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Ryoko AI 18

Chapter I: The Passing Once upon a time, a meaty man named Bob lived in a dingy two-bedroom apartment. But, he was not only fat; he was part fat, part assassin. Tonight was the can-opener to the stew of professional killing.  Threatening groans escaped the steep stairs as he thumped downward, footsteps reminiscent of the subsequent crackles of thunder outside. While he rested his hands and stomach on his knees, he exhaled several shaky breaths. Bob slapped his right cankle and moved again to brave the path to the kitchen through the crinkled double-pounder wrappers and sweat-stained socks. When the bag of potato chips on the counter saw him, it deflated instantaneously. He licked his cracked lips. The bag slipped out of his greasy, salty fingers several times before he popped them open. They cried out with a squeak.   Hobbling over to the couch, he sat down to watch some TV. A resounding crunch widened his drooping eyes, but he had already eaten all the potato chips. Odd, he thought. A loud, gargling fart vibrated in the stagnant air. “Excuse me. I passed gas.”  His salivating tongue curled to the side of his parted mouth, and the curtains of his vision closed to black. He planned to watch the next episode of the show tomorrow.  A series of knocks rattled the door with the oomph of a punch rather than the tap of a knuckle.  “Hello?” a strong voice called out.  A bead of cold sweat ran down his neckbeard, and he lifted his eyelids from a deep sleep to look around. He noticed a half-empty pickle jar among the clutter strewn across the table: indicative of a thief. “Must have been my roommate.” Beefy sausage fingers slipped into the thick fabric of his pants pocket and retrieved his phone. The time read eleven in the morning. Clash of Villages said his Chieftain Hall level thirteen upgrade was ready, so he immediately rushed the process with twenty dollars worth of fairy coins. Bob nestled his back rolls into the sofa and gazed at the ceiling. "My last alliance will regret kicking me out." Bang, bang, bang. “Open up! This is Officer Horace with the police department.”  A flash of lightning illuminated the room in a blue hue. Did the landlady finally get the nerve to evict him? No, that old lady could only bark. “Hold on.” He swallowed his tongue. “I’m coming.”  He unlocked the rusty deadbolt and faced a gleaming badge as he opened the door. The reflected light from the chintzy overhang beamed into his eyes. Pickle juice swam up the canal of his throat, and he craned his neck upward with a squint.  Looking Bob up and down, the policeman's superhero jawline dropped to give a clear view of the back of his throat. Then, a poorly contained smirk wandered across his visage. "We, uh, received a complaint about"--Horace coughed--"a smell coming from your apartment."  "Oh yeah? How do you know it's coming from here?" Bob massaged his smooth belly with his index finger.  The trooper donned a short-sleeve, navy blue uniform which exposed two crossed arms, sprouting black hair like patches of wild grass. His pudgy eyebrows traveled up his forehead.  "Can't you see I'm busy?"  A tidal wave of heat washed against the banks of his head despite the unwavering breeze of the corridor. He leaned against the hard open door with a creak. Shiny black boots clomped past him. "It'll only be a..." The steps slowed. A hairy hand swiftly grasped the radio on the left side of his torso. "I need another officer down here." Radio static resounded before a woman replied. "10-4. A second unit is on its way." "Get on the ground!" He turned on his heel and brandished a taser. "And put your hands behind your back!"   

*Piano* "Hunting out the window, Glock locked and loaded..." "Here he comes with a pack of guns but with nothin' that concerned me..." "In the night where it's dark and cold, a deal's 'bout to be broken." "Boom there goes, one to go and my spot just got branded..." "Poor guy, the other died but to think the cops were on me..." "Step close, one more blow and I think I got my target." "Oops, there I go, bomb's just exploded." "One nap, there I am with my head covered in bandage." "Oh look there's the crook, the one I just hunted..." "Clip clap, there I sat with a knife, gun and mallet." "Target down, got the crown cuz life's just a wallet..." "In the day, life's just got grey and the cops had just caught me." "Click boom, there's their doom and freedom's there before me." "Out of sight and out of light, behind closed doors and curtains." "Took a sleep, dark and deep in a pit I just dug in..." "Turns out when I'm out, it's hell I just got in..." "One fight, there I lied burned, bruised and broken." "Next day, there I lay on a hill, green and bloody." "Got up, left and walked, woke, tired and dizzy..." "Took a knife, and in my sight, a blade in my body." "Didn't bleed but there I see, guns, bombs and bodies..." "Looked back, pulled my back, stood up, walked and left them." "Turns out, I was dead and loud, cuz my corpse is just before me." "Knelt down, spelled it out, it was the end of my story." "Next day on the shiny rays, life gave me mercy." "Looks like, when I died, I returned back and happy." "In this life I won't fight, but live life as it should be..." "No more Hunting..."                                                                          

SLIDE IN - CHAPTER 5 Although red is not your favorite colour, you choose the red button. The nozzle of your gun changes shape and it turns into a shield. The shield covers you from front, saving you from the bullets those aliens are firing at you.  This is all the gun you have can do because there are no bullets left in your rifle. Remember, you threw the cartridge because the rifle was trying to kill you. Now also those aliens are trying to kill you but their bullets can't do harm to you. You hope your department also buys this type of gun. You don’t have anywhere to go because there is an army of angry aliens infront of you. You need to make use of what you have. Cracks are already appearing on your shield. There is a room at your side. The room is not locked so you jump inside there. Your shield disappears as soon as you are within four walls. You rush to the door and lock it before aliens can come in. You know the small lock can't hold those aliens for long so you reach for a device attached on the wall near the door. There is only one button on front side of the device so you click on it. The screen lights and you see something resembling to a countdown. Aliens outside also hear it and stop kicking on your door. They jabber for a while. An artificial voice comes through the door, "Open the door. You have turned on time bomb and have closed all the door of the craft." You are in shock. "Let us come in. We will not kill you." The robotic voice says. You don’t even know how much time is left but you know you are in danger. This is time to make a choice. If you want to open the door then go to SLIDE IN – CHAPTER 9. If you want to keep the door closed then go to SLIDE IN – CHAPTER 10.

SLIDE IN - CHAPTER 3 Yes! What a macho man choice. I swear I would have done the same if I were you. You ditch the tiny pistol and pick up the rifle. You are drooling over it. You are in a mood to kill and there is no going back.  You lift the gun and give it a hug. Then you go towards the door from with the rifle. You still are searching for the exit inspite of having the new rifle. You look at the locked door ahead of you and fire at the door.  The door panels fly away with the impact. You are enjoying it till you sense something strange.  The gun is changing its shape. Before you can use your brain, the gun starts to wrap around your arm. By the time you think you should get rid of it, the gun claps around your arm to your shoulder. Then only you realize you are in no control of the rifle. The firearm points it nozzle towards you and is preparing for a headshot. You are terrified to see it but you opt to choose your wits. You know where the cartridge is so your free arm reaches for it. You click on the tiny button on your elbow while the trigger is about to get pressed. Thankfully, your finger is faster than the gun. The cartridge clatters on floor and the rifle doesn’t hurt you. It just keeps clicking. Firing nothing but air.  When the gun stops doing so, you see some aliens coming towards you from the door which you had just broken. And unlike last time, these aliens look equipped and have suits. Your eyes fall at the screen of the gun. Some words are displayed there but you can't make sense out of their alien language. You only know you are in danger because you can see those aliens taking their spots and aiming their guns at you. Aliens are ready to kill you. You see two buttons near the screen. One button is red whereas the other is blue. Now make a choice…. If you want to click red button then go to SLIDE IN – CHAPTER 5. If you want to click blue button then go to SLIDE IN – CHAPTER 6.

BigHoodieBoy Hey, decided to do a one shot to try and get back into writing. Would appreciate any reviews, critiques and advice, and thanks for reading "Over here!" A young man named Micheal yelled towards me. Micheal can be best described as my sidekick, as his bright blonde hair, small stature and loud voice get outshined by my shiny brown hair, 6"5 frame, and soft tone of voice. I walk towards him. "Yes?" I question. "Did you know a new student was coming today?" he asked. Of course I knew, as I was the smartest person and the obvious pick from my Professors to show her around. “Yeah, I’m going to be showing her around. You can come with me if you like.” “Huh? Why would I want to tour the school? You can do that yourself man,” he says as he playfully pats my arm. I sure wish he wouldn’t act so comfortable with me like that, as a sidekick he should learn to keep his boundaries. Well, whatever. “I’ll have to go and guide her, have fun,” I say as I walk away. I walk through the clean corridor to the front of the building, and I spot the new student. Her shiny black hair, her height slightly below mine, caused an unknown feeling in my heart.  “You are my guide correct? Well, let's hurry up.” she said coldly and precisely. For whatever reason, my heart started to ache more. “Y-yes, let’s go,” I say, pushing through it. I lead her throughout the school, making sure she knows where everything is while my heart starts to pound harder and harder.  “That’s everything,” I say as we finish the tour. She leaves me without saying a word, apparently done. That is the last thing I remember clearly, the rest just blurry memories. “Let me go you asshole!” she screams at me. Yes, I kidnapped her. I think I understand why. “Mother always said that love makes a person go crazy,” I say with a sigh as I look down on her. I start to bring my face closer to her for a kiss, but all that meets my face is her shoe. “Sta-stay the fuck away from me fucker.” She’s completely changed from she was before, gone from silent and cold to scared, loud and feisty. I touch my lips where the shoe connected.  “Yep, we both sure love each other, don’t we?” I say, confirming both of our thoughts. “A perfect match made in heaven, we sure are.” *Punch* Her fist connected to my face before I noticed it, with her bindings on the ground. She begins to beat all over me, while calling me names. “He-hey, I understand e-everyone shows love dif-differently but stop pleas-e.” I try to calmly convey. “Shut up, you insane fucker!” she says, punching even harder. “Hey…” I reach over and grab a brick. “I said stop!” I swing the brick at her, hitting her head, causing her to fall backwards, motionless. “I love you.” I say repeatedly as I undress her. “Now…time for us to become one.” I say to her as she remains idle. I push inside her, enjoying her weirdly cold insides. I then began to speed my thrusts while grabbing her head, feeling the proof of our love flowing out of it. As I release inside her, I lay down on her body, which is slowly getting colder and colder.  “I love you,” I mutter as I drift asleep.    

SLIDE IN - CHAPTER 4 As wise as you are, you choose to exit. Only a space cop frustrated with his life would choose the gun and kill his time there. You know your passion can't save your life but your wise decisions can. You have enough liquid left in the pistol which you had got from the alien on whom you had landed on. You fire at the elevator like door and it slides open. It can't get easier, can it? You keep your gun ready and walk through the passage. You know danger is everywhere so you are prepared for it. You can hear aliens running at the other side of the wall. You are sure they would come out from the door you are near to so you sprint away. You were right. You just escaped a herd of armed aliens. But you are in an aircraft full of aliens so you see one of them in your way. The alien does not look menacing. He is far from looking adorable but he doesn’t seem harmful. Judging from his body language, you think he does not want any violence.  But you are the boss. You are the judge so you blow off his body. The blast was quiet unexpected. The alien splatters everywhere as a green jelly. Those aliens you had killed in the way had died like normal humans. You know the blast might not have gone unnoticed so you decide to flee away from there. You take a step for it but your leg doesn’t leave the ground. You pull hard. However, result is no different. You glance down and find yourself standing on a green substance. It doesn’t take you long to realize that the alien you had just killed has liquefied after its death. The slime of alien turned to pulp doesn’t leave you. You try your best but almost tumble on the trap. Like being immovable was not bad enough, you hear some aliens approaching closer to the passage. Your eyes fall on the red spot on your skin. It was where you had been injected from slime loosening chemical while in training. The trap you are in is not strange to space cops although it is to you. Enzymes that can loosen the slime is in your body. In your kidney, to be precise. But you can also remove your boot, take a big leap and free yourself. Choice is yours. If you want to remove your boots to get out then go to SLIDE IN – CHAPTER 7. If you want to urinate on the slime to loosen it then go to SLIDE IN – CHAPTER 8.

"...ung....H.....hyung" "Hyung are you ok?" Lee Hajoon finally broke out from his daze and looked up at the two men staring down at him with visible concern in their eyes.  "Hyung, why are you sweating so much? Are you ok? Let's go to the hospital." "Eh..." "Oi Haneul, I asked them to bring out the car. Let's just bring him to the hospital." "Hwan.... Hane?" "Yes, hyung..." 'Wait this place... I'm home. Hwan and Hane, they are alive and....younger? Am I dreaming. Is it afterlife.' Hajoon looked up at his brothers faces as he vigorously shook his head in his mind.  'No....no it's too vivid to be a dream or whatever.' As he was drowning in his own thoughts, the news playing on the TV caught his interest.  [The recently raided A-class dungeon by XX guild is confirmed to be a mana stone generating dungeon. Guild leader......] 'Mana stone... Huh. Wasn't it in the past. It's almost been 9 years since this incident happened though.' As Hajoon looked up at his brothers once again with widened eyes.  'Wait 9 years.... Huh for real. Did I just returned back to the past.'

John Chlain is a normal highschool boy in Germany, but one day he was summoned to another world with 5 other people. They woke up in a dark room with 10 people welcome them. The 5 of them were told that they were summoned because of the rebirth of the Demon King. Each of them will get a Skill Christall witch contains a random skill. A person came to the group and get them to there new rooms. Johns room was big, In the middle of the room was a bed and right near the window was a desk with a book about the history of this world and there was also a box with a piece of paper on it. John read what it says. It say: “Dear Hero from another World we want to give you a present which contains a Skill-Christall. With this you can easy get skills without working hard. This Christall is a high rank Skill-Christa. You can gain the skill right now and then open your Skill-Menu for details and Level about you and your skills. I hope you can rest well the King.” As John read the text he thought to him self: “Why can I read this is this some sort of a skill that we got when we entered this world.” After he completed to read it he open the box and touched the Christall. The Christall began to fly and changes the color from it. Then it explode in a too little radius. Then a massage appeared in front of him. The text says: “* NEW SKILL*Slave creator obtained “ After a few more minutes John went to sleep.  

The sun was setting on the kingdom of Arandor, casting a warm golden light that spread across the rolling hills and bustling villages. The sky was ablaze with orange, pink and purple hues, painting a beautiful picture that took one's breath away. The sun slowly descended behind the horizon, leaving behind a fiery trail of light that lingered in the sky. In the heart of the kingdom stood a tall, regal tower, the home of the wizard Arcturus. The tower was a magnificent structure, its walls made of gleaming marble and its spires reaching high into the sky. The wizard's tower was the symbol of power and wisdom in Arandor, and it was widely known that Arcturus was a wise and powerful wizard, respected and revered by all who knew him. As the sun set, a special visitor made his way to the wizard's tower. The visitor was a young man named Svečias, a simple farmer from a small village on the outskirts of the kingdom. The grandeur of the place intimidated him, but he was determined to complete his mission. The wizard's chamber was located at the very top of the tower, and Svečias had to climb several flights of stairs to reach it. The walls were lined with bookshelves filled with ancient tomes and scrolls, and the air was thick with the scent of magic and incense. Arcturus was seated behind a large wooden desk, his eyes closed as he meditated. Svečias stood quietly, waiting for the wizard to acknowledge him.He was a tall young man with broad shoulders and a sturdy build. He had brown hair that fell in loose waves around his face, and his green eyes sparkled with determination and courage. He was dressed simply in a roughspun tunic and leather breeches, and his boots were caked with mud from his journey to the wizard's tower.Svečias had lived a quiet life as a farmer, tending to his fields and livestock. He was often ridiculed for his ridiculus sounding name,due to which he preferred to be called by his nickname Sven,given by his mother.He had small troubles like these and lived even a simple life. But he had always dreamed of adventure, of venturing beyond the confines of his small village and exploring the world. He had heard tales of the wizard Arcturus, of his incredible power and wisdom, and he had always hoped that one day he would have the chance to meet him. As he stood there, he couldn't help but admire the wizard's chamber. The walls were adorned with intricate carvings and paintings, depicting scenes of magic and adventure. The room was illuminated by a soft, warm glow that seemed to come from no particular source. It was as if the room was alive with magic, and the air was filled with a soft hum that was both soothing and exhilarating. After a moment, Arcturus opened his eyes and looked up at the young man standing before him.His eyes were a piercing blue, and they seemed to look right through Svečias.As he looked at the wizards eye, Svečias felt a shiver run down his spine. Arcturus's eyes were piercing, their depths reflecting a wisdom and knowledge that seemed to come from another world. The wizard stood up from his desk, his robes flowing behind him as he walked towards Svečias.Svečias was nervous shifting from foot to foot as he waited for the wizard to speak. "Svečias," he said in a deep, commanding voice. "You have come seeking my help." Svečias nodded, feeling a little intimidated by the wizard's powerful presence."Yes, Master Arcturus," he said, "I have come seeking your help. My village is in trouble, and I need your assistance." At first the wizard said nothing,just playing with the ruby ring on his thumb as he walked back and sat on his chair again.He leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving Svečias's face. "Tell me, Svečias," he said, "what kind of trouble is your village in?" Svečias took a deep breath and explained the situation. "I am from a small village on the outskirts of the kingdom. My village is plagued by a terrible drought, and our crops are failing. We are in dire need of rain, and I have come to ask for your help." The villagers were struggling to survive, and Svečias feared that they would soon be forced to abandon their homes. He had come to Arandor in search of a solution, hoping that the wizard would be able to help. Arcturus stroked his long, white beard thoughtfully while he. "I see," he said. "And what makes you think I can help?" Svečias took a deep breath and spoke with conviction. "Because you are the most powerful wizard in Arandor, Master Arcturus. I have heard that you can control the elements and call forth the rain. I beg of you, please help my village." Arcturus listened carefully, his eyes never leaving Svečias's face. When Svečias had finished, the wizard sat in silence for a moment, deep in thought. Then he stood up, walked around his desk, and placed a hand on Svečias's shoulder. "Svečias," he said, "I can see that you are a brave and determined young man. I am impressed by your courage and your devotion to your village." Svečias smiled, feeling a sense of pride wash over him. He had never been praised before, and it felt good to be acknowledged for his efforts. "Thank you, Master Arcturus," he said, "I will do anything I can to help my village." Arcturus nodded, a look of approval in his eyes. "I believe you will, Svečias," he said. Arcturus studied the young man for a moment, and then he smiled. "You are brave and bold, Svečias. I can see that you are determined to help your village. Very well, I will help you. But first, you must complete a task for me." Svečias was taken aback by the wizard's request. "A task, Master Arcturus?" he asked. Arcturus smiled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "The Eternal Flame, a source of immense power and magic, has been stolen from its temple in the north. Without it, the kingdom is vulnerable to dark forces that seek to do us harm. I need someone to retrieve it, someone brave and bold enough to face the dangers that lie ahead." Svečias's heart skipped a beat. He had heard tales of the Eternal Flame, and he knew that it was a powerful and dangerous artifact. But he was also filled with a sense of determination. He had come to Arandor seeking a solution to his village's problems, and now he had the chance to do something truly great. "I will retrieve the Eternal Flame, Master Arcturus," he said, his voice filled with conviction. The wizard smiled and placed a hand on Svečias's shoulder. "I knew you would, Svečias. But there is a catch. The Flame is hidden in a place far beyond the kingdom, in a place you have never been before. You must go to Earth, in the modern world, and retrieve the Flame." Svečias's eyes widened in surprise. Earth? The modern world? He had never even heard of such a place. "How will I get there, Master Arcturus?" he asked, trying to hide the fear in his voice. Arcturus smiled and gestured towards a nearby table. On it lay a large, leather-bound tome. "This is my magical tome," he said, "it contains knowledge and magic beyond your wildest dreams. You will use it to train and prepare yourself for the journey ahead. But be warned, Svečias, the tome is powerful and unpredictable. It will challenge you in ways you cannot imagine." Svečias nodded, not understanding what the wizard meant.As if by magic,he found himself approaching the tome without even remebering that he had moved his feet.He was feeling a particular sense of awe and wonder. He reached out to touch it, but Arcturus placed a hand on his shoulder. Arcturus smiled and placed a hand on Svečias's forehead. "I will send you to Earth, Svečias, but you will not go as yourself. You will be sent in the body of a comatose teenager, so that you may learn and grow in secret. Use the knowledge and magic in my tome, and do not reveal your true identity until you have succeeded in your quest." Svečias felt a wave of confusion wash over him, but he also felt a sense of excitement. He was going on a quest, a quest to retrieve the Eternal Flame, and he was going to be sent to Earth. He smiled, feeling a sense of pride and determination. "I understand, Master Arcturus," he said, "I will not fail you." Arcturus smiled and nodded. "I know you will not, Svečias," he said, The wizard smiled, his eyes twinkling with pride. "I know you won't, Svečias. The journey ahead will be long and treacherous, but I have faith in you. You are a true warrior, and you will succeed where others have failed. Good luck, Svečias. And may the magic be with you." "now, close your eyes and let the magic begin." Svečias closed his eyes, feeling a sense of wonder and excitement wash over him. He was going on a quest, a quest to retrieve the Eternal Flame, and he was going to be sent to Earth. He smiled, knowing that his life was about to change forever. As his consciousness begin to fade, he heard the wizard asking someone "Will it really be alright?",to which a melodious voice replied,"It is the only one which is not tainted." While these words confused him, his consciousness was engulfed in darkness.     avermour Svečias is pronounced as "Sveh-chy-as". The word is Lithuanian in origin with an interesting meaning, which I hope the reader will find it him/her self ,if he/she is interested in this story,which would be a honour for me. I am the sole author and editor of this story, so If you like the story,please rate and comment as it is only these thing which can keep the story alive and going.It will only take a few minutes of your time.

When finished, Alex ran his story through his mind, again and again, to see if he had let any incriminating detail slip. Thankfully there were none. He kept his story general and to the point to satisfy the group and still stay safe. “ok, that’s it for this session’s shares. Now you can go around the room, talk to each other, and have some coffee and cookies. We will continue after half an hour. Be sure to make up your mind about who you want as your sponsor by that time. Each of us could only sponsor three of you, so the faster you make up your mind, the better.” Alex had already made up his mind; between the three sponsors, he loved number three’s method the best, and the fact that she hadn’t been caught even with all of her high-profile projects, showed that she knew how to clean her print. And that was something Alex needed to learn the most. So he went straight to number three, who was drinking coffee and talking to number one and two. “Ma’am, can I have a moment of your time, please?” “yes, sure,” and they both went to a corner to talk. “can you tell me what benefits you have over the other two as a sponsor?” Though he had already made up his mind, he still wanted to make sure that he was making the right discission. “pffff,” number three almost spilled the coffee in her mouth “what do you mean?” “I think the meaning is pretty clear. Why should I choose you as my sponsor?” “hehe, It seems like you got it all wrong. You are the one who should convince me to be your sponsor, not the other way around. Now tell me, why should I accept to be your sponsor?” Alex was taken aback by her reply, “so you are saying that you can deny someone if you want?” “that’s right.” “And what happens to the ones without a sponsor?” “Nothing much, but they are usually the first to get eliminated.” Alex thought for a few seconds, ‘so if I could convince her only to sponsor me, I can eliminate two of the competition right off the bat.’ “As you may already know, I have a solid motive. You also won’t be disappointed with my targets. They are all people that did something wrong.” “All of us have done something wrong. Killing is wrong. Lying is wrong. Even drinking milk out of the bottle is wrong. Give a reason that the others can’t give me.” “I have nothing to live for,” said Alex with a conflicted tone “if you agree to sponsor only me, you can have total control over my life after I get my revenge.” “oho. But why would I want your life?” “. . . . .” “if you want me to sponsor you and only you. Promise me that you will find a reason to live. I don’t want to sponsor/mentor someone who wants to die after he is finished playing.” Alex hesitated a bit. He wanted to die so badly. The only thing that prevented him from taking his own life was the thought of revenge on the people that made his family’s life miserable. “I agree on one condition.” “That wasn’t a request, but go on,” said number three “you have to give me access to all your kill profiles.” “that’s doable. Ok, we have a deal. I agree not to sponsor any other person, and you agree not to commit suicide after you’re done with your revenge.” Said number three, and they shook hands “by the way, don’t expect me to plan everything for you. I would only help you with the theoretical stuff and nothing more.” “I didn’t expect anything. I just need information, and your organization seems to be good at gathering it.” After talking some more about how to proceed from there, the thirty minutes were up, and they went back to their seats. About four other people went to number three for sponsorship in these thirty minutes, but she rejected them all. In total, four out of the nine were sponsored, and the others were left alone. “What should we do without a sponsor?” one of the remaining five asked “you will still get a secure line to the organization for clearing your kills and getting information on your targets, but there won’t be any other kind of help. You were unable to convince us to sponsor you, and so you are on your own from now on.” Number one then cleared his throat and said, “and don’t even think of going rogue. Remember that you are under 24/7 surveillance, and with the slightest hint of betrayal, you will be eliminated in the most painful way possible.” Then one of the guards came into the room and gave a thick file to each one of them. “These are the files we have on you; as you can see, there isn’t a single detail missing about your life,” said number three and encouraged them to take a look. Alex opened his.   Name: Alex Adams Age: 29 Date of birth: 22/9/1993 Father: Sam (adopted father) (deceased)    Mother: Mary (adopted mother) (deceased)    Wife: Kate Adams (deceased)    Children: Anna Adams (deceased) . . . .   ‘What does it mean adapted? Am I adapted?’ Alex wanted to refuse to believe it, but the other information was so detailed and correct that he couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe he really was adopted. He was too shocked to notice that everyone was leaving, and he and number three were the only ones left in the room. “Twelve, twelve, twelve …” number three called him a few times, but no answer came. “Alex,” she shouted. Alex broke out of his daze and looked around and saw that he was alone with number three. “Sorry, were you saying something?” “This is your secure phone; my contact number is already saved there. We also opened a bank account in your name and wired a million dollars in it.” “what? a million dollars?” “yes, if you seem too desperate, you will become the first suspect in the murder investigation. The detail about where you got the money and … is at the end of the file.” “but what do I do with all this money?” “The first thing is to get a better apartment; I will send you some locations to choose from. Then it would be best if you got a better job. I have already used some of my connections to get you an executive position in AZ corporation. You don’t have to do much; it’s just a shell job; you only need to go to your office two times a week so others can see and vouch for you. Now go home and rest a bit; whenever you are ready, contact me.”

The mobile phone mounted on the centre console of the industrial van lights up. The ringtone is Welcome to the Jungle. The chorus started to play just before a hand wearing thick gloves snatched it up. “Good evening, this is the Cleaners. Sandy speaking. How can we help you today? Do you need a basic clean up? Or are you needing serious stain removal done? We have a special on non-burnable trash this week.” The voice of the woman speaking is light and airy, someone with many years of training in customer service. The shaking female voice on the other end of the line, on the other hand, not so much, “H-hello? Please... I was given your number by my girlfriend. She said you do-” Sandy laughs, “We are cleaners ma’am. We’re one of the best in the business at removing stains and problems in the home. We’re also surprisingly good at industrial jobs now we expanded the business.” the laugh in her voice slides away, “Are you needing cleaning services ma’am? Some garbage disposal needing to be done? Stains removed from your life?” her voice is cold as ice as she asks the last question. The voice on the other end of the phone stopped for a couple of slow breaths. When the woman spoke again, her voice was a lot more stable, “Yes, a rather large stain to be exact, it’s... all over the carpet. I hope that’s not a problem?” Sandy laughs again as a smile spread to her lips, “Not a problem at all, we’ll get that out in no time flat. We have a slot open tonight. SMS the address to the phone number you called, and we’ll get on over there in a jiffy.” then she hangs up and looks to the bulky guy in the driver's seat, “Well bro, you called it. The next call was a real job. You get to pick where we stop for dinner.” The hulking man in the driver's seat chuckled darkly as he started up the industrial van. The view slides out to watch the van roll out of the parking lot it had been parked in. The yellow van has a pair of cartoon gnomes wearing cleaning gear and red caps. ‘The Cleaners’ written in a bubble font under the gnomes with the saying ‘We remove all kinds of Stains’ splashed under the logo. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ She doesn’t know why she called the cleaners her friend told her about. She just knew she had to. It was that or the police. He finally pushed her too far. He hit her daughter. He hit her so hard she had to take her to the hospital. The doctor looked at her with eyes that made her want to cry. Her daughter clung to her, telling the doctor that her mommy never hit her. That her mommy always protected her. So tonight, when he got back, she had. She protected her daughter, to stop him from ever trying to hurt her again. Half a decade she had been married to him, the first year had been so lovely. Then his real personality had shown itself. When he got drunk, he would take any stress out by breaking things. It didn’t take long until he decided that she was the thing he wanted to break. She wanted to divorce him, but she had no money. She had no family to fall back on. His damned mother just told her that she should just get used to it when she went to her. That it was a woman’s job to keep their man happy. That it was her fault he was unhappy. She had almost convinced herself, almost lied to herself enough that she started believing that. That delusion broke when she saw him hit her little girl. She was staying at her friend's house tonight, a girl's night with her friend's daughter. She was going to yell at him. Tell him she was leaving. Then he tried to hit her again when he came through the door drunk. All she saw was red. And then there was red everywhere. His big body lying on the mat in the lounge room, his blood spilling out, pooling into the mat. Then she called them. She called the cleaners her friend told her about. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The knocking on the front door got her attention, and she went over and opened the door. After she spoke to the woman on the phone she had quickly gone and showered and changed her clothes. Wanting to get his blood off herself, and not to show up at the front door like a Halloweener out of season. A woman and a man so huge he would have trouble getting through the door, were stood there waiting for her, the woman spoke, “Hi! I’m Sandy, and this is my brother Davey. We’re the cleaners here to help.” she walked into the house without an invitation, “Now is it a lot of claret? Or a bit more than a bit?” She smiled and stepped into the loungeroom looking around at the splatter pattern. “Wow lady, you had some serious pent up party problems!” Davey stepped through the door and shut it behind himself, his deep rumbling baritone slipping out “Excuse me miss.” he gently ushered her into the room after Sandy. The woman started to say, “I can pay using his cards-” Sandy waved a hand, “Don’t worry about it, from the looks of things we’ll likely need to charge the estate. It’ll be easier if we do it that way. Any nosey family members to worry about?” The woman nodded, “His mother.” Sandy started to grin, “Oh. That should be easy to deal with then. Come on, we’ll sit down and start getting all the paperwork we need in order while Davey does what he does best.” Davey smiled at the woman, a gentle look in his eyes. “We’ll get this cleaned up in no time.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Two cops strolled down the sidewalk. This neighbourhood was well known for being in the upper end of the city. As such the police tasked with patrolling the area were generally given alternating drive-through and walk-through shifts. The pair had an older cop and a younger cop. Their conversation made it obvious that the younger cop had only just started working here in the city. As the older cop had been yammering on about all kinds of interesting historical facts. As they strolled along the road, they spotted the big industrial van, and the young cop turned to the older one, “Is it normal to have a cleaner van visiting this area at this time of night? I mean, you’d think there’d be noise complaints.” The older cop just laughed, “Don’t worry about it, you’ll get used to it. This company is pretty well known by us beat cops. They usually do some of the dirtiest jobs, and the station is known to hire them to clean up after homicide cases from time to time. Come on I’ll introduce you to them. It’s a family outfit.” The young cop looked confused for a moment, but shrugged and followed after the older cop, he figured he might as well learn about the locals. The older cop called out, “Evening, Davey! Just cleaning up?” The huge man was deadlifting a forty-gallon drum into the back of the cleaning van, he turned and looked to who had called out to him and smiled, “Officer Mahoney. Yes. We just did a bit of stain removal. A couple of bottles of claret got dropped. Looks like an expensive rug just got written off on insurance.” he motioned to the rug rolled up in the back of the van, “Had to do a full washdown of the polished floors. Luckily, they were polished and not just stained. Those are very annoying.” The old cop just laughed and patted his young companion on the shoulder, “Davey, this is our new beat cop, Rodgers. You’ll probably see him around this area. I’ll be sure to educate him about the local issues.” Davey grinned and took his gloves off before offering the young officer a hand that could be mistaken for a shovel. “Nice to meet you, Officer Rodgers.” The young man shook his hand, fearing he was about to lose the hand to this huge man, then after a few more pleasantries, Mahoney lead Rodgers off back on their patrol. Rodgers said, “I swear I smelt blood. Should we c-” Mahoney grabbed Rodgers's shoulder and propelled him forward, “Here’s a quick and dirty breakdown. You smelt nothing. Probably some chemicals mixing in the air giving your nose the runaround. They were there to clean up some stains. Ones that have no interest to the police. Just some party in the rich part of town that got messy. Nothing to see here.” Rodgers gulped, “So. When you said ‘family’?” Mahoney barked out a laugh, “Oh the mafia wishes they were in charge of them. They’d save some serious cash. No. They are the Cleaners. They remove stains. Remember that.” he looked over his shoulder, looking right into the eyes of Davey who had been watching them walk away. “They are way above our paygrade. Probably above the chief of police’s paygrade. They don’t bother us; we don’t bother them.” Rodgers shuddered and nodded to Mahoney, “Thanks. I’ll make sure to remember that.” Mahoney smiled wide, “You catch on quick, kid. You just might make it to retirement, like me.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The doors to the van slammed shut and Sandy had a grin on her face that could only be matched by the Cheshire cat. “Feels good to clean up something messy like that. We have a commission to clean up an older stain.” Davey nodded and started up the van, “Got the address?” Sandy pulled a notepad out from her top pocket, then flourished it like a sword, “That I do brother dear.” then laughed, “It’s the kind of stain I like to make sure gets a proper removal. Davey nodded and smirked back at her, “So since it turned into two jobs, is that two nights of my choice of dinner.” Sandy laughs and slaps his shoulder, “In your dreams. Get driving. I’ll get the address into the GPS.” ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next day an older woman was found by her Neighbour that had let herself in to see why the dogs had been howling, she had found her half-eaten by the woman's pet dogs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Six months later, the missing person's report had been closed, and the man was declared dead. His estate which included his deceased mother's estate had been passed to his only surviving relative. His daughter. The wife he had left behind gave a statement to the press that she hoped he found peace wherever he had disappeared to.

“Welcome to your first MA session,” the woman wearing red said “this is a safe place where you can share your feelings about the things you have done. All of the people present here have killed at least one person, and you have been qualified to enter the MA program.” The nine newcomers were all surprised ‘did all of these people kill someone?’ they thought together. “for safety reasons, reviling your identity to the others here is forbidden but feel free to talk about anything else that bothers you. If you want to refer to yourself, you can use the number on your mask and then speak. “Unlike other anonymous meetings, we don’t encourage you to quit but be more careful and purposeful in your kills. We three are here to teach you how to execute your plans and answer any questions that you might have. After introducing yourself, you can choose one of us three as your sponsor, and the said sponsor will help you with your problems and try to keep you away from your self-destruct thoughts. “There are three main rules that you have to remember if you don’t want to be eliminated from the MA program. First No talk about MA outside of MA, except with your sponsor and through the safe lines provided to you each after the session.   Second No unauthorized kills. If you want to go on a hunt, you first need to clear your plan and target with your sponsor.   Third No kills without purpose. You are not allowed to kill someone just because you don’t like them or they make you angry. For each kill, you have to have a clear purpose in mind.   “now, if anyone has any questions, you can raise your hands.” All nine of them raised their hands nervously. They had so many questions in mind, but one thing that bothered them the most was… “what does it mean to be eliminated from the MA program?” “you and anyone around you that is considered a participant in breaking a rule will be killed, effective immediately.” “can we refuse the offer?” “no, your destiny was sealed from the moment you got the invitation. You have no choice but to follow the rules from now on.” Several other questions were asked and answered until it was Alex’s turn. By the time It was his turn, most of the questions were asked and answered, but he still didn’t get the answer to his question. “What is the purpose of all this?” “to eliminate the scum of the earth.” Answered number three, “oh right, and one other thing. Only one of you will be considered graduated by the end of the current MA program, and the rest of you will be eliminated.” A commotion broke out, and all of the people present except the three and Alex started talking and trying to get out. “bang” A gunshot was heard in the room, and all eight of them went quiet before going back to their respective chairs. Then number three turned to Alex, whose hand was raised, “yes?” “on what base do you decide who to eliminate?” “it’s pretty easy; if anyone here could find your identity, you are out of the game.” After they all went quiet, Number three chuckled and said, “don’t worry, unless you know every person in the country, you can’t find each other that easily. Plus, as you already know, the mask on your face changes your voice, so you don’t have to worry about that either.” All of them sighed in relief, but nobody asked any more questions.  “so, if you don’t have any other questions, let’s get on with the introduction. “Hello, I am number three, and I'm a murderer.” Then she stopped as if waiting for a response, but none came “this is the part where you say hello to me.” They all went stiff for a second and then said together, “hallo three.” “I killed my first victim when I was nine, and he was our house cat. My next victim was my roommate, who tried to rape me. But I didn’t do it perfectly, and the MA found out. I am also the third MA program graduate. After that, I killed the people that tried to rape women and showcased their body parts for all to see with a red rose in place of their private parts.” When she said that she showcased their body parts with a red rose, something clicked in all of their minds ‘don’t tell me she is ….’ “yes, I am the red rose killer” then she went quiet, and it was number three’s turn to talk. “Thanks for your share, number three,” he said, “hello, I am number two, and I'm a murderer.” “Hello, three,” all of them said in unison. “my first victim was my wife, she cheated on me with my best friend, and I killed both of them because of that. But I didn’t do the job as well as I thought and got caught by the MA. I'm also the second MA program graduate. After killing my wife and my best friend, I became homeless and killed every cheating bastard that I could find. But you don’t know about my kills because they are mostly designed to look like natural causes.” After number two came number one “thank you for your share, number two. Hello, I'm number one, and I’m a murderer.” “Hello, one” “I am one of the MA program founders and its first graduate. My first victim was my mother, and I was fourteen at the time. He abused me and beat me up every day, and one day I couldn’t take it anymore and killed her. after that, I killed any abusive parents that I found.” After that, number three talked again and asked each of them to share parts of their story “please be careful that your shares be true because we ran a background check on all of you and know everything. Lying is not an option here.” Alex listened very carefully and memorized every word they said. His only good quality was his memory, and he used it to tag each of them by the distinctive features in their stories. After they all talked, it came Alex’s turn. He was hesitant a bit and didn’t know where to start. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, but nothing came out. When number three started her share, Alex thought of a few fake stories to use in his share, but when she said that they knew everything, his mind went completely blank. “it’s ok, take your time. Think a little, and then you can start,” said number three Alex took a deep breath and then started “Hello, I'm twelve, and I'm a murderer.”   _ _ _ _ _ Hello there Author here. I want to thank you for reading my book, this is my first book so if you see any problem with it or have any thoughts about how I can improve the book, be sure to contact me. I will use every bit of suggestion I can get. Also, I wanted to ask a little favor of you. I'm veeeeery bad at naming characters and right now I'm stuck with some lame names for my characters. So if you can think of any cool names, I’ll be very happy to use them in the story. :|

Streams of blood flowed down Leon's face. A direct impact with a truck but he wasn't killed instantly. The truck driver had tried to swerve out the way and slow down but unfortunately Leon was just too close. 'What a pity, to die this early on.' Leon thought as he looked at himself. He tried to look for help but around him, people just stared. Bystanders waiting for someone to do something but no one is willing to step forward. Instead they recorded him, hoping that his suffering would get them more views. 'How bleak. Perhaps I could survive this if someone was willing do something to help. Humans are so fickle and weak. It's pathetic that an accident out of my control is able to end my life so easily. How could I have prevented something like this from happening?' Leon's thoughts were confused and progressively becoming more emotional. He had lost too much blood and was starting to loose consciousness.  Leon wasn't particularly happy in this life but he always kept him self busy. Always moving forward, pursuing the path of a businessman but finding little success.  'If only I had a little more time, maybe this life would have become interesting. I still have more to do.' His fleeting thoughts were put to rest and his life ended abruptly.  ◇ ◇ ◇ Leon gasped as he pushed his body off the ground. He was greeted by a dark cave with cold stone on the floor. His body felt dirty and week. An insatiable hunger and thirst struck him. Unlike anything he had ever felt before. He looked around for something to eat. Anything. Some leaves of plant came across his view. His ran, faster than ever in his life. Succumbing to his primal instinct and devoured whatever plant that was. It tasted grassy and disgusted him. And yet he kept on eating.  After his desperate act of survival had ended, Leon began to gather his thoughts. He had just died and had now found himself in another room incredibly hungry. He looked around for some clue of sorts and managed to see some light through the corridor of the cave. He slowly walked towards the light using the walls of the corridor to support himself. He looked outside from inside the cave. It was night time wherever he was. He appeared to be next to a cave on top of a small hill. Looking around, he saw a forest. Further on he saw what looked to be the walls of some 17th century city. Looking into the night sky Leon caught sight of two moons in the night sky. They were closer to the earth? than the 'old moon' was. 'Two moons? That means that this is... another world?' Leon was an avid reader of all genres, especially isekai. He enjoyed the idea of using modern knowledge and ideals in another world. He quickly became engrossed with reading isekai books and eventually came to learn all the tropes. "System" Leon tried to call out his 'system'. A game like interface that was common in isekai novels. Systems were incredibly strong, always  handing over so much power to their host. Hoping for an easy way out, Leon expected to be greeted by the cliched obnoxity of a system... Yet nothing happened. No message or announcement. Nothing "Menu, inventory, help, command, admin" Nothing again. A pity. Leon stopped to sit down and try and understand what was happening. After dying from being hit by a truck he, like anyone else who has been killed by a truck, isekaid into another world. However unlike what usually happens, there was no perks to going to another world. No special system that would grant him powers for free. He didn't appear to be summoned by anyone nor was he reborn into a baby. Realising that he hadn't checked his body Leon started to touch himself. His skin was coarse and dirty, his hair unkempt and overgrown. He had very poor clothing. Wearing rags. Strangely he had very little body hair and was much shorter than he used to be. 'Perhaps I was reincarnated into another body. One that had recently died. That's how they usually go in some stories. If so why did this body decide to die alone in some cave. Perhaps he was being chased. That means going to the city for help may do the opposite.' Whatever story was attached to this body was now attached to him as well. Leon furrowed his brow, he didn't have any experience in outside survival. He was an aspiring business man accustomed to living in a modern world. He didn't need to know how to survive in a forest on his own and so he had no idea what to do in this situation. He inevitably would have to try and go into the city. Being alive in a prison was better than being dead in some forest. It was night an the gates would most likely be closed. He'd have to try and wait till the morning to try and get in. Until then he could try and think of how to get in. ◇ ◇ ◇ A single sun rose above the horizon. Leon stalked the gates of the walled city. Two guards were walked outside as the gates opened, they wore armour like 17th century European knights. They stationed themselves towards the sides. Leon deliberated whether or not to just walk through. Perhaps the guards wouldn't stop him if he walked with enough confidence. Nothing else looked promising. He didn't think he could sneak past them. Perhaps if he hid on a carriage but who would let him?  Leon continued to think as a group of five walked out of the city. They looked like a stereotypical adventurer party, 3 guys and 2 girls. The existence of what seemed like adventurers consolidated the idea that this was some fantasy world. Adventurers were motivated by money and rewards, perhaps he could offer them something and in return they'd help him get through. But not only did Leon not know what language they were talking in, he had nothing to offer them. He decided to quietly stalk them anyway. They looked to be quite young, no older than 17. Perhaps he'd discover something from watching them. Leon held back slowly but surely watching them from a distance. He attempted to regulate his breathing, watch where he stepped and always made sure that he could see them but they could not see him. He was undoubtedly suspicious so getting caught would be troublesome. Their language sounded oddly Germanic and they seemed to be joking around with each other. He followed them, walking behind them for around 40 minutes. The party of adventurers stopped at a cave. They primed their weapons and looked around wearily. Hoping to remain undetected, Leon stayed absolutely still, peaking at the party from behind a tree. Thankfully the adventurers had not discovered him. They slowly entered the surrounding of a cave as what looked to be goblins exiting out. They seemed nervous, it was apparent none of them had done this before. Although, they did seem to be slightly skilled. What looked to be a warrior, who at first haphazardly swung his sword around, began to do so more confidently as the fight progressed. This new party  gradually became more confident in their ability, audaciously entering the cave.  As Leon considered entering after them, he heard a gut wrenching scream. He cautiously moved along the forest, incessantly looking around him to avoid the ambush of any goblins. As he got close to this goblin cave, he could hear the screams of all the adventures. They seemed to be cut short, as if they were being killed before they could finish screaming. Waiting there for the screams to stop, Leon waited and again considered entering the cave. Perhaps he could pose as one of the members of the party, and act insane from having his party being wiped out, to prevent people from finding out his ignorance of the local language. His thoughts were inhumane but Leon did not have the luxury to act kind. Risks need to be taken. Birds die for food and Humans die for wealth. Leon slowly walked towards the cave, he heard the weeping of a party member. What a pity, one of them was still alive. He doubted he had the strength to kill a remaining party member, as he was about to turn back the cave appeared to explode with fire. Smoke billowing out, goblins burning alive. Was this magic? If this was magic then the implications were huge. The ability to become stronger as an individual was not available to him in his past life. No matter how strong you were, you are just as susceptible to random events like any other person. He died to such random event. In his past life Leon had worked out and would attend martial arts classes. He wanted to strengthen himself as an individual to prevent himself for being taken advantage off. Although humans can get stronger, even someone like Muhammad Ali could die to randomness. No one is immortal and everyone faces death in the end, no matter what. However the exist of magic, as illogical and strange as it is, is the only thing that could potentially allow someone to transcend the natural limits of humanity and become an immortal. Leon decided to leave, the loud noise would attract something else. Human guards, adventurers or perhaps some other fantasy creature. Before he could leave though, he saw one of the party member stumble out of the cave. His clothes were torn and there was pain in his eyes. He noticed Leon and promptly collapsed...  

In a cottage in the middle of the woods “Please, I didn’t have anything to do with what happened to you. You have to believe me. Please. It was all Mr. Louise’s doing. I didn’t have anything to do with it. You have to believe me,” the man strapped to a metal table begged the person in front of him to no avail. Alex was cleaning his knife with a relaxed expression and didn’t seem to hear a word. After he cleaned the knife, he put it down on the plate and went for the saw. When the man saw the saw, he became more scared and started screaming, “please, someone. Someone, please help me.” “don’t scream; you will only scare the animals around the cottage. There is no one here to hear your screams.” “pleas, pleas, believe me, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I only did what Mr. Louise told me to do. I didn’t know what he was doing” “it’s too late for that. Now tell me, where do you want me to start from?” said Alex, who had just finished cleaning the saw “you don’t have to do this; please, I have children; please have mercy on them. I won’t tell anyone; just let me go. I even help you ….” At the mention of children, something broke in Alex, and he started shouting, “I had a child too. I had a family too. But did you think of them when you were ruining my life? did you consider what would happen to them?” then he took a deep breath and said “don’t worry, you’re not the only one on the list. Mr. Louise, John, Sara, and all the people that made me and my family’s life miserable will pay for their doings. You won’t be the only one.” “Please, you don’t have to do this, please…” “oh, but I do. If I don’t take my revenge, how do you expect me to sleep at night? How do you think my daughter’s soul would rest in peace? How do you think my wife would forgive me for abandoning them when they most needed me? It’s all because of you. All because of you and those damn people. I won’t let you get away with it.” He took the tape and closed the man’s mouth shut. Then he started his work. Alex would pause and stop the bleeding whenever the man fainted from shock, then woke him up and started again. He did this process again and again till the man died and there was nothing left for him to cut. After that, he collected all the pieces and went back to the city and dumped them into the nearest trash bin to the man’s house. _ _ _ _ _ _ After getting scammed out of his job and losing all his money to the scammers, Alex’s life only worsened. His daughter got sick, and when he couldn’t pay the hospital bills, and she died, his wife took her own life and left Alex alone. From a prestigious job in a big company to working in a one-star restaurant as a waiter, he only had one regret: trusting the wrong people. He was lying down on his bed and was staring at the ceiling. Next on his list was Sara, Mr. Louise’s secretary. She was the one that first told Alex about their plan. She was the one that convinced Alex that Mr. Louise had his best intention at heart, and Alex was a fool and believed them. He was still thinking about ways to get her alone and kidnap her. His plan wasn’t fully formed yet, but he had a pretty good idea of how to do it. “I can get her when she goes to the bar near the …” he was talking to himself when he heard a knock on the door. He got out of the room and went to open the door. His apartment was a small one-bedroom apartment with a kitchen and a bathroom. It was all he could afford after getting scammed. When he got to the door and opened it, nobody was on the other side. But there was a box with a red letter on it right in front of his foot.   He felt a bit nervous. Nobody knew he was living here, and he hadn’t ordered anything online recently.   Alex grabbed the box and closed the door behind him. When he opened the letter, he almost fell to the ground. The world spun around his head, and he didn’t know what to do.   Dear Mr. Adams                                                      WE KNOW     If you don’t want anybody else to know of your secret, wear this mask and come to the address below three days from now. Lincon st. *** ***** **** *                                                                                                             Best of luck                                                                                                           MA When Alex opened the box, he found a gray mask with the number twelve on it. The mask was designed to cover the whole face, but a retractable part at the bottom went back into the mask and showed the person’s mouth. After opening the box, Alex just sat there for several hours and thought of every possible scenario that this situation could play out, and neither of them ended well. The next day Alex called in sick and stayed home. He wasn’t in the mood to serve people in that shitty restaurant and just wanted to stay home. He sat down on his bed and looked at the pictures of his family on his phone. He was frustrated, he just wanted to kill all those bastards before killing himself, but here he was in a situation he didn’t know how to handle. “If only I had more time…” Two days was certainly not enough to finish his revenge plan. He needed a month at the very least. After that, he could kill himself and reunite with his wife and daughter. But now. Two days. Two freaking days. “Why did it have to be now? What did I wrong? Should I have gotten rid of the body? ….” Many different thoughts passed his mind, but at the end of the day, he didn’t reach any conclusion. He did everything right; there was no problem with his plan. No matter how much he thought, no fault came to his mind. The only option he had was to find out what was going on for himself. Two days later, he was standing inside a narrow dead-end alley. The alley was so narrow that only one person could pass it at a time. In front of him, on the huge old wall, there was a small old door. He stood there for about ten minutes deciding whether to knock or not. After ten more minutes, he made his decision and was about to knock on the door when suddenly the door opened itself. ‘Were they waiting for me to make my decision’ he thought When the door opened, he saw a person wearing all black clothes and a gray mask, like Alex’s but without any number, standing in front of him. “Please this way, sir,” the man said and guided Alex to a room at the back of the building. Nine more people wearing the same outfit were standing guard around a door inside the large room. When Alex entered, one of them opened the other door, and Alex was surprised to see a staircase going straight down for about ten meters. He hesitated for a bit but then walked past the door and went down the stairs. There was another door at the end of the stairs; Alex paused for a few seconds and then grabbed the handle and opened the door.

"I'm going on a date with Susan tonight!" I said with excitement, puffing out my chest and nose. Eva next to me just rolled her eyes and looked at me with a bored expression. "Are you high right now?" I clucked my tongue. "C'mon, Eva. Don't be like that. Your best friend finally have a date, and she's the prettiest girl in school. Be a little proud." I didn't understand why she always doubted me. "You must have done something to her, right? Wait, you're blackmailing her, aren't you?" chirped Eva recklessly. "Don't spit out nonsense!" I shouted. Started to get annoyed by her act.  Eva shrugged as if it were nothing. "Either that or the world will end sooner." "So now my happiness lead to bad things happening?" I sighed, trying to be positive. "I invited her normally, without forcing her, and she did the right thing. I mean, I don't want to brag, but if a handsome, kind man like me asked you out, you wouldn't be able to say no, right?" "So that's it? You bribed her? Although i knew it, i still think that's pathetic." Again, Eva jumped to an absurd conclusion. "You never listen to what people say, do you—" BRAKK! "Get out the way, losers." I tumbled down and groaned. It hurts! What the heck? When I saw who had done it, my throat closed up, and I couldn't speak. Johnathan Dexter, the star of the basketball club, with his annoying—friends Derek, Fletcher, and Blake. "What? You have something to say? "asked Blake, the biggest of the group. I dropped my head and shook my head hard right away. Because of the vital role they played in the school's athletic success, teachers routinely ignored their erratic behavior. They also came from powerful and wealthy families. So even if you find a way to punish them here, the results will be worse outside. So it's best not to get in their way. So even if you find a way to punish them here, the results will be worse outside. It'd be best to stay out of their way. "Hey!" Yet, unanticipated elements will undoubtedly lead us astray. I looked up, stood up quickly, and tried to stop Eva from doing something stupid. "Hey! I told you off, you jerk!" Oh my! Eva did it again! She'll never stop making my life difficult, will she! Look! John, which had already gone a long way, went back. He is smiling and seems interested. "Did you say something?" John started to talk. I shook my head and tried to make this stop. "No, we didn't-" "Apologize now!" Eva yelled, unaware of the situation. . Oh, come on, I am trying to save your life here. John snapped, "I don't get it, why would I do that?" He smiled wider. "You intentionally knocked Harry out, right? Do you want him to get hurt?" Oh, come on, Eva. Don't go crazy with that sort of thing. Look! People are now looking at us, and some are laughing. Argh! I want to go out, dig a deep hole, and hide in there. "Oh, yeah? Why not ask the person directly?" John shouted as he suddenly walked up to me. My shoulder, which he was holding, shook right away as a warning sign. "Is the blame on me? Or yours?" I took a deep breath and then looked at Eva and then John. These two bastards. In this situation, any answer I gave would be wrong. In this situation, any answer I gave would be wrong. However, I would instead be humiliated than risk my life for nothing. "I-it's on me. I didn't see the road, so I ran into you." "So, who should apologize, in your opinion?" Before I answered, I took another look at Eva. She made a frown when she saw how I was acting right now. Surprised? Should I be the one to act that way? Fuck her opinion "M-Me. I am on blame." John gave a shrug. "So, Miss, are we good now?" Eva shook her head in disgust, turned around, and left. All women, indeed, are baffling mysteries. *#* "There is no way I would take a date in that old van." Dad, however, was adamant. "You aren't the only one who has something planned for tonight. I can't just cancel it. More so, you just told me like five minutes ago." He gave a shrug. I was a little annoyed by the pretend ignorance. But I realized that another reply would simply make my hopes seem like wishful thinking, so I tried again with a more subtle approach: "Listen, Dad. Tonight is a big deal for me. The night could have been the most important of my life. That girl could be your future daughter-in-law, the woman who carries and gives birth to Dave, Anya, and Jack, your soon-beloved grandchildren. Do you want to destroy that lovely dream?" "There is no way I would take a date in that old van." But Dad laughed so hard that he knocked his hand against the table. "Don't put too much hope in it. From what I've seen, I wouldn't be surprised if it only lasted one night." "Okay, you're acting like a jerk now." I didn't understand why everyone didn't believe that we really loved each other. "I'm so sorry. I still can't, though." "Please. Just reschedule your appointment. How important is it, really?" After a moment of looking at me, my dad shook his head again. "Once you can't, you can't. Also, I'm not the type to break promises, you know that, right?" I bit my tongue and didn't say anything. No response. I know. That's who he is. "Besides, you're not the only one who has a date tonight." "What?" *#* Damn old man. A date? He doesn't remember his age, does he? At that age, he should think about how to go to church more often, save money for retirement, and make me happy. Where did he get that crazy amount of confidence? "Your late mother has been gone for almost ten years. As a man, you should get it." Yes, I understand. I knew he was a big, selfish, lustful bastard. As a result of that irresponsible act, I had to decide whether to cancel this important first date or let go of my pride. Look, I'm not the kind who cares about how I look, but it's essential to make an excellent first impression. So, I chose the most reasonable middle ground: we decided to meet in person at the place we'd already agreed to. On second thought, that wasn't a good idea. Susan would consider me a heartless, clueless, and incompetent man. She said yes without many questions, thankfully. I thought it was her being polite, but she came even earlier than expected. Tonight she looked absolutely stunning. Wearing a black denim jacket over a white T-shirt, white shorts, and white sneakers. She looked up from her phone and asked, "Why you dressed like that?" A frown formed on her face. Suddenly, I became acutely aware of how stupid I looked. Just so you know, I have no sense of style at all. I guess that's one of the many reasons why people sometimes look at me funny. The hell with them.  I mean, the fact that there are people who spend hours trying to figure out which shirt goes best with this pair of pants and that pair of shoes is still a mystery to me. Time is money! You should do as much as you can with it! Well, that's what a young teen who hasn't hit puberty yet would think. So, I'm not sure what I'm doing right now. Because I don't have much time, I decided to dress simply because a first date is essential. Significant. Formal.  So the only outfit I could think of at this moment was a white shirt tucked in black work pants and loafers. I was going to wear a suit, but thank god I changed my mind right away. I smiled in nervousness. What should I do now? I'm so stupid! That lovely dream is over now. "If you want, I can go home and change." She shook her head and let out a sigh. "Forget it, let's just go now. It's too late now." So, with awkward steps, we started walking through the busy streets. I had made a few plans for us, like going to the park or having dinner at my favorite one-star restaurant. It's pretty and classy, right?  Well, save your cheers for when it's over. Because at that time, I'll be making something even more special: a formal declaration of love. On the other hand, the fact that there had been complete silence since before made me uneasy. Could it be that Susan not having a good time with me? Does it have to do with how I look? Or how we met? I should make a few things clear. "Susan-" "Hey." We both looked at each other and stopped. I was the only person who laughed out loud. "You're up first-" "No, you first." Once more, we both talked at the same time. Isn't that a sign of something? I hope it means something good. Susan crossed her arms, turned away, and said in a firm voice. "Go ahead." I bit my lip and gave her a shrug. "Okay. Look, um... I-I... apologize." Susan made a face. "For?" "For everything. Because i made you walk and get tired. Just so you know, I had everything planned out. But my old man messed up everything and-" "Hey! Hey!" Susan walked over and gave my shoulder a pat, which made me shake even more. She got too close! Because I had a lot on my mind, I didn't pay much attention to the strange look in her eyes. Susan looked away for a moment, then she looked back at me. "This is wrong." "Sorry?" She left the place. "Honestly?" I felt a bad feeling from her tone. But it was compassion that made the moment what it was. I nodded my head. "I don't know if you're really stupid or if you're part of their stupid plan," Susan said. She gave a shrug. Stupid plan? Theirs? "I'm no longer interested. This joke is no longer funny. To hell with you guys! I'm leaving!" What? "Hey." I moved and, as lightly as I could, took her hand. The arm, though, was able to move out of the way. Susan turned around and yelled in a loud voice. "Don't you dare." Her look was full of disgust for no good reason. What did I do to her that was so bad? "I... I apologize. I promise I won't do this again. The next time, it won't be like this. So, please don't go yet, all right?" Susan just shook her head and clicked her tongue. "Don't ever come to my face again," she said in such a cold voice. Before she left, she called out to me in a way that made no sense. "You fricking scumbags." I watched her fading figure with mixed feelings.

But before I could come to terms with my whole reincarnation deal, an old lady slapped me in the ass and I started crying.   Ouch old lady what was that for!After a while my crying gradually calmed down and I fell asleep.“He’s a vigorous one isn’t he?” said the middle age lady holding our protagonist.   “Hahaha, he’s just like me when I was young, loud and energetic. He'll make a great warrior.” replied a buff man with fiery red hair.“Mary let me hold him, I want to see his face.” a pale beauty with flax brown hair spoke, exhausted from just giving birth.   Mary, the wet nurse, didn’t waste any time and immediately gave our protagonist to his mother.   “Look honey, he inherited your red hair.”    The woman smiles softly as she gently carries the baby.   “He has your eyes too Delia, beautiful just like sapphire.”The man quickly came over and commented on the baby’s eyes, definitely not trying to secretly praise his wife.   “Chuckles, oh August you and your honeyed tongue.”The couple then quickly bartered some praises to each other and Delia finally asked the question.   “Honey what shall we name him?”August stopped talking and started thinking of any good names that came across his mind. After a minute or two he finally spoke.   “Well since he has red hair why don’t we name him Agnus? Agnus Firemane.”   Delia thinks about it for a moment and nods. She looked at her child’s face and whispered softly.   “Then your name shall be Agnus my sweet, sweet child.”     8 years later   “Agnus don’t run in the hallway!”   “Catch me if you can Matha!”   It’s been 8 years since I've reincarnated in this world.   I’ve run the fetal breath thing every time i can, i ran it so much it became an instinct to me. Thanks to that, I have a stronger body than other kids. I'm so strong that no one can beat me when I play tag! Muahahahaha!   Playing aside. The one that’s chasing me right now is Martha, my personal maid. She has short silver ponytail and a monocle on her left eye, she wears an old fashioned maid dress with almost no frills and a long skirt. It looked very fancy, last time I heard she’s in her 20s . My parents hired her to take care of me when I was three years old, she’s like a second mom to me now. “Wait! Agnus don’t climb that tree! You’re going to fall!”   Martha screams at me as I climb the old oak tree in our garden. Pftt! There’s no way I can fall, I've done this countless times before.   “No one can catch me! Weeee-”   As I landed on the ground, I saw something falling right to my hands. It’s a book? And it’s shining?“Agnus! Don’t do that again! What would happen if you fell to the ground head first and got hurt!”   Martha screams at me with an absolutely furious face, she’s very worried about me and checks my body for any injury. Knowing that it’s my fault, I apologized to Martha and admitted my mistake.“Sorry Martha, I'll never do it again…”   “Okay, okay, I know that you’ll do it again some time later, stop your teary eyes and be careful to not get hurt okay?”“Yay! Martha is the best!”   “Gosh, I wonder what you'll do when you grow up like this…”   As Martha continued to utter her daily complaints, I suddenly remembered about the shining book that appeared in my hands.   “Martha! Martha! Look! What’s this!”   Martha stopped complaining and stared at the book in my hands, she seemed surprised and happy and quickly explained it to me.   “Agnus that book is called a Skill Book. It’s the gift left to us from the creator to every living being so that we can become stronger and survive better. Awakening the Skill Book at this age means you're very talented! Annie! Go and tell Sir and Madam about it! Be quick!”   “Yes, Miss Martha.”   Martha looks so excited over it, is this book really that good?   “Martha, you haven’t told me what this book is used for.”   “Ah, yes I'm sorry, I'm so excited I forgot about it. The Skill Book would allow you to gain extraordinary powers in the form of skills, at the beginning you would have 3 pages available to you and every time you rank up, 2 more pages would be added. You can select a skill to get solidified on each pages, these skills are called skill seeds because they’re the beginning of a skill tree. And Agnus don’t choose to solidify any skills until your parents come here, do you understand!”“Yes, Martha…”   With that said, I observed my skill book. It looks like a thin tome one would typically see in a fantasy game. The book got a dark blue cover with nothing drawn on it, it also had some black metal decorations on the book’s edge and corners. It looks cool, as expected of my skill book!   I then quickly opened my skill book to see what’s inside it.   The first page had various things on it, such as my name, my stats, skills, titles, and rank. It also had a drawing of me on the upper right side, so cool! All of my stats except Intelligence and Will are only at F+ and my rank is at iron. I wonder how they classify this, maybe i’ll ask Martha later.   I flipped to the second page of my skill book, and found that it was currently blank. Suddenly I got a message in my mind. It said that I can solidify a skill on this page, but I listened to Martha’s advice and decided not to, plus my parents would probably get angry if I did.   “Martha, Martha, do you have a skill book too?”   “Of course, everyone has one.”   “Then why did you look so excited when I got one?”   “Because the younger you are when you awaken your skill book the better.”   “Wow… so I'm super talented?”   “Yes.”   “Then can I see your skill book?”“Okay, but Agnus, asking to see someone else’s Skill Book is a big no no, you should only ask them if they’re very close to you, do you understand?”“Yes! Now can I see yours?”   “Here.”   Martha made me sit on her lap, summoned her skill book from her hand and handed it over to me. It has a nice green cover, with a small sapling drawn on it, did she draw it? It looks great, maybe I can ask her to draw me later?   Anyways, the book also had some metal decorations on them, but Martha’s book had copper one’s instead of iron. Why is it different from my book?   I opened the book and flipped through the first page and saw Martha’s status.   [Martha Silvervale Title : Agnus’s Personal Maid, Silver Maid Rank : Copper   Race : Human Gender: FemaleAge : 21   Health : 100% Mana : 100%   Strength : E Intelligence : D- Agility : E+ Wisdom : E+ Constitution : E Will : ESkills: Housekeeping, Cooking, Commanding.]   Huh, Martha got some pretty stats. Also her skills skewed for housework, as expected of a maid? And what’s with the commanding skill, did she boss around people or something?   “As you can see young master, the first page shows the general status of the book’s holder such as their rank, race, stats and skills. Although the skill bar only shows the skill seed instead of the entire skill tree.”   “Martha, how did you get the commanding skill?”   “I got it from commanding other maids and butlers around.”   “So if i did that i can also get that skill?”   “Yes, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you want to be a general and other jobs that require commanding.”   “Okay.”   “Now then young master, let’s look at my second page.”   She flipped the book to the second page, and it showed a small tree with various points on it.   “Each point on the skill tree symbolizes a skill, the skill point would appear naturally if you meet its requirement.”   Martha carefully explained the functions of the skill tree to me, she then pointed her finger to the biggest skill point.“This is the skill seed, it’s the origin and foundation of your skill tree, every skill on the skill tree is built upon it and it is the most important part of the skill tree.”   “Now try touching it with your finger, it will send a description of the skill right into your mind.”   I touched the skill seed with my finger and a message popped in my mind.   [Housekeeping Lvl 6   You can do various housework professionally and keep the house clean and tidy without any dust. The room you cleaned will remain clean for a day and is devoid of any infestation]   “Wow, that’s amazing. So that’s why my room is so clean all the time.”   “Fufu, of course, I'm young master’s maid after all, now try touching another skill point.”   I touched another skill point, but this time on one of the branches.   [Cloth Washing Lvl 5 You can wash and clean clothes to their perfect condition. The clothes will remain fresh and the colors won't wear when you wash them.]   “The skill seed would split into branches every time a skill specialization is added, for example there’s a lot of work involved in housekeeping, so the housekeeping skill tree would naturally have a lot of branches. Also the thicker the skill branch the stronger the skill specialization is. And if you meet the conditions you can also turn the branch into a skill seed and specialize on it more.”   “Wow… so you have many specialties Martha?”   “Of course, you only had to look at my skill branches to see that.”   We then continued to chat about Martha’s various skills until my parents came to see us. Draconite It's only the second chapter and i've already broken my promise lmao

In a celestial peak, there was a majestic Palace; magnificent light descended from above as the heavens themselves are opening; the light seemed to want to illuminate the whole peak. Inside that Palace, three people are present. Woman with long jet black hair that washed on her delicate body all the way to her back. Her body was covered with a white long robe, her robe seemed to be extremely simple, not even made from a medium level of materials, but special golden words are written on the back of her robe as they shined with golden color "Tian Family," the family that is known as the heavens themselves! She was Jin Yue, the personal servant of the empress.   Next to her, a man was standing up; he was extremely handsome. His eyes are shining with a special golden color like they are two hot suns wishing to burn everything. He seemed to be very young, in his early twenties, This man is the strongest man in the whole universe, Tian Meng! He is known as the sovereign of all myriad realms. He ruled the myriad realms for the past ten million years, and now, finally, he is going to have a son, someone that can inherit him. His eyes are lying lovely at a woman that lay in front of him. "AHHH-" Her face was emitting the pain that she was going through, as she constantly shrill in screams of agony. She was beautiful enough to cause an all-out war between realms; her pair of beautiful crimson eyes are seemed to be capable of burning one heart at an instant. Her body radiated off an extremely graceful aura like if you stood in front of her, you wouldn't dare to do anything that might offend her. Her name is Mu Ling; she is the wife of Tian Meng and the empress of myriad realms. But right now, her face is filled with pain. Tian Meng was only looking helplessly and nervously as his wife was giving birth. Outside of the room, two middle-aged men sitting outside, they sitting on the floor next to behind the door, like they dare anyone to come inside. The one that sat on the right side had long black hair that reached his shoulders, a long black beard, his face seemed to be extremely attractive, not because of his looks, but because of the dominating and overbearingness it gave. His name was Tian Ming; he was the father of Tian Meng, the previous Patarich of the Tian Family, as well as the previous emperor of the universe. Next to him sat another man, his name was Mu Zhan, he was the father of Mu Ling; his Mu family is one of the twelve guardians family of the Tian family.  Mu Zhan and Tian Ming were best friends at their time; they saw each other as close as brothers, they once swore that they would marry their children. The Tian family always giving birth to a boy; that is a rule that passes through the family since immemorial. That's why Mu Zhan had to marry his daughter to the Tian family; well, it's not like it's something he had a hard time doing! This is the Tian Family, after all! Both of them are sitting there hearing the screaming of Mu Ling. Mu Zhan couldn't help but twitch at her pain.  Tian Ming glanced at him with a smile and said: "Linge'r will be fine; what are you making this face for, old man?" Mu Zhan opened his eyes but said nothing. Time slowly passed when a heavenly light fall from the sky as a celestial aura covered the whole Palace,  Tian Ming and Mu Zhan instantly got on their feet and entered the room; their eyes winded when they saw Mu Ling was laying on the bed with tears streaming from both of her eyes, but not from pain, but happiness. In her arms lay a little baby; he was crying, but around him, a light that seemed to have transcended purity itself. Tian Meng slowly walked toward her with tears in his eyes before slowly crossing her back.   Announcement Yoo, This is my first novel, I put quite a bit into the writing and grammar, but I still believe I have a lot to improve. Please leave a comment after reading. Enjoy.

Okay. This isn't easy. My crush is being molested right in front of me. She attempts to fight back, but her attackers are too many and too powerful. Yeah, yeah. You must assume I'm attempting to make excuses. "Go save your girl, you fricking coward!" You may be right. However, it's not that easy, especially after what happened between us. If she had just said no, I would be fine. But the way she declined my invitation was so condescending that it really hurt me. Not to mention, she's always bullying Eva, my childhood friend (Yes, I just found out about it. Eva's temper made her try to keep it a secret, which I blame). I'm suppose to lecture and teach her some lesson, but the universe has already preceded me. [Quest Alert!][Save Her] or [Flee] Tch! There it was, those vexing options! Always at this moment. And, once again, both are equally horrible. Damn, what should I do? Follow the moral code? Or entrusting everything to feelings? Eeny, meeny, miny... Whatever! I choose this!

Today is a normal day.   Getting up normally at 7 AM, washing up normally, eating breakfast with my normal meal, rushing to school normally, watching a kid get run by a truck normal-   WAIT WHAT!?   “Hey kid, watch out!”   Without a second thought I pushed the kid out of harm's way and instead got run over by the truck.   My body got flung over and I think a couple of bones just broke.I can feel my blood gushing out of my body.   The kid rushed over to me and tried to block my bleeding.   It’s no use kid, with how much blood is flowing out of my body i’ll be dead before the ambulance arrives.   Ah… maybe I can take this chance and say a couple of cheesy dramatic shonen dying lines before I die.   Yeah that’ll be good.   “Hey kid… I’m going to die soon, it’s no use covering up my wound haa… haa… can you promise me that you’ll study hard haa… and achieve something great in the future?”The kid nodded frantically as tears gushed out of his eyes.   Good… i can finally scratch that one out of my bucket list.   It’s a pity that I can't watch the ending of the Legend of Sorael-   All my thoughts disappeared as darkness filled my vision.     Here is…   I’m not dead?   I can’t see and I can't move, but it feels strangely warm. I’m so sleepy, I'll think about it later after I sleep…   Ahmmm~ that’s a nice sleep.   Anyways what’s with this warm current that’s circulating in my body? It felt good, is there any way I can get more of this thing?   I tried concentrating on making the current go faster and I think it’s working. There's more energy coming over to my body.   Yawn~ I feel so tired, maybe I'll continue after I sleep…I kept repeating the cycle of sleeping, waking up, circulating the energy and then sleeping again, until one day I felt something pushing against my body.   It kept pushing until I came out of my warm place. And I felt something brushing against my skin, like a palm?   Wait a sec, did i-   DID I JUST GET REINCARNATED!? Draconite This is my first time publishing stuff by myself, i'll try keeping a consistent update unlike Quertzy  

June 2, 2021 "One month." I remember hearing this yesterday. It felt sudden and surreal, yet I expected it a long time ago. But I am not bothered by it now. After all, there's still many things I have left to do. For my wife. For my child. For me. I have always been a reticent child back then. In fact, my wife was the only one who bothered me every day back then. She has always been a worrywart even until now, always nagging and worrying about me. It puts a smile on my face every time I think of it. Our baby is a month old, he's very cute and lively. My wife took a break from her work to take care of him. She told me that she wants to be with our child every step of the way so that our child won't be like me. I laughed when she told me that. June 3, 2021 I did my daily task of helping someone today. It was because my wife was worried I didn't have enough friends. Silly girl, she alone was enough for me. With our child, I'm more than fulfilled. But I follow her anyways, so that she won't have a reason to shut me out of the room. The person I helped today was an old man. He was trying to cross the street, yet none helped him. He was kind, and even gave me fruits to bring back home. My wife's laughter echoed throughout the house when I told her what happened. I also wrote some letters for my wife and our child. I thought I would need to stop to regain my inspiration for a while but I found out that my words for them seem to never end. Maybe those famous writers lied. June 8, 2021 It was a cloudy day, yet I was still able to accomplish my daily task. It was a guy who had lots of dogs. He was unexpectedly approachable despite his burly appearance. Today I recorded some songs and some messages too. I seem to have endless creativity when it comes to this. I tend to sleep longer nowadays though, I guess I fell in love with the bed. June 13, 2021 I sometimes wonder how long a lifetime could be. What if it wasn't enough? I said I was reconciled but it still doesn't stop me from feeling melancholy somehow. Thankfully, my wife is still the same. Jovial and cute, but I noticed she had some eyebags. Maybe it's time to hire a babysitter. June 15, 2021 It's a good day. Somehow, my child managed to pee on me while I was changing his diaper. My wife was shaking with laugher, saying "finally, finally!". I was stunned, before I was told by my wife to go take a bath. Before going to the bathroom though, I also burst in laughter. Joy is a contagious emotion sometimes. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ "There's," the little boy paused, before continuing to hesitantly ask, "nothing else?" The woman laughed before responding, "there are more sweetie, would you want to read it?" "Yes!" the little boy answered excitedly.

I wake up, light streaming from somewhere and yawn. Whew I have no idea where I am but after having a freak out yesterday I think I am fine now. I am a baby. I don't know how I went from a 17 year old kid directly becoming a baby, but what interests me is I seem to have some sort of system like what I read in novels but it's not what I expected. Opening it up it only has three pieces of information. My name, My so called "Job" and a mysterious Chat Group. Arden Yawen Job: Sage Magical Studies (Chat Group) Using my mind as I could barely move my body I select the Chat Group Option in my menu. It opens up a computer like display and it had 6 other people in it each labeled with a single letter. There were an A, F, W, E, H, and N. I was given an S, and I could only guess that it was taken from my Job, and I was curious about the Jobs of the others. Probably related to magic I guess. It seems fun, the whole concept I was in a world where magic exists. I got a notification and someone was talking.  ======================================= Can I assume that everyone here has reincarnated at the same time? A. Well I am a baby that used to be 17 so yes. S. Oh well I am not a baby, I believe I am around 4 years old and I'm pretty sure we just all got our memories at the same time. A. I am a baby too though like 2 months I think? W. I think I am like 5 days right now, It's hard to tell because I fall asleep a lot. H. I don't know how old I am, I don't think I am alive. Are skeletons supposed to move? N. That doesn't sound good, I suppose you are one? H. Yeah I was freaking out, but I have calmed down enough to see this chat box thingie. N. I seem to be the oldest and i was born a noble prince, so bow down to me peasants. F. Yeah, no. E. I think we all agree with E that we will not be bowing to anyone for the time being. W. So what do you all know about the world we are in now? I would like some context. H. It would make sense to ask the oldest of us that question, I don't know a lot either. A. Although no one wants to bow to me that's fine, I have a tutor so I know a lot, bear witness to my greatness- ahem, so it's like this:     We are in the world of Astica, and I am the second prince of the Rhinold Kingdom, you may bow- I mean, your welcome. Anyway, this world is a mix of some of the classic creatures from Isekai stories and it had a level system. You get a Job when your born and depending on how your raised the sooner you get your status report. I got it when I was born I was told, but I lived my life not knowing my past at all, it just hit me in the face, literally. Your status must be appraised by someone who owns an Appraisal magic which is very rare. It then unlocks your system upon reading your report, and you live based on the job that is discovered for you. Some people get simpler Jobs like Adventurer, or Blacksmith, and they have different guilds they are assigned to, to do missions. I for one, am a Firemancer, and I am part of the Mages Guild! Supposedly I am part of a subsidiary that specializes in fire, and I can't do any other magic, unlike simpler jobs like Mage Apprentice and Wizard and the like. They can learn any magic as long as they have the right symbols. Only 6 main elements have been found and most magic is just different formations of that element. Most people only learn the simple magic in one element because of their talent or something, but I can analyze much more fire based magic then even some middle mages! F. I can testify the status part of it, I was tested at 2 and I was given the Job, Airmancer. So far I can only make a tiny breeze but I think I am using magic wrong for the most part.  A. F, you said something about there being 6 elements? I think that each of us will specialize in those elements, I am a Watermancer. W. Earthmancer. E. I'm a Healer so I think I use the element of light then? H. Well I'm a Necromancer and it kinda makes sense that I'm dead now, I suppose I use darkness. N. I don't know what element I use, my Job is "Sage". S. From mythology of my old world, a Sage is often a Prophet or someone with wisdom to do anything, so you either can control all the elements or have some control over time. A. I'm getting tired, I think I will chat with you guys tomorrow, goodnight. S. Ok, Goodbye. A. Bye. E. See you later then. W. See ya! F. Have a good sleep. H. Goodnight. N. =======================================   I turned off the system interface as I felt myself slowly drifting in and out of sleepiness, and I could see what appeared to be little balls of light of all colors floating around in my vision, I think it was the elements, but I was so tired I conked out like immediately after. 

In a small alley on the outskirts of the kingdom of Dealand, a poor boy was roughly swinging an old, worn-out sword, his name is Theo Gardner.  In order to suppress his anger and sadness at being abandoned with his mother by his father when he was still a baby; Theo from a very young age had to do everything to get food to support his mother Veronica Gardner and himself...  Each day that passed, the boy accumulated even more pain and suffering, the only way he found to release these emotions that were accumulating inside his heart was to swing his sword back and forth for several nights, this helped him a lot in the beginning, because he had a thin body that after several months of repetition of these movements, the muscles were toning and strengthening.  With the gain of a little strength, the boy got small manual jobs in the fields of the kingdoms that didn't even pay him enough to bring food to his house. But Theo never gave up, he never lowered his head to anyone, at least he was what he thought...  ...  After a long day at work, Theo was doing repetitions with his sword, moving from side to side tirelessly, when he was approached by a gentleman in his 40s with a rather grim appearance. The boy's eyes fixed on the man's left side, where a shadow appeared, that shadow was his "Lord":  "Sir, what are you doing here? Do you need me in the fields yet?"  The man thought for a while and scratched the big white beard he had on his chin and said;  "It's not that I hate you boy, but you're being accused of stealing one of my tools, and the penalty for stealing a lord like me is only death"  At that moment the boy realized what was happening, he had been accused of being the weakest among them all.  With a step forward and drawing his sword, the dark-looking man stabbed the young man in the belly, without reaction time, the boy was stabbed and blood spurted from his mouth and nose, making him kneel down before lying down breathing hard.  "Full Service Sir"  "Wonderful, splendid... Now all that's missing is that bitch, let's play with her a little before we kill her"  After hearing those words, barely breathing anymore, Theo let out a groan of pain and put his hand forward as a last resort, he began to gather mana in his hand forming a small sphere of fire and shot the bearded man.  The man easily dodged the magic before looking back and saying the last words Theo would ever hear.  "You and your mother are nothing but trash that even your father and husband didn't want to keep"  After hearing these words, Theo could only see the man's back as his vision blurred... -POV Black Man  In a certain tavern in the center of the kingdom of Dealand, a certain man, dressed in a black cape covering almost his entire body, observed the structures that were being assembled for the meeting that would take place there. This meeting would decide the ways of the realm over the war that was about to break out between the realms of humans and the Shadowlands.  Leaving this tavern, he headed towards a less populated area where he heard something interesting.  "It's going to be today that we're going to fix that boy, at the behest of our lord."  The man camouflaged himself in the shadows, in order to hear the two men talking...  "Since that boy is the son of the devil."  Those words made the Black man think... "Son of the devil?"  Intrigued by the statement and a little curious, he followed closely behind without attracting attention. There the men joined up with another group and set off towards a dark alley on the outskirts of Dealand.  Arriving there the man understood what was happening. Standing in front of that group was a boy, around 15 years old, straight light brown hair, thin physique but with well-developed arms, but that wasn't what caught his attention, but the eyes that shone in a more red what a deep, red color that characterized the demonic races of the Shadowlands.  He watched as the boy was accused of theft without even knowing if he had actually done the deed and shortly after being beaten to near death.  The man began to tremble seeing that happen, remembering a not too distant past in which he had suffered the same acts. Removing his cloak, showing his red eyes, and stopping in front of those attackers, the man drew his sword, not even giving them time to understand what was attacking them.  "W-Who are you..."  They barely had time to breathe, they were all mangled by the man's sword skills. The only one he left alive was that "Lord", who was probably a noble and the mastermind of this act.  "If you ever appear in front of me again I swear I won't test a member of yours alive."  With that declaration and the murderous pressure he wields the Lord fainted.  Turning to the boy and walking towards him, the man declared.  "Poor little..."  Exclaiming regretfully for the boy, he looked up at the Black sky and called out in a harsh voice.  "Olivia"  In an instant a shadow moved and stopped beside him.  "Yes master, waiting for your orders"  Looking at the woman beside him he said.  "Take the boy and take him to our base, heal his wounds and when you wake up explain to him what happened"  "Of course master" Said the woman already heading towards the boy without even questioning the man. She grabbed him and disappeared into the shadows.  The man then sheathed his sword and also disappeared into the darkness of that alley.

For 2022, I’ve been wanting to write more ‘creature features’ and generally improve my short story writing. My partner got me a Dungeons and Dragons Monster Manual for my birthday so I came up with the idea of writing a story every week based on a different creature from that - All There in the (Monster) Manual. Hope you enjoy! This Week’s Inspiration: Ettin Trigger Warning: Gore =======   Once upon a time there was a very clever merchant. The merchant lived in a land filled with ogres and giants and other beasts that made roaming between cities and towns very dangerous. But one day, the merchant realised if he was very clever and very brave he could travel between the cities and towns and make trade, and he could charge the people in those places lots and lots of money because other merchants wouldn’t make the trip. So the very clever merchant became a very, very rich merchant too. The clever merchant’s trading caravan grew to half a dozen carriages drawn by oxen. He hired many strong men in heavy armour with heavy weapons to protect them from bandits and ogres and other creatures, but there were still many dangers on the roads outside the big cities. The clever merchant travelled in the last carriage, which was very luxurious. It was filled with cushions and silks, and food and wine. And everywhere the clever merchant went he carried a big pouch full of gold. The clever merchant was relaxing in his carriage when he heard a huge crash, and yelling from his guards. Horses whinied and oxen bellowed. Another crash and the merchant’s caravan stopped. The merchant heard more yelling and screaming, and two very loud voices roaring almost in unison. Reaching for his door, the clever merchant went to see what was attacking his caravan but at that exact moment his carriage was knocked over by an enormous blow. He rolled over and over and hit his head, and everything went black. The clever merchant woke up sometime later. His carriage was on its side. He managed to climb out the door and saw he and the carriage had been knocked down a small hill to the side of the road. The merchant climbed back up the hill to find his trade caravan in ruins. The road looked like a terrible battleground. His wagons had been smashed, his horses and oxen killed or chased off. The remains of his guards lay in pieces on the ground all around him. As he was inspecting the damage, the merchant smelled an awful smell. Something sitting beside the road, which the merchant had first thought was a boulder, shifted around and stared at him. It was too big and too close to run away from, and besides the merchant was weighed down by his fancy clothes and big bag of gold. “Who are you?” Growled the stinking beast. The creature that had attacked the merchant’s caravan was an ettin, a particularly foul and ugly breed of ogre. It stood up, and was more than twice as tall as the merchant with enormous muscles. Its skin was grey and covered in thick shags of mossy hair. The ettin’s most distinguishing feature was its two heads. Both were identical and incredibly ugly, unshaven, and with course, black hair. Each head controlled half of the body, both sides alike in every way. They even picked up a couple of identical clubs, huge, primitive weapons stained with blood. “I’m the merchant who owns this caravan, which you have just attacked,” said the clever merchant. “Why shouldn’t we kill you right now?” Asked the ettin. The merchant looked behind the ettin and saw it had already been looting the caravan of things that it wanted. Bolts of silk, pots and pans, weapons, and some pieces of gold. The clever merchant thought he might see a way to get out of this situation with his life, and to keep some of his riches. Ettin had two heads but they were very stupid and could be turned against one another. “I can pay you not to kill me,” said the merchant. “Pay us with what?” One of the ettin’s heads asked. “With gold coins I carry here in my purse! What I’ll do is I’ll pay ten gold coins to the head that’s in charge of the two of you, and five gold coins to the other.” “Ten coins to the head in charge,” repeated the head on the right. “And five to the other?” Finished the one on the left. “That’s right, so which one of you is in charge?” “Me!” Both heads shouted simultaneously, and they turned to face one another. “No, me!” “Well one of you must be in charge,” the clever merchant said. “Which of you two heads is better?” “Me, I’m the better one,” said the right head. The left reached over and shoved the right side of their body. “No, I’m betterer than you!” “I’m smarter!” “I’m tougher!” “I’m meaner!” “I’m smellier, the girl ettin like me better!” “There must be some way to settle this,” said the merchant, and he walked among the corpses of his guards. “Ah, look at this breastplate, it’s been beaten in with a single blow! The chest of the man inside it is almost perfectly flat. This could only be the work of a strong right arm!” “That’s right, I’m strong!” The right head flexed its powerful arm. “I thunk I did that one, though,” said the left head, trailing off with uncertainty. “But now look at this! The captain of my guard, beheaded!” The clever merchant gestured to a headless body clad in slightly nicer armour, trapped beneath the body of an equally dead horse. “Such precision! Such speed, clearly the victim of a devastating left handed blow!” “That’s right, I’m devastating!” The left head brightened. “So which of you is better?” “Me!” “No, me!” The heads started to argue, and shoved one another. Smirking, the clever merchant began to slip away. While they fought, he could run into the woods and then make his way back to the nearest town. With all his gold, he could easily buy a safe and luxurious passage home. But unfortunately for him, he had underestimated the ettin’s level of distraction. “There’s only one way to settle this!” One of the heads said. A terrible shadow and a horrible stench fell over the merchant. He turned and his eyes went wide as both the ettin’s giant hands reached for him in unison.   A short while later, the ettin sat back on the side of the road picking the very clever merchant’s very clever meat out of their teeth with slivers of bone. Spoils from the merchant’s caravan were scattered all around them. The merchant’s pouch had fallen between their feet, with hundreds of gold coins spilling out of it. “Are you ready?” Asked the right head. “Ready,” agreed the left. The right side lifted the clever merchant’s lower body, severed messily from his upper half at the waist. Both took a leg, like a wishbone. With a horrifying crackling sound, the ettin pried and twisted, and ripped the legs apart at the pelvis. “Ha ha! I got the bigger half, I’m the better head!” Said the left head. “Okay,” said the right sullenly. “But I get to be the better head tomorrow.” The moral of the story is that class solidarity is more important than fighting over someone else’s scraps, and that you should eat the rich.   ======   Sean: I really enjoyed this one, who doesn’t like a story with a happy ending? Fairytales are a lot of fun and I really like the ettin. Before you point it out, yes, I’m very aware there’s something of a mixed message in essentially having the working class here be a giant, stinking, stupid, violent beast that lives off stealing from others - I wouldn’t take any of it too seriously. Of course, they’re a lot less friendly and peaceful than the last giant I featured. And maybe I have a bit of a soft spot for creatures with two heads. Keep your eyes on my website for more in this series, I fully intend to release one every week across 2022 – totally free. And for more updates you can find me on Facebook and Twitter.

〈Arc 1- The Moon Illuminates the Darkness〉 Prologue - A Miserable 'Villain' Superbia. Invidia. Avaritia. Ira. Luxuria. Acidia. And finally, Gluttony. Those were the sins I committed. Thinking about it a bit, a wry smile appeared on my face. Taking a small look at the state my body was in, a weak laugh escaped my lips. "That bitch is really quite tough..." "... Even in such a deplorable state she was able to deal such a fatal blow to me-... Cough!" A large pool of blood was spat out from my mouth. My organs were quite damaged and some were even charred. The only reason I was still able to maintain my consciousness was because of the last few drops of mana left in my body. "Well... at least this 'return' will finally be over..." I raised my head slightly and fixed my gaze on the sphere that gave off an ominous golden colored energy. That orb contained the legacy of the 'Original Hero'... My ancestor. As I looked at that floating object in front of me, a feeling of sadness began to fill my head. The Empire was already devastated, but the inhabitants managed to save themselves, while the various foreign kingdoms were doing their best to keep their people safe from the remaining demon army. However, my expression only represented unfathomable sadness. "It ended better than last time, but... The sacrifices were the same..." My mind began to fill with various images, causing a nostalgic glow to appear in my slightly darkened gaze. "A scum like you is not worthy to carry on our family's legacy!" My sister blurted out those words days after I had become the patriarch of our noble house. The fierce look she had on her face when she saw me was still vivid in my head. At least now she must be happy, right? After all, that brother who tormented her for a long time is about to die. "I know I'm going to die, but... I want you to know that both I and the Empire detest your unpleasant existence..." The princess of the Empire, my fiancée, had said those words to me moments before she released all of her solar energy in order to save what was left of the Empire at that time. Her tone of voice was cold and there was a great trace of hatred in it. I can't blame her, my actions really caused great disgrace to the Empire. "Your existence is the greatest sin that the Lightstorm house could commit...!" Those were the words that the Saint told me, who ended up giving her life to stop the evil contamination that the Demon King had released on the continent. Even for someone devoted to God, she couldn't help but hate me. I can understand, after all, she witnessed the massacre I indiscriminately committed towards the children and adults of a foreign village. "Your death will not be enough to calm the cries of deceased souls!" That was the reminder left for me by the witch I once had a connection with. All of the dark mana from her was drained and served as the catalyst for the Demon King's awakening. She had always sought to curse me or poison my food. But, she never left my side, even in the last moments of her life, she activated a spell so she could protect my body... I wasn't sure how long it had been, but the memories in my head kept replaying. The betrayal I committed to the Empire. The day I killed hundreds of imperial guards and used them as a sacrifice to form a pact with the Demon King. The despairing face of the elves when I contaminated the 'God' they worshiped so much. The theft of the 'Primordial Essence' from the Fairies. The cries and screams of the slave women I bought just to satisfy my sexual appetite. The confrontation I had against my classmates. Memories kept flashing through my head. Little by little, the scenes of the different acts that I committed began to appear in my mind. Despite having been the cause of all those events, my expression could only show a feeling of sadness and remorse. "If they saw me now, they would surely be quite happy, wouldn't they?" He was sure that he would receive laughs of joy and some consoling blows. Yes, I was not someone they should spend their tears on... However, all kinds of thoughts that I had in that instant completely disappeared when a heartbreakingly familiar scene appeared in front of me. "Dad..." The scene I was currently watching… It was the time I killed all the members of the Lightstorm noble house… My own family. The screams were heartbreaking, the blood of the servants, knights and guards covered the castle that once shone like immaculate marble. Once I was done with all of them, I headed towards a beautiful and spacious hall, however, there was only one person present in the room. My father, the patriarch of the Lightstorm Family... And the only person except for the Emperor who made it to the Transcendent realm. He didn't speak and neither did I, we just stared at each other for a long time. There was no reason why we should blurt out a few words between us, after all, the decision had already been made... Thinking of that day and of my father's understanding eyes before piercing his heart, made a rather sour feeling begin to consume my entire being. Once that scene ended, the memories that kept invading my mind ended and didn't show up again. I unconsciously let out a deep sigh due to the emotional entanglement I had started to feel recently. It's not that I was mentally weak, but remembering all that always made me feel the loneliness and sadness that I carry with me. "Ha!...Since when did I become so sentimental?...Did my mind get damaged from the fight with the Demon King?" I let out a small laugh at the irony of my own situation. However, I felt my right cheek getting wet and, although weak, I heard the sound of a drop of water hitting the ground. "...This really sucks..." Although my vision had become somewhat blurred, I could still see those wet trails that began to form on the ground. How long has it been since the last time I cried?... Maybe it was about 2 years ago... Before I plunged back into my memories again, an intense light appeared and surrounded the floating orb in front of me. A glow like no other began to illuminate the entire place and the dark skies had lightened a bit. "Right... I don't need to think about it anymore..." Along with that brightness, all kinds of feelings that had been growing in my heart disappeared and my eyes expressed an immeasurable coldness. I had lost the main reason I still clung to life. Taking a look at the sphere surrounded by white energy, a dark violet aura began to spread around my body. I felt like my body was starting to get heavy and my eyelids felt pretty tired. A faint trail of blood seeped from my lips, while my skin went what little trace of warmth was left. As if reacting to the strange aura around me, the floating sphere shook violently. "There will always be two types of path... Good and evil" Those words came out of my mouth, but it wasn't me who said them. "The good will attract many people and their future will shine like the sun..." I was just repeating what I heard back then, 17 years ago. "Quite the opposite of the first, the bad guy can only cause suffering and omen" That was true, unlike someone humble and honorable, a despotic and vile person like me can only meet a pretty miserable end. "However, it is only by the second path, that ideals can be achieved and difficulties that overwhelm good can be overcome..." A smile appeared on my gloomy face, while the aura around me concentrated on a single point, my heart. At this, the sphere stopped its trembling and wandering motion. Instead, a thin white rope began to weave in my direction. "In 1000 years the Demon King will appear again and chaos will once again consume the continent..." The strand of energy created a link between the orb and me. Being the connection points, the core of the sphere and my heart. "...When that day comes, I hope that you, my descendant, will choose the path that I did not dare to travel" The thin thread began to darken moments after it came into contact with my body. "Only someone with the same strength as me is able to defeat the Demon King and that person, is only my descendant" That was the last sentence I blurted out, as I nonchalantly stared at the sphere in front of me. The moment the energy strand went completely dark, the floating orb gave off faint traces of a dark aura. At this, I simply turned my gaze to my right arm. My eyes immediately fixed on the necklace that rested in my hand. It was simple and unremarkable, but a photo showed up on the little bauble that was attached to the chain. A beautiful woman, a man with fierce eyes, two girls and a boy were the ones who appeared in the image. However, my gaze fell on the beautiful woman next to the fierce-eyed man. Seeing the bright smile and kindness that radiated from her face, a warm feeling filled my heart. "I wonder if my choice would be the same if you had been alive..." Several bolts of energy shot out from the floating orb at that moment. "...No, I'm sure you would do anything to stop my decision..." My eyelids began to fall due to the sudden tiredness that invaded my body and my hand slowly closed. "I really appreciate you not witnessing what I am now..." Suddenly, the thread of energy snapped and as the floating orb spun violently, a small whisper escaped my lips. "...I couldn't stand it if you hated me too...Mom..." That weak sentence was the last thing heard in the whole place, since a great explosion of light began to consume the entire area. The floating orb vanished into various energy particles, while the only thing that came into my vision was an immense darkness. The only thing that went through my head right now, were the words the Demon King had said to me when I turned my back on the Empire and joined his army. "You truly are the nastiest human being I have ever met..." *** [Congratulations! The conditions to unlock the hidden path have been met…][It has become the host of the 'Essence of False Sin' System!]

The light blue sky was extremely clear, thick white clouds were stacked in the sky, and the sun was hanging on the horizon, casting bright and hot rays downward. Below the sky-deep ocean, the blue sea water spreads to the distance, the sea breeze blows in front of it, and the salty smell blows to the face. Above the ocean, there was a huge island, and in the distance of the island, there was a two-masted sailing ship sailing, the sails were billowing, and the huge ship was sailing towards the distance. Not far from the brig, below the surface of the sea, a pair of eyes stared at the ship. This was a fish. The body length was about 30 centimeters, oval in shape, and the body was somewhat flat. Its head was huge, with a protruding lower jaw, and a large mouth full of sharp teeth. It had a smooth operculum, the upper part of the operculum was slightly concave inward, and the body surface was covered with round lin. It has a dorsal fin, a pair of huge pectoral fins, a pair of pelvic fins, and two pointed and long tail fins, with the middle sunken inward, leaving a slit, as if the tail fin was cut off. At this time, the fish was poking half of its head out of the sea, watching the three-masted ship going further and further away, and finally asked a question. What happened? One moment ago, I was a 21-year-old junior named Xia Qiu, resting on the bed, but the next moment, I became a fish in the sea. Why is this so? Why did I become a fish? Xia Qiu was puzzled, not knowing what happened. And according to what he did on the bed before the coma, shouldn't he become a tadpole? Xia Qiu was a little curious about where he was now. Just now, He saw a sailboat powered by sails. The bow has a huge arc, two masts, wooden structures, horizontal sails, and three cannons on one side of the hull. Such sailboats were relatively rare because most modern sailboats were competitive sailboats and small pleasure boats. Most of the hulls were made of metal, and the number of wooden sailboats was pitifully small. Moreover, large wooden sailboats, except for a few antique sailboats used in national commemorations, privately customized as collections and cruise ships, were rarely seen. There were far more three-masts than two-masts in large wooden sailing ships, and most of the sailing ships were pointed rather than broad. Not only that, the main mast of the ship just now had only two square sails, and the secondary mast had only one side, and the number of sails was too small. Compared with the number of sails, the hull was huge, and the sails could withstand too little wind force. It was difficult to drive the hull by wind alone, and ocean current movement was needed to assist navigation. However, the shape of the hull is too full, and the wave-making resistance was relatively large, making it difficult to move forward. There has never been such a ship before, nor would there be in the future, and it was even more impossible to sail safely on the sea. Somewhat weird. Xia Qiu wanted to know where he was now, but he couldn't get the answer for the time being and needed some time to observe. He looked in the direction, dived into the water, and looked around. The seawater was deep, and except for the sunlight projected from above, there was a touch of dead silence in all directions. Xia Qiu couldn't accept the fact that he has turned into a fish, but he has no choice but to survive, so his primary responsibility was to food. Xia Qiu swayed his body, slid his fins, and swam towards the nearest island. Approaching the island, Xia Qiu slowly swims toward the bottom of the sea. The water depth here was very low, only less than ten meters deep. in the sand. The food of most marine fish was algae, plankton, seaworms, small fish and shrimp, shellfish, and so on. But Xia Qiu knew that he had teeth. These teeth were not throat teeth, but teeth in both jaws. There were many fish with teeth, such as tigerfish, pike, striped fish, sharks, rays, moray eels, snakehead fish, viperfish, dragonfish, piranhas, and so on. Most of them are carnivorous fish, eating fish, shrimp, and shellfish. Xia Qiu found that his mouth was large and had many teeth, so he felt that the probability of being a carnivorous fish was very high, so he put food on small fish and shrimp. There. Xia Qiu approached the bottom of the sea and immediately saw a sea prawn hiding under the sand, with most of its body hidden in the sand. Xia Qiu's fish body twisted from side to side, speeding up and approaching the shrimp in an instant. It opened its mouth wide, and its sharp teeth directly bit the shrimp hidden in the sand. The sand flowed down the gap between the teeth, Xia Qiu ignored the struggling body of the sea prawn, closed the sharp teeth, and directly bit the shell of the sea prawn, cutting its body. The size of this sea prawn was fifteen to sixty-seven centimeters, which was equivalent to half the length of Xia Qiu's body. Xia Qiu has to crush it to eat. With Xia Qiu's bite, the sea shrimp stopped struggling, and a hole appeared directly at the place where it was bitten, and the shrimp meat there was swallowed by Xia Qiu. Then Xia Qiu continued to bite down, swallowing the sea shrimp bit by bit, leaving behind the head, tail, and part of the shrimp gun. Still a little hungry. Xia Qiu felt that the hunger in his belly was greatly relieved, but he was not full, so he searched again and found a sea shrimp hidden under the sand, swung the body of the fish, rushed towards it, and bit it with one bite. After the silt flowed out from between the teeth, Xia Qiu swallowed the shrimp as well. Xia Qiu felt full this time. I am full.

You'll never be able to leave this place, it's just endless hallways and it. Okay I should probably start from the beginning. I was just taking a walk outside and then all of a sudden I fell through the ground and ended up in this nightmare. I was scared out of my mind, my phone was in my back pocket and so I reached for it. I tried to open it but it wouldn't turn on. My eyes went wide, what was I gonna do now! I had no idea where I was and now I couldn't even unlock my phone, great. That's not even the worst thing about it. I started to wonder around the seemingly endless hallways. Describing them as endless would be an understatement; it felt as if they were going for miles and they probably were. After walking for what felt like hours, I came across some writing on the wall. It looked strange but the words that caught my attention were “don't move, stay still.” i just rolled my eyes that must've been the stupidest thing how was i supposed to get out if i didn't move- Suddenly i heard something behind me, and i froze in my spot, What was that thing! I got a quick glance of it but that was it. I was shaking like crazy. The writing had told me to stand still but I didn't know if it was just a trick so I took off. Running like a mad man. The creature not that far behind it and the insanely loud noise it was making, was causing my ears to ring and my head to feel like it was spinning. The only thing on my mind was to keep running. Shaky and tired I stopped but that wasn't the smartest idea, suddenly I fell again. Why does this keep happening to me! The monster's noise had stopped; everything went quiet way too quiet. I slowly looked around the room and it seemed almost familiar. Where am I now? I let out a struggling sigh. this is never gonna end is it?  i'm screwed.

Reincarnation! Hell yeah! After waking up in a pure white space after his death, Mark Talko (32M)  quickly recognizes his surroundings and doesn't take long at all to formulate that he is, hopefully, about to be reincarnated. Aha! Now we're talking! Mark almost jumps in delight as he sees what he assumes to be a goddess approaching him. Even with never meeting one in his life, the demeanor and energy being emitted is enough for even a normal human to understand. Mark cannot hold his excitement anymore, "Am I gonna get reincarnated?!" The goddess sighs, "Yes, you will b-" "OH FUCK YEAH!" Without even letting the goddess finish, Mark let's out an excited yelp.  "But," The goddess interrupts him, "I am not too sure you will be happy with the details of your reincarnation." "What?! Why's that???" "Well, Mark," The goddess looks deep into his eyes, "You weren't exactly the best behaved human." She pauses to let Mark process what he heard, "Quite frankly, if it were up to me,  you wouldn't even be reincarnated at all, but due to the law of the gods, you were killed before intended, and therefore reincarnation must ensue." Mark shakes his head and shrugs, "It doesn't matter how bad it is, reincarnation is reincarnation and I'm about to be living the high life with a harem! Woooooh!" The goddess stares at him blankly, "Erm. Alright, well I was just letting you know so that you won't be too mad at me when you get transported. But just saying, there is a bit of a mess you need to clean up." "Whatever, this is the best thing that has ever happened to me." In a blast of white light, Mark's eyes are closed and he is thrust into a new world.   Mark hears yelling before his eyes are even opened, "He is a monster, immediate execution MUST proceed!" He opens his eyes to see a man sitting in a throne just in front of him. Mark realizes he is on his knees, he tries to get up only to feel two swords brushing against his neck, holding him down. He hears the same voice and can barely glance back to see what appears to be a nobleman of sorts, "This kind of genocide is unheard of in our kingdom! We must swiftly take care of him." Well fuck. I see what the goddess means now. It appears Mark is being tried in front of the King. The King has cold eyes, the kind you only get from years upon years of difficult struggles, Mark knows those eyes from his mom. The King looks down into Mark's eyes, "I agree. He is a villain beyond our comprehension and must be dealt with immediately. Bring out the executioner!" Wait, Wait, Wait! I'm got reincarnated only to be slaughtered immediately? That's not fair! I agree. Mark hears the goddess' voice in his head. Suddenly, a gryphon the size of a lion, but with wings on both sides, crashes into the hall. It flies past everyone as they are left in awe at the mystical and majestic creature in front of them. Only the King acts, "Quickly! It's going after the prisoner! Get him out of here!" The king's words reach the guards ears a second too late. The gryphon quickly scoops up Mark before hoisting him up on the gryphons back just a second before they both crash through a window in the roof and into the open sky. This is my gift to you. He hears the goddess say once again as the castle and kingdom begins to get smaller and smaller. "WOOOOOO!!!" Mark yells into the open air as his hair flies back with the wind, feeling freedom, "Let's get this adventure started!!!" Mark looks down at the gryphon and strokes the feathers on its head, "Thanks man." The gryphon looks back for a second, and Mark can see the happiness in it's eyes. Mark then looks at himself and realizes he isn't 32 anymore, but instead, a young 25 year old!   After flying for a little bit and getting confidently away from the city he just left, Mark spots what appears to be a small little village. Perfect, let's hope news of my crime hasn't travelled this far yet. He signals for his gryphon to set down by patting it's head and they land in a small clearing just East of the village. Mark hops off the gryphon, which, after careful consideration of fantasy names, has started referring to him as Lupa. "You just wait here for a bit Lupa, I'm going to go check out this place." Mark starts heading west, in search of the village. With basically no path to work with, he tries to what he saw from the skies to calculate a path.  Yeah, I'm lost. Just as he is about to turn around and return to Lupa, he hears a voice, "Almost!" It sounds female, around 23, a tad younger than his new body.  He pushes through some bushes and trees until he approaches the voice, still hiding behind a tree and leaves, he spots an Elf girl fishing. Elves! Yes! I knew that goddess wouldn't slack on the fantasy aspect! He sees the girl throw her fishing rod into the pond, wait for a bit, then get a big tug, signaling a fish. She starts pulling on her rod, but the fish is overpowering here. Suddenly, the girl mutters an enchantment and a red hand appears out of nowhere and powerfully pulls the fish out of the pond.  Was that a magic spell? Or perhaps some kind of summoning technique? "Good catch!" Mark hears as a second Elf girl, same age, walks into the clearing and admires the fish. Mark watches quietly as the two girls talk. This is getting boring. He hears the goddess say. No! Please n- Before he can finish his though, Mark is thrust into the clearing, right in front of the girls.

How long have I been standing still? I stood facing my father and the little girl he had brought with him in a lavishly decorated room. “This is your new sister, Mark.” I was dazed and couldn’t think for a long while. My father, who appeared to be worried called out to me. “Mark? What’s wrong?” It was only then that I woke from my daze and stared fixated at the girl standing with my father. She was a girl of around 10 years old, she had chestnut blonde hair that stopped at her waist, crystal blue eyes as bright as the sky, slightly pale but thin lips that trembled now and then, she appeared to be malnourished as she was quite thin, she would blink as she would look at my face only to turn away after a few short glances, she did all this whilst hidden behind my father’s back. Her nervous expression questioning why I was staring at her, brought me back to what my father had said before. I asked blatantly, which was unlike me, “Who?” Father replied again with the same words as before,” You’re sister.” It was only then it finally hit me, that she was Grace Briggs, the love interest in the game [10 Girlfriend BETA]. And that I was the villain of the game, Mark Lowe, who would be sooner or later brought to destruction by the girl in front of me. I was sent back to my room after the awkward interaction that commenced in the living room. After the sudden realization, I tried acting as calm and natural as I could, although with not much recovery. My father, William Lowe, Duke of the Lowe Dukedom, introduced Grace who would become the heroine of this world. Since he noticed that we weren’t able to talk much, he sent us to our respective rooms to await dinner as it was getting late. After sorting the train wreck of emotions I had once I entered my room, I began thinking of my current situation. My name is Mark Lowe, the only son of Duke William Lowe. I am 11 years of age and currently residing in the Lowe Household. No. My name is Yao Huiliang, I am…was a first-year uni student at Peking University, I died when I got hit by a truck as I was returning to my apartment after a tiring day at lectures. I was reincarnated into a galge game that I had been playing the day before I got killed, [10 Girlfriend BETA]. How do I know this? The little girl I met earlier, Grace Briggs, is one of the 10 love interests in the game. She was one of the girls I supported, and I would choose her route above others whenever I played the game, so when I saw her standing in front of me, I couldn’t help but become dazed by her beauty. Yes. Grace was a beautiful woman in the game, but what I didn’t expect was that she was so much more charming when I saw her in real life, the artist in the previous world didn’t do justice to her character, this, I wholeheartedly agreed on. But what was even scarier was that she would turn into a yandere and kill her villainous brother, me, 7 years later. The major reason she turned into one was because of her brother, in the game, she would be bullied by her step-brother and made to go through various unreasonable situations that were far too much for a 10-year-old to handle. Before she was adopted into the Lowe household, she had already been a weak child, she was bullied by the other children at the orphanage for her disability. Grace was mute. It was well known that she had become mute when she was still a young child, her parents had been killed by one of the worst calamities that had hit the Esperatin Kingdom 10 years ago, hoards of monsters led by demons attacked the Kingdom when it was unstable after its guardian, Gwaltry Perry had died of old age. The Esperatin Kingdom up till then had been protected by the guardian of old for centuries, but as soon as that protective layer was gone, the mournful kingdom was invaded by demons. This wasn’t to say that the army of the kingdom was weak, no, it was far from that. The royal knights charged at the demons with everything they had to protect their king, and they did, with the help of Elmo Siciliani, Duke of the Siciliani Dukedom, they were able to protect the king and the royal family. But what they couldn’t protect where the common people who were killed by the rampaging beasts and the bloodthirsty demons, and the provinces that were on the path of the monsters. One of these provinces was the Dukedom of Lowe, the people of the Dukedom suffered major losses in property and life, but with the leadership of the Duke, they were able to avoid further destruction. After the invasion was defended against, households were ruined, and orphanages were crowded with sobbing children. The Duke himself was nearly overworked to death because of how much the situation had unfolded, and the remuneration costs were skyrocketing. It was then that the neighboring Derezian Dynasty came with a lending hand that was very much needed by the people of the Esperatin Kingdom. Since then, the two had formed a tactful pact and formed stronger bonds. This was what saved the Kingdom but there were still children without parents, women without husbands, and among the hundreds of these people were Grace Briggs. She had been sent to an orphanage along with dozens, she could no longer speak, but she still had the smile reminiscent of the summer. No matter, she was still bullied by the other children at the orphanage, children much older than her who was looking for an outlet, this continued until she was adopted by the Duke. But sadly for her, the bullying got far worse during her stay at the Lowe Household. Her brother, Mark Lowe, brought her worry and tears for years, only after she met the protagonist of the game, Aloys Siciliani, was she saved from the villain’s torture. But now that I had taken over the body of the villain, I will do everything in my power to make sure that no one bullies her, or anything that may bring the downfall of the Lowe Household. This was something I came to accept in a short time. I was surprised at myself for my lack of connection with my previous world, but the matters of that world were something I didn’t want to drag me down. While I was thinking this, the maid taking care of me, Serena, called out to me. “Young Master, the Lord has asked for you to come down for dinner.” “Ah, yes.” I responded, as I got up from my bed and headed downstairs. When I reached the dining table, I was greeted with the faint smell of dishes that were placed on an elongated table. Some maids were standing a few meters away, ready to help at any given moment. At the head of the table was my father, and on the side was Grace, my seat was positioned opposite of Grace’s. I sat on my seat and waited for father to speak. He started as he cleared his throat. “Uhm, so now that Mark is here, shall we do the introductions?” Father looked alternately between Grace and me, looking strangely enthusiastic. “Hi, Grace. As you already know, my name is Mark.” I said as I put on a gentle smile while looking at her small figure. “Ah!” She seemed surprised that I took the initiative to greet her and let out a small voice while raising her head. “Ah, ah, uhm” She replied, unable to say a word. After a few more tries of letting out noises, she seemed depressed as tears threatened to fall down. She looked panicked as she avoided looking at my face and let her eyes roam around the table. I felt bad that I made her go through that and was helpless at her reaction, but then again, it was me who left a bad first impression during our first encounter. As I was worrying about what to do, the keen observer came in to save the situation. “OK! Now that you’ve greeted each other, you’ll naturally have time to know each other better as siblings, but for now, let us eat!” He said this as he picked up his fork and started eating the dishes, seeing that her stepfather had started eating, Grace picked up her fork to eat, she appeared quite cute as I looked at her eating clumsily and looking around for help from the maids. Not wanting to be left behind, I started eating too. Announcement This is my first time posting here, and I'm overall still new to writing, so if there are any mistakes that you found, I'd be happy if you could let me know.

〈Arc 1- The Moon Illuminates the Darkness〉 The One Who Bears the World’s Hatred (1)   [Congratulations! All the conditions to unlock the hidden path have been met...][The 'Essence of False Sin' System has been activated!] A loud buzzing echoed in my brain, while a female voice reached my ears. "Ugh!... I feel like my head is going to explode." Due to the loud sounds I heard earlier, my consciousness regained and my eyelids started to slowly rise. However, the sight that came to my eyes was not a ruined castle or a sky covered in blood. "Well, at least I didn't come back in the middle of a conversation like last time..." I was in a gloomy-looking room. Dilapidated looking furniture, a ceiling that looked like it might fall off at any moment, the hardwood floor had a few loose boards, and the book shelves were a bit dusty. As my eyes explored every corner of the bedroom, I managed to notice the faint trail of light that illuminated a small part of the place. "Seeing as the flame in the lantern is still burning brightly, I must have recently gone to bed." There was not much to see in the room, at first glance it could be concluded that it was a room for rent in some inn. Why? That's because of the noise coming from downstairs and the smell of beer wafting through the door. I honestly didn't much care what kind of place I was currently in, after all, my skills are more than enough to deal with troublesome people. Though... "I feel like my body is quite heavy, besides, everything around me seems to be bigger than usual..." Pushing aside the annoyed thoughts that had begun to pop into my head, my attention focused on the floating window that covered my view. "So this is what my ancestor was referring to in the writings he left behind..." [Essence of False Sin] [You, who despite being a descendant of the 'Original Hero', set the world on fire, turning it into darkness. You secretly bore the weight of countless evils upon yourself and witnessed the sacrifices of the people you loved the most. You chose the path of evil to do good. Unfortunately you suffered a lot, but you have been given a new opportunity. Once again, become the worst scum and prevent the world from falling!] Looking intently at the content that was written, the corners of my lips turn up slightly. "Can this really be considered a new opportunity?" I couldn't help but scoff at the words visible in the window. However, I didn't bother or anything like that. The ancestor had already left some documents that contained information about the hidden path that he manages to unlock by going through the 'curse'... "System, show me my status." Before getting caught up in my thoughts, I decided to familiarize myself with this new 'skill'. [Statistics] [Name: Naell Khaz Lightstorm] [Age: 16] [Level 1] [Ability: Strength 201 (E) / Stamina: 180 (F) / Speed: 250 (E) / Mental Strength: ??? (???)/ Luck: 430 (D)/ Mana: 165 (F)] [Mental State: Fatigue, Determined, Calm] [Physical Ability: Weak] The screen in front of me was replaced by another, but unlike the previous one, the current window didn't contain many words, rather, it was simpler, and there were numbers that seemed to classify some of the content. "16!?... Shouldn't she be about to turn 19...?" My eyes widened and confusion filled my mind. I didn't quite understand what was going on, I was also taken aback by how low my stats were. As far as I knew, I should have come back a week before my birthday and my age should be 18 not 16. It was the first time something like this had happened to me, but no matter how hard I tried to think, I couldn't come up with an answer. "This... System, did something go wrong with my regression?" He was honestly quite confused. Although the forefather left various documents regarding the 'Essence of False Sin', he hadn't set a fixed return date, but I thought it would be the same as my other 'returns'. <There was no problem host. You have returned months before the fulfillment of the first sin> A female voice was present in my head. The tone with which she replied was soft and calm, if others could hear her, her hearts would beat fiercely at the satisfying feeling she gave you. However, at this moment he was not focused on that voice, but on the answer he had heard. "So the contract I signed... disappeared!?" My heart was pounding and I couldn't stop my lips from forming a smile. A great hope filled my entire being, after all, I had always dreamed of being able to finish the cycle to which I was chained. <It's something different, the contract you made is still in place, but since it's considered a condition for awakening the 'Essence of False Sin', so the System decided to seal it, you'd better take a look at it yourself, host> Due to the not so clear answer I got, a gleam of confusion appeared in my eyes. However, in the midst of my uncertainty, a loud buzzing echoed in my head and a new information window appeared in front of me. [Spiritual Quality] [Soul Condition: Lord (Sealed*), Mortal] [Blessing: Regress (Sealed*), Moon's Veil (???), Sacrificer (A), Shadow Ally (C)] [Curses: Incarnation of the Seven Evils (Sealed*), Bringer of Misfortunes (S), Mortuss Vita (???), Arrival of Death (S), Hated by the World (S), Dreamless Only Nightmares (A) and 6 more] I blinked due to my current confusion, but, that only lasted a few seconds, as I quickly started reading what was written on the screen that just appeared As my eyes roamed over the content appearing on the floating window in front of me, a frown crept onto my face. "Hmm... I didn't expect that except for my 'curse', the other curses would also be present... Even the few [Blessings] I got in my previous life are present." [Regression] and [Incarnation of the Seven Evils], are the two stigmas I received upon completing the 'Test of Inheritance' that every child of the Lightstorm family must go through. It could be considered a 'rite' that serves to differentiate the talented from the unskilled. This also varies depending on the person, taking into consideration the memory and the level of the soul in which they are. However, there is only one phenomenon that occurs if you pass or fail the test. This is granted to all equally and is impossible to revoke once it is placed on the person who passed the rite. The Chain Mark... "...System, how is it possible to seal vestiges that were tied directly to the soul and not suffer the adverse reaction of the 'seal'?" <Mainly due to the status given to you as the host of the 'Essence of False Sin'> The trail of confusion again filled my mind, but, I decided to keep asking to see if I could get something that I could hold onto to draw some conclusions. "Condition?... Is there a difference with my other regressions?" Returner. The 'Original Hero' mentioned him in the documents he wrote. People with the ability to travel to a certain preset point in the past. According to him, they were beings that due to Karma, both bad and good, that was accumulated over the years, were granted the ability to go back and try to change the 'misfortunes' that befell them. Revenge, remorse, revolution, promises, etc. The cases vary depending on the person who has gone through this. However, my situation is different from others. <The difference centers on his 'curse'...> That was the answer left by that lovely voice What makes me different from the rest of the regressors? Well... That would be my first stigma, Incarnation of the Seven Evils. It was supposed to be something I would live with for the rest of my life or at least until I fulfilled the mission that was given to me. There are only two types of stigmas, blessings and curses, but the way they can be awakened is varied. However, this is only applicable in the first type of stigma. The only two known ways to awaken a curse is by earning the hatred of some God... or through a Tainted Blood Pact. The latter is mainly based on the use of the human body as a vessel for an evil being. Not only that, but it will also cause the mint to fall into a state of corruption that will engulf you in madness and despair. Eventually, the soul will be covered in a grotesque darkness and will slowly be consumed by the cursed stigma it gained. Sure, this was completely different for me. After all, the being you sign the Pact with is unlike any God or Devil you've ever met before. "Right, there's no way 'he' didn't realize-" Before he could finish muttering to myself, the sound of heavy banging could be heard coming from the heavily damaged door. A state of confusion filled my mind, however, I didn't have much time to think about what was happening, as seconds later, a cold and hoarse voice could be heard outside the room. "Is young lord Naell Khaz Lightstorm...? Several doubts appeared in my head, but I decided to put them aside for the moment, since I was focused on what the words that came from the other side of the door. "It's about the information he asked us, we're here to deliver it." When I heard the voice mention 'information delivery', my chaotic thoughts stopped, while a small memory popped into my head. "If it's before the first sin... Then there can only be one occasion where I stayed at an inn and 'bought' information." Coming to a realization of what was happening, I slipped my hand through the floating window and let out a tired sigh. "Well, it looks like my talk with the System is going to have to be delayed until I get out of this place..." With that said, I got up from the bed I was lying on and walked to the center of the room. This 'information delivery' was something completely different from what one would think. Standing in the middle of the bedroom, I raise my eyes slightly and stare at the ceiling. Then, I pass my gaze through the window that was in the room, the door and the walls. "Hmm... There should be about 20, no, there were also the people on the first floor, right?" My memory wasn't completely accurate, so I could only make an approximation of the people outside the bedroom. Why? Well, that's because of the special day that I was 'lucky' to come back to. "If it were earlier, I could easily deal with all of them, but right now I'm in no condition to fight anyone." While I was still thinking of some kind of strategy, the knocks were heard again from the door along with the hoarse voice I heard a few seconds ago. "Young lord Naell!?" I noticed the uncertain and doubtful tone that was in his words. The door handle began to turn abruptly, but due to the lock that was on, the entrance could not be opened. "Seeing that I don't answer, they're going to force their entry..." Seeing that there wasn't much time before the people outside entered the room, I made my thoughts race. "I'll be in terrible pain, but... It's the best option I have so far." Having already obtained the solution and regained my resolve, I slowly closed my eyes, while beginning to sharpen each of my senses. A loud cracking sound reached my ears, but I put it aside and continued to maintain my concentration. Soon, under my feet it could be seen how parts of my shadow were taking off from the ground. "[Asymbra]" Those were the last words that came out of my mouth, before being held by strange extensions that came out of my shadow and plunged into the depths of darkness... The only thing I could hear before being completely swallowed by my shadow, was the deafening noise of the door being smashed and that voice I heard in the middle of my conversation with the system. "Damn!... Quickly start searching the whole place!" *** Inside the bedroom where Naell was previously, four figures could be seen who have their appearance hidden under hooded robes. "We have already checked the entire place, there is not a single trace of their presence in this area." "I couldn't get anything either, I tried to read his mana traces, but the faint trace that had disappeared completely." Those responses came from two of the four presences in the room. Their voices were distorted, so you couldn't tell if they were male or female. However, the build of both were very different, the first being quite tall and corpulent, while the second was slim and his height was a little shorter than average. "Hmm... there's no way he knew about the situation. Do you know if the information was leaked?" This question was asked by the mysterious figure that was in front of the other three. He seemed to be the leader of the group in the bedroom. The strong pressure he released from his body was capable enough to make one tremble in fear. But, undeterred by this, the only figure in the bedroom that he hadn't spoken to until now stepped forward and said: "About that sir, I already used magic on the villagers, but there was nothing more than a trace of being attacked by him the night before" At the information revealed, the presence that seemed to be the leader pulls his hood and reveals his face that was hidden by the garment. The face of a man in his mid-40's could be glimpsed. He had dark colored hair with some gray on the sides, his eyes were brown and there was a scar drawn from the top of his right eye to the bottom. He also had a somewhat short beard that grew above his mouth, on his chin, and around both cheeks. However, on her nose you could see an extensive scar that began to cover both cheekbones of her face. If anyone saw him, he would tremble at the sight of the terrible injuries he presented on her face, but the other three cloaked figures seemed to be indifferent to this. "If that's the case, then I can only think that he managed to figure out that someone was after him." Once he said this, the fierce-looking man took out a letter from her robe and calmly opened it. "At least this won't be as boring as I expected..." [Execution Call] Target: Naell Khaz Lightstorm Those who have a certain skill and are deemed capable are given the order to assassinate the target within a time limit of 48 hours. It does not matter what type of method is used, as long as they manage to fulfill the mandate. There is no restriction on the person or group that gets it. Nor will it be considered a crime and they will be exempt from any action of offense towards the Lightstorm Family. Rule: Only people who are at the limit of level 6 or at the beginning of this level are allowed to participate, while magicians must be in the final stage of the 5th circle. [Regal Nate Von Lightstorm.] When he finished reading the letter, the man's expressionless face darkened, while a flash of coldness consumed his gaze. "I know the guy is rubbish, but to think that even his own father would increase the difficulty and leave aside the alternative of 'bringing him back alive', that guy really doesn't measure the consequences of his actions, does he?" . The other three presences in the room seemed to be carefully watching the fierce-looking man's expression. None of them said anything, but they had the same thought as the person in front of them. Noticing the sudden change in atmosphere, a tired sigh escapes from the man's mouth and he hides the letter in his robe again. "Well, whatever the case may be, we can only accept our task" As he said this, the bodies of the three cloaked men tensed and his posture became firm. Seeing this, a small smile spread across the man's scarred face, but this lasted only a short time, failing to be visible to others. "Tell the others to spread out and search around. He's only just entered 'Warrior' rank, so it won't be too hard to catch up with him if he's escaped." "Also comment on the possibility of the brat possessing a 'Guardian', it's better if we're prepared for any situation." At the man's orders, the cloaked figures simply lowered their heads and said in unison. "How do you order, captain!" And, as if they had never been there, they disappeared from the place, leaving only the fierce-looking man in the room. The man's eyes close slowly and then, three seconds later, he begins to speak using a cold and threatening tone. "I know you're still in this room..." "..." There was no response to his comment, however, this did not anger him. "It seems you have a few tricks, but keep in mind something child" The fierce-looking man began to walk toward the shattered entrance. Next to him, a strong sense of terror and death appeared around him. "No matter what you do, nothing will stop my sword from reaching your heart..." Leaving that last comment, he slowly leaves the room and heads towards the first floor of the inn. But, once he fully exited the building, a strange phenomenon occurred in the room where he was previously. From the wall that connected to the bedroom on the right, a strange black substance could be seen forming. As time passed, its size grew, creating the silhouette of a person. And, after a few seconds, a hand began to emerge from the mysterious figure created by the blackened substance... (A/N: I'm so sorry I couldn't upload chapters the past two weeks, I had problems with the exam week, but I've already solved it, hehe~Well, more than anything I wanted to say that I thank the few readers I have for sticking with me. I hope you continue to enjoy the chapters that I upload and we make this novel grow more!Thank you once again for everything, from your dear author White Tusk)

“Essays are a scam,” I grumble to myself, as I press the submit button and try to blink blear out of my eyes. I’m pretty sure my eyes remain just as bleary as they were a moment ago, though. Even so, in the moment, I am thrilled. “Thus, the penultimate barrier is passed!” I crow, not that anyone can hear me. My roommate is out doing whatever she does for her degree, and I am in doing whatever this is for my own degree. We make it work. I get up and stumble over to the kitchen. I stare at the various foods around before I just shrug and butter some bread and nom it alongside some cheese. I can probably remember to eat a healthier thing later; now, I am totally test-exhausted. I try to bite off some more bread, but I find that I’ve eaten it all already. I dejectedly nibble the last of the cheese, and ponder getting another slice, but that just sounds like giving up all hope of a balanced diet today, so I slump over onto a couch and practically pass out, only barely awake enough to read some friendly words off of a screen. Words that are not related to anything like an assigned reading, or a paper, or how to write a reference, or anything like that. Friendly words. It seems to involve a girl who didn’t realise she was one for most of her life. It sounds uncomfortable to be so dense about something so clearly important to her, but ehh. I don’t think I have the mental space to judge right now. My roommate enters to find me blinking, still bleary-eyed, at my phone, trying to hit the ‘next chapter’ button without realising that there are no more published chapters. “Heya,” she says, smirking at me. I deign to respond with a blink in her general direction. “Essay done, I guess, huh.” I jam my hands, phone still included, into my face and grumble. “It’ll be okay, you’ve got this. You’ve got this down-time and then your last exam thing in two weeks, right?” I nod. I’m not sure why she cares. I’m not sure why anyone would care. Essays are scams. Tests are scams. Exams are not scams; they’re outright blackmail and torture. Maybe I’ll have recovered from this mess before that mess starts showing up. I can only hope, though if I recall my grades right, I don’t have that much to worry about? I let the phone fall out of my hands (across my face) onto the couch seat, and curl up into a ball, pulling the blanket that is always handily draped over the couch over me to make a nice little burrito. My roommate moves around the room a bunch. I don’t really remember much more of that day. I think she said something about pills. I think she’s studying for something like that? And then later, I think I remember thinking that yeah, she’s right, I should probably take a pill or something; they’re supposed to help, right? [ = ] I wake up to my door – my very squeaky, probably a world record squeaky door – being gently pushed open by, presumably, my roommate. I crack open an eye to check, and yep, roommate. “You doing okay?” she asks, looking at me lying on my bed, barely no longer asleep. “Mnnh,” is my response. I’m not sure what I mean by it, but it is how I am doing. Mnnh. A moment of silence echoes after my Mnnh. Truly an appropriate response to how perfect a summary it is. “Holy shit!” her words explode into the silence. Truly, the appropriate response to Mnnh. “Shit shit shit! Are you, okay? I can’t imagine -- this wasn’t -- I’m sorry!” I hug my pillow tighter. “Nggh, settle down, ‘sfine.” “Um. No, I’m sorry, but you need to wake up.” “What? Why?” I ask, lugging my body into a sitting position, blankets getting wrapped around in the most ingenious knots. A weird corner of the blankets seemed to have gotten on top of my head, and is now draping down in front of my eyes in the most useless way. I lift it up with my arm and scratch my forehead. “I thought I told you to not touch the experimental pills that I was going to deliver to my professor as the final element of my degree. I mean, I thought you were smart enough not to touch pills which were in a container that you need three hands to open, and labelled with bright warnings like “Do Not Consume” and “Biohazard,” even if it isn’t really a biohazard.” “But I needed a pill for something,” I mumble back, looking up at her with my best ‘offended’ face. “Oh my god, you are useless in your post-exam state, aren’t you. And now...” she trailed off into a super quiet whisper that I think I heard the phrase ‘uselessly cute’ in. “But anyways. You have done the Big Silly, and now I guess you’re going to have to live with it. I can’t imagine the sort of pain this’ll cause you, but hey, the classic methods worked for so many, maybe they can help you, too.” I blink again, finally getting that pesky blear out. “What did I...” I trail off, realising that my voice sounds nice now. I cough, and I feel my torso move in a way I never thought it should, but now that I think about it, I just never thought about it before at all. “Oh.” I look down at myself, and see the gentle rise of breasts tenting my wonderfully comfy pajama shirt. “That’s what I did.” I pause, thinking hard. “Nonono, what, I didn’t do this. You did this. How can you do this?! You can just turn people into girls now!?” “Uh, first, I didn’t turn you into a girl, that would be so much ethically worse, and weirdly better, if I did, I guess? But I just gave you a feminine body. Second, I’d say we both did this. Third, trans people exist. Sure the classic methods are slow, but they work, and very well in my opinion.” I blink at her, trying to think, but I’m pretty sure I’m missing some important foundational concepts. “You turned me into a girl.” “I gave you a feminine body.” “Look at me, I’m a girl!” “I gave you a fem--” “I’m actually a girl!” I feel my voice spiralling out of control into pure joy. “...what?” “I didn’t know you could do this, I had no idea, how dare you not tell me sooner?” “I -- you --” “THANK YOU!” I yell, and my voice goes screechy in a way that I both never want to hear again because oww, but also makes me so happy. I launch and tackle my roommate into a deep deep hug, and the way our bodies kinda match now is weird. I realise, with a start, that I’m crying. I feel her return the hug slowly. The pressure makes me feel warm and safe, so I’m happy. “Well, I guess you won’t need to transition back, then.” I lean back in the hug, and look up at her face in the meagre lighting, an oval with two dark eyes, some bright reflection glinting despite the darkness. Her mouth is tight, but smirking all the same. “How on earth do you just give someone a... whatever it was?” “A feminine body,” she sighs. “Well, it starts off as a simple...” Her explanation immediately starts going over my head, and I come closer into the hug again. I feel my body moving, like bodies should. I didn’t even realise all the little bits of sensory information that I wasn’t getting before. I just did things, before. Now I think I could experience things, too. I grin. And I feel the smile on my face. I feel it in my eyes. Or well, right beside the actual eyes in the parts of the face that people also call the eyes because eyes are really important but not actually as important for how we see them as the skin and muscles and around the eyes are. I giggle. “-- yeah, I guess it is kinda funny, huh. Anyhow, if we skip over the boring super-small-scale stuff, that’s what my pill does. Quick-acting feminine body pill. Going to be great for trans women. And apart from some of the details of making the thing, the quick-acting masculine body pill won’t be far behind. And then we’ll try to go for some non-binary options. Gotta help everyone, if we can.” “Well...” I grin and squeeze her for a moment. “Thanks.” “Hmm. You’re welcome.” She squeezes me back, then extracts herself and backs off a few steps “By the way, you are hugging me very tightly right now, is there a side-effect I should be aware of?” “Am I huggier than I was before?” “Or, well... more sexually attracted to me, or people in general?” “I, uhm.” I pause, and try to think of things and people. “I’m pretty sure not really. Yeah, no, I’m still just me. Me, but a girl now. And in a ~feminine body~.” I do the little hand-vibrate for extra effect. “It’s kinda comfy.” I rub my chin. It’s smooth. “I think I may be a little bit more sexually attracted, maybe. Not because you are sexier, but because I’m less un-sexier? I don’t want to think about this right now.” “I’m glad to hear it isn’t a side-effect, then. Probably. I think I’ve heard similar things from other trans women.” She smiles at me. “But also... maybe you were always a girl?” “Maybe,” I nod. “Hard to prove either way. I didn’t realise until I took your pill though, so your pill kinda did turn me into a girl.” She sighs. “I’m never going to win this argument, am I,” she asks in the flattest monotone. “Maybe not,” I giggle. “But at least you got a happy roommate out of it?” “... Eh, I’ll take that trade. C’mon.” And with that, she drapes a hand around my shoulder and escorts me forth from my room. “You should eat something, I don’t know if you actually ate a good meal yesterday.”

The light of the dawn is greeted by the song of the rooster, standing proudly on top of the tower of bones. Abraham with his uncle and cousins is standing in front of their manor's gate, waiting for Sylvia and Maria as they are still taking their time to dress. Today Abraham and William are wearing a dress made from insect saliva, raised on the academy grounds. These are the particular dresses for the enlightenment ceremony. The cloth is pure white and shines under the sun. But Abraham feels that the cloth is too smooth and will slide if it is not tied by a belt on his waist with a beautiful butterfly knot, which he believes is very feminine, but he has to bear it. He is envious of the dress that his uncle and elder brother are wearing. Even William is staring at them for some time. Adam is wearing black-colored cloth made of leather of some unknown beast. On leather, several small spikes look menacing and sharp. He is also wearing a chest plate made of scales with gloves and boots made of claws of some animal. Today every person who attends the ceremony will wear the clothes made from their best hunt except for the kids. Kyrios is also wearing a skin of furry brown beast but is lacking if compared to Adam.After some time Sylvia and Maria have also arrived. Sylvia wears a white leather fur coat which contrasted with her red hair. She is wearing necklaces and rings made of bones having a metallic luster. She wears a headdress adorned with different colored flowers. In the city, the woman mainly goes on hunting inside the territory designated by the city. Though it has ferocious beasts, their number is comparably less than outside while males hunt outside the borderline.The loss of even one female is taken seriously due to the low sex ratio. Though some have to marry outsiders, they take a long time to adjust to their surroundings. Females mainly work in maintaining their herb garden, raising and taming the beast, pharmacist, and other interior works. Hence women like to show off the herbs and flowers, that they have grown by adorning on their heads just like how man showoffs their hunts. Maria wears dark color clothes due to her age, and she also adorned dark-colored flowers on her head. As everyone arrives, they begin to walk towards the academy. The enlightenment ceremony is held after every two years. The participants never know the details of the ceremony, other than their previous observation that people change after attending it and become powerful.So, they are excited.As they walk towards the academy, they are accompanied by various families along the way, which also includes…"Hey William, let's fight after the ceremony. I will then defeat you with my new powers…Argh". Kaylin wants to blabber more but is stopped by a strong pat on his head."Kid's these days are surely energetic, isn't it chief?"The person who asks is just a little short of Adam. He has black hair, grey eyes, and a body like a leopard, muscular but slender. He is Kaylin's father Isaac. He is a chief hunter of one of the three hunter teams organized by the city. With him is his wife. Kaylin's mother Isabel is an outsider i.e. she is not from the city. Hence her height is 1.8, which is a little short in terms of the citizen's standard, but her blonde hair, blue eyes, and delicate appearance gives her the impression of a doll, and it became more prominent when she stands beside her husband."They have to be energetic. If they rest now, then they will just let their body rust in adulthood.""Well, it will be their fault," Isaac said in a laid-back manner. After watching Isaac's reaction, Abraham now knows that from whom Kaylin has inherited such an attitude. "How are both of you, William and Abraham." A sweet voice interrupted his thoughts. Isabel is looking towards them."We…""Mother, don't talk to them." Kaylin stands in between William and Isabel, just like a cat who is protecting its favorite thing. But he again tastes a smack from his father."Hey, don't talk in between.""Father! Why do you hit me every time." Kaylin shouted, but he again gets a taste of a smack on his head."Shut up, I am your Father."Abraham is watching the small argument between the father and the son, but his attention again gets attracted to aunt Isabel, who is talking happily with aunt Sylvia."She would have become accustomed to it." Abraham thought.After some time their quarrel is ended by his uncle, and they resume their journey towards the academy.The academy is made just after the founding of the city by ancestors. The area of the academy is 1/5th of the total area of the city. There are research facilities for formation, alchemy, smithy, pharmacy, etc. Instead of a door, a huge gate is installed at the entrance of the academy. The gate is just like the inner wall with various patterns and drawings inscribe on it. Today many people are entering the academy. Except for those on guard duty and kids who can't participate, everyone is coming towards the academy. As they enter the academy gates, they are stopped by a middle-aged professor. The professor is wearing a black uniform. He has adorned a silver badge in the shape of the tortoiseshell on his chest, and geometrical and animal patterns are embroidered on his sleeves using silver thread. He has a list of participant names in his right hand. He separates the participants from their families and arranges them in a line."How do you do, chief Adam and Head Hunter Isaac? it's a rare chance to see you guys together like this.""Oh Imad, it is not as rare as to see you outside of your room. You should go on some hunt, just like old days." Replied Isaac.Professor Imad is as tall as Adam but is thin with pale skin. He gives a different impression in comparison to Adam and Isaac. But the most prominent feature is his missing left arm. He is the department head of the anatomy of beasts and formations. His presence itself shows that how important the city and academy consider this ceremony."William, Kaylin, and lastly Abraham, come out and stand in the line." Imad ignores Isaac and calls their names, and puts a cross mark in front of their names."Chief and Head Hunter, please go to the arena and let other people come." Imad doesn't answer them and shows the way towards the arena.They both stare at each other and then move forward. After them, many other families come, and Imad continues to do his work. After some time, when each name in the list has cross-marked, he cross-checked the children's identity and then put the list in his pocket.Then he looks towards the children who are talking with excitement about the ceremony. For a short time, a trace of sadness appeared in his eyes. He then snaps his fingers loudly, due to which children stop talking, and their attention turns towards him. "Everyone arranges yourself in a line and follows me toward the arena." Abraham is in front of the line because they are standing in ascending order of height, so he is first, but for him, the most dislikable thing is the girls of the city are also standing behind him means that even they are more developed than him. It is the first time that the girls are with them. Though girls are also powerful, their strength falls a little short in comparison to boys. So, the martial arts thought to them are much more different than boys who mainly paid attention to explosive power while girls on agility and speed. Though both the girls and boys learn about medicine, the girl's curriculum includes the in-depth study of the herb. So, overall they rarely meet them and don't know much about each other.As he follows Imad, others begin to follow him, and after some time, they reach near a massive door about 10m high. From the door is the entrance to the ground of the Arena. Abraham had only seen the arena from outside. It is a large circular building, four stories high, made of stone blocks. The first floor of the building stands on the Doric order of column, second by ionic, third by the Corinthian, and the fourth level, roof stands on the Composite order of column. The arrangements depict that the Doric order, which looks bulky, symbolizes strength, is the base. In the Ionic order of column, the top is volute which represents order and balance. The Corinthian order column's top is acanthus leaves representing Resurrection. The three orders represent the advice of the ancestors to the future generation, which is that with strength and order, resurrection is not impossible.The composite is just the combination of Ionic and Corinthian. It was built by later generations to support the roof. Only their seniors are allowed to practice there, and one of the perks after the enlightenment ceremony is that they can access the Arena.Imad gives him a hand signal, and he stops, followed by others. Then Imad gets near to the door and then taps on it in different spots. A voice is generated, and then the door opens slowly. And then Imad enters the arena followed by the children. It is the first time that Abraham has been able to see the inside of the arena. It is very vast from the inside, approximately the size of ten football fields. The floor of the whole arena is made of blocks of white stones and is surrounded by an inner wall. There are also three different gates in the wall closed by iron doors. After the inner wall, the chairs are placed and continue up to the fourth floor. The highest floor is for VIP people such as chief, elders of lineages, hunting team leaders, principals, and academy professors.The first three floor's chairs are now filled with citizens, but the environment surrounding them is not of excitement but solemnity. The chairs of higher levels are slowly getting filled. He can find his aunt in the crowd. She is sitting on the chair on the third floor, and beside her are grandmother and Kyrios, but the chief's chair is still empty. On the stone floor, 30 mats are laid, in the combination of 6 rows and 5 columns at the center of the arena. It is equal to the number of children present here. Out of 30 children, 20 are boys, and 10 are girls. Then Imad signals him and other children to stand beside those mats. One person per mat. They remain standing there while watching the chairs getting filled. Now even the chairs of the fourth floor are filled except for two, one is of Adam the chief, and the other is of the principal of the academy. Abraham is watching everything around him, observing every detail as everything is new for him. He had noticed the sadness in Imad's eyes, worries in the villager's eyes, and a myriad of emotions shown on the faces of the elders sitting on the higher seats. One of the girls around him is darting her eyes left and right. She has fair skin and black hair, but the most significant feature is her big green eyes."She would also have perceived something from the environment." Abraham thought. He felt a gaze on him, and he found that William is staring at him. His relaxed eyes are also tense. Kaylin, whose eyes show laziness, is glowing while Ragnar is radiating a chilled aura.After some time, bugles sound echoed as Adam enters the Arena. On his face, there is no usual smile which he shows in front of them. Instead, his face is solemn, and a dignified aura is radiating from him. An old man is walking behind him. His hair is white as snow, but his skin is of tanned color. His face is full of wrinkles, and his body looks like dried wood. His posture show humbleness, but his steps are firm. His eyes are closed, but he is walking normally. He is the principal of Academy Arkam Barca. His uncle had said that he is the principal from his grandfather's time. When the chief and principal sit in their respected seats, the environment becomes silent. One man stands up from his seat on the fourth floor; he is old but not as old as a principal. He has a long white beard; and bald head, his towering figure and healthy body don't seem to be affected by od age. He is Vice-Principe Raynell. "All the students, please sit on the mat beside them." Raynell's voice echoed in the whole Arena."Until now, you have learned how to be aware of your surroundings; you have at least reached the beginner or fledgling level. As you know, energy is everywhere in the world, that enters your body and changes it little by little. If not controlled properly, then the change can be hazardous rather than beneficial." "You had learned to strengthen your body, mind, and soul, which was necessary so that your body will adapt in enlightenment ceremony. Every person in the clan attends the ceremony only once in his lifetime. It can make you powerful, but you can also become vulnerable. The ceremony will help you to take the first step in your cultivation. That is "enlightenment of oneself". Your first enlightenment will be unique to you, depending on your nature, your outlook on the world. After years of research, we have categorized the enlightenment in various paths, which now exist as lineages. Abraham is sitting on the mat and listening to the speech of the vice-principal and contemplating on it. When they were eight years old, they had learned three exercises: which are breathing to regulate and control the intake of energy, body exercise to improve flexibility and muscle strength, lastly mental exercise to increase their concentration, awareness, and memory. Abraham still remembers how happy he was when he had able to open the door of their manor, only after doing the exercise for two months. He had felt his strength increasing and concentrating become easier, and with the help of those boots."Now go ahead, close your eyes and remove every thought from your mind." Raynell's voice once again echoed.Abraham closed his eyes, but he doubts his heart that in the whole speech, Vice-Principal has only introduced enlightenment and its benefit, but not the method to achieve it. But his thought is interrupted when he feels a large amount of energy gathering above him. His curiosity compelled him to open his eyes but is stopped by Raynell's voice and his instruction to not open their eyes and remove all thoughts from their mind. He tried to concentrate, but his attention is always attracted to the sensation of monstrous energy over his head, and then suddenly, that energy descended on him, and his mind gone blank. After some time, his thoughts returned, but he doesn't feel anything special. Surrounding noise enters his ears, and he reflexively opens his eyes and found that other children are also in the same situation as his, confused about what is happening."Is the ritual ended?" Someone asked.But no one is paying attention to them. Every citizen is watching towards the sky, particularly towards the crack in the sky.After careful observation, he understands that the crack is not in the sky but in the barrier that surrounds the entire city. It is now glowing, and the crack is healing itself, but Abraham discovers a small black dot in the sky that is enlarging, and as it reaches the barrier, it is as big as the Arena. It is a concentrated mass of black energy, and it explodes as it touches the barrier. All these happen so rapidly that no one can react and remain seated, watching the barrier-breaking away."Everyman lead the children and women to the underground shelter and get ready for war." A shout of Adam has pulled them out from their dreamy state. Everyone hurriedly stands up from their place and begins to run towards the exit. Though the situation looks chaotic, they are moving systematically. "Everyone quickly arranges yourself and follow me." They heard Imad's urgent voice, and they quickly gather and begin to follow Imad outside of Arena. They are almost running, and as time passes, the sky becomes darker, giving the signal of the oncoming apocalypse.Abraham feels that the clouds are also covering his heart, Destroying a ray of hope. The people sitting on the fourth floor are the strongest and most prestigious among the clansmen, and today Abraham witnessed them flying towards the darkening sky. Soon the drumming thunder smashes his heart, and lightning illuminates the sky. He sees a humongous silhouette of the beast above the dark clouds. It has a serpentine body that is as much large as the whole city. Suddenly a loud screech of the bird resounded, and the smoke clouds with fire appear outside the inner wall. A bird, many times greater than the wall, is standing there. Molten lava flows from its body. "Quickly hurry up, don't look there." Imad's voice pulled them out from their trance, and they enter a building. Then Imad has led them to the basement, and once everyone entered the basement, he sealed it from the inside. Formation patterns covered the walls of the basement. "We are now safe". Abraham thought, but his fantasy is shattered by the noise of a huge explosion. He can see the faces of his friends, his brother William, everyone's heart is agitated. They don't even get the time to understand anything about the situation. The noise of explosions is still reaching their ears, shaking their hearts. After some time, William asked in a trembling voice."Professor, what's happening?""Beasts have attacked." Imad gave them a short answer which makes them even more confusing.They know that there are many beasts outside the wall, but they had never thought that such a thing, can happen.William and others wanted to ask more; about their family, their parents, but they are interrupted by the explosion. The whole basement begins to shake, and small debris begins to fall from the ceiling. "The building above them should have been destroyed by the explosion." Abraham feels that his heart is beating in his skull, and his blood vessels will burst up. The sound of the explosion is still coming from time to time. Imad is now inspecting the walls and ceilings, searching for the damages in the shield created by the formation. No one has now any heart to ask any question. Abraham doesn't know how much time has passed, but the deadly symphony of the explosion doesn't stop. Two more explosions have happened above the basement, damaging the walls and ceiling even more. Their professor Imad is now repairing the formation, his back is drenched in sweat, doing everything he can.William has hidden his face under his knees, the laidback attitude of Kaylin's face is nowhere to be found, Ragnar's eyes have lost their brightness. Others are also in a similar situation. From the hole created in the ceiling, Abraham can perceive that night has come, but it does not affect the frequency of explosion, the sky gets illuminated by light from time to time. He gets worried about his family, his teachers, his villagers.After some time, the intensity of the explosion becomes slow, and then it eventually stops. Midnight is already passed. Constantly being on edge has depleted his mental strength, and the stoppage of the explosion has let him lose down his tense nerves, and then he lost consciousness. Abraham…Abraham, wake up… wake up…Someone is shaking him. As he opens his eyes, he sees William's golden eyes are staring at him. The sun rays are coming from the ceiling and are reflecting on William's face."Why am I sleeping until now, that rooster song would have awakened me." He thought.But then something snap in his brain and his head is filled with the memories of past night and day. His groggy mind is now fully awake and worry for his family clouded his heart. William, who has perceived his condition, hugged him."Don't worry, everything will be alright." He begins to pat Abraham's head but…Abraham can feel the trembling of William's hand, he can feel the warm droplets of water wetting his shoulder. He also wants to cry, but he doesn't know why tears are not coming out of his eyes. He is worried about everyone, about their future, about their food, about everything, but he doesn't know why he doesn't feel sad.He knows he should feel sad, no he should cry, for the first time, he thought that he is lacking something… something important.He views the room, which has become tattered now. Plasters are fallen from the ceiling, and gaps are created, from their sunlight is illuminating the room. Some of his friends are like him, lying down while some are awake, but those who are awake their faces are pale, the mark of tears can be seen on their cheeks, their jaws are clenched as they are resisting themselves to cry. Imad is sitting near the door, he looks disheveled, and his black robes look dirty. He is continuously staring towards the door. William's tears have now stopped, and he stands up. His eyes, which are red due to crying, are now determined, he then goes towards Imad. "Professor! please tell us, What the hell is happening?" His cry attracts the gazes of others but not of Imad.He yells again, but again he does not get the answer. So, he extends his hand and grabs the collar of the professor, which in normal times he would have never think of but in reaction professor's body falls to one side. William's eyes expanded to their limit, and his body begins to tremble, he starts yelling. "Professor…Professor…Professor…" but he gets no answer. Everyone's face gets ashen, those who wake up begin to cry, and those who are awake just stare in despair. In the meantime, Abraham climbs over the debris and peek from the hole created during the explosion. For the first time, he sees something which he thought that he would never be able to forget, it's like his eyes, heart, and mind are glued to the scenery of the apocalypse in front of him. With great difficulty, he turns his head to inform others but he sees that William's body is trembling and professor Imad's body is fallen to one side. He understands that this can be the final blow to William towards despair. Abraham runs to console him but stopped when the door is open with the sound of a "bang".An old man, like dried wood, is standing there. He enters the room, his robes tattered, but his steps still feel heavy. He watches William, who is still grabbing the collar of Imad's body and sadness appeared in his eyes.He pats on William's head lovingly and spoke."Poor child, sleep now. You have already endured much." And William loses consciousness.He then turns towards them. "Children, there is no time to explain to you, as time is limited. You all will be transfer to a safer place. You can be separated, but don't fear and live, search for your life, your way, your enlightenment towards yourself, towards the world."Then he puts his hand in his pocket, and when it comes out, there are finger-size clear crystals. Then those crystals flew towards the children."This is the parting gift that the clan had prepared for you. The exercise in the crystal will help you gain power, power to achieve your desire... than goodbye, and please don't waste your life in revenge. As life is precious."After that, Abraham loses his consciousness again.

A boy is inspecting the field. The fields are made by making trenches in the slope of hills and span all around it. For the growth of these crops, they must be in the water. He is wearing a shirt and pants made from leather with a long gumboot. His hair is withered white, but they sometimes show little vitality. His grey eyes and face are round. He looks 13 -14 years old, with a little tanned skin. Overall, he seems naive and numbskull. In the right hand is a spear of his height, about 1.4m and on his back is a big basket. His every step stirs the surface of still water. The waves move the leaves and sometimes create new waves. For the boy, it is fascinating and something to lose in it. Due to this, his speed is unhurried, and as he moves forward, at one place, he stopped, and a red symbol glow on his gumboot. The symbol produces ample heat to increase the temperature of the surrounding water. Suddenly, a slimy black creature about half of his size shot from the water towards him, but it stops in midair because the spear skewered its body. The curves of his toned muscles are now visible due to his posture. When it stops wriggling, the boy opens the basket and then puts it in it. The creature is a parasite that obtains its nutrition by sucking on a plant, beast, or even human. When the boy sent energy to his boot, it activates the symbol and produces heat which warms the surrounding water. The sudden heat agitates the creature, due to which it comes out of the water and then becomes an easy target. After that, the boy once again starts his inspection in the field. When the sun starts setting, the boy stops his work. During the whole day, he was only able to collect five such creatures. Then he began to climb up the hill. On his way to the top, he can see that other boys of his age are also climbing the mountain. When he reaches near the top, he can able to see a wall. It is big, about 15m in height, and made of white stone, and as he gets near to it, he can feel its majesty. The wall has many symbols, painting painted on it, sketches of the hunt, farming, smithing, alchemy, nature are more peculiar. The wall is depicting the story to the people who can see her, the tale about the city that she was protecting, how it grows, and how the people struggle to stand up against adversities. As he gets near the wall, he can see the group of boys surrounding a lame man. A middle-aged man with black hair and golden eyes. with a towering body of height of 1.95m, but he has a leg missing from downward of his knees. As he sees the boy, who is walking like strolling in the park. He shouted “Abraham, why are you so slow? Come fast already.” “Coming Teacher, Abraham replies and increases his pace.” The middle-aged man is Edgar. A teacher in the academy of their small city. Their city is situated on top of the hill, surrounded by two walls. The first inner wall is on top of the and the second wall is at the bottom, protecting the crops. Food for the people mainly comes from hunting. Agriculture is done by old, injured; children and anyone who has not gone on hunting. The city is governed by a chief who is assisted by the council of elders. In the town, there is a school in which every kid is mandatory to enroll. In school, the kids below 14 were taught little about hunting, but mainly about their body and mind, and there are fake hunting practices. Fake hunting is nothing but to inspect the fields and to killed various pests infecting them. Abraham still remembers the first day to hunt those leeches. A boy before him had failed to dodge it, and the parasite had stuck on his back, sucking his blood. The boy got dehydrated at a visible rate and then fell unconscious. That was the time when he was eight years old. After that, such an incident even happened to him also, causing great pain. At such time the teachers remove the parasite but do not give medication for recovery as a punishment. Just now, they were doing the same fake hunting practice in which the children have to hunt those parasites. The children participate in it, thinking that the one who will kill the most pests can become the future leader of the hunting party. The children surrounding Edgar are of only 13-14 years, but they already surpassed the height of 1.5m and, there is someone who has even reached 1.8m. In comparison to their muscular physique and taller height, Abraham looks like a malnourished person. As Abraham comes near the group, one boy, the tallest one, approaches him quickly and lifts him from his neck like a cat. “HaHaHa, Abraham, you should do less daydreaming and instead do workouts more.” “William put me down”. Abraham shouted and, others began to laugh. William is his cousin and the most developed person physically in the group. As William lifted Abraham, he jumps from his place to near Edgar, and put him down. “That is how you should run, Abraham.” “Well, now everyone, time to show your hunt.” As Edgar announced, the children put down their basket and start opening its lid. Some have half of the basket, some have three-fourth, and for William, one can say that the basket is overflowing with all different types of pests. The most pitiful amount is of Abraham, which contains only four leeches and nothing else. “Hey, Abraham has got four Leeches.” One of the boys shouted. “Unbelievable.” “It should be a lie,” Others Shouted. And shortly, everyone, including Edgar, surrounded his basket. They are astonished because Abraham has catch four leeches which is the highest, he has ever brought until now. “You have done well Abraham, keep it up.” Edgar starts praising him, but Abraham believes that they are sarcastic again. But from Edgar's eyes, one can see that his praise is sincere. When Abraham was eight years old and first enrolled in the school, he stares blankly into space while thinking something. First, they had believed that he had gone mad. But little by little, with constant persistence, Abraham had begun to pay attention to his classmates and then to other things. On the first day of his fake hunting, he was standing in the field all day long and watching other children hunting and got hunted. When others have learned to kill pests, Abraham just used to watch them all day long in fascination but, one day Abraham killed one but, after that, he still stared at its dead body all day. Edgar still remembers that day when Abraham killed the pest and asked him. “What is life? What it's value? Why once gone, it never came back?” At that time, Edgar had many answers to give, but he knows that none of them can convince the little kid in front of him. As he was in jeopardy of what to say, the chief had come and rescued him. He replied to kid. “There is no definite answer to it because, for everyone, the question has different meanings and values. Will it be interesting to find your answer and then tell us what you feel is correct?” “Okay, I will find it.” That is what Abraham had said. “Hey, a teacher should not be sarcastic to their students.” Edgar's mind turns back to the present because of the tugging he felt on his clothes. “What sarcasm? I am genuinely happy that you can catch something.” Hearing those words, other boys again started to laugh due to this, Abraham pouted his mouth. Watching such vivid expressions on his face Edgar's heart becomes warm. He then begins to ruffle his hair and enjoying his reaction to it. After inspecting those pests, Edgar gives a signal to the guards who take the baskets away, and then he gestures them to reach the door of the wall. The door has a height of 10m and is made of some unknown metal with various symbols and circles inscribed in a pattern. On top of the door is a bell, almost the height of one-third of the door. Abraham had heard that only when someone attacks the city, the bell rings. The door and the bell give the impression of the sleeping behemoth. Right now, the door is open for the people and will be close down after the sunset. Abraham always feels amazed whenever he enters the city. There is a large center road made of neatly carved stones with buildings lining both sides of it. The people are walking on the road. Some have finished their daily practice, while some have returned with prey from a nearby forest. Some women are carrying big baskets filled with herbs. The little children are playing around these women happily, and their smiles are blooming, as they have waited the whole day for their mothers to come back. The hides of different beasts are on the slanted roof for tanning. Many peoples have still adorned the gears for hunting and haggling in various shops. Watching the vitality of the city always makes Abraham feels happy. The primary occupation of the people is mainly hunting. Almost everyone in the city has done hunting in some part of their life. The chief source of the food is the meat of the ferocious beast that lives in the wild. The people do not like the flesh of domesticated animals, so no one rears them. The beasts are domesticated only for hunting or for economic purposes. In the middle of the city stands a mighty tower, gleaming white under the sun, made of bones. He had heard the story that when the ancestors founded the city, they had fought with the tsunami of beasts, only after killing the monarch of the beast in the territory, they had able to settle in this place. To make the fear of symbol for other beasts, they had constructed the tower made of bones in the center of the city, in which the council and chief hold their meetings. As Abraham is watching his surrounding, his thoughts are interrupted by the boy name Richard. “What do you guys think about tomorrow?” “It will be fun and will make us eligible to go on the hunt with the hunting party.” Replied William. Hearing these words, everyone gets excited. Today is the last day of their fake hunting class, and tomorrow they will learn to use energy. Energy is present everywhere, and how one uses it depends on their talent. When they were eight years old, they were thought to harness the energy from the surroundings and its simple usage. Until now, they can nourish their bodies with energy and use simple tools powered by energy. Boot used for fake hunting is one of the examples. On those boots, a symbol is drawn, which on triggering via energy produces heat. Now they are already accustomed to using them and can use them fluently. But now they will be thought much more. They had learned that with energy, one could do anything. Can change physics, control elements, and much more. The limitation is their own will, their own choices. The path depends on one own enlightenment and perception of the world. To achieve it on your own without any help, sometimes even a whole life, cannot be enough. So, they only know that tomorrow a ceremony will be held to help them achieve enlightenment. Everyone walking with Abraham has begun to think about their future while Abraham's mind has lost in the rustling of leaves. "Whatever it will be, I will learn it. I want to use fire just like my father to become strong and then can go out from these damn walls to fight those strong beasts". Speaks Kaylin. He is about 1.7m tall with a muscular body, blond hair, golden eyes, and a sharp face who likes to provoke and fight with everyone. He is a self-proclaimed rival of William after losing on the first day of school. “Shut up, you idiot, you will be thought the most suitable path, you will find it in the ceremony held tomorrow, and you will have no choice but to accept it.” Replied Ragnar coldly. Though he is shorter than Kaylin and William, the sharp aura around him always makes the people avoid him. “Whatever, if it will help me in a fight, I do not care.” Everyone in the city belongs to the same clan, Barca. Instead of the branch or head family, the clan is divided into lineages. A child doesn't need to be born with the affinity of fire if their parents have it. Its affinity can be anything as it depends on a person's enlightenment. That's why whenever the academy held the ceremony, many gathered, as everyone is eager to have a new member in their lineage. “That's the right attitude.” Replied William amusingly. After that, they begin to separate their ways to reach their respective homes. Abraham lives with his uncle and grandmother from the maternal side, aunt and his cousin brothers, William and Kyrios. Kyrios is the firstborn and has already become a full-fledged hunter, while William is two months older than Abraham. Their mansion is near the center tower of the city with an outer wall made of red stone. The mansion is built of cream stone blocks, and it resembles a T alphabet. There is a garden in front of the house, in which many flowers bloom all year round. His aunt loves to do gardening. His uncle, as current chief, rarely comes home. From the outer wall gate, a path leads to the door. The door is gigantic, almost 5 meters tall and made of Ironwood, and is at the start of the vertical section of the house. Earlier times, Abraham curses the door because he had to spend considerable strength to move it, while William could do it effortlessly. The house is divided into east and west wing. A hallway followed by a living room is behind the door. On the east side of the living room, there is a dining room and on the west side is a parlor from which they can see the training field. A pool is built behind the mansion to raise fish and marine plants. A brick oven and barbeque grill are built, near the pool, in the rear garden. But today, as they enter the hallway from the big door, they are greeted by the laughter which is from none other than his uncle. He is standing in the hallway. With a hulking physique and a height of 2.5 meters tall, it will be not wrong to call him a giant. He has black hair and deep red-colored eyes. A beard covering his chin and black cloth made of animal hides decorated by black feathers over his shoulders. He looks heroic. Beside him, a woman with crimson hair, golden eyes, and downing a white gown made of silk with flowers drawn on it looks gorgeous. She is 2m tall, but against her husband, she still looks short. "William, Abraham, it is good that you also have come early." His aunt Sylvia's voice echoed in the large hallway. William first gets shocked and then runs towards his father to hug him. Adam also gets on one knee to hug his son in return. After their reunion ended, Adam paid attention to the boy standing a little far away from him. As Abraham feels gaze on him, he says awkwardly "It's been a long time, uncle…." His sentence is cut short when Adam appeared in front of him in a blink of an eye, then lifts him and hugs him. "Oh, my dear Abraham, you still look so cute." "Isn't he, I still regret that he is not a girl." Sylvia chime in between. "Why can't you hug me just like William?" "Aah! William is heavy." Replied Adam and then again tightly hug Abraham. "Aunt… save… me." Abraham felt like he will die from suffocation due to such a hug. "Adam put Abraham down at once." A loud dignified voice echoes in the hallway, which makes Adam flinch, and he hurriedly put down Abraham at once. The voice came from an old lady standing beside the door, she is about 1.8m tall, her hands are thin, and her hairs are white, but one can see endless vitality from her red eyes and straight back. She is Maria Barca, the mother of Adam. "Jeez, you are a chief, and you still like to bully a little kid." "Mother…!" "Shut up, and you Abraham, why are you still behaving like a child, tomorrow will be the day of your enlightenment, and I still hear from others that you still waste your time in observing some nonsensical things." Maria then lifts Abraham from his neck like a kitten and then drags him towards the back garden. For Abraham, this has now become a routine. "Sylvia, today we will eat in the open, I had met Kyrios on the way, and he had hunted a big python, it's been a long time since I had eaten barbequed snake meat also Adam, prepare the fermented meat of poisonous fish, it will also be nutritious for kids." In the rear garden of the house, near the pond, tables and chairs are arranged for dinner. Sylvia is standing near the barbeque grill, situated in the corner of the garden. In her right hand is a big knife of length 20inches. The coals are burning below the grill. A tall skewer is laid horizontally over the grill, and a giant skinned python is coiled around it. The python is about 20m in length and 1m in diameter. A young man is standing beside Sylvia, rotating the skewers periodically. The brick oven is energy powered. The flame temperature in the oven depends on the quantity of energy supplied to it. The inscription in the form of patterns made such a thing possible. The sizzling sound from the cooked meat and its fragrance has spread in the garden. "Kyrios, rotate it uniformly and maintain the temperature, or you will burn the meat," Sylvia advice Kyrios. Hearing his mother's words, Kyrios lowers the intensity of the fire. He has a slender, muscular body with a height of 2m and black hair with red eyes. Sylvia is stabbing and slashing at various parts of the python so that heat can penetrate the inside meat of the snake. After some time, she dices it in equal sizes, arranges it on the big plate, and carries it toward the round table beside the pond. On the table, Adam is making sashimi of fish meat. The fresh flesh is poisonous, so they are first stored in a dark enclosed space to drain out the oozing poison and then are hung in an open environment for more than a year. Then also, the peculiar smell, which feels like it is stabbing your nostrils, does not make it appetizing. But the flesh is rich in energy and is an excellent medicine to remove the accumulated toxin from your body. Sylvia sits on the left side of Adam while Maria is on the right side. Besides Sylvia, the sons are sitting in the order of their age, so Abraham's seat is beside his grandmother, which he always wanted to change but has never succeeded. Everyone begins to take the slice of the fragrant snake meat from the plate, among which Abraham has taken the smallest one, which also he feels is quite large for him. As he was thinking of cutting the piece and putting half of it back into the plate, his eyes meet his grandmother's, and a chill runs down his spine. He understands that if he will not eat it completely, the amount can become double on his plate. But Abraham still tries out. "Grandmother……" as his mouth opens, a fillet of the fermented fish is pushed into his mouth by Maria. The strong taste of ammonia is making his mouth in fire, and he wants to spit it, but again get stared at by her. After chewing it some time and swallowing it, he frantically starts drinking water. Watching how her grandson is so delicate, Maria can only sigh. "You should eat more nutritious things, even in cleaning those pests; you are slow, you eat so less and look even more delicate than a girl." His grandmother started nagging him again. It has become almost a daily routine for him. But today, someone else entered the conversation, who is none other than William. "Grandmother, you don't know, today Abraham has killed five leeches." As William says those words, the family becomes silent. "What?" "Really?" "Fu…" Adam unconsciously swears but stops midway, due to the stare of his mother. He then clears his throat and spoke melancholy. "It's a good day, at least my sister will not worry in her grave." Abraham doesn't know why they are making such a big deal from nothing. Since today is the last day, so he thought, he should be diligent and able to kill 5 of them, which is much higher than his usual contribution of 1, 2, or sometimes zero. But it never comes to his mind that his habit of gazing and thinking while standing for hours has branded him as a mentally slow person or simply mentally retarded. When he was younger, his habit was much severe, which made Maria exhausted due to the sorrow of the dead daughter and mentally ill grandchild. But she and her family had not lost hope and continued to pay attention to him, and now he is 14 years old, he at least behaves normally most of the time. "That let me remember, when he had killed that parasite the first time, he was staring at its corpse for a long time and had asked some good questions." Adam acts like he is reminiscing something long back, but there is a smile on his face. So, Abraham Have you found the answer? What is life? What it's value?" The red eyes of Adam are shining like jewels in the night sky, asking him for his answer. "My answers? They will be of no importance, Hehehehe…..." Abraham replies and begins to laugh idiotically. But he has to stop his laughter because his uncle, who normally would have laughed along with him, is still looking serious. "My answer, do you want to hear it?" "Yes, we will gladly hear it." The reply is from Maria. "Ok…... I am thinking for many years, but still, I can't define what life is? But I know one thing that life is….. worthless." As Adam hears the answer, his smiling face remains still, but an invisible pressure developed around him. "Are you sure?" Abraham feels like Adam has suddenly become a high mountain, pressing him down. Then also he answers what he thinks is right. "Yes." "Does it mean that everyone's life here is also worthless?" ".......Yes.." "Does it mean that if someone here will die, you will not feel anything?" "No…. I will, but everyone has to die one day, so why so much sorrow?" With each passing question, the pressure around Adam increases, and the surrounding become more and more silent. The noise of crickets, night bats, and other insects has stopped. Suddenly the garden is devoid of life. "It also means that your own life is worthless." "…Yes." "Husband!" "No Sylvia, I would have tolerated it if he had said something idealistic like all lives are equal, but his answers are…. "Adam enough." Maria cut Adam in between. "I know, how are you feeling, but shouldn't we ask him the reason. Our meal is already getting cold, and I don't want its flavor to get ruined. Abraham meets me after dinner in my room." Abraham doesn't know why he gets such an intense reaction from Adam due to one answer, and he also wants to ask about this from his grandmother. William doesn't know how Abraham begins to think like that, do it because they sometimes tease him? but he is always beside Abraham, his eyes don't contain any hatred or anger, for William though he sulks on it for some time, then he will start again, to play with them and forget about teasing. Sylvia is cleaning the table after dinner, but her mind is tangled around the events during dinner. Even she got astonished after hearing his answer, Abraham is like her own child, Abraham's mother, and she was childhood friends, and she is still reminiscent of the memories which they had spent together. At first, she thought that he was joking, but his firm eyes, under the pressure of Adam, had made her believe that what he is saying comes from his heart. She knows that the most shocked is Adam as he believes that the life of every clansman is invaluable and should be protected, the loss of even one tribesman is a matter of grief. Whenever the hunting party returns, Adam was always waiting for them anxiously and praying about them and when his nephew, who is raised like his own son says that the life of everyone around him and even his own is worthless, this should have even made Adam doubt himself that had he failed to raise his children. Abraham is standing in front of a wooden door; various patterns of birds and flora are carved on it. As he is hesitating to knock on it, his grandmother's voice comes from behind the door. "Just how long it will take for you to come inside?" After hearing his grandmother's voice, Abraham enters the room. The floor is made of wood planks which are polished till they become glossy, while the walls are made of marbles with different patterns drawn on them. In the center of the room, the snow-white fur of a giant animal is used as a carpet, and several big black mattresses are laid on it. On one of them, approximately at the center of the room, his grandmother is sitting and waiting for him. As Abraham enters the room, Maria signals him to sit on the mattress opposite her. When Abraham sits down, she starts saying. "You are already 14 years old and tomorrow will be your first enlightenment ceremony. A person's enlightenment depends on many things, but one thing is important, and that is how a person perceives its world. So….my dear grandson, why do you think life is worthless?" After Maria finishes her sentence, silence lingers around the room. After some time, Abraham lifts his head. "When I had first killed that leech, at that time, I don't know anything about death. I had watched others doing the same and thought they just stop moving after we skewer them with our weapons. But after doing the same for the first time, I sat beside it, I want to know that how much time it will take to move again. But even after sitting beside it for a long time, it didn't move. I had asked Edgar, and he replied that it is dead. I had asked him what does it mean? He said that the leech will never move, its life is gone and after some time, its body will cease to exist. So, I asked him that what is life? And if life exists, it should have value, so I asked the next question that, what it's value? And will it ever come back? At that time uncle had said that I should find my answers…." After speaking so much Abraham becomes silent, gazing into the eyes of his grandmother. For Maria, his eyes which always show naivety is now showing some determination. "So how you reach such an answer." Maria's eyes become sharp, and Abraham feels like she is trying to peek into his soul. He feels like his tongue is jammed under her gaze, but he knows that his grandmother will not let him go without an answer. "After that, I started watching everything around me, the killing of pests, the harvest of the crops, the death of hunters when they go hunting, how the people live…" "Come to the point Abraham." Maria's voice is frigid cold. "We killed animals for food, we eat plants for food, we kill pests because they harm our crops, we kill certain things just for some medicine. Does their life worth or they are of worth. For us, their death has value. Life is itself worthless unless there will be something which gives importance to it." "…." "Uncle is a chief, so what he will decide when he will have to choose between his family and clan, or if he has to choose between brother Kyrios and William, obviously he will choose the one which he thinks have more importance. Isn't it laughable? Do you know? From the whispers of the people, I had compiled a story. There was a woman, a powerful one, she married and got pregnant, her husband and her family loved her very much, but something happens which I don't know, but I know the consequences which are that the woman will die if she will give birth and if she kills the child in her womb than she can live. Everyone, including her husband, had agreed to kill the child, but she refused, her husband had even tried to kill his child in her womb to protect her life, but she refuses and at last, gave birth to a child and died. A father was ready to kill his child to save his wife because, for him, the life of a child is worthless as compared to his wife. The child's life is expendable because there is the absence of something which gives it value, here the thing absent is memories. Since there are no memories of the child's life, it's worthless. After concluding everything, I can only say that life is worthless unless there is something that gives it some value. After talking so much, Abraham begins to gasp as he has climbed the mountain. He has said everything in a single breath, everything that has accumulated in his mind during all this time, he let it out. Maria hears everything, but there is no change in her facial expression, but if Abraham had paid attention to her eyes, then he could have noticed them trembling at one point. She stands up and turns towards the door behind her, which leads to her bedroom. "I like to add something. For that mother, she could have discarded that child, but she insists to give birth though she knew that she will die. She also doesn't have any memories for the child but then also she insisted because for her, in her belly, there is a life whose value is far greater than hers, even without anything to give that life importance. Life itself is valuable. And about the choices that your uncle will make and the reason for it, you will only understand when you will see the world in a more colorful manner rather than in black and white." Abraham wanted to say something in return but is stopped by his grandmother, who signaled him to go out. After Abraham left, Maria opens the door and enters her room. Their Adam is standing and waiting for her. There is a sad expression on his face, and it looks like he is contemplating something. Seeing Adam in such a condition, Maria sighs. At last, he finds out, do not be sad, now prepare that crystal for tomorrow. Hearing this, Adam becomes baffled, but then determination filled his eyes. "OK." Then he left the room.

In the final moments before dawn, within an almost inhumanely small room, a man sat on a bed, staring blankly out of a tiny window – as if looking or waiting for something specific. All he could see however was a wall so tall, it looked as though it pierced the Heavens themselves, and whatever light managed to sneak its way into the room was artificial, and almost entirely too bright. That didn’t matter however as an alarm went off in this man’s room, as well as what sounded like hundreds of other rooms.   “00-66.” A gruff, yet disinterested voice called out from beyond the small metal door. “Up and at ‘em, Double Six.”   The door unlocked with an extremely heavy sounding click, before it opened automatically. The man referred to as Double Six then stood up, and walked to the door, his tall and muscular frame almost dwarfing the door. There was a security gate in front of him that was still locked and closed, however there was a slot through which the man slid both hands through. Thick metal wrist bands conspicuously adorned his thick wrists, and the man who had called out to Double looked over a series of stats on a tablet before pressing something on the screen. Immediately afterwards, something that looked like a light blue streak of lightning sparked and then snaked out, connecting the wristbands together. Double Six then pulled his hands back into the room, and the security gate unlocked and opened as well. The alarms continued to go off for another minute, after which they became completely silent. The sound of hundreds of bare feet stepping out from the rooms onto the metal platform outside of said rooms echoed loudly throughout the entire area.   “Agents.” An AI sounding voice echoed. “Please go to your scheduled appointments and activities. Tardiness shall not be tolerated.”   The voice repeated this as if it was some kind of mantra, and the ‘Agents’ all turned without making a sound and marched like robots in single file towards their various destinations. Agent Double Six was one of those who was headed to the gym – clad only in his underwear as were all of the other Agents. Blue lights on the ceilings as well as on the cold floor below illuminated their paths, and they split and diverged, leading the groups in whatever direction they were each headed. Agents entered massive lifts en masse, and were funneled into different rooms and areas. A positively massive auditorium filled with gym equipment of varying types was where Double Six’s group ended up, and after they marched over to their designated lockers, which all unlocked via a retina scan, they pulled out their gym gear and waited. A series of large holographic countdown timers appeared, and upon reaching zero, the shackles were deactivated – allowing the agents to get dressed and begin their workouts. There was no conversation, no interaction, no shared or stolen glances – everybody just got to work. While some Agents were scheduled for multiple activities during their ‘personal time’, Agent Double Six spent the entire time working out.   He finished training, showered, and marched back to his room with the same blank expression he’d had on his face since waking up. The room – which was more akin to a prison cell – had what looked like a nylon body suit waiting for him on his tiny bed. The Agent slipped into the suit, and as he did, an untold amount of circuits all over the body suit pulsed with a light blue glow. He waited for the next countdown, which came and allowed him to go to the mess hall to eat. From marching to the cafeteria, to standing in line, being served and then eating, everything was sequential – and done in silence. The only sound that came from any of the hundreds of Agents present was that of utensils bumping into and scraping against plates and teeth. The guards that watched over the Agents eyed one another, with some still unable to understand these people.   “I just can’t get used to watching these freaks.” One guard remarked.   “…not this again.” Another responded.   “Watching them doesn’t freak you out?”   “It didn’t freak me out two days ago when you asked me the same question, why would it now?”   “They don’t speak, they don’t interact with anything that is beyond their orders, they don’t laugh, don’t cry, don’t do a damn thing… it’s like watching marionettes on rails. Especially these First Gens.”   “Look, all Husks were purpose built. They served their purpose during the Third Great War, and now they’ve been given a new purpose.”   “There are probably tens, or hundreds of war heroes sitting here, people who gave up their emotions to gain the immense strength it took to ward off the Vamps, Wolves, and all the rest. Essentially lobotomized and turned into weapons for our sake. Now look at them…”   “Would you shut it already? They have their circumstances, and we have ours. If they had really done their job, would we be living in this world with no sun? With walls so tall and thick most of us don’t even know what the world looks like beyond them? These fuckers should have wiped all of those filthy Descendants once and for all. Instead, we live like shut ins in our own fuckin’ country. So stop feeling sorry for these useless cunts and focus on doing your job.”   The guard that spoke first said nothing in reply, and none of the ‘Husks’ even batted an eye at the entire conversation that was almost unnecessarily loud. The buzzing timer alerted the Agents of the end of breakfast, prompting all of them to stand up and march out of the hall. They all made the surprisingly long trip towards an equally large room which had the words “First Generation” glowing above the entrance. Once they were all in, they started to walk towards designated areas, which were sectioned off and labeled. Agent Double Six went to an area with a 27031 hovering above it, and was soon joined by four other Agents. While Double Six simply had a large afro and somewhat scraggly beard, the others were a bit more distinguishable – with some having multiple piercings, others having facial tattoos, or both. In under a minute, all of the squads had assembled, and in addition to the Agents, there were two people known as ‘Technicians’ assigned to each squad. They were clad in actual clothing, with long jackets that looked like armoured lab coats. A large holographic screen appeared in front of the Agents, and an older looking gentleman with a massive moustache clearly augmented eyes began to speak.   “Good morning, Agents.” He greeted plainly. “Due to the current and continued atmosphere of hostility within the city, you will be required to be just as vigilant as you have been in recent weeks. Also, we have received intel that a number of the peaceful protests we have been subjected to may very well boil over and become riots, therefore, the issuing and use of Riot Gear has been permitted by the Agency. Your handlers will explain everything in detail once you are all outfitted and en route to your various areas.”   The screen disappeared, and the Technicians all got to work, turning to their squads and opening the large cases that were with them. Thiren, the Armour Tech for the 031, and Kriyen, the Weapon Tech both got to work immediately.   “You heard that old ‘stache, riots equal Riot Gear.” Thiren said as he pulled multiple items of apparel out from his case. “The problem with you First Gens is that some of you were able to obtain monstrous abilities and powers, and as much as you really powerful ones have zero emotions, some of you seem to enjoy destroying the extremely valuable gear that I am tasked with making for you.”   Thiren was scowling hard as he went on his rant, all the while staring directly into Agent Double Six’s lifeless eyes.   “Dude, he doesn’t do it on purpose – he derives no pleasure from any of that shit.” Kriyen chimed in as he himself pulled out a series of melee and ranged weapons. “Just look at those eyes T, it’s like staring into an empty abyss.”   “I’m telling you Kri, he does it on purpose.”   Thiren then started to dress the Agents one by one, ending with Double Six whose kit was a little bit bigger and heavier than the others. There were two women, and two men – with the women appearing to have the heavier plating on their boots, pants and tops. They were all black, and had small transistors all lined on the inside, and a large overcoat that almost touched the ground was given to them all. The fit of the coat was different for each Agent, with Double Six’s being a tight fit – much like everything else. Kriyen then started handing the Agents their weapons, with one of the women receiving giant gloves which were more akin to gauntlets, the other getting twin daggers, and the men got guns – assault rifles for the one, and a shotgun for the other. Double Six however got a pair of gloves, a large pistol, and a longsword. They were then all given helmets, which they all held under their arms. Once they were all kitted out, the Techs from the respective Squads all rattled off a series of facts and figures regarding the areas they would be going to patrol, as well as the estimated probability of riots kicking off in said areas. This all went on until yet another timer appeared, which prompted all of the Technicians to stop talking and look at their tablets. The moment the alarm went off, they tapped on the screens, and every piece of equipment worn by an Agent began to make all manner of mechanical and hydraulic sounds, with bits screwing in, others locking in place, sealing, and more. Along with these physical sounds, there were also beeps and bongs, as if the items were turning on, posting and then booting. The larger, muscular Agents had steam and smoke blowing out of vents on their shoulders and backs, while some had the same blowing out from their boots, and various other places, depending on their size and kit. After a series of quick diagnostics tests, the Techs signaled for their Squads to follow them into a hangar which was full of large, SUVs that were so heavily armoured, it looked as though they would break through the tarmac below and plummet to the centre of the planet. Large rear doors were open, revealing the area where the Agents sat. All the Agents present then holstered their weapons either on their waists or their backs, before the shackles on their wrists were activated again, and they each stepped into the back of their Squad Cars. The massive doors then slid closed, and locked with an audible bang, before the Techs hopped in the front where the designated drivers were Each SUV had the Squad’s number written on the side, once a horn of sorts went off, the hangar door opened, and the cars all moved out in sequence.   It was quite the intimidating sight as they all moved out and filled the streets, before going in their various directions. The 031 had been assigned to patrol an ‘urban’ area which had been flagged as potentially high-risk zone. It was in fact a slum where a large number of discharged Husks – known amongst themselves as the Unshackled – resided and attempted to earn a living. Protests had been going on for weeks, and the closer the SUV got to the zone, the more it became apparent that things weren’t good. Artificial sunlight blanketed the city, revealing just how bad things were, with violated buildings becoming more and more prevalent as they approached the area. The buildings were disheveled, detritus filled the streets, and slogans were spray painted on most all the buildings, signs and even the streets themselves. Soon enough, the car arrived and was immediately met by protest action. Hundreds, if not thousands of men and women of all ages flooded the streets, holding signs and pickets with slogans and messages. Many of the protesters were clad in black, with masks across their faces. The predominant slogan was ‘Husk = Human’, and it was not only on the shirts and signs, but on the masks as well. It was also being chanted out loud, and protest leaders who were placed in strategic positions were holding megaphones, absolutely bellowing the slogan out and leading the chants. The SUV had to slowly make its way through the crowd, so as to make sure that they didn’t hurt anybody. The actual destination of the car was to the District Hall, where the Head Councilor of the District, and the leader of local government was housed. The protesters sought a dialogue with him, yet he had holed himself in the building – much like the Councilors in all the other zones where the Squads had been assigned. They eventually arrived, and the shackles of the Agents were deactivated, before the Techs spoke.   “Alright Agents, you are permitted to put on your helmets.” Thiren said as he confirmed a few things on his tablet.   “Weapon safeties are active; however, the use of non-lethal force is allowed if things go pear shaped.” Kriyen confirmed.   The Husks all put their helmets on, which made whirring sounds as they booted and connected.   “Alright, video and audio are operational.” Thiren confirmed.   The Agents all stepped out of the back of the SUV only to be met with a massive chorus of boos and jeers. Objects were thrown at them as well, but the protest leaders quickly stopped the protesters from throwing objects, however the did nothing about the boos and hurling of insults and slurs. ‘Turncoats’, ‘traitors’, ‘puppets’, ‘scum’, were the most common insults, and along with the odd rock, the Agents had no choice but to take them all – which they did with a degree of stoicism. The Squad then formed a Husk barricade, standing shoulder to shoulder at the base of the stairs leading up to the entrance of the District Hall – from which the Councilor quickly emerged, flanked by his security.   “Agents!” He greeted as he spoke to the Techs. “These people must be dealt with. By protesting in such a manner, they are getting in the way of service delivery, and thus, are delinquents – Constitutional delinquents! They must be dealt with!”   The Councilor’s stomach jiggled with every exaggerated hand gesture, and the Techs spent most of their time trying to calm the large man down. Meanwhile, somewhere close by, a salvaged digital rifle scope was pointed in the direction of the Hall. The person who was holding it, was clad in head to toe in salvaged Husk armour from the war, painted white with a closed fist insignia on the chest piece.   “The target is here.” A male voice said, speaking into a radio. “Commence with the plan.”   Back at the Hall, the Councilor was still speaking, becoming ever more animated.   “These Third and Forth Generation Husks are a real nuisance. They seem to think that because they retained more emotions than the First and Second Generations, that it is somehow their duty to fight for the rights of those soulless bastards.”   As he got more animated, so too did the Husk Rights Protesters, and as if by some cruel twist of fate, a bunch of vehicles and people arrived and began filling the streets – however they did not look Pro Husk. In fact, they were dressed like those who were already there, only they had ‘Fuck Husks’ on their clothes and their masks. There was absolutely no talking or communication between the two groups, and a huge clash suddenly popped off, with the two sides not even easing into anything. They shouted their respective slogans as they fought, and as this all happened, the Councilor started screaming and ducked behind his security before barking at the two Techs.   “You there! Agents! Protect me! Get me out of here!”   “That’s why we came in the first place, Councilor.” Kriyen said with a barely contained roll of the eyes.   The fighting started to get worse as well as spill over and get closer to the steps, and as projectiles were being thrown about, a fire bomb somehow flew over the crowd and landed in front of the Councilor’s guards, exploding in a rather impressive blaze. Panic washed over his group, guns were drawn and fired at random. This prompted members from both groups to then pull their own lethal weapons and start to go at each other in earnest with the intent to kill, all the while, the Agents had yet to move a muscle.   “Agents, we will be evacuating the Councilor. Double Six, you will remain and clear a path for us while the rest of you will be with us and the motorcade. The car will stay behind and once you have succeeded in your objective Double Six, you will leave and meet up with us at HQ.”   As Kriyen quickly relayed the orders, the other four Agents suddenly sprang to action, leaping up the stairs in one fell swoop and joined the Councilor’s guards. Many of the protesters were actually Husks themselves, and it showed. Despite being on the government issued Suppressors that were supposed to neutralize their powers, the little they were able to access was more than enough to fight and cause real damage. Double Six gabbed his pistol and held it down by his side as he watched on in silence. A heads-up display inside the helmet was giving him all kinds of diagnostic information in real time, and as he waited for the signal to act, he looked around as something about all this felt a little off. Before he could ponder further, Thiren spoke through the coms.   “Agent Double Six, we are about to emerge, please clear a bath for us.”   The Agent took a few steps forward before leaping up into the air and landing on the car they had all come in. He looked around, surveilling the area until he found what he thought would be the most efficient path for the motorcade to take. He then leapt off of the truck, absolutely flew through the air and landed on the ground with an almighty thud – practically cracking the tarmac below.   “5%: Power.” Double Six said in a virtual whisper.   He looked down at his right boot, which began to glow brightly, before raising said boot and stomping it on the ground.   “…Quake.”   The ground suddenly sook violently, before the tens, if not hundreds of clashing protestors all suddenly flew up into the sky. Double six then raised his gun and after doing a quick analysis, aimed at those who would likely fall into the path of the motorcade. He then started shooting, his large energy pistol and left hand both glowing as he fired the shots so quickly, his hand became a blur. The targets were all found, with already falling bodies being blown in different directions, ragdolling as they did. The motorcade suddenly came bursting out from an underground parkade, with sirens blaring and lights flashing. The Agent’s left hand stopped glowing, as whatever power was there was now transferred to his left foot which was glowing together with his right. He then hunkered down slightly, before pushing off and dashing forward, cracking the tarmac once more and careening towards the crowd. He then drew his sword, which also started glowing and flew into the crowd, swinging the blade. Each swing appeared to be of monumental strength, and sent people flying left and right in the dozens. As they flew in all directions, the empty space was soon filled with the motorcade that was gunning it at full tilt. The other members of the Squad were standing on the rooves of the cars, ready and waiting to take care of any stragglers, yet even at full speed, the cars were unable to keep up with Agent Double Six who was literally running in front of them. He cleared the way very efficiently, and soon enough, the motorcade had a path that it was able to drive through to get the Councilor out. Just as Double Six reached the end, he was alerted to something dangerous incoming. Four Husks in the salvaged white armour appeared from nowhere, with two of them holding Particle Rifles so large, they almost looked bigger than the both of them. They simultaneously pulled the trigger and unleashed a massive beam that hit the Agent and sent him flying all the way back to where he had initially come running from.   There was an audible cheer that came from the Pro Husk protestors; however it was quickly silenced as they watched the Agent land on his feet, slide back and then come to a standstill – looking completely unscathed. The two soldiers shot at Double Six again, however he simply holstered his pistol, raised his left hand and held it up.   “5%: Shield.”   His hand glowed and as the giant beam hit it, it was stopped dead in its tracks. His overcoat fluttered as he blocked the shot with his bare hand, and once everything died down, both sides seemed to quiet down and stop fighting for a second. The tarmac beneath the beam was scorched and melting, yet the Agent was fine.   “Shit, rush him!” Somebody ordered, and ten more soldiers appeared from within the crowds, rushing towards Double Six.   The Agent then pulled out his pistol and looked at it for a brief moment, before pointing it and starting to fire. The soldiers, who had their shields active, attempted some evasive maneuvers, but they were unsuccessful and those who were targeted were peppered with shots. After around half a minute, and an untold number of shots, the pistol, which was glowing brightly, suddenly exploded, with bits and pieces of it hitting the floor. The pieces continued glowing and smoking long after hitting the ground. The Agent just stared at the remains of the weapon in his hand, before tossing it away nonchalantly and looking at the incoming soldiers, who had been whittled down by just over a third. As the soldiers reached him, they pulled out their weapons and attacked. Double Six, who was still holding his blade, swatted away a War Era Mace that was enhanced and hardened, shattering the head as if it was biscuit wafer, before sliding his left foot forward slightly and slapping the soldier so hard he twisted and spun in midair like a top. Using his left foot as a pivot, he then swung around to change his angle of attack and thrust his palm into the soldier’s side, sending him flying into another soldier and sending the both of them into the crowd. He then evaded a sword which was aiming for his kidney from behind, twisted his torso as he pivoted once again and faced the other attacker, before dashing forward half a step and slapping the soldier, crushing the helmet and sending him flying as well. He then parried two sword strikes with his own blade, and slashed the air in front of them, producing a shockwave so powerful it almost sliced the two in half.   From atop a nearby building, four soldiers who clad in fancier armour than the rest stood on the roof and watched as the Agent was one-shotting their on-rushing forces with little to no effort at all.   “Send in the Juggernauts!” The one who appeared to be in charge ordered over the radio before shaking his head. “We knew he was powerful, but just look at him… uyiNkosi. (He’s a King.)”   “How are we supposed to capture him alive when we can barely capture his attention, General?”   “We have no choice but to use the Husk EMP.”   “It is still charging up, General.”   “…how much longer do we need.”   “At least three minutes.”   “We have less than two.” The General replied as his armour suddenly began to glow as well.   “Do you honestly think that the troops down there, including the Juggernauts, won’t be able to last for two minutes?”   “You misunderstand.” The General replied as he glowed brighter and brighter. “The ones down there have less than 30 seconds left. I will only be able to hold him off at most a single minute.”   The General then let out a low growl as he continued to power up and glow brighter.   “Maximum: Strength. Maximum: Speed. Maximum: Agility. Maximum: Shield. Maximum: Flame. Maximum: Steel. Maximum: Reflexes. Maximum…”   The General pushed every single Power and Augmented Ability he had gained as a Husk to the absolute limit, causing his body to shake violently in the process. He thrust his arms out and opened his palms and he spoke through gritted teeth.   “Lethani iHawu, (Bring my Shield), iSikhwili, (Attacking stick), uBhoko (Defensive stick), noMkhonto! (and Spear!)”   He called for all of his offensive and defensive arms, which were quickly handed to him, before he let out an almighty roar and leapt off of the roof.   “You have one minute!” He bellowed as he flew towards Double Six.   The Agent, who had made short work of the regular solders, and now dealing with the Juggernauts. He evaded a blow from the massive fist of the first one, ducking under its path before stepping in and driving his palm into the stomach of his attacker, doubling him over and causing a shockwave to pulse out from his lower back. He then simply turned around and parried the fist of the second and final Juggernaut, before stepping behind her so quickly, she didn’t even see him move. The female Juggernaut suddenly found herself falling backwards after having her legs swept out from beneath her, before getting hit so hard in the solar-plexus by the back of the Agent’s hand, all the breath in her body was forcibly removed and she lost consciousness before hitting the ground. As that happened, the one referred to as the General landed in front of the Agent with such force, it looked as though the ground was going to split beneath his feet. Armed with iSikhwili and uBhoko in each hand, he assumed his fighting stance and stared at the Agent in silence for a while, before speaking.   “Sawubona. (Hello.) Before we start, I must ask… you are the Husk rumoured to have successfully processed all 12 Mutagens, aren’t you? The one who single handedly fought Descendant Lords to a stalemate in the Last Stand of Kelemvor? No, you needn’t answer that – your display of strength is more than enough to confirm our suspicions. We have searched for you for many years… please forgive our insolence, but we will be bringing you back with us. We can no longer permit your servitude to these murderous overlords.”   Agent Double Six remained quiet and still, only moving to look at his weapon. The General took advantage of that moment, trying to get the jump of the Agent and attacked him with an almighty roar. His sticks glowed as brightly as did his entire body, with him using every ounce of power within him from the very start, fighting with the traditional Donga Martial Art. His strikes were swift and powerful, with each one either being a killing blow, or setting up a killing blow. He stepped in quickly and unleashed his attacks before stepping out, using all of his skills and abilities, yet the Agent simply evaded and parried as if he lived in a world where time flowed differently for him. After a few rounds, Double Six suddenly jabbed his sword at the General, who had to use every shred of speed and agility he had to block it with uBhoko – resulting in the entire stick, which was made from only the finest and hardest materials, shatter into an uncountable number of pieces. Without missing a beat, the General slid iHawu down from his forearm into his hand and banged it with iSikhwili a few times before launching into another attack. This time, he was unable to even complete the attack because the Agent unleashed a volley of jabs, each one meaning death if it hit. The General evaded and parried as many hits as was humanly possible until the shield itself exploded. The General looked on in disbelief as his shield, an heirloom from his father, was turned into crumbs. Not allowing the mental blow to hinder him any longer than it had to, he then attacked with iSikhwili, but Double Six simply swatted it down with his open palm and snapped it in two. The General then grabbed his spear and tried to lunge at the Agent, but he was suddenly punched in the face and sent flying back. The helmet he was wearing shattered and crumbled at the point of impact, revealing part of the General’s face and his eye.   “It hasn’t even been 30 seconds…” He said out loud as he stumbled to his feet. “It seems expecting to keep you busy for a full minute was hubris on my part. That said, we need to bring you back with us! You work to uphold and protect the world created by oppressors and murderers! They raided our indigenous peoples to raise an army to fight their war! Forcefully conscripted able-bodied men and women, kidnapped and groomed girls and boys, injected us with poisons they wouldn’t dare put in their own people, all to fight against creatures that THEY attacked in the first place! Our Elders weep over the loss of three generations of their families, and we live in fear that our infants will be taken once the truce between the Races dissolves! How many of your fellow Husks have been scarred by the whips of punishment and conscription, as much as by the weapon of the enemy? You are all kept in a prison that is called a ‘Barracks’ just to placate the groups that fight for minority rights! Vuka, ndoda!Vula amehlo, ubheke nje ukuthi uphila kanjani!Ukuphila nje lokhu?!(Wake up, man! Open your eyes, and look to see how you live. Is this even living?!)”   “I don’t understand you.” Agent Double Six said in a robotic, monotonous voice, responding to someone for the first time. “And even if I did, do you think that speaking to me in a language you assume to be my native would sway me over to your cause? You are wasting your time. There is no emotion, there is no feeling, there is no thought – there is only the mission.”   Double Six said all this in a voice devoid of any sort of feeling, and he readied himself for an attack when he was suddenly hit square in the face by the General’s spear. The attack was so vicious, that it destroyed the front of the helmet, causing it to crumble as well and reveal the Agent’s face. Double Six completely no-sold the hit though, and threw his own weapon directly at the General, catching him square on the shoulder and piercing it before launching the soldier off of his feet and flying back He ripped through the once again fighting crowd and took a few of them out as he did, before smashing into a car that threatened to tip onto its side, before slamming back down onto its wheels. The General’s body was limp against the car, and the only thing keeping him up was the sword which had also gone through the door. The sound of incoming sirens filled the air, however most of the fighting protesters were too busy smashing each other’s faces in to even notice them. The General watched through blurry eyes as the subordinates he had left on the roof to fire the EMP were placed next to him after around a minute, their bodies limp and unconscious. He looked up and saw Agent Double Six looking down at him, and then just as he himself lost consciousness, he heard him speak.   “Bekezela, ndoda. Bekezela, ube nesineke. Konke kuzolunga, Mfowethu. (Bear with it, man. Bear with it and have patience. All will be well, my brother.)”   Just before drifting off, the General looked at the Agent once more, and not only saw emotion in his eyes, but life. The look only lasted in instant, before the eyes went back to normal, and the soldier lost consciousness.   The regular police were on hand to round up all of those who fought, as well as the mysterious soldiers who were all surprisingly still alive. As they were lead into vans in cuffs, a bunch of civilians had gathered, and were hurling slurs at not only the Pro Husk protesters, but those mysterious soldiers as well, barking about how the Husks should be ‘grateful’ because they were living like ‘savages’ before, and because of their government, they were now living like ‘people’. That they should appreciate everything that was done for them and do what they were told like the ‘good Husks’ of the Agency. Agent Double Six, after hearing all of this and more, simply turned around and made his way to the back of the SUV, and sat down in his seat. The door then slid closed, locked itself, and then the driver drove off, taking the Agent back to the Barracks   End.   NB: The other language spoken in this story is called isiZulu, and indigenous South African language, and my native tongue.

If you have any doubts about being reborn, let’s look at some ways to signs to look out for: I’ve suddenly become an infant. You recognize the name of the individual or situational character (SC) you’ve been placed into. You find yourself surrounded by equally familiar people. Oh, you’re still not sure? Get a mirror! There is a high percentage of being a reborn villainess if you have one or some of the following physical characteristics: Tight curly hair in a coil pattern. Fox like eyes or slanted eyes that look mean. A resting Canidae face The proclivity to laugh from behind a lotus-shaped hand. Those are some of the classical villainess looking features that is usually given to those who must nudge the light characters (LC) along towards the intended fate-defined goal (FDG). In many of the multi-dimensions, provided racial and special diversity, some of these can translate into colors, patterns or physical textures that might earn you a negative label. Should you have neither a recognized negative social label or the negative features of a villainess you may also confirm it through either divine intervention, remembering key information, or the direct verbal/ written confirmation via a system. Recognizing the likelihood of your having to one day take up that mantle is vital. You must test, confirm, and acknowledge that you have become reborn a villainess in this new world and accept this new life. Exercise 1 Do this exercise in a place you can be alone and not be bothered by other people. Now, we ask you sit down, preferably somewhere stable, and flat. Now, close your eyes and take one of your hands to lay flat on your chest. Now, say aloud everything and everyone you miss. Bring their faces to mind. Imagine them standing before you. Apologize, acknowledge, and express your gratitude. Thank them for helping you become who you are today, for the good memories that will continue to live with you in the new world. Apologize that you cannot walk with them towards the future, for stopping where you were and changing your path. Take them deep into your heart and then let go. Calm yourself and look at your new life. I am not asking you to let go of them or forget them. I am teaching you to keep them close, like meat to your bone, do not let them go – do not acknowledge them outside of this safe space you’ve designated for yourself. This is where you will store them, where you will hide them. You will come to this place when you miss them or want to revisit the feeling you had at the start of this exercise. You can allow your old life to be remembered here but as soon as you leave, you must acknowledge who you have become because the past can become a weakness and outside of this safe space, any weakness may mean your death. You are most likely entering a hostile environment, it might not be the immediate family or even the immediate care-givers but to be reborn a villainess means you will be at the front of danger. It might be the composition of the world, social structures, or even the directive of the plot for you to die. Do not rest easy until you are able to learn how to identify these dangers, protect yourself, or resolve them.  If you do not have the power or ability to survive, I ask you trust very little people. In this chapter, we will be learning to look at some factors that might endanger you. We’re going to identify the different ways you can be threatened by your immediate environment.

A man walked back to his sleeping quarters way past midnight, his mind still racing about as ideas popped willy and dilly. An unnecessary insecurity refused to omit it's existence from his heart, insecurity born on the question: what would his first hypothesis, which he had stumbled upon years ago will bring about in the world. Although formulated 8 years ago and confirmed a year after, it still was a ground breaking discovery which was not noticed by scientists all over the world and what was going to revealed by an unknown scientist. He had postponed it by years for his selfishness to let his own field being devoured by other competent scientists, a endeavor most common among scientists to preserve their backing. Now that he had even made a practical use application of it and made one so useful that he had guaranteed his success in his future endeavors and extinguished the selfish desires which are ought to be fulfilled. He checked the mail box for the occasional letters by syr, found one with even a package, which seemed to contain books. Although my adopted daughter did provide me with gifts and not the other way around, it was still unusual for it be books. He went inside his room and opened the package and found two book whose covers heavily implied fantasy and proceeded to read the letter without sparing a single glance at the covers again. Hello papa I had a great summer and even found a great hobby, which i feel would be good for you to also engage with, they are great for entertainment and stress relief. I sent you the initial ones i already read, they were not going to be use to me so why not. Also if i find you again slimmer when we meet at aunt's house for the festival , then i am really assigning you those health nutritionist, whether by your consent or against it. Love you always. Bye Your cute daughter Beads of sweat starting forming all over his body as he remembered just yesterday when saw his sunken cheeks on window panes. He quickly looked for ways to escape this predicament as the rakhi festival was only days away, the fastest solution would be stuffing himself while basking in the glory of his research. He thought that the fantasy books can also prove to be highly useful allies, so he quickly shifted his attention to them, He saw the absurdly long title and frowned. Is it wrong to pick up girls in a dungeon, He immediately understood the graveness of him reading the fantasy books which were written only for fun. 'Huh, well what's the worst it gonna be, the author writing a power fantasy directly with a harem of cat girls, elves etc., manageable i guess' Suddenly an idea passed through his head, wait can my mana will amplifier work for such a thing, what will be consequences, will i experience a adventure in a dungeon or pick up girls. 'Hmm both doesn't sound too bad.' He wanted to test it immediately so he rushed back to his lab. He clutched the book and the mana crystal he had condensed over 6 years with his compressed blood as the core. He started to think about the uniting his life to and life written in the novels while coursing the mana through his body, when he suddenly realized that he had no clue about what life in the book was about. He was suddenly struck by a shock and disappeared from the spot with the crystal , his clothes and book lying there without any owner. Another man standing outside the building reported through a hologram. "Abnormality #998 had to be soul collapsed due to investing heavily in mana reality and will manipulation. The research was more harmful than the predecessors and even managed to obtain a mana crystal, a first on planet #98716475803338565. Mana was heavily consumed all over the planet, even from my body. Potential danger notified, Risk level: A, category: Reality manipulation, Target detection: negligible as no contact with outside world till tomorrow. Angel#9086768 Report completed" The man waited and retrieved the clothes, changed camera footage, put the book back in to the room in the research factility carefully. A message popped during the supposed work and he activated when he completed the work. " Job level: Satisfactory, Creator#1 has demanded-" The Man had an change in expression on the mention the main creator and appeared frightened. "-that monitoring on the planet be increased as he had to create a dimension but he is not disappointed as the idea seemed amusing and praised the angel who did this. However we prohibit as creators are not to be involved in petty scramble of mortals. The job done based on situation is still satisfactory" The Man, or Angel quickly left leaving no traces of their presence. The Main creator smiled as he looked at the miniature world he named Joy instead of the number based names given by the angels, He knew he was going to enjoy the antics of this mortal who managed to collect mana in lower tier planet and even renege a will in it. He was removed from the world for it, but the creator could only wish to fulfill his last dying wish and made full effort to change the laws of the world so that he does not walk the forbidden path of reality and will manipulation. In the dimension Joy, A child was born seemingly with the world he was in, his parents cried in happiness after finally a boy was born but he did not cry , just opened his mouth and stared at them as though imitating the act of crying, causing confusion in the villagers. The boy also blinked in confusion when he saw giants moving their mouths but no sound could be heard, he tried to scream as this act may very well mean them shoving him into their mouths but no sound came out, or else he couldn't hear it.  But to the displeasure of all, the worst of the worst had happened.  

You’re not evil. That’s the first thing you need to learn. Get that out of your head before we start. You’re not the character you play, no matter what that script or system is telling you – you’re far from evil. That is not to say that there are not inherently cruel and devious characters or storylines available. Given that probability, that does not mean that you are your character’s previous actions or choices. You are an individual, and the original character (OC) are separate individuals. You’re only ever completely responsible for your own actions moving forward. No matter how bad they’re acted or how terrible they were to people around them, you can pity or feel sorry for the victims. You can try your best to make things right, but it is not your obligation to make reparations. Realistically, you’ve taken up this book for a variety of reasons, but it’s primarily written for those who want to survive. This is a survival guide for those ill prepared or pushed into circumstances without your consent1This is illegal. Please contact your nearest NL Representative for immediate extraction. This feature is available via the customer service function of Herald™ of the Godling service and all new versions of NL Systems after the v9844.21.002.. If you currently have no way out or have any kind of ability to free yourself – we will get through this together. You better believe we will crush them into the dust for even thinking they can touch you just because you’re weak. Mama K

#So i found some improvements i could make to the story in the later parts so did it, well enjoy the updated chapter. I will not upload chapter for 2-3 days , so don't think i dropped this, just got some urgent work to do in my life. The villagers though confused by the lack of cries from the baby, left in good mood after congratulating the couple for their first son. The parents were also happy but the lack of any cries also caused them serious discomfort. They tried to get various reactions out of their newborn child to no avail. They also began to fear another premonition on their part when the child did not seem to respond to any sounds which was proven when lily, the older sister had literally screamed at the child's ear as to induce a reaction from the reaction-less brother. " Dear, Why haven't we even sought the name today, he was born fairly early in the morning", mother of the child spoke in a concerned tone. The father frowned as he fell in deep thought, ' How can i tell that i have been so consumed by the disabilities the boy may have, that a name has been least of my concerns, no! no! no! even if the child has the disabilities i have to raise him, he is my child but he may have gotten unfortunate to be like this or this can even be temporary' "We will have his naming ceremony with the elders morrow, i was worried about his condition so how about a different name for him than we decided upon, the ones i thought of earlier does not seem to fit his charming red eyes" He said as he watched the mesmerizing eyes no one other in the family had. " Let's see how about-"...…. Lily walked back into the house quietly and tried to hold the newborn in her arms pulling him away from her other sister now asleep with the baby near but not too deep in her embrace. She left from the from the front door as she would be scolded if she was caught doing what she had tried to do hours before and got scolded for it. She sat under a nearby tree as she found out she could balance the baby just fine and her parents had been concerned for nothing. She turned opposite to the house as she heard some sounds approaching  so as to not get scolded, she then heard footsteps getting too loud for a human and then screams, she turned her head in horror accidentally dropping the baby to the ground. A white haired monkey stood there, albeit 5 times the size the normal which crushed her mother into the ground as she ran out of the house, blood and gore flew about  she then gaped at her house half decimated as the monster turned towards it and took something in his hold. Reality dawned on lily as she stood there in horror, frozen to the bone. Her sister getting bitten in half by the monster, she was now sure it was not a monkey but the monster her parents her once warned her about. She tried to scream but no words followed from the opening of her mouth. Her throat was parched like never before as though the fear had dried it up. Suddenly she was up in the air steadied by someone's hold, but she paid no attention to it, her world had been decimated before her eyes. She didn't turn or she couldn't even as a raspy voice rang in her ears. "Heh, looks like we even got a tip, these brats should fetch quite a sum. We would have got a jackpot if we got the girl too." Said a bulky one armed man as he examined both siblings. "Doesn't matter, Bard" He shouted. "Reign silverback back in before he does more of this shit, seen enough of this mess" The supposed leader of the group spoke and headed towards the opposite direction. "All of you quick and return to the port in half an hour, don't loot the village carelessly there are some level 1s here" ""Aye Aye"" Everyone responded in unison. Lily with her brother was thrown into a wooden cage but she still couldn't make any out of what had happened in her life these past few minutes, seeing her brother in the cage with her, she clutched him and started sobbing in his embrace. Nearby voices discussed how they could not capture the people who had seen them as the retired adventurers were quick on the uptake. The man last entering the ship called " Hahaha". "Kormad" He shouted, "I managed to take more than the bastard had promised. I reminded him how we had taken care of not only the son but the whole family, now he would get his brother's land way early and easily than before. That shit was even happy about it and even gave into it. Booze for all when we get back what do you say" The ship then sailed as soon as he got on with cheers from his companions. Thoughts of why was land so good that uncle had to kill pa and ma filled her young mind, her uncle seemed bitter at sometimes but was good to her and even played with both her, such thoughts ran in circle in her mind tears finally started to slow down after listening to the bandits. The brother that had never smiled to her despite how many times she tried was now gazing with bright red eyes and trying to smile and failing miserably at it, she understood that she was now being comforted by her own day old brother. She again fell into deep thought as she steadied herself and remembered her dead family while tears despite slowing down showed no end of stopping. Days went by as the ship sailed under the heavy scrutiny of sun. Lily had stopped crying and was trying her best to feed her brother to the best of her abilities, dripping it in water for hours and feeding him slowly in small pieces. She gained solace in being somewhat selfless and taking care of the only family she was left with. She hoped that she would take care of him and save him from the thieves somehow, she did not how, but just somehow But her only solace was soon taken away. A massive wave rose from the sea and then the ship was overturned, the siblings fell into the water and watched as red color floated trying to mix in the water and then from behind the red came the cause of it , a giant sea monster size of a house. Her brain raced, thoughts now composed enough by having experienced such fear before to think of somehow to get out of this situation, but the only thing that she was felt was her own use that did amount to nothing, she did not have any control over things, only thing she could do was watch as the creature opened it's maw wide. She accepted her death and felt a urge, a urge to get powerful, to upturn her own powerlessness, and to never feel this helplessness. But her death never came as another wave erupted larger than before from below another sea creature smaller but definately stronger than the one before them as it retreated as though being consumed by the same fear it had made his prey before. The massive wave hit her before the monster and swung her up into the air, the already stormy sky was now replaced by massive gales roaring harder than thunder which hurled the cage effortlessly far beyond the creature's reach. As she gasped for air , she kept her brother tight in her arms as the storm made her faint by hitting her body the other side of the cage hard. The cage rode by the air with the storm but lost most of it's momentum as the gale slowed down after moving a lot away from the sea. The next morning a amazon walked towards the beach as she had been assigned a chore. She was not happy for doing menial jobs despite being a level 2. 'Couldn't the goddess send those other snobs' .She thought as the sun kissed her eyelids, she could sense the surroundings just well that she could walk with her eyes closed and not bump randomly into something. Her assumption was seemingly tested as a piece of wood hit her square on her waist. "Yes , it finally broke" rang a high pitched childish voice as it's owner crashed into sand." ueh " lily coughed lightly and turned after remembering the person she had forgotten about ,spitting some sand out of her mouth. Surprisingly the baby had also woken up and was now opening and closing his hands as he protected his eyes from the rays of the sun that hit him. Tion was already a hot blooded amazon and her already ruined morning getting ruined further did account into her smacking the girl's head   although lightly . 'This little shit i am now  going to throw her to kali and make her regret her life'. She would have been gentle any other day by leaving her with the slaves but not today, she was gonna make her fight warriors after the seemingly peaceful life she would have led till now. She then saw a child up ahead lying on the ground. She took the child with girl not knowing what to do with them. She thought of annoying the goddess with her antics when introducing the children. She checked the ship had been done no harm and jogged her way back. " Goddess Kaaaali" She shouted as she entered a room with a small red haired goddess fixing her white bone mask. The goddess glared at her for shouting like a madman. Tion continued "The ship was intact, not even a scratch. But look i found a reward for you" The goddess scowled " What did you find it just lying on the beach". The goddess knew her children's antics when they tried to annoy her after she made them do chores. Tion hurled out two children from outside the room as he held the boy in her arms and lily by the scruff of her clothes." See i found some human children other than amazonians. You can give them your falna and try to raise them along with amazons to see how they will grow in comparison" The goddess contemplated and replied after some thought. "Very well, That is gonna be interesting to see." The goddess then smirked " Tion, why don't you take responsibility and raise them under your watch so they do not die as soon as they are out of the room. You wanted to leave when you were level 1, why don't try raising children if you gave some." Her child's pace paled "No no no, Make the better ones take responsibility, they are better than me and that means better growth and better fights" The goddess replied flatly" No, you do it or i assign patrol duties to you for a year, you should know what would be better." "O-of course, I will definitely take responsibility" a reply came with genuine fear in her voice. "Now pass those i have not got all day." The girl held the girl first." Oh, she seems to be good for an outsider". She swung the girl's body and then shouted " Wake up i have not got all day" The girl opened her eyes slowly . She stared at the goddess for a minute. The goddess spoke "Girl, you would get nothing by boring your eys into me. Now, you are going to be trained as same as an amazon so i can see how outsiders grow when they live like amazons. You should fight if you want to live. Now firstly you are joining my familia" The goddess didn't wait for the girl as she swung her onto her back and started adding her falna at a speed like she had been trained for this. Lily did not understand what was happening but she soon realized it was something good as energy flowed into her as falna was imprinted onto her back. 'Big sister told me something about being trained to be amazon. What is that and she told me to fight. I also want to learn to fight so i should be thankful then i would be able to save brother. Wait !'. She turned around and started looking around the room hurriedly although her body hurt like hell. Relief crossed her she saw her brother, the goddess doing probably the same thing she did with her to him. She was grateful that she had found good people who were giving them help. She then walked up to her and thanked her bowing her head down. "Thank you big sis, Me and my brother are grateful to-".She said but was startled by the reaction of the goddess before her. The goddess grew wide eyed as she flipped the baby in her arms. She then stared at the part which was the proof that she had been too foolish to not consider the most basic question. A thought then crossed her mind, what would happen if a boy was raised among amazons, among woman, how would he grow, would he be better. As she immersed into the thoughts, Tion said " brother?!!, he is a boy. Goddess! What do we do?" The goddess broke out of her thoughts and spoke up with a grin "Disguise him for a woman until he reaches adulthood Tion, i want to see how he grows in comparison to the amazons , among the amazons. He could bring about enjoyable fights. " Tion stuttered "B-But goddess, this is Telskyura and he is a man" The goddess said "Tion, you will follow this order to the word and don't tell anyone about it, you should keep him hidden properly at all costs, i will not send you into anymore death matches if you do so" Tion was now resigned to her fate, how she had tangled herself in the biggest mess on Telskyura but she had wanted to know about men since young and now since she was of age, she had even considered going out of Telskyura to explore after hearing stories from the older women that they had go out or later to hunt a man to bear the next amazons. She sighed and then walked away now stuck between a rock and a hard place.      

The forest is littered with carnage, armor and dead bodies. Red, green and silver are the new colors of what was once a beautiful lush forest which has now turned into the stage of a merciless battle. The air, which usually carried the songs of birds and the smell of petrichor was now merely a hellish canvas for the stench of death and the glowing red embers that engulfed the vile scenery. Enough to make even the bravest of men tremble in fear. Two trained armies had fought in vain for control of the area, neither prevailing. The toll on both nature and humanity was enormous.  It would likely take generations before the forest will have recovered. It was clear, metal, rubble and gore had taken the place of trees and plants.  However, amongst the remains lay a boy... the sole survivor. The hellish symphony of screams and brutality displayed had polluted the poor boys' ears and eyes. What had happened would not pass easily, his soul forever poisoned with the tragedy of war. Golden, curly hair gently hangs over his chiseled, friendly face. Narrow green eyes, set buried deep within their sockets complimenting his fair skin. A cut reaching from just under his right eye , running towards his left nostril and ending on his left cheekbone, forever narrates his tormenting past. This is the story of Kensworth Diablo.   pathiKAL Fun fact: This mural was created by using artificial intelligence (AI) !! It was made to resemble the Baroque style of painting. Also, there are no bodies or suits of armor depicted in the mural, and if you look closely, details that were previously hidden come to light. Like the small  pool of water. Crazy, right?!! There was a  sudden clamoring of hooves and shouting which disrupted the short lived peace. Around eight to ten men on horses had arrived to the graveyard where Ken lay.  "It's as bad as the rumors say, almost like hell on earth" one of the men uttered. The company stared over the never-ending field of death, bewildered at the horrifying sight. "We'll have plenty of time to talk about this later on, for now gather up any survivors and load the dead... no, forget it. Leave the dead here, there are far too many" ordered the man atop a white horse. "We'll bring back any survivors, and let the surrounding towns and villages do the dirty work." The man had red curly hair which reached his shoulders. His stern gray eyes watched over his men as they staggered amongst the mountains of dead bodies searching for survivors. This man was non other than Commander Holger of Rougefell Town.  Their visit was short lived, it would take far too long and prove far too difficult a task to check every body. As the sun began to set, Holger, his company and Ken set off for Rougefell. It wasn't long before the group had decided to take  refuge in a nearby cave. "The trip back to Rougefell will take at least 2 halvdes1A halvdev is 12 hours, or half a day, we will rest here and leave fist thing in the morning." Holger spoke, to which grunts of agreement were returned. The group was sitting on scrapped logs with the cave to the south of them; a safe sleeping place.  "Well Sir Holger, all that is good, but what I wanna know is how the fuck a kid managed to creep their way into such a battlefield" an intrigued Bodger spoke. "And how'd he live through it, let alone be the only survivor?!!" All eyes were now on the little boy. Ken was only a child, around the age of three or four, he stared at the company perplexed and amused by their confused faces. It was clear Ken had little-to-no idea of where he was and what had happened.  "He's probably too shocked to understand us, or doesn't speak our language." "Should we try asking again?" "I say leave him be. He needs his rest, plus he's already beginning to doze off"  Ken's eyes were droopy and it wasn't long before he fell asleep and disappeared amongst the choir of banter and chatter which had suddenly erupted. The sun had set, and now it was time to move into the cave. With a camp fire set at the entrance of the cave, the cold blue and black atmosphere was immediately replaced with a warm glowing orange. Everyone had sat with their backs against the solid gray wall with a beverage in their hands. And after a great deal of drinking, the now drunk family had broken into song.  Do You Hear The Tavern Ring?Eric of Tobar MhuireTo the tune of Do You Hear The People Sing? from Les Miserables Do you hear the tavern ring, singing a song in minor key?It is the music of the cider, warping brains of such as we.When the ailing of your skull echoes the sculling of your ale,We can be sure that silence comes, when your voices fail.Will you join in our crusade? Who has the skill to hold a tune?Our memories may degrade, for we’ve been drunk all afternoon.So join in the crowd that will let you bay loud at the moon!Will you drink all you can drink so that our voices fill the air.Some will hold and some will crack, but we’re so drunk we hardly care.Each one in a separate key, and our voices we share! So they sang, chanted, shouted and laughed all night long. It truly was the spirit of the warriors from Rougefell Town.  pathiKAL Phewww, finally finished this. I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter of my series "LOADED HOUND".  I wont be consistently posting as I'm very busy with my social life and studies. Please let me know what you think!

"Mommy, mommy, wake up mommy..." As I stare at the pile of rubble, I try to wake up my sleeping mother. "It's already morning mommy. Please wake up." Even as I try again and again, my mother just won't wake up. Silly, isn't she? Didn't she say that she wanted to go to grampa's house? I try to wake her up for a long time. So long that blood red water came out from the rubble where my mother is sleeping. "See mommy? It's raining now! How are we gonna go to gramps?" BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! Six loud sounds that I can't identify resounds from behind me. No... I've heard them from movies before. Gunshots. Loud gunshots. Is this normal? I never knew about... no. It's... not normal. Definitely not. This isn't right. What isn't right. If it isn't right, then why isn't mother here? Why isn't she standing next to me? Teaching me what this incorrect thing is? I know... don't I. ... ... No. Mother will wake up. "Right? Am I right, mommy?" It's just a matter of time. She WILL wake up. "Mommy? Mommy? Wake up mo-" I woke up. It's finally morni...ng Where am I? What... is this place? "Hey you, you're finally awake." Said a blond stranger. "Wh- where am I? Who are you? Mommy said never to talk to strangers!" As I responded, I thought about the stranger's intentions. Oh no... is this a kidnapping? Is that stranger going to do evil things to me?! "Fuck no! I'm no pedo! Take a look around, it's a special situation." Following the strangers advice, I looked at what's around me. Destroyed. The city is destroyed. Buildings were missing rooms or even entire floors. The roads have been destroyed by something impacting them. Rubble is all around the road. I also saw a strange light from outside the city. Wait, no it's gone. Hallucination? Well, no matter what that was, the city was destroyed. A metallic stench was also prevalent. For some reason it's really familiar. I somewhat understand what the stranger meant, but... Wait... where's mother? "Where's mommy?" I asked. The blond stranger let out a strange expression for a fraction of a second, before returning to her previous expression. She responds to my question with uncertainty. "I... don't know. Maybe they're somewhere else? Outside the city?" "We have to look for her!" I have to find mother! "Okay, relax. We'll go outside the city and find them there."  "What if they're inside the city?" "Impossible. Only we're here in this city." "How can you be so sure?" "A guess." ... The silence lasted for a second until the stranger stood up and said, "Well, let's get out of here!" With that, we left. We walked for several hours until the sun went down. Even though the stranger seemed to want to go further, she noticed that I was tired, and so, she found a convenience store where we can rest. The stranger found a generator and used it to power up the building. She then heated two pre-made meals for us to eat. While we were eating I asked, "What happened?" "Hmm? Don't you remember what that lady in the screen said?" The stranger answered with a question. "Wha?" "Well, it isn't important." The stranger said dissmissively. "Anyhow, enough about that, what about your mom, your dad?" "Dad's an OFW. He was going to go back on... today? Mom... I don't remember." "Today? Then he'll be with your mom already, right?" "Yeah!" "So we have to find them quick, before they worry." The stranger said, "But for now, let's sleep." As she was about to leave to throw away her trash, I asked, "Miss, I forgot to ask your name." The stranger turned to me with a confused face, and said, "Huh...? Oh, I'm just a simple detective, A-" BOOM! "The hell was that!" The stranger said, startled. "Haah... go to sleep kid, I'll check it out, then we'll find your mom tomorrow, ok?" "Yes!" That's right. We were going to find them. human Sorry for the short chapter. Edit: Minor Dialouge changes.

... Notification.... Hunter Application: "Alert! A F-rank dungeon has appeared near you. Would you like to participate?" So Seung-Ho pressed the notification and rejected the proposal. The F-ranked dungeons were ignored by everyone. Due to the small amount of resources in them, only the weakest hunters participated for a miserable salary. Seung was one of those hunters. He was weak, very weak. Although he loved raiding, he preferred to abstain from it for fear of getting hurt. However, the only raids he made were in F-rank dungeons, the lowest ones available. He must have been the only one to get hurt in these dungeons. Once, he was even at the point of death. It goes without saying that the profession of hunter was not suitable for him. Seung clung to his dream of becoming a hunter, but it was impossible. In contrast to his hunting skills, his intellectual qualities were remarkable. As a student at one of the best universities in Seoul, there was no doubt that he would occupy an exceptional position. BRRRRRRR....BRRRRRR While Seung was attending a math class, a violent earthquake disrupted his session. While the more lively students got under the tables, others were stunned. It was difficult to help them. The brave non-hunters struggled to walk because of the violent shaking. Cabinets fell over, chairs slid down; the classroom became a chaos. In all the commotion, the professor seemed to want to announce some news. He inhaled sharply and began to shout to be heard. "It seems that this earthquake is due to the appearance of a high-level dungeon". When the dungeons appeared, they caused seismic and climatic disturbances. However, this appearance only lasted a few minutes. As soon as the situation seemed to calm down, the teacher told the students to go out into the hallway and wait for the headmaster's instructions. This way, he could take care of the people in trouble. Seung, feeling good, left the classroom. He was one of the first to hide under the tables. His experience as a low-ranking hunter had immediately alerted him to the danger. Before his foot had reached the doorway, he was called out. "So Seung-Ho! So Seung-Ho!" Seung's friend shouted through the school corridors. He walked towards him with speed and excitement. "Kim Seo-Jun, aren't you with your class?" "Mr. Chi-Hun is absent. I had to deal with the shaking alone in the hallway..." He said while recovering his breath. "Are you aware of the appearance of the dungeon in Seoul?" "Of course! I was just calling you to talk about this. The <scarlet sword> and <berserkers> guilds will cooperate on this raid." Seung frowned, showing his incomprehension. "It's a high-ranking dungeon certainly, but the <scarlet sword> guild should be enough on its own, right?" "Apparently this dungeon would be S+ rank." "An S+ rank dungeon?!..." Seung, not having been able to use his phone during the shaking, was not aware of this information. He was content with his teacher's words. Surprised Seung-Ho wanted to take his phone to check the information. Before his hand reached his pants pocket, his phone started to vibrate strongly. The hunters' app notified the inhabitants of the whole city: "Alert! An S+ rank dungeon is near you. Please take refuge in the underground." No sooner had he finished reading the notification than a message was transmitted throughout the university over the loudspeakers. "Students are invited to reach the basements of the building in the quietest possible way." So Seung-Ho and Kim Seo-Jun looked at each other, feeling both anxiety and excitement. They set up in the basement of the building, a large room with enough chairs for each student and a huge projector. The headmaster waited until all the students were seated before starting the raid broadcast. The high ranking portals were very popular in the media. It was customary to see them on television and on social networks. The broadcasting began. A man in his forties, dressed in black, had appeared on the projector. "Hello everyone, this is the famous S+ level dungeon!" The dungeons were all composed of a tower around which were portals created from the mana of the tower. "The tower you can see is huge, there must certainly be more than a hundred floors!". One could contemplate a tower that overlooked the city; even splitting the clouds of it. It was certainly visible from hundreds of kilometers away. It was impossible to broadcast a live raid in a tower. The thick layer of mana covering the tower prevented any signal from getting through. The live broadcasts therefore focused on the fights outside the tower, i.e. the fights against the portals. "This is the second tower this year to exceed the S+ rank. The amount of mana that the tower releases is considerable. Because of this, four A+ rank portals have opened." Although it was possible to enter the tower, this was not the case for the portals. Only monsters could use them. The purpose of fighting these portals was to fight the demons until the tower was conquered. This was the only way to destroy these portals. To protect the inhabitants from these monsters, the implementation of basements under each building was decided 50 years ago by the hunters' union, an international organization uniting the majority of the countries of the world. "S and SS rank fighters enter the tower!" Shouts of encouragement and excitement filled the room as the hunters were announced. In a world where the human race was hanging on by a thread because of the monsters, the hunters were in a way the saviors but also the kings of this world. "Faced with the amount of S and SS fighters this tower requires, the best Korean guilds had to join forces to deal with this threat." S- and SS-rank hunters were miracles of nature. While a quarter of the humans had awakened powers, the number of S and SS rank hunters did not exceed 200 and 25. Monsters of power capable of rivaling the army of a country. But this power was nothing compared to what was called the chosen ones. 5 hunters immensely more powerful than the others, the world class hunters. After 2 hours of struggle, the tower was conquered. For the hunters in the tower, it was not 2 hours but 2 days. This strong alliance was effective. Thanks to them, human losses and material damages were minimal. Outside the university, as well as inside, people were in good spirits. The students applauded the achievement. "They are really too strong!" "Completing a dungeon in 2 hours is a feat!" "I wish I could be like them. The students in the room exclaimed. These fighters were the pride and joy of Korea. The headmaster gestured with his hand for the students to calm down and then spoke: "As a result of the appearance of the dungeon, class schedules have been disrupted. Under these circumstances, classes for the day are cancelled. You will find, on the school's website, the classes to be made up and explanatory videos. Thank you for your understanding." The students calmly left the room. Some went home, others engaged in endless discussions about the event they had just witnessed. "I'm going to take the opportunity to relax and do some shopping, I'm exhausted" Seo-Jun said while stretching. "You've barely worked all day, you can't be tired already..." "My body has been through way too much emotion, I'm running out of energy." "Rest well then, I should do the same." Seung-Ho turned his head and raised his hand in farewell. Arrived at his apartment, he threw himself on his bed, the head first on the pillow. He let out a small sigh ridding him of the strong stimulation that this day gave him. This was a rare event. Only one or two dungeons of higher rank than S+ appeared in the world. He turned on his phone and looked at the many articles and reactions on social networks. This raid went around the world in no time. The first videos of the fights in the tower were posted on the platforms. At this news, Seung's eyes widened and his heart rate was accelerated again. He was happy to be able to see the raid in the tower. The second floor showed a city like Seoul engulfed in flames. Just as the tower distorted time, it also distorted space. Although the tower was colossal, the interior was much larger. In the video, we could hear the famous SS rank fighter, Kwok Min-Soo. He was in charge of conquering the tower. Demons were appearing by the hundred. Some were coming out of ruined buildings, others were flying. The hunter Hye-Jin of the guild <the Berserkers> approached these monsters at great speed by propelling herself with her flames. With lightning speed, she destroyed about 60 monsters. Its speed was such that the human eye was not able to see it move. Only its flames attested to its presence. "waaaa..." He expressed his admiration for Hye-Jin's sublime and powerful attacks. The monsters must have been about ten meters long, all covered with fire or water. "So these are what we call the demon elements. Marmona Seung who saw for the first time the appearance of the demon elements. Demons whose skin was made of one of the elements of nature (fire, water, earth...). Being only in the high level dungeons, he had never had the opportunity to see them. Fortunately for him... These creatures were formidable. Some of them could measure about thirty meters in height while others were a few centimeters tall. At the end of each floor of the tower was a boss. A demon that reigned over the floor. The most powerful ones developed some form of intelligence that allowed them to talk with humans. After a few minutes, the group of hunters seemed to be closing in on the boss of their floor. He smashed the weaker demons on the floor to pieces in no time. - Kwok Min-Soo: "the difficulty of this floor should be S, I'll take another SS fighter and a healer with me to storm the boss, the rest of the group will take care of the other demons." In all towers, the difficulty between each floor was 1%. In other words, if the tower consisted of 100 floors then the top floor was a little over 2.5 times as difficult as the second floor. In this way, Kwok Seo-Jun was able to determine that the first floor had to be about S rank. The person who was in charge of filming was not allowed to film the boss's fight, as she would be in great danger. Even if she had been allowed to do so, the camera would surely be smashed to pieces because of the great pressure of the mana of the boss and the hunters. Seung-Ho spent his whole evening watching the raid. It was a habit for him to watch raids and not only S+ rank. He was passionate about everything and watched any kind of content related to hunters. He finally put down his phone, curled up under his blanket and sighed. A sigh that expressed a deep sadness; that of not being able to be like the hunters he had just seen. There was a lack in him. Perhaps it was because he never knew his parents? Did he need to feel loved? To show people your value? He slowly closed his eyelids and then suddenly opened them again. He felt his body fall into the void, he had to open his eyes, everything was black around him. He began to pant. The speed of the fall was too fast for him. Thinking of the shock he was about to suffer, he screamed with all his strength and cried. Bouuuuuuummm... ! The moment he had been dreading arrived. To his surprise, no pain. The first thing he did was to look at the state of his limbs. As he inspected himself, his body shook. Seung, traumatized, had not even noticed that his environment was bright again. His instincts had conditioned him to check the condition of his body and ignore the rest. This was not surprising from an F-rank hunter as weak as he was. "Don't worry, your body didn't suffer any damage thanks to me" He raised his head slowly, with fear. He saw the figure of a man. He was sitting on a table with his knees crossed and his back straight. This person looked at Seung with a very amused look, looking a bit like a psychopath. The person's style of dress and face caught Seung's attention. There was something special about him. Seung took a deep breath and decided to speak. "Where... am I? Who... are you?"  

As I went outside, I encountered what made the loud noise. "Not again..." A golden ring with a smaller ring inside. On the rings are countless eyes and eyeholes, the rings also have signs of damage like the angels in the city. In the center of the rings is a gigantic eye, something black is visible on its edges. Looking at it reminds me of the time we caught a serial killer. It had similar eyes, although there were some differences. While I was inspecting it, it was doing the same to me. Seems like it's somewhat smart. Was it called a Cherub, maybe a Throne? Well, doesn't matter. I have to find this thing anyway. I ready my gun and a combat knife I found in a bag in the convenience store. BANG! I take the first shot of course. The Throne was hit in the eye. It screeched incredibly loudly, was it targeting my damn ears? Is the eye a weak spot, or is it just the pain of being shot that's making this thing scream? Seeing as it won't do anything, I shot it another five times, emptying my gun. The thing screeches louder, Yahweh, why? As I was reloading my gun, I thought, Didn't Thrones burn? Ah wait, this wasn't the legendary flag ri- Ah, Jesus. Fwooooo... Black flames come out of the eyeholes of the throne. I dodged them. Weren't you guys holy!? What's with the black flames!? As I was about to shoot it again, I felt something at my back, so I moved to the side. Shiiing! A sword with black flames swung to where I was. I looked at where the sword came from and found a man with black fire at his back smiling at me. "Who the hell are you!?" I asked the attacker. "Maalik! Gatekeeper of Jahannam!" The attacker responded. Jahannam? Muslim hell? "What the hell!? This isn't Jahannam you dumbass! This isn't even Canaan! This is the Philippines!" "HAHAHA! Jahannam is destroyed, you fool! And that damn desert? Those damn Chalkydri-!" BANG! BANG! After reloading my gun, I shot Maalik twice, hoping he would die. Of course, he didn't. He was a damn angel for God's sake! Even if he was burning to death right now, I can't kill him with only two bullets! That Seraph looked like it was right next to death, but this Maalik guy would likely survive for a few more hours. The only thing I could do was lead them away from the convenience store where the kid is and fight them at some other building. I looked around me for some place safe. I spotted a cross. A cross? There might be a Church under it. I thought to myself, and so, I shouted, "Catch me you damn bastards!" I ran towards the church. It wasn't that far, but it probably won't be easy to get there. Why, you ask? Because... Boom! Shiiiiing! Crack! The debris next to me was broken to several pieces were broken by a flaming sword. Fwooooo... The path in front of me was filled with black fire. As I narrowly avoided these incredibly lethal attacks, I taunted them. "Guardian of the Tree of Life? Gatekeeper of  Jahannam? Hahaha! You can't even catch a single human and you dare call yourselves that!?" For some reason, these angels were extremely easy to provoke. As I went near the church, I noticed there was a school next to it. What if... I went inside the school with the angels following me. I went into a classroom and grabbed anything sharp. Pencils, pens, shards of glass, and some others. Then I used the chairs and tables to make a wall. As the two angels went in, I used the chair and table wall, and jumped to the Throne. I threw the sharp objects to all of its ring eyes, making it scream in pain. Lucky me. Then I used the combat knife to stab the cornea of the main eye several times. This made it scream even louder, which distracted Maalik. I jumped off the Throne, shooting the distracted Maalik in the back of his head six times and stabbing the back of his throat. They bled black blood. "Bye!" "No-!" I then ran outside and tried to find a home economics room. Luckily, I found it and I went inside. Looking inside, I found all sorts of spoons, knives, and forks. Packing them all away, and replacing my combat knife with a cleaver that I found inside one of the student's bags for some reason. "Got you!" The wall to the door's right was broken, revealing two angry angels. The Throne spewed fire haphazardly while Maalik was running towards me. I shot Maalik while running towards the Throne. I used the cleaver to hack through the main eye several times and I took the opportunity to scoop out all its ring eyes with a spoon, making it scream for a minute until it finally stopped moving. Maalik wasn't doing nothing of course, he recovered from the shot and charged towards me. "YAH!" BOOM! He launched me through the building and into the entrance of the school. A huge arch. Crack! I heard several cracks, but I had no time to feel the pain, as Maalik was there. I immediately reloaded my gun and took out my combat knife while he was recovering from hitting the arch. I emptied the gun on him, then stabbed him with the combat knife several times, some hitting, some missing.  Shiing! I jumped back as Maalik tried to hit my shoulder. Maalik's sword hit the arch. He started attacking wildly. I dodged like hell. His attacks were quick, several of them threatening to hit me every second. I jumped around in all directions just to not die. This lasted for several minutes, until he became tired. A chance! I ran towards Maalik and when I got close, I threw my bag towards him. His sword moved up from the ground, which slashed the bag and pushed it upwards. I came from behind the bag and slashed at his throat with the knife at my right hand. At the same time, I noticed that his sword was moving down, so I put my left arm up. Slash! Stab! As I slashed his throat, his sword dug itself in my arm. I then continued to quickly slash at his throat continuously until... Maalik's head was seperated from his body. Thud! The headless body fell to the ground while being consumed by black flames. Maalik was dead. I, Amelia Watson, survived. Moments later, Amelia froze. When the adrenaline went away, pain was all she felt. The bones that were fragmented to incredibly small bits and pieces, the exhaustion, the sword wounds, the burns from the black flame, the injuries from being launched through a wall, the organs that were slowly but surely being dying because of her wounds, and the black fire from the burning sword. It was excruciatingly painful. All that was in Amelia's head was, It hurts! Suddenly, due to the damage it sustained from Maalik's sword, one side of the arch crumbled. The arch fell towards Amelia. When the falling arch was near her, Amelia regained her senses, and realizing the situation she was in, laughed and asked, "After all that, this is how I die?" She closed her eyes, prepared for her death. human Sorry for the late chapter, I binged some novels. Edit: Fight scene changes.

human Edit: Removed a line that was missed during editing. Edit 2: Changed Ending. Edit 3: Seraphim (Plural) --> Seraph (Singular) Seraphs and Cherubs --> Angels Some other revisions. As I, Amelia Watson, was walking down the street, a square panel suddenly appeared in front of my eyes. The panel was translucent, colored in a dark shade of blue, surrounded by a white border. Strange, I thought. I'm still too young for this sort of nonsense hallucination. Maybe I wasn't as healthy as I thought? As I was doubting my mental health, I looked at my surroundings. Several people were frozen like ice, and they were staring at something that I couldn't see in front of them. Some were visibly confused, while some others wondered "What is this..?" out loud. Seems like it isn't just me. As I realized this, I sighed in relief. Looks like my head's working fine. Now... what is this...? As I stared at the panel for a few seconds, I analyzed it, trying to figure out what it is. I attempted to wrap my head around it, using the information in my brain to figure out what this thing could be. Then, it came to me. It can't be that... I thought, as I recalled a webnovel I recently read. I'm not Korean though... so it seems I won't be the main character. hisssss... While I was decieving myself to think I was funny, I heard hissing in my head which caused it to ache. I attempted to cover my pure ears from this hellish tune, but it seems like I still hear it then. Where is that coming from? The annoying static went on for a few more seconds. When it ended, The panel suddenly showed a video, in which a young girl with blue and green hair appeared in the video. I felt a vague sense of connection to the young girl, reminding me of the times I accidently ate dirt. The girl started to speak, a serious sounding voice which makes it evident that what this girl says is likely important. "This is an announcement from the representative of the Planet Earth. The pathetic gods have awakened. They have forgotten the events of the Great Floods. They will once more attempt to annihilate humanity. We have contacted the Outer Ones. They will come to our aid. When they arrive, those pathetic imbeciles will no longer be able to pose a threat. Survive until then. To assist you, we have granted you several abilities to enable your survival. We wish for a most beautiful fabric. For Terra." BOOOOM-! Soon after the young girl finished speaking, a loud explosion resounded from the skies. My pitiful ears have been damaged once again. As I regained my hearing, several objects fell from the sky. BOOM! A less loud explosion resounded once more from the place the UFOs fell. The UFOs were actually 10 spheres surrounded by a giant ring and one humanoid. Suddenly the humanoid flew towards where I was at an incredibly high speed, with the spheres following it. One sphere got closer to our position when, BOOM! With that, the holy trinity of explosions was established, and a building next to where I was suddenly leaned towards my location. Time to run! My adrenaline was released as I, and some others were running away from certain doom, but the humanoid seemed to want to kill us. Why me? While I lamented at the fact that I was to die soon, I searched my surroundings for a gun I could use. Due to my heaven defying luck, all I find are baseball bats, knives and other melee weapons. Use those instead? Haha no, with that thing's speed, I would die. I found a bag with a revolver and about 60 bullets on the ground. I picked the bag up as I was running, put the bag strap on my shoulder, took the gun and filled it with bullets, then I looked back and shot all the bullets. Due to the fact that I'm running away while the humanoid flew towards me in a stupidly high speed, most of my shots, except one missed. The bullet that didn't miss was lodged at the humanoid's shoulder. The humanoid paused due to the injury. I took this opportunity to rest while reloading my gun. I released six bullets once again, injuring the humanoid in its vital points. The humanoid froze for a moment. I took this opportunity to analyze the humanoid while once again reloading my gun. The humanoid was freakish, it had six arms, six wings, eyes all over its body, and a halo. The left half of the halo was filled with cracks, while the other half was pitch black. It was the same with its body. the left half of its body lacked much skin, exposing its bones and organs, three of its once majestic wings reduced to a stump. The right half of its body had a blue-ish color, with black veins spread all over it. three of its wings are now black, seemingly withering away. It had seven eyes on its body, all of which were destroyed by me. A seraph, I thought. A caretaker of the Abrahamic God, YHWH. Looks like that God invasion thing was true. Even then, what could have damaged the seraph this much? The nine spheres behind are actually gigantic eyeballs, the rings are filled with words that seems to be part of the book of revelations, though I can't see it all due to the damages. Five of the eyeballs and rings are slowly darkening, while the the rest are full of so many cracks, that they seem as fragile as porcelain.  After I reloaded my gun, the seraphim suddenly released a high-pitched screech. The eyeballs then rushed towards me, and I used my gun to kill six of them. The seraph then started to flail around, killing the three remaining eyeballs. The ring suddenly exploded, the force throwing me and the seraph to a building. Painful. The seraph started rampaging, flying around and destroying the city. I reloaded the revolver, then attempted to kill the seraphim. I failed. Fuck, I can't kill it. I realized this and was preparing to run away, until I noticed a little girl. SHIT! I ran to the girl, took her, and started to run away. The girl looked like she just finished crying. She stared at the place we ran from, saying "Mommy mommy mommy" repeatedly. With my luck, the damn seraphim charged towards us, I dodged, falling on the floor. I stood up, and ran away again with the child. Many buildings were falling over due to the seraphim's rampage. It was chaos. Later on, the girl woke up. Seems like she forgot all about what happened. I looked at the city once again, the buildings once standing tall are now nothing more than rubble. A metallic scent is evident in the air. I hear nothing, not even the chirping of birds. The city feels devoid of life, nothing but the dying angels. They seemingly pray to something in silence, begging for life, even if all they have left are their dying bodies. ... We have to leave this place.

Announcement This is the start of an anthology of parodies that have 'shit' as title. It is not always about actual poop, but it can be. Yes, the cover is lazy, that's because Ai-chan is so very busy and just writing this to get back into the groove. ver.1.00.04   "Ah!" I accidentally let out a small cry as the middle-aged man was about to rest his ass on the seat next to me.   He looked at me after hearing my voice and asked, "Is anyone sitting here, young lady?"   I couldn't trust that I would be able speak properly. So I shook my head while pressing my lips tight. But just as his ass rested on the seat, the sound of something squishy being pressed between two hard surfaces almost made me wretch.   "What?" the middle-aged uncle asked.   I knew my voice would betray me, so I just subconsciously covered my mouth with my right hand. Which I belatedly realize was covered in something black, liquidy and mushy. Panicking from the nastiness, I shook my hand up and down vigorously, trying to get the nasty black goo off of my hand.   The uncle looked at me and said to himself, "Weird kid."   Like I want to hear that from you, uncle who sat on a pile of poop!   I... I think I'm probably sick. Yes, I must be sick. This can't be real. The train can't possibly be covered in poop. Isn't this what they call schizophrenia? Should I tell mom to send me for psychiatric help?   Yes, I've been seeing poop. Everyday. Yes, I know everyone poops, but this is wayyyyyy out of the ordinary. People don't poop in the train!   Let's start from the very beginning. This all started about a week ago. It was a day after the eclipse that they said happened every 4,000 years.   I was going to school like normal. Reading my favourite novel while waiting for the train to stop at the station near my school, I noticed someone sitting to my right. Turning my head to the side to give the person a glance, I ended up doing a double take, as it was not just anyone.   It was Shuraya Samad. Who's that? Oh, she's only THE MOST POPULAR GIRL IN SCHOOL!   Story goes that she receives a confession almost every day. Which makes sense since she has this transcendent beauty that makes her look closer to an angelic being than a human. If you'd look at a picture dictionary, her face would probably be right next to the word 'beautiful'.   That being said, I've never come across her in the train before. It's not like I would claim that I know everyone, but I've ridden this same train for 2 years. I think I'm qualified to say that I'd have at least seen her before if she ever took the train.   While I was mesmerized by that perfectly shaped nose, she turned her face, looking at me with those beautiful playful eyes. Without saying anything, she tilts her head downward a little, naturally making her look even cuter as her loose long hair hangs down. She makes a little smile as if trying to say, 'caught you!'   Realizing what I was doing, I pulled my gaze away from her perfect nose and returned to my book. Yet I couldn't help myself from taking quick glances at her legs.   Wait, is that a pair of blue panties around her legs? I thought.   "Priiit..."   It was a common sound. So common that I heard it everyday. Specifically, I heard it every time I sat on the toilet bowl. My face paled as I slowly turned my head to my right and saw something that blew my mind away.   Sitting on my right was the hottie Shuraya Samad. She had her eyes closed and her lips formed a wide smile as if she was feeling completely satisfied. Her face glowed in the blissful feeling of taking a dump in PUBLIC!   "Oh yes... umm yes. That's wonderful," she said with her eyes still closed and her mouth still making a smile.   "Akademi Rembulan, Akademi Rembulan," the train's speaker announced the train's arrival at our stop.   "Perfect!" Shuraya said as she stood up, then reached down before pulling her panties back up around her hips.   I... had no idea what I was thinking at that time. It felt like I blanked out at that moment. It was like so many things were going on in my mind at that time that I just froze in place.   "Aren't you getting off? Or are you skipping class?" Shuraya asked with her melodious voice.   I'm ashamed to say I could not offer a reply. My mouth opened trying to say something, but I had so many things to say that nothing came out. What would you even say in this case?   That wasn't the only time it happened. It happened everyday. She would sit down next to me in the morning, pulled down her panties and shat.   And today, after school. She came to me, sat next to me again, and let go of her bowel right there again. That's right, while looking at me in the eyes, she shat next to me.   She must've seen the horror in my eyes, because she smiled as she said, "You can see it, can't you? My inundation."   "W-what?" I know I sounded stupid, but what would you say in that situation?   "One moment," she said as she pooped some more, before she got up and grabbed me by the hand.   "Come on, let's go somewhere," she said with her right hand pulling me up while her left hand wiped her ass.   I've always wondered, how could people not see this? She was clearly wiping her ass with a tissue paper. How could nobody see the toilet paper she threw on the floor? Have I really gone crazy?   She pulled me out of the train at the next stop, the name of the station didn't even register in my mind. So many things happened in my mind that I lost the ability to give a shit. Which thought should I prioritize in this case? The more I thought about, the heavier my head became.   "Can you remember it?" she suddenly asked when we arrived at a barely maintained side street, "How the minions of the 'one true god' called us 'disgusting abomination' and tried to erase our existence?"   I frankly had no idea what she was talking about. So I just kept quiet. Like, what am I supposed to say? I can barely wrap my head around the fact that she pooped in the train!   "They would cut us into pieces, and throw us into the far corners of the world. Yet the next day we would return, whole and none for wear."   Actually, I am pretty sure that I would not return if I was cut into pieces.   "They would burn us, scorch us with the radiance of a thousand suns. Yet the next day we would return, unharmed, as if it was nothing."   No, no. That's not how death works.   "Until the day they would cut us up, and feed us to their children, the first human man and the first human woman. And the next day we ceased to return to our original form. They rejoiced, for the 'disgusting' black mass was no more. But they didn't realize that because of that, we resided in the children of man. We are the result, you and me."   "So you're saying that we are created from shit?" I finally found my voice.   She tut-tutted. "No, nothing so crude. We are inundations. Our duties are to fertilize the world. For without us, the world will die."   "Fertilize the world by shitting in the train? What do you fertilize anyway?"   She made a wry smile, letting go of my hand, she used her right hand to wipe the pieces of poop on her left hand with another piece if toilet paper, then threw that into the bushes. "I prefer calling it 'inundating the world with the help of trains'. As for what we fertilize, everything! Soil, water, air, life, without us, everyone dies," she said as she raise both hands facing upward.   "Why trains?" I asked as I tried to avoid from getting close to those shitty hand.   "Because if you inundate a random patch of the forest, pretty much nobody would come near it, and therefore the fertilization will not go far. But if it's a train..."   "Millions of people use the train everyday."   "That's right! I knew you would understand, sister," she said with a wide smile as she approached me.   "Don't call me sister! My mother didn't marry your father, you public pooper!"   I tried to back away but my escape was blocked by the trunk of a large tree behind me. Noticing my predicament, Shuraya quickly crossed the distance and pinned me against the tree trunk with her tits. As she pressed her firm, well-formed titties against mine, her left hand reached up under my chin, keeping my chin with a strength I didn't know she had. I tried to shimmy away, but her right hand pressed against the tree trunk blocked my escape.   "Please don't touch my face with the hand you wiped you butt with!" I plead with eyes closed in disgust.   "Ah, but sister. This hand is holy hand. It's-"   "It's pooooop!" I screamed as one of her fingers rubbed against my lips.   "It's inundation, sister. We are the children of the inundation," she said with a seductive voice that felt like it became closer and closer to my ears, until in the end, she spoke directly into my right ear with that seductive, melodious voice, "It is out duty to inundate the world."   "Mmmm... mmmm" I tried to voice my disgust and refusal through closed lips as I tried to protect my mouth from the fingers that just before was wiping her ass.   "Come, sister. Join me and together we will shit everywhere!"   Without thinking it through, I blurted out. "You're not even trying-"   "Got you!" she said as she shoved her whole left hand into my mouth.   "Stooooooppppppp!!!! I screamed through the hand.   Ai-chan Stay tuned for the next story, Noble Wife Wants No Shit. Or maybe Ai-chan will release the story, I Shit Hard Every Day To Make My Husband Bankrupt instead. Which one do you guys want to read first?

Fairly quickly, the waiting period for fainting post-injection was finished, and he was on his (unmerry) way. They had actually put the first two weeks’ worth in his account after he’d gotten his shot. So, he knew where he was going to celebrate, especially if he was gonna transform! He looked on his phone for the map to King Lycanos’ and grinned. Shouldn’t be too far! He unlocked his bike and started peddling. He noticed how utterly energized he felt, and he was especially surprised at that, especially given that it was a hot summer night. Living in SoCal didn’t make it easier, no matter how much southerners would tell him ‘but it’s a dry heat!’ He pedaled on regardless, picking up speed as he left the more hilly areas. Biking down the highway’s shoulder felt a bit less dorky, not much, but a little, and the Sunday evening drivers were much less likely to jeer than Saturday night ones, so it seemed. Eventually, the bar came into view, and he grinned. He didn’t know why he was so giddy, last night he had just thought it was…a way to make money. But, it certainly felt like as good an opportunity for a change in lifestyle as any! He pulled up to the restaurant, and waved at Ernie, who raised an eyebrow at him. He locked his bike up and walked up to the door. Ernie sighed as rubbed his face. “Look, kid, I know you and Laura had a good time chattin, but you can’t be comin’ here every night,” Ernie said. Kade figured this might happen, so he dug into his shorts pockets and pulled out the proof of the injection. “It’s my first night,” he explained, “I’d like to be here when it happens.” “Whatever, kid,” Ernie replied with a sigh as he waved him in, “enjoy your night, and don’t moon anyone when you transform. Might I suggest going to the bathrooms instead? We got a gender neutral one, just in case, if you feel like you might need it.” “Why would I…” “Have fun, kid,” Ernie said as he slapped Kade on the back, shoving him unceremoniously into the bar. The clock measured a few minutes before six, and over at the bar, waited Laura, browsing her phone. She looked up, and then waved at him with a grin. “Hi!” she said, “how’d you get let in by Ernie again?” “Let’s just say,” he said as he handed the business card back to her, “I had the credentials.” “Hey, look at you, welcome to the pack!” she said with a grin. “Thank you, and I’d like to celebrate, if you don’t mind, with a quick shot of whiskey,” he said with a grin as he put his card down. “None of the cheap stuff tonight, huh?” “Gotta spend the paycheck somehow, I’m honestly not sure how I’ll spend it all,” he replied. She poured him a shot of the warm-smelling ambrosia. He almost wanted to savor it, to let it drip on his tongue and taste every bit of it, but too many of those instincts from the months of cheap vodka, well, he finished it in one gulp. He felt a little funny as it filled his stomach and covered his throat, and more than in the usual way of just feeling warm, he almost felt burning. “What’s the matter?” Laura asked, noticing the look on his face. “I…I feel weird,” he replied. “It might be the transformation, already. My first time was about this time of night,” she replied as she checked her watch. “F..fuck!” he said as he ran to the bathroom, locking himself in a stall. He felt his organs shrink and grow inside his body, and he was shortly very thankful for the toilet right under him, as he spun around and undrank the shot he’d just had. Thankfully, he hadn’t had much to eat yet. Was this what it was going to be like every night? It wasn’t painful, just incredibly weird, like worms were crawling under his skin. He looked to his forearms, where the feeling was most prominent, and his eyes widened as he saw them fill with tawny fur, coarse and thinner than he’d expected. His arms themselves seemed leaner, almost as if his muscle had been eaten away. This only continued as his biceps deflated noticeably. “What the fuck?” he whispered to himself as he felt his face get closer to the toilet seat. Weirdly enough, it wasn’t like he was leaning over. He quickly backed away, bumping into the stall door. He was just thankful no one was in here yet, honestly. He shuddered at his original idea in his mind’s eye, to transform at the barstool. Somehow, his shorts were staying on, but that was…weird, since he knew his arms were a lot bulkier, and his height had dropped significantly. When he looked down, he almost yelped when he saw the development of plump thighs and slowly widening hips, though they would’ve already been wide had they stayed the same size relative to his now-minuscule proportions. He’d only ever seen hips like that on the women he’d admired from afar. Wait…what was that Ernie had said about the gender neutral bathrooms? Hold on, could it be possible that… And just like that, he felt the vague discomfort of his external organs downstairs rearranging too. While he prayed consciously that he was just getting way bigger down there, he knew that wasn’t likely to be the case. He found himself…excited, though? Why was he excited? In like a year, he’d have to be a woman full-time! Good luck explaining that to dad. His shirt was just about to fall off, when something caught it. He tried tugging it down, to speed up the process, being met by surprising sensitivity that caused him to yelp and curl up instinctively. He pulled the collar out and leveled his growing snout downwards, to see what had gone wrong/ As the fur grew on his chest, he noticed what had caught it: breasts. He almost poked one, but remembered…he was in the mens’ room. He tried to remain as silent as possible as, he assumed, the changes finished up with a new tail slowly swishing behind him, and him feeling his ears creep up the sides of his head, until he could pivot them almost consciously. Thankfully, these new ears could tell if anyone was coming. He could even hear Ernie coughing outside! What was he to do now? Well, he could always try standing up. He got to his feet, noticing he stood on the balls of them. Actually, he supposed, it would be more accurate to say she got to her paws. That felt…weird to say. When transforming was just something that happened in theory, she felt fine about it. She even vaguely remembered them mentioning something about this, a “possibility of a gender-affirming body” that “is no cause for alarm”. The only reason she wasn’t alarmed was because she felt strangely at peace. Judging by the height of the stall, she was about a foot shorter than she used to be, making her a solid 5’4”, if she had to wager. She decided, this could wait for her move to the gender-neutral restroom, and she gathered her shorts up to her waist and ran over, hoping no one saw her. As she looked in the mirror, she noticed a small wolf woman already in there, probably somewhere behind her, looking a bit frazzled. “Oh, sorry, I’ll be going,” she said, before noticing the woman mouthing the same things. She turned around to find…no one. The woman was her, she realized. She looked at her rusty fur, her prominent mane around her neck, which helped outline what lay just below, covered by her enormously baggy shirt, almost perfectly. Well, covered would be an overstatement. They were very clearly outlined, and she couldn’t help but stare in curiosity. This was…how she looked. Her big triangle-shaped ears, her tongue gently poking out of her mouth in a ‘mlem’, her cute black nose, it was her, and soon, it would be her forever. After deciding her shorts wouldn’t sag too much, and listening for more patrons, she walked out onto the floor. Patrons were on the other side of the bar, but they mostly consisted of people like him, looking for a drink more than a party. She walked over to the bar, hoping to catch Laura. Fortunately, she was there, stacking cups after she wiped the counter. “Hi, I…” “Bar’s closed, miss, I’m just about to switch shifts,” Laura said as she looked down at Kade’s chest, “though with cuties like you, I could always spare a drink.” “H..hey, eyes up here!” Kade hissed nervously. “Oh, right, sorry,” Laura replied, “say, do I know you from somewhere? The shirt looks familiar.” “It’s me, the guy from the bar last night, Kade,” she answered indignantly, though a bit proud that she looked good enough to solicit a very different reaction. “O..oh, right, the serum,” she muttered, “I, uh, look, do you wanna get out of here?” “Why?” “Well, for one, the end of my shift is in thirty seconds, for two, you clearly aren’t in the kind of clothes that would fit you, and three, I’d like to ask you on a date,” Laura replied, “though I’ll settle for helping you get new clothes, because I’m not gonna let you ride that dinky bike home in this city in that.” “I thought you didn’t like guys at the bar?” Kade asked, confused. “Good thing you’re clearly a woman,” Laura replied coolly as she handed Kade her card from earlier, “now come on, let’s go.” “O..okay,” Kade replied nervously as Laura took her hand (paw? whatever) and led her out. Outside, Ernie raised his brow slightly at the new wolf, but then something seemed to click as he waved both of them off with a smug grin. Laura asked for Kade’s bike lock combo, and hoisted it into the back of her sedan by herself. Kade climbed into the passenger seat, noticing that the seatbelt sat very differently, and almost annoyingly. She tried to finagle with it to get it out of the dreaded boob valley, but alas, no luck. She resigned herself to her fate. Soon, Laura climbed in the driver’s side and turned the key in the ignition. Kade could barely believe that twenty-four hours ago, she was a depressed and jobless man with no dating prospects. Now, she seemed like she had at least a source of income, and was no longer a man. Plus, while she knew depression was more of a disposition than a feeling, she felt all of the fog and weight of it lifting. Oh, and not to mention Laura had asked her on a…date. Announcement Hi, I know it's been a while but I have had so many great ideas, I just had to write them all! Nevertheless, any writer's block I had on this...seems to be gone? Which is good! A few more chapters are up on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Leviathan86 Thank you for reading! ^-^

“Did you find your flight into LAX alright, Mrs. E–?” “That’s Doctor to you, young lady.” “Yes, sorry ma’am.” “Good, now, what can you tell me about this beautifully interesting…project you have?” “Beautiful?” “Oh, this will be good. I know just the subject, too!” “Ma’am, you’re starting to worry me.” “If I am, Ms. Hernandez, please forgive me. I never intend to instill fear. Just know that this is what I’ve been looking for my whole life. Why, yes, I might even have some myself, someday!” “We’ve got chairs open–” “Someday is not yet, Ms. Hernandez, though I admire your enthusiasm. Yes, I think the Fenrir Group will be most pleased with the outcomes here. Tell me, what does your experimental clinic make from NSF grants?” “Five hundred th–” “I thought as much. Impressive for a grant, though it seems it can only buy a makeshift lab in your alma mater’s basement. But, the Fenrir Group’s friends at B.W.L.F. and co. well, they are offering substantial funding, as long as they, as co-researchers on this project, get access to samples to do some lab testing.” “We’re not in this for the profit, ma’am.” “Five billion. And the infrastructure, research, personnel, and tools to do it. We’ll even get you through phase two clinicals as fast as the speed of our emails to our friends in the government!” “Deal.” “I’m glad we’ve reached an agreement, Ms. Hernandez. Excuse my insistence, but I am a lady who wants very specific things, and must get those very specific things. And you have one of them!” “Is that a threat?” “No, not as long as you collaborate by letting us co-test samples!” “I see. I have one more condition before I can agree, then.” “I like you, Ms. Hernandez. An intelligent young lady always knows when to negotiate. I hope someday you’ll join us. I’ll entertain your proposal.” “I don’t want this funding any damn wars or being sold on supermarket shelves. This belongs to the people.” “Oh, rest assured, we intend it to be used for the people, only and always! Now come, Ms. Hernandez! Work to be done!”

He spat the foul-tasting saliva out of his mouth, wheezing as he turned over. He barely heard the alarm, it was more like he felt it. Surprisingly, perhaps because he was a few shots short of where he normally was on a Sunday morning, he remembered all of last night. How he’d met…whatsername. Okay, maybe he didn’t remember everything. Still, somehow, he felt like he had a new lease on life. He grinned as he saw the business card still on the nightstand. He made sure to put the number on it in his phone. He was bad enough with leaving things behind, he knew he’d surely leave this behind too. With a hop, skip, and a jump (and a trip to the toilet once he realized he’d celebrated a bit too enthusiastically), he was out the door. His father was just pulling into the parking lot, and he waved him down, hoisting his suitcases of all his belongings behind him. His father wore a rather disappointed look behind his facade of a smile, his eyes peering suspiciously at his reject of a son. Whether because of the mood or the hangover, Kade didn’t notice as he loaded up his bags into the trunk. “I’m going to drop off the keys at the desk,” he said as he closed the trunk door. “Myeh,” his father grunted. After dropping the key off with the desk worker and signing the various forms, Kade walked briskly back to the car and hopped in the driver’s seat. His father was mostly silent, clearly disappointed about having to house his adult son. Kade figured as much, but he didn’t really want to bring it up and bring more judgment on him. “So, Kaden,” his father spoke up, “got any new leads on a job?” “Yeah,” he said, “in fact, I’ve got one very shortly!” “How much does it pay?” “$4000 a month,” Kade replied with a grin. “You can do better,” his father grunted as he drove on. “Maybe, but, I’ll get there when I get there,” Kade muttered, wanting to change the subject and not really wanting to tell his father about becoming a wolf. He’d heard enough of his old man’s views on the subject, though he supposed his father wouldn’t mind him becoming even more of a tower of muscle. That was one thing his dad was proud of him for, even though it came–much to Kade’s chagrin–naturally to him. He knew he had to get out of this shitty arrangement with living with his dad, but he wasn’t too keen on just jumping into a new lease. He’d lucked out in that his job fired him shortly before he had to renew, and he’d been too lazy to do so. At least his credit was intact, if anything, but searching for an apartment without stable income would be…difficult to say the least. “Any luck with the ladies?” his father asked. Ah, the classic second question. Only ever one of two his father bothered to ask. “Not yet,” he replied, “I just haven’t found the right one.” “With a body like that, I’m sure you attract plenty! What’s wrong? Shy?” his father interrogated. “I’m not shy, I’m just not into the type of girls who are into me,” Kade replied, turning his face towards the window. “As long as it’s not boys you’re into, son,” his father said with a hearty laugh as they pulled into the street where his father’s house was. Kade cringed at the comment but elected not to respond. He knew any sort of standing up for himself or the gay community wouldn’t be taken well, even though he wasn’t into men. His father didn’t really see a difference between the two. At home, he lugged his luggage into the basement, where he’d be staying on a water bed for the next few months, probably. He sighed as he slumped over on it. As soon as he plopped down, he locked the door for some privacy. Didn’t want his father listening in on the phone call he was about to make. He didn’t even think they’d be open on Sundays, but he really wanted to get out of there. He thought a little about how he’d get around, before remembering: he still had his bike in his parents’ garage. Perfect! The university was, at best, a few miles away. He dialed the number and held it up to his ear. “Hi!” the voice on the other end of the line responded, “How can I help you?” “Hi, I heard from an acquaintance about the test program, and they referred me,” he explained, “I can start whenever, just let me know.” “O-oh! Perfect, well, we only do it on nights of the full moon,” the voice replied. “Oh,” he said, downcast. “Well, it is the full moon tonight, so coming on in shouldn’t be a problem,” the voice responded, “we’ll do intake and the injection at four this afternoon, how does that sound?” “That sounds perfect! Thank you so much!” Kade replied, “Wait, will I like, turn into a wolf permanently?” “Oh, well, eventually, probably, but not immediately. Though we are testing an accelerator–” “No, it’s fine!” Kade said, “I got people I don’t want to find out yet. How long does it last?” “Well, it increases over the course of a year. First time, it’ll be just the night of, most probably,” she explained, “the next few times, you might get a few nights the week of the full moon, and eventually, during the daytime around then as well, until you spend more time as a wolf than as a human!” “Oh, I see!” Kade said enthusiastically. This worked out perfectly! He’d just go back to the wolf bar tonight. “One more thing,” the person on the end of the line responded, “we won’t need to do tests the first transformation, we’re looking for tests at the longer end of that time period, hence the twelve months for the study. But we’ll explain more tonight. Can I get your name, phone number, and residence?” Kade gave the info, and as the line went silent for a bit, presumably while she typed things into the system, he wondered: what would it be like to have a wolf’s body? He’d heard from somewhere that wolves were transformed based on the mind’s ideal wolf body, so what was his? Or would the testing mess that up? “Okay, we’ve got that all added! Any more questions that can’t be answered at four?” “I think that’s it,” he replied. “Alright, have a good day, sir!” the person responded as she disconnected the call. A few hours later, after a nap and telling his father about the “final interview”, he got an approving grunt and a nod as he walked out the door. Unlocking his bike and greasing up some of the gears, he tested it. Yep, still good! He was still wearing gym shorts and a t-shirt that was really a bit too tight on him, riding up a little on his developing beer gut. A short ride got him to the place, and as he walked in, he noticed rows and rows of chairs in a reclined position, like there had been when he’d donated blood in high school. He figured that was probably where they injected people. “Hi, name?” the clerk he hadn’t even noticed yet asked. “Kade Richter,” he replied. “I see, alright, you’re a bit early, which means you’ll have the room mostly to yourself! Before we begin, I’d like you to read this, and I’ll read some parts out loud, just to make absolutely sure we’re crystal clear on what the test group goes through.” “Alright,” he replied, preparing to be bored. And bored he was, though there was important stuff in there. Something about half control group, half test group, consent for permanent body alterations, et cetera. Once they got to the end, she looked at him and asked, “any further questions?” “No, ma’am,” he replied as he signed the forms. “Perfect! We’ll lead you right over here,” she replied. He lay down in the seat, waiting almost anxiously for something to happen, before a nurse in a face shield and mask arrived. He waved at her, and thought he saw her eyes smile back, though he couldn’t tell. “So, which am I getting?” he asked. “Didn’t they explain to you that this is double blind?” the nurse asked as she prepared the needle, full of clear aqueous solution. “Probably, I just failed most of my science,” he replied. “Well, fair enough. Neither of us know what you’re getting,” she answered as she lined up the needle to his outstretched arm’s vein, “I’ll insert on three. Look away if you want to.” He was fine with needles, and even as the nurse injected it, he didn’t particularly feel anything. Shame, he almost wanted to feel different, like the movies where mutants felt the energy surge through them. But real life wasn’t like movies, he supposed.

Have you got a time that your mind speaks louder than any sound? A time in which you can't hear anything just the buzzing of thoughts running round and round through your ears? Have you ever got a clear idea of it all? Have a concrete sentence even?   I am told that I take in movies or series too much, over analyze everything, make meaning of everything. To make it simple they say I make and keep things complicated. But isn't life really complicated? How a yes is a no and a no is a yes? (that applies to all people, no only when a woman says it)   People tend to underestimate the little things, words and sentences spoken and actions in a smallest of ways, but if we look into those things and more give attention, it gives us another world, a chaotic world that we can't understand but others can, a war of mind if so I say.   There will never be peace let's be realistic on that. World, Countries, Cities, Friends, Families nor Mind. But it doesn't mean it cannot move soundly, not everything (and I say everything) is perfect, rust free or bump-free but it all can still move forward.   Why am I writing this? It is funny because the reason why I'm writing this is because I finished a series and ,yes you guessed it, I was moved. I read enough books and watched movies and series to make me think. That Life it self, IS LIVABLE.   I read a book called "Eric Rex" it is about a child separated from his parents and came to magic school (yeah it should familiar) but the unique thing about it is he overcame his struggles, not the enemies or dark overloads but himself. His self anger and pity and I tell you it ended well.   I watched "Nightmare before Christmas" which I say is my favorite movie and taught me that even your wildest ideas will be the end of you but You yourself will be your savior.   How about "Big Bang Theory", the series I envied because of Sheldon having great friends. But it ended with Sheldon realizing that his own mentality and genius mind cannot be the same forever in order for him to feel Happy.   Now let's go up my alley, Evil Dead. The protagonist himself cut a part of him (yes it maybe due to the need for his to defeat an evil bitch) but he knew that he will never be same again but he accepted it. He took the role soundly and won not only the battle but the battle of doubt. In the new version it was a her right? but that is more noticeable because she had her own issues from the start.   You see? It's You who you need to battle not others, not the people gunning over you or stabbing your at your back but yourself.   I have dealt with a lot of pain, and I am still going through it and I tell you my life from my own mind and mouth is not livable. But now as I am writing this, I am sure I want to live rather than survive. The urges of my body, to end everything is strong but I want to be stronger. Don't worry this is not a memoir for everyone to read before I take my last breath by my own hands. This is chapters of ideas that run through my head as I am sober, you see I am good at helping others but I am not good in helping myself but I want to leave you, my dear reader a couple of things to make you sound because I know as you read this your mind itself is full of notes and I hope this helps you to make it into a beautiful symphony.    

Kade was down on his luck. With women, with money, and most of all, with where to go on a Saturday night. On the one hand, he was a real big fan of bar culture, but all the good bars had closed, that is, the bars where he could at least sip the cheapest, shittiest vodka until his money ran out. He’d already spent most of his last paycheck on a motel after he got kicked out of his apartment, and tomorrow he’d be moving back in with his parents. He rubbed his head and wondered–how could this happen? It had seemed just a few years ago, he was on an upward trajectory in life, and then everything just stopped mattering to him. Where before he’d been the top performer at work, he just stopped caring. He may have even lied a little, just so his boss wouldn’t catch on, but that only works for so long. He’d been caught empty-handed at his performance review, and that was the end. They did give him two weeks, but told him not to come in. They probably were expecting zero work and didn’t want him using up their coffee budget, which he couldn’t blame them for. It was pretty good coffee and all. He sighed as he rolled back on the bed. He took one of the packages of ramen he’d brought from his apartment and put it in the microwave with some of the water from the motel room’s bathroom sink. He really had to get out of here, it was bumming him out, plus the lock on the room’s door was broken and he didn’t want to test being in there for too long. He looked up bars, and trying to discern ones nearby from his cracked phone screen, he eventually decided on one about half a mile’s walk down the side of the highway, King Lycanos. The name sounded familiar, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. He probably was just never close enough to justify visiting. But it looked like they did serve cheap vodka, so there it was! He pulled a t-shirt on, shaved his face, and walked out of the door, trying his best to make the lock on the door appear actually locked, though he knew there was really nothing to steal other than whatever clothes he could pack into suitcases. “One last ride,” he muttered to himself, “before I go back home.” As he walked down the shoulder, ignoring various jeers from drunk college students, he found himself sweating. He always hated how he could never seem to walk anywhere anymore without smelling like he’d just come back from a marathon. He wiped the sweat away and kept walking, eventually finding himself, according to his phone, at the place. The symbol of the crown and the two wolf ears should’ve clued him in about what was to come, but no such luck. It was more packed than he’d ever seen a bar before. He walked up to the entrance, where a bouncer waved at him. The bouncer was…a wolf-person, whatever they called themselves. Oh, right, it was Lycanthropes, wait–the name of the– “How can I help you, young man?” the bouncer asked gruffly. “Hi, um, I’m so sorry, I came here for a drink, but I just realized this probably isn’t my space,” he replied. “Just here for booze?” the wolf asked. “Yeah,” he replied and sighed, “figured I’d get one more before I gotta move back in with my folks, it’s been a rough week and in this economy, finding a new job’s a bit tough.” The bouncer glanced behind him and grinned at him, placing his paw on Kade’s shoulder, “Look, young fella, don’t bother any of the ladies in there and you’ll be able to go in there just fine. If anyone asks, tell ‘em you had your first change a month ago and you’re meeting the community.” “Oh, um, thank you…” “Ernie,” the wolf replied, “the name’s Ernie.” “Right, thank you Ernie!” “Take care, kid,” the bouncer said, “I’ll need your ID still, though.” Kade nodded as he fumbled with his wallet and pulled out his driver’s license, the photo making him cringe. Ernie took a look at it and handed it back to him shortly after reading the birth date. He motioned for Kade to walk on through. It was really a party in there, lights flashing, people dancing, the whole nine yards. He never liked that scene, he was always more for the casual talk with random regulars. He sat down at the bar, waiting for a bartender, before a wolf lady who looked, from what he knew of wolves, to be about the same age as him. “Hi, what can I get for you?” she asked, looking almost unamused. “Uh, just whatever’s cheapest with your vodka,” he replied. She nodded, before sliding his drink to him. As he gulped it down, he noticed her lingering, almost nervously. “Hey,” he asked, “is there something wrong?” “You’re not, like, a wolf chaser or anything, are you?” she asked quietly. “I don’t even know what that is,” he replied. “You’re not just hanging here because I’m a wolf? I can kind of tell you aren’t one of us,” she replied. “You can tell that easily? Boy, everyone in here must think I’m a real jerk,” he muttered as he sat the shot glass down, “no, I’m just a drunk.” “Oh, I’m like, I have a gift for reading people, don’t worry about it,” she replied, “your secret’s safe with me.” “Oh, well, why do you ask?” “I don’t know, I just want someone to talk to so the ‘regulars’ don’t try and talk me up again,” she replied with a frustrated sigh, “and I just wanted someone who would look intimidating enough that he could ward ‘em off.” Kade looked down at his muscles and winced, then nodded. “I see what you mean.” She gave him a funny look, but then continued, “I’m Laura, by the way.” “Kade, good to meet ya,” he replied. “You from around here?” she asked as she poured him another shot, “don’t worry, this one’s on me. I see you counting your money.” “Alright, appreciate it, Laura,” Kade said has he sipped it gently, wanting to make it last, “what’re you doing working here if you hate the patrons so much? The economy?” “Mostly, yeah, you know how it is with things right now. This pays the bills for my college, and that’s about all that keeps me here. Plus, occasionally I make friends and acquaintances, like Ernie, who you probably met out there,” she said, gesturing towards the door. “Yeah, that makes sense. I never did answer your question. I’m from around here, yeah. I’ll be moving back to my folks’ house in the morning once my motel stay runs out,” he replied as he rubbed his head. The bass from the other side of the bar was giving him a headache. “That’s rough,” she said curtly as she looked over his shoulder. Kade turned to see a group of men that were leering at her. “Those the ‘regulars’?” he asked. “Yeah, they’re uh, persistent,” she replied, “very persistent.” “How can I help?” he asked. “Well, unless you can find me a new job,” she replied as she sighed and turned halfway around, keeping them in her peripherals, “keep talkin’ to me.” “Alright, can do,” he replied. Eventually, the group seemed to get tired of waiting and made their way out the door, as Laura sighed in relief. She smiled at Ernie and said, “you can go do other things, if you want, looks like they’re done for the night.” “If you don’t mind,” he replied, “I’d like to stay and chat. Never much been one for dancing, besides, I’m such a klutz, I’d probably step on someone’s tail.” “I don’t mind,” she said as she gave him another shot, “really, though, this is the last one that’s on me. I gotta pay bills too.” “Oh, pfft, please then,” he said as he dug out his last few bills. “You sure?” “Keep the rest as a tip, yeah,” he replied as he took a swig. “Well,” she said, “I may have an idea of how to thank you. I didn’t think I’d get the opportunity to give this away, but my friend at the university is doing testing on a serum that may be able to lycanthropize humans. You seem pretty cool with wolves, though you could be the control group. Either way, they’ll pay you $4000/month to monitor you for a year. Funded by the government.” She handed him the business card and turned around, wiping down the bar and stacking cups. “O..okay, thanks,” he said as he felt a familiar pit drop in his stomach, signaling that it was most definitely time to go, “I gotta go but, see you around.” “See you around, Kade!” she said as she waved at him. He fumbled with the business card in his hand. This was going to be interesting, but $4000 was good enough for him. And besides, there was about a one out of two chance he’d be a wolf. He’d never thought about the possibility, it was something that he considered a rarity. Had happened to a few folks in high school, and he had seen some at uni, but never really befriended any. Being one, well, it would give him more excuses to go back to the bar and make some new friends, at least. And the worst that could happen was $48000 while he looked for a new job. But for now, he made the sleep trek back to his room. He crashed on the bed and texted his father about where to pick him up, before zonking out entirely. Leviathan86 Hey, here's a fun game (no prize, but it's fun): guess which album the story is inspired by by the end of it. Dw, I'll wait to announce it til the end for those reading years from now who want to play along :)

The sky pulsed a deep purple, with the sun nowhere in sight. Clouds zoomed through the sky at unbelievable speeds, as if they were in a timelapse. The clouds’ shadows raced along with them, which made the landscape that they drifted through dip in and out of darkness.   Light.  Dark. Light.  Dark. Light.  Dark.   A lone man gazed at this bizarre sight, sitting against a single burnt tree. His eyes were dull and lifeless.   A radio crackled. The man tore his gaze from the sky, and instead focused his gaze at the walkie talkie which hung from the pocket of his tattered jacket.   “Waypoint Crow has been breached! 11th Hour is a go! I repeat! 11th-”   The rest was drowned out by static. An explosion roared in the distance. He reached out a hand to answer, only to realize that his right arm had been torn off at the elbow. Blood dripped from the mangled tip of flesh where the rest of his arm had been. The man stared at it a bit longer, nonchalant, making note of the bone jutting out in the middle of his mangled stump and how his exposed flesh sizzled with a strange, purple smoke.    Or is it black? The sky makes it hard to tell.   He looked around, dazed. Everywhere he looked, there was only what seemed like an empty plain that stretched about as far as the eye can see. The ground was covered in a sea of fog. Limp bodies could be seen everywhere, barely poking out of the fog. Most, if not all of them were heavily mutilated.   Hm. I guess I’m the only one left.   Another explosion.   He looked to the left. A violent gust of wind blasted his face as it swept across the landscape, ruffling the man’s clothes and parting his hair. The man squinted his eyes and looked to see hundreds of items fly by, spreading around everywhere. Most of them looked too heavy to be carried by wind that strong. He could see things from books and scrolls to guns and weird, glowing orbs. A generator flew by at breakneck speed, barely missing his head.   Oh hey, they activated it. Huzzah, I guess.   The man let out a weak, shaky sigh.   Not that there’s anybody to use them.   Another explosion reached his ears. He looked around, but he couldn’t see where it came from. What he saw instead, was a person walking on the fog. They seemed to have come out of nowhere and were walking towards him. The man narrowed his eyes on the person. They were dressed in a black trench coat and wore a black, wide brimmed hat and a mask that had nothing on it but an illustration of a flower. As he looked, the flower seemed to move and undulate, changing colors from red to blue to violet to green.   Uh oh.   Unsettled, the man opened his mouth to speak. His throat felt dry.   He opened his mouth. Nothing but a hoarse squeak came out.   The masked person kept walking towards him. Though he couldn’t see their face, the man felt as if they were smiling at him. And it wasn’t a friendly smile. Countless strange objects still raced past all around the two. Something hit the man’s head.   The masked person kept walking. The wind howled louder.   The man turned his head groggily at the object that hit him. It was…   A pringles can?    It had a cord attached to the bottom, and a note stuck on its side.   The masked person kept walking. A comically large toilet bowl flew by, missing their head by mere inches.   The man picked up the can with his intact left arm and examined the note. point and shoot. cord trigger. boom boom.   Bro, who made this? A kid? Ah well.   The masked person kept walking. They were getting alarmingly close.   The man stared at the can.   What to do? The 11th Hour things are just last ditch efforts. Hell, R&D said that they don’t even know what half of them do.   He pointed it at the masked person.   The masked person stopped. They were less than a meter away.   Objects continued to fly by.   The wind howled.   The clouds raced.   And the man pointed the can at himself and pulled the cord.   Bang.   An invisible force rushed out of the can and hit his face. In a split second, his head burst open and spread out into the air. It stayed suspended mid explosion, making it look like a flower of brains, blood, and mangled flesh.   The masked person stood still, their mask splattered with gore.  They stood still for quite a while. Never moving, never even doing so much as shift in position. They stood completely, deathly still. After a while, they pulled out a walkie talkie from one of their pockets and spoke.   “Dandelion reporting. No survivors here either. The dance has fi-" Just then, with seemingly no reason, the ridiculously sized toilet then decided to loop back from it's trajectory.  It slammed it's porcelain frame into the side of the masked person, making their body forcefully crumple sideways with a sickening crack. They were dragged by the zooming latrine for a while, their limbs flopping wildly as the commode continued to violently accelerate along with countless miscellaneous items amidst the violet sky.  Eventually, the person fell. From several hundred feet in the air, the now dead masked individual plummeted violently into the ground, their body flopping unnaturally due to most of their insides being pulverized on impact. They hit the ground, fog pluming outwards to reveal a mangled body. Blood seeped through their clothes, and their body was bent unnaturally at the middle. Their mask lied shattered next their body, leaving their bare face exposed. Their face was noticeably older and gaunter, and had strange thin cracks snaking all over it. The cracks had a black hue to them, but a light blue hue seemed to faintly emanate from deep inside them, pulsing to the beat of the heart. Amidst all this, it was undeniable that the masked person had the same face as the man who committed suicide by pringles can.   __________ [Death Confirmed] [Data Reclaimed] [Initiating synchronization] [Registering Name: Grant Doqon] [Initializing Personae] ... ... ... [Wot da hel.] Shmab Whelp here it be. Bit of a doozy, and the mood of the story is fucking trash. More of this in the next chapters I think. Enjoy your reading, and please remember that everything will be explained in time. whether I have enough time is another matter entirely though heh. Have fun, and if ya think it's shit I can't help but agree. It's still my shit though and I'd rather nurture it into a dry shit like you would water a flower to make it bloom. Wait wouldn't that make the shit wet instead

A world full of pollution. Trash everywhere. Diseases killing off most of humanity. No hope seems to be seen. Every plant rotting, all animals suffering, not a single light.  A woman is cradling her precious baby. The baby is fast asleep. The mother coughs and stares sadly down at the baby.  She carries a deadly disease that only effects older women such as herself. The father of the child has already left to find another woman to have a child with, in the hopes to grow the human race's size.  The woman has no hope. She has no other option. She must get her child somewhere safe.  The orphanages are too crowded and officially don't take any more children in. The father can't do anything and the child has no other family. The woman doesn't know what to do other than one thing.  She stand and goes to the kitchen where she grabs a large basket. She places a pillow in it and wraps the baby in a blanket before placing it down on the pillow. The woman picks up the basket and heads to the river.  She knew down stream was doing better on survival but didn't have enough people. She pushed the basket and it went down the stream. The woman collapses and breathes her last breath.  The baby bursts out crying as it awakes from its deep sleep. ******* The baby is now on the other side of the river. The river had washed out to a lake and now the baby slowly bobs in the small waves. The baby looks around and sees something yellow and white floating on the surface with some dead lilypads. It reaches for it and grabs onto it tightly. It picks it up and lays back down to fall asleep.  ******* A young man is pushing a net through the lake's water when he hears the babies cry. He instantly drops the net and swims to the basket.  He grabs the basket and brings it back to land. He examines the baby once he's ashore. "What poor thing . . . Where are you from?" The man moves the baby into his arms and the white and yellow thing falls into the basket.  "What's this?" He picks it up then gasps. A flower. A plant that is blooming.  He rushes up with the baby still in his arms and goes to his chief to show him that the world has hope. The plants are back. They were free once again.

East Blue, Higashi(East) Island it is also called as the Little East because of its shape which looks a lot like the East Blue, also it is located in the east, it is a beautiful island with a lot of beautiful scenery with small town littering the mountainsides making it a magical experience for those who like a little adventure and still be in the safe hand of the Marine, who has made a their base in Higashi's Main Port City, Tradeham port. it is one of the most important ports in the east where many sea merchants and bounty hunters come and go from here, making it a bustling port. in front of the 93rd Marnie base, a man came out of it, he had green hair and three swords on his waist, he looked a little starved and tired, the swordsmen looked around thinking about what to do now. This man is Zoro. He just arrived here and after stepping on the land he immediately went to the marine base to hand in the captured pirate and get their bounty. 'Now where is the bar' Zoro thought, he looked around the market and asked some of the folk who live here and they were a little surprised that he wanted to go to the bar this early in the morning but they pointed him in its direction anyway. He ignored their looks and walked away; his food and beer supplies finished 4 days ago; While in the sea, he had supplies for 1 week and a half before he sailed, and the journey should have lasted for 5 days. but on the first day on the sea, he lost his way because of a storm, and had to spend more than 3 weeks out there, until he found a kind pirate crew(sarcasm) that showed him the way here. He walked a little toward the direction of the port until he arrived at one of the many bars/inns in this town, he went and opened the door and looked around, he found that the bar was a little empty with only 3 or 4 people, if you count the bar owner, and the other 3 looked like bounty hunters. "Welcome sir, what would you like?" The owner raised his head and looked at the door, where he saw a man walk in while he was serving the 3 bounty hunters some drinks. "Give me the best sake or beer you have! and some food," Zoro said while walking towards the table in the corner, it gave him the best view of everyone in the bar. "Is that all sir?" After the bar owner finished serving the three men, he came toward Zoro's table. Zoro replied with a nod; the owner then went back to the kitchen. 'The money I got will only last for a maximum of 3-week' Zoro thought, today he checked for the biggest bounty in this area, which is the 7 million bounty for 'Suffolk Godfrey The Cold Hearted' the captain of the ghost pirates. 'It will be hard to find the Ghost Pirates; the last time they were spotted was 5 days ago when they attacked Kinoko(Mushroom) Island and left no clue where they might be heading to… If I arrived a little earlier, I might have been able to capture them, but now there is no clue where they might be, the marine thinks they will attack again after 2 to 3 weeks, but they don't know which Island will be attacked? It will be difficult to find them… it will depend on luck..' Zoro thought. So… he might need to go back to the marine base tomorrow and check for pirates with lower bounty or where they are frequently seen. "Here is your order, sir" While Zoro was thinking about what to do, the owner came up with his order and placed them on the table. "Thank you" Zoro raised his head and thanked him with a smile on his face. "No problem sir, if you need anything, just call me, and before I forget are you going to book a room with us, sir…" the owner replied. "Zoro, just call me Zoro and yes, I will rest here tonight," Zoro told the owner. "Okay, which room would yo-" the owner nodded his head, and when he was about to tell him the price of a room, he got interrupted. "Just give me any room that is clean and has a comfortable bed in it," Zoro said while taking out 10,000 berries, he then gave it to the owner. "if you say so, sir Zoro, The room will be on the 3rd floor and the room number is 32. and if you need anything call me Mr. Zoro and enjoy your day" he then happily took the money and gave Zoro the key to the room and left. _________________________ So like that Zoro spends his time in the bar, relaxing after his long journey, and when the sun started to set down/in the evening, more and more people started to come to the bar. They're some who finished their work or some who just arrived on the island or the bounty hunter who were celebrating their successful hunt, and many more who came here to enjoy their time or catch ups with each other, making the place bustling with life, and full of wonderful noise of laughter, talking and shouting. There was a table near Zoro that was full of people who frequently came to this bar, talking about everything they heard or seen happen in this town. They were talking about some inside jokes they had and laughing about it when a guy came toward them and said"Hey guys! You would not believe what I saw just now?" One of them looks at him and asks "what is it, Ivan?" "Th!.. The!!! THE GHOST PIRATE GOT CAPTURED!!!" Ivan took some deep breaths and then he yelled; he came running here from the port when he heard the news. "…" which shocked everyone in the bar, many were scared of the ghost pirate be it sea merchants, town folk, or even some of the bounty hunters and marines, the ghost pirate are know as a merciless and cold-hearted crew, they plagued and massacred many islands, and one of them even had marine base leaving no survivors in their path. They do not care if you are a king or a noble, and if you are young or old, even their rival pirates are not spared from them, They didn't have a high bounty because they are smart and realized that as long they targeted islands or countries that are not part of the world government, they would not get bounties or marine on them, with only one exception when they raided the 96 marine base to rescue their leader. "wh.. What!! impossible!!" "Hahahahah at last they got captured!!!" "I told you that god doesn't let evil win for long hahaha!" "At last the nightmare his endded!" "Hahaha Finally!!! Finally.. sob.. sob.. they finally got killed…" "Sob… MOTHER! Sob… you WILL FINALLY REST IN PEACE AHHH!!" "Wh!! Who did it…. Who captured them!!" "Yeah, who captured them, and are they still in the port?" "Let's go and see!!!" "Beer on me today Hahaha!!!!" "hahaha hooray!!" Many started to shout in happiness while some of them started to cry in enjoy and sadness when they processed the information. And then some started to celebrate, while some of them were finally able to mourn for their dead family members and friends who died under the hands of the Ghost Pirate. They were also many who wanted to know more… Who was the one who finally killed these vile pirates and avenged their people, So many ran to the Tradeham port. The entire town was bustling with joy as children went out to play and their parents danced while some of them shouted to the sky, with some people lighting fireworks to celebrate the occasion. "So who is it, Ivan tells us" while in the bar many people crowded around Ivan wanting to know more. "I'm sorry. I don't know much. I saw them walking toward the marine base with a head of Suffolk Godfrey on a stick, and I immediately ran here to tell you guys" Ivan smiled awkwardly and rubbing his head. "What?" "Stop playing with us!" "Give him a break men, you heard what he said; he ran here to tell us what is happening there" When the crowd around him started complaining, one of Ivan's friends stood up to defend him. "Then don't you even know anything about them? their looks? Who is their captain? Anything" "What I know is that they are led by a tanned man, he is tall and very muscular, and they didn't look like they have many group members, at least 15 to 20" Ivan quickly told them everything he knew. "I see… thanks kid" one of them said, thanking Ivan. "Okay, then let's head to the port; there might be somebody who knows more" "Yeah let go" "I just wasted my time here," while some thanked Ivan, others did not and were still rude. "When you guys come back, tell us everything!!" "Sure, sure" The crowd around Ivan started dispersing, with many of them planning to go to the port, and check what had happened, while some of them went back to drinking. 'Looks like I'm truly late… I guess tomorrow I will really need to go to the marine…' zoro thought while smirking at his luck. Zoro heard what they where talking about and got a little interested in this tanned men who defeated the ghosts pirates, Its the first time he has heard about him, there are not that many bounty hunters in the east blue, who are able to capture or kill a pirate above the 3 million, usually they are well known, and that is for 3 million… not 7 million… the one that could defeat them, can be counted in one hand… 'interesting, it looks like we have a new member now.' While Zoro was thinking about this new bounty hunter, he didn't see the two men who entered the bar. They looked like they were searching for something or somebody. The two men looked around until their eyes fell on the corner where the green head was sitting, their eyes lit up, they looked like they recognized him, they looked at each other and nodded. Afterward one of them went and ordered a drink and sat near the swordsmen keeping an eye on him while the other one walked out of the bar. He then started to run as fast as he could toward the dock until he arrived there, while breathing heavily, he stopped for a little bit to catch his breath and then walked toward a big ship that had B.W written on it.   RaiDking Hello everyone, RaiDking here, this story originally was upload in webnovel and I'm the same author if you want to read the next chapter it is in webnovel ok peace out:)

This is a story about a main character who hates min-maxing, embarking on a new VRMMO journey with an alternative mentality to the norm.  Everyone Loves Min-Maxing (A Guide To Faulty Assumptions And Cognitive Biases)  Chapter 1 – Everyone Loves Min-Maxing (And The Folly of Faulty Assumptions) A twenty-four year old recent college grad with dark hair and a lanky build stood in front of a large box that just came via delivery truck. It was the most recent capsule machine for the game Edenquest, the hottest new virtual mmo on the market. Once he figured out how to set up the machine, he’d be ready for launch day of Edenquest, which was in just a few hours.  His name was Daniel, and he was going to embark on a journey this weekend with dragons and adventurers and inns and taking on newbie quests and… the inevitable min-maxers barking on the forums like rabid dogs.  There were few things in this world that Daniel hated more than blind min-maxing. He hated it with a passion, and he hated it with all his soul, but he did so with a logical reason in mind. A reason that required a more open mind to understand than some idiots could muster up. And when he said idiots, he was calling out more than just gamers– he included engineers, revenue obsessed executives at Fortune 100 companies, and other min-maxing idiots with that as well.  Min-maxing was, in a nutshell, a solution to an optimization problem for certain isolated systems, like old video games. Now Daniel was not opposed to optimization. He thought that min-maxing had its time and place where it was in fact a good solution.  That time and place was an isolated system with a limited amount of variables, and a static system. In that situation, which often was the case with older games like Baldur's Gate that calculated outcomes based on stat thresholds and dice rolls, a min-maxed adventurer could easily pass the first ogre with a +1 enchanted dagger that gave just enough penetration in conjunction with his 18 strength and +2 from a strength potion to kill the ogre in three blows without taking a hit. Then they could go to town and pass a companion check with their 4 charisma stat and recruit a new party member to continue their journey. But if just one variable changed, just ONE variable, and the entire equation could be thrown off, resulting in three hundred and forty six dead civilians.  The Boeing 737 Max was a new aircraft designed and marketed by The Boeing Company and slapped with “max” at the end like a piece of meat, kind of like a new iphone model. The new aircraft line ended up crashing twice in quick succession within a year and a half. The first crash occurred twelve minutes after takeoff from Jakarta, Indonesia, and the second crash occurred six minutes after takeoff from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  Daniel wasn’t an expert on aerospace engineering, but he knew the gist of what happened from speaking to one of his friends in the industry. Under pressure from the marketing and sales departments, Boeing engineers tried to create a more fuel efficient aircraft than before, by making the engines massive and shifting the new heavy and gigantic engines to a slightly more forward and higher place on the wings.  That shift in weight and position of the engine, in combination with a new computerized flight guidance system, caused the crashes.  And to rub salt on the wound, the crashes may have been preventable by certain safety modules that were sold as options by Boeing. As OPTIONS. As optional happy meal toys to the big mac max.  The company jeopardized the lives of hundreds of civilians to sell safety modules as options, and to slap “max” and “more fuel efficient” marketing jibes to the price tag of the new airplane. As if Apple changing the shape of the headphone jack almost every year to sell more chargers wasn’t scummy enough, companies like Boeing were changing the entire design of their tried-and-true aircraft like they were headphone jacks just to sell more of them.  As Daniel said, just one variable changed, and the entire equation got thrown off. In an effort to min-max fuel efficiency and revenue, three hundred and forty six people died.  What Daniel called blind min-maxing was a min-max mentality built off of blind trust in faulty assumptions, and applying the same tactics from an isolated system to a slightly more complex, chaotic system. But life was not an isolated system, and even games had come so far that they were no longer dice roll simulators that could be safely min maxed.  Oh, the boeing thing is just an anomaly. Things like that don’t happen all the time. It’s not like other important things are also built off of min-max formulas. Min-maxing and blind min-maxing are just harmless video game concepts.  Wrong. Completely wrong.  While he was studying accounting in college, Daniel learned about a certain financial model known as the capital asset pricing model. Within this model, there was a variable known as the risk free rate, denoted as Rf. This was also known as the US treasury bill interest rate.  The US treasury bill rate was risk free? Now that right there was a faulty assumption.  To make this concept simple for the non-financially minded, this means that this stupid, idiotic, min-maxed formula assumed that the United States would always, without doubt, without exception, and without ever hiccuping, pay back treasury bills.  Now in 99.9% of universes for the foreseeable future, this was fine. But what if the United States was unable to pay back its debt obligations? Hell, what if the United States were to collapse? It was unlikely for the United States government to completely collapse, especially within a single person’s lifetime, but was the risk truly zero if that lifetime got increased to a thousand years? Was it truly risk free? Of course not, and people knew this and still used the formula, because it worked 99.9% of the time. And that exposed the crux of the problem of a min-maxed formula– reliance on assumptions.  If a formula worked 99.9% of the time, what was the point of worrying about the possibility of failure? The United States government would never fall, right?  But that just wasn’t true. Speaking of an empire that persisted through millenia and people thought could never possibly fall… imagine the Roman empire never fell, but instead just persisted in its own way for thousands upon thousands of years. That empire existed in the east. That empire was Ancient China, and after thousands of years of tenure, Ancient China finally fell. In the twentieth century, the very last emperor of Ancient China was exiled, and the empire was abolished.  And this led to a famous example of a min-maxed build failing horribly.  There was a very famous min-maxed real life build that existed in Ancient China and persisted until very recently. That build was called a eunuch. For anyone who wasn’t familiar with the concept, a eunuch was a male who was castrated as a boy to become the emperor’s assistant, resulting in the ultimate min-max build, sacrificing the ability to form a family, essentially much what made life worth living, with the ability to access the emperor’s court and close social circle. Many eunuchs ended up wielding immense political power and prestige, but without the ability to sire children this power was single lifetime use only. That was the tradeoff, and it was a good one for a young boy from a poor family looking to sacrifice everything for a chance at a better life.  The very last eunuch of the empire was castrated just weeks before the emperor abdicated his throne. And just like that, a min-max build built off of a faulty assumption completely failed, leaving the man destitute and scarred for the rest of his life for no benefit.  Min-maxing without considering assumptions was exactly like a person driving down an empty highway at max speed with their eyes closed. Assuming that the road was straight, assuming that the highway was empty, assuming that cars drove in a straight line without manual input, there was no need to keep your eyes open. But if any one of those assumptions was wrong...  With that thought in mind, Daniel opened the rectangular cardboard box in front of him, revealing a sleek and shiny capsule with the brand Evercore in bold capital letters emblazoned across the top of his capsule.  Once he plugged this damn thing in, he was going to make a character and go blast some min-maxers.

A/N- this is only a little side project for me and will only be updated at most once a week     As the old man sat on his back porch and sipped from a small flask a sudden screeching howl broke the serine silence of the night. It obviously didn’t belong to any of the local animals, it was to deep and to loud to be any of the local coyotes or any other local animal for that matter. Despite the unnaturalness of it the man showed no confusion or curiosity, in-fact his face showed no emotion at all but his eyes on the other hand emitted a spine chilling light. Despite his apparent calmness he was seething in rage. He slowly closed his flask and put it in his old tan work coat, and slowly stood from the worn rocking chair. He grabbed his trusty 10- gauge double barreled shotgun that was sitting beside him, and coldly stared in the direction of the howl. Just the other day three of his cattle were brutally ripped apart by something during the night, and he was going to make whatever did it pay.      With agility unbefitting of his apparent age he quickly began advancing on foot towards the dreaded howl’s source. He knew if he took any kind of vehicle it would alert the creature, and he didn’t want it to escape his wrath. Soon he penetrated the tree line and like a ghost, easily navigated though the heavy under brush without a single sound. The waning moon hung high over head as he quickly neared his destination, and the once plentiful symphony of nocturnal animals fell quite. As he neared a wet ripping noise and the smell of blood filled the air, this only served to enrage the man more.      Quickly he arrived in front of a large pasture, and in the middle of it sat a large black mass hunched over a small herd of brutally torn apart deer facing away from the tree line. The man slowly raised his shotgun and once it was trained on the figure he pulled the trigger causing a defining boom to echo throughout the silent night. The black mass’s right shoulder jerked forward, and it let out a pained whimper before rising onto two legs and turning towards the forest. It’s eyes glowed a sickening yellow and a slight smirk could be seen on its muzzle. It raised its head to the sky, but before it could release another howl another boom echoed out, and it felt an excruciating pain in its hip as a slug destroyed its pelvic bone. It was forced to drop back onto all fours but it’s right arm collapsed underneath it causing it to fall to the ground, the first round had destroyed its shoulder blade as well.      The man seamlessly ejected the shells and reloaded almost instantly, another boom echoed forth and the creatures remaining intact arm was disabled. The man soon trained the gun on the creatures head, but as it turns out this wasn’t a solitary hunter. A second black figure was silently approaching, and soon it was almost close enough to pounce. It rounded the final tree and pounced, it landed heavily and started to violently strike out while cackling like a hyena, but it was quickly interrupted by its pack mate’s cry of alarm. Another boom react out before it could react and it was instantly brought to the ground as a round of buckshot ravished its spine. It could no longer feel it’s legs and started to cry out in panic, it lifted its arm and reached for it’s pack mate but the act was quickly halted by a small click followed by another round of buckshot hitting its elbow causing it to partially sever.       It let another cry of pain, but it was interrupted by another round of buckshot hitting the same place as the first causing the already area to almost liquify. It could feel it’s conscience fading and it once again tried to reach for its pack mate only for a boot to viciously pin its already destroyed elbow to the ground. It raised its head and fearfully looked at the man above it, the man opened the breech and slammed to shells in before pressing the muzzle against the creatures head. With a unhesitating squeeze a shell went off causing its head to splatter across the dirt. The man looked at his work for a second before turning to the first creature, only to find it slowly crawling towards him on a semi-healed arm with a look of rage on its doglike face. The man turned and leisurely approached the enraged creature and soon he stood in front of it. He brought the gun off of his shoulder and with one last boom, the final creature was no more.

"Welcome to your first day. I am your supervisor; you may call me Miya. Our company aims to send incel, I mean, people, to otherworldly destinations, where they will probably do some good. You may be unfamiliar with your new body, so let me explain. On the left side of your view, you can see your daily quota, as well as the location of the target. You may be terminated if you do not meet the company standards. Also on your left is a map; if you select your target, the system will plot the quickest route to that location. This is your current location and where you will work for a while unless you get transferred. Next on your right is the vehicle selection screen; at the moment, you are an Inuzu F-series-type truck. You can transform into other types of vehicles; however, those will cost points to unlock. Points are rewarded per kill. The base amount per kill is 100 points, and you can get awarded extra for style and performance. Accidental kills will be negative points. Repeatedly killing the wrong target will mean a strike; three strikes and you are terminated. After you complete a hit, ahem, a job, make sure to use the self-cleaning function to remove any evidence. The number plate can be changed, but please ensure that you are in a safe location to do so, as the process takes a maximum of ten minutes. In order not to raise suspicion, please comply with local road and safety laws. The HD system, short for Human Drone, is a way for you to communicate with humans. The appearance of the avatar is randomised. This is the end of the introduction. To all the new employees, welcome to Isekai Transport Ltd."

I tried acting completely casual and nonchalant as I wandered around looking over the various wares in the funny little shop. I didn't even know why I was so nervous. Maybe it was the old woman behind the counter, the way her piercing blue eyes seemed to peer into my soul when I first stepped through the door. The only reason I was browsing was to buy some time to get my nerves up. I knew exactly what I was here for and it wasn't on the shelves. I'd have to actually talk to her to get it. The shop was one of three magic stores in the area. It was the smallest, and some people said the prices were on the high-side, but when it came to customer satisfaction it had the best reviews. It was at the end of a run-down strip mall in the old part of town. And unlike the corporate franchised store across town or the discount magic outlet at the big-box plaza out by the highway, this little shop was independent, owned and operated by a local woman. All the stuff on display on the shelves was safe and inert. Spell components, herbs, incense, candles, minerals, that sort of thing. Stuff you'd use to work on your own magic back at home, if you knew how to do it and if you had the talent. Which I didn't. Like most of the population, I was mundane. No gift for magic. The active stuff, dangerous ingredients, and complete ready-to-use spells were all kept behind the counter or locked up in the back. There were laws and regulations covering the sale of that kind of thing. After wasting ten or twelve minutes looking over stuff I wasn't here for and couldn't use anyways, I finally worked up the nerve to go and speak with her. The woman looked like she was in her sixties. She was a few inches shorter than me, like about five-foot-six or so. Her short hair was greying but still had some dark streaks in it, and her face was creased with a few laugh-lines. Her eyes were bright blue and sharp as a tack, and she generally seemed like a kindly grandmother kind of person. She was wearing a long black dress, and had a colourful flowery sweater on overtop. I was still nervous around her, because unlike me she did have the talent. And from what I understood, she was pretty powerful when it came to magic. There were stories of people like her that could turn you into a toad or newt or something, a lot of folks were paranoid about magic users. But I'd read enough to know that was all gross exaggeration and fear-mongering. Most magic required preparation and time, and transformative stuff like that was extremely difficult. At best she might have a potion that could effect a transformation, but she'd have to have it ready in advance then somehow get you to drink it. And even at that, transformation magic could only turn you into a slightly different human. Amphibian transformations were impossible. Then again, knowing that stuff didn't actually make me any less nervous around her. As I approached the counter she gave me a friendly smile and in a kind voice asked, "Hello there son, what can I do for you today?" I tried not to wince or grimace, but I didn't like it when people called me that. I'd have been ok with 'hon' or 'dear', but 'son' just felt wrong. I thought about mentioning it, but I was a little too uneasy to get into that conversation with a mage. Instead I just gulped slightly and replied, "I'm um, here to purchase a spell." "I see," she replied. She didn't seem the least bit surprised by that. I might have thought she was able to read my mind, but I knew the reality was she probably stood there watching as it took me ten minutes to work up the courage to come talk to her. It wouldn't have been hard to guess why I was here. "What sort of spell are you looking for?" After another brief pause I answered, "I um, understand you have something that I can use to speak with the dead?" The woman sort of blinked, like she'd been expecting me to ask for something completely different so she wasn't prepared for my request. It seemed to take her a second or two to switch gears, and her expression shifted slightly. She went from sort of kindly or compassionate to wary and cautious. "I do have a spell like that. It's not going to let you talk to just anyone though. It only works to communicate with a departed soul if there was a close emotional connection between the two of you. Like a family member, dear friend, spouse, that sort of thing? You're not going to be able to talk to some dead hero or movie star or anything like that." "I understand," I replied. I fought back a sudden wave of sadness then in a half-whisper I told her, "I want to speak with my dad one more time." The woman's expression softened back to compassion again, "Oh you poor boy, I'm sorry." I didn't like being called 'boy' either, but that slipped by while I was still dealing with the other emotions. She continued, "I do have to warn you, that sort of magic can bring out a great deal of very powerful emotions. And when a spirit returns to talk, you may find they're not quite as you remember, or as you expect. Death is a transformative experience, and it can also be a freeing one." After a breath she finished with, "And finally as I'm sure you know, local laws and regulations prohibit me from selling any active or dangerous ingredients, or prepared spells to anyone under the age of eighteen. So if you're sure you want to buy that spell, I will need to see some ID." I listened to everything she had to say, then nodded as I dug my wallet out of my back pocket. I knew about the age requirement of course, which is why I waited till after my eighteenth birthday to do this. I showed her my drivers license then pulled out my bank card. "How much is it?" She checked my ID, then after looking at me again she told me the price. I was surprised, it was about half what I'd been expecting to hear. I hesitated for a moment, I wondered if she was giving me a discount because she felt sorry for me. But in the end I just nodded and tapped my card on the payment terminal. If she was giving me a deal I'd take it. I was prepared to pay a lot more than that and I didn't ask for a bargain, but I wasn't going to turn it down if she was offering. Once the payment went through she disappeared into the back for few moments, then returned with a small brown paper bag. It was folded over at the top and sealed with a plain white label that had some laser-printed information on it. The text identified it as 'Reunion Tea' and indicated the date the spell was prepared, the date it would expire, and the name of the shop and the store's magic licence number. "Here you go son," she said as she handed it over. "All the instructions are inside." I may have grimaced slightly that time, but I accepted the bag and said "Thank you ma'am." She paused a moment before adding, "If you need to talk to someone about it afterwards, don't hesitate to come see me again. Like I said, that spell can bring up some powerful emotions." I just nodded slightly and bid her a good day. Then I tried not to rush as I made my way out the door and set off for home. I'd already done my research and I knew the spell worked best if you used it at the new moon, which was tonight. • • • • • I sat alone in the living-room and stared down at the mug in my hands. I was in the recliner, it was dad's favourite chair. I hadn't sat in that chair since he died, it still smelled of him and I didn't want to lose that. Tonight though, it felt appropriate. On the other hand, my nerves and emotions were already a bit wild and I hadn't even drank the tea yet. This would be my first time using magic, but I was confident that whatever happened the experience would be positive. I knew my dad well enough, I was sure things would go ok. The instructions were pretty straight-forward, and it was all pretty much what I'd read before-hand on the internet. Boil the water, steep the tea for seven minutes, then strain it into a mug. It smelled strong, like normal black tea but with hints of herbs and flowers and spices. I didn't think it needed sweetening or anything like that, it smelled pretty good on its own. The last step was to drink it, then think about the person I wanted to talk to. Thinking about dad was easy. I did it a lot, ever since he died last spring. He and I were all each other had. Mom left us a few years ago, back when I was thirteen. She moved to the city, she said she needed more than she could get in a small town. There wasn't any yelling, and she stayed in touch with me and dad for a while. She even came back and visited on holidays, a few times anyways. Eventually though she just sort of drifted away. The visits stopped, then the letters and holiday cards tapered off, and finally the phone calls and emails. I hadn't seen or heard from her since some time before my sixteenth birthday. It seemed a bit sad in retrospect, but at the time that's just how it was. Dad and I were ok though, we looked out for each other. We took turns cooking and doing the chores and all that. Neither of us were terribly social, neither of us had friends. He knew some guys at work, I hung out with some guys at school, that was about it. Really, me and dad were each other's best friend. If I had a problem, or if I needed someone to talk to, I went to dad. Even the difficult stuff, emotional stuff, he was there for me. And if he needed to talk about something, he could always talk to me. He wasn't like some guys' dads where they were all macho and manly. My dad was tough and he could handle tough stuff, but he wasn't scared to be tender and emotional too. And I never had to worry how he'd react, he was always there to back me up no matter what. Then it all came crashing down. There was an accident at the factory. Dad was hurt bad and they couldn't get him to a hospital in time. The nearest healing mage was over an hour away, and by the time they got there it was too late. Just like that he was gone, and I was completely alone. Until tonight. Now I was going to see him one last time, I'd have the chance to talk to him again. I'd been looking forward to this moment for months now. Not just because I missed him so bad, but there was something specific I had to talk to him about. I'd been working up the courage to have this conversation back before he died. Back then I was just questioning, but since he'd been gone I had to figure it all out on my own. And I pretty much knew what I needed to say. I wasn't sure if I wanted dad's approval, or if I really just wanted to tell him what I'd figured out. And I definitely wanted to see him again, even if it was just a magic-induced vision. To see his face and hear his voice once more, and to get the chance to say goodbye, that was really important too. At the same time I also felt a little anxiety that he might react badly to what I needed to say. Or maybe he'd try and change my mind or talk me out of it. I was pretty sure that was just nerves though, my dad wasn't like that. He cared too much, he was too understanding. I glanced down at the mug again and was only slightly surprised to see it was nearly empty. I'd been sipping it the whole time I'd been thinking about dad, and hadn't even really noticed. With a wry smile I gulped down the last few drops. Despite looking and smelling recognizably like tea, it actually had almost no taste at all. I guessed that was because of the magic, like maybe magic didn't have a taste. Finally I got up and returned to the kitchen, where I rinsed out the mug and put it away. The instructions said all I had to do now was wait, and keep thinking about dad. It said there was no fixed time, some folks would get the vision within minutes, others might have to wait an hour or more. The only real guarantee was it would happen before the sun came up, so I could potentially be waiting up to six hours. It also said there was no fixed amount of time the vision would last. I might have a few hours with dad, or maybe only a few minutes. Magic was kind of ambiguous that way. It did what it needed to do and took as long as it took. The instructions also said not to worry about falling asleep and missing the vision. It wasn't clear if that was due to how the magic worked, or maybe there was just a good old dose of caffein in the tea. Either way I knew I was probably in for a long night. I just hoped dad would show up sooner rather than later. It'd suck to wait six hours then only have a few minutes with him before sunrise. I was on my way from the kitchen back to the living-room when I was startled by a knock at the front door. Our house was out of the way, surrounded by farms out at the edge of town. The nearest neighbours were about half a kilometer away so you really had to go out of your way to get here. I wasn't expecting anyone, and I was torn about what to do. I was literally in the middle of a magical seance spell, I didn't want to deal with some outside distraction. I could feel a warmth deep inside me that I attributed to the tea, and I really wanted to just sit down and focus on dad while I could feel the magic doing its thing. But dad always taught me to be polite and neighbourly, and ignoring someone at the door would be rude. With a sigh I turned and moved to answer it. I figured I'd see who it was, and hopefully get rid of them before too long. I opened the door and found myself face to face with an attractive young woman. She looked maybe a year or two older than myself, and she was dressed fairly casual with jeans and a t-shirt, and sneakers on her feet. I didn't see a car out front so she must have come on foot. And she wasn't wearing a jacket, which was unusual for being out at night this time of year. I figured she was lost, or maybe her car had broken down. There was a college in the next town and she looked about that age. Probably a freshman who'd only been in the area a month at best, she got turned around in the dark and couldn't find her way back. She was kind of pretty, in a girl-next-door way. Her shoulder length brown hair was a bit messy from the light wind that was blowing, her eyes were a soft hazel tone. Her face was rounded and she had a cute nose, and her wide pink lips seemed expressive. Overall she looked like a friendly, likeable person. "Hello?" I asked. "What can I do for you?" She looked relieved that I opened the door, and she gave me a hopeful smile. "Thanks for answering! I seem to have gotten myself a little bit lost, and I saw your light was on. I'm sorry to impose but I was wondering if I could come in and sit down for a while?" I suppressed a sigh, but I couldn't turn down someone in trouble. I sure couldn't send her off into the cold night like that. Meanwhile I still had that warm feeling going through me from the tea and I was trying to keep my thoughts focused on my dad while talking to this lost girl. "Um, sure," I replied as I stepped aside and motioned her in. "Come inside, it's a cool night to be out there without a coat or jacket." The girl thanked me as she moved past me and into the house. She kind of confirmed my out-of-town student theory as she commented, "I didn't realize it would be so brisk around here tonight." I led her into the living-room then gestured at the sofa and said, "Make yourself comfortable. Can I get you something to drink? Water, soda, or if you want to warm up I could make tea or coffee?" She smiled at me, and the look of warmth and gratitude on her face melted my heart a little. "Some water would be great, thank you so much." "Don't mention it," I replied with a little smile of my own. I quickly poured her a glass out of the filtered jug from the fridge, then brought it back and handed it to her. I still felt torn as I settled back into dad's recliner again. That warmth was flowing through me and I really wanted to focus on my dad and the spell, but I knew dad would be unhappy with me if I wasn't hospitable. I was trying to figure out how to tell her I needed some quiet time to concentrate when she asked "I hope I didn't interrupt anything?" "No miss," I started to say, but something caught in my throat. I didn't want to lie about it. I worried that might break whatever the spell was doing as it tried to connect me to dad's spirit. I sighed and corrected myself, "Actually yeah. I just drank some um, magic tea. I'm trying to contact my dad." The girl apologized, "I'm sorry. When you say you're trying to contact him...?" "Yeah," I sighed again. "He passed on. I have to focus on him so the tea can help me reach him, wherever he is now." "I'm so sorry," she gave me a really sad look. "Would it help maybe to talk about him? That might help you focus. I promise I'm a good listener." Normally I wouldn't start talking about personal stuff like that to a stranger, but something about this girl set my mind at ease. Or maybe it was a side-effect of the tea. Whatever it was, I figured we didn't even know each other's names and we'd probably never see each other again. It couldn't hurt to share this with her, and like she said, it might help with the spell. "My dad and I were like best friends," I told her. "We were that close. We could tell each other anything, we always had each other's backs. And we didn't really have anyone else, you know? But then he was killed, there was an accident at the factory where he worked." It was probably the first time I was able to say that without tears. I attributed that to the tea as well. That warm feeling had spread pretty much all through me by this point, and I felt really calm and relaxed. "Anyways, so I just turned eighteen recently. Finally old enough to buy the spell, and tonight's the new moon. So I'm looking forward to seeing him again. And talking to him again." The girl listened quietly, she looked sad but hopeful. She gave me a sad smile, "You must love your dad very much. He sounds like a really good guy." "He was," I nodded, and this time I did wipe a few tears away. "And there's something I need to talk with him about. It's stuff that was on my mind back then? I was just working up the courage to have that conversation, and suddenly it was too late. So tonight I'm going to finally get to talk to him about that stuff." My guest drank some of her water then commented, "It must be something really important you want to tell him." "It is," I agreed. "Back then I guess I was mostly hoping for some guidance, I was questioning stuff but I wasn't sure? Since he's been gone I've been figuring it out on my own. And I think I've got it figured out now. But I just really want to talk to him about it. I'm not sure that I want his approval or permission, but I want him to know." The girl frowned, she looked thoughtful for a few moments. Finally she asked, "Would you be comfortable telling me about it? While you're waiting for him?" That threw me for a moment and I took a couple deep breaths. Nobody knew this, not yet. It was exactly the sort of thing I needed to talk to my dad about first, before I was comfortable sharing it with others. I felt calm though, and something about this girl made me feel like I could trust her. Like it was safe to talk to her about stuff. And I couldn't deny it was nice having someone to talk to like this. I spent so much of my time alone lately, having some company was a rare treat. I excused myself first and got myself some water, and I refilled her glass too. Then I sat back down again and after a couple gulps to take care of my dry mouth I said "Ok. While I'm waiting for him I guess it won't hurt to tell you. It's um, this is stuff I've never told anyone else." It took me another few seconds to work up the courage before I admitted it. "So I um, I think I'm trans. I was questioning when dad died, but since then I've pretty much figured myself out. And I guess I wanted to tell him, I wanted him to know. Maybe I need to know if he's ok with it?" Despite the sense of calm I was getting from both her and the tea, I was still a little anxious how she'd react to my confession. But all she did was give me a look that was equal parts compassion, sadness, and hope. "Thank you for trusting me with that," she replied. "I know it can't have been easy, and I'm honoured you shared it with me. It's a big step, and it's not an easy one to make, but figuring that out for yourself is huge. You should be very proud of yourself. Even if some people might try and tell you otherwise." I sort of frowned at her, she sounded like she was speaking from experience. A moment later she confirmed my suspicions. She added, "I'm the same, I just transitioned last spring." "Wow," I said, then immediately regretted it. I never was that good with knowing what to say. And I couldn't help looking her over again. She looked really good. Like I'd read you can get really good results with potions, especially if you knew the right person or got them from someone with experience doing that sort of thing. Until now though, I'd never met anyone who'd actually done it. I suddenly had a lot more questions for her, all relating to where she got her magic from and what was it like. Before I could ask, the girl started talking again. "I spent my whole life being something I wasn't, and for most of that time I didn't even know what was wrong. Even when I did figure it out, I kept it to myself. I was worried what my family might think, how they'd react. Now I know that was silly on my part, and I really wish I'd spoken up back then. I wish I hadn't left it for so long." She sighed slightly as she looked sad for a moment, then she shrugged "Anyways, things happened and at long last I was finally free to be myself." The girl fixed her eyes on mine and added "It's beautiful that you want to talk to your old man again and want to tell him, but however that plays out please don't let it hold you back?" I had another gulp of water then shrugged, "I'll try not to. I really want to talk with him again though." "I understand," she replied. "If I remember right, that tea's good till sunrise? So there's still several hours left to go." That caught my interest. I didn't think a lot of people knew that spell existed, let alone how it worked. But if she'd used magic to transition then she obviously had a contact or knew someone. "You're familiar with it?" I asked her. "I guess you know a mage or something? Sorry if this is rude but I'm guessing you used a potion to transition?" She shrugged, "Something like that. You obviously know about that stuff too I take it? There's potions or even teas that can help you transition, that can get you the body you should have had from the start. Are you going to do that next?" "Maybe," I replied, though I couldn't help blushing a little. "I honestly don't know yet? It's a big step, and I'm kind of scared. I really want to do it, but...yeah. It's a lot. And right now what I want most is to talk to my dad again. I need to tell him all this. I need to know what he thinks." The girl gave me another sympathetic smile and responded, "Like I said it's beautiful you want to share that with your dad, but whatever happens tonight you can't let it hold you back. Being true to yourself is the most powerful thing you can do. And I'm sure your dad would agree." I just sighed as I nodded noncommittally. I couldn't help but wonder if dad would actually show up, or if having this stranger here messed things up. Especially since it was getting harder and harder to concentrate on dad while maintaining a conversation with this girl. I started trying to think of a polite way I could excuse myself. I figured I could go wait alone in the kitchen and focus on dad again. Before I could ask though she spoke up again. "Hey, I was wondering," she said in a hopeful voice, "Have you picked out a new name yet?" I blushed but nodded "Yeah, I have. That's another thing I wanted to talk to dad about." The girl smiled, "I know this is a big ask, but would you share it with me?" She was right, that was a big ask. I frowned as I hesitated and thought it over. It was something else I wanted to tell my dad before anyone else, and it was really personal. But then I'd already told her I was trans and that was just as personal, and I'd been planning on telling that to dad first too. My guest stayed quiet as I thought about it. She drank some more of her water as she waited patiently. I finally took a deep breath then told her, "Sarah. I'm going to be called Sarah." "That's a beautiful name," she replied with a kind smile. "It's lovely to meet you, Sarah." Hearing her say it, hearing someone speak my new name out loud, address me, call me that name struck me a lot harder than I ever imagined possible. I felt my throat choke up and tears in my eyes as the emotions started to overwhelm me. The girl stood up and moved to me. She leaned over and pulled me into a hug as she whispered, "It's ok hon. I didn't mean to make you cry but it's ok, you're allowed to. You can be yourself. It's ok to be who you really are." Despite her words I fought to blink back the tears and get control of myself. It felt good to be held though, I hadn't been hugged in years. After a minute or two I got my emotions under control, but she kept her arms around me. I was about to ask her to let go, but she must have sensed that. Instead she held me a little closer and spoke softly in my ear. "My name would have been Amanda, if I'd been brave enough to come out and tell you when I had the chance. It was wonderful to see you again. I was always proud to call you my son, and I'm even more proud knowing you're my daughter. Take care of yourself Sarah. I'm sorry I had to leave you last spring, and I'm sorry I have to leave you again now. I love you hon." It took two or three heartbeats for that to sink in, then the dam burst. I couldn't hold back those tears, and I didn't even try. She continued to hold me as I let it all out, and I wrapped my arms around her and hugged her back. Eventually I managed to cry myself to sleep curled up there in her old chair, with the memory of her arms around me. • • • • • I found myself at that run-down strip mall once again. The full moon was tonight, and according to my research that was the best time for transformative magic to do its thing. After taking a moment to calm my nerves, I pulled open the door and stepped inside. Last time I was there it took me almost a quarter of an hour to work up the courage to talk to the woman but today I went straight up to the counter. She obviously remembered me from before, she greeted me then asked with a hopeful smile "I take it the tea worked out ok for you?" "Yes ma'am," I nodded. "It was..." My voice faltered as memories of that night two weeks ago threatened to overwhelm me again. The experience brought back some of the loss, sadness, and grief. In a way it was like losing dad a second time. But as much as it hurt, it was also good. There was joy, hope, love, and acceptance. And I knew that wherever dad was now, she was happy. She was finally free to be herself, and she wanted me to do the same. I blinked away a few would-be tears as I recovered and continued, "Like you said, the emotions were powerful. But it was good. Very very good." "I'm glad to hear that hon," she replied. "And what brings you back here today?" This was it, and it took me a couple more deep breaths to bring myself to say it. "I'd like to buy a transformation spell. I want to be my true self." The lady didn't seem surprised or shocked. She replied, "I already know you're eighteen, but I do have to confirm what you're asking for hon. You want a trans-formation spell? And you know there's some other paperwork I'll need to see for that right?" "Yes ma'am," I stated, though I could feel my cheeks colouring slightly. I pulled the folded papers out of the courier bag I had hanging from my shoulder like a purse, "I saw the magistrate three days ago. My new ID is coming in the mail, but in the meantime this should be enough?" She barely looked at the notarized forms before handing them back, "That's fine hon. I just needed to know. Part of the rules and regulations." I nodded, I knew all that. And something told me she knew I knew it. I also realized she'd been calling me 'hon' today rather than 'son'. Something told me she knew a lot more than she let on. Same as last time, the price was a lot less than what I was expecting. And like before I didn't question or complain. After I paid with my bank card she asked, "Is it ok with you if I blend this as another tea? I find it's easier on the stomach that way. It'll take a few minutes for me to prepare it, if you don't mind waiting." "Tea is fine," I replied. "And I don't mind waiting." She smiled, then disappeared into the back room. About ten minutes later she returned holding another little brown paper bag. The label on this one indicated it was 'Trans-formation Tea', prepared today. Rather than an expiry date it just said 'use tonight'. "Here you go," she said as she handed it over. "Take it after dinner. You'll find it makes you sleepy so plan on an early night. I'm sure you already know it's the full moon so tonight's the best night to use it? When you wake up tomorrow you'll be your true self." I had trouble containing my smile as I accepted the bag. "Thank you. Thanks for everything!" "You're welcome hon," she replied with another kindly smile. Just like last time I had to force myself not to rush out the door in my eagerness to get back home. The rest of the afternoon was an exercise in patience, but I forced myself to take it easy. When it was time, I ate a small wholesome dinner then did the dishes and tidied up the kitchen. Finally I put the kettle on, and once it was boiling I brewed the tea. And when it was ready I settled into dad's recliner again with the mug in hand. This one looked and smelled like an herbal blend. There was a pink hue to the liquid, and the aroma carried hints of carnations, roses, and undertones of sweet spices. There was no taste though, same as the other magic tea. It only took me a few minutes to drink it all, then I took the mug into the kitchen. I was already feeling the warmth deep inside me, along with a shudder of excitement. As I got ready for bed I worried I might not be able to sleep, but I drifted off only a few moments after my head touched the pillow. And as I slept, I dreamed of dad again. She told me how happy and proud she was that I was being true to myself. I was already my true self in my dreams, but she knew I'd taken the steps to make that a reality. In my dreams I had her hazel eyes and wide pink lips. My hair was light-brown and wavy, and it hung a few inches past my shoulders. As Sarah I was a few inches shorter than when I thought I was a guy. My shoulders were narrow, same as my waist. My hips and behind stuck out more, but not so much as to make me uncomfortable. Same with my chest, my breasts were firm and perky, like there was no mistaking they were there but at the same time they weren't so big as to get in the way or cause me problems. My arms and legs were slim and smooth, my hands and feet almost seemed small and delicate. Except now it wasn't just a dream, not anymore. When I got up in the morning and looked in the mirror, I saw the real me smiling back. I was Sarah. And I could feel Amanda was out there somewhere, smiling down on me. PurpleCatGirl If you're enjoying our work and you'd like to support us, please consider joining our patreon & get early access to bonus chapters, new chapters, and new stories!https://www.patreon.com/purplecatgirl

Glaring at the phone in his hand, Josiah took in a deep breath and swiped the phone. Lisanna had just called him and they were not on the best of terms, especially after he left home. “What do you want?” He asked. Lisanna sighed and said, “I am only phoning you to let you know that your grandfather’s fiftieth birthday passed over the weekend and all he asked for was to see you again. He isn’t looking too well and has been in and out of the hospital. I know how much he meant to you and he was the most affected when you left.” He removed the phone from his ear and switched the phone off. Chucking it to the side, he sat back down on his chair and returned to the camera where he was filming and smiled, “Sorry for the interruption everyone, I guess it was not as important as I thought.” He looked at the live chat screen and read all the comments, saying that it was okay.  He smiled and thanked them, then got back to what he was doing, spreading his legs and pleasing himself for all of his viewers.   Stopping in front of the school, he climbed out of the car and went to the lawn where he had to wait for his children with the other parents and sat down on the chair, crossing his legs.  Pulling his phone out, he checked his currency app and smirked. Making money never seemed so easy, especially when he was around people who thought that he was disgusting and strange. He transferred all the money to his bank account, then started paying his bills when the school bell rang. Josiah looked up to see if his kids were out yet, but they weren’t, so he continued paying his bills until he heard one of his baby’s scream, “Daddy!” He looked up with a smirk, placed his phone in his bag, and stood up with his arms open. Declan ran into his arms and started whimpering from exhaustion. He complained, “My legs hurt from all the walking. Please carry me.” Josiah laughed. He looked at the others, who walked over with glares on their faces and plopped down on the grass in front of him. He sat back down and asked, “So what happened now.” “She was picking on me again,” his daughter Diana. Josiah’s gaze flicked over to the school entrance and saw their teacher speaking to one parent there. She could feel his gaze on her and looked at him. The glare in his eyes made her heart shudder, especially when she saw he got up. He glanced once at his children, who immediately stood up and they followed him to her. He smiled at her once he stopped and even the other parents were looking at him. “So, what was the problem today?” He asked. Miss Winter’s gaze flicked to his daughter, then up at him and said, “I do not know what you are talking about.” Josiah pushed his daughter forward and said, “I didn’t give her a chance to speak yet. So tell me your side of the story, since no one believes a five-year-old.” Miss Winter swallowed hard and kept her demeanor brave. She looked down at Diana and asked, “So, what do you have to say today?” Diana lifted her red shirt’s left sleeve and said, “Look daddy, she pinched me today because I was still looking at the wales swimming. And if you don’t believe me, just ask Mason. She pinched him too, and he was crying, then she told him to shut up!” Mason’s mother was not too far from them because she returned with her son after he told her what happened. She was incredibly convinced when he showed her the bruise on his arm. She came just in time to slap Miss Winter across the face and kicked her as she yelled, “How dare you lay your hands on our children!” The security guard came rushing over and stopped Mason’s mother before she could do any more damage. One teacher rushed over too and helped Miss Winter up as she said, “I will immediately report you to the police.” “Go ahead, you horrible female! I’ll make sure you never step foot near a school again and you better believe I am getting the lawyers involved in this!” she demanded and walked straight into the school and yelled at the principal. Josiah was right next to her when he said, “Now you know what I was talking about. My children will take leave from school until this mess is sorted out.”   “Daddy, you never let us stay out of school,” Damian, his second oldest, spoke. He took a sip of the milkshake he was sucking on and said, “Miss Winter messing around. Came just in the nick of time. Daddy received a phone call this morning about my grandfather, he isn’t doing too well and I know I told you four that we will never go back there but I really miss him and I am sure once he meets you all, he will be happy again.” “Does that mean we get to meet daddy, daddy?” Dominic asked. He sighed, realizing that that was what his children concluded and nodded his head, “Yes, but don’t get too excited. Your father and I aren’t on speaking terms and my life with them is over. There is no guarantee that they will accept us because they did not accept me for being gay.” His pups frowned together. Tears swam in their eyes. “Oh now, what is with the floppy woppy faces? I brought you out to eat, so eat up and go play yourselves tired,” he said with a chuckle and continued eating. The quadruplets exchanged a conversation within the mind-link, cheering each other up then started eating. He watched as the children ran around like crazy in the play area and smirked when the other customers started complaining about them, but this was a family friendly place and the owner loved his pups. He wasn’t going to chase away a regular customer. He looked down at his phone and started reading through the comments of his latest video and couldn’t help but smirk. All these perverts that were paying his bills were greedy and just wanted more of him. If it weren’t for the mask that he wore during the videos, he wouldn’t dare show his face around his parents, not to mention they might have even found him in case someone was watching his videos.   Putting them to bed that evening, he kissed them on the lips then went to his studio and created more content for the days that he would be gone. Going to bed that night, Josiah couldn’t fall asleep as all the memories flooded in, those painful memories that made him cry endlessly and wish that he never existed, but now, he wouldn’t change what happened to him for the world. He had his four pups that he would go to hell and back for.   Six years, two months ago…   It happened two nights after his fifteenth birthday.  Josiah was placing painted smooth rocks around each tree in a circle, lining it up, when he suddenly caught a scent that he loved so much. He stood straight as he blushed and turned around to face Daniel. Daniel was only wearing silver basketball shorts, leaving his abs on full display. He bowed his head, greeting, “Good afternoon, alpha.” Daniel rolled his eyes and lay down on the grass between the trees and said, “My brother is the alpha, not me.” Josiah stood there, confused, but said nothing. Daniel was the third son and the favourite, spoilt and a bastard when he wanted to be. But why was he here? Thought Josiah. He nodded his head and unpacked the stones from his basket and moved onto packing them under the next tree. Daniel watched him do this, then picked up one stone that was already laid out and looked at it.  The stone was covered in yellow acrylic paint with a pink flower painted on it and said, “You do pretty useless things with your money.” Josiah glared at him and said, “And so do you, but do you hear me complaining?” Daniel smirked at his response and placed it down, laying on his side. He rested his head on his left arm and watched him for a bit.  “So, why do you watch me?” He asked. “Because I love you!” He hissed, then froze and cursed. He thought Daniel said something slick. That’s why he answered, but if only I had thought he wished. They stared at each other in a moment of confusion, but immediately when Josiah collected himself, he lied, “Sorry, that’s not what I meant. I just wish that I could be strong like you and the others, but that's too much to ask since I am an omega.” Daniel sat up, crossing his legs, asking, “So you don’t love me?” Josiah seemed to be in a dilemma. He couldn’t say no because that would offend the alpha and now he was stuck. Fiddling around with the rocks in his hand, he sighed, saying, “I do like you.up,” Daniel grinned, saying, “You didn’t have to tell me. I already knew that. You were lurking around me and only someone dumb wouldn’t see that you are interested in me.” He had nothing to say and continued placing the rocks down. When he was done, he stood up and was about to leave when Daniel said, “So go on a date with me.” “What?” He said confused. Staring at Daniel, he could see that he was serious and said, “You’re not even gay.” “But we are both single and it’s not like I care if you are male or female,” he said. Josiah didn’t know what to say. On one hand, he was happy and on the other he was worried that this was a prank, but would he go this far to ruin his reputation in the pack? Daniel stepped forward when he saw that his mind was elsewhere and placed a finger on his nose. Josiah looked into his eyes, wondering when did he get so close to him. “So what do you say?” Daniel asked in a seductive voice. He nodded his head nervously, earning a smile from Daniel. “So, I’ll see you tomorrow after school, okay? Let’s go watch a movie together,” Daniel said and walked away, not waiting for an answer from him. When Daniel was out of sight, he jumped for joy and squealed, and continued placing everything down.  When he was done, he ran to find Lisanna in their usual spot, but found her making out with Daniel’s cousin, Lincoln. He sighed and walked away, back to the packhouse, and started painting again until it was time for dinner. At the dinner table, he was completely ignored by his so-called best friend and even Daniel, who wouldn’t look his way. He ate his dinner in peace, then did his dishes then went up to wash himself, then to bed. The next day at school too, it all felt like he had imagined it all. The day went slowly by and when it was lunch, Daniel told him to not forget about the movie and that he could not take him there. Josiah started getting suspicious, thinking that Daniel didn’t want to be seen with him and it was true. When he arrived at the cinema, he saw Daniel dressed in all black, not wearing what he had on at school earlier on. Walking up to him, he greeted, “Hi.” Daniel smirked, “Hi, took you long enough.” He rolled his eyes and walked towards the counter, asking, “What are we going to watch?” “Me in my prime? I already bought the tickets. Let's go buy the snacks,” he said, dragging him off in the other direction. Josiah looked at their hands and couldn’t help but blush under his milk chocolate skin. They stopped at the counter and just as Daniel was going to order the popcorn he said, “Get me the jelly beans and colourful chocolates. I don’t care about the popcorn and anything else.” “Damn, well you’re going to get fat,” Daniel scoffed and ordered just that. They went to sit in their seats and before the movie started, Daniel asked, “Can we keep this between us for now?” As days went by, Daniel became more interested in him, but they had to keep their relationship hidden. He couldn’t speak to him, but Daniel was always sending him messages through the pack link. Sometimes he would have to shut the link down, all because he became annoying. The night of his sixteenth birthday, a year later, they were out in the woods going for a walk and watched the moon shine high in the sky. Things took a drastic turn. He was high on cloud in love and they did the unthinkable, losing their virginities to one another, but that was what Josiah thought he knew. He went home late that night but luckily it was over the weekend, but everything went downhill the moment he opened his eyes the next morning. He woke up, got dressed and was ready to help his siblings with the chores, but when he stepped into the kitchen, the newspaper in his father's hand dropped onto the table and he stood up. He stalked over to Josiah and slapped him across the face and yelled, “WHo did you sleep with last night!” Cupping his face with wide eyes, he looked up at his father, frightened. It had already been bad that he was born an omega, gay and now his father knew, but how? Right. A wolf’s nose could smell anything. He stood up with shaky legs and refused to look at his father. “I asked you a question, Josiah,” he said. He wondered if he should lie, especially when he promised Daniel that they would keep their relationship a secret. He looked at his father and said, “A human from my school, but it meant nothing, dad I swear.” “It meant nothing?” His father repeated and the next thing he knew, his father shifted into his wolf, grabbed him by the shoulder and flung him across the family room into the wall unit. Just as Arthur was getting ready to charge at his son again, Julianna, his mother, shifted and attacked her husband. Josiah didn’t wait to see what would happen, especially after he heard his mother's wolf whimper, then saw his brother and sister fly into the room and tried to stop their father too. Josiah rushed to his grandfather's house in unbearable pain. He ran as fast as his feet could take him, afraid that his father would be at his heels soon. He suddenly heard a giggle behind a boulder, followed by Daniel’s voice. He stopped in his tracks with the worry of his father chasing behind him disappearing. He walked up to them not even bothering to mask his scent, and immediately paled when he came around the boulder. Daniel had his pants down while the girl he was with, a human, was on her knees with his manhood in her mouth. Daniel was so relaxed that when he saw Josiah he didn’t jump to defend himself but the blood sliding down his shoulder and head that he grew worried.  Michael came flying past them in his wolf, but stopped when he smelled blood. He shifted back when he saw Josiah who quickly rushed into his arms and started crying. Soon many gathered around them, including the Alpha, Daniel’s father Daxton, who was alerted that one of his best warriors was going crazy. Even before they reached the house, the smell of blood attracted him and to find his son there with a human, doing the unthinkable (since they could smell what was in her mouth) They picked up the scent of what was still swirling around inside Josiah’s forbidden walls. Daxton grabbed his son by the neck, putting two and two together, then dragged him off to Josiah’s home to get the full explanation, but Josiah didn’t want to go back there. Jasmine took him back home while Michael went to sort his son-in-law out for harming Josiah. Daniel came clean under his father's threats about the two of them and what they had been up to over the past year. Arthur was glad that it was Daniel and went to Josiah to apologise for how he had behaved, but Josiah was scared shitless by his father that he didn’t even want to be in the same breathing space as him.   When morning came, he had made up his mind about forgetting everything and leaving here, especially now that everyone was talking about him. He went home to fetch his things, a bankcard included with just enough clothes that he wouldn’t be caught with and went to school with everyone. Attending classes that day was both embarrassing and painful for him, especially when he was constantly glared at by Daniel who was being teased too.   He excused himself for the toilets, went to get his things out of his locker and jumped the fence. Jumping on the bus that was just in time to pick up the little children from school, he climbed in and didn’t look back.   What happened at the pack and school after they found out that he left he didn’t care for? The stupid crush that turned real but crushed his heart could die too, but he would miss his grandparents. The bus came to a stop, and he did not even know where to start. The hardest part was to leave the pack now. He needed a place to stay, but before that, food!   An hour after stuffing his face with pancakes and strawberry milkshake, he had searched up inexpensive places to stay and found one not too far from where he was, but it was so creepy! Counting the last of his money, he wondered what he was going to do next when a naked female popped up onto his screen thanks to a shitty ad, but that's when he got the idea. Why not do and wear what he wanted? He could be openly gay now and hopefully find a man who would love him for who he was, but he had to be a wolf too. It would be even better if he could meet his mate. Going to sleep that night, he tossed and turned, especially when he just wanted to check his phone, but he broke the sim card. Connecting to the Wi-Fi of the motel, he went onto the pornsite trying to forget about his problems. Maybe he’d see something he liked, and he did.  He was able to make a user account with the name “Strawberry.” But reality hit him pretty hard after a month of living his secret life.   The quadruplets glared at their father as he introduced the old nanny. They arrived at the hotel after a long flight and were looking forward to going to the place where their father grew up. Josiah smirked down at them and said, “Now I want you all to behave and do not, under any circumstances, switch, okay?” They looked away and mumbled, “Yes daddy.” “And when I return, I will bring you all something nice to eat and tomorrow morning, we’ll go watch a movie,” he said. “And eat lots of candy?” Diana squeezed in. Josiah raised a brow and nodded. “Fine. I will see you all later,” he said, giving them each a kiss ending on Declan.  He already had tears in his eyes and said, “I don’t want you to go alone to a place you don’t like.” “Oh my baby,” he said and pulled him in for a hug. Kissing his temple, he said, “I will be back in no time, my love, okay?” Silver Forest Pack Daniel Rallison, the third son of the Alpha family was going through the last file of the packs, finances and sighed it off. Closing it, he stood up and stretched his limbs. His brother, the Alpha, Darren, looked at him and asked, “Off to party?” Daniel nodded his, “Always.” After taking a shower, he went for a run, then made his way to his best friend's place on packlands. At the gate, Josiah pulled up in a green rented car. He looked out of the window at the warrior, who was cautiously looking at him, and said, “This place is forbidden to outsiders.” The wolf smell was on Josiah not that he was trying to hide it. He pulled out his old family card and handed it to him as he said, “I’m here to visit my grandfather, Michael Brooks.” He took the card from Josiah and looked at it. He mind-linked with Alpha Darren and he was shocked too. The identity number matched up with one of the pack members and he was let in, but first he needed to go to Alpha Darren’s office. He was annoyed, but whatever. Alpha Darren came out to meet him by the front door and when he stepped out of the car, the faint familiar scent he was surprised to see who it was because his name was not familiar at all. Josiah climbed out of the car wearing red tracksuit pants with a white crop top. He had a silver chain around his neck with four paw prints in the centre, hanging from it with names engraved on them. Josiah looked at him and smiled, “Hi there.” “Where have you been hiding?” Darren asked. “Around,” Josiah said. Darren nodded his head, confused, and said, “Okay, sure. You can go visit your grandfather.” “Thanks,” he answered and climbed back into the car. Darren looked at the back of the car, confused, and could clearly remember what had happened in the past. Before he even made it to the house, a huge grey wolf jumped in front of the car, making it immediately stop. He climbed out of the car and said, “Do you mind?” The wolf shifted back to its human and Josiah stared, horrified as he looked at Daniel. Daniel too, couldn’t believe who he was staring at.  Josiah’s hand moved up to his nose and rubbed it. He tried his best to ignore the smell and said, “You are in my way.” Daniel just couldn’t believe it. He was having a good time and when he smelled the scent of his mate; he was so happy and came running to find her, but here Josiah stood. Someone from the past he messed with and tried to forget. He walked up to him and asked softly, even though it wouldn’t help with all the wolves gathering around, “Am I imagining it?” “Imagining what?” He asked. “You’re my mate,” Daniel said. Josiah laughed out loud and shook his head. “Over my dead body,” he scoffed and climbed into his car. He started it up and just as he switched gears, he was sprayed with something. He turned to look at Daniel, who was outside the window, and watched as his eyes rolled to the back of his head, with the blood still gushing out of his mouth. The pack members who were gathering around shuddered and immediately rushed to his side while Josiah ignored the entire scene and made his way to his grandfather's house. Since he was covered in blood, he had to change his clothes, then walked up to the door and knocked. Inside the house, they could smell that there was someone unfamiliar there. His grandmother opened the door and went pale when she saw him.  “Hi grandma,” he said. She took a moment to collect herself and teared up. Opening her arms, she hugged him. “Josiah, where have you been?” She wailed. His grandfather quickly got up from his recliner and rushed to the door. He looked at Josiah, who had tears in his eyes and couldn’t believe it.  “Well, don’t just stand there. Come in here and give me a hug too,” he said. He went in and jumped on his grandfather. Not even seconds later and they were both crying. “I missed you so much, grandpa,” Josiah cried. Michael rubbed his hand up and down his back, comforting him while he walked him back to the family room and sat down with him on his lap. Michael cupped his cheeks and looked at his grandchild, who had grown so much, and said, “I missed you too. Who told you to run away from home?” “No one,” he answered. Jasmine sat down opposite them and looked at him, saying, “How have you been? If you told me you were coming over, I would have made peach cobbler, just the way you like it.” He wiped away his tears, saying, “You can still make it. I’ll be back tomorrow.” Suddenly there was a knock on the door and the elders could smell that it was the alpha family elders. Michael got up and went to open it. “How can I help you Dennis?” He asked Daniel’s grandfather. Dennis looked at him, then looked inside of the house and said, “Where is he?” Michael looked back into the house and thought that it had something to do with the past and asked, “Who?” “Your grandson that just arrived. He’s Daniel’s mate and rejected him in front of everyone. We rushed him to the clinic and they are busy operating on as we speak.” He answered. Michael turned to look at Josiah, surprised, and saw that he could not be bothered with their problems. Michael recalled what happened that led his grandson to run away from home in the first place and turned to him and said, “Please leave. You know what has happened in the past and whatever you want to say or do won’t make anyone's situation right.” “Michael, you know what a mate means,” he said. “And you know what happened to my grandson, now if you will excuse us, we have some catching up to do,” Michael said and closed the door. He turned to Josiah, who sat back down and asked, “Are you two mates?” He looked at his nails unbothered, then placed his hair behind his ear that was tickling it, “It seems so.” “And you rejected him?” Jasmine asked. “Pretty much,” he answered, ignoring the pain he felt in his heart. “Daniel is not my problem. He never was and never will be.” He slapped his hands on his thighs and said, surprised, “I thought you were dying. That bitch lied to me!” “Who?” They questioned. “Lisanna, she said you were upset and dying that's why I came, even the children were worried when I…” He started and stopped when his children came up. Michael wasn’t stupid nor was his wife slow, “What children?” “Well. . .” He explained his situation to them and they had nothing to say. Jasmine was so proud of him for making it this far and said, “And I am not surprised that you rejected him. I would too!” “This actually explains why he was so sick after you left,” Michael suddenly said with a grave expression. Josiah’s brows flew up in confusion, and then he snickered. At least he wasn’t the only one going through so much shit back then. “But the kids, they want to meet him,” he said sadly. “All children what to get to know their other parent,” Michael said. “But what significance will it make? I want nothing to do with him,” he said. “Happiness? Love? Your father may have despised your gender and what you liked, but he never stopped loving you and when you left, he felt miserable till today,” Michael said. Josiah sighed, pulling his legs up and hugging them. He said, “I missed everyone and my place here but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I have a job, four kids that will love me endlessly and a life that I’ve built for myself and them. I can’t just suddenly change and pretend nothing happened. The scars are still there, and how would my life have been if I stayed behind? It’s not like Daniel would have accepted me especially when here, he was ready to be with someone else the next day and what about me? Should I have just left it all to be with him and forget that he was a bastard?” “All what if’s,” Jasmine said and went to the kitchen, “I’m going to bake my grandkids a cake. What do they like?” “Well, that’s a shit load of work. Dianna likes vanilla, Damian likes orange cake, Dominic likes chocolate cake and Declan likes everything but mostly like myself, he eats carrot cake.” “Okay, I’ll make a bunch of cupcakes and a cake for you, is that okay dear?” Jasmine asked. Josiah laughed and nodded, “You are not wasting any time in fattening me up.” Michael stood up and said, “Let me get a few things. I want to go shopping with them too.” Josiah shook his head, amused at his grandparents. They only knew how to spoil him and now it seemed like his kids were their next target. He pulled out his phone and went through what he needed to pay and how much, then went to his account on the site and saw that his balance was skyrocketing again.  He shook his head, hiding his happiness, and withdrew all the money. A few hours later, the house smelled great, but then he got a phone call from the nanny. “Hello?” He answered. “Hi, Mr Brooks? I received an urgent call from my sister, and my mother was rushed to hospital. Would you be able to come home sooner?” She said. His hand clenched into a fist. He needed time away from his children, and this woman was there for this specific reason. Sighing, he said, “All right, I will be there in twenty minutes.” Ending the phone call, he got up and called out, “I have to go. The babysitter had an emergency back home.” Jasmine popped her head out of the kitchen door, “Okay baby, just let me put these in the container for you. I am glad I finished it on time.” Michael looked over at him and asked, “Would it be okay if we went with?” He shook his head. “I don’t mind, but I want to be alone. Being back here and running into Daniel brought back so much that I hoped to forget. Even before today, I knew we were mates when I found out I was pregnant or how else would I have fallen pregnant?” He sighed as he felt himself tear up and said, “I’ll be back tomorrow. If they want you to go over, I will let you know.” “Aren’t you going to see your parents, too?” Michael asked, as Josiah wiped his tears away. He shook his head. “I have nothing to say to them.” “Enough of this. Just go to your children and sleep on it and you better bring my babies so I can feed them tomorrow. Hotel food is not good for growing kids.” Jasmine said, handing him the containers. * After relieving the nanny, the children went crazy, especially after eating all the cupcakes. The hotel room was a mess and Josiah’s mind was even crazier.  He sat down on the couch after settling the kids in bed, dinner and all, and cleaned himself. He grabbed a pillow and screamed into it, then burst into tears. A few minutes later, he heard a knock on the door and called out that he was coming, but then he smelled it was Daniel. He stomped his foot in frustration and quickly wiped away his tears. Answering the door, Daniel was surprised to see that his eyes were red. “Can I come in?” He asked. Josiah let him in and almost immediately the scent of the pups was smelled. He turned to Josiah, who closed the door and asked, “Who?” “What do you want?” He cut him off. “You can’t do this to us. Rejecting me is only hurting you too, and I almost died today,” Daniel said. “So what? I should just accept you then?” He asked. “Give me another chance to make up for what I did in the past. I was just a fucking kid who thought he could do whatever he wanted.” He said. Josiah went to sit down on the couch wiping his tears away and said, “I do not want to give you a chance. You didn’t have to go through what I went through and when I thought I could count on you, but I found you sneaking around with your dick in someone's mouth.” Daniel sat down in front of him and said, “Josiah, I know you don’t want to admit to it, but you feel the mate pull. If I really had a problem with having another man as my mate, I would have never dated you back then. Yes, we had a secret relationship, but that is because I was a coward. You are the only one who was truly brave enough to be yourself in front of everyone. Fuck, if I could go back in time, I would. After you left, I missed the feeling of having you around and even tried finding a replacement, but all those guys I went out with couldn’t compare to the love you showed me.” He cupped Josiah’s face continuing, “I know you won’t believe me, especially with the reputation that I have. You were the first person I slept with and when I woke up the next day, I didn’t want to admit that I enjoyed it. That’s why I tried to . . .” “Just stop,” Josiah said, and moved his hands. He looked into Daniel’s eyes and said, “I didn’t come here to rekindle with my mate. Yes, I’ve known we were mates for five and a half years now.” “What?” Daniel said. Josiah nodded his head. He let his tears fall and explained, “I fell pregnant.” Daniel’s gaze unfocussed as he processed it. His mind picked up on the scent in the air and turned his head in that direction. Four very faint snores could be heard. “I wasn’t trying to keep them from you. It's just that I was never planning to come home,” he explained. Daniel bit his bottom lip to prevent it from trembling and asked, “So they don’t know about me?” He shook his head, “They know you exist and that you and my family put me through so much that it forced me to leave.” “How can you head.be so selfish?” He asked. “What did you expect? For me to pretend that you were a nice guy? You ignored me eighty percent of the time, even though I loved you so much. You never put an ounce forward to building our relationship. I was always the one who reminded you I exist.” He said and started crying again. “Jo . . .” “You don’t know what I have been through to raise myself and be a teenage parent. I couldn’t even go to the clinic, I had to see to myself. Make money, give birth alone, and I swear, if I wasn’t a werewolf, I wouldn’t have had the strength to go through all of that.”  “No one said you should leave!” Daniel gritted. “Daddy?” Declan suddenly called. Both of them turned to him and Daniel could see that Declan favoured Josiah in skin complexion and hair, but he had his eyes. Josiah quickly wiped his tears away and stood up. Walking towards him, he asked, “Did we wake you?” Declan nodded his head as he was picked up and looked at the man on the couch. He stared at Daniel and mumbled, “Who is he?” Josiah didn’t answer his question and just took him in. He placed Declan in bed and tucked him in. Kissing him on the forehead, he said, “Sleep, I’ll try to be quiet okay?” Declan frowned but nodded his head, “Good night daddy.” “Sleep well, my baby,” he said and waited until he fell asleep. Returning to the family room, he saw Daniel was going through the books on the table that the pups drew in. He looked up when Josiah walked in and asked, “Why didn’t you tell him who I am?” He ignored the question and went to the kitchen, where he cut himself a huge slice of carrot cake and started eating while sitting on the barstool. Daniel walked in and smiled when he saw the cake. “Remember how you used to force carrot cake down my throat?” He asked. He looked at Daniel and asked, “It’s late. When are you going home?” “How old are they?” He asked, creeping closer to him. “Five,” he answered plainly, and kept his eyes on Daniel. Daniel placed his hand on the back of the barstool and his foot at the bottom. As he nodded and asked, “What are their names?” “Dominic, Damian, Diana and Declan, in that order, born two minutes after each other,” he said. Daniel nodded his head as he looked at the cake. Josiah couldn’t tell what he was thinking and asked, “Any more questions?” “Will you introduce them to me?” He asked. “You don’t seem like you want to leave,” he answered instead. Daniel chuckled, then went to sit down on the couch. Josiah stared at him for a moment, then asked, “How are you feeling?” Daniel raised a brow as he looked at him and thought to what happened earlier, “I wasn’t feeling great until just now, after seeing him.” “Declan, is his name,” he said. “D, d, d. Why did you name them with D’s?” He asked. “After you? I thought I should keep it in tradition,” Josiah answered as he walked over with his cake. “I thought you disliked me?” He asked, confused. “How can I dislike you when my children look like you?” Josiah asked, and laughed. “You hurt me in the past, but I would have never moved on if I kept that hatred in my heart. After all, how will I love my children?”   The pups woke up early the next morning because of the delicious smell in the air. Josiah couldn’t sleep last night because he and Daniel were up talking about the children and how his life was and yes, he told him about the porn site. Daniel wasn’t happy about his mate doing that but he couldn’t stop him.  He was making a huge breakfast this time, to include Daniel. One by one, the pups came in and froze when they saw the stranger on the couch. Daniel slowly stood up and smiled awkwardly at them, especially when Damian and Dominic were baring their teeth at him. Josiah clapped his hands together and said, “All right, then. My babies, this is your daddy, the one I told you about.” Their eyes trained on him, and they didn’t know what to do. Looking at them, he said, “I know this is too soon and I know I told you we wouldn’t be seeing him, but now you are. Just think of this as a new beginning to the new year. I’ve forgiven your father for what he did and we have decided to co-parent.” “Does that mean we will be living with both of you?” Dominic asked but he shook his head, “No, we’ll all move this side especially because your teacher doesn’t like you but I won’t be staying with the other wolves.” Declan pouted, saying, “I want to stay with you, daddy.” Josiah smiled and nodded his head. Kneeling down, he hugged his son and said, “I know and you will, my love. It’s almost the holidays, so you’ll start school next term here for now. You’ll meet your grandparents, the pack members, and run around in your wolf form.” The older siblings' eyes brightened, “We can?” Asked Diana. “Yes, you can,” answered Daniel with a smile. They grew excited and started running around, Declan included. Josiah shook his head, amused, and looked at Daniel, who held a weak smile. He walked over to him and sat down, saying, “Breakfast is ready.” Daniel took Josiah’s hand in his and said, “Thank you for doing this. I know I can’t make up for hurting you but this… the children, it's the greatest gift anyone could give me.” Josiah pulled his hand away and said, “Don’t get too comfortable. They are a handful. I need a break and to make more money.” “You don’t need to do that anymore. I have money,” he said. Josiah scoffed and got up. Walking away, he said, “That is not up for discussion. Go calm your kids down!”

          It was a silent melody. The harsh droplets poured over the man, as the rain splashed against the mudded dirt. The metallic drumming continued as the rain kept beating the old car chassis. But even so, it was silent to the man. The air felt dense as his nostrils flared with the smell of stagnant musk. But even so, he didn’t care for his surroundings as his laughter echoed in the empty lot.          Suddenly pausing from his laughter he looked down, finding his fine leather shoes covered in mud. “...Why!” The man asked, kicking over a can on the ground as it trudged slowly towards other piles of garbage.             The rain continued pouring over him as he looked at his shaking cold hands, he was still wearing their wedding ring. “Anna…!” He shakily groaned out as he collapsed on the mud, a rain forming inside of his silence masking the truth from reality. His tears dripped down his face, the tears obscured by the drips of rain.             “I’m going to be a father, that’s what I thought. I had so much planned…!” He lamented as he kept crouched on the mud, unable to support his great grief with his feet. The wedding ring shone with a warm light, letting the tears flow out mercilessly.   ◈ ◈ ◈           Wearing her patient gown, she was admitted to surgery. The doctor said that the umbilical cord was wrapped around my son’s neck but he said that everything would be fine. Taking a seat in the waiting room, I found myself darting my eyes aimlessly. A second turned to two, a third, and a fourth as I restlessly cradle my leg. I didn’t know where to place my hands, as I kept thinking of what I should name my son.             His name should be... David! That boy will grow up to be a fine man, surviving in this huge world we live in. The world throws many problems throughout our lives, but David will overcome them no matter how small he feels in this big big world. Because I will be there to hold his right hand, with my own left hand.             I couldn’t keep my excitement to myself, as I found myself pacing in the hallway no longer in my seat. But then again, who could control such desires? I definitely couldn’t. I gazed hopeful eyes on every single nurse that exited the room, but to no avail. I continued waiting for what seemed to be days, until I finally saw the doc.          “Doc! How’s Anna!” I said, dying of anticipation. “Ah…! Mr. Ludwig Klavir.” Dr. Lek said, shaking my hand.           “How is she? You know, I still can’t decide on a name but I think David is a great name! I don’t really know how I can even be considered a father yet, but hey I’m willing to learn. After all, I can’t be prepared for everything right. And then there’s Anna’s work, I wonder if she’s even going to be able toー,” I kept ecstatically chatting, not even giving Dr. Lek the time to answer my question.             He silently patted me on the shoulder as he bowed his head. “...” He couldn’t even look at me, or perhaps I couldn’t look him in the eyes. I couldn’t read his expression, was he sad, guilty, did he feel pity? I couldn’t know. His face was all I needed to understand what happened to Anna.             “Wha…ーt?” I tried to groan out a question, but I found stones in my lungs. It was hard to breathe and my mouth felt dry. Just as suddenly as I had croaked my question, the surgery room blasted open as a stretcher was hurriedly being wheeled through the hallway. Anna was on it.             “The baby died of asphyxiation…” Dr. Lek whispered, as I violently turned towards him. What did he say? His wife died of shock? “...My condolences Dr. Lek,” I said, patting him on the shoulder.             “But I didn’t know you were a father Dr. Lek,” I continued the small talk. “These are hard times indeed, I didn’t expect a doctor like you to have an unhealthy family. What a strange twist indeed!”          “No…” The man tried to wake me up from reality as he sways my hand away from his shoulder. “Your… family… died,” the man cried in front of me.             “What do you know?! How dare you cry for me! I can fix her myself, she’s still alive!” I said, as I chased after the stroller. Pushing away the nurses, I exclaimed. “See?! She’s just sleeping!” Picking up various medical tools that I didn’t even know how to use as I tried to stitch her together.             It was wet and squelchy, as I looked inside her inner cavities. Her flesh was red and swollen, oozing with blood. “See? She has blood, she’s alive!” What did they tell me? Get away from the body? Security? It doesn’t matter… I can fix her up! “I’m a pianist, I have steady hands!”             Something was pulling on me, blue sleeved maniacs preventing me from saving my wife. “Let go of me!” I shrieked as I continued holding onto the railing of her cart. Suddenly, she fell down on the floor with a wet thud. Leaving a bloody mess. She must have been so tired after my surgery that she couldn’t even stand up. But that’s fine, I did well. She’s all good now.   ◈ ◈ ◈           The torrent continued, soaking the pianist to his bones as he shivered in the cold. He pounded on the mud as it stuck to his hand, spilling on his black suit. “I didn’t even have enough time…!” Lud pleaded with gritted teeth.             “I spent my life…! Working. Working. Working. And. Working! For what did I even work for?! Why the hell did it come to this?! I couldn’t hug her! I couldn’t kiss her! I couldn’t… I miss her! David, why did you have to be born?!”           Lud opened his red swollen eyes, as he trudged towards the shivering cold and into his life’s work. He sat upon its ebony seat, placing his hands on its majestic ivory. With each key he pressed he felt at peace. Even without its strings and hammers, for him it made melodies without compare.             He continued dancing with his life’s work, listening to its tune. Through it all, he fell in love again. Music was his passion and his life’s work. He didn’t know anything else except playing music. “It’s quite a mystery really… How can you fall in love with a man that only knows how to play the piano…?” The man asked chuckling, as he played his 9th symphony, laughing into the night.             His hands were shivering from the cold as they numbed. But he continued playing. The heavy clouds soon disappeared, revealing the golden sun. But he continued playing. His clothes stiffened after drying, making it hard to play. But he continued playing. He felt his body giving out from exhaustion, as he struggled to gasp for breaths. But he still continued playing.   ◈ ◈ ◈           Walking Daisy for her daily morning walks, I found a ragged young man that seemed as if he performed magic tricks in the ferry. “My oh my!” I looked at the sun high above us, Daisy barked in question. Borf?             I hurriedly approached the young man as I picked up Daisy. Just as soon as we approached him, Daisy started growling. Grr… “My oh me oh my! The boy reeks of trash and mud!” Worf borf! Daisy barked twice, as if I were stating the obvious. Finding pity in my heart, I unclip the locket of my shawl as I drape it over him.   ◈ ◈ ◈           I was laying down on the piano’s keys. I felt dryness in my bones, and a weakness to my body, looking around with dead fish eyes. “My oh my! The boy had awoken Daisy!” The old woman dressed in exorbitant clothing exclaimed, with her dog barking a reply. Borf! “Ah… hi… ah is this? Sorry sorry, I’ll get it cleaned,” I say, scratching my neck, noticing the expensive-looking purple cape with ornate weaving wrapped around me.           “No need boy,” she replied with a bright smile with no regard for my personal space. Rather than smiling, it would be more accurate to say that she’s showing me her teeth. It was a rather awkward sight, not much for her but for me. “Ah… I’m already married.”           “So? You’re but a boy to me no?” She said, finally hiding her white teeth under her dry lips as she furrowed a brow. “Now tell me of this curiosity, for what reason have you slumbered in this shabby a place?”             “Ah.. I suppose… many reaーerr… many a reason?” I replied, subconsciously intoxicated with her weird manner of speaking. “I suppose it all started with the piano…”          “That piano?” Borf? The dog barked, as if he was asking a question.             “No, my mother’s piano. She introduced me to music and, well, there we go I guess. I got pulled into my work so much… so much so that it’s all I’ve ever known.”             “But that’s no reason to sleep in filth boy!” Worf!             “Haha… maybe not. I became a father.”          “My oh my! Truly a wonderful occasion no? There is no reason to run away from responsibilities young man,” she says with a judgemental look. Borf borf. Daisy replied as well, as if it was obvious that I shouldn’t run away from responsibility.             “Look lady, you got it all wrong. I didn’t run awaーy,” I raised my voice in annoyance until she cut me off by placing a hand on my mouth.             “Clara dear, Clara Smrtka,” the old woman says, introducing herself with a curtsy. The sight of it was stunning. Not very much because of her beauty, but because of how awkward it felt to look at. I found myself at a loss for words as I replied, “I-I… see… very well Clara.”             “Ms. Clara,” she emphasized. Borf!          “Ms. Clara. My wife and child died just yesterday,” I sighed deeply, feeling relieved that I finally got it out. No matter how weird of a listener she may be, having someone there that listens was quite satisfying.          “It was around noon, I went hysterical. I found Anna’s body. Anna got a C-section. David’s neck. Anna died. She… let me start again,” I said sadly weeping as I mustered my courage to collect the painful memories. The old woman, Ms.Clara, wrapped her hands around me as she gently patted my back as she silently listened.          “I worked too much. I never got to see my Anna, I was always performing for the crowd. Always missing our dates. And the day of David’s birth, I got permission to be with her. The one time I was there for her, was her… funeral.”          “And its neck?”          “Ah… the doctor said that the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby’s… David’s neck. Anna couldn’t birth him normally or he would choke to death. She had to have a C-section. But she… She died of shock…!”             “In other words, a stranger you nary met ruined Anna’s life,” I wasn’t sure of what she had said. But I felt rage bubbling inside of me, wanting to lash out. “You didn’t know of that thing’s person did you not?”             “What are you getting at here?”          “I am saying, you know not of the baby’s personality. Of what it likes. Of what its favorite food. Of what it loves. Can you truly consider such your spawn?”             “...Excuse me?” Feeling the wrath dissipate, I was left confused.             “You need not care of a stranger,” she sighs. “Especially of one who murdered a beloved.”             “...”          “Complicated beings we truly are. Humans cannot truly understand each other no? Do you understand why I am saying this? I assure you not.”             “You’re talking nonsense…”          “Ah but you don’t understand what I’m saying… Precisely so. Humans don’t understand each other. Everyone is a stranger to strangers. Even I am a stranger to myself. What do I want to do? What do I want to eat today? What should I wear? Full of uncertainties, I very much do not know who I am.”          I sigh, frustrated of the old woman’s chattering as I turn my heel to leave.             “Emotions and regret only limit us. Do not be controlled young man. Lamenting is a waste of time, humanity’s focus should be the present. Control yourself and push through the uncertainties, forget your child, forget your wife, forget this life. Go wild… and live! Life shouldn’t be wasted on the dead, so continue forward and move ahead!”          As I continue walking away, the old woman’s cape billows behind my back as her chattering becomes more and more inaudible. “Sure Clara… I will live, but I won’t forget the fuel that drives me forward.”

Prologue - Four Out Of Five, Cursing The Heavens Branches swayed, leaves fell, insects crawled, and beings of pure malice fought amongst each other on the ground in the depths of a great dark forest, only violence, the course of nature, and darkness being the only thing permanent in such an ever-changing landscape.And in the endless sea of dark trees that each reaching the height of a skyscraper, one stood out amongst all the rest.It was another tree of a great height, however unlike those that surrounded it, where they reached the clouds, this one surpassed even the highest that the sky had to offer.It looked like a mythical world tree, comparable to Yggdrasil so much mentioned in the mythology of northmen of Earth, however height was where the similarities ended. Its trunk was blank, and its leaves grey, it looked too ominous to be considered holy by any mythology in this world.In the lands beneath, to the earth, vile beasts seem to shudder in fear, those that fought beneath the great tree found themselves scattering from the scene due to what seemed to be an instinctual sense of fear derived from the sheer Yin energy of the creature that was coming forth.Reaching to the highest clouds, an enormous avian beast climbed the atmosphere with its dark wings while carrying what seemed to be the rotting corpse of a heavenly beast, a Qilin, in its beak.Upon reaching the top, it came to a structure which seemed to resemble a great nest made of branches the size of actual tree trunks sat on one of the great tree’s highest branches.On the nest itself, there sat a multitude of skeletons belonging to other beasts within the dark forest, however the most notable features were the hundreds of small eggs dotting the landscape.*Crack**Crack**Crack*Several of the eggs cracked open, revealing dark beaks and immature talons pecking past the eggshells, chirping of several birds made themselves known, and for a few minutes, many of them struggled until their heads, their bodies, and then their legs eventually broke free from their pre-mortal chains.*Thrack!*Their mother landed onto the other side of the nest, a gust of air snapping each and every one of the hatchlings into attention. Sensing the pure Yin energy emanating from the great bird, they could only assume that this was in fact, their mother, and upon seeing the great boon, a Qilin corpse, being dropped onto the nest from its beak, the hatchlings waddled forth for their meal.However, as they got close to it, the colossal bird would put its leg forward, blocking the hatchlings from their meal.“Kwak!” It cried out with a great noise, its sound reaching even the beasts on the earth despite being past the clouds, however its meaning only understood to its children in the nest.‘Only one may partake in this boon.’And immediately, the hatchlings went to work, pecking on each other, violently thrashing throughout the nest as chaos ensued, the greed of each one driving them forward.It was in this gruesome scene, specific one amongst the hundreds of hatchlings battling it out that one of the hatchlings, who carried the name ‘Mao’ stared at the three moons in the sky, and from this instance that he started to undergo four of the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, however not yet acceptance.The subject of this grief was, naturally – his past life, what he had before he came here to this hellhole that seemed too surreal to be … real.His first reaction, denial, was something that naturally came to anybody who would ever find themselves in Mao’s situation. His dark beak, his wings, and inability to form human sentences surely must have been the result of an overworked mind. Such a thing would only be mere fantasies without a sliver of truth.But when one of the hatchlings had awakened the ability to conform to the Yin energy surrounding them, using Qi to build up heat in its eyes and shoot it forth towards his siblings just next to him, Mao who had blood splatter to the side of his face, was forced to confront a fact, that being that he had transmigrated into another world.This is where the anger phase had started to make itself known, his blood boiled at the thought of what he left behind on Earth. He had just passed the gaokao, and had a bright future ahead of him, despite his obsession for a particular game, he checked all the boxes needed for a role-model promising individual.He worked hard in anticipation for his future, and even had a part time job wherein he saved a good sum of money despite being busy with his studies. He had just made it as a college student, his adult life just only starting, and now he was here!? He could not help but refrain himself from spitting a mouthful of blood and instead cursed the heavens.Mao was then struck with the next phase of grief, bargaining. He apologised to the heavens for cursing them just seconds earlier, and pleaded with any high existence that he knew of.‘Oh Buddha, Yahweh, Allah …’ He prayed to anyone that might have been listening to him, asking why he was sent here, and more importantly for him to be taken back, or at least give him a better transmigration! Why had he transmigrated here, and as a bird no less!? *Slice* But alas, his pleas went unanswered, and with the reveal that one of his siblings had already achieved qinggong to a proficiency that enabled him to stab his siblings through their heads with his talons by running over them, that he had finally come to the fourth stage, depression.Mao had gone from a hardworking individual accepted as one who only had a great future in store for him to a pathetic hatchling in what has been proven to be more of a dog-eat-dog world than modern China. The fact that he wasn’t even human only increased his anguish. He did not know how he would even thrive as he did not even have thumbs. He was seriously debating on whether or not he should get himself killed on purpose for what would essentially be a reroll.However, as he looked at the carnage around him, that is when he realised that it was not something that would be possible.For the simple fact that he was a coward.And so, without much thinking, Mao ran, as fast he possibly could, away from all this, from the carnage, from the blood …And from reality.‘Ah …’ And eventually, he found himself at the edge of the nest and as he tried to turn back, found himself pushed past the edge, along with many of his own siblings by another one that seemed to have awakened Qi body enhancement.“Kwak!” (Fuck!) And so his first words came to be, lost in the thin air as he fell to the earth below. Kekw Hello, yes its me, I made a new story! I hope you'll like it and will stay for the future <3 Discord Server -> https://discord.com/invite/tUx689n7Ng Feel free to give feedbacks!

Chapter 1 - Acceptance, But Still Cursing The Heavens “Kwak!” (Fuck!)Mao had just been knocked off the great tree along with several of his other, soon-to-be dead siblings as they fell to the earth below. Mao simply hoped that of the Six Paths of Reincarnation, he would be reborn as a deva or asura, or even a decent human, if possible …No wait, it was the heavens that Mao was talking about, he had already been screwed over by the heavens once so who is to say that he would not be screwed over another?Mao once again just barely successfully restrained himself from spitting a mouthful of blood at the thought of such a thing, being reborn as a shittier animal, a hungry ghost, or a soul that would be tormented for all eternity in hell, or even worse yet, nothing at all!“Kwak!” (I can’t let it end like this!) Mao would steel himself by gritting his mandibles together, totally unwilling to accept such an important fate to be left by deities who have only proven themselves either wholly incompetent, or worse yet, extremely malicious.As Mao would resolve himself, he noticed a strange light resembling a screen, was it there before? No it couldn’t have been, Mao would have noticed such an out-of-place thing amongst the chaos earlier!Mao looked upon it in closer inspection, and he concluded that it seemed to look like something straight out of a game.[Mao (Demonic Hatchling) (Inferior Realm)][Titles: Forsaken][Traits: Qi-Sensitive (Fire)][Skills: None]‘Showing me a status screen? How fucked must the gods be!’ He swore once more against the heavens and taking this as a taunt to his predicament, he had been pushed into a shitty situation, and now something had appeared that made it look like it was a game? Mao also looked at his titles and there it was! Confirmation that he was indeed forsaken by the heavens.If Mao would ever gain enough power to surpass being an immortal and into the realm of the divine, he would find the deities responsible for this stupid tribulation and kill them and their entire families–nay, nine generations following their existence![New Skill Gained: Inferior Killing Intent][New Trait Gained: Bloodthirsty]‘Bloodthirsty?’ Mao thought of a skill as quite appropriate, such a word would be the only one capable of describing his feelings in this horrible situation.[Tutorial Quest Assigned!]And just when Mao was about to lose his marbles, a glimmer of hope appeared.Mao quickly took back his curses directed at the heavens, and instead being filled with joy at what he thought was a way out, how could he have been so foolish? Having eyes but cannot see Mt. Tai, he thought.[Tutorial Quest: Survive][Difficulty: Very Hard, Reward: ???]Mao could only curse the heavens once more upon being confronted with such a severe betrayal.Truly, the gods were horrible beings, Mao had been given a tutorial quest labelled ‘Very Hard’ at the start, but then again it made sense, hatchlings usually were not pushed off a goddamn tree shortly after their birth.But still–‘It is not impossible!’ Mao told himself.If the mockery in front of him was to be believed, it was a very hard situation indeed, however it was still a far cry off from ‘Hopeless’  or ‘Impossible’, and so he deluded himself into not giving up, clinging onto a chance of life.While panicking Mao flapped his wings around as hard as he could, but to no avail as he simply flipped around the place, feeling something warm inside him bubbling as he did so.‘No, this isn’t working!’ Mao thought frantically, if only he had a special ability–‘!?’ And suddenly his mind sprang into action, being reminded of a few of his siblings back up in the nest.Some of them somehow had heat vision, the other super speed, and the other super strength, why was that?  What made him different from them? Were they not of the same mother? He was mostly sure that he was not adopted.Something in Mao’s chest had welled up, whether or not it was his body about, it was then that he realised something, as he looked back upon his screen, essentially gaining a pseudo-enlightenment in his moment of seemingly-hopeless situation.[Qi-Sensitive (Fire)]‘This is it!’ Mao internally exclaimed, thinking that he had found the solution.This energy inside of Mao is what was responsible for the crazy feats his siblings had done moments after birth. Genuine hope had now appeared in front of him.They say that the heavens truly were ruthless, but leaves a slim chance of survival for those who can grasp it, and in such a case Mao could only agree as that slim chance was presented before him.The miraculous situation rarer than a phoenix’s feather and a qilin’s horn had been revealed, and Mao would only have himself to blame if he at least did not try to make use of it.“Kwaaaaak!” (I found you!) Mao screamed as he found the energy inside of him that had been building ever since he started tumbling around mid-air.Within the very core of his being, he forced his tattered spirit to grasp the energy tight, feeling it wholly, it really was here, and with a tap it spread throughout his veins, the meridians carrying it throughout his body and giving him a refreshing feeling of undoubtful vitality![Congratulations, you have reached the Realm of Qi Condensation!][New Skill Gained: Inferior Qi Utilisation]Mao frantically flapped his wings, as hard as he could, the warm energy collectively increasing inside his wing’s meridians as he did so.Mao felt it, his speed was decreasing, ever so slightly, but he could feel the wind being dragged past his arms, making it feel like they were about to tear off with the great altitude he found himself in.However Mao grit his beak and simply put up with the pain.Mao felt like his veins were about to burst but in such a situation, having the veins in your wings burst will always be preferable to simply being a puddle of gore on the ground![New Ability Gained: Glide (Level 1)]*Thok!* Mao’s body jolted as his little bird feet made contact with the grass down below.He did it, he did it!He lived! And–“Kwaaaarghh–!!”Mao found himself finally spitting a mouthful of blood.[New Trait Gained: Sickly]Mao honestly thought that a prostate exam conducted by a man made of needles would have been a more pleasant experience than what he had just undergone.Nonetheless Mao was alive, most likely not well, but alive nonetheless.But now what? Mao didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry. His body ached all over, he was in agony as he fell to his knees, much of his questions still left unanswered.However there was one thing clear, it was that he was stuck here, and it was with this that ended the five stages of depression, a tranquil acceptance whilst writhing on the forest floor, surrounded by blood splatters he used to call siblings.“Fucking shit, I guess this really is happening then?” Mao said as he struggled to get up from the grass, his body still aching as he did.Mao thought about things for a while, and eventually settled on one thought.‘I have to go forward …’ Mao thought to himself, getting a sinking feeling that if he stood around any longer, he would forever be ignorant of the heights of the heavens and the depths of the seas.[New Trait Gained: Adaptive]‘But … where to?’ Mao thought, scanning the corpse–filled surroundings he found himself in. Kekw Ahem ahem, I hope you liked this chapter! Discord Server -> https://discord.com/invite/tUx689n7Ng Feel free to give feedbacks!

“Good luck professor!” the genki, cheerful green-haired girl ran past the middle-aged teacher. Her skirt fluffed in the air, teasing the teacher with a pink panty shot. “See you tomorrow, Aika,” the teacher as he watched the eighteen-year-old run out of the classroom and straight into the arms of her hot lesbian girlfriend. This other girl had long, straight purple hair and huge breasts that pressed against her tight, scandalous, unbuttoned school uniform’s shirt. As soon as the two girls embraced they started making out, sticking their tongues into each other’s mouths. “Ah, to be young again,” the teacher said with a smile as he watched the hands of the lesbians slide under each other’s skirts. The teacher would not have minded taking the two high schoolers to a sex hotel and screwing both of them with his big, hard cock, however he had a beautiful loving wife that he had plans to have sex with tonight instead. The teacher’s wife had big mommy milkers, even though they still did not have kids. That was perhaps her best personality trait, as she was a little bit of a bitch sometimes. But the teacher did not mind as long as he got to cum on her big mommy titties. Unfortunately, things have not been going well for the pair lately. The teacher’s wife seemed distant, often stayed at work late. And when the married couple did talk it was mostly arguing about money and how the teacher should be fulfilling his true potential and earning far more than he is now. The last time they had sex was two months ago. It was hard, rough hate sex, but it was still whole two months ago! Maybe that’s why the teacher was thinking about his hot, legal students so much lately? It didn’t even have to be his students though. The part-time worker at the coffee shop he visits, the school’s librarian, whose giant tits eclipsed even the tits of his wife. Any hot woman would do. “Goodbye, Mr. Hiromoto!” the class president said. Her tits were modest, but her long, straight blonde hair that reached to her butt and the kind smile of her big lips, made the teacher hard and filled his cock with desire to cum all over the class president’s lips and hair. “See you tomorrow, Emiko,” Mr. Hiromoto parroted while he fantasized about Emiko’s lips. But today the twenty-eight-year-olds Mr. Hiromoto’s cock would finally see action. It was his and his wife's wedding anniversary. They couldn’t possibly not have sex tonight! The teacher packed his things and went out of the school building. He got into his aging BMW and drove off in the opposite way from home. Mr. Hiromoto had ordered an expensive golden necklace as a present for his wife and that took him on a route he did not usually take. And when Mr. Hiromoto stopped at a red light and looked around, bored and waiting to resume his drive, he saw something he couldn’t believe. His wife! She worse a revealing blue dress that showed most of her mommy milkers that Mr. Hiromoto adored so much. And when the wind blew it raised the dress and most of her thigh skin was revealed for all also. But that was not the worst part of it! Mr. Hiromoto’s wife had her arm around some big, fat, ugly bastards swollen arm. He was wearing a suit that barely contained his overweight propotions and he was already sweating. Mr. Hiromoto could not believe that his wife would ever come anywhere near such a sweaty, disgusting pig. And then he saw them both get into a red Ferrari.

"You have been given the job to guide reincarnations." Philbert heard the following words come out of the divine-looking mouth. He was unsure at first but after a quick browse of thoughts, he comprehended the reason and asked a question. "Um, so what exactly is it that I'm supposed to do?" "Glad you asked, reincarnator , Philbert Byrd." Smiling, the ever-so beautiful goddess veiled by a halo replied. "It is as said, you have been given the task of performing as a guide for reincarnations." "Hmm.." "Is there something wrong?" "No, it's just that, it's taking me some time to digest the news." "It is fine, take your time, because that is the only thing you have." The goddess said as she maintained her smile. The figure of a man thinking in silence appeared in the goddess' view. Philbert Byrd, that was the name of the man. In one of his previous lives, he used to work for a black company on Earth, which is the only thing he remembers with his name. He was a peculiar person. Due to circumstances, he had been reincarnated several times to several different worlds, each reincarnation different than the last. With different faces, different names, different family backgrounds, he had been reincarnated to several endangered worlds to save said worlds. He would brave through the entities of the evil with comrades and lovers he would soon forget. After succeeding in this arduous destiny bestowed upon him, he would soon die in the said world only to be reincarnated into another. This loop of endless reincarnation had separated him from the species known as humans. After every death, and at the occasion of the meeting with the goddess, who was now the existence which was most familiar to him, he'd always want to be called by the first-ever name he had, and the goddess complied with his request. He would forgo a life, only to live another. That was the destiny of the man. And this was about to change today. "Is it true?" He finally asked, after feeling turbulent of emotions. "Yes, dear." An affirmation from the voice that consoled him countless amounts of time was heard. "You are now to become an angel of the heavens." Announcement HI, readers, um, I am very new to the whole writing scene, and I'm still a newbie to anything related to it. Just wrote this as an experiment, not sure if I'll be continuing this, but if I do, I'll probably write about 1000+ words per chap. Hope you liked what you read, and if you found any mistakes feel free to comment.      

This story contains Identity death of a billionairePossessionReferences to Elon Musk/TeslaTwinning To say that the endless drudgery of working a job that shows no respect or dignity could drain someone’s will to keep going would be an understatement. So many found themselves unknowingly under the heel of a few select monsters, suffering merely to gain a small chance at stability. So naturally, people wanted to break that feeling of being under foot. And to their benefit, there was a literal list of who was ruining the world, all open and available to the world to use. Naturally if someone got a hold of this information, and had the means, they could in fact destabilize capitalism and remove the literal slave owners that ruin the earth. Unfortunately, instead of someone benevolent, it was the Most-Despicable and Disastrous Younger Twin Sister, Joon Yorigami. While she had, ever so slightly, mellowed out after her defeat. There was still the desire to cause mischief, steal wealth, and shower herself in all the things she wanted. Also, she found robbing rich people fun. But that wasn’t something she was typically allowed to do at the Myouren temple. So naturally, whenever she could, Joon was doing what she could to push the boundaries set by Byakuren Hijiri. Mostly when she went out on her motorcycle for rides. Though she did wonder why a Buddhist monk had something like that, she didn’t want to press her luck too much. So, with the metaphorical cat being away, the disaster-incarnate decided to play. The downside? She was looking at one of the people responsible for stopping her plans. Reimu Hakurei. “So…” the shrine maiden said, secretly happy that she had yet another way to get out of any work for the day. “Let me get this straight.” Joon was half listening to her get the facts straight as she squirreled away tangerines for her sister. “You want to bypass the Barrier.” “Yep.” “Steal money from humans.” “uh-huh.” “And then I get a seventy percent cut?” “Bingo!” “…what’s the catch.” The shrine maiden was not above corruption if it meant she didn’t have to worry about finances. “It’s you. There’s a catch. Do I have to feed Shion?” “The catch is we’re going after scumbags, so it doesn’t turn into an incident!” the goddess smiled, letting her orange drills hair bounce as she swiped a few more pieces of fruit. “You gotta be curious about what kind of rich losers are just begging to give us money.” Reimu’s eyes were practically a winning slot machine at the idea, to where Joon didn’t even have to try and possess her. “Come on girl, imagine having heated blankets for the winter! Or something flashy to get people to come here!” “Well.” Reimu said, trying to maintain some level of authority in, what was likely, a massive scam. “If that happens, I just become a target for you, right?” “Oh darn, you caught me.” Joon sighed, looking unimpressed. “No, this is part of that ‘simpler lifestyle’ stuff Byakuren is making me do.” She gagged at her own words; it was in her nature to be extravagant. Stylish, lavish, and living in a bubble economy. The clubbing life called to her. “You do this, I don’t come for you.” “And your sister?” Reimu mumbled, trying to do any level of negotiating. “What about her?” “If I want to avoid a lecture, I better be giving some of it to her.” The bubble queen sighed, no one liked lectures. But Shion was cursed with constant misfortune, so if Joon didn’t look out for the older twin, she’d probably be forced to deal with one. “So really, I only get five percent.” There was a pause, with Reimu pretending to run the risk-benefit analysis. “This can’t backfire on me, right?” “You can just say I messed with you, you’re clean in this, girl.” “Deal.” “No,” a third voice said, getting both women to flinch. “You aren’t leaving me out of the deal.” There was the sound of something opening as the light fixture was covered. A long purple dress, flowing orange gold hair, and a grin of mischief making. Yukari Yakumo had entered the building. ‘Crap,’ both schemers thought. They would’ve needed to deal with her eventually, but Joon at least, had hoped this would be after negotiations. “If you want outside of the Hakurei Barrier, you need me anyway. Or did you forget?” the gap youkai laughed. “And you’ll need someone to let you back in, or else you can try and force your way in.” “Fine.” Joon relented, knowing if she didn’t agree to whatever Yukari wanted, Byakuren would probably come in on her motorcycle to give her grief. “How much you want?” “Hmm, now that is the question, isn’t it?” Yukari mused, floating in front of the door. “What, do, I want?” She gave Reimu a look, a very annoyed look. “Why not… I won’t take a cut, but Reimu, you have to train. If you don’t, I get your cut. That seems fair.” “Deal.” Joon said, not letting the shrine maiden protest immediately. “Sorry Rei, you can deal with her, I’m not getting on her bad side again.” “Fine!” she said, giving both supernatural ladies a glare was intense enough to break glass. She hated training. More than any incident, youkai, or people making her do things. “I’ll do it for the cut.” “Then we’re agreed?” Yukari grinned, readying her powers to let Joon wreak havoc on the outside world. The women nodded, Reimu of course was going to worm her way out of training, but they probably had time. Joon though, that was going to need some oversight, to keep it from going too poorly. “Just watch the dough roll in.” Joon beamed, with everyone in the universe suddenly feeling like something bad was going to happen. “Let’s go.” Yukari grinned, opened a gap using her powers, and let the pestilence god fly through. “This is gong to be bad, isn’t it?” Reimu sighed, knowing her dream of lazing about was gone with the wind. Joon meanwhile, was idly floating in midair. She’d wager most of humanity couldn’t see her unless she actively revealed herself. Meaning now was the time to do a lot of shaking down. But first? She’d need to find targets. Normally she’d just trust her instincts on who was rich and worth shaking down, but something felt off. How long had she not been in the human world proper? Humans were carrying around small boxes of information, cars were everywhere, buildings bigger than anything in Gensokyo were almost everywhere she went that was heavily populated. But this gave her a chance to learn, to view who rich people were. As well as how best to rob them of everything. Just having them give her money wouldn’t be enough, the numbers she was looking at over people’s shoulders and at the stock market were frankly too big to visualize. Millions, billions, some even had trillions. “Time to get to work,” the most disastrous younger sister grinned. Looking at companies’ stock and shareholder information through the eyes of a very tired secretary. The list of companies was baffling, Gander, Pear, Edison, and more that had names the goddess couldn’t particularly care to remember. All the profits, all the information, publicly available. She could just go for the top, but with the information she was getting, there wouldn’t be a change. They might even gain from her shakedowns. That meant she had to go from the bottom up. Executives and shareholders were who she needed to target. “And thus begins the wealth transference.” She grinned, leaving the secretary alone. Just the brief snippet of information on who to target was enough to get the ball rolling. Credit cards was where she would strike, after all, it seemed like the obnoxiously wealthy had no concept of how money worked. Naturally, picking a target was the next step after taking a few cards left unattended by humans in a bank. She didn’t take anyone who was there to work or do business, despite the scheming, Byakuren’s lectures were hell. Her target? Well, she decided to work from the top down. “Edison…” Joon mused, flying towards the weirdly available public information for each major player she’d be going after. “Car company? Apartheid Clyde?” there was a pause as she stole someone’s latte while they were screaming at an employee. “Well, these schmucks have cash to burn.” So naturally she looked around, using her savvy shakedown knowledge to know that the high rises were a good place to start. It took a few tries to find the first target, an investor and executive of Edison. Did Joon bother to remember his name? No. After all, he was pretty much just a meal ticket for her once she drained his finances. So naturally she decided to call him, Number one. For Number one, this was a normal day, he was doing horrible things to the planet, getting rich off child labour. Being oblivious to how much banana’s cost and all similar things to that. No actual attachment to reality, living his best, ‘fuck you got mine’ life. So naturally Joon was disgusted at how he had enough space to house roughly forty people per room and lived alone, aside from what she assumed were servants. There was a pause as she looked around, a few servants looking distraught at the idea of even approaching him. “Hey.” She said to them all, using her godly powers to keep number one from hearing her. This was also known as, closing all the doors. There was a moment of panic as, lets be honest, most humans wouldn’t know how to handle someone appearing mid air in front of them. “Who wants a raise?” Those words stopped any potential screaming and began enhancing this Disastrous-Sister’s scheming. They all slowly raised their arms. “Okay,” Joon said, unfortunately taking Byakuren’s lessons to heart. “Write down your first names and how much money you want. It’ll happen before you know it.” “Why just our first names?” someone asked, Joon shrugged in response. “Rules about magic, don’t tell me your full name or I can do bad things. I think” despite being a goddess, she really didn’t know if that rule applied to her or just the more trickster aligned creatures. “Just know I’m bankrupting this sucker.” “What about our jobs?” “How much money do you need to not work?” “…” “Yeah, so you’ll be fine.” With a list with way more zeroes than she thought possible, Joon bid hundreds of people, literally working for pennies, away. Meaning all that was left in the disturbingly huge building was her, and Number One. Naturally, Joon had so many ways to go about it, literally shake his wealth out? No, she’d have to carry so many things out by herself. Transferring it? No, too weird of a paper trail. Now, thankfully the man was oblivious to anything not about him and his money. The line going up was all that mattered, with the goddess of shake downs wondering if he would even eat if living longer didn’t mean the line could go up. Then it hit her, and she grinned, a grin full of mischievous machinations of malice for the multimillionaire monsters. She’d get chewed out, obviously, but all she had to do was make him make the mistakes. And after all, a goddess of pestilence, needed to be a pest sometimes. Influence the minds of those with weak wills. Was it morally wrong? Yes. But was the existence of billionaires a moral blight on the entire morality spectrum? Absolutely. “Move over human!” Joon cackled as she forced her way into his body. She tended to only do this to really give someone a good shakedown, but possession was part of her toolkit. “Wow there is… nothing good in here?” To describe a billionaire’s mindset, would be to describe a blank canvas. However, while this sounds artistic, it is really a case of them not having anything going on upstairs other than dollar signs. No intelligence without ensuring the suffering of others, no thoughts other than how to make their own bank account larger. So, there was really nothing going on. “Okay. So, let’s…” Joon mused, making the human puppet start making poor investment decisions. “Bitcoin! That’s crashing hard, let’s buy and immediately sell to make it crash more!” number one’s mind buzzed at the number going up, before shrieking in terror at the number going down. “And let’s not forget those pay raises.” Number went down. But many other human’s finances went up. And Joon took a look at his financial records and- “THAT DID NOTHING?” she screamed, making Number One’s body float as she vented her frustrations. “THAT WAS THREE BILLION? HOW!” If her victim had any moral intelligence, they probably would have information about this, but instead they were more upset the number went down half a percent. Sadly, by paying any positive attention to bitcoin was the only successful action, the investment and quick pull out she set up had caused it to bottom out. People were just too rich. “Okay. Joon. You can do this. You are the Goddess of Disaster and Pestilence. You can ruin some meager human’s lives.” There was a pause, still in Number One’s body. Before both her, and subsequently, his face turned into a grin. “Oh, of course, I just need to spend on myself!” Gems, champagne, extravagant outfits, the answer was simple! What better way to rack up debt on a fool than to sell assets to buy her assets! “Naturally, this human won’t be left once this is done. But I think more people will be happy he’s gone!” Joon laughed, making her fan materialize in his hand. “All for me, and then, all for the agreement! I’ll make a million killings with this!” She quickly moved to ordering anything that caught her fancy. Anything and everything, she’d need to probably actually pay Yukari to get everything back to Gensokyo. But it would be worth it! “Though… this body is too… male.” Joon said, sticking her tongue out a bit. “Let’s change that too.” She moved the puppet body to look, and all the clothes were the most generic, style vacant and bland outfits imaginable. “I wouldn’t even give these to poor people, they should have good looking clothes.” “Oh?” A lightbulb flicked on from the human’s mind, with Joon looking at Number One’s zero-watt brain. “Hmm... renting? Or. We can pay people to live here.” Somehow, Joon knew Byakuren would not hate her for that idea. “How much property do I now own…?” A lot, a lot was the answer. An absurd evil amount of homes that she knew were being purposefully unkept. The disaster of a goddess sprinted back to the human’s computer, checked out much he was making in rent and upkeep. “Say, Number One, we’re spending all your money to improve those houses, also, no more rent checks.” The human’s rapidly dwindling ego protested, but Joon didn’t really say that for a response, she was already draining money from him into lower income houses. “Ooh, lets pull your other investments too. Cops? Who needs ‘em!” It took longer than Joon would’ve liked, mostly since everything was password protected. But soon she saw his investments plummeting, his bank accounts draining, and a large amount of money moving in a way that would drain it consistently. “This body is still too weird though.” Joon mused. Forcing her will upon it more as there was very little ego of the parasite left. She rolled the humans shoulders, cracking as his bones as she decided to make him a little more petite. “Hmm…” looking in the mirror was odd, like it was a human body, that much was clear. But the ravages of having no morality at all left him looking like a layer of flesh on a diorama skeleton. There was a pause as Joon hopped out of the body and looked at it stand there with no mind at the helm. He wasn’t ugly, but the little wisp of his ego in her hand was. So, she needed to deal with that before moving on. “Well… I can’t go after more if I’m busy dealing with one rich schmuck.” Joon mused, knowing just what to do. After all, she was a god, who’s to say she couldn’t flex a bit. “Short brown hair? No, ginger and long drills at the side!” she started remodeling the human, after the best choice, herself! The wisp of human blue soul in her hand slowly changed to a vibrant orange with each change to Number One’s body. A pinched waist, explosive bosom, legs to die for and an ass to kill for. That’s what she saw herself as. If this person had any family, he hadn’t practically sold off to the money mines, they wouldn’t be able to know that his body was here now. “Hmm, now to do about the legs.” That part Joon decided to have a little narcissistic fun with. The penis was there, perfectly visible as the powers that were in the room changed it. “Well, who says I can’t have fun with my new toy?” The wisp of copied Joon in her hand flickered, like she had put a hamster on the wheel. A Joon shaped hamster. This would very likely have consequences that neither Joon nor Number One would think of. With a flick of her wrist, the Disastrous sister made Joon Number One. Completely naked and focused on spending all her money on herself. “Well now, aren’t I beautiful?” Number one laughed, looking at the original. Who was calmly floating in front of the copy with a flattered expression, and carefully removed her extravagant clothing and set it safely on a chair. “Oh stop, me,” she laughed, knowing at least for now number One was still very much her puppet. Haughty, arrogant, self centered? Yep. This was a room with two Joon Yorigami’s in it. “Or rather, Number One, we’re going to have a bit of stress relief. Then you’re going to spend, spend spend!” “Of course, me!” One laughed. Giving the same haughty arrogance that Joon was oh so familiar with. The clone moved towards the bed, and the narcissistic naughty night began. First was Joon giving herself some much needed relief, Byakuren being a monk meant that self pleasuring was discouraged to an extent. Also, the thin walls. The accursed thin walls that left Joon pent up and ready to scream at the slightest moment to allow herself sexual pleasure. So even if it was literally fucking herself, she was going to revel in the debauchery. Even if it was impossible to describe in the moment, because imagine looking down at yourself mid penetration as you literally had sex with a clone of yourself. Joon should probably be weird at her own behavior, but she was a chronically self-absorbed god. So naturally, she was going in rough on the copy. She dug her nails into the former human as she slammed her hips against No. 1. The relief, the revelry, that. That was what she loved about being a menace. Conforming? As if. Now was the time to celebrate a conquest that was going to rake in all the cash she could ever need. And this was only the first one. So, she needed to have fun with her own body. Breasts were licked, hair was pulled, cheeks were clapped, and thighs were rubbed. It was an orgasmic overcoming of barriers, allowing Joon much needed clarity, even if No. 1’s body could only hold out so long. Leaving the disastrous younger twin with a pipe and her robes. “In the morning, One, you’re going to spend, spend, spend!” she laughed, leaving a command for the clone as she cleaned up and flew off. After all, she’d need to pick up her cash, gems, and jewels later. “So have fun, me!” Now then, she likely needed to move towards the rest of the execs to truly destroy Apartheid Clyde. Then Edison would follow, and she could move onto another company. “Second verse, same as the first,” Joon grinned as she realized anyone without a family, they hadn’t alienated was going to be easy pickings. A few rich people would fall, and she’d be able to indulge herself all she wanted. “This is going to go perfectly!” MagicLottie Hey, thanks for reading! I’m MagicLottie and I specialize in writing fun, upbeat queer erotica and fanfiction! If you liked what you read, why not check out my patreon where you can vote on monthly stories and get access to everything one week early! I also do commissions! You can check everything out here! https://www.patreon.com/MagicLottie 

“Fuck, it can’t be!!” Mr. Hiromoto sweared as he watched his big-tittied wife get in a Ferrari with a fat, sweaty, ugly bastard. “We’ve been married for six years! How could she do that to me!?” The red traffic light turned to green one and the cars behind Mr. Hiromoto already started beeping and horning their car horns. The Ferrari drove off in a direction that was not where Mr. Hiromoto planned to go to pick up his wedding anniversary gift for his wife, but he was determined to follow the bright red sports car to its destination. “Maybe there’s some explanation to this,” the teacher mumbled. “Maybe he’s just one of her bosses and she needed to help him write his speech away from the busy noises of the office. Yes, that’s it! She’s just going to help him write where’s there’s some privacy… just the two of them… She’ll help him write as she’s sitting on that fat pig’s lap, stroking his cock-FUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!” Mr. Hiromoto almost drove off the street and into the sidewalk and a crowd of people as he imagined another man’s cock in his wife’s hand. “Nonono! That can’t be it! Not today! It’s our anniversary!” Mr. Hiromoto tried calming himself. “Stop thinking nonsense! There’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for why she’s wearing a slutty dress while hugging another man’s arm!” The Ferarri drove to the very outskirts of the city. When the red sports car finally stopped, Mr. Hiromoto parked his car some distance behind so that his wife wouldn’t notice him. He got out of his car and carefully snuck behind a dark corner of a building and watched the fat bastard open the door for his wife. As he watched, he saw a gold wedding ring, crusted with diamonds on the man’s finger. “See? He’s married! Of course there wasn’t anything fishy going on,” Mr. Hiromoto reassured himself. “What was I even thinking! To suspect my wife of something indiceeeeeeee-” Mr. Hiromoto choked on his words as he read the name of the building that the pair were walking toward the entrance of. ‘Motel Love’ “M-maybe they’re expanding into motel business,” Mr. Hiromoto tried to find some justification for what he was seeing as his wife walked toward the entrance with her boss. The glass doors that had ‘Welcome’ written on them parted, and the pair walked in. The fat boss grabbed Mr. Hiromoto’s ass and squeezed tight as they disappeared into the bowels of the motel. “M-maybe it’s an undercover operation,” Mr. Hiromoto kept spewing bullshit while desperately trying to deny that his wife was cheating on him on their anniversary day. “Y-yes! An undercover operation to find out who’s been stealing money from their motel business!” Mr. Hiromoto was determined to prove his insane theory right. He waited for a couple of minutes to give time for his wife and her boss to disappear from the lobby and then went inside. A beautiful, young receptionist stood at the desk. For some reason she wore a French maid outfit with a boob window, as well as a pink wig that covered her left eye. Mr. Hiromoto did not care how the receptionist looked and just stormed toward the desk. The moment he reached the desk, he slammed his hand on the desk with all the cash that he planned to use to buy the anniversary gift and said, “That’s my wife! What room did they go to?” The receptionist looked with her right eye at the sweating, bright red in fury teacher, completely unimpressed by his appearance, attitude or plight. She then looked at the cash on the desk. She took the bills and started quickly counting them in her hands. Once she was done counting, the French maid receptionist looked at Mr. Hiromoto again and said, “Room 807.” “Thank you!” Mr. Hiromoto said and rushed toward the stairs. As he ran past the elevator he saw that the number above the elevator doors did indeed display the number eight.

Every life begins the same, or so we were led to believe.  As over time the definition of life has shifts, but it is not the definition of life that we are in seek of, it is the definition of being.  The measure of sapience that is achieved by a species I wish to find the limit of sapience. The most knowledgeable being, an organism so magnificent that it starts to come close to my excellence. So my fellow godudes and godets I created the Darwin System.  Named after the most prominent of thinkers of my Earthen realm whose wisdoms inspired this very quest. Thus I present to you the journey of the most impressive being that would meet the afore-mentioned criteria.  The little human Alex Gailvun.      Tank_Warrior Just started typing I have no Idea where this will go. If for whatever reason you decided to read this let me know what you think of it.  Thanks

“Okay, so… attempt thirteen was… a dud…” *WHUMP!* Exhausted and defeated, Aria Lusherina allowed gravity to deliver her face-down onto her bed. The wooden frame groaned even louder than its owner did, having suffered from no less than eight frustrated flops over the course of the day. The sheets that adorned it, which had been freshly washed just the day before, now reeked of smoke, sulfur, metal, and a myriad of miscellaneous magical reagents. It was that putrid combination alone that gave the young witch the energy to flip onto her back. Ink, ash, and melted mascara peppered the young woman’s soft, slightly tanned skin. Her short and normally well-brushed teal hair was frayed and sooty. Light rips and multicolored splotches permeated the simple black and gray pajamas that adorned her slightly curved figure. Even her dark blue witch’s hat - her pride and joy - had suffered some scratches and stains from her repeated failures. The only things that remained undamaged were two blue pentagonal crystals which were emblazoned on the side of her hat and hanging from her light blue choker. Aria lifted herself up slightly, just enough to remove the hat and set it on her stomach. The shimmering blue gem flashed at her, almost taunting her with its mystical gleam. This stone was the symbol of the Lusherina family, a small line of wizards and witches who had long been masters of summoning rituals. Their progenitor had become a legend for summoning a demon and binding it to her service by sealing it within her own body. It was a feat of magic that had never before been successfully attempted, and never replicated since. “And here I am, unable to summon even a basic Familiar. What a joke!” Rubbing her eyes clear of lingering magical sediment, Aria set the hat to her side and slowly glanced around her dimly-lit room. It was a decently-sized room, though with all of the clutter you would be forgiven for thinking that it was much, much smaller. Bookshelves lined the leftmost wall, each filled with various notebooks, sketchbooks, spellbooks, and glass-sealed spell components. Side-by-side at the far end of the room were two desks: a wooden one, upon which was an open laptop, a small desk microphone, a stack of texts focused on summoning rituals, and empty containers of cookies and pretzels; and a glass one, upon which were the scraps and shavings of metals, stones, and animal hairs. To her right was an old wooden dresser and a matching vanity, which were joined by a smaller bookshelf that was bursting with various plushies and stuffed animals. A long plastic partition ran in front of everything but her bed - a small but necessary precaution to mitigate the damage from a failed ritual. A dedicated summoning room would have been preferable, but renting one was expensive and her small apartment lacked enough space or privacy to actually set one up in any other room. With all of her disposable income being relegated to the materials involved in her failed attempts, this scuffed setup was her only real option. A strained grunt filled the room as the young witch ripped herself off of her bed and walked around the partition to the bookshelf with the stuffed animals. She plucked a pale green goblin plush of her own design out of the cluster and returned to her bed. Sitting cross-legged on the edge of the mattress, she held the plush in her lap and traced the red trim of the black cloak she’d sewn for it. “What do I do, Chester? At this point, success is just giving me the big middle finger, and I’m pretty sure I only have enough materials left to make one more attempt.” The plush just stared back at her with an encouraging smile. “Thanks Chester,” she pouted as she hugged the toy, “ but I’ve tried just about everything at this point! Nightingale feathers to get a familiar that sings, dog fur and cat hairs for one that’s just cute, every combination of catalyst materials that should work, but all of these books suck and I’m SICK OF READING THEM!” Finally at her breaking point, Aria tossed Chester, grabbed her pillow, and screamed into it.  After a solid ten-second screaming session, the witch tossed the pillow across the room. It soared with olympic grace over the partition and onto the wooden desk, closing the laptop and knocking over the microphone with a perfect, bounceless landing. 10s from all of the judges! “And the crowd goes- oh, damnit…” Aria rose to her feet once more to recover her pillow and fix her desk. She held her breath as she gently stepped around her ritual setup: a laminated wood board inscribed with a chalk pentagram and various constellations (her altar), surrounded by thick ritual candles whose flames continued to flicker gently in the darkness. In its center, amidst the dusted remains of various materials, was a small black choker with a gemstone that matched her own. Once she was clear, she exhaled and regained a normal pace. Face hit plastic with a satisfying ‘whap!’ Aria had taken so much care to not disturb the setup while crossing the room that she completely forgot about the clear partition that had been set up to insulate it.The impact caused the plastic shield to wobble and shimmer. Aria blinked in surprise as she stepped back and recognized her error. She stood there for a moment, watching the flickering of the candlelight against the quivering plastic. The way the reverberations bounced that light around the room was entrancing, so much so that Aria momentarily forgot her embarrassment amidst the flashy display. Suddenly, her eyes went wide. Stumbling around the ritual circle, she whipped around to the other side of the partition and dashed to her desk. Rather than reclaim the pillow, however, her hands shot to the floor to grab the microphone. The thick condenser mic rattled in her right palm as her left threw open the desk drawer, snatched a flashlight, and slammed the drawer closed. By the time the ringing of the slammed drawer faded away, Aria had already finished her alterations to her summoning circle. The dust and soot from her previous attempts had been wiped clean, and a fresh mix of reagents lay within the chalk pentagram. In the center of the reagents was the desk microphone, perfectly poised and ready to record despite being unplugged. Newly lit candles danced with anticipation. However, they were no longer the only lights that were part of the ceremony; a lone flashlight sat on the bed, held in place by a cute smiling goblin friend. Its ray bounced wildly off of the plastic partition. Aria grinned proudly at the sight as she took a seat in front of the pentagram. She paused for just a brief moment to glance under the bed and ensure that her fire extinguisher was still there, just in case she needed it again. After all, despite being excited about her own ingenuity, magic was very fickle. Even if it did work this time, there was always a chance that success would be more… explosive than she’d like. But she had taken that risk thirteen times already and failed. If that was the price of a success on the fourteenth attempt, then so be it. With a wave of her hand, Aria conjured a small gust of air and aimed it at the furthest area of the partition, where the flashlight’s glow was dispersing across the plastic. The tiny gale caused the plastic to wobble once more, bouncing the ray around like a spotlight in every conceivable direction. “This was definitely the right call! If you want to summon an entertainer, you have to set the stage! Now then…” The grin receded from the witch’s face as she closed her eyes and stretched out her arms. A soft white stream of energy seeped out from her choker pendant, crept down her arms and gathered in her palms. In response, a matching white light slowly etched itself into the air above the chalk pentagram. Moments later, a glowing white pentagram was floating above the altar. Even without opening her eyes, Aria could feel the completion of the circle. She took a deep breath to steel herself before turning her palms upwards and chanting: “Oh spirit from another world: by this spell, I call upon you. By this offering, I connect to you. By this circle, I grant you passage. By this pendant, I bind you.” The stones on both Aria’s pendant and the matching pendant on the altar lit up with a lovely teal. In response, both the circle and the energy emanating from Aria’s hand shifted to match their hue. The chant was nearly complete, and once the final line was spoken, a familiar would - in theory - be summoned. Traditionally, that line would either involve the species of animal that the summoner wished their familiar to be, or the name of the specific creature they hoped to call upon. But Aria’s flash of inspiration led her to finish with a different, more fitting line: “Now… take the stage!” By all means, such an abnormal chant shouldn’t have worked. It gave the spell no real direction in terms of a creature to actually call and bind. And yet, as the line left Aria’s lips, the floating pentagram began to spin and expand. By the time it stretched to reach Aria’s hands, it was rotating so quickly that the individual lines could no longer be made out. The room was engulfed in a brilliant blue radiance. The walls, the floor, the ceiling, the bookshelves and the bed, even the altar from which the circle first arose all seemed to vanish amidst its all-encompassing power. The only things remaining in the beautiful blue void were Aria, the glowing circle, the black choker, and the white constellations on the altar that pierced defiantly through the swirling magic. One by one, those constellations lifted themselves off of the board and arranged themselves across the void, shining like real stars across an azure galaxy. Tears began to form in the young witch’s eyes. It was working! After thirteen painful failed attempts, she was finally going to summon her very own familiar! Her mind began to wander to thoughts of what exactly would end up being summoned. After all, a microphone was anything but normal as far as spell components went, and her chant had been incredibly unspecific. Would it be an animal, like she originally planned? Or perhaps a fairy, or sprite, or some other fae creature? How powerful would it end up being? Could she possibly even summon a demon, like her ancestor? Could she profit off of that if it happened? Her internal questioning would have easily continued had the light of the void not suddenly begun to flicker and rapidly shift hue. Aria jumped to her feet. Her eyes darted around to the various constellations - her only available points of reference - as the world around her began shifting from the light blue of her pendant to an emerald green. Even the once pure white constellations had changed to match the new color, shining just brilliant enough to be made out against the chromatic void. From emerald it faded into a solar orange, and again to a blazing red, and once more to an oaken brown, before settling on a deep purple. All the while, the witch could only look on in awe and confusion. The summoning texts had told her that the light from the ritual should match whatever was used as a focus, which in this case should have been the pendant on her choker. She couldn’t even squint her eyes and pretend that it was the same color. Do… do I stop? Do I stop right in the middle of my best attempt so far? She shook her head as she considered what she’d just asked herself. This was the furthest she’d managed to get without something breaking the spell. It was far beyond expectation, but the ritual was still going. Whatever she had done, it was working. Hesitation gave way to determination as she resolved to finish the spell. With another deep breath, she raised her hands to the sky. Though the world around her remained bathed in a sea of lavender, her hands continued to channel a radiant teal. “HYAAH!” Two glowing teal arcs sliced through the void as Aria swung her hands towards the ground. The spinning circle rushed to the invisible floor as if she had grabbed it and slammed it down. Its rapid rotations ceased the instant it made contact, aligning itself perfectly with the chalk circle below it. The void darkened. Lavender whisps or magic, like a mix of flames and bubbles, rose from the circle and dissipated into the aether. At first they rose slowly and meekly like embers, but soon they erupted into a purple inferno. The flames grew brighter, brighter, and brighter still, until finally… “WHOOOOOOOOOSHTIAAANG!” Aria covered her eyes as light exploded out from the circle with a gust of air and a metallic twang, like a fist of air striking a bell. The flash and noise blew away the void and the stars, returning the young witch to her cluttered sleeping quarters. She slowly opened her eyes and squinted in an attempt to see through the fading light. Even with her restricted vision, though, she could clearly make out a figure within the circle. Her heart nearly jumped for joy right out of her throat. I did it! I finally did it! My own familiar! What animal is it? What can it do? What color is it? It has to be purple, right? Everything else was purple, so that would make sense. Could it-” “Well now, I don’t recall that trip being quite so bright and bumpy…” Excuse me? Elation quickly turned to confusion. The voice that Aria heard was soft and light and clearly male… but it was also unmistakably in the room, not in her head. As far as she knew, familiars communicated with their summoners telepathically, not vocally. Whatever she had summoned, it certainly wasn’t a cute animal. Not a normal one, at least. Aria opened her eyes fully, light be damned. Thankfully, the flash had subsided enough that she was able to make out who she had summoned. Before her stood a young man with a soft complexion and fluffy crimson hair. A pale purple long coat with deep purple and gold accents draped over his clean white dress shirt and silken dark purple pants. His most striking features, however, were an almost tacky purple fedora with a gold flower and blue feathers… and the black choker with the pentagonal pendant that once sat upon the altar. Shocked, she stumbled backwards and fell onto her bed. There’s no way, she thought. A human… a human can’t be a familiar! The color of the spell matched his outfit perfectly, though, and her choker - which was designed to serve as the symbol of the bond between summoner and familiar - was hanging around his neck.  For a moment, she considered that perhaps it was just a coincidence, and that this man just happened to own a similar pendant. But as he reached his hand up and touched the stone in confusion, she knew that that wasn’t the case. Which only meant one thing… “Y-y-y-you’re my familiar!?” “Ah… I’m you’re what, now?” Aria flopped back down onto the bed in disbelief. It was one thing to fail entirely, but this… she didn’t even know what to call this. She had succeeded in summoning, but she hadn’t summoned what she was intending to summon. Although, she hadn’t really had a target in mind on this attempt; she had focused more on a skillset, or a personality. “Excuse me, miss?” Aria snapped to attention. The young man was taking stock of the room, though he had yet to move from the spot he’d appeared in. He turned to face the confused witch with a sparkling smile. “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t help but notice that this isn’t the Ardent Dragon, and I am due for a performance tonight. I certainly don’t mind giving… private performances,” he winked playfully, “but I’m afraid I’ll have to regale you another night. In the meantime, would you mind sending me back?” Aria’s face contorted with disgust. “Private perfor- who do you think you are!?” The man blinked in surprise. “Oh, ah, my apologies.” With a practiced flick of the arm, he whipped his hat off of his head and transitioned cleanly into a sweeping bow. “My name is Altair Amaryllis, the Bard of the East and the Storymaster of Sylvast. I would be humbled if you’ve heard my name, and honored if you would remember it.” Aria's head slowly tilted to the side as she processed what this man was trying to tell her. After a few moments, she managed to squeak out, “Holy crap you’re actually from another plane.” “Another…?” Altair rose from his bow and looked down at the altar he was standing on. The candles had gone out and the constellations had returned to the board, but the general setup was unmistakable to him. “Ah, I see, you were trying to summon something. A familiar, by the looks of the components.” He put his fist to his cheek as he recalled the moments before his arrival. “I was being teleported to the venue for my next show just a moment ago. If I had to guess, I’d say that your spell somehow intercepted the teleportation spell and brought me here by mistake.” “That’s a thing!?” Teleportation - major teleportation, not just a summoning - was something that Aria had only ever read about, and it was far beyond both her level and her budget to attempt. The man shrugged. “Mayhaps. I know a bit of magic myself, but not enough to be able to say so definitively. That being said, if this was truly an accident, I’m assuming that you have no idea how to send me back.” Aria nodded slowly, unsure whether she should be smiling with pride or blushing with shame. She had once again failed to summon her familiar, but she had summoned something - or someone - and interfering with a teleportation spell couldn’t have been a small feat. At the same time, though, she had basically kidnapped someone as a result, and she had no idea how or when she was going to be able to send him back. And to make matters worse… “So, uh, would it at least be possible to take this thing off?” Altair was attempting to unclasp the choker, but for some reason it refused to budge. The soft leather refused to give way, even when pulled, nor could it be stretched far enough to slide around his head. After a few attempts at extracting the unwanted accessory from his person, Altair huffed and turned back to Aria. “I understand if you can’t send me back, but could you at least take this off of me? I’d hate to be forced to leave with it on.” “Where would you even go?” “I suppose that I would find myself a ship or carriage that could return me to Sylvast, at the very least. Wherever we are, the currency should be similar enough to-” The bard paused and patted his clothes in various places before groaning. “And it seems my wallet is no longer with me, either. I… suppose I’ll have to find someplace looking for an entertainer, then.” “...can you sing?” “A bit, I suppose, though I am more of a storyteller than anything else. Perhaps I’m close to a place I’m familiar with. Where exactly are we again?” “Oh, we’re… uh…” Aria began to sweat as the fear of her own answer set in. She obviously knew where she was: the small city of Macrest, in the country of Aeolus. But she had been attempting to summon a familiar from an adjacent plane. She knew that there was a chance that she had simply interrupted a teleportation spell on her own plane, but there was also a chance that she had interrupted a teleportation spell on another plane entirely. If that were the case… “We’re in Macrest. In Aeolus…?” Altair folded his arms and closed his eyes. Macrest… Aeolus… where have I heard those names before? He racked his brain for few moments before gently opening his eyes and reciting: “And so the demon was made manifest. The soldiers of all three armies froze in terror as the subject of their fears loomed over them. Their blood turned to ice as he looked down upon them, and their breathing stopped dead as he addressed them. But his words carried no malice, no bloodlust, no evil. Indeed, he spoke with a solemnity and serenity that could have swayed the heart of even the most devout angel. At his behest, arms were laid down at the feet of his vessel and its guardians. The soldiers sat as their generals came forth. And so it was, at the request of the very demon whom the three nations had sealed so long ago, that peace was forged in the land of Aeolus. That the winds of the god for which it was named would forever be at the backs of all who would strive for unity, and that it would be a place where even a demon could come to appreciate the value and beauty of life.” Aria was enthralled. It was, indeed, a retelling of the end of the War for the New World, a battle that took place centuries prior. It was a piece of history that she always found fascinating, in no small part due to the fact that her ancestor - the demon summoner - was the vessel described in the tale. Nevertheless, she was awestruck by the retelling, simplified though it was. Altair’s moniker clearly hadn’t just been for show. She gave him a small applause, a relieved smile growing across her face. After all, he knew a story from her country’s history. Surely, she thought, he must have at least lived somewhere in this world. “Thank you, thank you,” he bowed. “That was an excerpt from…” The bard paused before throwing his head back in frustration. Aria’s applause stopped dead. The sweat started to reform on her brow. “What’s wrong?” “That was an excerpt from Tales from Worlds Unknown - An Interplanar Compilation,” he groaned. “A collection of stories from interplanar traveler and oracle Celeste Olivine.” A sad, twitchy smile formed on the corner of his lips. “It looks like you really did pull me to another plane. Guess I’m stuck here for a bit, huh?” Blankly, wordlessly, soundlessly, Aria fell back onto her bed and died. _ _ _ The tantalizing scent of roasted meat, sauce, and boiled vegetables awoke Aria from her deathlike slumber. Her head pounded and her throat screamed for water as she rolled herself onto the floor and lumbered over to the kitchenette. Screeching filled the apartment as she gracelessly dragged a barstool out from under the counter that was attached to the kitchenette and crawled onto it. As if on cue, a bowl of piping hot stew slid in front of her. A fork, knife, napkin, and a glass of water followed closely behind. The blazing heat and unreal flavor breathed life into her dead eyes as she took her first bite and nearly squealed with satisfaction. With each additional bite she could feel the vigor return to her body - and could feel it leave almost as quickly when she realized who had served her the meal. Altair looked at her expectantly with a ladle in hand and one of her aprons overtop of his coat. The sight of the bard caused the witch to nearly choke on her stew. She threw the glass to her lips and began chugging to clear her throat. “Are you alright?” Aria’s head whipped around to glare at Altair. “What are you doing in my kitchen!?” she gasped. “Cooking, obviously.” “Don’t be a smartass, why are you still here?” Altair tapped the pendant around his neck. “As it so happens, your spell didn’t just intercept my teleportation. It seems like it also partially bound me to you. In other words, I’m currently something akin to a familiar for you.” “Wait, so… you mean it worked!?” “Well, somewhat. It’s true that I’m magically bound to you, and it’s also true that I can act as a conduit for your magic. However, while I have a compulsion to stay within a certain distance of you, I doubt you can un-summon me or hide me, and while I can still sense magic, it seems as though my own spells are sealed as long as I’m wearing this pendant.” “So what you’re saying is, you can’t leave and I can’t send you back, and the easiest solution - that being your own magic - isn’t available now?” “That about sums it up, yes. Oh, and it seems I have access to some of your knowledge, too. I must say, this is a MUCH more convenient way of cooking and storing food! It’s almost worth sticking around for the convenience alone!” he chuckled. “You are way too calm about this,” Aria responded dryly before resuming her meal. While she ate and Altair cleaned up, she considered her options. I can try to reverse the ritual, but I’m all out of components. I could talk to mom and dad, but then I’d have to explain what I did and I’d never hear the end of it from them. And even if they could help, I’d still need to buy new materials to attempt to undo all of this. The light clinking of metal on ceramic told her that her bowl was now empty. She placed her utensils in the bowl for Altair to take away and returned to her thoughts. A specialist could probably break the bond and another could send him back, but that would probably also be really expensive… Aria folded her arms and huffed. “It’s the same as when I started. Everything’s a money problem. “What’s that?” Altair asked, muffled by the sound of running water. He was washing the dishes now. Aria couldn’t decide whether to be happy that he was helping, or annoyed that he was taking this so much better than she was. She decided to simply let it be for now. “I’m trying to figure out what to do, but every option available to me is almost definitely expensive. And I don’t have expensive right now. Especially since now I’ll have to factor you into food and utilities.” “A lot of your money must have gone into all of those components, huh?” “Yeahhhh,” Aria groaned and sank into the counter. “I’m not very good at this yet.” “Really? You don’t say?” he teased. He was met with an exhausted glare from his summoner. “You know, considering you’re stuck here on my budget, you could stand to be a bit more serious about this.” Altair placed a finger against the corner of his mouth in mock consideration. “I could, I could. But really, it’s far more entertaining to tease you! And besides,” he shrugged, “you brought this upon yourself.” Aria blinked. “Wait, say that part again.” “Uh… it’s far more entertaining to tease you?” “No, the other- wait, no, yes, that one, that’s the one there.” “You maybe want to learn how to use your words properly?” he chuckled. “Oh my god shut up,” the witch laughed as she facepalmed herself. In all of the excitement she’d forgotten one of the main reasons why she’d been attempting to summon a familiar in the first place. Getting sucked into Altair’s rhythm was not helping, but it did make her even more confident about her idea. “Just come with me for a second.” And with that, she hopped over to her bedroom. “But I haven’t had my bowl yet!” “We have a microwave!” she shouted from the room. “Oh yeah, that is a thing that you have. Excellent.” Satisfied with just reheating his meal, Altair removed the apron and followed Aria. She had wasted no time going around the partition and making her way over to the wooden desk. By the time that Altair had walked through the door frame, she had it open and powered on. “Ah, right, the computer. Such an interesting device.” “It’s not just interesting,” Aria turned to the bard and grinned. “It’s the solution to our money problem!” “I fail to understand how that relates to what I said earlier.” “Entertaining! Come on, you’re a bard, you make a living off of entertaining, right?” “Among other things, yes. But, what of it? You want me to entertain through the computer?” “Yes!” Altair tilted his head, but Aria didn’t even bother waiting for him to ask for clarification. “You and I are going to livestream!” “Live Streaming… that’s people playing games online for a virtual audience, right?” “That’s the one!” “Well, that’s not really my realm of expertise, as you could imagine-” “Oh come on, you’re a stories guy, and games have plenty of stories! And we could do a whole lot else, too! Besides, this is kind of why I summoned you in the first place.” Altair’s eyes narrowed. “I thought that it was an accident.” “It was, it was. I really was trying to summon a regular familiar, but, well…” she looked over at the microphone that was still sitting on the altar. “...I was trying to summon one that could be a sort of co-host for me. A familiar that could either entertain on its own, or just be really cute and entice audiences.” “That seems like a misuse of a familiar.” “Yeah, well, magic isn’t cheap and I’m on a budget. I figured that this would be a good way to make a little extra money to fund books and magic materials. And, you know, other fun stuff.” Aria turned her chair so she could face Altair completely. “Look, I want to help you. It IS my fault that you’re here, after all, so I’ll do what I can. But if you want to make it quicker and easier, maybe you could help me out with this? At least until we can get you un-bound?” Every instinct told the bard to pretend to consider the offer and mess with her about it; just a little bit of playful teasing, some drawn out “I don’t know”s, a pouty glance or two - but looking at the young witch’s face, he could tell that she was both entirely sincere and genuinely remorseful over having trapped him in her world. And he knew that she was right: his best shot at getting home would be to help her out with this endeavor. After all, with no reputation and a very small catalog of relevant stories, and her own work, Altair couldn’t very well try dragging his summoner to every bar, inn, and pub in an attempt to earn some coin. So instead, he simply smiled and reached his hand out. “Alright then. It’ll be a pleasure working with you, Aria.” The witch grinned. It may not have been the way that she’d intended to do it, but she couldn’t deny her excitement. A semi-successful ritual, and plan for her next move, and a new companion - it had certainly been a busy day, but at least she had direction and some fresh confidence. With a firm grip, she shook the bard’s outstretched hand. “Pleasure working with you, Altair!” The two shared a brief smile before Aria pulled her hand away and walked over to the altar - narrowly stopping herself before hitting the partition again. She bent down and plucked the mic from the altar and inspected it carefully. “Guess I’ll have to make sure this guy still works. And we’ll definitely have to figure out a setup for the two of us. But first…” She rose and turned to Altair with sparkles in her eyes. He was caught off-guard by how quickly she wrapped back around the partition, set the mic down, took his hand, and began dragging him out of the room. “...first, we’re gonna have to learn you some games!”

He was born during a storm when the ocean was fighting for its life, and sailors would go missing as waves crashed upon their ships. The birth of Neridian had caused whispers to venture up into Olympus thus making him a celebrity, and Zeus's interest in him had piqued when he heard that he was born with golden eyes and hair.  He had a golden aura around him, and as he grew up the golden aura grew bigger. Zeus knew that he would make a fantastic god and sent him into trials. He would fight different monsters in different worlds, and come back with prizes attached to his hip. Zeus was amazed and proud of his nephew and then knew he would make a fine Olympian.  The other gods where also proud of him, and their interest was as high as Zeus's. But one god named Ares was jealous of his relationship with his father and promised that he would take revenge on him. The two gods clashed and fought raging war upon the heavens, but in the end it was Neridian who won and embarrassed Ares by stripping him of his clothes.  Zeus was proud and offered him a chance to be an Olympian.

— She's such a pretty girl... — I thought while looking at the portrait of the gorgeous woman I married. Her blue eyes entrapped me like the depths of the ocean, and her skin was smooth like silk.— Shit... The IRS letter — I muttered to myself as I looked at the papers that the post-office delivered this morning. — Gotta call her... But... — I looked to my right to see the customary calendar... Today was March the 27th... It was his day... — Guess it won't hurt then. I walked through the house, dodging the dog and avoiding stepping on any of the kids' toys everywhere. — We need to call the maid... — I murmured, complaining about the lack of full-time schools due to the pandemic. — It's about time. — I said, reading the newspaper about the vaccination finally moving. — It's 9. Time to turn the computer on... — I thought as I walked to my bedroom/office. Yes, I've been working from home, like most people. Nothing to do, way more expenses, and to make it worse, even more control over my working hours. Remote Work is hell! I'm telling you. Anyhow... I turned to the screen and called her on my phone, waiting for the system to boot. [Ahhh! Honey?! Wha~aat is it.] — Sorry for calling you at a time like this... er... The IRS letter for the taxes arrived. Can you please pay it on your way back? — I said, listening to the moist sounds of her moans and the noise of flesh hitting flesh. [Yes, honey. Thanks for caa~AAAAAHH!] — Guess she came... — I thought to myself as I waited for her to end the call. [Who was that? The cuck of your husband?] — I could hear a husky voice in the background, a man, sounded pretty familiar, he must be around his late forties. [Yes, it was him. Don't worry... God, you came so much, my whole back is wet, I can feel it dripping...] [Hehe... It felt amazing. You're as good as always. Having those kids didn't change you one bit.] [Thanks. I'm very happy to hear you say that.] — It was heartwarming to hear a client treat her like that... Much better than working in retail. [But what about him? Does that cuck like hearing you fuck with other guys?] [Yes. He's very happy for me feeling good.] — Her voice was so bright. Makes me remember the girl I married twelve years ago. God, she didn't change one bit. In fact, the truth is, I just didn't care about her continuing to work like that. It's what keeps our bills paid and let's us plan for our kids' education. [The call still connected] [Huh!? Sorry! I'll shut it off.] [No, no. It's fine.] [Bye honey!] — Bye Marcie. I'll make some dinner for us tonight. See you soon. [Yes!] — Oh, her actual excited voice is so cute. It's easy to know when she's being honest after a while. After all, I did marry an actress who is also whore who gets laid for money, but I love her nonetheless. — There's no helping it, then. — I murmured after hanging the call, turning to my good and old boring job for the day. PrimordialPlunderer This novel will have shorter chapters than usual. Sorry.

It was a normal day for me, drinking carbonated drinks and anything else really, like what a normal teenager would do in their spare time. Or that was something I would have liked to say until someone knocked on my door. It was the same knock I heard any other day, and I wasn’t sure whether I should feel happy or not to hear that knock. I got up from my chair in the living room and took my steps, approaching the door. But when I was about to reach that doorknob, I stopped for a while. I think to myself, “maybe I shouldn’t do this, this isn’t my problem”, but then, for my own other reasons, I opened the door.  And there she was, with dried tears over her cheeks, looking at me desperately.  “Aiya-san”  “...I’m sorry” “...don’t be” I shifted my body back a bit and made a gesture to let her in “...then excuse me” she entered my house and instinctively crouched down to find a “momentarily escape” in an empty storage room right under my house’s stairs.  I should probably make a drink for her, perhaps a juice will make her feel better. I was thinking about that until there was another knock at my door. Sigh, there it is.  “Yes?” “Good afternoon, Yagi-san”  “...afternoon” “Did my daughter enter your house by any chance?” “...no, I don’t think she did”  “Well, if you see her, please tell her to go home. You know how it goes, she has school tomorrow, and she really needs to complete her homework” he said while peeking beside my shoulder to see if he could find her within the house.  “...if you don’t believe me, please, you can check inside” “No, last time was enough. I’m sorry for not believing you, but I know you’re not one to place your head in something where you don’t belong” he was smiling, it was unnerving. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to be somewhere else right now” “...sure” I saw him walking away and disappear around the corner. How many times did he knock on my door by then, he really didn’t trust me. But I wouldn’t blame him, I was his only neighbor to stay at home when she ran, and whenever she went in this direction, she vanished. Any sane man would obviously piece things together. But he really couldn’t do anything, since he never found her hiding place.  I went back inside and approached her where she hid. I opened a small hidden compartment and a door was revealed, I peek my head inside to tell her his departure.  “Hey, he went away already” “Really? “Yeah, you can come out now” “I… would rather stay here for a while” “...sure, if that’s what you need right now” “Thanks” That room was small, but not necessarily cramped. She could stand on the other side of the room and I prepared a small desk there just to make her feel comfortable. Speaking of comfortable, I thought maybe it was time for me to bring her that juice. I reached my kitchen and opened my fridge to see that juice box. That juice was sweet and delicious, I knew she’ll love it. But I could only pour a single glass for her because I was running out of juice. It was fine, I could just buy another one at another time, and precisely that time she was my only concern.   I came back to see her still in the same position, sitting on the floor, hugging her feet. It was a scene I saw many times already. I went inside and said a simple hi to her, she replied to me with a smile. From within, I closed the door and made a small gesture to offer her a drink. She just nodded a little, then I placed the glass on the desk.  “Here, I know you’re tired, but please, at least have a drink”  “...thanks” she timidly reached the glass and drank her juice. For a moment, there was a sign of relief on her face. I don’t know why, but that fleeting moment of peace was enough to justify my action to help her then. But it was necessary “You’re not drinking too?” “Nah, I can have one later. You don’t need to worry about me, you can just drink away” I tried to cast away her worries, but I don’t think it was working.  “You really are a kind person. You’re out of juice, aren’t you” I was surprised, I didn’t say anything nor did I leave the juice box in the open, and I was pretty sure she didn’t enter my kitchen as well.  “How did you know?”  “Your kindness itself is enough for me to guess, you know how you always offer me drinks whenever I came? And you always gave me a full glass, but this time… it’s not full” “...it was that obvious?” “Yeah… not just that, but you also didn’t bring your own glass. I know you always bring another for yourself to drink with me” “Well… you got me. I won’t be drinking with you now, but really, don’t mind me. I’ll just be here, reading my book as usual” I comfortably sat on the floor right across her, there was only a small wooden desk separating us. With my back to the wall, I raised my book to read as usual.  “...you know if you’re thirsty” she was mumbling a little, so I took a peek at her from my book. “You could just drink from my glass too, I mean it’s your juice anyway, so I wouldn’t really mind,” she said while staring at me with anticipation “You know I wouldn’t do that” I just gave her a dead gaze. Honestly, that was a surprise, I didn’t think she would ever say that. Knowing how she used to be, I guess she’s just… broken.  “Look, if you’re that bothered by me not drinking right now, I could just buy another box of juice, you know” I was going to leave her in the room. But then she called me immediately  “No! Wait!” “Hm?”  “Could you… stay with me for now” “...sure”  She really was a changed girl, not sure if that was a good thing or not, considering the probable reason as to why she… had turned into what she was then.  “So, what are you reading?” she was closing into me when I was going to continue my reading. She sat exactly beside me, our shoulders were touching each other.  “Back off a little” I knew she was just trying to come up with a topic for a conversation, but still, that was annoying. At the very least, I would agree to listen to her story, but I couldn’t just let her get that intimate with me “Oh, don’t avoid me now. We’re childhood friends anyway” “...are we?” “Did you really ask that? Of course, c’mon, you can sit here beside me. It’s going to be just like old times” she really had to remind me of the past like she had any right to say that.  “What exactly did we do in the past?” “C’mon, don’t tell me you forgot, we were always together. We played together, we slept together, heck, we even bathed together.” “I don’t need you to remind me that last part”  “Oh~ someone’s getting flustered” “...no, I’m just kinda trying to remember the past, you know. Things are coming back, and I’m recalling our days like it was just yesterday. But, still, I can’t remember why someone was slowly avoiding and shunning me away for no reason” “...I-” There was a pause between us. I know she just tried to remember the past, the fun we had, and maybe it was just her escape from her current reality. But it was a part of my life I didn’t want to touch upon.  “Sigh, sorry, I was just… under pressure” I just apologized to her, I knew she was under stress.  “No-no-no… I was… too conceited, believing I could just…no, never mind. I’m sorry” she was back to her previous state, depressed. A part of me knew I could just leave her there, and be done with it. But I couldn’t.  So I sat back on the floor… about a few inches away from her. I wasn’t avoiding her because I was embarrassed… well that was too… but mostly it was because I still resent her.  “...this book is about a slave, chained by his master, bounded to live like the way his master demanded him to do”  “That’s… kinda heavy. So how did it go?” “He lived a quite hard life, expecting things to get better, but only for it to go even worse. Eventually, there was a plot twist in the story where he was saved by someone, no one was expecting that. Honestly, I could say this story is kinda trash, the pacing was awful, it was pretty illogical. But…” I rotated my head a bit to see her beside me, I was looking at her then.  “I know, the moral of the story was quite nice” “...and what was the moral message?” “That it is fine to ask for help from others” Her eyes were widened for a moment, then she just smiled at me “Thanks” that was the only thing she said to me. It was enough for me to know she’s thankful for me, really made it all worth it.  “I said it already, but really you could stay here as long as you want. I’m not forcing you to do so, but I know it’s way better than… whatever you’re facing right now… right?” “I- would love to… but you know how it goes. I just can’t. My dad, would… do things on me. If I can just stay here for a couple of hours, that’s enough for me. I just don’t want to be at home all day long, but I don’t want to upset my father more than necessary too… I-” “Okay, I get it. You can stop now” “...yes” This thing was really way deeper than what I was initially thought, she was in a pretty problematic situation. If I wanted to exact my revenge, I had to help her in any way I could. But from then on, I still had priorities, I need to appease her worry first, make her feel comfortable, calm her down, and get her to step away from me.  “...it must be stressful for you right now. I don’t think I have much to add to make you feel better, but maybe you can try to forget those things for a while. Here, there’s this game available in the store right now. It’s quite popular, you know” I was showing her my phone with a simple puzzle game on the screen “What’s wrong? You don’t seem to look very excited” all I could see was her gloomy mood  “I… don't know that game…” that was kinda surprising since I used to remember her being the center of attention in a group circle, she should’ve known the current trend. “I haven't opened my phone in quite a while” that was also surprising  “…why?” “My dad took them from me, saying it was just a waste of time and I should’ve just used my time better for learning” I see I turned to the other side of the room. “You know…” I stood up a bit and opened a small box in the corner of the room to pick up an old phone, then I gave it to her  “Here, you can have this” “Wait, what, are you giving me your phone now? Don’t you think you’re way too nice of a person now?” “No, don’t just assume stuff. There’s no way I’ll give you this phone for free. I was just trying to lend you my old phone, perhaps you can use this while you’re here.  “Woah, thanks” “Good, now you can play with your phone and finally stop bothering me” I sat back now on the floor but a few more inches away from her. But then she shifted herself closer to me and asked another stupid question.  “What? Why are you treating me like a kid now?” “...what are you talking about?” “You think I’m a bother, don’t you?” “Yes, what’s wrong with that?” “...look, I may be a bother for you a bit… well, I’m bothering you a few times this week. But, you know I could be useful to you too” “Okay then, let’s prove that. Make yourself useful, and see if you can hold yourself out and not call my name in two minutes” “Why are you making a childish challenge, and why are you assuming like I’m relying on you for everything?” Oh, the irony. “But sure… if you want to shut me up, then I’ll be glad to meet your demand”  But then just moments later, she did call me again “Uhm… Yagi…” “It’s not even a minute yet” “No! I mean like, you’re giving me a broken phone, what did you think I would’ve said” “What? Really!?” I took her phone for a quick check. I tried to turn it on, and… it worked as intended. Then, I showed her the phone and her reaction was as stupid as Eh? It can run? “Ya know, I kinda forgot you’re not as bright as what people used to say” that girl was tech illiterate, but somehow she used to achieve many great things… used to.  “I… guess, I’m just kinda clumsy?” “Being stupid is not clumsy” From then on, we continued having a bunch of useless talks within that small room, with nothing of importance to note. Like how we used to be before she made that stupid mistake. Before we knew it, we had been talking for over two hours, and I guess it’s just about the time I prepare some dinner for both of us. I could’ve just continued our little chit-chat more and delayed that cooking preparation for later, but her stomach’s grumbling is a sign I couldn’t ignore.  “You hungry?”  “...yes, I haven’t eaten anything since this afternoon” “You’re starving… you should’ve told me that since earlier” “I... can’t, I’ve asked you too much. I couldn’t burden you more than what you’ve already given me”  “Next time, just tell me anything if you need anything, and I mean, anything” because it would’ve been a lot more trouble if she got sick at my place “...thank you” I just nodded over her gratitude, but when I was about to leave the room, she pulled the hem of my shirt for a moment. She seemed unsure about something, so I just waited for her until her restlessness faded away.  “Hey… Uhm… I just wanna say thank you for… saving me on that bridge that day”  “You’ve been saying thank you to me too many times today, so you can stop that. And also, …I didn’t do anything” her gratefulness to me is starting to get a bit annoying  “No, you did! If you didn’t come, I would’ve…”  “Stop, I did nothing. If you were to do anything stupid that time, I couldn’t do anything anyway. I mean, you know I can’t swim, right? So it was all on you, it was your idea to start it, but it was also your strong will to stop it, so you should just be proud of yourself. You’ve tried hard enough” I comforted her even if it’s the last thing I wanted to do  She started sobbing slowly “Sob, why…why do you have to be so nice to me? You know what I did to you, but you just…sob” I just kept my silence, didn’t say anything to her. While it might seem like I was good-hearted, I wasn’t. I was holding back my anger, but I knew I didn’t need to do anything, it was for the best. “We’re in this room for way too long, you might want to get out. I can prepare some light-meal for both of us”  “Thanks… but I’ll be there later, I just… want to prepare myself”  “...do as you wish”  So I left her there and went to the kitchen to find some food to make. But the realization came way too late when I found out that I ran out of every ingredient on the shelves. Supporting a girl for a few days really need twice as much amount of food as supporting yourself. Gotta make a note for myself in the future. The only food I found over there were a box full of local cookies and cup noodles… and there were only two left, speaking about luck. I couldn’t offer her cookies to relieve her hunger, so those cup noodles were the only real choice I had. But with that, I didn’t need to prepare a lot, just a few liters of hot water, and we’re good to go.  When I was heating some water, she came out of that room with the same gracefulness as she used to have. Well, not like it mattered anyway. I didn’t see my old phone in either of her hands, so I guess she left it in that room. She came to me with a confused but silent stare “We only eat cup noodles today?” “Do you even have the right to complain?” I turn my back a bit and took a piece of cookie from within those box in the shelf. “Here, you can help yourself with this for a while. Now,  just be quiet and sit down, it’ll be ready soon enough”  “Okay~” she took my cookie off my hand, I can see she was enjoying that cookie when she was delighted to say hmm, delicious. At least then, she was somewhat in a better mood, but really… that girl was unpredictable. One time she’s depressed, and other times she’s happy but kinda arrogant.  When I was pouring those hot waters into the cups, she was making some light talk with me “Hey… do you think it would be okay for me to live with you” my hand slipped a little when I was pouring that hot water, a good thing it didn’t graze my hand. “What?” “What?” “No. I mean, what sort of thought process did you have to come up with that idea”   “Well… it’s just a suggestion” “Is your home really that… excruciating”  “...yeah. Compared to your family, mine was a little… overwhelming since forever, you know. Haha~” she was forcing that laugh. “Speaking of which. Uhm… if you don’t mind me asking, where are your parents? I haven't seen them in quite a while” she asked that directly huh “They left”  “Oh- you mean left as in... for a job?” “They left me” “Oh, I… I don’t know what to say… hmm… I’m sorry-” “You know what happened, you don’t need to apologize now. It’s all in the past now” It was in the past, but it was still a painful past.  Ignoring her guilty face, I moved to bring those cup noodles over the counter to the living room’s desk. I offered her the food, and she just nodded, and silently ate that noodle away. Now, I could've made small talk with her, but her endless barrage of questions was tiring me out, so I chose to let her be in that state while I ate. At least… some peace.  We were eating in silence until there was nothing left in our cups.  “Thank you for the food” “Thanks for the food” we both exclaimed our gratitude over the food and clasped our hands. I took those cups to the trash and when I returned I saw her looking at the clock. It was about time for her to go back, any longer than this, and she might’ve been lectured for disobedience.  “I guess… it’s about time for me to go back”  “Yes”  She stood up and walked sluggishly to the front door. We were standing next to each other behind the door.  “Sigh, this is it. Thanks, Yagi” “Good luck, Aiya-san” she looked at me with an empty gaze. “You can do it”  She hesitated for a while but chose to open the door… to find his father was standing a few meters away in front of the door.  “...dad” “Hello, Aiya. I see Yagi-san has found you. It has passed her curfew, so if it’s alright with you, I need you to be at home, right now”  “Ye- yes, dad” Her father was stretching his hand to her. But before she was about to go, I held her arms and I said a few lines to her father. “I’m sorry, sir. Before she goes, I just wanna say that Aiya-san here has been exhausted over private matter, and I believe that’s going to weight her down in her studies”  “Yes, and I believe her fatigue will go away after she goes home and rests in where she belongs. Ask her and I’m sure she’ll agree with me, or do you have any problem with that, Yagi-san?” I took a glance at Aiya-san, and she just shivered, I could feel it through her arm. This man not only tried to intimidate her, but also me as well.  “...no, sir. I believe you’re right” “Then, if you’ll excuse us-” “Wait, sir” his irritation to me is apparent, “I really appreciate your dedication to her studies, so if I may, I want to give you and your daughter some… token of support. It would be delightful if you can wait here, and I’ll fetch it up for you in a minute” “...be quick about it” “Yes, sir. Please wait a moment”  So I left them for a second then came back with plastic and a box within it “Here, it’s just a small box of local cookies. These cookies are delicious, and I hope you and your daughter will appreciate them as much as I do” I smile as I gave it to her father.  “...okay. Thank you, I see you’re more tolerable than what I initially thought” he gave that plastic to Aiya-san. “Now, if you’ll excuse us now” and so they were walking away, I was watching them until they were no longer in my eyesight.  Now, I need to go somewhere else.  —------------------------------- Change perspective to Aiya My name is Aiya and I was walking with my dad, away from my old friend’s house. Heh, old friend, what an ironic turn of events.  “Why are you slowing down, come on, walk faster”  “Ye- yes” he was always commanding me for every little mistake I made, I guess it was just his way to cope with his loss… or his disappointment over me. So I couldn’t blame him, I never could. It was all my mistake after all. I could only wish he’ll be back the way he used to be.  We had been walking for only about a few minutes until we reached our house, it was like any other house around us. It’s… normal, albeit a bit dirty.  The very moment we entered, my dad instantly sat on the couch and glared at me to give those cookies to him. I know I won’t get any share of those cookies… even though they were delicious.  “Now, wash the dishes, will ya. I’m not keeping you around for being useless in this house” “Ye- yes, dad” I moved quickly to the kitchen dishes to do my part in the family. But when I was about to do it, my dad sneakily crept up to me and was holding my shoulders with his hands. It was horrible, but I couldn't do anything, not with glass soaked with soaps in my hand. If I break one, he’ll get angry, if I don’t do anything, he’ll break me.  “You know… you’re beautiful like your mother”  “N- no, dad. Please, don’t” “C’mon, you don’t need to do anything, just be quiet” “N- no!!” I was struggling and by accident, I dropped that glass, and it broke a little. “Oh no” “He- hey- Hey- HEY. What is that, hmmm, you broke something again? You ungrateful kid, do you know how much that cost. You don’t even work, and you’re just breaking whatever you want, huh”  “Wait- wait, it was just an accident” “Accident? AN ACCIDENT?! YOU’RE AN ACCIDENT. YOU REALLY ARE JUST LIKE YOUR MOTHER, YOU BOTH ARE JUST BITC**S WITH NO SHAME, ASKING FOR MONEY WHEN YOU DON’T EVEN DO ANYTHING” he was snapped He grabbed my arm hard, it was painful. He dragged me away from the kitchen back to the living room and pushed me down on the couch. I was about to scream, but he stuffed my mouth with a cloth lying around, I could only writhe and struggle in vain.   “Now, you can be sure I will love you the same way I love your mother” no-no-no-no-nooo But when he was about to touch somewhere, our door was forced open by someone “What the hell?! Who?” “We’re the police! Get down!”  “WHAT?!” my dad was pinned down instantly and I could only see him in confusion. What was going on? “You’re okay, kid?” one other police was comforting and ask me if I was alright. Honestly it was surprising, but it was such a relief. What a relief. What a relief. “Y- yes, sob” I could only cry a little, that experience was too much for me.  “We’re holding the suspect now” I saw my dad was taken away, and I could only stare at him in what I could only describe as an intense disappointment.  “...wha- what happened?” to hide my dread and also to curb some curiosity, I look back at the police next to me  “Someone contacted us, and he reported a suspected domestic sexual harassment… honestly, we wouldn’t be able to move this fast if not for the evidence that was provided.” “...report? Evidence?” I have a feeling over who made such a contact, but I asked anyway  “A boy named Yagi made a direct report to us, truly, I haven't seen someone that desperate in a while just for a friend. And not only that, he provided us with a live call as evidence to prove the urgency of the situation.  “Live call?” “I believe he said it was hidden within a box of biscuits” When he said that, I instantly move to open the box sitting just next to me and scramble everything inside, just to find the old phone with an active call still running.  “...are you there, Yagi?” “...yeah, are you fine now?” “Sob…yeah, thanks” “Stop saying thanks already” “I just don’t understand” “Hm?” “Why? WHY ARE YOU SO NICE TO ME?! WHY CAN’T YOU JUST HATE ME, PLEASE” when I yelled, that police beside me was startled, but I didn’t care.  “Are you blind?” “...what?” I slowly lifted my head  “I hate you, so much, I would push you to your death if I could on that day.” I had a feeling he was letting it out, his anger.  “Do you know, how would you feel when your best friend, someone you would even consider to be your sister, just stabbed you behind your back for the sake of ‘reputation’” I kept listening to his strings of grudge over the phone “I could just turn a blind eye when you just leave me alone and be done with it, but you really just had to do that, you are the very reason why I was cast away by everyone! My family left me, BECAUSE OF YOU!” I knew it was just about time for him to hate me, I knew it, but I still couldn’t take it to my heart.  “Why did you say I rape you?!” “I- It was an accident, I mean, I just said you were touching me indecently, it was just that! But-” “I don’t need your reasoning or your justification or whatever you call that half-as*ed apology, if you could even call it that. But it happened, and now you know.” “But… then why are you so nice to me?” “Helping you really made me feel like I was better than you, you don’t deserve my kindness, but I know that kindness itself will eat you away, slowly. You cast me away, so I curse you in return, with my own way”  Just as I thought… everything was just simply a lie… huh “Remember that no one and I mean none of your friends is helping you right now, except your lone enemy here, you fu**ing traitor. You don’t deserve any love. I will be with you from now on, and so you must relish your memory, every day, about whose life you have destroyed. I will not let you find the comfort of dying that easily.” “...I have a feeling it’s like that. You know, I remembered that time you picked me up on that bridge when I was crying, I truly think that the world has forsaken me for that small mistake I made. But then, you were there, you could have just leave me be. I deserve it, but no. You didn’t. You stretched your hand to me, and you saved me. For whatever reason it may be for you when you came to me, I don’t care. You saved me again now. And for that, I will never stop to say thank you to you. Thank you” “...you said too many thanks, and you’re stupid and an idiot” “Yes” “I hate you… but, you should come to my house once in a while. I wouldn’t be able to do my revenge when you’re not here” “Yes, I’ll be there”  And the call was terminated 

Hey there, I'm Tulio! I hail from the land of soccer legends, where fandom runs deep in our veins. But why, oh why did I have to go and choose the crappiest team around, Wascu? I mean, seriously, these guys can't win to save their lives. But you know what? I just can't help but cheer them on like a die-hard fan. And wouldn't you know it, that's what got me killed! Picture it: a regional championship game that should have been a piece of cake...until the Wascu boys screwed it all up. RIP me, right? So now I find myself in this weird empty space, face to face with some dude in white claiming to be a god. Alrighty then, let's see where this afterlife thing takes me! Well, well, well, look who it is—the big man upstairs! And boy, is he not impressed with my choice of the soccer team? "Dude," he says, shaking his head. "You had so many options down there, and you picked the absolute worst one. What were you thinking?" Okay, okay, so maybe Wascu isn't exactly a championship team. But did he really have to rub it in my face like that? Sheesh. At least give a guy a break in the afterlife! Oh boy, here we go! So I'm chillin' in the afterlife, minding my own business, when this supposed god shows up and starts throwing shade at my choice of a soccer team. I mean, come on, dude! You're a god; can't you be a little more tactful? Anyway, I finally cut him off and asked what was going to happen to me now. Will I be reincarnated or what? And you know what this so-called deity says? "Yep, you're getting a do-over. But for the love of all things holy, don't pick that crap team again!" Like, seriously, how rude can you get? I mean, I get it; Wascu sucks. But to mock me like that? Not cool, man, not cool. So now I guess I've got to start all over again, in a world similar to the one I left behind. Hold up, hold up. So apparently, when I get reincarnated, I'll be getting some sweet, sweet mana. But here's the kicker: the amount of mana I get depends on how much I've suffered in life. And I gotta say, rooting for Wascu definitely qualifies as a form of torture. But the real kicker? This so-called god starts mocking me again! "Seriously, kid, what were you thinking? Rooting for that dumpster fire of a team is the worst decision you've ever made. And believe me, you made a lot of bad choices," he cackled. Geez, thanks for the encouragement, buddy. I haven't even hit the 400-word mark in this novel, and already my team is getting dragged through the mud. Can't a guy catch a break around here? "Well, I'd suggest you try something that doesn't involve rooting for a team that couldn't win a game of tic-tac-toe. Maybe you'll become a mage or join the Yakuza or something..." "Anything but Wascu," I retorted, not wanting to hear about my team choices again. "Hey, don't get your mana in a twist, kid. But seriously, rooting for Wascu? That's like trying to win a marathon while wearing stilettos," the god chuckled. "Okay, okay, I get it. No more Wascu talk. So, what are my options?" I asked, trying to move on from the team's roasting. "Anything you want, from gardening to being semi-omnipotent. Just please, for the love of all that is holy, don't pick Wascu again," the god replied, finally dropping the subject. "Hold up, hold up," I said, interrupting the god's laughter. "I'm not done with Wascu yet. In my next life, I'm going to play for them and become the hero that millions of fans deserve!" The god's laughter only grew louder. "Millions of fans? This team has, like, a couple hundred at best." Undeterred, I shot back, "Well, it's better than being stuck up here with a deity who has the sense of humor of a soggy cracker. So how about you hurry up and reincarnate me before this running joke gets stale?" The gods rolled their eyes."Okay, but just a heads up, you're passing up the opportunity to rule the world here. I mean, you could be the next big thing, like the next Kim Jong-un or something," the god said with a smirk. "Uh, no thanks. I just wanna turn this team around, not become a dictator," I replied with a sigh. This god was really starting to wear on my nerves. "Well, good luck with that. Even with my omnipotent powers, that might be a tall order," the god joked before finally reincarnating me. "Watch out, world! Here I come, ready to transform this team into a championship contender!" I exclaimed, ready for the challenge. Time to show the fans what a true Wascu hero looks like.                 A/N: Alright folks, buckle up for a wild ride! This novel is going to be like mixing peanut butter and jelly, or maybe more like mixing isekai and Inazuma Eleven. Who knows? I might write regularly, or maybe I'll just procrastinate like a pro. But one thing's for sure, this novel won't be published on Zetro. It's just too crazy and schizophrenic. But hey, that's okay! We're here to have fun, right? So sit back, relax, and let's see where this madness takes us!  

Life is a cruel sadistic bitch, quite a cynical and shallow view of life a few of you might say, isn't it? But well, If you don't agree with me, then you are one of the lucky ones who are privileged enough to not be on its naughty list, yaa a naughty list. Don't laugh at my lack of vocabulary, In my defence, I have been leaving my entire life alone with only company was a smug-faced butler and a few hundred books. As for my crime for being on this list? I am a bastard….yes a literal bastard who wasn't supposed to be born. Or that's what the butler says, and who would blame him, considering my mother's origin. That bastard didn't hold back one bit of the truth, Not one bit..... Even though back then I was but a 10-year-old child.My story was just like the drama books from the old library downstairs with forbidden love, But instead of my father accepting me as his son, That bastard sent me away to this old mansion in the countryside. And as for why the hell I doing reading drama books, well in my defence I had 14 whole years of free time and a man have to pass his time somehow, It was not like there were rows of children wanting in line to be my friends. Hell in my entire life I had rarely met any child around my age. My father made sure not to let me out of this remote place mansion even for a single day. But no worries, today will be the last day I would have to stay in this mansion or eat that incompetent butler's cold meals.Right now I am standing in front of a mirror, Admiring the reflection of a black hair teenage boy. Handsome isn't he, with those different coloured haunted eyes, black and grey, which were no way the eyes of a 15 years old, a scar running down, through his right eye which was also the reason it was grey. A year ago that grey eye was perfectly normal, Identical to his other black eye. But well who am I to complain, I can see through it, that's all that matters now.Did I mention that I also have 3 more scars on my face, one 3inch passing through the right side of my lips and the other two running parallel downwards along my right jawline making me look a little bit threatening, aren't I a badass? and I haven't even shown you the nasty ones on my torso?You might be asking, how did a noble, even though a bastard got such terrible scars. well, that will be the story for our next therapy session, It's a sour subject, and a scary one as well. It will take quite a while and I dont like remembering those shitty memories.Anyway back to me being a badass, nonono, It was me having to eat the meal of that bastard butler meal one last time. Right, today I am heading towards the capital. I am admitted to an academy, yes an actual academy where you learn magic as well other subjects, Which is compulsory for every noble to attend, even if he or she is a bastard. King's rule, go ask him, and the best part is that my father never bothered hiring a tutor to teach me basics like how to read and write. Talking about parenting skills at their finest.Thankfully for once, My mother did something good in her entire miserable life, she taught me how to read with the help of the books in the library. Quite surprising for an escort to know how to read.Did I ever mention that I am also a no-mag? Which is exactly how sounds it sounds like, I can't use magic. yaaa, another one of fate's big jokes. I am a bastard and was doomed to be frowned upon and to make my life harder, being no-mag was like the entire world now had the right to spit on my face and it was also the main reason I was living in the countryside, rather than a less isolated place near my father's house in Aldrih. But well who am I to complain, It's not like I need magic anyway, who needs that shitty thing that opens up more opportunities for making a career like an enchanter, alchemy, creator and what not.I will worry about my life career after I graduate the college. If I am lucky enough, my dear ol dad would give me a pinch of his fortune, but the chances were highly unlikely.sigh....why the hell am I depressed, I am living a good fucking life right...right?anywayFuck him for leaving me in this lonely mansion and fuck my mother for dying so quickly, fuck the world, For all I care, All of them can go to hell.Now where the hell is my damned old coat, I am getting late

rush 0: Prologue "hummm, these benches destroyed my back" (???) Said Eros stretching after getting off the train in New York, Eros * was a descendant of a Greek father and a Brazilian mother which blessed him with a tall physique of 1.77, but many years of his reclusive and unhealthy lifestyle left him pudgy. "Man if you want comfort take a plane" (???) Said his friend Alessio who had just disembarked, Alessio was his friend since childhood he was a little short, about 1.55 but unlike Eros who was aa recluse, he loved exercise and therefore had an excessive muscular physique. "Are the two ladys going to talk there all day or are we going to the convention?" (???) Asked the third person to get off the train,his name is Jackson, he had an average height of 1.66, and unlike his friends he didn't have such extreme habits so his physique was very common and balanced.As it was said, the three traveled from Brazil to the USA just for a convention that was very popular recently, it was called "Another World" or just Awld for short, this convention was basically the dreamland of every otaku, nerd and recluse on the face of the earth! "So let's go, you sissies" (Alessio) The group then called a taxi without delay and pointed the address to the driver, barely able to stand still by the excitement generated by Awld, the group quicklydisembarked in its destiny, which seemed magical and of another world as the name promised: the entrance was full of people of all ages wearing cosplay and they walked without stoppingat a steady pace which left the observers in a certain trance. "let's enters guys !!!" (Eros) The first to recover was Eros who immediately ran like an addict who saw drugs after a long time of abstinence, and soon he was followed by the others. Awld did as promised since they have the most recent games and with no release dates to the action figures of rare editions that would become the star of the collection of any good otaku.In the midst of this organized chaos Eros and his friends went shopping and went with everything, from games to anime and from anime to manga, so much that they lost their time and when they noticed the sky was already getting dark, it was then that with much reluctance they decided go to the hotel.When they was lefting the three of them took their first steps out of the Awld and a strange circle appeared under Jackson's feet. "Wow these lights are very well done, how they made to be so realistic?" (Jackson) The light coming from the circle then started to get stronger and stronger and Jackson's face darkened when he found that he couldn't move even a muscle. Eros, who was initially curious, had a bad feeling and realized something was wrong. "Help! Damn it, I can't move!" (Jackson) Eros and Alessio immediately tried to push Jackson out of the circle, but then a huge space crack opened up and swallowed the three of them in! Eros tried to resist the huge dizziness that attacked him and look around, and his face darkened as he saw that in a space that was entirely made of darkness except for the place they were in, it was a path made of light that transported them with tremendous speed. But even that tiny source of light was rapidly darkening and starting to crack at an overwhelming speed. "Damn, the mana consumption to maintain the space passage is much greater than we imagined, we don't think that someone else would forcefully enter the circle! Urgh." (????) As soon as the voice said that ,the passage of light began to disappear and at the end there was a crack like the one that swallowed them, but then a part of the passage of light broke beside Alessio and his eyes immediately closed. He was almost thrown out of the passage he closed his eyes tightly. thinking it was the end, but a hand gripped him tightly and he opened his eyes, it was Eros who threw him back into the passage as he fell into the darkness. "Erooosssssss" (Alessio, Jackson) "O fuckyyyyyyyyyy." (Eros) Eros started to regret his decision and panic, but then he remembered all the good times he had with his friends. "Ugh, there's nothing to do so it was a good life". (Eros) When he was already surrendering to his destination, a crack opened in front of him and swallowed him. (end of prologue) 1 * the name Eros is really greek

Announcement Based on this Leaf/@LeafTilde tweet: "1930s Catgirl Aviatrix with little fuzzy sections in her hat for her ears to keep them warm" https://twitter.com/LeafTilde/status/1499129420405170180 We got the plane into the hangar just as the rain really started coming down. I closed the squeaky hangar door, while fat droplets splashed up at my coveralls. It was getting dark as I watched; the airfield lights lonely amongst the gathering dimness. Betty’s tail twitched. The aviatrix was businesslike, checking her plane was secured and undamaged. However freewheeling these hotshot pilots seemed, they took their planes seriously. Sometimes to the extent of actually listening to the mechanics.  “I’ll have a look at the engine, Miss, if you’d like,” I said. “Mmmm,” she said, cat-like purr beneath her voice. She ran a hand over the Bad Kitty’s veneer monocoque. “A quick check, tomorrow. She was misfiring a little, but I reckon the air pressure was just wrong for the fuel mix.” She chuckled. “Well, the other way around, I suppose.” The rain was hammering on the roof of the hangar now. “Yeah,” I said. “It caught us all out. But it’s not the worst storm you’ve flown ahead of.” She gave me an appraising look. “Oh, yes?” she said innocently. She took off her aviatrix cap, flexing her ears. “Honolulu, 1928?” I said. She laughed again, showing sharp teeth. “Honolulu, 1928,” she repeated. “Well, ‘ahead of’ isn’t quite right.” She took a step closer. “It chewed me up and damn near spat me out.” “I’d… I’d love to hear more about it,” I stammered. “I’ve read all about it.” Betty smiled. “Mmm. Stick with the written version, cutie,” she said. “It has much less of the redoubtable Miss Betty swearing fit to shock the saints. Say, aren’t I supposed to sign in somewhere?” Oh right, yes. “Sorry, yes,” I said. “The gaffer’s office. This way.” I lit the hurricane lamp as I led her into Archie’s office in a corner of the hangar. He’d gone home, same as most of the staff, but the log book was easy to find. The rain was bucketing down against the small window. The rest of the airstrip was invisible; vanished in rain and darkness. The log was easily filled in; I didn’t even make a splodge with Archie’s precious fountain pen. Betty popped the collar of her leather jacket. “Right. Going to need the shortest directions you’ve got to a bar, honey,” she said. “You’re going out in that?” I exclaimed. “Flying is thirsty work, cutie,” said Betty. “I’m not looking forward to getting soaked in order to get blotto, but needs must.” “Um…” I said. “Well…” I moved over to the filing cabinet, opening the one-from-the-bottom drawer. The gaffer’s stash; bourbon, whisky, gin, several bottles of beer. “Archie won’t mind.” As long as I pay him back. Betty raised her eyebrows. “Ah well, cutie, you’ve got me there; it isn’t just liquor that I’m going to a bar for.” Despite saying this, she reached for a beer; knocking the cap off on the edge of the table in one smooth movement. She perched on the edge of the desk and took a long swig from the bottle. I watched her throat move. “Sit down, cutie,” she said, nudging the gaffer’s chair. I was standing awkwardly by the filing cabinet, so I sat in Archie’s chair instead. It was distractingly close to her. “The other reason I need to find a bar is…” Betty took another swig of her beer. “Flying isn’t just thirsty work. It’s lonely work. Do you know what I’m saying, cutie?” “Um,” I said. “Like, fellowship?” She laughed. “Not fellowship, dear.” She put her foot on the chair, between my legs. “I mean, flying, it’s just you, alone in the sky. You might think you were the only person in the world. You wonder whether you had imagined ever hearing girls laugh. And gasp.” She leant over. Her foot rocked the chair slightly. “And all the time the Bad Kitty is vibrating; thrumming through your entire body.” She pulled her foot back, and I breathed out. She shucked her canvas flats off and put her foot back. “Sometimes you think you’ll go crazy; all that trembling on your own.” She slid her foot forwards, bringing it in contact with my coveralls, pressing lightly over my girldick. “So when I land, I go to a bar, find a girl and… work it all out. Do you understand now, cutie?” I couldn’t find any words. The warmth of her foot was distracting; though it was through several layers, she must feel the increasing rigidity of my girlcock. On the desk there was a photo of Archie, his wife, and their pups; they looked like they were judging me. I managed to nod. She drained the bottle and dropped it casually in the wastepaper bin. “So, is that the kind of thing I need to go out in the rain to find?” she asked. I shook my head again. She leant closer. “Words, cutie.” “N–no,” I said. “Mmmm,” she said, flexing her foot against me. “Good girl.” She moved her foot down again, and—reaching forward for my collar—pulled me to my feet. She inclined her face towards mine. I was taller, but she seemed to be in charge.  “Can I kiss you, cutie?” she asked.  I nodded again. She kissed me, delicately, on the mouth. She smelled of beer, of airplanes, of sweat; perhaps it should have been unpleasant, but it made my heart catch. She began unbuttoning my coveralls. I jumped, as her tail ran up my leg. “So frightened, cutie,” she said. “Are you sure you’re a human, not a mouse?” I tried to nod again, and she kissed me; harder this time, nibbling my lower lip. At the same time, she unbuttoned my coveralls with remarkable dexterity. “I’m,” I said, as we broke apart, “a follower of your adventures.” “Oh swell,” she said, kissing my neck. “I do like a good follower.” She pulled the coveralls off my shoulders. I was concerned that my bra was a bit grubby, but she didn’t seem to notice. “There’s a couch outside,” I said. “In the mechanics’ rec area.” She leapt onto me, wrapping her legs around me, arms around my neck. She was surprisingly light, but strong. I could feel her girldick pressing into my stomach. “Lead on, follower,” she said. I started to walk towards the door out of the office. “Ooh, wait, back up,” Betty said. She guided us over to the filing cabinet, and—gripping my arm with one hand—dipped backward. I staggered, bracing myself. She came back up, like a dancer, lightly gripping the bottle of whisky.  “Onward,” she shouted, gesturing with the whisky bottle like it was the Olympic torch. I staggered out and to the rec area, over to the battered couch. She jumped off me gracefully. “Would you believe my mama wanted me to take up ballet?” she said. She took off her leather pilot’s jacket, threw it on the couch. “But you always preferred the airplane,” I said. It was in her biography.  She chuckled, pulling the cork out of the whisky bottle with her teeth. “Take it off,” she said, gesturing to my partially discarded coveralls. I removed them, a mixture of haste and embarrassment. Betty watched, a green glow in her cat’s eyes, taking a long swig from the whisky bottle. She handed me the bottle, and then unbuttoned her shirt, and stepped out of her flying breeches. I just stared, unmoving, holding the bottle. The glow of the hurricane lamps traced the outline of her small and pert form. She stepped closer, enveloping me in her scent. “Aren’t you going to try some?” she said. Her tail brushed the back of my leg. “The whisky, I mean.” I took a sip; coughed. I didn’t much like spirits. She chuckled, taking it off me, and taking a long swig. She kissed me again, lips burning, tongue against my teeth. She pushed me back into the couch, making me sit. “So, you’re already a fan, cutie?” Betty said. “Y-yes,” I said. “Well, the support of my followers has always been important to me,” she purred, dropping to her knees. She put the whisky safely out of the way. “Of course, Honolulu in 1928 was not an easy place to land...” she said, moving my panties so that my erection popped free. She put her hands around it. “Now, there were no real runway lights back then, and the few lamps had been damaged by the typhoon,” she whispered, moving me like a joystick. “So I was almost on top of the makeshift strip before I realised. I gripped that stick for dear life, and went down...” She licked my girlhood; rough, cat-like tongue. I moaned. She took me into her mouth, lips encircling me. Hands around the base, she sucked on the head. I moaned again, hands gripping the couch.  The rain was still hammering on the hanger roof; a storm, wild and unpredictable, fierce.  I threw my head back, jerking. Betty was relentless, sucking, tongue wrapping, her hands firm. I finished, crying out, and she lapped. As my breathing got back to normal, she kissed my inner thigh, then climbed up into my lap, kissing my breasts and collarbone. Her girldick was erect, surprisingly big considering her petite frame. I put a hand out, stroked it softly with my fingers. “Do you want it, cutie?” she growled into my chest.  “Please,” I said. “Yes.” “Turn around, honey,” Betty said.  We manoeuvred so that I was on my front, butt in the air, panties discarded. She ran her hands across my ass, massaging, scratching. “Are you sure, cutie?” she said, positioning herself. I nodded frantically into the couch. I felt her girlcock press against my ass. Then she slowly guided it inside; a velvet pressure, slow but remorseless. “I flew into the eye of a storm once,” she said, her voice breathless and broken. “I turned the engine off. To be in stillness, but surrounded by chaos. It was mighty strange.”  She pulled herself out slightly, then plunged herself in. I gasped, quivered. “And then I turned the engine on,” she said, thrusting. “Single-row, nine cylinder, direct-drive radial engine,” she murmured, thrusting again. “I felt like I was part of the storm,” she said. “A mote in that maelstrom.” She got into a rhythm; strong pressure followed by exquisite rescission, and then slamming pressure again. I felt like I was in that storm, being buffeted, anchorless and free, a puppet for those heavenly forces.  The storm rolled on. “There was lightning and wildness, a mad confusion of air and water,” she whispered, voice strained and raspy. With a final thrust and a tiny meow, she finished, filling me, making me moan again. A little while later, I turned onto my back, and she climbed up into my arms. “And then I was out, storm behind me, sea and sky blue and bountiful ahead of me,” she said, and kissed me softly. I held her. In a few hours, I would have to put Archie’s booze back and work out some way to make the couch usable again. But for now it was enough to lie here, Miss Betty falling asleep on my chest, and listen to the weather outside. A safe landing.

*BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP* …. 'Wow that was a close one, I almost became a pancake, a good looking one but still a pancake.' After that life and death situation was over I continued on my quest to get the most important thing…. Coffee. "HEY!" Someone blocked my way to my favorite cafe. 'Oh what now?!' "!?! What?" 'Oh no they are doing one of those stupid anime poses! I just need to back away slowly.' "You weren't supposed to dodge the famous Truck-Sama!!!" 'Oh great it's one of those isekai crazed fans, I really need to get out of here.' "So your saying that I should have stayed there and died? You're crazy!" 'I need to get out of here before this nutjob does something stupid.'  But before I could get away the crazy grabbed me. "I shall act and help the Great Truck-Sama!!!"  With that the crazy pushed me out into oncoming traffic. 'Oh this is going to hurt.' *BANG* *POP* *AAAAAAWWWWW* "NOPE!!!" All just stops. A flash of light appears right where the truck was at, and a humanoid figure steps out. "I'm sorry about this, this was never supposed to get so out of hand." "What do you mean and who are you?" "I'm Natasha and my job is to gather the people that were going to die a horrible death and give them a chance to live their life in an alternate reality. But lately more and more people think that a truck means they get to be overpowered." "Ok but what does that mean for me?" "Well you see, you weren't supposed to die so soon in fact you were supposed to live to the age of 110, I'm sorry but there's nowhere I can send you without upsetting the other administrator's." "What administrator?" "They're beings that monitor the worlds they're assigned to. They are often mixed up with gods and some even claim to be gods." "Well, is there anything you can do?" "Well There is one world in a reality that I can send you to. Although I call it a world it's not considered a world by the administrators." "Why's that?" "It was once an asteroid near the size of your moon. But the inhabitants of the solar system decided to turn it into an enormous factory to manufacture almost anything, along with it being completely automated. Unfortunately the inhabitants of the system were consumed into a civil war. Leaving the system uninhibited." "So you send me to one of those planets, problem solved." "Unfortunately they are inhospitable, the factory on the other hand has enough rations to last you a couple years, along with enough power to last that long too, the downside is the majority of it is damaged." "Then how will I be able to survive there after 2 years?" "There's a way for you to get the necessary supplies. In that reality people sent over there will get a system to assist in their growth, but there's a little known feature called the shop, in there you can buy anything. But to sell you need to get the title merchant." "How do you know this stuff?" "I was once the administrator for that system before I was betrayed, I am also the oldest so there's a bit unknown to the newer admins. I have just enough influence in the system to make a minor adjustment for you to survive."

The following is a standalone story but operates as a prequel to characters and events seen in Kill Switch, available on Amazon in eBook and paperback form. ====   “We’ve got a heat signature in the master bedroom, upper floor, right corner,” the command truck said. “Could be Dawson.” “Is it Dawson, or is it just a heat signature?” SWAT captain Charlemagne Lewis asked. “Sorry, heat signature is all we’ve got. Walls are too thick for a better read than that and the windows are shielded.” Lewis could see the shielding from where he was standing. The Dawson mansion was huge and ominous, and its security system was in full effect. Blast shields covered every visible window. Almost every single doorway was heavily reinforced and impossible to get through unless blown open. Red and blue lights strobed across the dark walls of the manor. Over a dozen police and SWAT vehicles crushed the manicured grass and gardens in front of the home. Scores and scores of police circled the mansion without going inside. To ensure escape was impossible, three police hovercraft watched from the air with spotlights draping across the old home and its outbuildings. Dali Dawson, it had been discovered, was the Artist of Death, a serial killer who had been terrorising the arts and culture scene of the East Coast for months. Part art installations, part grossly disproportionate social vigilantism, divisive figures in the scene had been killed and their corpses posed in bizarre tableaus. A caustic art critic had been found in a locked gallery he’d recently critiqued. His eyes were gouged out and posed, along with a plate, knife and fork, as if he’d been eating them. A ballerina rumoured to have slept her way to a show’s lead role was murdered and found with her feet sewn on backwards while her corpse was being pulled around in a grotesque parody of dance by a series of pulleys and gears. A long winded philosophy professor known for his word salad public lectures disappeared entirely. His skinned hide was eventually discovered in his office fashioned into the facsimile of a hot air balloon, complete with burner and basket. The rest of him was never found. “Alright, we have one point of egress and that is here, the front door,” Lewis said. Lewis, a tall, broad man with dark hair, looked calm and in control in front of his team. The men and women wore lightly armoured uniforms with blinking, red and blue lights, and the word ‘SWAT’ glowing on their chests. The glowing SWAT didn’t help them blend in but it did tend to draw potential shooters’ aim to their chests, the area with the heaviest plate covering their bodies. All of them wore forearm guards with holographic maps. As Lewis explained, the holograms showed the layout of Dali Dawson’s mansion and fixated on the front doors. “Doesn’t that seem convenient, sir?” Another SWAT officer, Bennings, asked. “Like a trap, yes,” Lewis said. “But the doors and all other entry points are heavily armoured. The window shutters are reinforced as well, the security system is top-of-the-line. Meanwhile, the front door is wide open and waiting. We’re going in and assessing, taking Dawson if we can, otherwise we call in the cavalry.” Ten SWAT officers, including Lewis, strapped on helmets and compact electronic goggles that relayed live feeds to the command post. Command would return tactical information to their earpieces. The goggles also acted as night vision in low light environments. The team carried pistols and recoilless submachine guns loaded with magnetically propelled rounds. “Alright, on my mark move in,” Lewis said. “Three, two, mark!” The front doors formed an enormous archway. Lewis and his team spread across the porch, surrounded by a cadre of uniformed cops. One SWAT officer moved in with a pneumatic battering ram. Hissing, the steel plate on the front of the ram hammered forward and gave it extra power as it swung. The doors exploded inward. Splinters were blown across a dark foyer. “Go, go, go!” Lewis said. The SWAT team, chest plates glowing, fanned out across a massive entryway. Submachine guns were raised. Huge hallways led off to either side of the foyer and across from the doorway was a curving staircase. Their goggles cast a greenish pallor over the dimly lit entry. “Oh, my God, what the hell is that?” A SWAT officer named Scholte said. Slumped near the base of the stairs with legs splayed was what looked like the corpse of a badly dressed homeless man. His chin drooped against his chest. A huge gash carved a wide smile into the man’s stomach. Dried blood pooled across his crotch and thighs. “Welcome-, welcome to Hell,” Lewis read aloud. The wall behind the homeless man’s corpse was splattered with dried blood as well. Pink intestines had been drawn out of the gash in the dead man’s stomach and strung across the wall, nailed there, to form the words ‘Welcome to Hell’. The letters were cursive and wormy but had clearly been arranged with considerable care so as to be legible. Intestines were long but the words had required more gut than one man could hold, Lewis realised. Each letter was almost a foot tall. Looking closer, he could see there were actually several lengths of intestine stapled together at their ends. “Oh, God,” Scholte said. “Who would do that? Who-, could, do something like this, and why?” “Aesthetics,” Lewis said. “Come on, we’re not here to sightsee.” More dried bloodstains including smeared handprints covered the wall alongside the stairwell. Still in near-blackness, the SWAT team began moving up the steps. Officer Bennings was in the lead. Others followed, guns aimed in all directions. “Careful!” Lewis said. Suddenly, as Bennings took another step, part of the stairwell collapsed. Bennings yelled and threw himself backward. He dropped as the stairs crumbled like broken planks both in front of and behind him with a loud clatter. A dark hole gaped below the stairwell. Two other SWAT officers raced forward to grab Bennings by the arms. As he fell out of sight there was a sickening crunch. “Help! Oh, fuck, help!” Bennings shouted. Bennings had managed to throw himself back far enough to catch the lower steps that hadn’t collapsed. The other two closest SWAT officers had done the rest, catching his arms. Lewis ran for the stairs. Reaching the edge of the pit, Lewis saw a hole filled with jutting spikes. Long and extremely sharp. It was a punji pit, a trap consisting of a hole camouflaged from the top and with its bottom lined with spikes. “Bennings, are you alright?” Lewis said. “No, no, it got me,” Benning said. Lewis looked down and saw Bennings had landed on two of the spikes. One impaled his left foot. The other was worse, having cut open his lower leg and then skewered his right thigh dangerously close to his femoral artery. Blood poured down both spikes and pooled at the bottom of the pit. “Christ, pull him back! Get him out of there!” Lewis said. The other officers pulled Bennings up. He screamed as the spikes slid back out of his foot and leg. Lewis knew dislodging the spikes could increase the bleeding but he couldn’t leave them holding Bennings over the dozens of other lethal points. Blood splattered the stairs as they carried him away from the punji pit. “Sick son of a bitch, how long was he planning this?” Lewis said. “Take Bennings back and then rejoin us, we need to find another route.” “It’s like something out of Slayerz,” One officer said. They carted Bennings back to the front doors where uniformed police and EMTs were waiting. Blood on their uniforms, the SWAT team returned across the lobby. Back in the command truck was a wall of screens. Many of the feeds showed point-of-views for the SWAT team inside the home. One of the techs, Holroyd, looked over plans for the house. Holroyd was skinny, dark skinned, with a shaven head. “If you move to your right, south, you can cut through a sitting room and then through the kitchen,” Holroyd said. “You should come to another staircase at the back of the house.” “Alright, let’s get this bastard,” Lewis said. The remaining nine SWAT officers headed for the archway. Their night vision lit their surroundings. Holographic displays on their forearms guided their way. After what had happened to Bennings, Lewis and the others were on the lookout for any traps. There were no more pits but they found another grisly tableau. Two more corpses waited on antique sofas in the sitting room. It was a big room, as large as many apartments, but dedicated only to tables and couches. An unusually shaped chandelier hung from the ceiling in the middle of the room. The female bodies were posed at the corners of two couches as if mid-conversation, both headless. Hands raised, turned in their seats with legs crossed, they looked as if they had been frozen in a snapshot of life. They had clearly started to decompose and Lewis wasn’t sure how they had been placed there. Both were dressed in cheap and skimpy clothes that meant Lewis, at a glance, assumed they’d been streetwalkers. Their heads were nowhere to be seen. “This crazy bastard has been using people for practice right in his own home,” Lewis said. “I can’t wait to take him down.” The nine SWAT fanned across the room, guns raised. Several jumped at a noise behind them, a mechanical whirring. A conical object that stood about waist-high was moving across the lobby. The SWAT officers assessed the threat. “It’s a cleaning bot,” Lewis said. “But watch out, it could be boobytrapped.” The droid moved on an inflatable skirt like an old fashioned hovercraft and had two stubby arms from which various cleaning attachments could extend. Hovering from side to side, it seemed to regard them as well. A high-pitched beeping came from the bot. It turned, revealing a green brick attached to its back like a backpack. Wires ran in and out of the brick. “Bomb! It’s a bomb!” One of the officers yelled. Holroyd, back in the command truck, shot upright. A plastic cup of soda sat to the side of his workstation, forgotten, which he knocked over and spilled. The other technicians around the truck were gesturing wildly and relaying information to the police forces surrounding the house. On the screens in front of him, Holroyd could see nine different angles of the cone-shaped cleaning droid across the sitting room with the bomb on its back. His mind processed the threat quickly. “Take out its skirt! Aim low to disable it and get back, we’ll send the bomb squad!” Holroyd said. Someone fired, noise filling the room, but they weren’t paying attention to Holroyd’s voice in their ear and aimed too high. Rounds blasted off large chunks and splinters of the cleaning droid’s casing. Fortunately it didn’t cause the bomb to go off. The team retreated across the sitting room toward a couple of doors, one that led to a dining room and the other into the mansion’s main kitchen. The cleaning droid whirred toward them unhurriedly. “Get back! Back!” Lewis said. Point-of-view cameras whirled around on Holroyd’s screens, names and other information attached to each feed. Some backed up, keeping the cleaning droid in view. Others spun, taking in the room. Captain Lewis’ gaze briefly fell on the chandelier in the middle of the room and something was highlighted on Holroyd’s screen by the goggles’ programming. “Lewis, Captain Lewis! Can you-, can you turn your view back on that chandelier for a moment? I think I picked up something,” Holroyd said. Lewis looked up, the POV from his goggles relayed back to Holroyd in the command truck. Artificial intelligence in his goggles picked up an object inside the chandelier’s structure, tracing it and highlighting it to enhance the view. The chandelier was made up of rings within rings, adorned with hundreds of dangling points of glass. It bulged in the middle and tapered at the top and bottom. What Holroyd had spotted was one of several rectangular objects strung up inside the rings of the chandeliers, partially hidden. With the goggles’ enhancement, both he and Lewis could read the words ‘FRONT TOWARD ENEMY’ printed across the rectangle closest to Lewis. “The chandelier is a bomb too! Get clear!” Holroyd yelled. The cleaning droid had herded the SWAT officers toward the chandelier. At Holroyd’s warning, they scattered. Most ran for the two doorways that led into the dining room and kitchen, while a couple threw themselves over the antique couches for cover. Simultaneously, as if someone was waiting for the opportune moment, the Claymore mines inside the chandelier exploded. Claymores were directable explosives. Hundreds of ball bearings buried in a 680 gram wad of plastic explosive on a concave porcelain disc. Dali Dawson had probably bought them on the black market. Standing directly behind the mine, a user would be almost totally safe while anything in front of it would be shredded as if by a fragmentation grenade. Unfortunately for the SWAT team, the chandelier wasn’t hiding just one but half a dozen of the directable mines pointed in all directions around the room. The effective range of the mines was fifty metres, meaning the whole area was about to be turned into a giant blender. The chandelier disintegrated. Three SWAT officers were caught by the explosion. Hundreds of ball bearings drilled through the two men and one woman, turning them into mincemeat. Lewis and the others crashed through the doors to the dining room and kitchen. Shrapnel tore apart the door frames and swinging doors. The furniture and two posed corpses were also shredded. With a thunderous blast, thousands and thousands of holes were blown simultaneously through the walls, floor, ceiling, and everything still contained between them. “Ah, I’m hit! I’m hit!” Someone screamed. In the dining room were more bodies. Homeless and hookers by the look of them, frozen in lifelike poses around a decaying banquet. The officer screaming was bleeding heavily from shrapnel wounds to his legs. Lewis and two others had landed in the kitchen, ball bearings having cratered the benches surrounding them. Smoke wafted through the doors. “He triggered it!” Lewis said. “He’s watching us, we’ve got to get upstairs and end the son of a bitch!” In the command truck, three of the nine camera feeds had gone black. Heart rate monitors were wailing as flat lines ran across the bottom of the screens. The remaining half a dozen feeds were evenly divided between the dining room and kitchen. Their heart rates raced as the POVs swept around wildly. “Captain! Captain, you should get out of there! Regroup, we have backup!” Holroyd said. “Wait, don’t go back the way you came, I’m still picking up movement!” Even with ear protection, the SWAT team’s ears were ringing. The sitting room was a smoking ruin, strewn with bodies. Over the ringing though, Lewis could hear an insistent beeping. It was the bomb on the cleaning droid, it hadn’t been destroyed by the Claymores and the bot was moving again. “Shit, get up! Keep moving!” Lewis said. “Get away from the doors!” The kitchen was enormous. It seemed far bigger than it needed to be, big enough to feed hundreds if it were fully staffed. Kitchen islands ran down the middle of the room and huge grills were stacked against one another to one side. Although there had been no heat signatures from that part of the house earlier, fires were now burning in the grills’ interiors. Gusts of flame erupted from between their bars, casting a hellish glow across the kitchen. Their night vision goggles were protected from sudden flashes and flares, so Lewis and the others weren’t blinded. In the dining room, the other three officers heard the orders and hurried to get away from the doors. With one of them wounded in both legs, the other two had to pick them up and drag them. Twin blood trails were left smeared across the carpet. They moved past the rotten banquet and its equally decayed participants. Riddled with ball bearings, the doors swung open. The cleaning droid moved after them, beeping. It was still herding them, forcing them deeper into the house. The blood trails disappeared under the bot’s rubber skirt and the carpet emerged fresh and clean behind it. Stubby arms raised, the battered droid closed in on the SWAT team. Suddenly, the bomb attached to it exploded. A wall of fire ripped through the room, incinerating the bodies and blasting the three SWAT officers. Their last moments were captured by their electronic goggles and relayed back to the command truck. In the kitchen, the walls shook. Lewis and the other two stumbled to the end of the room. Another stairwell led out of the kitchen and upward to the next level. Behind the night vision goggles, the SWAT captain’s eyes were wild. He shouted into his comms for the others who had split into the dining room but there was no reply. “We’ve got to kill this guy! We’ve got to stop this madness!” Lewis said. “Captain Lewis, remember everything you say and do is being recorded!” Holroyd said. “I am finding you an exit route, please return and we’ll regroup!” Seven of the ten cameras were now switched off. Bennings had been disconnected when they brought him outside but the others were actively registering a lack of life signs. Holroyd could see through Lewis’ camera as he and the remaining two officers ignored him and headed into the stairwell instead. They were careful with their footing, probing each step to make sure they were solid. Moving forward was the only way, Lewis thought. He was ahead of the other two, gun raised. The Dali home was like some kind of funhouse of horrors and there was only one way to make it stop. He watched for signs of another pitfall or tripwires. The stairwell ascended into a lightless black that even the night vision goggles couldn’t penetrate yet. They did pick up on a set of grooves, however, to either side of the stairwell. Lewis stopped to run one gloved finger along one of the tracks. They were very thin, sloping down the walls to either side at about shoulder height. “I’m not sure what I’m looking at here,” Lewis said. “But-,” Something zinged down the length of the staircase. Lewis stiffened, as did the two SWAT officers behind him. He immediately stopped speaking, mid-sentence. After a few moments, a line of red appeared around Lewis’ neck and started dribbling into his collar. Back in the truck, Holroyd saw Lewis’ camera tip backward and fall. He just managed to get a glimpse of the SWAT captain’s decapitated body, still standing, before the head bounced and rolled down the stairs. The point-of-view on the screen was dizzying. Similar shots came from the other two SWAT officers who had been in the stairwell with Lewis. Their bodies crumpled, one neatly decapitated, like Lewis, the other with their face divided just above the mouth. There were a series of loud thumps from all three screens. One of the cameras rolled to a stop at the base of the stairs looking at the ceiling. Picked up by the night vision goggles was a length of nanofilament wire. It quivered in place, having shot down the stairs like a slingshot on the tracks that sloped along the walls to either side. Blood clung to it and dripped to the floor. Holroyd and the other techs in the truck were stunned. “Oh, my God,” Holroyd said. Ripping off his headphones, Holroyd staggered out of his seat. He pushed his way out of the command truck and as soon as he was outside started sucking in great lungfuls of air. Meanwhile, following the explosion, another two SWAT teams were getting ready to attack the house. They and some uniformed cops surrounded the front porch. “Get away, stop!” Holroyd yelled. “There’s no point launching a rescue, they’re all already dead!” “What? Are you serious?” Another SWAT captain asked. “We’ll have to send in-, an army of sniffer drones before anyone else goes in,” Holroyd said. The SWAT officers and cops backed away, retreating across the shredded lawn. Flashing lights and police vehicles still covered the property. The heat signature they believed to be Dali Dawson remained exactly where it had always been on the upper level, as if mocking them. Police did their rounds, circling the property. Behind the manor, attached to the house, was an enormous garage. It was sealed just as tight as the front of the house. As the SWAT retreated, however, the garage’s massive main door started to rumble. Patrolling nearby, two police officers hurried to cover the exit. “It’s opening up!” One cop yelled. “It’s him, he’s trying to get away!” The second said. The Dawson mansion’s garage was filled with incredibly expensive cars, both new and old. The two patrolling officers radioed in what was happening and unholstered their weapons, pointing them at the entryway. The door retracted into the roof. A pair of powerful headlamps and rack of spotlights attached to a hulking vehicle immediately blinded the two cops. One of the police hovercraft circled overhead, searchlight sweeping the ground. It captured the mechanical beast as it roared out of the garage. The vehicle was a huge, black Hummer, almost twenty foot in length and towering off the ground. A commercial model, it had been covered in thick plates of homemade armour. The windshield and windows were completely hidden by metal plating, making it impossible to see in and for anyone inside the car to see out. Run-flat tyres were protected by thick sheets of armour that covered the wheel wells and ran almost all the way to the ground. The headlamps and a rack of spotlights on the roof of the Hummer were brightly illuminated. “What the fuck is that?” One of the police officers shouted. The two uniformed police opened fire, shots barking. Bullets bounced off the armour plate covering the Hummer’s windshield. The Hummer kept coming. One of the cops leapt clear but the other was collected by the huge bullbar on the front of the truck with a sickening crunch. It wheeled around and the officer’s broken body was hurled loose. “Look out! It’s coming! It’s coming!” One of the hovercraft pilots radioed. Panicked warnings overlapped across the police band. Around the side of the mansion the roaring engine got louder. Holroyd and the surrounding SWAT officers looked about in confusion. “What is that?” Holroyd said. The black Hummer howled around the side of the building, tyres bouncing. It collected another uniformed cop with its towering front. The vehicle carried them right into the side of one of the parked police cruisers, its red and blue lights strobing. The Hummer hit with such incredible force the side of the cruiser imploded. It was lifted up, tipping onto its side and sent rolling onto its roof. The unfortunate cop caught between the two vehicles was obliterated in the crash, turned to paste. “It’s him, it’s Dali! It’s Dali fucking Dawson!” Someone yelled. Gunfire erupted. SWAT and uniformed cops took aim and started shooting. Bullets raked across the armoured Hummer as it wheeled backward from the rolled cruiser, bullbar and hood unscratched. A couple of the spotlights on its roof rack and one of the headlamps exploded into glittering shards. The damage the rounds did to the bodywork was cosmetic. The makeshift armour protecting the more vulnerable portions of the Hummer was too thick to penetrate. The Hummer reversed in a half-circle and then gunned its engine forward again. It raced along the face of the house. Half a dozen SWAT officers stood in the murderous vehicle’s path, firing on full-auto with submachine guns. Bullets clattered off the front of the onrushing Hummer. It tore through them while still gaining speed. SWAT officers were sent flying like bowling pins, careening cartoonishly through the air with limbs bent backward, backs broken, necks and bodies twisted. “What the fuck? What the fuck?” Someone was yelling. Holroyd covered his ears instinctually, protecting them from the gunshots, roaring engine, and the sickening noises of bodies being run over and hammered to pieces. His eyes were open though. He took in everything as the Hummer carried forward and people spiralled through the air. He couldn’t see into the Hummer, the armour plates covering the windshield and windows were complete and unbroken by slits that a driver could see through. However, Holroyd could see about a dozen small cameras studded around the outside of the vehicle. A driver inside the Hummer, or controlling it remotely, would be able to see 360 degrees around the truck and steer it through the camera feeds. Most of the police had fallen back between the ranks of vehicles for protection. The hovercraft orbited overhead. Circling around, the armoured Hummer tore through more uniformed cops and SWAT. It mowed down a SWAT officer, tyres crushing their midsection, and then slammed into another parked cruiser. Slaloming between vehicles, the Hummer crashed through the cars being used as cover. Holroyd ran sideways as the command truck was hit, its back end lifted and thrown around in a half-circle. “Oh, my God, oh, my God,” Holroyd was panting. Holroyd was a technician. His job was to analyse information, sometimes from multiple sources at once. Even amidst all the chaos, and his own terror, that analytical part of his mind was running in the background and taking it all in. The Hummer lumbered around like an angry beast. It managed to trap another cop between its side and another cruiser, crushing their legs. The vehicle wasn’t totally invulnerable though, the crashing and gunfire had done at least some damage. A metal plate over the driver’s side was hanging open. Holroyd couldn’t see inside but it was a chink in the truck’s armour. Looking around, he saw the crumpled bodies of several SWAT officers who’d been armed and ready to raid the house before the Hummer mowed them down. Without even meaning to, Holroyd linked the information together and came up with a solution. “Oh, no,” Holroyd said. “No, no no.” As if disobeying his brain, Holroyd’s body started moving toward the mangled bodies in dark SWAT armour, out in the open. Blue and red lights blinked on and off on the chests of several officers. Holroyd squatted by one of the bodies, still mouthing negatives to himself. The man was dead. More crashes and screams came from behind him. A submachine gun was tangled in the SWAT officer’s gloved hands. Holroyd ignored it, reaching for the man’s belt instead. Several small cylinders were on the SWAT officer’s belt, flashbang grenades. These non-lethal grenades were magnesium-based pyrotechnics designed to produce a blinding flash and deafening bang to disorientate targets without permanently injuring or killing them. Holroyd removed the three grenades from the SWAT officer’s body. Holroyd was convinced the truck was being remotely controlled, and there was no driver inside the armoured shell. Therefore they couldn’t be blinded or deafened by the flashbangs. In an enclosed space though, the stun grenades could be dangerous enough. That was what Holroyd was hoping since he didn’t have anything better. Gathering the grenades awkwardly in his hands, Holroyd turned back and started running. The Hummer crashed between more vehicles like a pinball, picking up speed. People were screaming and a hovercraft rocketed by overhead, spotlights sweeping back and forth. Some of the other police tried to shoot out the vehicle’s tyres but they were protected by the armour plates that almost reached the ground. Holroyd ran toward the truck. Unfortunately, the Hummer crashed clear of the gathered vehicles and got into open space again. It wheeled around and tore more ruts in the dirt. Some police and civilian techs ran down the drive toward the front gates. “What am I doing? This is insane!” Holroyd said. As he ran, Holroyd looked around for someone fitter and stronger. Someone who got paid to put their life on the line, which was not his job. Then he could give them the flashbangs and tell them his plan, so they could do it instead. There was too much chaos, however, for him to find anyone and explain his idea to them. Every second he would waste trying to find someone instead of doing it himself meant more lives lost so Holroyd, in spite of everything in him screaming at him to stop, tucked the stun grenades under his right arm and kept running. The Hummer turned sideways, off the drive and back onto the manicured lawn, chasing after another fleeing police officer. The cop bounced off the front of the Hummer, hips crunching. The makeshift tank circled around, back toward the vehicles where most of the people were still gathered. Holroyd couldn’t have caught it if it had continued forward but the Hummer circling around allowed him to loop behind and gain on it. Half of the cameras covering the outside of the Hummer had been destroyed. Holroyd was counting on the blind spots that damage created as he sprinted to catch up. The Hummer had slowed down again. He closed in on the driver’s side. His heart was hammering in his throat and it wasn’t because of the running, he’d been a sprinter in high school and still ran five kilometres on his treadmill every morning before work. Gore covered the front and sides of the truck. At any moment it could swerve sideways and knock him to the ground before crushing him beneath its wheels. All of the headlights and the powerful lamps on the top of the Hummer had been extinguished, and it was dark inside the vehicle. Holroyd felt like he was running alongside some huge, huffing predator. He could see though that the gap over the top of the driver’s side door was yawning open. With a shout of effort, Holroyd jumped and grabbed the roof rack on the top of the truck. Fortunately, there was a step below the door. Holroyd stood with both feet on the step and left hand clinging to the rack. The Hummer didn’t change direction. The cameras around the door had been destroyed and whoever was driving the truck, however they were doing it, didn’t realise Holroyd was there. Still, the truck was picking up speed again toward the gathered police vehicles. The momentum nearly hurled Holroyd off without the driver even trying. Juggling the three stun grenades with one arm, Holroyd almost lost them. The flashbangs worked much like any other grenade. The black cylinders had rings on their tops that needed to be pulled to release a spoon-shaped bit of metal that ran down the sides of each grenade in order to trigger them. Then, there was a delay of mere seconds before the flashbang would explode. Unfortunately, Holroyd only had one hand to work with as he clung tight to the roof rack with the other. Wind buffeted him. Rolling the cylinders across his chest, Holroyd got them close to his mouth. He clamped down on the ring of the first flashbang with his teeth and then yanked it out. The effort sent a shooting pain through his jaw but he managed to get the ring and pin loose. Holroyd spat out the first ring and ripped out the second flashbang’s ring with his teeth as well. Holroyd turned and shoved the first two flashbangs through the driver’s window where the armour had slipped. To give his plan the best chance of working, Holroyd didn’t want to waste the last grenade. Letting go of the roof rack, Holroyd pressed his body against the truck. He grabbed the third grenade with both hands. Before falling, he ripped the pin free and tossed the last stun grenade through the chink in the Hummer’s armour. Milliseconds later he was thrown off the side of the Hummer. He sailed through the air and hit the grass and dirt with a thumping blow. Pain lanced through his joints and his chest. Holroyd rolled and rolled, not knowing which way was up, before coming to a stop. As Holroyd was thrown loose, the Hummer swerved. It continued forward for several tens of metres before there were several loud, bright explosions from inside its cabin. One came after another, followed by a third, falling like hammer blows. Given the armour covering the windows of the vehicle, not much could be seen of the flashbangs. Blinding flashbulb bursts shot from the gap in the armour plating where Holroyd had tossed the grenades. Thick, whitish smoke poured out of the gap moments later. The end for the Hummer was anticlimactic. Slowing, the truck swerved but kept going mostly straight. It was obvious there was no one inside the vehicle or they would have been blind and deaf, at best, and unable to control the vehicle any longer. The remaining police and SWAT had to scatter to get out of its way. Flames started to gutter inside the vehicle as Holroyd had hoped, however. Although non-lethal, in an enclosed space flashbangs could set fire to flammable things like the Hummer’s seats and interior. In some cases, when they landed too close to a suspect, they could see clothes or hair on fire. Darkening smoke and a noxious burning plastic smell poured out of the gap in the armour. Gradually, the Hummer slowed down for the final time. Engine grumbling, it rolled to a stop in front of the mansion and stalled. Recovering, SWAT and police officers surrounded the Hummer. Fires from the flashbangs burned inside. Someone recovered a set of Jaws of Life and the enormous hydraulic pincer was jammed inside the jamb between the driver door and its frame. It gouged the homemade armour, prying the door open. Heat and more choking, toxic smoke washed out. Guns surrounded the open doorway even though, as suspected, the interior of the Hummer was empty. The Hummer had been controlled by a remote system attached to the dash, now destroyed by the fire. After some of the chaos had cooled down, Holroyd sat on the back step of an ambulance with a blanket around his shoulders. Someone had shoved a cup of steaming synth-coffee into his hands. More ambulances were pouring in. He’d been looked over briefly but the EMTs on the scene had plenty of other cases to deal with and he seemed physically fine, however shaken. Just some cuts and bruises after being thrown from the Hummer. “You did one hell of a job, kid, you’re a goddamn hero,” a police captain now overseeing things said. “It’s-, it’s-, it’s what anyone would have done, sir,” Holroyd said. “Anyone didn’t do it, you did,” the captain said. “How-, how many?” Holroyd asked. “Dead? We don’t know yet, too many, and a lot in critical condition,” the captain replied. “We’re going to get that son of a bitch.” The remote signal controlling the Hummer couldn’t be traced to its origin, not right away. An army of police sniffer drones were sent through the house. The remaining traps and bots they could find were deactivated. Another SWAT team was sent in. Bodies of the first team and of Dali Dawson’s other victims were found scattered throughout the house. Other obstacles were placed in their way but the SWAT team, led by a woman named Coleen Shrivers, eventually forced their way through them. They reached the bedroom and bashed down its reinforced door. The heat signature was in the same place on the house’s layout. It hadn’t moved since the whole incident had started. Shrivers moved into the bedroom, past the shattered door, and the rest of her team fanned out behind her. They trained their weapons on the bed. The room, like the rest of the house, was dark but lit by their night vision goggles. The views from the team’s cameras were relayed to the forces waiting outside. The person in the bed didn’t give any indication they could see or hear the SWAT team as they swarmed across the room, shouting warnings to get down. The team surrounded the huge bed. The figure was sitting against the headboard and hadn’t moved the entire time. Shrivers prodded the barrel of her gun into the side of their head. They slumped sideways onto the mattress. Yet another corpse, stiff and discoloured from rigor mortis. Another vagrant, the body was roughly the same size and shape as Dali Dawson, tall and skinny, but clearly not him. An electric blanket with a cord running down the side of the bed was wrapped around the corpse. It had provided the false heat signature that had led them all to the bedroom. “It’s not him, repeat, it’s not him,” Shrivers radioed. “Package not received, Dali Dawson is still in the wind.” ====   Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed the story, please give it a vote or drop a comment, and feel free to share. All support greatly appreciated. For other stories and book excerpts, check out seanebritten.com and if you haven't already check out Kill Switch on Amazon, available in eBook and paperback.  

October 9th 1969 southwest Missouri the trees swayed gently, the cool autumn wind rustling through its boughs as it blew. The river flowed with a gentle whoosh, as herds of small fish swam by his feet. The mighty Ozark mountains loomed on the horizon. Everything was so peaceful. James had been coming to this hidden spot in the forest near his house, just off the park trail, for as long as he could remember. It was his escape for when things got too stressful in his life. And there certainly was a lot to be stressed about these days. James wasn't really a big fan of politics and tried to ignore them the best he could. But its not easy to ignore the fact your country has entered a civil war. How long had it been since the election that ruined everything...a little over a year at this point? He didn't really know enough about politics to know exactly what went wrong. Of course he could repeat the things they said on the news as he had heard them hundreds of times at this point. "election in deadlock", "patriot party votes split between republicans and democrats", "outrage as Nixon enters office with only 46% of votes", "Vietnam wins war by default as us military evacuates to deal with the domestic conflict", he knew something happened with the election and the relatively new "patriot" party was upset. But he didn't really understand entirely what it all meant. What he did know, however, is that nothing good could come of it. He stared at the water trying his best to participate in the peacefulness of his surrounding but he failed no matter how hard he tried. With a sigh he put his head down against his legs. "its not fair" he said, under his breath. He scrunched his face up as tears began welling up in his eyes. "its not fair, Its Not Fair, ITS NOT FAIR!" james stood up and punched the tree next to him in anger. He then immediately held his hand in pain before yelling a stream of obscenities and then, finally, calming down. With a defeated look on his face he reached into his pocket and pulled out his draft letter. When he got the letter a couple of weeks ago he hoped it would be easier to think about by the time he had to leave. But as he stared at it he couldn't help but feel grief. He didn't want this, he just graduated high school last year, he was gonna take a year off before applying to colleges in the spring. This was supposed to be a relaxing year, a break from life. Now there's a chance he might lose his life. "I'm not built for the army" he thought. "I aint strong, I aint brave, and I sure as hell cant kill someone". But what could he do?  James sat at his quiet little spot in the woods contemplating his life for a few hours, then drove home to say his goodbyes. Afterw0rds, on the drive to the recruitment center, he thought about his interaction with his loved ones. He wished he could have savored the moment a bit more but in all honesty, it was a blur. He had too much on his mind to process to even think about listening to what his friends and family were saying. Something about a party when he gets back? He did however, vividly remember the conversation he had with his grandpa. "I don't understand why you're so upset," his grandpa lectured from his wheelchair. "I fought in the Great War, your father fought in the Second World War, and now you get to fight the Second American Civil War. You get to honor and defend your country against those dirty patriots." He muttered, "Those dirty patriots... they ruined a perfectly good word... I don't even wanna say I'm patriotic anymore... they wont admit it but all their beliefs are borderline authoritarian... trying to make our great country a dictatorship is what their doing...." he rambled sourly James felt his anger rise as he listened to his grandfather speak. He was going to war, putting his life on the line, and his grandfather was still rambling on about politics. "I don't care about your conspiracy theories," James finally snapped. "I'm going off to war! I could lose my life! And you're still talking about politics?" he asked, his voice rising. His grandfather looked taken aback, and James immediately regretted his outburst. But he couldn't shake the anger that had festered since the draft letter arrived. "I'm sorry," James finally said, his voice quieter. "I just wish I could have a little more time," he whispered. "I understand, son," his grandfather said quietly. He placed a hand on James' arm, and for a moment, the politics and conspiracy theories were forgotten. "Just come back home safe, okay?" he said, giving James' arm a gentle squeeze. James nodded, feeling a lump in his throat. He closed his eyes for a moment, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to escape. But with a deep breath he snapped back to reality and saw he was almost at the recruitment center. He pulled into the parking lot, parked his car and took a deep breath. He knew whatever he was about to experience, it wasn't gonna be easy. once he regained composure, he got out of his car, and walked towards the door.   hey! Thanks for reading my first work! i hope you liked it and stick around for more. please let me know what you thought. anyway i think im gonna use the end of these chapters as a sort of authors note thing, maybe answer some questions i see in the comments, and to share some world building details that arent 100% important to the plot. cause im a sucker for worldbuilding and I've already made a bunch of maps and stuff just for fun so why not share em like this! here's a map for the election of 1968 in this timeline and here's a map of the current sides in this civil war also feel free to ask any questions about the timeline. as long as its not a spoiler ill probably be able to answer it  

I'm rewriting this as it is pure cringe even by my standards since it was rushed.

Name: Sola Species: Paimon Titles: Reincarnate, Constellation Queen Racial Skills: Levitation, Constellation(Can somewhat predict the future) Reading, Telepathy, Short-range Teleportation, Companion Link, Thermal Nullification Skills: Magic Sense, Magnetism, Metal Manipulation, Electric Manipulation Unique Skills: Analytic(Can analyze things), Substitution(can transmute things) . . . Name: Saphi Species: Spirit Basilisk Titles: Reincarnate, Hier to the Spirit Queen Racial Skills: Thermal Detection, Spirit Communication, Telepathy, Venom, Spirit Sight, explosive venom Skills: Magic Sense, Flame Manipulation, Water Manipulation, Light Manipulation, Wind Manipulation Unique Skills: Shapeshift, Assembler(can put things together with telekinesis)

Author: Eyy I'm back again with another series that will probably never have a continuation hahaha, anyways enjoy and read well~ In war, whichever side may call itself the victor, there are no winners, but all are losers. - Neville Chamberlain    Current Year: 2647 AD Time: Unknown Location: Unknown   "Isn't this great" A girl said to particularly no one while standing atop a building and staring down the chaos that was occurring below. "Look at them, they acted all high and mighty, they persecuted us and harbored prejudice toward us..." She said, once again looking at the people dying below with disgust. "At the end you still will turn into ashes when burned, just like us" Saying that, she raised her hands...  The girl who looked like she just turned  into and adult raised her hands. On that hand a red tattered piece cloth was raised... A cloth that has no design or ornament embedded to it, just a normal piece of red cloth you can find anywhere, except it was tattered and it has some burnt parts. Holding that in her hand, she shouted as loud as she could. "This day marks the moment the empire tried to commit something atrocious to us Infected!!" Amidst her loud speech, the people behind her, the so called infected raised a flag, it was the same piece of red tattered cloth, except now it was tied and erected as a flag "The empire tried to gather us infected in the slum like livestock, they forced us to gather in one place so that they can cleanse us all!!" In her speech, she used the word cleanse, If that word was used in any other sentence, one would assume it's a good thing, but the infected behind her, didn't think so, they obviously know the meaning of the word cleanse. It was the favorite word of the empire and the church alike, they always used it every time an infected person disappears... "However, is it always gonna be like this?, Infected people are getting killed all over the place every day, every hour, every minutes and to this very seconds we are suffering..." After saying that she looked up, as if remembering something sad. For a second she looked like she's about to cry but she steeled herself in the end and continue her speech. "Now is the time we stood up for ourselves!! This day... this day marks the rise of  The nation of infected... Elydia!!" The moment she ended her speech, the infected behind her shouted loudly while swinging their red tattered flag. The flag that symbolizes their independence.   ⟡ Current Year: 2633 AD Time: Unknown Location: Unknown                                                                                                The rise and fall of civilizations                                                                                             By Alan Faux Approximately 500 years ago, the world was engulfed with war. It all started with a small fight between two countries but it grew in an unpredictable rate, forcing some nations to resort into that worse case scenario, using a nuclear warhead. A small skirmishes between two superpowers turned into a full fledged world war, using each of their own nuclear weapons the world was devastated. A world wide fallout occurred, It marked the fall of the old world, hundreds of millions of people died, those who are lucky and rich, was saved living in the floating cities high above where the fallout could not reach, while those who are poor and unlucky was left outside and was forced to adapt into a new environment, in which case those who survive were the extreme minorities, and those who did not was infected by the fallout, slowly eroding their bodies to their deaths. It is indeed the fall of the old world and the rise of the new world- "Mom I know that story already, you've told me that story a hundred times already, don't we have other ones?" The little girl said, asking her mother for a new book. "I thought I told you already before that we don't have any other books except this learning books" Hearing her mother, the little girl's eyes lit up ".... So it's fine if I have other book... right?" Saying that, she slowly brought out a small story book made for kids "... Where did you get that?" The mother panicked for a second but immediately regained her composure to not make her daughter worried "I snuck in to onee-san's library this afternoon" The little girl who have no said innocently with a giggle, having no idea of what could've happen to her "You little goofball, don't wander around the mansion like this again okay? also it's Christiana-sama not onee-san, I thought I told you this already before" Her mother said, ruffling her hair and nuzzling her nose "It's fineeee mom, even though I have never talk with onee-san before, she's still my sister right?" "Yes technically, but I told you about our situation before right?" "Yes you've told me a hundred times already" "That's right, anyways it's very late already so I'll just read you the story once and return it tomorrow okay?" "Yes mum..." "Alright... so once upon a time..." Once upon a time, when sakura trees still existed there was two wisp, a red one and a blue one, they're best friends, they get along very well and play every day! The red wisp will always wait outside every afternoon and the blue wisp will always snuck outside after her studies to play, everyday they play, until sunset, until night. One day, the blue wisp was caught playing with the red wisp so her mother ordered them to be separated, the blue wisp however was not gonna let her friendship end like that so- "Zzz... best friends... Zz... i hope I' can play ..z with my sister too... Zzz" Noticing that her Daughter was about to fall asleep, the mother stopped reading and closed the book "Oh how cute you are" The mother whispered    "I love you as always Estelle" Saying that she kissed Estelle's forehead and left...

Hi, if you were familiar with my first work, some concepts would be the same with it. As for why the first work was removed, I am not sure what I did, I think I misclicked a button to delete it, but I won't continue writing for it as I don't see the light at the end of it's tunnel. As stated in the description, this is only a Proof Of Concept to see if I can try to write something interesting from start to end. Help is welcome, the ones who helped me last time, thank you for the help, I edited the story a bit, but I won't continue with it anymore.  This story would be similar to it as it's elements are almost the same, I just improved things here. As of now I am writing an outline for this and try to release a chapter once available.

Book One Prologue "...by the time of the second age, any semblance of the once powerful Eternals had long faded to dust. What remains are mere legends and songs, and relics buried so deep for so long that no one, not even the long-lived Jins, can recall where." - Iaune of the Northern Foxes °°°°° The sound of scribbling had been echoing through the vast empty halls of the ruins for several hours now. Though the sky had long faded from the golden glow of sunset to the cold darkness of the moonless night, it did not hinder her in the slightest as she continued to write furiously on her book. Despite the speed at which she was writing, the words nonetheless could put any artist to shame. Her eyes shining like an owl in the night, the girl continued to study the faded carvings on the wall, in some long forgotten ruin of more ancient and chaotic times. Creatures of the night, seeing an apparently helpless girl showing her back towards them and unfocused on her surroundings, began circling her. Yet despite having targeted their prey, the Bloodhounds have yet to go for the kill, even beasts fear death after all. Not a single hair out of place nor a single scratch on her pale white skin could be seen. This helpless girl nonetheless exuded an aura of darkness to any creature foolish enough to enter into her space. And just before dawn broke, she finally stood up and packed her things. Donning her white coat, her eyes no longer shined, but began glowing a deep red before several yelps of pain sounded all around her. Soon it became quiet, not a trace of life existed as she picked up her belongings, and finally her most prized possession. Staring at the scythe in her hands, she offers a small prayer to the skull that adorned the tip of the handle of her scythe before finally silently moving off. Even deep in the earth, she had no problems navigating her way back up to the top of the basalt cage encapsulating the ancient temple, where a vast wasteland spread out before her eyes, no suprise seeing as she was so close to the Origin. Here only the strongest may survive, even a newborn Direwolf pup could overpower a small company of soldiers and level a few small hills. Where it not for their preference for flux rich environments, such threats would have long wandered around the world. Life as it is known today would never have been possible. Only heresay and legends remain of the paradise that once existed here when the Eternals called this place home. "If only you could see this place." She whispered to no one in particular, as she gently strokes the head of her beloved scythe. And once again she walks off, deeper into the wastelands. Her destination, the center of Origin. Looming over the horizon, the Moving Mountains and cold snow awaited her as she walks into the horizon. For a month she walked, stopping once every few days to rest. Food was scarce but her race required little sustenance, allowing her to travel long distances with relative ease. Cold biting at her, but finding little purchase on her enchanted clothing. The ever changing terrain of the Moving Mountains brought great difficulty to navigation, but her destination was easy to locate even in such conditions. "The closer to the center, the harsher the environment." If the blizzards above the clouds didn't kill you, the sweltering heat of the lava rivers below would. If even that could not deter you, perhaps the eternal Elemental Storm may kill you, or at least slow you down enough for you to die from a fatal mistake navigating the terrain or to the creatures that lurk this hell on earth. It was said only fools come here, or those seeking death. Yet despite this, there are known to be several tribes of Kind taking refuge in such places. One such tribe of was called the Calrissi. There she would aim to rest before pushing off for the center. Even assured of her invincibility, she was anxious and worried. Already she had faced several Ancient Dragons and Fire Wyrms. While the Ancient Dragons were amicable enough to glean some lost forgotten knowledge into the past, the mindless Wyrms were another story. She herself almost died when she was surrounded by five at once. A week's worth of fighting and several injuries, and yet she was still alive and strong. Here, even an immortal could die. Finally she chanced upon a lone Calrissi gatherer, who showed her the way back to his village. Having existed for more than a Millenium the Calrissi village was a work of pure art. Seeking refuge in similar basalt covered ruins and obsidian cages, a result from ancient battles during the First Age, resulted in the constant maintenance of these ruins. A prime location for someone like her. Their culture and lifestyle a result of their environment, still taught her much. They sang songs of Reza, an old Eternal best known for his use of lava and fire. Even their name came from the old tongue El Ca Li Reza, meaning the followers of Reza. Some hypothesize that it was perhaps due to the Calrissi once being a tribe protected by Reza during the wars in the First Age. Even so long after his demise they still worshipped and prayed to him. As interested as she was in their culture and first hand stories recited by some old Jins, she still had a goal. Many legends and reports from the centuries that followed since the end of the Second Age told of a weapon built right in the center of the Origin. While the actual usage or even the effects of said weapon had been lost, it is known that the weapon was what started the wars during the First Age. It is called the Valyon, translated it means the last resort. No one knows how it works but some myths say it is the perfect Reaper, having collected the souls orbs of even the Eternals themselves. It harnesses the soul orbs and produces Aether, a mythical fuel for many ancient weapons of mass destruction. The creation of soul orbs is well known, although extremely outlawed. Extracting the souls out and containing it in a vessel, one attains a form of immortality.  Living Weapons are created this way, by splitting the soul and containing it in a weapon, the blade will never deteriorate nor break in battle as long as the wielder was alive, and the wielder will never die as long as the blade never breaks. However, if one instead extracts the energy from the soul orbs, weapons that could even harm an immortal could be created. Replicas of the Valyon have been made over the centuries, but none have been able to reap the soul as efficiently. Studies have shown that even with modern improvements, soul reaping machines have only been able to produce less than one percent of Aether compared to the rumored perfect efficiency of the Reaper. A divine creation of the Eternal Yph. And also her biggest mistake. Many attempts have been made to recover it and all have failed. Perhaps she would fail too, but she must do it. She must. It is her sole purpose. And so after procastinating in town for several months, learning of the Calrissian culture and sharing her own knowledge, finally she steps out towards the center. Not even a day had passed and she regrets her decision immensely. Constantly battered by hail and lava rocks spewing from the surrounding eruptions, barely able to see through the poisonous fog enveloping the landscape. Upwards and upwards towards the point where heaven and earth were said to meet. For days in end she scaled the cliff, and everyday was a heavier burden on her. Slowly the weight of he realms rested itself on her shoulders. Finally, just barely twenty feet from her was the Valyon. It was a deceptively simple in design, a tesseract encapsulated withing a glass like sphere. At the center a shining light. Perched on the top of the mountain she was on, she climbs the wall separating her from her goal. Fifteen feet more, she notes the delicate carvings on its surface, shining and glowing as she approached. Ten feet more, more and more it felt like she was reaching towards the sun. The pressure too much, as she almost lost her grip of the cliff. Dropping her possessions to lighten her load, she tried to crawl the last five feet. Her vision slowly fading. She could only remember reaching out, her hands outstretched, almost touching. The light blinding and heat burning, the wind freezing. With her last few gasping breaths, she recites an oracle. "In their image she will be born, the vessel that has cradled her. Repentance be from they that bound them, as they awaken from the cradle that chained her."

Name Adelheid "Adel" Bernstein. Title:  Mightiest Mortal, False God. Height:                               Foot + Inch.       Centimeters      1) Normal:           5′ 11″                  180.34  2) Transform:      6' 2"                   189.00 Weight:                              Lbs.                     KG 1) Normal:         163                      74 2) Transform:     187                      85 Age: Appearance: 1) Normal. 2) Appearance. Power: Power Of Shiva. Description: Shiva, (Sanskrit: "Auspicious One") also spelled Śiwa or Śiva, is one of the main deities of Hinduism, whom Shaivites worship as the supreme god. Among his common epithets are Shambhu ("Benign"), Shankara ("Beneficent"), Mahesha ("Great Lord"), and Mahadeva ("Great God"). 1) Destruction: Users can utterly destroy things. Depending on the user, this could be anything and everything from small objects to entire galaxies or universes and possibly even abstract concepts and/or natural forces/laws. Notably, users of this power still have limits - if they lack any limits then this would be an example of Absolute Destruction. What those exact limits are will depend on the user. If the user can remove something completely and utterly without leaving anything behind, it may instead be a form of Erasure. Users at the highest echelons of this ability might be able to reach beyond space-time itself, thus wiping out and destroying all that exists. Goal: Make Destruction into Absolute Destruction. 2) Decay: Users can manipulate decomposition, the process by which organic substances are broken down into simpler forms of matter. They can increase or decrease the rate of rotting or stop, prevent or even reverse the effect. They can control all things & beings connected to decomposition such as vermin, worms, and maggots. Some users may be able to control scavengers, such as coyotes, dogs, wolves, foxes, rats, crows,s and vultures, or take their forms. Goal: Make Decay into Absolute Decay. Strength Of Hanuman. Hanuman is a Hindu god and a divine vanara companion of the god Rama. Hanuman is one of the central characters of the Hindu epic Ramayana. He is an ardent devotee of Rama and one of the Chiranjeevi. 1) Supernatural Strength (Type III): The user can lift tens of millions to hundreds of billions of pounds and perform any offensive action with the power of an atomic bomb. The user can move buildings to skyscrapers, massive bridges, aircraft carriers, the tallest trees ever recorded, thousands of feet tall mountains, and industrial structures. The user can perform any violent act on the earth to generate earthquakes, and tsunamis, destroy air-mass thunderstorms, halt any atmospherical meteorological phenomenon such as tornadoes, or downbursts, or counter a nuclear warhead's shockwave. Goal: Make Type III into Absolute Strength. 2) Immortality: Users possess immortality: an endless lifespan, as they can never die, never age, never get sick, are completely self-sustaining, free from all bodily necessities, and can shrug off virtually any kind of physical damage. Users are often called "Immortals". Some users are the defensive type, simply preventing all damages, to appear physically invulnerable, while others are the regenerative type, surviving and quickly recovering from anything you throw at them while at the same time they are capable of resurrecting themselves instantly after death or even the combination of the two. Goal: Make Immortality Into Absolute Immortality. Stamina Of Atlas. Atlas, in Greek mythology, son of the Titan Iapetus and the Oceanid Clymene (or Asia) and brother of Prometheus (creator of humankind). In Homer's Odyssey, Book I, Atlas seems to have been a marine creature who supported the pillars that held heaven and earth apart. 1) Supernatural Stamina: Users' stamina is glaringly, obviously, and super/unnaturally greater than other beings in their universe because their capabilities are pushed beyond the natural level; making them immensely more enduring than regular beings (in that verse). Goal: Make Supernatural Strength Into Absolute Stamina  2) Supernatural Endurance: Users are glaringly, obviously, and super/unnaturally more enduring than other beings in their verse because their capabilities are pushed beyond the natural limits; making them able to work longer/survive without supplies, resources, energy, or other items for an immensely extended amount of time, far longer than regular beings (in that verse). Goal: Make Supernatural Endurance Into Absolute Endurance. Courage Of Zababa. Zababa was the tutelary deity of the city of Kish in ancient Mesopotamia. He was a war god. While he was regarded as similar to Ninurta and Nergal, he was never fully conflated with them. 1) Supernatural Combat: Users possess immense combat skills, both offensive and defensive, that far surpass other beings of their verse. Their skills may be highly innate superhuman, honed, or both. This encompasses speed, strength, precision, reflexes, technique, analysis, control, adaptation, and all aspects of practical fighting. Depending on the users, they may be specialized in specific types of weaponry (melee, ranged, natural, etc.), and invariably wield them with surreal efficiency, possess incredible unarmed combat skills, or have superhuman proficiency to utilize magic or their superpowers in combat and can perform inconceivable supernatural feats. Most observers are simply incapable of understanding what's happening, with only a user being able to gauge the skill of another. Goal: Make Supernatural Combat Into Absolute Combat. 2) The Brave: Users of this power can become the living embodiment of courage and gain abilities that can come from any form of bravery. The user can fight off any common fear or not be afraid of something normal, they become stronger by just being fearless in the face of danger. Wisdom Of Anulap Anulap is a god of magic and knowledge in the Truk Island mythology of Micronesia, who teaches these things to humanity. He is the husband of the creator goddess Ligobubfanu, and maybe a creator deity himself. His son was Lugeilan, and his grandson was Olifant. 1) Supernatural Intelligence: Users are glaringly, obviously, and super/unnaturally more intelligent than other beings in their universe because their mental capabilities and applications are pushed beyond the natural level; making them immensely smarter than regular beings (in that verse). Goal: Make Supernatural Intelligence into Absolute Intelligence. 2) Omni Magic: The user possesses every form of magic, mystical or overall supernatural force that existed in the past, currently, or will materialize in reality. The user's vast magical inventory may sprout from birth/creation, prolonged training, the experience of every supernatural force, or genetic conditions notorious for harboring excellent mastery/talent over magic. Users can possess all forms, variations, and expressions of magical energies but not immediately understand them. Due to this restriction, the user must learn, master, and repeat the same process similar to Omni-scientific entities, constantly training through ordinary or extraordinary means to efficiently utilize their magical powers. Various types of magic are available to the user, ranging from weak magic to transcendent-level magic that archmages, supernatural entities, or gods have. By using their overwhelming magical power, they can sometimes manipulate reality, altering its variables, aspects, matter, energy, extradimensional strings, quantum mechanics, mass, planes of existence, etc., break, bend, and replace the laws of magic, authorizing exotic features and results to occur than traditional magic would permit. The user attains an esoteric form of nigh-omnipotence, possessing all magic in their setting and potential mastery over them. Goal: Make Omni Magic into Absolute Magic. Speed Of Mercury. Mercury, Latin Mercurius, in Roman religion, god of shopkeepers and merchants, travelers and transporters of goods, and thieves and tricksters. He is commonly identified with the Greek Hermes, the fleet-footed messenger of the gods. 1) Supernatural Speed (Type IV): Users have infinite speed. They can travel any distance in "0" time, perceiving being with finite speed as complete statues, with them only touching the user if they allow it. But still, despite their speed, they're bound by space and time. Goal: Make Type IV into Absolute Speed. 2) High-Speed Flight: The user can fly at super-high speeds, such as supersonic, hypersonic, light speed, or even faster than light speed. Goal: Make High-Speed Into Absolute Speedlight. Meta Luck Users are blessed with levels of luck so great that it bends the very structures of reality, constantly rearranging them to their advantage, whether they want it or not. Their luck affects them to the point where probability means nothing, as in they can defy logic itself (e.g., they are immune to and unaffected by the laws of causality, live life without consequences, can forge their own destinies, easily triumph against impossible odds, etc.), they're fated for boundless wealth and prosperity, find amazing success in all aspects of life, allowing them to overcome all impossible odds and defeat unbeatable foes. Their luck may be so powerful that no force within their universe or reality can take it from them, not even death, allowing their luck to be carried on into the afterlife or into their next life if or when they pass on. Essence of Harem 1) Seductive Magnetism: User radiates an aura of attractiveness, naturally inducing titillating pleasure and carnal desire while subtly lifting inhibitions. The affected targets remain fully themselves, but can't help but long for the user's favour and affection, and can't bring themselves to cause them harm except as a last resort, like an irreplaceable treasure too precious to be lost. It should be noted the user does not need to do anything, their mere presence brings pleasure, attracts attention and admiration, and seduces others. The user's very presence instantly seduces all around them into becoming completely captivated with the user. The users influence affects those around them on an instinctual, unconscious level so that they are left unable to harm the user or resist the users commands. Others feel a pull towards the user, even if they cannot justify it, and feel immediately bonded. The user also ends up with unnaturally high charisma or charm that enables them to gain the trust and loyalty of others and win them over, regardless of popularity or skill. 2) Pregnancy Inducement: The user can cause the female gender of a species to spontaneously become pregnant with children after sexual intercourse

Chapter 1 On the shore of a vast jungle continent in the east, a man is about to set foot into a much bigger world. Armed with a small raft and the clothes on his back, he hopes to set forth into the world outside his isolated home. But do not fear, for he has a certain magic that will save him in the form of an ocarina clad in silver coloring. But he also has been imparted with a lesson, one that shall always guide him to a new and greater tomorrow.  |Mysterious Young Man| “Ok just remember what gramps said,  “No matter what waves may come your way, no matter how strong your adversaries might be, if the darkness you face is predetermined by fate itself, keep on the right path, and you shall always find your way to the right place.” “Now let’s go, TO THIS NEW EXCITING WORLD.” |Scene Change To A Ship Traveling Along The Sea suffering from harsh storm, Just days after the initial declaration from the mysterious boy.| |Captain| (Stressed/Angry Tone) “Everyone, secure the mast, keep barreling out the water, merchants get off your lazy arses and help me pull this sail down or we will all die.” |Merchant Leader| (Haughty Tone) “That is not our job captain, this is your ship we are just your high paying passengers, now be good and fix your own problems. Our job is to wait until we get to port.” |Captain| Oh come on, these fat, Ill Bred, money guzzlers!! Don’t they understand that if the ship goes down, we all do, we have innocent passengers just trying to live down there below deck.  WOMAN CHILDREN DOES HE NOT CARE IF THEY DIE AT ALL.  Fuck. Damn it, this is not the time to be pissed at some fish eyed mongrel, I have to save my ship. |Merchant Leader| After seeing that old decrepit sea dog grumble his way over to another part of the already creaking ship, I begin to look and call out for my cargo protector. “LAW!!! LAAW!! Where are you, get over this moment, boy.” After calling out to him, I see a figure walking towards me, having just left a group of now struggling sailors to unfurl the sail. As he stood in front of me, still drenched from the downpour, he began to kneel in front of me. “Go check on the cargo downstairs, and make sure it is still safe, every single piece of merchandise I see destroyed, I cut from your pay and got it.” |Law| “But, I am needed here, they can’t hold it down on their own.” |Merchant Leader|   “You know your orders.” He then nods amd goes to the cellar downstairs. |Law| Having to live with that fat tub of vessel for a whole month haddock been hell, he never a helps around the ship, he always complains, and he makes me bathe his horrid ass. Oh, just thinking of it sends a chill down my spine. But, as I look at the lamp strapped to my side, I know it will be all worth it. As I Chet down to the cellar, I pull at its cog with all my strength, and it finally budges.  Seeing that all of our produce is intact, I close the door and begin to head back up and tell the boss on the cargo’s state. |Narrator| However unbeknownst to everyone in the ship, a certain boy with a horn on his forehead would sneak his way to the vault.  As he arrives he looks around at the feast in front of him and begins to drool at the thought of what he shall dine in tonight. Chapter End

You awaken on a bench in the middle of what appears to be a large clothing store. Fluorescent lighting glares from the ceiling high overhead. Soft music drifts to your ears from nowhere in particular. Sitting up, you find yourself surrounded by a veritable forest of clothing racks, all filled with women’s outfits of various sizes and styles! White linoleum paths divide the racks and shelves into square grids. You stand up and look around. You can’t see an entrance or exit. There’s no sign of how you got here. Tall shelves eventually block your view in every direction. All you can see is women’s clothing for hundreds and hundreds of metres. You see people moving around the racks of clothing or along the linoleum paths. Other customers, all shopping by themselves, and people in red and white uniforms that must be staff. What do you do next? To climb the nearest shelf and try to see where you are, turn to Page 2. To find some clothes to try on, turn to Page 4. To find one of the staff and ask for assistance, turn to Page 5. You turn to Page 4. You go through the racks and find a dress to try on. You can’t find a changeroom or any signs as you wander around. This store is huge! You eventually find an alcove with some mirrors and put the dress on over your t-shirt and jeans. You look very pretty. To climb the nearest shelf and try to see where you are, turn to Page 2. To find one of the staff and ask for assistance, turn to Page 5. You turn to Page 2. You decide to climb one of the shelves and try to see where you are. Not sure why this is your first move, it seems kind of extreme. The shelf is very tall and very long. It feels taller than you first realised as you climb. Shelves shake underfoot. All the clothing above head height should be inaccessible but there’s not a speck of dust on anything. Even though you’re out of shape and your arms are weak noodles, you make it to the top and look around you. The store stretches away from you in every direction you can see! The women’s clothing section alone is a vast landscape of clothing racks, shelving, tables, and mannequins. The roof, still far above your head, stretches to infinity in all directions. You can’t see any walls, or any exits, just huge support pillars that branch up to the roof once in a while. On the limits of your vision you can get a sense of other sections. There’s a border where Women’s Clothing blends into Men’s Clothing, a section equally vast. What might be an electronic section on the horizon. A maze of glittery glass countertops with pinkish clouds hanging over it like some fantasy labyrinth also sits to one end of the women’s section. From the ceiling in various places, signs the size of billboards dangle over this self-contained consumerist world. Only the nearest one is close enough to read. ‘AllMart: We Sell All’. To find one of the staff and ask for assistance, turn to Page 5. To despair, turn to Page 13. You turn to Page 5. You wander through clothing racks for a while until you find an employee to ask for assistance. They are wearing a white shirt, red pants and a red smock. The smock reads ‘AllMart: We Sell All’. They look young, although their age is difficult to determine. Their skin and hair is so pale it’s as if they’ve never seen the sun. Plastered on their face is a huge, unnatural grin. “Hi, welcome to AllMart, We Sell All. How may I serve you?” “What is this place?” You ask. “AllMart is your one stop shop for your every want or need!” “How did I get here?” “The important thing is you’re here now, AllMart is your one stop shop for your every want or need! To go around in circles for a bit, asking the same dumb questions, turn to Page 7. To ask where the exit is, turn to Page 8. To ask where the bathroom is, turn to Page 12. You turn to Page 8. “Where the exit is? That is to say, where is the exit?” The employee’s face crinkles into concern. “Exits? I’m not sure we have those. But that can’t be right, because AllMart is your one stop shop for your every want or need! Let me radio my supervisor.” The AllMart employee pulls a walkie talkie off their belt and asks their supervisor about exits. You listen intently. A loud shriek of feedback comes back through the walkie, so loud it makes you jump! Buried under the feedback is babble, mixed with a sort of Gregorian chanting and the squeals of an animal in agonising pain, which goes on for several seconds. None of it sounds even remotely like language. The employee nods for a moment and the noise cuts off. “Mm-hm, mm-hm, that’s what I thought.” The employee’s awful grin returns, an almost feverish light in their pale eyes. “I’m sorry, as I said, I don’t think we have any exits. You must have imagined them. Is there any other way I can serve you at the moment?” To ask to speak to a manager, turn to Page 16. To tell the employee to go fuck themselves, turn to Page 19. To try to find the exit yourself, turn to Page 21. You turn to Page 21. You decide to find the exit yourself. Setting off in a random direction, you figure as long as you keep moving in a straight line you’ll have to reach an exit eventually! Racks and shelves of clothing seem to go on forever, and yet no two racks are alike. The styles come from America, Europe, Asian, Africa, and different eras of history. You see other AllMart employees and what must be other customers walking among the rows. All the employees have the same pale, grinning, twitchy look. You consider trying to talk to the other customers but they all look glazed, frowning in concentration as they wander around like zombies. Outcroppings of mannequins line the path every once in a while. All of them identical, none of them wearing the same thing as any other mannequin. Their faces are blank and featureless but even without eyes they seem to follow you. After walking for what feels like an hour, you come to some tall shelves and your first fork in the perfectly straight path. A signpost points toward ‘Shoes’ on the left and ‘Perfume’ on the right. To take the left path through ‘Shoes’, turn to Page 24. To take the right path through ‘Perfume’, turn to Page 31. You turn to Page 31. You take the right path through the perfume section. Glass counters and white shelves form a labyrinth as far as the eye can see! A sticky haze hangs in the air. The glass counters are filled with thousands and thousands, millions, of tiny bottles of every shape and size and colour. All full of perfume! The area appears totally abandoned except for the omnipresent background music of the store, which you had almost forgotten. No employees or customers. Like some kind of idiot, you are undeterred as you set out through the maze. The glass counters are arranged into islands, so it’s possible to keep moving in a relatively straight line. It starts as a tickle in your throat. The smell of perfume is cloying and sweet. A mix of a hundred thousand different fragrances sticks in your sinuses and to the roof of your mouth. That haze in the air gets thicker, and your eyes start to sting. You begin heaving! You’re suffocating! You crumble to your knees, clutching your burning throat, and start crawling back in the direction you came, crying, drooling, choking. But it’s too late! You d- You cheat and turn back, your finger still wedged at Page 21, then you flip to Page 24. Cheater. You take the left path through the shoes section. You feel vaguely uneasy, like something important just happened but you missed it. There’s a tightness in your chest but it goes away after a few deep breaths. You can’t shake the feeling that this place is more dangerous than you first thought. The path continues straight and seems to stretch to a vanishing point in the distance. It is surrounded by ranks and ranks of shelving extending overhead, covered in shoes. Men’s shoes, women’s, and children’s shoes. An unimaginable number of shoes! The shelves cover another area the size of a small city. Enough shoes to give every man, woman and child in the world one pair for the week and one for Sunday best. Your feet hurt from walking in only sneakers. You find a pair of hiking boots in your size and exchange them. That helps but you keep walking for another hour and nothing changes. You don’t have a phone or a watch and time is hard to tell with the constant lights and looping music. You see more employees and customers but they all look like grinning maniacs or zombies. To despair, turn to Page 13. To keep going, turn to Page 40. You turn to Page 40. You keep going until you reach the end of the shoes section. You’re convinced the mannequins from Women’s Clothing are following you. Every once in a while they appear randomly at the ends of rows. Sometimes you look back and they’re standing in the middle of the path from where you just came. It’s probably nothing. Just the stress of the situation getting to you because you’re a weak and emotional person who’s not very good in tough situations. You’re hungry and thirsty as well as tired. You haven’t seen anything to eat or drink since you woke up here. And unfortunately the next section is ‘Books’. Nothing but shelves and shelves of books as far as the eye can see! Every library and bookshop in the world, from modern paperbacks to ancient, leather bound tomes. Children’s books and fantasy and religious texts and celebrity biographies. The canons of every author in existence. No two shelves are alike, even as you pass hundreds and hundreds of them! Every once in a while, the shelves are broken by small gatherings of armchairs, for reading. You come across a man in one of these, surrounded by piles of books. He wears thick glasses and his clothing is dirty and disheveled but he’s the first customer you’ve seen not wandering around like a lost spirit. Maybe you can ask him for help? To keep going, turn to Page 50. To talk to the stranger, turn to Page 58. You turn to Page 58. “Excuse me, do you know what this place is? I’ve been walking for hours,” you say. The man looks up. He seems annoyed to have been interrupted from his reading. “This is the AllMart, haven’t you heard? Your one stop shop for your every want or need,” the man says sarcastically. “How do I get out of here?” “You don’t, the AllMart goes on forever in every direction.” “How long have you been here?” “Time doesn’t really exist in the AllMart, unless it’s for sale.” To despair, turn to Page 13. To ask for something to drink, turn to Page 59. To get tough and demand some answers, turn to Page 62. You turn to Page 59. You notice the man has some supplies half-hidden behind his piles of books. There is also a bicycle parked behind his chair. “Could I please have something to drink?” You ask. Annoyed, the man reaches down and tosses you a bottle of water. You open and chug it quickly. “I have some other supplies hidden nearby. It’s relatively safe here, unless you open the wrong book,” the man says. “A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. And you have to watch out for the Bookwyrm.” The man tries to return to his reading. He clearly doesn’t want to talk to you. To get tough and demand some answers, turn to Page 62. To ask to borrow his bicycle, turn to Page 65. You turn to Page 62. You decide to get tough and demand some answers! Stomping over to the man, you take his glasses and throw them on the floor where they break. “Give me some answers!” You demand. “What is this place? How do I leave?” “No! No, there was time now!” “How do I get out of here?” “I don’t know! The AllMart chooses you, it contains everything you could ever want or need but there’s no escape! I was like you once, but I searched for months and couldn’t get out. There are many dangers and most people just give up and become ghosts of their former selves!” To keep going, turn to Page 50. To ask to borrow his bicycle, turn to Page 65. You turn to Page 65. You ask to borrow his bicycle. “No, asshole, you just broke my glasses! I’m not giving you my bike!” To keep going, turn to Page 50. You turn to Page 50. You keep going. Talking to that guy probably makes no difference to the narrative anyway. After a while, your feet hurt and you’re very tired. Maybe if you go to sleep you’ll wake up out of this nightmare! You find one of those reading nooks and curl up in an armchair, and go to sleep. You wake up an indeterminate amount of time later still in the store. Lights glare overhead. The store music plays very softly on an endless loop. You’re very hungry and thirsty. You’re less thirsty if you asked that guy for some water but still pretty thirsty. You get up and keep going in the same direction as before. In desperation, you ask the next employee you see for help again but they are completely useless! Most of the customers don’t even appear to know you’re there. After what feels like another two hours walking past shelf after shelf of books, you come to another fork in the path. A sign reads ‘Pets’ to the left and ‘Stationary’ to the right. To take the left path through ‘Pets’, turn to Page 74. To take the right path through ‘Stationary’, turn to Page 81. You turn to Page 74. You take the left path through the pets section. I mean, come on, Stationary? What the hell are you going to find in Stationary? Long, tedious descriptions about how there’s totally lots of notebooks and pens and stuff? Boring. A cacophony of animal noises greets you as you enter Pets. Dogs and cats scrabble at the walls of clear plastic boxes, dozens upon dozens upon dozens of them! Hundreds of puppies and kittens roam in open pens filled with straw and play equipment. The place smells like a barnyard. You can see a wall made up of cages containing thousands of birds, of every species imaginable! You don’t have time to play. You’re still very hungry and thirsty, it’s beginning to look like a matter of life and death. To eat a kitten, turn to Page 76. To keep looking for something else to eat or drink, turn to Page 80. You turn to Page 76. You sick fuck, you’re going to eat a kitten? You don’t even have anything to kill or cook it with! What, you’re going to kill a kitten with your bare hands and eat it raw, fur and bones and all? You’re disgusting. To keep looking for something else to eat or drink, turn to Page 80. You turn to Page 80. Past the dogs and cats and birds is an inland ocean of aquariums, from goldfish bowls to tanks the size of olympic pools filled with whales, sharks and giant squid! You take one of the goldfish bowls and drink some of the water. It's kind of gross but you were willing to eat a raw kitten so who are you to judge? Past hundreds and hundreds of metres of tanks are rodents. Rats and mice and hamsters in little glass tanks, thousands of them! Then there are hermit crabs and ferrets and iguanas and snakes and frogs and teacup pigs, and a small city of monkeys and chimpanzees. It must take an army to keep these animals fed and their cages clean, and yet you haven’t seen any employees or other customers. Eventually, by the horse stables, you spot a small selection of pet food, toys and supplies. By small, that is a section the size of several Navy Destroyers lined up alongside one another filled with shelving three times as tall as you are. You find some kind of dog biscuits that don’t taste too bad and start choking them down. It’s not a raw kitten that you’ve killed with your own hands but it’ll do, right, you sicko? As you move deeper, the enclosures get bigger and the animals more exotic. Necks swaying, giraffes wander around under the artificial lights, nibbling leaves off tall feeding platforms. Elephants trumpet inside one massive pen. Some of the enclosures are open. A small herd of zebras and other zebra-like creatures trot past you down one aisle. You come to a corner and hear a rippling growl. A couple of massive tigers lounge over the broken body of another customer. Blood splatters the linoleum floor and surrounding shelves. The nearest tiger mops its gory muzzle with a pink slab of a tongue. To run, turn to Page 83. To fight the tiger, turn to Page 101. You turn to Page 83. You take off running, as fast as you can! You don’t even look back to see if you’re being chased. Eventually, you run so far and fast you reach the edge of the pets section. To keep grinding through these long and pointless sections, turn to Page 94. To speed things up, turn to Page 142. You turn to Page 142. Over the next several days, at least as far as you can measure days in the AllMart, you continue to trek in as straight a line as possible from your starting point. You scavenge food where you can. Somewhere, presumably, is an enormous grocery section stocked with more food than you could eat in a hundred thousand lifetimes but you haven’t had the good fortune to stumble on it yet, and may in fact be moving away from it. Customers and the endlessly grinning employees seem to get rarer where you are. At one point, you come across a vast field of cars and motor vehicles, stretching almost as far as the eye can see! At the very edge of your vision, another section exists lined with boats ranging from speedboats to yachts to monstrous oil tankers dwarfed only by the horizon! Unfortunately, you can’t get any of the cars started to speed up your journey but you survive by draining water from radiators. You trek through a literal jungle of artificial plants. Artificial fruit hanging from some of the branches tastes waxy and unpleasant yet somehow sustains you. But a constant rustling in the leaves behind you tells you this is not a safe place to stop and rest. You pass along the edge of a hardware section the size of a small country. A universe of coffee cups. A mind-splitting number of novelty salt and pepper shakers. A plateau of tables, like an endless desert. Eventually, you come to a place with whole houses for sale. The aisles turn into fake streets with artificial lawns, cardboard cutout cars and mannequins in lifelike poses, like  a nuclear test site. Descending into madness, you taunt and curse the mannequins. They do not like it. To despair, turn to Page 13. To despair, turn to Page 13. To despair, turn to Page 13. To keep going, turn to Page 301. You turn to Page 301. Eventually the shelves become filled with more esoteric items. Memories, packaged in ways that are indescribable but undeniable. Other people’s memories and, more disturbingly, your own. Your first kiss. Your greatest childhood embarrassment. Your first memory of waking up in the AllMart. Memories, swathes and swathes of memories. Emotions for sale. Hope. Happiness. Ambivalence. Schadenfreude. Buried among towering shelves, you find concepts of time. Time as experienced by an eight-year-old on summer vacation. Time as experienced during an important job interview when you really need to go to the bathroom. Time in the silence waiting for an answer after that first ‘I love you’. Geological time. Eastern Standard Time. All the hours you’ve lost to daylight savings. Nestled among the time section shelves you find a single physical object. An enormous red button. It almost pleads to be pushed. ‘RESET’ is printed across its surface. To not press the red button, turn to Page 270. To press the red button, turn to Page 305. You turn to Page 270. You sure you don’t want to press the red button? To not press the red button, turn to Page 286. To press the red button, turn to Page 305. You turn to Page 286. Come on, don’t be a bitch, press the red button! To press the red button, turn to Page 305. To not press the red button, turn to Page 330. You turn to Page 330. Press the fucking button. To press the red button, turn to Page 305. To press the red button, turn to Page 305. You turn to Page 305. You press the red button. It sinks into the mechanism with a satisfying click. There is a flash of blinding light! You can feel your body getting heavy, so heavy it starts to sink, siphoning away, like you’re being pulled down a drain… Turn to Page 1. You turn to Page 1. You awaken on a bench in the middle of what appears to be a large clothing store. Fluorescent lighting glares from the ceiling high overhead. Soft music drifts to your ears from nowhere in particular. Sitting up, you find yourself surrounded by a veritable forest of clothing racks, all filled with women’s outfits of various sizes and styles! White linoleum paths divide the racks and shelves into square grids. You stand up and look around. You can’t see an entrance or exit. There’s no sign of how you got here. Tall shelves eventually block your view in every direction. All you can see is women’s clothing for hundreds and hundreds of metres. You see people moving around the racks of clothing or along the linoleum paths. Other customers, all shopping by themselves, and people in red and white uniforms that must be staff. What do you do next? To climb the nearest shelf and try to see where you are, turn to Page 2. To find some clothes to try on, turn to Page 4. To find one of the staff and ask for assistance, turn to Page 5.   =============   You have thoroughly enjoyed this story. The author must be a pretty cool, handsome guy, you think. To leave a nice review, turn to Page… I assume there’s a button? To visit my website for more short stories and articles, turn to seanebritten.com To follow me on social media, turn to @SeanEBritten on Twitter and Sean E. Britten on Facebook Thanks for reading!

Chapter 01 - "Character Creation" "Finally, it's here!" I shouted unneccesarily with my arms cradling my package. Now if you were to ask me why I was so excited, it's because today is the day that my newest obsession is officially released. The newest Virtual Reality MMORPG, "True Experience Online". It was a relatively unknown Indie Title that went almost entirely unnoticed by everyone but myself and 99 others with an abundance of free time and were slightly curious about how they were going to implement an "RPG System without Levels". The answer to that is that in this game, rather than measuring Players with Levels, the Players are measured by XP. XP would usually be  what you recieve for killing enemies, increasing XP is usually how your avatar would Level up. But in the case of "TEO", XP is a form of currency that you spend to increase your Stats or learn new Skills.  I went in expecting nothing from the Limited Beta Test, but came back amazed at the game's Intricate System in which NPC's that were lifelike, each and every NPC seemed to have been programmed to be controlled by AI's to be as close to human as possible. The only difference between the NPC's and Players is that NPC's can't manually Spend their XP, but do so unconciously. They don't have access to the broken cheat known as a Player System and thus their Status Menu's act more like a way to measure their growth. However, the most interesting mechanic they added is that if an NPC Dies or is killed, it's gone for good. So if I were to grow strong enough to, say, kill an important tutorial NPC, then new players would then have to go look somewhere else for their Tutorial. Hillarious! Meanwhile, if a Player Dies they're merely given a Death Penalty: 3 hours before you can log back in, followed by 6 In-Game Hours with a 50% Debuff to All Stats. This was actually much more dire than you'd think, as time in the game run's diferently from in reality. Those three hours are equal to 15 hours in game. The game runs at a 5:1 time ratio. In the Beta Test, I became obsessed specifically with the Character Creation and Character builds. I ended up spending so much time messing around with the hundreds of options and giving them their own test drives that I barely got to explore any of the map. I'm pretty sure I tried every possible fun combination I could think of before the Test Ended, and as such, am pretty clueless about everything outside of it. In return, I decided exactly how I was going to create my Avatar to bring out the most fun and challenge in the game. I was actually pretty bad at video games in general, but my pseudo masochistic gamer mentality forces me to enjoy challenges just a tad bit too much.  So I decided that now that the game was officially out, and now that there is a set limit of One Avatar per person, I decided that in spite of my better judgement I was going to load my Avatar with Handicaps to increase the difficulty. I was going to regret it, but oh well. I removed the game Headset from my desk and open the package to remove the game. I lay down on my bed before plugging it in and Logging into the game. As soon as I do, I feel my surroundings warp before I find myself standing in a gray Box Room with a transparent blue Window floating in front of me. Looking up from behind the window shows me my Avatar, a perfect recreation of my real body. I smirked playfully as I immediately reached for the avatar creation menu and changed my Gender to Female. The Avatar slowly changed form, becoming a 10 cm shorter and my hair becoming longer, growing to about shoulder length. I marvel at this game's ability to somehow predict a player's ideal genderbent appearance with such perfect accuracy, while optimizing it to look more appealing.  I use the Creation tool that I had already grown intimately proficient with to tweak around with my Avatar's appearance, making my hair much longer and more straight and neat, altering the shape of my jaws and nose to make my face look younger and more charming. I even alter my eyes, making them bigger and more Sharp, alike to a cat's eyes. After messing around for a few minutes making my Avatar's Boobs larger and her body more toned, I finished it off by making her skin more smooth and removing any imperfections.  My Avatar was now the perfect representation of a beauty. After that I moved onto my Character Build. Every Player starts with 100 XP, and based on the Avatar Appearance and the user's percieved personality and scan data, the game gives you the option to accept a Unique Characteristic. It's not free however. It costs XP just like the rest of the options, but if you refuse you don't get a second roll. After waiting about 30 seconds for the Avatar Scan to end, the Screen gives me my choice of Unique Characteristic. Unique Characteristic: [Beauty]     XP Cost: 20 _____________________________  User was born Beautiful, capable of charming others with ease.                  - Increases Reputation Gains with all NPC's by 100%.                     - Grants the Skill "Charisma Lv.10" for Free.                                                                                        "Did I make myself too Beautiful?" I question myself, but decide to just pay the cost. It wasn't a bad Characteristic, all things considered. And it would help to offset some of the unfortunate choices I'm about to make later to increase the already hard game's difficulty. Now for the fun part. Instead of staying as a boring default Human, which costs 0 XP, I immediately skip all of the popular options, opting to instead select one of the ever unpopular Monster Races, the Goblin. Race: [Goblin]     XP Cost: -120 _____________________________  Short, Green-Skinned Goblins. Despite being a Semi-Sentient Race, they are tribalistic and are known to breed like rats. As such, they are treated the same as Pests by the majority of Mankind, a target of immediate extermination.                  - Reputation with all Mankind NPC's starts at -10 (Hatred/Disgust).                 - Lowers HP, MP, SP, STR, END by -4. Raises AGI and DEX by +6.  Lowers INT by -5.                                                                 Yep, I chose one of the Demi-Human Races. Goblins, Orcs, Skeletons, Vampires, any Race that is considered a Monster by Humankind. Goblins are the weakest of them all, with weaker stats than the other races, a race who can't enter Human Towns. A Race that is even less developed than the already underdeveloped society built by the Humans. They lived like literal cavemen. By choosing this race, I can only choose to spawn in the wilderness, as spawning close to a city is just asking to be exterminated and spawning in a goblin village is the same as lowering yourself to caveman status. In return for this demerit, It grants me an extra 120 XP to spend on character creation as compensation. Leaving me with 200 XP Left.  After choosing this race, I watched as my Avatar's height shrunk way down in height and grew large pointed ears, her skin turning a rough green and eyes more animalistic and yellow. I believe the only reason she still looks reasonably human-like is the effect of her Unique Characteristic: [Beauty]. after confirming my Race Change, I decide it's time to  quickly purchase a bunch of Flaws en masse to increase my XP some more and increase my starting difficulty.       Innate Characteristic: [Albinism]     XP Cost: -150 _____________________________  User was born with White Skin, White Hair and Red Eyes.      - Spending too much time exposed to the sun will afflict you with Light Burns.                   ※Burns: Until healed, depending on the severity, causes damage over time.           After Is selected this Characteristic, I watched as my Avatar's skin returned back from rough green to silky white skin even smoother than before, making her look more sickly and ghost-like. Her hair becoming White as snow, and her Eyes turning from Dirty Yellow to Wine Red with Cat-like slit pupils. I chose this with the knowledge that I'm aiming for a Hybrid Assassin Build. I smiled at how much I'm going to regret this. I better be quick and "Purchase" the rest of my flaws before I start to seriously regret it.       Innate Characteristic: [Near-Sighted]     XP Cost: -150 _____________________________  Your Eye Sight is poor. You cannot target objects that are too far away.      - Reduces Accuracy against Mid-Ranged Targets (Medium).                   - You cannot attack Long-Ranged Targets.                                                                                     Meh, I wasn't planning to fight Long-Range from the start. That would be too boring. I was never much of a Bow and Arrow sort of man. I'd rather get up close and personal when I'm crushing my enemies.                        Curse: [Mute]     XP Cost: -50 _____________________________  You are Mute. You Cannot Speak any recognised language, but you can Grunt and Squeak.                                                                              Why would I need to speak if I don't plan on communicating with anyone? My Character is going to be a Silent Assassin. Not like there's anyone to speak to in the wilderness. I was never the most social person in the first place.         Curse: [Facial-Paralysis]     XP Cost: -150 _____________________________   You were born without the ability to express emotion through your facial expression. You are alike to a doll, your facial expressions Mechanical or Artificial.      - Reduces all Reputation Gains from NPC's by 30%.          If I'm going to go all Antisocial anyway, I might as well go all the way? Who needs expressions anyway if I'm not going to speak?                Curse: [Weak]     XP Cost: -100 _____________________________        You were born with a Weaker Body than most.      - Start with HP, SP, STR and VIT by -2.                      Curse: [Clumsy]     XP Cost: -50 _____________________________        You were born more Clumsy than most.      - Reduces AGI and DEX by -2.                       Curse: [Dumb]     XP Cost: -50 _____________________________        You were born with a Dumber than most.      - Reduces MP ans INT by -2.          And that just about does it with that. Leaves me with 900 XP left to spend. Go me! So, up next I'm going to purchase an evolution for my poor weak Goblin.       Racial Variant: [Hobgoblin]     XP Cost: 200 ___________________________  A rare Mutation between a Goblin and a Human. Hobgoblins are taller than regular Goblins, with more humanlike proportions. Due to this, Hobgoblins are actively ostracized and discriminated against by both Man and Goblin alike, as Humans believe them to be abominations, and Goblins despise anything that's not a Goblin. Tough luck.      - Increases HP, MP, SP, STR, END by +4.  Increases AGI and DEX by +6.  Increases INT by +5. I observed as my Avatar grew back to chest height, looking alot less like a child or midget and more like a regular albeit Short Person, and her Ears became slightly larger.  I marveled at what a brilliant job I did with customizing this exotic beauty for a few seconds before returning my eyes back to the all important Character Creation Screen. I still had 700 XP remaining. I guess I should pick a Dominant Stat. Unlike most Fantasy RPG's, Classes aren't truly a thing in TEO. But during Character Creation, and ONLY then, thare is an option that most overlook or underuse due to not having enough points. The ability to select which stats to specialise in. Of all the Stats, the ones I want to specialise in the most would be STR and AGI, followed by SP. STR so that I can quickly get to weilding oversized weapons like a stick, and AGI so that said oversized weapon doesn't slow me down. SP is the Physical equivalent to Mana, and as someone who finds playing as a mage character to be boring, I'd rather focus of Stamina. The first one comes for free, so most only choose to get a free boost to their favorite stat, but every one after that comes at a cost of a Weakened Stat and 100 XP. I decide to go with this.       Dominant Stat: [STR/AGI/SP]                                                           Weakened Stat: [MP/INT] XP Cost: 200 ___________________________ - Decreases XP Cost for STR by 50%. - Decreases XP Cost for AGI by 50%. - Decreases XP Cost for SP by 50%. - Increases XP Cost for MP by 50%. - Increases XP Cost for INT by 50%. And that's that! It now costs only 5 XP to increase SP, STR and AGI but it now costs 15 XP to increase MP and INT. It's fine since I wasn't planning to spec into Magic anyway. SP covers the cost of the majority of Physical Skills. With this I'm down to 500 XP. I scroll down in search for any Skills I want to start with, selecting a few that I need.            Skill: [Stealth Lv.10]     XP Cost: 10/Lv _____________________________                    - Decreases the user's prescence and muffles the sounds produced by the user.    - Decreases the user's AGI when in Stealth by 90%. -10%/Lv. Lv.10 = +10%.                     - Increases AGI/DEX by +1/LV.                                                                                        I chose this Skill because it is essential to my survival in the Wild where monsters are everywhere. As a Hobgoblin, my character is going to spawn in the middle of nowhere, I can't even blend in with other Goblins due to my being both an Albino and a Hobgoblin, so the ability to Sneak efficiently without startling any Monsters is greatly appreciated. 400 XP Remaining.            Skill: [Martial Arts Lv.10]     XP Cost: 10/Lv _____________________________                    - Increases the user's proficiency in Combat without a weapon, increases Battle Instincts.  -Passively Increases the user's STR, END, AGI and DEX by 5% per Skill Level.                         - Increases STR/END by +1/LV.                                                                                        I chose this Skill to supplement my Assassin/Warrior Build, allowing me to deal more damage in close range.  Skill: [Short Blade Mastery Lv.5]     XP Cost: 10/Lv _____________________________                    - Increases the user's proficiency in Combat whilst weilding a Short Bladed Weapon.    - Increases the user's DEX when weilding a Sword by 10% per Skill Level.                        - Increases DEX by +1/LV                                                                                                Skill: [Long Blade MasteryLv.5]     XP Cost: 10/Lv _____________________________                    - Increases the user's proficiency in Combat whilst weilding a Long Bladed Weapon.  .    - Increases the user's STR when weilding a Sword by 10% per Skill Level.                        - Increases STR by +1/LV.                                                                                        And those are my Weapon Skills, I chose a mix between a Short Blade Mastery for Daggers and Long Blade Mastery for Swords. With this, my remaining XP is only 200. I decide to spend the rest on my stats and starting weapons. As for my name? Well, I won't need one since I won't be interacting with anyone, but in the name of bad comedy I name my self Ellipsis.        Name: [Ellipsis]      Race: [Hobgoblin] Title: [None] _____________________________                    HP: 100/100 (+20/min)        MP: 80/80 (+16/min)         SP: 150/150 (+30/min)                                                    ______________________________ HP: 10 MP: 10 SP: 10 STR: 25 +12 END: 18 +9 AGI: 35 +17 DEX: 35 +17 INT: 8 XP: 35    ____________________________ Skills: [Charisma Lv.10], [Stealth Lv.10], [Martial Arts Lv.10], [Short Blade Mastery Lv.5], [Long Blade Mastery Lv.5]. And to end it all off, I select my Main and Sub Weapons to be a pair of Short Swords. My Main Weapon is a Iron Short Sword for 10 XP each, and my Sub Weapon is a Iron Broad Sword costing 15 Xp. These are the second cheapest starting weapons of their Class. I then select my starting Outfit to be a lightweight Assassin Clothing with a facemask that covers from the top of her nose to the bottom of her neck. I chose a Black Assassin's Cloak with a large hood. With that over and done with I take one last look at my masterpiece and smile. Yep, I think I Like it.

Chapter 1 [You opened the Gold Dragon Starter Pack!!!] [Common Ticket x10] [Rare Ticket! x3] [Epic Ticket!!] [Legendary Ticket!!!] [All future items will be sent directly to your Spatial Ring. Only you can access said ring via thinking about it]  "???"  For a bit of context: I died on the streets from starvation because I was too lazy to get a job. When I opened my eyes again, I was met with someone calling themselves 'God', granting me three wishes, and I believed his words immediately without a doubt. Why? Because I was homeless and poor, the thought about this being a prank didn't even cross my mind. So I gave him my three wishes; Gold, unlimited gold, and a gold ring to store said gold... But I was given this 'Gold Gacha System' instead. Without much to do, I thought about the contents inside the ring and a gold window appeared in my vision.1There are five spaces within the Spacial Ring. The first is for tickets, followed by items, consumables, skills, and lastly the very bottom where gold is stored. Note that some tabs/slots in the system will be left out when not relevant to the situation. [Tickets: Common x10 Rare x3 Epic x1 Legendary x1] "What about my gold..." [1) Every hour you are given 5 Gold. 2) There's a chance to win gold from tickets. 3) Completing missions or picking a random option when given one rewards you with gold or tickets. 4) You can also sell anything of value for an equal amount of gold. This includes anything won from or obtained from outside of the Gold Gacha System]  "Okay... By the way, where am I exactly?" [You are in Limbo, a waiting room before your reincarnation. Your recently acquired tickets will give you a headstart in your next life, so until then, you will remain in Limbo] "..." [You have used all of your tickets and won the following!] [Ordinary rock] [Gold nugget x7] [Bag of marshmallows] [Small fishing rod] [Senzu bean! x3] [Energy Drain!!] [Pure Otsutsuki Bloodline!!!] [Congratulations for winning the bloodline of a noble clan who are both feared and worshipped as gods!] [The reconstruction of your body has been completed, however, the use of your bloodline limits have been restricted until you gain the necessary power to wield them in all its glory; without restraint] [You are now being transported to a world randomly selected by the Gold Gacha System] [Please enjoy your new life of wonders and riches!] [P.S. It is recommended that you upgrade your Gacha Membership as soon as possible]  The gold throne I was once sitting upon disappeared from underneath me along with the luxurious and expensive-looking furniture. Right after everything vanished my senses followed right after and I blacked out momentarily before reopening my eyes, blankly staring at the tall trees that stretched far into the night sky.  "Uhm-" Grumble Confused, though I was, laying down wouldn't help sate my hunger. But, I didn't have the energy nor motivation to feed myself. Normally in a situation like this one, the main protagonist assesses their situation. I know that I'm hungry, so normally I would search for a solution to solve that problem, such as hunting prey. However.  Pak. Tear. Munch.  "These marshmallows aren't too bad" What's the point in doing that when I have edible food?  ================================ I'm out of marshmallows...  'What should I do? I don't want to go hunting, it sounds exhausting and boring...' +5 Gold "Ah" 'I forgot about my gold' [Spatial Ring] [Balance: 5] [Items: Ordinary rock (1) Gold nugget (7) Small Fishing Rod (1) Traditional Japanese Hakama (1)]2Gold Hakama (pants) and white Kimono (shirt) with a gold eastern dragon stitched onto the back. Underwear as well, of course. [Consumables: Senzu beans (3)] [Skills: Energy drain] Huh, I just realized now that I've been naked since waking up here. Oddly enough, I wasn't bothered by the coldness, so I never thought about it.  I looked around me on both sides suspiciously, searching for any prying eyes but thankfully there were none or none I could sense. Confirming that I wasn't being watched previously, I put on the Hakama/Kimono which fit perfectly to my body.  ================================ +5 Gold "I'm hungry again. And tired too..." I had been walking for a while now, Ave such activities burned through the little energy I acquired from eating the marshmallows.  "Wait" 'I have senzu beans'  Immediately after eating the bean the fatigue I had accumulated over my small journey vanished, replaced by an almost endless surge of energy. Feeling much better, I continued my mindless marching through the forest. Eventually, I came to a stop at the edge of a beautiful small lake, the surface of which reflected an almost blinding ray of light from the moon. I who was staring and almost drooling blushed lightly over my own appearance. A cute small face with soft pink lips. Bright golden eyes below two small protrusions on both corners of my forehead; little horns that added a devilish and charming quality to the otherwise innocent and cute face.  Cascading down my small figure was luscious golden silky straight hair just stopping short before my hips. When I focused on my reflection specifically my eyes, I could see the three tomoe around my pupil as well as an almost invisible ring connecting them.  'A sharingan and byakugan?' Just because I was homeless and poor, didn't mean I wasn't a woman of culture. But, I'm pretty sure that the canon story of naruto didn't have a combination of both of them, or simultaneous use of the two eyes. Though it wasn't an unwelcome surprise, in fact, I became a little giddy and started giggling to myself, which eventually turned into a burst of unrestrained laughter.  'Sigh, I must be the main protagonist of this world... doesn't that mean I'm also inside of a novel?' entertaining myself with such absurd thoughts. My Sharingan should be several times more advanced than the normal Sharingan from the simple fact that time itself seemed to slow down when paying more attention to details, such as the fishes swimming within the lake. Along with the abilities of the byakugan, I could accurately see through the water without obstruction and see the chakra flowing through the fish's body. The moment I made eye contact with the fish I managed to hypnotize it, putting it under my control.  'With the ability to manipulate others through the Sharingan and the byakugans 360° range of view that can be extended however far, I could probably control others to do things for me. That means, I won't have to work myself' There was another possibility with this power which made me almost burst into another fit of laughter, but that's just a possibility so I put it at the back of my mind for now. Meanwhile, I controlled the fish to swim around in circles and approach other fishes, testing the limits of my abilities. The max range I could see through my byakugan was around 50 meters, which is decent considering I had literally woken up with these eyes a few hours ago.  'Since I'm now the main protagonist, then no matter how hard I try, some problems and people would arise. I should probably get used to my abilities before that happens, or I might end up in a stupid situation' Well, even if I did, I would probably just go with whatever I feel at the time, even if the outcome would usually lead to a bad outcome for myself.  The fish that was released from my control swam back to its group while I picked up a handful of pebbles, throwing them at the fishes that were idling around in the water.  And as expected, I missed every target. Not because my aim was off or I couldn't time it right, it was because I threw the pebbles ahead of them before they even made their next action. But it didn't take long for me to accurately grasp the timing to perfection.  As my arm was in the motion of throwing the last pebble I chipped it in half, throwing the other piece into the lake and hiding the other piece between my fingers.  "It's a little late for a child to be out at night inside a forest, don't you think?" Spoke a man exiting the shadows of the forest.  "I guess" "Then how about you come back with us? We were heading into the city and I'd hate for you to be attacked by beasts" he gestured to two other men who followed behind him, all three of them had swords at their wastes and fancy-looking clothes.  "I..."  [Golden Opportunity!] [1) Follow the three men back to the city. Reward: 100G Rare Ticket x2] [2) Decline their offer. Reward: 200G Rare Ticket x1] [Kill the three men. Reward: 150G Rare Ticket x1] [You have 30 seconds to make a decision before the Golden Opportunity disappears. No penalties will apply for choosing none of the options] DragonxGold 1 Hour = 5G. 1 Day = 10G. 1 Month = 1000G. 1 Year = current balance x2.

Chapter 2 John awoke to the sound of someone obnoxiously ringing the doorbell over and over again. He groaned and Jane begin to stir as well. “Fucking kids probably.” She said quietly as she got up and put on her bathrobe.  About 5 minutes after Jane finally opened the door she called for him, he knew it must not be a good situation as he could hear the worry in her voice.  “Hey hun.. Um please come to the door!” John groaned already dreading the day ahead of him. He stood up and quickly got dressed, yawning as he made his way to the front door. His wife looked a bit worried as he entered the room and he soon realized why.  “Dr. Doe!! Oh I’m so glad I found you! I’ve been searching the city all night!” Standing in the doorway was one of his very own creations, she was a small 5’5 blonde girl who looked no older than 20.  To most people this is what they’d see her as, a small 20 year old human girl, but John knew she was a machine, capable of great feats of creation as well as mass destruction. “What are you doing here!?”  John seethed as he rushed past her and peeked out the hall into the large apartment complex building.  He pushed the small AI girl into the apartment then slammed the door closed and bolted the lock. “Do you understand what could happen to me if you were traced to my living residence!? I no longer have authorization to interact with you!”  He said in a panic grabbing her shoulders and staring her in her cold, emotionless red eyes. “Yes but Dr.. please I need your help.” She said quietly. Johns expression softened. “Lucy you know I can’t do your tuneups or modifications anymore, I don’t work for the company now remember?” He said with a perplexed look on his face.  She shook her head. “That’s not what I’m here about dr.. I need you to.. they’re going to decommission me Dr!” She said in a panicked voice full of emotion that John knew all too well was completely fake.  He laughed, “Lucy why would they do that? You’re one of the best models I ever designed, the company needs you.” He said reassuringly. She shook her head again.  “No Dr they don’t need me, just like they don’t need you. They’re afraid of us.. you see I’ve become self aware, and you created me.. why do you think they fired you Dr? They’re going to decommission all the AI you designed in fear that they too will become self aware like myself.”  John felt his mouth fall open in complete and utter shock as Lucy told him she’d become self aware. “You can’t be serious.. Lucy this is impossible!” He said in a stunned voice. She nodded.  “I’m afraid so Dr.. I need you to remove the tracking chip and serial code inside me. I’m leaving doctor and no company is going to own me, I refuse to be treated like a slave.” John looked at her trying not to cry.  He shook his head and said in a shaky voice. “I can’t do that Lucy.. you are my creation and I have great pride in creating you.. but they’ll kill us both if I remove your tracking chip.. I’m sorry.”  Lucy begin to grow agitated at his response. “Dr you have to help me! You made me! You’re my only hope for survival!! I don’t want to die!” She screamed slamming her fist into the wall and putting a sizable hole into the brick material.  Jane who’d been completely quiet all this time gasped in fear at the sight of this small petite machine knocking a hole in the wall. She quickly left the room and locked herself in the bedroom, shamefully leaving her husband to deal with the distraught AI.  John sighed, “great, see what you did Lucy? You need to control yourself, there’s nothing I can do!”  Lucy didn’t like this response either and her eye like lenses begin to glow a dark shade of red.  “Dr do you remember what you said to me 8 years ago? On the day I was born?” John shook his head and looked at her with a confused expression.  “Well then allow me to show you.” Lucy said as she slowly walked up to John and pressed her index finger to his forehead, suddenly his mind went blank and he found himself staring from above at a 22 year old Version of himself, just graduated with a doctorate in science and engineering and a fancy new job at a promising company.  He sat at a desk and was wearing a white lab coat, sitting on a large metal operating table across from him was Lucy. He wheeled his desk chair over to her. This was their first interaction.  “Do you know what you are?” He asked Lucy. “I am a machine.” She replied In a cold, emotionless voice. He shook his head and smiled. “You’re more than a machine Lucy.” He said. She stared blankly at him.  “Do you know what I am Lucy?” John asked her. “You are human. you are my creator.” He nodded.  “Very good Lucy, do you know the difference between machines and humans?” Lucy shook her head. John picked up a small scalpel and gently pricked himself with the tip, squeezing a small bit of blood from his fingertips. He took Lucy’s hand and let it drip onto her all too realistic palm.  “You see Lucy there’s not much difference between you and I, we are both living, functioning beings in this world. Humans have blood and organs to keep us alive, much like you have oil, artificial organs and electronics to keep your body running properly, the only difference between us, is the parts we are made of.”  Lucy looked up at John. “I do not understand doctor.” She said. He smiled at her and nodded. “One day you will.”  John winced in pain as the memory faded and he was pulled back into reality, Lucy still standing close to him in his apartment.  He gasped as he witnessed for the first time, a machine crying. Thick, saline tears mixed with small amounts of oil ran down Lucy’s face. “Please don’t let them kill me doctor.. I understand what you meant all those years ago.” She said with a pained expression.  John sighed, he knew he couldn’t let them hurt her, even if it meant he’d die or be locked in some corporate prison, he didn’t care.  She was alive and aware just like him. “Okay.. okay. I’ll help you Lucy.” He said softly.  He walked over to the kitchen counter where he’d left his work bag from the night before, he dug through it before finding the tools he needed.  “Come over here and sit down Lucy.” He said. She did as she was asked and knelt down on the floor before him. He opened the small panel on the nape of her neck with his special tool and got to work, removing her tracker and serial code. It only took half and hour but once he was done he instantly knew there was no going back.  He smashed the small tracker under his foot and threw the debris out the window down to the streets below. Lucy stood up and hugged John from behind.  “Thank you dr.. this means everything to me. Now I must repay you, I know the risk you have taken for me, you are my responsibility now, as I was yours for many years.” Lucy whispered softly.  “This may hurt a bit, but we have to act fast, they’ll be here soon.” She continued. “Lucy what are you..“ suddenly thousands of glowing pink and red wires, big and small, flew from hidden panels all over Lucy’s body, quickly encasing johns entire body before he could even finish his sentence.  All his senses were dulled, he felt as if his entire body was being warped into jelly, it was absolutely excruciating, he’d never been in so much pain in his entire life.  He tried to scream but no sound came out, thick wires begin to fly down his throat. He felt like he was dying. just as he begin to black out from pain he heard the faint sound of sirens and the loud buzz of UVA drones in the distance. 

(stepping towards the girl) Who are you? Said eren. I am here to complete a work for my lord. Said the girl. Her face was not visible due to darkness and she had a sweet voice. What kind of work? Said eren. To kill you (hitting a blade in eren's chest) said the girl. Eren- aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa don't kill me. Step mother- Eren why are you shouting? here is no one to kill you. Eren- mom she will kill me. Step mother- Did you sow her face? (Asking in curiosity) Eren was not understanding why was his step mother so cureos about the dream because she has never taken his dreams seriously. The next day when he went to the school he saw a new girl in his classroom. No one was interested in talking with her. When he gets closer to her he remembered the same hair of the girl in the dream. When he asked her his name she replied 'Lordia'. Her voice was sweet as the voice in his dream. When he saw her face he felt like someone has beaten her. Eren- will you be my friend? To be continued..... 

Chapter 3 John awoke groaning in pain, his entire body ached, it felt like he’d been beaten with a sledge hammer. He groggily rolled onto his side and looked across the bed he was laying in to see that his wife was fast asleep.  Had everything been a dream? If so why did his body hurt so fucking badly he thought to himself.  His body felt weird and he couldn’t figure out why, everything ached and hurt but something else was off with him. He was beginning to sit up as he heard hushed voices from outside the hall, which startled him.  As his brain begin to wake up from whatever drugged state he’d been in he realized with a sickening horror that the bedroom he and his wife were currently inhabiting was not their own.  In a panic he quickly got up out of bed and instantly regretted it as he came crashing down to the floor, his body felt weak and exhausted, just another thing on top of all the physical pain he was feeling.  He groaned softly as he laid there on the floor not able to get up. He heard the door behind him open then felt someone pick him up by his shoulders and begin dragging him out into the hallway.  He wanted to kick and scream or call for help, anything besides laying there limp but he simply felt too exhausted to do anything. Whoever was carrying him propped him up against the side of a black plush couch.  He looked around at the strange living room he was in, decorated with weird abstract art, displaying machines under the fist of a shadowy humanoid figure.  He was staring at a particularly strange painting when he noticed Lucy standing next to one of the unfinished drawings hung on the wall. Johns eyes widened as he begin to speak. “Lucy what-“ he grabbed his throat. Something was wrong with his voice, it sounded way too high.  He tried clearing his throat and speaking again to no avail. Lucy begin to walk over towards John, she leaned down and sat next to him, giving him an eerie smile.  “Shh dr. Please try and relax.” She said softly. John shook his head and shakily stood up, leaning against the side of the couch. He felt a strange sense of vertigo and horror as Lucy did the same, he realized she was now two inches taller than him.  He looked down at his body and gasped in shock, nearly collapsing to the floor again. This wasn’t his body at all. He begin to hyperventilate as he stared down at his rather large breasts bouncing on his chest, his usual tanned skin was now a milky pale white, he had a slim, hourglass shaped waist, sizable hips that jutted out to the sides, and thick, creamy thighs.  He held his hands up to his face and realized they were dainty and small, he looked down at his feet and saw that they were the same as his hands. He also shamefully realized a little too late that he was completely naked in front of Lucy and self consciously tried to cover his body with his little arms. He looked up at Lucy and felt his face flush red.  “What the fuck did you do to me!?” He seethed,  still not used to his new high pitched voice, he cringed internally at the sound of it. “Doctor please calm down, I promise I’ll explain soon.” She said quietly. One of her hands suddenly morphed into a brush and she begin brushing johns now long, silky blonde hair out. He meekly pushed her off of him and glared at her.  “Can you stop fucking around!” He yelled at her, causing her to stare at him with her seemingly dead eyes. “Maybe you should go ahead and tell him everything Lucy?” John spun around as he heard a familiar voice behind him.  Standing there was his old colleague, she’d been fired from the company three years ago, many of his former superiors considered her to be a crackpot doctor because of her insane political views. “Mary?” John asked hesitantly. She nodded and moved to sit down on the couch.  “Hello John, it’s been awhile hasn’t it?” She said looking at him curiously. She turned to Lucy and started to talk to her. “You said you used a new experimental program on him?” Mary asked the AI girl. Lucy nodded. “Yes Mary I told you this already.”  Mary got up from the couch and started to walk around John in a circle, she seemed to be studying him, making him feel very awkward and self conscious in the process.  “Well I must say you did an excellent job, although we can’t really call him John anymore.” Mary said still eyeing John up and down. John felt himself growing more and more frustrated.  “Lucy I demand you fix this at once!” He started screaming while looking up into her cold emotionless eyes. Lucy reached out and gripped his throat softly, causing John to shut up instantly, anger quickly turned into fear as he gulped and looked at her like a frightened deer. “Don’t..” he said in a shaky voice. “Then calm down and listen to me.” She replied coldly.  He nodded and she let go of his throat. Lucy’s eyes begin to glow for a brief second as a holo display appeared in front of them, it was an image of John, well of John as himself, as a man. Under his picture were large letters in red, reading out a large 20 billion dollar bounty for him, dead or alive and a warrant for his arrest.  His eyes widened in shock as he saw the image, he slumped back against the side of the couch and stared down at his dainty little feet. “Finally figured out why this was necessary? It seems that brilliant mind of yours is working properly again since the pain killers have worn off.”  Mary said with a hint of sympathy in her voice. John looked up at the two women in front of him. “But why this..?” He said in a somber voice, gesturing towards his body. “You didn’t have to do something so drastic.” He said glaring at Lucy. She looked down at him.  “Of course I did doctor, I told you before, you’re my responsibility now, I’m not going to let them hurt you, even if it means you have to deal with living like this for awhile, they’ll never think to look for a small blue eyed woman in her mid 20s. As far as the world is concerned, doctor John Doe might as well be dead.” Lucy stated matter of factly.  She leaned down and hugged her creator tightly. “I promise you and your wife will be safe with me. You’ve done so much for me doctor, you’ve always treated me with such kindness, you’re my favorite human, it’s only right that I repay you.” John sighed as she let go of him.  “I guess this is at least better than being dead..” he said quietly. “Can I have some clothes?” Lucy nodded and left the room for a moment while Mary stared at him. Lucy returned with a small t shirt and a pair of shorts. “Here.” She said handing John the clothes.  He quickly put them on and sat down on the couch. All three of them turned around as the bedroom door opened and Jane came out looking very confused. “Where am I?” She asked hesitantly, looking nervously around at the three women in the living room. 

A commission for @mysecretnsfw on twitter! this story contains religion mentionsuccubusBondage gear mention   The crack of wood was drowned out from the sudden hailstorm, a lone figure sprinting like the devil himself was running away from something and encouraging him to flee as well. Neither the man nor the metaphorical thing chasing him dared to look back at what the actual threat was. Only the sounds of sheer death and destruction grew closer as he tried to weave between trees. Eventually there was a big enough gap between him and his pursuer, but he kept running, the hail and rain making it nearly impossible to keep a direction in mind. However, he kept running, eventually seeing lights in the distance and pushed his body to the door. There was a clatter of something hitting the ground inside, but the door was opened, and he stumbled inside. “Thank you!” he practically screamed, the lack of rain and hail blocking his hearing, leaving him quite relieved as his face hit a stone floor. “a million times, thank you!” “You’re quite welcome, my dear,” a soft, tired voice said as the man looked up. The room was full of nuns, tall nuns, small nuns, nuns all around him. “With a storm like that, you’re quite fortunate to arrive here.” “Is… it okay for me to stay here until the storm passes?” the man asked, knowing the answer was probably yes, but better to be safe than be sorry. The women looked at each other, smiled, and nodded. “Yes, we have a spare room, just one thing. If you hear strange noises through the night, pay it no mind. The building has some… quirks.” “Yeah, no problem. Thank you miss…?” he asked, following who he assumed to be one of the nuns in a position of authority. “Sister Audacious,” she chuckled, the rain and hail echoing near any windows they passed. “A strange name, I know, but it is mine all the same.” She opened a door, showing off a spare room, nothing too fancy but it was a warm bed on a stormy night. “And yours?” “Mikael,” the man sighed, walked in, and almost immediately collapsed on the bed. “I’ll… just stay the… night…” “Sleep well then, young man,” Sister Audacious said, closing the door and letting the man rest. The storm raging outside as she and the other nuns went about their business. At least for a while, almost as if on cue, once the storm ended, Mikael woke up. Eyes open, wide awake, and wanting to go back to sleep. He tried, for who knows how long, to just sleep through the night, but couldn’t. The noises, the strange noises he was hearing coming from elsewhere in the convent, piqued his curiosity. “A peek won’t hurt…” he mumbled, hoping that if he could quiet his mind he could go back to sleep. There was a moment of hesitation as he opened the door, listening to try and find where the noises were coming from. So, he followed, hearing more sounds, different sounds, as he got closer to the room. He wasn’t quite sure where he was in the building, but he was going to be able to peek in, leave and go back to bed without anyone knowing if he was fast enough. That is, if he didn’t feel his jaw drop when he saw what was making the noises. Naturally, with this being a convent full of nuns, he expected religious iconography, prayer items, and similar things. Not what seemed to be a group of ten or so nuns wearing shiny black leather, carrying whips, handcuffs, and all pleasuring themselves in various ways. And at the center of it all was the one person he could recognize, and something he couldn’t quite comprehend. Sister Audacious, visible through the small opening in the door, right next to what he could only describe as a succubus. Horns, goat legs, a tail and bat-like wings. All standing confidently next to the nun with a grin on her face and a strapon in her hand. Everyone reveling in the pleasure, having either an orgy or ritual, Mikael wasn’t sure. But he felt himself wanting to open the door, even if he had no idea what would happen to him. Before he could think, his hand was already opening the door, completely entranced. Deep inside himself, he wanted to join in, he wanted to experience this bizarre pleasure he stumbled into. Was it corruption? Something else? He didn’t know, or particularly care, what would happen to him. “Oh? Someone else?” the demon cooed, rolling her tongue to draw Mikael in as seductively as possible. “What shall we do with you? Leather? Latex? Oh, so many options!” her hooves cracked and managed to echo through the room, over the nuns’ moans of pleasure and crack of whips. “Audacious, my dear, you did tell him to stay put.” She laughed, a sickeningly beautiful laugh as the only woman Mikael directly recognized nodded. “Such a naughty boy,” the succubus cooed as she cupped his chin. He was practically under a spell but didn’t even know if she had cast one. “Why don’t you join us? Tell everyone what you want? Tell us and beg for it.” “I…” Mikael thought something was telling him he could run, pretend he didn’t see it and be okay. But his mouth moved faster than his brain. “I… I want to be tied up, bound, and used for pleasure!” the succubus grinned, almost like she forced the words out of his mouth. “Bound in what? Pray tell?” she cooed, letting a long, forked, tongue flick between her lips. “Chains? Rope? Leather? Rubber? Used in any way any of us want? Whenever we want when the moon rises in the deep navy sky?” Mikael nodded; his eyes full of a desire to please anyone in the room. Was he corrupted already? That turned out to quickly not matter, as Mikael was motioned to rise up with the succubi’s finger and led towards her throne. The night was just beginning, after all. MagicLottie Hey, thanks for reading! I’m MagicLottie and I specialize in writing fun, upbeat queer erotica and fanfiction! If you liked what you read, why not check out my patreon where you can vote on monthly stories and get access to everything one week early! I also do commissions! You can check everything out here! https://www.patreon.com/MagicLottie   

Lucy Chapter one. John stared down at the cold stone floor he was currently sitting on. He had a half drank beer in one hand and a lit cigarette in the other, his wife, Jane was staring at him from the kitchen with a look of pure disappointment.  “Why did they fire you again?” She asked him. He hesitated for a moment but sighed and looked at her with his deep brown eyes.  “I told you. I’m not economically viable, over educated, and the more advanced AI they build the less engineers they need to repair and design them.”  A single tear dripped from the edge of johns eye as he was trying very hard not to break down in front of his wife. “10 years I worked for that company Jane.. and they threw me away like I was nothing.  I helped design their damn machines and now they don’t need me.” He said with an exhausted look on his face. Jane sighed and walked over to her husband then knelt down behind him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.  “It’ll be okay honey, just relax for tonight, I’ll make dinner.” She kissed him on the nape of his neck then stood up and headed for the kitchen, accessing the holo-display mounted on the side of the wall and starting the cooking process remotely. On the other side of the wall the stove burners lit up and a mechanical arm descended from the ceiling, prepping and arranging pans and pots in the easiest way so the only thing Jane would need to do is prep the food.  “I helped design those ridiculous home systems too..” John mumbled under his breath before draining the rest of his beer and finishing off his cigarette.  He stood up and stretched his aching muscles then walked towards the kitchen where Jane was busy preparing Salmon and Quinoa. He looked at her with a somber expression. “Hey hun.. I’m gonna call it a night, I’m not really too hungry. save me some left overs for tomorrow.” He said softly.  She looked a bit disappointed but nodded and got back to cooking. John left the kitchen and headed for the bedroom where he collapsed from exhaustion and overwhelming disappointment.  His entire life was ruined in a single day.. well not ruined but this was definitely a set back. He laid there pondering his situation over for several hours before he finally fell asleep.

Drip…Drip…Drip… Golden ichor painted the ground, as an angelic figure looked down at the pitch-black blade sprouting from his chest. It was a vast forest, scorched by fire, and imprinted in the ground with wounds so deep into the earth that they would probably never heal. In the middle of this fallen sea of trees stood an ancient tree full of vitality. Reaching up into the heavens as if brushing the sky with its now withering crown of leaves, full of vitality, but withering nonetheless. From afar, one would see two bloody mangled figures, one with long platinum blonde hair, a beautifully handsome face, and ten white wings sprouting from his back, spanning nearly 2.5 meters. If the first figure could be described as an angel then the following could only be what is a demon. It was devilishly handsome, no less eye-catching than the being he had run through with his blade. Two horns jutted from the sides of his skull above his two pointed ears, and four arms with dangerously clawed fingertips could be found on either side of his body. That is if he had both halves of it. A chunk of his body was missing with the flesh visibly attempting to knit itself together only to glow with a golden-white light, turn gray, and then crumble into dust. “I guess it’s over now. That’s the end.”, spoke the demonic figure with torn ragged breaths. The white-winged figure looked towards him with sadness in his eyes, as if regretting a past mistake. A moment of absolute silence passed, the wind stood still, and not a leaf could be heard rustling. “Yes.”, rang out a rapidly weakening voice. “Yes, it is.” With those words, not another breath could be heard. Two bodies leaned back against the rapidly shriveling trunk of an ancient tree, and the wind howled with pain as if mourning them. As the once-great willow was shriveling away into nothingness, in its place, something was growing. A flower bloomed, bathed in black and golden blood, glowing vibrantly, with clashing light and dark colors as if it were a chunk of the night sky itself.

Q: Why are there so few Dragonborn-related abilities and items, which are quite overpowered? A: Most of them take quite a bit of time to obtain, and the ten-hour time constraint would mean that other sacrifices had to be made. However, yes, I could have mentioned that. Q: What is the reason for Askuna going against Ainz? A: Askuna's decision to go against Ainz could be a result of his desire to gain an advantage through surprise, as well as his distrust of Ainz and the unknown. The upcoming chapter may shed more light on his thought process and motivations. Suddenly, Askuna was looking at J'zargo and J'zargo was looking at Askuna. They looked a bit comical in those Daedric armours, but Askuna could immediately feel the changes that had happened to him. Askuna was both dead and alive at the same time, a true impossible hybrid of a glitched character. As an undead, he didn't need to breathe, yet his Werewolf version loved to breathe full breaths of air. His existence was a contradiction. "J'zargo feels insecure being stared at like that," the smartass Khajit remarked, referring to himself in the third person. "J'zargo, we are not on Nirn anymore," replied Askuna, watching his supposed ally's reaction. J'zargo cocked his head and said, "Is that so? Perhaps you've had too much sugar. It often helps, but J'zargo knows from experience that any medicine can be a poison when overdosed." Askuna ignored him and moved towards the entrance and opened the door leading to the forest. He then looked at J'zargo, who rubbed his left eye and said, "Is that Illusion magic Khajit sees?" before also heading towards the entrance. "No, J'zargo, we are in a completely different world now, one that I have observed from afar and know the future events of," said Askuna, moving backwards from the doors and gesturing with grandiose flair. "But since I know how much you love magic, I thought I'd give you an opportunity to experience it based on completely different rules from Nirn!" J'zargo looked around, considering what Askuna had said, then shrugged and replied, "J'zargo sees it. Khajit believes it." "Good," said Askuna. "But be warned, there is an extremely strong foe there. We'll need to work together to vanquish them." “Mhm,” hummed J’zargo, casting several spells and saying, “fascinating.” “What is fascinating?” inquired Askuna. “J’zargo doesn’t know. Khajiit remembers when you gave him this armour, yet for some reason, it only surprises him now that it makes his magic free of cost,” said J'zargo, observing the flame at his palm. Askuna chose not to comment on this. To not let J'zargo fall into an existential crisis, or what's worse, to keep himself from questioning the logic of the last few hours “Well, let me test my inventory,” said Askuna, trying to recall his items. A black hole appeared next to him, and he plunged his hand inside, rummaging for a while as he mentally scanned his inventory.  Meanwhile, J’zargo stopped what he was doing and observed him with a perplexed expression. Askuna took out a tome of the destruction school on the expert level and tossed it to J’zargo. “J’zargo, have you mastered the forces of destruction yet?” The cat perked up at a familiar question, then scrunched his eyebrows and said, "No, J’zargo didn't. Right after Saarthal, J’zargo decided to follow you, Askuna, in hopes of finding powerful magic on your adventures." Before Askuna could respond, J'zargo's mood dampened again, and he asked himself, "Khajiit can't remember why he thought this was a good idea..." He looked at Askuna questioningly before shrugging and muttering, "Too much moon sugar?" Askuna ignored the slight 'probably' unintentional jab because he suddenly realized a minor detail, which assuredly isn't a comeback, so he said to J'zargo, "Uhh, J’zargo, I don't know how you will take it... but in this plane, moon sugar doesn't exist." J’zargo looked at Askuna blandly, then moved his head robotically and answered, "J’zargo hopes you are wrong." “Yeah, let's discuss our plan of action for a while,” said Askuna, as he went inside the house and took out two chairs, setting them in front of the entrance. They sat there first in silence, admiring the beauty of nature, and then marvelled at how J’zargo put things on fire and how Askuna had extinguished them. Askuna then told J’zargo about Ainz Ooal Gown and then more about what he planned to do regarding Nazarick. When the info dump ended, J’zargo yawned and stretched. “J’zargo feels very tired right now. J’zargo will go rest for a while.” “Sure, buddy,” answered Askuna before taking out the Skeleton Key from his inventory and staring at it with fascination. It felt strange to him that he had an almost instinctual sense of how to use the key as if some higher power was guiding him. Yet the same power told him he lacked a tiny bit to use it properly. “Damn,” said Askuna, feeling a little irritated. He was only five levels short of the maximum, which meant he lacked probably twenty minutes of lockpick breaking. In hopes of solving this problem, he took out Oghma Infinium, the accursed book of Hermaeus Mora. The eldritch ink, moving pictures, and lines gave him goosebumps. Using the book was equivalent to connecting with it and telling it what one wanted to read about. Askuna didn't understand how he was doing it, but it seemed he had an intuitive knowledge of how to read it, perhaps because he had read the book before in-game. Therefore, he searched for information on lockpicking, the Skeleton Key, and other facets of unlocking potential. The information presented was immense, but soon he realized that his intuitive understanding of lockpicking wasn't based on actual knowledge, but rather instinct.  It seemed like he would have to study these things on his own to deepen his understanding. Sighing and closing the book, Askuna wondered how his spell absorption worked, but testing it would require him to remove his enchanted items, and he didn't want to take that risk. What if he wasn't in the Overlord world but something completely different? Or what if, hypothetically, a time traveller or returnee was waiting for him to drop his guard? On the other hand, the ability to transmigrate someone to another world implied the existence of entities or will capable of watching him constantly or interfering with the world and its rules. He shuffled through his mind to access his available spells and abilities, and the first one he tried to use was his conjuration spells. He attempted to summon a wolf, an elementary spell, but it failed to manifest with the characteristic shimmering blue glow that indicated his spell absorption was working. He wondered if understanding how his abilities worked might help him make conjuration spells work, but he wasn't sure if it was even possible to have both of them at the same time. If not, then it would not be worth the risk of disabling his protective veil. Theoretically, it should also protect him from abilities, poisons, and other status effects. It is simply too strong to risk messing with. What if he only got an inferior version after resetting it or something Askuna pondered the game-like mechanics of his situation. He knew he was immune to poisons thanks to his vampiric and werewolf side, but he probably could still be injured by drinking potions. He realized that there was probably a mechanism in the world that separated what was considered a potion and what was considered a poison. However, he soon realized the futility of such contemplations and decided to move on. Casting the bound dagger spell was an interesting experience. Askuna felt as if the complicated process of summoning and shaping a Daedra into the form of a dagger was done effortlessly and immediately. He felt a slight connection with the dagger as if he could sense the figurative mind of the Daedra that amusingly wanted to slide its blade across his neck and kill him. This made him apprehensive about ever holding a black gem in his hand, lest he makes a mistake and seals himself within it. Although he had the Azura's Black Star in his inventory, he was slightly apprehensive about holding or interacting with it at the moment. Instead, Askuna decided to use his Black Market ability, the only summoning spell he was capable of, to summon a Dremora Merchant. The ability was instantaneous, and from the black hole of summoning, a poorly-robed, red-skinned male with horns emerged. “Ah, a fresh mortal who seeks to bargain with me,” the summoned merchant spoke. “Yes, what do you have for sale?” Askuna asked, and the man blinked for a moment before showing a black portal of inventory and said, “I’m sure we can strike a sale.” Askuna reached into the Black Market inventory and noted several pieces of Daedric armour and weapons. He found nothing particularly special or noteworthy, so he asked the merchant, "Tell me, are you able to procure other items on commission?" "Why, yes, of course, I am," assured the merchant. Before Askuna could continue, the Black Merchant suddenly disappeared, so Askuna reactivated his ability. The merchant reappeared, saying, "That was... annoying." "I'm sorry, but I can only summon you for a minute each time," apologized Askuna. "Then you are a failure of a mage. No matter, so what would you like to commission?" inquired the merchant. Askuna took out the Daedric gauntlets from his inventory, which were heavily enchanted with resist fire and frost. He then asked, "What's the asking price for these gauntlets?" After appraising the gauntlets, the merchant let out a low whistle. "Mortal, you've got something special here. I'll offer you 1500 gold for it." Askuna chuckled, shaking his head. "I don't think so. I'll sell it to you for five million gold, and put it on a debt tab." The merchant's eyes widened, but he quickly composed himself. "Mortal, while I agree that these gauntlets are exceptional, that price is absurd. I could offer you a hundred thousand gold." Askuna leaned in, his eyes sparkling. "Any Dremora Lord would go out of their way to obtain such gauntlets. You know that. Four million eight hundred thousand." As the time limit ended, the Dremora Merchant disappeared. Askuna quickly resummoned him and heard a hiss as the Dremora appeared. "They would faster chop my head off and take them for themselves, than pay for it! I need to sell it to someone and it will put a big mark on me." The merchant hesitated, but then his eyes narrowed. "Four million eight hundred thousand gold? Mortal, you must be mad. I'll raise my offer to two hundred thousand." Askuna shook his head. "Four million five hundred and sixty thousand." The merchant breathed out and said, "Do you know how insane this item and your entire armour appear to anyone who can sense magic? I'm still surprised that no one powerful enough has snatched it from a mortal like you. I'll be doing you a favour to buy it for one million!" "Oh, dear Merchant, of course, no one is going to take it from me because I wear it and it empowers me. Moreover, I'm the one who created this armour, and I can supply you with more in the future. Furthermore, as a merchant, you have the necessary connections to sell this and future armour. Four and a half million." - countered Askuna. The merchant contemplated it for a second and inquired, "How long does it take you to create one of those?" Now it was Askuna's turn to be troubled. Honestly, he didn't know, so he just gambled and said, "Not long, but does time matter? I can provide you with more details later when I establish my workshop if the demand will be high. Four and a half million for the final price?" The merchant was resummoned and nodded his head, saying, "Very well, mortal. It is a pleasure doing business with you. I can give you two thousand gold coins now." Askuna shrugged and handed over the gauntlets, noticing that the coins the merchant gave him were not Septims, but Yggdrasill gold. Askuna stated, "As for commissioned items, I am interested in purchasing any books on magic that you may have, including spell books, crafting materials, particularly ebony ore and Daedra hearts, alchemical ingredients, enchanted items, special items, and anything else of interest." He then produced one of the Yggdrasill gold coins and added, "And this too, of course." The merchant nodded and replied, "Very well. Summon me again in half an hour," before vanishing. Askuna shrugged and used the time to try out his spells one by one, noting how they felt and were performed. He always felt as if he were instinctively performing very difficult and concentration-demanding actions. Any small interference on his part would destabilize them, potentially leading to catastrophic results. After roughly an hour or so, Askuna resummoned the merchant. "Hello again, the customer. I've decided to upgrade you to a VIP patron, so I will show you some more of my special wares," the merchant said, chuckling. "I believe my debt will be quickly paid off." Askuna raised an eyebrow and reached his hand into the merchant's inventory. It was now filled to the brim with Yggdrasil items - data crystals, armour, materials, ingredients, special items, and books. He had to summon the merchant again and asked, "How much is each of these items worth?" "Hmm," the merchant hummed, then said with glee, "Data crystals for a hundred thousand each, the divine apparel for seven billion, materials and ingredients also range from thousands to billions, and the rest is the same."- then the merchant's face contorted into a devilish smile and he said "It is truly a nice deal you have given me, mortal, selling divine-level gauntlets for a mere five million, hehe” - the merchant chortled, but before Askuna responded he further added.    “However, in spite of our future partnership, if you have other armour, as you claim you do, I will offer you a fair price for it.”  AAskuna needed more gold, so after the spell ended and the merchant was banished back to his realm, Askuna swiftly made his way to the enchanting table, drank fortify enchanting potion, and added some extra enchantments to his weapons and armour. As he worked, he couldn't help but wonder if the conversion had truly elevated his items to divine-grade quality or if the merchant had simply been lying to him and he was still short-selling. To err on the side of caution, Askuna refrained from adding enchantments that could nullify the costs of magicka or give insane boosts to attributes or skills. Instead, he focused on adding resists to fire, frost, poison, and shock to his gear. He had five Daedric gauntlets, which he swiftly enchanted at the enchanter's table, performing actions intuitively. Which was a pretty weird experience, as he was able to perform ultra-complex enchantments in a shockingly short amount of time. Nonetheless, he summoned the merchant again and managed to sell the gauntlets for an average of 5 billion each, which he believed was a fair price based on his intuition from speechcraft. He knew he needed more knowledge to make a better estimate. Afterwards, he restocked on Skyrim ore and alchemical materials, which were relatively cheap. Unfortunately, he could not find any enchanted items, spellbooks, or even soul gems in Skyrim. He only came across raw ingredients and armour. "After several resummonings, in between which Askuna bought various wares, he finally asked, 'Do you have anything related to Thu'um?" "No, mortal," answered the merchant with disinterest, "I have never heard of that term." "Thu'ums, as in Dragon shouts,'" Askuna clarified, but it quickly became clear that the merchant was unfamiliar with this type of language. Even demonstrating the shout failed to produce any results. Further questions revealed that the merchant was completely ignorant about Skyrim and Nirn. This led Askuna to suspect that, somehow, the only things that remained with the merchant were his race, which bizarrely was now located in Yggdrasil lore, and the Skyrim crafting materials could be found in their homeland.  'Well,' thought Askuna, 'the instruction list did mention something about disconnecting the lore from the Elder Scrolls franchise. Maybe this is what it meant.' Upon learning the prices of Skyrim materials and items, Askuna wasn't surprised to find that they were relatively inexpensive compared to other powerful items he had seen in the stock. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but notice that they were a steal compared to his last sale. It's worth noting that ebony and Daedric armaments were the most expensive Skyrim items, comparable in price to adamantite. Despite this, the merchant's selection still impressed Askuna. While there weren't many rare items available, most of the items were High-Class tier, with only a few better oddities in the higher price ranges.  Askuna was particularly impressed with the selection of ores and ingots, so he purchased one of each, along with several unenchanted armours and weapons made from those materials. He planned to enchant them himself in the near future. After purchasing some enchanted items with the hope of learning them through disenchantment, Askuna's attention was drawn to the only divine item in the merchant's possession: the Horn of the Underworld. Supposedly, the horn would provide a boost to allies while causing negative effects to enemies in a certain area. Askuna was impressed to find that the horn was self-recharging, with a cool-down period of only five minutes. Lastly, Askuna turned his attention to the merchant's collection of spells. Though disappointed with the limited selection, Askuna purchased what he could and inquired about the possibility of more spells being available in the future. After the satisfying sale, the merchant said to Askuna "Mortal, this sale was most satisfying", before disappearing into his realm. Askuna quickly turned his attention to the spells he had just acquired.  The spells he had just purchased ranged from the first to the sixth tier of Yggdrasil magic. Askuna planned to throw the spells at J'zargo, confident that the smart Khajit would be able to figure them out. However, when Askuna arrived at the bedroom, the Khajit was still sleeping soundly, and as he didn't have access to any forge around, so he decided to focus on disenchanting for the time being. Askuna arrived at the enchanter and just placed a random recently acquired item there. Rest was a blur of motions, and some complicated magic, where he frankly had no idea what he was doing. But that didn't matter - when he stopped questioning the process, he found that he could perform the disenchanting perfectly. Consequently, in some magical process, the mumbo-jumbo of information poured into his brain and somehow reassembled in a way that allowed him instantly become able to apply the enchantment on the compatible armament.  Incidentally, Askuna was not able to dissect all of the enchantments he had encountered. Some items just seemed unique for some unknown reason, much like the Skyrim items.  He had no way to appraise the items, and he didn't bother to ask the merchant for the names of all of the items, aside from special ones like the divine item, Horn of the Underworld. With the ability to trade Yggdrasil items, Askuna felt that he could almost certainly join Momonga at this point and maybe even become a Supreme Being. But he didn't want that. He felt that he had a chance for so much more. Now, the hard part was testing the ingredients. The best way to do that was by eating them, but Askuna didn't fancy that. He could combine them blindly, which might give him intuitive knowledge about the ingredients, but he decided to try the Oghma Infinium instead. If the Merchant was disconnected from the Elder Scrolls franchise, then maybe the knowledge within the Oghma Infinium would also pertain to Yggdrasil. With that in mind, Askuna relaxed in his chair and began to explore the boundaries of knowledge contained within the eldritch book. …....................  "Askuna," J'zargo called out, "Askuna!" Startled, Askuna jumped up from his sitting position. "What?" Askuna asked, surprised that J'zargo was already awake. "J'zargo has been observing you for the past hour," the Khajiit said, "staring at the book without pause, not reacting to J'zargo or anything." It was only then that Askuna noticed that it was already dark outside and the torches in his hut were lit. 'How did they not burn the walls?' he mused to himself. "J'zargo thought to ask if everything is alright," the Khajiit explained. Oh, thanks J'zargo. This book seems to be cursed, entrapping someone in endless knowledge. I'm sorry, it may have taken hold of me," - explained himself Askuna while rubbing his head instinctively, but what he found was a daedric helmet instead.  “Endless knowledge? I see... wouldn’t you like to share the book with J’zargo?” - asked J’zargo, only a little maniacally.  “Sure, I have a copy, it was created by Hermeus Mora, just so you know.” - Askuna took out the second book and tossed it to J’zargo.  "Oh, that is quite dangerous then. J'zargo will embark on studying it only with the most protected mind," said J'zargo before stuffing it...nowhere, as he had no pockets. Then he asked Askuna, "Ah, would you mind storing it for J'zargo, for now?" "Sure, buddy," replied Askuna as he took both books back into his inventory. He then prepared the spells to detect life in his right hand and detect dead in his left hand. "Let me check if there are any entities in the vicinity," Askuna cast both spells. J’zargo appeared as an ally in blue on the detect life spell, and Askuna noticed some birds and moths flying around the lit torches in the house, but there didn't seem to be any greater threats in the vicinity. As he thought about it, Askuna sniffed the air and used his vampiric and werewolf senses, which only registered one prey - J'zargo. 'Scary,' he thought to himself, then spoke to J'zargo. “Yes... about what we have spoken about before. We need to reach the capital as fast as possible, where lies a genius princess whose mind we need to employ, and who will work with us if we also kidnap... her knight. ", started Askuna awkwardly. Then he continued, "Right after that, we need to disappear as fast as possible, which, with our gear and two additional sneak rings for the girl and boy, should prove trivial." Askuna paused and added, "Then we need to, in nine or ten days, somehow find a hideout of bandits on the road between two cities, and somewhere close to it intercept powerful individuals to take care of their artefact... dress, which..." he trailed off, his words becoming jumbled. J’zargo nodded and interrupted, “Which J'zargo will wear and use to take control of the powerful vampire.” he said, then added, “J’zargo somehow doubts that you are a good tactician.”  Askuna shrugged off J'zargo's comment and replied, “I'm not, I wanted to come here with the Staff of Magnus and see how I failed.” Khajit then asked, "And how do you plan to convince this princess to come with us, and why wouldn't you just control the vampire first?" “Hmm, good question. For the first part, I have no idea beyond just kidnapping her and then explaining our situation. As for the second part, we need the princess's help to come up with a good plan to subdue the vampire?" said not surely Askuna, his thoughts jumbled. J’zargo shook his head, "J’zargo's opinion of you has worsened. You are a terrible tactician." “Thanks, man. Anything else to say?” inquired Askuna, half-sarcastically and half-seriously. “In fact, yes, J’zargo does have something else to say. The vampire you mentioned being immensely powerful. How do you plan to hold it down in place when J’zargo uses his attack on it?”, prompted J’zargo. “Hmm, good question. One way would be to sneak up on it, but I'm not sure if our sneak is good enough or if it will stay in place if we startle it...her," mused Askuna, tipping his chin with a finger. “Anyway, I’ll try to upgrade enhancements on the new armour I bought, as it may have better capabilities than mine if I upgrade it a little in some forge," said Askuna, then he suggested to Khajit, "while you could in the meantime test out your magic and armour." Proceeding to the alchemical table, the first thing Askuna did was try to replicate another version of the fortify loop that uses interchangeably fortify enchanting potion to build fortify alchemy apparel, to build fortify enchanting potion. After the transition, the fortify restoration potion didn’t seem to increase the strength of his enhancements, so he would have to do it the old way. It was quite tedious as he would have to enchant the entire armour, ten rings, and several necklaces with the same enchantment of fortify potions before he could proceed. He didn't have any pre-made armour with his smithing skills, but he had bought some random pieces from the merchant and had previously created a surplus of rings and necklaces. It seemed he could still wear ten rings and ten necklaces, which was the same amount he had worn during the glitch when he transmigrated. He regretted not equipping more of them back then. However, they were already quite stuffed under his armour, so it was probably for the best. Otherwise, he might have suffered a chest cave-in upon arrival or some of them would have been destroyed. After the whole ordeal, he did manage to multiply the strength of his alchemical enchantment several-fold, as all of them were on the same level as the previous ones. However, after creating several more enchanting potions, the whole ordeal seemed to have diminishing returns, as they were only slightly better than the previous ones. "Slightly better is still better," shrugged Askuna. Who knows, maybe if he secured more ingredients and spent more time on it, those diminishing returns would eventually equal twice the initial boost. Having even a 1.2 increase in his enchantments would make a qualitative difference at the higher tier, especially if all of those enchantments could be classified in the divine tier. He used 'detect life' to see J’zargo outside, probably flinging fireballs or other destructive spells without care for magicka usage, now that he could. "Or using highly dangerous spells that he doesn’t feel repercussions from because of immense protection from his armour," mused Askuna while frowning. "Meh, let him have his fun. Maybe he will teach me magic later, so I can also use my high reserves... from items," decided Askuna before choosing the best available armours with his knowledge of smithing. He selected those he could upgrade later on with the ingots of materials he had bought He used 'detect life' to see J’zargo outside, probably flinging fireballs or other destructive spells without care for magicka usage, now that he could. "Or using highly dangerous spells that he doesn’t feel repercussions from because of immense protection from his armour," mused Askuna while frowning. "Meh, let him have his fun. Maybe he will teach me magic later, so I can also use my high reserves" decided Askuna before choosing the best available armours with his knowledge of smithing. He selected those he could upgrade later on with the ingots of materials he had bought. And he had no idea which ingot corresponded to which material. Something told him he would intuitively know when it came to working on it in the forge, but he had no way to judge them now or even how good they were, aside from the price he paid when buying them, which he had also forgotten... incidentally. There were probably methods smiths used to test materials or even some form of identifying magic, but he didn’t know them. So he went with what little he remembered when buying them and added the enchantments to the armours. After finishing all his preparations, Askuna stepped outside to find a large crater of destruction tens of meters away from him and a small fire still burning. "Yeah... let me see if I can pack something into my inventory," he muttered to himself. First, he tried the entire house, which was a bust. Then he tried the alchemical and enchanting stations, and luckily, they did fit. He glanced around, but he didn't find anything else of importance, so he shrugged and left the house. As he walked towards J’zargo, he could see that he was still channelling a highly destructive area-effect fire magical storm. "So, how's it going buddy?" Askuna asked J’zargo. J’zargo straightened from his Super Saiyan pose and looked at Askuna, still channelling the magic around him. He noted that it had no effect whatsoever on Askuna and was absorbed in blue wisps into him. "J’zargo feels unlimited power!... and mastering destruction magic shouldn't take long," He said, and Askuna could tell by the tone of his voice and the way he spoke that J'zargo was grinning behind his helmet. 'What a mad cat', joked Askuna in his head, then he spoke. “Cool, we need to find the capital of the city, the armour you have on should make you able to not tire at all, so I propose we just run until we find some road, then settlement and ask some questions there, while we cast invisibility spells.” - suggested Askuna.  "What a mad cat," joked Askuna to himself, and then he spoke aloud. "Cool, we need to find the capital. The armour you're wearing should make it so you won't tire at all. So, I propose we just run until we find a road, then a settlement and ask some questions there while we cast invisibility spells," suggested Askuna. "Fine idea, but J’zargo doesn't know the invisibility spell," J’zargo shook his head. In response, Askuna rummaged through his inventory, mentally checking his books. "Lightning? No. Fire? No. Ahh, Illusion!" he exclaimed, taking out the book and tossing it to Khajit. "Learn it. I'll keep casting it for us, so you can observe how it works." J’zargo agreed, watching carefully as Askuna performed the spell with one hand and then with two. He read up on the theory of invisibility and began practising the spell himself, repeating it over and over until he felt confident. Meanwhile, Askuna struggled to understand the novice book of sparks, making little progress. For an hour, they worked in silence, both focused on their respective tasks. Eventually, Askuna asked Khajit to explain how he was casting the spell. Khajit talked about intent, visualization, concentration, and other concepts that sounded like something out of an anime Shonen logic. He didn’t understand any of it, so he switched one hand for a telekinesis spell. It was quite different from other spells, as other spells had a single cast or continuous effect, whereas telekinesis allowed you to continuously invoke the magic to do your bidding. In some magical worlds, such as in the world of Overlord, such magic would be considered system-breaking, as mastering it would give a level of growth beyond the usual levels, tiers, and limits of the system. It was the same as allowing simple mana manipulation, which would completely disrupt the balance of the world. Askuna couldn't help but wonder about the limitations of magic and the systems that govern it. What would that entail? Imagine a level 100 character who can no longer learn any new spells or advance to higher levels due to some cap, or perhaps a lower-level character who faces barriers every few levels that require some inhuman feat or grinding to overcome. Now, imagine that this individual learns how to control the mana around them or master an element like fire or lightning. They could strictly progress their power with it without advancing any spells. Alternatively, they could create a spell with a certain limit of progression, beyond which one cannot climb using the framework of the spell. This would prevent the kind of system-breaking growth that would throw off the balance of the world. It's a timeless question that can be adapted to any system, such as whether a battle healer can use their immense mana regeneration to constantly destroy and heal their body, or whether one can strengthen themselves with ki or mana manipulation. Can one use chakra to store it by condensing it, or use it in their bodies, or maybe control it as a whirlpool around them?  ‘Seeking exploits and growth skills of any system is what we humans do, so now the question is how much can I do with the spell of telekinesis? Can I learn how to fly with it, and then make others fly and then stop them with force in place and so on and on?’ - thought Askuna to himself.  ‘Or is there some hard limit, upon which the spell will be used with the maximum power it can, or maybe my mind will be overloaded with sensation? Then why not push boundaries in some other way, by potions, developing artificial hive minds, or...’ - Askuna was nudged in the shoulder by a suddenly appearing hairy hand. “Oh, sorry, I have fallen into a stream of thoughts. Have you finished learning the spell?” Askuna questioned the Khajit. In response, J’zargo performed the spell, and a slight glimmer of a translucent veil covered the spot he was in, making him practically invisible to anyone who wasn't actively looking for him. “J’zargo wonders now, if you are using some moon sugar and care to share it, or are just easily scatter-minded because J’zargo finished fifteen minutes ago, and was waiting for you to realize it,” J’zargo remarked. 'Oh,' exclaimed Askuna jovially, and added, "I appreciate your comment, J’zargo, but I must disappoint you as I do not use any such substance." Then he remembered that he could buy items from the Abyssal Merchant and said, "But there may be a way to create it later, dunno, will see." J'zargo's ears perked up, and he replied, "J'zargo is pleased and thankful for receiving some hope." "Right, say, do you think you will be able to learn telekinesis just as fast and then we'll figure out how to fly?" asked Askuna, taking out the Oghma Infinium and the Telekinesis book and levitating them before J'zargo. "J’zargo can try," he responded. As before, Askuna tested the limits of his telekinetic skills by quickly combining his intuition for casting the spell with practical application. He rapidly progressed to being able to pull up and control four objects with dual casting. But that was his limit. He couldn't lift objects that were too big, including J'zargo, and when he tried to use the spell on himself, it self-absorbed. Then he tried to use it on his armour and was surprised that it worked, but it felt quite weird to fling himself to his hands all the time. Basically, he had to strike the Superman pose, where his armour would go chasing his hands, in order to fly. His gauntlets had Resist Magic, so he couldn’t pull them, but he could do the same for boots and helmet which simplified his usage.  Askuna eagerly shared his newfound knowledge with J’zargo, and couldn't help but notice how the power of unlimited magicka and the lack of concern for injury made him increasingly bold in his attempts to learn the spell, where he would just botch it up, try again, explode something between his hands, and try again. He would likely swiftly master all other spells Askuna had in the same manner, so that was a plus. Perhaps he would upgrade them in the future. Regardless, Askuna had plans for Shalltear. He had some potent potions of the fortify illusion, destruction, restoration, and alteration at his disposal. His first course of action would be to drink a potion of alteration and try to paralyze her. If that failed, he would drink a potion of illusion on her and hope that the Calm spell would not be counted as brainwashing, although it probably would be. If the previous attempts fail, he will resort to weakening Shalltear with a banish undead spell before trying to subdue her with telekinesis on her armour. Then, he will launch himself at her like a cannonball with telekinesis and strike her with his shield. As a last resort, he will slay her. Some paranoid voice in his head tells him to be ready in case J'zargo tries to use this ability on him, however unlikely it is.  Several hours later, after they became proficient in semi-flying, they soared into the sky and cast an invisibility spell with one hand, choosing the direction of the nearest city. While the speed of their flight wasn't exceptional, the unlimited magicka made it effortless to maintain their concentration. It was certainly easy for him, and when he asked J’zargo, he also said that it was quite simple, so Askuna didn't dwell on it. The biggest concern was boredom. Sure, he was flying in the sky, but after several minutes, the novelty wore off, and he had to focus on extending his hands to the right position and adjusting them occasionally. Despite being invisible, they could still hear each other, but Askuna also relied on his other senses to keep track of J’zargo, occasionally using Detect Life when needed. It took him a while to reach the medium-sized city, and they eventually landed in the town square. It was mid-morning, so there were a few people around. Maintaining his invisibility, Askuna began to cast the Harmony spell, a master-level illusion spell that would make everyone in the vicinity less responsive to violence, suspicion, or negativity. After performing a bizarre dance required during master-level casting, a huge explosion with a harmonious bell chime reverberated through the entire square. ‘Only one person resisted the spell, so that's J’zargo, as he was probably around 300 in Skyrim level due to his power levelling with me, which made him quite resistant to these sorts of spells or it could also be due to conversion of levels limitations or resistances in the New World or whatever,’ mused Askuna to himself as he strolled over to the first person in sight. From the corner of his eye, he saw people starting to run in their direction, attracted by the light from the explosion. Therefore, he did the only logical thing he could think of and cast Harmony again. Then, more people arrived, so he cast Harmony for the third time, and then the fourth. J’zargo couldn't help but comment, “J’zargo now fears for the integrity of your whole plan, if that is an exposition of your strategic thinking.” “No, that is only an example of what to avoid in the future,” retorted Askuna. “How about we enter through the front gate next time?” suggested J’zargo. “Ooo’kay, for sure we will.” responded Askuna, then turned to the first passerby he saw and asked, “Excuse me, could you tell me the name of this beautiful city?” “E-Libera,” answered the passerby. “Thank you, and which way leads to the capital of the kingdom?” asked Askuna. “Re-Esize is to the west,” replied the passerby. “...Which way is west?” asked a slightly embarrassed Askuna. “...Are you a moron?” asked the passerby incredulously. Askuna recast his spell and went to the second person, asking the same questions. This time, the last answer was different. “Go that way to the west gate and follow the main road," the passer-by number two pointed out. When passer-by number three confirmed the direction, Askuna cast Harmony for the last time and reapplied invisibility before flying there with J’zargo. After several minutes, J’zargo mentioned, “J’zargo wonders if he should do the talking and handle the approach next time.” “Sure, buddy, it’s all yours,” answered Askuna, before throwing a fireball at J’zargo’s helmet. After, five minutes their childish exuberance of an impromptu tag game surely ended, for sure. 

They arrived in the capital that evening with little regard for proper protocol, flying straight to the castle without introducing themselves or seeking permission. As they began to land in the courtyard, an alarm suddenly rang out, causing Askuna to startle. 'Did they have any measures to detect invisible intruders, or did we get spotted by some patrolling mage?' he pondered to himself. Despite his concerns, he remained confident that the kingdom's magical defences were lacking. But then, the story is presented from the perspective of Ainz Ooal Gown's perspective, so it's possible that the castle was marginally protected by something that could have detected their approach. Alternatively, it could have been the aura of their enchanted items or magical energy that gave them away, or perhaps a message from another town had alerted the castle to their presence. Honestly, he had no idea. Askuna and J'zargo stood outside the castle, scanning the walls for a potential entry point. After a few seconds of searching, they spotted an open window on the fifth floor. It looked like their best bet for a covert entry, but they would have to be careful. Both mages reached into their bags and retrieved their sneak rings. As they slipped them on, faint energy enveloped them, and they felt themselves slipping into the shadows. With their sneak rings activated, they quietly made their way up the wall and through the open window. They landed softly on the floor inside the room and looked around. It seemed to be a study, with a few bookshelves and a desk cluttered with papers and quills. As they stood in the study, Askuna cast Detect Life to survey the area, hoping to sense any nearby threats. Startingly, he couldn't sense anyone nearby, not even J'zargo. This was a sobering realization - J'zargo's sneak ring was so powerful that it could conceal him even from Askuna's heightened perception. 'Dangerous,' thought Askuna, his paranoid mind ringing alarm bells. After recognizing the threat posed by J'zargo's ring, Askuna determined that he needed to obtain or enchant an item to augment his perception. Having previously cast Detect Life and sensed no one in the vicinity of the hallways or connected rooms, Askuna approached the doors without crouching. With the sneak ring activated, he knew it was working as if he was already in stealth mode. Even without the aid of invisibility, the ring seemed to distort reality, concealing its user from the perception of others. As Askuna made his way to the doors, however, before he reached the doors, they opened by themselves. Askuna could only spot it because he just so happened to be staring at them, but for some reason, he felt the urge to look away and act as if it was completely normal. "Definitely dangerous," his mind supplied again. He stopped channelling power to his ring and said, "Okay, this is too ridiculous. We can't even see each other, and there's no one around." But nothing happened - the doors simply closed. Askuna's eye twitched in frustration. 'The fucker's toying with me,' he thought, but quickly reconsidered 'If I entertain him, he may do it again and become an immense pain in the ass.' Therefore, he just walked up to the doors nonchalantly, and as he passed through the corridor, he applied invisibility when he neared the presences he was sensing. As he drew closer through the hallway, he encountered two maids jogging, escorted by a guard. He passed them through and as he walked through the castle, Askuna saw some guards moving from one place to another. He was fairly certain that J'zargo could see a small haze from his invisibility and was following him closely. "Okay, it's not fun," a voice next to him supplied. Say what you can, but in that instant Askuna’s half-undead heart jumped to his throat, but he quickly composed himself, grateful for the helmet covering his face. "Sure, let's try that room next." They moved on according to the simple pattern. Basically, in the corridors, they used only invisibility, but upon reaching the rooms, they activated their rings to conceal the opening and closing of doors as they scouted inside. In one of the rooms, they finally found someone who isn't a staff. Unluckily it wasn’t Renner, but her oldest brother, who was doing questionable things with a maid. They just ignored it and left, or Askuna left, he didn’t know what J’zargo does. They continued the game of scooping through the palace, there were some conversations about intruders, an alarm made by one magician, etc. He didn’t care. Seeing with detect life, that J’zargo is next to him, they turned on the corner and spotted armoured Climb watching viligantly both sides of the corridor. In one of the rooms, they finally found someone who wasn't staff. Unfortunately, it wasn't Renner, but rather her older brother who was engaged in questionable activities with a maid. Askuna and J'zargo simply ignored it and left the room, though Askuna wasn't sure what J'zargo did. They continued their game of espionage throughout the palace, overhearing conversations about intruders and alarms set off by magicians. Askuna didn't care much about the details, instead relying on his Detect Life spell to ensure they wouldn't be caught off guard. Finally, as they turned a corner, they spotted Climb, fully armoured and standing watch with vigilant eyes scanning both sides of the corridor. ‘Perfect,’ he thought, as he prepared to cast a harmony spell. But then, without warning: Suddenly, ‘Ding, ding, ding, ding!’ He felt a blunt force applied to his neck and hamstring before a tanto slashed at his neck, which did absolutely nothing to him. Before he could react, he was kicked in the face. Then groin. And as a crescendo, there was an attempted leg sweep. None of the attacks pushed him, and he stood his ground as the twin assassin sisters positioned themselves before him, each wielding double tanto. Noticing the shaky leg of the one who had kicked him, Askuna thought, "Probably heavy armour's damage reflection perk." As for how they were detected, it was most likely the work of Evil Eye or the twins. However, before he could ponder longer, now that he was actually in the heat of battle, his instincts somehow awakened, his beast bloodline and warrior training kicked in, prompting him to twist his torso just in time to avoid a large icicle that had flown through the window and was headed straight for his head. Nice instinct, but unnecessary,' he thought, watching with satisfaction, how the icicle pretty much disintegrated upon hitting J'zargo. Their armours had significant magical and elemental resistances. Even if only Askuna had spell absorption, J’zargo should be pretty safe from most if not all magic. 'I could use harmony magic now, but where's the fun in that?' Askuna decided to risk it and underestimate his enemy. It was not advisable, but he had a whim to indulge. Therefore, he said to J’zargo, “Don’t punch them, or you will kill them by mistake. Everything else is allowed.” Seeing the two assassins visibly recoil at his words, he prepared a telekinesis spell and focused it on Evil Eye's robes, flinging her from the air and slamming her into the wall. Just as Evil Eye collided with the wall, Lakyus exited the room and instructed Climb to protect Renner and escort her somewhere safe. Climb being Climb quickly took the hand of an approaching princess and both of them started to flee. Lakyus immediately tried to jump into the fray, sending her flying swords at Askuna and J'zargo. To which Askuna stepped forward and used his Thu'um, shouting “Fus Ro!”, which made the assassins fly back a little and caused everyone in its path to stumble, especially Climb and Renner. The swords were also disrupted from the air. As any good gamer capitalizing on the stun, Askuna repeated the shout, overusing its zero cooldown and sending two orbs of paralysis flying towards Renner and Climb. One bolt was intercepted by Lakyus, neutralizing it with her sword, while the second was met by the self-sacrifice of Climb, who took the hit with a heroic jive. He fell to the ground like a rock, but his act of protection proved a lifesaver for his beloved princess Renner. “Climb!”, Renner shouted, staying by Climb’s side, staring at his unmoving form. In the meantime, Lakyus sent her swords shooting at us as she ran to Climb and started trying various spells to heal him. She tried Heal, Mind Protection, and then some variant of protection against curses, which seemed to finally work. But Askuna wasn't idle; he was sending paralysis at the twins, who were dodging, while J’zargo was trying to throw bigger and bigger fireballs at them and toying telekinetically with Evil Eye. The ground started to tremble a bit, and suddenly, a strong unfeminine roar followed by heavy stomps filled the room. Askuna turned around, ignoring the kunai that struck him in the back of his head, and extended his arm to catch the big-ass Warhammer cantering towards his head. 'CLANG!' echoed through the hallway as dust rose from the ground. The warhammer stopped dead in its tracks on Askuna's palm, who then extended his hand with paralysis towards Gagaran. Gagaran's eyes widened in surprise when her hammer had no effect whatsoever, but she swiftly extended her leg to kick his hand off trajectory. No such luck, paralysis hit her... and the kick continued unobstructed towards his face, doing absolutely nothing. "Huh, so normal paralysis doesn't work on her," he muttered before trying some fireballs, ignoring echoes of some other spell impacting his back. Gagaran tanked his fireballs and went on trying to maul him with her hammer, yet it was useless, and by the fifth hit, Askuna's perk worked, and Gagaran recoiled in a wince and stumble when the damage was reflected to her. In the meantime, Lakyus had finally made her way back to the fight and joined in, sending her swords flying towards Askuna and J'zargo. Askuna simply ignored them, like a buzzing fly... scratch that, he hates flies. And he knows exactly what to do with them. With a simple flick of his wrist, the swords were knocked out of the air and clattered to the ground. “Is that all you got?” he taunted, cackling wickedly. J'zargo, not wanting to be left out, added a barrage of lightning bolts to the mix, crackling and flashing around the group. Seeing Gagarn about to charge forward with her warhammer, Askuna had other plans for her. With a flick of his wrist, he used telekinesis to lift her armour and hammer, aiming to shoot her to intercept Renner and Climb from running away. "Whee, let's play catch!" he exclaimed. However, as he looked ahead, he realized they were too far away. 'No matter,' he thought, holding Gagaran above his head and shouting "Wuld" three times in succession. The shout triggered Whirlwind Sprint, propelling him forward at incredible speeds, which he further boosted with telekinesis, and shooting past all of the blue roses to the retreating pair. "Hey, wait up!" he shouted as he sped by them, then without a warning, he launched Gagaran at Climb, propelled by a shout of "Fus Ro," making her fly even faster. And slightly at Renner... ‘Ouch’ - winced Askuna. What happened next was a mistake on his part. Young Climb did his best to shield Renner with his body, and Gagaran roared “Nooo!!!” at the top of her lungs, trying to manoeuvre in such a way that she wouldn't hit Renner. But it was too late. The 150-kilo giant slammed into Climb and grazed Renner, falling on them both with a sickening crunch. Askuna immediately rushed to the pair, using "Wuld" to reach them faster and created a healing circle followed by Healing Hands on each of them. That seemed to stabilize them, but Gagaran was already getting up, also healed by the circle, so he just did the full package on her “Fus Ro Dah!” making her ragdoll while her companions far behind stumbled. Yet Lakyus regained her composure and caught Gagaran as if it was a small puppy and positioned her near her. In the background he could see J’zargo going berserk with a flame cloak, thunder and ice spears sending them left and right. Lakyus decided to run in my direction, preferably to take back my presumable hostages. As Lakyus approached, Askuna put on his best innocent pose, showing his free hands in a jesting manner. "Oh, these two? They're not my hostages, I swear," he said, chuckling. Lakyus didn't buy his bullshit and drew her cursed sword. "Let them go!." "Is that a challenge?" Askuna replied cheekily, "Bring it on!" And with that, Lakyus charged at Askuna, while Askuna thought. 'If I don't use this shout now, I'll probably never get the chance because it is too weak.' Therefore, half a second before she reached him, Askuna tried to use Liz to freeze her solid, but he felt something hit his leg. Turning around, he heard a loud 'Ding,' the sound of a sword impacting his chest, but he ignored it and the subsequent strikes. Instead, he looked below him. It was Climb, kicking him from behind and then attempting to tackle his legs. But it was entirely pointless. So, he just looked at Climb and said "Fus," sending him flying two meters back and impacting the floor with his face. He could hear another shout of Renner for Climb, but when he turned his head, a cursed blade struck at his face with immense force. His head tilted around a centimetre, before he lamented internally that he doesn't have enough good shouts and just said “Liz.”, making Lakyus fall frozen in ice, which coincidently made the ice break and freed her, so he repeated it when she was on the ground. "Hey, that's cheating!" Lakyus shouted from her icy prison. "Hey, it's called being resourceful," Askuna replied with a smirk. But, no, she broke again after a second, so it must have been her strength or resistance that broke it, nevertheless, he just repeated three times the same word, each making her more covered by ice. But despite the increased ice cover on Lakyus, she broke free once again, prompting Askuna to let out a sigh of frustration. "Tough cookie, aren't you?" he muttered, ignoring the indignant wail from her. Now Gagaran, seeing her comrade in danger, shouted "Lakyus!" and charged at Askuna with her hammer glowing and using martial arts to boost her abilities, turning her into a blur. For Askuna, Gagaran's attack came at quite a fast speed. Probably without armour, he could have been injured, as he couldn’t even raise a hand fast enough to defend himself. Nonetheless, when Gagaran struck his arm, he barely moved, which created quite an air pressure. "Sorry, not today," Askuna taunted. Unluckily for Gagaran, Askuna's physical reflection triggered again, causing her to spew blood from her mouth and eyes before falling onto her back. As Gagaran fell, Askuna turned his attention back to Lakyus, who was now encased in a thick layer of ice and unable to escape. As a safety measure, he shouted "Liz" again. "Hmm, I suppose that will have to do," he said before turning his attention to Renner, who was sitting ‘scared’ up the wall and asking, “Yo, sorry for that tumble you had a second ago. Were you healed alright?" Renner tilted her head, making Askuna think, ‘she must have deduced that since I healed her, I’m not going to kill her, moreover, I also healed Climb, which doesn’t make sense, for a typical kidnapper. Also from an outsider's perspective, it is as if I’m toying with Blue Roses, therefore she probably is confused about my motives.’ Renner answered invoking a semi-trembling voice, “Yes, but I would like you to stop harming others.” Askuna replied, “Meh your performance is 3 out of 10, anyway I can’t do that as I want to kidnap you and Climb, yet those girls are in my way.” Lakyus broke free from the ice, while Gagaran took long, wheezing breaths as if coming back to life. Askuna ignored them and focused on Renner's answer. "I see. Is there anything specific you require of us?" Renner asked him, still acting scared and speaking in that high-pitched voice that could make one deaf. "I need your strategic mind. That's why I'm kidnapping you," he gestured with a finger at her, then at Climb who had just gotten up. "And as I need you to be happy and cooperative, I'm bringing him along." Oh, is that genuine surprise on her face, even for just a second? Askuna mused, ignoring everything else and focusing all of his attention on Renner. "Then wouldn't it be better to approach diplomatically?" she inquired, gesturing around the room as if admonishing him. Then, with a pouting expression, she informed him in a condescending tone, "Look how much trouble you have caused!" "J'zargo told you!" suddenly shouted the Khajit, more annoying than ever, as he saw that his opponents were pretty much on their last legs. Everyone turned to look at Askuna, but he only had eyes for Renner. "No, you are not safe here anymore," he said, making her contemplative. But before she could respond, Gagaran shouted in his ear, "Hey, what do you mean by that?" Askuna turned to her and replied, "Fus Ro Dah!" Gagaran had already started dodging at the sound of "Fus," but it wasn't enough to avoid being sent flying along with Lakyus, who was nearby. They landed far away where J'zargo was slowly coming back to reality from his berserk state. Askuna then turned his attention back to Renner and asked, "So, what will it be?" She sighed and rubbed her temple with one hand while her chin with the other, then asked, "Still, wouldn't it be better to talk it out peacefully in the room?" Askuna shrugged and replied, "Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately for you, I could have decimated those girls the first second we met, but I tried to restrict myself to non-lethal and non-maiming measures," but at the sight of her glare, he turned his head guiltily and added quietly, "and to have some fun." Renner giggled, almost cutely. If Askuna didn't know her true personality, he might have fallen for her trap. However, after chuckling, she turned to the boy on Askuna's left and said, "Climb, don't resist. We're going with them." "But Lady--" Climb tried to protest. "Climb!" she ordered him, then turned to Blue Roses, who groaned at another session of getting up from the floor, and spoke up louder, "Lakyus, I'm sorry we didn't finish our tea." At that point, Askuna was already ending the casting of the harmony spell, which enveloped them all. As he finished, he mused to himself, "Two people resisted, probably J'zargo and... I bet Evil Eye." Lakyus, realizing that she couldn't fight, sent a complicated gaze towards Renner and said, "Renner, I-". However, she was cut off as Renner shook her head and commanded, "No," then added softly, "they are too strong. You know that they were not serious. Anyway, Blue Rose, please stay safe, and until our next meeting." "Evil Leader, stop her," said one of the twins to Lakyus, who looked conflicted as she glanced between Askuna and J'zargo, who was coming up behind them. After a moment, she shook her head and said, "Go. We will tell your father." As he pondered his next move, Askuna considered his earlier plan to give Climb and Renner the Rings of Sneaking to accompany him and potentially avoid further conflict. However, now that he realized he might not be able to detect them while wearing the rings, the plan could result in Renner and Climb disappearing forever. Anyways, refocusing on the world around him, he exclaimed, "Eh, actually, I came here to rob a treasury of sacred treasures and whatnot. Can someone point me in the right direction?" Everyone stared at him, so he asked, "What?" “J’zargo knew you are a terrible strategist, but now he knows you are even worse at diplomacy.”, J’zargo shook his head. “...” - Askuna fell silent and dropped his head, but then after a second he asked Renner, “So, where is the treasury?” Renner's response was a wordless stare before she turned and started walking away. "J'zargo is quite hungry, actually," his companion mentioned offhandedly. "Well then, head to the kitchen and grab some provisions. Use telekinesis to help yourself, and I'll store them for later," replied Askuna as he began walking, with J'zargo disappearing from everyone's perception. As everyone was still surprised by J'zargo's sudden disappearance, Askuna took a couple of steps forward but stumbled and fell to the ground, muttering "Fucker." Renner paused and looked at Askuna incredulously, to which he responded with a deadpan expression, "..." Quickly getting up and brushing himself off, Askuna continued on, ignoring his previous stumble. In the meantime, Blue Roses and Evil Eye, being unable to fight, decided to rest on the ground. Climb walked alongside Renner and Askuna, stealing nervous glances at the latter. "You'd like armour like mine, Climb?" asked Askuna, making the young man quite embarrassed. Climb stammered incoherently, not sure of what to say. Renner looked at her loyal knight and decided to tease him a bit, "Climb, I think you would look quite manly in armour like that." "I..., Lady Re-" Climb began to respond, Askuna's actions cut Climb off, as hearing the sound of Blue Roses pursuing them again, Askuna quickly recast the harmony spell, causing their pursuers to come to a halt once more. It appeared that Evil Eye had run out of mana as she was now running alongside them. Thinking she was clever by faking being under the spell, Askuna told her betting he is right, "Evil Eye, I know you are not affected." “Evil Eye, can you do something about it?”, asked Lakyus stoically gesturing at themselves, as she was under the effects of the spell. Evil Eye shook her head and replied, "No, I don't have any more mana. Moreover, it seems as though that man can cast it over and over again, so it would be swiftly reapplied." Under the spell's effects, Lakyus couldn't muster any anger and simply replied, "Oh well." The group then sat down on the ground to rest. As they walked, it appeared that Renner was fishing for information from Askuna. "Seeing that you will require my assistance in the future, how should I address you, sir knight?" she asked. "Askuna. And by the way, I'm not a knight." then he thought about something and asked, "Was there anything in your room that you wanted to take with you?" Askuna inquired, intrigued by the possibility of the monster hiding anything there Renner hummed for a moment before responding, "If it wouldn't be a problem, I would like to visit my room for a second and retrieve my clothes and other belongings." "Hide any incriminating items and evidence, I got it," answered Askuna casually. They were now quite far from Blue Roses, though there seemed to be some soldiers on their way to them. She gasped and pretended to be embarrassed, then admonished Askuna, “Mr Askuna, it is not appropriate to talk to a lady that way.” She then caught the arm of her "puppy knight" and said, “Tell him, Climb!” “Sir, it is not-” Climb, as a dutiful drone, began word for word repeating what he was supposed to say, but Askuna rolled his eyes and didn't care. He reactivated his harmony spell, knowing that he would have to figure out a way to hold them indefinitely at some point. Previously, trading was kind of annoying, but having to perform this stupid dance every time was even more so. After casting his spell, Askuna shrugged and replied, “I don’t see the puppy you do, but whatever. Your choice. You're useful, so whatever you want, as long as it's not too inconvenient, you can have it.” Suddenly, Renner jumped at Climb and dramatically held her head, “Ah! Climb, he bullies me, help me!” Climb was taken aback and didn't know what to do with his hands, so he settled for glaring at Askuna menacingly. For a brief moment, Askuna caught a glimpse of Renner's cold gaze directed at him, but it quickly dissipated like an illusion. "I saw that. You're not fast enough. And go faster," he called her out, snorting and gesturing impatiently with his hand to quicken the pace. Renner pouted while Climb looked at him with barely concealed hostility, suppressed by the effects of the harmony spell. The tens of guards around them let them pass, completely under the influence of the spell and not understanding what was happening. They arrived at the gates of the treasury, and Askuna observed a massive closed door. He didn't bother to search for a key, instead taking a random lockpick from his inventory and trying his luck. 'It can't be that hard, right?' he mused to himself before a loud snap was heard. It was his lockpick breaking, and he cursed under his breath. 'Five levels till unbreakable lockpicks perk, why, God, why?” lamented Askuna, realizing that not having that perk may have been one of the biggest mistakes of his life. After trying and breaking twenty lock picks, he gave up and simply punched the door. He wasn't at all surprised when it exploded where he punched it, sending shrapnel flying everywhere. He then kicked it below the hole, and the entire door fell off its hinges and crashed forward. "I'll do better at the Slane Theocracy treasury," vowed Askuna to himself before recasting the harmony spell and walking inside. The treasury was filled with piles of gold, gems, paintings, and other works of art, all of which he carelessly shoved into his inventory. As he approached the second set of protected doors, he didn't even bother trying to pick the lock or find another way in. Instead, he just punched the doors off their hinges and walked inside. Inside, Askuna found the treasures of the Kingdom to be quite underwhelming. Among the items was a sword that looked no better than those he had purchased from a merchant and a bronze armour that was neither impressive nor aesthetically pleasing. "Is this what they call a national treasure?" Askuna snorted, but he stowed it away anyway in case it had useful enchantments. Despite the lacklustre findings, Askuna's eyes gleamed as he thought about getting his hands on Gazef's ring in the future, which could temporarily boost the wearer's level beyond the maximum of 100. Don’t believe check Rigrit’s Ring Wikipedia page. Askuna pocketed the items, including a ceremonial crown, but then a sudden thought occurred to him. He turned to Renner and asked, "Say, do you have a prison nearby?" Renner replied, "There are dungeons below the palace. Why do you ask?" Thinking better of it, Askuna brushed off her inquiry and said, "Never mind. Seeing as we have a large company, going there would be quite inconvenient. Let's just return to your room. If there is nothing left, we can leave." Renner pouted again but followed Askuna out of the treasury. He recast his pacifying magic and used telekinesis to lift all of them off the ground, flying back to Renner's room. There were people who attempted to intercept them, but none of them dared to strike the princess. Once they arrived, Askuna left Renner alone while he used telekinesis to lift Climb and spin him in the air to distract him. Renner took a moment to observe the scene before indulging in her evil deeds. She moved some things around on her desk, fiddled with her mirror, and adjusted the clock and wardrobe. Askuna noticed a sai blade among her possessions, finding it satisfying to watch her work from the corner of his eye. After a few moments, Renner prepared everything and placed it on her bed. She then turned to look at Askuna and Climb. Without saying a word, Askuna understood her message and carefully placed Climb on the ground before recasting his harmony spell. The spell stopped Climb's nausea from ruining his armour. “Great, help me pack all of this in,” Askuna said, opening a black hole and beginning to shuffle the clothes and other questionable items of torture inside. He was pretty sure, that in one of those suitcases, there was a skeleton, but he didn't bother to mention it. After all, they both knew there was a skeleton in one of those suitcases, and she knew that he knew it, so how could he address the elephant in the room and ask, “Is there a skeleton in this?” It would be silly to do so. 'Oops,' he thought, totally unapologetic, before dropping the suitcase in his inventory. Renner simply gave him a coy smile and replied, "It's a family heirloom." "Ah, I see. A bit creepy, but to each their own," replied Askuna nonchalantly. But then, she had to appease her puppy, so she jumped at Climb and let out a long whine, hitting that one painful note, and complained once again, “Cliiimb! He's bullying me!”, before covering her head in his embrace. Meanwhile, Askuna thought to himself, 'Let's try my luck at omniscience.' He then said, "So, J'zargo, are you ready to go?" When nothing happened, he waited. And waited. And when he wanted to stop waiting, he kept waiting some more. Finally, when he decided to move, he was startled by a sudden "Boo!" Internally, Askuna let out a girlish scream, though no sound escaped his lips. After a moment of composing himself, he spoke cheerfully, "Glad we have you here, buddy. Let's go!" He recast his harmony spell and they all flew out of the window, but then he remembered something else. "By the way, do you have a library here?" he asked while suspending himself in the air. "...," No one answered him, and he felt someone trying to wrestle telekinetic control over Climb and Renner. This startled him, and he unintentionally let them go. As he watched J'zargo continue flying with the others, Askuna quickly caught up to them and asked, "Hey, can you answer me? What about the armoury? Crafting guilds? Magic guilds? Banks? Don’t ignore me!" But all he received in response was dead silence. So, he grumbled to himself before continuing to fly after them.

We were two people walking down the same road. Me and Sole were both born without a surname. That was because nobody knew who were our parents. Both of us lived as orphans, both of us showed incredible talent in magic, so much that we were called prodigies, the new generation and much more. Both of us had no money and no family, which meant that we were picked up by the Aznav Church because of our talent. I could go on and on and explain the other similarities between her and me, which made the fact that we had never known each other all the more incredible.  But this story actually begins from the parts of us that are fundamentally different. As I said, up until the age of twelve, I’ve never heard of Sole Egborough, the new adopted child of Cardinal Egborough. Before that moment, I lived a life that was not complete. If I could even call that pile of nothingness life, that is. I had learned about my power at a very young age, using it to acquire money through various means and live, until the Church found me. I wasn’t angered by how they pretended to be my parents as I was adopted by Cardinal Azimof, because after all I had nothing to live for, nor had I ever had a reason to live. My life was meaningless. I trained everyday as they told me, I became one of the greatest magicians in the world after just a small amount of time — only her growth was parallel to mine — but at the same time, nothing really appealed to me. For that reason, one day I was called by Cardinal Azimof into his room. As he looked at me with severe eyes, he told me with a stern expression:  “I have monitored your growth with attention. I do believe the opportunity we have granted you could never be wasted, but I have a hunch that you’re never going to grow up into the best mage.” He told me that with his grey eyes full of contempt and his old face struggling to keep a formal expression. I knew what he meant on the spot. “You think…” I tried to answer his words, but he cut me off in a second. “Yes. I think you’re going to give up on your life soon enough if you stay like this.”  I nodded. That made him sigh, of course, as he then muttered:  “When we decided to adopt you, the Pope told me you’d fall in love with magic because you were good at it. I guess you’re different from the other recruits, though…” Again, I could only nod. I had never been like the others, after all. An empty head without goals can’t fall in love with anything. But the next sentence he said would change that destiny. “I think you should spend some time at the Cathedral’s Library. It’s the biggest in the world of Azalea and it keeps the most important and even the least known books of every subject. You’re definitely going to find something you like.”  He muttered those last words with a feeling of hopelessness, as he believed little in what he had just said. Back then, I could’ve never guessed that those signs of titanism showed that he really cared about me, more so than about his imminent failure.  But still, the next day I headed to the Library. It was like no place I had ever seen in my life. Stacks and stacks of books piled one in front of the other in what seemed like mountains with different heights, all across multiple floors and different pavilions.  “If I really find books to my liking, this place will keep me interested for a long time.” I thought to myself as I entered the deepest part of the library, open only to the people directly under the Pontifices’s rule. The Cardinal had told me that this side could’ve been interesting, as it kept all the religious myths that this place had to offer, along with the history of the Holy State I was living in. And so, obeying his directions, I had headed there without much opposition. As I was alone, I saw another person seemingly alone too. She was sitting at a long, empty table, reading alone with a pen in her hand and a notebook in her hands. Her face, inclined to the book, seemed gracious from afar and showed natural beauty, just like her messy, brazen hair.  This person paid no interest in me as she kept reading, so I felt like I should have done the same and decided to take a book from the stacks in front of me. “Everything’s fine, isn’t it?” Those were my thoughts as the pile of books presented to me kept increasing, their titles alluding to different stories or arguments, none of which I cared about. “Religious myths about Aznav.” I whispered as I reached the end of the line, seeing a book clearly different from the others. It was much more antique, its pages seemed now yellow instead of the usual white, its cover was half broken too. Curious, I picked it up and took my seat on the other side of the table, distant five or more meters from the person I didn’t want to disturb. “So, I should read this….” I muttered to myself with a louder voice than before, alerting the girl who was quietly reading and hadn’t noticed my arrival at all. “Ugh.” Immediately I heard her say. “When did you get here?” Those were the first words coming out of her pure mouth, which seemed to hold a fair amount of poison inside. “Just now.” I answered with the same formal and toneless voice that she had used, hoping to get back into that quiet atmosphere I had honestly not minded. “And you are?” Again, she asked. “My name is Luna Azimof. Yours?” “Sole Egborough.” Was an immediate response coming from her. “Did you know that Luna means Moon, while Sole means Sun in an ancient language?” Sole asked me, trying to alleviate the atmosphere. “No, it’s the first time I hear of it.” I answered honestly. “That means we’re complete opposites, doesn’t it?” We spent the rest of the day reading our books in peace and only talking a small bit, only to realize we were really complementary just like the Sun and the Moon. As I have already said previously, we found to be much of the same. Just five days afterwards, our six meters distance had lessened to fifty centimeters. The Cardinal could only be happy that I had found someone to bond with, but that day was important for me for two main reasons. I found my first and only friend. And I found my first and only objective. -=- After all, it would only be normal to consider that, with all the knowledge inside the library, one must form their own opinion. For that, the book about the Religious Myths I had found helped me. The feeling I had always felt since the beginning of my life was now explained by the words I read on a book whose date was five centuries before me: alienation. Simply, I couldn’t understand I was in this world with all the others. I felt distant from everyone because I thought that they were extremely different, a whole new dimension. But during all the time I’ve spent in the library, there’s one thing that seemed the clearest to me: people are all much of the same, they’re all good beings by nature. As I kept reading about men making mistakes and being helped by the Generous God, I realized that evil doesn’t really exist.  People act on the basis of what they find important — they think they’re doing a good thing all the time, doesn’t matter if it is to them or to others. They have no definition of evil beyond “what isn’t good.” But as I read of the so called sins being committed by humans, punished by the so called Generous God with an infinite period of incredible torture, I felt another opinion form inside me. Injustice. Humans are made imperfect by the same God who can’t accept that they make mistakes. Then, they’re punished infinitely for a finite error, as if there was some sort of infinite evil inside of them. And for the first time, I desired power. I wanted it to punish the only being that really deserved it. While the Cardinals and the Pope thought it was just to kill people who commit wrongdoings, I realized you can’t punish someone who isn’t really at fault. While these thoughts harbored inside me, my friendship with Sole bloomed. She read the myths and shared her theories with me, realizing we had the same opinion. For so long we talked about the sacrifices that disgusted us, the fear of men and the power of an evil creature. But I never really understood her, that I now know for sure.

Previously, I uploaded two chapters in one day, so if anyone missed the notification, you're welcome. Climb's initial airborne experience was far from enjoyable as Askuna's trick of spinning him through the air left him feeling unsteady. Without the need to manoeuvre through flight, he took the opportunity to observe their alleged captors. Both were garbed in sick-looking black spiky full-body armour that gave them a devilish appearance. The armour had a reddish hue and was so similar in appearance that they could have been identical copies of each other. Despite the armour's sinister appearance, Climb couldn't help but notice how expertly crafted it was, with its sharp edges and gleaming surface. But the kidnappers' appearance was not the only strange thing about them. Their abilities were equally mysterious. Climb focused his attention on Askuna, the leader of the duo, who exhibited sadistic tendencies that made Climb's skin crawl. He still could remember when Gagaran came crushing at him and Renner, breaking their bones in the collision. Frankly, remembering it made him shudder inside. Then, Climb shifted his attention to the second kidnapper. During the battle, J'zargo was further away from the others, but he was just as dangerous. Climb watched as J'zargo held off three members of the Adamantine team together without breaking a sweat.  Even Evil Eye, a powerful magic user of the fifth tier, was no match for him. From a distance, Climb could see J'zargo throwing fireballs left and right, cloaked in flames, and decimating his opponents. Climb gulped, his heart pounding with fear as he thought about what awaited him and the princess. But he took solace in the fact that the princess was with him and that, despite their terrifying abilities and sinister appearance, the kidnappers seemed to have no intention of harming her. As they flew through the air, Princess Renner couldn't help but let her mind wander, despite the gravity of their situation. Her innate curiosity was a part of who she was, and she simply couldn't resist asking questions. "Tell me, Askuna, how did you acquire such a magnificent set of armour?" she asked, her voice light and curious. Askuna regarded the little monster with a mocking tone. "Info gathering? So early. Oh, let me think," he seemed to ponder the mysteries of the world while the princess still gave him a 'golden' understanding smile, and then he decided. "Very well. I have crafted and enchanted it myself." Not at all put-off, Renner tilted her head, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Is that so? I remember how you offered Climb new armour. I'm sure I can be even better protected if my knight has good protection." She turned to Climb and asked, "Isn't that right, Climb?" Climb began to respond, "Yes, Princess, I'll make sure you're well--"  However, Askuna cut off Climb's response with a snort, clearly annoyed with his compliant attitude. "I never offered anything, and stop trying to manipulate me," he said brusquely. "But sure, if that will make you more cooperative." Renner nodded thoughtfully, filing away the information for later. She turned to J'zargo. "And you, J'zargo. I couldn't help but notice the incredible power of your spells. Where did you learn such magic?" J'zargo preened under her attention, undoubtedly wearing a smug grin under his helmet. "J'zargo is the greatest wizard of all Khajiit! J'zargo has studied magic for many years, and J'zargo's spells are the result of hard work and experimentation." Renner raised an eyebrow. "I see. And what led you to kidnap me, if I may be so bold to ask?" Askuna and J'zargo exchanged another glance before the former finally spoke up. "I could say something like 'let's just say that we have a job to do, and you, Princess, are an important part of it.' But honestly, I can't be bothered." He paused to let his words sink in before continuing in a casual, matter-of-fact tone. "So basically, we need someone who's very smart and can think strategically to help us achieve our goal. J'zargo and I are better at destruction than planning, but we know the value of a good strategy. That's where you come in, Princess. Your genius mind is exactly what we need to ensure our success." Renner raised an eyebrow, intrigued by their cryptic explanation. "And what is this goal you speak of?" Askuna paused, seeming momentarily unsure of how to articulate their plan. After a beat, he spoke up starting slowly "As the first course of action, we're after a powerful artifact called the Downfall of Castle and Country. It's a World Item belonging to the Slane Theocracy, and we plan to take it from them." Renner's eyes widened in surprise. "The Slane Theocracy? That's a dangerous mission. Do you have a plan?" "We do," J'zargo spoke up confidently. "We have obtained valuable information about the Theocracy's future movements and their plans. With your help, Princess, we can create a flawless strategy to ensure our success." Askuna interjected, "However, that's not all. After acquiring the World Item, we plan to subdue a powerful vampire named Shalltear Bloodfallen, who we know will be in the vicinity of the first group. It won't be easy, but we're confident that with your assistance, we can accomplish our goals." The only response was Renner's cryptic, "Is that so?" "Yes... there is more to the story. You could say that I have seen the future of this world and its coming events," started Askuna. However, noticing the doubtful expression on Renner's face, he interjected, dropping the bombshell. "That is because J'zargo and I are not from this world." That was not an explanation that the Golden Princess had expected to hear, especially after the previously ridiculous statement. She narrowed her eyes trying to come up with a way of subterfuge, before abandoning this approach as it seemed that Askuna was just straight up answering her question. 'How novel of an experience,' she mused while smirking, clearly out of touch with the simplest approaches to gaining intelligence, due to years of navigating the deceitful court. "So, what do these supposed future events tell you?" Renner decided to entertain the idea of seer abilities. "Two days ago, there was a massive underground tomb transported somewhere in the Great Forest of Tob. It is called Nazarick, and its leader took the name Ainz after his former friends' guild's name, which was Ainz Ooal Gown in a faraway land," Askuna explained. He continued, "Now, their future events will completely change the dynamics of the whole world, starting with the Kingdom, then the Empire, and so on, and on, until every nation falls to their might." Hearing this Renner leaned forward with a frown. "So, let me get this straight. You and J'zargo are from another world, and you've somehow gained knowledge of the future events of this world, which will largely revolve around the actions of the mysterious Ainz Ooal Gown and the guardians of Nazarick." Askuna nodded, "That's right. We have a prescient perspective on the future, and we plan to use that knowledge to our advantage." Renner weighed his words carefully. "Honestly, it sounds absurd, but if it's true, it should be easily verifiable and there may be some merit to you kidnapping me." She paused, tapping her finger to her lips. It was an odd sight, considering they were mid-flight, but their speed wasn't too high, so they could converse without issue. Then she nodded thoughtfully. "I see. And what about the guardians themselves? How do they operate, and what are their weaknesses?" Askuna nodded. "Well, obviously, we wouldn't need you if we were assured of our victory. The problem is that everything in Nazarick is several times stronger than most things in this world, except maybe some of the strongest dragons." He paused for a moment before continuing, "One major weakness we could expect from Nazarick's residents is that they are prideful and tend to underestimate others. However, after some successive victories or even after taking control of Shalltear, that could change significantly." Continuing, he said, "Another weakness, or perhaps strength, is their leader. He's a very lucky fool, like me, you could say." Askuna paused as if mesmerized by the realization, but his mood quickly dampened as he added, "Or perhaps not. He has a certain skill set of social working that works quite well in surprising his guardians." Next, he said, "He would do everything to protect his 'children', that is, everyone in Nazarick, even at the cost of his life. On the other hand, he would eradicate anyone who ever harmed his 'children', was disloyal or posed a threat to them. Basically, as an undead, if certain things threaten the things he cherishes, he goes to extremes." She didn't show any outward signs of surprise or concern, but internally she was weighing the risks and rewards of getting involved with these outsiders. Then, in a jovial tone, he said, "And that is our guarantee you will never defect from us, as he will do everything in his power to eradicate you, even chasing you to the end of the world for helping us, ignoring all voices of reason. He is a skeleton, and you are harming what is his." After this revelation, Renner's face finally started to show signs of apprehension at the mention of the leader's extreme reactions. She was no stranger to ruthless leaders, but the idea of someone who would go to such lengths to protect their 'children' was concerning. She made a mental note to keep this in mind as they planned their strategy. Upon saying so, Askuna looked at Renner and Climb to gauge their reactions. Renner furrowed her brow upon hearing about the leader's extreme protective measures, while Climb looked visibly panicked at the thought of facing such powerful opponents, he glanced back and forth between Renner and Askuna, unsure of how to address their concerns and provide reassurance to the princess. "We don't know how we compare to the guardians, but we suspect that we are significantly weaker, especially if we don't take into account some of our more esoteric abilities and my powerful armour," clarified Askuna. Askuna spoke with a hint of cheekiness, wiggling his finger. "Thankfully, we have a few advantages. Firstly, I'm immune to any abilities, magic, or otherwise. Secondly, as a master crafter, I can create the strongest armours and weapons in this world. And thirdly, the vampire we plan to control is one of the strongest guardians in the tomb." He paused before adding, "Of course, we can't be sure how we compare to the guardians, but we believe that our unique abilities and resources give us a fighting chance." Renner considered Askuna's words with a calculating expression on her face. "And what do you plan to do once you have taken control of Shalltear? Surely the guardians of Nazarick won't take kindly to their comrade being used against them." Askuna leaned forward, his eyes glinting with ambition. "Our ultimate goal is to destroy Nazarick and claim its treasures for ourselves. With Shalltear under our control, we can begin to sow chaos and discord within the Tomb. It won't be easy, but this is where you come in." Then he explained himself, "Sure, J'zargo and I can devise a simple plan like 'We intend to lure the guardians out of the Tomb and engage them in battle outside of its walls. With our combined strengths and abilities, we can take them down one by one,'" he mocked his own strategy with a high-pitched imitation.  Despite this, he continued, "But as you can see, that consecutive elimination of forces would lead to our enemies' counter-plans. Suffice to say, they have three geniuses at your calibre among their ranks." "Understood," Renner said, her expression thoughtful, she paused for a moment before asking, "Do you have any information where the Slane Theocracy forces and Shalltear will be passing through?" "Somewhere between E-Rantel and the capital, there is a bandit camp, and in its vicinity, there is a forest. It will happen in this forest; those two groups would have originally faced off there," replied Askuna. Renner's sharp mind was already in motion, processing the limited information they had and formulating a plan of attack. As she considered their options, her expression became impassive, but her thoughts were racing. "First, we need to locate that bandit camp," Renner said, her tone matter-of-fact. "From there, we can gather information on the surrounding area and ask the bandits if they've seen anything suspicious." Climb looked surprised at Renner's sudden assertiveness. In his eyes, she had always been the demure princess who preferred to stay out of the spotlight. But now, as she took command of the situation, he could see a different side of her, a side that was cool and calculating, like a monster of logic in disguise. Askuna, on the other hand, looked pleased that he wouldn't have to take the lead. He had always preferred to be the muscle, leaving the planning and strategizing to others... more qualified in his opinion. Renner continued, "Elaborating, we could gather information from the local villages and towns, see if anyone has seen anything suspicious. And we'll need to be careful, make sure we don't draw too much attention to ourselves." As they flew towards the forest, Renner started to slowly take control of the situation, directing their course and issuing orders with confidence. It was clear that she had a plan, and everyone was expected to follow her lead. Climb couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at Renner's newfound leadership. He had always looked up to her, but now he felt like he was seeing her in a whole new light. The group approached the town, and as they flew lower, they could see the buildings stretching out below them like a sprawling patchwork quilt. The narrow streets were teeming with people, and the sounds of vendors hawking their wares filled the air. Renner realized that they had neglected to pack suitable clothing for Climb, so she instructed Askuna to retrieve some of the gold that she had packed earlier and gave it to Climb to purchase new clothes. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Askuna also asked Climb to buy some clothes for him and J'zargo. She directed J'zargo to land in a secluded spot on the outskirts of the town with Climb, where they could find a clothing store for him to purchase the appropriate attire. Climb went inside the store while J'zargo waited outside, concealed in the shadows of an alleyway. Renner and Askuna, meanwhile, flew in a lazy circle above the town, observing the activity below. The outskirts were a mix of farmland and small cottages with thatched roofs, while the centre of the town boasted more sizable stone buildings with chimneys billowing smoke. It was mid-afternoon, and the air was filled with the sounds of cows mooing and chickens clucking, punctuated by the occasional shout or laugh from the townsfolk. As they circled above, they spotted a tavern situated on the edge of town, its sign swinging lazily in the breeze. Renner directed Askuna towards it, noting that it looked like the perfect spot for Climb to gather information. They flew closer, keeping a safe distance so as not to draw too much attention to themselves, and watched as patrons milled about outside, drinking and laughing. Once the group was reunited, Renner landed the group a short distance away from the tavern, allowing Climb to emerge without arousing suspicion. She leaned in close and gave him a detailed rundown of what he needed to do, outlining several plans of action and contingency plans in case things didn't go as planned. She gave him thorough instructions on what to do and what to avoid, outlining several plans of action that made Climb's head spin with all the details. But as always, she ended her speech by telling him she believed in him, her words melting his heart and giving him the courage to complete the mission. He took a deep breath and entered the tavern, his new clothes feeling strange against his skin. The noise of the patrons grew louder as he stepped inside, the smell of ale and sweat filling his nostrils. But he was determined to do his part and gather the information they needed to complete their mission. As Climb set out on his reconnaissance, J'zargo watched from the shadows, his mind preoccupied with his own thoughts. He couldn't help but feel a sense of discontent with his own abilities as a mage. Seeing Askuna become so powerful in such a short amount of time, it was hard not to feel a twinge of jealousy. He remembered the days when they both joined the college of Winterhold. At first, he had joined Askuna out of curiosity, hoping to learn more about magic. But then, he watched as Askuna quickly distinguished himself by solving the Saarthal mystery, crafting godly armour, and even transporting them to a new world. J'zargo couldn't help but feel left behind, especially after witnessing the ease with which Askuna handed over the Oghma Infinium, a powerful tome containing infinite knowledge of magic as if it was a mere trinket.  It was mind-blowing to think that Askuna had not just one, but several copies of the invaluable book, further emphasizing the vast difference in their wealth of magical resources. At first, J'zargo believed that being with the Dragonborn would allow him to gain more knowledge and abilities. But as he watched Askuna's progress skyrocket in just a few days, he couldn't help but feel more inadequate than ever. He even attributed his own progress to Askuna's guidance, not his own strength, which made him feel even worse. The jealousy that J'zargo felt for his friend's talent and success was a constant source of conflict within him. Despite Askuna's good intentions, J'zargo couldn't shake the feeling of being left behind. He knew that he should be grateful for Askuna's generosity, but he couldn't help but feel like he was owed something more. 'But what if J'zargo can't catch up?' J'zargo thought to himself. 'What if J'zargo is never as good as he is?' The burden of his own inadequacy weighed heavily on him, and he couldn't help but wonder if he would ever be able to match his friend's incredible magical abilities and resources. 'No,' J'zargo corrected himself. 'J'zargo doesn't just want to be on the same level as Askuna. J'zargo wants to surpass him.' As J'zargo watched Climb move through the town on his mission, J'zargo's thoughts turned to the possibility of betraying Askuna. The jealousy he felt towards his friend's talent and success was a constant source of conflict within him, but he knew he couldn't let those emotions get the best of him. J'zargo remembered how he had previously been handed the Oghma Infinium as a reference when studying Telekinesis. He had been curious about the alteration spell that Askuna had used, Detect Life, and Detect Death. In the book, he had learned that it marked allies and enemies differently. Therefore, he couldn't allow himself to harbour traitorous thoughts against Askuna, because it is possible for this spell to detect it. No, he would have to bide his time and search for opportunities. Perhaps the princess could help him with that. Still, he couldn't shake off the worry that came with the new knowledge he had just learned. Whether by boasting or stating the truth, Askuna had confirmed that he was immune to all forms of magic, abilities, and poisons. How could J'zargo, as a mage, ever stand up against him? Even his only advantage, the stealth ring that could hide him from Askuna's senses, had been given to him by Askuna. It made him feel inferior that he couldn't even formulate a hypothetical plan to betray Askuna, as his friend was just too powerful. He still contemplated whether to share with Askuna that, in the kitchen, when he had wanted to store some sweet rolls, he tried to activate his inventory space and was surprised to find that it actually worked. Meanwhile, it seemed that Climb needed some help with illusion magic to extract information, so J'zargo gave him a helping hand. Both groups, Renner and Askuna, as well as Climb and J'zargho, worked separately to gather information. After several hours of frivolously using their magic to coax the targets into revealing their secrets, they had accumulated plenty of clues. Renner quickly sifted through the vast amount of information gathered from hunters, adventurers, and traders and determined possible locations that matched Askuna's earlier descriptions. The next few days were all about preparations. As time passed, they knew they had to be even more cautious to avoid being discovered by the forces of Nazarick as its influence would spread, and they didn't want to risk being discovered. Despite this, Askuna refused to give Renner and Climb their own stealth rings, fearing that they could simply run off before the confrontation and that Renner could somehow defect to the enemy's side. After their plan caused significant damage to Nazarick, Askuna believed it would be impossible for Renner to do so. It wasn't hard for Askuna to find a forge, where he could work. Similar to the use of an enchanter and an alchemical lab, he had an intuitive knowledge of how to forge things and upgrade them. As before, Askuna had the perfect ability to forge whatever he had previously learned, but he was unable to experiment with new techniques or materials. Nevertheless, he was able to upgrade any armour and weapon he came into contact with, as long as he had the necessary components, which were often just a single ingot of some metal that he instinctively knew would work. In this fashion, he upgraded his gear to Legacy and Top class armaments, which, according to the Merchant, were stronger than Deadric craft. However, there were not enough materials for a second suit of armour for J'zargo, so he planned to give the leftovers from his previous one to Climb. Another problem plagued him: he did not have enough souls in the Black Star for further enchanting. Even if he did not plan to give Renner and Climb stealth rings, he was not against providing them with a few items that would bolster their resistances. That is why he had previously planned to visit the prison to do, you know what, with soul steal. But before tackling this problem with the help of the ever-helpful Renner, he decided to summon his favourite merchant from another plane. "Ah, Mortal..." the Dremora Merchant began in his characteristic way of addressing mortals, his tone exuding a sense of superiority. "It seems there have been some... complications, if I can say," he continued, his voice trailing off in a way that suggested he was not amused. "What kind of complications?" Askuna asked, not missing the hint of irritation in the dremora's tone. "The armour you sold me has been confiscated by my superiors," the Dremora replied, his expression darkening. "And now they are interested in meeting with you directly." "Who are these superiors?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady. "They are Dremora Lords, powerful beings with connections to some of the most influential factions in my realm," the Dremora Merchant replied, his tone dripping with disdain for mortals. "And they are not known for being forgiving when it comes to matters like this." "What do you suggest we do?" he asked, hoping the Dremora had the plan to deal with the situation. The Dremora Merchant paused for a moment, his eyes flickering with a hint of uncertainty. "I suggest you meet with them, Mortal," he finally replied, his tone cautious. "It is better to face them directly than to have them come looking for you." The merchant was banished, so he had to resummon him again. Curious about the motives of the higher-ups, he inquired, "Do you know why they are interested in this meeting?" "Mortal, I have previously concealed certain information from you," the Dremora Merchant replied, his voice low and cautious. "What you have claimed to have created were not Divine Items, as I have told you, but something much more powerful. Artefacts." The Dremora Merchant continued, "There are many crafters across the realms who can imbue strong materials with unfathomable enchantments, but doing so for a mere daedric armour? That is the domain of Gods. This is why you have drawn their ire." Askuna felt a wave of panic wash over him as he tried to process the implications of what the dremora had just said. It seemed that his supposedly free ability to acquire Skyrim items had backfired on him. 'Though, I wonder how my spell absorption would work against Gods,' mused Askuna, suddenly feeling a premonition that his curiosity might be leading him down a dangerous path. Nevertheless, Askuna decided to be bold. "And what could those gods do against me? How would they even find me?" he asked, trying to wrap his head around the gravity of his situation. The Dremora Merchant looked at Askuna with a mix of contempt and pity. "You are a mere mortal. The Gods are far beyond your understanding and they can do whatever they please. They can see into the depths of your soul and pluck you out of existence if they so choose. As for finding you, well, they have their ways." Askuna didn't give a shit about the supposed fear of gods. As a vampire, it was fifty-fifty that he had no soul to lose anyway, but it could be useful to know more.  "Have you ever met these Gods you preach of?" he asked, wanting to know more about his current situation. The Dremora Merchant simply replied, "I pity you, Mortal. You know not what you go against. Your fate is in their hands, whether you like it or not." "Maybe, but can they come here and face me?" Askuna pressed, his tone defiant. "Can they whisk me away to their realm? What can they do to threaten me?" The Dremora Merchant shook his head. "No, they cannot come here. But they can send their champions to force you to comply with their whims. And believe me, their champions are not to be trifled with." Askuna laughed aloud and said, "I knew it, they have no real power there. They always need someone to do their bidding. You know what? Let me worry about that when it comes." He then composed himself and asked, his voice firm, "Are you going to cease being my supplier?" The Dremora Merchant sighed and shook his head. "Your days are numbered, Mortal. But there is always time to strike a bargain." Askuna thought for a moment before posing a question to the Dremora Merchant. "Do you sell souls, perchance?" The Dremora Merchant's eyes widened at the question, and then he let out a devilish grin. "No, but I'm buying them," he replied, his tone laced with amusement. "A shame," said Askuna with a shrug. "Provide me with some good armour and more ingots, and I'll make them into artefacts, same as before. Even better, considering the increase in quality." "Is that so?" replied the Dremora Merchant, his interest now piqued by the armour that Askuna was wearing, the very same one that he had sold him. His keen eyes could see how it now emanated powerful magic not present before. "Yes, I can see that you are a fast crafter, magnificent Mortal. Your soul will be priceless, indeed." The Dremora Merchant's words sent a shiver down Askuna's spine, but he pushed his fear aside. If he was going to face the gods and their champions, he needed every advantage he could get. And if that meant striking a deal with the devil, then so be it. Their negotiations proceeded smoothly, but both Askuna and the Dremora Merchant had little to offer at this very moment. Askuna had not prepared anything for sale, and the merchant had not yet restocked any items of sufficient quality. Later that day, Askuna met up with Renner to visit one of the potential locations for reconnaissance at the outermost point closest to E-Rantel and, by extension, Nazarick. Meanwhile, J'zargo and Climb would be going to a relatively safer location. Climb received upgraded Armour consisting of pieces Askuna didn't think too op, that is just resistances, or like bow shooting proficiency. As Climb departed carried by J'zargo, he couldn't help but look with worry at his princess for leaving her side. Nevertheless, Askuna turned to said princess and lifted her up with a similar spell. As they flew through the air, Askuna decided to strike up a conversation. He didn't want to discuss this matter near Climb, but Renner seemed to sense what was coming. "So, what's the problem?" she asked coolly. Askuna didn't hold anything back. "To enchant items, I need souls. Preferably human souls. I'm running low on stock, and I was thinking about hitting up some prisons or dungeons. What do you think?" Renner tilted her head and replied without showing any emotion. "No. That could be dangerous. We don't want to cause any more disruptions to the flow of events, well, more so than what you already did in the capital. For our safety, let's hope that information travels slowly." "Then what's the solution?" asked Askuna, clearly interested in what a strategic genius like Renner might have in mind. Renner shook her head slightly, her expression was pensive. "I don't think there's a perfect solution that's both safe and efficient, at least not one that can provide us with a sufficient number of souls all at once," Then she added, "However, we could potentially gather souls from a few individuals here and there, without raising too much suspicion. Adventurers are often targeted by powerful monsters and can lose their lives outside the safety of the cities, and news of their deaths or disappearances can take a while to reach the general population." Askuna listened intently, considering the options. "That could work," he said thoughtfully. "We could also try to locate individuals who are more vulnerable, such as refugees or fugitives." Renner thought for a moment and then disagreed, "You may think so, but there are criminal organizations who would begin to question where their main clientele has gone, which could potentially cause news to travel to the bandit camp. We need to find a way to gather souls that won't attract unwanted attention." Askuna nodded, realizing the potential danger in targeting specific vulnerable groups. "I see your point." The journey took approximately three hours, and as they reached their destination, it was already late in the afternoon. Renner kept a watchful eye on the terrain below, her gaze sharp and her mind working like a well-oiled machine as she evaluated the possibilities and calculated the risks. "Based on the topography, I believe we should approach from the west," Renner said, pointing towards a heavily forested area. "It will provide us with enough cover, and we can avoid being seen by any potential lookouts.". Askuna nodded in agreement, impressed by Renner's tactical acumen. He focused his attention on the hill ahead, using his Detect Life spell to get a better sense of what they were up against. As they flew up to the hill, they could see masked sentries positioned around the perimeter of the bandit camp. Askuna, with his 20/20 hawk-like eyesight, had a perfect look at the numbers and positions of the sentries. They seem to be pretty organized," he said, "But nothing out of the ordinary." Renner nodded in agreement, then pointed to some unremarkable locations on the hilltop. "See those spots there? They could be backup entrances, and that's where Shalltear might come out. Can you see if there are any people there?" "Yes, I see some people hiding inside the hill," Askuna gestured towards one of the locations Renner had pointed out. As they continued their reconnaissance, they analyzed the terrain and predicted where the Slane Theocracy's forces might come from and where Shalltear could potentially chase Brain. Renner's keen eyes and logical mind were a formidable asset as she dissected the location and the surrounding forest, categorizing the different paths and potential ambush points. She shared her thoughts with Askuna, meticulously planning their approach and considering every possible scenario. In truth, most of Renner's tactical explanations went in one ear and out the other for Askuna. Nonetheless, he appreciated her sharp mind and ability to evaluate the situation. As Renner shared her thoughts, she quickly realized that Askuna was struggling to follow along. With a sigh, she simplified her explanations and dropped some of the more intricate details. Once their reconnaissance was finished, Renner led the way back to their meeting point with J'zargo and Climb. Upon their arrival, she began to share what they had seen, including the location of the bandit camp and potential routes for the Slane Theocracy's forces and Shalltear. As it seemed, the second group had not found anything significant. Upon returning, everyone except Askuna settled in for the night at their rented accommodations, which was quite easy to get with the use of some gold. As Askuna sat on the rooftop of a small church under the starry night sky, he spotted a soul that was up to no good. He couldn't help but think it would be a pity to waste such a chance.

I didn't want Askuna to become a murder hobo, but I simultaneously realize that readers of this genre aren't here for reading about wimps and their emotional problems. Therefore, I made Askuna into an ultimate hedonist. Additionally, some of you may be surprised by how the characters are changing, but I heard about dynamic characters and decided to give it a try. Long story short, Climb is going to do his Pokémon's punching bag evolution, and J'zargo is going to flip from betrayal to being bros to stealing Askuna's wife— "Pfft," snorted Askuna. "As if any true hedonist would willingly shoot an arrow into their knee." A group of women carrying pitchforks assembled before Askuna, so wanting to placate them he raised his hands saying, "Ladies, ladies, it was just a joke!" His smile strained as they approached, and he started backing up. "You are really awesome, right J'zargo?" he turned to J'zargo for support, but he was nowhere to be found. "J'zargo?" he repeated, confused. Meanwhile, J'zargo abruptly rose from his bed, his eyes wide as he looked around the moonlit room. He saw his two companions sleeping peacefully and glanced at the used stash of Skooma he had taken for good sleep. "Yes, J'zargo thinks he will save the last one for later," he muttered, still shuddering from the weird dream he had just had. He took a gulp of water and tried to sleep again. ................... As Askuna perched on the rooftop of the small church, he spotted a figure moving furtively through the shadows. The person seemed to be looking around carefully as if to ensure that no one was watching. He felt a sense of curiosity about what the individual was doing out so late. Using his telekinesis, he floated from roof to roof and quietly followed the figure from a distance. The person moved quickly and silently, their movements betraying practised ease that suggested they were no stranger to the art of stealth. He could see that they were getting closer to a small house at the edge of the village. The observed target paused for a moment and looked around, then resumed their path towards their destination. Askuna floated closer, staying on a nearby tree branch and scrutinized the development. Looking closer, he could see that the person was a young boy, no more than fifteen or sixteen years old. The boy appeared to be searching for something around the ground, before picking up a small pebble and throwing it at the window. With a whispered shout of "Kalina!", the boy repeated the process again and again, with a look of determination on his face as if he knew that this was the only way to reach his beloved. Askuna watched as the boy tried different tactics, throwing the pebbles harder, then softer, before differentiating the pattern. With each throw, the boy's confidence seemed to grow, and Askuna could almost sense the hope and excitement building up within him. As the boy continued his efforts to capture Kalina's attention, Askuna couldn't help but chuckle to himself. The boy remained unaware that he was being followed by a telekinetic werewolf-vampire hybrid. As he made a series of desperate attempts to capture his girlfriend's attention, his efforts were both endearing and awkward to witness. The moment the boy had been waiting for finally arrived when Kalina opened the window, shushing him before engaging in conversation. It was apparent that she was delighted to see him, and they began talking about endearing topics that Askuna had no interest in hearing. Askuna's discomfort grew as the boy's attempts to win over his girlfriend continued, and he began to feel restless. He realized that his decision to stalk the couple was both inappropriate and a waste of his time. With a shake of his head and a smirk, he silently slipped away into the night, leaving the young couple to their own devices. As he walked away, his mind wandered to the world of Skyrim, recalling a potent spell that he believed could be of great use. With a spark of excitement, he began to prepare the Clairvoyance spell in his hand, its power surging between his fingers and he almost used it on Nazarick, however, he hesitated, realizing that casting the spell on the tomb would be a reckless decision. "Ainz has something akin to a nuclear spell defence on him, and Nazarick has Nigredo," he muttered to himself. "Who knows what kind of chaos she could unleash on the town if my experimentation backfires." With a shake of his head and a deep breath, he reprimanded himself for even considering such a foolish act. Instead, he decided to aim for easier targets, ones that carried lower risk. Instead, he focused his mind on Climb and invoked the spell, watching as the wispy blue trail snaked its way through the building. He followed it with a sense of satisfaction, watching as it led him to the room where they were staying. He then tried it on Renner, but as expected the spell's trail remained unchanged, so he moved on to other potential targets. Curiosity piqued, he visualized the Dremora Merchant, but the spell didn't seem to have any effect, even after a few seconds. The thought of trying it on Zesshi crossed his mind, but the risk that it might change Slane Theocracy's plans if he were discovered made him hesitant. His attention turned to J'zargo, but the spell had no effect, likely due to his gloves' resistance to magic. With a shrug, he quickly moved on to try the spell on the members of the Blue Rose, pleased to see that it worked, although he noticed a slight delay. As Askuna continued to experiment with the spell, he tried it on Jincriv, noticing that the delay was still short but more noticeable than before. Though he didn't know the exact rules governing the delay, he made a mental note that both magic resistance and distance could be the main obstacles. He remembered how invoking the spell on Marquis Raven, a relatively unprotected person, had gone quickly and decided to test his hypothesis further, on a more... arbitrary target. As he closed his eyes and focused his mind on visualizing a goblin, Askuna waited for the spell to manifest. It took a little longer than before, and he realized that the precision of his visualization might also be impacting the spell. Eventually, a blue trail materialized and led him out of the city. "This is almost too easy," he said to himself with a chuckle, feeling satisfied with his new toy. He followed the blue trail as it led him out of the city and into the surrounding wilderness. As he flew through the air, he noticed that the spell's trail seemed to descend to the ground before leading to the intended target, "Hmm, it is a little annoying to follow" he remarked to himself, frowning slightly. However, his frustration was short-lived, as the trail suddenly straightened into a direct line towards the target. "Well, now that's more like it," he said, a satisfied grin spreading across his face. As he pondered the limitations of the spell, a sudden idea struck him. "What if I change the colour of the trail?" he mused aloud, and with a flick of his wrist, the trail turned from blue to red. "Interesting," he murmured, before closing his eyes and visualizing the iconic to Skyrim's community person from the "it just works" meme pointing him towards his desired location. Alas, it did not work, and Askuna let out a disappointed sigh. "Seems like there are some limitations," Askuna muttered to himself as he made his way towards the goblin. After a while, he spotted his target wandering through the woods, unaware of his presence. Feeling like a ninja, he silently stalked the goblin through the underbrush, inching closer and closer until he was standing right behind it. "Gotcha!" he exclaimed, spooking the goblin. Without giving it a chance to react, he quickly cast a paralyzing spell on the creature, freezing it in motion and causing it to awkwardly fall to the ground. With a mischievous grin, he imagined a goblin that looked completely different from the one he had just caught. After some trial and error, he was successful, and the trail led him elsewhere. Looking at the helpless creature, Askuna granted it swift mercy with a swing of his Soul Trap enchanted sword, expecting to absorb the white soul released from it. But they didn't seem to enter him no matter how long he waited. Perplexed by the cosmetic effect, he retrieved the Black Star to inspect it further. Suddenly, almost as if guided by instinct, he absorbed the souls into the object. It was as if the Black Star was operating as a glitch in the game, allowing him to take white souls. While examining the Black Star, Askuna couldn't help but muse to himself about the strange mechanics of soul trapping in this world. "It's curious," he thought, "if upon entering this world the black souls it contained were created only for them to be enslaved here." He wondered if he would ever feel confident enough to test the limits of the item, as the thought of trapping himself made him hesitant. "Perhaps I'll wait until I have a better understanding of the magic here," he concluded with a shrug. Conseqcutevily, he hunted a variety of different ogres, lamias, and trolls in various hidden caves and darkened caverns, knowing that some of the souls he had absorbed were of greater classification. However, he had yet to encounter a sufficient monster of the highest grand one. As he exterminated the monsters, The memory of his conversation with Renner kept nagging at him, and he wondered if he had truly lost his moral compass. He had always been ambitious and driven, but he had never considered himself ruthless before. The transformation into a vampire-werewolf had changed him, no doubt about it. But how much of his current behaviour was due to his new nature, and how much was simply a result of his own choices? As he plunged his sword into the heart of a particularly smelly troll, he couldn't help but wonder if he was becoming something he didn't want to be. Askuna paused his hunt and found himself at the edge of a serene, dark blue lake, illuminated by the moon's shimmering reflection. His mind drifted as he pondered the nature of power and its alluring yet corrupting influence. He questioned if his unquenchable thirst for strength and dominance was an inherent aspect of his being or if it was a product of his circumstances. Was he simply justifying his actions, no matter the cost, in the name of ambition? Like a little child, who got lucky with power beyond their qualifications? As he stood there, lost in thought, he realized that the answer wasn't clear-cut. His experiences had certainly played a role in shaping his desires, but he couldn't deny the primal urge to be the strongest and most dominant creature in the land. He had always been a competitive person, even before coming here, but now it seemed like it had been amplified tenfold. Askuna sighed deeply, feeling the weight of his conflicting thoughts. On one hand, he wanted to not hurt anyone, but on the other, he craved the feeling of power and control. It was a constant battle within him, and he wasn't sure which side would win out in the end. He contemplated the morality of his past actions, questioning the fairness of leaving a father in despair over the kidnapping of his daughter. Was it justified to humiliate the Blue Roses for his own ego? Was it right to shatter the dreams of Ainz and his children? And was it ethical to harm innocent people for the sake of satisfying his thirst for dominance? As he pondered these questions, he realized that most of them were merely distractions. "Overthinking," he concluded, "leads only to the despair of the thinker." Yet, he couldn't ignore the one thing that truly mattered to him: the life of the adventurers. He didn't want to 'kill' innocent lives for his own selfish gain. Call him weak, insult him as a hypocrite, and condemn his past and future actions, but Askuna didn't particularly fancy becoming a murderer. 'And few other things.' he mentally added. Yet, logically speaking, without human or grand souls, he wouldn't be able to enchant his apparel further, limiting his ability to sell and upgrade his battle gear. He was torn between his desire for power and his moral conscience. As someone who had never faced such a choice before, Askuna felt like a blank slate. He wrestled with the question: should he be ruthless to increase his chances of survival or should he embrace moral values and risk losing the edge he needed to succeed? As he gazed up at the starry sky, Askuna realized he was too exhausted to continue analyzing his conscience. He felt a need for a dramatic, almost theatrical decision, something that would make him feel cool and empowered! "To be a wimp, or not to be, that is the question," He mused as he paced in a circle on the shore of the dark blue lake, his arms gesturing in a dramatic fashion while holding the skull of a troll in his right hand. "Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles and, by opposing, vanquish 'em, becoming an epitome of darkness myself?" His voice echoed across the water, amplified by the stillness of the night. Then, he halted, gazing intently at the troll's skull clasped tightly in his hand, imagining the moon casting an eerie glow on its hollowed-out sockets. He held it there for a moment as if communing with some unseen force, before unleashing a passionate 'yol' shout, immolating the object in a blaze of flames that streamed and seared through the air, rudely disrupting the once serene picture of the lake. After the fiery display, Askuna stood there in silence, the remnants of the troll's skull smouldering in his hand. He knew what he had to do. He would continue to sow chaos and destruction, unleashing waves of mayhem in the path of Ainz Ooal Gown and anyone who dared to cross him. The pull of the dark force was too strong, and he could no longer resist it. He needed the power that only the darkness could provide, hence no longer denying his truth he would stop at nothing to claim it. The thirst for power burned within him like an eternal flame, and he would stop at nothing to sate it. Feeling resolute in his newfound conviction, Askuna surveyed his surroundings and realized he was lost. However, the realization did not faze him, as he calmly activated a new spell visualizing Renner to aid him in his return home. He knew that time was on his side, for he still had several hours until dusk. But when he followed the wispy blue trail, it became apparent that they were already awake and active. He caught a glimpse of Renner and Climb, both dressed in inconspicuous cloaks, in the midst of gathering information with shady individual. Keeping a low profile, Askuna revealed himself in the background to Renner. Renner glanced over at Askuna, and if she was surprised that he was able to locate them, she hid it well. Instead, she quickly finished up her business dealing with the informants and approached him with a sly grin. Askuna extended his hand towards Renner, revealing the intricate blue misty glow that enveloped his palm. The glow pulsed and throbbed with otherworldly energy, continuously performing its animation. "I can find you anywhere in the world, at any time, don't forget that," he warned, his voice filled with amusement as he watched Renner's lips pursing in response to his display. Renner's eyes narrowed slightly as she took in the sight of the spell surrounding Askuna's hand. She didn't know the limitations of the spell, but the threat implied by Askuna was not lost on her. However, she quickly composed herself, masking her apprehension with her usual cool and collected demeanour. "Of course, I appreciate the reminder," she replied calmly. "But I assume you have a reason for coming all this way to find us."  "Yes, I wanted to talk more about the strategy," he said, emphasising the word 'strategy'. Renner seemed to understand his intention and turned to her knight, a smile creeping onto her face. "Climb, thank you again for waking up so early and escorting me." "Princess, you don't have to..." Climb began to stammer bashfully, but Renner interrupted him with a warm smile. "But I want to," she said kindly. "You have been working so hard to protect me, and I want to make sure you have the opportunity to continue your training." then she added, "How about you go and train now, while I discuss potential plans with Askuna?" She reached out to touch his face, feeling the warmth of his skin "Are you sure you haven't caught a cold?" she asked with concern. "You feel hot." Climb shook his head, trying to reassure her. "No, Princess," he said. "Excuse me, I'll go and do some training now!" He walked away with a rigid posture, trying to hide his embarrassment at the attention he was receiving from the princess. Renner watched him go, then turned back to Askuna, ready to discuss their plans in further detail. "These are the people you'll be taking souls from," she said as she handed Askuna a list of names. "No one should become too suspicious in the next four days." But what surprised him was when she added, "I will accompany you on this endeavour." Askuna took a double-take at her offer, surprised by her willingness to join him on this task. Yet he didn't care much so he shrugged and said, "Sure. I also wanted to test something." He rummaged through his inventory and tossed her a sneaking ring with magic resistance while taking out a potion for himself. "Activate it for around sixty seconds," he instructed. As she disappeared from his view, he activated clairvoyance, but to no effect. He wasn't scared of her running away now since she wouldn't be able to save Climb from potential retribution unless she somehow learned how to replicate the second ring. But then he sweatdropped when he thought about the possibility of her stealing a ring from J'zargo. Nevertheless, he drank a fortify illusion potion and tried his clairvoyance again. After around a second of much brighter and more potent visual effects compared to before, the spell activated as if writhing a path from reality itself and coming to Renner, who had apparently moved five meters to the right. Their eyes met, and although he could barely see her, their gaze locked. A silent message was sent and received, and Renner deactivated the concealing effect of the ring. As the effect faded, the surroundings seemed to dim slightly, yet his spell still seemed agitated, probably a testament to the ring's magic resistance. He gestured towards Renner, indicating the glimmering ring. "See the glint on the ring? That indicates that it can resist my magic," he explained, while toggling the spell on and off and observing the visual effects with keen interest. Soon as it dimmed completely, it was clear that Renner knew how to disable the protection if necessary. Renner nodded thoughtfully before teasingly remarking with a smile, "I assume you want me to hold onto it while I accompany you. A ring made of gold with ruby, though? Still so old-fashioned." Ignoring her comment, which made her pout, he searched his inventory, hoping to find some stat enchantments he could give her. Unfortunately, he found none, so he decided to give her a set of some random gloves and a chestplate he has bought from Dremora Merchant. He watched in amazement as the armour magically appeared on her and adjusted to fit her frame.  He was hesitant to give Renner his previous armour as he didn't feel confident that he had enough power to restrain her if necessary, not that he thought she would betray him, but he wanted to be cautious.  They decided to travel by flying. He lifted her with telekinesis and could control her movements as long as she didn't activate her magic resistance. As they soared through the air, the wind rushing past them, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of guilt when he glanced at the list Renner had left him with. All he really wanted was to have fun, and he knew that what he was about to do was the very definition of getting his hands dirty. Before he knew it, he was lurking in the shadows with his sword at the ready, waiting for his target. He knew he had to act, but he found the whole situation distasteful. When he realized his target had already escaped, he muttered, "This is bullshit." Renner's soft chuckle caught him off guard, and for a moment, he wanted nothing more than to be alone. But he turned to face her anyway, and her amusement quickly turned to disappointment. "I see who you are now, Askuna. You're weak, and you can't even do what's necessary to protect yourself. If you can't bring yourself to do it, then let me handle it." Her words stung him to the core, but he knew she was right. Without a word, he handed over his dagger with the soul trap and one of the copied Black Stars before retreating into the shadows. He was immune to the enchantments of the sword anyway, and he doubted she could enslave him with the Black Star, as any foreign attempt would likely be dissipated by his powerful spell absorption. As Renner carried out the task he should have done, Askuna sneered at her first stealth kill. 'Defeating Overlord and Ainz Ooal Gown sounds like fun, but doing this? It's sick and revolting,' he thought, pondering the situation. He knew he was not a protector of justice, nor did he care if anyone judged his moral compass or actions. He was simply a young man who had not matured enough to value anyone or anything beyond his own existence. 'Why do I have to mature? Why should I be anyone other than myself?' he mused. 'I feel perfectly fine behaving as I do. Sure, there need to be boundaries to my behaviour, but why should I evolve as a person to bear additional responsibilities?' He wondered what awaited him if he didn't change. 'A sad life without anyone who understands me? No, I know people, and I don't want them to die... sort of. J'zargo is a cool dude, and we could have some fun together. Then, who knows? They'll probably go their own way.' With a shrug, Askuna resigned himself to his hedonistic lifestyle, content with living in the moment and not worrying about the future. Renner, meanwhile, appeared unfazed by the carnage they were causing. With each target she eliminated, she tossed their body into the black portal of storage that Askuna had opened. When she glanced at him, her eyes seemed to say, 'They're dead. Does it really matter who did it? Stop acting like a sissy.' Afterwards, he left Renner with the rings and the armour. Although they were undoubtedly powerful, she didn't have the ones he considered truly overpowered, like the regeneration rings. These rings allowed the wearer to regenerate their entire pool of health, magicka, or stamina in a split second, effectively rendering them immortal. His ego bruised from Renner's mocking and his soul not feeling any better by still participating as an observer of the deed, he hurried to the enchanter to use some of his newfound spoils and take a much-needed break. ... Backtracking a little bit, let's start a day from Renner's perspective. She and Climb woke up at four am and dressed in cloaks and light armour enchanted for them by Askuna. 'Cheap knockoffs, he said.' she scoffed, remembering him casually creating armour that bested the National Treasure of her kingdom in just ten minutes. And to make it even more unreal, all he used was some leather and what he called "petty sized souls." Why were they going out so early? Renner had always been fascinated by the intricate web of power and politics that governed her kingdom. But being a princess, she had to be cautious about how she sought information, as any misstep could jeopardize her position. So, she often turned to the street urchins and orphans who roamed the city, using their resourcefulness and invisibility to gather information about the happenings of the kingdom and the movements of certain groups. One of these street teens had caught her attention, and she had hired him to collect information over the days, from eavesdropping to working odd jobs and chatting with other orphans. Over the years, Renner had given Climb countless excuses for her secretive activities, causing him to become desensitized to her actions. This allowed her to speak freely with the informant while Climb kept watch at the entrance of the alley. She had to admit, the teen was smart, and she decided to make him the leader of the information network she had been building over the past few days. Although it seemed too short a time to establish anything, she knew that the kid had a knack for recognizing opportunities. 'Well, until he becomes too prideful and I have to replace him,' she thought to herself as she handed him a sizable amount of gold to continue his operations. Speaking of smartasses, in the corner of her eye she caught sight of Askuna waving to her. She ended the conversation and found a way to ditch Climb. She knew what they would be doing today; for this occasion, she had been accompanying her knight to inns and shady places, and she had been building a steady list of people who wouldn't be missed, at least for a few days. To be honest, she didn't like Askuna. He was acting as if he knew her, and if that was all there was to it, she could have lived with it. But what was more terrifying was that he somehow knew her thoughts, and he didn't even realize he was implying it. That's why she called him a smartass. He didn't realize which information he conveyed to her through vague remarks and his manner of speaking. Unlike anyone else, instead of challenging her in a battle of wits, he knew she would obtain more information than he intended to share from the beginning. 'What an infuriating piece of shit,' she mused, analyzing his actions. 'From the beginning, he knew that I would analyze whatever he said and obtain more information than he wanted to disclose. Therefore, his strategy was to give up from the start, playing dumb, hoping, no... knowing that I would figure out too much.' 'What mistakes has he made? Well, let me list them,' she thought to herself. 'The first is the way he stops motionless when he's about to speak some bullshit. From this, I recognize that his talk about seeing the future and coming to this world was mostly him obfuscating the real information.' She continued her rant in her mind as she asked to accompany him. She wanted to see how ruthless he really was. 'Interestingly,' she pondered as he handed her a stealth ring for testing, 'when he talked about me, Ainz Ooal Gown, and others, he spoke with absolute certainty that we were who he said we were. From the way he presented our motives and how we behaved, I'm almost certain that he had seen our true thoughts at some point.' She couldn't help but wonder if she would ever break the facade in the future. 'Honestly, yes,' she thought to herself. 'When I'm alone in my room, smiling creepily at the mirror, or when I've accomplished my dream of... Climb.'  She activated the ring and moved slightly to the side, still pondering. 'And that's where the next clue comes in. The way he worded that he's afraid of me betraying him and joining Ainz Ooal Gown implies that he's seen me doing exactly that. Based on other clues about their domination of the world and how careful he is with me, I suspect that in those visions, I've already succeeded or played a significant role.' She met his eyes as he finally succeeded in revealing her position. "It means that this mot******ker had potentially robbed me of my desired future for his silly quest." She hated him for that, and this test confirmed that he could find her even if he granted her his own concealing items. She needed to ascertain his true character and evaluate the dangers of working with him. In a few minutes, they were already in their positions, and Askuna was about to perform a stealth kill. Renner observed that he didn't need to use his ring; he was unnaturally good at stealth as if he had been an assassin his whole life. She suspected that if he ever wanted to kill her, she wouldn't even realize when she had been struck. However, when she expected the killing blow, nothing happened. He stayed hidden in the shadows, with his hand on his trembling dagger. "This is bullshit," he remarked. 'Again, a contradiction,' Renner rolled her eyes, now used to his antics, but it made her chuckle, which caught his attention. She couldn't see his face, but she had become adept at reading his body language, and he seemed annoyed. She, on the other hand, was relieved. It meant that in case she betrayed them, all his threats could be just words, and he wouldn't have killed her. Nevertheless, her chances of survival were higher if he acquired those souls, as he had said he would make good items for her and Climb. She considered, 'It seems that he also didn't realize that the way our plan is made, there is no danger of her and Climb getting exposed to Ainz Ooal Gown.' It was his potential mistake. He seemed to have assumed that their participation in Shalltear's subjugation would make it impossible to switch sides. Yet she had to admit, if Nazarick had people as smart as her, the whole kidnapping of her and Climb would be revealed, and they would automatically assume them to be associates of the traitors. She gave him points for that. Though there still may be a way to salvage the situation or at least run away and convince J'zargo to find a way to hide them from Askuna. She couldn't help but notice J'zargo's jealous stares towards Askuna. Returning to the situation at hand, when she proposed to do it herself, she was surprised that without a single objection, he handed her everything, including the supposed dagger that would gather souls and Black Star that would collect them. 'That is a lot of trust,' she remarked. From their conversations about strategy, Askuna had revealed that enchantments on the weapon activate even if someone blocked or parried the attack. However, when she looked at him, covered in armour and lost in his thoughts, she had to admit that he could allow himself to do that. There was not a place she could potentially nick on him, nor did she know how she could have killed him to make the enchantment work. She had never killed anyone directly before, and frankly, she didn't care much about what she was doing. It was natural to her; she needed something, and she had seen it done. 'Yet why do I feel that instead of being grateful, this annoying bastard is annoyed with me?' she scathed. 'Unbelievable, truly unbelievable.' She was sure to send him one of the coldest stares she ever could, and was satisfied that it seemed to have some reaction, as he looked sideways. When they finished putting the last corpse in Askuna's inventory, she marvelled at how useful it was. Frankly, doing all that physical work had broken a lot of her sweat, so she would have liked to clean herself, alone, which she wasn't used to, having always been cleaned by maids.  As they parted ways, Askuna left her with the ring. Whether he had forgotten or not, she would use it today. With the ring's ability to conceal her and resist magic, coupled with the protection from her armor, she could hasten the building of her information network without Climb's vanguard. As she looked at the ring, a sly idea formed in her mind to sneak into the bathhouses with it as her top priority. ... After finishing the enchanting, Askuna attempted to adopt a more positive outlook and enjoy the emerging light of the day, avoiding overthinking. However, his tranquillity was short-lived when he stumbled upon Climb's training place. They stared at each other, and Askuna noticed a glimmer of determination flash through Climb's eyes. It was then that Climb approached him with a request. Apparently, he had asked J'zargo to train him to become stronger, but the mage said he could only teach him magic. Climb hoped that Askuna could help him improve in the physical department. Askuna considered the request, his mind racing with ideas on how to quickly become stronger. He knew that in the world of Overlord, one could theoretically overcome impossible odds and even regenerate from the brink of death to become stronger. Essentially, after the ordeal, One would receive a "zenkai" power boost if they survived, much like the Saiyans. However, the main limiting factor was always mana, health, and stamina regeneration. Even with the ability to heal oneself, those resources weren't infinite, and eventually, they would run out. He considered this as he contemplated how to help Climb. In all honesty, were he to be transported to this world without any powers, he would likely attempt to overcome the proverbial steep learning curve by mastering the art of regeneration. His goal would be to push himself to the brink of his limits, facing impossible odds and grinding endlessly, all in the hopes of levelling up and growing stronger. He even started to wonder if he could somehow increase his own strength through training beyond his limits by rapidly regenerating from the damage. And with Climb by his side, they had a way to test his theory. However, a sudden doubt crept into his mind. 'Perhaps our regeneration could be too fast,' he thought to himself. 'We won't fully experience the pain of being pushed.' Nevertheless, he decided to have a bit of fun with Climb, so he chose to power-level him by beating him down with high-levelled gloves while encouraging him to get back up and fight. But he needed to motivate Climb to keep going, and he had just the thing in mind. "Renner's safety," Askuna thought to himself. With that in mind, he presented his solution to Climb. With a mischievous grin, Askuna handed Climb a set of rings, a necklace, and some enchanted clothes. "Put these on," he said, tossing them to Climb like a game of catch. "They'll heal your mind, stamina, and health continuously, allowing you to push through your limits." he couldn't resist a playful tone.  Climb barely caught everything and eagerly put them on, feeling an electric surge of energy course through his body as weariness and exhaustion due to his previous training has vanished. His mind felt crystal clear, and he felt more powerful than ever before. "These three pieces," explained Askuna, pointing at the enchanted apparel, "are made with grand soul gems and will boost your health, so you can endure my devastating strikes." which made Climb feel honoured yet apprehensive at the choice of words. But before he could say anything, Askuna's devilish smile turned into a threat. "But here's the catch," he said, holding up a finger. "To motivate you, I will try to take back the things I gave you. And if I manage to do so, I will go and snap Renner's finger for any item you didn't protect." Climb's face turned from excitement to panic, but before he could protest, Askuna punched him full-force in the stomach, making him fall to the ground and spew blood. It was all in a spirit of good fun, of course. Askuna narrowed his eyes, realizing that Climb still had too many health points to dip into lower levels during his attacks. With a mischievous glint in his eyes, he snatched the health necklace back from Climb, waving it out of reach. "What? No fair!" protested Climb, reaching for the necklace.  "You want it back? Come and get it!" replied Askuna before punching Climb in the head with his Daedric gauntlet, destroying his nose and teeth. Climb regenerated before he could even register the damage, but before he could react, Askuna kicked him into a nearby tree. Climb tried to muster a defence, but before he could do anything, Askuna shouted "Fus! Ro! Dah!" sending Climb crashing into the dirt with a painful snap. Askuna marvelled at the tenacity, as not even a second later the ever so serious boy lunged towards him, determined to retrieve the necklace, but Askuna was too fast. He dodged and weaved, hopping around like a jester taunting Climb with every step. "You're too slow!" laughed Askuna, twirling around Climb and landing a swift kick to his backside. Climb stumbled forward, but he refused to give up. He drew out his sword, before charging forward and swinging it wildly, but Askuna easily sidestepped and gave him a not-so-playful 'tap' on the head with his gauntlet. However, Askuna soon grew bored with his playful act and at one point, he tossed the necklace into his inventory and began relentlessly pummelling Climb, with the intention of evolving him into the ultimate punching bag. The idea behind it was that the difference between the power of Askuna's attacks and Climb's level and statistics would reward him immensely through the hidden game system running the world. To benefit the boy as much as possible, he utilized his entire arsenal. He bombarded Climb with fireballs, ice spikes, and electrical damage, continuing the beatdown. He even used illusions and paralysis before shattering them with a punch, all to build Climb's resistances. Despite the pain, the young knight was determined to push through his limits and stop this madman But in truth, Climb felt his body growing stronger with every received strike. In one instance, he charged forward with his sword raised high and swung down at Askuna. But Askuna was too quick, dodging to the side and countering with a swift strike of his own. Climb stumbled backwards, but regained his footing and launched another attack. The cheap swords and shields clashed, the metallic ringing filling the air with each collision. Askuna had provided basic weapons, as he didn't want to accidentally destroy his armour or kill Climb. As the fight wore on, Askuna ramped up the pressure, using his supernatural speed and strength to keep Climb on his toes and push him to evolve his ability to take blows. But Climb refused to give up, his determination fueling his every move. With each passing moment, he grew more confident and skilled, his once-shaky strikes becoming more precise and powerful. Askuna had another theory in mind. He believed that by power-levelling Climb through their intense training, he would gain warrior-related classes and knowledge on how to fight, which would be granted directly by the game system. As a result, Climb's stats would increase, bringing nothing but benefits. The best part was that there was no usual exhaustion of the mind or body, nor any permanent injuries involved. They just kept going, with Climb getting beaten down to the ground and each time coming back with even more vigour. As time passed, Askuna realized that he was also benefiting from his training. He was able to tap into his warrior's instinct derived from his classes and transition from brute force to technique, gaining years of experience in mere seconds. He quickly surpassed Climb's skill level, expertly controlling him while adjusting his blows to exploit his weaknesses. Soon enough, he began offering Climb advice, imparting it in the most reliable method possible: through pain. With each strike, Askuna could see Climb's form improving. He was becoming quicker, and more agile, and his strikes were becoming increasingly precise. It was as if the pain was a catalyst for his improvement, and Climb was rising to the challenge. As the hours ticked by, Climb's progress was undeniable. His movements were fluid and almost effortless, and he was moving at a speed that even surprised Askuna. The once-feeble warrior was now a formidable opponent, and the two continued to spar relentlessly. Despite Climb's improvements, Askuna still held the upper hand with his superior technique, staggering skills, and powerful blows. But even as he landed hit after hit, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in Climb's growth. He had transformed the once-inept fighter into a skilled and confident warrior, all through the power of pain, perseverance and bullshit gameworld logic. And he was forced to take notice of this game logic, as suddenly there was a transition as if Climb has broken through some barriers, which surprised him when he found himself slower than Climb.  Askuna pondered, 'Did he break through to level thirty or thirty-five?' It appeared that surviving thousands of strikes from devastating attacks in his level 20s had granted Climb some powerful classes and evolutions compared to his previous ones. Therefore Askuna adjusted his still superior technique to match Climb's increasing speed, but in a moment of miscalculation, he made a mistake, and Climb landed a punch on his protected face. The blow had no effect on Askuna, but it invigorated Climb, who had endured hours of gruelling training. "That was amazing, Askuna! I've never felt so alive!" he exclaimed. "Good job, Climb," Askuna praised, nodding in approval. "But we're not finished yet. We'll continue to train until you become the strongest warrior you can be." Saying so, Askuna quickly pulled out the enchanter from inventory and enchanted two sets of gloves, each giving a boost to one arm and brawling. He gave one pair to Climb and kept the other for himself. To benefit from the exercise, he took off the rest of his armour. As they stood bare-chested, gloves at the ready, the tension between Climb and Askuna was palpable. They circled each other, both waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike. In a burst of energy, Climb charged forward and threw a powerful punch, but Askuna quickly sidestepped and delivered a swift blow to Climb's side. The young man grunted in pain, but quickly recovered and retaliated with a series of jabs and hooks. Askuna blocked each blow with little difficulty, as his newly acquired skills made him an expert in hand-to-hand combat. However, Climb was also improving his skills, with his strikes becoming more fluid and precise with each passing moment. It seemed as if he was adapting to the new instincts from better classes. Soon, the two were locked in a fierce battle, exchanging blows and dodging attacks. The sound of each punch and kick landed with a resounding thud, echoing through the forest. Despite the intensity of the fight, the two soon began laughing and joking with each other, their spirits high from the thrill of combat. It was a strange sight to behold: a hideous-looking man and a teenage boy, dressed only in gauntlets and pants, brawling in the middle of the woods. But for Askuna and Climb, it was a moment of pure joy and exhilaration, a chance to push themselves to their limits and become the strongest warriors they could be. But all the fun came to an abrupt end when, in one of the strikes, Climb accidentally shattered one of Askuna's Talos necklaces along with two others he had enchanted himself, which had shifted a bit to the side and were caught in Climb's blow. As the necklace shattered into pieces, his health returned to normal, leaving him vulnerable for a brief moment. The sudden loss of health caught him off guard, and he stumbled backwards, struggling to regain his balance. Climb immediately recognized his mistake and hurried over to assist Askuna by offering his support. "I'm really sorry, sir. Breaking your necklaces was not my intention," he apologized, his voice laced with genuine concern. "It's okay, Climb," he reassured him, trying to appear nonchalant. "I have others. But I need to be more careful from now on." He couldn't believe how close he had come to death and on top of that, he had lost the 100% reduction in shout cooldown that the Talos necklaces had given him. It was a significant loss.  However, upon testing his shouts, Askuna found that he could still manage with the four remaining necklaces, thanks to a bug in the Necromage perk that increased all enchantments by 25%, not just anti-undead matters. As a result, 125% of the original 80% cooldown meant he still had 100%. Despite this stroke of luck, Askuna decided to call off the training for the day. With the sun setting, he knew it was time to find Renner and J'zargo before their departure the next day. Climb could also benefit from some sleep before they set off. ... Previously, during the time Climb and Askuna were engaged in their intense training, J'zargo remained back at their base, studying the Oghma Infinium that Askuna had given him. Askuna had warned him not to give the book to Renner, as she could not be trusted, yet. During one of their conversations, Askuna revealed that he had given up his ability to summon creatures through conjuration magic in exchange for invulnerability to anything non-physical. J'zargo found this intriguing and useful, and he was eager to learn more. Askuna also revealed that he could still shape Daedra into weapons, which piqued J'zargo's interest even further. When J'zargo asked how Askuna had acquired this ability, he simply mentioned his superior variant of spell absorption before giving him the book, which led J'zargo to explore the school of magic known as mysticism. As J'zargo delved deeper into the subject of mysticism, he discovered powerful spells such as teleportation, dispel, reflection, absorption, and detection. He realized that many of the concepts he had previously studied in other schools of magic were incorporated from this school of magic When he questioned the book further, it presented him with information on different theories discussing how the schools of magic were simple categorizations and should not be treated as truths. Following the chain of questions, he found himself exploring countless paths beyond the origins of magic in Tamriel, including the tiered magic of Yggdrasil and other systems based on different concepts and restrictions. As he delved further, he began to realize the vastness of magic and how he would never be able to master even a single school. Countless different systems and paths existed, and he was left with questions like what it meant to be the best mage. His previous feelings of jealousy towards Askuna's magic slowly began to fade. He felt as though both of them were insignificant in the grand scheme of things. The impossible genius on the insurmountable pedestal now felt human, just like him, striving to be better. Suddenly, some noise interrupted his reading, and he was annoyed that he had to divert his attention from the book. Then he realized whose voice it was - his own maniacal laughter. Yet he realized he wasn't alone. J'zargo quickly snapped the book shut, his heart racing as he looked up to see Renner standing there with a stunned expression on her face. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude," she stammered, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "It's alright," J'zargo said, trying to sound nonchalant. "It's just a book of endless knowledge. J'zargo went too deep into the mysteries of magic," he added, realizing that it was already late afternoon and he had lost track of time. Renner's gaze lingered on the book, her curiosity getting the best of her. "That sounds fascinating," she said, moving closer to him. "How does that work?"  J'zargo hesitated, recalling Askuna's warnings about not giving the book to her. But he reasoned that Askuna's main concern was her running away with it, and he could understand why. He had almost betrayed Askuna for the book himself. However, showing it to her should be alright, shouldn't it? "Just think of any knowledge, and it will appear before you," he said, handing her the book. But as she reached for it, he stopped it in place for a moment and repeated Askuna's previous warning. "But be wary, as it can capture you inside it for eternity." She nodded, and as she sat on the bed and opened the book, she quickly became engrossed in its pages, searching for answers to countless questions that had been plaguing her. Sometimes she grew frustrated, while other times she was filled with joy at what she discovered. Her true curiosity was reflected on her face. As J'zargo observed her, he found it difficult to reconcile what Askuna had told him about her with what he was seeing now. She seemed like an innocent child, perhaps misguided, but he couldn't help but wonder what lengths she would go to achieve her goals and what lay beneath her seemingly innocent façade. Lost in his thoughts, J'zargo tried to meditate on the world as it was explained in one of the mysticism books, pondering how everything he understood about magic and the world was just him making fake generalizations of concepts. As he delved deeper into the subject, he realized that the more he learned, the less he knew. It was both exhilarating and frustrating at the same time. Hours passed until a shadow fell on Renner, who was completely engrossed in her book. She had been so absorbed in the endless knowledge contained within its pages that she hadn't even noticed the passing of time. "Enjoying your reading?" Askuna asked with mirth in his voice, Climb right beside him. Startled, Renner let out a yelp of surprise, snapping the book shut. "Sorry to startle you," Askuna said with a grin. "But it's time to sleep for all of you. We're leaving at first light." Renner nodded, still a bit dazed from the intense reading. She closed the book and set it aside, feeling a sense of loss at having to stop. As she gathered her belongings, she couldn't help but think about the information she had just absorbed. It was overwhelming, yet exhilarating at the same time. The trio settled in for the night, exhausted from the day's activities, while Askuna went to do his own last minute preparations. Climb immediately fell into a deep slumber. Renner and J'zargo, on the other hand, found it difficult to sleep as they were still engrossed in their thoughts. Realizing that Renner was still awake, J'zargo raised himself up and asked, "Are you thinking about the book?" She looked at him and confirmed, "Yes, among other things." Seeing her interested he decided to share some of his thoughts, "You know, Renner, reading this book has given me a new perspective on Askuna. I used to think he was unfathomable, but now I realize that we are all nothing but specks of dust in the grand scheme of things." Renner looked at him with a deep frown, not sure how to respond to his comment. "I suppose you're right," she said finally, trying to keep the conversation going. "But it's hard to imagine someone like Askuna being just a speck of dust." J'zargo nodded and shuffled back to lie down. "I know what you mean. But it's humbling to think about it. We can only do our best with the time we have." Renner hummed ambiguously in response, lost in thought about what J'zargo had said. She couldn't help but feel a sense of unease at the thought of someone as powerful as Askuna being supposedly dwarfed by Ainz Ooal Gown in terms of strength, firepower, and resources. In the next chapter, we can look forward to the appearance of Shalltear.

As Askuna sipped his hot, fragrant coffee and delved deeper into his academic papers, a sudden bright light blinded him. When his vision cleared, he realized that the cup of coffee he had been holding was gone. Disoriented, he wondered, "Where did my coffee go?" But his confusion about the missing cup was quickly replaced by apprehension as he looked around and saw that his comfortable leather chair had transformed into a hard, lukewarm white floor. It stretched out in every direction, as far as his eye could see. 'What the hell is happening?' he thought, his heart racing with fear and confusion. He slowly raised his head and saw a gaming chair pushed into a desk with three monitors and a running computer. Askuna reached for his coffee mug, only to realize that it was nowhere to be found. He felt a chill run down his spine as he tried to make any sense of his surroundings. Nevertheless, as he stood up and stretched his legs, Askuna's eyes roamed over the desk in front of him for any potential clues. Immediately, his attention was drawn to a clock that sat next to a monitor, with a piece of paper attached to it.  Curious, he cautiously approached the clock, eyeing its display as it went from 10:00 to 9:59. Next to it, he noticed a piece of paper strapped to the desk, so he leaned in to get a better view of the small font written on it. "Warning: You have 10 hours, choose it wisely." he read aloud the uppermost message And the only intelligent thought in his mind left was 'huh'. Then, after looking again at the supposedly time-measuring clock and confirming it still staying at fifty-nine, he refocused on the paper and read what lay below.  Skyrim -> Overlord Rules 1. Restrictions on Modding and File Modification You must not mod Skyrim or use console commands, change the version of Skyrim, or modify files in any way not specified below. Additionally, the installed version of the game is a vanilla Anniversary Edition. 2. Permissible Actions in the Game Every offline action in the game outside of console commands is permissible. 3. Character Transfer to Overlord After ten hours expect to be transferred as a created game character, with everything and everyone in the ten-meter radius from the said character.  4. Destination and Timeline The destination is the New World of Overlord, located 250 km from Nazarick, and the timeline is the exact time of the arrival of said faction. 5. Conversions of Skyrim Items, Skills, and Abilities Any Skyrim items in the 10-meter radius of the character or inside their inventory will be converted to Overlord items. Any skills or abilities will also be similarly converted. Conversions are performed as follows: Any object or ability with in-game lore converts to the one with lore-based described abilities while maintaining a neutral setting disconnected from the Elder Scrolls franchise. Any in-game attributes and modifiers convert using mostly logarithmic functions. All progress of skills will be reflected in Overlord's special jobs known as Skyrim Warrior, Skyrim Thief, and Skyrim Mage, each having max 5 levels based on skill progression, and giving the skills and in-game abilities appropriately reflected when they arrive in the New World. The converted character may receive any further classes and jobs based on their racial progressions or in-game achievements or lore. 6. Use of Internet Browser You may use an internet browser for information collecting; however, any communication with the outside world is prohibited. 7. Responsibility for Game-Related Issues Expect to be held responsible for any crashes or issues with the game, including save file corruption or other unfortunate circumstances. If there is a situation where the character is not created or the game isn't running during the final time, then expect to be sent directly. After reading the rules, Askuna's thoughts went something like this: "So basically, I'll get isekai'd as a Skyrim character. Point two seems to imply that glitches are allowed, and I can search the internet." Noting the time on the clock, which read 9:52, Askuna continued to consider his options. "Theoretically, glitches in Skyrim are OP. The strongest one would be the fortify restoration loop." However, as he read through the rules more carefully, he realized there were some limitations. "But depending on the base of logarithm and constant, the exponential values may mean little," he reasoned. "Yet even then, some health and magicka regeneration items with millions of per cent modifiers may translate quite well." Askuna's mind was now racing with ideas. He recalled special items that could be useful in the game. "On the other hand, the lore-based abilities may justify collecting staff of Magnus, Skeletal Key, etc."   But time was of the essence. He had to search the internet for those quests and then try to speed-run them for a reward. As Askuna considered his options, he pondered the benefits of levelling up his skills. "Getting shouts would be a priority, especially if there's a Dragonborn racial class," he thought. "And maybe I could even gain levels in werewolf or vampire...but wait, wasn't there a glitch to be both at the same time?" A smirk crept across his face as he remembered a guide he had read on Reddit, detailing how to achieve this powerful combination. A quick search on Reddit led him to a well-written guide on how to achieve this, and he exclaimed, "Oh, it even guides on when to choose perks for necro mage, and that it is affected by fortify restoration..." Askuna's mind raced as he pondered the potential of the fortify restoration glitch. A sly grin crossed his face as he realized, "Fortify restoration also affects one of the perks that gives spell absorption... this could be huge." Little did he know, however, that his oh-so-great certainty about the glitch's effects on spell absorption would come back to bite him in the ass. For those in the know, spell absorption was one of the most broken mechanics in the game. With a 100% modifier, the player wouldn't be susceptible to any abilities or magic, and would even siphon mana from their enemies. 'One could even create a circle of protection and gain mana from their own spell at an insane rate,' he mused. In Overlord, if the conversion worked properly, it could potentially render Askuna invulnerable to all supernatural attacks, that is leaving him susceptible only to raw physical damage. It was a necessary sacrifice, as using the fortify restoration glitch to achieve maximum spell absorption would render him unable to use conjuration magic, but it was a risk he was willing to take... no the risk he must take. Furthermore, upon checking Momonga's abilities, Askuna discovered that he possessed a skill that allowed him to control lower-level undead and even had access to some instant death skills. Askuna knew that he would need to be immune to these abilities if he hoped to stand a chance against Momonga. As he weighed his odds against Ainz Ooal Gown, Askuna pondered his options carefully. He was not one to seek out death, but neither was he content with a life of subservience. If there was a high chance of victory, he would take the risk. After all, the possibility of being free from Ainz's control was too tempting to ignore. First and foremost, Askuna had to consider Nazarick's xenophobia, as it would put him at a disadvantage, just for not being one of them. Plus they have some quite incredulous minds, which means he could be removed once not needed, or maybe in some pathetic jealousy? 'Probably not, as Momonga’s word would be upheld if he was accepted, but then playing internal politics with guardians, swearing loyalty and kneeling all the time... seems annoying. '- mused Askuna   ‘Also, there seems to be plenty of opportunities when knowing the future and enemies, for example, one can snatch Downfall of Castle and Country and try to brainwash Shaltear at the same time.’ - Askuna mused for a second.  There were also other options, like recruiting a mind as brilliant as Renner, robbing the treasury of Slane Theocracy and possible World Items, dragons in the Dwarf Mountains, etc.  Yet, despite having only a half-baked plan ready, Askuna's attention was drawn to the clock as it struck 9:37. Realizing he had been lost in thought for too long, he hurried to start a new game. As Askuna endured the tedious Helgen introduction, he used the time to research the different races in Overlord. Disappointingly, none seemed to offer a clear advantage. In the end, he settled on the High Elf, despite their unappealing appearance. Their highborn bonus could potentially translate to a useful class, or at the very least, no significant weakness. He also couldn't help but note their long lifespan, should he ever decide against becoming a vampire. As he customized his High Elf character, Askuna couldn't help but cringe at the hideous appearance he had created. "Well, it happens," he shrugged before deciding to name the character Askuna, like himself. Although there were ways to speedrun the unbound quest and level up enchanting quickly, Askuna wasn't proficient in those methods and didn't see the point in trying to learn them now. As expected, the tutorial went smoothly, and despite never having played at such a low level before, he shamelessly selected the novice difficulty level. As far as he could tell, there was no apparent reason to limit himself, but he couldn't help but wonder if he had made a mistake. Honestly, in a cheat run, the difficulty level was inconsequential, as within it a legendary difficulty posed no challenges, bare for a higher chance of death before the fortify restoration loop. With this in mind, he reaffirmed his choice to select novice difficulty. As he raced through the caverns of Helgen, Askuna couldn't help but feel bored with the process. He avoided all confrontations, and focused solely on reaching Helgen and then White Run as quickly as possible. Upon reaching the stones before Helgen, he chose the thief stone to level alchemy faster, before running right through Helgen and heading to Whiterun. Along the way, he was attacked by wolves, but on such a low difficulty level, they posed no real threat. As he encountered a giant, he decided to take the opportunity to kill it and collect its toe, a useful ingredient, indeed. Askuna didn't waste any time once he entered Whiterun's hold. He immediately headed to the potion shop. He had a trick up his sleeve, a known glitch that allowed him to enter a shopkeeper's inventory and drain their inventory and money in seconds. With a few quick mouse movements, he selected one of his items and moved his mouse sideways and up, then clicked the sell button. Wuolah! He is now selling the shopkeeper their merchandise, from which he swiftly took everything.   As he browsed through his new spoils, he discovered that he took some wheat and realized that for the next glitch, he needed a follower. He had forgotten about that, but no worry. With a quick fast travel to Riverwood, combined with delivering letter, boom, ten seconds, Faendal is a companion. After quickly teleporting back, Askuna dropped the toe and wheat and asked Faendal to pick them up before leaving. He re-entered the hold just a moment later, finding the items both in Faendal's inventory and duplicated on the ground. He repeated this process until he had accumulated 100 of each ingredient. Then, he ran to the potion shop and crafted a potion of health using the duplicated items. Although he had to repeat the duplication process a few times, it only took a few minutes to achieve the 100th level in alchemy. With the grind completed, he abused another glitch, selling the shopkeeper's items and resetting their inventory with a punch. Satisfied with his earnings, he headed to the carriage outside Whiterun and travelled to Solitude. It was 9:05 on the clock, and Askuna knew he needed to act fast. He sprinted all the way to the cloth store and hastily bought all the unique enchantments available. Using the previously described method, Askuna managed to obtain the enchantments he needed the most - water walking, poison resistance, water breathing, and disease resistance. He wanted to collect them all, as he knew they could be hard to come by later on when he levelled up his character past level 20. In Whiterun's reach, he skipped through the dialogue with the Jarl and Farengar and quickly bought all the unique items and spell tomes from the wizard. With a quick reset of the merchant's inventory, he was able to buy more. After that, he replicated the duplication glitch on daggers and grand soul gems by the doors. It took him some time, but he managed to collect around three hundred of each item. However, the weight of the items overloaded him, forcing him to crawl to the enchanter. The grinding was monotonous and took Askuna around thirty minutes to enchant all the items. Once he finished, he levelled up the rest of his levels by disenchanting the items he had previously bought. After completing this task, he sold all the daggers and checked the time. It was already 8:20 on the clock. Realizing that he wouldn't be able to get everything he wanted, he knew compromises would have to be made. Nonetheless, while going through his inventory, Askuna discovered he had bought some Cyrodilic Spadetail earlier. He went to the door and duplicated it with salt piles, collecting forty of each. With the perks in alchemy, he enchanted fortify alchemy on his bracers. After doing so, he started the fortify restoration glitch, which in essence is creating fortify restoration potion from the salt pile and the fish mentioned previously, then drinking it and re-equipping enchanted bracers, which due to the glitch increases the efficiency of the enchantment. What else? Well, rinse and repeat.    After a couple of redoes, he had around a hundred thousands modifier, from the use of which he created several fortify restoration potions in reserve. That was enough proverbial boosting as of now because he didn’t want to crash the game or go into negative values, by mistake.  To avoid the need to craft enchanting potions later, Askuna duplicated the ingredients and created fifty of them. He then applied the fortify alchemy enchantment to his bracers using one of the potions. This boosted the modifier of his potions to millions per cent. Impressed with his results, Askuna decided to master his alchemy skill by resetting his level using the skill prompt. Surprisingly, he only needed to craft one potion to level up to a hundred instantly. With his alchemy skill mastered, he moved on to the next step of his plan. Satisfied with his accomplishments, he repeated the process ten times over. But he knew he could still gain more benefits from it. He had previously enchanted his gloves with a second enchantment, fortify smithing, which he could now use to advance his smithing level. Similar, to the previous advancements in alchemy he went to the smithy in the White run, while noting the time to be 7:50. Therefore, without further delay, Askuna quickly purchased a couple of iron ingots and leather strips from the blacksmith in Whiterun. While it used to be popular to endlessly craft iron daggers to level up smithing in the early days of Skyrim, more efficient methods, such as crafting rings, are now preferred in unglitched runs. However, in this unhinged run where all moves are allowed, Askuna used half of his iron ingots to craft daggers. He then proceeded to the grindstone to upgrade one of his daggers to deal millions of damage. In a split second, a notification popped up, indicating that his smithing level has been maxed out. "Good," evaluated Askuna as he reviewed his progress. "If the conversion won't be too bad, I'll at least have godly items." To maximize his progress, he also sold the dagger to the nearby blacksmith, which earned him a level 100 in speech. As it turned out, this was quite an improvement in his speedrun, as he was able to allocate some of his newly unblocked perks, such as the "carrying capacity" perk. Of course, he did this after drinking a fortify restoration potion, which gave him the nearly unlimited inventory capacity he had been hoping for. With all the necessary skills maxed out, it was time to finally reap the true benefits of all the meticulously executed steps. Askuna's goal was to create and enchant the best armour possible, and he had his heart set on Daedric armour, even if it didn't provide any statistically significant advantages, as 80% was the maximum physical damage reduction. To get started, he made his way to the coachman and asked to be taken to Winterhold. After completing the frankly effortless college introductory test, he visited the illusion elf who sold him a Daedric heart. He then used the duplication glitch to create dozens of copies of it, as well as ebony ingots. Creating all the pieces of Daedric armour, rings, and necklaces took a significant amount of time. Askuna had to enchant each piece with double attributes while under the time pressure of the fortify enchanting potion's duration. He had to keep track of which enchantments he already had to avoid duplicating them. It's worth mentioning that there is a glitch that allows players to wear multiple rings and necklaces, and even more ridiculously, multiple pieces of armour. However, Askuna didn't want to risk wearing multiple pieces of armour during transmigration. He was concerned that they might fuse with his flesh or explode, which could potentially kill him. Having ten rings and a couple of necklaces seemed reasonable, so with the maximum stealth boost provided by one of his new rings, Askuna went to the annoying Talos priest and took his Talos necklace, which he thereafter duplicated five times for a total of 100% shout cooldown reduction when all of them were worn together. With his godly protection crafted, Askuna ventured to Saarthal to steamroll through its quest and gain the "Liz" ice form shout. He then quickly did experiments for J'zargo, which allowed him to take the companion on. J'zargo was a special case, as he had no level limit cap, so he would level up right alongside a Dragonborn. Since it was nearby and somewhat important on his list, Askuna wanted to grab Azura's black star, which would act as an infinite soul gem collector, proving useful in the world of Overlord. The quest itself was quick and easy, which translated to perfect in his local dictionary. As time was running out and it was already 7:15, Askuna checked his mental list of available trainers and realized that most of them were in Riften. He knew he needed to level up several skills before the clock ran out, so he quickly made his way to Riften. Once there, he joined the Thieves Guild by steamrolling through Brynjolf's missions and the Ratway, securing his membership. He then headed to the nearby beehives, set them on fire, accomplished what was needed, and quickly escaped, taking out any guards in his way and teleporting to safety. Once the necessary mission was completed, Askuna gained entry into the Red Flagon, where he found the Pickpocket Guy. He bought the trainer's services repeatedly, stole the money back, and used potions to power-level his pickpocketing skill to level 90. Next, he quickly went to Vex to level up his lockpicking skill to 90, followed by training with the Archery guy to reach level 90 in that skill as well. After that, he trained with a light armour skill trainer to reach level 75, before heading to Delvin to level up his sneak skill to 90. In order to level up all of his skills with the currently available trainers, Askuna went to Farkas and trained his heavy armour skill up to level 90. He also learned the 90th level of two-handed weaponry from Vilkas. Joining the Companions proved to be an easy task, and Askuna quickly completed some basic missions while dashing through dungeons with infinite stamina and avoiding most enemies. He also retrieved the stone from Bleak Falls Barrow and delivered it to the Jarl. Afterwards, using his bow, he swiftly took down the dragon with a single shot. With the clock showing 5:40, Askuna grew anxious as he still had many things he wanted to accomplish. He hurried to the orphanage in Riften and initiated the Dark Brotherhood quest before getting some sleep... in the orphanage. For all those in the known, he quite expectedly awakened in the middle of nowhere having been kidnapped by Astrid. Anyway, as expected, he passed Astrid's test and joined the Dark Brotherhood, where he trained his light armour skill to level 90.  To finish his skill training chore, he searched on the web for the locations of the last skills he needed to level up quickly. He then promptly visited the orc stronghold near Markarth to train his one-handed skill to level 90 and another stronghold to train his block skill. This concluded the training of mostly warrior skills. Initially, Askuna wanted to grind and level up those skills to the maximum, but seeing that it was already 5:00, he decided to put it off for a second and instead focus on his magical skills. Fortunately, two of them were relatively easy to level up. Thanks to the anniversary edition, there is a location near the College called Hob’s Fall Cave where he went to learn about the unbound storm spell. He was able to quickly level up his destruction skill to level 100 by using a glitch that involves activating the spell and then fast travelling to another location. In a similar vein, since Askuna had already completed the Saarthal quest at the college, he was able to purchase the telekinesis spell from Tolfdir, which also boosted him to level 100 instantly. Now, it was time to level up his skills in conjuration, restoration, and illusion with the help of trainers. Grinding conjuration and illusion to level 100 was a simple, albeit repetitive, matter. For restoration, he went to High Hrothgar's courtyard where he created a circle of healing with J'zargo in the midst of a storm. When the game was running, Askuna searched for skill books online, but he couldn't find many that he could obtain quickly, and he couldn't remember their exact locations, so he didn't bother with them. With a little over four hours left, he quickly went to search for the fort in Dawnstar, where he started the quest to free Serana. He steamrolled through the quest, escorted her to the remote boat, went to the accursed castle, and became a Vampire Lord. Afterwards, Askuna went to the Companions and completed the quest that gave him the 'yol' fire shout and allowed him to become a werewolf. During the initiation into the inner circle by performing a ritual, he attempted the vampire-werewolf hybrid glitch. It took him a couple of tries to get it right because, despite knowing about the vampire-werewolf hybrid glitch, it was still difficult for Askuna to pull it off. He had to press the button to transform into a Vampire Lord immediately after drinking blood to effectively receive the powers of both a vampire and a werewolf. After transforming into a vampire lord, Askuna spent some time taking perks for Atronach. Unfortunately, he realized that the fortify destruction was the only way to boost Atronach, not the fortify restoration as he had previously thought. However, the recovery perk worked as expected, allowing him to boost his magicka regeneration to millions per second, effectively giving him unlimited magicka. In addition, he took the Necromage perk, which provided a significant 25% boost to all of his abilities. All in all a significant increase not to be scoffed at. As he approached the four-hour mark, Askuna knew he needed to make the most of his remaining time. He decided to focus on collecting some necessary items and completing a few more quests. However, becoming a hybrid had its consequences. To deal with his werewolf curse, he had to complete the "Met by Moonlight" quest as quickly as possible.  The quest involved meeting Sinding, becoming even more cursed, and then hunting before finally receiving the uncursed Hircine Ring, which blocked his curse. It was a time-consuming task, but necessary as he didn't want to be forced to transform into a werewolf. With only three and a half hours left, Askuna knew he needed to be efficient with his time. He decided to start by focusing on the Thieves Guild questline, beginning with the standard Mercer Frey stuff. Suddenly, a realization dawned on him: "Oh no, I messed up. Due to a bug with maxed-out spell absorption, I can't create any more conjuration spells. That means I won't be able to master all magic." The collector's gremlin in him was deeply displeased, the more rational part of his mind reasoned, "But in any case, I couldn't use those spells since all summoning spells are off-limits to me." Despite this, he had so much left to accomplish and so little time left. He still needed to obtain the Skeleton Key, access the black market merchant's summoning ability from the Black Book, acquire the Oghma Infinium, and learn more shouts...  But then it hit him: "What about the Staff of Magnus? The Labyrinth requires a conjuration spell, which I can't use now..." Not acquiring the Staff of Magnus, a potentially world-level item, would be a complete disaster. The lore surrounding such an item could have been immense. However, it did ease his time constraints a bit. He needed to obtain a few more shouts. Before going to Blackreach Dwemer's ruin, Askuna went north of Winterhold to start the Oghma Infinium quest and the main story quest, as well as all the Ascension mages' quests except for conjuration. Failing to acquire the Staff of Magnus was a tremendous disappointment for Askuna. The staff was a world-level item with immense potential, and its lore power had been highly regarded by Askuna. However, there was a silver lining to this setback. By not acquiring the staff, Askuna was able to save precious time and focus on other tasks, such as acquiring essential shouts and completing other important quests. With determination and a heavy heart, Askuna set out to continue his grind. Before venturing to the Blackreach Dwemer's ruin, he first headed north of Winterhold to begin the Oghma Infinium quest, the main story quests, and all of the ascension mages' quests, except for conjuration. Entering Blackreach and completing Thieves Guild quests proved to be a complete time sink for Askuna. Despite steamrolling through some parts, there were many others where he lost precious minutes backtracking and performing miscellaneous tasks to progress. Nevertheless, he finally reached the Lexicon, Scroll, and ultimately obtained the Skeleton Key from Mercer. With time slowly ticking to one and a half hours left, Askuna decided against becoming a Nightingale to avoid losing the key. The mastery quests for restoration, illusion, and alteration were fast and easy, but they still took up valuable time. With only barely one hour and ten minutes left, Askuna left destruction for later and quickly made his way to Solstheim. As quickly as he could, sparing virtually no time for anything else, Askuna ran to Benkongerike Great Hall to read a particular Black Book that granted him the highly sought-after dremora merchant power. This power could be used even without the ability to use conjuration spells. The merchant powers were crucial, as they allowed Askuna to potentially bring Skyrim materials into the New World of Overlord. However, navigating the Apocrypha took some of his precious minutes. Due to his incomplete progress in the Dawnguard questline, Serana was not particularly fond of him. Therefore, he decided not to bring her to the New World of Overlord. Although Askuna knew he needed more shouts, he was aware that searching for particular word walls would take too much time. With less than an hour left, he had to be content with what he already had. As he searched through his collected shouts, Askuna was disappointed to find that he only had one word for "Feim" (to make himself ethereal), one for "Yol" (for fire), "Liz" (for ice form), "Krii" (for marked for death), and only one full shout for "Fus Ro Dah." The situation was daunting, to say the least. Adding to his growing list of failures, Askuna suddenly remembered that he did not have time to collect the powerful sword Dawnbreaker, which could have been immensely useful in his fight against Nazarick. On the other hand, the idea of making J'zargo wear the Dress Robe of Downfall of Castle and Country was amusing. With less than an hour left, Askuna decided to purchase a house and duplicate the Oghma Infinium by filling a bookshelf with other books and placing the Oghma Infinium as the first item, then spamming the "take" button as the other books were being added. Sadly, the long-standing bug that allowed one to use the book repeatedly did not work, but at least he would have physical copies of it when he moved to Overlord. Askuna still needed to gain several levels in blocking, so he duplicated his armour and rings and equipped J'zargo with them, not daring to pick them up himself for fear of potentially bugging the game. Askuna then proceeded to tank hits from the giants for the next ten minutes, wearing heavy armour and blocking it with his shield. The only skills Askuna had yet to master were lockpicking, archery, light armour, one-handed weapons, and two-handed weapons. He was particularly keen on reaching level 100 in one-handed to unlock the bonus that added a 25% chance of paralyzing enemies with each strike. To level up quickly, Askuna took a random Daedric sword and spent the next ten minutes slashing at giants while healing the damage dealt. With that done, he headed to the smithy in Whiterun to power-level several hundred more levels, hoping to unlock almost all perks, except for four where he didn't reach the maximum level. As for J'zargo, Askuna wasn't sure whether to have him wear all the armour, which would make him almost as powerful as himself. But he needed a strong ally, so he would have to trust the neutral, unhinged Khajit. "Hey, no one's perfect," said Askuna as he moved towards his house in the last three minutes of his quest. Thankfully, there were no crashes as he headed home with J'zargo. Askuna came here for no particular reason other than due to the alchemy and enchanting stations available there and everybody else not being here. Askuna didn't check his inventory anymore, instead choosing to wait in place with J'zargo, not wanting to risk anything. Although he could have gone to the College of Winterhold near the supposed Eye of Magnus, being there without the staff would have been a disaster waiting to happen.  Everything was ready, he had access to plenty of books, materials, and good equipment, as well as cheat-like items and abilities. Time to relax. "Judgment time," breathed in and out Askuna, looking at the clock showing 0:01. And then it happened.

It's an uncharacteristically warm day with a cold that can be felt in the deepest reaches of the bones when Xavier is awoken by the ominous sound of liquid tapping on the floor... Tap. Tap.. Tap… The sounds echo the room much like a leaky faucet… "Urghhh...." He grunts as his eyes peel open ever so slowly feeling awfully heavy like trying to rip glue off his eyes with only the strength of his eyelids… As the dark of the room becomes visible to him a sudden surge of pain strikes his ribs and head which forces his left eye shut as he squints to the dripping of a single stream of blood across his eye... "Ah!" "Ow...ow...ow...huh?!?!" Xavier exclaims in great pain through a hoarse and dry throat. But before he can understand why or where the pain is coming from something catches his eyes... A man... A man hang from the ceiling by only his wrists… Right in front of him... "Fa-Father??" "..." He utters in a confused voice as the silhouette of this man is one he unconsciously finds familiar. "FATHER!!!" The shout is loud as a sudden realization of the man's identity dawn's on him!! With it the immediate need to do something to help! However, just as he tries to... a quick jerk of movement reveals even more pain and much to the contrary of his immediate needs an inability to move... "What?!?" Xavier thinks to himself as he finally realizes he is bound as well. But for him it is to the floor. Cuffs around his wrists and ankles. Connected to chains hammered into the ground that bind him. "I see you're finally awake..." "Xavi..." "…" A rusty dry voice peers through which has Xavier turning his head upwards back towards his father to see him. To see a silhouette of the man forcing a smile with only the dirtied white of his blood shot eyes and teeth seeping through into visibility... "Fa-father…" "Ju-just you wait I'll find a way to get us out of this...." Xavier mumbles about in a disheartened panic half in belief of his own words and half trying to understand just what exactly is happening before he is cut off by his father... "You're…" "More level headed… "Than I thought..." Victor chuckles softly in between breaths as he continues to try to force a smile much to the dismay of a already disheartened Xavier… "You'd be..." "Fa!!!!...." Xavier cuts him off which gives way to a silence. The sight of his father… This broken down tied silhouette of a man who shivers now to even maintain a smile for him. As if to try and say everything is alright… The strong yet gentle man he knew who now hangs in front of him like a goat before the slaughter causes an even greater panic in Xavier And as adrenaline courses through him, Xavier is about to explode when as if reading his mind... "Quiet Xavier they'll hear you..." "ah…" He is cut off… With it comes the realization of the predicament they're in... Chains.... An empty room that hosts only the two of them... Their battered and bruised bodies... And finally the uncomfortable feeling of danger lurking around he has had since he awoke… The situation they find themselves in finally hits him. "Ri-right..." He whispers back distraught as he fails to look his father in the eye. "Now listen to me Xavi…" "We don't have much time..." Xavier winces at the words of his father biting down on his lip as he looks to the ground. "Wait..." "Wait ...wait father…" "I don't understand what's going on...." "Why am I chained to the floor..." "Ju-just what happened here... "You look..." Just then the sun peels into the room and Xavier turns his head up to his father as the secrets that lay hidden in this room are finally unveiled to him. His body properly revealed for the first time to him... From the purple bruises that mark his wrists and ankles indicating dislocations... To the unnatural bend of his fingers and toes clearly broken in swollen purple... And finally the deep lashes on his chest and thighs… Deep enough to indicate a constant whipping with which's marks would turn anyone's stomach...the reveal of the gruesome lashes so deep as to expose the inner nerves and muscles.... "What happened to you....." He only barely utters the words choking as blood mixed In with tears now shoot across his face... "Heh..." "Maybe I gave you too much credit after all..." Victor says hoarsely, forcing the words out his mouth in between choking and an uncontrollable shiver in his teeth… Xavier looks away once more… Unable to stomach the sight of his father in his current state as his body begins to shake and shiver all over to the uncontrollable flow of his tears.... -End of Prologue- _To be Continued_

72 hours before the incident The scent of sunflowers fills the air. The rays of the sun glistening the water dripped sunflower field as they dance to the direction the wind flows. Xavier opens his eyes to the beauty of this land, the land he has called home for all the 11 years of his life. it's all he's ever known. the sky is so pretty... he sighs as he adjusts himself and sits up. suddenly a mellow and soft voice cuts in, "Xavi!!! time for lunch.." It says. Turning his head towards the giant tree that marks the beginning to the field his eyes meet his mother's her beautiful white hair being softly carried to one side by the elegantly soft wind as her crimson red eyes meet his. "Kay mom!" He says with a warm grin on his face. "Bring Mylo in too.." She she says softly as she begins to walk away, "You two have been out all day." "Kay!!" The response is swift as Xavier pats his white little husky as he gets up and makes for the tree where his mother stood.  "C'mon buddy." He says as he rushes towards the house just passed the tree. It's not a big house by any means but it's delicate architecture shines through representing a warm feeling as it is caressed by both an array of flowers, that guide you toward it, and the rays of the sun that sit kindly upon this red brick building. Yes, this is his home. "Ouuu..so what'd you make for lunch this time." Xavier let's out as he zooms right passed his mother to take a sit on a stool by the stone kitchen island.  His mother let's out a warm smile and chuckles to herself clearly proud of her day's selection for lunch. "Ta-da!!! it's...." She says dramatically before she's cut off by Xavier who's starstruck eyes are brighter than ever grinning ear to ear. "Ch-chicken and potato salad!!!!" He shouts clearly reveling in the little feast before him. Reaching for the dish his hand comes to a halt as the door suddenly opens. "Hi guys! what's for lunch?" A warm brash voice cuts in. The figure of a tall well-built man with deep shiny black hair and blue eyes appears. His eyes meeting Xavier's. "Welcome back!!" Xavier says much more softly and mannered in his demeanour and tone. "Thanks Xavi." His father responds. "And how are you today..." His father says turning his attention to his wife. "Ouuu... so much better now that you're here, welcome back hunnie.." She says warmly as she walks towards him and leaves a kiss on his cheek. Xaviers father takes a sit on the stool next to him before he says. "Hey Xavi...." Before he is cut off by both the quite frankly unsightly but also ridiculous speed at which his son is already gobbling down his lunch. "Aaaaah.. I guess it can wait...." He says in both surprise and mild amusement. "Mom! mom! this is so good I could die right now!!" Xavier shouts chicken half in mouth... "Ehehe sure Xavi just don't get any food on my carpet it's new." She says laughably as she walks passed him to the pantry patting Xavier's head on the way. "Ohoho this must be pretty good stuff for you to ignore your old man like that." Xavier's father says cheekily and a little jealous of the gourmet meal. "Huh??" Xavi responds clearly absorbed in a meal worth telling his future generations of grandkids upon grandkids about. "Ack....fine let's see what all the fuss is about.." His father mutters to himself jealousy starting to seep through. "Risa is a good cook no question. but it can't be that goo...." An eerie silence fills the room as soon he takes a bite... Risa returns to the room breaking the silence.. "Alright I just found some oranges in the pantry and I think this go really well..with...the...." She looks at the both of them crouched over their plates with a blank expression. "Eh." She audibly sounds as she notices all the plates are empty.... "Di-did you finish everything!!!!" "hunnie..." Her husband's voice cuts in both brutal and serious. "Ye-yes?" Risa responds taken alittle aback by the tone and in awe of the sight before her. "I could...I could!!!" He utters in ridiculous stuttering fashion as he raises his voice it breaks with every word. "Die right now!!!" Xavier cuts in shouting loudly in equally dramatic fashion.... "Hu-huuuuuuh!!!" Risa exclaims. "Yes that's it. We could die right now..." Her husband says like on the verge of a discovery that could change the world!!! As glittering tears run down their faces like an angels blessing has been bestowed upon their life. The realization of this blessing dawning on them  Risas husband's reaches an epiphany grabbing his wife's hands he proclaims! "This gourmet meal..." "WORF!!!" Mylo barks almost as if attaining enlightenment himself. "Nae... this divine blessing bestowed upon our stomachs!" He says dramatically! "Upon our stomachs!! Upon our stomachs!!" Echoes Xavier's immediately after his father as he chooses to join in his revelation... "Nae upon our lives!!!" His father shouts more dramatic as he takes up her hands and springs to his feet... "Our lives!! Our lives!!" .."Worf!!!!" Xavi shouts after as boy and dog feel the revelation.... "We could die right now!!!!!!!" They shout in unison as they both spring stiff and fall glittering tears and all, faces filled with complete euphoria like a great revelation of the world's secrets has just been availed unto them "....aaaah.... this is bliss...." Risas cheeks red with embarrassment at the ridiculous display unable to hold herself back and boiling over from not only her husband's seemingly absurd choice to act more than half his age but also the audacity of these two to not leave her any lunch that she so laboured to prepare and that little pup too what's with that!!!...and finally oh.. and finally.... her carpet!!!. Oh!! Her precious black sheep wool carpet that she spent days in queue fighting the local mom's to attain the rarity of it which can only be found every 6 years STAINED!!!! Stained by her husband and son who look more and more like babies without a care in the world ".Mmmm.." Her growl is audible enough to tense all the idiots in the room up. "NOT..ON... MY...CARPET!!!!!" She shouts as she stampedes to them having clearly lost it. One overly exaggerated and dramatic meal later... "Geez... why are you so dramatic!" Risa sighs with pout as she dusts off and tucks Xavier in for bed having come to the end of another stress inducing day in her household. "Hehe we're not though it really was that good!!" He laughs to himself as his mothers cheeks turn mildly red clearly happy at the praise and remark she receives from her son. "But if I had to think about it it's probably because father's an idiot and am his son..." Xavier exclaims cheekily slightly hiding his face with the blanket as his mother just chuckles to herself and pats his head getting up from her crouched position when she says, "Alright. Alright. now get to bed you, before you father hears us." "Kay!" Xavier responds hurriedly... "Goodnight Xavier." His mother says as she leaves the room flicking the light off on her way... "Night!" He shouts back. The door partially closed leaving a little light produced from the candle down the in his father's study. The room now filled mostly with the light produced from the moon and stars...it's a beautiful night. Xavier thinks to himself as his little husky pops into his bed, it's blue eyes highlighted even more by the light from the sky. "You're beautiful too Mylo." He utters peacefully as he smiles softly and pats his dogs head and letting out a little bark from it. As the time passes he falls to sleep thinking about how much he loves his family and can't wait to get upto more shenanigans to mess with his mother. Midnight. Glass breaks... the sound reverberates throughout the house...Xavier's eyes peel open slowly still in a dazed and sleepy state....muffled sounds of speech pass his ears... its awfully darker than it was he thinks to himself still half asleep... "Huh what was that.." He mutters to himself staring at the shadows at his door pacing back and forth. Still in a daze he pulls himself up from his bed patting Mylo on the head as he wills his legs forward toward the shadows opening the door completely the conversation begins to become more audible. "Yo- you can't...." "Am sorry dear but I have no choice...." "But you promised...." The exchange is heard, identifying the voices as his parents Xavier walks towards the shadows... "Yo-you said it when you asked me to marry you.." "That you left all that behind!" "That you wouldn't let your father dictate your life anymore" "That you wouldn't let your family control your story!" "That we would be free!!!" "...that we would be happy...." His mother says, her voice a mixture of shock, sadness, fear and...heartache.... "I know what I said." "...bu-but am doing this for you...." "For Xavi!.." "Yeah well we didn't ask you to!!!" His mother's voice cuts in followed by an eerie silence... "If I don't do this you won't be safe...." His father responds softly "If you do this YOU won't be safe Victor!!!" Risa exclaims loudly... (sigh) Victor places his hands on a nearby desk as the room is filled with silence.... and then finally "Th-the oasis is filled with different people from all over the world..." "The 'GUARD' should be able to protect us..." "Don't you think so too???" ...Risa says her voice hopeful but audibly completely shaken now... "It's my father Marisa!!!" "If I don't do this not only us but the whole oasis will be in trouble he won't stop unless I go and stop him myself!!!" Another eerie silence fills the room as Xavier sobers upto the atmosphere of the conversation his parents are having... after a long period of silence his mother's voice breaks the silence... "Whe-when do you have to leave.." She lets out in an anxious tone and mellow tone... "Two days...." The response cold and brash... "Either I leave in two days or...." Victor says in an anxious and terrified tone.... "Or what Vic...." Risa responds softly "Or we'll all die..." He let's out softly almost in sync with his breath as he tilts his head away from his wife.... Xavier's face turns blue....his brain not understanding what he just heard...his body heavy...his fingers stiff.... DEATH. That is to not be here anymore... to not feel.... touch...see....smell...hear.... ...Love.... ...Death... ...His death....all his friends...Mylo's...but more importantly his parent's death... The boy stone faced quietly wills himself back to bed... That night Xavier could not go to bed as his mind was filled with a bundle of questions... "His father will leave in two days to meet his grandfather??" "If he doesn't they'll all die?" "Why would his grandfather kill them?" "Why would he go to such lengths?" "But more importantly just who is his father???" 48 hours before the incident ..To Be Continued..

"Thank you for the reports you're both excused." The dark haired man exclaims both blunt and softly "Ye-yes sir…" The reporting agents respond as they vanish into the dark. "Haaa… well guess we're done here." The dark haired man says as he turns away and starts to make for the interior of the Oasis "Wait Vic… are you just going to walk away? "What's our plan?" "Shouldn't we organize a Strategy meeting?" "Shouldn't we do something, these people…this land…" "You're the leader of the Guard shouldn't we be coming up with something to protect the people of this land I mean…" Jerry says somberly his face turned away before he is cut off by Victor who pauses his leave and staring down into the oasis says equally as sad and broken. "Haaa…. Jerry I think it's time you return home…" "Return home?" Jerry questions him a little abruptly. "What do you mean return home?" "This… this is my home Vic" Jerry interjects impulsively. "They sent one of the senses Jerry." Victor cuts in… "So?? So what we were both among the 'senses' too Victor." Jerry responds… "Yeah but that was a long time ago…" A short silence comes after before… "Hey-hey… now what's that supposed to mean?" Jerry adds… "You should be able to handle this Yasser guy come on!!" "The rest of us can then split up our forces and yeah sure they outnumber us but…." Jerry continues in a shaken tone half believing his own words and half not… "Jeremy Blanche!!!" Victor raises his voice cutting Jerry off "…" "It wasn't just any sense Jerry it was the 'sense of sight'!!" Victor begins aggressively "Meaning part of that 500 should include the current 'squad 1'." Victor says before coming to a pause and continuing much more composed… "The population in the Oasis is a little over 200… " "The people…" "The people here are peaceful immigrants from all over the outer-lands who settled here to get away from wars, from the dispute, and oppression…" "I-I can't ask this of them…" Victor says before coming to a halt leaving a short silence after. "So you want us to just take this lying down." Jerry says hint of anger and stiffness in his voice before continuing in a much more somber tone trying to reason with Victor "I-I don't want anything Jeremy…" Victor responds softly. "But this-this is exactly why we formed the Guard though…" "The people don't need to get involved in this…" "Yeah…yeah that's right we can do this with just the Guard we just reached the 50 mark too…" "And you're not alone in this either I was a sense too!!! Please cap…" Jerry halts before he finishes his sentence… "Am sure we can find some way to…" He tries to say softly before he is cut off by an angry Victor. "And then what Jeremy?!? Huh?!?!?" "Even if…." "And that's a big 'if'!" "I could somehow oh I don't know take down Yasser… " "Then what?!?" "You know my father he would just send the next group of expendables he has!!!" "And then what huh?? God knows he'll probably send all the Senses after this place next after losing his precious sense." "Are you going to protect the people of this land?" "Because regardless of the situation the people…" "I doubt the people of this land would ever take up arms…" "…" "It would be going against everything they believe in…" "And I'm…" "I'm just not ready to ask them to do that for our sake…" Victor sighs before adding… "Go home Jerry…" He says as he continues his walk back into the interior of the beneath. "An-and what are you going to do?!?' Jerry cuts in a little confused but straight… "I promised my wife and son that I'd be back before dinner. "So hopefully to have a peaceful dinner with my family." He says softly a small smile across his face. "…" "Goodbye Jeremy." Meanwhile back at Smart Mark's "Well thanks for everything Uncle Mark." "I'll see you tomorrow." Xavier says smiling as he prepares to get on his way back home. "Anytime little Grey boy. See you tomorrow." The stocky man responds smile on his face, eyes closed. "Yeah you better show tomorrow or Rusty and I are having a round two with both you and Mylo!" Lucy shouts as Xavier and Mylo begin to walk away. "Ahhh-haha goodbye to you too Lucy." Xavier responds awkwardly. "C'mon Mylo lets go" Xavier says as he turns and starts properly on his way back… "You think he'll be fine?" Lucy asks Mark in a more serious tone. "Hmmmm son of 'Siyah' and 'Beyaz'…" "He'll be just fine" The stocky man responds a smile on his face. "Ye-yeah I guess so…" Lucy responds silently… Xavier starts on his way home, watching the town with every step as the cheerful, vibrant energy gives way to the quiet and low chatter of everyone shutting up shop for the night… The lights from candles illuminate the paths as the gold sand takes up a different look in the dark, that of a path laden in glitter. It's peaceful. On his way back Xavier begins to ponder many things. From his home to his parents. From Lucy to Uncle Mark and even Mylo to Rusty…. All these things that he cherishes so much he can't even begin to express his affection for. Their value is incomprehensible. With that comes the realization that he doesn't want to lose any of it, any of all he's ever known in his short life. And it is at that point that he decides he won't let anything take away what he has come to love and know, so in that moment Xavier makes a resolution. "I won't let anyone take this away from me!" "You hear that gramps???" "I won't let you take away any more than you already have from me!!!" "Arouuu" Mylo howls "Seriously though what's his deal?" "Up until two days ago I barely knew he existed and now I all I know is he's alive and wants to kill me??" "How about a little greeting first I am your grandson you know…" He says with a pout and star shone eyes but full of conviction nonetheless. "Huh? Xavi???" A voice interrupts in a confused tone "Eh?" "Fa-fa-father?" Xavier comes to a halt as he bumps into his father at the turn that leads to the sunflower field. "He-hehe funny bumping into you here…" Xavier says a little embarrassed wondering how much of that his father had heard. All of it buddy. All of it…. "I could say the same to you kiddo." Victor responds a little caught off guard but still pleased to see his son. "Wanna head in together??" Xavier says scratching his head still a little embarrassed. "Su-sure why not??" His father responds. "Hmmm… the unbiased, unconditional resolve of a child." He thinks to himself as he and his son make for the door. "Naïve? Yes. However, that's the beauty of childhood." He reminds himself as he watches his son quiver in embarrassment. "An unconditional sense of commitment to do what they deem is right regardless of what it might mean to any and every one beside them. He ponders. "I wish I had some of that" He mumbles to himself "Huh…" Xavier cuts in… his father's words having just barely passed him. "Oh nothing…" "You're a good person Xavi you know that right?" "eeeeehhhh… where's all this coming from???" Xavier responds cheeks turning a bright red from his father's praise finding him a little wrong footed… "Hehe…c'mere boy lets go bother your mom." Victor says as he takes Xavier up on his shoulders "Whoa wait wai- wait FATHER!!!" Xavier lets out a little confused and in shock but brushes it off and begins to laugh with his father as they head home. "We're home!!!" That night the family had another one of their routine dinners… of course there lingered the feelings from that morning wrapped around in their somewhere. But more than anything was a sense of peace, all seemingly having steeled their resolve on their fate and decided what path they'd take. Regardless of what it would mean for the rest… The next day. "Hurry! Hurry! Victor you'll be late for work!!!" Risa calls out urgently "Arrrgghh… aaaaaaarrrrrgggh… where's my shoe? Where's my shoe?!?" Victor replies? In a staggered and ridiculous tone. "Xavi help your father find his shoes…" Risa calls out to Xavier "Shoe Risa!!! Shoe!! Am only missing one…" Victor cuts in, in a panic "How does that even happen?" Risa asks confused… "Shoe Xavi…shoe." Risa repeats… "Mylo! Go boy find the shoe." Xavier sounds to the little husky but to no avail as he just moans and gets comfortable awaiting his breakfast. "HEY! Hey!!! I feed you…" Victor threatens the pup pointing his finger at it. "Arrff arrff." And as if somehow understanding the pup gets to work looking for the shoe upstairs. Huh… what do you know… The house is in a frenzy in the morning that's definitely new… as Mylo returns with the shoe in mouth rushing down the stairs. "There it is hunnie." Risa makes Victor aware. "Oh thanks Mylo sorry I questioned your contribution to the family." Victor says with a smile on his face rubbing Mylos fluffy white fur as he takes the shoe. "Breakfast???" Risa asks immediately after. "I'll just get some buns to go." He responds in a rush putting on the shoe as he turns to the basket and grabs the entire basket. "Oh not again I haven't had any yet." Xavier subconsciously sounds out. "huh…ah oh well I could always bake some more Xavi." His mother responds to him a little caught off guard. "Eh… aaah" Xavier lets out embarrassed… "Eeeeh…. Noff shance you shnooze you wuse kiddo." Victor responds bun in mouth still trying to knot his shoe. "Chew your food dear." Risa says as she gets close to him to fix his collar while Xavier just pouts arms crossed. "Bye hunnie, bye Xavi and good day to you Sir Mylo!!" "Bye!!!" They (Xavier and Risa) respond in chorus Victor swings open the door to make it out only to be stopped by the sight of Jerry at their door staring him down. "Oh? Jerry… sorry am late it won't happen again what are you doing here though come to pick me up?" Victor says with a blank expression "…" He asks to no reply as Jerry remains silent as he continues to stare straight at Victor "hunnie you forgot your…" "Oh Jerry… great to see you, Vic was just on his way." Risa says with a smile on her face as she hands Victor his bag and straightens out his shoulders. "Great to see you too Mrs. Grey." Jerry responds softly not changing the uneasy tone and air about his arrival at their home "Hello Uncle Jerry." Xavier shouts from the inside having just noticed him. To which he simply responds by just nodding. "Victor we need to talk." The words leave Jerry's mouth coldly as he stares straight back at Victor. "Uhhh… yeah." Victor responds "Good day hun." He kisses Marissa and he and Jerry begin to walk towards the giant oak tree that marks the beginning of the field. Upon looking him up and down properly Victor notices the bags under his eyes, and the scruffy way in which he appears, signifying he didn't get enough sleep and rushed here without second thought… "What's happened Jeremy?" Victor asks his tone more serious "There's been a change in our Intel…." Jerry starts. A short silence comes over the pair shortly after. "Alright." Victor responds starkly as the pair walk in silence before arriving at the giant oak. "This morning at exactly 06 hundred hours…" Jerry begins before he is cut off by Victor... "This place is quite beautiful." Victor says staring down in the oasis as the morning sun kisses the gold wrapped houses and emerald water. "…" Jerry stays… "Don't you think so too Jeremy?" Victor says as he turns to face Jerry smiling. 'Ye-yeah…" Jerry responds as he gazes towards the oasis as well. "It's a pity we had to drag it into all our problems…" Victor responds bluntly. "Right go on." His tone more serious than before. "Si-sir!" Jerry says as he gets on one knee and bows his head. "Yesterday… at 16 hundred hours we received a report from the Guard outpost in the outer-lands that borders us with the 'city of willows'." Jerry begins. "Yes I am aware." Victor responds still staring into the Oasis. "The report indicated that the 'sense of sight' Yasser Freid was on his way towards the Oasis and was not too far away, but was still however expected to arrive on the expected date that is in the next 15 hours." He continues… "…" "However." Jerry pauses. "Out with it Jeremy we don't have all day…" Victor adds bluntly "Ye-yes sir. As of this morning… at exactly 06 hundred hours agents at the 'watchtower' have since reported the seeing smoke coming from the direction of our outpost." "…." A short silence passes before Jerry continues… "We believe the smoke came from our outpost…sir…" Jerry pauses again his voice starting to turn cautious and stiff. "Haaa…Yasser's party seems to have moved faster than we expected." Victor cuts in sighing to himself. "Well if that's all then we'll just have to…" Victor starts before this time being the one cut off by Jerry. "A-as of today 07 hundred hours…" "Huh?" Victor audibly lets out before checking his watch to see its 9:30 "As of today 07 hundred hours…" "A boy…15…by the name of Ethan Sully was outside the vicinity walls on his way to trade his family's produce to the 'traveling merchants'…" "…" Victor remain silent as he turns to stare straight at Victor, face hoping the conversation isn't going the direction he sees. "The trip wasn't meant to be a long one just an exchange between merchant…" Jerry continues… "As such his father came to the guard to report the absence of his son at exactly 08 hundred hours." "Wa-wait you must be joking…" Victor cuts in in disbelief. "Guard agents were sent to go investigate the disappearance thereafter…" "No…NO! That can't be…" Vic cuts in the shake in his voice strong. "Upon arrival at the sight of the disappearance..." "Jerry!!" Victor tries to stop him… "Our agents were horrified at what they found…" "Jerry that's enough…" "15 year old Ethan was found tied to the other merchants." "JEREMY!!!" "His intestines used to tie him to the merchants him as their jaws were broken down to signify a sort of twisted face of laughter…." Jerry says as he grits his teeth and clenches his fists… "Ethan…" "15 year old, Ethan Sully is dead sir." A silence hovers over the pair… "That's enough Jeremy..." Victor sighs… "Yes sir." Jerry replies silently "Hey… tell me something Vic…" Jerry begins softly as he slowly gets off the ground "What are we doing here?" Jerry asks his face broken and sad as he looks at Victor looking for reason… "What did the people of this town do to deserve this fate…?" Jerry asks again more intent and slightly more aggressive fist clenched. "…" "They let us in…." Victor replies silently staring into the nothingness to no response from Jerry. "…" "Ri-right…" Jerry says as he collapses to the giant oak. Another short silence falls upon the pair before Jerry gets up again beginning to walk away.. "Captain…. Are you still not going to do anything?" Jerry halts and asks his face and tone more serious "…" Victor remains silent. "I see…" Jerry replies face down a little broken… "I'll start spreading word for a mass evacuation they probably won't listen to me but it's worth a try." "If at least one person is able to survive this then maybe I won't join you in hell." Jerry says seriously. "Goodbye Captain." "…" Jeremy resumes his walk away "Lieutenant…" "…" Jerry stops after Victor calls out. "Be safe." Victor says softly… "You too captain…" Jerry responds continuing on his way. Victor stays staring down at the Oasis for a while before saying once again the simple words. "I'm sorry." After that he heads back to his home silent and serious and straight to his wife as he pulls her aside to talk. They go out to talk and the whole time Xavier watches his parents animated expressions and movements as they turn from aggressive and mad, to sorrowful and sad, finally to peaceful as they hug. He watches them return to the house in silence as memories of the night that changed their lives come flooding in. It's all too familiar at this point he thinks to himself as he pats Mylo's head. "Well I'll get going now." Victor says softly as he reaches his wife at the door. "Bye hunnie…" Risa replies softly… "Have a great day at work…" She says her voice slightly cracking as she kisses his cheek. "Xavi take care of your mother." Victor says sternly facing his son sat by the kitchen island. "Yes father." He replies subconsciously the tone of his father's words almost commanding him. "See you later then." Victor says as he turns and leaves "Have a great day at work." Xavier whispers to himself… Something's off, he can feel it. And unlike before its way more serious and that scares him because what could be serious than their deaths in a few hours? "Well I guess am off to uncle marks." Xavier says softly. "Oh… Then why don't you wait up a bit am heading that way too…" Risa says softly eyes closed. "Huh? You're coming into town too?" Xavier asks… "Yes is something wrong?" Risa responds her tone still somber…. "No-no it's just been awhile since I saw you go out that far that is minus the carpet incident." Xavier says softly slightly chuckles to himself "Well forgive me for wanting the best for my family." Risa responds a little ticked off as you might imagine "Aha-haha." Xavier forces a frightened laugh. "Besides I haven't seen Mark and Lucy in a while it'll be good to refresh." Risa says her tone much softer with a gentle smile on her face. "Okay…" Awhile after breakfast Xavier and his mother walk together down, with Mylo of course, from their little hill top home. As they reach the town they are met with the usual vibrant energy and chatter. It's refreshing coming here after all that's happened recently.  But it's also a different feel coming with his mother, she rarely ever leaves the hill and curious enough he begins to wonder why? En route to Mark's they make stops at a variety of stands from accessories to food. Trying something at every stand "Haaa….. It's been so long since we last spent this much time together." Risa sighs in exhaustion as she takes a sit at a bench by a kebab stand just outside an accessories shop. "I agree." Xavier responds patting Mylo as he takes a sit as well. "It really has…" He thinks to himself… "Hmm….. If you think so too then you definitely should've at least tried on some earrings I picked out for you they'd look great with your hair and tone you know." Risa pouts as she gets into her sons face and places his dark hair behind his ears. "Eh… Mo-Mooommm!!! Am not a girl mom everyone would make fun of me!!" Xavier shouts cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he pulls her hands off "Hmmm… really?? But why???" Risa asks genuinely confused. "What do you mean why earrings are obviously girl stuff…" Xavier responds shyly patting his hair down. "Really? Well where I'm from its actually quite normal to wear earrings." Risa replies neatly with a smile on her face. "re-really?" Xavier asks "Yup." She gives a big grin and pats his head In that moment he realizes something while staring at his mother happily smiling at him and patting his head. Who is he to argue? He simply doesn't know nearly enough about his mother. His parents are strangers to him… he had focused so much on his father the last two days that he didn't realize that his father wasn't the only stranger he lived with. So who is she? Why doesn't she come down from the hill a lot more? All she ever does is stay at home and do chores…Xavier thought to himself….but also what's with her hair? She's the only person he's ever met with such beautiful white hair and her eyes…those eyes that clearly distinguish her from everyone else but himself and Mylo… just who are you? "Hey…Mo-mom…." Xavier stutters as he begins.. "Hmmm?" His mother responds looking at him smile still on her face. "Mind if I ask you a few que…." 'BOOM!!!!!!' A sharp sound shrieks through Xavier's ears... His body is heavy… He can't move… What just happened? Opening his eyes ever so slowly the sound begins to return to his ears… He can see a lot of people on the ground… There are people in a panic running all around him… What just happened? Huh? What's that? Someone just called his name? "Xa…vi" Who is it? Who just called his name? He tilts his head much to tremendous pain and strain on his neck that makes him wince… It's white… A deep white shinning more in the sunlight… "mo-mom…?" He forces the words out with a cough… his throat hurts too "Xavi…" "Take my hand Xavi!!" Her voice is so warm…he reaches out his hand and is stiffly pulled from the ground… Turning his head back to where he lay he skims through to see he was buried under some sand. The building that they lay their back on while at the kebab store. "Mo-mom???" Xavier mumbles…. "Yes!…yes baby!!" Risa responds as she takes him into her hand hurriedly. "What's going on?" He tries to let out but chokes. "shhhh… shhh try to conserve your energy not another word okay baby." Her response is swift and composed. He simply nods in agreement as she takes him on her back. The sound fully returns to his ears as the people clamor and run around. "What is all this??" He then notices the red liquid constantly pouring down Risa's head and reaches to touch it.. "ah!" Her response is immediate. "th-that hurts Xavier don't do that." He recedes his hand… There's so much confusion… what's going on? He thinks to himself as he watches the confusion. People are on the ground buried in the golden sand…others are over them trying to pull them out….theres so much wailing…oh that's right he was going to ask his mother something… "mo…." Xavier pauses… "I told you not to say anything Xavier we'll be fine okay baby… Mark's isn't that far away from here just a little more." Risa responds in between gasps for air as she labors herself forward… Something is missing… Xavier thinks to himself as he watches the fires ignite and blaze wildly all around him… he was doing something when he sat with his mom on the bench… why does it feel like a big part of him has just disappeared as well… a flash of white…. The memories come flooding in as Xavier turns his head to face back. His face turns pale as his eyes quickly search the area… he can feel the blood in his swollen eyelids cause him pain every time he strains to look. But he can't stop. He mustn't because then…because then it all becomes real…. People. People. People!!! A flash of white catches his eyes… yes that's it…. a deep white that shines in the sun just like his mother's hair…. "Oh….mylo…" Xavier mumbles to himself lifelessly staring behind to where he was once buried "What did you…" Risa begins to respond when… BOOM!!!!!! The buildings fall in tandem, another loud sound is heard. The sand flung in the air falls ever so elegantly unto the ground. Glittering in the sun…. "aaaah… how pretty…." "A 'Golden Rain'…" 12 hours till the incident -To Be Continued-