《Elder Lich Saga》 Chapter 1: The Elder Lich Chapter 1: The Elder Lich Bones loudly clanking, he ran through decrepit tunnels, forks, and pitfalls. The area was as familiar as the carpals of his arms, like a maze clearly jotted down for the way out. His body was skinless, but he felt that sweat had started to flow down like river as his nonexistent heart loudly pounded. The empty sockets of his eyes glowed ever so brightly, his emotions swirling in turmoil. He encountered numerous horrendous undead monsters along the way, but none of them intervened with his path. All of them ceremoniously knelt down as he passed by. Skeleton Warriors, Ghouls, Banshees, Death Knights¡ªall stepped aside as he ran past through like the wind. The air inside the cavern seemed staler than usual, and the spikes that dripped from the silver black ceiling above felt more threatening. That creature was his master, his creator, his God. How could it die? Such thoughts seemed distant even now. It was an impossibility that he refused to accept. Even the so called Heroes were unable to inflict mortal damage to his master. No one was puissant enough to banish it from existence. He was pretty sure that even the so called Gods of the puny mortals were not a match for his creator. But now, they were telling him that his creator had died against an unnamed mortal? Such blasphemy! He stopped right before a large double door made out of pure gold. Intricate engravings of the undead were carved, forming an insignia. The two death knight standing guard immediately bowed down the moment he skidded to a halt, his nonexistent eyes widening in fear. Time seemed to have slowed down as the double doors opened inwardly, its creaking sound becoming more familiar by each passing second. He clenched his bony fists then entered the room. The inside was a stark contrast to the decrepit cavern that crisscrossed into numerous veins outside. The floor was made entirely of topaz; pure silvery white polished to utter perfection. A large banner hung from the wall, covering more than half the space. Numerous statues of his master adorned each and every direction, seemingly overseeing the place¡¯s entirety. At the center was a pedestal, and on top of it was a blue tomb that shamed even the most polished of sapphires. It was wide open, revealing the slumbering appearance of his creator. Four figures stood right next to the tomb, their faces sunken with grief. ¡°W-What happened? Master¡¯s not¡­ not¡­ dead, right?¡± he asked, afraid of the answer. Was his creator really dead? It could not be, right? Serving him was his purpose, the reason for his existence. If he was really dead, then what use would his life be? A few more seconds passed but no one answered. He snarled, ¡°What happened?!¡± His voice was deep and abysmal, as if all the hatred in the world had condensed and concentrated into a single point. All of the figures turned his way as his voice reverberated. The ground rumbled and shook as everyone stared at him with fierce eyes, their glares piercing to the point of massacring. ¡°Lower your voice. Do not sully our master¡¯s tomb,¡± a male voice said. It came from a demon with twin horns sprouting from the side of his head. His ears were long, almost like those of elves, and canines protruded from his firmly shut lips. Small wings were seen at the back of his body. ¡°Elder Lich, you have heard the news, correct?¡± The Elder Lich stood in total stupor as he tried to digest the words spouted by the demon. They were not denying it. They made no refute to dismiss the thought of their master¡¯s bane. Was the news correct? He could not accept it. A soft voice filled with utter fury remarked, ¡°The Empire of Vehena had sent a raiding team composed of elite warriors. They confronted master as he was journeying the Ancestral Ruins near the Empire.¡± The Elder Lich gazed at the one that spoke. It was a small figure that hardly passed the one meter mark. She hovered right above the tomb of their creator, eyes brimming with tears. Contrary to the horrendous appearance of those present, hers was divine, almost godly. With soft, fragile wings that seemed to break from a moment¡¯s touch, her body carried with it the appearance of snow. Her cheeks were rosy yet pale, and her eyes were saucer, pure and untainted. Yet, despite her appearance that resembled the fairies, her voice was filled with vehement ferocity for the creatures that killed their master. Her anger could be felt even from the distance. It was suffocating, and the Elder Lich was sure that it could kill an ordinary human in an instant. So, their creator was killed by mere warriors of the Empire? By humans? He could not believe it. He could not accept it. He was tasked to ensure the dungeon near the Kingdom of Tesma, and it took him half a day to arrive at the Great Labyrinth despite the numerous teleportation spells he had chanted. ¡°Where were you guys when it happened?¡± snarled the Elder Lich. His fury was reaching the boiling point. ¡°Why were you not with our master when it happened? Why were you not with him to perish as his shields!?¡± Unable to contain his wrath, he began to direct his fury towards his comrades. He was kingdoms away from his master when the raid happened, but what about the others? It was the task of the five guardians to ensure that they perish as their master¡¯s shields; that not a single harm comes to their creator. One of the figures, an overly bloated red slime responded, ¡°The four of us were here¡ªmaster clearly ordered us not to interfere with the fight¡­ that he wished to fight the Empire¡¯s warrior alone.¡± ¡°But still!¡± roared the Elder Lich. The entire tomb rumbled as miasma began oozing out violently. The empty sockets of his eyes shook and quivered in deep rage. ¡°You should have guarded our creator! You should have guarded our master!¡± ¡°Elder Lich! Are you telling us that we should have not followed our creator¡¯s order?! Such blasphemy!¡± the last figure, a Banshee shrieked. She wore a light blue dress that complemented her black hair that flowed down till the knees. Her face was pallid, almost luminescent against the topaz ground. The Elder Lich was left unable to retort after her question. His heart was filled with conflicting emotions. What was the purpose of their existence? Was it not to be of use to their creator? To fulfill his demands? Even so, if the demand was to remain watching as their creator dies, should they still take heed and do so? He was unable to find the answer. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Deep inside, he knew that the other guardians must have been feeling the same remorse and conflict of emotions as he was, but he was unable to voice his thoughts out loud. The pain was too unbearable; it was excruciating. Seconds lingered, and all of them stood there in complete silence. They were unable to find an answer. They all felt empty, like a shell broken after being sucked dry by scorching flames. What use was living? They did not know anymore. The fairy-like guardian broke the silence. Her voice had turned calm, but definitely not composed. ¡°I am sure that everyone thinks of taking revenge, but just as Geneva had said before, it is blasphemous to ignore our creator¡¯s orders. It is the worst sin a guardian could commit.¡± The Elder Lich did not like the way the conversation was going to, but he remained listening regardless. The fairy continued, ¡°I will now convey our creator¡¯s last words. It was imparted to me, and I was tasked by the master to convey it to all the guardians.¡± The silence became absolute, and everyone¡¯s eyes were fixated at the hovering divinity. The fairy eventually added, ¡°In accordance to the will of our creator, I will now share it with everyone.¡± Immediately, memories streamed through everyone¡¯s mind. Like a movie, the scenes started to play out vividly. Two figures were watching the sun set on top of a familiar cliff. The Elder Lich was sure that it was the place located outside Elymia Dungeon, an S rank maze inhabited by strong monsters. It was the dungeon ruled by Fairentel, the fairy-like creature that ranked among the guardians. The sky above had turned red from the crimson ball of light, and flock of birds flew past by. The blades of grass swayed westward, free and unrestrained. Fairentel hummed a song while the other figure sat leisurely on the grass-blanketed ground. His figure was that of a human, but his skin resembled gnarled wood with numerous veins running through all sides. His eyes were slit-like, almost serpentine, and the sharp hazel glow it gave seemed to shame even the crimson ball of light before them. His limbs were thin and old, and a single glance would give one the impression that it would break from a single touch. Yet, despite the meek appearance, his wrinkled face was smiling in utter contentment. ¡°Fairentel, this is such a beautiful sight, isn¡¯t it?¡± he said, voice soft and mellifluous. The fairy broadly smiled in response, revealing a small set of teeth. Her cheeks blushed violent red, her eyes brimming in jubilance. ¡°Yes, Master Thanatos~!¡± The old figure gestured for Fairentel to come closer. With a smile, he gently placed a hand on top of the fairy¡¯s head, ruffling the silver hair that flowed down till the waist. Fairentel closed her eyes in utter bliss as she savored the euphoria. ¡°The end of my life is nearing, my child,¡± he mumbled. Fairentel slowly opened her eyes upon hearing his words. She titled her head in utter confusion. End of life? Her master was immortal. Thanatos continued, ¡°I have decided to enter the realm of the dead. I have decided that my existence in this place shall end soon. I have already fulfilled my mission. I am no longer necessary.¡± Fairentel stood in stupor. Was her master serious? She did not know. She puffed her cheeks and her fragile wings violently flapped. ¡°Master?! What are you saying? You are necessary! We need you! This world needs you! You are our creator! All of us¡ªall of your creations¡­ our purpose is to serve you!¡± Thanatos heartily laughed after seeing the flustered look of the guardian. He gazed at the sun, eyes soft and gentle. He said, ¡°This is a decision I had come to after hundreds of years of deliberation. I have long realized my purpose in life, and I deemed that I had long since fulfilled it. My existence ends here.¡± He saw the tears that uncontrollably flowed down Fairentel¡¯s eyes. His heart throbbed in pain from the sight, but what else could he do? He had already decided on his path. ¡°Fairentel, as the one that accompanied me moments before my death, it is your duty to convey my message to all the guardians. The five of you were my personal creations. My children. My happiness. My salvation.¡± ¡°Master! Please! Did we do anything wrong? Please don¡¯t leave us! We promise to do better to please Master! We promise!¡± Fairentel said. Snot had started to drip down her small nose, and her cheeks seemed redder than ever. Her chest rapidly rose and fell as she tried her best not to break down in hysteria. Thanatos wryly smiled. He raised a hand and pointed it at the setting sun. In a split second, their surroundings distorted and they found themselves on top of the clouds. The crimson ball of light seemed to have hovered closer, blocking everything the eyes could see. They felt that they could touch it. The warmth that pierced through their skin was hot and nostalgic. ¡°Why does the sun set? Is it to give way to the stars, the moon? Why does darkness come after light? Why are we granted immortality? Why are we stronger than the humans? If the God¡¯s purpose is to overlook his creation, take care of it and nurture it, then what is our purpose? Us, beings that are heralded in dark light,¡± said Thanatos. Her master¡¯s words were abstract, and she was unable to understand any meaning behind it. Still, she listened. She listened with keen ears and pure eyes. ¡°My child, after hundreds of years, I had finally found the purpose of my existence¡­ and I have fulfilled it. The moment I¡¯m gone, it is the duty of the young to find theirs. It is unacceptable to simply live. Purpose is what makes life worthwhile,¡± said Thanatos. He again lifted a finger, and the next moment, they found themselves overlooking the entirety of the world itself. The large ball of green and blue hovered above the sea of black aimlessly. Large clouds drifted over continents, and Fairentel could not help but be moved from the sight. Just like she thought, her master was the most powerful. Could such a being actually die? Impossible. As though reading her thoughts, Thanatos said, ¡°Tomorrow, I shall enter my eternal slumber. My death would mean salvation to humans. I shall make it a farewell gift to the mortal race. I shall grant them the glory of slaying the Immortal God called Thanatos.¡± He turned around and gazed at the still crying Fairentel. His brows creased and he made a soft and gentle smile. ¡°I forbid the guardians to follow me to my death. Do not seek revenge. Find your purpose. That is my last will as your master.¡± Chapter 2: The Knights of Tesma Chapter 2: The Knights of Tesma The funeral for Thanatos lasted five days in accordance to the Great Labyrinth¡¯s custom. Normally, they would do everything in their power to revive a creature they deemed worthy, but for an existence akin to a God, it was impossible with the guardians¡¯ power. All that they were left able to do was grieve and mourn, all the while ponder the meaning behind their creator¡¯s words. Immediately after the funeral, the Elder Lich left the Great Labyrinth. His exit was swift and fluid; he did not bother to say his farewells to his comrades. Deep inside, there was a boiling hatred and resentment towards the other guardians. They were a mere teleport away from their master when the raid happened, but they did nothing to protect him. If he was in the same position, ordered to stay still while their creator dies before them¡ªwould he comply? His mind was in turmoil as he tried to find the answer, and he found none. Using numerous teleportation spells, he travelled from Kingdom to Kingdom, from mountain to mountain. Eventually, he arrived at the Qavan Mountain Range. It was the large piece of land that separated the Kingdom of Tesma and the United Grakas Alliance. At the same time, it was also the place where his Labyrinth was located. ¡°Rigar¡ªI shall leave this place to you,¡± said the Elder Lich. He sat on his throne, with thousands of undead gathered before his dominion. Skeleton Warriors, Skeleton Archers, Skeleton Mage, Ghouls, Slitherans, Death Knights, Lich, Infernal Knights: All knelt down before his majestic figure. ¡°I will embark on a journey in accordance with my God¡¯s will.¡± The creature named Rigar stood beside the Elder Lich. He was an Infernal Knight clad in flames, with a body that towered five meters. His thick limbs were reminiscent of molten lava; it was devoid of skin, and numerous patches of inferno continued to violently bubble inside. He bowed low then said, ¡°As you wish, Lord Jiablu.¡± Jiablu gazed over all the undead present. All were his creations. They were the result of his blood and sweat, of his vehement fervor to create a strong army to serve his God. And now, he was leaving them behind. For an instance, he felt a prickling sensation in his heart. Was it sadness? He could not tell. After a wave of his hand, Jiablu¡¯s figure vanished, leaving behind a vacated throne. *** Jiablu stood outside his Labyrinth. The trees that surrounded him in all directions had dried and withered, and the smell of sulfur was pungent. The ground was reminiscent of a dead valley, with numerous cracks formed in all directions. Where should he go? It was the question he kept asking himself the moment he heard of his master¡¯s last will. If it took his creator hundreds of years to find his life¡¯s purpose, then how long would it take him, a mere dust when compared to his God? He sighed as his nonexistent eyes peered beyond. A mountain away from where he stood, he saw a village being ravaged by undead creatures. Smoke swirled upwards as the small wooden houses burned to crisp. He could make out the petite bodies of what seemed to be scorched humans. After a full second, he realized that he had ordered his undead to secure the area around his Labyrinth, and part of it was massacring the surrounding villages. Without much thought in it, he decided to visit the blazing settlement. He lifted a finger and a split second after, his surroundings distorted and he found himself at the village¡¯s gate. The meek partition was torn to pieces, and slabs of stones were thrown in all direction. Dead bodies of humans were scattered about. By now, he felt that the undead creatures had gone deeper inside the village, probably in search for surviving humans. ¡°H-Help!¡± a voice rang out. Jiablu glanced at the source and saw a child crawling towards his direction. He was probably in his early teens, around the age of eleven to twelve years old. Aside from the bloodied body, limp limbs, and torn calf, a distinct feature was the missing left eye. The remaining eye was closed, and Jiablu realized that the plea for help was not directed at him, nor was it directed to anyone in particular at all. It was the child¡¯s last flicker; his last attempt to cling to life. To Jiablu, an Elder Lich with unparalleled magical prowess, healing the child was as easy as breathing. If he willed it, he could even bring him back from the dead. But why would he do so? Such insects were unworthy of his time. He could not even suppress the hatred boiling inside him. They were lower life forms that tried to kill his creator numerous times before. The Elder Lich pointed a finger at the child. He was going to obviate its existence here. ¡°God. In. Heaven. Please. Save. My. Sister,¡± the child mumbled. His chest rapidly rose then fell, and Jiablu knew that even without him doing anything, the child would succumb to its death. Suddenly, a realization dawned to him. These lowly insects called humans, their lives were transient and fleeting. Would that not make them the most suitable race to learn from? They were weak, arrogant, disgusting and nothing but specks of dust, but they had something that he lacked: Mortality. If he wanted to learn the purpose of living, then he would do well in learning it from a race with very limited lifespan. A race regarded as one of the weakest. A race that continued to live despite the severe lack of power. He stood in total silence as he pondered. He had decided. He would do it. ¡°Be honored, insignificant one,¡± Jiablu said. He lifted a finger and in an instant, the life in the child dissipated away like fog. Black miasma began to envelope the now lifeless body, and moments after, the corpse reverted into its perfect state. It had completely healed. Even the missing eye from before had returned to its former glory. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°I shall take over his body. I shall mingle with the lowly insects¡ªand I shall learn from them,¡± he declared. The ground rumbled and malicious evil spirits screamed. Numerous apparitions began to manifest itself before Jiablu. Like an abyss, everything turned pitch black. His body distorted, and it darted towards the sprawled corpse of the child. A second after the phenomena, the previously dead body began to move. It slowly stood up and dusted his garb. A child¡¯s voice said, ¡°This body is too weak¡­ but it shall do for now.¡± He heard clanking sounds and he furrowed his brows in response. He did not like what he was seeing: numerous undead, and they were hostile. ¡°They don¡¯t recognize me, eh?¡± he mumbled. After taking over the child¡¯s body, a large portion of his magic was sealed in order to prevent the shell from breaking down. At most, he could use only around a tenth of his original prowess, but he knew that it was more than enough to survive amongst the mortals. One after another, skeleton warriors began to appear from the village¡¯s center. His entire left side was filled with such undead to the brim. They pointed their rusty swords at him. All they saw was a puny human, weak and helpless. After a sigh, Jiablu waved his hand, and the horde of undead monsters turned into nothing but ashes. He willed for a gust of wind to blow, and it carried the remains into the sky. Weak undead like Skeleton Warriors were disposable, and even the Liches inside his Labyrinth would be able to create one. He watched with indifferent eyes as the flickering flames continued to burn down the remaining houses. He had long confirmed that there were no longer any survivors in the village. The child was probably the last of them. He heard the sounds of hooves clanking, and the ground rumbled. From a distance, he saw clouds of dusts swirl upwards. He felt disgusted when he saw hundreds of cavalry soldiers heading towards the village. Humans, all were armed to the teeth. A banner embroidered with the insignia of a rose and a shield flowed alongside them. Horses neighed and the entire unit stopped. He heard a deep voice issue out commands. ¡°Platoon 1 shall secure the perimeter! Platoon 2 shall search for survivors! The rest of you, follow me!¡± One by one, the soldiers dismounted. One of them shouted the moment he saw the child that was now Jiablu. ¡°Commander! A child! A survivor!¡± A middle aged man with firm brows immediately came running. His limbs were as thick as tree trunks, and his armor was different from the others. Unlike the silver plate the soldiers wore, his was pure white, almost reminiscent of the topaz in his master¡¯s tomb. The commander halted right before the child. His ages eyes glimmered in jubilance. He heaved a relieved sigh then said, ¡°Thank God! Thank God!¡± Jiablu tilted his little head to the side. The man¡¯s voice was close to crying. Why? Was seeing a mere puny human, a child at that, such a moving sight? He was unable to understand the rationale behind it. All he felt was confusion, and deep hatred that continued to boil. Still, he restrained himself. Unnecessary bloodshed was not needed right now. Soldiers continued to search the burning village for any survivors. The commander asked, ¡°Are you alright? What happened here?¡± Jiablu just stood there like a statue, not bothering to respond to the question. The commander sighed and smiled in self-mockery. Why had he not thought of it before? The child was a victim of slaughter. He must have seen numerous villagers succumb to their deaths and he, an adult actually dared to ask the child what had transpired in the village. He bit his lips as he regretted the words he said. ¡°Commander! We¡¯ve searched the entire village¡ª,¡± a soldier said. His next words were whispered, ¡°¡ªBut there were no other survivors. This child must be the only one remaining.¡± The commander nodded once. He understood the implications. He stood face to face with the child and smiled. He softly said, ¡°You are safe now. We will do our best to protect you.¡± After he realized that the child had no intention of answering, he grabbed him and placed him on top of the mount. The horse loudly neighed after contact. Did the horse shiver? He stared at the mount¡¯s feet. They were trembling. ¡°This place¡¯s probably too hot for the horses. We need to get out,¡± he mumbled. He turned towards his men. ¡°We are going back to the Kingdom. All men¡ªlet¡¯s go!¡± One after another, the soldiers mounted their horses. After a slap of their reigns, the mounts kicked the ground, sending dusts flying around. Only a few moments after, the scorching village had turned distant. Jiablu rode the horse together with the commander. Beside them were more than a hundred mounted soldiers, fully armed to the teeth. The commander said to him, ¡°Child, we are the Knights of Tesma. Worry no longer. We shall not let any harm come your way, no matter what. We promise you that.¡± He snarled at his men, ¡°We have failed to protect the village! We have failed to protect its people, but this child survived! To atone for our sins, we shall do our best to protect him! If we let so much as a scratch come to him, how could we look at our ancestor¡¯s faces in the afterlife? How would we face God Aquina in the days of Judgment? Do you understand, soldiers?!¡± In unison, the entire cavalry roared, ¡°Yes sir!¡± Chapter 3: The Mysterious Magician Chapter 3: The Mysterious Magician After escaping from the blazing village, the Knights of Tesma kept moving towards the east, where their destination was supposedly located. Night came, and they stopped to recuperate. Soldiers pitched tents, and some made bonfires. Jiablu saw some soldiers prepare dinner. He felt a peculiar sensation when the aromatic scent wafted through the air. Was it longing for food? He had yet to find out. He was staring at the soldiers that tirelessly moved about in the grassy plains when a voice called out to him. It was firm but gentle, ¡°How are you feeling?¡± He looked at his left and saw the commander of the knights. By estimate, the must have been past the two meter mark. He was gigantic for a human. Jiablu also noticed a scar that ran across the man¡¯s left cheeks. He stood and stared at him in silence. The commander scratched his temporal. How should he deal with this? He had never handled such delicate things before. One wrong move and he might shatter the mind of the traumatized child. He felt a chill run down his spine. It was something he had to avoid at all costs. He coughed once before he continued, ¡°I am Lancelot Frederick, one of the three commanders of the Knights of Tesma.¡± There was an awkward pause before he added, ¡°How about you? What¡¯s your name?¡± If someone were to see him now, Lancelot was utterly sure they would laugh at his incompetence in handling such sensitive matter. He was known as one of the strongest knights in the history of the Kingdom, but that was all. Aside from warfare, he had no other weapons from his arsenal. He patiently waited for a response but received none. As he thought, conversation with the child was currently useless. But he understood. What transpired in the village was horrendous after all. It was normal for a child to be speechless from shock. After a deep sigh that depicted resignation, he grabbed the hand of the child and gestured for him to come inside the tent. For a moment, the split second their eyes locked with each other, Lancelot swore that he saw an evil glare come from the child. No, evil was an understatement. It felt as though all the hate and resentment in the world had gathered and condensed to a single point. For an instance, he almost screamed. Thankfully, he was able to restrain himself. Had he screamed, a large commotion over the soldiers would have transpired. But what was that? Now that he gazed at the child, all he saw was pure untainted eyes. The eyes of a victim. Lifeless and without purpose. Lancelot violently shook his head thrice as he dismissed the thought. He noticed the quizzical look of the child, and he heartily smiled in response, ¡°Haha~ sorry ¡®bout that. Did I scare you?¡± After a gentle tug, Lancelot and the child went inside the tent. It was wide enough to accommodate a dozen soldiers at once. There were no tables, but the floor was laden with a carpet. The two figures inside glanced at Lancelot and the child the moment they entered. ¡°It¡¯s the commander~ how¡¯d it go?¡± a woman said with a chuckle. Her blue eyes were dancing as she tilted her head to the left. The child noticed that despite being part of the Knights of Tesma, the woman wore different attire. Hers was a chasuble embroidered with the Kingdom¡¯s insignia on the shoulder. ¡°Haha~ judging by the commander¡¯s dejected face, I guess it¡¯s obvious,¡± an old man added. He wore the same armor as the soldiers, but one could clearly notice the stark contrast in physique. His body was ancient, with numerous wrinkles adorning the skin. Moreover, his limbs were as thin as twigs. It made one wonder how he was able to handle the weight of his full plate armor. Lancelot gave an awkward smile as the two joined in the laughter. He gestured for the child to come and sit beside him. To his relief, the child complied. At the very least, the child could understand words. He was grateful for that fact. The woman began distributing a small bowl to each and everyone in the room. It was beige in color, and a small piece of meat floated on top. Jiablu¡¯s share was as large as those of the adults. He held his bowl with a hint of curiosity. He had begun to slightly salivate, a first time for an undead like him. As he had expected, a human body was weak and helpless. They needed to constantly feed themselves, otherwise, they would perish. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°So, how¡¯s the investigation?¡± asked Lancelot. The old man replied after a sip from his bowl, ¡°Don¡¯t do it, sir. I think the rumors are true. The area in that mountain is territory of a powerful undead. It is foolish to try and challenge it. Going back to the Kingdom to report is the best course of action.¡± ¡°And how did you arrive at that conclusion?¡± asked Lancelot. He noticed that the child had yet to touch his bowl. In the old man¡¯s stead, the woman replied, ¡°When we searched the village for survivors, I¡¯ve found traces of undead¡ªhundreds of undead. We encountered none along the way, but I think the rumors were true. The ravaging of the villages surrounding that mountain is perpetrated by the undead.¡± Lancelot¡¯s eyes widened. He bit his lips then said, ¡°I see. Faith, you are a High Priest of the Order of Aquina. Even the Kingdom would have no choice but listen to your findings.¡± Faith nodded once. She paused for a few seconds as she stared at everyone in the room. Should she tell them the other thing she found? It was preposterous, and even she was unable to believe it. But it was there. She was sure of it. She gulped the lump in her throat then mustered her resolve. ¡°Commander, actually¡­ the undead aside, I found something even more surprising. Even I myself don¡¯t want to believe it¡­ but God Aquina cannot be wrong. There really are traces of magic used in there before we arrived.¡± Faith glanced at the child. Jiablu noticed it, his hands still holding his bowl. Did she notice? Should he kill her? Such thoughts filled his mind as he quietly listened to the conversation. ¡°Magic?¡± said Lancelot. For some reason, he was feeling uneasy: as though the conversation would determine their life and death, that some Reaper was currently watching their every move. ¡°Yes,¡± said Faith. ¡°The high ranking spell, Obviate.¡± Time seemed to have stood still as everyone stared at the woman in shock. Was she serious? Obviate was a high ranking spell capable of vanquishing enemies in the blink of an eye. But as far as they knew, it was a rank 8 spell that needed at least a hundred magician¡¯s worth of mana to cast. Moreover, the magic could only be cast after necessary preparations were done. At the very least, it needed an intricate magic circle that would take almost a month to finish. They stared at the priest in utter astonishment, and realized that she meant every word she said. If that was true, then a Rank 8 Magician appeared on that village and obliterated the undead. Who was it? Why did he not reveal himself when they arrived? But then, there was also the possibility that the magician had already left when they arrived at the blazing settlement. There was also the chance that it was an organization. Yes, it should be an organization. Otherwise, what kind of monster would that magician be if he was capable of using that spell alone? They shivered at the thought. ¡°¡ªand the spell, Immortal¡¯s Blessing, was also used,¡± she added. They almost wanted to scream the moment they heard it. Immortal¡¯s Blessing was a rank 10 spell capable of healing the most grave of injuries. Even now, there was only a single magician in the entire history of the continent that had used it. But according to records, that certain magician managed the feat only after depleting the power of a Mana Stone obtained from a young Dragon. They all glanced at the child. If Immortal¡¯s Blessing was used, then it would have explained the child¡¯s absence of injuries. His clothes were torn and tattered, there were blotches of blood, but even the slightest scratch was not visible. The more they pondered, the more feasible it seemed. Who was that mysterious magician? He killed hundreds of undead and healed a child using the most advance of spells, as though it was nothing but a whim. Was he stronger than the Seven Holy Apostles? But why did he not reveal himself till now? ¡°This is crazy,¡± said the old man. Everyone agreed. Suddenly, a rumbling sound was heard, and everyone glanced at its source. Jiablu shot a quizzical gaze when he suddenly found himself at the center of attention. Another grumbling sound echoed, and he glanced at his stomach. ¡°So, this is the feeling of hunger? Magnificent,¡± said the child. Everyone realized it was the first time he spoke. Chapter 4: A Detour Chapter 4: A Detour The tense atmosphere instantly vanished and was replaced by a sense of curiosity and surprise after the child¡¯s voice was heard. They all thought that the child had been greatly traumatized and would not speak anytime soon. ¡°So, you can speak! Great! Great!¡± said Lancelot. His usual deep voice crescendo, turning high-pitched and eerie. He glanced at the bowl held by the child. It was still untouched. ¡°The soup may not look like it, but it¡¯s really delicious! Try it!¡± Jiablu glanced at the bowl filled with soup. The small meat that floated on top was distinct. After glancing at the blatantly jubilant commander, he raised it to his lips and took a sip. His eyes dilated in surprise. So, this was what food tasted like. It was not bad at all. Was this the reason why humans were so eager to eat and drink? Before he knew it, he had finished his share in a matter of seconds. ¡°Kakakaka!¡± said the old man. He heartily laughed as he stroked his short beard. Watching the child finish his food in a single go was heartwarming, it tugged at the heart. He grabbed his half-finished bowl and handed it over. ¡°Here¡¯s my share. Old men like me need not much food to live by. You can have it.¡± ¡°Insect, know your place. You dare offer me half-finished food?¡± said Jiablu. His words struck everyone like lightning. Silence turned absolute as everyone in the room stared at him in shock. Did they hear wrong? They saw the stunned expressions of each other and realized that they heard it correct. There was an awkward pause as the old man tried to break the ice. ¡°Hahaha! You sure know your words, young one~ but remember, not everyone will be so forgiving.¡± He shrugged and added, ¡°Well, rashness is the mark of youth, tolerance is the beauty of adulthood.¡± Faith wore a smile as she said, ¡°That¡¯s right. Child, you should be careful on what you say, okay?¡± Jiablu was unable to fully comprehend what they were implying. A gust of curiosity struck him and he asked, ¡°Human, you are a priest¡ªhave you ever spoken with your God?¡± What was this child saying? The way he spoke was arrogant, definitely condescending. Still, they nodded in self-affirmation. Like the old man said, tolerance was the beauty of adulthood. Faith combed her golden hair to the side. She was hesitant to answer the child¡¯s question. Would it be fine to continue with the conversation? As time passed, they realized that the child was not as pure as he seemed to be. Eventually, she answered, ¡°I¡¯m just a mere High Priest. Only the Pope gets to have a conversation with God Aquina.¡± They had yet to recover from shock when the child again spat, ¡°So, you¡¯re at the bottom of the Hierarchy? Pity. And I thought that I would learn a lot from you, priest. I suppose you won¡¯t have an answer to my question then.¡± By now, the atmosphere had turned nasty. The previously docile and innocent child turned out to be a condescending youth that knew no bounds. What should they respond after such words? Lancelot and Faith looked at the old man for help. He was the oldest among them, and his experience might help them make the best out of the situation. The old man gave a deep sigh. ¡°I may be old, but it doesn¡¯t mean I have the experience. I¡¯ve never had a kid of my own. You do it commander. You have a son his age, no?¡± Lancelot suddenly felt great burden upon his shoulders. He also gave a deep sigh then turned at the child. He noticed that his eyes were focused, definitely sincere with the words he had just spouted. He had the feeling that it was the child¡¯s usual attitude. Then, was the child the son of the village chief? It was the only explanation he could come up with after witnessing the condescending demeanor. Lancelot creased his brows and cleared his throat. ¡°Child, before that¡ªI¡¯ve asked for your name before, right? Tell us your name, and we¡¯ll talk.¡± ¡°Jiablu,¡± said the child. His answer was firm and immediate. ¡°I see. Then, Jiablu¡­ what is the question you wanted to ask our High Priest? I know that you¡¯ve gone through a traumatic experience and all, but let me tell you this¡ªin society, there are rules you should adhere to. The most basic of them is courtesy.¡± ¡°Are you telling me that I should be polite to creatures lower than dust?¡± said Jiablu. Everyone groaned after the remark. What the hell was up with the kid? He was raised quite horribly. Lancelot firmly bit his lips. He should not back down in this. It was for the best. He said, ¡°Yes. Exactly.¡± Jiablu snorted. Was this how human society worked? Laughable. Inside his Labyrinth, hierarchy was absolute. Those without power were made to serve those of higher status. It was not a matter of seniority. It was a matter of strength. The old man slapped his forehead in resignation. He looked at the sneering child then said, ¡°You must have been raised that way, but at the very least, could you stop treating other people like insects? I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve reminded me of my niece for a second.¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± said Faith. She mumbled her next words, ¡°I can¡¯t believe this kid. Seriously!¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s the question you wanted to ask?¡± said Lancelot. He had enough already. He just wanted everything to be over with. For some reason, his muscles ached and he felt sleepy. ¡°Why do you continue to live? For what purpose?¡± said Jiablu. His question was unexpected, like a thrown stone in the middle of a forest. He was a box of surprises. Like a lit lantern, a realization dawned to them. Was the child questioning his reason for existence? Surely, he had seen his fellow villagers succumb to their deaths. Was he feeling remorse for being the only one that survived? Was he dreading the future that would come? Sure, he was now alone, without any parents to guide him, but it did not mean that he should give up on life itself. The sour atmosphere from the condescending attitude before slowly vanished and was replaced with worry and grief. How could they forget? No matter how piercing and arrogant the child was, he was still a victim of slaughter. They were sure that he was aching deep inside. Who knew, maybe his brusque words were only a fa?ade meant to hide his anxiety and fear. The old man was the first to respond. His voice turned soft and gentle, as though afraid that a wrong move would shatter the heart of the child, ¡°Child, the answer will differ from person to person. But I am sure that there is a common point for everyone¡ªLove.¡± Jiablu turned silent. Love? It was a feeling that he had a hard time grasping the meaning behind. Was his devotion to his creator a form of love? Or was it sheer loyalty born from the bond of master and servant? He was unable to find the answer. ¡°Love is the greatest thing man could commit. To love and be loved back is the greatest feeling, but it doesn¡¯t mean that it should end there. There is also unrequited love, but the value of the act doesn¡¯t diminish the slightest. To love is to not expect,¡± said the old man. He stared directly at the child¡¯s eyes. It was the eyes of a man thirsting for knowledge. ¡°If you¡¯re going to ask me: Why do I live? For what purpose? Then I would answer with the same thing every time. It is because I have loved and am continuing to love.¡± The answer of the old man was abstract, but Jiablu had the feeling that he was getting closer to his goal. He closed his eyes and mumbled, ¡°Love, huh?¡± He made a mental note that he would someday uncover the secret behind such words. For an undead like him, someone made not to feel too much emotion, such things were hard to grasp. Faith, Lancelot, and the old man smiled at each other. There was no need for the other two to answer. The one given by the old man was more than enough. ¡°This is awkward. Suddenly talking about love,¡± said Faith. Her face was slightly red, and Jiablu noticed that she took a peek at Lancelot, whose brows were creased in thought. She shook her head twice then said to Jiablu, ¡°If the answer you got here is not enough, then you should go to the temple. I¡¯m sure the Cardinal could help you.¡± ¡°The temple, huh? That¡¯s a great idea. We could also ask the Order to take care of him. It¡¯s hitting two birds with one stone,¡± said Lancelot. Normally, Jiablu would be against going to the temple. To him, Thanatos was the only true God. Still, if meeting the so called Cardinal would enable him to reach his goal, then he would be willing to set aside the differences for now. A fluttering sound was heard, and the entrance to the tent opened. A soldier entered. After a salute, he said, ¡°Commander! We¡¯ve received a Blue Falcon from the Kingdom. The message sent is bound by the Royal Seal.¡± Lancelot¡¯s expression immediately turned serious. The Royal Family would never use the Royal Seal for anything short of an emergency. Immediately, he asked the soldier to give him the letter. His eyes widened as he read the words written. He gripped the parchment then turned to his comrades, ¡°Change of plans. We¡¯ll take a detour to Rube Fortress.¡± ¡°Rube Fortress?¡± asked Faith. Their initial plan was to safely send the child towards the nearest city, then meet up with the third division of the Knights of Tesma. The Fortress of Rube was the opposite direction from their original destination. Lancelot nodded, ¡°It¡¯s a decree by the King. We shall aid the allied forces in repelling the monsters¡¯ invasion.¡± The old man stood up. ¡°Monster invasion, huh? How many are we talking about?¡± ¡°Ogres, a thousand of them,¡± said Lancelot. The old man nodded then combed his beard. ¡°A thousand? That is a difficult number, but it should be manageabl¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªand a hundred thousand Goblins,¡± added Lancelot. Everyone¡¯s faces turned grim and pallid. Chapter 5: Raymond and Lady Sophia Chapter 5: Raymond and Lady Sophia It was early in the morning, with the sun yet to reveal its glory. The sound of air being split apart was heard in the courtyard, followed by huffing sounds that depicted great fatigue and exhaustion. Raymond, one of the numerous foot soldiers in the city, kept swinging his wooden sword, his youthful face shrouded by the numerous scars that adorned his cheeks. A swing turned into a hundred, and a hundred turned into thousands. Still, he did not stop. He kept swinging until his muscles bulged and ached, until the pain turned unbearable and excruciating. His world and hers were heavens apart, and the sword was his only way to bridge the gap. After the daily regimen, he donned his leather armor and strapped his short sword at his waist. He tied his long, night black hair to the back. With brisk steps, he went towards the cathedral. He knelt down and prayed to his God. ¡°God Aquina, this humble servant of yours prays for victory. Please grant the Fortress of Rube your divine protection,¡± he prayed. The statue of the Water God stood at the center of the pedestal. Its small figure hovering above like an overseer, with its fragile wings opened wide in dominion. After his prayer, the soldier exited the cathedral and passed through the numerous stone houses that filled the Residential District. Peculiarly, there was hardly a soul present in the streets, as though all the life in the area had vanished entirely. After passing through numerous sidewalks and alleyways in his attempt to cut time, he eventually arrived at the Army Camp. The Army Camp was bustling with activities, a stark contrast to the ghostly Residential District. Numerous soldiers kept moving about, all clad in the same outfit. ¡°Soldiers¡ªassemble!¡± a voice echoed. Immediately, the sea of brown and black moved in unison, eventually forming a singular formation. Everyone stood in attention as a woman, probably in her early twenties, stood on top of a pedestal. Her armor was fully plated, giving semblance to the knights. The crimson hair that flowed down her waist was incandescent against the white plated background. Her skin was ivory, definitely more pallid than snow, and her eyes held great fierceness that would only be found in the greatest of warriors. One could not say that she was utterly beautiful, but there was an irresistible charm in her that would make one stop and stare. She pulled out the claymore on her back, creating a mellifluous unsheathing sound. She held it up to the heavens and snarled, ¡°For decades, this fort had served as the border between the Kingdom of Renaga and the Kingdom of Tesma! We are a neutral party! And as such, we are heralded in great light!¡± Silence was absolute as she continued, ¡°Today, we fight! We fight the invading army of monsters that threaten to take our lives away! We fight to ensure the lands that had been passed down to us by our forefathers! Soldiers!¡ª ¡± Her voice crescendo, almost reaching the heavens above. ¡°¡ªWe fight for glory! We fight for freedom!¡± The army burst out into shouts of resolve. The ground quaked and rumbled from the stomping of their feet. Swords were raised up to the heavens, and the morale of the troops soared to great heights. Raymond gazed at her with strong, yet gentle eyes. She was his goal. She was the reason he swung his sword every day, every night. For Lady Sophia, he would gladly die. After a thunderous roar, the entire army moved out. *** The army gathered right outside the colossal iron gate of the fortress. Beyond, just right after crossing the Gralvan Plains, a sea of green was seen moving about. The numerous small figures approached from the distance, their movements sending dusts swirling upwards. Though the soldiers were veterans, the intercepting army of the Rube Fortress hardly passed seven thousand. Fear and anxiety was palpable as the army awaited the approaching mob. They had been to numerous sieges before, but this was the first time such a large scale invasion transpired. It was beyond logic; as though some cursed God was playing his pranks upon the mortals. ¡°Lady Sophia! We¡¯ve received news of reinforcements! The Knights of Tesma will arrive here in the next few hours!¡± a soldier said. His words immediately gave relief to everyone that heard it. The Knights of Tesma was among the strongest forces in the mainland. Sophia nodded in affirmation. They needed to hold out, at least until the knights arrived. Still, she was feeling uneasy. The Knight of Tesma were veteran warriors, with some soldiers capable of magic, but would they be strong enough against their current foe? Even she was unable to believe it when she had heard the report regarding the massive invading army. A monster¡¯s roar reverberated, and it was quickly followed by numerous others. Sophia furrowed her brows as the clouds of dust soared to the sky even further, and the view of the massive army loomed closer. ¡°Soldiers of Rube! Spearhead formation! Magicians¡ªbegin the lightning spell! Archers¡ªfire!¡± The massive army of monsters eventually clashed against the army. Arrows flew and covered the sky as spears pierced through hundreds of green bodies. Ogres swung their clubs and swept away soldiers by the dozens, sending their bodies flying about. Lightning fell down the sky and scorched the bodies of monsters. The stench of blood lingered in the air ever so strongly.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Raymond brandished his short sword as he hacked away at the goblins one after another. He had been to numerous monster subjugation quests before, and he had encountered goblins several times already. Still, the amount that surrounded their army was beyond compare. The air seemed stale, and it was getting harder to breathe with every swing of his blade. At the corner of his eyes, he kept a firm watch on Lady Sophia. She, along with thousand others, charged head-first into the fray. Her battle cry invigorated the soldiers¡¯ morale. ¡°I won¡¯t fall here! I¡¯ll make it to the top!¡± declared Raymond. One after another, goblins fell from his blade. Blood mucked his leather armor as his entire body trembled from fatigue. No matter how many he defeated, the wave would not stop. They kept on coming, like pests in the middle of harvest. Seconds passed and turned to minutes, and minutes quickly turned to hours. They kept blocking the monsters, wave after wave, and assault after assault. How many hours had it been? He had no idea. All that ran through his mind was to slaughter as much enemies as possible, his body in full throttle as adrenaline boiled in its utter limit. His throat was parched and dry, and his body was sweat-filled all over. His vision dimmed, yet, there was no sign that the horde was diminishing in number. The sound of a blunt force hitting metal resounded, and he instinctively glanced at the gate. Three Ogres were bludgeoning the colossal iron using their wooden clubs; each of their strikes seemed to unhinged the partition from the wall itself. The arrows from above receded, and the hundreds of soldiers stationed to directly blockade the front of the gate had reduced to almost nil. It was only now that Raymond realized that their army was losing, that it was only a matter of time before the Fortress fell. He pulled out his blade that pierced through the body of a goblin then made a dash towards the Ogres breaking through the gates. He was able to see around a dozen soldiers running towards the same direction, their goal probably the same as his. After a roar that contained his entire might, he leapt and stabbed his short sword into the back of an Ogre. It yelped in pain as it shook its body in an attempt to shake off Raymond. The force made him fly a few meters back and his body skidded on the ground. The three Ogres that had penetrated their ranks glared at him in utter fury. ¡°Damn it!¡± said Raymond. He had lost his weapon, and he had now become the target of three gigantic monsters easily spanning four meters. After his pair of jewels frantically swiveled left and right, he found a bastard sword on the ground. Immediately, he picked it up and ducked when a club came cruising towards him. Just a single hit would be enough to tear his body to shreds. He shivered at the thought. ¡°Reinforcements! The Knights of Tesma are here!¡± a voice echoed in the battlefield. Shouts of joy rumbled as numerous cavalries came running through the battlefield, their weapons mowing through the hordes of monsters. The prowess of the almighty knights boosted everyone¡¯s morale, and even Raymond could not help but be amazed as they decimated the monsters one after another, their tempo hardly stopping. Balls of fire occasionally flew about and hit the Ogres. Even the three Ogres that targeted him fell down limp and scorched on the ground when numerous balls of fire strike their gigantic bodies. He inwardly cried in bliss as he watched their reinforcement push back the invading monsters. ¡°So strong¡­ So, this is the Knights of Tesma,¡± mumbled Raymond. ¡ªBut his joy was short-lived. From a distance, he saw their commander, Lady Sophia have herself surrounded by monsters in all directions. Her unit was almost wiped out; a consequence of taking the role of bait and vanguard. Along with around a dozen soldiers, they repelled the surrounding monsters. But Raymond knew that it was only a matter of time before they fell. It was impossible for a dozen soldiers to fight against thousands of surroundings beasts. Without hesitation, he ran ahead towards her. His body charged forth despite the numerous cuts and injuries, despite the fatigue that enveloped him. He was terribly huffing, and his vision was clouded from the blood that dripped down his brows. ¡°Lady Sophia!¡± shouted Raymond. But his voice was immediately muffled by the clanking sounds of metal. He ran. He ran. He ran. He ran until his lungs screamed out in agony, until his body was close to breaking and exploding. Why was the distance seemed so long? By now, the dozen soldiers supporting her dwindled down to five. It was only a matter of minutes before they all fell together. No, it was a matter of seconds. Raymond hacked away the monsters that blocked his path, sometimes not bothering to dodge the claws and sickles that cut his body. It would only impede his speed, something that he cannot afford to give up right now. ¡ªAnd the thing he dreaded turned reality. Sophia was hit by an Ogre¡¯s mace right before his very eyes. Her body flew a few meters into the sky, before falling down the goblin infested ground, tattered, limp, and probably lifeless. Raymond screamed. Was it from shock, remorse, regret, or rage¡ªhe was not sure. His mind went blank and he charged right into the now retreating army. One after another, he cut the fleeing monsters. Their flesh resisted at first, but eventually gave way like butter in the end. His armor was soaked with his enemies¡¯ blood. His eyes wide with rage. He finally arrived at the place where Sophia fell, and he almost went crazy from the corpse that greeted him. Her previously well-toned body was torn to shreds, and her left arm was missing. Her eyes were gauged out, probably eaten by the goblins that surrounded her after she fell from impact. Raymond screamed. His entire world turned white. He lost consciousness. *** Raymond woke up from the sounds of boots clanking. Upon opening his eyes, he found himself inside a make-do infirmary. Hundreds of soldiers were laying down the bed like him. All were wearing severely battered bodies. It was a miracle in itself that they survived despite such injuries. The memories from the fight streamed inside his mind, and he screamed the moment he remembered. The priests inside the infirmary stared at him in shock, their eyes carrying a hint of understanding and of pity. A few moments passed, and the priests again started moving about. They continued to heal the soldiers¡¯ injuries one after another, despite their mana being unable to accommodate such massive number. No one knew when it happened, but Raymond suddenly vanished from his bed. *** Inside the cathedral, Raymond knelt down in prayer. His hands were tightly clasped against each other, his eyes brimming with tears. She died. He saw it. But why? Did he not pray to his God? Did he not train every day to protect her? To make sure that no harm comes to her? ¡°Damn it¡­ damn¡­ it,¡± mumbled Raymond. He looked at the figure of God Aquina with resentful eyes. His body quivered with violent hatred. What use was religion? What use was a God? All that mattered to him was her, and now, she was gone. He failed to protect her. He failed to protect the one that matter the most. ¡°Damn it!¡± he roared. His voice echoed, almost shaking the grand chandelier that hung from above. He stared at the statue of God Aquina then spat, ¡°Damn you¡ªfucking God! I prayed, didn¡¯t I? I worshipped you, gave you my faith and devotion. Why?! Why?! Why?!!¡± Raymond stood up and ruffled his disheveled hair. Blood continued to drip down his bandaged wounds, his cheeks swollen from the fight before. He tottered back, legs limp and barely movable. He had enough. If religion was no salvation, then he would rather die without clinging to any of those damnable faiths. He would rather die while exchanging his soul to death itself. He mumbled, ¡°God of Death, Thanatos. They say you are dead¡­ that mere mortals had slain you. But if you are really there¡­ if you exist¡­ if you really exist¡­ please¡­ bestow judgment upon my enemies¡­ please. You can take my soul afterwards.¡± His lips quivered. Could the God even hear him? His remark was out of desperation, but he meant everything he said regardless. Tears were still dripping down his cheeks when a voice called out to him. It was the voice of a child. Upon turning around, right at the entrance of the cathedral, a child with ash white hair and crimson eyes greeted his sight. He wore a red cloak around his body, but it failed to hide the tattered tunic inside. It was filled with blotches of blood but peculiarly, not a single scratch was seen on his ivory skin. There was something eerie from the child, but he was unable to pinpoint it. ¡°Humans are nothing but insects¡ªbut a human that worships my God gains the status of a sentient animal,¡± said the child. Raymond felt shivers run down his spine when they locked eyes with each other. "Very well, in accordance to your prayer, your desire shall be granted." Raymond did not know the reason why, but he knelt down in worship. Chapter 6: Answered Prayer Chapter 6: Answered Prayer The silence inside the small cathedral was absolute as Raymond knelt down in prayer. He felt hollow and empty, and there was an indescribable helplessness embracing his entire body. He wanted to weep and wail. He wanted to scream, but no voice came out. He remained kneeling, all the while waiting for the words that he somehow knew would change his life. ¡°My interest has been piqued by this is so called God Aquina,¡± said the child. Raymond had never heard such cold voice before. It was icy, almost monotonous. He heard the sounds of footsteps. The child said, ¡°Laughable. This petite creature is the God of humans? If my memory serves me correct, this is merely a Queen Fairy.¡± Still kneeling, Raymond turned his head to the left. He saw that the child was touching the feet of the statue. There was an arrogant smirk plastered on his face, and he was sure that a small sigh came out his mouth. But why was he still kneeling? Raymond did not know the reason why, but he continued to do so regardless. There was something peculiar and eerie about the child, and Raymond was unable to pinpoint it out. His current actions were probably the result of his innumerable battles as a soldier, or was it the basic intuition of all that lives? Raymond was not sure. He felt that a single wrong move here would dictate his fate. And so, Raymond patiently waited. ¡°Kukuku! The so called God Aquina of the mortals is nothing but a Queen Fairy!¡± said the child. His voice echoed inside the silent cathedral. He placed a finger on the statue of the Water God, slowly tracing a line downward. ¡°Fairentel¡­ I wonder what she would say if she heard about this? Who would have thought that her kind is being worshipped as Gods? Disgusting.¡± There was a soft, wheezing sound. The statue of the Water God formed cracks then turned to dust. Raymond¡¯s eyes were wide in surprise as he watched the child approach his direction. ¡°This trip is a waste of my time. Mortal¡ª,¡± said the child. Raymond¡¯s body violently trembled when the distance between them turned a mere breath away. His instinct was screaming at him that he should get away, that he should not associate himself with such malevolent entity. ¡°You¡¯ve prayed to my God before. What is it that you desire?¡± If someone were to see him now, Raymond was sure that they would raise their brows as they questioned his actions. Why would a full grown soldier kneel down before a child? He was asking the same question all this time, and he wanted to stand and leave the cathedral, but his soul was screaming otherwise. He somehow felt that if he left, he would forever regret it. With a hint of hesitation, Raymond answered, ¡°Lady Sophia. My only desire is her.¡± The child stood there for a full second, his eyes dancing as he gazed at the helpless soldier before him. Slowly, the child reached out a hand to Raymond. He placed a finger on the man¡¯s forehead. The cuts and bruises on Raymond¡¯s body dissipated like fog. ¡°Your desire, is that all?¡± said the child.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Suddenly, a violent storm hit Raymond. He found himself in the middle of an abyss, with flashes of memories streaming by. Beside him was the mysterious child, and they both stood there in total silence as innumerable memories gushed out like a violent geyser. Eventually, the flashes of memories stopped. The child nodded in self-affirmation. ¡°What a mundane dream. As expected of an insect. But a prayer to my God cannot be merely ignored. Very well, in accordance to your prayer¡ªit shall be granted.¡± *** The encounter half an hour ago was still fresh on his memory. It was dreamlike and fleeting, but his rejuvenated body that had not the slightest scratch on it was testament to that encounter. Who was that child? He healed his wounds like a simple whim, obviously not exerting an ounce of effort at all. Furthermore, his entire body was filled with vigor. Strength overflowed within him, almost erupting. He had the feeling that he could crush mountains in a single blow. He silently walked through the cracked roads of the fort. The place was almost desolate, and the faces of the few people present were pallid and anxious. It seemed that the monsters had retreated after the Knights of Tesma came, but reports indicated that the mob were preparing for a second onslaught. ¡°Raymond!¡± He halted in his tracks when he felt a firm grip upon his shoulders. Upon turning his neck, he saw a familiar face. He did not know the man¡¯s name, but he was sure that he was part of the division he was in. ¡°Raymond! I was tasked to find you! You¡¯ve suddenly vanished¡­ the healers were frantic. You¡¯re one of the most severely injured ones¡ª,¡± said the man. He stared at Raymond and was stunned when he realized that he was devoid of injuries, let alone any scratch. The soldier was rendered speechless, and Raymond heaved a sigh in response. ¡°What is it? As you can see, I am fine. There¡¯s no need for the healers to waste their magic on me.¡± As he was about to turn around, the soldier spouted some words that Raymond would not forget for the rest of his life. ¡°More¡­ More importantly! Y-You won¡¯t believe it! Lady Sophia¡­ Lady Sophia is alive!¡± Time stood still as Raymond tried to digest those words. Alive? He saw her corpse himself. He was there when she died. Still, a faint glimmer of hope rekindled itself within him. His entire body shook as he said, ¡°Is¡­ Is that true? Where? Where is she?!¡± ¡°At the Western Brigade near the Gra¡ª¡± Raymond did not wait for the soldier to finish. He ran with all his might, faster than the wind. His heart loudly pounded as various thoughts filled his mind. She was alive? Was it true? Very well, in accordance to your prayer¡ªit shall be granted. The words spoken by the child back then resounded in his mind. For some reason, he believed that if it was that child, then anything was possible. He grasped that sliver of hope as he ran towards his destination. After passing through numerous intersections and roads, he finally arrived before a four-story building. He charged through the large oaken door and frantically surveyed the interior. Those that were inside the room stared at his direction, their faces filled with surprise. ¡°Lady Sophia!¡± shouted Raymond. He was desperate, and he no longer cared for appearances. The soldier from before had said that she was alive. She should be alive. After an absolute silence, a soft and mellifluous voice rang out. Raymond wept and wailed when he saw the figure of the woman he loved the most. He was an unknown soldier, but his devotion, love and loyalty for her was unparalleled. ¡°Soldier, what is it?¡± said Lady Sophia. She wore a white dress, her body intact and without injuries. The decapitated corpse a few hours ago seemed a lie as Raymond stared at her figure. What this a dream? If it was, he did not want to wake up. ¡°Haha¡­ Hahaha! Hahaha! She¡¯s alive¡­ She¡¯s alive,¡± said Raymond. Everyone was stunned speechless when the soldier suddenly laughed like a maniac. An eerie silence followed. Raymond wiped the tears that dripped down his cheeks. He felt the numerous old scars that adorned his face, and he grimaced for a split second. He was ugly, he knew. Lady Sophia gently smiled as she watched the soldier. She did not know his name, but she was sure of his devotion. Despite the wordless gestures of the healers, stopping her from getting up, Lady Sophia stood up and went towards the wailing man. She hugged him then said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m fine. Thank you for worrying.¡± Raymond¡¯s face distorted from utter bliss as he wordlessly cried his soul out. He could feel her warmth as she hugged his quivering body. It slowly melted his frozen mind and soul. If it was a dream, he did not want to wake up. She was alive. Like the child from before had promised, she was alive. A cold voice broke through the silence. ¡°Soldier. Lady Sophia needs to rest. You know that, no?¡± Raymond nodded after the remark of one of the healers. He broke from the firm embrace of Lady Sophia. ¡°Sorry for making a commotion.¡± Raymond stood up then saluted, ¡°Commander Sophia! This foot soldier, Raymond Falxen, shall devote his life for the sake of the fortress! For the sake of Rube!¡± His movements were rigid, almost awkward, but the fierceness within his eyes showed his unyielding devotion. Lady Sophia chuckled then smiled, making her left dimple sink in response. She tilted her head to the side. With a playful voice, she said, ¡°So, your name is Raymond Falxen? I shall remember your name, soldier~¡± Chapter 7: A Defensive Strategy Chapter 7: A Defensive Strategy After repelling the first wave of invading monsters, the Knights of Tesma immediately conducted a meeting with the commanding officers of the Rube Fortress. The tension within the room was suffocating as everyone intently stared at the large map unfolded on the ground. ¡°Are you telling us that these monsters are actually capable of coordinated assaults?¡± said Moonsol, the second highest ranking official of Rube Fortress. The flames of the torch on the wall flickered for an instance, and the shadows of everyone in the room danced with it. ¡°Definitely,¡± said Lancelot. Using a stick, he tapped at an area in the map. It was a place surrounded by numerous hills. Adjacent to it was a small lake. ¡°Someone is leading them. It wouldn¡¯t make sense otherwise. According to one of my magicians, this is the area with the most number of goblins and ogres. Basically, what we¡¯ve encountered a while ago is just the tip of the iceberg. A larger army will surely hit us sooner or later.¡± Moonsol stared at Lancelot. He shook his head and mockingly laughed, ¡°Are you serious?! You guys have just gotten here, and you surely have no idea of how much monsters we¡¯ve repelled before those abominable creatures finally retreated! And now, you¡¯re telling me¡ªtelling us¡ªthat a larger army will be invading us soon? Hah!¡± Lancelot glanced at Faith, and the priest nodded at him. She was the one that verified the total number of monsters near the Gralvan Plains. She said, ¡°Sir, I know that it is hard to believe, but this is reality. This is just a hunch, but I believe that the Goblin King has awakened from its hibernation.¡± ¡°Preposterous! The Goblin King is nothing but a myth!¡± snarled Moonsol. His voice echoed inside the room. Everyone present was taken aback by his sudden outburst of emotion. The flames again flickered, casting a shadow over his sunken face. ¡°This is what I¡¯ve kept telling Sophia. Requesting help from the Kingdom of Tesma is a mistake! From the start, we should have asked Renaga for reinforcements!¡± ¡°Monsool, watch your mouth,¡± said an elderly woman. Before now, she had been wordlessly standing beside him. She contemptuously added, ¡°You do realize that the man before you is the infamous commander of the first division of the Knights of Tesma, no? Please do not disgrace us with your incessant remarks. First of all, the Kingdom of Tesma is under no obligation to help us. We should be grateful that they¡¯ve answered our plea for help, going so far as to send the Commander to this far land.¡± The elderly woman turned to Lancelot. She closed her eyes then bowed. ¡°Please do forgive the actions of my grandson. He is young, and thus he sometimes does not know what he is saying.¡± Moonsol was about to retort when he was stopped by the glare coming from the elderly woman. With an icy, monotonous voice, she said, ¡°I am still talking. Shut up and stay still, stupid grandson of mine.¡± There was a soft giggle after that, and Moonsol frowned upon seeing the priest broadly grinning at him. Lancelot glanced at the two then wordlessly gestured for Faith to stop. He said to the elderly woman, ¡°It¡¯s fine. We have no time for such things right now. Also, your grandson has a point. The Kingdom of Renaga is stronger than Tesma. Those beastmen would surely be a great help.¡± ¡°No, Commander. I can¡¯t find myself working together with those savages. I¡¯ve seen them eat our kind before. I¡¯m not going to risk my people. The Kingdom of Tesma is definitely the best choice,¡± she said in a firm tone. ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan¡ªoh, commander?¡± said Moonsol. His voice had a hint of mockery in it. Lancelot stared at the map for a few moments. He said to Moonsol, ¡°The walls of Rube are made out of a sturdy crystal, no?¡± ¡°Krylhalcom, to be precise,¡± said Moonsol. He held great pride of their walls¡¯ sturdiness. In the entire continent, one could find only a handful other fortresses as sturdy as Rube. ¡°It¡¯s basically made out of the same materials used in our blades.¡± ¡°What¡­ how the hell did they build such a massive wall using Krylhalcom?¡± said Faith in disbelief. She had seen the walls before, and just a single glance would enable one to see that it was sturdy. Moonsol boastfully grinned. ¡°Around two hundred years ago, this place is a Krylhalcom mine. Our great ancestors basically dug out everything and forged out an absurdly large wall that covered an entire city. A feat that wouldn¡¯t be repeated in this lifetime.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s krylhalcom, then even ogres wouldn¡¯t be able to penetrate the walls. Those brutes are strong, but they lack the intelligence to find a way of climbing the walls. The problem now is the goblins. Small, pesky, but smart,¡± said Lancelot. ¡°Commander, forgive my insolence¡­ but will another division come to Rube?¡± said the elderly woman. ¡°The first division is strong, but I cannot somehow imagine them driving away hundreds of thousands of monsters on their own.¡±Stolen novel; please report. The last part was said in almost a whisper. Everyone in the room knew what those words implied: after the first wave of battle, half of the soldiers in Rube were either killed or were severely injured. The remaining ones were under severe fatigue after fighting for almost half a day nonstop. Right now, only the Knights of Tesma were in good enough condition to pose a threat to the invading monsters. Everyone else would just be fodder. Lancelot softly sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the Kingdom cannot spare more than that.¡± ¡°Hah! What a half-assed reinforcement! If the Kingdom of Tesma is really intent on helping us, then they should have sent all three divisions of their infamous knights!¡± said Moonsol. The elderly woman glared at him. ¡°Send all three divisions here and risk having their lands invaded by another nation? How stupid are you?!¡± ¡°But their unit alone is not enough!¡± shouted Moonsol. His voice reverberated inside the room, and the flames of the torch flickered in resonance. The group fell silent. Everyone knew that what he was saying were not lies. Indeed, just the first division of the knights alone was insufficient. ¡°How much food did you store in this stronghold?¡± said Lancelot. At the corner of his eyes, he saw Faith give an affirmative nod. It seemed that she had realized their commander¡¯s intent just from those words alone. ¡°A month and a half worth of food. Harvest season has just ended. We basically have an abundant supply here,¡± said Moonsol. Lancelot nodded. ¡°I see. Lord Moonsol, have you heard of the story about the Nekasha Tribe?¡± Moonsol creased his brows. He felt irritated that he did not know what the commander was talking about. Still, he was sure that it was of no relevance. After all, what would a mere knight know, aside from snuffing the lives out of his enemies? Moonsol monotonously replied, ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡± Lancelot smiled, which further irritated the man before him. ¡°It¡¯s a story about how a small tribe defeated the invading monsters numbering in the thousands. It¡¯s an event that happened hundreds of years ago, but the historians of that time described it as nothing short of an amazing feat.¡± ¡°Get straight to the point,¡± said Moonsol. The elderly woman beside him glared after the remark. ¡°Long story cut short, the thousands of monsters were killed by the small Nekasha Tribe. Their warriors did not even come close to a hundred, but they managed to annihilate all of the monsters that tried to invade their land,¡± said Lancelot. ¡°Our enemies greatly outnumber us, but at the end of the day, they are still nothing but monsters¡ªand they will eventually succumb to their instincts.¡± The elderly woman stepped forward. ¡°I see... So that¡¯s what you are planning. There are indeed numerous records of cannibalism among goblins and ogres. You will use that to our advantage, no?¡± Lancelot smiled. ¡°Exactly. The walls of this fortress are absurdly sturdy¡ªwe¡¯ll use that to our advantage. Think about it. What will those monsters do if they are unable to eat for days, weeks? He stared at everyone. ¡°They¡¯ll start killing each other for food.¡± Everyone silently listened as the commander of the knights continued. ¡°Just like the Nekasha Tribe, we will hole up ourselves inside this fortress. A month should do the trick. Those monsters outside will eventually start eating their kin once they went hungry. Once they¡¯re worn out, we strike. Furthermore, by that time, the injured soldiers would have already recuperated. Basically, it¡¯s a battle of patience and perseverance.¡± It was a simple idea, but everyone knew that it was a good shot for their survival. Even Moonsol was left with no choice but to nod in agreement. ¡°A month?¡± said a small voice. Everyone glanced at the source, and what they saw was a child, probably almost in his teenage years, with ash white hair and crimson eyes. He was quietly standing at the corner of the room, and if he had not spoken, they would have not noticed him. He walked towards the clustered officials, revealing a youthful face partly shrouded by the room¡¯s shadow. His eyes glimmered for an instance. ¡°I do not have high expectations of the so called Cardinal, considering the fact that his God is nothing but an insignificant existence, but he is my only current lead towards my goal. I shall meet him¡ªsoon.¡± Faith¡¯s lips were partly opened and she wore a stupefied look. She was sure that she had left Jiablu inside their camp. ¡°W-What are you doing here?! How did you get here?!¡± Her voice was croaking, like a pig being slaughtered in its last moments. She glanced at everyone in the room, and she saw that even Lancelot was surprised that the child was with them inside. It was indeed preposterous to let a child enter such serious conversation. ¡°Trivial. I can be at wherever I want. Priest, tell me. Am I correct? It will take a month before we are able to meet the so called Cardinal of the Kingdom?¡± said Jiablu. Faith stared at him for a long time before she nodded. ¡°Yes. But again, what are you doing here? I clearly told you to stay in your room! We are currently under a monster invasion! It¡¯s too dangerous for you to wander around!¡± Jiablu answered the question with another question. ¡°If this farce ends, will I be able to meet the Cardinal?¡± Faith wanted to slap her forehead in resignation. Just like before, the child was arrogant, definitely condescending. Still, she replied, ¡°Yes. But that¡¯s impossible. Right now, this fortress is facing a threat on the scale of a national level. It¡¯s impossible to finish this war in such a short period of time.¡± Jiablu nodded once. Using magic, he channeled his thoughts into a certain individual, ¡°Human¡ªI want you to end this farce at once.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a child doing here?!¡± snarled Moonsol. He finally snapped. He ruffled his blonde hair then approached the child that remained standing still. He gripped Jiablu¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Get out! This is not the place for kids¡ª.¡± The moment he locked eyes with the child, Moonsol screamed in utter horror. ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± Everyone in the room was struck speechless as the man fell down butt-first on the ground. A pungent smell wafted to the air as a yellowish fluid dripped down between his thighs. His entire body trembled then eventually stopped. ¡°Moonsol! What happened?¡± said the elderly woman. She immediately went to her grandson, and she was baffled by what she saw. The man had lost consciousness while sitting still and with his eyes opened wide. She shook his body in an attempt to wake the man up. ¡°What happened?!¡± When she realized that her grandson was not going to wake up anytime soon, she stared at his source of terror. But all she saw was a child filled with curiosity. His crimson eyes remained fixated on the unconscious man she held in her arms. What did her grandson see? There was no doubt that his expression that time was of pure terror. Horror frightening enough to make a war veteran like him lose consciousness. She shivered at the thought. ¡°Let me see,¡± said Faith. She briskly approached the two then cast her magic on Moonsol. The tips of her fingers glowed for a moment, and runes started crawling up their way into the unconscious man¡¯s neck. After a split second of violent radiance, the runes vanished. Faith breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°He¡¯s completely fine. There are no physical injuries, and there is no sign of mana distortion. He¡¯s just unconscious¡ªthat¡¯s all. But the question is¡­ why?¡± She looked at Jiablu for a few seconds, then to Lancelot. His face clearly stated that he also had no idea of what had just transpired. Everyone¡¯s mouth was tightly shut as they pondered. The deafening silence was broken by the sound of door creaking as it opens. Jiablu took a step outside the room. His voice reverberated amidst the silence, ¡°Priest, be true to your word. Once this war ends, you shall take me to the Cardinal.¡± The flames of the torches violently flickered for an instance, and Jiablu¡¯s shadow loomed over everyone. ¡°This farce shall end soon. Be grateful, insignificant ones.¡± Chapter 8: Unexpected Strength Chapter 8: Unexpected Strength Raymond hummed a song as he wiped his sword using a worn-out towel. He had never been so happy in his life, and he did not know if he could be any happier. She had hugged him. She had hugged him tight. ¡°Finally done!¡± he said in delight. He raised the sword up and stared at its polished beauty. It glimmered at the faintest touch of light. Again, his memories from before resurfaced in his mind. His lips crooked into an arc as he savored the euphoria. ¡°She said she¡¯ll remember my name! Hehehe~¡± He was still smugly grinning when a voice suddenly spoke to him. He jumped in surprise, and the sword he was holding fell down the ground with a loud clank. ¡°Human¡ªI want you to end this farce at once,¡± said the voice. It was oddly familiar, and Raymond was struck speechless when he realized to whom it belonged to. He glanced left and right but found no one inside his room. Though he was sure that it belonged to that entity, he still asked, ¡°I-Is that you? M-My God?¡± There was a small pause before the voice replied, ¡°I am no God. Be careful of your words or else, I shall obviate your existence, mortal. There is no true God aside from the God of Death, Thanatos. As privilege of a fellow believer, you are entitled to call me by name. Jiablu.¡± By now, there was no doubt that it was the entity from before. Even though there was no one around him, Raymond knelt down. He said, ¡°What can this humble servant do for you, Master Jiablu?¡± ¡°I want you to end this war. Go out and kill all of the pests gathered outside this fort,¡± said Jiablu. Raymond¡¯s eyes grew wide. What the entity was asking of him bordered the absurd. It was preposterous. Still, Raymond was ready with his reply. After he found out that Lady Sophia had risen from the dead, he was ready to give everything in return of such favor. ¡°As you wish, Master,¡± said Raymond. He felt the presence of the entity vanish. He stood up and grabbed the hilt of his sword. Without another word, Raymond left his humble abode. *** Raymond walked through the Residential District of the fortress. The few people he encountered on the streets were spiritless, with their backs hunched in defeat. It was obvious to everyone that the chances of them being annihilated were high. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. After passing through a few intersections, Raymond arrived at a four story building. He stared at its exterior, but his gaze was elsewhere. Inside that place, the most important person to him was currently recuperating. He wanted to enter and say his farewell, but he felt that doing so was not a wise decision. He knew that he was going to die soon, that going outside to battle a massive number of enemies alone was his repayment for the favor he had received. Peculiarly enough, what he felt was not fear but contentment. ¡°This doesn¡¯t feel bad at all,¡± said Raymond. He clenched his fist then made a salute. He said in a determined voice, ¡°Lady Sophia, this soldier shall depart soon! I shall make sure that I take as much enemies that I can before I fall! For the fortress! For Rube!¡± Raymond did not notice that his voice had turned loud after his salute. The few people in the streets shot weird gazes at his direction. Still, he rigidly stood still. After a bow, he turned left and disappeared into an alleyway. He was unable to see the figure of the woman peeking through the curtains of her window. *** The walls of Rube Fortress spanned over twelve meters in height. Archers manned the battlements, and soldiers guarded the door. From the distance, everyone was once again able to see a sea of green moving towards their direction. The bells of the fortress rang. ¡°Another wave! The monsters are coming!¡± said the soldiers. Immediately, the soldiers assumed their formations. The sounds of footsteps running in all directions reverberated, with the sounds of the bells ringing and clanking as background. Amidst the commotion, Raymond approached the large wooden wheel that served to open the door. He approached the soldiers manning the area. ¡°I¡¯ve got an order from the higher ups. I need to go outside and inspect the status of the walls.¡± The three soldiers glanced at each other. They had seen Raymond numerous times before, and with his badly misplaced scars, he was a familiar figure. One of them said, ¡°Something wrong with the walls?¡± Raymond raised a brow. ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m tasked to find out. Open the door a little bit so I can get out. Be sure to close it tight after.¡± ¡°W-What? Sure, we can open it right now, but I cannot guarantee that you¡¯ll be able to come back inside. The monsters are very close to Rube as of the moment. You¡¯ll die if you go out now,¡± said the soldier. Another one nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. Also, I think there is a plan to barricade the doors with a large slab of stone. It¡¯s Commander Lancelot¡¯s idea. Word has it that we will first wear out the enemies.¡± ¡°We do not have time!¡± snarled Raymond. ¡°Quick! Open the door and let me out!¡± The three soldiers almost jumped in surprise after Raymond¡¯s holler. Though hesitant, they pulled the lever and the door squeaked as it opened. The gap was wide enough for a single person to pass through. Raymond sternly said to the soldiers, ¡°Be sure to shut it tight after I pass through. Got that?¡± Without warning, Raymond ran through the opening. He broadly grinned the moment he heard the sound of the door shutting. Not far from where he stood, he was able to see the clouds of dust swirling upwards as innumerable monsters approached their direction. The wave of monsters this time was far more numerous that the last one. Raymond pulled out his sword from its scabbard. A scorching sun. Innumerable monsters. It was not a bad way to die at all. At the very least, he was somehow confident that Lady Sophia would survive this predicament. The Commander of the Knights of Tesma was here. Raymond was sure that he would be able to do something. He prayed, ¡°Oh God Thanatos, I¡¯ve clearly told you that I am willing to give you everything in exchange for her safety. I am willing to give even my soul in exchange. Accept this meek life of mine.¡± Raymond gnashed his teeth then roared, ¡°This is my resolve! For Lady Sophia!¡± He ran forward, alone and without anything but a single sword. Step by step, Raymond knew that he was closer to death. Still, he felt a peculiar contentment. He had done his part, his purpose. If this was how that entity wished for him to die, then would gladly do so. He felt the pungent stench of death as he eventually came into close proximity with the invading horde. He gripped the hilt of his sword tight then made a slash. It was a strike that contained his entire might, his resolve, his life, his soul. ¡°Eh?¡± said Raymond in disbelief. To his utter surprise, that single swing of his blade killed hundreds of enemies in an instant. Their severed bodies flew up into the air as green blood rained down the ground. His body instinctively dodged a mace from an ogre, and he returned with a vertical slash. Raymond¡¯s eyes widened further when he felt the tremendous pressure from his strike. The ogre was instantly cleaved into two. His slash created a large fissure on the ground, and even now, his slash continued to cruise forward, decimating everything it encountered in its path. It was only now that Raymond realized the real intent behind the entity¡¯s words. I want you to end this war. Go out and kill all of the pests gathered outside this fort. He was not sent to die here. He was sent to slaughter his enemies. All one hundred thousand of them. Chapter 9: The Invincible Warrior Chapter 9: The Invincible Warrior The bells continued to clank in rhythm, signaling the start of another arduous battle. Tension filled the fortress as numerous soldiers moved about. Within the walls, a loud rumbling sound was heard. Those that glanced to its direction saw a massive boulder being moved by dozens of soldiers. They slowly pushed it forward, making it carefully roll through the rough ground. ¡°Push!¡± said the soldiers. It was slow and gradual, but the large piece of rock started moving towards its target. Everyone knew that it was meant to stopper the entrance, eventually stopping the invading monsters from entering inside. ¡°Have the northern and southern gates secured! Move! Move!¡± shouted Moonsol. He bit his lips in frustration. He said to Lancelot, ¡°Are you sure this will work? What if they break through it? We¡¯ll be annihilated.¡± ¡°This is our only shot for survival. We¡¯ll just have to make sure to completely close off the entrances,¡± said Lancelot. He was wearing his full plate armor, and behind him were his knights fully armed to the teeth. ¡°Thank God Aquina that harvest season has just ended. Otherwise, we wouldn¡¯t have enough rations to feed the soldiers.¡± Lancelot stared at Moonsol. "Is it fine for you to move? You''ve lost consciousness just a few minutes ago." Moonsol grimaced. He immediately dismissed the embarassing thought. "I''m fine. I don''t want to recall that... that... ugh!" Amidst the sounds of bells ringing and soldiers running, ferocious screeches and roars were heard outside the walls. Everyone felt shivers crawl down their spines when they realized that the invading horde this time was far more numerous than the previous one. ¡°Are we really going to survive this?¡± said one of the soldiers. ¡°T-This is hopeless¡­ we are going to die,¡± said another. Everyone¡¯s faces were pallid as cold sweat flowed over their skin. As seconds ticked by, the roars from the monsters felt more proximal. They felt like a mere breathe away. ¡°We are going to survive. This is Rube. It will never fall down against mere savages,¡± said a soft voice. Despite the deafening reverberations, it was loud and clear. All of the soldiers stopped to stare at the source of the voice. Her crimson hair was incandescent against her white armor, and her eyes were fierce and determined. There had been rumors that she was indeed alive, but seeing her in person made everyone burst into shouts of bliss. The previously crestfallen atmosphere turned ecstatic as the morale of the soldiers skyrocketed. ¡°Lady Sophia! Y-You¡¯re alive!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Lady Sophia! Ohhh!¡± Lady Sophia¡¯s dimple sunk as she smiled. Her voice echoed through everyone¡¯s ears. ¡°Soldiers, thank you for your dedication to Rube. This fortress has survived more than a hundred years of onslaught from different monsters and nations. Believe in the fortress. Believe in its people. Believe in Rube!¡± Everyone¡¯s body was filled with heat and vigor, and they immediately started to work on their roles with vehement fervor. Just Lady Sophia alone was enough reason for them to work their hardest. Everyone knew that she had dedicated her entire life for the fortress, and they felt more than obliged to do the same. The boulder loudly rolled through the ground, eventually stopping right before the large oaken door. Moonsol shouted his orders, and the soldiers immediately secured the large piece of rock, making sure that it would not move once the assaults from the mob starts. ¡°Archers¡ªassume formations!¡± said Lady Sophia. ¡°Magicians, begin the preparations to fortify the battlements!¡± ¡°I guess the news about your death is a lie after all,¡± said Moonsol. Though he greatly disliked Lady Sophia, he could not deny that she was indeed capable in the battlefield. If not for her taking the role of bait and vanguard, the fortress would have succumbed just from the first wave of monsters alone during the previous battle. Lady Sophia did not respond to the remark. Instead, she turned to Lancelot then said, ¡°Commander, I¡¯ve heard that there is a large possibility that the Goblin King has awaken from its hibernation.¡± Lancelot nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. We cannot deny that possibility. As expected of the supreme commander of Rube. You¡¯ve realized the implications, huh?¡± Moonsol frowned after hearing the conversation. What were they talking about? He had no idea. With the sound of soldiers moving about as background, Lady Sophia said, ¡°If the Goblin King is indeed leading this army, chances are high that we¡¯ll be killed in this battle.¡± There was no immediate answer. Lancelot and everyone else peered at the large wall that enclosed the entirety of the city. Eventually, Moonsol asked in frustration, ¡°What are you saying? Are you telling us that the Goblin King is strong enough to penetrate the walls of Rube? Huh? Is that it?!¡± Lady Sophia sighed. ¡°Lord Moonsol, have you studied your history?¡± A vein popped on Moonsol¡¯s forehead. He snarled, ¡°Of course! How dare you ask such pointless ques¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªThen you do realize that the Goblin King is capable of Fifth Rank Magic, no?¡± said Lady Sophia. She noticed that the gaze of the commander of the knights turned fiercer after those words. Even Moonsol was struck speechless after he realized the severity of the situation. Eventually, Lady Sophia asked the question she had been pondering all this time: ¡°Commander Lancelot. Are you capable of bringing down the Goblin King?¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°No. That¡¯s impossible with my strength alone,¡± he simply said. There was no hint of hesitation in his words. ¡°Only one of the Seven Holy Apostles can fight against the Goblin King in a one-on-one fight.¡± Lady Sophia bit her lips. ¡°I see. How about if all of the magicians here help you in battle?¡± There was a quizzical look on Lancelot¡¯s face. He was sure that Lady Sophia knew the implications of her words. If all the magicians were to help him in battle, then there was a possibility of taking down the Goblin King. But at the same time, it also meant that more soldiers would succumb to their deaths due to lack of support from the remaining magicians. Was she really going to sacrifice her loyal and devoted soldiers for the sake of that single victory? ¡°The soldiers here won¡¯t resent you¡ªresent us¡ªfor that, commander,¡± said Lady Sophia. She gazed at the numerous soldiers that moved about. ¡°This is our only shot for survival. Just holing ourselves in this fort will be meaningless if the Goblin King is indeed alive. That creature can break through the walls with its powerful magic.¡± Lady Sophia turned her gaze to the commander. ¡°Tell me, can you do it?¡± Lancelot was about to respond when a deafening sound was heard outside the walls. It was the sounds of screeching and roaring that amalgamated into pure anguish. Even the relentlessly moving soldiers in the fortress halted in their tracks. From the battlements, a soldier¡¯s voice was heard. It was hoarse, almost croaking. ¡°T-That¡¯s absurd¡­ that¡¯s no longer human.¡± Moonsol said, ¡°What is happening outside? Tell me, soldier!¡± The soldier was unable to peel off his gaze. In a voice filled with excitement and fear, he said, ¡°L-Lord Moonsol! T-The invading m-monsters are being slaughtered as we speak!¡± The invading monsters were being slaughtered? Had they heard wrong? Lancelot, Sophia, and Moonsol glanced at each other. ¡°What are you talking about? There are no orders of dispatching our army to the outside!¡± said Moonsol. Even now, the cries of anguish from the monsters outside the walls reverberated. ¡°It¡¯s not an army, Lord! A soldier! A single soldier!¡± he cried. ¡°A single soldier is slaughtering the monsters!¡± Moonsol frowned. With brisk steps, he climbed the flight of stairs that lead to the battlements. Behind him were Sophia and Lancelot, together with his men. After reaching the place where the archers were stationed, everyone was struck speechless of what they saw. A sea of blood. Innumerable monsters. And more importantly, amidst them was a single soldier battling for survival. Moonsol screamed, ¡°What the hell is happening outside?!¡± *** Raymond had never felt such overwhelming strength before. He felt invincible, as though he could crush mountains in a single blow. With his every swing of the blade, dozens, if not hundreds of monsters would succumb to their bane. Blood relentlessly rained down the ground as he brought forth carnage to everything he saw. His pupils shrank as he maniacally licked his lips. He was grinning. ¡°Die bastards!¡± His mind was filled with memories of the time when Lady Sophia was killed by the monstrosities before him. Her body was torn to shreds, her eyes were gouged out and eaten. ¡°I¡¯ll never forgive you. I¡¯ll fucking kill you all!¡± roared Raymond. With trained movements, his body moved in unison with the sword. His every strike created fissures on the ground. His every strike would cleave his enemies in half. All the movements of his enemies felt really slow, as though time itself had stood still. They could not even graze him. They could not even touch him. Goblins after goblins, and ogres after ogres. He killed. He killed. He slaughtered. The wind violently blew westward, and the patches of grasses that filled Gralvan Plains conceded with it, their blades bending in perfect unison. As time went by, after he had annihilated tens of thousands of enemies, the monsters began avoiding him. Their instincts screamed at them that confronting Raymond was a grave decision. They shivered just from the predatory gaze of the soldier alone. ¡°Guara!¡± From beyond the now idle army, a ferocious roar was heard. The goblins and ogres shrieked upon hearing it. With trembling bodies, they glanced at their rear. Raymond was unable to see the source of the roar, but he was sure that it was right there. A good distance from where he was right now, a beast capable of inflicting terror to the invading army stood in the background. Seconds lingered, and the previously idle army started to again move. They brandished their weapons at Raymond despite the fear that filled their bulging eyes. Another roar was heard, and the greenish body of the goblins slowly turned brown-black. Their yellowish pupils shrank completely, and after a ferocious screech that contained their entire might, they charged towards Raymond. ¡®What¡¯s happening?¡¯ thought Raymond. He was sure that the goblins before him had turned berserk. Drool dripped down their bulbous lips as their entire body quivered in violent rage. Once again, Raymond started his slaughter. He cleaved. He cut. Bodies after bodies, the carnage did not stop. He noticed that the few Ogres remaining were unaffected by the roar. Though they were hesitant to move against him, they still watched with vigilant eyes as Raymond killed the berserk goblins one after another. He was sure that given the chance, those creatures that spanned four to five meters in size would strike at him. Raymond gnashed his teeth as he tightened his grip on his weapon. He vehemently continued with his carnage. His tempo was hardly stopping. Seconds turned to minutes, and minutes turned into hours. It was already dusk when the wave of monsters finally stopped. Raymond spat on the ground. Numerous beads of sweat covered his body, and his chest violently rose then fell. He glared at the remaining Ogres. To his surprise, the gargantuan creatures made croaking sounds then started running away one by one. ¡°I guess this is it?¡± said Raymond. Everywhere was nothing but a sea of dead, shredded bodies. Blood blanketed the ground as the stench of death wafted through the air. Even now, Raymond could not believe the feat he had just done. He had never felt so invincible in his life, but now he realized that his strength had started to wear out. ¡°Impressive. I¡¯ve never seen such a strong human before,¡± said a deep voice. Raymond was suddenly hit by a massive force from his left, and his entire body flew to the air from impact. He had yet to land on the ground when another force hit his body, and he flew towards the ground. A large crater was made in its wake. Raymond vomited blood, and his vision started to dim. He knew that if he was his previous self, he would have died without knowing what transpired. He groggily stood up and picked up his sword. ¡°Guhahaha! Impressive! Impressive! As I thought, you are indeed a formidable foe!¡± said the deep voice. Raymond glanced left and right but saw no one. Raymond spat blood on the ground. He gripped the hilt of his sword. ¡°Who are you?¡± There was a long pause, but the deep voice eventually replied, ¡°I am the Goblin King. The Ruler of Gralvan. The King of the Ruins.¡± Raymond¡¯s eyes widened. He had heard of the Goblin King before. It was one of the legendary monsters written in history books. It was a monster feared not only for its brute strength and magic, but also for its great intellect. Was the roar from before from the Goblin King? ¡°In my entire existence, you are the third human that had managed to survive my attack. Be honored, little one,¡± said the Goblin King. Using his wrist, Raymond wiped the blood dripping down his forehead. He kept glancing left and right, but the so called Goblin King was not there. Raymond snarled, ¡°Where are you? Show yourself!¡± There was a deep chuckling sound. ¡°Show myself? Why should a King listen to mere peasants like you? You are nothing but food for my kin. A worthless, insignificant existence.¡± Peculiarly enough, Raymond felt the presence of the owner of the voice some distance from where he stood. He peered to the east. He was sure that the Goblin King was there, gazing at his every move. ¡°I see,¡± huffed Raymond. ¡°You are using magic to attack me from the distance.¡± ¡°Guhahaha! That¡¯s correct,¡± said the Goblin King. Another strike hit Raymond from the rear, and he instinctively blocked using his sword. The piece of metal broke from impact, and Raymond¡¯s body flew then skidded on the blood-blanketed ground. ¡°But knowing that wouldn¡¯t save you.¡± Raymond screamed in agony when another strike hit him squarely at the chest. His body shrunk to the ground, and another crater was created, with him at the center. A small cloud of dust swirled upwards. Despite the excruciating pain, Raymond tried to move his body. It refused to listen. ¡°If you were in your perfect state, you may have posed a threat to this almighty being,¡± said the Goblin King. ¡°But a human will always remain a human. You may have killed my children, but I can eventually regain that army in a few years¡¯ time. All your efforts have been for naught. Now, scream in despair. Dance in agony for me!¡± After that declaration, numerous strikes hit Raymond as he remained sprawled on the ground. Clouds of dust continued to swirl up into the sky as the barrage of attacks continued nonstop. At this rate, he was going to die. Raymond knew. ¡°As expected of an insect. You cannot even finish a simple task like this,¡± said a voice. With his mind bordering the state of unconscious, Raymond felt his body move on its own. In the blink of an eye, his body disappeared from his spot, only to reappear a distance after. ¡°M-Master Jiablu?¡± said Raymond. The voice that spoke this time was different from the deep voice of the Goblin King. Raymond was sure that it belonged to his master. ¡°I feel that it is a waste to have given you a contract. You do not even know how to properly use its power,¡± said Jiablu. ¡°This is how you properly slaughter an insect. Watch and learn from this, oh fellow believer of mine.¡± Again, Raymond¡¯s body began to move. He began to walk forward, towards the direction where the Goblin King was supposedly at. ¡°Oho~ so you still have the strength to move?¡± said the Goblin King. Another strike flew towards Raymond, but it hit nothing but an afterimage. The Goblin King croaked a voice of surprise. Another strike flew towards him, but was again for naught. Raymond slowly walked towards the direction of the Goblin King. ¡°W-What¡¯s happening? How can you move at that state? How can you dodge my magic?!¡± said the Goblin King. Raymond was unable to utter a reply as his body moved on its own. Within his mind, Jiablu spoke, ¡°How to wield this power. I will show you how¡ªjust once. Be sure to engrave it in your mind.¡± In the blink of an eye, Raymond¡¯s body disappeared off into the distance. Chapter 10: A Swift End Chapter 10: A Swift End Raymond ran ahead in full speed. His body created a gust of wind as he shot forth like an arrow. The patches of grass blurred, and without him realizing, he had already arrived at his destination. He had never known that man could move so fast, so agile that even he felt a momentary lapse in his sense of time. Surrounding him at all sides were small hills filled with overgrown weeds. The lake on his left was calm and serene. There was not a hint of ripples on its waters. Above, the twin moons were partly shrouded by clouds. Despite the darkness of the night, he easily saw the overgrown figure of the monster. Its fat-laden skin sagged from the pull of the earth, with numerous patches of brown and green covering it. A necklace made out of what seemed to be human skull¡ªthose of a child at that¡ªwas twined around its almost non-existent neck. Every time the creature breathed, a putrid scent wafted through the air. Raymond cringed in total disgust. Amidst the silence of the night, the occasional sound of leaves rustling was heard. It was quickly followed by skittering sounds, which would then vanish without a trace. Without having to look around, Raymond knew that there were more than a thousand goblins surrounding him in all directions. If he was his previous self, Raymond would have been frozen by fear right now. ¡°Can you let me speak to him, Master Jiablu?¡± said Raymond. He felt the restrictions that bound his body become undone. ¡°Thank you, Master.¡± He said to the creature, ¡°You are the Goblin King?¡± The creature continued sitting on the boulder, which felt out of place when considering the luxurious garb the monster wore. On its head was a golden crown filled with polished crystals, probably rubies and diamonds. Covering its body that passed the five meter mark was a silver coat, with ashen furs covering the edges. ¡°Correct. Human¡ªwho are you? It is impossible for a mortal to move with such speed, let alone move with such injuries,¡± said the Goblin King. Raymond noticed the barrier that surrounded the Goblin King¡¯s perimeter. It was crackling with lightning. The grasses below it had turned into crisp and dust. He breathed in a gust of air then answered with a question. ¡°Tell me, why are you attacking our city?¡± There was a deafening silence as the two stared at each other. Eventually, the Goblin King said, ¡°Have you ever heard of the God of Death?¡± Raymond felt Jiablu¡¯s presence intensify upon the mention of the name. The creature continued, ¡°After the death of God Thanatos, the balance of power started to tilt to the mortal¡¯s side. Moreover, it worsened when the five Muhar¡¯Tava, those creatures created personally by that God, refused to ascend to the throne. There is even a rumor that Kiel¡¯Jiablu left on a journey, leaving Qavan without a ruler. And I do believe that it is true.¡± The Goblin King slowly stood up. ¡°The hierarchy within monsters in this area used to be simple, with Kiel¡¯Jiablu on top. But after he left, the strong ones started gathering their forces¡ªwith usurping the throne of Qavan as their ultimate goal.¡± Raymond frowned. The name of the so called ruler of the monsters in Qavan Mountain Range was very much similar to that of his master. He said, ¡°So you are among those that wish to ascend to the throne?¡± The Goblin King broadly grinned, showing a rotten pair of canines. It maniacally laughed with its characteristic deep voice. ¡°Guhaha! That¡¯s correct!¡± The creature snorted. ¡°Kiel¡¯Jiablu possesses one of the strongest army in the entire continent! If he does not wish to rule over them, then I will! I shall make every species bow down to me! I shall make them my servant! This King shall rule over everyone!¡± Raymond heard a sigh within his mind. Jiablu said, ¡°A waste of time.¡± The sound of the wind was heard. The Goblin King¡¯s head fell then rolled down the ground.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. *** Moonsol slapped his cheeks. It was painful. This was reality. Still, he was unable to believe his very eyes. Along with everyone else, he stood slack-jawed as he stared at the aftermath of the battle. The stench of death filled the air, and amidst the silence, occasional gulping sounds were heard. ¡°S-Stop¡­ Stop the fortifications! O-Open the gates!¡± shouted Moonsol. At the corner of his eyes, he saw Lady Sophia and Commander Lancelot nod in affirmation. It seemed that the same thought ran through their heads. The soldiers remained in stupor. Moonsol snarled, ¡°Open the gates! Didn¡¯t you hear me?! Open the damn gates!¡± One after another, the soldiers broke out their trance. They immediately moved to pull out the boulder that stoppered the entrance. The fortifications for it were almost done, and it took them some time before they were finally able to remove it from its spot. Moonsol, Lancelot, and Lady Sophia immediately rode their mounts. Behind them were almost a hundred knights. As soon as the gate bolted open, Moonsol led the group outside the walls. Everyone cringed as the scent of dead bodies entered them. Even the horses seemed to neigh in disgust. Their mounts galloped through innumerable dead bodies. Green blood splattered about as the group rode forth. The twin moons above were clearly reflected by the sea of blood. ¡°Who is that soldier?¡± mumbled Moonsol. He slapped the reigns of his mount. ¡°Do we have someone that strong in our city? Why didn¡¯t he show himself till now?!¡± No one answered. No one was able to. The group continued riding forth, towards the direction the unknown soldier went. Seconds quickly turned to minutes, and they loomed closer to their destination. From beyond, they heard numerous screeching sounds accompanied by a soft, rumbling sound. Everyone furrowed when they saw a massive number of goblins headed their way. By estimate, there were a thousand of them. Lancelot and Moonsol glanced at each other. Lancelot pulled out the large slab of metal on his back which he fondly called his partner. He roared, ¡°Knights! Charge straight ahead!¡± His men shouted their battle cries. They gnashed their teeth as they gripped their weapons tight. In a few seconds time, they would clash with the army of goblins headed their way. But then, Lancelot suddenly pulled the reigns of his mount. He halted. ¡°Stop! Do not engage! Hold your positions!¡± Everyone wore confused looks upon their faces, but they followed their orders regardless. Losing the advantage of a charge may cost them their lives, but everyone believed in their commander. He was a man of good judgment. He must have noticed something that they have not. True enough, an unexpected scenario occurred. The army of goblins avoided their army and instead fled towards the west, the opposite direction of Rube Fortress. A few moments passed. The silence of the night ensued. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± said Moonsol. His voice echoed in the night. ¡°Those goblins¡­ They are fleeing from something,¡± said Lady Sophia. Lancelot nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t think of any other reasons than that.¡± The three glanced at each other. They looked ahead. In front of them were numerous small hills. They were sure that they would soon meet the source of fear of the goblins that had just fled. What kind of monster was it? They felt a chill crawl to their skin. Lancelot snarled, ¡°Staying here won¡¯t get us anywhere. Let¡¯s go!¡± Horses neighed, and the group once again moved forth. They easily passed through the small hills, eventually arriving at the small lake which clearly reflected the moons above. Its water was serene, almost enchanting. There was not even a slight hint of ripple in its water. It was quiet. Eerily quiet. ¡°W-What¡¯s that?¡± said a soldier. Everyone glanced to the place he was pointing at. On the opposite side where their group was currently at, just right after crossing the lake, a large shadow stood. They were unable to clearly make out what it was, but a silver glint was vivid on its body. Lancelot signaled his men to stay on guard and to remain quiet. One by one, they dismounted. Their hands firmly held their unsheathed blades. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± whispered Lancelot. Careful not to make the slightest sound, they approached the large shadow. Their loudly pumping hearts seemed to give their locations away. The large shadow was probably the reason why the goblins fled the area. As they inched closer to it, the putrid scent in the air intensified. Lancelot breathed a sigh of relief that the colossal figure was unable to detect them until now. It remained standing still amidst the darkness of the night. Just when he was about to make the first strike, Lancelot stopped. His eyes widened in surprise, and so did his men behind him. Now that they had a careful look, they realized that the colossal figure was headless. Blood dripped down its neck. Not far from where it stood, a large head was seen on the ground. Its green face was filled with numerous brown spots, and its large canines were prominent as it remained smugly grinning. For a moment, they felt the urge to scream when they saw its bulging eyes. Even the nameless soldiers from Rube realized it: it died without knowing that it was dead. And such realization intensified their fear. Who killed it? Lancelot¡¯s ears twitched. He snarled, ¡°Who is it? Show yourself! I know you are there!¡± Immediately, everyone assumed their battle stance. Metals clanked as they pulled out their weapons from the scabbard. The accompanying magicians readied their magic. From within the shadows created by the adjacent hills, a voice spoke, ¡°Lady Sophia? Is that you?¡± Sophia was taken by surprise for a second. Though hesitant, she replied back, ¡°Who is it? Who are you?¡± The sound of lone footsteps echoed. A few moments later, a man emerged from the shadows. His skin was dark, almost scorched. And his black hair was haphazardly tied to the back. His torn leather armor was filled with numerous blotches of blood. ¡°I thought I was going to die here. Someone came, huh? Just my luck,¡± said the man. By now, the numerous scars that ran through his face were evident. He was probably one of the ugliest men they had ever seen. But at the same time, his eyes held great beauty that depicted an intense resolve that could be felt even from the distance. He coughed blood. He mumbled to himself, ¡°Master said I improperly used the power. I would have died if he hadn¡¯t intervened. Still, this is pretty awesome stuff.¡± He gazed at Sophia. He broadly smiled. ¡°Lady Sophia¡ªthis lowly foot soldier had completed his duty! I, Raymond Falxen have successfully driven away the enemies! This soldier has slain the Goblin King!¡± Lady Sophia opened then closed her mouth. At the corner of her eyes, she saw that everyone else were also slack-jawed as they stared at the headless corpse before them. If their deductions were correct, then that overly bloated creature was the Goblin King? No one was able to utter a single word. The wind gently blew, creating a mellifluous sound amidst the silence of the night. Raymond suddenly fell down the ground. Chapter 11: Bedtime Story Chapter 11: Bedtime Story Jiablu peered through the window of his room. The curtains violently flapped as a gust of wind blew. Though it was night, the city was filled with sounds of footsteps. From his spot, he was able to see the numerous soldiers moving about. Ever since he broke contact with Raymond, his mind turned into maelstrom. That soldier did it for her. Jiablu was sure. But why? Once again, he was unable to fully understand the meaning behind the concept of love. He felt dazed as he tried to come up with an answer to his question. But he found none. Three knocks were heard before the door creaked open. The scent of freshly baked bread wafted through the air as a woman with blonde hair entered. Her chasuble hung past her knees, and on her shoulder was the insignia of a rose and shield. She gently placed the tray she held on the table. ¡°You okay? Everything will be fine. Don¡¯t worry. Commander Lancelot said that we should be safe as long as we stay inside this fort. Here, have some snacks.¡± Jiablu stared at the small piece of bread and the cup of tea. After he turned human, eating had become a blissful experience. He had never known that food could be so great, so exhilarating. He heard a giggle as he wiped the drool on his chin. He was about to pick up his share when Faith¡¯s voice echoed. ¡°Wait. Manners. Young man, what should you say?¡± He glared. This was the third time she asked that exact question. Jiablu snorted, ¡°Yet again, a mere priest is telling me to be grateful?¡± Faith sighed. She was almost becoming used to this. ¡°Yes. Young man, when someone gives you something, it is perfectly normal to say your thanks.¡± Jiablu reached out for the bread, but his hand somehow refused to touch it. Should he give in and follow the rules of human society? He paused for a few seconds. ¡°You shall be rewarded for this, someday,¡± he eventually said. He felt euphoria the moment the bread touched his tongue. Eating was indeed a blissful experience. From the corner of his eyes, he saw that Faith¡¯s lips curled into a smile. She shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s how you say thank you, eh? Cute. Well, not a bad start I guess. You really like eating, huh?¡± Jiablu would have casually responded with a yes, but his mouth was full of bread that he was left unable to speak. After Jiablu finished his food, he once again remembered the question he has trouble finding the answer. His head throbbed in frustration. ¡°Priest, perhaps you know the answer to my question,¡± said Jiablu. Faith tilted her head to the side. With the sound of soldiers moving about as background, she asked, ¡°Question? What is it?¡± ¡°Ever since I¡¯ve heard of it, I have been curious about this thing called love. But no matter how hard I try, I cannot grasp its meaning,¡± said Jiablu. He noticed that Faith¡¯s eyes slightly grew wide. ¡°L-Love? H-Hey, aren¡¯t you too young for those things?¡± she said. She glanced at the door before she added, ¡°You want to know what love is? Seriously?¡± Faith was sure that if someone else was inside the room, they would probably be laughing from their conversation. Jiablu nodded once. ¡°Yes.¡± There was an awkward silence. Faith once again stared at the door, then to Jiablu. The young man¡¯s eyes were focused, and she knew that he was seriously asking his question. She breathed a gulp of air then exhaled. ¡°Love¡­ how should I say this? You are asking this because old man Gaston told you about it, right? Listen, love is a complicated thing. But basically, it comes down to one thing: Love is giving your all for a person¡ªwithout expecting anything in return,¡± said Faith. She violently blushed upon completion of the statement. Jiablu remembered Raymond. That soldier was ready to die and to exchange his soul for that woman. Then, was that love? Why was it that a weak and insignificant existence like him was capable of loving another? Jiablu pondered with all his might, with all his soul, but he was still unable to find an answer. What the priest said was not enough. He knew. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. The old human from before¡­ he told me that love is what gives him purpose. If love is merely giving everything, then what differentiates it from pity, from kindness? If that is love, then how does such insignificant thing give life significance? How does it give someone his purpose?¡±If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°That¡­ is¡­¡± Her voice trailed off. If there was another person inside the room right now, Faith would have long pleaded that person for help. Unfortunately, she was alone. Faith wanted to hide, but her feet remained rooted in the ground. She was still young. She held no further answer to his question. Jiablu waited hopefully, but the priest did not elaborate. What a useless human, he thought. ¡°Hey, are you alright? You look¡­ horrible,¡± whispered Faith. Now that she had a careful look, she noticed that Jiablu¡¯s face was paler than usual. Black marks encircled his eyes, and his cheeks had started to assume a sunken appearance. Jiablu shot a quizzical stare. He said, ¡°What is it, priest?¡± ¡°Have you been sleeping well?¡± she sternly said. Now that she had thought about it, she had never seen Jiablu sleep since they had first met. She was a light sleeper, thus she would sometimes wake up in the middle of the night. Whenever she took a walk, she would see him there outside¡ªsilently gazing at the distance. Each and every time it happened, Faith was unable to utter a single word. The eyes of the child as he gazed into the far horizon were deep, almost piercing. Those were the eyes of someone that had lost everything. And as a fellow human being, Faith could not find herself breaking the child out of the solace of that silence. ¡°Have you been sleeping well?¡± she repeated after receiving no reply. Jiablu stared at him, and she stared back. The black circles in the child¡¯s eyes were becoming more vivid. ¡°I have no need for such trivial thin¡ª,¡± said Jiablu. ¡°Trivial?! A child like you¡ªno¡­ everything that lives¡ªneed to sleep! What do you think you are? Some undead that requires no nourishment? Someone that needs nothing but hatred in order to sustain its life? Is that it?¡± said Faith. Her words were spat in quick successions and by the time she was finished, she was already gasping for air. ¡°Do humans honestly believe that it is hatred that fuels the lives of the undead?¡± said Jiablu. His question was off topic, and it took Faith by surprise. There was something eerie about his voice this time, but the priest was unable to pinpoint it. Faith nodded. ¡°Of course. Can you think of anything else? According to research, miasma is born from hatred. Going by that logic, hatred is the root of all evil. It is the root of all undead. There¡¯s no doubt about it.¡± A chuckling sound echoed inside the room. Jiablu¡¯s eyes danced as he grinned. ¡°Amusing. So, this is the extent of human knowledge?¡± Faith frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Jiablu did not reply. He walked towards the window and gazed at the twin moons above. He knew far better. Miasma was nothing but remnants of the soul. Scholarly speaking, it was the specks of dusts that remained after someone¡¯s soul had dissipated. Since everything has a soul¡ªfrom immovable rocks to flowing rivers, even to the tiniest of insects¡ªmiasma could be considered the detritus of life itself. The assumptions of these arrogant humans were utterly incorrect. Jiablu had never heard of something so laughable in his entire existence. Well, what could he expect from a race that regarded a mere Queen Fairy as god? He shrugged the thought out. ¡°I guess asking someone like you is not a wise decision, priest,¡± said Jiablu. His voice turned monotonous as he airily added, ¡°I will take into consideration that everything you have told me thus far is incorrect.¡± Faith felt an urge to retort. Her previous smile had completely slid down her face. Jiablu¡¯s next words took Faith by surprise. ¡°Priest, you came here in accordance to the order of your master, no? Ask. Tell me. What do you wish to know?¡± Master? Faith felt that Jiablu was pertaining to their commander, Lancelot. Still, she was surprised that Jiablu knew her intentions. Just as he had assumed, she indeed came here in order to ask the questions the Knights of Tesma had been holding back in the last few days. ¡°Once we get to the Kingdom, we will be required to report all that happened during our journey. I know that I shouldn¡¯t be asking this, but I want to know. What happened in your village?¡± said Faith. Jiablu had long expected that they would be asking such questions sooner or later. He had long readied a reply. ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡± It was an undesired response, but it was by far the safest. Responding with a complex story would easily risk being found out in the near future. By telling everyone that he held no memories of what had happened, Jiablu could evade questions using a single answer. It was the conclusion he had come up with after considering all other possibilities. Faith bit her lips. She was unsure if the child was lying, or if the child was simply traumatized by what transpired. There had been numerous incidents before wherein someone completely lost memories of the traumatic experiences in their life. It was their mind¡¯s simple mechanism to prevent it from breaking down. Without such horrifying memories, life would ensue. ¡°I see,¡± she said. She had decided not to pursue the matter any further. ¡°Then, I shall tell the commander that.¡± She picked up the tray then went towards the door. Before she left, she once again reiterated, ¡°Sleep. You need to sleep. Got that?¡± There was silence after the priest from the Order of Aquina left. Jiablu once again peered through the windows. From the distance, he could hear the shouts of bliss from the soldiers. He was sure that Lancelot and his men had finally returned from their expedition outside. ¡°Good. We can finally leave soon,¡± said Jiablu. He remembered the words uttered by Faith before she left. ¡°Sleep, huh? I have never considered that. Maybe the priest is right. I am indeed inside a weak shell after all.¡± He looked at the small bed at the corner of the room. It was made entirely of wood, with a thin sheet of cushion on top. The small worn out pillow was not enticing, but Jiablu¡¯s interest was piqued by the idea of sleeping. After some thoughts, he had decided to do it. He slowly rested his body onto the bed. To his surprise, his eyes began to turn heavy¡ªas though someone was pulling it down. He felt his strength leave his body. What was this sensation? He had never felt so weak and helpless before. He wanted to get out and stay up, but his body refused to listen. Slowly, his eyes closed. Without him realizing it, he dozed off into dreamland. Chapter 12: A New Journey Chapter 12: A New Journey Thousands of men and women gathered at the Central Plaza to gaze upon the corpse displayed near the fountain. Its body was hanging upside down against a wooden pole, and its severed neck was neatly placed upon the adjacent small wooden table. Those that were able to squeeze through the crowd and enter the front cringed in total disgust upon seeing it up close. And some turned pallid upon gazing at its eyes-opened, broadly grinning face. Mothers hushed their crying children, while men silently thanked their god that the creature was dead. If it was alive, there was no telling how many of them here would have died. A woman with crimson hair flowing down till the waist cleared her throat. Her white armor shone brightly upon the touch of the morning sun. Everyone¡¯s gaze landed unto her, then to the man beside her. With a serious face and a surprisingly loud voice, she proudly said, ¡°Citizens of Rube! We present before you the corpse of the monster from the legends! The corpse of the King that had long defiled the lands of us humans!¡± Her voice echoed through the heavens. ¡°The corpse of the Goblin King!¡± Sounds of amazement followed, and claps and cheers immediately erupted. Petals somehow ceremoniously rained down from above. Lady Sophia grabbed the arm of the man beside her then shoved him forward. He almost stumbled, and after he scratched his scar-filled cheeks, silence had already turned absolute. Everyone awaited the introduction of the soldier beside their supreme commander. She once again cleared her throat. ¡°This soldier here¡ªRaymond Falxen¡ªmade all these things possible! I am sure most of you have heard the news. The news about how a soldier¡ªa single soldier¡ªkilled the invading army of monsters that threatened this land!¡± Raymond glanced left and right, and he violently turned red when the realization that everyone was staring at him finally sunk in. How did it come to this? Just a few days ago, he was a nobody. He was one of the innumerable nameless soldiers ready to die for their supreme commander. But now, everything turned an opposite direction. ¡°This soldier is our hero! The protector of this fortress! The guardian of Rube!¡± said Lady Sophia. Her voice reverberated in the entire Central Plaza. The crowd once again erupted into cheers, and the Raymond wanted to hide into a corner. He had never been good with crowds, with his childhood filled with bad memories of the other kids teasing him about his ugly appearance. He almost jolted when Lady Sophia suddenly grabbed his hand. Hers was soft, as though she had never once held a sword. He should have taken a bath this morning. At the very least, he should have washed his hands. ¡°L-Lady S-Sophia?¡± said Raymond. He could not help but stutter. It felt like a dream come true. Even if his life was taken now, he would die smiling. Lady Sophia smiled, and her dimple sunk in response. ¡°The hero of Rube shouldn¡¯t be making such faces. Come. Let yourself be shown to all these people.¡± Holding hands, they walked towards the crowd. Amazingly enough, it parted into two, giving way for them to pass through. The cheers continued to rumble through the earth and the heavens, and it drowned Raymond¡¯s loudly beating heart. No one knew who said it, but a shout was heard among the crowd: ¡°The eighth Holy Apostle has appeared in Rube! The guardian of the fortress! Raymond the Immortal Soldier!¡± The title quickly spread through the mass. Raymond heard Lady Sophia giggle upon the mention of the title: Immortal Soldier. He had never been so embarrassed in his life. They continued to walk through the crowd, with the goal of reiterating his heroic deeds in mind. ¡°I guess it¡¯s pretty normal for people to start comparing you to the Seven Holy Apostles. After all, no one but those seven heroes could fight someone like the Goblin King¡ªand win,¡± said Lady Sophia. The two of them had returned to the place where the corpse of the Goblin King was. ¡°Well, it should be the Eight Holy Apostles now. Once the neighboring cities and kingdoms hear of this, they will have no choice but acknowledge your existence.¡± Lady Sophia stared straight into his eyes, and Raymond¡¯s mind went totally blank for an entire second. She said, ¡°I haven¡¯t properly thanked you yet.¡± Raymond¡¯s eyes widened when she suddenly bowed her head. She added, ¡°For saving this city. For saving all those that live here¡ªthank you. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. *** Lancelot raised his sword to the heavens. It glinted after the rays of the morning sun touched its edges. He mumbled, ¡°Still perfect.¡± After he sheathed the large piece of metal into the scabbard, he hopped onto his mount. The horse almost stumbled for a second after taking the full blunt of his weight. Lancelot said to Moonsol, ¡°I guess this is where we part.¡± Moonsol furrowed his brows. He glanced towards the direction where the cheers were coming from, but he was unable to see anything beyond the numerous stone houses haphazardly built in all directions. He returned his gaze onto Lancelot and his men. All of them were fully armed, prepared to leave anytime. ¡°Is this really fine? Sophia will yell at me once she found out that you guys left without notice,¡± said Moonsol. ¡°That woman may look like an angel, but she has her bad side¡ªand you definitely won¡¯t like to receive her wrath.¡± Lancelot grinned. His horse neighed for a second before he chuckled, ¡°Not my problem. Here, take this.¡± Moonsol received in his hands a small pouch the size of a fist. After he opened it, he saw five small beads inside. He said, ¡°What¡¯re these?¡± ¡°Hebaya Stones. It helps cure¡­ you know¡­ uncontrolled micturition,¡± joshed Lancelot. ¡°Told my priest to make you one of those. It works well for my kid. Don¡¯t worry about any side effects.¡± Moonsol¡¯s face flushed red. Even now, he had not forgotten the time wherein he suddenly lost consciousness and peed himself. He did not know what happened nor what struck him that day. He would rather not find out. ¡° Commander Lancelot! You little¡ª.¡± Lancelot laughed. He wordlessly signaled his men to set off. ¡°Then, until we meet again!¡± The mounts kicked off the ground, and a rumbling sound echoed as numerous knights rode out the walls of the city. Moonsol idly stood as he watched the group eventually disappear into the distance. *** Inside one of the carts used to transport their supplies, Faith silently sat. Her eyes were closed as she mumbled her prayers. She prayed her praise and gratefulness to her God. She knew that it was nothing short of a miracle that they had survived that catastrophe. ¡°I have so much to report once I get to the Kingdom,¡± she said. She stared at the sleeping child beside her. His body was bent to accommodate the lack of space, and a large drool dripped down his partly opened lips. ¡°What a weird sleeping stance.¡± Even after trying all kinds of humane methods to wake him up, Jiablu remained asleep. There was a soft snoring sound filling the cart as of the moment, and Faith could not help but give an amused smile as she fondly gazed at his sleeping face. ¡°No need for such trivial things, eh? Look who¡¯s talking!¡± she said. She could not wait to tease him once he woke up. Now that she looked at him, Faith was sure that he would become a heartbreaker in the future. An enemy of womankind. His nose was prominent. Not too crooked, and not too wide. Just the right shape and angle. Moreover, his lips seemed velvet, almost enticing. Coupled with his almond eyes that sometimes glared with its crimson color, his ashen hair, and a slim body, Faith could honestly categorize him among those that were good-looking. Of course, she had no intention of telling him that. ¡°Good looks mean nothing if you remain that way,¡± she said to the sleeping kid. The cart kept dancing against the unpaved ground. ¡°First, we¡¯ll have to instill some manners into you.¡± Once they arrived at the temple, Faith had decided to tell the Cardinal everything she had come to know about Jiablu. She was sure that with proper guidance, even someone like him¡ªa kid utterly condescending and rude¡ªwould someday become a gentleman worthy of any woman. She hoped with her fingers crossed. She whispered, ¡°We¡¯ll be parting ways in the city. It¡¯s been a short time, but it was an enjoyable experience, little Jiablu.¡± The snoring sound from the sleeping kid crescendo for a second, and Faith could not help but associate it with the sound of a pig being slaughtered. She giggled as she wiped the tears that started to form at the corner of her eyes. ¡°What a weird kid, really!¡± she exclaimed. The cart stopped and she peeked out the window. She asked, ¡°What¡¯s happening? Why did we stop?¡± One of the knights answered, ¡°Ma¡¯am, the bridge is broken.¡± Faith went outside. It was already late in the afternoon, and it would soon be dusk in an hour or two. They were currently inside a forest, and before their group was a broken wooden bridge that easily spanned over a hundred meters in length. It was wide enough for five carts to pass through side by side. Below it was a deep ravine that reeked of the word bottomless. She approached Lancelot. ¡°What¡¯s the plan, commander?¡± Lancelot remained staring at the broken bridge. ¡°Why now? Damn it. We should have restocked more rations in Rube Fortress.¡± Faith remained silent. She knew this bridge very well. It was the only route¡ªthe only safe route¡ªtowards the Dry Valley. If they took a detour now, it would take them several more days before they reach the valley that served as passageway towards the Kingdom of Tesma. But she knew that the real issue was not the time it would take to reach their destination. It was the safety of the route itself. ¡°Can you fix this bridge with magic?¡± said Lancelot. He sighed when he saw Faith shook her head. ¡°I guess not. Sorry for asking.¡± Gaston, the only elderly man in the group, soon entered the conversation. ¡°I¡¯ve scouted the area with the younglings. No bandits around.¡± ¡°Of course. This passageway is protected by the Fifth Holy Apostle¡¯s magic. It¡¯s basically suicide to stay in this place for anything longer than half an hour. It¡¯s relatively safe if we just casually pass through¡­ but with the bridge in this state¡­,¡± said Faith. ¡°Those damn bandits must have done this,¡± huffed Lancelot. Faith almost flinched when she saw the murderous glare coming from their commander. ¡°Desperate to ensnare new victims, huh? Those damn lowlifes!¡± ¡°Destroy the bridge so that people will be forced to take the other routes,¡± said the old man, Gaston. He clicked his tongue. ¡°Distasteful bunch.¡± Faith glanced at the cart where Jiablu was sleeping at. She was somehow worried that he would get caught up with another catastrophe again. If that child was caught by those unruly people, then she could not bear to imagine the pain he might once again go through. He had watched his entire village burn down to crisp, and he had watched his love ones die before him. And now, he faces the risk of being a victim of forest bandits. She silently vowed that she would do everything to make sure he arrives at the temple safe and sound. She heard Lancelot snarl, ¡°No use wasting time. It¡¯s their biggest mistake not to let our army cross over.¡± Commander Lancelot roared, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Chapter 13: The Forest Bandits Chapter 13: The Forest Bandits Salazar slowly opened the door that led to his Lord¡¯s bedroom. The inside was dim, and it took his eyes a couple of seconds before finally making out the silhouette of four people lying in a large bed. The scrawny man at the center was completely naked, and so were the three women that had their arms twined around him as they slept. ¡°L-Lord Viper?¡± whispered Salazar. He heard something whiz by his ear as a dagger flew past his face, before lodging itself into the wooden wall. He heard movements inside the room, and he saw his Lord slowly sit up. ¡°What?¡± said Viper. ¡°Ah, sorry for interrupting your sleep Lor¡ª¡± ¡°Get to the point,¡± spat Viper. Another whizzing sound was heard, and Salazar felt a pricking sensation in his cheek a second after. A thin line of blood dripped down till his chin. There was no time to flinch from pain. Salazar immediately added, ¡°S-Someone¡­ Someone entered the forest!¡± ¡°You woke me up for this?!¡± snarled Viper. The Lord of the Bandits got down from the bed, his naked body exposed all over. He grabbed the white robe scattered on the ground then donned it. ¡°You know the rules, right?¡± ¡°But Lord! It¡¯s impossible to kill¡ªmoreover capture those that entered the forest!¡± said Salazar. There was a pleading tone in his voice. Before him, there had been numerous other messengers that died because of their Lord¡¯s whim. Viper snapped a finger, and the lantern on his left immediately blazed into life. His green, slit-like eyes licked Salazar. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Hundreds. There¡¯re hundreds of them¡ªand all are knights,¡± said Salazar. Viper¡¯s sunken face sunk further. He sucked his thumb then silently stared into space. He whispered, ¡°Interesting~¡± Without warning, a loud chuckling sound echoed inside the room. Salazar jumped from fright, and the naked women lying on the bed started waking up one after another. Viper continued with his maniacal laughter. ¡°Knights! And just right when I¡¯m so damn bored of all the preys we¡¯ve caught lately!¡± Viper scooped out his left eye using his fingers. Surprisingly, blood did not drip down the now empty socket. ¡°Now, let¡¯s see what we¡¯ve got this time?¡± There was a squishy sound as Viper crushed the eye using his hand. After a full second, it turned into particles of light, before eventually disappearing from sight. *** After seeing the broken bridge, Lancelot led his group towards the west. It was the longest path available, but it was also by far the most paved compared to others. Numerous trees surrounded them in all directions, with occasional boulders and shrubberies haphazardly spread out from the distance. It was already evening when Lancelot finally told his men to stop and recuperate. They pitched tents, and some immediately started cooking dinner. ¡°This damn detour will cost us an extra three days of journey,¡± said Lancelot. He sat on top of a small boulder, his armor reflecting the flames of the campfire before him. ¡°Have you told the knights already?¡± Old man Gaston nodded. ¡°Already did, Commander. Told ¡®em to kill on sight.¡± ¡°Good. There¡¯s no need to risk the lives of our men. Prince Ibrahim told me about this already¡­ But I didn¡¯t think that the problem has already escalated to this. Going as far as destroying the route to our Kingdom,¡± said Lancelot. He threw a twig onto the blazing flames, making sparks fly into the air. ¡°I won¡¯t be surprised if the King sends out an order to clear the forest of bandits.¡±Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. They saw Faith approach. Not far from her, numerous men were lined up, waiting their turn for food. Tonight was moonless, and if not for the campfires they had set up, it would have been pitch black. ¡°Jiablu¡¯s still not waking up,¡± she said with a frown. She sat beside Gaston. The blazing flames flickered back and forth from the gentle wind. Its crackling sound filled out the silence. She added, ¡°Maybe we should force him out of his sleep? It¡¯s been three days already.¡± ¡°Tis fine! Try not to worry too much!¡± said Gaston as he punched the priest¡¯s left shoulder. There was not much force behind that strike, and Faith saw him flinch after impact. She said, ¡°You¡¯ll turn eighty this year, right? Shouldn¡¯t you be retiring soon?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he replied with a smirk. ¡°I was born in the battlefield. This is my home¡­ and my grave.¡± The last part was said in a whisper, but the other two heard it. Among the first division of Knights of Tesma, Gaston was among the most mysterious ones. He was among the oldest members¡ªeven before the current commander of the First Division, Frederick Lancelot was assigned the role of leader. There were numerous stories of why the old man refused to retire despite his age, but no one knew which among those were true. Whenever asked, Gaston would just smile in response. He was old, but his skills as a guide were peerless among their group. Gaston glanced left and right, making sure that no one aside from them were nearby. He said, ¡°Commander, I got news about the third division.¡± There was a trace of surprise within Lancelot after the remark. He replied, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The Red Stone Syndicate was completely wiped out by those guys,¡± said Gaston. The eyes of Faith and Lancelot grew wide. ¡°And there¡¯s not a single casualty on the Third Division¡¯s side.¡± ¡°W-What? That¡¯s absurd! The Red Stone Syndicate has existed for almost a hundred years in our Kingdom!¡± said Faith. Her voice almost echoed, and some of the soldiers having their dinner shot a glance at their direction. ¡°There¡¯s no way of wiping out that group in just a month! Moreover without casualties!¡± ¡°Have you confirmed this, Gaston?¡± said Lancelot. Gaston nodded. ¡°Yes, Commander. My spies in the city have sent me the news. It¡¯s not out yet. They are probably planning on announcing it during the Infernal Sword Festival.¡± ¡°But still¡­ how did they do it? I can¡¯t think of any possible way¡­ without a single casualty,¡± whispered Faith. ¡°We¡¯ll find out soon once we get to the city,¡± said Lancelot. Silence momentarily befell them. A knight approached their group. With a hint of hesitation, he said, ¡°Commander. We¡¯ve found dead bodies inside the forest not far from here.¡± Lancelot frowned. He got up and grabbed his sword. ¡°Faith, come with me. Old man, stay here.¡± The two nodded, and Faith immediately stood up. Lancelot said to the knight from before, ¡°Fifteen knights and a scout. Be ready in a minute. We¡¯ll enter the forest.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± said the knight. He went back to his group, and a few moments after, everyone started moving out. **** The pungent stench that filled the air made the group grimace in disgust. Their every step inside the forest echoed, and the occasional chirping of ravens served as background. Their scout waved his hands, signaling that they have finally arrived at their destination. Faith mumbled her chant and the small orb of light that served as their guide moved forward, illuminating a mountain of rotting corpses. One of the knights vomited on the ground. ¡°That is¡­ not human,¡± whispered Faith. It was the same thought that ran through everyone¡¯s mind. There were at least two dozen corpses right before them, and each of them were decapitated beyond reason. Most of them had their innards pulled out, and some had their limbs severed from their bodies. The small orb of light did not fail to illuminate the empty eye sockets of some of the victims. ¡°C-Commander¡­ this is the work of those guys, right?¡± said the scout. Lancelot nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll be ready when they attack. Oh God Aquina, I pray that they attack.¡± The last part was said with vehement ferocity that made even Lancelot¡¯s allies shudder in fear. Those words contained within them a suppressed snarl that seemed to echo amidst the silence of the forest. ¡°Wait, did you hear that?¡± said the scout. Everyone glanced at each other as silence befell the group. Another second passed, and a small voice flowed through the wind. ¡°H-Help¡­ me¡­,¡± said the voice. Faith willed the orb of light to grow brighter, and the shadow of the group danced with it. Eventually, they found the source of the weak voice. The knights immediately pulled the body out of the mountain of corpses. ¡°Are you alright?!¡± Faith asked despite knowing the answer. She almost wailed when she saw the horrible state the man was in. His lips were half-sewn, and his face was filled with numerous deep cuts that revealed the flesh underneath. His fingers were crushed and bent to the opposite direction, and his innards were protruding out his half-open belly. There was absolute silence as everyone tried to digest the current situation they were in. Whoever did such a thing to the man before them was no less than a demon. ¡°B-Bandits¡­ they¡­ attacked¡­ our¡­ caravan¡­,¡± said the man. Tears uncontrollably dripped down his face. ¡°They killed¡­ my friends. My wife. My daughter. My son.¡± Rage overflowed from the knights upon hearing the story. Faith looked at Lancelot. ¡°Do it. It doesn¡¯t matter if you deplete your mana. If we let him die without doing anything, we are no different from the monsters that did these,¡± said Lancelot. Faith nodded. She bit her lips then started chanting her magic. The survivor¡¯s body was instantly enveloped in bright light, and the wounds that covered his body started to close on their own. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to heal this overnight. What I can do right now is prevent him from dying,¡± said Faith. Beads of sweat started forming on her forehead. ¡°Let¡¯s take him to the camp. It¡¯s better for me to get help from the other priests in our group.¡± Chapter 14: Against the Bandits Chapter 14: Against the Bandits Night quickly passed. Dawn came and everyone once again started moving out. The sky was clear, and birds chirped as the group traversed the rocky path that circumvented the deep ravine. Surrounding them from both sides were tall cliffs that overlooked the entirety of the mountains itself. ¡°How¡¯s he?¡± said Lancelot. He rode his mount as he led the group forward. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine in a day or two. We¡¯ve literally depleted our mana that night just to save him,¡± said Faith. She rode beside Lancelot, and behind them were knights lined up in formation. ¡°I was able to ask him a few questions before he lost consciousness.¡± Movements were heard behind the shrubberies, and the archers immediately pointed their bows at it. Eventually, a deer appeared. It quickly scampered away in fright. They lowered their weapons as they once again resumed their journey. ¡°The bandits seemed to be led by a man called Viper. According to the man we¡¯ve saved, the man uses a strange form of magic that enables him to transfigure his body at will,¡± said Faith. She paused then stared at Lancelot. ¡°Commander¡­ the description matches that person.¡± ¡°You mean that guy that was formerly the Assistant Head of the Royal Guards?¡± Lancelot smirked. ¡°If it¡¯s really him, then the more reason the Kingdom should send out men to subjugate the bandits in this area.¡± Faith did not reply after that remark. Her mind was in turmoil. If Viper, the previous Assistant Head of the Royal Guards was really their opponent, then things would not end well if their groups clashed. That man was not only strong. He was clever. Devilishly clever. Suddenly, flocks of birds flew out of the forest. A rumbling sound echoed. The ground shook. ¡°Above! From above!¡± They all looked up towards the cliffs, and their faces turned pallid from what they saw: Numerous boulders were cruising down their direction at a tremendous speed, each of them large enough to crush a dozen soldiers in a single strike. Lancelot turned his gaze to their front. He gnashed his teeth in utter fury. ¡°Full speed! Forward!¡± Immediately, the knights moved in unison. They charged forth despite the boulders that were cruising down their direction. Some of them were hit, their bodies crushed into paste. Blood splattered everywhere as the ground continued to roar and rumble. The sounds of hooves striking the ground echoed amidst the sound of flesh being crushed and torn. A gigantic boulder approached Lancelot¡¯s direction, and he knew that it was impossible to avoid. He pulled out the large slab of metal he fondly called his partner. With a ferocious roar, he slashed at it with vehement ferocity, immediately splitting it into two. ¡°Damn it,¡± he said. How many had died already? And it seemed that the boulders raining down from above were not going to stop anytime soon. ¡°Forward! Move!¡± Boulders after boulders, deaths after deaths, the Knights of Tesma kept moving forth. Eventually, the barrage stopped, and the group halted in their tracks. Lancelot glared at the top of the cliffs. ¡°Commander, are you alright?¡± asked one of the knights. Lancelot nodded. ¡°How many? How many men did we lose from that ambush?¡± The knight furrowed his brows. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ commander. Almost a hundred at most. It¡¯s impossible for most of them to avoid those things¡­ with the road as it is.¡± Lancelot closed his eyes for a full second. ¡°Tell the priests to tend to the wounded. Those that are uninjured, scout the area. Tell Gaston to assign some of his men to watch the cliffs.¡± The knight respectfully bowed then left. Now that he had a careful look, Lancelot saw the hopelessness within the eyes of his soldiers. If it was a monster attack, they would have been able to fight back. But using such dirty tactics to lessen their numbers dealt great damage to the morale of his men. ¡°Thank God. He¡¯s safe,¡± said a soft, huffing voice. Upon turning around, Lancelot saw faith carrying a large bundle of cloth in her arms. Upon closer inspection, he saw a familiar sleeping face. ¡°This child, seriously! He¡¯s still sleeping despite all these!¡± said Faith. She was half smiling, half crying. And Lancelot knew of the thoughts that were running through her mind. Faith pleaded with her eyes. ¡°We should get out of this forest soon, Commander. This is Viper we¡¯re up against. That guy¡¯s smart and diabolic. He won¡¯t stop until he¡¯s killed us all.¡± Lancelot sighed. ¡°I know. But what can we do? It¡¯s still around three more days until we reach the Dry Valley.¡± Lancelot looked up the cliffs. He frowned. ¡°But something¡¯s amiss. If it¡¯s that guy, he won¡¯t stop with just this. Dealing the final blow would have been perfect after that assault. But why did he stop?¡± *** Night quickly came. Thankfully, there had been no further incidence after the assault. Soldiers pitched tents and priests attended to the wounded. Numerous sentries were spread out in all directions. With Gaston leading the watch, they formed a tight mesh of security. Faith was currently healing one of the injured soldiers when a man approached her. His entire face was bandaged all over, and his frame was almost those of a skeleton¡ªwithout flesh and only bones. Despite the limping gait, he approached the High Priest of the Order with a smile.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Thank you. Thank you for saving me,¡± said the man. Faith looked at the source of the voice. It took her a few seconds before she recognized the merchant they had saved before. At the very least, it was good news. The man had finally started to recover. Faith¡¯s dimple sunk as she smiled. ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± She tilted her head to the side, making her blonde hair wave in response. ¡°Is it fine for you to be moving about? You should rest.¡± ¡±I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m fine. Thanks you to guys,¡± said the merchant. His brown eyes twinkled against the large campfire a few steps away from them. He stared at the injured soldiers that remained lying on the mattresses laid on the ground. Even without him asking, Faith knew the question within the man¡¯s mind. She bit her lips. ¡°Bandits. They ambushed our group as we were crossing the path near the cliffs. It¡¯s a one-sided massacre. We can¡¯t do anything against those gigantic boulders.¡± The merchant fell mute after the revelation. ¡°What can I do?¡± Eventually, he smiled then said, ¡°I can cook! That¡¯s it! I¡¯ll cook!¡± Faith¡¯s lips were partly opened upon the sudden declaration. She had yet to respond when the merchant added, ¡°Where is the kitchen? Ah! There!¡± Following the line of sight of the skinny man, Faith saw some of the knights busily making their dinner. The merchant softly smiled. ¡°Please don¡¯t stop me from helping out. I can¡¯t thank you guys enough. Please. Let me help you guys.¡± Faith sighed then smiled. ¡°Do as you wish.¡± *** ¡°Commander, I¡¯ve heard that we¡¯re dealing with that Viper?¡± said Gaston. He slurped down his bowl of soup. ¡°That guy¡¯s nasty. Even the Kingdom can¡¯t catch him when he was still in the Capital. And now we¡¯re here in the middle of this damn forest.¡± Lancelot continued wiping his weapon using a ragged cloth. Its edges glimmered against the blazing campfire. ¡°As much as I would like to capture him here, I can¡¯t. We can¡¯t. Reporting our findings back to the Kingdom is top priority.¡± The events that transpired before once again resurfaced within Lancelot¡¯s mind. He gnashed his teeth as he tried to suppress his fury. As much as they wanted to fight back, they still had to prioritize their return to the Kingdom. It was an absolute order, and even his position as Commander cannot overrule it. ¡°Damn it,¡± said Lancelot. He grabbed the bowl on his left and instantly gulped down the leftover contents. After wiping his mouth using his hand, he stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll go check on the wounded. Old man, keep the tight surveillance.¡± Gaston gave an affirmative nod. But then, arrows suddenly rained down from above. Lancelot immediately tucked Gaston¡¯s head down to the ground. Screams of pain echoed throughout the silence of the night as the scent of fresh blood wafted through the air. What was happening? It was the same though that ran through Lancelot and Gaston¡¯s mind. ¡°Bandits! An attack! We are under attack!¡± The sounds of metal crescendo as the knights began unsheathing their weapons from the scabbards. The volleys of arrows did not stop, and it continued to snuff out the lives of the knights one after another. Lancelot roared, ¡°What are you doing?! Turtle formation! Now!¡± Immediately, the knights broke out of their stupor. They grabbed their shields and raised it above their heads, forming a gargantuan metallic canopy that shielded their bodies. The arrows eventually stopped, and numerous men holding a scimitar emerged out of the forest. ¡°What happened to the surveillance team?!¡± said Gaston. One after another, the bandits began their charge. The knights fought back and it quickly became a melee. Lancelot pulled out his large weapon from his back and joined the fray. The flames from the campfires swiveled back and forth, making everyone¡¯s shadows dance with it. The sound of metals striking metal echoed throughout the forest, and the chirpings of ravens intensified along with it. By estimate, there were over a hundred bandits attacking their group. And the knights were sure that there were more within the forest. ¡°What the hell?!¡± said Lancelot as he decapitated one enemy after another. What surprised him was not the number of enemies they have, but the lack of strength of his men. One after another, they were being killed by the ruffians, unable to do anything but become prey to the forest demons. There was something amiss, but Lancelot was unable to pinpoint it. All he was left able to do was watch as his men succumbed to their deaths one after another. He himself had his hands full dealing with numerous bandits at a single time. It was gradual, but he could feel his strength leaving his body. What was happening? It should have been easy to deal with bandits like these, but it was proving harder and harder to fight as time went by. Lancelot roared with his entire might as he continued to cleave his enemies into two. Sweat dripped down his face as his vision started to blur. It was as though his entire body was shackled with chains, and he was left to fight using only his fingers. At the corner of his eyes, he saw Faith fending off her attackers. Beside her was Jiablu, still sleeping despite all the commotion that was happening. On the other side, Gaston was sprawled on the ground, vomiting what appears to be blood. ¡°I can¡¯t fall here. Not here. Not yet. Not yet!¡± roared Lancelot. His voice echoed, muffling all other sounds. Immediately, he began charging towards his enemies. He slashed, he cleaved, he ripped. His muscular body kept moving on reflex, not minding the numerous wounds that had been inflicted onto it. Arrows once again rained from above, and some of it hit Lancelot¡¯s body. His back resembled a porcupine, with numerous projectiles lodged into it. Blood continued to drip down the ground but his body still moved to kill his enemies. Eventually, his vision dimmed. He fell down his knees. But for some reason, the bandits did not deliver the finishing blow. ¡°Magnificent~,¡± said a voice. Surprisingly, it came from the merchant their group had saved before. He clapped his hands in enthusiasm. A malicious grin was plastered on his bandaged face. ¡°As expected of the infamous Lancelot. It¡¯s been almost an hour since you¡¯ve been poisoned, but you¡¯ve still killed a handful of my men. Marvelous. Indeed. Marvelous!¡± The merchant removed the bandage on his face, revealing a sunken face that was almost skeletal. All the knights were now sprawled on the ground, their bodies refusing to move on their own. Their eyes widened in surprise when the merchant¡¯s face began to transfigure into another. His brown eyes turned green and slit-like, and a spiral tattoo began forming on his cheeks. His body was still slim, but was now well tone and muscular. His brown hair turned total white. ¡°Do you know why the kingdom is unable to capture me? It¡¯s because you guys are a bunch of compassionate morons,¡± he said. Viper approached Lancelot. He spat on his face. ¡°Pity. You are strong. Stronger than me. But you are dumb, Oh Commander.¡± He pulled out a knife from his pocket then stabbed it into Lancelot¡¯s arm. The bulky man gnashed his teeth as he willed himself not to scream. He wanted to move and fight back, but his body refused to move. ¡°Let¡¯s see. Hmmm~ should I kill him? Or should I negotiate with Prince Ibrahim? For sure, that moron will be willing to pay any amount to save his beloved commander, no?¡± said Viper. Viper¡¯s eyes swiveled left and right, and it landed onto the frozen High Priest of the Order. She held a child in her arms, and her eyes were moist and pleading. ¡°It¡¯s the priest from before,¡± said Viper. He turned to his men and chuckled. ¡°Isn¡¯t it funny? That priest depleted his mana in order to save me!¡± Laughter from the bandits echoed. Viper stared at Faith for a couple of seconds. ¡°She¡¯s my type. Take her to my mansion. I¡¯ll make her my eleventh wife.¡± Immediately, the bandits moved and took the paralyzed priest. For some reason, despite her paralyzed state, she refused to let go of the child in her arms. ¡°Boss, she¡¯s not letting go of the kid,¡± said one of the bandits. Viper nonchalantly replied as he began killing the paralyzed knights one after another. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. Take the kid with you. We haven¡¯t had a child¡¯s meat for a long time.¡± ¡°As for the rest of the knights? What are your orders, Lord?¡± Viper¡¯s eyes licked his prey. ¡°Kill them all~¡± Chapter 15: Jiablu Awakens Chapter 15: Jiablu Awakens Jiablu had never known that sleep was so blissful, so intoxicating. He did not want to wake up. In his dreamland, he traveled through the continent with his God. They hardly exchanged words as they passed through numerous Kingdoms and Mountains, but Jiablu felt extreme contentment. ¡°Kiel,¡± said Thanatos. From atop the clouds, he gazed upon the Kingdom below. Its walls spanned great lengths and heights, and numerous cities bustled with its people. ¡°What do you see?¡± Jiablu motionlessly stood behind his God. After a second of ponder, he replied, ¡°I see worthless humans. A Kingdom filled with maggots wriggling for survival.¡± Thanatos chuckled. ¡°My Son, is that really all you can see?¡± ¡°S-Son?!¡± said Jiablu. His non-existent heart almost skipped a beat after the remark. He had never felt so honored in his life. ¡°M-Master, pardon this servant. But that is all that I see. What else could worthless insects offer to feast the eyes of my God?¡± Thanatos waved a finger, and the scenery changed. They found themselves overlooking a slum. The numerous houses haphazardly placed in all directions were ragged and torn, and the scent of rotting flesh wafted through the air. Naked children filled with coal marks ran through the streets, and the elderly idly sat as they watched. What was his master trying to tell him? Jiablu tried to ponder with all his might. It would be no good if he was unable to meet the expectations of his creator. Such disgrace was more than worthy of eternal slumber. ¡°Now, what do you see?¡± said Thanatos. His eyes glimmered for a second. The sounds of those living in the slums intensified, and their thoughts flowed through Jiablu¡¯s mind. ¡°What are we going to do? Father is dying. We can¡¯t afford the medicine.¡± ¡°Hey kids! Breakfast is ready!¡± ¡°I¡¯m old. Don¡¯t mind me. Give those to the young ones.¡± ¡°Oh God Aquina, please cure my son.¡± ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t take that!¡± Jiablu was flustered. He still held no answer to his master¡¯s question. He hesitantly replied, ¡°I see weak humans. Mortal and fleeting. Their lives are so fragile that it can be snuffed out with a flick of our finger.¡± Thanatos stared straight into Jiablu¡¯s eyes. ¡°My Son, there are no absolutes in this world. In weakness, there is strength. In despair, there is hope. In the endless loop of time, there is ephemerality.¡± Jiablu did not understand, but he keenly listened regardless. ¡°This may be hard for an undead like you to understand, but I am sure that you will find the answer to this question someday. I am sure of it. After all, you are my son, Kiel.¡± Everything slowly vanished into a wisp of smoke.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. And Jiablu woke up. *** Slowly, Jiablu¡¯s eyes opened. He momentarily stared into space as the dream that he had resurfaced in his mind. ¡°H-Hey, the kid¡¯s awake.¡± ¡°Are you okay, kid?¡± Upon looking around, Jiablu noticed that he was inside a dimly lit room, with the only entrance barricaded by metallic bars. Glancing to his left, he saw three women clustered at the corner. They were all naked, and their hands were cuffed together. Jiablu stood up. A clanking sound echoed, and upon looking at his feet, he saw that it was shackled with a metallic chain. He frowned. ¡°Where am I?¡± Amidst the silence of the cellar, his sole question crescendo. The three naked women glanced at each other, unsure of the proper words to say. ¡°In the basement. You were taken here together with that female priest,¡± said one of the women. "It¡¯s absurd, but you did not wake up even after the guards repeatedly whipped your face." Jiablu reflexively touched his cheeks. Indeed, there were cuts palpable on it. Insolent humans. He had decided that he would massacre them later. ¡°The female priest begged the guards to stop beating you up. Eventually, they agreed. But¡­¡± A long silence ensued. Jiablu asked in irritation. ¡°But what?¡± ¡°It seems that they plan on raping that female priest. She¡­ she agreed to it, in exchange of your safety.¡± A sobbing sound echoed inside the cellar as one of the naked women began crying, and it quickly escalated into a wail. Jiablu said, ¡°So, that female priest is here? Tell me. Where can I find her?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know. We¡¯ve been imprisoned here for many months now, and we¡¯ve never had the chance to take a look outside this cellar.¡± Jiablu raised a brow. ¡°You allowed such maggots to imprison you here? Hah! As expected of humans. It¡¯s a waste of time to stay here. I am going out.¡± ¡°What are you talking abou¡ª,¡± They stared in shock when the shackles that bound Jiablu instantly turned into crisp and dust. Without turning around, he pointed a finger at the barricaded entrance. A large gaping hole was formed as the metallic bars melted away in unison. Jiablu channeled his mana into his surroundings. After finding his first target, his figure vanished, leaving behind the slack-jawed trio. *** ¡°Hey, have you seen the priest?¡± said one of the bandits. ¡°Sure did!¡± said another. He chugged down the large mug of beer then made an exhilarated sigh. ¡°That body! That face! I can¡¯t believe we¡¯ll get to have a taste of her later! I can¡¯t wait!¡± ¡°Kahahaha! Let¡¯s see how tough she is when over a hundred of us are finally done with her!¡± There was maniacal laughter as the group merrily drank away. ¡°But won¡¯t the boss get angry at us for having a go at his eleventh wife?¡± he smirked. ¡°Brother, we¡¯ve got the go signal from Lord Viper. He told us that it¡¯s part of our reward for tonight!¡± ¡°Kahahah! Splendid! We get to have a taste of a priest from the Order of Aquina!¡± The laughter once again ensued, but it quickly dissipated when a cold voice echoed inside the room. ¡°She¡¯s not here,¡± said the voice. ¡°Hey, maggots. Do you know where I can find the priest?¡± The group of bandits momentarily stared in shock as a child approached their direction. How did he enter the room? Moreover, they were sure that he was one of the captives in the cellar. ¡°Stop wasting my time,¡± spat the child. To their surprise, one of them had their head burst open, splattering the innards on the wooden ground. The headless body fell down on its knees then kissed the ground. What was happening? None of them could move a muscle, and cold sweat overflowed like river on their skin. Their soul was screaming at them that it was dangerous, but their bodies refused to move. The child made a chet sound. ¡°Answer the question.¡± Another bandit¡¯s head burst open, and the body also kneeled then kissed the ground. All those inside the room were violently trembling in terror. What kind of monster was this? What was happening? One thing was sure, if they did not answer the child¡¯s question soon, they would also become the corpses sprawled on the ground. ¡°W-Wait!¡± said one of the remaining bandits. ¡°W-Who are you? W-What are you?!¡± The body of the bandit that asked the question suddenly flew backward, his head lodging itself deep into the wall. Those that saw it opened their mouth in pure terror. ¡°Three left. I need only one of you to answer the question,¡± said the child. ¡°The first one to answer my question will be given the most painless death.¡± The child stared straight into their eyes. It was the eyes of a predator. Of a demon. Of death itself. ¡°Now, I shall ask again. Where is the priest?¡± Chapter 16: The Bandit Lord Part I Chapter 16: The Bandit Lord Part I 7 years ago Royal Capital of the Kingdom of Tesma The sound of metal hitting stone echoed as Viper chiseled his way through the thick slab of stone. It was three times his height, and he had to use a ladder to sculpt the topmost part. The head had been carved in intricate details, with the eyes and the nose emphasized the most. Viper sighed in exhilaration upon completion of the head. He heard footstep. He turned to his left, and his eyes were greeted by a soldier. ¡°Master Instructor!¡± said the Soldier. Viper noticed that he glanced at the half-completed statue before he made a salute. ¡°The King summons you.¡± Viper slowly got down the ladder. After placing the chisel on the nearby table, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± He furrowed his brows. The last time the King has summoned him, their nation entered war with the beastmen. The soldier said, ¡°I do not know the details, sir. But please come immediately. All of the officials of the Capital are already inside.¡± Viper grabbed the silk robe hanging on the wall. He donned it then loosely tied its knot. The baffled expression of the soldier clearly stated, ¡®You¡¯re going like that?¡¯ ¡°Lead the way,¡± said Viper. The soldier opened then closed his mouth. The man before him was sweaty all over, like a ruffian that had not taken a bath for a few days. Still, he shut the words that came in his mind. He nodded. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± *** After passing through numerous hallways and corridors, Viper eventually arrived at a large metallic door. It was engraved with silver and gold, creating the insignia of a rose and shield. He nonchalantly opened it, not bothering to signal the guards stationed beside it. The door opened with a soft creaking sound. All of those that were inside the room shot a glance at his direction. There were roughly a dozen men inside, and judging by the clothes they wore, all of them were of high status. The large chandelier lit by innumerable candles above did not fail to reveal their tensed faces. Viper saw a bottle of wine at the corner. He grabbed and opened it then merrily drank half its contents. He grinned. ¡°What did I miss?¡± ¡°Alecto! What are you doing? You are disgracing my father!¡± said a soft voice. The owner was furiously glaring at Viper, with her youthful face blushing violent red. She combed her red hair to the back. ¡°Come over here!¡± Viper chuckled as he approached the group. Their stares were piercing, but he paid it no heed. ¡°Princess Krisha, what are you doing here, young miss? You¡¯re eight, nine? Still too young for matters of the Kingdom.¡± ¡°Shut up barbarian! I don¡¯t even know why father appointed you as one of the Master Instructors of the Palace!¡± said Princess Krisha.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. A man waved his hand, and the princess immediately stopped with her blabber. His red hair had tinges of white. Yet despite that, his face was youthful, almost without a hint of creases. He broadly smiled when his eyes met Viper¡¯s. ¡°Alecto, I heard that you are sculpting the God of Fire?¡± Viper bowed his head. ¡°Yes, your majesty. Once I finished the sculpture of God Agnus, I would have completed all nine Gods.¡± The King heartily laughed. ¡°Excellent. I¡¯ve seen all of the sculptures you have made. Personally, I liked the most the sculpture of God Thanatos. Should we change your title? Maybe you are better fitted as Master Sculptor after all!¡± ¡°Yes, that ruffian should not be a Martial Arts Instructor!¡± the Princess interjected. The King gave her a stare and she immediately stopped. ¡°I think we should get back to the topic,¡± said the King. He gestured for Viper to come closer to the group. ¡°Everyone aside from Prince Ibrahim and Prince Acain are here.¡± He cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯ve summoned all of you here to discuss the future of our Kingdom¡± Everyone else silently listened as the King continued. At the corner of his eyes, Viper could see the young princess glaring at him. He inwardly chuckled. ¡°It was urgent and we were informed of it only a few hours ago, but it seems that an envoy from the Kingdom of Leikana is coming over,¡± said the King. ¡°Leikana? That small kingdom that was formed just two years ago?¡± said one of the men present. The King nodded. ¡°Correct.¡± There was a long pause before he added, ¡°They are asking us to concede our western border to their sovereignty.¡± There was uproar within the group. The officials present spat their discontent one after another. ¡°Our Kingdom is three times the size of Leikana! If I am correct, they only have three cities! Such small kingdom is asking us to concede our territory!?¡± ¡°Preposterous!¡± ¡°We can crush those guys within the blink of an eye! What are they thinking?!¡± The King signaled for silence to ensue. After the commotion died down, he asked Viper. ¡°Alecto, what do you think of their declaration? They clearly stated that they are going to war with our nation if we do not concede the western part of our territory¡ªspecifically the city of Palamesh and its surrounding borders.¡± He simply replied, ¡°You said that an envoy is going to visit us soon? I cannot make a decision before I see them in person.¡± ¡°Buffoon! It¡¯s obvious decision that we should go to war with that newly formed Kingdom! What can they do to us?! Why should we concede our territory to them!?¡± one of the officials spat. Viper did not retort. He remained silent. The King said, ¡°I agree with Alecto. There is no harm in hearing them out.¡± ¡°B-But your majesty!¡± ¡°Enough!¡± The King¡¯s voice echoed. A knock was heard on the door, and a soldier entered. After giving a deep bow, he said, ¡°Your Majesty, the envoy from Leikana has arrived. They are currently outside the Palace.¡± The King nodded. ¡°Let them enter.¡± The soldier once again bowed then left. A few minutes after, the door once again opened. Three figures clad in white cloak entered. To everyone¡¯s surprise and utter contempt, they were all wearing a mask. Before everyone could utter a word, one of the mask figures spoke. ¡°Pardon us, your majesty. It is tradition of our nation to send delegates in such fashion.¡± ¡°You are in the Kingdom of Tesma! Not Leikana!¡± one of the officials shouted. The King signaled him to stop. ¡°I see, but how can we trust someone who does not wish to reveal his face?¡± said the King. His voice was calm, and his eyes were carefully scrutinizing the three men that had entered. At the corner of his eyes, he saw that was Alecto rigidly standing in his place. Something was wrong with him, but he was unable to pinpoint it. There was a pause, and one of the three white clad figures removed his mask, revealing a surprisingly youthful face. By estimate, he was probably in his early teenage years. His grey eyes glimmered for a second. He smiled. ¡°I am Prince Jabaltar. These two men behind me are my guards.¡± The King softly chuckled. ¡°So young, indeed. Then, what can we do for you, Prince of Leikana?¡± Jabaltar did not hesitate with his answer. His voice was firm and confident. ¡°Give us the City of Palamesh and its surrounding regions. It belongs to our Kingdom.¡± A laughing sound echoed. The King of Tesma was smiling, but his eyes were predatory. ¡°You jest. Palamesh has been our city for over a hundred years. It does not belong to you, youngling.¡± Sounds and grunts of satisfaction came after the statement. Prince Jabaltar¡¯s smile failed to slide down his face. He merrily said, ¡°Then, this concludes our discussion? We knew that you would refuse the offer anyway. But for the sake of our people, we asked regardless.¡± ¡°Insolent!¡± ¡°Who do you think you are!?¡± ¡°We can crush your kingdom anytime we want!¡± ¡°Hahaha! What a funny bunch!¡± said Prince Jabaltar. He shrugged. ¡°Well then, our business here is done.¡± He turned around and left without another word. Chapter 17: The Bandit Lord Part II Chapter 17: The Bandit Lord Part II A week passed since the envoys¡¯ visit. The Kingdom of Tesma immediately gathered their troops in preparation for war. Civilians were conscripted one after another in an attempt to increase the number of soldiers. There was tension within the air as knights and soldiers moved through the cities. Viper stared at the sculpture of the God of Fire. It was almost finished, and only the feet were left. During these past few days, his mind was in turmoil. Should he tell the King about it? He felt that he should, but was rendered undecided. He kept chiseling through hard rock, his mind preoccupied by numerous thoughts. Eventually, he stopped and screamed. ¡°Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!¡± A soft voice answered, ¡°What are you so frustrated about, ruffian?¡± Viper turned around and saw the princess staring intently at him. She was wearing her pajamas, and judging by her ruffled hair, she had just woken up. ¡°What are you doing here, little one?¡± said Viper. Princess Krisha pouted. ¡°I¡¯m already nine years of age! I am a full grown adult! Watch your mouth, commoner!¡± Viper¡¯s lips crooked into a smile. Somehow, the thoughts that were bothering him started to fade away. ¡°Yes, yes. Sorry if this commoner does not please you, your highness.¡± ¡°There you go again! That smile! You¡¯re thinking that I¡¯m nothing but a spoiled kid, right? Right!?¡± said Princess Krishna. Viper shrugged. ¡°When did I ever say that?¡± She glared at him, but the ferocity of her stare slowly faded away the moment her eyes landed on the almost finished sculpture of the Fire God. Her mouth was slightly opened. She whispered, ¡°beautiful.¡± ¡°Of course. I made it,¡± Viper merrily spat. Princess Krishna¡¯s eyes swiveled between Viper and the statue. Eventually she said, ¡°Accompany me.¡± Viper¡¯s raised a brow. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Accompany me,¡± she said. There was a small fidgeting sound as she added, ¡°I-I¡¯m going out to shop for clothes! I am ordering you, as Master Instructor, to accompany me!¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Viper¡¯s eyes danced. ¡°Why should I? As far as I know, my job is to teach the young soldiers about the sword. I¡¯m no chaperone, young princess.¡± ¡°I¡¯m already an adult!¡± she shouted. ¡°Yes. Yes,¡± chuckled Viper. The thought that was bothering him once again resurfaced in his mind. He stared intently at the Princess. To his surprise, he had finally arrived at a conclusion. ¡°Hey, little one¡ªI cannot accompany you right now. I have an important matter I need to attend to.¡± Princess Krisha tilted her red head to the side. ¡°Important matter?¡± ¡°Yes. I need to see his majesty.¡± *** This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°This is a good enough place. Speak,¡± said the King. He was watering the plants in the Royal Garden, slowly sprinkling water into the new sprouts. Flowers bloomed everywhere, filling the air with a nostalgic sweet scent. When Viper was unable to immediately utter a reply, the King added, ¡°What is it, Alecto? I¡¯m the one that had put you in your current position. I know you very well, my friend. You are not interested in the politics of our world. A man of art. A man of solace. A man of passion. A man detached from the material things of this world.¡± A butterfly fluttered past the King, and he stared at it in silence. He said, ¡°It is rare for you to appear before me. Tell me, what is it that bothers you?¡± Viper inhaled a gust of air. ¡°Please concede the city of Palamesh to the enemy.¡± His remark took the King by surprise. He stopped sprinkling the plants. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Viper knew that what he was saying was preposterous, almost absurd, but he had to say it. He knew. ¡°Please give up the city of Palamesh to the enemy. Those two guys behind Prince Jabaltar¡­ those two escorts¡­ they¡¯re dangerous.¡± The King furrowed his brows. ¡°How did you come to such conclusion? Moreover, you are telling me that such decision is based on those two guards alone? Alecto¡ªyou greatly disappoint me.¡± Viper¡¯s heart sank. If not for the current King, he would have been a nameless beggar pursuing his arts. The current King was the reason he was able to pursue his passion without dying from hunger. But it was even more so a reason for him to convince him from committing a grave mistake. ¡°Those two guards behind the Prince¡­ they¡¯re stronger than you think. Strong enough to fight against the Fifth Holy Apostle of our Kingdom,¡± said Viper. If another person heard their conversation, he would have thought of how much a madman Viper was. Total silence befell the two of them. Eventually, the King said, ¡°I did not know that you are a liar, Alecto. Get out of my sight.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth! I have not told anyone about this, but I am capable of estimating the amount of magic in an individual! I have met the Fifth Apostle, and believe me, those two guards that was with Prince Jabaltar is almost as strong as that old magician!¡± ¡°Enough!¡± shouted the King. Three guards appeared from the corner upon hearing his furious remark. The King signaled them to stand their ground. ¡°I am tired of hearing lies from you, Alecto. Get out! Get out of my sight!¡± ¡°But! You Majesty! Going into war with that country is a big mistake! We should not needlessly sacrifice the lives of our men! Of our people!¡± The King slapped his face. With a soft voice, he said, ¡°Please. Go. Just go.¡± Viper bit his lips. His entire body was quivering with utter frustration. Why can¡¯t he understand? He wanted nothing but the safety of the Royal Family. With heavy footsteps, Viper left. *** [Present Time] The fire violently crackled inside the chamber, illuminating everything in a bright hazel glow. A soft hissing sound filled the air as a snake easily spanning fifty meters in length coiled itself onto a stone pillar. Viper smirked as the memories of the past suddenly resurfaced in his mind. Why was he remembering it now of all things? He tossed the small figure he was sculpting into the flames. An owl flew through the opened window and perched itself on the table. Its eyes glowed for a second. It said, ¡°Lord Bandit, the promise?¡± Viper got up from his bed. He was stark naked. ¡°I¡¯ve killed all the knights. You were watching us. Is there even a need to ask?¡± ¡°As expected. Your sense towards magic is really impeccable.¡± The snaked coiled in the pillar violently hissed. Viper signaled for it to calm down, and it did. ¡°Stop the pleasantries. The Blood Stone Fragment?¡± ¡°I cannot give you that, yet. First, present to us the head of Frederick Lancelot. Also, we found out that the female priest you took is Faith De Sagun. The High Priestess of the Order of Aquina. We also wish for you to present her head to us.¡± Viper closed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve come this far. There is no turning back. Consider it done.¡± ¡°Kukuku! Splendid. With enough Blood Stone, the revival of Princess Krisha will no longer be a dream.¡± Viper glared at the owl. How many lives had he taken for the sake of his goal? He had lost count. But they were all necessary sacrifices. He cannot turn back now. ¡°Then, we¡¯ll expect great news, Lord Bandit.¡± The Owl opened its wings wide. The snake hissed, and owl flew out into the distance. The curtains of the window violently flapped from the gust of wind. ¡°What a chilly breeze,¡± mumbled Viper. He walked towards the window and stared out into the moonless sky. It was dark. And even the silhouette of the innumerable trees outside gave off the appearance of an abyss. Such life was indeed lonely. Suddenly, chills ran throughout his entire body. He violently trembled as a malevolent presence engulfed his entire existence. He had never felt such massive amount of magic in his entire life. It was bottomless, peerless. Who was it? Why had he not noticed its existence until now? One thing was sure. Right now, a creature greatly surpassing the strength of the Holy Apostles was inside his mansion. A monster? No, a God would have been a proper explanation. Chapter 18: The Great Statue Chapter 18: The Great Statue Viper donned his white robe and grabbed his rapier. His heart started to pound louder as moments ticked by. Even now, he could feel the malevolent aura engulfing his mansion. It was full of hatred, malice. He approached the gargantuan snake coiled on the stone pillar. ¡°Aguis. From blood, one shall rise. From stone, one shall shatter. I command you to give me the blood stone.¡± The gargantuan snake uncoiled itself, slithered within the room, then made a stop right before its master. It violently hissed as it opened its mouth. Four small pieces of red stones the size of a pebble came out. It was still covered with the snake¡¯s saliva, but Viper grabbed all of it without hesitation. He immediately tucked it inside the pouch on his waist. ¡°Aguis. Come with me. We are leaving the mansion.¡± The snake hissed. Its body quivered for a few seconds, and it started to shrink at a tremendous speed. It became so small that Viper was able to easily tuck it within the comfort of his robe. Viper glanced at the door. The entity that had intruded his abode was looming closer as seconds passed by. He cannot stay here. He knew. Without hesitation, he jumped out the opened window. *** Jiablu gazed at the three bandits before him. One of them knelt in utter desperation, while the other two rigidly stood still. They were unshaven, dirty, and reeked of alcohol. By now, the blood from his previous victims had covered the ground. ¡°P-Please! Don¡¯t do this!¡± the bandit kneeling on the ground pleaded. Tears uncontrollably fell down his cheeks. Jiablu furrowed his brows. He was getting tired of repeating himself. ¡°Where is the priest?¡± ¡°T-The B-Boss took her s-somewhere! W-We don¡¯t know w-where!¡± ¡°If y-you look in the Master¡¯s C-Chamber! M-Maybe she¡¯s there!¡± ¡°Where is the Master¡¯s Chamber?¡± said Jiablu. One of them repeatedly opened then closed his mouth, then spoke in an almost incomprehensible voice. ¡°From h-here, just take the long corridor. O-Once you¡¯ve seen the r-room f-filled with the s-statues of the nine G-Gods, turn l-left from t-there!¡± Statue of the nine Gods? Jiablu¡¯s eyes slightly widened in interest. He wanted to see. He knew that there were other Gods worshipped by the humans aside from the puny Queen Fairy called God Aquina. His lips crooked into a small grin. ¡°Interesting,¡± he whispered. Without uttering a word, the heads of all three bandits burst into pieces. Blood violently splattered on the ground. Jiablu went out the room and immediately saw the long corridor the bandits spoke of. By human standard, it would probably take five minutes to reach the other end. ¡°Nine Gods... the mortal said that there are nine Gods. Then, maybe...¡± Jiablu mumbled as he slowly walked towards his destination. He silently wished that there was a statue of his master. A group of five bandits saw him and approached his way, but before they could even ask what he was doing in such a place, their heads burst open and their bodies kissed the cold ground. ¡°Nine Gods¡­ Nine Gods¡­ I want to see him¡­ I want to see my Master,¡± he continued to mumble, all the while massacring all the bandits that came his way.Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Eventually, he arrived at the end of the path. He glanced left and right. There were two rooms. If the left was the path to the Master¡¯s Chamber, then the right one must be the room where the statues were kept. Jiablu opened the door to the right and entered. It was dim. Without any illumination. He willed for an orb to manifest itself before him. It was the size of a fist, and its azure glow illuminated his immediate surroundings. Shadows loomed as numerous statues greeted his eyes. Just like what the mortals said, there were indeed nine of them. To his great delight, one of the statues was that of his master. Jiablu felt shivers crawl down his spine when he realized the great semblance of the figure to his master. It was intricately done, even to the most minute of details. ¡°Well done,¡± he said. If the creator of the statue was here, Jiablu would have greatly commended him for the work, regardless of his race. He continued to gaze at the figure, and each second sent him into a state of euphoria. Jiablu did not realize that it had been almost half an hour since he motionlessly stood admiring the statue of his creator. If not for the hoarse voice that reverberated in the room, he would have not broken out of his stupor. ¡°He¡¯s here! The culprit is here!¡± ¡°Catch him!¡± Jiablu glared at the source of the voice. ¡°Impudent bastards.¡± Seven bandits entered the room, their weapons unsheathed from the scabbards. One of them hollered, ¡°Are you the one that killed our guys? Answer us!¡± Jiablu wanted to immediately massacre them, but he was reminded that they were currently inside a Holy Ground. He could not let a single drop of blood be shed in front of the statue of his master. ¡°Silence,¡± said Jiablu. And a deafening silence befell the group. They could not move, moreover utter even a sound. All that they were left able to do was stare at the child as he wordlessly gazed upon a single statue. Minutes passed, and almost an hour came. Eventually, the child spoke, ¡°Such a satisfying encounter. Whoever made this deserves my respect. A true artist indeed. A human that has surpassed others in his art. Impressive. Impressive.¡± The orb of light hovered onto the next statue, then to the next, until it went back to the statue the child was intently staring at. ¡°The statues of the other Gods are mediocre. As expected. No one is greater than my Master,¡± said the child. There was a satisfied chuckle after that. If the bandits were not frozen, they would have glanced at each other by now and say, ¡°what the hell is wrong with this kid? He¡¯s a fanatic!¡± Eventually the child turned around and faced their way. Their bodies violently trembled upon meeting his crimson eyes. He pointed at one of the bandits and said, ¡°You over there. I am permitting you to speak. Answer my question.¡± One of the bandits almost stumbled on the ground when the restriction that bound him dissipated. His chest immediately rose then fell and he gasped for air. He looked at his companions. Just like before, they were frozen still. ¡°Should I take the statue from this Holy Place? Somehow, this place feels perfect. As though my Master wishes for me to silently gaze at his majestic self every now and then. Though I dislike the idea of him being lined alongside the other so called Gods, I shall permit it for now,¡± said Jiablu. When he received no answer, he added, ¡°What do you think?¡± By now everyone in the room knew that the child was no mere human. He was without doubt a magician. A very strong one at that. The bandit gulped down the lump in his throat. ¡°I-I think t-that he should stay here? I-I mean¡­ the statue would be lonely if you remove it from there¡­ r-right?¡± The bandit¡¯s heart loudly pounded, and it almost jumped out of his chest. If what he said displeased the monster before them, their blood would cover the ground red. He shivered at the thought. To the bandit¡¯s surprise, the child nodded. ¡°You think so too, huh?¡± There was a deafening silence as the child remained fixated on the figure that spanned five meters in height. The child¡¯s back was completely exposed, and his thoughts were obviously occupied by the statue before him. Still, the bandit that had his restriction removed did not dare move a single muscle. If that magician was capable of binding everyone without lifting a single finger, then how much of a monster would he be if provoked? The bandits cannot afford such a thing right now. ¡°Something¡¯s missing,¡± mumbled the child. Seconds passed, and his gaze swiveled between the statues and the frozen bandits. He clapped his hands once. ¡°Ah. That¡¯s it. There are no flowers. Master Thanatos likes flowers.¡± Without warning, excruciating pain bolted through everyone¡¯s bodies. They wanted to scream in agony, but no voice came out. To their horror, their bodies began to bend in unimaginable ways, their flesh splitting and bones cracking. Surprisingly, not a single blood splattered on the ground as the bodies of the bandits continued to distort into gruesome figures capable of making a full grown soldier cry. ¡°Flowers, bloom for your God,¡± mumbled the child. A fragrant scent wafted through the air as vines sprouted out of the distorted bodies. Leaves unfolded themselves, and flowers bloomed into utter perfection. It was a pristine, divine sight. It was beautiful enough to shame even the Royal Garden of each Kingdoms. The child smiled in utter satisfaction. Today was a great day. Indeed. He knelt down, and flower petals rained in all directions. ¡°Master, this humble servant is greatly honored to see you.¡± He added, ¡°These flowers shall bloom¡ªforever¡ªto please you.¡± Chapter 19: Gradual Change Chapter 19: Gradual Change After making sure that no other entity could enter the room filled with statues, Jiablu went towards the Master¡¯s Chamber. At the center of the room, a large stone pillar was immediately seen upon his entry. On the left was a colossal bed capable of accommodating a dozen persons at once. ¡°Over there,¡± mumbled Jiablu. He stared at a large painting of a princess on the wall. A normal person would have a hard time noticing the hidden passageway, but to a magic caster like Jiablu, the flow of mana in the surroundings immediately gave it away. He touched the painting and it immediately melted down the ground. He entered the narrow passageway, his footsteps echoing amidst the silence. Eventually he arrived at a small, decrepit room that resembled a warehouse. Wooden boxes that reeked of kranite were stacked one after another. At the corner most portion, Jiablu saw a familiar face. Both her hands and feet were shackled, her body crouching as she slept. For a moment, Jiablu¡¯s mind was filled with mockery as he stared at her. How could she sleep in such a place, surrounded by enemies? But then, he inwardly sighed. He had experienced the blissful state called sleep, and he could somehow empathize. Jiablu pointed a finger at the shackles, and they immediately split in half then fell down the ground. The loud clanking sound woke her up. She slowly opened her eyes. ¡°Priest,¡± said Jiablu. ¡°Wake up.¡± For a moment, the two of them locked eyes with each other. The torment Faith had experienced before resurfaced in her mind. Her eyes widened to the point of popping out. She was about to scream in utter terror when she realized who the young man in front of her was. ¡°J-Jiablu? I-Is that¡­ W-What are you doing here?¡± she breathed, her eyes locked with Jiablu¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯ve come to get you, of course,¡± he simply replied. Jiablu have a boiling hatred for humans. That much was sure. But somehow, this priest before him was an anomaly. Whenever he was with her, his hatred somehow softens, and there was even a point during their journey when he had almost regarded her as something greater than a mere insect. Emotions. It was something he was having a hard time grasping until now. Maybe, this was the first step. Somehow, Jiablu felt a sense of accomplishment. He inwardly smiled. Now that he had a closer look, he saw the numerous cuts and bruises on Faith¡¯s body. Her clothes were tattered, and her cheeks were swollen. Jiablu remembered the words uttered by the three naked insects when he first woke up. It seemed that while he was asleep, this human protected him. Jiablu snorted, ¡°You are indeed foolish. But that foolishness saved your life.¡± Faith shot a quizzical look. She noticed the stacked wooden boxes within the room. As though she had remembered something, she quickly spat, ¡°Kranite! This room is a storage area for those illegal drugs! Try to hold your breath as much as possibl¡ª¡± She coughed. With wobbling legs, she stood up. She looked at her hands and feet. ¡°The shackles...¡± She wanted to ask how those thick pieces of metal were cleanly cut in half, but now was not the time for that. As a High Priestess, the amount of mana within her body was greater than most people. She could endure the hallucinogenic effects of Kranite for a bit longer, but the same could not be said of Jiablu. Worst comes to worst, the young man could lose his sanity after breathing too much of it. She grabbed his hands then ushered him out of the room. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Half-running, they entered the narrow passageway and arrived at the Master¡¯s Chamber. Faith was huffing as she breathed in a gust of air. Her vision was starting to get blurry now, probably from the overexposure to kranite, or the loss of blood, or maybe both. ¡°Are you okay?¡± she said. Jiablu wore a blank look on his face. Those things she called Kranite were plants that normally grew in his dungeon. Even if he was exposed to it all day long, nothing would have happened.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Faith touched Jiablu¡¯s cheeks. She mumbled, ¡°Your face¡­ it must have hurt so bad. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Her fingertips glowed for a moment, and Jiablu felt the cuts on his cheeks heal on their own. After making a satisfied smile, Faith sternly said, ¡°We¡¯ve sent an emergency message to the Kingdom. Reinforcement should be coming here soon. Don¡¯t worry. Big Sister will protect you until that time comes.¡± Despite trying her best to sound strong and resolute, her weak, almost croaking voice gave her away. Her vision gradually dimmed, and she entered the world of black. She fell down the ground. Jiablu stared at her unconscious face. ¡°Humans really are foolish.¡± He knew that if Faith had not used her remaining magic to heal his cuts, she would have not fallen unconscious. Why was she willing to go that far for him? It left a bad aftertaste in his mouth. Jiablu flicked his fingers, and Faith¡¯s body floated on the air. A translucent bubble covered it. Slowly, her wounds closed on their own. Her previously pale face regained its color. He remembered the words she uttered. ¡°Reinforcements, huh?¡± After a wave of his hand, Jiablu and Faith¡¯s figure vanished, leaving an empty Master¡¯s Chamber. *** [Dry Valley ¨C the path that serves as entrance to the Kingdom] The Red Griffin, a special unit of the Kingdom that served as reinforcement in times of dire crisis, made their way through the Dry Valley. They were surrounded by large cliffs, and the ground almost resembled a desert with its sand dunes. Clouds of dust swirled upwards as their cavalry moved forward in top speed. Time was a luxury that that they did not have. ¡°Commander Rajak, what do you think of the message?¡± said one of the soldiers. A man with a scorched jaw replied, ¡°It¡¯s from the old man. There should be no mistake about it.¡± ¡°B-But is it really possible? They have that monster commander with them!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s leave that for later,¡± said Rajak. He squinted his hazel eyes. From beyond, his scouts were signaling their group to stop, and he clearly saw the reason why. ¡°They broke the bridge, huh?¡± he mumbled. Before them was a broken bridge and an impossibly large ravine that reeked of the word bottomless. The Kingdom once sent an exploration team for it, but they never came back. He bit his lips then issued an order to the soldier on his left. ¡°Take another soldier with you and report this to the Kingdom.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± said the soldier. ¡°All troops! Follow me!¡± roared Commander Rajak. Clouds of dust swirled upwards as almost a hundred mounted soldiers rode forth. They steered to their right, taking the longer path towards the forest. Behind them was the Great Ravine that protected the Kingdom for centuries. ¡°Muhasa,¡± said Commander Rajak. A small, plump man answered, ¡°Yes, General?¡± ¡°We cannot afford to rest. I need your magic,¡± said Commander Rajak. Muhasa nodded. ¡°Understood.¡± Still riding his mount, he began waving his arms in the air. A few moments after, a small magic circle manifested itself. After it broke into particles of light, a small shockwave blew through the entire cavalry. The horses neighed, and their speed increased further. After two days, they finally reached the edge of the forest. A large, sole path was seen between numerous trees and shrubberies. General Rajak immediately ordered scouts to survey the surroundings. According to the Red Code they had received, the bandits were the cause of the Third Division¡¯s bane. Ten minutes passed. A scout returned. For some reason, his face was grim and pale. ¡°C-Commander¡­ hundreds of corpses ahead,¡± said the scout. Rajak nodded. ¡°Good work.¡± He said to the rest of the soldiers. ¡°This area is infested with bandits. Do not risk it. Kill them on sight.¡± After that, he led his men deeper into the forest, where they eventually saw numerous corpses littered on the ground. Upon seeing the insignia on their armors, the soldiers froze. There was no doubt about it. These men belonged to the infamous Third Division. Arrows pierced their flesh, and most of them were decapitated. Maggots crawled up their eyes. Judging by the state of the corpses, Rajak was sure that a minimum of two days had passed since then. ¡°Search the area! There might be survivors! Be on guard! If you encounter bandits, make sure to fight them in groups! I do not need brave, heroic soldiers!¡± said Rajak. The soldiers immediately dispersed out to cover the area. Some tried to find survivors, while some looked out for bandits. Their commander was famous for his cautious demeanor. He was known as someone that would not fight battles he would not win. Despite being dubbed cowardly and unconventional, the soldiers held pride in being part of the infamous Red Griffin. From atop his mount, Rajak stared at the innumerable corpses littered on the road. Whoever did it did not bother concealing the bodies. But judging by the headless bodies, they made sure that everyone was dead. ¡°Muhasa,¡± said Rajak. ¡°Sir?¡± replied a bald, plump man. ¡°You¡¯re capable of Alchemy, correct? I want you to find what kind of poison killed these men.¡± Muhasa jumped down his mount. He stroked his flabby chin. ¡°Poison, sir?¡± ¡°Yes. This is the Great Forest. With such massive amount of corpses, there should have been scavengers around,¡± said Rajak. ¡°But look around you. There is not a single one.¡± Muhasa looked around. Indeed, it was just like his commander had said. Rajak added, ¡°This area is supposedly home to Reavel Wolves. Weak creatures, but those carnivorous beasts won¡¯t let a feast like this pass by. Peculiarly, though decapitated, the corpses are intact. A more appropriate scenario would be a missing limb or two. Even beasts refused to eat the corpses. Most probably, the bodies contain poison.¡± ¡°I see. As expected of the leader,¡± mumbled Muhasa. He began examining the bodies of the dead knights. A soldier approached. ¡°Sir, survivors.¡± Rajak¡¯s ears twitched. The soldier added, ¡°A child¡­ and the other one seems to be a priest.¡± ¡°Take me there,¡± said Rajak. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Along with a handful of soldiers, Commander Rajak went towards the place where the survivors were found. Upon arrival, he saw two figures sitting under the shade of a tree. A young man, probably in his early teens, and an unconscious female priest. Chapter 20: Last Farewell Chapter 20: Last Farewell ¡°How is it?¡± asked Rajak as he approached the group. The soldiers that surrounded the survivors immediately saluted upon seeing him. One of them said, ¡°Sir! We¡¯ve searched the vicinity. So far, these two are the only survivors we¡¯ve found!¡± Rajak tapped his shoulder. He had always made sure to praise them for their hard work. It was free, after all. ¡°Good work,¡± said Rajak. He stared at the two figures sitting underneath the shade of a tree. One was a civilian, a young man in his early teens. Commander Rajak had questions on what he was doing with the Third Division, but he knew that had to be left for later. The more important thing was the female priest beside him. ¡°De Sagun,¡± mumbled Rajak. She was one of the five High Priestesses of the Order of Aquina. Rajak was sure. Thankfully, she seemed unharmed judging by the lack of cuts and injuries. Her peaceful, sleeping face seemed surreal considering the fact that there were numerous rotting corpses nearby. Not sure if he should immediately wake her up, Rajak decided to interrogate the young man beside her instead. He crouched and asked, ¡°Kid, what happened here?¡± For a moment, Rajak was taken aback by the glare that he received. The young man¡¯s eyes looked at him as though he was nothing but an insignificant existence. Rajak mentally shook his head. He asked again, ¡°What happened here?¡± Seconds passed, but he received no response. At the corner of his eyes, he saw some of his soldiers looked at each other. Rajak sighed. He stood up then closed his eyes for a moment. ¡°My apologies. I have not introduced myself. I am Rajak Corvista, Commander of the Red Griffin. We have come here after receiving an emergency message from Gaston.¡± To his relief, the young man replied, ¡°The reinforcements, huh? Good enough. I have been yearning for sleep, but I deemed that I should at least wait for the so called human soldiers to arrive.¡± Rajak still had no answer to his question. He asked again, ¡°I know that you must have been traumatized, and you¡¯re probably too tired of everything that happened thus far¡­ but we need you to tell us what happened here.¡± A chuckling sound from the young man was heard. ¡°Kukuku! How stupid are you? Isn¡¯t it obvious? Petty humans slaughtered each other. Despite their fleeting lives, these creatures chose to kill one another. How stupid.¡± Rajak looked at his soldiers. They all knew that, and that was not what they were intent on finding out. He heard one of his soldiers say, ¡°Isn¡¯t that kid a bit too arrogant? We went to this place in hopes of saving the Third Division, and he didn¡¯t even bother saying his thanks.¡± Rajak signaled for them to stop with their side comments. They had no time for trivialities. If the kid really was as rude as his soldiers said, then so be it. It was not something worth dwelling on about. After a quick self-thought, he had decided not to ask further. He leaned close to the unconscious female priest. He tapped her shoulders. ¡°De Sagun,¡± said Rajak. ¡°Wake up.¡± For a moment, Commander Rajak deliberated whether he should use more force to rouse her. But thankfully, she woke up after a few more tap on the shoulder. She slowly opened her eyes then blinked thrice. ¡°De Sagun, how are you feeling?¡± said Rajak. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for waking you up, but we need to find out what happened here.¡± It took a few moments before Faith was able to reply. She wore a dumbfounded expression, definitely confused of the current state of things. Before she had lost consciousness, she was sure that she was inside the Mansion. But now, she suddenly found herself in the middle of a forest. ¡°R-Rajak? Why are you here?¡± she looked around and saw the handful of soldiers nearby. On her right, Jiablu was nonchalantly resting his body on the tree. ¡°I see¡­ the Red Griffin. The Kingdom really went all out to help us, huh?¡± Commander Rajak sighed in relief. ¡°It seems you¡¯re fine. De Sagun, I need you to tell me what happened here.¡± Faith flinched as her head throbbed. Horrendous memories began resurfacing. She bit her lips as she tried her best not to sob and wail. There was a time for everything. ¡°Viper,¡± said Faith. The soldiers around them froze upon the mention of the name. ¡°He leads the bandits in this forest. A few days ago¡­ they¡­ they attacked us and killed everyone.¡± Commander Rajak pulled up his collar, half-covering his scorched jaw. He mumbled, ¡°I see. Then, Lancelot¡ª¡±This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Is probably dead,¡± said Faith. ¡°When I last saw him, his body was pierced by numerous arrows. The poison in his body took over. The fight with the bandits was one-sided.¡± Her body was quivering as everyone turned dead silent. To think that such an famous warrior would meet his end here, and by the hands of mere bandits. It was unthinkable. It was a grave news that would shake the Kingdom. Commander Rajak had sparred with Lancelot a few times before, and he never won a single match against the famous commander of the knights. He could only imagine how potent the poison was for a great warrior to be reduced to such state. ¡°Alecto. That damn Viper,¡± snarled Rajak. Losing Lancelot was a serious blow to the Kingdom. ¡°We should have killed him long ago! Damn, cunning bastard!¡± Despite what he said, Rajak knew that the Kingdom indeed tried to get rid of Viper a few times before. Unfortunately, he was a former Instructor of the Royal Guards. He knew the Capital like the palm of his hand. Just cornering him proved impossible. And taking into account his individual strength, they would need an elite punitive force, at the very least, to subdue him. ¡°It¡¯s good that you survived,¡± said Rajak. He placed a hand on her head and ruffled her hair. ¡°The little girl I used to play with before has become such a beautiful woman.¡± ¡°You know each other, commander?¡± asked one of the soldiers. Rajak nodded. ¡°Yeah. We grew up in the same orphanage.¡± He asked Faith, ¡°How is Cardinal Roschal?¡± Faith furrowed his brows. ¡°His health is getting worse. We¡¯ve tried all kinds of medicine and even brought famous healers, but they can¡¯t find the cause of his disease.¡± Rajak had a worried look on his face. ¡°I see. That old man¡­ this is why I told him to retire already.¡± A soldier approached their group. He whispered something to Rajak. ¡°I see,¡± nodded Rajak. After a moment of hesitation, he said to Faith, ¡°De Sagun¡­ we¡¯ve found the body of your commander.¡± Faith¡¯s pupils shrank. She blankly stared into space. ¡°Do you want to come with us?¡± said Rajak. After considering things, he knew that it was the best course of action. They cannot run away from reality for too long. ¡°Yes,¡± said Faith as she stood up. She gazed at Jiablu. This young man had been through numerous tragedies. First, he had seen his village burn down to crisp, and now this. She cannot help but feel pity from the bottom of her heart. ¡°Jiablu, stay here. I promise, I¡¯ll be back.¡± Jiablu did not seem to care. He nodded once. ¡°I am hungry, Priest. Make sure to bring food once you get back.¡± There was a momentary glare from Rajak after that remark, but it immediately dissipated after a split second. Now was not the time for trivialities. The Commander reminded himself. Faith and Rajak, together with a few soldiers, went towards the place where the body of Commander Lancelot was found. They grimaced when they found the corpse. It was already rotting, with dead maggots scattered all over. ¡°C-Commander Lancelot,¡± whispered Faith. Tears streamed down her eyes. Even in his death, Lancelot refused to let go of his sword. His corpse was tightly gripping it tight, not willing to let go. Slowly, Faith¡¯s sob turned into a wail. Sounds of anguish echoed amidst the silence of the forest. The soldiers nearby averted their gazes. They had seen how mutilated the corpse of Lancelot was. The head itself was severed from the body, and the eyes were taken out. It seemed that before the famous warrior died, his body was tortured and played with by the bandits. It was an end unbefitting of a warrior, and the soldiers could do nothing but contain the wrath within their souls. ¡°Commander Rajak,¡± said Muhasa. The stubby man held out a small flask before him. ¡°Kranite. It seems that the knights consumed a lot of those hallucinogens.¡± ¡°Kranite, huh?¡± said Rajak. There was a suppressed glare within his eyes. ¡°I thought the Kingdom had burned down those things a few years ago.¡± ¡°Yes, they did. But it won¡¯t come as surprise if those bandits found another source,¡± said Muhasa. The blue concoction inside the flask was violently bubbling. ¡°The concentration of Kranite inside the knights¡¯ bodies is enough to kill a Reavel Wolf in seconds. No wonder they lost to mere bandits.¡± ¡°Back in the mansion, I saw the warehouse where those drugs were kept. There¡¯re loads of them, enough to supply the entire Kingdom,¡± said Faith. She wiped the snot and tears on her face. ¡°Mansion?¡± said Rajak. Faith nodded. ¡°I was abducted. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a stroke of luck, but I survived because of that. In the room where they locked me in, there¡¯re stacks of boxes filled with Kranite.¡± ¡°Muhasa, I want you to make a report about this,¡± said Rajak. Muhasa nodded. ¡°A-Are you going to the mansion?¡± asked Faith. If possible, she did not want see any more deaths. Rajak¡¯s reply made her sigh in relief. ¡°No,¡± said Rajak. He momentarily gazed at the mutilated corpse of Lancelot, then to Faith. ¡°The Kingdom clearly told us to avoid conflict if possible. I know how strong Viper is, and I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be casualties if we come into conflict with him. For now, the rescue of survivors and survey of the area are top priority.¡± There was a small pause. Rajak asked, ¡°But there is something that isn¡¯t clear to me. De Sagun, how did you escape from the Mansion?¡± It was a question even Faith did not know how to answer, and it was clearly evident in her eyes. She shriveled, probably from the expecting look of Muhasa, or the piercing stare of Rajak, or maybe both. ¡°I-I don¡¯t¡­ I have no idea. Rajak, I¡¯m sorry,¡± said Faith. ¡°When I came to, I suddenly found myself before you guys. The last time I remembered, Jiablu rescued me from prison. I lost consciousness after that.¡± ¡°Jiablu?¡± said Rajak. He stared into the far distance, particularly at the direction where they first found the survivors. ¡°You mean, that kid?¡± Faith bobbed her head. ¡°Yes.¡± She immediately added, ¡°Ah! But I mean... I¡¯m not sure! I woke up and he was there! Someone must have helped him cut off the shackles. It¡¯s impossible otherwise.¡± There were inconsistencies within her story, but this was De Sagun. She had no reason to lie, Rajak knew. What bothered Commander Rajak the most was this kid called Jiablu. He had met him before, and the young man reeked of the word condescending. His gaze was that of someone that treats another like dirt. Anomalies and inconsistencies. They struck at the commander, rendering him unable to come up with a definite conclusion. Rajak sighed. His head started to throb. ¡°For now, we¡¯ll go back and inform the Kingdom about these things. It is utterly foolish to come at the enemy unprepared.¡± He said to the soldiers. ¡°We¡¯ll depart in 15 minutes! Inform everyone!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Faith grabbed the hands of Rajak. ¡°Wait! What about¡­ the bodies?¡± Rajak closed his eyes. He shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, De Sagun. It¡¯s impossible to take those back with us. Burying them will take too much time. We¡¯ll be easy targets in this dense forest. The living takes precedence. I cannot risk the lives of my men. Those bodies¡­ they¡¯ll have to stay here.¡± Faith let go of her grip. She stared at the dead body of her commander for one last time. She had loved him, and she was sure that he knew. Lancelot already had a wife and kids, and so, Faith willingly bottled her feelings inside her heart. She bowed her head low and whispered, ¡°Those seven years¡­ was¡­ fun. I¡¯ll forever treasure these memories in my heart. Thank you for everything, Lancelot ¡ª and good bye.¡± Chapter 21: The Infernal Sword Chapter 21: The Infernal Sword After exiting the Great Forest, the group traversed through the Dry Valley, until they eventually arrived at the outskirts of the Kingdom. A sea of green and gold swayed along with the wind as they passed through the rice fields. ¡°Beautiful, isn¡¯t it?¡± whispered Faith. Jiablu did not bother responding as he stared at the farmers they passed by along the way. Their tunics were filled with mud and sweat, but somehow, there was satisfaction within their eyes. They would sometimes wave their hands and salute, while some cheered as the famous Red Griffin passed through. Hours quickly went by, and just before noon came, they had finally arrived at a city. There was a wall enclosing it, but judging by its size, it was probably meant to block illegal immigrants rather than monster attacks. The guards at the entrance immediately opened the gates the moment they saw the Red Griffin. After entering the city, Rajak said, ¡°De Sagun, you¡¯re going to meet with the Cardinal, correct?¡± Faith nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± She looked at Jiablu. ¡°I¡¯ll be taking him there.¡± Along their journey, Rajak had learned of Jiablu¡¯s origins. The commander was surprised when he found out the events that transpired during that time. Attacks from the Undead. The Goblin King invasion. And the fight with the Forest Bandits. All of those were catastrophes that would warrant the attention of the Kingdom. The commander of the Red Griffin felt a sense of pity for the kid. He was young, but he had gone through so much tragedies. Rajak placed a hand on Jiablu¡¯s head. ¡°Be good, ¡®kay? Cardinal Roschal is a good man. He¡¯ll surely¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, damn maggot,¡± spat Jiablu. For a moment, Rajak felt a burning sensation in his hand. He quickly let go of his grip, and the pricking pain vanished at the same time. Faith immediately reprimanded Jiablu: ¡°Young man! What did I tell you?!¡± She said to Rajak, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Jiablu seemed not pleased about the conversation. Rajak heartily laughed. ¡°It¡¯s fine, De Sagun.¡± He stared at Jiablu for a few seconds before giving out a smile. ¡°Well then,¡± said Rajak. ¡°This is where we part ways. I take it that you¡¯ll be reporting directly to the Cardinal?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Faith. As a High Priestess, the Cardinal was her direct superior. The Kingdom was not in amicable terms with The Order of Aquina as of the moment, and being granted an audience with a Palace Official would prove difficult. She had no choice but convey her findings to the Cardinal himself. After all, even the King cannot refuse the Cardinal an audience. Rajak closed his eyes then smiled. He fondly gazed at Faith. ¡°I¡¯ll come visit one of these days. Tell the old man.¡± Faith smiled, revealing her left dimple. ¡°I think he¡¯ll be pissed. You ran away, after all.¡± ¡°Haha! That¡¯s all in the past! Surely, he¡¯d forgiven me by now?¡± said Rajak. Faith shrugged. ¡°You know how stubborn he can be. But please do visit us. Contrary to what the old man may say, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be delighted.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Rajak pulled the reigns of his mount, making it loudly neigh in response. ¡°Then, off we go!¡± Faith and Jiablu watched as Rajak and his men disappeared from sight. According to the commander, they were going to directly report to Prince Ibrahim. By estimate, it would take at least five days before they reached the Royal Capital. Faith grabbed Jiablu¡¯s hand. For a moment, she was afraid that he would brush it off and spit out curses, like he usually do. Thankfully, he did not seem to mind. ¡°What is it, Priest?¡± said Jiablu.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Lankan is one of the numerous minor cities of the Kingdom. It¡¯s a lot smaller than the Capital¡­ but it¡¯s still a city. You might get lost in this crowd. Better be sure,¡± said Faith. Just like what Faith said, the city was bustling with life. Numerous stalls were seen everywhere, and residents and tourists alike roamed the streets. From a distance, they saw a group of slave traders moving their cargo. Inside the large cage was a silver fox with two tails. At the other corner, a Pierrot was performing some unconventional swordplay and dance. Jiablu had been to larger cities before, but this was the first time he had come close to so many humans. Peculiarly enough, Jiablu did not hate it at all. On the contrary, he felt even closer to his goal. So, this is what living as a human was like. With Faith still holding his hand, Jiablu went through the bustling street, eventually arriving at the Central Plaza. From there, the Great Cathedral was a small distance away. ¡°Finally, I can meet this so called Cardinal,¡± he mumbled. Faith clearly heard it, and she cannot help but giggle. Jiablu¡¯s voice was filled with so much enthusiasm. If only he knew what kind of a grumpy old man Cardinal Roschal was. She cannot wait. Suddenly, Jiablu stopped in his tracks. Faith turned around and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Upon receiving no answer, she instead followed his line of sight. She saw numerous men flocking the center of the plaza. Cheers were heard as a bulky man tried pulling out a sword from the ground. ¡°Gahahaha! Another idiot! Go! Go! Go!¡± ¡°Mister, no matter how strong you are, it¡¯s impossible to pull that sword out!¡± Jiablu walked towards it, his eyes filled with curiosity. ¡°That sword,¡± he said. Upon closer inspection, the sword was clearly not ordinary. The hilt alone was made entirely of gold, and the blade itself had runes and insignias carved on it. ¡°The Infernal Sword,¡± said Faith. Jiablu stare intensified upon the mention of the name. ¡°It¡¯s the reason why the City of Lankan is so famous in the Kingdom. Long ago, that sword was used by the Hero to defeat a legendary monster. After he died, the sword lodged itself into the ground, and no one was able to pull it out ever since then.¡± Faith touched the top of Jiablu¡¯s head. ¡°Amazing isn¡¯t it? The stories passed down to generations say that one day, a Hero will come and pull out that sword. He will then use it to slay the darkness of the world, thus bringing peace to the Human Race.¡± By now, the bulky man¡¯s veins were close to popping out. He kept trying will all his might, but the sword did not even budge a single inch. Jiablu intently stared at the sword. It was familiar. So oddly familiar that he felt a great sense of nostalgia. After a few more moments, he remembered. ¡®Ah, the sword I threw away centuries ago,¡¯ he thought. Almost three centuries ago, Jiablu began to greatly expand his army in accordance to his master¡¯s wish. It was the very same moment he had decided to create his own dungeon and minions, eventually becoming the absolute ruler of Qavan. He also created items and weapons, which then unknowingly became legendary artifacts, despite being defects, after he threw them away. And this famous sword was undoubtedly one of them. Jiablu chuckled, ¡°Kukuku! A Hero actually used it?¡± Faith did not know what was so funny, but she replied with a ¡®Yes¡¯, regardless. Jiablu slowly approached the sword. The bulky man that kept trying to pull it out stopped and stared at him. ¡°Eh, kid? Wanna have a go at the Infernal Sword?¡± he asked. Beads of sweat flowed down his body like a river. Jiablu ignored him. Instead, he used Soul Perception. As he had expected. There was indeed a Sealed Creature here. A humanoid with the tail of a snake. His body was covered with carapace, giving him great semblance to Dragoneuts. ¡°A Slitheran,¡± mumbled Jiablu. He had not expected to encounter one here. Moreover, in such a place where numerous humans resided. If this one was not sealed, it would have long massacred everyone in the city. The Slitheran¡¯s eyes widened when he heard the words uttered by the kid. He said, ¡°Who are you, human? How come you are able to see me?¡± Jiablu found it amusing. If the humans knew that the sword was actually sealing away this monster, would they still attempt to pull it out of the ground? As time went by, the foolishness of the Human Race was becoming more evident. ¡°Judging by the lack of horns, I clearly did not create you,¡± said Jiablu. ¡°Then, who is it? Bur¡¯Karis? Loevar?¡± The Slitheran was clearly flustered after the utterance of the names. He tried to stand up, but the seal from the sword rendered him unable to do so. ¡°How did you know that I was created by the Muhar¡¯Tava? By one of the Guardians?¡± said the Slitheran. ¡°Who are you?¡± Jiablu grinned upon hearing this. He clapped his hands once. ¡°Then, it is true then. Tell me, who among them created you?¡± Though hestitant, considering the fact that he was conversing with a mere human, the Slitheran answered, ¡°Lord Loevar created me.¡± ¡°I see, that explains it,¡± said Jiablu. If the Arch Demon, one of the Guardians, created him, then it would explain the lack of horns. Loevar held great pride in his horns, and he would never create a creature with one. Jiablu felt a tap on his shoulder. Upon looking, he saw Faith staring at him. Her eyes were filled with worry. And he realized that the spectators had turned their attention to him. Indeed, to mere humans, it would have looked like as though he was speaking to himself. ¡°Are you okay?¡± said Faith. She made an apologetic bow to the man trying to pull out the sword. Jiablu gazed at the Slitheran, then to Faith. He said, ¡°I was curious. But I¡¯ve found my answers. Let¡¯s go, Priest.¡± Faith smiled. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go.¡± The Slitheran, invisible to other humans, shouted, ¡°Wait! Who are you? Soul Perception can never be used by the Human Race! Tell me! What are you?!¡± Jiablu did not bother turning around. Along with Faith, he disappeared through the crowd. Amazon Hi! The published version is now live on Amazon.Stolen novel; please report. https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B074MCKCC5 I hired a proofreader and an artist. -Silvercockroach