《Brutal Mobster Escapes to a Savage Another World (Novella)》 Brutal Rebirth The Transition was so swift and brief that it seemed less than a tick of time lay between the moment I placed myself in Professor Hirabayashi¡¯s strange machine and the instant when I found myself standing upright in the clear sunlight that flooded a broad plain. I could not doubt that I had indeed been transported to another world¡ªlater I would learn it was called Kigen by its inhabitants. The landscape was not so grotesque or fantastic as I might have supposed, but it was indisputably alien to anything that existed back on Earth. But before I gave much heed to my surroundings, I checked over my own body to see if I had survived that awful flight intact. I was still in one piece¡ªmy limbs functioned, my heart thudded, my breath came in ragged gasps. Yet I was completely naked. Professor Hirabayashi had warned me that inorganic matter could not pass through the cosmic transmutation unchanged: only living flesh would survive. At least I hadn¡¯t landed in some icy wasteland¡ªthere was a lazy, summer-like heat on this grassland, and the warmth of the sun felt oddly pleasant on my bare skin. On every side stretched a vast plain thickly grown with short green grass. In the distance the grass became taller, glinting with the reflection of water¡ªa meandering river, perhaps, or several of them. Here and there I saw small black dots moving among the reeds. It was enough to tell me I wasn¡¯t in a deserted realm. My imagination populated the horizon with shapes I couldn¡¯t yet identify. Even so, for all the peaceful air of this place, I felt a chill of dread. A man¡¯s helplessness weighs on him when he¡¯s hurled from the world he knows into a sphere of unknown perils. I¡¯d never been easily frightened¡ªback on Earth, I had been Kai, a brutal mob enforcer, always on the run from the law. But standing there in the open plains of Kigen, battered by memory of the machine I¡¯d just emerged from and the threat of a prison cell (or worse) awaiting me if I¡¯d stayed on Earth, I still felt my nerve waver. Given a sudden choice, I might have traded my new freedom for the old dangers of the police. But I was soon to learn how unexpectedly capable my muscles, my instincts, and my will could be against the threats of this uncanny new world. *** A slight sound behind me made me wheel about. There I saw the first inhabitant of Kigen I was ever to encounter¡ªand for an instant, it fired my blood more than it froze it. That shock, at least, was tangible. The fear of an unknown monster is often worse than meeting something solid, even if it¡¯s menacing. He looked at first like a huge, hulking brute from a bad dream. Then I understood it was actually an orc, albeit unlike any I had known from legends or stories. He stood not much taller than I, but broader, heavier, with shoulders that seemed to stretch halfway across his torso. He wore a loincloth of a silken material, fastened by a broad belt supporting a long knife in a leather sheath. High-strapped sandals encased his feet. But it was his face that arrested my attention. The jaw was wide and squared; brutal tusk-like teeth gleamed when his thin lips pulled back in a snarl. Coarse black hair formed a short, bristly beard at his jaw and fierce, up-curving mustaches. His flattened nose flared with wide nostrils; the eyes were small, bloodshot, and a ghastly gray. From under thick black brows, a low forehead sloped back into a wild tangle of bushy hair. His ears were small, set tight to his head. He was not exactly an ape, but he was hairier than any human I¡¯d ever seen. Black hairs rippled across his massive limbs and barrel-like torso. A single glance told me he was as formidable as he looked. Unbridled power radiated off him¡ªraw strength and a mind that seemed equally unflinching. When his bloodshot stare locked with mine, my own anger stirred. His posture was so arrogantly challenging that I could scarcely check my rising fury. Then I heard him speak¡ªand nearly reeled in astonishment at the sound of perfect Japanese coming from his mouth. ¡°So,¡± he said, voice harsh and mocking, ¡°you¡¯ve got some nerve showing off those smooth limbs in broad daylight. Exactly what are you supposed to be, stranger?¡± The words jarred me. It wasn¡¯t just their meaning; it was the biting attitude behind them. The gangster in me flared up, the old street-honed instincts that had long been my defense. But I tried to keep my cool. ¡°I¡¯m called Kai,¡± I replied, giving him my name without any flourish. I didn¡¯t know how to begin explaining how I came to Kigen. He let his gaze drift insolently across my hairless arms and legs, then curled a lip over his tusks. ¡°Kai?¡± he said. ¡°Could¡¯ve fooled me. You look more like you¡¯re fresh out of some noble lady¡¯s bathhouse.¡± His scorn was unbearable. ¡°Maybe you ought to tell me right now¡ªare you a man or a woman?¡± He never should¡¯ve asked that last question. My fist crashed into his face before I¡¯d fully realized I was swinging. Old habits, old aggression¡ªthe thing that had kept me alive so many times back in Tokyo¡¯s underbelly¡ªtook over. He went rolling on the turf. He came up with a choking snarl, raging like a wild beast. I met his charge head-on, just as furious. In that moment, reason fled, and the savage in me rose. I had always been strong, but for the first time I found myself grappling with someone¡ªor something¡ªstronger still. His arms wrapped around me, nearly crushing my ribs. I tore free with a desperate heave, and we surged apart. It was a short, savage fight. His style was as raw and unrefined as mine was cunning and streetwise. Though he had monstrous strength, he had no technique for blocking or slipping a blow. Several times I felt sure he would break my spine if he pinned me. I battered him, relying on my fists to do what they had done in countless alley fights. He refused to go down¡ªblood flowed from his nose and split ears, but it didn¡¯t stop him. Then I saw him reach for his dagger. That moment of overconfidence saved my life. He thought he could crush me with one slash. But as he straightened for a killing strike, I whipped a left hook into his midsection with every ounce of power my body could muster. Air exploded out of his lungs; he lurched forward, and I sank my right fist straight into his jaw. It was as brutal a knockout punch as I¡¯d ever landed¡ªon Earth or here in Kigen. He dropped like a stone, blood drenching his beard. Breathing hard, knuckles raw and stinging, I stood over him, half in shock at what I had done. I wondered if I had just doomed myself. If his kin found me here, towering above their fallen comrade, I could guess the outcome. But I¡¯d come too far to be squeamish. I stripped him of his belt, that single loincloth, and the long dagger, girding them about my own body. It gave me some spark of confidence to hold a weapon at last.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. The blade was a deadly marvel, nearly half the length of my arm, sharp as a razor, and forged of a steel finer than anything I¡¯d seen. The artistry of its design implied a higher culture than I¡¯d suspected from a roving orc who roared first and spoke second. At a groan from the defeated orc, I glanced around warily¡ªand saw a group of shapes in the distance, heading my way across the plains. Light reflected off metal weapons in their hands. If they were his comrades, I had no illusions about how they would react to my presence. No sooner had I spotted them than I took off running for the distant foothills. My lungs burned, my heart pounded, and a wild, heady exhilaration filled me. When I paused on a ridge some time later to look back, I saw my fallen foe stir on the ground; the distant silhouettes converged around him. I knew I had no time to lose. I made for the deeper reaches of the hills, clambering across crags and boulders until I found a place to rest. I glanced backward only once more. No pursuit yet¡ªbut I pressed on. *** That was how I began my life in the rugged hill country of Kigen. For months, I lived a brutal existence I¡¯d never imagined possible. But a man does what he must when survival is on the line. Even a former mob enforcer from Earth has to become something more feral here. My earliest days were spent cowering among stunted trees, half-starved, hounded by beasts I had no name for. If I wanted to eat, I ate what I could find¡ªnuts, weird fruits, anything that didn¡¯t kill me on the spot. I soon discovered that the nights on those hills became bitterly cold. Many times I huddled on a rocky ledge, half-frozen, hugging myself to keep awake. Packs of predators roamed after dark¡ªhuge, savage shapes that howled, roared, or slunk by on silent paws. I learned never to linger too long at a watering hole. A few mistakes nearly cost me my life. In time, fear and hunger wore me down until my gangster¡¯s instincts adapted. I toughened, both in body and spirit. My bare feet grew hardened against the rocky ground; my sun-baked skin turned tough as leather. I discovered I had an unexpected capacity for survival. Back on Earth, I¡¯d lived by my wits¡ªrunning rackets, beating down rivals. That was child¡¯s play compared to the savage forging I underwent in these hills. I scrabbled in the dirt for nuts, fought giant boars and saber-fanged leopards, and evaded or slew smaller packs of orcs that roamed the craggy slopes. I taught myself to sleep in short, shallow bursts, so the slightest sound would jar me awake. My body grew leaner, my muscles iron-hard. I lost all sense of civilized restraint. I was free¡ªfree of laws, free of moral codes¡ªyet every day I risked my life against fangs, tusks, and scimitars. One day, while roaming a new plateau, I stumbled upon a scene that made my heart thunder. The land dipped into a shallow bowl grown with tall grass, and there, wrestling with a gigantic saber-fanged leopard, was one of those orcs, locked in a fight for his life. I paused in shock. Usually, a creature like that cat would shred a victim in seconds. But this orc was holding his ground with a long sword, although it was clear he¡¯d soon be finished. Before I could think better of it, I was sprinting down the slope. I didn¡¯t even shout. There was no time. Just as the leopard sprang and bore the orc down, I reached them and buried my dagger in the beast¡¯s belly, ripping sideways with all my strength. The cat lurched off its prey, howling in agony. Horrifically wounded, it rolled and screamed before collapsing in a grotesque heap. I turned to the orc, expecting I might have saved him. But his throat was torn open. He was choking in his own blood, his thigh shredded to the bone. Incredibly, he was still alive and aware¡ªuntil a moment later, when the life went out of his eyes. That was when more orcs appeared on the ridge above me, bows drawn. One arrow hissed past my ear, thudding into the grass behind me. The rest came pounding down the slope, shouting. Some of their words rang in Japanese: ¡°He killed Daisaku! Take him!¡± I didn¡¯t wait for the next arrow. I bolted, bounding up the slope and into the protective cover of stunted trees. More arrows whistled by as I vanished. Any illusions I might have had about making friends with the orcs of Kigen ended right there. *** The memory of that encounter, together with the endless harshness of the hills, made me dream of somewhere else¡ªanywhere else. I wanted a horizon that wasn¡¯t just rocks and predators. And so I struck off south and east, searching for new territory where I might stand a chance at a better life. My wanderings in the hills were too numerous and bloody to recount in detail: I fought, I bled, I learned. I also came face to face with terrifying monstrosities: hyena-like fiends that could climb as well as any cat; enormous boars with razor tusks. Once, I glimpsed a vast, serpentine shape sliding through a valley by night, silent save for the swish of tall grass. My courage nearly failed me that time. I hunkered in my makeshift shelter and let it pass. Eventually, though, I discovered that I was growing stronger¡ªstronger than I had ever dreamed a human body could become. Back on Earth, I¡¯d considered myself in peak condition. Now, I knew that was laughable. Compared to the half-feral warrior I had become on Kigen, my old self would have seemed soft as dough. Here, you either toughened or died. I, for one, had no intention of dying yet. From time to time, I wondered at the strange coincidence of hearing my native tongue¡ªJapanese¡ªspoken by orcs. But the puzzle eluded me. I was living the ultimate struggle for survival; theoretical questions took a back seat to raw necessity. At last, the day arrived when I caught a glimpse of rolling grasslands stretching away beyond the peaks. Green and endless, dotted with streams that shimmered in the distance. The sight stirred something in me: hope for a new chapter, maybe. I turned my back on the final ridge of the hills, and I descended. The first night on the plains was unnerving. There were new beasts there, new roars echoing in the dark. But it was also warmer. In the days that followed, I discovered strange fruits growing on thick stalks. I saw herds of animals¡ªsmall deer-like creatures and bizarre pig-like beasts with long hind legs that hopped like kangaroos. The novelty almost made me laugh out loud. It had been a long time since anything had made me laugh. One morning, I found a bit of greenish stone¡ªsomething flint-like¡ªand managed to spark a fire. It took me half the day, scraping my dagger against the stone, cursing under my breath. But that night, I fed the flames with dry grasses and stems, forming a ring of fire around me. For once, I slept with a sense of security, though I heard heavy footfalls in the outer darkness and glimpsed savage eyes reflecting beyond the flames. I kept traveling eastward. Days blurred together until one evening I beheld something that made me stop in my tracks: the towering walls and massive towers of a city. It loomed in the distance, its ramparts etched against the dusky sky. My heart pounded at the sight. Who lived there? Could it be civilization of some kind? Or was it just a bigger fortress of orcs? My imagination conjured all sorts of possibilities¡ªmost of them frightening. And yet, I couldn¡¯t quell a twinge of excitement. The golden moon of Kigen rose above those walls, bathing them in its eerie light. The outline was dark and brooding, a hint of brutish power in the architecture. Huddled beside my little fire, I stared until sleep claimed me, half-dreaming of gates and towers and not knowing if I would find friend or foe inside. *** Thus began my next step into the unknown, driven onward by hunger, curiosity, and that unquenchable urge for survival that had defined me ever since I fled Earth¡ªand the police who sought to put me away forever. Whether this city would be my salvation or my doom, I did not know. But I had endured too much in Kigen to turn back now. I had gone from being Kai, a wanted mobster in Tokyo, to Kai, the lone wanderer of Kigen. Now, with that dark city on the horizon, I was certain of only one thing: my story here had barely begun. Brutal Capture Dawn found me on my way across the plain. It might look foolish to stride openly toward a strange city¡ªespecially one that could be packed with hostile creatures¡ªbut I had grown too used to desperate gambles to let caution stop me. Besides, curiosity had me by the throat, and I was sick of lonely wandering. The closer I got, the more its sheer brutality stood out. The walls and the looming tower behind them looked more fortress than city. They were built of rough-cut greenish stone, mortared together without any sign of polishing or decorative artistry. Everything in sight declared a wild, fierce people piling up rocks for defense. I saw no human movement, either. For all I knew, the place might be abandoned. But the broad road leading up to a huge gate looked heavily traveled¡ªno grass grew there. No fields surrounded the walls; the plain¡¯s tall grass reached the fortress itself. All that way, I saw nothing that looked like a person. Only when I came under the city¡¯s colossal gate, flanked by thick towers, did I glimpse dark, shaggy heads stalking along the crude battlements overhead. I halted, tilted my head back, and meant to call out. The sun flared straight into my eyes¡ªjust as a cracking report tore the air. A plume of white smoke jetted from a tower. Something smashed into my skull like a hammer, and darkness swallowed me whole. *** I awoke quickly¡ªthat¡¯s always been my gift. My body and brain snap back fast. I found myself on a bare stone floor in a large room whose walls, ceiling, and floor were made of huge blocks of that same green stone. A high, barred window let in the sun. There was nothing inside except a crude, heavy bench. A thick chain circled my waist, locked with some strange mechanism, bolted to a ring in the wall. My head was bandaged in a silky cloth that smelled faintly of some resin, and it throbbed steadily. Whatever they¡¯d shot at me, it only grazed my scalp¡ªenough to knock me out. My dagger was gone. I cursed. When I first arrived in Kigen, I¡¯d been terrified by my prospects¡­but at least I¡¯d been free. Now I was at the mercy of who-knew-what kind of orcs, and they were definitely not friendly. A jolt of panic clawed me¡ªlike any beast in a snare¡ªbut I forced it down, replaced it with sheer fury. I jumped to my feet¡ªthe chain allowed that much¡ªand started yanking on the iron ring with raw anger. I was still straining and swearing when a faint sound made me whirl. I froze. In the doorway stood a young woman. Slim, lithe, shaped like any human girl I might have seen back on Earth¡ªthough her movements had a startling fluidity. Her hair was long and black, her skin pale as porcelain. She wore a sleeveless tunic that dipped low at her throat and barely reached to mid-thigh, revealing ivory shoulders and most of her legs, plus the upper curves of her breasts. A silken girdle cinched the garment at her waist; her feet were in small sandals. She stared at me, wide-eyed and silent, as if drawn by shock and fascination in equal measure. When I spun around, glaring, she gasped under her breath and darted away, vanishing as lightly as a startled deer. I stood there, that vision of a delicate girl at odds with everything the city¡¯s harsh, beastlike architecture suggested. Where had she come from? Did a refined culture thrive behind these savage walls? I was still pondering when I heard rough voices and heavy footfalls. A knot of men burst into the chamber. My hopes crashed the moment I laid eyes on them. They were orcs¡ªjust like the ones I¡¯d encountered in the wild: massive, hairy, sloped foreheads, surly faces packed with muscle and tusklike teeth. Though some were darker in hue than others, all looked savage to the core. Their small gray eyes blazed with ferocity; their guttural voices rumbled like distant thunder. Each wore weapons. Their hands drifted instinctively to the hilts, lips curling in snarls. One of them barked out: ¡°He¡¯s awake. Ten coins says he doesn¡¯t last long.¡± Another snorted. ¡°Think he even speaks our words?¡± I realized with a jolt that they weren¡¯t speaking Japanese from Earth¡ªyet somehow I understood every syllable, except for certain alien terms. The puzzle threatened to unravel me, but I shoved it aside and answered the question: ¡°Yeah, I speak,¡± I said. ¡°I understand you well enough. Now tell me who you are, what this place is, and why you put a hole in my head.¡± They stared at me, baffled, then burst into rough commentary¡ªhands tugging mustaches, voices rising in shock. ¡°He speaks, all right,¡± one rumbled. ¡°Taro, I¡¯m telling you, he¡¯s from beyond the Great Gap¡ªno question.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get carried away,¡± someone else snapped. ¡°Looks more like a hairless runt that never should¡¯ve been born.¡± ¡°Ask him how he got Roga the Bonebreaker¡¯s dagger,¡± another cut in, holding up my confiscated weapon so I could see it. ¡°Got a real story for that, stranger?¡± He stepped forward, fixing me with a baleful stare. ¡°You pilfer this from Roga?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t steal,¡± I shot back, my temper flaring. ¡°I took it off the one who tried to kill me¡ªand it was a fair fight.¡± They looked skeptical. ¡°So you beat Roga in a fair fight? He¡¯s not exactly known for losing, especially to a hairless twig.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t kill him,¡± I said, scowling. ¡°He drew steel, and I knocked him cold. That¡¯s all.¡± That statement practically exploded in the chamber. They shouted, cursed, brandished fists. One bull-throated voice roared above the clamor: ¡°You¡¯re lying. Not even Goro the Bear can take Roga down with his bare hands. You want us to believe some smooth-skinned drifter did it?¡± But then someone else retorted, ¡°Quiet, you loudmouthed fool. He¡¯s got the dagger, doesn¡¯t he?¡± The argument turned into a full brawl of words. The orcs shouted in each other¡¯s faces, hammered fists on the bench, yanked at their sword hilts. I half expected them to start murdering each other on the spot. At last, a deep-chested brute who seemed in charge drew his sword and pounded its pommel against the bench, bellowing for silence:This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°One more outburst and I start splitting heads.¡± At once, they quieted¡ªthough hateful glances were exchanged all around. ¡°Debating how he got that dagger won¡¯t earn us a jug of mead. We¡¯re not Roga¡¯s keepers. Drop it. The real question is what we do with him now.¡± ¡°Hang him or shoot him,¡± one orc growled, voice thick with grudges. ¡°Those are the straightforward options.¡± The leader snorted, flashed a grin of malicious humor. ¡°Unless we try tanning his hide first.¡± Somebody else shook his head. ¡°Leather from that skinny flesh? Hardly worth the trouble.¡± A third orc said, ¡°Tell you what, let me just carve a sample,¡± and drew a dagger, stepping toward me with disturbing purpose. My vision went red. Gripping the chain, I coiled it around my wrists to brace for a massive heave. I dug my heels against the wall and yanked until my body trembled with strain. A second later, the embedded stone ring tore out with a thunderous crack. I fell backward, still clutching the chain, and slammed onto the floor at their feet. ¡°Now we¡¯re talking,¡± I snarled, launching myself up. The nearest orc had barely blinked before my fist smashed his chin. Instantly, half a dozen of them piled on me. We went rolling across the stone, a snarling knot of fists, knees, and elbows. The chamber rang with deafening shouts, curses, the dull thud of flesh hitting flesh. I glimpsed the doorway jammed with the startled faces of orcish women¡ªeyes round with shock¡ªbut couldn¡¯t dwell on it. I was too busy fighting for my life. I landed a few good shots, felt cartilage crunch under my fists, heard pained roars. Yet that damn chain tripped me. My scalp wound tore open and blood blinded me. Staggering, I lost balance, and a swarm of furious arms seized the moment, pinning me at last. Panting, battered, they bound my limbs until I couldn¡¯t break free. I let out a stream of curses, savage and unrepentant, reveling in the bruised jaws and crushed noses around me. One orc yowled that I¡¯d snapped his arm. I bellowed laughter. They dragged over a water vessel to revive a comrade who¡¯d been knocked cold. No one paid much attention to me until one scowled at the blood pouring from my temple. ¡°He¡¯ll bleed out,¡± the orc muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll toast that,¡± another hissed, doubled over and clutching his gut. ¡°He nearly cracked my spine.¡± The leader wiped a line of blood from his mouth. ¡°We need him alive until the tribe decides. Akra, tie up his head again.¡± A brute limped forward, grumbling under his breath. ¡°Hold still, or I¡¯ll make you,¡± he said, seizing my face. Bad move. I clamped my teeth down on his thumb, spurring a scream that rattled the walls. Two more orcs had to pry me off. Enraged, Akra kicked me viciously in the temple, smashing my head against the bench leg. Darkness engulfed me again. *** When I regained consciousness, I was bandaged once more and chained by wrists and ankles to a new iron ring, set deeper in the stone. Night had fallen. Through the high window I saw unfamiliar stars. A single torch, burning with a pale white flame, flickered in a wall niche. On the bench sat one of the orcs, elbows braced on his knees. He regarded me in silence for several moments. ¡°Didn¡¯t think you¡¯d wake after that last blow,¡± he remarked at length. I bared my teeth in what might have been a grin. ¡°Takes more than a cheap shot to finish me off. You orcs aren¡¯t half as tough as you think. If not for this chain and my open wound¡ª¡± He raised an eyebrow. ¡°All right, I get it. You¡¯re a raging demon. We learned that the hard way.¡± He tapped a large knot on his own scalp. ¡°Now, my job is to guard you while the council debates your fate.¡± ¡°I get the feeling none of my options are pleasant.¡± ¡°You catch on quick,¡± he said, lifting a gold vessel in one hand and drawing his dagger with the other. ¡°In Koseki, nobody starves. Here.¡± He set the bowl of stew within reach of my chained hands, then pointed the dagger at me. ¡°Go ahead. Just remember, if you try anything clever, I stick this between your ribs.¡± I was hungry enough not to argue. The stew eased both my thirst and hunger. The orc watched me with an air of curiosity. When I finished, he asked, ¡°Who are you, anyway?¡± ¡°My name¡¯s Kai,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m Japanese¡ªfrom Earth. Let¡¯s call me a¡­wanted man there.¡± He took that in slowly. ¡°Sounds like nonsense. But everything about you is nonsense, so maybe it fits.¡± Then he said, ¡°So how¡¯d you wind up approaching Koseki from the plains? That was your campfire the lookouts saw last night, yeah?¡± ¡°Likely. I¡¯ve been roaming the hills for months after I arrived in Kigen. Only recently did I come down into the grasslands.¡± He gazed at me as if weighing whether I was mad or telling the truth. ¡°The hills? Alone? Armed with just a dagger?¡± I shrugged, though the chain cut into my shoulders. ¡°Yes. You seem surprised.¡± ¡°You realize no one sane goes near those hills. You¡¯re either lying or you¡¯re the toughest idiot in existence. I haven¡¯t decided which.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this place called?¡± I asked. ¡°This city is Koseki, home of the Koseki clan. Our chieftain is Kosshun the Skull-Splitter. My name¡¯s Taro the Swift. And right now, the tribe¡¯s in council about you.¡± I frowned. ¡°They¡¯re discussing my execution?¡± Taro smirked. ¡°Something like that. Some want you hanged, others want you shot. A few prefer you wrestle a sabertooth leopard for their amusement.¡± It took an effort not to flinch. ¡°Let me guess: setting me free isn¡¯t on the table?¡± He shook his head with a tight little grin. ¡°You must think we run a charity here.¡± At that, I heard a soft step behind him, and the slender girl I¡¯d glimpsed earlier slipped into the chamber. Taro, exasperated, said: ¡°Aiko, why are you here?¡± ¡°I wanted another look at him,¡± she replied, voice light and melodic. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone like him¡ªhairless face, skin almost smooth.¡± She moved closer, eyes flicking to my bandages and the chain. ¡°Where did he come from?¡± Taro grunted. ¡°He claims the hills. Ask me, he fell from the sky.¡± She studied me with something like pity. ¡°We shot him before he could even speak, Taro. Why so cruel?¡± ¡°Cruel? It¡¯s called survival,¡± he retorted. ¡°This so-called ¡®hairless wonder¡¯ nearly took half our best fighters out of commission.¡± She pressed her lips together, glancing at me. ¡°He doesn¡¯t look dangerous now. Let me guess: they¡¯ll throw him to a wild beast for sport?¡± Taro¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Aiko, your father wouldn¡¯t like you talking soft about an outsider.¡± She blanched. ¡°I know,¡± she whispered. ¡°But¡­this is still barbaric. He came unarmed.¡± Her voice caught. ¡°It¡¯s not right.¡± Taro¡¯s brows knotted. ¡°One more word and I tell Zan the Thrower you¡¯re sticking up for the enemy. Want that?¡± She bit her lip and backed off, eyes flashing. ¡°Say what you want. It¡¯s monstrous.¡± And she fled out of sight. I exhaled slowly. ¡°Who is she?¡± ¡°Aiko, daughter of Zan the Thrower¡ªthe orc whose ear you tried to bite off, if I¡¯m not mistaken.¡± Taro offered me a grim smile. ¡°Didn¡¯t expect a savage like you to raise his eyebrows at that, did you?¡± My mind reeled. A slender, almost human-looking woman as the daughter of one of these monstrous orc men? ¡°It¡¯s¡­hard to believe,¡± I admitted. He shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s the way things are.¡± Right then another orc stuck his head inside and grunted, ¡°Council¡¯s stuck. They¡¯ll wait for Kosshun to return in the morning. You¡¯re relieved.¡± Taro said nothing more as he left, and the other warrior took his place on the bench. I kept my mouth shut. Pain and exhaustion tugged at me, and soon I gave in to sleep. Sometime later, I half awoke to a delicate rustle. My lids opened a crack, and I saw Aiko again, kneeling beside me in the glow of a dying torch. The guard on the bench slept, snoring softly. She studied me with a blend of fear and fascination, then gently touched my hair. Her face was close enough that I caught the faint scent of her. When I stirred, she gasped and drew back, hand at her lips, then rose and slipped away into the shadows. I could do nothing but fall back into unconsciousness, haunted by the image of her wide dark eyes and the swirl of raven hair. Brutal Decisions I awoke again in the cold gray light of dawn¡ªthe hour for the condemned to meet their executioners. A group of men stood over me, and I recognized one as Kosshun the Skull-Splitter, chieftain of this grim fortress-city. He was taller than most of his orcs and leaner, almost gaunt. Perhaps that made his broad shoulders look even more colossal. His body was a tapestry of scars, and his dark face held the harshness of a man who¡¯d walked through battle after battle. He stared down at me with eyes as bleak as a steel blade, fingers idly tapping the hilt of his sword. ¡°They tell me you¡¯re the fool who claims to have taken down Roga of Tanabe,¡± he said at last. His voice had a hollow, echoing quality, like it rose from the depths of a cave. I gazed back, the usual anger stirring in my blood. ¡°So they say.¡± He lifted an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s all you¡¯ve got? I ask a question, and you go silent?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m sick of being told I¡¯m a liar,¡± I replied. My tone was cold. I was done explaining myself to these brutes. His mustache bristled around his tusk-like teeth. ¡°Why come to Koseki at all?¡± I let out a raw laugh. ¡°Because squatting in the hills with leopards and giant baboons got old. Figured maybe I¡¯d find better company. Guess I miscalculated.¡± Kosshun¡¯s scarred hand curled over his sword pommel. ¡°They say you fight like a wildcat. Taro claims you didn¡¯t approach our gates like a marauder. I admire courage. But suppose we free you? You¡¯d resent us for what¡¯s happened here, and that¡¯s not a grudge I¡¯d want turned loose.¡± I shrugged as best I could in my shackles. ¡°Then bring me into the tribe. Let me prove my worth. I¡¯m no one¡¯s slave.¡± Kosshun¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°We don¡¯t keep slaves. Not how we do things. And you¡¯re a long way from being one of us.¡± ¡°Try me,¡± I shot back. ¡°I¡¯ll hunt, I¡¯ll fight. I¡¯ve got enough strength for any orc in Koseki.¡± Right then, another orc shouldered past Kosshun¡ªGoro, broader than any I¡¯d seen so far, limbs coated in thick, rust-colored hair. He practically vibrated with brute force. ¡°You talk big, stranger,¡± he roared. ¡°How about you show us?¡± He jerked his chin at Kosshun. ¡°Unchain him. Everyone keeps going on about his so-called power; I¡¯m ready to put it to the test.¡± Kosshun frowned. ¡°He¡¯s injured. We battered his skull not long ago.¡± ¡°Then let him rest, let him heal,¡± Goro insisted, flexing his monstrous arms like a wrestler. ¡°His fists are rumored to be iron.¡± ¡°Trust me, they¡¯re plenty solid,¡± someone muttered from behind. Goro just snorted. ¡°Stop whining and let me see what he¡¯s got. If he¡¯s tough enough for our tribe, then by Kigen¡¯s fangs, let him earn his place.¡± Kosshun contemplated that, dark eyes unreadable. ¡°I¡¯ll think on it.¡± That ended the debate for the moment. They filed out, one after another. Last in line was Taro, who shot me a quick look that might have been encouragement. Evidently, not all orcs here were entirely devoid of compassion.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. *** The day passed quietly. Taro never returned, but others brought me food and drink. They redressed the wound on my scalp. Gradually, the unbridled fury I had cultivated in the wild began to subside¡ªthough it still simmered beneath the surface, ready to explode if they pushed too far. I didn¡¯t catch sight of Aiko, the girl who had piqued my curiosity, though I heard light footsteps beyond the stone walls more than once. Could have been hers, or another¡¯s. As night fell, a cluster of warriors arrived and announced I¡¯d be taken to a council where Kosshun would judge my fate. I was startled that anyone would speak in my defense. Once they had my word I wouldn¡¯t turn on them, they unlocked the chain anchoring me to the wall¡ªbut they left heavy iron on my wrists and ankles. No point giving me full freedom, I supposed. They led me from the cramped cell into a massive hallway lit by white fire torches. No tapestries, no decorations¡ªjust an oppressive sense that the walls could crush a man if they leaned in an inch. We passed through several similarly bare corridors, then emerged into a broad circular space under a domed ceiling. A stone throne stood on a blocky dais at the far side. Kosshun sprawled there in grim majesty, wearing a spotted leopard skin like a king. Before him, arranged in a three-quarters semicircle, sat the orc tribe: men cross-legged on animal hides, women and children behind them on rough benches. It was surreal. The men were massive, hairy, scarred¡ªsome wore only loincloths and sandals, others had panther pelts over their shoulders. The women, in sharp contrast, were delicate, with pale skin and slender limbs, clothed in short, belted tunics like Aiko¡¯s. Even the children exhibited that same bizarre dichotomy: the boys small but already thick-limbed, the girls dainty, doll-like. I was shoved onto a stone block near the dais. Across the crowd, I spotted Goro, flexing his biceps with restless energy. He clearly wanted a piece of me. Kosshun spoke with a sullen grandeur. ¡°We gather to decide what becomes of the outsider called Kai.¡± He gestured at a big orc whose bruised face I recognized from my brawl in the cell. ¡°Gotsuro, you represent him. Let¡¯s hear arguments for why we shouldn¡¯t toss him to the sabertooths.¡± Gotsuro¡ªapparently the second-in-command¡ªdid not look thrilled. He still wore visible lumps from our fight. Nevertheless, he set his weapons on the dais as custom required and turned, glowering at the tribe. ¡°All right,¡± he barked. ¡°Show me your reasons for condemning or admitting Kai.¡± It was like a signal flare. Half a dozen orcs leaped to their feet, roaring their objections, while Gotsuro howled right back. At first, I was sure I was finished. But Gotsuro, wounded pride or not, found his footing: spurred on by opposition, he roared at them with such volcanic ferocity that anyone listening would think we¡¯d been lifelong allies. And the crazier the counterarguments got, the more heated he became. Before long, Taro¡¯s voice boomed in my favor, Goro thundered he wanted me tested fairly, and a growing chorus joined in support. Others cursed us with the passion of men defending ancient grudges. The dome rang with their shouts until I thought the roof might crack. Kosshun just watched from his throne, looking as grim and unmoving as a statue of some old war god. I soon lost track of the chaos. Insults turned personal, genealogies were flung around like weapons, and at least a few orcs forgot which side they were on and started hurling arguments that actually helped my case. It was complete bedlam. By midnight, they were still going strong, fists shaking, spittle flying, beards bristling. The women, having zero interest in this madness, quietly slipped away with their children¡ªexcept one slender figure: Aiko. She stayed behind, perched on a bench, trying to follow each snarled point with a look of anxious focus. Me, I gave up caring. Gotsuro roared himself half hoarse, Goro practically wept with fury, begging Kosshun to let him snap a few necks just to speed things along. By that point, I was so numb that I drifted off to sleep, leaning against the dais while they squabbled over whether my life would continue for another sunrise. The next thing I knew, Taro was shaking me awake in the gray break of dawn. His breath smelled of fatigue, and he had hollows under his eyes. ¡°Good news, gangster,¡± he said. ¡°We pulled it off. You get to join the tribe¡ªprovided you can wrestle Goro.¡± I rubbed grit from my eyelids. ¡°Wrestle Goro? Sure, I¡¯ll snap him in half.¡± Then I lay back down on the cold stone, closed my eyes, and drifted off again, oblivious to Taro¡¯s snort of disbelief and the fact that I was surrounded by orcs on a world far from Earth. In that moment, all I wanted was sleep. Brutal Showdown So began my life as an orc among the orcs of Koseki. I, who arrived in Kigen as a naked, feral survivor, now took another step up the chain of existence. The people of Koseki were barbarians¡ªthough they wore silk, forged steel, and dwelled behind massive stone walls, they lived too fiercely, too primitively, to be called anything else. You wouldn¡¯t find their like on Earth, nor see their counterpart in its history. More on that later. First, let me tell you about my battle with Goro the Bear. They took the chains off and moved me into a tower on Koseki¡¯s wall, where I stayed until my wounds closed up. Officially, I was still a prisoner; they brought food and drink regularly, and they tended my injuries with surprising skill. From what they told me, they wanted me in perfect shape for a wrestling match with Goro, a fight that would determine whether I joined the orcs of Koseki, or wound up as a feast for wolves and vultures. No sense leaving my corpse around to stink up the place. Most of them kept it strictly business with me, except for Taro the Swift, who was friendly in his blunt, orcish way. I didn¡¯t see Kosshun the Skull-Splitter, Goro, Gotsuro Tigerwrath, or Aiko at all during that time. I can¡¯t recall a more tedious stretch in my life. It wasn¡¯t fear¡ªI¡¯d gambled with death so many times that the concept lost its sting. But back on Earth, I¡¯d been a gangster who thrived in action, and here in Kigen, I¡¯d spent months living like a mountain cat, always on the prowl. Being locked up in that tower, pacing the stones like a caged beast, drove me insane. By the time they finally let me out, I was so keyed up with pent energy that I felt like a dynamite fuse. Now, let me be blunt: there¡¯s no human on Earth who could match the raw power of a Koseki orc. Day after day, they wrestle with perils both beastly and mortal, forging savage strength. But for months, I hadn¡¯t just been living like a savage¡ªI¡¯d been living like a wild animal. I was stronger than I¡¯d ever dreamed possible back home in Tokyo, and if that champion wrestler I once sparred with on Earth had seen me now, he¡¯d have fainted. My fists could pulverize ribcages, my arms could snap bone. I could move with the lethal grace of a tiger. Yet I knew Goro was going to test every last reserve I had. Taro rattled off Goro¡¯s greatest hits, painting a picture of rampage and broken bodies. No one had survived a barehanded contest with him. Some said only Roga the Bonebreaker¡ªchief of Tanabe, a rival city¡ªmight rival Goro¡¯s strength. I¡¯d fought Roga once and come out alive, so maybe I had a chance. Taro told me Roga¡¯s favorite poniard, the one I¡¯d taken, was rumored to have been forged by a supernatural metalworker¡ªa kikaika, he called it. It reminded me of Earth¡¯s old tales about dwarven smiths in Germanic legend. Taro told me countless things about the orcs and about this entire world they called Kigen, but I¡¯ll get to that in time. Eventually Kosshun showed up, checked my bandages, noted my muscle tone with a flicker of respect, and declared me ready to fight. *** Night had fallen when they finally led me through the streets of Koseki. The towering walls loomed overhead, monolithic against the star-hung sky. Everything here was built on a gigantic scale¡ªshort in height, maybe, but absurdly thick, like the orcs had heaped blocks of stone until an army of giants couldn¡¯t shake them. They took me into a big oval arena near the outer fortifications, ringed by vast tiers of stone blocks for seating. Orcs crowded the lower benches; behind them, women and children perched on upper tiers. Torches sputtered in the breeze, lighting a woven barrier of leather thongs that fenced in the arena floor. Grass showed in patches underfoot, worn down to tough stubble in places. I spotted Aiko among the crowd. I¡¯m not sure why, but my pulse quickened when I realized she was watching. Taro and the other warriors motioned me into the ring. High above, Kosshun sat on a raised stone seat draped with leopard hides. I threw a glance at the alien sky, shimmering with unfamiliar constellations, then choked down a half-crazed laugh at how bizarre my life had become. Here I was, Kai, gangster fugitive from Tokyo, about to prove my right to breathe in Kigen by wrestling an orc named Goro the Bear. Couldn¡¯t make it up if I tried. A cluster of warriors approached from the far side, with Goro¡¯s hulking form in the middle. He snarled when he realized I¡¯d arrived first, as if that alone was an insult. Kosshun raised a spear and flung it downward, letting it stick blade-first in the turf. As soon as we saw that shining spear lodge in the dirt, Goro and I lunged at each other. We both wore nothing but stout leather around our waists, more belt than clothing. Our rules were stripped down to basics: no fists or open-hand blows, no biting or gouging. Almost anything else was fair game. One look at Goro and I realized he was even stronger than Roga had been. And I couldn¡¯t use my best weapons¡ªmy fists. He outweighed me, probably knew every trick in the orcish wrestling manual, and that bull neck of his looked impossible to choke out. What I did have on him was speed and endurance, hammered into me by months in the wilderness. After that first collision, the rest became a haze of gasping, thrashing, savage deadlock. Foot against foot, chest against chest, each of us seeking that one edge. Time lost all meaning. My lungs burned, my muscles screamed, my mouth dripped blood, but Goro was in no better shape. Somewhere near midnight, we broke apart. I reeled on shaky legs, my ribs felt like glass about to shatter, and my head pounded so hard I could hardly see. Goro, likewise, was spitting blood, half the orcish bravado gone from his eyes. Then he roared one final time, charged me with everything left. I caught his arm, ducked low, and heaved in a last-ditch throw.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The pivot worked. Goro flipped over my shoulder, slammed onto the ground with the sickening crack of bone, and went limp. I staggered above him, dimly aware of the deep-throated roar rising from Koseki¡¯s spectators. Then the torches and stars winked out, and I collapsed across Goro¡¯s motionless body. *** They told me later that both of us looked dead. It took them hours of work to revive us, and to this day I¡¯m amazed my heart stood the strain. No one in Koseki had seen a match drag on so long. Goro¡¯s shoulder and skull were fractured; three of my ribs were busted, and half my joints were sprained or bruised. Once I¡¯d been patched up and was lying on a padded pallet, I asked Taro if Goro would hold a grudge. Taro admitted nobody could guess¡ªGoro had never been beaten before. The answer came when a litter bearing Goro himself, swathed in bandages, arrived at my chamber. He demanded his warriors carry him to me, so he could make it clear he bore no ill will. Quite the opposite¡ªhe held my battered hand in his huge paw, roared out the glorious highlights of our battle for anyone who¡¯d listen, and bellowed that he couldn¡¯t wait for the day we might join forces in some future war. Despite the bruises, I found myself liking the big lug¡¯s directness. And so I, Kai, ascended from savage to barbarian in the eyes of Koseki¡¯s orcs. In the great council hall, still stiff and hurting, I stood before Kosshun Skull-Splitter. He drew his immense sword and inscribed the city¡¯s symbol above my head, then buckled a warrior¡¯s harness around me¡ªthick leather belt, iron buckle, and all. That belt supported a broad silver-guarded sword and a razor-edged dagger. Then the warriors passed before me, chief after chief, pressing their palms to mine, each speaking his name and repeating the one they¡¯d gifted me: Tetsuken. There were four thousand orcs in the Koseki clan, with four hundred of them of chief rank, so you can imagine how long that took. But it was tradition. When we finished, I was a Koseki orc as surely as if I¡¯d been born in their midst. *** In my tower cell¡ªand later as a recognized tribesman¡ªI learned plenty about the orcs of Koseki and about the world of Kigen. They considered themselves the only true race on Kigen, though they admitted there was a mysterious people of winged black raiders called the Karasu, far to the south. The orcs used the term Kijin to refer to themselves, meaning simply ¡°the People¡± in their own language. Many Kijin strongholds dotted the plains between the southern Girdle and the icy north, each city a fortress akin to Koseki, each tribe at perpetual war with the others. The orcs explained that no one from Koseki had ever circled the planet¡ªKigen was vast, and orcs rarely traveled except to hunt or raid. They insisted the far north was a land of freezing wastes, haunted by eerie shapes and echoing with howls in the long Arctic nights. Some said the Girdle in the south was a ring of impassable cliffs that split the planet in half, though the boldest dreamers believed there was another hemisphere beyond that barrier. Most orcs scoffed at such ¡°romantic nonsense.¡± Wherever they settled, the Kijin built monstrous walls¡ªsquare towers heaped from stone blocks, more suited for withstanding wars and bestial assaults than for pleasing the eye. No Kijin city strayed too far from a reliable freshwater source, and each cultivated the plants they used for silk, wine, and food inside its walls, making them nearly impervious to sieges. When they needed fresh meat, they hunted, often for sport as much as sustenance. Hunting parties roamed far, and seldom did the entire fighting force remain in the city at once. As for the women, Aiko included, they were an entirely different matter. Pale, slender, quick of mind, and guarded ferociously by their men, they had no voice in public affairs and rarely left the safety of the walls. Yet their orc mates¡ªfierce as they were¡ªprotected them from abuse, worshiped them in their own barbaric way, and insisted on strict monogamy. The women sang, made silk from special plants, and raised children with a gentleness that contrasted starkly with the men¡¯s endless taste for war. The men, meanwhile, resembled Earth¡¯s Viking raiders in some respects: loyal to their clan, scornful of deceit, savage in combat, easily provoked and just as easily appeased if the blood feud wasn¡¯t personal. They lived to brawl, hunt, and raid. The technology they favored included swords, spears, a single-shot firearm with short range, and¡ªwhen it came to true skill¡ªthe bow and arrow. They soared with pride over their barbaric freedom, and if they recognized an enemy, heaven help that poor soul. In my months at Koseki, I adapted wholeheartedly to the hunts, the feasts, the ale-swilling, and the occasional fistfight between friends. It was raw existence turned up to full volume, everything I¡¯d craved since arriving on Kigen. If you asked me then, I would have said I¡¯d never needed libraries or universities. I hunted, I feasted, I fought. I embraced life with no holds barred, a glutton for the raw energy of existence. For a time, I almost forgot the slender orc-girl with the dark eyes, who¡¯d watched that mad council all those weeks ago and somehow brought a curious ache to my chest. *** Still, Kigen is a land of endless mysteries. The orcs only half-understood their world, whispering tales of ancient ruins built by forgotten peoples, or wandering nightmares that prowled beneath the moonlight. They dreaded and despised the Karasu, those black-winged marauders from Karasuta, perched on the rock called Kuroishi by the River Yoko, deep in the land of Karasuha. Led by their immortal queen, Yasu, the Karasu periodically descended upon the Kijin cities to steal away orcish maidens for unspeakable ends. Did they serve a monstrous deity? Did they devour their captives alive? No orc had ever escaped to tell. Some insisted the Karasu recognized no gods but themselves. Whatever the truth, fear of that black-winged race ran deep. Worse horrors lurked in rumor or half-glimpsed shadow: half-human beasts prowling the crypts of unnamed ruins, laughing bats big enough to drive warriors mad, and shambling giants that roared down from lonely mountain passes. The orcs lived daily with such nightmares, forging a culture as tough as the stones of their walls. And though I heard much and saw glimpses of these terrors, my story has its own pace. Bear with me, for events in Kigen can race from calm to chaos in a heartbeat, and my chronicle will follow that same furious course once it truly begins. For now, know that I spent months thriving in Koseki, becoming orc in all but birth. I wrestled, sparred, gorged on game fresh from the hunts, quaffed ale while roaring out rowdy ballads. In those wild nights, as I slammed cups together with Taro or hoisted Goro¡¯s battered arm in triumph, I rarely remembered the quiet, watchful gaze of Aiko. But Fate moves in subtle arcs, and Kigen is a world that rarely leaves any path untwisted for long. Brutal Living I had roamed far in my latest hunt. Traveling alone, I¡¯d spent several nights out on the plains, well beyond the watchful eyes of the Koseki guards. Now, I was making my way back at an unhurried pace, still many miles from the sprawling walls of Koseki¡ªwhose towers I couldn¡¯t yet see over the wide sea of grass. My thoughts, as I walked with a carbine tucked under my arm, probably circled around the usual: tracks in the soft mud along the river¡¯s edge, fresh signs of a large predator stalking the reeds, or the direction of the wind carrying the musk of some hidden beast. Whatever I was pondering, it all scattered the moment I heard a piercing scream. I spun around and saw a pale figure sprinting headlong across the grass: Aiko, daughter of Zan. She was fleeing from one of those giant carnivorous birds¡ªthe orcs sometimes call them ¡°thunderbirds.¡± Each stands nearly ten feet tall, vaguely like an ostrich, but with a curved beak almost as long as my arm, sharp as a scimitar, and feet taloned enough to tear a man in two. The monstrous bird was gaining with every step, and I knew there was no way for me to close the distance in time. Cursing under my breath, I raised my carbine, aiming as steadily as I could while Aiko and the bird both bobbed in my line of sight. A shot to its huge body might also catch her. That left only a snap shot at its bobbing head and the slender neck behind it. By luck more than skill, my bullet struck true. As soon as the carbine cracked, the bird¡¯s head jerked backward like it had slammed into an invisible wall. In a flurry of thrashing wings, it staggered wildly and collapsed, dead by the time it hit the ground. At that same instant, Aiko fell as though she, too, had been struck. I sprinted to her side and found her shaken but unhurt, just trembling with shock and exhaustion. I made sure she hadn¡¯t been sliced by beak or claw, then turned to confirm the thunderbird was good and dead¡ªblood oozed from a neat hole in its skull. Returning to Aiko, I frowned. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± I demanded, more harshly than I intended. ¡°What possessed you to wander this far from Koseki? These plains eat people alive.¡± She didn¡¯t say a word, just stared at me with eyes full of hurt and anger. Feeling a little guilty for barking at her, I knelt by her side. ¡°You¡¯re not like the rest of the orc women,¡± I said, keeping my tone lower. ¡°Everyone says you¡¯re stubborn, always out on your own, but this is suicide. Why risk your neck like that?¡± She just shrugged, her dark eyes smoldering. ¡°What do you plan on doing now?¡± ¡°Easy,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m taking you back to the city.¡± Her scowl deepened. ¡°And then Father will beat me. But guess what¡ªI¡¯ll leave again. And I¡¯ll keep leaving, over and over.¡± I shook my head. ¡°Aiko, there¡¯s nowhere else to go out here but wilderness. You saw what almost happened. That bird nearly gutted you.¡± She lifted her chin defiantly. ¡°Maybe I want to be devoured.¡± I squinted at her. ¡°Then why¡¯d you run?¡± ¡°Survival instinct¡¯s tough to ignore,¡± she muttered. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t mean I want to keep living this way.¡± I felt out of my depth¡ªlike trying to talk sense into a suicidal friend back in Tokyo. ¡°What is it you hate so much about life in Koseki?¡± I asked. ¡°From where I stand, the women there look pretty content.¡± Her gaze drifted away, over the endless grasslands. ¡°Food, drink, and sleep aren¡¯t everything. Animals manage that much just fine.¡± I raked a hand through my hair. On Earth, I¡¯d heard plenty of philosophical types rave on about craving meaning in their lives, but it was odd to hear those sentiments from an orc of Kigen. Aiko¡¯s voice softened, as if she spoke to herself more than me: ¡°Life¡¯s too jagged for me. I don¡¯t fit the puzzle. I keep cutting myself against the edges. I look for something that doesn¡¯t exist¡ªand never did.¡± An uneasy feeling gnawed at me. I gently gripped her hair, tilting her face up so she had to meet my eyes. ¡°What changed? You never seemed this restless before.¡± She gave me a long, pained look. ¡°It was rough enough before you showed up. Now it¡¯s worse.¡± I stared, baffled. ¡°Me? Why?¡±If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. But she sidestepped the question with her own: ¡°Kai, is our world so narrow? Our men kill beasts, fight each other, and chug ale. Is that really all there is?¡± I let out a frustrated breath. ¡°Listen,¡± I said, ¡°on Earth I met folks who hunted bigger dreams. Most of them wound up more miserable than happy. I ended up on the run from the law. I can¡¯t say they found ¡®contentment,¡¯ but I sure never expected to find a place as¡­straightforward as Kigen.¡± She pulled her face away, eyes down. ¡°I thought you might be different¡ªmilder, gentler. But you¡¯re exactly like the rest. You kill for sport, you brawl, and you celebrate half the night.¡± ¡°Everyone in Koseki does,¡± I pointed out. Her laugh was sharp and humorless. ¡°And so I don¡¯t belong. I¡¯d be better off dead.¡± A stab of shame hit me. I¡¯d assumed a Kijin woman would take all this in stride; I never expected an orc-born girl to feel trapped. The fact I had no graceful response only heightened my discomfort. ¡°Come on,¡± I said at last, ¡°I¡¯m getting you back home.¡± She gave a small, indifferent shrug. ¡°Sure. Then you can watch Father whip me again.¡± Something in me snapped. ¡°He won¡¯t,¡± I said flatly. ¡°If Zan so much as raises a hand, I¡¯ll snap his spine.¡± Her eyes widened, and for a moment we were very close¡ªmy arm somehow already around her waist, our faces inches apart, her breath catching in her throat. Another heartbeat and¡­I¡¯m not entirely sure what might have happened. But then her face went white. She screamed, her gaze fixed on something above and behind me, even as the air filled with a sudden beating of wings. I sprang around to see the sky swarming with dark silhouettes¡ªKarasu, the winged raiders of Kigen. I¡¯d heard the rumors but half dismissed them as myth. No one would doubt their existence now. They were tall and rangy, ebon-skinned like living shadows, with great, bat-like wings extending from their shoulders, and each wielded a short, curved blade. They wore only loincloths, their scowling faces partially hidden by straggling black hair. I barely managed to raise my carbine when the first one dove at me, sword lifted high. I swung the weapon like a club, smashing his skull in a spray of blood. Instantly, four or five more Karasu swooped in, their blades dancing silver arcs through the air. The beating of wings was thunderous, but ironically, it cramped their formation. Whirling the splintered carbine barrel in a circle, I knocked aside a slash and caught a second Karasu with a glancing blow that left him dazed on the ground. Then I heard Aiko¡¯s scream¡ªan anguished, piercing cry. Spinning on my heel, I saw the flock hurtling skyward once more, retreating south. One of them had seized Aiko in his arms, carrying her aloft as if she weighed nothing at all. She twisted helplessly, screaming my name, and I could only stand and watch while the Karasu soared faster than any man on foot could hope to run. In seconds, they were black specks in the distance. Rage and horror boiled inside me. Then I remembered the unconscious Karasu at my feet. He was stirring, blood seeping from a wound on his temple. I was ready to bash his skull in right then¡ªuntil an idea sprang to mind, fueled by how effortlessly the abductors had carried Aiko away. I seized him by the hair, hauled him upright, and pressed my dagger to his ribs. He was as tall as I was, lean but with corded muscle. His slanted, merciless eyes regarded me with reptilian menace. ¡°Koseki orcs told me your kind speak the same language,¡± I growled. ¡°Good. You¡¯re going to fly me after your pals.¡± He gave a mocking snort. ¡°I can¡¯t carry you.¡± ¡°Wrong answer,¡± I muttered, hooking an arm tight around his neck from behind. Leaping onto his back, I clamped my legs around his waist, letting the dagger¡¯s point dig into the side of his torso. ¡°Get airborne,¡± I snarled, ¡°or I carve you into slices.¡± With no choice, he spread those broad wings and took off. The ground receded beneath me, the wind buffeting my face. If I hadn¡¯t been furious for Aiko¡¯s sake, I might have actually marveled at the sensation. Far ahead, I glimpsed the other Karasu, already just specks in a darkening sky. Despite my threats, they vanished from sight within minutes. But I forced my captive southward, knowing from every rumor I¡¯d heard that the Karasu laired somewhere in that direction, on the grim fortress-rock called Kuroishi, in a land known as Karasuta near the River Yoko. My best bet was to chase them all the way. The Karasu grudgingly gave me good speed, though I occasionally reminded him of the dagger at his side whenever his wings slowed. Mile after mile of grassland blurred beneath us, then we passed over a forest that grew thicker and taller than any I¡¯d seen yet in Kigen. By late afternoon, the shadows had begun to lengthen. As sunset neared, we came upon a patch of ancient ruins rising from the plains, smoke drifting upward¡ªsome camp or settlement among those crumbling walls? I demanded to know if his companions were waiting there, but my captive only glowered, refusing to speak. We were flying low over the forest canopy, close enough to glimpse the creatures below. In a narrow clearing, I saw a giant, unicorn-like beast¡ªtaller than a bull bison¡ªbeset by a pack of hyena-like predators. Mangled bodies lay strewn about the glade, evidence of how ferociously the unicorn-thing had defended itself. Just as I looked, it speared the last snarling hyena on its single horn and tossed it aside like a broken doll. Fascinated, I must have loosened my grip a fraction, because my Karasu captive seized his chance. With a violent buck, he flung me off. Suddenly I was tumbling through empty air. I crashed onto the thick, loamy earth with a force that drove the wind from my lungs¡­and found myself face-to-face with the maddened beast, its horn lowered like a charging spear. Dazed, I tried to fling myself aside, grabbing at its horn with one hand while stabbing upward with my dagger in the other. A thunderous impact cracked against my head. All went black. And in that instant, the world of Kigen spun away into darkness. Brutal Romance I can¡¯t have been unconscious more than a few minutes. The first thing I felt when my senses returned was a crushing weight pinning me to the ground. Dazed, I struggled to breathe and realized I was trapped beneath the dead body of that unicorn-beast. At the same moment my dagger had torn open its jugular, its heavy horn must have clipped my head, and the whole bulk collapsed on top of me. Only the soft, swampy soil saved me from being flattened like a pancake. Wriggling out from under that carcass took nearly everything I had left, and when I finally staggered to my feet, the beast¡¯s half-dried blood was caked in my hair and smeared across my arms and legs. I probably looked like I¡¯d crawled out of a nightmare, but it didn¡¯t matter. My captive Karasu had vanished into the sky, and a barrier of thick forest cut off any view of the horizon. I needed a vantage point. I chose the tallest tree I could see and climbed, quickly as possible, until the canopy opened around me. From the treetop I glimpsed the sun, red and low. Maybe an hour remained before nightfall. Off to the south, the forest ended and gave way to open grassland. Thin gray smoke curled up from the half-ruined silhouette of a city. Then, in the distance, I caught sight of the Karasu who¡¯d knocked me off his back. He was dropping down among those broken walls, presumably to rest. Or maybe he¡¯d circled back to see if I was still alive. I cursed under my breath. So much for surprising him. Then, no sooner had he vanished behind the old marble spires than he shot skyward again¡ªthis time with frantic speed. He darted south so fast it left my jaw hanging. If he¡¯d been planning to meet his clan, why flee like a spooked deer? Shaking my head, I descended. Whatever had driven him off, it might also hold a clue about Aiko. If she was still alive, I needed to find her trail, and those ruins looked like my only lead. I began forcing my way through the thick undergrowth, ignoring the slither of hidden reptiles and the low growls echoing among the roots. Dusk was deepening, and Kigen¡¯s nocturnal life was stirring. *** By the time I broke free of the forest, night had fully fallen. The moon hung low, casting a silvery sheen across the plain. The eerie ruins shimmered with a ghostly white glow. Straight away I noticed these walls weren¡¯t built from the coarse, greenish stone favored by the Kijin. This was marble¡ªand that stirred a cold knot in my gut. The orcs of Koseki had told me dark legends of marble cities abandoned since the dawn of time, haunted by horrors you didn¡¯t want to meet. Shadows clung between fallen columns and half-collapsed arches. A hush lay upon the place, so total it felt like even the wind held its breath. No warthogs rooting in the rubble, no hyenas lurking. It was as if the entire city was a tomb, sealed off from the rest of Kigen. I picked my way through smashed corridors and broken courtyards, sword in hand. I was half expecting a Karasu ambush, or maybe some fanged predator to pounce from a dark corner. Instead, I found a wide plaza, ringed by shattered pillars. A smoldering campfire flickered in the center, spitting embers at the sky. What I saw in that weak glow made my stomach clench. Bodies. Or rather, pieces of bodies. Limbs and entrails, lumps of black flesh, empty eye sockets, severed hands curled into final claws. They wore the dark, leathery wings and ebon skin of the Karasu. Something had blindsided them here, near that lonely fire, and ripped them to shreds with a ferocity beyond belief. It was as though a savage fury had torn them limb from limb, flung their remains about like trash, and then broken the bones for marrow. The place reeked of blood and animal stench. Worst of all, I saw lumps of roasting meat skewered above the fire. Karasu are rumored to feed on human flesh, but I didn¡¯t realize they¡¯d do it so casually. Yet that¡¯s what it was. They¡¯d been barbecuing a person. My stomach churned until I forced it back under control. At least the meat was from thick, muscular limbs¡ªa man¡¯s, not a woman¡¯s. A tremor of relief hit me. If Aiko had been here, she wasn¡¯t part of the ¡°meal.¡± But then where was she? Had she escaped, or been snatched up by the nameless killers who shredded these Karasu? The sheer terror in this place spoke to some lurking menace. I felt unseen eyes watch me from behind the fragments of broken marble. Still, I followed the only clue I had: a faint trail of blood droplets leading past a row of toppled pillars. Maybe it¡¯d guide me to these new attackers¡ªand maybe to Aiko as well. Beyond the pillars lay a half-crumbled building draped in moss. The roof was missing in places, letting the moonlight seep inside. A narrow corridor sank below the main floor, stairs descending into deeper darkness. The blood trail continued that way, so I started down, trying not to think about how it smelled of stale wet stone and old, old death. Then, I heard it: ¡°Kai¡­Kai¡­!¡± The voice echoed faintly through the blackness, quivering with what sounded like fear. My heart jolted. I wanted to call back, but caution strangled me. Could Aiko possibly have known I was in earshot? She might be calling blindly, a terrified cry in the dark. Or it might be someone¡ªor something¡ªimitating her voice. Chills sprang up the back of my neck. Still, I pressed forward. The darkness felt bottomless until my hand brushed a doorway. I froze. Something waited in there. My instincts screamed the presence of a living creature. I whispered her name in a low, urgent murmur. No response, just a soft raspy sound, as if bristles scraped stone. Then a pair of eyes flickered in the black¡ªa pair of orbs as large as my open palms, with a sinister yellow glow. A wave of raw animal panic surged through me, so I pulled back and hurried farther down the corridor, retreating from that horrifying gaze. I had no idea how many branching tunnels led away. Then that voice came again: ¡°Kai¡­Kai¡­¡± It sounded closer, but there was something¡­off. Despite everything, I advanced, tensing for an ambush. Suddenly it changed. The name rose to a shrill pitch¡ªthen twisted into an inhuman cackle that set every hair on my body upright. That was no plea for rescue. It was pure mocking sadism. A hundred echoes joined in, repeating my name over and over from every tunnel: ¡°Kai, Kai, Kai¡­¡±¡ªlike a chorus of twisted parodies. My mind reeled. It felt like I¡¯d wandered into the devil¡¯s own carnival. I lost it. With a furious bellow, I charged blindly in the direction of the loudest jeers. I ran headlong into a stone wall, busting my lip, while a hundred shrill voices whooped in unholy mirth.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Whirling, I found another passage and stormed down it in blind rage. Finally, I burst into a wide underground chamber with a single shaft of moonlight cutting across it. Then, at last, I heard a genuine scream¡ªpure terror, very human: ¡°Kai! Oh, Kai!¡± It was Aiko¡¯s voice this time, no question. I saw her sprawled on the floor in that ghostly patch of moonlight. Furry, misshapen shapes crouched at her wrists and ankles, pinning her down. ¡°Let her go!¡± I roared, and charged. Instantly, the darkness around me erupted with life: a swarm of stunted, apish figures throwing themselves at my knees, trying to drag me down. They sank fangs into my flesh, clawed my sides. But none of it stopped me. I swung my sword in savage arcs, hacking a path toward Aiko. My blade sliced and crunched through fur and bone, and though I was half smothered, I forged on. Reaching her side, I saw the monstrous things clutching her limbs. One whistling slash of my sword sent them scuttling back. Aiko scrambled upright and threw her arms around me. The swarm closed in again, so I spotted a half-toppled stone stairway behind us. I shoved her toward it and whirled, covering her retreat. The fight continued in pitch darkness, our only illumination a bit of moonlight that teased the top steps. Fangs tore at my legs, claws raked my arms. My sword rose and fell, splitting skulls I couldn¡¯t see. I heard them squealing, chattering, but no actual language. Step by step, I backed up that rickety staircase, Aiko clinging behind me. If more of them had come at us from above, we¡¯d have been finished. But apparently the entire pack was below. By the time I reached the upper chamber¡ªa collapsed hall open to the moonlight¡ªI was drenched in sweat and blood, my ears ringing. I could barely make out the shapes lunging at me in the gloom, but I cut at anything that moved, forcing them back. Gasping for breath, I guided Aiko to an opening in the far wall where she managed to slip out onto a marble courtyard. Then they made a final surge, piling onto me in a shrieking mass. Panic flared¡ªdying in that black crypt of vermin was not how I pictured my end. I clenched my teeth and roared, thrusting and slashing with berserk abandon, until I burst through. Half a dozen of them tumbled with me out through the shattered wall. Dazed, I staggered upright. More of those creatures swarmed after us, shapes like twisted apes with filthy white fur and doglike muzzles, but their eyes were reptilian. Disgust warred with fury in my gut. I raised my sword again, ready to sell my life dearly. And then I saw something else scuttle out of that broken wall¡ªa squat shadow bigger than a bull. The moonlight caught two enormous, lantern-like eyes. Before I could react, the massive shape plunged into the mass of dog-headed vermin. They screamed, scattering in every direction, but it was too late. It was a spider, broader than I believed possible, easily the size of an ox, moving with lightning speed on eight bristly legs. The first wave of creatures died under its mandibles, their heads cracked like eggs. The rest turned to flee, but the spider raced among them, ripping them apart, crunching bones, spraying the pavement with gore. In seconds, none remained but twitching limbs. Panting, I realized the spider was now eyeing me. It had come for me, following the scent of my blood from the fight below. The dog-men were mere collateral. Under the moonlight I saw its hideous black form fully, those giant jaws twitching, greenish slime dripping from its fangs. It gathered itself, ready to pounce. I spotted a chunk of crumbling masonry, as big as a small boulder. Snatching it up, I hurled it with all the desperate might I could muster. It struck the spider¡¯s abdomen, eliciting a spurt of disgusting green fluid. The beast staggered but kept coming, dragging a few crushed legs behind. I grabbed another stone, then another, raining them down until with a final shudder it collapsed in a slimy heap. The courtyard reeked of putrid fluid and freshly splattered blood. I wasted no time. Scooping up Aiko, I ran until the city¡¯s pale marble towers lay behind us and the broad grasslands opened up under the waning moon. Only then did I set her down. She¡¯d made no sound since I¡¯d first ripped her free from that subterranean den. Now, turning to look at her, I saw she¡¯d fainted in my arms. That alone told me how horrific her ordeal had been¡ªKijin women rarely succumb to shock. I knelt, letting her rest on the soft grass. For the first time, I noticed how the moonlight accentuated the delicate lines of her face, the slender shape of her limbs, the graceful curve of her shoulders. Her tunic strap had slipped off, revealing just a glimpse of one breast. A flutter of feelings I hadn¡¯t let myself acknowledge stirred in my chest. ¡°Aiko,¡± I whispered. My voice sounded hoarse. She stirred, eyes flickering open. A surge of panic raced across her face, and she reached out, clutching me like a drowning woman. ¡°Shh,¡± I murmured. ¡°It¡¯s done. You¡¯re safe.¡± I felt her heart pounding through her ribs, gradually calming. She stared up at me, speechless for a moment, then buried her face in my shoulder, trembling. Gently, I lifted her into a sitting position. ¡°We should keep moving,¡± I said, nodding back at the silent ruins. ¡°I¡¯m not waiting around to see if anything else crawls out of that place.¡± She noticed my wounds then, tears brimming in her eyes. ¡°Oh no, Kai, you¡¯re bleeding everywhere. I¡­I brought this on you.¡± ¡°Look, these are scratches,¡± I lied, ignoring the deeper punctures. ¡°I¡¯ve had worse. Don¡¯t cry.¡± She tried to obey, rubbing at her tears with the hem of her tunic. The horror was still raw in her expression, but she kept herself together. Finally, I ventured, ¡°Why¡¯d the Karasu stop there? Didn¡¯t they know those ruins were infested with¡­whatever the hell those things were?¡± She swallowed hard. ¡°They were hungry,¡± she said, voice shaking. ¡°They¡¯d captured another prisoner¡ªa young man¡ªand butchered him while he was still alive. I¡­I can¡¯t talk about it.¡± ¡°So they are cannibals.¡± I frowned. ¡°Or devils.¡± She nodded bitterly. ¡°They didn¡¯t even see the dog-creatures until it was too late. Those monsters descended on them like a pack of crazed wolves and dragged me off into those tunnels. I¡ªI don¡¯t want to think about what they planned to do.¡± ¡°And that cackling chorus using my name?¡± I asked grimly. She shuddered. ¡°I cried out for you. They must have heard and decided to torment me, mocking you, mocking me. You heard them¡ªsomehow they knew you, even recognized your voice. These lands are full of evil. Who knows what they sense?¡± I exhaled, still rattled. ¡°Kigen¡¯s got devils in every shadow, it seems. But¡­why call for me instead of your father, Zan?¡± A faint blush touched her cheeks. She averted her eyes. ¡°I¡ªjust did,¡± she said softly, not offering more. I let it drop. After a moment, she fingered my hand. ¡°Why do the orcs call you Tetsuken? You¡¯ve got the grip of a bear, but you move so gently.¡± I flexed my fist, stained with dried gore. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly gentle with my enemies,¡± I said quietly. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t hurt you.¡± Her eyes lit with some unreadable emotion. ¡°You¡¯d never harm me. Why?¡± I stared at her, momentarily lost for words. Her question was so innocent and so complicated at once. My mind churned for an answer, but none came. Instead, I reached out, brushing a stray strand of her dark hair from her face. We were both silent under the silver moon, battered and bruised, but alive. For that moment, it was enough.