《The Scum Showdown》
Prologue
25 Years Ago
In the Yerren District of Estemont Kingdom, the sky had turned grey. It was a sudden change in the midst of the cruel winter afternoon. The Townsfolk were going about their day in hopes for something warmer. And why won¡¯t they? It was nearly the end for the six months long winter. This season it had been worse than all the other seasons.
The end of the cruel winters was marked by the Summer Festival. In the Xion Realm, it was not only important for the townsfolk but also carried religious significance. The Sun God, Helios would pull up his chariot through the skies and the spell of Winter would come to an end.
Merchants from faraway lands would come and settle in their markets. The fruits of winter would have their last harvest, before the Fall takes over. And then, soon enough the skies would be warmer. There would be no dreading cold to fear from.
The thought of it had Diana''s heart racing, as she held onto the basket of freshly done linen. Her long silver hair was radiant under the sun, as she rubbed her belly. Her clear blue eyes watched the horizon as she called onto her husband.
¡°Ruberos! Come! I can see the God¡¯s Lanterns in the sky,¡± She beamed. Her long hands clasped in front of her dainty gown. Diana was nine months along. Any day now, she would give birth to her baby. That thought alone kept her occupied. Soon, she would be a mother of a healthy and happy child.
¡°Diana, how many times have I told you to not look at the sky! Are you barefoot again?¡±
Her husband, Ruberos came rushing in. He was a man in his early thirties. He had auburn hair and intense dark eyes. Unlike his lithe and weak wife, he was an astute man. His tall stature casted a long shadow. He wore long robes, and a collar around his neck. It was something that only Priests of Goddess Lamia¡¯s temple were allowed to wear.
¡°Don¡¯t be a kill joy, husband. Look! It¡¯s almost summer now. I cannot wait to sink my fingers in River Ferrera again,¡± she said with glee.
Her lips curved into a smile as she watched the dazzling colours against the grey sky. Wisps of pink, green and violet light shot through the sky. Its glow created interesting patterns. That''s when her husband wrapped his arms around her, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Why darling, I love to see you at ease with yourself," he mumbled softly.
"And what''s there to worry about?" Her soft voice chuckled.
"Nothing... The day before..."
And even before her husband could say more, she knew what this was about. Ruberos didn¡¯t have what it took to be subtle. He couldn¡¯t lie. Or so, Diana thought.
Yesterday, about two hundred men had entered the city. They were clad in red armours. They had the heaviest of swords. Each of them seemed so ginormous. But Diana didn''t see no reason to pay them any heed. She was just there to buy some bread.
People in the Town Square exchanged glances and whispered in secrecy. Indeed, there was some foreshadowing. The only time Diana had seen those men in red armour was when she was but a little girl. The troops were reinstated to retain the Order of God. However, after the first Great War, they had disappeared.
"Do you suppose the Town Hall plans on increasing temples?"
¡°What business would those soldiers have except for those of the Temples!¡±
She asked her husband.
Her husband, Ruberos Delmonte was a High Priest in the Temple of Goddess Lamia. Goddess Lamia, was one of the Twenty-Nine important Gods and Goddesses of Estemont Kingdom. She was also the Goddess of Xion realm.
¡°Whatever it is, I don¡¯t think it means any good,¡± Ruberos said sceptically.
It was a part of his call to look after any activities that would come to threaten the townsfolk. For twenty good years, he had worked closely with the clergy to ensure peace and order were maintained.
¡°The Clergy is not sure how to respond to it either. They have been brooding over the townsfolk for a while now,¡± Ruberos sighed.
Being born in a family of Priests had given him access to information that the townsfolk scarcely knew about. If it was some other day, Ruberos could have asked his brothers about it. But his marriage with Diana had severed his ties with his family.
¡°You seem worried. Shouldn¡¯t they leave as soon as their work is done?¡± Diana asked naively. Her fair hands caressed her husband¡¯s rough skin.
"I am not sure, his love. I think, that something is amiss," Ruberos tells her.
Ruberos Delmonte came from a family of Blue Bloods. The Blue Bloods were said to be the direct descendants of Gods. All Blue Bloods shared some similarities. They all had blue eyes, golden hair and the characteristic silver tongue. But not Ruberos.
Ruberos looked nothing like the other Blue Bloods. He had auburn hair, and his eyes were a radiant obsidian. His skin was tanned, and his stature by far surpassed that of any Priest they had come across.
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The Delmonte family couldn''t fathom the birth of an anomaly. But Ruberos excelled equally alongside his brothers and cousins. He read the holy scriptures and even mastered the spells of the Lamian Clergy.
"I don''t think we should worry about what goes around in the city. We should soon move to somewhere else."
Ruberos proposed.
How strange! Diana thought. Her eyes narrowed. The baby was due any day now. Travelling was a trouble regardless. Then, there was the matter of finding another home in such a short time.
"We cannot leave like this. Not to say you said it yourself that the baby shall be arriving any day now," she poured.
"I will make sure that you''re comfortable. I worry for our child too," Ruberos said, whimsically.
"But you cannot give up your position at the Temple!" Diana was livid.
"Love, I won''t want you to put through such duress without reason. But we must move out as soon as we can," Ruberos was determined.
Diana didn''t know her husband was salvaging such secret plans. Could it be that something had happened?
"But... You still shouldn''t leave the church!" Diana insisted.
"Why not? The church was ready to forsake me when I married you.
And now that our baby''s going to come in this world, it''s natural for us to seek a homely abode, away from here.
Who''s to say that they won''t do anything devious in the future?"
Ruberos said.
Around nine years ago, Ruberos had broken many laws, going against his own bloodline. The Descendants of Lamia were to be sworn into a matrimonial union with a Blue Blood from another Temple.
Ruberos had married a woman from the Ramboulient Shelter. Diana, was what the Blue Bloods called - ''Scum'' Blood. They were mortals with nothing comely about them.
About a century ago, the world didn¡¯t know anything about the Scums. There was but only one race. The Superior Blue Bloods, with their radiant physical features. Then, a prophecy was revealed. Most of which was either lost or forgotten.
About twenty statues of Gods and Goddesses were crushed to dust from the Pantheon Temple. Their names were forgotten, never to be seen again. And then, the Scum Bloods emerged. They were known to have been born from the Earth.
Their skin was rough and awry. Their eyes were obsidian and intent. Their hair was darker than the night. And most of all, they were cursed by the Gods.
Some argued that the Scum Bloods would commit heinous crimes because of their origins. The others thought them worthless. Hence, the Scum Bloods didn¡¯t intervene with the affairs of the Blue Blood.
Life went on, undisturbed for years. Gods prophesized and blessed the lands. Little to nothing was said about those that were fallen or forgotten. However, the societal standards were set. No Blue Blood was to engage in a union with a Scum Blood.
Ruberos, however hadn''t seen anyone more beautiful than Diana, in his own life.
Her eyes were bluer than the clear seas, and her hair was Golden. It was indeed a twist in fate that the two had met. There was a fatal attraction unlike any other.
There was no way Diana couldn''t be a blue blood. But then, no Blue Blood would ever live in a Ramboulient Shelter. Diana had no family of her own. It made Ruberos all the more convincing when he approached the Clergy. But it was all in vain.
There was nothing that could save Ruberos and Diana from the Church''s wrath. And then...the prophecy revealed itself. The Hearth at Lamia''s Temple had turned Blue.
Nobody knew how and what had brought the change.
All priests had rushed to be its witness.
The Hearth glowed, and from it the iridescent, Goddess Lamia, appeared before them. With long, flowing blonde hair and eyes blue like the ocean, Lamia delivered the fateful prophecy herself.
"That which was abandoned,
Will find its place,
The newborn scion of his bloodline
Shall turn the wheels of Fate,
And when all is lost
Under the expanse of bleeding sky,
The Blue Blossom would turn the time again"
Nobody had a clue what was so important for the Goddess to descend to the affairs of the mortals. But the Prophecy saved the baby and Diana. The church has accepted the union, though secretly they all stayed away from the affairs of the Delmonte couple.
Diana caressed the back of Ruberos'' hand.
"I don''t think we need to run away, anymore," she said.
Ruberos shook his head. His eyes grim as he lifted Diana''s chin.
"Please, love. We must leave. For the sake of our baby. Who''s to say that if the prophecy changes itself, what harm shall befall us!" Ruberos gulped.
Diana sighed, giving in at last.
"Fine then, if you insist. Are you going to get a word in with the church?" She asked, almost on the verge of tears.
Pregnancy had made her too sensitive.
"We are going to leave as soon as possible. I will go and get some herbs, for our journey. And some food to take with ourselves," Ruberos kissed her one last time, before leaving for the town square.
The afternoon gave up to the hour of dusk. Diana propped out of their little house to see if Ruberos had arrived. To her surprise, the sky had changed its hue.
The curdling grey on the horizon loomed like an umbrella while the halo of light emerged through it. Diana stepped out, to see if it wasn''t just her. The God¡¯s Lantern had disappeared. Almost as if it didn¡¯t exist.
A few people had stepped out onto their doorstep, watching the ghastly panorama. Just then, a flash of light cut through the sky. It hit her bump.
"Good gracious," she yelled, falling back.
How strange! She thought.
An excruciating pain birthed from it. Her bump ached, as she cried out loud.
Her eyes searched the way to Towns Square. She moved her head to see if Ruberos was around. To her surprise, the crowd had grown thicker, as she barely kept to her toes.
"The Gods have found us,"
An old woman panicked. She stooped over her stick, nearly knocking Diana. From the looks of it, the woman appeared to be another Scum Blood.
¡°The Gods hate us,¡± the old woman wailed.
¡°Why would you say that?¡± Diane asked. But she didn''t say more to Diana.
Almost immediately, Diane had started walking towards the Town Hall. Ruberos had to be there.
"Why was she so worried?"
Diana wondered. Not long before all her questions were answered. The sky had stilled into its greyness.
When Diana reached the temple, her feet had already given up. She was tired, and panting. That''s when a familiar face approached her.
"Father Jilliam?"
"What are you doing here, Lady Delmonte? Haven''t you heard? You are to leave the town as soon as possible!"
"What? What do you mean?" Diana narrowed her eyes. That''s when she saw the sword in his hand, and the blood on his robes.
"It''s the word of the God. If you don''t leave now, I''d have no choice but to harm you," Father Jilliam''s voice iced over.
"I am waiting for Ruberos'' return!" She cried, but he paid him no heed. He moved closer.
That''s when the baby started kicking. Her water broke. Aching in pain, Diana called out for her husband.
And then...
The sky opened once more. This time a sinister red boiled in its shade, descending down to the Earth.
Listen carefully, and show us no disrespects,
We, are the Gods-
The voice thundered, from the raging sky. It wasn''t a single voice. It seemed like there were six or eight of them. All speaking in unison.
The time has come
When you must return
The favours that we have
So, bestowed upon
Your bounty-
Give up,
All that you own-
All that you deem precious,
Let the Blue Bloods take over,
Those of the scum blood
Shall return to the slums
The world shall have
Only a king
Whose blood is blue,
Kill those who do not
Bend to our will,
Show no mercy.
Men in shining red armour appeared just as the skies turned silent. They were assembled in troops, led by one of them. Diana shuddered, falling on the ground. The contractions had started, as she wailed helplessly.
Help!
She wailed. Her cries rolled out to the world. But no one stopped by. She watched the troops approach.
Help! Please-
A glinting sword was raised. Those men circled her. And the sky called out once more.
Kill that woman who
Bears in her womb
The destroyer of worlds,
The lord of darkness,
The deathbringer.
Diana cowered back. This had to be a mistake. Even when the skies had spoken. This couldn''t be true.
¡°No. Please. Don''t- There''s been a mistake-
His husband is a Priest at the Temple Of Goddess Lamia!¡±
She pleaded.
And then, she watched as the men narrowed to reveal the sight of her dead husband. His head hung loosely from his neck, and blood flowed from his severed head.
¡°Oh fates, what cruel game is this-¡°
"Do not resist us. We are the men of God. The Skies have spoken. And their wish, is our command..." The
Leader within them spoke.
"Your unborn child is accursed by The Gods. Its existence brings disgrace to our lands. We are here to serve justice." they growled.
Diana''s face paled. Her eyes grew wide...and then¡
TO BE CONTINUED¡
Chapter One: The Dumping Grounds
00:00:09
Life, or a big chunk that stinks all the time. There wasn''t much difference between them for Killian and he did not expect it to get better. Killian strode out of the slums to the dumping grounds outside the Slum Territories. Two boys followed him. One was about as old as Killian, and twice as fat. The another looked so frail. He was about five years younger than Killian.
"Do you have everything you need?" The frail one asked his comrade. They exchanged a few words.
Killian checked his reflection in the Ferrera River. At nearly six feet height, with long, frail looking but strong arms he looked like he was determined to get a week''s worth of pay today. But these were the Dumping Grounds. Luck here was thin. The only thing that was obvious was death.
His long black locks were brushed aside by the wind. His blue eyes watched intently for the security detail. For last five years, he hadn''t failed to complete his mission. His work was simple. Get to the dumps. Get everything that seems precious. Return and gamble things for money.
Killian sighed, dismissing the two rookies as he adjusted the straps of the trash bag in his back.
The large dial at the clock tower, a few metres from the dumping ground told Killian that he had a few minutes to get his shit together. Would it be another day with a chance encounter with the long, worm like monsters? Sure. Would he die? Maybe.
Killian stood firmly outside the gate. Any time now, he must charge in.
The Dumping Grounds were located a little further than the Yerren District''s limit. They were marked with wired fencing on the side. A large board stood there. In was written in the Yarkos Language. Trespassing was prohibited.
"Come on, you slob! We gotta pick out the finest stuff out of the garbage." Killian yelled out. The two new juniors who were with me on the interim training were already lagging.
00:00:10
As a part of the Slum''s Trash pickers Squad, they had a schedule that was needed to be followed. The Slums were a hard place to survive in. The sources of income were next to nothing. Minimum wage was at least a hundred drauchers for anyone who wanted to afford three warm meals, even in the slums.
Drauchers were the most basic currency in the Estemont Kingdom. There were also other currencies. Like a bronze coffer, a silver coffer and a gold coffer. The coffers were made from precious metals and getting even one of them could ensure three weeks'' worth of meal. As per the Estemont Calendar, that was equal to nearly twenty-one days.
But even then, it was hard to make at least a fifty drauchers doing jobs that were high paying in the Blue Bloods Territory. This was all part of the Scum Blood curse.
Killian and his allies were wearing the thickest robe that would make the glass pieces impenetrable. A large trash bag was fastened on their backs with a stretchy material. Killian had the advantage of big boorish hands that were accustomed to cuts. Hence, he passed onto the gloves.
But the truth was that he lacked the thirty coffers he had to pay to get a nice pair. Gloves were thick sheaths of fabrics that were sewn together to form a thick, protective layer. They were mostly made of cow''s hide. Or sheep''s hide.
For the two new recruits, Killian had somehow arranged a pair of gloves, each. It would help them pick up trash without nicking themselves on metal or glass. Rag picking wasn''t that easy. A thousand diseases plagued the dumps. Needless to say, that on a bad day, one might even come across all sorts of worms and insects.
But that was the least of their worries.
"Move your fucking hands before the worm climbs out," Killian barked.
It was the first time when he was accompanied by someone from the Slums. All the other times, he only had to worry about returning alive alone. Now, he had to step in and lead the two rookies too.
They seemed enthused at first. But their faces dropped as they watched the heaps of garbage. It was a disarming sight.
About ten huge hills of garbage was dumped in there. Most of them included the filthiest of things. Raw and ripped fruits, leftover food, torn clothes, bottles of liquor, and then there was entrails of cattle, dead fish, blood and other organs.
Its pungent stench rose in the air.
"I think I am going to throw up," Ruben, the fatter one of them two said. Killian frowned. He was not equipped to handle tantrums.
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"You can go home, or go big," Killian said, crossing the fence.
A huge wall separated the Slums from the Blue Regiment territories. It casted a long shadow over them, as the Moon Goddess, Raia rode her chariot across the skies.
Killian stomped through, walking over sticky and slimy trash. He tried to balance himself, so as to not fall. His stance was quick. It showed years of experience. The rookies struggled to not stumble upon a heap themselves.
"Faster, and faster!" I cried, looking into the pile and picking up all the shining things. Any thing that can be glass. Or metal. Or Gold. Or money.
"B- B- But-"
"Good Garbage! Stop stuttering, Ruben. I know it''s your first day here but do you want to die?" Killian cried out.
''Was this a bad idea?'' Killian thought.
"N- No," the boy stuttered. Ruben was a lost cause.
It was shameful enough that the two were nearly the same age and yet, Ruben was worse than the younger one. Geoff tried to balance himself, walking with his hands in air.
It stabilized his posture. He followed Killian''s trail, as the three of them made it to the centre of the Dumping Ground.
''Maybe it''s better to get him off the team before he dies'', Killian thought.
"For all the scum blood that''s been flowing through you, I want you to show me what you got!" Even when they were still rookies, they couldn''t let his effort go to waste. They should at least get as much as they can before the monsters show up.
Killian picked onto a pile with his bare hands. He dived deeper, paying no heed to the sharps. Whatever it was, the cuts were worth it. He could see glints of shiny things. Some metal. Some cents. A sharp brass bell. It would be only a matter of time before they would run out of things. And life.
"Killian, I am not sure if this is useful-" Geoff babbled.
''Idiots. Wasting time when we should be getting the most out of this,'' Killian sneered.
"For the next one minute. No talking. Move your hands. When the timer hits 00:01:11 we will be as good as dead men!" He commanded.
He picked up the stuff and stashed them in the basket he carried over his bag. There was no use ruining the bag every day. So, he carefully placed the steal in a large wooden box. It did take away a few good minutes from his speedy moments but it was a good investment.
"Take what you can. I need you to clear out in ten...." I shouted.
Ruben''s bag still looked lighter. While Geoff looked confused still. He had picked onto most of the glass items. But it wasn''t enough. There was no way they could make it out with bigger bags.
Killian carefully made a beeline for the exit. His head watched around for any signs of people. Or monsters.
"All clear!" Killian announced.
That''s when it caught his eyes. The shiny, blue stone. It looked like a jewel. It was probably misplaced in the trash.
''This might be a jackpot!'' Killian thought.
A gem like that was sure to fetch him a great deal of money. Some would even say that it was worth a year''s warm meals.
Just as Killian was about to retrieve it, Killian heard a sharp cry. Ruben stood with his hands bleeding. He held a crushed liquor bottle in his bare hands.
"Ruben! Where are your gloves?" Killian cried.
The great dial of clock tower showed all the time they had been missing.
"Killian, I- I am bleeding," Ruben called out.
''The fuck. This is going to turn into a shit show'', Ruben called out.
"What did I tell you about gloves? Fucking wear them!" Killian cried out. His blood would be all over. They would be easily discovered by its scent.
The timer snoozed in his head.
Eight.
"Fucking fine, then. Geoff get out of here," Killian barked the order.
Unlike Ruben, Geoff had more sense than to question me. Killian tore off a piece of fabric from his robe and wrapped it around Ruben''s bleeding palm.
Six
"Get the fuck out of here. Now," Killian cried out. Aware of the gem''s presence, he slid it under his shoe. He knew he couldn''t let either one of them to take it either.
Four.
"But, I cannot leave you, alone," he argued.
''Damn it.''
Two.
"We are going to fucking die!" Killian hauled at him. "Get out of here," He spitted.
Zero.
Shit.
The sky turned red again. It marked the hour of nobody. The Gods too hid behind the thick red veil of the skies. The moon disappeared¡ The Sun God had paid the price of not heeding the warning.
They hadn''t seen the Sun since the last Summer Festival. That was Twenty-Five years ago. Killian was born in a world with no sun. Not that anything was bright in his life. And now, he was going to die because of a foolish mistake.
"We need to hide, Ruben!" Killian cried. He dragged him behind a big pile. Maybe they could just make out before the worms come in.
The fuck am I talking about! That has never happened.
"Now, when I tell you to run, you do not question me and run? Okay? Go with Geoff," I pressed.
"But you-"
Killian heard the cracking sound. The hair on the back of his neck rose. The wincing sounds. The slow creeping movements of the worms danced before his eyes. He crept to the corner, watching from the corner of his eye.
He had watched those monsters before, but not from such distance. They were enormous beings. Their bodies gilded with a layer of metallic lustre. Their bodies were not continuous. Instead, they looked like ringed compartments that were stringed together. They moved through the heaps of the garbage effortlessly.
The large body of the monster curled up, before it let itself loose. Its shell disappeared. From where its mouth emerged were two long wincers. They were actively eating up at the garbage. Something lustrous went up its wincer as he held it up.
''What the fuck do I do- ''Killian was caught in a dilemma. He knew he couldn''t keep himself from being discovered by the monsters. The fence was close enough. If he could get through, they could easily make it out in time.
"Run!" Killian yelled.
The worm''s mouth opened up as he gobbled a heap of garbage in. The whole pile emptied into his mouth, and his wincers move in a delightful glee.
Ruben, the idiot that he was choose the exact moment when the worm''s wincer piped in his direction. Soon, it would pick up any movement and leave the piles and come after him.
"No, Ruben!" Killian called out. But the damage was done.
"Killian-" he howled, as the wincer wrapped onto his leg.
It held Ruben mid-air, his body floating upside down as it dropped it into his mouth.
Bones crunched in the worm''s mouth. Blood oozed and stuck to the slit opening of its mouth. Delighted, when he was done eating Ruben, the worm''s mouth opened once again. It spitted what looked like a cocktail of entrails, brain and eyes.
Killian fought the bile raising in his throat. His experience taught him that it was easier to escape the worms without making noise. Killian''s chest heaved. Another worn moved closer, it fed off the remains of Ruben. Killian eyes darted to Geoff''s silhouette running away from the fence.
Killian''s heart raced. He watched as the worms sucked onto more junk. The worms cluttered.
The time. Killian was running out of time.
00:10:10
There was only one way to get through. Killian knew he had to make it through the fence or, he would end up getting murdered. Soon, the hour of nobody would come to an end. The Gods would sleep. The sky would turn grey. And the Blue bloods will be out.
Some said that the world they lived in wasn''t always wretched. The Gods they no longer prayed to loved them once. The shoulders that carried large sacs of garbage were once donning the finest of silk.
Then, one fateful night everything changed. The sky turned red, and the Gods called out.
And then, the Blue Bloods took over. Some said that the wall never existed before that day. But then the Gods spoke. Their blessing casted a towering wall that separated the Slums from the Blue Blood Regiments.
The Blue Bloods were blessed with the powers of Gods. Their bloodlines were coveted and destined to flourish. They were to live in the Capital and their heirs were to rule over the realm.
And the Scum Bloods were destined to a life of wretchedness. Their lineage was cursed. Some said it was for what they had done. A price for their sin.
But was it really necessary for him to die a pitiful death because he was a scum? Killian''s thoughts raced in his head.
"And henceforth, the crown shall always rest on a Blue Blood''s head.
The time has come for the Scums to return. Abandon thy riches, and homes. Give it all up for those who deserve it," Gods said.
Killian moved his foot, as the gilded gem stared at him and death breathed down his neck.
Chapter Two: The Gem Of Destiny
Death stared Killian in the eye. He watched the worms get distracted by their own slimy stance. There were about five of them. They all crept around in and around the heaps. Their wincers crept around more garbage.
Killian caught his breath, hoping not to make a sound. It would be another disaster if they catch him with the bag. It wasn''t only the worms that he feared. It was the trail his dead remains would leave for them to follow. They would give away all that was meticulously planned for years.
Killian and other had kept their life on line to gain enough supplies before they could fuel up the rebellion. The Blue Bloods were vaguely aware of the mutiny in the Slums. It had halved the already scanty rations, leaving them to scour or starve. Killian chose the former, and made it his responsibility to gather enough funds for him and the rebels.
¡®Fucking weasels,¡¯ Killian always despised them.
The worms were one of the cruel additions to their already wicked ploys. The Government at the capital was made to serve both. The Scums though, had limited rights. It was no mystery that the Monarchy wanted them dead. Oblivious, as they all acted, they knew that the Slums were on the brink of a famine.
Last year, they had increased the patrol around the wall to prevent the Scum Bloods from entering the capital. Then, the worms came. They were to keep the Scum Bloods from stealing their trash.
Knowing that the Blue Bloods were misers to spend so much of their abilities to guard their trash, Killian knew something was up. He convinced the rebels to scour the trash and get whatever they deemed precious.
It was an instant failure at first. Killian knew that it wasn¡¯t going to be easy and stole from the trash, regardless. The others followed. And now his ambition had brought him this far.
¡®What if I die here?¡¯ The thought had Killian in a chokehold.
Except for the old woman who raised him, Killian had no immediate family. He wouldn¡¯t know who to go to, or to reach out to if he was hurt. For most of his life, he was alone. Then he met her. Mitsuki. But she had left him too.
¡®Why am I thinking about her now?¡¯ His inner resolve weakened.
¡®Is it because I am so close to my death that all of this appears meaningless?¡¯ He thought. It froze him in his stance. The worms caught his scent.
They crawled around him. Their wincers were too close as he tried to move away from them. Then he heard a crack, as one of them lifted their wincers. He watched it come down, missing it by a near distance.
¡®Fuck it. If I die here, the rebels would be crushed. There would be no freedom¡¯, the thought made Killian¡¯s heart race.
The glinting jewel shone brightly. Something made him kneel down right in that moment. It was an inner conviction. A strong sense of something. Maybe, it was instinctual. He wrapped his fingers around it, retrieving the jewel. Its blue glow was piercing.
The worms weren¡¯t distracted by it. They huddled up next to each other. There were five of them, if not more from what Killian could make out now. Their wincers held onto each other as they formed a ring with their bodies.
¡®Where were they coming from?¡¯ Killian wondered.
He found himself stuck in the middle of the Dumping Ground. The sky growled. It¡¯s rumbling increased as it changed colours. The Hour of Nobody had ended. The Gods had awakened. It only meant more trouble.
The worms, as he happened to call them, were controlled by the Blue Blood¡¯s abilities. When their energies reached the peak, the worms too get transformed into feral forms. It would mean that before Killian could scream, he would be snapped into two and gulped.
¡®I would be dead, regardless of what I do¡¯, Killian thought. He sucked in a breath, carefully placing the pads of his feet to not illicit any sound. Or response.
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Killian¡¯s attention shifted to the dagger in his shirt¡¯s pocket. A shirt was a long fabric sewn to fit the body¡¯s frame. Killian¡¯s was the cheapest. It didn¡¯t even come with a pocket. Killian had stitched a dirty rag in a corner of the shirt, hoping to pocket things in there.
Surely, the dagger was no match for these creatures. Their skin was shelled, and if they sensed any danger, they would pounce on him head on.
¡®What if I cut off their wincers? It should buy me some time¡¯, he positioned himself strategically. There was no moment to plan a retreat.
Chop. Chop. And slash. If that''s what''s what it would take for him to get through.
Crunch. Crack.
¡®Fuck,¡¯ Killian groaned.
The worms turned attentive. Letting go of each other, as their wincers freed themselves. The elongated appendages shot up in the air, weaving themselves in a knit.
''Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Since when did these mindless monsters learn to form traps?''
Before long, Killian found himself stuck inside a pile of filth. Its stench nauseated him, while the worm''s trap laid above it.
Gooey fluids stuck to his body. He realised it was dripping from above. It was viscous and in copious amounts, its stickiness glued his fingers together.
¡®Fuck,¡¯ he groaned. The stickiness made his guts churn. It was only then did he realise that he didn¡¯t have a meal since a whole day. His body responded in a manner of betrayal.
Killian wanted to throw up. The filth was overwhelming. He could hear his heart pulsing hard as he tried to crawl through the garbage.
¡®There''s only one way to get through it¡¯, he thought.
Killian reached for the dagger. His fingers gluing to it almost immediately, thanks to that gooey material. He ran the blade on the underside of the wincers. It collected some of the slime but didn''t stick to the wincers.
¡®So, it only works for skin and hide. But not on metals,¡¯ the revelation was important but he didn¡¯t need it now. Death stared Killian in his eyes.
Eyes gouged out from the base of the wincers. The worms screamed so loud; it nearly made him deaf.
¡®Now these fuckers can see! Now, of all the time,¡¯ Killian flinched.
The discovery taught him just what he needed to know. Maybe there was another plan then. Or he was sure to die.
¡®If I keep my head down, and make it to the next pile from underneath the filth; I would dunk down and make it through the pit hole¡¯, Killian thought.
The pit holes were large openings that opened into the underground garbage holding units. The waste that the Worms couldn¡¯t dispose was dumped inside the pit hole.
Growl.
The worms retracted their wincers. Killian fought the urge to throw up, struggling to move with the dagger stuck to his hand. He barely made it to the pile, when he felt the weight lift above.
The Blue Bloods would examine the worms by slicing them up to extract anything important. It was said to be an occasional thing, but it didn¡¯t help Killian¡¯s fear. If they find human remains inside the worm, they would know that someone has been going through their trash. And the worms didn¡¯t help exactly.
''Disgusting, was what they are.'' Killian¡¯s eyes widened.
The clock¡¯s dial was ticking too fast.
¡®Ruben''s semidigested guts and eyes would give him away in no time,¡¯ Killian remained frozen as the Worms aimed for him.
Like all things corrupt, the Blue Bloods possessed powers. Something that encompassed space. But not time. The Gods would be damned if they could manipulate time.
Just then the huge dial beeps.
Even if Kilian didn''t glance up, he know what time it was.
01:00:01
The wincers cut through the piles. One of them curled up against his leg, drawing him up.
Before thinking long, his dagger was already in the air. It caught the red of the sky, as it hit the wincer. More gooey filth poured out of it.
The wincer disjointed, making him fall from a height. Killian landed on his back in a pile of metal. Some pierced through his skin, and blood oozed out. It drew in the attention of the other worms. They clinched their wincers, coming after him.
''Fine. If this is what they want.''
The dial beeped in unison. The wincers came at him, one after one. He dodged one as it came to wrap his right thigh. The other wrapped around his waist.
Chop.
The wincer¡¯s long, snake like part fell to the ground. It seemed to have startled the worm, making it loosen the grip around his waist. Another one tugged on his foot. It stuck to his foot pad, and Killian had no choice but to slash through it. At least three of the worms were dismembered.
But it didn''t instil any fear in them. They were still coming at him.
¡®I didn''t want to die. I didn''t want to die.¡¯
''Not yet.''
Then one of them lifted him high to the sky and dropped him hard onto the pile.
¡®Fuck¡¯
The impact had hit him harder on the head. He probably had busted something on the inside of his skull. Blood flowed out. From the corner of his ear.
Killian winced. His feet kicked. More slime rained over him, as he struggled.
Then...it caught his eyes. The mocking lustre of the gem in his hand, which was now covered in the worm¡¯s slime.
Blood dripped from Killian¡¯s forehead. It drenched the jewel, causing it to emit a radiating glow. He closed his eyes shut, holding onto it. His breath picked up, and his body jolted.
When he opened his eyes, he was caught somewhere in a state of transit. Everything around him turned still. His body had begun to give up, when he heard that soft voice.
[Killian Mortez, we have awaited your return.]
''What were they talking about?''
[I am, the Spirit Guardian that lives in the Temple Of Lamia.
You''ve reached the Realm Of Gods.
The battles that you win here would determine your fate.]
''What the fuck have I gotten into?''
{Killian, Mortez.
The Son of Padr¨¦ Ruberos Delmonte and Lady Diana.
Status: Garbage Picker
Powers: Zero
Agility: Medium
Strength: Low
Weapons: Second Hand Dagger from a thrift store
Lesser-known facts: Has an eye for good trash}
The words popped out mid-air. Not only they had made him uncomfortable but a hell lot embarrassed.
Killian opened his palm to find the jewel, still shining.
''What is this thing?''
[Heed my words, Rag Scrounger. This, is the Gem of Destiny. It was etched from the Chronomancer''s Orb.]
[The Gem only comes in possession of an heir born in Goddess Lamia¡¯s bloodline. But it''s power could only be unlocked by the chosen one.]
[Killian Mortez, you are chosen by the Goddess Lamia, herself.]
[You were saved by the Goddess, for when the time comes, you alone shall change the Fates of all the Realms
You''ll be taken to another realm shortly. Prepare yourself. You alone can change the destiny of your world. ]
Chapter Three: Birth Of An Omen
Twenty-Five Years Ago
Old Serrera watched in wide horror. The incident that had happened right in front of her eyes had left her mortified! Her tired shoulders could barely sustain her own frame. Let alone another one¡¯s.
¡®But the baby weighed nothing¡¯, she thought.
The baby, rolled in the grime. His placenta was hastily cut. Yet, the baby hadn¡¯t cried once. It had brown hair. It was hard to tell the colour of his eyes, as the baby hadn¡¯t even opened them. Its delicate body helplessly rested on the cold tile of the side walk.
It was a dark alley where she had found the mother. Her legs were ripped wide, and she was bleeding from waist down. It had ruined her white gown. The blood was everywhere. But the woman kept her cries stifled.
¡®Maybe, she is a Scum Blood. She probably was attacked by the warriors,¡¯ Old Serrera gulped the lump in her throat.
Her own upbringing was shabby and poor. Back in her time, there was no discrimination between the races. How long was it? Around sixty years ago, perhaps.
In her time, there were only humans and God. The humans prayed and offered numerous offerings in exchange of blessings. There were no wars. The Blue Bloods existed among them even then. But none of the cruel acts were performed. She was a Scum Blood herself.
Serrera¡¯s father knew priests. He was a trade merchant and often delivered supplies to the Temple. They told him things in exchange of seemingly, harmless but prohibited supplies. Like liquor and smokes. That¡¯s how they came to know about the prophecies.
Being her father¡¯s favourite, she knew all the prophecies. Even the ones that had led to this day. This was why she was scared of the baby. But surely, the prophecy was about a Chosen One. A Blue Blood. The baby seemed to be a scum. There was no doubt in that.
¡°What are you doing here?¡± Old Serrera asked the woman.
The woman, looked too young to be a mother. She had long, silver hair and flail arms. Her face paled. Her golden eyes had sunken. She didn¡¯t look like a Scum Blood though. The baby rested still.
¡®Was it born dead?¡¯ She thought.
¡°Please, take him,¡± the woman managed to say.
More blood spilled out. Her body trembled.
¡°You¡¯ll have to excuse me, miss. I am not sure if I can help you,¡± Old Serrera said, hesitatingly. She was ready to cross the alley, and walk beyond the empty grounds. That should keep her safe from the red armoured warriors.
If anything, she knew that delaying herself would get her into more trouble. Even now, the baby didn¡¯t move. The weak woman pressed the seemingly lifeless baby to her chest, and began to sob.
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Old Serrera had walked a few steps forward, trying to ignore the woman¡¯s cry. Since when had the world become so cruel? Old Serrera had no clue. She had lived for sixty good years. But the boy had already died before he could be born.
¡°If you cannot raise him, at least bury him somewhere he can rest in peace,¡± the old woman called out. Her breath fanned. She held the baby in her arms. Her eyes were on the verge of closing. This is when Old Serrera had the change of heart.
¡°Fine then,¡± Old Serrera walked back to her. From what she had known about the world so far, she was sure that the woman wasn¡¯t going to live for long. She spared one glance to the baby.
¡°I shall take him with me,¡± Old Serrera picked the baby, and held it to her chest. She then gave him a gentle caress on the back. But the baby wouldn¡¯t move still.
Old Serrera didn¡¯t spend her time consoling the baby¡¯s mother. She knew the woman was dead.
¡°I am sorry,¡± was all that she could offer before she heard the footsteps. Her weak body supported the baby. It was just as she thought. The baby weighed nothing. When she would reach the slums, she would carefully place the baby in a woven basket before burying him in a cemetery. That indeed would be the right thing to do.
Then she heard the footsteps. She was nearly at the end of the alley, when they footsteps grew closer. She turned around to watch. The red armoured warriors stood there. They circled the woman.
¡°Where¡¯s the baby?¡± One of them asked. His loud voice roared, echoing through the alley.
¡°Kill her,¡± his voice thundered.
Old Serrera didn¡¯t stop on their account. Instead, she clutched onto the baby harder. Her stance was clear and wide now, despite her aching limbs. She tried to walk faster. She was a Scum Blood too. There was no telling if they won¡¯t follow her.
She kept walking as fast as she could. Serrera passed through alleys she hadn¡¯t known before. The fear in her eyes clouded her senses. The seemingly weightless baby seemed so heavy all of a certain.
¡°Here!¡± She heard the chirping little girl call out. She wore tattered rags. She was barely a child. A three-year-old girl. She had big brown eyes, and dirt brown hair. Dirt stuck to her ragged dress that was a bit too large for her size.
¡°What are you doing here, silly girl?¡± Old Serrera asked, her eyes watching the girl intently. This girl seemed too fearless to her.
¡®Was she here all alone?¡¯ Serrera thought.
¡°I am here to help the people! My mother has asked me to take people back to our place from the Capital,¡± she smiled, naively.
¡®Just what kind of parents did she have?¡¯ Old Serrera was worried now. It would do her no good to stand right there. Perhaps it was better to take the girl with her.
¡°Come child,¡± she urged the girl. ¡°We should go the slums now,¡± she held the girl by her hand, keeping the baby closer using the other.
¡°We will go to your home. Maybe, we will find your parents there,¡± Old Serrera said, leading her to the narrow path. It was weary and dirty. In a distance, Old Serrera found others. All, wearing brown, black, or auburn hair. They were all headed for the slums.
¡°Granny,¡± the little girl giggled. ¡°Mom will be gone for a while now. We can all have a tea party till she returns,¡± her thin lips turned into a wide grin.
Old Serrera¡¯ s heart clenched, as she walked in silence.
When they reached the Slums, the little girl looked overjoyed. On the contrary, Old Serrera¡¯s face dropped. It looked nothing like her place at the Capital.
The houses here were small, and shabby. A few of them lacked rooves. Those that had rooves were made of thin, flimsy material. The Slums weren¡¯t built for living.
Old Serrera spared a glance at the girl, holding the baby closer. How will she tell the girl? She wondered. Either she could wait for the girl to understand it all herself, or abandon her. Just like her parents. The thought was treacherous.
¡°That¡¯s my house!¡± The little girl clapped her hands together. Old Serrera turned in the direction the little girl was pointing to. It was bigger than the other houses. This one was built on a metal frame. It had two storeys. Both were small. Its boundaries were demarcated with fences made of twigs and woods. A small vegetable garden surrounded the house. Outside, a lazily carved board of wood hung on the door. Mortez¡¯s. It read.
At first, Old Serrera dismissed the little girl¡¯s enthusiasm as childish fantasies. But then, the little girl rushed in. Old Serrera tried to follow her, acutely aware of the little one in her arms. To her amazement, the girl did know the place like the back of her hand.
Her utter disbelief was alarming. Old Serrera watched the portrait that hung in the shabby living room. It was of a man, with Golden hair. And a woman, with long brown stresses. They posed together with a baby. The little girl. Underneath it was an inscription that had gone faint with time.
¡°Father! I am back,¡± the little girl screamed.
Serrera wasn¡¯t surprised when there was no response. For a good moment, she found herself confused. Her hands rubbed the back of the baby.
¡°Perhaps, we could live here till they return,¡± she mumbled. And then, the strangest of things happened. The baby steered in her arms. Its hairy head moved. Old Serrera held him before her eyes to see if was really happening.
The baby opened his eyes. They were clear blue. His small chest heaved.
¡°Oh dear,¡± Old Serrera gasped. And strangely enough, her first thought was to name the baby, now that it was alive.
She slowly wrapped him out of the dirtied cloth his mother had wrapped him in. It was a boy. Unlike his mother, he had a brown complexion with dark hair. But his eyes could put those of the Blue Bloods¡¯ to shame.
Old Serrera smiled at him, then. ¡°Well then, you have lived, little Killian,¡± she said, pressing the baby to her chest.
Chapter Four: Covenant Of Gods
Killian waited for the moment of release. Surely, he had hit his head hard. This could easily pass off as a momentary illusion. His fingers tightly wound around the jewel. He was certain that he couldn¡¯t lose this one.
Whether he had conjured up the fancy story about the Goddess on his own, or was hearing voices, at the moment he was keen on not letting go of the jewel. He could easily spend the rest of the year not worrying about the food. Even if he had gone crazy, he would be crazy with warm meals. For once, Old Serrera could rest.
¡®We won¡¯t have to sell the house if I walk out of this alive¡¯, Killian thought.
Any minute now, his eyes would open. He would probably be discovered by the Blue Bloods and have to answer for his doing. But it¡¯s funny how the brain works. Now of all the time, he had decided to believe that Gods exist. And Gods want to save him, in exchange of doing their bidding.
If Old Serrera finds out, she would probably laugh her head off. Not that she talked more about anything these days. But she always talked about Gods.
Killian exhaled, finding himself surrounded by the state of perpetual darkness. In his head, he counted moments before it was safe for him to try and see. His body ached. It was too much. He knew he had little combat skills. What he was really good at was, hiding. But even now, all his skills were as useless as they come.
¡°Killian Mortez, open your eyes,¡± a soft voice said. It had an ephemeral touch to it. Its breathy accent was calm. It was almost as if he was listening to the sound of the waters of River Ferrera.
Killian¡¯s eyes fluttered open. His vision was hazy, as he had already expected. The concussion had left him reeling from the impact. And now, he was sure that he was caught up in a far-fetched dream.
In front of him, was a throne. It looked like it was etched out of crystals. It was covered in pink blossoms. Underneath which the throne radiated a lightning glow in the shade of fuchsia. It added to the woman¡¯s figure who was sitting atop it.
She had long and thick golden tresses that crossed the length of the seemingly large throne. She, herself was too tall to be a human. She must be thrice of his own height. Her eyes were clearer than the ocean. They gleamed with a cold and enchanting light. On her neck rested a crystal studded crest. Two golden, beaded ornaments clasped around each one of her arms.
She had a thin nose. Her lips were dark. As if stained with rose petals themselves. A long, flowing robe covered her bosom. It reached a little above her knees. Green vipers circled her exposed body down the calf.
She sat with her fingers clasped on her lap. Her fingers tapped lightly, as she spoke.
¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Killian,¡± she said, as if she could read Killian¡¯s mind. Killian watched in awe, while she tried to gauge my reaction to her presence.
¡°Who are you?¡± Killian asked, his eyes growing wide, as she stepped down her throne. Now, that she was standing erect, she seemed bigger than before. Five times as much as Killian.
Killian¡¯s throat ran dry. His palms turned sweaty, as he tried to hold tighter onto the jewel.
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¡°I am, Lamia, the Guardian of Xion Realm, the deity of Life and Magic. You¡¯re here because you awakened the powers of the Gem of Destiny,¡± she told, Killian.
A sense of guilt curled up around Killian. This surely wasn¡¯t his idea of escape. Something told him that he couldn¡¯t trust her. Goddess or not. In that case, he wondered, if he could return the jewel and go back to his way.
¡°So, that voice-¡±
¡°One of my Spirit Guardians had sensed your powers. We have been waiting for you for quite some time,¡± she spoke calmly.
¡°We?¡±
¡°You have arrived at the Pantheon of Gods in the Ethereal Realms,¡± she revealed.
Only that Killian could only see the darkness around him, except for the goddess and her throne. He could hardly make sense of it all.
¡°Why am I here?¡± He asked, finally summoning the courage to do so. She lets out a breathy chuckle in response. Killian felt the eerie coolness of it flooding in space. His stance was staggered, as he bent his knee. Almost as if his body was behaving against his wishes.
¡°The prophecy has taken its course. It¡¯s up to you to set things right.
The Gem of Destiny, was carved out of the Chronomancer¡¯s Orbs. Its powers could only be activated by the one who can defeat the Chronomancer, and retrieve all parts of his orbs,¡± she instructed.
¡°Years ago, the Chronomancer¡¯s body was obliterated by the Goddesses and Gods to stop him from turning the world into a battle ground for his selfish motives.
Despite the Gods fighting against him, the Chronomancer couldn¡¯t be defeated. His soul was shredded and his life force was contained in his orb.
To make sure that the Chronomancer didn¡¯t revive himself, it was important to break the Orb, and hide it in a place where it cannot be found.
But, the Chronomancer, as vicious as he was, managed to use the Orb before its disintegration to form an heir.
And now, that heir has been born, we await its awakening. He would continue the Chronomancer¡¯s legacy and bring the world its ruin.
To save the world from him, only someone born from my bloodline could put the Chronomancer¡¯s Heir to his death.
The Demigods we entrusted once have turned their backs on us. They intend to form a mutiny and rise to the level of Gods. Their regression would throw the Universe off the balance.
And they would stop at nothing, till they resurrect the Chronomancer. Enough said¡
You have been chosen by the Gem of Destiny. Now, the fate of the world rests in your hands,¡± her giant form walked closer to Killian. He was vaguely aware of the fact that he could be crushed under her feet if he retaliates.
¡°There¡¯s been a mistake.
I am a Scum Blood. I am not from your bloodline. It¡¯s clearly been a mistake,¡± Killian protested.
As a Goddess herself, surely, she should know that much. Killian, with his dark skin and black hair. How could he ever be from her bloodline? Isn¡¯t that why he was living in the slums. And his parents¡ Weren¡¯t they killed by the warriors years ago because they were Scum Bloods?
¡°It¡¯s no mistake. The Gem decides for itself. And it has decided. It has to be you, Killian.¡± She knelt, lifting him in her palm.
¡°Why must I fight for the Gods? The Gods can set things right about their course. Isn¡¯t this something that concerns Gods themselves?¡± Killian asked.
Indeed, it was true. The Gods cannot rely on a nobody to restore order. The fate of the Universe hangs in the balance. And then, there was the fact that Killian abhorred Gods and Goddesses. Their worlds have made it impossible for him to live peacefully in his own.
What good did the Gods had done to Killian? A life of despondence and misery, spent to find a purpose. And the purpose was clear. If the Gods were threatened to the extent of getting perish, so be it. Why must he concern himself with what troubles the realms beyond his own? His own life was the worst.
His only purpose was to throw the Blue Bloods off the Capital and restore glory to the Scum. So much was taken from him, all because the Gods asked for it. And she paid the price for it all.
¡°You have to do what¡¯s asked of you. In return, the Gods shall grant you a favour. Whatever it may be, the Gods will bestow it upon you.
We ask you to do one thing. Restore the Chronomancer¡¯s Orb, and kill the Chronomancer,¡± the Goddess brought Killian closer to her face. Her illuminating radiance blinding him, as he brought him closer.
¡°You¡¯ll have the fate worse than a fool¡¯s if you decline. The Blue Bloods await your return to tear you down and feed it to their birds, boy,¡± The Goddess¡¯ voice was commanding and firm. It scared Killian. The wretchedness of immortal beings wasn¡¯t lost on him.
Maybe he can sell the jewel. Or ask for more gold. It was common knowledge that while doing God¡¯s bidding, one is bestowed with endless powers.
¡°I accept. But on one condition,¡± Killian pressed. He knew this was a crucial moment. He would break on the inside if he stutters, or fails monumentally.
¡°You must give me all means necessary to have a fulfilling life for the rest of my years,¡± Killian¡¯s eyes shone determinedly. Indeed, this wager wasn¡¯t lost on the Goddess. Years of meddling in affairs concerning the realms, she had come across many like Killian¡¯s. It was always the same things they asked for. The same things that they needed.
¡°I want you to bring back, my sister, to life,¡± he pressed. ¡°That thing along shall make it all worth it,¡± his eyes turned moist.
¡°Very well then. When you return from XianXia Realm, the Gods shall grant your wish.
If you fail to keep your word, your whole race would be wiped out by the fury of Gods.
You¡¯ll always be guided by my Spirit Guardian on your perilous journey,¡± the Goddess said.
The piercing brightness left Killian in a state of dishevel. His body jolted, as the darkness consumed him.