《Advent of the Ascended [Dropped]》


 Chapter 1

    Agonizing pain simply washed away as I opened my eyes to an unfamiliar room. A massive hall lined of pure white walls stretched as far as the eye could see. Framed papers in alien languages littered the walls, evenly spaced between one another. Below every frame were majestic-looking golden doorways.. Immaculate red and gold carpeting stretched down as far as my eyes could gaze, as if the floor itself were made of the threads.


    ¡°Where¡­hrk!¡± I began to wonder just as my head began to ache with unmitigated pain. Memories flooded into my mind, memories of shattering glass, scorching flames, blaring sirens, and endless moments of agony. Wincing, I spared a quick glance down towards my own body, only to be shocked at what I saw.


    My body was completely normal. I mean, my clothes were burned and ripped to the point where I felt as if I would be better off without them. But other than that, I was completely fine.


    ¡°What the hell happened¡­¡± I wondered aloud as I rubbed a singed part of my shirt, only for it to crumble under my touch, sending ash falling to the carpet below.


    ¡°You died of course. And please try to not get ash on my carpet. Its a pain to wash out.¡± An calm voice spoke from behind me.


    ¡°Buh?!¡± I cried out, spinning around to see just who had spoken to me. A man taller than myself sat at a large desk in the middle of the hallway that was overflowing with papers. Well defined muscles were poorly obscured from underneath his professional black business suit. Short, cropped black hair matched the small pointed beard that struck forth from his chin. Twinkling silver eyes stared directly at me as if he were enjoying my reactions. The man chuckled as he set down a pen he had been twirling in his hand atop his desk. The brief sound of a chair being pushed backwards filled the hall, followed closely by the echo of snapping of bones as the man stretched.


    ¡°Greetings Randall Wesson.¡± He politely bowed his head towards me as he finished stretching and held out a hand in greeting. ¡°I am Theraius.¡±


    ¡°H-hello¡­¡± I managed to utter as I grasped his hand with my own and gave a firm shake. A brief moment of silence passed between us as he stared directly at me with sharp, unblinking eyes before he retracted his hand from mine. ¡°Um¡­where exactly am I? The last thing I remember is-¡±


    ¡°Burning to death, yes? A terrible way to go for sure.¡± The man nodded solemnly with closed eyes.


    ¡°Death¡­¡± I sighed, feeling the weight of his words crash down upon me. ¡°Am I really¡­I mean¡­I don¡¯t feel dead.¡±


    ¡°Of course you don¡¯t. Death is only experienced by one¡¯s physical manifestation.¡± The man explained in a factual manner. ¡°The ¡®you¡¯ as you currently are is merely your soul¡¯s reflection of what you remember yourself to be. Ashy clothes and all.¡±


    ¡°So if I¡¯m dead¡­does that makes you God?¡± The man chuckled at my question.


    ¡°I forget how backwards you Earth-dwellers have become in recent years.¡± The man sighed. ¡°The short of it is, there is no singular ¡®God¡¯ as many of you believe. There are in fact, a great many of them. And I am but one of their number.¡±


    ¡°Then-¡± Theraius held up a hand before I could continue my thought.


    ¡°Walk with me. I always find it easier to settle one¡¯s mind when one is doing something after all.¡± He said simply before striding forth down the hallway.


    Together, the both of us walked in silence down the pristine halls. Every now and then,a small piece of the remnants of my clothes would crumble and fall onto the carpet. If Theraius minded, he made no notice of it as we passed doorway after doorway. Yet, no matter how far we walked, the end of the hall never seemed to come into sight. It was as if this immaculate structure reached on into eternity itself. ¡®And what of these doors? To what and where did they lead?¡¯ I pondered as more pieces of my clothes crumbled and fell to the floor. ¡®He said that I¡¯m a reflection of my memory¡­so could I¡­change myself?¡¯


    Willing to give it a shot, I thought of what I was wearing before my demise. Blue jeans that fit in a relaxed manner, gray socks that reached up to my shins, white running shoes tied snugly to my feet, and a white tee-shirt underneath my black hoodie. Bright light surged from my feet and sped up my entire body, blinding me for a brief moment. When my vision returned, my clothes had returned to their former glory, as if by magic. The sound of clapping filled the hall as Theriaus stared at me with a smile.


    ¡°Excellent! I was wondering how long it would take you to figure that out.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­you said my current body was merely a reflection of myself.¡± I shrugged, ¡°So I figured it best to stop leaving ash piles on your floor.¡± The man laughed in a good-natured manner.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I like you Earthlings. A bit backwards in certain areas, but surprisingly quick on the uptake. If you wanted, you could change your current form into anything you could imagine with enough willpower. Its far easier to use what you¡¯re used to.¡±


    ¡°So, what exactly is this place? What are these doors? And if you are a God, just what exactly are you a God of and why do you look human like me?¡±


    ¡°And now we get to the meaty questions.¡± Theraius¡¯ smile proved infectious as I grinned along with him. ¡°First off, this place is my realm. Every God has one, even your own God has one. His is rather tame though, nothing but clouds and singing and happy times. You¡¯d probably go insane after the billionth sing-along that they have everyday.¡±


    ¡°You could offend a great many people with a statement like that.¡± Theraius merely shrugged.


    ¡°Its the truth. As for these doors¡­first you need to know exactly who I am.¡± The man bowed formally, ¡°I am Theraius, the God of Oaths, Bonds, and Contracts. And these doors lead to rooms for each and every world where my name carries weight enough for people to form contracts and oaths in my name.¡±


    ¡°So all these strange markings and letters¡­¡±


    ¡°Are from worlds not your own.¡± Theraius nodded, ¡°I find it easier to organize my contracts world by world and label each by their native language.¡±


    ¡°It would certainly make things less of a headache¡­¡± I chuckled as I glanced at the multitudes of doorways. ¡°Seems like a lot of work, managing countless contracts for countless worlds.¡±


    ¡°You get used to it after a few eons.¡± Theraius shrugged. ¡°Thankfully, I¡¯m not too well known, only a few thousand worlds use my name seriously. Some of the other Gods are known through billions upon billions of worlds. Even I would have to hire help to deal with that much work! As for why my appearance is that of a human, us Gods find it easier to deal with mortals when we take on an appearance closer to their own. At least¡­most of us do.¡±


    ¡°So.¡± I began while staring at the chuckling God, ¡°Why exactly am I here?¡±


    ¡°Now that is the big question isn¡¯t it?¡± he chuckled before snapping his fingers. In an instant, Tharaius¡¯ desk appeared between us. ¡°Take a seat.¡± He motioned towards a cushioned chair that had formed behind me as he took a seat of his own behind the desk. ¡°You see Randall- do you mind if I call you Randall?¡± I shrugged,


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.¡°Everyone else does.¡± Tharaius grinned,


    ¡°Very well. Randall, I have a rather¡­interesting proposal for one such as yourself.¡± Tharaius began as he brought his hands together and leaned back within his chair. ¡°I would like to hire you as one of my Ascended.¡±


    ¡°Ascended? Whats an Ascended?¡±


    ¡°An Ascended is any being infused with a small portion of a God¡¯s essence. In short, you would become an agent of mine throughout a multitude of worlds, ensuring that oaths and other bonds made in my name stay unbroken. As the God of Oaths, Bonds, and Contracts, I grow in power as more and more of those are made in my name. Likewise, I am also weakened when said oaths, bonds, and contracts are broken.¡± Before I could ask another question, he held up his hand. ¡°No, you would not become like one of your world¡¯s missionaries¡­at least, not often.¡± He chuckled, ¡°I may have you spread my name around on worlds where my name means little as a way of acquiring a better foothold in those places. Mind you, I won¡¯t have you wandering around in robes carrying signs saying ¡®Take Oaths in Theraius¡¯ name!¡¯ that would be a quick way of getting your physical manifestation stamped out.¡±


    ¡°So I would be back in my body if I accept?¡±


    ¡°Not precisely.¡± Theraius cleared his throat and sat up in his chair. ¡°As an Ascended, you would go through a sort of¡­metamorphosis. Most notably, your musculature would adapt to better accommodate a piece of my power. Other Ascended change in different ways based on their patron Deity. Sometimes the changes are a bit extreme such as growing horns, having your body covered in metallic scales, tentacles replacing your appendages, and so on and so forth. As my Ascended, other than the shift in your body, your eyes would change from your current brown to a shade of silver like my own as a sort of marking that you are my Ascended.¡±


    ¡°I take it other Ascended won¡¯t be friendly towards me if I choose to accept, will they?¡±


    ¡°It depends upon a great many things. Their God and goals may sometimes oppose our own. At that point conflict may become unavoidable. As one of my agents it would be up to you to determine whether or not to come into conflict with other Ascended.¡±


    ¡°And if I can¡¯t beat them? What if I lose? What if they¡¯re too strong?¡± More and more questions poured out of me towards Tharaius who merely smiled and nodded along to each and every question as if he had heard my concerns thousands of times before. A part of me found this thought reassuring, yet another found it to be unnerving at the same time.


    ¡°Ascendants gain strength through various ways, such as spreading the word of their God and doing acts that will gain their God power. Basically, it means that anything that increases my power will in turn increase yours. Eventually, even those that once proved too strong for you will become easier to deal with as your own strength and skill increases.¡± Theraius began speaking as my endless wave of questions subsided. ¡°As for winning and losing¡­¡± he shrugged, ¡°so you lose one battle. Hopefully you¡¯d have learned from that experience and wont be caught as unaware in the future. Ascendants don¡¯t feel pain, so when it comes to conflict, feel free to go as wild as you like.¡± His eyes twinkled, ¡°in a way, it would be almost like one of those virtual reality games your people are quite fond of.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± I sighed. ¡°And if I don¡¯t choose to become your Ascended?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll give your soul back to the ¡®God¡¯ you are more familiar with and you can enjoy your eternal rest singing on clouds.¡± He shrugged, ¡°Not that that would be my first choice, but I am rather biased in this choice.¡±


    The two of us stared at one another in silence. My mind racing with the implications of his words¡­as well as the possibilities and negatives of his proposal. Other worlds? Other races? Gods in conflict with one another? It all seemed so much to take in at once. And yet, here I was, face to face with a being I had never heard of before asking me to become an agent of his. That thought brought forth one last question of mine. And the most important one at that.


    ¡°Why me?¡±


    Theraius sighed and leaned back in his chair.


    ¡°Why does the God of Oaths, Bonds, and Contracts want you and not someone else? Its true that I could have any number of lawmen from many different worlds. Each seeking to uphold every contract made in my name to the letter. Each a master of law and legislation in their own right. If I were to do so, more and more worlds would come under my sway. My power would increase by leaps and bounds. So why you instead of a legion of others?¡± He sat up straight and stared me directly in the eyes. His face devoid of any joviality. ¡°Because I prefer to recruit people that will keep their word.


    ¡°Sure, lawmen are good at following contracts to the letter, but they are also excellent at subverting contracts as well. If there is a loophole, they will abuse it. If there is an out, they will take it. And by doing so, they would mar my reputation among each and every world and God in existence. A reputation I have worked untold eons to uphold. I chose you, Randall Wesson, because of your commitment to your oaths. I know for a fact that you have upheld each and every promise you have made in your life, no matter what. You take your oaths seriously, and that is why you have caught my attention as a potential Ascended.


    ¡±So I ask you, Randall Wesson, will you become one of my Ascended?¡±


    Theraius held out a hand over his desk towards me and awaited my response. His expression far more intense than any other he had shown before. ¡®And why wouldn¡¯t it?¡¯ a thought surfaced in my mind. ¡®He¡¯d be giving me a portion of his own divinity. If what he said is true, I¡¯d become something akin to a demigod! I¡¯d be able to meet races beyond human kind and even wander their worlds! I¡¯d be an idiot to not accept this once in a lifetime chance!¡¯ With my mind set, I nodded at Theraius who sighed in relief as I grasped his hand with my own and gave a firm shake.


    ¡°Theraius, you¡¯ve got yourself an Ascended.¡± The two of us grinned at one another as we finished out handshake.


    ¡°Excellent, excellent. However, there is one minor detail needed before I can actually accept you as one of my Ascended.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s that?¡± I asked curiously.


    With the snap of his fingers, a sheet of paper full of formal writing in english appeared atop his desk facing towards me. He pushed the document towards me with one hand and offered me a pen with another.


    ¡°Your signature of course.¡±


    ¡°Right. God of Contracts. Gotchya.¡± I grumbled as I took the pen and contract in hand and began to read. Seeing no obvious pitfalls, I signed on the dotted line and returned the pen and paper to Theraius who smiled amicably. With the snap of his fingers, both the pen and contract disappeared in a flash.


    ¡°Perfect, perfect. Everything is in order, now we can begin the metamorphosis.¡± Theraius jovially spoke as he stood up from his seat and walked over towards me.


    ¡°Anything I have to do?¡±


    ¡°Oh no, no. Just stay seated, this will only take a moment.¡± He grinned as he placed a hand against my chest. ¡°By the way¡­this may hurt a bit¡­¡± He muttered almost below hearing as clear white light began to flow from his arm into my body.


    ¡°What do you me-ARGH!¡± I cried out as I felt my soul being torn apart thread by thread.

 Chapter 2

    ¡°You know, unlike other Gods, I don¡¯t enjoy seeing mortals quivering on my floor.¡± Theraius¡¯ voice entered my ears as my pain began to subside. The sound of shuffling entered my ears as I gasped for breath and Theraius¡¯ grinning face entered my vision. ¡°Not that you¡¯re a mortal any longer. How does it feel transcending your mortality?¡±


    ¡°Fuck¡­you¡­¡± I gasped and pressed my hands against the carpeted floor to push myself upwards.


    ¡°Now now, thats no way to speak to a God to whom you¡¯ve pledged your everlasting service.¡± Theraius chuckled and grasped one of my arms before pulling me up to my feet as if he were lifting a child. ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°Like I¡¯ve had my entire body ripped open with a chainsaw and put back together with a nail gun.¡± My grumbling only made Theraius¡¯ grin widen.


    ¡°Part of the procedure I¡¯m afraid. Luckily, you probably won¡¯t ever feel something as agonizing again. Think of it as your soul being stretched far beyond what a mortal soul could handle. Thankfully, any increases in power you gain from this point on are quite minuscule in comparison.¡±


    ¡°Thank God for that.¡±


    ¡°Hey now, no blaspheming in my presence. You should always give your thanks and curses to me from now on.¡± Theriaus chuckled, ¡°Regardless, you should take a look at the new you. I think you¡¯ll be quite taken with how you¡¯ve changed.¡± With a snap of his fingers, a large mirror replaced the desk in the hall.


    ¡°No way¡­¡± I gasped as I stared at¡­myself. There was no difference at all! Other than the new silver eyes as opposed to my usual blue. ¡°Theraius!¡± The sound of his chuckling only stoked the fire roaring within me.


    ¡°What? You were expecting something more?¡± False innocence filled his tone as his benign smile stayed firm upon his face. Was I really going to work for this bastard for the rest of eternity? With fists clenched, I stalked towards my new boss who raised his hands in surrender. ¡°Now Randall, before you blow your top, let me ask you a question. Are you currently in a physical manifestation, or a spiritual one?¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Right.


    ¡°Exactly. Remember, you can change yourself as you please so long as you have the willpower to do so. Regardless of how you change yourself though, your physical manifestations will be stronger, faster, and far more durable than most of mortal kind. Exceptions being beings such as Dragons, Demons, cybernetically enhanced beings, and other such creatures of course. Now if I¡¯m remembering correctly¡­¡± In an instant, a manila folder appeared in Theraius¡¯ hands with an old picture of myself stapled to the front.


    ¡°Hey is that¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± He quickly noticed I was staring at what he was holding. ¡°Oh, yes. This folder contains all the information about you. From random thoughts in the shower, to embarrassing moments at elementary school. Now lets see¡­¡± His fingers flew and an incredible pace as he shifted from page to page. ¡°Ah! As I expected. Other than a brief year in a martial arts self-defense course, you have no experience in fighting. Well, other than a few school brawls and a couple forays into some trashy virtual reality game that is.¡± He snapped the folder closed and tossed it to the side, causing it to disappear in a flash. ¡°You¡¯ll find that unlike those games, reality can be much more intense.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡± What could I say? Fighting was never an interest to me.


    ¡°No worries Randall, no worries at all.¡± His smile turned serious, ¡°however¡­you will need to learn how to fight effectively in order to deal with rambunctious Ascended that get in your way. Fortunately, I planned ahead for this very situation!¡± With a clap of his hands, everything changed.


    Where once there was pristine white walls and rich carpeting, now there was only cold stone from floor to ceiling. Unlike the endless hallway, this massive room had a perimeter of only a few hundred paces and a single door leading outside. Wooden weapon racks filled the room, forming a multitude of aisles. Out of the hundreds of racks, only a handful held a weapon of some sort.


    ¡°Welcome to my armory.¡± Theraius announced as he paced towards the far side of the room. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking Randall.¡±


    ¡°Do you now?¡± My voice dripping with sarcasm as I regarded the nigh arm-less armory.


    ¡°Indeed! You¡¯re wondering exactly why my armory is so devoid of actual weaponry!¡± I shrugged noncommittally,


    ¡°You said it, not me.¡± With a harumph, Theraius turned away from me.


    ¡°Anyway¡­unlike a God of War or Battle or any other muscle-headed divinity out there, I simply don¡¯t find interest in collecting such tools of slaughter. But these¡­¡± he caressed the haft of a rather plain looking battle-axe forged entirely of what seemed to be solid bronze. ¡°These weapons are special. Most were even forged by Herameus himself!¡±


    ¡°Herma-who?¡± Theraius sighed,


    ¡°Oh¡­nobody special, just a God dedicated to smithing the finest weapons ever created in existence.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Were they really special? I mean, to me they seemed like simple weapons you¡¯d find at a Renaissance Faire. ¡°Special how?¡± I asked aloud while trailing my hand against the leather pommel of a plain longsword.


    ¡°Because they are Soul-Forged weapons. And since you don¡¯t know the significance behind such a term, I¡¯ll explain.¡± He must have noticed my lack of gasping and glee at his words. Woe to me for being uneducated I suppose. ¡°Soul-Forged weapons are special in that they are bound to the soul of their user. Nearly all are crafted by some God or another exclusively for their Ascended. Unlike normal objects made of various metals they can never be broken in any way and if they are lost, the Ascended merely has to expend some small amount of their power to bring their weapon to their side.¡±


    ¡°So¡­summonable weapons?¡±


    ¡°In layman¡¯s terms¡­I suppose¡­they¡¯re so much more though¡­¡± He sighed, ¡°They do have a downside however. After binding to a user the weapon will siphon a portion of any gain in power you would make. It will take longer for you as an Ascended to grow in power, but your weapon will grow along with you.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking¡­¡± I began as I poked at what looked to be some sort of crossbow, though far smaller than the ones I¡¯d seen in the history books. ¡°How exactly did you come to acquire these oh so amazing items of great power?¡±


    ¡°Your mockery is as clear as your ignorance.¡± Theraius rolled his eyes, ¡°But I supposed a brief lecture in morality is in store.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°Some Gods are good and focus on helping and saving mortals or otherwise leaving them alone. Others are evil and seek to manipulate, sacrifice, torture, and commit other nasty bits of business. And then there are ones such as myself who are neither good nor evil. As a neutral party, sometimes Gods petition me for help and promise rewards in return for the assistance of my Ascended. These are just some of those rewards given as payment for services rendered.¡±


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.¡°So sometimes I¡¯ll be required to save a village¡­and other times I¡¯ll be required to kill innocent people?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but grind my teeth at the thought of hurting innocents.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Theraius said simply. ¡°Best kick personal feelings of morality to the curb while you¡¯re ahead Randall. Sometimes an oath made will require you to do something you find very distasteful. Such is the way of being among my Ascended.¡±


    ¡°And if I refuse?¡±


    ¡°If you refuse¡­the pain from becoming my Ascended will prove to be but a drop in the bucket compared to what you will suffer.¡± He spoke in a low tone, but his words spoke volumes of what would be required of me. Just what had I gotten myself into?


    ¡°You said I wouldn¡¯t feel something as painful as that again.¡±


    ¡°Correction. I said probably. This is that probably. Defy my orders and you will regret it.¡± He shrugged, ¡°But I am not without mercy. If you truly find something distasteful, I can always send another to do the job. But if all other of my agents are busy, and most are, you¡¯ll be required to do your duty as promised.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± I sighed. I didn¡¯t like this. ¡°Then what if you simply don¡¯t accept requests that force us to do those kinds of things?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes the choice isn¡¯t as easy as that, Randall.¡± Theraius grumbled. ¡°In some worlds, Evil reigns supreme. And in those places, it wouldn¡¯t take much effort to snuff out any sort of foothold I have in them. As a God, losing any significant amount of power is a rather¡­agonizing process. And by extension, when I feel great pain, so too will you and all my Ascended. Only a small echo of the real thing¡­but pain nonetheless.¡±


    ¡°Jeeze¡­thats some heavy shit Theraius.¡± The God merely smiled at me with a shrug of his shoulders. ¡°Not to mention, you¡¯re dolling out a lot of information to a complete rookie such as myself. Do you tell all this to all your other Ascended?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± He nodded.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Trust is a two way street Randall. You can¡¯t take any without giving some first.¡± He clapped his hands together before beginning to rub them in a rather nervous manner. ¡°Now enough with this heavy talk of things to come far, far later on down the line. You should really choose a weapon that catches your eye, as it¡¯ll be one you¡¯ll use for a long, long time.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­but this won¡¯t be the last time the two of us have words about this.¡± Theraius merely bowed his head in acceptance of my words.


    ¡®Right, something that I¡¯ll use for a long time¡­¡¯ I pondered my options as I looked over the various weapons. A pair of long swords, a trio of hand-axes, a single battle-axe, some sort of two-handed sword, a mace, and a massive maul all forged from solid bronze all hung limp upon their racks. Meanwhile, a pair of bows and the single crossbow I had been poking at were made from some indistinct wood beyond my ability to identify. Wood was wood.


    ¡°One last question before I pick¡­okay two questions.¡± I chuckled at my wandering mind.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Why are all these weapons so¡­medieval?¡±


    ¡°A simple question with a rather lengthy explanation involved. But I¡¯ll surmise best I can since we really have a schedule to keep. In short, not all societies advance to the point of interstellar travel like your own world is close to achieving. Sometimes certain breakthroughs just aren¡¯t achieved for reasons unknown and societies stagnate. Some races just aren¡¯t clever enough to ask questions such as why certain things are certain ways. Worlds that develop to the point of interstellar travel are just a small, small fraction of the total that exists. These weapons are created as such to better reflect what they¡¯ll be used most often in.¡±


    ¡°Interesting. Sad, but interesting. As for my second question¡­I can only pick one right?¡± Better to ask and be thought as greedy than to take and be confirmed as such.


    ¡°Technically, no. But bonding with more than one weapon will slow your growth to the point where your it could be measured in centuries rather than mere years.¡±


    ¡°Alright, then.¡± I sighed. Doing tasks for centuries just for a slight increase of power was not something I would put up with. ¡°I¡¯ll take this one.¡± I spoke simply as I picked up the wooden crossbow. I remember being fascinated with the weapons when I took a course in Medieval Warfare back in my college days as fun course for some easy credits. Powerful enough to puncture through armor from a long range and it¡¯s ease of use made it deadly on the battlefield.


    Not to mention I was more comfortable staying far away from my targets than fighting them in close range.


    ¡°As you wish.¡± Theraius spoke with a smile. ¡°All my other Ascended passed the thing by without a second thought, so I¡¯m glad to finally be rid of the thing myself. It was even crafted by Hinscallia herself in fact!¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­just a Goddess of assassins.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± I shook my head. ¡°Hopefully I won¡¯t be doing any of her dirty work anytime soon.¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Theraius agreed, ¡°She has her own Ascended for those jobs. This was merely a gift for helping get her records sorted.¡±


    ¡°Theraius, you truly are the God of pencil-pushing.¡± I chuckled.


    ¡°Not the worst I¡¯ve been called. Not the worst by far.¡± He spoke with a grin plastered to his face. ¡°Oh1 before we forget, to bond the weapon¡­well¡­the best way I can describe how to do so is to¡­reach out towards it with your soul.¡±


    ¡°This is going to hurt, isn¡¯t it?¡± I spoke wearily as I eyed my new weapon.


    ¡°Of course not!¡±


    ¡°Right¡­wellp, here goes nothing¡­¡±


    Darkness filled my vision as I closed my eyes. The feeling of the hard, smooth wood of the weapon¡¯s body firmly in my hands as I pictured the weapon in my mind. The cool metal of the stirrup and lathe, the strength and flexibility of the string, the looseness of the release lever. Within moments, a solid picture of my weapon entered my mind.


    ¡®Now¡­reach!¡¯ I called out with my heart as I pushed myself towards the weapon mentally. An instant later, something snapped so loud that my ears nearly popped.


    ¡°Watch where you¡¯re aiming that weapon you¡¯re caressing like a lost lover!¡± Theraius shouted in a very serious tone. ¡°Almost took an bolt to the ribs I¡¯ll have you know!¡±


    ¡°Huh? But it wasn¡¯t even loaded¡­and I don¡¯t even have any ammunition for this thing!¡± I gasped as I opened my eyes to see a rather distraught looking Theraius and a bolt of clear energy sticking into one of the empty weapon racks. An instant later, the bolt dissipated entirely.


    ¡°Yeah well with your hands all over that thing you most certainly did load it. Besides, like the bows back there, it fires projectiles formed of your own spiritual energy. Ammo is hardly a concern to you.¡± He harumphed and shook his head in clear exasperation. ¡°Regardless, congratulations on bonding your weapon. May it serve you well, so on and so forth.¡±


    ¡°Sorry Theraius, I never knew I was such a quick trigger.¡±


    ¡°Hah! Well, I¡¯ll suppose I¡¯ll let bygones be bygones. Now let us be off as time waits for no man and your training needs to begin immediately!¡± Without waiting for a response, he clapped his hands twice andmy surroundings shifted once more.

 Chapter 3

    Dark stone shifted to walls of pristine white like the hallway I had first appeared. Golden threaded carpet flowed throughout the room in a rich display. Windows gilded in silver trimmings lined the pristine walls draped in velvet curtains. Once more, the room was rectangular in dimension, but was far more compact than the armory was. Padded chairs and sofas lined the walls beneath the windows that revealed relaxing sandy beaches beyond the boundaries of this God¡¯s home.


    ¡°Nice location.¡± I chuckled, watching the waves roll in.


    ¡°Quite so. Everyone deserves a bit of relaxation sometimes. Even a God.¡± Theraius chuckled as he walked towards the center of the room where a strange¡­thing was placed. Obsidian stones linked together in a wide circle took up the majority of the center of the room almost as if it were a table made entirely of stones. Unlike the foundation however, the very top of the object trembled as if it were made of some liquid.


    ¡°The hell is that?¡±


    ¡°This is a portal Randall. A link to all other worlds in this universe and others.¡± Theraius grinned as he slapped the top of the portal table thing. ¡°This baby can transport an Ascended across the cosmos in the blink of an eye so long as the controlling God has an idea of where to send them.¡± He motioned for me to stand beside him. With a shrug, I walked over and stared at the interstellar transport sludge table.


    ¡°Hows it work?¡±


    ¡°Simple! I just do this-¡± He stabbed a finger into the thick liquid that seemed to recoil from his touch. ¡°And a bit of this-¡± Humming came from Theraius as he closed his eyes in concentration. A moment later, the surface of the table began to change. Color flooded the previously blank sludge as vast washes of blue became the majority of the surface. Browns, greens, and tans rose above the the deep blue forming a very familiar picture.


    ¡°This is¡­Earth.¡± I gasped.


    ¡°Indeed. This portal can send you anywhere I require.¡± With a wave of his hand, the color faded from the portal and it quickly returned to the original black sludge. ¡°I won¡¯t be sending you back home at this time, however. Your training will take place on an undeveloped world called Enhariah by it¡¯s inhabitants. Most countries in this land are stuck within the Bronze Age, though one is close to breaking through that barrier. But before I send you there, you¡¯ll need some time-appropriate clothing.¡±


    Theraius turned to me and stroked his beard in an appraising manner. With a snap of his fingers, a muted thump sounded behind me. A quick glance revealed some rather ragged looking clothing.


    ¡°These should fit well enough and make it so you don¡¯t stand out much. Though that crossbow of yours is sure to draw some eyes.¡± He shrugged, ¡°Oh well. Hurry up and change so we can get on with this.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± I sighed and picked up the first item. An earthy brown colored thick woolen gown unfolded as I held it up in an appraising manner. With a sigh and a thought, it vanished from existence before forming snug upon my body.


    ¡°Well done!¡± Theraius applauded, ¡°I was expecting you to put it on manually.¡±


    ¡°Nah. I don¡¯t feel like getting chastised again.¡± I responded, to which he snickered. Next up were some thick woolen leggings that popped on just as quickly. A heavy cloak settled upon my shoulders as a pair of leather boots fit snug upon my feet. ¡°I look like I¡¯ve been living alone in the wild for my entire life.¡± I sighed as I stared at my reflection.


    ¡°Nonsense! Woolen clothing such as that requires some form of textile work you know! Best most folks in the wild can do is stitch animal skins together.¡±


    ¡°Point taken.¡± I grumbled as I itched at my arms. I never really liked wool clothing to begin with.


    ¡°Right then. If you¡¯re ready, I¡¯ll show you the land where you¡¯ll begin your training.¡± Theraius stated as he stabbed a finger into the sludge table.


    ¡°Ready whenever.¡± I mumbled as I cradled my crossbow.


    Once more, color returned to the table, revealing various oceans, bays, and landmasses all around this strange new world of Enhariah. With the humming of Theraius, the map shifted towards a south-eastern peninsula upon the western-most continent. Three different mountain ranges grew as rivers formed and flowed and swamps and forests plopped up. But most eye-catching of all were the cities that formed as the map zoomed in further.


    ¡°Behold, the Gilded Plains Peninsula. Five different Kingdoms vie for power between one another constantly, so no worries about finding opportunities to form Oaths, Bonds, and Contracts of your own. Your journey will not start among the mainland however.¡± Theraius stated as the map moved more to the southeast, centering upon a large island off the coast of the peninsula. ¡°You¡¯ll be starting here, just outside the range of the southern-most village upon the Isle of Maewyn.¡±


    ¡°Why there?¡±


    ¡°Because I can¡¯t just transport you into the middle of the town!¡± Theraius chuckled. ¡°Doing so would cause quite a commotion that I¡¯m sure you would rather avoid. Now, once you are transported, head towards the town as that is where you¡¯ll be meeting your trainer. They¡¯ll teach you the finer points of being an Ascended. So be sure to listen to their advice and instructions.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Anything I should know about the people living there?¡± Theraius grinned at my question.


    ¡°Good question. Don¡¯t be afraid to ask questions of your trainer either! As for your question, the people living in the town are a mix of races, one of which being human. They¡¯re all simple farmer folks though, so don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll fit right in so long as you don¡¯t attract any unnecessary attention.¡±


    ¡°Got it. I¡¯m ready.¡±


    ¡°Alrighty then.¡± Theraius grinned devilishly, ¡°Ciao!¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    In an instant, my vision blurred before everything went dark.


    Darkness gave way to glowing orange skies and ample fields of wild grass as a large red sun blazed in the distance, peeking above the horizon far away. Off to my left was a dense forest of reddish-brown trees full of leaves that looked like they had just begun changing from green to red, orange, and yellow as if it were autumn. Amid more grassland off to my right was what looked to be a village far in the distance. With a quick squint, I could barely make out the smoke billowing from beyond a wooden palisade.


    ¡°Must be heating their homes.¡± I mumbled to myself as I felt the slight chill in the air as a breeze wafted past. ¡®Guess I should thank Theraius for the clothes. I can¡¯t even feel the wind through these threads.¡¯


    ¡°Well, well. You must be the rookie.¡± An unfamiliar voice spoke from behind me. Jolting in shock at the unexpected voice, I spun around to see just who had spoken. ¡°Jumpy too. Though I suppose this is your first manifestation so it¡¯s to be expected.¡± A middle aged man with a sharp-looking face began to walk towards me in an uncaring manner. Long black hair tied into a ponytail hung loose down his shoulder, spilling onto his open-chested black vest. Serious silver eyes stared at me in a judging manner as he stroked his hairless chin. Loose gray pants were secured by a leather belt at his side. Brown boots affixed to his feet that looked well-worn from travel.


    But most notable about his features was the deathly pale skin that made it seem as if the man had lived inside his whole life. Were I a simple man, I¡¯d assume that he was a ghost in human form.


    ¡°Name¡¯s Dakeris.¡± He said simply, ¡°You mind putting that thing away?¡± I looked to where he had pointed one of his fingers only to find myself pointing my crossbow towards him.


    ¡°Oh. Sorry.¡± I mumbled and held it off to the side, away from any unfortunate mishap. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to meet me out here. Theraius said you¡¯d be waiting in the town.¡± I motioned towards the village far off.


    ¡°Yeah, I got sick of waiting.¡± He chuckled, though it seemed as if it were lacking mirth. ¡°Apologies for surprising you like that¡­¡± He shrugged, ¡°Not that you would have hit me with that weak little pea-shooter of yours.¡± He grinned, revealing the long sharp canines in his mouth. ¡®Vampire¡¯ immediately sprang to my mind. ¡°You¡¯re a few centuries too early for that.¡±


    ¡°Are you a-¡±


    ¡°Ah ah! Manners must be given when they¡¯re due.¡± He gave a dark chuckle. ¡°I gave my name, now you should give me yours.¡±


    ¡°Randall.¡± I said simply, feeling goosebumps run down my arms.


    ¡°Well Randall, you¡¯re the most green Ascended I have ever met throughout my entire existence. And trust me, I¡¯ve seen many.¡± Before I could even blink, he had appeared inches from my face, his hands settled firmly upon my shoulders.


    ¡°What the¡­¡± As I spoke, Dakeris spun me around towards the village.


    ¡°Your first lesson is there.¡± His voice was low and threatening. ¡°The safe, secure little hamlet of Redstyre. A place of joy and happiness that knows not the horrors of war. Take a good, hard look at the little town and tell me what you see, little brother.¡±


    Each word of his sent a cold chill down my back. I couldn¡¯t help but feel that if I didn¡¯t do exactly as he said, he¡­well he wouldn¡¯t kill me¡­but he wouldn¡¯t exactly be pleased. ¡®Couldn¡¯t Theraius have sent me someone other than this creep?¡¯ Regardless, Theraius must have trusted Dakeris, so I did as I was told and squinted towards the village.


    ¡°Not like that you fool.¡± Dakeris sighed. ¡°Use your spirit to enhance your vision.¡±


    ¡°And just how am I supposed to do that?¡± I shot back. ¡°I¡¯m new to all this remember.¡± The light chuckle that he uttered only served to make my skin crawl even more.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got fire in you. Good. You¡¯ll need that. The truth is though, you already know how. When you bonded to that meager weapon you learned how to channel your spirit. Simply do the same to your eyes.¡±


    ¡°Alright¡­¡± I murmured as I began to focus. Within moments, I could feel my spirit being pulled up from within me towards my eyes. The moment my spirit touched my eyes, I gasped. Where once I had to squint to see the smoke beyond the village palisade, now I could clearly see.


    And it was not chimney smoke. Thick clouds rolled up into the air within the small town as flames rose above the wooden wall. Just as quickly as my eyes were enhanced did they dissipate, and my vision returned to normal.


    ¡°They¡¯re in trouble! We better hurry!¡± I called out to Dakeris only to receive no response. ¡°Dakeris?¡± I turned my head and spun around looking for any sign of the weirdo, only to find that he was gone. ¡°What the hell¡­when did he disappear?¡± chastising myself, I shook my head and started sprinting towards the village of Redstyre. ¡®If this is his way of testing me, I swear I¡¯ll sock him right in the mouth when I find him again.¡¯ I vowed, suddenly feeling weak and stumbling to the cold, hard ground below.


    ¡°Ah¡­fuck.¡± I grumbled to myself as I pulled myself to my feet and grasped my fallen crossbow. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± I took a deep breath and shook myself back into action and raced towards the burning village. ¡®Forget it, I¡¯ll find out later. I¡¯ve got a job to do first.¡¯


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Dakeris chuckled as he watched the young-blood race towards the doomed village far in the distance from atop the tallest tree in the nearby forest. Many miles from where had previous stood behind the young Ascended. ¡®Ah, to think that even I at one point were so fresh and innocent.¡¯ His chuckle quickly ascended to full on laughter as the Randall stumbled, fell to the ground, pick himself back up, and returned to racing towards Redstyre. ¡°How interesting¡­he must have made his first Oath. Though I wonder what he could have sworn to¡­¡± Dakeris shook his head in amusement, ¡°Oh well, the plan is already set in motion. Theraius should have known better than to send a rookie to stop us.¡±


    Dakeris then closed his eyes for a brief moment before opening them once more. Gone were the silver eyes he had formed to fool the young Ascended. What remained was complete, inky blackness. ¡°These lands will soon come under the sway of Decay. Run little hero, run! Save them if you can!¡± Dakeris¡¯ mocking laughter filled the forest, sending waves of birds scattering in every direction.

 Chapter 4

    The smell of smoke in the air became thick as I closed the distance with the burning town of Redstyre. Despite my rapid pace, I didn¡¯t feel the least bit tired even from a full on sprint that I had been keeping for nearly six minutes. I was in the best shape of my life, and my abilities could only increase from here on out. But plans for self improvement could come later. For now, chilling screams accompanied by roaring flames in the air urged me ever onward. The wooden palisade rose ever higher until I was but a few feet from the barrier proper.


    ¡°Alright. Time to try something risky.¡± I murmured to myself as I cocked back the string of my crossbow and focused on my spirit. Within seconds, I could feel my inner strength surging within my chest. ¡®If it worked with the eyes then how about the legs?¡¯ I swallowed hard as a bolt formed, ready to be fired at the pull of the trigger. That very same moment, I linked my legs to my spirit, sprinted towards the wall and leapt with all of my might.


    For a brief second, I felt as if I were flying.


    Wind whipped past me as I surged towards the top of the palisade in all of it¡¯s spiked glory. Though my leap had brought me most of the way to the lip of the wall, I wouldn¡¯t clear it as I hoped. Without missing a beat, I threw my weapon forward and pulled my spirit to my arms just as I was about to collide with the wall. Solid wood met my body in a rough impact that felt as if I had been hit with a swimming pool noodle. My hands latched onto the spiked top, keeping me from sliding down and wasting all my effort.


    With a grunt, I pulled myself up slowly and not-so-gracefully vaulted over the top without being impaled upon the spiked tips. Quite a distance away in the village proper was a large stone structure that looked as if it were a church of some sort. Compared to the burning and destruction seen all around, that building looked to be untouched. As I fell, I took stock of my nearby surroundings. Bodies lay unceremoniously upon the dirt streets, looking as if some ferocious animal had ripped and torn at them before leaving them in a heap. Flames licked at buildings that had collapsed, blocking alleys and streets. Smoke clogged my throat as I fell to the earth, forcing me to choke as I landed amidst a pair of bodies that were ripped and torn with pieces scattered about. Bile quickly rose from within and I heaved out all I could upon the ground.


    ¡°What the hell¡­¡± I coughed and felt more waves of nausea fight it¡¯s way up into my throat. ¡°Its just a game¡­just a game¡­¡± I whispered to myself in a sort of mantra to try and keep myself from freaking out. It seemed to help¡­slightly. At the very least I could steady my breathing as I looked around for my crossbow. A quick search revealed it laying against a pile of debris. Wasting no time, I rushed over to my weapon and held it firm as another set of screams sounded off deeper within the village. Without a second thought, I rushed towards the screams with my weapon locked and loaded. As I turned the corner beyond the street I was in however, I set my sight upon a disturbing sight.


    A tall, thin creature was currently crouched over a fallen body of what looked to be a child about ten meters away. The sickening sound of tearing and slurping was enough to send forth a new surge of bile in my throat that I forced down. The creature wore no clothes, revealing the bones upon it¡¯s flesh where, at occasional points, the bone broke through the skin sending dribbling yellow blood to the ground. Claws tore into it¡¯s feast as a long tongue lapped up the flowing blood as it¡¯s tail swayed back and forth as if it were pleased with it¡¯s slaughter. In complete disgust, I aimed my weapon and pulled the trigger.


    A loud ka-thunck sounded beside my ear as the crossbow¡¯s bolt shot forward at insane speed, taking the beast in the back. A loud screech escaped it¡¯s maw as it turned towards me. Beady black eyes no bigger than golf balls stared at me with hatred. Blood dripped from its fangs that it bared at me.


    ¡®Kill it!¡¯ my mind screamed as my hands rushed to the crossbow¡¯s string and pulled back as another bolt settled into position. An ear-rending screech was all the warning I got as the beast lunged towards me with out-stretched claws. With the butt of my crossbow held against my shoulder, I aimed at the beast once more and fired.


    One moment, the beast was charging forward towards me with bloodlust in it¡¯s eyes. The next, it was sailing backwards as my bolt took it in the face. Claws ripped at it¡¯s own face in an attempt to remove the foreign object, but only served to harm itself more. With a click, a third bolt settled in place and I took aim once more as the beast thrashed against the blood-soaked earth.


    ¡°Go to hell.¡± Once more, my weapon cracked as a bolt splattered the innards of the monster¡¯s head. It¡¯s struggles continued for a few seconds longer before it finally stopped moving. Unwilling to take even the slightest chance, I unloaded a fourth bolt into the beast, but it showed no signs of still being alive. ¡°Jesus Christ.¡± I swore as I took a deep breath and loaded my weapon once more. Just what the hell had I gotten myself into?


    ¡°Three bolts¡­¡± I sighed as I stared at the strange monster whose claws were longer than my fingers. For such a thin creature, it was surprisingly durable. The bolt to it¡¯s body looked as if it hadn¡¯t slowed it down any. In fact, the bolt hadn¡¯t even pierced all the way through! It had burrowed within the beast certainly, but it made no exit wound. ¡°Just what are these fuckers made of?¡± I wondered as the sound of crumbling stone caught my ear.


    Off on the other side of the street, a pair of those beasts eyed me wearily as they climbed over a pile of burning debris. Before I could react, they charged in tandem with claws outstretched. ¡°Shit!¡± I yelled as I took aim and paced backwards in an attempt to gain ground. Air cracked as my first shot sailed into the face of the nearest beast, sending it flailing backwards. My hands flew as my heart thumped heavily within my chest.


    With an echoing screech, the remaining monster leapt through the air like a missile. A bolt had yet to form within my weapon as the monster neared. With all my strength, I gripped the crossbow and slammed it towards the monster. Hard wood met soft flesh as a slight crack could be heard before the beast screeched in a rage. Long talons raked at my arms as the beast fell into its back. In an instant, the beast leapt to it¡¯s feet in a snarl just in time to receive a bolt to the forehead.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± I gasped as my arms burned from the cuts the monster had sliced into me. ¡°Theraius you fucking liar!¡± I clenched my teeth as I swore, ¡°you said I wouldn¡¯t feel pain anymore! This fucking hurts!¡± Granted, it was far more muted than I was sure it would feel like normally, but still, it fucking hurt! A gurgling snarl rolled from where I had shot the first of the pair. I could only gasp in horror as I stared at the still-standing beast.


    It had ripped through half of it¡¯s face to get at the bolt that had dissipated within it¡¯s flesh. Its tongue falling loosely down where it¡¯s chin had once been. Blood poured from it¡¯s self-inflicted wounds as it ran towards me. ¡°Fucking die already!¡± I yelled at the monster as I readied my weapon and fired, taking it once more in the head and ending it¡¯s life for good. With a sigh, I rolled up my sleeves and checked my arms, only to be shocked at the sight before me. Where once I had clearly been cut and bleeding, now only scars remained.


    ¡°Super healing?¡± I pondered before shaking my head. I had more important things to worry about than my lack of blood-loss. Haunting screeching and screaming came from further within the town. With a sigh, I loaded my crossbow once more and made my way further into the town.


    ¡°Just hang in there.¡± I silently pleaded as I raced through rubble and flames. ¡°I¡¯ll get you out of this hellhole or die trying.¡± Once more a familiar feeling of weakness filled my body as I caught myself from falling. ¡°What the hell is happening? Damnit, Dakeris should have at least showed me the ropes before sending me off to this hellhole.¡±


    More bodies filled the streets as I progressed further into the hellish landscape of Redstyre. The sound of wooden beams cracking under the stress of their own weight made me jump on more than one occasion. Collapsing stone had almost buried me at one point had I not enhanced my legs for a quick dive. Fortunately¡­or perhaps unfortunately, the familiar sounds of screaming had stopped long ago. Either the survivors had escaped, which I found very unlikely, or the beasts had succeeded in hunting their prey. Regardless, I trudged further into the town towards the large stone structure that stood in the town¡¯s center. Though doubts plagued my mind, I hoped that the survivors had made it into the building and barricaded themselves within.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    Screeching came from the direction of the church, which not only solidified my choice for heading towards it, but also made me curse at myself for striding towards danger. Unfortunately, taking the main street would prove to be impossible, as collapsed buildings and burning debris blocked the way. Though I could enhance my legs and leap over the rubble, I¡¯d rather not land in the middle of a hungry pile of those things. With my weapon nocked to my shoulder, I traveled down a side street that I hoped would lead me to a clear one.


    Slowly, I stalked through the ruins, my ears tense for any sort of sound other than the repeated screeching coming from my destination. My heart leapt into my throat every time a piece of building fell under it¡¯s own weight as I turned my weapon towards the source of sound. Yet all I could do is sigh and keep my ears and eyes sharp. Having one of those things jump down on top of me would be a horrible way to die.


    Thankfully, my fears never came true, and I emerged onto a street that had a clear way towards the church. Unfortunately, it also had a clear line of sight towards my destination. And I did not like what I saw. A large ring of those monsters hissed and snarled towards a lone figure standing out front the closed wooden doors of the building. More and more of the monsters gathered as they clambered through fire and debris to swarm a large, lone figure clad from head to toe in heavy armor who stood ready with a massive axe in their hands.


    As I closed the distance towards the figure, I could see them panting in exhaustion despite their heavy armor. Yellow ichor coated their metal armor, clearly from the very large piles of bodies laying all around them. The beasts hissed and snarled at the figure. Some even dared to lunge towards them before retreating back before the stranger could take a swing at them. They were cautious of their foe, and that brought hope swelling within me.


    Moving as quietly as I could, I slunk into a shadowed corner, slightly obscured by the smoke of a burning building. I wasn¡¯t going to be much use in a close fight like that stranger, but I could provide some fire support. With my weapon cocked, I took aim and waited. One of the beasts seemed more ansty than it¡¯s fellows, so I trained my crossbow at it¡¯s back and watched it closely. The moment it took a lunge at the stranger, I fired. Like lightning, the bolt collided with the creature¡¯s back, sending it stumbling towards the stranger who reacted immediately. Within an instant, their axe swung with unrelenting power that split the creature in half.


    More hissing filled the the air as a pair of beasts used this moment to strike, sending claw and fangs towards the metal figure who had just split their fellow. Claws met blade, and limbs flew as the stranger became a dervish of steel, dodging out of range of retaliation and striking where the monsters were most vulnerable. Taking aim once more, I sighted a creature attempting to shuffle behind my comrade. One bolt sandwich later, the beast started clawing at the back of it¡¯s neck, trying to remove the foreign object that caused it to suffer great pains.


    A flash of steel later, and that very same beast¡¯s head was removed. Whoever this person was, they were extremely skilled. Not to mention, strong beyond belief! With another bolt ready, I sent another beast stumbling into my fellow¡¯s range. One shot, one kill¡­though those kills weren¡¯t mine. Thirty beasts had quickly fallen to twenty before one of the bastards saw me sneak out and take a shot.


    A shrill cry escaped the monster¡¯s maw as it charged towards me in a flurry of claws. ¡°Fuck.¡± I whispered as I cocked back the bow once more and took aim at the beast who had quickly gained a following of ten other bastards. ¡°Fucking fuck!¡± I yelled out, as my first shot knocked the beast back a few steps after hitting it in center mass. Unfortunately, the thing clambered back up a moment later and resumed it¡¯s charge with it¡¯s fellows. I took another shot at random before turning away and running.


    My breath felt heavy as I raced while cocking back my bow. Bolt in place, I turned, fired, and spun back to run once more. Pull, turn, shoot, run. Pull, turn, shoot, run. This was my mantra as the beasts drew ever closer towards their new prey. Pulling my spirit to my legs, I leapt over a fallen home, clearing it easily. Screeching roared behind me as the beasts rushed over the burning wood. As I landed, I spun, aimed, and fired a bolt into the face of one of the leaping monsters.


    Sharp claws pierced the ground where I had just been as I rolled to the side. With another leap, I launched myself towards a nearly-collapsed building and drew my spirit into my arms. With a free hand, I caught the lip of the roof and ranked myself upwards. Claws tore through the air where my legs were, a few getting a solid slice in. Fire erupted on my legs as I roared out in rage at the monsters. As the first of the monsters clambered up the side of the building, I took aim and shot it straight through the skull, sending it careening into it¡¯s friends below who hissed in rage.


    ¡°Eat shit.¡± I spat towards them before kicking downward with all my strength. Snapping echoes filled my ears as the building began to shift towards the street below. With a quick jump, I leapt from the falling building as it collapsed towards the beasts that even now attempted clambering up the collapsing building to get at me. Dirt road came ever closer as I fell towards the ground. Clouds of dust shot into the smoky air as I rolled along the dirt road. When I had I stopped I shook my head and scrambled to my feet. I wanted to shout in joy at the thought of being able to leap from a falling building and survive, but the mutilated bodies in the street brought me back down to earth.


    ¡°Gotta head back to the church.¡± I sighed as I cocked my crossbow. Sharp pain erupted from my gut as I looked downward. Three long claws protruded from my stomach covered in red blood. My blood. My mind went numb as I dropped my weapon to free up my hands so I could push these things back out of me. My breath caught short as I attempted to glance behind me only feel fire as one of those beasts sank it¡¯s fangs into my shoulder. I tried to swing my elbow at the monster only for it to send my offending arm flying in a single slice.


    My head thrummed in agony as my breathing began to shorten. Attempts at speaking only produced gurgles as a new hole appeared in my wind pipe. Gritting my teeth with my final breath, I swung my head backwards, feeling a satisfying crunch give way and an agonized screech deafened my ears. My vision temporarily blinded as a flash struck my eyes and I felt myself fall backwards. Skies obscured with blackened smoke was all I could see as my eyes began to feel heavy.


    ¡®Least I¡­took the bastard with me¡­¡¯ I chuckled to myself as I drifted to sleep.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    With heavy steps, more from pure strength than weight, a large figure clad entirely in metal armor approached the fallen Human that had been killed by one of the accursed Ghouls. The Knight¡¯s horned helm fixated upon the Ghoul underneath the fallen Ascended as burning red eyes stared from within the shaded visor of the helm. Even after waiting a few moments, the Ghoul made no movements signifying it was still alive. The large battle-axe buried in it¡¯s face and the Human¡¯s shoulder had more than done in the otherworldly monster. The throw had been a long shot, but the Human had left the knight little choice in the matter. If he had kept moving, as he should have when fighting Ghouls, he would have survived. Yet the idiot had thought himself safe and had stopped to load his crossbow!


    ¡°Amateur.¡± A muffled voice grunted from underneath their helm. ¡°Good head on your shoulders though. Timing your shots with their lunges was quite clever. Even had me fooled for the first few times.¡± A warm chuckle rumbled from the Knight¡¯s gut. ¡°I can see why Theraius sent you, though we did request someone skilled enough to help.¡± With a sigh, the figure tore it¡¯s axe from the Ghoul¡¯s maw and sheathed it at their back. ¡°You¡¯ll do however.¡±


    Weak hissing reached the knight¡¯s ears, and in an instant, the knight fell into a stance with their axe drawn and ready. Two Ghouls emerged from the rubble, their bodies broken and battered from the scorched wood and heavy stones that the Human had set upon them. Not waiting for the Ghouls to make the first move, the Knight surged forth with their axe, splitting the nearest Ghoul at the waist. Yellow ichor poured from the monster¡¯s gullet as it hissed it¡¯s last breath. Before the second one could react, the Knight was there, cleaving it¡¯s head from it¡¯s perch. The monster collapsed in an instant, as if it¡¯s strings had been severed.


    ¡°And so ends the assault on Redstyre.¡± The Knight sighed and turned towards the fallen Ascended. Without another word, they strode forth and grunted as they tore the Ascended from the perverse grip of the Ghoul that had done him in. Without even a sign of strain, the Knight then lifted the fallen Ascended upon their shoulder. Red eyes darted around quickly before finding the arm that had been sundered moments before his death.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯re out of the game just yet rookie.¡± Chuckled the Knight as they carried the fallen Human. ¡°Congrats on your first death though. The first of many, I¡¯m sure.¡± Without another word, the Knight marched towards the Redstyre chapel where the remaining survivors had barricaded themselves.