《The Voidstalker [Mystery - Dungeon/Rift Progression Fantasy]》


 Chapter 1 - Land of Men

    ¡®I¡¯m really out of luck here¡¯


    In a place where almost everything was either green from vegetation or brown from the ground and wood, a skinny man dabbled his way forward.


    He had a makeshift machete, a little more than a bare piece of stone strapped to a stick, to cut his way through the vines in front.


    How many hours had he been walking now?


    Relyn wasn¡¯t sure. He was growing tired, but the animals he had seen so far were too small to bother hunting. They wouldn¡¯t do much to fill his stomach anyway.


    When he saw a tree with a deep mark on its trunk, he stopped and stood there in place. The gash was wide and uneven, and the insides of the trunk carried a trace of grey.


    He ran his fingers over it lightly and furrowed his brows.


    ¡®Should I have gone in a different direction?¡¯


    Relyn questioned his decision to walk south. In fact, he was questioning that decision for hours now, but everywhere around was getting tough.


    Just a week before, he had seen birds heading to the west in flocks, but the idea of going west was enough to make his skin crawl. He had seen far too many weird things going west, things he could barely bring himself to remember.


    He kneeled down and looked over a red plant with four leaves. He carefully plucked it and squinted, while his thin fingers moved the plant around and looked at it closely.


    ¡®Is this the one you can eat or the one that makes you shit your guts out?¡¯


    His last bad experience with the wrong plant hadn¡¯t been too long ago, and the possibility of making the wrong decision again made him hesitate.


    No matter how he looked at it, he just couldn¡¯t tell the difference, the red ones were always practically the same. He knew for a fact almost all the blue and purple ones were edible, but they weren¡¯t too common.


    ¡°Dammit¡± He cursed under his breath.


    At the end, he sighed and dropped it to the ground. Eating a poisonous plant in his conditions would probably slow him down for hours, or maybe even worse.


    Getting back to his feet and looking up, he saw the shape of a moon slowly rise into the sky.


    ¡°Is it Hell Day already? Fuck, it should only be in two days from now, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Did I miscalculate?¡±


    Relyn had a system to control when, what he had named the ¡®Hell Day¡¯ would happen. It was something that should happen every thirteen nights. But the last one was only eleven nights ago.


    Was it changing?


    It had been the same for so long now, it was unlikely. Maybe the culprit was the cave.


    The humidity inside was getting worse in the last couple of weeks and the moss had begun to distort the marks he had scratched into them, his calendar.


    But now, the cave was far behind him and there was no way of being sure.


    His mind raced and he felt his heart pounding in his chest. The machete slipped from his sweaty palm, and fell right beneath him.


    He stared up at the sky with a blank expression and his knees buckled to the ground.


    All the struggles he went through crossed his mind. From the first memory that he could recall, when he woke up on the beach with his mind cleared of any memories, or the first time he killed an animal to fill his stomach.


    Living with so many questions had been hard, but finding these answers was even harder. In fact, Relyn hadn¡¯t been looking for answers throughout this time, his mind was too busy thinking about what his next meal would be.


    One mistake and this was where he ended up. Reality was brutal.


    Relyn closed his hands into fists and slammed them into the earth a couple of times until he grew tired. The impact made his knuckles sting, but the pain didn¡¯t even register - nothing mattered right now.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± He yelled out loud.


    But it didn¡¯t take him long to get back on his feet with a tight grip to his machete again. Relyn had always managed to hold himself together, always kept it in control even when everything was falling apart. Why couldn¡¯t he now?


    ¡®Think! You need to fucking think!¡¯


    He took a few shallow breaths to let go of the panic and looked around, trying his best to come up with something.


    ¡®How much longer do I have now? An hour?¡¯


    Relyn used his hands to measure the angle of the moon against the sun.


    ¡®Maybe a little bit less?¡¯


    He laughed bitterly. Running his way back was impossible at this point, and this whole place had nothing but trees and earth.


    Suddenly, he began to move east.


    There was something there, or at least it should have. Relyn remembered the day he saw them going in that direction.


    With his experience walking amongst the forest, he could roughly compensate for how much he had already walked south and figured he wouldn¡¯t be too far off.


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    He quickened his pace, pushing through the vines and grass as fast as the terrain allowed him.


    Occasionally, he had to stop and think about where he was going to make sure he¡¯d still be on track.


    But after delving further into the forest, finding a place that wasn¡¯t completely covered by the tall trees leaves was rare, but when he finally found the one, he finally felt a bit of relief.


    In the short distance, he saw a trail of smoke going up through the air.


    ¡®It¡¯s close now.¡¯


    From time to time, the tall trees in front of him would make him lose sight of the smoke sign for a couple of minutes, but soon he would track it down once again and continue on its way.


    That was his guide.


    The sole of Relyn¡¯s feet went numb a long time ago, but taking any more breaks was not an option in his situation, he simply gritted his teeth and kept going.


    His body was damp from sweat, and the temperature had been dropping steadily. Whatever warmth he had left was fading quickly.


    But finally, he saw hope. And it was only a couple of minutes away.


    ¡®Found you¡¯


    He saw a source of light ahead in the distance, just enough to form a small contrast to the dark surroundings.


    He had been avoiding them for so long now. And for a good reason.


    Relyn had seen many of them by this point, wandering in the forests. Sometimes they were lost, sometimes they were going somewhere.


    What had kept him away all of this time were the few he had seen that defied all logic he had of this world, true monsters.


    ¡°What are you doing here at this hour?!¡± A voice rang out, not too loud but enough to be heard, and it came from a man wearing a silver plate armor holding a torch high.


    ¡®And you found me too, uh¡¯


    What struck Relyn was the strange language in which the man spoke, it was clearly different from his native tongue, whatever that was, but he could understand all the words of it.


    ¡®Can I speak it too?¡¯


    His throat felt dry and he was unsure, but he forced himself to speak.


    ¡°Hello. I want to eat food and drink water. I think I had.. uh.. accident.¡± His voice was weak, but it was the truth.


    ¡°This accent¡­ where are you from?¡± The man¡¯s eyes narrowed, scanning him up and down.


    Before he could answer, a second figure stepped out of the shadows, someone dressed similarly to the person Relyn was already talking to. But his expression was more grim, more urgent.


    ¡°We need to get the hell out of here now.¡± He said, looking at his partner.


    The first man hesitated, his gaze flicking between the boy he had just found and his partner. Then, with a heavy sigh, he turned back to Relyn.


    ¡°You are going to have to answer some questions later on.¡± He said, not taking his eyes off Relyn for too long.


    "For now, follow us closely. Don¡¯t try anything funny with me."


    As they walked, Relyn''s instincts screamed at him to stay alert. He had a rough understanding that most of these people were weak, scavengers like himself. But a few of them had supernatural powers that creeped him out. These men might be the same.


    But for now, there seemed to be no better option than to follow.


    The second man, who also was carrying a torch, led the way. His pace was quick, and his partner followed closely behind, keeping a watchful eye on Relyn.


    ¡®Who are these guys?¡¯


    He was trying to understand the situation he got himself into, and when he looked closely at them, something unexpectedly came to his mind.


    ¡®Soldiers?¡¯


    Sometimes, Relyn would remember pieces and bits of information of a world he didn¡¯t know by experience. And this had just happened again.


    ¡°Well, where are-¡± Relyn was about to ask something but didn¡¯t get to finish it.


    ¡°Quiet!¡± The man right in front of him urgently cut him off, his expression serious.


    ¡®They both have their hands busy and are wearing this heavy thing¡­ I bet that I can run away from them and get myself a head start if something happens.¡¯


    Relyn¡¯s mind raced with plans and counterplans as they continued to walk in.


    ¡®But what if they catch me then? Maybe I should try to steal one of the swords¡­ No, there¡¯s no way I can beat them like this¡­ I¡¯m just going to run.¡¯


    Following along the dense woods, traces of light began to break through the trees. That light grew brighter with every step, until they emerged from the shadows and found themselves facing a tall stone wall.


    He had arrived in the land of men.

 Chapter 2 - Salath

    As the three of them got closer to the stone wall, Relyn noticed they were covered in scratches, long and deep. They didn¡¯t seem new, but they were still there.


    ¡°Hand over your weapon,¡± The soldier closest to Relyn said.


    ¡°No,¡± Relyn replied flatly.


    Both armored men immediately rested their hands on their swords and changed their stances.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going into the city armed. Even if it¡¯s that thing.¡± The man promptly said.


    ¡®Have I dug my own grave in this place?¡¯


    Relyn looked around and cursed under his breath.


    ¡°This is your last warning,¡± The soldier spoke again, his voice sharper this time.


    ¡°Hand over your weapon, or we¡¯ll treat you as a threat to the people of Salath,¡± The soldier continued, drawing his sword.


    Relyn looked at that sword curiously. He knew he was probably behind with the tools he made, but this was something else entirely.


    The sword, though worn and stained with dirt, still had Its blade straight and the edge looked sharp too.


    Reluctantly, he extended his arm and handed over his machete, and only then they began walking again.


    When they passed through the gates, Relyn was surprised.


    ¡®So many of them here¡¯


    A number of people were on the streets, talking, walking, trading goods. Some laughed, others bartered, and children ran in between them.


    What puzzled him most was the calm atmosphere. No one seemed worried about what was happening beyond the walls.


    And how did they have food for so many people?


    Suddenly, he heard heavy footsteps coming from somewhere behind. He looked back, and with the corner of his eyes he saw heads moving left and right on top of the wall.


    ¡°So, that¡¯s your defense¡­¡± He said, still looking at the top of the wall.


    ¡°What are you staring at? Keep your head down,¡± One of the soldiers muttered. His grip tightened on Relyn¡¯s shoulder as the soldier pushed him forward.


    Relyn¡¯s instincts kicked in and he almost reacted, but he stopped himself and kept moving.


    Soon, they stopped in front of a wooden house with a sloping roof and thick beams. One of the soldiers motioned him inside, which Relyn followed.


    Inside, he found himself in a big room. In the distance, a narrow staircase led both up and down, but he quickly looked at the only person inside, an older, chubby man seated behind a wooden desk.


    ¡°By the love of the Gods, what is that smell?¡± behind his desk, the man said, waving his hand.


    ¡°Name?¡± He proceeded to ask.


    Relyn looked behind, unsure if that was directed to him, but soon he felt something against his back motioning him to answer.


    ¡°Relyn¡±


    ¡°From?¡± The man immediately asked another question.


    That was a good question.


    He, himself, didn¡¯t quite know the answer.


    ¡°From?¡± The man asked again after a few seconds of silence.


    ¡°The outside¡±.


    The chubby man murmured something to himself before continuing.


    ¡°He¡¯s cleared.¡±


    ¡°Relyn. Relyn from¡­ uh, what city has people like that?¡± Behind the desk, the man spoke to himself and raised his finger, thinking.


    ¡°St. Lius. Yes, Relyn from St. Lius¡­¡± He laughed out loud.


    The soldier behind Relyn nodded, and walked him to a table at the back.


    ¡°Sit,¡± The first man Relyn had met said, gesturing to the table.


    Both soldiers sat down across from him, and the one who had just spoken leaned forward and narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m soldier Bolton, and this here is soldier Merley.¡± He quickly introduced.


    "Now, to the important stuff. What were you doing back there?¡± He asked.


    Relyn had rehearsed something on the way to the city.


    ¡°I had an accident.. working in the forest, my head is still confused. I only need food and somewhere to stay for the day.¡± He said.


    ¡°Are you one of those cultists?¡± Bolton asked, and he slightly raised his lips as if to show disdain to the idea.


    And Relyn, paying close attention to everything around him, wouldn¡¯t miss that.


    ¡°No.¡± He quickly answered.


    ¡°Now, enough with the nonsense about the outside. You speak strange, are you from the north?¡±


    The wrong answer could complicate things, but he wasn¡¯t sure what the right answer was, nor did he know a good lie to say right now.


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    ¡°I live by myself, on the outside,¡± Relyn said.


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me you don¡¯t live in a city?¡± The soldier had a weird look in his eyes.


    ¡®Yes! Damnit, yes!¡¯


    The soldiers looked at each other, and the second men murmured something close to the ears of the soldier interrogating Relyn.


    ¡®Are they suspicious of me?¡¯


    He turned vigilant and slowly lowered his right hand, where a small dagger he had made was hidden.


    ¡°What I¡¯m about to say now is procedure. You need to listen to it very carefully, do you understand that?¡± Bolton, the soldier carrying the questions continued, pulling a small scroll from somewhere in his armor.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°As per the Act of Celsus, all cities, with the exception of the six great capitals, may, after carefully considering their own provisions and inventory, refuse to provide assistance to those born outside their territories unless in situations of public calamity. Individuals in unfortunate circumstances must request provisions from the city halls of their homeland or from one of the six great capitals.¡± The soldier slowly read the scroll in his hand.


    ¡°That means we don¡¯t have to give you shit, got it?¡±


    ¡°But¡­ you¡¯re in luck. We had a rift showing up yesterday not too far from our walls, and the city is still looking to hire some crawlers.¡±


    ¡°The payment is 18 coins of silver and you¡¯re free to eat and drink from our provisions until the exploration is completed, we¡¯ll also give you shelter for a while, if you¡¯re interested¡± Bolton offered.


    The word ¡°rift¡± meant nothing to Relyn, but ¡°food¡± and ¡°shelter¡± were enough for him today.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m interested.¡± He responded.


    ¡°Good.¡± The soldier put away the scroll he was carrying and pulled out a different, bigger scroll and put it on the table right in front of Relyn.


    ¡°Sign it and I¡¯ll show you what to do¡± Bolton continued.


    Relyn leaned in and read what he could. There were some strange words in there but he was able to understand the idea behind this paper.


    It exempted the city of any responsibility, complying to a bunch of different rules and giving up on his right to seek justice if anything were to happen during his duty.


    Some of these concepts felt strangely familiar to him, though he couldn¡¯t recall why.


    ¡°You need to spill a drop of your blood in there.¡± The soldier spoke, and drew a small knife.


    Relyn stretched forward his hands to grab the knife, but the man¡¯s hand backed down.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it for you.¡± Bolton firmly said.


    And so, he lightly punctured Relyn¡¯s thumb and small drops of blood fell into the paper. As soon as the first drops touched the scroll, it emitted a faint yellow glow before rolling itself back into its original, closed state


    ¡®They have all sorts of things here¡¯


    Looking at that, Relyn grew even more vigilant.


    With everything done, the soldier got up from his seat.


    ¡°You can grab food and water in that room, but you need to eat on a table here¡± He pointed towards one of the doors there.


    ¡°The expedition is in two days, now take the night to eat and wash yourself. Ah¡­ you¡¯re also going-¡±


    In the middle of his sentence, someone bursted in through the door.


    ¡°Finally found the two of you!¡±


    The man stood in place while gasping for air.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ yes, the captain is requesting for everyone on the north-east wall. An Uncommon was seen¡­¡±


    Both Merley and Bolton¡¯s eyes widened and they ran out the door at the same time.


    ¡®Uncommon?¡¯


    ¡®Screw it. They¡¯ll take care of it¡¯


    Relyn immediately walked to the room Bolton told him. The room was as sparse as he expected, just a table with a tray of bread, a small block of cheese, and some water.


    He settled at a table near the corner and didn¡¯t waste time before tearing through the food. Unsure if he could get another serving, he looked around, but no one seemed to watch him or care.


    He went back two more times to get more food.


    In between his coming and going, he noticed there were about fifteen people scattered across the hall, most hunched over their meals in silence, and only a few of them looked healthy, four, maybe five at most. The others were pale, too skinny, or just too old.


    Finishing his meal, he lay on the cot provided. He glanced at the others not too far from him and adjusted his dagger to behind his palms.


    His plan was clear. He would wait until sunrise and escape, this was not his place. Although life outside was difficult, he was used to being alone and fighting his way through another day.


    This place had too many people, too many variables.


    Time passed and Relyn kept his ears and eyes on alert. At some point at night, he heard screams and a loud thud, but they were quickly subdued.


    Steps, something being dragged on the street¡­

 Chapter 3 - First Day

    When Relyn woke up the next morning, the air was still and warm. He sat up quickly, rubbed his eyes and his hands instinctively went to his sleeves, checking for his dagger.


    And luckily, it was still there.


    ¡°Damnit! I actually slept in this place¡­ I need to get out of here now.¡± Relyn muttered to himself.


    When was the last time he had a comfortable place to lay his back when he was tired?


    He couldn¡¯t remember. His nights were usually spent feeling a cold stone beneath him against his bones no matter how many layers of leaves he used.


    Sometimes, he woke up shivering. Other times, it was the sounds of creatures and animals getting too close to his cave that woke him.


    But comfort could get you killed in this world. He kept that thought buried deep in his mind.


    Looking around the room, he saw the hall was empty now with no one around. He stood and walked toward the small room with the food he¡¯d eaten yesterday, but when he opened the door, it was also empty.


    No bread, no cheese, not even crumbs. The pitchers of water were gone as well.


    He didn¡¯t stay for long and walked outside. The streets were quieter than yesterday, with only a handful of people out. They moved quickly, heads down, as if they were in a hurry.


    When he reached the main gate, he had a simple plan. Don¡¯t stand out. Just get in line like everyone else and walk away from that place.


    ¡°State your business,¡± One of the guards asked an older man in front.


    ¡°I have a load due to deliver today¡± The old man replied.


    ¡°What¡¯s the load?¡± The question came quickly.


    ¡°Erian''s talismans for the church of St. Lius¡± The man said, scratching his head.


    ¡°Not essential. Gate¡¯s closed for the day, please turn around.¡±


    ¡°But I have to take these today, the holy mass is tomorrow morning!¡± He pleaded and gestured to a cart piled high with crates.


    ¡°No exceptions,¡± The guard added, crossing his arms.


    ¡°Foolish! When we¡¯re so close to the times of repentance! Idiots¡­¡±


    Relyn stepped back, watching them talk. The old man muttered something under his breath and unwillingly turned his cart around.


    ¡°Fuck! What¡¯s happening?¡± He cursed to himself and started to plan his next steps.


    Looking at the sun¡¯s position, he figured he¡¯d still have enough time in the day to walk his way back to his cave, but there was no time to waste.


    He took a long walk around the town, scanning the gates and the walls for any gaps, any weakness he could exploit.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe that boy they found. I heard his face was so deformed they still don¡¯t know who he is¡± Someone passing by spoke, almost whispering.


    ¡°Yes. But he isn¡¯t the only one, we know about him because his body fell from the wall, but what about the others?¡± Another person asked, in the same tone.


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t the army letting anyone speak to the soldiers?¡±


    ¡°Why do you think there¡¯s so few locals in the army?¡±


    ¡°Oh.. you think they-¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, exactly. But keep your voice down, damnit.¡±


    As he walked, he noticed things were very different from the day before. People were tense, something completely different from just a couple of hours ago.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    The hours passed by, and Relyn wandered aimlessly.


    No matter where he looked at, the walls seemed to be flawless. There were no gaps and no places one could get in or out with the exception of the main gate. He was taken aback.


    And unfortunately for him, everytime he walked up close to the gates again, there would be even more soldiers stationed there.


    Relyn frowned. Whatever happened in that place, it had trapped him inside.


    Eventually, he found a place where people came, went and spoke freely.


    It was a strange place, everything was red with the exception of the tables and chairs, and it was loud with conversations.


    The room was simple but crowded. There were about twenty tables around, most of them occupied at this point.


    Some people there were too excited, screamed, while others seemed happy to quietly drink in the corners.


    At one end of the room, a woman dressed in grey walked in between the tables, exchanging mugs for small coins. The concept of exchanging metal for things was something he had in the back of his mind, but this was the first time seeing it in person.


    A silent agreement everyone followed.


    Suddenly, someone stumbled left and forth, before finally managing to climb up a table.


    ¡°A toast¡±


    ¡°Come on, man. Get down, let¡¯s go¡± A voice at the table urged him.


    ¡°No, no, no.. Stop, I want a toast¡­ Yes, a toast¡± The stumbling person said out loud.


    The room became quieter, and people looked over in curiosity.


    ¡°To our brave heroes of the army of Salath. A toast, everyone. Raise your mugs¡±


    ¡°They fought so much for us all, and at what cost?¡±


    ¡°Get down Julian, what if someone-¡±


    But the person on top of the table didn¡¯t listen, and continued.


    ¡°They just take our children to Gods-know-where. For every two hundred we send, how many do we receive? Maybe fifteen?¡±


    ¡°What an honor to the people of Salath!¡±


    Finally, the voice who tried to convince him before couldn¡¯t take it anymore and pulled his friend down.


    People whispered to each other, and the room that was previously quiet, slowly came back to being noisy again.


    ¡°Not from here, friend?¡±


    Relyn glanced over his shoulder and noticed a man sitting alone at a nearby table.


    His clothes were different from the other people of the town, they were old but well kept, with a style that didn¡¯t seem common around here.


    It wasn¡¯t just the clothes that caught his eye. The man¡¯s left sleeve hung empty. He only had his right arm.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not from here¡± Relyn replied and turned his head around again.


    ¡°If the ale isn¡¯t messing with my head,¡± The man said, leaning back, ¡°I think I saw you yesterday. You¡¯re with the expedition, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Relyn studied the man carefully. There was nothing threatening about him, but the room was too crowded, and the noise was against his senses. He seemed to be relaxed, but Relyn kept his eyes on him attentively.


    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± Relyn answered after a pause.


    ¡°Thought so. Here.¡± The man chuckled, reaching for a mug on the table.


    ¡°This one¡¯s on me.¡± He pushed a wooden mug across the table. It stopped just within Relyn¡¯s reach.


    Relyn glanced at the beverage. It was deep red, and it seemed to have a mixture of herbs on its surface. The smell was sharp and heavy.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he said quietly, lifting the mug to his lips.


    He didn¡¯t drink. Instead, he tilted it slightly, letting just a little of that liquid touch his mouth before lowering it again. The strong smell was enough to make his stomach turn.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that¡¯s nothing. Just a little something to warm you up. You may need it¡± The man laughed and shook his head.


    Relyn half smiled and nodded.


    The room was too packed, too loud. He was sure he made a mistake coming here. The longer he stayed, the more people would notice him.


    Relyn stood up. He left the mug on the table and moved toward the door.


    Leaving the tavern, he walked a few steps away before stopping and spitting out the drink that had been in his mouth to the ground.


    Seeing the sky grow dark, Relyn started walking back to the place he had slept the day before.


    After he had walked for a while, a familiar sound made him stop. Footsteps, but not just a couple of people. It was the sound of several pairs of boots marching at the same.


    Relyn hid himself in the shadows of one of the alleys there, behind what seemed to be some trash cans, and held his breath.


    The group that marched through the place just a couple of seconds later were soldiers. At least ten of them were together and their faces were serious.


    In the center of their formation, four of them carried something small, wrapped tightly in black cloth.


    It wasn¡¯t large, maybe the size of someone¡¯s leg, but the way they carried it was suspicious. They held it close, and all the other soldiers around seemed to be there just guarding it, like that was something really important.


    One soldier at the back glanced to the sides, and his eyes moved to the alley where Relyn hid.


    Relyn froze, his hand immediately moved to his dagger. The soldier stayed there for a moment before turning back and quickening his pace to catch up.

 Chapter 4 - First Expedition

    Another day arrived, and Relyn stood outside the city walls with the others from the night before.


    The stone wall he had seen just a couple of days ago was different, it couldn¡¯t possibly change in only a day or two. Something was off.


    What was it?


    Relyn twisted his head, looked more carefully and suddenly his eyes widened. A whole section of the wall seemed to be leaning inward. It was subtle, but his eyes were used to picking up on subtle things.


    That¡¯s how he had survived until now.


    ¡®What the hell did that?¡¯


    Then, he glanced to the sides and grinned.


    A line of soldiers was between his group and the forest behind. They didn¡¯t seem to pay his group much attention and just freely whispered between themselves.


    ¡®Is this on purpose?¡¯


    His group, on the other hand, was quiet. Their silence was only broken by the occasional cough or the noise of the boots they had just been given on the ground.


    And this lasted until an older soldier, who introduced himself as the expedition¡¯s instructor, showed up and led the way. Everybody began to walk.


    Relyn looked to his sides again, then behind him, but every man from his group he saw seemed to have their eyes looking down.


    Sometimes, a whisper of prayer would get to his ears, barely high enough to be heard, but these weren¡¯t prayers for fortune or victory, they were words of protection.


    When the expedition leader finally ordered them to stop with a yell, Relyn was curious. The place had nothing special about it.


    He looked around, more carefully this time, and finally found it. Its length was about the same as a regular tree and its width was almost nonexistent, just a thin line in space.


    ¡®What¡­ what is that?''


    It rippled and pulsated as if it were alive. All types of small translucent shapes and shades moved around it, fading in and out of view.


    At the same time, it was so subtle that it required careful attention to notice, barely distinguishable from the surrounding nature.


    For a moment, his gaze just wouldn¡¯t turn away no matter what. It was like something important there was about to happen, but it never did.


    A hand suddenly waved in front of his eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stare at it. That shit drives people crazy,¡± someone muttered in a low voice.


    When Relyn came back to his senses, he realized their instructor had already been speaking for a while.


    ¡°So it¡¯s your first time, uh,¡± the same person spoke again.


    ¡°By the way, my name is Milen, what ''s yours? I couldn¡¯t get your name at the tavern yesterday,¡± he continued with a low chuckle.


    That was the man he had met just a day before.


    ¡°Relyn,¡± he replied, keeping his voice low.


    ¡°Nice to meet you. You seem like decent folk.¡±


    Relyn nodded, glancing back toward the instructor.


    ¡°...the sphere will do most of the work,¡± the instructor was saying, holding up the small, glowing orb"


    ¡°Just keep it close at all times. The receiver outside will map your location in about a 10 steps radius and¡­ anything else in that range too,¡±


    ¡°Remember, crawlers just map, that¡¯s what you¡¯re for. If anything crosses your path, you run. The spear you¡¯re about to receive is for keeping things at a distance if necessary,¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be splitted into groups of three. Each group must head as far from the other groups as possible to get the most out of the sphere¡¯s reach. May the Gods be with you all,¡±


    With these words, the instructor finished his speech.


    As the groups were organized, Relyn found himself paired with Milen and another man he hadn¡¯t seen before.


    ¡°We are going to spend some time together now, might as well know each other, am I right?¡± Milen started the conversation.


    ¡°You¡¯re Relyn, and you are¡­?¡± he pointed towards the one who just joined them, a tall and bald man.


    ¡°I¡¯m Gareth¡­ are you two first timers?¡± he asked, staring for a while at Milen¡¯s missing arm, seemingly not very excited to be here.


    ¡°Our friend Relyn here is a first timer, but I¡¯ve been to quite a few rifts already,¡± Milen shook his head with a smile on his face.


    ¡°What about your arm?¡± Gareth¡¯s eyes lingered on Milen¡¯s missing arm.


    Milen¡¯s smile froze instantly.


    ¡°Ah.. this,¡± He looked where his right arm was supposed to be.


    ¡°Lost it a while ago, but that¡¯s not going to be a problem,¡± Milen said, brushing it off.


    ¡°Really? How did you lose it?¡± Gareth pressed on.


    Relyn saw a miserable expression on Milen¡¯s face, but he wasn¡¯t concerned. What bothered him was the number of soldiers still around.


    He wasn''t confident. Taking the risk and running now or staying and going in?


    When he turned his attention back to his group, Gareth had a strange look in his eyes and shifted in his direction.


    ¡°And you, mudmonger. Why are you here?¡± Gareth asked.


    ¡®What? Is he talking to me?¡¯


    At this time, a soldier approached them and confirmed it was their turn to go, so they were handed their spears and some bags with food, water and medical herbs.


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    ¡°Let¡¯s get this done, my friends,¡± Milen said, stepping forward as if nothing had happened.


    As they got closer to the rift, the noise coming from it was the only thing in Relyn¡¯s mind. An unnatural, sharp sound that seemed to buzz inside their heads that only grew louder at every step.


    But once they crossed through, everything went silent, dead silent.


    The air inside the rift was heavy and every next breath felt hard to take, as though it was not meant for them to breathe.


    Milen maintained his calm, he pulled out something from his pocket, adjusted his pack and kept his eyes scanning their surroundings, moving slowly but not hesitating.


    Gareth gripped his spear tightly with both hands and his posture went stiff.


    In the distance, a small group of people appeared, heading toward the far right. Milen glanced over, then turned left without a word. They began walking in that direction, and Relyn followed them closely.


    The place was surprisingly clear for somewhere with no exposure to the sun, and the sky above them was dark. They were now in the middle of open space surrounded by rocks.


    The other groups appeared not far from where they stood. Ahead, there were mountains of rocks piled on top of each other, with only a few openings.


    When they got to one of the entrances, Milen took his spear and made an ¡®X¡¯ on one of the rocks there, and the group continued, going inside.


    ¡°What was that for?¡± Relyn asked.


    ¡°Marking we¡¯re here so the groups can take another entrance,¡± Milen replied.


    ¡°So, Relyn, what brings a young man like you here? Debt?¡± he continued the conversation.


    ¡°Yes. Something like this.¡± Relyn spoke.


    ¡°Hard not to get in debt these days I suppose. You aren¡¯t much older than my boy, so let me tell you something.¡± Milen said.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a job you want to do for long. Construction is paying well for youngsters like you, get yourself in a course or study under someone, that¡¯s how you make it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m building a tavern back in my hometown. The best ale in the whole province. First round¡¯s on me if you ever visit.¡± Milen chuckled.


    ¡°Ok. I will think about that.¡±


    ¡°Now, you might be wondering if that¡¯s the reason why I¡¯m here, am I right?¡±


    ¡®No. I¡¯m not.¡¯


    ¡°Well, that''s half the reason. I just put my kids in a prep school to become hunters. Oh, you should see those kids¡­¡± Milen laughed.


    He spent the next half hour talking about his son and daughter, his eyes lighting up with every story he would tell.


    Eventually, they stopped to rest along the way.


    ¡°Here you go, Relyn boy.¡±


    Milen handed him something, a small yellow cube.


    ¡°Gareth.¡± he did the same for Gareth, who immediately shoved it in his mouth and swallowed it.


    Relyn held the cube close to his nose, and slightly poked it with his finger. That was something completely new for him, no records of it whatsoever in his mind.


    ¡°You really are a suspicious fellow,¡± Milen chuckled.


    ¡°That¡¯s a yellow ration. I got a bunch of these in Solara last month. It ain¡¯t much better than dog shit but that¡¯s going to give you some energy for the next few hours¡± he finished explaining.


    Relyn nodded, inspecting it a little more before finally swallowing it in one go as well.


    It tasted like leaves mixtured with dirt, but after a couple of seconds, his body felt more energetic and his mind was also a little sharper.


    When they started moving and Milen started talking about his family again, Relyn noticed something odd.


    Gareth, who was even quieter than he was, despite walking alongside them, would always fall a few steps behind after a while, only to catch up quickly and go along with the same pattern.


    After a while, Milen suddenly stopped walking and knelt down.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Gareth, slightly behind, was the first to ask.


    Milen seemed to look at something on the ground for a while. He dropped his spear over and used his hand to touch the floor. then brought it close to his nose.


    ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s just that¡­ this rift seems a little odd.¡± Milen said.


    ¡°Why?¡± This time, it was Relyn who spoke.


    Milen looked around himself, and reached his hand for the closest rock.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been to almost thirty expeditions now, I know a thing or two about these places¡­¡±


    ¡°And this is the first moist rift that I¡¯ve seen.¡± Milen continued to speak.


    ¡°What? It¡¯s a rift, there''s no water here¡± Gareth quickly said.


    ¡°See the ground and the walls for yourself. They¡¯re completely damp.¡± Milen spoke while extending his hand again to touch a different part of the wall.


    ¡°And what is wrong with this place having water?¡± Relyn struggled a little, but managed to put his sentence together"


    ¡°Rifts don¡¯t have water, none. The only water it has is the water the crawlers bring in to drink.¡± Gareth responded to Relyn and looked straight at Milen.


    ¡°S-should we go back, you think?¡± Gareth asked Milen.


    The place fell silent.

 Chapter 5 - The scream

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think we should leave just yet. Let¡¯s keep going for a little, and if anything weird happens we get back immediately¡± Milen spoke out.


    They continued to walk for a couple more minutes before finding another decision to make. The path was split in two.


    The three of them stopped in front of the bifurcation, and now they had two different options. One narrow and dimly lit, barely wide enough for their group to walk comfortably, and the other broader and more open.


    ¡°Well, time to decide¡± Milen looked at both options and his eyebrows furrowed.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to think. We take the narrow path, rift creatures prefer open spaces. Bigger paths give them more room to ambush us¡± Gareth wasted no time and said.


    Milen agreed and nodded.


    Relyn hesitated, he felt a strange sense of unease coming from that place, and it rapidly developed into more than just uneasiness, it became fear.


    This was the first time he felt fear of something he couldn¡¯t see. True fear.


    ¡°No¡­ not this one,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with that one. We should take the left.¡± Relyn continued and this time adjusted his voice to normal.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a first-timer? What do you know, mudmonger?¡± Gareth scoffed, turning to him with a mocking grin.


    Relyn raised an eyebrow and he stepped forward towards Gareth with his spear in hand.


    ¡°All right, enough. We need to work together, not bicker. Relyn, don¡¯t take it personally. People here can be... close-minded sometimes about you folks.¡± Milen stepped between them, holding up a hand.


    ¡®About me? Do they even know anything about me?¡¯


    ¡°But the narrow path does seem like the safer option, our friend Gareth is not wrong.¡± Milen continued to speak, looking at Relyn.


    Relyn looked once again to that black narrow entrance and he felt goosebumps.


    ¡°You two can do whatever you want. I¡¯m going left¡± Relyn said and gripped his spear, walking again without waiting for an answer.


    Milen sighed, clearly torn, but after a moment, he followed right after Relyn.


    ¡°What? You¡¯re going with the mudmonger?¡± Gareth exclaimed, incredulous.


    ¡°We stick together. That¡¯s our best chance.¡± Milen ignored the words thrown at him.


    Gareth hesitated, glancing between the two paths. Finally, grumbling under his breath, he fell in line behind them.


    ¡°When did we choose the first-timer to take the lead?¡±


    Relyn smirked, but said nothing.


    It didn¡¯t take long, and Milen was already talking about his family again, so Relyn decided to ask something that was on his mind.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we just¡­ go back now? We have something to show, we have been walking for a while already. They don¡¯t want us to map the entire place, right?¡±


    ¡°I wish we could, Relyn boy, but that contract they made us sign says we need to map at least 5 miles to get the full payment, if we go back now we¡¯re probably getting half the money,¡± Milen laughed softly and explained.


    Skillfully and apparently used to doing that, with the tip of his fingers while still holding his spear, Milen pulled something out of his pockets.


    ¡°But put a smile on your face! We¡¯re only half a mile away, and then we¡¯re done with this rift,¡± he said while looking at a green tablet in his hand.


    ¡°Animals. Why don¡¯t they send animals into this place?¡± Relyn asked another question that came to his mind, getting more comfortable with the group.


    ¡°You decided to risk your life away and you don¡¯t know anything about this place? By the Gods, your people really are nuts.¡± Gareth scoffed at Relyn¡¯s question.


    ¡°They tried this before. Different animals and different rifts, but they would never move a muscle, they just stayed still. We¡¯re the only ones dumb enough to do this job.¡± Gareth continued.


    ¡°Well, this crawler job shouldn¡¯t even exist, if we just had enough hunters we-¡± Milen started to speak, but he stopped and crouched down.


    They heard low noises echoing through coming from somewhere in front of them. Scraping sounds, low growls, and heavy footsteps.


    ¡°Go back! Now!¡± Milen spoke, his voice urgent.


    The three of them turned and started running back the way they came, but the sounds grew louder and closer. Before they could run much farther, a massive hound appeared from the shadows, almost matching their own size.


    Its black fur was thick and slick with sweat, its body was muscular and it moved with its sight locked in on them, as the creature¡¯s yellow eyes shone in the low light.


    The hound lunged at Milen first, its jaws clamping onto the back of his leg.


    Milen screamed miserably and fell to the ground, his spear falling from his grasp.


    For a moment, Relyn felt like time had stopped.


    ¡®Run. Fight. No¡­ there¡¯s no fighting that thing. I need to run right now ¡¯


    The growls and screams in the background reminded him that he had to make a decision and he instantly did so, running back the way they came from.


    Maybe he wouldn¡¯t make it to the end, they were too far from the entrance now and the beast was obviously faster than he was, but he had to try.


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    Living another day was what had always guided him. It was the one goal he had in his mind at all times.


    Just a second later, he turned his head to look back and assess what was happening, and unexpectedly, the beast was still behind.


    Milen had been bitten twice on one of his legs, and he had also lost his spear, but he hadn¡¯t given up yet. Everytime the hound would look up to Relyn or Gareth, Milen would hit it with a punch.


    ¡°Run boys, run!, I¡¯ll keep him busy for a while!¡± he closed his fist and landed another punch on the beast that barely made it bulge.


    The beast tried to bite his arm, but its mouth closed just a moment too soon and lost Milen¡¯s arm by a couple of inches, which gave him the opportunity to hit it once more with his fist.


    ¡®What¡¯s happening? Is he insane?¡¯


    For some reason, Milen didn¡¯t seem worried about his own survival.


    He obviously had no chance of getting out alive in his situation, but he wasn¡¯t even trying, he chose fighting and dying here.


    Why?


    ¡°Run, Relyn boy!¡±


    ¡®Is it for¡­ us?¡¯


    And why was it so difficult to watch this happening?


    For a second, Relyn didn¡¯t think.


    He gritted his teeth and just ran back with his spear in hand. He thrust it with all his might into the hound¡¯s sides, forcing it to completely release Milen and let out a loud growl.


    With the corner of his eye, he saw Gareth still frozen in place.


    ¡°Do something! Go get Milen!¡±


    The hound started shaking its body to release itself from the spear, eventually breaking it in half, and it immediately launched forward into Relyn''s shoulder.


    Relyn screamed in pain.


    The beast¡¯s teeth were buried in Relyn¡¯s left shoulder and he could even feel its hot and smelly breath on his face.


    In a desperate attempt to get himself free, he gathered his strength again, closed his right hand into a fist and slammed it into the hound¡¯s jaw.


    The impact echoed loudly through the place, forcing the hound¡¯s head to move to the side. It staggered, stunned for a moment, giving Relyn just enough time to catch his breath.


    He felt immeasurable pain in his shoulder as he caught sight of his own white bone exposed through the bloody wound.


    He glanced down and saw it, the spear he had thrown earlier had lodged itself in the beast¡¯s stomach and blue blood was dripping from the wound.


    ¡®That¡¯s it!¡¯


    He knew that open wound was his only hope now. Its fur and skin were too thick to try to pierce again.


    Relyn tried to run and take advantage of it, but his movements were slow and clumsy now, and for some reason his legs were in pain.


    He tried to go faster despite the increasing pain, but it was all to no avail.


    Noticing Relyn getting closer, the hound turned its head to look at him again and its chest started to puff, as if it was preparing to attack him again.


    Aware of his own condition, Relyn felt a sudden wave of regret when he met those large, yellow eyes staring back at him, the deepest regret he had ever known.


    He, who had avoided people for so long, was now about to die for two of them. What a joke. What a mistake that was.


    There was no winning, he should have known better.


    Relyn thought about running the other way, but his body wasn¡¯t much responsive at this point.


    The beast growled and ran in his direction.


    Strangely, looking at the approaching beast, there was a sudden peace.


    The peace that only comes when there is nothing left to do.


    Then, there was a loud thud somewhere else in the rift. And soon after, a low scream echoed from the ground and the walls.


    At some point, even the air seemed to carry that voice, its high-pitched tone rising rapidly until it became almost unbearable. A horrendous, piercing noise filled with misery and desperation.


    The pitch climbed higher and higher until Relyn felt as if his ears would burst. The only thing he could do was scream together.


    And he wasn¡¯t alone, Gareth and Milen were already on the ground, clutching their ears, both screaming as well.


    Barely opening his eyes, Relyn noticed the hound was quickly running away.


    Eventually, the sound died down and everything went back to normal.


    After a long time, he clutched his shattered left arm with his good hand, steadying it as best he could, and took a step forward.


    Gareth and Milen stared at each other with pale frightened faces.


    Gareth¡¯s shaky voice asked.


    ¡°What the fuck was that?!¡±

 Chapter 6 - We dont belong

    The three silently looked at each other.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with this place¡­¡± Gareth muttered and used his hand to wipe his face.


    Relyn just looked at him with the corner of his eyes, but kept his mouth closed. He was also terrified.


    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter. Let¡¯s leave, but before¡­¡± Milen spoke and started to fiddle through his bag and pulled a piece of cloth and a herb out from it.


    ¡°Relyn boy¡­ come here, let me take a look at you,¡±


    ¡°We need to get out of there, no time for that,¡± Relyn said, and shook his head.


    ¡°Oh, believe me son, there¡¯s nothing that I want more than getting out of here. But you ain¡¯t walking much like that¡± Milen replied, and struggled to walk towards Relyn.


    Relyn looked at own body and realized he really might not make it far, looking again at Milen, he nodded.


    ¡°Good. Now sit before you fall over and make my job harder,¡±


    He dropped to one knee and soon Milen crouched beside him, moving with a surprising precision despite his missing hand.


    "You¡¯re good at this," Relyn said, watching Milen press the herb to the wound while holding the cloth between his teeth.


    After only a couple of minutes, Milen was done with the major wounds and used his teeth to tighten the last knot.


    ¡°Better be. You don¡¯t last long out here if you can¡¯t take care of yourself.¡± He chuckled.


    Looking at Milen¡¯s leg, Relyn went through his own bag and tried to get something similar as to what Milen had just used on him.


    ¡°Let me,¡± Relyn said, grabbing the supplies.


    Milen glanced at him for a moment but agreed, leaning against a rock to stretch out his injured leg.


    He didn¡¯t have the other man¡¯s ability, but Relyn had done that a couple of times to himself when he got into some dire situations in the past, so dealing with an injury like that wasn''t something he wouldn¡¯t be able to do.


    ¡°Thank you, Relyn boy. Now¡­ let¡¯s move,¡± Milen said, with his leg feeling somewhat better, he started to move.


    The group continued their path, leaving the beast¡¯s body behind them.


    Not long afterwards, Milen¡¯s voice spoke up again.


    ¡°That hound. It wasn¡¯t normal. Too close to the rift¡¯s entry. And there¡¯s also that scream¡­ something¡¯s not right about this place.¡±


    Relyn just continued moving, his mind was too much of a mess to think about that now.


    ¡°They should have a way to estimate the rift¡¯s danger. It''s not supposed to be like this, they sent us into something much worse than a normal expedition.¡± Milen continued.


    As they made their steps back and turned into a corner, they saw the path ahead widening a little, everything they had already seen before, except that this time, there at a corner, there was a crawler crouched down.


    The three stopped at their steps. They knew well that this person was not supposed to be there.


    The others should avoid taking the same paths, and this guy was clearly not there the first they walked through this place.


    ¡°Hey friend¡­ what are you doing here?¡± Milen called out.


    The man didn¡¯t say a word, nor moved. He just stayed there, crouched and looking at a wall.


    ¡°Damn. What¡¯s wrong with this shit head?¡± Gareth moved forward, closer to the man.


    ¡°Hey! You deaf or something?¡±


    Relyn and Milen moved closer as well, and when they were close enough, they noticed his pupils were wide and his lips were blue.


    He had tears running down his cheeks, and kept whispering the same thing over and over again.


    ¡°We don¡¯t belong¡­ We don¡¯t belong¡­ We don¡¯t belong¡­¡±


    ¡°Shit,¡± Milen muttered under his breath and almost fell to the ground.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here!¡± Relyn snapped and walked forward, trying his best to keep his distance from the crawler.


    ¡°We don¡¯t belong¡­ We don¡¯t belong¡­¡±


    Milen and Gareth soon followed him.


    They walked for a few minutes before everything went cold.


    The air that wasn¡¯t very easy to breathe in the first place got even worse, and a faint, tapping sound reached their ears.


    The three turned their gazes to the path behind them. Coincidentally, they were close to the bifurcation they found earlier.


    Where before they had just seen a slim path, now there was a figure there standing in the dark, a small humanoid shape. Its face couldn''t clearly be seen, but its deep blue eyes glowed through the darkness.


    It stepped closer, and the light revealed its mess of hair which hid his face.


    Its head spun and tweaked in an unnatural way, twisting as if trying to break free from itself. Despite the contortions, its glowing blue eyes remained locked on them.


    ¡®This is the thing I felt earlier! How can a monster like this even exist¡­¡¯


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    Relyn¡¯s pupils shrank as the adrenaline went through his body once again. But unlike before, when it had fueled him with strength, the rush now only brought dread. He sweated from almost every pore of his body.


    ¡°What... what is that?¡± Milen¡¯s voice trembled.


    A chill ran down Relyn¡¯s spine as he stared at it. He didn¡¯t know what this was, but he felt it.


    ¡°Keep moving,¡± Relyn whispered through gritted teeth.


    "Why move? We¡¯re dying here. This is The Punishment, can¡¯t you see?" Gareth fell to his knees, shaking his head. His voice cracked, and he let out a bitter laugh.


    ¡°Get up, you fucking coward!¡± Relyn spoke and took another step.


    "Gareth, we¡¯re leaving! Get up!" Milen stepped toward Gareth, grabbing his arm.


    "Stop! Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Gareth screamed and his voice was now desperate.


    He got free from Milen¡¯s grip and dropped again to the ground.


    Milen stirred. He took a shaky step backward, then another, his survival instincts and experience beat his fear.


    ¡°Fools! Two fools! Show mercy upon me, O you Wrathful. This land has defied your Sacred Will, yet I beseech Your¡­¡± Gareth spoke and began to chant a prayer and pressed his forehead hard against the ground.


    Relyn began moving too, keeping himself close to Milen, and the sound of Gareth¡¯s chant grew lower until it eventually faded as they moved away from the place.


    Their eyes were fixed on the faint light of the rift¡¯s distant entrance.


    They were finally getting close.


    After the silence, Relyn heard footsteps again, scratches and noises. It all came from his back, seemingly approaching them.


    ¡°Do you hear that?¡± Relyn asked, unsure if this was his fear or exhaustion taking its toll on him.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Milen answered and his voice was shaky.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look back, there¡¯s no point in that,¡± Milen continued after a moment.


    ¡°If we are to die here, let''s keep our pants clean for the afterlife,¡± he said, with a weak grin on his face.


    Their legs felt heavy and their bodies were drained from fear and exhaustion. But they didn¡¯t stop.


    After what felt like an eternity, the air was no longer so oppressive, and the rift¡¯s entrance became clear.


    The first thing Relyn saw after stepping out of the Rift, was a small camp, where only two soldiers were in.


    The sun hung high in the sky and the air was refreshing again.


    When the two of them left, Relyn immediately looked behind to see if anything would come out of there to follow them, but nothing came.


    As soon as the soldiers saw them walking out of the rift, they immediately got up and ran towards them.


    ¡°Hey! Are you alright?!¡± one of the soldiers called looking at them.


    ¡°Merley?¡± Relyn murmured, recognizing the soldier he had met the other day.


    ¡°What happened there?¡± Merley asked in a hurry..


    ¡°We have people in there! Gareth! He¡¯s close to a Harrow. It¡¯s a fucking Harrow!. We need to get him out, now!¡± Milen was urgent..


    Merley¡¯s expression darkened.


    ¡°Did you hear me?!¡± Milen barked, grabbing the soldier by the shoulder.


    ¡°We have to go with backup now if we want to get him out alive. He¡¯s a damn fool, but he¡¯s human!¡± Milen continued in a frenzy.


    Merley shook his head slowly


    ¡°Go inside,¡± He said, pointing toward the gates of the nearby settlement.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Milen demanded, scanning the area for other crawlers from their expedition.


    ¡°What about the others?¡± Milen asked.


    ¡°There are no others,¡± Merley said grimly.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been monitoring the spheres. Your group was the only one still alive.¡± He finished speaking.


    ¡°That¡¯s not right! We¡¯ve just seen a man from another group when we were coming back. He¡¯s still there! And there¡¯s also Gareth!¡±


    Merley gave him a weird look, glanced down at something on the table, then looked back up.


    ¡°Your group is the only group alive. Everyone died over three hours ago.¡±


    Milen¡¯s mouth opened as if to protest, but the words didn''t come.


    ¡°We¡¯re evacuating. The order came from the capital hours ago. This territory is lost.¡± Merley continued.


    Relyn¡¯s vision blurred further. The adrenaline that had kept him going was drained away, leaving only pain and exhaustion.


    ¡°There has to be a way. Everyone will lose-¡±


    Words of their conversation started fading to Relyn¡¯s ears as his knees collapsed to the ground, his body finally gave up and his consciousness faded away.

 Chapter 7 - Awake

    Darkness.


    Relyn stood frozen, he was unable to move a single muscle in his body, as if his mind betrayed him every second there.


    In front of him, there were only a pair of glowing blue eyes slowly coming out from the shadows. Its tangled hair was across its face, hiding all of its features except for that pair of eyes.


    That figure moved forward and Relyn¡¯s heart raced in his chest.


    The creature raised a hand and Relyn saw its thin fingers getting closer. The air around him was growing colder, and the space between was shortening fast.


    The hand extended towards him finally got close to his face. He tried to scream, to move, or even show some sort of reaction, but nothing happened.


    The only thing in front of him were those blue eyes, and just as its fingers were about to touch his face, he opened his eyes.


    Relyn snapped awake and fought for air. He looked around frantically. Instead of darkness, he was surrounded by wooden frames and the bright sunlight.


    He blinked fast and his heart was still racing, his palms were sweaty and his body was still in a fight or flight state.


    Relyn breathed deep and wiped a hand across his face. As he tried to sit up, he saw people¡¯s feet. Dusty boots were all over his sight.


    He frowned, confused, and turned his head slightly to the side. Another person lay beside him, but whoever they were, they didn¡¯t seem injured, just sleeping or unconscious.


    It took a while for him to calm down, only when he realized he wasn¡¯t in danger.


    The noise and swing of the carriage reminded him he was moving, though he had no idea where. He struggled to sit with his body straight and his arm still ached badly. His stomach felt strange, somewhat off but not painful.


    ¡°Relyn!¡±


    The voice was familiar and almost seemed relieved. Turning his head around, Relyn found Milen seated on a bench just a few feet away from him.


    ¡°Finally awake? About time. Get off that dirty floor and sit over here,¡± Milen said, gesturing to the space beside him.


    Relyn started to move with his body still stiff and heavy, but he managed to drag himself to the bench. He sat down beside Milen, leaning his head back against the wall of the carriage.


    ¡°For how long have I been out?¡±


    ¡°Two days now. You lost too much blood back there,¡± Milen replied.


    ¡°It felt like a couple of hours¡­¡± Relyn murmured, still somewhat dazed.


    ¡°Well, about that¡­ the doctor was pretty surprised with you,¡± Milen continued.


    ¡°Why?¡± Relyn asked.


    ¡°Not sure. Everyone¡¯s been in such a rush I didn¡¯t get much time to talk to him. But he looked at you like you had just grown a second head.¡± Milen shrugged.


    Relyn pulled up his sleeve slightly to check on his arm. The bandages were clean, but the pain remained. His hand went down to his stomach, where he remembered the ugly wound he had gotten.


    He lifted his shirt to find a slight scar where the injury had been. It was almost completely healed.


    ¡°We¡¯ll reach the City of Suvim in about three hours! I repeat, three hours to Suvim!¡± Soldier Bolton''s voice loudly rang out as he announced to the carriages around them.


    From his horse, he rode down the road, continuing to shout the same message to the other carriages in line.


    The announcement pulled Relyn from his thoughts. He looked at Milen, still confused about the whole situation.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°That Rift,¡± Milen said and his voice dropped.


    ¡°It¡¯s worse than anyone expected. The city¡¯s been evacuated, and we¡¯re on the move to the old capital of Solara. Suvim¡¯s going to be our third stop, people can stay there if they¡¯ve got family or friends. If not, they¡¯re heading to the capital¡¯s shelters.¡± Milen explained.


    ¡°One of those things was all it took to get all of these people out of their home?¡± Relyn asked in disbelief.


    Looking around, he saw the depressed faces of young and old couples, children still crying out loud, and even the firm soldiers who he had met before had a devastated expression on their faces.


    ¡°Things are bad, kid. Worse than anything I¡¯ve seen before. They¡¯re saying the capital won¡¯t even send anyone there.¡±


    Relyn stayed silent, he leaned back and touched his head against the wood as he stared at the sky.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get the chance to say this properly earlier, but thank you.¡± Milen rubbed the back of his neck.


    Relyn looked at Milen in curiosity, but kept his mouth shut.


    ¡°For saving my life back there,¡± Milen completed what he wanted to say.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t be here right now.¡±


    ¡°I was also the one who put you there¡± Relyn let out a laugh.


    ¡°That was the right thing to do. If we¡¯d gone the other way, I can¡¯t even imagine what would have happened. That Harrow¡­¡±


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    Milen didn¡¯t continue and his expression darkened as he let the words in the air.


    ¡°What is a harrow?¡± Relyn asked.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never heard of harrows?¡± Milen looked at Relyn like he was looking at an idiot.


    Relyn shook his head.


    ¡°I never actually studied these things, but everyone knows a thing or two about them. Harrows¡­ they¡¯re the stuff of nightmares. Monsters of nature, or whatever is behind the rifts.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re strong,¡± Milen continued, his voice low. ¡°And not just strong. They think.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what we fought there?¡± Relyn frowned.


    ¡°No, what you fought was a regular creature from the rift, they¡¯re normal if you go deep enough¡­¡±


    ¡°But that second thing, I¡¯m pretty sure that was a harrow. And we¡¯re lucky. From what I¡¯ve heard, there¡¯s at least one harrow involved in every single city that¡¯s fallen in the last couple hundred years. When they show up, things go to shit really fast.¡±.


    Relyn turned his eyes to the horizon, where he saw a big, tall wall.


    The size and the structure were comparable to the walls of the city they had just fled, but this city, Suvim, seemed to have their walls in a better shape, there weren¡¯t many scratches on it.


    Overall, it looked considerably better.


    ¡°Ah, I almost forgot the important stuff¡­¡±


    Milen pulled out a small leather bag from beneath his cloak, one that Relyn hadn¡¯t noticed before. With his hand, he placed it beside Relyn.


    ¡°That¡¯s your payment for the expedition,¡± Milen said in a low voice, almost conspiratorial.


    ¡°If you let those stingy bastards handle it, your grandchildren might not live long enough to see the money.¡±


    Relyn eyed the bag, then glanced at Milen, who was looking ahead.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do this,¡± Relyn said, still not sure how to act.


    ¡°Damn boy, who the hell raised you? Just say thank you or something.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Relyn said and grabbed the bag.


    The days passed by as they traveled. Each city was just far enough for a day¡¯s journey, so they would always leave at sunrise and arrive before nightfall, almost perfectly placed for that reason.


    The routine was the same everyday, they had two simple meals on the carriages and could only stretch their bodies when they reached the next city.


    There were no pauses or slowing down for anything, to avoid staying in the road when the sun was set.


    Relyn quickly adapted. He found himself spending more time talking to Milen, who slowly taught him more and more about the world.


    ¡°They say the land wasn¡¯t always like this,¡± Milen said one evening, as they sat near a campfire made by the soldiers.


    ¡°Before all this shit. Crops were strong and they didn¡¯t need to add any poison to make them grow. People had enough to eat, magic was just being discovered, and no one feared the night. Can you imagine that?¡±


    Relyn thought of all of the old carcasses, dead trees and soil they found along the way.


    ¡°Hard to believe,¡± He muttered, ¡°And what happened?¡±.


    ¡°Theories are all around, but who knows for sure? These days, the reward for figuring out how to make a chicken fatter with less feed or teaching a soldier how to hit harder is much better than researching magic or the history of these lands. Few people care about that.¡±


    ¡°The world¡¯s all about surviving now, and that changes how people think over time. And that¡¯s a damn shame¡­¡± Milen finished speaking, looking at the flames nearby.


    The days passed, and their group was smaller. In each city, more people left the caravan, reuniting with family. By the fourth day, their numbers had gone down to a fraction of what they had been at the start.


    Finally, they reached Milen¡¯s hometown. The city was fortified, its walls taller and more imponent than most of the cities they¡¯ve seen.


    Milen stood at the edge of the caravan, with a bag over his shoulder. For the first time, he looked at a loss for words.


    ¡°This is it,¡± He said, his voice a little quieter than usual.


    ¡°Thanks, Milen.¡± Relyn climbed down from the caravan to stand beside him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go getting all sentimental on me, boy. You¡¯re the one who saved my sorry ass back there.¡±


    The two stood in silence for a moment. Finally, Milen extended his hand.


    ¡°Take care of yourself, Relyn. You¡¯ve got a decent head on your shoulders. Don¡¯t lose it too soon.¡±


    ¡°You too. Put that arm of yours into good use,¡± Relyn shook his hand firmly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try just that.¡± Milen laughed.


    He turned toward the gates and walked away. Slowly, his figure disappeared in the distance.

 Chapter 8 - Solara

    ¡°We¡¯re three hours from the Capital of Solara! I repeat, three hours from Solara!¡±


    The voice of the guard echoed over the carriages, drawing the attention of those who had grown tired from the long journey. Their heads poked out to the sides, and even the children, who had been visibly bored, sat up straight to see what was happening.


    Even from miles away, the gigantic walls of the capital were like a mountain range. Massive and dark, they seemed to never end.


    For a moment, the exhaustion that the people on the carriages accumulated was forgotten. Their eyes widened, and murmurs began through the groups.


    ¡°Mama¡­how many people live there?¡± A child excitedly asked his mother not too far away.


    ¡°Look at that... it¡¯s enormous,¡± another voice murmured amongst the crowd.


    Relyn was no exception. His gaze was locked on the view ahead. Out of everything he had seen in his life, this was something else entirely.


    As they drew nearer, more details began to turn visible. At the outskirts of the city, groups of soldiers were marching and patrolling the area, their figures were small like insects against the walls.


    Nearby, farmhouses were all across the landscape, with cows and horses grazing in the fields. Farmers tended to their animals, children running around and playing.


    ¡®They have people living beyond the walls¡¯


    This was the first time he had seen people living in communities outside the walls. Even if they were not that far off.


    The convoy slowed down and then stopped. One one of the soldiers who had accompanied them dismounted, carrying what looked like a letter.


    The man, older and stern, approached the nearest gate soldier. Their conversation was low, too far for Relyn to hear them.


    The man who seemed to be in charge of the gate had his lips closed as he glanced toward the carriages. As the conversation continued, they seemed to have a small argument that lasted for a couple of minutes.


    Eventually, looking reluctant, the captain gave him a nod and signaled for the caravans to proceed. As so, the carriages began to move forward again.


    ¡­


    ¡°Fresh apples! Get it before it¡¯s gone!¡±


    ¡°Clothing repair! Best prices in all of Solara Low!¡±


    ¡°...this is their punishment for our greatest sin! Come and seek salvation!¡±


    Relyn leaned back and looked over at everything happening in there. The streets were full with people. Stall owners shouted over one another, everything from a dozen eggs to supposedly legendary treasure maps.


    A young ginger boy ran past their carriage, clutching a loaf of bread tightly to his chest as an angry baker gave him chase.


    ¡°Come back here you little rat!¡±


    ¡°Go back first, Uncle. I forgot something at home¡­¡± The boy screamed, while running.


    ¡°You¡¯re not escaping today!¡± The angry man said.


    And before long, all Relyn could see were their backs getting into some of the many alleys.


    The people along the streets glanced up as the carriage passed by, some curious, a few discussed their arrival, and others just briefly looked at them before going back to their own business.


    The city was full of activity, old buildings standing next to new ones under construction. Horses were pulling carts down the streets, while a strange vehicle occasionally would roll past. But most people didn¡¯t even glance at it, too focused on their own lives. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    After some time, the convoy came to a stop in front of a large stone building with a faded sign that read Shelter B3.


    The older man who¡¯d been in charge started to split the carriages into groups. Only two carriages were directed toward the building. The others began to circle back, heading down the road to continue towards different shelters.


    And Relyn was amongst those who stayed.


    Their group waited in front of the shelter for what felt like an eternity. Everyone was told to stay put and wait.


    After about an hour, from the four soldiers who had remained with them, one finally had enough and got off his horse, muttering something under his breath.


    Without a word, he walked to the shelter¡¯s entrance and disappeared inside.


    ¡°Do they even know we¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°They probably forgot us¡±


    From his seat, Relyn could roughly hear what the other soldiers were speaking to each other. At this point, they weren¡¯t even trying to lower their voices anymore.


    When the soldier returned, his face visibly disappointed, a short, stocky man with a mustache followed right behind him.


    His gray hair stuck out in messy tufts, and his uniform, if it could even be called that, was full of stains. He carried a wrinkled piece of paper in one hand and scratched his head with the other one.


    ¡°This is Manager Bral. He oversees Shelter B3. He is-¡± The soldier who had brought him out gestured before being cut off.


    ¡°Soldier boy, hey, soldier boy. Leave it with me, that¡¯s what I do. See this badge here?¡± Manager Bral said, and showed something that was hung on his chest.


    ¡°Alright, listen up,¡± he began, his tone carrying not much enthusiasm to be there.


    ¡°This is Section B of the Solara refugee shelters. Specifically, Shelter B3. Now, here¡¯s how it works: you get a roof over your head, a nice place to sleep, and two meals a day. For free. For two weeks.¡±


    ¡°After that, if you¡¯re still here, you¡¯re gonna have to start paying. Ten silver coins a month. If you can¡¯t pay, you¡¯re out, no exceptions.¡±


    As soon as he finished speaking, a wave of whispers started through the carriages. After leaving all their belongings, their houses and their jobs behind, this is what they received, fourteen days of leniency.


    Most of the people who left Salath in a rush were poor to the capital¡¯s standard, and ten coins a month was not something they could afford.


    ¡°Yes, yes. I know. The world would be a better place if we could just keep the thousands of you who arrive every week for free with our resources forever. Unfortunately, we can¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°Well, since everything is clear now and we¡¯re all thankful and happy again, you¡¯ll need to wear this.¡± Manager Bral reached into his pocket and pulled out a bundle of faintly glowing yellow stripes.


    ¡°They go on your right arm, and they will mark you as... what¡¯s the name again? I always forget it¡­¡± He squinted his eyes at the paper in his hand.


    ¡°Eh, it doesn''t matter. The point is, you can¡¯t take them off. You will only get rid of them when you leave the shelter for good¡±


    Manager Bral handed out the yellow bands. One by one, everyone would step forward to receive their glowing stripes.


    Relyn watched as the band tightened around their arms, and when his turn came, he took the band from Bral and put it on, feeling the faint warmth and tingle before it adjusted itself to his arm.


    ¡°There,¡± Bral muttered and waved a hand. ¡°Now you¡¯re part of shelter B3. Go in there with a big smile, boy¡±


    The shelter¡¯s interior was as dull as the outside, a large, open room filled with rows of narrow cots, each one accompanied by a thin blanket and a pillow that looked like it had seen better times.


    At the other side of the shelter, there were a couple of lengthy tables and seats.


    The majority of the cots were already occupied. Some had simple bags resting there, a few with personal belongings or shoes tucked underneath. Others had people seated or lying on them.


    Children walked close to their parents, their faces filled with uncertainty, while others wandered back and forth, picking cots that seemed to be in better conditions compared to the ones available.


    Manager Bral stood near the doorway, speaking to the group once more, his posture as slouched as ever.


    ¡°Remember, we¡¯ll see each other again in two weeks and I hope you¡¯ll all have gifts for me. Ten to be more precise. Questions? No? Good.¡±


    With that, he turned and started talking to one of the soldiers, leaving everybody to settle in on their own.


    Relyn chose a cot near the wall, setting down the small bag he carried. The thin mattress sank under his weight as he sat down and looked around the room.


    To his surprise, Relyn noticed the ginger boy from earlier. The child was sitting on the cot right next to his, seemingly separating a few things on top of his blanket.


    Relyn couldn''t make out the items, but when the boy noticed his glance he looked back with a ferocious expression, he extended his tiny arms forward, as though trying to hide whatever he was doing.


    The ginger boy glared at him for a moment, eyes filled with defiance, before quickly turning his attention back to the things in front of him, still keeping his arms stretched to protect the objects.


    Before Relyn could think too much about it, Manager Bral''s voice echoed from across the room again, causing people to turn around and look at him.


    "Remember, two weeks, people! Two weeks, and we¡¯re checking up on you. Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll forget about you. I still remember the first conversation I ever had when I was four!¡±


    ¡°And I could tell you every single word that cat told me,¡± Bral laughed out loud and finally disappeared through the door.

 Chapter 9 - Kael

    Kael¡¯s bright red hair peeked out from behind a stone wall as he watched the stores and vendors.


    But not just any vendor, this time he was aiming for something more specific, something that was easy to sell and the price had skyrocketed in the past few days.


    Fresh vegetables and fruits were displayed in rows, by the hundreds, and those who had enough money walked out of the street shop holding bags full of them. Kael waited patiently with his small body hidden.


    The moment the vendor, a woman in her twenties, turned her back to fetch something, Kael sprang into action. His nimble skinny body moved like a shadow, silent and quick.


    In mere seconds, he was within an arm¡¯s reach of the display. His hands went forward, snatching two apples and an orange in a heartbeat. Not missing a step, he sprang down the alley.


    ¡°Hey! Come back!¡± the woman shouted and her voice drew the attention of those around in the market.


    ¡°I hate to steal from beautiful women. I¡¯m sorry ma¡¯am!¡± Kael glanced back, his heart pounding inside his small chest.


    He turned quickly into another street, running as fast as he could with his barefoot against the cobblestone. But just as he rounded a corner, someone extended a foot out in his path. Kael tripped and fell hard and the fruits spilled from his arms, rolling across the ground.


    He was kicked in the stomach. Not once, but a couple of times. And then on his face.


    A fat man stood over him, reaching for the stolen fruit and handing it back to the woman, who had just caught up. His expression softened when he looked at her, his chest puffing out and his stomach pushed in.


    ¡°These rats from the shelters. They should just kill them all,¡±  the man said, and looked at the woman with the corner of his eyes.


    She had a shocked expression as she looked at Kael''s beaten body, and that filled him with a twisted sense of pride.


    ¡°I barely touched him, but sometimes I just can¡¯t control my strength.¡± He chuckled.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get the guards to take care of him¡±


    Hearing the word guards sent a shot of adrenaline through Kael. Ignoring the pain in his ribs, he got up to his feet and ran, missing a few steps with his vision blurred by his watery eyes.


    When he finally stumbled inside the shelter, his face was bruised, but even worse, today he did not profit. Tears were about to run through his face, but he clenched his fists, he refused to let the tears fall. Crying would mean they had won. Again.


    ¡­.


    The noises of the early morning activity woke Relyn up from his sleep. The shelter was filled with the quiet sounds of people walking and the conversations around as everyone there began their day.


    He stretched his body and got ready as well, touching his sleeve to make sure his dagger was still there.


    With his time in the caravans and everything he had learned from Milen, together with his encounters so far, Relyn wasn¡¯t as paranoid as he was when he first stepped in the city.


    He obviously still didn¡¯t trust these people, and some habits were better to be kept, he figured.


    Not long after, three people entered the shelter, each carrying large boxes and wooden trays. They went to the far side of the room, opposite to the cots, where the tables had been set up.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    The workers filled plates with a small portion of soup, and then added a piece of stale moldy bread. This would be the first meal of the day for those in the shelter.


    "Wait a moment while we fill the plates, we''ll call you to eat soon." One of the workers looked up and called out.


    While waiting for his meal, Relyn carefully took the bandages out from his arm.


    To his surprise, the injury had healed very well, leaving behind only a small wound that, once covered by his shirt, wouldn¡¯t even be noticeable.


    What made him frown was the yellow stripe he had had to accept when coming here. Even with a shirt on top of it that glow would still shine through, clearly marking him with whatever that was.


    ¡°What the hell is this¡­ is it magic?¡± He touched that yellow glow coming out of his arm.


    ¡°Food¡¯s ready,¡± the worker spoke again, calling everyone in.


    Relyn went over to one of the tables and ate his portion. After finishing it, he stepped outside with his small bag hanging at his waist. He wouldn¡¯t leave that behind.


    The sun had risen higher today and looked at everything around the shelters at a loss. There were several roads and narrow alleys in every direction he could set his eyes on, and with no clear idea of where to go, he decided to take the closest road in front of him.


    Relyn looked to his side, and a herb¡¯s shop caught his attention. Its doors were wide open bringing the pungent smell of the herbs right to the busy streets, maybe on purpose.


    Looking inside, he saw an old man running around from one shelf to the other.


    Relyn walked inside and waited for the man to finish what he was doing before speaking up.


    ¡°Can I help you, young friend?¡± The man finally noticed him, and asked.


    ¡°Yes, I am looking for work.¡± Relyn cleared his throat and said it plainly.


    ¡°Oh, no. no, no. I just hired a new assistant,¡± The older man said and quickly picked his pace again.


    ¡°Maybe I could help with the heavy things, or even learn-¡±


    ¡°I said no. Leave the store¡±


    Relyn stepped out back onto the busy streets, thinking about his next stop. The day was just starting, and he still had plenty of chances to find something, he thought.


    Before long, a loud sound of metal being hammered caught his attention, and he spotted a forge up ahead.


    As he got closer, the heat from the forge hit him like a punch, and all he could sense was the noise of a hammer on steel, together with the smoky smell of the metal.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± The man grumbled, not looking up from the sword he was hammering.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for work,¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes immediately moved to his arms, and looking at the yellow strip there, his face hardened. He didn¡¯t say a word, just gave a quick nod toward the street, clearly telling Relyn to leave.


    The same thing continued to happen throughout the day. At a bakery, a carpenter¡¯s workshop, and everywhere else he went to.


    It became clear that when they saw the yellow band on his arm, the conversation wouldn¡¯t last long and he would be dismissed.


    ¡°Not hiring,¡± they would say, though their eyes told a different story.


    And so he continued walking through the city, aimlessly. As he walked through a merchant¡¯s stall, he heard the people around talking.


    ¡°... Yes, I heard even House Lunark sent one of their best for this year,¡± a woman spoke to her partner right beside him.


    ¡°Did you see how many of them arrived today? It¡¯s like a damn blue exhibition that they were doing close to the gates earlier,¡± someone else added to the conversation.


    "The blue ones are already making their rounds, huh? Ain''t that something," the merchant said, talking to his customers.


    Walking further down the road, he came across more and more caravans making their ways through the city.


    The people there would often carry a proud expression on their faces and some of the caravans even had horns blaring from time to time, especially when they turned down a new street.


    As they passed, everyone around, merchants, passersby, and even children, paused to watch. Their eyes followed the caravans, not leaving until they disappeared out of sight.


    Each caravan seemed to have a different kind of attention, as if the people inside had their own reputation that made others react in a different way.


    By the time the sun began to set below the walls of Solara, Reyn was tired and hungry, so he decided to set off back to the shelter for now.


    He managed to get back right on time to catch the evening meal being served, another piece of bread and a cup of watered-down soup. But Relyn couldn¡¯t complain, after all, it was still free.


    Relyn ate that in silence before going back to his bed.


    As he lay down, his eyes turned to the cot beside him. It was empty. The ginger-haired boy was not there this time.


    Leaning down a bit, he saw the boy under his bed, curled up tightly, his small frame shaking and sobbing. His thin arms clenched into an object while he whispered something over and over again.


    ¡®Well, not my problem¡¯


    He thought to himself.


    Rylen rolled his body to the other side and went to sleep.

 Chapter 10 - The debt

    Kael woke up with his back fully drenched in sweat and his chest rose and fell quickly. His hands were tightly holding a blue scarf.


    The same dream, or was it a nightmare?


    He was not sure. The little boy had woken up again with his heart aching, just like he had been for the last few months.


    It was an inexplicable emptiness tormenting him as though something crucial slipped away each time he woke. He struggled to remember but he would always fail.


    He realized he had fallen asleep on the floor under his bed, and his shirt still had a few stains of blood from yesterday. He didn¡¯t waste time and crawled out, climbing to the mattress and waiting for the first meal of the day.


    It wasn¡¯t much more comfortable than the floor, but at least it was off the dirty ground.


    He stared at the ceiling, his stomach growling like it had woken up hours before him, but so was the fire in his eyes.


    ¡°Today¡¯s the day,¡± he whispered to himself. ¡°Today, I¡¯ll make it big!¡±


    Soon, the noise around the shelter showed the day had started for the other people there as well.


    When he saw the shelter¡¯s workers coming in with the boxes, trays and everything else, his pair of brown eyes shone like he was seeing a great treasure coming his way.


    Kael noticed someone familiar there. As the workers began filling the plates on the other side, he walked towards one of them with a big smile on his face.


    ¡°Uncle Teren, it¡¯s been so long now. I really missed you, I was about to ask around for you,¡± he called out, forcing his voice to seem as sweet as possible.


    The man in front of him, older with white hair, looked down at Kael.


    ¡°Missed me? What did you miss about me?¡± He scanned the boy for a second and asked


    Kael hadn''t expected that question, and for a brief moment, his smile froze. He cleared his throat and quickly recovered.


    ¡°Well, you know... the way you serve the food, and, uh, your . company too, of course.¡± He replied and chuckled.


    When he laughed, a sharp pain in his ribs reminded him of his wounds, but he didn¡¯t dare showing it and his face hid it perfectly.


    ¡°Did you fall again?¡± Teren looked at Kael¡¯s shirt and the bruises visible on his body, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes... they really should do something about those streets. Poor innocent people like me keep falling almost every day,¡± Kael said with a serious expression, shaking his head as if he had been undignified.


    ¡°Uncle Teren,¡± he continued, and asked with a different tone, ¡°How about two scoops today? I¡¯ve been working so hard lately, don¡¯t you think I deserve a little extra?¡±


    Teren looked at him for a moment, then sighed. His hands reached for the pot and, with a complicated expression, he poured two scoops into Kael¡¯s plate.


    ¡°You¡¯re the best, Uncle Teren. The best! Thanks!¡± Kael¡¯s eyes lit up as he accepted the plate.


    The rest of the people soon got to the tables as well and everybody sat down. Kael ended up at a crowded table, squeezed between two older boys who took up more space than necessary, but he was still as happy as he could be, and began eating his share.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    He tore off a small piece of bread and dipped it into the soup, watching as the hardened crust slowly softened.


    His stomach was empty, but he forced himself to eat slowly. Rushing through it would only make the portion disappear faster, leaving him hungry again.


    Suddenly, he heard something loud coming from his sides. It reminded him of a horse trotting on cobblestone.


    "What¡¯s making that noise?!" Kael thought, and looked around with his mouth still holding a piece of bread.


    He glanced over at a few people, trying not to be too obvious, and saw a man biting on his bread like it was a piece of leather.


    The man exaggeratedly chewed with his mouth half open, going through that rock-hard bread with his teeth.


    ¡°Oh God¡­ Where do they find these people¡­¡± He wondered.


    Kael subconsciously pressed his finger in one of his front teeth, as to make sure it was still there.


    The boy looked down at his bread and gave it a firm squeeze, but as expected, it didn¡¯t even bulge. He sighed and dipped another piece into his soup, watching the edges soak and soften.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he afraid of losing his teeth? Brother always said dentists are worse than devils¡­¡± Kael muttered internally.


    When that man was done with his meal, he grabbed his tray and looked over. Kael quickly forced a smile.


    The man¡¯s eyes stayed on him for a second too long. Kael felt a chill run down his spine, and without thinking, he turned his head away.


    Once he was finished eating, Kael stepped outside into the city. This time, things would be different. They had to be different.


    The shelter stood on one of the edges of Solara Low, close to the local dump, and from there the slums stretch out in almost all directions. Narrow streets twisted through the area, together with rundown buildings and makeshift homes.


    Trash littered the ground, and the air carried a smell of smoke and wet wood. In the distance, the walls of Solara stood as tall as ever.


    Kael stuck to the less-traveled streets, avoiding the eyes of guards or even the chance of someone recognizing him, which for line of work, it couldn¡¯t be anything good.


    ¡°Hey!¡± A voice called out.


    Kael looked back and his heart skipped a beat. He froze, his thin legs stiffening.


    ¡°See? I told you. This is the time he usually goes out to the city,¡± the voice continued, speaking to someone else.


    Two men, both in their late twenties, came out from somewhere in the bushes. One had a cruel smile and the other one cracked his knuckles as they approached.


    ¡°It¡¯s been so long, little Kael,¡± Said the first man, with a friendly tone.


    ¡°I was beginning to think you were trying to avoid us. But you wouldn¡¯t do that, right?¡±


    Kael opened his mouth, but the words caught in his throat. He stumbled back a step and his small frame trembled.


    ¡°I told you, Brok,¡± the second man said, grinning. ¡°He wasn¡¯t avoiding us. He¡¯s been looking for us to pay our money. Right, little Kael?¡±


    ¡°Y-yes, I just need some time to-¡±


    ¡°Time?¡± the man called Brok interrupted, grabbing Kael by the front of his shirt. His grip lifted the boy slightly off the ground.


    ¡°More time? You think we¡¯re running a charity here?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯ll get it! I swear!¡± Kael squirmed, his breaths coming in short gasps.


    ¡°You know, we even split your debt into installments, but you still won¡¯t pay us on time¡­ sometimes I don¡¯t think you love your brother enough¡± The second man growled.


    When Kael heard that, his eyes became fierce and he tried with all his might to get rid of Brok¡¯s grip, kicking and punching the air in vain.


    Seeing the boy¡¯s struggle, the men chuckled and dragged Kael into some debris behind the brushes, away from the eyes of the few locals who weren¡¯t already at work.


    Kael¡¯s cries echoed as they threw him to the ground. Kicks landed on his legs, his chest, and his back. He tried to shield himself, but their blows didn¡¯t stop.


    Brok sneered and grabbed Kael ''s thin arm, which the boy was using to try defending himself. With his free arm, he covered the boy¡¯s mouth to muffle his screams.


    ¡°We were getting tired of looking for you, little Kael¡±


    Kael cried as loud as he could as the man bent one of his fingers back until a crack echoed from his hand. Tears ran down his face, mixing with the dirt and blood on his cheeks.


    ¡°We¡¯re really not bad people, but sometimes we¡¯ve got to make sure you understand what happens when you break a deal with us¡±


    Brok had an almost casual tone as he released Kael¡¯s broken finger and grabbed the next one.


    When Kael looked up, his blurry vision caught a figure on the road. A familiar face, a man with long black hair wandering on the streets, his head turning from side to side as if deciding which way to go.


    ¡°H-he¡¯s got... the money...¡± Kael¡¯s voice came out weak, barely anything at all.


    The man didn¡¯t hear him. Kael swallowed hard but his throat was dry. He tried again, louder this time.


    ¡°He¡¯s got the money! He took it, the money I was going to pay you!¡±


    Brok paused, as he stared at Kael. His eyebrows furrowed before walking to the road, following Kael¡¯s gaze to the man.

 Chapter 11 - Another mess

    Relyn had his eyes narrowed at the man walking his way.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got time to chat?¡± The man with a scar on his lips asked him.


    Relyn stared at the man who had just spoken for a second.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Why not? We¡¯re here to collect some debts.¡± Said a second man, coming out of the same place, a bulky person with a thick neck and a lazy eye.


    ¡°Debts?¡±


    The scarred man tilted his head and chuckled.


    ¡°You¡¯re not from the region, am I mistaken?¡± He said, and without waiting for an answer, continued ¡°Things here are simple. We heard from our little brother Kael here that you¡¯re holding money that belongs to us, the money was with him. Isn¡¯t that the case?¡±


    Relyn moved his eyes past the man in front of him and, behind, a familiar red headed boy was on his knees, a bruised and bloodied mess. A thick fat hand gripped the boy¡¯s hair, keeping his face lifted. Tears were running through his cheeks.


    ¡®Kid, why are you lying?¡¯


    ¡°You see, we don¡¯t care how you got it, sometimes things just happen. But it does belong to us, so hand over what you took and we can all be on our ways and enjoy another beautiful day. What do you say?¡± The scarred man shrugged, unbothered.


    Whatever was happening between these two and that kid, Relyn was not going to throw himself into.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to do with that,¡± Relyn said, and began to walk again.


    ¡°I see..¡±


    Sounds of metal accompanied his steps, and Brok saw a small leather bag tied to his belt.


    ¡°Hold up for a moment, friend,¡± Brok called after him.


    ¡°One last question.¡± His tone was as polite as ever, but this time it seemed a little too excited.


    ¡°What¡¯s in the bag?¡± Brok asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking what¡¯s in my bag?¡± Relyn stopped, and looked at him for a few seconds.


    ¡°Well¡­ yes, let us take a look there.¡± Brok¡¯s hand reached to the dagger tucked under his belt, and its small handle was now visibly out .


    Relyn looked over at Kael¡¯s direction once again. The boy¡¯s head moved side to side, his lips trying to silently say something without actually saying it, but he couldn¡¯t make them out.


    He stared again at the man in front of him for a second, he sighed and untied the pouch, helding it with his hand extended forward..


    ¡°Good. You¡¯re quite smart.¡± Brok approached him, growing closer by every step, his hand still on the dagger on his belt.


    When both men were close, Relyn moved quickly, and he swung the pouch he was holding with strength. The bag hit Brok on his lower jaw, spraying blood from his mouth to the air and throwing the man to the ground.


    ¡°You¡¯re fucking dead!¡±


    The larger man released Kael¡¯s hair and charged at Relyn. He tried to run, but that bulky man was faster than he imagined and the collision¡¯s impact sent him to the ground. The larger man landed heavy punches on Relyn¡¯s ribs and face.


    Relyn grunted, twisting beneath the man¡¯s weight. He managed to grab hold of one of his wrists. With a burst of strength, using his legs to shift their positions, Relyn flipped the larger man onto his back and delivered a series of blows to his face.


    The man¡¯s struggles weakened, and Rylen climbed to his feet. His knuckles were red and raw, and a thin trail of blood dripped from his head.


    ¡®In a mess like this, again...¡¯


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    ¡°What¡¯s happening between-¡± He turned back to Kael and was about to ask, but stopped mid sentence;


    Kael, trembling and pale, had climbed onto Brok, who was still on the ground. In his small hands, he held the dagger he¡¯d pulled from the man¡¯s belt. The blade, as well as his hands, shook as Kael pressed it to the man¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Where is he, Brok?!¡± Kael¡¯s voice cracked, and he screamed ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m afraid to kill you right now!¡±


    ¡°Get this street rat off me!¡±


    ¡°Tell me where he is!¡± Kael pressed the dagger harder against Brok¡¯s skin.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know!¡± Brok stuttered and raised his hands defensively.


    ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t know?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t fucking know! One day he was there in the shelter, and the next he wasn¡¯t! Nobody told us anything!¡± Brok swallowed hard and beads of sweat dripped from his face.


    ¡°We just used that to make money from you,¡± Brok added quickly.


    ¡°That¡¯s it! Now drop that!¡± He screamed.


    ¡°Y-you did what?¡± The boy asked in disbelief.


    Kael¡¯s grip loosened. His small body fell to the side and his shoulders shook, and this moment of hesitation cost him.


    Brok snarled, his hand shooting up to grab Kael¡¯s wrist. He twisted violently, forcing the boy to cry out and release the dagger.


    ¡°You damn filthy scum,¡± Brok roared as he pushed Kael off and scrambled to his feet, wiping at the blood dripping from his mouth.


    ¡°You think you¡¯ve got the guts for this? You¡¯re nothing, that¡¯s why you were left to die at these dumps.¡±


    Now, Brok had the dagger back on his hand. He was standing there, with blood dripping from his broken nose. He viciously starred Relyn and charged forward.


    Relyn stepped back, narrowly avoiding the first wild swing. The blade whistled past his chest, then his side as Brok struck again.


    The third attack finally found him, slicing across Relyn¡¯s shoulder. He felt pain, but didn¡¯t hesitate, and stepped in closer, catching Brok off guard, and delivered a strong hook to Brok¡¯s face. The man¡¯s nose cracked again, a spray of blood painting the cobblestones.


    Brok stumbled back, but his grip on the dagger still held firm. Relyn didn¡¯t give him a chance to recover. He followed up with a knee to Brok¡¯s stomach.


    Relyn didn¡¯t stop until Brok¡¯s knees buckled, and the dagger fell from his hand.


    Brok slumped to the ground, unconscious, his body motionless.


    Relyn stood over him, blood dripping from the shallow cut on his shoulder. He wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand, then turned to Kael, who was still on the ground, clutching his stomach and groaning.


    He was mad. The damn boy had dragged him into this whole mess.


    Relyn walked over to where Kael was laying, he wanted to drag the boy¡¯s head through the road from one side of the walls to the other.


    He looked at the boy¡¯s thin frame shaking, rolled in a ball, crying and his bruised face slowly looking up. He was more of a beaten and malnourished animal than a human in his eyes.


    His hands didn¡¯t pick-up the boy by his neck and the words he had thought of were not spoken.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do this again,¡± That was all Relyn said, and he started to walk off.


    ¡°W-wait¡­ boss¡± Kael¡¯s weak voice rang out.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Their bodies¡­¡± Kael slowly got up and continued to speak.


    ¡°These two won¡¯t talk to the guards, but we can¡¯t leave them here¡­ If someone finds them, it¡¯s trouble¡±


    ¡­..


    The afternoon air was warm and carried a faint distinctive smell in the place they were heading to. Relyn carried the unconscious Brok over one shoulder and grabbed the other thug by the arm, dragging him across the cobblestones.


    Kael trailed behind, stumbling slightly and his face was swollen. One of his eyes was almost entirely shut, but he still managed to mumble directions.


    While they walked, using his other hand, the boy carefully adjusted his twisted finger into place again, occasionally screaming in pain but apparently used to it.


    ¡°There¡­ over there,¡± Kael pointed weakly toward some debris, a bunch of old barrels, broken crates, and trash bags mounted by the handful in one of the local dumps.


    Relyn dumped the first body to the ground and adjusted his grip on the second. His muscles ached, but he managed to shove both men into the pile of junk. He stepped back, dusted off his hands, and frowned at the mess.


    ¡°Shit,¡± he muttered under his breath. ¡°Lost another day.¡±


    ¡°Wait, boss!¡±


    ¡°What now?¡± Relyn turned, running out of patience


    The boy was crouched over the unconscious men, rifling through their pockets. He came up with a handful of coins, a crumpled piece of paper, and what looked like a cheap pendant.


    ¡°Can¡¯t leave this behind,¡± Kael said, stuffing only a coin into his own pockets and handing the rest to Relyn.


    As they made their way back through the streets, Kael, bruised, kept glancing at Relyn from time to time.


    ¡°Boss,¡± he spoke up, his voice still a little weak but excited.


    ¡°How are you that strong? Were you a soldier?¡± Kael finally asked what had been in his mind.


    Relyn didn¡¯t answer and just kept moving.


    ¡°A knight? Nah, you wouldn¡¯t be in a shelter if you were a knight. Maybe an assassin? A poor one?¡± Kael paused.


    ¡°Or a bodyguard! You could¡¯ve been a bodyguard for some rich lord. That makes sense.¡±


    Relyn¡¯s pace didn¡¯t slow down, but his hands tightened slightly.


    ¡°Wait, I¡¯ve got it!¡± Kael snapped his fingers.


    ¡°You were one of those pit fighters, weren¡¯t you? Like in the arenas! I heard about them!¡± His eyes shone with excitement.


    Relyn sighed and picked up the pace.


    ¡°Come on, tell me! How else could you take out two guys like that? Normal people don¡¯t just-¡± Kael stumbled after him.


    ¡°Do you ever shut up?¡± Relyn stopped abruptly, turning to face Kael.


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Kael blinked, startled, then shrugged.


    ¡°Alright, boss. But if you were a pit fighter, you¡¯d tell me, right?¡± Kael grinned despite the pain in his jaw,


    Relyn didn¡¯t respond.


    By the time they reached the shelter, Kael was still listing off possibilities. Relyn pushed open the creaking door and stepped inside, letting it slam behind him.


    ¡®Damn this kid.¡¯


    ¡°Pit fighter, definitely a pit fighter. Or maybe not¡­¡±