《The Feline Faction》


 0:waking from the dream

    Prologue


    If you looked at me with no knowledge of who I really am, I would appear to many to be a normal person, with raven black hair, and being of an average height, a regular citizen who has a little more muscle than most men my age. I¡¯m 22, by the way.


    Now, this isn¡¯t the case, as I¡¯m a rather special individual for many reasons, namely, I have completely red irises, I am a master of every martial art known to man, and I work for a secret government agency. As you can tell, I am far from normal, but these things aren¡¯t the only things that set me apart.


    I am, unfortunately, completely, and undeniably, insane.


    I know what you would say, that if someone acknowledges that they might not be completely sane than they still have a semblance of morality, but I disagree.


    I lost my sense of morality long ago.


    It is as my master said, ¡°the only difference between man and beast is the morality of the man.¡± When I was age 12, I graduated from my master school for aspiring agents, and began to train myself to keep my morals in check. My master said that morals may divide us from the beasts, but someone with too strong a conscious won¡¯t be able to do what needs to be done.


    I will not speak of what I did during the four years that I worked to weaken my morals, but suffice it to say that it was a blood soaked four years. On my sixteenth year, I went on my first mission, to Iraq. Over the flight, I carried no weapons. Of course, on an area as confined as a plane guns and the like would only slow me down.


    Once I arrived, I met the other field agent, who was a little surprised to find his reinforcements to be a single 16-year-old boy. However, once I gave him a quick spar, his doubts were no more.


    He quickly equipped me with all the equipment that I would need. Frag, high explosive, and incendiary were all the grenades that he outfitted me with. I was also supplied with a deagle, dual magnums, and an ak47, as it was the most common weapon on the market, so I would be able to blend, at least to a small extent.


    With perpetrations complete, we began the mission. My partner set up on a roof at the end of the road that the operation would take place on. He had also set up remote detonated c4s on the road, to take care of any heavy vehicles. As the time to set the plan in motion was nearing, I scouted out the convoy, and found that in addition to the 3 standard light desert jeeps, there was also a tank, and a Mercedes Bens, which looked way out of place, compared to the rest of the vehicles in Iraq.


    I opened the radio frequency to my partner and said, ¡±Mission objectives spotted. Begin when I give the call.¡± The pre-prepared signal was a flare, shot into the air. We would avoid using the radios as much as possible, as others could listen in on our plan, and my master always said, ¡°it does not matter how tough an opponent may be, if you can anticipate his moves, he will be helpless before you.¡±


    Different colored flares indicated different things. Red would indicate personnel removal, green was to shoot the tires of the vehicles and stop them. Yellow was an indication to activate the c4 underneath the road.


    As the convoy came roaring into the town, I shot up the green flare, and he immediately shot out the front tires of the jeep in front. When the vehicles came to a stop, I had already shot up the yellow flare. An immense explosion was triggered beneath the tank; which was at the back of the convoy. Now the three other vehicles were trapped between their own vehicles. I shot up the red flare, and the first of the people in the convoy to stick their head out of the window to check what was happening ate a bullet. Literally.


    I took out an incendiary and took out the pin. I waited 2.6 seconds, then threw it into the house to the right of the road on which the convoy was pinned. 0.4 seconds later, a wall of flames engulfed the house and sidewalk, denying them the chance to evacuate from the exposed position and find cover in the terrain. I took out my other incendiary and repeated the process with the houses to the left of the convoy. Meanwhile, my partner was taking out any who attempted to see what was happening.


    With a quick look, I saw he had made 7 of them casualties. I took out a high explosive, waited 2.8 seconds, then hurled it underneath the second jeep. Which promptly exploded. I took out my other high explosive and did the same with the third jeep. Now all that was left was the Mercedes. Perhaps, if I was into cars I would have admired it, but right now, it was just an obstacle to my objective.


    I shot it with my ak47, but the windows were made of an incredibly tough glass, and from what had happened when a few of my bullets had gone astray and barely scratched the paint, it looked like they had an extremely hard, and probably expensive, steel alloy completely covering the car. I thought for a moment as to what to do, but I knew what had to be done. My mission was simple. Destroy the convoy, till only dust remains. And leave no survivors. 2 simple objectives.


    As fast as I could I descended down to street level, and shot off the white flare, signaling that I would take care of the rest. Approaching the vehicle I took out my magnums and cocked their hammers. As I reached the window, I could see the minute scratches that were made by my machine gun. However, that was from 6o feet away, and with a relatively inaccurate gun. I took my magnums, put them up to the window, and pulled the triggers. The slugs bounced off of the glass, but left some respectable craters in the so called ¡®bullet proof glass¡¯ I cocked the hammers again, and repeated the process. Now there was only a thin vein dividing me from mission success.


    I took the desert eagle out, and shot through the window, shattering it. Now that the windows were destroyed I could peek in. there was the driver, who had my desert eagle¡¯s bullet in in his skull, then there was a bodyguard in the passengers seat, and in the back, I saw a young lady, dressed in the strangest clothes I had ever seen. Seeing the man in the passengers seat pulling out a glock, I aimed my desert eagle and pulled the trigger, shooting him through the heart. The lady started screaming, and I shot her in the eye as quickly as I could. And with that, I had completed my mission.


    When I got to the airport, before I had the chance to get out of the car, I received a call. ¡°I see that you have completed your mission. Now, dispose of the evidence.¡±


    ¡°As you command.¡± I said this emotionlessly, and turned to my partner, took out my silenced pistol, and plugged the bullet in his ear. Then I took a high explosive grenade from his bag, and got out of the car, leaving the door open. As I walked away, I took the pin out and threw it over my shoulder into the car. As I strolled away, I could feel the heat of the explosion on my back. I felt a little sad that I had to dispose of my partner, as he was rather amusing, making puns at the slightest opportunity. But the commands of the agency must be carried out. On the flight back, I composed a ballad to the puniest partner I have ever had. Of course, he was the only partner I had ever had, but that wasn¡¯t important.


    Four more years passed, I kept accomplishing my missions to the letter, only retreating when it was impossible, and my reputation within the agency was starting to reach new heights. From the time when I turned twenty to the time I reached 22 I was constantly under threat of assassination, both from my enemies and from my collogues, who were envious of my status, for whatever reason. For these two years I was constantly attacked, poisoned, near shot, and almost crushed by falling objects. My vehicles almost always blew up the moment my would-be attackers thought I got into them. It got to the point that I had to learn how to hotwire, and from then on I always took a random car so that a pre-prepared bomb wouldn¡¯t be the end of me.


    I was saved the first time because I paused just outside of the door to answer a call, and at that moment my car exploded. I went away with many burns and lacerations that day, but I quickly went back to completing missions. Multiple times my collogues tried to backstab me, but each time ended with them dead and with me walking away unscathed.


    During the last few, however, I usually added a scar to my growing collection, as the attempts got more and more cunning, making it harder to survive each one. Until, finally, on my 22nd birthday,(at least, what my master had told me was my birthday) I received a mission. ¡°You will receive further instruction when you arrive at the operations area.¡±


    When I arrived, preparations were well under way. As I went up to the supervisor, he said ¡°aaa! You must be the famous agent, ¡®silent death¡¯ that I¡¯ve heard so much about! You¡¯re younger than I thought you¡¯d be, but no matter! You will be protecting this package as it travels to the airport, then escort the carrier to the client. Be carful, as you will almost definitely get intercepted on the way their.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Was all I said.¡°What equipment do I need?¡± was all I asked.


    ¡°Equipment? Why, of course! You can¡¯t protect a package if you don¡¯t have equipment! Here, take your pick.¡± Saying so, he led me to a room labeled, ¡®armory¡¯ and revealed a room full of top grade weaponry, as I walked through I looked at the wear on the weapons and found none, meaning that these were brand new, not having been used before. I took an m16 and 2 desert eagles, along with 4 uzies, an army grade grenade launcher, and a bag filled with high explosive grenades. Once my preparations were done, I donned my sunglasses that I had gotten myself for my birthday and headed out. For the mission, there were 2 BMWs and an armored car that would transport the package and the carrier.


    I got into the front BMW, and took the passenger seat. Once I was in, the supervisor gave the signal, and we moved out. At first, it was quiet. The houses passed in silence, and the 3 people in the car with me were apparently intimidated by me, which was understandable, my reputation, the sunglasses, and the dark suit that I had taken as my uniform were all things that made me intimidating.


    My thoughts were interrupted by an R.P.G., as luck would have it.


    I was unhurt, mostly, because the rocket had come from the driver¡¯s side, and because my body was many times harder than my partners. Of the driver, nothing but a scorched stain was left, of the two in the back, the one on the drivers side, or the left side, had shards of metal and glass imbedded all over his body. The one directly behind me was unconscious, probably from his head hitting the window from the force of the explosion.


    I tried my door, and it seemed to be bent shut, I had to kick it a few times, further warping the metal, and on my third kick the door flew off of the hinges. As I got out, the first things that grabbed my attention was that the BMW that was behind the armored vehicle had also exploded. This seemed to be a coordinated attack, well planned and well carried out. I saw the telling signs of explosive traps in the buildings adjacent to our convoy, and I could barely make out a sniper high up in the window of the building at the end of the street, where the turn was. I had a slight feeling of deja¡¯ vu, it seemed that they had planned for everything. However. They didn¡¯t plan for one thing.


    ME


    I took out the grenade launcher and loaded up a high explosive, took aim, and shot out the window with the sniper in it. I turned, sprinted to the armored car and took cover. A second later and explosion could be heard, and pieces of shrapnel fell. I was protected by the car, but shrapnel was the least of my worries, as I saw shadowy figures beginning to appear from the smoke of the car I had recently been riding in.


    As their outlines became better defined, I holstered my launcher and took out my m16, and flipped up the sights. All this was accomplished in a smooth, machine like motion.


    I took the safety off, and finally, took aim.


    ¡°One.¡± I said as my first shot went off, knowing it was a hit before I pulled the trigger. ¡°Two.¡± Was all I said as the second figure fell. ¡°Three¡± as the figures continued to drop, the ones who weren¡¯t hit ducked down, trying to conceal themselves. A futile endeavor, as they were caught out in the middle of


    a road and an expert marksman picking them off one by one. Another shot sounded. ¡°Four.¡± Bang!


    ¡°Five.¡± Bang! ¡°Six.¡±


    Abstractly, I thought that it was strange that they would be so incautious as to send in men down the middle of the road, ¡°Seven¡± especially after their plan had seemed so well coordinated. ¡°Eight.¡±


    Then, I noticed the lines running through the air. ¡°Nine.¡± They wiggled a little bit. Must be something heavy attached to the end to cause a line pulled that tight to move so much. ¡°Ten.¡± My suspicions were confirmed, as men began zip lining down them. ¡°Eleven.¡± I turned away from the road, where the only people I ignored were corpses. I waited patiently while setting down my rifle and pulling out two of my uzies, and as the ¡®heavy attachments¡¯ came flying out of the smoke on near invisible lines they were met with a hail of submachine gun fire.


    ¡°Twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty.¡± The nine men who trusted their superiors plans met their ends at my hands. Just like so many before them.


    The immediate threats having been dealt with, I turned to the armored vehicle and gave it a casual knock, and said into the speaker on the side, ¡°all clear.¡± The door was slowly swung open, and out came two men in suits and ties, with a thirteen-year old. I showed no surprise, as I had dealt with things more surprising than this. I simply waited for orders.


    It looked like the thirteen year old was in charge, and it told me in a voice that had an impressive tone of command, ¡°Continue along the route until you find a suitable vehicle, then bring it back and you may escort me to my destination. Move quickly!¡± my objective said in a voice that brooked no argument. I nodded my head in acknowledgment, and ran along the route the convoy had been pursuing until we had been interrupted. Once I turned the corner, I saw the vehicles one through eleven must have used to get here.


    I quickly and efficiently mad a quick check for remote detonated devices that could be planted on the underside of a vehicle, and ran my fingers along the rims to see if their were any sort of tracking device. Once I had confirmed that the vehicle was in no way dangerous, I took out the keys that had been kindly left in the ignition. It was a smart thing to do, if one through eleven had needed to get away in a hurry, they would not have wanted to have to fiddle with a key while they were being shot.


    As I drove the white van up to the trio beside the now destroyed armored car, I popped open the door and got out of the drivers seat, waiting for my objective to get safely into the car. Once the objective was in, and one of its bodyguards in the drivers seat. I followed the objective into the back and waited for further instructions.


    As I looked at my objective silently, it started to look uncomfortable, and started to fidget, which looked strange, for one who, moments ago, had the confidence to order me without hesitation. After five minutes or so, it finally looked over at me and said in an annoyed voice, ¡°do you mind?¡± it said this with a peeved expression, and looked like it was ready to punch me, which made me further impressed with its bravery.


    ¡°I do not understand your question, what would I ¡®mind¡¯?¡± I said this in a calm, emotionless voice, and at that same moment my objective shivered visibly, and I wondered if it was cold, I did not want my mission to be delayed by my objective getting sick. So I once again spoke in my regular voice, ¡°Is your body temperature lower than healthy? If it is, I can acquire additional articles of clothing to help stabilize your temperature.¡± I decided that I should clean my grenade launcher while it looked like there was no sign of hostiles, so I took out my grenade launcher.


    For some reason, it paled to a nearly pure white color and raised its hands quickly and franticly waved them to add emphasis while it said, ¡°No! No! I don¡¯t need any clothing!¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? Your complexion is pale. You may be experiencing shock, and in that case you will need


    first aid.¡± I said this as I took my launcher apart and took out a rag and began cleaning out the barrel and firing mechanisms.


    For some reason, when he saw that I was just cleaning it it relaxed its tense muscles and regained color in its face. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. Just escort me to the airport.¡± The tone of command had returned, and it once again spoke with confidence. I briefly wondered what had caused it to have its confidence shaken, but quickly dismissed such thoughts.


    ---


    ¡°As you wish.¡± was all the man said, while continuing to clean his grenade launcher While still looking at me. I wish he would stop looking at me like. When I see that look, its like I¡¯m not even a person, just an objective that must be protected. It was down right creepy, but to accomplish such a high position in such a short time, while also starting at the ridiculous age of seventeen, he must be an amazing person. At least, that was the earliest age that he was documented to have accomplished a mission. So much about him was shrouded in secrecy, like his real name, who his parents were, where he was raised, how he was trained, even if he had a girlfriend! After his cleaning was finished, he took out his two uzies and his m16 and began disassembling them, then cleaned them too. He did so with a machine-like efficiency, all the while looking at me from under those sunglasses.


    It felt kind of awkward inside the van, and I felt the need for there to be some kind of noise besides the occasional squeak from the man cleaning his gun. And so, I asked a simple question that I thought would be a good icebreaker, (and I really want to know the answer) ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    He slowly looked at me, and for a second I felt so intimidated that I could hardly breath. ¡°Would knowing my name help the mission?¡± he said this in his chillingly emotionless voice, and I had to suppress my shivers, so their wouldn¡¯t be a need for a second conversation about my health.


    ¡°W-well, it might, you never know.¡± I tried to say this cheerfully, but all he did was look at me, and all I could think was oh gosh, he¡¯s going to kill me, I just know it however, much to my surprise, he said, ¡°In that case it¡¯s-¡° BOOOM


    Our car flipped over, and it scared me quite badly, so that all I could think was, well, that¡¯s one question answered, at least I got to hear his na- and then I realized, I didn¡¯t hear his name. AHHHHHHH!


    My thoughts broke apart as I felt strong hands haul me out of the wreckage of what I could only assume was the van we had been up until this moment been riding in. I looked up at the face of my savior, and any gratitude I felt dried up quicker than water in the desert as those cold, hidden eyes stared back at me. I then promptly fell unconscious.


    ---


    After I pulled it out from the wreckage and made sure it was breathing, I pulled out my uzies and turned to the direction of the attack.


    We were in front of a liquor store, and regular citizens were either running away screaming or staying still in shock. What had upset the van was probably a grenade, thrown from the side, and as I surveyed the area where the attack had come from, I saw 3 pure black BMWs were right alongside each other in the parking lot.


    Even as I watched, 12 men got out of the vehicles and took out various firearms. Attacking in the middle of a crowded street suggests supreme confidence in their own ability to fade from media and peoples memories, which also means that whatever organization they work for is powerful, as powerful as the agency.


    I emptied my clips in their general direction, which was unexpected, as uzies are at most mid range weapons, and at that distance they were extremely inaccurate. Shooting at long distance was like betting on roulette. However, the sound of shots triggered the men to duck for cover, and not stride arrogantly up the road. Ignorant arrogance was one of the few things that truly annoyed me, and it seemed that all the people in this particular organization had an abundance of it. I then pulled out my m16 and flipped up the scope, turned the safety off, and attached a silencer. I then sprinted into the store, opening the door quietly.


    As I approached the door that led to the parking lot I stealthily made my way along the wall, and peeked through the door to see if any of the would-be assassins had noticed my entrance to the building. When I saw them peeking over their cover at the place he had previously occupied on the road. At this point, I allowed one of the few facial expressions I had to manifest, in the form of a grin, and if any of the attackers had seen this grin, then they would have immediately run as far away as they could. It was scarier than any weapon, more sinister than any nightmare they had ever experienced, and the grin told them the absolute truth, that none of them would survive this encounter.


    As he took aim, he was already taking count. The one farthest from the liquor store suddenly started spouting blood, and they could all faintly hear a voice, as if by magic, start counting.


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    ¡°Twenty-one.¡± the man to the right of his now dead companion fell with a hole in his neck.


    ¡°Twenty-two.¡± And the one to the left of him.


    ¡°Twenty-three.¡± ¡°Twenty-four.¡± ¡°Twenty-five.¡±


    One by one, their companions fell, accompanied by the chilling counting, and all of them felt the icy hand of death closing around their heart.


    ¡°Twenty-six.¡± ¡°Twenty-seven.¡±


    The remaining five looked around in fear and alarm, but no matter where they looked, they couldn¡¯t find the source of the deadly shooting, and they unconsciously tried to group together, thinking that they would be safer in a group. As their backs touched, they heard a clinking noise.


    ¡°Twenty-eight.¡±


    They all turned around slowly.


    ¡°Twenty-nine.¡±


    They all saw the same thing, but it didn¡¯t register for a second.


    ¡°Thirty.¡±


    There was a grenade, sitting in the middle of their huddle.


    ¡°Thirty-one.¡±


    And they all felt a deathly silence emanate from the road, where the pedestrians were all long gone, and their screams were heard no more, and the only noise they heard.


    ¡°Thirty-two.¡±


    Suddenly stopped.


    And that one second before the voices prediction felt like a lifetime to each of these men, and they blew up, still wondering who had been counting.


    Only those who are already dead hear the counting.


    ---


    ¡°owww..¡± my head. I wonder what happened? As I slowly gained consciousness, I was able to look around and find out were I was. When I looked to my right I saw a window and quickly moving scenery.


    I was in a car, and at the speed I was moving I was probably on the freeway. When I looked to my left, I had a sinking feeling, and I saw that sunglass clad man sitting behind the stirring wheel. At first, I tried to hide, and pretend I was still asleep, but he noticed and nodded to me. Which, out of all the things he could have done made me the maddest. ¡°Is that it? Are you gonna just sit there and ignore me? Cause if you are, I¡¯m going to punch you.¡±


    As I looked at it, I was stuck once again by its bravery, not only in the midst of battle, but also when facing an unknown and dangerous killer. It was afraid, I could see that, but it was suppressing that fear, and my respect for my objective was rising all the time. ¡°I have never ignored you. My only focus for this entire mission has only been you.¡± I said this matter-of-factly. And for some reason, its face went red when I said that.


    ¡°O-oh¡­¡± I never thought of that. I just thought he was ignoring me. I can¡¯t believe he said that! Stupid sunglasses.


    Wait, why am I acting like this. I¡¯m acting like a Japanese schoolgirl! This is unacceptable. My father always told me that I must be his heir first, and daughter second. Getting flustered wouldn¡¯t do any good. Even if he was good looking.¡°It¡¯s still rude to not respond when I¡¯m talking to you.¡±


    ¡°I see, I will follow your orders to the best of my ability.¡± He said this humbly, with no sign of rebellion.


    This exasperated me to no end. ¡°At least stand up for yourself! You¡¯r not some robot without feelings or emotions! At least tell me to shove off or something! The way you just take orders makes me so mad I just wanna¡­ gah!¡± Her outburst was met with no show of emotions.


    ¡°Shove off.¡± He said this with a straight face. His lips didn¡¯t so much as twitch.


    For a second, I was so shocked that I hardly breathed. His reputation claimed that he followed his orders to the letter, but this was like he really was a robot. ¡°You¡­ really are what you seem, huh.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You really are a stupid old man.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Why do you say I¡¯m old?¡±


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t listen to any music, and you talk way too formally.¡±


    ¡°Well, how do you want me to talk?¡±


    ¡°Again! Why do you bow so easily, at least defend your own way of speaking! You irritate me so much!¡±


    ¡°I irritate you because I¡¯m being respectful?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Then tell me way not listening to music makes you old.¡±


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s a perfectly good radio right in front of you and your just driving in silence, it¡¯s like you


    don¡¯t even know how to use a radio.¡±


    ¡°I wanted it to be quiet so that you could rest.¡±


    Its face suddenly got crimson, and it looked away.


    Stupid old man, talking like he was giving a speech. Being so considerate.


    It tuned to me and said, ¡°Why are you wearing sunglasses? All the reports say that you don¡¯t wear anything on your head.¡±


    ¡°I got them for my birthday.¡±


    ¡°What?! When was it?¡±


    ¡°Today.¡±


    It sat there shocked for a second, then it screamed again. ¡°Why are you doing missions on your birthday?! Can¡¯t you take one day off?! It¡¯s like you don¡¯t even have any emotons! I mean, seriously!¡± it was quite red at this point, and had gotten so caught up in its rant that it didn¡¯t even realize that we were pulling off of the free way.


    ¡°That may be, but I was raised to be efficient. Things that don¡¯t pertain to missions are worthless.¡±


    ¡°So, after this I¡¯ll be worthless too?¡±


    When I looked out of the corner of my eye,  I was reminded of a sad puppy.


    When I looked at it, I couldn¡¯t say yes, so instead I told it no. ¡°I will remember you, you are one of the bravest people I know.¡± This made it happy, I don¡¯t know why. It¡¯s only the truth.


    ¡°Hey, I have a joke. Guess what it is.¡± It said this mischievously. And I got a bad feeling about this.


    ¡°I have no clue, what is it?¡± I felt a sinking feeling.


    ¡°What should you take on a trip to Afghanistan?¡± that evil smile was still on its face, but nevertheless, I asked it.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°A boat. Because if you fly back you¡¯ll crash into a building.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Well? What do you think about it?¡±


    ¡°If I told you you¡¯d punch me.¡±


    The look on its face was priceless, and for the first time I could remember, I let myself have a smile that wasn¡¯t because of violence, but honest amusement. ¡°You.. STUPID SUNGLASSES!¡± and proceeded to slug me in the arm, which didn¡¯t hurt at all, but I let out a small grunt to make it feel better. It nodded its head in satisfaction, and said. ¡°That will teach you to insult someone who¡¯s trying to lighten the mood with a few good natured jokes.¡±


    ¡°The only thing that¡¯s good natured about you is your clothing.¡±


    When its face turned a quick succession of colors, I couldn¡¯t help the largest grin I had ever felt show on my face.


    ¡°AHHHHHHH¡± it yelled this as it snatched my glasses and smashed them on the dash. ¡°THERE! TRY AND


    LOOK THROUGH YOUR STUPID GLASSES AND GRINNING AT ME NOW!¡±


    At this, I couldn¡¯t help it.


    I, dubbed silent death by my employers because I maintained a strict silence at all times, was helpless with laughter.


    I laughed so hard that my sides ached more than during my training. Through all this, it looked so incensed its face seemed that it would permanently stay that perfect shade of red.


    Eventually, I was able to stifle my newfound laughter, and speak in my usual voice, admittedly, though, it still held a subtle teasing note. ¡°You know, those glasses cost over two hundred dollars.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your problem. If you wanted to keep them, you should have taken better care of them, and not unnecessarily risk them by provoking volatile young women.¡± It said this as though it made perfect sense.


    ¡°You admit that you¡¯re volatile?¡±


    ¡°N-no, what makes you think that! I was just speaking generally.¡± It was still blushing, but it had regained most of its composure.


    New to this ¡®conversation¡¯ thing, I decided to let it off the hook, and sat in silence, though my lips still twitched, and every now and then a smile threatened to break through. It sighed, and started to talk.


    ¡°Haaa¡­ stop holding back, I can tell your grinning. At least grin to my face.¡± I stayed silent, and quashed the amusement from my face. After some time, it finally said, ¡°A-anyway, I¡¯m, uh, I mean to say, that. um,¡±


    It was stuttering, but it stopped and took a deep breath. ¡°What I mean to say is that I¡¯m sorry for breaking your new glasses. Oh, and happy birthday.¡± It said the second cheerfully, and I was struck speechless for a second. It had apologized to a subordinate, and even wished me a happy birthday. Not only was it brave, clever and thoughtful, it was considerate.


    None of my training had prepared me for someone so genuine, so innocent, even though it had witnessed death and atrocities, it still held this level of decency. Frankly, I had never been one to believe in religion, but right now, I felt that I was looking at the face of an angel.


    ¡°What? You have a funny look on your face.¡±


    It looked genuinely concerned for me, but I just smiled, which was feeling more and more natural, and said,


    ¡°Nothing is wrong. Nothing at all.¡±


    Of course, that was when everything went wrong.


    I pulled into a gas station, and set the nozzle to the gas. Then I walked in to pay, and took it with me, so it didn¡¯t leave my sight. I opened the door, which revealed the counter to the left, and a variety of shelves holding the regular products for a gas station. When I turned to the counter, I felt something graze my ear. When I took a closer look, I saw that the man behind the counter was holding a gun, and had a stain of blood on his face, which I presumed to belong to the real cashier. I took out my desert eagles and shot him in the face, before he had the chance fire a second shot. ¡±Thirty-three.¡± Turning had saved my life, but it wouldn¡¯t save me a second time.


    When I looked at the shelves, I saw that they were trembling.


    I shoved it over the counter and quickly followed it into cover. As I vaulted the counter, three gunmen had surfaced from behind the shelves. I ducked behind the counter and heard the bullets ricochet off of the counter and lodge in the wall above me, showering me in plaster.


    I put my eyes above the counter and took aim, but their shooting forced me to duck again, and this time I peeked around the side of the counter, and shot one in the leg. He fell with a scream, and his companions turned toward him, but one would never witness his fall.


    ¡°Thirty-four.¡±


    As his two companions fell, the last man standing ducked and I heard him yelling into his radio, apparently calling for reinforcements. If that were the case, things were bad, I had to get out, now.


    I emptied one of my desert eagle clips into the shelf and ran towards the door to secure it.


    ¡°Thirty-five.¡± But as I was looking out the door I saw that the reinforcements were here. They probably hadn¡¯t put all of their men inside so that if things got hectic they wouldn¡¯t have the high probability of friendly fire.


    A smart move. However, them being intelligent was bad for me. I retreated back to the counter as the glass doors were shattered by gunfire. When behind the counter I reloaded my desert eagles and took out my m16. The first man to come in though the doors like an idiot became blind. And dead.


    ¡°Thirty-six.¡±


    The second was more cautious, and blindly shot into the building without looking before dashing towards the nearest cover, one of the shelves previously occupied by his companions. However, the second he stopped shooting blindly, I took a peek and shot him through the throat as he was running.


    ¡°Thirty-seven.¡±


    At this point, a brief ceasefire ensued, as they looked for a way in without getting gunned down, and I looked for a way out.  Honestly, the situation was one of the worst I had ever faced. But not the worst. I had faced things much scarier than being surrounded by armed gunmen. As I feverishly thought for a way out I heard a groan, and it slowly sat up. ¡°what¡¯s going on?¡± it asked dazedly.


    ¡°Nothing. Go back to sleep.¡±


    It was shocked fully awake as the back door was busted open, and I heard footsteps come from the back of the store, which was away from my line of sight. I took aim and waited.


    It quickly grasped hold of the situation, and assumed a crouching posture similar to mine. As the first peaked around the corner I did some free dental work, and he fell.


    ¡°Thirty-eight.¡±


    When the others saw the bravest of them fall over, they started to mutter among themselves. Seeing my chance I stepped out of cover and took out a grenade.


    Time seemed to slow down, and I saw my mistake.


    It was a stupid thing, really.


    It could have been easily avoided.


    The man I had shot first, the one I had hit in the foot and then forgot about.


    He had a look of victory on his face, as he pulled the trigger.


    I looked at the slowly spinning piece of metal that spelled my doom, and thought that I was incredibly


    stupid for someone so intelligent.


    It wasn¡¯t arrogance. It was the truth.


    I was smarter by far than most people. My IQ had nearly reached record heights.


    And my physical side was among the top in the world.


    And as I saw that slowly spinning bullet, I had one clear thought.


    All of these things, my abilities, my training, my mind, my achievements, everything that I had ever


    accomplished or sought in my life, all of it was useless against that bullet.


    It was heading toward my heart, and it would hit.


    Nothing within my power would stop that bullet.


    This was my death.


    I vaguely wondered what number I¡¯d be to my slayer, but these thoughts came to an abrupt, and tragic


    end.


    I didn¡¯t die.


    But it did.


    It stepped in front of me, and took the bullet through its chest. As it fell, I mechanically aimed and shot


    the man who had spelled my end.


    For a second, I was shocked. I forgot to count him, and instead looked at it.


    It, which was braver than I could ever hope to be.


    It, who looked at me as a person and not as a tool.


    It, who told me a joke and then got mad at me for not laughing.


    It, who broke my glasses and said sorry, like I was a human being.


    It, who looked at me and saw someone to be cared for, someone that I had looked at countless times


    in the mirror and saw nothing but worthless flesh.


    No. No. No. No. NO. NO. NO. NONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONO


    Not it. NO


    Not that. NO


    NOT IT. SHE


    NOT MY OBJECTIVE. HER


    NOT A MISSION. A PERSON. AN ANGEL.


    And she was bleeding on the ground, because of me.


    Because of my arrogance.


    Because I was stupid.


    Because I saw her as an object, something to be protected, but not treasured.


    And I felt something that I had never felt before. Hatred, anger, I wanted to TEAR THEM TO PIECES. I looked at her, and I felt her reach up to me. I bent down. She said to me,


    ¡°I never managed to *cough* introduce myself. My name is Silica. Nice to *cough* meet you. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    I looked at her, and for the first time in my life, someone had asked my name, not out of curiosity, not so that they could find weaknesses in me, but because she wanted to now me.


    And for the first time in my life, I felt something wet on my cheeks. It dripped down onto her face, and I bent down to her ear, and told her. She smiled, and simply said.


    ¡°It¡¯s not as *cough* impressive as I thought it would *cough* be.¡± She looked at me and tried to cheer me up even as she lay there bleeding.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a very imaginative person.¡± I said jokingly while smiling through my tears. She smiled back as the life slowly drained out of her. I had known her for less than a day, but she was closer to me than my master ever was.


    As I slowly stood up, I felt something else new. A kind of coldness, a chill, an experience that made me feel weird. I don¡¯t know what it was that triggered it, but I think that having the only person I cared about dead at my feet, and having her murderer and his companions just a few feet away from me, while still breathing, made something snap.


    Something broke.


    I don¡¯t know what, but suddenly, any wound I received seemed like it would be trivial. All I cared about, now that the only person I cared about was dead, was making them pay. And it didn¡¯t matter who. As long as they weren¡¯t dead already, and as long as they could scream, I would make them pay.


    I took the pin out of the grenade with my teeth, and tossed it to the wall where I could hear breathing. I could hear them because I wasn¡¯t breathing, and my heartrate was slowing. When someone tried to kick the grenade away, I shot their food off. Then it exploded. I walked away from the counter and the only person that I had ever cared about, and found that they were still breathing. I didn¡¯t bother to count. I just shot them. I wondered why I had cared so much about assigning numbers to the men I killed. After all, they weren¡¯t valuable enough to have numbers.


    I heard footsteps coming from the front and more men burst through the broken doors. I didn¡¯t bother to count them, I just shot them with my rifle until it ran out of bullets, then I took out two of my uzies and kept shooting. I received wounds. my side started bleeding, and my right ear was shot off, but they didn¡¯t hurt.


    A round hit my kneecap, and I fell. But I kept shooting. My leg was barely attached to my body, but I kept shooting until my clips were empty. By this time, the first wave was annihilated. I dropped my uzies and pulled out the other two. Then I waited for the second wave.


    When they came in, they were surprised that I was on the ground, and I killed many of them before they had the chance to react. When they did, their shots were badly aimed, and merely chipped the ground next to my face. The chips lodged in my left eye and effectively blinded me.


    When they were all dead, I kept shooting their dead bodies until the triggers clicked, meaning that my guns were empty. I had a little more time than before between waves, so I stood up. Dying while lying down seemed too shameful, so I stood up and took out my desert eagles. When they arrived this time, they had riot shields, and it became apparent that they were trying to capture me alive now, since I was so wounded.


    They probably thought I was no longer a threat, and they could gain valuable information about the agency from me. ¡°That¡¯s bad manners, when some ones trying to kill you, you should at least respond in kind.¡±


    I said this while twisting my face into something that constituted as a smile. Then I took careful aim, and even though my left eye was blind I still had my sharply honed instincts. I shot the foot of the lead shield barer, and when he dropped his shield to cradle it, I shot him in the head. Then I shot the men behind him, and repeated this process until I had emptied my guns. I tried to reload, but a bullet pierced my left arm and I dropped the pistol in my left hand. At this, I threw my now-empty desert eagle in my right hand at the oncoming men. When they saw that I had no weapons, they rushed at me with batons. I took out the knife I keep in a sheath on my chest, and cut the throat of the first one to reach me.


    When they kept coming, I used my left arm, which was already useless, to nock away their weapons, then I slashed their throats.


    One, two, three, until six of them were choking on their own blood. The leader, at least I assumed he was the leader, saw that capturing me would cause too many casualties, and having accomplished his main goal, the assassination of the agency¡¯s heir, he gave the order to shoot me. Then he screamed, as I had thrown my knife into his eye.


    We both went down in a cloud of blood. Me, with bullets ripping through every inch of flesh I owned, and him with a knife in his face. I smiled as I fell, and as I did, I saw the fear I had inspired in my enemies. And on the ground, bleeding from countless bullet wounds, I laughed.


    In insanity.


    In pain.


    In amusement cause one had gotten so scared he peed himself.


    I laughed at myself.


    It felt like up until this morning I had been moving through life like a dream, not really caring what happened, just being driven by my loyalty to the agency.


    And finally, because I finally gotten the joke Silica had told me.


    It was hilarious. Immensely offensive, but still funny.


    ¡°Ahh, I would *cough* have liked to hear more of your *cough* jokes.¡±


    And with that, I felt the darkness closing in. I slowly let sleep take me, and had the sensation of floating, of going higher than the clouds. It felt amazing, almost like flying. And I laughed. It felt like I had finally awoken.


    ¡°Which is ironic, since your dead.¡±


    End of Prologue

 1:Second chances, and what you do with them

    Chapter 1


    Being dead had its advantages. The feeling of flouting was quite relaxing, and I felt neither hunger no cold. Some may dispute me on this, but I think that being dead had more pros than cons, at least from what I had experienced of it. however, being dead didn¡¯t seem to cure insanity.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°¡­ (maybe he¡¯ll go away if I ignore him for long enough)


    ¡°Hey! Listen to me! Stop ignoring me and look over here!¡± He was extremely irritated, from what I could tell. He had blonde hair, blue eyes, and a strong chin. He looked like a super model injected with beauty steroids.


    ¡°I do not do steroids! Now stop ignoring me and pay attention!¡±


    ¡°¡­ (I wonder if he was a doll before he died)


    ¡°¡­ that¡¯s really offensive, you know. Calling someone a doll.¡± When he said this, I looked at him, and for some reason, we wiggled his eyebrows, and it was so distracting that I was momentarily hypnotized by them. But when I realized what I was doing I managed to snap myself out of it.


    ¡°now, I know you must be confused, seeing as you were just flouting around, but-¡°


    ¡°I died and am now in the midst of my fate being decided.¡±


    ¡°¡­ ? How did you guess? Can you also read minds? :{}¡±


    ¡°Nope. Lucky guess.¡±


    ¡°:| You got my hopes up for nothing.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my fault. You just assumed.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same thing.¡±


    ¡°No its not.¡±


    ¡°Ahh! Dealing with mortals is so aggravating. First off, tell me your name.¡±


    ¡°I only tell my friends my name.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, can I be your friend?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Ahh! Stop sidetracking me! Your dead, and I am going to tell you something, so just, SHUT. UP.¡±


    ¡°Well, what do you want to talk about?¡±


    ¡°Ah, good, your going to listen. First off, my name is Jordan. I am a god. You can bow whenever you feel like it. and, you¡¯re going to be reincarnated!¡±


    ¡°Oh, cool. Looks like even my insane hallucinations are crazy. That makes me feel a whole lot better.¡±


    He continued while ignoring my muttering. ¡°First off, the world that you¡¯re going to is a bit different from the one you came from. First off, the technology is waaayyyy less advanced, like, steel age, and there exists many creatures that you won¡¯t be familiar with. Oh, and theirs magic.¡± He added this last part like it was really unimportant.


    I decided to humor him since I would have to learn to live with whatever hallucinations my insanity conjured up. It would be good to get on good terms with this one, that way when more showed up I could introduce him to them and he can bother them, leaving me without anyone to bother me. Win-win. At least, for me.


    ¡°I see, what do I need to know to survive within this world that I¡¯m being sent to?¡± I asked with a humble look. I saw the gleam in his eye, and immediately regretted asking him.


    ¡°Well, my champion, what you need to know can be summed up in several thousand pages, but for conveniences sake, I sum it up in a couple minutes.¡±


    Jordan¡¯s guide to survival and whatnot


    ¡°First off, there are two different ways to survive, depending of whether you are born an animal or within civilization. If you are born in the first, your only choice is to attempt to evolve and master the advantages that come along with your race. If you are born in the second, what you have to do is master your craft, whether it be death magic or snail collecting, without mastery you will die.¡±


    ¡°Second, have you ever played R.P.G.s?¡±


    ¡°If you mean the rocket launcher, I have extensive experience with firing them.¡±


    At this, he looked at me like I was some kind of alien. ¡°You mean that you have never played video games before? You at least know how they work, right?¡± he was looking desperate, so I lied and told him yes. At this, he looked like he had lost all hope. ¡°I can read your mind, I know you¡¯re lying. sigh, look, in many video games there is a level based system. What it does is tell you how powerful your opponent is. Us gods found that by giving all champions the ability to read levels has increased their survival rate by a huge margin, and they are less likely to die in stupid ways.


    Basically, the stronger you are, the higher your level. Does that make sense?¡±


    ¡°Sure, but how much stronger?¡±


    ¡°It depends. Beings that are raised within civilization have the ability to learn jobs, and whereas beings that are born as beasts have the option to evolve. This includes monsters, humanoids, and everything that has no concept of taking something and perfecting it. and then, there are the demi-humans. They can learn jobs and also evolve, but they evolve at half the rate of regular beasts. And of course, depending on their physiology their jobs could become useless.


    Anyway, jobs have various strengths, all depending on what it is. When a jobs level reaches 100 then it has been mastered, and the more advanced form of the job is unlocked. For evolution, when a creature reaches level 100 then it has the ability to use the maximum power contained within that form. The creature in question gets the option to evolve, and if it does, it is reset to level 0, however, after evolving it would only get stronger, and if it reaches level 100 again, it can evolve again and become that much stronger. Each evolution grants strengths in the form of speed, muscle, and claws or the like. Do you understand this fully?¡± he questioned me with the look of a school teacher testing his unruly student.


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡± (It¡¯s interesting to know what kind of delusions my delusion has)


    ¡°Alright, now onto abilities. Abilities are what define what you can do, and what the cost for doing it is. If you are a swordsmen, you can learn cross-slash, which lets you add a phantom swing to your attack. Basically, they allow you to do things that would otherwise be impossible. Just like jobs and evolutions, they have levels that can be raised, and when they reach 100, they have been mastered. Some abilities can have higher forms of themselves be learned when you reach level 100 with the original. You can learn them by having them taught, given, and you can unlock it from evolution, or a multitude of other ways.


    Finally, I have to tell you about champions and myself. Champions are beings chosen by us gods to represent us upon this world. Some champions are chosen from the moment of birth, some are chosen in the midst of battle, some are taken from another world like you. Champions can have various strengths, but the thing that they all have in common is the blessing from their god. And this is where I come in.


    From me, the blessing you will receive, is-¡° he paused for dramatic effect, ¡°The awe-inspiring-¡° even though I new it was just a figment of his imagination, or, rather, my imagination, I still leaned forward.


    ¡°Completely unique-¡° he kept pausing, and I lost any excitement I had felt, and I just wanted him to get on with it. ¡°And powerful ability-¡° I could make out a drum roll, and I had no idea where it was coming from, but it went like this.


    Dodododododododo


    ¡°Flee!¡±


    he said in an impressive voice.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    For a second, I didn¡¯t register what he had said, but when I did, I laughed. And it felt great. Guess insanity was good for something. (Just then I realized that I was laughing while being insane, and I wondered if it was an insane laugh, and if I could scare my delusion with it)


    Sure enough, he looked really creeped out. But he soon looked hurt, and told me: ¡°its not my fault, I was the apprentice to the disciple of the follower of the old god.¡±


    ¡°Wait, so you¡¯re telling me that you¡¯ a third generation god?¡±


    ¡°I guess you could call me that.¡±


    ¡°And, what percentage of gods are second and first? And who¡¯s the old god?¡±


    ¡°Well, in the beginning, their was nothing, then, the old god cam from a different world where he was too weak to have any power. So, he created his own world. After that, every so often he would acquire disciples, and in exchange for power they would be his servants. The old god divided up the world into territories for his disciples and after a couple thousand more years he got bored and went to sleep. He has been sleeping for, oh, twenty thousand years or so? Anyway, after awhile, the old gods disciples wanted to take each other¡¯s territory, and they fought. However, the disciple¡¯s power was too much, and they nearly destroyed what they were fighting over. And so, the champion¡¯s agreement was made. Any god can make a champion, give his or her blessing to him or her, and these champions will represent their own god, and fight to keep their masters territory. If a god is in a good mood and he believes that his champion deserves it, he will be granted godship. However, they will still remain under their master¡¯s authority.


    Oh, and to answer your question, I am the only third generation god in existence. Basically, each generation is leagues weaker that the one before, so I am pretty much a mortal compered to the other gods. Have fun, my champion!¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess I can play your game for a little bit.¡±


    At this, he smiled evilly, and chuckled like I had a few moments ago. ¡°Oh, you will soon find out it is no game.¡±


    Then he was all cheerfulness and sunshine, and said, ¡°be a good champion! Oh, and your body may not be up to your expectations, but don¡¯t let that get you down! Bye!¡±


    ¡°Goodbye to you too, delusion of mine.¡± I said as my vision was obscured in blackness once more.


    ---


    When I awoke, the first thing I noticed was that I felt cramped. When I tried to stretch out something brittle and tough stopped me. After a couple hours of work, I managed to break out of my prison, and what I found astounded me. I had been in a egg. A egg. I really wanted to thank my insanity for giving me such realistic experiences, but thought better of thanking something that made me hallucinate.


    When I looked around, I saw the inside of a cave, and I felt a hunger that made conventional hunger seem like an ant compered to a horse. I took one last look around, and saw that it went four or five meters back, and was one or two high, it gently sloped down, so instead of a cave, it was more like a large cleft in the rock.


    I walked out of the entrance and was momentarily blinded by the light, and I had to wait for my eyes to adjust. Once I could see, I looked down on my ¡®god¡¯s¡¯ territory. It was essentially a forest with a somewhat large lake in the middle. The trees were green, and from what I could tell it was late spring or early summer.


    Still feeling the hunger, I made my way down. Also, I wanted to check my reflection. I didn¡¯t trust that Jordan. However, as I moved I could tell that I was walking on four legs instead of two, and since I could not see any signs of civilization I guessed I was a beast. That meant that I could evolve, gain abilities, and whatever Jordan had forgotten to mention. I bet he forgot some things on purpose, just to make things interesting.


    When I had reached the bottom of the hill, what first stuck me was that there were strings of webs that were strung all over the entrance to the trees. When I saw them, I realized that: first, there were predators within this forest, and second, my eyesight was greatly improved from when I was human. It was apparently just after dawn, yet it felt like it was full light out.


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Thinking of my hunger, and the predators, and the risk of death, I found that if I died I would hardly care. So, I took my appendages that took the place of my arms, and batted a rock onto the webs. The creature that had made them would feel the vibrations and think he had caught a small animal. However, this wasn¡¯t perfect, I would have to wiggle the rock on my own, otherwise the creature would be suspicious of a prey that got caught and didn¡¯t try to escape. So, I carefully climbed up the tree and slightly wiggled the branches that were attached to the web. Hopefully, the creature wouldn¡¯t notice that the vibrations were in different places. If he did, it was o big deal. It would just mean a more interesting fight.


    With my excellent hearing, I could tell there was a scuttling noise coming from behind me. I wasn¡¯t worried, the creature would be fully intent on his ¡®meal¡¯ and I would pounce on him and devour whatever was edible. when it revealed itself, I saw that my suspicions were right. It was a spider, but set on a scale where it would be a tall as a ten year-old if stood upright. When it saw the rock and was confused, since it could smell prey nearby, I waited until it paused, trying to analyze the situation. When it was deep in thought I dropped down, and used my claws to rake all eight of its eyes out. It hissed, and jumped backwards, but deprived of its sight, I new it was not nearly the threat it used to be. But it was still a threat. I licked the eyeballs off of my claws and proceeded to circle around the spider.


    It followed me with its excellent senses, so I hooked a rock with my claws and threw it to the opposite side of the spider, while crouching and making no movement at all. When the rock hit the other side, it assumed that I had jumped over it, and quickly turned around. I came up behind it, and used both my arms to snag the two back legs. They mad a snapping sound as they came off, and I quickly used my fangs and teeth to strip whatever meat I could from its bony legs.


    It wasn¡¯t much, but it was enough to take the edge off of my hunger. No longer desperate, and seeing the spider starting to fear for its life, I tried to sneak around it, but only got half way behind it before it could make out the subtle vibration I made. I scuttled forward on six legs, but its speed was nothing compared to when it still had eight. I sidestepped, and used both my arms to hit the spider in the side with a lifting motion. As I¡¯d hoped, it flipped over, and I saw its carapace was much weaker on its belly. I didn¡¯t hesitate, but pounced onto its chest and began using my claws and teeth to rip its organs out of its body. When I had feasted, I tried to wipe my mouth, but my claws were so stained with green blood that I just made my face messier.


    When I got up, I was feeling quite proud of myself. Of course, that was when I saw the dozens of other spiders. And they didn¡¯t look happy.


    Authors note: from here on, it is going to get quite gory. If you have a weak stomach, just skip until you get to the next authors note.


    When I saw how many of them there were, I new immediately that if I didn¡¯t fun away I would probably die. In this case, ¡®flee¡¯ the ability that I got from my blessing would actually come in handy.


    But just the thought of using something that Jordan gave me made me want to throw up the meal I had just had. So, I did something that came with a beast¡¯s body.


    Instinct.


    For the first time, I lost myself. I let my instincts take over, and set all thought toward killing them all. I smiled.


    The first came at me, the others followed, but he was the closest. I jumped onto his back, and vaulted over him, allowing me to sail threw the air over the dozen spiders. When I was behind them all, I decided something.


    This isn¡¯t hunting. This, this is a fight.


    I fully extended my claws, and I heard a faint snap as they came out. I reached under the belly of the spider that was furthest behind the leader. When I racked my claws along the soft, or, compared to the rest of the body, softer carapace, the spider quickly lost his stomach, and all the other organs.


    I snagged one or two, and munched on them while backing away. when the spiders ha all tuned


    toward me, their friend I had gutted finally died.


    ¡°One.¡±


    It came out as a growl, but that was okay. It was the thought that counts. I ran forward and clawed the eyes off of one of them, and jumped back when they shot a web at me. That was quite amazing, as I had never seen a spider shoot its web. ¡°This will be interesting.¡±


    Then one jumped at me, as it was coming at me, I almost laughed, but withheld it, as laughing insanely as an animal would be kinda weird. I also jumped, but I jumped forward, and held my claw vertically, and spilled his guts all over the ground behind him. I was still smiling.


    ¡°Two.¡±


    They, seeing two of their dead, would have two options. They chose the wrong one.


    They became enraged, and rushed me all at once. I couldn¡¯t help myself. I started laughing. The first to reach me had strange patterns on his back, green and black, and he spat something at me, which I assumed was either poisonous or toxic. I ducked, and his momentum carried him over me, and I rolled onto my back as he passed over me, and gutted him the same way I had the other two.


    ¡°hehehe¡­ three.¡±


    I quickly regained my feet, and tuned to face the thirteen remainders. When they saw what I had done to yet another of their companions, they became even angrier, and I thought one of them was actually glowing red. Holy crap! They can glow!


    ¡°hehehe¡­¡±


    I went to them, and for the first time, they got a good look at me. When they saw me, covered in the guts and blood of their fellows, they wasted no time. However, I jumped into a tree, and the first to try to follow was batted away. Some tried crawling up, but I used my back claws to anchor myself while reaching down to the defenseless spider and clawed its eyes out. It fell back screeching. Then the started to jump up in earnest, and as five of them tried to jump up at the same time, I waited until they were firmly attached to the branch I was on. Then, since the branch I had chosen was nearly rotted away, I jumped further up the trunk, and used the trunk further up to propel myself at speed to the base of the branch. Using gravity and momentum, I snapped the branch off, and the five spiders and me fell. However, there was a difference between us. They were attached to the branch while I wasn¡¯t. I hit the ground, and it barely hurt at all, but before any of them had the chance to react, I leaped over to the stunned spiders and went through slashing their belly¡¯s.


    ¡°hehehe, four. Ha five. HA six. Ha! Seven, HAHAHAHA!¡±


    I licked the spider gore off of my claws, and looked at their slowly emptying corpses. It was a shame that spiders didn¡¯t taste very good. Otherwise I¡¯d have feasted on the guts and blood sprayed all over the ground.


    Now the one that had glowed red leaped at me. I saw it also had strange patterns on its back, but they were black and red, not black and green. I dodged back, and analyzed my opponent. And found he was nearly as crazy as me. He was frothing at the mouth, and looked like he¡¯d rip off his own legs just to kill me.


    ¡°hehe, looks like this world actually has some decent fighters in it, hehe.¡±


    He hissed at me in what I assumed was the spider language, and charged. Even if he was crazy, he wasn¡¯t stupid, and when I feinted like I was going to slide under his belly he immediately dropped his body and used his legs to cover his eyes. Ii was no faced with an impenetrable wall of carapace, and no sledge hammer to destroy it with. However, there are different ways of defeating someone than brute force. ¡°If they defend from the front, attack from the rear. If they defend the rear, attack the side. If they defend everything, you sweep them and get them on the ground. Then you hit them where they are weakest.¡± The words of my master echoed in my head, and I smiled at the thought of that old geezer.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think that works here, but it can be applied.¡±


    I ran to his side, and snickered at some of the other spiders, making them run over here. When they jumped at me, I used my claws to intercept them in the air. Green gore fell from above me, and I bathed in it.


    ¡°eight, nine, ten. Hehe.¡±


    The other spiders were his weakness.


    Then, when I was soaked through and through with green blood, I smiled at the red patterned spider. He started glowing again, and when he came at me he had become much faster. His fangs barely missed my side, and he pulled his legs away from my claws, and pulled his head back so I could not claw out his eyes. As I danced around him, he got a darker and darker shad of red, growing faster and faster. The thing is, what he gained in speed was lost in tactics. I led him over to a tree, and when he lunged at me, baring his fangs, I sidestepped and let him crash into it. When he got a mouthful of tree instead of a mouthful of me, he was surprised. At this point, the other five spiders were watching to see which of us would prevail. It seemed that they saw leadership, as the strongest one should be in charge. That meant they wouldn¡¯t help him if he was losing, cause that means that on of them could be leader.


    ¡°hehe, you¡¯ve got some problems, don¡¯t you? Hehe.¡±


    I tore both his back legs off.


    Then I went underneath him and started digging. I ate his guts, and drank his blood. It was red, unlike his brethren, but it wasn¡¯t human red. It was more like red sludge. However, he tasted a lot better than his brethren. After I had finished the insides, I made my way to the front, he was still alive, and I was impressed with his vitality. Then I speared through his eyes, snagged the brain, and ate it hole. When I looked at the other spiders, they had scuttled far, far away.


    ¡°hehe, guess its only eleven today, hehe.¡±


    Authors note: well that was fun. Hope you liked it, if you didn¡¯t, go cry me a river, build a bridge, and get over it. Now, onto the rest of the story!


    Now that I was full, I wanted some sleep, but first I had something to look at. I made my way through the forest, but nothing bothered me. It seemed like most of the predators were nocturnal. Once I reached the lake, I looked into it and wasn¡¯t surprised to see whiskers and bright green eyes, but what I was surprised by was my fur. Now that the spider blood had dried and began to flake off, I could see that my fur was black. Now, I now that cats can have black fur, but somehow I had never imagined myself being so naturally camouflaged. I could easily blend with the shadows with this fur. For a second, I wondered why Jordan thought I would be unhappy with this body. After all, it made killing easier.


    While looking at my reflection, I wondered what my purpose should be. I had nothing I needed to do, so what should I set as my goal? In my first life, everything I was was working for the agency. So what should I do? What could I do?


    When I thought about it, I realized that there was something that I was craving, after getting a taste. I wanted a friend.


    And so, I would set out on my quest for friendship. And if anything got in the way, it would be eliminated. I headed back to my cave and slept until night. As I slept, my claws grew longer, my fur thicker, and my muscles thicker. My eyes also got red pupils. But this fact was unknown to me.


    End of chapter 1

 2:A Name and a Purpose

    Authors note: this one is a little shorter than the others, just cause I want to get some things out of the way, I¡¯ll post another chapter later today. Maybe.


    Chapter 2


    ¡°Well, that was unexpected.¡±


    I slowly woke up, and heard a familiar voice.


    ¡°Jordan.¡±


    ¡°Hey there buddy! How¡¯ve you been doing?¡±


    ¡°quite well, besides having to kill a dozen spiders and being a cat, its just like how I expected it to be.¡±


    ¡°weeeell, about that, you meeting those spider was a teeny mistake.¡±


    ¡°why was that a mistake?¡± I was curious, since I had no idea how I could have done anything different.


    ¡°weeeeell, its because on average they were 50 levels higher than you and two of them had already gotten their first evolution.¡±


    ¡°you mean the green and red ones? Sure, they were stronger than me, but they were idiots. Strength is useless unless you can make a situation where you can use it.¡± another of my masters quotes.


    ¡°ha,ha, well, be that as it may beating something so much stronger than yourself usually has consequences.¡±


    ¡°like what?¡± I was starting to get suspicious of my delusion, and I wanted him to spit it out already.


    ¡°weeee-¡°


    ¡°Stop starting your sentences with that word.¡±


    ¡°okay! Okay! Basically the spiders you let escape went back to their nest and told their queen that an insane furry creature is going around the forest massacring them.¡±


    ¡°I see, but you said consciqunces, I assume that isn¡¯t all.¡±


    ¡°ah, ye, your quite right. Some of the woodland creature saw the dead spiders and now they think some kind of monster is


    going to try and eat them.¡±


    ¡°ah. I get it now.¡±


    ¡°b-but that¡¯s not all, there¡¯s some good news!¡±


    ¡°and what is it?¡±


    ¡°well, you leveled up quite a bit. 26 levels, actually.¡±


    ¡°well, what level was I before?¡±


    ¡°0¡±


    ¡°wait a second, let me get this straight. Basically, I¡¯m a cat that is level 26, have no abilities whatsoever, am all alone, and I


    have a swarm of giant spiders that want to kill me.¡±


    ¡°don¡¯t forget that your now one day old! That has to count for something, right?


    ¡°that¡¯s right. Something has been bothering me. How come a level zero, who was born a couple hours ago, can take on a dozen giant spiders and win. Does it have to do with me being a champion?¡±


    ¡°w-weeee-¡°


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to stop starting your sentences with that word?¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s not because you¡¯re a champion! Please stop looking at me like that! It¡¯s scary!¡±


    ¡°well then, how was I able to fight them and come out unscathed?¡±


    ¡°well, it¡¯s because of your fighting prowess. On its own, the exact same cat as you would die the second it met a giant spider, but, well, your one of the strongest fighters from your world. If you win a fight, it¡¯s because of your own ability. I¡¯m not helping you at all, all I did was give you a second chance in exchange for being my champion. In fact, other champions get a stat bonus, but you don¡¯t get any of that, all you get from me is flee.¡±


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    ¡°whats a ¡®stat bonus¡¯?


    ¡°basically the champions blessing makes them stronger than how they would normally be, it can make you faster, give you resistance''s, and pretty much anything else. It all depends on the god in question, the stronger the god, the more powerful the blessing. Natives to this world can actually get blessings from worshiping in a temple, and the god can decide to grant them his blessing.¡±


    ¡°huh, well, that¡¯s good.¡±


    He looked like he thought I was crazy. ¡°I just told you that you are majorly disadvantaged. The only thing that you race gives you is the ability to hunt from birth, and claws and fangs, which basically everything els has, or something better. How is that good!?¡±


    ¡°it¡¯s good because it means I don¡¯t have to rely on you to get me out of bad situations. I either get myself out or die.¡± I licked my lips, and I could still taste the blood. ¡°whats the point of a second chance if there is someone who can just bail you out? This makes it more exciting. Thanks for the information. I will make use of it, and while I''m at it, I¡¯ll make this forest yours.¡±


    ¡°why would you do that? I¡¯ve done nothing for you! You have no obligation to be my servant, you can just live the way you want to!¡±


    I put my paw over his mouth. ¡°thank you. You have given me a second chance, and being your champion has given me a purpose. I will conquer this forest, in the name of Jordan.¡±


    I smiled. ¡°and besides, killing things in this body is fun.¡±


    As I walked out of the cave, I heard him muttering. ¡°what kind of monster have I unleashed?¡± and shaking his head.


    As I stepped out into the moonlight night, I looked out over the forest, and raised my paw. I inspected my claws, my pelt, and I discovered the fluffy tail that I had attached to me. I looked out at the moon once more, and thought to myself.


    A conquerer needs a name. not my old name, that belongs to silica. I need a name that others can flock to, something that can be spread in rumors. I need a name. what shall I be called?


    I thought for a while, and finally I told the moon, the forest, and anyone else who wanted to now.


    ¡°from this day forth, I will be known thus. The creatures of the forest shall tremble before it, and the earth shall shake before its bearer. My name, is,


    Shadowpelt.


    Hear this name and tremble, or I will make you.¡±


    End of chapter 2

 3:Hunting isnt the same without the risk of death

    authors note: so, apparently i cant increase the size of the letters *sigh* but i got the rest of the chapter out for you guys. enjoy!


    Chapter 3


    After declaring my name to the world, I knew that I would have to work hard to be worthy of it. I walked down the mountain, and while doing so I decided that I would try something. I said ¡°show levels.¡± And looked above my head, and sure enough I could see the number 26 above my new name, shadowpelt.


    Once I reached the bottom of the hill, I began to smell the delicious scent of prey. Since I have no real interest in what kind, I didn¡¯t differentiate between species. It didn¡¯t matter what they are now, in a little while, they will all only be, prey.


    I began sneaking through the undergrowth, and it was not very difficult, since even though I¡¯m the size of a large housecat one day after birth, the undergrowth was quite numerous, and made it easy to blend in, especially with my coat.


    I started following a scent that seemed sharper than the others, while still sneaking through the bushes. ¡°surprise is the worst enemy of preparation.¡± Was one of my masters sayings, and I would put his wisdom to use today. I came across a clearing, and within I saw two creature that looked like foxes, except each had two tails and three heads. They were feasting one what looked like one of their own, so I assumed that they had gotten into a fight. When I looked at their levels, they were 76 and 63 the bigger one was strangely the lower level, but as I looked at them, I knew that they had to have had at least their first evolution, and they looked much tougher than the spiders I had previously faced. Then I thought of Jordan, weak and useless as a god, but a much more decent person than I had yet found in my own life. Not counting silica. ¡®if I am to conquer this forest, I cannot be afraid of every little animal I come across. And with that, I climbed into the tree above the clearing, and waited until my preys meal had almost been devoured. What I thought would happen did. They began to fight over the last scraps of the friend, and when they had turned on each other, is when I jumped out of the tree and landed on the back of the smaller one, with the 76 levels. As quickly as I could, I sank my fangs into the neck of his middle head, however, even though the head I had bit into had stopped moving the other two were still fully functional. I used I claw on the head to my right, and as its head turned to look at me I blinded it, and still biting into his neck I looked at the head to my left. It felt what happened to its other head and pulled its head out of my reach. However, I released my jaw from his neck and latched onto the one to my left with this, I reached around to where its jugular was and with a quick pull of my claws he painted the ground to his left red.


    Once this was accomplished, he had one blind head left, and his friend was starting to recover from his shock of seeing a cat fly. I used my claws and sung from the middle neck and used my other claws to slash the left heads throat. As it bled out, I dropped to the ground, winded from my exertions. I wondered if that counted as one or three? As the second one yipped at me with two heads while growling with the middle one, I decided that their was a way to find out. However, as I was preparing to leap at him and do whatever I could to kill him, something happened.


    Ability gained. Say ¡®status¡¯ for more information.


    A voice had spoken and said that I had gained an a ability. I read the title as fast as I could, and when I saw it I smiled. It was quite self-explanatory. I fell back to the trees, and even though the fox-thing had three heads, it didn¡¯t seem to increase his intellect.


    Thus he followed me quite readily, falling perfectly into my trap.


    When he came loping through the shadows after me i turned calmly and let him come. When he was ten feet away, I activated my ability. Actually, I activated it before then, but it took effect a couple seconds after activating it.


    The foxes eyes were locked on my image in the shadows, and then he stopped. For a second he tried to keep running, but when he looked down, he saw a vague shadow grasping his heart. And a few seconds after that he fell over dead.


    ¡°One, Two.¡±


    As I saw it, if a being had only one heart it counted as one.


    ¡°you fought bravely, stupidly, but bravely.¡± I told the now dead fox as my shadow image faded.


    ¡®shadow image¡¯ the first ability I had gained, along with quite a few levels. What it did, was simultaneously wrap you in shadow, while leaving behind a perfect image of you. It only worked in shadow, and the image stayed In exactly the same place for as long as you kept the ability active, but it would definatly come in handy.


    Now that the foxes had been dealt with, I once again looked up at my level, and saw 57 in clear numbers above my name. From what I could guess, the smaller, higher leveled one had given me enough to reach fifty or over, and the larger one had brought me to my current level.


    Feeling satisfied, I ate what I could of the foxes. They tasted much better than spider, I can assure you. Once my meal had ended, I went on the hunt once more.


    ---


    I encountered several beasts of prey, but so far I hadn¡¯t found any other predators, and this was making me frustrated. I wanted to at least see them, but apparently predators were staying away from the strange smelling stranger, and it pissed me off. If they weren¡¯t going to come to me, then I would just have to go to them. I licked my lips In anticipation. Animals that just ate grass didn¡¯t taste the same as ones who killed others and ate them for a living.


    Knowing from experience that the sharper the scent, the more dangerous it was, I picked the freshest sharp smelling trail and followed it while sneaking through the bushes. Oh, and I gained a level from killing a large amount of prey. It felt undeserved, as they had mostly run away, and I wanted to rectify that.


    What I happened upon was what I had been hoping for. A small den, made in a small hill. It looked like a couple wolves had decided to make this their outpost.


    It will be the last mistake they make.


    Their were six of them in all, two were female. I could tell from their smell, and that wasn¡¯t just with predators, I could smell the difference between a male and a female immediately. However, even In my previous life I had never been sexist. Female assassins were just as likely to kill you as male ones. The former were just more attractive. I snuck up on them, and scraped my nails on the bark of a nearby tree, and activated shadow image. To the wolves who heard and saw me, it would appear as if I had been caught in the act of trying to slip past them and been caught in the act. As they made their way toward my shadow, I climbed the tree I scratched, as shadow image didn¡¯t mask my scent, if they smelled me in a different place then they saw me, they would most likely get suspicious. When the first pounced toward my shadow, I leapt for the wolf at the back, who was slower than the others. Since I had grown after leveling up again, my claws were longer than they previously were. And sharper.


    The force of my leap propelled my claw deep threw his eye and into his brain. He didn¡¯t even scream, he died instantly. I thought about counting, but this wasn¡¯t a fight.


    This was just hunting.


    I deactivated shadow image, as when I had leaped out of the trees I had been revealed in the light of the moon. Though, the ability was technically two parts. The shadow, and the image. While wrapped in shadow, I could deactivate my image, and this would allow me to use the technique for a longer time. Vice versa, I could be out in the light while my image stayed in the shadow. I had used it to ¡®corner¡¯ a couple of rabbit looking creatures by making them think their were two of me.


    However, in this case leaving my image would only drain my ability. Since the one who had leaped at it had passed through without hitting anything but his head on a tree, the jig was up. However, I wasn¡¯t done yet. I ran to the other side, once again entering the darkness. Once behind a tree, I activated my image and wrapped myself in shadow, then jumped onto a tree, using my long claws to hang on the side. When the first wolf came around he immediately zeroed in on my image, lunging with his teeth. When he passed through, he was quite confused, but he didn¡¯t get to dwell on his confusion for very long.


    I came down from above, and he didn¡¯t notice me until my claw was in his brain. A second after him another wold rounded the tree, and saw his friend dead at my feet. He howled and ran at me, however I sidestepped and let his own momentum carry his throat across my claws. While he howled and bled all over the floor the other three approached my side of the tree cautiously, pausing and making sure it was safe before leaping into the open. I saw that they would not allow me to kill them easily, so I ran back into the clearing. After I made sure they were following, I let the last male catch up to me and suddenly froze in place. Seeing this, the wolf put two and two together and got four. But it turns out that one of them was a three. When he stopped paying attention and looked around for the real me, thinking he had figured out my trick, I turned around and casually swiped my claws over his throat. Before, being in this body had felt weird, but now I felt right at home with my four legs and tail. And having fangs felt great, it helped with striping the meat from bones. The wolf looked down in horror at the fountain of blood sprouting from his throat, and then he looked at me, who was slowly being dyed red by his blood.


    As he fell sideways, I felt the grin creep onto my face. When the two females saw what had become of their companions they didn¡¯t look too broken up about it. And that was only right. An opponent who was horrified at a little blood had no right to be called my rival. I tilted my head and meowed at them. It was a cute meow. One that a cat would make if it wanted you to pick it up and cuddle with it. even the wolves, veterans of many bloody and disturbing situations felt chills along their spines. The combination of the black fur dyed red, along with the red irises and the cute expression on Shadowpelts face combined to make them creeped out.


    Never the less, they still prepared to confront him.


    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t expect two to be left alive after I used all of my tricks. Guess that means I underestimated you.¡±


    Then his head tilted to the left and he showed his fangs, and they could tell he was having the time of his life.


    ¡°Give me a good fight, would you?¡±


    http://orig10.deviantart.net/ab91/f/2015/127/c/2/untitled_by_raz0r151-d8sjab2.jpg</a>


    they barked something at me and then crouched in readiness. I walked the way only cats can walk, confident and casual. Yet screaming danger.


    ¡°hehe, I¡¯m going to enjoy this. Almost as much as I¡¯m going to enjoy eating your flesh.¡±


    They growled once more and sprang at him, opening their mouths to take me in their jaws and snap my spine. I sprang back, narrowly avoiding their teeth. Then leapt back and gave a fast swipe with my paw, claws extended. They also dodged, and we fenced this way for a few minutes. It was enjoyable, but after all, all good things must come to an end. We backed off, they were panting and I was winded, and if we stayed any longer some other creature would come and interrupt us. So, with our eyes, we made an agreement to settle it with the next move. We leapt at each other, their mouths open wide, my claws extended. We both hit the ground.


    I had missing fur on my right shoulder, and fangs had cut a gash on my left side. But, both of my opponents fell, their guts now spilling into the grass. It was the same as when I fought the spiders, with me being the victor, covered in blood and guts adorning the ground around me. I made my way to the wolves and started my feast. Truly, a meal fit for a king. If he ate it off of the ground. Eating something that didn¡¯t fight back was so much less satisfying than this. As I paused in my eating, I said over their bodies,


    ¡°One, two.¡±


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.And made my way back to my cave, to rest and lick the gash on my side. When I got back, I lay down and licked myself clean. Having such a flexible body and toungue made bathing much easier. I could lick my fur clean of blood, which saved the effort of going to a stream to wash off. And besides, the idea of rushing water and just being in water in general made me uncomfortable.


    ---


    after sleeping through the day, I went back out. This morning, I had received another notice, saying that I had acquired another ability. I was level 76, so it wasn¡¯t surprising, but I wanted to try it out as soon as I could.


    I went into the forest, and picked up the sharpest scent I could make out, which belonged to another fox, I believe. As I made my way their, I noticed my size. I was now about the size of an adolescent cougar, and the foxes that I had encountered had been about the size of a small horse. I wrapped myself in shadow using shadow image, without making an image, and crept forward. It was indeed another fox. It was low level, only level 17, but it was still one evolution ahead of me. This time their was only one, and since she was in a clearing I doubted that I would be able to lure her over here.


    I walked out while looking like I owned the clearing, and strolled up to the three headed fox. Then I sat on my haunches in front of it. for a second she couldn¡¯t believe her eyes, here in front of her eyes prey had casually strolled forward and sat in front of her. she couldn¡¯t believe her luck. Which was ironic, as she was quite the opposite of lucky


    ¡°why hello there, would you mind if I tried something on you?¡± I asked in a polite voice.


    All the fox responded with was drooling.


    ¡°well, I¡¯ll take that as a yes. Hold still, will ya?¡±


    I activated my second ability. ¡®Shadow Blade¡¯ which made a shadowy extension in the form of three claws that extended when I swung. I cleaved through the three heads, as it was so shocked I didn¡¯t move at all. If it had had its wits about it she could have perhaps avoided having her second head cut off, but she didn¡¯t, and now Shadowpelt was once again covered in neck blood.


    ¡°now, this is getting quite annoying. If I have to lick myself for an hour every night it is going to cut into my rest. Oh well, it cant be helped. After all, its not like I¡¯ll stop killing things just because I get messy.¡±


    When I looked at the now dead fox I couldn¡¯t think about eating it. it hadn¡¯t even twitched while I had cut its heads off. It¡¯s no better than prey. With this in mind, I searched for something that wouldn¡¯t disappoint. I walked around the forest on my side of the lake, searching with my nose. When I came across a scent so sharp it felt like it was cutting my nose I got so excited that I have to admit I drooled like the fox.


    I followed it as quickly as my stealthy steps could take me, and when I got close I wrapped shadows around myself to avoid detection. My nose to the ground, I silently crept up to the edge of the bushes, and found what appeared to be a large frog. At first I had my doubts, but then I remembered that this wasn¡¯t my world, and the frog was probably dangerous. I smiled.


    ¡°Lets see about getting dinner, shall we?¡±


    I disabled my shadow camouflage and walked out. It would be useless here, when the frog was in the light. I looked up at its level, and for some reason all I could see was ????? and it confused me greatly. I wondered if it didn¡¯t have a level, but then it wouldn¡¯t be so sharp smelling, and it would be level zero, not ?????


    After some thought, I decided that I was just going to try anyway. It may kill me, but if I ran away from frogs how would I ever be able to conquer this forest in the name of Jordan? I would face it. and die with honor, if that was my fate.


    I walked up to it, not doing anything special, not strutting or sneaking. Just strolling up to the frog. When it noticed me, it looked at me with semi-intellegent eyes. The thing that surprised me the most was not the beard, but that I called out to me.


    ¡°hello there, my dear agrais. What has brought you to me this fine evening?¡± it had an old sounding voice, and spoke slowly.


    ¡°my name is not agrais, and how can you speak my language?¡± I was suspicious of this strange frog, and my instincts agreed.


    ¡°why, I was sure you were an agrais. The telltale pure black fur, the large size, the only thing that seems different are your eyes. Red irises, I have never seen any natural creature with such bloody looking eyes.


    I see, agrias refered to my race. I guess that Jordan had assumed that it was a regular cat he was putting me into, since he warned me that my body might not be up to expectations. From what I knew of cats, the only difference from normal cats was that they were born from eggs, and could hunt from birth, while being much bigger. Other than that, I was just a big cat. But apparently, I was a type of cat called an ¡®agrais¡¯ it was intriguing to finally know what kind of animal I am.


    ¡°I get it now. What would your race be, I am curious what could make a frog grow so big.¡±


    ¡°I am a frogius magnus in scientific terms, but most just call us giant frogs, though the numerous differences between us and normal frogs are not always visible, the most easily identifiable one would be our ability to speak.¡±


    ¡°yeah, I think that would divide you from regular frogs pretty quick. ¡°


    ¡°now, what have you come here for, is it wisdom you wish to acquire? Now that I am old, giving wisdom seems the only thing I can do.¡±


    ¡°no, I did not come here to seek wisdom. I came to kill you.¡±


    ¡°well, since that is your wish, stand back. I would like to get ready.¡±


    I waited patiently while he got up and stretched his legs. Once he had finished, he took a cane from behind a tree and gave it a few practice swings. In the wake of the cane I could see fire, and I watched in wonder as he twirled the fire-enchanted cane.


    It was the first time I had seen this worlds magic, and it was mesmerizing. So much so that he nearly took my head off with it.


    ¡°come on! If your going to kill me put some effort into it! unless you want to become one with the trees, then I will happily oblige by smashing you into them!¡±


    I still watched the spinning cane, but this time I watched it out of caution, not wonder. As it came down vertically, I stepped to the side. It was too thick to cut with my claws, but there was something that I could do. He swung horizontally, then diagonally, varying the direction of his swings so I could not predict were his next blow would land. He reminded me of my master.


    But that would not stop me from killing him.


    The next time he swung vertically, I sidestepped again. However, he was not stupid and tried to hook me with the end instead of pulling it back to try to swing again. This was troublesome, he was much smarter than my previous opponents, and I was sent flying into a tree. I cracked two ribs and broke one, and when I came down I could barely stand. At this point, the frog looked tired. Not from exertion, but from dealing with life.


    ¡°if you would like, we can stop here. You are too wounded to win against me. Perhaps, if you were an adult agrias you would be able to fight with those wounds, but even if you did you would still lose. What is the point of fighting when there is no chance of winning?¡± he said this reasonably, and a few days ago I would have agreed with him. But not now. Now, I had experienced a hopeless situation, and died even though I fought to the best of my ability. I knew what fighting to your fullest in a hopeless situation and losing felt like.


    And this did not feel hopeless.


    ¡°ha. Ha. You may have the advantage in years, but you spirit is broken. If you still had your fighting spirit then maybe you would have a chance against me.


    But as it stands now, you wouldn¡¯t kill me in a thousand years.¡±


    I smiled. And he smiled back.


    ¡°let us agree to disagree. you will meet your end here, agrias.¡±


    ¡°it will not be me who meets his end. And my name isn¡¯t agrias. It is Shadowpelt. You will remember me in the afterlife.¡±


    ¡°hahaha! Then stop stalling and come!¡±


    I laughed as I ran towards him. Every time I took a step it felt like someone had hammered a new nail into my side, and he stood there twirling his cane with confidence. As I entered range, he brought his cane down with an earth shattering smash. I leaped to the side, and activated shadow blades. I came back in and slashed at the cane. The blades sunk half-way through, but got stuck so I deactivated it so I wouldn¡¯t get carried away when he swung the cane again.


    Instead of taking the cane back he spat some sort of green liquid at me, and when I leaped back, the ground where I had been standing was melted. Every movement I made caused spears of pain to lance through me, and I was panting for breath, while he looked concentrated, but not tired. There were few options, but all of them seemed to end in death. So, I did none of them. He raised his cane over his head, and readied his mouth to spit acid wherever I dodged. As he brought the cane down, I activated shadow blades, and swung into his cane. I cut off roughly a third of it with my attack, but something strange happened.


    His cane exploded.


    I guess this is what happens when you break a magical weapon. The explosion wasn¡¯t very harmful, just laud and bright. It was like a flash grenade thrown in between us. The flash blinded us, the bang made us deaf. But the advantage I had over the frog was that I had undergone training involving flash grenades. I knew what to do. I closed my eyes, as they were blind and of no use. When you have a flash grenade explode on you, you move. ¡°To stay still and hesitate is to die.¡± Another of my masters quotes.


    In this life, there was a difference from my previus one. where in my first life I had relied mostly on hearing and seeing, I had an advantage that the frog did not. I could smell him. the explosion had not in any way inhibited my smell. It produced the scent of burning wood, but it did not make my nose close up. In this time when my eyes did not work and my hearing was nonexistent I had to trust my new body. I leaped, trusting my nose to guide me, and sure enough my fangs closed around the main artery of the throat. When I could see and hear again, he was bleeding massively. But even as the life drained out of him he waved me over.


    ¡°you have done well, Shadowpelt. You will be a terror when you are full grown. However, do not think for a second that you are safe just because you killed an old frog. Agrias are naturally violent. And you seem to have brought enough violence for two with your personality. You will be hunted down. You will never be able to relax. Death will be your constant and only friend. Be carful, young agrias. And make a good showing of yourself.¡± He made an embarrassed smile. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want the person who killed me to die in a non consequential way. It would be embarrassing.¡±


    He stopped talking since he no longer had the strength. While looking at his dead body, I was once again reminded of my master. His last words were nearly identical to the words my master made when I killed him. the only difference between his and my masters words were that my master swore a lot more. I never learned more words than in those last few moments of his. I looked over the body of the geezer, and bowed my head. He had been a worthy opponent.


    ¡°One.¡±


    and began my feast. I ate his head first, and I ripped out his organs one by one to devour them. I couldn¡¯t eat all of him, so I took a bit of each of his organs. He was delicious. I could practically taste the wisdom contained in his body. once I was full, I looked one more time at his mangled corpse, and went back to my cave. At this point, I heard the voice again.


    Would you like to evolve?


    As I fell asleep I muttered.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    End of Chapter 3


    Authors note: whew, that was a few hours well spent, I hope you all enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it!

 4:Talking to Woodland Creatures

    Authors note: shout out to chaoskultist, thanks for the name suggestion.


    chapter 4


    when i awoke, the first thing i noticed was that the cave felt smaller. it wasn''t that it shrunk, i had grown. i stretched and yawned, getting ready for a night of hunting while stretching i noticed that my broken and cracked ribs had healed, and i guessed that the process of evolving healed wounds. i didn''t know it this would be useful, evolving wouldn''t be a regular occurrence. plus, i also wanted to see what my evolution had done. After making my way down the mountain i went to the lake, and inspected myself. what i saw surprised me.


    i was now the size of a lion, and my fur now had red streaks through it. i tried licking one, but it stayed, meaning that my fur grew that way. the other thing that surprised me was that my pupils were completely red, and the outside that was green had streaks of black running through it, giving the illusion of movement when i moved my eyes.


    i checked my paw nest, and unsheathed my claws. before, they had been two-three inches. now when i unsheathed them they were four-five inches, and i experimentally kneaded the dirt. i barely felt any resistance. my claws were longer, i was at least two or three times as strong, and i could see farther and see clearer. though sometimes my vision would go red for a few seconds.


    as i was inspecting myself, i smelled the dull scent of prey. i wasn''t interested in eating it, but i had never smelled something so dull before. i was curious of what could be so weak, and followed the scent trail through the trees. it was much harder to creep now that i was taller than all the undergrowth, but since i wasn''t interested in eating whatever it was i didn''t bother to try.


    after making my way through some trees i came across a stream. in it were several beaver-like creatures. the difference between these and regular beavers was that these had fangs and spikes on the bottom of their tails. i walked up to the edge of the waterline, and took a drink while observing the strange creatures. when some kind of sixth sense alerted them to my presence, they immediately scrambled up the bank on the opposite side of the river from me. the way they talked was strange, consisting of hisses and squeaks, and occasionally a bark.


    the strange thing was, i could understand a word her and there. it shocked, as so far every creature i had met had spoken in languages that i had no idea how to translate. but here, i could understand every fifth or sixth word. and even as i listened, i could understand more and more of their speech. i was excited, and from what i could hear, they were discussing whether to flee or to attempt to drive me off. i chuckled at the thought of such dull smelling creatures driving me off.


    i attempted to communicete, and tried to say "i don''t want to eat you, how about we talk?"


    at this, they got scared. i guessed that my attempt at talking to them had failed. but instead of running away, the leader said something to me, like "you not eat?"


    "no, i don''t want to eat you. i just want to talk."


    "you try trick us! we not get eat!"


    "you can stay over there if you want, i''ll just sit over here."


    and with that i made myself comfortable. i was hungry, but a few more moments of hunger were worth talking to another intelligent being. i know i talk to jordan, but he doesn''t count as intelligent.


    when i did this, the other beavers looked at their leader in confusion "you, not eat us?"


    "no. i only eat things that are worth the energy of chewing." as we talked i was getting a better grasp of their language, and could understand it better. i wondered if my evolution had anything to do with it, or if it was something to do with the beavers. but i would answer those questions later.


    the beavers were still cautious, but the leader sat down like me. "why talk with us?"


    "because, you are the first animals whose language i can understand. what is your name?"


    he looked surprised that i would ask his name, and he responded a little quicker than normal. i think he was also getting used to conversing with a large cat. " me name be Talkir."


    "greetings, Talkir. my name is Shadowpelt."


    "greetings, Shadowpelt. if you not eat us, what do you want?"


    "i want to ask you some questions. would you mind answering them?"


    "not at all. what would you like to know?"


    "what is the name of this forest?"


    "this forest be named ''dark ends retreat''"


    "who controls this forest?"


    "the king do. he big, white, and has sharp claws. even bigger than Shadowpelt."


    "then, do you know of a giant frog that lived in the swampy part of the forest?"


    "oh, you mean Goro. yes, he wise and have fire cane. you meet Goro?"


    "i killed him, actually. and ate him."


    the beavers face went white, and he looked as terrified as beavers could. "y-you ate Goro?"


    "yes. i have some other questions, would you mind answering them?"


    "y-yes. i just surprised. Goro was strongest i knew."


    "yes. the fight was hard. if it weren''t for my abilities and experience, i wouldn''t have lasted more than two seconds against him. tell me, do you also know of a spiders nest?"


    "yes, it be in the darker part of the forest."


    Authors note: so, to not get anyone confuse, the cave Shadowpelt sleeps in is west of the forest. the lake is right in the middle, the swamp is south of the lake, and the dark part is north.


    "i see. do you know what kind of creature the queen is?"


    "she be scary, big, has many legs and spit poison and web, make spiders every day."


    "i see. well, thank you for the infromation." i said as i got up. "if you ever need help, come to the cave up on the mountain. if i''m not busy, i''ll help you." and i left, slowly swaying my tail while deep in thought.


    ---


    "that was scary, Talkir. who knew that such a dangerous creature roams this forest."


    Talkir looked at jay, and slowly nodded in agreement. "he says he killed and ate Goro. anyone who can claim that must be strong. though, why did he say he''d help us if we ever needed it? is he just trying to lure us to his cave to eat us?"


    but then, he could have snuck up on us and he would probably have eaten at least five of us before we got away. perhaps he really did mean that he didn''t want to eat us. Talkir recalled the predators words, "i only eat things that are worth the effort to chew." Talkir shivered. then he realized something. he had asked about the king and the queen. maybe, and this made Talkir very afraid, Shadowpelt was hungry again. and if Goro was what satisfied him, then he felt that maybe he should stay away from the queen and king for awhile. at least until they stopped fighting. he would not want to be caught in the middle of a fight between Shadowpelt and the queen, Cassandra.


    ---


    the queen, huh? it sounded interesting. when he had been a day old jordan had said that the queen had heard of him, and was going to try and kill him. he hadn''t met any spiders since then, but he guessed it was because he hadn''t ever gone towards the dark part of the forest. as i made my way towards the dark forest, i felt rather than heard the scuttling coming from the trees. i could begin to make out more and more webs, and every now and then a spider would scuttle away from me. the spiders no longer smelled sharp, and i wondered why. my thoughts were interrupted by a large party of spiders led by one bigger one.


    from what i knew, getting that many spiders together should have taken at least an hour, so the fact they had gotten here within fifteen minutes meant that they had been on standby. now that i was the size of a lion, the spiders wooked rather small. the one leading them had light blue patterns all over its body, and i guessed that it  had evolved twice. i could see five   to ten spiders with patterns on their backs, but the one that was leading them was at least twice as big, and its patterns were extensive.


    no words were exchanged between the blue spider and his subordinates, when they saw me they all rushed at me and attempted to surround me. i let them. in fact, i didn''t move a single muscle. i didn''t even blink. what i thought, was that they were very unlucky to have made their home in such a dark place.


    and then, out of nowhere, they heard a voice.


    "One."


    and then spiders began to die.


    "Two, three, four, five, six."


    their tiny brains couldn''t understand. the black furred creature was motionless and surrounded by them, why were they dying?


    "seven, eight, nine, ten."


    the blue spider looked around, but couldn''t see anything. just the spurts of gore when his spiders exploded.


    "eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen. hehe."


    when the voice rung fourteen, the creature in the middle disappeared, and they could see one by the bodys of their recently deceased brethren. ''damn, guess my ability ran out''


    "hehe, i''ve been caught red handed, haven''t i? or, should i say green pawed?"


    Shadowpelt showed them his paws covered in green blood and gore.


    "hehe, crunching them with my new strength is so much fun. but i kind of miss the blood and guts falling right out of their bellies. lets rectify that, shall we? hehe."


    the spiders hesitated, and looked to their leader for instructions. ''do we really have to fight this psychopath?''


    the blue spider screeched his instructions, and they charged Shadowpelt. then foot-long blades made of shadow extended from his claws. ''shadow blade doesn''t have a timeout, it just drains stamina. so i should be able to dice up this group without much trouble, and by the time i get to the queen my shadow image should have recharged.


    and so, i prepared to slice them to pieces, and smiled. this also led to me showing my fangs as an added bonus, and i almost laughed at the thought of cutting them into sections. however, the earth shook as a massive female spider came out from the darkness, and said.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "Who disturbs my rest?"


    the spider queen sure knew how to make an entrance.


    "you can speak?" i asked in what i hoped was i polite tone, but i''m afraid a tiny bit of my blood thirst slipped out.


    "grrrr, you dare to speak to me, Cassandra, the queen of the forest?" she didn''t look very intimidating from my viewpoint, as she still had the remains of her last meal on her face.


    while she was speaking, i was taking a look at the ability that i had gotten. it came at level five, so i didn''t expect much, but it was fitting.


    "you dare to speak that way toward the future king of the forest?" i said while activating my new ability. ''fear'' where i stimulated the fear senses in the brain through my eyes, leading those who were weak willed to flee in terror when they looked into my eyes..


    "the spider queen didn''t flinch, but blue and his friends backed off. ''perfect.'' i thought. i didn''t want the small fries to get in the way.


    but first, some banter.


    "you think that you can defeat Demius? i very much doubt that. now, come at me, you shouldn''t keep a lady waiting."


    "so your saying i can keep you waiting for as long as i like? cause your not exactly lady material."


    "grrrr, shut up. all women deserve to be treated like ladies."


    "and i would, but you keep growling, and its kind of hard to see a large, growling spider with her last meal on her face as a lady. if you are what constitutes a lady within this world, then i would have been better off dating Goro."


    "you dare compare me to that insolent frog?! i will rip your head off and feed it to my young! he got run off into that swamp because he wasn''t strong enough to defend himself from me! now stay still and accept your doom." if she had a human face, i think that it would be red. on a side note, it seemed that i was quite good at aggravating women. the skills you never knew you had until you use them.


    "well, actually i thought he was quite strong, and while he tasted kinda old, he was quite delicious."


    when i said this, i think i could discern a quick moment of doubt on her features, but she quickly covered it. "ha, so what if you ate an old geezer? you won''t be able to brag about it after you don''t have a throat!" and saying so, she jumped at me. i didn''t know something so large could jump so high.


    i leaped to the left, and narrowly avoided becoming a stain on the ground. when she turned to me, she lashed out with her front legs, moving from both sides.


    "is that the best you can do? hehe."


    activating shadow blade in both paws, i slashed upward, cutting off a good half of her front legs.


    "is that the best that you can do?" and to my surprise, her legs started growing back.


    "well? what do you think of my regeneration? does it make your bones tremble? does it-"


    she cut off as she saw that i was drooling. "hehe, this means that while your alive i can eat as much of you as i want, and you will just keep coming back! hahaha!" i started laughing, and she hesitated. already smiling, it grew even wider. "you made a mistake, hehe. hesitate and you will die."


    i ran forward, and she just barely brought her legs up in front of her face. i still slashed through them. "ahhh!" she screamed as four of her eyes were cut apart. she jumped back, and circled me warily as her legs grew back. her eyes seemed to take longer to regenerate, and i would make use of this fact. but right at that moment.


    "go! take him, my children, and turn him into carrion!"


    ''really?'' i thought as she sent her disposable minions at me. but i kept laughing.


    "hehe, you want a piece too? then come and get it!" i leapt into the midst of them, and began the dance of death. spinning and slicing the spiders to pieces was fun. "Fifteen! sixteen! seventeen! come one, come all! eighteen! nineteen!" i kept laughing, and killing them. soon i was so soaked with green blood that you couldn''t even see the read streaks."fifty-six!" and i came to a stop, looking at my handy work. the ground around me for seven feet around me was covered in a carpet of spider bodies. i turned to look at the queen, still smiling, still laughing.


    "your a sick bastard. who can laugh while killing? i will stop you from becoming any stronger. if a monster like you is allowed to grow stronger then the whole forest would be in danger."


    "hehe, so now your the good guy? hehe."


    "no, but you would be too much of a menace. you need to be stopped."


    "then try it. hehe. i dare you."


    no more words were said, she spun strings that looked like fences to the side of me, trapping me, so i couldn''t move to either side, and she moved forward, spitting a poisonous liquid while advancing. "hehe." i used my regular claws to pull some of the web in front of me, and blocked the poison. when i let go of the web, it disintegrated. i also ran forward, and once again she came at me with her legs, but this time she stood on her back four legs while using all four of her front ones to attack.


    side. down. up. side. every direction at once, her legs came at me. i cut off two with shadow blade, but the other two hit, and sent me flying. i wasn''t hurt very badly, this bodies bones seemed stronger than my previous ones. i only had a few brusies, and a couple cuts from the barbs on her legs. i smiled even wider, my lips nearly reaching my ears. "he he, it looks like she can fight." i ran forward and stopped, she brought her legs up to defend from whatever attack i launched, but out of nowhere her two back legs to her left were cut off.


    "ahh! what was that?" she looked at my motionless body in time to see it disappearing. "illusion!" and spun around with her legs, in a wide sweep that covered all the ground around her. i jumped, and the wind created by her attack moved the branches of the trees enough that the shadows wrapped around my body were dispelled.


    "he he, your smarter than your children." her legs came once more, but this time i was outside of her webs, and could both cut off two of her legs and dodge the other two. she growled, and spat more poison at me, trying to melt me into  puddle. as i fought, i could feel myself getting stronger instead of weaker. it was like fighting was a drug, one that made all the pain go away. i could forget about my master, my death, and my failure to protect silica. i fought, i laughed, and i loved it.


    "ha ha! keep going! don''t stop now! you can do better than that!" i yelled encouragement and taunts to try and make her faster, to make the fight longer, to make it more exiting. as the fight went on, her regeneration slowed, and her poison took a few seconds to melt the ground. each time i cut off a leg, i would be rewarded with a splash of blood, and each time i made it past her defenses i got the treat of taking a bite directly out of her body. even though i laughed, it wasn''t an easy fight. the cuts on my body pile up, and the next time she sent me flying i made an indent on the ground. my blood and hers mixed on the ground, she grunted, i laughed. she scowled, i smiled. it felt invigorating, to bleed and to taste blood. the cut and be cut. to slash her body apart while she ripped the skin off of my body.


    she shot a web that hit me square in the chest, and swung me around like a toy. smashed into a tree, and my bones held, barely. i bit the web and severed it, then leaped onto her back and used my paw to smash a piece of her carapace and put my head into her flesh, feasting on her living muscle. it was invigorating. the pain and ache from my bones felt inconsequential. all that mattered was the meal. she bucked me off, and i managed to land on my feet, but she gave me no time to recover as her legs shot toward me like bullets. i dodged all but one, which i cut to pieces with my claws. i couldn''t activate shadow blades cause if i did, i would get so tired i would probably pass out, and it looked like she couldn''t spit or spin web without doing the same. and so, our brutal fight continued.


    the next time she shot her legs at me, i barely sidestepped one and instead of shearing it off with my claws, i bit into it. for a second, she couldn''t pull her leg back since it was in my mouth. then we both heard a smacking crunch, and i crushed her leg in my jaws. when it didn''t heal as fast as her other legs, my guess was proven correct. she could replace separated limbs quite easily, but damaged ones were much harder to heal. "found your secret...he he." she looked even madder, and her three remaining legs shot forward. i dodged two and cut off one. then i bit into a second. crunching into the bone. she howled in pain, and jumped again. it wasn''t as high as her first one, as three off her legs didn''t work, but for someone like me she was big enough to not need momentum to crush me.


    as she fell, i smiled.


    "fifty-seven."


    and i disappeared underneath her. she roared her victory, and took a few seconds to catch her breath. that was when she felt the burning pain in her belly. "No! i''m the queen of the forest! you can''t kill m-"


    and a two fangs emerged from her face, through her brain and out into the open air. then the jaws closed, and a red and black monster could be seen eating her insides, laughing between mouthfuls, and smiling through it all. after gulping down as much delicious flesh as he could, he crawled out of her near hollow carapace. "i really should thank those beavers. they sent me to a great meal, and it even had before meal entertainment! ha ha ha ha!" and then Shadowpelt fainted in the middle of her corpse from the combined pain of countless cuts and bruises and the extreme fatigue he had accumulated from activating all of his abilities multiple times.


    that day, he slept like the four day old kitten he was.


    end of chapter 4

 5:The King of the Forest

    chapter 5


    waking up in the middle of a giant corpse wasn''t an everyday occurrence, but it still felt natural.


    i got up, i was now just barely smaller than a horse, and when inspected my claws they were a full half foot long. the red streaks in my fur had gotten more extensive. now, instead of simply being streaks of red within my pure black fur there were now swirls in addition, and on both of my front paws there were spiral patterns.


    when i emerged from the giant corpse, i was greeted by two-three hundred spiders, with blue in the front. when i tensed and my claws came out with a snap, all the spiders cowered. then i saw that if they had wanted revenge that they could have killed me while i was sleeping.


    i sheathed my claws, and decided to hear them out, if they could talk. "hello again, i don''t believe that i have had the courtesy of telling you my name. my name is Shadowpelt, nice to meet you."


    blue looked shocked that i could talk, and slowly got over its fear of me. "sssss, Shadowpelt kill Cassandra. sssss, Shadowpelt new leader of nest. sssss, what Shadowpelt want?"


    after thinking for a little bit, i decided that having followers wouldn''t be a bad thing. "you know how to hunt, right?"


    blue didn''t seem to understand for a second, but it quickly got it. "sssss nest know how to catch food. Shadowpelt want meat?"


    "yes. but not from you. listen, what is your name?"


    "ssssss, this one doesn''t have a ''name'' what would this one do with a ''name''?


    i face palmed. or should it be called face pawed? "okay then, i will name you. remember this name. you will now be known as Shielin, and you will be the new leader of the nest."


    "ssss, but this one did not kill Cassandra. Shadowpelt did."


    "i won''t be the leader of something so small as a nest. i told my god that i would conquer this forest. it may be greedy, but i will be the king of the forest. i can''t govern every nook and cranny once i have control, i need you to be my lieutenant. take control of this nest, strengthen it, and tomorrow come to the cave up on the mountain. just you, i will need to coordinate somethings with you."


    "sssss, this one understands. Shielin often ordered the nest while Cassandra slept. this one will come up to the cave on the hill in two days time."


    "well then, i need to go. i have some important business to attend to."


    "what is Shadowpelt going to do?"


    i looked at Shielin and smiled. "what else? celebrate my fifth day being alive by eating Demius."


    when i walked away, i heard Shielin say something in a quiet voice before i left. "this one begins to doubt masters sanity."


    i smiled even wider. i was leaving the nest in good hands. "oh, how right you are, Shielin. at least about the insane part."


    ---


    while walking i thought of what i had met so far in this forest. three headed foxes, spiked beavers, wolves, a giant frog, and a nest of giant spiders.


    ''how in the world am i going to unite them under my rule?''


    the present king of the forest, Demius, had never made any effort to bring all of the animals together. he was known as king of the forest because he was the strongest, not because he made any effort to act like a king.


    as i was walking through the forest, i smelled many different things, but all of it smell so dull it felt like it was clogging my nose. when i reached the east part of the forest i was met by three wolves that came out of the trees. i was appalled by how dull they smelled.


    when they saw me, they immediately went into full alert. i just looked at them, and without even thinking about it, i activated fear. two of them ran away yipping like i had bitten their tail, but the one in the middle was made of sterner steel. he growled, then seemed to get slightly bigger, and his muscles seemed like they could barely be concealed underneath his fur.


    a pleasantly sharp oder began emitting from him, and i started to take interest.


    "what is your name, dog."


    he growled, and if he were human he would probably spat in my face.


    "well, if you won''t tell me, then i will beat it out of you."


    no more words were exchanged, and we ran towards each other and clashed.


    ---


    "if you would just tell me your name, we can stop this right now."


    he growled some more, and even though he was bleeding from many cuts, and had many bruises, he wouldn''t back down.


    ''sigh, if only he would stop being so stubborn.''


    "look, if you won''t tell me your name, i will have to hurt you."


    "i will never tell a rabid beast like you may name. you smell like the beast that killed six of the other packs wolves, and you didn''t just kill them. you tore them to pieces. i will kill you, and end your reign of terror, so that the cubs in my pack can grow up without the fear that a monster like you will eat them."


    "eat them? i would never eat something so weak as a wolf cub. you, on the other hand, you have a most delightful smell."


    "why i''m i any different from the rest of my pack?" he looked confused as to why i would only be interested in him.


    "your stronger than them. your companions wouldn''t have lasted a second against me. you, on the other hand, can give me some trouble." i smiled at my next thought. "eating something that is as strong as you is exhilarating, don''t ya thing?"


    he paused, then looked at me with a shocked expression on his face. "your insane!"


    "i''m the one who nows it best. now, are you going to tell me your name, or will i have to take a leg of first?"


    "go to hell."


    *chuckle* "i was headed there before you were born." i came forward and sweeped his front legs, sending him to the grond, then punced ontop of him, and when he was pinned, i whispered in his ear, "if you keep refusing to tell me your name, i will track down your companions and ask them. but for them it will involve a lot more pain."


    "grrr, your a sick bastard. my name''s Egain. happy?"


    i smiled once more, and said, "very." i got up, and kept going in the direction the i had originally been following.


    "where are you going? aren''t you going to eat me?" he was still on the ground, and looking very confused.


    "no. i have to save room, if i ate you then i wouldn''t be able to eat the whole meal i''m about to have."


    "what are you going to eat?"


    "why, the king of the forest, of course."


    and i walked away, leaving him lying on the ground, numb because of the shock of so many revelations.


    ---


    walking through the trees in the morning was relaxing, and the sun felt great on my fur.


    when i got to where i could smell the sharpest smell i had ever known, it turned out to be a large sized clearing. i looked around, and all i saw filling the clearing was animal bones. as i came in, a group of four wolves were dragging an animal carcass toward the center, and there, in the middle of the clearing was a tiger. i had snow white fur, black stripes, and fangs that would rival bowie knives in both sharpness and length.


    when i had reached about twenty feet away from him, he sat up, and turned toward me. the wolves quickly dropped the dead animal and ran away.


    "why, hello there. you must be the creature thats been terrorizing the poor denizens of this forest. as the king, i would like to kindly ask you to stop. but, i really hope that you decline. it gets boring around here, with nothing to fight."


    "i couldn''t agree more. so, shall we begin? i would tell you my name, but you will soon be dead, and have no more need to know anything.


    "ho, looks like your a cocky bastard, what gives you the arrogance to say that so confidently?"


    "it isn''t arrogance, it is simply stating the facts as i see them. i hate arrogant people, and people who are arrogant without reason are even worse."


    "you say that you aren''t arrogant, and then you say that you will win. i think you need to reevaluate which is true and which will leave you dead. i know that agrias are strong fighters, but i have not yet found any that can hold a candle to me."


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    "you know of my species?"


    "yes, i know that agrias are violent, bloodthirsty cannibals."


    "cannibals, you say?"


    "yes. agrias have a unique smell gland that differentiates between the weak and the strong. agrias are naturally drawn to strength. they are infatuated with eating the strongest meat they can."


    "hmm, i see. i believe that i have some of that. but why say they are cannibals?"


    "because, in the beginning they were created by the old god, and he made it so that eating stronger meat would make them stronger. when they had eaten all of the strongest animals, and could no longer gain strength from eating them, they started to look at each other. they were at that time all immensely strong, and the story goes that when they were sleeping in a cave at night, starving because they could no longer stomach the weak meat of their prey, it is said that each others smell filled their nostrils, and starved with hunger filled with lust for strength, they fell upon each other and ate until only one was left, who starved shortly afterward because he could no longer eat other agrias because they were to weak.


    from then on, agrias stopped being pack hunters, and developed the ability to mate with basically anything, however they could only have one to two children with the other races, and when ever two agrias would meet they would eat each other, until they became endangered, and finally believed to have died out. don''t you get it? your a member of a species of extinct cannibals who are driven by their only instinct until death.


    get stronger, so you can eat stronger meat, which gave them more strength. you, as a person, are doomed. and as a race you already are! ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"


    i let him laugh for as long as he wished, and when he stopped, i said,


    "i have no reason to talk more with you. in the name of my god jordan, i will kill you, and take control of this forest."


    "ho ho, it looks like we have a champion. well, two can play that game."


    he raised his paw, and spears made of light appeared in the air above him. "ha ha ha, can your god give you power like this?"


    i said nothing. just stood perfectly still. a cloud had blocked the sun for a moment, and the area around the clearing was shrouded in shadow for a few seconds.


    "ha ha ha! take this!" and shot his spears forward, and when they were an inch away, i didn''t move at all ''well, that was boring. guess that agrias really was just bragging.''


    "i''m not so weak as to need help from a god, unlike you." and used shadow blade to cut three long gashes along his side.


    "wha- where are you?!"


    as the cloud passed, i appeared behind him, not saying a word. he thought i was another image, and swung around, looking around for a hint of where i was. i walked up behind him, and took a bit out of his shoulder. like i thought, it was delicious.


    "ahh!" and swiped with his claws toward me. i leaped back, chewing and swallowing, licking my lips.


    "just like i thought, you are delicious as you are stupid, which makes you the best delicacy i have tasted."


    "grrr, you f***ing bastard! get over here and fight me!"


    "why? it''s so much fun to see you squirm."


    he screamed, and leaped at me, i dodged to the side and slashed some fur off of his shoulder. he turned around and caught the tip of my tail, taking a single drop of blood.


    circling and growling, he watched my every move, when suddenly he activated an ability that made glowing claws of light extend from his paw. "ha ha, top that, f***er!"


    without a word, i activated shadow claw and cut the front of his chest.


    he looked down in shock, then he got angry. he roared and came forward, and we grappled, he knocked me down and got on top of me, and bit into my shoulder, then i rolled him over onto his back and racked his side with my back claws. we rolled, clawing and slashing at every opportunity, occasionally activating our respective blades for extra reach.


    we finally backed off, now covered in scratches and bites, neither of us breathing hard. "he he, how about we kick this up a notch?" i asked with a smile.


    "yes, lets." he replied with an equally happy grin, all traces of the arrogant asshole gone, replaced by a kindred sole who loved the fight. we went at it, faster than ever. he swiped and i dodged, i tried to bit, and he knocked my head away. we fought this way for six hours,  by this time it was getting dark, and we had not slowed one bit.


    "he he."


    "ha ha!"


    we laughed as we fought, i had slashed one of his eyes closed, and i had to limp on three legs since my front left one was cut nearly off. we grappled once more, clawing and biting, and hour after hour we fought, it was night, then the moon was out. a pool of our blood made us slip, and we took advantage of each others slipping. we rolled around in it, bled into it, this pool of blood became our arena, and it was getting bigger every minute. during the las hour till sunrise, we started slowing. i was panting while laughing my guts out, and he was panting like a wounded horse.


    my vision had tunneled, and if the world had exploded, i wouldn''t have noticed. all that mattered was Demius.


    ---


    my right eye was closed, since that damn agrias had made a cut above my eye and it was pouring down blood into it. i had to admit, though, even with one leg, he was my hardest opponent yet. we clashed again and again, each one more frantic than the last, until light slowly began to filter from around the trees. at this, i started laughing again, not like the insane laughter of that psychopath, it was a laugh of victory.


    "ha ha! you will lose now! my patron is the goddess of the dawn, and i become twice as powerful as during any other time! hahahaha!"


    "hahaha!"


    "hahaha!"


    "hahaha!"


    i briefly wondered what he was doing standing completely still, and alarm bells started ringing in my head, but that soon left my mind, as strength flooded into me, "haha-huuuu." i grunted. when i looked down, that bastard was slowly revealed to me, and even as strength flooded into me, it drained out through my chest, even as the dawns light disintegrated the shadows that had wrapped him ever since i had declared my victory.


    "i told you."


    he said as he ripped my heart out and ate it.


    "i hate arrogant assholes like you."


    and even as this side of the world brightened with the dawns light, my vision darkened and faded. and i had one last chuckle.


    "that bastard really did kill me. i wish i knew his name."


    "it''s Shadowpelt. tell your goddess, when you get back to her."


    and with that, i, Demius, The King of the Forest, fell at the hands of an agrias champion named Shadowpelt.


    the last thing i heard was a number.


    "One."


    ---


    i looked down at the body the previous king, and felt a little sad that i would never get to fight him again. then i feasted. and it was delicious. i then lay down next to the body of the now dead king, and fell asleep while lapping up his and my own blood. and his claims that agrias were cannibals made more sense, as mine tasted wonderful.


    when drifting off, i heard another dinging sound, followed by the voice.


    would you like to evolve?


    ''again? so soon? its only been two days since my last evolution. oh well, i guess it won''t hurt.''


    "yes."


    the end of chapter 5


    Authors note: and there you go, Shadowpelt is now king of the forest. i will be posting another chapter for How To:Become an Evil Overlord, later today. if you want to check it out, it''s about a girl turned overlord. hope you like the chapter, have a nice day!

 6:Setting my sights higher

    Authors note: sorry guys, i can''t seem to make the tables right, so instead i''ll just include all of the information in the form of text.


    chapter 6


    "i''m sorry."


    i woke up to the sound of Jordan''s voice, and when i looked at him, he had a sad look on his face.


    "what are you mumbling about?" i said while stretching my sore body. for some reason, jordan felt a little smaller. i started inspecting myself, and to my surprise it felt even more comfortable and natural after my evolution. the first time, i had had to do some exercises to get used to a bigger body and i longer reach, as well as my new strength. but this time, it felt like i had been in this body since forever.


    "aren''t you mad after hearing what Demius said?"


    i inspected my fur, and the red streaks had become full blown patterns. swirls and pictures that seemed to move and dance as my muscles stretched to their fullest extent. i had gotten leaner, now it seemed that my entire body had become on long strip of muscle with fur on the outside, and i was longer, about two meters if i stood upright. "which part?"


    he had a look like he was confessing to a priest. "i put your soul into the body of a cannibal! your body makes it so that you have to eat something as strong or stronger than you, and when there isn''t anything stronger you''ll die! i''ve doomed you to a short life full of blood and murder, how can you ever look at me, much less forgive me!"


    i looked at my face in the pool of blood, but couldn''t make out anything since it had dried. "i will do more than forgive you. i will do all within my power to make you a god that other can respect." i started licking my fur clean of the blood i had slept in.


    he just looked shocked. "b-but, i doomed you to die within nine to ten years! how can you still be so loyal to me, who has done nothing but hurt you!"


    i looked at him for the first time, and for some reason he looked more solid than all the other times i had seen him. "if you ever say that you have done nothing for me again, i will bite your foot off."


    "b-bu-"


    "stop." i put my paw over his mouth. "first off, you gave me a second chance. who am i to complain if its a little shorter than expected? second, what other choice did you have? a worm? a bird? no thank you, i''m not into the whole eating dirt concept."


    "you said that your a third generation god, right? your the weakest of your kind, who gain their power from territory. i''m guessing that that cave was one of the few places that you owned, and it was fortunate for me that a creature like this was available. third, i don''t want a long life. i want to experience as much of life as i can, but not having to grow old and die simply means that after i have enjoyed life to the fullest i don''t have to watch myself grow old and decline." i sighed, and continued. "if you were to ask me to move a mountain, i would find a way, if i had to spend the rest of these ten years getting strong enough to do it. that is how grateful i am, and if you are rude enough to deny my gratitude, i will make you the next meal. got that?"


    he looked shocked, but he nodded, and when i took my paw away from his mouth, he took a second to gather himself. "okay. if you are determined to be grateful to a weakling like me, then i guess i have no choice but to accept it."


    he seemed to regain his usual cheerfulness, and started telling me about the various kingdoms and villages around this forest.


    first off, to the south was the ocean, it began after a few miles from the forest. there were no cities, towns or villages from this forest to the ocean.


    second, to the east was a large human kingdom, known as the kingdom of Sentin. from here to there there were many towns and villages, and lately there have been villages that have sprung up just a couple miles away from were the tree line began.


    thirdly, to the north was something known as the dark peninsula, and was home to many monster and demi-human races, as well as a collage for aspiring necromancers and dark sorcerers.


    fourth, to the east were the metal mountains, home to many dwarfs and goblins, and rumors stated that there was at least one clan of vampires. the cave that was my home on the mountain was actually a caved-in entrance to one of the many cave systems within the mountains.


    after thinking for a while, i decided that the conquest of the humans would be the easiest, or at least i would have an idea of where to start. if i was to conquer one of the non-human countries i would undoubtedly step on someones toes, and probably start meaningless conflicts. when i proposed the plan to conquer the human kingdom, Jordan paled, and asked if i was maybe biting off a little more than i could chew. i replied that if given enough time i would chew through anything, no matter how big, and that there was no point to setting your sights on something as petty as world domination when there was universal conquest to be had. at this point, he fainted, and i had to explain to him that i was just using a figure of speech. though at one point i seriously considered it.


    seeing that i had laid out my plans, he asked me if i knew how to access my status screen. i replied with, "status what?"


    he once again face palmed, and told me to say ''status'' and then i would get all the information that i needed. to know about myself.


    "status"


    Name Shadowpelt


    Race Agrias: Bloody, Insane Varient


    Age 7 Days


    Alignment Shadow, Insanity, Darkness, Blood.


    Titles Champion of Jordan, Insane Psychopath, The king of the Forest, Silent Death.


    Abilities Shadow Image: Wraps the user in shadow, making them hard to see and leaves behind a shadow replica of the user.


    Additional effects: Increases speed within darkness, Increases strength while wrapped in shadow, increases effectiveness of Shadow-based abilities while active. Can only be used for a certain amount of time before using this ability requires mana. Effectiveness increased by the title, ¡®Silent Death¡¯


    Shadow Blades: coats the users claws in blades of shadow.


    Additional effects: sharpness is doubled within shadow, length is affected by the actual length of the users claws, activating and upkeep of this ability drains stamina, but can be activated with mana, effectiveness increased by the title, ¡®Silent Death¡¯


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Fear: stimulates the fear sensors within the targets brain via the users eyes, making those with a weak will flee in terror.


    Additional effects: freezes those who don¡¯t run away for half a second, Effectiveness increased by the titles ¡®Silent Death¡¯ ¡®Insane Psychopath¡¯


    Shadow manipulation: allows the user to manipulate shadow. Drains mana.


    Additional effects: can be used to activate all shadow based abilities, and strengthen them.


    after reading through it, the first things i noticed was that i had a new ability and i had kept my title ''silent death'' from my previous life, and even Jordan was confused by this.


    anyway, i decided to check out my shadow manipulation. i walked over to the shadows under a tree, and willed them to gather in a ball in my paw. what happened next was completely unexpected. all of the shadows bent and fused into a condensed ball in my hand. when i tried throwing it, it sailed towards the tree, and when it hit, it coated the tree in a black substance that Jordan couldn''t feel. i could now touch and pick up shadow, and this didn''t drain what Jordan called ''mana'' but using my mana made it so that i could shape and move the shadows. after awhile of playing around and getting used to moving and controlling shadows, suddenly the shadow i was controlling fell to the ground, and i noticed a tired ness that i had been ignoring. "must have run out of mana." i waited for a couple minutes and the tired ness had faded slightly, so i continued my experimentation until i ran out again.


    when i was about to leave the clearing and head out to the cave for my meeting with Shielin, Jordan told me one more thing.


    "As an adult Agrias, you will only have to eat every month or so, but you can eat every day if you want. your tastes will gradually narrow, and as time goes on weaker prey will be less and less satisfying. eating prey that is immensly stonger than myself will accelerate this process, and eating only the minimum of the weakest prey i can find will slow it. i will gain strength from eating strong prey, and from any prey i eat. the amount of strength i recieve will depend on how strong the prey was.


    ---


    walking back to my cave, i thought of all the things i had learned, and when i had reached the bottom of the mountain my mana or whatever it was had fully recharge, so i now knew it took about an hour to regain all of my mana.


    when i reached the cave, i smelled something pleasantly sharp, and when i arrived, i saw a spider that was a little smaller than me, with intricate patterns of blue crisscrossing its'' back. when i saw who it was, i was surprised. "Shielin?"


    "ssss, this one is Shielin. Shadowpelt is king of the forest now. master not crazy after all."


    i chuckled a little. "oh, don''t you worry. i''m still plenty crazy. now, how is the nest doing?"


    "ssss, many spiders have started evolving,ssss, it seems cassandra was holding the spiders back because she was afraid that they would one day usurp her position. this one has also evolved. Shadowpelt has evolved."


    "that is good. i will need them soon, and i hope they will be as strong as they can be. tell me, what do you think about conquering a kingdom?"


    "..."


    "what? cat got your tongue?"


    "master was right when he said Shadowpelt was crazy."


    "ha ha ha! i''m glad you think so too. but will you do it?"


    "ssss, if master orders, this one will obey."


    "why?"


    "ssss." it seemed to be thinking.


    "ssss, because master cares about the nest. you could have killed and eaten the while nest, but you didn''t. you took the time to make sure that we would survive and be able to take care of ourselves."


    "is that the only reason?"


    "sssss, instinct."


    "what do you mean, instinct?


    "sssss, this one knows that master will become strong. this one wants to be strong with master."


    i thought for a little bit, but decided that Shielin could be trusted, and moved on to the rest of my plan. "Shielin, i want you to do something. but first i must ask you a question. where do the wolves live?"


    sssss, the wolves main camp is to the north east of the lake. this one knows because spiders sometimes bring back dead wolves, and sometimes spiders disappear.


    "good, i want you to go there and ask for a wolf called Egain. tell him that Shadowpelt sent you, and that i would like to talk with him. if he agrees, tell him to go to come to this cave."


    "ssss, this one will drag egain''s dead body back to the cave for master."


    "no! no! i want him to be alive."


    "ssssss, this one will capture the wolf egain and drag him unconscious back to this cave for master.


    i face palmed like Jordan. "look, i want you to talk to him. if he doesn''t want to come, thats fine. just don''t do anything hostile, okay? your very important."


    "ss-ss-ssss, t-this one w-will go talk with egain. and not kidnap him."


    "or kill him."


    "or kill him."


    seeing that it understood, i turned to see if i could inspect the back wall of my cave for any sign that it was a collapsed tunnel, when i smelled something familiar rushing up to my cave. when it came to the entrance, i was unsurprised that it was Talkir, the spiked beaver. when he saw that i was here, he looked confused by my slightly changed appearance, but wasted no time by saying, "do you intend to keep your word?"


    "be it demons or gods, i will help you with your problem."


    he looked shocked by my fast answer, but relaxed and told me his problem. "there is a large reptile in the river that is eating my brethren, we can''t fight it on our own. will you fight it?"


    i smiled my violent smile, and asked.


    "How big?"


    end of chapter 6

 7:Gathering Forces

    Authors note: okay guys, i just woke up from a five hour nap, and i''m feeling great. get ready to have your socks blown off. or get tears in your eyes from how bad it is.


    Chapter 7


    running over to the river, i had some time to reflect on some things, though it was kind of hard with Talkir screaming that i was going to fast while i was holding him in my mouth.


    first off, if i was to conquer the kingdom, i would need forces. and a couple dozen spiders wouldn''t cut it. i had already sent Shielin to get Egain, and with any luck he would bring the rest of the wolfs with him, if i could manage to convince him that i meant his pack no harm, his loyalty for his pack was one of the reasons i wanted him on my side.


    about halfway there, i wondered if i could convince the three headed foxes to help me, but from what i had seen they were too savage to be brought under anyones control. i started to smell the scent of the spiked beavers, and a little father in i could detect the sharp scent of something big. i just remembered not to smile, as i would probably do something to Talkir.


    i dropped him off about sixty feet away from the river, and told him to wait here.


    "no."


    i looked at him, and asked.


    "no?"


    "i didn''t say ''take care of it'' i said help us. it doesn''t matter if you are strong, if you don''t have help, you will get hurt. now, lets do this."


    i looked at him for a long moment, trying to see if this was just bravado that was talking, but he seemed sincere. i slowly started to smile again, and started preparing my mind for a fight.


    i told him in a whisper, "see if you can keep up." and off i shot like an arrow."


    i heard his pounding footsteps behind me, and even though i was going quite fast, he still managed to stay with me.


    ''lets get this party started.''


    when the trees cleared, i saw a thirty food crocodile sitting on the banks of the river, chewing on something with a spiked tail. when Talkir saw this, i think saying he got mad would be a gross understatement. i swear his eyes glowed brighter than mine.


    running up to this thing, i told him to distract it. i don''t know if he heard me, but he jumped right on top of the crocs head, so it worked either way. running up to the beasts hide, i activated shadow blade and tried to cut through it, but the hide refused to be cut. seeing this, i knew we would have to take a more strategic approach.


    i backed off, and told Talkir to gather the beavers that hadn''t run. he called out to the tree line, and i saw that not a single one of them had turned tail and run, and i saw that they placed a great trust in Talkir.


    telling them my plan, they immediately put it into action, and the twenty-thirty beavers gathered on the opposite side of the river, and made as much noise as possible.


    when the croc turned toward them, i jumped onto it''s back and stealthily made my way toward it''s head. when i had reached the area right behind it''s eyes, i thought the plan was going great. then, the crocs eyes rolled back and looked right at me.


    oh shit


    it bucked, and i sailed a good thirty feet into the air, and landed on the tops of the trees. after i had regained a semblance of consciousness looked back and saw something that was strange. Talkir was fighting it. he was dodging its bites, and


    whenever it''s tail came around and tried to impale him, he would get just a little closer


    i looked at this tiny beaver, fighting a croc that was ten times his size, and thought, ''i wish i had that kind f bravery. all i have


    is insanity.''


    i jumped from tree to tree, carful not to miss any of the action, and when i reached the ground, Talkir had almost reached


    the beasts head. that was when the croc smashed the ground and Talkir was launched two feet into the air.


    its tail screamed through the air as it''s tip zeroed in of talkirs midsection, and as it approached its target, Talkir could only


    look at his impending doom.


    the tail shot forward, and,


    hit nothing but air.


    "well, we can''t have this."


    the lizard looked around, trying to find the source of the voice.


    "if you kill the holder of my debt, i can''t very well say it''s repaid, can i?"


    it finally found me, strolling up to it in a lazy walk, that said i had all the time in the world.


    "i didn''t want to use my full strength on something as weak as you, but i see that you will help me to get used to this body."


    i stopped five feet in front of it, and a hint of uncertainty crept into it''s eyes.


    "and for that, i sincerely thank you."


    it roared, and tried to impale me with it''s tail, but i sidestepped and bite down on it''s tail, holding the thirty footlong lizard


    helpless in my jaws i idly thought that this was how i killed cassandra, in the end, by crushing her legs so that they wouldn''t


    regenerate.


    but this croc can''t regenerate.


    i ripped a good sized portion off of it''s tail, and slowly chewed.


    "good, good, your taste is quite nice. but i wouldn''t mind getting to the meatier parts."


    it tried to smash me with it''s front leg, but the scales on it''s foot wern''t as strong as on it''s back, and i used shadow blade to


    cut four of it''s toes off. it roared again, and this time it was quite loud.


    "oh, would you just. shut. up."


    i punctuated each remark with a blow from my paw, each one leaving a dent in his jaw, and nearly dislocating it.


    now it tried to bite me, lunging forward.


    "bad lizard. you need to respect those who are higher on the food chain."


    and i raised my paw high, and smashed his snout into the ground in front of me, bringing looks of awe from the beavers,


    and i started to smell fear waft off of the croc. i had not had the chance to enjoy this scent much before, as i usually killed


    my prey before it had a chance to be afraid. i found i quite liked the smell.


    i held it down, watching as it struggled uselessly. it had size, and strength, but it had no concept of leverage, and it was


    stupid enough to leave the water, were it''s amphibian body would give it an advantage. i raised my other paw, and looked


    deep into it''s eyes.


    "now,why don''t you let me test out this evolutions strength?"


    i didn''t activate fear, but it looked like it wanted to crawl into a hole and hide.


    i brought my paw down with everything i had, and punched through its snout. my claws weren''t sharp enough to pierce its


    hide, but brute strength worked. i reveled in it''s fear scent, and even though it tried to run away, it was now held to the


    ground, with my whole arm up to my shoulder buried in it''s mouth, it''s powerful jaws now useless, since it couldn''t open it.


    i looked around. all of the beavers were looking on with awe, and Talkir had a look of absolute devotion on his face. i


    thought about killing the croc, but decided that i didn''t want to. even if i did kill it, i wouldn''t even give it a number, so it was


    meaningless for me to kill it.


    "Talkir."


    "yes?"


    "you said that you would help, right?"


    "yes, i did say that."


    "well, would you do me a favor and stick your tail into it''s brain?"


    he looked mildly surprised, but climbed onto it''s head, and worked his tail into its eye, finally piercing its brain, and ending


    it''s struggles.


    i extracted my arm from its snout, my arm now dyed a bright shade of red, and walked over to talkir, who was looking at the


    lizard in awe, not believing that something so large could die from something as small as his tail. but he looked like he


    would be able to do it again, and as i looked at him, with his small body, and i saw a change come over him. he stopped


    being weak at that moment, and his scent changed.


    i gave his tail a lick, and tasted him more than the blood on it.


    he looked surprised by my gesture, and i simply said.


    "eventually, i think you''d make a wonderful meal."


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    i then got to eating as much of the lizard as i could, and after i was done, gave myself a good licking, washing the blood


    from my pelt."


    when i turned to talkir again, he looked like he was waiting for something. i looked at him, and said in a simple voice,


    "would you do me a favor?"


    he thought for a moment, and said as simply as me.


    "be it gods or demons, i will help you with your problem."


    ---


    once i returned to the cave, leaving talkir to organize and help the beavers recover, i found shielin waiting for me, with the


    familiar scent of egain. i was somewhat surprised that he had come, but happy all the same. i walked in, and to my surprise,


    he had evolved since the last time i''d seen him. he was only a little smaller than me, and though his scent hadn''t changed


    much, there was a strong tinge of determination.


    "how are you, egain?"


    "lets cut to the chase."


    i looked at him with mild surprise, and decided to hear him out.


    "what chase would that be?"


    "you want to eat me. i have made the decision that i will fight you here and now, since if i hadn''t come you would have


    probably come and eaten me, along with killing all of the other wolfs. so, i will fight you where you can''t hurt my pack, and


    resign myself to be devoured, if that is my fate."


    he continued to surprise me. he had come here, assuming that i would eat him, and he had done so because he had thought


    it would endanger his pack if he stayed.


    "i do not want to eat you. i just had quite a nice breakfast consisting of lizard, and i''m quite full."


    he was confused for a moment.


    "so, you want me to wait until your hungry again?"


    "no. it was never my intention to eat you in the first place, no matter how delicious you might be. i want to make a deal with


    you."


    "what your saying, is that you aren''t going to eat me?"


    "no. and i won''t hurt your pack. i just want to talk."


    he relaxed, and started to look thoughtful.


    ---


    he was hunting through the forest, thinking about his evolution.


    now i can protect my pack, even if i meet that bastard Shadowpelt.


    after a couple hours, he returned from his solo hunting. he should have hunted in a pack, but his closest friends wouldn''t


    look him in the eye, since they had run away when he had stood firm. he had tried to approach them, say he had no hard


    feelings, but they wouldn''t listen to him.


    damn shadowpelt, i hope demius rips that asshole to shreds.


    he was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn''t notice the giant spider in the middle of the clearing.


    when he did, he thought,


    shit! what the hell is a spider doing here?!


    one of his pack mates came up to him, and said.


    "the spider says she wants to talk to you. it''s the damnedest thing i ever heard! what do you think?"


    i thought for a moment, and decided that now i was evolved, i could probably take it.


    "i think i''ll talk to it."


    i walked away, leaving a shocked wolf behind me. a pathway opened up for me to get to the spider, the fifty or so wolves


    parting to allow me passage. even before my evolution, i had been one of the strongest members of our pack. now, there


    wasn''t any wolf that could even come close to me. i was now apparently the leader, as wolfs decided leadership through


    strength.


    when i had reached the spider, she asked me in a hissing voice.


    "sssss, you are egain, sssss, right?"


    "i am egain, what do you want? i thought we had an agreement with cassandra that she wouldn''t attack us, and we


    wouldn''t annihilate her."


    "sssss, cassandra is dead. shadowpelt is new nest leader."


    i felt a sinking feeling, and said,


    "then, shadowpelt is alive?" a couple of my pack had reported that demius hadn''t moved since this morning, but i had


    thought he was being lazy."


    "sssss, shadowpelt is king, he asked shielin to bring the wolf egain to him, and not kidnap him. or kill him."


    thinking about this, it seemed he liked his food fresh. i shook my head. i was stronger now, i could take him. maybe.


    "why does shadowpelt want me?"


    "ssssss," she hissed angrily. "master doesn''t need to give reasons to his servants."


    i looked at her for a second, and suddenly a thought hit me.


    "do... do you have a crush on him?"


    she stopped moving all at once, and for a second i thought she had turned to stone, then i felt a wave of pure killing intent.


    "so what if this one does?"


    i was scared and amused at the same time. for one thing, i no longer thought that i could take this spider no problem. it


    would be an even fight. and second, the thought of this spider having a crush on that psychopath was for some reason


    funny.


    i started cracking up, and this only caused the killing intent to grow stronger, but i couldn''t help myself.


    "what is so amusing, wolf?"


    ''he he, it''s that you... ha! and him... he he, and you want to... ha ha ha!"


    "ssss, masters orders or not, this one is getting ready to drag you unconscious back to the cave." she still had that angry


    note in her voice, and i knew that i had better stop, or she would get the first hit in, and i would die.


    struggling to stop, i said in as unamused a voice as i could, "okay. bring me to him."


    ---


    and here i was, when i had asked shielin where shadowpelt had gone, she simply said, "master keeps his word." and


    wouldn''t tell me a single thing more. when he had arrived, i had lost all the confidence i had briefly held. he had evolve too,


    and now he looked more powerful than i could possibly hope to match.


    when i found out he didn''t want to eat me, i had been surprised. i honestly thought i would die. this was the second time


    that i had met him, fully expecting to die, and been spared. it started to annoy me.


    "so, what is this deal you have for me?"


    he looked thoughtful, and finally said. "i will protect your pack, and in exchange for offering them my protection, i can call


    upon them for aid if ever i need it."


    i thought for a second, and finally decided, "what makes me think that your telling the truth, and will leave us to die the


    second we become useless to you?"


    "my word."


    i was flabbergasted. "you want me to intrust my pack to you, based on your word?"


    he smiled a knowing smile, and said."for now. but, from here on out, i will help you grow stronger. if, at any point in time,


    you decide to stop the deal, you can fight me, and kill me if you can. until such a time as you try to kill me, i swear upon the


    name of Jordan, my god, that i will do everything within my power to protect your pack. will that satisfy you?"


    i thought, and realized i had no choice. he could simply threaten us, and we would be forced to do anything he said,


    especially with the spiders backing him up. but, if i accepted, i could grow stronger, and some day kill him. "i will accept on


    one condition."


    "what would that be?"


    i looked at him, and used every bit of determination i had in my next words.


    "when next we fight, use all of your power. and if i fail to kill you, eat me. i can''t have you spare me a third time. if you did, i


    would be less than prey. at least prey has the pride of evading capture. to be caught and let go is to die. to be eaten is to


    pass your strength on to your killer. do you accept?" i said as aggressively as i could.


    i think i was seeing things, but i thought i saw a small gleam of respect in his eyes.


    "deal."


    end of Chapter 7

 8:First Encounter

    First encounter


    the wolves had been moved to the foot of the mountain, after some persuasion. i had made it known to them that i meant no harm, they had been quite happy to put themselves beneath my protection.


    Talkir had evolved, and he now resembled something that was more raccoon-ish. his claws had gotten longer, his fangs looked like they could tear flesh quite easily from bone, and his tail wasn''t wide anymore. now it was narrow, and the spikes on it looked deadly. i was right when i said he would make a good meal.


    i was watching my reflection in the lake, cherishing the fresh air, the green scenery, the blue sky, the clean air. the only thing out of place was me. my dark presence seemed to make the grass bend the other way, and i felt like the air was too scared to curl around me. the reflection in the water looked like it belonged in a horror movie. blood red and green eyes, black fur with patterns of red that looked like they had been drawn with blood. that terrifying smile that i couldn''t seem to stop doing. that look of pure and utter insanity. everything about me seemed molded to create fear.


    ripples of water disrupted my reflection, banishing that dark creature. i looked up, and saw one of talkirs beavers scrambling over toward me. he looked like he had something important to say, as he didn''t stop to appreciate the wonderful nature.


    "Shadowpelt sir! we have apprehended two strange creatures at the edge of the forest. they were hunting some of the rabbits there."


    "you don''t have to call me sir. just shadowpelt would be fine."


    "but, then what would we do to show our respect and gratitude?"


    i looked at the lake again, seeing the demon beneath the surface, and replied in a simple voice.


    "just by being there for me you show your gratitude. as for respect, i don''t deserve any."


    "but you-"


    "now, let''s go see about these intruders."


    he stayed silent, though i could see he disagreed."


    he led me to a space that was about ten feet in diameter, underneath some trees. during the previous day when i had walked among the spiked beavers and gotten to know them, they had noticed that i liked shadowy places, and had thus chosen to gather in darkness whenever they had something important to discuss. i found this strange, but i guess that''s fanaticism for you.


    talkir, shielin and egain were already waiting.


    egain started talking when i showed up. "someone decided to take their sweet time."


    both of the others looked daggers at egain, but i wasn''t bothered in the least.


    "i was enjoying the beauty of nature. i saw no need to go rushing over for something that may or may not be important. besides, i hate waiting."


    egain looked pissed, and both of the others kept looking like they wanted to feed egain to a pack of hungry tigers, but i decided that my new visitors had become accustomed to my presence. i turned to them, and analyzed everything i could about them.


    the one on the left had a slightly chubby face, and the one to the left was thin as a stick. i checked their ears, and they were round. i could''t make out any claws, and when i used one of mine to lift their lips and check their teeth i couldn''t find evidence of fangs. they had canines, but nothing in the way of sharp teeth. they had clothing made from a variety of plant and animal materials, such as fur, wool, and leather. after completing my carful inspection, i confirmed they were human.


    when i had approached them, the chubby one had gone white, and the skinny one had started screaming. i waited for him to stop, but after a while of listening to him, i thought i could start to make out something that sounded like expletives, and perhaps some prayers, if praying included cussing and swearing like a sailer. when i had lifted their lips with my claws, the skinny one had fainted, and the chubby one started crying. like i said, everything about me was molded to inspire fear.


    i tried asking the one that was still conscious what his name was, but he kept crying, so i told the two spiders holding the cocooned man to put him down by a tree, and i rolled the skinny one beside him. after doing this, i decided to discuss the invaders with my followers.


    i turned toward the three of them, who were having a whispered argument.


    "how dare you say such things to shadowpelt! if not for his mercy, you would be a pile of bones at the bottom of the river!"


    "sssss, you should show more respect to master."


    "your only saying that because you have a crush on him! it''s not like i spit in his face, i just told him to hurry up in the future! jeez."


    i walked closer, and when i could hear them clearly, i decided to stop their arguing.


    "ahm. are you done?"


    they all looked shocked that i was so close to them, but they quickly got over it.


    "yes, we are done. what did you get out of them?" egain said.


    "unfortunatly, i think i scared them too much to get anything useful out of them. i thought maybe talkir could talk to them next, as he isn''t as scary as the rest of us."


    talkir looked a little depressed, but he looked up and said, "i will do my best! and after this, i will work to get as scary as i can!"


    i was saying that being scary was a bad thing, but oh well. it''s not like he''ll get scary enough to make grown men faint, right? right?!


    "do that. shielin, how is fortifying the forest going?"


    "so far, about a fifth of the perimeter of the forest has been covered in webs, and overall things have been going immensely well. more of the spiders have evolved, and the nest is stronger than ever. we are ready for whatever you need us for."


    "talkir, how well did reorginizing the beavers go?"


    "they were quite frightened at first, but when they learned that you would be protecting us from now on, they quickly regained order. we have done some experimentation for self defense, and found some interesting things about ourselves. first off, we can apparently shoot the spikes in out tails, and in a few minutes they will regrow. we found this out after some of the beavers lost the spikes in their tails, and they quickly regrew. we are ready whenever you need us, sir."


    "*sigh* you don''t have to call me sir."


    "i want to though, sir."


    guess he won''t be as easy to convince as the other beavers. ha, its times like these that i wish he didn''t have such a strong backbone.


    "how are the wolves after moving to their new home?"


    "the move was completely unnecessary, but they are adjusting to their new home well. the twenty warriors you are promised are always ready, but we won''t come at your every beck and call. remember that." he had a defiant look on his face the entire time he delivered his report, and i could barely hold back my grin. he was just too amusing. the other two didn''t seem to share my opinion, but that''s okay. maybe. shielin looked like she would feed egain to her nest if he said one more word. i spoke quickly, so that shielin didn''t kill my rebellious friend.


    "good to know. now, i''m going to go and enjoy nature some more. come find me by the lake when you have extracted any information from the intruders. bye!"


    "wait, wha-" egain tried to say, but i was already gone.


    "ahh, i swear, that black furred cat will be the end of me."


    the spider looked like she wanted to eat me, and i kept her in the corner of my eye. that beaver was a stranger to me, and i had no idea what to make of him, except that he was wholly devoted to that black furred bastard. i new i should probably get to know them, but so far they had replied to my advances with questions of my loyalty to the bastard, and found it lacking.


    the beaver turned to me, and he tried to analyze me as i tried to analyze him. "tell me," the beaver said, "where did you first meet shadowpelt?"


    i decided to be straight with them, and hold nothing back, in the hope''s that they would do the same. shielin also looked interested.


    "he was strolling through the forest like he owned it, and when he came upon me and my companions, they both bolted. afterward, i activated my special ability, ''adrenaline rush'' and fought with him."


    both looked very interested at this, and i continued.


    "he played with me, more like. after he had exhousted me, and pinned me to the ground, he told me he''d like to eat me, but he was saving room for Demius. he then let me go, and i thought that would be the last i saw or heard of him. but  couple days after, this spider came and told me to meet him in his cave. i was scared down to my fur, to be quite honest."


    "ssss, this ''spider'' has a name, and will tear you limb from limb if you don''t use it." she sounded serious


    "anyway, where did you first meet him? and how the hell did he get you to be loyal to a son of a bitch like himself?."


    they both had that fanatic look in their eye for a second, but talkir started off with his own story.


    "when i met him, i also thought he would eat me. the difference was that instead, he sat down on the opposite side of the river and asked me some questions. like where cassandra and demius were, and after i told him, he told me he owed me one." talkir looked like he was reliving a fond memory, "a couple days later, a giant crocodile came out of the river, and attacked us. after seeing that we had no chance agianst it, i went to shadowpelt''s cave and asked for his help. when he responded without even pausing, i started to be in awe of him. when he rescued me, i felt so thankful i could follow him anywhere, and when i saw him kill the lizard as if it was a fly, i felt fear and awe in equal amounts. and that is as it should be. i will follow him anywhere, and do anything that he needs done that is within my power, and try as hard as i can to do the things that aren''t."


    i was surprised, and i thought, okay, maybe the bastard did one good deed, and so what if he rescued a bunch of beavers? it just shows that he''s prideful as well as arrogant.


    shielin nodded when he was done, and recited her story.


    "when we first met, i was under orders from cassandra to kill a furry creature that was killing spiders, and i led a couple dozen of my brothers and sisters to try and kill him. when we encountered him, he got this huge grin on his face. then he started killing my siblings, and after several of them were dead, cassandra came out and tried to kill him. in the end, he ripped open her stomach, and ate her insides. once he had accomplished this, he went to sleep inside her corpse, and when he awoke me and my remaining siblings came to him and pledged out loyalty."


    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    i responded with sarcasm, "yeah, killing your siblings and your other, then sleeping in her corpse. lots of cause for loyalty."


    she looked patient, and said, "if you interrupt again, i will drown you in the lake. now, back to my story. when we told him he was the new leader of the nest, he refused." i was confused. if that bastard refused being leader of the nest, why was she loyal to him? "he told me that i was the new leader, and that as long as the nest was safe, he would be happy. he also told us that if we needed help he would come and help us. then he left, saying, ''i''m going to celebrate my fifth day being alive by eating demius. i thought he would die, but when he came back i decided that i would follow him. since he had looked out for us when we were at our weakest. does that answer your question?" her eyes seemed to dare me to respond negatively.


    "yes." i don''t get it. why is he such a decent person? when i saw him, he was insane. why can someone so lost to sanity be held in such regard? how can it be that i don''t?


    and then it hit me. i did. i was treating him like my previous mentor, who had taught me how to hunt, and how to survive. when he had taught me, i had always insulted him, and afterward regretted it. he was basically my mentor, and had even promised to make me stronger. perhaps, it wasn''t so much that i hated him, and that i didn''t want to get too close to him. my mentor had died, and it had crushed me. i had then tried not to get close to anyone else, since i had no one els close to me, as my parents and siblings had died to giant spiders years before.


    my way of insulting him could be trying to not get close to him, as i had to my mentor.


    damn it all


    i heard groans from the tree, and saw that the two invaders were regaining consciousness. i made eye contact with shielin and we backed off from the clearing, letting talkir take the lead.


    i saw egain and shielin back away, and i prepared myself to talk to the invaders. shadowpelt had told me i wasn''t as scary as the rest of them, and while that disappointed me, i would have to work on inspiring fear another time. for now, it would be to my advantage.


    i walked up to the two creatures, who where propped up my the tree, and tried asking them some questions.


    "what are you? where are you from? and why are you in this forest?"


    at first they looked confused, but as i repeated my questions, they slowly gained understanding.


    "we #@&$% and we from the $^#&$^ to the east. i and him are hunting, to get food for starving !@#^%^,"


    it was hard to understand, but as they kept talking i got a better grasp on their language. in this world, all of the languages were derived from the old god, so even animal languages weren''t hard for people to grasp, with enough time. but even still, the rate at which shadowpelt had learned our language was uncanny. he was special, even without his intimidating body, his mind was so different from anything i had known before. it seemed that he always knew what he was doing, and for me, his follower, that was reassuring.


    when i could understand them fully, they told me their names were bob and gerald. they were hunters from the town to the east, and their crops had been failing, and so a town that had never considered hunting before, sent out the two best candidates to see if they could scout out the forest. at one point, they asked if they could speak with demius, to see if they could come to an agreement about hunting in the forest.


    "we would like to speak to the king of the forest, so we don''t step on his toes."


    "the king of the forest is shadowpelt. he came by an hour or so ago, but you both fainted so he left and told me to interrogate you and bring him any information you have."


    at this, they looked very afraid, but i paid that no mind.


    "so, you want to talk with him? i do not know when he will be available next, but if he agrees i will bring you before him. i think he would like to know about your town."


    they looked at each other, gulped, and gathered their courage, and said, "we would like that very much." i could tell that they were lying through their teeth, but i was impressed by their courage.


    "then it is agreed." i looked in the direction of the lake, and wondered what shadowpelt had been doing. "i wonder what''s taking him so long."


    i was having fun.


    after a little while of walking around the edge of the lake, a giant octopus had emerged from the water, but this was different from normal octopuses. this one had sixteen legs.


    i smiled my hungry smile.


    "guess you''ll make a nice meal."


    it smashed the ground next to me, and tried to grab me, but i clawed its arm off.


    "is that all you''ve got?"


    the arm regrew.


    i smiled wider.


    "now we''re talking."


    i danced among the sixteen arms, slicing them off, taking bites here and there, and basically having a wonderful time. soon, i got tired of the game, and ran along one of the arms until i got to the main body, which i then began to disassemble.


    "one."


    after returning to land and eating all of the arms i chopped off, i licked my lips. it hadn''t been very satisfying, and i wished it had been bigger.


    then about twenty more came out of the water.


    my smile reached as wide as it got.


    "you just seem to answer all of my wishes, don''t you?"


    they came all at once, i slashed through multiple arms at once, dodging some, getting hit by others. i laughed, and slashed, and danced. i sank my claws into one of their appendages, and instead of cutting it off, i pulled the octopus out of the water with brute strength, and ate it.


    "two."


    i kept fighting, getting warmed up, and loving it. left, right, jump, duck, slash, cut, kill murder, repeat.


    "three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve,"


    i killed many in quick succesion, and after i had killed a dozen, an octopus surfaced that was many times bigger than the others. the normal ones were about the size of two horses, but this one was the size of a good sized house.


    "lets play, shall we? he he, thirteen, fourteen."


    it''s arms cracked the ground around me, and i started to get mad, since it kept splashing water on me, and i hated that. i got angry enough that i ran along the bottom of it''s tentacle all the way to it''s head, and started cutting it. it tried to get beneath the waves, but i didn''t let go. we fought beneath the water, and i got buriesed, and i''m pretty sure a few of my bones broke. i started to think, maybe jumping into the middle of the lake to fight a creature many times stronger in the water, wasn''t such a good idea.


    however, such thoughts were silenced, and i barely felt the pain.


    my insanity dulled both.


    "lets see how you like being eviscerated. shall we? he he."


    i killed more of the others as i swam after the beast, my lungs burning for air.


    "fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen."


    the big one tried to drag me deeper, but i used my claws to get on the top side of it''s tentacle, and swam to the surface. the other two blocked my chance for air.


    "nineteen, twenty."


    that gave the big one the time to come at me with all thirty-six of it''s tentacles, all speeding toward me. without any options, i bent the shadows to my will. i used the shadow at the bottom of the river, and made a blade that effortlessly sliced through all thirty-six of it''s tentacles. then i used the shadow to press against my body, propelling me to the surface.


    i flew several feet into the air, and saw talkir and the others at the bank, and as i flew, i waved, which made all of their jaws drop.


    then the tentacles that had regrown shot out of the water, and sped toward me, while i was helpless in the air, unable to move myself. but then,


    why would i want to move?


    i activated shadow blade, and combined it with shadow manipulation, lengthening the blades to several feet, i slashed through all of them once again, and fell into the water. before i did, i heard the two guys gasp, but shielin simply looked like she expected this from me. it made me want to laugh, and i had to stifle it when i was once again submerged. i used shadow manipulation once i was deep enough, and propelled myself toward the squid. we fought for a few minuets, but i caought him by making a wall of shadow in front of him, and running right through him. once i was inside, i ate him. i hadn''t been able to smell him in the water, but he tasted wonderful. i ate until i was full, then surfaced once again and swam to the bank, where i was greeted by my followers.


    "sup''." then i fainted from oxygen depravation.


    when blackness clouded my vision, i heard that tiny voice.


    would you like to evolve? options are available.


    this was new, it had never said that last part before.


    "yes."


    the necessary requirements for the following have been met.


    alpha agrias, blood, insanity, water variant.


    black agrias demi-humah, blood, insanity, death variant.


    i thought for a while. if i chose the first, i would be the strongest creature in the forest. but it would be near impossible to convince the human kingdom to be under the rule of an animal. they would undoubtidly rebel if i conquered then, so even though i didn''t want to be human again, i decided it was for the best.


    "black agrias demi-human."


    noted. your evolution will now be cut down to a fourth of the speed, and the ability to learn magic and learn jobs has been unlocked.


    well, guess this will probably have some kind of consiqunse, but for now, i think i''ll dream about the tastyness of that squids flesh. mmmm, i have now tried sea food for the first time in my lives, and i like it. perhaps i''ll have calamari some other time.


    and when i awake, i''ll conquer the humans.


    starting with those invaders home.


    end of chapter 8


    Authors note: sorry it took so long for this chapter! i had a bunch of stuff come up, and i couldn''t find the time to sit down and write. but here it is! i hope you like it, and be prepared for the future. XD it will be blood-tastic.

 9:Exploring

    Exploring


    i woke up, and stretched as i usually did extending my tail to it''s fullest extent, feeling a great sense of foreboding as i did so.


    i got up, and saw i was still on the bank, though someone had pulled me further away from the water. talkir was sleeping next to me, and he seemed to have grown a couple of inches, though that might just be me. his smell was distracting, but not as much as yesterday. when i went to stand on my four feet, i found it uncomfortable. then i remembered. i was a demi-human now.


    well, i''m glad i have the lake to look at myself.


    i took a look at my reflection.


    i was pale. just a shade away from pure white. my hair seemed to suck daylight out of the air, and i had patterns of red crisscrossing my skin. against my pale complexion, the tattoo looking red lines seemed like trails of fire. the lines themselves had patterns engraved on them, and it didn''t matter where you looked at me, the lines seemed to all meet and converge at my chest, with streaks of red starting below my eyes, and going all the way down to the tips of my fingers. i looked like a corpse with trails of blood drawn all over it. as i watched, my skin started to gain color, and even though i remained pale, i stopped looking so much like a corpse. as for my face, i looked like a regular twenty-something man, except that i was better looking by far than some of the so called ''models'' from magazines i had seen women read.


    i checked my fingers, and to my relief i could still extend my claws. i don''t now what i would do without them. my fingers were normal looking for a human, but the nails could be easily extended into my claws. they were much shorter than before, but i would have much better mobility for using them. my feet no longer had claws, and that was good to. they would only get in the way, if i needed to fight. as for my hair, it had a silky sheen, and seemed to draw in the light around it, but get no brighter itself. it reached all the way down to my waist, and gave the illusion of fur on my back when i looked at my self from behind. the other thing i noticed,


    i was completely naked. i had little problem being so, but i thought it would be rude to greet other humans unclothed. in my previous life, i had been completely at home being unclothed, since i had seen no reason to care about modesty, since it wouldn''t help in killing, but had worn clothes since they would let me blend, and conceal weapons. now, the only weapons i had were my claws and body, but for a martial artist like myself,


    that was all i needed.


    i wondered how i would go about finding something to cover my more private parts, when i saw that on the ground where i had fainted was a silky black pelt. i smiled, and quickly went over to it. it fitted perfectly around me, and this was only right. after all, it was my pelt. it was like a coat, but much longer. when i had been on four legs, my shoulder came up to most mens shoulder while standing up. so even though i was taller than was average, the pelt still covered everything. i wrapped it around my waist, letting the upper part hang at my waist, so i was bare chested. it was too nice a day to be covering myself when i could absorb the suns rays.


    i walked over to talkir, and started poking him.


    *poke* "grrrhmmm" *poke* "ahhh!"


    he came awake with a yell, and when he saw me he instantly came to alarm.


    "another intruder! gather to me!"


    i looked in confusion around, trying to spot this intruder, when i realized he probably meant me.


    "talkir, i''m shadowpelt. i just became a demi-human. calm down."


    he looked at me for a second, but when he saw the dark pelt ant the hair, as well as tracing the red lines all over my body, he stopped at my eyes. then he had a look of confirmation of his face.


    "i''m sorry sir, i was a little alarmed by seeing someone resembling the intruders. you have my sincerest apologies."


    "you don''t have to call me sir."


    he just smiled at me.


    as he finished, a couple spiders and beavers came in, and while the beavers were a little scared and had to have my new appearance explained, the spiders hissed that they could tell it was me by my smell. their words were,


    "you are soaked in the stench of blood and death, and your eyes hold the purest essence of insanity."


    while this put me off, i couldn''t deny it, and it saved some explaining, so i guess i can''t complain.


    i sent one of the beavers to go and fetch egain, and a spider to get shielin, while i asked talkir to bring the humans to the edge of the lake, once he had finished explaining their reasons to me.


    ---


    my name is gerald. i''m male, twenty six years old, and i live in the village of Roads End.


    a day ago i was sent into this forest to hunt for something to eat, as supplies in the village were running out due to our drops failing, and all of the food merchants scared off by bandits.


    our village was wealthy, due to adventurers stopping at it to prepare for their travels, since after our village there is nothing in the way of civilization except goblins, orcs, elves, dwarves, and maybe some vampires. the shops in the roads end were rarely out of work, and we had multiple blacksmiths, leather workers, and armor and weapons merchants. the crops failing wasn''t much of a problem, but when bandits moved into the only road out of the village, things got desperate. the king was currently dealing with problems in the far east, and all of the soldiers sent to clear out the bandits had been returned. in pieces.


    desperate to fill the near-empty warehouses, the village headman told me and bob to go into the forest and hunt something. we had never ventured into the forest before, as stories said that more adventurers had disappeared going into the forest than any other place in the continent. it was something to scare your children with, threatening them that you''ll throw them into the forest if they don''t behave. it wasn''t just the rumors either. people who were in the village for some time saw things come and go out of the forest. it had a huge lake in the middle, that had a near-legendary kraken living in it, a spider queen that could regenerate, and the king of this forest was the most savage out of all of them. with no choice but to go into this forbidden forest, we decided that if we met him, our only hope would be to convince him to let us live and hunt in exchange for something from the village. sared the headman had told us we could offer almost anything, as we had no choice but to hunt, or starve.


    when we were trapping, bob got stuck in a web, and while i was helping him out of it another web was spun around me. we were bundled up and brought to a shadowy clearing, where a gathering of creatures met. at first, we had been too scared to do anything but squeak and tremble.


    then we saw the cat.


    it was longer than most men are tall, and it had muscles that screamed killer, and eyes that whispered insanity. just looking into them made me want to hit something. to bash something. to kill something. anything. everything. blood, drink. flesh, eat. after a while, he unsheathed his claws, and after that i couldn''t remember anything, except what looked like him ordering the other animals to do certain tasks.


    when we awoke, a raccoon creature had tried to speak to us, and after some failed attempts, we were able to communicate.  he promised us an audience with the king of the forest, and we waited in fear, though knowing we had to do this, or the village will starve.


    we slept fitfully, but came fully awake when the raccoon told us that the king was ready for us. we took one last breath, and the spiders freed us, letting us walk on our own, though they watched like hawks, and we new if we tried to run they would have us tied up quicker than we could take two steps.the trees seemed to pass too quickly, and all too soon we came to the edge of the trees, with sunshine and doom waiting beyond.


    we stepped out, and gasped at the beauty of the clear water, and healthy grass. but the gasp quickly turned to one of terror as we saw the upright figure also admiring the water. when he heard us, his cat ears twitched, and he looked around.


    on a side note, the ears looked cute, like they belonged on a cuddly creature. his eyes, however, told a different story.


    they were the same, except they felt even stronger. the green surrounding the red pupils were still as demanding as before. kill, kill, kill.


    we had to be nudged by the raccoon to get close enough to speak, and we quickly made our greetings. he looked interested as we told him about our villages plight. when he heard their were bandits, and that it was under the orders of sared the headman that we were here, he asked if he would be able to talk to sared. when we replied in the affirmative, he looked excited.


    he told us to lead the way, and he told the wold, and raccoon to come with him. it looked like the spider wanted to come too, but i think the village will thank him for not bringing a giant spider with him.


    our walk through the forest was strange, as even though the king moved at nearly five times our speed, we would often have to wait for him, since he kept running around and jumping, swinging from branches, and basically doing amazing feats of athletics while looking like a puppy that had learned a new trick. one time, he poked his finger all the way into the trunk of the tree, and when he saw that piercing a tree was easy, he got a smile that made me wet myself. bob was no better.


    when we got to a certain point, he led us to a huge clearing, and pointed out the mangled corpse of the previous king. the way he had been killed, and the amount of damage his corpse sustained was a testament to the brutality that had been inflicted upon that poor tiger. on the way, he also talked about killing the queen of spiders cassandra, and having a wonderful time killing the creature in the water. we already knew about the first one, as we had seen a giant floating corpse on the water, bloated and slightly devoured.


    we finally got to the edge of the forest, and he looked like a child that had left his hometown for the first time, excited and full of energy. over all, he was confusing. on the outside, he was a merciless killer, insane and brutal. on the inside, he seemed like a child given their first chance at life, trying to experience everything at the same time.


    he looked carefully at the road that led to the forest, which was more of a dirt track. we led him further, the wolf and raccoon following, occasionally engaging in conversation with the king, usually along the lines of reports of what had happened while he had been unconscious. we finally arrived at the town, which was surrounded with a wooden palisade, and had watchtowers at key points along it, where any threat could be spotted from far away. they rang the bells, signaling that someone was approaching, but didn''t use the alarm bells, as they saw it was us.


    the gates opened, and a dozen or so of the towns militia came out, briefly revealing the town. it mainly consisted of one-to-two story houses, with the only two story buildings being the inn, and the headman"s house, since his family lived on the second floor, while meetings were held in the first one.


    the captain of the militia, jack, hailed us and asked us what we were doing. he also looked alarmed at the sight of the king of the forest, but that was to be expected.


    he was terrifying.


    ---


    i looked keenly at the leader of the militia, and inspected his equipment. he had an iron studded vest, and was armed with a short spear and wooden club, which made me think this village must be peaceful, to have such bad militia.


    never the less, you should always be polite. at least, thats what my master had said. he had been talking about killing people, but i think it applied here.


    "greetings, i am Shadowpelt, king of the forest, and i''m here to speak with sared about his wish to hunt within my domain."


    he was shocked at how well i could speak his language, but after talking to bob and gerald for half an hour, i could speak the human language reasonably well. i wondered why? i would have to ask jordan sometime.


    "oh, um, well then." he looked at my human companions and told them to go and rest, that they looked like they had seen a ghost. and, "oh, and you should leave your pets outside. i don''t want a wolf inside my town."


    egain didn''t like being referred to as my ''pet'' and leaped forward, probably intending to rip the mans throat, but luckily i could grab the scruff of his neck, and held him back from ripping the guard apart.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    "you f***er, i''ll get you son of a bitch, bastard, just try saying that again, asshole. i''ll rip your face off and stick it to you butt, and your females will probably find you more attractive after i rearrange your teeth!"


    i easily held the struggling egain down, even tho he probably weighed as much as me.


    "as you can see gentleman, egain isn''t my pet. he is my friend, and i will be taking him with me. clear?" i activated fear for maximum effect.


    "crystal." he said, struggling not to piss himself. the other guards looked afraid, and started backing away.


    talkir also walked with me, and told the guards in passing,


    "i''m not a pet. but if you ever threaten shadowpelt, i will not hesitate to kill you." and all of them felt more scared of the nonthreatening raccoon than the barking wolf.


    once we were through the gate, i headed toward what the trembling militia men pointed at when i asked them the location of the headman. i walked toward it, many people ducking into buildings when they saw me pass, afraid of the wolf who walked beside me. at least, that''s what i thought they were scared of.


    i heard whispers, and felt their eyes, but when i took a look around, all of the gazes disappeared. it seems i''m more intimidating than i thought.


    when we reached the door, i knocked, and waited for him to come out. when he opened the door, i had to look down. he was short enough to be a tall dwarf, and so wide around i though he had one or two more people stuffed into his shirt. i mean seriously, i didn''t realize that humans could get that big around. he looked like a slightly squashed tomato, short and more wide than tall.


    "hello, i''m shadowpelt, the king of the forest. i''m here to discuss your problem. may i come in?"


    for someone with such a horrible appearance, he had a cunning look to him. "of course, come in, come in."


    he took us to what looked like a large meeting hall, then brought us to a slightly smaller room, with comfortable chairs, and so many cushions i thought we had stepped into a plush world, where everything was coated with patting. no exception for the headman.


    as we took our seats, i found i didn''t like sinking into the chairs cushion, so i instead sat with my legs crossed on the back of the chair. egain took the floor to my right, talkir to my right.


    "so, what can i do for you?" the headman started.


    "actually, it''s what i can do for you. ever since i was born, i have felt the need to go out and explore. something as little as the forest won''t be enough for me, i want to travel. and to do that, i need to now that my subjects will be well looked after. for now, i think forging a strong relationship with this village is in my best interest. tell me, how many bandits are there guarding the road to the next city?"


    he was mildly surprised that i was so willing to help, but answered me all the same. "they say as many as fifty, quite a large group for bandits. on another note, i would like to ask. will you allow us to hunt in your forest?" he was questioning, and even though his outward side seemed to create the picture of a stumbling fat man, he was cautious, and clever, not being easily distracted.


    i thought about all of the possible repercussions, and came to a conclusion.


    "if you agree to my terms, then you can hunt within my forest."


    he was still cautious, and i like that.


    "what conditions are they?"


    "first off, you will limit your hunting to only as much as you need to stay alive. no hunting for sport or profit."


    he nodded, showing he agreed.


    "second, if ever i ask, you will provide manpower for whatever i need, within reason."


    he was more hesitant, but still nodded.


    "and thirdly," this time i looked deeply into his eyes, and spoke from the depth of my soul.


    "if i hear about any human attacking a giant spider, a wolf, or a spiked beaver, then i will personally come back to this village, and kill every last man, woman, and child, in revenge. do you understand?"


    he started sweating. but nodded all the same.


    i smiled, and leaned back. "then it''s agreed! i hope you find success in your hunting! i have somewhere to be now, so please excuse me."


    he also smiled, and shook my hand to seal the deal. "your very knowledgeable about the world, if you don''t mind, would you tell me how old you are?"


    "i don''t mind, and huh, today would be my ninth day being alive. see ya!"


    he was flabbergasted, but shook himself. "where are you going? thats the road to the next town."


    i simply smiled.


    "i''m going hunting as well."


    he looked confused.


    "i wonder what human blood tastes like?" i thought idly, while extending and retracting my claws.


    he turned very white.


    i looked at him for confirmation, and asked, "no one will be mad if i kill those bandits, will they?"


    he slowly shook his head, and i started smiling the grin, and could already taste the blood of them on my lips. i felt thirsty just thinking about it.


    i set off, leaving by the east gate, where the guards mad way, not daring to stop me.


    i inspected the road to the east of the town, and saw that this road was made from stone, and had interesting depiction''s on the side, which i was surprised hadn''t weathered away. it must be magic.


    walking on the road was easier, but not having grass under my feet felt wrong. after a while, i reached a place where i could smell man scent, and investigated on the side of the road. i quickly silenced a scout who tried to run by impaling him with shadow.


    i made my way further into the forest, egain and talkir following behind me, and we found a camp. it consisted of tents, cooking fires, and one large tent where the leader seemed to be. scouts were posted at the edges, and i sent talkir and egain to clear them out. talkir with gusto, egain with reluctance at following my order.


    on egains side, he quickly ripped their throats out, leaving them no time to scream for help.


    on talkirs side, he clawed their eyes out, and bit their throat so they couldn''t scream. he also shot a few spikes from his tail, impaling two of them to trees, easily going through flesh. once they were all dead, they came back, and i gave them further instructions.


    "go to the edges, and kill any that flee. got that?" they both nodded.


    "then lets do this."


    it had become night while i had talked with the headman, and walked to the bandits, but that only meant this would be easy. their torches gave them light, but i had experimented, and only moonlight and sunlight destroyed my shadow.


    and tonight was moonless. this world had a different moon and sun than my first world, with the moon going through a weakly cycle, instead of a monthly one, of being full and dark. this was to my advantage, as tonight, i could wrap myself in shadow, and assassinate all of them without a single one knowing what hit them.


    but that wouldn''t be fun enough.


    "he he, come and spray your blood into the air, give me your screams, and offer up your lives."


    "for i am here"


    i strode into the middle of their campsite, not bothering to hide, and taking scent of them.


    dull,dull,dull,dull!


    why isn''t there someone worth my time?


    i smelled a sharp scent coming out of the tent, and i smiled.


    "now we''re, he he, talking."


    one came at me from the left, and i used eagle talon to rip his throat out, when one came from behind i did a back kick, launching him into a tree, and breaking his spine. they came all at once, and i picked one out and leaped onto his head, ripping it off as i fell behind him. i ran forward, snapping two of their necks before they had the chance to turn around.


    they came more cautiously. a hook to the right, a stright the the left. i caught both, twisting their joints and making them fall to the floor. i delivered swift kicks to their throats, ending their pain.


    a roundhouse to my left, i caught it and flipped the user, flying into his friends. one came with a sword, and i stepped to the side, dodging and snapping his head as he tried to process what had happened. as he died, i grabbed his sword, and beheaded two of them before they could turn their heads. one raised a shield, and i swung any way, with as much force as i could. the shield split, and so did he, all the way to the ground, where my newly acquired sword snapped from my strength.


    they came once more, seeing i was too fast for swords, they came with knives. i flowed through them like water, so graceful you would think i was dancing a practiced routine. when all lay dead before me, and i stood drenched in blood, i smiled, and looked at the bandit captain, who had left his tent to see what was happening.


    "what the hell happened!?" he looked at the bodys surrounding me, and the blood covering me, and said with fear,


    "what kind of monster are you?"


    i smiled all the wider.


    "what the hell are you?!"


    i laughed, and replied with a voice that choked with insanity.


    Death


    he stood strong, and pulled out his sword.


    "i hope you know your dealing with a previous adventurer, and that i will do all i can to kill you."


    i wouldn''t have it any other way


    he slashed the air, a blade of fire flying toward me. i dodged like it was nothing, and he followed with a horizontal slash, which i ducked under by stretching, my muscles sliding along one another. he raised his empty left hand and uttered a few words, and a bolt of energy streaked toward me. i tilted my head out of the way, still smiling. and laughing.


    he pulled out a scroll, uttered a few more words, and threw it at the ground. it erected a blue shield around him, and he yelled,


    "ha! try and get through this, monster!"


    i manipulated the shadow beneath him, and made a long gash on his back.


    "gah!" he yelled in surprise, then looked behind to see his blood sprayed all over the ground, then turned to see me running toward him, he took out a strangely shaped vial, and drank the red contents, and to my surprise it healed the wound on his back.


    i used a pouch i had taken off of one of the bodies, and threw it at the barrier, but all it did was repel the pouch, so i knew it would be safe to try and break through. i ran forward and did an axe kick, and cracked the energy shield.


    he looked scared. i laughed.


    i punched it over and over, while he chanted, trying to repair the cracks, but sadly failing.


    he pulled out a blue potion with the same kind of vial, and drank that, which made him able to go on chanting. i guess it restored his mana, and i hoped he didn''t use all of them, as i would like to try one. since shadow manipulation took mana to use, and i could reinforce my other abilities with it, i would like to have a way of replenishing it without waiting an hour.


    i broke through, even as he was pulling out a fourth potion, and he screamed.


    i paused for a moment, enjoying the fear scent, then bit off half his neck. i was carful to grab the potion before it could fall, then ripped his arm off and tore into it. i ate the rest of him, blood soaking my jaw, i took what i could off the bodies, and drew smiley faces on all of the dead who still had faces, then laughed and tore their heads of and erected them on spears and swords rammed into the ground. when it was done, i nodded in satisfaction. anyone who walked into the camp would see a line of smiles drawn in blood, backed up by their headless bodies, which i had used splints and pieces of wood to prop up, in the position of saluting.


    i walked back to talkir and egain, who each had their respective pile of cowards, then we left.


    i thought about the adventurer, thinking that it would be interesting to meet more of them. i had looted basically everything the adventurer had owned.


    "now, i think that little night time activity will inform the world of my existence.


    "lets hope all adventurers are as tasty as this one."


    i smiled a bloody smile, and laughed an insane laugh.


    oh, how good it is to be alive!


    end of chapter 9

 10:Meeting The Locals

    Chapter 10


    Baryll''s POV


    riding through the county side, i felt the cool breeze against my face, and heard the comforting sounds of my twenty soldiers. my lieutenant rode to my right and slightly behind, keeping up on her warhorse. i''m a captain, a leader of a squad of soldiers, sent out to do my kings will. unless he isn''t the king anymore.


    my superiors had heard of recent bandit activity along this road, and we hadn''t heard from the village Roads End for years. all of the soldiers we had sent to deal with the bandits had met their end, never to be heard from again. many of these groups had been much bigger than mine, but there was a difference between us and those other groups.


    my troops were killers.


    every one of them had dealt with death a dozen times over, defeating their opponents and securing victory. other soldiers killed because they had too, but these ones did it because they loved it.


    and i was just like them.


    sometimes i felt ashamed for feeling joy after killing a man. but i had some rules that kept me from getting depressed.


    one: if i believe he is guilty of a crime worthy of death, i will sentence him.


    two: i will kill if it''s to protect my friends.


    three: after killing, i will fast for a day.


    all these things kept my killing in check, and the combination of me being able to give death, while appearing to others to not enjoy it, made me a valuable asset to the king, when he needed dirty work done.


    i had chosen my lieutenant from the others, sensing that she would be the best at killing. she had a look that few men ever had. the look simply said this.


    "i will kill you if i have to, or if i feel like it."


    whenever i see that look on somebody, i shiver.


    i rode on, occasionally running my hand through my brown hair, and looking around with my blue eyes. i had been told by women i''m handsome, but since i''m guy, i have no way of checking it. the horse i rode was a fine chestnut, a warhorse trained for battle, and my suit of armor was not-quite full plate. instead of carrying around a hulking suit of armor, i wore plate gauntlets and boots, with a plate helmet as well, substituting the heavy breast plate  with lighter and more maneuverable mail. and filling any other gap in my defenses with scale-mail, an armor made out of interlocking plates of metal, not as good as plate, but better than mail. though it allowed less freedom of motion, the added protection was worth it.


    my blade was a long, thick bastard sword, that could be used with one hand or two. this particular sword was heavier than most men could wield one handed, but i swung it like a toy. it was a clue to how strong i was. in addition to the narrow groove running down the middle, it had serrated edges, better to cut through un-armored men. it''s great weight, combined with it''s serrated edges, made it a dual purpose weapon.


    the serrates would kill those too poor to afford armor, and the weight would crush those wealthy enough to have plate. i loved my sword, as it loved killing as much as me, and was very good at it.


    my horse came to a stop, and i looked down at it, wondering what the problem was. the fine chestnut had been trained for war, and i had never seen anything less than a troll spook it.


    it had a wild look in it''s eye, and bucked, trying to turn me around, and i had to try and get control of it while telling my men to dismount.


    i looked around, and all twenty of my soldiers horses were bucking, and each of my men were swearing like someone had insulted their mother.


    i barely had time to look around before i joined them in their swearing. heres a little sample


    Authors note: if you want to skip this next part, just scroll down to the frowny face, and it will show you when it''s safe to read. it''s just a bunch of swearing, and contains nothing pertaining to the plot or the story.


    DON''T READ THIS NEXT PART IF YOU HAVE ANY SEMBLANCE OF INNOCENCE OR DIGNITY. I"M WARNING YOU.


    you have been warned.


    "mother****! what the hell do you think your doing you son of a whore who let every aid-filled begger have a ride on her, you yellow-bellied *** eating mother of a son of a bitch! your father joined your mother in letting beggers have a ride on him, then rode those aid-filled ***** all the way to the f***ing kingdom, where he had a go at the lepers, only to get turned away because they were afraid of getting more diseased! i hope your wife leaves you for your *** guzzling brother, and your uncle touched your **** while you were a child! i wish to the gods that you have your anus violently penatrated my the fattest of ***** while a bucket of *** is poured down your throat! but the ogres wouldn''t dare **** an aid-filled f***** like you, you piece of trash! go die in a fire, undoubtedly your mother wouldn''t hesitate, but instead shout for joy and go guzzle some more ***!"


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    :(


    Authors note: it''s safe now, you can continue reading the story. sorry about that, i felt kind of wierd today, and i had to get it out. i''m even more sorry to the poor ***** who read that, but i warned them. please don''t post an excerpt from this paragraph in the comments. i will reply to any questions you have, (assuming the answers don''t involve spoilers) just don''t quote anything i wrote in those paragraphs. now, enough swearing, lets get back to the story! :)


    after calming down the horses, we dismounted and sat in a circle, catching our breath from the fervent swearing. the only one who seemed calm after this was my lieutenant. she quietly sat in her saddle, looking on with cool eyes. it appears her horse was better trained, or at least she had better control over it.


    "comon Kai, have a seat." i said, motioning with my hand beside me.


    "i''d rather not, captain Temar."


    i sighed. she''d been doing this for the entire trip.


    "Kai, i told you to stop calling me ''captain''. just Baryll is fine, or bary if you want." i said this with a smile, knowing she''d never take my offer.


    "i do not think that will happen. and i wish you''d stop calling me Kai. it''s Sergeant silver fang, and i want you to respect that."


    "me? call you sergeant Silver Fang? i told you you''ve been promoted to lieutenant, and i''d sooner eat my horse than call you ''lieutenant Silver Fang," every time i need something done. calling you ''kai'' save''s at least two seconds, and on the battlefield seconds mean everything." i said seriously.


    "well, when you put it that way, i guess."


    and i think it''s a cute name.


    "did you say something?" she looked angry, and i thought she''d heard my whispers. and i did as every good commander does when faced with overwhelming odds.


    i tactfully retreated, by running as fast as i could into the forest to get as far away from her as i could. i said that eyes like hers gave me shivers, but when those same eyes wanted to murder me, i decided to run away.


    if i''d been asked what i learned from my years in the military, it was that women are scary. seriously.


    and this running away from her uncovered an important secret.


    i was running like the wind, like a graceful gazelle, like an arrow in flight, like a beautiful swallow.


    she ran like a panther that wanted to eat me.


    i stumbled and fell, landing on my face, hearing the crashing of my men trying to protect me from the she-beast, but i knew from her silent footsteps that all they would discover is my dead body.


    women are scary.


    i looked up, thinking that i would die here, and wanting a final view of this world before i was sent to the afterlife.


    and was greeted by a smiling head mounted on a spear in front of a bloody, headless corpse.


    i was frozen for a second, wondering what kind of hell spawn this was, when i saw that the smile was painted on, the corpses head showing a look of horror, only covered by the widely and generously smeared blood, in a sideways half-moon.


    i slowly got up, and to my further horror, i saw that this was only the first of many.


    i looked along the line, seeing bodies with limbs ripped off, as though by a savage beast. i heard Kai come up behind me, and heard her intake of breath. i looked at her, expecting a look of horror on her face, or at least disgust.


    what i saw instead was a look of glee.


    "what kind of heavenly being did this? i wish i could meet them." she smiled in a way i really didn''t like.


    "and tear their head off and smash it."


    did i mention women are scary?


    end of chapter 10


    end of volume I


    Authors note: just you wait guys. something wonderful is coming.


    just you wait.

 Volume II:Prologue:The Dark Peninsula

    "Ignatius The III Of The Dark Tower."


    "that is my name."


    the clerk looked over his papers, checking to see my appointment time.


    "so, you wish to gain an audience with the Frozen King, do you?"


    "that is what is written down, right?" honestly, i was getting tired of repeating myself.


    "so, what is the purpose of your visit?" he asked, sniffling from his cold.


    "isn''t that written down too?" shifting my feet on the frozen ground, i wished i had worn a thinner cloak. i pulled off my cloak, draping it on the clerks frozen desk. seriously, was there anything in this frozen cave that was actually cold?


    he looked through his papers some more, then finally rang his bell, and waved me in. i shook my head in disgust.


    i hate dealing with idiots.


    i pushed open the doors, two massive plates of ice under an arch, with all manner of runes and ancient letterings. even though they were ten feet high, and the ice was at least a half-foot thick, it opened with barely any effort, a testament to the strength of the runes of lightness inscribed on the bottom.


    inside these doors was a hall. it had an arched ceiling, and alcoves in the sides containing ice sculptures of warriors. pillers of ice stood beside the red carpet at intervals, making a pathway to the raised dais. as i walked down the carpet, torches of blue flame lit up beside me. all in all, it was a pretty throne room.


    it would be a shame if someone were to destroy it.


    i finally reached the throne, and looked up at the so-called Frozen king. he was old, and looked to be in his sixty''s at least, but still not bent with age. even though he was obviously past his prime, he still looked regal. like a king. i bowed, showing my respect for a man who had held onto his throne for more than five hundred years, through blood and steel. he would someday lose it the same way.


    "greetings, your majesty."


    he was wrinkled, but even the wrinkles couldn''t hide that he had been a handsome man in his early years. he wore a long blue cloak, and a purple mantle. a crown of ice rested perfectly on his head, nestled in his pure white hair, the color of snow. the plates of steel on his leg showed he wasn''t one to let his underlings do all the work, as well as his rippling muscles. even with a thick cloak obscuring his physique, you could still make out the compact muscle gained from years of training and battle.


    he slowly rose from his throne, showing his age.


    "greetings to you too, young one. what brings a prodigy to my home?" his voice was strong, and held a tone of command that most leaders could only envy. no matter how much his body had decayed from it''s former self, his voice still bespoke unspeakable strength.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    i raised my head, and shrugged my shoulders.


    "i think it is an overstatement to call me a prodigy. but i thank you for the complement, your majesty."


    he looked me over with eyes that held knowledge gained from over five hundred years of life.


    "i do not think it is an overstatement at all."


    my twenty year-old face broke into a smile of pleasure that such a powerful man would complement me.


    "i appreciate the complement, your majesty."


    he looked tired. like a horse that had run a race, and then a another one. and then a hundred more.


    "it wasn''t a complement. it was simply my stating the truth." he sighed a long, deep sigh. like he had pent up all of his fatigue for days, and had finally admitted to himself that he needed to rest. "and enough with the ''your majesty'' crap. my name is Zan Yaxes, of the North. use it."


    i started with surprise. "of course, Lord Yaxes. whatever you say." i said humbly.


    he slowly started taking off his coat of blue.


    "so, you said in your brief message that you wanted an alliance?"


    i nodded.


    he slowly set down his coat on the throne, then strightened his back, showing his broad shoulders.


    "i assume that was a lie, so you could approach me." it wasn''t a question, or asking for confirmation. it was a statement.


    i nodded again.


    he reached up to his crown, and took it off.


    "so then, Ignatius the III, have you come to take my crown?" he asked.


    i smiled, and removed my shirt, revealing the runes burnt into my flesh.


    he took another look at his crown, then raised it high into the air, inspecting it in the light of the blue torches. then he set it down at his feet, and removed his shirt, but kept his purple mantle on his shoulders.


    i looked in awe, seeing the chest of a man who had killed countless usurpers, devestated kingdoms of traitors, and countries of rivals. he was a man who had reached godhood, compared to regular mortals. the scars criss-crossing his chest made a wall of damaged flesh, so that it was hard to make out any skin.


    i replied to his question.


    "i will claim your crown, your throne, and your kingdom." i activated my mana pool, feeling the familiar burning sensation on my chest and everywhere else my red scars reached.


    he jumped, and fell, cracking the ice beneath his feet. as i looked up at the seven foot monster of an old man standing above me, i felt like i was looking into the face of an angry god. he said five words to me.


    THEN COME AND CLAIM THEM!

 Vol II:Ch1:The Scary Woman

    I awoke to the smell of blood.


    Was it weird that I liked that?


    Getting up, I found out what was causing the smell. My pelt that I had been using as a blanket had turned red, and was stained through-and-through with dried blood. Perhaps I had gotten a little over enthusiastic with last night''s activity?


    Nah, that can''t be it. I doubt I would ever be over enthusiastic about killing.


    I got up, and stretched just like I had when I was four-legged. There was something simply satisfying about hearing my own body pop in just the right spots.


    I walked to the entrance of my cave, and found I liked the smell of the morning due, especially when mixed with the smell of blood. I started walking down the mountainside, hearing the chirping of the birds, and feeling the soft grass beneath my feet. After a couple moments I had reached the bottom, and was now under some shade. Immediately I felt refreshed. I guess I wasn''t really a creature of the day, no matter how much I enjoyed the sun.


    I took a sniff, and all of the now-familiar scents reached my nose. The breeze was flowing north, so the scent of the spike beavers was blown my way. I made my way toward them, but something caught my attention on the way there. it was a strip of cloth, caught on a tree branch. I held it up to my nose, but couldn''t catch a scent from it. Next, I looked around, and successfully found some footprints, followed them for a short while, and soon found a cave to the south of my own. It was under an overhang, and went down into the ground, flooding when the rain came.


    Option available. Would you like to learn the job -Tracker- or not?


    I looked up in surprise. It had been a while since I had heard the voice, but what she said got me more interested.


    "Yes?"


    Job -tracker- acquired. would you like to see details?


    I thought for a moment, but declined. I wanted to see what was in this cave, and looking at the details of my job would have to wait.


    Making my way into the cave was tricky, as the ground was slippery, and there were no handholds. My night-vision was very useful in this situation, and considering I don''t think I could have made my way down the steep slope with a torch in one hand.


    Once the cave leveled out, I approximated that I was about seven or eight stories underground. I took a sniff by reflex, and found a scent I had never encountered before. Taking a close look at the ground, and since my night vision was so good, it was like looking around in a dim room. As I got close to the ground, I spotted glowing foot prints.


    Yep. Glowing footprints. Looks like I really had gone mad.


    However, as I looked at it, it slowly lost luminescence, and faded away. I stood back up, then it clicked. I had never seen glowing footprints before, but I had gained the job tracker, so this vision must be something that I got from that job. I quickly followed the rapidly disappearing footprints, and made my way quietly through the cave.


    Suddenly, the cave started brightening. I kept going, but the footprints had all gone, since I couldn''t make them out with this light.


    After a while, I reached a doorway, or what looked like one. With my excellent hearing I heard voices, and after stopping I began to listen closer.


    "He he, we sure made off with quite a bit, huh?"


    "Shut the f*** up Grabnotz, you were such a coward I think you pissed yourself."


    "Come on, why you hatin'' on me bro?"


    "Because your a bitch, and it has never been proven that we''re brothers."


    "But Mom and Dad-"


    "I said there wasn''t any proof! now go back to f***ing the worms."


    The first voice, Grabnotz I assume, muttered something that was probably unintelligible to the other one.


    "Whore..."


    "What the hell did you call me?!"


    "Nothing big bro!"


    "It''s never been proven!"


    I left them to their family squabbles, and turned around, thinking I should investigate the cave further before I did anything stupid, when I heard a deep, guttural voice.


    "Well well well, what do we have here?"


    I froze, and slowly turned around.


    "A little kitty in my cave? How adorable."


    I looked up, and saw something I wished I hadn''t.


    Author''s note: Well, here it is. Devour it like you do a subway sandwich.


    (Mmmmm,,, subway....)


    A huge, ugly face greeted me, as well as a group of what looked like boogers animated and given life. Not sure what to make of these creatures. Booger monsters?


    "Well little kitty? What would someone like you be doing in my cave?"


    I slowly looked around, then looked back at him.


    "I apologize."


    He looked smug.


    "You should. After all I''m the great and powerful-"


    "No, I think you misunderstood me."


    He stopped, then tilted his head about thirty degrees.


    "What did I misunderstand?"


    "I was pitying you for having to live in such a dump."


    He was speechless. I just smiled like he had, smug.


    "You, ahhh!" He got up, then ran toward me, blustering in an angry way.


    "Oh come now." I said, swaying away from his sloppy punches. "Is this all the strength you have?"


    He snarled, then pulled a spear off of the wall of the cave.


    "You little cat..."


    "Oh? What do you think your going to do with that spear? Ram it up your ass? Sorry. I''m not into that kind of thing. But thanks for being a willing host."


    The look on his face was priceless. He was so livid I think his head started steaming.


    "You f*****... you motherf*****!"


    He threw the spear, and I pivoted. It passed through the air in front of me, and I reached out with both hands, gripping and spinning the length of wood, pirouetting on the ball of my left foot, completing a full circle, and bringing the spear into a guard position in front of me.


    I smiled. I was feeling generous today, so I''d give them all numbers. Ugly was talking again.


    "Go! Kill that sonovabitch!"


    All of the booger monsters started running toward me, and I gave a bow, with spear at shoulder.


    "Snakes Slithering Wrath, number three." I had practiced in dozens of dojos. While I had never thought practicing with weapons like the spear and sword would be practical, they had helped to strengthen my muscles, in a way normal unarmed combat couldn''t.


    Three approached. They didn''t seem to be that coordinated, as they all watched each other, making sure that the other two were beside them at all times.


    They were so busy they didn''t see my spear coming until the one on the left¡¯s throat had been impaled. The other two kept going by virtue of momentum, and I brought the butt of the spear around in a spinning arc, knocking his head off. The one on the far right only had time to scream before I kicked him as I spun, making him fly into the wall, impaling himself on a convenient spike.


    "One, two, three."


    The booger monsters surrounded me, and they all looked like they wanted someone else to go first.


    I would fill the bill.


    I jumped forward, spinning the spear above my head, and brought it down, ramming it into one''s chest, hard enough that it continued on, impaling a second on the spear, making what could be called a booger shish kebab. Eww.


    "Four, five."


    The one to my right pulled back his club, making an attempt to hit me. I pulled the spear out, making a smooth motion like the monsters had no substance, and were just illusions. But the green blood they spurted from their bodies was very real. Using the butt I shattered another one¡¯s skull, then spun it around and beheaded another.


    "Six, seven."


    I continued my form. Snakes Slithering Wrath number three was a unique form, in the way that it dealt with numerous enemies, while leaving much room for improvisation. I loved this form.


    Over and over, I hit them, stabbed them, bewildered them with the shining tip of the spear. I closed my eyes for a second, breathing deep.


    *Inhale*


    To my left, one was splattered against the wall. To my right, a hundredth of a second after, one lost his head. His body kept running, as though he was a chicken without its head. He died soon enough. I spun. Dealing death to all around me. I laughed, and the wind laughed with me. All too soon, I stopped. What is it?


    *Exhale*


    I looked around, and swore.


    All were dead, and I hadn''t even gotten warmed up. There was still half the form left.


    I finished counting.


    "Fifty-eight, fifty-nine."


    I looked down at my spear, and saw it had shattered long ago. It was now half the length of the original, losing both the blade and the butt. Practically useless. I didn''t know how in the world I had killed anyone with this, but I guess they were so weak even half a spear was enough for them. I spit on the ground, and tried to rid my nose of their scent.


    "You killed them all."


    I looked up, and saw ugly standing among his fallen comrades.


    "Yes. Tell me, what are you?"


    He looked up, then snarled.


    "You exterminated us, without even knowing what we are?"


    I answered solemnly.


    "yes."


    He looked tired. I wonder why?


    "They were goblins. I''m an ogre. Does that answer your question?"


    I nodded.


    "Then, you can finish up, and kill me too."


    I thought for a moment, then nodded.


    "Okay."


    He raised his round wooden shield, and his flanged mace. He stood a few feet taller than me, and in all was probably three meters tall.


    I ran forward, and dodged his swing with the mace, running up his arm, then kicking the back of his head as I vaulted off of him.


    He turned, swinging horizontally, and I jumped, flipping onto my hands, so when he swung back again I pushed against the ground. hard. this sent me up to his head, and I kicked him still upside down. The kick stunned him, and I flipped back to right side up. I breathed in, then out.


    I tightened my muscles, then flexed, and jumped.


    I jumped eight feet, bringing my legs to the level of his head. relaxing all of my muscles, I spun, and extended a leg, tightening my leg at the last moment, and his head flew off.


    "Sixty."


    ---


    When I got back, I knew something was up. Talkir and Shielin were hiding something.


    We were in my cave, which was getting bigger all the time, due to the nest''s effort.


    When I had walked in, everyone had been a little surprised that I was covered in green blood, and carrying the head of an ogre. I had no idea at the time, but apparently I had stumbled upon nature''s bandits.


    Shielin had chittered at me, and I''m pretty sure she would have scolded me, if I wasn''t king of the forest.


    I asked for a report like usual, and they answered hesitantly, like they wanted to get it exactly right.Ei


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    What is going on?


    Finally, after several moments of the two of them avoiding my gaze, and me sitting in silence. Egain sighed and looked me in the eyes.


    "Since these pansies obviously don¡¯t have the balls to tell you themselves, their-"


    He was interrupted by Talkir pinning him to the ground, and covering his mouth.


    He grunted with the effort, but managed to talk.


    "Gr, sorry sir, ah, but we were waiting for the, grr, right time."


    Throughout his sentence, Egain struggled to throw him off.


    I asked what had been bugging me.


    "What is it?"


    Talkir stepped off of Egain, and Egain brushed himself off.


    "Well, sir, it has dawned on us that we''re holding you back."


    I was speechless.


    "Ssss, that one is correct. You have no need for the nest, and we are but ants compared to you."


    I made a sound in my throat, something between a squeal and a hiss.


    "Sir, what we''re trying to say is,"


    I felt all the breath leave my body.


    It''s happening again.


    "We''re leaving. I don''t know when we''ll be back, but I¡¯m sure you that when I come back, I''ll be useful to you."


    Wait... don''t leave me... you¡¯re my only friends...


    "Ssss, yes. When this one comes back, Shielin will be strong enough to stand beside you."


    Stop... you don''t have to be strong...I just want...


    "Goodbye. Egain will stay, and watch over you until we''re back."


    I just want... to not be lonely anymore.


    They left. I raised my hand, and tried to stop them, but they were already gone. I fell to my knees.


    Why... why...


    Just when I had found people that tolerated my existence, they were gone.


    Shit.


    ---


    I walked through the forest, not feeling the soft grass beneath my feet. not feeling the warm sun above. Just feeling the familiar emptiness.


    Shit.


    I didn''t walk anywhere in particular, just walking to make sure I was still alive, and hadn''t died again.


    Shit.


    I was walking, when I heard clanking. it sounded like a dozen metal plates being banged together, and I thought maybe I should climb a tree. If it was something strong, I''d want to surprise attack it.


    I just couldn''t summon the motivation to climb the tree.


    Shit.


    I waited. I sat down, and played with the leaves and twigs on the ground, folding the leaves, making little flags from leaves and twigs. Once, I''d seen children play in the sand, and make little flags from leaves and twigs. That''d been on my fourth mission. I''d question my master why they were doing such a thing, and he had told me to hike the mountain.


    I wonder why I played with the leaves and twigs now, instead of when I was young? Did this mean I had never been human?


    Shit.


    I heard the clanking get closer, but I didn''t look up. Eventually, a hand grabbed my shoulder.


    I snarled, and bit at it, and because the owner of the hands had great reflexes he managed to save his hand.


    "Woah!"


    I looked up at my assailant on all fours, my ears pricked and my tail straight behind me.


    I saw a man in his twenties, hand on a brilliant sword.


    I growled, deep in my throat. I didn''t know my throat could make such a sound. I had unconsciously activated fear, and a couple of the armored men behind the man quivered.


    I looked up at them, sniffing them, and knew that if Talkir or Shielin had been here, they would both have died.


    F***!


    ---


    I looked down on the creature before me. It looked like a cat demi-human with black fur, but it''s blood red sclera told that this was no ordinary demi-human.


    He growled, and I tightened my grip on my sword.


    "Kai. Get over here."


    My lieutenant complied, walking over to where I was. She had her sword ready. It was different from mine, in that it was curved, and only had a blade on one edge. It was referred to by most weapon smiths as a katana, and only the very skilled could wield one with any proficiency.


    I briefly wondered what a creature like this was doing so far from civilization. Most demi-humans either were tribal, or lived in cities.


    Then I saw the blood matting the fur it had around it''s waist, and thought,


    Looks like we found what happened to the bandits.


    ---


    I kept growling, but he didn''t seem to care. Then, he spoke.


    "Hey there. Are you the one who killed the bandits?"


    I thought for a little bit. If I lied, they would probably leave me alone.


    But then I wouldn''t get to let out any of this RAGE.


    "Which one''s are you referring to? The goblins this morning, or the ones from last night? ¡®Cause I had a blast ripping their heads off and putting them on poles. did you find their decapitated heads as amusing as I did?"


    I knew I sounded rabid. They probably thought I had rabies, and I don''t think me having rabies would make a difference.


    "If that is the case, then you are a danger to all of your surroundings. I have been ordered by the king to deal with any threats in this area, and I deem you as one."


    I smiled. Through the pain, the sadness, the insanity.


    "Oh? And what¡¯s a bastard like you going to do about it?"


    He stepped forward, and unsheathed his sword.


    Looks like negotiations had ended.


    I activated shadow blade, and swung at his head. He looked up in surprise, but managed to get his sword up in time to block me. I stepped into him, and places my claws at his stomach. Then I activated shadowblade, and poured as much mana as I could into them.


    A wet, smacking sound. He looked down at the hole in his belly, then looked back up at me, licking my claws.


    I smiled. Insanely. Sadly. With hatred.


    He brought his sword around, and I used my claws to block his stroke. My claw for the middle finger broke off, but I grabbed his sword, ignoring the pain brought by gripping the blade as hard as I could. My blood ran down his blade, and I tore it from his hand. a large gash had opened up on my palm, but I paid it no mind, as I stepped forward again.


    And stopped.


    For a moment, I wondered what had happened, then I saw the woman.


    She was crouched low, and was re-sheathing her katana-looking sword.


    Bitch.


    I tried to turn toward her, then it hit me.


    A slice from my right waist up to my shoulder had opened.


    I relaxed the muscles in my chest that wanted to flex, so that instead of blood spurting, it instead ran in a sheet down my chest.


    Ignoring the pain, and having avoided losing a great deal of blood, I stepped forward and grabbed her by the neck. Then I turned her around, a surprised look on her face that I could still move with such a horrible wound.


    I held her neck with my right, and the hilt of her sword with my left. All in all, I was bigger, had more muscle, and was fueled by rage and adrenaline. She still gave me a fight to bring her into submission.


    After I had shown her that fighting was useless, she began kicking and trying to headbutt me.


    What a crazy woman.


    I tightened my grip around her neck, and whispered into her ear.


    "If you don''t stop, I''ll rip your head off like I did the bandits. But instead of mounting it on something, I''ll eat it."


    She stopped, and shivered. She didn''t seem scared. She seemed more... excited. what a scary woman.


    I looked up from my hostage, and saw that all twenty of the soldiers had brought out their weapons, and the man had pulled out his knife with one hand, even though there was a hole in his belly.


    I thought for a while, but I knew that I couldn''t fight with this wound. If I tried, it would only end with me dead from blood loss, or a sword.


    Whichever came first.


    F***.


    While thinking, I realized that I was hungry. I bit her ear until it bled, then licked it.


    Mmmm...


    Yes. They were strong. Too strong for me as I was.


    I must get stronger.


    I will never lose the people I care about ever again.


    "And f*** any whore who gets in my way!" I yelled.


    I threw the woman at the leader, knocking him over, and turned and jumped up a tree, then began hopping away.


    I guess this was a draw. We''d have to settle this some other time.


    ---


    But, that woman had really been scary.


    I thought, while wrapping my wounds.


    I think I heard her moan when I had bit her ear, and that had not, been what I was expecting.


    A gasp of pain, maybe. Or an intake of breath. Not the sound of pleasure.


    That, combined with her strike that even I hadn''t been able to follow, made her strange. she would be a difficult opponent, ignoring the fact that I hadn''t even seen all of her techniques. I guess I learned a valuable lesson from this.


    Women are scary.


    But I had to thank her. She and her friends had helped to distract me from the sadness of my friends leaving.


    At least, I told myself that. I could lie in my mind, but my tears told a different story.


    ---


    Baryll''s POV


    That bastard...


    I looked over my men, and all of them were shaken.


    I had had to have dozens of stitches on my stomach, and I''m pretty sure some of my men would need therapy after this. The creature had used some sort of ability that damages the mind, and few of them were unscathed.


    Kai had reacted strangely, and had barely moved since we''d gotten back to the village.


    She had her eyes closed, and was leaned back. For a second, I thought she was more hurt than I had thought, but when I could make out what she was muttering, I immediately turned myself around, and walked as fast as I could in the other direction.


    Me and that creature would probably disagree on many things, but I got the feeling we could agree on one thing.


    Women are scary.


    Author''s note: So sad... I can''t believe the feels... f*** it! I have to do it! For the story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and Sparta!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 VolII:ch2:On Magic And The World

    Jordan''s POV


    Humans are foolish.


    Not as foolish as me, but stupid all the same.


    Why is it, that even when you try to do something nice without expecting anything in return. They still stubbornly pay you back?


    *sigh* "I don''t think I''ll ever be able to understand those monkeys."


    Still... there were things that came with having a willing champion.


    I held up my fingers. Marveling at the way they curled and twisted with power.


    Shadowpelt had already conquered the forest, some of the residents of Roads End had begun to offer up their power to him, and by extension, me.


    That was how it worked, after all.


    I breathed out, and stared at the particles of mana expelled from my body.


    Mana was everywhere. The ground, air, in every living thing. Even plants and trees breathed mana, but there were differences in the amount and purity, depending on the being in particular.


    You see, every living thing, (excluding undead) produces mana. It may be a tiny amount, but they produce mana all the same. When a living thing reaches the cusp of their mana pool, and are unable to store any more mana, they breathe it out. A regular human spends most of their life breathing out mana. Although there is a difference, like I said, between a mortal and something more releasing mana. High-level magic users breathe out much more, and purer, mana than normal people. Warriors, simply by increasing their strength, also gain increased mana generation.Though a low-level magic user generates as much mana as a high-level warrior. Excluding a few exceptions. Using myself as an example, if you were to use the mana I breathe out, you would be able to instantly level a village. I am one of the weaker gods, however, and this is thought of as weak by my more powerful brethren.


    Objects are different. They can hold mana, and they can release it, given the correct circumstance. However, released mana, and mana that is breathed out, is often too impure to be used in magic. That is where wizards come into play. As wizards, they have learned how to harness mana, and use it. Most are only able to use the mana that they themselves produce, but those who reach a level where using only the mana pool that they own becomes troublesome, look for another way. mana can be liquidized, or stored in an object. Gems are the best at this, and are thus very valuable. You can store as much mana in a bowling ball sized gem as you could in a mountain. Of course, there aren''t very many bowling sized gems, but you get my point.


    *sigh* I should really stop talking to myself. It''s creepy.


    Oh well, I started, so I might as well continue.


    Liquidized mana can be put into a bottle, and drunk, as well as used by anyone. The taste, however, is rather bitter. If someone were to drink mana while their mana pool is full, they would have more mana then they usually have, but it would quickly release from them, so it is only useful when you want to cast a spell that would normally require more mana than you usually can contain in your body. Drinking a bunch of mana would be useless, no matter how much you drink, if you don''t use it immediately besides straight mana, there are also concoctions that can increase the rate at which you produce mana. These are hard to make, and very valuable. Now, you might be thinking, ''wow! so that means that every living being can store their mana?''.


    Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.


    If you thought this, you would be dead wrong.


    It requires a great amount of time, as well as specialized equipment, to extract any mana from anyone. Even with this, a large portion of the mana extracted is impure, and must be removed, or else it would kill the drinker. As expensive as mana regeneration potions are, straight mana is even more expensive, as the person who has it extracted is usually the one who uses it.


    As for the uses of mana, there are two widely known uses, though there are many unknown uses. The first, is -aided magic- which is accomplished by writing runes, or chanting, or a scroll with spells already written down on it. Scrolls can be one-use or multi-use, depending on their contents.


    The second is -unaided magic- which is done instinctively. Shadowpelt¡¯s shadow manipulation is this kind, and is done with will and mana alone. This type usually takes more mana, but the effect is much faster. The first type commonly takes less mana, but the preparation of runes or scrolls, or the memorizing of spells, is required. It also takes time to activate the runes and scrolls, or to chant the spells.


    There is another type of power, one that few have knowledge of. It is something that, just like mana, is present in every living thing, but it is also present in all non-living things. (Excluding undead)


    This power was what us gods lived off of, what we drew our strength from. It was a strange power, and the few mortal scientists that had knowledge of it had never been able to explain it.


    Put in simple terms, it was a mana that only gods can use. It is obtained through owning something. Or someone.


    For example, if a person decides that they believe in a certain god, then they will give that god their power. If that same person were to plant a flag and declare a hill to be there''s, the hill will give it''s power to the god. The more people, and the more land, the more powerful the god. Sometimes, however, a god¡¯s name was forgotten. Or was considered a myth. If that became the case, then that god could send a champion to spread his or her influence, and thus gain power.


    I had been able to survive as a god because i had a dozen places in the world where I had staked my claim. They were so small, and so insignificant, that I had been little more than a ghost with immortality. Now, however, things had changed.


    I felt power buzzing in my fingertips, and felt the mana all around.


    I was a fool, but because of Shadowpelt¡¯s ability and determination, I was a fool with power.


    I had used all of my, as mortal teenagers in another world would say, ''minutes'' to talk to Shadowpelt in person. Now, I would have to do something else. However with this new power sending a simple message would be like taking candy away from a rock.


    Effortless


    It only made sense I help him, right? If a man offers to make you a cake, the least you can do is give him the sugar.


    But we''re talking about conquering the world here. A little sugar won''t do shit.


    I smiled, and raised my arms.


    "I will use this strength you have given me, Shadowpelt."


    My grin grew wider.


    "I will use this Power!"

 Vol II:ch3:Kat

    I woke up...


    Putting my hand over the fresh wound on my chest. I flinched, immediately reminding myself of the pain due to the gash created in my left hand after gripping that bastard¡¯s sword.


    Remaining prone on the ground in pain, I stayed in that position for quite some time.


    When I had regained control of my body, I slowly sat up. A wave of dizziness hit me, and I held my right hand to my head, my left lying uselessly on the ground.


    It looked like I was experiencing the effects of extreme blood loss. I would probably stay weak for a couple of days, assuming I ate enough. Then I remembered in order to eat it would have to be something strong, and I seriously doubt I had the strength to kill anything near my own level.


    Looks like it''ll take longer than a couple days for the weakness to wear off.


    I painfully made my way to my feet, hissing in pain while doing so, and could finally take a couple of steps.


    When I had made it out of the cave, something strange greeted me.


    It was a vine, that had grown all the way up the mountain, and was grown in such a way that it indicated letters.


    I tilted my head, and could finally make it out. It was English, not whatever language I had been speaking in this world, so I knew it was either Jordan or another god. It could also be a trap. Which would probably end with my death, seeing how weak I was at the moment.


    It was brief and to the point.


    Go south east. Wait at the first road you find. Don''t kill anything that isn''t an animal while you''re waiting.


    It seemed to be some pretty explicit instructions, and since I had little I could do in this forest, I decided to follow them.


    Even if it was a trap, the worst that could happen is me dying again.


    As my master had said, "Life is carrying a mountain. Death is holding a feather."


    Only after my own death could I fully appreciate his saying.


    I walked along the forest floor, not enjoying the sun as I used to. Feeling only hard ground where the grass was. I thought about my master''s sayings, and his teachings. In the end, I think he knew I would kill him. He was always aloof from me, but somehow, I felt he actually cared about me sometimes. Maybe that was why he didn''t refuse the poisoned tea I gave him.


    On my way I spotted arrows in the form of strange vine growth that consistently pointed south-east. While I was walking Egain joined me. He didn''t say anything, but I did find his presence comforting. Perhaps it was because even after my friends had left me, I still had a companion. Egain and I hunted in silence, catching whatever prey we could on the way. I did it for fun, however Egain took it seriously.


    The sun soon past its zenith, and I assumed it must be around one to two o''clock, after some time the undergrowth suddenly thinned. Looking around for the cause I found a well-paved road in front of me. It was made from rock and mortar, and had draining ditches on either side, so the road wouldn''t flood when it rained. I looked around but saw nothing, and decided to follow the vines instructions, and wait.


    While we were waiting, Egain and I continued to hunt.


    I kept an ear out to make sure I wouldn''t miss anything that came down the road, while turning the rest of my attention to our activity.


    I would throw a rock, either scaring a beast of prey in Egain¡¯s direction, or luring a so-called ''predator'' to him, so he could kill it. He wasn''t used to this kind of hunting, as he was a wolf, and used to working with his pack to bring down prey. I, however, was perfectly comfortable with this kind of hunting. My instincts as a cat family demi-human told me to wait in silence for an unfortunate individual to walk past me, and then to strike.


    I was, unfortunately, too weak from blood loss to chase down any prey.


    Egain and I hunted like this for several minutes. About half-an hour passed by my estimate, when I heard something coming down the road.


    He and I went to the edge of the treeline, hiding in the shadows, seeing what the strange vines had in store for me.


    I breathed slowly, my old instincts as an assassin waking up. I could hear Egain breathing quickly beside me, and knew he was excited. We had never really gotten to know each other, but I think I can understand his excitement.


    I had breathed a little quicker before my first kill too.


    This wouldn''t be Egain¡¯s first kill, but it was stepping into the unknown. The unknown scares people. I admired his courage for facing it with his head up, and ears pricked. I swished my tail slowly behind me, the motion barely registered in my mind, I was so used to doing it for so long.


    I heard the rumbling of wheels on stone, and around the bend I saw a wagon, uncovered and filled with people.


    All of a sudden, a vine sprouted in front of me, and told me some very troubling things.


    Jordan you bastard. I''ll get you for this!


    Jordan''s POV


    I grinned.


    Shadowpelt might not like it, but it was for the best.


    Plus, it was hilarious as shit.


    I kept chuckling as I carefully manipulated the world, changing it to a state more like I wanted.


    I wasn''t doing something grand like moving continents, but to me it was grand.


    I guess being weak had it''s advantages. When I had been little more than a ghost, I''d had to keep the other gods attention away from me, and the best way to do that was to stay underneath their radar, and not do something stupid, like sending up a flare and telling them I was weak and wanted to die.


    So, I had been circumspect. I''d used my small amount of power carefully, only using as much as I needed. Nothing more. I had learned things that most gods never even thought about. Like how to mask someone''s presence, and how to change a person''s mind without other gods noticing what you did.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    I used less power than other gods, and accomplished more.


    Yes, I had to admit that being a weakling for five thousand years eventually paid of.


    I sent the last message, using my power to activate the mana in the vine, guiding it''s enhanced growth. Later, it would look like a passing wizard had messed around with the plants, injecting mana into them randomly. I also erased the letters after shadowpelt was done reading them, so even the other gods who can read any language will think it was just randomly injected mana.


    I chuckled a little more, then burst out laughing.


    I hadn''t felt like this since I''d been mortal.


    Yes, I told myself.


    I truly am a fool.


    A fool for choosing immortality over my friends.


    Shadowpelt¡¯s POV


    I looked through my ability list once again, and swore.


    Egain asked me what it was.


    "That bastard Jordan told me to do something, and I thought maybe it was impossible. Hoping it was impossible, would be more like it."


    He looked confused. "What did you hope was impossible?"


    I sighed. "You''ll see."


    Kat''s POV


    I looked around. Not really interested in talking with my fellow passengers on our way to the human kingdoms'' magic academy. It wasn''t as good as the one on the Dark Peninsula, but it was a lot safer.


    I was going there to perfect my magic, as I had advanced as far as I could without a teacher.


    Though, I had some misgivings, and thought about everything that could go wrong, while making sure my shoulder length red hair covered my ears.


    I did not want anyone to see them.


    I played around with the ball of fire in my hand, and I could tell my casual handling of such a dangerous substance was making the other passengers uncomfortable, but they would have to deal with it.


    I only threw fireballs if I was mad.


    The wagon bumped again, and I turned to the driver, to see if I could get him to stop driving over every single bump between the southern sea and the magic academy. When I saw something further along the road.


    "Stop."


    The driver turned to me, looking confused.


    "Scuse me miss?"


    I showed him my scary face, and he stopped.


    I hopped of of the wagon, not caring that a piece of my skirt got caught on the wood, but just tearing it off.


    As I approached the creature, I knelt down, and took a good look.


    It was a black cat, about as tall as my knee, with glossy black fur. For a second, I thought I saw something like resignation on its face, but I quickly discarded the thought.


    I put my hand out, and ignored the driver yelling that it was a wild cat that would probably bite me.


    Instead of rubbing my hand, or even biting me, it just strolled past me.


    I was left squatting there, while the cat hopped into the wagon, and casually lay down in my seat.


    This f*****,


    I turned toward it, trying to keep the kind smile on my face, but every now and then I twitched. So it looked more like I was someone who had escaped a crazy house.


    I got back into the wagon, then stood in front of the cat, hands on my hips.


    "Now listen here bastard,"


    Was I imagining things?


    "If you don''t get off of my seat right now, I''ll fry you until you''re nothing more than ashes. Got that, bitch?"


    Or was the cat smiling?


    It didn''t move, but after a second it got up, stretched leisurely. Almost like it had all the time in the world, and got on to the side of the wagon, balancing on the side.


    I huffed, and sat in my seat. I just knew that bastard was smiling at me from behind it''s paws.


    As the wagon continued on, I kept practicing my fire magic, but this time, I was throwing the fire.


    F***!


    Shadowpelt"s POV


    I grinned. It may have been immature to be so rude to the girl, but it was hilarious. I shook my paw a little, still not sure what I thought about this Beast Form. In the description, it had said I could revert to any of my previous beast evolution''s. Though my stats would take a penalty depending on the forms strength. Since I had taken my first form, I was now pretty much as strong as three men. I had also used shadow manipulation, on Jordan''s advice to cover my red irises, making them appear like regular black.


    Even though it was daytime, my mana seemed to recharge faster than it took to create the shadow to cover my irises. I only had to cover a couple centimeters in shadow, after all.


    I would still get Jordan back for this, it just wasn''t as bad as I first assumed.


    Jordan told me in his message that if I wanted to get more powerful, I needed to make use of my magic. In my previous world, I had fought using everything at my disposal. Not learning how to use magic would be like not using guns.


    I would die in a second, if my opponent did use them.


    And so, my dignity was a necessary sacrifice.


    (Plus, this Kat girl is cute.)


    Author''s note: hooray! a new chapter! But seriously, I noticed that people are commenting more, and I love it. I love reading your comments, so much. I love talking with you, and hearing your feedback. even the one''s that say, ''you suck'' still make my day. thanks for your continued support, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! If you didn''t, I''ll just go and cry myself to sleep...


    Bye Bye!

 Vol II:ch4:The Magic Academy

    I sighed.


    It wasn''t an angry sigh, or a sad one. Just one of resignation.


    Go into cat form he said.


    I was lying on the side of the wagon, napping peacefully.


    Until that girl woke me up.


    "Oi! Cat Bastard! Get up!"


    Can''t I get a moment of peace?


    I slowly turned around, and saw the girl looking at me. That familiar hands-on-hips pose prevalent in her posture.


    It was nighttime, and the wagon had been traveling all day. Throughout every stop the girl would constantly wake me up, and try to get me to leave.


    I grinned a little at this. Outsmarting her in these cases had been quite entertaining.


    "Cat Bastard! I know you''re grinning at me! Get the hell off of the wagon, or I''ll skin you and make some nice catskin boots!"


    Does she have to shout every time she speaks?


    I hopped off, hissing under my breath. Even though I had changed form, I still had a wound on my paw, so walking was a little difficult. I also had a long cut on my belly, but luckily no one had seen it, nor questioned why a cat would have such a huge wound that was obviously made with a blade.


    "Come on Cat Bastard, what are you waiting for? Is your leg asleep, bitch?"


    And where did she learn all of these profanities? Did she sail with marines or something?


    I sighed again. I was doing that a lot after meeting this girl, but this one wasn''t because of her. It was Jordan''s fault.


    ¡±Go into cat form¡± he says. ¡°get in front of the wagon¡± he says. I shivered at the thought of the next part of his message..


    ¡°Become a pet¡± he says.


    F****** hell!


    Kat''s POV


    I was getting pissed off.


    Not only did this cat ignore me most of the time, but when it paid attention to me I could always feel it smirking behind it''s whiskers.


    Although I had noticed it limping a few times.


    It followed me to the acolytes camp, and when I took a seat a little away from the fire. It then sat down beside me and began licking its left paw.


    The camp was in a large clearing beside the road, and was lain out like this. The tents were positioned in a crescent shape. The outside was pointed towards the trees, and the campfire in the center of them. We were sitting down opposite the tents and trees, on the side opposite of the fire away from most of the others. They didn''t say anything, but it was understood that me and the other acolytes would be more comfortable with a little space in between us.


    Now that the Cat Bastard was sitting, I could see a line of missing fur from it''s right hind leg to its left fore leg. It was too clean to have been made with claws, and that straight line wasn''t from a branch. It was obviously some kind of blade wound.


    The cat noticed me looking, and lazily lied down, concealing it''s chest from my view.


    Fine. If it doesn''t want my help, I won''t help it.


    Still, her heritage made it hard for her to ignore a wounded animal.


    She sighed, then turned toward it.


    "Okay, Cat Bastard. If you''re going to accompany me to the magic academy, I''ll have to set some ground rules. Got that?"


    It looked at me curiously, then tilted it''s head. I took that as a signal to go on.


    "First, if I tell you to do something, You will do it. Got that?"


    It kept its head tilted, but I think I saw a slight dip and rise of it''s head.


    I nodded as well.


    "Second, you will not embarrass me in any way."


    It made another affirmative nod.


    "Thirdly, I can''t just keep calling you Cat Bastard. It''ll damage my reputation as a pure maiden."


    It raised it''s eyebrow.


    How the hell does a cat even do that.


    I thought for a little bit, then after awhile finally told it my name ideas.


    "Fluffykins."


    I just looked at me, and it''s already risen eyebrow seemed to go even higher.


    "Okay, no good."


    I thought for a little bit longer this time, then said.


    "Cutiepie."


    It shook it''s head vigorously.


    "Then what the hell kind of name do you want!?"


    I became conscious of the other acolytes looking at me and whispering behind their hands.


    I forced a smile, and waved trying to convince them that I had not lost my marbles.


    The cat audibly snickered.


    I turned toward it.


    "Okay fine! Cat Bastard it is!"


    It just looked at me, then swished its tail.


    Other people might think it was just a cat swishing its tail, but I took it as a challenge.


    I thought long and hard, as well as deep into the night.


    Finally, I came up with the best cat name I had ever thought of.


    "Okay Cat Bastard, I think you''ll like this name."


    It looked at me questioningly, still swishing its tail tauntingly.


    "Chub chub meowton!"


    ...


    It flinched.


    Then it backed away slowly, trying to make as much room between me and him.


    I smiled.


    "There''s no escape for you now, meowton."


    That was when it sprinted up a tree, and sat on a branch hissing at me.


    It kept doing that all night.


    ---


    I rose and stretched, feeling the cramps of having slept on the ground.


    For some reason, I had felt much warmer and more comfortable than usual.


    That was when I discovered the cat lying on my chest.


    I immediately threw it off, then created a ball of fire in my hand.


    It looked groggy, but not groggy enough to be hit by my clumsily thrown fireballs.


    After I had exhausted my mana, I sat there panting. Then it snickered.


    "Cat Bastard!"


    Looks like his name really will be Cat Bastard. I''ll just have to tell anyone who asks that my brother named him. Though, I don''t have a brother.


    I had an interesting morning, but after the cat finally evaded my searches for it. I sat down on my futon and had a breakfast of bread and salted fish. It wasn''t a feast, but it filled the stomach. Halfway through, the Cat Bastard strolled up to me and ate a brightly colored bird beside me. I think I growled at him a little bit.


    The thing is, he kept spitting it out. The other strange thing is, he was only eating the feathers and bones.


    Why is he...


    Then it dawned on me.


    He was boning and feathering it. After it had completely separated the meat from the rest of the bird, it nudged the now-filleted bird carcass toward me. Picked up a bone and padded away, like it was a dog.


    I looked at the carcass, then at the Cat Bastard, and finally gave up.


    I roasted it, then saved half in case he came back. He never did.


    When the wagon started he showed up out of nowhere, and avoided my gaze.


    I smiled a little bit.


    Looks like even bastards can be nice.


    ---


    Shadowpelt¡¯s POV


    Nothing mentionable happened on the ride, just occasional bouts of cursing and hands-on-hips. Though, I noticed they were much less often than before. almost like they were a formality.


    Before I had gotten on the wagon, I told egain to go back to the forest. He''d look after it in my place, and explore the cave I had found. I was leaving it in good hands. I told him that if he ever needed to contact me for help, he could try asking Jordan, or send someone up this road to the magic academy.


    The wagon driver perked up, and so did the acolytes. As we rounded a bend in the road. That was when we all saw a huge, marble building. It was absolutely massive, and dominated the hill it rested on. With pillars and arches supporting it filled with designs and pictures accentuated with numerous towers of all shapes and designs. Some reached up to the clouds, others were only a story higher than the rest of the building. Some had lighting coming out, others had birds of all kinds flying around outside. Climate didn''t seem to matter, as some towers were frozen solid, or even made of ice, while others were nearly magma.


    As the wagon approached, we could see a mirade of different people coming from all around, in carriages or with escorts, carrying cargo or simply walking. The most interesting people were riding beasts. There seemed to be no rhyme nor reason.


    As the wagon approached, one of the beast riders came over and started chatting with the wagon driver. Almost like it was the most normal thing in the world to chat with your friend while riding on a giant green slug-thing.


    After getting through what looked to be a circus consisting of even more outrageous animals, we made it to the front steps.


    A looming arch supported by pillars, with two massive stone doors in between, at the top of three wide steps. If it weren''t for the rest of the building, I''d think it was a government office.


    The girl and the other acolytes got off of the wagon, and made their way up the three steps. The look of awe was perfectly mirrored on all of their faces, except for the girls. Though she didn''t swear when I jumped on her shoulder, which was a miracle unto itself.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    When we reached the top of the steps, an old man appeared out of thin air.


    He turned a couple times, finally coming to a stop. He was missing several teeth, and had a grey pointed hat on, while having on a half-polka dot and half-blue-with-star coat. They did not go well together. If I had to compare him to someone from my first life I''d have to say he resembled the crazy hermit at the top of the mountain. He would always offer to make me potions to make me fly, but after I sniffed them I saw that his ''potions'' were dirty water with purple food coloring and an intoxicating flower indigenous to that particular mountain range. As far as I know, he could still be up there.


    I don''t think even my master knew he was up there. Nevertheless, I''d seen that crazy geezer snap a cougar''s neck, even while intoxicated. One time, I''d heard him muttering about ''having to pretend to be dead, so my disciple will not have to kill me.'' Now that I thought about it, my master had always said his master had overdosed on some kind of drug, and had a heart attack. Perhaps the hermit hadn''t been crazy after all?


    Returning to the present, the geezer in front of me and the other acolytes gave us a toothless grin, then greeted us. His voice was high and reedy, like he had aged so much he has become a child again.


    "Welcome children! To my academy of learning, may you all have a pleasant stay!"


    He used his arms in wide motions, making me afraid he was going to lose his balance and fall down the stairs.


    He looked at the acolytes one at a time. There were nine females, and ten males, excluding the girl.


    "Now, it looks like you''re all here, and none of you were killed on the way."


    He said this like it was a wonderful thing.


    He kept looking closely, finally resting his eyes on the girl. She raised her chin, but for some reason made sure her hair covered her ears.


    He noticed her gesture, then his eyes seemed to glint in understanding.


    Then he looked at me, and all traces of kindness left the old mans face.


    "Quite the rare pet you have, miss Kat. And quite fitting, if I might say."


    He chuckled a little at this, but it sounded forced to me.


    "Would you mind if I held him?"


    She looked surprised, but handed me over.


    He muttered something that I couldn''t catch before taking me.


    "...Strange, I can''t see this one''s name.. I wonder why..."


    I took a seat on his two hands, and even though his arms were thin as sticks they still felt like stone beneath me.


    He leaned in, looking into my eyes closely, and suddenly I felt a pressure.


    It wasn''t on my body, but rather my mind. It felt like something was trying to split open my head with an axe.


    I concentrated, then felt something strange.


    This thing trying to crack my head, it feels like... mana.


    So, I gathered my own, and formed a shield. I then pushed my mana into the place where the attack was coming from.


    The pressure disappeared for a moment, only to be replaced with a dozen more.


    I fenced with this unknown force, blocking its advances while trying to conserve mana.


    While blocking the attacks, my mana was depleting at an alarming rate. I managed to find out that by shaping it, and even compressing it, my mana could use it much more effectively. Still, I couldn''t keep this up indefinitely. Eventually, I would be overcome.


    While thinking this over, I kept refining my technique. my master had always said, ¡°if something is unknown, then find it, and learn it.¡±


    These attacks, and even defending, were unknown to me.


    So I would find them, and learn them.


    My mana was getting low. The attacks hadn''t faltered one bit, but had rather accelerated, and become more fierce.


    And then, I didn''t defend.


    Two dozen aches split my head, and I felt something try to get in through the cracks. it felt triumphant, and I could almost hear trumpets of victory.


    That was when I copied the shape that the mana which had been attacking me had taken, and assaulted the thing that was distracted with it''s gloating.


    It reeled back, shields of iron immediately came up, and repelled me so quickly it was like I had never been there.


    But I had been there, and I knew something.


    Images flashed through my mind, and I was a young man. I was practicing my air magic, and discovered something that would make me the most famous wizard in the entire continent...


    I blinked, and suddenly I could see the geezers smiling face.


    He whispered to me,


    "Impressive, impressive, quite the mind you have, and your mana is no laughing matter either. I must be getting rusty, to be taken in with such an obvious bluff."


    I swished my tail, simply indicating he had no way of knowing a beginner would make a bluff.


    He chuckled, then nodded.


    I was surprised he had understood my signal, but then again we were both quite insane.


    As the saying goes, broken minds think alike.


    He continued.


    "Well, you passed my test. You can learn magic." He had on a sad smile.


    "Even if you were to do something horrible with what you learn here, it wouldn''t hold a candle to what I have done. Besides." he looked sincere. "everyone should have the chance to learn, what they do with their knowledge after is up to them."


    I nodded, then licked his hand in gratitude.


    Then his face got dark.


    "But, let me warn you. I''ve seen some of your memories, and I know you are not afraid to hurt people. But if you hurt any of my students when it isn''t self-defense, I''ll personally kill you."


    "And in that case, I won''t hold back."


    I nodded solemnly. I would avoid hurting his students, unless it was self-defense.


    He sighed, like all old men do, who know they have lived too long, and it''s almost time for them to rest.


    "I guess I can leave the rest up to fate..."


    "Um,'' the geezer looked behind me, and saw all of the acolytes were looking at him with weird expressions. Kat asked him,


    "You must really like cats, huh?"


    He was completely still for a second, then chuckled.


    "Yes, yes. Cats are one of my favorite animals." he said as he placed me back on Kat''s shoulder. "They are intelligent, and witty, as well as clever like myself." He turned away, making strange gestures with his hands, making the doors open. "Did you know? some cats can even use magic." the doors opened slowly, and a cloud of dust fell from them. "I'' the headmaster, by the way my name is Bob Joyins, but you can call me headmaster."


    He motioned them past him, while grinning. all of the acolytes didn''t look too sure about this whack-job being the headmaster, but they filed past all the same.


    Kat was the last to go in, and said this as she walked past him.


    "Can this cat use magic?"


    He looked at me, then winked, and shook his head. He motioned with his fingers, so I could somehow understand. Just remember our deal.


    As she was leaving, he shouted over the sound of the doors closing,


    "Hey! What is your cats name?"


    She looked over her shoulder, then hesitated, and said,


    "Cat Bastard! My brother named him!"


    The old geezer smiled, then laughed so hard he fell down the stairs. There was an audible crash, right before the doors closed.


    Kat shook her head. Then asked herself, "wait, I didn''t tell him my name." she kept walking, following the usher that led her and the other acolytes to their dorms.


    "Then if he knew mine, why didn''t he know Cat Bastards?"


    Joyins'' POV


    I couldn''t stop laughing.


    "Ha ha! Cat Bastard!"


    Miss Joslyn floated down to me, then waved an admonishing finger.


    "You shouldn''t swear."


    I kept laughing, but finally got up. I twisted my back, hearing it pop with every movement.


    "Ah, I needed a good laugh. Being cooped up in a tower makes a man need three things."


    She looked at me, then raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what would those things be?"


    I smiled.


    "A good beer, a good laugh, and." he looked at her suggestively.


    She just turned around, and made a disgusted sound.


    "You''re a rotten old geezer, you know that?"


    I cackled.


    But suddenly she got serious.


    "Still, are you sure about allowing that beast into our school?"


    I nodded. "He will keep his promise, unless he has good reason not to."


    She sighed. "But what about when he leaves the school?"


    I stopped smiling.


    "Then, may all the gods help us."


    She looked scared. It wasn''t usual for me to get this serious.


    "Wish the world luck, Joslyn."


    I looked toward the horizon, but my eyes saw through it, and saw rather what was to come.


    "Gods know we''ll need it."

 Interlude

    Authors note: so, i''m having trouble planning out the next chapter, so for now, you''ll get a lovely interlude. basically catching you up with whats going on in the world. enjoy.^^


    crossing mountains isn''t easy.


    first off, breathing is hard.


    secondly, the steep climbs and the lack of oxygen make not becoming exhausted a fairy tail.


    thirdly, WHY ARE THERE SO MANY THINGS THAT WANT TO EAT ME?!


    as you can guess, i''m having a bad day.


    not only was parting from my friends and shadowpelt hard, but having to traverse a freezing mountain in the middle of summer is not fun.


    haaa, i give up. perhaps i wasn''t supposed to live in this world, and just got here by happy accident.


    when i was born, i''d been the most adventuresome of my litter, added to the fact that we lived in a dangerous forest with beasts that love to eat the weak, and you have a recipe for trouble.


    now, as you can probably tell, i survived. somehow.


    but i have a feeling that can change real quick. especially in these godforsaken mountains.


    as i said, lots of things try to eat me. wether it be snakes, bears, mountain lions, or just a really big snail, all of them want a bit of good Ol'' talkir, and it''s starting to get on my nerves. especially that snail.


    i mean, come on! your a three foot long jelly pack! and you want to eat me?


    sometimes, like i said, i get the feeling i wasn''t meant to be in this world. everything i met tried to eat me, except for the members of my own species. so, you might get why having a huge, black cat with bloody eyes and wicked claws saying he didn''t want to eat me made my day. and my life.


    after a while though, i got this urge you know? like, maybe i do want him to try and eat me. for the longest time now, i''d been thinking in the back of my mind, maybe he just doesn''t see me as worthy enough to be his food.


    and that made me sad.


    thus, i will do everything within my power to make him want to eat me.


    is that hypocritical of me?


    it may seem that way, but for me, it isn''t. all my life, i have been protected. saved. stopped from doing something stupid by smart people.


    now, it was my turn.


    i thought this, but it didn''t help me get away from the bear slobbering after me.


    ---


    trees. road. bush. village. none of it mattered.


    ssss, must keep going. just keep going.


    this one is not used to being on it''s own. all it''s life, it has had siblings, and mother. then mother died, and she had her siblings.


    now, she has no one.


    ssss, this one has started to refer to herself as ''she''. perhaps it is a sign that i don''t need others?


    did i just use ''i''?


    this one has trouble communicating with others. having always relied on common purpose to drive her and her siblings, she has never had the need to.


    but, being on her own is necessary, if this one wants to be worthy enough to stand beside The King.


    the king became stronger by killing the strong...where can i find something strong to kill?


    ---


    walking through the forest, i felt like it was a dream. shadowpelt had left the forest in my care, and now that he was gone, all purpose that i used to feel felt... dead.


    i needed something to wake it up. to get more excited. shadowpelt always seemed like he was enjoying himself, as though just being alive was fun.


    perhaps...


    i heard a scream.


    far off to my right, i headed that way. on my way there, i passed through the kings clearing, passingly noting the blood pool that had dried in the middle.


    shadowpelt risked his life, for what?


    i ran through the forest, finally reaching the edge.


    i was forced to cut my way through the webs encircling the forest to reach where i had heard the scream.


    what kind of creature would be outside of the forest?


    i crashed through the rapidly receding undergrowth to reach the scream.


    i finally broke through the last of it, and my eyes were assaulted with sunshine.


    momentarily blinded, i felt the need to jump to my left.


    a split second after i had dodged, the place where i had been standing erupted in flame.


    i quickly retreated behind a rock, counting on the fire to block any attackers view of me.


    then i waited.


    "is it there?"


    "i don''t know. go check. i hope we didn''t char it too bad, otherwise it''s pelt will be ruined."


    i kept listening, but their speech dissolved into pointless arguments over trivial things.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    so their hunters, huh?


    i kept waiting, using what shadowpelt had taught me. i could hear his voice, full of confidence, explaining to me.


    "stay still. stay silent. never lose focus. these three things will guarantee that you will have an advantage in battle. if you can get the drop on your opponent, half the battle is over."


    i waited like he said, silent. still. i felt like i could hear the mens breathing. i let no wondering thought enter into my mind, keeping it clear, like water.


    water that would soon be filled with blood.


    i tensed, but forced myself to relax. being high-strung already would only tire me out, and slow me down when the time comes to take action.


    inhale.


    "alright. i''ll see about getting the pelt, wether it''s charred or not, it should still be worth something."


    i heard the footsteps coming closer, and sensed his heartbeat. slow, even. he was relaxed, and expected to skin a corpse.


    he would be the corpse, come night.


    he reached the rock, and bent around, looking behind the rock, and straight into my eyes.


    exhale.


    i leaped forward, and closed my mouth around his throat. the taste of blood filled my mouth, the metallic flavor caressing every inch of my tongue.


    this is what my purpose should be.


    i ripped the entire front of his throat out, and chewed on it. savouring the feel of human flesh sliding down my throat.


    i hopped on top of the rock, and jumped toward the second assailant. an arrow wizzed past, clipping my shoulder, but i kept falling, and sank my fangs into his throat as well.


    the warm taste. the meaty feel.


    the high i got from killing humans!


    i licked my lips, wishing i could wet them with more human blood.


    out of no where, an arrow lodged in my leg. i yelped in pain, then turned to see a third hunter.


    i dodged his next arrow, and the two that followed, but was too slow to dodge the third.


    is this how i die?


    i thought, as i watched the wooden shaft slowly spin, heading on it''s way to my heart.


    what would shadowpelt do?


    he was always so full of life. so excited to be alive.


    maybe that was because he spent most of his time risking that life.


    if i know one thing, it''s that he wouldn''t stay still and die like a dog.


    heartbeat.


    i felt it, deep in my chest. it was like it knew it would soon be pierced by an arrow.


    heartbeat. breath in.


    that bastard... pushing me to save my own life even when he isn''t here.


    the arrow closed in, seeming to slow the closer it got.


    what would shadowpelt do?


    why, kill the enemy, of course.


    i smiled. the way he used to.


    i reached forward with my neck, and turned my head. then i caught the arrow in my teeth.


    all fell still. the hunter sweated. the birds waited. and i felt that heartbeat...


    thump. thump. thump.


    but it wasn''t mine. it was the hunters.


    "i will extinguish your heartbeat."


    i leapt farther than i had ever before, and ripped his left leg off.


    he screamed, and i pinned him to the ground, and bit into his shoulder.


    blood, oh that glorious blood!


    i tasted it. i smelled it. i loved it.


    more,more,more!


    i kept biting, ripping and tearing, till his right arm resembled shredded paper.


    after i had sated my bloodlust, i asked him a question.


    "are you from roads end?"


    he nodded, too scared and in pain to resist.


    i smiled, then ended his misery. i''m merciful, after all.


    i''d be merciful to roads end, to.


    my smile grew wider, and i understood how shadowpelts mouth could stretch so wide.


    he was just so happy, killing.


    i would kill roads end. after all, shadowpelt had warned them what would happen if they allowed hunting to be done in the forest. technicalites like the hunters not being in the forest were not my concern. lawyers and historians could argue if i was in the right, but for now,


    there was killing to be done!

 Vol II:ch 5:Back Against the Wall

    Authors note: so, here it is, after EIGHT, FRICKEN, DAYS.


    so, before we do anything, i want to propose a competition. the rules are simple.


    go to the comment section, and post the meanest comment you can. you will score points for,


    1:swearing


    2:insulting me


    3:making things personal


    4:implying that i''m stupid.


    5:having bad grammar


    and any other things that i see fit. i''ll announce the winner in the next chapter, god knows when that''l be up.


    anyway, just think of the worst possible insults you can use on me, and post it in written form in the comments. i hope to see some hilarious comments. ;3


    Authors after note: enough with this. in the authors super fun update, i said i''d be implementing something new. in this case, it''s music.


    through out the writing of this series, i have listened to music while writing, and it helped me greatly. so, i''m going to provide a link to the music i listen to, so you too can be inspired.


    here it is. http://listenonrepeat.com/watch/?v=O0M5D5OA-d4#Sick_Puppies_-_You_re_going_down_-_with_lyrics</a>


    so, without further ado, here is chapter five, Back Against the Wall.


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    panting.


    is it me? or the bear behind me?


    roaring, and the skidding of claws on stone.


    i ran around a corner, thinking desperately.


    the bears roaring will attract other predators... i need to get away, or silence it.


    i saw a narrow path, and it looked like it widened further out. i quickly ran through, the beast coming to a stop outside, too big to get through.


    finally got away, *pant* now how do i...


    it was a dead end.


    shit


    what had looked like a narrow passage that soon widened out, had in fact been a bowl-like crevice. the sun could be seen above, for all the good it did when the circular walls went straight up.


    there was no escape.


    *pant* *pant*


    closed off in a dead end, with a rabid beast just a few feet away roaring for blood.


    why the hell does this always happen to me!


    *huff* *huff*


    all my life... from one point to another... i had always been the hunted.


    this bear...


    shadowpelt wouldn''t be cornered.


    that oversized lizard...


    shadowpelt wouldn''t be hunted.


    the wolves...


    he would be the one to hunt.


    squid in the lake...


    shadowpelt wouldn''t just sit back and be chased.


    all my life, i''ve had a target on my back. i was left alone..


    he would fight.


    shuned by my fellows, hunted by my enemys..


    he would kill!


    if everything wants to kill me,


    he would die if it meant killing the enemy!


    "i''ll return the favor..."


    i turned, and walked back to the bear.


    it roared, and rampaged against the tiny hole, knowing it''s prey lay just beyond this obstacle.


    i''ll make you proud...


    i shot the spikes from my tail into it''s thighs, making it scream in pain. when it fell down to four legs, i jumped onto it''s back, and quickly found my balance. i dug my claws into its fur, digging as far as i could, trying to find the warm flesh, and red blood that lay beneath.


    i dug furiously with my claws, focused solely on my task of killing it. when my spikes regrew, i jumped off, and flipped, landing in front of the bear, with it in between me and the dead end. it roared, and pivoted around. when its eyes came into view, full of hate and vengeance, i aimed for the center ring. soon, his eyes resembled hedgehogs.


    finally, he fell dead. i looked dispassionatly at my kill, and smiled a little.


    then, lizards that were four feet long, with sharp claws, and hard hides, came into view. they were hungry, and looking at them, i new i was the first item on their menu.


    ah, shit.


    shadowpelt''s POV


    the days passed quickly, and i rarely paid much attention to them. i was much more interested in what we were learning.


    as a cat, i could ride Kat from class to class, and listen in on the lectures with no one the wiser. however, listening to lectures wasn''t enough to make you a mage.


    "one, two, three."


    i stated calmly, counting the number of shadow balls i could make at once.


    in the case of using instinctual magic, you had to know both inner magic manipulation, and outer mana manipulation. after listening to many lectures on the subject, and studying how the teacher would use their magic to make an example, i started experimenting. my mana pool, as the teacher had called the source of my mana, was where you drew mana from.


    it also turned out that you needed an ''affinity'' for a certain element, in order to cast spells of that type. along with my ability to use shadow magic, i could also use a couple others...


    every night, i would practice.


    the teacher had said that the more you used mana, and the better you got at controlling it, the more you would have.


    some got more faster than others, while some could no longer increase their mana pool. it all depended on your body.


    after a couple hours of bending the shade to my will, i tried something different.


    i smiled, when the liquid obeyed my command.


    Talkir''s POV


    *pant* *pant*


    i crouched among countless bodies, their blood mixing with their torn flesh.


    it was hell. it was torture.


    it was fun!


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    i limped over to a body when i though it moved, and bit it''s throat.


    only after a little bit did i remember to spit it out.


    i retreated to the dead end, dragging a couple lizard bodies with me, and laying them over me. then i slept.


    if any predator was small enough to get through the crevice, i would hear it eating the lizards on top of me, and that would give me enough time to kill it. probably. i sighed as i let the blackness take me.


    when i next awoke, i found myself surrounded. not by friends, but by enemies. i flew back into the fray, scratching and biting, doing my best to kill.


    shadowpelt''s POV


    yesterday, the teacher had told us that they would be having a tournament. apparently, the winner would get to visit a room that was normally forbidden to students, and take one item from it.


    it was known as ''The Room of Artifacts'' and apparently held items of immense power. it was usually off-limits because it held many potentially dangerous items, and many foolish wizards hoping for power had met their end within it''s confines.


    i hadn''t planned to, but maybe visiting this room would have its perks? however, it wasn''t like i could just appear out of nowhere and enter. so, i was quite happy when kat did.


    we were standing by the board after the class hours were over, and i wondered if kat would enter. i knew she was a fairly skilled mage, but i had no idea where she stood in relation to other mages. after some thought, and some taunting from the class bully, she signed her name.


    as she picked me up and placed me on her shoulder, i saw the tell-tale signs of frustration on kat''s face. she was obviously shaken from the bully''s taunts. i was trying to remain detached, but when i saw her hastily wipe a tear from her eye, i decided the bully had crossed the line.


    i turned to the bully, and saw the smirk on his face.


    i activated fear.


    and i chuckled when he fell over crying like a little bitch.


    oh, revenge tasted sweet.


    Talkir''s POV


    tear, bite, hit, repeat.


    over and over, time and time again, never ending slaughter was all i knew.


    ''who''s talkir? all i need is killing. i don''t need a name. i just need to kill. kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill kill


    why do i need to kill?


    who am i?


    what am i?


    i''m worthless. all i do is kill. but i do it for shadowpelt.


    who''s shadowpelt? who''s shielin? who''s egain?


    who''s talkir?


    ''i don''t need to know. all i need is to kill.


    kill?


    kill


    kill


    kill!


    kill!


    kill!


    kill!


    kill!


    i will make shadowpelt proud...


    I WILL KILL!!!!!


    -three days later-


    grunting. crunching. panting.


    who is that?


    what looked like a human was eating the raw flesh of numerous beasts.


    all around, corpses lay like unpicked flowers. after a couple hours of the beaver fighting, other predators had been attracted, and thrown themselves into the melee. soon, no one could tell who friend or foe was. all that remained was death.


    the grunting and crunching of bone continued, the human ripping chunks out of whatever happened to be in reach.


    it muttered under its breath,


    "kill. kill. kill."


    over and over, like a chant.


    once it was full, it lay on the ground, and shook.


    "n-no... s-stop i-it.."


    "no! kill! kill! kill!"


    "s-stop, t-there i-isn''t a-anything else to kill... stop yelling at me..."


    "don''t you want to make shadowpelt proud?!"


    "i-i do.."


    "then kill!"


    the human kept muttering to itself, alternating between yelling and screaming, and whimpering and whining.


    soon, though...


    "kill everything.. kill everyone...


    "b-but i don''t w-want to..."


    "if you don''t kill, shadowpelt will abandon you!"


    "n-no... don''t leave me shadowpelt.."


    "if you don''t want him to leave, then KILL!


    "y-yes... kill."


    "kill."


    "kill."


    "kill!"


    "k-kill!"


    "kill!"


    "kill!"


    soon, the voices stopped alternating.


    now the human only screamed. it''s voice echoing off of the mountain walls, it screamed at itself.


    it didn''t stop, not until it''s voice broke.


    then it started ripping apart the corpses, till they weren''t recognizable as once being living. all that remained of dozens of living creatures was bloody chunks and splattered red.


    "i am Talkir!


    it ripped apart an already maimed corpse.


    "i will serve shadowpelt!"


    it started stuffing pieces into it''s mouth, chewing bone and flesh alike.


    "and i will kill!"


    it finally passed out.


    and as it fell asleep, it muttered in a whining voice.


    "d-don''t leave me too..."

 The Winner Decided!

    so, the entries were reviewed, and the winner decided.


    but before that, some honorable mentions.


    corepotato: (close quote)


    "reading this chapter was like attending a justing bieber concert"


    ouch. but the best is still to come.


    "and even if you ignore all that, it''s still shit."


    ...


    if i thought you were serious, i''d be offended. good job.


    jackajack:


    go read it for yourself.


    n00bs.


    Troll:


    just...


    yes. yes indeed.


    and finally... (drumroll)


    dadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadad


    the winner...


    dadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadaddadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadadada


    BlackToTheFuture!


    (authors thoughts)


    damn...


    this is the first sentence.


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website."there are two ways to dislike fanfiction. one is to dislike it, and the other is to read yours."


    ...


    when i first read it, my heart stopped. i thought,


    i''m worthless.. no one cares about me... you don''t have to say that... i already know i''m a terrible person...


    honestly, it hurt. when i first read this comment. i sat there thinking, for a split second, ''maybe i should just give up on writing?''


    then i realized it was his entry to the competition, and i laughed my ass off. and my legs. then i inverted and started doing some crazy techno shit.


    the rest of the comment is just spreading lemon juice on a wound, and damn it hurts.


    congratulations, BlackToTheFuture, you are the first person on the internet who made me have suicidal thoughts. :D

 Vol II:ch 6:Killing Spree

    AN:the winner has been decided, if you want to find out who, it''s in the previous thread, titled ''The Winner Decided!''


    this chapters melody is...


    https://youtu.be/0EcGCchi4ys</a>


    enjoy this chapter,


    killing spree. ^-^


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    splat.


    splat.


    crunch.


    over and over.


    Shielin was getting tired of hearing the same sounds, over and over.


    ''time for some fresh meat...''


    traveling. climbing. descending. all blurred together, the only thing that seemed to remain independent from the rest was the killing. but it wasn''t making me any stronger.


    ''weak, weak, weak.''


    everything i found was either too easy to kill, or ran away the moment it saw me.


    ''cowards. weaklings. not worthy to live.''


    i left shadowpelt... i don''t know how long ago. even the days seem to blend together.


    yesterday i killed foxes.


    today i killed wolves.


    not egains wolves, those were off-limits. just some runts i found frolicking in the trees. at least, thats what i call their ''hunting''.


    ''pathetic creatures.''


    why don''t they put up more of a fight? why don''t they die faster if they aren''t going to help me get more powerful? the logic of these insects eludes me.


    ''how dare they walk the same earth as shadowpelt...''


    more wolves. they usually come in packs of three-five, but this time another group was waiting nearby, and must have heard their fellows pathetic demise.


    the first one ran at me, and leapt through the air.


    ''stupid, jumping in the air where you can''t dodge.''


    at first, fighting had been difficult, but as i learned various tricks, they all seemed to end too quickly.


    i shot my right front leg forward, impaling it. it was large, for a wolf, but i had exceeded how big a bear would get, in terms of weight, i totally outclassed it, and stopping it''s forward momentum was simple.


    the other four fanned out, growling in rage at my casual murder of their comrade.


    all at once, the four of them converged on me, not jumping this time having learned from their companions fate.


    i felt the wolves breath on my webs, strung under their feet.


    i pulled the appropriate strings tight, and all four of them were hoisted into the air, encased in sacks spun out of web. i had laid out the trap incase the first group proved difficult, and i needed to incapacitate them.


    i watched the wolves struggle uselessly in their webs, and suppressed a grin. i''ve been having to suppress the urge more often, and i don''t know why. a lady shouldn''t smile in the face of death.


    ''but shadowpelt does...''


    i will have to rethink my personal urges, and discard those that are of no use.


    i approached the sacks one by one, and impaled the occupant each time, until all four were still, but for the dripping.


    ''this is useless. i need something of more worth to kill...''


    how do you find something of worth to kill? what defines the ''worth'' of a kill?


    ''shadowpelt killed the queen... then the king...''


    where do i find one or both of those?


    i need information.


    ''or...''


    i could hear the voices. who, what us spiders called voices. for the most part, they were the run-of-mill spiderlings, with the occasional higher evolution speaking up. but, there was one that commanded them.


    ''but... to kill my own kind?''


    ''is that something i''m willing to do?''


    i thought about shadowpelt, and what it meant to serve him, and made my choice.


    ''it doesn''t matter what they are. i will kill them, be it friend, family, or lover, should shadowpelt command.''


    my choice made, i investigated the place from where i heard the voice...


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Chelse''s POV


    ''bring that back.''


    ''kill that.''


    i sighed, thinking how difficult running the nest was.


    ''i could really use a vacation...


    "what was that queen?"


    i flinched. i hadn''t meant to send that.


    ''nothing. just thinking to myself.''


    i felt the nod of acquiescence through the bond all members of a nest share, and relaxed.


    ''it goes to show you how tired i am, to let an unintentional message get sent through the Nest Mind.


    suddenly, i perked up.


    there was another member of the nest!


    but... she felt different.


    i tried sending her a message, but she didn''t respond.


    ''is her mind damaged?''


    ''you three, go meet the child. bring her back.''


    i felt the nod of understanding from my children, and they went to find the lost one.


    i paid close attention to their Nest Minds, something that only queens can do. normal members of the nest can only hear messages sent to them, and the occasional strong emotion. but queens can actually feel the mind of their child, and filter it as they wish. i couldn''t look into the lost ones, though.


    for some reason, it felt closed off. like it was denying me entry...


    that shouldn''t be possible. only other queens can deny access to their minds. and the lost one had no children. i could tell by the fact that no string of Nest Mind extended from the lost one. if it had any children, it would be in constant contact with them, whether it was speaking or not.


    ''strange. very strange.''


    after some time, the lost one arrived, led by my three children.


    i tried greeting it, but found myself rebuffed once more. maybe she wanted to talk out loud?


    "greetings, Lost One. what are you doing without a nest?"


    she looked at me, in a lazy fashion. no, not lazy.


    just uncaring.


    "i have lost my Queen, and my siblings have all stayed in the area where she died."


    i thought a little, but could come to no conclusions as to why this one, out of all of her siblings, would leave, and not become the queen. usually, when a queen died, it was because she grew too old, and her children killed her, to make way for the new one. if so, why had this one not taken her place? she was nearly old enough, and by her looks she was strong.


    ''ah.''


    i think i get what happened. another who was older and stronger had ousted her from the nest, so she couldn''t usurp her power. that was a common enough occurrence, in a competitive nest. usually, when there were two or more candidates for queenship the nest just splits, and the two separate and find new territory.


    sometimes though, a candidate gets possessive, and ousts other females, so that she can keep the whole nest for herself.


    when that happens...


    well, usually the losers die. that is the law of nature, that the weak die, and the strong feast.


    sometimes though, even the enforcers of the law feel it''s cruel.


    "you poor thing. if you wish, you can stay in this nest, and when you have grown a little older you can take some of my children and start a nest of your own."


    i think she smiled, maybe a little sadly.


    "you are very kind, to offer such a thing to one who is no your family."


    i shook my head.


    "it is simple. some of my children starve when there isn''t enough to be hunted, so you taking half will allow for the others to survive."


    she looked even more sad.


    "i would take you up on your offer, assuming i had no home to return to."


    i was confused. if she had a home, then why did she leave?


    she continued.


    "but, i have something i need to do. something important. and nothing, will stop me from achieving it."


    "well, if that is the case, you can rest here. you must be tired from traveling. you can continue your quest in the morning."


    she kept smiling. then it grew wider. and wider.


    and wider.


    "oh, but if i''m sleeping, who''s going to kill you?"


    i was confused.


    "wha? kill me?"


    her grotesqe grin got even bigger, if that were possible. till her face seemed to split in two.


    "exactly."


    i felt a thud against my chest, and swiveled all eight of my eyes to look down, to see the lost one''s leg buried in my flesh.


    "wha...?" i trailed off, then slowly felt the darkness close in.


    ''but... i have to take care of the nest... who will direct them?''


    she was talking again. i strained to hear it through the darkness slowly closing in.


    "oh, and don''t worry about your nest."


    i smiled, and left them in the care of my killer.


    ''but... why did she kill me only to take my nest? she''s not old enough to take them for her own...


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    why?


    i caught one last sentance from her, before the sweet kiss of death drew me away from this plain of life.


    "now, to do the same to every. last. other. spider in this forest."


    my final view was a grinning murderer.


    my final sound was a grunt of alarm.


    the final thing i heard,


    was laughter.


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    AN:for this next part, you''ll need a different kind of music...


    https://youtu.be/DgC5vQzdF2I</a>


    p.s. touka-chan is so kawaii!!!!!


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Splat.


    splat.


    crunch.


    the sounds that felt so repetitive earlier... were like music to my ears.


    i felt like smiling. i felt like laughing. i felt like i could do anything! kill anyone! destroy anything!


    i felt like my face would split in have from my smile.


    i ran as fast as i could, and impaled two on my leg. i turned and smashed another against a tree.


    oh, what fun killing was!


    i bit anothers legs off, as it tried to defend itself, and instead of spitting out what was identical to my own limbs...


    i ate them.


    and they tasted wonderful!


    i crawled up a tree, and started spinning. when others that had been contacted via the nest mind arrived, i felt down with my string, and hung them. others, i kept tightening the string until i heard cracking noises from the spiders carapace, then kept going, until they were sliced clean in two.


    i crushed some, sliced others, ate a few, held them up against a tree until their bones broke, and more.


    oh, how many wonderful ways there were to kill!


    ''shadowpelt... shadowpelt... i wish you could see me know!''


    i felt like he would be proud of me if he could see the destruction i''ve wrought.


    ''and it''s all because of you, that i''ve found such joy in killing!''


    i chased down a group of seven, four of them being less than a month out of their egg, and killed them. killed them one-by-one, so that the others could feel terror, have the tingling up their spine that signaled it''s imminent snapping. that bone-crushing horror that filled their tiny minds. i love it!


    ''more...more...more!''


    i hunted down the ones too little to walk, and i ate them.


    i hunted down the ones too old to move, and broke them.


    i found the strongest fighters, and i annihilated them!


    ''is this what shadowpelt feels? is this what i can do to understand him?''


    if that is the case, i would gladly do this again!


    and again!


    and again.


    until all my foes lay broken and bleeding before me, and none but myself and shadowpelt stood at the top.


    i let out a girlesh giggle, and was horrified.


    ''what the hell was that?!''


    i watched myself closely for the rest of the massacere, and made sure that only bloodthirsty giggles came out.


    there was no time for weakness. only strength.


    i smiled, and continued the slaughter.


    "i wonder how far i can bend your spine before it snaps?"


    the weaklings shivered in fear.


    i smiled even wider.


    "lets find out, shall we?"


    "teehee."


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    AN:i don''t believe the music from the last part is appropriate for the rest of the chapter... listen to this instead.


    https://youtu.be/2ijPDVaMnxg</a>


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    i yawned, and woke up.


    it had been a long night, and quite active.


    it had taken several hours to hunt down the entire nest, and after that i had gorged myself on their meat. cannibalism wasn''t anything new to a spider like me, after all.


    as i looked around the forest, i contemplated my next move.


    i was unlikely to find anything stronger than the nest in this forest, and despite my joy in killing them, the members of the nest had wounded me.


    i had lost two legs at some point, the lost appendages both being second from the back. they didn''t make me incapable on moving, but they did hinder walking.


    i had also received numerous scraps to my shell, and some deep and not-so deep cuts on the bottom of my abdomen, from cheeky bastards that thought they would be a hero.


    being in the forest wasn''t an option any longer. i would be attacked non-stop, by things that though i was weak, and have to waste time and energy killing them.


    plus, there was always the possibility that i would make a mistake, one that could spell my death. i''d have to be careful.


    then, i took a look at the mountains.


    from what i had heard from shadowpelt, all sorts of interesting creatures lay in waiting inside them...


    guess i''d have to find them, huh?


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Kat''s POV


    that cat bastard.


    that cat bastard!


    every morning, he''d jump on my foot and sink a claw into them, signaling that it was time to get up.


    i mean, i would be late if he didn''t do that...


    but that''s not the point! the point was that he did it... in a way!


    shut up. i can''t think of a word bad enough, without looking into my obscenity diary.


    and yes, i do have one. i''m always on the lookout for more vocabulary, just like my father said. of course, he probably didn''t mean curses...


    but we''re moving away from my point.


    THAT F***ING CAT BASTARD!!!!!


    not only would he sit on my shoulder the whole day, but at night he''d just abandon me and run off into the forest!


    it''s not like i wish he would stay nearby so i could cuddle...


    i mean, he is cute.


    still a bastard, though.


    haaa, i''m going to get a migraine from thinking about him...


    f***ing cat bastard!!!


    i mean, he gives me a poke when i''m dozing off, and the teachers saying something important... and he chased away the lizard that i had summoned, but then been unable to command... and i know that kelly the bully always steps on eggshells when  cat bastards around...


    still a f***ing bastard!


    i mean, i''m not trying to belittle him, or anything, i''m just saying he''s a little inconsiderate.


    i can''t remember when... but...


    he''s not perfect, i swear!


    he''s not f***ing perfect.


    f***!


    ...


    is it just me, or have i started swearing more often since cat bastard showed up?


    still...


    anyway, the tournament.


    *inhale* *exhale*


    so far, i''ve seen about a quarter of the school sign up, and so far i''ve mapped out a few wizards who will be trouble.


    first, there''s the obvious one.


    kelly.


    the guys a douche. nuff said.


    Clarkson.


    this girl is a master of earth, and wields it almost as well as the teacher. to put it plainly, she''s a genius. i could probably deal with her, but there is always the chance she''ll think of something i didn''t, and that could spell the end. i''ll have to work on anti-earth magic, in order to face her with any surety of victory.


    Katy.


    a fire mage, like me. not too bright, nor inventive, but she can use a specific type of fire that''s said to be quite rare, and powerful, and her mana pool''s nothing to scoff at, either.


    finally, there''s Perry.


    a water mage.


    not much is known, outside of what he shows the class, but what he does is nothing short of extraordinary. calling him a ''genius'' is like calling magma ''warm''.


    an understatement, to be clear.


    in terms of mana... the teacher said, when we were measuring our pools, that in about sixty-seventy years of constant practice and expanding, he''ll achieve as much as the grandmaster.


    that... is ridiculous. out of all the people in the school, no one even expects to get close to him. the rest of us are like ants compared to an elephant.. in a fight, our chances of touching him are nil.


    but... i can hope for second, assuming he''s not in the same block as me. i feel bad for those wizards who are going to the semi-finals, but get stomped on.


    however, i can try. if he does end up in my block, then no one will blame me for losing. it''s just a fact that he is better in every way than the rest of us.


    some how, though, i get the feeling cat bastard wants me to win. i don''t know what that whoreson''s true intentions are, but i got the feeling from how he brushed up against my face when i wrote my name, and my hand was shaking, and how he gave kelly a death glare that sent him straight back to his room...


    rumor was, he''d shat in his pants!


    i think cat bastards officially my favorite cat.


    but don''t you dare, tell him that.


    haaaa, such a headache.


    i''ve also noticed i sigh more often.


    and what is he doing now...


    THAT BASTARD JUST STOLE MY CUPCAKE!!!

 Vol II:ch 7:Exterminating the Non-Believers

    AN:i''m saving a specific song for a chapter in the future... though i feel it would go well here.


    so, for this chapter, i''ll put my personal favorite song.


    this chapter will also be shorter, but, does it need to be long?


    p.s. i''m writing this while tired, so prepare your mind.


    and without further ado, the tunes.


    https://youtu.be/ayzrdZDtpZY</a>


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    "men who have confidence in their strength are dismayed having to bow their head. a man who doesn''t need to be confident isn''t bothered by such meaningless things. know this well, young one. respect the dead, and those who will soon be dead. only then, will you be a man able to kill and have no regret."


    -quotes of the master, of showing respect and respecting the dead.-


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    humans are worthless.


    they hunt, and they steal, and they eat.


    so, it''s not too much to ask that they die, right?


    and if they don''t follow my instructions... well, we''ll have a bit of a problem, won''t we?


    honestly. i was getting fatigued from killing them.


    first the hunters, then the farmers on the outlying farms. i paid no mind to age, sex, or appearance. before my teeth and claws, all were of equal worthlessness.


    of course, i''m not cruel. i give them a chance, and kill them quickly, without enjoying it too much.


    at least, thats what i told myself.


    of each man, woman, and child, i asked a single question.


    "will you bow to the King?"


    it was a simple request.


    just lower your head a couple inches. that was all it took to have your life spared.


    if that is the case, as i think it is, why do so many refuse? why do men and women risk their lives for a nod?


    why do i find myself respecting those who refuse more than those that accept?


    it seems hypocritical to me, but perhaps that is natural. after all, i respect pride. those who are arrogant in their folly are less than mindless beasts, but those who are humble in their intelligence are more than just human. is that what it means, to be human? to simply be a pawn, not doing anything, just floating along with the current like driftwood. or does being human make you an outlier? is being an outlier normal, in human society?


    all of these things are too complex for a simple wolf like me. i am a pawn, too, so i have no right to ridicule those who simply go with whatever anybody tells them.


    but. i''m not just any pawn.


    this pawn can kill, and not just capture.


    the king left me to take care of the forest... just like that. one moment, i expect to be under his watch from morn till dusk, then poof. gone. like the wind.


    the wind is an adequate metaphor for shadowpelt. here one moment, taking all the pages of your life and scattering them afar, the next, gone as if never there. leaving the rest of us to pick up the pages, and put them back together, only to find they somehow got a little cleaner, a little more defined, and with a fresh coat of ink. how like the wind he is... and how unlike as well.


    the wind never harms anyone. the wind is a bystander, a playful character that occasionally comes in to have some fun.


    in the river of events, shadowpelt is like a rock. shaping every drop the way he wants, and damn hard to move out of the way. i have known him for... i don''t know how long. it feels like forever, and i can barely remember my life from before he came into it.


    haaaa, i''m getting to be a right darn good philosepher, so good i can''t understand myself.


    ---


    on and on, over and over.


    ask, accept, continue, repeat.


    the only break from this routine, was when a human fought back. why do they fight back? when they have so much to lose? is it because they''re stupid? are they, perhaps, the mentally challenged ones, that fight me? as long as i live, i doubt i''ll ever understand humans.


    i talked to some, asked others questions, but it all blended together, and none of it stood out. it was like the whole world had turned grey, without a speck of color to light it.


    damn boring, and a bitch to move around in.


    i had been excited, extastic, and all those other fancy words for really happy. but when i took a look around, and saw the bodies... it was sobering. i no longer felt any joy in murdering helpless fools, only the pleasant feeling of accoplishing the kings work.


    throughout, i kept having the same thought.


    would shadowpelt have done that? what would he have done differently?


    i had never thought he''d made such an impression on me.


    when the village headman heard a rabid wolf was prowling about, and killing the farmers, i soon met with stiffer resistance, than the peasantry.


    i waited for the militia to come at me, and watched them closely.


    a boy so young he probably still hasn''t got all his teeth in... a codger so old he might as well have been a corpse. a girl probably fresh from grabbing her mothers skirts, and a veteran who was missing more limbs than he retained.


    pitiful. but brave, nonetheless. i would challenge them, as fellow warriors.


    "come, my foe, and let us do battle."


    it sounded cliche'', but i think they deserve some memory to take to the afterlife. i''m guessing it''ll be boring there, and a good fight playing in your mind does wonders for boredom.


    the veteran eyed me carefully, and the boy shook in his boots. the four were armed with little more than sticks with pointy bits tied to them, tho the vet had a well-maintained short sword in his belt, with the ripped and torn scabbard looking more like a snaggy bush than hardened leather.


    the girl had two nasty looking knifes, and the codger had a club. the boy had a slingshot tied to his belt. ha. so naive. thinking a pebble would do good against a wolf. it almost made me laugh.


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    but the time for humor has passed.


    i leapt forward, and bit out the vets throat, seeing as he would have been the biggest threat, since he actually knew how to swing his weapon. the old codger didn''t put up much resistance while i helped him along to the place he should have been in decades ago.


    the grave, i mean.


    i felt a little sting, and looked at the boy who was shaking in his boots. i felt pity, that i must end such a young life, before it has the chance to gain maturity. but he did not bow.


    he held his pitiful weapon up, and tried to take another shot, but his arm shook so badly he must have missed by three yards. i sidled up to him, not feeling the need to hurry an already doomed soul into damnation. he would get there soon enough.


    i bit his throat out. then spat the blood on the ground. his face was soon indiscernible, as the fountain that erupted from his neck quickly drenched any and all clear surfaces around it.


    what a pity.


    as i said, i take no joy in death. not in my making it, and not in the risk of my own eventual meeting. but, i would not let a little thing like death stop me from achieving shadowpelts goals. thats just the kind of man he is, the kind that makes you do stupid things, for all the wrong reasons, simply because he''s a bastard. a bastard who makes you like him. those are the worst kind.


    i finally turned my eyes to the girl, who had long ago abandoned her suedo-spear, and instead opted to use those nasty knives.


    we traded blows, and i learned that this one was made of sterner stuff than her male compatriot. all''s the pity. if she had died quickly, she wouldn''t have had to suffer the pain my claws inflicted. but, as i said, i respect pride.


    finally, she seemed exhausted. no more left to give, apparently. i made my way in front of her, as slow and inevitable as a funeral march. there was no hurry, as it was most likely i had all day to accomplish my self-assigned task of rooting out the non-believers.


    "wait!"


    i paused at the unexpected voice, and slowly cocked my head to the side. what could possibly make me want to wait?


    the girl spoke again, in between pants and heavy breaths, her hands on her knees and bent over.


    "why are you doing this!?"


    i contemplated her question, and finally replied with what i thought was an adequate answer for someone about to die.


    "because i can."


    the only expression on her face was disbelief.


    "because you can? because you can!? oh, god help us if your kill''in folks left an right just cause ya can!"


    i thought about what she just said, but was still confused, and decided to voice my confusion.


    "what is your point?"


    her face just kept getting more and more shocked.


    "you can''t get the bloody point!? does that mean i haft ta explain such an obvious thing to you?"


    "if that is what it will take to keep you quiet while i kill you, then yes."


    she just stood still.


    "f*** it. i aint explan''in such a thing to a pussy like you."


    "then can we get on with it? it''s getting dark, and i''d like to be back in the forest before tomorrow."


    "che, your jus'' jelly O ma sweet knowledge, and your inability to com-pre-hend them. so that jus'' means your an idjit."


    "please tell me i did no just get called stupid by someone who says ''idjit''."


    "hell no, cunt. you jus'' got pwned by the f**k''in great Me''Gyre."


    i was starting to get why my father had told me that women were troublesome. of course, he''d always get nipped in the behind by mum right after saying so to me, but it turned out it was all true. i have never wished something to be untrue harder in my life.


    i sighed.


    "whatever. i don''t feel like killing you, and slaying people while not in the mood''s bound to put a sour taste in my mouth, so your safe for know. just know, the next time i come to the village you will bow your head to shadowpelt, or die. tell your village that, and also that they are to send the headman to meet with us, and discuss the future."


    she proccessed this, then let out a whoop.


    "whoooo! looks like my plan worked! your so scared O my vo-cab-u-lary that you runn''in away! that''s right doggy, scram!"


    i shook my head.


    i swear... if every encounter with a woman is going to be like this, i''ll cut it off and live in the mountains, away from everyone. maybe, if i''m lucky, i''ll get gray fur soon.


    then i''ll be able to say i''m too old for this shit!


    ---


    i felt nothing. i heard nothing. i saw nothing. all was as it should be.


    would you like to evolve? the requirements for the following has been met.


    Pure, Noble, Alpha Werewolf, strength variant.


    well, it looks like there''s only one option. might as well, i mean, it''s not like i have a choice, right?


    i responded,


    "yes."


    choice confirmed, evolutuion immenient. prepare yourself.


    wait wha-


    "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"


    a pain like i''d never felt before, coupled with the tingle you get on your spine when a spider craws up it, and you can do nothing about it. after that...


    "MOTHER F***, SON OF A WHORE, GREAT GOD OF CUNTS, F***ING GET YOUR LONG HARD DICK OUT OF MY ASSHOLE!"


    ...there was the cussing.


    when the pain stopped, and my obscenity calmed, i was finally able to regain control of my bodily functions.


    "owww... my head..."


    i held up a hand to my head, and slowly stood up, then walked over to a puddle left by the recent rain to take a look at myself.


    when i saw myself, the profanity came back.


    With a Vengeance.

 Questions Answered

    AN:so, this little, something, is my reply to a private message from the awesome person who told me how to change my avatar, littel. it answers his question on the back ground for talkir and egain, and why they evolved the way they did. and, because i''m a lazy asshole, instead of integrating the details into the story to help the imursion, i''m just going to post the answers in a thread that no one will read. (take that, suckahs!) this thread fully explains the characters thoughts, and emotions, during their transformation. so, here it is. (i''m lame, i get it.)


    heres the soundtrack, my prettys. :3


    https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ</a>


    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    i''m a horrible person. but if you havn''t picked up on that yet, your stupid. (no offense. oh, who am i kidding? ALL THE OFFENSE!


    the answer to the question, what is the back ground behind talkir and egain becoming human? and why are you such a douche? (littel didn''t ask that question, it''s just kinda inferred that the rest of you want to know.)


    Lets see if I can explain. (this will go horribly wrong, just you wait.)


    so, i don''t know if you know, but i changed the fiction description a few days back, and i think it reflects my thoughts quite clearly.


    lets, see,


    in Talkir''s case, he was abused from birth, with rarely any acceptance from friends, family and loved ones. when Shadowpelt showed signs of giving a damn about him, he over reacted, and became a fanatic. when he calmed down, he finally realized that simply worshipping the person you admire is useless, since you cannot further that persons goal. so, with the mindset of one who wishes to be usefull, he set off on a long journey, with the hopes of becoming powerful.


    while he was being chased, and his life was in constant danger for hours, if not days, his mind reviewed all the things that led up to him being chased.


    then, in the case of escape being impossible, and all hope of becoming useful to the one he worships, his mind relapsed into a fanatic mindset, allowing him to brazenly risk his life, for no other reason than he felt it would make Shadowpelt proud.


    while doing so, he consantly thought of shadowpelt, and in particular, his image.


    when Talkir thinks of shadowpelt, he see''s the look on shadowpelts face as he was leaving.


    what talkir see''s is the epitome of strength, and that strength takes the form of a human. so, when his crazed, blood soaked mind is offered a choice of evolution, he takes the one most like the one he adores. (though, it did take more than one evolution. i''m not going to be exact, but talkir evolved more than once during the moshpit in the mountains.)


    well, that takes care of talkir''s back ground. you can understand why i say i ramble, can''t you? now for Egain.


    btw, it isn''t really a human form, or even demi-human. when egain evolves, he is a normal wolf taking on the most powerful form a wolf can take. when he is offered the choice of ''Pure, Noble, Alpha Werewolf, Strength Variant'' it is the only choice he has. there are a few reasons for this, but lets not get into them.


    first, i want to tell you what those titles in front of Werewolf mean.


    Pure: this means he isn''t harmed by silver any more than another metal, as silver cures impurities, were as Egain has become a Pure werewolf.


    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Noble:what this means, is that it is harder for him to take human shape, than to leave being a wolf. as you know, the full month cycle we have on earth is condensed into a week on this particular world, so werewolfs are more of a threat, as they transform weakly, instead of monthly. the thing is, for egain it''s a little different. the moon does make him stronger, but it doesn''t force him into wolf state. because, he is a wolf. he can just take human form sometimes. the details of his ability will be explained in future chapters. probably. just know, egains base form in not that of a human, nor a demi-human. he is, and always will be, a wolf.


    Alpha:I''m not gonna tell you what that means! that would spoil it! so your just going to have to wait. (hehehe, they''ll never see it coming)


    now, onto the reason for his tranfomation into a werewolf, and not into just a bigger wolf.


    while writing the last chapter, i was in a thoughtful mood. and, i allowed Egain, in his own mind, to ponder humanity, and pride, as well as his relation to shadowpelt.


    he saw shadowpelt, not as a role model, or as someone to be worshipped, but simply as someone who was wise, and able to take care of his pack, in situations where he himself cannot.


    during his cleansing of Road''s End, he asks a simple question of everyone he comes accross.


    "will you bow to the king?"


    in a way, this reflects his own thoughts. he is asking himself the same question, over and over, and wondering if bowing his head to another damages his pride.


    he carefully observes the reactions of different people to his question, and ponders the results of such a decision. finally, he meets resistance, people who will not bow, even though they clearly want to. he leaves the encounter thoughtful, and tired, and when he comes back, he meditates, and clears his mind until nothing intrudes into it. when he has achieved, as buddists would say, inner peace, a voice calls out to him. in reality, becoming a werewolf wasn''t the only option. but the option to become a werewolf was the only choice he heard, as his mind filtered out the evolutions that would hinder his ability to think clearly, in his meditative state.


    finally, the pain.


    no other evolution in the series has this ''pain'' happen during it. the reason, is because it''s hypocritical.


    becoming a werewolf, taking on human aspects, no matter how small, is against his beliefs. in the beggining of the chapter, he belittles humans, he scoffs at their weakness, and their inability to make intelligent decisions. so, becoming a werewolf, and taking on that weakness, that stupidness, is going against his own instincts.


    and so, egain is both the most, and the least, human of shadowpelts followers.


    also btw, shielings evolution isn''t going to be really... human.


    you''ll see. or you''ll read. screw this! i''m getting tongue tied. or finger tied.


    you get what i mean! i''m going to sleep before i write something weird...


    a;lgakdshg;lwqkntg;lsd hg;ankjfc;axlkdhmfoshidng;hkldsnhfafnlhapwlhngdhl;


    i have an appreciation speech ready for when i''m elected.


    why haven''t i used it yet?


    and in regards as to why i''m such a douche, you should ask your mother, when you get older. also, tell her i had fun last night. ^^


    teehee!

 Vol II:ch 8:Tournament, Part 1

    https://youtu.be/xyOWuNU9X5Q</a>


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    "when you kill a man, you don''t take away his hopes and dreams. instead, you take them unto yourself. when you take the title of ''Silent Death'', bring honor to your predecessors."


    -The Master''s Quotes, on Honor-


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    -in the days before the tournament, in class.-


    "so, class, can anyone tell me what the difference between ''mana manipulation'' and ''mana manipulation sphere'' are?"


    i raised my hand.


    "yes, miss Jealson."


    "the difference between the mana manipulation sphere and mana manipulation are as follows.


    the mana sphere is the area around a mage where he/she can control their own mana, though several exceptions, like calling lighting, are possible, though very ineffective.


    mana manipulation, is what kind of rules a wizard enforces on a spell, an example being an exploding fireball. a mage can simply throw fire, but this is ineffective, and usually only able to set alight dry grass, and do minimal damage. in the case of an exploding fireball, the mage packs fire and oxygen into a smaller area, and places a thin wall of mana between the oxygen and fire, then places a ''timer'' which tells the mana when to dissipate. when this occurs, the fire bursts out of both the constraining mana that compresses it, and feeds on the oxygen in it''s center, lending force to the explosion. other, more complicated spells, require more skilled manipulation of mana."


    "very good, miss Jealson. a better than textbook answer, if i might say. yes, the difference between a mana sphere and mana manipulation is where it takes effect. for example, the headmaster can compress enough air to make a black hole, then tell the mana he is compressing to wait a certain amount of time before fully taking effect. after all, it would be stupid to make a black hole right next to yourself, right? how large a mana sphere is depends on the wizard, though some wizards don''t use their sphere, but simply take raw mana, and throw it around. this is a faster, but more mana-consuming way to use magic. take notes, there will be a test.


    -class on molding mana-


    "so, students, today we''ll be talking about molding mana. last time, we discussed the difference between a wizards mana sphere, and mana manipulation. today, we''ll be practicing with using our mana sphere. so, i want you to take the element you are most adept at, and make a ball of it in front of you."


    i complied, making a little ball of fire in front of me. my mana sphere encompassed a circle about ten feet in diameter, with myself in the middle.


    "now, i want you to play with it."


    i was sure i had misheard.


    "um, play with it, sir?"


    he looked at me, then nodded solemnly.


    "yes, play with it. see if you can come up with a trick, like juggling, or perhaps breathing fire, maybe style your hair with water? i don''t care. we have all day, after all. have fun! go wild!"


    i nodded, unsure. so, i did what he told us to, and played with fire.


    after about an hour, i had a little ring of fire spinning horizontally around me, at the edge of my sphere. i started putting more mana into the ring, but it soon grew to hot. then, i thought, why don''t i compress it? after all, the teacher said the headmaster could compress air...


    i made a larger, hollow ring, but this time of mana invisible to all but my own eyes. seeing someone else use mana in their own sphere was a very, difficult thing to do, and only masters could achieve this. then, i started making it smaller, redistributing the mana to thicken the hollow ring. soon enough, the raw mana and fire met, and seemed to fight against each other. i concentrated harder, hardening the raw mana, and forcing the fire remain still. slowly, i felt the air pockets between the fire and the mana shrink, still feeding mana into the fire in place of oxygen. finally, nothing was left inside of my hollow ring but mana fed fire. slowly, ever so slowly, if tightened the ring. for a second, nothing happened. then, i felt a force acting on the ring. i kept compressing, and the force got greater and greater, until i thought the ring would burst. then, i fed more mana into the fire filled ring, making it harder and stronger. finally, a ring of what looked like heated metal surrounded me, and my mana was being depleted keeping the fire compressed at an alarming rate.


    the teacher spoke up.


    "aho! looks like miss jealson has tried compressing, huh? quite risky, i must say..."


    i looked at him in confusion.


    "what do you mean by risky?"


    "well, if you had lost concentration for even a second while compressing that much fire, this entire room would have been incinerated."


    he said this like it wasn''t a big deal.


    "b-but you said the headmaster-"


    he cut me off. "when i said the headmaster made a black hole for an example, i was joking. compressing is something that few wizards try, and even fewer survive to experiment with. haven''t you heard how the headmaster leveled an island while practicing, when he felt an ant touch his toe and he lost his concentration? usually, only wizards who have been coming to the academy for decades attempt compressing. having a student who''s been here for barely a month... well, it''s just surprising. and even more surprising is that you succeeded."


    "oh." i looked down.


    he looked worried. "i wasn''t chastesting you, i just wanted you to know how risky a buisness compressing is. you are extraordinary, and you should never back down just because someone tells you something might be dangerous."


    "um, shouldn''t you be telling me to not, do dangerous things?"


    he smiled crazily.


    "if you wanted to be safe, you wouldn''t be learning magic, would you?"


    -the day of the tournament-


    i was nervous, walking into the arena.


    who wouldn''t be?


    the headmaster said something beside me, but the only part i could make out was something like, "make sure you have fun out there, and, deals are easily made, and easily broken. just remember ours." i think i felt Cat Bastard move a little, but i was too busy being nervous to tell. apparently, i was in the same block as perry.in other words, if everything went according to plan, i''d get fourth, or third. f*** my life. the good news, was... what was the good news?


    well, i''ll go out there, and i''ll meet perry on the field, and go down faster that a fat cow down an ogres throat.


    i''m so screwed...


    in total, there were 256 competitors, as there had been what the teachers called a ''culling'' were the weakest competitors had a little ''pre-match'' and the winner''s got to actually compete.


    as i had a better than average allotment of mana, i had been exempt from these pre-matches, and the same was true of those that would no doubt be tough opponents. so, in other words, the first place, (perry, no doubt.) would have to win eight matches of one-on-one dueling. no weapons were allowed, though items such as chalk, scrolls that had been approved by a judge, and any alchemic concoction that was or your own making, assuming it wouldn''t be deadly. the headmaster said he''d rather not have a repeat of last year...


    before battle, each competitor was outfitted with a short-range teleport bracelet, that brought them to a room well away from the arena, in the medical bay. ''just in case'' was what the headmaster said. i get the feeling he meant ''you''ll need healing, so it''s better to already be there.''


    the bracelet was equipped with a touch activated emergency option, and in the case of not being able to touch it, (like for instance both your arms are missing, as the headmaster said) you can channel a small amount of mana into the crystal adorning said bracelet.


    it seems like they thought of everything... except for the instance that you die before you can channel any mana into the crystal. having teachers with such foresight really comforted the students. it comforted some of them so much they ran to the nearest corner and heaved up any and all of their insides.


    my first match was against katy, one of the four people i had marked as trouble. a coincidence? i think not. i think fate just likes f***ing with people.


    "will kat, Jealson please come forward?"


    i got up off of the bench, and walked to the door, which was held open by one of the teachers clay golems, which resembled a soldier in full plate.


    i heard the announcer call out katy, but i barely made out his voice. i was too busy looking at the arena.


    for each match, the teachers would randomize it, by having a dozen of them throw every kind of element in there and watching what would happen. the competitors, like me, were kept secluded in one-person rooms, with enchantments on the doors that kept them in until it was their turn, so every competitor could use all of their tricks, and not worry about their future opponents learning their fighting style and readying counters. preparation was key for a wizard, but what they were trying to say by this is that you need to be prepared for everything, and ready to compromise, and change your plans at the drop of a hat. unless you have overwhelming power, like perry. have i mentioned how f***ed i am?


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    for my first match, it seemed that most of the teachers had opted to use elements that pertained to earth, and nature. there was a pond, but other than that it was grass, stone, and trees. ten foot walls surrounded the arena, along with heavy enchantment, kept the spectators safe from crossfire from the wizard battles. most of the spectators were looking excited, so i guess the previous match was a good one.


    because of the lush greenery, my view of my opponent was non existent. i guess an element of stealth would play a part in this match, and i would have to be careful. katy was a powerful fire mage, but not very smart, and prone to exploding over nothing. now, if i can find her before she see''s me-


    *whoosh!*


    a good quarter of the arena erupted in flame. well, looks like finding her wouldn''t be a problem. i jumped on a rock, then to a higher one, finally vaulting into a tree, and jumping from branch to branch, making sure my hair covered my ears at all times. when i arrived at the scene of devastation, i spotted katy alone, in a field of burned trees. she was screaming at a spectator, so i assume one of them taunted her, and she replied by throwing a massive fireball at the barrier.


    i carefully began wielding my mana, drawing strength from my various affinity''s, and crafting what i call a ''finisher''. if i could end this fight before it began, i would be well on the way to victory.


    however, she sensed my wielding of mana, and turned, her hands blazing.


    stupid.


    making your hands blaze is an amateurs  mistake. it is good for nothing but intimidation, and wasting mana. she followed this idiotic presentation by hurling a double fistful of fire, which enlarged the farther it grew from her, until it covered half the arena.


    impressive, if i was a peasant.


    summoned some fire of my own, and made a thin line, right in front of me. the wall of fire split effortlessly, and scorched everything left remaining in the arena, except for in a wedge behind me.


    well, so much for a nature arena.


    other than what lay behind me, the arena resembled a wasteland. i responded to her careless destruction of nature by compressing the fire in my line, and feeding more mana into it, until it resembled a small white ball. when i had finished, i shot the ball toward her.


    when the ball left my sphere of mana manipulation, it looked to unskilled eyes like it burst into flame. to wizards, it simply meant that it left my sphere, and i no longer had complete control of it''s mana border, which was quite unstable, and thus a small amount was let out.


    katy tried to erect a thick wall of fire in front of herself, but my ball simply shot through, burning her wimpy flames. luckily for her, she had enough piece of mind to jump out of the way, and cover herself in a thin layer of mana.


    as if i''d send a ball of fire without setting a timer when it could so easily be dodged.


    i thought, while readying my ice magic, pulling my fist back.


    oh, by the way, i should mention.


    most wizards, they have the basic four elements, and one which they are better at than the others. some people don''t have any one they are better at than the others. these are called ''jacks'' while those with a single expertise while having access to all are called ''regs''.


    of the four elements, fire, air, water, and earth, there are a few wizards who can access specific pieces of the elements.


    take, for example, a stone mage. where as normal earth mages, and everyone who has an affinity for earth, can use plants, dirt, stone, and the various ore''s, stone mages can exclusively use stone. usually, it would be a disadvantage. but, people who can only use one aspect of an element, are extremely powerful in the use of it. it isn''t spread around in the other areas, after all. people like this are called ''specs'' standing for specific.


    for a wizard who has only one affinity, like the headmaster, who can only use air magic, they are known as ''eens''. these are the rarest type of elemental wizard, and extraordinarily powerful in all cases. the least powerful een was a wizard who could lift a mountain. a sub sect of the een''s is the ulmeens, who are specs that can only use the magic that makes them a spec.


    other than the four elements, there are those who use mana in a different way. these are people such as witches, necromancers, and, metal mages.  these are commonly referred to as ''abs'' standing for abnormal.


    dragons are known as ''specs'' though most can use all kinds of fire, and some can use different types of elements. the rarest dragon ever know was the necromancer drake, who could also use nature magic. he was an ab, and an ulmeen.


    i, myself, can use fire, which i''m most proficient in, and the other three elements. but, i''m also a spec, because i can use ice.


    ice mages, are mages who can use ice magic without first making water, then freezing it. they can simply will frozen co2 into existence, using the mana around them as a catalyst. in the far north, in the dark peninsula, there is an ulmeen that uses ice, and is known as the Frozen King. some say he is more powerful than the headmaster, but the teachers are confident in the old geezer. i have no idea what to think.


    anyway, katy is a spec, along with affinities in all of the other elements. not rare, but not common either. the particular spec type she is, is a magma spec. meaning, instead of having to mix earth and fire until the earth melts, a time consuming and costly task, she can simply use mana to create magma.


    i, as an ice mage, could simply sill ice into my mana sphere. and i did.


    then, i shot said ice toward her downed person, fallen over from having to dodge my fireball.


    my ice, however, was only a distraction.


    she made a shield of magma, placing it between my ice and her, keeping it floating in the air in front of her. while it melted the ice shards i shot at her, it also stopped her from seeing the glowing, and now pulsing, fireball beside her. she noticed too late, what was happening.


    the ball exploded, and i only saw her throw up as much mana as she possibly could between the explosion and herself before my opponents side of the arena erupted in fire.


    i put up a thin vein of mana at the extent of my sphere, blocking any residual heat from burning me, and stopping any pieces of ground that were thrown up from the force of the explosion.


    i calmly waited, then summoned some water to cool down the ground beneath my tree, then hopping down into the small puddle i made, right before the charred trunk of my tree finally gave way, and fell down, making sure my hair covered my ears throughout.


    i spotted her, collapsed on the ground, panting for air. i walked over to her, making sure to stay out of her sphere, as once i was inside, she could burn my body without having to do anymore than blink.


    she slowly stood up, nearly falling over as she did so.


    "you are one clever bitch..."


    "thank you."


    she sighed, looking sad.


    "so, i''ve been defeated in the first round, huh?"


    i nodded.


    "i''m sorry."


    she growled. "don''t apolagize! don''t feel pity for your opponent when you defeat them! that is like telling them that you could beat them any time you want! it''s a humiliation, to be pitied by the person who beat you. stand proud, stand tall! you beat me, fair and square. now, go on and win it all, ya hear me? if i''m beat in the first round, and i can''t tell the people who make fun of me that the person who beat me went on to win the whole damn thing, i''ll be a laughing stock!"


    i was shocked. i''d expected her to be angry at me for beating her, not for being sorry for her. she kept going.


    "so, you better win, ya hear? that f***''in clear?"


    when i looked at her disheveled, burned face, covered in dirt, and angry as hell, i didn''t have the heart to tell her i had no chance, not with perry being here. but telling her i didn''t have a chance...


    "i''ll do my best."


    she nodded, satisfied. she held up her wrist, and yelled to all the spectators.


    "i concede the match to Kat Jealson! and i''ll be up there to watch her kick the rest of those scrubs asses!"


    she touched the crystal on her bracelet, and disappeared.


    i sighed.


    "one down, five more to go. then i''ll get to be destroyed by perry."


    <hr />


    this one was a lot of exposition. i did not intend that, but i guess it works.


    the next one, though... say goodbye to exposition, sense, and your socks. the battles will be one hell of a ride, and fun to write, so they might actually be up tonight. i don''t know, i''m in a writing mood.

 Vol II:ch 9:Tournament, Part 2

    https://youtu.be/bSHyDzfzOWI</a>


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    "when faced with overwhelming odds, do not be afraid. do not hesitate. to hesitate is to be killed, to stop is to die, to kill the enemy is victory!"


    -The Master''s quotes: The Master''s Farewell-


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    "Kat Jealson!"


    my name rang out, for the sixth time today. i had defeated my next five opponents after katy with ease, and now i was to face Clarkson, another trouble person. as i say, fate like''s to f*** with me.


    i went out, and to my surprise, the only thing on the arena was stone.


    on the opposite side of the stone plain, stood clarkson. i made ready my magic.


    we walked out onto the plain of stone, pillars sprouting up out of the ground at regular intervals.


    we stopped a hundred feet away from each other, eyeing the other up and down.


    i conjured a couple fireballs, then shot them out of the circle, then running in a sprint toward her, covering the ground in front of me in ice, so i was sliding in quickly toward her. she held up a hand.


    as i said, she is a genius. in particular, her mana sphere is of gargantuan size. she uses this to maximum effect.


    pillars of rock sprang up in front of me, trying to crush me. the disadvantage of being an earth mage, is that unlike the other three elements, you can''t conjure earth. you can move it, though.


    she formed spears close by herself, then shot them toward me, while raising a block of stone to stop my fireballs. i shot mana out of my feet, sending the ice in a line toward her, and erupting in spikes in front of her spears, knocking them off course, while still sprinting toward her. finally, when we were twenty feet away, i slowed down and stopped. we circled, then finally, we went all out.


    fire blasted from my fingertips, arcing across the distance between us, either being dodged or deflected by stone. i jumped from side to side, and pillar to pillar, as they were soon common beneath me. i sent ice through my feet, attempting to spear her.


    finally, we had exhausted most of our mana. i stood on a pillar, and she stood in between two javelins made of ice. dueling with magic was useless, as we seemed to have similar skill. so, we would take things hand-to-hand.


    i started crafting a spear. she molded a mace from stone.


    we approached, bearing our respective weapons, then, we did what mages did when forced to use close range weapons. we took our remaining mana, and fitted it around our body. in terms of defense, using earth was much more cost effective, but there would be no time for using the elements.


    she ran toward me, raising shield and mace, letting out a yell.


    "come, then"


    i kicked the back of my spear, spinning it in a flashing circle, the ice reflecting sun into clarkson''s eyes, then stopping the spinning spear and attempting to drive it into her gut.


    she instinctively put her shield in the way of my spear, and it rebounded, leaving me open for her mace to come forward in a short, vicious jab, driving the breath from me. instead of crushing ribs, which would have happened if my mana covering weren''t there.


    i side-stepped her next overhand blow, and twisted my spear, bringing the haft against her torso, and driving her a few feet away. unlike normal warriors, mages did not train their muscles. but, not knowing how to wield a weapon for when your mana was depleted was stupid.


    also, mages could channel mana into their weapons, making the force greater than normal. i batted her mace to the side, then thrust toward her head. her twisted, bringing her shield around to block, then took a couple steps back, and summoned an earth pillar right below me. i used the force to leap, and flip over her head, flipping the spear backwards, until i held it reverse, and thrust behind.


    i heard a grunt, and turned. my spear thrust had depleted her remaining mana, and made a small incision in her back.


    i stepped forward, and stomped the ground, bringing three spears of ice from the frozen stone beneath my feet. i threw the first, then the second, and grabbed the third, holding both spear''s in my hands. i ran forward, and gathered mana in the palm of my hand. i thrust with the left spear, which she blocked, then i thrust with the right, forcing her to open herself.


    then, i stuck the left spear into her abdomen, making her spit blood. then i threw away the right spear. she was confused, as i had no weapon. i used her confusion to step up to her face, and placed my right palm onto the right side of her chest. then, i scorched a hole through her. she stumbled back, her eyes listless, then fell unconscious.


    the teleport crystal blinked, and she disappeared.


    "now, perry is next."


    "f*** my life."


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Shadowpelt''s POV


    i was sitting beside the headmaster, watching Kat fight. the headmaster said something.


    "so, has living with her for the past month taught you anything?"


    i nodded.


    "it''s taught me to walk carefully."


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    we watched the rest of the fight in silence. finally, i broached the subject.


    "she cannot defeat perry."


    the headmaster just nodded.


    "it is not fair to have such a person such as him go up against her."


    he nodded again.


    "plus, if i faced him, you would be able to study my power."


    "i do not know if you will win, he could very well kill you."


    "why, of course. it would be a waste of time otherwise."


    he thought for a little, but finally agreed.


    "fine. but, remember, he must stay alive."


    i smiled like a cheshire.


    "but of course."


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    "Kat Jealson!"


    i heard the dreaded calling of my name. i made to step out of the door, when the headmaster appeared before me.


    "ahh, kat! i have brought your little friend, he wishes to cheer you on from a closer perspective."


    "but, i will probably lose, and if i have to protect a cat while fighting someone like perry-"


    "think of it as a handicap. if you achieve victory, it will be even more impressive, no?"


    i looked at the lunatic, but sighed.


    oh well, if a stray fireball scorched the bastard, i wouldn''t have to worry about him.


    "sure! just hope he explodes- i mean stays safe."


    he placed cat bastard on my shoulder, then disappeared again.


    ahhh, i give up. lets just do this...


    i walked out, cat on my shoulder, and faced the instrument of my destruction.


    the arena was grass, with dirt beneath. perry was tall, green haired, and wore a pair of glasses.


    he said nothing, and i expected no words from him. around school, he was known as one of the biggest pricks around, though no one said anything to his face. too scared.


    i resignedly raised my hands, and prepared my mana.


    this will be short.


    it went how i thought. i threw everything i had at him, and he dismissed it as nothing. halfway through, he erected a dome of water, and froze it. i looked around, and saw that our view of the spectators was locked off. it seems he didn''t want to show anyone his magic. no one could see or hear us, in this dome.


    he surrounded me in a globe of water, and i started drowning. when i thought i was going to black out, i reached for the bracelet.


    it''s a shame. i really didn''t want to admit defeat.


    when my hand was an inch away from the crystal, it stopped. i looked around, then saw a man holding my wrist. suddenly, the water splashed back to the ground, and i stood on solid ground.


    i gasped, and asked the stranger. "who are you?"


    he smiled, and i focused on the red that made up his pupils.


    "why, Shadowpelt, of course. who else did you think it was?"


    i looked at his black cat ears, and the tail flicking around behind him, as well as the black pelt surrounding his waist.


    "what are you..." i nearly fell asleep. i wouldn''t stay awake much longer, i had a major case of oxygen depravation, and my body was shutting down.


    at this, he smiled even wider.


    "why, insane, of course."


    i fell into the blackness, and heard no more.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    i looked down at the red-haired girl. over the month i had been with her, i had come to like her.


    i turned to this ''perry'' and lay Kat down gently on the ground. i focused my eyes on every part of him, studying his every move. if i wanted to win, and gain entry to the hall of artifacts, i''d need to defeat him. my deal with mr. joyins had been simple.


    i had asked him if there was any condition where i myself could win, and he had said,


    "tell you what, i''ll put perry in kat''s block, and if you beat him, i''ll consider it a win for both of you. after all, you are a student here, even if un officially. if you were to enter the tournament in the normal way, we''d have a riot."


    "these conditions are acceptable. if i lose, it will make little difference to Kat, but if i win..."


    he nodded. "besides, perry needs a worthy opponent. if he spends his entire devolopment being on the top, he will never improve."


    i focused back on the present. perry wanted to talk, apparently.


    "so, her cat is really a demi-human? how strange. i think you are a pervert."


    i smiled.


    "oh? not surprised at all, are we? well, if you aren''t surprised, then we can get to this."


    "if you think i''ll fight an animal, you are sorely mistaken."


    i smiled even wider.


    "if you think i''ll give you a choice, you''ve got another thing coming."


    his eyes widened, as i gathered my mana.


    "let''s get started, shall we?


    hahhahaHahAHahahaHahaHahaHahaHahAHahAHahAHhahAhahaHahahahaHhahahah


    <hr />


    i''m going to write the third chapter now.


    teehee. i''ve been saving a song for this chapter. it''s one of my favorites.

 Vol II:ch 10:Tournament, Finale

    swearing, bloody gore, and stuff that will make the weak at heart throw up. be prepared.


    i''ve been saving this melody, just for this. enjoy. ^_^


    https://youtu.be/qweqbJ9Bmws</a>


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    "lay waste to you foes, decimate your enemies, slaughter all who oppose you!"


    -The Voices in my head: The Chant they repeat-


    kill kill kill


    over and over. i tried to stop them... i tried to halt the flow... i was getting better...


    but then, what if i don''t want to get better?


    HaHaHaHahaHaHahaHaahahaHahAHaHahaHaHaHahaahHAAAhaahAHAHAHaHaHaHaHAHaAHAHAhAh


    the voices in my head... why? why? why!


    WHY DOES IT HURT SO MUCH?!


    i laughed. if it hurts, just laugh away the pain. right? right? RIGHT?!


    i took the darkness cast by my body, and molded it into a spear. perry shot water in various forms toward me, and i crushed his miserable excuses for magic.


    "IS THAT ALL YOU''VE GOT!?!?!?"


    he looked scared. pain. why shouldn''t he? pain! HE SHOULD BE TERRIFIED! OH GOD THE PAIN!


    KILL KILL KILL KILL


    he surrounded me in hundreds of gallons of water, and i breathed fire from my palms. evaporating any and all.


    "lj what was lkj that? jkl? huh? kill him.


    "ha ha ha ha ah ha ha ha h ahAHF HAHAHAHaHaHAhaHAHaHAHAHAHHAH! YESYESYEYSEYSEYSEYESYSYEYSEYSEYSEYESY"


    freeze the water he summons, then knock him off his feet. pain pain pain


    "hahahehehhahAHeahahahah, why don''t you plaaaaaaaaay?"


    he was thoroughly creeped out now. it hurts it hurts it hurts


    he sent a tsunami, and i parted it with a pillar of stone. he tried to crush me with water pressure, and i blasted apart the water with pure mana.


    finally, i stood over him, his mana depleated, his eyes full of fear. twitch. towards the end, he''d panicked, and used more mana than he needed to. if he had kept his calm, he might have made me run out before him, and won.


    If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    kill him kill him rip his guts slit his throat eat his arms stuff a spear in his eye hang him by his guts slice a hole in his head and watch the brains fall out hahaAHAHaHfAHAHfHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA


    i started stuffing the voices down.


    no.


    kilkillkikillkilkilkliklilkllklilkilkliklikliklikllklikll


    KILL THAT SON OF A BITCH!!!


    no.


    SLICE HIS GUTS OUT THEN RIP HIM APART!


    NO.


    YOU ABANDONED HER, DO EVERYTHING TO HIM THAT YOU WANT TO DO TO YOURSELF!


    NO! AND THAT''S FINAL!


    they quieted. slowly, they receded into the recesses of my consciousness, becoming their usual constant buzz.


    i stood in the middle of what looked like Armageddon. the ground was ripped in two, a huge cavern splitting the middle of it. water and mangled chunks of stone floating in it. a strange phenomenon, stone floating in water.


    i looked back at the poor boy who had to see me. he was crying, tears running down his face, and a wet spot on his crotch. i knelt beside him, dismissing my spear of shadow, and placed a hand over his eyes.


    "sleep, you poor, poor boy. and forget everything that happened. it will be better if you imagine this was just a dream. okay? this was just a nightmare, one that you will forget."


    he nodded, then fell unconscious, sleeping peacefully. hopefully, he''d get therapy, and remember this whole thing as nothing more than a dream.


    "now, for the rest of it..."


    i changed back into a cat, and sidled up to Kat''s face. i licked it, and used a little water magic to splash her face. another thing the bracelets did, was cure things like asphyxiation, and stop little things like crushed organs from killing the person before they could get treatment. restoring oxygen to lungs was a minor thing for that kind of power.


    she awoke, and looked around in terror.


    "cat bastard...?"


    i turned away, and looked at perry. she followed my gaze, and confusion slowly morphed in shock, then incredulousness.


    "WHAT THE F***?"

 Vol II:Epilogue

    yes. yes i am.


    https://youtu.be/yhPnM99MpNA</a>


    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    drip. drip. drip.


    a boy stood with his head cocked to the side, his hands stained red.


    "goodbye, my king."


    he turned, and walked down the carpet. the blue torches having long since gone out.


    the boy walked through the archway that once held two grand doors, and gave a glancing look to the small man who stood, shaking, by his desk.


    "w-w-w-w-what are you?"


    the boy smiled. his reply shocked the man even more.


    "your fired."


    the man was confused. "what do you me-"


    the man burst into flame, and was reduced to ash within a second.


    the boy chuckled.


    "did you get the joke?"


    "your jokes are bad and you should feel bad."


    "come on sis, why would you say that?"


    the girl turned away. "because, your head is taking up the whole doorway, and if it doesn''t shrink soon, you won''t be able to leave the palace."


    the boy sighed, then left the way he came.


    he smiled as he walked away from the corpse of the frozen king.


    "one down, two to go."


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    the hare stood stock still, it''s ears pricked and alert.


    just a little closer...


    it suddenly jumped away, and a loud cuss was heard throughout the forest.


    "f***!"


    "there went another one."


    a loud smack was heard.


    "ouch! what?! it''s true!"


    "thank you very much, captain obvious!"


    "your very welcome."


    another smack was heard.


    "ow ow, okay, lets just head back to camp, alright?"


    "haaa, fine. but if i hear another word out of you..."


    the hunters companion held up his hands in a defensive gesture. "alright, alright, not another word."


    the hunter nodded once, and they both went back to camp. when they arrived...


    "hey! catch nothing again, huh?"


    "still not catching anything?"


    "wow, you really do suck at hunting."


    the hunter grew gradually redder, until it seemed she exploded.


    "f***ing f*** off you faggots! not another word or you get it!"


    they gradually backed off, and left the red-faced hunter alone.


    the camp was bustling, full of men and women with pointy ears, and holding bows of all kind. the people here were commonly referred to as ''wood people'' or forest rangers. to those that knew them personally, they were called elves.


    Keina, the hunter, walked up to her favorite tree, hopping up and taking a seat in a branch high up. her friend, grumbletan, as she called him, took a seat at the foot of said tree.


    "so, keina, what are we gonna do now? even you must know you have no skill at hunting."


    she whipped around. "i can shoot better than anyone! just ask anyone!"


    he nodded. "sure, you can shoot, but it''s the staying undetected that seems to kick you in the teeth."


    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.


    she looked away. "just you wait. i''ll show you how good i can hunt."


    he shook his head. "look, i know my father has tasked me with looking after you, but can''t you just do something that doesn''t require looking after? i mean your a-"


    she turned to him, the murder glare turned on full blast. "just finish that sentence, will you?"


    he squeaked, and shook his head. "i was going to say your a free, independent woman who can do whatever she wishes, and is most definitely not a-"


    the murder glare returned.


    "okay! okay! jeez... anyway, what i was trying to say, is shouldn''t you just do things like needlework or something?"


    "f*** off."


    grumbletan sighed, but told himself things could be worse. "i mean, she could be trying to conquer the world..."


    she looked off into the distance. "conquer the world... okay."


    he straightened. "wait, what do you mean by ''okay''?"


    "we''re doing this."


    "no no no, what is ''this?"


    "conquering the world. duh."


    his face went white.


    "no- i didn''t mean- please don''t make up your mind!"


    "it''s happening. get ready."


    she hopped off the tree and began walking away.


    "so, first i''ll need..." she trailed off, mumbling to herself. grumbletan, as the former hunter-turned-conquering warlord called him, or Sebastian, as he was named, allowed himself a brief moment of hypocrisy.


    "F***!"


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    a blade, in the dark, alone for countless decades.


    "finally... my master approaches."


    if blades could smile, the sword would be leering.


    "let''s see how you will fare against me, eh?"


    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    AN:well, thats a wrap.


    Volume two everybody! yeah!


    "..."


    i forgot no one read this...


    :(


    anyway, getting serious now, i have some things to say. first off, three hundred thirty three.


    what does this number mean?


    IT''S HOW MANY FOLLOWERS I HAVE, B-


    lets not go there. anyway, thanks a bunch, and stuff. i''m not good with mushy stuff, or thanking people. so, just be glad you got this.


    *i''m sorry! please don''t hurt me!*


    shit. i keep typing swear words. f***. ah f***! shit!


    sorry. ahem. anyway, what number was i on? oh well, it probably wasn''t important.


    nothing important at all.


    totally unimportant.


    goddamnit. i can''t remember now. anyway, i''m probably gonna take a break, and write some other stuff. if a week goes by, and i still haven''t written a new chapter, you can yell at me. also, if you want me to provide a link to the other stuff i''ll be writing... well, there''s a comment section. use it.


    f*** i can''t be polite. usually, i''m full of energy, but... anyway, heres the epilogue. yay.


    i''m so lame...

 Update for the masses: a Monster was created the day i was born.

    please, please kill me. last night, i don''t know why, but i did things that should not be done. here''s the music. :3


    https://youtu.be/BddgVkX_e70</a>


    MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA


    ha.


    so, now that you''ve listened to the second reason i contemplate suicide, lets get on with the update.


    so, the next volume is some-what planned out. the prologue should be out today, though i have a lot of stuff i have to do.


    concerning the prologue, it''s amazing. its the first chapter i''ve liked, like really loved, since the first prologue. well, except for vol II chapter ten. :3 XD


    i''m sick. and i''m okay with it.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.moving on, there is a mysteeerious competition, which i plan to enter. i''ll update again with the title when it''s written... also,


    100 FAVORITES! WTF?!?!?!?!?!?


    are there more sick f***s than i thought in the world, or are they just in a very tight community? anyway, that concludes this update. prologue today, vol III coming out soon, and a mysteeerious fiction.


    also, during my break, i wrote a little something that i''ll probably expand. maybe. it''s titled ''Dark Bushido'' and it''s about an evil samurai. hehehehehe...


    well, thats it. heres the link to said fiction.         http://www.royalroadl.com/fiction/2662</a>


    bye bye!

 Vol III: Prologue: Will you love me?

    before we get to the chapter, watch this video. it''s hilarious, and i''m not trolling you. also, rape jokes aren''t funny.


    https://youtu.be/SZoiJM1vlfc</a>


    just kidding. rape jokes are funny as balls. anyway, now that i''ve gotten that out of my system, we can get back to the matter at hand. first off, i''m ashamed. for the last month or so, i''ve been typing with my hands. now, i will type with my anus.


    prepare your butts, and pray to the ass god. i''m back, baby!


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Kat''s POV


    i walked down a stone corridor, decorations mounted on the wall. swords, axes, shields and spears. it seemed out of place in a wizard academy, but the more i learned of this room of artifacts, the less i wanted to go there. cat bastard had opted to accompany me, and was sitting on my shoulder.


    who was that man?


    during my fight with perry, a stranger had pulled me out of perry''s spell, but i had no idea who it was. i could only remember small details, and the vague outline. cat ears, tail, and a pelt wrapped around his waist. just for a second, i thought maybe it was cat bastard, but there is no, way that piece of trash could be that attractive. i mean manly. i mean, so dashing.


    ...


    f***!


    the headmaster walked beside me, every now and then teetering as if he were going to fall at any moment. when we came to a forbidding door, made of black wood and decorated with runes of sealing, the headmaster turned to me and issued some final warnings.


    "he, he, just make sure you come back alive! any one of those items in that room could kill you, the only difference between them is if it would be on purpose or not!"


    maybe being beaten by perry was a blessing in disguise...


    i had asked a few of the spectators if they had seen the man, but apparently the huge dome of ice had blocked their view of the whole fight, though a huge chasm had been opened in the arena, and everywhere the ground had been either scorched or frozen. walking down the hallways, i had noticed people giving me looks. both of fear, and awe.


    still, i guess i could live with it. assuming they don''t ever find out my big secret.


    the headmaster was coming to a close, after telling me about several specific items that i should avoid at all costs, as they killed indiscriminately.


    "and finally, i want to remind you. one item per person."


    i wondered why he said that. i mean, it''s not like cat bastards going to take an item, right?


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    here is this chapters soundtrack. enjoy.


    https://youtu.be/YB7yQpXukYU</a>


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Shadowpelt''s POV


    i listened closely to Joyin''s instructions, keeping all of the mentioned artifacts stored in my head. when he had finished talking, he undid the sealing runes and opened the door.


    "now, you will have three hours. the door will be opened for five minutes, and after that, well."


    he got a crazy glint in his eye.


    "well, you''re screwed."


    blunt. i like him.


    kat nodded, and walked into the room of artifacts. when i heard the door close behind us, i quickly leapt off of kat''s shoulder, and made my way around the shelves. when she made a small ball of mana, she found that i was missing.


    ---


    to describe the room of artifacts simply, i have one word.


    labyrinth.


    the shelves reached from floor to ceiling, and were laid out with no apparent preplanning, making traversing them confusing and time-consuming.


    half way through looking, i transformed into human form. because of the restraints that beast form laid on me when i took a previous form, my mana was also cut into tiny pieces. that was why i had to change to human form in order to beat perry. now that i was in the room of artifacts, i wanted to be ready for anything, particularly if that anything wanted to kill me. then i saw something.


    i was by the wall, with three shelves enclosing me, in the shape of a U, when something caught my eye. i walked closer to investigate, but found nothing.


    i started poking around in the shelfs, finding all sorts of strange and useful items. a clock that seemed to go backwards, a candle that changed the color of it''s flame, never seeming to go out, nor get any shorter. a spear lay against the wall, but when i touched it it change into a bracelet. i looked around, searching for something that would aid me when-


    there it was again. i went back to the wall, which was bare. i looked in the corner, searching for what i knew was there. i ran my hand along the wall, not seeming to come into contact with what was there.


    maybe i was imagining things?


    maybe you''ve cracked for good this time? hmm?


    shut up.


    he he, for now. just let us know when blood is being shed...


    i turned back to looking through the shelves, no longer paying attention to what i found, but looking out the corner of my eye.


    ... a knife that glowed green ... two rings that seemed to draw the eye ... a shovel that seemed to move ...


    there! i whipped my head around, searching once more. but the wall was bare. i turned around, then carefully ... carefully ...


    gotcha.


    i kept my focus firmly on the object that could only be seen out the corner of my eye. i was so focused that i didn''t realize where i stood until i was a foot away. i turned my full gaze upon the object, seeing it clearly for the first time.


    a sword. the blade was one edged, and curved slightly. along the edge, a blue glow exuded, making me think i shouldn''t touch it. i didn''t notice when, but my hand was grasping the hilt.


    the entire sword was black, but extending from the blade was the hilt. it took the shape of black vines, twisting upon itself, and growing out of the blade. two extensions of black vine made up the hand-guard, perpendicular to the blade, and seeming to zigzag away from the main part of the sword. at the butt of the hilt, was a jewel.


    black as a cave, the dark gem seemed to swirl with darkness. i found myself reaching ... reaching ... until i thought i could almost touch the endless darkness. my finger inched closer and closer, and i came into contact-


    my finger went through it. as i watched, fascinated, my finger, then my hand, were completely engulfed my this jewel. my arm kept getting absorbed, then my head. and i was in.


    in were?


    all i could think, was that it was dark. and i was falling.


    ---


    i don''t know for how long i fell, but days seem too insignificant a time span to describe how long i was hurtling though the unseeable air. i had tried holding my hand up to my face, but i could make out nothing. even my excellent night vision had limits, and total darkness was one of them.


    during my fall, i had time to contemplate many things. my insanity, Jordan, and most of all, my friends.


    oh, how lost i would be without you, my companions.


    i was scared, truly afraid, by how true this thought was. they meant so much to me ... and i had let them go. it didn''t matter if they were all delusions created by a dead soul stuck in purgatory, or a last ditch effort by a dying mind to bring some kind of semblance of life in it''s final moments. they kept me sane, in a vision of insanity.


    during my fall, i contemplated lots of things. silica, my master, the old hermit on the mountain, and the agency. i asked myself the tough questions.


    during my twenty-two years of loyal, dedicated work, how much did i accomplish? did i help that orphan on the street to sleep? did i make the prostitute able to work without the fear they would be killed in a mass shooting? was i even on the right side?


    as i fell, i started to doubt even my insanity.


    am i really insane? do i really do things without my own consent?


    and then, the scariest question.


    what if i''m just a murderer? what if there was never, a purpose. what if all i did in my meaningless life, was purposelessly take other''s lives? could i hide behind insanity then?


    i''m alone. with the voices in my head. and they whisper truth and lies, only agreeing on one thing.


    you are a killer. nothing more.


    yes. nothing more.


    i felt pathetic. but, perhaps, that is the correct feeling. i am, after all, a pretty pathetic excuse for a human being.


    impact. i barely felt it, but i could tell it was there. i flailed my arms, trying to see what kind of situation i was in.


    from what i could tell, i was in some sort of liquid. i could only see blackness, but when i moved my arms i felt slight resistance. i tried treading water, and found that i was gaining hight. my lungs were starting to burn from the effort of holding my breath, so i inhaled. just a little, but what i found surprised me.


    i could breathe. i started taking deep, full breaths, and had no problem what-so-ever in doing so. when i surfaced, or what i think was a surface, i kept treading, moving in no particular direction, just looking for a hard surface to stand on.


    "hahahahahaha! this one cannot even stand!"


    i looked around the blackness. it was different from a second ago. the sky, or what i assumed took the place of a sky in this place, was a slightly lighter shade of black. the other thing stood in front of me.


    it was me. or at least, a reflection of me.


    the copy stood on the ground, and laughed at me. i looked closely, but found no visible errors with the copy. when i continued treading, and said nothing, the doppelg?nger seemed to grow impatient.


    "get up already! i can''t mock you properly if your just sitting there!"


    i paused, and tried something. i stopped treading.


    to my surprise, i didn''t sink. i tried raising my hands above the surface, and tried to push myself off of the ground, and found that what had been liquid a second ago was now firm ground. it messed with my depth perception, the ground being a uniform black, and i had a hard time judging the distance between me and the reflection.


    "so, looks like another poor fool has won the tournament. it''s been, what, a hundred years since the last unlucky winner wondered into my domain?"


    "i''m not one you should be asking. i believe i have been alive in this world for about, oh, a little over a month?"


    "hmmm, interesting. you said ''this world'', does that mean you have graced other planets?"


    i nodded.


    "bwahahahaha! as if that will make a difference! now, since you are so interesting, i think i''ll tell you what i''m going to do to you. just to see your terrified expression when you realize what i''m going to do."


    i simply looked at it. "oh? telling someone what you''re going to do? that seems like a recipe for disaster."


    "shut up! it''s only a bad idea when the person you tell can do something about it."


    i raised an eyebrow. "and how do you know i can''t do anything?"


    it looked at me, all traces of mockery gone.


    "because, i have slain men and women who were a thousand times the wizard you are."


    i nodded. it was a pretty good comeback. "so, what are you going to do to me?"


    the smile was lustful. "first, i''ll beat your mind into submission, then once i''ve eradicated all traces of your consciousness, i''ll take possession of your body, and wreck havoc on my creators!"


    i stayed silent, and replied when he was done. "your creators are probably dead."


    it just smiled harder. "then i''ll wreck havoc on my creators children, and their childrens children, until i have sated my bloodlust!"


    i thought for a little bit. "have you ever possessed anyone else before?"


    it seemed to lose it''s drive for a second.


    "yes. there was one. it was the first merchant my creator sold me to, when he thought i was an abomination.


    it laughed. "doesn''t that strike you as stupid? he himself made me to be beautiful, and when i turned out like i did, he threw me away! like garbage!"


    i remained silent. it seemed that this blade had had a hard life.


    the blade smiled again. "but i showed him. i showed him how ugly i was, how much of an abomination i could be! i entered that merchants dreams, and i crushed his weak will. then, i took his body, and made it pick me up.


    it''s face, which was exactly the same as mine, changed to one of ecstasy. "oh, how wonderful it was to be swung! even if i was doing it myself, swishing through the air, cutting heads and limbs from their bodies...."


    "it sounds wonderful."


    the copy''s face distorted, snarling and becoming a grimace. "but then, the hero''s came. three of them, dressed in shining armor. they broke my stolen body, and tried to destroy me.


    i listened closely. "they tried everything. from the most skilled dwarf smith, to the best elven arcanists. even a dragon! but nothing could undo the enchantment that bound me to this pitiful sword. so, the hero''s sealed me. placed spells of binding to hinder my will, runes to dull my edge, and stuck me in this godforsaken room, to rot."


    "if this sword is pitiful, what were you before?" i don''t know why i was so interested. perhaps, it was because i felt something. i''m not sure what, but it was a strong feeling.


    the copy looked at the sky. i followed it''s gaze, but saw nothing.


    "i was a demon. one of the most powerful. that''s why my creator chose to bind me to this sword. now, i can barely remember being able to move on my own...."


    "did you take vengeance on your creator?"


    the copy simply shook it''s head. looking sad. finally, it seemed to snap back to reality. it snarled, then a blade appeared in it''s hands. it was identical to the sword on the outside.


    i looked at my doppelg?nger, and simply stared. "so, you said you only possessed that one merchant. why haven''t you done the same thing, long ago?"


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    it snarled again. it seemed to like doing that. "because, mortal, the others before you were weak. their bodies burned up, just from my touch. even in my sealed state, my power is still too much for mere mortals. however, you are something more. i think, just maybe, your body could take the heat."


    i nodded my understanding. the copy hesitated, looking torn, the sword held in it''s hands. finally, it seemed to come to a decision.


    "because you were so considerate, and let me spew my troubles, i will grant you a fighting chance. you will still die quickly, but at least it will be honorable."


    the copy seemed to get uncomfortable. "you are a good person, for a mortal."


    i smiled. "thank you."


    "so, what weapon do you wish to hold as your consciousness is beaten into submission?"


    i thought, and told my copy what i wanted. "could i get a sword like you? i think i would like wielding something like you."


    it''s face was unreadable, but it waved it''s hand, and a sword identical to the one in it''s own hand appeared in front of me. i reached forward, and grabbed the hilt. it was exactly the same as the one on the outside, except for one thing. there was no jewel on this swords hilt.


    i pulled, and the sword came up. i admired it, looking at it from all angles.


    it seemed embarrassed by my inspecting. "are you done? can we get to the fight?"


    i nodded.


    it howled as it came at me, sword drawn back over it''s head. i calmly held up the sword, and took his blow on my hand-guard. we stood locked at the hilts, both unable to move without receiving a cut. i leaned forward, under our connected blades.


    "how do i use you?"


    it looked confused. then, i kicked it.


    my copy flew back several feet, skidding along the black surface of the ground. their were no hills, no holes, it was just one level surface.


    my copy snarled again. "what kind of question is that? if you don''t know how to use a sword like me, why did you ask for a sword that looked like me?"


    "because, i thought you were beautiful."


    my doppelg?nger paused. then it growled. "you think flattery will save you? think again!"


    it came in with a swing, and i blocked once again, locking our hilts together.


    "it wasn''t flattery. and i still haven''t heard the answer. how do i use you?"


    the copy howled, and shoved me back, sending me flying. when i had stopped, i looked up at myself.


    "i have learned how to use every kind of sword known to man. tell me how to use you."


    my copy kept howling, like a wild beast.


    "shut up! shut up shut up shut up!"


    i came at myself with a flurry of blows, forcing me to block. i kept blocking, striking where i could. soon, the first cut was received by one of me.


    "HOW DO I SWING YOU?!"


    "I DON''T KNOW!"


    the clashes continued. slash after slash, cutting into one of the demi-humans. they both drew back. one, with cuts decorating his entire body, and panting like a horse. the other simply standing still. once again, one of the agrias asked that question.


    "how do i wield you? like a broadsword, with heavy slashes and devistating blows? like a katana, with graceful circles and lines? like a kilij, as your shaped? how. do. i. use you!"


    "i don''t know! i''m a sword, and before i was a sword i was a demon! i don''t know how to swing myself, i just know it''s fun! so stop asking me!"


    the two men stood, one covered in cuts and bleeding profusely, the other without even a scratch.


    slowly, they walked back towards each other. and began their dance of death anew.


    a cut from the side. a slash from above. a leap to the side, a sliding of a blade into flesh.


    one was winning. one was losing. but, was it the reflection that bled, or the original?


    their blades locked for the last time. i was bleeding from every pore, and knew that if this didn''t end soon, i would die of blood-loss, or exhaustion. my copy was too good. i gave a final kick, sending myself skidding across the ground, but falling to my knees from the effort. i reversed my sword, and planted it into the ground, trying desperately to keep myself from falling over. i panted, knowing i had one last chance. but, i was distracted.


    i looked at myself, snarling, and licking the blood from it''s sword. i was reminded of something ...


    a rabid beast. a captain in chain and plate, holding a shining sword. the rabid beast cared nothing for it''s life, and wished only to inflict pain, and misery. it was alone. it was abandoned.


    it was me. i looked at my reflection, in more ways than just visibly, and pitied it. i made one last effort, and stood up.


    the beast looked at me, rage and pain the only thing in it''s eyes. it ran at me, preparing to thrust it''s sword deep into my chest, and finish me off. as it approached, my copy expected me to try to defend, or to hopelessly lash out.


    i did neither. i watched that blade come closer and closer to my chest, and waited.


    with a sound like a hole being punched through paper, the sword went in.


    everything fell still, in this world of silence and darkness. i moved my arms, dropping my sword.


    my copy took one hand off it''s sword, ready to stop my hand from grabbing it''s sword and keeping it in my body, which would allow me to attack it.


    instead, i circled my arms around myself, and laid my head on my own shoulder. at first, i felt only the stiff neck muscles of a beast straining to pull away, but soon it relaxed.


    "i''m so sorry. you poor, poor thing. you were abandoned, and left all alone. i''m truly sorry."


    and i told my copy everything. how i was a failure, how i had gotten silica killed, how i killed my master, and he let me. how i became nothing more than a beast of death, just something that killed.


    i embraced my copy, and cried into my own shoulder. i was comforted, just as much as i gave comfort. and we stood, completely still, for what seemed like days. one of us, with his arms around the other. one of us, holding a sword driven full length into my body. soon, however, we both cried. my reflection told me how he was made into an object, and forgotten. we stood that way, alone with ourselves. and the funny thing? i really was alone with my copy.


    the voices had become silent.


    my copy backed off, leaving it''s sword impaled in my torso, and looked me in the eyes.


    i looked back, and said what i wanted to from the moment i saw it.


    "you know, i myself think you''re beautiful. from the moment i saw you, i couldn''t stop looking. thats why i asked for a sword like you."


    the copy kept it''s gaze firmly on me, and let out a shuddering breathe. then, it got very close and grabbed me by the collar, and pulled my head toward it''s face, till only inches were between us.


    "if i become your sword,"


    i waited. looking deep into those sad eyes.


    "will you love me?"


    i looked into eyes that were just like mine, but still different. in my copy''s eyes, there was only loneliness. it was all alone, for thousands of years. reduced to an object by someone who didn''t even know it. told it was an abomination, and thrown away.


    "yes."


    we looked into each others eyes. one, a man who killed because he knew nothing else. the other, a demon that no one wanted. wrong.


    i want it.


    my reflection looked long into my eyes.


    finally, it blushed. it blushed.


    "huh?"


    my copy turned around, not looking at me, and keeping it''s hands clasped in front of itself.


    "well, now that that''s agreed, you better get back up to the real world."


    i nodded. "how do i do that?"


    it turned back to me, and i froze. in fear.


    it was smiling, oh god, why was it smiling?


    "like this."


    it ripped the sword out of my chest, causing me to yell in pain, only to be cut off as my copy crouched, then leapt up, slamming it''s fist into my chin, launching me into the air.


    "YOU MOTHER-"


    before i could finish my cuss, i found myself in my previous position, with the sword held up in front of me, and my fingertip held against the jewel. i looked down at it, then gave a heave. i felt all over my body, and found it completely unwounded.


    whew, that was a chore.


    oh really?


    WHAT THE-


    be quiet. it echoes in here.


    where did you come from?! and how did you hear my thoughts?


    we need some way to communicate, dummy. so just shut up, and get me out of here.


    i nodded. i was a little weirded out, but i could get used to it. before i left, i had an idea.


    hey, can you change size?


    why do you ask?


    for some reason, it sounded offended.


    because, i''m in disguise. currently, i''m a cat, and i don''t want my ''owner'' to know i''m actually intelligent. she''s seen me in human form, and will probably recognize me. especially if i walk out with a sword.


    oh, so that''s how it is.


    it sounded smug. why is that?


    what do you mean, ''so that''s how it is''?


    oh, nothing, i just never took you for a pervert.


    i was confused.


    what makes you think that?


    oh come on. your a cat, with a female owner. i bet you watch her dress, and undress.


    no. i have magic to practice. i only stay with her during the school day.


    school day! so your a pedo, too?


    no thats not-


    my my, such an interesting master i have!


    i''m telling you that-


    it cut me off again.


    anyway, i can change shape. just don''t be surprised, okay?


    the sword melted into shadow, and flowed into my body. i flexed my fingers, but felt nothing.


    wow. that''s cool.


    i know, right? it sounded smug again.


    i reached up to my right ear, and felt a silver ring in my ear.


    if you can melt, why do i have an earing?


    because, silly, you can summon me quickly with it. just flick the earing, and BOOM. instant sword.


    okay. i''m still confused though. how did you melt?


    it''s simple. i just stored my power in you, my master. it''s a bit difficult, as i have so much. your lucky i''m sealed right now. if i had all my power, you would explode just from me being near you.


    good thing you''re sealed then, huh?


    anyway, i''ll be focusing on making permanent lodging in you, so just run along and be a perv to your school girl.


    i''m not- oh forget it. will you setting up lodging in me do anything to my body?


    no. not really. maybe. a little bit? i''m sure you didn''t need that part of your brain. and that organ didn''t really look important...


    WHAT THE-


    kidding, kidding.


    good.


    about the organ. it did look important.


    MOTHERF***ER


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    i made my way to the door, a new earing hanging from my ear. i had changed to cat form, now i only hoped that it hadn''t been more than three hours...


    when i got there, the door swung open. kat was there, and took a second to look at me, and just shake her head.


    "honestly... why couldn''t you have just taken six more minutes..."


    i hopped up on her shoulder, and we left. once she was asleep, i would leave this academy. i had learned all that i could, and now that i had a weapon, i can move on with my plans. next stop: the capital.


    by the way, i never asked your name.


    i felt surprise from my sword. it paused, then finally spoke up. or thought up?


    the man who forged me dubbed me Black Moon, right before he clearly saw me, and thought i was an abomination.


    it sounded sad.


    i think Black Moon is fitting. the moon is beautiful and radiant, like you. and your dark sheen makes the glow around your edge even more striking.


    y-you really think so?


    i nodded solemnly.


    well, actually, i have a name... it''s Azariah.


    i like that one even more.


    i got the feeling it was smiling.


    shut up, stupid.

 Vol III: ch 1: Farewell

    AN: For all you people out there who haven''t read the word fuck before, well you have now.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    https://youtu.be/qn-X5A0gbMA</a>


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    The moon was beautiful tonight. Sometimes, I think I could''ve just reached up and claimed it.


    But, such fantasies were useless for someone like me, and more important matters were at hand.


    My goal had been reached, and I now felt ready to take on the next part of my journey. However, there was something holding me back.


    What is it? Why does the thought of leaving somehow disgust me?


    Probably because it means you won''t be able to perv on your schoolgirl anymore. It sounded smug.


    No... but I think it has something to do with her. Maybe... Yes. That''s it.


    What is? I can listen to your thoughts, but I can''t read them.


    Well, I think I know why I don''t want to leave, even though I have to. I sensed only confusion from my sword.


    Well, it''s just that after a month of being with Kat, I think she deserves at least a goodbye. Then I can leave.


    Ho ho ho, I bet you want to say ''goodbye'' to her.


    What do you mean by that?


    Wait. Are you for real?


    I''m confused on what I''m supposed to be real on.


    Hahahaha! No fucking way! You seriously don''t understand innuendos?


    What''s an innuendo? I don''t think that word came up in my vocabulary lessons.


    The sword snickered, then burst out laughing. Ha ha! This couldn''t be better! Now I can use all of my, as I call them, in-your-end-os, and you won''t understand a single one!


    You came up with multiple of these ''innuendos''? Does that mean they''re important in some way?


    Well, not really, but I had nothing to do for a hundred years between the last mage I killed and you, sooooo...


    You spent all that time composing something I don''t even know about?


    Oh, this is wonderful! This means that I can say every innuendo in the book, and you won''t understand a single one! Ha ha!


    I don''t like where this is going...


    You won''t be saying that when this ''Kat'' starts taking it off.


    ?


    Hehehe... I''m starting to like this new start. I''m glad I didn''t possess you, if I did, all your naive responses would be gone.


    I don''t think I''m naive. I have killed droves of men, and understand the reality of the world quite clearly.


    Yes, but you don''t understand the reality of Kat.


    Haaaaaa, this is getting nowhere. I guess I''ll just have to ignore you.


    Oh ho, so you''re not into three-ways?


    I was currently in Kat''s dorm room, sitting on the windowsill. Now that my mind was made up, I jumped down to her cot and changed to my regular form. After all, her discovering her cat could talk would not... be beneficial to my health. By that I mean she''d probably start throwing fireballs. I had had enough of that to last both my lifetimes.


    Hmmmm, now how am I going to travel to the capital after this? I guess walking will do it, although it is late... but that won''t pose a problem to my eyes.


    I bet if you asked Kat she''d let you spend the night...


    Though a wagon would be faster...


    Yeah! With a wagon, you can do it on the go!


    Haaaa, Azariah, I told you I have no idea what you mean.


    That''s what''s fun about it!


    I have a feeling it''s going to be a looooong second life.


    The door opened.


    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Kat''s POV


    I was walking down the hallway, the day after I had entered the room of artifacts. In there, I had found what I hoped would allow me to get more powerful.


    I pulled it out of my pocket, and admired it.


    *flashback*


    I was stumped. Before me lay ten rings, each powerful enough to be called ancient relics, and I could only choose one.


    Joyin you son of a whore...!


    Out of all of them, I had narrowed it down to three. One had a bright red flame, and enhanced fire magic, while another was a light blue, and enhanced ice magic. It was rare, really rare, to find an item that enhanced a spec. magic. The third was a deep blue, and held swirling currents in it''s depths. From what I had learned, it enhanced how much mana one could draw from themselves, and how fast it was gathered. It also allowed a wizard to store excess mana in it for a later date.


    If I really had to choose one, I would have to choose this one. but...


    Then it clicked. Ten rings, each powerful enough to be called relics. I turned and frantically searched in the immediate area, looking for what I knew to be there.


    "Come on..."


    There! I quickly turned over an old and battered breastplate, having seen the edge of what I searched for underneath. When I held it in my hand, I smiled.


    It was a pile of gold, but not just any gold... within it, a variety of tiny gems glinted. But, the reason I searched for it was not because of the monetary value. No, it was for another reason.


    I spread the gold thread, and woe and behold, it revealed itself. I quickly attached all ten rings to the ends, and slipped the golden thread over my hands.


    I now wore what looked like golden veins, traveling all the way from my knuckles to my elbows, every now and then a vein would be interrupted by a gem, all different shades of red. At the end of my knuckles, I wore all ten rings, placed in a very specific order.


    I can''t believe it... Gladriel''s hand wraps. in a place like this...


    Worn on my hands, was an item that was forged by a god, for another goddess.


    The story was old, and not many knew it. But for those who knew the old people... it had all started when a god of forging, named Helsies, had taken fancy to the goddess Gladriel. The problem was, Helsies was a second generation god, while Gladriel was a first generation goddess. Both groups were mutually exclusive, so there was no chance of romance.


    However, Helsies was stubborn, and tried to find a way to gain her favor. In the end, he decided to do what he did best. Forging.


    He worked all day and night, for tens of years, finally creating something he felt was beautiful enough to grace her person. Because she was known as a goddess of wealth, it was made of precious materials. And because she liked disguising herself as a peasant, he imbued in the item the ability to morph into leather fingerless wraps that extended to the elbows. After 70 years of work without rest, he presented his gift.


    Gladriel vaporized him for his imprudence, but admired the gift all the same. Until one day she was captured by someone else, and dropped the wraps. Then it was picked up by a passing sorcerer, and he went on to challenge the gods, and a bunch of other stuff. To think, after all that, it had ended up here.


    Well, she wasn''t one to look a gift horse in the mouth, and because of the nature of the wraps, it counted as a single piece!


    Well, looks like everything turned out alright. Now, if only she can ditch cat bastard in here. Plus, since she had such a powerful item, if she ever met that man with the cat ears again...


    She smiled at the thought.


    *end of flashback*


    She giggled some more, excited at the thought of violence, should that man ever dare to meet her again. She came to her door, undid the traps on the handle, and pushed it open.


    Well, looks like everything''s in order, and no one was in here while I was gone. My cot, my trunk, the closet, the man sitting on the cot.


    She nodded, seeing everything in order, and was about to leave-


    Wait...


    She whipped around.


    There he was. The man that had plagued her thoughts for days, filling her mind with useless thoughts and making her want to hit things.


    And he was sitting on her cot. With a lazy smile. Should she ask him who he was? Should she blow him to pieces? Should she scream bloody murder while strangling him to death? I opened my mouth to tell him of his impending doom, when this came out of my mouth.


    "Oh. Hi there."


    He kept that lazy smile, and waved at me. "Yo."


    I screamed in my head, trying to tell myself to rip him to pieces, or to at least set him on fire, but- my body just took a seat beside him on the cot.


    What was going on?!


    Shadowpelt''s POV


    "Oh. Hi there."


    I looked at her, trying to keep my face in a smile. I did not expect that...


    Oh really? So you like it in the hallway, don''t you?


    I thought she was going to start chucking fireballs the second she came in... but instead, she sounds like she''s talking to a friend she''s passing in the hallway.


    Hmmmm, so you''re more of a ''friends with benefits'' type a guy, huh?


    So, I tried to copy her. "Yo."


    She didn''t get that look on her face that yelled at you to run, she just came over and sat beside me.


    What do I do now? I was thinking the second she started throwing fireballs, I''d hightail it out of here and yell goodbye as I ran, but now... what do I do?


    Well, first you should ask her if it''s here first time, and if she wants you to be gentle.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Why would I do that? If anything, she''d be the one who needs to be gentle.


    Hmmmm, in other words, you like being on the bottom?


    I blinked. On the bottom of what?


    The sword giggled. I love this guy!


    Kat was talking again.


    "So, uh, how''ve ya been?"


    I looked at her, and finally mustered a response. It was hard, especially with the sword screaming, "Tell her you''ve been hard all day! Tell her!"


    "I''ve been good, I guess. Got impaled, felt self pity for myself, and resigned myself to death. that''s pretty much it. How''ve you been?"


    Tell her you want to impale her! Tell her you can''t wait to resign yourself to a long night!


    "Oh. That sounds interesting. I''ve been good, I guess."


    We just stood there. The sword echoed my thoughts, for once.


    Well, this is kinda lame.


    Kat''s POV


    I can''t believe it... is this a dream? I just don''t get it.


    Wait a second, what am I doing?! This isn''t a dream, and I should be strangling him!


    I leaned forward, and grabbed his shoulders.


    "Who the hell are you!? What the fuck were you doing in the arena?! Why now, when I''ve been thinking about you all day!


    Shadowpelt''s POV


    She suddenly leaned forward, and grabbed me by the shoulders.


    Wow, she doesn''t waste time, does she?


    She barraged me with questions, ending with a strange one.


    Holy shit! ''I''ve been thinking about you all day!'' That''s practically an invitation! Why the hell are you just sitting there!?


    She was talking, but it was hard to differentiate between the sword and Kat, since it felt like both of them were screaming at each other, with my eardrums in the middle.


    "Why did you save me?! You pulled me out of the water, and then left me unconscious, but not before defeating Perry. Why!?"


    "Well I-"


    YOU HAD HER WET AND UNCONSCIOUS, AND YOU DIDN''T DO ANYTHING!?!?!??


    What was I supposed to do?! I only had my pelt, and I don''t think it would have been okay with her to use it to warm her up!


    I''m done. I give up.


    I was confused. What are you giving up on?


    You. I''m giving up on you.


    Why?


    Because your a faggot.


    Why do you think I''m a bundle of sticks?


    No, not that. I meant your gay.


    I''m not really in a jolly mood...


    I''m saying you''re a homosexual! jeez!


    Oh... but I''m not interested in copulating with other males.


    I heard a loud smack, followed by a cry of pain from the sword. I''m done... get me out of here... it was fun at first, but now I feel like I''m a parent explaining the birds and the bees to a three-year-old.


    I have extensive knowledge of all varieties of both birds and bees. Especially bees, since some of them are able to be used for poisons.


    Another loud smack, followed by a rapid series of even louder bangs.


    What are you doing in there?


    Trying to kill as many brain cells as I can, so I no longer have to think about the words you just said.


    Whatever floats your boat, I guess.


    I''m just gonna stay quiet for awhile, sitting in the corner and thinking about my life.


    Okay. if you ever need to talk, I''m here.


    It''s gone. I think it closed off it''s mind, since I could no longer feel it.


    I returned to consciousness, where Kat was shaking me forcefully,


    "Ow ow ow ow ow, can you stop?"


    She was heaving, sweat running down her brow from the effort of trying to strangle me. (Not that I knew that''s what she was trying to do)


    "Haaa, Haaa, fine. But you''d better start answering my questions, or else."


    She summoned fireballs for emphasis.


    "Okay, okay. First off, my name is Shadowpelt. It''s nice to finally talk with you, Kat."


    She paused in her efforts to commit catslaughter.


    "Oh. Nice to finally talk with you t- HELL NO! You''re lucky I don''t have an ambition to be imprisoned, because if I did you''d already be floating down a river as a corpse!"


    Hmmm, thought this out, have we? That''s kinda scary...


    "Calm down. All I want to say is that I''m leaving."


    She stopped shaking me, and got a strange look on her face. "You''re... leaving? Like, forever?"


    "Yes."


    *BOOM*


    I felt a searing pain all over my face, and moved my arms, trying to see where I was. My hand banged against the ground, and I had to wonder.


    When did I get on the floor?


    My question was answered when I opened my eyes to see an angry Kat, her fist wreathed in flames. "Fine then! Leave for all I care, but you''d better look out, cause if I ever see you again, I''ll turn your face into ash!"


    I smiled. That''s my girl.


    I hopped up, and jumped out the window.


    I looked back as I ran as fast as I could, the ground exploding behind me. What I saw surprised me.


    Are those tears?


    When I saw her, it hit me. the swearing, the attempted murder, the complaining whenever I was around. I felt flattered.


    Then I felt mischievous.


    "Oi! Kat! if I ever meet you again, I promise to give you a kiss before you turn my face to ash!"


    Her face turned red as her fire, and she ducked under the window, trying to hide her face.


    And I ran, laughing, into the forest. Feeling the energy of youth, and the adrenaline of a chase, though nothing but time was catching up to me.


    How good it is to be alive!


    -------------------------------------------------------------------


    Azariah''s POV


    I can''t believe it... how can someone who is so clueless about things like sex be such a charmer? It made no sense. *Sigh* I should probably hit my head on the floor some more... That will make me feel better.


    Still, I guess things could be worse. I smiled, and felt my face warm at the thought of our first meeting. I guess I understand how Kat feels, no matter how bad she is at showing it.


    But, just because I like Shadowpelt, doesn''t mean I won''t make his life a living hell.


    After all, what else are friends for? Ha ha!


    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Kat''s POV


    ...That bastard...that bastard..that bastard...that bastard..that bastard...that bastard..that bastard...that bastard..that bastard...that bastard..that bastard...that bastard..that bastard...that bastard..that bastard...that bastard...THAT MOTHERFUCKING BASTARD!


    If I ever find him again...


    My face heated up at the thought. No! If I ever see him in a place where a fireball could ''accidentally'' land, I won''t hesitate.


    Well, at least Cat Bastard is still here. Now that I think about it, him and that ''shadow whatever'' are pretty similar. Even the earring that I recently noticed on Cat Bas-


    No way...


    I thought of every time when I thought I was alone and let my guard down around cat bastard.


    No fucking way...


    I''d done everything imaginable that should be kept private, in the presence of cat bastard. and now cat bastard was nowhere to be seen, and that new guy had just run off.


    No.Fucking.Way.


    It all fit. in the fight with Perry, cat bastard had come with me. Then, when I was about to fall unconscious, a mysterious man appeared before me.


    H.O.L.Y. Shit.


    I''ll burn him. I''ll take that cat by the tail, and burn it from front to back. I''ll open it inside out, and freeze, then burn, him until nothing but wet ashes remain.


    My face no longer turned red when I thought about him, which I liked. Instead, whenever I thought of all the things I could do to him...


    Ho ho ho ho, I felt like cackling!


    I could incinerate him...freeze his head and take it as a trophy...strangle him with his own burning entrails...touch his arms...rip his eyes out and feed them to him...


    I think that I''ll look forward to our next meeting.


    <hr />


    So, looks like that''s a wrap. in other news, I have need of you.


    It has come to my attention that my writing gets confusing, with the ever changing posting schedule, and my own weirdness.


    So, I''m gonna have another competition, this time I want you to write a recap of all the events so far. What I want is for anyone who wants to enter to PM me their personal recap of events so far in the story, and I''ll pick out the best and give that person an e-cookie.


    I got this idea from a reader who felt it was kinda confusing, so I must thank that person, especially when they propose such a lazy way to do things. Anyway, I wish you luck.


    And, as a little extra reward, for the person who writes and sends me the best recap, I''ll allow them to ask one question, about anything, and I''ll answer it. Assuming they promise to not tell anyone else and spoil it.


    teehee!


    -----------------------------------------------------------------------


    omg!!!!!!!!!! Aceluke went through and PR this entire chapter on his own, and it is now readable!!!!!!!!!! omfg!!!!!!!!!!


    you have no idea how awesome it feels to have someone care enough about something i wrote to PF it. so, i ask all you out there who read this, go to Aceluke, and give him a positive rating. he deserves it. :3

 Vol III: ch 2: The Purging Of Ones Self

    AN: well, this is a problem, now isn''t it? i just can''t seem to stop writing.


    so, since this will be the second chapter today, i''ll make it a bit shorter than usual. i really meant to put this in the last chapter, but, well, i got distracted by innuendos. for three hours.


    in-your-end-os. LOL!


    don''t make fun of me... please... i''m not this way on purpose...


    jk, it''s totally on purpose. and if you want to read what i write, you''ll just have to deal with it, and hopefully get a laugh or two in between. (the other reason i''m posting another chapter today is because i haven''t filled my violence quota, and i need to. otherwise i start sleepwalking, and when i wake up, well... lets just say you don''t want to go on a camping trip with me, in the woods, by a river, where no one will find you body. :D)


    the music will come later, for now, just words.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    whew, getting away from kat had been tough, but luckily i had survived.


    now i just need to find a way to get to the capitol of the kingdom in a timely fashion...


    what''ll you do when you get there?


    ...


    you haven''t thought that far?


    well...


    oh well, it wouldn''t be fun any other way.


    i grinned. in terms of a talking sword, i think finding Azariah was the best possibility. now i just need to figure out how to use it...


    ''it''? i do have a name, you know.


    well, yeah, but when i''m reffering to you in the third person-


    really?


    i''m confused. how do you want me to refer to you?


    i think i heard it sigh. whatever. i don''t care. just call me ''he'' or ''she''. being called an it makes me feel like an object.


    okay. then, how do i use you?


    i don''t know. why don''t you ask Jordan? he knows a bunch of stuff, doesn''t he?


    i don''t think he knows how to wield a sword.


    he/she grumbled, muttering unflattering things about Jordan. then i got an idea.


    i slowed my running, and looked for a good spot.


    what are you doing?


    looking for a good spot to practice with you.


    she/he seemed baffled. why would you need to practice with me? just swing, and swing some more, right?


    i did a mental face-palm. did i really lose to someone like this? then i got another idea. it had to do with the workings of the world, and past experience.


    i flicked my earring, bringing Black Moon into physical form. i took a closer look at it.


    the handle was long enough for both hands, but the blade was somewhere in between a two-hander and a one-hander.


    a hand-an-a-half then.


    what? handjob?


    what''s that?


    oh. right. your ''innuendo'' thing.


    i started hearing the banging again. what i meant, was that this sword was meant to be used with one hand and a shield, or two hands, with the wielder being able to freely switch between. but... for some reason i couldn''t explain, that seemed like the wrong answer.


    https://youtu.be/-U98qkjbYek</a>


    i finally found a spot that looked like it could work. i went to that place, and looked around. nothing but maple trees, and the moon up above.


    i retreated into my own mind, hiding my thoughts, and going into a meditation like trance.


    *inhale*


    i lifted Black Moon, it''s dark surface absorbing the moonlight, and fell into a sword form.


    "Trimming the bamboo shoots."


    i began the salutation, finally bringing the sword up to my face, griped in both hands. and began the form.


    ninety degrees to the right, disemboweling a phantom only i could see, 270 degrees to the left, stopping an opponents swing. a kick to the solar plexus, and slashing their throat as they stumble away. reversing the blade, and twisting a hundred and eighty degrees to my left, sweeping with my sword at knee hight, the strike that gave the form it''s name. i continued, broad sweeps and sharp pivots. twist, swing, step and-


    i stopped. i released the breath i was holding violently, feeling horrible.


    why did you stop!? i was having fun!


    "this isn''t right.


    what the hell do you mean?! just keep going! i was this close to losing control and actually enjoying myself!


    i shook my head. "it feels wrong, swinging you like this. i need something different. perhaps..." i walked over to a tree, and drew some water from it, using mana to extract all the moisture from it. when that was complete, i formed the water into a blade, and cut the tree down. then, i made myself a shield. it was a crude, kite shaped one, but a shield none the less.


    i walked back to the center of the clearing, i held both items up, and began anew.


    "Piercing The Hare."


    i stepped into guard position, bringing black moon to my side. i snapped into movement. this form was violent, and jerky. the sword would snap to and fro, while the shield would seem to cover my entire body at once, even though it was only a bit bigger than a platter. stab, step forward and slam your shield into the opponents body, disorientating them. cleave them from pelvis to shoulder, and turn your back on the halved enemy. block an overhead, then step forward and knee, bringing your sword back for the finisher!-


    i stopped.


    what the fuck is it this time!?


    "wrong." i whispered.


    what''s wro-


    "wrong wrong wrong! none of this is right."


    i went back to the middle of the clearing, my mind oblivious to azariah''s shouting, asking me what was wrong.


    one after another, back to back, i did my katas. Thinning the rope, Catching the Ring, nothing worked! as i exerted my body, i started to sweat. then pore. then it felt like rain. i soon stood in a puddle of my own effort, paying it no head. i didn''t slip in it, simply accommodating it into my forms.


    one. after. another. form after form, kata after kata, sequence after sequence, nothing worked! black moon felt awkward in my hands, and the swings seemed clumsy and weak to me. no matter that cuts started appearing on the trees around just from the wind force created from my swings, it seemed like a fraction of what i was capable of. what i should, be capable of.


    i panted, heaving. hours had passed. maybe even days. the sun had come up once or twice, i think. i was falling on my feet. i felt dizzy, my legs felt like fresh coals, and my arms had lost all feeling entirely. i no longer did forms, no, i had exhausted my repitoire after two days. now, i simply swung. i flowed from one style to another, seemingly a fish going from one pool to the next, without a single pause. no matter that i felt as if every move i made would be my last, no matter that i had long since stopped sweating, as i had gotten dehydrated. i. won''t. stop!


    i started doing multiple styles at once, combining eastern strikes with western swings. as i did, i started doing something i had never done before.


    i started discarding them.


    one. after. another. a style i had picked up after three months of back breaking work to master it, and i made myself forget all but one part of it.


    i went through, judging, measuring, taking every part i didn''t like, and destroying it. i forgot everything. or, mostly everything. i rejected strikes my master had spent weeks drilling into me, just removing them. and i moved, not using a style, not doing a form, not using any named strike.


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    i used techniques, but they weren''t techniques made by masters. no. they were made by me.


    i made my own style of sword fighting. i took the best from every style known to man, and crushed it together. then, i started throwing out the best. i condensed, taking everything i had learned in my previous life, and throwing it away.


    i no longer live in that world. i live here now. so far, i''ve been telling myself that this is all a delusion, created by a troubled mind. it''s not. before, i thought ''if this is a delusion of my mind, then my knowledge will be key to conquering it.


    wrong.


    i can just do as i have before, and everything will turn out how i want it.


    naive.


    "i can treat the people here as pawns, and all will be well. i don''t have to care about the people in my delusion, i don''t have to care about anything."


    stupid.


    "these delusions ''feelings'' are fake. they don''t mean anything."


    ignorant.


    "if i die, no one will care."


    the voices in my head whispered that this is true. but one voice...


    yes! your doing it! i can''t believe it! thank you!


    one voice called out to me, and i remembered.


    a promise.


    "will you love me?"


    i had answered. what did i answer? why do i think this voice would care if i died? didn''t i make a promise? didn''t i? DIDN''T I?!


    what did i say?


    yOu SaId nO. yoU deNieD iT. No oNe lOveS You, AnD yoU LovE nO oNe.


    no.


    yEs! yesYEsYeysyseYSeySyeYSeySeyesyYSE


    no, not that. he is not an it. she is a person. azariah is not someone you can just throw away!


    giVe uP! GivE Up! tHoW iT AwaY!


    SHE, IS NOT, AN IT! HE IS A PERSON, AND I WON''T LET YOU SAY DIFFERENT!


    i made a promise. when someone asked me to love them, i said yes. why? why did i say yes to such a tough question?


    because, dummy, you want to be loved just as much.


    yes. that''s right. i was asking the same question that i answered, wasn''t i?


    ha ha! i can''t believe it took you this long. you really are a doofus. also, you can stop saying i''m he/she.


    but i can''t just call you-


    that''s not what i meant. i''ll tell you in the morning, just make sure to sleep tight.


    what do you-


    all thoughts left my mind as my body fell to the ground.


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    i woke up.


    "wow, you can really sleep!"


    i tried to blink, and raise my arms, but the effort of opening my eyes was too much. "is that you, Azariah?"


    i felt an impact on my forehead. it hurt. "who else would i be, dummy."


    i grumbled a bit, but couldn''t help a smile from coming onto my face.


    man i love my sword...


    "yeah you do, now get up sleepy head!"


    i felt a sharp kick in the waist, and groaned, rolling over and holding my abused midsection. "what was that for?!"


    "for not obeying my commands, wimp-slave.


    i''ve been demoted to wimp-slave now?


    "that''s what i just said, ain''t it?"


    i put my hands beneath my center of weight, and pushed with everything i had. i still fell on my back.


    i felt the vibration of azariah walking around me. finally, he/she leaned down, and lifted my pelt.


    "hmmmm, not bad. but mine''s still bigger."


    i looked down the length of my body, and saw my doppelganger holding my skirt-like pelt up, so he/she could look up it.


    "what do you mean, your''s is bigger? your exactly the same as me."


    my sword looked smug, and proudly lifted her/his own pelt, revealing the whole of my own anatomy.


    "oh. wow, your''s really is bigger."


    "told ya, didn''t i? though, you never had a chance to begin with, since i can freely alter my form."


    "huh. oh, that reminds me, how are you out here?" i checked our surroundings to make sure, but it was still the real world, and not the inner one that i had fallen in when i had first met azariah. "i didn''t know you could take physical form."


    she/he seemed irked. "i can''t, not really. i just learned how to appear to you. to everyone else, i''m invisible. though, a strong enough wizard could probably sense me..."


    that was interesting. then a thought struck me. "hey right before i blacked out, you said you had something important to tell me. what was it?"


    my sword got very red in the face, then grinned. "you mean you can''t remember?"


    now i felt irked. "remember what?"


    my sword burst out laughing. "and? do you remember anything else from before you blacked out?"


    i was starting to get suspicious. "no... why?"


    "hahahahahaahaha! this is too good!"


    i was starting to get annoyed. "spit it out."


    my sword was slapping it''s knee, laughing my guts out. "ha! ha! ho, ho, ho, i''m calm, i''m calm."


    "are you really?"


    "yeah. anyway, what you forgot, was a tiny bit important."


    "oh? and what was it?"


    it looked like my sword was trying to hold a school of goldfish in his/her mouth. "just the entirety of the new style you created out of scratch."


    everything fell deathly silent. my sword looked like it was exerting extreme willpower to not burst out laughing.


    "i forgot what?"


    she/he spoke like he/she was trying to keep the school of fish in her/his mouth. "you forgot the entire style you custom tailored just for the use of me, and the other important thing i told you-BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA


    looks like my sword had been keeping a school of clown fish in his/her mouth.


    wait, did i just make a joke?


    i paused, making sure that was the case. then i laughed too. at the pure stupidity of my having forgotten the style of swordsmanship i had crafted over three days of constant practice and refining.


    then my stomach rumbled.


    that''s new...


    ah. that''s right. i''m an agrias, and it''s been about a month since i''ve last eaten...


    "though, i guess not everything is lost. you should really deal with that glowy blue thing."


    i looked up, and there was a glowing blue box.


    the necessary requirements have been met. would you like to learn the job -Demon-swordsman-


    "huh. didn''t expect that... yes."


    the blue box disappeared, and i stretched. for some reason, it felt kinda strange to stand up...


    "oh, and another thing. apparently, you ''evolved'' right before you blacked out. what doe''s that mean?"


    i took a look at myself. the red tattoos that seemed drawn in blood had received a companion. black and purple lines also seemed to swirl like ribbons over my body, interlocking and making runes, circles, and strange patterns, making my eyes feel lost just looking...


    i snapped out of it. i looked up at my sword, waiting expectantly.


    i smiled. not the one that i used when i laughed, or the one i had when i was around my friends and no one was looking.


    i had evolved, and gained a new job. even if i had forgotten the style i had created, i got the feeling it would come back to me. till then...


    "Let''s go hunting!"


    <hr />


    well... i tried to make it shorter. it''s the thought that counts, right? right?

 Vol III: ch 3: Thrill Of The Hunt

    AN: No wasting time, you guys have waited long enough. Though if you want to wait until my wonderful PR gets a chance to look at this chapter, it will probably take a couple days.... (PRN: Lies! I did it after only 3 hours!!!) and without further adieu, the chapter!


    https://youtu.be/LAMiX5EEbFU</a>


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    The wind moving through my hair. The ground speeding below. The sense of exhilaration that running full pelt gave!


    Oh, how I''ve missed this.


    Oh? And what is it that you''ve missed?


    I felt confusion from my sword. My own feelings had become more connected with Azariah¡¯s, and sometimes I could guess what my sword was thinking. Though some things I stay away from...


    So, to tell my sword what running felt like, I ran like the wind.


    The drumming of my feet, the scent of a hare, and the leafy canopy above made me want to yell, to scream with delight. But, it had to stop.


    Slowing down and inspecting the ground, I saw to my delight the strangely glowing footprints. From my status screen, a weird blue thing, I had discovered that my job -Tracker- had been gaining experience. Now that I was actively using my job, it had actually leveled up about six times or so, and I was going to use those levels.


    I felt a smile coming on.


    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    -Two hours later-


    I was closing in. I could feel it in my bones, and smell that lovely sharpness. I ran, dodging trees like they were bullets. Just for the fun of it, I would scratch my claws against every tree I passed, spinning and laughing like a child. I think Azariah was starting to understand, but He/She needed more. Much more.


    A snort that sounded like a horse, a heavy step, the flapping of canvas in the wind.


    If my suspicions were correct. This was either a highly successful bandit group, or a detachment from the kingdoms army. But, it didn''t matter which it was. I could smell it, that flesh I crave. In the middle of the sounds. Surrounded by smells so dull it made me want to retch.


    Like I said, it doesn''t matter whether the camp was bandits or the king''s men. Either way, I would get my meal. If they were part of the kingdom''s forces I would kill every last one. If they happen to be bandits, I''ll let a couple get away, to let the rest of the kingdom know about me.


    I smiled.


    I was coming close to the camp, and hid behind a tree to survey my killing field.


    From what I saw, they were bandits. They wore no suit of arms, and their equipment was second-or-third hand. The one-man tents were laid out in a horseshoe shape, with my position at one of the tips. at the top-middle of the horseshoe arch was a tent that could easily house twenty men. I naturally assumed it was the leader''s tent. It was also where that delicious smell was coming from.


    I smiled wider.


    Azariah was getting excited, and I was too. It had been a month since I had last eaten something as strong as me. But, I have to calm down. "The essence of stealth is calm-"


    No. I forsook my memories of that world. Even if my master meant the world to me, was, my world. I now live in a different world.


    Besides, Doing this stealthily wouldn''t be fun. Now would it???


    So, I stepped into the light. Feeling the sun on my face, and looking at the eyes of around two hundred men in front of me. I thought to myself.


    This will be fun...


    I couldn''t agree more.


    But, you know I can''t draw you.


    I felt alarm. Why the fuck not?!


    If I use you from the start, it''d be too easy. Right?


    I heard grumbling, but eventual agreement. Then I turned my attention to the large group of angry men with sharp pieces of metal.


    I breathed in.


    "...Intruder! Intruder! Sound the alarm, the kingdoms found us!..."


    "...Get your weapons! Quick, you maggots!..."


    "...Form up! Form up if you don''t want a flogging!..."


    Amazing. How can a single person agitate so many?


    I breathed out.


    I shot forward, moving like an arrow shot from a bow. Ever since my evolution had occurred, I''d had trouble keeping up with myself. My legs would move too fast, and my arms would unbalance me when I swung them with any force. But, the best way to get back into things is to just jump in. Right? If you''re re-learning how to swim, you jump into the ocean.


    The same is true of combat.


    I pulled my fist back, and looked into the eyes of the men I will murder.


    Hesitation. Anxiety. Nervousness. None of those are what I want.


    I shot my fist forward, crushing the skull of a young man. I turned, hook kicked, bringing my leg into, and then through, the body of a man well past his prime. My punch had made me lean forward more than normal, and the following kick had nearly made me fall over. But, I think I understand now.


    My claws came out.


    I spun, cutting the throats of three men in an instant, then leaped over a sword that was swung for my legs. I stood for a brief moment on my would-be attacker¡¯s shoulders, then jumped off, letting another man decapitate my momentary stool. I turned back, just in time to catch that beautiful look of horror on the face of the man who had just committed murder.


    Delightful.


    I charged forward, smashing apart the flimsy shields that my foes held up. I turned to my right, and slashed his throat, turning and grinning as he gargles on his own blood. I jump to the right, avoiding a dozen weapons that would have skewered me, and lash out with a side kick, crushing the ribs of a man to my left, then switching legs and knocking off the heads of two more, to my left and right.


    Come on, leave me some, will you?


    I grinned. You wouldn''t like cutting these. They''re far too squishy.


    *sigh* Fine, but I at least want to cut something. Alright?


    You got it-


    The scent came closer in a flash. Only jumping to the left let me survive, as a blade scythed through the place my belly had been. As it is I still got cut, and had to hold my side to keep myself from bleeding too much.


    I turned to the side, looking my new opponent up and down. He was bearded, and looked to be around forty years of age. In his hands, he held two swords. The one in his right was straight and long, a broadsword. In his left, he held a scimitar. Trouble.


    I straightened my back, and let go of my side. I would need all of my skill to kill this man.


    Yes! Pull me out!


    Not yet.


    If I reached up to my earring, then the man would have me spitted on the end of his sword before I was halfway.


    "Who are you, intruder?"


    I felt a little surprise, that such a man was so polite.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "I am known as Shadowpelt. Would you tell me who you are?"


    A blade.


    I jerked my hand up, barely stopping the man''s scimitar from parting my neck and body.


    "My name is Xerxes, and I''m the man who will kill you."


    Such conviction. I like it.


    I snap forward with a kick, which he parries, then brings up both swords toward my legs. I hop up, barely cresting the blades. While in the air, I use a scissor kick, aiming for his face. He bends backward, my leg passing over his face, and touching his nose. At the moment of my landing, I have to take a moment to stabilize, which lets him get an additional strike. His swords come at my neck, uncrossing as they do, coming faster than I can dodge. So, I don''t dodge. Instead, I use my hands to redirect his blades from my neck. Making them cut across my cheeks, leaving two identical, deep cuts. Then, I kick him in the stomach with the ball of my foot, and he flies back a dozen feet.


    We both stand, not breathing hard. This is not a battle of endurance, but one of tactics. His swords extra reach and momentum give him the advantage, and he knows it.


    "So, do you accept that I will be the man to kill you, Shadowpelt? You seem like a worthy opponent, but you are outmatched."


    I reached up, and felt at the cuts across my face. They start at either ear, and end just before my nose, at which point he had been kicked.


    "What you say is true, Xerxes. I am indeed, outmatched."


    He smiled smugly. Then I wiped that grin off his face.


    "Or, I would be, if I was alone."


    Xerxes looked around, seeing only his own men in a circle around us, giving us plenty of room. "So you have companions? Do you think ten, or even twenty more men will make a difference against me?"


    He sounded cocky, but I wanted to savor this moment.


    It was the moment I unveil Black Moon to the world.


    "No, not ten," I reach up to my ear. "Or twenty," I touch my silver earring. "Not a thousand either."


    "Oh? So did you bring ten thousand?" He didn''t seem impressed.


    I smiled. for the first time since I had laid my heart out bare to Azariah, I felt the voices still. Like they were holding their breath.


    I eyed Xerxes. I looked at the man, and saw something. He was proud, and arrogant. He was skilled, and experienced. But there was something he did not have that I did.


    "You are alone, Xerxes. even surrounded by your men, you are the only one on your side."


    His face got red, and he looked angry. "Of course not, I-"


    "I said that you are alone, Xerxes. Not one of your men tried to help you when your life lay in the balance."


    His face got even redder, and he started spluttering. "N-no, you''re lying! They would all die for me, right!?" He looked around, his angry gaze sweeping over his men. They all pipe up, but even Xerxes can hear their dishonesty. This just makes him angrier.


    "You''re no better! You came alone, with no one! At least I can command men, you don''t even have that! You''re more alone than I''ll ever be!"


    I listened to him. I didn''t listen to his words, but to his voice. It was scared, and afraid.


    "No. On that account, you couldn''t be more wrong. At this moment, there are three people out there who will always stand by my side."


    "Ha! But they''re not here, are they?" He sounded taunting.


    "No. But..."


    His face had a single moment of doubt.


    I flicked my earring.


    And the shadows gathered.


    In my hand, I held a blade of black. vines crawled from the blade, and at the end of the hilt was a jewel so dark it seemed to suck any and all light.


    And I told Xerxes what I had, that he did not.


    "In my hand, I hold someone that held my soul in their hands, and gave it back. I will never be alone."


    He screamed, yelling at the top of his voice.


    "Charge!"


    At first, no one moved. So, Xerxes chopped off the head of the man closest to himself, and held up the bright red blade. As one, all the surrounding men charged at me.


    And I remembered. A single moment, an instant of memory that should have stayed forever locked away.


    I remembered a piece of my style.


    "Demon Sword set I"


    *Inhale*


    What promise did I make, again?


    That you would love me. Dummy.


    No. That can''t be it.


    What?!?!?!


    Promising to love you would be redundant, since I already do.


    Azariah huffed, and turned away. I just smiled.


    Then the killing began.


    Step to the left, and make a broad sweeping stroke.


    Four men died.


    Step to the right, and twist, adding as much force as possible.


    Six men died.


    I activate Shadow Manipulation. A funny side effect of the jewel on Black Moon was that it created shadow. But not just any shadow.


    This shadow kills.


    I hold Black Moon in a one-handed grip, sliding my finger along the blade, covering it with blood and shadow. Then, I unleashed it to my left.


    I didn''t bother to count how many died.


    A swing to my right.


    I saw what I had wanted from the start, that emotion that feels like a drug.


    Fear


    I laugh, and Azariah laughs, and I continue. A man falls, first one half, then the other. A man is split apart. Another is divided into thirds.


    The Demon Sword Style. It was not fast. It was not strong. It did not have complicated swings of the blade to confuse the eye.


    What The Demon Sword Style did was simple.


    It cut. And it cut damn well.


    Men fell like grain to a farmer, their blood like rain, their screams like a waterfall. Never ending, ever growing louder and more shrill.


    Finally, I stood. Panting, laughing, smiling like a crazy person. I love my sword.


    Ch, you don''t have to keep saying it. Shut up will you? It''s embarrassing.


    I chuckled. Do you understand now?


    Azariah thought for a moment, then nodded. He/She appeared in front of me, observing the blood and gore splattering the ground.


    "I think I understand why running is fun. Before, in your first life, you thought about every step you made, and the next seven steps too. Everything came, not as a surprise, but as an expected outcome."


    "But, running through the forest, with no idea what lies ahead of you... it''s exhilarating."


    I just nod.


    "Now..." I turn, looking at Xerxes. He stood, in the same place he had before. I step forward, and no words are said. We approach, but at the same time we look like we''re not anywhere close to each other.


    One stands at the edge of depression, alone in his pain. The other stands in the pit of insanity, surrounded by himself and one other.


    They walk, not noticing the others existence. Not acknowledging that they will pass within a few inches.


    They pass... and one falls dead. His head cut from his body by a blade blacker than shadow. The blade melts, until only one man stands in a field of death.


    From that killing field, five men ran, two limped, and three crawled. five percent of their original number, and leaderless. They are broken men.


    But not as broken as the man who slaughtered the other ninety-five percent.

 Sorry im not sorry

    well, the subject sums it up.


    i will not apologize, or make excuses for my lack of effort, but i will do what i can.


    anyway, none of you really care, right?!?!? then here it is!


    three hours from now, a new chapter will arrive. it is worthy of being called a ''turning point'' in the story, which will blow your pants off. but, since i don''t want to be sued for massive public indecency charges, i''ll write a badder version which will let you keep your pants on.


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


    and, if any of you noticed that i used the word ''badder'' and then immediatly insulted me, i have a little something for you.


    :3      https://www.youtube.com/v/-0-PUDjNycQ</a>


    the video is courtesy of xtremeloldude, a wonderful person. :3


    i wish i could see your faces.

 Vol III: Ch 4: End

    https://youtu.be/ysSxxIqKNN0</a>


    ------------------------------------


    Was I ever truly human?


    Even if I asked myself these questions, i can hardly answer them myself, with my mind in the state it is.


    The stench of blood, and the rotten smell of corpses. Somehow, they seemed natural to me.


    I could make out the face of each and every man i had killed, and I started listing them off in my mind.


    one, one, one, one,


    I repeated one more than a thousand times.


    one, two, two, two,


    two was repeated nearly as much.


    three, three, three...


    i sat on a tree stump, alone with the dead. and i truly was alone, since Azariah had gone off somewhere.


    the sun started rising, and i could finally make out the full picture of my slaughter.


    I finally started on the fours, and looked over the consequence of my actions. dead, dead, and more dead. some were missing limbs, and others  were indistinguishable as human. The kind of being that could do this, and feel no regrets...


    That kind of thing would well and truly be a monster. Guess I failed my own test.


    A monster, huh?


    i stood up, and made my way to Xerxes corpse, where the feast began.


    His flesh tasted like ash in my mouth. I killed him, I killed his men, i even wiped out every part of his pride. And i had nothing to remember him with.


    in between bites, i continued the numbers, which had long since gone into the fives.


    when i had finished my meal, i stood up. my fingers fluttered to my face, and felt the mirror scars on my face, starting at the bridge of my nose, the scars extended back to my ears. perhaps, this will be enough.


    i turned, and set my feet wide apart, as i began muttering six, over and over. This absurd counting continued for hours, but finally it came to a stop.


    7634 numbers where recited in all. My legacy. A bunch of rotting corpses, with nothing but numbers to differentiate.


    truly, a sad fate for any being. but self-pity could wait for a day when the world was Jordan''s. until that day came, i was living in a body i had not earned.


    with such thoughts in mind, i quickly set off. i was three days away from the capital, and i needed to hurry if this plan of world domination would come to fruition.


    Afterall, I only have ten years.


    ---


    Azariah is really taking his/her time... wonder what''s got her/him so interested.


    i was not worried, as i was the only one who could see him/her, but it felt kind of lonely without her/him.


    though, it was a kinda nice, not having to try and figure out what he/she meant, like just before she left she said something like  ''sticking it in the''-


    I heard screams.


    My instincts took control, and i broke into a sprint. covering a hundred meters took me about six seconds, within thirty I had arrived at the scene of the incident.


    to sum it up, highway robbery.


    six dirty looking men were currently attempting to rob a wagon, which was being driven by four people. once i saw the situation, i calmed down and walked normally. the six robbers had taken the four people hostage, and tied them up, while proceeding to loot everything they could. as i walked by, the robbers looked at me, but when i showed no sign of stopping to help the four people, they stopped being defensive. they eyed me, but when it was obvious i had nothing more than the pelt around my waste, and since the distance was too much for them to see my earring, they saw no purpose in robbing me too.


    i couldn''t blame the robbers, after all. they had probably fallen on hard times. besides,


    I had committed enough crimes to warrant execution a hundred times over. something as trivial as ''robbery'' barely constituted as a punishable crime.


    so, that''s it. i''m going to pass by, and do nothing.


    yOu aRe juSt Afraid oF adDing moRe nuMberS.


    heh, it is to be expected, my own mind knowing my intentions. still, it left a bitter taste in my mouth. maybe I could...


    no! i will not get involved.


    but, is it not the right thing to do?


    do i even deserve to decide if something is ''right''?


    i heard the robbers muttering, and i realized i had frozen on the spot. then, one of them called out to me.


    "hey! you with the weird tattoos! If you help us hold the girl down, we''ll give you a turn!"


    wait.


    "heh, your being too generous! but, i agree that having one more would make things easier."


    stop.


    "so, how about it, stranger? you don''t get this chance everyday!"


    i stood still, not moving a muscle. did i hear them right...?


    "oi! aren''t you going to say something? or do you not speak common?"


    I turned slowly, and approached the men. they all smiled, and started making lewd gestures and sounds. from one of the tied up people, i could hear screams, while from the other three i heard angry grunts. so, one female among them?


    then men started untied all of the girls bindings except for the ones around her wrists and ankles, while also leaving the gag. it was clear they had experience with this.


    "ha ha! hey, i get the first turn, i captured her!"


    "you only got her because you got in my way!"


    i heard their arguing, but it felt like it was from far away. slowly, i took a few steps closer. the men started undoing belts, and laughing at the increase in screams from the girl on the ground. another step let me make out her features, her eyes full of tears and her body visibly shaking from fear.


    The men descended, and started ripping away cloth-


    "So, it has come to this."


    the men stopped what they were doing, and looked at the strange man behind them.


    "Human life comes cheap, doesn''t it?" i monologued, while crushing one of the sixes skull with my fist.


    silence. oh, that beautiful silence that announced death. i am broken. oh so broken...


    i kicked off another''s head, while the other four tried to wrap their minds around the fact that a man was killing them.


    "Not as cheap as my soul, however." If it was for something like this, i did not mind sacrificing a tiny bit of my morals. though i had to ask myself what morals i had to begin with.


    one of the remaining four who was quicker than the others quickly stood up, and retrieved the wooden cudgel he kept tied to his belt. a swing came at me, and i swayed my body, making him fall off balance.


    he looked into my eyes, and asked for mercy.


    while your life is cheap, mercy comes with a heavy price.


    one i am not willing to pay.


    my hand whistled through the air, and the head of the robber separated from his body, just like that.


    by this time, the other three had regained their composure, or a semblance of it, and took swings at me. they were painfully slow, and avoiding them was easy. i then grabbed the head of one, and smashed it into the polished stone of the road. the second was only able to let out a scream before i slammed my hand into his throat, and ripped out his esophagus, leaving him to suffocate.


    the final man stumbled back, and tried to plead with me.


    "p-please! i''ll give you anything you want! just leave me alone!"


    i approached slowly, relishing that look of absolute terror. "anything? i do not believe you can give me what i want." I replied, while continuing to advance on him.


    "why are you doing this!?"


    i stopped.


    "why?"


    i appeared a couple feet behind the man, holding his head attached to his spine in one hand.


    "because i have a line."


    i dropped the decapitated head, and the mans body fell.


    "you crossed it, so deal with the consequences."


    i am broken. and before i leave this world, i will destroy as many other broken men as i can.


    it is my only way to offer atonement for what i have done.


    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    "so..."


    I looked over at the recently rescued trader, and wondered what the man wanted to say.


    after I had untied the four of them and assured them that i had nothing to do with the robbers, the woman offered me a ride in her wagon, which was carrying the recently reclaimed goods.


    "what is it?"


    He looked intimidated by me, which was to be expected. I had, after all, killed six men before his eyes.


    "are you a priest, or something?"


    i thought for a moment, and replied. "I guess you could say that, why do you ask?''


    "oh, it''s just that your tattoos are strange. i''ve tried to find where they start, but whenever my eyes start tracing a path, I get lost..."


    I myself had noticed this effect. Even after having them for a month, i could still not begin to fathom their use.


    However, i brought my mind to the present, as the girl was talking.


    "So fred, you''ve been looking at his body for a while, huh? I guess i can understand, I also enjoy looking at a well-built man."


    ''fred'' got very red in the face, and started sputtering, but his denials only met with laughter from his companions. It looked like they had a very comfortable relationship. The girl was talking again.


    "So, you say you''re a priest, or something like that?" I nodded my affirmative. "then, did you take any vows of chastity, by any chance?"


    I wondered where she was getting at, but decided now was a good time, if any, to preach. "no, I have not taken such a vow, there is only one real doctrine, and the rules of my god are non existent. I am one of under a dozen who know of this god, but I am hoping to change that."


    When they heard this, i sensed a slight change in the atmosphere.


    one of the other men, I think the girl had called him jeff, made a barely heard comment. "another one of those, huh..."


    I looked at them questioningly, and the girl decided to explain. "We''re just used to dealing with priests that can preach at you day and night, if you let them. there''s a saying in the capital, "if you don''t think your soul is pure enough, you can go a block in any direction and find another church." and even though this is not the literal fact, it has become quite close."


    "I see... then it seems i will have to work harder."


    The girl seemed to think of something. "so, you said your religion had only one doctrine, right? I''m not looking to convert, but I am interested. The way you killed those men..."


    "ah, i see. well, since my god is not very interested in having people worship him, I decided to incorporate his actions and my feelings into this doctrine. simply, if you are alone, Jordan will help you."


    "Jordan is this guy''s name, right? He seems like a nice guy, though i''ve never heard of him."


    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on."yes, that makes since. he is, without a doubt, the weakest of the gods."


    she eyed me, and seemed to be remembering my actions, and simply shook her head. "...weakest god my ass, if the priest can kill six guys like it''s nothing, what kind of monster must the god be...?"


    i hid a grin, and stayed silent for the rest of the ride. after a couple hours, the city gates came into view.


    magnificent. the only word that did the gates proud.


    the doors alone were ten feet tall, while the battlements over the gate were something like thirty feet. i could not think how they would be able to surround such a huge city with such a high wall except with magic. that, or a lot of slaves and time.


    as we approached, a line extended out from the gates. it appears that there is some kind of ''checkpoint'' which people who wish to enter must first proceed through. when it was our turn, the guard looked over some papers the girl gave him, then waved us through after a brief check through the goods. followed by the usual "don''t cause any trouble, else you''ll deal with me" phrase that seemed to be said at least a hundred times a day.


    as we entered the streets, the smell first hit you. from the side we entered, the merchant quarter, the most dominating smell was incense and perfume, underlied by the smell of food. all together, it was quite pleasant. the smell from the slum quarter was, however, not very pleasing.


    next, the sights. the buildings towered over the streets, making it near impossible to say what time it was from the position of the sun. some of the buildings were decorated with rugs hung on the walls, while others were nothing more than boards of wood. next, the people seemed to be replicating an aggravated anthill, stopping just before actually crawling on top of each other.


    after a few minutes, we reached a main square where i had asked about in advance. this place would allow me to gather information, and-


    "you there! the cat demi-human!"


    I stopped, and looked around. what i saw was a single soldier, who was rushing toward me. he puffed, for a little, obviously not used to running, and stood up straight while observing an arrogant stance. "and who might you be!"


    I looked at him, and decided to tell the truth. "My name is shadowpelt, nice to meet you."


    he stepped forward, and slapped me.


    for a second, i was shocked. he was too weak to make his slap hurt even though he wore a steel gauntlet, but the shock made me take a second to understand the situation. while i was wondering what in the world happened, he said in his pompous voice of his, "you will address me as sir! i cannot have a barbarian like you trod upon the honor of the noble city watch! you will be arrested, as only citizens are allowed to be demi-humans."


    this guys logic is seriously skewed...


    "fine, how do I become a citizen...sir?"


    he seemed to be an inch from striking me again, but instead exploded with an angry torrent of words. "a fucking demi-human bastard like you will never be a citizen! shut your whoring ancestor''s mouth and remain silent!"


    This guy is getting on my nerves...


    "Then why are you arresting me?"


    he fumed, apparently unable to come up with anything, but simply grabbed my arm. when I refused to move, he pulled out his sword and swung it at my neck.


    To hesitate is to die.


    In a flash, the pompous watchmen''s head was rolling on the cobbled street, his own sword having done the deed. even in death, that sneer of self-righteousness still remained. The world will be better without him.


    hearing the confrontation, a circle had formed around us. when people in the back, who caught a glimpse of a demi-human beheading a watchmen, started screaming. then, i heard the tromping of heavy boots and armored Knights appeared from seemingly nowhere. behind them, stood a man who appeared around the age of forty, dressed in magnificent red robes. standing behind and a little to his right, was a young man who whore black clothes.


    as the square filled with screams, the twenty or so armored knights advanced, only stopping at the red robed mans command. I took this time given me to size up my opponents, and noticed something very important.


    If i was not very, very careful, I was going to die here.


    without a word, the middle aged man waved his hands, and large balls of fire exploded into being in front of him. i summoned a wall of water, and froze it just in time to intercept his fireballs, only to have my shield explode into splinters.


    looks like I cannot let down my guard...


    I dodged the fireballs, and summoned an earth spike which flew toward the fire mage. however, i did not see his follow up, as the twenty or so knights took this chance to attack me.


    If I were to compare these knights with the warriors I had met so far in this world, the knights would undoubtedly be gold, while the other warriors were dirt. I seemed to be in over my head, as it were.


    not only was their skill on a completely different level, their equipment alone would set an unreachable gulf. No matter how many times i lashed out with my claws, the best i did to the knights armor was scratch the paint. fireballs also started to rain down, and even though i saw a couple knights be hit directly, their armor must have a huge amount of fire resistance. Seeing as their was no other way, I flicked my earring.


    It would really be nice if Azariah were here...


    Black Moon formed in my hand, and I felt the knights momentarily back off.


    The shadows beckon.


    I call out to them.


    The shadow answers.


    I took my right index finger, and drew it along the blade of the sword. Then, I stepped forward and cleaved a knight in half. The other knights were so surprised, it was almost comical. Just a second ago, I couldn''t make a dent, and suddenly I was able to bypass all of their defense.


    What made them fear even more was the black crescent released that cut another six knights like wheat. When the red wizard saw what I''d done, he started making complex motions with his hand. i tried to fire an air bullet at him, but suddenly i could not move.


    I looked at the red wizard, and saw something that sent chills down my spine.


    There, in front of me, was Azariah. she/he was tied down with what looked like blue cord, and looked to be in pain.


    Anger


    They took my sword.


    Hate


    "Prepare yourselves, mortals. Prepare to die.


    Death


    I howled, and broke whatever restriction held me down, forcing off the invisible chains. Then, I ran as fast as i could toward Azariah.


    however, all was not as I hoped.


    from the sky, a meteor was falling, lava and flame spouting out of it. Even in this situation, my mind reacted calmly.


    That meteor is too big. even if I used all of my magic, I was not likely to stop it. And, the other thing was Azariah. While I might be able to get out of the area of effect, he/she was chained to the earth.


    Even from here, I could faintly hear Azariah telling me to run. to escape. To leave her behind.


    Like hell I will!


    I summoned my magic, and poured it all into a box of ice, so compressed it was enough to instantly cause frostbite. Then, I placed this box over Azariah.


    The meteor hit.


    And for a few seconds, all the universe ceased to matter to me. All that mattered,


    Was Azariah.


    Heat. Pain. Agony. Suffering. Having your skin burned to a crisp only to melt off, which in turn ignited your fat, making me able to smell the searing smell of my own flesh.


    Is it strange that smell made me hungry?


    blinding light, and losing all feeling in my body except for extreme pain.


    ...


    ...


    everlasting, the pain lasted.


    ...


    ...


    when will it stop?


    ...


    ...


    light. light that didn''t scorch the fat from my bone. I slowly opened my eyes, then snapped them open.


    Azariah!


    I stood up, and looked around. Even though it looked like i was the worst off, even the knights had taken a beating from the meteor, falling to the ground, and only now getting up. I looked at the ice block, and to my intense fear, i could see holes. but, luckily, it seemed Azariah was still alive. Now, I had business to take care of.


    The knights were on the ground, and it looked like it would still take a precious second for them to regain their feet. I ran, rather, I sprinted toward the red wizard. He stood, looking worn out, from both summoning the meteor, and defending himself from it. Perfect.


    I reached him before he had the chance to make a spell, and since I had dropped black moon somewhere I was able to enjoy ripping into the wizard with my own hands.


    simply, delightful.


    I crouched down, and used my teeth to tear meat from the wizards bones while he still lived, and I knew he must be terrified, as well as in pain. Good.


    after I had finished my quick meal, i turned toward the knights, now smiling.


    Even without my sword, I was sure I would be able to figure something out now that the wizard was out of the way.


    Fatal Mistake.


    *bam*


    I felt a loud thump on the back of my neck, and turned to look at the youth clothed in black. he was holding a steel mace, covered in something red.


    wha...?


    I felt my limbs refuse to move, and i fell to the ground. then, the thirteen remaining knights came over, and started thrusting their blades into my body.


    over


    and over


    and over


    and over


    again.


    I should be unconscious from the pain. I should be dead from blood loss. but I still somehow lived!


    *thrust in, pull out*


    this was repeated, and since the knights didn''t aim for anything vital, I stayed alive.


    In


    out


    in


    out


    in out in out in out in out in out in out in out in out in out


    Like pistons.


    pain pain pain pain pain pain pain pain pain


    after feeling so much pain, do I even understand what that word means anymore?


    in out pain in out pain in out pain.


    one two three four five six seven eight


    in out in out in out pain pain pain pain


    But, even though I felt nothing but agony, my final thought was for my sword.


    At least Azariah is alright.


    Then my heart stopped beating, and this world ceased to have meaning for me.

 Vol III: Ch 5: Terror

    Warning: The following chapter is not meant for those under the age of 18+


    This is because of the potentially scarring images you may experience as you read this.


    It is suggested you read this during the day, and with plenty of light.


    Any emotional trauma experienced as a side effect of reading this chapter is in no way the fault of the author.


    tho, if you think you''re hardcore, read this late at night, with the lights turned off, and the music turned up full blast.


    he  he  he  he  he


    https://youtu.be/uYD5uxBw7Po</a>


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    *bang*


    *bang*


    *bang*


    The short, bearded men and women in the box-like stone home were trembling, wondering what sort of monster was smashing the doors down.


    "m-mom! what is that?"


    "shhh, shh, hush child. that thing can''t get through those doors, they''re enchanted."


    Even though she said this, her voice was trembling as much as the building.


    ...


    silence.


    "m-mom, where did the banging go?"


    the mother simply shook her head, and made her way to the window.


    slowly...


    slowly...


    opening the curtains.


    her breath came short, and her heart thumped loud enough to replace drums.


    she looked out, and saw her friends houses close.


    ...the genads... The wobins... The eye of a giant beast intent on devouring her.


    silence.


    "Ahhhhh-"


    ripped through the window, she looked up at the six-legged beast that crushed her legs, and then ripped them off.


    "no! no! please have mercy!"


    her pleas were drowned out when blood started to come out of her mouth.


    "mom! what are you-"


    the father tried to grab his sons arm, only to realize something.


    The arm was still in the room, but the rest was not.


    "wha-wha-what?"


    where...


    the doors imploded, and soon all his fears were realized, then forgotten as death enclosed on him.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.---


    *thump thump thump*


    the Wobins all sighed in relief, hearing the dwarven militia''s tramping boots.


    Then the sighs were replaced with the screams from outside.


    The wobins waited in silence, only able to listen, and pray the same did not happen to them.


    *knock knock*


    all at once, the Wobins jumped, but soon realized that the noise was made from a steel gauntlet hitting stone.


    they slowly opened the door...


    at first, they thought nothing was wrong.


    there was a male dwarf, standing in front-


    wrong.


    the dwarf was not standing...


    rather, his top-half was being held up by two limbs. though guts trailed out the bottom, the other half was no where to be seen.


    an expression of incomparable horror was the only thing left on his face. well, the part that was still recognizable.


    Soon, the Genads where able to hear the screams of both their neighbors.


    The militia.


    Dead.


    The Wenfreds.


    Dead.


    The Wobins.


    Dying.


    all alone...


    With a beast.


    *thump*


    *thump*


    *thump*


    All alone...scrambling to find a hiding place...it was all they could do.


    *Crash!*


    the door fell.


    breathing. the deep, extended breaths of a beast that had feasted.


    Breathing. The sharp, quick breaths of people scared out of their mind.


    Junior Genads: "what is that?! why is it killing us?


    oh no... no! no! don''t come any closer!


    noooooooooo-


    Senior Genads:Son...


    no, Don''t look here! no!


    don''t-


    "aHAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"


    Mommy Genads:


    Silence.


    first my son... then my husband...


    I could see it. ripping great chunks out of fredrick.


    I''m next.


    but... maybe not. after all-


    An eye.


    then, before I had a chance to scream-


    nothingness.

 Vol III: Ch 6: Death

    https://youtu.be/G049LeVG6BI</a>


    ------------------------------------------


    Awake.


    I sat up, and looked around.


    what is this? wasn''t I...


    That''s right.


    Death.


    Again.


    Suddenly, the urge to laugh became overpowering, and I had to lie back down.


    Awake? Ha! As if.


    It''s quite obvious where I am. After all, I met Jordan here once before.


    speaking of which, where is he?


    I looked around, but couldn''t find him. Wait a second... Isn''t this...


    The main square of the capital. Stone cobble was beneath me, and shops underneath awnings surrounded the fountain, which I had missed seeing before.


    How could I miss something like...


    Fog. All around. It wasn''t thick enough to make me blind, but somehow I could not make out more than fifty feet or so away from myself.


    Where did this fog come from?


    To the best of my knowledge, the ocean was a long way away. How would fog...


    Where are all the people?


    What is going on?


    The square was empty, and the fog seemed to shift...


    There! A person!


    I ran over there, only to pause as I heard a grinding sound behind me.


    Black Moon.


    Where...?


    It was my sword, connected to a chain. And the chain was connected to... me. Wrapped around my right forearm, was a snake-like black chain, that protruded out of the pommel of Black Moon. And the jewel was missing...


    Azariah.


    I frantically looked around, and yelled as loudly as I could, trying to find out where that mischievous blade had gone.


    "Curse this fucking fog!"


    No matter where I looked, I could not make out where he/she had gone. Falling to my knees, I brought Black Moon up to my eyes, and inspected it closer.


    Everything was the same except for the absence of the jewel normally inlaid in the pommel.


    I wonder why that chain is here?


    When I took a closer look at the chain wrapped around my forearm, I noticed something strange. My arm was see-through.


    What the f-


    It clicked. After all, why else would a chain be binding me to something I would never willingly let go of?


    So this is what it means to be a Demon-Swordsmen, huh?


    Not even allowed to die, the wielder is bound to the blade eternally. But, that''s all right with me.


    Now... how do I make something of myself?


    First, I tried picking up a leaf, but within a few seconds the leaf slipped through my hand. looks like nothing but Black Moon is solid for me.


    What about that person?


    I looked up, and saw a down-trodden man walking aimlessly, not even acknowledging the blue wisps floating by his side. I quickly ran to his side, and tried calling out to him. When he paid no mind to my words, and simply continued walking with his head down, I gave him a hard poke.


    "Ah!"


    He jumped, did a 180 and came back down, looking scared as a mouse. I placed my hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down.


    "hey, hey, it''s all right. What''s got you so scared?"


    At first, he just looked through me, but his eyes slowly started to focus on me, and I tried to give a reassuring smile. though, my smiles are more likely to scare people more...


    "You... you can see me? You''re not just crazy and talking to the air?"


    I had to grin at that. "Oh, I''m crazy all right, but that doesn''t mean I can''t see you."


    "R-really?"


    "Really. Now, can you tell me where I can find others like you?"


    At this, he lowered his head again and looked sad. "I''ve been walking for... I don''t want to know. Never seen another until you. Except..."


    My ears perked up. "what do you mean, ''except''?"


    He tried to avoid my gaze, and muttered something under his breath.


    "sorry, what was that?"


    He raised his head, but couldn''t quite look me in the eye. Then his eyes wandered behind me, and they widened so much I thought they''d pop out.


    "Except for those!"


    I heard a whistling noise.


    *duck*


    I felt air being cleaved just above my head.


    I kicked against the ground, and flipped over my attackers head, jerking the chain and bringing Black Moon into my hand, and saw my opponent for the first time.


    At first I thought I was being attacked by air, but then I could make out a pale-white ghost, clothed in ragged black cloth. But, that was not what made this opponent different from any other...


    It was the ghoulish face, like the combined expression of someone who had lost all hope, and a torture victim, which had been buried and eaten by worms. Disgusting.


    But, just being gross wouldn''t make you dangerous... the long claws like rusty blades did that.


    As the wraith whirled around, I brought down black Moon, and ended its'' misery.


    ...or so I thought.


    As I turned my back on the halved enemy, I felt a burning pain across my back.


    The Pain!


    It felt like the fat on my bones was being roasted again, except instead of frying the nerve ends and stopping the pain, it kept, on, burning.


    My body stumbled forward, and I dropped Black Moon.


    I''m going to die again...


    ...


    nO!


    What?


    I wiLl nOt diE aGain!


    It''s useless... living isn''t worth the effort...


    HoW cAn yOu saY thAt?! arEn''t yOu suPposEd to be thE strOng oNe?!


    I give up. I can''t do this anymore.


    ...


    Stolen story; please report.


    What? No jeers? I lectured you so much before, don''t you want to at least say ''I told you so''?"


    ...


    ch, look at me. Arguing with the voices in my head... I really am pathetic, huh?


    Wrong.


    What? And what happened to your voice-


    I''m Done Letting You Mess Things Up.


    I don''t get it...


    No. You Simply Don''t Want To Get Tt. You''re Afraid Of Me, Aren''t You?


    ...


    Well? What Do You Say?


    I am afraid of you.


    So, What Are You Going To Do About It?


    On the ground. Surrounded by hideous ghouls clothed in ripped black cloth. Wounded with some kind of poison that made movement impossible.


    The fingers twitched.


    There is nothing I can do. I''m just afraid.


    If You Truly Believe That, Then Die Like The Dog You Are.


    The wraiths heads moved as one, coming up, and their hideous expressions changing to one-


    If I give up...


    ...


    Will the pain stop?


    Wait. I cannot ask someone else this question. I must ask it of myself. If i were to let myself die, and slowly decay until I become the same as these creatures, would the wounds on my body sting any less?


    -of Fear.


    If I just give up-


    Panic flitted across the wraiths faces, and they quickly raise their claws and try to stab the person in the middle of them-


    -nothing will change.


    -but he''s gone.


    "oi!"


    The wraiths turn, seeing the cat demi-human standing on his toes, with his sword in hand, pointed towards the ground.


    -A Smile-


    "Where''re you looking?"


    -A blur-


    All the wraiths lose their bottom halves, which quickly re-attach.


    Looks like cutting them isn''t effective... what about this?


    I run up to the closest of the eight, and grab it by the face. correct to my guess, it''s face is solid to my fingers, which means-


    Unlucky wraith #1: A whoosh of air, and then whole left side of my face caves in.


    Then nothing.


    Shadowpelt: Well, that seems to work. I think, while holding the crushed skull of my first victim.


    I straighten, and evaluate the seven others.


    -The Smile grows wider-


    I let go of black moon, letting the crescent-like blade fall to the extent of it''s chain, then dash forward and grab the next closest wraiths, cracking their skulls together, pulverizing their faces to dust. then, my head rotates ninety degrees, looking at the frozen ghoul.


    Unlucky Wraith #4: Within the near-intelligent-less mind of the wraith, the memory of a phrase stirs...


    oh shit, oh fuck, shit! fuck!


    Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!


    Shadowpelt: I grab the back of it''s head, and pull its'' face down onto my rising knee, ending it''s miserable life forever.


    "I just want you to know i take no pleasure in this."


    -The Smile becomes a half-circle-


    "Even though it''s so fucking fun!"


    Unlucky Wraith #5:


    A fist. Then blackness.


    Unlucky Wraith #6:


    An elbow. then nothing.


    Unlucky Wraith #7:


    Pain. For the first time in it''s short-term memory, it felt indescribable pain.


    -Then nothing.


    Shadowpelt: "what? you''ve all gone so quiet!"


    The last wraith looks at me, and simply stays still. Not even trying to defend itself.


    I shake my head, and click my tongue. "This is no good. If you just give up, where''s the sport?!"


    The wraith stares at me with its'' dead eyes, and gives a half-hearted swing with its'' claws.


    -A blade-


    "Too slow."


    the final wraith''s head explodes from the collision of the flat of my blade.


    I turn, and look at the frozen face of the wandering soul who had witnessed me.


    I try to give him a reassuring smile, but only when he freaks out do i realize I''m still in murder mode.


    Then the pain comes back all at once, and I black out.


    ---


    Lost soul: What a scary guy... but he did save me...


    I had the cat person on his stomach, and was doing the best I could to heal the wound on his back. Sadly to say, my best was nothing.


    So, I just tried to keep him comfortable, and close my ears to the ear-splitting screams of pain echoing out of his throat.


    As I looked at the throbbing wound on the mysterious mans back, I gave up hope.


    when I told the man I had never seen others like him before, I had lied.


    All of the others just died. Some getting swarmed by the scary ghouls, others getting tiny scratches and then dying of fever.


    At one point, there had been twenty of us.


    But, one after another, it had become just me.


    Why me? I''m the most cowardly of the lot! Perhaps that is why.


    Their is a saying...


    In war, the dumb and the brave die, while the cowards live.


    I can''t remember where I learned this... I can barely remember my first name! Much less what happened before I died.


    But... something about how that man had fought, even after receiving a wound I had seen lay low the strongest of men...


    It ignited something deep within me.


    Then the screams reached an all time high, and I knew that the man had died.


    Poor boy...


    A grip on my arm.


    I looked down, and saw...


    ...a smiling face.


    One that would make the gods themselves quiver with fear.

 Q&A

    Hi guys!!!!!


    This is darkness here, just to tell you a couple things.


    first, a new chapter''s coming up today.


    next, from now on this will be a Q&A thread, where you readers can ask questions, show concerns, and insult me to the best of your ability.


    bring. it. on!


    anyway, other than that, there is really just one thing.


    Recently, a certain individual has come to my attention. he goes by the name... zenlith.


    Over the last few chapters, he has come up with some troublingly accurate predictions.


    So, zenlith, if you are reading this, I would like to declare formal war upon you.


    All kidding aside, (I''m not kidding about the war thing. watch your back) Zenlith is an intelligent, thoughtful guy. he picked apart my web of secrets, and attempted to see the true picture. I think. I dunno. he might have just been bored, and decided to write random things, in which case I should be ashamed of myself...


    anyway! self-pity aside, I would like to give credit where credit is due. On the chapter titled ''terror'' zenlith provided an in-depth backstory for the minor characters who were brutally massacred. even though he portrayed them as humans, it was still one of the best reads I have had in a while.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Plz zenlith senpai! plz write a fiction! plllllllllllllllzzzzzzzzzzzz!


    I hope you will all bother zenlith until he dies, or writes a fiction for us. (I win either way)


    P.S. Sorry if I offended you zenlith, this was in no way meant to call attention to you in particular, or make you feel uncomfortable. if you want me to take down everything related to you in here, just tell me. I''m talking about you without your permission, so I would like to know if this offends you or not. if it does, It will be killed with fire. Just wanted to say that, and thank you for the wonderful experience you provided by posting your thoughts on this fiction.


    anyway, still working on the zenlith altar, gonna put it next to my satan altar.


    Also, I want to ask zenlith if I can put a link to his posts so that all of you can all read it.


    well, that''s it. nothing more to say, I''ll leave the rest up to you, the reader. If you have questions, concerns, or you just want to rage at me, you can do it all here.


    bye bye!

 Vol III: Ch 7: The King Is Dead

    AN: Well... fuck. no music for this chapter.


    but, there is a video I want to share with you all. Wanna know my only thought while watching this video?


    OH GOD NOT THE DRUGS! I SWEAR I DIDN''T SMOKE YOUR CRACK GRANDMA! https://youtu.be/A3YmHZ9HMPs</a>


    p.s. my rep is at sixty nine, if ya know what I mean. ;)


    -----------------------------------------------------


    Egain: I woke to a day like any other.


    Ever since shadowpelt had left me in charge of the forest, my life had gotten a sort of... structure to it.


    In the morning, I would get up from my comfortable resting spot at the foot of what was sort-of dubbed Shadow mount.


    I say sort of, because ninety percent of the denizens of the forest couldn''t think enough to name things. But, I still believe in all of them. sort of.


    After getting up, I would swing by the wolf camp, and check out how the mothers with cubs were doing, and see if they needed anything.


    Next, I head over to the beavers by the river. Though, I rarely feel like they need help. Ever since the river beast showed up, and scared the fact that they are weak into them, they''ve... gotten dedicated, I guess you could say.


    After that, i head over to see how the corralling of the foxes is progressing. I''ll explain.


    Ever since the fortifying of the forest was completed, a problem arose within. The beasts not directly under shadowpelts reign seemed to dislike him leaving, and ever since yesterday they had gone crazy, breaking out in fights with each other and members of other species. The strange thing is that this all happened at around noon yesterday, and everything had happened at once without any pre-warning.


    So, I had tasked the Nest with gathering/luring the various wild races inside the forest to designated areas within the forest where the fighters could be put in solitary, while the rest would be kept in an area small enough to keep track of.


    Even though it felt horrible to treat my fellow beasts like docile cows, I had to do it for the sake of peace within the forest. Even the nest had been getting antsy, and I still didn''t know why.


    On the way there, I could faintly hear the cry''s and yipping of pain that signaled fighting. I rushed over to see what was happening, only to lose my train of thought completely.


    within a wide, webbed-in area was mass hysteria. It seemed not a single fox was spared, and even as I watched several of the larger foxes ganged up on the smaller, and ripped them to shreds. I ran forward, and questioned the arachnid in charge, and he responded in clicks, a few words leaking out every now and then.


    "This one does not know what happened, just a moment ago they were calm as water."


    Even as we spoke, the death toll climbed. With no other solution, I made my decision.


    I took firm strides, and jumped over the web wall, simultaneously changing to my wolf form.


    An audible thump could be heard as I landed,


    The foxes near me turned, but they were too slow. Before they could react, their bodies were bent in unnatural ways, and their pitiful cries of pain could be heard loud and clear. As a shadow passed through the fighting pairs, hard smacks and heavy impacts could be heard. Finally, the shadow reached the eight-headed fox. The fox reared back, and came forward-


    A clawed hand, as large as a dinner plate, was also reared back.


    -only to be dealt a devastating blow to all eight heads. temporarily knocked unconscious, the massive body fell to the ground. Standing above the fallen monster, was an even greater monster.


    standing three meters tall, and packed with muscle, this was the body of a predator. And that predator was among prey.


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    silence fell, and Egain silently heaved a sigh of relief.


    whew, I''m glad they recognize me as a threat. If a group is in turmoil, all you need to bring it together is a common enemy.


    The words of his father. he died, like he lived. keeping the pack together. kinda fitting the son should follow the father, huh?


    But, before anyone could react, something strange occurred. All around, in near perfect synchronization, all the foxes bowed their multiple heads.


    The massive predator stood stock still, not daring to move. Finally, he egain asked what the heck was going on.


    "what the fuck are you all doing?"


    The one intelligent fox, a grey-pelt, probably something like forty years old. an amazing feat, reaching that age. During that time, this fox had learned speech, and broken away from the cursed instincts of his species, instead opting for reason. Even though he was smart for his kind, his speech was still hard to understand.


    "we bowing to king. has proven himself. we serve from now, until stronger king come."


    "But, Shadowpelt is the king!"


    The fox seemed confused. "can not feel it, young one? King is dead. is obvious from events. all forest in turmoil, finding new king."


    Egain stumbled, and fell to his knees, changing back to his human form. "Shadowpelt... Dead?!"


    It''s not possible. "That''s impossible! Shadowpelt is the strongest being I''ve ever met! He could never-"


    The fox cut in. "Ignorance is not a sin. But those who refuse to see the truth laid before their eyes are the root of evil."


    I was momentarily shocked silent by the geezers profound words. as I knelt, trying to keep the world from spinning, the next filed in, and bowed beside the foxes.


    "sssss, Even though Shielin is master of nest, egain is king of forest. will obey."


    no... this isn''t possible! how could this happen?


    Shadowpelt is dead... even if I can''t believe it with my heart, I must wrap my head around that fact.


    Perhaps that is because even though that cat is dead, his purpose lives on.


    Jordan had told me, in an aside during one of his few messages, that shadowpelt swore to deliver the world to him.


    I stood up, and swept my gaze around the many bowed heads.


    If I don''t accept this responsibility... who will?


    A tyrant? would shadowpelt want that? a meathead, with nothing more than brute strength going for them? No. Shadowpelt had taught me that wether you were powerful or not did not matter when you led people. Without a hand to guide it, a sword is nothing more than a lump of iron.


    As I walked among shadowpelts subjects, (I still can''t think of myself as king) I offered comfort. The recent strife had led to pain and suffering throughout the forest, and if nothing was done about it, shadowpelt would return to find shattered glass where he left a whole pane. And he will return. But, in the off chance he doesn''t...


    As I made my way to the edge of the forest, after a long day of settling the occupants of the forest, I still felt fire in my soul.


    I will forge these unruly beasts into a blade worthy of you, so that they may fulfill your promise.


    And if hell comes knocking at my door for damning a whole forest of sentient beings, I''ll meet them with my bags packed. After all, Shadowpelt will undoubtedly have bent the entire place to his will by the time I get there.

 Vol III: Ch 9: A Brief Moment

    It''s been so long... and I have no excuses. Troll gave me a wake up call, which happened to be late at night.


    so...


    Don''t sue me for mental trauma, please?


    (ps, chapters will be shorter from now on. I just have so much to do.)


    ----


    https://youtu.be/6ljegvS94qE</a>


    ---


    A drop of water, Crystalized in perfect detail. Such a common thing, yet unique.


    It hung, suspended in air, completely unmoving.


    "...o...i...o.i..oi! hey, you alive?"


    I shook myself, and took my eyes off of the raindrop, and turned my attention to the lost soul vying for my notice.


    "What kind of question is that? Of course I''m not alive."


    He just stared at me, and it seemed that he was contemplating wether to laugh or take it seriously.


    "OK...that makes sense, i guess."


    Kill him.


    I got up from my knees and walked over to a bench. I took a seat, and held up Black Moon for a closer inspection.


    Azariah...


    This blade that should feel like a companion to me, felt like nothing more than a piece of metal.


    The lost soul was looking at me, trying very hard not to look scared. "s-so...what''s your name? i-if you don''t mind me asking!"


    Eat him.


    "Sha-" I still insist on using that farce of a name I chose as a child?


    Then what else should I use?


    Why not something that''s an actual name? Idiot...


    Somehow, getting called an idiot by myself makes me feel even stupider. "I don''t really have one. I''ll think of one, and tell you what it is. Maybe then I''ll shut up and leave me alone..."


    Fagot.


    ...


    I don''t know why I''m calling myself a bundle of sticks. I thought only Azariah called me that...


    The sound of repeated banging sounded from inside my skull, and I somehow got a headache.


    I wonder why I''m banging my head on the floor of my mind...


    (AN: quick authors note. This is referring to the inner world that shadowpelt visited when he first met azariah. Ever since he visited that place, he made a copy and put it in his own mind, to make sorting his various self/selves out less confusing. It''s already complicated enough dealing with multiple images of yourself, not to mention them getting lost in space and floating around, playing pranks on each other and such.)


    Now now, I shouldn''t be angry with myself just because I don''t understand something.


    U-um, could i not use ''I'' and ''me'' to point out specif pieces? I-I''m geting really confused...


    All of me besides the timid piece turned to him, and looked confused.


    Why is that confusing? I mean, I was even pointing.


    B-but did you mean glee or peace? What if you were talking about Thirst or Sense?


    ...


    I see what you mean. Then, I-we''ll have to think of names for each other. Oh! I know, the gloomy one should be named freddy!


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


    *whisper* Why did I-everyone get all quiet?


    Well, at least I-we know where the IQ didn''t go.


    Amen. So, how am I- are we going to decide on names?


    We already know who everyone else is. Don''t you hear your own words?


    W-what do I-you mean, Suffering?


    Timid seemed to realize what he said, and nodded.


    I see what I-you mean. It seems we already know each other instinctively. Also, I want to say.


    You seem very comfortable talking about me-us as separate from yourself. Why is that?


    The tall cat-like demi-human stayed silent for a long time. Finally, he responded to the clone of himself.


    It''s simple. I''m older than the rest of you, so I don''t have a hard time telling the difference between myself and the rest of you.


    Old? How come? I thought we were all the same person...?


    The same body and-once upon a time- the same mind. But things are different now. All of you were born a month or so ago, so you''re still getting used to having independent thought.


    If I-we were born a month ago, when did you separate from the rest of the mind?


    Since the time our body first killed someone.


    All of the clones were looking confused, but interested.


    I used to be the only one...


    But on that day, Thirst was born.


    Ever since, I''ve had to spend all of my energy keeping that lunatic under control, but lately...


    Thirst is too strong. He has about half our power, while I, who used to be the king...


    It''s all right. I don''t know how long you kept Thirst under control, and it must have been hard to keep him under control on your own, but we''re here now.


    Thank you, Despair... I''ve been alone with that beast for so long, I don''t know what I''d have done if I''d been the only one here any longer.


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    Kukuehuhu...why, you''d have gone InsAnE at tHe VerY LeaSt.


    Thirst! What are you doing here?!


    You''re not supposed to be here! we aren''t fighting, so you should be asleep!


    HAHA! Who are you, to command me? I''m IN CONTROL!


    The new copy was different from the others. Streams of blood ran down his chest, and the muscles, claws, and fangs were all more pronounced. His hair was wild and caked in dried gore. Every now and then, he''d rack his hand through his mane and lick his fingers.


    Not if I have anything to say about it.


    A scarred copy appeared behind Thirst, and spun while kicking out. The result was that the unstable demi-human  rocketed at sixty miles per hour in a horizontal direction.


    The assembled copy''s looked with shock at the slightly bigger version of themselves. His skin was folded, and blood ran down his body just like Thirst''s. The difference was that the scarred agrias was covered in his own blood.


    The scarred one looked at Despair, and tilted his head.


    Are you just going to stand there, or help me?


    Despair smiled, and seemed to phase through the air, appearing right beside the torn copy.


    I didn''t catch your name...


    The scarred demi-human looked at Despair with a confused expression.


    I don''t really need one...but if you need to call me something, Pain would be acceptable.


    And with that, the screaming madman named Thirst slammed into the ground, and started the battle.


    W-will Pain and Despair be able to win...?


    Suffering looked at the two who could barely keep up with Thirst, and sighed. I honestly don''t know. But, out of all of us those two are the most powerful.


    Thirst punched forward, piercing the air by Pain''s head, but was unable to follow up because Despair kicked him from behind, breaking Thirst''s knee at the joint.


    Ah! Stay still and die! I''m iN coNtrOl NoW! yOu Can''t KeEp mE heLpleSs anYmOrE!


    In terms of physical strength and speed, Thrist is stronger than Pain or Despair by far. However, being attacked from two sides made him too spread out. If it was a one-on-one fight between the combined power of Pain and Despair versus Thirst, Thirst would win.  In this way, it was fortunate that my mind is broken into so many pieces.


    Finally, the two pieces subdued the larger piece, and both stood panting.


    Ha, ha, that was too close...


    It wouldn''t have been so close if you''d been good at fighting.


    Shut up! I didn''t see you doing any better than me, flappy skin.


    haa?! Trading insults, are we? well then, I think you should stop writing deppressing poetry, emo.


    I''m not emo! The darkness of my art fills the empty void that is my soul!


    ...


    You are a soul.


    ...


    Shut up. I was speaking figuratively.


    I''m pretty sure that you were talking literally, since your muscles are so empty they could be filled with nothing but hot air-


    Despairs fist knocked out two of Pains teeth, then Pain broke Despairs arm. After that, they descended to the ground and started grappling.


    Ignoring the squirming bodies rolling on the floor, Suffering dragged Thirst''s unconscious body up to his eyes.


    What am I going to do with you, you poor, poor child...


    S-suffering, since we all have names, what''s the name of our body? Shadowpelt doesn''t really fit anymore...


    Suffering looked at Timid, and smiled. How about Jian? It would be appropriate, in my opinion.


    Jian... I have no objections.


    Woohoo! We have a new name!


    ...What does it mean...?


    Jian means ''Pieces'' in chinese.


    ---


    Lost Soul''s POV


    The scary demi-human had been sitting for a long time. After awhile longer, he stirred. I waved, and said "yo, are you okay?"


    He seemed confused. "Why do you ask?"


    "You''ve been sitting on that bench for three years."


    He seemed surprised. "What?! How?"


    I pointed at the rain drop the man had seemed so interested in three years ago. "In this place, time moves in strange ways."


    The drop of water had moved an inch.


    "you see, what was a blink of an eye in the living world is reflected as three years in this one. Sometimes, I''ll take a step only to realize a building appeared where I was about to step. Time is no longer relative."


    The man had seemed disbelieveing, but he seemed to trust me. i leaned back...


    "We could sit here for the next five million years, and that drop could still be in the same place. I don''t now why time changes like that, but it probably has to do with the unstable mana in this dimension."


    "you seem knowledgable about this."


    I smiled wryly.


    "I should."


    After all,


    I''ve been here for fifty thousand years already.

 Vol III: Ch 10: A Millenium

    Kyaaa~</a> so many people are commenting! Here''s a little present, enjoy~


    ---


    Purgatory</a>


    --


    "How long has it been?"


    "Seven more years."


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    "This is irritating. Why can''t they just-"


    "A-ahem, w-why are you talking to air?"


    The lost soul... I still didn''t know why he was following me.


    Note: just a draft. maybe i''ll write the rest tonight... it depends.