《Tales of the Demi-Human》


 Chapter 1 : Dawn of the Journey

    Kyran widened his eyes. His eyebrows slightly trembled. He almost forgot to breath until he felt cold sweat flowed down from his forehead. It was too lucid a nightmare. Kyran had never wished to wake up as fervently as what he felt right now. Sadly, this was one of those dreams he could never wake up from. He was still mesmerized, didn''t know what had happened until a moment ago as he watched his mother turned into a puddle of blood. Kryan''s limbs felt like boulders, he couldn''t move.It was that color, red, the color his mother adored, that made him glued to this spot.The strength and the power, it represented, made his mother fall in love with it and he too once found the color empowering. Now, however, he realized its true meaning. Crimson decorated her body, like a newly stitched dress. And as those crimson eyes with a whimsical glow, watched her die. He felt, dread like no other climb through his bones.


    Red, what, a gruesome color it actually was.


    Kyran had not recovered to react yet, but a man with a sturdy build, with blood-shot eyes bolted towards the demon with his sword unsheathed, ready to swing it with his utmost power. Anyone could discerned how mad this man was. Regret and helplessness was not enough to describe the agony of a man who failed in protecting his wife. His stroke was filled with a terrifying might, imbued with his powerful rwach as he chopped down his sword. A moment later, the man collapsed, startled. His face turned ashen. He saw both his severed hands, still gripped tightly on his sword, along with a pair of sturdy legs adorned with ragged boots that accompanied him through his younger day as a warrior had fell quite a distance from him.


    Even so, the man gritted his teeth, resisted the painful urge to utter a single word as he intended to save the slightest strength left to kill the demon. He was Roan Svenleigh after all, the renowned warrior of Lowell Kingdom. Albeit deep inside he knew it''s a futile attempt. Not to mention the demon was not alone. There was another being silently stood in the darkness yet to take any action. What made the demon more terrifying was the calm composure he showed the entire time. It was on a different league compared to any other being he had ever faced. It eerily complemented the demon''s young human-like appearance and a gentle smile that seemed to forever plastered on his face. Yet the other companion emits a more malignant aura, making no intention to conceal it. Both of them was equally overwhelming.


    "Dad!!" Kyran managed to open his mouth at last. His voice was trembling, yet he charged forward. He channeled his rwach and was about to activated his spirit spear art. A faint light the size of a ball started to condensed above his head.


    "No! Run!" Roan shouted.


    The other demon walked out from darkness. He raised his hand and a pitch black seed surrounded with evil aura appeared from thin air and flew towards Kyran in an unimaginable speed. The seed disappeared into Kyran''s body, seeped into his rwach with little resistance. Kyran felt his body turned heavy and helplessly fell to the ground. An agonizing burning sensation permeated throughout his entire body. His rwach mixed with the dark aura from the seed. In a short time, his body contorted into one resembling a demon. Sharp teeth protruded from his mouth. Black, evilish wing was attached to his back. The purplish-blue hue replaced his former smooth skin. A pair of purplish iris adorned his eyes.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Roan finally screamed in agony. The demons was also, finally, laughed. They were depiction of cruelty itself. They might be nonchalant, but they put a lot of thought in what they did. It was a perfect torture.


    What can be more agonizing than witnessing your loved one died before your very eyes, yet witnessing the other one turning into despised demon before your life ended as well?


    What would be more tormenting than witnessing your parent''s desperate final moment as you were helpless, awaiting unknown fate lying ahead.


    Before Kyran completely lost his conciousness, he noticed the scream had stopped. Everything went silent. The brave warrior''s legacy, the one who had taken care of his entire seventeen years of life had come to an end. His parent were his most treasured, who brought back the once erased words "family", "love" and "acceptance" in his life''s dictionary.


    Some said that before you died, your life''s journey will played like a movie in your mind. He knew he won''t die, yet. But as strange as his own fate, the movie was played inside his head. It''s very vivid, from the first time he arrived in this world called Lumia until now. He, a man from modern earth, out of the blue got transported to Lumia.


    He had lived an unfulfilled life in his former life. His parent died of an accident when he was in high school and his life took a downturn ever since. He had no one to count on. His other relative took him in, but they had their own problems as well, so he could not depend on them like he did with his real family. In the end with some made-up excuses, he was forced to live by himself. It happened many time as he was transferred from a relative to another due to certain circumstances. His father''s job required them to move out to another town often, hence he failed to make a deep, meaningful relationship with friends. When he had stepped into adulthood, he messed up on various workplaces. Although he was quite smart, approachable and a hard-worker, sometime reality just differed from expectation. After a long while, he finally had courage to realize his childhood dream and started his own business, but after a long time he was stucked, struggling to make end meets.


    His confident was gradually shredded into pieces. He had no girlfriend not because he was unpopular, but because he determined not to engage into any serious relationship until he could manage his own life. He knew not all woman was a gold-digger, but to certain extent women still needed and deserved financial security from a responsible partner. He was a realistic person, and in other time could transform into a fool who pursued his ideals. Sometime he was just thinking too much and took matters too far. One day, the world around him lost its colour. The sun turned cold, and the wind blew no more. He had no strength left to endure the pressure and a desperate thought flashed in his mind. Before he could decided to do anything, suddenly a blinding light engulfed him. The next moment he opened his eyes, he was born into Roan and Yrina''s little family.


    Due to his parent''s unfaltering love, Kyran gradually recovered his former confidence and self-acceptance. He did not understand why he got transported to Lumia and had struggled with it for a while. Back in his younger days, he had read some japanese light novels and xianxias. He deduced his situation was similar to those cliche scenario of a human who got transported to another world and later became a so-called hero. Thus, he had a high expectation of a more fulfilling journey in his life. He was grateful for the second chance to renew his life.


    But life sometimes played a cruel joke. Up until a moment ago, he finally regain the feeling of the warmth of the sun and the spring breeze, but as soon as it came, it was quickly ended like the grass withered and the flower faded.


    Once again his world turned dull, then black, for a long time.

 Chapter 2 : Despised by demons, hated by humans

    A faint light penetrated Kyran''s pupil. Kyran slowly opened his eyes and got up. He didn''t know how long he had passed out. He quietly observed his surrounding. The scene was unfamiliar; the difference was like heaven and earth compare to where he came from. As he remembered, he grew up in a beautiful place where one could listen to the birds singing jovially at the distance and the golden sunlight sparkled, reflecting on the river like silk cloth waving along with the wind.


    The place he lived in was full of vibrant colour and life, yet what revealed before his sight was a barren land resembling a desert, spreading as far to the horizon. There were even various cracks on the ground in random places. Not a single tree was in sight. Instead of the singing bird''s voice, there were sharp shrieks and roars that occasionally could be heard from afar.


    There were many simple, small elliptical structures made from stones. The building seemed like homes of the resident, and the neighbour probably did not talk too much to each other as the distance between each house to another was more than a hundred meters away. Kyran lifted his head, gazing towards the sky. It''s clearly daytime. The sun was out at its peak but strangely enough there were not much sunlight reached the land as it was blocked by a thin layer of fog that seems to engulf the entire land.


    Kyran was determined that he had magically travelled to the other side of the world. He had no idea why he could arrive far in the demon territory. Normally, it''s almost impossible for a human to step foot into demon territory and vice versa, except for when the time of special circumstances occured, like the "Rise of The Morning Star." One of the main reason despite the distance was due to Aurora, the colossal barrier stood proudly in green and pink, in certain season purple was mixed in, like a curtain in the sky enveloping across the land, separating the human territory with the demon territory. It was like humanity''s last line of defense, the unwavering silent fortress.


    Ordinary human would be scared speechless confronting such a bizzare situation, but Kyran was not ordinary, or maybe he had just lacked something. Kyran sought no logical explanation to his current situation and indifferently took a seat on a sideway of a wide road. The road was full of dirt and dust, not paved at all and seemingly built to serve minor practical purposes.


    He sat there without motion, unperturbed by the dusty wind occasionally billowed. His eyes deprived of any emotion. His mind was wandering to the vivid nightmare where his parent had just been slaughtered. He just stared blankly at the ground for a long time, speaking no word, shedding no tear. Noone knew what he was thinking at the moment.


    Every ten to fifteen minutes, there were various demon races passed through the road. At first Kyran was startled, but soon he got used to it and went back to his routine. The demon kind was even more curious, many of them threw a glance at Kyran and stopped for a while as if they were thinking about something, but ended up kept going on their own way; but many other was terrified to even get close to him. There was even one time when a female dwarf passed through the road with her kid. As she noticed Kyran, she quickly carried her kid in her arms, turned back and dashed to the opposite direction.


    If only Kyran minded to take a closer look at his current appearance, he would have understood why they treated him that way, or maybe he would not. After all, in human world, there were just a handful men knew the tale of a demi-human. The main reason demi-human was hated and at the same time avoided, rooted from the word "human" attached along with the name. Since antiquity, demon races and mankind had waged countless war, causing both sides to take heavy casualties. Many human and demon alike had fallen victim to the anguish of war as they lost their territories and the loved ones. Hence, it had created seemingly unresolved enmity and resentment between both sides until today. The other reason was, some demon still believe in superstition that regarding the demi-human as a cursed fallen demon, thus it can bring catasthrope to demon kinds.


    Kyran was captivated in his own world until dusk. The rumbling sound from his stomach woke him up from his trance. Kyran did not know when the last time he had had his meal, but judging by the rumbling sound must mean that it must have been a long time ago. By then, he stood up and noticing something weird on his body. His appearance somewhat seemed quite different from the last time he remembered. His skin tone was still faint purple, but not as rough as before. His hand and even his fingers was transformed back, similar to those of human. He touched his face, inspecting it carefully. He noticed his sharp, saw-like teeth was still presence. Maybe it was the only thing along with his skin tone that made people able to grasp his demonic trait. The pair of his wide, large wing was nowhere to be found. No wonder he felt his body was so light he could fly anytime, even with his devilish wings now mysteriously disappeared.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Too many things he did not understand at this moment, but one thing for sure, he cast aside the puzzle pieces and decided to do the most important thing first. He needed to eat something for sure. There was only one road nearest to him, so he proceeded along the road and look carefully for something edible. After wandering for about half an hour, he finally spotted a large hare. His common sense told him that at least there was still some luck left for him. In this place avoided by even ghosts, hare and other livestock must be pretty scarce.


    He pondered how he should catch the hares, wondering if he could make use of his spirit spear art. He closed his eyes, tried to feel his rwach''s flow. Fortunately, he could still felt his rwach circulated freely inside his body, seeping from his blood vessel to organs, from head to toe. The only difference than before was a trace of sinister black aura seeped in his rwach, streamed alongside his rwach. This must be the demonic aura caused by his transformation, he deducted.


    He try to channel his rwach, but soon was forced to stop as he felt an excruciating pain inside his body. He fell to the ground with spasm and rough breaths. After a bit while, he finally recovered, but the hare was nowhere to be found anymore. He then decided to take some pebble and sharp rock the size of a fist he could found scattered along the roadside as his hunting weapon.


    He continued to walk down the road. Fifteen minutes later, he felt that his feet finally gave up. His strength gradually left his body due to the hunger. At the critical moment, he caught a glimpse of something moving in high speed on the roadside. A pair of demonic rats the size of a normal cat appeared. It was a sacred beast. With jet-black fur and glowing red eye in the faint light, the rats looked terrifying. Fortunately, judging from their demonic rwach''s strength, they were just a low level sacred beast in infancy stage. It was the lowest stage of sacred beasts. Even so, Kyran would not dare to underestimate them, especially not in this weaken state where he could not fight properly with his spirit spear. Despite their small size, they were still far more powerful than a normal adult.


    They made a hissing sound and tried to intimidate Kyran by exposing their sharp fangs. In an instant they had leapt toward Kyran with their sharp fangs wide open. Kyran reacted quickly. With all his strength accumulated from the tough training, he threw the sharp rocks at their forehead before they could even get close to him. The rock hit the desired target precisely and killed them rightaway. Green blood ooze from the lifeless rats.


    Kyran wasted no more time, he quickly made a fire. As the fire was dancing freely, he took another sharp rock and removed the rat from its pelt. He took a wooden stick he found and hung the rat upside down, put it on the fire. He intended to save the other one for the next meal. He never imagined one day he would be forced to eat such a gross thing like rats, not to mention the demonic one, but he had no other choice to appease his hunger. The meat quickly grilled well as it emitted an alluring smell. Kyran took the first bite, but unexpectedly he threw up as if he had just eaten something poisonous.


    A certain realization stroke him, and he felt very disgusted, not with the rats but with himself. He figured out he had developed a new abnormal appetite as he craved for raw meats dripped in fresh blood more than a normal cooked one. It was a primal instinct of most demonic races. Starting today onwards, his life would never be the same. He could never savor the taste of his favorite grilled or cooked, salted meat anymore. As he realized the change, he felt more loathed and threw up once again.


    ..........


    The shining twin moon hung beautifully far above the sky. After enduring for a long time, Kyran finally gave in. Even if he had wanted to die, at least he did not want to die in such a tormenting manner. He gritted his teeth and took out the other rat corpse. He chewed the meat quickly, bit by bit, made not a single attempt to savor it.


    A part inside him felt really disgusted, but strangely the other part betrayed the former, revealing that this was an exquisite meal he had not had for a long time. The cloudless night was quiet, not even the cicadas making any sound. Beneath such clear sky, contrasting small droplets dripped on the ground where Kyran was sitting. As the chewing sound kept echoing in the breeze of night, more droplets were formed, moisturizing the ground. The twin moons were the only silent witness that compassionately engulfed him with a faint light, hoping to transmit more warmth to the lonely figure, but it ended up making him seemed more lonely. A being much hateful to demons, even more so, despised by humans. At least he did not lose his humanity yet.

 Chapter 3 : Saving the Little Maiden in Distress

    The next day, Kyran got up and sat at the side. Like the previous, he did nothing but just lowering his head and quietly stared at the ground.


    Suddenly Kyran felt a sharp pain on his head. He lifted his head and noticed there were a small group of goblins and beastmen tribe, each was equipped with various swords and clubs, throwing small, sharp rocks at him.


    "Get lost, bitch!" they yelled as they barraging him.


    "You little shit!" The other joined the fray.


    It was questionable why they chose such a childish way to deal with Kyran although they were not kids. Maybe they were afraid of Kyran''s unbeknown strength, or they were just felt disgusted to approach a curse being like Kyran. If only he could choose, he would rather had the former remark. Kyran kept silent and glued at his seat. He averted his gaze back to the ground, still lifeless and empty. He actually could retaliate, but after giving a second thought, he chose not to.


    Kyran''s indifferent remark provoked one of the larger goblin. The goblin darted with a gigantic club, ready to smash Kyran to a pulp.


    "You little scum!" a roaring voice coming from a small settlement next to Kyran''s position alarmed the group. At the same time the voice was sounded, a thin, gray creature dashed to where their position as he swung his old, rustic sword and blocked the goblin''s gigantic club.


    The newcomer was a ghoul. His face feature still held some resemblance to human and full of wrinkled. Wide, pale grey iris and sharp teeth remarked his demonic trait. Sparse, white hair adorned his head and down onto his chin, marking his long-live. He wore a plain cotton long robe and baggy pants. A sheathe with no sword hung at his waist.


    Despite his small build and frail appearance, the old man held considerable strength. The goblin''s club was thrown away. The old man stance himself before Kyran, with the tip of his sword pointed at the goblin.


    "You old bitch, you dare to betray your demon kin and sided with the cursed demi-human instead?" The goblin bellowed.


    "Hmph, All I care was my own pocket. How am I suppose to do business with you brats making a ruckus?" The old man retorted.


    The large goblin glared at the old man. Realizing the disparity in strength, he snorted and retreating with the others. The place once again regained its peace.


    "You okay, brat?" The old man asked Kyran.


    "...Thank you sir" Kyran lifted his head, standing up and said softly.


    He was quite touched by the old man''s kindness. Since becoming a demi-human, this was the first time he was greeted and treated well by others.


    The old man observed Kyran closely. He noticed the lifeless eyes. Such empty little things were nothing new to him. Back on his younger days he had been to many places and experiencing life too much.


    "My name is Razuli. I am a peddler. That''s my temporary store." He pointed at a small building where he just came out from.


    "Where are you from? what''s your plan?"


    Kyran stayed silent, unknowing how to answer. Razuli noticed his uneasiness, thus decided to pursue the matter no further.


    "Nevermind. If you don''t have anywhere to go, why don''t you stay at my place?" Razuli offered.


    "But..." Kyran hesitated


    "Don''t worry. I need some companion to listen to my good old days anyway. And a wine companion" Razuli grinned


    "Then, thank you, sir!" Kyran took the offer.


    "Gramps. The kid around here called me gramps." Razuli said


    "Gramps..." Kyran mutteredThis tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "Let''s enter and eat before we chat. I''ll show where you could sleep later."


    Kyran did not reply and silently followed Razuli inside.


    .....................


    It had been one week since Kyran lived with Razuli. He finally could opened up a little bit, but his eyes was still lacking luster. Early at the morning that day, Razuli was preparing the goods. He did his daily habit, checking each items'' condition and did some necessary maintenance to certain equipment. The items available in his store were just basic items such as iron swords, iron shields, bronze helmets, basic potion herb and some amenities he brought from another town.


    "Gramps, why do you open a store in such a desolate place? There''s even no other store in Labuma." Kyran asked as he helped Razuli to set the items in place. Labuma was the name of this village Razuli told him about.


    "You fool! That''s called a business theory. Don''t you know it''s better to be a king in a small pond than becoming a small fish in the vast ocean? The most ideal place to open a business is the place where there''s no competitor yet!"


    Kyran was startled, "So you can also look at things this way..."


    "Of course, it''s just a matter of perspective. Life was kinda the same!"


    "Even if it''s just a pitiful king of such desolate place" Kyran mumbled, turning melancholic again.


    A vein popped out on Razuli''s forehead. "This gloomy brat! How long does he want to keep acting annoying like that!" he grumbled in a low voice.


    "Brat, can you do me a favor?" Razuli asked


    "Sure, what''s it?" Kyran replied


    "Currently we''re out of Lychan tree''s trunk. Can you fetch some from the forest behind the village? The special resin from it was good to dip the sword in to prolong its quality, preventing it from rusting, and even the bark can be used to sharpen swords. As you know, I''m old enough to do such chores. Not to mention my health was deteriorating due to my old age. You see, cough, cough" Razuli elaborated convincingly, except the cough part did look so....fake. But Kyran did not care at all, he knew the old man would mean no harm to him. He did not have anything valuable though. Even his life was not worth that much.


    "On my way!" Kyran nodded.


    Razuli watched Kyran''s back as he vanished through the door, pondering something on his mind and then smiled meaningfully.


    .......................


    Although it was called a forest, in fact it was just a forest filled with mostly dead tree. There were still some live vegetation though like bushes and trees, but most of them had never been seen by Kyran before. It must be special vegetation endemic to the demon territory which could grow on such a harsh condition. The forest was not dense, and there were demon-made pathway as wide as a normal road. It was mainly used to transport goods to neighboring village. The forest was relatively safe from dangerous beast, even low level sacred beasts were rarely found there. Maybe even for those sacred beasts it was harshed to live in such resourceless place.


    Sometimes bandits ambushed merchant carts, but they were not quite a common sight. The wealthier merchants usually hire mercenaries to guard the goods. Kyran carefully look for what he needed. Many Lychan trees grow unorderly in the deeper part of the forest. Kyran was fetching a tree when he heard a commotion from the pathway. He stopped his work, sneaked towards the pathway and peeked.


    A group of orcs was confronting the other party of various size of goblins and kobolds. A carriage surrounded by the orcs had been turned upside down. The orcs seemed to be the carriage guards, perceivable from their leather armor uniform and insignias hung on their left leather chest plate. The other goblin group must be thugs, but it was a different from the one assaulting Kyran in Labuma before.


    The goblins and kobolds he saw at the forest had the same pattern tattooed at their left arm. It seemed like it was their group''s mark. They fought intensely with the orcs, showing no fear at all. Despite their smaller build, the bandits were quite strong and agile. Both side took casualties, but gradually the bandits gained the upper hand. The orcs could not keep up any longer and completely wiped out in the next instant. The bandit group was also left with just two goblins with similar build to the large goblin Kyran confronted the previous week.


    The goblins approached the flipped carriage. Squeaking sound was suddenly heard from inside the carriage. The goblin proceeded with more caution. Ten second later, a petite girl around ten years old, embelished with silver hair and pearl-like red iris crawled her way out from the carriage. The most noticeable feature was her long ears resembling of those elves. Kyran was astonished. As she finally reached the outside, the little elf looked terrified by the bloody scene revealed before her. The goblin''s eyes was glittering and they smirked as they saw the little girl.


    Kyran hesitated, pondering whether he should butt his nose into unnecessary business. Until a moment ago he had lost care of his own life, why should he care for some random little girl''s life instead? Logically speaking, he did not know what unforeseen danger he would put himself into by giving the wrong helping hand to the girl he did not know anything about.


    "Mommy... I''m scared!" the little elven girl sobbed as the goblin shorten the distance and surrounded her.


    The glittering tears pouring out from the tiny red iris revoked Kyran''s distant memory several years ago. It was when he was scolded by his father when he refused to helped his bullied friends.


    "Remember." Roan shooked his head "I did say you should not act harshly, and use your head to calculate every situation. But I don''t recall teaching a son to be a coward that was too afraid to help a friend in need. Live proudly you as a man of Svenleigh household!"


    Kyran clenched his fists and leapt from his hiding, charging forward.

 Chapter 4 : They Who Gazed at the Night Sky

    With a random, ordinary three-feet long branch he found at his previous hiding spot, Kyran gripped it tightly as if he was holding a spear, quickly smashed the back of the unaware goblin. The goblin was caught unprepared and immediately flew through the bushes five meters away. An ordinary branch, in the hand of an expert like Kyran who had indulged in spearmanship training since childhood, could turn into a lethal weapon. The goblin spat out fresh blood and temporary immobilized.


    Before Kyran could prepare the next attack, the second goblin had closed the distant and encircled him from behind, swiftly slashed his sword down. Kyran dodged it by leaping forward. He managed to escape death by a hair''s breadth, but he still got a cut wound on his back. The goblin followed up with a horizontal slash, giving him no chance to rest. Kyran ducked down and with the branch in his hand, turned around and thrust it to the goblin''s chest. The goblin was startled. Kyran intended not to waste the opportunity, quickly smashed the goblin at the stomach. He knew it would be impossible to defeat the goblins with ordinary thrusting technique. There was a qualitative different between a branch and true weapon anyway.


    The branch could not bear the impact and broke right away. The goblin growled in pain as he held his stomach. The other goblin had recovered and approaching the battlefield. Kyran dashed toward the carriage where the little girl was and protecting her. He was sweating profusely. He knew he was in deep trouble.


    To Kyran''s amazement, the goblins were just glaring at him and then retreated. Kyran was relieved. He turned back and look at the little girl. There were still traces of glittering tears in the corner of her eyes as she stared at Kyran. Kyran did not know what he should do. He was afraid that the little girl would be scared of him like the others. Maybe a little act of care like asking "Are you okay?" won''t hurt, right?


    The girl suddenly jumped into him, hugged him and sobbed again, her body shivering.


    Kyran was startled.


    His hand twitched. After a long pause, he got on one knee and hugged her in return.


    He could feel the warmth of her body and the damped sensation of his cloth wet by her tears. His back was still throbbing, but at that instant all the pain seemed to vanish. Kyran widened his pupil as he realized something. Tiny golden sparkles were dancing like fireflies celebrating the warm summer night, permeated from his back where her palm was placed on, gently washed away his wound. He smiled, finally, after a long time.


    A contrasting scene of the two people, one was smiling and the other sobbing, connected by fate in that morning as they embraced.


    .................


    One week ago, somewhere in an unlit place deep in demon territory.


    Two people walked almost side by side with the other one positioned himself slightly behind. He was a young, handsome man with a face full of smile. His eyes seemed slit as the result. They looked very human-like, but the overwhelming, terrifying pitch black aura emanating from them revealed their traits.


    After they reached a higher platform, the one leading in front stopped, followed closely by the other one.


    "What''s the matter Astaroth? You seem to have something on your mind."


    "My lord, why did you give him the seed of destruction? I mean, if you just want him to become a demon, aren''t there many other methods?" the one named Astaroth asked with a face still plastered with smile.


    "Chosen one had become fallen one instead. Isn''t that funny?" the other party smirked. He gazed at the sky as if he was mocking the unseen being resides far up in heaven. "Playing by his rules then overthrow him in his own game, isn''t that more interesting?"


    Astaroth could not deny him, even if he could, he wouldn''t. It''s not a carelessness nor foolish pride of his lord. He believed that his lord was the one who hold the utmost power to possibly realize it.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    "If he''s the chosen one, he''ll surely cross path with the Abysmal Lords. We''ll use him to confront them in our stead." He answered Astaroth''s former question.


    "What if he isn''t the chosen one?"


    "Impossible. Didn''t you notice what happen that night when he turned into a demi-human?"


    Astaroth shut his mouth, recalling the scene. The sky that night was engulfed in utmost radiance as if morning had come. Seven color radiance spread across hundreds of kilometers flew wildly painting the night sky. Image of a colossal ancient bird filled the sky with its majesty. This happened for a short time, but many residents of Lumia had witnessed the magnificent scene. Seventeen years ago, the same phenomenon had occurred at the same place. That was the time when Kyran was born.


    "Why don''t we just directly confront the Abysmal Lords ourselves?" Astaroth asked.


    "If we can use other''s sword, why should we bother ourselves?", the other party said. "Besides, if we do it ourselves, we''ll pay a great price, even with you here."


    Astaroth was astonished. "Are they really that powerful?"


    "Yes. What do you expect from my other halves? After all these time, they managed to increase their power even more. Especially that one. As with I am now, even with you here, the chance is almost nonexistent."


    Astaroth''s smile disappeared. He himself was an Abysmal Lord. Is that other fellow lord really had become so powerful that even with both of them it could still be impossible to defeat him?


    "That''s why we''ll make use of the chosen one. We had nothing to lose either. Even if he fails and perish later, it''ll still be of great benefit to us. If he managed to succeed, then after the seed grow, I''ll take back my tree with interest." he laughed sinisterly.


    Astaroth bowed, his eyes full of devotion towards his lord.


    ..................


    Deep inside the demon territory, in a secret chamber inside Netherheim Kingdom''s royal castle. Not too long had passed since the magical phenomenon in the night sky took place.


    A bewitching young lady covered in a black, long sleeves lace gown, was standing in front of a mirror. The young lady had a small, alluring red lips that contrasting his pure white skin only to further embellish her otherworldly beauty. Nine white tail resembling fox tail were protruded out from her back, just above her arse.


    She seemingly was in the midst of a conversation. The mirror stood before her reflected not her own image, instead an old, short therianthrope creature with bunny head wearing a slightly tattered robe, his hand holding a dull staff. He was a hare sage.


    "Did you notice what happened just now?" the young lady.


    "Yes, it''s the sign. The trial for the chosen one had already begun." the sage hare replied.


    The young lady kept silent as if she was pondering something


    "So what will you do? Will milady finally make a move?" the sage hare asked.


    The young lady was still deep in thought. After a short while, she shook her head.


    "It''s still too early to tell. I wonder if he is qualified. Let''s wait and observe him further."


    "Ah, it seems that milady still can''t forgotten that person eventhough he''s long gone." the sage hare teased.


    There were pink blushes on the young lady''s face, "Hmph, what about you?"


    She''s referring to the sage hare''s plan.


    "Let''s see if he''s qualified" the sage hare grinned.


    .................


    Demon territory, somewhere in a mountain range. Three people was flying through the fierce wind in a high speed, unbothered. A layer of powerful rwach covered them. One of them was flying on a sword. Suddenly a fluctuation occurred in the sky far to the northwest in human territory. The three were amazed by the celestial phenomenon even faintly visible far at their location.


    They landed on the nearest tall rocky mountain, throwing their gaze at the distant horizon.


    "Sect master, is that...." an old man said.


    "Yes, finally the time has come!" The middle-aged man in the middle exclaimed with bright eyes.


    ...................


    Human territory, inside Ishgarf the kingdom of magic''s royal palace.


    A beautiful middle-aged woman sat on the throne. She was Fiore, the kingdom''s queen. Before her presence was the kingdom''s oracle and some of her aides.


    "Is it the sign the great oracle of the past talking about?" The queen asked.


    "Yes, your majesty. It''s the sign of the revelation of the chosen one" the oracle replied.


    "If we can find him, it''ll be a great help to humanity. We''ll discuss it tomorrow with other officials." The queen pondered. "By the way, where''s the princess?"


    A guard stood out from the line, replied with a wry smile, "Your majesty, it seems that the princess had disappeared."


    The queen sighed and shook her head. "That spoiled girl. It seems that she''s bored again."


    ............


    That night, similar scene could be spectated almost everywhere in human nations and tribes across the land, from major powerhouses like Strovein Empire, the strongest empire boasting its unmatched paladin squad to Lowell Kingdom which was a homeland of mighty bloodthirst warriors. They were making their own preparation. Unbeknownst to them, the central of attention in question was still crawling his way out, striving to defy the cruel fate that befell him.

 Chapter 5 : Friend and Foe

    "Wake up. brother!" Alice, the little elf nagged the still sleepy Kyran on his bed.


    ~Yawn~ "Five more minutes..." Kyran lazily said.


    "Geez, sleepyhead brother!" Alice giggled. "The breakfast is ready. If you don''t come quickly, I''ll eat yours!"


    Kyran did not answer as he returned to the dream world.


    It has been one week since Alice started to live with Kyran and Razuli.


    "Where''s Kyran?" Razuli asked.


    "As usual, gramp!" Alice said.


    "Don''t bother him, let''s dig in!" Razuli smiled and put a chunk of large meat on Alice''s plate.


    "Yay! gramp''s specialty steak is number one!" Alice cheered happily. "I''ll help, gramp!"


    "Good girl!" Razuli smiled.


    "~yawn~ Morning Alice. Morning, gramp!" Kyran came out from his room. Razuli''s humble house only had two available rooms, with one room had been occupied by him. Kyran had no choice but to share the room with little Alice.


    Kyran took a seat and asked, "Where''s mine?"


    Alice patted her tummy with a satisfied expression and grinned.


    "Try a better one!" Kyran smiled and rubbed her silverish hair. He knew she was cheeky, but at the same time she cared for him. There''s no way she would do that kind of mischief.


    "Brother, you have no sense of humor." Alice pouted.


    "Sauce?" Razuli offered


    "I''ll passed." Kyran gulped. The sauce Razuli referred to was fresh blood dripped on top of the raw meat. He''ll still not really used to it.


    "Can I have blueberry sauce instead?" Alice asked with glittering eyes


    "No, we don''t have any" Razuli helplessly said as he put the meat on Kyran''s plate.


    "Medium or well done?" Surprisingly Razuli could throw such unfunny joke


    "Do I have any choice?" Kyran renewed his evaluation of the old man. Old men usually have a dignified, wise, composed stereotype with them, but if one got to know Razuli better, those stereotypes would be shattered in an instant.


    "Actually you do, but not now." Razuli explained. "There''s a kind of magic potion that can manipulate the genetic trait of one''s demonic instinct related to appetite. But the ingredients to concoct one is rare and the concocting process is very difficult. Only a handful demon alchemist can successfully concoct one. Even when it''s out at the market, you''ll still need to compete with the nobles to get your hand on it."


    "So, there''s a magical potion with such an effect!" Kyran was excited.


    "But why do demons want such potion that can turn them more human-like?"


    "There''re two reasons. First, human have always looked down on us demon as a barbaric and primitive being that can only eat raw meat. They put us on the same level with those wild beasts. Demon''s pride, especially the nobles, could not bear to be looked down by those human that they despised. That''s why the nobles compete to get their hand on this kind of potion. One can still eat raws though after consuming the potion. The second reason is, recently it has become a symbol of a higher social status. It has become a noble lifestyle to eat cooked meat."


    "It''s quite ironical" Kyran mumbled, putting a piece of meat in his mouth.


    "Yes, sometime I don''t understand what those nobles think" Razuli said.


    "Why don''t you have one of the potion yourself?" Kyran asked.


    "Do you think I''m some noble?" Razuli laughed.


    Kyran had guessed that Razuli was no ordinary padler. His strength he showed earlier was the concrete prove, but he intended not to dig in any futher if Razuli decided not to tell him. Maybe he''s some retired adventurer by chance?The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "So, where can I find the potion, gramp?" Kyran asked.


    Razuli stared into his eyes, "For time being, you should not hoping too much. It''s not something you can afford, yet"


    "But when someday you have managed to afford it, you could find it on auction houses scattered in major towns across demon territory. Let''s hope that you''re lucky enough to see one being put in auction." Razuli said.


    "There''re auction houses in demon territory?" Kyran was surprised. It seemed that the demon''s society was not very different with human''s.


    "Yes, you can find one in the capital, Tieston city. It hosted one of the largest auction house in Vixen Kingdom. But it''s very far from here." Razuli explained.


    Kyran had gained some knowledge regarding the place he was currently at. Labuma village was located in the outskirt of Vixen Kingdom, one of the major kingdom ruled by the demonic queen Ishtar.


    "Brother, let''s play already. " Alice was sulking. The adult''s conversation seemed very tedious to her.


    "Sorry, Alice, let''s go!" Kyran quickly put the last piece of meat in his mouth. He carried a short spear on his back and set off with Alice.


    Razuli smiled as he saw the two''s image gradually disappeared.


    "You''ve changed, brat!"


    Razuli''s plan went more smoothly than he thought. He knew the pathway in the forest earlier was often passed by trade carriages, occasionally slave carriages also took the route. He originally intended to cheer Kyran up by letting him experience and see first hand that there''re still many other who live in various hardship, just like himself.


    When he heard the story from Kyran for the first time, he was worried that the carriage owner would retaliate, but soon be relieved to know there''s no survivor on the guard''s side. Those who were involved in slave trading business usually have no ordinary background. It could be quite troublesome if something happened. For safekeeping, Razuli gave Kyran one of his rusty...no, legendary spear sold at his store. The specialty of this spear was its special mechanism that it can be shorten for convenience purpose while carrying it and can be returned to its original length in an instant with one grip on certain spot.


    Only, the goblins with tattoo that attacked Kyran somehow bothered Razuli.


    ....................


    "Alice, have you remembered anything about your village? Kyran asked as he held her hand while walking.


    "No, brother. I only know my village name is Sephys village. But I don''t know how to get there" Alice shook her head after thinking.


    "Hmm, it should be located far away. Even gramp never heard of such a village." Kyran said.


    Suddenly Kyran felt a killing intent from behind. He quickly grabbed Alice and leapt to the side of the road as he turned around. A thunderbolt struck exactly at his previous location. How could they get into trouble? They were even not that far from Razuli''s home yet.


    A dwarf with a pointy hat and pale green robe stood not far from them. She wore a pair of small, green earrings and her eyelashes was longer than ordinary dwarf. It looks like she was still a little girl of around 13 years old. She could be a good playmate to Alice actually if not for the hostile intent emanating from her that made Kyran eliminate the na?ve thought. Kyran recognized an odd pattern on her face. It''s the same tattoo with the goblins that assaulted him earlier!


    The dwarf lifted her hand and chanted a spell again. Glowing magical pattern dancing beautifully around her hand.


    "I never thought there''s also spell weavers among demon kind!" Kyran thought.


    He took the spear from his back. Soon, the spear return to its original length. He charged forward while dodging multiple tier-1 thunderbolts shot by the dwarf. Kyran dare not to be careless. Tier-1 spells, if cast by an accomplished spell weaver can still inflict serious damages to the opponent. He agilely leapt from one direction to another, gradually shorten the distance between them.


    "Lightning barrier!" The dwarf cast a protective spell on herself. Kyran was shocked by the impact and was thrown away, landing on his back three meters away.


    When Kyran was still down, she took the opportunity and struck Kyran with another thunderbolt. Kyran quickly stuck his spear on the ground, treating it like a lightning conductor. The thunderbolt struck the top of the spear and was soon dissipated to the ground. The dwarf girl turned pale. It seems that she had finally exhausted her rwach. Kyran leapt once again and dashed toward the dwarf, pointing his spear ready to pierce her in the heart.


    "Hiii...!!" the dwarf girl was terrified.


    Suddenly a bulky shadow charged from nowhere. He''s very quick as he had already stood between them before Kyran arrived. He lifted both his arms covered in metallic arm protector with sharp edges protruding. At a glance it looked like a short sword attached to his arms, and at the same time the lower half of the metallic protector can also acted like a shield.


    "Enough! Don''t bully her!" The bulky man said, blocking Kyran''s spear.


    "Are you blind? I''m the one being bullied just now!" Kyran was enraged


    "I''m sorry for the misunderstanding" The man apologized. He was a 2 meters tall demon kind with a lion head, his lion figure was so detailed even it has whiskers. He had a sturdy build similar to Kyran''s dad. Kyran won''t be surprised anymore by the strange appearances of the demon kinds. He would even not be surprised if there was a walking octopus which can talk.


    "Yes, we intended no harm!" a demon with appearance resembling octopus suddenly leapt down from nowhere. Four swords was attached to his back, sheathed peacefully.


    Wait, there''s one?


    "Misunderstanding? What misunderstanding? I''m almost died of herr thunderbolt. Is that a misunderstanding?" Kyran retorted, stomping his feet to the ground. What if something happened to Alice if he couldn''t act decisively that time?


    "But....but..." the dwarf was almost sniffed like a normal little girl.


    Kyran was startled. Where did the violent girl go?


    "Kyran, wait!" Razuli voiced was heard from a distance. He walked toward them.


    "Hex, what are you doing here?" Razuli turned to the lion-headed man and asked.

 Chapter 6 : Joining the mercenary

    ¡°Hi, pops! I have some business to do with this guy here!¡± Hex pointed at Kyran.


    ¡°You mean assassination business?¡± Kyran retorted.


    ¡°Sorry mate. I think she was a bit getting carried away¡± Hex grinned, putting his hands on Carol¡¯s head, urging the dwarf girl to apologize. It¡¯s comical to watch he failed on the first try to touch her head due to their height difference. Only at the second attempt did he manage to reach her head.


    ¡°Alright, alright, sorry.¡± Carol apologize.


    ¡°We just want to test your strength and make sure you¡¯re not with the bandits who roamed around recently.¡± Hex explained


    ¡°Well, can¡¯t be helped. Being cautious of a new face, huh?¡± Kyran sighed, ¡°Are bandits common here?¡±


    ¡°Not really. Bandits show up occasionally, pillaging villages with weak guard. But recently it¡¯s happening quite often. Many villages had fallen victims, several people went missing and business didn¡¯t go well as they targeted carts, especially one that transported slaves. Actually, we get requests from nearby villages to get rid of the bandits. You¡¯re pretty good. Want to join us?¡± Hex offered.


    Razuli butted in before Kyran could answer,


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, besides, aren¡¯t you short of money? Mercenaries are always busy, it¡®s an easy-tipsy money! You still owed me, let¡¯s see, 2 silver and 40 coppers for your meal ,lodging and-" Razuli elaborated.


    ¡°What? I should pay for that?¡± Kyran widened his eyes.


    ¡°Who do you think I am? I¡¯m doing business here, brat! Be thankful for the special discount!¡± Razuli replied.


    ¡°Alright, Count me in!¡° Kyran sighed. He had his own thought. Maybe he could get clues about demon territory, information about Alice¡¯s origin to help her return to her hometown.


    ¡°Welcome to brotherhood mercenary group!¡± Hex extended his hand.


    ¡°Brotherhood¡­?¡± Kyran shook Hex''s hand.


    ¡°Got a problem?¡± Carol asked.


    ¡°No, it¡®s just unexpected!¡± Kyran said.


    ¡°You¡¯re noisy, noob! It came from our journey through thick and thin together! We¡®re brothers! It¡¯s the coolest name ever!¡± Carol proudly said.


    Kyran decided to end the useless debate. At that moment he really wanted to give her a mirror, but maybe, just maybe, she really thought she was born a bro. What a unique group!


    ..................................................................


    ¡°Brother, are you going out?¡± Alice asked


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll play with you later. Be a good girl and wait!¡± Kyran pinched her cheek.


    ¡°Ouch! silly brother!¡± Alice replied.


    Kyran hastened his step as he strode along the wide, empty road. Noone care to bother him anymore. It¡¯s been a week since he joined the group. He¡¯s started to get use of his new life. The scorching heat and occasional dusty billowing streets did not bother him as much now. He treated his daily meal as an exotic cuisine although he hated it. As he walked, he¡¯s engrossed on his thought. This past week, he had learnt a thing about the demon territory. There are three major powers ruling over the demon world: Vixen Kingdom, his current location, ruled by queen Ishtar. Far southwest from Vixen lay Netherheim, a haven for beast-kind demon. The nation bordering Vixen kingdom, famous for their unusual culture was Nine Cloud Territory. At nine cloud territory, various demon-race lived alongside each other and they had something in common, strangely influenced by their custom. For example, it''s said they ate with a strange tool made of two pieces of thin bamboo and were widely known for practicing a mysterious battle art found nowhere else. Besides the three giants, there¡¯re many small forces scattered across the demon territory, but none could compare to the major powers.


    Kyran stopped as he arrived at a wider road. A cart with a slave sign painted on was ready to leave.


    ¡°You¡¯re late! We almost left you!¡± Carol said from the driver seat.


    ¡°Sorry, I overslept!¡± Kyran apologetically said and jumped to the cart.


    As he got inside, he nodded at the passengers. Kyran took the corner seat and glanced at the other member on his side, snickering. A lion, a dog, an octopus, a dwarf. This group looked more like a wandering circus than a mercenary group. This past week, Hex had introduced him to the other members. Goby was a cobold, Hex came from a lion beast tribe. Polbo, the second in command, did not speak much and was of the octopus tribe descent. Their appearances were a bit difference from what he knew from his previous life. A cobold, for example, often depicted as a cute creature with a dog head. Goby resembled the depiction except for the cute part. With his 180 centimeters tall, muscular body clad in armor and a scar on his face, no one would dare to call him cute. Maybe everyone but Carol. Carol, on the other hand, had complexion resembling human, but her 120 centimeters height with ash green hair as most dwarven had, distinguished her from a human. At least today she didn¡¯t wear her green robe like last time. She had somewhat foul mouth, but she¡¯s good in several things, for example in horse riding which is uncommon for a spell weaver. Although it¡¯s a mercenary group, there¡¯s just less than 10 members in total. The goblins he met earlier and the rest stayed around Labuma to gather information as well as helping with village protection. It seems that in the past, there¡¯re more members. Mercenary¡¯s life sure was harshed. Kyran understood and did not ask, intending not to reopen the old wound. He recalled that the other four currently riding in the cart were the founding members. They were childhood friends who grew up together.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    The cart started to move. The speed increased as Carol nimbly whipped the black horned stallion pulling the cart. Even without real load, the cart still felt a bit cramped. Kyran was excited and nervous at the same time. This is his first mission. He polished the tip of his spear and checked his equipments, making sure nothing went wrong.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be brief!¡± Hex said. ¡°We¡¯ll be going to Tyrgat, the town far north-west to meet Gofur, our acquaintance. With his help, I¡¯m sure we can get information about the bandits. If we¡¯re lucky, they might assault this cart. Remember to keep at least one alive if we managed to encounter them! Be vigilant, our route is quite danger-¡°


    ¡°Hex!¡± Carol interrupted.


    ¡°Get ready men! We got company!¡± Hex ordered.


    ¡°Troublesome one!¡± Carol grumbled.


    A pair of giant zombie earthworm appeared 25 meters before the cart. Giant earthworms were known of having a huge appetite, from fresh meat to corpse and sometime even toxic waste.


    ¡°Never saw that big before. Fortunately it¡¯s an elementary rank, early stage beast!¡± Goby said.


    Sacred beasts were presence everywhere on Lumia, even in human territory. They¡¯re often referred to just ¡°beast¡± for short. Noone knows where they came from. It¡¯s said that they existed since antiquity, existed before the first demon race emerged. To discern their power level, men created a universal ranking system to determine one¡¯s fighting power including those of human and demon-kind.


    There were 7 rank in total starting from the weakest : elementary, intermediate, high, supreme, emperor, sovereign and legendary, the latter of which only exists in myths as noone had ever met one yet. Kyran recalled a history class he attended back then while he¡¯s still a human. The only man ever reached the legendary level were said to be the heroes who saved the world a thousand year ago, but many believed it¡¯s just a made up story created by the authorithy to raise people¡¯s moral in the midst of war. Each power level was divided further into 3 stages : early, middle and late stage. Even someone in elementary stage, contrary to its name, born unfathomable strength compare to normal being without any battle prowess. There¡¯s a valid report that once a village was massacred in one night by an elementary rank, early stage beast. Later investigation revealed that it¡¯s the work of a giant zombie earthworm, exactly what they were facing right now.


    Carol pulled the rein and made a smooth stop. Without command, Goby leapt and charged at one of the worm with his giant axe on one hand and a huge shield on the other. At the same time, Polbo bolted toward the other one. They swiftly dodge the acid-like liquid sprayed from the worm¡®s mouth, approaching their respective targets. The worms, knowing their attack was ineffective, changed plan. They intended to eliminate one enemy at a time, thus shot a large amount of acid to the sky. The combined acid pool poured at Goby as if it''s a heavy downpour.


    ¡°Goby!¡± Kyran exclaimed.


    Before it could touched Goby, he ducked and put his giant shield on top, blocking the acid. The splash of the acid made countless small hole around Goby. Surprisingly, the shield, covered in smoke, had no scratch at all. Perhaps it¡¯s imbued with rwach. In the next second, Goby¡¯s axe had reached the target and chopped the worm in two. On the other side, Polbo, using six of his tentacles as if they were swords, slashed the worms to pieces. Kyran nodded. His new teammate got some skills after all. He even did not have a chance to move his finger.


    ¡°Not yet!¡± Hex exclaimed.


    The split part of the worms wiggled. The next moment, each part regenerated into intact worms with the same size as before!


    Both Hex and Kyran charged to assist. Kyran brandished his spear, pointing it towards one of the worm. The worm was rather sluggish, but the acid was no joke. Every time the acid fell on the ground, it created a hole.


    ¡°Thousand deadly thrust!¡± Kyran roared. With a speed almost imperceptible to eyes, Kyran¡¯s spear blow countless hole to the worm. Annoyingly, the next second it regenerated and divided itself into a new life-form.


    ¡°What is the deal with those guys?¡± Kyran grumbled.


    ¡°Carol! How much longer?¡± Hex yelled as he slashed one of the worm with his demonic claws. They¡¯re already outnumbered in just five minutes. If it took much longer, there¡¯s no guarantee if they could survive.


    ¡°Hear my call, ooo mother of nature. May thee cup of wrath poured on the four directions of Lumia. Lightning storm!¡± as Carol chanted, magical circles appeared simultaneously above each worm. Barrage of thunderbolts raining down, burning the worms until there¡¯s no trace left.


    ¡°Phew!¡± Carol slumped to the ground, seated. It¡¯s understandable that casting a second-tier spell on her current level would exhaust her rwach.


    ¡°Above!¡± Goby exclaimed!


    Before Carol could react, a giant talon had snatched and lifted her. A beast resembling giant owl spread its wing, preparing to soar after getting its prey.


    ¡°Not good. It¡¯s an elementary rank, middle stage wailing owl! It seems angry because we snatched its food!¡± Hex said.


    Kyran sprinted and leapt with all his might, thrusting his spear before it could get away. Fortunately its skin was penetrable. Kyran¡¯s spear, despite not a high quality one, successfully made its way and stuck on its foot. The owl shrieked in pain and swayed, but soon gathered its strength and continue to fly. With both hands, Kyran strengthen his grip, unyielding to let loose. It soared higher and further, bringing along Kyran and Carol.


    ¡°They¡¯re heading to the forest of mist!¡± Hex said with a grim face.

 Chapter 7 : Peril in The Forest of Mist

    They''re travelling in high speed. Kyran turned his head, he couldn''t see Hex and the group anymore. Fifteen minutes later, the scenery changed to a sea of forest covered in the thin mist, making the atmosphere more otherworldly. The owls seemed to be unaffected by the pain despite occasional swaying and keep heading deeper into the forest. In the distance, several gigantic trees towering in grandeur amidst the sea of trees came into sight. Each one had approximate height around 170 meters and 18 meters in diameter. There were at least fifty, making them looked like a small mountain protruding out of nowhere. Several faint wailing came from the distant trees.


    "What''s that?" Kyran gasped. He never saw anything close to that before.


    "That''s the wailing tree! We''re in the deeper part of the forest of mist! "Carol turned serious.


    "It''s one of the most perilous zone around this area for those under intermediate rank. The enormous trees were well known as the nest of wailing owls. But that''s not all. Horde of beasts were also recorded wandering around here!"


    Facing fifty of this creature that feast on the troublesome giant earthworm they fought earlier, did they stand a chance? Kyran ironically smiled. Hot blood rushed inside his veins. His heart beat fast. If he would still die in the end, then he won''t die without putting a good fight. He''s born of a warrior lineage of Lowell Kingdom after all.


    After another five minutes, the owl slowed down and headed to one of the enormous tree. There''s a hole slightly larger than its own size in the trunk. If one observed closer, one would realize almost all the wailing tree had similar holes. The wailing owl flew inside and drops Kyran and Carol. It didn''t stay long before flying away.


    "It left?" Kyran uttered in disbelief.


    "Look!" Carol exclaimed.


    The interior of the tree was quite spacious. It''s dim, but with their demonic trait, they could still perceive the surrounding. Various size grotesque creature ranging from strange caterpillars to black earthworm the size of a human kid and even red furred rats, filled the hole. Kyran had a bad feeling.


    In some part, there were beast carcasses scattered around. Some were slaughtered with their guts hanging out, several other were dismembered, the rest left with only slick bones. The air reeked of a putrid smell. If a normal human was present, he would certainly passed out. Fortunately they''re not one, so they could handle it to a certain degree.


    The beasts finally noticed them. They let out a growl as if they had not had a proper meal in a long time and very delighted to see a prey. As they were approaching, suddenly several wailing in low pitch that sent the chill down the spine came from deep inside the hole. All beasts, hearing the sound, became nervous.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "That''s...that''s the owl''s offspring! The wailing means they''re starving!" Carol shivered.


    They realized what this place truly was. It''s the feeding ground to nurture the young owl. The other beasts were terrified and some had even started to flee toward the exit. As they ran, they assaulted and tripped up each other, hoping the one left behind would be feasted on by the owls so they could buy time to save their lives.


    "Run!" Carol urgently said.


    They had a confident if it''s a fair fight, but faced with the chaotic situation, this would be the wiser choice.


    They dashed like mad toward the exit. From behind, loud scream was heard from the beasts that fallen. From the wailing sound, there seemed to be at least five of the owls. The group of beasts slowly shorten the distance between them and Kyran. Kyran paid no heed as the entrance was just 5 meters ahead, but unxpectedly one of the owl''s offspring flew passed and blocked the way. It''s half the size the adult, but still it could pose danger if they weren''t careful.


    "Carol!" Kyran yelled.


    Carol did not answer. She focused on channeling her rwach and chant an incantation.


    Kyran stopped 1 meter from the owl, bending one of his knee forward, he stomped with a loud noise. Using all his strength, he thrust his spear in rotating manner.


    "Spear of destruction!" he roared.


    The impact of the strike was massive enough to blast off half the owl''s body. It instantly turned into puddle of blood. The other owls behind them were enraged, emitting a loud shriek to call for the adult owl. From the distance, a bone-piercing shriek response could be heard. The other offspring began to fly towards the exit to hinder them until the adults arrived.


    "Firewall!" Carol timely casted the tier one spell right behind without looking back. A wall of fire appeared behind them, burning any beasts who dared to approach. To some stronger beasts, the firewall would not be lethal. It''s just a basic self-defense spell any spellweaver could cast, but if being used in right situation, it would be a life saver.


    "Jump!" Kyran ordered as they reached the exit.


    They had no choice but to jump from almost 50 meters off the ground. As they''re descending with insane speed, Carol casted a spell on them to reduce half the impact when they hit the ground. Fortunately, the nest where they fell from was not located on the top. If not, the outcome would be different. In this forest, there were some beasts stronger than the wailing owl and certain wing-type beast even specifically prey on them. Wailing owls did not dare to build the nest up above because of this exact reason.


    As they recovered, they stood up, wasting no time, dashed toward the thicket, preventing the owls from stumbling upon them. In a place like this where unknown danger lurked everywhere, the basic survival principle was to preserve strength and avoide meaningless fight. There''s a possibility you''ll be ambushed by other beasts while engrossed in fighting the other.


    Once they ensured they''re far enough, they breathe a sigh of relieve. They had no idea what danger awaiting next, but all they wanted now were a good food and good sleep, a safe one on top of that.


    ...............

 Chapter 8 : The Rain Tribe

    Smoke swirled from a cavity inside a hill. The sun was up, yet its radiance, hindered by mist, couldn''t penetrate impeccably into the ground. Chewing sounds and occasional chatter came from the cave.


    Three days had passed.


    Kyran and Carol had ventured far from the gigantic trees area.


    Although they made a bonfire, they didn''t use it to grill the food. Instead, it only served to give a layer of protection from the cold.


    Noone talked. The flickering flame blent in harmony with the popping and cracking sound of the burning wood


    Kyran took another bite of the green hare meat in his hand. Fresh blood dripped from the meat, indicated it''s killed not too long ago.


    Kyran opened his mouth and asked, "Where are we now?"


    Carol had stopped eating. It''s difficult for her to savor any food in this situation.


    "No clue. I think we should head west. I believe we can meet with Hex and the other if we go there. The western border of the forest of mist was not far from Tyrgat. I''m sure, they had reached Tyrgat. It''s a better chance than to look for the way back."


    Kyran nodded, finishing his last piece of meat and threw the bone away.


    "Let''s move!" Kyran said as he wiped his mouth.


    They carefully approached the cave entrance and scanned the surrounding. After ensuring there''s no beast around, they ran toward the west.


    It''s a normal day to them, just like these past three days. Who knows less than 5 minutes later, they would meet another unprecedented peril.


    "Stop!" Carol exclaimed abruptly.


    A huge beast resembling a bull standing upright was roaming around. Perhaps it''s looking for food. Its body was adorned with robust, muscular body, and it got a large hump on its back that''s even larger than its muscle, sizing almost half its body.


    "What''s that?" Kyran asked.


    "Shh! Lower your voice! Don''t move!" Carol whispered.


    The beast realized something and quickly charged forward with his whole strength. It crashed on a huge tree next to Kyran and gripped it tightly. With its raw strength alone, the huge tree was uprooted as if it''s nothing. The creature threw away the tree and checked the surrounding.


    Kyran and Carol restricted their movement. They even didn''t dare to breathe soundly. It made a sudden turn and stared at Kyran right in his eyes. Cold sweat rushed from their forehead. Unexpectedly it just turned around before strolling away. It''s really strange that it didn''t notice them although their distance was just less than three meters.


    "What''s that huge bull thing? It''s like a hunchback minotaur with insane strength!" Kyran gasped.


    "They''re Arbaros, sometimes were called hunchback lesser minotaur. They have the strength of a giant, but their eyesight are terrible. They hunt by detecting sound. As long as you didn''t make any movement and sound, you won''t be exposed! But once they have spotted you, it''d be useless!" Carol explained.


    " Then, what are we waiting for, let''s get out of here!" Kyran said.


    "Wait!" Carol said as she grabbed his cloth as he just began to run, causing him to stumble.


    "What now?" Kyran grumbled.


    "Don''t ''what'' me, you moron! Listen, Arbaros always hunted in a group, so it''s highly possible there''re more of them around. Are you courting death?" Carol retorted.


    Kyran had not yet had any chance to rebuke when a loud roar came from the direction where the Arbaros was just headed. The Arbaros suddenly turned back and ran towards them. If they fought now, they might still have a chance, but they''re worried about the other Arbaros'' advancement. They ran with all their might as if their lives depend on it. In adventurer''s guidebook, the key to survive from an Arbaros was to prevent them from spotting you by making no sound and movement. But once you had been spotted, one should run for their lives. They should have added more useful guide other than to tell people to run!


    They sprinted with all they got, hoping it would lose track of them. Betraying their expectation, as they''re being pursued, another Arbaros joined the fray. Then came another one, and then another one until there''re close to ten Arbaros chasing them. What really shocked them was another two Arbaros suddenly appeared ahead, blocking their path. Now they had no choice but to engage in a fight.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    "Kyran, use that move you used earlier!" Carol said.


    "Spear of destruction!" Kyran roared, charging full force at the Arbaros closest to him. The Arbaros was caught in surprise as it took the clean strike and was pushed back several steps. After the impact, it just suffered a scratch. Kyran was shocked.


    "Lightning strike!" Carol cast the first tier spell to two of the Arbaros, pushing them back further. The flash from the lightning strike combined with their terrible eyesight rendered them temporarily blind. Carol, making use of her small build, swiftly slided through between the feet of one of the Arbaros, escaping from its blind spot. Kyran, on the other hand, sprinted and leapt, stepping with one foot on the chest of the Arbaros he pushed back earlier. Thanks to the lightning flash, it couldn''t react in time. He leapt once again passed the Arbaros utilizing the earlier momentum and continued to dash.


    The distance between them increased again, yet the Arbaros persistently chasing them. They could still outrun the Arbaros when running in full speed, thanks to their large hump that seemed to restrict their speed.


    "What''s with those guys? They''re tough!" Kyran said as they ran.


    "Arbaros had strength and defense comparable to an elementary rank, late stage beast even though they''re a middle stage beast." Carol explained while running.


    As they ran further, the mist was thicken. The visibility became very limited. The Arbaros, although unaffected by the mist, seems to be troubled by something else. They decelerated and inspected the surrounding before completely halted. Kyran and Carol realized their unusual behaviour and decided to slow down a bit.


    All of a sudden, a terrifying roar came from the midst of the Arbaros'' group. Kyran and Carol turned to checked the situation. They caught a glimpse of a huge shadow, even larger in size than the Arbaros, resembling a beast with its sharp fang was tearing on one of the Arbaros. The Arbaros which was caught in its deadly fang, struggling for a while before completely stopped.


    Kyran''s heart skipped a beat. He never imagined there''s even a beast that dare to prey on those Arbaros, even killing it in one hit. Still, the Arbaros was praise-worthy for its persistance. They divided themselves into two group. Four of the Arbaros made an encirclement and assaulted the unknown creature. The rest continued with their pursue.


    Kyran and Carol ran carefully, dodging trees in swift manner. The Arbaros, despite their huge size, kept shortening the distance, taking advantage of the prey''s poor visibility. They had lost track of time. For Kyran and Carol, it felt like a long time had passed, yet the world seems to be rotating in slow motion. It''s said that when one''s in the moment of impending death, time would decelerate until it felt like almost stopped.


    It began to drizzle.


    The cold air and wet ground made each step heavier. Exhaustion started to seep into every cell of their body. Even worse, the rain came down heavier with each second passed.


    Carol stopped to catch her breath. She could ran no longer and slumped to the ground. Kyran, seeing her condition, halted as well. Four Arbaros were approaching quickly. Is this the end? Kyran moved forward to protect Carol, gripping his spear tightly. His eyes were still sharp even in the face of death. He resoluted to die as a proud warrior. It''s just a pity he''d die before he could exact revenge on the devil and regain his human life. Kyran gritted his teeth. If only he could use his rwach, they might still had a chance to escape this peril.


    All the Arbaros stopped abruptly. They sniffed into the air and observed the rain as if they''re being careful about something. With their terrible eyesight, they gazed at the sky as if they could see it clearly. There''s nothing. But there''s always someone who could see the unseen.


    No other sound was heard except the pouring rain and their prey''s quick heartbeat.


    Kyran loved when it''s raining, but in that situation he can''t indulge in it at all. The Arbaros grew restless and turned back before vanishing from their sight. Kyran and Carol were puzzled, yet they did not feel relieved. If something could made a group of Arbaros in pursuit turned back, then it could only be something more dangerous.


    Carol fell into deep thinking. Nothing seemed strange except the downpour.


    Rain? Carol widened her eyes, remembering some folklore she once heard in her village. Among the demon-kind, there''s a certain tribe which only appear when it''s raining. But rumor said they had been wiped out when the war erupted 10 years ago.


    Time ticked. Suddenly, a bizzare sound resembling prayer chants was faintly heard. Kyran and Carol were confused. What normal people would chant in such a remote place like this? Following the sound, a demon-kind creature resembling a ghoul with half-melted body appeared from the shadow of the rain, approaching Kyran and Carol and stopped five meters from them. The chanting grew louder, as well as the mysterious creature keep appearing one after another, encricling them in all direction. Kyran could not counted their exact number anymore. They''re trapped with no way out.


    The creature flocked in the middle suddenly separated to the side and made a wide path. Heavy steps were heard from the opened path. Emerging from the misty rain, two enormous beasts approached slowly. Kyran recognized the beast. It''s the same with the one who killed the Arbaros earlier!


    But what made him more cautious were the two figures riding on the back of the creature. The first one on the right seemed to be their leader, could be distinguished from his tribal headwear made of several bird-type beast feathers usually worn by a tribe''s chief. Next to him riding the second beast was a demon-kind holding an adorned long whip on his hand. Kyran recognized the whip, it''s a weapon commonly used by a beastmaster.


    "Capture!" The leader commanded.


    "A shaman and a beastmaster. It''s the rain tribe, Euri!" Carol shivered.


    The good news was, they''re not really tough to deal with. The strongest among them was usually had strength just in the middle stage of elementary rank. The bad news, they usually travelled in large group of at least a thousand.


    ........¡­

 Chapter 9 : Guardian Spirit Leviathan

    The shaman abruptly cast a spell. In just a second, a magic circle appeared under Kyran¡¯s feet.


    ¡°That¡¯s earth bind, a tier-two restriction spell! And he could cast it in a mere second?¡± Carol gasped. Although drained, thankfully her vigor was still alive and kicking.


    The ground below Kyran cracked and made him sank a bit, entrapping his feet. Before he could react, several vines rushed from the crack, binding him starting from his feet up to the upper body. He mustered his strength trying to break free but to no avail. The shaman cast another one on Carol, then releasing the bind on their feet. As the shaman ordered them to move, four of the Euri came forward and walked by their side. Judging from their efficiency, It seemed that this is not the first time they did this kind of thing. Aren¡¯t they a bit too cautious? Even without guards by their side, there¡¯re still roughly fifty of them. The possibility of them escaping was almost non-existent. Kyran realized they didn¡¯t intend to kill them, at least not for now. While walking, soaked in the yet unceasing rain, he scanned the surrounding. The shaman and the beastmaster were the only one riding a beast and leading the way. What really caught his interest was the beast they¡¯re riding on. Back then he could only catch a glimpse of it. Now in closer proximity, he could clearly see the creature. It¡¯s almost twice the size of an Arbaros and had an appearance similar to a tiger with crimson eyes and two long fangs protruding from its mouth. Its silverish fur made an opponent difficult to perceive them in the rain and mist, putting it in the top of deadly predator.


    ¡°It¡¯s a silver saber-tooth tiger. Don¡®t ever think to fight one. It¡¯s on the late stage of elementary rank,¡± Carol said, seemed to know what¡¯s on his mind.


    No wonder it looked imposing and could kill an Arbaros with ease. But the Euris was even more frightening, capable of taming such a beast.


    In fifteen minutes of walk, they had come across several groups of ten to twenty Euris, some even had a saber-tooth silver tiger mixed in. In the group with a saber-tooth tiger, Kyran noticed it was carrying an Arbaros tied on its back. In a closer look, each of the group actually had beasts of various size tied on alive, like a hunter carried its prey home, heading toward the same direction.They¡¯re all, like Kyran and Carol, somehow being let alive for an unknown reason. He could do nothing at this rate, and could only comply until they reached their destination.


    The downpour turned into drizzle, indicating hunting time had come to an end. The tree slowly thinned, as though being dispersed by setting the sun bathed the land with a hue of orange, then tangerine, until they reached a meadow. The leaders in front halted, followed obediently by others. Before them, countless tents were scattered as far as eyes could see. The Euris were bustling around , indulging in their daily routine. Some were making fire, the other were enjoying the last chunk of meat in their hand, and the rest idled around. As soon as they saw their leader had returned, they stopped their activities and cheered loudly until it shook the ground.


    The captives were soon gathered at the center, encircled by the tribe. One of the Euri came forward and passed a wooden bowl filled with blood to the shaman. He immediately took the bowl and put it in his mouth and drank the content without hesitation, accompanied by the eerie chanting of the tribe. Then, the shaman sprayed the blood from his mouth toward the captives, one by one, including Kyran and Carol. Kyran peeked at Carol, hoping to find some explanation, but Carol shook her head in response, as clueless as he was. It seems that they¡¯re taking part in a certain ritual.


    After the procession they¡¯re forced to walk again toward the edge of the meadow. The rain had stopped, but as they¡¯re approaching the edge, each step felt even heavier than before. Some beasts even began to berserk and dashed madly in random direction, howling in agony, but soon was controlled by the beastmaster. The suffocating air-not because of the breeze left behind by the rain but by inexplicable phenomenon, could be felt from quite a distance. What awaited them afterward was a large, dark blue pond covered in thick mist. The surface of the water was so calm not even a ripple was formed, and the mist dancing over the pond added an ethereal feeling to it. Kyran concluded the uneasy feeling was permeated from the pond. There¡¯s something resided deep in the pond, something far more dangerous than any beasts he had ever encountered.


    The shaman stepped forward and released their binding spell.


    ¡°Purify! Purify! Purify!¡± the tribes endlessly roared in unison.


    As though answering to their call, a guard riding a silver sabertooth tiger threw an Arbaros into the pond. The beast fell with a struggle, followed by a heart-breaking scream that lasted only for a while before it sank and went silent. Twenty seconds later, the beast resurfaced, got out of water and staggering. No obvious change could be seen on it, yet its behaviour differed from before as if it¡¯s another creature. It lost his aggressiveness. The most notable thing, the light in its eyes were lucking luster as if its will to live ceased to exist. The next in line were suffering the similar fate.


    He felt as if they¡¯re lining for the journey to netherworld. His heart was racing. It¡¯s their turn at last. He had escaped death several times before, was his fate finally stopped fooling around with him? At this point, Carol slumped to the ground, shivering. He could not detect rwach with his current condition, yet he felt such a pressure. He couldn¡¯t imagine what she experienced.


    Yet the guards were indifferent, throwing them into the pond with a huge splash.


    The moment the freezing water touched their pore, it seeped into their very existence. It¡¯s quite dark and bottomless here. Kyran calmed himself and observed the surrounding. He had difficulty to see beyond two meters in the gloomy water. On the side, Carol seemed to be struggling desperately, trying to push himself out of the water with his arms and hands. It took Kyran a while before he realized that Carol couldn¡¯t swim! She submerged fast with water as if it¡¯s swirling around even if no current was present, plunging her even deeper before she fainted. Kyran descended like mad, trying to save her. As he managed to grab her hand, suddenly the familiar pressure from his back terrified him. The shadow of the creature stretched out and filled most of the space, waving in the water toward them lightning fast like a nimble serpent.


    Kyran turned and gritted his teeth. The only way for him to fight underwater was by depending on his spirit spear. He strengthened his resolve and took the bet, trying to channel his rwach. Unfortunately, he still could not felt his rwach¡¯s circulation, yet he mustered his willpower once again to try harder. A minuscule rwach fluctuation finally jumped inside his body but soon disappeared before being stopped by the agonizing pain as the last time. At the critical moment, the creature halted by a hair¡®s breadth from Kyran. He could clearly see its black, enormous nostrils that had almost the same size as him.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°That rwach, who are you?¡±


    Kyran was shocked. He just heard someone talking in his mind.


    He stared at the shadow of the creature before him and hesitantly asked, ¡°Is it you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I speak directly into your mind.¡± the creature said. As its word finished, Kyran felt his conciousness was fading in a split second before returning back to normal, as though a frequency of a radio waves being interfered.


    All of a sudden, the surrounding change. The murky water became transparant as if it could even reflected the mist and at the same time all the suffocating pressure was dissipated. He could even breathe in the water! He widened his eyes and gaped. With better visibility, the creature before him was obviously projected in his eyes. It¡¯s a gigantic water serpent with immeasurable length, mystical blue with greenish hue in colour and adorned by scale as hard as steel. A pair of long, irregular horn as if it¡®s a crown, seated on its head. It permeated an aura of majesty just by looking at it.


    ¡°I see. So you are the chosen one of this time.¡± The creature said without opening its mouth.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kyran confusely asked.


    ¡°Your fate will tell.¡± The creature calmly replied.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Kyran asked


    ¡°I am called Leviathan. We are guardian spirits that have overseen the balance of this world since ancient time. A thousand year ago when the great war errupted, we were caught in the turmoil. Some of us even perished. I , in order to survive, left my abode and hide in this place. I cast a special barrier to conceal my presence and recuperate, and can¡¯t go outside since then.¡° The creature elaborated, as if he could predict what he wished to ask before he could utter his next words,


    Leviathan waited for Kyran¡¯s reaction. After that, it continued, ¡°Several years ago, the nomadic rain tribe found this place and made it their settlement. They¡¯re worshipping the rain god, and since I can call forth the rain, they believe that I am the servant of their rain god. They are actually a fanatic. They hunt only when it¡¯s raining because they believe it¡¯s the time when their god favors and will bless their hunting. They¡¯ll conduct several ritual before feasting. The prey would be purified in this pond. Actually, I¡¯m just taking their rwach and soul power, while the physical body remain intact for them to feast later. After that, the prey will be bring forth before their god for a full day, symbolizing an offering that their god shall take the best part first before anyone else.¡±


    This explain why they insisted on keeping us alive, Kyran thought. Now it made sense. A dead body will be deemed insulting to their god.


    ¡°This is also fate for us to meet here. Now I shall impart my soul unto you. It will merged with your rwach and aid you in battle when the time come¡± Leviathan said.


    It opened its enormous mouth and shot out a bubble glittering in golden luster, engulfing Kyran in it. Kyran felt that the bubble sipped into every cell in his body.


    ¡°Can you help me with my rwach?¡± Kyran asked after a brief silent.


    ¡°Unfortunately not. It¡¯s the restriction power of the seed inside you. It¡¯s still dormant, but when it¡¯s awaken, you will be able to release your rwach again. It will be soon enough. But be careful-¡° Leviathan stopped, staring deeply into his eyes as if pondering something and continued no more.


    ¡°You shall return now. May you fulfil your destiny!¡± Leviathan¡¯s final word reverberated inside his head.


    He still had many thing to ask, but he knew he won¡¯t get any more answer. A strong current suddenly flowed, swirling around and taking them to the surface.


    .............¡­


    Kyran and Carol spent a full five minutes underwater, much longer than anyone else before them. The Euris were waiting at the surface, some were seen whispering to each other, being confused why it took them so long. After waiting for another minute, they resurfaced and got out of the water. Carol finally opened her eyes and coughed unceasingly. The shaman paid no heed, once again cast a binding spell on them and lead the way impatiently into the forest where the final ritual would take place.


    The sun had long gone to rest, the moon took his place as the darkness began to surround them. The night breeze penetrated even the toughest bones, and the enveloping darkness was so dense it could almost be touched and not even the rain tribe could withstand. The Euris ignited some torches to lighten up the way as they walked toward the altar of sacrifice.


    It¡¯s a relatively short walk. The guard led the soon-would be-offering preys to the middle of the altar. It¡¯s a wide round-shaped slightly higher platform seperated only by a short stairs of several steps. Large torches was set at the four corner of the altar. The Shaman once again led them in prayer, and all the Euris unisonly chanted. Wind billowed for a short time, as though their god was pleased by the offering, making them chanted even more rigorously.


    To honor the gods¡¯ sacred feasting time, no one should get too close to the altar. Even the guards stood a bit farther away. They would be left alone with the beasts until the morning. If they wished to escape, now was the last chance. But it would be difficult even if they¡¯re not closely watched, remembering that each of the guards encircling the place were accompanied by silver saber-tooth tigers. Not to mention their movement was currently restricted.


    The flame flickered, fighting the cold without fear. The beasts let out a low growl before turning silent, seemed to be already given up their lives since being ¡®purified¡¯. Kyran thought hard to figure out a way to escape from the predicament.


    It¡¯s a serene night but smelled death to them.


    Suddenly, the flames-including ones carried by the guards were gone eventhough there¡¯s no breeze strong enough to blow them off. To be honest, it would take more than a breeze to extinguish such a large torch stood at the four corner, not to mention at a seperate distance at the same time.


    Darkness once again prevailed, eerie silence shrouding the place. No fighting sound, not even a scream. It just went silent, as if all the sound of the world suddenly vanished. Kyran and Carol were drenched in cold sweat.


    Carol casted a fireball, figuring up the relative position of the torch and successfully ignited it. When the scene came into vision once again, they could see no one. They looked at each other and nodded, proceeding cautiously to check the situation. All the beasts and guards in vicinity had vanished like a smoke drifting up in the air. They even didn¡¯t realize when their binding was dispelled. Not a single trace of fighting was even noticable.


    They carried a torch and stealhtily run into the forest opposite from where they came from. Just as they could already breath a relief, they realized there¡¯s someone ahead. Kyran brandished his spear and charge. Wasn¡®t word of wisdom described that who strike first, strike for a win?


    ¡°Stop!¡± Carol abruptly exclaimed. Kyran was surprised, but still managed to stop his spear from the figure of only around Carol¡¯s height.


    Carol brought the torch closer to the figure to light up the shadow. It was actually a little girl of approximately seven years old! It had a pair of furry ears and fluffy tail resembling a fox¡¯, draped in a strange cloth resembling a kimono which is rarely seen in this world. Her eyes bright, her cheek had a tint of pink on it. Her beauty had been obvious in such a young age, and still being adorable at the same time.


    She opened her mouth and said, ¡°This is not the correct way¡±


    Kyran¡¯s heartbeat thumped. He could not sense any rwach from himself, not to mention from others, but any logical explanation would tell that it¡®s impossible that any random little girl appearing in such a place would be normal. He peeked at Carol to see her reaction. Carol¡¯s face had turned white as snow. She could felt a purposedly surpressed- but still managed to permeate-pressure from her very existence.


    Seeing their dumbfounded reaction, she indifferently continued, pointing at another direction in the forest.


    ¡°That is the path you seek for¡± the girl calmly said.

 Chapter 10 : The mysterious little girl

    ¡°Who are you? Why should we trust you?¡± Kyran cautiously asked. He had formulated several plans in his mind to deal with the little girl if she really appeared to be an enemy, but seeing Carol¡¯s reaction, he doubted if they could make it in one piece. He could not sense her rwach, still he could tell by instinct that this little girl was not normal.