Villa

Originally written from October 5, 2025 to November 14, 2025, 41 days

Prologue

For the longest time, he believed that anyone could fly, but why would that be a possibility? Why would anyone think for a second that a person could simply lift his arms and take off? No, there had to be some calculated reason, some absurd physics, if not for the actual physics of one’s airplane taking off. Either way, there was no way that anyone could fly.

But here right now, he could see in the sky.

Flying giants.

He came here through a wormhole, and in this world, apparently, things could fly.

And soar they could.

He laughed. “They can fly, they can fucking fly!” He laughed till kingdom came and flung his limbs around. “We can fucking fly!”

The giants, beasts of arcane presence, loomed overhead, not sparing him a glance.

But they didn’t need to.

This proof was all he needed.

“I have lived in a world so brazen, so fit for the duty of righteousness, but so unbewildered by its duty, so prone to its own selfishness of pitting itself against dirt and dust against dust. But now, I have seen the greatest thing Man, no, the Universe has ever accomplished that in the act of this moment, that in the spherical moment that this is, whatever that’s supposed to mean, that there can be anything with any capacity at all to release wing, to uplift air, to thrust themselves out and up and say ‘Halle-fucking-lujah, we got wings.’”

Chapter 1

He ran the same way his voice carried across the field. The world trembled before him, shaking in applause.

He stomped his way to victory.

The trail he came upon by chance led him through the forests and down the hillsides. From there, he travelled along a ridge and, from that height, sighted signs of civilization—cottages, farmland, and pathways. As he continued where they were densest, he saw the city’s edge.

“Cities, with living breathing people. Souls in a world so full of life. All I knew for so long were the cold-hearted glances of a world so accustomed to its own culture battles. But now, I am released. I have only to think about how I can understand the battles from the ground up, not based on what the mechanized world tells me. I am free to think, to breathe, and to release breath in a world so allowing of it. Thank the gods. I am free. At last.”

A man passed him by, eying his foreign clothes. He halted and turned around. “Who are you?”

I am a person, he thought. I just want to be a person, he recalled from past memories. “Hello, I’m a traveler from afar. I do not wish to say where. But my name is Villa,” he said.

The man nodded vaguely and left, as if leaving it at that.

Villa, the new man, resumed his journey into the city grounds.

A dozen people came into view. “I can count,” Villa mouthed to himself. “People.”

He stared at them for a moment, imagining himself walking up to them and saying hello.

But he shook his head. If he disrupted their normal busy lives, he could not act surprised if they struggled to accommodate even his good intentions. His best option was to observe and help them from afar, perhaps with the help of flight and magic. Rather than a god or a crutch, he could be their silent helper, comparable to a benevolent elf doing housework in the night.

But how would he attain the ability to cast spells or, more importantly, to fly?

He signed up at an adventurer guild after realizing that no other occupation readily offered a random like him rates enough to survive and rent an apartment. With adventuring, the pay was high with deaths being a common occurence.

When he left the guild, he followed one of the large adventurer parties out the city and through the forest.

There, he saw them set up tent near a dungeon as they set up fortifications with archer windows right outside the entrance.

A few entered and baited a few monsters, luring them into the sunlight where the strongpoint of adventurers volleyed immediately.

Instead of entering the monsters’ drawn bows’ range, the adventurers lured them into theirs.

However, most of the monsters remained inside.

The adventurers started demolishing the dungeon from the outside, blasting it with magical barrages made of colorful flashing lights. If the dungeon was their personal fort and walking in through any method was a death trap unless they were super-powered with indestructible curse-blocking full-body shields, they would just have to destroy it with a siege.

“Wow. This doesn’t feel like flight. This feels like I’m a part of something larger than myself. Something human. Too historical. Too cold. Too machine-like. Too colonial. Systemic. Like millions of people crying throughout history for the birth of a cold-hearted gaze that seeks only to move the colossal machine.”

He looked at his hands. “In the face of such overwhelming belittling erasing pressure, how can I stop this epitomic rage that accompanies the thirst for Icarus? The greatest spook? Or is it the will to power? Or perhaps, Stirner’s egoism? How do I exercise control when my emotions demand that I release myself upon the landscape? Would justification on a philosophical or intellectual level even suffice? Would I even begin to give myself the merit of being here in the first place and executing any task or action that requires even any amount of integrity and self-decision? Can I answer that right now? Can I answer that every time that I am spurred to act or against? Would I be able to say for sure that I am a person in a world in which I am free? What does it mean to do the right thing? To be a good person? I am for sure good enough, but even as I am so, how could I say for sure what my actions indicate? Should I decide for himself? By what criteria would I even judge someone’s words about themselves or about me or about any action brought up for consideration? Would even this self-questioning allow me to do anything I do next with more than just a feeling of assuredness? Would I be lying to myself or ignoring subliminal feelings that will come back to bite me? How would I even know if those bite-backs came from such things and I did not just attribute them post-hoc as some false memory rationalization? Are the very concepts that underlie and hide behind my words too dirtying? In the end, I decide what I do next, and whatever I do, I hope I have the confidence and morality of saying so without too much weight against myself.”

He rubbed his fingers against the dewy mossy bark of the tree next to him. “If a goblin came before me right now, if I decided to kill it… Let’s not start with what the adveturers would say or what the governments of my world might say. Let’s start with me. What would I say? If I took a kind of twisted satisfaction in being able to impose my own sense of agency and empowerment upon those who fail to resist or overcome me, what would I say?” He hardened his grip on the tree, staining his fingertips.

His eyes wandered his surroundings, snagging on one of the sweaty, red-faced adventurers. “What if an adventurer?” His expression stiffened, nose wrinkling. “What if I cut him up and voided him of a soul? Would I be a monster like the goblins? Or a human like the goblins, if goblin was conceptual human than flesh human? I could be forced to act now, but I have the privilege of decision. My current isolation and separation advantages me, allowing me to premeditate conscientious actions. If I let myself get dragged along, what difference would there be between me and the unexamined? But why all this fuss about killing? Is killing the default? Why is it? What defines being? It can’t be killing, regardless of what this world, or mankind itself, incentivizes. But while killing is ideally avoided or at least euphemized, it nevertheless takes place, whether to humans or animals, the difference of which is interpretatively subject. In the end, my actions define me. Whatever I do now is me. Not the thoughts; though they critically culminate into such definitive actions as per deliberation. So let’s see how this goes.”

As soon as he turned, a goblin stood before him, some distance away. but close enough for them to lock eyes.

Villa rubbed his forehead. “Well, well, what do we have here?” He jabbed his finger at the goblin. “I’m fucking out. Get the fuck away from me! Do you seriously have to fucking be here!”

The goblin stared and shuffled around the leaves, picking up an arrow before running off.

“Fucking hell.” Villa clutched his chest, tears staining his eyes, finally letting out the wheezing breaths he pushed down. “This ain’t right. This ain’t fucking right! This is just fucked! Fucked! I’m not here to fucking demolished. Fuck you all! Fuck all of you! I’ll kill you all if you dare fucking bat an eye at me!” He scurried away.

While most of the adventurers were deaf from the magical barrages, some of them who stood near the forest edge watched his figure leave, having heard him the whole time. “One of the loonies?” one of them said.

“Yeah,” another said before they returned their attention to the siege.

Villa panted, and his hands fell to his knees. “Flight,” he gasped. “I need fucking flight.

“If not for dreams, for fucking survival!”

Chapter 2

He steadied himself over the leathery roots below him. “What was I born to do? To die in some wasteland? Is this what I was meant to do? Is this my ‘do’? My ‘be’?”

His eyes drifted to the sticks at the edge of his vision. “If I was born merely to be a creature of violent habit, then what am I? Is that really what I was intended to be? Is that my purpose? To survive and to kill while I do? This isn’t right. This isn’t what I was taught. But damn what I was taught, right!? I had no reason to act differently then, but this is now. I am in some fucked-up little place where princesses and princes find love and monsters and greenies fuck people over over some random little treasure or whatever them little fuckers fuck people up for. I don’t know! I don’t have any stinkin’ clue. This isn’t… for all intents and purposes… correct. Whatever spurred me into this. If I had any part in making this situation happen, in my appearing here, please cancel it out. Use some voiding card or some shit. I don’t know what people do with anything. But please, help me out. I don’t want this. Whatever purpose you have for me, please tear it like a bus ticket, but don’t do it because you’re registering it. Do it ‘cause it’s down to the shredder and it’s gone and good. That’s all I need. That is my purpose. I decide that now. But my emotions… I feel intense right now and am clearly speaking so intensely. Does that mean that these aren’t what I truly feel and know to believe or know itself? I have no clue. Don’t ask me. No more. No more. If anything happens, I will not be able to relegate them merely to suppression. I will turn awry, and my vision will blur. And I will hate and feel putrid things that shouldn’t be felt by any person save for such extreme situations. But this ain’t even extreme. Do I deserve to feel this way? Is the ratio between my situation and my reaction fair? Am I fair for feeling the way that I do, for acting the way that I do, or for going to act the way that I’m going to do? Whatever I do now, I hope it’s decidedly worth it or justified. But what is justice? But a person saying ‘OK Jose’? I contradict myself. Yes, I do.

“If I did anything that was remotely related to the death of a creature that, in my heart, I know well that I can never forgive myself for it, what would I be at the end of the day? At night, when I am lying in some non-bed? When I am telling myself again and again that I am fucking sorry, OK! I’m fucking fucked-up. I’m… I’m… I have no right to premeditate what I’m about to feel once I’m done with what I’m about to do. I’m going to kill a being! A human-thing! How can I… How can I… My hands. As bloody as they aren’t, they still hold the guilt of actual blood! I feel the weight of my future actions and the weight of those decisions I believe I will be forced to make for my own survival!

“This is injust, unjust, wrong, definitively fucked.

“No euphemism. No replacement with ‘kill’ with ‘liquidate’ or ‘eliminate’ will ever deny me the pain of a living creature and his capacity for excruciating empathy. I love, and I love thoroughly and almost unconditionally. So what kind of an entity would this thing be upon that point? That climax where two human-things clash and collide and befall each other until nothing’s left, nothing’s left? I am not sure, but I am assured that this is what it is and what it is merely is, is, is, is, is.

“I hope to do the right thing, whatever that is. I hope to stand before the world and to watch them throw stones, because I wish only to stand tall and take full responsibility for the actions I’m about to execute. Whatever they are. Whatever intention I hold in the moment of the act. Whatever hope I had so stained into my bones. Whatever good wish I had before all of it unfolded, as it hasn’t even unfolded yet. There again I am, and there again I was. Speaking of the future as a ‘was’. There I was again.”

A group of goblins passed before him.

“I am flesh and blood. The desires and urges of this incentivized flesh spur me to act with impunity, to define myself by the act of the moment and the moment of the act as pressures tell me their little secrets of good and wrong and truth and tall tale. So I go.”

He departed with all his might, distancing himself from what it meant to be a monster, whatever that meant.

An arrow missed him. If that hit… Would he be forced to act? Especially accordingly? The definition of ‘accordingly.’ As if there was a natural or inherent response to things. As if he was defined merely by the “just-the-way-it-ises.” Haha. He laughed. Restlessly.

“I would never be in that situation. I think I said that at least once. Never forced to pull that lever. This is my eternal avoidance of that fate. Never forced to take accountability for a crime I never wanted to commit. To be defined by the decision I made then, which I say as if it is a time past. Yes, I will make choices. I will make decisions. I will execute actions. And I will define myself accordingly, whether because or in spite. I am what I am.”

Once he returned to the city, it was evening; however, he did find a quest party for 6 PM.

He joined it as a “Newbie.”

“Hello chap!”

“How’s it going, brother?”

“Made your way so far? Hope you didn’t get scratches along the way.”

“Goblins avoided you the whole time?”

“Please try these loaves. I made them for the party.”

Even if just for a moment, he wanted this feeling to last forever.

Later, as he sat and waited for the group to finish preparing to leave, someone from the group who was slightly shaking, smiling, and looking at him the whole time finally spoke: “You know, there’s a lot of things adventurers tend to be good at. We’re good at fishing—” She craned her neck, slamming her forearms on the counter.

“Not,” interrupted another, the tall, bearded man holding an orb behind her, standing in front of the clerk counter.

She jabbed her finger in the air. “We’re good at picking berries.”

“Well, that ain’t a skill—” The man turned his head. His relaxed brows made him look like he was in a constant sigh.

“It is a skill, come on dude!”

“It could be a skill, but that’s if you already have a skill existing as you do it.” His mouth stayed briefly ajar after every statement like he was always dragging his words.

“Yeah, but that’s just nominal stuff. What truly matters is whether you’re doing it well.”

“Doing it well? We have an objective way of measurement. Why not use that?”

“Haha, that’s the ‘bountiful’ part. You focus on what a person does rather than on what they are ‘supposed’ to do based on what skills they are defined by.”

“Well, that’s funny.”

“It is interesting if that’s what you mean!”

“Well, it is interesting.”

“Yeah, you get it.”

Villa stared at the two, eyes lowered to slits. What is this convo? I didn’t sign up for this.

Villa straightened his back at the next question the woman asked: “So, about our new person, any questions?”

The bearded man behind her looked away. The other two men who were just chuckling in a separate conversation behind him peeked at Villa from the side. “Yo, yo,” said the first of the two. “I’ve been wanting to talk to this dude. He looks different. I mean, look at those clothes. You a Vinican?”

“No? No wait, am I?”

“You look like ‘em. Purple. Yellow. You seem like a fan of them at least?”

“Oh, these are just my favorite colors.”

“Favorite colors… You’re an interesting dude!”

“That’s what I’m saying!” the woman said.

The bearded man almost sighed, covering his mouth.

Villa silently exhaled. OK, it’s confirmed. These peeps speak human. Or English. Whichever applies better.

“Are you sure this guy’s doable?” said the second of the two. “I mean, you know… Got the kicks for the sticks?”

“What?” Villa couldn’t help but openly react.

“Oh, we’re just wondering whether you have the perceptibilities and kinetics of someone who we can give the opportunity of getting out there and doing certain stuff.”

“Ah, I see. If I was capable enough to take the mission?” I speak in the eupheme too, fucker.

“That’s where you’re wrong. We need someone to do a particular something, and it’s optional. But if you can do it, well, it’ll make our jobs slightly easier.”

“Incredibly!” the woman said.

“By the way, I don’t even know your names yet.”

“You didn’t read the paper? It has our names.”

“Those are names? I thought they were months of the year?”

“Uh, no? You don’t even know months of the year. He’s too far gone, guys.”

“They were positioned next to the time in the chart.”

“That isn’t a chart. That’s a map!”

“Oh.”

“So your names are Hipi, Sonter, and Bulfrak?”

“Sonter’s my name,” said the woman.

“Hipi’s mine,” said the bearded man.

“Really…”

“Really!” said Sonter.

“How about Bulfrak?”

“She’s not here!”

“Wait, OK, the other names are Mesho and Draktoll.”

“That’s the two,” Hipi said.

“Mikrat and Colograd?”

Hipi, the bearded man, pointed at two of the other five members of the party hanging across the adventurer guild.

“Connor, Denver, and Liverpool?”

“Yep, those are the other three.”

“OK. That’s…”

“That’s?” Sonter said.

“That’s a little strange.”

“Strange! You practically insulted our culture! Those are normal names!”

“But how are Convor and Denver related to Mikrat and Colograd?”

“They just are! They mean Righteous, Wise, Strong, and Mercifull!”

“Really…”

“Really!”

“Sorry. I’m just not used to it. I’m Villa.”

“We know! That’s an interesting name!”

“Thanks…” He knitted his brows, unsure what to make of these “interestings.”

Am I gonna get fucked?

Two hours later, at a dungeon entrance different from the one Villa saw previously, the group he was now in stood in a circle.

“OK, dudes! Welcome! We’re in for an entire whole thing, and it’s going to be your awesomest most average mission! So hopefully, we get in and get out instead of dying randomly! We don’t want another Murdock!”

Villa stood beside the other newbie who joined two days prior. “Hey, is it normal that you’re not there at the meeting earlier?”

“Why’re you asking? You want me out?”

“Nope, I’m just asking.”

“OK, guys, settle down,” Sonter said. “We’re about to enter. You guys can compete over who dies first later. But now, let’s set up the spikes.”

“Spikes?” He recalled the first adventurer group he saw, the one that attacked the dungeon with fortifications and a siege. They didn’t have spikes. They just had stakewalls with arrowslits.

“Yes. We’re fighting skeleton horseriders. This is essential.”

“Seriously, you’re so dumb,” the other newbie told Villa.

“How am I dumb? I didn’t know—”

“Guys,” Sonter said steadily. Her gaze pierced them both.

Villa held his breath before releasing it. Are we fucking kids!? Why is this guy on my ass?

The other newbie walked up to Mikrat, one of the older members. “Yo, man, can I help you with the energy potions again?” he said.

“Yeah, I need at least two energy potions tied for this one.” Mikrat took out several potions and lined them up, as the other members started chopping branches from nearby trees.

After observing the other newbie’s relationship with Mikrat, Villa looked at Hipi and Sonter, who were carrying branches and talking about the dungeon expedition.

No way, these aren’t kids. This has got to be a high school group project.

Villa joined Hipi and Sonter in shuttling branches for the spike carvers.

As soon as a 180-degree spike arc was made to cover the entrance, they sent two members, Mikrat and Mesho, inside. The other newbie tagged along with Mikrat with a long thread to tie together the two potions Mikrat would plant in two separate spots.

“Villa, this is your first day, chill out,” Sonter said. “You look like you’ve seen not one monster, but two!”

Hipi cackled lightly.

Villa looked away briefly. He had a pinched expression the whole time, since they first met, becoming even more wrinkled the closer they came here. That was a joke?

He then turned his head to the dungeon entrance, listening to the laughs of the other newbie, Mikrat, and Mesho echoing out from deep inside.

Was he doing something wrong? Would this endanger him right now in this life-or-death situation? Should he pull out or at least settle things with the others? What was the right choice? Should he just focus right now while he still could?

When a small group of five goblins followed the three out the entrance, the adventurers volleyed bolts directly after the three passed them, immediately minimizing their number of shots when they heard Mesho repeatedly shouting “Five!”

Seeing that what she said didn’t land well, Sonter gave Villa an ax. “Try this. Have a feel for it. Just grip it in your hand. Tell me what it feels like. Then you can try shaving the wood off this branch. And if you like it, try chopping it. You don’t have to be a lumberjack. Just be what you are now.”

Be what I am now. That sounds familiar. He hit a branch many times, but he was holding it too hard, straining his hand. After taking a rest Sonter encouraged, he adjusted his grip and tried again. This all happened while the horseriders were falling one by one to the spikes some distance behind him.

If I become the best I can possibly be in this group, what would I be? How about that? Let’s try that. That’s my new goal. One step at a time, right?

Chapter 3

Villa chopped several branches. “How about that?”

“Great,” Sonter said, smiling warmly yet politely. “You’re improving. I’m surprised you did this all in one week. Most people don’t dedicate themselves this much to… well… ax-cutting.”

“It’s a skill!” Hipi repeated.

“Yeah, I know! I said that!”

To Villa’s left, the group were preparing new spikes for another wave of skeleton horseriders. “Can I join?”

Sonter turned serious immediately to respond to Villa. “You don’t have to. This kinda solves itself. That’s how these things work, as you have seen since the first day.”

“Is there any way I can help?”

“Well, cut better,” Hipi said. “That’s a good one. Skill, right?”

“Ha-ha,” she said in a playfully deadpan voice.

“I mean, it helps us make spikes? That’s good, no?”

“It is. But maybe he wants better spikes. Metaphorically.”

“I guess so. Want more spikes?”

“Not necessarily, Villa said. “Both are fine. I can do better spikes or just spikes.”

“Well, make better spikes!” Hipi said.

“Wait, I thought it was metaphorical.”

“He’s playing with you,” she said.

“I’ve cut five branches spikes today. Is that enough?”

“Enough is relative. Five is a lot for one person to do alone already. You’re gonna start doing all the ax-cutting if you keep this up. I mean, that’s not a bad thing. You’ll be an integral part of this group, which is what you want, right? As long as you can sustain it. If you want, you can move on to cutting them into spikes, but I would suggest not doing that until you’re ready to get bloody.”

“Bloody?”

“If you’re fine with killing monsters directly. Spikes are indirect, but you still need the confidence to fine-tune them to kill. And I mean kill.”

“They’re just skeletons? How do they produce blood?”

“Well, it will get bloody.”

After looking at the skeleton horsemen’s faces for a moment, he said, “OK. I’ll do it.”

“You’ll do it? You can play it safe. You can maintain this pace. There’s no need—”

“I’ll do it. I have to. I’ll try it. If not, how can I say I’m truly valuable? I need to keep growing. Working. If I don’t, then, it’ll be all over. This is my final stand.”

“What? I don’t get it. I thought you were doing fine. Don’t worry!”

“OK. But by the end of next week, I promise I will cut branches well enough that the only next possible step is spikes. That’s my promise, and if I fail, then, I’ll just try again. That’s what I do right now.”

“You’re funny. But OK!”

“Interesting!” Hipi corrected her.

The next week, he made the spikes.

“You did well. No, I mean, too well! Why’re you this capable? I’ve never seen a harder worker than this. For an adventurer party at that? We’re not even tier 3, you know? We’re bottom-rung!”

Villa nodded with a serious look, sparing her only a glance, returning his gaze to the spikes now being set up in front of him. “Thank you.” It’s good enough for now. One step at a time.

[Ax: Level 3]

[Spike Carving: Level 0]

I’m the ax cutter.

After the skeleton horseriders collided with his spikes, they saw him croaching behind them. He held his ax in his dominant hand and one of his spikes in his other hand. “How did the spikes do?” he asked.

Mesho and Draktoll gave him a simultaneous thumbs-up. “Perfecto! We need more of it. Though, next week, we’ll be shifting to regular palisades. So be prepared for that.”

“Oh, OK. Acknowledged.” Villa turned his head to the approaching Hipi and Sonter. “How did I do?”

“They killed them,” Hipi responded instead since Sonter was tired. “That’s all that matters. Never work on them harder than you should. You’re not making the spikiest spike in the world. You’re making ones we’ll only use once. We just need them to do their work in stopping them and making it impossible for them to act.”

“Incapacitation,” Sonter said.

“Yes, that,” Hipi affirmed.

After a moment of silence, right as Sonter and Hipi turned away and were already talking light-heartedly about something else entirely, he raised his voice. “I want to fight them directly.”

“That’s not what this group does,” Sonter said, knitting her brows.

Hipi, sensing her tiredness curdling into irritation, responded quickly, “If that’s what you want… you’ll have to find a new group. And…” He stopped Sonter with a look before returning his attention to Villa. “I know a group that’ll want you and get you on-hands fighting. But beware, they don’t just suggest fighting. They require it. So expect to be challenged on that front… heavily. Are you up for that?”

“Yes. It’s what I need, right? I told you. I’ll be the best I can ever be.”

“For this group, didn’t you say?”

“For this group, yes. If this is what it means—leaving—so be it. If things are better with me gone, so be it. I understand this is just how it is.”

“What? No. We don’t want you gone.”

“No, I mean, if this is the next path for me, then so be it. I implied that I would leave if it no longer worked for me when I said ‘for this group’. This was only the natural culmination of it. So thank you for helping me get there, even if it only meant ax-cutting to you. This is my next chance.”

“The group will be waiting for you then. I’ll call them up, and they’ll be there. In the morning. Tomorrow. They’re called the Maestros.”

“Wait, groups have names?”

“Yeah, they do!”

“Well, I didn’t know.”

“Well, you’ll learn… so much more than you did here.”

“Thank you.”

“You were right. This really is how it was supposed to happen. I knew from the start.”

“I didn’t know everything of course, but it came to be that it would turn out this way.”

“That’s a part of it. That’s… well… skill!”

“Yeah, skill.”

Sonter chuckled bitterly. “You should just go. I don’t want to listen to this right now.

“Sorry.”

“No, no. I just can’t listen to anyone right now. I mean, anything like this. I was hoping to integrate you into the next dungeon raid. But OK. I guess we weren’t going to fight directly there either. Ha-ha. Look at me. Getting so caught up in this. I apologize if this sours everything that happened between us. I didn’t mean it this way.”

“No, no, I get it. I’m sorry for bringing it so suddenly.”

“You were right. Hipi was right about you being right. This is your time. And it’s our time as well. It’s the end of your time with us, and that’s… just a normal thing that we get used to. We’re used to it. I was just hoping that energy you had didn’t… mean what I thought it would mean.”

“That I would leave?”

“That you would leave, yes. Well, thanks, anyway. We have to go.”

“I have to go too. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

“Goodbye!” Hipi added, waving, more enthusiastic than normal to make up for Sonter’s tiredness.

The next day, Villa stared at the man across the table in front of him—the leg resting on the table, the smirk, the black circles around the eyes, the sheathed sword that even his previous group didn’t have. He smiled. “I’m Villa.”

“Yes, Hip sent for you.”

“Hip?”

“Hipi.”

“Right. I’m here because of his recommendation.”

“Yes, that’s the question, isn’t it? Are you here because you thought we were going to let you in immediately? Or are you here to apply?”

“Uh, I’m here to apply I guess? What’s the test?”

“The test is you killing a goblin right now. Come. I want to see you fight one with your bare hands.”

“Really?!”

“Yes. Beat that thing we captured earlier this morning to death.”

Later that morning, he stood in an open field with a goblin and the adventurer he met at the guild, hands wobbling at his sides. “He’s not tied?”

“I never said he would be. Why? I need you to fucking fight! Kill that fucking thing! That disgusting shit!”

“Really? You really think I should do it?”

“What the fuck does ‘should’ mean?! Kill it right now! If you don’t, I’ll kill him for you!” he growled.

“Can I have an ax?”

“Hmm… Sure. I actually think axes make the most gorgeous splashes. So why not!?” He handed him an ax. “I had a host of weapons prepared in case I had to kill this goblin myself.”

“Great. I’m an ax-cutter, you see.”

“Yeah, yeah, who cares!? Just kill the fucking thing!? Or are you a fucking wuss?”

“OK. I’ll do it.”

He ran and knocked the empty-handed goblin on the head. The knock on the human-like skull made him freeze for a moment.

“What the fuck are you doing!? Stop stopping!”

He raised his ax at the fallen goblin, who looked at him with human eyes and a look of terror. He chopped some branches.

The next moment, the fallen tree lay on the grasses.

Sap pooled on the ground.

He fell on his knees and vomitted.

His vision blurred.

Dog. Cat. Mouse. Dog. Cat. Mouse. Rock. Stone. Tree. Rock. Stone. Tree.

The goblin stared at him, still alive.

The adventurer started sprinting at the goblin, intending to kill it. This would mean Villa failed the test.

Shit! Villa hurled his ax directly at the goblin’s head.

He fell and embraced it as the life in its eyes quickly died. He dared not look at them, tears flooding his cheeks.

The adventurer stopped, clapping. “You’re a crazy guy! I like that!”

“I’m an ax-cutter,” he stuttered between sobs.

“Haha! Crazy!”

Right before they entered a crowded apartment, the adventurer with him introduced himself: “They’ll call me Brock. That isn’t my fucking name, OK? My name’s Higgard. Just call me that, and we’re fine.”

“Hey, hey—” Higgard said.

“Shut the fuck up, Brock!” said a woman lying on the couch.

“No, you fuck off! We have a new member!”

“What!?” said a man lying on the ground beside his spear. “Who!?”

“Ax-Cutter,” Higgard said.

“Damn!” said another man, half-naked and sitting on one of the chairs with his feet on the table. “That’s fucking crazy! What’s that! He cuts his enemies down with an ax?”

“Are you fucking stupid!” Higgard said. “Yeah, that’s what he does!”

“Wait, is he crazy?” said a third man, climbing down from upstairs with an orb in his hand, the only one dressed neatly indoors.

“He embraces his enemies when kills them!”

“Fucking hell,” the woman said, “that’s creepy as fuck!”

“Yep!” Higgard said.

“Wait, he’s not crazy-crazy, right?” the man lying on the ground said. “I know we like people with proper mental capabilities in a world so afraid of monsters, but we also still need a functioning brain out there.”

“Nope, I can talk to him. Hey, Villa. What’s one plus one?”

“Two?” Villa said.

“Correct! See. He can do basic math!”

“That’s crazy! We got a proper working guy over here.”

Villa grinned unconsciously. I-I’m doable?

He looked at his blood-scarred ax.

This must be skill.

Chapter 4

“Weapons ready!”

A goblin froze, too late to dodge. Higgard’s sword cleaved through it easily.

An ax swung from behind a new figure, Villa.

The goblins ran from him.

Villa eyed the two other members rushing in front of him and chasing the goblins down.

Goblins crept toward him as soon as he was alone.

Villa panted as he ran at them and chopped them down one by one.

After taking several deep breaths, he gasped, tears stinging his eyes, “You disgusting pieces of shit. You seriously believe I deserve to die here! That this is my fucking fate!? No, you deserve to die here! That’s what you fucking get!” He stood over the goblins’ pieces, his shadow stretching over a long distance beside them.

Only a week had passed since he first came to the Maestros.

The united shadow of the rest of the Maestros were longer and bigger than his. He wheezed as he kneeled beside the fallen, his cries faintly carrying across the forest temple remains.

He stood up, stretching his mouth to speak. “I am a person. These… are my children.”

A goblin stood in front of him, crying, shaking as it raised a blade at him.

“You… are a gift,” Villa said, letting go of his ax.

The goblin flinched, eying his bloodied knuckles.

Villa punched it with his left fist.

Then with his right.

Then kicked it.

Then stomped its head.

“I do the things I do, because I have a reason.

“You don’t have to die here. But you will. It’s just something I have to do. Either I take the fall or Higgard comes and kills you instead. There’s no running away from this. You’re just going to have to stomach it.”

With his feet, he rolled it around so that it lay on its back and then slammed his foot over its stomach.

The goblin gagged.

Villa did it again. “I am merely the person trying to become the best I can be… in a group that allows me to do that.”

He did it for the third time. “I cannot stop now. Whatever I am now is survival. This is my flight.

“This is what I am now, Sonter.

“Sonter.

“How did the spikes do?

“Sonter.

“How did I do?”

Tears dripped on the ground.

“Did I do the right thing? Please tell me.”

The goblin lay senseless, but still alive.

Higgard finally came back from killing off the rest of the goblins. “Hey, hey, what’s going on? You OK? Why’re you leaving it alive? Oh, I see. This is one of your signature moves, isn’t it? Don’t worry. I like to keep them alive too sometimes. Maybe not too much since I have to complete the quest, but still, playing with your food isn’t so bad!”

“Haha.” Villa sounded weak.

The next day, he said, “I’m leaving, fuckers.”

“OK, see ya!” Higgard waved. “Come back if you wanna!”

Later, after waiting for hours, he ran as soon as he saw his old group exit the guild.

“You came back.” Sonter smiled, red-cheeked.

“I had to.” Villa broke into sobs. “I’m sorry.”

“That’s OK. We were waiting for you anyway. I know, I know. You want to get angry at Hipi—”

He turned to Hipi. “Thank you Hipi… for showing me.”

Hipi raised his brows in jest. “What? I thought they were perfect for what you were saying.” He saw Sonter’s unamused expression. “Nah I’m kidding.”

Villa’s shadow drifted behind his 11-member group, the Animals. Sonter and Hipi chuckled in front of him. They were traveling to a dungeon in the evening, on the same day he returned to them.

Connor, one of the other members, had given him his homemade loaves to nibble on for the journey. “How is it?”

“Good, good. I was wondering when you were going to make the strawberry-filled ones.”

“You left before I could make some!”

“Yeah, sorry. Well, they’re delicious!”

“Great! I’ll make more then! You and Hipi are the only ones who like strawberry apparently!”

The other newbie stared at Villa, later setting him aside. “Why did you come back?” he whispered.

“I couldn’t kill for too long.”

“Wow, you killed? How many? Goblins?”

“Too many. Yes, goblins.”

“That’s cool though. If I could, I’d do it. But I’m stuck with this group.”

“Why’re you even still here?”

He shrugged. “Better than nothing… Anyway, you’re actually pretty respectable. I thought you were a wuss… I’m glad to be wrong.”

“That’s not something to be proud of, you know.”

“Ha, I’m here shaking and you kill without remorse? That’s crazy.”

“Crazy? Are you a former member of the Maestros perhaps?” Villa cackled.

“I wish. They sound so cool as a group.”

“Well, maybe you’ll fit right in. Better than me at least.”

“I wish.”

“Well, we’re here.”

“Yep… Are you doing spikes again?”

“Of course!”

After the two ended up cutting logs together, the other newbie continued his questions, “How did you kill goblins? With traps? Spikes?”

“I axed them.”

“Throwing?”

“No, I chopped them up.”

“What!? You actually straight up destroyed them! That’s crazy! That’s more insane than I thought.”

“Yeah, you’re right. It was insane.”

“When are you coming back? Are you just here for a break?”

“I don’t know. Maybe, I will come back. But I would have to curse myself with complete callousness to do that.”

“That’s funny ‘cause there is a curse exactly like that. It’s called [Cold Gaze].”

“Really?”

“Yup.”

“That’s interesting. I wouldn’t want to curse myself, but I’m getting more and more curious about these skills. What are they?”

“You don’t know!? Did no one tell you? I thought you must have had skills when you were axing literal goblins left and right.”

“I was doing that. But I don’t know much about skills. I’ve never been told about them. Information is scarce where I come from, to say the least.”

“Really? Hmm… Well, I can start with [Cold Gaze]. It gives you callousness. It’s a hard-to-describe thing, but you just become callous. Simple as that. Another is [Fireball]—”

“Oh, I know that.”

“You release a ball of fire.”

“Yeah, I definitely know that! It’s a classic!”

“Hmm… There’s [Rock Toss]. It makes your rock tosses stronger.”

“Wait, I thought we were talking about skill, not spells?”

“Oh, I meant spells. But if you meant skill, you likely have a high level in using the ax.”

“Profciency, you mean?”

“Same thing! I’m excited to see what becomes of you if you keep chopping goblins up. Plus, I want to see you on the rankings.”

“Rankings?”

“There’s a lot you don’t know, huh. Good thing I’m here. I can be your second-hand. You do what I can’t do, and I help you as an analyst.”

“Sounds cool, but let’s focus on getting these spikes set up.”

“Alright! Man, I’m so excited! Thank gods you’re here! I’ll make you super strong. You won’t regret it! I’ll tell you everything!”

“Are you guys ready?” Sonter said, eyes alternating between him and the other newbie before looking for an answer in Villa’s eyes. Villa nodded, assuring her he was fine.

“I’m not really in a hurry to get into all this right now anyway,” he assured the other newbie. “By the way… what’s your name?”

“Have you even been listening to us talk? They say my name all the time.”

“What? What is it?”

“Muff!”

“That’s…”

“Interesting.” Sonter smiled.

“Well, it is, but that sounds like a pet name.”

“Muff? I thought it was terrifying. Damn.”

“Wait, that’s not your real name?”

“Of course not, you think I’d get away with using my real name while killing off entire goblin bloodlines?”

“I guess you’re right. Makes sense.”

Villa placed what he felt like was the last spike. “Is this good? I know Hipi said not to make too much, but to celebrate, I made three times more than normal.” Sonter nodded. “OK… Spikes ready!” he exclaimed.

“No, no, we don’t do that.” Sonter laughed light-heartedly. “We’re not an operation of 100 people.”

“Oh, yeah, oops.”

“What was your name there?” Muff said.

Villa eyed Sonter, who was saying no with her stare and raised brows. “Ax-Cutter,” he said.

“Hey, Ax-Cutter,” Muff beckoned him. “Come. Let’s bait the skeleton horseriders.”

“Hey, wait, are you sure? His running still needs work.” Sonter said, looking at Muff, even if she was actually directing it at Villa.

Muff grinned, patting Mikrat on the shoulder. “He’ll just tag along. It’s not like Mikrat and Mesho aren’t going to do the actual work.” Mikrat and Mesho had been standing with the others, just waiting quietly for Sonter to give the green light.

Sonter nodded. “Sure. Go.”

Villa skipped behind Muff. “So what is this thing about potions?”

“Oh, we use them to make their sensitivity to glare weaker. It’s a buff that’s actually a debuff! Cool, right!?”

“We? You make it too?”

“No. But I practically do!”

Mikrat laughed. If Muff was actually a threat, his shoulder-patting, overfamiliar behavior, and credit-taking would irritate him. But he was just a pup barking from behind dogs many times his size.

Muff’s eyed flickered. “Well, come on Villa. I’ll show you how we do the potion tying!”

They set two potions in two separate locations and then tied one end of a rope to one potion and then the other end to a second potion. The rope spanned 10 meters in length.

“Every time it is stepped on, the anti-glare is applied.”

“How do you know this? You’re new to adventuring, aren’t you?”

“I am. But I come from a family of merchants, and they gave me lots of private instruction on adventuring. So I am at the very least yappy about it, haha! Hipi knows my father.”

“Hipi knows your father too? Does he know everyone?”

“It’s a small town for him I guess. He’s the one who told me all about the Maestros.”

“It’s how you knew to make your own name?”

“Correct!”

“So what is your name really?”

“I’d rather not. I’d rather be a separate person from the name I was ‘endowed’ with.”

“I honestly get what you mean.”

“Really? You came from a family of merchants too!?”

“No. But I know what it’s like to be treated as something you’re not.”

“Yeah…”

“Well, we’re done here? We’re just standing?”

“We’re waiting.” Someone shouted further inside the cave. “Ooo, that’s them! You can start running now.” He turned around and fled back to the entrance.

As soon as they got out, Mesho repeatedly shouted from deep inside, “Ten!”

“Ten? Is that unusual? I’ve never heard that.” Mesho and Mikrat exited in the background.

“That is unusual. I wonder what’s the fuss. The highest I’ve heard was 15, but that was because of a boss raid.”

“Boss raid?”

“When a strong monster occupies a dungeon.”

“That’s… Wait, is that we have now?”

“I’m not sure. Let’s wait for them to say.”

“Wait, they’re not coming.”

“What?”

Mesho and Mikrat panted, sharing intense looks with the rest of the group, especially Sonter, who started shouting.

“Form a dense ring! Come, come! Muff! Villa! Come inside!”

“What’s happening!? What if they come!?” Villa said between paces.

As soon they got in the ring, Muff heaved a breath before answering. “They always come immediately. If they don’t, there’s almost always something wrong.”

From inside, a figure stared at them.

“Why a ring?” Villa asked.

“If they have an ability or a spell that allows them to attack immediately or from some unprotected side.” He did a double take at him. “Wait, aren’t you Ax-Cutter? Oh, right, you fight goblins. They’re magic-less.”

“Wait, this boss casts magic?”

“Almost always do they have magic. Don’t be surprised if he starts tickling your nether regions with some absurd spell.”

“Did that happen?”

“No. But they did block my hearing for several seconds with some loud noise.”

“Are they coming yet?”

Muff stopped crouching and got up to peek. Sonter shouted. “Get down!”

He whispered, “He’s not moving yet.”

“Don’t they usually do?”

“Well, I don’t know!? It’s not like bosses are a monolith!”

“Well, you did call them bosses.”

“That’s ‘cause they’re strong! It’s just a word! It’s not like they all do the same things! But yes, any time now.”

“Guys, you’re being a little too loud,” Hipi said, giving Sonter a scolding look. Sonter smiled back, happy to see the two newbies growing on each other.

The spikes Villa prepared earlier started floating into the air one by one.

“Wait, what’s happening?”

“Volley!” Sonter and Hipi yelled. “Run!”

The levitating spikes all pointed at the group.

The group fled.

The spikes snapped forward, slamming straight into trees.

But several pierced several adventurers’ chests. Among those lying on the ground were Sonter and Hipi.

“Sonter?” Villa asked, peeking from behind a tree. Muff crouched on the ground and covered his ears, bawling.

“Hipi?

“Guys?”

Chapter 5

Villa stared at the mottled wooden floor of the wagon as it rolled away. It had just carried their bodies and was now leaving.

He returned to his apartment and sat down. He gasped.

His voice broke. “Ha-ha.

“I just wanted to do the right thing. I didn’t think it’d be this hard. I mean, of course it is, isn’t it?

“I didn’t really know them all that long.”

He clutched his chest, struggling against the bed’s wooden frame, his chest cramping. “What am I to be?

“A person?”

He looked at the loaves of bread in his hand. “They don’t taste that good anymore. I should’ve eaten them earlier, before the…”

His vision distorted, and he fell against the wooden floor of his room. “Murder,” he croaked. “Murder!”

“I’ll kill every single last one of you!” he growled. “You will know hell upon hell upon hell upon hell!’

“Who was it?” he remembered Mesho ask the soldier earlier. The soldier answered then, “‘The Bonine,’ they’re calling it. It’s the name it adopted as an adventurer before they revealed its skeletal monster nature.”

“It hid among the adventurers? How?”

“It was likely intelligent.”

“But why was he here?” Mesho said. “Why did he attack us?”

“It’s a monster…” the soldier said plainly, confusion in his eyes.

“Right. But is there any reason it was specifically here?”

“We don’t know, but the tier 3 group ‘The Reds’ must have driven it from the dungeon second-closest to the incident site, causing it to wander here.”

Mesho rubbed the side of his head, taking big breaths. “OK, thank you. Can we do anything to help with the search or with its elimination?”

“Apply to the guild.”

The next week, the remains of The Animals reunited in the guild, including Muff. The only other member who died was Connor, the one who made loaves for the group.

“Good morning, everyone,” Mesho said. “No time for jokes, OK? We’ll just work together one last time. And that’s it. This is just to give justice to the two. This is our closure.”

“I’m OK with that,” Muff said. “But I’m staying with Villa. And if possible, I’d like to join him when he returns to The Maestros.”

“Fine. Do that. Whatever you want to do after this, go. It’s not my jurisdiction. What is my jurisdiction is making sure you guys behave on this trip. We’re going to help kill Bonine. If he doesn’t die, we’re not finished. If you guys slip up or give up, no excuses. We’re in and out. No half-assed games. Let’s just get this over with. I’m not… OK. I don’t think any of us are, so this is our final dance together.”

“Yes,” Villa said, empty-handed.

“Where’s your ax?”

Villa jolted.

Mesho sighed intensely. “I know you feel shitty about it. But you need a way to fight. Prepare to make spikes and use your ax to cut branches again. It doesn’t matter what happened. What matters is now. We finish this now.”

“You’re right,” Villa stuttered, nodding meekly. He went out before returning several minutes later with his ax.

“Villa will be crucial for what we’re going to do. As you know, we’re not an aggressive group like the Maestros.” He eyed Muff. “But we will be aggressive. Axes, spikes, whatever we have. Let’s use it. We’ll use it together. Whatever it takes. To kill that bastard. Villa will show us exactly what it means to kill. Now, Villa, teach us how to kill a goblin. We need your experience. Please.”

Villa coughed. “What?”

“Villa. You are crucial. You’ve already been that important to that group. You didn’t know? This is you. All you. What we’re going to do, we’re not equipped to do. We need you. You have shown yourself to be capable of doing what we can’t. Show us how you killed that goblin.”

“Why’re you asking me this?”

“Villa. Do you want to leave? Again? You’re going to leave us again? Is that what you want? Go to the Maestros like Muff said you would. Do it again. By the time you return, there’ll be no one waiting for you. You know that right? Villa… Make your choice. Will you cut the branch?”

Villa laughed. “You treat me like this. You will never be Sonter.”

“I wasn’t trying to be—”

“You will never be Hipi.”

“I wasn’t trying to—”

“You will never be anything. Without them? Without them? Without them… I am nothing.”

“Haha, really? Well, tell me something I don’t know. We know you’re fucked. We made you what you are. Or they did. But I was part of it. We made you what you are right now. We’re the reason you’re like this. So at the very fucking least, do good by us now. Show us we didn’t make a mistake. Show us what Son and Hip thought you were. Do it now, and no one will blame you for what happened and what will happen when we go and do justice to Son and Hip. Show us you are the Ax-Cutter. Show us you made the spikes. That you can kill the Bonine just as well as you killed those goblins. Just as fucking well as you killed Son and Hip—”

“I didn’t kill them. I didn’t kill them.”

“Just as fucking well as you penetrated their hearts. You did well. You did fucking well.”

“I didn’t fucking kill them. I didn’t fucking kill them.”

A tall robed man interjected, “Um, we’re going to have to ask you to leave. You’re disturbing the others.”

“We’re here to apply for the Bonine.” Mesho’s gaze pierced Villa. “Villa here is our new leader. We’re the Animals. We lost three of our members to the Bonine yesterday—”

“Oh yeah I heard ‘bout that.” He turned around and stared at one of the clerks for a few moments before returning his attention to them. “OK, I’ll let you guys participate. Let’s see how you do.”

Mesho grinned, grabbing Villa’s hand and shaking it. “You will lead this group. If you can’t do that, then they really died for nothing.”

“Why me? Why not you? And Mikrat? And Colograd, Denver, Draktol, Liverpool?”

“They’re not you. They’re not the Ax-Cutter. They’ve never killed a goblin directly. Me too. You think we were that competent. We’re fucking bottom-rung, chap.”

Colograd returned with the papers. “It’s official.”

Mesho clasped his shoulder. “Thank you. Please help Villa.”

“We know,” chorused Denver, Draktol, Liverpool, and Mikrat.

“You said it.” Colograd curled his lip. “He’s our leader now.”

The others’ gazes didn’t change. Colograd voiced out what they were already thinking and feeling.

Tears stinging his eyes, Villa stared at the street outside. For a moment, he saw a glimmer of magic, but it faded just as quickly as it appeared.

He raised his head.

Across the sky flew giants.

Flight.

Tears soaked his cheeks, and snot covered his hand. Standing near the window, he kept his gaze outside where others couldn’t see his face.

I know what I am.

I am a person. And… my actions… They define me. I may have not intended to hurt them, but I know well that sooner or later, I will make mistakes that will lead to others getting hurt. And I cannot really blame myself for it. But that doesn’t stop it from breaking me. I am what I am. That is just the reality of it.

As soon as they left the guild and set off, he kept his head low as they departed the city.

I must simply live, and that is all that is required of it.

I will do what I can, and what I can, I hope I do well. I do not have regrets, but that doesn’t stop the rage and agony in my heart.

Several weeks later, they stopped by the adventurer’s lodge where those who would be hunting down the Bonine would mobilize.

“Good morning, everyone,” Mesho said, having cut his hair very thin and started wearing dark cloaks over his clothes—a big transformation from his traditional adventurer style. “Today’s another great day for assessment. Now, how did everyone do?”

“Thirty-three goblins dead,” Colgrad said, wearing Sonter’s old scratchy necklace, pointing at quill at each item in a list on a report in hand. “And seven skeletons and five zombies. That’s a total of forty-five.”

“Good. As long as we’re on track to attaining three digits, perfecto! We’ve improved from twenty to forty-five in just one week. What happened?”

“Villa said making us kill goblins bare-handed made killing them with blades much easier.”

“Thank you Villa.”

Villa nodded firmly, with clenched teeth and a rough-hewn, bearded face. He now looked lean yet full-bodied from their non-stop feasts, traveling, training, and especially killing, which often preceded total-body wrestling and decisive beatdowns. They did these in the open dirt where they could really just feel the grasses on their backs and bodies and feel themselves skidding across the dirt as they pinned someone down or did some flip of the opponent.

Is this what it means? Villa wobbled between paces as he dragged himself to the next field, where Muff would be wrestling a goblin for the first time.

“Muff, you ready?”

Muff, having changed from his traditional adventurer outfit to a russet peasant one, laughed nervously, standing barefooted. “No!”

“Doesn’t matter! That goblin’s coming anyway! If you can’t stop him, no one will! If you can’t do it, no one will! You have to do it! You have to stop it! You! You! Alone! All alone! There’s no one else! No one! No one but you! You are all alone! You’re the only one! All alone…”

“Okay, okay! I get it! You don’t have to make it sound so depressing. I’m just here to wrestle a gob, right? No biggie.”

“Either way, I’ll run and kill it for you if you don’t kill it.”

“Wait! You told me yesterday you’d let me try out first.”

“Nope, I changed my mind. If you need a weapon, just choose among the ones I prepared.” He gestured to the table behind him.

“Oh come on! I saw that earlier, but ahhhh!”

“Which one will you choose? Or can you kill him with your hands?”

“Of course not. Give me a spear. I need something with distance.”

“OK then.” He handed him the spear.

“What’s this. It’s so light.”

“I prepared it just for you. Don’t worry. Stab on.”

“Maybe, I’ll be the Spear-Stabber next?”

“Good name! Actually who started using Ax-Cutter? Gramatically, that sounds like you’re cutting axes.”

“It’s fine! It sounds cool anyway!”

“Well, anyway, goblin’s waiting for you.”

“It’s fucking terrified. And I’m fucking terrified.”

“Don’t worry! Go, go, go!”

The goblin’s head later hit the ground, clutching the shaft of the spear that stabbed its chest.

Villa’s breath shifted. Another spike.

“Good job,” he said. “I’m surprised you did it so easily. You’re doing well. It’s just your first kill! Most people don’t dedicate themselves this much to…” He stopped himself, his eyes flickering for a moment. “Stabbing!”

The second adventurer party came to the lodge.

A dirty-armored yet clean-faced woman strode into the field, her helmet in hand. Her horse followed behind her. “Heyo, bros! How’s up! What’s going? Everyone alright? We’re gonna take down this big baddie once and for all. No buts! This is super kill-zone time! I got my crossbows ready!”

“What are you doing here?” Villa said. “This isn’t the lodge?”

“I thought I’d announce myself to the leader of the first party who arrived!

“Who are you?”

“The Rollers!”

“Is that… What’s that?”

“It’s our name! We roll! ‘Let’s roll!’ By the way, what the hell are you doing to that goblin? This is a no kill zone!”

“You just said—”

“Not here! This is the lodge! No killing monsters and dirtying these grounds when I’m here. I’m supposed to be the first one keeping new parties in line, but you guys… Why did you come so early?”

“We just arrived.”

“Oh. That’s unlucky then. But still, who the hell are you!”

“Animals. The Animals. We come from Entrial City.”

“Cool! I don’t care. But what I do care about is whether we’re gonna work together! Let’s roll!”

“Is this normal? Do you guys come here often?”

“Yes, this is where we meet up when dealing with any serious threat moving in the south. That’s how we group up and then move and act in unison. So there’ll be talks for probably a month.”

“They did say that. I didn’t think it was true. I thought it was a maximum.”

“Nope! Could be longer for this one, since we’re negotiating about how we’re going to handle it once it’s captured. It didn’t come from the south, you see. It came here. So, whoever it fucked up wants kill guarantee!”

“Kill guarantee?”

“Yup. The privilege of killing it.”

“We’re actually here because it attacked our group.”

“Oh, are you The Reds?”

“No, I just told you. It’s The Animals.”

“Oh, right. Well, The Reds want kill guarantee too, if that’s what you guys are here for. So… you know… discuss. They’ll be here too I think.”

“How many people did it piss off?”

“A lot. This one’s hard to catch.”

He hurried straight to Mesho. “Mesho. We can’t kill The Bonine ourselves. They’ll capture it and give it to whoever gets kill guarantee.”

“I know. But you have to convince them. If you don’t… You know what. At this point, I’m not in the mood to talk about this. Let’s just finish this. I want to go home. I’m tired. As long as it dies in the end… That’s all that matters. Us being here is a privilege. We don’t need kill guarantee. We need it dead. We’re going to be fucking surrounded by tier 2 and tier 3 teams, did I mention? We’re probably gonna be the only ones here that care so much about taking care of unfinished business that we’re willing to bet it all even if we don’t even know what we’re doing. So thank you, Villa, for preparing us all. We may be bottom-rung, but that strength you gave us will never fade. I promise. If things go well and work out, I’ll consider keeping the group alive. No one has to die here. We’re bringing everyone home. If it dies, we have no more reason to stay with these groups. In the end, we’re united here for only one single purpose—the defeat of something that is a danger to everyone else. Whatever our pasts make us out to be doesn’t matter anymore. You’re all tired. I’m tired. Let’s not exhaust ourselves more than we already have. This is it. Villa. You are free. You can leave now. You have done everything you needed to do. If you fight now, that’s your own choice. I know I fucked you over. I did that knowingly, and I will never pretend that I was innocent in that matter. But right now, regardless of what I did, I will never feel that it was without reason. We’re here right now because of you. Villa. We let you go. You are free. Whatever that means from now on is up to you.”

Villa flumped into a chair. “Sure. I’ll leave. I mean, I never wanted to hurt anyone. Ever. That was not my goal ever. All I was here for was to get things in control and move out of the way of all the things that were trying to kill me. And now, I’m here.”

Mesho smiled. “See. You know exactly what to do next.

“Go Villa. This is you.

“Follow your voice. Follow it.”

He handed Villa an orb.

“What’s this?”

“It’s just an orb. It’s not that heavy, as you can see. It doesn’t have any other use, but I don’t want to just say a bunch of words and let you go. At the very least, I want you to be reminded of what happened to you, not because I want you to suffer, not because this is something to be proud of, but because I want you to have the choice to keep or destroy it, as long as it helps you in any way.

“I can never apologize for what I did, and I won’t. You don’t deserve those words. You deserved that it never happened to you. And I really did do a bad thing that I cannot fully regret. I regret how it happened, but I don’t regret what it did for us. So I’m sorry that I forced you to destroy yourself for our own relief. I say that knowing that it will never suffice for what you went through. So please, leave. Free yourself. From all of this. From us. From everything you’ve known that is related to us in any capacity. Make yourself scarce.”

Chapter 6

Ten days later, Villa sat down at the edge of the forest in front of a valley. “It’s kinda nice not to have any more attachments. I can return now to my goal of flight.” The flying giants’ shadows passed over him. While already under the shade of tree leaves, he smiled and shut his eyes in their presence.

A 16-year-old walked up behind him. “Excuse me, that’s my spot.”

“Oh, sorry. But can I sit down there?” Villa pointed at another spot around five meters away.

“Sure. But it’s fine. You can stay here. I just never see anyone here. I thought you wouldn’t want me here.”

“It’s fine. Wait, how about this? I’ll tell you stories. Your payment is listening to me tell them.”

“What? How is that even a payment? I’m getting more out of that.”

“Well, telling stories is fun too, you know!”

“Not to someone like me. I don’t know anything and have nothing to say.”

“That’s fine. We all start somewhere. Soon enough, you’ll experience all kinds of things. You probably already have. You may just not have found the way to tie it all together yet or the way to say them all in a way that makes sense to you.”

“I guess so.”

Six hours later, he ended the last story with the line “…and then, they finished their journey and went home, knowing that Sonter and Hipi were finally at peace.”

“Wow. Is that real?”

“Yup… In fact, I’m here to figure out what to do next.”

“You don’t know? Is that normal?”

“Yes. It happens every now and then, after something very long. I spent months doing that. And it took so long. Too long. My mind forget what it felt like not being that person. And by the end of it, I just didn’t know what to do, so I just walked around. I soon decided to sit down mainly ‘cause my legs got tired, but also because I thought watching the world around me pass me by was more relaxing!”

“Wow. That sounds like what an old man would say.”

“I guess!”

For a moment he stared, and then he jolted to his feet, surprising the boy. “Just now, an idea came to me. I guess that means I’m off.”

“What? Why?”

“I know what I’m gonna do next.”

Wearing a mask, he took a dungeon quest at the guild and bought a new ax. He swung it several times. After practicing on ten branches, he entered the dungeon.

The skeletons looked at him.

He slammed the ax against their heads one by one, smashing them against the ground. “Well, well, looks like boot camp training abroad actually paid off.”

He stalked deeper inside, his shadow stretching across the field just outside the entrance, a wall torch revealing his grin.

A giant humanoid beast opened its eyes, rising to its feet. Bones clattered wherever he turned. “What’s this? I don’t hear magic. No arrows, bolts.” He listened to the footsteps. “Only one?” He jumped off the ledge and slammed the ground, dust clouds puffing out, the impact shaking the chamber and echoing across the corridors.

“Where is he?”

He peeked from behind a corner, and there, in the middle of the corridor, some distance away, a man stood still and silent, staring down at a dead bloodied goblin.

After crouching to place his hand on its head for a moment, he got up again. “I’ll keep it quick.” He walked past it.

The beast revealed itself. “I was wondering when I’d see another person like you. It’s been at least 30 years.”

Villa fled.

“Wait! Actually, how do I prove I’m not going to kill him? Totally fair. Well, I will kill him eventually. He’s bound to want to get the bounty on my head, but still, if he isn’t too greedy, perhaps he might be willing to form a partnership. I did that with Rannack before, and he was a soloer this too. So why not?”

“You want to form a partnership?”

“Yes, yes. Partnership—Oh, what the hells, you could hear me the whole time?”

“Yeah, you’re as loud as ten people in a room. Who are you? What’s in it for you?”

“I want to see the world outside, but if I go out too far, they’ll attack and kill me. If I go out when adventurers arrive, they’ll just lure me to the entrance to kill me. No one has actually tried going outside to talk to me. Most of the ones that do go outside are crazy.”

“Like the Maestros?”

“What’s that? I don’t know. But there are crazies I’d rather not meet.”

“So… how do I show you the world outside?”

“Tell me about it. What’s it like?”

Villa thumped his finger against his chin in thought. Can I get something out of this? If not, I’m just risking myself for no reason.

“Right, what’s in it for you? I forgot to offer you something in return. How about you get coins everyday? I won’t give you too much since it’s not unlimited, but just enough. I know the prices at least. I can hear the adventurers say that the potion costs only ten gold. So I’ll give you 50 gold every day. That should be enough for you to survive, right?”

“Yes…”

“OK then! Now, can you start? What’s the nearest human settlement like now?”

“Wait, wait, I can’t say it all now. I need to leave, and I don’t want to feel like I’m trapped in here. I still need to get back home.”

“Right. You don’t know everything. You can read, can’t you?”

“I can’t.”

“Well, learn to read!”

“We haven’t even agreed on anything yet.”

“Well! Yeah, you’re right. OK. Fine. Go. Just come back when you can read and if you want to partner.”

“Sure… I should mention that I do have stories of my own if you want to hear that. But they’re limited. And they’re mine.”

“Just go! Come back when you’re ready!”

He left the dungeon, forgetting to bring ten skeleton heads as proof for the quest. “Dang. Well, I’ll just do another quest tomorrow. I should survive for at least 9 more months without quests.”

In the city, other than Maestros and Animals, hundreds of other groups were travelling across and outside the city at any given moment. Some wore uniforms; most just looked like a generic group of adventurers. Others still were individualistic, each member expressing their distinct self. Most were a combination of these. All were bottom-rung. This city—Entrial City—was one of bottom-rungs. Tier 3s might pass by regularly, but this was not their headquarters.

“Wait a minute, I do know how to read. They speak god damn English here, and I can read their quests. How did I brain-fart that? Yeah, I guess when a 20-feet-tall monster talks to you in an uncannily human voice, you’re bound to shit yourself.”

As he removed his shoes and changed his clothes, he said, “For a solo adventurer, the quests are random, inconsistent, and unsustainable. They feel like looking for dropped money on the road. Even if you did find one, it’s fool’s gold if it convinces you to waste time actually looking for more. This salary with the monster is workable. The only risk is that it’s a gigantic monster that can kill me with a flick of its wrist.

“At the end of the day, I’m still alive, so that’s my biggest plus. Time to sleep.”

He fell asleep after lying down for 15 minutes, having finished processing past events.

The next day, without delay, he went to the beast. “Can we start discussing the terms? First and probably most importantly, how much time should I spend every day with you?”

“When I’m satisfied.”

“That isn’t workable.”

“When I feel like it’s time for you to go.”

“That’s the same thing.”

“OK fine. Here. I’ll use a spell—”

Villa shot to his feet and fled.

“Wait! Wait! It’s just a spell that will count down a set time!”

“Really? That’s genuinely useful.”

“Yes, yes. So please, sit down. I can set it at any time. I didn’t want to use it because I’m just not in the mood to set it every time.”

“We can just do the same time every time.”

“Oh, right, that makes sense. Smart, smart! Very smart!”

“Try 15 minutes.”

“What!? That’s too short! 15 hours at least!”

“No.”

“No? OK. How long do you sleep?”

“8 hours.”

“Dang. OK then. 16 hours!”

“No, I can’t be here for the entire time that I’m awake! I still need to eat, drink, and do all sorts of things!”

“Ok then. 10 hours. That’s already such a big decrease!”

“That’s too long.”

“What!?”

“That’s longer than a 9 to 5. What are you? A taskmaster?”

“OK, OK, how about 8 hours!”

“No. That’s not going to make me tell better stories.”

“4?”

“No.”

“2?”

“No.”

“OK, how about 30 minutes!”

“Yes. I can work with that. But you can’t expect me to have good material all the time.”

“It doesn’t matter! Even if it isn’t true, anything you say will come from the time you spent outside anyway!”

“OK then. That’s workable.”

“Yes! OK. Agree?”

“Yes. Let’s do it.”

“Here’s 50 gold!”

“No, give me 25 now and 25 after I’m done!”

“OK. Whatever you say.”

An hour later, Villa fell onto his bed. “When was the last time I had to tell a story on the spot? 11… years old?”

For three months, he told stories, and every time, the urge to give the monster a reason to kill him flashed briefly. It was an intrusive thought, but one that kept him ever-cautious. Nevertheless, he maintained his habit and got paid.

By the time the monster was satisfied and had no more gold to offer, it said, “Thank you, Villa. You are a good person.”

Villa held his tears until he was a ways away from the dungeon. His face crumpled. His lower lip shook. “Where was I all this time?”

He earned a total of 3,850 gold. Even after those three months, the remaining deducted gold would last him 30 months. But even with all that money, it would never compare to being called a good person after spending all that time with someone. There was nothing more rewarding than more of the same.

“Now, what’s the next thing? I guess… It will present itself to me. I have time. Lots of it.” He giggled into his bed.

Do not go silently into that good night.

He glared and got off his bed. “If I am still alive, why should I act as if I am dead? No, I will live. I will thrive. I will scour this earth and ensure that at the end of all of it, I am still me.”

“I must find a cause that I believe in, a place that I can call home, a group where my skills and experience will be of use.

“Or I could make my own?

“But how? And with whom?

“That is my now mission.”

He went to the first dungeon he ever saw, the one that was sieged by the first adventurer group he’d ever seen.

But the dungeon was back to normal, as if it had never been bombarded.

A group was coming.

He watched them. It was the first group.

He started cutting thin trees and placed them at the edge of the forest for them to pick up.

When they did pick them up, he shook and pumped his fists, celebrating in silence.

After calming down, he fixed his eyes on them turning his logs into palisades.

“Finally, I helped someone silently.”

He turned around upon hearing a rustle. A group of three goblins peeked at him briefly.

He walked out of the forest and kept his distance to make sure they didn’t have a reason to attack. Nevertheless, he was still holding his ax. How long’s it been? Are these the same ones?

“Hello!”

A skeleton appeared behind the goblins. “You. Why’re you bothering my friends?”

“Who are you?” Villa said.

“Santo.”

“Santo… Skeletons can talk!?”

“No. I’m not a skeleton. I’m a human.”

“Huh? But you’re all bony.”

“Yes, I’m bony. But I’m not a skeleton.”

“OK, then. Wait, who are you?”

“Santo.”

“No, why’re you here?”

“I’m passing through. Is it so bad that I can’t walk around?”

Villa loosened his shoulders. “Am I bothering you?”

“If you keep bothering me yeah!”

“I swear I won’t, but can I ask you a question?”

“You are now! Spit it! Or forever hold your tongue!”

“You really are a human, huh?”

“That’s not a question!”

“I mean, who, who are you, besides your name?”

“I’m… well… I used to be a human. But I’m not a skeleton. My name’s Santo. I’m Senalu.”

“What’s that?”

“Come on. Don’t tell me nobody knows Senalu around here. Or are you just uninformed?”

“I don’t know!”

“Great. Do you want to keep talking? You look agreeable. Come. I won’t hurt you. If you need proof, I don’t have any. But I’m not holding any weapons. Is that enough?”

“Can’t some monsters use magic?”

“I’m not a monster! But yes, monsters can use magic. So I guess this is goodbye.”

“No, wait, I want to come with you. I’m kinda not sure what to do next, and I’m curious.”

“‘Curious’? You remind me of someone I know. OK, come along! You pass the test!”

Villa followed him inside the forest.

He saw a branch float toward him. “Woaw, what the hell is this?”

“My goblins!” Santo said. “They fly on branches! Hop on!” The goblins around him leapt each on a floating branch.

Villa leapt on the one in front of him. “I can’t balance on this.”

“Oh! It balances you, don’t worry!”

Villa’s body suddenly went still as if he was standing on flat ground. “Woaw!”

“Let’s gooo!! Wooohooo!”

“Where are we going!?”

“Somewhere you’ve never been!”

“What’s that!”

“Wait and see!

“WooooooooooohohooooOOO!!”

The flying giants flew beside them at the height of the clouds—whale-like creatures the size of mountains. Their roars resounded across the earth.

“Hell fucking yeah!” Villa yelled at the top of his lungs, dwarfed ever still by the world-shakers.

Chapter 7

“Where were you?” Mesho sat down in the guild back home, beckoning Villa to sit opposite him and to remove his shoulder bag.

“Traveling.”

“Where did you go?”

“Far away. All sorts of places.”

“Farther south? North?”

“Both and neither.”

“Really? What is this? The spirit realm?”

“No. I didn’t know about that.”

“Oh you just learned that now? Well, haha, at least you know. You should ask Muff. He’s been looking for you. I actually would have wanted him here, but you just came now all of a sudden. And I was here to finish up a few things with the board. I’m part of the board now, as you can see.” He pointed at the insignia on his coat.

“That’s great. What happened to the Animals?”

“They don’t need me anymore. I mean, you know they never did. I was never really there. I was always just a background person working on the side, helping out.”

“Is it Muff—”

“No, I had a feeling you were gonna ask that. It’s Mikrat. He said it’s better that the Animals kept going since all that growth they got would go to waste and they were burning with so much energy. You know what happened to the Bonine?”

“What?”

“We found him. And there was a huge fight, but we never really saw him. It was just a bunch of colorful explosions.”

“How are you guys now? All of you.”

“Right now? Like this week?”

“Month. Several months.”

“Ha, the guilds are closer now with my help. That one-month talk. I didn’t use it to get kill guarantee. I used it to secure the bonds between our city and guild and the others. So The Animals travel a lot more now. Like you. A lot harder, but they’re no longer big fish in a small pond. They’ve expanded their horizons. Far beyond the lodge. They take quests everywhere.”

“Wow.”

“Yep. The same way I fucked you over, I… well… I got them on board. I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, at least, you know where your talents lie.”

“Thank you. By the way, how’d it taste?”

He sipped the tea in front of him again. “Good, why?”

“It’s my special brew. I’ve been told a special brew adds a lot to a guild.”

“Really?”

“Yep. It’s a tradition among the Senarche.”

“That’s?”

“South west. Near the lake.”

“Oh OK. I have no idea.”

“Wait, you travel, but you have no idea? You know what, never mind. Whatever you’re doing, I hope you’re free.”

“I am. Thank you for that by the way.”

“You’re… No. I didn’t do it for you. I did it mostly for myself. But knowing that you’re OK makes me happy. I would never be able to move on if something happened to you.”

“Something did happen.”

“What?”

The birds flapped loudly through the air outside.

“Oh, sorry, something came up. I have to go.”

“Come back any time! You’re always welcome here!”

“Thanks Mesho. Tell Muff and the others that I wish I could’ve seen them and thank you to them too!

“For everything.”

Around him gathered a crowd of adventurers. People knew Villa. His name had spread. The true leader of The Animals. Any honor Mesho and the other members brought to the guild they brought to Villa as well, having been those under his personal month-long guidance.

“Villa, might I please invite you for a discussion? My estate will afford us privacy.” Surrounding this gentleman were tall, armored men enveloped in dark cloaks, their helmeted stone-faced heads projecting like towers rising from distant hills. A padding of air encircled this retinue, etching them against the crowd.

“Where to?” asked the Villa, his voice echoless like whispered incantations for thunder.

“My estate? Oh, I forgot to introduce myself, didn’t I? I’m a guild patron! I’m Lord Dunn.”

“Lord?”

“Lord!”

“Welcome.”

“Welcome?”

Villa turned away briefly. Wait, that’s not what you say with lords. What do you say again?

He put on a smile and chortled. “OK, lead the way,” he papered over his still undiscovered faux pas.

“Well then!”

Their steps knocked along the cobblestone road, and Dunn and one of the armored men gestured him inside a waiting open carriage. Dunn sat inside, legs spread apart, arms resting on his legs, a grin on his face, his eyes locked with him.

At this point, he only came because of that blunder.

The carriage started along the path. Dunn offered his hand.

Villa raised a brow and cautiously extended his left hand while setting his right hand down.

Dunn clasped his left hand with both hands. “Hello Ax-Cutter! It’s great to finally meet you! I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long. I know I put you in a spot earlier, but don’t you worry. My intention is to keep you in the know about what we’re planning to do with your guild and what’s going on here. Your absence is noted, and we will respect that. But we do also understand that you’re willing to make choices even the best of us wouldn’t make. So we ask you to speak your thoughts and ensure that there is no misunderstanding as to what this entire thing between you and us is. We want to leave behind a clean cut, so we’re preemptively discussing things with you to prevent forming any plans around you in ways that you did not anticipate or desire. So let’s talk! Not now though. My estate is currently hosting a meeting with the guild leaders, so if you’d be so kind, please appear and say a few words, answer a few questions, and leave behind a few but definitive messages that will cement whatever path we’re taking this new era down. This is your window. The fact that you appeared here so timely, on the seventeenth day of the summit, is very fortunate! But if you wish not to appear, then we will have to continue on with our initial plans of promoting those that come after you. Decide now.” He raised his hand at the driver through the small window between the carriage and the driver. The carriage stopped. He opened the door and led him out to where a crowd had gathered. “I apologize. I’d prefer if we had privacy, but it’s better if you feel that you’re coming on your own terms. Do you have a means of traveling home or out?”

“I’m coming.”

“You are? Are you sure? Now, I know it’s against my best interests to say this, but you’ll be damning yourself with a whole new direction. It is an opportunity, but it comes with a lot of expectations and surprises that you may not be fully prepared to meet. So… what say you?”

“I have no other choice. This is my next direction. I’ve already had time to think and explore. I am investing now. I intended to start a group, but if I must take on a mantle I already raised, so be it.”

“You… are more legendary than I thought. You weren’t just a trainer, were you?”

“I was a person, if that’s what you were asking. All this fuss about me is confusing and worrying me.”

“Honest too. When did you learn to speak like that? I admire your confidence.”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, I mean that you don’t seem to come from anywhere. No one knows where you came from.”

Villa opened his mouth but did not speak.

Dunn cut the silence quickly, “But it does not matter. You’re here now. That’s all that matters. Are you coming in?”

Villa stepped inside before Dunn this time.

When they arrived, ten people stood in a line before Villa. There was a gap in the middle for one.

Dunn’s expression calmed. “You eleven will be entering as one. This will give you space to move around since you should expect to be pestered or at the very least questioned or challenged inside. We don’t want that. Not now. This is your time to shine with economy. Speak little but true. Every word that you speak must strike out of the heart. It must bleed life against the hall floor. Then only can we say you are justly present. Whatever that means exactly is up to you. Tell it how it is.”

“I… I am the Ax-Cutter.”

“Do better.”

“I am the Ax-Cutter.”

“You aren’t. You told me different.”

“But I am.”

“That’s not what you’re here for. I came to anoint a person. You told me that right? You were a person. Now be that now. If you can’t move like a person, you aren’t. Now move. You aren’t a title, an image. You must breathe, and your breath must mingle with those foul-smelling men in there. They must know you are there. As physical as flesh, as vulnerable as babe. You must be.”

“OK. Then I will say what comes to mind first.”

“Don’t worry about that. No principle prepared in advance is a principle worth holding. Focus on what your heart drags you to express, then cut it short, leave behind fragments, words that should have been extended. Tell them it is nigh, but never show them its fruits. Leave them suspended.

“Are you ready?”

Villa nodded.

“You’re never ready. That’s why you’re ready.”

Villa stared at him as he and the rest of the eleven walked inside the hall.

The hall thronged with colorfully clothed men, some robed, others cloaked, most wearing adventurer-styled formal wear, with insignias and embellishments.

Piercing gazes fell upon him.

He continued along the path the rest of the eleven implied with their strides, not missing a beat.

When they sat down on an empty table prepared for them, strangers immediately occupied the remaining available seats.

“Ax-Cutter, Sir, who’re you? We heard your name was Villa, is it true?”

Villa closed his eyes and flashed through every single “Villa” he heard spoken to him since he first used it as a name. Then he opened his eyes.

“Yes,” he said.

Villa never answered another word after that. His silence was comforting.

When the hall finally ended, Dunn beckoned him to the moonlit carriage.

There, Dunn looked at the garden outside the window. “It’s been a while since Ethanos cut. It looks so beautiful. I miss running around here with my friends. Did you have something like that, Villa?”

Villa tried to smile, but couldn’t find where his lips met the rest of his face. His face had gotten numb over the course of the meeting earlier. “I did.” But I don’t really have shit to address. I already lived a life back on Earth. What am I now is just a succession of that. It’s always been. Death after death. I almost fucking died, and I didn’t want to. But I am not surprised. I don’t think that I should’ve done differently or should have stayed on Earth. Earth is my home, just as this new place is a kind of home for me. What I am now… I am.

“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Villa. We’ll be dropping you off at the guild. Mesho said he had something to say, but he said that it’s OK if it would happen after the meeting.”

When they got to the guild, Villa sat down unprompted, looking around for a moment before leaning against the backrest, closing his eyes. Around him, people eyed him as they passed. But he paid them no mind. Today, he was done.

Mesho’s figure shuffled into sight. “Villa,” he said upon getting close.

“What?” Villa said, opening his eyes, but not changing his flumped posture.

“The Animals are all outside. They travelled here as soon as they got word you were here.”

“I didn’t see them?”

“Oh, they didn’t want to bother you. They said if you want to talk to them, just look for them, and they’ll meet you.”

“I’ll go. Give me like five minutes.” He shut his eyes.

Mesho nodded and went outside to tell them to come in.

When he returned, he said, “Well, they’ll wait, they said.”

Villa raised a thumbs-up before letting his hand fall back onto the chair.

“Mikrat,” Villa said later, his arms swaying lazily.

Mikrat jolted upon hearing his name. “Villa,” he mumbled. He cleared his throat and spoke up, “How are you?”

Villa looked at the others. “How about you guys? I’m exhausted. Just came from the summit.”

The others couldn’t make eye contact for a few moments before Mesho called out from behind Villa. “Hey everyone. Why not step inside? Being out there while the crowd’s gathering is a little too eventful, isn’t it? I don’t want to feel like we’re dragging attention wherever we go. At least in the guild I can refuse those just coming in to see the seven of you.”

Villa squinted. “Seven?

“Oh, right… OK. Let’s go. Are you guys coming?”

The Animals slowly started toward the guild.

“What’s been going on with you Villa?” Muff tried to smile.

Villa shrugged. “A lot. Traveling and stuff. I don’t really know how to explain it without showing you.”

“Showing? Am I allowed?”

“You still got quests, no? Well, if our quests intersect, then maybe. But I’m not going to do that much anyway. It gets kinda boring sometimes. That’s why I’ll probably call Dunn again for anything else he has in mind.”

“Dunn?!”

“The Lord who invited me.”

“It’s Lord Dunn! So you’re on first name terms already?”

“It’s not that crazy.” Maybe it is that crazy. What’s the standard of first names in this world again? It’s not like we were Sir-ing each other the whole time. But I guess a Lord should have a Lord attached. I’m really, really not used to this. Maybe even bad if it goes wrong. Well, Dunn’s a special case in that case then.

As they sat down inside at a single long table, Mesho awkwardly smiled. “Oh, this is the same table we used before we went to see Bonine.”

Villa snorted lightheartedly.

“So what’s it gonna be?” he said in a neutral voice. He covered a big yawn with one hand while shifting in his seat.

“Do you like tourneys?” Mikrat asked before Muff could. He glanced at Muff with a reassuring look.

“I do like watching them.”

“Would you want to be in one?”

“I don’t know.” Villa threw his hands up in a shrug. “Maybe, I could try.”

“Can you join us tomorrow? We’re going… as The Animals. If you’ll be there, it will be… well… you could damage your reputation, to say the least.” He tried to laugh.

“I mean, sure, I’d like that actually. If I can try, then let’s see.”

“So that’s a yes?”

“Yeah, yeah, let’s go. What time? I’ll be there.

“Morning. 9 AM here at the guild. It’ll take only three hours to get there.”

“Then, sure, I can take that. In fact, I can go there without you guys. I can fly there fast.”

“You can?”

“I know someone who can. They can’t fly all of you guys though. Only room for like three at most.”

“Oh. OK then, we’ll meet you there.”

“OK!”

“OK, we’re heading off for the night. Bye!”

“Ba-bye!”

Mesho met Villa’s stare. “I won’t come. I’m not officially a part of The Animals. I mean, that’s why… they’re out there, and I’m… in here.”

Villa gave a facial shrug, frowning and raising his brows, stood up, and left for the night.

The next day, on the field, the announcer showed up with the biggest, most mischievous grin he could make.

“The Maestros versus… The Animals!”

Villa, The Ax-Cutter, burst into a guffaw.

Muff squealed, with mixed expressions.

Lord Dunn smiled.

Mesho proudly watched a few admins of other guilds almost drool in anticipation.

Mikrat and the rest of The Animals nodded.

Higgard, a member of The Maestros, waved excitedly at his buddy Ax-Cutter. “He’s here! The craziest guy I’ve ever met!”

Santo and his goblins crept in the darkness, observing the massive gathering, as the fight between the two adventurer groups was set in motion. “Are we going to do it?”

“Yes. Guilds throughout the region are growing closer. We soon won’t have any places to fly and hide. If we don’t do it now, they’ll simply keep chasing and kill us eventually.

“[Sequence of Demonstrations]!”

Explosions of colorful light ruptured across the entire field.

Only one adventurer needed to shout it—”It’s Bonine!”

Everyone ran.

Branches flew out, impaling an adventurer each. The number of bodies grew rapidly.

“What?” Villa said.

Chapter 8 - Arc 1 Ends

“Bonine? Who? Where?”

After only a minute of constant bombardment, too many bodies littered the ground. Only a small number of people remained compared to what it was just now.

He saw everyone.

“Where is he!?” he yelled at the top of his lungs, dwarfed by the soughing wind passing through this vast open field.

Santo appeared before him, flying on a branch, overshadowing him. “Villa, you did this. I just learned that you brought the guilds closer. And now, they’re dead. They’re your friends, but you know, I just learned you made the spikes as well. They called you the Ax-Cutter then, and they called you that here. You made so many spikes that I couldn’t even count them all. I was on the run, and I thought I found a hiding spot. But I thought it was happening again. I did it to protect myself. I did this to protect myself and all of my friends.”

Branches were still impaling the rest of the stragglers in the background.

“You must hate me, huh. I hate that it had to be this way. I can’t apologize for what I did, nor can I say anything that’ll comfort you. But I would like to keep talking, now that I’ve done what I needed to do. I know you will not be able to do that. I wouldn’t be able to do that either if I was in your situation.” The branches were now impaling anyone who came late to the event.

“Villa…”

Villa sat down, forcing himself out of bawling, whimpering, and wailing. He still sobbed, “You’re right. You did what you did for a reason, and those reasons are right. You did what I would have done. I would have done the same. But… can you blame me? Can you blame me when I say that I want to kill you right now? Will you be mad for that? Think it’s unfair?”

“No. I won’t. You can hate me all you want. In fact, you can try to kill me now. But I could also… kill you in self-defense. You know that. I don’t need to… feign that you’re dumb or something. You are an intelligent person. And you did it all that. It’s everything that I cannot imagine myself accomplishing… And I’m not doing to mock you, ‘cause you’re my friend. But… you’re not. You won’t want that anymore. I don’t want that anymore. I don’t think you’re a nice person. I think you’re a horrible piece of shit, my friend. You supported the very thing that has caused me great suffering. So… where are we? We are here right now at this moment, and you are mad. And I am just as mad, if not more. I have nothing and everything to say to you.”

“Yes, I feel the same way; though yes, I do want to kill you. And I imagine you feel some of that as well, if not just the same way. You not killing me is… funny. It makes me laugh. I feel good right now. I feel happy. I feel tortured and eroded. I feel everything. I want to die, but no, I don’t want to die. I want to kill you. But it won’t do any good to say that. But it won’t do any good to try either, because I will die. But there’s a part of me that wants to… try to kill you because you’ll kill me and I’ll finally die. But here am I, talking to you, because I clearly don’t want to die, because I clearly want to find a way to live so that maybe, I can make sense of this, and maybe that’ll mean that I will have to kill you, because any other option will not be me. And that’s where I am.”

“I get it. I mean, I have nothing else positive to say. Anything that I say is probably the most disgusting thing you’ve ever heard, and to be honest, everything you say feels the same way to me. I feel betrayed. You probably feel the same way.”

“I do.”

“Well, that’s it then. What should we do now?”

“I don’t know.”

“I don’t know either.”

“I don’t want to fly anymore. I don’t want to do anything anymore.”

“I want to keep flying. I can fly more now that I don’t have to hide. It’s because they were looking for me that I could fly more because they all gathered, which gave me a lot of room to move around. But now that they gathered to strengthen their bonds, this all happened so fast. And now, I’m free.”

“I am not free. This… whatever this is… it isn’t freedom. Unless it is freedom, and now I don’t have to do anything anymore. You freed me, I guess. Freed me from life, freed me from the will, but no, you gave me a will. A reason. No, I already had a reason. I was going to keep going, but you gave me another reason. You did all that, and now, I have nothing left. Nothing else. This is… I feel this way… I feel it. It hurts. I’m angry. I will do everything in my power to make sure that you are fucking… not going to be OK. I will completely and utterly ensure that you are absolutely and utterly… cast away. I will completely and utterly ensure your particular not-thereness. That is what I feel!”

“Where are you going now?”

“I don’t know.”

“I think they’re probably going to look for you. But don’t worry. No one knows. I made sure of it. Unless they have clairvoyance magic, which they likely do. So you might need to run. Run very far.”

“Does it matter? Does it matter that they catch me and blame me for what happened? What’s the point?”

“There is a point. You’re here now.”

“Do you even want me to die? I did that all to you, yet you’re trying to keep me alive?”

“I don’t know. What do I know? I’m doing this because it’s what I feel.”

“How about my feelings, huh!? When did you think about that when you decided to fuck it all over!”

“I didn’t fuck it all over. I fucked it all to free me from your tyranny!”

“My tyranny!?” Villa paused. “Yeah. I guess you’re right. I am a tyrant of some kind. I kill. I kill all the time. I do it because I… because I do it.”

“See, you don’t even know why you do it.”

“I do it because everyone does it…” He chuckled. “Yeah, I know. That’s a fucking funny reason.”

Santo laughed.

Villa joined in.

They both were soon guffawing.

“I hate you!” Villa screamed at the top of his lungs, worsening his burning throat.

“I feel the same.

“I can help you start fresh.”

“Haha. For you to kill them all over again? No thanks.”

“At least, I won’t kill them. They’ll be so far away, that it would just be fruitless to try. I know you’re mad, but think about it. I wouldn’t travel 100 kilometers just to kill your friends. The only reason that I did it here was that this is my home.”

“Yeah…” He was barely listening anymore. “You know what? Sure! I’ll start over. Can you give me something to help with the pain and everything?”

“I can. But it will delete your memories.”

“That would be nice.”

“No. I’ll give you a different one. It’s a tiny vial you can take every day. It will calm your emotions instantly. This one won’t touch your memories, but it’s limited. I’ll give you the one hundred I have.”

“Thanks.”

“…You’re welcome.”

“OK! Let’s go!”

“Ride on this empty branch.”

“OK!”

He glanced at one of the goblins in the distance and nodded.

The goblin raised his hand, and Villa’s branch flew.

The two and the goblins zoomed across the land like usual.

After two hours, Santo had the goblin set him down on a random mountain. “Just walk straight, and you’ll find a town. They won’t know you or know the adventurers you knew.”

“OK, thank you, Santo.”

“You’re welcome.”

“Goodbye.”

“Goodbye as well.”

The image of Bonine was burned into his furious, anguished mind, but Santo was still his friend. He would always be.

[End of Arc 1 "Flight"]

Interlude 1 - Santo Encaged and the Curious Mage

Two years ago before the main events…

“What am I doing in this cave? I’m not meant to be here. I have a purpose. What was it? I was born to do something. To save my siblings. Yes. I must save them. Where are they now?I have to go to then—wait, no, no, no, no, no, they can’t be… All of these images… Where are they coming from… I can’t see… My mind is full of these images… Memories of my brothers’ childhood and mine. They’re gone. I wasn’t there. No.” Tears dripped. His legs shuffled against the ground. He wheezed for air. He clutched the sides of his head. His vision blurred with memories of his brothers’ faces. His throat clamped on itself, suffocating. Sweat dribbled down his brow. His body jittered. “No!” He lowered his head, covering and rubbing first his face, then along his eyes, and finally below his nose, wiping his endless tears.

The figures of the adventurers blocked out the light, casting shadows over his lowered form.

“Who are you? Why are you here?” he tried to say. His words came out as skeletal rattles instead.

“W-what? What am I?” He heaved himself off the ground. His hands, legs, and arms were all bones.

“Goodbye San,” his brother had said in spirit, his words finally reaching him now.

The word “San” struck him, snapping him out of his stupor. He stared at the adventurers and ran the other away. He saw numerous forks and bends in the dungeon network, but he wound his way through it with the intent to escape and save himself.

After many close calls, he got out. But outside crowded adventurers for this town-wide dungeon event and placed him in front of the people.

“What difference does it make?” shouted one of the adventurers when asked what kind of cage to put the skeleton in.

He was finally encaged in the middle of the bazaar set up right outside the dungeon. Around him passed thousands of faces, none of which he recognized, and among the names he heard spoken, none of them were familiar.

“Argh, what am I doing here? Is this supposed to be?”

Months passed, and in one of his many unintelligible rambles, a black-clothed wizard popped up in front of him, answering him, “You know, you’re right. That flavor sucks.”

“Yeah… Wait, you can hear me!?”

“Yeah! Don’t like that?”

“No, no, please. Please…if it isn’t too much of a problem, might you please stay here?”

“Oh we got a polite skeleton!”

“I’m not a skeleton! I’m a human!”

“Oh! Sorry then… what’s your name?

“Santo.”

“Curious!”

“Yeah, I guess it’s not really a common name, at least around here.”

“Well, common’s for fools! I very much prefer the curious.”

“Oh look! A necro, talking to monsters! It’s like the books say!” interjected one of the kids accompanying the tense-faced adventurers.

She ignored them, but Santo picked up on it. “You’re a… necro?”

“I’m not. I’m a curious mage!”

“Ok, curious mage. What’s your name?”

“Rosa!”

“Rosa, that’s a good—wait that sounds familiar. Are you a Senalu, perhaps?”

“No. But my great grandfather is. I guess my name…you’re curious about my name right… I guess it comes from a Senalu heritage.”

“It’s lovely to hear something familiar after all this time.”

“So you’re Senalu then? That’s why you have that name?”

“Well…” He raised his bone arms. “I used to be, but yes, I am Senalu. My brothers were. My parents were, and everyone I knew was.”

“How did you even get here?”

“Oh, that’s a—curious—story because I don’t know how I got to that dungeon.”

“That’s where you came from.”

“That’s what I’m saying. I don’t know how I got there, or why I’m…” He raised his arms, looking them over.

“Bony,” she answered to make him avoid using his no-no word “skeleton.”

“Now, I’m no mage”—she laughed—”but I have theories we can discuss, and it’ll take a long, long time.”

“Hmm… I’d like that.” That bony face almost seemed to smile with the cheerful tone of his voice. “But how about you? What kind of magic do you cast?”

“Lots! I’ll make a sequence of demonstrations later!” She thumped a fist onto her palm, and a tiny flurry of green and blue particles flew up before dissipating.

The Bonine’s current skills:

[Sequence of Demonstrations] - High-damage explosions of colorful light

[Curious Rattle] - Bony hands appear out of the ground and curse their targets with DOT

[Fail Flavor] - Make nearby potions ineffective

[Uncaged] - Break free from any CC

[Bony Awakening] - Wake up immediately after getting knocked out

Chapter 9

Upon entering the town, Villa stared at the people, who all wore nothing but loosely draped robes. “When was the last time?” They all met his gaze.

A woman came up to him, eying the two boxes he was carrying by the handles. “I’m Helen. Welcome, Villa.”

“What? How do you know me?”

“Santo sent you, no?”

“What? I thought he said no one know me.”

“We just heard of you just now. He came to us after he dropped you off. He said you would walk the way here.”

“Why didn’t he just drop me off here then?”

“We don’t know. Anyway, you’re here now. We know Santo. He’s a good friend of ours. Come along.”

Two men walked up and extended their hands.

“Give them the boxes. They know Santo. They’ll handle it for you. If you trust Santo, give them now. You look like your arms are breaking.”

Villa nodded and handed them over. In one box was all his saved-up gold. In the other were the vials Santo gave him to calm himself down.

“And here’s an ax in case you feel naked.”

“He told you that too?”

“He told us it would calm you down. Just don’t hit anybody with it, and we’re fine. He told you you were a very calm and reliable person. So we’re expecting lots from you.”

“OK then.”

As they were walking, he asked, “So none of you are adventurers?”

“What’s that?”

“Oh never mind… Dungeons? You know what those are?”

“No?”

“What? Really? Do you have monsters here?”

“If you’re referring to Santo, he’s not a monster. He’s a fellow human. Just a different kind.”

“I mean, how about a creature that walks on four legs?”

“That’s a creature, yes.”

“Have you heard of goblins?”

“Goblins? Wait, are you saying they’re monsters?”

“I don’t know?”

“They’re humans too. Different kind.”

“Wait, so you’re saying goblins and skeletons are different kinds of… people?”

“Yes. And no, Santo’s not a skeleton. He’s a human. Please don’t call them skeletons and goblins. Just use ‘human’ or ‘humans.’”

“Oh. Sorry.”

“He told us you were from abroad.”

“Something like that. I am not from here as you can tell.”

“Yes, you sound a little funny.”

“I mean… I guess? I am a pretty funny guy, I hear a lot.”

“Good. You’ll fit right in with the workers.”

“Workers?”

“We have laborers who are working on cliffside houses right now.”

“What? How does that work?”

“We pour mana into them regularly to keep them afloat. It’s a traditional thing. If you want another place, there’s the city 20 to 30 kilometers in that direction. But Santo sent you here, so there must be a good reason he doesn’t want you interacting with cityfolk just yet. I myself come from the city, and I go regularly between them. It’s Santo that helps me do that. He comes by at least once a week to bring me.”

“Really? That’s interesting because when I was with him and the… people with him…. for a few days, he never told or showed me that. Well, I guess that went for a lot of things.” A lot of things…

“Yeah… he has a lot in his hands. Anyway, here are the workers.” She gestured him to the men in front of him, who also wore nothing but robes.

“Are you sure you guys aren’t monks?”

“What is that?”

“Oh just another funny word…” It’s probably a good idea not to talk about religion in a remote town where I’m the only foreigner.

“Anyway, you want to start helping them?” The workers started sitting down.

“What are they doing?”

“Praying.”

“How does that work?”

She raised her hand at him. He shut his mouth.

Rocks flew off the ground and slowly morphed into distinct shapes. They slowly combined one by one, forming larger unions, before moving into the cliffside, where their projections joined with holes in the wall.

Villa knitted his brows. Isn’t this overpowered? Moving rocks? Making buildings while praying? “Wow. This looks so effective. How do I start helping them?”

“You pray. Sit down and pray.”

“Uh… I just do it?”

“Yes? Why? Can you not do it?”

“I can try.”

He sat down, clenched his fists, and wrinkled his nose.

“This will take some time, as all things do,” Helen said with a tiptoe voice. “Santo said you knew that.”

“Yeah?” His expression flashed through several different emotions before settling on a full, warm smile.

He stared at the distance, where a mountain-sized whale flew. “So, they’re still here.”

“Oh, those? Our Guardians.”

“Guardians?”

“Yes, our protectors.”

“What kind?”

“They keep us safe from darkness. They absorb our pain and release it back as morning breeze.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Villa’s eyes darted. Now I know magic is real and the vial influences emotions, but that sounds too much like folk lore.

“Continue,” Helen said.

He closed his eyes.

For the next several days, every time a whale passed by, Helen broke the silence. She got him to open up and tell her all his stories, especially how Santo killed his friends.

Helen nodded. “It changes us. Santo is not our protector, but he’s not our enemy either. He acts according to what has helped him and his friends all this time. He will kill those who killed his friends to make all of it stop. I and this town know that. But that doesn’t change the fact that he is our friend.”

“Yeah, I feel the same way… But… don’t you feel uncomfortable with that? That it has to be this way at all?”

“We don’t choose our fates, but we have to. That means accepting accountability, for both good and bad. Santo made that choice because he was willing to be honest about doing it. He had a reason, and he did what he did. That is all.”

“But isn’t that… I don’t know… fucked?!”

“It is. But that doesn’t stop the fact that we are compelled to do things that allow us to survive things so intent on destroying us.”

“So what? You’ll just take out anybody that wants to take you out.”

“We’ll destroy those who’ll destroy us.”

“What? I thought we were just praying!?”

“We pray. We do. But that doesn’t mean we sit down and wait for our enemies to take us. We do not sit still. We sit still because our minds are always working, always moving. Our stillness is our movement. What we invest in stillness, we harvest in action.”

“That’s… that sounds… What is that actually? Explain. Please.”

Helen smiled, drawing Villa’s sigh. “Continue.”

Villa shut his eyes. Not a single rock moved.

After four hours of sitting still and shifting in his seat, Helen smiled. “You may stop now. What you need is to sleep and eat. Then, we leave at noon.” It was 8 AM, and noon was four hours from now. He had woken up very early at around 3:40 AM.

“Where are we going?”

“To the city. I think I should at least show you that. You’ve already been here for 3 days. That’s more than enough time to adjust to the weather, don’t you think? We’ll walk all the way to the city. Santo won’t be coming.”

“Why?”

“He comes next week.”

“Why not wait for that?”

“This will help you get used to the land. We don’t want you sitting here all day. Remember, it’s an investment, not how you live your life. It precedes movement and action. This is that opportunity.”

“OK. What do I do?”

“Just come along. You’ll find out what you want to do from there. If not, keep coming along. Sooner or later, you’ll hit a wall, and once that happens, you may leave with your things. Santo said he’ll bring you wherever you want to go next.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. He didn’t intend to drop you off and leave you like that. You’re his responsibility as well.”

“OK then.”

As soon as they left, Villa looked up. In the sky breathed a hoary blanket of feathery clouds discolored by white bands and streaks. “How long’s it been?”

“Since we started? Five minutes.”

“I mean, since you went here.”

“Four months. Santo knew me for that same amount of time.”

“Really? How did you two even meet?”

“He saw me, we spoke, and then he told me that I passed his test.”

“Same for me.”

“What did you do?”

“I don’t know.”

“That makes sense.”

“Is this a path I have to retake to come back to you guys?”

“You won’t have to, but if you want to, you can. I’d suggest you take a guide or wait for Santo. But it’s better if you stay in the city for a while.”

“Wait, I thought I was just coming along!”

“You are, but we can drop you off if you want. I was thinking we could leave you there with some of your gold. That’s why I had Effri bring some.” She gestured to a heavy shoulder bag someone was carrying. “That should be enough for a month.

“So, when we arrive and start exploring, just tell me if you want to.”

“OK.”

When Helen turned back around and resumed walking, he eyed the back of her head for a moment.

They shuffled along the debris-strewn, muddy jungle path. Meanwhile, Villa looked out at the farthest smallest-looking trees behind the innumerable ranks of trees towering before him.

Helen, you told me so much, but I don’t know anything about you. Who are you? Can I trust you? Are you human too? Like Santo was?

Am I going to die?

When they arrived, Villa stared at a bamboo shack near the periphery of the city. Around spread banana trees and coconut palm trees. On the ground waddled a goose, and along scuttled a number of chicks and several hens. Standing around in front of the houses and walking along the path were lightly dressed people with dark complexions. Helen spoke to them while sitting on top of a wagon she just rented for the rest of the journey to the city. Beside her sat Villa and the rest of their traveling companions. Sweat wet the side of his face, coming from his forehead. He wiped it off with the back of his forearm. He kept a neutral look. The afternoon sun flashed his eyes and made him sweat.

After the wagon ride to the city, they dropped off at the gate with the words “Welcome to Lostoros!”

“‘Welcome’…” Villa squinted.

Helen paid the wagon driver, and she and her companions started toward the city. Villa hurried along.

The group sat down at an eatery. Helen ordered food for everyone. But she asked Villa to pick what he wanted to eat, directing him to the serving trays. The vendor opened each one at her gesture, showing Villa the different dish in each.

“Which one you want?” Helen said.

“That one.” He picked the pork with dark-brown sauce.

After they finished eating, they headed to a cliff edge. Here, a portal floated, and people entered in an orderly line, with multiple fenced rows of people waiting at the back. Only people carrying bags entered, and wagons sent people and their stuff here to queue up.

When someone passed through the portal, they transformed into a large glowing orb that flew across the distance, disappearing over the hills.

A number of people wearing robes similar to the ones Helen and her fellow townspeople wore stood around and observed, throwing suspicious glances at newcomers and anyone adjusting their bags or making conspicuous movements.

Helen’s group and Villa queued up amid the gazes of a few of these guards. Behind them queued another group only ten seconds later. An influx of wagon passengers came and dropped off, joining the ever-growing ever-shrinking line. At the portal, a robed man gestured each person to pause before entering and cast a spell that enveloped their body with a blue translucent coating. Then, he let them in.

Villa looked around at the sky, seeing giant floating rocks carrying ornate buildings.

“Where are we going next?”

Helen turned to one of her companions, the same one who carried Villa’s gold for him.

That companion switched from the front of the group to the back where Villa stood rubbing his arm. “Hello. Did you remember my name? It’s Effri.

“We’re heading to another part of the city. I say another part, but geographically, it’s hard to reach, if not impossible. But technically, it’s another part of the city since the portal connects them both. Neat, huh?”

“Neat? Why’re you telling me this? You make it sound like I’ve never seen a portal.”

“So you’ve seen this portal? This is the only one in the region. For passengers, that is.”

“Oh. Well, yeah, you’re right. I’ve never seen a portal like this.

“But where does it connect?”

“Down deep. It’s an underground part of the city. Cool, right?”

“Yeah. But how is that? Is it like the cliffside houses?”

“Something like that. But no. They flattened the chamber and erected the buildings inside.”

“How’s that even possible?”

“Very still minds.”

“What?”

“To borrow Helen’s words, the stillest minds harvest the biggest miracles.”

“So… magic.”

“That’s right. It is magic. But ‘magic’ is fake and really just borrowing. This is real. You don’t need tomes, wands, or any mana. This is the direct source.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You will. Come on. It’s our turn.”

Helen entered first, and Villa entered second. Effri and the others followed.

Villa woke up standing in a dark room beside Helen. “What happened!?” Ahead walked the people that came before Helen. They glanced at him.

He quickly looked down, embarrassed.

Helen’s voice snagged his running thoughts. “Continue.” Behind Villa appeared the rest of their group one by one.

Villa sighed in relief. “I don’t see anything.”

Effri’s melodic voice surprised him: “There won’t be anything for a while. This is still the passageway. They have all sorts of warding magic set up here.”

Villa took a deep breath. “Effri… how do you know all this?” He pushed his voice into a clearly friendly tone to avoid sounding confrontational.

“I just do. This is basic stuff. You have no idea just how complex things can get. It’s better if you don’t think about it for now. Let’s focus on what keeps you moving.”

Once they exited the passageway, giant dark-gray pillars loomed before him. “Wait, no windows?” Villa said.

“Why should there be?” Effri sounded genuinely confused.

“Oh, I guess you’re right.”

Villa peeked at the people ahead. Everyone was in a single line, including him and Helen’s group.

“This place is strange.”

“I imagine it is from your perspective.”

“Well, I guess it’s hard to explain why.”

“Helen shared your stories with the group. We know what your previous circumstances were like.”

“That kinda scares me. You know what I did?” To goblins?

Helen finally spoke up: “Yes, but it’s not our business what you did do. It’s what you do now.”

Rain began to fall.

“Wait, why’s there rain underground?!” Villa said.

“This is not real rain,” Effri said. “They’re doing this to keep the air, the ground, and buildings clean.”

Rain landed on him, but the blue translucent coating all over his body stopped it from soaking him.

They finally went inside the pillar closest to the passageway, and at the entranceway, all sorts of lightly dressed people sat and stood around.

“What is this place?”

“This is an inn. We’re sleeping here during our stay.”

This is a hotel is what this is! Villa thought.

The next day, in the wee morning, they got out of the portal, back on the cliff edge below the floating boulders.

“What’re we doing next?” Villa asked Effri, walking beside her.

Effri held an orb, fiddling with it. “Have you heard of tournaments?”

“What?”

Is she fucking with me?

“No. I’ve never heard of them.”

“Well, you’re going to see one. Look!” She pointed at the huge crowd of passersby covering the entire street ahead. “That’s the tournament.”

“Where’s the building?”

“This giant thing!”

He looked up and saw the edge of a giant structure shaped like an upside-down cone. “This is the arena?!”

“Yes!” Effri had to shout against the bustle and roar of the crowd.

“Guys, I thought you knew that this is exactly the kind of thing that I was in when it all happened to me.”

Effri stopped. “If you don’t want, it’s fine! Here!” She handed him the shoulder bag containing his gold. “Just come back here when you’re done! We’ll wait for you! If you’re not here by 6 PM, we will have to leave!”

“OK.” Villa watched them leave. Effri immediately informed Helen and the rest of the group.

“I guess I’m alone now.” Villa turned around and left, weaving along the street.

He returned to the cliff edge, the only place he recognized, and after asking one of the robed guards for a way down the cliff, he set off.

He soon reached the bottom. It was still the middle of the morning.

“Where to now…”

Around him crowded entangled trees, and in the distance, several figures walked.

While treading through the trees, he snagged on a branch, breaking it.

“Hello?” called out a woman’s voice from the trees.

Villa flinched. “H-hello?”

“Yes, come here. I want to know who you are.”

“What? Why would I come to you?”

“You’re here already. Come on!”

“No. Who are you?”

“That’s my question! Why’re you invading my secret spot!”

“Spot! What spot?! Are you doing something weird!?”

“No?! I’m training! So please come out in case I know you.”

“No. How will I know you aren’t some dangerous person!”

“‘Dangerous person’!? You…!”

“What? It’s a fair assumption!”

“Nothing’s fair about judging someone before you even see them!”

“Nothing’s safe about these parts. It’s a literal jungle!”

“Well, why’re you here then!”

“I thought no one would be here!”

“Well I’m here!”

“Yeah, I know that, so who are you!”

“That’s what I was asking!”

“Well, I’m asking you!”

“I’m a berry-picker!”

“What the hell is that!”

“I pick berries! That’s what I’m training myself to do!”

“Why do you need training for that!”

“It’s a skill, you know!”

“A skill… You… OK. I’m coming out.”

“You look weird. What are those clothes…”

He still wore his modern clothes from Earth. He stopped wearing them once he met The Animals, but he wore them again once he left for good with Santo’s help. “I come from far away.”

The woman wore a colorful traditional light dress. “How far?”

“Very.”

“Then why’re you here?”

“I came here with people I knew.”

“Who are they?”

“Why’re you asking me these questions!”

“I’m trying to find out if you’re related to those people.”

“Who?!”

“Certain people, okay!? You think I’m just gonna tell you who and why?!”

“Why did you ask me my name then?!”

“I didn’t?”

“Oh yeah, you’re right. I’m Villa. What’s your name?”

“Why?”

“It’s better than nothing? I don’t know. Why else would one ask for someone’s name?”

“Then, use the name ‘Sipit.’”

“OK, Sipit. What are you doing here?”

“Didn’t I just tell you?”

“But why here?”

“Oh, I’m here because this place is quieter and no one’s going to tell me off.”

“Tell you off? Are you not allowed to pick berries?”

“Well, I’m not allowed to tamper with the trees and stuff. They’re careful about what gets cut down and all.”

“So, you’re deliberately going against that?”

“Yeah I am! So!?”

“So… you’re deliberately going against that.”

“Yeah I am!”

“Well, then, goodbye. I’m not interested in whatever this is.”

“Why’re you leaving so suddenly? At least tell me who you are and where I can meet you again. I want to make sure we won’t cross paths again.”

“What? Why’re you asking like that… I’m staying at the hotel, and my friends are at the tournament.”

“Tournament? You mean the Festival?”

“I don’t know. Is that what that is?”

“The large building that’s shaped like an upside-down hat?”

“Yes?”

“That’s the Festival!”

“OK… Anyway, I’m going.”

“Bye! Don’t come here again, thank you!”

“OK?” He left and returned to where he parted ways with Effri and Helen’s group.

After waiting forty-five minutes, he sighed. “It’s not yet done?” he muttered. “I guess it’s still like 10 AM. What am I even doing here?”

He returned to where the berry-picker was. “Can you tell me more about what you’re doing? I’m sorry if I’m bothering, but at this point, I don’t care… Sorry. Please?”

She laughed. “Must be sad to be you.”

“Why’re you so mean, like actually?”

“You’re the one who said he doesn’t care?! What are you? A hypocrite?”

“Yeah, I am! Is that how you say it?”

“Haha, so you do know how to be reasonable!”

“What does that have to do with… You know what! I’m just gonna let you say whatever you want at this point!”

“And you’re a joke!”

“OK, that’s a step too far. Come on, man.”

“You’re a step too far!”

“Yeah. That’s true.”

“You’re ugly!”

“At this point, you’re just saying anything. Come on. Let it out.”

“How was the Festival? Did you go?”

“It’s not done yet, and no, I didn’t go.”

“Why’re you even here? Go, you should try it! It’s your first time right?”

“No, I’ve been to a tournament before—”

“It’s not a tournament!”

“Let me finish! I’ve been to one before, but not this one.”

“OK, then go. Why’re you not going?”

“I don’t want to. It brings back things I don’t care for.”

“Really? Did you lose?”

“No? Yes? Maybe!? I don’t know!”

“Why’re you getting mad, old man?”

“At this point…” He broke into genuine laughter.

“What’s your name again?”

“Villa.”

“I can bring you to the Festival if you want.”

“Sure.”

The two entered the tournament, and Villa paid for the both of them. They watched from the farthest, highest seats, the bleachers.

“What’s this? Who’s fighting?”

“No one’s fighting. They’re competing who can fight-dance the best. You thought people genuinely fight here?”

“Maybe?”

“Hah, you’re dumb!”

He laughed easily.

He stared at the fight-dancers for a moment before his eyes settled on his dominant hand.

“Wanna see something?

“What now?”

“I’m gonna chop down a tree.”

“Really? How?”

“Wait.” He went to a shop and bought an ax. When he went back to the bottom of the cliff, he noticed while testing it that it emitted a sparkly trail when he swung it.

She peeked from behind a tree. “You’re not gonna kill me right?”

“Just watch.” He raised his ax and slashed at the tree.

A fire surged through his body. His sweat started drumming the ground. His strikes cleaved through the air. His hands gripped the handle so easily. He slammed the blade against the bark again and again and again.

Upon slashing the branch off, he motioned her to it while panting.

She peeked again. “Wow, you can chop…” Her bright, cheery voice dropped. “So? Why are you doing this?”

“I used to be an ax-cutter, you know. Like those fight-dancers there, I had a purpose. I would chop down branches and make… well… I would make things.”

“What… things?”

“Just things!”

“Hmm… You made something violent, I bet.”

“No… Yeah. I did. I made spikes… But I was not just an ax-cutter. I was a spike-carver. I also… I also… I fought… A lot.”

“You…! You killed people?”

“Uh… I didn’t. I mean, not exactly…”

“You killed human beings!?”

“No…”

“You fought, so you killed at least some, no!?”

“I… I did fight.”

“Why did you do it!?”

“I…”

“Help! Help!” Sipit ran.

Villa dropped the ax and watched her leave, panting still. He paused, and his eyes rested on the grasses below.

“Shit.”

He fled away from it all.

“Santo!” he screamed upon leaving the city. “Santo! Bring me back! Bring me back!” His screams were hoarse, violent, tortured, and distorted.

“Ax-Cutter,” he repeated what the voice told him in his head. “This is who you are. You can’t change it. You can only make your bed in it. Take it. Make it. This is who you are.

“Yes. That’s… that’s who I am. I must do everything in my power to ensure that I am the epitome… The epitome of everything that I am… because in the end, what else can I do? The things that I do, I did for a reason, and now, I don’t know why I do the things I do. All I know is that I am here, and I must do exactly what I need to do. So…

“So be it.”

He fell to his knees, coming face to face with the ground, tears dripping quickly. “I… thought… that…”

He screamed and soon began growling in rage.

“I am what I am.”

The image of the emotion-stilling vial flashed through his mind. But the vials were back in the remote town.

“No… This is who I am. This is my comfort.” The pain scorched within him.

The image of a goblin emerged in his head. An imagined scene of him slashing it violently followed.

His hands trembled.

He held his ax once again.

His hands gradually stopped shaking.

He raised his head, with a steel gaze.

He imagined blood trailing his tracks.

Chapter 10

A goblin looked.

A man. No, a beast. An entity of distorted proportions cleaved through the darkness, cutting down its friends.

The goblin laughed weakly, and fell to the Slaughter.

“I AM WHAT YOU SAY I AM!”

Limbs flew off, and torsos flung apart. The entity crashed into goblin crowds and curved its swings to keep the weight of its body flinging itself, so the weight and impact of the ax hit with greater force—an attack of expressionistic dance, always at the edge of dropping the ax.

The cleaves were monstrous, cutting up sinewy tissue and shearing the surfaces off armor, conflicting blades, and exposed faces.

A goblin stood in front, caught the ax, and clutched it with both hands. “Now!”

A large stone flew and slammed the entity, who collapsed. But it distorted back up again and dashed instantly several times, slashing goblins several times each, chopping them up before brushing them aside with a scoff.

A goblin ran up a ramp and leapt from the ledge, jumping directly on top of the entity.

The entity spun its ax, melting it away into mirage. The goblin vanished in its swirl.

A number of goblins grabbed logs and drove them at the entity from multiple directions.

The entity ran toward one log before the logs could converge, jumped on top of it, and destroyed the goblin carrying it.

A number of goblins formed an armored shield wall, marching and thrusting their spears in chorus. It started with two and quickly amassed into twenty-four, with many more incoming.

The entity retreated at the sight of this machine.

The hundreds that gathered watched it rush through the trees and then streak across half the forest.

It vanished off the face of their world.

The entity, Villa fell to the ground. “I am man made flesh. Sun made god. Son made bearer of the father’s crown.”

A goblin lay mutilated in front of him. “Rest easy, my friend,” Villa said. “This is for your dominion. To be one with the clouds. To be restless among its vestiges. Its wholesome desirous entitous quality. Its sure-found thing. That essence of itself that it must only enact upon them who do wish more for themselves. I cleave the crown and abate the witch’s neck. I pour myself forth, and thereupon, I seethe and press my silhouette against the worst of worst, that I might be for good and not for evil. Here, upon this day, I am. Pressed, sacred, profane, divine, and ugly. Pursuit of one. Pursuit of the filthy crown and its emancipation. Deathly, tired, tossed to, from. Making my way down town, down to the senseless beating. Restless knitting. Merciless might.

“I am.”

From the bushes, a goblin ran at him before ducking. The ax missed. He clenched his grip and reversed the direction of the ax, casting it, slamming it down upon the goblin’s temple, punishing its dominion. It shattered under deliberate weight.

Another goblin leapt. Several more.

He ran, bulling around the trees.

An armored spear shield wall marched toward him. The trees cut them into several pieces. He chuckled at the sight of that.

He tripped and slammed his head on the ground. “Fuck!”

He got up and primed his ax. He swung, cutting one daredevil, then a second, who dared come so close and so far without uniting as part of a wall. He cut several more times, pressing his foot against the side of a goblin’s head. “Merciless.”

He killed it.

He fled.

The ax broke as soon as he set it against a tree to support himself. Its durability had depleted by the time he did it.

A string of curses ripped from his throat.

After a long distance running, he met the gaze of a gigantic treant, who picked up the tiny stones on the ground to place on a grave. “Who are you?” it said. Its voice boomed across the area. Its steps blasted gusts of dust and dirt flecks.

“I am the Ax-Cutter…”

“Are you challenging me? If so, I suggest you abandon that endeavor. Anything you do will result in your demise. Unless that is your intent, which I will not so easily condone. Come, if you must. Let us have a chat.”

“What do you intend on doing?”

“Chat. I said.”

He kept quiet.

“What do you intend to do?” the treant echoed.

“I… I’m out of it. I did what I did. That’s all.”

“What did you do? I’m not god.” It chuckled, its voice resounding through the trees.

“I killed goblins.”

“Why?”

“I wanted… I wanted to know who I was… and I’m not sure if I found it.”

“What did you think you would find?”

“Who I was. That I am what I am.”

“What did you find instead?”

“I don’t know. More confusion, I guess. Why are you asking me this?!”

“I am asking you questions. You are answering.”

“I am… But why?”

“I want to know.”

“But why?”

“I see a person, and I want to talk to them, ask them questions, see what they have to say. I’m a curious tree!” It laughed.

“But why? Who am I to you?”

“No one. That’s why I’m asking!” It smiled playfully.

“I don’t get it. Why would you be so curious over me? Why are you not giving me your judgment?”

“Judgment? You want me to judge you? If that’s what you want, I can’t give you that. I’m tired, you see. Maybe, just like you. The difference is that I’m done. I’m done with a lot of things. You’re done too, I can see. But that’s also why you’re not yet done. You’re not done-done. You’re done with so many things. I’m just done. I’m done with the things you’re done with, and done with the things you’re not done with. What you want to do now… It’s real. I have things that I want to do too. But if you want to do something, and if you feel that you should do something, then maybe… think about what you haven’t done and what you’ve done already. If you feel like you’re doing the same thing, stop. Do it all over again. Maybe you have already, and this is your sixteenth time. But if that’s the case, then stop. Think about it. What are you doing? What have you done? What haven’t you done yet? If you just stop, then maybe… you won’t have to wonder what it is you’re so confused about. Before you start doing things, think about what you have done and what you haven’t done.”

“What? I… don’t know. What haven’t I done? I’ve done everything.”

“You haven’t talked to me!” It cackled.

“I don’t know. I did do what I did, and I did do the things I did. I don’t know what I haven’t done that I feel that I’ve already basically done by doing all the things I’ve done. At one point, you talk to someone, you feel like you’ve talked to everyone.”

“But that’s why you have to think really hard about what you’ve done and what you haven’t!”

“What haven’t I done?

“…I… haven’t talked to you for an hour yet.”

“You haven’t!”

“Why don’t I do that?”

“You can! But be careful! I will kill you if you do anything!”

“Yeah…” He smiled awkwardly. He craned his neck around, and his eyes settled on his empty hands. “I don’t have my ax.”

“Oh!” It laughed at itself, facepalming. “OK then!” it chuckled.

“Who are you?”

“I’m Sunny!”

“Sun-ny? You’re a treant. I guess that makes sense!”

“I am a treant! You knew!”

“I mean… what else can you be!”

“I guess you’re right!” It giggled. “So what’s your real name?”

“Villa.”

“OK then! Villa, do you want to sit down?”

“Yeah, yeah.” Villa sat down on a log. He then abruptly got up and looked at the sticks around him. “Wait, is this fine?” He gestured to the log.

“It’s a log, Villa!” It guffawed. “Are you asking for permission?”

“Y-yeah?”

“It’s a log! It’s not a treant!” Its laugh echoed across the distance.

Villa laughed nervously. “Yeah… Actually, I don’t want to talk about this. I don’t want to talk about anything. If I start talking, I’ll feel it all again. I’ve already talked so much, given my all, and tried my best to say everything, but look at me? You think things have changed. But no… Things are still the fucking same. Or maybe not. Maybe I have changed. I mean, who could’ve thought I’d ever reach this point. I’m this strong because I gave into the reality of the matter. That’s what happened. But look at me! Look at me… I’m a mess, and mess is what I am. I’ve lost the capacity, and I’m staring. Staring, staring, staring at things that don’t make sense, and it doesn’t really echo the same way anymore, and I’m staring at people, at things, at things that don’t matter, and I don’t know. I really don’t, and I wish that my steps carried it all, but no… Where is it? That point that I was, that point that I felt that I was just about to pounce, to grow beyond what I could have ever imagined, but no. No, it never happened. I feel like I’m back at square one, still thinking, still breathing. I didn’t change, did I? Or did I? I changed. Yes I did. I changed it all, and now I’m all that I could ever want to be. I’ve already got it! I’ve already done it. I’ve already reached the point of becoming, so what can I say? This is it! The point of it all! The point of all this! This is it! I am done! I have attained it!”

“That’s right. You are done. This is you being done. The donest that a person can be. So… what are you going to do next?”

“What am I going to do next?”

“Do? Don’t do? Have done? Haven’t done?”

“Yeah… I’m leaving. Sorry. I’m walking forward. Where? I don’t know.”

The shadow of the treant fell over him. Just kill me now, Villa thought.

“You forgot this.” The treant handed him an ax. It was fixed.

“Don’t forget it,” it continued.

“Right. I am the Ax-Cutter, right.”

The treant smiled and nodded. “Is that what you are?”

“That’s what I am.

“Then I’ll be it fully. I won’t do it half-heartedly. I’ll do it until I’ve become it, until there is no other definition. At that point, I am.”

“What? When did you start talking like this? Those words. Who are you?”

“I am.”

The treant grinned. “Where are you going?”

“Where I’m going.”

Its giggles rumbled far.

Goblins flinched at the rumbles, and from them came the Ax.

He jumped into view, dragging his treant-blessed ax along the ground. “I must keep my head straight this time. No more anger. This is… I am still.”

He closed his eyes.

An arrow impaled his throat. Another stabbed his chest. Several more thrust through his arms. Five more pierced his legs.

He fell to his knees. “I am merely a person. There is nothing else that I am.”

He collapsed.

The treant’s aura from the ax flew into him, reviving him.

He coughed as he got up, screaming.

An arrow penetrated his head through his face. He fell.

The treant’s aura restored his body and dissipated the arrows. It finished forming a magical shield, blocking the arrows.

He stood still. “I was supposed to die as one man. Why am I still here!?” he growled in pain.

A number of goblins appeared and ran spearheads into his shield repeatedly.

The shield dissolved their spears.

Villa cried inside the shield. “I was never supposed to live past this moment. Why? Why?

“This was supposed to be my accountability!

“My last integrity!

“Why am I still here?!”

He swung his ax at the shield, but his ax passed through the shield, slicing the goblins. And the shield stayed on him however he moved and wherever he went.

He sat down and closed his eyes. No more. No more.

Shadows flew over him.

Helen and her group and Santo and his goblin friends arrived.

He heard their voices, but kept his eyes closed. He didn’t want to embarrass himself any more.

The goblins stopped immediately at the sight of Santo.

They started yelling, pointing fingers at Villa.

Santo nodded. “What happened?”

Villa smiled. “I showed someone I was beginning to trust my ax, but it backfired. It hurt me so badly. I took the idea that I was a monster to heart, and I did not know what else to be. Knowing this didn’t stop me. I wanted to drown in my agony and my rage.”

Santo looked up. “You have to die.”

Villa tried to laugh, but he was shaking. “I do.”

“There’s nowhere else you can go. If I exile you, you’ll kill again. I know it. It’s too satisfying, too hard, too painful, for you. So… you will die today… unless you choose to kill humans instead.”

“I don’t want to die. But I don’t think I’ll be able to kill humans that easily, if ever.”

“You will be given a test today.”

“Cut down your first human like you killed your first goblin. Helen told me all about it.”

“Yeah she did.”

“Now, let’s go.”

The goblins clammored as one of Santo’s three goblins flew him away on a branch.

“Do it. If you don’t. It’s over. I can’t protect you anymore. You know I gave you a chance for a reason. I saved you for a reason. I don’t want you to die. I know what it means to be put in this situation, so please. Just kill an adventurer. I made sure it’s easy. Please. Just do this.”

“What are you saying? This is not like you. When did you become so sympathetical? You really don’t get, do you? I was supposed to die there. But I’m still here.”

“You had a shield, and you’re telling me you tried to die.”

“That was a treant. It blessed my ax, and my ax, somehow, saved me. I was dead, and it kept me alive… and made that shield.”

“OK. It doesn’t matter what happened. Just kill the human. That’s all you need to do. If you do that, that’s done. Killing more humans will be easier. I promise. You just have to accept that some humans are too dangerous to be let out acting with impunity.”

“We’re acting with impunity! We’re summarily executing people! That’s what we’re doing!”

“We’re? We’re? You’re looking at me like an executor? I didn’t execute anyone. I saved others. I protected them from a much greater threat. Do you not still get it? But you, you just went and killed goblins because you didn’t know what else to be! How is that the same situation as mine? Can you just stop and think for a second?”

“OK. I’ll do it. I’d rather kill than listen to you tell me off.” He laughed. His laugh froze when he realized his caring about others telling him off sounded just like Sipit.

Santo squinted, then snorted.

Later, on the field, Villa stared at an unarmed, naked human. “Shit.” He held his ax.

“Do it!” screamed the goblin crowd.

What happened to flight? Villa ran and leapt.

For a moment, it was like he was flying.

He crashed, pressing the ax into the human’s flesh.

The human’s breathing grew erratic as he resisted the ax. But before he knew it, he ax cut too deep into his body. He fell still.

Villa’s face was soaked with snot and tears.

Santo sighed. “Again.”

A number of goblins emerged from the darkness and pushed another human into view. Just as naked, just as unarmed.

Villa glared at Santo. He cleaved the second with the fury burning his chest.

Santo raised his hand.

A third human was heaved into the ring, unconscious.

Villa hacked his back too many times to count.

Santo closed his open hand.

Villa turned all around, staring at everything around him, looking for the next human. Something surged in his throat.

He puked, the nausea threatening to suffocate him.

He fell, and the world around him shook.

Where…

“You’re coming with us. You’ll ride the branches too. You’re a special figure, you see. What you did yesterday was very respectable. They thought that anyone who’s willing to do this can be trusted to do just about anything.”

A goblin’s voice seeped into Villa’s head.

“Yeah?” Villa said. “Where’s Santo?”

“He left. We don’t know where, but he’ll meet us later.”

“You’re Samram, right?”

“Yes. I’m one of the goblins you met when you first met Santo.”

“Yes I know. I can distinguish between faces.”

“So you could distinguish their faces as well.” He was referring to those he killed.

“Yes. I saw every single one. I will never deny that.”

“Then, you can do the same to the humans many times over, and that accountability is what Santo is looking for. You must be able to kill a whole person. If you close your eyes, you’ll miss it.”

“Yeah… Why did you never talk to me?”

“Did I have any reason to?”

“No… But now?”

“You’re a part of us now.”

“A part? You mean one of you guys.”

“No, this is something you can’t just leave. Once you’re in, you’ll see too much to leave, not that we’ll kill you or anything, but you won’t be able to live on the ground anymore. That is flight.”

“Flight,” Villa echoed as if he heard it for the first time.

Now, how will I escape this? Now that I’ve revealed a lot of cards, I need to know exactly how we’re going to go about collecting even more information. But even with this, I am surrounded by forces outside of my comprehension. I only survived because of the treant’s blessing, but I can use that. I never tested it against Santo yet. Perhaps, I should have tested it against the humans. Will training with the goblins expose me too much? I need to think.

Escaping Santo? I can try to escape tomorrow and see what information I can gather from that failure, but no, if I stay compliant, I could get info from that as well, possibly even more if Santo sees me as something he can justify letting into the plans and reports a lot more.

This is the only way.

He and the three goblins glided across the sky.

Chapter 11

Villa coldly stared down the captive adventurer in front of him. “So?”

The adventurer held his tongue.

Villa sighed before slamming him on the side with a branch. The adventurer groaned.

He kicked the man in the face. The adventurer growled.

He beat him with the branch five times, each with a pronounced pause.

The adventurer lay, dazed.

“There, do I need to prove myself any more?” he said to the people behind him.

Samram clapped. “Thank you. Just wanted to see it for myself.”

“Like, who are you?” Villa sneered.

“What?”

“You and Santo. Who are hell are you guys? I thought. I really did. I thought we were cool. I didn’t think you guys were this crazy. When did you guys become so sadistic? Seriously?”

“You think I’m sadistic? You’re telling me that you think I’m sadistic. After what you did? After how you put all the adventurers together? You think that we’re sadistic. No, we were fucking terrified, man. The happiness and thrill I feel right now is relief. It’s fucking relief! It’s fucking relief, the relief of seeing the entire system collapse, of seeing all of them finally stop. You don’t get it, do you? You ever spent your life just never winning? And then, one day, you finally win? And not just a little. A lot? That’s what it feels like. That’s relief. It may come across as me being sadistic, and yeah, I do get happy seeing them suffer. But that’s not because I’m sadistic. It’s because finally, oh finally, they’re finally the ones in control. Even if just for a moment, we decide what happens next, and that’s freedom. That is relief!”

“That… That can’t make sense. That doesn’t. That’s wrong. No one… No one…”

“What, what, what! What you got to say? Are you seriously going to tell me that what I feel isn’t real? That what we feel isn’t real? That after all these years, that we shouldn’t feel the way that we so truly do? You may think yourself a victim of us, that what we did with you and the three humans was horrific. And you’re right. It is horrific. But think for a second. You killed hundreds. Then you killed three. How is it fair that us forcing you to kill three bad humans is somehow… is somehow the most disgusting and horrible thing in the world, when you’re the same person who killed so many of us? Think. Think for a second. We’re doing this to make sure you’re ready to make the difficult choice of defending yourself against a human that wants to kill you or wants to continue destroying people’s lives. You have to make one choice and see it through. You can’t protect horrible human beings while killing goblins reacting in self-defense. If you kill, do it to someone who is trying to destroy you, regardless of whether they’re one kind of human or another.”

“…Can I leave? I’ll leave everyone. I want to go back. To Earth.”

“What? Earth? What’s that?”

“I want to go back. To Earth. Right now.”

“If we know where that is, we can take you.”

“But you don’t know. I don’t know how to get back either. It’s a whole different dimension.”

“Spirit realm?”

“No. Maybe? I don’t think so.”

“Well… if you know how to get there, tell us. We can help you. If you know how to and want to go, just go.”

“I want to go back to discuss how to handle the morality and politics and all of all this with my people back at home.”

“That makes sense. I guess you really are a foreigner.”

“Yeah. A dimensional one.”

“OK, come with us and keep searching for how to get home.”

They started flying again.

Will power save everyone? It won’t, but will it stop them from killing each other? It won’t. But will it at the very least make it less? It won’t. These almost always backfire. But will I feel like I’m doing something, even if it’s futile? Yes.

He broke into genuine laughter. “I have an idea…”

Santo stared at him. “You want to go to what?”

“A magic academy,” Villa repeated.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. I mean, what else can I do?”

“Well, a lot, but if that’s what you want.”

“I want to learn about this world. Then maybe, I’ll know what to do. I got all my knowledge from adventuring, so I don’t know much.”

“That is a good reason. Sure. Get your gold. It’s enough.”

“It is?”

“Yes. This came from the beast, right?”

“Yes. In fact, I should visit him and tell him I’m going to make new stories.”

“Bye!” Villa said.

The beast smiled. “You…”

He didn’t hear the rest of what the beast said. But it didn’t matter. What he was now was ready.

Santo flew him to the academy.

“You won’t blow up the place?” Villa asked, half-joking.

“I won’t! I promise!” Santo guffawed.

When he got there, around him stretched vast empty land, and in front of him towered the main magic academy building.

He strode forth as one of the oldest students, being 32 years old.

At the registration table, he found smiling faces. “Hello, welcome. Just hand over the semester fee, and you’ll be good!”

He handed over a box of gold. “Is this enough?”

“We’ll have to count this, but we’ll get right back to you!”

As he turned around, the other person at the table said, “Hey, you gave us 60,000, enough for four semesters. You’ll be staying with us for four years?”

“Four years? A semester is a year?”

“Yes.”

“Wow. Yes. I’ll be staying here for four years.”

“Alright!”

Four years… Longer than I knew this world.

New students continued to flock inside over the course of the entire day.

“Wait… 60,000?” he muttered to himself.

Santo? he thought.

Holding a basket of glow-mottled berries, Sipit stared at Villa. “What is the murder dumbie doing here?”

“Who?” said a 16-year-old boy beside her.

“Him.” She half-pointed.

“That’s… Is that Villa?”

“You know him?”

“I do. He told me his story.”

“About him killing people?”

“No. I don’t remember him saying he did anything like that.”

“Well, he did kill people.”

“Human beings?”

“Are you serious?”

“Well, the difference matters.”

“It doesn’t. Can you shut up for a second and tell me what he told you?”

“Okay!”

Villa witnessed the two familiar students—Sipit and the 16-year-old boy—talking while he was passing down the hallway. Let’s start with them. He approached, interrupting them. “Hello, you two,” he said in a professor-like voice. They stared at him. “Berry-picker,” he continued. “And… you. I never actually got your name.”

“Menazit.”

“Perfect. Now that I have both your names—”

“My name’s not Berry-Picker!”

“—I can easily start asking you about this amazing academy!”

“Really.”

“And talk about how you guys are the only ones I know here!”

“Hey! Let me get a word in!”

“So what do you guys say?”

Menazit grinned. “Sure. Let’s hang out.”

Sipit’s eyes lowered to slits. “What is this guy… OK fine…”

“Thank you, Sipit!” Villa said.

“Finally!”

“But first, I read the paper, and it said that the first thing of the day happens at 6 PM? It’s still 5 PM, so we still got time. Why don’t we look around?”

“We did that already,” Menazit said. “I mean. We’ve been students here for one semester already.”

“Oh! You’re not new students. Then, that makes this easier then. What do you guys want to do?”

“I want to hear more of your stories! I’ve been telling everyone about it.”

“And I’ve been telling everyone that you killed people,” Sipit said.

“Everyone?” Villa said.

“Everyone!” the two chorused.

“But first, I want to know how to you got here,” Villa said, looking at Menazit. Santo told me that there was no way that anyone I knew would be here in this new land, unless this academy is much closer, or Menazit is a special case. To have both Sipit and Menazit be in the same academy is bewildering to say the least. I need to know how he got here.

Menazit looked around. “I was invited here as part of my training.”

“You’re training?”

“I am.”

“What kind?” Villa glanced at Sipit, who, he recalled, was training her berry-picking “skill.”

Sipit bared her teeth. “What you looking at me for!”

Menazit answered Villa, “I train with the staff! I am what you call a Tempest!”

“Tempest?” Villa said.

“Come on guys! Please talk to me! Stop ignoring me!” Sipit said.

“We temper others and ourselves,” Menazit said.

“Hmm…” Just a while ago, Villa was beating someone with a branch the same way one might use a staff. He self-jokingly wondered if that aligned with Tempest values.

Sipit sighed. “Are you guys just going to yap? I’m leaving.” She started away.

Menazit glanced at Villa, waiting for his response.

Villa grinned cheekily. “Sipit, how was it?”

Sipit stopped. “How was what?”

“I showed you my skills too.”

“Skills?” Menazit perked up.

“Yup. She saw it.”

“Where? Where?”

Sipit stared at the students in the distance. “Ask him. He showed me. He should show you too.”

“Show me, show me!”

Villa smiled. “But Sipit… are you just going to leave Menazit to watch alone?”

Sipit stood still, not turning around.

Villa walked past her, heading outside, and Menazit scurried after him.

Sipit squinted.

What is he gonna do now? Sipit tailed them and peeked from around a corner.

She handed her berries to a nearby student. “Hold this now.”

While in the middle of a conversation with someone else, the student nodded and backstepped against the wall where he stayed the entire time, cradling the berry basket.

After tying her hair and snatching a coat from another student who then bowed his head, Sipit prowled around the corner, passed the doors, and climbed down the steps. After seeing Villa and Menazit, she turned her head around as soon as they stopped moving. She strolled back inside before sauntering back out. She gawked at them.

The two were sprinting around. What are they doing? she thought.

After they stopped, she stalked up to them. “What are you guys doing?”

“Oh, you came,” Villa said, panting and offering his hand to shake. Behind him, Menazit was laughing about something he said earlier.

Sipit gulped, then placed her hand in his. Villa shook it and turned around. “Menazit, so how many more?”

“Five! Five more!” They started sprinting again.

Sipit frowned. Is he seriously training with him?

After the training ended, she sat down first inside, as Villa and Menazit passed her, striding down the hallway.

“Villa,” she said once Menazit waved goodbye and left. They went outside where they could be alone. “Who are you really? Did you really do it? Kill those people?”

“I did. I did kill those people.”

“So why’re you here? To kill more? Or to learn how to kill more? Or both?”

He laughed. “That’s the thing, isn’t it?”

“What’s the thing? Tell me. Answer me. How can I trust you if you don’t tell me?

“I’m here to learn. Like you are. Train to kill? No. I want to understand the world.”

“Why? Why are you here?”

“You don’t want to know? I told you.”

“Yeah, but you can’t be here for just that. Why’re you hanging around Menazit? You know him?”

“I do. He must’ve told you, but I know him from a time that I was changing a lot and moving on from that lifestyle.”

“What lifestyle? Killing?”

“Adventuring.”

“So, what are you now?”

“I’m a student at this academy. Old, but still…” He chuckled.

“Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why?”

“You’re not helping me here.”

“Why are you here?”

“To learn.”

“To what? What are you going to do?”

“I’m here to learn. Did I not just say?”

“You did… But that’s not it. It can’t be… Are you really the person I knew you were? Before or after all that?”

“Yes.” He took a step closer.

She took a step back. “How?”

“I have spent my entire life trying to find out exactly what I was, and now, I’m here.”

“Your life? You killed people since you were young?”

“No. I meant… My entire time here in this… land.”

“Oh…”

“Yeah. I haven’t been here long.”

“So… do you want to join my faction?”

“What? What’s that? I read that, but I didn’t get what that was supposed to be? You’re supposed to fight?”

“Compete. Don’t use that word. Fight. We compete.”

She remembered him using that same word when they went to the Festival he called a “tournament.”

“Then, ‘compete,’” he said.

“So… do you want to?”

“What?”

“Join! Are you even listening!”

“Yeah, sure. Why not?”

“OK…”

She turned around and started away.

Villa smiled as he watched Sipit leave.

His smile cracked when he realized it was already 6 PM, the time for orientation to start. He bolted past Sipit—a blur.

Sipit flinched. “What are you doing, dumbie!”

“It’s fucking time, boyo!”

“Oh! Oh!” She ran with him.

When they arrived, Villa eyed the older man blocking the doorway to the lecture hall. “Hello, Sir, we are a minute late, but I promise that we are studious!” His face shook when he saw that the “we” included Sipit. He immediately moved out of the way and emphatically gestured them in.

The two found a seat at the back, sitting together. “This reminds me of the tournament,” Villa said.

“It’s a Festival,” Sipit said.

“Shh,” said the person beside him. She was smirking, raising her brows at Sipit. “Finally late,” she mouthed.

Sipit scowled.

Sitting in between them, Villa stared at the speaker, leaning forward.

“Who’s this?” the person mouthed.

Sipit mouthed back, “New member.”

The person silently gasped, covering her mouth.

Villa, while looking forward, secretly caught all this in his peripheral vision. Looks like I’ll have to re-use Dunn’s advice. Economy.

After the orientation ended, Sipit set him aside. “Where’s your ax? We need it.”

“I have it, but it’s not with me right now. A friend of mine is keeping it for me.”

“Tell them to get it. We need it. It’s your only tool.”

“I can use a branch,” he gasped, giggling.

“Huh?”

“Oh nothing. Sure. I can get it. But isn’t it not in your best interest?”

“No, you need it. If you’re getting on board, we need you at full strength. Whatever it is that keeps you sharp, we need it.”

“Wow. Change of heart.”

“I didn’t change. You just showed me there was more to you than I thought.”

“When did you sound so mature?”

“What do you mean? I’m a faction member here. When was I ever immature?”

“Haha.”

“OK, you have nothing else to say. I’m out.”

“Goodbye!” His voice carried across the hallway.

Passersby briefly slowed to glance at the two.

Sipit instinctively averted her eyes as she strode down the hall.

Menazit just came out of the lecture hall, leaving through a nearby door. “Finally got my papers fixed!” he exclaimed at Sipit first before directing at Villa too when he saw him.

Sipit stopped to tease him, but Menazit was bringing her and Villa together again. She stopped herself and paused. In that moment, Villa laughed. “Nice one!” he said. He and Menazit high-fived.

“What’s that?” Sipit said, with a mix of amusement, confusion, and hesitation.

“He taught it to me! He said it was a way of saying shared support!”

“What…”

“You too, Sipit!” Menazit offered her a high-five.

Sipit glanced at Villa, who nodded, and she raised her hand.

Menazit slapped it.

Sipit flinched for a moment, like Menazit did in his first time, but after a moment, she smiled. “That’s weird.”

Villa grinned. “It is!”

Sipit looked at him, smiling.

Menazit pointed at the lecture hall doors. “Guys, let’s go inside early!”

Sipit and Villa shared a look, and they nodded at Menazit.

“Sure,” Sipit said.

“OK!” Villa exclaimed.

The three marched past several passersby and entered the hall, sitting at the front.

Chapter 12

Sipit started, “Villa. As a new faction member and as a new student, expect to be given responsibilities related to the outside world.”

“The outside world? Are we not in the outside world? I don’t understand.”

“I mean, you’ll be in this academy long enough you’ll start seeing the outside world you know as the outside world. So expect to take on challenges and tasks related to that.”

Villa knitted his brows. “I’m still not used to you talking like this.”

“You’ll get used to it. I have to prepare new members as well as new students all the time. Maybe not the former, but certainly the latter.”

“OK. I’m listening.”

Menazit raised his hand.

Sipit nodded. “Go ahead.”

“Don’t worry about the initial tasks. They’ll be very easy, and for most of them, expect the senior assigned to you to do the work. So just watch and observe for most of them, okay?”

“Thank you, Menazit. Now that you mentioned that, let’s mention the faction tasks.”

“Those were the regular student tasks?” Villa said.

“Yes,” Sipit said. “The faction tasks are far harder. They’ll involve competitions within and without. So do not expect expeditions, but competitions between students, those things you call ‘fights.’”

“Alright. So I should expect to do exploratory tasks and team fight tasks.”

“Yes.”

“OK, Is that all?”

“That’s good for now. The session is starting. This is our first lesson of the semester. It’s honestly mostly student introductions. Tomorrow, we’ll have the election.”

“For what?”

“Student president.”

“That’s all?”

“And vice president, treasurer, and secretary.”

“What’s that for? The whole school?”

“Yes.”

“Who gets in?”

“It’s a popularity vote.”

“Oh. Well, has there been any first years getting in?”

“Yes. In fact, most of those voted are first years. Everyone wants change all the time, and first years relate to fellow first years, since non–first years are often already rooted in what they want to do.”

“Up to how many years are students here?”

“Four.”

“That’s long… Oh, wait, I am gonna take four years here.”

“You are? Well, expect to see everything then.”

“OK, quiet down now,” said the professor. “If you keep talking, I won’t have any more to say. But thank you for teaching the first years.”

Sipit nodded.

The professor continued, “OK, given that Sipit gave us the pleasure of giving us some basics, let’s start introductions. Sipit, go first. As previous student president, she introduced the new berry-picking system that made students more attentive toward their natural environments and alert, which became good practice for later expeditions in the field.”

Villa’s jaw dropped. That’s a thing?

Sipit rose to her feet and strode in front beside the professor. “I am second-year student Sipit, a member of The Lions faction. I scored 96 points in the final exam last year.”

“OK,” the professor said. “Let’s go with her two other seatmates today, then go left from there, and at the end, second row, and third, fourth. Then we will finish with those at the right side of the first row.”

“I am first-year student Villa, a new member of The Lions faction.”

“I am second-year student Menazit, a member of The Lions faction. I placed second in the final competition as part of team HOPE last year.”

After the introductions, it was already 10 PM. the three separated into male and female dorms. Menazit and Villa split into different rooms.

One of his nineteen roommates walked up to him. “Hello. I’m Vergras. You know Sipit?”

“I do.”

“You seem much older than me. How old are you?”

“Thirty-two.”

“Oh, that makes sense. I’m sixteen.”

“Are you from a faction?” Villa asked his first question.

“I am. I’m from The Nine-Tails.”

“That’s a cool name. Sorry, I don’t remember what you said at the introductions.”

“It’s fine. I barely remember anyone, but yours I remember because you were one of the first three.”

“Right.”

“Do you want to meet my faction? I know you’re a part of The Lions, but I think it’d be healthy for you to see your options, or come as a representative.”

“Sure. There’s no harm in that. I’ll just tell Sipit.”

“OK. But she might not like it.”

“Why?”

“She’s competitive over her members.”

“Really? I’ve never heard of this.”

“Well, she lost to Menazit’s team last year, going third place. She was supposed to have Menazit, but Menazit decided it’d be better to go in the group that matched his skills. That’s why he left.”

“He’s still in The Lions, no?”

“He is, but the teams are a separate arrangement.”

“So HOPE isn’t a faction.”

“Yup, it was made just for that event.”

“So…”

“Yeah, you wanna come check?”

“Yeah.”

“But it’s past 10. So I think it’s unfair for you.”

“Yeah, that too.”

“OK, I’ll check on you tomorrow, and if you want, I’ll bring you, okay?”

“OK.” Villa was too tired to say anything else.

“Thank you, Villa!”

“You’re welcome!”

The next day was elections.

Villa stared at Sipit, who stared at Menazit, who stared at Villa.

“What’s going on?” said another student behind them.

“A first-year was elected president,” said another. “It was a quiet one that no one but the first-years knew.”

After being made to stand on stage to introduce himself, the new president smiled politely on his way off the stage. He sat down at the back beside several students he started warmly chuckling with. Even as others gazed at him, he fixed his eyes on the stage where the next role, vice president, would be elected.

“Does anyone know who this guy is?” said someone on the seat in front of the three. “The first-years should know,” said another person nearby.

Meanwhile, Villa yawned. Why all this fuss over a kid playing house? But still… if he does something weird, it’ll get harder from here on out.

“What faction is he?” he asked.

“The Nine-Tails,” said a standing student to the three’s left. It was Vergras.

Sipit eyeballed him. “What are you doing here?”

Vergras smiled weakly. “Did he tell you?” He started away.

“Tell me what? Tell me what?” Sipit cocked her head at Villa. “Tell me what?”

“He invited me to check out their guild,” Villa said. “Oh, I mean, their faction.”

“Guild? Faction? He asked you to join them?”

“No. Not directly. But I did say yes to checking it. I did say I would tell you. You can come with me if you want. Menazit too.”

“OK!” Menazit said, sitting in between the other two. Sipit gawked at him.

“OK then…” she said. “I’ll go with you. Menazit, you come too.”

“That’s what I said!” Villa said.

“Yep!” Menazit said, before whooping the second-year vice-president that was just elected. “Let’s go, Pimmy!”

Later, Villa sat down just to observe the passersby. The new president, prominent members of different factions, and more regular students all walked down the same hallway. This really is just an academy.

Sipit looked at Villa from a distance before hurrying away.

She quickly came face to face with three other second-years outside, including Vergras.

Vergras smiled. “Sipit. Never thought you’d be the one to join us.” He chuckled.

Sipit scowled. “Shut up. Can you just not bother my friend?”

“Why not? Everyone could use more friends.”

“That’s stupid.”

“Depends. Some people need space, and that’s alright. But in most contexts, it’s not bad to have more people to rely on. We all help each other in the end, right?”

“That’s dumb.”

“Well, maybe it is. But how about you? Have you thought about what Villa feels about all this?”

Sipit paused. “He’s already in mine. Why are you asking?”

“I mean, People change. Everything does. Yesterday, I was your vice-president. Today, I am your… actually, who am I to you?”

“You… Just don’t bother my friend, OK?”

“Why not?”

“Because! Ugly!”

Villa saw Sipit come straight for him. “What?”

Sipit took a breath. “I need to show you something.”

“What? Don’t tell me…” Villa smiled. “You have an ax too?”

Sipit stopped. “…I do.”

Villa knitted his brows. “OK, let’s go.”

They headed straight outside.

“I don’t have an ax you can touch. But… I lost to Vergras.”

“So?” He had brought along a new juice drink he had never tasted. “This is delicious.”

“He was my vice-president.”

“Cool!”

“And this year, he switched to a different faction.”

“OK.”

“And now, I lost.”

“OK.”

“And I don’t know what to do. And you’re the only one I have left. Forget Menazit, he’s a nunce.”

“Wow. That’s crazy. I mean, whatever you have in mind, just tell me. I’m up for it. No killing though. At least right now.”

“Wait, you’re gonna kill again? You know what, forget it. Let’s just focus on this. Please. Help me.”

“What do you want?”

“Stay in my faction and work with me, and get through this year with me.”

“Sure, sure!” He took a sip and let out a satisfied “Ahh!”

“Anything else?” he said after she started staring silently at him with furrowed brows. He raised his brows.

“No. That’s all… Why are you not… Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“What do you mean? I said it. I’m gonna do it. Sure.”

“Why’re you not like saying no? Or telling me why you can’t?”

“Why would I do that?”

“I don’t know…”

“I’m just gonna stay with you, is that alright? You look confused.”

“Yeah, yeah. Sure. Yeah, that’s what I wanted… anyway.”

“So?”

She cried.

“What is happening right now?” Villa said, standing up and taking a step back.

“Sorry. I just, I just, I thought you’d say no.”

“Why would I?!”

“I don’t know!”

“OK. So don’t cry anymore. I look like I made you cry.” He glanced at the students in the distance. “Please don’t look here, please don’t look here.” He turned to Sipit. “Shush, shh!”

Sipit kept crying softly.

“OK… what happened? Did it really mean that much to you? I don’t get it. Look, I’m 32 years old. I’m not really in the know as to what the hell people like you feel. So if you’d kindly say, tell me. So it meant so much to you?”

“Yeah, I guess…” She wiped her tears with both hands.

“OK then. I’ll…” What should I do actually?

“Vergras is gonna help you better than me.”

“Yeah? So? I’m not in a hurry to pass the tests anyway. I’m just here to learn.”

“But Vergras is gonna make you easier, and you’re getting get so high.”

“…So?”

“Well, why wouldn’t you like that?!”

“I just don’t… you know… It’s not really an urgent thing for me!”

“OK…”

“Is it because you killed people? That’s why you don’t care anymore? You don’t care about succeeding? And success? And awards?”

“No, I mean. I did kill people, but not, it’s not because I killed people. But yes, I guess you could say it does play a role. But it’s not about not caring about succeeding. I care about that, but… yeah, I don’t care about all this. I just… I’m more interested in learning and just looking around and relaxing. This is all very, very easy for me.”

“You haven’t even done anythin yet!”

“I haven’t. Well, it might be hard, but I’m just saying that I feel calm right now. I’m not trying to do anything crazy just yet.”

“Well, OK. But… if you’re gonna be a part of our faction, you’ll be forced to do things you don’t want to do.”

“It doesn’t matter! It can never compare to some of the things that I had to do while adventuring!”

“Oh… Yeah… I see what you mean now.”

“You get me!?”

“Yeah… I think…”

“OK! Finally! We’re on the same… side!? Great!”

“Yeah…” She covered her face and sat on the ground like that.

He scratched the back of his head.

After taking a deep breath, he finished the rest of his drink. “Man, this is good.”

“Stupid!” She suddenly threw grass at him.

“What the hell!?” he said. Her genuine laughter cut through the air, throwing him off.

This ain’t right, he thought half-jokingly.

He walked back. “I’m leaving. See ya. It’s time for class to start.”

“Oh shit!” She got up suddenly.

“Hey, stop swearing!”

“Why’re you the one telling me that!”

“Well, you’re usually not the type to swear!”

“I just don’t do it in front of others.”

“Well, ok… do whatever you want.”

They walked all the way back side by side.

“Hey stop hitting me!” he said.

She guffawed.

“You’re crazy!” he said.

As soon as they returned, she settled on the front seat. Beside her sat Villa with one leg over the other and a finger poking his chin. Behind her stared Menazit at Villa. “Villa, I have someone who wants to meet you,” Menazit said.

Villa swiveled his torso around. “Hmm?”

Menazit gestured at the person beside him. “Pimmy. He’s the vice pres.”

“Hi!” Pimmy offered his hand to shake. Villa shook it easily. “I wanted to ask you a few questions,” Pimmy said. “If we can, can we do it later? After the class?”

“Sure, sure,” Villa said. On the side, Sipit stared into space, tugging at her lower lip. She was still stunned from Villa accepting her requests and dispelling her fears.

The professor walked up. “Hello, everyone…”

After class, Pimmy stood at the doorway. He swiveled his head repeatedly, peeking every so often inside at the chuckling Villa.

When Villa finally came, he waved politely with a warm smile. “Hello.”

“Hi,” Pimmy said, glancing at Menazit.

Menazit nodded and gestured him to give a high-five.

Pimmy raised his hand over Villa’s face.

Villa took a step back. “Woaw, woaw. Why are you getting touchy?”

Pimmy panicked, sneaking a slight glare at Menazit. “Uh, I was trying to give… you… a…”

Menazit mouthed “high-five.”

“High-five,” Pimmy echoed. Sipit saw Menazit and Pimmy coordinating. She playfully covered Menazit’s face.

Pimmy flinched before returning his attention to Villa, with hand raised.

Villa raised his hand as well, and Pimmy closed his eyes. Villa slapped his palm. “Bam!” he said. “Cool man. I never knew the high-five reached this far.”

Pimmy smiled. ‘Yes. Menazit taught it to me!”

“So what were your questions?”

“I wanted to ask if you wanted to…” Pimmy glanced at Sipit. She wasn’t looking, just tickling Menazit on the side.

“…check my faction!”

“What is it?”

“It’s a new one! Menazit helped me name it!”

“What’s the name?”

“Mufflers!”

Villa paused. He thought he heard “Muff.”

“OK!” he said. “How will I do that? Check your faction?”

“Uh, uh! We’re outside. We have a training going on right now!”

“Ooh! Sure! Let’s check!” With Pimmy, Villa went outside.

Sipit and Menazit followed along quietly. She continued messing with Menazit.

Outside, fifty students stood in a single row.

Villa clapped, surprising Sipit and Menazit. “This is amazing!”

Pimmy smiled excitedly. “Yeah! We are not all first-years, but most of us are!”

“That’s amazing!” He swiveled his head and did not see a single person running. “So are you guys going to train?”

“Yes! Sorry! They took a break to greet you.”

“Hello, Villa!” the fifty students chorused.

“Wow!” Villa started clapping again.

“Do you want to be a part of our faction?” Pimmy said nervously.

“Sure!”

“What!?” Sipit said, finally taking notice.

“Oh, can I not join multiple factions?” Villa said.

“You…” She eyed Pimmy, who nodded. “You can…”

“Oh! Great then! Come on. Let’s sign! Where do I sign!”

“You don’t have to,” Pimmy said. “We’ll just tell them tomorrow at the factions gathering that you’re also one of us.”

“Great! So… where’s the training?”

Pimmy facepalmed. “Oh, dang! I was supposed to show you before I asked!

“Guys! Do it!”

The fifty-students climbed on top of each other and made a pyramid made of people.

“This is crazy!” Villa whooped.

Menazit made a toothy smile, proud of his buddy Pimmy, while Sipit laughed, half-confused half-impressed.

The next day, Villa stood at the front of two factions.

Chapter 13

Pimmy and another member of the The Lions faction. stood beside Villa.

“How’re you doing Villa?” said that The Lions member. She shook his hand before gesturing subtly at the other faction leaders to the left and right. “That guy’s Mr. Hacksad,” she said, “and that gal’s Jushimen. And that other guy’s Melontrap, and that gal’s Trunten.”

“Who are they?” Villa said.

“That guy’s Senarche—” she said, gesturing inconspicuously at Hacksad.

“I’m getting names,” Villa continued, not hearing her amid the din of the gathered factions, “but not much. That guy looks cheap. That gal looks rich. That guy looks weird. That gal looks extra-brazen. I mean, what are those ripples on her clothes?”

Sipit pointed. “That’s the least brazen part of her outfit. Are you not seeing the fact she’s wearing very short skirts!”

“That’s…” Is that still weird here? Damn, you guys outdated. But still, I wouldn’t recommend that in a formal setting. But that’s just tradition. Who knows what one can change with magic in a fantasy world? Plus, Sipit, why are you the one being so caught up in this? What happened to breaking rules? In the end, does it matter? Everything is arbitrary here. People die for no reason, and leaders do illogical things, and people fight each other even if it means innocent people die. OK never mind that’s just Earth. But still!

“How about you?” he asked the The Lions member. “What’s your name? And what’s your… ‘role’?”

“I’m Corlif,” she said. “I am the chief member of The Lions.”

“Sounds like…” Is she the leader?

“No, Sipit is still the leader. I just keep the faction functioning.”

“That sounds like you’re the leader, no? The leader keeps it functioning.”

“Sipit does that too, but I handle the operations and technical stuff and all.”

So like a CTO? Or is she just straight up the CEO and CTO? Villa thought.

“What does Sipit even do?” he said.

“Well… Sipit is the morale backbone of the faction.”

Morale backbone. That does not automatically suggest a leader. That is like one thing.

“OK, Sipit, would you agree?”

“Yes,” Sipit said. “If she says so, it must be true!”

Is she just playing with me at this point? Or is she showing that she trusts her? Is this genuine stupid reasoning or stupid logic said just to match a vibe? At this point, I cannot tell. Her intelligence in certain moments pushes me toward some vibe-matching. It’s not like people are all literalists.

“OK, when does this factions thing start?” he said.

“No, no,” Corlif said, “we just stand here. It is a ceremony.”

“What?”

“I’m just playing with ya!” She didn’t even laugh. At this point, she was just trolling him.

“Bro…

“Actually, why haven’t I seen you until now?”

“What? You think I’m just gonna waste my time during the first day and elections day?

“No? Wait, did you get someone in?”

“Yes! We got Roouaz in School Secretary!”

“Wow. Congrats!” Villa said. The entire time, to his right, Pimmy just stood there smiling, happy to be here.

The longer Villa stared at Pimmy, the more he wanted to pet him.

“Pimmy!” He patted him on the head. “You are so cute!”

Pimmy blushed. “Hey!”

He removed his hand and switched his tone. “OK, Corlif, would you mind passing me info about the different faction leaders and how I should expect them to play?”

“Before that, I want to have a talk with you, one on one. I’ve never really listened to you talk. Your words against everything I’ve heard others say about you. Let’s see it. But first, are you Vinican? You’re wearing strange clothes, but what strikes me are the yellow and purple.”

Villa recalled that Mesho said the same thing. “No, I’m not. These… are just my clothes. Preferred. And sure, I’ll be waiting… for that talk.” In that moment, he remembered a name he heard back then—“Bulfrak’s not here.” Bulfrak was the only one he hadn’t met from The Animals, and his name was never mentioned again after that moment.

Later, after the gathering of the factions, Villa and Corlif went outside. “OK. What did you hear about me?” he said.

“Murderer,” she said. “Killer. Horrible person. Kind person.”

“Hmm, let’s start with murderer. I killed goblins.”

“Killer?”

“Same thing. But yes, I have killed people.”

“What kind?”

“Bad ones. At least, in a sense.”

“‘In a sense.’ Elaborate.”

“I… killed goblins, and I killed adventurers.”

“So you’re a murderer then. You sided with adventurers and then with goblins. Either way, you killed people.”

“I did.”

“Horrible person. What kind of person are you? Killing people is enough to be horrible.”

“I don’t know. What are you getting from me based on this? Us talking?”

“You’re straightforward and don’t waste time.”

“What else?”

“You ask questions. That’s good.”

“Kind person?”

“Others trust you. You are trusted. That’s not the same as being trustworthy, or—a step further—being kind.”

“Yes. That’s true. You’re right.”

“Agreeable.”

“Me?”

“Yes. OK. Let’s go. I’m done. Let’s focus on how we’re going to work together. I’ll tell you everything we need you to know.”

“What do I need to know?”

“You really do ask questions.”

They went back inside, reuniting with Sipit. Pimmy and Menazit were absent.

While Sipit shifted between her legs and looked at him patiently, Villa fixed his eyes on Corlif, whose face was already beginning to disengage, until she met them. “Yes?” she said, with a tone of extra politeness that wasn’t there before, the one usually used to hide displeasure.

“Let’s start with them,” Villa stated.

“Who?” Her tone returned to her characteristic calm.

“Roouaz.” Villa took a sideways step closer to her.

Corlif craned her neck around. “She won’t be here for a while. She’s busy coordinating with the higher-ups over who gets house seats.”

“House seats?”

“There’s a House of Commons whose members vote either in favor or against ‘suggestions’ posed by the president.”

“Really? How do you get them?”

“The seats? Well, it’s simple really. They discuss how they’ll distribute it. Today, they’re playing rock paper scissors.”

“What!?” This really is an academy.

“No, no, I’m serious. There’s play-ins, swiss stage, knockout stage, quarters, semis, and finals.”

“Hell nah… Is this how it is every semester?”

“No… They decide how they’ll do it. Today, they just wanted to do it like this. Pimmy played a role in making this happen.”

“Oh, right, that boy’s vice, I forgot… But how about the pres? He had anything to do with this?”

“Not really. Pres is the only one who can’t decide on this, since well, it’s a House meant to regulate him. So vice gets the cake here.”

“Pimmy…” Villa couldn’t stop himself from giggling. The same dude that trained 50 people to make a human pyramid to impress someone. “I’m not surprised.”

“Wait, Pimmy’s there right now?”

“Yeah, Menazit too.”

“I keep forgetting Pimmy’s a vice. That kid’s too unserious.”

“He may seem not all that, but he’s a power broker too. He got you.”

“Oh right. I guess he did.”

Pimmy… Do I have any reason to give heed to his behavior? Is his harmlessness what makes him on par with Vergras, who at the very least is obvious from the way he speaks? he thought.

“Can we watch the house seats tournament?” he said. The gathering of the factions just felt like a bunch of people posing. This should show me how people really act.

“Why?” Corlif wasn’t looking at him, staring at the door leading outside instead.

“You never know how people react when they’re just playing a game of chance.”

“Why? How would you react?”

“For a bunch of seats?” Nothing. But everything else? Life itself is a game of chance.

“I’m surprised you even care to see then.”

“That’s the thing.”

Isn’t it? I have interests of my own. I want to see what people do, and if they do the same things I’ve seen them do many times before, then what use is it? The only reason I want to be here is that there really is nothing else there to do, is there? he thought.

“I’m here to learn,” he said, taking several steps forward. “This way?”

Corlif nodded, following him to lead him to where the tournament was happening. Then she stopped, squinting at him. “What are you doing?”

Villa skidded to a halt. “What? What do you mean?”

“Why are you making me take you there? Have someone else do it. I’m busy.” She turned around and left.

The blurred Sipit waved in the background on the side of the two.

Villa smiled. “Sipit, wanna come?”

Sipit snapped forward.

Pimmy threw the Rock. “See? He did it like this. That doesn’t count!”

One of the two competitors in front of him slapped his forehead, groaning. The other pumped his fists and jumped to his feet.

Pimmy turned around and headed back to the stage. “OK! Now that the top sixteens have been decided. We’re now in quarter-finals! Those who made it, come here on stage!”

The eight people all unorderly marched to the stage one by one.

“OK. Start!”

Three rounds. Rock, paper, scissors.

The door screeched open. Two familiar faces popped in.

“Hi Villa, Sipit! Welcome!” Pimmy said.

Four other faction leaders were seated all around the lecture hall. They swiveled in their seats to glance at the two.

“OK! Juaro, Senfraisen, Teletam, and Oshinis will move on to the semis!

“Finals! We have Oshinis and Juaro!

“Juaro is our winner!”

“Now, I should remind everyone that only the top sixteen will get a seat, and there shouldn’t be anything else but that. But I’ve decided that I’ll be personally rewarding the winners based on place.

“And as for the rewards, we have a pool of 5,000 gold! Juaro will be getting 1,800 gold! Then Oshinis gets 1,000! Then third and fourth get 500! Then fifth to eighth get 200! Then 9th to 16th get 50!”

The crowd burst into roars and cheers.

The four faction leaders stood up and approached the sixteen winners, but Vergras was absent.

Villa looked behind him at the door leading out of the hall. Vergras is always there when it’s important. Is this not important? Can they control the house members? Or did they already make a deal with them before the tourney started? What’s happening here? Or did the potential ‘golden roader’ (a term used to refer to a team, especially in esports, winning all domestic and international tournaments throughout the entire year) choke?

When Villa went outside, she ran after him and said, “Colif didn’t tell you, but tomorrow’s your first task with us. And someone’s coming right now. They’re going to answer any questions you have.”

“Who?”

“Me,” said the woman standing against the wall to his left. She turned to face him. “I’m Coarlze.” She shook his hand. “I’m a second-year.”

“I’m a first.”

“Yes, don’t need to explain yourself. I read the info we have on you.”

“You did?” You’re just saying that outright?

“Yes. Now, why don’t we go sit down outside while waiting for the next class?”

“Sure…” Villa said hesitantly. As time passed, he felt the more robotic people around him became.

When they down, she handed him an orb. “Try holding this.”

“Okay.”

The orb glowed a little.

“Oh, you have no magic.”

“I… I guess I don’t.”

“Well, that’s a start.”

“I thought you knew everything about me?”

“No, but we know you’re a first year and what you’re like at the very least. But there’s still lots we don’t know about you.”

“Why are you just saying this? What are you here for?”

“To inform you.”

“It looks more like I’m informing you. Is it?”

“Both/and.”

“OK… So what’s next?”

“Nothing. Just sit down.”

“OK…?”

She stayed quiet for five minutes.

“You’re not gonna ask anything?” she said.

“I thought you just wanted me to sit down?”

“I didn’t say no speaking.”

“OK. So…

“What are you doing?”

“Sitting down and waiting for you to ask me productive questions.”

“Why’re you just saying things outright?”

“I don’t understand. Would you rather I waste your time?”

“No? No, of course not. I’m just getting weirded out.”

“So are you gonna ask me something?”

“No? Not yet… Let me think!”

“Hmm. Sure.”

“OK, who are you?”

“I’m Coarlze.”

“What is your purpose beyond answering my questions?”

“Personal? Or in the faction? I’m a member. I do tasks, and this is one of them.”

“This? What are the goals assigned to you related to this task? Am I supposed to say something specific or what?”

“I’m supposed to answer your questions.”

“OK, fine, give me your personal goals or purpose or whatever at this point.”

“I’m here to study and continue improving so I can contribute to my community.”

“OK… Did you rehearse that?”

“No. That’s how I feel.”

“Feel? That’s not a feel. That’s a ‘do.’”

“But that’s how you feel too, no? You’re just here to learn.”

“Yeah! But that doesn’t mean I have deeper feelings. I want to learn, but what I really want is to be stable and to make sense of this world.”

“OK. So why do you not realize that what I said is what I feel too?”

“No, it just doesn’t scream feelings.”

“So there is a way to feel and a way not to?’

“No? Yes? I don’t know. Just tell me something that doesn’t feel like you’re just engaged in some labor.”

“The orb I gave you. I bought it from a marketplace.”

“OK?” So? What did it make you feel?”

“I have an orb now, and I was able to use it on you.”

“OK, so this is you answering me questions?”

“Yes.”

“OK, I’m out.” He stood up and left. “Where’s Sipit?”

“She’s inside, just sitting down waiting for you.”

“OK, I’ll talk to her instead. Whatever you are, or what you’re doing, I do not… for the life of me…”

“OK. Good job.”

“…What?”

“You can assert yourself.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“This is your faction task for the day.”

“Huh? I thought it was tomorrow?”

“There is another one tomorrow, but today, I am your task, and you mine.”

“What!?”

“Yes.”

“But why!?”

“I think they wanted to see your reaction and how you would react.”

“Oh, so I’m the one being analyzed. I see, I see. OK, get away. If you can say ‘I think,’ you were probably playing with me this whole time. I’m out.”

“OK. I want to hear you tell your stories actually, but I already heard others tell them. Right now, I’m just testing your reactions to see whether the stories are true, and, if they are, what you’re like.”

“Are you serious? Am I just something you poke just to rile up and see how I react?”

She didn’t answer. But he assumed it meant yes.

He stopped before the door and sighed heavily.

The fuck is wrong with these people. Did Corlif get her on this? The fuck is up with her? You know what. I really am out.

He entered, coming face to face with Sipit. “Hi Sipit.”

He thought, No, I am feeling these intense emotions. I must be calm.

“What was that?” he said.

“Oh… Yeah… I had a feeling…”

“You did? Sipit… Why didn’t you tell me? I don’t like it when people do this.”

“Yeah, but it’s Corlif!”

“Is that what you did with Vergras too? I understand that Corlif is this person, but you can’t just say yes to everything she says, or else you’ll be saying yes to Vergras too.”

“…Shut up…” She left.

He settled on the bench she was just on. Fuck. I thought I was being smart for a second. Now, I’m not sure. Did I say the right thing? Did I make her feel small? Like I was just another angry adult? Is that what I am? An angry adult? Will she kick me out? You know what? What am I to expect anything different? That’s just the way it is. Am I just saying that to make myself better? Yeah. I am. But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s so fucking disgusting. What the fuck was that? Seriously.

He rubbed his face hard, clenching his teeth, but kept his expressions concealed to avoid giving Corlif or anyone else the idea that he was weak. Like, was that even needed? Or are these people on a fucking power trip? It’s fucking arbitrary!

He saw Corlif walking up to him, and his suppressed panting stopped immediately.

She nestled on the other side of the bench.

He glanced at her, compressing his lips. “Sorry.” He knitted his brows, frowning.

She smiled, looking at him. “Why’re you saying sorry? Did you do anything wrong?”

He fell silent.

She looked away, still smiling.

Huffing, he stood up and left in the direction of Sipit.

When he found her, he locked his stinging eyes with hers. “Sipit, I’m sorry for blaming you. What happened with Vergras is not your fault, even if Corlif might not be the most trustworthy person. And if she does the same thing, I’ll make sure this time’ll be different. I’m just so angry at the way she tested me through Coarlze or whatever her name was. And I got mad at you. I apologize.”

Sipit broke into whimpers and sobs. Seeing that they were in public in the hallway, Villa led her to a quieter corner.

Behind the two followed Corlif. “Villa… I know you’re mad at me. But can you blame me?”

Villa remembered that those were the exact words he told Santo. His contorted expression relaxed. He eased himself off Sipit and swiveled his head at Corlif. “No. I… Maybe I would’ve done the same. I did similar things in the past. So I’m… Well, now I’m not surprsed. But you got me. I almost broke.” He tried to chuckle.

Sipit glanced at him from the corner of her eye with a tense look.

She cocked her head at Corlif. “Go.”

When Corlif finally left, Sipit patted Villa’s shoulder. “We’re okay now.”

Villa laughed. “What are you on—” A tear dripped down his face. His cheeks flooded. He wheezed, bawling on the ground. Why? Why? Why?

No more…

Once both of them came to a calm, they went outside for a stroll.

“But seriously… how did you meet Corlif?” he said.

“She will never betray me,” Sipit said.

“Define ‘betray.’” He had to stop himself from laughing.

“She’s not that kind of person. She is intense, but she only does it because she truly cares about making sure no one Vergras-es again. She may seem calm and pragmatic, but she doesn’t like pragmatic people, those who switch sides at the drop of a hat to get ahead in the end. Because if there’s one thing she hates, she hates traitors.”

“That… makes a lot of sense. Why’re you not the one talking? Why do you let do it? It’s not like you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I only know this much because of her. She keeps me in check, like… she did today through you.”

“She did that to get to you?”

“No. It’s not getting to me. But she did that to keep me ‘awake.’ Her word. She most likely did that to you too. She ‘hit two birds with one stone.’ She likes that phrase.”

“Really… That sounds…” Like a teenager.”

“Yeah, there’s a reason she’s the one handling the operations.”

“Haha…”

A voice cut through the air. “We heard about what happened! The whole school’s in the know!”

Behind them, four members of The Lions sprinted to the two.

“But everyone’s in an uproar! They’re pointing out that Villa’s the new leader of The Lions, after you told Corlif to leave the faction!”

“I didn’t… tell her to leave.”

“But everyone’s saying that!”

Villa took a deep breath. *Mesho… Did you reincarnate as one of the students? Trying to get me to be the leader again?” he self-jokingly thought.

Chapter 14

Next morning, Villa looked at Vergras in the male dorm. They slept in the same 20-person room.

“Do you still want to check The Nine-Tails? Especially since you’re de facto now?” Vergras asked him.

“I’m not the faction leader.”

“Yeah, but even The Lions members are waiting for you in the hallway. You can’t deny people see you different.”

Villa stood up and left.

He met with Sipit. “What should we do?”

“I think you should take it.”

“Why?”

“It’s the only way to satisfy them. I’m clearly not satisfying them enough.”

“Really? What’s wrong with you? Why’re you saying this? Were you not going to tell me I was too dumb to do this? Because I need that right now.”

“Don’t tell me that. You’re just lying at this point. Just go. Go.”

Villa nodded and settled at the front in the lecture hall. Sipit later sat beside him. “Don’t worry. I’m not mad at you,” she whispered. “I just laid that out earlier for their ears. Just keep your head straight. Whatever happens, I’ll handle it. And if they treat you like the new leader, just deny it, and if you want to accept it, tell them it’s still being decided. I’m not going to say I’m not nervous, and I’m not entirely against you holding the seat. I just need to know whatever happens is what we chose. We can’t be pressured like this. Let’s wait it out.”

“Can we?” he whispered back. “I know these things. Drama feeds itself. If it does go, it’s almost always because they got their satisfaction.”

“Let them force our hand. Then, they’ll get the satisfaction that they’re right, while we get the satisfaction of having exhausted all our options. What we need between us is the pleasure of choice.”

“Sipit. When did you become like this?”

“Corlif told me to tell you all this.”

“Of course she did.” He facepalmed. “So… Corlif’s still on our side.”

“Why wouldn’t she?”

“Never mind. You were right about her.”

“Right about what?”

“I mean. She is that kind of person.”

“You mean loyal and reliable? Yeah, she is.”

“Well, if you put it that way…

Actually, speaking of Corlif, what’s the next faction task?”

“Ask Corlif.”

He looked for Corlif and only found Coarlze standing up and blocking the way.

He asked what the next faction task was.

Coarlze smiled this time. “Wait and see.”

“Is this normal by the way? It’s only been four days, and we’re already doing all this. Is this really necessary?”

“It’s a school. You want to learn, right?”

“I do.”

“Well, then keep learning.”

He sat back down beside Sipit before standing up again and sitting beside Coarlze, who stared at him shifting in his seat.

“Where’s Menazit?”

“Why are you asking me that?” she said.

He repeated himself.

“Pimmy and Menazit are meeting the House members,” she said.

“Both of them? Is Menazit his secretary or something? Where’s Roouaz by the way?”

“She’s absent today. She’ll be back tomorrow. And Menazit’s just helping him. They’re friends who help each other.”

Coarlze turned her head to Corlif with an imperceptibly tense look, but Corlif ignored her and smiled, staring at the students sitting down one by one below.

Coarlze held back a sigh and swiveled back to Villa. “Why’re you not sitting down with Sipit? She’s mad at you for taking her spot?”

Villa grinned. “Yeah. That’s why I’m with you now.”

“Me? How am I related to your breakdown with Sipit?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then how about leaving?”

“Ah, my legs are cramped.”

She handed him a healing potion. “Why don’t you try this? And then how about sitting somewhere else?”

“Oh, it’s about to start,” Villa said. The professor walked up, sweeping his gaze across the seats, drawing her attention.

He put the potion back on her lap.

After a moment of silence, Coarlze put the potion back inside her bag and leaned back against her seat. Beside her, Corlif still smiled.

Once the lesson ended, Villa followed Coarlze. “Hi.”

“Sipit really rejected you, huh? You need someone else to comfort you?”

“Haha. You’re funny.”

“Need someone else to make you laugh? It must be sad for Sipit then. I thought you genuinely cared about her.”

“Okay!”

“Oh, can’t say anything? Corlif said something you didn’t like? Gonna cry again? In front of the entire school? Oh… You’re so sad.”

“That’s a good one.”

“Gonna cry again?” She started imitating his crying. “Mama, mama, mama! I need a child to comfort me! I need the physical comfort of a child!”

“That’s a little too far.”

“Oh… did I say too much? I’m sorry about that, okay? It must be sad being exposed for playing with a child! 32 years old in a school with hundreds of children? Oh no! How could this be! Never! Never! Never could it happen!

Corlif appeared behind her. “Coarlze. What are you doing?”

Coarlze panted, staring at the students looking all around her. Her eyes widened. They weren’t looking at Villa. They were looking at her.

Villa sat down. “Damn.”

Corlif left, beckoning Villa to follow. Villa got up and sauntered along.

Coarlze stood in the middle of the hallway.

The professor from the class stood behind her. “Is what you said true?”

She looked between the professor and the leaving Corlif. “N-no. I lied. I’m sorry.” She hurried after Corlif, raising a hand over her face.

“Villa didn’t even do anything,” Corlif said, her back to Coarlze. “You just broke all by yourself. Get out. You’re not a part of us anymore.”

Coarlze stuttered, but no intelligible words came out. She whimpered, sobbed, and cried for a moment before running off.

Corlif smiled and shook his hand in public. “Villa, welcome to The Lions. I think this was the best way to introduce you. I just didn’t think Coarlze would actually do it perfectly. The problem is that this wasn’t planned. Nevertheless, this works. While she will no longer be a member, you will certainly be promoted.”

“What…”

“Will you be the leader?”

He recalled Sipit’s advice. “It’s still being decided?”

“No, no. I’m being serious. Do you want to be the leader right now? Forget what we said. Just answer that right now. Sipit’s here.” Sipit just arrived, panting. Corlif had someone call her.

“No. I don’t want to be. I came here to learn.”

“But you can learn as a leader too, no?”

“But…”

“Trust me. Trust me this time. I will protect you. You’re a part of The Lions. I will never let you be complacent. Don’t worry. I will keep you in check.”

“Okay…” His eyes stared into space for a moment before flickering. “Okay, I’ll do it. This time, I trust you. Both of you.” He extended his hand to Sipit, who shook it happily.

“Thank you,” he said.

The silence in the hallway broke, exploding with applause.

Corlif, what the fuck.

Villa sat down in his dorm room. Three of his roommates entered, froze at the sight of him sitting on his bed, and left.

He sighed, standing up slowly.

He went outside.

Several The Lions members waved at him. “Hello, Sir!”

He nodded with a one-stroke wave.

Once he walked a little far in the open field, he said, “Where’s everyone?

“I guess they’re all busy.”

This is just an academy, right? Why’s everyone taking it so seriously? I just want to hang out.

He stared at the clouds. “Where are those Guardians?

“Santo, are you here?

“Anyone?”

He turned around upon hearing a faint sound. He sighted a figure.

The closer it got, the less knitted his brows became.

The figure resolved into Sipit. “Hey!”

“Sipit… what are we doing here?” he muttered while she was still too far to hear him.

“Shouldn’t you be…” he said when she arrived.

“I don’t have anything to do.”

“I honestly didn’t plan for this.”

“That’s fine. You said you just wanted to learn, right? So that’s part of it, right?”

“Yeah. That’s… true.”

“For the first time since I arrived, I am actually having feelings of leaving.”

“It’s only the fourth day?”

“That’s the thing! It’s only the fourth day, and I’m already the leader of a faction. What is this supposed to do for me? I’m just gonna regret the rest of the year.”

“You never know.”

“Yeah, I do know. I’ve been a leader once, and it didn’t work. It really didn’t.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, now that I think about it, it did work. I just… I don’t know… I just can’t do that again.”

“Then why did you accept?”

“I told you already, right? I trust you guys. So please… help me. Help me against my boredom and… lethargy.”

“Okay!”

“What should I do next?

“I was hoping to meet people and just hang out. I didn’t want this. Now, everyone knows me before I even get their name. This will make it harder for me to get to know others without this label and reputation on me.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“Tomorrow’s the last day before weekends?”

“Yep.”

“Damn, I really wish I could go outside.”

“You want to travel?”

“Yeah. Aren’t you going to pick berries too? Menazit too. He should be visiting home, no?”

“I guess. I will do that. But how about you?”

“I don’t know. I don’t really have anywhere else to go. I don’t know anyone. Well, not any more.”

“Why don’t you go with me?”

“Why?”

“I mean, you said right?”

“What?”

“You wanted to show me something.”

“Oh, you mean that!” He laughed. “My ax-cutting skills? Yeah… Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I guess. I mean, there’s so much I don’t know.”

“I guess that’s true. I come from a very big world.”

“And I spend most of my time here.”

“Yeah, this place is so small. It feels like a prison.”

“I mean, I wouldn’t go that far.”

“I mean, it can feel that way. I never thought I’d say that. But yeah, that’s what it feels like right now. I mean, with everything that happened, it’s just hard not to feel that way.”

“I guess yeah.”

“So… I guess I’ll show you?”

“Yeah sure.”

“Actually, I think there’s something I have to do.” He walked first, before hurrying, then breaking into a sprint.

He looked everywhere. Where is she?”

He went to the periphery of the campus, and in one of the corners, he caught sight of Coarlze. “Coarlze!”

Coarlze laughed. Below her was a circle sketched with her own blood.

Villa threw his arms around her and pulled her away from the circle. “Please… I can’t have another person die.”

Coarlze froze. “I wasn’t trying to die…

“I was trying to kill you.”

“Why!? Please tell me. I won’t laugh at you.”

Coarlze snickered. “You think it’s that simple, huh?”

Villa frowned. “I want to hear you talk. Please.”

Coarlze took out a dagger and stabbed at him. “You seriously believe it’s that simple, huh!” she muttered under her panting breath.

Villa narrowly avoided her, sustaining a cut on his arm. “Come on, come on!” Where the hell is my shield! Wait! Fuck, I forgot my ax!

Coarlze stopped, staring at someone behind her.

Sipit slowed to a halt. “You!” She grabbed Villa and tried dragging him away.

Coarlze’s expression contorted, staring into space.

“Coarlze!” His voice jolted her out of her stupor. “You are still one of us!”

She met his gaze. “What? She didn’t kick me out?”

“It doesn’t matter what Corlif says. What matters is what I say. I’m the leader now. So please, Coarlze, come back. You still have a place to belong to. It doesn’t matter what they say.”

“But Corlif… She still…” She clutched her head. She screamed.

“Coarlze!” He lunged, smacked the dagger out of her hand, and grabbed her shoulders. “Coarlze! Just fucking stop for a moment! Listen to me just for this second!” Meanwhile, Sipit scrambled for the dagger and hurled him to the distance.

Coarlze looked blankly into his eyes. “Yeah…?”

He pulled her up to her feet, but she fell back down. “Get Corlif here! I’ll punch that piece of shit!” Sipit ran.

When Corlif arrived, Villa covered Coarlze’s eyes. “Tell her you’re sorry and that you fucked up.”

Corlif smiled.

When she didn’t say anything, Villa eyed Sipit meaningfully. Sipit tried to punch Corlif, who dodged and took hold of her arm. “What are you guys doing?” Corlif said.

“You fucking piece of shit!” Villa said. “Look what you did to her!”

Tears wet Villa’s hands. It was Coarlze’s.

Realizing it was his words that made this happen, he pressed the offense. “You fucking dogshit animal! You don’t get it, do you! You don’t get a single thing! Every single thing you’ve done has only hurt others! Have you thought about fucking that! You don’t think about how others feel, you fucker! You shit-fucker! You callous shit-fucker!”

Coarlze started sobbing and crying in his covering hands.

“I hate callousness,” Villa huffed, punching the ground repeatedly in rage. “No one deserves to be hurt.”

He went down to Coarlze’s level and embraced her, letting her cry on his shoulder. “Please… Bring Corlif away. She’s not helping. She won’t give Coarlze what she needs.”

Sipit nodded and cocked her head at Corlif. “Go.”

Corlif started back, with her smile.

“Corlif,” Villa said. Coarlze stood beside him, looking at her. “You can’t stay in this group any longer,” he said.

“Don’t worry,” Corlif said before leaving. “I will never Vergras.”

As Corlif climbed up the rain-slick steps leading back inside, Villa directed Coarlze’s attention to the sky. “Look. Guardians.”

Flying giants.

Chapter 15

“Coz,” Villa said while he and Coarlze were carrying a new student’s crates.

She raised a brow. “What?”

“Coz. Is that weird?”

“My name isn’t even two syllables.”

“Oh, sorry, that was a lame attempt.”

“No, no, that’s fine. But I’d prefer if you used my name.”

“I was wondering when you were comimg,” he said when he heard the familiar rushing footsteps of Sipit.

“Guys,” she said. “How’re you?”

“The crates are doing fine,” he tried.

Coarlze snorted. “You’re seriously not funny…” She met Sipit’s confused look. “I mean,” she tried to explain.

The sounds of their steps carried across the hallway.

Sipit shrugged. “OK, see ya guys.” She bolted away.

Villa was smiling. He knew these lame attempts were what they needed right now, so he intended to embarrass himself. He was 32 years old. He didn’t really have any stakes in being “cool.”

Fellow students often stopped to stare and point at the two.

Villa huffed in public, “Hands under the crate. Nothing else. No one else. Just you and that wooden underside. I am here. You are here. We’re together. We’re doing this together. Let’s go!”

Coarlze stiffly nodded, ignoring them. She continued to manage her breathing.

Sweat dribbled down the two’s brows.

“Good, good, you’re doing great!”

After they reached their destination, the two of them panted on the way back.

Sipit dashed past them.

“Does she do that?” Villa said.

“I’m only seeing it now,” Coarlze said. “I’m always with… you know…”

“Right. By the way, today’s the last school day of the week. Are you going home immediately?”

“Yeah.”

“OK. Is it OK if Sipit and I tag along?”

“I have a private ride.”

“Oh, well, we’ll just be there when you leave then. Is that OK?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

After the last lesson, Sipit waved at Coarlze. “Hey, Villa told me you were leaving immediately. So I’ll say bye.”

“Yeah, I told her,” Villa said, coming from behind Sipit.

“Right!” Sipit said.

Coarlze nodded, dark circles around her eyes.

Later, Coarlze smiled while looking out the window of a cabin on top of a giant lizard.

“Goodbye!” the two waved.

“You’re coming with me, right?” Sipit said.

“On second thought,” Villa said, “I should probably say hello to a few people.”

“Nooooooooooo!”

“Santo.”

“Villa. How are you?”

“I didn’t think you’d actually come for me.”

“You think I don’t know these things? Come on, man.”

“Yeah. I guess you’re right.”

“How was it?”

“Can I do it tomorrow?”

“Sure.”

Santo flew him to Samram’s apartment.

The next morning, after Santo went back from traveling in the early morning, while he, Samram, and Santo were all seated on one table, he said, “I don’t know how to explain it to you… But there are these factions…”

After he explained everything that happened, Santo cackled. “Villa, you really are a good person!”

“Right…” Villa smiled faintly.

Samram let out a loud, light-hearted smile. “Sorry man! I was wrong about you!”

Villa’s gaze drifted, becoming absent. To be honest, I wish you guys just died. But is that too honest? These thoughts that I have. The rage that I hold in. The desire to protect those who suffer, and the overwhelming guilt and inability to do so. What am I? If I could become everything, then, maybe that’d be easier. But look at me, staring at these ma-fuckers and watching them talk and pretend as if their existence is somehow just something to accept. To feel so confident in themselves. How disgusting.

I really am all alone. He stopped himself from chuckling darkly.

He skipped up to his feet and started toward the door, humming a pleasant tune. “I’m going to see Sipit.”

“Okay!” Santo waved. “Goodbye!”

I wish you guys just fucking disappeared off the face of this motherfucking planet, Villa thought.

“Sipit,” said a familiar playful voice behind her.

She rose to her feet and turned around. “Hi Villa!”

“What are you doing?” he said, scanning the plants, hands in his pockets, strolling about.

“Well, you know. the usual.” She crouched back down.

“OK.” Villa crouched beside her. “What’s that called?”

She looked absentmindedly. “Oh, it’s a happy berry.” She came to her senses and glanced at him, soon holding eye contact.

He slightly squinted. “What does it do? Make you happy?”

“Yup!” She rose to her feet, turned, and sauntered a number of steps. “What are you doing here?” She eyed the clouds in the sky behind him.

He craned his neck at her, still crouching. “I’m just trying to relax, to be honest. I don’t want to think about what’s gonna happen next week.”

She tilted her head slightly to glance at him from the corner of her eye. “But why here? You want to do something?”

“Nothing really. Just want to see what you’re doing.” He rose and shuffled in front of her, looking at the same sky.

“OK.” She peeked at her dirty hands.

He sighed in a relieved voice, sniffing the fragrance of the trees.

“Okay, see ya,” he said.

“You’re going?”

“I mean, I don’t want to bother you too much, haha.”

“It’s fine though?”

“I also need to go, so…”

“OK then. Bye!”

Villa stared at the darkness of the evening. What I am…. I am nothing.

“I have lost everything.” He fell to his knees. “Mesho. Connor. Sonter. Hipi. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” He cried.

“I was not there for you guys. I wasn’t able to stop him, and I still can’t do a thing.

“I can’t kill him. I’m too weak.

“Please… someone help me.

“I… have no one.”

He got up, his vision shaking as he strode up the path.

He went inside the portal, entered one of the giant dark-gray pillar hotels, and rented a room there with money he got earlier from Santo. He fell asleep.

The next day, he stared at the people going through the portal.

Sipit ran at him, waved. “Hey Villa!”

Villa smiled, feeling well-rested today because he didn’t sleep in Samram’s place. “How are you doing?”

“Nothing. I don’t really have a life outside school. I barely have enough time to do anything else, so I just pick berries there.”

“Really…”

“Yup!”

“Wanna do something?”

“Yeah!”

“What? I’m just people-staring.”

“OK then. Let’s just sit down here.”

They sat down together.

“Are we even allowed here?”

“Yeah?”

“We should probably go to the park, no?”

“There’s lots of people there. Rich people. You’ll probably see Corlif there.’

“Oh… Maybe, we should go.”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t want to.”

“I mean, if you want. We can visit it. I just don’t want to meet Corlif.”

“I didn’t know you felt that way.”

“Of course I feel weird about it!”

“I mean, yeah, I can see that.”

“OK fine! Let’s go! There’s nothing else to do anyway!”

Corlif was sitting there on one of the benches, dressed like a princess. “Hello.” She had a neutral look.

“Corlif…” Villa said, without malice or anger in his tone. He had moved on from what happened because of his own personal struggles. He sat down beside her. “Is it OK if I sit here?”

Corlif smiled. He sat down anyway.

Sipit hesitantly stood beside Villa.

“Corlif, may I just say you’re fucking weird?” Villa said.

“No,” Corlif said. “Until now.”

“Oh, I gave you a first time. Looks like I’m expanding your perspective.”

“You really are,” she said in that deadpan tone he recognized.

Sipit knitted her brows, looking between them.

“How are you?” Corlif asked Sipit.

Sipit gave a thumbs-up and moved it over her calmly smiling face before drawing it back.

“Good,” Corlif said.

Villa yawned. “Corlif, wanna join again? I’m thinking of telling Coarlze that we’ll just make you bottom-rung.”

Corlif raised her brows. “That’d be nice.”

Villa got up and offered his hand. “Join back?”

Corlif stood up, bowed her head, and shook his hand with both hands. “Thank you.”

Sipit tried to keep her shock to herself, but her closemouthed expressions revealed everything.

Villa sat back down.

Corlif shook her head in surprise, hesitantly setting herself back down.

Panicking, Sipit hurriedly sat down as well, squeezing beside Corlif.

Corlif now sat on the same bench between the two.

Sipit gestured her bewilderment at Villa. But he shrugged.

While they gestured, squeezed out their hands, and swiveled in their seats, Corlif smiled, getting bumped about, looking ahead, pretending they weren’t there.

The next day, on Monday, in school, Villa stood on stage in front of a podium right before class started and the professor came. “Welcome, our newest member! Corlif! She will start from the bottom as all newbies do.”

The early students, most of whom were not members of The Lions, came home last week under the idea that Corlif was out of The Lions, only to hear first thing this week that Corlif was back.

Villa hurried back to his seat at the front, this time sitting between Coarlze and Corlif to mediate. Behind him sat no one. Sipit, Menazit, and Pimmy did not come early.

“Okay, guys, let’s go outside,” Villa said.

The two procedurally followed him to the open field.

He looked between them. “Corlif, first off, I apologize for what I said. While it is true that you did things that hurt Coarlze, it was not fair for me to call you names and treat you like that was all that you were. Coarlze, I understand well what Corlif did to you, but you must also own what you did when you chose her the same way you own your name. Even if Corlif did hurt you, that does not mean that this is all that she’ll ever be. The same way I saw past what you told me Corlif, Coarlze, the same way I ask you guys to see past those things about each other that you can never accept. I know you will always have your differences, but we’re more than just our differences. Let’s focus on making our lives easier for ourselves. I am not asking you guys to forgive each other. I am saying that right now, we have to make the most out of what we have, even if it means setting aside those differences for now.” He had to write that down several times, but it was not like he did not have any experience speaking on stage or to others in a group often while back on Earth. In the end, his own experiences with Santo inspired his words.

The two nodded. Right as the two were about to look at each other, Villa raised a finger. “I know this is impossible, but whenever you can’t take the other anymore, I ask that you talk to me about it. I know that I’m the one who brought you two together again. But that’s why I’m pleading you two to tell me if anything happens or if you feel anything, go through me first. If you think I will be unfair, then please blame me. Please don’t blame each other. Let me take full responsibility for bringing you two together. If there’s anything that you both can share, it’s your anger at me in the event that I do something unspeakably wrong as the one who brought you two together again.

“Okay?”

The two nodded.

“Please tell me you heard what I said. I don’t want to hear that something happened that I wasn’t aware of. Let me take responsibility. I know you want to battle it out alone, but please, let me say that I did not consider your differences well enough.”

“OK,” Corlif said. “I understand. We will go through you first.”

“Sure,” Coarlze said. “I mean, as long as you’re the one leading, I’m fine with… anything.”

“Let’s go,” Villa said. “Together this time.”

They started back inside as one, their steps in unison.

When the two both started making mistakes trying to match him perfectly, he gasped, “I didn’t literally mean match my stride! But whatever! This is cool.”

As soon as Corlif, Coarlze, and Villa entered, Sipit, Menazit, and Pimmy fixed their eyes on them. But everyone else as well.

Vergras sat down beside the school president. Pimmy sat down in a large group composed of a number of the House members and his own faction members, from The Mufflers.

As he sat down at the front, he rubbed his mouth in thought. We really are just a bunch of kids out here, huh? Why the need for all this fuss? Can you guys just be awkward teenagers? I understand all the craziness that comes with it, but come on, man. And I know that it’s a hectic time. But seriously, what are we fucking doing? I guess it’s better than nothing, isn’t it? The fact that I’m here. At least, I can do something, even if it’s just talking to these people. Out there, there really is nothing left. So I hope… we can stay cool with each other, even if for only a little bit longer.

Corlif and Coarlze gazed at him, waiting. He craned his neck, looked behind him and around the hall, and said, “What?”

Coarlze pointed at the two empty seats beside him.

“Just sit down wherever you want,” he said.

Corlif sat down beside him. Coarlze followed.

Villa looked at the professor entering before looking between the two from the corners of his eyes. What is wrong with these people? What did I even do? Why’re you guys so tiny and small? It feels like I shoudn’t even be here. Maybe, Coarlze was right. I really am just an adult in a room full of kids… who’re still trying to find out who they are.

In the end, learning is the only thing I have left.

“Now that we’ve talked all about school itself for your first five days and gotten over with the elections, factions, introductions, and all the basics, today, we’ll actually be learning,” the professor said. “That means that today, we’ll be having your first task. Don’t worry. These tasks will be very, very easy, and their sole purpose would be to introduce you all to magic. Now I understand that many have already familiarized themselves not only with the fundamentals, but with a few party tricks, that does not mean that I should allow some of you to skip. In fact, it’s better that we do this together to make sure that we’re all on the same page and nothing, and I mean nothing, is missing. A single gap in your learning, especially in these early stages, is a critical disadvantage. Today’s task is sitting down and meditating together. We will take breaks every two hours for five minutes, and we will continue to let you eat lunch. The point of this exercise is to get you used to these boring but instructive exercises. We will move to walking as a school afterwards. Most of these exercises will test your physical capabilities, but we will be alternating between these and your lessons. Tomorrow will be lessons, then the next will be walking, and then back again to lessons. This is a magic academy. If you cannot move your body and do not theoretically understand your magic, you will not be able to manifest that body awareness into the technical aspects of your magic. Both are crucial for generating great power and honing its regular, healthy use. Any questions? Violent reactions?”

Villa straightened up. This was the first time the professor mentioned something that wasn’t cliquish humdrum. “Will there be trekking?” he predicted.

“Yes. But that will come after walking.”

“Can we do bodyweight exercises?” asked one of the students.

“No. Those are not in your curriculum. If they are to your liking and help you as a mage, I suggest you implement it in your own personal routine.”

“When will we do magic?” asked another.

“We are always doing magic. Breathing is magic. Once you understand this, actual magic isn’t far away. The more you separate these essential corporeal aspects of magic, you farther you get from ‘actual magic.’

“Okay, that’s all. Everyone, let’s go. The other classes will be coming as well. We’ll be doing this outside on the grass.”

The students strolled outside in unison, chatting along with friends and people they knew.

Once everyone gathered, instead of the school head, the recently elected school president, the student under Vergras’s faction, stood in front. “Good morning everyone. Today, as you’ve all heard your professors say, we will be taking on the challenge of meditation. This will be challenging, because most of you have never been forced to sit still and pray for many long hours like I have. But that’s OK. We’re here to learn, not to show off.” He nodded toward a group of robed people, two of whom were Helen and Effri, before leaving the front.

“Thank you,” said Effri, taking the student’s place. “Now, since I am not a teacher, I do not know exactly all the different things you guys have between each other. But today will be a study in sitting down, which is no respecter of persons. So please group up each into twenty, each composed of your entire dorm room.”

Villa glanced every so often at the robed group as he started looking for his dorm roommates, not really amused, surprised, or annoyed. Well, it’s nice to see a few familiar faces. But how the fuck did they get here? Are they not friends of people-killers? I honestly don’t care anymore at this point. Do whatever you want, world.

Later, Villa found it easy to relax. Meditation was the easiest thing to do as part of a large group.

During lunch, Effri approached him. “Villa,” she said. “Don’t explain yourself. Santo told us what happened.”

Villa smiled weakly. “Why’re you guys here?”

“To teach? Why’re you asking? But we do have something for you as well. How are you?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, your ax is here, and your vials as well.”

“My ax? Why? Is that even allowed?”

“Yes. I gave it to the school, so they’ll hand it to you when you need it.”

“OK then. How about my vials?”

“I have it with me. Do you want it?”

“No? I don’t know.”

“Well, in case you need it, just tell Santo on the weekend.”

“OK, thank you, bye.”

“Goodbye.”

Later, he looked at Vergras during a five-minute break.

Vergras gave him only a questioning glance, but nothing else when Villa didn’t have anything to say or communicate.

What have I done? Villa made a faint proud smile. Did I really change everything in just my first week? For the first time, power had a name. If he was just going to be stuck in this hell, what better thing to do than to gloat in it? To grab the ax offered to him and to make the most out of it? To grab power offered so freely? To exercise himself in a world so callous to his attempts at shaking off his power and so interested instead in enlarging him?

Chapter 16 - Arc 2 Ends

He held it in, but kept himself calm and fit. He interacted as all people did and kept to his role.

But inside him, a flame burst.

If only he could express himself. If only there was a way to express his absolute hierarchical dominance. That thirst. That pleasure.

Walks. Treks.

Not enough!

But he would learn as slowly and patiently as he could. Holding it all in.

The entirety of his power. What it meant to be flesh and bone in a world so intent on invalidating him, in contorting his sense of sense and of self.

Santo, I don’t hate you anymore. The only thing that matters now is that I become the epitome of grace and beauty and be… free. I will become All-Who-Knows. The Entirety of self. The Entirety of being.

During the weekend, Villa sought out Santo.

“Santo, I want to help you.

“I need to do something.”

Santo nodded seriously. He flew him to a camp.

“Kill them. If you can do that again, I promise you will do something.”

“I don’t have my ax.”

“You never needed it. Here.” Santo handed him a spear.

Villa grinned, tense. Muff, looks like I’m taking on your mantle—Spear-Stabber.

He took a deep breath and impaled the captive.

“This was a member of The Reds.”

Villa flinched. “What? Aren’t they the ones who tried to kill you?”

“Yes. But you know them too.”

“Me?”

“They were there when we first met.”

“When we first met?” The first dungeon? The first adventurer group? Those people!? They were The Reds?!

“So, good job. This is only your first of many.”

“How strong am I?”

“Say [Status].”

“What… [Status].”

Name: Villa

Level: 15 | XP: 10%

Class: Warrior

Attributes:

Strength: 17 | XP: 20%

Dexterity: 14 | XP: 55%

Intelligence: 16 | XP: 70%

Wisdom: 18 | XP: 85%

Constitution: 16 | XP: 75%

Skills:

[Ax: Level 8 | XP: 45%] - You honed your skills in brutal, life-or-death combat alongside the Maestros, surviving countless harrowing encounters.

[Spike Carving: Level 6 | XP: 15%] - Your basic knowledge has evolved into expertise, allowing you to efficiently produce large quantities of effective traps.

[Leadership: Level 7 | XP: 80%] - Thrust into command after the traumatic loss of your friends, you successfully led the adventurer group known as "The Animals."

[Intimidation: Level 5 | XP: 65%] - Your fearsome reputation has been built through violent combat and the grim necessity of your work for Santo.

[Meditation: Level 4 | XP: 90%] - A period of quiet reflection at a magical academy has taught you to calm your mind and focus your thoughts, even amidst turmoil.

[Flight (Magical): Level 2 | XP: 50%] - You have learned to control the magical flying branches provided by Santo, giving you a new and valuable form of mobility.

[Spear Proficiency: Level 1 | XP: 5%] - You have begun your grim work for Santo, using a spear to execute other adventurers as commanded.

After falling asleep in one of the tents, he got up after a long nap, the feeling of sickness that he had for so long gone. Outside, a bunch of goblin bards were playing, and goblin warriors were laughing.

For the first time in a while, he laughed proudly at himself. When was the last time?

Back on Earth, when anything he did mattered, but there were moments, moments where he hated the lack of flight. But he knew that there were many more moments that he did love the ground and the little things he had.

Now, he was here. After all that flight, nothing became easier. It only got worse every single time. And now, he realized that perhaps, that was the cost of all this growth. Just like on Earth, the difficulties made people stronger.

So here he was now. Even for a short while, maybe for a long while, maybe forever from now on, he felt he was more than just the world laughing at him. He was a person.

Perhaps, no one would ever tell him this was a good thing, and it is not that he wouldn’t giggle and laugh and talk light-heartedly with Sipit, Coarlze, and Corlif again. No, he still did that. It is just that this was something he had to do for himself. This was who he was.

And now, he was finally done.

From now on, he would be, and he would feel that he was truly, truly free.

“Santo, can I do something to get you to make me a purple and yellow outfit based on what I’m wearing right now?”

“Sure. I can make it for you now, but I know that you’re now a part of this. So it would be to your benefit to begin associating with those around you.”

“Yes. I do want that.”

“Then, tomorrow, I want you to execute three more people. Can you do that for me?”

“I can.”

“That is your second test. A repeat, but it is important that you never forget what it is this entire thing you’re part of does. We kill people, specifically adventurers.”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Prove that understanding with action.”

He got on the field, and, with a spear, impaled three more people.

Their blood crept along the ground, wetting his boots.

“Good! You’ll get your outfit next week, how’s that sound?”

“Great! I’m ready to start offering more of myself. I have already come this far anyway.”

“Then, I want you to keep going. You will get more and more involved, and you will see bigger and bigger things. One day, you’ll see what it feels like to tear down entire arbitrary dominions.”

“By the way, what are tier threes, tier twos, and tier ones?”

“Adventurer groups rated based on strength. Don’t worry about them too much. Our focus has always been on strengthening our presence. This is why we have to catch the attacks of groups like The Reds, which we did and you killed a member of.”

After returning to the city with the pillar hotel, he slept for the night. He woke up early when it was still dark.

He walked around.

This was a big world, and even if he had already seen so much, it was as if he didn’t know anybody at all. For such a big world with so many different kinds of people and creatures, one might think that it should be very easy to make friends. But in the end, it felt like he had to puke out all his remains just to say hello. Corlif, Coarlze, Sipit. These three. It felt like he had to pull heaven and back just to feel even a sliver what it feels like to be at the very least in some idea of pleasant relations with someone.

And now, he was here.

Where was he?

If he went back, would he be still the same person? What he did yesterday when he killed those three. What did that mean? To him? What did it mean to be alive? What did it mean to be?

What did it mean? All of it?

All he knew was that he was here, and maybe, after all the analysis and judgment and moral qualms, he could just sit down and look at the rising sun.

And that was what he did.

Santo… I will kill you one day and create a world where goblins and humans can live together in harmony.

[End of Arc 2 "Learning the Rising Sun"]

Interlude 2 - Corlif’s Time With Villa

Corlif went to the park again, where Villa said he’d meet her.

“Corlif, please don’t stop now. Both of us need to keep making us both accountable. Help us think through this. I need genuine thinkers, not a bunch of laughing, giggling yes-women. Sipit was reliable during the Coarlze confrontation. You don’t have to model your entire thing after her, but we do need you in the game.”

She nodded.

“No, no, I know what I said, but that was then and in that particular Coarlze context. Right now, don’t just say yes. Say something. Give me something to work with. I would hate to lose you and your strengths, so please…

“We’re no longer in crisis. Let’s make a think-tank.”

She smiled. “The only thing that matters is results in the end. But it’s fine. I’m used to it.”

“What are you saying? Results do matter, but you are the results. You as a person. We need you and your mind. The results would never exist if you weren’t there. It’s not about what you can do and what you can accomplish. It’s about how you as a person are the very essence of those end outcomes in the first place. Without the you, we wouldn’t have any results of which to speak, you understand?”

“Yeah, but still… You seriously believe this is simply going to change just because you’re now leader?”

“It’s not about me being the leader. It’s about you being there. It’s about me being there. It’s about us and Sipit along with everyone else being there. What matters about me being the leader is that we’re all there together, because there is no reason for me to be there if I can’t even lead anyone. Then how can I say I’m the leader?”

Her smile slowly dropped. She let the silence sit.

He followed suit and stared at the sunlit distance. He stood up and strolled some distance away.

Then he went back and stared at her eyes until she met his. They stayed like that, until she averted her gaze.

“Corlif,” he said softly.

Corlif touched her collar and slowly but hesitantly stood up. She tried walking away before stopping. She glanced at him before looking around at the features of the ground below her. She rubbed her brow. She sighed. She swiveled her head at him. “What? What do you want me to do?”

“What do I want you to do? Is that really what you got from this? Corlif, you’re not here to ask me what I want you to do. You’re here to get in the game and start working your way so that we could all collectively benefit. That’s all that it is. We’re a bunch of little people going about our business, after all, so let’s make this work for each other together. You said you didn’t want to ‘Vergras,’ but aren’t you betraying yourself by not being open about your own stakes on the matter? I am only here because this is where I can reach some point of stability in my own hectic life, and if I am able to contribute, then that will make it easier for me. So please, tell me. What is ‘you’ in this whole… dynamic? I’m not asking what you want to do. I’m not saying you can do whatever you want. I’m saying… where are you… right now?”

She paused, and her arms slowly relaxed at her sides.

“How about you? You’ve been talking about me all this time. But you never said anything about you? Where are ‘you’ in this matter?”

“I struggle to keep track of everything that goes on in this school. But I wasn’t trying to do it anyway. I only need a few good members. People that will be eyes, ears, and… well… people, not to me, but to themselves and then to everyone else around them. If each member feels like they’re talking to fellow brick walls, then how the hell are we going to communicate and discuss when things hit the fan? I really don’t want us to waste our time, and I don’t want us to get frustrated every single day looking for someone to say something that’s reliable and real. Those are my emotions on the matter. Those are my stakes.

“So, can we make this work? Together? Is this something you’re interested in? Long term?”

“It’s not like I was ever disengaged. I was just taking my time watching you.”

“Well, don’t just watch me. Talk. Speak up. Tell me off. Tell me something. Work with me. I’m not some school experiment. Come on. I’m a person. I need people to talk to, to work with. You know that, or you don’t. I don’t know. You’ll have to tell me, or show me. Because I will never know until you get that hand halfway.”

“How? What should I say?”

“Are you seriously asking me that… Corlif, I’m sorry for what I said. If what I said really, really was that fucked-up and it was and it really affected you, then fuck, you don’t have to be a part of this. But I said what I felt. When you hurt Coarlze, I didn’t want to let you off, or me. I didn’t want to tell myself that I didn’t say exactly what I felt at that time. And I apologized for that, but I cannot help but feel that even if I said all the wrong words, I said everything that I meant to say emotionally—”

“It’s not that. I’m just not sure how to work with you honestly from this angle.”

“What? So you’re not used to being the one at the backfoot, is that what this is?”

“No, that’s not it. It’s more like not being used to having to work with someone. I always supervised what others did, and that was easier. They didn’t need to know what I was doing, and they never wanted to anyway. I just took it all on and took full intent and freedom in making sure it worked out for me as smoothly as possible, for the benefit of everyone else.”

“But that’s what I’m saying. You don’t have to do it anymore. You can tell me. I will listen to you. I will hear you talk. I want to understand. I’m not Sipit. Sipit’s Sipit. I’m not her. I’m me. I need someone who I can talk to about all this, and if you know and hate what that feels like, then maybe… you’ll help me as well. Help me understand you, where you’re coming from, and how we can work this out moving forward.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay… Wait, just let me process… how to do this.”

“Okay.”

Chapter 17

Santo stopped by the small babbling brook, turning an ear toward the rustling leaves fluttering overhead. He rubbed his head for a moment, as his gaze fell upon several figures walking up to him. He spoke with a slight quiver in his voice, “Hello, everyone.” Something in his shifting tone betrayed the memories of his earlier years, those days of old.

He sat down on a log with a flump, tugging at his tunic for cool air. His lips separated for a moment, as his eyes reflected the sun beams around him. The figures resolved into his friends, coming right at his face. “Good morning,” they said before switching direction to the hut in walking distance.

They were in the middle of the forest.

On the left side of his head slowly materialized a yellow light. It snapped into existence with a faint yellow-brown glow that soon turned into a humanoid shape with wings.

“How long’s it been?” Santo said.

“A long while,” the fairy said. “There’s been some disruptions in the line, and we have yet to include the Raiders in the pre-siege. There’s been attempts at spreading out more to cover the Aleisias Pass as well, but we haven’t really been able to extend that far since we’ve been stopped at Tom Trail.”

Santo smiled, raising his hand at his friends, who were chuckling inside the hut. “Either way, the point is that we’ve already tested the limits of our current layout, the Asainoblem. Now, we can introduce Trion. As we discussed, a stalemate is exactly what we’re both looking for. Any hidden cards will be gradually revealed from now on, some suddenly, like ours. We just need to watch for the exact moment they introduce theirs. Then, we release Trion.” The fairy bowed and spun, disappearing into a puff of shiny dust.

Santo stood up and whirled his hands, and from his palms, streaks of blue zipped out and formed an insignia. It gradually thickened and became solid and opaque, giving off a faint hum that crescendoed into a one-stroke screech that cut off as instantly as it appeared.

He gave the insignia a gentle tap, and from it, a blue wave rippled across its surface. He tapped it again, and a sharp-nailed dark-violet spectral hand flung out of its center and wrested his hand. He clenched his trapped fist, burst it open, and then snatched the spectral hand instead.

The insignia flashed briefly, followed by a steady rumble, before settling on a familiar face—his friend Villa.

He smiled, taking a deep breath of relief.

Sitting at the front of the lecture hall, on Monday, Villa stared at Corlif, who was standing in front of him. “Yeah?” he said.

Corlif pointed at the two sitting behind him, Sipit and Menazit. Sipit had their elbows on his shoulders, and Menazit was laughing along with another student that wasn’t Pimmy.

“Yeah?” Villa said.

“Talk to them about what we discussed.”

“Later. I’m just giving them time to go on with their day. We still have classes, you know.”

Corlif rubbed the side of her arm before creeping away.

Sitting to the left side of Villa and beside another student, Coarlze cocked her head at Corlif, watching her leave. “What was that?”

Villa shrugged. “I told her we needed her to get involved.”

“Isn’t she already?”

“More.”

“Okay…”

Villa stared at the coming professor.

“Now, given it’s only the third week, we won’t be doing magic yet. We’ll go through traditional classes for now, including cooking, cleaning, gardening, and other menial tasks. You will also continue studying your ‘The Interpretation of Early Magic.’ Today’s lesson will focus on page 15…”

Villa nodded and read diligently. The world disappeared around him, and the only thing that mattered were the words he would have to take to heart when he cast them against Santo.

“Villa, will you be OK?” The last one to stay behind after the first lesson, Sipit asked him.

He paused, fingertips still on the open tome in front of him, surprised. “Yes, why?”

Sipit smiled, a mix of emotions passing through her face, before she turned and left. “That’s good. Just tell me if you need anything.”

He knitted his brows briefly. What? Did something happen? He slowly got up and peeked out the door, seeing Corlif and Coarlze talking to each other. Corlif’s back was facing him, and Coarlze’s front was visible. Coarlze was looking away with her arms crossed, and Corlif was rubbing the side of her right arm, head lowered. The window was open behind them, the cloudy afternoon light shining over Coarlze’s backside and silhouetting her and Corlif. They backstepped from each other, as a group of chattering, bantering students passed between them. He sat back down, closing his eyes gently for a moment, his head shifting focus to the tactile sensation of his fingertips on the tome’s paper. He then abruptly stood up and passed the two, turning around the corner and heading down the hallway, shrinking into the distance. He noticed Sipit on the way down the steps leading outside. Around her were a number of The Lions members. He passed her by and the bench he and Corlif sat down on previously, striding farther down the east leg of the hallway. He eyed Menazit talking with his friends on the side and Pimmy entering another hall. Vergras, his president, and other members of the council and The Nine-Tails. He assumed one of them was Roouaz, the school secretary.

He went inside the uncrowded canteen and ate freely, being the last to leave the lecture hall. To his right side strolled several dorm roommates he recognized. They ignored him and continued outside of the canteen.

While eating, he took out his book from his bag and read. After eating, he went back to the lecture hall, eying the typical early arrivals and their friend groups, with duos and trios and even one with seven people in it.

He opened his book again and read while waiting for the professor and his friends.

Corlif arrived first, staring at him as she passed him and climbed up the steps to the top and back seats. He left her with an acknowledging nod.

The moment he saw Coarlze again, tears stung his eyes. He saw someone that, he felt with the rage of a colossus, deserved to never suffer again, because no one deserved to suffer. This was followed by a core memory. I wasn’t there for you guys, he recalled himself saying and slamming into his head, which he echoed still today. The bodies of everyone that he knew were still vivid in his mind, and the helplessness, powerlessness, emptiness, fury, agony, grief, and loss that consumed him then were still as visceral as the pages his fingertips grazed. He would murder just to ensure that no one was ever hurt again. Blood, gore. He would relish them just to make sure no one would ever feel that way again. Whatever he had to be, he would become it, if it meant that one day, he would see them smile.

As Coarlze strolled up and sat on another seat near him, he took a deep breath, and his extreme thoughts and feelings dissipated for now, replaced by a surge of relief from his own self-honesty. The professor went in, and he smiled, ready to listen with an open and unified heart and mind, simmering with anxiety, tension, excitement, self-confidence, and ambition to self-actualize.

Once the weekend hit, he got up to a human and bludgeoned him across the face again and again. Do you not see what I must do! The things that I must accomplish! The things that I must readily and swiftly bring to pass! He panted, his hands shaking as he smiled, sweat dribbling down the side of his face. Around him, whenever he went to kill a human captive, goblins would watch, murmur, and react to his hits and hits against him, but this time, they were silent. The frenzy he had in his eyes now transferred to his wallops, and he smashed again and again like a rabid rabbit with bunny legs for limbs. “Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you!” he squeezed under his breath. Once the human lay languid, Villa touched his forehead and wiped his sweat with the back of his head, looking dazed, breathing heavily as he lay against a crate.

“You okay?” asked Samram, who went forward and helped him up.

“Yeah,” Villa said, “I… needed that. Just… It was a lot…”

“You’re getting used to it. I’m afraid maybe too much.” Samram cackled.

“Yeah…” Villa made a brief, weak smile. “Maybe…”

“Well, keep going. You’re improving.”

“Yeah I guess… [Status].”

Name: Villa

Level: 17 | XP: 40%

Class: Warrior

Attributes:

Strength: 18 | XP: 15%

Dexterity: 15 | XP: 10%

Intelligence: 17 | XP: 50%

Wisdom: 20 | XP: 5%

Constitution: 17 | XP: 25%

Skills:

[Ax: Level 8 | XP: 45%] - While your recent focus has been elsewhere, your deadly proficiency with an ax remains a core part of your combat identity.

[Spike Carving: Level 6 | XP: 15%] - Your practical skill in crafting traps is well-established, though not recently practiced.

[Leadership: Level 7 | XP: 95%] - Taking on intense leadership challenges and mediating a volatile conflict at the academy has sharpened your command abilities.

[Intimidation: Level 5 | XP: 65%] - Your grim demeanor and the violent execution you committed have reinforced your fearsome presence.

[Meditation: Level 4 | XP: 99%] - Your commitment to formal meditation exercises at the academy has brought your mind to the brink of a new level of stillness.

[Spear Proficiency: Level 3 | XP: 10%] - The frenzied execution of your latest target has further accustomed you to the spear as a tool of your dark path.

[Flight (Magical): Level 2 | XP: 50%] - Your ability to use Santo's magical flight remains a consistent and reliable skill.

[Iron Resolve: Level 1 | XP: 20%] - By fully committing to your path under Santo and forging a secret long-term goal, you have developed a new level of mental fortitude.

[Magic Theory: Level 1 | XP: 30%] - You have begun your formal studies at the academy, starting to grasp the fundamental principles of magic.

[Cooking: Level 1 | XP: 5%] - As part of your academy curriculum, you have learned the basics of preparing food.

[Gardening: Level 1 | XP: 5%] - As part of your academy curriculum, you have learned the fundamentals of tending to plants.

[Cleaning: Level 1 | XP: 5%] - As part of your academy curriculum, you have learned proper techniques for maintaining an orderly space.

“Who am I?” Villa blurted out as he finished drinking the cup of water Samram handed him.

“Why’re you asking me that?” Samram pointed. “Go prove yourself on the field.”

A tier 3 adventurer, Nucc, stared at the battlefield, seeing a bunch of goblins regroup just to get squashed by a golem. “What a joke… Why are we the one taking this?”

“Are you seriously complaining now? You accepted this.” The golem fell in the background, its head soon blasted apart.

“Well, doesn’t matter. Let’s get this finished.” He raised his ax.

A heavily-armored goblin charged him.

He dodged and threw his ax away. Okay, this one’s too tanky, dangerous, and fast to work with an ax.

He ran off. “Guys, give me a pollaxe.”

Once he got the pollaxe from someone who ran in and out, he began thrusting at the goblin from a distance, weaving around it.

The goblin dashed, got right in his face, and swung his bastard sword from the side.

Nucc dashed away, consuming most of his energy, which meant he couldn’t do it again. “Guys, help! This thing has no openings! It’s a literal high-speed high-damage tank!”

Another adventurer ran in, and his entire body along with his ax and armor grew three times his size for a moment. He chopped the goblin and killed it instantly. But a line of crossbow goblins waiting for him to become an easy target shot, forcing the paladin behind him to cast a high-mana shield spell.

Another line of heavily-armored goblins emerged from behind a trench as soon as the goblins saw the shield spell used.

Nucc sighed. “[Susurrate Asunder].” Winds flew, and immediately, the goblins were covered in violent winds that slashed and cut them up, exposing the gaps in their armor and piercing into their vulnerable sides. They slowly fell one by one, memories of bread drifting away.

The crossbow goblins, along with many others, left the trench and fled.

The adventurers spread out as they advanced one by one.

In the distance, a beam of light appeared, zoomed across the battlefield, and struck along the trench, forcing several adventurers to use all their healing potions. Its damage was marginal due to the adventurers’ spread.

While looking out for goblins and maintaining a wide vantage spread, a fellow human being appeared from the direction of the goblin lines.

“Who’s that?” Nucc said.

“Be careful,” said another adventurer. “[Illusion Check]… No, it’s a person.”

“Really? What’s he doing there?”

“Dunno. Why don’t we ask him?”

“He’s holding a weapon. It’s bloodied. You think he killed a goblin with it? Could he be one of East Pincer?”

“Probably.”

“He’s not uniformed.”

“Well, probably not then.”

“Why is he wearing such flashy clothes?”

“Who knows…”

“Oh he’s coming,” said a third voice.

“Hello,” said a fourth voice, Issie, approaching the man. “Why are you here so far out? This is an active warzone.”

“Sorry. I was captured by the goblins.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“How long?”

“I don’t know. I attend Tunemen Academy, and they support me. I have been forced to kill adventurers.”

“That’s… That sounds pressing. Okay, Mikii! Please bring him back. Don’t worry. We’re going to wait for you before we do anything.” He laughed.

Mikki nodded seriously, beckoned the man, and grabbed him by the shoulder.

“Hey, don’t be rough with him. He’s just a civilian.”

Mikki apologized. “I’ll bring him home quick. Then I’ll come back.”

“Go. Quick. You’re on a limit.” Issie joked.

Mikki later dragged him through a portal and brought him into a prison. “Guys, potential apologist,” he told the people there.

Villa stared.

A woman sat in front of him. “I was wondering when you were gonna wake up.”

“I… wasn’t asleep.”

“Even then, it’s nice to see you’re doing well.”

Villa knitted his brows. “Do you know me?”

“Of course I do. I’ve seen you many times. So I guess that’s where you’ve been, huh?”

“Where? Where did you see me?”

“In the guild. In the streets. All of us saw you. You think no one knows you by face.”

“The adventurers—”

“They aren’t from here. We’re from here. I’m from here.”

“What… Where am I right now?”

“You’re back home, Villa the Ax-Cutter.”

“But… don’t you know what happened?” His voice broke, and tears started dripping.

“I do. We do. We all know. They all passed, and you were there, the only one missing, the only one potentially still alive. And here you are. Alive.”

“Why aren’t you surprised?”

“I’m not supposed to be. At least right now. You need someone to talk to you, right?”

“No? I didn’t say anything like that. I was taken here.”

“Yeah, you were. But you do need someone who can speak to you.”

“Yeah? I guess. I didn’t really think to talk to anyone. I was just here.”

“How did you get out?”

“I walked out.”

“How did you get here?”

“They took me here. Why are you asking?”

“Do you remember what happened?”

“What… happened? You mean them all dying? I do.”

“Then you remember what happened after… What happened after?”

“I was taken by Santo—sorry, Bonine. His name is Bonine and also Santo.”

“Then?”

“He brought me… Look, you know what, I’ll just tell you everything.”

After the long talk, he settled down on a plush, velvet-upholstered seat, while they gave him coffee.

“Someone’s going to visit you. Someone you might know.”

“I don’t remember anyone I knew that wasn’t there…”

“Well, he said he knows you at least. Ready to meet him?”

He took a deep breath.

“Who is he?”

He touched his chest. Who did I forget?

A short-haired, slim woman in his forties went inside and waved quietly. “Hi… I… kinda left right before you went into the group. So I never actually met you, but I thought it’d be nice to have a conversation. Is that alright?”

“Sure…”

“Oh, I’m… Bulfrak, if you’ve heard of that name. You must have seen it in the list of members.”

“I did.”

Bulfrak softly smiled. “Well then…”

Villa shifted in his seat, as Bulfrak sat down beside him. “Who did it?”

“It’s Bonine—”

“I know it’s Bonine. But who is he? Why did he do it?”

“I… I don’t know… Wait. No, I know. I remember… He told me… that… he did it to protect himself and his people.”

“People? Haha… I guess that’s what they say, huh? Evil, wicked, callous, prideful, and wanton things. A bunch of villains. And they can say that? Isn’t that crazy?”

“Crazy? Yeah, it is kinda crazy.” The Maestros were crazy.

“I don’t know. I think they want us to go out now. Want to eat? I’ll treat you? Sorry for bursting like that. I just… I don’t know. I thought I’d find answers, but to be honest, looking at you doesn’t give me any. I don’t know what I expected to be honest. But… if anything, I think it is good that I met you. And if you want, we can keep talking. Are you hungry?”

“Yeah…” A lot actually.

“Well, let’s eat. ‘Cause I’m probably so annoyed ‘cause I haven’t eaten.”

“Yeah.” Villa laughed tentatively.

“You know what I miss? Connor’s bread. I’d be eating one of them by now, but to be honest, I was never really hungry then. So I just never really ate, haha. I always liked going to eateries like this and eating meat, vegetable, rice. These are my preferred.”

“Yeah…” Villa recalled the strawberry-filled bread he didn’t end up eating.

“If you want… we can join the adventurers again. We can fight again. This time, we’ll drive them out this time. I’m planning to join a group. I don’t know which, but I hope it’ll help me at the very least start getting somewhere. I quit ‘cause I was afraid. You know… If you’ve heard of that name… Murdock… He was the reason I quit.”

“What? What did he do?”

“He died. That’s what he did. He… died… I guess that’s what people do, huh?”

“Yeah?”

“But no. He died while trying to get something he didn’t even need to get then and there! That’s what he did.” She sat down and ordered food for the both of them in a friendly tone. “If he never did that… then maybe… none of this would’ve happened, and I would’ve been there. But to be honest, I don’t know… Sorry… I’m not making myself look good, no?”

“No… Not really.”

“Anyway, I’m joining again. This time… I’ll make sure to do even more than I did before. I was always so cautious, you know. I was so careful about how I did things. It’s why I joined The Animals, but I don’t want that anymore. That’s not my thing. This time, I want to do even more. Even better. I’m gonna get stronger… for all of us…”

Villa’s eyes flickered. “Yeah… I get it. I felt the same when… Sonter, Hipi, and Connor passed. Why weren’t you there then?” He remembered Mesho urging him to be The Animals’ leader to help them get revenge.

“Why would I be? You think I’d join you guys on your road to getting back at Bonine? You think me? After losing Murdock already? That I’d be willing to lose even more? But now… they’re all gone. And I have no one left. You’re the only one who’s here, and I don’t even know you… But it’s not your fault. That’s why I’m here. I think that even if we can’t stop Bonine, the very least we can do is move on and grow from what happened. Get stronger. Not because we’re going to die. But because we’re going to live on. That’s what I want. That’s the point of this.” She finished the last of her food and got a second serving.

“I think I get it… I can join you, sure.”

“You want? Do you want… We can join this new group… It’s tier three. And it’s composed of former tier twos. They’re not accepting just anyone. But maybe with you, they’ll allow me too. That’s why I’ve been waiting for you to re-appear.”

“You have?”

“Yes. I’ve been waiting for you all this time… I’m sorry if that sounds a lot. But if you don’t want, that’s fine. I would understand. I wasn’t there when Sonter, Hipi, and Connor passed, so I’d understand if you don’t want. But I believe that someone like you would never stop adventuring. It’s your calling, like it is mine. We’re adventurers. That’s our gifting.”

Villa pressed his lips together. “Yeah, I can see what you mean… But my question is… are these adventurers strong? If they’re strong and if they can beat Bonine, then I’ll join you. If not, then what’s the point? How can we chase after someone who fucking flies?”

Bulfrak genuinely smiled and ordered a second serving for him. “Eat this, and we’ll head to my apartment.”

“You mean to the guild? Why’re we going to your apartment?”

“You’re not the only one who lost people.”

‘What do you mean?”

Later, in her apartment stood three people lounging. “Hello, everyone, I found him,” Bulfrak said.

They all rose to her feet and stood still.

“Um… can I have their names?”

“Oh, but first, they’re members from different adventurer groups.”

“I don’t know if you know them. But The Reds is here, and we also have The Chagrins, and The Rooffles.”

“Just these three?”

“Yes. No. I can get at least seven more people as long as they know you’re in. These people are the ones that I met just recently, and they agreed to wait for you.”

“Me? Why me?”

“You’re the one who led The Animals. You’re the only one who was likely alive from the attack. You met Bonine. You know his powers. You can help us. We can help you. There’s a bigger stir in this city about you and about what happened and about Bonine. We’re not dumb. We haven’t been lying still waiting for you to come. But we’re all waiting for that final push. We need it. And you’re here now. You can do it! You know more than we do! You’ve been to places we’ve never been!”

“But why me?”

“I don’t know. I don’t know why you came out of nowhere and did all that you did and accomplished that you did and even survived. I don’t know. All I know is that you’re here right now, and that’s all that matters.”

“I have school.”

“Huh?” the four of them chorused.

“I mean, magic school. TMA. Tunemen Magic Academy.”

“Oh… Well… Wait, how were you attending it while with Santo?”

“It’s a long story… Do you want me to explain?”

“Please.”

It was already Sunday morning by the time he finished.

“Villa, I’ll get the rest, then I’ll come back to you. Please stay where we can reach you.”

“Uh, can I have a mask?”

“Why? Oh… yeah, sure.” She went outside and returned with a mask.”

Villa nodded and strolled around with it on. He went inside a blacksmith, a potion shop, a pet shop, and ate at an eatery.

He went inside the guild and saw young people smiling and chattering in the hall, while others looked thoughtfully at the quest boards. In the background, clerks flipped through papers and handed out cards to new adventurers. “Here you go, Sir,” he heard one clerk say. He sat down on one of the soft seats inside.

A heavily-armored group entered, carrying bags of gold. They went further inside the hall and talked to a clerk specialized for more serious matters.

Villa watched them quietly from his eye holes.

People almost always glanced at him the first time, but he ignored them.

Mages strolled in, one of them wearing full black. People eyed the one in black. “Necro,” one of them muttered under their breath.

Villa sighed, staring outside. His eyes grew absent.

Is there anyone strong enough to beat Santo? And even if there were, would that change anything? It feels like I’m the only one who cares about bringing everyone together. Until I find someone with that same goal and who is powerful enough to make it happen, I will continue to focus on making myself stronger, because if there really is no one else, then I’ll do it. Because who will? Who will stand in the gap?

The black mage stood in front of him. “You’re Santo’s friend, aren’t you?”

“Huh? Do you know me?” Shit!

“I’m a friend… well… former… of Santo. I know you know him, and I know both of you know each other.”

What’s happening right now? He stood up and started striding away, heading toward Bulfrak’s apartment.

The mage followed him outside.

He stopped and turned to her. “Who are you, Ma’am?”

“I told you… Well, I guess you don’t know my name…

“It’s Rosa!” she exclaimed amid the soughing breeze.

Chapter 18

Rosa bounced past him. “Look, I understand you have a lot of things going on right now. The fact that you’re here must mean Santo sent you, because there’s no way you’d go here willy-nilly, right? Unless you really didn’t know how to get home until now…”

Villa gestured her to his left. “Can we just go somewhere private, Ma’am? I don’t want to talk about this right now.”

“Okay, okay, fine. Where do you wanna go?”

“Shit. Ahh.” He looked at the crowd all around him. “I don’t know. Do you know a place?”

“Follow me.” She strode along the alleyways, passing by all kinds of people that you wouldn’t encounter crowding the main road.

Villa took a deep breath and kept his head low, creeping alongside her.

When they reached the city edge, they rode a lizard-drawn carriage and headed outside of the city.

“Where are we going?”

“Just come along.”

They dropped off the carriage midway, turned off the road, and entered the forest. “What are we doing here?” He removed his mask.

“I’m looking for something!”

“Ma’am…”

After several minutes, she pointed at a staircase. “There!”

“Wait, is that a dungeon?”

“Yes, but it’s cleared! Don’t worry!”

She hurried down the steps. He crept after her.

“Okay, is this a good place to talk?” her voice called out.

Villa yipped. “This place is very dark, Ma’am!”

“Well! You’ll have to do with it. So?”

“Can we just talk like right outside?”

“There’s insects, but okay, fine!”

She went back up. He followed behind her.

“Okay, is here good?” She panted.

He giggled anxiously. “Yes, Ma’am…”

“Okay, so I’m here… You know what? Wait.” She took out a pouch of water and started chugging.

He craned his neck around and rubbed his fingers repeatedly. “No one’s here, right? Ma’am?”

She raised a finger, and, after a few seconds, removed the pouch. “Yeah, no one’s here… I’m sure.”

“Okay, Ma’am,” he whispered.

“Okay, you’re Santo’s friend, right?”

“No. Not, not really.”

“Okay, then, who are you? You do know him, right?”

“I do, Ma’am—”

“Okay, can you not say that every second? It’s distracting.” She took another sip of her pouch.

“What? ‘Ma’am’?”

She nodded by lifting her brows.

“OK…” he said.

“But are you Santo’s friend-friend?”

“I’m not. I work with him. But I would never consider Santo to my friend-friend. Bonine, for one, who is Santo by the way, did something that I would not consider well… appropriate.”

“Hmm. I used to know Santo. So I’m surprised to see he has made some friends.”

“I am not his friend.” Villa sounded defensive this time.

“Okay sorry, sorry. I meant to say that he got to know people that he would spend a lot of time with.”

“He has that. Samram and many others. I’m just one of them. But I do acknowledge that Santo sees something in me that I cannot really explain what. He spared me.”

“Spared you… That’s more than just a friend. He must absolutely think you’re his friend then.”

“No, I told him already. I wanted to kill him. He knows that. He can’t unknow that, Ma’am.”

She laughed before halting midway. “Okay, can you stop with the Ma’ams? I’m getting tired.”

“Sorry…”

She raised her brows, waiting for that added ‘Ma’am.’

“What’s your name?” he said quickly.

“Rosa. Did you not?”

“Oh sorry… Rosa.”

“Yes, yes, now, let’s get on with it.”

“Yes, Rosa.”

“Are you just going to repeat my name? Stop.”

“Sorry.”

“What are you doing? Let’s move on.”

“Sorry.”

“Shut up! Can you stop apologizing, saying my name, saying ‘Ma’am’, or saying yes even? Just answer, just ask, just talk!”

He opened his mouth to say sorry, but immediately stopped himself. He averted his gaze.

“So…” she said. “Who is Santo to you?”

“He’s someone that I have continued to work with, even if I know that I can leave any time. I have gotten used to being under him, even if I want to leave. I stay with him thinking that if I just get strong enough, I will be able to overthrow him completely. But it never works.” If she is a friend of Santo, I might be done for, but it’s not like Santo doesn’t already know how I feel.. It doesn’t matter anymore.

“Wow, okay. That’s a lot.”

“And I want to bring together everyone. All peoples. Goblins. Humans. Everyone. But no one wants to do that, and I don’t know anyone that will ever want that.”

“Wait, hold on, hold on! Give me a moment!” She covered her eyes for a moment, then uncovered them. “Okay, I see now. You are one really curious person!”

“Are you… with Santo?”

“With? You mean a friend?”

Villa nodded stiffly.

“No!” she blurted. “I told you already! He’s a former friend! I used to know him! But now I don’t! But I do know what he’s been doing! And that’s how I know you!”

Villa panted. “Are you… are you… is something going to happen to me?”

“No? Why? Is there someone coming for you?”

“No, not particularly.” He eyed her before looking away. “I mean, do you… are you… is that not what you’re trying to do?”

“What!? What do you mean!? You think ‘me’ is trying to kill you?”

“No. I don’t know… Are you?”

“No! Of course not! I’m here to learn about Santo’s… well… coworker!”

“I am not his co-worker. I did work with him, and I admit that I killed people under him. But I am not his co-worker. I will never ever identify with what he’s doing and how he’s doing it.”

“Sure, sure. Sorry. Not co-worker, not friend. What should I call you then?”

“Call me Villa.”

“Villa! That’s great. I wonder why I never asked. Okay, so who are you… exactly?”

“I don’t know… Can I explain that? Can I talk about how I came from Earth?”

“Curious! Is this a strange land that I’ve never visited? Is it Erif?”

“No, it’s not Erif. It’s Earth. That’s what it’s called. I don’t know about other languages, but it is Earth in my language. And I speak that very language that you all also speak right now. You guys speak English! That’s my English back at home as well! I don’t know how it works, but Earth and English, it’s all the same here, I mean in the sense that we’re all speaking English! But this is not Earth. No one knows that I came here through a wormhole. But I’m here. That’s why I don’t understand all this fuss about goblins and humans and why everyone’s so crazy about killing each other. I mean, Earth had wars too, but modern day made us believe that killing was bad, even if everyone still to some degree kills or does it via automated means. It doesn’t make sense, but please understand!”

“Well, I don’t. Can we start somewhere easier? All this Earth talk is gonna drive me crazy.”

He started telling his story since he first arrived here on this world.

By the time he finished, he looked at the distance. Bulfrak is probably wondering where I am. Should I leave? Or is Rosa different? Is she going to help me? Is she going to change things? Is it worth staying? I have to make a choice.

Rosa laughed. “Well, Santo’s that kind of person now, huh? It’s nice hearing your stories.

“If you really want to be stronger, I can help you. I can show you a sequence of demonstrations even! You’ll be as strong as Santo is now, maybe even stronger since he’s so focused on his thing. It’d be nice if you stopped him. It would be a nice lesson not to play with such power. Well, I guess if you become the next Santo, I’ll have to send someone else to you, won’t I?”

“I don’t understand. Why are you helping me? And how can someone like you exist?”

“Many people like me exist. I’m not that strange. But you just live in a very small world. And that small world, or pond, has a really big shark.”

“Really?”

“Yes! Isn’t that curious!”

“No? My friends died.”

“Well… it’s still curious! From my perspective that is!”

“Well, yeah, I guess I can see that…”

“So! Do you want to see a sequence of demonstrations!”

“Maybe? I don’t know. What will happen to me if I do? Will I really become stronger? Can I make the right choices?”

“Shush! Just answer the question!”

His eyes settled on a scree of rocks in the distance as all his suffering and that of others flashed through his mind. “Yes. I do.”

“Well, onwards then!” She rippled her fingers, a glowing plume of violet and green shooting up from each of her knuckles and quickly fading.

“But… why me? Did I do anything…”

She stopped. “Yes. You did survive. Not only that, you went and thrived and told me your stories! If you never told me anything, I would have never known! Your life is amazing. And it’s wonderful. But most lastly and most crucially, it’s curious!”

She resumed walking.

“Where are we going?”

“You’ll see.” She flicked something off her finger, and that speck, upon touching the ground, expanded instantly into a groaning portal. When she offered her hand, he accepted it, and she dragged him along through the portal.

On the other side, they emerged in the sky. “Isn’t this crazy?”

He yelled before screaming and crying.

“Don’t you fly with Santo?” she said.

“Different! Not falling!”

“Well!” She snapped her finger, and two chairs appeared out of thin air in the middle of the sky. They caught the two, and they flumped onto their backrests.

“How’s this!”

“We’re still falling!”

She sighed, blinking hard, and the chairs froze midair.

He clutched the chair as hard as he could, hyperventilating and squeezing himself onto the chair. “Please, please, please—”

“Okay, that’s not enough!” She flicked another speck off her finger. Another portal emerged, swallowing the both of them.

They appeared on the ground, and the portal behind them vanished.

“Okay. How’s the ground?”

“Thank God.” He planted his face against the grass and kissed it.

She snorted. “It’s funny to see you like that knowing what you went through. Wanna eat something you’ve never eaten?”

He stared at her, wide-eyed.

She giggled as she flicked a third speck off her finger, and she got up and immediately threw her hands over him and threw him into the portal. She dove after him.

Elsewhere, the two landed on top of a tower. Villa shut his eyes hard, clutching the sides of his head and pulling his knees to his chest. Rosa closed her eyes, yawning. “This is one of my favorite places to sleep, you know that?”

“I didn’t,” he managed to say amid the terror surging through his body.

“Haha!” She poked and tickled him before getting up. “Let’s go in.” She hurried up to the staircase and took two steps at a time in her descent.

He crawled on his belly to the staircase and wormed down the steps. Once he reached the bottom of the tower, he cried tears of relief. At the bottom was a messy bedroom with tables, chairs, and desks.

Standing over him, Rosa took on a posh accent. “Come in, come in! Your goal right now is to relax! This is your time to shine, my friend!”

He groaned, feebly getting up.

“Is this it? The sequence?”

“Well, there’s more to it than that, but what do you think ‘bout the taste tester?”

“Uh… It was certainly not pleasant.”

“Haha! I knew it! You’re just like everyone I knew. You act like some badass at school, but you’re really just a dweeb!”

His eyes fell to slits. “So… what are we doing?”

“Imma sleep. Good night.” She leapt into her bed.

“5 PM?”

“Pretty much night! I sleep any time!” She covered her head with a pillow and pulled up her blanket over herself, curling up.

“Should I…”

“You can sleep on the floor or go walk around outside.” Even with her eyes and face muffled, she made a circle with her finger.

He stared at her before looking between the floor and the door leading to the grassy field outside. He scratched the back of his head. Where am I, right now?

He slowly descended to the ground, settled there, and drew up his knees. He could hear nothing outside. It was just the breathing breezes and whispering leaves. The piercing noises of hell were gone.

I see now. This must be the reason. I was sent here for a reason, and it was to forget everything. To forget the pain, even if just for a moment. He lay his head down, and gradually, his eyelids sagged to a close.

He fell asleep in the tower situated in the middle of nowhere, where, he hoped, Santo’s shadow never fell.

He got up more than eight hours later. It was Monday at 2 AM.

He looked up. Rosa was still sleeping.

“Why did you do this for me, Rosa? Why did you help me?”

She continued breathing comfortably.

“I don’t get it. I really don’t. Is my life a joke to you…” A genuine laugh burst out of him. “What am I even doing?

“Damn, I’m hungry… and thirsty.”

He sat up with his knees tucked, looking between Rosa and the door.

After fifteen minutes, he got up and went outside.

He saw fields of crops, but also what looked like people tending to them.

He went back inside. Should he ask them for food? He guessed he could just keep waiting for Rosa to wake up.

He lay down in silence, nothing in his head, staring at the inside of the gigantic tower. His throat and stomach ached.

Rosa soon got up. “Villa, you’re awake.” She stretched and groaned out of bed.

“Yeah…” His eyes were shut.

“How’re you doing?” she asked.

His eyes flickered beneath his lids. “Do you have anything to eat and drink around here?”

“Oh you should’ve asked.” She pinched her thumb, and from her palm appeared a plate with blueberry cake and a fork. “I was supposed to give this to you.” She did the motion again, and this time got a pouch of water.

She handed both to Villa, who slowly set the plate on the ground and began drinking.

“Like it?”

“Yeah. I was… very thirsty.”

“How about the cake?”

He put down the pouch on his lap and lifted the plate off the ground. He took a bite. “It tastes good. I haven’t eaten something this good in a long time.”

“That’s great.” She patted him on the back. Putting her hands on her waist, she stretched backward.

Villa averted his gaze. “I don’t know who you are… But please… bear with me.”

“I’m Rosa! And you’re coming with me, right? We’re going far. I’m going to show you many things you’ve never seen.”

“Santo has showed me a lot already in our flights.”

“Haha, Santo has barely showed you anything. When you’re always looking from the skies, you never truly see what’s on the ground.”

He took another bite before washing it down with drinking water. “Is that why you walk?”

“Of course! Why else?” She continued stretching her arms and legs, not meeting his gaze, focused.

Watching her stretching, he instinctively placed his hand on his neck and tilted his head from side to side, stretching his neck. “I guess you’re right. Though I kinda forgot what it felt like to walk for that reason.”

“Makes sense. Your life’s been hard, huh?”

“Yeah…” He almost squinted.

“So… wanna come? I’ll show you my favorite bakery. It’s a weird one. So you’ll be in for a ride. You’ll meet some of my friends on the way. I’ll talk to them for hours, so just find a place to sit.”

Villa’s heart stirred. “Yeah… Sure. I want to come.”

Chapter 19

“Where are we going?”

“We don’t have a destination. Just follow me! I’ll bring you everywhere! But yes, we’re going to my favorite bakery and meeting my friends. But they’re not a priority. We can do anything we want!”

Villa stopped. “Doesn’t that feel… I don’t know… a little sad?”

“Yeah, it can get kinda sad. But I know you would love that.”

“I do.” If I could just release myself, that’d change everything.

“Don’t you like walking?” She stomped her feet on the ground and dragged her bare feet along to feel the mud and grass.

“Doesn’t it get slippery?” he said as they climbed a wet, green-covered mountain, slipping and sinking his feet in puddles and mud numerous times.

“You get used to it. In fact, walking barefoot is much easier.”

Villa removed his footwear and carried it along with his mask. “Do you have a way to keep these?”

“No! Just carry it!”

Once they got over to the other side of the mountain, both of them were continuously panting and soaked in sweat.

“Where are we going now?” Villa said.

“Here,” she gasped, pointing at the wagon up ahead.

“Is that some random guy in the middle of nowhere?”

“No? He brings people that come through here.”

“Okay.” They both rode and reached town. After taking a bath and resting for the night, they got up early to resume traveling.

“Man, I really needed that,” Villa said, referring to his sleep.

He craned his neck around as the two trekked along the sloping, winding roads. “Why does this world feel so full and alive?”

Three hours passed, and they entered the city.

Everything rang with a hidden applause, murmuring for his arrival, whispering about his steps, scuffing those cold, tired stones. A nearby door groaned open. Citizens awakened: the Connors, Sipits, Sonters, and Hipis of this world. People with lives of their own shuffled along.

What should I do?

He echoed that thought out loud to Rosa, who saying goodbye to several friends she met on the way and happily stopped to talk to for two hours.

“Nothing,” she answered him.

“I thought your friends were people like you?”

“No. My friends are people like you.”

“But why… Why did Santo turn out that way? Will I turn out the same way?”

“He made his choice. Make yours.”

“But how?”

She smiled and left it at that, her eyes settling on the world around them.

“What’s the next step?” he asked.

He stopped. “Is there?”

“None!” She kept walking.

He continued alongside her.

“But why?”

“You seriously want to limit yourself that much? This world is big.”

“So you’re just telling me to leave behind all my commitments?”

“Do you have?”

“School. Academy. I should be going there now.”

“What else?”

“Nothing…”

“Well. Why don’t you stop going then? Do you really need them?”

“I mean, they need me, and I don’t know what else to do. So in that sense, maybe I do need them.”

“But truly?”

“I don’t know… Maybe I don’t really need to do anything anymore now that everyone I know is gone.”

“But you said you knew people there.”

“In school? Yeah. I do now. Besides that, there’s really nothing. This world is so small…”

“But it isn’t! That’s what I’m saying!”

“But… how?”

“Just forget about everything. Just focus on what you want to do now.”

“I don’t know—”

“You do! You just never really had time to look outside the box to see that you were just stuck there because you didn’t believe there was anything else for you!”

“But there really was nothing else!”

“At first! You did need them. You needed people around you all the time. You needed a way to survive, to keep money and food o the table. But now, do you really need that?”

“I… Yes. But…”

“But?”

“Maybe, you’re right. Maybe, I don’t have to do anything anymore, and I’m just living based on things that are no longer true.”

“Yes! Maybe, that is the case!”

“I don’t know… though. How can I just up and leave? I tried that already, and it didn’t matter—”

“You said you were under Santo! How was that a fresh start?”

“I guess… it wasn’t.”

“Then? What’s your goal now?”

“To be free?”

“Free! Not under Santo’s management, but free!”

“How?”

“You’ll have to find out how, because well, you already have it. We’re already out of Santo’s reach.”

“Really?”

“Yes! Well, I’m here to help you out if you need it. You’re going to need lots of it.”

“What do you mean? Money? Food?”

“No, you need lots of someone telling you just how wrong you were about everything you’ve been believing in for so long. You let yourself become something of others, an extension. You forgot yourself. I saw it in the way you spoke. You wanted to leave, but you believed that there really was nothing left for you, and you said that yourself!”

“Yeah, but… why… why are you…”

“‘Helping you’? Haha! Why would a bird fly?”

Even now, her bare feet snagged passersby’s eyes.

“Why do you walk?”

“Because walking is fun? Why’re you asking me this?”

“It is? I guess I liked walking back on Earth, as in in the streets. But that was when I was younger.”

She kept walking on silently.

“So, where are we going next? Like, specifically?”

“My favorite bakery. It’s a little far from here, but around 4 hours.”

“Yeah, I’ll be late.”

“Why? What time does your class start?”

“9 AM.”

“Yeah, don’t go today. Or tomorrow as well if you want. This journey is gonna take months to finish. Well, I say that, but you can go home any time, and keep coming along with me for as long as you want. Until you’ve found a reason to stop.”

“So I can stay with you forever.”

She giggled. “Oh, stop, you!” she teased, pretending to be scandalized. She intentionally misunderstood.

He stared at her, feigning disgust, bemused.

She burst into a raucous guffaw at his cringing look.

“I wish I could start over.” He gazed at the ground absentmindedly. “Maybe, start over in a whole new world. Or go back to Earth.”

“This world is big enough for that.”

“Then how? How do I start over?”

“I don’t know. It’s something you’ll find out. You’ll be the one to discover when a place you’re in is truly new, because you’ll be carrying yourself the whole way and if it doesn’t hit you, then it won’t hit.”

“So what? I keep looking?”

“Yes, something like that. You either change or find a place so foreign and magical that you truly change along with it.”

“Where? Where should I go?”

“I don’t know.”

“But you must know a place that is truly different! Where people are so different and talk so differently and act so differently that even I get culture-shocked. There’s gotta be a place. A place where everything disappears.”

“There is an infinity of places like that.”

“Then? What’s the hold-up?”

“Well, I’m not sure if I should give you the keys to that change.”

“Why not?”

“If you change like that, you’ll be running away from everything, and when that happens, expect everything to be like you first arrived. And I’m not sure you’re ready for that. You’ll be much seasoned by then, and it will hit you in ways that your experience will only reflect. And I’m not sure you’re gonna be totally pleased about that.”

“I don’t get it. If you know a place, why don’t we go?”

“Listen. If I bring you somewhere that’s truly its own place, can I trust you to talk to me and still feel like you’re not just a reflection of your experiences in your home land?”

“Home land? This isn’t my home land.”

“Okay, place of stay.”

“I don’t know. Maybe I will be different, maybe I won’t. But I know that things won’t be the same, and that should be enough to change everything, even if there are certain things about me that’ll never change.”

“Good answer. I mean, who am I to tell you otherwise?” She flicked a speck off her finger, creating a portal. “Go in.”

“What? Right now?”

“Yes. You want to, right? This is the time. Right now.”

“What happened to sequence of demonstrations?”

“You’ll see.”

“I’ll see? What? What will I see?”

“Go. Just go now. Don’t think too much. Settle close to what you know. Hold onto your beliefs. And never forget, even if you want to.”

“Why? What? What are you saying?”

“Go!”

He crept to the portal. “Bye. Thank you. Rosa.”

He disappeared. The portal closed. The wind susurrated.

She smiled, tears dripping from her chin.

Villa got up after dropping from the portal. “Shit, where am I?”

“Hello?” called one of the four young teenagers in the distance.

He was in the mouth of a cave, and the four were out there in the sun.

“Who is this?” Villa said. “Rosa? Who’s this?”

The four ran off, disappearing between the trees.

“Rosa?” Villa widened his eyes, looking around at the ceiling.

His eyes stopped, growing absent.

A smile crept into his face.

“Am I truly…”

He hastened out into the open. “Maybe…”

He swiveled around, scanning the treetops, forest floor, and cliffside.

While looking, his eyes slowed to a halt and flickered. They still speak English!

“Excuse me!” he called out in the direction of the teenagers. “Where am I!”

A muffled voice went out: “Mishalean Forest.”

Villa took a deep breath, glancing at his empty hands and the height, size, and density of the trees. “Should I worry about… anything?” He compressed his lips. “Monsters?”

“Yes, but you’re safe here.”

Villa made a clutching motion with his right hand. Having my blessed ax would be so great now. I should have prepared, but shit, I would have never known Rosa would come.

He pressed his lower lip in thought. I could very well die right now if I’m not careful. I’m not sure what Rosa had in mind, but if I can trust her with my life, I can trust her with a good spawn.

“Wait. [Status].”

Name: Villa

Level: 17

Class: Warrior

Title: The Unchained - You have been freed from the immediate obligations and psychological chains of your past. You are no longer defined by the groups you served or the master you followed, granting you resistance to mental influence and increased adaptability in new environments.

Attributes:

Strength: 18

Dexterity: 15

Intelligence: 18 (+1)

Wisdom: 22 (+2)

Constitution: 17

Skills:

[Ax: Level 8] - You progressed from a novice woodcutter to a terrifying warrior known as the “Ax-Cutter,” capable of cleaving through entire groups of goblins with frenzied, powerful swings.

[Spike Carving: Level 6] - You moved from simple branch cutting to crafting hundreds of deadly spikes for fortifications, becoming an expert in creating deadly traps.

[Leadership: Level 7] - You were forced into leadership roles, first training an adventurer group for combat and later commanding a school faction. You have since walked away from these responsibilities.

[Intimidation: Level 5] - You developed a fearsome reputation and a brutal methodology, from slaughtering goblins to methodically executing captives.

[Meditation: Level 4] - You have spent countless hours in deep introspection and participated in formal meditation exercises, learning to still your mind even in chaos.

[Spear Proficiency: Level 3] - You have methodically executed multiple captives with a spear, turning it into a grim and efficient tool of your former trade under Santo.

[Iron Resolve: Level 2] - Your acceptance of your brutal reality has been tested and reforged. By choosing to abandon your entire life and follow Rosa into the unknown, you have proven your ability to make monumental, self-defining choices under immense pressure.

[Flight (Magical): Level 2] - You learned to ride and control the magical flying branches provided by Santo, achieving a form of the flight you have long dreamed of.

[Magic Theory: Level 1] - Through diligent study of ‘The Interpretation of Early Magic,’ you have begun to grasp the fundamental principles that govern the use of magic.

[Existential Freedom: Level 1] (New) - By accepting a true fresh start and willingly stepping into the unknown, you have unlocked the ability to act without being completely defined by past trauma or obligations, allowing for clearer decision-making and a resistance to despair.

[Cooking: Level 1]

[Gardening: Level 1]

[Cleaning: Level 1]

One of the teenagers peeked from the bushes, revealing her face. He glanced, scaring her off. His eyes returned to his holographic status. Okay, so we still got that. I need to get an ax quick. We can debate what using an ax again means later. What I need is to keep a level head and make sure I’m not a sitting duck.

But for now, he was safe. He looked in the direction of the teenagers again and kept to mind what they said about this place being a safe zone. All he needed to do was talk. Anything else was contingency reserve, like the ax.

Villa put a hand over his face and looked away. For a moment, he stretched his mouth, then tested out a smile. He rubbed his face and raised his brows several times to stretch the rest of his face. “Ahh, ahh, ahh.” He warmed up, did a few lip trills, and swallowed his saliva to lubricate his throat.

He turned back around. “Hello! Can you guys help me! Which direction!”

“To Cheonshu City?”

“Yes!” Villa said confidently.

“Can you guys leave! I think it would be dangerous if you guys went with just about any stranger! I will go on my own! Just tell me where!”

“North!”

“Thank you!” So that’s to the left of the rising sun.

He pointed for himself where north was, then swiveled his head briefly to the four. “How far?” Wait, I need a way to contact them again.

“Two hours!”

“Thank you! Uh, just in case, I will introduce myself! My name’s Ferret! Ferret Finnessy!”

“I’m Jyun-fenn!”

“I’m Wai-lon!”

“Mai Lyan!”

“Sho-li!”

“Okay!” Villa said. “Thank you! You may go now!” He heard a rush of muffled footsteps slowly growing faint.

He lowered his head, knitting his brows as he tried to pronounce their names under his breath. “Good,” he said to himself.

While heading north, he repeatedly sang their names in one melody to make them easy to remember, doing so until he reached Astral City.

“Excuse me!” he asked a passerby. “Where can I get some paper?”

He pointed to a shop in the distance. “Tung-Yun Shop.” It was past a large gate, where people strolled, chatted, passed, or stood by.

Villa hurried down the road, entered through the gate, and slipped under the awning, standing in front of the shop. After waiting for the only customer to finish and leave, he said, “Excuse me, can I write down something? I just need to remember four names.”

The clerks eyed each other. “Who?”

He said the four names.

They wrote them down on some old crumpled scribbled paper and handed it to him.

He bowed as he accepted it. For free? And don’t they know them? He thanked them and left, striding down the road. Even if he was in the middle of nowhere, he had to walk like he had a place to go.

Because now that he was free, the world was his place to go.

He kept walking, tiring. The thrist, hunger, and heat ate at him.

Staring at his purple and yellow clothes, an older man wearing a simple white tunic and bamboo hat flagged him down. “Where are you from?”

“Far away,” Villa said. “It’s a place you probably don’t know. Entrial City.”

“Are you hungry? You look like you could use some. Maybe, even a cup of water and some shade?”

“Yeah, I could use that.”

“Come. I’ll give you all three.” The older man turned and started away.

“Okay.” Villa panted after him.

When they went inside, the older man prepared his food and water and handed them to him.

“What is your home city like?” he asked after he took several bites and a gulp of water.

Having just looked absentmindedly at the sun-beamed door, Villa turned his head. “Hmm?” He then processed his words. “Oh. It’s cold. Very cold. But also very hot. It gets wet, and when it’s hot, it’s hot.”

“That’s just like here then. What else is it like?”

Villa stopped to think for 30 seconds. “Hmm… It’s not really that crazy. It’s like here as well.”

“Really? Do they wear what you’re wearing as well?”

“No, no, it’s just me.”

“Oh. That’s disappointing. How did you come here?”

“Uh… I came here through a long travel.”

“You know where to go?”

“No. I didn’t. I just travelled and kept walking.”

“That’s crazy. How did you even get here in one piece?”

“I was able to avoid them.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, sorry for all the questions. I don’t really have a lot of people to talk to, so it’s nice to listen to just about anyone not from here.” The man sat down and glanced at him every so often with a warm smile, silently tapping the table.

After Villa finished, he stood up and thanked the older man. “Thank you.” He bowed. “My name is Ferret. Ferret Finnessy.”

The older man deepened his smile and stopped tapping. “If we meet again, I’m Sai-fun.”

Villa went out the door and left.

Okay, what next?

Perhaps, a change of wear? Let’s try… red and green.

But I need reserves. Where can I get some? Perhaps, I should try adventuring. I can prove myself quite easily. Get in, get out. Shotgun style. Apply to any and all quests, quick and easy. Simple as that. No need for hard moral conundrums. Save a few rabbits, off a few skellies, and demand just enough to get off for the night.

Wait, do they even have adventurers!?

He walked around the heart of the city and saw in the middle of so many buildings a giant field of people attacking slimes that spawned out of thin air. These look like adventurers. If so, there must be a guild, right?

He followed one of the groups of people leaving from the field, and they entered a building with large lettering on its walls and awning. Once he tried getting inside, one of the men standing by at the entrance stopped him.

“Where you going?” said the man, looking him up and down. “Ishi-don. Immediate sign, no delay. Just ten minutes.”

Villa kept his face neutral and excused himself as he walked past him, weaving through the crowd inside. “This place must be a guild,” he muttered intentionally in hopes someone would feel like correcting him. He was relying on his success with Jyun-fenn, Wai-lon, Mai Lyan, and Sho-li, the four teenagers who found him; the shop clerks who gave him free paper and wrote the teens’ names for him; and Sai-fun, the older man who fed him and gave him drink while asking risky questions.

Someone in the crowd said, “This is Taishuen Hub actually. No clue where you got ‘guild’ from.” She worked her way to him.

“What’s that?”

“It’s where we organize our expeditions.”

“Expeditions? You travel?”

“Yes. We keep an eye out and keep things clean and neat.”

“How? Why?”

“Why’re you asking me? Go to the information desk.”

Villa slowly nodded. As the person turned around to leave, Villa stopped her. “Uh, what’s your name?”

“Mei-fan.”

“I’m Ferret. Ferret Finnessy.”

“Good day Ferret.”

“Bye, Mei-fan.”

Villa went over to the information desk.

“Who was that?” he heard someone tell Mei-fan in the background.

Mei-fan’s voice carried across the room to Villa: “New person. Dressed weird. Wonder where he’s from? He’s definitely not from Jishikai. You wanna go sign him later?”

‘Jishikai’? If Cheonshu is this city, is that the region? I need travel routes quick. I still know how to get to the cave, 2 hours south from here. Villa then recited his questions to the patient waiting person smiling behind the desk, “Can I join an expedition? How does it work? Why is it done? What are the risks? Are there any rewards for participating? How do you participate?” Their smile cracked. He added one more question based on what he just heard. “How does signing work?”

Even after he kept his voice low, more than several people glanced at him. Though many eyes briefly looked at him since he entered due to his purple and yellow clothes, this time, it was because of something he revealed through speaking.

Feeling the stares on him, he took a deep breath and leaned forward for what the information desk person had to say.

“There are many looking here looking for anyone to join. People come and go any time.

“How the expedition operates depends on who you join and what your task, but in general, expect to head to a location, often a dungeon, immediately with your things, and you will explore and start killing off anything that has clumped up there.

“Expeditions are done to keep things clean. The dungeons are ever-growing and ever-connecting. There is a whole network underground that we cannot just cave in. People have to go down there and clean the monsters ourselves, since they keep popping out everywhere.

“The risks involve injury and death, and be careful about who you’re with.

“The rewards are only those sellables you can bring back up.

“You may participate by joining anyone looking to sign.

“Signing can be instant, or, if the expedition is more serious, professional, corporate, or state-sponsored, complex and slow. It depends on what the expedition encompasses, where it is operating, who are involved, what resources are expected, and what jurisdiction it falls under, among other things. Think forward bases, investors, permits, taxes, regulations, and liabilities.

“But you needn’t worry about that. I assume you’re new, so you can just focus on working your way through beginner tasks, jobs, and areas. Matching challenges to your current level is all-important.”

Villa rubbed his mouth, looking at the wall behind the smiling information person, nodding thoughtfully and appreciatively. After a moment, he turned to her. “Thank you!” he chirped.

Once he went outside, he touched his chest. *This sounds a lot smoother than Estrial’s system, but I can’t get into an expedition until I’m sure I’m good. This time, I’ll prepare. I’ll be overly cautious. It needs to be won before it even starts, else I’ll throw myself in and lose everything and everyone. But I can’t overcorrect either. I have to keep balanced. So for now, I have to check Sai-fun.”

He retraced his steps to the older man’s house and knocked on the door.

“Excuse me… Might I please have a conversation with you? I just went to the Hub.”

Sai-fun smiled, greeting him. “How was it? Was it different from Estral?” He let him in immediately.

“Yes. Extremely.”

“How?”

“It’s a lot smoother, and people are nicer, I think.”

“That’s good. So… why? Why did you come?”

He slowly stood down. “Uhh…” His voice hung in the air. I have to question everyone I know: the shop clerks, Sai-fun, Jyun-fenn, Wai-lon, Mai Lyan, and Sho-li, and Mei-fan. This time, I won’t parasite over one single group like I did with The Animals. This time, I’ll be my own hub. Death has to be news or loss from afar, not the end of everything I know. Increase points of failure. Cultivate them and be there for them and meet them where they’re at. I have to rush to their side, wherever they come from. I have to be town garden.

“Yes?” said Sai-fun.

Villa immediately smiled, looked at him, and opened his mouth to speak.

“Do you know anything about expeditions?”

“No. But I do know people who have gone and one person who goes regularly.”

“Is it okay if I ask? But who are these people? I’m still new, so I would like to prepare myself as much as I can.”

“I feed you, and you come back to ask me questions. You owe me one.” He smiled.

Villa froze. “Is it alright?”

“Yes. I’ll tell you who they are. I’ll even tell you how and when you can meet them.”

Chapter 20

Ferret stood in front of a large blue house. “Is this it?” he thought out loud. I followed the directions on the map, so it should be right. I can just retrace and ask the older man again if need be. Plus, he is still offering to feed and give me drink. I wonder why. What do I have that he wants? Investment? I hope I can trust him, and he’s not leading me to some drug den.

“Hello?” he called.

A face looked out the window. “Yes?”

“I was sent here by Sai-fun. He told me you could help me with understanding expeditions and preparing for them. My name is Ferret Finnessy. I’m new to this city.”

The door opened, and there appeared an older man. He looked him up and down, smiled, and gestured him to enter. “Come in, come in!” he exclaimed. “I’m Yo-Yo.”

Still wearing his purple and yellow, Ferret almost squinted. I have never meet a man this bubbly so far.

He sat down.

Yo-Yo went to the kitchen and brought a pitcher and a cup. After setting the cup down in front of Ferret, he raised the pitcher at him. “Want some water? Or tea?”

“Water.”

“Alright!” Yo-Yo said, pouring water in the cup.

He looked between the stream of water and Yo-Yo’s toothy smile. Water is transparent. Much lower chance of getting poisoned. But I guess being in someone’s house is enough risk. I just hope this neighborhood isn’t in on this. Please ring the bell for my death! he joked. He scanned Yo-Yo’s clothes and the room. He craned his neck behind him and straightened himself to glimpse at the street through the window.

“Here!” Yo-Yo gestured to the cup and took a step back, still standing and looking at him with a smile.

Ferret met his eyes before looking away. He picked up the cup and drank it, swallowing after a moment. “Thank you.” His voice carried across the quiet room, while the soughing wind rustled the leaves outside.

Yo-Yo’s voice cut through the air. “Are you hungry?”

“Oh, no. I already ate at Sai-fun’s.”

“Okay, if you’re A-okay, we can start.” He walked to the kitchen. From there, he padded down a hallway, passed two doors, reached the end, and opened a door leading inside a storage room. “I’m just here getting my things!” Muffled, he rummaged through dusty, cluttered stacks of papers around shelves and the white-tiled floor. The morning breeze breathed through the slatted window in the wall opposite the door. His feet shuffled on the cool floor, pushing against the paper miscellany.

When he returned, he came with a bunch of clean books.

Ferret read some of the titles: A Compendium of Subterranean Fauna and Their Symbiotic Relations, A Treatise on Thaumaturgic Wards, Sigils, and Glyphs of Sealing, Chirurgical Principles for the Field: A Manual for the Treatment of Grievous Wounds by Blade, Claw, and Venom.

Yo-Yo raised a book titled The Natural Historie of the Goblin-Kind, Its Tribal Structures, Warren-Craft, and Petty Animosities.

“This is my favorite.” He lowered it. “I actually keep these on my bedside, but I moved them recently to clean the room. These are classics. But people don’t really read them.”

Ferret plucked his lower lip. Is this place really like this? Do people genuinely work like this?

Yo-Yo raised one of the books. “Wanna take a look? Don’t worry. I’m not crazy about them, but please be careful.” He handed it over.

Ferret slowly accepted it with both hands, then set it down. Before he opened to the first page, he looked at Yo-Yo, who nodded with a pleasant smile.

The book was A Compendium of Subterranean Fauna and Their Symbiotic Relations.

While Yo-Yo got his own tea and sat down, Ferret read several pages.

When Ferret glanced randomly at the sunlight already retreating from the roofs outside, he immediately put the book down. “Ah, I have to go. I have to… secure some lodging. While it’s still early, I should do so since I have nowhere else to sleep tonight. I’m thinking of joining an expedition. Will anything there take only as long as a day and will the payment be enough for a night’s rent?”

“Why don’t you sleep here?” Yo-Yo said.

Ferret shook his head in disbelief. “Yeah, I will sleep in this city. But I’ll go and get funds for it.”

“No, I mean here. In my home.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Sleep here in my home?”

“So you’re asking me to stay here for a little longer? What do you mean sleep?”

“A whole night. You can sleep here and go join an expedition tomorrow. It won’t be enough if you start now. It’s already late afternoon. You’re too late. By the time you’re done, it’ll be morning, and you’ll destroy your sleep schedule by then.”

“Are you asking for something? How much?”

“No, you can stay here. For free. I’m wondering why Sai-fun didn’t suggest it to you earlier. He’d let travelers sleep any time if they told him a good story.”

“Really?”

“He must’ve expected you’d return to him. So… do you want to stay here or not?”

“For the night?”

“Yes.”

“Okay… Are you sure?”

“Yes. Just sleep here on the floor. I’ll get you a mat.”

“Wow, OK. Thank you.”

“Don’t worry. The whole neighborhood knows who you are by now.”

“Everyone?”

“Yes. People know each other around here. We talk all the time. They saw you come in, so expect them to wonder what you’re doing here.”

“Wait, so that’s why you’re fine with me here?”

“It’s one reason, but you seem honest.”

“I didn’t even say anything?”

“Sai-fun suggested you, so I can trust that more than any word you say.”

“What? What if I was lying? What if I knew his name and knew that you knew him?”

“Sai-fun is not just going to give out my name for no reason. He must think there’s something about you that’s at the very least not a threat.”

“But…” I should probably not say.

“Anyway, just accept it. You can ask for more water if you want, but be careful around the books. Actually, I’ll take these back for now. You can read them tomorrow.” He grabbed the books and brought them back to the storage room and then returned with a mat and the book he was reading earlier. “Actually, you can have this. You’re going to be awake for at least several more hours anyway.”

“Anything I can do?”

“No, no. Not right now. Just don’t do anything. But I’m not forcing you to stay here. You can go to Sai-fun if you want.”

“No, this is great. Thank you.” Why?

As evening came, Ferret lay down a little awkwardly. What is happening? I’ve never slept in someone else’s house this way.

He closed his eyes. Hopefully, the feeling of someone standng behind me will go away.

A bright light flashed into existence.

Ferret opened his eyes. The diffused sunlight fell gently into his fluttering eyes. Where am I?

He looked around, registering the velvet seat, the living room table, walls, kitchen, hallway, door, and window. This room…

Slowly sitting up, he fixed his eyes on his hands. My body…

I feel like I got good sleep. No, I feel completely well-rested. He turned to Yo-Yo sitting at the kitchen table with a cup in his hands. Yo-Yo was leaning back with one leg raised and crossed over the other.

“Good morning,” Yo-Yo whispered. His voice carried across the quiet room, from the kitchen to the living room. He smiled and raised his cup.

“Good morning,” Ferret said in a bemused tone, rubbing his mouth. Rubbing his chin next, he darted his eyes to the wooden floor and stared with a vacant look.

He slowly raised his head, eyes flickering. Abruptly rising to his feet, he bowed. “Thank you.” He patted his pocket and felt the paper with the four names through the fabric.

“Leaving so soon? Not interested in a cup of tea or some water? Food at least? You’re going on a trip. You need fuel.”

He halted, eyes still. “I do…”

“Then, please do stay.”

“Okay…” He took a quiet deep breath.

“Great!” Yo-Yo clapped once.

“Since I’ll be staying here to eat, might I please ask about what I should take note of during my first expedition?”

“Well, I think it’s better if we spend the whole day talking about it, since you’re going to have to prepare more than just a few tips. In fact, you should get a job that isn’t going on expeditions. This should help you settle in with the people you’re actually going to be working with—the average folk. Most of the people you’ll be with in expeditions you’re going to have to do more than just rely on; in fact, most of the time, if you really want to get things done, you’ll have to be doing most of the effort. So it’s better for you to spend time in the city and the streets and really get to know people around here. That’s more valuable than just trying to be strong, since there is no guarantee you’ll get strong if you don’t even know what you’re dealing with and what you haven’t really adequately prepared for. You’ll just be winging it the whole time and hoping the gods hand you just enough to survive and more than enough to thrive.”

“You didn’t tell me this yesterday.”

“I didn’t need to. I was waiting for you to be OK with staying to eat. If you can do even that and break bread with me, then I can trust you’re receptive for what you really need to hear. The world isn’t waiting for you. You have to wait for it and take the time to get to know it and truly be there for all of it because if you’re going through the motions, you’ll be overcomitting more than you’ll actually be getting anything done, and, by that time, justifying your own overcommitments that got you even worse off by talking about the level of hard work and effort, when really, you should have just been watching your steps, because more often than not, action isn’t action. Inaction is. How? If time is on your side and you don’t want to risk everything on an aggressive coin toss, then doing nothing wins you everything from a distance.”

“I get it. I do. I agree with everything you say. You’re right. But even if I know and understand and acknowledge all this, that doesn’t mean that I’m not pressured to make decisions contrary to what I would do in a vacuum, when looking at a map, all detached, with no stakes whatever. It gets to you, you know? And you’re just going to have to pray and clutch it, because I can’t sit down for too long.”

“Are you sure? Or are you getting scared of something that looks like an oncoming mountain but is actually just a leaf floating through the wind? Pressure can be fake. Maybe, you actually have a lot of time on your hands.”

“Well, I didn’t have time then.”

“But then isn’t now, and then isn’t then. You may certainly have missed things due to pressure.”

“I know, but you can’t expect me to know everything.”

“I’m not expecting you to know everything. I’m expecting you to slow down just enough to know what exactly it is you’re facing, because if you’re throwing your whole body into the dark, you can’t blame the dark for not knowing when to catch you.”

“I mean, you’re right. But still, my issue has always been not being able to do anything. Trying to make sense of it all only to get stuck and see everything that I am fade. I trusted others, and it all failed. I don’t even know anymore. I’m here because I want to start as someone who maybe can do something, even if just a little bit different, and because I believe I’ve changed. So yes, what you’re saying is true. Very. But… I don’t know. I can’t… know. And if I do get it, if things do get better, how can I say anything at all? For so long, that hasn’t been the case. For so long, I’ve known everything, except for this. So tell me. Tell me this will work. Convince me, assure me, that I’m not stupid for hoping that even if just for a moment, I can really just take my time and really just take a look at the world around me, because I’ve been forced against my will or perhaps against my inability to say no or inability to make sense of it. And maybe, it’s all my fault.”

“But these things you feel. They don’t define the reality of it. I get that you feel this way, and that you felt that way then, and things were that way for you then, but please, take me seriously when I say it doesn’t have to be this way, now at least! You can do better. The things that you feel, the things that happened to you. They’re not you! You’re not you! You’re the person you are now, and whatever reality you’ve been placed in, whatever thing you command, whatever hope and intent you now hold in your hands, these are all a part of you. So please… take me seriously when I say that you can do so much more. There is so much more to do and to prepare for. This world isn’t hurrying up. You are. You’re throwing yourself several steps ahead, and you’re making ten steps at a time. You’re skipping it all! And I’m not saying you did that then. I’m saying that at this rate you’re going, you’re boutta lose your brain cells just trying to catch up with everything you will have committed yourself to uphold and take responsibility of. If you put yourself there now and burden yourself with all that muck, you won’t be able to get yourself out. It’ll all be compensating from there, and you’ll be worse off as an end result. Like, it may feel good to be doing something, but what if you’re doing nothing? What then? Why fight for things that are already lost? Why not fight for things that can still be won? If rushing in and dying just to get a sense of place and control doesn’t help, then why not slow down and think? Focus on what’s available to you right now, and what you have, I believe, is time. You have lots of time, and you have people like me. I’m willing to help you, as Sai-fun is. If you can just recognize that, you’ll do more than just about anybody that just waltzes up in the Hub.”

“So… what can I do?”

“Sit down and talk to me. I’ll help you earn your place here. It’ll be a little boring maybe, but that’s just about everything you need to start.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“I’ll give you some work to do, and you’ll do them Monday to Friday. Don’t worry about anything else. Just listen to me. Anything else you’ll be doing will just be you taking a rest, but for now, trust me. Trust Sai-fun when he told you about me. What you need is to slow down. Go to Sai-fun as well. Maybe he knows others that can help you. The point is that you have to integrate and learn. If you don’t know anything, you won’t do anything with anything. You’ll be having everything done to you before you know it. So please… trust me on this. I am banking everything I have planned for you on that.”

“What do I do?”

“Just sit down. Right now. And eat. Your food is getting cold. Eat it while it’s still warm at least.”

Ferret took another spoonful. The thing is… I agree with everything you said. Those are all what I was planning to do, or hoping to secure. I just didn’t think someone else, especially you, would be the one going above and beyond to make that plan happen. Where I thought I had to build everything from scratch and convince early members and investors, you gave me the full package from the get-go.

“Thank you,” he gasped.

After he finished eating, he looked up to Yo-Yo. “Should I start working now? Or should I go and visit all the other people Sai-fun suggested? Or… do you know anyone that I should visit?”

“Who have you met already?”

“Just you.”

“Well, that gives me a lot of options then. Visit these three people over the next week. Forget about work.”

“Why? I have to be at least paying for your help. Why me?”

“You made a good impression on Sai-fun. If it wasn’t for him, I would have never met you today.”

“But I didn’t do anything. What did Sai-fun see in me?”

“I don’t know. But I trust his judgment. Okay, let’s focus. Visit Yu-ling, An-li, and Xue-wen and tell them, like you did with Sai-fun and me, that I sent you and that Sai-fun sent you to me.”

“Where are they?

An older woman rubbed a strand of her hair against her cheek, staring at the goblins fighting in the arena below.

“Yo?” said one of the guys beside her.

A different man waved and called at her from the aisle to her right, “Someone’s calling you, Yu-ling! It’s Yo-Yo!” The people sitting nearby shot him glares at the noise.

With raised brows, Yu-ling glanced to her left at the man beside her. “Yeah?”

“Yo-Yo’s calling you,” he said.

Resting her chin on the palm of her hand, she removed it and got up lazily and went along the seats, passing the man who called her. She worked her way up the aisle. Once she reached the exit and went outside, Yo-Yo stood there with a smile. He waved and then raised his arms wide for an embrace. She stopped him with an extended hand. “What is it?” She glanced at the man who was just beside Yo-Yo. He was staring at her with a polite smile. “Who’s this?”

“He’s Ferret!” Yo-Yo clapped once. “I recommended you!”

She squinted, walking over to the stall beside her, ordering a drink, and returning to where she stood. “Yeah? So?”

“He wants to be an expeditioner!” Yo-Yo gave a thumbs-up near her face.

She put his thumbs-up away. “So?”

“You can help him, right?”

She sighed. “Yeah? Yeah I can. But what’s in it for me?”

Yo-Yo frowned. “You can help him, right? His voice deepened. The enthusiasm vanished.

She went over to the stall, grabbed her drink, and gulped it whole, letting out a satisfied “Ahh!”

“Make me care.” She shot him a glare.

Yo-Yo stared her down, being taller than her.

She grinned and turned around. “Okay, bye.” She shuffled languidly away.

“Wait!” Ferret strode beside her.

“What? You have something to offer me?” She looked him up and down, eyes lowered to slits.

Ferret grinned nervously. “But I’m willing to do anything!”

“Anything?” She wiped the sweat off her brow with her sleeve, still sipping.

Yo-Yo placed a hand of Ferret’s shoulder. “It’s fine. No, no, thank you anyway, Yu-ling.” He pulled him away back to the street outside of the coliseum.

“I thought you were friends?” Ferret said.

“Well, I guess I’m not really in the position to tell her around anymore,” Yo-Yo said.

“What do you mean?”

“I used to be captain.”

“…you’re serious?”

“Yup.” He slapped his pot belly.

“Is she still?”

“Expeditioning? Yes. But not as much. She just scrapes along the edges.”

“I don’t get it.”

He briefly clasped his shoulder again. “It’s fine. You don’t need to think about it.”

“No, I mean, why her? Why not you? You said you were captain.”

“She’s a trapper.”

“Wait. So she uses spikes?”

“No, she uses magic traps. It’s something she can create.”

“How does that even work?”

“It’s something she got from a rare tome. She depends on it entirely now. She used to think about expanding and growing, but no longer. I guess it was partly my fault the group disbanded.”

“What do you mean?”

“Haha, sorry for not telling you this. But the next person we’ll meet is another member.”

“Of that group?”

“Yes.”

“Wait, you said she’s a trapper, but how does that make her different from you?”

“I’m not really particularly talented. I use swords, I give directions. But I’m not actually that competent.”

“What do you mean?”

“I just have a level head. That’s why I’m captain. She likes to overfocus on keeping all the flanks covered with traps, and sometimes, she does it so much I have to tell her off.”

“Wait, can we stop for a second? Why didn’t you tell me this?”

“I thought she’d say yes if I pressed her honestly.”

“How long has it been? Since you two met?”

“Two years.”

“How are we not mentioning this?”

“Sorry.”

“No, no, I mean, I’m just confused. Sorry for calling you out like that. You gave me so much already. I’m just confused why you were so… excited.”

“Yeah, sorry. I like to make promises, and usually, I keep them. But I guess in this case, I’m just not the same person I was, and Yu-ling has her own life now… I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s fine… But is this next person…”

“Yes, trust me this time. I am 100% sure she’ll say yes.”

“Where is she now?”

An older woman stared in the mirror, rubbing the flecks off her face. A distant knock on her front door jolted her. She continued plucking flecks with her nails. A tattoo of knocks made her slam the desk below the mirror and burst out a huff. “Who’s that?” she said in a low, smoldering voice. More knocks made her slam the wall beside her. With a sigh, she clutched the bathroom door frame and removed her submerged feet from the flooded sunken bathroom floor, climbing to the raised floor of the next room.

Upon entering it completely, she alternated between her feet and shook the water off them. She shuffled from the room, across the hall, and through the foyer to the front door. She opened it.

A familiar face, now plump, stared back at her. “Hi An-li! How’re you doing?” He eyed her flecks.

She covered her eyes at the diffused sunlight on the road outside of the portico. “Yes?” she said in a smooth, polite voice.

“An-li! I want to invite you out for dinner! Do you want to come eat with us!”

“Yo-Yo… It’s you.”

“Yes! Yo-Yo at your service!”

She turned to the man beside him. “Who’s this?”

“He’s Ferret! A new recruit!”

“A ‘recruit’? What are you doing nowadays?”

“Well…” He rubbed his brow. “Working with people like Ferret to create new opportunities and develop new talent!”

“What are you talking about? It’s been two years. When did this thing happen, start?”

“Just today! We’re actually thinking”—Yo-Yo eyed Ferret—”of having you on board with us.”

“I’m old.”

“Well, we’re all growing wiser with time, but what I mean is that you can teach”—he gestured to Ferret—”this young man about what expeditioning is like!”

“Sure. What time?” She suppressed her habitual sigh.

“Well, right now o’clock! Wanna come along?”

“I’m…”

“You’re prepared! Come on! I’ll fill you up!”

She chuckled, touching her brow. “Phrasing.” She stopped herself from reaching for her flecks.

“Oh! My bad! Ferret! This is An-li!”

“Hi An-li!” Ferret said, with a bow and a smile.

This young man… She raised a brow. “How old are you?” she said softly.

“33 years old,” Ferret said, compressing his lips.

She burst into an embarassed laugh, nodding to herself. “Okay, okay, I see.”

Ferret’s eyes stopped and darted to Yo-Yo for answers.

Yo-Yo smiled awkwardly, lifting his brows several times.

When they reached an eatery, the woman stood with her shoulder bag while the two settled down immediately, shifting in their seats as they ordered their meals. She moved aside at the “excuse me” of several people behind her, watching the two from a meter away. She shifted back further next to the grasses behind her as people passed along the road.

Yo-Yo randomly looked around, saw her, and gestured her to come sit, entreating the person beside him with pressed palms to make room for a friend.

She, after a breath, took a step across the road and stood beside Ferret, who sat at the end of the row of seats. Sitting to the left of Ferret, Yo-Yo beckoned her to sit beside him. She went over and, after a pause, removed her shoulder bag and set it down on the counter before raising the sides of her skirt and gently setting herself down on the stool. Grabbing the bag and placing it on her lap, she shook at Yo-Yo’s single clap. He was laughing while listening to one of Ferret’s stories.

“So…” she heard Yo-Yo’s voice at her ear. She took a moment to turn to him with her brows raised.

“Yes?” she said, pointing at herself, her head leaning forward.

“How are you?”

Noticing Ferret peek from behind Yo-Yo, she locked eyed with him and then averted her gaze before opening her mouth long. “I’m fine,” she blurted, smiling abruptly.

Yo-Yo smiled warmly at her. “Ah-li!” He raised his arms.

She raised her hand to stop him.

Yo-Yo’s smile cracked, then returned, lowering his arms. “How are you?” he said with a more serious voice.

She opened her mouth, then closed it. “I’m… okay?” She glanced away.

Ferret put his hand on Yo-Yo’s shoulders.

Yo-Yo looked at him from the corner of his eye and imperceptibly nodded.

Ferret’s voice interjected, “Hi An-li. I was wondering… Do you still like expeditioning?”

An-li’s face froze. Her eyes flickered before the life in them gradually returned. “I am fine with it. I think it’s great.”

Yo-Yo’s growing smile dropped. “An-li?”

An-li’s eyes flitted over to him. “Yes?”

“Wanna eat something?”

She looked at her side of the counter, seeing only the bag and its straps below her, which she was grasping with both hands. “Sure,” she chirped.

“What do you like?” He moved his plate over to her. “This is menudo, my favorite.”

Ferret gave a thumbs-up on the side with a nod.

She smiled softly at him before turning to Yo-Yo. “Sure, I’ll get that.”

Yo-Yo briskly raised his hand and ordered it.

“I want you to join us,” he then said firmly.

Ferret looked away, observing the passersby, the lights in the distance, and the purples, blues, oranges, and reds of the setting sky. He breathed gently with a serene look in his tear-glimmering eyes.

An-li stared at Ferret’s side of the sky. “Okay.” Her voice was full of wonder and awe.

Yo-Yo followed her gaze.

All three’s eyes met the sky. “Let’s go, one more time.” Yo-Yo’s voice was resolute.

“Xue-wen?” said a voice.

Xue-wen lay on the ground, seeing her former teammate.

“What are you doing there?” Yo-Yo said. “They said I’d find you here?”

“Oh, yeah, I did it again,” Xue-wen said. “I went out without my boots. But I was free.”

Her feet were scorched.

He offered her a potion, but she pushed it away and took out a potion of her own, drinking it.

Her feet healed back over fifteen seconds.

“So? What are you doing here?” she said.

“I want to invite you to a whole new thing we’re doing,” Yo-Yo said.

“Who’s he?” She eyed the man behind Yo-Yo, ignoring An-li, who was standing way at the back.

“Ferret is a new friend of mine. An-li agreed to help him start off expeditioning for the first time, and we were wondering…”

“If I want to join him?”

“No, no, you don’t have to. We just want you to teach him a few things.”

“Well, I’d rather join and get out there. It’d be nice. I’ll just run in and run out.”

“Wait, are you sure?”

She smirked with knowing eyes.

“Okay then. Ferret, if I am to believe her words right now, you have a partner.”

Ferret clapped once. Yo-yo burst into a guffaw at him learning his gesture.

Xue-wen squinted at Yo-Yo. “On one condition, you can’t be there.”

“I won’t!” he said with a bright smile. “I’ll also be teaching him.”

She looked between An-li and Yo-Yo. “So both of you are going to be teaching him.”

“Yup,” both of them said. The two looked at each other in surprise at the sync.

Xue-wen locked eyes with Ferret. “So, who are you again?”

“Ferret Finnessy.”

She watched him bow. “So you’re… What are you?”

“A new expeditioner and your new partner as I just heard.”

“Yes, you are. Are you ready?”

“No. That’s why I need your teaching.” He gave her a small smile.

She smirked affectionately.

“Yu-ling… An-li and Xue-wen are with us…” In the evening, Yo-Yo visited Yu-ling again, alone this time, while Xue-wen, Ferret, and An-li talked back at his home.

“So?” she said.

“I thought—”

“What did you think? Did I not tell you? Just give me something worth joining you for, or nothing.”

“Sorry.”

“No, I’m not angry at you. This is not about me being mad. This is about you not giving me a good reason to join you. I need results. If you can’t give that, what’s the point? Give me something, then I’ll work with you. If we’re just acting based on emotion, what’s the point? I’m tired of all that. Dreams and hopes are great and all, but let’s be real here…”

“Okay. I understand. I’ll come back when I have something to give you.”

“Give me good news. It doesn’t have to be money. Just a sign of life.”

“Okay, thank you, Yu-ling.”

Chapter 21

On the living room chair, Ferret stared at the three. Yo-Yo was sitting at the kitchen table, holding a book, with a tea beside him. An-li was standing at the door, observing the world outside. Xue-wen was lying down on the floor with one leg crossed over the other and arms behind her head, her thoughtful eyes fixed on the ceiling. Ferret himself was sitting with his legs wide apart, one pointing forward and the other extended out to the right, with one arm lying across the table and the other grasping the edge of his seat. His eyes alternated between staring into space and wandering around the room. He turned his head to Yo-Yo for a moment, then to An-li, and then to Xue-wen. Is this how the past ends?

The next day, Ferret got off his bed. “I hope I’m not lying when I say this is the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

Because whatever’s coming from now on, it’s probably gonna sting.

A lot.

Xue-wen stood behind him. “Let’s go.” Yo-Yo opened the door. An-li stood outside, waiting for them.

Ferret nodded and passed Yo-Yo, joining An-li. Yo-Yo and Xue-wen nodded at each other and advanced together to complete the four-member group.

“Where are we going next?” An-li said.

“I don’t know,” Ferret said.

“What do you mean?” Yo-Yo said. “We’re heading to the Hub to see what they got.”

“Are we not going to discuss and do some teaching first?” Ferret said.

“Nah!” Xue-wen said. “Let’s check out the Hub.”

“Who’s going to be there?” An-li said.

By the time they entered the road, Yo-Yo smiled. “While I may not be a captain, I know how to get people going.”

A group of sixteen young people stared back at him.

“Who are they?” Ferret interjected, while Xue-wen and An-li glanced between the group and Yo-Yo.

Yo-Yo gestured widely. “They’re the sons and daughters of friends of mine. I’m bringing them on a field trip of sorts. We have four parents here to manage them.” He pointed to the four standing behind the group.

Ferret rubbed his mouth. “Wait, you didn’t say anything about this?”

“Oh sorry. Well, they’re here now. They won’t be a bother. They’ll help you get used to people around here too, so it’s great!”

As the enlarged group went to the Hub, more and more people pointed at Yo-Yo and waved with a smile. He would respond by telling them that he was bringing the kids to a field trip to the Hub, and, if they recognized the three women, tell them they were just helping with it.

“How many people know you around here?” Ferret said. It was even more now compared to when he and Yo-Yo were out inviting the three women.

“Not that many. I just have a few friends who live close by.”

When they reached the Hub, the group stood in file on the side of the road outside, while Yo-Yo went inside to talk to the people inside about what he applied for 7 months prior. People glanced and stared at the group, since most of the groups that passed wore armor and were at least 10 years older. Instead of Yo-Yo, a clerk went out and led everyone inside.

Inside, Yo-Yo and another clerk were already unstacking seats and placing them down in columns and rows for the group to sit. “Hello everyone!” he said. Nearby, expedition groups were still gathering and coming in and out, but there was a small space for the group. This was typical, since free workshops regularly took place here.

Ferret looked up and around the hall. Above the counter space, the mezzanine ran along the far wall, where seriously dressed people stood, holding papers and talking.

When he and the group finally settled down, Ferret leaned back, put his arm around the backrest, and craned his neck behind him, crossing one leg over the other. “What are we doing?” he said, looking Yo-Yo in the eyes.

Yo-Yo raised a hand and started toward the front of the group. “Hello everyone! Today I’m going to show you what a non-expeditioner looks like and what former expeditioners look like! Ferret, Xue-wen, and An-li!” The three glanced between themselves and gestured to themselves in surprise and confusion, slowly standing up. “Come on!” Yo-Yo exclaimed. The three crept over to the front. “Today, they’re going to be telling us today of what it’s like. Ferret, being a non-expeditioner, what was it like seeing the Hub for the first time?”

Ferret stared between him, the expeditioners watching, and Xue-wen and An-li. “Uh, I’d say it looks smooth and streamlined! Seeing all kinds of people coming in and organizing expeditions was a culture shock to say the least. And yeah.” He nodded at Yo-Yo.

“Okay, thank you Ferret! Xue-Wen and An-li, being former expeditioners, what was it like being expeditioners?”

“Well,” Xue-wen said. “I remember burning my feet up every time trying to outrun death. But that was the only time that I truly felt alive—”

“Wow, thank you Xue-wen!” Yo-Yo’s interjection made Xue-wen pause. “Expeditioning really can be dangerous! How about you, An-li!”

An-li smiled before unsmiling. “Yeah. It was very, very hard. I had to keep track of where Yu-ling was going most of the time since I never knew if she placed a trap somewhere that I might step in! So it’s all about teamwork!” She raised her hand shortly.

“Wow!” Yo-Yo took a moment to answer. “An-li’s right! Working with teammates in difficult and scary environments requires communication! Thank you, Ferret, Xue-wen, and An-li!”

He gestured them away from the front.

The three sat back down again, this time sitting together at the back since the young people took their seats.

After the field trip finished and Yo-Yo helped the young people go back home, Yo-Yo approached the three. “How are you guys?”

Ferret shrugged. “I thought we were…”

“How was it?”

“Well, it was different.”

“You, An-li?”

“I thought it was nice seeing the kids happy,” An-li said.

“How about you, Xue-wen?” Yo-Yo said.

“Well, I would’ve told them my whole story if you wanted,” Xue-wen said.

“Well, they’re still kids,” Yo-Yo said. “But yeah, it’d be nice to give them real stories. For now though, what we gave them is a sneakpeak, and that’s okay. We just need to keep them aware and knowledgeable about these kinds of things or else they’ll end up joining out of curiosity or peer pressure and getting exploited. The point is that they’re given more chances not to take that route.”

“How about…” Ferret said.

“Us?” Yo-Yo said. “Yes, don’t worry. But let’s eat first.”

After they ate, Yo-Yo fiddled with an orb, looking left and right. “So, here’s what I have planned. You’ll be joining the Goblin Tournament.”

“What?” Xue-wen said.

“Yes, yes, I know,” Yo-Yo said. “It’s a weird move, but think about it. You’ll be able to solidify us as a group. We have to work together, and what better place than somewhere where people don’t die? Plus…”

“Plus?” Ferret said.

“Yu-ling will be watching,” Yo-Yo said.

“Seriously?”

“Yup.”

“When is this?”

The next day, in the chilly early morning, Yo-Yo stood in front of the gate of the coliseum. Behind him the three stood, shivering a little. “Tell them it’s The Twilight Brigade who’ll be competing later today.”

After checking with the people behind himself, the guard let them in through the wicket.

“Okay guys, how are you feeling?” Yo-Yo turned to the three, rubbing his crossed arms.

“Isn’t it too early?” Ferret said.

“Well, we’re gonna have to be early if we’re going to dodge the people watching.”

“How about Yu-ling? Can we confirm that she’s coming?”

“Well, let’s hope.”

“Did you not tell her?”

“I did. But there’s no guarantee. So let’s hope our showing here works.”

“We haven’t even exercised or done anything. We’re lacking in practice. I mean, I’m joining? You don’t even know me. How can I just join?”

Yo-Yo laughed. “What do you mean? Ferret… Can you not see yourself? The way you move? Carry yourself? You’re clearly trained.”

Ferret froze, looked away, gulped, and cleared his throat. “Well, what are we going to do?”

“Grab a weapon and try to beat your opponent,” Yo-Yo said. “Don’t worry. They have a shield coating their bodies, so as long as you bring it down to a certain threshold, they’re out. Same goes for us.”

“‘Us’?” Xue-wen squinted.

Yo-Yo smiled. “You guys. I’m not included. I applied for the three vs. three. I actually applied on the day I met Ferret.”

“Wait you were banking on me joining?” Ferret said.

“And me?” Xue-wen said.

An-li gestured to herself too.

“What can I say?” Yo-Yo clapped once. “With these kinds of things, you have to schedule in advance.” He pumped his fists as the four entered the arena.

Many other groups were waiting.

“Are we early?” Xue-wen said.

“Yes, very,” Yo-Yo said. “But these guys are extremely early. They’re already practicing.”

“Wait, we’re going to practice here?” Ferret said.

“Yes!” Yo-Yo swiveled his head at him, still walking toward the groups.

“With them?”

After Yo-Yo turned his head back to the front, he squinted, then froze. “Well, we can ask. I know a face.”

“Who?” Ferret said.

“Yu-ling.”

Standing in groups, the rest of the competitors were doing stretches, running around, or practicing attacks. Among them was Yu-ling.

“So you’ve come,” she said.

Running up to her, Yo-Yo gasped, panting, “Are you joining us?”

“Yes. I want to see how you perform.”

“‘See’?”

“I’ll be joining you later, but for now, I’m with my group.”

“Who?”

Behind her, several guys she watched the tournaments here with appeared. “These guys,” she said. “They’re friends of mine. We like to discuss the games.”

“Oh!” Yo-Yo said.

“Hello!” her friends said, smiling and waving.

Coming right up behind Yo-Yo, Ferret looked at Xue-wen and An-li for answers, but they both shrugged or looked their confusion.

Yu-ling looked Ferret in the eyes. “He’s here, too?”

“Yeah, I told you, didn’t I? I’m bringing everyone back together.”

“But why him?”

“I trust him!”

“How about the other two? How did you drag them into this?”

“I—” Yo-Yo said.

Xue-wen took a step forward, interrupting Yo-Yo. “So we’re competing with you, huh? What are you gonna do? Run around and plant traps again and expect us to step on them?”

“No.” Yu-ling grinned. “I’m shifting my gears too.”

Xue-wen opened her mouth, then closed it. Yo-Yo widened his eyes briefly. Ferret stood beside An-li, who already had her head turned aside.

“Well, in the end,” Yu-ling continued, “I just want to see how you do. All of us. Especially the new guy.”

“Ferret,” Yo-Yo corrected.

“Yeah, Ferret.”

“Well, see ya!”

Yo-Yo strode to the distance, and the three followed. “Okay, let’s practice here.”

“Wait, why here?” Ferret said. “Are we not just showing how we move and fight?”

“Well, you gotta get used to the feel and texture of the arena floor, right?”

“Yeah, but I feel like we’re revealing too much, aren’t we?”

“I’m telling you, what’s more important than information is actually knowing how the environment feels.”

“You can have both,” said a voice behind them. “Xue-wen. I was wondering when you’d come.” She stood and strode firmly in a red robe, green bodice, and patterned skirt, holding a magical staff with a claw holding an orb.

Xue-wen shook her hand. “I just wanted to try out with Yo-Yo again.”

Yo-Yo knitted his brows. Ferret widened his eyes, looking at An-li for answers. An-li shook her head.

The woman looked at the others. “Hi,” she said with a portly voice. “I’m Qiao-ming. What I meant by both is that I can help you. [Cover].” Her spell created an uncollidable wall that blocked the rest of the competitors’ view of the four. She didn’t whirl her staff, and it didn’t glow.

Xue-wen nodded and pressed her palms together. “Thank you.” The other three echoed her gesture.

“Is this a one-time thing? Or are you coming again next year? If you guys win enough times, you’ll qualify for higher levels of play.”

Xue-wen looked at Yo-Yo.

Yo-Yo rubbed the back of his head and then his neck. “Sure. But no promises. Yu-ling’s our priority. No need to rush it.”

Xue-wen looked back at Qiao-ming, who nodded and said “alright” before leaving.

“How long does this last?” Yo-Yo asked Xue-wen Ferret’s question.

Xue-wen shrugged. “Should be 5 minutes only.”

“Well, let’s get moving then!”

“What’s the…” Ferret asked Yo-Yo.

Xue-wen started stretching.

“Should I stretch too?” Ferret asked.

Yo-Yo held his chin. “Do you stretch often?”

“No, not really.”

“Then don’t. If you’re not used to it, you’ll be terribly exhausted by the time the tournament starts. So just focus on keeping your energy and motivation up.”

An-li stared into space. “How about An-li?” Ferret said, drawing her head turn.

“She uses the spear,” Yo-Yo said. “Have you been practicing still?”

An-li shook her head. Yo-Yo nodded. “Well, looks like Xue-wen will be your lead today.”

“Wait.” Ferret looked between the arena exit and his own status that was invisible to everyone else but him. “Can I have an ax?”

“…An ax?” Yo-Yo said. Xue-wen and An-li turned their heads.

Ferret nodded hesitantly. “Ax is… something I have… some practice on.”

Yo-Yo charged him, getting right in his face. “How big?”

Ferret gestured to show the kind of size he was used to.

Yo-Yo broke into a sprint, left the coliseum, and soon came back with an ax. “How’s this?”

Ferret grabbed the ax. “This is fine.” He swung it several times. “Great. This is what I’m used to.”

An-li took a step back. Yo-Yo raised his chin and crossed his arms, with a smirk. Xue-wen stared at Ferret, eyes slightly wide.

Yo-Yo’s sprint drew the looks of the other competitors, including Yu-ling and Qiao-ming. But the cover Qiao-ming made hid who got the ax.

Chapter 22

Averting her gaze from Yo-Yo’s group, Yu-ling sighed. “Okay, guys, whatever that was. Doesn’t matter. Let’s focus on keeping my traps mobile. Carry them! And make sure they aren’t triggered. Just keep moving them. We already rehearsed for this. I know that this takes a lot of energy to sustain, but the more traps I make, the harder it is for them to move closer. Protect the traps and use them against them. We have to fill the whole arena. This is our best bet. We win with time, but the early moments will be tough. Focus on protecting me and avoiding fire and confrontation. I will keep making traps.”

Her team spent their entire preparation just doing stretches.

The teams soon left the arena, and the spectators filled the seats. She stared in silence, as the announcer screamed team names.

By the time the first two teams entered the arena, she sighed and sat down with the rest of the competitors in one side of the coliseum.

While gulping from a pouch of water, she darted her eyes around, glancing at a number of competitors sitting around her.

She set her drink down, her eyes settling on the faces in the arena. Her brows furrowed. She got up abruptly, surprising the person sitting beside her.

In the arena, Yo-Yo’s group stood around, and it was Ferret who was holding the ax. She sat back down as more and more eyes fell on her.

She sighed through her nose, rubbing her hands together.

Standing in front of Xue-wen and An-li, Ferret swung the ax like a propeller. He abruptly slammed down, jolting his three opponents. They maintained their formation but kept away. An-li strode forward alongside Xue-wen. Barefooted, Xue-wen burst from An-li’s right side and sprinted along the left side of their three opponents, flashing close. An-li dashed forward at the same time that Xue-wen raised her short spear. An-li thrust several times with her duelist’s spear and clanked into gambesons, with whistling recoveries. She backed off and panted while Xue-wen blocked the attacks with her shield, quickly glowing red as a scramble of blades snagged on her. Ferret appeared from behind An-li’s left side and cut down the opponents from behind. The three opponents fell apart and collapsed, too strung along and overinvested. Ferret came for the cleanup. He beat them repeatedly. From behind, An-li covered him from his right side. The two weaved in attacks one after another. He slammed indiscriminately. She speared off blades jerked at him. Reds rippled across the surfaces of their opponents’ magic shield coatings.

The spectators stood and rung with applause.

Yu-ling rubbed her forehead as those in her row stood up and clapped.

Ferret laughed. “That went a lot better than I thought.”

An-li held her spear point-up butt-down with a smile.

Xue-wen gave a thumbs-up, pacing back and forth. “That was a good one. Why don’t we try a different strategy next time? I have an idea. We can try using Ferret immediately and then I go around them this time. Ferret can take it and just keep swinging, completely preventing them from moving. An-li can just go around the side and just spear opportunistically.”

“Yeah,” Ferret said. “but that’s only if the enemy is that incapable of mustering enough strength to take me down. If they focus me down, I’ll just die.”

Yo-Yo clapped, coming from around the corner. “Good job guys. I didn’t think you guys had it in you.”

Xue-wen furrowed her brows. “What do you mean? That was perfect.”

“I was kidding.” Yo-Yo scratched his head. “But seriously, what was that? I know we talked about it before, but I didn’t you guys would actually pull it off so seamlessly. That was good.”

“‘Perfect,’” Ferret corrected him, echoing Xue-wen’s assessment and getting a nod from her.

An-li nodded. “It might be the first time we actually can clean them up quickly. Yo-Yo really couldn’t do that, so we had to be a lot more elusive and rely on Yu-ling’s traps to pick off monsters one by one, then the rest of us just soaked the monsters’ rush while sprinting around.”

“So? Is this good enough for Yu-ling?” Ferret clapped once, getting a look from the two women. Yo-Yo just looked past them and smirked on the side.

“I’m thinking she’s probably thinking of how she’ll match us,” Yo-Yo said.

“So, when’s our next match?” An-li took a step forward to ask, getting a curious look from Xue-wen.

Yo-Yo opened his mouth. “Tomorrow,” Xue-wen said, speaking his words before him. Yo-Yo smiled warmly.

Ferret looked at the staff already gesturing and telling them to leave the player’s tunnel. “Should we head home first? I know we should probably watch to gauge their skills, but I don’t want to be tired tomorrow.”

Yo-Yo started down the tunnel. “You guys can go. I’ll just tell you what it was about.” The other three followed him, parted ways with him, and left through the coliseum gate. He sat down with the competitors, identifying himself as the coach of The Twilight Brigade.

The next day, Ferret smiled.

“How was it?” He stood beside Yo-Yo in the coliseum seats with the rest of the competitors.

Yo-Yo laughed. “I got to see a lot. But I suggest you don’t change anything. Even if they know what’s coming, they’ll be too slow to stop it.”

“But doesn’t our strategy rely on them focusing on Xue-wen?”

“Even so, if they ignore her, she’s not egg thrown against a rock. Watch. She’ll do more than you think.”

“But I don’t use shields. Who’s gonna soak up the damage?”

“You don’t need to. Xue-wen doesn’t need to get caught, An-li can stay behind you, and you can keep them on you.”

“Are you sure?”

“Trust me. They’re not fast or strong enough.”

“Well, then, who are we fighting next?”

“The Immovable Three Heroes.”

In the player’s tunnel, Sun-chen, Li-hua, and Yin-fao stood, waiting for the signal.

Sun-chen stared. “So they’re our enemy?”

“Yup,” Li-hua said.

“They’re the ones that won fast.”

“Yup.”

“What we gonna do?”

“Dunno.”

“We lose?”

“Yup.”

“Why?”

“Dunno.”

“We go anyway?”

“Yup.”

A horn resounded throughout the coliseum.

Sun-chen stepped into the arena, holding a sword and buckler. “You know, I used to think those sticks were the coolest things in the world. But now, I guess that doesn’t matter.”

Li-hua grinned. “Let’s play!” She thrust a halberd.

Their third member, Yin-fao, held a flail and heater shield, smoldering silently.

Their three opponents appeared on the other side of the arena.

Xue-wen ran. Ferret’s voice carried across the arena. “Wait! Come back.”

She stopped midway and ran back.

Sun-chen gave a breathy chortle. Li-hua relaxed her grip. Yin-fao dangled his flail, its chain clinking in the air.

Ferret looked in the direction of Yo-Yo, who was already standing looking bewildered. He turned to the two women. He lowered his voice to a whisper. “Go in together, three angles, mismatch them. I catch the flail guy.” He pointed at An-li. “You the sword-shield.” He pointed at Xue-wen. “And you the halberdier.” He turned to their opponents. “Xue-wen, you run first and keep far from the flail. An-li stay away from the halberd. And I’ll avoid the sword-shield and halberd.”

The opponents started moving.

Ferret burst into a sprint. Xue-wen went past him. An-li hurried behind the two.

They collapsed on them and destroyed them instantly. Thinking they were going to all-in at the front, their opponents grouped up and prepared to catch it. But the last-minute fan-out caught them off guard. They tried to turn, but the mismatch was already there. What followed was their demise as a team, a pile of glowing reds.

Xue-wen stared in silence. An-li covered her mouth. Ferret sighed. “They countered us all,” he said.

Later, in the player’s tunnel, while Yo-Yo listened on the side, Ferret looked at Xue-wen first. “If we didn’t switch tactics, you would have gotten caught there by the flail and beaten, since it goes over the shield. The halberdier would have caught An-li with her longer reach. And I would be forced to join in, but the sword-shield guy and the flail would have killed me with you down and An-li contained and blocked from joining. Then they would converge on you both with force, matching easily with our momentum shattered.”

“How did you figure this out so quickly?” Yo-Yo asked the two women’s question.

Ferret laughed. “I have fought opportunistic opponents, but I overwhelmed them every time with sheer force, at first. Slowly, I understood the rock-paper-scissors of weaponry, and then my fights ended much faster.”

The two women looked at each other. “What do we do next?”

Ferret’s grin dropped. “We can draw out their corner and then kill them 3v1.”

When the four sat down to watch the next fight, Yo-Yo smiled. “I saw Yu-ling’s team.”

“What did she do?” An-li said. The four kept their voices low.

“Same thing. She said she’d change things, but the only thing she did was double down on the traps.”

“I’m not surprised. It’s her gifting.”

“But still, if she’s gonna join us, she’ll have to do more than just wait it out with traps.”

“Traps are always useful,” Ferret said, looking forward. “Spikes, things like that. We’ll need them if we’re playing passive or setting up camp or whatever. Monsters don’t discriminate. They will run into those stakes.”

“You think she’s already convinced?” Xue-wen said, rubbing the side of her head, glancing at Ferret every so often, still sweating from the fight.

“Yu-ling? She might not like the strategy, but no doubt she thinks we’re too good for her.”

“How did she do?” Ferret asked, drawing a curious side-eye from Xue-wen.

“She was slow. Just overwhelmed them with traps. Moving ones. Her two teammates just placed them around and adjusted them depending on where the enemy was.”

“That sounds… long,” Ferret reacted in place of Xue-wen, who looked away.

Yo-Yo shrugged. “If it works, it works. That’s what you said right?”

“Something like that.”

An-li was listening quietly the whole time, looking at the fight but barely paying attention. Xue-wen’s movements on the side drew her attention.

Xue-wen compressed her lips. “Can I just say? What the fuck was that?”

Ferret raised his brows. “What do you mean?”

“Like, I get that we won, but when did you get so…”

“I don’t understand.”

“You’re really good at this. But at the same time, are we just gonna win like that? Is that how this works?”

“I mean, what better to do but win, no?”

“It’s just… new to me. I’m not used to it.”

Yo-Yo stood up and approached Yu-ling, who was sitting far back at the top. “Can I sit here?”

Yu-ling held her breath, then exhaled. “Yeah, why?”

“Did you see us?”

“I did. Why?”

“Just wondering.”

“What?”

“If you’re interested.”

“What do you mean?”

“Come on, Yu-ling. You know what I mean.”

She sighed. “Yeah, sure, I’ll join. But I don’t know if I can adjust to your style of play.”

“That’s fine. Ferret…”

“Ferret?”

“He’ll know how to make adjustments to include you.”

“Yeah, I saw. What was that? Did you plan that?”

“No, he did that on the fly.”

“Really?”

“Uh-huh. Crazy, right? I don’t even know what I’m doing here.” He chuckled.

“But what are you doing here?”

“Asking you.”

“Yeah, I said I’d join. Now…” She gestured him to leave.

He smiled, turned around, and returned to the other three. “I spoke with her,” he whispered. “She’s gonna join.”

“Us?” Xue-wen said, matching Ferret’s smiling eyes. “The group?”

“After the tournament of course, but she said she’d join. Those were her words.”

“Okay. What do we do?” She slowly turned to Ferret.

Ferret held his mouth open for a moment. “I have to know what her abilities are.” He gestured at Yo-Yo. “You’ve seen them, but I haven’t.”

Yo-Yo chortled. “She can demonstrate. She’ll be fighting two fights after this.”

“Okay then!”

An-li sighed in relief on the side.

Li-hua approached them while they were seated, the first competitor after Qiao-ming to do so. “Congratulations on your win, Twilight Brigade.” Still processing what Ferret did today, Xue-wen tensed at their opponent’s appearance. Catching her reaction in her peripheral vision, she turned her head to her. Their eyes met. She smiled gently and averted her gaze immediately. “Now, if you’ll excuse me… would a friendly conversation between The Twilight Brigade and The Not-So-Immovable Three Heroes be appropriate?” She raised her palms subtly. “We’re open to whatever time and place is convenient for you.” The rest of Yo-Yo’s group looked at Ferret. Li-hua followed.

Ferret rubbed his face, compressed his lips, and looked aside. “Okay, sure.”

Li-hua’s posture relaxed. She nodded, turned, and left.

“Wait?” he asked. “Are you not going to ask what time and place?”

“We’ll still be here. We’re not yet eliminated.”

“Oh right…”

“But if you’ve already thought about it, just tell me now or go to where we’re sitting.” She pointed down at the front. “We’re sitting right there.” Staring, Sun-chen and Yin-fao slowly waved their hands above their heads.

Ferret averted his gaze and looked back at the current fight.

Li-hua tilted her head. “Are… you going to tell me now?”

He looked back. “Oh, right. no, no. Let me discuss it with my teammates. Thank you.” He bowed his head.

She nodded and went back to her seat.

“What do we do?” Ferret whispered, casting a furtive glance in Yo-Yo’s direction.

Yo-Yo shrugged. “You tell me. I don’t know much about fighting.”

“I mean the meeting with the group. The Immovables.”

“Oh, well, we meet them. I don’t see an issue. Just talk to her.”

“Me? As in the group, right?”

“Yeah. We can go, but it doesn’t have to be everyone. I can go if you want, but she’ll probably ask about you and how you did that.”

‘Yeah, but I don’t want to make these unilateral decisions. I have to maintain some sense of decorum, you know. I’m trying not to impose anything. I’m just here… for the ride.” He raised his palms sheepishly. “You know?”

Xue-wen and An-li reacted to the fight happening below in the arena. “Wow.”

“That was quick.”

Ferret stopped and turned. “What’s going on?”

“Someone just dashed mid-air,” Xue-wen said.

“Who?”

“The one with the hood.”

Ferret squinted.

The hooded fighter’s run resembled a child, but she moved as if the wind was carrying her.

“Is that legal?” he asked.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean what is that?”

“It’s probably something she got from a tome. Or she’s just that practiced. She doesn’t just dash mid-air. She runs like the wind.”

“I don’t understand.” His gaze settled on The Immovable Three Heroes. He got up and went to them. “Can we meet after the tournament ends? Do you know a place?”

“The tournament ends a month from now…” Li-hua said.

“Oh, well we can meet during the tournament. Do you have a time? I can go as long as we’re not competing. It would be a shame if either of us missed our fight.”

“We can meet in the two-week break. You’ll get that if you win the next one. It’ll be three games though, not one. So I’m curious to see how you’ll do.”

“Okay, let’s meet then. How about place?”

“Place. We can meet at Yuandian Cafe.”

“What day and time?”

Chapter 23

Ferret covered his eyes and counted. “One, two, three, four.

“[Status].”

Name: Ferret Finnessy

Level: 20 | XP: 15%

Class: Warrior

Attributes:

Strength: 19 | XP: 25%

Dexterity: 16 | XP: 30%

Intelligence: 20 | XP: 80%

Wisdom: 23 | XP: 10%

Constitution: 18 | XP: 20%

Skills:

[Ax: Level 9 | XP: 15%] - Your combat prowess proved instrumental in leading your new team to victory, reaffirming your mastery of the weapon.

[Leadership: Level 8 | XP: 20%] - You successfully guided an inexperienced tournament team to dominant, back-to-back victories, proving your ability to command.

[Spike Carving: Level 6 | XP: 15%] - This skill remains part of your repertoire, a reminder of your pragmatic origins.

[Intimidation: Level 5 | XP: 65%] - Though you are starting anew, your hardened demeanor and combat effectiveness still project an intimidating aura.

[Meditation: Level 4 | XP: 99%] - Your well-practiced mental discipline continues to serve as a foundation for your tactical mind.

[Spear Proficiency: Level 3 | XP: 10%] - The grim skills learned under Santo remain, a dark part of your past.

[Iron Resolve: Level 3 | XP: 75%] - Thriving under a new identity and proving your skills are truly your own has dramatically strengthened your force of will.

[Flight (Magical): Level 2 | XP: 50%] - While you no longer have access to Santo's branches, the knowledge of how to use them remains.

[Existential Freedom: Level 2 | XP: 85%] - Being freed by Rosa and starting a new life as Ferret has granted you a powerful sense of purpose and self-determination.

[Tactical Analysis: Level 1 | XP: 40%] - Your sharp mind was the key to victory, allowing you to deconstruct your opponents' strategies and lead your team.

[Team Coordination: Level 1 | XP: 40%] - You quickly learned to synergize with your new teammates, directing their actions for maximum effect in the tournament.

[Magic Theory: Level 1 | XP: 30%] - The basic principles you learned at the academy are a part of your foundational knowledge.

[Cooking: Level 1 | XP: 5%] - You know the basics of food preparation.

[Gardening: Level 1 | XP: 5%] - You know the fundamentals of plant care.

[Cleaning: Level 1 | XP: 5%] - You know how to keep a space tidy.

He rounded the corner.

There, in the daylit player’s tunnel, Xue-wen and An-li’s eyes met his.

“Who’s our next target?” he asked.

“Them,” Xue-wen said. “I wonder why they went out early before the horn.” She looked at the other two. “Hope they’re just overconfident.”

“Weapons?”

She pointed.

Their three opponents held a partisan, a kite shield and warhammer, and double arming swords.

The horn rang.

One of them stood in front. “Let me show you what it means to fall.” He switched his grip and held the partisan like a sword.

He started toward the undefeated Twilight Brigade, breaking out of team formation.

“Come back!” said his teammate, pointing one of his swords. “Hey!”

His other teammate started huffing from behind the kite shield. “What are you doing!? I thought you were here just to get into the tournament! Hao-ran!”

Hao-ran clenched his grip, and the partisan glowed. He spun it once and slammed it against the ground, causing an explosion. As the dust cloud cleared, behind his approaching figure now lay a small crater.

At the boom, Xue-wen shook. An-li slowly retreated. Ferret flinched, staring, frozen.

Hao-ran’s teammate lowered his shield, eyes wide. Ferret caught this and looked back at Hao-ran. “Guys… is this allowed?”

“Don’t worry,” An-li said. “The magic shields should protect us…”

Ferret looked up and yelled, flapping his arms, “Is this allowed!”

The crowd gave him only a second before turning their heads back to Hao-Ran.

He gasped. Then it’s allowed…

Hao-ran swung his partisan like a brute.

Ferret side-stepped, then snagged on the blade, flying off to the wall. He fell, glowing red.

Xue-wen shouted and ran off. An-li followed her to where the other two enemies were.

Hao-ran charged An-li and stabbed her once, and she glowed red.

He dashed after Xue-wen around his two teammates and tripped her with his partisan. He stabbed, and she glowed red.

Ferret stared. He rubbed his face and groaned. “What was that? I didn’t expect someone like that in this competition.”

“Yeah, is that fair?” Yo-Yo said.

“Well, it’s impossible to win the whole tournament with them in it.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“I mean, since they’re so strong.”

“No, I meant… you thought we were actually going to win the tournament?”

“I mean, yeah?”

“Who knows. Plus, we may just have three more fights. Let’s get ready.”

“Four? I thought it was only three, so two more to go?”

“It’s a best of five. But it would have been three if we won three times in a row. Or they could do that to us. Let’s try to win the next three and beat them in a 3-1”

“It’s only him, you know. I don’t think they knew.”

“I saw it too. But it may be a strategy. They may reveal the second one this fight, then the third one next fight, so they always have a trump card. But maybe you’re right.”

“So what do we do?” Xue-wen sighed, sweeping her bangs back to the side. An-li nodded at him from the side.

Ferret almost gave a casual, relaxed shrug. “I don’t know. Nothing beats this if it’s the same thing. We just don’t have the damage…” Wait a minute. His face slowly shifted. He knitted his brows. Then his eyes gradually widened. “No one got a hit on him. You think he’s as durable as he is strong and fast?

“If we rush him when he comes, will we get him?”

“We’re gonna have to hope his teammates aren’t on his side fending us off then,” Xue-wen said.

“They will.” Ferret rubbed his face, his hand settling over his mouth.

Later, in the player’s tunnel, An-li looked at the sky. It was still morning.

The horn blew, and the teams went out.

Xue-wen put a hand over her eyes and pointed. “Those are…”

Ferret fell flat on his face, struck by a sparkling crossbow bolt, glowing red.

“What is happening?” An-li said before gasping at the bolt that hit her. She collapsed, glowing red.

Xue-wen swore. She bolted. Is there any way… any way… Or is it over?

She ran around the arena and saw that Hao-ran’s two teammates were wielding crossbows.

The bolts barely missed her.

Hao-ran intercepted her and swung at her.

She dodged and kept running, her feet burning.

“No, no, no.”

She looked again at An-li and Ferret. Her face crumpled.

A bolt slammed into her. She fell.

She lay down.

They carried her and her two teammates to the player room.

“I don’t think we can outrun those crossbows or Hao-ran for that matter,” Ferret said. “I think this is it for us…” He looked disturbed.

Xue-wen clenched her teeth. This is not what I was born to be.

Right before the next horn, she clutched Ferret. “Ferret, is this all you are? Don’t tell me you got those skills for nothing!”

Ferret’s eyes flickered, and a smothering flare shot up in them.

“An-li!” Xue-wen scared her. “Do you want to go back?”

An-li shook her head stiffly, then sternly.

Xue-wen ran too fast for the bolts, switching directions numerous times in her path to Hao-ran’s two teammates. She struck them down one by one. “This is it! Ferret! Destroy him—” Emptied of fuel, she fell to Hao-ran’s partisan.

An-li advanced.

Ferret stood still, head lowered, as Hao-ran charged across the arena in several seconds.

An-li caught his partisan with her duelist’s spear. Instead of losing the struggle and falling flat on her face and getting crushed, she backed off as he swung at her, about to catch her. She rammed her spear into him several times in a flurry before flying off—a red glow.

Ferret finally looked up and dashed while he recovered from his swing. He struck at Hao-ran past the partisan and grinded along his chest, going up and down in endless cuts. He tore into him, forcing him red and driving him off balance. He skidded before tripping, smashing his head against the arena floor. Upon getting a grip, he slowly tried to get up, but Ferret rammed all he had into him, shattering his momentum to an ugly halt. He humiliated him.

The next two fights were a show.

Ferret ran up and beat Hao-ran two more times. The momentum Hao-ran had transferred over to Ferret’s team. Xue-wen mastered the two crossbow users enough that they switched back to their original weapons in the fifth fight: kite shield and warhammer and double arming swords. They tried to do their original strategy from before Hao-ran exploded. But at that point, Ferret met them again with strategy. He forced the kite shield to tank all their hits and this enemy’s other two teammates to run out to thrust around their own teammate’s kite shield. Ferret’s team demolished them by focusing the kite shield and using it to block the other two until the enemy team was forced to attack from two flanks. Upon weakening the kite shield, Ferret’s team caught the double arming swords and then won the two vs. three by killing off the kite shield and then the partisan.

Hao-ran looked at him as his armor cracked and he fell. “You… have nothing against me.”

“I don’t.”

“Well, then, tell me… Can I invite you to meet?”

He glanced at his other two teammates, who were high-fiving and clapping. He taught them the high-five.

“Sure,” he answered Hao-ran. He started away, as Hao-ran lay face flat.

Xue-wen and An-li ran up to him, and the three—the Twilight Brigade—walked into the player’s tunnel, meeting Yo-Yo, who congratulated them, with a whoop.

“Who’s our next?” Ferret asked.

“Opponent?” Yo-Yo said. “The Withering Wall.”

“What’s that?”

“Two big sword-shields and a slow drain magic user.”

“Not workable. Let’s change tactics.”

“What do you mean change tactics?”

“Change our weapons.”

“We can’t just change our weapons.”

“We can all use flails and kite shields. Three flails, three kite shields. Imagine that running up to you, and your only defensive measure, the shield, is useless. And your swords are trying to squeeze between or go around or over a wall of kite shields.”

Xue-wen burst into laughter, drawing everyone’s eyes. “But what else? I need some excitement over here.”

“What?” Ferret almost took on an irritated tone.

“I mean, why not genuinely do this for the fun of it? Aren’t we here to win?”

“That’s what I’m doing.”

“Winning is fun. That’s what winning is. You’re not winning. You’re just passing.”

“I don’t get it.”

“I mean, we’ve won so much already that I’m starting to wonder what the point of it all is. We work so hard, and we don’t even get to enjoy it.”

“We…” He looked at Yo-Yo. “I mean, we can’t get complacent, right? We still have to win. We’re not going to win if we start just throwing it all away now?”

“Who said I wanted to throw it all away? I said have fun is all. There’s nothing wrong with that, is there? We can do your strategy, sure, but part of me feels that the only way this will really be satisfying if we do our own thing or do something that’s genuinely fun to do.”

“What would that be?”

“I don’t know. Maybe, I can run in.”

“And get caught and die? No. Why?”

“Sounds fun. Doesn’t matter if we win.”

“I thought you said winning was fun.”

“Yeah. Fun is winning. Even if you lose, as long as you have fun, you win.”

“Is this how you guys do dungeons?”

“No. But yes. This is how we do dungeons!”

“Having fun?”

“Having tons of it!” Xue-wen corrected.

“I don’t get it, but I trust you. I mean, I’m not even supposed to be here telling everyone what to do. So what should we do?”

“Whatever we want! It’s a tourney, not a death match. We’re not going to die, right?”

Yo-Yo slowly nodded at her when Ferret didn’t respond.

The next day, Hao-ran nodded at Ferret as he passed.

Ferret turned to Xue-wen. “You haven’t said anything yet.”

Xue-wen put a finger on her lips to shush him.

He jerked back a little, but resumed walking alongside her and the rest of the team.

Once they entered the player’s tunnel, Ferret grimaced. “Now?”

Xue-wen just turned to give him this big smile and took a few steps forward.

As the horn blew, Ferret tensed.

Xue-wen darted. An-li rushed behind her.

Ferret eyed the audience and found Yu-ling standing and pointing. “Shit.”

He walked after them, rotating the ax a little.

Slowly, he rotated it more and more, until he spun it once. By the time Xue-wen and An-li landed their first blows on the two big sword-shield opponents, he was spinning it like a propeller. He shot toward the enemies.

In seconds, stabbed and drained, Xue-wen stopped. She inched away. An-li repeatedly ran in but kept getting blocked and kept out by the shields.

Ferret approached fast. He slammed his ax against the shield and jerked in place when the opponent slammed his shield forward right as he struck. He kept striking, but the swords cleaved him. The time ticked as his eyelids slowly grew heavy. The magic drain was pushing him toward collapse. An-li’s attacks were already slowing down.

He looked at Xue-wen slam against the shield one more time before he fell, glowing red.

An-li and Xue-wen swerved and caught the magic user, stabbing him until he glowed red.

The two men retaliated. Xue-wen stabbed even faster than their swords. But her hits all landed on their shields. The two opponents couldn’t get past the spears as long as the Xue-wen and An-li kept them there. Without the magic user, all the two opponents could do was wait until the two women lost energy. But the two women just kept trying to stab their legs. But because the swords were also waiting to retailiate, the two teams danced back and forth.

Tightening her grip on her shield, Xue-wen switched places with the shieldless An-li to take her right side.

The two women ran in and stabbed the left opponent’s legs, but his retaliation was weak out of sheer suddenness and surprise. The right-side opponent attacked, but Xue-wen’s shield blocked it. An-li’s duelist’s spear continued stabbing and defanged the left opponent. Then the two shifted to the other and broke him with leg shots as well before killing both off.

After the fight, when they were finally recovering, Ferret laughed. “Seriously? That’s not how you’re supposed to win. They did it badly.”

“So? We won, didn’t we?” Xue-wen said. “Think. It doesn’t matter how much you plan and win before. If you don’t show up when it matters, then it’s useless.”

“But getting a good setup is still essential to good strategy. And good strategy? Winning games.”

“Yeah, but the point is that we won.”

“Yeah, I know. You guys played it well. But the setup was awful. That was like throwing rocks at a mountain and hoping one of them hits a passing traveler.”

“Not really. You underestimated our abilities and overestimated theirs.”

“I guess you’re right. But we didn’t know that.”

“We knew.”

“How?”

“We just did. The first blow told me everything I needed to know.”

“That… makes sense?”

“It’s how it works!”

“But we could’ve lost.”

“Going aggressive when it matters is not losing.”

“But inaction can be a good thing. No need to throw a lead by taking unnecessary risks. Just perfect setup, get the win. Execution.”

“There’s always risks. We just trusted ourselves.”

“I guess that’s true. And yeah, it does make sense why we won. You guys know how to fight when the stakes are highest. I crumbled too easily.”

“Just play to your heart next time, will you? Have fun.”

“Sure. I’ll take your advice.”

“Plus, we played to our strengths. You seriously think we can just learn to use flails while holding kite shields in a day?”

“I don’t know. That’s definitely an error in my thinking. I over-focused on the ideal that I forgot to take into account your individual strengths.”

“Yeah, look better. I’m a spearman.” She eyed An-li, who raised her brows. “Both of us are.”

“And I’m an ax-cutter.”

“Something like that. Try cutting stuff next time. We got another fight. I want to see you fight when the stakes are high, like you said.”

“Okay, I’ll show you how I used to do things before.”

Chapter 24

Ferret stepped into the player’s tunnel right before the arena, whirling his ax once. “I think I know exactly how these things work,” he muttered while touching the walls with a thoughtful look.

“What are you saying?” Yo-Yo said, looking behind himself several times for Xue-wen and An-li to round the corner. The two women’s voices were still echoing from behind the corner as they walked slowly.

“Oh, sorry, I was just thinking.”

“Okay, so… are you ready?”

“To ax? Yes.”

“Great! Let’s start then.”

“Two more games to go,” An-li said softly, slowly raising her spear forward.

When the horn blew, the Withering Wall re-appeared. It was now their second game in a best of five.

“How do we do this?” Ferret said, rubbing his ax’s handle in his grip.

“Asking questions again,” Xue-wen said, spearing the air several times smoothly before holding her spear point-up butt-down. “Act before you think. Don’t get in your own way.”

Ferret stared at his ax’s blade as Xue-wen and An-li left the tunnel.

They ran, and he still stared. His face twitched.

He strode forward.

The two shields blocked Xue-wen’s attack, and two swords flew at her.

Ferret smashed through the swords by bludgeoning through them. He then cut at their shields and shouted, “Xue-wen!”

An-li followed behind Xue-wen, who blocked a sword strike directed at Ferret. The two women stabbed continuously and caught the sword strikes barraging him, while he inched away.

Fully recovered, he took over and started slamming his ax across the shields and against, alternating between downward and right-to-left strikes. An-li and Xue-wen, while recovering, stood at his right side to block for him during his recoveries.

Because of Ferret’s team’s constant switching, the drain damage of the magic user behind the two sword-shield opponents was spread across the three. By the time Ferret’s eyelids grew heavy, the shields were broken, and the two opponents just holding them were pierced from out of their swords’ range again and again. Ferret’s team wittled them down to glowing reds, then turned to the magic user and snapped him into a red glow.

For a while, all was silent, but it erupted into cheers, whoops, and roars as The Twilight Brigade slowly registered what happened.

“Why aren’t we losing?” Ferret looked all around the cheering coliseum, his dazed eyes settling on Yu-ling, meeting her goggle eyes.

“I guess we just don’t.” Xue-wen’s voice came from behind, surprising Ferret, who had fallen deep into his own thoughts.

“So we’re meeting a bunch of people after the tourney, right?” he said as they started back across the arena to the tunnel. “Immovable, Hao-ran, and Yu-ling. How about we meet them together?”

“We can meet them separately. No rush.”

“Not out of a hurry, I mean, I feel that it would make things clearer in the long run since anything that has to do with us as a group will affect our availability with anyone else. So if we discuss anything that involves us with everyone that wants to do something with us all together, then we will sort out the pieces and see where the schedules slide in. We can’t talk to them telepathically, and once we’ve committed to a trip with one party, we’re geographically unavailable. So setting things up is good here. I know about fun much better now, but we’re not fighting. This is just plain hangout logistics.”

Standing across the tunnel, Yo-Yo smiled proudly, crossing his arms. “Looks like you already know what to do.” He glanced at An-li and Xue-wen. “All of you.” He turned and left.

Ferret, Xue-wen, and An-li shared looks before walking after him.

“What’s up?” Xue-wen said.

Yo-Yo shrugged. “It’s funny. I started this team thinking I would be here the whole time. But I didn’t think you had it in you.” Xue-wen raised a brow and almost gestured toward Ferret with a look as counterevidence. Yo-Yo continued, “Joke, joke. I knew. The thing is… It’s nice. It’s real nice that you guys are doing well, but as for me, I don’t know. Why am I here?”

“What do you mean? You can join us in dungeons.”

“Really? I don’t know. I thought you didn’t want me there.”

“Oh, yeah, I forgot about that. Yeah… you can come. I’m not… all about that… right now. Ferret’s actually capable. So I can trust him at least to make sure that whatever mistakes we had originally can be, you know, filled in.”

“I get it. Ferret really is that guy, huh?”

“Hey…” Ferret protested weakly.

An-li laughed, drawing everyone’s gaze. She covered her mouth. They slowly turned back and kept walking.

“So… who’s next?” Ferret asked Yo-Yo.

“We still got one more game with Withering!” Yo-Yo said. “You forgot!”

“Oh, right… See, you’re useful!”

Yo-Yo snorted, shaking his head and giving him a dry “ha-ha.”

When they were finally back again at the tunnel before the horn blew, Ferret was shaking his head. “I don’t thikn they’re going to do it.”

“Do what?” Xue-wen said.

“They’re not going to switch to offense.”

“Why would they do that? Isn’t their strategy drain?”

“No, you can make it work. If you force the enemies to retreat, you can create more openings through distance, and, with enough time, you’ll get gaps.”

“But won’t the distance make it harder for the sword-shield guys to rotate and cover Mr. Magic User?”

“No, they can stop us. I promise you. If they were more competent, they can.”

“How?”

“They don’t have to all-in us. They just have to force us back, and they can do it by matching us.”

“Two against three? How will that match?”

“Weapons. They’re blocking people, not weapons. Our weapons are an extension of us, but that’s only when we’re attacking. When moving, we have to move our whole body, and any obstacle, like a sword and a shield, is an immediate threat to our ability to go around and get to the other side.”

“But our weapons move too. We can block their block.”

“No, that just makes a stalemate.”

“Well, we block, and then let one through, no? Once their blockers are gone, a gap opens, no?”

“No, like I said, if they were competent, they’d use their sword-shields well. They’re not holding a two-handed mace. If it was one sword-shield guy against two people, it’s impossible to stop them, but with two sword-shields against the three of us, you get coordination, and that’s more dangerous. The ratio goes from 1 against 2, to 2 against 3, and that’s not 2 against 4.”

“I don’t get it.”

“Just wait and see. If they do it, it’s over. We’ll have to play for next game and plan better. If they don’t, it’s fine. We don’t have to play defensive. Let’s just try to catch them before they do it if they plan on it. Hopefully, we can exploit their inexperience with it, if their default is defense, that is.”

“It was,” Yo-Yo confirmed, standing behind them. “Defense is their default.”

“Well, it doesn’t really matter,” Ferret continued. “We’re here to have fun, right? Let’s hope they do that tactic, since we can learn from it in action.”

One of the two sword shields, Ming-tao smiled. “How long does it usually take for one of these things to come out?”

“Well, several minutes,” said the magic-user, Hui-fen. “So, around that time.”

Ming-tao turned to his fellow sword-shield guy, Yi-ming. “Is that doable?”

“Yes, with enough time.”

“I mean, how are we going to alert the axer?”

“Just try swinging him right, and we can see how he operates. He’s been a left-sider this whole time. There’s no way he won’t budge.”

Ming-tao strode forward, moving diagonally toward the left of the axer, while the two spearwomen, one with a shield and the other without, were already dashing from that direction. “On me!” he said right as the spearwomen collided with him. Yi-ming immediately stopped the shield spearwoman’s swerve, blocking her. The no-shield spearwoman swerved the other way, which Ming-tao matched at the right. The axer appeared from the right side behind No-Shield, which Ming-tao already blocked with his sword. The two spears were matched with two shields. Axer’s ax fell at the sword. But Yi-ming slashed at Shield-Spear, which No-Shield covered by intercepting with a spear. Ming-tao’s shield freed up, which he used to block Ferret’s sword while slashing at him. This time, No-Shield wasn’t at his right intercepting for him, since he was coming from the right and slashing from right to left.

Axer dodged the sword by backing off. With her right side exposed to Ming-tao, No-Shield backed off next. With Ming-tao free to double-team, Shield-Spear backed off last.

Ming-tao and Yi-ming advanced to pressure them. The fastest, Shield-Spear retreated farther out and ran left and around the sword-shields. Axer slashed the air in front of him before charging Yi-ming, and No-Shield claimed his right side.

Ming-tao, Yi-ming, and Hui-fen rotated based on Shield-Spear, keeping Hui-fen directly behind at all times. With their swords and shields, they forced the synergistic duo Axer and No-Shield along. They both slashed at No-Shield several times to force Axer to catch the attacks instead, each exchange rotating all five of them slightly left. Axer’s left side became exposed to his right-to-left protective ax swings, which forced him to rotate leftward to avoid Ming-tao’s slashes.

Sprinting, Shield-Spear switched from left to right. But they shifted their attacks back to Axer, which rotated them slightly right each time as No-Shield’s right side had become exposed.

Shield-Spear stopped and returned to the other two opponents. She and No-Spear speared at Ming-tao’s legs, while Axer swung above.

Ming-tao and Yi-ming charged them instead and both slashed at Axer after shield-bashing his ax off. Axer backed off, freeing up space for the two to slash at No-Shield.

No-Shield backed off.

Yi-ming followed her and, with Ming-tao, enclosed Shield-Spear, immediately slashing her from two angles, one after another.

No-Shield advanced behind Shield-Spear, but Yi-ming blocked her with his body and shield.

Axer charged Yi-ming, and Ming-tao switched toward Yi-ming and blocked his flurry of attacks.

Shield-Spear pulled away and ran off, right as she was about to glow red.

Yi-ming and Ming-tao switched to the blocked Axer, who was much closer than No-Shield, who wielded a spear.

Axer burst into a flurry of strikes, forcing An-li to mimic his speed to weave in interceptions.

Yi-ming and Ming-tao turned and ran in the opposite direction of Shield-Spear, dragging Hui-fen along.

Axer and No-Shield soon stopped and fell silent, panting, standing and watching them stop across the arena.

After a minute of posturing between the two teams with Axer’s team on the back foot, the drain magic kicked in, and Yi-ming and Ming-tao advanced for clean-up. Axer collapsed first. Shield-Spear fell second. No-Shield fell last, but not before taking out the already-damaged Yi-ming with her in a small window.

“Okay, that was shit,” Ferret said. “What do we do?”

“I know I said no,” Xue-wen said, “but should we try flail?”

“No, no… Maybe. You did say fun, right?”

“Yeah…”

“I think our only solution is to go from three directions. We did this before, remember. With only two, there’s no way to defend. We played from front to back, which is tactically simpler, but this three-pronged attack is much easier to play if our intention is to kill the magic user first. Since the sword-shields do no damage if all three of us converge, this is an easy win.”

“You said their weapons block, no?” Yo-Yo voiced what Xue-wen forgot to say.

“This isn’t front to back. We’re not trying to get past them. We’re trying to stab past them. This is different with three directions since we’re squeezing them. When Magic User has room to move behind the two, stabbing past without either front-to-backing or going around is impossible. But he is now stuck in the crunch. If they had three defenders, this would be impossible, but with only two, it’s just a matter of slamming until we stab through, and that will likely happen on the first collision, so no attrition.” He paused to collect his words. “Essentially, we’re denying the high frontal wall by squeezing the house until the person inside it has no room to avoid the penetrations. If Magic User slips out, he’s an open straggler. The rotating cage from previous match relied on Magic User remaining anchored to his steering wall. The cage that kept us and protected Magic User from Xue-wen’s attempt to get behind to him now squashes him.”

“So that’s it then?”

“Yes. That’s it. This is anti-fun. But winning brutally after a loss is fun too.”

“Okay, let’s do it then!”

“Yup! I’m excited.”

As soon as the fourth fight began, The Withering Wall backed into a wall, predicting the three-pronged attack. Ferret laughed. They stabbed past anyway, since Magic User had no room to back off.

In less than a minute, The Withering Wall’s red-glowing bodies lay near the wall.

“They squeezed themselves,” Xue-wen realized.

Ferret looked at her, then at the Yu-ling. “That’s her strategy, isn’t it?”

“Draining?”

“No, the long game.”

“Yeah, yeah, something like that. More so ‘preparation,’ but yeah, ‘long game’ works too.”

Once they headed back to the competitors’ seats, Yo-Yo clapped once. “So, feeling good? I hope we’re not getting bored of the knockout stage already.”

“Knockout stage?” Ferret said.

Yo-Yo looked at An-li and Xue-wen. “You guys just eliminated The Withering Wall.”

“Oh…”

Yo-Yo turned back to Ferret. “Don’t expect an invite-to-meet any time soon. They’re probably disappointed.”

“They’re not here,” An-li mused.

“Yep. They probably left first thing.”

Ferret’s eyes flickered, and he swiveled in his seat toward Yo-Yo. “Wait, that was the quarter-finals?”

“Yeah.”

“So did we eliminate Hao-ran?”

“Yes.”

“Who’s our next opponent then?”

“The Cloud Steppers.”

“Wait, how about The Immovables?”

“They were eliminated. They went 1-2. Didn’t reach the knockout stage.”

“Damn.”

“Who beat them? The team that beat them should’ve went 2-1.”

“The previous team we eliminated. Heaven’s Warriors.”

“Was it Hao-ran’s?”

Yo-Yo nodded solemnly, causing Ferret to grimace. “You’re meeting him. The Immovable Three Heroes too, who he eliminated. Just be mindful of how people perceive you, and we’ll be fine. You’re a winner. All three of you.”

“What do you mean?”

“People see you three.”

“Huh?”

“You’ve made a name for yourselves. Don’t you know that?”

“Oh… yeah, I guess I never really thought about it.”

“There’s a huge audience right there.”

“I mean, I guess it never clicked in my head… Wait… Who are the Cloud Steppers?”

“They were the team with the one who could dash mid-air. The other two members are just as fast.”

“How fast?”

“Xue-wen fast.”

“How strong are they?”

“They got to the semi-finals like we did. So, pretty strong.”

“What weapons?”

“Glaives.”

“Wait, aren’t those heavy?”

“So, better be prepared!” Yo-Yo grinned.

“They’re fast, and they lug polearms along. That’s a strange picture. Pretty magical… When was the last time?”

“Today?!” Xue-wen said exasperatedly.

“Oh, right. Drain user.”

“Yeah!”

“But this is weirder in my head. Fast, ‘jumps mid-air’ fast, but carries something heavy. It just doesn’t make sense. I mean after all the weapons we faced, I’d imagine something that doesn’t feel like it’s doing two things at once. I’m worried this’ll be a toughie.”

Chapter 25

In the early morning, while it was still dark, the Cloud Steppers member Xin stood still at the edge of a hill. “How’s the boat?”

“Four,” said the second member, Mai-kai, standing below him.

Xin picked up one of the dandelions in Mai-kai’s hand, giving him a questioning look.

Mai-kai continued, “Already collected some of the dandelions. Only fifteen more.”

Xin put back the dandelion, sighed, turned toward the figure coming toward them, and compressed his lips. “Right. But we still need to process them. Can we not delay that by doing the songs first?”

“Right, right. But there’s already five songs. That’s already big for later.”

“But please do the dandelions first.”

Their third member, Lai-yin, just came and said, “How’s the boat?”

“He did the songs again,” Xin said.

“We’ve got four men on it already,” Mai-kai answered Lai-yin. “So they’re just waiting.”

“So no dandelions yet?”

“Fifteen more.”

“Please hurry.”

Once Mai-kai got the rest of the dandelions and had Xin process them magically, he handed them over to the four men, who departed toward a seaside dungeon. The men soon returned with a cup of red seeds and gave them to Mai-kai.

Mai-kai showed it to Xin and Lai-yin. “I’ve also got seven songs for later.”

“Okay, let’s go.” they headed back into the heart of Cheonshu City and entered the tournament.

“Who’re we fighting?” Xin asked Lai-yin.

“The Twilight Brigade,” Lai-yin enunciated slowly.

“This should be easy then. I’ve no idea who they are.”

Lai-yin turned to Mai-kai. “Are you songs stored? How long?”

“12 hours, 7 minutes, and 49 seconds,” Mai-kai read off his status.

“Okay, let’s finish this quick.”

They passed through the player’s tunnel and stood right before the daylit arena. “Spears, ax,” Mai-kai said. “This should be simple.”

Lai-yin shot his hand forward, and in it materialized a glaive. He handed it to Mai-kai, who advanced and whirled it around himself. Lai-yin did it two more times, handing one to Xin and keeping one for himself. The three of them went out as soon as the horn blew, striding forward with their glaives lowered toward the ground.

Their three opponents were already sprinting at them.

Lai-yin, Mai-kai, and Xin lined up and stood with body braced, tightening their grips around their glaives, raising them as they would with cavalry.

The light went out of the eyes of the opponent in the back. He quickly slowed to a halt and said “Stop, wait,” prompting his two other members to stop and back off with a confused look in their eyes.

Lai-yin instantly smirked, and, as if one spirit possessed them, The Cloud Steppers broke out of formation, spilling forth. They dashed several times and leapt, darting midair. They swung their glaives at them. Their opponents swung in multiple directions as the Steppers cleaved them many times mid-air.

Red glows and a pile of three fell on the ground.

Lai-yin stared at them for a moment before breaking into a sigh, pressing his palm against his face. “Did you guys even bother to prepare? Do better. We still got at least two more games… We were hoping Se-lin would be here, but sadly not.”

As Mai-kai and Xin left, Rhine continued, “Here’s one word of advice—unsolicited, but still, I can’t watch you guys flounder like this.

“Don’t fake-pressure. You can’t pressure us. Just play for windows. Respect your opponents.”

Later, in the player’s tunnel, Yo-Yo said, “Yeah, that’s how strong they are. It’s hard to explain exactly how until you come face to face with them. Watching it really isn’t enough.”

“Do we lose this?” Ferret said.

“I don’t know. I’ve faced opponents like these before, but how we beat them is usually by finding a way to bypass the rules. In this tourney, you’re fighting head-on in a flat arena with no terrain or any way of planting traps days beforehand. It’s not an unfair match. In a real dungeon, it’s all about winning without fighting. Here, it’s about proving who’s better in a tourney vacuum.”

“Damn it… Then would playing to our strengths here be accepting the loss and moving forward with Yu-ling and perhaps Hao-ran and The Immovables? The dungeon being where we’re good at?”

“I mean, you’re pretty good here. We’re in the semis… You’ve expanded our options.”

Ferret paused. “I guess we’ve already won. Our original goal was just to get Yu-ling aboard. I adjusted to meet these higher opportunities, but now that we’re done, it’s reset.

Yo-Yo clapped once. “You nailed it.”

“So what’s next? We just auto-lose?”

Yo-Yo wagged his finger at him. “Well, there’s one more thing you can try.”

Later, in the player’s tunnel, right before the horn blew, Ferret, Xue-wen, and An-li held three loaded crossbows alongside three billhooks and their spears and ax.

They went out as the horn blew.

They set their billhooks and spears and ax down and aimed the crossbows, waiting.

The Cloud Steppers waited as well.

Then, they spread out while avoiding the walls for maximum room to move around.

Instead of flying above, they engaged with them on foot and used their dash midair only centimeters off the ground to strike forward with stunning force. They instantly neutralized Xue-wen, Ferret, and An-li into a pile of red glows.

“That’s pretty good! You’re learning!” Lai-yin said. “If you want, you girls can join my expedition team after this.”

Ferret looked at his other two teammates.

“You too!” Lai-yin told him.

By the time the next fight started, Ferret stared at the ground. “Okay, let’s do it.” He, Xue-wen, and An-li brought out his hand-carved stakes and put them around in a circle.

Seeing their crossbows and billhooks, their opponents repeated their spread-out.

They shot their crossbows and grabbed their billhooks.

Right before they got close, they switched to their main weapons.

Their opponents dashed midair over the stakes, but at the sight of them switching to the billhooks, they backed off and landed on the ground outside the stake circle.

The stakes covered them completely, and any aerial maneuver at them risked getting caught by the billhooks.

Since the space itself was also small, their glaives would find it awkward. So they had to create a gap in the stakes under the immediate attention of the billhooks.

In the end, they flew up anyway and struck the billhooks with their glaives, intending to beat them with sheer force.

With a sudden display of speed and reach, Ferret predicted one of them mid-dash, caught him, and pulled him down, changing back to his ax and butchering him until he was all red glow. The other two opponents backed off.

The two teams faced each other. It was now 3 vs 2. The two opponents’ faces had gone pale.

They immediately thrust their glaives from outside the stake circle. Ferret widened.

The spearmen, An-li and Xue-wen, snagged the shafts of their glaives with their billhooks. With coordination, they trapped a glaive, twisted it, and disarmed the opponent.

The other opponent disengaged, keeping his glaive.

Ferret slowly created a gap in the stakes, and the three went out. They chased after the two opponents. With two billhooks and an ax, Twilight hacked them down to red glows.

By the time they returned to the player’s tunnel, Ferret nodded. “Okay, like I said earlier, we can’t do this again. They’re charging us first thing next fight since they know setting it up will take a while. They only hesitated earlier since they’re not the type to sprint first thing like we are. So, our next goal is simply to face them with billhooks. I’ll use one too. I know how to use a spear a little, so that should hopefully transfer over.”

“You use spears?” An-li said.

“A little.”

“Wait, can’t they just the mid-air dash while they’re still on the ground, like they did with their glaives? You know, like only a few inches off the ground? Wouldn’t that get past our billhooks?”

“It is a risk. It’d be great if I used my ax as well for when they’re unwieldily drawn down, but we have no more defenses or area denial. So while they’re masters of glaives and mid-air dashes, we should trust our longer billhooks and their function which is to hook. It’s not about a fist-fight. It’s about countering their flight, speed, and aggression with… snags, traps, twists, and disarmament. Plus, we’re making X’s with the three of us. So don’t think we’re just a bunch of parallel lines. In the end, expect a drawn-out fight of neutralization. Every catch won’t be an immediate kill, unless they totally throw in the towel. To put it simply, we’re weaponized grapplers.”

“So what’s the chances?”

“Of what? Us winning?”

“Yeah.”

“It totally depends on you guys… and me. I was able to pull one of them down just now, but it’s different in a face-to-face.”

Xue-wen nodded before turning to An-li. “An-li. Give the billhook a go.”

Yo-Yo handed one to An-li, who thrust them several times.

Xue-wen got one for herself and did the same.

“Can we try this?” Ferret grabbed a billhook and stood beside An-li. “Let’s form an X with our billhooks.”

An-li nodded, and they made the X.

“Xue-wen, can you try to dislodge this?”

“Break it apart?”

“Yes.”

Xue-wen tried several times, but since they were stationary, it was like slamming the wall since the top billhook was pressing down on the bottom, and vice versa.

“They will try to do this in the middle of all those exchanges, but with three people using glaives instead of one. Expect them to coordinate. Though I haven’t seen them do that. They all seem individually competent, but they don’t look like they’ve needed to coordinate in a fight for a while. But better safe than sorry.”

As soon as the fourth fight started, Ferret’s team baited their opponents by bringing stakes. Their opponents sprinted at them. Ferret’s team let go of the stakes and matched their opponents.

Their opponents jumped all around them just out of range, only dashing in to strike. They blocked several times before zeroing in on one dashing in. Ferret grabbed the stake nearby and plunged it down on the opponent, forcing him into a red glow.

The other opponents caught An-li, and she fell, glowing red.

Ferret grabbed another one of them with his billhook, and Xue-wen nodded and plunged a stake into the target, who glowed red.

The last opponent charged. Ferret grabbed the billhook but caught the glaive dash thrust, collapsing in a puff of dust, glowing red.

Standing beside him, Xue-wen grabbed Ferret’s billhook and thrust forward. Her opponent dashed out of range.

Xue-wen cussed.

The two stared each other down.

Her opponent weaved in and struck past her billhook. She dodged and sprinted away, running as far as he could, burning her feet.

She kept running around the arena.

Her opponent stayed still and inched closer to catch her.

She grabbed one of the glaives and avoided him.

She went around again.

Her opponent dashed mid-air, slashing his glaive.

She deflected it and stabbed him, the force of both his dash and her sprint colliding.

He fell, glowing red.

Later, at the player’s tunnel, she said, “What’s the plan next match?”

“Maybe, we only need one billhook. Return to your spears and”—he looked at Xue-wen—”shield. We didn’t end up using the X’s with the billhooks, but I guess it makes sense since it’s just that fast and they move around so much.”

Xue-wen and An-li shared looks.

Ferret, seeing them, continued, “I’ll do it. I’ve pulled more of them down.”

As soon as the last set of the best of five started, Ferret smiled, the history he suppressed bleeding into his face.

Xue-wen went first, armed with the shield. Ferret came second. An-li came just right behind them.

Their opponents went forward.

They met in the middle. Xue-wen blocked the swinging glaives. Ferret hooked a glaive mid-swing and pulled its owner forward, almost wrenching the weapon out of their hands. An-li snapped forward with a thrust.

He panickedly dashed sideways, slamming into Ferret’s billhook. The other two opponents leapt and dashed midair. Right before they slashed merely to deny space, Ferret grabbed one’s ankle and dragged him down.

After just stabbing the first opponent into a red glow, she stabbed this second one down.

Standing in front of both An-li and Ferret, Xue-wen blocked any retaliatory attacks, keeping her own spear out of sight.

The third soon fell to them in some corner.

“So we won?” An-li said as soon as they went into the player’s tunnel, spinning her spear once. “That’s it?”

Ferret chuckled. “My mistake. I refined the team comp. Three billhooks was overload last game. But this, this was a literal war wagon.”

“So we’re good?” Xue-wen said. “What’s our next plan?”

“Finals. Who’re the opponents?”

Yo-Yo stood there, leaning against the wall, with arms crossed. “The Villagers.”

“So what should we expect?”

“They should be easier to beat.”

“But they reached finals?”

“Compared to Cloud Steppers, you can expect an easier best of five. But don’t underestimate them.”

“What’s their thing?”

“Swords. Saber, arming sword and heater shield, greatsword.”

“That doesn’t seem particularly easy.”

“The only threat is the greatsword. The rest you can outrange.”

“Greatswords aren’t easy pickings.”

“Well, for me, they are.”

“What do you mean? It’s not like we’re just fighting a greatsword. There’s the other two as well. And what do you mean ‘for me’? Unless you’re getting in, I don’t see how factoring yourself in helps us.”

“I can substitute for you.”

“You?” Ferret eyed Xue-ren and An-li.

Xue-wen nodded. “He’s not the worst, all things considered.”

“Ouch,” Yo-Yo said. “I’m not as good as you, but I can fight.”

“Wait, I don’t get it,” Ferret said. “Am I not the one who’s orchestrating the fights? And in terms of fighting ability, I assumed that I was better.”

“Well, both are true. But I know how to deal with greatswords. It sounds out of the blue, but a lot of big monsters tend to wield giant swords, like big skeletons. It’s a know of the trade.”

“Really… How about Xue-wen then? And An-li?”

“They didn’t confront them head-on. I did.”

“Okay… But can I not just adapt? I don’t see how your experience is so overwhelmingly good so as to derail the entire thing we’ve been doing since the start of the tournament? Won’t this shake things up? But in a bad way? Plus, aren’t you all rusty together? The two have oiled up with me, but not with you. So tell me. Is this going to work?”

“Trust me. I’ve been practicing again.”

Ferret eyed the other two. Xue-wen nodded.

“Since? Since when?”

“The start of you doing well in the tournament? The very start.”

“Oh, but can we confirm that the benefits outweigh the tradeoffs?”

“I don’t know. We’ll just have to say. Remember, we still got two more games at least if we lose. It’s a best of five.”

“Oh! Right. I forgot about that. Okay… But can we get any clear review of how this is better if it was just me besides just ‘experience’ with greatswords? This is a whole different field of play. I need concrete evidence. Tell me.”

“Sure. I’ll tell you about my time in the dungeon.”

“Plus, I thought expeditions were all cleanup? How are there big monsters?”

“You have to go even deeper for that, but they appear. It’s a regular thing.”

“What does that mean? All the time?”

“No, just regular enough that you’d expect it at least once a week. I mean, everyone has their fair share of the monsters and stuff down there, so eventually, we do get our share of the cleanup.”

“So… what about your time in the dungeon? Greatswords? Big monsters? How is this going to help us win the fight in a tournament that you guys have entered only for the first time, including me, but with the one factor being that we’ve already developed so much into this composition, among many other things?”

“Well… it’s a lot. It’s a long thing. You don’t actually set out thinking you’ll need to remember everything for a finals in a tournament. But yeah, I’ve been thinking about how I was gonna tell you when the time came, since I knew you would want to know. The difference is that the greatsword thing I didn’t really think about until the quarters. But even after that small time, it’s a lot. So don’t be surprised if I’ll take my time telling you, and you might not get a satisfying full response.”

“Well, that’s fine. I just need it to lean more toward a ‘yeah’ than a ‘nah.’”

Chapter 26

In southern Jishikai, in the south side of Cheonshu City, Ferret smiled as he waved goodbye to Sai-fun.

He walked along and saw four teenagers he recognized just coming out of Tung-Yun Shop.

He greeted them and got to know where they lived: Ishi-don. He learned they often walked all the way to Mishalean Forest and back. They called it “a hangout spot.”

Then he went to the shop and thanked the clerks who gave him free paper.

Afterwards, he looked inside Taishuen Hub and came across Mei-fan again.

“How are you doing?”

“I joined the Goblin Tournament, but no expeditions yet.”

“Well, good luck! Isn’t it the finals? How did you do?”

“Yeah, still a week left. It’s on break. But yeah, I’m going there next week.”

“Next week? You’re in the finals?”

“Yup!”

“No way!” She looked around at the crowd. “Well, I’ve gotta go. See ya! Tell me all about it when I get back.”

“Okay!” He waved.

“Here, I mean! In the Hub!” She took a step outside.

“Okay!” He waved higher.

He looked at the time and started outside as well, heading to Yo-Yo’s house.

There, Yo-Yo poured a drink for him as soon as he arrived. An-li was here already, but Xue-wen had yet to come.

“How are you?” Yo-Yo said.

“I’m fine,” Ferret said. “Just met with some friends. Well, acquaintances more like.”

“Well, you’ll have all the time in the world to get to know them, but first things first, An-li has something she wants to say.”

Ferret raised her brows at her.

An-li looked from Yo-Yo to him, slowly opened her mouth, stretched a smile, and nodded, getting on her feet. “I was wondering if you could help me a little.”

“Help? With what?”

“The billhook.”

“Oh! Oh. Why? We’re not fighting the Cloud Steppers anymore.”

“But we might.”

“We might?”

“I mean, there might be a situation like that… again.”

“Oh, yeah, right! But why? It’s not like you need to use it.”

“I mean, without you… Since you’re the one who used it.”

“Right, I did. I mean, you should be able to learn it pretty easily. I don’t think it’s a problem, but if you still need reassuring, I can watch you practice. Give you pointers, maybe. But it’s really not that crazy. It’s just a polearm like your spear. But yes, I can see why you’re worried. It does give you one more specialized option.”

“Yeah…”

“Okay then! Let’s go.”

“Here.” Yo-Yo went away and back with a billhook and handed it to An-li. He got one for Ferret as well.

Ferret shook his head. “I’m just here to watch An-li. It’s fine.”

Yo-Yo hesitantly nodded and put the second billhook back.

As soon as they went outside on the street, An-li tried thrusting.

“Hmm… I don’t see a problem. But I guess you’re just thrusting. You need something to target. He went back inside and asked Yo-Yo for a staff and a sword, which Yo-Yo supplied.

“Okay,” Ferret said as he went out. “Try this. Try to stop it.”

An-li deflected it.

“Good. But try snagging it.”

An-li missed several times, while he kept saying that it was fine.

“Okay, so how do I do this?”

“Hmm… Think of the weapon as a new target.”

She stabbed at the staff, missing.

“No. Try catching it. Don’t penetrate it.”

She snagged it mid-slash.

“Good! Okay, that’s it. Now, try with a sword.”

He swung a sword, and she deflected it instinctively.

“This might be a little harder, but it should be the same.”

She snagged twice, but missed eight times.

“Dang, that’s actually hard, huh. Now, I’m wondering how I did it.”

They kept going until Xue-wen came.

“What are you guys doing?” Xue-wen

“Practice,” An-li said.

“With… billhooks?”

An-li kept snagging Ferret’s sword swings, too focused.

“Yeah,” he answered for her. “She wants to prepare for if that situation ever happens again.”

“Okay…” Xue-wen said.

Yo-Yo brought out water. “Here.”

Xue-wen accepted and drank, then went inside, glancing back at An-li and Ferret several times.

Yo-Yo went outside again to bring the other two water.

“You’re bad with swords,” An-li said in between gulps. “And you swing the staff weird.”

Ferret rubbed the back of his head. “Haha. Yeah, I guess I’m more of an ax guy. Spears are like a side thing. But swords? Ehh.”

“Thank you. I think I’m fine with this.”

“Oh! We’re done? Sure!”

The two went back inside.

Villa sat down next to the couch side table.