《Savage Soul [A Sumerian Xianxia Epic]》


 Chapter 1 - The Savage of Cedar Forest

    A pale brown deer grazed for herbs in the deceptive calm of Cedar Forest. Its steps slow and silent with only the soft breeze to accompany them.


    The deer¡¯s head jolted up without warning and remained perfectly still for a few moments, carefully taking in the forest around it. Quietly and calmly, the color of its fur changed to match the forest around it, and the deer returned to its herbs.


    As it grazed, a tiger lied in wait beneath the brush just out of sight. Its eyes intently locked on its prey with unwavering focus, the tiger waited patiently.


    Finally the deer stepped to the left, exposing its vulnerable neck. The tiger rose slightly to a crouch, silent as well, though the deer¡¯s ears flickered once. A tense still held the forest. Then the deer bolted but the tiger covered the distance in a flash, and sunk its two long fangs into its neck.


    And just as suddenly, a dark scaled wyvern swooped down to clutch both creatures in its piercing talons, only to be crushed along with its prey by a massive monster crashing across the ground, pursued by a savage man.


    The Tyrant Lizard sprung to its feet with a flare of slashing bolts of lightning that tore into the ground and trees, but the savage darted around them all, drawing closer.


    With a roar of rage and fear, a cluster of lightning surged in the beast¡¯s giant mouth, the seams between the armor-like scales of its chest glowed yellow, but the man hurled a stone that crushed its left eye.


    The monster flailed in agony as its lightning breath disintegrated a part of the forest far removed from its target. It glared back at the man but found it had lost sight of him, only just finding him again as he descended from above.


    A flare of lightning built over its body again but the claw-like nails of the man shone with glowing divinity as he pierced his arm deep into the monster¡¯s skull. The Tyrant Lizard spasmed, then the yellow lightning died down and the great beast collapsed with it.


    Banda ripped his arm out and whipped off the blood. He opened his mouth wide as his eyes went white. An azure spectral mass rippled over the tyrant lizard¡¯s corpse for a few moments before the soul was torn out against its will, swallowed whole by the savage. Banda closed his mouth and the forest was silent again.


    His bestial eyes returned human, his nails and fangs shortened and the strain of his muscles relaxed.


    The savage appeared to be a few decades old in human age, and had a lean muscular build with copper skin. A thick mane of white hair flowed down his back like the rugged fur of a wolf, his nails long and sharp even now and his teeth closer to fangs.


    Barefoot and bare-chested, the only clothing he wore were primitive pants made of layers of the fur hides of various beasts, his spoils of battle. Though none would call him civilized even under the most diplomatic of terms, there was a certain savage dignity to it.


    Banda glanced at the arrogant tyrant lizard, another fool who thought itself the strongest after reaching the highest stage of power. Another fool who dared challenge him.


    He looked up at the clear sky above with the sun shining fierce at the highest point before jumping of the corpse, leaving it as is. Tyrant Lizard flesh tasted terrible.


    He moved through the dense forest at his own casual pace, though that pace would be frighteningly fast to most. A patrol, in the simplest terms, though he doubted he¡¯d encounter any more challengers today. Anything near would have heard the fighting and they would be smart enough to stay far away.


    In truth, the whole forest belonged to him. He merely allowed others to keep their own territory as he had no need for the entirety of it. Still, there would always be some foolish or arrogant enough to hunt on his personal grounds. And even some who thought themselves worthy of claiming the forest whole.


    Banda came to a smooth stop as a group of yeren caught his eye. Large apes with white fur and gray faces and hands. Five in total, the standard number for their hunting packs.


    The largest one, which seemed to be their leader, looked at Banda for a moment before gesturing with grunts and hand motions. Banda motioned back and the yeren continued on their way with no show of any aggression.


    They couldn¡¯t talk like the one who led their tribe but they could communicate better than most. And they were reasonable. That was partly why Banda liked them. With no true desire to patrol any further, Banda stayed where he was in his hunched crouch amidst the cool breeze and the softly rustling leaves that followed.


    He glanced at the cloudless sky again. It was dull when only the sun rose, as the tyrannical golden light would not let him gaze upon it for long. He would have to wait for night with the moon and stars. It was days like this that Banda liked the least.


    His thoughts were interrupted by the distinct caw of a Stymph. These birds were weak and thus made their nests on the outskirts of the forest, surviving by abandoning them at the slightest hint of danger. But they were excellent at sensing it, and even created unique crows for every type of threat to alert the rest of the flock.


    Banda had learned them all over the many suns and moons of his existence, and this one meant humans. Usually they were weak, weaker than his challengers in the forest. But just sometimes, they could be far stronger. And more importantly, far less predictable. Banda¡¯s bored expression lowered into one of hostility and sped off. Humans needed to be hunted too.


    ---The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°This savage is taking rather long to show himself¡­¡± A beautiful young woman spoke just outside the boundary of the forest with her arms crossed.


    She wore the top of a white silk gown laced with red and gold, parted down the middle of her waist over soft leather pants. Golden jewelry adorned her soft fair skin that enhanced her alluring sensuality, chief among them a thin necklace tiara woven into her black hair styled in the short regal fashion that flowed down just below her chin.


    A thin layer of dark eyeliner accentuated her rich purple eyes that were currently focused on the edge of the forest, sharp with slight irritation.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time before they catch up, my lady.¡± An older man spoke from the side. His dark hair tied tight at the back and his face clean shaven save for a thick neatly trimmed mustache, he wore the light garb of a warrior beneath a dark green cloak draped over his shoulders, hiding his hands. ¡°We may have to venture into the forest.¡±


    ¡°I certainly won¡¯t be going back empty handed.¡± Eres told Montu. ¡°Perhaps we should wait for them. They will at least make for good shields traversing this wretched place-¡±


    A blur shot out of the forest and the seemingly fragile priestess caught Banda¡¯s clawed hand just short of her face.


    Banda¡¯s eyes widened in surprise but only for a split second as he twisted his body to kick at her head. His leg crashed against her blocking arm like the crack of thunder but just as with the first strike, she did not budge. The slight, confident smile that spread across her face proved it hadn¡¯t been difficult either.


    Banda broke himself out of her grasp in whirling burst of strength and slid back across the ground. He waited motionlessly in a fighting crouch as he reevaluated the pair of humans.


    Few could ever match him in strength, at least when he was avoiding the strain. And none had ever given him the look the woman had after receiving it. Banda glanced subtly at the man beside her. One was manageable, but if the other was her equal, it would truly be dangerous.


    Eres gripped her hand into a first a few times with pleasant surprise, not taking her eyes of the ambushing savage. It seemed the rumors held some weight and her time spent here wouldn¡¯t be wasted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t interfe-¡±


    The thunderous roar of a beast interrupted her words as a powerful sonic blast slammed into Montu, sending him crashing far away. Eres¡¯ gaze slipped left out of shock and Banda attacked silently from the right with perfect timing. The priestess blocked his claws again but the sheer strength of the mauling swipe sent her sliding back on her feet.


    Banda closed the distance without hesitation. The other human wasn¡¯t as strong, which meant the only threat was her. A sword appeared from thin air in Eres¡¯ hands as she held it up by her face in a combat stance with focused expression.


    His first strike was deflected clean and she countered with a quick thrust to his head. But Banda slipped that easily, and his hand clawed deep into her forearm on its way back.


    He darted around her erratically, moving with neither rhyme nor reason. He was stronger and faster now with the strain, but the woman was skilled enough to withstand simple attacks.


    He sidestepped her slash and ducked under the second to kick one of her legs out from beneath her. As she stumbled off balance, his clawed hand speared for her throat once more, but Eres spun with incomprehensible footwork to dodge and nearly slash a line into his chest.


    Banda¡¯s eyes narrowed. She was getting stronger somehow. Better. In the midst of his thoughts, Banda saw a smile creep onto her face once more.


    Eres took another stance, and Banda mauled the ground. Broken stone and dust exploded around them and the rocky surface fractured into uneven footing.


    He darted through the debris, battering stone at the priestess and clawing at the openings they caused. Viciously and patiently he fought, until the dust settled, and Eres was covered in blood and wounds.


    She was weak and unsteady, and Banda went for the kill. But his mauling claws shred into a giant golden shield wielded by a disembodied arm made of mana.


    Eres raised her sword but before she could act, cracking thunder swirling around Banda¡¯s fist and he shattered the magic shield. The impact of raw power carried further into her arm, snapping it clean along with the ribs she tried to defend, and sent her crashing across the ground.


    Eres clipped off a bump in the ground, slowly spinning to face the sky and the sight of Banda falling down from above with fists clenched together. But in the face of death, her smile widened. The deep wounds healed rapidly and fire spewed from the soles of her feet, propelling her away from his cratering blow.


    Eres spun upright as she soared through the air, and raised her hands pointing straight at him. Fire swirled around her arms and surged towards him like a flooding river.


    Banda breathed in deep and let out another roar that tore through the fire like the wind of a storm. The chain of rippling thunder burst right in front of the priestess and Banda charged through the scattering flames.


    Eres took higher in the air with another fiery burst. Mystical flames flared around her and turned into screeching fireballs raining down from the sky. Banda hit the ground running, weaving through the swerving comets as he pursued his flying prey.


    He sidestepped another fireball and whipped his arm without warning. Eres barely tilted her head in time to avoid the stone he threw with enough power to smash open her skull.


    Banda continued to dart between the raining fire as he hurled stones with lethal speed. A tactic he developed against beasts with that could fly. Their wings were worthless once they fell to the ground.


    Eres dodged a stone but another appeared far too close before she realized, thrown perfectly within the blindspot that the first stone created for a brief instant. With no choice, fire burst from her hand, propelling her down enough to avoid it, but she realized how close she had gotten to the ground too late. And Banda had already lunged.


    Human magic was strange and deceptive. Banda didn¡¯t know if that magic shield could be used again or if it was broken for good, but it didn¡¯t matter. The divinity of Mountain pulsed through his body in rippling lines, reinforcing his body. His form turned even more savage and feral, raising his might. And Thunder once more cracked around his clenched fist.


    The shield appeared after all as Banda threw his punch, but he did not care. The fight would end now. Banda¡¯s fist crashed into the shield so loudly it threatened to wake the heavens, with nothing more to show for it than a fist sized dent. Disbelief found Banda¡¯s face. Nothing in this forest could take his strongest strike unharmed. And for the first time, a shred of doubt crept into his thoughts.


    Another arm raised a lance high, and with it a sense of danger pierced Banda¡¯s mind. He snapped him out of his thoughts just in time to dart away from its thrust. From his wary bestial stance, Banda gazed at the new being that appeared.


    A giant woman, ten times the size of the one who stood in front of it. Its face resembled her, but beneath its golden helm was glowing blue skin and pure white eyes. Heavy golden armor covered most of her body, and flame like cloth adorned it. In its left, it held a large round shield and in its right that dangerous lance. A threatening dark aura emanate from the blade.


    Banda lowered himself like a crouching tiger as his eyes sharpened even more. He knew from his instincts alone, that this giant woman was stronger than any normal beast he had ever fought.

 Chapter 2 - Chains of Heaven

    Eres charged forward before he had any more time to think, and the giant human trailed right behind, its shield protecting her and its lance ready to strike.


    Banda darted back, flinging stones as he went. She kept her shield in front of the dark-haired woman and let the others slam into her head but it had no effect, not even in the eyes.


    A thought emerged in Banda¡¯s mind. The giant could not be damaged, but the other human could. It protected her. The more he thought about it, the more he wondered if she was the one to have brought it here. The more he thought that if he killed her, the giant would go away.


    Banda dug his feet into the ground and burst forward. The giant struck forth its lance as he leaned under its path, aiming straight for the smiling priestess. The shield covered Eres more tightly as Banda raised his fist. He came right up close and jumped.


    The change in Eres¡¯ face showed her surprise, but Banda had gotten right in front of the giant¡¯s face. And he slammed his fist into it, using the recoil to lunged without pause at the priestess. He might not be able to damage it, but he could move it. And without the giant, he was certain he could kill the human.


    He raised his clawed hand, and the blade of the giant lance pierced through his chest. The giant woman had not been moved by his strike, as though it were bound to the air around it.


    A stillness came over Banda. It wasn¡¯t the pain, or even the confusion that froze him, but a strange dark magic that turned his flesh cold and weak.


    The giant ripped the lance out of him. As he fell limply in the air, its shield slammed into him with a violent gong, and sent him crashing into the side of a cliff where he remained still.


    Eres¡¯ expression fell to one of resigned disappointment at the sight of it. She lingered no longer than a few moments, before turning away from the forest. And a surge of divinity more tyrannical than any she¡¯s felt before exploded from the savage¡¯s body.


    She looked back with thoughtless shock as his body rose up as if possessed. First upright and then hunched over on all fours like a beast, his eyes white and expression one of mindless rage. The large ivory horns of a bull grew from his head and the ground started to crack and crater beneath his feet.


    Banda shot forward no faster than he had before and threw a reckless punch. The giant shield moved in front of Eres and cracked against the sheer weight of the strike.


    The lance thrust at Eres¡¯ shock, but the blade did not pierce. It merely clanged against him as though is flesh were made of the densest metal. Even the force of the blow barely knocked him a few yards. Eres could not even guess at how heavy he was to achieve that.


    Banda lunged again, attacking without a shred of strategy. No longer was there any sign of the savage hunter, cunning and sharp. Only the embodiment of primal might. With every passing moment, Eres could see the intent of a beast clearer and clearer. The intent of a monstrous bull.


    At the sight of this savage beast, her speechless expression filled with excitement and bliss. Her rich purple eyes began to shine with golden splendor as her divinity flared golden too, all tinged with the hint of madness within.


    She had waited so long for this, to find the one she was searching for. Though sense and reason advised her to end it now, blissful passion desired nothing more but to dance in the moment.


    Banda madly pursues her as she sailed back. Each rampaging strike broke more and more of her shield. Each response of her lance did little but scratch his dense flesh. But still she danced.


    A mauling thrash shattered what was left of her shield, a second hurled for her. Eres stood still as certain death drew closer and closer, a sense of joyful warmth in her crazed smile. And golden chains lashed out from within her.


    Fast as flashes of light, they wrapped around Banda and bound him to the world itself. The horned savage tried to break free but the chains would not budge against even his overwhelming might.


    Eres raised her hands but stopped at Banda¡¯s roar, feral and savage unlike the mindless monster he had been in this form thus far. Cracks of iridescent light started to form over his body as he strained against the chains. Defying all logic, they started to budge.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Eres watched with amazement, as reason began to take the reins of her mind. ¡°Much as I¡¯d love to watch your defiance longer, I can¡¯t have you break just yet.¡±


    The golden chains shone in a blinding flash and disappeared, leaving behind a dull bronze torc around Banda¡¯s neck. He dropped from his immobilized state to the ground but did not fall from his feet. His ivory horns turned to ash and crumbled away as consciousness returned to his eyes.


    Eres opened her mouth but before she could speak, Banda lunged for her throat. The golden chains reappeared around him in an instantly, immobilizing him just before he could make contact.


    ¡°These chains won¡¯t allow you to harm me.¡± Eres explained, not even having flinched at the attack.


    The chains vanished just as quickly as they appeared, and without hesitation, Banda fled at full speed, only for the chains to lock him in place once more.


    ¡°I can also use them whenever I want.¡± She spoke with a teasing tone.


    Banda waited in a guarded state, unsure of what to do, his state of mind completely on edge.


    ¡°It¡¯s good that you learn quickly. We are bonded together now, in essence and fate. My life is yours.¡±


    Banda didn¡¯t have the slightest idea what she was talking about, his mind still clawed for ways to escape his predicament. His attention snapped towards her as she withdrew a thin dagger from the air with a solemn expression and plunged it into her own heart.


    Banda clutched his chest as though something had stabbed his own. His head swirled with confusion as his senses had detected nothing to warn him of danger. But the pain subsided as quickly as it came and he removed his hand to find not a single trace of a wound.


    ¡°A human trick.¡± He thought.


    Movement caught his eye again as Eres raised the dagger in front of her. The fresh wound over her heart had already healed, but this time she thrust it towards her eye. Banda grabbed her hand in an instant, having darted with all his mind out of sheer instinct, and stopped the blade just short of her.


    Worry and confusion replaced the suspicion on his face, accompanied by beads of sweat. The woman had aimed the dagger at herself, but it felt no different from being aimed at him.


    ¡°Experiencing is faster than hearing.¡± Eres smiled. ¡°If I de, so do you. So protect me, my champion.¡±


    The dagger disappeared as she reached out to softly hold his face towards her. There came a peace and restlessness by the gentle way she held him that he didn¡¯t understand, but even that was melted away by the overwhelming passion in her face. By her eyes that shone like the mesmerizing and tyrannical sun.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°...¡± Banda didn¡¯t respond, he was far too concerned with figuring out this strangest of humans that now held his life in her hands.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to be together for a long time. It makes everything easier if I know what to call you.¡± Eres tone somehow bordered between impatient and relaxed.


    ¡°Ensimbanda¡­¡±


    ¡°...Young Horned Lord?¡± Eres mused. ¡°Or Fierce Horned Lord. The second seems more fitting.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Wild Horned Lord.¡± Banda frowned.


    ¡°It¡¯s all three.¡± Eres corrected him with an amusement smile. ¡°But yes¡­ That one suits you best.¡±


    ¡°It seems everything has been settled?¡± Montu asked as he hopped over. Not a sign of a fight could be seen on himself or his attire.


    ¡°Yes. Finally-¡±


    Banda lunged at the first opening he found, but the throat he grabbed turned to mist in the air. Failure did not change Banda¡¯s expression as he was far too focused on the hunt.


    Sight, hearing, and smell did not aid him, so he forced his instincts to heighten. Immediately, his eyes snapped to an empty space to his left, and for the third time, golden chains bound him in place.


    Montu reappeared at the spot Banda targeted, with a bit of sweat forming on his brow. ¡°What a dangerous guard you¡¯ve found.¡±


    ¡°Do not do that again.¡± Eres told Banda sternly, with a trace of annoyance. ¡°While it does please me to know you are capable, accept your place at my side or I will be less lenient with my leash.¡±


    There were some words Banda didn¡¯t understand, but he recognized it as a threat. In any case, three times was more than enough to understand the chains. Even if he had taken her human hostage, they would render the act pointless.


    Eres kept her eyes locked on him for a few moments before sighing away her other complaints. ¡°Listen. We have a long and vast journey ahead. Where we¡¯re going isn¡¯t so forgiving that we can overcome it with our sword at each others necks all the while.¡±


    Banda had something to say about the way she worded that, but he had something more important to ask. ¡°...Where?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a secret, for now.¡±


    ¡°How long?¡± He asked.


    ¡°For good.¡± Eres spoke with a trace of disdain and resolve. ¡°We¡¯re never coming back here.¡±


    The answer caught Banda a bit off guard, and filled with a strange feeling. The sense that he had lost something of his but it had not yet happened. Before he was able to response, his eyes turned sharp to the horizon, to the horde of red and white humans charging straight towards them.

 Chapter 3 - Palm Tree King

    ¡°Don¡¯t bother getting too worked up.¡± Eres said as Banda took a fighting crouch. She stood relaxed with her arms crossed, completely unconcerned with the approaching group. Banda glanced at the colors of her clothes and that of the horde, and surmised they were yet more of her humans.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the horde to reach them. Two hundred or so in total, at a glance. Unremarkable compared to the largest tribes in the forest, but it was the most humans Banda had ever seen in the same place.


    In the center, standing out from the crowd, a short portly man sat atop a richly adorned palanquin carried by four humans wearing nothing but long white skirts. Another dressed the same knelt on the dirt the moment they came to a stop and the fat man used him as a stepping stone to walk down from his perch.


    ¡°My Lady Eres, if you would please not take off on your own like that again¡­¡± He waddled his way to them, dabbing the sweat on his head with a silk handkerchief.


    Bald and clean shaven, his body more resembled that of a giant toad than a human. The other humans were dressed more simply, many of them armored much like the one who followed this priestess, whose Banda now knew was called Montu.


    But this one that spoke now had colors and patterns more similar to her. His clothing more complicated with red paint beneath his eyes. His body seemed pathetically weak, by the bumbling way he carried himself, but Banda knew well humans could be dangerous otherwise. Perhaps this one was closer to Eres than any of the others.


    ¡°Ah, Oreb.¡± Eres spoke with mellowed enthusiasm. ¡°I was beginning to think you had gotten lost.¡±


    Oreb gave an awkward smile of courtesy in response, before his eyes caught the sight of a certain savage watching him closely. ¡°And who is this¡­ man?¡±


    ¡°My new guarddog.¡± Eres answered.


    ¡°A feral one, it seems¡­¡± The priest spoke with snobbish aversion. ¡°We¡¯d certainly be hard pressed to find a suitable place for him in the temple.¡±


    A pebble bounced off Oreb¡¯s round gut. It took him a moment of dumbfounded thought before he realized the source of it, the savage who stood still in his crouched posture, entirely without guilt and now entirely disinterested in the new human with such feeble instincts.


    The priest¡¯s face reddened with indignation at the sheer insult of such as act, though he turned to Eres alone. ¡°My Lady, I must insist you train this thing quickly, lest he be made to sleep in the stables with the other beasts!¡±


    ¡°I will do with him as I see fit. We¡¯ve spent enough time here, let us depart.¡± Eres ordered, paying no heed to his request.


    Oreb regained most of his calm at her intention to leave, anxious to return as he was. ¡°Then-¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Banda said bluntly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice. You go where I go.¡± Eres¡¯ brow lowered.


    ¡°I want to tell Monga I¡¯m leaving.¡±


    ¡°Someone in the forest? We don¡¯t have time...¡± Eres¡¯ tone was dismissive with a trace of suspicion, but as she looked more into his unyielding eyes, the more she felt his demand was no trap, but a genuine desire. ¡°...Very well.¡±


    ¡°It is far too dangerous! I¡¯m afraid must put my foot down.¡± Oreb lost his composure once again, this time on a more concerned view.


    ¡°Then be sure to plant it hard so you remain here until I return.¡± Eres started to walked off before he could even reply.


    ¡°Ah, but¡­ Then we will at least accompany you as guards!¡±


    ¡°You will all die if you follow.¡± Banda told the fat priest, with a foreboding impartiality.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Oreb balked, for the threat somehow felt more like a warning to him. Confliction swirled in his mind before he reached a compromise. ¡°You, follow the Sacred Priestess. If a single hair of her head is harmed, I will have your families burned!¡±


    Oreb gestured to the left side of the small army of priests, and they followed after the trio at once. Banda didn¡¯t bother to take note of them. As far as he was concerned, they were only three.


    ---


    Banda moved through the forest at a slower pace than his norm, the fault of the large group behind him unable to keep up. It was the largest group he had ever travelled with outside of the simian tribe, and he could firmly state it was something he did not like.


    The weak humans is red robes and armor were vigilant and wary to a fault, in sharp contrast to the two he actually had to worry about. It was difficult to get a grasp on the dark green cloaked man, even now.


    He was certain the human¡¯s strength was lesser than the purple-eyed woman, but the patches of uncertainty surrounding him bothered Banda. Though even that did not concern him nearly as much as the incomprehensible woman herself, who showed only patient interest in their current trek.


    Banda dashed over without warning to stop her in her tracks as he tossed a broken stick ahead. It bounced off the ground and four giant leaves snapped around it, and writhed into a twist to crush whatever it held inside.


    Banda took a detour around the carnivorous plant and Eres followed after, with nothing more than slight amusement.


    ¡°Have you lived in this forest your whole life, Wild?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Banda answered curtly.


    ¡°Really? How did you survive when you were young?¡±


    ¡°My power.¡±


    ¡°You speak quite well for someone raised by monsters.¡±


    ¡°Monga can speak.¡± Banda didn¡¯t mind her questions much, but her tone at times annoyed him.


    ¡°Was he the one who named you?¡± Eres asked with a bit more interest than her other questions.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Eres seemed to glean something from that but he didn¡¯t know what. ¡°Quite an enlightened name to give for a monster.¡±


    ¡°It is better than My Lady Eres.¡± Banda liked his name, and he wouldn¡¯t tolerate slights against it. Eres looked at him in silent confusion before something seemed to click and her silence turned to laughter in equal parts amusement and mockery.


    ¡°Everything I learn makes me more interested in your Monga.¡± Eres wiped a jovial tear from her eye.


    As her laughter trailed off, Banda stepped into a small open patch of grass in the forest before a large flat boulder. The priest guards arrived the moment after, and in the next, hundreds of yeren revealed themselves.


    ¡°Monsters!¡±


    ¡°Shield the Priestess!¡±


    The priests flew into action, drawing their weapons and forming a wall around Eres against the imposing apes. Though none were keen on a fight.


    ¡°Your Highness, we must leave!¡± One of them spoke in panic to Eres, though she did not respond, as if the priests weren¡¯t even there.


    The two sides waited in their tense stand off, but dull methodical tremors broke the silence. Slowly a giant figure emerged from the dense trees, the weight of his steps the source of the sound.


    It was ape-like, though far bulker and broader than the yeren, and covered in scars. Thick white fur covered all but its leathery gray hands, chest and face. Dim blue veins like crystal shards streaked over its leathery hide.


    A bone crown from from its forehead, the horn on its left side pointed tall, while the right was broken in half. Stern silvery eyes peered out with a chilling firmness that mere mortals could not imitate.


    It stepped out onto the stone platform and stared at the humans that entered its territory, none daring to even breath before him. The weight of its presence was immense, but through the suffocating tension Eres¡¯ excitement only rose further, for she recognized the description from stories she had only ever expected to imagine.


    He was the Palm Tree King, one of Eleven Adversaries hunted by Ninurta, and the only one to have escaped him. Cedar Forest held many secrets, but she never once imagined this would be one of them.


    ¡°How much more excitement will you bring me?¡± She gazed over at Banda, her chosen champion.


    Monga¡¯s eyes turned to Banda. ¡°What reason do you bring so many humans, other than for me to kill?¡± The priests dug into their stances more, and even Montu shifted in place.


    Though Banda was as composed as ever, not a single sign of tension in his body. He pointed at Eres. ¡°If she dies, I die.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Monga glanced at the priestess.


    Eres lowered her stance, ready for a fight with anxious zeal. She wondered if Banda had some sort plan. Maybe he didn¡¯t understand the Chains of Heaven, after all. Maybe he didn¡¯t truly understand the Adversary before them.


    Monga turned his eyes upon the humans with stoic contempt, tempered with the oils of a thousand years and one.


    ¡°Kill them.¡±

 Chapter 4 - The Priestess of Ishtar

    At Monga¡¯s command, the tribe of yeren descended upon the humans. The priests fought back in skilled formation but all their efforts went to waste. For every yeren slain, three priests would join it.


    They fought with abandon, and strangely in perfect concert with their kin, ripping and tearing apart the priest guards until none remained. Their gray hands were as tough as the priest¡¯s steel, and their arms could stretch and grow as they willed.


    Montu cut down two of the murderous apes, but one shattered his skull with its dense fist. The warrior guard¡¯s body dispersed into mist as he appeared from thin air to jam a dagger in the yeren¡¯s skull. But as it dropped to the ground, a dozen more prowled around him, searching for weakness.


    The strength of the priests were a bit more than Banda expected, about on par with the yeren, though they would never be able to fight the tribe as equals when Monga led them. His estimation of Montu took another small jump again, though try as he might he couldn¡¯t see the human as a threat.


    Eres gave him a look in the lull of the fighting, and Banda reluctantly obliged. ¡°Don¡¯t kill him either.¡±


    Monga considered the three, then waved his hand dismissively. The yeren stepped back from the warrior, to the relief of no one more than Montu.


    ¡°Explain.¡± Monga commanded.


    ¡°She uses tricks that comes from the air and traps me. I can¡¯t let her die.¡± Monga¡¯s gaze shifted knowingly towards the human woman he hadn¡¯t taken much note of before, though Banda continued. ¡°I have to go somewhere. She says I can¡¯t come back.¡±


    Monga¡¯s stern face turned back to Banda with a different kind of silence this time, that lasted a few moments.


    ¡°Then go.¡± Monga turned around and walked away. ¡°This forest isn¡¯t large enough for you anymore.¡±


    Banda expression did not change either. He lingered for a few moments as well, then turned around to leave.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Eres asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you know who that is?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°Monga.¡± Banda said plainly, as he already told her before. She was foolish and slow to learn sometimes, he thought. Eres gave a smile in response as she followed after him.


    ---


    No sooner had the trio returned from the forest, did Oreb scurry over to them. Upon seeing that they returned alone, he took unconcealed relief that he had deigned not to accompany them.


    ¡°I trust we may return now?¡± His tone was more pleading than inquiring, as he knew well he could not command the willful priestess.


    ¡°I am tired. Make camp here for tonight.¡± Eres commanded freely, with dismissive tone.


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Oreb thought quickly. ¡°At least allow me to choose a spot a bit further away from the forest.¡±


    ¡°Do as you see fit.¡± At her words, the portly man scurried off again to yell at the others.


    Banda watched as the remaining half of the priesthood horde bustle around. They set up tents of strange hide too soft and thin to come from any beast he knew of, started fires from unusually cut trees, and filled oddly-shaped stone with what smelled like food. But quickly his focused drifted to the priests themselves. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Originally he had paid them no mind, but their fight against the yeren showed them to be slightly more of a threat in these numbers. If there were more hordes of humans like this one where they were headed, then they may even be able to threaten him.


    The humans tended to what he could only assume was their nest, or lair, for longer than he expected. Eventually, things seemed to settle, and he caught sight of Eres beckoning him over to a tented area. With nothing better to do and her life being his own, Banda headed over to join her.


    She sat of a multitude of soft round objects, made of what smelled like feathers and human clothes. Over the ground beneath them was a large colorful hide, though it too smelled unfamiliar and felt strange beneath his feet.


    On the other side across from her under similar conditions sat Oreb, who drunk sour smelling water from a golden cup. But Banda didn¡¯t see the green cloaked human that had always been by her side so far.


    ¡°Has all this civilized you yet, Wild?¡± Eres asked as she handed him a gold bowl of broth, meat and herbs.


    She used words Banda didn¡¯t understand again, so he ignored the question. ¡°Where are we going?¡±


    ¡°Uruk-ki.¡± Oreb spoke up to answer, his demeanor odd compared to before. ¡°And not soon enough. Even a savage such as yourself will understand the majesty of such a holy city.¡±


    Banda refrained from killing the human for his disrespect just yet, on the chance it may be more trouble than it was worth. With Eres occupied with her sour water as well, he found himself looking to the dimming distance.


    The sun had only half crossed the horizon, so the sky was still barren. His gaze trailed to the long mountain in the far distance, which even in his sharp eyes was little more than a wisping image.


    Eres took notice of Banda and glanced back to see what he was staring at. ¡°Interested?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a strange mountain. It¡¯s tall but it should be wide.¡± Banda commented.


    Eres chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s not a mountain, but a tower. After Enlil created the mortal plane of Akkad, his brother Enki built that tower connecting it back to Eden. The home of the gods. Thus mankind was able once more to enter the heavenly garden, but only for those able to climb it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that tall.¡± Banda judged.


    Eres laughed a bit harder this time. ¡°It only looks that way. The Tower is so tall it reaches the very sky, and can be seen throughout all of Akkad.¡±


    ¡°...why are we going to Uruk-ki?¡± Banda changed the conversation to something more important.


    ¡°Because it is our goddess Ishtar¡¯s holy city on this¡­ mortal plane of Akkad¡± Oreb interrupted once again, before refilling his cup from a large clay jar. Montu quietly returned to Eres¡¯ side, which she takes note of, with a certain look in her eyes.


    Banda glanced at the stew in his hand and raised the bowl to his mouth, but stopped just short with a jolt of his instincts. He lowered the bowl as he glared at it and then at Eres, who gave back only a smug look of intrigue and put a finger to her soft lips, gesturing for him to keep quiet.


    Oreb took another sip of wine from his cup as he discreetly eyed Eres down as she gave her focus to the savage.


    Her face was more elegant and captivating than any sculpture, and her voluptuous figure draped in revealing silk more tempting than any courtesan he¡¯s ever known. The very embodiment of lust that made ones blood run hot. All enhanced by the insolent tease that she was, just begging to be tamed.


    The portly priest cleared his throat. ¡°Once we return-¡±


    ¡°The tower is a wondrous corridor to a wondrous place.¡± Eres spoke with zeal in her voice and fervor in her face, as though no one else were speaking. ¡°Immortality, power, freedom. All things Akkad lacks. But Eden. Eden is a garden where everything grows.¡±


    Oreb started to cough slightly from an irritated throat which he couldn¡¯t seem to get rid of, as Eres rose to her feet.


    ¡°A world of paths denied to us mortals. A world where anything is possible. Where even these wretched chains of fate can be broken into reins.¡± Her tone became more ominous and overbearing as the tinge of madness crept in.


    ¡°What are you-¡± The worsening cough prevented Oreb from finishing his words as it became more and more violent.


    His golden cup fell from his hands as he stumbled aimless to collapse with it. The color of his face reddened and his veins bulged black. Only now did he realize that his coughs were not alone, but joined with those of the entire priesthood.


    ¡°You!¡± He spluttered at Eres, but she didn¡¯t spare him a single thought.


    Eres turned to face Banda with undivided passion as the rest died in agony behind Her gaze direct upon him and him alone, as if nothing else in the world existed.


    ¡°You wish to know where we are going? To Eden. To the throne of Zagros. To wherever is necessary for as long as it takes until I am Queen of Heaven.¡±


    Banda once again felt her overwhelming presence. It was not fear born from the sight of an enemy, nor even hatred, but he felt small before her. And larger than anyone else.


    It was something unfamiliar, something he did not fully understand. Something that enraptured him and filled him with vigilance. Something he had only ever felt from her.

 Chapter 5 - Into The Tower

    Banda chased after Eres through the rocky steppes of Akkad with feral eyes. She was faster than he was at his base somehow, forcing him to harness some of the power of beasts.


    Even well within the limits that avoided the many-colored fractures, it was a strain to maintain his partial transformation for days on end. But Banda wouldn¡¯t complain. Not to her. He wouldn¡¯t let her see his weaknesses.


    ¡°It¡¯s not far off now.¡±


    Banda glanced ahead at her words, towards the imposing tower. The closer they got, the more he could understand how truly enormous it was.


    Just as Eres had claimed, it stretched deep into the sky, above even the clouds, and had grown so wide Banda wondered if his eyes weren¡¯t being fooled. He wondered too, what sort of being this Enki was who could make such a thing.


    Eres and Montu veered off without warning and Banda followed behind to a small cliff just before the end of the steppes met the territory of the tower. A strange land he peered over at from behind his cover.


    Surrounding the base of the tower were many human tents like the ones the priests had made, along with larger piles of stone arranged in unnaturally similar structures. Among them were more humans than he had seen in his life thus far.


    ¡°We were too slow.¡± Montu said, his focus on the Ishtar priests in the crowd.


    Hundreds and hundreds of regulars, several dressed like Oreb, and two dozen Honor Guard standing guard at the entrance of the Tower, distinguished by their menacing golden armor and lioness masks.


    ¡°You can handle two dozen, can¡¯t you?¡± Eres asked, though even she took stock of them.


    ¡°With some help.¡± Montu replied.


    ¡°Why are you fighting your pack?¡± Banda interrupted. Killing a few rebellious ones, he could understand. But from what he had seen, they fought and died for her as they should. It didn¡¯t make sense for a leader to kill minions that obeyed.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t mine, just my wardens.¡± Baring a pause for his amusing choice of words, Eres explained bluntly, before turning her head back to Montu. ¡°We¡¯ll go as planned.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°What plan?¡± Banda asked, growing a little more annoyed.


    ¡°Divinity is restricted within the tower. It can be used just the same as out here, but it cannot be gathered by any means. Demigods like you and Priests like me won¡¯t be able to recover power once inside, so we need to break into the tower using as little divinity as possible.¡± Eres granted Banda her full attention as she finally explained.


    ¡°At the very top of the tower is Humbaba, the Gatekeeper, who stand between us and the door to Eden. We won¡¯t have any time to spare once we¡¯re in, so we need to plan how to defeat him now.¡± Eres took note of Banda¡¯s lack of tension. ¡°Humbaba is stronger than Monga.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± Banda snapped back immediately at the ignorant words. Whatever this Humbaba was, it could never be Monga¡¯s equal. He is, or rather until the giant woman, was the only being who could best Banda without his trance. And Monga was stronger than her.


    Eres seemed on the verge of arguing back but decided against it. ¡°Humbaba is immensely powerful in all aspects, Body, Mind, and Soul, and can regenerate from all wounds nonlethal. But the true problem lies in that he has four lives.¡±


    ¡°Three times, he can return from death and become immune to whatever the cause was. He cannot be killed the same way twice and each time he returns stronger.¡±


    Banda found nothing special in her claims. It sounded like they need only kill this being four times instead of once.


    ¡°What are your spells, Wild?¡± Eres continued.


    ¡°My name is Banda.¡± Banda frowned. That was the second time she had gotten his name wrong.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± She smiled teasingly. ¡°We¡¯re companions now, so it¡¯s in your best interest to be honest.¡±


    ¡°...Sharp Claw. Thunder. Roar. Mountain.¡± He had no need for deception about them.


    ¡°I can guess the first three well enough.¡± Their fight was fresh in her memory after all. ¡°What is Mountain?¡±


    ¡°Makes me strong, like a mountain. Harder to damage. All of me, not just Body.¡±


    ¡°So Spirit Reinforcement, basically.¡± Eres deduced. ¡°What about that form, where you turn feral?¡±


    ¡°Not a spell. My power.¡±


    ¡°Oh? A trait, or a bloodline, then. And? What is it exactly?¡± Eres¡¯ interest seemed to drift from the task ahead.


    ¡°I get stronger.¡±


    ¡°By how much?¡± Eres asked with a tone of patient condescension.


    Banda¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°Same as you when you fight. More if I use Mountain.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Eres mused. ¡°30 times at your base, and then with your Mountain spell¡­ That would be that coating of divinity back then¡­ I¡¯m guessing around one hundred fold. That¡¯s quite incredible. But I remember you got stronger without Mountain when you broke out of my grip.¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°I can get stronger. As much as I want. But I start to break.¡± A hint of annoyance slipped into Banda¡¯s tone. The weakness of his Spirit was the only thing holding him back. Were he able to wield his power without restraint, none would be his equal.


    Greater interest gleaned in Eres¡¯ eyes at the revelation. ¡°When you use it, does it feel like you¡¯re using a part of you inside, or does it feel like all of you?¡±


    ¡°All.¡±


    ¡°A primordial grade bloodline¡­ How many more surprises are you going to give me?¡± Eres smiled deep. ¡°Ah, but¡­ Then your¡­ ¡®trance¡¯...¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Banda asked as she trailed off in thought.


    ¡°Nevermind.¡± Eres decided not to ask what was on her mind.


    ¡°How are you this strong?¡± It was Banda¡¯s turn to interrogate. ¡°Humans shouldn¡¯t be as strong as me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re human, too.¡± Eres explained, though from Banda¡¯s slighted expression she figured it was best to drop the matter. ¡°Ishtar is a god of three domains, and I am granted priesthood of all three which makes me thrice as strong as normal priests. One of my spells, War Ready, grants me a tenfold boost, matching the thirty-fold of your¡­ let¡¯s say Feral Form.¡±


    Banda didn¡¯t care what she called his power, but he did care about what her¡¯s entailed.


    ¡°My other spells as Regeneration, which you¡¯ve seen. Dance of Ishtar allows my skill and intuition in combat to grow the longer I fight. And Bane makes my strikes inherently effective against whatever they strike, which you also know well.¡± Eres ran her hand the center of his chest where her lance had pierced through.


    Banda brushed away her hand. ¡°What about the other woman?¡±


    Eres gave him a questioning pause before breaking into laughter. ¡°That ¡®woman¡¯ is a manifestation of my being at its greatest potential. My Avatar. It¡¯s the ability of a very special trait I possess, the Vestal Warbide Physique.¡±


    As she calmed down, she noticed Banda didn¡¯t fully quite get it. ¡°It¡¯s stronger than me and I control it.¡±


    Banda fell into contemplation of his own. If it was truly not another human, but one of her own human tricks, that made her far stronger than he thought. Almost rivalling Monga. And if she was that strong, perhaps she was not lying about Humbaba. Banda was reluctant to accept such absurdity, but he could not fully deny it.


    ¡°Back to our plan.¡± Eres cleared her throat to bring his focus back to her. ¡°Bane is my most potent attack, so we need to save it for the fourth life. I¡¯ll take the first with my fire, so you¡¯ll take the next two. Which of Sharp Claw and Thunder are strongest?¡±


    ¡°Both are strong.¡± A foolish question he thought, as the answer depending on the circumstances of the fight.


    ¡°Then use them in whichever order you want. But only one of them on each life.¡± Eres walked back to the edge of the cliff as she spoke, her sight set upon the tower¡¯s entrance. ¡°Follow close and use as little divinity as possible.¡±


    ---


    The priests of Ishtar patrolled the base of the tower in silent vigilance, none more so than the Honor Guard. The grand open doorway to the tower was guarded by no less than twelve of them, with the rest combing the nearby areas.


    No one was permitted to enter the tower and no one under suspicion was spared mercy, which left the entrance completely deserted, save for the priests.


    A golden masked Honor Guard passed by a small alley way, and two hands emerged from the shadows behind. The moment the hands grabbed the man, he was submerged in silence, and before the next moment passed he was pulled into the dark. And the alley was still once more.


    In a short while after, three Honor Guards calmly appeared in a blur in front of the guards at the entrance who showed unrestrained attention on them.


    ¡°Why have you left you patrols?¡± One guard asked, his attire no different from any other.


    ¡°Some have gone missing.¡± One of the three answered, bluntly and emotionlessly.


    Without warning, the doorkeeper thrust his spear through the chest of the one that responded, as two others lunged towards the two that remained.


    ¡°Do not harm the Sacred Priestess.¡±


    However, as the doorkeeper spoke, the Honor Guard he stabbed grasped his arms with unhindered strength. The shining light of iridescent cracks broke out all over his body, and the same happened to the other two newcomers who lunged recklessly into their opponents.


    Too quickly for the entrance guards to respond, all three mind controlled Honor Guards detonated their spirits in a calamitous explosion that brought half of the others with them in death.


    One of the remaining entrance guards, shattered a crystal in his hand, and the invisibility that cloaked the trio as they rushed towards the entrance shattered with it.


    Banda acted first, before anyone else. He breathed in deep and let loose a pulsing Roar to blast away the rest of the guards, granting the three of them enough time to slip through the shimmering portal of the tower¡¯s door.


    Passing through a gate was a sensation Banda had never felt before. It was like falling into a lake at first whose waters did not wet his body. And then through the sky, where even his instincts could not tell up from down.


    And finally, he found himself back within the world. A mountainous forest, more barren than the one he called his own, beneath a cloudy sky that draped the land in a dim murky light.


    Banda¡¯s focused snapped back to the entrance, where the priests started to swarm out from in increasingly greater numbers. He turned ready for a fight, no matter what Eres had warned, but with her back to the entrance and the pursuing priests, she pulled out a winged amulet that swept them up in a soaring light.


    In the blink of an eye, Banda found himself in a new environment, along with Eres and Montu. A giant cave, with no exit to be seen.


    Its stone walls seemed hardy, its rocky floor bare saved for patches of grass and small plants. But Banda had paid no attention to the cave beyond what his sense first took in, as his focus was on nothing but the creature looming before them.


    A giant creature of dwarf proportions. Its head was a third of its size. Its legs short and as thick of a tree trunks but its even larger arms were long enough to graze the knuckles of its massive fists across the ground from its slightly hunched squat.


    Gray bark-like skin covered the whole of its body, and its hideous face was like a mask of stone, with large square teeth lining the opening of its mouth.


    No sooner did the arrive that the giant flinched. Light swirled into glowing orbs of red light within its hollow eyes that set its sights on the three of them.


    The creature dug the weight of its mighty body into the ground and let out a roar with the crushing weight of its presence that put Banda on edge. And Banda knew this was Humbaba.


    Fire wove around Eres¡¯ hands and surged against the gatekeeper. She poured her effort and ruthlessness with utmost seriousness, burying the thrashing giant in flames until its thrashes died down and its body collapsed into crumbling ash.


    But within moments, the body reformed like pulsing flesh from its mask-like head. The now glossy-skinned gray giant roared again more imposing than before.


    Eres lept behind Banda and relaxed her posture slightly. ¡°Your turn.¡±

 Chapter 6 - Humbaba

    Banda burst towards Humbaba in Feral Form, and the giant whipped its arm at blinding speed, tearing through a chunk of the ground along with the misty vestiges of the savage¡¯s illusion.


    Five slashes ripped deep into Humbaba¡¯s side drawing a cascade of blood. The giant turned and slammed its other fist down on an empty spot, as Banda appeared out of the invisibility as he leapt back. The wound he inflicted already nearly healed.


    ¡°It can use Field! Invisibility is pointless up close.¡± Montu yelled out to him. Banda didn¡¯t know of the power Montu spoke off, but he had already deduced it. Humbaba could sense him.


    Montu raised his open hands to his face as he struck fiercely at the giant¡¯s mind with his own. But his attack did nothing but gain Humbaba¡¯s attention. In the blink of an eye, a giant stony arm destroyed him. His tattered body turned to mist as he appeared out of the veil, sliding back behind Eres.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do more than support.¡± Montu spoke calmly.


    ¡°It¡¯s good enough!¡± Eres blasted Humbaba¡¯s eyes with a fireball to block its sight as she looked to Banda. ¡°Keep its focus on you!¡±


    Banda clawed through the back of its ankle, having already moved before she spoke. He darted away from the retaliation, and vaulted and dashed some more around the giant¡¯s strikes as it thrashed around.


    Humbaba whipped and smashed as Banda ripped and tore. Banda pursued the giant¡¯s death like a callous hunter but no matter how many wounds he inflicted, the giant showed no signs of weakening.


    A half dozen clones of Banda lunged into the fray from all directions. Humbaba directed its hostility on the clones while Banda spared them no more than the slightest glance before he sprinted up the giant¡¯s body towards its head.


    Banda thrust his claws but his strike went only half a hand deep. He vaulted over to the other shoulder as Humbaba¡¯s struck its own head with a deafening slap. Banda rushed around the giant¡¯s shoulders and pierced again and again at its skull as he dodged the volley of blows Humbaba battered itself with.


    Finally the giant flailed to the ground, forcing Banda to dismount. He had only considered it a possibility before, but now he was forced to recognize that Eres was telling the truth. If this creature grew stronger than this twice more, it would be stronger than Monga.


    ¡°Coordinate with the clones again-¡±


    Banda paid her no mind as he shot forward again faster than lightning, and buried his arm through an eye of the giant, deep enough to reach the brain. He ripped out a chunk, and swung around the giant¡¯s strike to pierce its other eye.


    Once, twice, and three times more, he impaled Humbaba¡¯s black eyes faster than they could regenerate. And finally it adapted, using one of its hands to cover them. Just as Banda wanted.


    Without a shred of pause, he attacked the giant¡¯s skull once again. The giant slapped and battered away at him but with only one arm, banda had far more time to strike.


    Twice or even three times with each stop he struck, chipping away enough to stab into the brain. Humbaba healed but Banda damaged faster. Soon its reckless attacks faltered and the giant fell to the ground with a spasm.


    Banda jumped away to a prone crouch in front of Eres, waiting for Humbaba to rise again. Just as before, its fleshed writhed and pulsed as it stood again, it¡¯s bark-like skin hardening to scarlet red stone.


    In an instant, it mauled Banda away. A blur of movement almost too fast for any of them could react to. Blood splattered against as the savage¡¯s body crated the cave wall, and Banda did not get up.


    Eres¡¯ eyes opened wide with shock, almost failing to conjure her Avatar against Humbaba¡¯s second attack. The massive strike cracked her shield, and knocked the Avatar back hard, to Eres¡¯ further disarray. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Her Avatar¡¯s shield was not special because it was more durable than the avatar itself, but because it nullified the effects of impact against its position. And Humbaba¡¯s strike had ignored that.


    ¡°What is this¡­? The difference between the second and third life shouldn¡¯t be this great¡­¡± Eres glanced over to the still unmoving Banda and back to Humbaba.


    Gone was the mindless aggression from before, its glowing eyes now baring traces of intelligent thought. And a strange vile aura had started to seep from his body.


    Montu burst into a crowd of clones that swarmed towards Humbaba. The giant¡¯s emotionless eyes crawled over them, and he struck down on an empty space. Montu appeared behind Eres yet again, his left arm limp and blood trickling down the side of his head.


    ¡°The range of its Field is larger¡­¡± Montu revealed, as concern now showed deeply in his face.


    The situation worsened the more they discovered. Eres did not even spare the time to respond. Her mind too preoccupied with figuring a way overcome this trial. She had but one more hand to play, and Humbaba had two lives remaining. She could kill it as it was now, but that left the last step with grave odds.


    Humbaba stepped forward, and Banda exploded with divinity. Horns grew large with feral regality from his head. His body still bloodied and battered though it mattered not to his violent mind.


    Banda flung himself forward and slammed his fist into the giant¡¯s face, cracking the side of its mask-like head and sending it cratering into the wall of the cave on the other side. Banda charged again but Humbaba was the one to strike this time. A dull gong rang out from the blow and Banda was knocked back only a short distance, revealing the sheer weight of the horned savage.


    Eres looked on in awe at the titanic battle. Banda a rampaging beast and Humbaba a brutal giant, the two pummeling one another with murderous abandon.


    Banda was superior, and only growing stronger. His strikes more damaging and his body so dense he hardly took any any in return. But iridescent fractures on his body were already starting to spread from the strain of his horned form.


    ¡°This is bad¡­¡± Eres thought, more calmly than she expected in such a situation.


    If Banda were focused in this form, he would emerge victorious without question. But if he kept fighting like this then his Spirit would break before Humbaba¡¯s body did.


    The Chains of Heaven could suppress Banda out of his form, but it would leave him helpless against Humbaba.


    The golden-eyed priestess charged forward with an Avatar of War at her back. Baleful aura emanate from the tip of its lance.


    The giant¡¯s sight darted to Eres and Banda took the opening to crack its head into the ground. The avatar thrust at the opportunity, but the giant twisted away and smacked Banda in the air with the back of its hand.


    Humbaba turned its focus to Eres as she circled him with guarded intent. Banda reappeared before the giant¡¯s face faster than expected, but Humbaba spared it only the slightest moment before ignoring the illusion.


    The giant slipped its head past a second thrust of the avatar¡¯s lance and struck at the transparent shield protecting Eres.


    As his fist struck, the black aura of Bane covered the shield. The avatar slid back only a dozen yards as Humbaba withdrew the corroding knuckles of his fist. And Banda fell from above. The savage raised his arms and smashed Humbaba¡¯s skull.


    The sheer cratered the giant into the ground, and nearly broke it¡¯s skull apart. But the giant endured. And before either it or Banda could strike again, Eres¡¯ baleful lance pierced through Humbaba¡¯s wounds, and golden chains locked him in place.


    Eres focused intently and Banda¡¯s horns crumbled like ash. The golden chains vanished the moment consciousness returned to his eyes, and Banda took stock of the sight before his eyes. He dashed over by Eres¡¯ side as Humbaba started to reform again.


    ¡°Plan¡¯s changed.¡± Eres spoke without waste or delay. ¡°I don¡¯t have an easy way to kill Humbaba anymore. We have to break him down with whatever we have until he stays broken.¡±


    Eres steeled herself as Humbaba stood tall for the final time. Four horns fully formed on the crown of its head, its sheer presence made the air around them feel like lead.


    ¡°Use me as I use you.¡±


    Humbaba mauled at Banda again, even more fearsome than before. But this time Banda dodged, wary of the strange strike that made blocking pointless. Even still, he could only barely avoid the strike even with the help of his instincts.


    Humbaba did not strike at him again, but carried his charge to target Eres. And as he struck, a golden aura covered her shield this time, blocking the overwhelming punch clean.


    Divinity surged around Eres and her avatar, golden and bright. It¡¯s presence no lesser than Humbaba¡¯s. A warm and destructive weight. A tyrannical light that allowed no other. A sun within the sky.

 Chapter 7 - The Perilous First Step

    Eres charged forward, as her Avatar¡¯s shield weathered the flurry of mountain destroying strikes that greeted her. Her baleful lance of black and gold pierced partially into Humbaba¡¯s chest, despite its immunity to sharp wounds, despite its immunity to Bane.


    The Avatar pulled the lance out and tried to strike again, but Humbaba slapped it away. The giant struck around Eres¡¯ shield with its other hand, and Banda knocked it off balance with a thunderous punch. Small cracks burst across the side of its face, but they rapidly healed in no time at all.


    Eres rushed past Banda as the giant stumbled. Humbaba had become more skilled in body and thought than ever before. Its movements sharper, it¡¯s strikes more cruelly aimed. But Eres in contrast, and become more inexplicable.


    Her movements and attacks flowed with neither rhyme nor reason. Some strikes she blocked with the avatar¡¯s shield, some she opted to dodge at a hair¡¯s breadth to land a better strike of her own.


    Banda lunged at the openings inbetween, to wound Humbaba or protect her, but Eres continued to fight as though no one else but her resided in this world.


    Her smile grew wider as did the madness in her expression and the ecstasy in her eyes, and her skill grew with it. Iridescent spiritual cracks split over her form, but she paid no mind to the threat to her very existence.


    More and more, she gained supremacy in her battle against the giant, and more and more she wounded him. An ever victorious dance on the boundary between life and death.


    Banda landed on the ground with the two of them in his sight. He wondered why her plan wasn¡¯t to kill Humbaba herself, but if she had said otherwise in spite of this then she must know the chance wasn¡¯t high.


    His memory was hazy after Humbaba landed that strike. It always was after he went into a trance. But if the red giant wasn¡¯t broken by that form, then the normal limits of his might wouldn¡¯t be enough. It was foolish to waste any more strength on wounds that would just heal. He needed to kill the giant in a single strike.


    Banda crouched in his upright stance. The shimmer of Mountain flowed over his body and he delved deeper into his power. His feral body turned more beastial still, his face truly that of a monstrous savage. Divinity surged out from him, as he channeled it all into his fist.


    Humbaba¡¯s focus jolted towards Banda, to the cataclysmic cracking of the Thunder spell swirling around his clenched hand. But the thrust of a lance and the unexpected pummeling of a shield forced him to back to his current foe.


    Eres struck and battered and deflected and blocked and danced with her giant opponent as Banda poured his divinity, struggling to keep the raw power contained within the spell.


    With a burst of desperation, Humbaba broke free of Eres, allowing her lance to pierce its skull on the way. But no paltry wound could tear it from its single minded charge. Banda cracked the stone ground beneath as he leapt in the air towards the charging giant.


    Humbaba raged in response and held back its massive arm for a strike more mighty than he had ever thrown since this fight began. And a lance pierced through the wound still in its skull and out through its left eye.


    Humbaba faltered for a moment, and Eres grinned wide in triumphant bliss, her avatar still in the stance it had thrown its lance from. Humbaba turned its gaze back towards Banda but it was too late. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    The Savage of Cedar Forest slammed down his fist on the giant¡¯s skull with the greatest thunder, fracturing it completely and shattering the fractures. Humbaba¡¯s crown of horns fell in broken fragments and the giant fell with it for the last time.


    Banda landed on his feet, more exhausted from battle than he could remember, and Eres jumped into his embrace. She held his face close to hers, smiling down at him with the purest of madness and joy. Banda found himself once again frozen before her, as though his very body did not want to look away.


    ¡°This is only the beginning~¡±


    Holy light drained down around her in his silent gaze from a large stone gate that opened with the void of space at the roof of the cave, but still her light was supreme. Banda¡¯s eyes darted down as he began slowly floating off the ground towards the light, and saw the same was true for Eres.


    In the midst of his wariness, Eres softly let go of him and pulled out a crystal jar from thin air and raised it high. ¡°And the first step~¡± The tone of her words almost music in the throes of bliss.


    A terrifying storm of divinity surged into the small jar like the currents of violent rivers, and that all powerful might started to wrap itself around Eres. Banda stared in awe at the woman before him, and she stared back with pride. And the terrifying face of Humbaba appeared besides them both with an ominous presence.


    Their focus jolted to the giant in shock. And in that opening, Montu snatched the jar from Eres¡¯ hands. It took her a split second to realize what had just happened, but it was a split second too late. Montu held out the jar, and a river of their divinity surged out from them both into it.


    ¡°I am sorry for the added loss, my lady.¡± Montu spoke calmly behind a diplomatic smile. His severe injuries nowhere to be seen. ¡°But I can¡¯t allow you to chase after me just yet. Even now, I¡¯m not so confident I can defeat you both. You are¡­ after all¡­ guided by fate.¡±


    Eres¡¯ expression swelled with rage and venom, too great for her to even speak a curse. A pain that could only come from the sting of a betrayal of this magnitude. And Banda let out a roar that filled the cave.


    The relief of hard fought victory. The confusing intoxication in someone he didn¡¯t understand. All of it forgotten in the face of his waning power. Banda thrashed his intent, desperately pulling what was his back within him through sheer will.


    ¡°Truly a monster¡­¡± Montu spoke without restraint. ¡°But there¡¯s no point in wasting your effort here.¡±


    The last vestiges of their divinity was pulled from them, and the crystal jar shattered. A pillar of divinity erupted around Montu like a blazing white flame, shrouding him within.


    And in mere moments, the pillar dispersed. The power that dwarfed even Humbaba¡¯s presence now a soft glow around the man that had now advanced into a stage beyond that of a mortal.


    White arms of holy light shot out from the gate in an instant and latched onto Montu who did not resist. The hands pulled him faster towards the gate, as though they rejected his very presence.


    Montu smiled down on Eres as he ascended, his eyes baring modest contempt unlike any look she had ever seen of him. ¡°Best not to act rashly, my lady. You have a long journey ahead.¡±


    Eres grit her teeth but delayed no longer. The winged amulet floated up from around her neck at her will, and the two vanished from the cave, reappearing under the same murky sky they found when they entered the Tower. There she stood, solemn and grim, and a killing intent buried everything around her.


    Immense rage beyond what Banda could bear rampaged within him. Never before had this happened to him. Never had his power been stolen. Never since the days he first opened his eyes had he been so weak.


    ¡°This is your fault!¡± Merciless bloodlust stormed Eres with his words. He could not kill her, for her life was his own. But even so, such was his hatred that he was struggling to restrain himself from trying. ¡°You took me from the forest! Your human stole my power! One you told me to spare!¡±


    Eres looked over at him, weathering the bloodlust as if it didn¡¯t exist. Her own mood was somber and intense, the look in her eyes now jaded with burning resolve. A cold fire that threatened to burn all but herself.


    ¡°Stop whining after a single setback.¡± Eres chided. Her eyes cold and sharp, her expression firm. ¡°The path ahead will bring countless more.¡±


    The two glared in their tense standstill, neither wavering against the other. A mortal beast and a failed queen alone in the middle of an unfamiliar forest.

 Chapter 8 - Journey of a Thousand Miles

    Banda prowled through the murky forest as though the land itself was his enemy. It was a far cry from the one he had called home his entire life.


    The trees were shorter with darker leaves and moss covered bark. The soft black soil their gnarled roots dug into was as wet as the banks of a river, too wet for good footing and the patches of dank grass were too scant to compensate.


    But worst of all was the mist that draped the forest in every direction. It was fairly thin up close, but that thin mist overlapped into thick fog in the distance, preventing Banda from seeing more than several dozen yards ahead. He even felt like his sense of smell was impaired.


    Banda scowled with his feral face as his situation was even worse than he thought. Lost in such a perilous place without his divinity. Every step he took made him more and more aware of how weak he had become, and just how much he had lost. Only his vigilance against the threats of the wild kept his frustrations from overflowing.


    ¡°Hey.¡± Eres spoke up, trailing behind Banda.


    ¡°Be quiet.¡± Banda snapped back, as he kept check on every direction for danger. It was bad enough that he was weak, but now he had to protect her along with himself. Worse yet, this human had no sense for survival, continuing to make too much noise and not hiding her presence.


    ¡°What¡¯s your plan here?¡± The bored tone of Eres¡¯ words matched the look on her face.


    ¡°Find a lair before it gets dark.¡± Banda hoped she would be quiet with that answer.


    ¡°We need to find a town. A human lair.¡± She spoke again.


    ¡°No.¡± Banda vehemently refused. That was far more dangerous than being where they were now.


    Something suddenly caught his senses, and he darted by Eres¡¯ side in a crouching poise, reading to react to whatever came.


    Banda glanced around careful and keenly, and slowly the glow of eyes appeared from the dark of the forest. Large gray wolves stepped out from the trees, circling the two of them completely. Waiting and watching.


    Banda grabbed Eres by the arm and spun her behind him as a giant wolf lunged from their blindside with its jaw opened wide. Banda lowered his body beneath its fangs and lunged with it, burying his clawed hand through its throat until the force of his tackle that slammed into the dire wolf¡¯s chest stopped it in its tracks.


    The beast let out a pitiful, desperate yelp but Banda caught its trashing paw and ripped out his bloody arm as he kicked it away. The giant wolf tried to rise but collapsed as quickly as it tried, the blood that gushed from its neck drenched the soil beneath.


    Without pause, Banda turned to the pack of smaller wolves and let out a roar, more beastial than human. The wolves paused only a moment before they slunk back into the forest as quickly and calmly as they appeared.


    Banda grit his teeth in frustration. ¡°Send me back to my forest.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible right now. I used the last of my amulet power¡¯s to bring us out of Humbaba¡¯s lair.¡± Eres answered calmly.


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the place to stand around arguing. It may be the weakest floor of the tower, but we¡¯ll still die if we stay out here like this.¡± Eres glanced at the forest before turning back to him, her demeanor casual even after th wolf attack. ¡°We need a town.¡±


    ¡°No. Humans are worse.¡± Banda paid her little more attention than that, turning his focus to the motionless dire wolf.


    He opened his mouth wide as his eyes turned white. The wolf¡¯s soul seeped up and then ripped out with ease, flowing straight into the savage¡¯s mouth who swallowed it whole, to the wide-eyed surprised of the former priestess.


    Banda felt for the power he just absorbed and tried to harness it as he had always done but divinity refused to rise within him. Frustration mounted within Banda as he stopped, knowing full well it made no difference whether he tried for a few moments or a few days.


    ¡°That¡¯s a rare ability¡­¡± Eres commented. ¡°But I told you before, didn¡¯t I? We can¡¯t become demigods here.¡±


    ¡°Then what-¡±


    ¡°Cultivation.¡± Eres spoke with some grandeur, the calm look in her eyes that of one who had already made her decision. ¡°Power outside the realm of divinity. The path allowed only to mankind. You¡¯ve fought some before, haven¡¯t you? Monks.¡±


    Banda measured her in silence. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Eres placed a hand on her hip. ¡°I never had the opportunity to learn. I wasn¡¯t planning on becoming one anyway. But plenty of people here will know, and we can find out from them.¡±


    ¡°Too dangerous.¡± Banda asserted yet again. ¡°They¡¯re stronger than monsters.¡±


    ¡°All of the ones you¡¯ve met were high ranked. No one is capable enough to enter Cedar Forest otherwise. Most of the ones on this floor will be even weaker than we are now.¡±


    Banda didn¡¯t respond this time, and Eres caught notice that her words were finally starting to be heard. ¡°This is the only way we can be as strong as we used to.¡±


    ¡°...what does a town look like?¡± Banda relented for the sake of power.


    Eres smiled at the question. ¡°You remember the shanty town outside of the Tower? Many piles of stone and wood packed on top of each other. Behind a thin stone cliff.¡±


    Banda swung up a tree without hesitation, reaching the tip of its heights and peered over the land with careful focus until he found what he was looking for. A human lair.


    ---


    Banda and Eres walked up to the tan-colored stone wall with caution. It was as tall as a tree, and as Banda now realized, was made of many smaller pieces of stone cut into similar shapes and sizes. The whole structure was built over a small cliff that jutted out unevenly over the ground.


    He glanced to his side as they passed through strange land. Large patches of the same small plants covered the surrounding soil, save for small dirt paths in between.


    The fog of the forest didn¡¯t encroach on the large area of land surrounding the town, and sunlight seemed to shine a bit more easily over it, though the sky was still covered with light gray clouds. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    A few humans loitered around atop the wall. To Banda, it didn¡¯t seem as though they were hunting. More like patrolling for enemies, however poorly they did so. Regardless of which it was, he kept a sharp watch on them as they passed through an opening in the wall undisturbed.


    Immediately, a rank stench struck Banda¡¯s nose. A sharp acrid scent that permeated from every corner of this wretched human lair. The forest had its share of foul smells too, though they were mostly suppressed by the rich earthly scent of dirt and plants. But it seemed he would find no such reprieve here.


    Banda did his best to ignore it as he inspected the town. Inside, the buildings were more varied than he expected. Some built with stone, some with wood, and no two were the same.


    It wasn¡¯t as mysterious or impressive as he expect. Even as he was now, Banda was fairly certain he could destroy these paltry human structures with ease. But the atmosphere was strange.


    He glanced back at the wall. It was not formidable, but something about it felt like it kept not just the fog out, but the forest itself.


    ¡°Impressed?¡± Eres asked.


    Banda was not. ¡°Where are the monks?¡±


    ¡°Everyone here, most likely. But monks are not all equal. We need to find a good teacher, preferable one that won¡¯t try to stab us in the back the moment we show it.¡±


    ¡°Find one fast.¡± Banda would not wait any longer than he had to.


    ¡°Now there¡¯s a pretty face.¡± A bearded stranger from across the street spoke loud enough to draw their attention. He was muscular with hair only on the top of his head and the bottom of his jaw.


    He wore better clothes and armor than Banda had seen on the ones on the wall. And down the right side of his face were the distinctive scars left from a mauling beast. The rough leather patch across his eye suggests he lost it from the same injury.


    ¡°Don¡¯t kill anyone just yet.¡± Eres subtly whispered.


    ¡°Definitely haven¡¯t seen you before. I would have remembered.¡± The man had walked too close for Banda¡¯s liking.


    His off kilter jerky mannerisms that just wouldn¡¯t settle, even after he came to a stop, only served to further aggravate his sense for danger. Both hands had come to a rest on the hilt of his sword as naturally as taking a breath, without appearing threatening at all.


    ¡°Is it your job to remember?¡± Eres asked, her expression relaxed but distant. Her focused lingered on his leather eyepatch for a brief instant.


    ¡°You could say that.¡± The man pulled his gaze from Eres to peer at Banda, acutely taking measure of him. The sheer disregard for daring to challenge him so boldly almost made Banda¡¯s limbs tense in preparation, but he managed to just barely suppress it.


    ¡°Where did you come from?¡± The man directed his blunt question back to Eres, along with his odd gaze.


    ¡°Somewhere else.¡±


    The stranger¡¯s face moved oddly ¡°...Why are you here?¡±


    ¡°For reasons of our own.¡±


    The man let out a dull sound, almost a laugh, almost a hum. ¡°This isn¡¯t much of a conversation.¡±


    ¡°We could always make it a fight.¡± Eres¡¯ eyes narrowed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s in your best interest.¡± He leaned in slightly with the advice.


    The tension rose slightly with his words, and the two men behind him responded in kind, shifting their stances to something almost suited for combat. Banda made his presence small and unnoticeable in response, focusing on the neck of the scarred human he deemed most dangerous.


    A pause held the air, for what seemed a lot longer than the several moments it actually was. The man was the one to break his stare, shifting his gaze around with no rhyme nor reason accompanied by awkward facial movements, as he leaned back upright showing no intention to press further.


    ¡°We should speak again sometime.¡± He gave Banda a look and then Eres again as he took a few steps backwards, and turned around on his way.


    Eres waited until they were out of sight before continuing on. Banda lingered a half moment more before following close behind.


    They walked through the street without anything more than odd looks and wary stares before a wooden sign at the front of a building caught Eres¡¯ notice and she walked through the open door.


    Banda walked in after, and all eyes fell on them. Sharp. Hostile. Covetous. Banda¡¯s intent flooded the tavern in an instant, as piercing as fangs and claws. A promise of death from a beast to his challengers. Some of the rugged crowd in the tavern jolted to their feet in fear. Most were unable to move.


    ¡°Banda, stop.¡±


    ¡°They watch us¡­ like prey¡­ They think us weak!¡± Banda¡¯s intent grew heavier, more suffocating.


    It had been so many moons since he had experienced it that it felt almost foreign. He had been king. The weak fled from his path and the strong who challenged him did so with fear in the depths of their hearts before his gaze.


    But ever since he was pulled from his forest and robbed of his power, these humans dared to leer with drooling eyes as if he were food. Prey.


    Banda had tolerated much in this forest of stone for the sake of survival but his restraint was wearing thin. The resentment that had been festering deep within felt as though it would burn through his gut. And he would suppress it no longer.


    ¡°Stop.¡± Eres ordered more firmly this time.


    Banda stood still in place on the verge of snapping, but soon slowly cooled his intensity. His hostility remained though none could sense it behind his guarded eyes. Eres kept her gaze on him for a while before walking up towards the counter with her feral guard trailing behind.


    The customers of the tavern began to slowly sit back down, though the conversation and music had turned to mere hushed whispers amidst the tension, and some started to slip out of the building, trying their best to go unnoticed.


    ¡°...What will you have?¡± The man behind the tavern counter asked. His physique bulky with a bit of weight on it, and his appearance as rugged as his customers, though he seemed a bit firmer and more composed. Eres supposed that was necessary to run an establishment in a place like this.


    ¡°A cultivation teacher. Someone capable and trustworthy.¡±


    The tavern owner was silent for a moment. ¡°Not easy to find someone with both.¡±


    ¡°Surely there must be one or two.¡± Eres pushed.


    ¡°...man named Otto. Spends most of his time in the rundown manor northside. He¡¯s a drunk but he¡¯s capable at least.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Eres left at the same casually pace she entered, and Banda followed, staring at the humans around them. They walked across the street from the tavern and down a narrow alley heading north based on the low sun to their left.


    And stealthily trailing behind were a group of thugs from the tavern with ill intentions. The foremost one watched them round a corner and followed with quiet steps to carefully peer after.


    And a clawed hand pierced through his throat to the back. Banda grabbed the dead man by the neck and held his body out as two arrows sank into its back.


    He spun and hurled the body at an armored woman on the other side, cracking her head against a stone building, and in the same motion lunged for the archer. The man scarcely had time to even raise his bow before Banda tore out half his throat.


    One by one he targeted the rest wherever an opening form. Maiming. Ripping. Impaling. They tried to flee but Banda wouldn¡¯t let them. It was not a fight, but a slaughter.


    The last one found his trembling legs unable to run out of sheer terror and slashed his sword down in desperation. Banda grabbed his hand and broke it in his grip as the other seized his head.


    The man screamed in agony as Banda clenched down. His skull cracked and dented for a mere moment before giving in to the force, and shattered to a gory pulp in the savage¡¯s hand. But still, the rage swelled within him.


    ¡°I eat when I want! I hunt when I want! Only I am not prey! Only me!¡± Banda roared among the corpses slain without respect. Humbaba aside, the Gates of Heaven aside, he vowed he would make all within this tower lower their gaze and tremble again, like he had known before.


    Eres watched coldly from the side. Banda¡¯s savage nature had been a source of amusement and benefit to her, but this is the first time he has shown the true nature of a beast.


    These kills were not clean nor efficient, but done with contempt and cruelty. His fixation on this status of predator and prey was greater than she thought.


    She had planned to take her time in this hostile town but it seemed Banda¡¯s patience had worn far too thin. They needed to learn how to cultivate quickly, before his violent tendencies brought trouble they could not overcome.


    ¡°We should find this teacher before we lose the sun.¡± Eres spoke up calmly and carefully, assessing his response.


    Banda remained where he was for a few moments, before lashing the blood off his hands and walking over in silence. Eres turned to lead the way, and he followed with feral eyes.

 Chapter 9 - Cultivation

    ¡°What kind of herbs?¡± The elderly woman asked in a loud raspy voice. She wore thick brown and green robes and reeked of pungent herbs. The same herbs mashed into paste and potions lining the shelves of her small wooden store.


    ¡°A teacher. Not herbs. For cultivation.¡± Eres said for the second time.


    ¡°Ah¡­ There¡¯s one. Nice young woman. Keeps to herself. Expensive, but she¡¯ll show the the ropes. No, wait. She died¡­¡± The old herbalist sunk back to her thoughts and Eres wondered whether it was worth sticking around to hear the answer. ¡°There¡¯s that one boy. Odo, or something. Lazy drunk. But I hear he gives lessons up by that north manor.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Banda insisted. Eres paused for a moment in cold thought but taking note of his attitude, decided to not linger.


    ¡°Wait! Buy something.¡± The old woman called out.


    ¡°Another time.¡± Eres answered.


    ¡°Everyone wishes they had a potion when it¡¯s too late.¡± The alchemist called out but the door had already shut behind the duo.


    It took them hardly any time at all to reach the increasingly famous north manor. The town certainly didn¡¯t compensate for its dilapidated state in size. Even accounting for its crowded sprawl of peasant houses, it could likely only fit a populace of 10,000.


    As they finally came across their destination, Eres found the manor equally as unimpressive. Half an acre in size at most, courtyard included. The estate walls, built for vanity rather than protection, were mostly demolished and the modest manor itself was half a ruin.


    With no sign of a guard, she walked through the open gateway of the walls and over the cracked stone path. Lying on the stone steps of the broken building was a man with hands resting behind his head.


    The wide brimmed reed hat of a farmer shielded his face from what little of the sun shined down through the clouded sky. A tall clay jar of wine sat next to a pillar of the manor within reach, and resting on that same pillar were two sheathed swords in broad scabbards.


    ¡°Otto, I presume?¡± Eres asked as they walked close, stopping at a distance reasonable enough not to warrant hostilities.


    ¡°Depends on who¡¯s asking.¡± The man spoke through his reed hat.


    ¡°We want to learn how to cultivate.¡±


    Otto remained still for a bit, then he raises his hat to look at them. His expression casual, though his sight rested on Banda a split second longer than Eres. ¡°10 shards each.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have money.¡±


    ¡°Then come back when you do.¡± Otto let his hat fall back as he returned to his laze.


    Banda started to open his mouth but Eres spoke before he could. ¡°We can¡¯t wait.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s double if you pay me after.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll pay.¡±


    Otto rose sluggishly with a sigh and places his hat on the jar of wine. The man was fairly young. Late into his twenties or early into his thirties at most. He had pitch black hair down to his shoulders and a thin scruffy beard. Thick cloth and leather garb donned his body though there was nothing remarkable about it.


    ¡°Turn around, sit on the floor next to each other in a way you can maintain for a hour or so.¡± He told them carelessly, as though he didn¡¯t care whether they did it or not.


    Eres sat down first, in a graceful cross-legged posture. Banda was slower to move and simply crouched down. Sitting the way Eres did was too vulnerable.


    ¡°First thing you need to learn is Meditation. How to cycle the mana around you into aura. You won¡¯t get it on your own, so I have to do it for you the first time.¡± Otto placed his hands on their backs, just between the shoulder blades.


    An act heretical to the very nature of Banda¡¯s life but he allowed the exposure to such risk only because it was necessary.


    ¡°Let the mana enter you first.¡± Otto continued his lesson, ignorant of the conflict within Banda.


    A warmth began at Otto¡¯s hand and seeped through his back to the center of his of his gut, and a warmth of his own sprouted within Banda, like the barely smoldering embers of a fire. It felt similar to divinity, though far weaker.


    ¡°Image pulling the air around you into your center, just above the navel.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Invigorating air seemed to flow into the embers, growing the pleasant fire within and filling his whole body with energy. Banda focused on the sensation and drew in the air faster, as though drawing a deep long breath. Though soon the mana he had plundered felt stagnant and bloated within him uncomfortably.


    ¡°Stir the mana like I do, as the sun rises from your left and sets on your right, and rises from the left again.¡±


    Banda did as instructed. The mana within him moved sluggishly at first as he strained his focus against it, but with each passing moment, it grew easier and faster. As Banda spun his mana around and around, he felt more control over it and more able to draw in even greater amounts.


    ¡°Now pull the mana along the path I guide through the body.¡± Otto spoke as soon as Banda felt full with mana again. ¡°Most of the work here needs to be done by you. Don¡¯t slack off.¡±


    Banda felt a stream branch off from the rotating mana in his center, up towards his right shoulder. Like blood flowing through a vein he could sense clearly. It was slow and hindered, though it flowing faster once Banda pushed it along the guided path.


    Up to his shoulder, down and back his right arm. Down his right side and leg to his foot and back up to his waist. Then down and up his other leg and the same again for his left arm. Then up through his head and finally down back to his center.


    At each change of direction, there was a point where it felt more difficult to push the mana, twelve in total. Banda focused on the stirring mana and found it had decreased. And he felt that the mana missing had remained within his flesh. It was like rivers flowing from lake to lake, and the water dampening the soil of the banks, remaining in the ground around it after the stream passed by.


    ¡°That¡¯s one cycle.¡± Otto explained. ¡°Keep going until the mana you drew in disperses. Try and cycle it on your own now.¡±


    The two sat motionless in concentration for another half hour until finally they could hold on to the cluster of mana no longer. Try as he might, Banda was forced to let go, and the spiralling mana within fled back out into the world in an instant.


    He had stolen much of it for himself, but still less than he had hoped. Far less in truth, but he could feel the small increase in the might of his body, and the slight increase of mana within him.


    ¡°Natural talents.¡± Otto praised.


    ¡°What you we do now?¡± Eres asked.


    ¡°This is the first stage of Rank 1, Spirit Tempering. Nothing much to it. Just keep cycling mana like this every day to strengthen your body, mind, and soul until it won¡¯t strengthen anymore. Your Aura capacity will increase too. Ah, but there is something else. While you were meditating, I had time to plant a Soul Seed in you two.¡±


    The atmosphere fell fell ominous and heavy at his casual words. A frenzy flared with Banda¡¯s mind, but he remained perfectly still. The hand on his back now felt like the paw of a giant beast.


    He couldn¡¯t move, not when Otto¡¯s maw was around his neck. Not when death was certain. Eres showed more grim panic on her face but looked over at Banda with just her eyes to glean his actions. As he remained still, so did she force herself to do the same.


    ¡°Oh? Sharper than the average scum in this town.¡± Otto praised them both at a glance. Gone was his laidback and irresponsible nature, replaced with an amused tyranny. ¡°I expected this from you, boy, but the noble girl, too? You must have had a hard life. But not hard enough if you made so much noise in a new place as soon as you arrived. You need to be more careful than that.¡±


    The moment Otto took his hands off as he stepped back, Banda spun away like beast, clawed fingers pressed to the ground for a fight to the death. Eres darted over right after and took a stance, but Otto didn¡¯t react in the slightest.


    ¡°And right after I praised you¡­¡± Aura enveloped Otto¡¯s hand and the duo were stricken with a terrible pain.


    Banda clutched his chest as he writhed on the ground. The agony that seared through his entire being was overwhelming but far worse than the pain, was that he couldn¡¯t tell where it came from. And he couldn¡¯t even begin to think of how to remove it.


    Otto disperse the aura of his art and the pain subsided. ¡°If I kept going for a bit longer, it would have destroyed your souls. Don¡¯t worry about payment for the lessons. A small favor for my newest workers. But there is the matter of the fee for my protection.¡± He sat back down on the stone steps with a smile on his face.


    Otto held up a single finger. ¡°100 shards, every ten days. From each of you. There¡¯s only a week left until the next collection, so you should hurry.¡± He waited with amusement at the two young heroes who did not dare to move.


    ¡°You¡¯re losing the light.¡±


    Eres was the first to make a move, carefully backing away and signaling little more than her intent for Banda to do the same.


    Banda held where he was, glaring at human who now held the mysterious means to threaten his life, though his expression now held a trace of reason and realization among the hostility. And he too backed away, until both he and Eres exited the courtyard and bounded away.


    Otto stared at the end of the courtyard in silent thought, and then towards his hand.


    ¡°You were more lenient with them than normal.¡± A woman in a silk gown unfit for combat spoke as she walked out from the manor. ¡°Is there something special about them?¡±


    She had light brown skin and long luscious dark brown hair. Most of her body was covered with hard green scales, as were her shoulders and the sides of her arms and legs.


    A thin silk veil covered the lower half of her face. Her eyes were a yellowish-green with vertical slit pupils, and tinged with obvious jealousy.


    Otto smiled as he pulled her into his embrace. ¡°They may be useful.¡± As he flirted with her behind attentive eyes, his thoughts were only on the duo.


    The girl, who he guessed was some young noble lady, had strange aura that almost rejected his own, despite her not even being a hero. And for a moment, standing behind his fellow tribe bastard felt like standing before a beast in the dark he could not see.


    The glean of a predator who had not eaten in a while started to rise in Otto¡¯s eyes, but he quickly suppressed it. His amusement was a pale second to power, always. And it was not yet time to harvest the seeds he had sown.


    ¡°This dull floor might finally show me something good.¡± Otto thought, as faint azure wisps flowed from the rest of the world into his clay wine jar.

 Chapter 10 - Dream Vision

    Eres barged through the door of the apothecary to the jolt of the elderly herbalist. ¡°You set us up.¡± She accused. Banda took notice of the uncharacteristic indignation in her expression.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The woman spoke clearly now, with no hint of the senility from before, nor of shame or fear towards them. ¡°If you¡¯re smart, you¡¯ll do the same. Life is as cheap as grass on the first floor.¡±


    Banda lunged but his hand was blocked by a dense wall of aura.


    ¡°Otto punishes those who reduce his income!¡± The herbalist yelled in fright, startled by the speed Banda had moved. ¡°You should not try that again.¡±


    ¡°Who is he?¡± Eres demanded.


    ¡°The lord of this slum some fools call a town.¡± The herbalist spat.


    ¡°And he stands alone? No one else challenges him?¡± Eres snapped back, her composure starting to drop.


    The alchemist laughed in mockery. ¡°He is a peak rank 2 monk. All who dared are dead. Only the gods know why he remains on this barren floor, but that is our burden to bare. And now it¡¯s yours too.¡±


    The herbalist¡¯s mocking laughter filled the room and Eres turned to leave, as she saw she would get no more information. The moment she stepped outside, her attitude returned to normal.


    ¡°You changed to trick her.¡± Banda deduced.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. This is a dangerous place. Better for us not to move stupidly.¡± That last comment was directed to Banda, and it did grate on him, but this time he didn¡¯t talk back. It was true that he had been too much of a rush to regain his power, and that had led them into the jaws of another.


    His renewed composure did not escape Eres¡¯ notice. ¡°What, have you finally accepted the situation?¡±


    ¡°What next?¡± Banda had his own plans but human society was too unfamiliar to him. He wasn¡¯t going to take anymore chances.


    Eres seemed like she had more to say but decided to let the matter be. ¡°There¡¯s nothing we can do right now. But we don¡¯t necessarily have to fight him. We just need to find a way to remove these Soul Seeds. Until then, we get stronger. Pay his quota to buy time and find out more about him and this town. We¡¯ll be here for a while.¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d be angrier.¡± Banda had not expected her nonchalant acceptance of their dire situation.


    ¡°...It¡¯s just another setback.¡± Eres looked straight ahead as they walked. ¡°I told you before. Something like this would¡¯ve happened sooner or later. Though it would have been later if you listened more to me.¡±


    Banda didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°What, feeling guilty?¡± Eres asked with a teasing tone. She glanced to the side at an abandoned shack with a roof that didn¡¯t seem too damaged. ¡°This is good enough.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s still enough daylight to hunt.¡± Banda pointed out.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve slept. We can hunt all day tomorrow when I¡¯m rested. Unless you want to rush into things again?¡± She took note of Banda¡¯s conflicted silence with a smile, as she found an acceptable part of the wall to sit against. ¡°You can take first watch. Be a good guard dog and consider everyone an enemy.¡±


    Banda snubbed her words. He already considered humans enemies. They were more sly and treacherous than beasts and the short time he¡¯d spent in one of their lairs had only convinced him of that further. Though he kept silent as more important things were on his mind.


    The encounter with Otto had reminded him what it was truly like during his early days in the forest, when there were those stronger than him. The fear. The desperation. And the patience.


    A part of him was finally coming to terms with the fact that he lost his power, and how he needed to move to regain it. He had risen to the top once before, and he would do so again in this forest of humans. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ---


    Amidst a sea of black, two heavenly lights swirled into the shape of a man and woman. The two embraced in a dance of loving adoration, melding into one and separating once more.


    The woman pulled from her heart a golden flame and gave it all to the man, whose form now shone with its same glory. Brighter and brighter and brighter.


    Eres awoke from her dream with a frown. A new vision had finally been bestowed upon her, one doubtlessly for attempting to defy fate with the failed theft of Ishtar¡¯s divinity. The Retribution she had been anticipating ever since.


    The two beings were herself and Banda, without question. The interpretation was simple, as was the temporary solution. The worst would not manifest so long as she did not lie with him, but that was as at its core, merely delaying the inevitable. Eventually, fate would force her hand.


    The crux of the prophecy was the issue. She was to hand him golden fire. A metaphor for divinity or enlightenment or perhaps power. Or more characteristic of fate¡¯s cruelty, her power. She needed to find a way to satisfy the prophecy without losing what was hers.


    Eres glanced over at her meditating champion. ¡°Do you have any runts back in Cedar Forest? Some monsters do look quite human. Unless you¡¯ve been there so long you prefer beasts?¡±


    Banda didn¡¯t know what she was talking about, so he ignored her.


    ¡°A mate.¡± Eres clarified in the simplest of terms.


    ¡°No.¡± Banda gave the simplest of answers.


    ¡°None of the humans that ventured in ever caught your eye? There had to have been at least one.¡±


    ¡°I am not human.¡± Banda corrected her for the second time. ¡°I am the only one of my kind.¡±


    ¡°Capable and convenient.¡± Eres spoke with a trace of relief. If he had no such drives, she would not be the one to instill them. ¡°Be sure to stay that way.¡±


    ¡°What do we do now?¡± Banda changed the subject to something more productive and something that would irritate him less.


    ¡°We have three main goals. Gain power through cultivation. Search for a method to remove these soul seeds. And acquire shards so Otto doesn¡¯t kill us in the process. With that said¡­¡± Eres shifted her attitude into one more serious, as she started to walk off. ¡°We should get stated on the latter.¡±


    ---


    Banda knocked a seedy looking man into a wall. As a resident of this first floor slum town, he was no doubt guilty of much, though the only failing that led him to his current predicament now was that he had crossed the path of an ambitious duo.


    ¡°Tell me everything you know about Otto.¡± Eres asked sternly.


    ¡°He¡¯s a peak rank 2 monk.¡± The man stammered, his face covered in new bruises.


    ¡°If that¡¯s all you have, you¡¯re useless to me.¡± She gestured and Banda stepped forward.


    ¡°Wait, wait! He¡¯s a warrior, uses two scimitars. Has this high grade art, Crimson Edge. Makes his blades hot enough to cut through anything.¡±


    ¡°And the Soul Seed art?¡± Eres¡¯ cold intensity did not lower in the slightest. The man hesitated and Eres saw the mark of a someone swallowing information.


    ¡°Tear off his arm.¡±


    ¡°A-Alright! Shit¡­ It puts something in your soul that he can use to destroy it. That¡¯s all I know about how it works. But, he¡¯s not a shaman. It doesn¡¯t work well enough on other rank 2s, they can just remove it. None of the other slumlords have it¡­ They answer to him, pay tribute to keep their territory because he has more underlings than anyone.¡±


    This was new information to Eres, one she considered a welcome surprise. ¡°Tell me all the stages of rank 1.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I¡¯m still at Spirit Tempering.¡±


    ¡°Where can we get martial arts?¡± Eres asked her second priority.


    ¡°The Bazaar. In the town square.¡±


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s all.¡± Banda snapped the man¡¯s neck at her signal, and he fell before he even realized he was dead. ¡°Cleaner death than I expected.¡±


    ¡°Blood draws others.¡± Banda explained this simple knowledge.


    ¡°Hmm~¡±


    ¡°...what?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s reassuring to have such a capable champion.¡±


    ¡°He was weak¡­¡± Banda didn¡¯t know why they needed to bother with someone who would never be a threat.


    ¡°And he could talk. A very troublesome combination.¡± Eres eyes narrowed. ¡°Since there¡¯s no way of knowing who is or isn¡¯t, we should assume everyone is under Otto¡¯s control. But on the bright side, this is a promising day. No need to take a risk with someone else, we just need to reach rank 2.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s best to keep learning from Otto.¡± Eres noticed his disapproving stare. ¡°He¡¯ll know what stage we are anyway. Trying to hide it will only make things worse. I don¡¯t know much about cultivation but I know there are three stages of each rank. We get the next two stages of rank 1 from Otto, then we find out how to advance on our own.¡±


    ¡°But for now¡­¡± Eres continues as she walked up to the corpse and rummaged through its belongings. ¡°We need martial arts. There¡¯s only so far we can get with raw strength alone.¡±


    ¡°I was the strongest in the forest.¡± Banda reminded.


    ¡°You had divine spells.¡± Her expression changed as she found what she¡¯s looking for. She held up a small dimly glowing light-blue crystal from the leather pouch. ¡°We have some work to do before the bazaar.¡±

 Chapter 11 - Human Tricks

    The duo headed to the center of town after a productive day of hunting humans for their shards. Eres had been selective about her targets. Not too weak that their time would be wasted, and not too strong that their absence would be missed.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we keep hunting humans?¡± Banda asked. It was beneficial to them after all, or so he was told. And it was easy.


    ¡°That old herbalist told us, didn¡¯t she? Otto doesn¡¯t like his income being disrupted.¡± Eres walked with her gaze set forward, sparring barely a glance on but a few they passed by. ¡°It won¡¯t be a problem this one time, but if we keep doing it, he¡¯ll see as a burdens.¡±


    As they spoke, the two walked into a large open area bustling with activity. A crowded stone-paved space half an acre large, centered around a dusty foundation covered in weeds.


    The bazaar gave off quite a different atmosphere than the largely sullen and depressing alleys they had spent most of their time in thus far.


    Peddlers lined the outskirts of the square and the dry foundation in the center. Some had wooden stalls draped with cloth to shield the murky orange light of the sun. Others simply sat on the ground with a few items spread out on cheap cloth. All sold their wares to the several hundred hardened residents walking around, the buzz of arguments and haggling filled the air.


    Eres glanced around as she walked with purpose. Only a few moments passed before she turned towards a middle aged man sat on the ground behind a few dozen thin books arranged neatly on a sheet of white cloth.


    He was short, with a lazy eye and missing more than a few teeth. He wore dirty cheap cloth, and bore the weathered look of someone who had spent too long in place like this.


    ¡°How do martial arts books work?¡± Eres asked.


    The peddler glanced up in silence at them for a moment, his expression unchanged. ¡°Put your aura intah one. Puts the circle in your mind.¡± He tapped the side of his head once with his finger.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite convenient.¡± She commented.


    ¡°Have to keep drawing it everyday, or ya¡¯ll lose it. Takes a while to master, too.¡± The man continued.


    ¡°What kinds of arts do you have?¡± Eres asked.


    ¡°All kinds. Only low grade. Name¡¯s on the cover.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Eres glanced over them. [ Stoneskin ]. [ Glare ]. [ Earth Spike ]. The man certainly seemed to have a range of arts, though none in particular appealed to her. She settled on one that would do for now and reached for it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch ¡®till you buy.¡± The peddler spoke up. ¡°Rules. Use the books here, then leave.¡±


    Eres registered the norms and customs of the bazaar without offense and turned to Banda ¡°Which one do you¡­ Ah, can you read?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Banda didn¡¯t know what ''read'' meant.


    ¡°If you could have any of your spells right now, which would you want the most?¡± Eres asked.


    ¡°Mountain.¡±


    ¡°Something that reinforces the body, soul and mind.¡± Eres told the peddler.


    ¡°Nothin¡¯ like that.¡± The peddler responded. ¡°Only low grade.¡±


    ¡°...then Sharp Claw.¡± Banda settled for his second choice.


    ¡°Beast Claw and Palm Blast.¡± Eres told the peddler.


    ¡°120 Shards.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot¡­¡± Eres commented.


    ¡°120 Shards.¡± The book peddler repeated.


    Eres paused a moment then handed over a worn leather pouch containing nearly all they had gained before they came to the bazaar. The peddler glanced in as he opened the pouch and stuck his hand in.


    A green glow enveloped his hand and spread to the shards. The majority of the small fragments melded together into a darker blue crystal, far too small for the mass of shards that made it.


    The peddler jostled the pouch of the remaining 20 shards and pocketed them all, handing over the two martial arts books in return.


    ¡°How did you do that?¡± Eres asked with interest, as she took the books, handing Beast Claw to Banda.


    ¡°Put your aura into Shards. They¡¯ll make a Mana Crystal on their own. Hundred Shards to a Crystal. Can¡¯t undo it.¡± He answered plainly. ¡°Use the books.¡±


    Banda glanced at Eres as she gathered her aura to focus it into the pile of strange leaves she had just obtained, and did the same.


    A strange sensation filled him immediately, as though someone had imparted wisdom on him without speaking. His consciousness was made to focus on a dark sea he could tell instinctively was his mind.


    A white light started to carve itself on the surface of the sea. The lines twisted and swirled and jotted, leaving behind a glowing white trail that soon became an intricate pattern within a circle. A pattern more complex and mysterious than anything he¡¯d ever seen.


    The moment it was complete, Banda understood what the circle could do and how it worked. Without hesitation, he channeled aura into the circle. It was slow and clumsy at first, but soon the circle shone brightly.


    Banda flexed his hands as the muscles and tendons tightened with strength. His nails grew twice as long in sporadic and difficult bursts, and gleaned with a mystical sharpness. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Banda opened his eyes and glanced at his transformed hand. It was more straining than the Sharp Claw he had become accustomed to all these years, and he could tell it was not as good.


    He still didn¡¯t understand how he understood this ¡®martial art¡¯, but he did. And he could feel his aura slowly draining as he used it.


    He stopped pushing his aura into the circle within his mind, and his hands returned to normal. Eres walked off without using her art and Banda followed.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t work?¡± Banda asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the type of art I can test in a crowd.¡± Eres answered.


    ¡°...It wasn¡¯t hard to get those Shards.¡± Banda spoke again, harkening back to Eres¡¯ response to the price of their arts.


    ¡°I was lying.¡± Eres said bluntly. ¡°If everyone knows we have a lot of shards, they¡¯ll try to rob us.¡±


    ¡°We kill them.¡± Banda offered an easy solution.


    ¡°That wastes time and aura better spent elsewhere. This is only the first floor, we should try not to stay too long.¡± Eres led them out of the wall¡¯s open gate and towards the murky forest once more. She looked at Banda with a smile. ¡°You take the lead for this part.¡±


    ---


    A giant scorpion scurried out from the dark trees towards Banda with hissing clicks. Banda hopped from side to side out of the reach of its large pincers. He feinted forward and lurched his upper body to the side, dodging the blurring strike of its stinger.


    That was the true main weapon of a scorpion, as Banda well knew. It struck fast and stretched further than what seemed possible.


    The shelled segments of its tail were bonded together by a dark sinewy flesh that couldn¡¯t be seen in its resting state. A deceptive design of the monster.


    Banda gripped its tail just below the stinger, and whipped its body against a tree to shatter its hard carapace. The giant scorpion squirmed and twitched but Banda turned his focus away, knowing that was nothing more than the death throes of a creature who would not rise again.


    A short distance away, Eres faced off another scorpion. She wielded a sword in her right hand and a simple round shield on her left, different from the ones she had used to fight against him. Far worse in quality.


    The stinger pierced out and she turned her shield, letting the sharp long stinger scrap by harmlessly as she cut through the vulnerable sinew with a single swing.


    Eres switched the grip of her shield to hold it by the edge, baiting the frantic scorpion to grab hold with both pincers. The moment it did, she slide her sword inbetween its brow straight into its brain.


    Two more giant scorpions scurried out towards her. Her shield vanished into the air as she gathered a violent swirl of aura in her palm. She thrust her hand out and the aura exploded, blasting the scorpions away with concussive force and shattering small chunks off the creatures.


    ¡°Any more?¡± Eres asked.


    ¡°No.¡±


    She walked over to one of the three monsters she just killed and used her sword to pry open the shelled segments of its torso. Banda did the same for his, though he more simply ripped them away and pulled out a rough dark red stone from the corpse.


    Banda had seen them before many times but had no use for them in the past. Only on this very day had he learned what they were. The core of a monster, the source by which mana flowed through them.


    He infused his aura in and the red stone crumbled away in fragments, leaving behind a single small blue shard. These so called ¡®low-grade¡¯ weak Rank 1 monsters gave only one shard each, meaning they had five more days to kill 200 of them. More than enough time. Banda could easily gather twice as many Shards by himself.


    ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day.¡± Eres spoke casually, then noticed Banda¡¯s annoyed expression. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look. My base strength is that of a normal human without my priesthood. And most of us don¡¯t have a costless enhancement ability. Palm Blast seems decent enough, but it takes too much of my aura. 7 or 8 is probably my limit.¡±


    ¡°Use your avatar.¡± Banda interrupted as she started to ramble off.


    ¡°That costs half of my mana. Or I suppose it¡¯s aura now. Even I conjured a single arm, it would still cost a tenth. Plus it wouldn¡¯t be good if anyone saw it. Not something I can use carelessly.¡± Eres¡¯ sword disappeared as she talked.


    ¡°How do you do that?¡± Banda asked a question that had been on his mind for a while now.


    ¡°A spatial ring.¡± Eres held out her left hand to show a silver ring on her finger. ¡°It can store a great many things within it. It wouldn¡¯t be good if anyone found out about this either.¡±


    ¡°I thought about this when we fought, but you really don¡¯t use any weapons, huh? Not even a crude club?¡± Eres changed the topic to something she was interested in.


    ¡°Things break. Or get lost. Or taken. I only trust myself.¡± Banda only had faith in his own body in a fight. Mere things would surely let him down as they had done in the past.


    ¡°Well, we agree on that at least.¡±


    ¡°You use weapons.¡± Banda pointed out.


    ¡°Nothing I¡¯m attached to.¡± Eres walked off in the direction of the town. ¡°We should try hunting somewhere else tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Banda agreed. The monsters near the town were weak. If Shards gave them strength, then he would hunt as much as he could.


    ---


    Banda sat in meditation in the broken down shack they¡¯d claimed as their home. Mana cycled through his body as deeply and precisely as he could manage, converting into strength and aura that was his own.


    The two of them took turns meditation. His senses and instincts worked just fine in meditation, but it required his full focus. Something that could dull his response to danger, which meant he was more vulnerable. That fact still bothered him, but Banda was not about to delay his pursuit of power for that small risk alone.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d put so much effort into this right away. Or sit still.¡± Eres said as she watched him.


    ¡°It makes me stronger.¡± Banda opened his eyes as his grip on the world¡¯s mana dispersed with his limits.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you think in the long term about your power. Cultivation is different from divinity. We can only reach our full potential by making our foundations as deep and firm as possible.¡±


    ¡°Did the lying human teach you that?¡± Banda asked without a shred of tact.


    Eres¡¯ expression flattened slightly in response, the look in her eyes as she glanced down became colder and more complicated. ¡°...Montu was my guardian since I was young. Maybe the closest thing I had to a father, but I don¡¯t really know what that¡¯s like. He was to be my Sukkal for all of my journey in Eden and beyond.¡±


    Eres looked straight at Banda with a serious expression. ¡°Betrayal is common on a path like ours. You should get used to expecting it. The only ones we can trust are each other.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust you.¡± Banda declared, which made her laugh for some reason.


    ¡°...What do you want in this life, Wild?¡± Eres asked with a sense of intimacy.


    ¡°Survive.¡±


    ¡°To do what?¡±


    ¡°Live.¡±


    ¡°So boring¡­¡± Eres seemed a little disappointed with his answers, and seemed to want to convince him otherwise. ¡°Life is more than just living, you know.¡±


    Annoyance boiled within the pit of Banda¡¯s stomach. She took something as unpromised as survival so lightly. ¡°You are greedy. Fat beasts get slower, make mistakes. They don¡¯t last long.¡±


    ¡°Savage wisdom is so profound¡­¡± Eres smiled in partial mockery at his insulting warning, and closed her eyes against the building wall. ¡°Guard the door properly then, lean beast.¡±


    With the former priestess selfishly settling down to sleep, Banda turned his focus to the surroundings just outside the house, as he would have done whether she asked or not.


    The silent moments dragged by and he found himself glancing up through the holes in the roof at the sky above, only realizing just now that it had been a while since the last time he had.

 Chapter 12 - Races of Mankind

    Eres stood with Banda in the courtyard of the north manor under the warm light of the morning. Among them was a crowd of a few hundred. Fellow thralls, Eres assumed, bonded in servitude under the threat of a Soul Seed.


    She glanced ahead, noting a few dozen people separate from them who faced off against the rest. They were better equipped on average, with a bolder presence and prouder expressions.


    Likely servants themselves, though something more akin to an elite guard, Eres guessed. Perhaps they received additional privileges and less dangerous work to be the swords Otto wielded to keep his embittered underlings in line.


    Eres glanced around the crowd again, and her estimation of Otto rose. It was a great risk to gather so many who certainly wanted him dead all at once like this, but conversely, it was also a show of power.


    The people enthralled to him would regularly see the might he wielded and the others just like them he easily kept under his thumb. And their hesitation would rise.


    If they were all unified in some way, as a clan or sect, an organization of some kind they could put above themselves, perhaps they could band together and bring down Otto with some sacrifices. But such as thing was not possible for this individualistic rabble.


    No one in this cutthroat crowd would throw their life away for the others. No one would make a move against Otto, because the first ones to do so would surely be the first to die. And their hesitation would only rise further. Truly, he seemed as bold as he was cunning.


    Otto lazily emerged from the manor, with the veil woman following close behind, and quickly the elite guards at the front started to direct the crowd to step up and hand Otto their tribute. The woman and her unique physical features caught Eres¡¯ eye, though she was not too surprised.


    ¡°Hey, beautiful.¡± An unfamiliar voice pulled Eres¡¯ attention to the side. A handsome warrior in relatively impressive leather armor walked towards her with a cocky expression. ¡°How about you lose the savage and join my party?¡±


    ¡°Rut yourself elsewhere, you dog.¡± Eres¡¯ sharp tongue stabbed him without hesitation, her demeanor one of utter contempt.


    Jeers and mocking laughter from the crowd nearby followed at the man¡¯s expense. His arrogance was quickly displaced by resentment towards being rejected so disrespectfully. But before he could act, Eres walked calmly off towards the the front of the crowd, having felt no need to waste time on such a pointless conflict.


    They pushed their way to the front, and the guards let them go next, showing no sign of caring what order the crowd took. The duo walked towards the smiling Otto until a pair of guards held out their weapons to halt their path ten yards away from the leader.


    Another held out an empty hand and Eres pulled two blue Mana Crystals from a leather pouch on her waist and gave it to him. The guard inspected the stones for a moment before walking over to hand them to Otto.


    ¡°I knew you had it in you.¡± Otto commented as he pocketed it. And unceremoniously shooed them off with a nudge of his head.


    Eres left without delay. It seemed Otto didn¡¯t have the luxury of spending too much focus on them, fortunately. With their obligation settled for the next ten days, Eres led Banda from the courtyard to continue their other objectives.


    ---


    ¡°Hey.¡± Eres lightly slapped the listless beggar a few times to bring his senses more alert, though she was close to losing her patience. ¡°Tell me what you know about the rank 2 slumlords here or you get nothing.¡±


    She had been trying to gain information from these street beggars for a quarter of an hour now with little to show for it. As far as she was concerned, they were less likely to be working for Otto than any storekeeper or random hunter, which meant it was safer to ask things of them.


    However they were far more useless and unresponsive than she expected. Eres would never claim to be an altruistic person, but she did consider herself a fairly neutral person.


    And yet she couldn¡¯t help but feel disdain boiling up towards this flock of weak-willed trash that would give up so completely rather than keep fighting despite the odds.


    The ragged man mumbled out quiet incomprehensible words and Eres took her leave to find the next one. If there was any consolation, the inept state of them boded well for her second aim.


    She wanted to test how deep Otto¡¯s influence ran. Whether he went as far as to plant eyes and ears in corners of the slum town as deep as this. It was after all, what she would do in a similar position.


    An old man talking to himself caught her eye and she veered towards him. Crazy was hardly a reliable source of information, but at least this one seemed lively enough to talk. Such was the pitiful state of her options.


    ¡°What can you tell me about the slumlords?¡± Eres asked bluntly.


    ¡°Terrible folk. Terrible.¡± The beggar spoke before he looked to see who he was speaking to. ¡°Best stay away from trouble.¡±


    ¡°Are there any other rank 2 monks besides them?¡±


    ¡°No. No, no, no, no, no.¡± The beggar mumbled. ¡°Too strong, too strong, everyone strong leaves or dies, leaves or dies.¡±


    ¡°What are their names and abilities? The slumlords.¡± Eres tried to guide his mad ramblings.


    ¡°Names, names change. Always changing, never matters. Too strong, never fight, too strong.¡± Eres started to leave but the beggar¡¯s demeanor turned a bit more focused and urgent. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous. You need help, a warrior. I am a warrior, a strong warrior. I fight for you. Give me wine, I fight.¡±


    Eres slowed only for a moment before continuing on. This small side adventure had been largely pointless. She hadn¡¯t expected to gain much, but she did hope to have left with slightly more than nothing.


    They didn¡¯t know anything more than they had this morning. Aside from Otto, there were five rank 2 monks, all of which slumlords of this small town, and carved up territory within it as they could.


    Otto kept territory of his own, but he was considered above the slumlords. They kept hold of their power only through fear and reward, a paltry substitute for the threat of soul destruction. He was the strongest, and his underlings would fight to the death at his command.


    ¡°What is a Warrior?¡± Banda spoke for the first time in a while. ¡°You said humans who use martial arts are Monks.¡±Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Eres realized she had never explained such basic knowledge. ¡°There are three paths a monk can take. Empower the body, mind, or soul. Those who choose body are Warriors. Those who choose mind are Mystics. And those who choose Soul are Shamans.¡±


    ¡°It not only affects the strength of those attributes, but mastery over the arts of that path. My Palm Blast is a mystic art, so if I become a Mystic, I could control it better and bring out more of its power.¡±


    Eres continued. ¡°Demigods and Priests increase the power of the body, mind, and soul by sevenfold for each of the four mortal ranks. But the power increase for monks is far more sporadic. We have to choose one path. A Warrior will be much physically stronger than the others, but their minds and souls will be weaker.¡±


    A simple enough explanation, and one that satisfied Banda. He needn¡¯t hear much more about, as he committed in his thoughts to the path of a Warrior. Though something else also floated through his thoughts.


    ¡°Who was that with Otto?¡±


    ¡°The veiled woman, you mean?¡± Eres asked.


    ¡°She did not smell like a human. She smelled more like a beast.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Eres showed no surprise. ¡°She¡¯s a beastman. One of the offshoot races of the seven enlightened races. They have stronger bodies and better senses than humans.¡±


    ¡°All of the other races of mankind are superior in some form to humans, for that matter. Though, that¡¯s not really relevant here. Only humans and beastmen can enter the tower. And only humans can remain in Akkad. All others reside in Eden and the great realms. The wide world we call Sumer.¡±


    Banda narrowed his eyes, and asked his most pressing question. ¡°How do you know they are stronger if you never fought them?¡±


    Eres smiled in response. ¡°I¡¯m fond of stories. Before mankind, the gods took the race of nephilim as servants and worshipers. However, the nephilim rebelled against the gods and were wiped out. Desperate for a new source of faith, Enlil tasked Enki with creating a new race to serve them. After years of toil-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t ca-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt.¡± Banda¡¯s complaint was brushed off immediately. ¡°After years of toil, Enki succeeded with the creation of Adapa, the first man made in the image of the gods. And from his foundation he created six other beings for six purposes.¡±


    ¡°Dwarves as the most skilled craftsmen. Giants as the sturdiest and most powerful laborers. Gnomes as the most intelligent advisors. Ariels as the loveliest singers and fastest messengers. Oni as the mightiest soldiers. And Elves as the most beautiful and long-lived companions.¡±


    ¡°Humans are special in nothing and were only meant as a prototype of sorts to enable the creation of better servants. However, Enki grew fond of Adapa¡¯s company and his conversations, and thus placed him alongside the other progenitors of the enlightened races, and named them the Seven Sages.¡±


    ¡°Enki then enlisted the help of Ninmah, a Goddess of Fertility, to bare ten thousand children by each of them. The first true mortals of this world. And over time, other beings created races of their own. Most by altering descendants of the sage races. Karn, the Titan of Beasts, created the beastmen. A group of true dragons created draconians-¡±


    ¡°And they are stronger?¡± Banda interrupted. He had little but passing interest in her stories, aside from that which threatens him.


    ¡°In different ways, yes.¡± Eres settled down from her partial enthusiasm.


    ¡°You said the Oni are mightiest. Stronger than beastmen?¡± Banda asked with narrowed eyes.


    ¡°Supposedly. Beastmen are quite varied. They could be anywhere from two to five times superior in strength, speed, or toughness, depending on what type they are. Oni are said to be fivefold in all aspects of not just the body, but the spirit as a whole. Giants are physically superior to them, possessing the highest strength of all the mortal races, although they are slower and less agile, and have unremarkable minds and souls.¡±


    "Speaking of beastmen... They are unique in that they are the only ones able to bear the bloodlines of the Four Heavenly Beasts. Gugal included, naturally. But obviously not nearly as powerful as what you are capable of." Eres had added that last part as a teasing compliment, but it fell on deaf ears.


    Banda did not like what he was hearing. He had already considered humans dangerous, and now he learned there were others far stronger.


    His Feral power had always made him superior to others, but he has learned the harsh truth that the base of his physical body was no better than humans. He was still stronger, still superior. But now he wondered if that would hold true in this strange place beyond the Tower.


    As they neared the end of the alley slums, Banda noticed a young boy sitting as listlessly as the other beggars in the street. There weren¡¯t many human cubs in this town, not as far as Banda could see. He supposed it was quite a difficult place for them to survive.


    Eres gave him a questioning look as he walked over to the boy. The child wore little more than tattered rags, covered in dust and dirt, and gave no reaction to the savage crouched before him.


    ¡°Get up.¡± Banda told him, but the boy did not respond.


    Banda sat in silent thought at the problem before him. Suddenly he burst off down the alley and killed a human with a single strike. Before their body even hit the ground, Banda took from their leather sack the slab of meat he had smelled, and bounded back in a moment.


    Banda held it in the path of the boy¡¯s sight. A few moments passed, and finally a glimmer of desire showed in the child¡¯s eyes, but he did not reach for it. Banda placed the food on the ground before him, just out of reach, and continued on his way.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just hand it to him?¡± Eres asked.


    ¡°He must get it himself. Or he won¡¯t survive.¡± Banda didn¡¯t elaborate, and the two entered the growing noise and bustle of the bazaar.


    The petty marketplace was as busy as it had been before, though they wasted no time looking around as they did their last visit. The two walked straight to the martial arts book peddler, who was sat in the same spot by the fountain.


    ¡°Any arts that make a shield of aura¡± Eres asked.


    ¡°Mid Grade.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­¡± Deep down, Eres expected as much. ¡°I need a ranged mystic art. The most destructive you have.¡±


    ¡°Body art. Make me harder to harm.¡± Banda added.


    The two gave their requests to the peddler, ones they had already decided on in the six days it had been since they bought their first.


    ¡°Can only keep two in your mind.¡± The peddler advised.


    ¡°We¡¯re aware.¡± Eres answered.


    ¡°Mystic Dart. Fires a dart made of aura. ¡®Bout as strong as a low grade bow. Flying Palm. Shoots a hand made of aura. Hits harder, blunt impact. Ironskin. Turns your skin to armor, tough as iron. Doesn¡¯t help your bones and organs. Iron Fist. Turns your hand to iron. All the way through.¡± The book peddler gave two options to each of them, based on their requirements.


    ¡°Flying Palm.¡±


    ¡°Iron Fist.¡±


    ¡°250 shards.¡± The peddler responded with his price immediately.


    ¡°That much more?¡± Eres asked.


    ¡°People like Iron Fist, don¡¯t like Beast Claw much.¡± The peddler gave the answer plainly.


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Eres understood the reasoning. ¡°How are martial books made?¡±


    ¡°Need a Scribe and someone that knows the art.¡± The peddler answered. ¡°Scribe makes the book, someone puts in the circle.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Eres took note of the information.


    She paid the amount without further question, and the two received their new martial arts. Once again, Banda felt the mystical endowment of knowledge as the circle of the martial art carved into the unsteady waves of the Inner Sea in his mind.


    As soon as it was completed, the waves of the dark sea grew rougher and more erratic. The glowing white patterns of both martial arts became a little more unstable. Banda could feel the circles start to fray and strain under the waves, and knew it would take more frequent efforts to keep them whole.


    He turned his focus to testing his new Iron Fist art. Banda channeled aura into the circle, and patches of dark gray stained his left hand, slowly spreading until it was gray entirely. Banda twisted his hand back and forth as he inspected it. The whole hand was metal, down to the wrist. It was more durable, he could tell by the weight, but his hand was stuck solid in the position.


    It was a human trick meant to be used for a punch, Banda guessed. The inability to move his hand at all meant it made for poor defense, and that it turned his wrist solid too was likely to avoid damage when he struck. Though Banda had a different use for it in mind.


    The art felt the same as Beast Claw. It took a constant amount of aura for the time it was used, which meant he could undo it and change the pose of his hand as needed. Though he would need to master it first. And the best way to master a power, was to use it.

 Chapter 13 - First Hunt

    Another rockrat let out a shrill screech as it scurried towards Banda with bloodthirsty eyes, and was promptly smashed to pieces by his dark metal fist. These low grade monsters were large rodents with tough hides like stone and long crooked front teeth.


    Though slightly more durable than most within their grade, they were no match for his might. And their simple-minded approach to battle did them no favors.


    Two more lunged at him from the sides. Splitting a target¡¯s focus was a wise tactic, but their timing was too uncoordinated for it to matter. Banda pummeled them into bloody chunks with a single punch each.


    Sharp Claw could pierce through their brittle stone bodies well enough, as he had tested, but he found simply breaking them easier and faster. His new Iron Fist art didn¡¯t meet his standards either, but it was undeniably better than nothing.


    Banda canceled the art as he glanced over to Eres. Lacking his physical prowess, she opted for a defensive style. The rockrats slammed themselves against her shield mindlessly, and were just as mindlessly battered away by her mace when an opening showed itself.


    A rough snarl stole Banda¡¯s focus away to the top of a small dirt hill in the distance. A large boar with a mane of quills scraped the ground with its front hooves and charged towards him.


    Banda¡¯s right hand tensed as his nails grew long and sharper just fast enough. The Bristle Boar flexed its body just a few yards away and shot forward with a burst of speed. Banda sidestepped its sudden acceleration, striking with his clawed hand in one smooth movement.


    But at the last moment he pulled his hand away as the quills on it¡¯s back jutted out. The boar crashed into a tree and broke it clean in half. It shook the impact off and charged at Banda again without hesitation.


    Banda¡¯s hand slowly turned to iron as he readied himself again. The quills were sharp and he could smell the slight trace of poison on them. Nothing deadly, but he was not about to let himself get poisoned against such a weak enemy.


    He sidestepped the Bristle Boar¡¯s sudden rush once again, and this time he dug his iron claws deep through the side of the boar as it charged past, letting its speed work against it.


    The boar slammed into a second tree, but this time fell to its back. Blood gushed out the ground along with its entrails. It stumbled towards Banda with frantic aggression but collapsed again not even halfway towards him into a spasm.


    Banda hopped over to the beast and casually crushed its skull before ripping out its core. A monster core only became physical upon its death. In many ways, it seemed much like the soul, which Banda also plundered from it.


    He poured a trace of aura through it and the core crumbled away into two blue shards. A Bristle Boar was low grade, same as the rats which Eres was already harvesting. The difference was the boar was at the peak of rank 1, which doubled the shards its core gave.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Eres said casually, as she finished her collection.


    They had ventured out further from the town this day. Deeper in the Misty Forest and closer to one of the mountains. The number of monsters was much greater this far out into the wilderness, and thus so was their harvest of shards.


    ¡°We can stay out all day if you¡¯re willing to do most of the work.¡± Eres commented.


    Banda was, and he had planned to from the start. Eres may have been strong before, but she had lost most of her power and she refused to use her avatar on low level threats. With fewer than ten uses of her arts, she was more of a burden than a partner most of the time.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be far more active after we reach Rank 2.¡± She said, as if she could hear his own thoughts. ¡°Power aside¡­ aura capacity is my biggest limitation right now. Hah¡­ Cultivation is so inconvenient compared to divinity-¡±


    The giant face of a bear lunged from the dense fog of the forest without warning. Destructive aura swirled in Eres¡¯ palm as she started to lean away, but Banda slapped her hand down and stopped the beast by the nose.


    Banda pushed the bear¡¯s head to the ground and held it in place against its bucking attempts to snap its jaw. The beast tried and tried again to no avail against Banda¡¯s might, and eventually it quieted down.


    Banda removed his hand and the bear slunk back with guarded snarls as it tried to make itself big and threatening. It¡¯s actions quite childlike in thought. Banda waited silently until a jolt of pain through the bear cub¡¯s expression made it calm down with a whimper.


    He walked towards the wary cub, and placed his hand on its head. The young bear seemed to settle its aversion towards Banda a bit, but the distress remained. And Banda saw why.


    It¡¯s hind leg was caught in a trap. One shaped like the jaws of a beast and made of metal. A human weapon, Banda suspected.


    He jumped over and pulled on it, but it was rooted deep in the ground, perhaps beneath a buried boulder. A vicious trap, one that would inflict grave wounds if a beast tried to force its way out. Fortunately for the bear, it was still so young it didn¡¯t have the resolve to try.


    Banda grabbed the ends of the trap and wrenched it opened with feral strength. The cub groaned at the sharp jolts of pain but Banda soon broke the weapon open, and the bear pulled its leg free.


    The bear cub trotted lightly on its leg at first but soon found the courage to walk more firmly on it. It hopped over to Banda and nudged him playful with its massive head twice.


    ¡°Go deeper in the forest. Even if it¡¯s dangerous.¡± Banda told it. The seriousness of his intentions seemed to resonate with the cub as its enthusiasm died down.


    Banda pointed in the distance and pushed the cub away until it slowly galloped off in that direction. The cub stopped halfway to look back for a moment, then ran into the fog.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    ¡°That¡¯s only the first, or I guess second mid grade monster we¡¯ve found.¡± Eres spoke, uncaring of the tone of the atmosphere. ¡°Kind of a waste to let it go.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a cub.¡± Banda said without much emotion himself, walking back along their path after the bear left his sight. ¡°Lost its parents. Or got separated. It¡¯s not a threat.¡±


    ¡°That never stopped you from killing humans.¡± Eres pointed out, a bit confused about his savage principles.


    ¡°They weren¡¯t cubs.¡± The moment Banda finished his words he sensed something else, and moved closer to Eres in a battle ready stance.


    Soon they were surrounded by seven humans who paid no effort to hide their ill intentions. And at the helm of them was the cocky hunter from the tribute meeting, his smug gaze aimed solely on Eres.


    ¡°Hey, beautiful. You owe me an apology, you know? I was going to look for you later, but¡­ I guess this is just fate.¡± He had a way of speaking that irritated Banda immensely, but he kept his calm, waiting for the right moment.


    ¡°The only thing you¡¯ll get is a quick death if you don¡¯t leave without one.¡± Eres snapped back. It was a weak threat, and far less convincing that he knew she could do.


    ¡°From the two of you?¡± Urgu laughed. ¡°Are you even at the peak of stage 1?¡±


    ¡°Something broke out of the trap!¡± A large brutish man shouted out. ¡°The blood¡¯s fresh.¡±


    ¡°Was this you?¡± Urgu carelessly pointed his sword at the duo as he walked closer with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s two apologies you owe me. But you know¡­¡±


    As Urgu spoke, the brutish man inspected the trap more closely and found it strange. By the blood on its teeth, it had caught something properly. The trap was not infallible, a monster of great strength could break out. But the trap was not uprooted, nor was it disabled. It was as if something had pulled it apart until it broke.


    ¡°Get back!¡± The brutish man roared, but it was too late.


    A giant spear pierced straight through Urgu¡¯s chest. He barely had time to cough up a mouthful of blood before Eres¡¯ avatar pulled out the blade and bashed him away with its shield, sending him crashing into a wall of aura the man in blue robes managed to construct in time.


    Banda burst back at the same time, and clawed through an armored warrior¡¯s neck. He jolted his head away from soaring arrow and lunged for the archer woman who shot it. She nocked another one but he shattered her skull before she had time to draw it back.


    The brutish man from before roared as his muscles swelled with bugling veins. He planted his feet into the ground and threw a punch at the charging savage, who threw a punch of his own at the man¡¯s fist.


    ¡°Fool!¡± The brute yelled as aura coated his fist.


    But Banda¡¯s iron fist shattered his hand and mangled the rest of his arm with the impact of his raw strength. The brute¡¯s violent yells turned to cries of agony, and Banda mauled him away into a second monk, splattering them both against a tree.


    A second archer shot an arrow at Eres which turned into two mid way, but both pathetically bounded off her avatar¡¯s shield, leaving not even so much as a scratch.


    ¡°Monsters!¡± The man yelled, more of an insult than an accusation. The last words he spoke as Eres¡¯ spear cleaved him in two.


    The blue robed man grit his teeth as fire swirled violently before his hands. The flames molded into a sphere and shot out fast as an arrow towards Eres.


    Eres watched the soaring flames draw near, but her avatar didn¡¯t move. Fire of her own swirled within the palm of her hand as her eyes shone with golden splendor and deep smile spread across her face.


    The orange fire in her hand turned as golden as her eyes and she blasted the fireball before her. The two flames clashed equally for but a moment, then even more shockingly the golden flames started to eat through the ball of red fire until the two arts burned out on each other.


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible¡­¡± The robed man stammered.


    He was at the peak of rank 1 while she was still merely at the first stage of it. And even more, his Fireball was a mid grade art while the art she chose was unmistakably the low grade Palm Blast. Even if she made it the element of fire, it should never have been able to match his.


    The man had time only for that brief line of thought before the savage lunged from his blindspot and shattered his skull, and his body fell to the ground with the others.


    Banda glanced at Eres. Her eyes were the same as they were at the end of their fight, as was the oppressive feeling from her ecstatic expression. He looked up at the avatar behind her which was not the same as he remembered.


    It was less impressive than before. Just as tall with the same blue face of Eres, but its armor was far less grand. Still the same brilliant gold color, but a mere patchwork of protection compared to its former full armor. The red cloth over the gaps of the metal less rich.


    It¡¯s shield was the same size, though bare of intricate carvings, and its lance was replaced with a simple spear from which a long ragged cloth of red flame fluttered from the base of the blade.


    ¡°Make sure no one else is around.¡± Eres ordered.


    ¡°I did.¡±


    At his words, Eres dispelled her avatar.


    ¡°Why do you not keep it?¡± He asked. She had told him before how much it cost. While he could sense no dangers at the moment, that did not mean none would come.


    ¡°It puts on strain on me. Just like your Feral Form.¡± Eres answered as she looted through the human corpses with a smile.


    She was acting more familiar and passionate again. Banda didn¡¯t really know how to deal with her when she was like this. It threw him off for some reason.


    ¡°...how did you make fire?¡± Banda asked. That was not part of her Palm Blast trick, as far as he knew.


    ¡°Fire Spirit Root. A sacred grade trait. I can turn the properties of my aura to the element of fire as I wish, just as I could with divinity before. As for the golden aura¡­ That¡¯s a secret.¡± She spoke with a teasing sultry tone.


    ¡°You lied.¡± Banda accused. ¡°You never said that before Humbaba.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie, I just didn¡¯t reveal everything.¡± Eres spoke without a trace of guilt. ¡°But I¡¯m not the only one keeping secrets. You still haven¡¯t told me about your true form. The one with imposing horns.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have horns.¡± Banda grew annoyed. What was the point of lying when he could feel the truth for himself.


    ¡°Obviously not now. But you do in that form.¡± Eres finished her plundering and turned towards him with a look in her eyes. ¡°Have you ever heard of the Bull of Heaven?¡±


    Banda had not.


    ¡°The Behemoth. One of the Four Heavenly Beasts who served the creator Anshar, and who along with his kin, slayed him. Gugal. The Bull Who Tramples The World.¡± Grandeur started to slip into her tone. ¡°What do you think your power is?¡±


    ¡°It makes me stronger-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s density.¡± Eres corrected. ¡°Gugal could make himself heavier without limit, granting him a body more indestructible than any metal, filling it with more might than a god of strength. And now you have that power as the Primordial of Gravity¡¯s reincarnation.¡±


    ¡°I am Ensimbanda. Not Gugal.¡± Banda narrowed his eyes. He did not know what reincarnation meant but he took offense to it.


    Eres smiled. ¡°In the beginning, there was only the primeval sea. A formless, featureless nothing.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about your stories-¡±


    ¡°And then there was Anshar.¡± A radiance unparalleled filled Eres¡¯ golden eyes. An overwhelming passion that would not be denied. And Banda knew he had no choice but to listen in this dark forest full of beasts.

 Chapter 14 - Born From A Stone

    ¡°The boundless primeval sea swirled into a cosmic egg, as if drawn to his will, from which Anshar emerged in violent glory. He struck the broken egg and split it in two halves which formed into Amon and Tiamat, the Primordials of Order and Chaos.¡±


    ¡°Amon and Tiamat began to fight the moment they were born, so Anshar pushed Amon above and Tiamat below. The forces of order and chaos found a balance as equals, and from their clashing energy rose the other five. Void. Time. Space. Dreams. And Fate.¡±


    ¡°Anshar had companions now, but he was not satisfied. In the boundary of order and chaos, he envisioned the world. And brought his vision to life.¡±


    ¡°From his body, he pulled the Four Heavenly Beasts to aid his work. The Behemoth. The Simurgh. The Ziz. The Leviathan. Embodiments of Gravity, Pulse, Magnetism, and Decay.¡±


    ¡°And for the next 18,000 years, he built Heaven.¡±


    ¡°He pushed up Amon to make the sky. He pushed down Tiamat to make the lands and seas. He filled them with mountains and trees and beasts and stars and all that brought him joy. He named it Eden. His garden.¡±


    ¡°But the Four Beasts grew fearful of his almighty power, and resentful towards his ever growing whims. They rebelled against Anshar and destroyed him. Anshar¡¯s body erupted, filling the world he had created with his mana and soul.¡±


    ¡°From the influence of his lingering power and intent, the World Titans arose. 60 in total, each bound to a single concept of existence. The Titans resided in their home of Eden, clashing and joining as they willed under the rule of the Four Heavenly Beasts.¡±


    ¡°But the four would not stay united for long. Each wanted to reign supreme over the others. Each wanted to succeed Anshar. In the end, they divided the world into four parts and ruled as tyrants.¡±


    ¡°And rule as tyrants, they did. So much so that the Titans could no longer tolerate them. The World Titans banded together under the command of Anu, Titan of the Sky, who wielded the Tablet of Destinies.¡±


    ¡°They overthrew the Four Heavenly Beasts one by one, none able to resist the might of the titans on their own. And in their victory, they named Anu the First King of Heaven, the supreme god of Eden, and successor to Anshar.¡±


    ¡°In time, the Titans sired the first gods. The True Gods. Immortal in days but unlike the Titans, they could not return from death. And their power far inferior.¡±


    ¡°Tiamat, witnessing it all, bore children of her own without a partner. Foul creatures that came to be known as monsters. Soon the threat of her Abyssal spawn threatened not just Amon¡¯s home of Arkadia, but all of Eden.¡±


    ¡°Anu ordered the gods to suppress and destroy these chaotic forces and incurred Tiamat¡¯s wrath, leading to her first war against the Titans. It ended in her destruction, but it came at the cost of the lives of many gods. Even worse, she had stolen the Tablet of Destinies, and her monstrous spawn became a constant and irremovable threat.¡±


    ¡°Enlil, the God of Weather. The first son of Anu and Urash, Titan of the Land. The first of the True Gods. Blamed his father Anu for this tragedy, and grew resentful of him.¡±


    ¡°One day, he encountered the mortal race of Nephilim. Born from the blood of Amon and Tiamat that mixed in battle, they were unlike any that came before them.¡±


    ¡°Enlil spoke with them. He lived among them, and taught them how to build and craft and survive the perils of Eden. And in return, they began to worship him. And Enlil learned of the power of faith.¡±


    ¡°Enlil turned on the Nephilim. He enslaved them, made them multiply, and forced them to devote their lives only to worship. He revealed this secret to the other gods, and made the Nephilim worship them too.¡±


    ¡°Meanwhile, without the Tablet of Destinies to guide him, Anu grew paranoid. Fearful of his own offspring who were quickly proving themselves the equals of the Titans and more. In his madness, he became too tyrannical, too unstable, and too cruel. So Enlil led the Gods against Anu in the First War of Heaven.¡±


    ¡°The gods overthrew Anu. They crippled him and sealed him away. And Enlil claimed the throne of heaven for himself, ushering in the reign of the gods. One upheld by the fear and awe of countless Nephilim.¡±


    ¡°For countless years, the Gods reigned supreme. With the World Titans living along them in peace, there were none to threaten them. None until Tiamat¡¯s resurrection.¡±


    ¡°But the wrathful Primordial of Chaos did not attack the gods. Instead, she bided her time in the depths of the Abyss and devoted all her power and effort to give birth to her greatest son.¡±


    ¡°Kingu, God of Evil. She created the Eleven Adversaries to be his strongest servants, and bestowed upon him the Tablet of Destinies to lead the second invasion of the Abyss.¡±


    ¡°It was a grueling war, worse than any the world had seen before. But Eden emerged victorious again. Marduk, God of Storms, slew Tiamat and then Kingu, retrieving the Tablet. But with the knowledge he gained of the future, he returned to Eden in rebellion against his father.¡±


    ¡°He proclaimed himself the rightful king, and Enlil the harbinger of calamity. But Marduk¡¯s rebellion failed, and the Tablet of Destinies fell into Enlil¡¯s hands. The gods breathed a sigh of relief for the peace they had regained, but none forsaw what came next.¡±


    ¡°Kingu had not been fully destroyed. And he took his vengeance upon the gods through the hands of their bitter servants, the Nephilim. Kingu stoked their resentment against the injustice they bore, and granted them power.¡±Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°The Nephilim wrought vile devastation upon Eden. But in their mindless revenge, their bodies morphed to match the vices they indulged in. And they were reborn as demons.¡±


    ¡°The Nephilim soon realized that they had been tricked. Kingu had not sought to aid them, but to bind them to the Abyss in an eternal servitude worse than they one they knew. And they had no choice but to follow him.¡±


    ¡°Faced with the horrifying threat of Kingu¡¯s infinitely spawning army, Enlil allowed Amon to transform the remaining nephilim into Angels, and bind them to Arkadia. To this day, the two forces clash in an eternal war.¡±


    ¡°But while he had prevented their immediate demise, this still left the gods without their precious supply of faith. Thus why Enlil ordered the creation of the Seven Races of Mankind from the only one capable of such a feat. His brother Enki, God of Magic.¡±


    ¡°Enlil looked out upon this new world, and saw the growing threats of demons, and monsters, and jealous gods. And he became tyrannical.¡±


    ¡°Under this burden of tyranny, Adapa voiced his woes to Enki who in turn sought the help of Nabu, God of Knowledge. Together, the two gods created the miraculous art of Cultivation. And for the first time, mortals could reach the height of gods.¡±


    ¡°Fearing this potential, Enlil tried to eliminate Mankind again and again. He brought drought and famine and plague. And when all else failed, he brought a great flood to Eden. A Deluge so powerful it could even threaten the gods.¡±


    ¡°But Enki interfered. He was warned of the approaching disaster, and created the Ark. A massive ship that sheltered 10,000 mortals of each of the races from certain doom.¡±


    ¡°Enlil was forced to end the great flood, by the complaints and threats of the gods and titans. So instead he carved off a piece of Eden and separated it from the rest, creating the mortal realm of Akkad, which he trapped the survivors from the Ark within.¡±


    ¡°And Enki interfered again. He built this great Tower to serve as a means for mortal to return to Heaven. He enlisted the help of Ninurta, God of Hunting, to kill and plunder the souls of the Eleven Adversaries. Enki used them to empower the Tower. To render it indestructible and immune from the tampering of the gods.¡±


    ¡°In revenge for these acts against him, Enlil killed Ninurta. He banished Nabu, and forced Enki to retreat into his magical fortress of Eridu under threat of death. But Enlil only grew more paranoid, and in time he became as tyrannical as his father.¡±


    ¡°And just as he had done to Anu, Enlil¡¯s tyranny would be brought to an end, by his mortal born son. Gilgamesh.¡±


    ¡°The first to ascend the Tower. The greatest hero. And the Third King of Heaven. Gilgamesh withstood and overcame all trials in his journey, with Enki¡¯s greatest creation by his side. Enkidu, the Wild Man.¡±


    Eres went quiet for a few moments as her gaze settled on Banda. She took in a breath, and closed her eyes. Her intensity started to settle and her presence calmed as she opened them back on Banda with a soft smile.


    ¡°If the gods are are the greatest beasts in Cedar Forest, then we are ants. And Anshar is above even them.¡±


    There was a lot to process from this long story she had told him. Banda had trouble imagining there were beings out there that powerful, but Eres did not seem like she was tricking him.


    ¡°But Anshar is dead.¡± Eres spoke bluntly. ¡°The Throne of Heaven is not absolute. And neither is fate. Ah, by the way, your dear Monga is one of the Eleven Adversaries. The only one who escaped Ninurta.¡±


    Banda¡¯s eyes widened. It was the most reaction he had shown thus far, as this was the only part he felt personally to him. Monga was the strongest he knew besides himself. Humbaba had shaken that belief but Banda would not for a moment believe defeat was certain.


    And yet now he was told that someone had defeated him. Someone who was slain by another, who was not even the strongest of the world. For the first time he felt the weight of the danger that lay ahead in Eden, and his urge for power grew.


    Eres giggled with amusement at Banda¡¯s transparent thoughts. ¡°The only way out of the tower is through Humbaba. And the only way to Humbaba now is to kill the Ten Guardians. Even if we rush to the third floor now, there¡¯s not the slightest chance we can defeat them. Besides¡­ only fools squander opportunities right in front of them.¡±


    Banda stared at the woman he was bound to, who knew so much he didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Worried about facing ten beings as strong as the King of Cedar Forest?¡± Eres smiled.


    ¡°Monga is not king. I am king.¡± It was Banda¡¯s turn to correct her.


    ¡°Really?¡± Eres asked with trace of genuine surprise. ¡°Then why did you go to see him before we left?¡±


    ¡°...Monga taught me how to survive when I was young.¡± Banda felt like he had more to say, but didn¡¯t want to say it.


    ¡°Oh, so he¡¯s something like a father.¡± Eres reasoned bluntly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a father.¡±


    ¡°Of course you do.¡± Eres said with a tone that annoyed Banda a little.


    ¡°Monga said I came from a stone. I don¡¯t have parents like beasts or humans.¡± He asserted. Eres had many stories but that did not mean she knew everything.


    Banda was expecting more words, likely ones that would annoy him. But he did not expect the reaction she gave. A stunned silence.


    ¡°Your trance¡­¡± Eres said with an air of seriousness after many moments. ¡°Does it feel like your own? Or does it feel like someone is fighting against you?¡±


    ¡°The second.¡± Banda wondered why she asked. His power was great. So great that he had never been able to control it.


    Eres fell into deep thought once again. She had assumed he was Gugal¡¯s reincarnation. It was the explanation that made the most sense. She had thought that Banda¡¯s lack of control was because the power of a primordial was far too great for a mortal. But now she thought of a different explanation.


    A primordial had never truly died before. That was an aspect of her theory she was still unsure about, but Gugal¡¯s absence for over a hundred thousand years had led most to believe he had somehow been granted a true death at the hands of Gilgamesh and Enkidu.


    Enkidu was said to be able to devour souls. And his lover Shamhat was said to have given birth to a stone after his death out of grief. A stone she sealed away in a place unnamed.


    What if, she thought, that place was Cedar Forest. What if Gugal¡¯s soul had not been destroyed, but taken by Enkidu. And what if it now resided within Banda.


    Eres¡¯ face flushed with fanatical elation as her imagination ran rampant. If all that was true, then the savage she had chosen as her champion was the only known son of Enkidu.


    Eres burst into laughter at the crooked humor of fate, to Banda¡¯s further confusion. She had expected her journey to bring as much surprise and shock as this world could offer, but she never expected it would bring together the son of Enkidu and the daughter of Gilgamesh. The children of the strongest duo in history.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Banda finally asked, wondering if the mad woman had finally gone mad for good.


    Eres smiled teasingly at him with eyes golden once more. ¡°It¡¯s a secret~¡±

 Chapter 15 - Scar

    Banda sat in his savage crouch beneath the broken roof of the shack. The warm current of mana flowed through him, smoothly and carefully, dousing every part of his body, mind, and soul in power.


    The river of his last cycle flowing back into his center, and he lost his grip on it. The mass of mana within him dispersed back into the air and ground.


    He had become more proficient at meditation with each passing day, and each day it rewarded him. The gain in strength was slight, but he could feel it. And that gave him all the motivation he needed.


    ¡°Have you given any more thought to it?¡± Eres asked, nonchalantly turning a blue crystal in her hand.


    ¡°To what?¡± Banda opened his eyes.


    ¡°Gugal.¡±


    ¡°The reincarnation lie?¡± He didn¡¯t want to talk about stories today. At least not the ones he knew were false.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right.¡± Eres had the uncaring look of someone just remembered something trivial. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you. You aren¡¯t his reincarnation. You have his soul inside of you.¡±


    ¡°Things only have one soul.¡± Banda said. He had consumed many in his life, and none ever had more than one.


    ¡°Normally, yes. Well, strictly speaking, it¡¯s something closer to Gugal possessing you. Your¡­ let¡¯s call it Bull Form, isn¡¯t your power. You gain use of his innate abilities, but his Will starts to take over. If you give up too much control, Gugal will replace you.¡±


    Banda stays quiet in thought. A part of him wanted to deny Eres¡¯ words, but the more he thought about how it felt to be in the trance, the less it seemed like a lie.


    ¡°...How do I make it mine?¡± Banda asked.


    ¡°No idea.¡± Eres said bluntly. ¡°This isn¡¯t my realm of expertise. There¡¯s definitely more we can learn on the higher floors, but this is still a place for mortals. And we¡¯re talking about a primordial here. Only Eden has that kind of knowledge.¡±


    Banda wasn¡¯t satisfied with that. But it seemed he had no choice but to wait until this land of the gods.


    ¡°On another topic¡­¡± Eres stored her Mana Crystal away. ¡°Since there¡¯s no reason to go hunting for while, why don¡¯t we learn more about cultivation?¡±


    The party of humans they killed were fairly wealthy. Together they held more Shards than he and Eres had acquired since they arrived at the town. And Eres had looted it all, even their items, hidden away safely within her ring.


    Frankly, they now had more of this human currency than necessary. Banda wielded no weapons and Eres¡¯ own were superior to any of the commons scrap sold here. Martial Arts weren¡¯t even a lure since they couldn¡¯t store anymore martial arts within their inner sea. At the moment, the blue crystals had little use beyond buying their lives in ten day portions.


    ¡°We still need food.¡± Banda pointed out the flaw in her choice. Everyday it seemed he found himself wondering how she had survived until now.


    He suspected other humans hunter her food for her. There were some beasts like that in the forest, but they were fools. That kind of life robbed them of their sharpness. Made them weak.


    That¡¯s hardly a problem.¡± Eres waved her hand and a loaf of bread appeared in her hand that smelled similar to the golden stalks that grew outside the walls.


    Banda¡¯s eyes narrowed. It seemed this ¡®ring¡¯ of hers could store more than just weapons. Perhaps it could store anything.


    ¡°I brought enough to last half a year.¡± Eres continued. ¡°It was only meant to sustain us until we found a city in Eden¡­ but I suppose now it¡¯s just Tower rations. Ever had bread before?¡±


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    Eres held out the human food. Banda remained still for a moment, then walked over and took the loaf from her hand. He sniffed the strange human food and took a bite.


    A frown washed over his face. It was not poisonous, nor was it unfilling, but it tasted of plants. The soft fluffy texture also annoyed him. Banda preferred meat fresh from a kill, or fruit and nuts from the good kind of trees. He gave the loaf back to Eres without taking another bite.


    ¡°We should train.¡± The issue of food was solved, but that was hardly his only concern. Banda was adamant on the priority. They might be progressing steadily, but they were still far from mastering their martial arts.


    ¡°Well, yes.¡± Eres said. ¡°But I know for a fact there a few things we¡¯re missing out on. Aura Techniques. Basic manipulations of aura. Divinity had something similar, like how you channelled that Thunder spell beyond its normal limits.¡±


    ¡°Aura Techniques are more like arts, but they require no circles in our inner sea. Just sheer mastery. And they can be much more powerful than low grade arts, depending on how well they¡¯re used.¡±


    ¡°Say these things before.¡± Banda narrowed his eyes in annoyance.


    ¡°We had more pressing concerns.¡± Eres stated plainly. ¡°Besides, this is something that will take years and years to master. It doesn¡¯t matter if we start a few days late.¡±


    Banda decided it wasn¡¯t worth getting mad at. ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll need a teacher.¡±


    ¡°...Who?¡± Banda asked, the mistake of his first day still fresh in his mind.


    ¡°Someone moderately trustworthy would be nice for a change¡­¡± Eres mused. ¡°There is someone who might work.¡±


    ---


    Banda and Eres stood before the book peddler who sat with the same detached composure as always. The pair had many interactions in this slum of town and this simple street hawker was the only positive one.


    ¡°No.¡± He answered stoically.


    ¡°Why not?¡± Eres asked.


    ¡°Not my trade.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll pay extra.¡± She offered.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Eres sighed. She hadn¡¯t expected him to be a great teacher, but she had counted on him to at least be willing. ¡°Then, can you recommend a teacher for us?¡±


    ¡°Teacher for what?¡±


    Banda and Eres¡¯ attention were pulled towards the source of the voice, a bearded man with a patch of leather over his right eye and gruesome scars covering that side of his head. The same man they had encountered on their first day.


    Of course, what they now knew that they didn¡¯t before, was that he was one of the five Rank 2 slumlords of this town. A figure second only to Otto.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that would be appropriate.¡± Eres stated with some diplomacy.


    ¡°Two sides make a deal. Both are happy. What¡¯s inappropriate about that?¡± The man responded with his odd mannerisms. And in a brief awkward silence he spoke again. ¡°Best not to settle when learning the techniques.¡±


    ¡°So you overheard?¡± The glint of diplomacy in Eres¡¯ eyes dulled.


    ¡°Good ears.¡± He tapped his right ear. ¡°We should get started.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t-¡±


    ¡°I insist.¡± The slumlord leaned towards them with a firm stare.


    Eres considered the situation for a moment before gesturing him to lead the way. The man held his place then popped into a measured stride, guiding them out of the bazaar.


    ¡°You offer teaching often?¡± Eres asked, with a focused stare.


    ¡°When I¡¯m able. It¡¯s an interest of mine.¡± The man bobbled his head slowly as he replied. It was difficult to tell whether he was being vigilant or not. ¡°That hunting party you killed were somewhat known.¡±


    The air grew heavier in an instant at his casual statement, and Eres¡¯ eyes sharpened. ¡°You-¡±


    ¡°Scar.¡± He turned back towards her intently, before breaking eye contact in his peculiar way, his intensity shrinking with it. ¡°My name.¡±


    ¡°...Were they associates of yours?¡± Eres asked.


    ¡°Only fools would keep Otto¡¯s men around them.¡± Scar pivoted back and continued walking. ¡°Happened to see what was left of them. Didn¡¯t look like the work of anyone familiar. And nothing else of note has changed recently... besides the two of you.¡±


    ¡°Lot of people would want to kill Urgu. Not many could. Which leads me to believe¡­" Scar entered a small open space in the road and turned to face them. "You might be quite strong.¡±


    Eres and Banda remained quiet at the accusation, and Scar seemed to find the silence uncomfortable.


    ¡°Five crystals per lesson.¡± He gestured with the flash of a hand.


    ¡°That¡¯s too steep.¡± Eres said immediately. ¡°We can find someone else for a lot cheaper.¡±


    ¡°And a lot worse.¡± Scar added.


    Eres waited a bit before she tossed him five pink stones from her leather bag. ¡°Fine.¡±


    Scar inspected the Mana Crystals and glanced between the two. The strange man jolted more upright and pulled out one of his axes. ¡°Then let¡¯s begin.¡±

 Chapter 16 - Basic Aura Techniques

    ¡°There¡¯s four basic techniques.¡± Scar said with authority.


    ¡°Armor coats the surface of something in aura. Yourself or your weapon. It¡¯s defensive shield against anything it can withstand. Not much use against mind or soul abilities, or attacks that ignore the surface to target what¡¯s inside.¡±


    Misty white transparent aura covered his whole body as well as the axe in his hand. He then just as quickly cancelled the technique and snuck the axe back into his belt, and held out his arm with the sleeve pulled back.


    ¡°Harness strengthens the thing itself. Makes your weapons or bones more durable. Swells the muscles to boost your strength. Focus the mind, enhance the senses, things of that nature. Can¡¯t harness the mind or soul, only physical things.¡±


    His arm flexed unnaturally large, veins bulging from the strain. Then he dropped his arm and focused as the pair noticed the slight increase in mana around them.


    ¡°Sense projects aura outside the body. Project it around you well enough and you can sense the mana within. Allows you to do things like sense something hiding itself. Or inspect a person for their cultivation.¡±


    Banda and Eres stared intently upon hearing the last application of the technique. Though he only responded by shuffling his feet in place a little to a relaxed pose.


    ¡°Suppression is the simplest. Withdraw the aura deep within your core to conceal it from detection. Sense doesn¡¯t matter if you use Suppression, but you can¡¯t use aura when you do. Armor¡¯s the most important one. Anyone who tells you different won¡¯t live long. But Sense is the easiest to learn. Start with that.¡± Scar looked at his unorthodox students who seemed to be waiting for more.


    ¡°More details on how exactly would be nice.¡± Eres commented.


    ¡°It¡¯s more of a feeling thing than a knowledge thing.¡± Scar explained. ¡°Grab the aura in you and push it out. Imagine it floating around you like a thin mist. Don¡¯t lose hold of it.¡±


    Banda eyed the strange human. The man¡¯s actions unnerved him, but he didn¡¯t sense any hostility. That wasn¡¯t not enough to make him lower his guard, but he would at least devote some of his focus to try this technique.


    Banda roused the aura within him, as though he were to meditate with only his own, and pushed it out. It was stubborn at first, like trudging through mud in the rain, but slowly it began to emanate off his body.


    The more aura he emanated, the more it strained his focus. Even at just a mere step away from him, it felt like his own aura was fighting against. Like the world was trying to claim it back.


    Sweat started to run down his face as he pushed the mist further. The struggle to keep hold grew and grew but he endured, fighting against the world. The unstable mass stretched to almost a yard in radius before something snapped. Banda rushed to drag the aura back into himself but it was too late. The world had stolen his aura. Almost a third of his total.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I told you to keep hold.¡± Scar said, with little tact in his tone. ¡°Good lesson to learn before you use it around an enemy.¡±


    Banda spared no effort to hide his sharp annoyance. He was not fond of defeat, nor of annoying humans. He glanced over at Eres who was locked in her own battle.


    She too showed the strain of the technique¡¯s difficult on her face, but for her efforts, she emanated a sphere invisible mist that reached him standing two yards away. One less erratic than his own as far as he could feel.


    Eres only held her Sense for a handful of breaths before she carefully withdrew it all back into her body and opened her eyes.


    ¡°One of you is skilled at least.¡± Scar may not have said that with much meaning, but that did not stop Eres from shooting Banda a playfully smug glance.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have aura to waste all day. Armor¡¯s next. Do the same as with Sense, but this time keep it coated over your skin. Like armor. Make it as dense and stable as possible.¡±


    Banda fell into concentration again without delay. His efforts yielded faster results this time, with the experience of using Sense. A warm glow bubbled up from the surface of his skin and rose higher like flooding water.


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    The thought of human armor didn¡¯t resonate with him. Instead, he thought of the hide and scales of beasts. He forced his aura to condense as it flooded. Again and again, he struck it thinner and denser.


    He forced it to flatten until it wouldn¡¯t flatten any further. The density itself was not terrible, in his novice estimation. But the surface of his Armor was plagued with ripples, and the time it had taken was far too unfit for battle.


    ¡°Good enough.¡± Scar told them both.


    Banda tried to withdraw the aura he had coated his body with, but only received back about half of what he used. It seemed this technique was not as lenient as Sense.


    ¡°Now Harness. Think water, swelling up your muscles like a pouch. Should be easy enough now. Ah, but don¡¯t try too hard at this one. You might tear something.¡±


    Banda lowered his arms in front of him in a crouching stance ready to lunge. The muscles of his scarred body tightened and then tightened some more. They started to bulge slowly and gradually under his firm control, but he stopped after his instincts warned of the danger of pushing himself further.


    Banda swiped at the air with one arm as he paid close attention. He was stronger, by half as much as double at his guess. But just as with the other techniques, it was too slow. Too wasteful.


    He released his Harness, and found none of the aura he spent returned to him. Not a technique to use carelessly, he noted. At his side, Eres did the same. She didn¡¯t test the effects herself, but Banda got the feeling she wasn¡¯t as capable as him in this one.


    ¡°Suppression¡¯s the opposite.¡± Scar spoke up. ¡°Suck all the aura within you into your core. Like breathing in deep. And bury it deep down.¡±


    Banda didn¡¯t care much about this one. The moment he heard it explained, he realized he had been using it since before he could even speak. He doubted anyone in this stone forest could do so better.


    ¡°You can practice that one on your own. Better to get the most out of your shards.¡± Scar flipped up a broken spear shaft off the paved ground with his foot and burst towards Banda.


    Banda¡¯s body turned feral as he ducked under the slumlord¡¯s aura coated swing. With careless focus, Scar swung back again and at the same time slid his foot in a circle to trip Banda off his feet.


    Banda twisted his body in midair to dodge the stick a second time and mauled at Scar, carving four slashes on his loose tunic as the man stepped back to barely avoid it.


    ¡°Well now, this is just a fight, boy. I thought you paid for training?¡± Scar spoke in jitters.


    Banda kept his narrow stare on the man for a few moments. That brief exchanged showed Scar to be his equal in strength and speed, at least within the safe limits of Feral Form. And that made him a threat.


    Banda contemplated his next course of action, but settled on pursuing his most important goal. Power. He concentrated as aura started to coat his body. And Scar lunged again.


    He struck his broken staff, and this time Banda held out his arm to block. The staff struck clean, shattering the unstable Armor over Banda, and knocking him to the other side of the empty alley yard.


    Scar gave him a glance, and shot towards Eres. Eres¡¯ eyes widened and then quickly narrowed as she committed to dealing with the powerful swing blurring her way. But Banda caught the staff in his hand before she could summon her shield.


    Scar took measure of him. The speed Banda moved a step greater than before, the source of it his swelled muscles. And Scar took note of the more serious look in Banda¡¯s eye compared to when he had been the target.


    Scar let go of the staff and struck at Banda¡¯s face with his fist. Banda reached to grab with his other hand, and Scar pulled back his back half way.


    A series of feints and misdirection exploded towards Banda, but none could fool his instincts. Banda stepped hard into the blurring volley, and punched.


    Scar pulled his arms in just in time to block Banda¡¯s fist, but the sheer force sent him sliding back on his feet with a thunderous thud. Banda readied himself for more and Scar¡¯s posture relaxed into a casual walk.


    ¡°That¡¯ll do for today.¡± He said. ¡°Already showed you everything you need. Train on your own if you want to master it. Course, you¡¯re always welcome to give me more shards if you want. And if you run low on them¡­ I might have some work for you.¡±


    ¡°I thought only fools kept Otto¡¯s thralls around them.¡± Eres harkened back to what he told them before.


    ¡°I never said we would be friends.¡± Scar leaned in with his words.


    ¡°...We¡¯ll think about.¡± Eres gave a dry answer as she turned to leave, with Banda following behind.


    ¡°Cultivation past the first stage takes shards to progress at your full potential.¡± Scar called out in an unhurried tone. ¡°Mana in the environment isn¡¯t enough. Unless you get lucky and find somewhere that is. I suggest you kill more of Otto¡¯s people. Easier than hunting.¡±


    The pair gave only a silent glance in return as they walked back down the alley and out of sight.


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust him.¡± Banda spoke bluntly after they left earshot. Scar was a sly human, the kind whose thoughts he found impossible to read.


    ¡°Neither do I. But we need someone to learn Rank 2 cultivation from, and he¡¯s the least bad option so far. We can¡¯t be too picky in a place like this.¡± Eres looked at him. ¡°We use everything and anything we can. If it¡¯s dangerous, we just need to overcome it.¡±


    Banda did not share her tolerance for danger, but the response to it, he agreed on. The strongest beast was whoever survived long enough to become it. And he intended to survive forever.

 Chapter 17 - Outer Meridians

    Banda and Eres pummeled at each other viciously in the empty lot behind their shack. Banda clenched his fist and struck her abdomen clean underneath her guard. Eres slid back a few feet as the Armor coating her body rattled violently. But it held firm.


    Banda lunged and she flickered a kick at his head. He blocked it clean with his arm but a second kick from the same motion landed on his ribs. And in that same moment, Banda stomped her back.


    It was their daily Basic Aura Technique training. Sparring involved only Harness and Armor, with no other arts or abilities allowed. Eres had even suggested they forgo combat entirely and strike at each other unguarded to focus entirely on improving their technique mastery, but that was a level of laxity Banda refused to lower himself to.


    He didn¡¯t use Feral Form, naturally. It gave him too much of an advantage. Without it, there were fairly equal physically, however Eres¡¯ combat skills had worsened. A product of losing her Dance of Ishtar spell, she claimed.


    They had both improved quite a bit in their techniques over the past few weeks on their own. Enough to wield against weak opponents at least. But they were far from mastering them.


    Eres knocked Banda back with a palm strike and relaxed her stance. She took out two Mana Crystals and tossed one to him. He concentrated, with intent to plunder, and soon the mana from within the crystal started to pour into him.


    Aura Recovery was faster and could be done without the new full concentration that meditation demanded, though it still took its time and toll. A constant cycle of training, recovery, and meditation was the structure of their day.


    And the gaps between were usually filled with Eres¡¯ stories. Most were inconsequential to Banda, and he suspected more than a few were lies for her own amusement. But he listened to them, as there was little else to do.


    But stories were not on Eres¡¯ mind today, and Banda knew well why. They had reached the peak of the first stage.


    It was a surprisingly mundane event. At some point late yesterday, his spirit refused to take in anymore mana, no matter how he tried. Just as a human jar could hold no more water once it was filled to the brim.


    Added to that, was the effect cultivation had on his body that he could feel so clearly. Twice as strong, twice as fast, and twice as durable. He was told the same was true for his mind and soul, but those attributes were far less apparent to him.


    ¡°Well¡­ no point in putting it off any longer.¡± Eres said, as the crystal evaporated in her hand. ¡°Let¡¯s go see Otto.¡±


    Banda was reluctant. But he knew there was no other way. They had to once again show weakness to the king of this stone forest.


    ---


    ¡°Already?¡± Otto sat casually at the top of the cracked stone steps, looking down on them with sly, lazy eyes. ¡°Reaching the peak in just a month¡­ What¡¯s your secret?¡±


    ¡°...How do we advance?¡± Eres pulled the conversation back on track, with a neutral tone that wouldn¡¯t spark any insult.


    Otto held his silence with a smile, his reed hat blocking the dim rays of the sun. ¡°Since you¡¯re in a rush¡­ Gather all the aura within you and flood it into one of the twelve Outer Meridians. You should know what they are by now. Keep that aura rotating within the meridian as fast as you can, until you break it open. Then keep rotating more, until it heals itself.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter which one. You have to open them all eventually. But if you fail, the meridian stay broken. That takes a lot longer than a month to fix.¡±


    Eres waited until it was clear his explanations were done. ¡°Then, we¡¯ll-¡±


    ¡°Do it here.¡± Otto ordered as she started to turn to leave.


    Eres waited another moment, then sat without complaint. And Banda followed suit. She refused to explain her actions for the petty sake of enjoyment but he had seen enough to figure it out.


    Her act of weakness showed Otto enough respect as king to not demand a response to prove it, but not so weak that he would step on her as he walked without even noticing. There were some similarities, he found, in humans ways and the way of the forest.


    Banda turned his focus inward, and gathered his aura. His growing proficiency in aura techniques also increased his skill in cultivation. He found the aura within him easier to command and guide. He pulled every last drop of aura to his center, circling it with fluid control.


    He knew exactly what Otto refuses to tell them outright. These ¡®Outer Meridians¡¯ were the twelve points along the path of cultivation where the current slowed. The ¡®lakes¡¯. Otto said it didn¡¯t matter, but Otto was a liar. If his aura flowed more easily through the meridians, so would his arts and techniques.


    Banda focused, and pushed everything into the meridian of his right wrist. Unlike when he meditated, the meridian strangely started to take in the aura for itself, more than it seemed capable of holding.


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    He flooded it ceaselessly and the lake greedily drank it all. It stayed the same size, but it grew denser and violent. Banda strained his focus as he poured the last of his aura in, stirring it as strongly as he could.


    The waters of the lake swirled. Slowly at first. Then faster, and faster, and faster. Sweat dropped down Banda¡¯s face as he fought against the turbulent current that tried to break free from his control.


    The rushing swirl of aura crashed and bucked against the boundaries of the meridian, and Banda felt them start to crack. He bore the strain as the pressure worsened, and the boundaries fractured more with every passing moment.


    The speed of the current kept rising, the danger of failure blared in Banda¡¯s mind. And with it his fierce intent. A tyrannical and savage intent. He forced the current faster and struck down its surging rebellion.


    Cracks shot across the boundary of the meridian like a thousand streaks of lightning, until finally it shattered with thunderous surge. Pain pierced through Banda¡¯s mind but that did nothing to loosen his grip.


    He kept the aura spinning in place, even without the help of the boundary. A splash of aura fell out of the lake, and Banda heightened his tyranny.


    It spun and spun, as fast as ever. But soon the aura started to seep into the former boundary of the meridian, rebuilding the wall that shattered.


    Banda held the violent lake in place as it slowly drained away. The surface sank lower and lower and the walls grew denser. Soon the last of the lake seeped away and the walls began to grow. A bright light filled Banda¡¯s mind and he opened his eyes to the feeling of a new meridian.


    He held out his hand in front of him, and harnessed his aura. Its strength remained the same, but the aura now flowed through it easier and faster. His power had increased again.


    ¡°Congratulations.¡± Otto spoke leisurely. Banda glanced over at Eres and saw she had advanced without issue as well.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re a step above complete novices¡­¡± Otto stood to his feet and drew his two long scimitars, still sheathed.


    A barrage of murderous intent assaulted the pair without warning. Banda acted in an instant on sheer instinct, darting back to the center of the courtyard as he pulled Eres by the arm with him.


    Otto grinned, showing none of the hostility of his intent on his face. He casually walked down the stone steps under Banda¡¯s vigilant gaze. The moment Otto¡¯s foot touched the ground, he appeared right in front of Banda with his sword drawn back.


    Banda jolted his head down on reflex as the scimitar passed through his rugged hair that lagged behind. But Otto stepped in with the same motion, and thrust the pommel of his other blade into Banda¡¯s chest. The Armor that coated him shattered as Banda was sent crashing through a part of the courtyard wall.


    Violent aura swirled in Eres¡¯ palm as she stepped away with as good timing as she could muster. But Otto struck her abdomen hard, the difference in speed between them far too great for timing to matter.


    The Palm Blast in her hand shattered with her broken concentration, and she collapsed to the ground, gasping for air as her body refused to draw in a breath. As Otto¡¯s eyes were on Eres, Banda lunged like a wild beast from his blindspot. His killing intent silent and hidden.


    Banda thrust his iron clawed hand but Otto sidestepped it effortlessly. Otto slashed his sheathed blade at Banda¡¯s wide open mid section, but the savage caught it with his other bulging arm and kicked at Otto¡¯s head.


    Otto simply leaned back as his foot sailed past harmlessly and spun Banda off balance with a sharp twist of his sword. Banda spun with the force to correct himself but Otto moved faster. He struck straight down on Banda¡¯s chest, cracking him into the ground.


    Blood splurted from Banda¡¯s mouth but he forced himself to spin away closer to Eres, who still struggled for breath. He glared at Otto like a cornered beast, but knew he could do little more.


    Otto was stronger than Scar. Twice as strong at least, and far more skilled. Strangely skilled. Banda had felt it against Scar as well. This deceptive way of fighting. He had faced humans in forest who fought with lies in their movements, but there was something murky about the way these ones fought.


    Even with Feral Form and Harness, he was losing. He could push himself further, but Otto had tricks he wasn¡¯t using yet either. If he failed to kill him quickly, Otto would realize he was a true threat, and use the Soul Seed. Banda suspected that was why Eres still refused to use her avatar despite her current state.


    Banda contemplated what to do. Otto was toying with them. He showed no intention to kill them, but Banda had seen many beasts toy with prey just the same before cruelly devouring them.


    ¡°This is good enough, I guess.¡± In the midst of Banda¡¯s turmoil, Otto lowered his swords and spoke as though the tension in the air didn¡¯t exist.


    ¡°I lost some enforcers recently. People who keep my territory under control and collect tribute. If you replaced them, you wouldn¡¯t need to pay the quota anymore. You¡¯d even get to keep a cut of the shards you collect. But¡­ ¡± Eres rose to her feet beside Banda with haggard breath as Otto continued. ¡°I need to know you¡¯re capable of handling a position like that. It¡¯s not a role for the weak.¡±


    ¡°Did we pass your test¡­?¡± Eres asked with a scowl.


    ¡°This?¡± Otto feigned confusion. ¡°No, this was just to pass the time. I have a real task for you. A monster has appeared in one of the hunting grounds that¡¯s making it difficult for my hunters to¡­ hunt. You two are going to kill it. Today.¡±


    ¡°...we need some time to recover.¡± Eres said carefully.


    Otto smiled as the veiled beastwoman appeared from the manor. She walked gracefully down the steps and towards them with serene composure, though the hint of animosity in her eyes was obvious. She met both of their cautious stares with her snake-like eyes for long silent moments each.


    Banda tensed as the feeling of aura enveloped him, but quickly he realized it was healing his wounds. He glanced over at Eres whose breathing stabilized, and then back towards the beastwoman who smiled derisively at him.


    The veiled woman¡¯s healing art took less than a minute to restore them fully from their slight wounds. Without a care for exposing weakness, she turned her back and walked over to Otto¡¯s side.


    ¡°Go wait by the town gate.¡± Otto told them. ¡°I¡¯ll send over some people to guide you.¡±


    Banda and Eres left without a word, neither wishing to remain any longer than they had to.


    ¡°Could you kill him?¡± Eres asked once they got far enough away.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± That was the problem Banda faced. He didn¡¯t know how much Otto was hiding.


    ¡°If that was his true speed and might, and if he used the martial arts of heroes you fought back in Cedar Forest?¡± Eres added some conditions.


    ¡°No.¡± Banda spoke plainly. If Otto¡¯s tricks were far superior to his own, then fighting him was hopeless.


    ¡°...what if he only used the arts that we¡¯ve seen here so far?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Banda answered just as plainly.


    Eres eyed him in thought. ¡°Then we¡¯ll wait a little longer.¡±

 Chapter 18 - Harpy Hunting Grounds

    Banda and Eres stood patiently by the open wooden gate of the town as they had been instructed. Barely half an hour passed before a group of five walked towards them, their presence a step above the common rabble of the slum.


    ¡°Otto sent us. We¡¯ll guide you to the hunting ground.¡± The largest of them spoke after taking note of the pair¡¯s appearances. Tall, muscular, and bald with dark skin, he held the type of glint in his eyes that only came through some measure of hardship and competency.


    ¡°And what exactly is a hunting ground?¡± Eres asked with an air of authority.


    ¡°...some regions around here have a lot more monsters than most. Makes it easier to gather shards. Otto claims them all, and hunters like us work them.¡± The man was slow to respond at first at such a basic question, though he hid his surprise well and answered fully and carefully.


    ¡°I am Buzur. Igin, Eme, Gestu, Kiri.¡± He gestured out the rest of the group.


    A thin man with long beard, with a quill of arrows strapped to his back and a bow in his hand. A young woman in long robes and a cap of leather and leaves. An old man with a thick white beard and cloth wrapped around his head carrying a walking staff.


    And a young man with blond hair, donning leather armor, two swords on his waist, and an look of arrogant irritation in his eyes. None seemed happy with being subservient to the pair, though only he spent no effort to effort to hide his displeasure.


    ¡°We¡¯ll escort you through the forest, and support you against the problem.¡± Buzur continued.


    Eres took note of the underlings appointed to them. They were superior to the common thralls, in poise and the implication of their occupation as ¡®hunters¡¯. None could be trusted, as was to be expected in a place like this. Not their loyalty nor their abilities nor their knowledge.


    But Eres never intended to trust them anyway. She had no interest in their names, nor their loyalty, nor even their competency. All others aside from her chosen champion were pawns and enemies to be used and crushed as her path demanded.


    Eres uncrossed her arms, and the authority of her demeanor rose. ¡°Then lead the way.¡±


    ---


    Igin sunk an arrow into the head of a stray wolf and quickly retrieved it before returning to the front of the group. The hunting team lead the way through the misty forest with barely a word. Each acted as needed with minimal wasted effort.


    The absence of talking, with communication done mainly with looks and gestures were reminiscent of beast packs. They seemed somewhat capable to Banda¡¯s eyes, though warranted no more than a passing glance of his time.


    The archer led the vanguard, along with the yellow haired human who held a thin sword in each hand who only stepped in to deal with the beasts the archer couldn¡¯t handle. At their sides were the old man who used similar arts to Eres, and the tall muscular human who wielded a large axe with more strength than the others.


    And in the center alongside him and Eres was the woman who had not yet displayed her powers, though none of them showed any sign of discontent towards her inaction. The woman in question noticed Banda looking at her and smiled back, which he ignored.


    ¡°You must be strong, if Otto tasked you with this.¡± Eme spoke anyway, her smile unfaltering by his lack of interest. She waited a few moments as Banda remained silent, then asked another question. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you around before. Did you come to the town recently?¡±


    Banda glanced back at the human with persistent questions. ¡°...why are you not fighting?¡±


    If she felt any amount of surprise by the sudden question, it didn¡¯t show on her face. ¡°I¡¯m a healer. If I¡¯m wounded or run out of aura, I can¡¯t help anyone else. Usually, it¡¯s just me alone in the center¡­ so you being here makes me feel more at ease.¡±


    Eres glanced at the flirtatious woman with dispassionate eyes but kept her silence as she focused back ahead.


    ¡°You heal wounds?¡± Banda asked further.


    ¡°To an extent.¡± Eme answered. ¡°But don¡¯t get too reckless. I¡¯m not Bau.¡±


    ¡°Bau?¡± Banda had not heard this word before.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Healer seemed somewhat surprised this time. ¡°She¡¯s a Goddess of Healing. The divine physician. The greatest healer in all of Eden. Well, what I mean to say is I¡¯m only mortal. Ah, and be careful not to get poisoned either. Bau cured Enki but I have no such arts.¡±


    ¡°It was a curse, illness, and poison, and she did it with the help of her daughters.¡± Eres corrected, without looking over at them.


    Eme looked at Eres with dull surveying eyes. Eres had not spoken since they left, though her interjection here seemed somewhat territorial. She turned her eyes to Banda who still hadn¡¯t shown much sign of attraction and came to a decision.


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± She replied softly after a short pause, and kept silent as they walked, sinking back into a calm amiable demeanor.


    Kiri slashed clean through a 3 foot long lizard that partially concealed itself on the trunk of a tree, and clicked his teeth as he glanced back to the center.


    ¡°Why are we even wasting our time on them¡­? These greenhorns won¡¯t last a minute in the grounds. That bastard Otto¡¯s probably just sending us all to die.¡±


    ¡°Stop it.¡± Buzur said as he focuses on his surroundings.


    ¡°You¡¯re fine with being his canary?¡± Kiri snapped.


    The big guy didn¡¯t respond, but the nature of his silence showed he was somewhat in agreement with his comrade¡¯s sentiments.


    ¡°What kind of monsters are we hunting anyway?¡± Eres asked bluntly.


    ¡°Otto didn¡¯t even tell them!¡± Kiri yelled.


    ¡°Harpies¡­¡± Buzur answered for the party, the expression on his face dropping as well. ¡°Half bird, half woman. Mid-Grade monsters. Mid-Grades are roughly five times stronger than humans, compared to the mere twice that low-grades are.¡±


    ¡°A whole flock as settled on a ridge up one of the mountains. 30 or 40, maybe more. All around the peak of rank 1 as far as anyone can tell¡­ The problem is a flock that big has to have a leader. But no one has seen it and survived, so we can¡¯t be sure how strong it is.¡±


    ¡°Harpies are fast. They attack from above with their talons, strong enough to dent shields and claw clean through armor. Their screeches disorient the senses.¡±


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    ¡°Don¡¯t bother telling them.¡± Kiri said, steeling his frowning expression in anticipation of the danger before them. ¡°It¡¯s on us to survive this.¡±


    ¡°Mountain.¡± The archer Igin reported from ahead, drawing everyone¡¯s attention forward.


    ¡°Hunting formation.¡± Kiri ordered. ¡°No mistakes.¡±


    Each of the hunters grew sharper and quieter in their focus to the danger ahead. Buzur took the vanguard alongside their hostile tempered leader, while the archer went off to the side on his own and the old man moved to the center with the healer woman.


    The party moved in unison as Banda and Eres followed with the center, and soon passed the edge of the forest and onto the slope of the mountain¡¯s base. The ever present fog Banda had become accustomed to quickly thinned, as though it were constrained to the trees behind.


    He had a clear view of the land and the sky around him now. Far easier to detect monsters, but likewise, any monsters roaming this region could detect them far easier as well.


    Unlike the damp soil of the forest, the ground of the mountain range was dry and firm. Thin grass covered most of the land, interspersed with patches of gray rocky ground. What little trees it held were scattered around sparsely in clusters, their trunks tall and narrow and their leaves like thick green quills.


    The party moved with purpose with a clear direction in mind up the gentle uneven slope, sticking to the clusters of trees or large rock formations jutting out like buildings as cover.


    Anxiety and tension slowly rose on their expressions the further they travelled, checking every direction incessantly. Suddenly the two at the vanguard froze in their tracks, and directed everyone¡¯s attention to the strange flying creatures Banda had spotted a moment before them.


    Banda would have mistaken them for human women if he had not been told of them, or guessed at them being another type of beastmen.


    They had the faces and proportions of women but the limbs of a bird. Feathered wings took the place of their arms, with which they flew in a hovering upright stance.


    Their chests were bare of clothing. The top half of their legs were covered in feathers from the waist down, and the lower half were large thick talons with sharp curled claws.


    Four of them in total, and they were heading right towards them.


    Kiri gestured with his hand as the group took cover behind two separate clusters of trees, where they waited patiently in silence until the pack of harpies drew near.


    Buzur sprinted into the open without warning with his eyes locked on the monsters above. The harpies let out hostile screeches that sounded like a threat at the sudden emergence of another creature, their expressions tightening into vicious scowls.


    The frontmost harpy shot down towards the large human with a violent flap of its wings and an arrow sunk into the side of its head.


    Shock and fear fell down the remaining harpies¡¯ expressions as they watched their kin fall dead from the sky. The shrill whistle of a second arrow followed but this time it was easily dodged by its more alert target.


    The gaze of the harpies snapped over to the trees the arrow came from. Hostility usurped their fear once more, emboldened by the failed second attack of their prey.


    ¡°Hooooahh!¡± Buzur bellowed out as he banged his mace against his shield to pull their attention once more.


    The harpies hesitated indecisively for a moment before choosing to dive down at the prey wide in the open. A third arrow sailed towards the pack, which they evaded once more, but a glowing blue arrow pierced through the neck of a harpy from the other side.


    Banda glanced over at the old mage near him who had his hand still raised. The human had conjured the arrow from thin air, much like Eres¡¯ Flying Palm technique, though its speed much faster and its killing potential more obvious.


    The harpy it struck fluttered erratically through the air, chocking on its own blood that filled its throat. Fear returned to the fickle harpies once again, but the hunters didn¡¯t give them time to respond


    Buzur charged towards them with another roar, as Kiri shot out from the trees in a blur. His harpy target moved quickly enough to avoid the first slash aimed at its head but not the second which cut one of its wings clean off.


    Still in his charge, Buzur swung his weapon. The studded head of his mace detached from the handle, connected by a glowing blue chain that lengthened unnaturally long, and whipped towards the last harpy like a flail.


    The harpy darted to the side mid air, and a fourth arrow pierced through its chest. Disbelief coated its expression before anger and desperation took its place.


    The harpy inhaled deep with gritted teeth as if to scream with all its might, but an arrow pierced threw the back of its throat and through its fanged mouth before it had the chance.


    With spluttering gasps and failed screeches it fell to the ground with a thud, where Kiri walked over from the one winged harpy with bloodied swords and a malicious grin.


    Several flashes of his sword severed the limbs of the monster as it squirmed violently on the ground in agony. Kiri stabbed his sword down into its stomach and twisted it. The tears streaking down the harpy¡¯s face and its pleading cries only served to encourage his cruelty.


    He stabbed again and again and again. Each brought new tormented sounds from the pitiful creature, each growing softer and weaker as the harpy¡¯s movements dulled until finally it reacted no more.


    Kiri lingered over it for a few moments with heavy breath, before shifting his posture as he regained his composure. He used his sleeve to wipe some of the blood from his face and gave the harpy a swift kick to the head before using his sword to dig out its core.


    ¡°...We were once seven.¡± Gestu, the old man, said as he and Eme walked past them to join the rest of the hunters.


    Losing some of their pack to the harpies explained their anger but not their wasteful actions. Banda was not unfamiliar to such pointless maliciousness, but he could not understand it. Not back in his forest, and not here.


    Igin knelt down next to the mutilated harpy¡¯s corpse and turned its head with one hand, but seeing the state of his broken arrow embedded within let it drop with a sigh.


    Buzur glanced around to confirm all of the monster cores had been collected. ¡°Let¡¯s not wait around too long-¡±


    ¡°Why are there only four?¡± Banda asked him directly.


    The tall man looked back with half concealed surprise at the sudden question. ¡°...Harpy flocks might be several dozen but they hunt in smaller packs to cover a wider territory.¡±


    A similar system to how yeren patrolled their territory, Banda thought. He had figured as much but wanted to confirm.


    ¡°They¡¯re cowardly monsters.¡± Buzur continued. ¡°If they aren¡¯t sure of victory, they¡¯ll let out a cry that be heard for miles and miles. Can¡¯t rush them either. More than a few enemies and they¡¯ll call for the others just the same.¡±


    From what Banda had seen and just been told, the way to kill the flock was to track them down and quickly them swiftly. A very simple, practical method of hunting.


    ¡°Hunt them faster.¡± Banda ordered.


    Kiri grew more annoyed. ¡°You greenhorns keep your mouths shut-¡±


    Banda¡¯s intent fell upon them. The five hunters froze in place at the weight of his presence.


    A strange, visceral sense of dread filled their limbs and lungs as if their very bodies instinctively felt the threat he posed. A sense mirrored by their thoughts as they met his gaze. Cold and sharp. The eyes of a born predator.


    Humiliation showed on Kiri¡¯s face once he recovered from the shock of his initial fear. He hesitated in place, torn between the choice he desired and the choice he knew in the pit of his gut to be wisest.


    But in the end, he swallowed his pride and took the lead without a word. The rest of the party followed in equal silence, none wishing to be the first to break the silence.


    The group moved quickly over the open mountain range and before long a new pack of harpies appeared in the horizon.


    The hunters gave each other quiet looks and got into position again. One half took cover behind horn shaped boulders and the another beneath a single tree, as Buzur stayed out in the open.


    Just as the ones before, the pack of three harpies grew hostile and bold at the sight of a lone prey. Igin aimed an arrow as one dove down from the sky, and two large rocks slammed into the throats of the two harpies behind.


    Banda burst out from beneath the tree in Feral Form. The harpy jolted his head in his direction but Banda tore out half its neck before it could react anymore.


    He hit the ground and and lunged towards the two remaining ones hovering erratically as they failed to screech through their crushed throats. They both flapped their wings to escape at the sight up him, but Banda grasped a leg in each hand.


    The harpies pulled him higher in the air as they raised their large talons, ready to kick at him with their free leg. But before they could, Banda twisted their leg as he pulled them to the side and smashed them against each other.


    Blood and gore and fragments of bone fell on the hard ground below, and the bodies of the two harpies followed.


    Banda landed effortlessly and near silently besides them. He was twice as strong as these strange human-like beasts in this form. They were fast but fragile, with mediocre skill and even worse intelligence. He wouldn¡¯t have to bother crushing their throats next time. Their skulls would break easily.


    Banda turned to the humans who looked on in shock at the carnage. They were weak, but they knew this land. Which made them useful to him. He did not want to stay out in the wilderness for long.


    ¡°Find the next pack.¡±

 Chapter 19 - Harpy Matriarch

    A medley of shrill screeches assaulted Buzur¡¯s mind. He staggered in place, the disorientation so great he could barely stay on his feet. And the three harpies swooped down at their hindered prey.


    These were the smartest pack they had encountered thus far. So wary and craven they spared not even the slightest complacency against a single target. But three stones smashed open their skulls just the same as the others.


    Banda didn¡¯t spare them a second glance. Instead he turned his focus to check his surroundings with composed vigilance by Eres¡¯ side, as the hunters tentatively collected the monster cores.


    Humans were oddly similar to beasts in that regard. The natural order of things dictated that he has the strongest would claim all the cores, or in the case of humans, the shards that came from them. But he was not someone who would bite at hares while the deer slipped from his grasp.


    He would let them take the shards if it meant they would stay obedient as they aided him in this task. He could always hunt more, if the need arose. Avoiding what Otto may do should they fail his task was far more important.


    The hunters murmured quietly amongst each other before Buzur walked a bit closer over as their apparent representative.


    ¡°We need to make a decision.¡± He said.


    ¡°On what?¡± Banda asked.


    ¡°We¡¯ve culled a fair bit, now. Maybe half their flock. We could keep going, but it won¡¯t take much longer until the leader realizes what¡¯s happening. It¡¯ll call the rest back and then it¡¯ll be nearly impossible to kill.¡±


    Buzur took a pause in his words to hear Banda¡¯s thoughts, but the savage returned only silence as he waited to hear the rest.


    ¡°...We could rush the leader at the den before it can gather the rest. But if we take too long, the rest of the remaining packs will come back all at once and we¡¯ll be slaughtered.¡±


    ¡°How many at the den?¡± Banda asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Buzur admitted. ¡°Likely the leader with two or three packs.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s risky.¡± The old mystic Gestu said. ¡°Perhaps it will be best if we did what we can today and finish tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Otto said to finish today.¡± Eme reminded. By Gestu¡¯s silence, it seemed he knew the implication.


    ¡°Just scout the place out.¡± Eres spoke up casually, her words directed only at Banda. ¡°Take one of them and see what we¡¯re up against.¡±


    Banda looked at her. She had been oddly quiet on this hunt. Banda would have thought she was simply bored with it all, were it not for the subtle sharpness in her eyes with which she observed everything around her.


    He considered her words for a moment before looking towards the archer. ¡°You, lead.¡±


    Igin flinched ever so slightly but quickly accepted his fate. He headed off as swiftly as he could while maintain the necessary vigilance, and Banda effortlessly followed behind.


    Their path was far more direct and efficient with a specific goal in mind, compared to their mostly aimless hunting.


    Igin glanced behind at Banda. He had not told him to suppress his aura or to move as silently as possible, yet the savage had done so without hesitation.


    Despite being so close, Igin couldn¡¯t feel the slightest emanations of his aura and his movements were so quiet he wondered if the feral man was using a trait or an art.


    Even the incomprehensible sense of danger that had saved his life a few times where his truer senses failed seemed of no help.


    A bead of sweat rolled down Igin¡¯s face as he tried to put it to the back of his mind. Part of him felt less distress at facing a den of harpies than the thought of facing the person following behind.


    It didn¡¯t take too long to reach their destination. Banda stopped as Igin did. Ahead of them just barely within sight was a a small plateau on the side of a cliff and a large cave within.


    Six harpies fluttered around with lazy flaps of their wings in a disorganized manner. But a seventh harpy with green feathers hovered with steeled composure in front of the cave.


    ¡°The leader.¡± Igin said. ¡°It¡¯s a variant. Stronger than the others. Too risky to test, we should head back to the others.¡±


    Banda eyed the creature for a moment, then slipped away silently to return to Eres. He felt no strong urge to hide from the harpy leader and it did not seem the scheming type to conceal its strength.


    Far more worrying than these harpies, was the idea of leaving Eres alone in the wild too long. Especially surrounded by humans.


    ---


    The journey to regroup and return to the harpy den was a short one. All seven members of the hunting party now stared out at the plateau cave from what little cover they could find on the mountain range.


    Little had changed. Six regular harpies still casually patrolled around while the green-feathered leader hovered in front of the entrance. A formidable sight by the standards of the first floor, but one Banda hardly found intimidating. He could hunt them all on his own.


    ¡°A Denmother.¡± The old mystic Gestu said quietly. ¡°It favors magic over the body.¡±


    ¡°What kind of magic?¡± Eres asked.


    ¡°...they manipulate the winds, usually. For both attack and defense.¡± Gestu answered.


    ¡°Me and Gestu will take the leader, everyone else kill the others before they call for more.¡± Kiri spoke, then turned to Igin. ¡°How long until the next shift?¡±


    ¡°Not long.¡± The archer answered. ¡°Most are already growing restless.¡±


    ¡°Harpies do not handle boredom well. A tribe must shift between those who hunt and those who stand guard often.¡± Buzur explained to Banda and Eres for their benefit. ¡°We need to wait for the next shift, otherwise that patrol could return while we are fighting, and call the whole flock.¡±


    Banda raised his hand suddenly and silently, a signal for the others to be silent too. Buzur and Igin paused for a moment, then followed his gaze to see the distant silhouettes of a pack of harpies drawing closer.


    The hunters held still and waited in silence. Soon the pack of three harpies arrived back at the den, followed by a pack of four from another direction. Vigor and enthusiasm seemed to find the ones that currently loitered around their dwellings, and they quickly formed into two packs among themselves and flew out into the range.


    Banda waited until new patrols left the range of sight and sound, then lunged with a signal to the rest. He whipped two stones before the harpies could fully turn, which shattered two of their skulls.


    A third inhaled deep, but Banda clawed out its throat before it could wail. One arrow soared through the air behind him and split into several. The small cluster peppered the remaining harpies enough to stunt their decisions.


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    Banda coiled into a stance. The bow-wielding human had finally acted. A slow response and an unimpressive one, as Banda expected, but the arrows accomplished what was needed. The harpies were distracted, enough for a reckless lunge to reap the lives of the remaining guards.


    Banda turned his gaze to the side. The old human rose a wall of stone from the ground that just barely withstood the destructive bolt of wind the Harpy Denmother spat. Kiri bounded out from the cover towards the green-feathered leader with two thin swords drawn.


    As the creature gathered its wind again, Kiri¡¯s form started to flicker and overlap. The denmother spat out a second Wind Bolt, and the swordsman darted one step to the side with great.


    In a range the harpy spat several more bolts in quick succession, but with great effort Kiri sidestepped them all and drew close. The denmother took to the sky like the wind to escape his gleaning sword, and a stone followed.


    A burst of wind exploded from the harpy¡¯s body to form a barrier against the bone-breaking stone Banda three. And an arrow followed after. Derision took its expression as the harpy unleashed another burst of wind, but the arrow transformed into a weighted net.


    Surging wind passed straight through the gaps of the net and wrapped around the harpy. With the use of its wings bound, it plummeted to the ground. A quick burst of wind fended off another of Banda¡¯s opportunistic rocks, and the creature hit the hard slope of the cliff.


    Finally sense seemed to reach its thoughts. The harpy ripped out of the net with its large talons, but freedom had come too late. Blood splashes as an earth spike pierced through its back from the cliff it laid on.


    Wretched wails of pain and fear of death lasted only a moment. Kiri arrived before the creature with bitter resentment and severed its head in a single slash. The harpy¡¯s head tumbled down the cliff to the ground just outside the cave, and Kiri sneered.


    ¡°Ha!¡± The swordsman kicked the hateful creature before he started to dig out the gem on its chest, and only Banda sensed what came next.


    Another harpy appeared right besides Kiri in an instant, this one larger with red-tipped white feathers and blank eyes. It released an otherly wail, and Kiri fell dead.


    ¡°Matriarch!¡± Buzur yelled in fear as he tried to reach Gestu.


    But the Harpy Matriarch reached them first, and its Soul Scream felled the two of them as well. Its eerily blank gaze shifted over to the two women, and Banda¡¯s intensity sharpened to the extreme. He whipped a stone with wind-searing speed, and the harpy appeared right beside him.


    Dense mana emanations reverbed down on him heavily as he felt the quality of the harpy¡¯s presence clearly now. A presence that surpasses Rank 1.


    Banda hurled a stone, and the harpy screamed. Its wail lasted only a brief moment before the stone forced it away, but that was long enough for it to strike deep into Banda¡¯s core.


    He felt his soul grate and strain and creak to its limits, just as when Otto displayed the threat of the Soul Seed. It was dangerous. Far too dangerous. Banda armored himself in monstrous form, and slammed his fists on the ground.


    The cratering blow sent a shockwave that blocked the harpy¡¯s path, much like the Denmother¡¯s wall of wind before. Banda struck the same blow again and again to create a constant barrage of defensive booms.


    Unable to draw near enough, the harpy hovered back on the outskirts of the shockwaves, and Igin made a move. The archer picked up his sole fellow survivor in Eme and sprinted away. As he fled, Eme channelled her aura to weave vines and blades of grass around Eres¡¯ legs.


    Eres¡¯ expression tightened in anger. They meant to use her as bait to enable their escape. She summoned her Avatar in preparation for a fight, but the harpy appeared before the fleeing hunters and sundered their souls.


    The Avatar¡¯s spear deftly cut through the vines as Banda rushed to Eres¡¯ side. And the harpy matriarch turned its focus on them.


    ¡°Soul attack.¡± Banda reported, just before the harpy made its move.


    A rushing charge led to another soul scream, but the Avatar¡¯s shield blocked this one clean, as though the attack were physical. The golden spear¡¯s thrust followed like lightning, but the harpy dodged, its speed equal to the Avatar¡¯s.


    Swirling wind brought it behind the duo in a blur and it tried another wail. But this one too was blocked by the shield, and a second thrust of the spear met the same success as before.


    Banda took measure of their fight. The harpy was too much for the Avatar alone, but his stones were useless and it was too risky for him to leave the protection of its shield. Banda thought fast. If Gugal was another soul, then he would wear it like a scaled hide against the white-feathered harpy.


    With great horns and monstrous form, Banda thundered towards the harpy to the creature¡¯s shock. The harpy wailed at its defenseless prey, but its Soul Scream was useless against the might of the bull.


    The harpy matriarch had not doubted its ability for moment. And that confidence now resulted in savage hands too close to evade. Surging wind helped it avoid the worst, but Banda¡¯s mauling hand struck hard and dealt heavy damage.


    Mindlessly rampaging eyes focused on the weakened prey, but the form suddenly dispersed from him along with all its power. Banda lingered in stunned confusion among the waning traces of divinity, and the harpy wailed.


    Searing pain carved through his soul as small fractures cracked over. Banda¡¯s instincts flared, but Eres arrived in time to block a second wail.


    Banda fell to his knees as pain wracked his spirit. His soul had taken too much damage. Another direct hit like that would be fatal.


    The harpy looked down at them taking cover behind the Avatar, and let out a piercing screech. A call soon responded to by a chorus of singing screeches from all around.


    ¡°Can you still fight?!¡± Eres asked.


    He grit his teeth and looked up through the pain. They were at a standstill before. With reinforcements, the two of them were now at a dangerous disadvantage.


    It did not take long with the harpies to return to the den, and they attacked without hesitation. Eres¡¯ Avatar cleaved through two diving harpies before they even knew what happened, as Banda shattered another¡¯s skull with a stone.


    But the matriarch blurred to the side and wailed. Eres managed to shield it again, but the matriarch darted back and waited for more harpies to strike first.


    ¡°Sly creature¡­¡± Eres cursed. It was trying to kill them in the openings created at the sacrifice of its underlings¡¯ lives. And there was a threat it could work.


    Banda raced through his mind again, under the pain of his damaged soul. ¡°Kill the leader when I make an opening. The others don¡¯t matter.¡±


    Eres glanced over at his words, but did not ask any questions. Instead, she steeled her gaze and readied herself.


    Banda focused. He drowned out all distractions and heightened his instincts to their limit. As Eres dealt with the relentless harpy attacks, the harpy matriarch appeared again at the perfect opening. But Banda acted first.


    He whipped a rock at it with timing too perfect for the matriarch to handle, and broke one of its white wings. Uneven thrashes clipped it against the ground as the matriarch desperately tried to return to the sky, but Eres¡¯s Avatar had already charged.


    Its golden spear pierced clean through the harpy¡¯s chest. Flaming cloth bound the creature in place as the spearhead ignited into a blaze to burn the monster from within.


    At the same time, Banda pushed his Feral Form to wipe out the remaining harpies before their talons could reach Eres. And the mountain became calm amongst the carnage.


    ¡°How bad is it?¡± Eres asked, as Banda flinched from the pain.


    ¡°I can heal it¡­¡± He spoke through gritted teeth.


    Eres¡¯ posture relaxed at his bravado. ¡°Well¡­ this wasn¡¯t that bad, all things considered. Though you lose marks for falling for that obvious act from that healer. I told you to expect betrayal. Honestly, it does bother me that you¡¯re the gullible type that gets tricked by any pretty face.¡±


    ¡°I did not trust her.¡± Banda frowned. He resented the claim. And more importantly, he was far more concern with how little time his trance had lasted.


    Banda opened his mouth wide and consumed the souls of the fallen harpies. But he did not stop there. This time, the souls of the fallen humans were not spared either.


    The light of his eyes returned with a bitter expression. Human souls tasted vile, so he ignored them before. But every moment of his trace was precious power. He could not avoid to waste any hunt when his life was at stake.


    Eres¡¯ eyes went wide at the sight. Not out of fear or disgust, but concern. ¡°Do not do that anymore.¡±


    Banda glanced at her. A unusual seriousness drenched her expression. ¡°I need power-¡±


    ¡°Consuming enlightened souls is a path to the Abyss.¡± Eres proclaimed with all gravity. ¡°It will taint your soul, and eventually drag you down. Promise me you will not do it anymore.¡±


    Banda paused for a few moments, as he felt the severity in Eres¡¯ genuine request. ¡°...fine.¡±


    Eres held for a moment more as well, then exhaled her tension away. ¡°Alright¡­ No point staying on this mountain any longer than we have to. Let¡¯s harvest these cores and head back to the town.¡±


    Banda got started without objection, more than approving of avoiding more danger than was necessary. This fight had been dangerous. More dangerous than he expected. It was another reminder that he was not what he once was. Another reminder of the urgent and ever present need to gain power.


    ---


    Within the comfort of the north manor steps, Otto watched the two novice monks carving out harpy gemstones through the hazy mirror made of magic that Shamura had created for him.


    He had seen it all. Banda¡¯s horned form and Eres¡¯ Avatar.


    The mirror started to flicker, and then it dispersed. Shamura slumped unconscious as her ability came to an end, and Otto smiled. These two newcomers that had fallen into his hands were his chariot to Eden.

 Chapter 20 - Enforcers

    A trace of strain showed on Banda¡¯s face as he healed his damaged soul. Monga had taught him how, though that was with divinity. Using aura was more difficult and far less effective. Still, he had no other method.


    He imagined himself as a tree, to bleed out viscous sap and pour it into the cracks of the bark. The aura that was this ¡®sap¡¯ filled the fractures of his soul and quickly drained away, leaving behind only another thin layer over the wound.


    Banda opened his eyes, far from healed. He would need to continue until the layers repaired the fractures completely, but there was only so much that could be done in a single day.


    With his aura depleted, Banda¡¯s thoughts drifted to his mind and soul, more than ever before. The weakness of his soul especially had been shown to him for a second time.


    It was a weakness he could not bear. Even more so, now that he knew the truth about Gugal and the power he once thought his own.


    The urge to cultivate briefly stirred in his mind but he buried it down as soon as it rose. He could not cultivate in this condition, lest he risk further damage.


    Using his soul in any way carried the same consequence. Fortunately, both his martial arts were Warrior techniques.


    He could still use his Feral Form as well, but exceeding his limits was no longer an option for now. If he did, the damage would be immediate and severe. It could even shatter his Spirit.


    Banda glanced ahead at Eres, who meditated calmly in her human way of sitting. He hadn¡¯t noticed before, but she was always as composed in the wild as she was in the relative safety of this human den.


    He would have thought her ignorant and naive of the very existence of threats were she not so intense and resolved when the fighting actually started. It was a contradicting way to live. A strange way. He didn¡¯t understand it. He couldn¡¯t.


    Eres opened her eyes and smoothly rose to her feet, her lively gaze upon him had already forgotten the dangers of yesterday.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go see more of this town.¡±


    ---


    Banda and Eres patrolled through the part of the town they were assigned to. Otto had only given them the vague duties of collecting tribute and keeping the peace, leaving them free to choose how exactly they did so.


    As usual, Banda left the decision to Eres. Or more precisely, she had taken the lead herself, and he did not care enough to object. And more importantly, he didn¡¯t understand what Otto was thinking.


    Eres walked through the tavern door as boldly and purposefully as she had the first day they arrived. Peering gazes shifting towards them on reflex, and were quickly averted once they landed on Banda.


    ¡°...what can I get you?¡± The tavernkeep asked.


    ¡°Tribute.¡± Eres answered bluntly.


    The tavernkeep hesitated, half in confusion at the demand and half in contemplation at the situation. Eres saw that clearly, but had no interest in explaining herself.


    ¡°Pay up or take your complaints to Otto.¡±


    Hesitation only stalled the tavernkeep for a moment more before he reached into the leather pouch on his belt and handed over 5 crystals. Eres pocketed them in her own pouch and left without another word.


    Banda glanced at the pouch as they walked. That was the same amount they had plundered from the harpy matriarch¡¯s core. And they had taken it so easily.


    ¡°Why did Otto make us¡­ enforcers?¡± He asked the former priestess who knew many things.


    Eres glanced back. ¡°He¡¯s selecting the strong out of his thralls. Gives them more power and privileges to keep the rest under control. That¡¯s enough to make most unwilling to take the risk to move against him.¡±


    ¡°Also¡­¡± She continued. ¡°That Soul Seed technique has limits. I don¡¯t know what grade it is, but aside from the fact that it only works on Rank 1, it¡¯s impossible for something like that to be used infinitely. But if he makes use of people like us¡­ He can extend his reach to even those not directly in his clutches.¡±


    ¡°If he alone could keep ten in line, then rather than do the work himself, he gets those ten to each keep ten in line themselves. Now he has a hundred.¡±


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Banda understood the logic but there was a strangeness to it. Back in the forest, if one was strong enough, the whole tribe would follow. No matter its size.


    He didn¡¯t agree with this human method. It gave others power and arrogance. It kept those waiting to bare their fangs too close. A far better way is to slaughter the rivals and dominate all others to make them aware the only thing that awaits their challenge is death.


    ¡°Human lies¡­¡± Banda called the trickery.


    ¡°Here in civilization, we call it cunning.¡± Eres¡¯ gaze turned to a building ahead, and narrowed ever so slightly.


    It was much larger than most, though still made of the same tan colored stone lined with cracks and disrepair as all the others. Two grim faced men stood at the side of the entrance but Eres ignored them as she led him up the stone steps into the building.


    The stench of dead flowers struck his nose before anything else. Banda found it unpleasant, though he bore through the irritation. To distract from the smell, he turned his focus to the the interior he now found himself in.


    The entire first floor was lined with red cloth and pattern lanterns that turned the glow of the flame unusual colors. Wooden furniture and clay pots and other things of human make dotted over the ground more than was needed. It seemed wasteful.


    The human women seated on cushioned furniture or strolling around wore soft clothing that covered less than it should. It was no attire fit for combat, and the women carried themselves with no vigilance. Banda had never seen such disregard for survival in his life. None of them would last a day even in the outskirts of the forest.


    Eres caught noticed of his frowning observation of the brothel around him. ¡°...I don¡¯t suppose you know what taxes are?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Banda answered. More human lies, he imagined.


    ¡°The apothecary and tavern are establishments within Otto¡¯s territory. They pay what they owe since they live under his rule, as they would even if they didn¡¯t have soul seeds.¡± Eres explained. ¡°But the tribute from the slumlords is a bit different. It¡¯s a compromise of sorts. They pay Otto enough that he doesn¡¯t take the risk to fight them, but not so much that they feel forced to take that same risk against him.¡±


    ¡°He should just take¡­¡± Banda muttered. He didn¡¯t like stating the obvious, as he would be on the plundered side. But it was the obvious.


    ¡°That only works once.¡± Eres countered. ¡°I imagine that forest of yours must have been quite chaotic. Things are more stable in a settlement, which means it¡¯s more rewarding to plant your roots and grow.¡±


    ¡°Hello~¡± A woman drew near to Banda and spoke sweetly to him. ¡°Can I interest you?¡±


    ¡°Leave my sight.¡± Eres ordered. Cold and fraught with ire. The woman¡¯s expression dropped instantly and she walked away quickly without hesitation, disappearing through a door at the side of the room.


    Banda showed only slight confusion to it. He hadn¡¯t sensed any hostility from the human, and by all measure she was weak, so he could only assume they were attempting human deception of some kind.


    Scarcely a few moments passed before a middle aged man in modest finery approached them, his demeanor more dignified compared to the guards outside or the women within.


    ¡°Welcome to the Wallflower Brothel. Might I be of service?¡± The steward asked them, neither dominant nor submissive.


    ¡°Tell the proprietor we¡¯re here for the tribute.¡± Eres told him.


    The change in the steward¡¯s eye was subtle, but he inspected the pair more closely for a brief moment. ¡°Please wait here.¡± He turned with unhurried pace and headed through the door guarded by two more underlings at the back of the hall for a short while before returning.


    ¡°He will see you now.¡± The steward gestured to the same door and the pair headed through it without concern.


    The room seemed both a chamber and a study of sorts. A place of business and relaxation, with finer furnishments than that of the rest of the establishment.


    Banda paid none of that any mind, his sight focused on the only person within. A thin, well kempt man wearing tailored silk clothes and adorned in cheap, garish jewelry, lounging indifferently on a cushioned couch.


    He didn¡¯t look like much of a combatant. Banda didn¡¯t get the same sense of threat as he did from Otto or even Scar, but this human was a slumlord. One of only seven Rank 2 monks in the town.


    ¡°I had heard Otto lost a few of his dogs.¡± Ubin said with a tone that matched his demeanor, and a judging gaze. ¡°But I expected their replacements to be known.¡±


    ¡°Now you know them.¡± Eres replied.


    Ubin looked at her closely then scoffed before tossing over two dark blue stones. Unlike the tiny fragments that were Shards and the larger diamond-shaped Crystals, these stones were like cut gems, shaped like rounded squares. They were Manastones, and each of them were comprised of one hundred Crystals.


    ¡°This is less than we were told.¡± Eres eye¡¯s sharpened as they rose back towards the proprietor of the brothel.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do about that.¡± He said. ¡°I haven¡¯t been getting enough medicine lately, so my girls must rest longer.¡±


    ¡°Medicine?¡± Eres inquired.


    ¡°Yes. Balms, ointments, pills, all of it.¡± Ubin¡¯s expression soured as he spoke. ¡°I get want I need from Gurda, but lately she is refusing to sell. Claims she doesn¡¯t have enough herbs, but I know that Tath is buying up near everything she makes, though the ¡®why¡¯ of it escapes me¡­¡±


    Eres took note of the names. Tath was another slumlord, one of the weaker ones if rumor held true. Gurda, she suspected, was the name of the old herbalist as there was no other apothecary in this town.


    Ubin leaned back on his couch with a scowl that he simmered away with a deep breath. ¡°If Gurda returns to our original arrangement, so will my tribute.¡±


    Eres met his gaze directly, the two giving over none of their deeper emotions. She pocketed the Manastones and took her leave without a word. Ubin merely watched them leave in silence.


    She walked directly out of the establishment, sparing no one else inside a single glance. Banda paid no more mind than was necessary for the sake of vigilance. Eres didn¡¯t speak, even after they left, but she didn¡¯t have to. Banda already knew where they were going.

 Chapter 21 - Words of Dead Men

    Eres barged through the door of the apothecary for the second time, startling the old woman just as much as before.


    ¡°Low grade balms, ointments, and pills.¡± Eres listed her orders.


    ¡°...I have none to sell.¡± Gurda replied warily.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± The sharp look in Eres¡¯ eyes remained unchanged. ¡°I heard about your strange deal with that slumlord. Everything, was it? Why would a slumlord want everything you make?¡±


    ¡°Why should I tell you anything?¡± The old herbalist spat.


    ¡°Because we¡¯ll kill you if you don¡¯t.¡±


    Banda lunged with Eres¡¯ words. Gurda frantically managed to put a wall of aura between them in time, but it didn¡¯t matter. Banda shattered it with a single punch and a second swipe of his clawed hand stopped just short of her eyes.


    ¡°I-I sell because she pays more than they¡¯re worth!¡± Gurda stammered out in a panic. ¡°I don¡¯t know why! Doesn¡¯t pay to ask too many questions in this town.¡±


    ¡°Is she only buying medicine?¡± Eres asked another question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t-¡± Banda raised his clawed hand as the herbalist started her response. ¡°Herbs! She doesn¡¯t want medicine. Just the herbs. Low grade. Mid grade. Anything I can get. That¡¯s all I know!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Eres dropped her inquisition and left as quickly as she entered. So suddenly, the old woman didn¡¯t even realize Banda had followed until he passed through the open door.


    ¡°Why do you care about this?¡± Banda asked.


    ¡°When people drastically change how they act, it¡¯s usually because they¡¯ve obtained something. And maybe that something is beneficial for us.¡± Eres explained. ¡°That said, it is a slumlord we¡¯re dealing with, and your soul hasn¡¯t healed yet. We should hold off until it has. Besides, we have a whole Manastone to get before the end of the day.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t our fault.¡± Banda scowled. The thin human was meant to give them three.


    ¡°Is that what you plan to tell Otto?¡± Eres gave him a look.


    Banda¡¯s frown soured more. He would have forced the slumlord to surrender the other one, but Eres had shown no intent to do so. He may be constrained to the normal limits of Feral Form, but he was still confident against a weak rank 2 slumlord.


    He was certain they were weaker than the rank 2 harpy matriarch. And more importantly, that would be easier than hunting. The low grade monsters of the Misty Forest were no threat, but it would require hordes of them to make a single Manastone.


    It was not something he could manage with the time they had left, and the greater harvests of the mountain range were too much of a risk to take.


    Eres was not stupid enough to not realize this. That was Banda¡¯s impression of her, at least. Which meant she must have a plan in mind. More human lies to give.


    She led him not to the gate, but to the bazaar. And to Banda¡¯s diminishing confidence in her, she began buying things they did not need.


    Eres spent loudly and freely, for many to see. Banda did not like the attention she was drawing to them either. He was almost about to put a stop to this lunacy, until Eres intentionally bumped into a large bald man in a sleeveless tunic.


    ¡°Watch where you¡¯re going, you lout!¡± She shouted at him.


    ¡°Do you wanna die, whore?!¡± The man roared back, and Eres struck him in the chest with her Palm Blast technique. The man crashed into a wooden stalled and fell limp, his torso bruised and slightly bleeding.


    Banda¡¯s eyes narrowed. Injuries of that extent were far too light, and the flow of aura in her hand had looked strange. She had deliberately used her art poorly, but to what reason, Banda didn¡¯t know.


    Eres clicked her teeth in derision and walked on. Without warning she led them down a secluded alley, and Banda finally realized her intentions. They were being followed. By many, at that. Their prey. This was hunting in reverse.


    The two slowly continued down the twisting narrow roads. Neither their posture nor their intent gave anything away.


    Banda spun around in Feral Form and swatted an arrow. A man wrapped in dark cloth jumped from the roof above, but Eres was waiting. Her palm glowed as she thrust it, shooting out dense aura in the shape of her hand that caved in the assailant¡¯s chest.


    Aura swirled in her other palm as she turned to her left. Honing in from the turn of that direction was a frail woman with a twisted smile, channelling the same art as Eres.


    A mocking smile crept on Eres¡¯ face as they both unleashed their Palm Blasts. The auras clashed and Eres¡¯ stood firmer. The frail woman was struck with the recoil before she even realized what happened. She smashed back into the wall behind her and fell limp.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Before anyone else could attack, Banda sundered the ground with a stomp and mauled the broken cobblestone down the alley. The attackers yelled as the barrage of stone shattered bones and destroyed the walls of the houses, leaving only a path of wretched whimpers and dying agony.


    In the display of such destruction, the survivors fled. Gone were the thoughts of plundering the weak. Now they thought only of saving their own hides.


    ¡°Take the right!¡± Eres shouted at him as she took off left, equipping a shield from one of the corpses as she ran.


    Banda hesitated for a moment at the thought of leaving the side of his biggest vulnerability, but only for a moment. She could at least manage prey like this.


    He sped off on all fours like a beast. His hand tightened with strength, his claws sharpened, and he began to hunt.


    He tore and ripped through the humans as he bounded through. Every lash of his hands carved through flesh, painting the stone town in blood and guts.


    It was easy. These humans were weak. This was his element. His place in this world. One day he would regain his strength, and the prey within his sight would be strong once more. And they would die just the same.


    Banda thurst his clawed hand, and stopped just short of a man¡¯s face cowering against a wall. Blond hair with dark skin, he wore a cloak with a hood that partially concealed his face, but Banda saw enough to determine him youthful. Perhaps around the same as Eres.


    He seemed too weak to be one of the attackers, and his intent matched the thought. Banda guessed he was simply unlucky to be down this path at this time. But none of that was what caught his attention.


    The reason he stayed his hand was due to the leather covered book the man clutched against his chest, as if he valued it as much as his own life. That led Banda to believe it might be beneficial to him.


    Banda snatched the book from his hands, and knocked him back against the wall hard when he tried to reach for it, as a warning.


    He held up the book by one end, and let the pages fall down to the other. It was thicker than the martial books he had used, each page filled with squiggled lines and drawings.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Banda asked, though it was not a request. The hooded man stalled his answer, so Banda punched through the stone wall near his head. His second warning, and would be his last.


    ¡°It¡¯s a Runebook! Runeforging guide! It, it teaches you how to carve runes.¡± The man answered quickly this time.


    Banda started at the human then back to the book, and tried to pour his aura in. But nothing happened.


    ¡°It does not teach.¡± Banda accused. He wondered if the book was not something beneficial after all. Though he would sooner believe human tricks were at play. ¡°Make it teach.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ It¡¯s a book. You have to read it¡­¡± Cedal explained.


    ¡°What is read?¡± Banda started to grow impatient.


    Cedal opened and closed his mouth, as though figuring out how to word his response. ¡°...Those lines, on the pages. They¡¯re words. When you look at the words, you can hear them in your mind. As if the book is speaking to you.¡±


    Banda stared at the unfamiliar lines closely but not one of them spoke to him. ¡°You lie.¡±


    ¡°No, no!¡± Cedal stammers out in fear of the sinking atmosphere surrounding the violent savage.


    A storm of thoughts ran wild in his mind before something clicked and he frantically ambled for a stone on the ground, and used it to carve white marks into the tan stone of the wall behind.


    ¡°Look, look. See these words here. This one means ¡®creation¡¯. This means ¡®are¡¯. ¡®Runes.¡¯ ¡®Words.¡¯ ¡®The.¡¯ ¡®Of.¡¯¡± Cedal pointed to each of them as he assigned a name to them. ¡°Now, now look at the third page of the book. Look at the first line set of lines on the page. Say those sounds in your head as you look at them.¡±


    Banda eyed the man doubtfully, but did as he urged. He looked at the jumbled mass of lines with rising annoyance and found the first one.


    ¡°Runes¡­ are¡­ the¡­ Words¡­ of¡­ Creation.¡±


    Banda¡¯s eyes widened. The lines he thought meaningless now sounded out clearly in his head. In his own voice at that. And together he understood them as though they spoke to him.


    ¡°How can I use this trick without the circle?¡± Banda interrogated, with genuine interest.


    ¡°Trick¡­?¡± Cedal said, a bit confused. ¡°It¡¯s a skill. Like... building a house or making a clay pot.¡±


    Banda used one of his nails to copy the lines on the page in the cobblestone street at his feet, and read them again. He paid close attention this time, and confirmed for himself that none of his aura was used.


    Cedal watched Banda with renewed anxiety, the focus on the savage¡¯s sharp claws reminding him of where exactly he stood. He hoped that the savage would understand the value of reading, and that introducing it to him would be enough to pay for his life.


    ¡°Reading is a¡­ useful thing to have. It-¡±


    ¡°Did you make this?¡± Banda interrupted, holding the book out slightly.


    ¡°Huh? Oh, ah¡­ No. It had to be someone capable. Maybe an Adept.¡± Cedal replied on reflex.


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°W-where¡­?¡± Cedal stammered out in confusion. ¡°The author, you mean? I don¡¯t know. The book is pretty old. They might be long dead by now.¡±


    ¡°Will this book turn to dust if I read it?¡± Banda asked


    ¡°No. The book will remain. You can read it countless times. That¡¯s what¡¯s so great about re-¡±


    ¡°If I learn this human trick,¡± Banda¡¯s presence grew denser and focused. ¡°I can hear the words of dead men who will teach me power.¡±


    Cedal felt his heart sink. The savage understood the value of reading deeply, and in a way that only a savage would. He felt as though he stood before a monstrous beast with an inhuman mind. He felt like a fool for even humoring the possibility of surviving such an encounter.


    ¡°...yes.¡± The word slipped from Cedal¡¯s mouth out of the sheer instinct to live, though he put no weight in it, nor hope.


    Banda vanished in the blink of an eye, down the path he had come. At least that was what Cedal assumed. His eyes were not fast enough to be sure. It took him a few hazy moments until he realized he was still alive.


    Banda stopped by Eres¡¯ side in a blur, who stood with her arms crossed at the place in the alley where they are separated.


    ¡°What took you so long?¡± She asked with clear annoyance. Though her ill temper partially gave way to interest at the most unusual sight of her feral champion carrying a book. ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°Something beneficial.¡±

 Chapter 22 - Runecarving

    Aura seeped into the shallow iridescent scratches of Banda¡¯s soul and lingered. It flowed slowly, like the surface of a lake, mending and soothing until finally his soul emanate a brief gleam of light and the last fracture was gone.


    Banda picked up the Crystal he kept by his side and steadily replenished his aura. It had taken five whole days to fully heal his soul. Fortunately, the damage was not too great this time, but Banda was under no delusion that the harpy matriarch was the most dangerous threat to be found on this floor.


    The damage could be far greater next time. Or worse, something could fracture his mind. And that, he did not know how to heal.


    The Crystal dissipated in his hand as he plundered the last of its mana. Without pause, he focused the aura within him and began to cultivate.


    He swelled the aura within the meridian on his right wrist and stirred it as fast as he could. At the height of its speed, he sunk into deeper concentration and pushed the surface of the ball of aura all at once to bump into the boundaries of the meridian.


    Like a pulsing heartbeat, he pushed again and again, steadily and composed. With each knock, the meridian grew minutely larger. Too meager to tell between just a few times.


    But the meridian did grow. Ever so slightly, the boundaries were pushed wider and wider until the walls trembled fiercely. Banda withdrew the aura remaining and spread it back throughout him.


    The process of the second stage involved opening up all twelve Outer Meridians, though each meridian needed to be fully consolidated and expanded as soon as possible. Left too long and the meridians would settle at their current size permanently.


    The firmer his foundations in this stage, the more aura he could draw out at once, and the faster he could do it. Strictly speaking, it was not required to consolidate the meridians to progress. But it was better if he did. Which to Banda, meant it was mandatory.


    With his cultivation for the day completed, Banda turned his focus to the thing that had occupied most of his time these past days. He picked up the book he had taken and started to read again.


    Runecarving was a human trick. One where markings were carved on weapons and tools and all other things to give them powers.


    There were twelve runes in total, which all gave something different. The dead men wrote many confusing words to describe them, but Banda saw through it all to understand their true nature.


    The Rune of Power made things stronger.


    The Rune of Limitation made things weaker.


    The Rune of Force created human tricks.


    The Rune of Protection shielded against them.


    The Rune of Truth saw through human lies.


    The Rune of Mystery deceived.


    The Rune of Change transformed.


    The Rune of Endurance resisted.


    The Rune of Travel moved.


    The Rune of Hindrance prevented.


    The Rune of Genesis healed.


    The Rune of Oblivion destroyed.


    Using the rune was simple, at least in theory. He needed only carve them onto something in the right way, and the runes themselves would know what they were meant for.


    The Rune of Power on a club would intensify the impact. On a sword, it would cut sharper. Endurance on a shield would make it tougher. Genesis would allow it to slowly repair on its own.


    Banda had no interest in weaponry, but his body was his sword and shield. If there was a way to make it stronger, he would learn it.


    ¡°I would have taught you how to read earlier if I knew you were this interested.¡± Eres commented as she practiced her Sense technique.


    Banda briefly observed her with his own instincts. He hadn¡¯t been able to spar with her lately due to prioritizing his recovery, which left her to practice on her own. In that time, she had extended her range to over three yards and gained even firmer control over it.


    He didn¡¯t like to admit it, but Eres was more skilled than him at aura manipulation. Even if he hadn¡¯t lost these past five days, he would have fallen behind.


    ¡°You should have told me it was useful.¡± Banda muttered.


    It had taken him a few days to become partially literate. He could remember words and their meanings after learning them only once, but there were many words. Far more than he thought possible.


    ¡®The source of runic power stems from¡­¡¯


    ¡°What is this word?¡± Banda held out the book to Eres.


    ¡°Quintessence.¡± She answered. ¡°Mana given ego. It¡¯s what all souls are made of.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a soul?¡± Banda questioned. Souls were souls. He hadn¡¯t ever thought them to be anything else.


    ¡°Not quite. It you tear a small piece off a soul, it wouldn¡¯t be a second soul. Not really. But it is different from all other kinds of mana. The emanations of quintessence is the foundation of faith. You know it as divinity.¡±


    ¡®The source of runic power stems from Quintessence.¡¯


    Power of the soul. Not two moons ago, Banda had thought little of souls. It was just a weakness to him. And in the case of others, food. But now he knew it to be the source runes and divinity. He wondered what other mysteries it held.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯re all healed up¡­¡± Eres withdrew her Aura Sense. ¡°We can spar again.¡±


    ¡°I want to carve runes.¡± Banda said bluntly.


    ¡°You are the obsessive sort, aren¡¯t you¡­¡± Her enthusiasm fizzled out. ¡°Well, I have enough junk for you to practice on.¡±


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡°It says I need a tool.¡± Banda recalled the basic instructions in the guide.


    ¡°Don¡¯t have one of those, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    Banda thought of someone he hadn¡¯t since their encounter. ¡°I know who to ask.¡±


    ---


    Cedal walked down one of the safer alleys to his house, dejected. He had just been kicked out of a hunting party again, this time after a single trip.


    Fighting just wasn¡¯t his strong suit, and he lacked the shards to afford supporting martial arts. Runecarving seemed to be his only hope, but that too had been taken from him.


    He had managed to learn a few runes over the past few years, but a forger who broke most of the gear he acquired would never turn a profit. He hadn¡¯t even the shards to afford another opportunity at this point.


    A half-made Novice wasn¡¯t worth much, even in a town like this. Things just hadn¡¯t been going well for him lately. Or ever, for that matter. Cedal hoped his luck would turn around soon.


    ¡°Human.¡±


    Cedal startled at the sudden voice, but his shock quickly turned to despair at the sight of its source. Before he could react, Banda put the runecarving guide in his hands.


    ¡°Show me how.¡±


    Cedal found himself at a loss for words again, and another spoke up in the silence.


    ¡°I expect a bit more from the friends you make, you know.¡± Eres commented.


    Cedal hadn¡¯t even realized someone else was there, though his surprise only grew when he laid eyes on woman trailing behind Banda.


    She was divinely beautiful. Silky black hair styled in a regal bob with a figure more seductive than any brothel harlot even within simple hunter¡¯s clothing. Though what drew him most was her sharp, enchanting eyes. Eyes so deep he felt as though he could sink within them and drown.


    ¡°Human.¡± Banda said again, a little more annoyed than before at the lack of haste to his order.


    ¡°Oh. Ah, yes¡­ But, I only know half of the runes. And I can only carve them half of the time.¡± Cedal blurted out without thinking.


    ¡°Show me.¡± Banda said for the second time.


    ¡°The things is¡­ I need-¡± Cedal caught a shortsword softly thrown by Eres and glanced around in place until he realized they mean for him to carve the rune right in the street.


    Cedal sat on the ground and placed the sword in front of him, as he pulled a thick needle with a bulbous wooden handle from the leather pouch at the back of his belt.


    He carefully held the awl as he channeled glowing white aura through it, and started to carve a connected symbol in the base of the sword¡¯s blade. But the soft light shattered and blade broke it two, barely a few moments after he began.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    Eres tossed him a small shield before he could make his excuses, not showing the slightest concern for the broken weapon.


    Cedal suspected by their attitudes and the strength he had seen of the savage man that they were wealthy enough to consider mundane items made of low grade metals to be worthless scraps, but he was unwilling to test the boundaries of that.


    He focused himself and began anew. The point of the awl scraped effortlessly into the shield in a different symbol this time. This time he kept at it for much longer, but at the last stretch the prospect of relief shuddered his concentration. The light shattered again and violent cracks spread throughout the shield.


    Eres tossed a second shield, a larger one this time, with the same indifference as before.


    Cedal felt the pressure on him grow. But alongside that, his face flushed with embarrassment at displaying his incompetence.


    Cedal held himself together. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves and steeled his focus. He carved the same rune as he did on the first shield, and this time he succeeded.


    The glow of the awl faded, and the runic symbol on the shield flashed in its place. A glow covered the shield before it too settled, the metal seemingly holding greater mana than before.


    Banda had not slackened his focus on any of it, not for a moment. He had honed both his senses and his aura on the rune as intensely as he would a hunt. The aura used in the carving was obvious, but there was something more.


    He struck it suddenly, with a fraction of his full power but enough that would crater in a shield of this quality. But the only damage was a slight dent.


    ¡°It feels different.¡± Banda said as he focused on the rune. ¡°Is that the soul?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± Cedal answered with some surprise. ¡°Are you¡­ reading the book already?¡±


    No sooner did the words leave his mouth, that Cedal considered the insulting implications. And once again on reflex, his mouth ran on its out out of panic.


    ¡°All runes draw upon the power of the soul. The Words of Creation. The language of the primordials. They used their souls to speak, and those words became the laws that govern the world.¡±


    ¡°Only Anshar spoke the true Words of the World. The other primordials just mimicked the sounds to lesser effect.¡± Eres corrected.


    ¡°Is that so¡­ I didn¡¯t know that.¡± Cedal wasn¡¯t sure whether that was true or not, but he had no desire to argue.


    ¡°No stories now.¡± Banda put a stop to the direction the conversation was going, before it grew longer, and held out his hand to Cedal.


    ¡°Huh?¡± The action took Cedal by surprise. A handshake at this point was not high on his expectations. He tentatively reached out his own.


    ¡°Awl.¡± Banda specified.


    ¡°Ah, right. Of course.¡± Cedal quickly pulled his hand away and dropped the awl in Banda¡¯s, not catching Eres¡¯ amused smile as she handed Banda an axe.


    Banda started his attempt right away. He had memorized the shape of all the runes, and now he had seen how to wield his aura and the power of his soul.


    He carved the shape of rune with ease unwarranted of someone who had never written until less than a week ago. Copying the markings was easy. Controlling the flow of the white aura was not.


    The light shattered barely a quarter of the way through and the axe splintered. Eres was ready with another item and Banda attempted again without hesitation. He sharpened and firmed his focus further but that only got him half way before he failed again.


    Banda¡¯s expression lowered in a frown as he glanced at the awl. The book told him that he needed this human tool to channel it properly, but he found it only made things murky.


    ¡°This is good for your first day.¡± Cedal offered encouragement seeing Banda place the awl down. ¡°It takes most people half a year just to draw their first rune.¡±


    Banda sunk in deep focus, paying no attention to his words. He held out a finger and and soft white light glowed from his nail. Mimicking the effect of the awl, Banda carved out a rune of power on the gauntlet placed before him, and succeeded.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Eres showed an expression of being genuinely impressed. But Cedal was speechless.


    To succeed on merely the third attempt, and without even a tool. Such a feat seemed like a fantasy. Cedal couldn¡¯t help the disheartened feeling on envy creep up within him, but upon noticing Banda¡¯s stare he quickly buried it down and played it off with an awkward laugh.


    ¡°Show me other runes.¡± Banda said.


    ¡°Hm?¡± Cedal was surprised. ¡°...with talent like yours, you should be able to learn them entirely on you own.¡±


    ¡°I need to see them.¡± Banda didn¡¯t elaborate further, and again, Cedal did not argue.


    The novice runecarver carved the runes he knew one by one as Banda asked, and Banda replicated them all in a single attempt. However, on the fourth success, Banda felt a weakness take him, as though struck with many sleepless nights all at once.


    ¡°Ah, your soul is drained.¡± Cedal commented at the sight, knowing the feeling well. ¡°It doesn¡¯t damage it, but runecarving does fatigue the soul. It¡¯ll be refreshed by tomorrow with some rest.¡±


    ¡°Then I come back tomorrow. You show me the other runes.¡± Banda handed the runecarving book back to Cedal, to the young man¡¯s surprise.


    Banda didn¡¯t need it anymore. He had memorized the patterns and knew how to carve them now. Though, as he started to leave something else crossed his mind.


    ¡°Tell me if there is a threat to you. I will kill them.¡± He offered calmly and bluntly, as if it were of no consequence at all.


    Cedal was speechless once again, but it was not fear or envy that held his tongue this time. It was the faint and unfamiliar feeling that for once he might have actually gained something.


    ¡°...no one is bothering me now.¡± He answered, though his thoughts seemed a bit deeper than that.


    ¡°Tell me when.¡± Banda said as he turned to leave. He needed this human to stay alive, at least for now. He can¡¯t have him die before he masters this craft of runes.

 Chapter 23 - More Chains

    Blue mist flowed like streams into Banda from the Mana Crystals around him. He absorbed it all patiently, until the crystals were depleted and the foreign mana swirling within him reached the limits of his grasp.


    He cycled the mana through his network of paths and meridians converting it into his own aura, and pushed it all into the meridian of his left wrist. Just as he had done with the right, he swirled the dense ball of aura carefully and violently until the meridian broke open and repaired itself anew.


    Banda exhaled softly in the wake of his second success. Yesterday he had finally expanded the first meridian he opened to its limits, about twice as large as its starting size, which meant he could move on to the next.


    The two meridians on wrists fully governed the flow of aura used for both of his martial arts. Now that they were properly opened, he would be able to use them far more easily.


    Though that was merely his priority. The state of the meridians heavily affected all basic techniques, so it would only be after he opened all of them that the gates of his potential would be truly opened.


    Banda supposed that was why this second stage was called Outer Gates. He had not paid much care to the labels of human power, not this one nor the first stage Spirit Tempering, but he had learned many words in the past few weeks. And those words taught him many things he had not known before.


    ¡°Spar?¡± Eres asked.


    ¡°No.¡± Banda placed a few pieces of mundane items in front of him and began to carve runes.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t been making much time for me lately.¡± Eres complained.


    ¡°Learn a craft.¡± Banda spoke bluntly. Sparring and training were good, but a craft gave power faster.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll think about it.¡± The deeper nature of Eres¡¯ words were lost on Banda, as he was too focused in his pursuit.


    Banda¡¯s eyes suddenly sharpened and halted his clawed finger. The weapon with the half finished rune broke apart but he cared not one bit. Banda gave Eres a silent look, and her demeanor also turned serious.


    Strangers broke through the doors and damaged walls of the shack. Banda flung the runecarved items at his feet, shattering the skulls of two intruders.


    Behind him Eres blasted a small group with a mass of aura, sending their broken bodies to crash open a larger doorway, as she channelled aura in her other hand. She thrust out a palm of aura that dented in a man¡¯s chest.


    The body of the muscular man slammed another against the wall. The thin masked man shoved his dead ally away but his movements had been delayed enough for a destructive mass of aura to break him apart.


    A giant of man in full armor effortlessly broke through the wall of the building as he charged towards Eres. She struck him with a Palm Blast that would have slain most, but the man¡¯s armor held up with mere minor wounds.


    He raised his greataxe through bloodied teeth, and Banda mauled him apart. Like a rabid beast, Banda blurred around, killing his enemies with ruthless efficiency.


    ¡°Spare one!¡± Eres shouted.


    Banda got to the last and broke his leg clean at the shin. He stood over the human yelling in agony as Eres calmly joined his side.


    ¡°Who sent you?¡± She asked coldly.


    ¡°...if you don¡¯t let me go¡­ you will die!¡± The man spoke through pained groans and labored breath. And Banda crushed his hand.


    ¡°You will die if you do not answer my questions.¡± Eres told him as he writhed on the floor.


    ¡°A-alright! Tath¡­ We work for Tath. She wants you dead¡­ ¡®cause you attacked her younger brother!¡± The man quickly changed his tune.


    ¡°Who?¡± Eres asked with genuine confusion.


    ¡°In the bazaar¡­ The one you blasted.¡± He explained further.


    ¡°Really¡­?¡± Eres showed partial disbelief. ¡°I didn¡¯t even kill him.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­ not one to let insults like that stand.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ no matter. This saves us some trouble.¡± Eres interest in such an insignificant encounter ended there. She had something more important to ask. ¡°Why is Tath buying so many herbs.¡±


    The man paused a moment too long, and Banda broken his arm.


    ¡°She eats them!¡± The man yelled out. ¡°It¡¯s all she¡¯s been doing the past month. I don¡¯t know why.


    ¡°She must have obtained some sort of trait.¡± Eres mused to herself. ¡°What does it do?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure.¡± The man was far more loose with his tongue now. ¡°I think she¡¯s cultivating faster. She might even be in the second stage of Rank 2. Please¡­ She doesn¡¯t tell us anything, that¡¯s all I know. Please let me go.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Eres said casually, and Banda killed him with a single swipe to no surprise of her own.


    ¡°We should kill this human.¡± Banda asserted.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Eres agreed, knowing full well he was speaking of the Rank 2 slumlord. ¡°But don¡¯t kill her right away. I have some things to ask first.¡±


    ---


    ¡°It¡¯s taking too long¡­¡± Muud grumbled. The open vest of the muscular bald man was now replaced with low grade leather armor that he taken to wear at all times.


    ¡°Shut up.¡± A red haired woman with lean muscles seated on a carved wooden chair snapped at him. All his pacing and whining grated on her mind like nails on stone. ¡°This is all because you got embarrassed by some no name greenhorn.¡±


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Muud grit most of his frustrations away. But only most. ¡°They¡¯re still taking too long.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re obviously dead, you fool.¡± Tath said, her indifferent tone in contrast with her twitching fingers. Though her mood worsened in annoyance at the sight of her wide eyed fool of a brother. ¡°Why are you surprised? Use your brain for once.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± He asked, his frustrations slowly turning to concern. ¡°Was it those two?¡±


    ¡°Otto must have done something. They might be more important than I thought¡­¡± Tath rose to her feet as she thought out loud. As she passed by, she kicked her brother as though on a whim. ¡°Look at the mess you¡¯ve gotten me into!¡±


    A feral blur lunged in the opening and clawed at Tath¡¯s throat. She managed to lean back just slightly and kick him away, but the attack was successful. Banda slide across the ground on his feet in a pouncing stance as blood gushed from the slumlord¡¯s neck.


    But to his surprise, a viscous green sap seeped out along with the deep red blood, and within moments her wound was healed.


    Tath¡¯s muscles swelled with aura and her skin turned to iron. ¡°Kill the girl!¡± She yelled at her brother as she charged towards her feral assassin.


    Banda blocked her hammering fist but the weight of it buckled his legs slightly. She had become stronger. Her Harness technique was superior to his own, but he had not used his own yet.


    Tath raised her other fist and Banda mauled her away, his own muscles tightening and swelling now. The slumlord burst to her feet and charged Banda again.


    He ducked under her kick and swiped at her gut, but his claws left only shallow scratches. He sidestepped the punch that followed and planted a skull-shattering punch on her jaw, but the impact only slightly dented it.


    Banda darted back to create some space. Her human trick that made her whole body like metal was stronger than most he had seen. A mid grade technique at least, he guessed. But it was no true threat.


    He held his clawed right hand open and clenched his left into a fist, turning them both to iron. Tath charged and Banda lunged with her.


    She was more skilled than the weaklings he had just killed, but she was nothing compared to what he had seen. Banda dominated the bare-fisted iron human, denting and clawing away without end. None of her strikes landed, while each one of his piled on more and more damage.


    Shock filled Tath¡¯s eyes with each exchange. Though shock turned to indignation and another change happened.


    She roared as her eyes turned bloodshot and the bitter stench of herbs filled the room. Green veins swelled along the dark gray color of her iron body, and she charged faster than before.


    She was like a mindless beast now, her attacks reckless and fierce and unskilled. But she had become much stronger. Twice as strong as Banda, even with his use of Harness.


    Banda didn¡¯t hesitate in the face of a strong opponent. He pushed his Feral Form past his limits. His face grew more monstrously bestial and his body more twisted and feral. He bashed her face with a rapid strike, sending her crashing over the floor and lunged after without mercy.


    Tath fought hard, but all her strength and ferocity were nothing before a true savage. He ripped and dented into her more destructively than ever. Green blood even started to seep through her wounds.


    She struck back in desperation but hit only air, and Banda landed a blow that made her cough a mouthful of blood. For the first time, realization that she would lose showed on her face, and Tath glanced around for a way out.


    At the other end of the room amidst a floor of bodies, Eres blasted aura at Muud. The graceless man pulled an underling in front of as a shield to survive it, but her Flying Palm that followed cracked his leather armor and knocked him off his feet.


    He looked up in fear as Eres channelled violent aura in a palm, and Tath made her move.


    She lunged at Eres, taking Banda¡¯s clawed slash clean as she went, and grasped her hand at her chosen hostage. Eres¡¯ sight drifted into direction just in time, and a giant shield appeared to block the iron hand.


    Tath didn¡¯t even have the time to register the disembodied arm of mana that appeared out of thin air before the faint thought of death crossed her mind. It was far too vague to be called a sense and came from far too deep within her mind to reach her thoughts.


    Instinctively, she curled her arms over the back of her neck just as Banda clawed down. Tath smashed into the ground, and before he could strike again, a purple fog exploded from her body and filled the entire room.


    Banda¡¯s eyes went alert. He held his breath and appeared by Eres¡¯ side in a blur, and clapped his hands together like thunder. The rush of wind blew an open space in the fog around them.


    But it was too late. Eres coughed up a splash of blood into her hand as blood trickled down his own mouth as well. Muud spluttered and violently coughed in the corner behind them, faring far worse.


    ¡°You¡¯ll never get the cure if you kill me!¡± Tath raised her hand as Banda¡¯s feral gaze slid towards her. ¡°It¡¯s a slow acting poison. Takes five days to kill. I¡¯m the only one on this worthless floor who can produce the antidote.¡±


    Tath walked around them as she spoke, towards her younger brother. She undid the Iron Body technique around her fist and clenched it until it bleed a light green sap. Muud caught in it his palms and drank without hesitation. Color returned to his face and his constant coughing ceased.


    ¡°The only way you get the antidote is if you work for me.¡± Tath declared with a renewed air of authority.


    ¡°...Doing what?¡± Eres asked as she held her composure.


    ¡°Gathering herbs.¡± The slumlord spoke plainly.


    More liquid seeped from her hand, duller than before, which congealed into two small gel-like balls. She tossed them over to the pair who casually caught them, but refrained from anything more.


    ¡°A partial antidote.¡± Tath explained. ¡°It¡¯ll delay the poison, but it won¡¯t cure it. Wouldn¡¯t want you dying before it¡¯s worth my while.¡±


    Banda smelled green pill in his hand with suspicion. After a moment¡¯s thought, he swallowed it whole and the effects of the poison subsided at once. He gave Eres an approving look and she eat hers.


    ¡°How many?¡± Eres asked, still giving little of her thoughts away.


    ¡°Until I say it¡¯s enough.¡± Tath asserted. ¡°How long that takes depends on you.¡±


    ¡°...Alright.¡± Eres agreed to her conditions. Though they was more like demands. They could kill her, certainly, but then they would have no means to deal with the poison. And she did not suspect Tath was foolish enough to surrender the cure through torture. In practice, the situation bore little difference to the Soul Seed which kept them enthralled to Otto.


    ¡°That antidote will only last a day. You still have some light left.¡± Tath gestured them to the door with a smile, and the pair left in silence.


    ---


    Eres slammed open the door of the apothecary for the third time. ¡°How does one harvest herbs?¡± She demanded.


    ¡°...it takes skill.¡± Gurda answered through a sullen face. She was becoming displeasing used to these intrusions. ¡°Most herbs need to be harvested a specific way. Ignorant hands will ruin them.¡±


    ¡°And where can we find them?¡± Eres continued.


    ¡°Herbs are everywhere. You just need to know where to look. The denser the mana in the area, the more herbs. Higher grade ones only grow in the densest environments. Around here, that¡¯s in the mountain ranges.¡±


    ¡°As are the stronger monsters.¡± Eres added with a slightly accusatory tone. She found the old hag¡¯s intentions obvious. ¡°I imagine you have a book on herbalism¡­¡±


    Banda stepped nearer, and Gurda¡¯s expression worsened. She took out a book from the shelf behind and place it on the counter for her to take. Banda brought it over to Eres who skimmed through the pages before taking her leave.


    Eres sighed in annoyance after they left. ¡°Enthralled to two people now. And this one is even more unstable¡­ Tath won¡¯t hold up her end. Not for long. And she¡¯s seen the Avatar Arm. We need to kill her and that goon of a brother. After we use this book of herbs to find something that can cure us.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your fault this time.¡± Banda¡¯s blunt words caught her off guard.


    A silence held between them for a moment, then Eres smiled back at him. Her eyes settled into an eerie calm, though there was a trace of something more profound deeper within. Something cold and resentful.


    ¡°I suppose it is.¡±