《The Gods' Play [dropped]》


 Chapter 1 - Sievor (part 1)

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    A young child watched as the old grandfather clock¡¯s hands moved with the swinging of its pendulums. He had been there standing in front of it for the past half hour unmoving, almost as if he was a carved statue placed there for attraction purposes. You could only tell that he was indeed a living human with the constant rising and resting of his chest, and the blinking of his eyes every now and then.


    The child was five years of age, wearing a simple brown shirt and dark gray pants. His dark brown hair was messy and unkempt. A pair of unwavering clear light brown eyes stared at the clock¡¯s face.


    This was inside a small wooden furniture store owned by an old man by the name of Gregor. Most of the products sold here were handcrafted by him and his disciples of the craft. Aside from wooden furnitures, he also specialized in mechanical clockworks and similar complex designs. That was a trace of the past, though, and all he does now were just still furnitures.  Only the old grandfather clock in one corner of the store was a testament of his glorious talent in the past.


    ¡°Sievor,¡± he called out to the young child. ¡°Don¡¯t you get tired of watching the clock?¡±


    The child had been entranced with the clock for the past few months, always standing there watching the hands move. The old man could never understand how the child could just keep on watching it without getting bored.


    ¡°But, grandpa, look!¡± Sievor said excitedly while pointing at the clock. ¡°It keeps on moving and moving and moving! I¡¯m waiting for it to stop!¡±


    The old man smiled and motioned for the child to come to him behind the counter. The small child obeyed and ran to him. There was a small stool right beside Gregor, and the child sat on it.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be waiting in vain then, for time never stops.¡±


    ¡°It doesn''t?¡± Sievor tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°No, it doesn''t. All started to exist when time began, and all will cease to exist if it ever stops. That¡¯s why time will never stop!¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just how it is.¡±


    ¡°Then the huge clock will not stop, too?¡±


    ¡°Well, it won¡¯t unless it breaks down or gets damaged.¡±


    ¡°Then we have to take good care of the clock or else time will stop! Everything will not exist and grandpa will disappear!¡±


    With a scared expression, the child stood and hugged the old man¡¯s leg.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want grandpa to disappear!¡±


    Gregor smiled and patted the child¡¯s head. He remembered the events of five years ago, when this young child first entered his life.


    He had been in the woods at that time, looking for crafting materials. He found a huge tree which was nearing its late stages of maturity. He took note of it and planned to hire some woodcutters to cut it down for him. That was when he heard the cries of a baby.


    Circling around the huge tree, he found a part covered with bushes. The sound seemed to come from behind. He pushed the bushes aside and found a hollow part in the tree¡¯s trunk, and inside was a woman covered in bloody clothes with an infant beside her.


    He could not tell how long the two have been in there, but he knew that their situation was dire. He approached them only to find out that the woman was already pale and cold. She was still alive, but it won¡¯t be long before she breathed her last. With the last ounce of strength, she wished for the old man to take care of her child. Those were her last words.


    Old Gregor was a kind old man. He burned her remains and buried them after taking the child home. He served as the child¡¯s parent in the absence of its own, and loved the child as if it was his own grandchild.


    As the child grew, he did not hide anything from him, like his origins, and their relation.


    He named the child Sievor, named after his parents, Sielene and Vortel, whose names were inscribed inside the locket that his mother wore before her death. That was the only memento of the child¡¯s true origins, and which the child now wore around his neck.


    The sound of wind chimes accompanied the opening of the shop¡¯s door.


    ¡°Welcome! How may I help you?¡± Gregor immediately greeted upon hearing the sounds. His warm expression was replaced by a grim one after seeing who the customers were.


    ¡°Old man, we¡¯re here for the rent,¡± said a young man dressed in fine vibrant clothes. In contrast, behind him were two rough looking men wearing metal and leather armors. One had a long sword on his back, while the other had a pair of daggers. These two were Adventurers.


    Adventurers were people who were blessed and branded by their worshiped God. They gain miraculous combat abilities which they use to conquer dungeons filled with monsters. They were heroic figures in the eyes of the masses. Why they were accompanying a young man in extorting an old man of his money, no one could be certain of the reason.


    ¡°Young Lord, we have not sold enough this past month and could not pay the due amount. Please, lend us more time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the same thing you said that past month!¡± Pretending to be angry, the young man addressed by Gregor as Young Lord stomped his foot as he strode to the front of the counter. ¡°Put out everything you have right now!¡±


    Nodding obediently, Gregor pulled out the drawer beneath the counter and laid the money on the flat surface. Before he could even start counting, the young man grabbed all the paper bills and stuffed them inside a pouch. He then gathered the coins and did the same.


    ¡°That¡¯s half of the interest. You still have to pay this month and the past two month¡¯s dues, as well as the remaining half of the interest.¡±


    Gregor wanted to protest but upon seeing the vicious glint in the eyes of the duo behind the prince, all he could do was lower his head and furrow his brows.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ Young Lord¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t hear you!¡±


    A dry sound resounded inside the room as the young man slapped Gregor. The two behind him let out snickers at the sight.


    Suddenly, a high-pitched yell was heard accompanied by a quick set of footsteps. The young child, Sievor, ran out from behind the counter and circled around. He then latched on to the young man¡¯s leg and started biting with all he had.


    ¡°Damn bastard!¡± With a backhanded slap, he hit the side of Sievor¡¯s face, but he still wouldn''t let go. One of the Adventurers, the one with the pair of daggers, stepped forward and stabbed Sievor on his hand. With a yelp, he let go. Seeing the wound on his hand, he fell on his rump and bawled out.


    ¡°Damn noisy brat!¡± With those words, he signaled the other two and left the store.


    Gregor immediately treated Sievor¡¯s injuries.


    ¡°Why did you do that?¡±


    ¡°Because¡­ hick¡­ they hurt¡­ grandpa!¡±


    ¡°Stupid child¡­¡± Gregor wanted to scold him but did not have the heart to do so. He only hugged and comforted him until he fell asleep in the old man¡¯s embrace.


    The city they lived in was called Payton. It was the city closest to the Class C Labyrinth Payton, and was thus named after it. Because of the presence of the dungeon, there were many Adventurers that set this city as their base of operations.


    Dungeons were either underground Labyrinths or rising Towers. They were ranked Class A to E depending on their size and difficulty, with A as the hardest, and E as the easiest.


    The young man who had extorted money from Gregor was the son of an ex-Adventurer who was now the city''s governor. After successfully conquering a Class D dungeon, he used the money to grab the position of governor and improved the city. He then focused on earning more money through slight tax increase and increasing the popularity of the city to increase customers. Most of the customers were Adventurers who came for the dungeon. As this was the closest city to the dungeon, they had no choice but to make use of the slightly expensive services of the city.


    Gregor had been living in this city since he was small. The location of the shop he owned was lent to him by the previous governor. After the new governor took over, he used the deed of the shop to extort money from the poor old man.


    Five years passed, and Gregor¡¯s debt just continued to increase. Still, he persevered and tried to provide for anything that Sievor needed who was now ten years old. The boy had told him of his intentions of becoming an Adventurer so that he could pay for the old man¡¯s debts. Seeing the seriousness within the child¡¯s eyes, all he could do was to tell him not to push himself.


    On one cold dawn, even before the sun rose above the horizon, a small figure could be seen jumping outside the window of Gregor¡¯s shop. It was not a thief, but the ten year-old Sievor. He wore a slightly over-sized gray cloak as he sneaked out of his room and into the streets of Payton.


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    He had spent the past five years sneaking out every morning to train, although his training would have been mistaken as simple child¡¯s play by other adults. He would then return home before old Gregor woke. In times when the old man woke up early, he would sneak back in. Of course, Gregor knew that Sievor had been sneaking out, but as long as the child was not into any sort of misfit, then he pretended to have not noticed. Today, though, was for a different purpose.


    The biggest building in Payton other than the Governor¡¯s Manor was the Adventurer¡¯s Guild. It was open 24 hours a day, allowing Adventurers to enter and leave at any time to submit materials, accept requests, and other guild-related things.


    The guild appeared desolate at the moment, with the lack of incoming and outgoing traffic. Despite the visible lights through the windows, the building still appeared a little bit eerie with the dark sky as its backdrop.


    Sievor stood in front of the guild¡¯s entrance. Determination filled his eyes as he clenched his small fists tightly. With steady steps, he entered the guild building.


    The lobby was a spacious well-lit room with wooden floorboards. In the center was a circular counter surrounding a cylindrical shelf. There were four people behind the counter, waiting to attend to anyone who approached. One of them, a female human, saw Sievor enter. As they made eye contact, she smiled at him and gestured at the counter in front of her. Sievor walked to her.


    ¡°Good morning, sir. My name is Faye. How may I help you?¡± she asked with a polite business smile.


    ¡°I-I¡¯d like to register as an Adventurer.¡± He stuttered at first, but managed to state his purpose. His cheeks reddened a little, despite being slightly cold from the early morning air outside.


    ¡°Register? What is your name sir, and how old are you?¡± She was slightly surprised. There were no age requirements to register as an Adventurer, but this was the first time she encountered a child this young. The youngest that she last saw register was thirteen years old.


    ¡°Sievor. I¡¯m ten.¡± He answered honestly. He had already noticed that he was smaller than other children his age, so there was no point to hide his age as it would easily be discovered.


    ¡°Have you already been branded?¡± This was the only requirement to be an Adventurer, the branding of a God. Unbranded people who still want to enter the dungeons could only register as helpers, and join an Adventurer¡¯s party. Helpers have an age requirement of at least fifteen years old.


    He shook his head.


    ¡°We have a priest on duty. Would you like to take a branding ceremony right now?¡±


    He nodded.


    The branding ceremony was the first step to become an Adventurer. With the help of a priest, the person undergoing the ceremony could receive the blessing of a God in the form of a brand. This brand will grant the Adventurer combat abilities beyond that of a normal person. Furthermore, by killing monsters in the dungeon, they could further increase the effects of the brand.


    Different Gods would provide different abilities. For example, the God of Fire increases ones physical strength and grants them the ability to use fire magic. The God of Swords would increase ones overall physical abilities when using a sword. Some Adventurers could receive multiple brands, but that was a very rare occurrence.


    Sievor was led into a room inside the guild. It was small and simple. Inside was an elderly man wearing priest robes sitting by a desk while scribbling on pieces of paper.


    ¡°Good morning Father Trag. Someone wants to take the ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Good morning Faye. Let the person in.¡±


    Sievor who was standing behind Faye entered the room. The priest led him to stand in front of an ornate altar with a wide empty bowl on top.


    ¡°State your name,¡± the priest instructed as he poured a clear liquid from a jar, filling the bowl to its rim.


    "Sievor."


    ¡°Do you have a specific God you worship?¡±


    Sievor didn¡¯t answer. He had been praying secretly to a certain God for a long time, but he had never let anyone know. Other children were boasting about the Gods they worshipped, and he noticed that none of them had mentioned the same God as him. He once asked old Gregor about this God, but he did not know anything about the said God.


    He was afraid that the God he was praying to was an unlikeable God.


    Seeing the complicated expression on his face, the priest smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You don¡¯t have to say which God it is.¡±


    He nodded and sighed in relief.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s start the ceremony.¡±


    Not everyone are branded after conducting the ceremony. In fact, only less than ten percent of people who take the branding ceremony received a God¡¯s brand. The branding ceremony could be taken again after a year¡¯s time, so they would attempt again, hoping that a God would brand them.


    After a long chant, the liquid inside the bowl glowed with a bright white light. It started to swirl around, and new colors appeared within the liquid. The priest¡¯s eyes widened as a symbol appeared above the liquid. It was the symbol of a God that he had never seen before.


    Suddenly, a thin stream of the colorful liquid left the bowl and hovered in the air. Then, it swiftly flew over to where Sievor was and landed on the back of his left hand. He felt a burning sensation, which then quickly changed to a cool comforting feeling.


    The liquid in the bowl returned to it¡¯s calm, colorless, and clear appearance. Strangely, it still filled the bowl to the rim.


    ¡°Congratulations. You have received the brand of a God,¡± the priest said as he gazed at the strange mark on Sievor¡¯s hand. Quickly he returned the clear liquid to the jar and ushered the two out of the room. He was in a hurry to check his books and see which God had branded the child.


    Sievor followed Faye back to the counter and they finished up the registration. It went without a hitch now that he had received his brand. When the time comes, he would once again go to the priest to increase the blessings he received through the brand.


    ¡°Now you¡¯re officially an Adventurer,¡± Faye said with a warm smile. ¡°Well, on paper that is. Before we allow you to enter freely into the dungeon, you first have to accept a beginner quest which also serves as a compulsory introductory lesson for new Adventurers beneath the age of twenty.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll sign you up. Your timing is just perfect as the lesson will be five days from now. Make sure to rest well.¡±


    With a nod, Sievor left the guild. It went smoother than he thought.


    The sun had already risen above the horizon when he came out. Old Gregor would still be asleep around this time, so he hurried home to catch a few more winks of sleep. He looked at the symbol on the back of his left hand and smiled. He knew that the God that had branded him was the same God he had been praying to.


    Back inside the guild, the priest had left his room while carrying an old book which seemed like it would crumble at any moment. He went to the counter where Faye was and with an urgent expression showed her the page he had bookmarked.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this, Father Trag?¡±


    ¡°I do not know either. How old was that child?¡±


    ¡°Ten years old¡­¡±


    ¡°A ten year-old Adventurer... It¡¯s not really something to be surprised about. In other places, some of them have received their brand as young as six, but what actually worries me is the God that gave him the brand.¡±


    He then pointed out to one of the symbols on the page, exactly similar to the one that had appeared above the liquid and on the boy¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Which God is it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem. This page lists the symbols of forgotten Gods. Some of these Gods have already reappeared and have been named, but the one on the boy, this was the first time.¡±


    The two looked at the symbol in silence. After a while, the priest opened his mouth.


    ¡°Keep a close eye on him. Some of these forgotten Gods that have reappeared had caused a stir within the continent in the past.¡±


    Faye nodded. She remembered the child¡¯s appearance and could not in any way imagine him to become someone like that.


    If the priest had only looked extremely closely at the symbol on the book, he would have noticed that it somehow resembled the face of a clock.

 Chapter 1 - Sievor (part 2)

    Five days passed quickly.


    At first, Gregor was surprised when he found out that the small ten year-old child had received a brand from a God, but upon remembering the determination in his eyes and knowing that he had been out training every morning and not missing a single day, it felt that it was only natural that he would be blessed by a God. Still, he had seen many Adventurers and their marks, but the one Sievor had was unknown to him.


    ¡°Take care, and don¡¯t overwork yourself!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I should say to you, grandpa!¡±


    Gregor handed the boy¡¯s rucksack to him filled with food, skins of water, extra clothes and blankets. Sievor was preparing to go to the guild for his first mission, an introductory lesson for beginners, which was a few days journey within the nearby dungeon¡¯s first few floors.


    Sievor only had a carving knife as his weapon. This was the only available tool he could acquire inside the shop that could serve as a weapon. Carrying the rucksack on his back, he waved at the old man and departed for the guild.


    Just as he left, a familiar group arrived in the shop. It was a young man followed by four Adventurers. His company had increased by two in the past five years.


    ¡°Old man, today¡¯s the last straw,¡± the young man said with an evil grin.


    Arriving at the guild, Sievor found a group of six young people gathered in front of three veteran-looking Adventurers. Faye who was standing by the counter as usual spotted him as he entered and waved at him. He approached and greeted her.


    ¡°Morning, Sievor. The lessons will begin in a few minutes. You¡¯re the last one to arrive.¡± She then motioned to the group nearby. One of the veteran-looking Adventurers, a blond-haired man wearing a plate armor and equipped with a kite shield and long sword on his back, saw Sievor and was slightly surprised.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite young,¡± he said as soon as Sievor went to the group. The six other people were around the age of fifteen. One of them, with a proud expression, seemed to be almost twenty.


    ¡°Don¡¯t judge books by their cover,¡± a second veteran-looking Adventurer said to the first. This one was a young red-haired woman wearing a slightly revealing leather armor. She had a short sword on her hip and a small crossbow on her back. A pair of quiver filled with bolts were on each thigh, for a total of four quivers.


    The last veteran-looking Adventurer nodded at her words. He was also a red-head, and wore leather armor. He only had a short sword on his hip, and on his back was a huge pack. It seemed like he was the carrier of the trio. It was hard to tell whether he was indeed an Adventurer or just a veteran helper.


    ¡°My name¡¯s Kezzan, and I¡¯m an Adventurer,¡± he said after seeing Sievor¡¯s gaze, as if reading his thoughts.


    ¡°Yeah, blessed by the God of Pack Mules,¡± said the red-haired woman.


    ¡°Hey!¡± The two others laughed, and the six youths also chuckled. Sievor was a bit overwhelmed by the happy-go-lucky atmosphere. They were going into a dungeon, so shouldn''t they be more serious about it? The dungeon was a dangerous place, so they may lose their lives if they weren''t careful. The blond-haired man seemed to guess his worries.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. You may not have heard of us, but our party, the Three-Headed Dragon, has accomplishments under our name. We will just be going through the early levels of this Class C dungeon. There won¡¯t be too much of a danger. I swear it under my name, Travis.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re name isn''t worth much,¡± quipped the red-haired woman. Kezzan laughed in retaliation for earlier. ¡°I¡¯m Zenni, the mule¡¯s older sister.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Another round of laughter.


    Sievor finally relaxed. Indeed, it wasn''t too good if he was too tense. In fact, he should consider this as a fun trip. This so called Three-Headed Dragon party release an aura of secureness. There won¡¯t be any danger if he sticked with them.


    ¡°With all of you here, it¡¯s best to group up first. Form two pairs and one group of three, then introduce yourselves to each other,¡± Travis instructed. One group of three male youths immediately formed. It seemed like they already know each other. The one that looked almost twenty approached a female youth and asked her to pair with a blushing face. The remaining unpaired youths were Sievor and another female youth.


    ¡°Let¡¯s pair?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°Okay. My name¡¯s Lauren.¡±


    ¡°Sievor.¡±


    ¡°You look quite young. How old are you?¡± she asked with interest.


    ¡°Ten.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re quite small for your age. I¡¯m already fourteen.¡±


    ¡°I know. You don¡¯t look so big, either.¡± Upon hearing his response, she laughed.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite precocious, aren''t you?¡±


    Sievor only tilted his head in response. They then introduced more about themselves.


    Lauren was branded a month ago. It was her second attempt. The god that branded her was the God of Wind, the same god that her parents, who were also Adventurers, worshiped. After the branding, she learned Wind Magic and swordplay focused on the rapier. She can only use three magics, which were the movement boosting Windfeet, the long range slashing spell Windblade, and the attack speed enhancing Windarm. As for her swordplay, she was above average. How strong that was, it was hard to tell.


    Sievor told her that he received his branding only five days ago and don¡¯t know any magics or if his god could bestow one. Furthermore, he couldn¡¯t tell her his god as he was unsure of what it was. Of course, that was a lie, and Lauren realized that but did not pursue the matter. Every one has at least one secret they keep. As the older one, it would be shameful of her to bully this younger partner for his secrets.


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    Both of them specialized in quick and agile offensive maneuvers. They were lightly equipped. Sievor had a carving knife which could pass as a dagger, while Lauren had a rapier. Considering their small statures, their choice of weapons were suited for them.


    After introductions, the three veterans brought them out of the city. It was two hours after noon. While traversing the forest between the city and the dungeon, the three veterans talked about strategies to use in the dungeon.


    ¡°Avoid initiating combat in forks and intersections.¡±


    ¡°Make sure your retreat path is always available.¡±


    ¡°Keep your eyes peeled open and watch out for sudden ambushes. It¡¯s the duty of the rearguard to keep a close eye to their group¡¯s surroundings.¡±


    This went on for almost two hours until they arrived at the dungeon¡¯s entrance. There were a few groups camping outside. Some of them appear to have just finished exploring the dungeon and were now resting before returning to the city. There were those who were making a final check before entering the dungeon.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s better to rest here for the rest of the day, then enter the dungeon early tomorrow. What do you guys think?¡± Travis asked the other two.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Zenni nodded.


    ¡°Whatever you guys say,¡± Kezzan said as he dropped the huge pack on his bag on the ground.


    Although there were other Adventurers in the area, not all of them could be trusted. Travis would accompany the group that would go hunt for food in the forest while Zenni and Kezzan stayed with those assigned in setting up their camp.


    ¡°Excited?¡± Lauren asked as she placed dried wood to set up for a campfire. She was talking to Sievor who was carrying a bundle of dried twigs and leaves, which he then placed atop the firewood.


    ¡°A little bit.¡±


    ¡°Nervous?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to act like a big boy, you know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not¡­¡±


    Lauren had taken a liking to this small child. She was an only child and having someone younger than her around felt like she had a younger brother. She planned on pampering him while on this trip.


    After dinner and some storytelling by the veterans, the young Adventurers went off to sleep. Travis was taking the first watch duty. The first pair will wake up on midnight to start their own watch duty along with another veteran. This way, all the newbies will experience taking the watch duty for the group.


    The first pair were Lauren and Sievor. They will take over for two hours along with Kezzan. They sat around the campfire with their backs facing it. Facing the bright flames was a no-no for those on watch duty. This was because if the eyes got accustomed to the bright flames, when they look at the dark, they will not be able to see anything and would require a huge amount of time to adjust to the darkness.


    They sat in silence. Sievor had his eyes wide open, observing their surroundings. Every now and then, he would hear strange sounds coming from the dungeon¡¯s entrance.


    ¡°Pay it no mind,¡± Kezzan said after seeing the young boy straying his gaze to the dungeon. ¡°It¡¯s the spirits of those who died calling out to trap the mindless wanderer.¡±


    Lauren, upon hearing that, let out a small shriek.


    ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. It¡¯s the bouncing of the sounds from deep in the dungeon against the uneven cave walls.¡±


    She breathe a sigh of relief, then threw a resentful glare at the red-haired veteran.


    ¡°So, why did you guys decide to become Adventurers,¡± he asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s in the family. My parents were Adventurers,¡± was Lauren¡¯s answer. ¡°I idolized them since I was small and had already decided then that I, too, would become one.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice. How about you, Sievor?¡±


    ¡°My grandpa and I live alone. We are poor, and grandpa is already very old. I want him to relax, so I decided to earn money for us.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, indeed. Being an Adventurer is the easiest way to earn money,¡± Kezzan nodded after hearing his answer. ¡°But it comes with great risk. Aren''t you afraid that you will die in the dungeon?¡±


    The little boy shook his head. At first he felt nervous, but when he thought about it, there was really nothing to be afraid of.


    ¡°I have my God¡¯s blessing. My God will protect me,¡± he answered with confidence.


    Kezzan and Lauren was speechless. People would pray to their Gods to receive blessings and luck, but they have never seen someone who holds so strong a faith to their God. It could be because he was still a child. Lauren felt a little bit embarrassed. She only treated her God as a tool to gain powers. She had never truly placed her faith on her God.


    They made idle chatter to keep awake. Soon, two hours have passed. The three woke up the next group who would be on watch duty, the trio and Zenni.


    The night was uneventful, and the group was able to rest well. They set out for the dungeon half an hour after the sun rose.

 Chapter 1 - Sievor (part 3)

    The seven youths and their three veteran Adventurer escorts were the first to enter the dungeon today. The other groups camping by the entrance decided to wait half an hour before entering. This was the so-called Adventurer etiquette. Entering was on a first come first serve basis, then wait half an hour before the next group enters. This was to avoid crowding the dungeon corridors and tunnels.


    There were no monster encounters on the first few minutes of traversing the cave tunnels. The air was cool and damp, and the cave floor was slightly slippery, but it posed little threat even to the newbie Adventurers. With their bodies enhanced with the effects of their God¡¯s blessings through their brand, keeping their balance on this slightly slippery surface was as easy as breathing.


    In just a quarter of an hour, they encountered a fork. The one to the right would lead to the shortest path to the stairs that would allow them to descend to the next level. With the guidance of the veterans, they chose the left path. This was so they could spend more time to get accustomed at the easiest level of the dungeon as well as train their combat senses along the way.


    ¡°Keep your eyes peeled. Some monsters hide themselves in the terrain while others have camouflage abilities,¡± Travis warned the group.


    ¡°None of that kind on the first level, though,¡± Zenni said, breaking the mood just as soon as everyone started to act vigilant.


    ¡°Still better to be wary and careful at all times,¡± Travis answered while shooting a glare at the red-haired woman. She only shrugged at this, while Kezzan who was at the rear was silently chuckling.


    After half an hour, they finally encountered their first monster. It was a Giant Spiderling, the offspring of a Giant Spider.


    ¡°There must be a Giant Spider nest nearby. This is a good place to practice,¡± Travis said as he motioned at the three male youths that formed a group. ¡°You three will be the first to test out your skills. Show us what you''ve got. Don¡¯t worry, if things appear to be taking a dangerous turn, we¡¯ll help you out.¡±


    Zenni had her crossbow at the ready and loaded with bolts. She was the middle-guard and stood with the other male-female pair. She kept her eyes on the situation, and was ready to shoot the spiderling at Travis¡¯ signal.


    The trio¡¯s performance couldn''t be said to have anything noteworthy. With three people, one of them acted as the vanguard tank, one focused on dealing damage, while the last one provided support while keeping a close eye on their surroundings. With their formation, they quickly dispatched the spiderling.


    Up next was the other pair. The male who was using a long sword tried to show off to his female companion only to fail hard, causing Lauren to burst out laughing. Shamed, the male youth tried to vent off to the spiderling only to be stung by its poisonous fang. Luckily, his companion was a worshiper of the God of Cures and dispelled the poison with a single spell. In the end, Travis assisted him in killing the spiderling.


    Finally, it was Lauren and Sievor¡¯s turn. They had already chosen a formation they would work with. Despite Sievor being the youngest of the group, he would be taking the lead in their pair, with Lauren following close behind. They would divide their roles equally, keeping watch of their surroundings while fighting against the enemy.


    This formation was done because both of them focused on agility-based melee combat. Although Lauren had a ranged damaging spell, it¡¯s effectiveness decreases with distance.


    Dashing to the target, Sievor entered the spiderling¡¯s range. It was almost as tall as him. To him, the spiderling was a huge enemy only because he was small in size. Despite that, his size actually gave him an advantage. He was hard to target.


    The spiderling tried to pounce on him, but he managed to dodge diagonally to the side with the support of Lauren¡¯s spell, Windfeet. With his current position, the spiderling¡¯s rear and side was exposed to him. With a quick slash of his carving knife, he left a mark on its furry body, but not deep enough to consider it as damage.


    A ten year-old performing greatly on his first actual combat may seem strange at first, but the three veterans knew otherwise. The fact that a God had chosen to brand him at such a young age meant that he had great potential. Also, with just the effect of the brand, a person gains faster movements, stronger attacks, and quicker reaction speeds than normal humans. They also gain an innate talent for combat, but this may differ depending on the person and the God that gave the brand. This was what made Adventurers unique.


    Lauren quickly followed up by performing a thrust with her rapier. With the boost of the spell Windarm, her attack was almost invisible, and all that could be seen was the trails of a silver flash. Her inexperience showed at this moment, and her attack hit a spot just beside the spiderling¡¯s vital point, the brain, completely missing a supposed to be killing blow.


    With a shrill shriek, the enrage spiderling targeted Lauren who was still standing in front of it. It released a spray of sticky web at her as it raised its body. Luckily, Lauren managed to cast Windfeet in time and retreated. The web attack hit only empty space and landed on the cave floor.


    Behind the spiderling, Sievor positioned himself to jump on its back. Before he could do so, he heard a shout and a sharp sound cutting through air. This was a moment of carelessness for the two youth.


    ¡°Behind you!¡± It was Travis who yelled the warning and Zenni shooting a bolt with her crossbow. Sievor turned around to see a spiderling swiftly approaching through the tunnel from a nearby hidden side path. On its head was a rough and thick carapace shell with a crack on the surface and a crossbow bolt sticking out. Although blood was dripping on its face, it didn''t seem to mind. Also, it was moving quite fast and would reach him in just a few seconds.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Giant Armored Spiderling!¡± Kezzan shouted. A Giant Armored Spider was a rare mutation of the Giant Spider. When reaching its mature stage, the carapace shell on its head would already cover its entire body and making it harder to kill. Also, it was much faster and stronger than an ordinary Giant Spider. Luckily, the one that ambushed them was just a spiderling.


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    ¡°Shoot it!¡± Travis yelled at Zenni while making his way to Sievor. The Giant Spiderling which they were fighting against earlier tried to hinder him.


    ¡°It¡¯s jammed!¡± Zenni yelled as she threw her crossbow to the side and took out her short sword. She then dashed after Travis to assist in the situation.


    Travis did not really need her help. With one slash of his sword, he cut the spiderling in half, but the few seconds it took him to do so had allowed the other spiderling to reach where Sievor was.


    Giant Armored Spiders and their spiderlings normally appear in the fourth level and below. For it to appear on the first level was a rare occurrence. First timers in the dungeon would definitely have a hard time dealing with them. In fact, most of the deaths in the dungeons were caused by unexpected situations such as this.


    The spiderling had already pounced toward Sievor, its fangs wide open and ready to bite. Sievor¡¯s current level of power was not enough to handle this type of enemy. At the moment, he was just a helpless little ten year-old boy.


    They said that at the moment before your death, your life flashes before your eyes. Why this happens, no one really knows. Some said this was caused by the mind¡¯s rejection of death. It forces the fear out of a person¡¯s thoughts by bringing back the memories of that person¡¯s life. Other say that this was the mind¡¯s way of giving the person a reason to live and break through his limits. ( A/N: Queue Gundam Build Fighters Try OP Cerulean</a> )


    The truth is uncertain, but at this moment, Sievor¡¯s memories flashed before his eyes. All of them contained the smile of Old Gregor, his grandpa.


    How would he feel if I died? That was what he thought.


    He would be sad. He would blame himself for not stopping me. He would grieve. He would regret.


    I will not let that happen!


    As those thoughts ran through his head, a strange power was emitted from his body and extended to the world. This was a God¡¯s blessing. This was his God¡¯s blessing.


    Since he was small, he had always wondered why the world continued to move on without regard to whatever a person did. When he was five, he was amazed at how the clock¡¯s hands continued to turn. Time was always there. Time was always turning. Time¡­ was taken for granted.


    He can¡¯t remember when it actually started, but he felt deep respect for the God of Time. He wondered why nobody worshiped and prayed to this almighty God. If not for time, nothing would exist.


    All started as time began, and all will cease to exist if it ever stops. That was what Old Gregor said, and it struck deep into his heart.


    I have my God¡¯s blessing. My God will protect me. That was what he told Kezzan.


    That¡¯s right¡­ His God will protect him. His God will never fail him. That was what filled his thoughts.


    As the power expanded, everything it touched seemed to slow down. It was not the same as the freezing effects of ice magic. Time itself was slowing down.


    Sievor could see everything clearly. The world was dyed a faint gray and everything moved slowly including himself. His body felt heavy and slow, but he could still move.


    The spiderling had already leapt of the ground and was just a few inches away from him. It¡¯s three pairs of eyes were focused on him and its mouth was wide open, revealing poisonous fangs.


    Although the spiderling was almost as big as him, the head of the spiderling was on a lower position. With its leaping angle, it was actually aiming to bite his chest while pushing him down.


    Inch by inch, it slowly approached. Its shell covered head was the only available target and would be difficult to break through. Even Zenni¡¯s bolt had only managed to shallowly pierced its skull after cracking its shell.


    Sievor¡¯s eyes brightened as he saw the crack on the carapace shell on its head. It was a do or die gamble, and he was willing to stake it all for the chance of saving Old Gregor from the grief of losing him.


    With a loud thud, the spiderling crashed on top of Sievor.


    ¡°NOOO!¡± Lauren shouted as she dashed to his location. She had been struck with fear upon seeing the Giant Armored Spiderling. She knew it was a difficult opponent, and she was unable to move a finger at the crucial moment. She thought, what if she had released a Windblade? She might have been able to save him!


    Actually, her Windblade was still weak, and at that distance, she wouldn''t be able to penetrate the carapace shell. Even though it was already cracked, her control over her Windblade¡¯s accuracy and precision was not enough to make a pinpoint attack like that. There was also the chance of hitting Sievor who was within the target range.


    She tried to stab the spiderling which had pushed Sievor down but was stopped by Zenni.


    ¡°It¡¯s dead,¡± Travis said as he poked the spiderling with his sword. All they could see was the huge body of the spiderling covering Sievor. Its head was buried against his chest. Lauren finally noticed that Sievor was actually alive.


    Travis kicked the corpse off from Sievor and turned it over, revealing the cause of its death. On the crack caused by the Zenni¡¯s crossbow bolt, a single carving knife was buried deep into its head. The blade of the knife was not long enough to penetrate through the carapace and the skull. What was shocking was that a small part of the carving knife¡¯s hilt had struck the end of the bolt pushing it even deeper. This was the cause of its death.


    Upon seeing this, Zenni was caught speechless. In that short amount of time, that ten year-old boy had actually managed to perform such a crazy stunt during a life and death instance. As she turned to question him how he did it, she found him lying on Lauren¡¯s lap, fast asleep.

 Chapter 1 - Sievor (part 4)

    Six days quickly passed and the newbie group finally left the dungeon. They have successfully explored the first three levels and defeated the monsters without much injuries. They also encountered their first trap and learned how to disarm it.


    Travis watched as the seven youths were wrapping up the camp with the help of Kezzan providing pointers. Zenni was standing beside him. As they smiled proudly at the results of this lesson, their eyes fell on the ten year-old boy, Sievor.


    His existence was a mystery. Aside from the event on the first day, he had not shown any other astounding abilities. His fighting style was slightly amateurish despite the assistance of the brand, as could be expected from a beginner and a child. Still, they could not remove from their memories the image of the knife and bolt stuck in the Giant Armored Spiderling¡¯s head.


    For the rest of the duration of the camp, Sievor did well. He continued on with the formation that he and Lauren made, but increased their vigilance to the surroundings to prevent the same thing from happening. Being attacked from behind unaware was a very deadly situation. Learning from mistakes was good, as long as those mistakes doesn''t cost one¡¯s life.


    Aside from the first time that power had appeared, he was not able to use it again. He didn''t know if it was a spell or the direct actions of his God, but he was truly grateful that it happened when it did. It might be something that only occurs when he is in a life and death situation, but if he was able to use it consciously, then it would be a great asset. Adventurers already have a very good reaction time due to their brand¡¯s blessing. If he was able to slow time, that would mean that he could do even better than just rely on his own reaction time.


    He also saw that no one had noticed that a strange power had activated at that time. Even the three veterans had asked him how he did that feat with the spiderling. They didn''t ask about any time-slowing magic which meant that they didn''t notice it. He only told them that it was due to luck, but based on their expressions, they didn''t quite believe him. Yet, they didn''t force it out of him. This was part of an Adventurer¡¯s etiquette.


    After clearing up the camp, they made their way back to the city.


    The first thing they did as they returned was to fill a quest completion form in the Adventurer¡¯s guild. This would give them reputation points. These points could be gained by completing requests submitted through the guild or by donating loots gained from the dungeon.


    In the first three floors of the Payton Labyrinth, most of the monsters were spiders, rats, and snakes. The useful loot they got from their corpses were fangs, claws, skin, and blood. There were also stuff like mushrooms, ores, and artifacts in the dungeon. The low-quality items were mostly given to the guild for reputation points, while the high quality ones were sold to merchants and auction houses for gold. The guild requests would also reward gold every now and then depending on the difficulty of the said request.


    For the seven youths, they gained their very first reputation points through the completion of the introductory lesson. Although it was only a meager 5 points, it was still their first step in their path as Adventurers. High reputation points would mean that they were more trustworthy, and so some requests that would involve sensitive information could be handed to them. Because these requests were rare, extremely difficult, and usually only handed out by those in high positions, the rewards were also great. This was why some of the Adventurers aim to increase their points as fast as they could. This was another alternative to just hoping to conquer a dungeon and strike it rich.


    For the three veterans, their points were gained because they served as the escorts and instructors of the seven beginners. They had successfully ensured the safety of the seven. They also had the hidden task of observing and analyzing the seven¡¯ combat abilities and providing that information to the guild. This was a safety measure of the guild. Once an Adventurer goes rogue, they would be able to predict if it could pose a threat to the guild. If it does, they would immediately take that Adventurer down. Otherwise, they could just let him be.


    Faye was surprised when she heard of the description of the events regarding Sievor on the first day in the dungeon. Her surprised expression disappeared after hearing that he had then performed normally, if not a little below standard afterward. As soon as the group dispersed, she hurriedly compiled a report which she sent to Father Trag.


    With a few coins traded for the materials they brought back, Sievor ran happily back to the shop. Once he showed his earning to Old Gregor, he could then tell him to rest his old bones and leave the earning to him. He was so excited that he actually tripped a few times. Some of the bystanders watched as the little boy stood up with a bruise on his chin, yet a wide smile was still plastered on his face.


    As soon as he reached the shop, he was dumbstruck. The old wooden building was gone. In its place was a stone building in the middle of construction. There were people milling about, carrying stone bricks and putting them into place. Some were hammering supporting log pillars. Others were discussing measurements on a parchment containing the blueprint.


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡± as he was about to ask the nearest worker on what was going on, he saw a familiar face come out from within the building. Four people were trailing behind him. They were obviously Adventurers. The young man leading the pack saw the boy and revealed a cruel smile.


    ¡°What are you here for, boy?¡± he asked.


    ¡°This¡­ What did you do?!¡± Sievor felt angry at the sight of that grin. This man had tormented him and his grandpa for years. How could he feel anything other than hatred for him?


    ¡°I did nothing. It is that stinking old geezer you should ask.¡±


    The man¡¯s insults to Old Gregor caused Sievor to lose control. He pulled out the carving knife and dashed toward the young man. Before he could even get within five steps, one of the Adventurers behind him suddenly appeared in front of him. With no difficulty, he caught Sievor¡¯s head with his big hand and pushed his face down on the ground.


    ¡°Listen well, brat.¡± The young man stood beside the Adventurer and kicked Sievor¡¯s head. ¡°What I say, I make happen. The old man wasn''t able to pay, so we took back the property. If you have anyone to blame, blame that grandpa of yours. Well, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re related by blood anyway.¡± The man then turned back and signaled for the workers that had halted their work to watched was happening. ¡°Go back to work! And take that brat away from here.¡±


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    Sievor couldn''t remember clearly what happened after he was pummeled to the ground. When he came to, he was inside a small room. A middle-aged lady was sitting nearby, squeezing a wet towel. She was the baker¡¯s wife.


    ¡°You finally came to¡­ I¡¯m sorry about Gregor,¡± she said while placing the damp towel on his forehead.


    ¡°What happened to Grandpa?¡± he asked with a confused expression. He noticed that his body felt hot and his head hurt. Did he have a fever?


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± She had a surprised expression. After a while, she explained what had happened right after he left for the dungeon.


    The governor¡¯s son and his Adventurer goons went to the shop to extract the rent. It was the last deadline that he had given to Gregor, but how could he pay such a huge amount. It was five years worth including interest. Also, whenever the young man came, he would take all of the old man¡¯s money but would unfairly reduce only a small amount from the debt. This, Sievor had witnessed a lot of times.


    Gregor begged for him to extend the deadline. He went on his knees and bowed many times, hitting the hard ground with his forehead. He even went as far as to kiss the governor¡¯s son¡¯s dirty shoes which he intentionally stepped on dog turd. It was a disgusting sight, but all that had witnessed it had no courage to intervene. This was the son of the governor after all.


    He made Gregor do many shameful things one after another. The old man was willing to do anything. But then, the governor¡¯s son said to sell Sievor as a child whore to some perverted official. This made Old Gregor extremely mad. Forgetting about all the things he had just done, he went crazy and tried to attack the governor¡¯s son. One of the Adventurers reacted in time, but his blow was too much for the old man¡¯s body. Gregor went limp, then suddenly spasmed. He died right then and there.


    ¡°What!?¡± Sievor screamed after hearing what had happened. He jumped out of bed and ran out of the house, ignoring the shouts of the baker¡¯s wife from behind. It was already night time.


    He ran back to where the shop had been, and it was now empty and deserted. He saw a random passerby and asked if he knew where the governor¡¯s son was. Seeing the young boy¡¯s crazed eyes, the poor man could only point in a random direction.


    Sievor ran in circles. The city wasn''t that large, but the roads weren''t straight and organized. He went through alleys and side streets, until finally he heard a familiar voice filled with laughter. It came from a bar.


    He rushed straight in and saw the laughing figure of the governor¡¯s son. He was filled with fury.


    His grandpa died with injustice, and the cause of his death was spending his merry time, surrounded by women, laughing and drinking his heart out. This was too unfair. He was hoping to finally relieve of the old man of his burdens, only to find out that he was forever gone.


    Oh, how he wished he could just turn back time on that day before he left!


    Oh, how he wished he could spend more time with the old man¡¯s warm smiles!


    But time was forever flowing. It wouldn''t stop. It wouldn''t turn back. But he could slow it down.


    Once again, the world was gray. With heavy steps he walked forward, the carving knife in hand. Figures around him watched him with shocked gazes. A young boy, nonchalantly walking into a bar with a deadly gaze and knife in hand.


    The governor¡¯s son had noticed him, and so did the Adventurers that were accompanying him. They reacted and moved to defend him. All this, Sievor could clearly see through this slow-moving world.


    Still, he forgot to take into account the strength of the Adventurers that were with the young man. One of them was a veteran swordsman, branded by the God of Swords.


    In this slowed world, a figure moved faster than the rest. Wielding a longsword inscribed with magic runes, he moved smoothly and unhesitatingly. The runes glowed, providing color in this gray world. Then with a flash of silver, a hand went flying in the air.


    ¡°GAAAHHHHHH!!!¡±


    Pain! Intense Pain!


    Sievor could only scream as he grabbed his left wrist with his right hand, blood spurting out. His left hand fell on the wooden floor in front of him with a thump. On its back was the brand of the God of Time. It was glowing gray a moment ago, but faded into nothing. The brand also was slowly disappearing.


    The flat of the longsword hit him in the temple, knocking him unconscious.


    ¡°Strange ability¡­¡± the swordsman said as he sheathed the sword back to his waist, no trace of blood could be seen on its blade.


    ¡°Amazing as always!¡± the young man said while clapping. ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to any woman you like. You there, get rid of this mess. And everyone else, don¡¯t be afraid! Let¡¯s continue the fun!¡±


    With those words, the festive mood in the bar returned. One of the Adventurers went and picked the boy up and his cut hand and carried him out.


    ¡°Unlucky brat,¡± the Adventurer said as he walked to the outskirts of town. He had been working under the governor¡¯s son for a while now, and knew of the young man¡¯s personality. When he said to take care of the mess, it meant that he had to finish the child off. Still, he was not as heartless as he seems to be, but he was given a job, so he had to do it. He didn''t want to kill the boy directly so he brought him to a river with rushing water.


    ¡°You may be unlucky now, but fortune may sway and change.¡± He was branded by the God of Fortune. His belief was focused on luck. Lending a small prayer, he threw the unconscious boy into the river.


    <hr />


    End of Chapter 1


    A/N: And thus ends the first chapter... Whew!


    The first chapter was divided into four parts for a total of 9000+ words. At first I was planning to submit everything all in one go, but my hands were just itching to upload something, so I posted them part by part. I hope that it wasn''t a bad thing to do.


    This remaining part was  a bit rushed. I have somewhere to go right now, so it was rushed a bit. I''m really sorry if there are some plot inconsistencies and grammar errors!


    Anyways, get ready for the next chapter, cause I''m sure it would be something you will never expect. Even I got surprised by my own idea. As a hint, check out the genre tags. ;) It got updated.


    Thanks for reading, and I hope you continue to read this work of mine!

 Chapter 2 - (Title Hidden)

    A millennium ago, the very first dungeon had appeared in the center of the continent of Azara. It was a dungeon tower with an unknown number of floors, piercing straight to the sky. Clouds had gathered around the tower and rain fell. Some touched by the rain received the very first branding of Gods. The rain continued to fall for a month. When it stopped, the skies cleared except for the clouds that had gathered around the tower.


    This tower was called Heaven¡¯s Gate.


    The people who received the branding of Gods gained abilities beyond that of a normal human. They felt a calling from within Heaven¡¯s Gate. They entered the tower and when they came out, they brought with them treasures and stories of monsters, traps, and adventures. Still, they were unable to reach the very top, even up to this day.


    Since then, many dungeons appeared all over the world. The branding ceremony was established along with the Adventurer¡¯s Guild.


    People then hoped to become Adventurers to explore and conquer dungeons, encounter monsters, traps, and treasures, then gain glory, riches, and fame.


    ¡°The people of the west are such fools,¡± Zhang XiuYing sighed as she read one of the western books her father had bought from the previous month¡¯s trade. She was sitting on the floor by the table while eating rice from a bowl using chopsticks. Despite her improper eating conduct, reading while having breakfast, she was sitting properly with her legs folded beneath her thighs and her back ramrod straight.


    ¡°What glory, riches, and fame? They¡¯ll just die pitiful deaths in there!¡± She closed the book and heaved a sigh. Looking out of the room¡¯s window, she could see a tower at a distance. This was the dungeon ShiMu. It meant Ten Tombs.


    It was called that because it had ten levels based on its external appearance, and the very first people who entered had all died inside. Since then, only few people dared to try enter that dungeon.


    Zhang XiuYing finished her food and quickly gulped down a cup of tea. She then carried the utensils to the kitchen and left them in the sink. Her younger brother who always woke up late would be the one to wash all the dishes. This was punishment for his bad habit. It was one of the house rules that who ever ate last would be the one to do the cleanup.


    She then picked up the book and placed it in a hidden pocket inside her robe. There were more than one hidden pocket, and as the one who sew them in, she felt proud whenever she pulls something out and people would get surprised.


    It was already eight in the morning, and she could hear the sound of shouting and yelling from the nearby dojo. She made her way to that place and entered without permission. The guarding disciple did not bother with her. She was already a familiar face.


    She quickly made her way past the lobby and into the training grounds. There, a group of about twenty young men whose ages ranged from fifteen to twenty were either performing sparring matches or were seated on the ground and watching. They were the junior disciples.


    XiuYing saw a familiar face and quickly made her way to him. The man, seeing her approach, only shook his head and sighed. The seated disciples watched curiously as this young lady walked around them. They all had seen her before and knew why she was here. Still, in this group of young male disciples, seeing a young lady was a sight to enjoy.


    ¡°XiuYing, I told you not to come here,¡± the man said. He was a bit tall with a well-toned build. His slightly long black hair was tied into a beautiful tight braid which hung loosely on his back.


    ¡°Elder brother Jie,¡± she only said while performing a greeting with her fist and palm. ¡°I came to watch and learn.¡± Zhang Jie was a senior disciple at this dojo. He had been training here since he was five, and now he was twenty-seven years old. The owner of this dojo was, of course, his father, who was also XiuYing¡¯s uncle. That was also one of the reasons why she can come and go as she pleased.


    ¡°So you say, but all you actually do is bother me,¡± he said with a harrumph.


    ¡°Oh, elder brother, how could you say such harsh words to me?¡± she said while pretending to be distressed. Her actions caused the young junior disciples to feel a little embarrassed.


    ¡°Stop your acting. Have some shame! You¡¯re not a little girl anymore.¡±


    ¡°Hoho¡­ Then you have to promise me, elder brother. Tomorrow, take me to Xiaocheng!¡±


    Xiaocheng was the closest port town across the sea from Tadao, the island village where they are in right now.


    ¡°You know I can¡¯t, XiuYing. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll be going to ShiMu.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­¡± she muttered, then bit her lip. Suddenly she grabbed the sleeve of Jie¡¯s robe and whispered, ¡°Why must you go?¡±


    ¡°My father and I, as well as all the disciples of the Zhang Dojo, have been training for a long time for this.¡±


    ¡°Why?! You know why it¡¯s called ShiMu! Why must you walk to your own grave? Why can¡¯t you just leave that place alone?¡± She had grown a bit hysteric. All the sparring disciples halted their actions upon hearing her outburst.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of this.¡± Jie pulled his arm free from XiuYing¡¯s grasp, then opened the front of his robe revealing a well-muscled chest. Despite that majestic masculine figure, what caught the eyes of everyone was the mark branded on his right breast. He was a Yingxiong, the equivalent of the westerner¡¯s Adventurers.


    ¡°Father, too, have this mark. As people referred to as heroes, we must do what we can to eradicate the evil inside that tower. It is an evil place, and it is our duty to make it so it ceases to exist. And for that, we have been preparing for the day we enter that place. And that day is tomorrow.¡±


    XiuYing understood, but her heart did not want to accept the facts laid before her. Tears fell from her eyes as she turned and ran out of the dojo.


    ¡°I hate you, elder brother Jie!¡± she yelled as she left. Zhang Jie could only smile bitterly and shake his head as he watched her leave.


    Zhang XiuYing ran until she reached the eastern shoreline. She then sat on the sand and hugged her knees, burying her head between them.


    She was turning eighteen this year. When she was younger, she had always looked up and adored her elder cousin. Among her relatives, he was the one she was closest with. Even though he was always busy training in the dojo, he would always spare time for her.


    Nine years ago, Zhang Jie¡¯s father brought him to a branding ceremony in Xiaocheng and successfully received the brand of the God of Seas, the same God that branded his father. This enhanced their martial arts that focused on the manipulation of the flow of movements and internal energy.


    After that, they started rigorous training in preparation for their attack on ShiMu Tower. Zhang Jie who always spared time for her had become too busy with his training. She accepted this at first, but as she grew older and understood the dangers of the tower, she started to fear for the wellbeing of her older cousin. She was afraid that once he went inside, he would never make it back alive, and that ShiMu will be his grave.


    ¡°Stupid elder brother Jie¡­ Why are you so dense?¡±


    As she raised her head, she noticed a group of sails in the distance. This was the fishing group that had set out early in the morning. Her father, Zhang Wei, had also participated today. The sails were headed to the southern shore which meant that they were returning.


    She waited for the sails to disappear from her view before deciding to return home.


    ¡°Father¡¯s back, elder sister,¡± a fifteen year-old young man said as XiuYing entered their yard. He was carrying a pail of water which he had taken from the well. His name was Zhang Mo, her younger brother. Suddenly, he titled his head and asked, ¡°Were you crying?¡±


    ¡°No, I was not.¡±


    ¡°Did you finally confess to bro Jie and turned you down?¡±


    ¡°When I said no, that means no!¡± she said while delivering a roundhouse kick to his head. He quickly dodged, but spilled the water as a result. He groaned and ran back to the well to fetch water again.


    ¡°What¡¯s the water for? Don¡¯t tell me you still haven¡¯t washed the dishes?¡±


    ¡°Shut up, stupid sister!¡±


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    She decided to ignore him and went to the house.


    ¡°You¡¯re back,¡± a middle-aged man said while kneeling in front of a gray object placed on the living room floor.


    ¡°Father,¡± XiuYing greeted by clasping her fist with her palm. Zhang Wei responded with a nod without looking at her. His gaze was focused solely on the gray object on the floor.


    ¡°What is that?¡± she asked while keeping a distance to avoid disturbing her father. Finally, he turned to look at her. He then signaled with his hand for her to come closer.


    ¡°Take a look for yourself and tell me what you see. We found it in the eastern sea and got stuck on one of our nets,¡± he said with his usual coarse voice.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± XiuYing did as told and walked to her father¡¯s side, then sat down with a formal posture. As she laid her eyes on the object, she couldn¡¯t help but let out a gasp. The gray object she first thought to be just some lump of rock was actually a statue of a young human boy. It was strangely lifelike, and was in a position as if it was lying down on its side. ¡°A statue?¡±


    ¡°Not quite,¡± her father said as he placed his hand on the statue¡¯s forehead. ¡°There¡¯s Ki flowing in the same path as a human¡¯s, except that it¡¯s extremely slow.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ alive?¡± She stared at it closely. It doesn¡¯t seem to be breathing, and it¡¯s gray coloration was just like that of a stone statue. Well, it was extremely detailed. Now that she paid a closer attention, she could see individual hair strands on its head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened, but we can find out if we ask,¡± Zhang Wei said in a matter-of-fact tone. He pressed his left palm on its forehead, then with the two fingers on his right hand, he pressed different points all over its body repeatedly. This went on for an hour, and XiuYing noticed that the gray coloration seemed to have lightened. She could now make out the dark brown color of the hair.


    ¡°Pretty cool,¡± a voice came from behind and startled her. Her father remained unperturbed and continued with what he was doing. Looking back, she saw her younger brother leaning over behind them while watching. She had been too absorbed with the ¡®statue¡¯ to noticed that Zhang Mo had already stood behind them.


    ¡°Are you done with the dishes?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said with a smug. ¡°I even already prepared lunch.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± She knew that he could only cook one type of food.


    ¡°Fish congee.¡±


    As expected.


    An hour passed and Zhang Wei finally halted his hands and took a deep breath. Taking a break, he joined his two children for lunch. After having his fill, he immediately went back to the ¡®statue¡¯.


    It was time for dinner when the ¡®statue¡¯ was finally cleared of it¡¯s gray coloration. Right before their eyes, the gray ¡®statue¡¯ had turned into a living human boy. He had dark brown hair and features similar to that of the westerners. What was surprising was that he was missing a left hand, and when the gray coloration disappeared, he started bleeding profusely. Zhang Wei easily halted the bleeding with his mysterious acupuncture technique and bound the wound with bandages.


    The boy was unconscious through all that.


    ¡°When do you think he¡¯ll wake up?¡± Zhang Mo asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell. Since you¡¯re always around the house, it¡¯s your duty to keep an eye on him,¡± their father. XiuYing sneered at her brother.


    ¡°Yeeees,¡± he answered with a sigh.


    With the suddenness of that incident, XiuYing had temporarily forgotten about Zhang Jie¡¯s expedition tomorrow.


    It was near midnight when Zhang XiuYing was awoken by the sound of light footsteps. She quickly put on a coat over her light sleepwear and sneaked a peek through her door.


    Lit by the bright moonlight, she saw a small figure standing by the living room, gazing out through the open window. The only thing visible through there was ShiMu tower in the distance. Quiely and with careful steps, she went out of her room only to find her father standing by the door of his room. Zhang Mo¡¯s door was open and she could see him snoring inside without a care. The sleeping mat beside him where the boy should have been was empty. Of course, he was the figure standing by the window.


    He was just there, standing and not doing anything else. Father and daughter watched and waited. They were so concentrated that they did not notice time passing by. Dawn broke, but the boy was still standing there, as if he was a living statue. Well, he was at one point.


    With red and dry eyes, XiuYing couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She walked toward the boy. Her father did not stop her and just continued to observe. When she arrived behind him, she placed her hand on his shoulder and tugged a little.


    Slowly, he turned his head and looked at her. His expression almost scared XiuYing to death.


    His eyes were wide open, but his brown pupils were unfocused and seemed to stare right through her soul. His cheeks were wet with tears and his lips were shaking non-stop. Had he been crying like this all night?


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong?¡± she asked the boy, but he didn¡¯t answer. He just turned his head to look back at the tower.


    XiuYing tried to remove the image of the boy¡¯s face from this morning as she walked to the dojo. Zhang Jie, his father, and all the other disciples of the Zhang Dojo were going to ShiMu today. She had already resigned to the fact that she could not prevent him from going, so she decided to see him off.


    Arriving at the dojo, she barely made it in time, as the discples had already packed all their gear and were ready to go at a signal. Zhang Jie was surprised to see her and initially thought that she was going to make a last effort on stopping him, but was slightly startled when she gave him encouragements instead.


    Along with other family members of the disciples, they were escorted to the entrance of ShiMu tower.


    ¡°Take care, elder brother Jie!¡± XiuYing said with a voice that seemed about to cry at any moment.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we are fully prepared this time,¡± Zhang Jie replied as he placed his hand on her head and patted her. ¡°You¡¯re a grown up now, so stop crying. We¡¯ll be back in a week¡¯s time at the earliest, and a month at worst.¡±


    She nodded while his big warm hand still rested on her head.


    Afterwards, with the lead of Zhang Jie¡¯s father, the disciples of Zhang Dojo entered ShiMu tower.


    A week passed, then two, then three. The one month deadline was fast approaching and XiuYing was getting more anxious with every passing day.


    Compared to the unknown situation of the Zhang Dojo expedition, the mysterious young boy¡¯s recovery progressed well. Five days after that night, he had finally regained life in his eyes. He responded to the actions of the people around him. When asked, he couldn¡¯t answer because he spoke a different language, but it didn¡¯t take long before he grasped the language of the eastern lands.


    The young boy¡¯s name was Sievor, and he was from a city called Payton in the western lands. He told of his tragic tale which was quite unbelievable at first, but it could be clearly seen in his eyes that he spoke of the truth. How he survived was a mystery even to him. He said that he was a Yingxiong, an Adventurer, but the brand, his only proof, was gone along with his cut left hand.


    Zhang Wei and Zhang Mo were intrigued by him, but XiuYing could not care less. She was too worried of Zhang Jie.


    Then, a month passed. A week after and there were still no news about the expedition. XiuYing, depressed, locked herself in her room and refused to come out. The relatives of the other disciples were all grieving. Cries of grief could be heard all over Tadao.


    Amid the sorrowful village, one boy was lamenting over a different reason.


    To Sievor, it was not long ago since Old Gregor¡¯s death, but he just found out¡­


    ¡­that ten years have already passed since then.


    <hr />


    End of Chapter 2


    "Ten Tombs; Ten Years"


    A/N: I don''t know about you guys, but I kinda like this chapter... or do I just have bad taste?


    No multiple parts this time!