《Ascension: Journey of an Emperor》


 0 Prologue: Lamentations and Revelations

    Prologue: Lamentations and Revelations


    The sound of blades spinning still rung in his ears. It buzzed and hissed as they sliced the mixture of rain and damp air that was present on the battlefield that day.


    It¡¯s been a month but I can¡¯t get it out of my head, can I?


    The very blades that cut down his beloved comrades were nothing short of a double-edged scythe. In the world of Gaea, there were many who would openly claim ¡°What a useless weapon that is!¡±


    And they were not wrong. In fact, on all accounts they were correct as the clunky and flashy nature of the weapon would do nothing to aid its user in battle, other than to hinder him.


    However, it was also the weapon that was wielded by the strongest. Mowing down one after another, the blades made no distinction between friend or foe in its war-ravaged path.


    ¡°Aegeus! Run on ahead, we¡¯ll hold him back!¡±


    The confident and bright faces of his dearest friends as they called out to him etched themselves into his heart, never to be forgotten amidst the unrelenting tides of time.


    Unbeknownst to him, that would be the last time he would get to see them again.


    Seeking temporary relief from the plague called grief that had stricken him, he laid his eyes upon the countless shimmering stars that filled the blue empty void above. Flashing and flickering, they were like an everlasting beacon of hope, shining effulgently within the barren, cold expanse that they sat in. Thinking about it now, to the average person living in an era of strife, the idea of something burning defiantly in lonely solitude amidst the perpetual gloominess of the night sky gave birth to the firm beliefs of man where there will always be hope, even in the darkest of times.


    Is there truly any hope in these dark times?


    He gazed at the twinkling orbs above, as the middle-aged man asked himself while strolled out of the back entrance of his newly acquired palace. Although His coronation as emperor had ended not too long ago, contrary to the happy occasion, a solemn expression instead hung over his round but yet also chiseled face. It was a far cry from his original cheerful self. His previously long, jet-black silky hair that exemplified his confidence and naivety was now reduced to just a trifling trim. He wore a set of overly elaborate red robes, embroidered with gold and silver threads around the various hems and openings. At the centre of the robe was an Oriental Dragon doing battle with a man, all captured within the frame of a kiteshield. It was a perfect fit for a king, flaunting his material wealth and prowess. But yet its thin nature was a poor match for the fairly chilly night upon him. Gentle breezes blew across the open courtyards of the palace, causing the well-trimmed trees and bushes to sway in unison with the rhythm of the wind. However, He strolled forth, not minding the cold, for he was too deeply immersed in his thoughts.


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


    Stars¡­ A light in the dark when there is none. An existence that denies all common sense, supposedly spurring us to persevere forwards. But truth be told, are they no different from the various legends and tales of time long past? It all started with the Twin peaks of Varusia and the loss of Andromeda and as painful as the beginning was, I still believed in the legends and persisted. But now that I¡¯ve lost everything, you still tell me to have ¡®hope¡¯?


    ¡°Tell me!! Why would the all-mighty gods allow for this outcome to occur?¡±


    He yelled to the sky above him, as if waiting for an answer. Seconds passed, Minutes passed, and yet a reply never came. He shuffled his feet forward towards the balcony and heaved a deep and long sigh. It was a hollow sigh that was filled to the brim with immense grief, guilt and regret. His breath quaked as his emotions got the better of him, leaking faint traces of anguish whenever he exhaled.


    I had ¡®hope¡¯ before when all felt lost, so why can¡¯t I have ¡®hope¡¯ once more?


    Seeking relief from the internal turmoil and hurricane of emotions that welled up in him, he directed his gaze towards the view in front of him. Despite the darkness of the night, under the soft glow of the moon, he could vaguely make out the shapes of houses and buildings that were tinted with various hues of the colour palette. Red, blue, violet, magenta...even the word vibrant wouldn¡¯t come close to describing the polychromatic city before him. It was beautiful to say the least.


    In fact, it could almost be called unnaturally beautiful as the pristine condition of the buildings and roads wouldn¡¯t lead one to think that a battle of cardinal importance had taken place here just a mere month ago.


    Squinting his eyes into the distance, he could barely make out the shadows of people walking under the dimly lit streets. Some looked like they were exchanging goods, some looked like they were closing up for the night. There were even some who just stood by the streets, bent over and chuckling at one another. From afar, they looked like they were engaging in godless chatter, something which was nigh unthinkable under the previous ruler.


    Looks like it¡¯s much livelier now even at night as compared to before. I guess that much is to be expected. With the age of corruption finally gone, I¡¯m sure the residents far and wide would feel a lot safer now.


    ¡°But was it truly worth it?¡±


    He murmured softly under his breath.


    After the innumerable battles, sacrifices and conflicts to reach this point. Was it truly worth it?


    He had never thought that there would be a day or even a reality where he would be living the dream that he and his friends had so dreamt together alone, in solitude. And yet he was doing it now. The loneliness of this unfortunate reality bit into him like the sensations from the cold marble railings and floors that he was in contact with, chilling him to the bone. Faces of the many that lost their lives for their cause floated in his mind.


    Valten...Lokir...Minerva...Belladonna¡­ Most of all Sakura¡­


    ¡°Why oh why must it be Sakura? Surely, it must all be just a cruel jest of fate?¡±


    He cried out loud in despair, as his shoulders shuddered slightly and tears rolled down his cheeks, reminiscing the events that had transpired between them.


    ¡°I never even got the chance to say goodbye¡­¡±


    He sobbed uncontrollably. Tears wouldn¡¯t stop streaming down his face, wetting the previously dried up streaks across his pink cheeks. His bloodshot eyes and irregular sniffles made him seem completely different from the person he was a few moments ago, completely losing the airs of a ruler. His muffled sobs dyed the atmosphere in a gloomy shade of grey for the next few minutes, before once again, attempting to regain his composure by returning his sight to the peaceful city before him. Seeing the various candlelit windows and doors, as well as hearing the sounds of faint laughter from the streets below, a strange and twisted feeling of joy infected him. It tainted him so much that he could not help but twist his lips into a grin and laugh out loudly into the atmosphere. But yet hidden within his largely sarcastic tone that brimmed with ridicule was also nothing less than acceptance for the cruel reality that he was facing.


    ¡°Whether it was destiny or luck, who would know but the fates themselves? The fact that our journey has ended shall bring forth some form of celebration, no? Before long, I too will join all of you, wherever you may be¡­ Ahahah¡­ Ahahah¡­ Ahahahahah...¡±


    With sobs that were faintly audible between his convulsive gasps, his superficial laughter echoed despondently throughout the gloomy courtyard and to the streets below...


    Written by: Emelia-Tan


    Edited by: Feha, Schwarz13, Rogueclon946 and Mega14343


    Proofread by: Yakult

 1 Chapter 1: Humble Beginnings 1

    Chapter 1: Humble Beginnings


    Sounds of war ravaged the peaceful town of Varich.


    It was a town that had prided itself in its excellent wine and alcohol, boasting one of the most scrumptious and delicious rum across the entire empire. It was a jubilant place where the populace was always in a constant state of happiness, though many are unsure of whether it was due to the influence of alcohol or if it was genuine happiness that stemmed from the residents.


    However, in stark contrast to the typically joyous mood of the people, screams and cries of despair now reverberated through the dark, gloomy sky in the wee hours of the morning, reflecting the current situation of the ground below.


    A great inferno tore through the village, as it proliferated, devouring everything in its wake, it left nothing behind but ashes and waste. Surrounding it were frenzied fires smaller in stature, but also burnt with undying vigour. Large stacks of smoke billowed, enveloping the skies above, dying it with a tinge of grey.


    Flames crackled, horses neighed and soldiers marched. The discordant sounds of chaos and entropy worked together in a harmonious symphony of destruction. It was a massacre. A completely one-sided slaughter, where the unarmed and untrained villagers stood no chance in retaliation.


    Amidst the ensuing mayhem, in a tiny house that laid on the outskirts of town, laid a man with his knees bent and hands gripping something tightly.


    Behind him, long strands of jet-black hair unfurled placidly, like the surface of a tranquil lake. The hair that once grew without restraint, now remained still, drained of its vivacious life force. His smooth, round face that never held a single wrinkle, creased and folded into the pained countenance that plastered over his face. Streaks of tears flowed uncontrollably, leaving behind stains in the shape of rough lines and curves, ruining his wonderful complexion. One could easily tell that he led a relatively carefree life from his outer appearance.


    But in contrast, his hands were coarse from the days, months and years spent on the fields. Countless hours poured into plowing and tilling the land in preparation for the annual harvest had resulted in the thick, rough calluses that encrusted the underside of his hand.


    It was with these coarse hands did he hold the thin, frail girl within his grasp, not wanting her fading life force to leave her feeble body. Despite her thin and frail looking body, she had the face of an angel. Her long silver locks that intertwined in a spectacular and complicated manor gave her the impression of a foreign princess. She had a beautiful face and a pale complexion that lightened even further as her consciousness slowly slipped away. To a stranger, she¡¯d probably look no different from a fairy.


    ¡°Why? Andromeda, why? Don¡¯t go¡­ Please don¡¯t go¡­ Don¡¯t leave me alone¡­ Please...¡±


    The man, Aegeus cried out in grief. His muscular hands that wouldn¡¯t have trembled under any weight now shivered and shook. With his slightly trembling hand, he gently swept the long bangs that covered Andromeda¡¯s face to the side, before pulling her face closer to his body.


    ¡°Why! Why did this have to happen? Tell me, who¡¯s did this?! Who did this?!¡±


    He lost his home, his wealth and his livelihood. But it all paled in comparison to the loss of his beloved sister.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Memories of the time spent with his little sister pooled up in his mind. Gleeful times of when they chased each other by the riverside, splashing and spraying water at each other when they were supposed to be washing their clothes. To times when they played hide-and-seek amongst the tall, dense barberry bushes or challenging each other to who was able to eat the greater number of the red, bitter-tasting berries. It was blissful times when their uncle took care of them and showered them both with love and affection, be it through toiling in the fields in place of them or making ends meets, shielding them from the harsh realities of the world they lived in. However, since their uncle¡¯s passing due to old age, they had to start picking up the various chores in the house. Before long, Aegeus was the one managing the fields and being the sole breadwinner of their house, while Andromeda managed the various household chores and maintenance of the house.


    From then on, they lived frugally, being content with whatever they had at hand.


    He knew inside that all material wealth lost could be regained. It was just a matter of time. But the times and memories made with his sister would forever be what they were. Forever unchanging, only to be forgotten.


    And yet, ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t stay out too late, okay?¡± was the very last words he had heard from her.


    Just hours before, Aegeus had left home with a jar in his hand under the guise of collecting some honey from his amicable neighbours. In actuality, he had instead gone out to the nearby meadow to catch fireflies as a special birthday gift for his sister. She had just turned 14 that night and yet she would never have the chance to lay eyes on those mystical creatures of the night that she had so yearned for.


    However, on his way back from the meadow, huge grey clouds of smoke drifting in the indigo sky above caught his attention. It looked like it was coming from the village of Varich, sparking feelings of anxiety and worry in him.


    He had no time to lose.


    He charged forth through the thick undergrowth and into the pitch-black darkness before him. The next few minutes felt like an eternity to him as he sprinted back to the village. Even so, the sight the greeted him sent chills down his spine. A great fire roared as it swept through the town. It flickered and waved as it disintegrated whatever it got its fiery hold on.


    What happened here? Is Andromeda safe?


    Thoughts such is these flashed in his mind as it came up with possible explanations on what had transpired, each one worse than the last.


    Badum! Badum! Badum!


    His heart thumped, his mind raced. Without any further hesitation, he ran straight towards his home at the edge of town, anxiously hoping that Andromeda was unscathed.


    But alas, that was not to be. When he arrived at the scene, the sight of the wooden roof and walls that he once called home charred and blackened raised the tension within him. Thick black smoke was also leaking from the various windows and doors of the house, insinuating that there were still remnants of the cinders burning inside.


    Unable to withstand the swelling emotions inside him, he sped up once more and charged through the front door. He needed to confirm her safety.


    ¡°Cough. Cough. Andromeda, are you there? Are you alright?¡±


    Aegeus asked frantically, whilst waving away the heavy smoke that permeated through the house. He turned his head left and right, searching for anything that resembled a human body, hoping that she was miraculously unscathed. As Aegeus desperately searched for Andromeda, he suddenly caught sight of a small opening in the smoke as it cleared, revealing a part of Andromeda laying on the floor, unmoving.


    Aegeus immediately rushed over to her body, dropping the jar of fireflies that he had so painstakingly caught and gripped her shoulders tightly. He then gently shook her, before pulling her close to check her breathing. However, her exuberant spirit had already long left her feeble body. He was too late.


    Knowing that the worst had occurred, he slowly relaxed his grip on her and started shivering. He was at a loss for words. He didn¡¯t know what to say, nor did he know what he should do.


    With the cacophony of shrieking and sputtering faintly occurring in the background, Aegeus could only pull her closer and wallow in anger and despair amidst the smoke and tar that plagued the surrounding air.


    As he closed his eyes, praying for the better life that awaited his sister, footsteps gradually grew louder as they approached outside his home.


    ¡°I thought I saw someone running here. Looks like we found ourselves a loving couple! Or is it a pair of siblings?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter as they¡¯d both perish here anyway.¡±


    Two soldiers, one lanky and the other stubby, intruded into Aegeus¡¯ home. They were wearing long studded white pants and blood red shirts with a white ¡®X¡¯ across the chest. Alongside their white and red garments were the silver polished shoulder guards and fancy berets to complete the uniform. Looking at the defenseless state of Aegeus and his sister, the two of them drew their standard issue swords, with their facial expressions twisting into a condescending look.


    The empire standards, that answers the question of who attacked us... I will absolutely make them pay for what they¡¯ve done.


    Written by: Emelia-Tan


    Edited by: Schwarz13, Rogueclon946 and Mega14343


    Proofread by: Yakult

 2 Chapter 1: Humble Beginnings 2

    Chapter 1: Humble Beginnings


    Just looking at the Empire soldiers enraged Aegeus. He couldn¡¯t stand their arrogant tone. He couldn¡¯t stand what they did to his house, his livelihood. But most of all, he couldn¡¯t stand the empire robbing him of his precious sister.


    Intense feelings of anger roused up in him as he clenched his fists and his face contorted in rage. He could stand it no longer. As the two soldiers slowly walked forward towards him, he too slowly and gently placed Andromeda on the wooden ground that was once sturdy and solid, but now creaked and groaned under the weight of the four people above it.


    Clenching his teeth together, he roared as he lobbed a concentrated punch towards the abdomen of the stubbier soldier.


    Blam!


    Contact was made. At the same time, he rotated his body sideways with the momentum from his punch, using his elbow to jab into the ribs of the lanky soldier.


    Crack! Splat!


    The stubby soldier¡¯s body fell limp as he flew backwards into the left-most corner of the house, while the lanky soldier barely moved a few inches as most of the shock was absorbed by his now splintered ribs.


    These were by no means complicated techniques, especially if they lived in a world where monsters of fantasy and magic resided in. Leviathans, Minotaurs, monsters of the like, such punches stood no chance against these great beasts. Instead, they were punches that were propelled by the intense wrath of Aegeus and an improvisation on the self-defence taught by his uncle.


    Picking up the sword dropped by the lanky soldier, Aegeus drew it towards the lanky¡¯s face. That egotistical smirk on his face was long erased and replaced by terror and shock.


    Shlunk! Sching!


    As quickly as the sword has entered, it had also left the body of the soldier. There was no hint of hesitation in that short movement. His screams of pain pierced the atmosphere, overwhelming the faint crackling of fire in the background. Crimson red liquid flowed like a fountain as it seeped through the incision in his chest and unto the floor below, pooling around the soldier.


    Seeing his comrade in such a sorry state, the stubby soldier blinked sweat from his eyes. Fear and panic gripped his heart.


    ¡°I¡­.Uhhhhh¡­¡±


    He casted his eyes wretchedly, looking for anything that could stop the madman from advancing any closer towards him. Through his peripheral vision, he noticed a burning cinder. Its ambers almost extinguished, but the fire inside it burnt with tenacity, unaccepting of its dying fate.


    He stretched his flabby body, reaching out for the burning cinder. It was a desperate move as the soldier knew that tossing the burning cinder would leave more than a scar on his hand. But he pushed on anyway, valuing his life over the well-being of his hand. Looking at the scene of desperation in front of him, Aegeus made a disgusting smile.


    Is this the sweet feeling of revenge? No...No¡­ There needs to be more bloodshed.. Not after what they¡¯ve done.


    Overcoming the tremendous pain in his abdomen, the stubby soldier finally got hold of the cinder and hurled it towards Aegeus. Of course, it had missed, flying past the sooted face of Aegeus. Fatigue and injuries clearly did not help with the soldier¡¯s aim.


    However, whether by sheer luck or planning, it had hit a corner of the house. What started as a small ember swiftly dispersed itself and erupted into a scintillating fire, setting the house ablaze once more.


    Bang! Pfum!


    Those bastards must have oiled the houses before they burned them.


    ¡°Hahahah¡­ You¡¯ll die along with me!¡±


    The soldier laughed in satisfaction. Sounds of more footsteps marching from outside gradually grew louder.


    Soldiers probably noticed the sudden blaze and must¡¯ve rushed to see what¡¯s going on. Good¡­ I guess it¡¯s more for me to kill. I don¡¯t mind if I die here. As long as I¡¯m able to avenge Andromeda¡¯s death, all will be worth it in the end.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    The house crumbled and fell, unable to take the heated flames. Pillars, supports and the like tumbled as the fire started to make its claim on the house.


    Aegeus did not look in the least bit fazed. He gave his surroundings one last look, to familiarize himself with the place that he would soon perish at. But the body of his sister Andromeda momentarily snapped him out of his craze, wrestling back control over his body from his emotions.


    ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t stay out too late, okay?¡±


    These words resounded in his mind. He could not die here. No. Not after everything that he and Andromeda had went through. If he died here, would he truly get his revenge on the empire? This surely wouldn¡¯t be what Andromeda had wanted him to do, would it?


    Tears once again flowed freely from his eyes. He didn¡¯t have much time left as before long, the house too will crumble to ashes. He needed to make his decision now.


    He vacillated his head between the door and his sister, unable to come to terms with the conflicting emotions in his heart. However, he strengthened his resolve and took a mental step into the unknown, placing his remaining strength into his weary legs and bolted out of the house as far as he could, making a beeline for the forest. As he ran, he tilted his head back, taking one last look at the place he once called home and watching the peaceful rest of his sister amidst the burning rubble, before finally disappearing behind a burning wooden beam.


    He ran. He ran as fast as his legs could take him. Behind him, commands echoed down the devastated streets.


    ¡°Catch him!¡±


    ¡°Avenge your comrades!¡±


    And yet, Aegeus couldn¡¯t care less. He brought his right shoulder close to him as he wiped his tears, unsure of what was to become of him after this terrible night.


    Entering the moonlit forest, it was a stark contrast to the glowing carnage of the town of Varich. Within the forest laid thick sturdy pillars of wood. Attached to these were thin, wavy sticks that curved and bent like snakes, twisting into seemingly random shapes.


    Minimal natural light pierced through the thick canopies of these colossal trees, dully illuminating the treacherous, overgrown path on the ground below.


    Although Aegeus has lived here for most of his life, these familiar forests were not so ¡®familiar¡¯ for him. Particularly at night, when it was said that various creatures such as minotaurs or centaurs increased their activity. Even in the day, most people of the town of Varich would do their best to avoid the forests. As such, Aegeus mostly observed the surrounding greenery of the Varich from the dome-shaped windows of his home, and only ventured in to the outskirts of the forests if necessary.


    Aegeus has never thought that he¡¯d one day be venturing into the depths of the forests willingly. After all, no one in their right mind would do so. And yet, here he was, running for his life.


    Thinking he had finally lost them, he sat down with his back leaning against the rough surface of a nearby tree, taking a breather in the middle of the sea of trees around him. Deep breaths and heavy panting interlaced together as Aegeus tried his very best to calm himself from the roller coaster of emotions he experienced.


    ¡°There he is! Get him!¡±


    Orders boomed behind him. Aegeus was momentarily in a daze before looking in the direction of the voice and quickly getting up, preparing to make a break for it again.


    Unfortunately, he was too slow. A group of four red and white clad soldiers wielding short swords had encircled him.


    Aegeus had no choice but to ready the sword he looted earlier in an attempt to fight his way out of this predicament. Sweat trickled down his forehead as he gripped his sword tightly. His tanned and tired hands now squeezed white and twitched slightly as he readied himself into a fighting stance.


    Without warning, he lunged forward and cleaved his sword into the shoulder of the soldier on the left. Using his unoccupied left hand, he supported his right hand as he simultaneously kneed and pulled the sword out of the shoulder and using the resultant momentum to cleave off the head off the next soldier. Crude but effective as two bodies fell down to their knees simultaneously. One screeching while the other lifeless. At the same time, blood splashed across the right side of his face.


    Swoosh! Spurt!


    Seeing the downing of their two comrades, the remaining two gave a quick nod to each other and pressed forth synchronously, attacking in tandem and euphony with each other.


    Ping! Clang! Shink!


    A fierce exchange of blades reverberated through the air. However, Aegeus was at a disadvantage in the two versus one engagement. Exhaustion and inexperience took its toll on Aegeus as he fought against trained, fresh enemies. In a moment¡¯s flurry, a mistimed parry had lost him his sword as it flew out of his hands and slotted itself into the ground a metre away. Meanwhile, a thrust from the other soldier had found itself impaled in the side of Aegeus.


    With a blank look on his face, he slowly backed off, gripping the cut in his belly, while the two soldiers pushed on with a proud grin on their faces. In the inky darkness of the forest, Aegeus tripped on the uneven ground and fell backwards.


    Sensing that this was his end, he squeezed his eyes shut as his final thoughts passed through his mind, preparing himself for the worst.


    I guess this is the end. Looks like I¡¯ll be seeing you much sooner than expected my dearest little sister. If only I chose to die back in the fire of our home. At least I¡¯d be with you in my closing moments of life¡­


    He waited for and anticipated the sudden surge of pain that came with dying. However, it never came. Instead, a sudden cry from his front caused him to open his eyes. What greeted him was a handsome, chiseled face with short blonde hair that slightly swayed in the wind. He had an incredibly toned body, and muscles larger than the watermelons his neighbours were growing. Owing to the lack of a proper top, all of these prominent features were brazenly put on display.


    What is he? I don¡¯t remember angels being that muscular.


    With a deep and scruffy tone, the ¡®angel¡¯ asked.


    ¡°Are you alright? If you wanna live, we need to go now. Come on, get up. Quick, before the rest get here.¡±


    Sounds of torches burning and even more footsteps were barely audible in the background, faintly growing louder. Hearing his urging, Aegeus struggled to pick himself up from the ground as pain and enervation assaulted his body. But with the aid of the blonde haired man¡¯s extended hand, Aegeus managed to get up whilst gripping the open wound near his gut.


    ¡°Has the advance party found the rebels yet? What¡¯s taking them so long?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s our cue to go. Try and keep up, aye?¡±


    As he said that, the blonde haired man gripped onto Aegeus¡¯ wrist and tugged him forwards, deeper into the maze of trees. Meanwhile, Aegeus tried his best to keep up, hobbling behind him as he held his stomach tightly, leaving behind a trail on crimson droplets.


    Trotting through the forest, the duo dodged and weaved through the unpredictable undergrowth, occasionally turning back to check if the soldiers were still hot on their heels.


    However, this did not last long as pain and exhaustion once again assaulted Aegeus¡¯ injured body, causing him to trip and fall face first into the hard ground before him.


    Noticing Aegeus¡¯ predicament, the blonde man turned behind and said in a distressed tone.


    ¡°Oi! You okay? We still need to get moving. We aren¡¯t safe yet. Hello, are you hearing me?...¡±


    His words were drowned out in Aegeus¡¯ mind as his consciousness slowly faded into black...


    Written by: Emelia-Tan


    Edited by: Schwarz13, Rogueclon946 and Mega14343


    Proofread by: Yakult

 3 Chapter 2: Friend or Foe 1

    Chapter 2: Friend or Foe


    Distant voices¡­ The strong fragrance of wood¡­ and *sniff* *sniff* is that sweat? This isn¡¯t home, is it?


    Opening up my eyes, I found myself in an unfamiliar place.


    ¡°Huh? What happened? Where the hell am I? Ughhhhhh¡­ And why does my head hurt so much?¡±


    I quizzed with hands clutching my forehead as it throbbed and spun in pain. Lying uncomfortably on what seemed to be a bed, I stared at the dull brown ceiling above me, trying hard to recall yesterday¡¯s events.


    What happened last night? All I remember was me running and trying to escape from the Empire¡¯s troops¡­ And then there was a fight. Fighting in an outnumbered engagement, the basic self-defence techniques that I picked up from my late uncle amounted to nothing. Did I die?


    To check if I was truly dead, I pinched my left arm as hard as I could. I instantly regretted my decision.


    ¡°Ouchhhhhhh¡­ Okay, I guess that answers the question on whether I was dead or not.¡±


    However, that was just the tip of the iceberg as I had a hundred and one questions, but none to the answers of.


    ¡°Anyhow, I probably should figure out where exactly I am first.¡±


    Rising up from my bed into an half-upright position, I quickly scanned my surroundings.


    It was a small and dull brown room. Unfurnished wooden logs made up the walls, while the floors and the ceiling above instead were made with rough planks of wood haphazardly nailed together. As for furniture, there wasn¡¯t much other than a long table tucked in the corner of the room and a shoddy desk next to the bed I was sleeping in. Two square windows embedded themselves into the wall that ran parallel to his bed, letting the warm natural light of the sun into an otherwise boring room.


    Between the 2 windows was an odd looking door. It was a round door with a similarly round yellow knob protruding out of it and into the room. It was a brown hazel door with darker, chocolate-coloured streaks flowing vertically down the door, breathing life and texture to the door itself. The end result was an exotic-looking door that appeared no different from one that was cut-out directly from a tree.


    I stared at it with my mouth open in wonder.


    What a peculiar door! Even I¡¯ve never seen a door quite like this back in Varich. Whoever made that door must be quite the carpenter, considering shaping raw wood while retaining its original texture and shape is incredibly difficult. Such a door would definitely fetch quite a hefty price in Varich!


    ¡°No! No! No! I¡¯m getting distracted. I think I should go outside to get a better bearing of my locations.¡±


    I slapped both of my cheeks, snapping me out of my inordinate admiration for the door. Putting energy into my aching core muscles, I attempted to get up with a jerk.


    ¡°Owwww!¡±


    However, before I could do so, pain immediately assaulted my body, causing me to fall back flat onto the bed.


    ¡°Woah, woah. You haven¡¯t fully recovered so you should take it easy there. Especially with that cut in your left side, it really did a number on you.¡±


    A half-nude man with a toned body and bulging muscles walked in through the front door. Accompanying his bulky body was none other than a good-looking face.


    He looks familiar¡­ but where have I seen him before? Ah right, he was the angel I saw back then, moments before I thought I died. Looking at him closely now, he really does have an attractive face. A sharp chin, full lips and also a high forehead all encompassed within his broad face. Short blond hair flowed to the base of his neck coupled with his warm hearty smile, gave him a barbaric but also confident appearance.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    However, that very same man had also walked into the room with a Monstrous looking axe!


    Alarm bells started ringing in my head as panic overtook my body.


    Is he a friend or a foe? Why is he carrying an axe into my room?! That hearty grin clearly doesn¡¯t fit the situation right now, does it?!


    Questions filled my mind once again as it tried to comprehend what was happening.


    ¡°Why do you look so frightened? That isn¡¯t the way to treat your saviour after he had to single handedly fend off against an entire unit of Empire soldiers, is it?¡±


    ¡°W-who are you? A-and why are you here?¡±


    Words fumbled out of my mouth as I desperately tried to understand what was happening. But with each thought, my body entered into yet another heightened state of panic.


    ¡°Oh right sorry. Name¡¯s Valtan and I came over to check on how my little buddy here that I saved was doing. Judging from the looks of it, he seems to be doing pretty well.¡±


    ¡°W-who the hell comes and checks on a sickly person with an axe in hand!¡±


    I retorted back at Valtan¡¯s preposterous statement. I slowly pulled back towards the corner of my bed as I upped my guard, wary of Valtan¡¯s next action.


    Crack!


    Wood splintered as Valtan dropped his axe, half embedding it into the table next to him. He then raised both of his hands in a surrendering position, frantically trying to explain himself to me.


    ¡°Woahhhh wait! I mean no harm. Look, if I wanted to kill you, don¡¯t you think I would¡¯ve done it while you were asleep? The fact that you¡¯re still awake should tell you that I have no such intentions.¡±


    With a wry grin on his face and a finger scratching his cheek cheekily, he continued.


    ¡°Moreover, I just came from training downstairs and was too lazy to put away old Marcy over here...¡±


    The fear and panic that gripped me slowly released its hold as I heard Valtan¡¯s explanation.


    I guess that would make sense¡­ but that doesn¡¯t mean I should trust him completely. After all, we are living in a world where both life and death is a common occurrence. There was no reason for him to risk his life to save me back then. Neither does he have a reason to care for me now. Unless he has an ulterior motive¡­ I guess I¡¯ll play along for now¡­


    Silence filled the room as I became deeply immersed in my thoughts. After a few minutes of pin-drop silence, I finally broke it as my heart and mind had managed to calm down to the point where I was able to formulate coherent sentences again.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s say I take your word for now¡­ Who are you? Where exactly am I? And What happened yesterday night? Why did the Empire attack my once peaceful hometown?!¡±


    I wanted answers. Clueless and confused, I needed the information.


    ¡°Alright, I at least owe you that much of an explanation. Once again, my name¡¯s Valtan and I¡¯m the leaders of the ¡®Harbingers¡¯, the rebel organization that¡¯s been running the rebellion from the shadows¡­ or so it was until we got snitched on. Tch¡±


    Clicking his tongue, his expression grew cloudy for a moment before returning back to normal and continuing.


    ¡°Well as for where we are, this is the hideout of the ¡®Harbingers¡¯. I brought you here after you fell unconscious when the Empire were hot on our heels. From there you slept like a log for 2 straight days, we thought you were never gonna wake up!¡±


    Has it really been that long? The consequences of that night still affect me as much as if it were yesterday. The sharp pain that assailed my body earlier felt no different from the moment I got stabbed. Albeit for some reason, the details of what precisely occured still eludes me¡­


    ¡°And as for the last two questions... well someone snitched on us and told them that we¡¯d be nearby. The result of that is currently remains as your village.¡±


    Valtan glanced to the side, avoiding eye contact with me, before leaking out a sigh and continuing in a deep but sincere tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry for what transpired in your village. It was all my fault. Why did I have to drag so many innocent people into this mess that I created? To build better lives for the people of the Empire and yet I¡¯ve only brought pain and destruction unto them. I¡¯ll be really honest with you, I went headlong into the village the moment I caught wind of the attack, trying to save anyone and everyone that I could save. However, by the time I had arrived, everything was on fire. I was too late. I had almost broken down into tears, if not for restraining my emotions the moment I heard a loud bang and saw the figure of you dashing out of the burning house. With newfound hope, I instantly chased after your silhouette, wanting to check if you were fine. And before I knew it, you were surrounded by the Empire in the forest...¡±


    Tears once again welled up in my eyes as intricate details of that fateful night slowly weaved its way into the gaps of my mind.


    The burning house. The encounter with death. Those disgusting smirks. But most of all, the loss of Andromeda. I don¡¯t understand why it just had to happen to her. Why couldn¡¯t it be me instead? She was always there for me when I needed her most. Why was I not there for her when she needed me most?


    I was furious at myself. At my uselessness and helplessness. I couldn¡¯t do anything to protect her. Neither could I do anything to save her. And to think I had forgotten the most important thing that has ever occured in my life. I had no words for the rage, anger and disgust for myself.


    But of course, it was only natural. For the body¡¯s natural response to pain and searing loss was to forget it and lock it away in the deepest depths of the mind, never to be seen again. I understood that. After all, I¡¯ve seen my uncle pass on before me, peacefully on his deathbed. But even then, it was no reason for me to accept it this way.


    ¡°Look kiddo, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve been through but don¡¯t take it too hard on yourself. How about we get you something to eat? Surely you must be hungry since you haven¡¯t eaten over the past two days.¡±


    With teary eyes, I looked up at the face of Valtan with his hand extended towards me. His expression was as calm as the surface of a lake. Feeling comforted and finally at ease, I gripped onto his hand tightly, lifting myself up slowly from the rigid bed that I laid on. Overcoming the aching pain the plagued my entire body, I slowly hobbled towards the door, resting most of my weight on Valtan.


    Written by: Emelia-Tan


    Edited by: Schwarz13 and Mega14343


    Proofread by: Yakult

 4 Chapter 2: Friend or Foe 2

    Chapter 2: Friend or Foe


    Walking out of the room, A jaw-dropping sight made its way into my still cloudy vision. Below us was a sprawling settlement where small shacks and huts dotted the clearing in a random manner. At the edge of the clearing was a line of sharp wooden fences jutting out of the uneven ground, marking the end of the clearing. Past the fences, as far as the eye could see was a sea of verdant green trees, before abruptly stopping in front of a pair of snow capped mountains.


    The twin dragons of Varusia, located in the province of Vanaheim. Originally named after the legend of two dragons who fought and ruled over Vanaheim, now they are mountains known throughout the empire for their dangerous monsters and unforgiving terrain. Considering the close proximity of those mountains, the town of Varich must be close by too.


    ¡°Beautiful isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Valtan¡¯s exclamation pulled me out of my deep thoughts and back into reality.


    ¡°Uh, yeah. But why are we located so high up for?¡±


    I enquired curiously. While looking anxiously at my surroundings, I realized that I was standing on thin wooden boardwalks that were attached to long curvy branches. These boardwalks then spiralled down the main trunk, forming steps for the log house that laid ingrain into the trunk of the tree. Above me, small thin branches spread out, forming a leaf covered canopy that shielded us from the glaring sun overhead. Piecing together all the details before me, I finally realised that we were in a tree!


    Feelings of shock and awe replaced the sadness and loss within me in an instant.


    ¡°Oh this, it¡¯s called a world tree. They can be found within the centre of most great forests. We came across this one and decided to set up our base around here as it¡¯s relatively secluded and also allows us a birds eye view of the surroundings, warning us if and when the empire attacks.¡±


    I turned back to face Valtan and replied with a suspicious look on my face.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that also...you know, make it easier for you to get spotted out as well?¡±


    ¡°Ahahahaha¡­ Uhhhhh... How about we go meet some of the crew and get you something to eat?¡±


    Dodging the question, he made a one-eighty and started to walk down the spiralling staircase, beckoning me to follow behind.


    At the base of the tree, roots sprawled out in all directions, weaving in and out of the dirt and grass below. Following Valtan¡¯s guidance, we soon arrived at a dilapidated shack.


    Though calling it dilapidated might be wrong as most of the buildings around here look the same, so I guess it¡¯s normal?


    With a quick glance behind to check if I¡¯ve managed to catch up, Valtan then proceeded to knock on the door.


    Bam! Bam! Bam!


    No matter how you see it, that¡¯s totally not knocking at all!


    I retorted loudly in my mind as Valtan started violently slamming his fist into the door, where with every hit, I could see splinters shooting off in random directions. Glancing at the surroundings once more, I thought back to myself.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    I mean I guess that kinda explains why most of the houses look like this anyway. I just hope everyone else isn¡¯t this¡­ wild.


    However, my hopes were instantly dashed as an old scruffy man finally opened up the door.


    At first glance, he looked normal¡­ at least compared to Valtan but...


    ¡°Who yer¡¯ makin¡¯ all this racket for? I ain¡¯t deaf y¡¯know!¡±


    ¡°Sorry Lennair, but I¡¯ve got something to ask of you.¡±


    Scratching his chin, Valtan replied hesitantly. Taking a closer look at his face, he was actually squinting, as if bracing for something. With a blank look on my face, I turned to face Lennair, only to make the same expression as Valtan.


    ¡°Again?!? How many times has it been already? You wanna overwork me or somethin¡¯? Look I¡¯m already tied up by our current supply issues and now the empire burned off Varich, our closest contact point to civilization. Whaddaya want me to do now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for pushing this to you but could you find my little buddy here some rations and maybe a spare sword and armour while you¡¯re at it? I know being a quartermaster is hard but I¡¯ll give you some more rum later okay?¡±


    Lennair glared at Valtan for a second, scratching his unkempt beard as if seriously contemplating his leader¡¯s instructions, before finally shrugging his shoulders.


    ¡°Alright, gimme a moment while I go search for some spare rations.¡±


    After saying that, his scruffy figure disappeared behind the door, only to be replaced by loud rummaging coming from the depths of his house.


    Man he sure is working hard¡­ Speaking of which, I haven¡¯t really introduced myself to Valtan yet. I guess I should at least let the person who saved me know who exactly he saved.


    Taking advantage of this short pause, I spoke out to Valtan.


    ¡°Uhhhhh¡­ Hey, I¡¯m Aegeus, nice to meet you Valtan. Thanks for saving me.¡±


    I extended my hand, while looking at Valtan confidently in the eyes.


    Surprise first unfurled across Valtan¡¯s face before turning into an expression of joy.


    ¡°Ohohoho¡­ Nice to meet you! Thought you¡¯d never open up!¡±


    His thick arm went over my neck and onto my shoulder, pulling my head closer to his chest. He then formed a fist with his remaining hand and drove it into the top of my head, ruffling up my hair.


    ¡°Ow ow ow! Stop it!¡±


    After what seemed like an eternity, I never thought I¡¯d see the day where I¡¯d be glad to see that scruffy man¡¯s figure appear behind the decrepit door.


    Ah! Finally, my true saviour!


    ¡°Alright, here¡¯s some spare rations I¡¯ve found. It¡¯s not much but it¡¯s all I can afford right now. Lately a bear¡¯s been attacking our supplies and guards at night, and for some reason their bodies are nowhere to be found. Now that the Empire has basically razed Varich to the ground, our supply lines are gonna be even more strained. As for the equipment, you can try approaching Harry for it...¡±


    Lennair said that with a frown and a hard expression clouding over his face.


    Looks like something else is affecting him¡­ I don¡¯t know if I should be meddling in these kind of things considering my relatively new position. But maybe Valtan would know. I should try asking him about it¡­


    After thanking Lennair for the rations, me and Valtan started walking towards the east of the encampment, to find Harry the blacksmith. On the way, I reluctantly asked Valtan.


    ¡°Did you see Lennair¡¯s facial expressions earlier? He seems bothered by something¡­ Do you know what that would be?¡±


    ¡°Ah. I guess you noticed it too. Well, a few weeks ago, a bear started attacking our encampment. One of the soldiers missing was his son, Zenir. Although I¡¯ve been wanting to send a search and rescue party after them, with the recent strained supply lines, my hands are tied as there¡¯s no one I can spare.¡±


    Ah. That explains it I guess. He must be feeling lots of unease and anger right now. Losing a precious loved one... Afterall, that was what I had felt.


    ¡°Truth be told, I thought the situation couldn¡¯t get any worse. As much as it pains me to lose the very soldiers¡¯ that trained under me, I knew that I had to work harder to ensure the safety of supplies for the rest of us, in an attempt to distract myself from what was really happening However, with more and more of it being stolen now, I can¡¯t afford to overlook it any further!¡±


    With fire reigniting the embers in his eyes, he clenched his fist and continued.


    ¡°How about it kiddo? We go hunting for the bear that¡¯s been stealing my people and supplies? Heard its holed up in the mountains somewhere!¡±


    Really? Didn¡¯t you say your hands are tied? Well I guess I do owe you one for saving me back in Varich. Moreover, I can¡¯t be the same me that was helpless in protecting Andromeda against the attack by the Empire. I need to get faster. I need to get stronger. I need to get my revenge!


    Words continued to echo in my mind. Emotions swirled in my heart, nudging me towards a resolute yes. Succumbing to my emotions, I then turned towards Valtan with a determined expression on my face.


    ¡°Sure! Let¡¯s do it!¡±


    Ending off with a loud clap that resounded through the clearing, two men with wide unnatural grins and crazed countenances exchanged a handshake in the middle of the unkempt dirt path. Out of context, one would¡¯ve probably thought that they had both lost it. But to them, it was instead the start of a tumultuous friendship that would change their lives forever¡­


    Written by: Emelia-Tan


    Edited by: Schwarz13 and Mega14343


    Proofread by: Yakult

 5 Chapter 3: Discerning the Truth 1

    Chapter 3: Discerning The Truth


    ¡°Chirp! Chirp!¡±


    Birds sang the song of nature as leaves rustled softly in the wind. Morning dew formed as the chilly humid air condensed into tiny droplets onto nearby foliage. However, it wasn¡¯t too cold as the warm rays of the sun penetrated through the dense canopies above them, forming tiny golden beams and illuminating the ground below. Surrounded by the sea of trees, it would¡¯ve been an otherwise peaceful morning.


    If not for the stupid birds chirping noisily.


    ¡°Stoppppp! Stoppppp! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!¡±


    I yelled at the top of my voice, whilst stamping at the ground angrily. I didn¡¯t know why I was throwing a tantrum at birds. In fact, the only thing I knew was that I hated them. Absolutely despising their high pitched, carefree voices. They were annoying, obnoxious and loud. Worst of all, they also never did sing in harmony too!


    ¡°Everything alright back there? Com¡¯on we gotta get a move on. Quit whining already will ya¡¯?¡±


    Valtan¡¯s voice echoed from my front. Reluctantly, I turned my body to his direction, shrugging my shoulders and slumping my body as I walked towards the source of Valtan¡¯s voice. Furrowing my eyebrows, I put on a resigned look on my face as I fed thoughts to the voices reverberating in my skull.


    Why am I so easily irritated? Heck, I don¡¯t even know why I was throwing a tantrum at birds in the first place! Have I completely lost it? No no, I¡¯m still sane aren¡¯t I? Yes Yes, I am definitely awake. Then was it because I had accepted this dumb request from Valtan? No way right? I mean waking up in middle of the night because of ¡°squirrel attacks¡± and running from the occasional attack by bears, wolves, Saber Tooth tigers and boars. Those were all normal right? Valtan even said so himself!


    Bam!


    ¡°Oof! Ouchhhhhhhhh¡­¡±


    Failing to recognise the rock on the ground as I was heavily contemplating my terrible life choices, I tripped. As it was on a slight incline, I achieved flight momentarily before planting face first into the ground. Dirt and mud splattered unto my face, lodging itself into the crevices of my nostrils and throat.


    ¡°Ehehehe... No no no. This is not right at all! I volunteered to look for a bear! Not run for my life at every juncture! I¡¯m a humble villager, no way such things are actually normal!¡±


    I exclaimed loudly as I coughed out the sediments in my mouth and wiped off the pieces of earth that stubbornly stuck to my face, refusing to come off.


    Having only four hours of sleep for the previous nights is finally taking a toll on me huh. Those damn ¡°squirrel attacks¡±. At this point, I don¡¯t even know if squirrels are the same friendly creatures Andromeda and I used to chase after in the past anymore. Coupled with the weird looking and tasting globs of syrup that Valtan calls ¡°meals from the wilderness¡±, I¡¯m not sure whether I¡¯d find the bear before I actually die myself! Seriously! Purplish paste-like globs served on thorny leaves, there¡¯s no way those things are edible, are they? And to call all these as part of a training regiment, who the hell would actually survive this, much less want to adopt it?


    I grumbled in my heart as I trudged my left foot before my right into the slightly damp undergrowth beneath my feet. My vision faded in and out, from the hazy, almost dreamlike world into the harsh, crystal clear reality before me as I struggled to keep awake.


    Suddenly, I heard the rustling of bushes coming from the dense thicket at the corner of my vision. I don¡¯t know if it was through sheer luck or something else that allowed me to notice the rustling in my state of half-alertness, but I somehow did.


    A mouse? A cat? Or could it be something worse?


    I don¡¯t know. Panic overwhelmed my senses, causing my body to stiffen in fear and kicked it into a higher state of alertness (or as alert as a person that¡¯s half-asleep person could be anyway). Adrenaline once again pumped through my veins as it did in the previous nights before, bringing my swaying consciousness to a standstill.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    If there¡¯s anything that I¡¯ve learnt over the past few nights, running is probably better than sticking around to find out.


    I clenched my fist in determination as I made the silent decision in my heart. Without nothing left to hesitate about, I bolted forwards, past the bush and towards where I had last heard Valtan¡¯s voice. The bush shook hard as I ran past it.


    Judging by the shaking of the bush, whatever¡¯s hiding in it probably didn¡¯t expect me to, out of all things, run towards it.


    Once again, I found myself running for my life.  At this point, I didn¡¯t know how many times I had already done this over the last few days.


    Was it 5 times? No, it must¡¯ve been in the double digits by now. So maybe 20? Well, I never bothered counting in the first place. Afterall, fleeing for my life isn¡¯t something one would expect to happen often, right?


    I charged forward into the woods while screaming, never once turning behind to see what was chasing me. Fear and panic gripped my heart, while I slowly lost feeling in my legs as they became numb from exhaustion. Not just my legs, but my arms and knees felt heavy and creaked like an unlubricated door. I just wanted it all to end.


    I just need to get this quest done and over with and it¡¯ll all end.


    As if reading my thoughts, the trees ahead opened up a gap large enough for me to see the familiar figure of Valtan standing amidst the sea of white. My weak eyes were slow to adjust to the world of bright that laid beyond the gap in the trees. I couldn¡¯t see anything else but the body of Valtan standing strong and sturdy. However, it was also the only thing my mind could focus on as I tried to beat whatever was pursuing me.


    Finally! There¡¯s Valtan!


    Hope filled my empty body as I headed towards his toned back upon the horizon.


    ¡°Valtan! Help me!!!!¡±


    I called out to Valtan at the top of my lungs. With a ¡°hmmm?¡±, he turned towards me. Within the next moment, countless expressions flicked across his face, going from first surprise, to happiness, and to finally terror. Before this, I never knew a person could make these many expressions in such a short period of time. However, I soon came to realize why Valtan, the one who wouldn¡¯t show any signs of faltering in the face of danger, showed an expression of pure terror.


    ¡°Oof! Ahhhhhhhhh!¡±


    Oh boy! Fate sure loves to play cruel jokes huh? For the last time, please make it stop! I beg of you!


    I tripped as my feet got hooked by the root that stuck out from the dense undergrowth below me. In conjunction with my earlier momentum, I then ungracefully collided into Valtan who was standing on a steep ledge that I failed to notice as the brightness of the sun shrouded most of my vision. As expected, the end result wasn¡¯t something very pleasant.


    Rolling down the slope as one, Valtan and I screamed. Well rather, Valtan screamed. Since my voice was already hoarse from earlier. Believe me, I too wanted to scream but nothing came out when I opened my mouth.


    Boom!


    After about a whole minute of ear piercing screaming from Valtan, we tumbled to the bottom of the slope. I didn¡¯t know whether I should been happy or in pain that my ears were still functioning after all the abuse that Valtan has placed them through when a loud crunch sounded out from my left hand as Valtan landed on top of it.


    Ahhhhhhhhhhh! Did I fracture it? Don¡¯t tell me I fractured it!


    Waves of pain surged through my arm, complimenting the loud crunch from earlier. It couldn¡¯t hold up against the herculean pillar of strength that is Valtan, as it succumbed to his gargantuan weight. Finding an alternative to my voice who refused to obey my orders, my mind shrieked in pain.


    ¡°Oh nice one Aegeus! I guess all that training paid off because there¡¯s the cave! As expected of my training regime to hone your survival skills¡±


    Valtan chuckled happily to himself.


    ¡°No it didn¡¯t! Urghhhh¡­ I don¡¯t think this is the time to be joking around man, I think my arm¡¯s broken.¡±


    I retorted as loud as I could to Valtan¡¯s ridiculous claim, while holding back the surge of tears and pain from the injury.


    Anything! Anything is better than that stupid training regime! Even this broken arm pales in comparison to it!


    Roarrrrrrrr!!!


    Interrupting our short exchange was a ferocious roar.


    I turned my head slowly towards the source of the roar. Part of me didn¡¯t want to find out what it was, but yet it was paramount to the survival of Valtan and I. However, I immediately regretted my decision as I stared wide-eyed at the scarlet beast before me.


    Stripes and spots permeated throughout its scarlet orange hide. A pair of monochromatic yellow eyes exemplified its predatory and bestial instincts. It was determined to kill. With the same matching theme, the great beast opened its mouth, revealing its elongated canines that stood out amidst the row of razor-sharp teeth. With its long curvy whiskers that showed its pride and arrogance, it was a Saber Tooth tiger!


    Oh shit! Speak of the devil. The only thing worse than this that I could¡¯ve encountered is a minotaur.


    The beast licked its mouth as it observed us with its ravening gaze. It had readied a palm full of keen digits, preparing to dig into its newfound meal. Losing control to its savage instincts, it pounced, putting its springy hind legs into action and leaped towards us.


    We were utterly defenceless against this great beast. Caught out of position and unarmed, there was nothing we could do.


    I squeezed my eyes shut, readying myself for the worst possible outcome, which was death.


    Even death doesn¡¯t seem that bad compared to the living hell that is now. At least, I¡¯d be reunited with Andromeda. If she asks why I¡¯m here, maybe I¡¯d just reply ¡°the empire got me¡±. That¡¯d be fine right?


    However, it never came.


    Instead, Valtan had once again saved me. He made a split second decision, rolling me over so that he ended up above me, absorbing the downward strike from the primal beast.


    Written by: Emelia-Tan


    Edited by: Schwarz13 and Mega14343


    Proofread by: Yakult

 6 Chapter 3: Discerning The Truth 2

    Chapter 3: Discerning The Truth


    ¡°Sorry man, but I don¡¯t plan on you dying here. At the same time, I guess I can show you a cool little trick of mine¡­¡±


    Expecting blood, I searched around me for any traces of it. But there was none. Replacing it was the sound of iron being struck.


    Ping!


    Huh? What¡¯s that sound? Is Valtan alright? Did something else save us?


    My mind once again entered a state of confusion. My eyes darted around the surroundings frantically, looking for whatever that had made that sound, but it couldn¡¯t find the source of it. Contrary to my adverse reaction, Valtan instead had closed his eyes and showed a countenance of absolute tranquility.


    He had placed his consciousness in a state of deep concentration.


    In the next instant, a layer of lustrous silver which seemed to originate from his back, enveloped his body and face, coating his fair, white skin within seconds. It was only then, did he open his eyes once more.


    ¡°I guess I should introduce myself again. I was Valtan of the ¡°Six Gods of War¡±, a former general of the Empire¡¯s forces and also a part of the Emperor¡¯s personal guard. Many in the empire would know me as the one who has the willpower of steel, manifesting itself in the form of my ability that allows me turn my body into steel.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t know you.¡±


    I answered back with a short reply and gave him a blank look. It¡¯s true! I was just a simple and ordinary villager going about daily life with my beloved sister before this. There was no need for me to dabble or associate myself with whatever the empire does, much less know who Valtan is. However at the same time, it had also popped question marks in my mind.


    Wait? Why is a general of the empire, much less the emperor¡¯s personal guard, leading a rebellion against the Empire?


    Unfortunately, this wasn¡¯t a good time to ask such questions as there was still a hungry Saber Tooth tiger that had set its sights on us.


    To be completely honest, I wasn¡¯t sure if Saber Tooth tigers usually show expressions of shock, but this one did. Seeing its sharp paws bouncing of Valtan, much less be unable to penetrate his skin, it was probably as confused as I was. It reeled back and stared at its paws for a moment, as if wondering ¡°Are my claws really that weak?¡±. But it did not relent for long, continuing to launch attack after attack on Valtan¡¯s back.


    Ping! Ping! Ping!


    It swiped its claws from left to right and right to left, each one failing to do any sort of damage to Valtan. As if growing impatient, it decided to speed up its attacks.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    ¡°I think this is enough.¡±


    Saying that, Valtan flicked his backheel into the stomach of the Saber Tooth tiger and pulled off a backflip. With the added momentum from the backflip, the body of the Saber Tooth tiger made an arc that traced the path of Valtan¡¯s heel and crashed into the earth with a thud. Its body reverberated slightly from the shock of the impact, causing it to bounce a little before falling still and lifeless on the ground.


    ¡°Well that¡¯s the end of it! Are you okay? Ah right right, we still  need to patch up that arm of yours¡­ Gimme a moment¡­¡±


    Lifting his foot off the limp carcass of the Saber Tooth tiger, he turned his face towards me with a look of concern, completely neglecting the fact that he had just killed a Saber Tooth tiger that weighed about as much as he did effortlessly.


    Woah, I know my health is important, but killing a Saber Tooth tiger, and with a single blow no less, is definitely not normal! Don¡¯t give me that kind of look of concern!


    Using my right hand, I supported my broken left arm and slowly crawled away from the monster that is Valtan.


    Can I actually trust him? He¡¯s an empire general! What if this was all a ploy? What if he was the one who led the attack on Varich in the first place?


    As if knowing that the looming threat of death was gone, the floodgates to all the questions in my mind opened once more.


    ¡°Wait, where are you going? You shouldn¡¯t be moving that much when you¡¯re injured! Oh¡­ I see. Relax. Trust me alright? I was a general but I¡¯m no longer one anymore. If I truly were with the Empire, you¡¯d be long dead before this. They have absolutely no care for human life other than that of nobles¡­ So, just trust me alright? Here¡±


    Seeing the scared expression that was plastered across my face, Valtan shrugged his hands and looked at me with eyes full of compassion. He wanted me to trust him. He wanted me to believe him. However, I couldn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t know who he was. To me, he was still a stranger.


    What if he was one of those infamous slave traders disguising himself as a good person? Who exactly is he? Can I really trust him?


    Valtan then took out a red vial from his pocket. It was a tiny vial, just barely larger than a pinky finger. Inside it was a familiar yet foreign-looking crimson red liquid.


    Is that what I think it is? That¡¯s a vitality potion isn¡¯t it? How did Valtan get his hands on one? They easily go for over a hundred gold denims back in Varich. From what I heard, they were really effective and could fix up whatever wounds one may have. However, only the really prominent adventurers or high ranking village officials could afford it though.


    ¡°Here, take this. It should fix up that broken arm of yours. The value of that alone should be enough for you to trust me right? The bear den is just past this pair of trees.¡±


    As if on cue, he tossed the invaluable red vial towards me. I scrambled to catch it with my right hand and stared at the vial for a short while. The surface of the vial was encrusted with elaborate shields and crests of various noble households, leading up to the grand crest of the Emperor himself. All of this was just to signify the Emperor¡¯s hold on the potion industry.


    Is this the real deal? There¡¯s no way it is, isn¡¯t it? But hunting a bear with a broken arm is like committing suicide. I guess there¡¯s nothing to lose if I take it, right?


    With a quick glance towards Valtan, I resolved myself and opened up the cork sealing the vial, gulping down the contents within seconds. Instantly, I felt the effects of the potion working its gears in my body. A faint yellow light blanketed my arm, feeling slightly warm as my sense of touch and strength was slowly restored to my arm. Within my body, waves of strength flowed through my veins as my fatigue dissolved away into nothingness.


    Woah! It actually worked! But how and why does Valtan have this? He¡¯s no longer a general is he? With the Emperor¡¯s tight hold on the industry, it should be impossible for a rebel like him to be able to get his hands on this! But even if I¡¯m up against this monster, what exactly can I do? I could barely win against Empire soldiers, how could I win against the personal guard of the Emperor himself?


    More and more questions sprouted in my mind.


    First was the attack by the Empire on Varich, and now this?


    However, as clueless as I was to the winds of change that swirled around me, I could only accept it as it was and plough on ahead, hoping that I¡¯d one day understand it all.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll trust you for now...but I¡¯m still keep my guard up so don¡¯t think about doing anything funny okay?¡±


    ¡°Sure sure. Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Valtan replied enthusiastically as we continued forth past the trees.


    Written by: Emelia-Tan


    Edited by: Schwarz13 and Mega14343


    Proofread by: Yakult

 7 Chapter 3: Discerning The Truth 3

    Chapter 3: Discerning The Truth


    Before long, we arrived at the entrance of the supposed bear den, according to Valtan. On the surface, it looked no different from any of the other caves we had came across, just a hole that¡¯s inlaid within the side of the mountain. In fact, the only difference was that Valtan was adamant on it being the correct cave, because he can ¡®feel it¡¯.


    Well who am I to argue? With his skills he probably could do that, right?


    Outside the cave was a tiny stream that carried water from the snowy mountaintops above into a tiny, pristine puddle. The surface of the puddle was like a mirror, still and clear, reflecting its immediate surroundings unto its surface.


    Instinctively, I walked towards the puddle, in an attempt to freshen up my face before bracing myself for the fight that would ensue later. Bloodshot eyes and peeling skin greeted me through my reflection on the surface of the lake. To be honest, even I had a hard time figuring out if it was truly me being reflected on the water and not some poor hiker or adventurer that died here.


    Wow. I knew I was tired but I didn¡¯t know I was this tired. Moreover, all the forced marching under the sun has resulted in my skin peeling.  Well, at least it doesn¡¯t hurt so I have that as some form of consolation.


    I spent the next few minutes blankly staring at my reflection, watching silently as my sweat droplets roll off the edges of my face and into the calm, still water. Ripples churned outwards as they expressed disgruntlement at the sudden intruders.


    Although all this was partly due to my weariness from the everything that happened on the way here, at the same time, it was also partly because deep down inside of me, I felt¡­ scared for some reason. It was like as if something felt¡­ off, but I couldn¡¯t put my finger on exactly what that was.


    Mentally preparing myself for yet another gruesome trail, I splashed the ice-cool water unto my war-ravaged face and tilted my head towards Valtan, unwillingly trusting everything to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready, let¡¯s get this done and over with.¡±


    Valtan then headed into the bear den fearlessly, with his hand gesturing for me to trail behind quietly. Following his lead, I then entered the cave. Inside the cave, it was dark and damp. In fact, it was actually pretty dank from the bone-chilling winds that blew through the various gaps and openings inside the cave. Stalactites hung eerily from the ceilings, threatening to come crashing down at any moment while sporadic sounds of wings fluttering and the falling of water droplets echoed softly, adding to the creepy and mysterious ambience. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    At the same time, a large crevice ran from the far left of the cavern, slowly becoming parallel to the entrance of the cave as we delved deeper.


    And it¡¯s exactly because of this crevice that effectively splits the cave into two, leaving us with only just a tiny ledge to navigate around. Couldn¡¯t the gods of nature be more car-


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡±


    As I complained in my head, my consciousness sidetracked. Before I knew, I had lost my footing and almost slipped down the jagged rock face into the dark depths below.


    Luckily for me, Valtan had noticed the slip just in time, immediately hooking his left arm around my right. With a sudden jerk, Valtan then towed my body up from the crevice and back onto the precarious ledge that he was on with his sheer strength.


    ¡°Yo, kid. Be careful alright? We haven¡¯t even seen the bear yet.¡±


    Being put through such a traumatising experience, I was still stuck in a state of shock and was rendered unable to formulate a response. As a result, I could only nod my head towards Valtan in agreement.


    Yeah, I¡¯ll try my best to not die next time.


    Venturing deeper into the cave, an assorted mix of animal and human bones appeared on the floor and rock shelves in the cave. Skulls, femurs and even fingers, became more and more common the deeper we went into the cave. A sour stench of death had also started to infiltrate our noses as the cold winds that blew through the cave decreased in strength and frequency.


    ¡°We¡¯re getting close. Prepare yourself Aegeus cause I won¡¯t be able to guarantee your safety if it¡¯s more than a bear we¡¯re facing.¡±


    Immediately as Valtan said that, we stepped into an enormous circular chamber, dwarfing the previous chambers we had went through in size and magnificence. Within the centre of it was a tiny opening that allowed minuscule amounts of natural light to penetrate the almost pitch-black darkness within the chamber. However, the darkness was to thick, laughing condescendingly at the weak beam of light as it skirted around it.


    However, the heavy stench of death and decay had also strengthened multiple fold within the chamber. With a quick scan of my eyes, it wasn¡¯t hard to figure out what was the source of it.


    Human bones and animal bones are everywhere, littering the entire floor of the chamber. And what¡¯s that? Brown fur, thick pelt and huge paws¡­ is that a bear corpse¡­ directly below the hole that is illuminating the chamber? Wait, isn¡¯t that the bear that we¡¯re supposed to be hunting?


    As if coming to the same conclusion as me, Valtan readied up his trusty axe with whatever strength he could muster into his quaking arms and legs. He furrowed his eyebrows as a look of annoyance and also fear made its way past the typically calm facade of Valtan.


    Coincidentally, sounds of rustling came from what appeared to be behind the carcass of the dead bear. It was first faint and barely audible, but slowly grew in intensity and loudness, gradually overwhelming our eardrums.


    However, just as the rustling reached its climax, it stopped abruptly. Instead, an even grimmer sound had took its place, breaking the dead silence that was within the cavity.


    Snap!


    The dreadful sound of bones cracking amplified itself as it reverberated within the vast chamber.


    Written by: Emelia-Tan


    Edited by: Schwarz13 and Mega14343


    Proofread by: Yakult

 8 Chapter 4: Slumbering Ancients 1

    Chapter 4: Slumbering Ancients


    Snap!


    Snap!


    Snap!


    The sounds of bones snapping and cracking grew louder and more frequent. Whatever it was that¡¯s hiding in the shadows, it was definitely getting closer.


    The pure terror and horror of the unknown that I was experiencing, I thought it couldn¡¯t get any worse. But it did.


    A familiar yet also unfamiliar feeling flooded the atmosphere. It was a thick and concentrated bloodlust, feeling almost choking. However as unskilled and inexperienced as I was, the bloodlust still felt¡­ somehow different from what I had felt from Valtan before.


    ¡°Hey¡­ Uhhhh.. Valtan, this bloodlust¡­ isn¡¯t coming from you right?¡±


    Struggling to force the words out of my mouth, I asked as my voice quivered with every syllable uttered.


    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. This bloodlust is on whole different plane of existence compared to mine. Primal in nature, it¡¯s almost as if the essence of its hatred was drawn from the very bowels of the earth. I don¡¯t think we can fight this. We need to run! Now!¡±


    As soon as he had said it, he had already made a one-eighty and started running back towards they way we had came from. Trusting in Valtan¡¯s quick-wits, I too started running towards the entrance.


    Unfortunately, we were too slow.


    ¡°Oh you¡¯re already leaving? Why won¡¯t you stay and have a chat?¡±


    A gruff and dark voice boomed out from within the darkness. Almost immediately, a overwhelming sense of dread consumed our bodies, siphoning the strength from our arms and legs.


    Thud!


    Thud!


    Thud!


    With every step it took, the bloodlust it emanated pulsated and strengthened, causing the ground to tremble and shake in discordant harmony. Immobilised by the heavy pressure of the atmosphere, we could no longer run.


    With a shaky voice, Valtan shot a question into the darkness of the chamber while readying his axe, preparing himself for an aggressive reply.


    ¡°W-who is this?¡±


    ¡°Very well, I shall tell you who I am. In fact, I¡¯ll even one up you by showing you who I am.¡±


    As swiftly as he had said it, four blue arms that were as thick as tree trunks emerged from the tenebrosity as it strolled into the tiny light that illuminated the cave. What appeared next was a beautiful azure blue body. It would¡¯ve looked absolutely stunning, if not for the full grey splotches that were dotted across various parts of its toned, muscular body.


    However, that was just the beginning of the nightmare, the calm before the storm.


    *Gasp*


    Air leaked out of my lungs involuntarily at the sight of the face of this monstrosity, leaving me breathless. However it wasn¡¯t the only thing leaking from my body as I could also feel something wet and moist coalesce around my groin as fear gnawed into the deepest depths of my body.


    Oh god! What in the world is this thing?! I know dragons and giants exist but what in the world is this heinous being?


    Following its body, a pale blue face made itself apparent from the darkness. Scars strewn all over his face, carefully navigating around his crooked nose and crimson red eyes. Topping off his gruesome features was nothing that looked more terrifying that the sole eye that was fixated at the centre of his forehead. It glanced around edgily, as if having a will of its own.


    That¡¯s definitely not a human! In fact, with those four plump arms of his, I probably shouldn¡¯t have thought he was a human in the first place!Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Greetings mere mortals, I am called Asclepius. Or at least that is what it should be in this¡­ primitive language that you speak.¡±


    Saying that, he lifted an index finger from one of his hands and brought it to his chin, immersing himself in deep thought. At the same time, the bloodcurdling killing intent relented for a fraction of a second, as his thoughts became distracted. But it didn¡¯t last for long as the tremendous pressure returned as swiftly as it had left, leaving us with almost no room to adjust.


    ¡°Arghhhhh!¡±


    Valtan and I let out a cry, being unable to react to the sudden surge in killing intent.


    ¡°Well that¡¯s enough of that! Without any further ado, how about I cordially invite you into my humble abode?¡±


    He exclaimed that as he twisted his face into a disgusting grin. Vile, foul and malicious in nature, I could imagine the pure unadulterated thoughts that formed in his mind.


    With and enthusiastic clap, he suddenly appeared to my side.


    What? How did he do that? That can¡¯t be teleportation right? After all, that¡¯s impossible for humans!


    He drew his face closer to my body and slowly lifted one of his many fingers, gently stroking my cheek. I tried my hardest to resist but his killing intent was just too strong. I couldn¡¯t shake off his finger. His face was close enough that I could feel his heavy and laboured breaths.


    ¡°Oh my! What do we have here today? I barely get any visitors ever since I moved here. And as my very first visitors, I have a youngling and¡­ an elf?¡±


    As Asclepius turned to size up Valtan, he curved his eyebrows and drew a straight line with his lips, forming a puzzled expression.


    ¡°A what?!¡±


    I choked on those words.


    Elves?! Weren¡¯t they almost wiped out in the last Great War between the Empire and the elves? And how is Valtan an elf? He lacks all the distinguishing features of one!


    My vision ping-ponged between the two of them, hoping to uncover more details. But when faced with such a revelation, Valtan could only force a wry smile on his face as he tried to cover up the befuddlement that laid within him.


    I¡¯m guessing even Valtan doesn¡¯t know it either then.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ but maybe you still are a human considering this elf scent is rather¡­ weak. But I guess that matters not now when both are equally as powerless against the great me.¡±


    Retracting his slender fingers from my face, he turned his back to face us as he continued.


    ¡°So may I enquire why mere mortal such as yourselves have intruded into my domain?¡±


    ¡°W-we uhhhhh¡­ came to investigate about that bear w-who has been s-stealing our supplies.¡±


    Overcome with great fear, I jerked my chin towards the carcass of the bear while the same fear impounding me hinged on my stuttering words.


    ¡°Oh! That beast? Disturbing my peaceful thousand year slumber is one thing, but I guess the one thing I can commend it for was maybe doing a decent job at getting me food and playthings to keep me entertained. But even then they were still rather lacking, especially in regards to their physical prowess. Get this! Hahahaha! Can you believe that they had wet themselves the moment they saw me? Can you imagine the look of desperation on their faces? Hahahaha¡­...¡±


    He laughed raucously in my face, causing drops of saliva and spit to splatter over it as he mocked those who had dared face off against him.


    Unfortunately enough, I can totally sympathize with them¡­ Even living in this cruel world for eighteen years did little to prepare me for your hideousness! Have you seen yourself in a mirror?


    ¡°Though I have to admit, it did bring a man called Zennir recently. I must say he did fight very bravely, never once losing hope. So much so that I actually bothered to ask for his name! However, ultimately he was still a disappointment¡­ But me being the kind person I am, I still decided to reward him for his valiant efforts, you know? I Slowly ripped him apart limb by limb, delighting at how long his spirit will last before he finally bleeds to death. Ohhhhhh! His deafening screams of pain still tickle me to this day! Ehehehe¡­¡±


    What kind of monster is he!


    His words utterly disgusted me. Thinking back on our conversation with Lennair, oh how worried he was for his son. He was a good father, and yet to think that such a thing had happened to his beloved son, I wonder how heart wrenching it¡¯d be for him if he caught wind of this! More than that, no one in this world should be exposed to that kind of torture in the first place!


    Something new burned in my heart.


    Was it more fear?


    I don¡¯t know, but it burnt stronger and more ardently by the second. Intense emotions now flowed through my veins, invigorating my body once more. Rage and anger welled up in my fist as I clenched them, while an animalistic snarl slowly crawled up my throat.


    This bastard! How dare he do this kind of thing and get away with -


    However, Valtan had already beaten me to it.


    ¡°Arghhhhh!!! Die you evil bastard!¡±


    Letting out a cry, Valtan¡¯s body made spasmodic movements as he slowly overcame the intense bloodlust pinning him down through sheer willpower alone.


    His body complexion flickered and alternated between a lustrous tone of silver and one of pure white, illustrating just how much concentration he needed to even attempt this odd-defying act.


    Observing this scene in anticipation, excitement and amusement lit up in Asclepius¡¯ eyes.


    ¡°Oh my oh my, you dare go against your fate? I¡¯m sure with your level of skill you should know what fights are unwinnable for you, no? There¡¯s no way you can win against the great me!¡±


    Asclepius walked over to Valtan leisurely and with swagger. Every stride he took was one without any care or concern in the world. It was like as if he never thought of Valtan as anything to be reckoned with in the first place!


    How cocky!


    I thought to myself, while making a proud smirk.


    Valtan shouldn¡¯t be underestimated as an opponent y¡¯know?


    Contrary to Asclepius¡¯ earlier actions that lagged, his next action was instead, one of blistering pace. He lifted his fingers in the shape of a flick towards Valtan¡¯s exposed forehead and in the blink of an eye, Valtan¡¯s figure had disappeared from my very eyes.


    Accompanied by a loud thud and an ¡°oof¡±, I squinted my eyes towards the direction of the sound, only to find the body of Valtan embedded inches deep into the wall.


    His body laid within the cracks, bare and lifeless. Movement was nowhere to be found within his usual energetic body.


    Did Valtan ... die? It was just a single hit, you know?


    Seeing that Valtan has been dealt with, Asclepius turned to face me.


    The fiery determination of wanting to put Asclepius in his place suddenly extinguished inside me. I could only stare back at the fiend as his face contorted into an evil and malicious grin, as if thinking of the most gruesome way to kill me like he did with Zennair.


    ¡°Arghhhhhhh!!¡±


    An abruptly ear-piercing warcry broke the tense atmosphere. Scrambling my eyes and ears, I saw the figure of Valtan looming over the towering Asclepius. In the middle of his jump, he lugged old Marcy overhead as he prepared to land a devastating strike on the exposed back of Asclepius.


    Yes! Valtan, you¡¯re alive!


    I cheered silently for Valtan in my heart, hoping that his attack would strike true.


    Written by: Emelia-Tan


    Edited by: Schwarz13 and Mega14343


    Proofread by: Yakult

 9 Chapter 4: Slumbering Ancients 2

    Chapter 4: Slumbering Ancients


    ¡°Didn¡¯t anyone teach you any manners on not to interfere?¡±


    Asclepius immediately stiffened his right arm. Without looking back, he had swung the back his arm backwards in a blink of an eye and straight into the abdomen of Valtan before poor Marcy could make any form of contact with Asclepius¡¯ body.


    Boom!


    A loud boom echoed as the air around Asclepius¡¯ clenched fist distorted for a split second, causing a sudden surge of air to blow outwards.


    What insane strength. Will Valtan be able to survive it?


    Valtan¡¯s body recoiled rearwards as he got struck for the second time¡­ or that was what should¡¯ve happened but it didn¡¯t.


    Instead, Valtan had appeared in a dive below Asclepius¡¯ stiffened fist. Fury and frenzy erupted through Valtan¡¯s facial expressions. Pouring all his emotions into an underhand grip, he slammed his foot into the floor and thrusted his axe upwards, indenting the ground in the process.


    Surprise finally appeared on the face of the arrogant Asclepius as he never expected such a move from Valtan. Completely taken off guard, Valtan¡¯s axe sliced cleanly through one of Asclepius¡¯ arms, separating it from the body of its owner. Silver liquid spurred out like a fountain from the stump that used to be his arm, splattering over the floor and onto Valtan¡¯s face and body that was already dotted with various abrasions and lacerations.


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Valtan exclaimed in triumph with his face displaying jubilation at landing such a clean blow on Asclepius, maiming him in the process.


    However contrary to the excitement of Valtan, Asclepius instead remained absolutely calm to the dismemberment of his arm. In fact, the corners of his mouth had curled up slightly, as if amused.


    ¡°Hmmm. This is¡­ interesting. To think that an insolent being like you is able to inflict such wounds on the great me. This is borderline blasphemous!¡±


    Asclepius replies back in a cold and much grimmer tone. He seemed as though he was completely unfazed by the flow of the silver liquid from his arm that began to simmer down, dripping bit by bit compared to the violent spurts just a few moments ago.


    He started healing already? What kind of cheat ability is that? Don¡¯t tell me he can regenerate his arm too!


    With an expressionless face, he finally started to position himself in an martial arts stance. Without any delay, he stomped his left foot behind him and twisted it slightly. A pillar made of rock and probably bat guano erupted suddenly from the earth, striking Valtan squarely in the chest and sent him flying back into the darkness of the cave.


    ¡°Have you forgotten oh small fry? For I am a being of the earth, all of it shall heed to me. Every speck of dirt and every grain of sand will obey my every command. You are in my domain. You stand no chance against me.¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Twisting his fists, the pillar was launched upwards and flew down the same path as Valtan.


    Bang!


    With the figure of Valtan nowhere to be seen, I was now standing face to face with the monster that called himself Asclepius. His eyes glowed a malicious shade of red as he gazed vulgarly at my body, deliberating over how exactly he should kill me. As if serving to fit the atmosphere, surrounding him were none other than bones and freshly deformed rocks that blended in with the darkness, sending further chills up my spine.


    ¡°Now that that¡¯s dealt with. What shall we do for you? Do you want to be suffocated to death? Or would you prefer to be crushed like your friend over there?¡±


    With a cheerful grin, Asclepius pointed his index finger into the darkness.


    Uhhh¡­ both of those don¡¯t sound too good for me.


    I could feel the last remnants of hope leaving me as I stared back at those devilish crimson eyes.


    If Valtan could only do so much, what exactly could my wimpy self do?


    I closed by eyes silently as I resigned to my fate.


    Aegeus, is this truly all you wish to do with your life?


    A voice spoke out to me amid the dying peace in my mind. It was a familiar tone that somehow felt warm to my heart. A soft and shy voice but yet also felt strangely boisterous.


    Aegeus, do you remember what you promised me that day?


    I searched and scavenged the deepest depths of my mind for the source of the voice, only to be thrown into a vision.


    Without warning, I suddenly found myself standing amidst a field of flowers. Dandelions, roses and all sorts of assorted flowers dotted the landscape, forming a sea of amber red and canary yellow that extended out as far as the eye could see.


    A small girl wearing an emerald green dress stood in front with her back facing me, admiring the endless field of vibrant flowers that laid on the horizon. She had a very fair complexion and long silver hair that went down the entire length of her back, swaying gently with the cool breeze that blew through the field. However, despite the childish look that she bore, for some reason, she still gave off an air of maturity.


    ¡°Hey Aegeus, what do you think lies beyond the mountains over there?¡±


    She asked out of the blue with a curious and carefree tone.


    It was the same familiar yet distant voice that played in my head.


    How does she know my name? Why does she sound so familiar as well?


    Faced with these questions, I decided to play along and replied back honestly.


    ¡°Probably more monsters.¡±


    Hearing my absurd reply, she lost her composure momentarily as she giggled to herself, before continuing with her same soothing tone.


    ¡°The legend of the twin peaks of Varusia. Two dragons who ruled and fought for the sake of Vanaheim in times past against the the greater daemons. Some say that despite being of common birth, these two dragons had loved Vanaheim so much that they had sacrificed everything to protect Vanaheim during the war against the greater daemons. However, there came a time where they had to make the ultimate sacrifice, offering their very bodies to become the mountain range that now defends Vanaheim from harm.¡±


    ¡°But those are only legends. Twisted and exaggerated by word of mouth, no one knows if they are even true in the first place!¡±


    I retorted at her detailed recount of the famous legend surrounding those mountains.


    ¡°Legend or not, I choose to believe that this story holds merit.¡±


    Heaving a deep sigh, the girl asked her final question.


    ¡°Hey Aegeus, there will come a time where I won¡¯t be able to see what lies beyond those very pair of mountains¡­ But even so, can you promise me that you¡¯ll keep this story close to your heart and let it guide you whenever you feel lost, okay?¡±


    Before I could reply, the girl of short stature turned around, revealing a delicate smile on her face that was unfitting of her age.


    Andromeda!


    I cried out in my mind as I sprinted towards her. However, the scene shifted and twirled as I got ejected back into the harsh reality before me.


    Opening my eyes once more, I saw the figure of Asclepius approaching me. The silver blood that dripped from his arm had already started drying up, forming a silver patch at the base of the stump.


    Although fear still held a firm grip on my heart as I stared at the formidable being, I felt somewhat different. It was as if a sense of purpose had filled the empty void within my body, giving me the courage to face him.


    More than that, memories of Andromeda also came flooding in, filling the various gaps and holes in my recollection, finally completing it like a jigsaw puzzle.


    ¡°Sure! And at the same time, I¡¯ll do my best to protect you so that you¡¯ll definitely see what lies on the other side of the mountains!¡±


    I could remember my oh so innocent answer to Andromeda on that very day. At that time, I never knew what Andromeda meant in by her words, but yet it was those very words that fuelled the strength in my body now.


    Written by: Emelia-Tan


    Edited by: Schwarz13 and Mega14343


    Proofread by: Yakult

 10 Chapter 4: Slumbering Ancients 3

    Chapter 4: Slumbering Ancients


    Even though I couldn¡¯t protect her when the Empire attacked, even though I failed to protect Andromeda back then, at the very least I should fulfill this very promise I made to her, and to do that, I cannot die here.


    Strong determination to live rose up within my once lifeless body. Musturing whatever courage and strength that I wielded, I broke free from Asclepius¡¯ overwhelming killing intent.


    Even if I were to die, I will at least go down trying.


    I drew the short sword that Harry, the blacksmith, had given me a few days before and gripped the hilt firmly in my hands.


    For Zennair. For Valtan. For Andromeda.


    With sword in hand, I charged headlong towards Asclepius. My heart raced as various emotions fuelled my body movements, propelling it forwards, while sweat trickled down my forehead and back as nervousness also began to take root.


    What if I miss? What if I fail to kill him?


    Despite the various doubts I had, I chose to believe in Valtan¡¯s training and more than that, Andromeda. Whereas, Asclepius no longer took any chances and prepared his body, positioning it in a fighting stance.


    As I entered the strike range of Asclepius, he suddenly extended his fist towards me. It was as fast as lightning, barely gave me any time to react. However, I had narrowly managed to dodge it by sliding under his arm instinctively, causing him to miss me by just a hair¡¯s length. Nonetheless, it was this miss that costed him greatly as it opened up his vulnerable body to me, allowing me to slice freely into his torso.


    ¡°How unfortunate. Looks like it¡¯s your loss.¡±


    I was momentarily stunned by his words.


    What do you mean it¡¯s my loss?


    But I came to realize soon enough when the elbow of his extended arm came sharply from behind.


    I can¡¯t defend against that.


    I looked back at the elbow as I braced myself to get hit. It was just too fast.


    ¡°I. Will. Not. Let you. Touch him!!¡±


    Ping!


    Valtan suddenly appeared before me, blocking Asclepius¡¯ powerful strike with Marcy, shattering her in the process. Sharp bits of the axe head flew in all directions like shrapnel, impaling the body of Valtan and Asclepius.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Sorry I¡¯m late. Got kinda held up a little.¡±


    Valtan said that merrily as he wielded what was left of Marcy.


    Huh? What? How did Valtan survive all those attacks?


    However, the answer to those questions laid in Valtan¡¯s body. It was different from his usual fair white or even silver skin complexion. Instead, it gleamed bright yellow, resembling imperial gold that coated the entire surface of his face and body, while his eyes glowed a vermillion red, as if the very cinders of his willpower and determination were reflected in those eyes.


    Holding the remaining hilt of Marcy tightly, he drove whatever¡¯s left of the axe head straight into the back of asclepius. Intense air pressure shook the chamber as a shockwave radiated outwards from the impact of the axe head.


    Absorbing the impact of the axe head on, his body froze in place fleetingly, before toppling over and unto the ground. Consequently, Valtan stepped onto his limp body, pinning him in place.


    At the same time, It finally hit me that Marcy, who has never shown any mercy, was also broken from the fight earlier. As such, I tossed my shortsword towards Valtan, which he caught gracefully with his back hand and held it to Asclepius¡¯ neck.


    ¡°Ahahahah! Looks like you¡¯ve got me! But do you really want to kill me?¡±


    Unfazed by the sudden change in events, Asclepius made a mischievous smile as he pitched that question to Valtan.


    Valtan however, replied with just a smug grin and directed the blade into Asclepius¡¯ neck.


    ¡°Looks like this is the end Asclepius -¡±


    ¡°What if I were to join your very ranks?¡±


    Asclepius interjected with remarkable sangfroid, causing Valtan to forcibly stop his hand mid-motion. The tip of the blade barely grazed against the thick rubbery skin of Asclepius¡¯ neck. Metallic silver blood oozed from the thin line drawn by the blade.


    ¡°Ahahahaha! Are you kidding? You just killed many of my good men in cold blood! Surely you jest!¡±


    Valtan¡¯s hand shook ever so slightly as he hesitated from driving the blade into Asclepius¡¯ neck.


    ¡°Ah but don¡¯t you think a cyclops would be much better as a soldier compared to those¡­ weaklings? My kind are already hard to find as it is, and to find one such as the great me who speaks¡­ ¡±


    Asclepius¡¯ words trailed on as Valtan¡¯s grip on his weaponed loosened, deliberating over his unexpected proposal.


    Are you seriously considering it? He just tried to kill us you know? Just end him already!


    Worry and anger seeped into my heart as I watched on to this unfolding scene.


    ¡°Moreover, don¡¯t you want to know more about your past? Your¡­ elf heritage? Seeing that even you yourself aren¡¯t aware of it, wouldn¡¯t you want to know more about it?¡±


    However, instead of enticing Valtan with those words, Valtan immediately snapped back into reality and firmly gripped his sword, putting it closer to Asclepius¡¯ neck.


    ¡°How do I know I can trust you? How do I know that this isn¡¯t just a ploy?¡±


    To Valtan¡¯s interrogation, Asclepius remained silent as he stared back into the passionate eyes of Valtan.


    ¡°ANSWER ME!!!¡±


    With a long sigh, Asclepius finally answered in a deep tone.


    ¡°Very well. You have proven your strength to me. Although we are mostly solitary creatures, Cyclops value strength and courage. Facing against me, you displayed exemplary courage and strength, never giving up. Furthermore, the passion that burns for what you care for, I acknowledge your abilities. My only request and sole purpose for existing was to fight strong opponents and that doesn¡¯t change even now. So please accept me as your retainer and lead me into battles worthy of myself in which I may find eternal glory in battle.¡±


    Valtan curved his eyebrows as his face displayed a conflicted emotion, before ultimately threatening Asclepius with a bleak tone.


    ¡°Then should you betray me, you shall die in many ways unimaginable.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. I will look forward to working with you.¡±


    Hearing the conclusion of his mind-boggling proposal, I was rendered absolutely speechless.


    What? Why did Valtan accept Asclepius¡¯ proposal so easily?


    Meanwhile, Valtan had instead turned to face me as his skin returned back to its normal complexion. Lifting his gaze to look at me, he shrugged his shoulders and let out a long sigh, before speaking out with mixed feelings.


    ¡°It¡¯s finally over. Time to go back home, Aegeus.¡±


    Written by: Emelia-Tan


    Edited by: Schwarz13 and Mega14343


    Proofread by: Yakult

 11 Chapter 5: Conflicting Conclusions 1

    Chapter 5: Conflicting Conclusions


    Thin golden beams lit the path ahead as rays from the sun pierced through the tiny gaps in the thick canopies above. I was flanked by tall, towering trees that formed endless rows both in front and behind me, as if seemingly stretching far beyond the horizon with no end in sight.


    Frankly speaking, I was starting to feel tired of the evergreen forest. Every step I took into the damp undergrowth and deeper into the forest felt more and more demoralising as the scenery never did change much. It was always the same row of trees with maybe the occasional group of fungi at the base of a tree or a rotting log mixed between them. It was boring.


    However, that paled in comparison to what Valtan had put me through this time. We were supposed to be walking through the forest together, but halfway through our trek into the forest, Valtan impulsively said ¡°I¡¯m gonna scout ahead for a bit¡± and ran off, climbing towards the treetops without any explanation whatsoever. As a consequence of his spontaneous actions, here I was, left alone with the behemoth Asclepius looming behind me.


    Do you know how scary being left alone with Asclepius is?!?!


    I resolved myself to definitely ask Valtan that question when he comes back later. Especially since I wasn¡¯t too sure if the ominous feeling that emanated behind me since he left was related to Asclepius. In the end, I somehow managed to convince myself that Asclepius probably had nothing to do with it.


    Thinking about it now, what was up with Valtan¡¯s body during his fight with Asclepius? Golden skin and fiery red eyes¡­ those aren¡¯t normal, are they?


    However before I could brood over it for long, a peculiar but also familiar sour scent infiltrated my nose, pulling me back into the uninteresting forest.


    *sniff* *sniff*


    Is that the smell of the Harbinger¡¯s camp?


    I quizzed with a glimmer of hope as the strange odour of sweat amidst the fragrance of fresh wood wafted straight into my nose.


    Unfortunately, I was let down by my scent of smell as only Valtan¡¯s bulky figure appeared from the dense treetops, perching himself on a nearby tree branch.


    ¡°Hey Aegeus, the encampment is just right ahead. We¡¯re almost there!¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    With a happy smirk on his face, he trumpeted before performing a somersault as he launched himself off the branch and towards the ground, scoring a perfect landing.


    Watching his unnecessarily flamboyant movements, I couldn¡¯t care less. After all, being stuck with him for the past few days have already desensitised me to his absurd level of fitness. Moreover, my mind was also preoccupied with other thoughts...


    Oh my god finally! You clearly don¡¯t know how happy I am to finally be able to put an end to this madness.


    Unable to contain the excitement within me, I forced the last few ounces of strength into my legs as I sprang forwards towards the vine curtain that blocked the path ahead, stopping just before it while grinning like an absolute madman.


    Despite taking a deep breath to calm myself for the final step to my salvation, I hastily swept aside the vine curtain. Staying true to what Valtan had claimed, just past the edge of the cliff ahead, the image of a sprawling encampment immediately came into view below us.


    It was the same familiar encampment that I had woken up abruptly from a week ago. Rows of dimly lit shacks bounded by the jagged wooden fences were arranged randomly around the main centerpiece of the encampment, which was a giant tree with a thick and sturdy base that grew upwards towards the tangy orange skies above, seemingly as if touching the heavens themselves. It was humongous, to say the least.


    Woah! I¡¯ve never seen a World Tree from afar before, but wow this is huge!


    My jaws dropped as I stared in awe at the world tree, compounding on my heightened eagerness at returning to camp.


    Looking at the World Tree from afar really is different than standing on one. From the canopy of the world tree, everything looks tiny to you, but from afar, it really puts into perspective how tiny we actually are.


    Seeing that I was being entranced by the World Tree, Valtan sneaked up to my side and attempted gently pushed my lower jaw up.


    However, I had seen it coming.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡±


    I glared at Valtan.


    ¡°Uhhhh¡­ you don¡¯t want a fly to get in do you?¡±


    With a wry smile, Valtan replied while cheekily scratching his cheek.


    ¡°*Ahem.* Well the view sure is nice, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Avoiding eye contact with me, Valtan quickly directed his view to far beyond the cliff, slowly relaxing his shoulders as he admired the amazing landscape.


    ¡°Yeah. It really is¡­ extravagant. We never had scenery like this back in Varich. If only Andromeda were here to see this too¡­¡±


    My words slowly trailed off as I followed Valtan¡¯s gaze.


    Yeah if only Andromeda were here¡­


    ¡°Woah there kiddo, you know I¡¯m really sorry about everything that¡¯s happened and whatever I say probably wouldn¡¯t matter much to you¡­ But what¡¯s done is done and harping over it wouldn¡¯t do you any good either. I think we should let the dead rest and right now¡­ The best thing we can do for them is to honour their will in the living¡­¡±


    Valtan grabbed my shoulders forcefully, turning my body to face him.


    ¡°Huh? Yeah¡­ I guess we should do that¡­¡±


    I stared blankly back at Valtan, before looking away into the distance and letting out a sigh.


    Easier said than done, you know? He¡¯s right through already!


    ¡°Alright! Come on let¡¯s go down and meet everyone else back at base. How about you take your mind off all of this with some properly cooked food and wine? Maybe even a shower too since you haven¡¯t had one for the last few days?¡±


    Valtan slapped my left shoulder energetically as he brought his face closer and shot a wink at me.


    ¡°Yeah sure¡­ let¡¯s go¡­¡±


    Written by: Emelia-Tan


    Edited by: Schwarz13 and Mega14343


    Proofread by: Yakult

 12 Chapter 5: Conflicting Conclusions 2

    Chapter 5: Conflicting Conclusions


    With that, Valtan and I miraculously scaled down the sheer cliff face unscathed despite our horrible luck with cliff faces in the past and started making our way back to the encampment.


    It probably wasn¡¯t even 5 minutes of walking before we heard the iconic rowdy laughter and sounds of iron being struck that radiated from the encampment itself.


    The sounds grew louder as we approached closer to the Harbinger¡¯s camp. Upon arriving at the entrance of the encampment, one of Valtan¡¯s comrades who was clinging on to one of the dilapidated roofs managed to spot us coming in. He immediately called out enthusiastically at the sight of his great leader returning home, flashing him a wide smile.


    ¡°Valtan! ...And fresh meat!¡±


    His face then twisted into a puzzled expression as his words faltered. It was almost as if he was struggling to find the words to call me.


    Oi! What¡¯s with that expression and nickname?


    But before I could retort at him loudly, a sudden voice called out from deep in the encampment, before various other voices chimed in from all directions.


    ¡°Valtan?¡±


    ¡°Hey, guys, Valtan¡¯s back!¡±


    ¡°What? Valtan¡¯s back?¡±


    ¡°VALTANNNNNNNN!!!!¡±


    It was a cacophony of crude voices as almost everyone in the encampment joined in on the racket. Frankly, I thought I would never have to hear anything more terrifying or obnoxious than the screams from the Empire¡¯s attack on Varich that night, but here I was, cupping my ears with my hands as I braced my eardrums for the ensuing onslaught.


    Oh Gods above, make it stop! I¡¯d much rather hear the much-loathed birds than this bunch of buffoons screaming incoherently. More than that, why the hell would someone like Valtan be this popular too?


    ¡°Alright alright! Settle down guys, it¡¯s not like I¡¯d perish from a simple mission like this¡­ Despite the unforeseen circumstances we faced¡­¡±


    Valtan patted the air in front of him, signalling for them to calm down before attempting to take a glance at me and Asclepius.


    ¡°Eh?! Where¡¯s Asclepius?¡±


    He stared wide-eyed at me.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Ascl - ¡±


    I scanned the surroundings frantically.


    That¡¯s right. The man on the rooftop didn¡¯t acknowledge Asclepius when we first arrived either.


    Confused looks appeared on the faces of Valtan¡¯s fellow companions, while Valtan himself and I searched desperately for Asclepius, but to no avail.


    Oh crap! We lead Asclepius straight into our camp. If he betrays is now, everyone here will be in danger!


    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s this rumbling sound?¡±


    Valtan inquired openly to his companions with a perplexed expression, simultaneously warning and hoping that one of them would possibly notice.


    ¡°Rumbling?¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Someone from behind bellowed back to Valtan just as the ground started trembling.


    Brmmm!


    Brmmm!


    Brmmm!


    Just like the tiny pebbles strewn across the dusty surfaces that bounced up and down, the legs of men wobbled uncontrollably with the shaking ground.


    Suddenly, a perfectly cut, not-so-tiny slab of earth beside one of the men flew vertically upwards, narrowly missing him, leaving a behind a clenched blue fist in the centre of the gaping hole.


    At the appearance of the blue fist, shock and confusion diffused throughout the encampment, while Valtan and I could only smile weakly.


    Don¡¯t tell me we have to fight that monster again!


    Emerging behind the blue fist were 2 sets of thick and fat blue fingers as they gripped onto the edge of the hole, while the same blue fist simultaneously disappeared back into the hole. Lifting himself up, the gruesome face of Asclepius had finally made an appearance.


    Fear and bewilderment erupted among Valtan¡¯s comrades as they caught a glimpse of this unworldly being.


    Drawing my sword, I quickly glanced at Valtan as he hesitantly gripped and released his hold on the backup hunting knife that he carried along since Marcy was broken. Biting his lower lip, he kept his gaze trained on Asclepius.


    What are you doing? Draw the knife already! You can beat him, can¡¯t you?


    I cheered silently for Valtan in my heart, afraid that my voice would break the tense atmosphere. But as if coming to a decision, Valtan released his hold on the hunting dagger for the last time and walked forward to meet Asclepius, who had already crawled out of the hole he made.


    Standing tall with the sun on his back, Asclepius crossed his upper arms, while his lower arm could only dangle awkwardly as it had lost its pair during the fight with Valtan.


    ¡°Thank you for trusting me and not striking me down.¡±


    ¡°Sure¡­ And with such a flashy entrance, may I ask where the hell you disappeared to?¡±


    Confronting Asclepius, Valtan stared daggers into Asclepius¡¯ eyes. He looked neither afraid nor worried of this terrible could-be foe, concerning himself instead with the possible outcome of a fight breaking out here in the middle of the camp and the true loyalties of Asclepius.


    ¡°I was drawn to the large amounts of Manatite that lie just below your base, which is perfect considering I was running out of it back in the cave.¡±


    ¡°Manatite?... That can¡¯t be true, can it? It¡¯s a very rare mineral, why would there be large amounts of it lying just below us?¡±


    To Asclepius¡¯ calm response, Valtan¡¯s face cracked in amusement and disbelief. Sceptical looks unfurled among the people and I, too, was no exception.


    Wait, What? That can¡¯t be true can it? Even back at Varich, a heavily mercantile town, Manatite was a rare item that only the rich adventurers and nobles could probably afford, so there was no way your average citizen could. Famously known for being filled to the brim with magical energy, it¡¯s a core ingredient for those Empire Vitality potions and also a good reserve energy supply for magic casters alike.


    Thinking back on it now, the surprised looks of the surrounding people were completely justified by an equally absurd claim from Asclepius.


    Meanwhile, seeing that the disbelief that was rapidly spreading, Asclepius walked to the hole he emerged from not too long ago and bent forward, reaching in to and pulling out what seemed to be large glowing sapphire-like crystals, pulsating softly on his palm.


    ¡°Who da hell is he?! No, what da hell is he?!¡±


    A man demanded as he stepped out from the crowd.


    Wait, Isn¡¯t that Lennair?


    ¡°How da heck is he able to detect the presence of Manatite?!¡±


    Pointing his sword outwards, he scowled at Valtan, suspicious of his leader¡¯s intentions.


    The noisy atmosphere immediately plunged into pindrop silence as Lennair openly challenged Valtan.


    However, Valtan reacted cooly and turned to face address Lennair and everyone else.


    ¡°This is Asclepius. He¡¯s a cyclops who was living in the mountains and handled the bear which was stealing our supplies. He¡¯s now my¡­ personal retainer so can I ask that everyone treat him like your fellow comrade.¡±


    Valtan raised his hands in surrender and waved them as he tried to calm the residents of the camp. But with a mischievous smirk, he continued.


    ¡°Though if you have things to settle with him, you may fight it out with him outside the camp.¡±


    Asclepius then walked in front of Valtan and bowed courteously with a hand clutching his abdomen and another behind his back.


    ¡°Nice to meet everyone. I hope we can all get along together.¡±


    His red eyes glinted excitedly as he said that, sending shivers down everyone¡¯s spines.


    Well everyone except one, because...


    ¡°Oh yeah, guys! Since Valtan¡¯s back, why don¡¯t we celebrate it with a Festae later?!¡±


    Suggested someone from amidst the crowd to Valtan, causing cheers and roars to erupt from everyone, completely eliminating the tense atmosphere of before.


    With a wry smile, Valtan could not say no to the overwhelming response of the crowd.


    ¡°Sure¡­ but try not to get too drunk since the Empire is still hot on our heels and we won¡¯t be able to fight them off if we¡¯re drunk.¡±


    ¡°Yeah!!!!!!¡±


    Another round of cheers reverberated among the crowd to Valtan¡¯s positive answer.


    What¡¯s a Festae?


    But before I could ask Valtan, he continued with a serious expression as he gave out instructions.


    ¡°With that, Lennair, can I ask you to set up accommodation and equipment for Asclepius, as well as the necessary preparations for the Festae later?¡±


    ¡°Uhhh¡­ Sure.¡±


    Sheathing his sword, Lennair obeyed as he made a sour and dubious expression, before walking off towards his home, beckoning Asclepius to follow.


    Seeing the figures of Asclepius and Lennair disappear into the distance, Valtan then came to my side and murmured into my ear.


    ¡°Could you follow me to my room later so that I can check on your wounds.¡±


    From Valtan¡¯s tone, there¡¯s probably some ulterior motive but there isn¡¯t really a reason for me to decline¡­


    ¡°Sure I guess.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Patting my shoulder, Valtan walked off deeper into the encampment, while the crowd slowly dispersed and went back to what they were doing.


    Written by: Emelia-Tan


    Edited by: Schwarz13 and Mega14343


    Proofread by: Yakult

 13 Chapter 5: Conflicting Conclusions 3

    Chapter 5: Conflicting Conclusions


    Pulling aside the loose curtains that hung over the humble entrance of Valtan¡¯s home, it was a complete opposite to the poor outside appearance of the house.


    Inside, various bookshelves were lined orderly with books, while his bed of hay and woolen pillows was arranged in a tidy manner, free from any form of warping. Next to it was a cabinet with a big red cross meticulously painted over the front probably denoting it as the medical cabinet. Heavily scratched and slightly rotting wooden planks were nowhere to be seen in the well-kempt interior of his tiny abode.


    Sitting on the bed with his gaze fixated on the ground, Valtan intertwined his fingers on his lap, as if heavily in thought. As if noticing my entry, he raised his face to look at me. The edges of his eyes were dyed red as small traces of tears subtly escaped his eyes.


    ¡°Ah right. You¡¯re here. Come here, let¡¯s get your wounds treated.¡±


    Getting off the bed, Valtan wiped the tears from his eyes, attempting to regain his normal composure as he walked to the medicine cabinet.


    Heeding Valtan¡¯s instructions, I walked over and sat down on the bed, while Valtan was retrieving antiseptics and various other medical concoctions for usage on me.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Valtan was done with picking out the required medications and started to apply them on me.


    With eyes that were full of concentration, Valtan slowly wiped my wrist gently with the wet cloth, before squeezing it to check if the vitality potion had done a good job from before.


    An awkward silence soon filled the atmosphere as Valtan intently moved from my wrist to my back, and to, funnily enough, my thighs, thoroughly checking me for any injuries.


    You know, this would feel a lot better if I was a girl¡­ Unfortunately I¡¯m not one so it¡¯d be good if you could stop caressing me.


    Feeling slightly uncomfortable due to more reasons than just the silence, I queried Valtan.


    ¡°Hey, Valtan¡­ Aren¡¯t you¡­ Like afraid of Asclepius too? I mean he did try to kill us back there, you know? How could you trust him so easily like that?¡±


    Valtan looked up and stared into my pupils intently for a few moments. His eyes were as cloudy as they were bloodshot, making it incredibly hard to decipher any other emotion other than the obvious sadness and frustration in his eyes. Going back to inspecting my wounds, he finally replied coldly.


    ¡°Frankly, I¡¯m not too sure myself.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Then why?!¡±


    I yelled at him.


    If you¡¯re not sure yourself, why did you even accept him as one of your own then?


    With his face hanging low, Valtan mumbled softly.


    Stolen story; please report.


    ¡°This whole thing is just one big messed up gamble. Accepting the one who killed the very men that trained under me with no remorse¡­ Hahahah!! What kind of monster am I?¡±


    Valtan laughed sardonically at his seemingly irrational decisions. Gripping the cloth he was using tighter, he started to apply more pressure on my scabrous skin.


    ¡°But as much as it pains me to do this¡­ It¡¯s¡­ absolutely necessary for the success of the rebel cause.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What the hell are you saying? What importance does that monster bring to our cause? It¡¯s nothing but a walking pillar of destruction and terror!¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s exactly because of that reason he¡¯s essential to the rebel cause!¡±


    Shouting tempestuously, he crunched up the cloth and slammed it into the smooth wooden floorboard, punching a fist-shaped hole through it.


    Tiny beads of water dripped down his bent over face, forming dark, moist circles as they collided with the floorboard.


    Silence once again permeated through the room as I didn¡¯t dare to speak after Valtan¡¯s sudden outburst.


    Something in me wanted to console him but I neither understood nor could comprehend the reasons behind Valtan¡¯s actions no matter how hard I tried. In fact, to me, his actions were nothing short of irrational!


    Minutes passed as the atmosphere basked in the dead silence of the room until Valtan composed himself enough to speak out.


    ¡°A cyclops is an entity that has traded away its intelligence for brawn in a pact with the gods aeons ago. Born from the dust that makes the ground, they are akin to the living avatars of the gods. To actually find one that is sentient and moreover, willing to serve would bolster our war potential greatly...¡±


    With an intense glacial tone, he finished off his sentence.


    ¡°...Even if it means replacing the very men he had killed.¡±


    Blood oozed out of his lower lip as Valtan bit on it harshly. Frustration and stress made no effort to conceal themselves as they appeared through his tensed facial expressions.


    It must be hard for him.


    But why wouldn¡¯t it be? They were people that had probably gone through the same rigorous training that I did. Coupled with Valtan¡¯s care for the ordinary citizen, much less his own soldiers, the ones he lost could practically be called his very own sons.


    Getting off the bed, I went beside Valtan and wrapped my arms around him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it must be hard on you¡­ But in the end, it is the leader¡¯s job to make the hard decisions. Although I can¡¯t say you made the right choice, I think you made the best one.¡±


    As I said that, Valtan turned to face me, revealing a soulful face as he wrinkled his nose, preparing to let loose another flood of tears.


    ¡°Yeah. I Guess you¡¯re right¡­ Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Nah, don¡¯t mention it. You¡¯ve been doing the same for me for the past week or so, it¡¯s about time I repay the favour. Hahah!¡±


    Letting out one final sob, he wiped his tears once more with his calloused hands, slowly attempting to cheer himself up.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s enough about me. What about you? Have you come to a decision on whether you want to join us?¡±


    Valtan turned to face me. With eyes that were welled up with tears, he peered straight into mine as if hoping for an optimistic reply.


    I stared back at those eyes as I thought through his question.


    Even though I won¡¯t be able to go back to my normal life as a humble villager if I leave now, I don¡¯t think I can commit myself to being a fugitive for the rest of my life either. No, I definitely can¡¯t since Andromeda¡¯s gone...


    Alas, I couldn¡¯t give him what he had hoped for.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I can¡¯t give you an answer now. Could you let me think over it for a while more?¡±


    ¡°Ahahah! Sure!¡±


    He replied gently, forcing a smile to hide his inner sadness as he packed up the items that he picked out earlier and deposited them into the medicinal cabinet.


    Sending me one final superficial smile, he started to make his way out of the room with his back slouched over.


    Seeing the pitiful state of Valtan, I quickly attempted to brighten his mood by changing the topic. Coincidentally, a question that has been intriguing me for quite a while popped into my head.


    ¡°By the way, what¡¯s a Festae?¡±


    ¡°Ah, right! It¡¯s just a big drinking party for strong people like the Harbingers. Make sure you come later, alright? ¡±


    Laughing heartily, Valtan said it in a way that made it seem like it was supposed to be common knowledge.


    ¡°Okay¡­ Thanks.¡±


    I frowned as I replied to Valtan with an apprehensive look on my face.


    For idiots you mean¡­


    Shrugging my reaction off, he once again started to stroll out of the room, but this time with his usual swagger.


    Well, whatever. It¡¯s good that he¡¯s back to the being the same idiot Valtan I know.


    Watching Valtan¡¯s happy figure walk off, a sense of joy started to overwhelm me. However, it didn¡¯t last very long because...


    ¡°Ah! Shit! I have to prepare myself for the Festae later as well.¡±


    Spending more time with more war-crazed maniacs. I¡¯m never gonna get a break, am I?


    Comforting myself that everything will turn out alright, I shook my head as I left Valtan¡¯s home, making preparations for the Festae later.


    Written by: Emelia-Tan


    Edited by: Schwarz13 and Mega14343


    Proofread by: Yakult