[Community Writing Project] 世界の闇 - Darkness of the World

Normally, Elgaraf would ignore people who wanted to talk to him if it didn’t concern him but something was different about this young woman who called herself †˜Yuurei’.

“Need something?” Elgaraf asked.

“You’re a drow, right? I’ve met a few in my travels before.” Yuurei replied.

“Is that all? Bye, then…”

“Wait!”

She seemed desperate to keep Elgaraf’s attention. He decided to indulge her just a bit, though he would make it clear he wasn’t happy to stick around.

“I have other places to go. What do you want?”

“Just hear me out. I won’t follow you or anything, I have someone to look for too.”

Elgaraf pondered this for a moment. She could be up to something.

“Hurry up then.”

“Alright. As you’ve probably overheard, my name is Yuurei. However, I’m also a member of the Hitobashira clan.”

The Hitobashira clan… where had he heard that name before? It wasn't any of his business, though.

“What does that have to do with me?”

“You met the supreme general. They’ll be keeping their eyes on you.”

“Are you spying on me for them?”

Yuurei shook her head. She removed something from her back that was covered in cloth and unwrapped it. It was a katana with a red blade, but it was shattered into several pieces.

“I was disowned by the clan after my parents died. According to them, my brother was the murderer.”

After this revelation, Elgaraf decided to listen to the rest of her tale. He wasn’t in a particular hurry but didn’t like staying in one place for too long either.

“Let’s continue this conversation elsewhere. Is there an inn or a restaurant nearby?”

“Yes, a few. I’ll book a room at an inn a few streets over. Would you wait for me near the town’s entrance?”

Elgaraf paused. That was probably a bad place for him to wait.

“How about I explore the town for a while and then meet you on the main street near the market stalls. It’ll be less conspicuous that way."

"Alright, I can do that."

With that, Yuurei headed off to find an inn. Elgaraf decided to browse the shops nearby. Maybe he'd find a more balanced second weapon, though the hidden short sword was fine for now.

As he passed by a few shops, he noticed some commotion in the nearby square. He decided to watch out of sheer curiosity. There was a burnt spot on the ground and a burnt corpse in the center.

Elgaraf decided not to walk away now since it would be suspicious. It was better to ask questions than to leave in a situation like this. He noticed the woman from the baker's stall that gave him the bread was here. He walked up tapped on her shoulder.

"What happened here?" he asked.

The woman slowly turned to him with a horrified expression. She seemed to be in shock.

"M-my husband..."

He was caught up in some kind of trouble now, but it was too late to back out. He didn't care about the baker's husband but she did show him kindness, despite him being a drow. Most people didn't treat drow as kindly as other types of elves; their black skin, white hair, red eyes and grim expressions were normally feared or disgusted.

“So he was murdered?”

“...Yes…”

“Is there anything I can do?”

“...No, just… leave me alone…”

The woman began crying hysterically. It was no surprise, though. Elgaraf respected her wishes and left. Upon returning to the main street he noticed the stalls were closing down one by one. He was so busy today he didn’t even notice the sun setting. It was getting dark. Yuurei finally returned, waving a set of papers as she approached.

“Here are your visitor papers. They save you a lot of trouble with the guards.”

“What about the inn?”

Yuurei sighed. It seemed she didn’t get a room.

“If you’re willing to put up with it, may I travel with you for a few days? If you’re heading north, that is.”

Elgaraf thought for a moment. He didn’t have a destination in mind, but the capital wasn’t a good place to stay for long. Getting involved in the city’s problems was the last thing he needed but having someone travel with him wasn’t a good idea either.

“No, I can’t allow that. I travel alone to stay inconspicuous so that would be a problem.”

Yuurei sighed in disappointment.

“That is understandable. Could we at least talk over dinner?”

Elgaraf nodded.

“That will work.”

Elgaraf didn’t want to travel with her, but learning about the Hitobashira clan wasn’t a bad plan. She could be lying about the clan disowning her and he would rather not take that chance. The Hitobashira clan was mentioned several times before in places he visited but he never cared until hearing that they would observe him.

Elgaraf and Yuurei ate at a nearby restaurant. It had no other customers by the time they received their food, so that was a good time to continue their conversation.

“What is the †˜Hitobashira clan’? Why are they important?” Elgaraf whispered cautiously.

“It’s a large clan I used to be a part of. They control most of the country behind the scenes because they own the coalition’s mint.” Yuurei explained quietly, keeping an eye on the waitress who was busy collecting dishes.

Elgaraf sighed. It made sense now. Whoever controls the money controls the country, so the Hitobashira clan’s position was indeed powerful. One thing didn’t add up, however.

“So, why were your parents murdered?” Elgaraf whispered.

The waitress stopped by briefly to collect some dishes but paused at their table.

“Excuse me, sir and madam. Is there anything else you would like?”

“No, but thank you for the offer.” Yuurei politely declined, waving her hand in front of her chest.

The waitress bowed and left them alone, collecting a few more dishes before heading into the back.

“I’m not actually sure why it happened but my brother is the one who killed them. There’s probably more to that incident than meets the eye.” Yuurei explained in a normal indoor volume to sound less suspicious.

“Also, why are they going to watch me? I met the general but what does this have to do with them?” Elgaraf questioned.

“They keep an eye on suspicious people as a safety policy. I don’t mean to be rude but you appear suspicious in general, even more so since drow are rare in this area.” Yuurei explained.

That made sense to Elgaraf. Though, he had no reason to care since he was going to leave tonight regardless. After this, the two fell silent for a while. After paying for the food, Yuurei walked alongside Elgaraf until they left the city.

“We’ll part here. I hope we meet again.” Yuurei declared.

With that, Yuurei began heading north and Elgaraf decided to head east. In the town he visited prior to Logan’s fall he heard that there were villages to the east where giant arachnids frequently attacked and this sounded intriguing enough to see for himself. Perhaps he might find someone else worth challenging there as well.

In another place, darkness crept over the horizon while carrying a bone-chilling wind. Shadows emerged from the ground and seemed to drain the life out of anything they touched. This night would become the beginning of a horrifying tale and none would be able to stop the wheel of fate once it began to turn…

Darkness swept across a cold, barren land of ice as the sun fell behind the peaks. The harshness of winter was prevalent even though summer approached. Smoke rose from the chimney of a small cabin in the snow-veiled forests. A shadow-like blob of pitch-black darkness sat still, waiting for an opportunity.

"Damn, can't waste all these logs before summer... it's hell to leave home when it's this cold." a voice mumbled.

The shadow blob approached the noise of crackling wood and anxious footsteps. It slid up the cobble walls of the cabin and hung at the edge of the window. The ragged man it observed did not pay it even a glance but seemed to notice its presence.

"Come inside through the front door." the man directed as he organized some books.

The shadow blob slid back down to the ground and the front door opened with a creak. The man smiled as the shadow blob entered his home, and he shut the door behind it.

"Let me tell you a story, a story about the elements and their kin..." the man started.

The shadow blob sat on the ground without movement but seemed to understand his words nonetheless. He took a stick and turned over the log burning in his cobble fireplace. The shadow blob reeled back slightly from exposure to the sudden increase of light but regained its normal form quickly.

"Shadow and Light used to share a balance, but that changed about ten thousand years ago... a great purge of shadowkin caused the balance to be broken, and demons were driven to another realm. The gods, however, abandoned us in the end - they had no need for mortals when the demons were gone, and so they also returned to their own realms. Progress stood still for thousands of years." the man explained.

The shadow blob began morphing into a human-like shape, vaguely resembling the ragged man telling stories to it. The man chuckled a bit and shook his head.

"Save your transformation for someone who's really worth it. I'm just a traveler." he directed.

The human-like shadow blob nodded its vaguely human-like head, and then morphed back into its original form.

"This world is currently complacent, bathed in light and drinking to a false peace. The equilibrium of the elements is distorted and needs to be restored. An old man with the goal of bringing back demons once sought me out. I told him I would provide only information and no aid because once he receives help from those stronger than him he would come to rely on them. We can't have that. The natural order of the world is discord and animosity driven by progress - to cripple that progress and control people with it are horrifying deeds." the man explained.

The shadow blob inched away from the fire as it became brighter, and noticing this the man took a wooden panel and set it in front of the shadow blob to shield it from the light.

"Sorry about that, I forgot how sensitive shadowkin are in their infancy. Anyway, remember that there aren't many shadowkin left, so you need to ensure that the form you take is the form best for you. Don't fully transform until you've found someone truly powerful, or your own power and life expectancy will suffer." the man warned.

The shadow blob seemed to understand what he was saying and jiggled back and forth to signal its understanding.

"However, you do need a name for convenience. It'll be around twenty years before you can fight well, but to give you a sense of self, I'll list off names. Hop when you hear one you like." the man proposed.

The shadow blob sat still, waiting intently. The man took out a piece of bark and a knife and began carving on it. He turned the bark over and showed it to the shadow blob. It had a bunch of symbols on it, and the man pointed to one at a time as he named them.

"Aster. Fredrich. Shelbi. Mirna. Thomas. Andrew--" the man continued to list off names, but was interrupted by a hop when he read 'Emil'.

The shadow blob hopped with excitement. This name seemed to resonate with them.

"Emil it is, then. That's your name from now on." the man declared.

Emil hopped happily, flinging its body onto the man's lap. It was no larger than a typical jungle slime, but much more intelligent. The man set it down and guided it to his bed and place it underneath.

"I'm going to leave in a few days, but this cabin should have everything a shadowkin needs. Make yourself at home - I'll return in a few years to check on you. Don't venture too far out into the woods until I return - you're still in a very fragile state." the man explained.

With that, Emil the shadowkin's life was secure. However, another shadowkin was causing trouble in another place... in a village not far south, still part of this icy wasteland, a beautiful, middle-aged woman without a shadow entered a town. She had walked the dirt road, holding a small hatchet in each hand. She had black hair, black eyes, and pale skin.

A few villagers approached her wielding farming tools as weapons and seemed extremely cautious of her.

"You looking for trouble, outsider?" the villagers sternly questioned.

"I just came for food and rest. My name is Barbaricia Acrussio." the woman replied.

The name alone seemed to cause a stir and the villagers all pointed their weapons at her.

"Get lost! We have no place for a murderer!" one villager shouted.

The other villagers gathered and began throwing stones at her, pelting her mercilessly until she fell to the ground, bleeding and broken. The villagers took her hatchets and then left her there to rot in the street. One of the farmers came and dumped pig food on her and spat on her from above.

"If you don't leave before sundown, we'll lynch you to death, murderer!" a villager yelled.

So this is how her life was, no matter where she went. She could go into hiding, but refused to live in fear - and since no one who knew her name would help her, she had no choice but to take what she needed by force. She struggled to her feet and stood with a heart filled with strife.

These people didn't understand her, and no one ever would. Even if she tried to be reasonable, everyone would gang up on her and beat her, or worse. No one cared about her struggle - she didn't even murder anyone... her hands were stained with the blood of an accident.

But, no one would believe her anyway. It was at this moment that something inside her snapped. She didn't need to suffer for these terrible people... she wasn't wrong, it was the world that was wrong with how it treated her.

"It's finally making sense..." she mumbled.

She walked to the middle of the street and ripped off her own black skirt. She was wearing pants underneath. She threw her skirt to the ground, and then stood on it. The villagers began picking up their tools again and cautiously approaching her, ready to attack.

"If that's how I'll be treated everywhere, so be it. I am Barbaricia Acrussio. Don't forget the name of your killer." she declared.

The villagers charged to attack her, but spikes of shadow shot up from the ground and wounded the ones that got close. Everyone else reeled back.

"Last chance... will you welcome me into your arms?" she asked

"How could you do this...? You're a monster!" one of the village women shouted.

Barbaricia clenched her teeth in anger, realizing how pointless it was to even ask. The shadow spikes retracted, but then a single spike appeared from behind each villager, impaling everyone through their chests. There were no survivors, so she could rest and recuperate here, treating her wounds with whatever was available until it was time to leave again.

Meanwhile, a man and a boy were traveling the road to this same village, talking about their plans.

"We should reach the village before sunset. This will be your first time seeing how I use these curses, Shuusa." the man explained.

"Alright, Kanst. Why do you drive villages and towns to death, anyway? You have something worth the trouble to show for it, right?" Shuusa inquired.

Kanst nodded. He took out an orb that seemed to be shining brightly and purely of light, but a dark spot blotted out the light in a small area.

"In order to save the real world, I will restore the world's darkness and reveal the truth of this place. An old friend of mine ruined the natural order, all to keep a few people safe," Kanst explained.

Shuusa tilted his head, not quite understanding the implications of what he said. It sounded as if he meant to destroy the world to reveal a different one that was hidden, in order to save that one instead.

"I owe you for taking me from dejection, so I will help you however I can until I accomplish my goals," Shuusa declared.

Kanst nodded without changing his expression.

"However, if I do these things too often I'll lose sight of myself. I need to strike a balance or the darkness I'm creating will consume me," Kanst explained.

This made a little bit of sense. Shuusa was engulfed by hatred and despair, and his life was at a standstill. He could accomplish nothing by letting his heart's darker sides overpower him, but still needed it for his ambitions in the future.

As the two entered the village after some conversation, a woman greeted them with a wave of her hand, creating a shadow spike aimed at Kanst. Shuusa grabbed Kanst and pulled him out of the way quickly, arming himself in the process.

"Do not disturb my peace, or you will pay dearly!" the woman declared.

Kanst noticed she had no shadow but was walking on the blood-stained ground. Corpses littered the entire area, and no other survivors could be seen. Shuusa released his grip on Kanst and sheathed his daggers, stepping forward.

"You actually saved us some trouble... We needed these villagers to die anyway," Shuusa explained.

The woman tilted her head in confusion. Shuusa knew she needed a better explanation, so he signaled to Kanst by clearing his throat. Kanst nodded.

"My name is Kanst, and my student here is called Shuusa. A fine beauty such as yourself murdering all these people alone? That's splendid. Do you mind if we use the bodies? We need to take something from them before the end of the day." Kanst explained with a craven grin.

The sun was setting and the buildings' shadows grew larger. The woman began laughing maniacally. She created hundreds of javelins made of shadow, gathered in a circle surrounding her within arm's reach and then grabbed two of them. After raising the Javelins she took a stance and wore a threatening expression, still laughing with insanity.

"Fate is strange indeed! I murdered these fools because they hated me for being a 'murderer', but then you fools praise me for the same thing I'm scorned for? Interesting! My name is Barbaricia Acrussio. I'm a shadowkin but I'm also shadowless. If you can touch me even once before the night falls, I'll even help you out..."

Kanst's grin disappeared.

"Sounds good," Kanst replied.

Kanst stepped back and took out a book. Shuusa dashed forward, and Kanst began to leave. The woman threw spears of shadow at Shuusa, but he easily dodged them at first. She smiled a bit.

Barbaricia smiled. "Oh, so you can read patterns. In that case..." she mumbled.

She picked up the pace but also started created more spikes from the ground, aimed at Shuusa's legs. She was no amateur - she was clearly aiming to put him out of commission and make it easier to kill him afterward. However, Shuusa knew her focus was on him only because Kanst hadn't used any spells or entered the fight yet... it's likely that his only opening would be when Kanst entered the fight after using a large-scale spell.

As the onslaught continued, Shuusa was tiring out. He was more than fast enough to dodge any of her attacks but she was relentless and gave him no opening to approach her. As soon as he dodged one shadow from above, a spike appeared at his feet. Before he could even dodge it, a blade of shadow cut the air toward him, forcing him to retreat once more. His specialty was close combat and yet he couldn't even approach her.

"Breathe it all in..." Kanst's voice echoed.

A purple mist suddenly engulfed the town. Shuusa held his breath, knowing that most of Kanst's spells were curses and stood still and silently. Shuusa noticed that the relied on her eyes to attack him, but could probably attack him if she heard his footsteps - it wasn't worth the risk.

"Now, Shuusa!" Kanst shouted.

This was obviously a distraction, so Shuusa threw his dagger in the direction where the woman stood. She hadn't moved yet it seemed, and the dull noise of her deflecting his dagger could be heard. Shadow spears were thrown back in response, but Shuusa merely ducked down to avoid them - she wasn't aware of his exact location yet, but he already knew hers. It was over.

Kasnt began creating noise nearby, breaking objects. The sound of shadow javelins soaring could be faintly heard - it was the only chance Shuusa would get. He approached silently, making sure not to make a sound as he walked. He was within visual distance before she noticed him, but before she could turn her attention to him Kanst jumped into her face and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Distraction is deadly. We met your condition - no need to hold your breath, it's just a large, flashy smoke screen," Kanst stated.

Barbaricia took a breath and then sighed. Shuusa began hyperventilating. Apparently, he had very little lung endurance. Chuckling a bit, Barbaricia hugged Shuusa, patting him on the head.

"You people are crazy, and this kid has serious mettle. Alright, you can count me a member of your group." she declared.

"Well, I'm going to collect what I need from these bodies and then dispose of them. After this, we're planning to head to the capital of the Thorns' Coalition... the City of Roses itself, Eradicida. We'll stop in a small mining town, 'Logan's Fall' on the way to ensure we have enough food, but we should take as much as we can from here for the trip..." Kanst explained.

Shuusa and Barbaricia nodded, nearly in unison. Shuusa left her arms and began gathering the supplies and Barbaricia began moving the bodies to the center of town for Kanst. Their preparations were going quite well, overall. Meanwhile, a battle was beginning near the capital, Eradicida. However, this time, Atria the Supreme General wasn't present to stop it...

It was a busy yet peaceful day in the bustling streets of the town called Arden. It was a town with excellent natural resources and many successful farms nearby. Merchants patrolled the markets and shops, looking for any deal to profit from. Soldiers merrily drank at many of the taverns without a care in the world. It was the epitome of a joyous peace, and everyone was fairly relaxed even if they were working.

However, that all changed when the fire nation attacked people took notice of Kanst’s group as they entered town. Barbaricia was quite infamous, and it wasn’t long before the soldiers showed up to stop them. Groups of archers were ready to fire upon them from the rooftops and had their bows drawn with arrows ready. Barbaricia reached for her black skirt, which was now resting around her shoulders instead of worn around her legs.

“Halt! Barbaricia Acrussio, a member of your group is wanted for mass homicide and treason. You are all to be placed under arrest, resist and you will be executed on the spot!”

The shouting soldier approached with his spear pointed at Barbaricia. She was about to throw down her skirt, but Shuusa stopped her and held his hand out to the guards.

“Wait! We’ll comply obediently and come without resistance. I’ll hand over all of our weapons so you don’t have to risk yourselves disarming us. Feel free to search us and our belongings afterward.”

Kanst grabbed Shuusa by the shoulders and stared him down. His eyes were boiling with rage.

“Are you mad? This act is tantamount to suicide!”

Shuusa returned his glare with a calm expression, free of desperation.

“No, it’s not. We’ll be killed if we try to fight here, anyway.”

Kanst gritted his teeth but released Shuusa. Then, Shuusa took out his throwing knives and and daggers, calmly handing to the soldier. Barbaricia handed her skirt-cape to Shuusa.

“I hope you know what you’re doing…”

Shuusa nodded, giving the skirt to the guard. The guard narrowed his eyes, suspicious of their ready cooperation.

“We need to put all of you in cuffs and chains if we are to believe your claims of cooperation.”

Kanst stepped forward.

“We are giving you no trouble so why do we--”

Shuusa stuck his hand out.

“Please, Kanst. It’s better to do what he says.”

Kanst scoffed at this, but stepped forward and put his hands out. Shuusa and Barbaricia followed suit. The soldier raised his brow in suspicion, but placed the cuffs on their arms and chained their legs to iron balls. He stepped back and signalled the other soldiers to approach.

“You’re all being taken to the dungeon beneath the guardhouse. It is fortified and guarded by dozens of soldiers. Try to avoid doing anything stupid.”

With this, they were lead by the soldier to the dungeon through the guardhouse. Shuusa took note of every turn they took and memorized them. They were locked in a cell together, with an emaciated figure resting in the corner. Were they dead? Barbaricia approached the emaciated figure without reserve.

“Been here a while?”

The figure didn’t move or even twitch in response.

“Much longer than anyone could possibly know.”

Shuusa carefully examined the iron bars. They seemed to be considerably damaged and were covered in rust.

“Well, you’re about to be free.”

The figure shook its head.

“Please don’t. If you try to break out, bad things will happen.”

Kanst walked over the the figure.

“You have the voice of a woman. Your experiences here must have been dreadful.”

The figure nodded

“I don’t just have a woman’s voice… I am a woman.”

The figure looked up with a weary yet threatening expression. Her pale face was so thin that her skin was translucent and one could make out the shape of her skull. Her eyes were completely blank - they had no irises or pupils whatsoever. Shuusa figured out the iron bars - there was a cut deep enough in a few that one could bust them open even with a child’s strength - he’d need to limit how hard he struck it.

“So, I assume everyone’s punished if one person tries to escape here?”

“Yes. That’s how it’s always been.”

Shuusa smiled and offered his hand to her.

“Then escape with us. Kanst will carry you.”

Kanst turned to Shuusa.

“You have ignored my pleas all day. Explain yourself, now.”

Shuusa sighed.

“They just locked us up after mobilizing a large number of soldiers… if we want to escape, now’s out only chance.”

Shuusa took his cuffed wrists and slammed the cuffs against the stone brick wall, shattering the shoddy iron cuffs. He then reached into his boot and pulled out a lockpick and a small knife, undoing his cuffs. Afterward, he unlocked Kanst’s and Barbaricia’s cuffs but did not undo them.

“Here’s the plan. I’m going to bust through these iron bars and run ahead to deal with any soldiers quietly so we can make our escape uninterrupted. After I toss a lit torch within eyeshot of the front of the cell, Kanst will carry you and follow me along with Barbaricia. Any questions? We’re short on time.”

Everyone shook their heads nearly at the same time. Shuusa grinned deviously

“Good. Let’s get out of here.”

Shuusa kicked the iron bars in several places, shattering the sections he kicked. What remained was a large hole in the bars for everyone to escape through. Hurried footsteps could be heard coming their way, so Shuusa grabbed a broken piece of the iron bars, jumped out, and dashed in their direction. After he turned the corner a single guard confronted him. He was a large man wielding a mace, but had little armor.

“Look what we have here, a little rat managed--”

Before the man could finish, Shuusa jumped to his shoulders and sliced his neck with the broken iron bar and quickly stabbed him in the lungs to silence him. The man fell to the ground with a loud thud, which drew the attention of another guard.

“Paul? What’s going on?”

As soon as the guard turned the corner, Shuusa leapt at him and stabbed him in the lungs repeatedly, removing his ability to speak, and then stabbed him in the head. The iron bar-spike wasl likely unusable by now. This soldier had an arming sword, so Shuusa took that as his new weapon. It was slightly heavier, but short enough that fighting indoors was still easy.

The soldier also had a small steel buckler strapped to his arm. He removed the buckler on the soldier’s left forearm and strapped it to his own - he might need if if he encounters archers or skilled swordsmen. After he killed a few more guards, he ascended the stairs from the dungeon and into the guardhouse.

He opened the trapdoor carefully, making sure not to make noise with it. There were no guards awake, but five or six slept in their beds. He let the door down slowly and grabbed the torch from the wall. He went back to Kanst and the others and tossed it on the ground from around the corner, then quickly returning to the path.

“That was the signal.”

Kanst lifted the emaciated woman and left the cell, followed by Barbaricia.

“I’ll cover your back. Seems like Shuusa took care of the front already.”

Kanst nodded and they turned the corner to see shuusa standing at the next corner, beckoning them. There were corpses of a few guards along the way but they were not high in number - they likely had lax security due to the town being peaceful as of late.

As Shuusa beckoned them to the next corning, he tossed a black tablecloth to Barbaricia.

“Carry that in your arms and drop it the moment we’re engaged in combat.”

Barbaricia nodded. It seemed apparent that Shuusa had broken out of a prison before, but that was a question for later. Shuusa turned the corner and they all followed him until he reached the stairs. He beckoned everyone to come as close as possible and knelt down.

“Don’t make a sound. I have to check if the guards are still sleeping.”

Shuusa whispered these commands in a grave tone, as if one mistake would cost them their lives. Everyone crouched silently at the bottom of the steps as Shuusa climbed up and slowly lifted the trapdoor just enough to see the floor. He couldn’t see anyone’s feet on the floor, so they were likely still in bed. They would be slower to respond, even if one or two were awake. Shuusa let the door down silently and motioned everyone to follow him.

“Don’t fight without my signal unless the guards get up. We’re going to sneak past if possible.”

Everyone nodded, minus the emaciated woman. Shuusa opened the trapdoor slowly and quietly until it was completely ajar. It tapped the wall with a clack. No response from the guards - they were certainly asleep. Shuusa tiptoed past the guards, but noticed his weapons sitting in the corner, along with Barbaricia’s cape. Security was quite lax in the guardhouse, it seemed.

He grabbed the equipment silently as the others quietly treaded step by step toward the good. As Shuusa took hold of the door’s handle, a guard yawned and rolled over in bed. He was now facing the door. This would be the hardest part. He opened the door slowly and gently, but it made a creaking noise. Shuusa’s heartbeat was so loud it could be heard, nearly felt even in the silence of this small room.

He opened the door slightly more quickly - if it made noise no matter what, a swift escape should be the priority rather than stealth. The door made less noise for some reason - the weight of the thick wooden door was probably harsh on the small hinges, which were rusting as well. The alley the guardhouse was built it was run down and empty. For a successful river town, the soldiers were very underwhelming, as were their quarters.

The others passed Shuusa and then he closed the door at about the same speed as he opened it - no creaks. He nudged it shut gently to not make as much noise from securing it.

“Let’s go.”

Shuusa walked ahead and led them to through the alleys. They eventually came to an area with many shoddy shelters made from scraps of wood and torn blankets. The residents watched cautiously but kept their distance. Everyone here seemed pretty worn down, as if life had kicked them to the ground many times. Shuusa led them to a broken section of wall where they escaped - this route was clearly something they hadn’t seen on their way in. Shuusa had surely been here before.

After squeezing through, Shuusa kept low as he walked forward. He looked up to the wall. No patrols. He beckoned the group, and they left the town’s walls. To the west, there was a path leading to the forests and into the mountains. After they reached the forest, Shuusa began marking Trees and heading north, with the rest tagging along. Eventually, they stopped and set up camp in the woods. Kanst confronted Shuusa about the actions he took earlier.

“Why did you cooperate, and how did you know the way to escape Arden?”

Shuusa took out an apple and began peeling it with his dagger.

“I spent most of my life there. My family lived there, until I murdered my parents three years ago.”

Barbaricia stood suddenly and gasped.

“Why would you murder your own parents? I would understand if it was people you didn’t know, but...”

Shuusa shook his head and tossed the peeled skins into the fire.

“It’s a long story, but it was all to save my sister.”

Barbaricia let out a sigh of relief and sat back down.

“Sorry for interrupting.”

“She’s still alive, thanks to that. Someone else was going to kill her if I didn’t kill my parents, so I made the choice to do it and spare her.”

Kanst took out his staff and pointed it menacingly at Shuusa.

“That certainly does not explain your knowledge of prison breaking. You are hiding something, boy.”

Shuusa laughed derisively at these words.

“Aren’t you also? I’m sure Barbaricia has secrets as well… I don’t pry, and neither should you.”

Kanst smiled.

“A fair point you make, though I wish you would trust me more than that.”

Barbaricia shook her head.

“Our group wasn’t formed based on trust, but on benefit instead. You expecting us to reveal our secrets even if you won’t?”

Kanst sighed.

“Let us move on from this topic. I do not expect that of you at all.”

Shuusa nodded and then adjusted the branches and twigs in the fire pit to keep it alive. He handed the apple he peeled to Barbaricia and took out another, beginning to peel it. Kanst sat on a fallen tree nearby to gather his thoughts.

Was Shuusa going to be useful? Would he instead become a hindrance in the long run? The only way he could control the damage to his plans would be to either kill Shuusa soon while he’s still weaker than him… or to find the secrets to the immortal body he longed for. Either way, Shuusa would have to be dealt with some day for his plans to succeed…

The shadows of pursuit left them, and the light of day now greeted them. Shuusa, Kanst, and Barbaricia lasted the night by camping in the forests around the Sento mountain range, along with their crippled and emaciated guest, who they brought with them as they escaped from Arden. She was still asleep, though. As Shuusa put the fire out, Kanst climbed to his feet and brushed the dirt from his cloak. Barbaricia wasn’t around. As soon as Kanst noticed this, Shuusa turned to face him.

“I’ll go look for her. Wait here with our guest.”

Without listening for a reply, Shuusa left the camp to search for her. Kanst sat on the fallen tree once more, pondering what to do next - he had collected enough energy and human souls in his dimensional bag that he could break open the seal on the portal to the demon realm, but the location of the portal and the strength of the seal would be key. He also would need to negotiate with the first demons to exit the portal.

Shuusa would likely oppose his actions, but he needed the help of demons to gain immortality. In legend, it’s said that only an Archangel can kill demons. That’s it! He’d leave Shuusa and Barbaricia behind for now, and return after finding immortality. If the boy chose to follow him afterward, he could make use of him… or kill him otherwise. In any event, his †˜allies’ would likely not need his help, seeing as Shuusa is very dependable at wilderness survival and escaping from dangerous situations.

The question is… would he try to follow? It could spell trouble if Shuusa realized his plans before he finished carrying them out. That was something he needed to avoid. He took a scroll from his dimensional bag and wrote on it with a quilt and a bottle of ink sealed inside. After he finished writing, he placed the scroll conspicuously in a broken branch of the fallen tree. That should be conspicuous enough to draw Shuusa’s attention, but not enough to easily draw in passersby.

The weary woman was still asleep, so now was the best time to leave, before she awoke. Her identity was an enigma, and he wanted nothing to do with any other enigmas like himself. He removed his staff from the dimensional bag and placed it against the tree near the scroll and walked away. As he did, he cast a spell to create a thick mist near the edge of the forest on his way out - this would slow his comrades down should they decide to follow him…

<>Meanwhile…<>

In the forests, Shuusa searched for Barbaricia. However, he soon came across a group of soldiers bearing flags of the capital, Aldium. Among them was an unexpected face that he really wanted to avoid. He tried to pull up his hood quickly, but it was shredded from his short fight with Barbaricia - forgetting to repair it was a grave mistake. The girl at the front turned and approached him with an expression of surprise.

“.... Are you… my brother?”

Too late, she’d seen his face for sure. Shuusa stepped out into the open and confronted her. Her expression of surprise turned into one of rage, and she glared at him with a searing hatred in her eyes that he remembered quite well. He’d murdered their parents, after all - even though she didn’t know why, what he did would be unforgivable even if she did.

“I was hoping not to see you again so soon, Yuurei.”

Yuurei drew her sword and pointed it at Shuusa. Her hatred-filled eyes now glowed with a calm, yet intense anger. She had surely resolved to kill him.

“Do not call me by name.”

“Are you still upset about that incident? There’s no helping it, then…”

Shuusa drew his daggers and prepared for a fight. Yuurei signaled the soldiers to step back. Her glare was sharp, and the soldiers stepped back without opposing her or speaking a word.

“I’ll handle this. He’s my responsibility.”

Shuusa laughed. She might have trained, but so did he - every single day. There’s no way she could defeat him, even if she had justice on her side.

“So you became a dog of the military, huh? Last time we met, you only managed to make me look good in front of my comrade.”

Shuusa grinned cockily at her, but Yuurei smiled with confidence in response. He was taken aback by this. She had figured out that he was the one who attacked her that night, for sure, but still smiled with confidence? She must be acting cocky as a bluff, Shuusa thought.

“You were the cloaked attacker I faced back then? I guess that’s not surprising. This time, though, the tables are turned.”

Shuusa could feel the smile disappearing from his own face. He dashed forward, aiming for the soldiers in her group first - better to remove the possibility of an unwelcome interrupting early. However, this time Yuurei managed not only to step in and deflect the attacks but also disarm Shuusa with well-aimed thrusts from her rapier without even injuring him. Shuusa was shocked, and an expression of terror ran across his face. Last time, she couldn’t lift a finger to stop him.

“You’re joking… right?”

Yuurei pointed the tip of her rapier at Shuusa’s throat. She had won, by a wide margin - her current skills were no joke… but how did she obtain them? Who could have taught her such masterful swordsmanship in such a short time?

“Afraid not, foolish brother.”

Shuusa stepped back and sighed. He was outmatched, plain and simple. He stepped away until her blade wasn’t in immediate thrusting range.

“How did you become this strong?”

Yuurei lowered her blade momentarily to rest her hand, but raised it once more.

“Well, I certainly didn’t waste time thieving and attacking passerby as you likely did.”

Shuusa snickered. It’s not surprising that she thought he was a brigand, considering their last encounter.

“If only that were true, I might actually have money to spend. However, I trained rigorously every day - there’s no way you could surpass me this fast. How did you do it?”

Yuurei , approaching and pointing her blade at Shuusa’s throat once more.

“You’ll get no answers from me. Now, you have two options - allow me to arrest you without resistance, or I’ll kill you right here and now.”

Shuusa looked around. Barbaricia was in position nearby, standing in the shadows of many trees. It seemed she was waiting for their fight to end to step in. Shuusa held out his hands and dropped his daggers, stepping back as he kicked the daggers aside.

“Fine, but you’ll have to put the cuffs on me yourself. I’ll explain the truth about the reasons behind murdering our parents later, when I’m in custody.”

Yuurei nodded, taking a pair of iron cuffs with chains from the guards. As she approached Shuusa, Barbaricia’s shadow Javelin landed on the ground - Yuurei dodged this but was assaulted by several more in rapid succession. Shuusa picked up his daggers and ran in the direction of Barbaricia. Yuurei followed him with haste, and was catching up very quickly.

“Aim at me instead of her - I’ll dodge them as you throw!”

Barbaricia nodded, continuously throwing javelin after Javelin. She was throwing them so quickly that one could almost mistake her attacks for those of a semi-automatic crossbow. Though her abilities didn’t drain her stamina, she was wearing herself quickly out by throwing them far too swiftly in succession. Shuusa dodged the incoming spears with ease, but Yuurei did the same and was close behind, closing the gap with each passing second.

“Run, now! Keep throwing the spears as we do!”

Barbaricia made a wide grin and stood her ground, continuing to throw her javelins. Shuusa’s face turned to one of horror - no sacrifices should be made to facilitate his escape.

“What are you doing - run, idiot!”

As Shuusa passed Barbarcia, she crouched and touched the shadows on the ground with both hands. A massive wave of shadow spikes surged from every conceivable part of the ground around them, leaving nowhere for Yuurei to approach them. Yuurei jumped back, clinging to a nearby tree. Barbaricia then stood and touched a tree nearby, and the shadow spikes protruded from all of the trees in the area as well, forcing Yuurei to retreat even further.

“Let’s not be hasty and pick a fight we can’t win, little girl.”

Yuurei grimaced with anger. Her hated enemy was so close, yet so far away. How could she let him slip right through her fingers like this? Regardless, she recognized Barbaricia, and her expression changed to one of condescension.

“You’re a real piece of work. Aren’t you that wanted murderer that recently slaughtered a village? There are wanted posters of you in every block, you fool.”

Barbaricia laughed obnoxiously, holding her stomach and unable to contain herself. After a short while, she finally settled down and faced Yuurei with a cocky grin.

“That means I’m a public celebrity. Want an autograph?”

Yuurei spat in her direction. She clearly found the joke distasteful, but had no words to retort it.

“You’re rotten to the core. Why not fight without your petty tricks?”

Barbaricia’s smiled vanished, and she picked up another shadow javelin.

“My tricks are my life, so I’ll use them every chance I get.”

As Barbaricia spoke these words she stabbed the ground with the shadow javelin, creating a ring of shadow spikes around Yuurei. She readied several more javelins and began throwing them again. Yuurei was being cornered, bit by bit. However, just as Barbaricia was about to completely corner her, a man with a massive tower shield jumped in front of Yuurei and protected both himself and her from Barbaricia’s attacks.

“Don’t make all that training a waste of time by getting yourself killed, lass. You’re still green.”

The man did not show his body or face and hid behind the shield without moving. Barbaricia threw a few more shadow javelins, but they bounced off harmlessly without scratching it. She sighed and crouched once more, but the man with the shield turned and threw the shield on his back then lifted and ran off with Yuurei, easily dodging the spikes that sprung from the ground on his way - despite his size and that enormous, sturdy shield, he was clearly fast on his feet - perhaps the fastest she’d seen yet.

“Shuusa, it seems they’re retreating. Let’s go back to camp - we’ll have to move soon.”

Shuusa nodded. Barbaricia cleared the shadow spikes surrounding them and they walked through the forest together. As they approached camp, Barbaricia noticed Kanst’s staff against the fallen tree. The woman they escaped prison with was still sound asleep near the fire pit, which had naught but bits of charcoal now.

“Well, looks like our comrade had plans of his own.”

As Barbaricia approached their sleeping guest, Shuusa silently approached the staff, noticing the scroll in the broken branch as he did. He grabbed the scroll first and opened it, coming to the realization that Kanst wasn’t returning. Shuusa began to read the scroll aloud - for Barbaricia’s sake more so than his own.

To my comrades - I am taking leave for now to accomplish a task that I absolutely must complete alone. Do not seek me - I will find you upon my return. You may borrow my staff as a token of my gratitude - I will retrieve it next time I meet you. The staff enhances the spells one can cast, if one has the aptitude for magic. There are teachers of basic spells in various cities, I’m sure you could find one.

Shuusa put down the scroll and picked up the staff. It was just as shabby as ever - merely a gnarled branch of oak with a gem in its head. The gem lacked color, indicating it was currently useless. As the weary woman rose from her sleep, she stood and stumbled over to Shuusa. She was still very atrophied - her bones were visible in many areas, and one could see the shape of her skull through her thin skin.

“Give that… to me.”

Her voice was weak and she had an expression of desperation. Shuusa handed her the staff and observed her - would she be a worthwhile companion on their journey? The woman placed her hands on the gem atop the staff, and it began to glow. After a few moments, it gleamed brightly with white light, and she cast a spell on herself, enveloping herself in light. Her silhouette was barely visible through the shining aura that enveloped her, but her body was surely changing.

After the light faded, her weary figure had completely disappeared - She was a beautiful woman with golden hair and very unique mixed-color irises - each of her eyes was a bright, silky orange color but her left eye contained scattered bits of green and her right eye had spots of cyan in a uniform pattern. Her skin glowed as though she wasn’t even a living being - as though she was a spirit who transcended to a higher plane of existence. Shuusa stepped back and drew his daggers, preparing for a possible conflict.

“Peace. I am not hostile toward my saviors.”

Shuusa lowered his daggers, keeping them out for now, just in case.

“Alright, I’ll take your word for it. My name is Shuusa, what’s yours?”

“Aether. Or, at least that’s the only name that comes to mind.”

Shuusa scratched his chin, pondering the meaning of her words. She probably couldn’t remember her own name, but had no intentions to hide it after she remembers, if her words implied what he thought they did. He sighed and sheathed his daggers.

“Alright, Aether, here’s the plan - I want to lead us up the Sento mountains into a small village, named after the namesake mountain range it rests in. A friend of mine who used to live in Arden moved there years ago, if things are as I expect he should still be there.”

Barbaricia overheard this and walked over to Shuusa, placing a hand on his shoulder. She wore an expression of concern.

“Shouldn’t we look for Kanst?”

Shuusa shook his head. Following that madman was a bad idea when he had his own plans. He could probably kill Kanst, but only if he took him by surprise - which also likely meant making an enemy of Barbaricia.

“He wrote not to follow him - I’ll respect that and move on with my own plans. Are you going to stay with us?”

Barbaricia sighed.

“I don’t know. Do you think a mountain village would have wanted posters?”

Shuusa shook his head.

“Not this one. It’s an unmarked village, and because of that they never joined the Thorns Coalition - they see few outsiders, so they’re likely to be more curious than cautious.”

She crossed her arms and raised her brow in suspicion. The last thing Shuusa needed was more unwanted questions, so seeing this gesture, he decided to add to his statements. Barbarcicia opened her mouth to speak first, though.

“Sounds like you’ve been there before, too.”

Shuusa nodded.

“I’m the one who helped him move there. It was a hard trip, though.”

Aether stepped between them and created barriers of light around them. Barbaricia touched the barrier, but was shocked by it. Shuusa drew his daggers and Barbaricia tossed her black cloak to the ground to stand upon it. Aether nodded her head in acknowledgment of their readiness to fight, but did not release the barriers. She placed one hand on each of their barriers and looked toward the edge of the forest.

“I do not condone your actions as murderers, but I understand its necessity at times. I will, however, forego this trip of yours. I will return this staff to Vastenarok the next time I see him.”

Shuusa’s interest was piqued at the name †˜Vastenarok’. Didn’t she mean Kanst? Or perhaps she knew something about him that they did not?

“Don’t you mean Kanst, the owner of that staff you’re holding?”

Aether shook her head.

“Incorrect. Vastenarok is the original owner of this staff. It is time to say our farewells, half-kin.”

Shuusa sheathed his daggers - she wouldn’t have trapped them in barriers they could easily break, so the daggers would likely be useless to keep the conversation going, which he needed to do to ascertain the truth.

“Half-kin? You mean I’m not human?”

“That is not entirely correct. You are human, but half of your blood belongs to an accursed species known as Wevirians - they cannot reproduce with other species. Your very existence is impossible, even to my knowledge…”

Shuusa lowered his head in thought. Who was this woman? She had the aura of a spirit, rather than a human, but she was certainly not an elf of any kind. She didn’t seem like a Revomian or an Azismian, either. Was she truly a spirit? If so, that explained her vast knowledge about things she shouldn’t know of normally. Shuusa decided to get what information he could out of her.

“I’m out of time, child. I must leave soon.”

“Wait, will you please answer one more question?”

Aether nodded as she moved past Shuusa and dispelled the mist in the forest with the mere waving of her hands. Shuusa needed to figure out one thing before he could leave - he understood that the Hitobashira clan was responsible for the orders he received to kill his parents and the threats to his sister’s life, but who was exactly responsible for the orders, he did not yet know.

“I need to find the truth about my parents’ death. I was the one who killed them, but I did it so that my clan would spare my sister’s life. Who was the one who ordered the assassination?”

Aether shook her head.

“I do not possess this knowledge, as I did not visit the Hitobashira clan - However, your mother was under my protection for a short time, because she was a Wevirian.”

Shuusa tilted his head in confusion.

“I thought you said Wevirians couldn’t breed with other species?”

Aether nodded.

“She was a unique case - she had no amazing abilities related to her race, but was able to bear children.”

Shuusa gasped. This was a shocking revelation - his own mother was a Wevirian?

“If your clan targeted your parents, it was likely to eliminate her. Your sister will likely become a target if she ever manages to bear children, as will you if your seed bears fruit.”

Shuusa sighed.

“Then that means we can have children with other races, as well?”

Aether shrugged.

“It is unknown whether or not either of you inherited her ability, but as half-wevirians you likely did not. You are unlikely to have children in your lifetime, and I do not advise attempting to.”

Shuusa’s fell silent after hearing these successive revelations. That was a lot to take in - however, it meant that she had protected his family in the past. That explains why she knew a lot about him. Aether turned and floated away, her feet not touching the ground even once as she ventured toward the edge of the forest. Yup, she was definitely a spirit, Shuusa thought.

As she left their sight, the barriers were released and the two of them were free to move again. Barbaricia stretched her limbs a bit before picking up her cape. She wore an expression of confusion and seemed as though she had many questions, but did not attempt to ask them.

“That was really something, wasn’t it?”

Shuusa stood still, thinking about the things Aether explained. Kanst wasn’t really the owner of that staff? And who was †˜Vastenarok’? His own mother was a Wevirian? Yuurei wasn’t truly safe, even after he murdered his parents to protect her? Was everything he worked so hard to accomplish pointless?

Then, his life was meaningless - he’d slaughtered beloved parents to protect the sister he treasured dearly, but in doing so gave her nothing but false safety and pure hatred for her own brother. How could he confront her again after this? His face contorted in despair, and he fell deeper into his own negative thoughts. He wasn’t righteous - no, he was truly evil. He had committed an unforgivable sin - all for absolutely no reason.

“Shuusa?”

Barbaricia had a worried expression. He was worthless, and he stole away the few things worthwhile in life from himself as well as his sister - however, she was worse off - she didn’t even know the reason he did so, and likely lived every day wondering why the world was so unfair as to rob her of her parents at such a young age. Her hatred and anger for him reflected the harshness of her life quite clearly.

But, maybe that was for the best - if she was to protect herself, she’d need to become formidable - enough so that the clan could not possibly harm her. Shuusa decided the only way to promote her growth as a warrior would be to challenge her himself - she had surpassed him in a short time, so she was likely feeling secure and confident in her abilities. This would be the end of her if she left her guard down for long, as the clan was ruthless and cunning.

He needed to surpass her once more and show her the folly of these thoughts - he was shown his weakness many times today… despite his stellar speed and deadly precision, he could not do a thing against Yuurei, and was easily trapped within a spell cast by Aether before she left as well. Barbaricia was the only one carrying her weight in this journey now. He needed not only to become a better fighter, but learn the basics of magic so he could counter magic users as well.

There was an area Shuusa could become stronger quickly, but it was likely more dangerous than fighting against even the most formidable of people - as he calculated the risks versus the rewards in his mind, Barbaricia gathered their supplies in silence, leaving Shuusa to his thoughts. She could tell that he was deep in thought and interrupting him now would only slow him down.

After several minutes of mulling over his options, Shuusa decided the risk was worth it - he’d travel to the northern mountain ranges instead of the Sento mountain village - if he survived the trip, he would undoubtedly become unspeakably stronger as he traversed the peaks. However, he would not leave Barbaricia behind without warning as Kanst did - he would take the time to properly explain himself. There was likely nowhere safe for her to travel in these regions, either.

“Barbaricia, can we talk for a few minutes?”

She nodded and sat on the fallen tree. Everyone seemed to love sitting there for some odd reason.

“I’m listening.”

“So I was thinking of my options and decided I need to go on a journey to become stronger. However, I don’t want to leave you in a bad spot without direction… Is there anywhere I can take you?”

Barbaricia put a finger to her lips with a puzzled expression. She clearly didn’t have a place in mind.

“Why not just take me with you? I promise to keep my identity hidden on the way, and you know how useful I can be in a pinch…”

Shuusa smiled but put his hand out. She was right, but

“You’re definitely stronger than I am, and would certainly crush me in any sort of fight. However, I can’t protect my sister if I rely on others too much. But, more than that, I’ll become weaker because I will come to expect the help. If we’re separated at a vital time, how will I function if I relied on you the entire time?”

Barbaricia sighed. She dusted off her cloak, which she had neglected to do after Aether left them earlier. She gazed at Shuusa with a solemn expression.

“Your idea is decent enough, but do you know why I agreed to travel with you and Kanst?”

Shuusa lifted his head and met her gaze. Her eyes were blank as if remembering very unpleasant experiences.

“Why?”

“Because I was alone. I never met people who understood my plight or treated me well before, despite having murdered many people. Are you going to abandon me, too? Am I going to be alone once again?”

Shuusa was shocked. She didn’t seem like the kind of person to grow attached and make friends, but she needed people around her, desperately. Her gaze was lonesome and desperate - she just wanted companions she could spend time with, even if they never returned her camaraderie.

Shuusa sighed. He knew she’d be an asset, and would likely protect him in a pinch - but that was what he feared. If he became too weak to fend for himself, the moment a pack of wolves surrounded him, he would become their dinner. However, bringing along a companion for his sanity’s sake wouldn’t be a bad thing.

“Alright, you win. I didn’t know you felt that way about us. Besides, I could certainly use someone to talk to. However, I want you to promise me one thing - you must absolutely not break this promise.”

Barbaricia’s expression lightened and her eyes now gleamed with hope.

“What is it?”

“Don’t protect me or fight enemies targeting me. If you request my help, I’ll do my best to give it, but I ask that you do not aid me, no matter how much danger I will face. This is part of my training to become stronger.”

Barbaricia nodded with a warm smile.

“I won’t intervene in your perils. I promise.”

Shuusa smiled as well, holding out his hand to Barbaricia. She took his hand, and he shook her hand. She seemed to be startled by this gesture. It was no surprise to Shuusa that she was startled - he’d only seen merchants use this kind of gesture before.

“What are you doing?”

“It’s called a handshake. It’s a gesture that shows two parties agree and trust each other to keep true to their words. It’s like a contract of trust.”

“Well, okay then. I’ll hold you to your words!”

Barbaricia smiled brightly - she really was beautiful, despite being middle-aged. If she was around his age instead, she’d probably be gorgeous. She was only a temporary companion, though - he’d need to find someone else to befriend her in time, for the time will come when he must set out alone. After this, Barbaricia finished gathering up and packing their remaining supplies.

Shuusa decided to carry their supplies on his own in order to train both his strength and stamina. As they left the forest and returned to the path in the plains, there were some soldiers standing in a small group, bearing the flag of Aldium - the capital. They were having a conversation, but it seemed mundane for the most part.

Shuusa signaled to drop, and both he and Barbaricia crouched into the tall grass simultaneously. Shuusa put down the packs of supplies carefully, being sure to do so silently.


“Let’s wait and see if something of value comes up…”

The guards continued talking, mostly about how shitty their lives as soldiers were, recent battles, and so on. Eventually, though, a few topics of interest came up.

“So, our Supreme General is apparently being contested for leadership…”

“No way! Where did you hear that?”

“From the captain. He heard it from someone through †˜The Rose Bush’, but it seems to be reliable information.”

“From †˜The Rose Bush’, huh? Then, it must be true. Did you hear about why?”

“Apparently she took a student and began training them in combat. Afterward some people in the higher ranks called her motivations for being the standing ruler into question, and since then factions have risen against her in politics.”

“Are they raising rebels?”

“Sadly, no. It seems like they were smart enough to avoid confronting her militarily. Then again, amazing as her skills are it’d be pointless to fight her with soldiers.”

“Then again, who would be stupid enough to try that? Even our enemies won’t attack the coalition while we’re protected by her… The last invasion was three years ago, right?”

“What about an attack on two fronts?”

“Possible, but unlikely. So, as you already know, we…”

With that, their conversation returned to idle chatter about military life and tactics. It was unclear who was speaking and at what time, but the soldiers seemed to talk in turns, politely waiting for each other to finish. They seemed disciplined, despite living in an era of peace where they had little to worry about as far as enemy invasions are concerned.

Shuusa decided that nothing more of value could be gathered by listening, so he snuck silently to them and leapt at two of the guards from behind to strike their necks with his hands simultaneously, knocking them out. The remaining three soldiers drew their swords and stepped back, pulling down their helmet visors and circling around Shuusa

These soldiers seemed quite competent - it was good he took the chance to reduce their numbers, if only temporarily. Shuusa drew his daggers and darted between two of the soldiers as they circled and pointed his daggers at the nearest one. The soldiers backed up into each other and formed a small triangle to protect one another’s sides and backs.

“This child knows martial arts.”

“Seems like it.”

The soldiers nodded without looking at one another and immediately changed their tactics - they stepped back again, one soldier cover the backs of the other two while they approached with their blades held low - they must have dealt with assassins in the past, or been thoroughly trained on how to do so - Shuusa decided that this fight was futile, and signaled Barbaricia to move and escape.

As she popped out of the grass, the soldier in the back drew a throwing knife from his belt and threw it at Barbaricia with stunning accuracy - she barely dodged, falling backward and landing awkwardly, hitting her head as she landed.

“It seems Barbaricia Acrussio is his companion.”

“Let’s retreat, then.”

The soldiers each took out a black, iron ball - they had thin ropes coming out of them, and the soldiers struck flints across the surface to light the ropes with sparks. As the thin ropes burned, the soldiers kept their blades drawn - the ropes burned almost to the base before the soldiers moved - they threw the iron balls, but all three missed, seemingly intentionally - two landed near Barbaricia, who was still on the ground and one landed near Shuusa, who stared at it cautiously.

The soldiers then grabbed their unconscious comrades and left with great haste. At this moment Shuusa deduced that those iron balls must be very dangerous - those well-disciplined soldiers wouldn’t have left with such reckless haste otherwise… He jumped back as quickly as possible and continued moving back away from the iron ball - Barbaricia simply stared at the two near her with curiosity. Shuusa stopped for a moment to warn her.

“Get away from those, they’re--”

Before Shuusa could finish his warning, all three iron balls exploded almost simultaneously - the blast had such a force that Barbaricia was blown several yards away. Luckily Shuusa avoided the immediate danger by putting enough distance between the ball and himself, but several black iron fragments landed near him - if he hadn’t been so cautious, he’d probably be severely wounded, or worse. Shuusa approached Barbaricia, who was knocked out by the blast’s impact.

“Damn it...”

Shuusa lifted her onto his shoulder - she was terribly light, as if she weighed nothing at all - in fact, it felt as if she wasn’t even over his shoulder. It was quite uncanny. He thought about it for a moment, but then realized that someone existing without a shadow defies logic by itself, so pondering this any longer would be pointless. He carried her into the forest they came from.

Their camp was intact still, untouched since they left. Though Aether and Kanst had left, it could still be used for the time being. In his haste, Shuusa forgot to check if Barbaricia was wounded - he rolled up her shirt to reveal her stomach - several shards of iron had been embedded around her navel, and she was bleeding a considerable amount. Blood loss was the number one killer of the wounded, but infections were no joking matter, either.

“Damn it!!!”

Barbaricia’s eyes opened slightly - she was regaining consciousness, but was clearly weakened. Shuusa removed the shards from her stomach, but had nothing to cleanse it with. Liquor would be useful, since people in his hometown used it for pain relief and cleansing all the time, but he had none of that, either. He resorted to squeezing more blood out of the wounds, at which Barbaricia turned over in pain. He wrapped the wounds in her black cape, but it was a temporary measure at best.

“Can you hear me? Speak… Say something!”

“Th… thank…”


Shuusa cursed his own incompetence in this situation. Why now of all times is Kanst gone? If he was around he’d be able to place a curse or illusion or something to stop the pain at least… Barbaricia coughed up blood - she was likely also suffering internal bleeding in her stomach - she wouldn’t last more than three or four days, at the very best.

At worst, she may not even last the night. Shuusa took out a needle and some thread from the backpack - maybe he could close her internal wound by sewing them shut? Barbaricia noticed this and made a pained expression. Shuusa clenched the needle tightly, knowing well that she wouldn’t cooperate from the look in her eyes.

“Don’t…”

Shuusa bit his lip, thinking desperately - they were running out of time. Those soldiers would return with reinforcements soon, and they needed to escape the area. A manhunt was the last thing they wanted to be caught up in, especially since one of them was wounded. He lifted Barbaricia to her feet and propped her up.

He couldn’t carry her because the wound in her stomach would come under more pressure if he did - he also needed her not to cough up more blood, if possible. He supported her the best he could, walking forward with her step-by-step.

“I’m sorry, but you’ll have to find the strength to walk on your own soon. We don’t want to be caught by those soldiers.”

“But where will we go?”

Shuusa thought carefully. Going north to the mountains was their original plan, but Barbaricia was unlikely to survive in her condition. The only other path to take was east, past Arden. They would have to flee the Coalition for the time being - there was no other choice. The Vastwood’s elves were not usually at odds with the coalition, so they might be willing to help a wounded human in need if he explained the situation and gave them something in return.

“We’ll go east, toward the elven Vastwood.”

Barbarcicia nodded weakly, and tried pulling body straight. She stood on her feet while enduring much pain, gritting her teeth constantly.

“Let’s go.”

With these words, Barbaricia walked forward, pivoting her body instead of stepping normally. Shuusa led her out of the forest and they traveled east, staying off of the path. He needed to find a way to keep her awake and alert long enough to find shelter for the night - the eastern border was two days on foot, so they would need to rest on the way. They hobbled eastward as swiftly as possible, to evade potential pursuers and ensure Barbaricia’s survival.

Elsewhere, in a way that no one could have predicted, a threatening new rose was growing its thorns in the harsh, endless deserts - in a land to the far east of the coalition, a new shadow of terror extended its domain across the blood-soaked dunes…