become. The black trees are so tightly packed that I no longer can see the silhouettes of the local mountains. Walking deeper into the forest, I find a place with many fallen trees, which creates a makeshift shelter from the freezing wind. I decide to take a small rest, burying myself in a corner, trying to find a way to keep myself warm. The moment my body stopped moving, the hunger returned. I''ve been keeping it at bay using the stored fat from the wolf meat, but those resources are coming to an end too.


    The exhaustion finally wins and my eyes closed soon after.


    ...


    An unbearable hunger broke me out of my slumber, as if there was a burning pit of acid inside my stomach. Breathing heavily, I try to retake control over my body and subdue the hunger, but it''s not as easy as it sounds. After a few minutes of breathing and uselessly producing valuable warm steam in this freezing cold, my body calms down.


    Looking around I realize that the whole place looks somehow foreign. Checking a few milestones, I confirm that it''s the same place, but at the same time it feels strange. It''s as if no time passed at all, as if I simply closed my eyes for a few minutes and woke up in the wrong place. I can''t be sure, maybe the whole place is affecting me, but it doesn''t matter.


    I''m alive, and I need to keep it that way.


    I stand up and start walking in the direction the wind blows. But turning in that direction as I feel the cold wind, which is blowing into my back, steals the warmth that I gathered while bundled together, even through the thick wolf fur I''m wearing.


    The same black trees, same white snow, and the same dark grey clouds. Maybe it''s my imagination, but it feels as if the sky was a few tones brighter. But the crippling hunger isn''t a illusion. It got so bad that I started ripping tiny tress out of the ground and chewing the roots. My eyes notice some kind of small hill in the middle of the flat forest, and I start walking in it''s direction. I find what looks like a tiny opening to someone''s den. My hands start clearing the snow and open a path inside. What I find inside is a huge white bear and two small cubs, sleeping quietly in a deep burrow. But it looks like my entrance has awakened the big one, as it slowly starts shifting and sniffing the air.


    They''re innocent animals.


    And they simply want to survive.


    But so do I.


    On a starving stomach, the bear meat taste as sweet as nectar.


    I''m no different than anyone I despised. I attacked a family of animals, and took their lives. From their perspective I''m the incarnation of evil.


    I''m the same as everyone else.


    But I will survive, whatever it takes.


    ...


    This time I ate even more than I did last time, and with the abundant resources I was able to start healing. But it''s not actually healing, not anymore. The body truly believes that the deformed state with a missing right hand is the original one, and that there''s no issues with it.


    So the only think left is to against what it believes and desires, and change it. I don''t know of a way to restore a whole limb, that usually was a healer''s task, but I''m going to have to learn, and what better practice target than the missing toes. Thankfully, I have enough meat near me for the task, but before that I need to repair the tendons, muscles, and bones to their original state. While my body is healing and changing, I''m making a new coat out of the mother bear, a big white one.


    I stayed in the hole for quite some time, eating and "healing" myself, but also because the warmth inside held me back. Alas, the amount of meat is quite limited and the hunger will start returning again quite soon, and I need to be careful with my supplies, there''s still a long way ahead of me and staying here won''t accomplish anything.


    As I''m about to resume my travel, I hear distant, heavy footsteps. They''re quickly getting louder and closer until I hear them stop near the burrow entrance. I hear loud sniffing and a few seconds later with a roar the entrance is ripped out. With spearhead in my hand, I leap out, evading the falling mix of snow and dirt. Only when I''m at least a dozen meters away do I stop and turn around to look at what attacked me. A deep cynical laugh escapes me as I stare at a seven-meter tall bipedal muscled creature with extremely long moose legs and antlers and burning red eyes looking back at me.


    Wendigo.


    Protector of the forest.


    Corrupted spirit.


    Cannibal turned hunter.


    All of it''s a lie, simply a corrupted moose, nothing more.


    As if hearing my thoughts, the creature roars and rips a huge tree out of the ground near it, and throws it at me like a stick. I evade the incoming log by a hairs breadth.


    How did it find me in the middle of nowhere?


    Did it smell the blood?


    Maybe it tracked me from the wolves.


    Doesn''t matter.


    You''re food and I''m the hunter.


    And on boy am I hungry.


    ...


    Finishing cleaning the skull and fur of the Wendigo, I scowl and throw it at the ground, wincing in the process as the fractured bones in my body didn''t heal fully. Damned fucker, nearly killed me. And of course the moment I needed a long weapon, there was only a single, rusty spearhead. And the worst part is that this shit destroyed the burrow, leaving me to fend against the freezing cold by myself.


    Spending days lying on the freezing ground, bleeding with a half-broken body, with no possibility of hiding from the fucking cold. But at least it''s fur looked warm, and I was able to carve quite a good coat out of it. The skull became a nice head protector, the only thing I had to do was break the huge antlers, that still had my blood and guts on them, off. I resume my travel, with quite a bit of meat on the makeshift sled made of fur which I''m dragging behind myself through the snow.


    To my astonishment, I came to a clearing quite soon. What stood before me was an endless sea of frozen ice. This would be a beautiful view if it wasn''t covered by a thick grey fog, which was moving quickly because of the wind that was blowing around. Looking around I notice that the area looks like a peninsula, but I can''t be sure because nothing is visible after around a hundred meters. Is the land I''m standing on, simply cutting deeper into the body of water or am I standing on an island? This huge ice body could be either a huge lake, sea, or ocean. If I go around the shore I will either make a small detour, a huge circle, or an enormous circle. If I go straight across the ice I will either make a small shortcut, a huge shortcut, or end up in ocean water.


    Straight it is.


    I slowly step onto the ice, and looking down estimate that it''s at least three meters in thickness, while the water underneath it isn''t visible at all. looking on the other side of the huge ice platform I see nothing but endless ice and white fog covering it.


    If I end up in the ocean, that means I''m fucked.


    If not, well, there''s only one way to find that, and the wind blows in the same direction.


    ...


    This isn''t an ocean for sure, ocean can''t freeze this much. It''s also not a lake, something this enormous is even hard to categorize. My feet continue dragging me, together with the makeshift sled behind me. It has became much lighter, and I don''t know how long I will last. One thing is for sure, I won''t be able to return. I''ve consumed more than half of my meat supply as I''ve travelled across this endless icy hell, and whichever way I look there''s only white fog.


    There''s only one path, forward.


    My feet continue to drag me until I see a small black spot far away, in the middle of nowhere.


    How can I see so far?


    Did the fog clear up a bit?


    If yes, that would be very good news. For a few long seconds I stare at the spot, believing it would disappear, a trick played on me by my exhausted mind, but it doesn''t. Whatever it is, I can''t ignore it.


    It took about an hour until I came closer, and the small spot grew much bigger. I walk closer to it and find a dark conical structure no bigger than two meters in height. Dropping the sled, I walk around the cone to look at it from all angles, but in the end I still don''t understand what it is, some parts of it stand out, like bones on a starved creature. There are a few areas that have a different colour shade, as if they were made out of different materials. I extend my hand and carefully touch it with my fingers, and I find it soft, as if it was some kind of cloth. Something burst out of it and I jump back, taking out the spearhead and pointing it at the new foe.


    The foe is actually a person, human, with wild blond hair and beard. He''s pointing his spear at me with terrified eyes, until they meet mine and the fear is slowly replaced with confusion. I slowly remove the Wendigo''s skull from my head, which was protecting me from the cold wind. He stares at me for a few long seconds, then at the skull, after which he slowly lowers his spear and starts rambling incoherently in some language that I don''t understand at all.


    A human, a living one.


    I need him.


    I raise my hand in a sign of non-aggression, and slowly walk to my sled. Slowly removing the bear fur from it, I take out meat and offer it to him in a sign of good will. His eyes sharply increase in size as his Adam''s apple visibly moves. Peaking into the black cone, i find fishing utensils there. Looking back at him, closer this time, one thing become apparent, he''s severely malnutritioned. Not as strongly as me, but still.


    I slowly place the meat onto the ice and encourage him to take it. The long seconds of him moving his eyes between me and the meat end when he leaps at the meat and checking whether it''s real or not. A smile breaks across his face. With hurried actions, he start disassembling the cone structure and it turns into a sled. He makes a gesture for me to follow him and together we start walking in a direction away from the wind.


    It takes several hours of walking through the endless fog, but a silhouette of a mountain starts to slowly appear. Happily, he increases the travel speed and I follow. After some more walking we arrive to what looks like a small house in the middle of nowhere, with a boat near it. He puts his sled near the house and starts loudly shouting something while walking into the house, gesturing for me to follow him.


    I cautiously enter the house and find him near another person, a woman with red hair in fur clothing saying something enthusiastically. She looks at me and smiles with a bow, after which she takes the meat and starts to move around in what looks like a kitchen. The man gestures to me to sit at what I believe to be a low table and I calmly follow. He starts saying something again, but I gesture back that I don''t understand. He starts gesturing more, from his mouth, to the kitchen, and then the empty plate on the table, which I assume means food is coming. Then he points to the clouds and something moving up and down, what I assume may mean days.


    I''m not the only one who was starving.


    With a hand gesture I try to ask him if he has a map, or if he can draw one. It takes a few minutes, and moving an object on the table and pointing at the house for him to get it, but in the end he starts enthusiastically nodding. He walks somewhere into the corner and takes out a small piece of yellowish cloth. Bringing it back, he lays it flat on the table. On the cloth there are small black drawings made with coal most likely. An actual map. It shows many big mountains, a strange area, which I believe to be water and several dots. The man starts gesturing at the point near the strange area, which I assume is our current location. He starts pointing at the other dots and shows a gesture for big.


    More people? So a village or city.


    But the dots are very far away from here. If I try to build the terrain map in my head, and take into account the distance it took for me to reach here from the other side of the sea, it would take from three to five times longer to reach the closest dot. And I needed more than half of my meat supply to just barely reach here. The smell of meat and herbs quickly fills the room.


    Suddenly, something moves in the corner and appears from under several blankets. A tiny face.


    A child.


    The child says something, to which the man and woman respond back. A child with short hair removes the blankets and crawls to the man on his hands, dragging his body behind him like an anchor. The boy comes closer to the man and starts enthusiastically saying something. His sleepy eyes notice me, after which he crawls behind the man and stares at me curiously. The man looks at the child sadly and says something. The boy slowly crawls out from behind his father''s back and says something, which I think is a greeting. I say hello back. His eyes move around me curiously as if he found the most fascinating thing in the world.


    Soon the woman brings three small bowls and pours soup into them. The man gestures to me to try the soup, while the woman says something to the boy, after which he crawls to her on his hands. She looks away from him in a strange blend of sadness and.....shame.


    Hot soup after who knows how long of cold, raw....meat.....feels like the best meal I ever tried. I slowly drink the soup which contains small bits of meat and herbs, while the woman shares her soup with the child. The woman walks back and forth filling the empty bowls with more soup. Soon, everyone is sated and the man starts talking to the woman, explaining something most likely.


    The child continues to stare at me in fascination, and bit by bit crawls closer. Looking at the boy again, I notice that his skull is slightly deformed and burnt, an area of his bright blond hair is missing. They boy''s eyes are like shining green jewels staring at me and the place where my right arm should be. The man and woman look down in sadness and shame. The child crawls closer, looking at my face and body. A few minutes later his tiny hand starts stretching towards my stump. His parents says something and he quickly crawls back to them, but still continues to stare at me in undisguised fascination and curiosity.


    A bit later the child crawls to a corner, and brings back toys made out of wood and animal bones, showing it to me, as if asking me to play. He starts talking about something, maybe a story, maybe just nonsense. He knows that I don''t understand, but that doesn''t stop him. He continues his story with a huge smile and the same shining eyes while I sit in silence.


    This is the happiest he will ever be.


    He doesn''t know it.


    He doesn''t understand it yet.


    But people,......they never let each other forget.


    Cripples don''t survive this long, they''re usually abandoned. He breathes only because his parents either really love him, or they can''t take the life of their only child.


    But I saw pity.


    I saw shame.


    The weak die, the strong live.


    That''s the law of life.


    Right?


    I slowly stand up and opening the wooden door, walk outside into the freezing cold. Sitting with my legs crossed I breath deeply and try to restore whatever I can. the freezing cold cuts into my bones, reminding me that I''m alive. I start probing the body with mana. There must be something to heal, there always is, something to focus my thoughts on, but I fail.


    I''m alone.


    She died. Some part of me still tried to deny it, fight it. Her life would be hard, even harder than this boy''s, it would be filled with pain and suffering, but it would still be a life. Who says that there won''t be small bits and pieces that would be worth all of it? But even that was denied to her. She''s dead. And there''s nothing I can do. I will never look at her curious eyes, never caress her soft hair, never see that innocent smile.


    Never.


    They did it.


    They-


    [It is useless.]


    [You try to make us angry, to make us hate. But it is useless.]


    [Empty talk.]


    [All the words about revenge and destruction, all the words about....No, that pure bullshit. We don''t change.]


    [Using that hate you can''t become the heartless demon you want to, and you can neither kill nor destroy that.]


    [You will not change.]


    [And so will I.]


    Says who?


    ...


    I gave more than half of the meat that was left to the family. In return I asked them to cook my part, give me clothes, and decent shoes. I rested for about a day and started travelling in the direction of the closest village. They repeatedly tried to tell me that I will die, that I won''t make it, that there are several months before the ice breaks. But it didn''t matter. They had many questions.


    Who am I?


    Where did I come from?


    Why was I dressed like that in the middle of this snowy hell?


    Thankfully, they were too polite, or too afraid, to ask.


    After saying my goodbyes to the family, I resumed my travel with new shoes, pants, and shirt. The Wendigo hide and skull stayed with me. I continue to walk through the frozen hell in the direction that I was showed, through a narrow trail between the huge mountains. Walking, moving, and surviving are the only things I know, the only things that kept me alive.


    But that''s not enough.


    Not anymore.


    Yes, I am not like them.


    They are blind and weak.


    But I am not, not anymore.


    ...


    Some part of me is screaming at myself for not listening to the advice from that family, not waiting. That can''t be changed anymore. It has been more than two weeks since then, or at least I believe so. This body is alive only because of two events. First, when my leg ended up in a hare burrow when I walking through the snow covered trail. And the second time, when I came up to a frozen river, where I found a few fishes in a solid block of ice.


    But I continued walking.


    And soon my stubbornness was rewarded. I saw a dark circular formation on the horizon, down at the base of the mountain. Not wasting even a second, I started towards it.


    When I came close to the village, a big group of at least three dozen people, with bows and spears stopped me. They pointed their weapons at me while shouting something at me, but I still couldn''t understand what they were saying at all. They came closer and removed the Wendigo hide from me, and when they saw my stump where my right hand should be, they started laughing and jeering at each other.


    The cripple isn''t a danger.


    Slowly, I''m escorted to the center of the village, where I see several wooden poles with naked man and women tied to them, with hatchets and arrows embedded in them. A huge guy with a missing eye appears and by the other''s reactions I understand that he''s the leader. A person comes closer to him and gives him my Wendigo coat. He smiles toothily and starts saying something, but I ignore it.


    I know that smile.


    I know people like that.


    I can feel them with my very bones.


    And as if all the chains are released, I act.


    Before I know it, there''s a chunk of the leader''s neck in my teeth, and his crushed skull is in my left hand. Not wasting even a second, I rip apart anyone who''s holding a weapon. Soon I stand in the center alone, except for the dead bodies on the ground. A minute later a woman and children start appearing out of the houses with barely any clothes on them, visibly abused.


    Before, I would try to go through it quietly, only responding when I was attacked or threatened. Maybe I''m simply tired, or maybe, I changed...


    "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing"


    Ha, now I''m quoting that carefree idiot Richard.


    Are you even alive friend?


    Summoned aren''t allowed to live for long.

 Chapter 23 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    Nearly total darkness surrounds me, as slowly, one by one countless children appear. Their voices fill the area as every single one of them start begging me to stop hurting them, for me to forgive them, and to make the pain stop. I remember every single one of them, their faces are burned deep into my being, so I never forget what I have done.


    Every single one of them was killed by me or died because of my actions. Their wounds bleed as their whimpering fills the area, but I continue to stand immobile with no possibility to move, help them, or change anything. In the middle of them stands a small girl with black and white hair, wearing a pure white dress. She stares into my eyes silently. Her tiny lips start to move, and her accusing voice reaches me, silencing everyone around me.


    "You lied."


    "You''re not my father, you never were. You took me because you wanted to feel better. You never cared about me or how I felt."


    "You did what you wanted, and I died because of that."


    "I died because of you, because you decided to show pity to me"


    "DID I ASK FOR PITY? DID I ASK FOR THIS?!"


    "You should''ve left me alone, then maybe I would''ve lived!"


    "Someone would''ve eventually picked me up. Me life wouldn''t have been easy, but I would live! I would find a loving family, and they would care and love me the way you never could."


    "But because of you, your past, and what you are, I''m dead, rotting alongside mountains of body parts!"


    Slowly, a blue mark in the form of two big hands appears around her tiny neck. And I easily recognize the owner of them, they belong to me.


    This isn''t real.


    They''re all dead. And what I see before me is simply a nightmare created by my sick mind to torture me, to make me suffer, nothing more. But I don''t dare to dismiss them, to stop them, to look away. I shouldn''t, and I will not. Burning hot tears continue streaming down my face. They themselves no longer suffer, they simply ceased to exist. They''re dead simply because their fate crossed mine.


    I am the reason for it all.


    No one will remember them, no one will avenge them, because no one can. Most of the people who caused their deaths are dead themselves, and those that aren''t dead, will either never be found, or never punished.


    So I will not look away, because the moment I do, they''ll disappear.


    I will not allow their deaths to be a tiny milestone in a failed ritual of summoning the fallen.


    Their lives meant much more.


    I will make sure of that.


    ...


    My eyes shoot wide open and the world slowly fills with a dim light and clarity. Standing up from the old wooden bed, I purge the last bits of drowsiness and start wiping away the cold sweat from my back. The inn''s room is quite dark, with it''s windows tightly covered by wooden planks, but the sunn still breaks through the cracks nevertheless.


    Looking down on my toes, I evaluate their status, and the results of the experiments to restore the missing limb. Out of the four missing toes, and four different experiments, one utterly failed with some kind of meat and bone amalgamation growing in place of a healthy toes. Two toes grew crooked with a piece of bone sticking out, and the last ones more or less look as they should. I sigh. So the bone and cartilage should come first, and only after they''re fully restored should the tendon start healing, which should be shortly followed by the nerves, muscles, and skin. But that makes no sense. When I saw healers restore limbs, all of the parts grew together, steadily, as if a tree.


    It would be much better if I could experiment with healing other body parts, but my toes are the only things I can spare right now. Even if missing several of them makes it much harder to walk, it''s nothing compared to what would happen if I tried to experiment with the fingers on my left hand, the only hand I have left. I sigh again.


    Am I doing something wrong?


    Maybe the way healers restore limbs is a bit different?


    Is the cause external mana, or simply my lack of skills?


    I''m going to do many tests before I''ll be able to start healing my arm. One way or another I''ll have to succeed.


    I put on a simply shirt, and my Wendigo coat, and walk down to the first floor of the inn. When people see me they immediately turn their eyes the other way and start whispering between themselves. The inn owner brings several bowls with soup, bread, meat, and much more to the table I sat at, asking again if I didn''t want bear or wine. I gesture back that water will be enough. People continue to whisper between themselves, trying not to make eye contact with me while I''m eating.


    It took quite some time to reach this small city, thankfully, before that I was able to acquire a horse, which isn''t actually a horse, but some kind of local breed of moose, with it my travel speed significantly increased. Sadly, none of the people speak a language that I know of, and the communication is hard. People generally didn''t want to speak with me, because usually, cripples in Wendigo fur don''t have money. But the few shiny coins that I took from the previous villages, and their aggressive "residents", made a big difference. There were a few villages who wanted to give me things for "liberating" them, slaves, houses, land and more, only if I stayed and continued protecting their village.


    Some local bully even tried to use the fact that I''m a cripple who doesn''t speak the local language. Because let''s look at it frankly, who will even care? I must''ve been lucky to find money, and I don''t even deserve it, I''ll waste it on useless things, and the people around could use it more efficiently, right? Several crushed skulls later, those that witnessed the event had a sudden change of heart, they even decided to convey their insight about my "rightful" possession of gold to everyone in the city.


    Anyways, in the end, after an attempt to recruit me into--- the local Lord''s personal guard, my refusal, and several disfigured bodies of sneaky assassins, which were sent by the almighty Lord, who was offended by my refusal. After a short discussion that I organized between myself and the Lord, and his on a pike in the middle of the city''s main square, things started changing, and everyone around me suddenly calmed down a bit. There were more "events" between the failed assassination and the Lord''s death, but they don''t matter anymore.


    I''m still in the city, only because I''m waiting for the damn ship, which will travel north to "kotr", though I don''t know what that word means, I assume it''s either an island or a continent. The ship has been ready for quite some time actually, but it''s buried in several meter thick ice. Thankfully, spring is right around the corner, and this temporary stop in my travel will come to an end.


    As I found out, I''m currently on the south-eastern most island of a small archipelago of islands. Searching for a good map of the area didn''t yield any good results. By local standards a "good map" is a map of the whole island, and the best map the city has only contains a small fraction of the nearest island. When I spoke about the land north from the archipelago, the usual reply was that they knew nothing about that area. I could attempt to travel further through the frozen archipelago, which by my estimation is nearly a thousand kilometers of islands, snow, and ice. And even after all that, I would still need to take a ship further north.


    Finishing my huge meal, I walk outside and looking over the snow covered city, I look towards the ocean as I have every day. When I reviewed the local map, and tried to trace the path I took, it became apparent that there are no lakes around here at all. And the area that I walked through, the fog covered one, was actually frozen ocean between two islands. It only by chance did I not turn the wrong way, which would result with me ending up in the middle of the frozen ocean. I''ve never heard about a frozen ocean, and this fact increased my attention towards the direction I would take and the areas I plan to travel through.


    My knowledge of the southern hemisphere is very limited. I know that there''s a continent, commonly called the Twin Southern continents, it''s actually a single continent divided by a huge canyon and a shallow ocean. The region in general isn''t well explored, and any major attempts to chart it either brought no real results, or were generally unsuccessful.


    I sit on cold stone and the freezing winds instantly starts to blow on my face, making my skin feel as if a thousand tiny blades are cutting it. Breathing deeply, I start healing my toes, and experimenting on how to heal my right hand at the same time. If I reach a big city I can either find a healer or a high priest and "politely ask" them to restore my limb. If the heal won''t cooperate, or the gold won''t work, there''s always the option of force. But in the end, for what is to come, I need to be able to restore nearly everything myself, muscles, bones, heart, and more.


    One of the important milestones was to restore my body to its original state. Only when I arrived in this city did I notice how deformed my body truly was. Back in the mountains, I felt that there was something wrong with the bones, tendons, and muscles, so I tried to change them to the way they should be, and I believed that I fully succeeded. But when I saw the reflection in the water, what looked back at me could hardly be called a human, misaligned eyes, deformed skull, and much more. I looked more like a deformed ghoul with rare hair that grew on my head, which was all dirty grey in colour.


    The more I restored my body to its original state, the better I generally could manipulate the bones and muscles in my body. It got to a point where I could change my body structure, so much so that I could become a totally different person. Maybe at some point I''ll even be able to change my flesh so much that I would look like a totally different race, or even species...


    Even though I said Alan is dead, he shouldn''t disappear.


    This hate, this wrath, the dark things boiling inside of me belong to Alan.


    And he should be the one unleashing it all.


    I''m quickly interrupted by a group of kids, they came to ask me to teach them how to fight, as they have every day before. The rumours travel fast, and unlike adults, fear in children disappears quickly. Maybe it''s because children don''t fully comprehend the concept of danger. I''ve rejected them many times, but they still continue to come, hoping for a different result.


    For what do you want to become stronger? To steal, plunder, and destroy?


    Even these innocent kids will one day learn how to take lives, and the innocent kids will be no more.


    [So "innocence" is in not taking someone''s life?]


    [Weapons can be used in two ways, to protect lives, and to take them. In the end, the mind makes the decision and the hand only takes action.]


    [If you won''t be the one to guide them, someone else will, someone will different goals.]


    [And we know their goals all too well.]


    When we hear something that contradicts our world view, we instinctively reject it, trying to find a flaw in what was said, or outright dismissing that piece of information.


    That happens because of a simple reason, we don''t want to die.


    Our world view, all of our sense of right and wrong, the sense of "us" itself is built upon numerous pillars of experience and knowledge. If the pillars crumble, there''s a chance that we will die. Not death of the flesh, but rather death of the mind. Because upon that new piece of information, a new pillar will be born. And upon that pillar, a new being will be born, maybe someone stronger, maybe someone smarter, but that someone will not be us.


    Not us.


    And so we continue to dismiss, ignore, and reject what threatens us. And so we continue to live in our bubbles of ignorant, self-righteous, absolutism. The instinct of survival is burnt so deeply in the flesh and mind, that ideas themselves become threats to survival. It''s easy to live with people and ideas that support "our" world, as it takes strength and courage to plunge yourself into what can kill us.


    And so fear and weakness rule us.


    But we call this fear with a different name, because calling what we fear with its own name is a threat to us itself.


    Standing up, I walk to the children. And without a single word, gesture to them to stand in position.


    Hundreds of them will follow darkness.


    But maybe, maybe one will start asking questions.


    And so the cycle will continue, so that one day it could be broken.


    ...


    The ocean isn''t as nice as the ship captain believed, and right now the crew is trying their best to make sure the ship will survive today''s storm. The last storm, which was several days ago, nearly destroyed this oversized fishing boat and killed us all. The ship lost three crew members and two unlucky passengers that night. But this one is much stronger. The ship has been creaking non-stop the whole time, maybe because the ship is old, maybe because we started travelling to early, or maybe because the damn greedy idiots took too much luggage and exceeded the ship''s capacity.


    Doesn''t matter.


    I already gathered my supplies, a new steel sword, and a light coat. The Wendigo coat, with which I''ve been travelling with for some time, had to be quickly exchanged for something much lighter, because if you end up in the water it''ll drag you down to the ocean''s floor. Even if the ship goes down I won''t follow it. I''ve been in several shipwrecks, and I already have a general idea of what the next events will be.


    The problem is, that after people saw me preparing and gathering my things, they started panicking and running around the ship, gathering their stuff, screaming something at the captain and crew. Even though I don''t understand the language, I kind of know the questions.


    "Is everything okay?"


    "Will the ship sink?"


    "What is happening?"


    "Are we going to die?"


    I continue to stand on the ship''s deck, listening to the sounds the ships produces, the crashing waves, while I keep my eyes on the horizon. There are more than a dozen travelers standing behind me, and most of them have their stuff in their hands. They''re breathing shallowly, sweat visibly dripping down their faces, awaiting what is to come. After about half an hour, I see something on the horizon that tells me that the time has come and I can''t wait anymore.


    Leaping across the deck, I take out my sword and start chipping off a big piece of the ship''s wooden hull. The ship crew try to stop me, but I simply throw them away. Finally chopping the damn thing off, I make it fall down onto the deck. Putting my sword back and fixing it tightly to the rest of my gear, and I pick up the wooden plank. Looking forward towards the horizon, I curse at the rapidly rising, nearly hundred meter tall wave, which looks like a greenish mountain, which is about to fall upon us. The fucking crew slowed me down too much. I grip the wooden plank stronger, and take a running jump into the water, submerging much deeper than I expected.


    After more than a dozen long seconds under the freezing cold water, the plank starts dragging me up towards the surface. It takes a while for me to finally break out of the water and start breathing again. A few moments later my eyes find the ship, and the sheer number of people who are jumping out of it. The next instant the ship starts rising up the wave, tilting at a very sharp angle. I lose sight of the ship when the tip of the wave turns white and slams down, swallowing it entirely. The whole event happened nearly unheard because of the raging winds downing all the other sounds out. The waves continue to grow and slam against the ocean, as the number of people I see in the ocean slowly decreases, until I''m alone, fighting to stay away as the freezing cold water steals warmth away from me.


    I will survive.


    ...


    Sitting on the wooden plank, I let a few drops of my blood fall into the calm, blue ocean, as sweat is slowly dripping down my face. It''s hard to imagine that only a few days ago I was in freezing water, fighting for my life, and now the blazing sun is cooking me alive, like food on a frying pan.


    There''s another fight happening right now, but this time it''s because of hunger.


    Dozens of minutes pass, with me quietly awaiting the result, until I finally see a big fin appearing out of the water, quickly travelling in my direction. A smile breaks out on my face. Gripping the sword harder, I prepare for the only chance I''m going to get, as this little fish is a coward, and will swim away the moment it understands that it can''t eat me.


    With a roar I jump and plunge the sword through the area where I believe the shark has a heart. There''s a high chance that I missed the area by a few centimeters, as I am being dragged away, under the water, with my hand still tightly gripping the handle of the sword that''s deeply embedded in the shark.


    The damn fish starts thrashing around, and even jumping out of the water, one particular jump nearly forced me to release the handle, but I somehow held on through sheer willpower. Shortly after, the fucking fish tries to dive into the deep water, but it fails as it already lost too much blood. Slowly, the shark goes quiet and stops moving. Gripping the handle with my only hand, I swim to the surface. Breaking through the water, I take the sweet air in. Breathing deeply, I start searching for my wooden plank, until I finally find it quite far away, at least a hundred meters away. It looks like the shark swam quite the distance from the original point. I''ll need to be careful next time, because this time, there was only one shark, and the plank didn''t drift that far away in the calm ocean, but that may not repeat again.


    I wanted to throw the shark on the wooden plank, because the damn thing doesn''t float, but sinks like a fucking rock. I quickly have to reconsider as the fucking fish is simply too big for the thin plank, and doing everything with a single arm will not yield results. Somehow holding the fish afloat with my legs, I start cutting chunks of meat off and placing them on the plank, one by one.


    After about half an hour of suffering with the damn piece of shit, I let the carcass drift down to the ocean floor. It would be really great if I could get it up on the wooden plank and rest it there, but I can''t as the meat would simply fall off and all of my work would be wasted. Resting for several minutes, I start eating the meat raw. I know regions where raw fish is considered a delicacy, but for me it''s barbaric. Though hungry shitheads, with a single arm, which ended up in the middle of the ocean like me, don''t have much choice.


    ...


    There are many questions going through my thick skull, most of them are to the them of,


    "Why am I here?"


    "What the fuck am I doing?"


    or


    "How the fuck did it end up like this?"


    I was drifting for many days until a ship with a black flag and a skull on it picked me up. The ship was filled with dozens of nearly naked, dirty, smelly thugs with rusty weapons. They''re commonly called pirates, and I believed that they would try to attack and enslave someone like me. But the moment they saw my stump, the more than two dozen pirates on the ship, lowered their weapons and started laughing between each other, several even clapped me on my back. A few moments later the ship captain, with a huge hat, arrived and when he saw my stump he joined the group laughing.


    The captain looked at the scar on my chest, which was slightly visible through the light shirt I wore. I didn''t even try to hide the scar, because if they recognized the symbol, I could simply bully them into following my orders to get me to the continent. If I killed them all managing the ship would become "much" harder.


    The captain looked at the scar with furrowed brows and a few seconds later barked some kind of orders. He clapped me on the back with a sad smile, which was missing many teeth, and those that were present were deep black. Several moments later a person with meat and beer arrived and the captain gestured to me to eat. After the short meal, people gave me a broom and together with several other crew members I started cleaning the deck.


    I''m not sure what level of irony this is, that the pirates, those that are hated by most with nearly no exception, accepted a random cripple into their team within a few minutes.


    No interrogation, no tests, no oath of loyalty.


    We don''t understand each other, don''t speak the same language, or look the same, but I somehow ended up being fully accepted by this bunch.


    This would be funny if it wasn''t so sad.


    Somehow pirates ended up being more welcoming than the nobles, merchants, and peasants all together.


    Do they think that I''m just another pirate with a missing limb?


    Or maybe they thought that the scar is the mark of a slave, and decided to take me in.


    This fucking world.


    ...


    I started learning the local language, or at least the pirate''s dialect of it. A lot of swearing and shortened words, but enough to understand the basic ideas. Quite quickly, I unexpectedly noticed several correlations with Elvish and ancient Tasar, which nowadays can only be found in old books in the Empire. I''m sure there''s a valid reason for that, some kind of historical event, which I believe to most likely be the arrival in the "New Land". The books believe that the original place of arrival in "New Land" is the "Ancient" capital of the Empire.


    The Empire actually has three capitals, the Ancient capital in the south-west, the Royal capital in the north-west, and the Holy capital in Zeronel, which is the central province, with each capital serving its own purpose. According to books, starting from the Empire, humans spread throughout the whole continent , and then to the South Twin continents. But that makes no sense, because if that would be true, then the language people speak in the far south would be similar to either the common language of the Empire, Malari, or the Vosel, the common ones in the Desert Alliance or southern regions appeared during the Age of Expansion.


    Many questions and no answers yet, nothing new.


    Anyway, I''m learning their language quite quickly. A few days ago I only spoke a few simple words, and now I can kind of construct sentences. Though that result may simply be because I genuinely cared about learning it. The original goal was to get to the main continent, and start the hunt from there. But I "involuntarily" was sidetracked, or at least that''s what I''m trying to convince myself.


    We encountered a storm yesterday, one much smaller than the one that destroyed the last ship I was on, but a storm nonetheless. Strangely, this crew was ready for it, the ship was generally more stable, it wasn''t overloaded with any goods, and the crew worked liked a clock under the constant berating of the ship captain.


    After the storm calmed down, the ship crew started cheering and laughing. They also said something about Ulria''s love and sending her blessing to them, a sea goddess as far as I understood. Most of their words or gratitude were borderline insults about her ass, tits, and cunt, which the majority of people would believe to be grave insults, blasphemy. And that would generally warrant capital punishment from the religious groups.


    But maybe that''s the way they say their prayers here.


    Prayers huh.


    I know that someone or something exists out there, simply because HE exists. But whoever or whatever there is, it simply doesn''t care.


    With each day I grew closer to the people, despite their flaws, they were an interesting bunch. They gambled and fought, they drank and feasted, and during the whole process they looked so alive, so happy, without a care in the world. Not understanding that I started talking with them, asking questions and reasons for them being here. Every single one of them had a different answer or reason, money, adventure, freedom, the sea, and many more.


    Lakor, a tall thin youngster in his late teens, said that he wanted to see the world, that he didn''t want to end up as a farmer for some local lord. He said that his uncle was a sailor, and he told him many stories about faraway lands. Lakor said that his uncle never returned, and no one knows what happened to him, but someday he wants to return home and tell those stories too, about adventures and life at sea.


    Itar, a huge pudgy guy in his late forties with a shaved head, reluctantly told me that this is the only thing he knew how to do, that even if he wanted to "settle down on land", he wouldn''t know how things work, or where to even begin learning. He said that he fears staying on land for too long, and wants to die in the sea.


    Ghaj, proudly boasted to me how he screwed a lord''s daughter, that she was a screamer and very good in bed. After the event she lied to her father in fear of punishment, and now there''s an open hunt for his head. Ghaj said that one day he''ll buy his own shop and make his own crew. He also joked that he would want to live to his eighties and spend time with the best whores the land kingdoms could offer.


    Many names, many stories. Sad and happy, ridiculous and stupid. They all somehow ended up here, on a ship in the middle of nowhere. The more I listened, the better I understood the language, and the people on the ship, their fears and dreams. They''re all people with a past, present, and future, with stories to tell and goals to fulfill.


    Each day we would wake up, clean up the deck, hunt breakfast, do whatever the captain says and enjoy the warm sun. In the evening we would sit and gamble. I would usually sit with them and listen to the stories, but soon I started playing too. In the beginning the only bet I could make was a task or duty to fulfill in the place of a person, but pretty soon I started gathering a wide range of coins and items. Some accused me of cheating and we ended up playing the games bare naked, with balls hanging and such, but it didn''t change the result much. It got so bad that no one wanted to play with me anymore, and I ended up simply sitting and listening to stories as I did in the beginning.


    I also felt that something was missing on the ship, that the crew was restless, on edge, waiting for something to happen. But I didn''t look deeper into it as I had my own task. During the night and moments I had free time, I continued experimenting with healing. While the main goal was to find a way to heal my right hand, there were more important tasks, which is to find a way to keep moving even after I''m ripped apart. I will not underestimate them. I know perfectly well what they are, and what they can do. If magic is fully denied to me, I''ll reach the limits of human flesh. And I''ve already reach a significant milestone on that path.


    For each experiment I have cut a single toe off and restore it from zero. But improving the speed and efficiency of healing was the only traditional way of becoming stronger I knew, but now there''s another path. The first step was to try and make my bones denser and stronger. And I somehow succeeded, the toe whose bone I made thicker, was much harder to cut off.


    I''m pretty sure if someone saw me cutting toes and experimenting with healing, they would call me mad, that''s why I usually had to do the bloody part at night, away from everyone else. The spot I usually do the experiments quickly starts to look like someone was murdered there. So I had to clean the spot after each test and be extra careful.


    ...


    Everything comes to an end.


    And I finally understood what was missing.


    We encountered another ship, a merchant ship. It was much bigger ship with white sails and in nearly perfect condition. In the back of my head I understood that we may encounter someone else, but maybe I hoped that I would get off the ship and not encounter such an event. Maybe I just didn''t want to see the real, ugly side of the pirates.


    The moment the crew saw the ship, their faces turned into the faces I had seen before. They started chanting, shouting, and cheering. I somehow naively believed that they were "noble" pirates, that they were only after gold and would leave the people, but I was wrong, very wrong. Before I knew it, several young crew members of the merchant ships were lying on the deck, either dead or severely bleeding. Some part of the pirate crew already started capturing women, tying them up, touching them, and promising to play with their bodies later.


    Moments later everyone started screaming in horror as I slowly walked to the pirates, ripping one pirate apart after another. I didn''t use a weapon, only my bare hands. I crushed skulls, ripped off legs and hands, slowly filling the deck with dead bodies, colouring the deck deep red. The pirates, which would''ve called me their friend, even ally, just a few hours ago, looked back at me with a mix of astonishment and disbelief. They thought myself to be part of them, to be like them, and the person they saved and sheltered, betrayed them. They screamed at me, asking what I was doing, why did I turn against them. With every life I took, it felt as if a cold, invisible knife went deeper into my heart.


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Less than a minute later, I was standing on the deck of the merchant ship, covered in blood, breathing calmly as I looked at the bodies of the dead pirates, that I believed to be good and noble. I chuckle as I remember my own words.


    "People are neither good nor evil. They simply are."


    Walking to a middle-aged man with a grey beard, who I assume is the captain, I say in broken language.


    "You. Go. Me. Land."


    ...


    The merchant ship crew was a bit too subservient, most likely the result of my actions on the deck, specifically what I did to the pirates. Some still flinched and froze when our eyes met, or when I walked near them, even more than a week after. The few that didn''t were constantly asking if everything is fine, if I require anything.


    I spoke with the ship''s captain a lot, a chocolate skinned lady in her early thirties. As I was explained to, the middle-aged man I thought to be the captain, is her first mate. The ship belonged to her father, but he died of a disease, leaving her in charge. The middle-aged man was a close friend, and the first mate of her father, and he decided to continue serving on the ship and helping her.


    Most of the talks though, were about general questions like,


    "Where are we?"


    "What ocean?"


    "Where are we going?"


    The talks I had with the captain and the crew of the ship improved my language skills quite a bit, as the pirate''s version was so unstructured, so broken, that I don''t even know where to begin describing my issues with it. But the good things end here, because I asked for any map the captain had. She was astonished at first that I knew how to read a map, but I didn''t elaborate how or where I learned that, and she didn''t try to pry more. I don''t look like a scholar at all, so the confusion isn''t misplaced. She laid down a huge yellowish parchment on the big wooden table in her cabin, and pointed with a finger approximately where we were. However many times I looked, however many times I rotated it around, what was on the yellowish parchment before me was totally not what I expected.


    Nothing.


    I recognize neither the letters, nor the names of islands on the map, even their forms aren''t familiar. Worse than that, the Twin South continents are nowhere to be seen, not even a hint of them. There''s a significant area of a big continent drawn on the map, but not a single part of it, even remotely, looks like anything I''ve ever seen before. The continent is smooth with many edges, but still, nothing like the twin continents, which looks like two huge deformed letters.


    There''s something very wrong here.


    I thought that I was on the "unmapped" region, which is simply the southern area of the twin continents. That area isn''t even mapped in the Empire''s maps. Lizard-men who inhabit the west twin continents and the people who live on the eastern part aren''t very welcoming. To my knowledge, and the information spies were able to gather, the terrain on the twin continents is so harsh that no one would voluntarily live there. The temperature there fluctuates highly, with snow, drought, and rain seasons, which are never on the same date.


    I started having doubts when it became a bit too warm and tropical during my drifting, but that''s a totally different story. Just to make sure, I look south of our position and find many islands. When I asked the captain about the islands, she replied that it''s the south pole archipelago. The area is sparsely inhabited, and the ships rarely go there because of harsh storms that surround the area, but the area produces many goods which they export north.


    I''ve spent quite some time looking at the map, again and again, trying to think of a reason to explain what I''m seeing. But after captain got a bit worried and told me that I can find bigger maps in specialized shops on the continent, I was only calm down after that. She also said that if I''m searching for something specific, the Adventurer''s Guild could help me with whatever I require. Maybe she''s right, and the map is simply too small, maybe the southern hemisphere really is that big, and just no one knew about that.


    So I did the only think I was left to do.


    Wait.


    But I didn''t just sit around. I resumed the testing and experimentation, making bones thicker, muscles stronger and faster.


    Whatever happens, my main goal will not change.


    First of all, the people. The nobles, the senate, everyone who ordered the destruction of the Brotherhood, everyone who even remotely had something to do with the order or the death of my brothers.


    I would really like to take a single like more than all of them, the next Legat, but this sadly won''t happen. I''m not even sure if it''s right to call him the next Legat, as he already took on the majority of the responsibilities of the current Legat, the Legendary Grand Novus Maniel Yarkar.


    Everyone tries to keep life in the over a hundred years old body of Legat Maniel, as many Empire treaties were made with and in his name, they''re even called Maniel''s treaties. And the moment he dies, all those treaties in his name will lose their power. Every treaty of peace, cooperation, and non-aggression with every single power in the world will be lost because of the death of a single old man. When he dies people will rush into a bloodthirsty war to try and fill in the power vacuum left by him. Only for them to be crushed by a single human, his successor, the almighty Saint Protus Ghalor. But the continental war may have already forced people to act.


    Human huh. It''s wrong to even try to describe Ghalor, as a human, or even living, being.


    Because Ghalor is the Avatar of the Light Element.


    He has full control over every single spec of light, and even the total darkness of the night doesn''t hinder his powers. I''ve personally seen him turn a mountain into a dust cloud, with a single spell. And to top it all off, he''s not overpowered, turned feral by the element, like the blood avatar, who nearly killed me, was.


    Even if you take away his Avatar''s body, his abilities are beyond anything I''ve ever seen. When we were travelling with him, he announced that he wanted to test the strength of the Blood Brotherhood, and organized a "small", "friendly" match. The battle lasted less than five minutes. He crushed us like small children with only his sword skills, without even using a single spell. His space awareness, agility, speed, and strength were indescribable. You see him several dozen meters away, and after a single blink of your eyes, he''s before you with his sword coming for your life. Every movement he makes creates a sonic boom, every attack he does is simply to fast and powerful to evade or block.


    Even before he became an Avatar, it was well known that his magic abilities exceeded those of a Grand Mage twice over, a true genius of strength, sword, and magic from birth, but now...


    How do you even kill a being made out of light?


    But even that is somehow theoretically possible in comparison to my second goal.


    HIM.


    HE wanted to posses this body for a reason. HE must want something, HE must have goals, maybe even dreams.


    What would the greatest corrupter even want?


    Simply corrupt?


    What''s the end goal?


    Rule the planet?


    Kill everyone who inhabits it?


    Or simply destroy the life itself?


    I don''t know yet. But, whatever it is, I''ll make sure that everything he ever wanted will crumble, his every goal fail, and his every dream will fall apart and become nothing but a memory.


    I will fail and die.


    I cannot change that.


    But before this body perishes, I will show this world a glimpse of what a real nightmare is.


    And the sun is already setting.


    ...


    During the short period of time nearly on one bothered me, but people continued to whisper. With a better understanding of the language I mostly understood what was being said, nothing new, demon, monster, creature of blood and carnage.


    At least something didn''t change.


    Anyway, I continued testing and experimenting, and I reached a new milestone yesterday. After more than two hundred cut toes, I was able to make the toe grow into something that isn''t a deformed and grotesque amalgamation of flesh and bones. The solution was to constantly have the image of the result in my head and at the same time destroy the flesh around the growing area. During that process, the flesh and bone of the toes is constantly exposed and bleeding. It didn''t grow correctly, but that''s already a huge step forward. Right now I need to continue experimenting more, but it has become harder with people constantly looking at me, and holding me in their sight, even at night.


    My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of crew members running around and screaming something happily. The ship passengers quickly join them, and start running up onto the ship deck. I slowly walk up to the deck and look in the direction everyone else is gazing. Slowly a line on the horizon grows and takes form. At first I thought that it''s a small island by form, but it quickly grows in size and it becomes apparent that it''s a huge land mass.


    The first mate quickly shows up on the deck and started barking orders and insults at the crew members, while politely asking people to calm down and proceed inside of the ship. The land mass continued to grow until ships started appearing near a single area. Soon the area started taking form, and what stood before me was a huge stone city which was partly crumbled, but nonetheless, still bursting with life.


    Half an hour later the ship docked in the corner of the stone port. Nearly instantly, people in official uniforms appeared and started looking for the captain. They announced that they''ll conduct registration and checks. The officials started checking documents and baggage of every single passenger thoroughly, and when they got to me the captain started telling the story about the pirates and how I saved them.


    There was a thought of simply walking through them, but right now, it''s better to try and do thing calmly. If people believe me to be dead, there no need to prove them wrong. There''s also the issue with the Brotherhood symbol on my chest, but if I don''t show it in the open, than everything should be find. People already saw part of it, and may have told the officials, and if I try to hide it, that would only make them suspicious.


    I may also look suspicious because of my missing hand. I heard somewhere that caught and convicted pirates are punished with cutting their hands off. Simple statements that it was a "fight" neither fully explained it nor convinced the officials. They took me to a special room and started asking more questions, how I got on the pirate ship, and where I come from. Even though I more or less understood the language, it was a totally different story when I had to talk myself, so I tried to explain where I come from with my very limited vocabulary and simple gestures.


    I explained that I was travelled north and the ship came under storm. And after surviving the event, I was picked up by pirates. They looked at me suspiciously, and only when they noticed the upper part of the scar, the Brotherhood symbol, which was visible through the shirt, did they calm down.


    Huh? This is new. They didn''t fully see it, so maybe there''s something I don''t know.


    After the change they started asking something about "Yantaputraka", my owner, how I lost my hand and which family I belong to.


    Ah. They think I''m a slave.


    They started asking more questions, even repeating them, asking where they can find my owner or where I''m from. This is taking too long, and I was reaching my limit with the delay, but the final drop was when they said that I''ll spend several days in a cell while they look for my master or find a new one, and I simply...showed them that they''re wrong.


    With the guard captain on the floor, with a broken and bleeding nose, and my sword on his neck I stated shortly.


    "I not slave. I tired. I go city. Question, you find me city."


    Removing my sword from the captain''s neck I walk towards the door, which was blocked by a big guy in full-plate armour with a huge shield. Fed up with this bullshit, I kicked him, hard. The idiot in full-plate armour flew through the door, ripping it off it''s hinges in the process. Guards tried to run after me, but I was already too far away, blending into the crowd. I could start cutting them up, but more and more of them would come. Two will be followed by five more, then ten more, then twenty more, and soon the whole city would be after me. It would only slow me down and hinder travel, also a single missing person will cause fewer issues than a dozen dead guards.


    Also, there''s a change.


    I can feel it.


    Before I would be burning with wrath, barely able to contain myself, like a barrel of dynamite just waiting for a spark. As if a beast inside of me was just waiting for that single opportunity when I would let my guard down. But now it''s different, it''s contained,....ice cold. Now I can control it, even compress it, direct it, and release it exactly when I want.


    And at the exact target I need.


    ...


    I''ve already been in two small shops and one large shop, looking for a map. The small one''s had maps smaller than the captains, with only simple structures of the current kingdom. In the last shop, the large one, a woman in her early fifties, told me that they had the biggest map in the city. I asked the shop owner to show it to me, and she reluctantly agreed to show it, but only for a few seconds. I wasn''t even trying to read or remember what was on the map itself, but rather the forms, trying to compare it to anything I''ve seen before. It took me less than three seconds until I looked back at the shop owner and exploded.


    "I said BIG MAP!"


    She looked back at me in confusion and replied harshly.


    "That''s the biggest! Will you buy it or not?"


    I didn''t reply as she folded the map and put it away.


    The only things that were on the map was the south archipelago that I came from, two huge continents with a slightly circular form in the center, and several large islands north of them, nothing more.


    What the actual fuck...


    I slowly walk outside of the shop to reanalyze everything, and understand what the hell is happening here, but my mind simply can''t find any points on which to build a theory. While I mindless walk through the streets another issue becomes apparent.


    There are too many races that I''ve never seen before. I mean the people in the south islands looked like average northmen, a bit different but still. The pirates were dark skinned, like the people who can be found to the south-west of the Dead Desert, between the orc and ogre kingdoms. But just walking through the city for this a few short minutes I have found a dozen species that I''ve never seen before, and I''ve travelled quite a bit around the world. The one that stand out to me are the greenish four handed rhino-ogre, and purple skinned humans with lizard hands and tails.


    But that''s not all.


    People are staring at me, and I''m not sure what the reason is.


    Before I knew it, I ended up near a huge building with a very familiar sign.


    An Adventurer''s Guild. Something similar, a starting point. They may know something, anything. My legs move by themselves, taking me inside of the building. I find nearly the exact same picture as I have seen in each Adventurer''s Guild around the world. Same drunks, same young female receptionists with guards behind them, and the same atmosphere.


    Something similar, something the same.


    I walk to the empty counter and greet the girl.


    "Hello."


    She doesn''t even look at me and apathetically asks while resting her chin on her hands.


    "What do you want?"


    Before I know it, I ask the same question I''ve asked before.


    "Do you have a big map?"


    The young girl sighs deeply and in the same monotone voice replies without even looking at me.


    "This is the Adventurer''s Guild. There''s a big map shop down the road."


    Her attitude is an issue, but I asked a stupid question and got a stupid answer, my mistake. Whatever. Before I can say anything, she continues in the same monotone voice.


    "If your master wants to register you as an adventurer, he must come here together with you."


    She ends with slight disdain.


    What?


    Master?


    Does she think I''m a slave?


    A two and a half meter tall greenish mass of orc fat appears beside me and grins widely with teeth so yellow that it''s hard to even describe.


    "Hi Mani. What''s wrong? Don''t make such a grimace, you will ruin your pretty face with that."


    "Hi. Nothing is wrong. The damn "Yantaputraka" is broken and asks stupid questions." the girl scoffs back.


    The orc smirks and takes out a short dagger.


    "I can throw it out if you want?" the orc continues while playing with the dagger.


    "And then the owner will come here furious and they''ll blame me.


    "Not you, only me. I''ll do that and even take the full blame, that is, of course, if you''re free tonight."


    The orc slowly draws the blade of his dagger across my face, as if wanting to test the sharpness of the blade against something. A fraction of a second later, he falls to the ground screaming in pain as I break another of his legs. Slowly looking at the wailing creature, I grab his arm and rip it out, painting the floor red. I calmly turn and look at the young girl, who continues to scream in horror, hiding behind the guards who''ve drawn their weapons, only now looking directly into my eyes.


    "Did I get your attention now?"


    She stutters as the guards in front of her, their eyes jump between me and the orc, with their weapons unsheathed. She lifts her trembling hand points at me.


    "You''re bleeding..."


    Touching my face and looking at my hand, I find a few wet drops on it.


    "Yes. You''re observant." I coldly reply.


    Her eyes shoot wide open and she screams in confusion. "You''re human?!


    My head starts throbbing because of the useless excuse of a question and answer board before me.


    "B-b-but you have a mark, a-a-and you-you-you feel just like a ''Yantaputraka''."


    Huh?


    The guards said something similar.


    "What is ''Yantaputraka''?" I ask.


    A few seconds later a small group from the second floor arrives, and stares at the still wailing orc lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood. The receptionist leaps to the older looking lizard-man with nearly black scales and starts a rapid fire explanation on what happened. She specifically points at that "Potmal", the screaming orc, and says that he thought that I was "Yantaputraka" and cut my face as a joke, after which I "responded". The older looking lizard-man barks orders and "Potmal" is quickly dragged away by a group of smiliar looking orcs, to the "Bright Seer", which I assume means healer. The black lizard-man looks at me suspiciously and asks me,


    "Are you really not ''Yantaputraka''?"


    "I will ask again, what is ''Yantaputraka''?"


    The moment he hears my question, hie eyes shoot wide in astonishment, and he bows deeply.


    "My greatest apologies for everything that happened today!"


    He raises his head and starts talking politely.


    "Oh, um, how do I explain...''Yantaputraka'' is a puppet, a magic doll. They look like humans, but aren''t, they are common household objects in the Eternal Empire."


    Huh?


    A magic doll?


    Wait.


    Do they mean the mana automaton?


    But...they''re the Emperor''s personal attendants, they''re huge and don''t even look human. They''re simply ancient machines of destruction and carnage, they can''t talk.


    The hell is he talking about?


    "Why did you think that I am automaton?"


    "Automaton? You mean ''Yantaputraka''? Well,...um,....there are several reasons. Your hair...I have never seen a colour like that, and the...scar on your chest looks like a house crest." After a small pause and a quick glance at me from my head to my legs, he continues "And you give a feeling of ''Putraka''." He quickly adds "I mean you don''t feel alive-" the elder guard stops sharply, as if he crossed a line.


    "I''m deeply sorry if I offended you."


    The young receptionist injects "The only one to blame here is me." she finishes while bowing. Looking at me again, she says cautiously. "You looked so damag-...hurt, and spoke so poorly that I thought that you were just a broken ''Yantaputraka'' that..."


    The young receptionist continues the barrage of apologies, while I''m standing and trying to process everything.


    ...


    I look at the mug filled with a bluish liquid, which is a local alcoholic beverage, and think that maybe it would be better to just drink it and get wasted, as many people do. Some say that it helps to calm down.


    But I won''t.


    And so the thoughts continue violently swirling inside of my head.


    Once more I look at the crystal ball in my hand, which is actually an Adventurer''s Guild "card". As I was explained several times, everyone in the world uses them, and wherever I go, everyone will accept them. For the "inconvenience" they caused, they registered me as an adventurer and gave me a guild....ball, for free. They also answered many questions I had.


    It has already been two days, and the more answers I got, the more questions appeared.


    There was still a thought that this is simply some far away island near the South Twin continents, which didn''t interact with the rest of the world, but looking at the world map again and again, those thoughts crumbled.


    The areas on the map are simply too large, even by a modest estimation the continent I''m on is at least twice as large as both South Twin continents combined, but that isn''t all, except the four huge islands to the north, there''s another continent to the east which is nearly the same size.


    There is a tiny chance that I ended up in another world.


    I mean the world of the summoned exists, so maybe there are more of them.


    This isn''t the world of the summoned for sure, because there are no flying iron "planes", or high speed wagons on "rails". Most would laugh about the very idea of metal structures flying or moving at high speeds, but I won''t. I myself had designed something similar a long time ago. So much time has passed since, that it feels like it was a totally different life.


    A big green figure appears near my table, and puts another plate of what I could only call marinated octopus on it. I say thanks again, to what I assume is a female rhino-ogre, as she walks away. Races is another reason that points to being in a different world. When I started reviewing the features of people again, there were just too many differences. People are generally shorter, most of them have a skin colour closer to dark chocolate, and I have yet to see anyone with features similar to those from the Empire.


    And it''s not just differences, however many times I''ve tried to explain it, it looks like people have neither seen nor heard elves and dwarves. And from general explanations, most of the demi-humans live on the east continent, which is called the Brahmiam Kingdom. But there''s still something in me thinking or maybe hoping that I''m wrong. And one of the core reasons for it is the language. There''s no way different worlds could have such similar languages.


    My eyes look across the room at the staring people, and they instantly turn away, trying to make it look as if their eyes weren''t glued to me a few moments ago. After the incident with the retarded orc, the black lizard-man, who''s actually the guild master, did his best to sort things out with the local guards, so I wouldn''t be bothered about it.


    The whole experience was something new. I''m used to the fact that people randomly attack and accuse me, it commonly leads to situations where the perpetrators try to capture or kill me. But something very unusual happened, after the "attack", people started asking for forgiveness and gave me a "gift". I''m not complaining, but somehow, the whole thing feels....wrong and suspicious, or maybe I''m just not used to it. Staring at the "gift", a spherical crystal ball, I sit, lost in my thoughts.


    What do I do?


    If this is another world, what do I do?


    Find a way to return?


    Where do I even start the search?


    Suddenly, someone sits across from me, some kind of feline demi-human with features closer to human than animal. Only her black ears and tail tell me that the woman before me isn''t a human. Two other demi-humans are standing behind her glaring at me, their hands on the pommels of their weapons.


    Here goes the old story again. The cat-woman smiles toothily and gestures to her friends behind her, that they should calm down.


    "Hello there." she happily says.


    "Hi."


    "My name is Lekana." she continues.


    A cautious one.


    "Alan."


    "Alan?" she repeats, "Alan, hmm, I like it. It sounds strong and exotic." she continues, coquettishly blinking her eyelashes at me.


    No request or demand yet.


    "I heard that you are human. Is it true?"


    I never said that I''m a human.


    Oh.


    An information broker. I should be careful, any word said will be used against me.


    "Sorry for prying, it''s just that you don''t look like one. And that strength, when you...subdued...that orc with your bare hands was like nothing I have ever seen before. The only ones who can rival orcs in strength are the Amazons, so I thought that maybe you belong to some kind of rare species that I have never seen before."


    What?


    "It''s just that, the way you look, and behave is so...different, that I thought may-"


    "Anyway, what I wanted to ask, is if you are interested in joining us for the Amazon tournament."


    What is she talking about, the Ama-


    Wait.


    "Amazons. Where do they live?"I ask instantly.


    "What?"


    "Where do Amazons live?" I growl back. The demi-humans behind her put their hands back on their weapons.


    "On the Amazon island. Where else could they?" she replies, dumbfounded.


    I take out the map I bought from the shop and open it on the table.


    "Where?" I repeat.


    "No one knows. Somewhere west of the Endless Empire." she points at the western most region on the map.


    I flip the map around, as the Amazon''s island is to the east of Patu. Did I look at the map wrong the whole time? Was the south actually the north? After flipping the map around, I look at it from a very long minute, but it makes even less sense. Something in me screams to turn the map back and look at it the way I was before.


    Something is wrong here...


    Wait.


    What if nothing is wrong, and everything is right?


    What if I did come from the South Pole?


    What if the Amazon island is to the west of here, and to the east of Patu.


    Then a realization hits me. I start drawing areas on the map with charcoal that I took out of my pocket.


    Amazons to the west, Patu further on, and finally the main continent after that.


    I fold the map into a cylinder as my eyes open wide upon the realization.


    This is the other side of the planet.


    This is the region behind the Ancient Ocean, the place no one passed through, and no one returned from. That means that I''m in the region to the west of the main continent, the region humans originally came from. The Primordial continent which was believed to have been destroyed in the aftermath of the World War.


    It was alive this whole time.


    And the Amazons knew about that.


    Did someone else know too?


    The Emperor?


    Senate?


    Or maybe even Ghalor?


    That isn''t important.


    The Amazons, those fucking cannibals. If people know about them, that means that they travel here somehow.


    Using them, I can return.


    But in this state I won''t be able to do much.


    Doesn''t matter, I will solve it, heal the limb.


    There is a path.


    It exists.


    The path is open and the night is close.

 Chapter 24 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    In the reflection of the river, I see someone that I can hardly recognise. There''s no longer a big red and black scar on the face in the reflection, but the person in the reflection is someone much older, with countless wrinkles throughout his whole face. Maybe the thick stubble and head full of grey hair makes it worse.


    Finishing drinking the crystal water flowing down the river, I stand up and start walking back to the caravan, and my party. I ended up joining the cat-woman''s party, the one who sat at my table more than two weeks ago. The party consists of Lekana, the cat-woman with black hair and fur, Tagaro and Nagoro, the twin dog demi-humans with dark brown fur, and lastly me. The decision was based on the fact that it was better to stick to someone who has more information than I do, at least for now.


    Since then, I''ve learned quite a bit.


    The reason for the through check of every ship that arrives in the current kingdom, is an epidemic of "possessed". As far as the cases were described to me, and what the "possessed" did to me, it looked very similar to what happens when you swallow a demon pill. But there are a few major differences.


    First, all of the "possessed" turn randomly, some during their sleep, killing their loved ones lying with them in the same bed. Some during walks, and some during meals. The core problem is that no one knows what the reason is, or how to stop it. The epidemic affects everyone, old and young, men and women, all races and species. The only trace people were able to find was that before the event, the victim''s mana purity starts rising rapidly.


    Second, and the most alarming one, the "possessed" fall into an enraged state and start firing magic spells as if they were skilled Mages with decades of experience. I was thinking it was some kind of advanced form of devil pills, which is simply mixed with water and randomly triggers, it would fully explain all of the symptoms and behaviours, but there''s something that destroyed that theory. The magic and spells the "possessed" start using belong to every group of elemental and arcane pillars.


    That makes no sense.


    Rage pills are one thing, with the destructive flow of the internal mana they generate, it sends the user into a type of berserk mode, but a watered down version. They''re not that hard to make, as a skilled pharmacist can easily create a simplified one out of the wide range of dangerous, but widely available chemicals.


    Demon pills on the other hand, work a bit differently, as they''re simply a concentrated amount of dark mana, which on contact with the internal mana of any living being corrupt and bend their will, opening their gates to dark forces. Turning them into a dark spirit''s puppet, commonly referred to as a "demon".


    Funny thing is, I don''t think that those demons and the common spirits are too different from each other.


    Demon pills are a bit harder to make, but still rather easy for those with power. All you need is innocent lives, suffering, and a lot of blood. The nobles in Dead Desert were doing just that. Images of a huge bath full to the brim with the blood of children, with several tiny skulls floating in it. Their screaming and begging for help fills my mind, I try to breathe deeper, to stay in control.


    Not yet.


    Not yet.


    I''ve seen a lot in my life, things that common men would laugh about, creatures that old people tell children stories about in the hopes of keeping them safe. I''ve seen the mindless violence of common men, arrogance that knows no bounds, selfishness that borders on absolute regard of anything but their own personal gain, darkness of the soul that shouldn''t be possible, madness of-


    I have seen some things....


    But I have never seen or heard about Fire or Water element pills on the level of Devil pills. I mean yes, there are similar things, elixirs that improve the attunement with specific elements or pillars, but they''re not the same thing. They could never corrupt, turning the Mage into an empty husk of carnage and destruction, or at least I haven''t seen it yet.


    The way people "awaken" also bothers me, I can understand if Devil pills were crushed and mixed with water, food, or air, causing mass hysteria, like in the Age of the Corrupted, but the issue of the spells...


    Doesn''t matter, not my problem, I shouldn''t think too much about it.


    And onto the subject of important business, as I''ve recently learned, there will be some kind of an organized "Tournament" by the Endless Empire, which is actually the four large islands north of this continent. I''ve seen them on the map several times, but didn''t think too much about them, just another region, nothing more. But my new party explained to me that it''s the most advanced and powerful kingdom that exists, and all the countries on the continents are very loyal to them. Essentially, if you digest and rephrase what my party said, every single leader in every country in the "world" are just vassals that are appointed, or controlled by the Endless Empire.


    Anyway, returning to the subject, as far as I understood it, the "Tournament" is organized in order to find the most promising candidates. There are prizes and titles for the winners, but that isn''t important, what is important is that after the tournament, many are approached with a proposition. Those propositions may come from different kingdoms, nobles, even royalty, and they range from job offers to marriage proposals.


    For the past several years the Amazons have co-hosted the event, with their own "criteria" and prizes. The past year''s gift was so lavish that they even exceeded anything the Endless Empire offered, and some even started calling it the "Amazon Tournament", to the great dissatisfaction of the Empire. If those Amazons are truly the Amazons I know, and they''ll actually be present during the tournament, this means that they were somehow able to cross the Endless Ocean and get here.


    There''s a big part of me that doesn''t believe that it''s a coincidence that the Empire and the Ocean have "Endless" in their names. Oh, and the people here also call the ocean the "Endless Ocean", but for a different reason. The ocean "belongs" to the Empire, and anyone who desires to travel through it has to receive a permit given by a high ranking official from the Endless Empire.


    What''s the chance that people on different continents decided to call the same ocean with the same name?


    Was it decided before the hemispheres lost each other, and they simply kept the name?


    Or maybe there''s more to it...


    Anyways.


    There''s an option of simply taking a ship and following them, but if it was so simple, the location of the Amazon island would be publicly known a long time ago. Therefore, the only other way I can currently see, is to somehow hide inside of their ship, which by definition should be able to cross the Ancient Ocean. With my body, which doesn''t produce ambient mana, this shouldn''t be an issue. I have several ideas on where and how to begin the infiltration, but before I attempt to test or look into any of it, I need to verify the identity of those Amazons. I''m about ninety-nine percent sure that my theory, about where I''m, is right, as it would explain a lot of stuff, like languages, races, and more.


    If on that altar, on the South Pole, where I somehow ended up, I would''ve traveled in the opposite direction, would I already have been on the South Twin continents?


    [If the idea with the Amazons does not work out, we can always try to return back by crossing through the South Pole.]


    This option is closer, maybe harder, but closer.


    [Of course.]


    [And it is not in any way connected to the fact that the Amazons have a significant debt that they are due.]


    [I mean, what are the chances that even in this situation, that we somehow ended up in, we would take a great risk to pay back a group, to whom we have held a grudge for many years.]


    [What a coincidence that would be, right?]


    When I finally return to the caravan, the official guards, sent with the caravan by the kingdom''s orders, glare at me hatefully, but the moment I turn my eyes in their direction. When I turn to meet their gazes, they turn away.


    About a week ago, the caravan guides made a mistake, and we ended up going through very rocky terrain where water was scarce. The kingdom''s guards shared a little of their supplies with everyone, as by their words,


    "It is natural for the kingdom to take care of their citizens."


    But when they got to me they outright refused, claiming that the foreign abomination of a cripple is worthless to the caravan and to the kingdom, and the water would simply be wasted on me. Spending several days without water wasn''t an issue, I''ve been in much worse scenarios.


    In the past, all of the interaction I had with people was as a Blood Brother, and I got used to the hate, fear, and scorn, as it became a normal part of my life. But this is the first time I was called "abomination" by fellow humans not because of the group I belong to. Hate between species is a common thing, it''s hard to find a place in the world where such a thing doesn''t happen, or wasn''t in a very tense state.


    Is it because I''m a bit taller?


    Or maybe it''s because of my skin and hair colour?


    The feeling is kind of strange, this bias against me, but it''s not because I belong to the Blood Brotherhood.


    Should I be happy about this?


    When the caravan found this river a few days ago, it was quickly decided that we would camp here. But just as we finished setting up tents and started preparing food, a large drake attacked out of nowhere. The drake took the lives of several guards and injured many more. It continued nearly unhindered as no one could stop it, even the advanced spells from the powerful Mages simply bounced off the creatures thick scales. The kingdom''s guards men''s leader ordered a retreat, only for the command to be canceled a few minutes later, as the drake was lying dead, my sword plunged through its eye socket.


    As the one who killed the monster I had full rights to the body, and what to do with it. In the end, I decided to sell the salvageable parts to anyone willing to pay, and by the results it looks like there are many parts of the drake which cost a small fortune. There was even a small fuss about who will get the claws, and out of spite for these greedy creatures, I organized a small auction where they feverishly battled each other for every single claw. Needless to say, I gathered a small fortune. I shared all of the meat that was left with everyone in the caravan, as there was no way for me to eat the whole thing, the people quickly organized a huge barbecue.


    Well, everyone except the guards.


    The leader of the kingdom''s guards was in a hard situation, but maybe because of pride, maybe because of other reasons, he never tried to smooth the situation over. The caravan leader, a fat man in his early fifties, pleaded with me to share some of the meat with the kingdom''s guards, as by his words,


    "It would greatly increase the chances of the caravan making it to the destination safely."


    He also threw a few words of camaraderie and friendship, but a week ago, even after I was denied the water, he didn''t try to "help" the cripple. Even more so, his henchmen approached my party members several times, encouraging them to not share their supply of "precious water", as it could "greatly displease" the guard leader.


    These sleazy guys are the same wherever you go. The concept of "camaraderie" and "friendship" is foreign to them. He didn''t even care about the people or the guards whatsoever, he was simply attempting to get on the good side of the guardsman''s leader. As in the future he could use this debt as leverage for something else. My only answer was nearly the exact same as the words said a few days ago.


    "They are worthless to the caravan and to the kingdom, and meat will simply be wasted on them."


    And with that statement, the guard leader''s face turned a deep purple, an expression filled with hate was on his face, but he didn''t dare to do anything.


    After the "fight" with the oversized lizard, not only the guards and caravan travellers, but even my party became cautious of me. The two idiots, Tagaro and Tagoro, who are constantly attached to Lekana, stopped glaring at me and started flinching every time I came close to them. That change was expected, as the same thing happened many times before, in different regions and tribes. But strangely, there''s a new....exception, and I''m not sure I like that.


    "...and so since that mistake I am very careful with the spices I use to cook the fish with." finishes Lekana, another monologue of the best ways to cook her favourite meals. I breathe out deeply, only to regret it instantly, as Lekana turns back to me.


    "What about you? Does your homeland have any famous special recipes? Where were you actually born? Was it a city of a village? Is it sunny there?"


    This is one of the rare cases that I sorely misjudged the character of the person, as someone like her, who spends half of the day with an open mouth, could never be an information broker.


    I don''t answer, as she continues to look at me and await my answer with a very curious and enthusiastic expression, while the drake meat is slowly being cooked on the fire. I don''t know what to do here, should I continue ignoring her, or strictly say no? Is there even a good option here?


    "I mean, you look really interesting, with your size and strength, so your tribe or kingdom should have very unique and amazing food. You must have been a great warrior there too! After you easily ripped out the arm of that orc in the guild, I knew that you were very strong. But after seeing you kill that huge drake so easily, I now know for sure, that you are from a very strong tribe."


    After a short pause she continues with wide open eyes.


    "Oh wait! Is it possible that you have run away from your homeland and do not want to talk about it at all?"


    What?


    "If so, I am very sorry that I have been pestering you for so long about something you do not want to remember about. But rest assured I will help you find a new homeland, and after that you will share your homeland''s cuisine with me!"


    I slowly look at the twins, expecting them to interfere and do something, but they simply look away, as if they have nothing to do with the situation. Lekana not noticing any of that, continues talking with an even more enthusiastic voice.


    "Maybe if I listed the local cuisine of every place I know,it would be easier to find the place you would like to live in the future!So in the south-east there is this strange kingdom of Mach, which belongs to the Nurak coalition,they have a famous traditional soup made out of rotten fish!Can you believe it?I though-"


    Right now, I''m debating whether I should go and sit together with the guardsmen and share my food with them.


    In the best case scenario, I will finally be able to sit in silence, awkward, tense silence, but still silence. In the worst case, this chatterbox will make sure that not only I will have a headache. And in the case of the guardsmen themselves, they''ll either die out of shame, because a cripple took pity on them, or suffer this "thing" together with me.


    Sounds like a good plan...


    ...


    "They didn''t pay extra even after you shared that huge amount of drake meat with the guards! What misers!" Lekana huffs with disgust.


    "They even sat and glared at you with their red eyes as if you were the bad guy there. What the hell was their problem? Did they not get enough sleep?" She huffs again and continues without missing a beat.


    "The barbecued drake was a bit too chewy for my taste, but still tasty nonetheless. The soup you made later though was divine. If we ever find another big drake it would be great if you could make that soup again."


    I look at the twins and they respond the same way they have before, turning away and feinting as if they don''t notice the situation. The most ridiculous part of it is that Lekana isn''t always like that, only when the subject gets to food. And somehow it''s nearly always on that. The only periods where she isn''t talking is when we''re fighting or sleeping, and even that isn''t fully true, as late in the night she sometimes mumbles some kind of recipes, albeit being deeply asleep.


    The only redeemable qualities I found in her was that she isn''t hopeless with her sword, not a sword-master,but still very skilled. And while she chatters away about another recipe from some foreign kingdom, she may drop a few pieces of important information about the region.


    I look at the crystal ball again, which is actually the guild card, now it has changed its colour from pale yellow to green. As I learned, there should''ve been a colour between them, orange, but because I killed a drake I was quickly promoted to third level adventurer. What class it corresponds to in the "new land" guilds I don''t know. At some point I started calling this region the "old land", and the other side of the planet, where I''m originally from, the "new land". It''s kind of wrong from one perspective, as this land is "new" to me, but this is the "old" land, where humanity came from.


    Right?


    So much of what I know can no longer be believed, there is nothing I can be be of anymore.


    Opening the map, I start looking through it again, and planning the path north, but there''s so much I don''t know, so many unknowns, that the plan could change at any moment, but for now I should stick to the original one. The tournament will be held on the western island of the Endless Empire, and there are a limited number of ways to get there as far as I understood. There were many cities, borders, and regions that Lekana spoke of, but I simply don''t care, their past, their present, their future isn''t important to me.


    [Everything was and will be but a pebble on the road, nothing more. Do not forget that.]


    The healing is progressing, but much slower than before, though there is a specific reason for that. As an additional task, I started experimenting with healing my toes while walking, and not focusing on it directly. In the future, I won''t have the luxury of asking anyone for a few hours of rest so I can heal. With the Brotherhood there was always either a healer or potions, and you were never truly alone, so there would always be a few moments to catch your breath. That''s no longer true, as they''re all dead.


    I am alone, and no one will come.


    There will be no help.


    The face of a young guard which was part of the last caravan flashes across my mind. His eyes when he found me cutting my toes, and the horror that was plastered across his face throughout the whole journey. It was the first time someone found me experimenting, and I expected a reaction, but not as extreme. I''m pretty sure that it''s not common to find someone behind a huge rock, sitting alone and cutting his toes, but his eyes told me a totally different story. I''ve been more careful since, there''s no need to attract attention right now.


    Nonetheless, there''s some pretty good news, as I can already feel the difference. Not only in general healing speed, but in the strength of my muscles and bones. The speed and agility also increased, and the way I killed the drake is good proof of that. The fact that I did it with only one arm is a very good sign, with two I could do even more.


    [Why did you stop? Please continue.]


    [We have killed the greatest beast that has inhabited this land. It was a full fifteen meters long!]


    [Fifteen! That size is something out of ancient legends!]


    [And its jaws had nearly half a meter long fangs! Those jaws could swallow a pony in one bite!]


    [We are truly the mightiest of warriors that ever existed! People will surely write ballads of that battle, and soon after, they will become legends that will go down in the history of the whole world!]


    [Kings would gather around to hear the story and to give you a handshake! Children would jump out of the crowd just to see our face! Women would stand in line just for the opportunity to suck your cock!]


    [The beast was so fierce that there would be separate legends about it! Did you see its bone-thin limbs? It surely was at full strength! Just remembering as it ran around with the speed of the fastest duck and dragged its limp leg around gives me goosebumps!]


    [Please tell me more about the epic battle, as I passed out half-way through because of the sheer awesomeness of the whole thing.]


    [What''s wrong? Please, continue.]


    [Worm.]


    [Don''t forget why we are here.]


    I won''t.


    ...


    Another caravan, another road. This time it''s through an endless forest. The group is much smaller this time, less than a few dozen people, with no kingdom guardsmen in sight. One of the reasons for that may be because we''re crossing the border into another country, and the task of guardsmen generally doesn''t include the protection of its citizens on the borders. See a foreign army, report to their higher-ups. Which results in a haven for bandits and fugitives all around the world. Those that decide to cross the borders are generally more careful, as they know exactly what to expect.


    As if to prove the point, a huge animal leaped at us from the tree top, landing on Nagoro''s back, toppling him over. His twin brother, Tagaro, instantly reacted and screamed at the creature, which leaped away to a tree about fifty centimeters in diameter when it saw the brandished sword. After the creature''s landing, it screeches at us, showing its rows of razor sharp teeth in its over sized head, which looks like a two meter long mix of a bear and a squirrel. A moment later my sword separated it horizontally, cutting deep into the tree it was on, sending a rain of blood and wooden chips flying around.


    Slowly the tree creaks and finally falls down with a loud sound, announcing to everyone in the forest that something happened here. Looking around one more time to check for enemies, I turn around and find someone staring at me with huge eyes and open mouths. A second later a person exploded in rage.


    "WHY DID YOU KILL THE MEPAK?!!"


    Another voice continued,


    "It was just playing!!"


    "What if the forest spirits attack us for that?"


    After several minutes of cursing, I was explained to that the creature, a "Mepak", with razor sharp teeth, was a herbivore and very playful. It''s a sort of guardian of the forest, that they often play with adventurers and don''t mean any harm, and the most they could do is steal a piece of equipment or food.


    Herbivore? With teeth like that?


    After a brief talk, the group decided to hastily leave the area so that the "forest spirits" wouldn''t find us and punish everyone for what I did.


    As soon as we started walking, people quickly calmed down, and in near utter silence we continued to travel through the forest. The silence was quickly broken be Lekana, who started asking me how I''ve never seen a mepak, and didn''t my homeland have them. The fact that people became so scared and agitated, made me tense up.


    Are the mepak something like the roots of Livae or the eyes of Nhlar?


    If the oversized rodent is an "eye" to something like Nhlar, then I should expect an ancient local creature to awaken and start hunting me. Maybe I should prepare for the night. Thankfully those bear-squirrels aren''t connected to Livae, that''s not likely at all, because if they would be, we would all be dead the moment I tried to attack it.


    Fucking Livae, I still remember how after one of my brothers shot down a small bird with an arrow, the whole forest came alive and merged into a single enormous treant, which could easily tower over mountains. Thankfully we had several powerful fire Wizards with us.


    Fucking Livae.


    Anyways, after several more questions I calmed down, as all the information, fear, and "forest spirits" stuff is based on local religious beliefs. My direct question on "What do forest spirits look like" was answered with "No one knows for sure, not many have seen them". By habit I started analyzing what little was known about the creature, going through the usual questions like,


    "How can I find it?"


    "What can I use to bait it out?"


    "What can its weaknesses be?"


    and many, many more. But I stop the thought process. I''m not a Blood Brother anymore, and I''m not here to hunt it down. There isn''t even a reason to hunt it.


    Habits that have been burned into you for years by life and death experiences are hard to remove, and there''s no one to blame. The forest was always my battle ground, and because of that, whenever I enter one I instantly flip into this state, even after so many years. Cults and corrupted creatures like to hide in forests and rural areas, close enough to civilization to hunt their prey, but far enough to be able to hide from patrols and serious hunters.


    If I encounter a local cult....


    Their existence will help me reach my goals, they''ll create chaos and panic. Making my targets vulnerable, unfocused, and easy to hunt down.


    "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."


    Ha.


    [We can use them.]


    [Do not dismiss the idea.]


    [Yes, they are evil, and they should be killed. But there is more to the world than black and white.]


    [COME TO YOUR SENSES! WE CAN KILL THEM LATER.]


    [There is no reason to make the whole world your enemy right now!]


    [COME TO YOUR SENSES!!]


    No.


    They must be erased from the face of the Earth.


    ...


    Everyone is sitting in a half-circle around the camp fire, trying to keep themselves warm while the freezing cold wind blows through the dark forest. Even the area that we''re currently in, which is surrounded by huge stones, doesn''t protect us from the wind. A few are sitting bundled together around the fire, a few are in the corners under several cloaks, trying to keep themselves warm.


    "Why are you not cold at all?!" Lekana squeezes through her chattering teeth.


    "There are barely any clothes on you, and you sit there calm as if it is a summer day!" She squints her eyes for a very long minute after which she moves closer and stretches her fingers to my neck. The moment her cold fingers touched my skin her eye shot wide open.


    "By the spirits, you are so warm! It is as if you are burning with fire!"


    She quickly put both of her hands on my neck and closes her eyes in content. I slowly turn my at her in confusion, but in the next instant she jumps into my lap and nuzzles into my chest, covering herself with the cloak I''m currently wearing.


    In shock I turn to the twins, which look back at me with nearly the same shocked expression. Our eyes meet for a few long seconds, but a moment later my eye twitches as the twins react the same way they have before, simply turning their gaze away, as if telling me that it isn''t their problem. The fuck? She''s your problem, not mine.


    Turning my head down, I look at Lekana''s face which is stuck in a state of pure bliss with her eyes closed tight. What the hell is wrong with this woman? Is she really that cold? Or maybe this behaviour is common in this area? But it isn''t likely, as nearly everyone in the whole group is looking at us with a very strange gaze. Less than a minute later Lekana falls down on the ground and curses loudly.


    "HEY! If you didn''t like it you could have just said it!"


    But I''m not looking at her as my sword is already in my hand, and my eyes focused on an area away from the camp.


    "Show yourself." I growl at the darkness.


    A few seconds later a small group of about a half-dozen people appeared from out of the said darkness.


    "We are very sorry. We saw the campfire and thought that....maybe we could take cover from the cold..."


    After a brief discussion it was decided to let them stay, as it isn''t an "adventurers" spirit to send people away when they''re in need.


    The new group started telling their story, about how they''re from Mach, which is in the south-eastern region as far as I remember. They also told us that they''re travelling north to better land in the Nurak Coalition, which is, as I recently learned, a set of over a dozen smaller kingdoms which banded together. The new group didn''t look as strange as Lekana was telling before, so a question came out involuntarily.


    "Do you really eat rotten fish?"


    The people from the new group started smiling and laughing.


    "Not really. We have this one region which has a special local dish with fermented fish, but not many eat it, but it somehow became a famous form of entertainment for foreigners to see if they can eat it and not puke. The rumours grew so much that nowadays we don''t even try to prove them wrong."


    "We don''t actually like fish that much." another adds.


    Lekana looked at me with huge eyes and mumbled quietly.


    "You listened..."


    She quietly moved closer, sitting near me with and sheepishly smiled. I looked at the twins again, but their eyes were fixed on Lekana with tender smiles on their faces. There must be something in their past to explain her behaviour and weird actions, but I don''t want to think or look into it. Because there are other things, far more important things to do and think about. I continue staring at the campfire and cycling the mana around the body, experimenting and trying to make all the bones and muscles in my body denser and stronger.


    The campfire dances under the wind, and somehow my mind starts seeing faces of uncountable number of people who''s lives I have ended. It would''ve been much easier if the faces belonged to the countless scum I''ve killed, but sadly the faces don''t belong to them. My mind doesn''t remember the faces of all the dark creatures I''ve killed, all the evil, all the corrupted, they all merge into a blank white mask of corruption which never truly takes a specific form. But the faces continue to appear, as I slowly remember one by one the innocent lives I''ve taken, the people I couldn''t save, those that disappeared into nothingness.


    I do not dare to look.


    I have no right to do that.


    Never had the right.


    Never will.


    ...


    Mikraz is an ancient city whatever way you look at it. What looks like ancient ruins are littered throughout the whole walk to the city gates. The number of crumbled pillars increases the closer to the gates we are, notifying everyone how big and majestic the city was, and what history these stones could tell. As I continue to walk, I counted at least three layers of wall that crumbled.


    Just how big was the city before?


    The group that merged with ours during that cold night is still with us, they became friends with everyone quite fast, maybe because they joked a lot, maybe because they cooked several tasty meals and shared them with everyone.


    When we arrived at the city''s gate, the queue of people who wanted to enter stretched for at least a hundred meters. The day passed very slowly, and the noon sun continued to shine brightly upon us as the queue slowly advanced, centimeter by centimeter. Several hours later it was finally our turn, but the moment I saw an old man with bright white eyes looking at one person after another, the hair on my back stood up.


    Seer.


    Not good, I always had problems with them.


    Looking around I start thinking of any possible options if things go bad. The guards aren''t attentive, only one is standing near the seer, everyone else is either playing a card game or talking between themselves. I can always simply skip this city, even if the travel to that island would become harder and more dangerous, it would still be possible.


    The eyes of the old seer continued scanning one person after another in our group, his hoarse voice dismissively announcing they''re okay. But when his eyes stopped on me, the old man froze like a block of ice. A very long minute passed as the seer stared at me with his huge unblinking eyes, in which for a second I thought I saw pure horror. It took a lot of concentration not to look away or simply rush through into the city. But when the guards around reacted and put their hands on the pommels of their swords, I was already prepared to end them, only to be stopped by the old man''s voice.


    "E-everything is okay! He just....reminded me of someone I knew, nothing more."


    The guards relaxed, most of the returned to their previous tasks, a few glared at me and the seer, but in general the whole thing de-escalated as fast as it started. And somehow the procession resumed, but as I was passing the old seer I heard something like a faint whisper.


    "...beg you spare us...."


    I turned to look at who said that, but found no one, and the closest person to me, the seer, was already looking at the next person, with the same neutral expression. I looked at him for another long second, but couldn''t confirm that it was the seer.


    Hearing things...


    Am I losing my mind now?


    [You just found out?]


    As I walk into the city, I find a huge bursting mass of people running around throughout the whole street. Merchants are shouting something about their products, trying to make sure that everyone in the noisy crowd hears them. It takes some effort to break through the crowd, but with my height it''s not hard, as I stand nearly a head taller than everyone else. The whole group continues after me, as if I''m a huge ship breaking through ice, making a path for the smaller ones. I but a small piece of meat and ask the seller for the path to the guild hall. The old man who sold me the meat skewer looked at the coins for several seconds, flipping it from one side to another, and after biting it to check that it''s real, dismissively points in a specific direction and apathetically says "center".


    It took some time to break through the crowd and arrive at the guild building, and after a brief report, my party received a gold coin, with some kind of face print on it, each for escorting the group. Trying not to waste even a single day, I asked about the soonest caravan going north. After a brief look into the catalog, the young receptionist told me that a big caravan is actually planned, but it''s going to depart in several days and we need to apply beforehand, as there are many adventurers planning to join, but a very small number of guard slots are available. It didn''t take long to apply for the quest and receive the instructions to meet the leader of the caravan on the specified date in front of the northern gates.


    Exiting the guild, we started looking for an inn to stay in, and by the recommendation of the receptionist, together with my party I arrived at the "Dancing Bear", which is quite close to the northern gates. The owner of the inn, which could easily be mistaken for an actual bear, quickly booked us and gave us keys to our rooms. After looking at the rooms, we went down to the first floor and ordered today''s special. The "special" is nothing special, soup with a lot of vegetables and a small piece of meat with the bone, bread, and an alcoholic drink. While we were eating, Lekana continued to steal glances at me, which brought a small smile to the twin''s faces.


    [Are we going to continue to play the idiot?]


    [Aren''t you going to say anything?]


    [Maybe it could-]


    Enough.


    Get real. We both know that IT will never happen.


    Do you really think that there''s someone who would genuinely want to be with us?


    Do you really think that there''s someone who would enjoy our company?


    Do you really think that there''s someone who would voluntarily spend their time with us?


    Why are you quiet?


    Answer me. Do you truly believe that?


    Get real.


    You were telling me the same thing some time ago, and now the roles somehow reversed.


    Ironic, isn''t it?


    It will always be the same, nothing changes.


    They''ll all show their colours sooner or later, and by the amount of they they already wasted, quite soon they''ll either openly make a request, or drag us into something.


    Do not forget what we are. And what we will never be.


    Do not dream of something that will never happen.


    [Deep down, we both would want you to be wrong.]


    ...


    While Lekana and the twins spent all their free time looking around, trying local dishes, I was very busy and it looks like I''m at the very last item on my list of tasks.


    "Wow. You know, I am the biggest information broker in the city, but I think your expectations of me are a bit overestimated."


    "Is is a problem of money?"


    "Sadly, no. But I will say this, if you somehow find a way, or learn of a piece of information about a way to reach the Amazon island, I will pay a hefty sum for that myself."I sigh and throw a gold coin on the table.


    "And what would that payment be for, dear customer?" the bone-thin man in his late forties says.


    "You know yourself." I say, glaring at him.


    "Oh." he replies with a huge grin. "It is always a pleasure to deal with an experienced customer."


    I stand up, but continue looking at him in silence.


    "No one came to me today, and no one asked any questions."


    I nod and walk outside of the room, instantly a guard starts following me, who guides me to an exit to the back alleys in the middle of nowhere. The door closes quietly behind me.


    I sigh deeply and curse at the useless attempt. I thought that maybe in a bigger city, someone would know something, but I learned nothing, and the money was simply wasted. There was a part of me saying that it will be a waste of money to buy his silence, but nonetheless I shouldn''t leave a trail behind. That always results in a great regret in the future.


    Regret huh.


    I start walking back to the inn, briefly glancing at the people around and what they do. Their culture is unexpectedly similar to the one in the Blood Empire. No, it''s called the Sun Empire now, and I shouldn''t forget that.


    Anyway, even though there should''ve been no contact between the two sides, everything looks so similar that you could''ve mistaken it for the same thing. But of course, there are several things that are a sure giveaway that this is another region. There are no dwarves, or elves, and the humans have a bit different features, but one way or another they''re all the same.


    Same brothels.


    Same bar fights.


    Same people.


    For the past few minutes I''ve seen three pickpockets stealing from naive onlookers, several small scuffles between what I assume are adventurers, and hundreds upon hundreds of fake smiles from merchants which are trying to swindle youngsters and old people anyway they can.


    There should''ve been several thousand years of no interaction, but this side of life is the same on both sides. Is it that way because this is our core, and it naturally appears? Or is it simply what society eventually grows into? I feel a presence behind me and slowly turn around, only to be face-to-face with Lekana, who has a hand extended as if about to tap me on my back.


    "Oh. You felt me in this crowd?" she says in astonishment, but her words are barely heard over the noise of the crowd.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. My eyes trail behind her, and I find the twins in the same location as they always are, behind her like a shadow. They nod their heads in greeting, and I nod my head in reply.


    "Did you finish your stuff? Will you join us on the way back to the inn?"


    I silently nod again, to which she reacts by smiling even wider.


    As we walk, she continues to talk about something, but more than half of what she says is lost under the thundering noise of the moving crowd. We continue walking, and we soon exit the market area and the crowd gets quieter. Lekana continues talking, and I finally understand the subject she has been chattering about for the past ten minutes. Sea food, clams, octopuses, and more.


    There should be a limit to gluttony...


    We finally arrive at the inn and order lunch, which quickly arrives at our table. Lekana starts devouring the dish like she was starving, the twins on the other hand eat slowly, as if savouring every bite. In contrast to them, and everyone around, my jaws move monotonously, as if I don''t even try to taste the dish, because all of my thoughts are still stuck on the way to find any more information before reaching the island.


    The unprepared die first.


    It simply cannot be that no one knows of a way to reach the damn island, but with the last probe, I confirmed that if anyone has that information, it may only be the top brass. And if that''s true, it seems that they don''t want to share it. And that means that I''ll either have to force the answer out of someone high-ranking, or continue with the plan of hitchhiking my way back.


    There must be other ways.


    [And there is, through the South Pole, back the way we came.]


    Several loud screams explode somewhere outside, far away, and slowly the whole inn grows quiet. Some start whispering between themselves, others are looking in the direction of the screams. The screams grow more and more, and soon people start standing up and walking outside to see what is going on. Another bar fight? People will always find a reason to fight, and if they can''t find it they''ll create one.


    Looking over the heads of the inn''s crowd I see groups of people trampling over a standing group, like they''re running from something in horror. The two groups merge into some kind of blend of flesh and mindless violence. Several seconds later a much bigger crowd starts pouring out of the street, which leads to the city center, trampling over the crowd which was trying to run away. Everyone is looking at the whole thing with wide eyes, not understanding what is happening.


    "POSSESSED!!!" someone screams out of the running crowd.


    Nearly instantly people start running around, gathering their stuff, drawing their weapons, as if preparing for war, but I just stand apathetically. What the hell is wrong with them? Are the "possessed" really that dangerous? A few loose magicians shouldn''t be an issue.


    Less than a minute later a crowd several times bigger, behaving like hungry animals crashes into everyone. They start ripping people apart, turning them into a shower of blood and gore as everyone around me screams in horror at the sight.


    But I continue to stand looking at the scene, petrified, as the scene before me distorts, showing me the same picture of the same scene. But with all the buildings destroyed, coloured red with blood and body parts of men, women, and children. In the next instant it distorts back to the scene before me. The distortion happens several more times, flipping back and forth, until it finally stops with the image from my past. The period of time that I deemed the darkest in my life, the period when I had to personally give orders to give the city to the blood, one after another, the time when I truly earned my accursed title.


    "Possessed" meant...


    My body stats trembling as I remember my hands killing one human after another, one child after another, as their eyes stare back at me accusingly. My eyes notice a single figure standing behind the feral group, laughing as people are ripped apart. The figure''s head turns in my direction, and his face comes into full view, a pale, white face with bright red and yellow veins patterning the skin.


    An inhuman roar explodes somewhere near me, but I don''t understand where exactly, and my body starts moving with colossal speed. In less than a dozen heartbeats later I appear before the figure as it looks at me in astonishment. The creature wanted to scream something, but it doesn''t get the chance as his body is vertically split in half by my sword.


    "B192 secure the position! D52 look for the next target! B115 help B192! A399 cover me!"


    I scream as I sit on my knee and start examining the body of the creature, looking for proof that I''m wrong, that it''s not what I think it is. My eyes scan the internal organs of the body again and again, looking more into the guts and stomach of the body for a pill, or at least something that looks like it, but there is nothing. With mechanical movements I stand and say with a cold voice.


    "Corrupted Shepherd found. Give the city to blood." I announce the result of the analysis and the same order as I have done more than a dozen times before.


    Before I know it, several dozen feral creatures try to bury me under their mass, and only through pure strength I throw them off and start cutting the corrupted down one after another.


    "D52 status!"


    As I rip apart several more ferals, I repeat my order.


    "D52 I SAID STATUS!!"


    A huge crowd of ferals jump on me and bury me under their pure mass once again. My chest is slowly being crushed under the sheer weight of the bodies on top of me, but I persevere, and the mana starts boiling in my veins. Strength slowly fills my body as I slither through the bodies, finally getting out of the mass grave. Not wasting even a second, I command mana to start flowing into the hand holding the sword, and in response it moves with colossal speed and strength, ripping more and more ferals apart as they try to surround me. I don''t know how much time passes, but I finally stand on the mountain of dead ferals and their body parts.


    "A399, I SAID FUCKING COVER ME! D52 ARE YOU DEAF?! WHERE IS THE DAMN STATUS?!!"


    I turn around and find the area empty except for the hundreds upon hundred of dead bodies, and a small crowd standing far away with their weapons drawn, staring at me, petrified. I continue looking around for my brothers, until I stop like a stone statue. My memories start returning, like a cold knife slowly cutting through my chest, bringing clarity to my mind.


    They are not here.


    They were never here.


    They died a very long time ago.


    What was I even doing?


    What happened?


    More screams explode throughout the whole city as corrupted and feral fill the whole city, and everyone starts fighting for their life. Screams of horror slowly fill the whole city as people attempt to run away from the carnage and leave the city.


    But there is no "leaving" anymore.


    The flock always follows the shepherd.


    The city is lost.


    To blood.


    I notice as a person appears to the side of me, and moving my head slightly I recognise Lekana a few meters away from me, with the twins as always behind her, looking at me with horrified eyes at me.


    "W-we should leave the city!" she quickly stammers.


    With her trembling hands, she reaches and takes mine. Gripping my hand harder, she tries to pull it. But I stand solid, not moving even an inch. Her scared eyes look into mine, searching for a reason, but I continue staring at her, thinking deeply about what I''m about to do.


    "W-what''s wrong?" she whispers.


    A moment later she releases my hand and takes several steps away, as if sensing that something is very wrong.


    [She is tainted.]


    There are no symptoms yet, I can''t confirm it.


    [Hypocrite.]


    No.


    [Symptoms do not show in the beginning of emergence.]


    [One person more, one person less, they are all doomed one way or another. The chance that they know how to purge the corruption from the body and block the mental attack is minuscule.]


    I will not kill the non-corrupted.


    [Waiting once again huh?]


    [That is why our brothers are dead. But this time there will be no one to sacrifice their lives to save ours.]


    [Why stop there? Why not leave the city itself? Who knows, maybe it will magically survive this experience.]


    The corrupted are HIS minions, they must be erased from the face of the Earth.


    [Good, at least on something we can agree.]


    To [To] Blood [Blood]


    I grip the handle of the sword harder and start sending mana all around the body in a specific way that I was taught a long time before. The way to maintain the mind when the Shepherd is near. Looking at Lekana one last time, I start walking through the fleeing crowd of people and the mountains of dead bodies littered throughout all of the streets in the direction of the city centers.


    Strangely, I don''t encounter any ferals at all, as if they disappeared all together. But I know better, as Shepherds are never alone. And there hasn''t been a city that survived the emergence even once. This means the worst possible case for me, which is that they have gathered together and are planning to attack as a single body, and I''ll have to purge them all together, at once, alone.


    I finally arrive in the city center and look at the view that is standing before me. The square''s fountains water is all coloured deep red with blood, thousands upon thousands of feral corrupted fighting, what looks like a small group of about half-a-dozen people, whose auras are visible even to the naked eye. Behind the uncountable number of citizen, turned corrupted, are at least a hundred Shepherds, who are giving orders, launching catastrophic spells. Each of the spells is so powerful that every single one of them that hits a building, destroys and rips it apart like it was made of paper.


    Suddenly all of the Shepherds, like puppets on strings, simultaneously turn their heads in my direction. For a few long seconds they stare quietly at me, until they simultaneously pointed their fingers at me and screeched at me like enraged gargoyles. Nearly instantly all the ferals stop their attacks on the small group and turn in my direction. With a blood-chilling howl, the whole square explodes into action as thousands upon thousands of ferals, like enraged animals leap in my direction, running on all fours.


    Mana starts circulating with more strength than it ever has before, because this body is stronger and more durable. The closer the wave of mindless hate and destruction comes, the more intensely the mana flows. With each breath the temperature in my body starts rising, the blood pressures increases, vision tunnels, until a high-pitched whistling buries all of the sound in the world. With a voiceless roar I leap at the enemy mass, my arm blurs with speed, and I feel my very flesh as the sword cuts through the air until it meets flesh, sending body parts and organ across the walls of the buildings and the square''s stone floor.


    Less than a dozen seconds and a hundred bodies later, the sword in my hand starts breaking apart as bits and pieces of metal falls off it, until what''s left in my hand is a handle and less than a third of the blade. My instincts scream and I leap aside as the place I was a second ago explodes in blazing flames after being hit by several fire spells. Looking at the origin of the spells I find the Shepherds glaring hatefully at me.


    More blood.


    I throw away the useless thing and switch to the only thing I have left, my body. I start ripping apart the endless waves of flesh with my bare hands, stomping their bodies into a blood paste, evading each and every spell that I can, or throwing the closest feral body at the spell if I can''t. Even though I have only one hand right now, it doesn''t hinder me at all. In the past I''ve had fewer limbs than than now and still continued to fight.


    More destruction.


    More [More]


    MORE [MORE]


    MOPE!!! [MORE!!!]


    I stare back at the corrupted, whose numbers have dwindled by at least a third, between me, the fire spells, and the group with the huge aura still fighting them, even though the target of every corrupted was solely me. The corrupted were always fucked up in some rational way, or to put it even better, chaotically directed into senseless violence with the final goal of destruction of the target. But this is a totally different level. They "see" me, they "perceive" me, and they want me dead


    This isn''t a coincidence.


    Is it YOU?


    Are YOU there fucker?


    I am coming for YOU.


    The still moving corrupted is trying to break free, screaming, thrashing around, as her long hair is moving around. She continues to struggle and screech in absolute hatred, only for my jaws to clutch her neck stronger, until a audible crack resounds across the area, silencing the creature, as her body stops moving. Her neck slowly starts stretching under the weight of her head, until what''s left of the neck is no longer able to hold it, and the head rips away and falls down, rolling several times. The corrupted stare back at me as they bundle together, trying to construct a meat shield of protection around the Shepherd.


    What''s wrong?


    Why did you stop?


    Come, meet your end.


    A bone chilling screech descends upon the whole area, as I start hearing loud flaps of huge wings coming closer and closer. Looking in the direction where I believe the sounds is coming from, I curse as a wyvern with at least a hundred-meter wide wingspan quickly approaches the huge square.


    Elder wyvern.


    How the fuck did this shit get here?


    The wyvern does several circles around the square and lands on one of the tall towers with a crash, nearly destroying it as pieces of the stone tower fall to the ground. It''s huge eyes scan the area for several long seconds in nearly absolute silence, until the eyes stop on me and the huge lizard screeches once again, nearly rupturing my eardrums in the process. During the whole moment I didn''t move a bit, as my eyes were glued to the wyvern, or more precisely the body of the wyvern, and the yellow and red veins that patterned the huge body of the accursed thing.


    Corrupted elder wyvern.


    Is this YOUR answer?


    FUCK YOU.


    The wyvern''s lungs start rapidly inflating as its eyes shine brightly, and spurts of fire escape its massive jaws. I curse and start running away from the square as fast I can. A few moments later the group with the auras follow me, only for the endless wave of corrupted to jump on our heels like a packed of starved animals.


    I hear an enormous explosion and not wasting even a second, I leap into the closest alley, which is barely more than a meter-and-a-half wide. The moment I step inside I make a sharp one-eighty turn around and I see the group with the huge aura follow me a second later. They run past me, deeper into the alley while I continue to stare outside at the main road.


    A moment later an endless mass of corrupted ferals appeared, trying to follow us into the alley, only to be choked in this narrow path. As I hold down at least three stories of fearls, which are climbing over each other trying to reach me, only to be ripped apart or thrown away by me. The whole attempt to break through into the alley took less than a few seconds, but that was enough as a fiery hell consumed them in a blazing inferno. The corrupted continued to try and break through, and plenty of burning or melting creatures leaped out of the blazing inferno trying to reach me, only to fall down and crumble into small charred pieces.


    The blazing inferno continued to eat the building away as they walls slowly turned red and melted away. I took several steps back until my back hit one of the members of the group with the huge auras. He jumped away and looked at me terrified, as if he saw a monster, and pointed his weapon at me.


    You''re the one with the huge aura, not me. I am but flesh and bones.


    The fire is slowly subdued and my legs start moving into the still burning inferno. As I walk outside, I''m hit by a bright red and white light coming from the melting stone walls and cobblestone ground. The very feeling reminds me of being in the deepest part of the volcano with magma flowing just a few meters away from me. I can''t stand still, I need to move or the damned creature will corner me, and that''ll be the end.


    Not yet.


    As I take several step further, trying to walk on top of the smoking, black stones, rather than the ones shining a bright red-white, my shoes start sizzling and melting away. My eyes quickly scan the area and find what I''m looking for, underneath a very melted body. I start walking quickly, trying to not stand on one foot for too long, but this doesn''t help as the shoes continue to sizzle even after they leave the ground.


    I roll the body over and try to retrieve the sword still clutched in the hands of the half-melted mass, that looked human less than a minute ago. I finally rip the blade out of the mass and grip the handle of the sword with the blade shining bright red from the heat. The moment my hand touched the handle, it exploded with pain as the skin of my palm started sizzling against the handle. With a strong impulse, I numb the feeling in my hand, but the smell of burning skin and flesh doesn''t disappear.


    My instincts scream and I leap away as the place I was standing is enveloped with burning heat. I turn in the direction where my instincts pointed me to, and I see several dozen Shepherd leaping at me with spells ready and weapons drawn, ready to take my life. I grip the sword harder and leap at the enemies, evading whatever spell I can, but nonetheless several of them hit me, even after I used the other Shepherd as a shield, and sparks of pain shoot throughout my body and I simply command the body to numb the pain. But something happens that I didn''t expect, they all leap at me at the same time, but instead of attacking me they latch onto me with a death-grip, weighing me down, like an animal caught by a snare.


    A much louder instinct screams at me and as I turn back I find the huge wyvern lunging at me with enormous speed, its huge jaws wide open, trying to swallow me. Abandoning everything I send all the mana in body into my legs and demand they move, they do. My legs explode with colossal strength, carrying me, and several corrupted, fifteen meters into the air as the huge jaws of the wyvern bite into the ground where I was just a second ago. I try to move my legs, but they don''t respond at all, as now I can feel that too many of the muscles in my legs are ripped apart, the most I can do is some slight movement.


    Gravity finally wins and I crash against the back of the massive creature, tumbling several times as the bodies of the corrupted gripping me acted as a cushion and ended up ripped apart against the razor sharp spikes on the wyvern''s back. As soon as I finally break free I try to let the sword go to clutch at the spike but to my horror the handle fused together with the flesh on my palm and got stuck to it, as if they were glued together. Cursing, I plunge my sword into the body, hoping to find a crack, and it does as the sword pierces through a crack, stopping my body sharply. My momentum was so high that it nearly ripped my shoulder from the torso, but in the end it somehow stayed together.


    The damn creature, as if feeling that I''m on its back, starts thrashing and jumping around to try and throw me off. I clutch the sword for dear life as hard as I can, hugging the back of the wyvern with my own body, trying to hold on. After about a minute of fruitless attempts, the fucker runs into one building after another, sending building pieces into the air as dust fills the whole area and hits my face. But still nonetheless I somehow held on, because if I slipped off I would end up buried under the rubble forever.


    I held onto the creature with all my might as it started thrashing around more, rolling over trying to throw me off. Closing my eyes I continue holding on for my life as the damn creature jumps through another dust cloud. The whole thing has lasted for about two or three minutes, but for me it felt like hours. The creature started thrashing around more, but in a bit different way, and when I notice that the sound of burning becomes quiet and the only thing I hear is the angry screeches of the wyvern and strong wind whipping by my face, I open my eyes. Looking around I curse once again as I''m already at least several hundred meters in the air, with the city below me growing smaller and smaller every second. As if that wasn''t enough, after reaching a specific height, the accursed creatures started doing rapid turn and barrel rolls, trying to throw me off while I clutched the sword for dear life and as my body was growing colder from the freezing wind.


    The creature, as if finally calming down, started gaining more height, but with every second I felt as if its body grew hotter and hotter, until I started hearing my bare skin sizzling against its burning hot scales. Looking up, I finally realize what its trying to do, but it was too late to do anything to stop it, as the wyvern already breathed out an enormous cloud of fire and rotated its back against it.


    I WILL NOT DIE.


    Screaming at my body to move, I somehow found the strength to leap to the side, away from the center of the fire cloud while the strong wind nearly glued my body to the wyvern''s back. My body hit something, and by pure instinct I plunged the sword into it, and together with my momentum it slid deeper into some kind of flesh. The fucker screeched as we dived into the cloud of fire, nearly instantly my body screamed as I felt my whole body burning and melting at the same time without the possibility to make it stop.


    As we finally broke through the fiery hell cloud, my lungs sucked in freezing cold air, but it doesn''t make it any better as my lungs are so burned that they barely functioned. Demanding my fingers to grip the pommel of the sword harder as I felt my bones creaked under the pressure. Switching to my legs, I command them to move, and slowly, tremblingly, they obey as I stand on my knees upon the wyvern''s wing.


    Lets see who dies first fucker.


    Sending mana into my hand and knees I find my balance, and I start cutting deeper into the leathery flesh of the webbing on the oversized cave lizard''s wings. The creature screeched in absolute horror and hatred, but when it turned to look at me, I felt desperation in its eyes, and like a trigger, caused me to redouble my efforts with even more determination. The huge reptile continues thrashing around, making one maneuver after another, trying to throw me off, and it succeeded, but only in making it worse as the blade cut deeper and deeper into its wing. The wound growing bigger and bigger, until the sword''s blade cut through the whole wing and I''m thrown away.


    Falling down as the whistling of the strong wind consumes nearly all the sound around me. I somehow reorient myself in the air and look around, until my eyes find myself in the middle of an absolutely blue sky. I would say that the view before me is one of the most beautiful that I have ever seen, but there''s something that destroys the entire scene, which is an over sized lizard bat falling down not far from me, screeching in confusion and hatred.


    I WILL KILL YOU.


    Somehow find strength in my body, I reorient myself once again as I direct myself at the wyvern, which is trying to fly as its falling down, screeching in confusion. After about a minute of non-stop failures in an attempt to stabilize itself and fly, its eyes somehow turn in my direction and absolute hatred reflects in them. The hatred consumed the whole creature, as it somehow find the strength in itself and directs itself at me. The corrupted thing starts quickly approaching me with its jaws open wide as if trying to swallow me whole.


    YOU [YOU] WILL [WILL] DIE [DIE]!!!


    Reorienting myself in the air once again I evaded the wyvern''s dive, and after several seconds of fumbling in the air, my body turns back in the direction of the creature, which once again tumbles around and tries to fly with its only healthy wing, but fails. The temperature of my body starts increasing once again as I make the mana flow faster and faster, and my vision tunnels again. With my vision slowly turning red and black I dive at the creature with my sword in front of me like an arrow, and just as I''m about to hit it, a strong wind redirects me slightly and I miss the creature by just a few meters. I tumble around once again and finding my balance, performed the action again and again, as if possessed with a single goal in my mind while the creature screeched in horror, as if understanding what I''m trying to do.


    After several more failed attempts my sword finally finds its target, the only healthy wing of the corrupted lizard. It screeched in horror and hatred once again, thrashing around, trying to throw me off. Only for the sword to cut deeper as it did to the other wing. Sending more mana into my legs, the knees start pushing against its wing with more force as the sword slowly slides across the flesh, cutting deeper and deeper, until it cuts through and I''m once again sent tumbling through the air.


    My hatred doesn''t calm down, as once again I reorient myself in the air and look back at the falling wyvern, only to find the horrified lizard screeches at a very high pitch. But in the next instant its eyes shine once again and it suddenly calms down and looks at me with absolute hatred not losing out to mine even a bit. Not losing even a moment, it somehow reorients its limbs and lunges in my direction like a feral. Using my sword and barely moving body, I reorient myself and evade the attack. The creature attempts the attack once more, but that doesn''t change the result, as I''m smaller and harder to hit. The wyvern is about to make a third attempt, but it looks down and the hatred disappears from its eyes and screeches in horror. Following the creature''s gaze, the hair on my body stands on end as the city below is quickly growing bigger and bigger, and there''s less than a dozen seconds until we hit it.


    I will not survive the fall.


    [No]


    [NO]


    [NOT YET!]


    With my whole body nearly freezing at what I''m about to do, I demand its absolute obedience and my body turns in the direction of the wyvern. Diving in the direction of the wyvern, I find it flailing around. When its eyes meet mine the blazing hatred returns to them, it opens it jaws and lunged back at me, trying to kill its killer. As the jaws rapidly approach I don''t even try to evade them, on the contrary, I direct myself right into its mouth. A fraction of a second later the world turns black and I hear the sound of two mountains crashing against each other. The sound quiets down, only for it to be replaced by another one, which is as if several huge earthquakes hit at the same time. The pain and feeling start disappearing as my mind drifts away.


    No.


    NO!


    NOT YET!


    NOT [NOT] YET!!! [YET!!!]


    ...


    "Please, spare them!" screams an older man in his early forties clutching two children to his chest. "Take my life, but leave my children alive! Please, I beg you!" The man tries to say more, but he and his two children are split in half by my sword, their bodies separate into a pool of blood and flesh.


    A young man in his late teens wearing black and red armour with tears in his eyes, leaps at me, his sword aiming at my neck. I easily swat the attack away and crush his ankle, as his scream resounds throughout the area. My sword instantly moves to his neck.


    "B117, Brother, Sir, please, he is a young Brother. He does not understand! He-" my Brother, A98, says but stops sharply as he remember that the young man is just a few years younger than I am. I take a glance at my Brother, A98, and turn back to the young man under one of my legs, who is looking at me with hatred in his eyes.


    "Bring me a ''late'' one." I growl.


    Less than a minute later a child, with light brown hair and hazel eyes who''s less than ten years old, is brought before us, trembling and looking around at me and my Brothers standing around.


    "B34. Look at me." I say to the young Brother near my feet. His eyes start jumping between me and the child and he squeezes out,


    "No. Don''t touch her you monster."


    "I won''t."


    By my command, the child is cuffed with a chain around her leg fixed to the ground. As she starts wailing loudly, expecting us to torture her.


    "Heal him." I command and nearly instantly a healer casts a healing spell on him, after which B34 jumps up and away from me.


    I take out a short dagger and throw it to him, which he promptly catches, still glaring at me. He positions himself himself between the child and me, as if protecting her from me.


    "You won''t kill her." he growls back.


    "I will not."


    B34 continues glaring at me until a creature leaps at his back and bites deep into his neck. Screaming he plunges the dagger at whatever is clutching onto his back several times. He breaks free several seconds later and leaps away. In mid-air he rotates and looks at what attacked him. In shock, my younger Brother stares at the corrupted child, blood dripping from her eye sockets and neck, which growls and tries to leap at him, but fails as the chain is holding her in place. My Brother looks at his dagger which has the fresh blood of the child on it.


    "I will not. You will."


    B34 looks at me, then back at the child, as the chain that holds her continues to rattle.


    "No." he whispers. "We can...we can saver her, there must..."


    Nodding at the chain, I tell my other Brother what to do, which he quickly carries out. The child no longer held back by the chain once again leaps at B34 as he tries to wrestle against her, until the dagger in his hand plunges through the heart of the corrupted child, and she crumples to the ground.


    B34 starts breathing deeply until he falls on his knees and starts crying, touching the child. Tenderly clutching her body to his chest.


    "No." he quietly whispers.


    "Survive." I growl.


    "No."


    "For the living." I continue.


    "No." he repeats.


    "We need you-"


    I stop when I notice his eyes turn half-dead. A moment later a dark aura starts escaping him. Clenching my jaw, I hear teeth grind against each other. Walking to B34 I draw another dagger from my hip.


    "B117, Brother, let me do it. I brought him, I must release him back to Father myself." A98 says.


    "No Brother." I state shortly, "I bear full responsibility for this, and I will not allow this to consume you. Direct your hatred at me, no one else."


    I silently plunge the dagger into the heart of my younger Brother. His body slumps to the ground, his weapons and gear lightly rattle against the ground.


    I look at my Brothers one by one, then back to B34''s body. By tradition we should recite a verse, but it will not happen, no matter how many times we try, those words just feel empty.


    We lost another Brother.


    How many more do we need to lose for this world?


    How many more will it take?


    ...


    An eternity later, physical pain returns as the presence of the damned and dead slowly fade out of my mind. The torrents of their screams of pain and hatred quiet down, and silence returns to it, but only for a short time.


    A single eye slowly opens as bright light assaults me, and my eye shuts down, only for me to force it open seconds later. This time my eyes open together much slower as they try to take in what''s before me. I see a tiny light far away, so far that it feels nearly non-existent.


    But it''s there.


    There is light and there is pain.


    It is not the end.


    Not yet.


    I slowly move my hand to my face and try to remove whatever is caked around my eyes, but I fail, and I only feel something very wet and hard touching my face. A very dark idea starts to appear in my head. After at least a dozen minutes, my eyes finally regenerate enough for me to start seeing what''s around me. Turning my eyes the left, I finally see my hand, or at least what''s left of it, a single white and black bones sticking out of burnt flesh.


    This will take a while to heal.


    Very quickly, feeling begins to return to my body, and I start feeling an extreme burning sensation below my waist. Using what''s left of my only hand, I turn my upper torso and neck around, and a strong acidic smell hits me before I can even see what''s wrong. It takes several seconds of looking for me to understand what it is I''m looking at. Until I notice white objects, bones, sticking out of the amalgamation that should''ve been my legs.


    Meat stump cripple once again.


    Trying to piece together what I remember last creates a very nasty theory. Stomach of the elder wyvern. Well, at least I''m alive. But it isn''t enough. Growling, I command whatever is left of my limbs to move, as I don''t want to melt away in the stomach of the damned creature. My torso and the stump of my left arm start moving, carrying me, centimeter by centimeter towards the light at the end of the meat tunnel.


    I will not die.


    An eternity later I crawled closer to the source of light, and I find a razor sharp, white protrusion blocking the path. Teeth, mouth, an exit, just a bit more. Looking around I find an area with several broken fangs that created a wide enough path for me to get out. I start crawling to it until I finally reach the exit, and like a slug, fall into a world of white light and random noises.


    I hit the ground and air escapes my lungs, but I don''t get an opportunity to take the sweet air in, as something in me screams that there''s danger near me. Looking around I try to find the origin of the danger but the whole world is a blur of colours and shades of white and black. It takes a few seconds until a smudge, half-a-dozen meters away takes a more crisp form and I notice a short, sharp object in its hands. As the image of the figure becomes clearer, I see yellow and red veins in its pale face.


    Corrupted Shepherd.


    The figure starts screaming something and pointing at me with the dagger in its hands, then the dagger returns to the are near its chest, where my eyes notice another silhouette. The view of the silhouette becomes clearer, and the seething hatred starts burning again, the silhouette is a young girl barely over twelve, a child, whimpering with tears in her eyes.


    Images of thousands of similar situations flash across my eyes, all ending with the body of the innocent child in a pool of its own blood. As if telling me the future that awaits the child, the mind demands action, and in response my blood starts boiling once again as the pressure in my skull starts increasing rapidly. The whistling in my ears replacing all of the sound in the world.


    I don''t know how, or even where the strength came from, but the stumps of my legs twist and explode with enormous force, carrying me towards the creature. In response the eyes of the creature flip from hatred into horror. Throwing the child away, the creature thrusts its dagger at me with burning eyes, and I feel the cold blade tearing through my chest, but it doesn''t stop me, the pure momentum carrying me onto the corrupted, toppling it. Falling down on the creature, we come face to face as my eyes meet the corrupted''s, pure hatred reflecting in them like a bonfire. The ugly face riddled with yellow and red veins, twists in rage upon looking back at me.


    I need to destroy the creature, kill it, erase it from the face of the Earth.


    My jaws close upon its neck, an audible crunch resounds around the area nearly instantly.


    Somehow twisting my body, I rip out a huge chunk of flesh from the neck of the abomination under me, the thick blood starts dripping down my jaws. Spitting the flesh away, I start breathing heavily but only choke, as there''s something huge stuck in my lungs that''s stopping me from sucking in the sweet air my body demands. I try to stand up, but fail, as I''m quickly reminded that both feet are missing. Rolling around on my back, I look down and see the dagger still embedded in my chest. Stretching my left hand towards it, I try to get it out but fail as there are no fingers to grasp the pommel.


    I hear a series of rapid footsteps, and a silhouette appears and bends near me, quickly pulling the dagger from my chest. Nearly instantly, I feel the weight of two hands push against the area on my chest where the dagger was stuck, as if trying to stanch the bleeding. Moving my eyes to the face of the silhouette, it takes several long seconds for the image to become crisp, and I recognise the familiar white face with black hair and ears. The only difference is that Lekana''s face is filled with tears as she''s crying and screaming something, but I don''t understand what it is.


    Closing my eyes, I try to breathe deeper and reassess the damage to the body this time, and start healing immediately. But suddenly, I feel an incredible warmth cover my whole body, as if I was submerged into a hot bath in the middle of winter. Clarity quickly returns to my sight and hearing. Not understanding, I open my eyes and blink several times as strength returns to me. It takes several more seconds for me to recognise this familiar feeling, one which I have been so used to, but was left without for a very long time.


    Healing.


    I instantly jump up, feeling hale and healthy, as if I had months of time to heal my injuries. Looking down at myself, I find my feet and left hand there, as if the events of the past hour didn''t happen. But there''s another feeling that I nearly forgot, and slowly my right arm comes into view, with the palm and fingers clenching and unclenching. Looking to the side, I find a group with a huge visible aura around them. A young woman in her early twenties in white standing close to me with round eyes.


    "Pam did you level up your healing skill? I have never seen such a fast effect!" someone behind her says.


    "No..." she whispers, nearly inaudible.


    In the next instant, someone attaches herself to my chest and starts crying and cursing me in the process. Looking down I find Lekana clutching me, burying her face in my chest. My eyes return to the group with the visible auras, looking closer I find a very strange facial feature, one I haven''t seen in this region before, but I have seen back in the Empire.


    Such features, aura, and unbelieveable levels of healing....


    Heroes.


    As if a dam opened wide, an unstoppable torrent of questions fills my mind.


    How?


    Here?


    Why?


    A voice deep inside of me screams that there is something is very wrong here.


    Suddenly, a random question pops up in my head.


    Why were they here?


    Getting healed right now would be the best possible moment for me.


    And best moments do not happen.


    Except if they were scripted.


    By someone.


    The goddamn theater play isn''t over.


    But who''s the puppeteer?


    HE wouldn''t want this.


    HE tried to kill me.


    It couldn''t be HIM.


    Someone else...

 Chapter 25 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    Life in Mirkaz flows once again, people running around, guards patrolling the city as usual, everything looks normal. It''s as if the previous day''s events never happened, like it was a bad dream.


    But it wasn''t.


    There are dead, there is mourning, but the city came alive once again nonetheless. Vendors selling their products, artisans resumed their craft, adventurers are accepting quests once again, no smiling or laughing yet, but the city is alive, slowly recovering.


    Unbelievable.


    A waiter in his late teens slowly walks to my table, his legs visibly trembling, eyes looking straight on the floor, like he''s horrified to look at something, or someone. He tries to tenderly place the tray onto the table, but his trembling hands betrayed him at the last moment, and the tray clatters against the wooden table, nearly spilling its contents all over me. His sharp exhale made his figure soften, nearly falling to the ground, like a puppet that lost its string.


    "Greatest apologies!" he nearly screams from the bottom of his lungs, making a ninety-degree angle with his back and waist.


    He continues his stream of excuses and starts to slowly move away with his head bowed, until his eyes meet mine. The moment they do, he yelps and leaps away, hitting the stone wall of the building with his back. He mumbles another apology and nearly runs away, leaving the tray still on the floor near the wall. From the moment the waiter approached, till now, my left hand never left the pommel of the short dagger on my hip, gripping it tightly.


    Unbelievable.


    I haven''t slept at all. Every second was spent on patrolling the alleys, where the corrupted usually gather. Emergence isn''t a small skirmish, it''s a drawn out battle that has no end. The moment you think that it''s finished, is the moment they attack and you die. After not finding any corrupted within the first hour, I was already prepared for the worst, the next waves. During the emergence Liches and corrupted are always on standby around the target city, waiting for the escapees, which after getting caught, are killed and "turned" then sent back into the city to rain chaos once again.


    Nothing.


    Not a single new corrupted.


    Even worse, after asking the guards several times, they repeatedly stated that no one has seen a Lich.


    Not a single one.


    What the actual hell?!


    Yes, the number of corrupted wasn''t big, less than a dozen thousand, but this doesn''t change the fact that the "Emergence" happened. It feels as if I''m still half-asleep, or under some kind of mind spell, and the illusion will end at any moment, and everything will turn into the usual nightmare.


    I expect every person to either turn inside out, transform into creatures of darkness, or leap at me while yellow and red veins appear throughout their bodies, commanding the half a city of followers under them. I''m still waiting for all of the people in the city to simultaneously turn their faces in my direction and start laughing that they got me, that they tricked me like a greenhorn.


    I don''t have a Seer with me which could''ve easily solved all of the problems and doubts I have. Because of that I took a great risk and searched for the Seer that I saw at the city''s entrance. But as I expected, fate would never give me such a gift. The guards told me that he was one of the first to be killed, a sudden spell appeared out of nowhere.


    [You blame fate for the competency of our enemies?]


    Competency huh?


    Anyways, I''m stuck. How do I verify that everything I see right now isn''t an illusion.


    My eyes involuntary return to my right hand, and by my command each one of the fingers moves slightly. They should be real. The feeling of warm blood flowing through the veins, that strange feeling when you can ''feel'' your own flesh, and the roughness of texture on the wooden table that my fingertips are touching, tells me enough.


    "I am telling you he is some kind of NPC related to the main quest!" a boy with black hair loudly says in one of languages of the summoned that I don''t understand. There are quite a few summoned.


    The boy looks to be barely over twelve, with strange glasses made out of high quality quartz and some kind of black glossy material.


    "Calm down Kevin." a guy in his early twenties replies.


    "Paul he must have some kind of epic back story with revenge and stuff! Did you see how easily he killed all of the corrupted and that huge dragon?!"


    "I said calm down." growls the guy who''s name I believe to be Paul.


    I know few words from the language Richard spoke, but not enough to understand the topic of their conversation, and by the boy''s tone, I assume he''s excited about something, while the older one tries to calm him down. Right now three of the ''local'' summoned are sitting with me, a tall guy with short black hair, who is most likely their leader, the healer ''Pam'', who restored my right hand, and the child with black hair.


    Huh?


    Looking closer, not just the hair, but also the facial features of the younger and older one look similar. Parent and child? No, the age difference is too small, brothers more likely. They continue speaking between themselves about something, while I scan the inn for any signs of corrupted.


    There must be at least few corrupted left, hiding somewhere in plain sight.


    Even if they try to look human, they''re not. Although they''re very skilled actors, which is one of the main reasons it is so hard to root out the emergence before it happens, they can''t fully replicate all the tiny pieces of human behavior.


    [Which we could never replicate well. We can barely fit into human society.]


    [Calling us human is even a big stretch.]


    [Useless sack of blood, flesh and regrets.]


    A few moments later Lekana, the dog-eared twins, and four other heroes enter the inn. Looking around Lekana''s eyes stop on me, and a huge smiles breaks on her face. With a happy hop she leaps to me, behaving the same way she had few days ago. Nothing seems to have changed in her, but you can never be sure. The corrupted usually hide in the ones you least expect.


    "And here is our ¡®Blood Angel¡¯!" Lekana exclaims with a smile, after which she sits down on chair to my left.


    Most of the people in the city are whispering other names between themselves. Soon the other summoned come closer, and connecting several tables with the one I am sitting at, make one long table with everyone sitting together around it. After several moments of awkward silence, everyone''s eyes turn to me. The one who breaks the silence is the tall guy with black hair.


    "First of all I would like to thank you for helping us yesterday. I do not know what would have happened if you didn''t come. Truly thank you." he finishes with a slight bow.


    Everyone else of his group repeats the same action.


    "I would like to re-introduce ourselves again. My name is Paul." gesturing to the young boy, he continues "This is Kevin, my brother."


    "Hello!" the child says loudly, nearly screaming. My eyes dart once again to the tiny staff in his hands and the long sword on the hip of his older brother.


    "I''m Pamela, but everyone calls me Pam." says the girl in white says, like nearly every healer I''ve seen before.


    Does wearing white clothes somehow improves the healing abilities?


    "Kurt." smiles the widely build guy with dirty blond hair and stubble on his face. His thick armor, shield, and mace should be extremely heavy and hard to move in, but the guy moves so effortlessly and fluidly, like he''s in skin-tight leather armor.


    "Valentine, a pleasure to make you acquaintance." continues the person near him with green eyes, and long dark brown hair gathered into a bun. I can''t find a weapon anywhere near him, could mean that it''s either hidden, or he''s a close-quarters fighter. But because of his slim build, and the baggy, clothes my bet falls on some kind of wizard or mage.


    "Victoria." the woman with long velvet black hair, and lighting blue eyes, says with coquettish smile. Two short daggers on her hip, smooth and precise movements, thin long limbs and sharp eyes tell me that she more likely favors speed and precise attacks.


    "Timur, son of Darman." shortly states a man with short black hair, who could easily be mistaken for a boy because of his height. But the mustache on his face and calm expression tells otherwise.


    A bow, but no arrows. Mana archer?


    [People politely introduce themselves, and the only thing you can think of is what is their way of fighting, and what could their weakness be.]


    [Truly a man of the people, who sees the best in everyone.]


    "Hello! I am Lekana, these guys are Tagaro and Nagoro." Lekana suddenly chimes in, pointing at the duo to her left. "And this is Alan." she finished with a smile leaning on me. I couldn''t stop my brows from raising, and I wasn''t the only one who let his emotions slip. Each person showed their own emotion, reacting to the situation in one way or another.


    This is getting out of hand.


    The awkward silence was broken several seconds later by someone who looked as if he was unbothered by the current atmosphere.


    "The number of possessed was extremely abnormal though." says Valentine "Their constant flow left me no opportunity to prepare a massive spell."


    "Yeah, we have never encountered so many possessed in one place. As Oracle said, things are starting to move..." Paul continued.


    Encountered? This isn''t their first time?


    Many?


    A dozen thousand corrupted is many?


    That''s less than a tenth of an average-sized city.


    Cities with a population of more than several million have disappeared into the abyss of rage and destruction over-night several times, in the last decade alone.


    "Alan?" A female voice breaks my thought process in pieces.


    Looking in the direction where the voice came from, I find the raven haired woman looking at me with a seductive smile.


    "Lekana told us that you are traveling to the Endless Empire. We are actually going there too. Would you be interested in joining us? We all would be very happy if you would."


    "Of course! We would love to!" Lekana says a few short seconds later, not giving me time to think.


    The woman, Victoria, if I remember correctly, smiles at Lekana with a bit of a forced smile, but Lekana is already talking with someone else with a happy smile on her face, discussing food once again.


    While the group is talking, my keen hearing picks up the talk in the corners of the inn. They''re all talking about the events of the previous day, and two specific words are repeated the most.


    "Blood Demon"


    It is kind of ironic that even here, where neither the Brotherhood, nor the church of Zeron exists, the same title was given to me. Although there are a few rare exceptions where people use ''Blood Angel'', but that number is tremendously smaller than "Blood Demon", and Lekana is one of the rare exceptions.


    [Who knows, maybe she says the other version when you are not around.]


    Angel, demon, spirit. Same shit, different container.


    ...


    Yesterday, throughout the whole day the stares never left me. The terrified stares of horror, as if they saw a monster walking through the streets. I know those stares well, I''ve seen them for too long to confuse them with something else. But I didn''t care about them back then, because the clock was ticking and I still hadn''t found any corrupted, much less a Shepherd.


    In the end, I found none.


    So much is wrong here that I don''t even know where to begin.


    How were the corrupted able to cast fire element spells?


    Are they really ''corrupted''?


    They should be. They behaved and acted...nearly the same way.


    [No they didn''t. They were nothing like anything we have seen before.]


    [And don''t even try to downplay the fact that shepherd we killed after coming out of wyvern talked.]


    [IT FUCKING TALKED!]


    [Talking fire corrupted. A city surviving an emergence. And to top it all off, the whole city is talking about corrupted as if they are some harmless wild dogs.]


    The word ''corrupted'' is never said aloud. A single mention of even the possibility of someone turning would be enough for the region''s leaders to abandon the city altogether. That single mention is enough to summon the whole Blood Brotherhood and the Blood Legion together. Every single creature in a several hundred kilometer radius would be scanned by Seers, questioned by elite torturers, and much, much more.


    But no, people are speaking about ''possessed'' out-loud in public.


    Shit.


    The fuck do you want Zeron?


    It took some time to piece everything together, and a sleepless night of walking around the city to end up with the only being who would benefit from me surviving. I was never a devout follower, never was overly religious, and I often questioned his existence altogether. But HE exists, therefore, so there must a true creator and other ''gods''.


    What ''god'' would allow its followers to disappear from the face of the earth?


    In some fucked up way, I somehow ended up being the most devout follower.


    Blood. Violence. Destruction.


    Survival...


    But what''s the goal?


    Is the meeting with the summoned just a single milestone to get me healed, or is there a bigger picture?


    Does Zeron even want the same things I do?


    I try to remember all the chants Kilan, my closest Blood Brother, said. All those chants and the religious gibberish were usually ignored by me, but now I suddenly need to dig it out from the depths of my memory.


    ''...purging the darkness...''


    ''...bringing the blood to blood...''


    ''...father and death of all...''


    I scowl at all the useless bullshit that comes up. All the priests singing about how ¡®Almighty¡¯, ¡®Endless¡¯, and ¡®All-seeing¡¯ he is, how noble and merciful he is.


    If you truly are so mighty as you claim, why am I the only one left of your followers?


    Or do you truly think that I alone will be enough?


    ...


    The moons in the nearly pitch black sky somehow look bigger than usual, with more defined textures on their surfaces. But I''m not sitting on the rear porch of the inn because I''m enjoying the view. Looking at my right hand, I try to remember the exact feeling when it was restored by the summoned healer. Everything happened in an instant. I lay bleeding, a piece of useless meat, and the next moment I feel energy overflowing from me, like it hadn''t in years, burning inside of me, like a volcano about to erupt.


    Trying to remember the feeling, I find out that the feeling wasn''t localized. It wasn''t only the damaged areas that were regenerating, but rather it was as if the whole body was being healed from the inside.


    Am I doing it wrong with focusing on damaged areas and trying to conserve the nutrition I have?


    After looking at my left hand and fingers for several long seconds, I take out the short dagger and press it against the index finger of my left hand. I''ve been wanting to try and experiment on healing the fingers on my hands for quite some time, but you can''t experiment on the only real tool you have left.


    No. It''s better to test it on the least important finger.


    I move the blade to the top most tendon of the pinky finger, and cut sharply. The finger starts to bleed rapidly, but I focus on the area and direct the nutrition there, and slowly the bleeding stops. Slowly, millimeter by millimeter, the missing part starts to grow back. It takes ten minutes, and the finger finally returns to its original state, albeit missing the fingernail.


    Ten minutes of single minded focus for just a tiny piece of finger....


    No one will give me ten minutes.


    The blade moves to the pinky again, cutting the newly regenerated flesh. I circulate my mana around the body. The temperature of my body, and its blood pressure sharply rises as whistling fills my ears. I direct the energy to the missing pinky, and the missing finger starts regrowing slightly faster than before. When it finally returns to its previous state, I estimate the time taken to be nearly half of what it was before.


    Twice the speed, but I wasted at least several dozen times more nutrition and mana just to make the body reach its appropriate state.


    Is it really worth it?


    No, the feelings close, but its not exactly the same as when I was healed. There was more burning, but somewhere else, somewhere deeper.


    Muscles? No.


    Blood? Close but not exactly.


    Bones? Yes, but not just them, there was something...more.


    I cut the pinky once again. And repeat the experiment, but this time sending more mana into the area around the bones themselves. Mana and blood start pumping once again with more strength than before. As soon as the whistling in my ears becomes nearly unbearable, like a geyser under pressure, I explode, sending all of the energy into the pinky. My vision tunnels, but I watch as the missing flesh grows much faster than before.


    I''m on right track.


    The dagger cuts the flesh again, and I repeat the experiment. But this time I send the mana deeper into the bones.


    Again.


    Again.


    Again.


    Again.


    Faster.


    Faster!


    FASTER!!


    As I''m about reach something, I hear footsteps from behind me coming closer. I stop instantly and my vision returns to normal. Looking down, I find a small pile of bloody pieces of meat, and by instinct shove them under the wooden veranda. A second later I see black ears peak out from the side alley, quickly followed by curious eyes. The several second long stare is broken by a quiet voice.


    "Hello."


    "Hello." I reply back.


    "I was searching for you." she''s looking down at the ground.


    Searching huh. Demi-humans have exceptional hearing and sense of smell, she could''ve easily found me by smell alone.


    "No one knew where you were, so I had to walk through the whole inn."


    "Is there something you need?"


    "No...um...I actually wanted to talk with you..."


    Her eyes try to look into mine, but she looks away nearly instantly.


    "Um...during the...fight, you screamed something in a foreign language...and it looked like you were...in pain...and searching for something, or someone..."


    "What is ''Dee-Fivte-faive''?"


    "Nothing." I state shortly.


    "But you were-"


    "Nothing." I repeat making direct eye contact.


    Looking down at the ground, she falls silent. But the silence is broken just few seconds later when she continues,


    "I am sorry. I just wanted you to know that you don''t have to hold it all inside of yourself. I am here to listen to you and-"


    "Co-travelers." I cut her off sharply.


    She looks at me with stunned look.


    "We are co-travelers. We formed a temporary travel group."


    Lekana looks at me, confused, but I don''t give her the chance to continue.


    "Next time you want to add more people to the group, you will discuss it with all members of the group. Some of them could be against it, and it is not up to you to make the decision yourself without consulting the others."


    Lekana''s mouth opens and closes without making any sound, until it audibly closes with a click.


    "I am sorry." she whispers quietly.


    "Good. Is there anything else?"


    She stands for few long seconds, trying to say something, but can''t. I look into her deep blue eyes, not blinking, firmly showing my position. The long stare is broken when she looks away with pained face. Lekana turns around and slowly walks away, not turning around even once with her head faced down, her tail dragging after her.


    [Well executed. We can be proud of ourselves.]


    Shut it.


    Do not dare to forget why we are here.


    Do not dare to forget what we are.


    Purge those dreams and illusions.


    It will never happen.


    However many times we try it, it always ends the same way.


    You want to dig another grave?


    It does not matter what we want.


    It does not matter what these people want.


    It does not matter what the fucking gods want.


    There is only one future that awaits us, and HE will use everything he has, every life available to him, every weakness we have, every opportunity that exists.


    We need to be prepared.


    I move blade to my left hand and cut off the pinky finger at the root, the blood starts flowing out of the wound, coloring my hand blood red. By my command, the blood in my veins starts boiling, circulating, gathering mana throughout my body, sending it to the finger.


    "The weak will not succeed."


    Once restored, I cut the finger again.


    "The slow will not reach."


    I cut again.


    "The soft will not survive"


    Again.


    "We all will die."


    Again.


    ...


    Tomorrow morning the caravan will depart, heading straight north, through the desert to the shores of the northern ocean. I spoke with caravan leader again, and he was much more humble this time, overly polite. As if he was afraid to irk me in any way. And that change may be connected to the emergence, or the fact that I ripped apart a few assassins today early in the morning. Sneaky bastards attacked between the deep night and early morning hours when everyone is usually deep asleep. They believed that it would be an easy kill.


    They were wrong.


    The whole inn came alive once screams started. A huge amount of half-asleep adventurers came running through the building into my room, breaking through the wooden door in the process, coming to help to the unfortunate resident. But they weren''t prepared for what awaited them in my room, the body parts of a half-dozen assassins littered my room. The whole floor was painted blood red, with guts and innards hanging on the bed frame, window sill, and the walls.


    After a short talk with inn''s owner and the city guards, that arrived quite late, I was given a new room, with the promise to find those that sent the assassins. Yeah, right. Guards doing their job, a nice fairy tale. Whats next? The kings become noble and fair? Truth and righteousness becomes the core beliefs of society?


    Ha. Right.


    It just happen that they were quite late, it just happen that the assassins knew that I wouldn''t have a weapon with me. If I would''ve taken the sword yesterday everything would have finished faster, or it wouldn''t have happened at all. But no, I just had to tell the blacksmith to do a quality job, and to sharpen it well. And to top it all off, I even gave him the last weapon I had on myself, a small dagger, to sharpen as well.


    Politics, spies, assassins and shit.


    I could go through the information broker, and squeeze the information out of him, even get a name and address, but I didn''t, at least not yet.


    Anyways, after the short talk with the caravan leader, I went straight to the blacksmith. And as it looks, he already heard about the events of the previous night, because during our whole interaction he was sweating excessively, and constantly saying how sorry he is that he''s so slow.


    Do I hold this idiot responsible?


    Was it him?


    Maybe one of his apprentices, who are currently hiding in the backroom, shared that piece of information with the wrong crowd.


    So many ifs.


    [Killing a person only because of suspicion, just like those nobles you detest. You truly learn from the best.]


    Trying to end the discussion as fast as I can, I quickly attach the new sword and scabbard to my belt. After checking that the dagger was actually sharpened, I put it into the tiny scabbard on the opposite side. As I''m about to exit, I remember the last several times I''ve had something puncture my chest, and decide to buy a decent set of chain-mail and some sturdy shoes.


    Exiting the blacksmith''s, I go directly to the closest food stall and buy a wide range of dishes, cooked in a variety of ways, and out of a wide range of ingredients. Not waiting for even a second, I start swallowing the food, not even tasting it. I overdid it a bit with yesterday tests, and I burned up nearly all of my fat reserves. Because of that, my breakfast was quite big, although it disappeared nearly instantly when I started sending the nutrition throughout my body. So here I am, a few hours later, going food stall to food stall, eating like I starved for months.


    The results of tests are decent though. With each iteration, I was able to push the limit down to two minutes for a whole finger. Next are the tests for efficiency. There''s no logical reason to send every single part of the body into overdrive to heal a single finger, or at least I hope there isn''t. I felt that there''s something in the blood or maybe the bones, which increases the healing speed, but I''m not sure what it is. There''s the option to ask the summoned healer how her healing works, but I am pretty sure that I''ll get the same answer as always,


    "you ask the god for the miracle and it comes",


    or


    "you just wish for the part to heal",


    or


    "you direct your external mana from the gates into the area around the wound and it simply heals".


    My obsession with body structure and how everything works in body is usually frowned upon, so I had to go through a more...hands-on approach. The knowledge I have, only comes from my personal experiments... For quite some time I had shied-away from the idea of simply ''opening'' a dead body up, and looking at how exactly everything works, and I simply studied through my battles and the way my body behaved. But you can only go so far with that method.


    The moment I stepped over those ''limitations'', a whole new world opened up.


    Maybe its because of that, that I''m so proficient in internal mana manipulation, healing, and controlling my body. I still remember the astonished look Richard gave me when I told him that there are no books about ''anatomy'', which he had explained is a term for the study of the body and its structure. Who needs to know how the body works if anyone, with enough social or economic status to even care, can simply go to church or healer and get himself instantly healed.


    Who cares about ''anatomy'' if you can simply cast a healing spell?


    Only a failure like me.


    What I would give for a single book like Richard described, and if he didn''t lie, his world has whole libraries of them.


    After finishing another circle around the city to verify that there were no corrupted present, I am left in a slump.


    This makes absolutely no sense.


    The emergence happened, and it ended. Its as if they all ran away, but such things don''t happen. They fight to the very last one, trying to maximize the damage they inflict.


    I continue walking until I see an open area, where I can hear words of encouragement and cheers. Coming closer to the origin, I find people around an arena with diameter of about thirty meters. In the center of it two of the heroes are sparring with each other, Paul if I remember correctly, and the one with huge shield, Kurt. The people continue cheering as the summoned fight, a few of them closer to me even start discussing the battle, how fast the fighters are and how fierce the exchange is.


    Is this a joke?


    Their speed is barely acceptable, and their technique is utterly appalling. No footwork, every move is rigid and predictable, no intent to maim or kill whatsoever, its like watching a scripted dance.


    Richard wasn''t like that at all. Yes he was lazy, and kind of strange, but when you got him going, he could go far beyond what constitutes average. Though I still had issues with him using the ''Rapier''. He described it as a deadly weapon, but to me it was more of a oversized needle than a decent sword.


    Are my standards too high?


    No, it simply can''t be. There are catastrophic beings in this world, for which term ''demigods'' wouldn''t even be appropriate, and comparisons to them would be utterly incorrect. But an average Blood Legion officer would give better results than the summoned before me. No, there is no Blood Legion anymore, they''re called the Sun Legion now, and I shouldn''t forget that. Looking at the pathetic fight once again, I think over what can I do.


    [Nothing. No one asked for your help. No one needs it.]


    They''ll all either succeed or die, as has everyone before them. As I''m about to leave, a woman in a white dress appears before me.


    "Hello Mr. Alan, how are you today?" she chirps happily.


    It takes several seconds to process the question and I finally squeeze out "Okay."


    This is new, I''ve heard the question addressed to other people a few times, and it was even once directed at me, but it was more of an official greeting then. But this, this somehow felt like she was genuinely concerned and interested. Looking at the spar in the center of arena she smiles.


    "The boys were stretching out, and before we knew it, people gathered around." chuckling, she continues "And now because of their pride they''re trying not to look bad in front of the crowd."


    "Hey! I hear you!" screams Paul.


    "Sir Alan would you like to join us?" Kurt unexpectedly joins in with a wide smile.


    "I know that it is impolite to ask this of you when you are still healing, but I would be very grateful if you could give a few pointers to these idiots." says Pamela with the same cheerful smile.


    My first thought is to politely refuse, but I stop when I remember that this girl healed my hand, and I am in her debt.


    [And here is the cue, someone asked for help. So, what are you going to do?]


    If I break my life into scenes, there''s only constant movement, destruction, and blood. And whenever I made an attempt to change, to create rather than destroy, only one thing followed, death.


    Will this time be different?


    Will I be able to even change anything?


    Maybe this is what Zeron wanted originally. Does he want me to train the new summoned?


    What then?


    Enough overthinking.


    We all will die, disappearing from this world forever.


    I owe the summoned a debt.


    And maybe, just maybe they won''t end up like me or......Luna.


    "Okay." I state calmly.


    "So which one of us would you like to spar with first?" says Paul teasingly.


    "Both" I reply dryly. They need to survive, and for that they need to learn.


    They both chuckle.


    "I am sorry Sir Alan, we know you are strong, but both at the same time?"


    "Come on, seriously, with the intent to kill and maim, or it will only bring you more pain."


    Their eyes turn to more serious, and playfulness fully disappears, but arrogance did not. So the hard way huh.


    "Do not regret that, Sir."


    They both move into position as I walk to the opposite side of the arena. After several long seconds of standstill, Paul explodes into action, appearing before me with his sword brandished a few seconds later, directed straight at my shoulder.


    Slow and indecisive.


    In the next instant, a single kick into his abdomen sends his body flying back, straight into the shield of his comrade, toppling both of them to the ground.


    Petrified, Pamela looks at the duo on the ground in shock. It takes several seconds for her to grasp what happened, after which she runs to both of them and casts a healing spell. A few seconds later. Paul stands up, groaning, and looks at me with astonishment in his eyes.


    "Slow and predictable. Again."


    He gets into position again and the mana around him flares up, to which people around audibly gasp. The next instant he disappears, only for his image to ripple into existence few meters in front of me.


    Idiot.


    This time I don''t hold my strength back. My foot impacts his chest, and I feel his rips crack, after which my leg buries his body into the ground, creating a crater several meters in diameter. A few seconds of silence are interrupted by a scream from healer in white clothes, and she instantly rushes to the guy in under my foot, after which I step back.


    "Learn from mistakes or you will die."


    As the healer''s hands light up and Paul''s chest expands back out as he coughs out several large globs of blood. Pamella looks at me with scared eyes, and tries to say something, but before she can I hear the splitting of air and move my head to the right. I feel something sharp traveling just few centimeters away from my neck and its vital vein, the jugular. My left hand instantly shoots out and grabs the new foe''s hand. I slam the person, who I caught, into the ground a meter away from Paul and Pam, creating another small crater. The attacker wriggles in pain and tries to breathe, though the long black hair that fell across her face didn''t make it any easier.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    "You wasted a whole minute doubting, and when you finally did attack, its when everything is already over."


    "Pathetic." I state dryly "Heal them."


    Several seconds later they start breathing normally while groaning in pain, glaring at me in hatred.


    "If you have enough energy to glare than you''ve healed enough. Stand up and attack, together, as a team."


    Burning with dark emotions, they start attacking with their huge auras flaring around them. The earth underneath them explodes into debris as they lunge at me, only for their attacks to be evaded and redirected, after which they are thrown around and slammed into ground. Paul, as if blinded by those dark emotions, focuses only on attacking me, and trying to make his sword reach me.


    Idiot. He needs to learn the hard way.


    I slam the side of my sword into his thigh, only for the loud crunch of the thickest bone in body breaking, to be overshadowed by his scream, which resounds throughout the arena. I kick his body hard, sending him to the healer.


    "Heal him."


    Kurt appears before me with his shield shining up brightly with mana. My sword impacts his shield, sending him several dozen meters away across the arena. In the corner of my peripheral vision I see the next attack and my hand moves automatically to catch Victoria''s dagger, which was directed at my crotch, and send it back the next instant. The raven haired attacker tries to avoid the incoming dagger, but she is just a fraction of a second too slow, as the dagger burrows itself deep into her foot and she screams in pain.


    Kurt stands up and attacks me again with his mace and shield, but every time my sword impacts his shield he closes his eyes tightly, as if afraid, trying to protect his eyes from the sparks that fly around during the impact.


    "Open you eyes!" I scream as my sword continues to slam into his shield, moving his body several centimeters away each time.


    "Stare death in the eyes! Do not dare to look away! If you die, die standing!"


    His bloodshot eyes fix on my sword, and trail its trajectory, from the start to the moment it hits his shield. My sword continues to fall on the helpless Kurt, and during the next strike, when my sword impacted his shield, he tries to redirect the force into another direction, but focuses on the sword too much to see my left fist coming. The hook hits him hard and he''s sent down, spitting blood and several broken teeth onto the ground.


    "Good. At least one of you isn''t a complete idiot."


    "Stand up. Redirect my attack, but do not lose focus on me, not even for a second."


    Kurt groans, but stands up and spits another glob of blood. I repeat my attack and this time he does not lose his focus as much. But that still doesn''t save him from being sent to ground and spitting blood several more times.


    "Acceptable. Terrible foundation, but you''re a fast learner. Go heal."


    Before I can say more Paul appears before me with his sword coming at my face, only for his strike to be redirected and hit the ground. He doesn''t lose his fire and quickly attacks again, his mana aura flaring even more, still glowering at me in pure hatred.


    Not good. This way he will not learn.


    As he lunges at me with his sword in the same pattern, I slam my sword in exactly the same place as last time. Paul falls down screaming, as the sound of a broken femur bone resounds across the arena once again.


    "I will repeat this again, and again, and again, until you learn. There are some who require pain to learn from their mistakes, and it looks like you are one of them."


    Kicking him again I send his body to the healer once again, only for him to lie there, groaning in pain and waiting his turn, as Kurt is currently being healed. The anger from Pamela''s face disappears, and is replaced with solemn guilty acceptance, as if finally understanding what I''m doing. She turns back to Kurt and continues her task with determination.


    Victoria slowly walks to me, with a mix of fury and fear, slowly circling around and not attacking. "Do not let fear bind you. Pain is required. Fear is required. Know pain, know fear. Do not let it consume you. Control it."


    She screams and attacks me with a flurry of rapid strikes, which I easily evade, and counter with a solid strike right into her face. She yelps and falls on ground. She looks up at me with the same eyes filled with hatred I''ve seen countless times before. Blood dripps out of her mouth and broken nose as she tries to stand up with her legs wobbling under her.


    "I should say some fancy words about the spirit, soul, and mana. About how you should synchronize with it, but that''s useless bullshit people with innate talent use to justify their skills and abilities. You are not one of them, and you''ll have to accept it."


    "There''s only one other way for likes of you. Know your body. Know every bone and muscle. Feel them, know what they can do and what they can''t. You are the master. Flesh is the slave, do not let it dictate your limits. You command, it obeys."


    One by one I beat some common sense into them, something that should have been done a long time ago, but wasn''t. In order for them to survive they need not just a huge amount of mana, but the knowledge to control and direct their power. With each iteration they become faster, stronger, craftier, trying to find my weaknesses and determine their strengths, but with each iteration I push them harder and harder.


    Only when you push people into corner they start growing.


    I continue the training regime I have done hundreds of times, again and again with the new Blood. Their young faces flash through my mind as I try to remember their names, code names, as their real ones were either lost or long forgotten. All of them died, their names taken by new recruits again, and again, and again. I should''ve done so much more, taught them better, maybe then they would have survived.


    Or maybe the opposite.


    Because I trained them, they became better, sturdier, they became able to follow me deeper into the abyss. And the only thing awaiting us all there was the darkness and corruption of this world. They didn''t need to need see it. They could''ve stayed weak and died earlier, maybe then their lives would''ve been brighter, easier. Or they could have returned to the Blood Legion, becoming normal soldiers, living easier lives.


    [Oh, are you trying to ask for their forgiveness? Or do you believe that helping the summoned will change anything for them?]


    [After we were betrayed, our brothers gathered around you. They believed that you would lead them, but it was already too late. The enemy got to the Blood Sanctuary first, and they hunted down every single one of us using the blood compasses.]


    [Do you want to hear something like "There is nothing you could have done"?]


    [You won''t.]


    [We are alive only because we are a ''damaged product'', and our blood compass could not be used by ''Mana Seers'', and the last real ''Blood Seer'' died bleeding and crying in our hands.]


    [Nothing can return our brothers. They either disappeared, or are in the eternal abyss, gates which are closed to us.]


    Why did you let me live Zeron?


    ...


    I fucked up.


    The moment I was asked to train, something in me flipped and I started training the summoned as I had the new Blood Brothers. Most of them were mule headed, they were either those who zealously believed in Zeron, and wanted to serve him or Blood Legionnaires who wanted to prove something, the remaining small number of others were a random bunch, just as I was once. And one of my main tasks was to either beat them into submission, or show them that the world is huge, and their skills are worth nothing.


    And I did just what should be done with new initiates, but the problem is that people saw it. That small number of onlookers was enough to make things significantly worse. If before it was general fear and caution, now it changed to full blown terror, the same one which appeared on the faces of people from the other side of the planet, when they learned what I am. But this time there''s no Blood Brotherhood history to blame.


    Only me. Only my actions.


    I continue to walk, trying to conserve as much energy as I can, but its hard as the blazing sun has boiled the very air itself, and every breath feels as if I''m breathing in fire and breathing out ice. The red sand under my feet isn''t helping, as it simply caves in on each step I make, which causes me to lose more energy, and produce more heat. The whole thing somehow reminds me of the Dead Desert, but a darker, somehow more sinister, version of it. I''m not sure if that makes sense, but that''s exactly what I feel right now. It''s as if the desert itself has a will, and it''s actively trying to kill you.


    Anyway, I''m not the only one in this state, and at least there''s no one near me, whose mere presence would increase the already burning temperature around me. Looking to left, I find a huge caravan of people walking in line, creating a small dust cloud behind them, looking several times more exhausted and emancipated than me.


    I''m currently somewhere in the middle of the long procession, but several dozen meters to the right of it, acting as a side guard. This position is usually given to decently sized party, but the caravan leader believed that I can replace them alone. There is also another reason that I am here, alone. It''s very simple, no one wanted to walk together or even alongside the ''Blood Demon''. People glance at me quite often, but instantly turn away, continuing to whisper between themselves. My ''group'' is much further ahead, walking together, but again, there''s no one other than myself to blame for that.


    I pushed them away.


    In the distance I see the silhouettes of the summoned walking together, at the head of caravan, talking between themselves, looking unaffected by the by blazing sun and unbearable heat coming from ground. More likely result of some cooling spell around them. But they don''t look happy or energetic either. Some may say that I overdid it a bit with training, totally crushing them, showing how weak and soft they are. But if they want to survive in this world they need to learn, and learn fast.


    And they need to survive.


    [Do not pity them.]


    Even if they are summoned with enormous strength, and given whatever a mortal soul could desire, it doesn''t justify taking them away from their world and lives. Even less, when you take into account that according to the Library of Damned the last ''unbound'' summoned walked this planet several millenniums ago. Ancients paid dearly for summoning more than a hundred heroes at the same time without a way to control them. The result was quite predictable. The books didn''t say exactly what happened, but it''s easy to guess that there are things in this world that they didn''t like and tried to change.


    But no one likes to change, especially because of the ''preferences'' of outsiders, which you invited yourself.


    You invite people for ''tea'', and they start telling you how the things in your living room should be arranged.


    Not nice, right?


    Anyways, as it currently looks out the whole bunch, only Kurt wasn''t crushed, and learned a lot. Even now he walks and experiments with his shield and mace, trying different stances, simulating battles in his head, trying to be faster, stronger, and with each move he improves, even if it is by a tiny bit.


    Good.


    But life never really gives you a chance to take a breath, and the appearance of a huge purple sand snake, which jumped out of sand and swallowed a random person whole, proved that true once again.


    "Dragon!!" scream people in unison.


    Looking at the creature again, I sigh deeply as I have many times before. I simply fail to understand how can people mix up these creatures at all.


    A wyvern is a mix of a skinny oversized lizard and cave bat with two legs and two wings.


    A drake is a big, fat, slow lizard with four legs.


    A wyrm is a huge snake with spikes all around its body.


    A dragon is a fucking four legged mountain, made of pure malice, violence, and destruction with two wings. A single flap of its enormous wings is enough to create tornadoes. The damn thing also spits endless amounts of fire, like a fucking erupting volcano.


    ALL of them should be erased from the face of earth, but differentiating them isn''t that hard. Just check if there are wings and count the number of legs, nothing more.


    The summoned instantly retaliate, sending powerful spells towards it, ripping big chunks of flesh out of the wyrm, which only enrages the oversized gut worm. It spits a big greenish glob at the summoned, which they barely evade. Upon hitting the ground, the green glob starts sizzling and melting the ground, emitting purplish smoke from it. In place of running away, everyone freezes and looks at the glob. It takes several seconds for everyone to realize what the smoke around the sizzling glob is.


    "Poison! Run away!"


    That should have been apparent just from how it looks.


    Taking out the sword I start walking to the oversized worm. The purple wyrm is too focused on the brightly shining auras of summoned to see my movements. I easily slip behind it, and leaping up, I plunge the sword straight through its skull. Unexpectedly, the sword doesn''t fully go through the purple noodle''s thick skull. The damn thing starts thrashing around, trying to throw me off it''s back. It becomes so desperate that it spits a poison glob into the air, and jumps straight through it, covering itself and me in a thick layer of nasty purple liquid. All its thrashing only makes things worse, as the sword continues to dig deeper and deeper, until I hear a loud crack and my sword digs much deeper, its blade fully disappearing into the flesh of the wyrm. Nearly instantly its body stops moving, falling down on the ground lifelessly, like a huge tree cut down.


    I stand up and start removing the nasty liquid from myself and my equipment. The liquid is thicker and harder to clean than I expected, but not by much. Looking up, I find the summoned looking at me in mix of fear and disbelief, still breathing heavily, as if they have been running for several days non-stop. It takes several more seconds for them to understand that the enemy is dead. People start scrambling around, screaming for help, as many guards and travelers have fallen down on the sand, and are twitching heavily. As if coming alive, Pamela leaps to me, shoving a small vial with liquid in my face and screams.


    "Drink this! The poison should not have gone too deep."


    "I''m immune to poison.¡±I look into her eyes and state shorty.


    She looks at me in confusion and uncertainty, as her lips move, but don''t produce any sound.


    People continue running around trying to help each other, they scream for a healer and Pam, after looking at me one more time, runs to the injured and poisoned to help them. I look around in apathetic indifference. One single wyrm caused this. Something similar to this happens every time a creature a bit bigger than a cockroach pops up.


    Is this the best we can do?


    Are people destined to live like this for all eternity?


    ...


    The night was generally quiet, people were tending to the injured, trying to heal as many as they can. There weren¡¯t as many injured as I originally thought, only two dozen, and thankfully for them, the healer had a huge mana reserve, as all of the summoned usually have. In order to heal all of the critically injured, she had to buy few mana potions from a merchant traveling together with the caravan for a sum which I believe to be several times higher than the market price. The ironic thing is that she spent her own money for that, which won''t be reimbursed by the caravan leader, as by contract, he isn''t required to spend any additional money in case the guards get injured.


    But that is not all.


    It also seems like the potion merchant is a close friend of the caravan leader, and it''s not hard to guess that he receives a percentage of all transactions done during the trip.


    Oh you got injured? That is sad, but fret not, here is an exclusive potion merchant, which sells exclusive potions, for an exclusive price. Oh? You''re not OK with price, that''s very sad. But it''s even sadder that there are no other potion merchants for hundreds of kilometers around.


    What are we going to do?


    Business, nothing more.


    Same thing everywhere.


    While people were resting, I was busy with a bit of a different task. The small heap of bloody fingers lying near my legs is proof of that. Throughout the tests and experiments I''ve found out several things.


    First of all, I don''t need to send the whole body into the burning state, as I usually do during fights. The solution is to simply increase the blood pressure in the arteries, while keeping the pressure in the veins stable. There is also breathing rhythm thing, but it''s not as important.


    Second, there''s a much bigger increase in healing speed if the blood travels through specific areas of the body beforehand. The inner core of the bones. I still don''t understand what the bones contain inside of them or how exactly they increase the regeneration speed, but that doesn''t matter right now.


    Third, the internal mana shouldn''t be directed on increasing the blood pressure and temperature of body, but rather directed to ¡®feed¡¯ flesh from my liver into my blood. I''m not sure what exactly that does, but it simply works.


    So many questions, and no answers whatsoever. In order to truly improve I''ll need answers, and if no one can provide then I''ll have to the same thing I''ve always done, learn myself.


    A single book, just a single damn book, that''s all I ask.


    Should I ask the summoned about ''anatomy''?


    No, they''re just kids. There''s no way they could know how the body works.


    Anyways, I can heal a single finger within a dozen seconds if I focus on it, and if I don''t, it takes a bit less than a minute.


    Hooray I can heal fingers.


    Kingdoms weren''t built in a day.


    [But kingdoms had time. We don¡¯t]


    Hearing very soft footsteps, I shove the sand over the small hill of fingers, hiding them as much as I can. A person walks out from the side of the rock that I''m hiding behind, and stops. I slowly turn my head and look at the new arrival''s sky blue eyes, but she doesn''t meet mine. Her ears are pressed against her skull while her long black tail hangs down lifelessly.


    "The caravan will resume the travel within an hour." she states with barely audible voice


    "I will be ready. Thanks."


    She opens her mouth to say something, but instantly closes it with a click. She stands there for several long seconds, waiting for something, but then suddenly turns around and starts walking away.


    [We could-]


    Enough.


    As soon as I can''t hearing her footsteps, I resume the experiments, but this time I cut two of the fingers on my left hand, and count the time it takes to fully heal them. To my astonishment, the healing time doesn''t double as I expected, but only by about thirty percent. I repeat the test several more times, to ensure that the result is valid, and it simply wasn''t a product of ¡®chance¡¯.


    Wait.


    What chance?


    There can be no chance in healing...


    Chance? Huh, what can actually create a ''chance'' in healing?


    When did the speed of healing usually drop?


    As if hit by inspiration, I cut a single toe on my right foot and a single finger on my left hand, and test the time it takes to heal wounds on opposite sides of my body. As if possessed, I start alternating between the number of toes and fingers, trying to see the limit, the bottleneck. I get so into it that I nearly forget about the caravan. Standing up, I quickly shove more sand over a much bigger heap, and I start walking in the direction of caravan, all the while healing the toes and fingers in an unfocused state.


    Quite quickly I stand at the same position as I did during the travel, and I start thinking about the results. How to either circumvent them, or understand what exactly the limits are or what the cause is.


    This isn''t enough.


    Maybe for someone healing a finger within dozen seconds would be some kind of an achievement, but not for me. Everyone else has something else to balance their strength, external mana, spells, comrades. I have none of that, and there''s only one path for me.


    Those that want me dead, and which I want dead myself, are not humans. It''s even hard to call them mortals. They''re gods on this planet, titans of destruction and carnage, this world bending according to what they desire with but a thought.


    And I''m but a bug, nothing more.


    Bugs survive, but they do not win.


    ...


    "Paul...what...is that?" Pamella whispers, barely audible.


    "I-I don''t know..."


    Standing on big cliff, all of our gazes are fixed on what we see beyond, at least a dozen kilometers away in the distance. A huge sand storm is circling around a huge black levitating pyramid turned upside down, which should be at least half a kilometer in height. It''s hard to tell how big it actually is because of the strong storm of black and red sand, which looks so thick that it resembles liquid. The pyramid is so close to ground that one would believe that it''s touching the ground, but if you look closer, you''ll find out that it''s not. But that''s not all, there are at least a dozen smaller pyramids slowly circling around the central one, as if they are attached to it with a string.


    "That, is Zanta-bhu, Land of the Dead." angrily states the fat bellied leader of caravan.


    "Esteemed adventurers, I do not know how we ended up here, but I would strongly advice you not to look at the structure for too long. That black sand and floating stones have always been there, and no one know for how long exactly."


    The moment he finished the last sentence, he starts quickly walking towards the group of guards and guides, shouting commands, berating and insulting the guides in every possible way. The guards look visibly scared, not just because of the furious leader, who promised death and more for bringing the caravan here. The eyes of the many guards are fixed in horror on the black structure in distance. A few short moments later, the caravan leader starts to command the people to gather, saying that we''re not staying here for the night, and are leaving immediately.


    While I see all of this happening in background with my peripheral vision, my eyes themselves are fixed on what floats far away. I''ve seen the structure before, a long time ago, and believed to never see it again.


    So this is what you wanted from me Zeron.


    I fully agree.


    The Empire?


    Saint Protus Ghalor?


    People?


    They don''t matter.


    This.


    I thank you Zeron from the bottom of my soul for this opportunity.


    My legs quickly carry me to the potion merchant, and the moment he sees me, he stops, terrified. I ask for every single mana potion he has, but the voice comes out harsh and commanding, and he shovels quickly around his staff and only brings out ten flasks. He starts begging for mercy, claiming that mana potions are rare, that they''re hard to make and find. Not waiting even a second, I throw several gold coins at the merchant, worth several times more than even what he would ask for the potions in total.


    It takes less than five minutes to gather all my stuff and buy everything I would need, including some food and another sword, for dual wielding. I had to make several moves with each sword that I looked at, as the balance was hard to find when one of weapons is far heavier than the other one. Walking back, I return to the cliff and check everything for one last time. Even if I had years ahead of me, I could never prepare decently for what is awaiting me. Even worse, I have to do it all alone, but nothing will change even if I spend several more months planning. Suddenly, Lekana appears before me and clutches my shirt, with her big blue eyes looking at me in confusion.


    "What are you doing?"


    Looking at her and the people around, I find a few of them looking at me strangely while preparing their things for departure, but most of the people are simply gazing at the thing a dozen kilometers away, which somehow brings bone chilling fear, even from such a distance. Looking back at Lekana I decide to make it as short as possible, there''s no need to uselessly stretch it out.


    "This is where we part. Live a long and happy life. May your gods be with you."


    Lekana stands stunned, a statue, but I don''t wait and already start walking to the edge of the cliff. Taking out the mana potions, I gulp one down and start circulating mana with a very specific technique. After which I increase the blood pressure to a bit higher rate, and fix it there. I start breathing deeper to gather as much fresh air as I can. From my peripheral vision I see the caravan leader sweating and running to me.


    "Sir, I just heard that you are leaving. Sir you must not. That is Zanta-bhu, no one should go there. People-"


    Not waiting for him, I gulp down a second mana potion, and continue the circulation.


    "SIR ALAN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? YOU JUST DRANK TWO MANA POTIONS IN ONE GO!! YOU WILL DIE BECAUSE OF THE OVERDOSE!" he screams.


    As if by a call, summoned appear and try to understand, they start listening to the screaming of caravan leader. Their eyes start jumping between me and the still screaming caravan leader. The young summoned, Kevin if I remember correctly, starts jumping up and down chanting something in the language of summoned.


    "ITS A QUEST! ITS A QUEST! ITS A QUEST!"


    The older brother, Paul, shouts at his younger brother to shut up, and quickly walks to me.


    "Sir Alan, what are you doing? Is something wrong? Can we help you with something? If yes, please tell us, we owe you our lives."


    Thinking for several seconds, hundreds of things come to my mind, different variations and versions of nearly the exact same thing, but in the end I can''t find a reason not to be frank with them. This will more likely be last time I see them.


    "You are not the only summoned."


    All of the summoned instantly become silent and look at me in horror, as if their deepest secret has been found out.


    "How-" Paul starts, but I interrupt him before he can say anything more.


    "There are many, many more like you. They''re stronger, they''re faster, and not all of them are friendly."


    They need to know.


    "Those that wish to use you as pawns have summoned you to this world, and their goals may not be the same as yours."


    "Get stronger. Start asking questions. And believe no one."


    I gulp the third potion as I continue circulating the chaotic overflowing mana inside of me.


    "Sir Paul, Please stop sir Alan!! He has mana poisoned himself with the potion, and he cannot think straight. He shouldn''t go to Zanta-bhu, you don''t understand what awaits you-"


    I look deep into the eyes of the caravan leader as he freezes in fear. I didn''t notice, but I already started talking.


    "People turn inside out. Skeletons crawl out of bodies and attack every single living being they can find. People go insane within minutes, whispering in the language of demons. Dead turn into Liches. Every Mage and Enforcer turns into ''possessed'' and creatures of made of bones and darkness itself drag away those that are left alive."


    Looking straight into the eyes of fat caravan leader I see absolute terror, he starts trembling, and makes several steps back.


    His lips quiver and barely audible "How" escapes.


    "You have seen them, right? The true face of darkness"


    "Don''t follow me, you will all die." I state shortly.


    Turning to the summoned I say the only thing left.


    "Vei Lai."


    Glancing one last time at Lekana, I start running in the direction of epicenter of the structure. With every step I make, I feel as if the very air starts becoming thicker, while the body feels heavier and heavier, as if someone is stacking more and more stones on my shoulders. The sand storm continues to blow with its speed only increasing the closer I get, and the moment the grains of sand hit my face they dig into it, like tiny hooks.


    It takes a bit less than an hour, but I finally get to the epicenter of it all, and I find a huge pyramidic deformation with a structure made of black stone in the center of it, directly under the tip of floating upside down pyramid. Walking down the slope to the black structure I look up at the pyramid. It feels as if the whole monstrosity will fall down any moment, but it won''t, at least not now. I take out another potion and drink it in one go. Except for the sound of the ravaging storm wind, the whole area is submerged in absolute silence.


    Walking closer to the structure, I find a wide staircase leading down into the darkness. Taking out both swords, I grip their pommels tighter and start walking down the staircase. With each step the whole area becomes darker and darker, until there comes a point when the darkness consumes everything and the world submerges into absolute silence. I continue my descend and after several more minutes I start hearing a quiet whisper somewhere behind me.


    I stop and drink another mana potion, increasing the speed of the mana circulation into my head, but keeping the heartbeat as stable as possible. Breathing the stale and heavy air in deeply, the whisper slowly starts disappearing, as if they haven''t been there from the very beginning. My jaws creek, the teeth grind against each other and I scowl, as I come very close to the critical point.


    Right after the voices come the hallucinations.


    There''s no one with me to wake me up. I could''ve met my end.


    I resume my descent deeper and deeper into the darkness, and even though there is absolutely no light anymore, I still am able to see the stairs and wall. After another dozen minutes of walking, I see the stairs end and an absolute, endless darkness begins. As soon as I step off the last step I find myself in a room so enormous that even its approximate size couldn''t be estimated.


    Even though there isn''t a single speck of light in here, there is sound. The sound of an uncountable number of objects grinding against each other, like ants deep inside of the colony. Soon, my eyes adjust to the darkness and I find myself standing on a small cliff, and making several steps forward, I look down into the deep, nearly endless pit. A few moment later my eyes adjust even more, and I find the whole floor of the enormous pit is moving, as if the waves of an ocean, but looking closer I find the texture of waves different, more granular, as if made out of solid objects rather than liquid. The sea of objects could be by some mistaken for a sea of bugs, which are crawling over each other like in a pit of snakes, but I know that they are neither snakes nor bugs.


    As if by a queue, all the tiny creatures turn in my direction.


    Millions upon millions of skeletons, all of them rattling their bones in absolute hatred at the intruder. Different sizes and forms, from what could be described as normal, two meter tall human skeleton, to ones several times that size, with three pairs of arms and horns. But the rattling and movement suddenly stops, and the room returns into absolute silence for several long seconds.


    One by one, lights start shining deep in the pit, mostly green and blue with rare few red ones. The whole floor starts shining, lighting up the whole endless pit, as if lit on fire. Soon all the rattling changes and is replaced with high pitched screeching.


    Liches.


    Not the feral ones, no, a different kind, the ancient ones, the true Liches.


    They all start screeching louder as thick black fluid drips out of their eye sockets, mouth, and chest. The next instant, all of the screeching stops and millions of Liches jump into action, moving nothing like the feral ones, no, these ones move like puppets, not limited by the structure of their bodies, their limbs move in all direction. Millions of Liches start crawling up the wall in one single direction, mine.


    They all serve one being.


    I gulp down all five flasks left in one go, and send the chaotic mana circulating to levels I have never known before. I should''ve controlled my body, controlled the blood pressure and mana circulation, but all of it is lost and forgotten as a deep inhuman roar escapes me and explodes throughout the pit.


    The last time I was in place like this, I lost more than half of my Brothers, and received that accursed scar.


    All of the colors invert as I leap at the enemies.


    Now it''s my turn.


    Lucy, I''m home.

 Chapter 26 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    Whatever I do, it doesn''t change the outcome. Slowly, the white-haired monster gets closer and closer. As if assisting him, my legs become heavier and heavier, slowing me down even more. It comes to a point that running become impossible and the only thing I''m able to do is drag my useless legs forward, which feel like they''re made of lead.


    Gathering the courage from the bottom of my being, I abandon my pathetic attempt to fell and turn around to meet the monstrosity head on. But the moment I start turning my neck, I feel his bone-chilling breath on my back. Slowly my eyes fall upon the enemy and I stand petrified, looking at the enormous monster with white hair and burnt skin, exposed rotting muscles and bone underneath it. The monster continues breathing, his eyes slowly changing colour from green to blood red, illuminating the darkness surrounding us.


    In the next instant, the monster moves, but it happens so fast that I don''t even have a fraction of a second to react, as its huge jaws and long white fangs sink deep into my neck, cutting off all airflow. I try to break free from the death grip, but it''s futile, as pain shoots through my unresponsive body.


    I scream and leap away, only to fall down on a cold marble floor. Looking around, I find only darkness and silence in the room, which I recognise as my bedroom. Slowly my eyes adjust to the darkness and the room takes form, as a rare few strands of light break through the small windows covered by thick curtains. There''s movement on the bed, and a girl with silver hair rises up, her small yellowish eyes searching the room for danger.


    Cursing under my breath, I stand up and walk closer to the girl, who jerks slightly when she sees me. Her yellowish eyes stop on my face, and slowly calmness returns to them. She stretches her arms like a child waiting to be picked up would to a parent. Grasping her hands I sit on the bed, and she instantly leaps to my chest, burying her face in it.


    "Everything is okay." I whisper quietly. "We are safe."


    Her thin and weak hands hug me with all the strength she can muster, which is quite significant compared to what you expect from her thin limbs. Caressing her head I repeat again and again


    "We are safe Natalia, we are safe".


    Slowly we both drift back asleep, embraced in each other''s arms. With sleep overtaking me, so does the darkness, though this time I am alone in it and no monster is hunting me.


    ...


    "Marcus! Natalia! You guys look tired!" shouts Manato from the opposite side of the huge room as soon as we enter, waving at us in the process.


    Together with Lia we walk to the huge table in the center of the room, filled to brim with food. I guide Lia to the chair, and while still holding her hand sit on chair to the right of her.


    "You don''t look much better." I answer Manato with dry smile.


    "Yeah, you are more than likely right!" he laughs loudly through it.


    It has been nearly a month since, but Manato has already changed so much, it feels as if I am speaking with someone else. As if the guy who loved sightseeing, didn''t take anything seriously, and not so long ago was running around with the head of a dead creature in the middle of dungeon dive, no longer exists.


    He is not the only one who changed.


    As I already start to devour a third dish, Sergei walks in, limping slightly on his left foot. Even if a limb is restored after you lose it, nerve damage may still persist for quite some time, and what''s happening to him right now is kind of normal, if you can call losing a whole leg normal at all. His eyes meet mine and we give each other a nod and half smile. A few second later he stops behind Lia, and gives her a kiss on the top of her head. Turning to him Lia sweetly smiles, grasping his hand with her own to convey her love to the only blood relative she has left. Sergei sits to the left of her, greeting everyone in the room in the process, and joins us for the meal. Half an hour later, after every single member of the party arrived and finished their meal, which is at least five times bigger than any normal human would eat per day, we start the discussion.


    And the discussion takes quite some time.


    There are several important things that have happened since we... ran away from the South Dungeon Kingdom, or what''s left of it. After the battle, the appearance of the huge elementals and finally the eruption of the volcano, not many were left alive. The city was swallowed by magma and lava before our very eyes. For a fraction of a second there was an idea to help everyone and remain in the city, but we had to discard it the moment we saw the huge flotilla of ships still around, filled to the brim with Paletians. We had to leave the city, and everyone who was left there, our superiors, the royalty, the nobles, my maids....and more. We didn''t abandon them, there was no proof that they were even alive, and it would...


    Anyways, after that we decided to travel to Mozzarel, but half-way through we had to stop. Locals at a small town, where we stopped for the night, told us that Mozzarel''s relationship with Empire deteriorated, and it was very unstable. There were a few that even mentioned a chance that they would either join Qing or Paletia, as the whole region was unstable, and they weren''t such a big kingdom. In the end we decided to play it safe and not travel any deeper into the region, which could be hostile to us, and go straight home. A lot of stuff has happened since.


    As a matter of fact, we''re currently in Qing, or how this part of the world should be called nowadays, Sun Empire East province. Nearly the whole continent has been ''liberated'', as the Empire''s officials call it, and the most shocking part of it is that there were no epic battles, preparations, or stories. Only death, destruction, and inevitability. The ''unification'' of Sun Empire happened nearly exactly the same way with every city and kingdom around it''s border, with sudden arrival of thirteen floating fortresses firing beams of concentrated mana. There was no ''discussion'' or terms of surrender, as it wasn''t an option from the very beginning.


    The very first thing that was done during the ''liberation'', was the utter destruction of the royal palace from a distance, after which several thousand Paladins in powered, white armor laid siege to the city. Their task was to kill every single royal and noble they found, with no option for negotiation. They come in utter silence, ''clean'' the city, and leave as soon as their task is done. Shortly after, several officials from Sun Empire enter the city, and announce that they are the new leaders of the city, together with about a hundred Paladins as their personal army.


    The result of such a tactic is a clean city, with no rulers or power structure, where you can easily force new rules, with absolutely no resistance. And if there is a small chance that someone would voice their disagreement, there is ''police'' in powered armor that quickly change that. Why haven''t I seen or heard anything about this awesome thing? An armor made out of extremely rare metal, which gathers and stores ambient mana, and injects it into the wearer''s body at specific time intervals. I would''ve played around with it, and maybe made my own, with tons of feature, colored in black with wings and stuff. After the new territory joins Empire, the whole procession continues forward, to new city, region and country. We''re actually currently in one of those fortresses.


    We were found when we were returning back home to the Sun Empire using the path we went through before, through the Dead Desert. Right in the middle of the desert we suddenly saw a dozen floating mountains coming in our direction, each of which was about four hundred meters tall, and at least twice as wide, growing larger every second. When the huge rocks came close enough, we were able to see that it wasn''t just a huge floating rock, but rather a huge structure made out of stone and metal. For a few short moments it felt as if we were once more transported into a new world, but this time it wasn''t a medieval one. Soon enough though, my eyes found something recognizable, a flag with the insignia of a sun that we know very well.


    As I learned later, the structure was designed by the, nowadays legendary creator, Grand Wizard Palonto, who came up with it about ten years ago. The design was so revolutionary and so well planned that it was instantly classified. For the achievement she received the title of Grand Wizard, and a personal Wizard Tower to improve and implement the design. But it still took them ten years of testing and failing, only to return to the original design and create the structure itself. It even has a new communication device, with which you can exchange ''voice messages''. A long distance radio in other words, though only works for two unique modules, each designed for the other. Therefore they have several of them for communication between the fortresses.


    Anyway, when the one of the fortresses was over us it stopped moving and several Mages in official royal robes flew out of it. The group landed softly before us, with no weapons on them. One of the officials had a mana compass in his hand pointing in our direction. We quickly recognized the person as one of the Mages that educated us back in the Empire when we were just summoned. We were quickly brought into one of the fortresses, where we told everything that happened to us, and why were we here in the desert, alone. After a through interrogation, we were healed and given rooms to rest. The next day during meal, everything that is happening in the world right now was explained to us.


    The short version is that there is no longer a Sarshi Caliphate, Desert Alliance, or Northern Kingdom. Additionally, there''s a full blown continental war with the Paletian continent, and their kingdoms. While the elves, orcs, and other southerners from the adjacent continent of Lort-thol, haven''t taken sides in the war. It''s quite apparent that their position will fully depend on our state, or to be more specific, how weak we look.


    It''s not just about Lort-thol, and the kingdoms that reside in it, but the continents south of it, which have many more kingdoms, and their own opinions of what the world''s future should look like. Fighting a war with three separate continents at the same time wouldn''t be a feasible option, as the Empire is simply too big, and any logistics will take too long to respond to an aggression from all sides at the same time. And by the look of things, there''s very high chance that one of the south kingdoms will, one way or another, collaborate with Paletia.


    So in order to ''calm'' everyone down, the Empire decided to show how big its dick is, and conquer the eastern part of the continent in one quick sweep. We were automatically recruited in the task, and our opinion in the matter was irrelevant. I was afraid Qing would join Paletia, and Empire would have to deal with both aggressors collaborating together, and supporting each other.


    But ironically, no.


    Qing detests all non-humans so much, that even in this state, where they have common enemy, they refused all help and cooperation offered by Paletians. Well most of that hate is actually coming from Qing''s Empress, which by reports, ''dislikes'' the Paletians and all non-humans so much, that she issued an imperial edict, requiring the public impaling of every single foreigner, non-human, and any citizen who is aiding them in any way . A genocide of its own citizens in the middle of war. Only a madman would come up with that, and by the looks of it, will more than likely be one of the reasons for their downfall in the end.


    We slowly progressed through Qing, ''liberating'' every city we came across from the tyrants that enslaved it. At the start I didn''t understand it, why are we not offering them a to surrender, to join us. There must be some who disagree with the Empress, and somehow we could convince them to join the Empire on their own. But soon enough I saw the reason with my very own eyes, how zealously the nobles and rulers of the cities are loyal to the Empress and the royal family.


    But that doesn''t mean that it became easy and straightforward when you simply plug out the weeds, on the contrary it became harder. During one of our stops at another major Qing city, all of the nobles and people loyal to the Empress simply went into the underground and started their subversive work in the shadows. Poisoning water wells, burning down the city''s infrastructure, attacking the fortresses with suicide mages. It got so bad that the council, which is commanding the whole flotilla, ordered Seers to search every man, woman, and child who has mana signature similar to the royal family, as well the people we captured or killed.


    It was a bloodbath.


    Even though I strongly disagreed with their inhuman decisions, I didn''t voice my opinion and made sure no one in my party voiced theirs. We''re in no position to ask or demand anything. And worse of all, I still haven''t figured out how to break free from the accursed spell that binds my mind.


    It took some time to figure it out, and the solution was simply a journal, written in English, with my handwriting, containing my thoughts about the Empire, what I disagreed with, what I experienced. The problem is that I don''t remember those thoughts, or even writing those words in the journal at all.


    Fucking brainwashing, or whatever it is. I''ll kill them all, make them pay for what they did to me, to us. I am not a toy, not a tool, I will not be used, I will not fail, I will not become my father. But not now, not yet. Right now the main goal is to play the idiot mage, and continue filling the diary with information, thoughts and ideas on how to break free, until I reach the point when I will be able to destroy these chains. Anyway, the fortresses continues traveling in the direction of Qing''s capital, and we, by extension, together with it. There are still few days left until we reach it, and logically right now we should be preparing and resting. But easier said than done.


    Travelling to Qing''s capital wasn''t as easy as Namos, the general which is the leading the procession, and the head of the council, expected. He already took into account that Qing has been preparing for this war for decades, maybe even centuries, with nearly every single citizen equipped with a weapon, and zealously brainwashed into hating all foreigners. But even he couldn''t imagine what awaited us ahead. We''re not exhausted because of Qing, its tricks, or whatever its doing, but a rather by a third party, which became a much bigger problem.


    For the past few days we have passed through several cities completely devoid of any human beings, as if they all decided to abandon the city, leaving their things behind. Everyone, even Namos, was becoming anxious, that all of the citizens, men and women, old and young, have been either recruited into the army, as cannon fodder or they have been ''used'' for some grand-scale spell, which was awaiting us ahead.


    We all were partially right, an army was awaiting us, but not the one we were expecting.


    It wasn''t human army.


    Corrupted.


    Millions upon millions of corrupted local wild animals, undead, and liches. They all behaved and attacked like some kind of hive mind, like moving waves of carnage and destruction. A perfect army. Post-apocalyptic stories back at home did not prepare us for this.


    I overexerted myself when I consumed a total of five mana potions. Even two of them are believed to be life-threatening, but because of the situation I was in, the danger and the amount of potions consumed, I wasn''t in a state to follow orders or even understand the danger I was in. It was as if I was watching a movie from a first person perspective, where you see the image change, your legs and hands move, but you have absolutely no control over them, or the outcome of the movie.


    Where''s the Blood Brotherhood? Those that specialize in hunting corrupted and stopping the ''Emergence'', as people in the Empire call it.


    Where are they when you need them? Right, they are dead. And information about that was released just some time ago.


    What about their replacement? Oh, yeah, also dead, killed by...


    Anyways, we''re left all alone with the undead and predators, which we don''t know how to hunt, which results in a lot of wasted time and energy, testing and learning the hard way. It would be nice if we had a book that mentions that undead will continue moving even if you cut their head off or dismember them into pieces. It would also be nice if someone would have told us that they have leaders, which can cast mind control spells.


    Oh sorry, there is no such book, or at least we don''t have one.


    A simple word would have been enough! What was the Blood Brotherhood replacement even doing?!


    Shit.


    Maybe I am just exhausted, though, it wasn''t just me, as everyone is nearly in the exact same state, even if they don''t show it.


    Sigh.


    It takes another hour for us to review what happened yesterday, what we did right and what we did wrong. Every single mistake, every single decision and more, as we were wholly unprepared for an army of that scale and type. We''re a team, and we need to become better as a team, because this is our main strength, and as things are going, the future doesn''t look very bright.


    "Any news from the Empire?" Sergei asks quietly.


    The room instantly turns to total silence. Switching to English I try to answer as calmly as I can.


    "Nothing. The Senate has not contacted us since the last time." I finish dryly.


    There is another thing, that I did not expect, the Prophecy that Paletia summoned talked about was known to Empire for quite some time, and they have taken it quite seriously since day one, unlike us.


    However mystic or Sci-Fi it may look, Espers, or how people here call them ''Oracles'', exist. There aren''t many of them, and value of each one cannot be overstated, they''re literally worth more than their weight in gold. At first I thought that it was just another sham, but no. Those Oracles gather into a huge group of about a thousand and organize a ritual, in which they consume and use enormous amounts of mana use as a catalyst with one single goal, to cast a space-time spell and peak into the future.


    And the answer they got wasn''t the good one. As we were explained to, the Oracle and Senate tried all means necessary in order to bend or change the prophecy, but it always stayed the same, it was never under the control of mere mortals. To put it simply, apocalypse, end of the world, the final judgment. The thing that some religions promised, some celebrated, and some prepared for. And here it is, right around the corner, just a single step away. I quietly mutter the prophecy under my breath, like a mantra to think over it, or laugh at the ridiculousness of it, which one though, I''m not sure.


    "Night will swallow day.


    Blood rivers of innocents will flow.


    Dead will rise from their earthen prison.


    Messengers of other world unite.


    Warriors of light and dark be born.


    Spirits of Ancient World return to living.


    War of wars shall begin.


    The savior will descend to return the order and truth.


    And he will clash with Destroyer, the Devourer of worlds.


    Death will come, and with it the world will become one again."


    This is everything that the Oracles have received, again and again, and whatever they did the answer coming from the future did not change, and as it looks like we are not the only ones who received this message. The Empire, Paletia, Qing, Elves, and maybe more already know about this.


    Okay, from the first three lines I understood that there will be darkness, blood, and many dead. And I believe the ''Messengers of other world'' from the fourth, is referring to us. But why is it ''unite'' and not ''will unite''? Is this a call for action, or a maybe misunderstanding, and simply describes an inevitable future? More than that, why is it asking for ''warriors'' from both sides, good and bad to ''be born''? What the hell does that means? Isn''t the goal for the ''good'' or ''bad'' guys to win? Why call out both sides? The spirits part is a bit more tricky, as I was explained, the ''spirits'' do not have bodies, and what it refers to, is for them to ''acquire'' physical bodies in world of living, a flesh and body they can command.


    Avatars.


    Is this what the Paletian heroes were talking about?


    Anyways, the War and Savior part is VERY original, and it is not as important as what it implies. We, the summoned heroes, are not the Saviors, but simply messengers.


    And there is an enemy, ''Destroyer, the Devourer of worlds''. A name of a comic book villain from a third-rate story, where the guy is evil for the sake of being evil.


    Thankfully after his death the world will become one.


    It''s his death that is implied, right?


    How stupid.


    Sadly this is my life now, and this ''stupid'' thing can kill me.


    "Mark, you should see the healer again." Sam suddenly says.


    Looking back at him I find a genuinely concerned look.


    "Yeah, you look extremely exhausted, and I don''t think those blood-shot eyes look healthy." adds Manato.


    "Sorry Marcus I''m useless, I can''t heal these symptoms." quietly whispers Lisa, evading direct eye contact with me and Lia.


    No glances anymore huh. At least there''s one less problem.


    "It''s okay, it''s not your fault, there is nothing you can do here. I know that you are already overwhelmed with injuries from others. I will be fine, nothing life threatening." I try to calm Lisa down.


    I am already taking care of one, I won''t be able to support the second one too. Sam should understand that.


    Standing up, I say bye and start walking with Lia still holding my hand tightly, and moving closer to me. We continue to walk in silence until we reach the long inter-sectional corridor that is rarely used. Suddenly Lia starts slowing down, slowing me too until we fully stop. She continues to stand frozen to the ground as if a statue for several long seconds, until her expression changes slightly, and I quickly recognize the same look that I have been seeing for quite some time.


    She takes several steps closer and tenderly hugs me, nuzzling into my neck. The hug changes to tighter one and nearly instantly our lips connect, after which her tongue shoots into my mouth, exploring it as I savor the sweet taste. She drags me to the wall, and leaning on it pulls me over her. She starts breathing heavily and her hand slips into my pants. We already did it in the morning, but just few hours later she wants more. I would be happy if it would be just a healthy and natural libido, but things are not that easy. After the ''event'' she got a serious psychological trauma, it wasn''t just her who was affected by what we saw in the South Dungeon Kingdom, but her case is the most severe one.


    Looking at it once again, it''s a miracle that we all made it out alive, but everything has a price. Natalia lost her cheeky fire and became very dependent on me and her brother. At the start she was simply using me as a hug buddy, citing that she only feels safe near me. Then it became more severe, with her not being able to sleep alone, as she was afraid of darkness, therefore I became a temporary sleep body pillow.


    From there things escalated quickly.


    Maybe I was also searching for someone''s warmth, or maybe after more than a week with no action I simply...snapped. Anyway, Natalia and me are a thing now. And any moment she feels unsafe or scared, she leaps at me, craving for warmth. This is unhealthy, and I should do something about it, but I do not know what exactly.


    Growling, I push her against the wall and start grunting rhythmically, savoring the sweet smell coming from her hair. Lia clutches to me with death-grip like a drowning man to a lifebuoy. Looking into her yellowish eyes, the absolute trust in them ignites something in me, and clutching her body to myself stronger, increase the rhythm speed, and quite soon we both finish, kissing, and breathing heavily.


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    Looking deep into my eyes once again she whispers quietly.


    "Please don''t leave me."


    Clutching her closer I force my tongue into her mouth. She gasps sweetly when I part my lips away.


    "I won''t."


    Quickly tidying ourselves up, we continue walking in the direction of the healing ward.


    ...


    "Healing too slow? HA! You should thank the Gods that you heroes are so sturdy. FIVE. FIVE GOD DAMN MANA POTIONS. And all you get is a minor migraine. Three are already enough to kill a powerful wizard, but five, FIVE!"


    The healer with wild grayish hair continues his lecture on improper use of potions while I calmly sit on the chair and nod. He''s one of the people who likes to lecture you about everything, going as far as telling their own personal life story with the purpose of teaching you a ''lesson''. Lia''s small hand is tightly clutching mine while the older gentleman in his fifties continues his passionate monologue.


    At the beginning Lia was afraid to even look in the mirror, afraid to see anything with even a bit grayish hair, even herself. It''s hard to blame her, it''s still hard for me to look at anyone with gray hair without my heart nearly stopping for just a moment. I myself, am at a stage where I''m trying to overcome these nightmares with HIM and the blood avatar, so I don''t have the right to tell Lia what to do, or how to solve it.


    After the event, I started asking more questions, about HIM, the Blood Brotherhood and Empire''s past in general. And I didn''t like the answers I got.


    "At two people start bleeding internally, but five, FIVE! You-" he says, repeating himself already for the third time.


    "Is there a way to increase number of mana potions I can drink safely?" I inject to guide the talk in correct direction.


    "HE WANTS MORE!" the healer screams, throwing his hands into the air. "A normal person would have needed weeks to heal after what you have done. You-"


    "Sir Lihar, please."


    The healer stops, closing his lips tight into thin line, and stares at me for several long seconds.


    "For a normal human, maximum advised dose is one potion per week. For veteran adventurers and Wizards, that increase to one per day, anything higher could damage the body irreparably."


    "But?"


    "But, if you posses a strong body, which is the case for summoned, that increases the dosage slightly." he replies quietly.


    "So the stronger the body, the more I can consume?"


    If so, than it is much easier than I expected. I just need to increase the intensity of my physical exercise, and ask Sam to be more ruthless during our sparring sessions.


    "It not as easy as it sounds." he stops my mental plans suddenly.


    "Enlighten me."


    He sigh deeply and starts talking monotone, as if reading out of a book.


    "To increase efficiency of mana potions and number of times they can be consumed sequentially, the user must slowly increase the dosage and internal mana circulation speed during extensive training sessions."


    Looking into my eyes for confirmation, that I understand where this is going, he continues with cautious tone.


    "It is dangerous and may take years. It also takes a great dedication and-"


    "I''m in."


    Sir Lihar sigh deeply once again.


    "Okay, come everyday at noon, I will help as much as I can. But I will strictly monitor the performance of you internal circulation, as it is the most critical part! Only after you reach a specific level, will I allow for the dosage training."


    Shit, that''s one of the hardest things to do, the thing that I still struggle with, and hate with my guts. It as if trying to dig a huge hole in desert with a fork. Slow and tedious. There must be an easier way.


    After a rather short discussion we decide upon the exact time, when and how he will train me, which suits both me and him. As I''m about to leave I decide to ask the question that has been bothering me for some time, and which I can no longer hold in.


    "Sir Lihar?"


    "Yes?" he says with same enthusiastic voice he generally has.


    "What is the biggest amount of mana potions you have seen a person consume?"


    He sighs deeply again, and looks somewhere in the distance for few seconds. The healer finally turns to me and with a grimace gives me an answer.


    "Nine, by the Grand Wizard of Central Wizard tower, but his achievement was short-lived as he was in feral state and died just few moments later."


    Nearly twice. Shit. I nearly blanked out after fifth, what will happened to me after the ninth? So there are monsters in this world...


    "What about.....the Inquisitor?" unexpectedly words come out of me.


    There is sudden change in his expression, but the healer keeps it cool. At the same time I feel as Lia''s hands tighten slightly.


    "What about the deceased Inquisitor?"


    "No, I mean... I have heard that you and... the REAL Inquisitor were-"


    His eyes shoot open and he starts looking around the room, to check that there is no one else here.


    "Shush!" looking around the room once again he continues whispering. "Who told you that?"


    "I want to-"


    "WHO!?"


    "No one."


    "I do not care what game you are playing, but you should stop. This is nothing that you should get involved in. You-"


    "You were traveling with him, helping him with purges. You are experienced battle healer, which is why you are here. Or is this not true, Sir Lihar?" I look into his brown eyes and continue "Please tell me, I need to know."


    He looks around the room, quietly walks to the door, checks that there''s no one behind it, locks the door and returns back to the table within seconds. Taking out a small brown bottle from inside of his coat, he opens it and drinks it down, after which he puts it down on the table. A strong alcohol smell comes from the bottle, which means that he the thing he is preparing to talk about, is something that is not easy to talk about.


    I came to the right person.


    "What exactly do you want to know?" he asks calmly few seconds later.


    "What is the maximum number of mana potions Inquisitor could drink?"


    "He was a... monster. You should not compare yourself to him. He consumed potions as a noble child eats candies. He was-"


    "How many?" I push


    "...I personally have witnessed...seventeen...But after that he was bleeding throughout his whole body, in...an unresponsive berserk state...not reacting to anyone except the corrupted."


    "Wait. You said the maximum was nine by a Grand Wizard." I inject after reiterating everything he said again in my head.


    "By a person. A human. Inquisitor...is not what you call...human." picking up the bottle with once again, he gulps more, until the whole bottle is empty.


    I need to stir it in the right direction, I am not sure if I will get another chance. "We crossed path with him in the South Dungeon City and..."


    His head whips in my direction and his eyes stare deep into mine.


    "You saw him?! You saw that... thing? Alive?!" he pauses for few more seconds and continues "And you thought that that thing was a human?! Did that thing even feel alive, much less like a human?!"


    He picks up the bottle once again to drink, but finding it empty puts it back on the table.


    "You know nothing, you have seen nothing. Do not look deeper into it child. This is much bigger than you, me, or anyone else for the matter of fact. Only despair and darkness awaits you there. Stop while you still can."


    He finishes looking into my eyes with desperation. A few moments later he stands up and quickly pushes us out of the healing ward, sending us back to our rooms to heal.


    As we walk back, thoughts continue swirling in my head, until I stop when I feel Lia''s hand tightening around mine. The realization of what I just did hits me hard as a wall of bricks and I curse myself for inattentiveness. Clutching Lia to my chest I start caressing her head, trying to calm her down. I made a big mistake and spoke about HIM in Lia''s presence. Shit. Even a mention of that gray haired monster can triggered this response, and curiosity got better of me. Maybe I should have asked it separately...


    He spoke in English.


    There is some kind of primal instinct in me screaming to forget and evade HIM, or find and destroy HIM, but at the same time there''s something deeper within me, which is screaming that HE is important, that HE holds more than meets the eye.


    ...


    It has been several days since I started healing, and it would have been great if I had a bit more time to finish healing this annoying headache, but within this day we''ll arrive in the capital of Qing. I''m currently sitting cross-legged on the balcony, looking straight at the horizon and the moving mountains. Lia moves slightly, shifting in my lap, trying to warm up and find a more comfortable position, but I don''t think it''s possible. First of all, I''m only a few centimeters higher than her, and even if I open my legs wide open, it will not make me or my lap bigger. Second, the small barrier that I created around myself and Lia, can barely hold back the freezing cold wind, which blows straight into our faces.


    Even in this situation, when an enemy may attack at any moment, I still try to allocate some part of me for training, to improve myself, even if it''s such a useless thing as a thermo-barrier. Every single step is important, because together, all these insignificant things can pile into something much bigger. In order to survive in this world and break free from the shackles that the Empire has binded me with, I need to be strong, stronger than any human being can be, beyond the limits of flesh and blood, because there are monsters in this world, and they take all kinds of forms. To slay some of them I need to become something more than a mere mortal, something far beyond that. And only after that can I start dictating the rules, and stop being the one who obeys.


    The image of the fire and lightning elemental fighting in the middle of city, flashed before my eyes. Their spells, their enormous mana reserves, their primordial wrath and power.


    True absolute beings. What can mere mortal do against them?


    Their appearance is extremely rare, as elementals, unlike avatars, are born out of pure elemental mana, and require an enormous amount of it in its natural or ambient state. Counter to them, avatars are born from humans, who fused with the element, and become one with it, feeding upon it, growing stronger in its presence. The very sight of the blood avatar sent chills down my spine, like a deer in the headlights, a prey before the predator. How do you even kill such being?


    If the Oracle didn''t make a mistake and the prophecy is actually true, which I have less and less doubts about, this is only the beginning, and much bigger horrors are about to become real.


    Shit, now I start sounding like Paletia''s summoned.


    Whatever the "Spirits of Ancient World" are, I shouldn''t count on them being friendly. I have only one personal experience with an avatar, and it wasn''t a good one. The books spoke of calm, collected, and enlightened beings, but what I saw was nothing like that. A feral creature consumed by instinct and destruction. I could somehow feel that with my very bones. Even more, the people who could become avatars were supposed to be the best of the best, and even then there was only a small chance that one could become an avatar. How could the new Inquisitor become the blood avatar when his skills were sub-par at best?


    I hear footsteps and slowly, one by one, Sam, Sergei, and the naive Trio come to the balcony. Not so naive anymore though, their eyes reflect a bit different light now, with Manato brimming with confidence and a cheeky smile to boot. His cheer-leading duo on the other hand, became more calm and collected, a bit more quiet too though. Yuki, with long black hair, which would usually give cold jabs in the direction of her friends, became more friendly and open. Akari on the other hand, with her short haircut and brown hair, became less childish, and somehow more dependable. For several long seconds they stand in silence, enjoying the view, the fresh and cold wind. Alas, this won''t last for long, as we all understand perfectly well what will happen today.


    Sam''s voice breaks the silence, as he reiterates over the strategy, and that we must stick together, and not waste our mana reserves and always keep a very safe margin, as anything can happen. He turns to me, and repeats once again that the we should be very careful with potions, and the amount we consume, as they are very addictive and toxic, not breaking eye contact with me during the whole process. It takes a very long minute of me agreeing, and giving him my word, to calm him down and close the subject. Checking that there is no one near, he looks at me and Lia for confirmation that we are alone, and that there''s no one near us, which we give a second later after the check. Even though we already gave him confirmation that there is no one around, he still continues whispering quietly, trying to keep his voice barely audible.


    "If anything goes wrong, and I mean anything, we should abandon the mission and return to the Empire. Forget the fortresses, forget the council, forget Qing, forget the war and the prophecy, forget everything. We need to return back home, safe, alive...together."


    So, he''s already at a stage where he can evade orders, or at least try to think outside of the limits of the damn curse. It seems like I''m not the only one. But it''s still on the level of evading or bending the orders, not refusing them.


    I''ll need to speak with him about it later.


    As we stand and continue to chat about useless stuff, trying not to think of the day''s events, the mountain range becomes larger and larger. Suddenly a guard, with nearly no mana signature, who I notice just a second before he appears, enters the balcony and tells us that we are awaited in the captain''s bridge.


    I tenderly caress Lia''s face, after which she groans and opens her lovely yellow eyes. After a quick explanation of what is happening, we stand up and start following the guard, as he guides us through the enormous structure into the room, where the council, Namos, and all of the leaders are already waiting, looking through a huge glass window as the mountains move closer and closer.


    We are quickly guided to our positions right behind the council, where we join everyone in silence, looking straight ahead as the view through the huge glass window slowly changes. It takes a dozen long minutes of travel to exit the mountain range, which acted as a natural barrier and wall for the Qing Kingdom''s capital, ensuring its security and longevity.


    The mountains end, opening up to a view of the capital in all of its greatness and size, as the gigantic plain comes into our sight. The uncountable number of small houses and villas, the huge and wide roads which crisscross the enormous city. In its sheer size and density it could easily rival Tokyo or New York, or any other metropolis from Earth. Far away, in the center of the city, close to the ocean shore, is an enormous platform, dwarfing anything I have even seen before. The stairs that lead up to it alone, span several kilometers in length, and at least a kilometer in height.


    On top of the platform there''s several gigantic multi-layered castles in the oriental style, with golden roofs and bright red walls. The structures pierces the dark gray clouds over them, creating a feeling of wrongness, as the scale is simply unbelievable. The biggest castle, which is in the center, could fit a whole city alone on top of it''s first roof layer. By my estimation the whole structure goes higher into the sky by at least it''s visible height. I would be shocked by its beauty and size, and would want to explore it for weeks and weeks, looking into its history and genius as it would surely rival, or even exceed anything we have back on Earth, if there wasn''t another more bone chilling shock freezing me in place.


    The whole plain is a blazing inferno, with people screaming and running around, trying to save themselves from the fire. Though the fire isn''t the only thing that people are running away from. Undead, an unbelievable number of them, a dozen million at least, with waves upon waves of zombies and liches, consuming buildings, structures, and the inhabitants of the city like a swarm of locusts.


    This is exactly the same thing we met about a week ago, but on a much grander scale.


    In the sky I there are about a dozen thousand brightly shining spheres, which contrast starkly against the drab sky. Most of them are either shining with a red, green, or blue color, which easily gives away the powerful fire, water, and wind specialized Wizards, their mana auras visible even from here. All of them are at least several dozen kilometers away, but even from this distance I can feel that the mana density of each of flying Wizard is on par with the average mana density in my team.


    But all of it nothing in comparison to what truly make by blood chill.


    On the ground, there are about a hundred beings, with mana auras shining several times brighter than that of any Wizard in the sky, which are ripping apart undead and Liches, like they''re made out of paper. For few short moments I thought that they were the famous Qing Grand Shamans, power and skill of which I have heard so much about, but that theory crumbled apart when the beings started morphing into animals, monsters, and humans, as if they are made out of liquid. That action triggered a memory of creature I have seen not so long ago in Dungeon City, which was made out of blood.


    Avatars.


    People in the captain''s bridge are shouting orders, running around, reporting, while my team is standing near me, petrified at the sight of what is happening before us. Slowly the number of undead grows bigger and bigger, until the whole city becomes a single mass of destruction, rage, and corruption, consuming one avatar after another, under a hundred-meter tall wave of millions of undead. The blood in my veins chills when I imagine myself standing against one of the avatars, or even worse, standing in place of the avatar.


    As an absolute catastrophe happens before my eyes, my whole being screams at me to look in the direction of the ocean, after which I freeze once again. Trying to understand what could trigger such a response, and what could be more dangerous or important than what''s happening in the capital, my eyes continue to dart around the horizon. It takes a very long minute for me to finally find the origin of this feeling very far away. While people continue shouting orders, my eyes find and freeze on a tiny dark dot, which appeared from behind of clouds.


    The dot starts growing,faster and faster, becoming bigger and bigger, until it reaches a size I believe to be its maximum. But I''m wrong, as the ''dot'' continues growing, my body starts trembling. The people in the room finally shut up and look in the same direction I do.


    Very quickly the room becomes deathly quiet.


    The being that was a tiny dot just a minute, flies in the direction of the central castle, while the thick gray clouds part wherever it''s going. The being lands on the central castle''s roof, and a huge circle of sky over the castle breaks apart, revealing the structure in it''s entire beauty, which isn''t a tower as I expected, but rather a platform. The whole palace and city visibly shook when the creature landed, as the whole plain became deathly quiet, with both the undead and brightly shining Wizards in the sky looking in the direction of the central castle in absolute silence. I would''ve wanted to call the being a dinosaur, but there are two reasons I can''t. First of all, the creature has four limbs and two wings, which makes it more appropriate to call the being a dragon. And second, the being''s size.


    By my modest estimations, the creature is at least three kilometers in height alone.


    The silence which gripped the whole capital is broken when the undead screech in unison morphing into some amalgamation of hate and rage, with every single undead in the city rising up, and joining the screech. The screech suddenly end, and with it the whole city starting to move, as if alive, as if an ocean, with its flesh rising into an enormous wave of undead directed at the central palace. The wave of crashes into the palace, as countless tiny undead ants start climbing it, trying to reach the dragon, but as soon as they get close to it they burn into black crisps because of the burning mana surrounding the massive creature.


    The ambient mana in the air starts rapidly disappearing, and tracing where all of it is going, I determine the origin, which makes me stop breathing. The neck of the dragon starts expanding, shining bright red, and when it becomes nearly white from the heat, turns its humongous head down at the roof of the palace. The moment the dragon opened its mouth, a huge white sphere appeared, rapidly growing bigger, turning everything around it white. By pure instinct, I form the most powerful mana barrier around myself and my team that I can. The light quickly swallows one fortress after another, and when it reaches us, the room goes tumbling, like a kid shaking a box with ants inside.


    When the light finally disappears, I find myself on the floor, with Lia in my arms, bleeding from multiple cuts from the glass window. I try to say something, but nothing is heard, as the ringing in my ears swallows every sound in the world. Slowly it becomes darker and darker, until it finally returns to normal daylight, which somehow feels like night after the white world. With my shaking legs I stand up and look around, finding the unconscious Lia near me, and my whole team lying on the floor, groaning and trying to stand up too. Turning slightly in the direction where the council should be, I find only shredded bodies, bleeding from wounds which still have pieces of glass sticking out of them.


    As soon as my eyes adjust, they start darting around my view in disbelief at what stands before me. In place of the enormous multi-layered castle is a gigantic crater, covered by thick glass, and the whole ground around the city is painted deep black. A single creature stands in the middle of it all, lazily looking around in absolute silence. The silence lasts for a very long minute, as my team is standing up and looking at what happened to Qing''s capital. The creature''s huge head jerks, looking up in the sky with it''s eyes scanning it as if looking for something dangerous. The suddenly its eyes stop, and a very deep and threatening vibration starts emanating from it, as if a huge dog growling at something.


    My eyes slowly turn in the direction where the dragon is looking, and soon I find about a dozen bright white lights, shining in the sky, whose mana density can''t be described with mere words. It''s like trying to explain a new color with words. Looking closer I find that each of the lights is actually a being with porcelain-white skin, six wings, four arms, and two legs. Strangely though, there are no eyes, ears, mouth, or hair, like a plastic mannequin in a shop.


    The density of mana around the dragon rises sharply, and not just its neck, but rather the whole body starts shining, even brighter than before, while still looking into the sky, at the white being with wings. In response all of the winged beings point their arms back at the dragon and open their palms wide. From the center of their palms, with tremendous speed, a brightly shining spear start growing, sending white lightning throughout the gray skies.


    Before I had time to react and scream for everyone to hide or cast a barrier, the creatures threw spells at each other, the whole world turning white once again, but this time I feel the fortress under me crumbling, like a sand castle.


    What did we do to deserve this?

 Chapter 27 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    The jaws of a lich, filled to brim with long, black fangs, open wide in burning hatred. As the abomination is about to screech, the fear reflects in its soulless sockets which have a red fire burning in them. A moment later my foot crushes its skull into the black granite floor, and I feel as it explodes into a thousand small chunks.


    My eyes don''t linger on the crushed lich even for a second, as they turn in the direction of the next incoming enemy. I don''t know how I hear or see them, as my vision went completely black a while ago, and hearing doesn''t help much in a pit of rattling and screeching bones. Nonetheless I somehow feel, or rather "see", something close to me in the darkness. It''s as if a burst of bright white light in form of a humanoid figure flashed before you, after which it just as quickly disappeared into nothingness a moment later.


    With my feet I feel the movement of several liches near me, and a second later a dozen light outlines of liches flash around, only for them to be ripped apart by the swing of the broken sword in my hand a moment later. Before I have time to prepare for the next attack, I see a huge red ball traveling in my direction from far away with tremendous speed. My legs explode with strength and I evade the oncoming red ball of fire by just a hair''s breadth. The fire ball hit the ground not far from me, exploding in waves of heat, lighting up the pit and the thousands of liches around me. Just as quickly as the light materialized, it disappeared, submerging the pit back into absolute darkness.


    The creatures of corruption and hate continue assaulting me, trying to bury me under their sheer weight and number. Several times they nearly accomplished that, but the important word here is ''nearly''. I don''t know how much time has passed since I entered the pit.


    All of my feelings are dulled, like I''m half asleep, on the brink of either falling asleep or waking up. This somehow reminds me of what I felt like on the South Pole, when I was trying to remove the spears out of my body and break out of the snow prison. Nonetheless my body continues moving, like puppets on strings, following the commands of dictator that doesn''t take "no" as an answer. Even my recently lost left hand which was eaten by four liches, which appeared out of nowhere and attacked together, doesn''t hinder me.


    When I entered this room, rage consumed me as it had many times before, but this time it was different. I''m conscious, I''m able to control it, direct it at the enemies before me. Which doesn''t make sense because if one can''t keep his head cool, the breath and blood circulation stability would be consumed by ambient and chaotic dark mana.


    But here I am, standing, fighting, and thinking. The reason doesn''t matter right now.


    The enraged skulls, with dark mana shining inside of their empty eye sockets, continue to flash through my vision. One by one they continue to appear out of nowhere, and exploding into chunks, disappearing into the darkness of the pit. I stopped feeling my limbs quite some time ago, but the time nearly impossible to track, making it all feel somehow surreal, like a dream. But every time one of my limbs makes another lich disappear into nothingness, I''m reminded that I''m still here, that I''m still alive, and still fighting.


    How much time has it been since I entered this pit? An hour? A day? A month? A year?


    By all physical laws, I should''ve been dead a long time ago. A single bug against millions of liches? There''s a reason fairy tales stay fairy tales, such things don''t happen in the real world. No, if this would be a fairy tale people wouldn''t have suffered, the innocent wouldn''t have died, a happy end for them would have existed....


    After the loss of my left arm, my torso had been pierced at least nine times, with severe blood loss and possibly more. By any normal standards those wounds should''ve been mortal ones, but nonetheless here I am, continuing the war, riddled with holes which are slowly disappearing, as if they didn''t exist in the first place.


    Where does the nutrition for healing come from?


    How am I still able to move?


    How can I see these burst of lights which outline the enemies in this darkness?


    Doesn''t matter.


    I notice that the range from which I can see the white bursts of light appears to have increased slightly. Focusing on it while the enemies continue their assault, I can see with the naked eye how it grows, millimeter by millimeter, compounding and transforming to centimeters, and even meters. And the more my range of "view" increases, the more I understand that there are simply too many of them. Mountains upon mountains of undead which don''t know pain, rest, or fear, which want me dead and will do whatever it takes to accomplish that.


    The odds have been stacked against me from the start. Victory was never an option. A single tiny bug in a pit surrounded by an uncountable number of liches. It was always a question of time, of how much long it will take for my body to fall apart, for my heart to stop moving, for me to be buried by the sheer mass of enemies before me.


    I will die here.


    No.


    No.


    NO.


    No, I will not.


    My life isn''t my own, it no longer belongs to me.


    Every single injustice and evil I have witnessed. Every single brother I have lost, every single life I have taken, every single life that has been destroyed before me. They all will disappear, forgotten forever. All of it would be for nothing. All the suffering would hold no meaning. If I disappear, so will the last proof that they existed in this world.


    I can not allow that.


    I will not allow it. This is not the end, not yet.


    They must be destroyed, every single one of them.


    The world will scream their names.


    Somewhere from deep within me mana starts seeping into my flesh, blood, and bones, slowly at first then faster and faster, as if droplets of water breaking through cracks in earth, increasing them. With each breath mana intensity grows in higher and higher, like waves during storm, they continue growing in magnitude, becoming more violent, desiring to swallow and kill those that dared to challenge it. Trying to take it under control, I put my very being into it and I feel as my body temperature rises sharply, blood pressure reaches such a level, that even a tiny wound would be enough to cause a fountain of blood to gush out. Muscles tighten, and I feel as they rip and restore themselves again and again, in a near endless cycle, until they became something more. With an inhuman roar I leap at the flashing white lights that have surrounded me once again, ripping the abominations made from bone apart and sending them into the darkness forever.


    More.


    MORE!


    MORE [MORE]!!


    ...wait for me...


    ...


    Where are you?


    Come.


    COME.


    COME!


    A figure of a lonely lich appears in the peripheral of my vision, and but a fraction of a second later my fist crashes into the abominations'' spine, disintegrates it into a thousand pieces. But this doesn''t stop me for even a fraction of a second, as I have already started searching for the next one.


    All goals and objectives are simply forgotten. There is only the hunt, only predator and prey.


    Only death.


    And the predator is starving.


    Focusing on the sound, I capture a crunch very far away, but that''s enough for me to leap in that direction, searching for the next target. Like a hungry animal I start searching for the prey, and quite soon I find it crawling in my direction with only a single arm left, over the mountains of bones underneath it. The liches'' face turns in my direction, and the two small orbs in its skull burn with pure hatred. The moment it opens its jaws to screech, my foot crushes it and the light underneath my foot disappears.


    In silence once again I repeat the action.


    Again, and again, and again.


    Until the silence in no longer broken, and I stand alone in total darkness, on top of the bone mountain. Slowly my blood pressure starts to decrease, and with it control returns to me. Finally my breathing stabilizes, becoming even, and with it clarity returns to my mind, which is shortly followed by the understanding of where I am, and what I was doing.


    What happened?


    How long has passed?


    Why am I alive?


    I survived?


    Feeling something odd in my body, I send mana circulating around my body in order to understand how it''s possible that my body is in near perfect shape, brimming with energy like it hasn''t for quite some time. Looking to my left, I find a bright outline of a completely healed left hand. In my right hand I feel something heavier, and looking to it I don''t recognize the sword that I''m currently holding.


    Huh? A new weapon? What happened to the last one?


    A memory of a huge lich swallowing my right arm together with the sword flashes back to me, which is quickly followed by a series of memories, of me losing one limb after another, which returns back in the next memory sequence.


    Healing a single limb could have taken a day or two.


    How long has passed?


    Was this all?


    No.


    The liches are just a distraction, just a way to tire out those that enter before the real guardian appears. And they''re all here because of one single object, the Stone.


    In near absolute darkness, where I can barely see anything an arms length away, I start walking forward into the unknown until I hit a wall. My experience kicks in and I in act the same way I have always done when I ended up in an labyrinth or unknown terrain. With the sword I start carving a big symbol representing the start point. After the symbol is deep enough for me to see even in this darkness, I turn right and start walking forward, with my hand tracing the wall on my left. The easiest way to get out of a labyrinth is to keep to the left wall, and walk. Walk for as long as you can until you either find the exit, or return to your starting point and know that you''re fucked.


    As I continue walking, the questions I tried to ignore return. How am I alive? What happened to the millions of liches that were in the pit? I couldn''t have defeated them all. A single body would simply not have enough energy to accomplish that. The endless walk continued for so long that I started believing that I had passed the mark a few times, and simply didn''t recognize it, but the fact that I''ve been walking mostly straight squashed all those ideas.


    Finally I saw something else except the darkness and endless corridor, a tiny white spot, so tiny that I thought that it was simply a hallucination, a trick of a sick mind, and for someone who has been in the darkness for so long that it wouldn''t be strange. When I shifted my head to sides, the white spot stayed in the same position at the end of corridor, proving that I''m right.


    My legs start moving, carrying me in the direction of the light while it slowly grows bigger and bigger. It takes about a dozen minutes until I exit into a huge hall with many torches on walls, burning with purple flames. The circular hall has eight exits, in all directions, and around each of the black stone frame exits countless demons are carved into the wall, in grotesque forms, killing humans, torturing them, and consuming their souls.


    My instincts scream and I leap forward, after which the sound of something heavy impacting the ground, where I was just a fraction of a second ago, explodes around the room. Turning my head in the direction of the impact I find a huge, grotesque, multi-limbed creature in black metal armour with eyes the same color as the burning fire in the room. Seven huge swords in each of its'' claws grind against the black marble floor. The abomination stares at me for several long seconds, after which it starts buzzing loudly. A moment later half-a-dozen more creatures, which are just as big and strange, fall down from the ceiling.


    All of them have a few characteristics that are the same. All of them are just over three meters tall, all of them have more than three weapons, and all of them look like some kind of corrupted insectoid. The new arrivals join the buzzing, creating a very threatening melody. A dozen heartbeats later, all the bugs synchronously leap in my direction with their weapons brandished, ready to take my life.


    In such a situation you would usually try to change locations, or keep a distance from the attackers, but I discard that option. I''m at a very big disadvantage as I am not just surrounded and outnumbered, but also because all of them have non-human body structures, which means that their attacks would be utterly unpredictable.


    Only way to solve it.


    Brute force.


    I leap to the closest bug, using my left hand I stop one of its limbs, with the sword in the other hand I deflect the next two attacks. But that''s not enough as in the next instant four blades crash into my body from all directions. The attacks forced the air out of my lungs, but somehow, even though their weapons are deeply thrust into me, I don''t feel the pain at all. My left palm shoots out and grabs the skull of the confused creature before me, and crush it like a juicy fruit. Brain matter splashes against my face and the body of the bug falls lifelessly to the floor, but I don''t get an opportunity to rest as two more enemies appear behind me. Using the body of the headless enemy as a shield, I deflect the attacks, and counter with my own from behind of dead meat shield and kill another one.


    Buzzing angrily the enemies continue the assault.


    One by one I deflect the attacks and counter with my own, cutting off one limb after another, until I stand in the middle of the hall with the huge bugs lying on floor, buzzing helplessly. Just as I''m about to take another breath, the first enemy, the one whose head I crushed, rises up and attacks from behind, but I already expected that, and I counter with a vertical cut straight through the thick black plate armour on it.


    Breathing heavily, I look down at my wounds and find several blades still embedded in me. Ripping them out I send mana to start the healing, only to be reminded that the fight still isn''t over when one of the enemies starts crawling in my direction with only a single limb still attached to it. While continuing the healing process, I walk around and make sure that they''re dead, and just to make sure, crush every single head, and split the torsos open. Standing in silence I focus on healing, as even though I stopped the bleeding the wounds are still open. While I am doing that, the thoughts return.


    Why did I not feel pain?


    How am I healing wounds so easily?


    Where does the energy and nutrition come from?


    And more importantly, what''s wrong with my eyesight?


    Because of the burning purple fire in the room I was able to see the bugs, the movement of their limbs and more. But somehow, there was a white outline surrounding their figures. It somehow reminded me of a mana aura, but it couldn''t be one, as the creatures weren''t skilled enough to create a real mana aura.


    Is this a specific property of these bugs?


    No.


    I also saw something similar in the darkness fighting the liches.


    Am I losing my mind? Or maybe this is some form of visual perception that my body has created because of the darkness, in order to substitute for my main vision? But if it''s a new type of vision, how exactly does the body capture it?


    A vibration in air?


    Wind movement?


    Or mana...


    Mana....ha, of course not. Seers are born, not made. A creature without external mana like me could never become a Seer.


    Finishing healing, I start looking around at each of the corridors, and the paths they lead to. There''s only one path that I can feel is somehow different, as if there is a terrifying creature hiding within its shadow, sending something akin to goosebumps all over my back.


    This one.


    Looking through every weapon the bugs had I find two decent swords, and gripping them in my hands I start walking towards the path that gives off a threatening feeling on an instinctual level. Walking through the corridor for several long and quiet minutes, I exit into a hall a dozen times bigger than the last one, which would be more appropriate to call a grand coliseum at this point. The huge room is illuminated by hundreds of purple torches on the circular walls, and in the center of the whole coliseum, on a tiny altar lies two small objects, one of which is a tiny black stone that I easily recognize.


    But my eyes don''t linger on the objects for too long as there''s a much bigger danger somewhere here in this room. Looking around I try to find the source of the dreadful feeling that my whole body is screaming about, and a few moments later I hear quiet footsteps coming from a far corner of the room. The object of danger is quite far, and is so badly illuminated by the torches that you could only describe it as a black figure, but the new "vision" shows me the brightest figure that I have ever seen of near absolute white, walking slowly in my direction. It takes a long minute until he stops in front of the small altar. Only now do I understand why he wasn''t visible to my naked eyes. The whole body nearly two meters tall being is producing enormous amounts of ambient dark mana, bathing him in it like black clouds.


    The Guardian.


    He slowly turns in my direction and bows slightly, with his dark-grayish hair moving barely throughout the whole process. His blood-red eyes somehow pierce the darkness, and they shine just as much as any torch in the room. The full plate armour on his body is nearly the exact same color as his hair, with knee-long chain mail under it.


    "Greetings dear Brother." his deep and friendly voice resounds through the coliseum as he opens his arms wide in a show of non-aggression


    "Our savior, the Light Bringer, has told me about your arrival and that I should welcome you with open arms." he continues with the same friendly voice as if I''m his closest friend in existence.


    "Calling the greatest Corrupter a ''savior''. Ha, only you guardians could come up with such bullshit."


    His eyebrows rise slightly and replies with same kind voice.


    "Guardian? Oh, yes, some misguided souls call us that, but they are wrong, as they are about many other things. We are simply priests, nothing more. We do not guard anything, on the contrary, we share our love, acceptance, truth and salvation."


    "Since when is damnation in hell ''salvation''? Truly a priest of the Corrupter."


    A soft smile breaks upon his calm face.


    "Brother, why do you continue calling our father ''Corrupter''? That is a lie the false leaders have created in order to desecrate his image and seize control over our people minds. And ''hell'' is just another one of their lies, created in order to scare them into submission, to make them afraid to even think for themselves. You are beyond these lies brother."


    He continues his monologue with even greater enthusiasm.


    "The people have been misguided, cornered into a place they can not escape. They are sick in body and mind, beyond a point where they can help themselves."


    "So the almighty Corrupter will come to the poor souls and simply ''help'' them? How? By killing them? Or damning them to hell for eternity?" I cut his sharply


    Smiling widely he continues with the same friendliness as before, the one which could charm peasant and king alike.


    "Brother, it is useless, however many times you call father ''Corrupter'', it will not change the truth, truth of what he is, what he represents. Father is the Light Bringer, by the very name given to him, and you know it well. But to answer your question."


    He puts his hands behind his back and continues as if a kind teacher trying to convey a very important message.


    "There has been a war. Not the one over something as childish as a useless plot of land. Not even for souls of mortals that those power-hungry spirits posing as gods are leading. No. I am talking about the ''war'' itself."


    He continues with his kind voice becoming even more passionate.


    "The long dead God created light and darkness, and commanded them to fight each other, until the end of time, until one of them either triumphs or perishes. Why? For what reason? Light and darkness, good and evil, they are only perspective, one can not live without the other. We all want the same one thing, to live, to exist, but no, the long dead God did not want that. What he wanted is for all the creatures to fight each other over essentially nothing, to worship him, to revere him, kiss the very land he walks upon."


    Looking in my eyes he continue his monologue. "But we are far beyond that. We have long understood the reason for conflict and suffering, and we not desire it."


    "And by returning to this world and killing everyone he will stop this war? Solid logic." I reply back.


    "Brother, you should know the truth already. A question back to you. Who ever said that father wants to kill anyone? The church? The oracles? Those pathetic creatures, that require masters to tell them what to do, what to think and what to feel? Or maybe it is those same power-hungry spirits who preach peace, but command their follower to kill each other to reach their selfish and destructive personal goals? That is lie and true darkness."


    "Please, brother, I beg you, return to truth, to light."


    I sigh deeply and while shaking my head reply calmly.


    "Good job with the speech and acting. It would have worked on quite a few. But there are two problems. First, unlike others, I know exactly what the ''Corrupter'' is. Second, I can clearly see that you have been gathering ambient mana for some time. And third, regretfully it looks like I will not be able to get any important information out of you."


    His friendly slowly smile disappears, and in place of it a huge savage grin starts growing.


    "Father told me that you can not feel mana. Good, good. He will be overjoyed by these news. Come vessel, enough games, I have been waiting for you."


    The guardian extends his hands to both sides and dark mana starts gathering around his palms, transforming into two solid swords made out of pure dark mana. His red eyes start glowing even brighter, causing his pure white teeth and red eyes contrast against the dark background.


    "Come, show me what a cockroach sent by the blood god can do."


    I thought that I was at least a bit prepared, with my mana circulation and blood pressure pushed to the limit, but I was wrong. Within a fraction of a second, the Guardian''s image disappeared from the center of the coliseum, leaving behind only a cracked crater on the marble floor, and appeared before me with his black swords centimeters away from my face.


    Once again I was saved by my instincts, but not fully, as a large chunk of flesh from my face was ripped out by the sword tip. My vision became tunneled as I tried my best to evade one attack after another, only to lose more and more of my flesh. I try to deflect the incoming sword, but he''s simply much faster, my eyes can''t even see the movement of his attacks, capturing only the after images when the attack pierced my defense, and once again I survived the attack only because my instincts screamed to leap in a specific direction.


    I continue the losing game, and soon the scales tip to his side even more when one of my swords broke into pieces after I tried to deflect an incoming attack, only for it to pass right through the thick metal and pierce me. I try to evade the next incoming attack, but I fail once again, and a solid kick in my right side sends me straight into the ceiling of the huge coliseum. The impact pushes all the air out of my lungs, after which I start slowly falling down. During the descent I see the Guardian in the corner of my sight, who is standing still near the location where I should land. A few moments after I hit the marble ground, several big pieces of ceiling land on my back.


    "Is this all? Pathetic. This is my mistake. After father told me to be careful with you, I believed that I would meet some titan, a monster made out of blood and destruction. But what can one expect from mere mortal?"


    My hands slowly move, pushing me up, only for me to stop and cough out a large glob of blood.


    Finally rising and looking at the sneering creature I reply back.


    "Ha..who''s talking...*cough*...the last guardian..was stronger...*cough*... Are you the weakest one? *cough* How low the standards have fallen."


    The sneer is replaced by an enraged mask, after which the world around me starts moving once again. The air is pushed out of my lungs the moment I hit the wall of the coliseum, as chunks of stone fall down around the crater on the wall, which was created by my body impacting it.


    Too fast. I can''t track his movements at all, it''s like fighting Protus. Useless however many times you try.


    [Then die.]


    [Die and let everything be forgotten. Die as the innocent did. Die as our brothers did. Die as did all those that depended on you.]


    [Let our body crumble and rot. Let us become undead or Lich, just like what happened to Luna.]


    The image of a sweet smiling face of a small child is replaced by the grotesque yellow one, riddled with black veins and froth coming out of her mouth, eyes filled with anger and hatred.


    The mind commands.


    The body obeys.


    A concentrated ball of mana materializes from somewhere deep within my body and explodes, sending waves of mana pulsing throughout my very being. I feel as my muscles tighten, and the world becomes black and white once again, consuming all the light and sound in the world. As if in slow motion I "see" a figure of light moving towards me, and "feel" as every step it takes makes the marble floor crack.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    My heart starts burning, like it was submerged into boiling lava, and when the figure comes close enough, I leap at it with sword in my hand moving in the direction of its head. My attack is blocked, and answered with a flurry of white light attacks, which I evade just by a hair''s breadth again and again. For but a moment the attacks seemed slower, only for them to suddenly change and get faster and fiercer. Part of the light figure shifts unexpectedly, with a long and thin appendage moving tremendously fast. When the appendage hits my right arm, I feel it detach, becoming cold and numb, leaving me weaponless. The light figure morphs again, and several long appendage grow out of the light figure''s head and back. The light figure moves once again, and one of its limbs shoots towards my neck, lifting me up into the air, only to be slammed into the marble floor a moment later. I feel as the flesh and bones in my neck creak under the pressure, without the blood and air flow the world slowly grows quieter and darker.


    [Is this it?]


    [Is this all you had?]


    no.


    no.


    not [not] yet [yet]


    My mind crawls out from somewhere deep within my very being, from where the ball of concentrated mana came from, and rip out more, again and again, sending raw power throughout the flesh and blood, filling me with indescribable wrath and hatred. My left hand shoots out and grabs the accursed wrist that pins me to ground, and I feel as the bones in it break. My foot shoots out and slams into the figure of light, sending it tumbling away.


    "Damn cockroach!" curses the abomination.


    Rising up I unleash everything burning inside of me at the light figure, leaping at it with a kick, sending it to the opposite wall. Appearing before it, I grab its leg and start slamming it against the ground and wall. But the figure somehow bends unimaginably, and its appendages latch onto me. From this point we start a full blown brawl, ripping limbs and chunks of flesh out of each other. The rooms slowly starts falling apart as we ignore the damage and pain, trying to kill each other like wild animals in whatever way we can.


    At some point we end up in the center of the crumbled coliseum, and suddenly something in me screams to focus on the altar, which is pulsing rhythmically with the light around it growing bigger and smaller, like it''s breathing. The instincts scream and I obey, turning and leaping in its direction, which causes the guardian to abandon everything and follow me, breathing straight down my back. I feel a huge explosion of light from behind me and find the guardian somehow before me, standing between me and the altar, but without his additional appendages or weapons, glowing much dimmer than before.


    Looking visibly damaged and exhausted, the figure of light extends its hands and a set of new black mana swords starts slowly materializing in its hands. With my current velocity there''s no way I''ll be able to either evade his next attack or change the direction. Abandoning that idea, I send all the mana I can into my legs and the marble floor caves under the force they produce, sending me straight into the enemy. Extending my sword I bulldoze through the figure as the ground underneath us explodes into cloud of huge marble chunks.


    As the cloud of dust clears I find myself face to face with the Guardian lying underneath me, while my sword is nailing him to the floor. A dozen new appendages grow out of him, piercing and latching onto my limbs and neck, trying to crush me under the colossal force they produce. My eyes meet the enraged and bloodshot ones of the fucker under me who''s trying to kill me. Wrath fills me with power and with a roar my hands clutch the neck of the accursed being and tighten so hard that I feel as his bones grind against each other. His eyes suddenly change, and I see a speck of fear in them. Somehow in my peripheral vision I notice a tiny black rock slowly crawling in our direction, and terror runs through my back, which causes me to release the grip and leap back.


    In the cloud of dust around the Guardian I see the small rock leap at him, which causes him to howl in pain. He quickly rises up and tries to detach the small rock on his right cheek from himself, but fails as it already deeply fused with him. The black rock starts melting and fusing with his flesh, while black veins grow rapidly throughout his gray face. The Guardian''s howl of pain slowly changes to one of pure delight, as his laughter fills the huge coliseum. His eyes turn to me, and an enormous smile from ear to ear breaks upon his gray face. The mana aura around him starts growing rapidly, with his body morphing and flesh changing into something different, something inhuman, which is amplified by fact that the whites of his eyes are slowly turning black.


    "Power! SO MUCH POWER!! Darkness is truly the strongest element! Why was father hiding this from me, telling me not to touch it?! HAHAHAHA!!"


    Black veins quickly grow throughout his body, becoming visible even on his bare hands.


    "Thank you cockroach, for this I will grant you a fast death!" he says with his voice shifting from a human one to something more ancient and sinister.


    His eyes lose all the white, and turn fully black with burning red irises, after which he moves faster than even before, sending me to the opposite wall with a single kick. After hitting the wall I don''t get a chance to defend as something sharp slides across my face, turning the world fully black. Numbness shoots throughout my face as I feel blood flowing down my face. The next moment something else hits me, sending me to the wall once again. A hand grabs my throat and lifts me at least a meter up the wall. My second "sight" kicks in and I see three and a half meters of brightly shining figure quickly increasing in size. Its grip starts to strengthen, and the only way I can react is by smiling widely.


    "Broken already? Pathetic." an inhuman voice resounds.


    The moment I see a change in the core of the light structure a deep chuckle escapes me. He starts coughing after which the grip on my neck weakens and I fall down onto the cold marble floor. The guardian starts screaming with a deep and confused voice, with rare parts of his original voice appearing, his body shifting and morphing into a grotesque figure with very disproportionate limbs. He continues to scream in pain as his body grows in size and changes in structure, trying to accommodate the huge amount of external mana coming out of his internal mana gate, only for it to eat and melt the very new flesh it created just few moments before. The inhuman scream continues even though there''s no longer a head or a neck to produce any sound.


    If to someone like me, who doesn''t have an affinity, that accursed stone created a gate to dark element, what will it do to the person with a huge affinity with the dark element? In my case it wasn''t just the stone, but still.


    I command the body to rise up, after which I start healing my body riddled with wounds. After healing at least one eye first, I look around and start observing the screaming light figure, which is more appropriate to call a blob of flesh, bones, and mana. It continues to melt and decrease in size, with the brightness of its light growing duller and duller. Quite soon the blob is reduced to a tiny chunk of flesh around a small black rock, the rare scream stops, but even that flesh quickly evaporates, leaving behind just the accursed object.


    While I continue healing, my eyes are fixed on the tiny black rock, which has brought so much suffering, not just to me but everyone who ended up close to it. The stone slowly grows tiny legs and starts moving in the direction of the altar. My instincts kick in and scream at me to do something while not touching it. I pick up a big chunk of marble wall lying near me and throw it at the black rock. The rock audibly shatters and when I approach the piece of wall to lift it and check the status of black rock, it falls apart, as if being eaten from inside.


    Right where the black rock was supposed to be, I find a tiny puddle of black liquid, shining brightly with light in my other "vision". The liquid starts evapourating into thin air which causes it to start morphing rapidly and violently. The liquid starts flowing in the direction of the altar, as if it will be safe there. I pick up rocks and start throwing them at the fleeing liquid, trying to flatten or break its form, which seem to work as it slows down even more. The black liquid finally breaks into dozens of tiny droplets and evaporates a dozen meters from the altar, just when I was about to throw much bigger rock at it.


    What the hell was that?


    There was no black liquid last time. The rock was supposed to simply shatter into tiny pieces and disappear.


    Or maybe there was black liquid from beginning, and I simply didn''t see it. Maybe it simply flowed into something, hiding in it.


    Or into someone.


    Me.


    Wait, if that''s true, why did it not flow into the Guardian?


    Why?


    While the thoughts continue swirling in my head, both of my eyes finally finish healing and I blink them together to check their state. In my peripheral vision I notice another small object on the altar in the center. A tiny black book which is lying near the place where black rock was.


    Book? There was nothing last...


    Wait.


    Wait.


    There was something else except the rock.


    A black book.


    What happened to it?


    Wait, something is wrong here.


    We picked up that book...


    After that it was-


    Suddenly a very strong headache hit me, as if someone is pushing nails through my very skull, and I groan in pain, trying to make it go away or take it under control. My eyes open wide as I recognize this type of headache.


    Mind control and memory block spell.


    It''s one of the first things that a young Blood Brother is taught, and because of the amount of internal mana I have and the skills in internal mana circulation, which is the main way you protect yourself against the mind spells, I was selected as part of the hunting team. It took several dozen mana overdosed mind Mages to even make me bend.


    How was it placed? Such things never really worked on me. The only way for the spell to work...would require me to be psychologically and physically drained...


    As I was after that battle.


    They did it while I was unconscious and healing.


    The Empire has the book. They had it for quite some time....and I simply was made to forget about it. Cursing I walk to the book and look at it again. It seemed small, but now that I look at it closer it''s quite thick, at least a hundred pages. It may contain information about what they want, or what they do, or how they can be defeated, or tons of other incredibly valuable information.


    Maybe even HIS weakness.


    Ha.


    Ha.


    This is the way it corrupts the souls.


    Walking to one of rare torches on the wall which wasn''t destroyed during the battle and is still burning with purple fire, I pick it up and start walk back to the altar in the center. Whatever is written in it was created by and for HIM. There''s no way HE didn''t design something so precious in a way that wouldn''t have some kind of protection. There for sure will be something that will corrupt or bend the mind and soul of the reader.


    I throw the torch on the book and it starts burning with purple fire, sizzling, producing black liquid and smoke. If one would listen closely, he would hear a barely audible screeching coming from it right now. With my other "vision" I see a rapid shift of light around of it, which ends together with screeching shortly when there''s only a small heap of black ashes left.


    I always though that there was only one altar.


    I always though that we closed the way for him to enter this world, that we did something


    tremendously important for the world.


    I was wrong, very wrong.


    If there are two, there may be three.


    Zeron. If you truly exist and are guiding me.


    I entrust my soul and body to you.


    Everything, to destroy every single altar created to summon HIM.


    ...


    My legs carry me up the stairs while the weight of the sword in my right hand is resting on my shoulder. Slowly my body is regenerating, even the right arm that was cut during the battle fully regenerated at some point. I''m still not sure how it happened as I didn''t even focus on the regeneration itself, only on the battle, only about survival. The legs continue moving, carrying me further, and I finally see a tiny light far away. The light slowly grows bigger, and in less than a dozen minutes I exit into a huge depression with a reverse pyramid still hovering over it. Continuing my ascent, hundreds upon hundreds of questions continue their torrent in my head, all starting with either "how" or "why".


    How am I alive?


    How was I able to push through millions of liches, or even more, how was I able to overpower the Guardian?


    Last time that required the whole Brotherhood and hundreds of expert Mages, which ended up with the majority of them dying.


    How am I able to regenerate even after what I went through?


    How is that even possible?


    I don''t know how much time has passed, but I think that I haven''t eaten or drank anything in quite a while, which somehow didn''t stop me from healing entire limbs.


    Why is there a reverse pyramid over both altars?


    Is this pointer to where the next altar may be?


    Is there only one altar per continent?


    Why was existence of book hidden?


    Who currently has it?


    Was the book the reason that we were ordered to be removed?


    But all the questions merge into a single one. The only one which should be answered right now.


    What do I do?


    How do I find more altars?


    Who do I ask?


    Where do I search?


    Should I even search? Maybe Zeron will simply guide me.


    That is if he exists.


    If he doesn''t, than this whole thing is a very twisted joke of fate.


    I need to return back to Sun Empire.


    If so, then I already have an existing method, which is supposed to work. Is it still valid? Yes, it should be. The Amazons should be on that tournament in the Kingdom in the North, and as soon as it ends they should return back.


    Shit. I don''t know how long the tournament will last. I don''t think I missed it, or at least I hope so...


    Hope?


    Hope huh.


    Those that believed in it are all dead.


    Commanding my legs, I start moving in the direction where the caravan stopped, on a cliff about dozen kilometers from here. It takes some time but I finally reach the place, and find it absolutely desolate, with no traces of someone ever being here. But that may simply be because it''s currently night, and I just don''t see the traces. The several moons visible in the sky generate enough light to be able to see outlines, but not enough to see the details in this darkness. I turn in the direction where the caravan was supposed to travel, which is north, and resume the walk into the darkness.


    The sun slowly rises while I continue walking north, illuminating the endless desert and increasing the temperature around me sharply, but it all somehow feels unimportant, as there''s another, much bigger problem which I am trying not to think of. When will this body stop moving?


    I haven''t eaten or drank anything for who know how long.


    And ever since the sun has risen, the numbness in my body has been slowly disappearing, leaving behind pain and exhaustion. But I can''t stop, because if I do, it may be the last thing I do.


    Suddenly I see white light shifting underneath the sand in front of me and a huge, three meter tall scorpion rises from under of it, hissing at me aggressively, but the moment our eyes meet it falls silent. The next instant my stomach makes a sound I vaguely recognize, something I have heard a lot when I was hiding in the north.


    Hunger.


    The scorpion turns around and attempts to flee, but I don''t give it the opportunity to do so. Leaping at it, I cut one limb after another, until only the torso and its screeching head is left. After it''s immobilized, I "open" the creature and start consuming its internals. I''m not even sure if there is a "taste", the only things I know is that I''m swallowing something, and rarely my jaws chew something hard, breaking it into smaller pieces.


    Some time later I find myself in an empty hard shell of a scorpion with the sun shining brightly, raising the temperature inside of it, and making it smell bad.


    Smell?


    What?


    When did that feeling return?


    When was the last time I could smell anything?


    It''s a strange feeling, as if opening ones eyes and seeing the sun high in the sky after a very long night. You didn''t see it rise. There was just night and then day.


    I pick up my sword and resume my travel.


    Day and night change several more times, with me encountering a few living desert animals, which I promptly consumed. I didn''t feel hunger or fullness, just the knowledge that I need to eat. Several days later I exit the sand desert, and enter a rocky area with a few rare trees around, but this all feels ,strange like watching pictures moving quickly before you, with scenes and time changing very fast. The effect is amplified by the rare white lights waves I keep seeing in the air with my new "vision".


    Quite soon I enter a huge plain covered in very short grass and see a lonely traveler on a horse far away. We start moving in each other''s direction, and within a few minutes we meet. The moment he came close enough the traveler froze together with his horse, like he saw a ghost. The man in his late forties quickly regained his composure and asked if I''m okay and how I ended up here alone. To make it short I explained that I was traveling through the desert and got detached from my group, and that I''m traveling to the Endless empire, and require directions. He said that I''m quite far from where the area my caravan should''ve traveled through, but if I want to get to the Endless Empire I can take a ship from a port not so far away and end up in the same place. He pointed in the direction of that port and we said our goodbyes, after which he started traveling south, where I came from.


    At first I thought that he may be lying to me, pointing in the direction of a trap. But in the end it doesn''t matter, if it is a trap, I simply have to break through it, and if it isn''t a trap, I will reach a city with civilization. I resume walking in the direction where I was pointed with extreme care, awaiting an ambush, but strangely enough, after another day of walking I ended up at a beach, with a huge body of water which I assume to be an ocean. So they don''t always lie huh, though it''s still too early to say until I find the port city. Turning east as the the traveler told me, I continue the walk expecting to see the port within few hours.


    And I do.


    A port town which would be more appropriate to call a fortress, stands alone with no trees around of it for kilometers. When I get close to the gates I''m met with several dozen guards thoroughly checking every single person entering. And when I join the queue, I realize that I don''t look very appropriate, which explains the strange look the traveler gave me, and the ones people in front of me are giving me. Looking down on myself I see bare feet with ripped clothes, a huge sword and absolutely no money. In the best case scenario people would think that I am vagabond with mental issues, in the worst...


    The queue moves quickly, and when it gets to me I tell the same story I told the traveler, about me getting lost. They looked at me for several long seconds in silence, but in the end let me through, promising to put my head on pike if I create problems. Walking into the city I find it bursting with life like nearly every port city I have seen. Why do some things that you expect to have problems with go incredibly smoothly, while the ones which should be easy end up a pain in the ass?


    This strange world.


    Where do I even begin...


    ...


    It took a few days to set everything up, with respect to information, money, new clothes, and ticket on ship in the direction of Endless Empire. But here I stand, on a ship with everything prepared, waiting for the ship to depart. As I found out during the first few hours in the city, this is a ''City of Guards''. What I mean by that is this is at the same time a port city, military checkpoint, and a quickly growing city with infrastructure.


    Because of the limited time I had to gain the gold and information in a non-direct approach, which mean that during the night I just waited for the thugs and thieves to attack me, and simply taught them a lesson, the last one of their lives, but still nonetheless a lesson. A few guards even tried to abuse their power. But who cares about a few missing guards if you can''t find them.


    Hungry fish eat fast.


    During the past few days I found out several important things. First of all, taking into account the current date, the date when the caravan left Mikraz after the Emergence, time of travel, and the days it took me to reach this fort city, I have been in HIS dungeon for about three months, plus or minus a week. I have checked that several times using different methods. When I left Mikraz, it was early summer, and it''s already autumn now. Thankfully, as I found out, the Gladiator Tournament, which is co-hosted by Endless Empire and the Amazon Kingdom, started just few days ago, after a whole month of preliminaries, and will last for two more weeks.


    Second. I have changed a "bit". After having a person cut my hair shorter, I found out that my hair has turned fully gray with no trace of my original black hair whatsoever. There''s also another change, a bit "different" one, which happened to my eyes. When I looked into a tiny mirror in the inn I expected to see the usual deep green eyes in the reflection, but what I found were bright silver ones staring back at me.


    And finally the third, the most significant one right now, which I tried to ignore and mis-attributed. I can see mana. I really believed the feeling to be some kind of "sight" created by my body, using the combination of feeling vibrations in the air and amplified hearing, until I met someone, or rather something.


    Looking to my left, I meet the eyes of a noble, who quickly turns his away in fear. The reason for his reaction is that he behaved improperly and I had to teach him a lesson. In the beginning I simply wanted to crush his skull, but decided that it wouldn''t help me in the long run. A few broken bones, nothing serious enough a city healer couldn''t fix. The reason for his behavior and my conviction that I can see mana, are the two damaged automatons standing or more appropriately, lying, near him.


    With my new "sight" I always saw a light outline around everyone, until I saw something totally different. Two humans, with porcelain white skin and white hair, who had no such aura, but rather some kind of mana chain circulation in their torso. As I later found out they are the "yantaputraka" I''ve heard about, and the ones I was mistaken for. And after seeing them with my very own eyes it''s quite easy to understand why. They look just like a normal citizen of the Sun Empire, though with slightly lighter skin, and behave within what I constitute as "normal", though feeling somehow "strange".


    But they are not living beings.


    I found out that when their master thought that I was another magic doll without master which was broken, and which he could claim as his own. He ordered his yantraputrakas to subdue me, to which I reacted appropriately, by breaking his toys and his limbs. When I ripped limbs out of his porcelain-skinned guards, in place of blood flowing out of them, black fluid dripped and metal pieces fell. After I calmly explained the reason for the confrontation to the guards, they let me go without any issues. Why they did though I found a bit later, when I overheard people talking in the inn about someone attacking noble from Endless Empire and breaking his battle yantraputrakas with one hand.


    It wasn''t one hand, but it doesn''t matter anymore.


    Is this the "strange feeling" that people feel when they encounter me?


    I should be careful.


    If I truly can see mana, this opens up a lot of possibilities and options.


    Though how was I able to acquire it?


    What did I do?


    Can I improve it?


    It would be very useful if I would be able to see the ''dark'' mana...


    The sailors start screaming and withing minutes sails of the ship open. The next moment the anchor is lifted and the ship starts travelling. Slowly the land grows smaller and distant as the ship gathers more and more speed.


    [We have a priority.]


    [Forget about Amazons and focus on the goals. We need to return back to the Empire.]


    [After we get to the other side we can start-]


    [Listen to me!]


    The faces of Amazons resurface in my head, and the boiling rage returns. The one which I had buried for quite some time.


    "Death comes to all."


    ...

 Chapter 28 (Edited by Cereal On Toast)

    "This is the best breastplate in the whole town, maybe even the whole region! It rivals even the mythril armour that the nobles of the nine Great Families wear. I guarantee its absolute quality." boasts a tall, lank man with a thin mustache and voice that I swear I''ve heard before. His chest is so puffed up that it looks almost comical. The thick man with the huge beard beside him smiles widely, enjoying the praise with his chin held high. I would''ve called him a typical hardworking blacksmith which you can see in any decent town, but his face is too clean and his hands look like they have never touched a forge.


    While looking at both of them, I bend the breastplate with my bare hands and the busy merchant house falls silent. Looking at the bent excuse for a piece of armour I sigh deeply. After another deeper breath to calm myself down, I put the chest armour on the table and start walking out of the "best" place to buy armour, ignoring the cry of the owner and chatter of people inside.


    Useless shit wherever you go.


    I gathered some funds during the boat trip by playing the local card game with the other co-travelers on the ship. Sadly, I was only able to participate in the game for a single day, after which everyone refused to join the game if I was playing. The Endless Empire soldiers, who were returning home, were especially angry as I gathered a small fortune from them. Though they didn''t dare to do anything after learning what I did with the automatons.


    As usual, not everyone was so bright, and during one of the nights I had a visit from a few shadow guests. The quiet night was broken by screams of pain, which disappeared as quickly as they appeared. A few minutes later a huge crowd had gathered around my room entrance, and a pile of broken and bloody bodies near it. No one dared to pursue it further. The guards didn¡¯t even question me about what happened.


    It''s quite simple actually, no one does anything without approval from the guards themselves. And it''s expected, as there are always people who will attempt to acquire things using easier methods, including stealing. The ship stopped at the harbour the next day, and everyone went on their own way. The very first thing I decided to do with the newly acquired funds was to buy a decent sword and set of armour. I fully understood that I won''t be able to get any good equipment in this city, which isn''t the capitol, but even "mediocre" at least shouldn''t bend like it was made out of paper?


    After rethinking it for a short bit, I exit the upper-level market area and walk down to the lower-class area and I ask for directions to the closest blacksmith. Reaching the shabby looking street I was pointed to, I find it very noisy, but not with people, but rather work. A person sharpening knives is sitting just few meters away from a group of people skinning some kind of wildlife, and right across from them are several young boys who are running and orderly piling up bricks on top of a cart. And the whole street in a busy frenzy ignores each other, trying to do something. My eyes find a half-crumbled one storey stone building, with an anvil sign on it, and my body instantly starts walking in its direction.


    After a small explanation of why I can¡¯t simply go and buy armor in a shop, and a few gold coins later, the blacksmith went into the backroom and returned with exactly what I wanted, a thick chain-mail set with a simple steel breastplate. The whole thing doesn''t look very presentable, as it isn''t polished to a near mirror-like state like in the shops, but I can tell that this thing is worth the money, or at least I think so. Thankfully, I was able to find a decent sword with fortification enchantments on it already, which was quite a hassle as the stupid seller kept insisting that his shop has many better swords with much better enchantments, specifically, those that cover the blade in fire and lightning. Those type of weapons look pretty but are absolutely useless in a real fight. Oh look, I have a shiny sword, which shines so brightly that, even I, the wielder, am blinded by it.


    Though I can¡¯t judge the quality of the enchantment, as I''m not an expert in that field. But I know that some enchantments last for decades, others for just a few weeks. Hopefully it will last more than few hits though. It''s quite heavy for local standards, as it was designed for "bigger species", but for someone from other side of planet like me, the local swords for humans look too flimsy and tiny, calling them rapiers would be a compliment. Anyway, the closest ship to the capital is in about a week, and all the "seats" have already been bought, so I decided to buy a horse and continue the rest of the travel on my own. The horse is currently in the stable, being fed and prepared for the travel, while I finish the final tasks in this city.


    While walking in the direction of the potion brewer''s shop I''m once again struck by the bizarreness of Astapad city. On one hand you have enormous towers throughout the whole city, with a huge white castle in the center of it all, but all of them are in disrepair, showing just how ancient the whole city really is. They tried to hide the damage with simple paint and by filling up the huge holes in the walls with new bricks and stones, but fail miserably. Magic reinforced stone isn''t that easy to make, and it''s the main reason that such huge structures can exist in the first place.


    On the other hand you have hundreds of automatons walking around the city, in all sizes, shapes, and colours. Most of them are humongous multi-limbed creatures in a very poor state, which rarely look humanoid and are designed for hard labor, such as carrying heavy things around. Though I have seen a few rare exceptions, such as when I saw a noble in lavishly dressed clothes, surrounded by guards and closely followed by a dream like beautiful female automatons with surreal figures and faces, in clothes that are more appropriate to call underwear. How the hell can they have so many automatons, which are pinnacle of engineering all around the city, but have such abysmal infrastructure? This just makes no sense. If you can create automatons you should for sure be able to repair the building, or at least build new ones.


    Continuing the walk I turn right into a narrower alley, which should shorten the path a bit as I was told, and find a very different city. Dirty buildings with yellowish moss covering them and people with clothes made out of different coloured dirty patches of what could have been cotton quite a long time ago, fully reflect the stark difference between the city¡¯s social structure. A high pitched scream grabs my attention and my eyes turn in the direction where the sound came from. My eyes stop on half a dozen laughing guards near the bleeding body of a man on the ground, and a screaming woman behind it. The woman falls down on her knees and tries to stop the bleeding from a huge wound on the man¡¯s chest as he starts coughing on his own blood. The locals around look away and resume their walk trying not to get involved as they have always done.


    A huge grin spreads across one of the guard¡¯s face as he slaps the woman across her face, sending her tumbling a few meters away from the man¡¯s body. Walking to her sobbing frame the guard grabs her by the hair and pulls up causing the woman to yelp in pain. The guard starts fiddling with his pants and they drop down a few moments later.


    Some things are the same whenever you go.


    [Are you talking about the behavior of the guards or the people around?]


    [There is simply is no reason for them to risk their lives and the lives of their loved ones for someone they don''t even know.]


    [Or maybe that is exactly what they are telling themselves, that this is not their problem and that they should not get involved. Survival of the fittest, right?]


    [Injustice and corruption happens all around world, and for whatever reason people always believe that it is someones else problem, that someone else will help or fix it.]


    [Why risk it, right?]


    [We have our own goals. Why should we waste time on these pitiful humans? One life more, one life less, nothing more. And the only reason that the tiny voice in your head is raising these moral question is that unlike everyone else you have nothing to lose.]


    [Life will not change.]


    [The world will not change.]


    [And so neither will we.]


    My sword sliced across the crowd of guards, and they exploded into messy clouds of flesh, gore, blood, and armour pieces. Before anyone could react the sword moved again, and another group of guards followed their fate, with their innards painting the walls of the alley dark red. A single guard leaped at me with his sword visibly shining with mana, only to connect with my sword and split in half together with its wielder. Not losing the momentum, the sword continues its arc connecting with several more who attempted to fight or run away.


    Within a few moments only two guards are left with their swords pointing at me. One of them, after quick glance at the dead bodies of his comrades, decided to flee. Though the attempt was shortly stopped when I took a sword from one of the dead and threw it straight into the back of the fleeing guard, who fell down like a sack of potatoes. Turning to the last one, which is stammering something about mercy with his pants visibly soiled. Ironic that he repeats the same words that have been spoken just a several moments ago by their victim just few meters away from him.


    Do they really not understand that this is exactly what they have been subjecting other to?


    I grab the human failure, which tries to crawl away, by the leg and slam his body against the corner of the building which causes the upper half to detach from the lower one, painting the corner same colour as the walls are. Turning to victims I find the woman frozen in terror with the same eyes I have seen many times, the ones which just saw a monster. The reaction is a magnitude higher than the one she was showing less than a minute ago when the man next to her was being killed. After a deep sigh, I turn around and resume my walk in the direction of the potion brewer faster than before.


    [What did you expect, a "thank you"?]


    I need to leave the city now.


    After quickly buying several potions, provisions for the travel and getting my horse from the stables I exit the city and start towards the west.


    ...


    Looking at the map once again in order to make sure that this isn''t a mistake or a trick of my sick mind, I helplessly sigh as I stand before the only walking path from my current location to the central island. The island on which I''m currently on, the south-eastern one, and the south-western one, where the tournament with Amazons will be, are divided by an ocean. The area where they are closest to each other, which is approximately forty kilometers, are connected by a road, which I expected to be a narrow path created by the low tide. The path is actually a long stone bridge, which is at least sixty meters in width and twice that in height.


    They couldn''t fix the main buildings in one of their major cities, which means that they simply couldn''t have built something of such scale or grandness. Another relic of the ancients most likely. How is it possible that there was so much made, so much known, and still every single kingdom lost that knowledge? Everyone at the same time... The horse under me neighs and reminds me that I''ve been standing idle for a bit too long. And the weather isn¡¯t getting much better either. I sigh once again.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    After about a dozen minutes of riding I arrive at the the colossal structure and find it in extremely bad condition. This explains why I haven''t seen any carriages going on this path between the islands. The path exists, but I don''t think that big carriages will be able to pass here, but a single human should be able to. The further I walk, the more destroyed I find the bridge, whereas in the beginning the road itself was cracked with potholes throughout it, right now though, around me there are huge chunks of bridge simply missing. And a single misstep may lead to me falling down into the wild ocean underneath and the fierce waves that continues to crash against the stone bridge.


    I continue travelling through the half-destroyed bridge, carefully evading the holes for about another hour until I come to a full stop. A deep chuckle escapes me as I look at the "end" of the bridge. Well technically it''s not the end, it''s just that the rest of the path continues until about two dozen meters from the cliff. Looking down I find a few parts of the missing area of the bridge laying near the base of the columns that act as supports for the bridge.


    Is this the reason that there were no carriages?


    Why didn¡¯t they fucking update the maps then?


    [You didn¡¯t ask anyone. You just assumed that the map was correct, and that you didn¡¯t need help.]


    I can return back to the previous city, hide myself in the city, and take the next ship going west and I could theoretically make it in time for the whole thing...


    The alternative is to try and jump over.


    People think that there''s always an option to turn back and return where they started, to try again and again until they succeed. But that''s a lie that they''re telling themselves.


    In real life there is no second chance.


    Taking everything valuable from the horse, I slap it and send it away. While fastening everything on me tighter, I start circulating mana and sending it to the muscles in my legs. There were a few cases were I was able to do things beyond what the human body is capable of. Now I need to simply jump over a small cliff, just a bit over twenty meters, nothing more.


    Just a simple jump.


    Stretching the muscles in my body I start increasing the blood pressure in my arteries along with the mana circulation''s intensity. I start walking away from the edge until I reach a good acceleration distance. Taking deep breaths, I make the final preparation for the jump, and when the body is filled with enough energy and air, the stone floor under my feet cracks as I start quickly gaining speed. Just a fraction of a second later I find myself at the edge and my legs explode, sending me into the air. The loud whistling of the winds eclipses the sound of the ocean as I fly through the air for several long seconds. By the trajectory of my jump and my speed I determine that I''ll make it, and just a few moments later I land on the stone floor on the other side with a roll, only for the whole area to audibly crack and fall apart.


    Of course.


    How could I assume that they things would go the way I expected them to?


    The water isn''t as cold as it looked from the bridge, but the waves counter to that, are even more threatening than they looked from above. Fighting the current I grab onto the closest pillar and look around to determine my current status. Thankfully I grabbed onto the correct pillar and the only thing I have to to is climb up.


    Easier said than done.


    After about a minute of climbing I reach the top of the bridge. Cursing under my breath I continue walking near the railing of the bridge trying to keep myself close to the area which stands on the pillars. The walk continues and slowly the clothes on me dry under the strong wind. About two hours later I come to another issue. The bridge simply ends. Focusing my eyesight I look around and find the continuation of the path about a kilometer away.


    Great.


    Looking in both directions, I determine that I''m approximately in the middle of the road between the two islands, stuck on a piece of rock with no path forward.


    Sighing deeply I look back.


    [Just go back. Try again. Maybe the city guards are not searching for you.]


    [Maybe you will find a nice ship, filled to brim with good people, they will help you and point you in the correct direction.]


    [What has ever made you think that things will become complicated. We always met only happy faces.]


    Tightening the gear on my body once again I look forward.


    Nothing changes.


    I leap into the ocean and start swimming in the direction of the other side of the bridge.


    ...


    This explains a lot.


    Far away I see the outline of Syena city, which sits on top of a small hill, just about two dozen kilometers away from the ocean. The city is connected to another, at least ten times smaller city, which as far as I can see, just acts as a port. There''s a huge road connecting the "port" and the city, where a lot of traffic is visible. The port itself is filled to the brim with ships, with several times more of that number anchored outside of the port.


    I look back at the city, where the competition should be hosted, and where the Amazons should be. It looks shockingly similar to the Ancient Capital of the Sun Empire, and is approximately the same size. But unlike the Ancient Capital, the city is divided with merely three rings of walls, with the outer one around thirty kilometers in radius. Still, even with a "mere" three rings, calling the city enormous would be a slight understatement. In the very center of it is a massive tower a bit less than two kilometers in radius, its top isn''t currently visible, as it''s hidden behind the thick clouds in the skies.


    On the outer ring of the city are six towers, which are about a tenth of that size, which are connected to the central one with gigantic arcs. Unlike all the other cities I have seen before on this side of the world, this one looks to be in near perfect condition. I stop analyzing the city structure and turn my gaze to the huge queue of people trying to enter the mega-city visible even from here. After about a half an hour of walking I join at the end of the queue, only to find that it moves so slowly that it could take days just to get to the gates. This will take some time, but I think that it won''t be an issue at all, as people around are all talking about the event, and that it will take a few more days. That means that the Amazons should still be there for at least that long.


    The day moves slowly, with the queue moving forward. Several colourful carriages have passed by, ignoring the queue all together and the people standing in it. But not everyone is simply waiting, as quite a few stalls around are selling food, clothes, and more for people who are in desperate need of it. It seems as if there is a tiny city based around the queue into the city itself.


    There are quite few guards walking around, mostly in the direction of one of the several brothels formed around the queue. And by the talk it seems the reason there are so many guards here is because the prices here are much lower than in the city, and they can freely move in and out of city without the need to pay the massive toll.


    The queue would be a good way to hide myself and quietly slip into the city, but the issue is that I stand out too much. Even if I cover my head full of gray hair with a hood, I''m still standing out. The huge sword on my hip and my height are hard to hide. I''m standing about a head higher than anyone else around, and nearly everyone around me have taken at least a few glances in my direction. And I already marked several suspicious ones in the crowd which will more likely act soon.


    And as I expected they acted.


    A simple diversion on one side of the queue and a small pickpocket from the opposite side, which softly collided with me in the place where the wallet usually is. Standard action, and standard strategy.


    After I caught him red-handed, his friends joined in to help him and teach me a lesson. A few mangled bodies and a crushed skull later, a small circle of emptiness was created around me. Quite soon "righteous" guards appeared and started questioning people about what just happened here. Like they weren''t watching the whole thing from afar. I would even go as far as to call those very guards the ringleaders.


    The half a dozen guards surround me in a half-circle and start the theatrical play, with stupid questions, answers which they already know, and fake exaggerated emotions. Some of them react passively as if they have seen this many times before, one even has a smirk plastered on his face, as if he just saw something amusing.


    It is always the same damn thing.


    [We should do this quietly. Attention is something that we do not need right now.]


    Of course.


    Simply allow them to do their stuff.


    And I will do mine.


    [Wait no-]


    In the next instant I appear before the lead guard and grab his hand which was just about to pull his sword. It took a few more moments for the guards around to understand what''s happening and grab their swords.


    "Either arrest me or fuck off." my voice comes low and cold.


    His eyes freeze when they meet mine. He attempts to say something but only stutters. He audibly gulps, and releases the hold on his sword. In the next few moments the whole thing deescalated quite quickly, and before I knew it I was standing alone, with mention that the guards will find and contact me after the investigation is finished. There are people like that. Puffed up chickens which bail as soon as things start going south, or when they see that their bluff failed.


    Within a few hours I was able to enter the city, and the first thing that became shocking is the number of automatons, and their types. Every human looking automaton I have seen in the previous city pales in comparison to even the worst ones here. It''s as if people have been trying to create the aesthetically perfect bodies, and succeeded in that. There''s just one problem with these automatons. They either wear fully transparent nightgowns or pieces of clothing that wouldn''t be appropriate to even call underwear as they barely cover anything. I somehow feel that these small pieces of cotton make them look even more naked than if they were naked. The non-human looking ones look like a mix of different wild animals and a huge chrome slime. They all have mirror-like shining armor, with your face reflecting in it if you look at them.


    This city is just too strange.


    But I''m not here for the city.