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BLACK SOUL

EATER

LEGACIES OF MONSTERS BOOK 3

By Bryan Nyaude

All rights Reserved. The characters, events, and settings of the story are all a work of fiction and a product of the writer's imagination. Any resemblance to actual person, living or dead is entirely coincidental. This book is for your personal use only. No part of this book may be reproduced, introduced or stored into retrieval system, without proper permission from the author.

Copyright © 2019 by Bryan Nyaude

Image Design by Tithi Luathog

Table of Contents

Author's Summary

Other Books

Chapters

To the Reader

The ghastly tale of the psychotic villain known as Rave continues in this third book. As you may have read, in the first two books, it is not a story of heroic acts of bravery, nor does it have a happy ending. It is a true horror story from your wildest nightmare, and it not for the fainthearted. If you are brave enough to continue, then prepare for the wildest ride into a dark world of unending terrors and monsters.

Other Books by Author

LEGACIES OF MONSTERS BOOKS

PLANET CHIMERA

DARK BOY

BESERK WARFARE BOOKS

END BOSS RETALIATION

END BOSS ANNHILATION

END BOSS A short story

Chapters

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

1

Upon the crack of dawn, I arrived on the outskirts of the accursed city of Ore. Old chunks of earthenware pottery and woodwork lay barren along the pothole, riddled road leading into town. All forms of vegetation seemed to have vanished, as if it all had been uprooted by a vile phantom. The town was built upon a hill overlooking a great river, but it had dried up now and was full of black sand. Once a glorious colony city, now it lay in ruins, a testament of the massacres that happened a decade ago. It was cold and ominous, with an eerie darkness that unsettled me. But I was a desperate man and I saw no other choice than to continue forward in peril. Holding Tomrio, my steed of black and silver mane, by the bridle, I covered my nose and squinted. Red ash and soot fell from the sky, green lightning flashing as thunder rumbled. The noxious smell of burning flesh proved to be too hard to ignore. In the wind, I could hear a hubbub of whispers, all coming from every direction around me. Then everything went silent. My horse stopped moving, trembling, aware of something I could not see or sense. I slowly disembarked, pulling my satchel and weapons from the creature, once I realized the spooked animal would go no further. Up above, I could see a low glimmer of sunlight, the sky still as dark and treacherous as a moonless night.

"I hope the book is here," I whispered, gently strapping on a holster, with my cutlass on the left side and revolver on the right side.

I trudged forward, ignoring all the warning signs plastered across wooden pikes, warning strangers not venture towards the town. The rumors all seemed to be true. I could feel the evil in the air, a malicious and vile intent to kill permeating from the ground all the way to the sky above me. If I continued further, I would most likely perish. My immortality was no longer my trump card as I had been weakened during my battle with Shovan and his companions. What I thought was power emanating from me turned out to be the greatest curse I could ever receive. I felt searing pain from my right hand, as the power of the light slowly began to consume from the inside out. It was the reason I had journeyed to this savage region of earth, to find this legendary book. It was rumored to have great power, written in runes of ancient languages, and said to possess the knowledge of all things. If anything could remove this cursed radiance from slowly eating me, it would be in the book. But I was a bit skeptical. To think that a powerful book of that magnitude was hidden in such a place brought me nothing but discontent and wrath.

I plodded through black sand, my feet sinking all the way to my ankles as I made my way towards the heart of the town. The settlement looked abandoned and rotting. The buildings, once grand and majestic, were slowly crumbling, the metal structure beneath protruding out. I felt numerous eyes watching me, but nothing stirred within the shadows. Unnerved, I slowly unsheathed my cutlass from its scabbard, my eyes dotting in every direction. There were many passages meandering though the small town, all leading in different directions. I could not see how far each passage went, as they all seemed to extend for miles towards different sections. It would take days, if not weeks to search through every nook and cranny for this book. If it was even here at all, I thought.

Bending down, I muttered beneath my breath and slowly wrote a rune on the ground, marking my first checkpoint to ensure I would not wander in circles.

To my right, I heard a loud whirl of a woman in distress. It was coming from the oddly, shaped building, with a red door that was slightly crooked. All the window glasses burst outwards, a strong gust of black wind blasting off the red door off its hinges. The strange whispers from before began to mutter something in a language unknown to me. I slowly stood up, unaffected or distraught, and did not move a muscle. It seemed I was not alone. And I had no intention of helping anyone, unless it benefited me in any way.

"Please, help me," the woman's voice continued, her voice filled with terror and dread.

Upon hearing her voice call out to me, I did not falter or feel any form of sympathy towards her. In fact, I no longer felt anything. Shovan made sure of that when he stole my soul from me. However, I was curious as to what all the commotion was all about. The thought of it being a trap weighed deeply on my mind. After all, I was not the first person to venture into this town, seeking to retrieve the book. This only made rushing to her aid treacherous, since no one, who came looking for the book, ever left this place alive.

"Now what," I sighed, turning my head around.

On the other side of the town, I heard curious footsteps, doors being opened and forcibly shut. A thin and tall figure, clad in a hooded, black cloak leaped from building to building. I could not clearly see a vivid description of the creature; however, I could tell that it was fast and inhuman. It only stopped upon reaching the last building, as it watched me with dark and hollow eyes. I rubbed my brow with the palm of my hand, the hair on the back of my neck standing. This creature was dangerous. I could tell just by looking at its posture and choice of weapons. Long, sharp claws protruded out towards its knees, its face hidden by a silver, coated mask. To my disbelief, it did nothing but glare at me. Upon looking backing, I realized there were more of these creatures popping out of thin air, each standing on top of each structure, surrounding me completely. There were waiting for something, it seemed. Abruptly, a howling wind erupted, black dust and soot being picked up from the ground and flung into the air. The architecture of the town became barely visible, except for the building in front me. I shaded my eyes with my free hand, scanning the area for anything out of the ordinary. The air echoed with a strange laughter, the ground beneath my feet shifting slightly. Something was approaching. Every sense in my body cried out to me to flee this place at once, but nothing would dissuade my will. I was determined to find that book, even if it killed me.

Black, stinging rain began to fall from the sky, the stench of the liquid far much worse than rotting eggs. I could no longer linger out in the open, as it was no longer safe. The enemy, it appeared, intended to lure me into the building in front for whatever nefarious reason. I felt something approach from the rear and rolled forward, pulling out my revolver. Nothing stirred behind me, but I felt like I had been touched on the shoulder. It was probably one of those hooded monsters, if I had to guess. They were nothing like the monsters my old friend, Zad, had made on Planet Chimera, but their appearances had the same effect on my psyche.

Out of options, I dashed forward for the building in front of me, knowing full well what I was walking into. I smiled in a wryly manner, enjoying the dilemma unfolding in front of me; the darkness within me had be stirred. It had been too long since I eaten a soul to replenish my strength. The hunger inside of me had grown to epic proportions and I could no longer take it. But this place had plenty of dark souls, enough for me to devour for weeks, even years.

I burst through the wooden door, knocking off the golden knob to the ground. The floor squeaked beneath the weight of my feet, the tapestry covering the window moving slightly. The structure was a house of some sort, with a stairway leading up to the second and third story. On the table, I spotted old dry apples, rotten to the core. Dishes and metal kitchenware were scattered in every direction, a red stain covering the marble ceiling. Upon closer inspection, I noticed claw marks all over the carpet and dusty, wooden floor. The house had been vacant for quite some time, I concluded. Turning around, I shut the door behind me, shrugging off dirt and debris that had taken refuge on my cloak. The filth and rain drenching all my garments caused me to cough and wheeze violently. Safe to say, my search for the legendary book was off to a rough start. I had heard of this book being hidden here through scuttlebutt from different colonyfolk, but none of them could give me accurate information as to whether it was true. In my heart, I knew, I was approaching this matter with a lackluster demeanor. The old me would have destroyed this town and plundered through every valuable in sight. I would have most likely tortured one of those monsters for information, and left none alive.

"If only I had my soul," I muttered, pointing my revolver forward, sauntering towards the next door.

Reaching into my back pocket, I pulled out an old map parchment, detailing the structure of the town, before it became ruins and debris. It was now damp and barely readable due to the black rain that had soaked into the old paper and ruined the ink. I could barely tell where I was, or the location of the town hall. But to my fortune, I caught a glimpse of sunlight slowly entering through a crack within the wall structure on my left. My silver cutlass glimmered when the light hit it, the golden hilt glowing with a faint, orange color.

"Please, help me," a feminine voice whispered, the voice coming from upstairs. "Please, don't leave me here."

"I should stop delaying the inevitable," I snickered, twisting my body around, my eyes locked on the stairs leading towards the second story.

I saw no use in prolonging this charade any further; the sooner I dealt with these monsters, the sooner I would return to searching for the elusive book. Her cries for help suddenly stopped, her writhing and convulsing movement following after. Unsure of what was perspiring, I crept up the stairs quietly, careful enough not to leave my backside unguarded. A soft and gentle breeze of cold air hissed from within the old walls, making the portraits on the walls shift slightly. And upon reaching the second floor, I stopped in my tracks, glaring at the door in front of me. There was a faint light beneath the wooden door, the stench of rotten flesh getting stronger. What lay on the other side of this door would soon reveal itself to me whether I wanted it to or not.

My instincts kept yelling at me to turn back and run, but I chose to saunter forward, my head held high. The air coming from the other side of the room had a malicious aura about it—it cried for mass carnage and destruction. It wanted to rip me apart, consume my flesh and devour even my bones. I felt disheartened at first, but my desperation to find this book, cure myself from the light of purity, proved to be a convincing ally for me. I could no longer tolerate the pain, the sleepless nights, and all the hallucinations that came with my insomnia. The thought of descending into madness and perpetual pain was enough to push me forward into opening the door. Massive cockroaches escaped through the crack in the door, blowflies following soon after as I was knocked back by a deadly stench of doom. I closed my nose, rubbing my teary eyes, unable to bare another step into the room. Coughing for a few seconds, I straightened up and dawdled forward, my revolved raised in front of me. My assumption that this house was vacant was entirely false. I observed a fireplace with wooden logs burning in it, massive animal heads mounted on the walls, and a bed with linen covers. The chair in front of the fire began to rock back and forth.

"Have you come to rescue me?" a woman asked, her face and body hidden behind a rocking chair facing the fire. Her bare feet were a few inches from the hearth, the fire rustling in a low pop. "Will you please free me from this place?"

"I think you have me confused with someone who cares, lady," I replied, ignoring her pleas. I looked around the room for anything of value I could swipe and sell later for some quick cash. "I am here for a different reason and I am no hero."

"Did you come for the book then, stranger?" she asked, her back still turned towards me. All I could see was the top of her blonde-haired head. "Will you aid me, if I tell you where it is?"

She slowly stood up, in all her grace, the stench clearly not affecting her at all. She was a young, fair maiden with light, blonde hair that reached her lower back, golden eyes that glowed when reflected to light. She wore a tattered dress of fine nobility, a bright blue necklace of emerald rubies and sapphire. Ordinary men would sure fall for her, would do anything she commanded without a moment's thought. But I was no ordinary man—her charms would not affect someone like me.

"Why do you seek the book? Why do you desire its power?" She asked me, walking closer to me, the shackles on her hands and feet rattling in thud and clang. I had not noticed them until she began to move.

"It is none of your concern," I boomed, holstering my revolver whilst keeping my cutlass firmly at hand. "Well, speak. Where is the book?"

"If I tell you where it is, will you rescue me and set me free?"

"That depends on your answer and if there is truth to your wisdom and knowledge."

"No, I want you to say you will rescue me from this place. I want to hear you use those words. I want to hear you say it. Say you will free me."

Upon uttering those words, her demeanor and posture changed, her eyes turning dark for a second. She wasn't human, that much I concluded. Furthermore, the way she phrased her cry for freedom unsettled me. I knew to be wary of what I say next. Moving slowly back, I lowered my stance, preparing myself for the worst outcome possible. The evil aura I had felt before was oozing out of her like steam in a hot teapot. Her face, I knew, was nothing more than an illusion to lure unsuspecting men into her trap. Her face began to grimace with anger upon realizing that I was not planning nor intended to set her free from her prison. Her blonde hair fluttered, her teeth turning sharp and long like those of a shark.

"What in the," I rasped, awash with a feeling of dread and terror. This feeling of doom—it had been so long since I felt it. It was rather exciting and scary at the same time.

The room was now covered in old dried-up blood, the floor cracked and dirty. All around me, I saw skulls and bones from several individuals—some human and others of alien descent. This was no mere illusion; it seemed too real. It appeared I had stumbled into her feeding nest and I was her next meal. The door behind me closed, the windows closing, one at a time, leaving me trapped in with her. Long, massive spider-like legs sprouted from her back, her garments slowly tearing apart from the sheer force of her new form.

"You said you would help me," she whispered, tears falling from her eyes, which were now turning red. "You promised to free me if I told you where the book was."

"I promised no such thing," I scowled, pricking my ears in a violent manner. The amount of blowflies in this compartment irritated me to no end. "You never told me where the book was."

"Lies," she screamed, roaring like a wounded cougar, her skin turning dark and horrid. "I want to leave this place now."

Twisting my back to the left, I took my revolver and shot her multiple times in the stomach, planning to maim and restrain her movements. I plotted to wound her until she was immobile, and then take my time extracting information from her about the whereabouts of the book. But to my horror, my bullets ricocheted off her hardened spider-like body, bouncing all around the walls. She cracked her head sideways and vomited corrosive saliva all over the room. It smelled horrible and melted the skulls and bones in mere seconds. If it touched me, I knew, I would be mortally wounded. I jumped out of the way, parrying her spider legs with the hilt of my blade, attempting to get close. My plan to wound her without killing her seemed to be back-firing.

"If you tell me where the book is, I may free you," I lied, sidestepping while shooting her on her left clavicle. "You will not be able to kill me—not with your current power."

"Filthy human," she hissed, her misshapen body finally taking the form of a giant spider. "You are not leaving this place alive. You were doomed the moment you entered the town. Everything within it is a part of me. There has never been anyone who ever escaped from my grasp. Why do you think this town is empty? Have you ever wondered what happened to the town a decade ago?"

Now it all made sense. The ominous feeling I felt the moment I stepped into this town was her. It was her who massacred the townsfolk a decade ago, but I was not sure as to the reason. To be honest, I didn't care to know. My ambitions and desires for the book were for my own selfish needs, nothing more.

"You are wrong about one thing, monster," I snarled, finally feeling the murderous instinct consume me. "I am not trapped in here with you—you are the one who is trapped in here with me. You will not escape my grasp, not unless I will it. I have not had a soul for quite some time, so I am really starving."

She picked a clattering, black pot with little effort and flung it at me with great force. I rasped for breath, my eyes almost popping out of my head when it hit me in the back of the head. I lost strength in my legs, my head still spinning, as my revolved slipped from my hand. Before impaling me in the chest with her spider leg, I heard her squall in a distressful manner, sending a powerful chill down my spine. Black blood excreted from my open wound, my strength slowly receding. In frenzy of sheer desperation and pain, I cast my cutlass aside, resorting to use my cursed hand to vanquish this great threat. The light of purity emanating from my right hand turned her spider leg into white ash and dust. Her screams of disbelief and pain disoriented her, distracting her from my subtle movements. Resorting to such trickery, in the face of such a weak adversary, angered me beyond belief. How could I have weakened so greatly to such an extent, in such short extent of time, was beyond me. I, who was once the most wanted criminal in several galaxies, was bewildered and ashamed.

"You will tell me what I need to know, monster, or I will take your other legs," I roared, tightening my hold on one of her limbs. "You would be wise to speak now."

She moved slightly, but I took it as a sign of retaliation and burned her leg to white dust. She wriggled in agony, trying to pry me from her other leg, but my hold was tight. I felt no sympathy for the monster at all. She gnashed, groped, and clawed at me, hoping to wrest my hands from her, but my hold was firm. I bled from multiple places, my vision becoming hazy, but I did not conceive defeat.

"You will never have the book," she rattled, contorting her lips, her multiple eyes cast upon me. "The book was never meant to be used by mere mortals."

"Then it's a good thing I am immortal," I boomed, my hands finally upon her head. Irrespective of my thoughts, the power of the justice light was quite useful in letting me share my pain with other evil fiends. "I will not repeat my question again. You will feel unimaginable pain, if you don't give me an answer I want."

Without warning, cloaked monsters burst through the walls, plodding and stomping violently. They bore their unruly fangs at me, in an attempt to frighten me, but I did not shudder upon looking at their horrendous faces. They were the same creatures that had stalked me from the shadows, appearing before me to surround me, once I had set foot into the heart of city. Her cries for help seemed to have brought forth these abominations to her side. But instead of attacking me, they hesitated, keeping their distance to evaluate the situation. It was obvious—I had the advantage here, since I had a hostage. They would not attack recklessly.

"I just want the book." I sighed, looking cautiously at the creatures, the glowing in my right arm brightening. "I will let you live if you hand it over to me."

Deep down, I knew I was in a real bind. Surrounded and unarmed, I was working under the assumption that these vile fiends would not attack without her command. All they could do was probe and snarl, unable to act without instruction from their master.

Looking carefully, I noticed a frothy substance on her cheek; it was a flesh wound caused by the touch from my right hand. Her face was flushed with terror, damp sweat trickling down her hairy head. I could feel her pulse slowing, her breathing soft and gentle. She clearly knew the danger she was in—she would not act against me for the time being.

"The book is no longer in this city," she whispered, clearing a lump in her throat. Her big, bulgy eyes did not blink or lose sight of me the whole time. I could sense truth to her words, which only aggravated and frustrated me. If it was true, then this journey had been in vain.

"What do you mean, monster?" I roared, holding her throat tightly with my left hand. "The legend of the book being buried within the ruins of the city was true, right? Who has the book and where is it? I want to know now."

"The book was stolen from here by a man of noble birth. He was a man with long, dark hair, and eyes as green as summer grass. He was tall, slender and wore a symbol of Lycole house on his mantle. He came with an army of great men, thousands upon thousands, and he was willing to sacrifice them to fulfill his goal."

"The Lycole house! Are you sure of this?" I interrupted, feeling as if a long noose had been cast around my neck. It would be impossible to retrieve the book now.

The house of Lycole was almost as old and ancient as me, a family of great wealth and prestige with over one hundred and fifty members. They were one of the few families that held influence over the affairs of the planetary colonies within the Milky Way Galaxy. They would not be easily swayed into handing over the book, meaning I was in for a fight of my life. I bit my lip, weighing all my options as I saw no way to avoid conflict with the Lycole family. I would have to resort to my old, dirty ways to steal the book back.

"I see," I sighed, a dark smile plastered on my face. My skin turned dark as the abyss as my nail grew longer and sharper. "Your usefulness, it appears, has come to an end. I shall make this quick."

Overwhelmed by darkness and rage, I twisted my body and dashed for my gun and cutlass. The cloaked apparitions, upon seeing me release the spider monster, sprung into action with a fierce tenacity and wrath. They moved around, twisting and jumping against the walls as if their bones were made of a flexible fluid. I weaved and bobbed my head, slicing and reaping flesh with my sharp nails, showing no mercy or restraint. Without my soul to hold my darkness in check, I was nothing more than a raging beast that had been unleashed upon the unsuspecting world. It was just a matter of time before I regressed into a mad sociopath, which was why I was desperate to retrieve it back.

Copper frames fell to the ground, glass shattering in every direction as the wooden logs slowly burned away inside the fire place. I felt the marble floor start to sink, unable to sustain the combined weight of the giant spider and her uncanny underlings. I could feel and see the sunlight through the cracks within the walls, but it did nothing to aid me in fending off these atrocious monsters. Although, I noticed, they retreated and avoided any spots the light of the sun touched, which I found very interesting. They seemed to be creatures accustomed to the dark, despising sunlight with great passion. The black shutters, with iron-edged fittings, rattled wildly at the sound of their crunching feet plodding through the tilting floor. They attacked relentlessly, their eyes cold and menacing, and their breath foul and nauseous. I should have brought more weapons and powerful enchantments, I thought. It was a foolhardy decision to waltz into an ambush.

"Enough of this," I boomed, in a cold, hoarse voice. "I grow weary of this charade."

Stoically, I sprung on my feet, plunging my cutlass into one of the creatures' chest, reaping it's still beating heart and crushing it with my right hand. I relished the feeling greatly. But to my disbelief, the monsters were not fazed or discouraged even upon feeling and seeing my ghastly bloodlust. I pretended to be feigned for a mere second, hoping to draw them at the same time, in order to vanquish them in one fell swoop of my silver blade. But they saw through my actions and began to move at random. They had an abundance of stamina, to my horror, and plenty of ways to mortally maim me. I could not win like this—not in this confined space and against their great numbers. I saw only one way out.

"I hope you like sunlight," I roared, shooting through shutters with my revolver.

I took a desperate gamble upon a supposition that the creatures would scurry into the dark crevices to avoid sunlight. And it appeared my intuition was right. They screamed, growled, and stomped in panic and frenzy, leaving the wounded, monster spider behind to my mercy. I could see and hear their skins burning and oozing with vile yellow blood, at the part of their bodies exposed to the sun. Even though they had trotted off in a hasty retreat, I knew they had not gone far. The walls echoed with the sounds of their benevolent screams and low growls. Reaching into my pocket, I took out an oblong vial of black raspberry ash and bloom, drinking its contents with utter distaste. While it tasted awful, it relieved me of pain and slowed down the bleeding. I was still immortal, by the way, but my regenerative abilities had been significantly reduced.

"I have no more use for you, giant spider," I snarled, glaring at her with evil intent. "If you have any last words, now is the time to say them."

"You said you would free me, if I told you where the book is," she whispered, in a subtle voice, black tears falling from her multiple eyes.

"Well, I lied," I snickered, standing over her body and placing both my hands on her head. "I always lie. Now you will feel my pain."

The white light flowed through my right hand, transferring itself into the monster with great intensity. The sound of her burning flesh, her scream of agony—it felt so good. I held her head even tighter, burning every inch of darkness residing within her. Now she knew the pain I felt for the several couple of weeks. This burning pain of purity, this gnashing and unending agony threatened to tear me whole from the inside out. The room brightened immensely, all of the silverware above the fireplace shaking and falling onto the floor. But instead of her body dissipating into white dust and withering away, the strangest thing happened. Her human body survived and did not succumb to the light of purity—one of the greatest weapons against evil. My feeble mind could not comprehend it at all. In my case, the light did not kill me because I was immortal, but the effects of its power still resided within me. What could all of this mean?

"Thank you, sir," she stuttered, her body shaking and cold. "You have freed me from the curse that was binding me to this world."

"I can assure you that it was not my intent to free you from this curse—I had other ulterior motives," I replied, tearing a piece of tapestry from an adjacent wall and throwing it at her to cover up her body. "Can you tell me who did this to you?"

"I cannot remember," she rasped, weary from exhaustion and unable to grasp onto the wooden, rocking chair. The armrest, made from teak and oak, were cracked and chipped, and a few iron nails supporting the lower rail were missing. "I remembered feeling a numbing, searing pain in my chest, and felt so hungry and thirsty for flesh. I can't really recall what happened after; this all happened a decade ago."

"So it was you who massacred the townsfolk a decade ago? What I cannot understand is why you did it, and why the book of legend was kept here."

"Truly, sir, I don't know why the book was here. Yes, I fear, it was I who was responsible for the carnage and mayhem that brought this great city to ruin. I had no control over my impulses, nor could my insatiable hunger and thirst be quenched."

"Now that you are free, what will you do?"

"I will make haste and leave this haunted place at once. I have family on the Marshon Colony; they will be overjoyed to see me once more."

"What of the monsters that lurk in the dark? Won't they attack you, now that you are no longer a creature of the dark?" I asked, my arms folded, and my weapons back on my leather bandolier.

"The curse that bound me to this place has been lifted. The monsters, I suspect, will also leave and return to the forest of darkness from whence they came." She sighed softly, finally sitting on the rocking chair with her hair draping over the back slats.

"No, I will give you two hours to vacate the premises. Go now while the sun is still your ally, and you can take my steed, Tomrio—he is tied up by a post on the outskirts of town."

"What is the rush, my good sir? Surely, two hours of rest are not enough to replenish my weary mind and body for the long journey." She pleaded, her eyes reflecting light from the sun. I could still see the damp sweat all over her face and chest.

"I intend to obliterate this place with explosives. But I will only destroy this settlement once I have plundered all the expensive jewelry and looted as much gold coin as I can carry."

"Oh, I see," she hummed, her innocuous expression of thought rather peculiar to me. "If you are looking for gold and jewelry, try the town bank. It is located on the opposite side of the building, next to the saloon and locksmith's office."

"I am just curious by the way," I continued, watching her struggle back to her feet with great effort. "Was this town always this backward in time? I get that each human colony has their own tradition and laws, but I refuse to believe these people lived their lives without the use of advanced technology. I mean, I had to saddle a horse and ride the darn beast into town. I can't tell you how humiliating and insufferable the whole ordeal was to me."

"As you know, the rule on colony cities has always been lore and ironclad," she muttered, griping, walking slowly towards old wooden shelf with two brass knobs, to find some garments. "Every city within each colony is allowed to live according to their beliefs. In this citadel, people believed technology and magic were an abomination to life, and preferred to live alongside nature. They believed in growing their own food, planting trees, and communicating with the environment. Anyone found guilty of breaking these rules was banished, imprisoned, or executed in the most severe cases."

"That's interesting," I scoffed, ambling away towards old wooden door. It squeaked and rattled as I opened it, the loose knob made from brass iron almost coming off upon being pulled on. "I expect you to be gone within two hours, my dear lady. You have been warned—I will reduce this barren town to dust."

"What is your name?" she asked me before I could head off. "I want to know the name of the man who freed me."

"You got it all wrong," I snickered, a dark, crooked smile on my face. "I didn't intend to save you at all; I intended to eradicate your existence simply out of boredom. But you may call me Rave."

"I shall not forget your name, Rave," she mumbled, the door shutting behind me.

2

I hopped over the wooden stairs leading to the living quarters beneath, careful not to make a loud ruckus with my boots. The walls had developed a few cracks, some of the portraits that once hung on it lying on the dusty, hardwood ascent. I rubbed my brow, scratching and prodding at the wound on my shoulder that had yet to fully heal. Up above me, I could hear the ceiling groan under the weight of something heavy. The cloaked creatures, I presumed, were probably lurking in the dark arctic, waiting for the cover of darkness. I slowly turned out my pockets, taking volatile mixture of dragon black ash-fire and green dust moss and sprinkled a few drops along the walls and floor. A few specks of this mixture had enough power and force to ignite and explode several buildings within the vicinity. I had three vials of this mixture, enough to blow this city to smithereens. Outside, the strong, dusty winds that had rippled over and forced me to retreat for shelter, into this building, had desisted, it seemed. The vagaries of weather anomaly in this area had me dumbfounded. It has to be magic; it was the only explanation that made sense. I had a strong hunch of what would come next, but I hoped I was wrong—just this once. I slowly emptied out the shelves, the cardboard boxes stacked along the walls, hoping to find some buried treasure. I needed every bit of money I could get my hands on, if I was to get anywhere near the book. However, I came up with nothing.

"This place is really haunted," I sighed, perusing through the manuscripts scattered across the table. The writing was ancient and unknown to me; I could not decipher it, but I knew it was important.

While I could not read the manuscripts, I knew someone who could, but she required payment for her services. But with my current funds, she would not be easily swayed. A gentle breeze of wind softly whirled, the air around me cold and misty. The rays of the sun leaked though the battered cracks in the infrastructure, revealing small traces of dried-up blood on the matted floor. I took out a flask of apple-salt ale, chugging it heavily to satisfy my thirst, before grabbing a few manuscripts and stashing them into my satchel. My fight in this city was not over.

Opening the main door, cracked and chipped with rot, I plodded outside, the air thin and stale. Nothing stirred, all was silent and ominous. Despite destroying the curse placed upon the maiden, the dark power that laid siege to this place remained strong and steady as ever. A powerful barrier, invisible to the naked eye, had been erected across the entire settlement, ensuring that nothing leaves. The hubbub of whispers, I knew, belonged to the souls of people trapped in this town. I took out a talisman, muttering an incantation, hoping to reveal the source of the barrier. And by coincidence, the talisman gleamed when I pointed it at the city bank, the tallest building in the whole city. It was four stories tall, with high walls made from brown brick, and a lofty roof made from lead and slate. Each story had three sets of marvelous shaded pane of glass on windows, the light from the sun barely being reflected back. The building had aged quite a bit from lack of maintenance, with soft patches of crab grass growing on the edges of the establishment. I could feel a tremendous amount of evil permeating from every nook and cranny; it would not be easy task as I had hoped for. These sudden turn of events did not bode well with the tight schedule I was under.

Reaching for my revolver, the safety released, I stomped through the black dust and sand. The air kept getting thinner, the gravity heavier—the closer I got to the bank. It was taking everything I had to muster enough strength to walk even further. Something was trying to stop me. I felt a slight depression in the ground, the sound of moving earth following after. Wreaths of mist began to form, blocking the bank in front of me. The black sand beneath me turned wet—a liquid substance oozing out into the open and it smelled terrible. I saw something strange, and found myself bending to one knee, perplexed with curiosity. Something was buried beneath the black sands.

"Well, this is unexpected," I sneezed, unfazed, as I pulled out the mangled remains of one of the townsfolk. He was nothing but bones and rags, his jaw missing a few teeth.

His bones were cracked and chipped, as if something with sharp, razor teeth had fed on him. Around his neck was a medallion, carved from cheap iron and silver, with a strange insignia. It appeared, the dark sand had a sinister secret—something I knew not to trifle with. The ground shook, the sand rising into the air as if something big was digging through it. All I saw were these glowing, blue eyes, before I made a dash for the bank. I was not stupid enough to engage in a fight, when the odds were clearly stacked against me. Abruptly, bony limbs burst through the sand with great force as I heard groaning and growling sounds. The skeletal remains of the people buried beneath the sands had sprung back to life. Their hollow eye sockets glowed blue, the jaws opening and closing wildly. They slowly dug themselves out of the murky sand, maggots and fat leeches still glued to their bones. The evil fiend I felt lurking underneath the ground had yet to fully reveal itself. I only saw its glowing, blue eyes for a second before it vanished into the sands. Twisting slightly, I leaped into the air, plunging my entire blade in the bony skull of the nearest apparition. To my despair, it did not scream in pain nor fall to the ground. The skeletal creature shrieked with rage, gnashing and gnawing at my arm, almost tearing my left arm asunder. I side-stepped back and swung, in a horizontal fashion, slicing off its head from the rest of its body. It finally fell to the ground and did not move again. These specters had been conjured up by incredibly dark, horrid magic and they would not be stopped with one swing of my sword. In the air, I heard a shrill whistle of a trombone-like instrument, the sound so earsplitting and bone grating. It forced the skeletons to roar in frenzy, turning their movements wild and savage. Upon realizing that my blade would not suffice in finishing off the creatures, I shuddered a bit with a weak sense of fear. To make my situation direr, the ominous presence beneath the sand had begun to move again. I leapt to the side, sensing the impending danger, battering one of the monsters in the head with the golden hilt of my blade. I did not want to revel in the thought of carnage and slaughter. I wanted to keep my impulses under control, to keep myself sane and human just until my mission had been accomplished. Even now, the darkness within fought to consume me, to take over what was left of my conscience and turn me into an evil monster. Without my soul, I could barely keep it at bay and restrained.

The mist grew thicker and heavier, the sand beneath my feet slowly sinking. I was being pulled under. I wobbled with great effort, freeing myself only to be ambushed by the massive horde of fleshless monsters. They punched and kicked, stabbing and biting, in a desperate attempt to kill me. Their movements were random but calculated, barely leaving me any room to breathe. The unnatural mist only made it even more difficult for me to track them. I felt a sharp pain in my chest, the taste of iron in my mouth, as I fell to the ground in pain. Something pinioned me from below, planning to drag me down into the deep depths of the black sands. I wriggled, frustration and panic starting to manifest, as I could not break free with sheer force. The skeletal army appeared out of nowhere and began to attack me with relentless violence. Their hands felt like sharp knives, their bite tearing through my garments as if they were tender meat. I could feel their teeth gnashing through my flesh and bone, the pain only dulled by the drugs I had taken earlier. They planned to feast on me alive.

"No, not like this." I roared, pulling out a vile of dragon black ash-fire and green dust moss and igniting it with the flick of light incantation.

A powerful explosion rocked the ground and the air above me, dissolving and nullifying the ominous mist. The skeletal monsters screamed and crumbled into ash, the wind scattering their particles into the air. And beneath me, yellow, slimy blood leaked through the sands, the torn, charred ligament of a scaly, fiendish beast still wrapped around my chest. My whole body was covered in blistered and lesions, black blood dripping from multiple wounds. I slowly stood up, my low jaw and left shoulder dislocated, feeling like I had been rammed by a wrecking ball. I reached into my torn satchel for the last flask of ale, trying to quench my unbearable thirst. To my horror, the bottle had been destroyed, the liquid content inside leaking through the leather pouch in trickles. After battle, it had become habitual for me to drink massive amounts of liquor. It did not get me drunk; however, I liked the sour and vinegary aftertaste. My throat was parched, my muscles and tendons aching and ripped. I needed to feed on a soul, the requirement needed for me to sustain immortality and heal me. I ambled forward slowly, my vision hazy and cloudy, unable to stop the bleeding. I wanted to lay down for a day's repose, but I was well aware of the dangers lurking within this settlement. The eyes, hidden in the void of darkness, had not stopped following me. To ordinary folks, the thought of those eyes glaring at them would allay fear, but that didn't work on me. But my haughty demeanor to the dangers within this city had drastically changed. If I held back any of my strength, I knew, I would be swallowed by the darkness and cast into oblivion.

The structures nearest to the blast had been demolished, the murky sand and dirt taking most of the impact from the devastating explosion. I heard a loud mourn coming the bank but I did not recoil in fear. Although weakened and maimed beyond belief, I did not cower at the thought of confronting a new adversary. The air had grown stale, the ominous feeling in the atmosphere stronger; I could hardly keep myself on my feet. I slowly snapped my jaw back in place, and forced my shoulder back into its socket with brute force and willpower. Luckily my last remaining vials of dragon black ash-fire and green dust moss had not ignited due to the explosion. It was more than enough to obliterate the bank, nullifying the barrier completely. Abruptly, black vapors shot through the open double-doors of mahogany and plywood edges like a bullet through a long barrel. The sheer force of the vapors was enough force me to my knees, and shade my eyes with my right hand. It had been a while since I had felt such vile animosity. I blamed my impetuous actions for the current predicament—my arrogance and pride had yet again cast me into a state of regret, shame, and misery. While I was predisposed with my fleshly wounds and gushing blood, the double doors of the bank mysteriously closed. A powerful darkness had taken refuge inside; I saw no use in pondering futile strategies that would not aid me in vanquishing this new foe. I felt the last shroud of my magic slowly flickering away, the bleeding ceasing but my wounds healing in a sluggish manner. I sauntered forward, with my cutlass dragging through the sand, and my eyes locked at the golden letters hanging above the once, great establishment of treasury. The townsfolk had named this appellation "The Great Bank of Ore."

While the architecture and foundation of the building were beyond beauty, I knew that I could not nonchalantly dawdle through the main doors like welcomed guest. Extreme caution was needed. The sound of the scrunching, wet boots was all I could hear; the whole town had gone silent again. Upon reaching the main doors, I opened one of the golden knobs carefully and silent as possible. My mind was on high alert—and my body movements stiff and rigid. The building was dark and the air stiff; the chilling echo of oblivion lingering within every crevice and fissure of the structure. The feeling of multiple eyes watching me made every hair on my back stand. I seldom felt fear within my cold heart, but this time it was different. To think that anything can get me to me, I thought. How I have lost my honor and respect.

Although old and deteriorating, the ancient and yet expensive Turkish carpet, made from hand-woven ivory, was an amazing sight to behold. I could barely believe how upholstered and finely carved the furniture was. Just thinking about it helped me conquer the slight sense of fear that once threatened to engulf me seconds ago. In front of me, the center of attraction, was a huge fountain of pure, white cast stone with silver, spherical ornaments and pure sapphire rubies encrusted on the sides. A dotting sculpture of an old man with curious eyes stood in all his glory, a long cane in his right hand. The fountain was full of dirty, turbid water with an incredibly vast amount of green algae floating across the surface. I suspected, the aqueducts were probably clogged with debris. As I trudged though the first floor, tinkering and ravaging through the main office furniture, I felt something move. I think it was the statue. I had seen enough misery and terrors in this treacherous, little town to expect the impossible. It stood within the fountain, it's back turned to me, but I could tell it had moved a few inches. I felt something strange, a tremendous feeling I could not explain coming from the statue. Was it the source of the barrier?

As stealthy as an owl, I walked over to the sculpture, my blade slightly raised, planning to attack at the slight sense of danger. Showing courtesy to others, or pretending to be man of righteous chivalry, was not in my nature. If the statue revealed even a minimum amount of aura or movement, I would plunge my blade through its heart. I prodded at its back, flabbergasted, realizing it was not cast stone, but some sort of life-like texture. It felt like I was touching flesh that had undergone rigomotous. Upon probing the nape on the back of the neck, I felt a tiny, faint pulse. I knew what I was facing now. I had faced one of these powerful creatures half a century ago, barely escaping with my life. As it was now, the creature was barely a threat, as long as it was not fully awakened. None of the weapons I had brought forth with me would suffice in vanquishing it, let alone fending it off. It was ancient, evil and to be feared—a creature with a savage hunger for flesh and tasteful souls that far exceeded my own. The statue was not the problem—it was the dark soul residing within it that churned my stomach.

Pulling my sword back, I took several steps back, my heart pounding out of my chest, and my eyes affixed upon the sinister creature. It had not yet fully awakened, leaving me with amble time to explore the bank and plant the vials full of dragon black ash-fire and green dust moss. The last one of its kind I killed was immune to normal fire, silver and iron weapons, and impervious to certain magic. These creatures, according to ancient folklore, were conjured by a dark, powerful spell, and only the one who summoned them could dispel and vanquish them.

"Why is he here?" I heard a muffled voice ask.

"He will awaken the creature," another voice grunted.

"He must not awaken it; someone stop him." another voice screamed

The voices belonged to multiple souls, all trapped within the confines of this building. They all talked at the same time, creating this ruckus which I found annoying. The eyes of the phantoms, red and lifeless, began to appear all over the dark hall. Some were plastered across the ceiling, some moving randomly across the adjacent walls. They were not hostile in nature, but I found their glares to be extremely unsettling. One of the phantoms, gleaming with orange light, manifested a humanoid yet transparent form, floating towards me. It took the form of honest looking man, in his late sixties, wearing a fine coat of tan leather, a cravat of white linen and adjourned with lace and knot. He wore vintage, oval eyeglasses with a strap that ran athwart from ear to ear; his mustache finely trimmed upon his square jaw. Even as a ghost, his demeanor and charisma was of high nobility. Within several feet from me, his Victorian, leather boots finally touched the ground in a loud thud, the cane still tucked beneath his right hand.

"Hello, stranger, welcome to the fine city of Ore." he gestured, bowing his head gracefully. He kept eye contact with me the whole time in a respectable and classy manner. "If I may be so bold, what brings you to our humble abode?"

"What! Are you serious?" I laughed hysterically, unable to control myself. "You call this nightmare a humble abode? You obviously have been living under a rock, old gentleman."

"Yes, yes, quite right," he puffed, beckoning his left hand into his inner coat pocket. "I can see why you would think that. Most of us have been living here for more than a decade, trapped in this timeless loop."

"How did this happen?" I asked, following behind the old apparition, whose movements flickered on and off like a dying candle. "What happened to this settlement?"

"I suppose that is a good question, young man," he sighed, wiping his balding head with a white handkerchief with blue stripes. His gaze was drawn somewhere else. "As you may have heard, this all started a decade ago, the day before the blue star moon. It is a day our lives ended."

"I can see that," I snarled in a rude manner, growing weary from not knowing the truth. "I can tell that this place was cursed by extremely dark magic, far too powerful to be conjured by mere mortals. I also know that the book from legend was here, but it's gone now."

"So you know that much, huh?" he sighed, stopping in his tracks, his arms crossed behind his back. "Our secret is deep and a very heavy burden to carry. It is not something we seldom tell strangers. To be frank, only a few people have ever managed to make it this far into the city without dying. Now that I am looking at you clearly, you are looking a bit roughed up and under the weather."

"Well, when you get munched on by skeletal monsters and blow yourself up, accidents tend to happen." I snorted, wobbling behind the bank teller's kiosk, still following the ghost.

"I have a feeling you are after the valuable trinkets hidden within the vault. I saw you pillaging through the desks and cardboards for treasure." He continued, turning around to face me. "We don't mind if you take them and leave, as long as you don't wake the statue on your way out."

"My gratitude, my good sir," I smiled, bowing slightly. "I will not awaken the vicious beast; I know what haunts you and how to destroy it."

"Is that so?" he replied in a hoarse tone. "You didn't really come all this way to help us now, did you?"

"No, I didn't," I responded, wrapping my blistered covered left arm with a dirty rag. "I want the silver and gold within this place—all of it. As apparitions, you have no use for property and monetary gains, but I have great use for it."

"Surely, you don't mean to take it all, do you?" he squirmed, the light in his eyes dimming slightly. "Our vault holds treasures that weigh close to a ton—it cannot be carried by one man alone."

"You let me worry about that; for now, I want you to tell me how this all started," I groaned, drinking an elixir of black rabbit terrot, a medicinal liquid made of dried-up green herbs, boiled inside the bark of an oak tree. It cost me a pretty penny just to get one vial of the elixir.

"Oh, where are my manners," he sneezed, turning around to face me once more. "I am Earl John of Cantonberry, the son of Jared Malstoppe. I was, well, the owner of this marvelous bank and several estates in the settlement when I was still alive. In a way, I still own them, but, I suppose, it doesn't matter now, does it? I am not sure if you have time to hear our story; it is really long and extremely disturbing."

"Earl John, telling me that your story is long and disturbing only further amplifies my curiosity," I smiled, feeling the elixir work its magic through my body. While it didn't heal my body, physically, it numbed the pain and stopped much of the bleeding.

What I needed more than anything was to feast on a soul. It was the only thing that would rejuvenate and strengthen my mind and body. More than a week had passed since I had fed—a grueling and harrowing accomplishment on my part. Upon looking at Earl John, I drooled with hunger, unable to control my insatiable appetite that made my innards tighten and a low gurgle in my throat. I could feel the skin on my arms darken, my nails clotting and growing sharp and long. I could barely keep myself together anymore. I found a chair of solid, gothic mahogany, facing the window, with armrest and sitting cushion made from black velvet. I sat on it with haste, my arms covering my face, trying to restrain my impulses from running amok. This panging hunger would only get worse if I did not do something about it.

3

"Are you okay, stranger?" the Earl asked, moving closer to me, his left hand reaching out to me.

"I am fine," I hissed, gnawing my fingers as hard as I could, ushering him away from me. "Just keep your distance, my good sir."

"Okay, I will tell you everything," he began, his head facing the ground, and his movements desisting. "It all started with the appearance of a very old man, in his early nineties, I dare say. He appeared in the center of town, garbed in a black cloak that also covered his head, seeking sanctuary. He appeared injured, with blisters and black spots all over his hands and bare feet. His robes looked worse for wear. It was his eyes that made us cower with untold fear. They glowed blue as if they were small, miniature suns."

"It seems the old man was some sort of wizard," I concluded, finally feeling my thoughts gather and the panging hunger stop for the moment. "Did you help him?"

"Well, the town took pity on him and offered him our great hospitality, while the council converged and decided what to do with him. You see, our tradition and beliefs urged us to help others, and at the same time we had rules against magic and technology."

"Please tell me you allowed him rest, and then let him leave." I pursed my lips, realizing what might have happened next. I hoped my intuition was wrong.

"No, my dear stranger," he hummed, wiping imaginary sweat, his brow arching. "When his wounds healed, the strange man would not leave our settlement. Furthermore, there were rumors amongst the townsfolk he had a strange book with him and practiced his sorcery under the cover of darkness. Strange phenomena began to haunt us, keeping us awake during the night. There were many speculations going around the settlement as to who was responsible for the disasters that befell us. They all led to him."

"Tell me you didn't do what I think you are about to say." I sighed, shaking my head with disbelief.

"I was among the people who urged the authorities hang him by the noose, hoping that would resolve everything," he continued, his face filled with remorse and regret. "But I fear our actions brought forth disastrous consequences that can never be reversed."

"Well, this complicates things a little," I wheezed, coughing up a bit of black blood, my wounds still not fully healed.

"Yes, as you many have guessed, an angry pose gathered around the saloon, weary from council gibber jabber, and decided to take matters into their own hands, and go after the old man. Armed with pitchforks, iron shovels, and one round flintlocks, they stormed into his quarters, dragging him outside like a ragdoll. They battered the old, frail man, blaming him for all atrocities that we were facing. It was madness, I tell you—pure, mind-bending madness."

"Was the book in his possession the whole time?"

"Yes, but the citizens ripped it from his hands, before marching him to the center of town in chains and a noose around his neck. The farmers scaffolded gallows from hardwood, the night before, and hung him on them. But the old man would not die easily, I fear. Horrified, the restless citizens torched the gallows in a last desperate attempt to end his life. Folks say, as he was burning, they had him chant some sort of incantation with the last of his screams. As the last spark of fire flickered, the sky began to rain black water, the river that had sustained us drying without notice. We fell into frenzy panic, and we turned on each other. Some of the citizens began to turn into monsters, attacking their family, friends, and colleagues without any mercy. Can you believe it, this all happened in less than a day."

"It's as I feared," I shrugged, slowly standing up, the tip of my cutlass shredding a tiny bit of the carpet. "It will not be easy to undo the barrier without summoning the caster's spirit here. In my opinion, his last incantation was a powerful spell meant to protect the book from falling into the wrong hands, and being used for evil purposes."

"You are telling me this old madman brought destruction upon us just to protect his stupid book?"

"Shut up, you piety fool," I snapped, in a cold voice, disgusted by their repulsive actions. "Did you ever think that burning the guardian of the book would have repercussions of untold magnitude? In fact, I don't blame him for his final, cruel actions. I would have done worse."

"You said you could remove this curse and free us, right?" He asked, interrupting my train of thoughts.

"Yes, I did say that," I replied, fidgeting with my left armrest, my heart restless with dread.

This curse was strong. It was cast by the last breaths of a dying mage, and it held enough magic to protect the book and keep it trapped here for several centuries. Furthermore, he conjured a soul eater with the remainder of his power to ensure nothing would leave this city alive. What I could not figure out was how the Lycole family had managed to get their hands on it, and escape without incurring the wrath of the soul eater.

"Please grant me the courtesy of a moment's thought," I hummed, in an arrogant and condescending manner, briefly out of touch with reality.

I could not think of a way to avoid confrontation with the soul eater. It would awaken and go on a rampage upon sensing a disruption in the barrier that surrounded the settlement. I slowly stood up, realizing I needed to find weapons coated with pure, stainless silver and gold. The weapons would not fatally injure the creature, but it would slow it down, allowing me time to disrupt the source of the barrier. All the items of value were stashed away in the safest place in the building—the bank vault. I reckon, I would find items of priceless value and weapons from ancient times, comprised of pure gold and silver, hardly worth any value to these phantoms.

"Show me to the vault at once," I roared, turning around and beaming with delight, at the thought of ransacking the treasures.

"Right this way." Earl John smiled, his eyes distant and a bit odd. He narrowed his brow, trotting in front of me with the end of his cane brushing against the matted floor.

The watchful eyes of the other souls never left our side the whole time. I could hear subtle whispers in the air, and the lingering residuals of their faint aura. The chasm between light and dark in this dwelling did not escape my notice. In fact, I found humorous irony in it. The apparition of the Earl led me to the back of the kiosk, beyond the magnificent office filled with murals of old, ancient battles and rich vineyards, towards this magnificent, circular door composed of thick, reinforced steel and sophisticated machinery. The spherical, spinning wheel, requiring great depths of knowledge on complex, mechanical locks, sat in the center, covered with spider webs and black dust. I fingered the metal wheel with covetous hands, trying to pry the lock with brute force. Rust and debris, I suspected, had made their way into the gears within, making the chore difficult. Frustrated, I battered the metal hinges that held the spinning wheel in place, with the hilt of blade, to no avail. Before I was about to slash at the door with great fury, the Earl had the effrontery to stop me with a sudden shout.

"Stop, please," he cried, wobbling in front of me, his hands raised apart. "This vault door was cast from pure steel and interior encased with gold. This door is an extremely priceless, and I cannot bear to watch you tarnish it with scratches from your cheap sword."

"Cheap, you say," I snickered, smirking. "I will have you know this is......."

"There is a parchment with the lock combination in that drawer to the left," he scoffed, interrupting me completely, a distasteful frown on his face. "There are a lot of things I can tolerate in this world, and destruction of my property is not one of them. I am willing to pay whatever price you may demand, in order to free us, but I implore you to respect our beliefs and possessions. And I do apologize for raising my voice; it is not becoming of a man of nobility."

"Wow, okay," I stammered, shocked by the vehemence in the tone of his voice. "I do apologize for my irrational actions."

It had been a long time since anyone had spoke to me in such a manner, and I did not retaliate in anger. I scrunched my nose and smirked lightly, reveling the good old days when my heart and mind were as cold and hard as flint. The older version of myself would have ripped the Earl to shreds in a heartbeat. While I reminisced over my dark, glorious days, I hopped over the hardwood shelf, opening the last drawer on the bottom, looking for the parchment. The first papers were title of ownership to several estates across the city—the edges tattered and wrinkled. The last letter held a series of numbers, arranged in several orders, very hard to decipher without some sort of codex.

"Is this it?" I asked, raising the parchment up in the air.

"Yes, that is the one," he muttered, moving in closer to my location. "If you hold it against the light of the sun, hidden numbers will be revealed."

"That's very crafty of you," I commented, walking over to the window, and opening it up slightly.

I tilted my head, raising the parchment into the sun with both hands, letting the light sip through the small holes. The numbers on top faded, revealing five new numbers in dark, bold writing. I quickly marched to the safe, and spun the metal wheel, all according the arrangement of the numbers. I heard a soft click, the spherical door opening inwards. A pungent odor of wet fur and paper repulsed me back with disgust, the upper level of the vault ceiling covered in strange, yellow cobwebs. Some sort of vile creatures screeched, scurrying off into the tiny wall crevices that had formed with old age and dry rot. Inside, it was dark and quite chilling. The floor was still wet and dirty with black water. I searched through my satchel and grabbed my torchlight, turning it on with a flicker of lighter. I scrounged around, examining what was left of value. Several vases of ceramic porcelain and sculptures from the gothic era lay on the floor; the water had barely done any severe damage to them. And several yards away, I saw a chest made from oak and walnut, the slats, dowels and edge clamps cast from pure gold. To my delight, there were no locks placed on the drawbolts. On the thought of gold coin, I sprung on my feet towards the chest, my mind dancing with joy and greed. There was so much silver and gold coins, I could barely contain myself. With this much loot, I would have enough money to pay her several times over.

"How do you intend to take it all with you," the Earl asked, standing in the shadow of the vault door, his physical form glowing with a blue, radiant color. "Those coins alone weigh more than four grown men, my dear boy. Did you bring a steady horse with you, or a mule for that matter?"

"You do have a point," I hummed, plucking a few strands of hair from my chin. "I do have great acquisitive for this loot, but I really have no way to bring my horse into town. I am saving the last of my magic for desperate times, so it seems I am at an impasse."

On second thought, I realized I could hide my new found wealth inside a dimensional pocket. It required less effort and magic to use. The Earl had proffered me the priceless valuables in exchange for releasing their trapped spirits from this place. The task required a great deal of proficient skill of blade, and an excessively vast amount of magical spells. And to be blunt, this region had some sort of magical dampening field that limited me from using my incantations to their fullest. Another soul with a manifested body suddenly showed up, her face pale and flushed, and whispered something into other Earl's right ear. She looked at me with a dirty look, bickering with the Earl in faint whispers I could barely understand. Upon finishing, she flitted away with haste, the flounce of white dress barely moving with her gait. The Earl looked timid and distressed. He tried to say something to me, but reserved his words at the last minute.

"Is something the matter?"I asked.

"Well, I have news of the greatest concern," he replied, looking away with an expression of terror. "The statue in the fountain, I fear, has gone missing."

"What do you mean it has gone missing?"

"The statue came alive and marched out of the fountain, muttering something in an unknown language," The Earl coughed, taking out a white serviette from his left outer pocket and wiping his lips. "The monster will go on a rampage, I fear."

"If it wasn't for your trammeled laws, you wouldn't be in this predicament," I smirked, attempting to open a dimensional portal with my right hand. "However, I shall no longer look at your story with pure, curious abstraction."

I could hear heavy footsteps coming from the floors above us, the sound of whirling screams a bit chilling. Realizing that I was short of time, I managed to barely open a dimensional portal, just enough for one loot. A small glimmer of light shone, as a small spherical door opened outwards. I barely managed to stash the chest, a few chalices and goblets before it closed within a few seconds. In mere seconds, to my astonishment, my magic had been drastically depleted.

"Will you aid us with this horrid fiend?" The Earl cried, pressing his hands together, a look of desperation on his weary face.

"As long as you don't get in my way," I hummed in bored manner, unfazed by the noise upstairs. Judging by the commotion, I suspect, the soul eater had begun hunting and feeding on the souls trapped in the building.

The last one I killed had devoured several souls with an unrelenting hunger and rage. These monsters did not tire nor show any mercy. It was a true monster of ancient times. My weapons would certainly not suffice for this grueling task. I stomped through the vault, gathering weapons of pure gold and silver, scattering them all around the floor. I contorted my lips, my forehead bulging, as I pondered on my plan for survival. The soul eater would not be easily defeated, and it would never let me scarper away with my tail between my legs. Sure, I had made a deal to help these bodiless souls, but I had no true desire to put my life on the line for them. The noise upstairs stopped, I noticed. It became quiet again. The malicious aura of pure carnage and destruction had returned with great force. Loud footsteps plodded towards us, a groaning sound following after. The building shutters all abruptly closed, a darkness engulfing us. It had been a long time since I felt this type of terror and excitement.

"Help me," the Earl cried, being pulled away into the dark by some powerful force.

"Hold on," I sighed, dashing forward with great speed into the dark.

4

I could not believe that stupid old man had the nerve to be captured and cry for my help. I could hear his screams of distress but I could not see him; my vision was obscured by the darkness. Relighting my torch lamp, I spun around upon sensing a strange aura. The hair on the back of my neck bristled. My acute senses kicked in and I blocked an invisible attack with the blunt side of my silver blade. The soul eater, it seemed, was toying with me.

"Help me," the Earl whirled, his voice echoing in the distant.

I did not move or appear fazed—the monster was trying to lure me into a trap. I would attack when an opportunity presented itself; I could not ill-time any of my movements. And furthermore, I felt goose bumps on my arms when I sensed I was being surrounded by something vile. They made tapping noise with their feet, their scent rather off-putting. The tiny creatures scurried into the darkness whenever I tried to cast them into the light. I felt something wet and sticky on my face and clothes. Repulsed, I staggered back, attempting to remove the sticky spider web-like substance from my body. I stopped, mortified, feeling something solid and moving. I could feel it's cold breath on the back of my neck. Twisting my neck, my blade firmly grasped, I was shoved back with great force into the adjacent wall. My skull cracked, my spine twisting in a bizarre shape as a huge painting fell on top of me.

"What incredible strength," I commented, standing up slowly. "You finally show yourself at last."

The statue stood silent, gazing at me with glowing, red eyes. Upon closer look, I realized it looked a bit like a stone version of the Earl in resemblance. The irony was not lost on me. This whole situation seemed like a bad joke clearly aimed at me. I pulled myself back to reality upon sensing the stone statue start to move. It smiled, revealing sharp, shark-like teeth, pointing at me with nails long and sharp like knives. This soul eater was different from the one I fought before—it seemed capable of intelligence and had a far more threatening aura. Dashing at me, screaming in rage, it lunged at me with its hands, but I deflected the blows with my hands. I parried and dodged the next series of relentless attacks, taking moderate damage to my arms and thighs. My blade cracked and chipped away with each encounter, unable to withstand the might of my adversary. Desperate and out of options, I shot at the creature with my gun, but my bullets bounced off the creature and ricocheted in every direction. I blinked, gasping for air, as I was maimed in the chest and collapsed to the ground. My black blood oozed from my chest, my vision getting blurry. I caught sight of a horrid creature scurrying quickly towards me. It looked like human arm, cut from the elbow down. It had a huge, blue eye on top of the skin surrounding the metacarpals, and it moved around using its fingers. Upon reaching me, it leaped into the air, grasping onto my left shoulder. I was shocked and in a state of disbelief that I barely noticed when it sunk its teeth into my shoulder and took a chunk of flesh. More of these vicious, strange creatures popped out of the dark, leaping onto me in mere seconds. Some were biting me while others spat web-like substance onto my face and chest. I stood up, roaring and cutting, unable to fend the creatures off. Behind me, I could feel the soul eater waiting to attack me again without a moment's spare. I trotted forward, slicing and battering the creatures, whilst thinking of a strategy to turn the tide of battle into my favor. All this fighting and careful thinking was really starting to unsettle me. And the more I cut the small, misshapen creatures down, the more their toxic, foul blood weakened me. I edged closer to the wall, thrashing away at the vile creatures with my blade, my free hand covering my nose. My vision kept getting hazy, and my body growing sluggish and heavy. To my horror, more of the tiny, evil monsters seemed to be crawling out of the woodwork, attacking me and spitting corrosive cobwebs at my legs. I stumbled against an old, wooden chair, dropping my blade in a careless manner. My heart shattered when one of the monsters leaped onto my face and took a bite on my neck. I gasped for breath, trying to pry the strange monster hand away from me, losing my strength and focus. I really don't have a choice now, I thought. I was hoping to not use it twice in a day. Standing upright and square, my heart beating really fast, I grabbed the creature with both hands and burned to a crisp with the power of the justice light. Every time I used it, I noticed, my whole body would rattle and shake with excruciating pain. It felt like I was pouring hot sauce inside my mouth and all over my body.

"Enough of this," I spat, my hands radiating with white, pure energy. "I will end this quickly."

Twisting my body violently, I began burning the small creatures without mercy, a huge smile on my face. I laughed hysterically as I stomped on some of them, grabbing others and burning them into white ash. The little creatures began to scatter in different direction, trying to elude me but I would not let any escape my wrath. In less than a few seconds, most of them had been turned to ash. Turning around, I decided to take my time hunting down the few remaining, but I stopped in my tracks. It seemed the soul eater was ready to duel once more. It tried to say something but all I could hear were these disturbing, incoherent moans. And while its tone of voice was incomprehensible, its body movements revealed to me its hostile intent. The animosity in its aura was too hard to ignore. It suddenly dashed towards me, both of its clawed hands raised in the air, roaring like a wounded animal. Feeling my arms burning, I took a leap back, biting my lip. I could feel the hot sweat forming profusely all over my body, the back of my arms feeling like they were being poked by tiny needles. The soul eater went on a relentless rampage, cornering me into the wall. All I could do was dodge and use my arms to deflect attacks aimed at my vital organs. I really could not believe this creature had the effrontery to get in my way, to stop me from leaving this place. And in this darkness, I could barely coordinate myself to create an opening for a counterattack. Ducking down, I rolled to the left, picking up one of the blades I had scattered around just for this occasion. I repelled both its clawed arms, moving in closer with each counterstrike. The soul eater's greatest weapon was also its greatest weakness. It was its statue-like body. The first soul eater I encountered was extremely difficult to maim because it did not possess a physical body—but this monster had one. If I could sever the link between the monster and its physical body, I could vanquish it for good.

In my moment's thoughts, the soul eater managed to fatally wound me in the chest. Black blood gushed out of my chest, a searing pain making my head dizzy. Upon sensing another attack coming, I feigned how damaged my body truly was as I dropped to the ground. I squinted, focused, waiting for an opportunity to present itself. As I had predicted, the creature would not be easily swayed to leave me be upon looking at my fragile body. I could hear its heavy footsteps coming towards me, the carpeted floor squeaking softly. It stood over me, its eyes glowing, and its teeth long, sharp and dark as night. I could feel its chest expand and contract as if it were a real body. The creature bent down, jaws wide apart, ready to deliver the final blow. But in that instant, I raised my upper body, shoving my blade deep beneath the sternum. The soul eater let out a hoarse roar, writhing and convulsing, before falling to its knees. I slowly stood up, the wound in my chest finally sealed, as I wobbled towards it. My body felt like it was on fire; I needed to end this now. The soul eater, radiating the same energy as the barrier, tottered away from me in a desperate attempt to flee. I was astonished with its resilience—it would not die, even after being stabbed in heart.

"What is it now?" I rattled, moving back with my left hand covering my eyes.

The soul eater was emitting a powerful, glowing energy—it was powerful enough to crack its stone-like body. I realized what it was doing a bit too late, but I rushed in without haste. The ancient beast was about to shed its stone shell, taking on its original form. The light lit up whole building, the floor shaking, and the window glass bursting outwards. I could feel its tremendous dark power increasing slowly. My hands began to glow again, the pain in my arm returning with great intensity. It felt like I was incased in a tub filled with hot chunks of coal. And before it could finally shed its skin, I grabbed it from behind, burning its face with the power of the justice light. It screamed in agony, attempting to shake me off but I held it tightly with all the strength I could muster.

A powerful, ominous wind burst through the corridors with enough force and speed to sweep some of the furniture off the ground. The floor beneath my feet was gradually cracking under the pressure of the soul eater's powerful aura. I grimaced with a slight sense of terror at the thought of not being able to stop it from shedding its shell. The strength of the creature was truly incredible—I could barely contain its power with my own. We wriggled each other to the ground in a desperate attempt for survival. I could see its skin turning into white ash, the power of the light overwhelming its vessel. In one last desperate attempt, it grabbed my shoulder and sunk its claws deep into my clavicle. I yelped in pain, the strength in my left arm waning slightly. I refused to disclaim defeat, even if it cost me my arm. I also grew weary and wretched with the present situation, realizing how perilous the current predicament was. The soul eater twisted its neck around in an unnatural way and gawped at me in alarming manner. Its ghastly breath was repulsive, and its strength was increasing greatly. I felt myself burning from the inside out as I intensified the power of the justice light, completely overwhelming the soul eater. I screamed in agony, the pain far too excruciating to endure. The light burned through the soul eater, tearing and burning a hole into its true heart. I thrust my blade into its heart, ending the creature's life completely. It let out a loud cry as its soul radiated in a dim color. A grueling hunger consumed me at the sight of its exposed soul. I could no longer endure it any longer.

"I am sorry," I stuttered, gnashing and biting into its soul like it was mortal food. "What is this amazing taste and feeling? I have never tasted anything like it before."

In great shame, I feasted on the remnants of the soul eater, making its power and life-force my own.

5

I waded through the marsh, my body tense and grim. The sun lay behind a thick layer of cumulus clouds, and the air cold and calm. The bizarre, moaning trees twitched near the edge of the water, their cries of distress enough to make ordinary men tremble with fear. As much I despised traversing through this region to see her, I didn't have much of a choice. I needed her help. I sighed and belched, still feeling full from the remnants of the soul eater I had consumed. It had been two days since I left the city of Ore, the cursed settlement that I had pulverized with dragon black-ash fire. The souls trapped within, I suspect, were now free to move on. Not that I cared what fate awaited them, but I was curious as to what happened to the Earl after he was taken by the soul eater. Sniffing slightly, I shifted my attention to the left, sensing something moving beneath the dark, dirty water. A black raven swooshed a few feet above my head, landing near one of the leafless, moaning trees. It glared at me in silence, almost like it was peering into my heart. So she knows I am here, I thought. This is one of her spy birds.

I kept plodding through the water, the cord grass swaying back and forth as if it were alive. The further I went, the deeper and colder the water was. I could feel something moving around me, several pockets of air bubbles coming towards the surface of the water. I did not reach for any of my weapons, nor did I show any signs of hostility. The lady I had come to see had cast a powerful spell in this whole area to attack anyone who showed even the slightest sense of malicious thought. It had been six hundred years since I last saw her, and to be honest, I was not thrilled at the thought of meeting her again. She was not a really nice person, if I can be bold. Her cruel, sadistic nature could only be masked by her untold beauty that was known across multiple colonies all over the galaxy. According to a network of reliable sources, there were many suitors, over the past few centuries, who ventured here for her hand in marriage but none ever returned. Some folks thought the tales were nothing more than old canards to scare and frighten children, but I knew the truth. She was no mere mortal to trifle with—her magical powers were vast and incredibly terrifying.

"You know why I am here, Lannah," I roared, twisting my head around to sense her presence.

The last time I was here, her floating, wooden cabin lay in the middle of the marsh, a sign of the door to ward off strangers. Her true nature perplexed me more than anything in this world. I mean, she desired no love or anything of material gain—she simply did whatever she pleased. Her most repulsive habit was torturing handsome men by making them do impossible chores for her affection. I did not wish to linger here any longer than needed to accomplish my objective. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled a sack filled with gold coins and raised it above my head. To my discomfort, nothing stirred—it was too quiet even for my taste. The strange trees had stopped moaning and moving, the air stiff and ripe. I could sense her, but I could not see her at all.

"For you to come here, you must be really desperate," a cold voice said. "Have you come to ask for my hand in marriage, too, Rave? It has been so long since I have seen a new face."

"No, I am here on business," I replied, lowering my head. "I have brought some items of value that you might find worth the while."  
"Is that so?" she replied in a whisper. I could hear her voice like it was a few inches from my left ear. "Why won't you look at me?"

"You know why I can't do that, Lannah."

"Does my beauty frighten you? Do you fear you might get enchanted by it, if you look at my face?"

"No, that's not it?" I sighed, raising my head to face her.

Even though six hundred years had passed, she still looked just as beautiful and young as she did the first time I met her. I still felt absolutely nothing for her or any other woman—my immortality came with a steep price. Bowing my head, I showed her the utmost respect, ensuring that she would not act on her impulse and send me away. She smiled, flitting effortlessly above the water, her feet hidden beneath her garments. She wore a bright, golden dress with a waist belt covered in green emeralds. An expensive necklace of pure, diamond cast draped around her neck, and a thin tiara above her dark hair. She was a tall, thin woman with high cheek bones, pink, full lips, and eyes as green as summer grass. Her scent reminded me of chocolate, almond flowers, which I found a bit pleasant. As she drew closer, her breath gently hitting my face, I contorted my lips and took one step back. She held out her arms and tried to embrace me, but I staggered away from her, the water splashing beneath my waist. Irrespective of my feelings, Lannah knew how I felt and she invaded my personal boundaries just to irritate me.

"You are still the same shy man I knew, Rave," she smirked, teasing me as if I were some innocent child. "But there is something else different about you, something I cannot wrap my mind around. Come closer to me, Rave, I want to look at you with meticulous scrutiny."

"What if I were to refuse your request?" I asked, growing weary of her mind games.

"Then you are free to go the way you came without my assistance," she spat, her eyes cold and distant, and her arms folded beneath her chest.

I pondered my thoughts at her reply, hesitant, as I did not want to reveal my deep, dark secret. In my weakened state, I was no match for her powerful magic, which could bind me to this marsh for all eternity. I sniffed slightly, shivering from the cold chill I felt as a breeze moved past me. No amount of gold and fine art could dissuade her from withdrawing her request. Her eyes beamed with delight when I moved in closer, my gaze drawn towards the water. I felt her warm hands upon my cheeks, her breath subtle and gentle. Our eyes locked for a few seconds, my heart beating rapidly out of my chest.

"Well, this is a bit unexpected," she said, slowly letting me go. "I knew there had to be a wild reason for you to come here to see me, but I wasn't expecting this. Where is your soul, Rave?"  
"It's a long story," I replied, a bit irritated. She was reveling at my anguish and internal turmoil.

"I have all the time in the world—I want you to tell me everything," she replied, waving her hand in the air, muttering an incantation.

A two story house suddenly appeared before my eyes, floating slightly a few inches above the water. It was composed of an outer structure of dry stone wall and the roof was thatched with palm leaves. As I had suspected, her great taste in clothing, prestige, and luxury had not changed through the ages. I followed behind her, soaked from the waist down in foul, dirty water, feeling vulnerable and exposed. She was the only person who knew I was still alive, who knew that I had no soul tethered to this accursed body. I could simply erase her from this world, after I had acquired what I came for, but I doubted it would be an easy task. She was always careful and guarded; she would sense my evil intention before I even unsheathed my dagger.

"Welcome to my humble abode," she gestured, the golden doors on the main entrance opening apart. "I want to hear all about your stories, your misfortunes, and what led up to you losing your soul."

I was dubious at first but I complied and accepted her invitation. Upon climbing onto the floor, still soaking wet, I threw off my drenched coat and placed it by a coat hanger which lay inches from the left door. The concrete floor leading towards the door were slightly grated and smelled of mint. A draft of air came from the house, a scent of licorice chocolate following after. Two men dressed in butler attire approached, their eyes dark and cold, and bowed in a respectable manner. They took my satchel and weapons and handed me a dry, linen towel.

"Help us," one of them whispered, his face twisting with terror.

Upon speaking, he turned around and dawdled back into the house like a toy puppet. The other butler looked at me in the same manner, his lips barely able to make a sound as he turned around with haste and followed after his mate. It was just as I had suspected. She still had men trapped in this house, doing her biding to the end of their mortal years. I did not recoil with fear; I really needed her help. The floor shifted slightly beneath my feet, when I entered the house. It was bigger and more majestic than it appeared on the outside. Glass oil lamps, mounted on the walls, lit up brightly as I stomped through ceramic tiled floor. As soon as I entered the dining quarters, I stopped in my tracks, flabbergasted. I did not know what to think of what I was observing. A shriveled up husk of a man sat on one of the chairs, slouched over with his tongue sticking out. I had never seen such a frail and sickly person before—his appearance was quite appalling. He wore nothing aside from a dirty loin cloth and black socks. There was a spread of delicious food covering the entire table and it smelled amazing and fresh. I could not comprehend why this unhealthy man was not stuffing himself with all this food. Curious, I moved closer to observe him, to see if he still had a pulse. He could be an apparition conjured up by Lannah, I thought. As I was about to poke his neck, he sprung back to life in a daring scream, gasping for air. He coughed and wheezed, his mouth drooling and foaming with saliva. I jumped back, taken by surprise, my fists clenched. As his chest compressed, his blood-shot eyes bulging, he gawped at the food like a wild animal. Reaching for the red meat, he grabbed it and tried to eat it, but it turned into a white substance. Irritated and hungry, he took the pork sandwich only to face the same misfortune. It looked like his food was turning into salt. I had never seen such a phenomenon; it was beyond words.

"When will this end? I am just so hungry." he screamed in agony, his fists slamming into the table. "Why won't this nightmare end?"

"It will end in ten years, if I permit," Lannah said, walking through the room with a glass of red wine in her right hand. "What you did can never be forgiven, Prince of Staten Lands."

"What did he do?" I asked, curious and a bit alarmed at the same time.

"He called me ugly on the inside," she sighed, sitting on the chair opposite to the man, her eyes glowing with delight. "He had the audacity to come to my manor and demand my hand in marriage with such rudeness and arrogance. When I refused, he tried to take me away with force, but he greatly underestimated my power."

Lannah took a spoonful of red-butter ice cream and ate it slowly, her eyes fixated on the man in front of her. She marveled at the sheer pleasure of watching his lips contort and tears fall from his eyes. I reserved my comments and looked away, disgusted by her revolting temperament. Grabbing a silver bell, she rang it twice without changing her demeanor. Two different butlers stormed through the doors with haste, their heads lowered, and kneeled on one knee before her. She lifted her right hand, the one with golden ring, and the butlers began to kiss it like their lives depended on it.

"What is it that you demand of me, Rave?" she asked bluntly.

"I need a new body—to be specific, I need new skin," I replied, sitting next to her. "This skin will not last longer, now that my soul in gone."

"I can see that," she responded, telling her butlers to leave. "How did this happen?"

"Shovan tricked me into giving up my soul. He then teamed up with the golden heroes tried to kill me?" I replied, a feeling of betrayal overwhelming me.

"Well, your notorious and atrocious deeds are legendary, even on this side of the galaxy. You should have known and saw this coming."

"So, will you help me or not."

"It depends, Rave, on what you are offering for my service."

"I have jewelry and treasures of high quality and craftsmanship, taken from the ruins of Ore."

"You have been to Ore?" she asked, sitting upright, her attention finally locked onto me. "Were the rumors true? Was the book of legend really there?"

"It was there, but not anymore," I hummed, prodding my itchy left ear. "It was taken by a member of the Lycole family."

"So that's why you are after the book?" Lannah concluded, nodding. "You plan to use it to restore your soul, right?"

The whole time she spoke, I kept my attention on the starving man, who had his hands wrapped around his stomach in anguish. I could not think of a torment far much worse than what he was experiencing. Despite looking harmless, I could see through Lannah's facade with great clarity. There was a great chance that things weren't going to go as smoothly as I had hoped. But for the meantime, I would let things play out.

"Yes, the book will possess the ability to restore my soul and power," I replied in a resounding tone. "But for that to happen, I will need to venture onto the planet the Lycole family governs."

"And you need a new identity, right?" she asked, glaring at me in disturbing manner. "With your malicious aura, it would be impossible for you to get anywhere near that planet."

"Will you help me then?" I asked, finally growing restless and weary of the small talk.

"That all depends on what you will do for me. You see, I have no use for trinkets and treasure when I have everything I desire at the palm of my hands. If I can be frank with you, I think you travelled here for nothing. And in your weakened and pathetic state, you are now under my mercy and rule. You will never be able to leave, unless I say so."

"Please, Lannah, I urge you to reconsider my offer," I smirked in disbelief, shaking my head. "You will not like how this ends."

"How dare you?" Lannah spat, standing up, wide eyed. "You have the audacity to speak to me in such an insolent manner and expect me to heed your warning?"

"Yes, I am trying to tread carefully, Lannah, I mean you no disrespect," I sighed, picking up a green apple and taking a small bite. "I really don't want to take your life."

"Don't make me laugh," Lannah roared, her arms folded, giving me the mean look. "What can you do in your weakened state? Your voice is certainly intimidating but your magical abilities have certainly abated."

"Do you really think I would come all this way without a plan?" I grimaced, clenching my fists in a hostile manner. "I have grown weary of this talk, so I urge you to reconsider my offer."

"Enough of this," Lannah boomed, ringing her miniature bell viciously. "All of you—seize this ill-mannered man at once."

"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this," I sighed, restraining all of my evil intent with sheer willpower.

Pushing off my seat, I craned my neck swiftly, scouting the room for any enemy nearby. I had granted her the courtesy of respecting her by not forcing her to aid me, but that had changed. She had seen through my ploy. I would force her to help me, even if I had to break a few bones. The floor beneath my feet shacked, the sound of crying old men echoing through the whole house. It felt like the house was coming to life, to my horror. I took a step back, spooked, placing my back against the wall without drawing my weapons. The whole area around the marsh was enshrouded with mystic energy that, at the slightest sense of hostile aura, would cast out and obliterate the intruder.

"What now," I screamed, surprised, as a very strong hand wrapped itself around my neck, slowly choking me.

The hand had sprouted from the canvas behind me, a very strange face glaring at me with malicious intent. The chairs, I noticed, had started to vibrate, taking on misshapen, humanoid forms. Lannah stood next to the salty-hands man, patting his hair like a pet she cherished. I was baffled, to be honest. Lannah had somehow managed to turn all her suitors into her furniture; it was worse than I could have imagined. The men, barely dressed with blank expressions, turned their undivided attention towards me, ready to apprehend me. Acting on impulse, I tussled the hidden man within the canvas, pulling him out into the open. As his body hit the floor, I kicked him slightly in the head, knocking him out.

"How are you doing that?" Lannah asked, her lips twisting into a mirthless grin. "I warded this area against violent men like you. You should have been repelled out of the manor after you attacked that man."

"Yes, your magical abilities are astounding," I scoffed, popping my fists. "But if I can be bold, Lannah, and lambast the flaws in your defensive spell. The barrier around your marsh is powerful, however, it will only activate once someone reveals their evil intentions. Something like restraining my hostile aura and fighting on impulse alone is child's play for someone of my caliber."

"Yes, that is certainly a flaw I overlooked," Lannah concluded, placing her right hand on her chin, still looking as dauntless and emotionless as before. "But I still have the numbers on my side, and your strength and valor in battle has been greatly diminished."

"Enough with the small talk," I roared, taking several steps back with my hand inches from my blade. "Mere words, witch, will not mettle with my determination and resolve."

The men, skinny and starved, tottered towards me like ghouls, their hands raised in front of them. The pupils in their eyes were unusually large, their teeth crooked and rotten, and their hair white and falling. It was hard to fathom the fact that these horrible apparitions were once men of noble birth and wealth. On my left, a wryly man, whose body was covered with thorns and thistles, rushed at me with white foam on his mouth. He tried to wrestle me to the ground, but I evaded his grip as I moved away from him. The men went into craze frenzy, plodding through the floor like wild animals. More men, still in the furniture-like form, were slowly coming back to life with expressions of horror and rage on their faces.

"I am sorry, brother, but I have no choice," a voice whispered, cold, stinging hands wrapping around my cheeks.

The man with the salt hands had somehow snuck up on me, pinning me to the wall. As my skin began to boil and turn into salt, I grabbed both of his arms and crashed his fingers with all my strength. He writhed in pain, moving away from me with his hands raised above his chest. In a matter of seconds, thirty men were surrounding me, leaving me with nowhere to go. I reached for my blade, hesitating, contemplating my next move carefully.

"Just give up, Rave, and become my slave forever," Lannah snarled, moving between the men with her guard lowered. "You know you can't win, right?"

"It was never about winning," I smiled, dashing for the window and smashing my way out.

Once outside, the wind brushing against me, I climbed up to the roof, preparing to make my final stand. Truth be told, I could have easily cut through her men and mortally wounded her, but I chose not to act recklessly. Abruptly, the scent in the wind changed, a ghastly cry of a foul creature resonating through the air currents. The roof beneath my feet sunk as the men slaves broke through the structure with their bare hands, gnashing and groping for dear life. I rolled to the left, kicking and punching a few men off the roof with the minimum amount of strength. As long as I stayed calm and collected, my hostile nature would not take over. To my left, I saw the strange, moaning trees start to revert back to their human form and swim through the water towards me. Without drawing my weapons or resorting to any magic, I fought off my aggressors, punching and stomping them into the water.

"We bear you no ill-will," one of them said, tears flowing through his eyes. "We have endured too much suffering and humiliation to act out against her."

"Your words are duly noted," I hollered back, punching the man really hard off the roof. "I will not take great pleasure in what I am about to do next."

I summoned the glowing energy of the justice light, my arms burning with pain, and began to use its power against the men, but to no avail. Even as I managed to maim several of them, more of her slaves seemed to pop out of nowhere, replenishing her ranks. Before I knew it, they had me overpowered and had pinned to the ground. The sheer numbers and combined weight proved to be too much, even for an immortal like me. The man parted ways as light footsteps drew nearer.

"I do admire your resilience, Rave," she commented, towering over me with her arms above her waist. "But your rebellion ends here—you are going to spend the next two hundred years as a stepping stool."

She slowly bent over, her right hand glowing with vibrant energy, muttering an incantation. I knew it was over, if she managed to place her hand on my body. I will not let her impose her ludicrous will on me, I thought, this is not how my tale ends.

"Sorry, Lannah, I hope you forgive me one day for doing this," I roared, finally freeing my left arm, and tearing the skin off my face. "A few people have ever experienced what you are about to see."

Wide eyed and horrified, she let out a loud scream, covering her eyes with her hands. I could feel her trembling as sweat poured profusely from her face. It had been a very long time since anyone had seen my true face, let alone live to tell about it. It had become hideous and deformed that mirrors broke and shattered into tiny pieces whenever I tried to look at my reflection. Immortality had granted me youth, strength, and stamina, but it had robbed me of all other pleasures of life. To be frank, I was always miserable and self-loathing. No good thing had truly come from this gift. Once the men saw my horrid face, they were mortified and quickly let me go out of fear. Some were vomiting violently, whilst some fled in terror when I cast my gaze on them.

"Where are you going, Lannah?" I whispered, approaching from behind and holding her right hand firmly. "Didn't you want to turn me into a stepping stool? Why won't you look at me?"

"Get away from me, you foul, ugly monster," she roared, closing her eyes, whilst attempting to free her hand from my grasp. "You are the most hideous thing I have ever seen."

"Oh, is that so?" I smirked wrapping my hands around her waist. "Didn't I warn you not to betray my trust?"

"Please, Rave, just let me go," she pleaded, unable to look at me, as she seemed quite peeved with me.

"No, I think I will torment you for an hour or two," I smiled, embracing her into my arms.

Phantom flies hovered all over my face, a black mist oozing out of my mouth whenever I tried to talk. Tears fell from Lannah's eyes, her lips spacing apart and unable to make words. The look of pure dread on her face pleased me deeply. She tried desperately to fend me off, but failed miserably.

"You will be the second person to see this, old friend," I hissed, opening my jaws in an unnatural way.

"What is that? Please, Rave, stop," she shrilled, her eyes widening, at the sight of something so ghastly and vile come out of my mouth. "I will help you. I will..."

6

I could not believe how tight and rejuvenating my new skin made me feel. I admired and adored the way it changed the structure of my body and face. After our brief skirmish, I was able to force Lannah to make my new skin with enough runes to hide and seal away my ghastly aura. I really had no idea what she saw within me, but it was enough to mentally scar her for life. Soon after, she released her slaves from their life of bondage, to my surprise, and vowed to never allow any man to ever come near her. Her whole demeanor had drastically changed; she now spoke to me in a gentler and yet subtle manner. I had tried to refrain myself from resorting to such deceit on an old colleague, but she gave me no choice. After a few hours, I plundered through the men's' belongings, to their dismay, as payment for freeing them from Lannah. This all happened three days ago from my current timeline. I scrunched my nose, chugging some apple-salt ale, lost in deep thought. My flagship engine hummed in rhythm as I made my way through space towards my next objective.

As I neared the colony planet, Gelven, I began to scrounge through my belongings, making sure everything was perfect and ready. I could not afford to make a mistake. Two more bottles of apple-salt ale remained untouched, the contents in each flask still full and transparently viscous. My primary weapons: the silver cutlass and golden revolver, and four new vials of dragon black-ash were safely stashed away in my dimensional pocket. My ship beeped as a message came onto my screen, requiring immediate attention.

"Unknown vessel," the voice on the other end boomed. "You are entering the Gelven airspace and are required to state your name and purpose. Reduce your speed to 1200 knots and maintain level altitude."

"I am here on the invitation of Duke of Balgandy," I began, laughing on the inside at my lie. "My name is Darian Dreymus, the first son of the master of the noble islands."

"Hold on, sir," the voice replied softly, a hissing tone buzzing after his voice. "I need to confirm your identity with my superiors. I apologize for the delay, sir—we were just not expecting you."

"It is quite alright," I hummed, my heart beating rapidly out of my chest. "I understand and respect your duties, young guard, and I feel safe knowing you are fulfilling your obligations with great diligence."

A few centuries ago, I taught myself how to speak and behave like gentleman, which helped me establish a rapport with the greater elders of the lost islands. Well, I did end up assassinating two of them, but I found my speaking skills to be quite useful. I had rehearsed and studied for my new role for two straight days, making sure there were no mistakes in my background history. The skin Lannah had remade for me had once belonged to a noble gentleman, the true son of the master of noble islands. He had travelled to Lannah's marsh, hoping to win her heart, but it did not work out well for him. He had been missing for fifteen years, so his story boded well with my plans.

"Please proceed to these coordinates, sir," the young man said, a new map displaying the new location appearing on my windshield.

"Copy that," I replied, turning the steering wheel left and applying power to the throttle.

I descended down into the atmosphere, the hull of my ship rattling as the temperature increased. The planet had a vibrant green color, the terrain filled with great mountains and an incredible amount of vegetation. A group of thick grey clouds floated close to the surface, as strange, alien birds flew past me. Upon seeing a red blinking beacon, I slowed the flag-ship's speed, feeling the hair on the back of my neck starting to stand. Massive guns followed my descent all the way to the ground, a horde of armed soldiers marching towards me. They were clad in red armor, face shielding visors, and draped in black mantles. Upon closer scrutiny, I realized that the whole terrain was covered with flag-ships, some small while others were as massive as an ancient cruise ships. The soldiers surrounded my ship in an oval formation, their guns drawn and pointing towards the ground. Did they know I was an imposter? I thought. Was my cover blown? I felt this nudging urge to put my ship into full throttle and blast off the planet with haste, but I restrained myself and turned off the power. A man with doting eyes approached the entrance of my ship, a bit of caution and vigilance in his body movements. He wore golden insignias on his breast plate, two eagle emblems plastered on his belt.

"Sir, we wish to have words with you?" he hollered in an honest tone.

"My apologies," I replied bluntly, opening the metal hatch and walking out slowly. "I have been travelling for quite some time, so I took the liberty to stretch my limbs and gather my credentials."

"Oh, it is quite alright, sir," he smiled, looking through my paperwork and seal of noble birth. "Everything looks to be order, Master Dreymus."

"Rave is just fine," I mumbled, bowing graciously. "No need for the formalities."

"Well, Master Rave.....Sorry, I mean Rave," he smirked in a gracious bow. "Welcome to Gelven, the home of the Lycole family. You will never have to lift a finger—all your needs and desires will be at your fingertips."

"Is that right?" I mumbled, looking at the soldier in a suspicious manner. "Did you really say all my desires? That seems a little far-fetched, don't you think?"

"It is not a joke, sir, I assure you," he continued, turning around and leading the way. Half of his platoon stayed behind to inspect my ship and luggage, while the rest followed behind us. "This planet is a utopia only a few people of noble wealth and status will ever get to experience."

"Pardon my tone, sir, but I hope you forgive me for having doubts," I snorted, halting in my tracks when he abruptly stopped walking and turned around to face me.

"Your doubts are understandable, sir, but I will not renounce my words like a common criminal," he spat, the tone in his voice serious. "If my words alone are not enough to convince you, then you will have to experience it for yourself."

"That seems logical," I replied, gesturing him to lead the way with my right hand.

We left the ship docking grounds, heading towards a magnificent, white building with a humungous tower that was almost 20 stories high. It was odd that I had not seen this structure from the air, but I paid no mind to it. The man I was following stopped in front of the building, the soldiers guarding the entrance parting ways with a great salute. Two men exited the building, both holding the sides of a peculiar, square device that had four small wheels beneath it. They stopped a few inches from me and motioned me to move closer. Suspicious, I took a quick glance back and realized that the soldiers had tensed up and focused all their attention on me.

"What is the meaning of this, if I may ask?" I spat, fixing my linen collar and adjusting the sleeves of my jacket. "Do you still doubt my nobility and credentials? I would like to have words with your superiors as soon as possible."

"My humblest apologies, sir" the man who I had been following pleaded. "If you may please grant me the courtesy of accepting this one last request, then we will gladly explain everything after."

I scoffed silently in a profound manner, my mind in a state of disarray and turmoil. I did not expect security to be this tight. I wobbled forward and placed my hands on top of the machine, listening to the constant buzzing the machine was doing with great disdain. Once the task was finished, a different man garbed in black attire led me inside the building, the rest of the soldiers staying behind.

"What is that machine?" I asked, feeling a bit woozy and lightheaded.

"To keep this place a utopia, we use these devices to screen new citizens and visitors, to make sure criminals and monsters don't make it past this checkpoint. We apologize for the inconvenience."

"It's quite alright," I replied, still unsatisfied with his plain response.

Once I went through another door, I was greeted by a large group of people—some were sitting down while others meandered through the different sections of the building. I paused, observing a distraught man getting dragged through the floor while everyone else pretended like they could not see it. The man was crying, his nails digging so deep into the floor I could see drops of fresh blood on the marble floor.

"Please, I don't want to leave this place," he cried, attempting to break free. "I did not mean to do it—I will do anything to stay. I will do anyth...."

One of the soldiers battered the man in the back of the head with the butt of his gun, before dragging by his feet out of the building. I kept my silence. It was not my place to judge people, but this was odd. It was as if no one else had seen what had transpired. Was it an illusion? No, the blood was very real. A short maid, dressed in a black dress and a white scarf came and swiftly mopped the blood away with great haste. It was all real, as I suspected.

"You may sit there, Master Rave, while we process your paperwork and arrange your accommodations." the man smirked, leaving me in the company of strangers.

"Thank you," I finished, sitting in the far corner, next to a mural of ancient Balmerian warlord.

I took a black handkerchief with white edged stripes and wiped my mouth and cheeks gracefully. A few curious eyes looked my way, a few subtle giggles erupting from the noble ladies sitting on the opposite side. Adjusting my feet, my eyes still locked on the ground, I felt someone drawing closer to me.

"So you go by Rave Dreymus now, huh?" a feminine voice asked, as my nose caught scent of a rather amazing, eccentric fragrance.

I quickly looked up, caught off-guard by the daring question. A beautiful woman, in her late twenties or so, stood over me, glaring at me with these big, brown eyes. She was tall with light tan skin, hair as black as the night, and soft, pouty lips which matched her high cheeks bones perfectly. She wore a green, full dress from the Victorian age, which was held in place by a striped bustle of red and gold color. The black bonnet that covered some of her hair made her look quite appealing. I had never seen this woman before, but it looked like she knew me. Not the real me, but the man who I was portraying. If I opened my mouth, I knew, it would poke holes in my story and reveal me to be an impostor. But if I did nothing, the result would also be disastrous.

"Do I know you, milady?" I asked, my heart beating rapidly out of my chest, as I felt this unbearable feeling of invisible knives placed upon my neck. "I feel like we have met somewhere, but my memories elude me nowadays. I do apologize for not standing up and greeting you like a true, charismatic gentleman."

"It is quite alright," she smiled, her interest in me a bit disturbing. "May I sit next to you?"

"Yes, I would be honored," I stood up quickly, moving back the padded, fabric armchair next to me, and allowing her to sit back and relax.

"How I have missed you, Darian. Sorry, I mean Rave," she gasped, blushing whilst looking away. "I apologize for calling you by that name. I knew you in a different era, a time I still revel and miss dearly."

"No apologies needed," I replied, sitting down, putting my handkerchief back into my inner coat pocket. "If anyone should be apologizing, it is I. How could my memories betray me so deeply and let me forget someone as beautiful as you from my mind."

"Oh, Rave, you were always so gifted with words," she giggled, her eyes lighting up like small suns.

"Time brings wisdom and clarity," I added, realizing my blunder a bit too late. The more I talked to her, the more she seemed interested, and it was a matter of time before she saw through my mediocre masquerade. "I don't think its coincidence that has entwined our fate, is it, milady?"

"I believe it was meant to be," she commented, her words echoing every fiber in my body.

This situation had just gotten a little bit complicated. My initial plan was to infiltrate the planet and search for the book on my own, but I fear that was about to change. In all honesty, I felt absolutely no emotional attachment to her, but I think the feeling was not mutual. I dreaded the thought of claiming her life, if she got in my way—she did not seem like a bad person. I shifted my weight slightly, growing weary and uncomfortable of talking to her. I drew my attention to what everyone was wearing and realized what kind of colony planet I was on. My exceptional abilities to discern and notice even the slightest detail and change in pressure had become limited and distorted, to my surprise. Every person, aside from soldiers and attendants, was dressed in ancient attire. I could not even see one single piece of advanced technology within the vicinity. Crap! Here we go again, I thought.

"I have been meaning to ask," she began, inching her chair closer, and her gloved hands held tightly together. "Where have you been for the last fifteen years? Why did you leave me?"

"I really don't know what to say," I coughed, startled, feeling as if a phantom boa was slowly constricting me.

"Say anything—I just want to hear it come out of your mouth," she pleaded, her eyes a bit teary. She pulled out a custom-made fan from a leather purse with striped ribbons and covered half her face with it, trying to hide her strong emotions from me.

I sat morosely, contemplating her words, unable to find a viable solution for the dilemma I found myself facing. It was obvious, lying to her would make her my worst enemy—the last thing I wanted. However, I could not tell her the truth. Glancing at her for a slight second, I noticed her eyes locked onto me with great intensity, her lips quivering. If I did not give her the answer she wanted to hear, she would surely make a scene. Without saying anything, I opened up a drawer and pulled out a smoking pipe from the table made from a combination of mahogany and rosewood. It had been centuries since I had seen this rare and unique craftsmanship—the carpenter had done a marvelous job.

"I had to leave," I said bluntly, lighting up the pipe. I had never enjoyed smoking, but I found blowing out a fog of smoke from my nostrils to be somewhat distracting. "Look, I am not the same lad you knew from the past. I do regret breaking your heart, and I feel great remorse for leaving you, however, I no longer have feelings for you."

"No, Darian, I cannot disclaim those harsh words to be your true feelings," she cried, clearing her throat as she tried not to draw any attention to herself. "You used to believe in love, poetry, and fairly tales. You were so passionate and daring, and you were never shy to display your romantic feelings in public."

"People change, milady." I replied, getting quite annoyed with her. "It has been fifteen years, for crying out loud. Forgive my tone, but I say this with great respect—I don't love you anymore."

"Well, I waited fifteen years for you, hoping you would return to me," she sighed, looking a bit flustered, as she slowly stood up in an elegant manner. "I can afford to wait a few more years for you, Darian. I don't believe that love is like a flame that will slowly burn out with time. I hope to converse with you once more, when you are settled in and comfortable. Good day."

"I look forward to it, milady. Good day." I smiled, finally feeling relief like a huge boulder had been lifted off my shoulder. All I had to do, for the next few days, was avoid her like the plague.

I watched her walk away, the back of her dress dragging behind her like a rogue sash. Two servants, holding luggage and two small dogs, abruptly joined her as they strode away in the company of three equerries. I had forgotten to ask for her name, a shame indeed.

"Your accommodations are ready, sir," a young man with a clean, shaved face said, bowing gracefully. "If you follow me this way, sir, we have a fine villa waiting for you. The scenery and location is breathtaking."

"I am elated to hear that," I replied, standing up and following the man.

7

We meandered through different passages of the building, the air cold with an aroma of cinnamon mint. Servants dressed in black attire and white, linen cravats escorted families and single, elegant socialites in and out of the checkpoint. The young fellow guiding me led me to the final checking station, turning in my information to the female receptionist. With a bow, the young man smiled at me and sauntered away, disappearing into the crowd.

"Goodness, is it always this busy?" I asked, looking around.

"Yes, sir, reservations for this planet are usually booked two to five years in advance. It is a destination planet for the wealthy and influential people, Master Dreymus."

"Please call me Rave; I don't like being called Master Dreymus."

"I apologize, sir, but we have a code of conduct we must follow. We must never refer to our guests by their first name."

"I see," I hummed, looking away from her, my arms wrapped in front of me.

"Please put this on," she muttered, handing me a golden bracelet written in runes of an unknown language. "I assure, sir, the bracelet will not harm you in any way."

"Then why do I need it?" I asked, looking suspiciously at the object, a feeling of discomfort in my stomach.

"We use it to distinguish social classes between our guests, sir," she chimed, smiling, extending her arm towards me. "This golden bracelet will allow you access to most of the places within the region and ensure that all your desires are met and fulfilled."

"Is that so?" I scoffed, my curiosity piqued, as I took the bracelet and put it on my left arm.

Afterwards, I felt a burning sensation in my left arm, followed by this exhilarating wave of euphoria and relief. It had been over a thousand years since I had felt this feeling. I could not describe this new feeling; it felt like I was human again. What a wonderful sensation, I thought. I can feel everything around me. The feeling of self-loath and depression was gone. Despite knowing it was a false sense of happiness and joy, I wanted it to last forever. Turning around, my eyes dotting in every direction, it felt like I was looking at the world from a new, better perspective. Without drawing any attention, I turned around, adjusting my coat as I smiled lightly to the receptionist. It looked like I was going to enjoy myself for the next few days.

"Please follow me, sir," another servant, with short blonde hair and green eyes, whispered, dragging one of my luggage bags behind her. "We have arranged transport for you."

"Thank you," I bowed, following behind her.

Upon exiting the last door, I found myself staring at this great, vast city overlooking snow-peak mountains, a valley and a great lake with crystal clear water. Low hanging clouds hid the top of highest buildings within the establishment. Steam propelled balloon ships littering the sky, and horse carriages transporting people on the ground. The outside air was unnaturally clean, to my amazement. The terrain on the outskirts of the city was covered with green grass, trees of uneven heights, and strange, glowing flowers. A golden carriage being pulled by two white horses stopped next to me, the coachman disembarking quickly and loading my luggage inside.

"This is where I leave you, sir." the blonde-haired lady smiled, bowing gracefully before returning to the building.

While everything looked so peaceful and perfect, I could not help this gut feeling like I had just waltzed into a spider's web, like I had just made the biggest mistake of my life. It felt like something vile and dark had happened here. There were invisible remnants of blood hidden within the soil—my primal instincts alerted me. Why should I care about anything? I thought. It is none of my business and I won't let anything ruin my mood. The coachman, a tall, thin elderly man with sharp, blue eyes and short, curly hair, opened the passenger door and gestured for me to enter. He wore a black frock coat on top of his vest and plain white shirt, black trousers and leather shoes. His hands were covered with white gloves, like a true profession. I thanked him with gold coins as I entered and made myself comfortable on the silk, covered seat. I took out my smoking pipe and began to smoke, while listening to the horses gallop through the unpaved road. The carriage suddenly turned left, travelling through the thicket at a slow and steady pace. A strange fog manifested out of the blue, the road ahead becoming barely visible. I stopped smoking, a feeling of dread and anxiety consuming me. Something was approaching. I twisted my neck, gazing at this strange tree on my left side. There was a woman in a long, white dress looking at it with her back turned towards me. Squinting, I noticed that there was something wrong with the color and texture of her skin. It was so dry and wrinkly. When she turned around to face me, I almost jumped out of my fresh skin, horrified. Her face and body were literally skin on bones—she was practically a walking skeleton. She raised her index finger and pointed straight ahead, her eyes hollow and black as the abyss. Curious, I stuck my head out of the window, looking ahead but I saw nothing. When I turned my head around, she had vanished along with the strange fog.

"Did you see anything out of the ordinary?" I asked the coachman, my head still sticking out of the window.

"No, sir, is something wrong?" He replied, whipping the right horse lightly.

"No, never mind," I snorted sharply, leaning back inside.

That strange woman was definitely an apparition—that much I could tell. She wanted to show me something, something of great importance. I pondered on the thought for the duration of my trip, only pausing when the coachman stopped the carriage near these huge, metal gates, blocking access to this magnificent villa that sat at the edge of the hill, overlooking the lake. The coachman swiftly leaped down, removing my luggage from the carriage, his back turned towards me. After he was done, he opened the passenger door and let me out. I watched him leave, a trail of dust rising behind the carriage, listening to the neighing sound of the steeds.

"What a day," I commented.

As I turned around, the huge metal gates opened inwards, a butler walking quickly towards me. He greeted me with a bow, a stern look on his face. He was a tan man in his early fifties, with broad shoulders, clean-cut black hair, and an awful looking goatee. I tried not to stare at it; however, it was quite mesmerizing. He was garbed in a black suit with a white handkerchief sticking out of his front pockets, and black, leather gloves on his hands. He ushered me inside without saying a word, which I found rather vexing. While the butler did not fulminate with my presence, I got this strong feeling of great resent towards me from his body language.

"Welcome to your new home, Master Darian," he said coldly, twisting his head around to face me. "You are well aware of all the rules of the city, I trust."

"No, I haven't been informed yet," I answered, gazing at my new house with admiration and awe.

"I see," he replied, walking several feet in front of me, my luggage held tightly in his left hand. "You have been invited to the grand ball this evening by request of the Duchess of New Port. I have taken the liberty of arranging several sets of evening attire for you to choose from, in preparation for the event."

"I am weary from travel," I sighed, pretending to be groggy and sleepy. "I shall decline her request and apologize to her with a letter."

"Master Darian," the butler spat, a serious look on his face. "This invitation cannot be taken for granted and thrown away like some piece of trash. It has always been tradition and mandatory for all new arrivals to attend this evening's event like their life depends on it. Pardon my tone, Master, but living on this planet is a privilege only a few will ever get to experience."

"Everyone has been saying that," I scoffed, my gaze drawn towards the flowers blooming near the paved road.

The wealth of the Lycole family was so vast and great that they had managed to completely terraform the entire alien planet into resembling the ecology and atmosphere of earth. But for some reason they had allowed these glowing, alien flowers to bloom and spread throughout the terrain. I walked over to a flowerbed and tried to pull one out, but I could not uproot it from its stem. Even with all my strength, using both of my arms, I could not get the small flower to budge. I tried to pull out several other flowers to no avail. My butler stood silently, smirking, his left hand covering his mouth slightly.

"Shall we go to the manor?" he asked, brushing tiny specks of dirt from his right shoulder.

"Yes, I am satisfied," I replied sarcastically.

After hiking the short trail up the hill, I stopped and looked at the house. I was enchanted by the beauty and radiance. The design was based on six thousand year old roman architecture, the material expensive and quite rare to acquire. My new abode was three stories tall, the exterior composed of a fascinating mixture of mud-bricks and timber. It had been over a few thousand years since I had seen a house of this magnitude. Two beautiful maids opened the main door and came outside to greet me, smiling. They wore black skirts that reached all their way to their knees, white, linen blouses with long sleeves and gold, engraved cuffs.

"Welcome home, Master Darian," they both said at the same time.

"Thank you," I smiled, reveling in my wealth, status, and state of mind.

Everything was perfect and great that my mind entered a state of turmoil and confusion. I had come to steal the book of legend from the Lycole family, but my resolve and determination seemed to waiver. Why would I want to leave this utopia and go back to being miserable and alone again? Why would I care about the fate of Shovan, that miserable fool who betrayed me? I brushed my hair back, walking into my new home, my new life. My past was behind me now. I inhaled a fine aroma of honey-scented chocolate, a fine harmonica playing perfectly in sync with the piano in the living room. What I loved the most about this house was the extraordinary detail and lining in the mosaic floor design. Each tile had been hand-carved, the colorful patterns unique and different for each one.

Removing my coat, I strolled into the living room, drawn to the pleasant sound of music. A bright, golden chandelier hung above me, illuminating every nook and cranny in the room. A young woman sat by the piano, a clean-shaved lad leaning next to her on the harmonica. They both appeared to be servants of manor, based on their clothing. They stared at each other like two love birds, playing the melody in perfect synchrony and rhythm. When they saw me, they stopped, and stood up swiftly. They bowed their heads as a gesture of respect and stood stiffly in silence.

"I did not mean to intrude," I apologized, smiling. "I wish to hear more of that delightful melody."

"As you wish, Master Dreymus," they replied at the same time, a phenomenal I found rather curious.

"Prepare me a bath," I commanded, my hands crossed behind my back, finally adjusting to my new life.

*****

I sat alone in my huge tub, enveloped all the way to my shoulders in warm water, sipping a glass of red wine. I could hear music echoing through the walls, the dim lit candles flickering silently on the left wall. There was no wall in front of me, so I could see the mountains and river without an obstructed view. Everything was perfect. Closing my eyes, I hummed beneath my breath, hoping this feeling would last forever. To my dismay, I felt a cold chill run down my spine, the air getting stale and thin. I felt something stir inside the water, something big. I slowly opened my eyes, my heart beating out of my chest, searching for a weapon. There were bubbles forming on the surface, as the clear water turned black and thick. I craned my neck, backing out slowly without turning my eyes away from the new threat. I should have known this too good to be true, I thought.

A thin, wrinkly hand shot out of the water with unrelenting force, grabbing my left ankle firmly, attempting to pull me back into the water. I heard this harrowing moan, these red, glowing eyes appearing near the surface of the black water. I tried to wrestle the creature's grasp, but I could not free myself. In my weakened state, I was no match for this apparition. The wicked fiend finally revealed itself, to my horror, letting out an ear-splitting scream that shook the whole house. Like the previous apparition, the creature was extremely thin and wrinkly, with hollow black eyes and rotting teeth. It wore a tattered black dress of high quality material, a woolen bonnet covering its black hair. I reached for a toothbrush, still naked, and stabbed the monster in the forehead, freeing myself before I could get dragged into the depths of the black water. The creature screamed in pain, sinking beneath the tub, the shaking ceasing completely. The black color of the water began to disappear, any of trace of the apparition vanishing with it. Was it a dream? Was my mind playing tricks on me? There seemed to be some mischief afoot, I knew. Were my servants in on it? I dressed myself and left bathhouse, only to find my butler waiting patiently outside.

"Are you ready, Master Dreymus?" he asked in a starry voice, his demeanor calm and collected.

"Yes, I am," I replied, looking at him with suspicion. "Were you standing outside the whole time?"

"It is my job, sir," he answered quickly.

"Did you hear anything strange, like a skirmish or a strange scream? Please, humor me."

"No, I can't recall hearing or feeling anything of that matter. Why do you ask, sir?"

"It is nothing," I smiled, reserving my questions and troubles for another day. "It was a rhetorical question."

In my room, I began to rummage through the clothing for the evening event, my thoughts still predisposed with those strange creatures. For some unknown reason, only I could sense and see them. They possessed physical bodies, had human characteristics; however, they were invisible to everyone else. I could see the outside light slowly fade as the sun was about to set. Grey clouds floated above the snow-peak Mountains, a slight gust of wind swaying the window drapes a few inches to the left. I quickly garbed my eveningwear: a pair of black Stovepipe pants, a white linen shirt, red waistcoat and a dark tail coat. Grabbing a clean, white handkerchief, I took a black bowler hat on my way out, stomping with haste to meet the coachman, who was waiting for me outside. In the living room, I stopped in my tracks, the feeling of stalking eyes making the hair on the back of my neck stand. What was this horrid sensation? Pulling the curtains to the side, I looked through the window glass, my stomach churning tightly.

"What is the matter, sir?" the butler asked, offering me a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from my head. "You look like you have seen a ghost."

"Butler, do you believe that some people are born to be miserable, to never find happiness?" I asked, not blinking, unsure of what to make of it.

"If I can be frank, sir, I believe that the state of happiness comes with great ignorance. You can't find it unless you choose to turn away from certain events in life. Now, what seems to be troubling you?"

"Do you see anything strange outside?" I stuttered, pulling the curtains further to the side, to allow the butler to see what I was observing.

"No, I see uneven shrubbery, grass that needs mowing, and statues that need a tender touch," he coughed, adjusting the handkerchief on the pocket of my coat without my permission.

"Is that all you see?" I asked again, his honest-looking face unfazed.

"Do you feel under the weather, sir? I grow concerned with the state of your mind." he answered back, gesturing the other servants to come closer. "Someone, fetch Master Dreymus a glass of wine."

"No, I am fine." I boomed, instructing the servants to leave me to my thoughts. "It seems I was in the water for far too long. I feel a bit light-headed—that is all."

Turning around, I was astonished by the great number of the vile creatures coming out of the woodwork, looking directly at me. They stood next to the trees, silent, the strong wind unable to move them from their position. By my estimate, they were at least three dozen, a mixture of unearthly men and women. One of them, a tall, skinny man wearing a black cloak, took several steps forward, raising his hand to point to the north, further beyond the river. I peered through the window, curious, hoping to unravel this elusive mystery and free myself from these troubling monsters. Past the river, there was a great and beautiful valley, green vegetation, and mountains of great height. Strange blue clouds, I noticed, hovered around the base of the mountains, hiding something troubling. It is not my problem, I thought. Why should I care about other people's predicament? Uninterested, I closed the window and shut curtain down, only to shriek and jump back with terror.

"Are you okay, sir?" the butler roared, glancing at me with distress. "What seems to be troubling you? Shall I cancel your invitation for the evening event, in concern for your health? I can write a letter, explaining your situation to the duchess, if you like."

"No, I just need a moment," I spat, pushing him gently to the side. "I need a few minutes to myself. I will meet you outside, once I am settled and calm."

As soon as the butler left the quarters, I pulled out my handkerchief and wiped away sweat, reaching down and chugging a bottle of red wine in one swoop. I could not explain why I lost my calm composure and shrieked like a little girl at the sight of this thin creature. What was happening to me?

"What do you want?" I asked the ghoul, turning around to face it. "Why do you keep haunting me?"

The creature took the form of teenage girl, this time, wearing a ragged, white blouse, a black dress with a bit of the crinoline exposed. In her dry, shriveled arms, she held a ragged doll with a missing leg, the clothing on the figurine dirty and old. Rasping, she took two steps forward, extending her closed fist towards me. A bit of dry blood on her left sleeve caused me to shudder and feel a bit of grief. What had I walked into? Opening her closed fist, she brandished an iron key with strange runes on it, her hollow eyes fixated on me. I hesitated at first, moving back, but curiosity got the better of me. As soon as I took it, black, smelly blood oozed out of her mouth, her terrifying, hoarse roar shuttering all my windows and the wine bottles. When I opened my eyes, she was gone. It was as if she never there to begin with. The glasses were back to normal, unbroken, as if it has all been an illusion. I would cast it aside as a nightmarish delusion, were it not for the iron key in my left hand. It was all real, I concluded.

"Master, are you still going?" my butler hollered, his voice echoing through the walls of manor.

"Yes, I am fine now," I boomed back, placing the key into my back pocket, heading for the main door. "Tell the coachman to prepare the carriage for my departure."

"That is excellent news," he exclaimed.

8

I reveled in comfort of my own golden carriage, smoking tobacco from a pipe, while eating ripe, fresh grapes my servants had handpicked a few hours earlier. I had a great view of the capital, the smell of cinnamon and chocolate in the air quite exhilarating. Fine, noblemen rode on black and golden steeds across the paved roads, the elegant ladies sipping on tea and chatting from the comfort of their sheds. It was a true utopia—everyone looked happy and carefree. The watchmen, also known as peacekeepers, did nothing but eat peanuts and sit idly upon their fat horses, their gaze drawn towards the gentlewomen. Balloon powered ships hovered above high towers, a fog of steam shooting out of the exhaust pipes. It was a world free from clutches of advanced technology, magical monsters, and from the chaos of war, plague and famine. The air inside the city was clean, the roads covered in brown asphalt concrete and cement. The entire city was free from debris and litter, which I found quite captivating. The coachman took a left turn, once we reached the heart of the city, joining a formation of carriages that were heading towards one of the most majestic castles at the edge of the city. A group of finely dressed men walked in a group, on the sides of the roads, bickering about city politics and wifely troubles. It seemed every person of elite status, residing in the city, had been invited to attend the grand ball.

"Good evening, my good sir," a soft voice spoke, forcing me to turn my head to the left.

"Good evening to you, too, milady," I replied, bowing slightly, whilst glancing at the young woman riding in the black carriage next to me.

She was a young woman of fair skin, golden colored hair, blue eyes, and of an athletic, slender physique. She wore a blue, silk dress with short sleeves, long, white gloves that reached her elbows, and three red flowers finely woven into her twisted locks. While I could not dispute that she was a great beauty, I did not like the idea of having a deep conversation with her. Tilting my head, I realized that she was not riding in the carriage alone. They were other maidens of nobility and wealth riding along, sitting on the opposite side. They whispered and giggled, glancing at me with curious eyes.

"I know all the men in the city," she continued, smiling, a few strands of her hair fluttering with the wind. "I can say, for certain, I have never seen you before. Are you a new citizen?"

"Quite so, milady," I replied, getting frustrated with her curiosity. "I arrived today from a long and dreadful journey."

"Is that so?" she hummed, her face glowing with excitement. "I would like to hear all about it."

"All in good time, my fair maiden," I answered sullenly, feeling the pace of the horses starting to decrease. "I am sure we will be meeting again soon. Goodness, I think we have arrived at the gates of the castle."

"I look forward to it," she smiled, adjusting her right glove, her eyes still locked onto me. "What is your name, by the way?"

"I am Darian Dreymus, the son of the Master of Noble Islands. I prefer to be called Rave—but if you call me Darian, I wouldn't mind. What may I call you, milady?"

"I am Penelope, the daughter of the Countess of Evergrass. It is a pleasure to meet, Rave."

"Likewise, Penelope, I look forward to more of our talks."

The carriages all stopped in formation, the noise dying down as a bell began to ring. Castle guards, clad in red, matching uniforms, metal breast plates, and long lances began to peruse through the invitation letters and credential bracelets, letting in a few people at a time. They ordered coachmen to vacate the premises, once their guests had been allowed through the heavily guarded, iron gates. Penelope waved at me, when it was her turn, entering the castle within a matter of seconds, her cohorts ambling a few feet behind her. A stocky guard with a thin mustache marched directly to my door, extending his hand out without muttering a single word. I handed him my invitation letter and showed him my golden bracelet. Upon looking at my invitation letter and bracelet, his eyes widened as his whole demeanor changed.

"My apologies, Master Dreymus," the guard coughed, a bit of regret and fear in his voice. "I did not mean to be rude and cold. If I had known it was you, I would have ordered the castle guards to allow you clear passage into the castle with haste. The duchess, the mistress of the castle, eagerly awaits your presence."

"Its fine," I replied, feeling a bit of anxiety at the thought. "Do you know why she wants to specifically see me?"

"No, sir, my apologies," he replied in a soft voice, bowing in respect. "I was ordered to keep an eye out for your carriage, and have one of the squires escort you directly to the party."

He opened the wooden door, helping me exit the carriage, a few eyes turning my way. The people in front of me, waiting to be allowed in, parted ways as I was led to the front of the line. The attention I was drawing was reasonably unsettling. While waiting for my escort squire, I joined a group of finely dressed proprietors, talking politics and city gossip a few inches from the main gate.

"Did you hear about that young lad Norman Wormwood?" one of the man snorted, smoking a pipe with his back towards me. "I heard his credentials were fake—I tell you—a fake."

"Robin, you arrogant, pompous fool," another man hissed back. "Have you forgotten the rules of this city? Do you want to meet the same fate as that Norman, that buffoon of a man? Even if it's true, I say good riddance."

"I heard they came for him, along with his whole family in the middle of the night," another man whispered, looking around with cautious eyes. "What do you think happened to them?"

"The same thing that happens to all traitors," the man known as Robin mumbled, puffing out a cloud of smoke, adjusting the monocle on his left eye. "I suggest we change topic before our chat draws the wrong attention."

Someone tucked my coat gently, causing me to turn around. A dark, tanned child, roughly between the ages of ten to twelve, stood stiffly with big, bright eyes, smiling. He wore a white shirt with red pants, black, leather boots, and a brown bowtie. This must be my escort squire, I thought. Adjusting my coat, I followed the young lad through the iron gates, the guards glaring at me with intense eyes. Merchants and tradesman stood on each side of the wall, displaying their fine crafts and sweet perfumes to the party guests. None of them sold any weapons or armor, which was odd but expected. A sweet melody, composed from a finely tuned piano, a lute, and several saxophones, could be heard playing from as far as the main gates. When the choir started singing, it felt like I was in paradise. I had never heard great music like this before. The commitment and dedication these people had for reliving this glorious era was unlike anything I had ever seen or experience before.

"Right this way, sir," the young child said, opening a huge, wooden door with golden panels and iron-edged fittings.

As I walked in, I was greeted by a strong smell of fine ale, tobacco smoke, and the loud ruckus of drunken men. It was a tavern with dimly lit candles, the floor composed of hardwood, and the walls decorated with the heads of strange, alien beasts. I scrunched my nose, following the child through the noisy crowd, the air ripe with sweat and tobacco smoke. The boy led me to the last table on the left corner, next to a window, the only part of the tavern where the light from the candle could not reach. A hooded figure sat on the corner, smoking a long, black pipe, glaring at me with light, gray eyes. The child stopped, beckoning me to sit on the opposite side, his face stern and innocent. Upon seeing the gleam of silver beneath his left sleeve, I was reluctant to approach the stranger. An untouched plate with boiled eggs, bread, and two pieces of steak sat on top of the table, the glass goblet half empty. Upon closer look, he appeared to be an older gentleman, in his late fifties, wearing three rings with sapphire diamonds, and an iron pendant around his neck. When I approached the table, his left foot stopped tapping, his eyes sharp and intense.

"Please, Darian, sit," the man said in a deep voice, puffing out smoke from his nose. "I wish to have words with you."

"Do I know you?" I asked, sitting down slowly, my eyes locked on his left hand. "I feel like we have met before; however, the memory eludes me. For that, I offer my humblest apologies."

"So the rumors about your memory loss were true after all," he hummed, placing his pipe down. "I am truly sorry for what you had to endure for the past fifteen years at the hands of that witch."

"It seems news travels fast around here," I chuckled, scanning around the tavern for anything suspicious. "I have only been in the city for less than a day, and yet the rumors of my memory loss are known by even strangers."

"I am no stranger, I assure you," he huffed, pulling out a silver medallion from his left pocket and placing it on the table. "The fact that you have forgotten me wounds my heart deeply, Darian."

"That is a crest of my family," I spat, my heart beating rapidly, as I began to panic. "Just who are you, old man?"

"I am a friend of the family, Darian," he snorted, munching on a piece of meat. "They will be delighted to know that you are still alive and well."

"Are they are here on this planet?"

"No, Darian, I cannot seem to fathom why you didn't return home and see them. Why did you come here?"

"Enough with these foolish questions," I roared, tapping on the table with my left index finger, with great impatience. "What do you really want to know?"

"Your eyes are cold and soulless," he began, shifting a few inches away from the table, glaring at me differently. "The Darian Dreymus I know was not this coldhearted and arrogant."

"I am Darian," I hissed, clenching my fist tightly beneath the table. "People change with time. You haven't seen me in fifteen years, so your reasoning is flawed."

"That is true—I cannot dispute that," he coughed, adjusting his sleeves, the sharp pointy tip of his blade exposed. "But I know for a fact that you haven't forgotten your younger sister's name, have you?"

"What are you trying to imply?" I boomed, realizing that I was about to be exposed as an imposter. "This conservation is pointless. I wish to leave now."

"What is your sister's name?" he spat, holding my left hand tightly, stopping me from leaving. "Tell me, Darian, if that is who you really are."

"Get your hand off me, if you wish to keep it, my noble sir," I replied sharply, giving him the evil look. "Heed my warning—I do not want to claim your life."

"Those eyes and that hostile presence," he screamed, his eyes widening as he leapt away from me. "There are eyes of a beast, a true monster of untold terror. You are not Darian Dreymus—you be an imposter masquerading as Darian. What have you done with the real Master Darian."

"You have clearly lost your marbles, old sir," I stuttered, my hands raised in front of, aware of the ruckus unfolding around me. "I am Darian Dreymus, the son of the Master of Noble Islands."

"You lie, you vile fiend," he growled, his eyebrows furrowing, and his face turning red with rage. "Your gentle words and credentials will not keep the truth hidden for any longer."

With those words, the old man rushed at me without caution, his blade held tightly in his right hand. The dangerous look in his eyes revealed to me that he intended to do me harm. The whole tavern fell silent, their eyes locked onto us, and their faces filled with shock. Moving left, I narrowly dodged out of the way, tracking the movement of his blade with my eyes. He sidestepped, pressing his weight into his left leg as he swung the short blade in a horizontal manner. I parried away the blade with the back of a clay plate I had grabbed, the force of the impact pushing me slightly back. Flabbergasted, his movements erratic, he looked at me with utter surprise and distress. He had not expected me to be this skilled at blocking a blade unarmed, I concluded. The tavern door burst wide open, a horde of men, clad in red uniform, golden breastplate armor and long lances, rushed in and surrounded us. They drew their weapons at the both of us, stopping the skirmish once and for all.

"What is the meaning of this?" One of the soldiers, garbed in red cloak behind his back, came through the door in a commanding tone. "I demand to know who started this fight immediately. I shall draw conclusion for the guilty party and whisk him away from all you fine gentlemen."

"He started it," I boomed, pointing at the old gentleman, realizing how perilous the situation was. "He had the audacity to draw his blade at me. Look at his eyes—they are eyes of a delusional madman."

"This man is an imposter, I tell you," he hissed, trying to rush at me again before being stopped by two guards. "That man is not Darian Dreymus; he is an imposter."

"That is a bold accusation, sir," the guard sniffed, glaring at me with a bit suspicion. "What proof do you have to support your claim? There is no way an impostor would have made into the city, much less the castle without being carefully checked, scrutinized, and arrested."

"Look at his eyes," he screamed, his blade pointing at my face, a bit of drool on his grey mustache. "Those are eyes of a monster, a monster I say."

"Sir, you want us to believe that this man is not Darian Dreymus because of the look in his eyes?" The guard laughed, taking a piece of parchment and writing something down with a feather pen. "The fact that you brought a blade into this castle is clearly a great violation of the city ordinance rules. Take him away, guards."

"No, you have it all wrong," he howled like a wounded wolf, tussling with four soldiers on the wooden floor. "That man is an imposter, and he is the one you must arrest."

The people in the tavern turned their back to us, going about their business, pretending like they had seen nothing. I watched them in silence, not sure what to think or do. The guards were hammering at the man like he was ragdoll, kicking and punching him with unrelenting strength and tenacity. When he stopped moving, his head drenched in blood, they dragged him out of the tavern by the soles of his feet. I no longer saw this planet as a utopia from my wildest dreams; however, I would not let anything take away any semblance of happiness from me. I knew there was something fishy, something grotesque happening on this planet, but I would choose not to interfere with it. I deserved this happiness for myself, I thought. Patting dust off my coat, I sat down by the chair, sighing deeply.

"My apologies, sir," the soldier approached, his red cloak dangling a few inches from the floor. "We have no idea how he managed to slip in a dagger into our castle and assault you. He will be interrogated deeply and punished for his crimes, rest assured."

"That news gives me comfort," I hummed, massaging my neck slightly. "He almost sliced my neck open—that madman. If you hadn't arrived at that precise moment, he would have certainly maimed me, or worse."

"We are here to protect and serve you, Master Dreymus," he bowed, putting away the parchment and ink pen into his left pocket. "We have no idea why the squire brought you to this man; he was supposed to bring you straight to the ballroom. Our mistress, the Duchess of Newport, has been informed of this pressing matter and eagerly awaits your presence. "

"Then I shall go to her immediately," I replied quickly, standing up. "I wish to have words with her."

"Certainly, sir, I will personally accompany you," he smiled, leading the way out of the tavern.

Steam whistled from an exhaust vent, mechanic gears turning in a clockwise pattern, the air hot and humid. The great heat created by the mechanical machine was being used to circulate warm, clean air throughout the castle, as the weather started to get chilly. Elegant men and women, dressed in expensive fur and scarves, scurried through the corridors, heading in different sections of the great castle. I looked up in awe, admiring the great architecture and high concrete walls with fully erected battlements. The sun was about to set, a vibrant collusion of red and yellow color illuminating the sky, as thin clouds were scattered everywhere. The soldier, my guide, led me up a series of stairs, and through a secret passage only a few gentlemen were allowed access to. A tall, stocky man, garbed in a white suite and a golden cane tucked underneath his left arm, stood over a blue door with a silver, lion-head brass knocker. Upon catching our gaze, he stood up fully erect, his cane touching the ground as he held out his free right arm. There was something alluring about his grey eyes, something strange I could not wrap my mind around. It felt like his eyes were peering through my soul, like he could see the real me beneath this thick layer of borrowed skin. He stared at me without ushering a word for a few seconds, a light smile on his clean, shaved face. The guard handed him my invitation letter, whilst he was examining the golden bracelet on my arm with great scrutiny.

"Master Darian, I am pleased to make your acquaintance," he chimed in a deep, soothing voice. "I am terribly sorry for trouble you had to endure and offer our deepest apologies."

"It is quite alright," I chuckled, trying to avoid his intense, sharp eyes. "Just make sure this never happens again."

"It won't, I promise," he glowered, bowing in a modest manner, tapping the door slightly with his cane. "I hope you enjoy the party, sir."

"Oh, I intend to, my good host," I replied, strolling casually through the open door with a smile on my face. "I really intend to."

9

Several iron girandole, lined in a set of three on each wall, illuminated the ballroom marvelously, a great, majestic chandelier hung on the ceiling. The air was ripe with a thick fragrance of expensive, exotic perfumes and pleasant smelling pastries. Several, well dressed men and women danced and talked casually on the marble floor, the servants passing out midnight snacks and assorted wine from silver goblets. The long, red drapes covering the large window on the furthest wall, the one with the great view of the lake, were wide open, a small draft of wind pouring in. The scenery was breathtaking. On a golden stage, I observed three women strumming on harps, their lovely voices perfect and in sync. It was like listening to a melody sung by angels.

"Do you want some wine, sir?" a servant girl asked—her smile enchanting and contagious.

"Yes, I would love some," I replied, taking a silver goblet filled halfway up with red wine and taking a light sip. "Can you tell me where I can find the Duchess of Newport?"

"She is there, sir," she replied, turning her head without pointing her hand. "She is the fine woman in the blue, emerald dress, talking the Grand Duke of Fallsberry."

When I looked at the woman in the splendid blue dress, I silently cursed at my luck beneath my breath. It was the noble lady I had met at the checking station, the one who still loved Darian. She keeked my way for a second—smiling—before returning to her conversation with the finely dressed man. Looking away, my heart beating out of my chest, I sauntered towards the open window. The color of the setting sun reflected against the great lake calmed my nerves a bit. I really did not want to be here—at this awkward party.

"Hey, Darian," a feminine voice whispered, a sweet fragrance of cinnamon chocolate around me. "Are you enjoying the view?"

"Ah, my dear Penelope," I hummed, turning around to face her, the wine glass still in my left hand. "It is always a pleasure to see you."

"I heard about the incident that happened in the tavern," she continued, her smooth hand brushing against my left cheek. "Are you alright? He didn't hurt you, right?"

"Goodness, news travels fast around here," I commented, observing other guests without a care in the world. "Don't fret, Penelope. I owe my life to the castle guards—they stopped him before he could do me harm."

"I am relieved to hear that," she added, gesturing for one of the servants to bring her a goblet of wine. "Did you know that madman who attacked you?"

"No, I did not," I replied, lying, noticing the duchess of Newport giving me a leering glance. "He was just some lunatic ranting nonsense."

"The duchess seems to have taken quite a peculiar interest in you," she chuckled, nudging me slightly, her behavior changing slightly. "I can clearly see why, though."

"Yes, we have a complicated history."

"Are you still seeing each other? Pardon my curious nature, Darian, but I would really like to know."

"It's really complicated, Penelope, our relationship was always rocky from the start." I sighed, a brush of cold air stinging my face. "What do you know about the duchess?"

"Well, my mother said she came here fifteen years ago, in the company of the Grand Duke," she began, sipping her wine elegantly. "I hear she has never been married, and yet she has been courted by several, wealthy suitors for her hand in marriage. In my opinion, her heart belongs to someone else."

"She came here fifteen years ago?" I asked, taking a quick glance at her without drawing any attention. "Just how old is she? I know that it is rude to ask a lady about her age, but I really wish to know."

"She is somewhere around forty, in normal human years," she answered dryly, ordering a refill of wine from a passing servant.

"That is interesting," I commented, the notion of her age bewildering me. "She doesn't look a day over twenty."

"Yeah, you are new to the city, so I am guessing you don't know about the syrup of eternal youth, do you?" Penelope coughed, trying the new wine which looked a bit too strong for her taste.

"That sounds like an interesting topic," I snorted, feeling the effects of the wine start to kick in. It had been over a few thousand years since I had gotten drunk from wine, which made it even more special. "What is the syrup of eternal youth?"

"Oh, Darian, I don't want to spoil the main surprise of the evening for you, by revealing all the juicy details," she continued, using a silk-woven fan to blow some air onto her face, a bit of her mascara wet with sweat. "Will you excuse me for a bit? I have to go freshen up—I hope we can chat later as the evening progresses."

"I look forward to it, milady," I smiled, watching her dawdle away with haste.

As I drummed my fingers, my gaze drawn towards the lake, I suddenly noticed something displeasing at the corner of my eye. I tried to ignore it; however, I felt my gaze instinctively turn towards the left. Standing idly on top of the water, the rags on its body flitting with the wind, was one of those hideous, skinny monsters, its eyes upon me. From the depths of the lake, a horde of these vile, disgusting creatures sprung out onto the surface, proceeding to also stand on top of the water. They stood there, motionless, their evil eyes locked onto me. Why are these things trying to ruin my life? I thought. Why won't they let me have this night to myself? The outside air became thin, the temperature dropping drastically without warning. An ominous fog began to cover great parts of the lake, my eyes losing track of the creatures.

"It has gotten a bit chilly outside, hasn't it, Darian," someone whispered to me, distracting my thoughts, as I turned around. "I am pleased that you accepted my invitation, and graced us with your presence."

"Ah, it is a pleasure to see you again, Duchess of Newport," I bowed, placing my silver goblet by the side of the window. "How could I seriously say no to you?"

"Enough with the formalities, Darian," she continued, a few strands of her black hair braided slightly behind her ears. "You may call me by my first name."

"Forgive me, Duchess, but my memories of my past are still a bit of a blur," I stuttered, unable to come up with reasonable answer for not learning her name. "I can still remember your face, the smooth, soft sensation of your skin, but your name still vexes me. For that, I offer my humblest apology, milady."

"Nonsense, Darian, it is not your fault," she smiled, her cheeks pink with blood. "I heard of your story, soon after we parted ways. I cannot begin to imagine what you had to endure at the hands of that monstrous witch, but you are free now. You may call me Anna."

"It feels like we are meeting again for the first time, doesn't it, Anna?" I commented, my eyes locked onto hers. "It has been more than fifteen years since we really talked, since my life made any sense. And yet you haven't aged a day at all."

"Yes, living here certainly has its benefits," she responded, placing her wine goblet next to mine, her lips red from lipstick. "It is also quite curious to say that you also haven't aged at all, Darian. In fact, you look a bit younger than you were when you left me."

"Is that so?" I smiled, massaging my chin softly. "It is a compliment of the greatest nature, coming from you, milady."

"I heard about the skirmish that took place in the tavern," she continued, moving closer to the window, her eyes peering further beyond the lake. "Tamian came to my chambers, requesting an audience with you before the party. Being an old acquaintance to us both, I granted his wish and instructed the squire to take you straight to him. Darian, words alone cannot express my deep regret and the horror I felt, when I learned of what transpired."

"It is quite alright, Anna. He thought I was an impostor in disguise and I really don't blame him at all. I am not the same man you knew, milady—the horror I experienced changed my perspective of the world around me."

"Yes, Tamian was entitled to his own opinion, but he had no right to assault you in that manner."

Blinking, I shifted slightly back, taken by surprise and a bit of fury. One of the ghouls was standing outside the window, glaring at me with its hollow, black eyes and its mouth open. It had white, spiky hair, loose, wrinkled skin and broken, rotten teeth. Anna stood a few inches from the window, looking directly at it; however, she could not see or sense this apparition. Growling softly, it lifted its right hand and pointed straight back, in the same direction Anna was looking. What drew my attention was the fact that it stood outside the window, nothing supporting its feet, floating effortlessly. I pursed my lips with anger, unable to retaliate against this pesky, annoying creature. I had no interest in venturing beyond the lake to investigate anything, let alone help anyone in need.

"Are you alright, Darian?" Anna asked, placed her right hand on my forehead. "You look like you have seen a ghost."

"You are not that far off," I laughed, taking my goblet and sipping some wine. "Yes, I am fine. I just remembered what I forgot to bring, when I left my manor."

"Was it a present for me?" she asked, moving closer, her eyes bright and sparkly.

"Yes, I should leave immediately and go retrieve it," I hummed, smelling the fragrance of blue roses coming from her black, shiny hair.

"That will not be necessary, Darian. I will have someone ride out to your mansion and get it immediately," she replied, beckoning a servant to approach quickly.

As I was about to say something, I saw the ghoulish-looking creatures tromping and crawling all over the ballroom. Some were on the ceiling, dangling on the chandelier, a few of the creatures messing the guests' clothing. They leaped, howled and groaned, making a mess of everything in sight. As I had suspected, these creatures existed in a different dimension, a realm only I could sense and see. I tried to ignore them, a chore which I found quite insufferable. Scratching my neck, I gulped two goblets of wine, one after another, trying to keep my composure and sanity. Behind me, I could feel hot breath on my neck, a cold, thin finger prodding my ear. I shrugged, shaking my head, taking a whole bottle of wine from the servant, who was speaking with Anna, and drinking it quickly.

"Are you well, Darian?" Anna asked, her face filled with concern. "That is an awful lot of wine to consume for one evening."

"I am just remembering some bad memories," I stuttered, my eyes facing the floor. "I need to sit down and rest for a moment. Please continue without me, milady."

"There are chairs in the dining room," Anna said, giving instructions to her servant. "She will lead you there, Darian. I hope to continue with our conversation, once I have taken care of things here."

"I look forward to it," I bowed, following the servant out of the ballroom.

I had never seen such utter chaos and destruction up close. My eyes could no longer perceive one reality from another. The ghouls were mischievous and disgusting, spitting and vomiting black liquids onto the guests and the floor. The rich, noble guests chatted amongst each other, smiling, unaware of what was transpiring around them. Their clothing was covered in black, steamy liquids, the floor beneath their feet slippery and dirty, but they could not see it. I truly envied their ignorance with great passion. A thick fog engulfed the compartment, my eyes barely able to see everyone around me. How could this happen to me? I thought. This was supposed to be my one true chance of happiness. As soon as I left the floor, the servant a few feet ahead of me, the madness stopped. It was quiet again. Scanning around, I was relieved to see no signs of the ghouls, or anything that could rouse suspicion. I wobbled forward, feeling slightly drunk and a bit dizzy. A finely dressed bloke stood in front of this huge, yellow door with a pocketbook in his hands. He was wearing a black suit with a striped tie, oval spectacles, and white, silk gloves. He gestured to see my golden bracelet before opening the door, to allow me entrance.

"I will leave you here, sir," the servant said, in a stoic voice, bowing gracefully.

As I watched her walk away, I heard a sweat melody playing from a piano, the tables filled with guests who were eating and whispering, whilst listening to the music. The lights were dim, a stage light locked onto the male pianist. An attendant walked me over to an empty table and placed the menu in front of me, leaving quickly and silently as possible. The thought of seeing those fiendish monsters in this compartment filled me with dread and sweat. There was something terrible happening on this planet, I knew; however, I had never felt so happy and free like this before. I cast my thoughts aside, ordering the fish fillet and two bottles of red wine, inhaling the fragrance of a roasted beef cake. I could not describe how amazing it felt to be almost human again. It was stupendous.

"Did you hear about Lady Roselyn?" I heard a voice say, as I eavesdropped on the people sitting on the left table. "I heard her husband was taken into custody for conspiring to topple the city government."

"It is a shame indeed, if it true," a male voice whispered back. "I enjoyed being in his company."

"Don't talk like that," the other voice spat in cold tone. "Do you want people to think you were also in allegiance with him? You know what the Lycole do to traitors, right?"

"I heard he went quite mad," a deep voice grumbled, forcing me to take a quick peek back. "They say he was rumbling nonsense about monsters and ghosts, concocting a truly ghastly tale."

"Do you think there was any truth to his words?" a lady asked, smoking a pipe, her eyes turning towards me. "He was the most sane and rational person to ever lead the city council. Even the Lycole family fancied his company, at one time."

"Yes, at one time," the man at the far end of the table laughed, munching down a steak bone in the least glamorous manner. "Why would you ask such nonsense, Lady Elena? If anyone else, aside from us, heard you say that, you would surely be taken into custody for interrogation. Living on this planet is a privilege only a few people will ever get to experience—I suggest we keep our opinions on the subject to ourselves."

"Yes, that is wise," Lady Elena replied humbly, wiping her thin, pink lips with a blue serviette. "You really never know who might be listening to our conversation."

I turned my head around, my heart beating really fast as I felt her cold eyes locked onto me. The music stopped playing, the audience speaking a bit louder than before. The servants scurried around aisles, hot plates of food in their hands, panting softly beneath their breaths. Tilting my head, I noticed more guests, draped in evening attire, starting to fill in the vacant tables in the back of the dining room. Among them was Anna, the Duchess of Newport. She was engaged in a deep conversation with some gentlemen of high status, nodding, occasionally taking quick glances at me. Every one of these rich, pompous buffoons seemed indolent and addicted to this life of debauchery, I surmised. A few men had the audacity to speak ill of the waiters, cursing them out when their food wasn't prepared the way they wanted it. While I was predisposed with my thoughts, I did not notice someone approach my table until I heard the chair scraping against the marble floor. It was Lady Penelope. I did not need to look at Anna to know that she was frowning, her mind filled with jealous rage. What had I gotten myself into?

"Were you waiting for someone?" Penelope asked, proceeding to sit without waiting for my response. "I hope you don't mind if I sit next to you."

"Not at all," I replied, regretting my words deeply. "It is always a pleasure to see you, Lady Penelope."

"Such a gentleman, as always," she smiled, waving to one of the attendants. "I want some red wine with my steak, please."

"This is quite a lavish party, don't you agree?" I asked, watching a servant approach with my hot food on a silver plate.

"Yes, but you should have been here, when my mother threw a masquerade ball last year," Penelope giggled, rolling her eyes. "It was the biggest party every thrown in the city—even Dran Lycole attended it. He was an errant, arrogant man at the party; however, mother and I didn't mind."
"That sounds like it was fun," I commented, scanning the room with great scrutiny. "What can you tell me about the Lycole family? I have heard a few citizens mention them a few times, but I have yet to be introduced."

"Well, you are in luck, Darian. The patriarch of their family, Jaris Lycole, is set to arrive soon, to welcome new arrivals to the planet. Mother told me that Jaris was the one who freed this planet, created this utopia and discovered the syrup of eternal youth."

"He sounds like an extraordinary man," I added, excited at the thought of seeing this man. He probably was the one in possession of the book, not that I still wanted it.

"Oh, yes," Penelope continued, her eyes lighting up. "He is adored and loved by everyone on this planet. His face looks likes it was carved by angels, a true gentleman from a lady's greatest fantasy."

"It sounds like you are into older men, milady" I laughed, biting into my fish fillet. "I hope you know that I am joking, right?"

"That's amusing," she smirked, sipping her wine slowly. "If you look at him, without knowing his true identity, you might mistake him for a young man who is barely in his twenties."

"What," I coughed, surprised, gulping my wine quickly. "Surely you jest, right? How is this possible for him to look so young? Is he immortal?"

"No, Darian, I won't ruin the surprise for you," she sighed, looking at me with her adorable eyes. "As much as I want to tell you, I will not ruin this experience for you."

"May we join you?" a familiar voice asked, causing him to turn around.

"Yes, Duchess, it would be an honor." I replied, standing up as a gesture of respect.

Anna sat down, three men of great prestige and status sitting alongside her. I could sense numerous eyes turn towards our direction, whispering softly beneath their breath. The pot-belly man on my right adjusted his posture, a faint smile on his face, prodding the left golden cuff on his sleeve. He was dark-skinned man with mutton chops, short, black hair and sharp, hazel eyes. He wore a white shirt underneath his brown vest, an orange handkerchief tucked neatly on his left front pocket.

"I am honored to be in your presence, Master Dreymus," he spoke softly, shaking my hand tightly, his eyes locked onto mine. "When I heard of your arrival, I ordered my servants to find the best house in the city and have it arranged to your specific taste. I hope you liked it, sir."

"I loved it." I replied quickly, smiling. "Your architecture and level of craftsmanship is clearly without equal, my good sir."

"Yes, Count Longbarren is the greatest architect to ever live," Anna commented, ignoring Penelope's resentful eyes. "He drew the patterns and helped design every inch of this city. Words alone cannot express our gratitude and admiration we have for him."

"I am humbled and honored, Duchess." Count Longbarren smiled, bowing his head slightly. "I am here to serve and act in the interest of this fine city."

"Well said, Count, well said," the tall, skinny man, with a handlebar mustache and a thick goatee chimed in, placing a smoking pipe on his lips. "Allow me to introduce myself, Master Dreymus. I am the Grand Duke of this city—I oversee the day to day activities, making sure that all your needs are taken care of. I was relieved to hear that you were in the city, sir. I knew your family, back when I was still a young lad. So if there is anything you want, all you have to do is ask."

"Thank you for this wonderful hospitality," I replied, shaking his hand firmly. "I am just humbled and grateful for this marvelous generosity, Grand Duke."

"And I am the Daven Logfoot, the chief of police," the man with the curious eyes rumbled, his gaze unsettling my stomach. "When I heard of your tale, I decided to take some time off and mingle with these fine folks, hoping for chance to be granted an audience with you, sir. In all of my long life, I have never heard of anyone escaping the powerful grasp of that cursed witch, let alone retain his youthful look and memories."

"Just what are you implying sir?" I laughed, the wine making me a bit drowsy. "I fail to see the logic in your hasty reasoning."

"I am just saying your case is quite curious, that is all," he replied baldly, the tone of his voice changing. "Forgive me for asking this, Master Dreymus, but why did you come to this planet, after you were freed from her grasp? Why did you not go home and see your kin?"

"I was drawn here by someone," I smiled, gazing at the duchess, hoping he was buying my lie. "I think I was destined to be here."

"You were destined to be here?" Daven roared sarcastically, laughing hysterically. "Surely, do you expect anyone to believe such nonsense?"

"Enough, Chief Logfoot," Anna hissed, placing her wine glass down, her nostrils flaring. "I will not have you insult my guest of honor with such frivolous accusations. You clearly are fishing for any signs of wrongdoing, and it shall stop immediately. This is a party and you should do well to remember that."

"My apologies, Duchess," Chief Logfoot whispered softly, his eyes averting from mine.

"Ah, the food is here," the Count said, adjusting his napkin and rearranging his eating utensils. "This is a marvelous party, Duchess. The food looks scrumptious, if I may so."

"Thank you, Count, your manners are certainly a delight," she responded, giving the chief an icy stare.

Just when I thought the worst was over, I saw the fiendish ghouls standing a few inches from Penelope's head, staring at me. There were at least three dozen of them, all standing still like hideous statues, and all looking at me. The one in the front, with a left, broken monocle, raised his hand and pointed towards the lake, his mouth trying to utter something. Black blood-like substance drooped out of his mouth, the corrosive liquid leaking onto the table. How could no one else see these monsters? I tried to ignore them, eating my food with my head down, but they were not having any of it. The ghoul on my left, dressed in a soldier's uniform, began to poke at Penelope's earrings, a dark smile on its face. The insolent monster began to lick her blonde hair, looking around for any signs of reprisal.

"Is something the matter, Master Dreymus," the chief asked, chewing on some steak in an ungraceful manner. "You have been looking around for quite some time, as if you see something out of the ordinary."

"Please don't mind me," I chuckled, wiping away the sweat with my pocket handkerchief. "It has just been a while since I have been invited to such a gathering. I am still haunted by my memories of my capture."

"That is quite understandable," Penelope added, smiling faintly, clearly unaware of the perverted monster behind her.

"Yes, I concur," Anna said, staring at Penelope with cold eyes, sipping some wine. "But you are safe now—I know a doctor who is quite adept at erasing horrid memories through hypnosis."

"Thank you," I stuttered, trying my best to ignore the ruckus around me.

The ghouls went on a frenzy rampage, flipping tables and vomiting black blood on the food, and on the guests. I blanched, my heart beating fast, as I floated mentally between the two worlds. This was absurd, to say the least. Putting my silverware down, my appetite gone, I shuddered when I saw four monsters trying to pull the grand chandelier above us down. I tilted my head, observing Penelope, who was covered from head to toe in black liquid. All I could see were her eyes. Half of Anna's clothes were covered in the black substance, the food on her plate black and quite appalling. I almost puked, when I saw her eat it. I wanted to stop her, but I hesitated at the last minute, at the thought of being called a deranged fool.

The bolts on the chandelier came undone, causing it to crash into us, the shards of glass falling everywhere. I yelped, shielding my face and ducking down. I could not believe this madness was happening to me. The dining hall grew silent; the shards of glass gone as if it had been all an illusion. I slowly stood up, covered in sweat, and sat back on my chair. I could feel all their eyes on me.

"Are you alright?" Anna asked, standing up and walking towards me. She touched my forehead, the look of concern on her face putting me at ease. "Perhaps it was a bad idea to invite you to this event without proper rest. Do you want me to ask a servant to escort you back to your manor?"

"I cannot begin to comprehend the ghastly horrors you endured for the past fifteen years," Chief Logfoot hummed, his attitude changing. "I apologize for my earlier remarks, Master Dreymus. If you allow me, I would like to volunteer to escort you back home."

"Thank you," I groaned, the warm touch of Anna's hand soothing and calming me, for some unknown reason. "I apologize for my outburst, and I hope you don't think ill of me. Chief Logfoot, it will be an honor if you can escort me home."

In that moment, the ghouls still tramping the dining hall, the door swung wide open. A horse-faced gentleman strolled in, accompanied by a legion of golden, armored knights. I could not stop staring at him—he really had the head and face of a horse. Upon seeing him, the ghouls shrilled with terror, fleeing through the open window, escaping the castle with haste. For a slight second, I had felt this suffocating, malevolent aura which irked for carnage and destruction. There was something sinister and dark about this strange looking man. Rather than leave, I decided to stay and observe him for a bit. I could not comprehend why most of the women were blushing and ogling at him with such lecherous eyes. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I thought. When he walked to the front of the dining room, the music stopping, everyone stood up and began to clap their hands. I followed suit, observing their true, genuine adoration for this man in a skeptical manner.

"Thank you, ladies and gentleman, neigh," he boomed, in a bizarre smile, turning his attention towards my group. "I thank our lovely Duchess for throwing this party, and I want to be the one to offer our new guests the greatest gift this city has to offer."

"Oh, I love it when he talks," Penelope commented, sitting down gracefully. "Isn't he the most beautiful man you have ever seen?"

"Yes, he is quite the stud," I chuckled, to the count and grand duke's delight.

"What is so funny?" Penelope asked, turning her attention towards the count and the grand duke. "I fail to see any humor in what Darian and I said."

"Forgive us, Lady Penelope," The grand duke snorted, sitting upright, placing his pipe into his trouser pocket. "We were just laughing at an unrelated subject—it is just grown men stuff."

"A word of advice, Master Dreymus," Count Longbarren whispered, leaning closer to me. "To us men, he has a face of a ghastly horse, but we don't talk about it. Women, on the other hand, see a beautiful, glorious man of prestige and glamour, who glows with intoxicating, radiant energy."

"How is that possible? What kind of enchantment is this?" I asked, wiping away the smirk on my face, coughing slightly. "Is he under some kind of curse?"

"Not exactly," he replied sharply, scanning around cautiously before speaking. "This is just a rumor, but I heard he paid a price to create this utopia of ours. He is a man as ancient and noble as they come; however, he will not look kindly on people who laugh or make crude remarks about his appearance. I suggest you keep your eyes down, when you address him."

"I understand," I mumbled, glancing at him without drawing any unwanted attention. "Just who is he, if you don't mind telling me?"

"That is Jaris Lycole," The count chided slightly. "Have you not been informed about the rules and history of this planet yet?"

"Not yet, Count, I intended to do so, but my butler informed me that attending this party was mandatory."

"Your butler is a shrewd man indeed. When you find time, I advise you to brush up on the rules and learn as much as you can about the nobility rankings and Lycole family history. Those who break rules and stir up trouble are punished severely."

"I will keep that in mind—thank you, Count."

As we finished speaking, I was relieved to see that Jaris Lycole had stopped rumbling nonsense. Most of the guests had sat down, finishing their deserts, as Jaris walked around them, hugging and shaking their hands. He made his way towards us, his armed guards plodding a few feet behind him, their eyes dotting in every direction. He embraced Anna passionately, kissing her right cheek lightly, his eyes locked onto mine. Was he trying to incite jealousy from me? If that was the case, then he would surely be disappointed because I really did not love her...yet. After greeting the grand duke and the count, he finally made his way to me and extended his right hand.

"I have heard so much about you, Darian Dreymus," Jaris pursed his lips, his eyes dark and cold. "I have done business with the men of noble islands over the past few centuries, so I am glad you are here."

"Likewise, sir," I replied, shaking his hand firmly. "I cannot begin to tell what an honor it is to be standing in your presence, High Master Jaris. My family used to tell fables about your heroic deeds and conquests."

"Is that so?" he laughed, letting go of my hand, his demeanor changing. "I heard about the mission you were given to tame the witch of Agartha in the marsh. I warned your grandfather about how powerful and dangerous she was, but he would not listen. He believed that your abilities and charisma would be enough to enchant and control her. I was really saddened to hear what happened to you, and I thought we had lost you forever. But here you are, standing right in front of me—looking exactly the same as you were fifteen years ago. Just how did you escape from her grasp?"

"The witch was defeated by a marauding mercenary, who took most of our possessions after the gruesome battle as payment," I replied, lying through my teeth. "I happened to be passing through this planet, when I felt this burning desire to stop and see someone. I know it's a lot to take in, but it is the truth, I assure you."

"But how did you get the invitation required to enter this planet?" Chief Logfoot interrupted, taking a keen interest in my fabricated tale.

"It just so happens that my mother had gifted me with this invitation, before I was to set out for my task in the marsh," I continued, my mind in a state of disarray and turmoil. I needed to watch what I say next carefully. "She wanted me to reunite with Anna, after I had accomplished my mission."

"Wow, that sounds so romantic," Penelope commented, her eyes a bit watery. "It seems some of your memories are coming back, aren't they?"

"In bits and pieces," I chimed, noticing the askance look Chief Logfoot and Jaris Lycole were giving me. "I hope you forgive if I cannot discern reality from illusion. I am not mad, I assure you."

"The story you gave about your invitation is quite....." Chief Logfoot roared, but was interrupted by Jaris.

"No, Logfoot, we will make an exception just this once, because I find him fascinating and a quite eccentric character," Jaris intervened, placing his right hand in front of the chief, his piercing, dark eyes still cast upon me. "I do hope you decide to permanently stay in the city, Darian—I want to hear more stories from your wild adventures. In the meantime, I would like you to join us for a special evening treat."

As Jaris walked away from me, I sighed a breath of relief. I had never lied this much just to fit in with such a tepid, nosy group of wealthy elites. I really had no idea what I had gotten myself into. I excogitated on my next moves, trying to come up with an explanation for several holes in my story. I just did not want to go back to the life I had before, to the unending torment and misery. Immortality had become unbearable, a curse that I could not escape, but I had been offered a new lease on life. I would not let anyone take this gift from me. If anyone even dared, I would claim their life without a second to spare. Feeling confident and determined, I joined the whispering group of people, who were eagerly waiting for Jaris to say something on the main stage. The horse-faced gentleman ambled forward, pulling out a vial of blue, glowing liquid, and raising it above his chest. The crowd burst into an explosive combination of feverish chants and loud clapping.

"It is the elixir of eternal youth," Penelope exclaimed, nudging me slightly, her eyes bright with excitement. "Oh, how I love these glorious moments."

"Ladies and gentlemen, neigh" Jaris hollered, gesturing his servants to enter the dining hall. "This is the greatest gift our city has to offer, to the few, chosen elites. Should you, the new citizens, decide to permanently stay on this planet, I will grant you this treasure of youth everlasting."

"Is he serious?" I asked, leaning closer to the count. "Forgive me for saying this, but his boast sounds a bit mendacious for my taste."

"I felt the same way, when I first arrived," the Count giggled, still clapping his hands. "But it is all true, Master Darian, every single word of it. That vial there is the prized jewel most men spend their lives searching for."

"Is that so?" I snarled, perplexed by this drastic turn of events. I certainly did not think it was possible.

Four servants, garbed in blue, silk dresses, scampered across the aisle, dragging a metal box with wheels on the bottom towards Jaris. They placed the strange, spherical object in front of him, proceeding to kneel down by his side. In an arrogant and condescending manner, Jaris ordered his servants vacate the dining quarters with the snap of his fingers, his long nostrils fuming with hot air. I wanted to laugh in a hysterical manner, but I held it in by pinching my right hand. The fat gentleman, standing on the furthest corner, wearing a black suit with a green bowtie, sniggered with his right hand slightly pressed against his mouth. Jaris's ear twitched, turning his wrathful gaze towards the man, his eyes red with blood. He galloped like an enraged beast and kicked the man in the stomach with all his strength. The man, spitting blood, flew into the wall, the concrete structure caving against the sheer force of his momentum. To my surprise, everyone else acted like they had not seen anything, like this was all normal. I blinked once, the cup in my hands trembling, unable to comprehend what I had just witnessed. It was the second time I had felt his sinister, grotesque energy, and I still could not stomach it. It felt like his whole being was enshrouded with the blood and terror of the innocent. He was a monster—that much I was sure of. Stoic, he adjusted his suit, turning around and returning to the podium, the back of his pants stained with blood.

"If you have made up your mind about staying in our city, please step forward and receive this gift, neigh" Jaris spoke sullenly.

Several men and women stepped forward, their facial expressions filled with excitement and uncontrolled joy. Twisting my neck around, the glass in my hand tilting, I looked at the guests with a morbid fascination. The wounded man lay on the ground, his blood splattered across the floor, and yet no one paid him any attention. It was as they could not see or sense him, which I found quite disturbing. A line had formed near the podium, the rapacious guests tussling over who will be the first to receive the syrup. I stood back, observing, taking a keen interest in the blue, glowing color of the syrup.

"Are we going to pretend that nothing happened?" I murmured to the count, taking a sip of my wine.

"I find ignorance to be the key to happiness," he replied quickly, cheering the first guest to drink from the syrup of eternal youth. "There is no such thing as a perfect utopia, Master Dreymus. As long as people have free will, there will always be conflict and chaos."

"What exactly are you trying to say, Count?"

"I want you close your mind to all things that make you unhappy and sad. When I first arrived here, I was skeptic and did not believe such a utopia could ever exist. However, the High Master Jiren freed my mind and showed me a world of debauchery and joy. All of my desires were fulfilled—I cannot imagine myself being anywhere but here."

"Is that so?" I hummed, rubbing my chin with my right index finger. "Free my mind from all unhappy and sad thoughts?"

"Precisely," the count added, his eyes drawn towards the podium. "When you can manage to do that, you will become oblivious to any event that may cause you distress and worry."

While it was still impossible for me to free my mind, I took the first drastic step towards my new goal and plodded forward, towards the podium. I would do anything to rid myself of my dreadful nightmares and unending pain. I wanted to forget everything, forget my truly, monstrous past. Sniffing softly, I could hear the duchess's subtle gasp and her gentle words of encouragement. When it was my turn, I stepped forward, extending my hand out to receive my new life. Everyone who had taken the syrup glowed with youthful radiance and exuberant energy. It looked amazing. Jaris, smiling, placed the vial into my hands, his eyes making the hair on the back of my neck stand. There was something extremely troubling about this horse-faced man; however, I chose to reserve my suspicions for another day.

"To a new life," I whispered, opening the vial and pressing it against my lips.

Upon inhaling the content, my body trembled in a bizarre manner, my ears ringing uncontrollably. I could not explain this sense of disgust and shock I was feeling. Sickened, I wanted to throw the vial against the floor, but I did not want to draw any attention and offend anyone. The dining hall was silent and gloomy, all their eyes glued onto me. There were faint whispers and brief periods of coughs and wheezing, coming from every corner of the hall, as I gleaned intently to hear what they were saying. Petrified by the loss of words, I took the vial from my lips and placed the lid back on it. Jaris glanced at me with distasteful eyes but he did not utter a word.

"My apologies, High Master Jaris," I whispered, bowing in a respectful manner. "As much as I want to stay in this beautiful utopia, I long to see my family and friends back on the noble islands. I have been gone for over fifteen years, and it would be rude to stay here, and not see them."

"That is understandable, Darian," he responded, taking the vial from my hand. "To be frank, I was beginning to grow concerned with your lack of empathy, and lack of desire to be reunited with your family. For you, my dear boy, I can certainly make an exception and allow you to stay for a few weeks without pressuring you to become one of us. If you so desire, I urge you to convince your family to join us in this life of prosperity and eternal happiness."

"I couldn't agree more," I smiled, walking slowly away from the podium, my eyes glued to the ground.

"Darian, catch this," I heard Jaris say.

I twisted my body around, following the strange, silver object with my eyes, as I bent my knees slightly. I caught the object before it could hit the ground, to the other guests' surprise and cheer. It was a cube with yellow and red encrusted emeralds. Upon closer inspection, I saw it glow faintly for a few seconds before disappearing into thin air. This is some sort of magic trick, I thought. I cannot believe I fell for such a stupid ruse. Jaris's eyes lit up, his demeanor changing slightly.

"That is fascinating, Darian," he commented, smiling in an evil manner, "very fascinating developments indeed."

10

It had been five long nights since I attended the duchess's party, a mistake I found to be truly costly. With each passing hour, I lamented at the thought of Jaris Lycole exposing me as an imposter and marching me in handcuffs through the public roads. To make my situation direr, a few ghouls had visited my sleeping chambers in the past two days, tormenting me and attempting to sever my mental grip on reality. I grew weary and restless with how out of control the situation was spiraling. But on different note, I seldom enjoyed going on long walks and attending dining parties of the duchess. She made me feel human, like I really mattered. As long as I stayed out of trouble, curious eyes would not look my way.

"Your evening tea is ready, sir," my butler said, knocking on the door.

"Please come in," I mumbled, skimming through the manuscripts stacked against my bed table.

"The duchess sent a messenger sparrow with another party invitation," he added, placing the cup of tea next to my bed, a chocolate pastry next to it.

"I will have to check through my schedule before I respond," I hummed, noticing an unusual picture amongst the parchment. The depiction of the back of the picture informed me that it taken a thousand years ago. "What can you tell me about the Lycole family, butler? This picture has all of the family members on it, but the photo was taken a very long time ago."

"What exactly do you want to know, sir?"

"What are they exactly? How have they managed to defy age and live for so long on this planet?"

"I take it you saw the syrup of eternal youth, right?"

"Yes, but I find it hard to believe such a thing even exists, let alone grant you eternal youth."

"Well, Master Dreymus, the syrup of eternal youth is real and it has granted the chosen and worthy elites a life eternal and free from suffering. If you free your mind and remove all doubts from your heart, you will truly find the happiness you have been searching for."

"You seem have a great deal of knowledge on the subject, butler; I take it you have had the pleasure of partaking the high master's ceremony." I commented, watching his reaction closely.

"On the contrary, everyone who resides on this planet has taken part in that special event, some more than others," he groaned, adjusting his collar slightly.

"If you don't mind my curiosity, I would like to know how old you are."

"Going by human years, I would be six hundred and forty-seven years old after the next full moon," he answered with an emotionless expression, his hands placed behind his back. "Does that satisfy you, Master?"

"No, but that will be all, for now," I snorted, sipping some tea while perusing through another parchment of history. "I will ring the bell, if I need anything."

As soon as he left, the door closing silently behind him, I had a sudden epiphany about the ghouls that were haunting me. They were somehow connected to the high master and his syrup of eternal youth. When they saw him, at the party, they whirled and fled in terror, as if they had seen a monster. And the fact that all the citizens on this planet were, to some extent, immortal made this discovery tantalizing indeed.

A gust of wind blew through the crack in the window, a book placed by the dresser falling to the floor. Shivering from cold, I stood up and went to close the window, tugging my sleeping gown softly. I felt Goosebumps, the hair on the back of my neck standing, as I saw a ring of mist forming outside my window. Something was coming, I thought, another ghoul, perhaps. The floor beneath my feet shook violently, the books and manuscripts falling from the shelves, and the chocolate pastries rolling off the bed. I could hear a loud, angry groan, an ominous presence manifesting in the air around me. The left wall cracked inwards, the wooden structure behind chirping in an unnatural way.

"Imposter," a cold voice hissed, loud footsteps plodding on the ceiling. "I will expose you to everyone."

Turning around, I saw this dark, hooded figure with its back turned towards me, flipping the pages on an open book with its thin, wrinkly finger. Black vapors of smoke oozed from its cloak, the aura around it nauseating and overwhelming. It stood over six feet tall, clad in light armor beneath its robes, the tip of its long blade inches from the ground. There was something about the tone of its voice which sounded familiar, like we had met before. It was a ghoul, I was certain, but a much more powerful and sinister one. Rather than reach for a weapon, I stood still and did not attack first.

"You are the first ghoul I have seen that can talk," I began, watching its movements carefully. "What do you all want me to see, beyond the lake?"

"Unlike the others, I have no desire to seek for your help," it bellowed, its back still turned towards me. "My quarrel with you is a different matter which I have come to resolve with sharp silver. Pick up your weapon, you imposter."

"Who are you?" I stuttered, moving back with my hands placed in front of me, in a defenseless manner. "How can you have issues with me, if I have done nothing wrong to you?"

"Then allow me to refresh your memory, imposter," he boomed, turning around swiftly, the blade in his right hand slicing the air in a horizontal pattern. "You will pay for all the crimes you have committed."

"I don't even know who you are," I yelped, picking up a thick, heavy book and using it to deflect the force of the blade away. "Let me be and I will not report these actions to the high master."

"The high master," it laughed, revealing its deformed, scarred maw. "What do you really know of the high noble, you stupid boy? Do you really think that this place is a utopia, that you will find happiness? By killing you, I would be doing you a favor of shielding you from the real truth about this planet."

Rolling left, narrowly escaping a cut to my nose, I picked up a wooden stool, breaking off one of the legs and raised it in the air like a weapon. I twisted my body, my eyes never losing sight of the creature, and dealt it a good blow to the chest. But instead of falling to the ground, my knuckles popped, the force of my own strike repulsing me a few feet back. Wheezing, I saw its sword swinging down, from the corner of my eye, the blade singing as it rippled through the air. It struck me in the shoulder, the wound not deep enough to completely immobilize me. An iron pendant dangled from the strange ghoul's neck, an evil, fiendish smile plastered on its face.

"Is that you, Tamian?" I spat, trembling and cold, black blood dripping from my shoulder. "What have they done to you?"

"You did this to me," he growled, kicking me in the stomach. "No one would believe me, when I told them you were an imposter, an enemy in disguise. The real Darian would have known me from the start, as the man who helped groom him into a fine, strong man. Your disguise was flawless but the greatest mistake you failed to rectify was not revealing the great, unique abilities accustomed and linked to the Dreymus bloodline."

"I must commend your deductive skills," I commented, clapping my hands in a mocking manner. "You are the only person who saw through my disguise, from the very start."

If I didn't stop holding back my strength, I knew, I would surely perish in this deadly skirmish. The ghoul I was facing was unlike any other; it was powerful, resilient, and highly skilled with the blade. It moved elegantly, as if dancing in the wind, but attacked with the strength of falling boulder. I parried its sword, the bones in my arm snapping, as I tilted my body back. Darian's enchanted skin held most of my aura and dark power at bay, making my current strength somewhat close to what an ordinary male human would possess. Aware of my surroundings, I dashed for the window, leaping through it as I made my way into the forest, far away from suspicious eyes. As predicted, the ghoul floated after me, the sword in its hand glistening with strange light. The night air was cold and thin, the wind wild and blowing in a westerly direction. I stormed further from my manor, using the trees to block some of his sword attacks. The strange flowers growing around my compound glowed with distinctive color, illuminating my path through the unfamiliar thicket. I darted through the woods for about four miles before stopping, panting—ready to turn the tables around. While the planet had strong barriers that nullified most magic, what I intended to do required less effort and would go unnoticed, if I was lucky. Chanting a spell beneath my breath, my eyes tracking the ghoul, I managed to open a small dimensional pocket, pulling my favorite blade from the other realm. The scabbard, carved from the bark of an elkwood tree, was as strong and durable as reinforced steel, and the blade sharp enough to cut almost anything.

"At last, you have finally stopped running," Tamian growled, removing the hood covering his face, his feet finally touching the ground. He took the initiative and spaced his feet apart, raising his sword in a valiant manner. "Just because you look like Darian—my old pupil—doesn't mean I will show you any mercy."

"That seems wise," I snickered, unsheathing my blade and swinging it around in an intimidating manner. "If you hold back, Tamian, it will lead to your demise."

Looking at each other, silent, we dashed at one another at full speed, the frenzy cry of clashing silver echoing through the gloomy sky. Vivid sparks of light shot out in different directions every time our swords came into contact, the force in each impact making my hands tremble with sharp pain. I was quite affronted by the amount of effort I was forced to exert just to keep him at bay, to keep him from ruining this borrowed skin. Suddenly, his eyes began to glow red, his hands elongating in a bizarre, twisted manner. The reach and power of his wild swings intensified tenfold, the surrounding trees falling to the ground from the sheer force alone. What I found most annoying was his fiendish laughter of joy, and how he pranced about like a wild, deranged lunatic. Realizing I was at a disadvantage, I turned around and dashed further into the forest, my path leading me straight towards the great lake. A cloud of thick fog followed in my wake, a hoarse roar of an angry, tormented creature rattling the air around me. Once I reached the shoreline, the vast, clear water of the lake a great sight to behold, I spun on my axis, ready to duel once more. While the thick fog limited my vision, my acute sense of hearing was incredibly sharp, and my greatest weapon against enemies in adverse conditions. Listening carefully, nothing stirring, I instinctively deflected a small blade that had been hurled from behind me, aimed at my chest. Tamian was probably sent after me by one of the high nobles, I thought. He must have managed to convince someone about my true identity. High Master Jaris—by my guess.

Aware of his embittered hostility towards me, I knew that Tamian, this horrid ghoul, would not stop unless I plunged my blade through his heart and sent him into the dark abyss. His enmity had only been intensified by his transformation into this hideous, frail-looking creature. Roaring fiercely, he tore through his cloak, his body mass increasing threefold. In a matter of seconds, he stood well over ten feet tall, his body extremely thin and grotesque to look at. Black saliva drooped from his mouth, as his eye color changed from blue to a bright magenta. The dark, treacherous aura pulsating from his body did allay a bit of fear into me, which I found a bit exhilarating. I almost fell to my knees, when I saw the shape and length of his sword grow and adapt to the size of his new body. This was magic, I was certain of that. He bent his back, striking down the ground beneath my feet with the hilt of his sword, shattering the hard soil beneath it in a violent quake. In my present form, I was clearly no match for this worthy foe. I would need to muster all my strength, tearing free from this enchanted skin to access my darkly power. It was what the enemy wanted, I knew.

"What good is happiness, if I perish in this battle," I mumbled, tearing a bit of skin in my forearms. "I reckon ten percent would be all that's needed to vanquish this foe."

In a valiant battle cry, I charged the ghoul without any signs of fear, the sword held firmly in both my hands. Zigzagging through the moss, in a bid to confuse my enemy, I leaped in the air and struck the ghoul in its chest. It was a perfect strike; however, it did not draw out blood, as if the creature was devoid of all organic, bodily fluids. Tamian huffed, unaffected by the blade, and shoved me away with his right hand as if I were a mere fly. I landed against sharp stones, my head hitting the ground first, and groaned in pain. Blood trickled from my forehead, my hands trembling, as I felt dizzy and nauseous. This monster was clearly trying to antagonize me, trying to get me to reveal my true nature. I had a choice to make—to try to hold onto this false sense of happiness, or revert back to the miserable, lonely monster I had been all of my life.

"No, anything but that," I snarled, shaking my head, in a desperate bid to hold onto my resolve. "I don't want to go back to that cursed life ever again."

I pulled myself up, holding my sword with my right hand, as I poured a little bit of my power into the blade, increasing its lethal strike. Tamian went on a frenzy rampage, ravaging anything he could get his hands on, his mental intellect receding at an alarming manner. The shape and structure of his face was changing at the same pace, clearly a flagrant violation of the natural order and rule of law. Who had done this atrocious deed to this poor, old man? What kind of utopia was this?

Tamian twisted his head, his eyes locked onto me, and charged at me with great speed. Before I knew it, he was on top of me, his right hand hurling towards me, roaring like a mad beast. Unable to dodge the surprise attack, I summoned all of my strength, tilting the blade above me. I adjusted my posture, placing all the weight into my legs and shoulders, as I absorbed the brunt of his attack into my own body. The rumpus he was creating with his loud, obnoxious roar would surely attract unwanted attention, to say the least. I had wounded him with my powered blade, forcing him to stagger back in disarray. He crashed against a tree, wimping like a wounded wolf, as he fell to his knees in a loud thud. I dashed quickly, seizing my advantage, and plunged my blade through his back, aiming for his heart.

"No, I will not be defeated," he shouted in delirium, standing up, and stopping my blade from reaching his heart. "I am going to the duchess and telling her the truth. I have all the proof I needed to reveal your true identity."

Upon uttering that shocking statement, he shook me off his back and bolted towards the great lake, running on top of the water in a bewildering manner. I stood still in disbelief, mortified at the thought of Tamian telling Anna the truth. But would she believe him? I could not think of living another day without her, a thought I dreaded greatly. Coughing, I inhaled a fresh breath of air, as I ran towards the edge of the lake and dove straight into the water, going after Tamian.

****

I swam for what seemed like hours, the water cold and heavy like glue. Further ahead of me, I could see a glimpse of the shoreline, vast vegetation and great mountains. But no matter how fast I swum, I seemed to be making no progress, seemed to be trapped in place. I stopped, floating lightly, realizing what was occurring. I was trapped in a powerful illusion, a spell created in ensnare the heart of the weak minded. Dispelling such a trap would require an astounding amount of magic and willpower, exactly what the enemy wanted me to do. As I mulled over a plan of action, I found myself gasping in shock. A small, cuddly kitten was swimming towards me, its eyes bright orange and innocent. One after another, more kittens emerged from the fog, swimming past me without turning their attention towards me. I heard one of the kittens struggling to stay afloat, further behind the others, crying for help. I did not move or blink. I hope this is not what I think it is, I thought. This situation has just gotten a bit complicated. Slowly, making as little movement as possible, I submerged my body beneath the water, searching for anything unusual. It was just as I feared. Several hundred feet beneath the lake, a great monster fish of colossal size slumbered, a massive collection of skeletal remains scattered across the floor. Having faced this beast before, I knew that it was not a good idea to disturb it. The creature was a distant ancestor of the angler fish; however, it could grow up to eighty or more meters, and had an unrelenting appetite for flesh. This type of monster fish lured its prey by dangling bait the victims found non-threatening. In my case, it was the small kittens. Once one of its luring lines was touched, the fish would attack and devour the prey, spitting out the bones completely intact. And in my current form, I did not have the power to take on this creature. Mere weapons would not be enough to vanquish this apparition, I knew. When its blood is shed, it created miniature clones of itself which were just as aggressive and deadly. I held my breath, tracing the thin threads attached to the kittens all the way to the bony spine of the fish. Its six eyes were closed, small bubbles of air coming out of its mouth. Upon catching a glimpse of its enormous, sharp teeth, my heart wavered for a second. I swum around the thin lines, carefully, keeping a close eye on the fish. For it to grow to this size, it must have consumed a lot of flesh from so many victims, an amount of immeasurable quantity. My vision was becoming hazy, as I could no longer hold my breath. In my desperate attempt to flee the fish, I made a horrible blunder, getting my left boot tangled in a line I barely noticed. The fish stirred slightly, the gills protruding a few inches outwards. I stopped moving, panicking, unable to free my leg from the thread. All six of its horrendous, black eyes opened, its jaw opening up wide. As long as I did not move, the fish would not detect my presence. The giant fish began to ascend slowly, reeling the threads back towards it. The line wrapped around my boot was abruptly yanked down, pulling me closer towards the fish. Realizing the imminent danger, I unsheathed my sword and cut myself free, swimming up towards the surface. The water around me vibrated violently, a black, suspicious substance, coming from below, making my body weaken. Turning around, feeling an insatiable, threatening bloodlust, I saw these great jaws lunging towards me, the water around me getting hotter and heavy. I raised my sword, using my sheath like a shield, and stopped the monster from devouring me in its first attempt. It kept pushing me further up, the force behind its momentum too great to overcome, as I was pushed several feet above the surface of the water and slammed down in a loud splash.

"You really are leaving me no choice," I roared, frustration starting to consume me.

The sword in my hand hissed as I cut off a scale from its hard skin and drew dark, red blood. The fish roared, aggravated, the power in its attack increasing threefold. As feared, tiny fish emerged from the blood, growing in size in less than a minute, and attacked me from behind. They tore through my clothing, sinking their tiny teeth into my skin and feeding upon my blood. As I was getting dragged further down, my desperation increasing, I managed to open my dimensional pocket, pulling out my revolver and shooting multiple times inside the giant's monster mouth. It was not enough to kill it, but it stopped the fish's attack for several, crucial seconds—it was all the time I need to chant and conjure a powerful spell.

"Chatro," I muttered, bubbles coming out of my mouth.

Any traces of oxygen, within a hundred feet from me, vanished from the water and stopped the relentless fish from attacking. They stopped moving, unable to breathe, sinking further below the lake. I swam further up, nearly out of breath, my black blood staining the water around me. At the surface of the water, the fog had disappeared and the shoreline was less than a hundred feet from me. I felt a bit queasy the moment my feet touch the ground, as I lay on the sand and recuperated. The borrowed skin I was wearing was almost beyond repair, my forearms stained black by my own blood. Before standing up, I managed to barely open a dimensional pocket and stash my weapons back inside. On this side of the lake, it was creepy and dark. Red lightning struck the top of a mountain, thunder booming in an unnatural way. Thick, dark clouds floated less than a thousand feet above me, the air nauseous and thin. Just what was this place? It was not the breathtaking view I witnessed at my house, or through the duchess's castle. I stomped through the treacherous terrain, wary of any lurking enemies that could be waiting to ambush me. Maybe this was what Tamian meant, when he said this planet was not a utopia, I thought. Further ahead of me, I heard a chilling roar of a monster, the ground quaking, and several trees falling in the process. The air was ripe with bloodlust and sinister energy.

"Well, this will be interesting," I hummed, unfazed, walking forward without any hesitation.

11

Silent as a mouse, I prowled through waist-high, wild grass, my senses heightened by the thought of imminent danger. The black trees around me twitched, contorting their branches, as if reacting to my movements. Curious, I touched the bark of the closest tree, and retracted my arm back in a swift manner. The bark was not hard and dense—it felt like lump of soft flesh. What sort of trickery was this? It felt similar to Lannah's mischief, if not more devious and sadistic. I decided it was best to not idle in deep thought, leaving myself open to attack, and continued on with my mission. If I could eliminate Tamian, erasing his whole existence, my secret would surely be safe. I really could not understand this feeling I had for the duchess. Just what was this sensation? Why did I feel warm and relieved at the thought of seeing her? Was I really starting to become human again?

A twig snapped, the sound coming from my left direction, an ominous silence following after. I hid further within the grass, my breath subtle, as I listened for any noise within the vicinity. The ground vibrated softly, a low growl of a beast coming from a few feet in front of me. The grass swayed forward, allowing me to keep track of the creature's location. As it passed, its spiky tail dancing in the air, I held my breath and remained as stiff as a board. I had no intention of engaging in another pointless battle. It was not necessary. The monster continued further, stopping for a second, before pouncing on an unsuspecting man. I could hear him scream and cry for help, his pleas a bit distressing to the ears. After a few seconds of bone crunching and gurgling, I witnessed something startling. A tree sprouted from their precise location, its growth rate extremely alarming. Within seconds, it had grown to the same size as the other trees around me. If I had not witness this atrocity up close, I wouldn't have believed it. This creature, it seems, had the ability to devour its victims and turn their corpses into these ghastly, flesh trees. From what I could surmise, I concluded they were using the fish and this creature to protect against anyone learning about the real secrets hidden on this side of the lake. Despite knowing that this was a false utopia, despite witnessing horrible crimes unfolding before me, I still wanted to protect my identity and stay here with the duchess. I could certainly afford to turn a blind eye, and pretend I had not seen a thing.

Moving closer, I saw the creature and my heart stopped for a second. It was some kind of rabid, hyena-looking beast with big, bulging eyes that glowed yellow. And unlike ancient hyenas, it was eight times bigger, consistently drooling saliva, and had thick fur as dark as the abyss. Before leaving, it sniffed the new tree and licked the roots protruding outwards, as it bolted quickly into heart of the black forest. I stood up, my breath held, contemplating on whether to continue this disastrous mission or go back to my manor. Even if Tamian had the information to prove I was an impostor, I doubted the duchess would take his word over mine. But I did not want to live that decision to chance, so I resumed my journey further into the thicket. The sand became black and muddy, the air thin and toxic. Every two minutes, a violent gust of wind would come out of nowhere and try to sweep me off my feet. But to my relief, the magic barrier on this side of the lake was weaker, allowing me to use a bit of my magical powers without any side effects. I could hear screams and violent cries of people in distress, the ruckus masking my movements as I stomped closer to the source of the anguish.

"What is going on here?" I whispered, obscuring my presence with magic, and hiding my body by lying on the ground. "Who are these people?"

Several men and women stood in a line, their hands and feet cuffed with thick, iron shackles. Guards, clad in red armor, with faces hidden behind metal helmets, escorted them towards an unknown location. Up above me, two flag ships with bright lights patrolled the area, preventing anyone from escaping. This scenario was beyond anything I had ever imagined. The guards separated crying young children, below the age of consent, from their parents and whisked them away into an awaiting mechanical locomotive. The hyena-looking creature dashed out of the grass and stopped in front of a guard, proceeding to sit on its hind legs, watching everything with curious eyes.

"Please, I didn't do anything," a frantic man, dressed in clothes of nobility, cried desperately. "I beg of you, my good sir. I don't want to leave this beautiful planet—I will never question the Lycole family again."

"He thinks he is leaving this planet," one of the guards cackled, hitting the man in the forehead with the butt of his gun. "Where you are going, sir—you won't be needing all those fancy clothing."

"What is going on here?" an older, potbelly gentleman, dressed in a brown suit, roared in an explosive voice. "I demand to see the high master and an explanation for these heinous acts of wickedness."

"I apologize, Sir Erick Goodmen, for his brazen response," a soldier, draped in red mantle, snorted, walking towards the older gentleman. "I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive his actions."

Bowing gracefully, he shoved his left boot into the older man's stomach, sending him flying a few feet back. The shackled man, coughing up blood, hit his head against the bark of a tree and did not move again. All the crying and whispering stopped—a sensation of pure fear and bloodlust quite overwhelming. The crowd was becoming more and more despondent, obeying all the guards' instructions without talking back. Some even relinquished control their precious children without struggling or cry out loud. Consumed by curiosity, I crept even closer to the area, keeping my head shrouded behind the hollow stems of wild grass. This was what happens to those who break the rules of the city, I thought. I followed slowly behind the crowd, controlling my breath, heading further into the foot of the mountain. A huge, magnificent tree with red, fern-like leaves and pink, blossomed flowers stood at center of the forest, at least a hundred meters in height and twenty meters wide. It was the most beautiful tree I had even seen. The guards were taking the people towards the bottom of the tree, lining them up perfectly, as they quickly moved back. I cast an enchantment upon myself, enhancing my vision tenfold, in order to observe everything without jeopardizing my position. The frightened crowd began to squabble, writhing in suppressed pain, the shackles binding them a bit too tight. At first nothing happen, which was a bit disappointing to say the least. But out of nowhere, these huge roots dug out of the ground, wrapping themselves around two victims as they dragged them towards the top of the tree. The two victims began to glow blue, their bodies shrinking at terrifying pace until they were nothing more than skeletons with skin, just like those ghouls. When it was done, it cast them away through a dimensional sphere into another realm—the realm I could somehow see. The tree bore a blue, juicy fruit, which proceeded to fall to the ground and was picked by the servants. They cut the fruit using a small blade and extracted the juices into a small vial, like the one the high master had offered me. I shuddered and exhaled in disbelief; the horrors I had witnessed baffled me beyond words. So this is the source of the syrup of eternal youth, I thought. I should have known it was too good to be true.

The crowd screamed wildly, trying to flee but could not break free from their shackles. The guards assaulted anyone who tried to escape in a vicious manner. Selfish and coldhearted, I did nothing but observe the most despicable acts of cruelty with great rage. I began to question my pettiness, and my unwavering affection for the duchess. Was it all real? What if my affections for her were some kind of aphrodisiac enchantment, placed into my food at her first party—perhaps. I did not even know why I still wanted to live here, regardless of what I had just witnessed. Upon hearing a shrill scream, I turned my head and noticed several vines shoot out of the ground, grabbing victims at random and consuming their life-force within a matter of seconds. I blinked twice, my mouth ajar, and by the time I exhaled, more than half of the captured victims had their lives ended, and their bodies thrown into the other realm.

"I told you this place was not a utopia," an icy voice whispered, cold steel plunging through my back and exiting through my chest. "It's a pity you won't get to see the duchess again, impostor."

"Tamian, I was expecting you," I coughed, barely breathing, as twisted my body and thrust my sharp nails into his chest, crushing his beating heart. "I knew that if I pretended to drop my guard, you would show yourself, you predictable, old fool."

"How are you still breathing?" he yelped, his hollow eyes widening, and rasping heavily. "I destroyed several of your organs with this blade—you should be dead."

"And I crushed your heart," I snarled, coughing up blood. I pinioned him to the ground, the blade in my chest twisting in a painful way. "And yet here are, locked in mortal combat, both of us on the verge of biting the big one."

"I wonder what would happen if I scream," he snickered, attempting to bite my neck with his unruly, rotten teeth. "Do you think they would forgive your intrusion and let you return to your castle?"

"That won't happen," I hissed, yanking his lower jaw off with all my strength. "Have you forgotten that normal people can't see or hear you? I believe this is the part where we part ways, Tamian."

Getting the upper hand, I bashed his head in with his lower jaw, only stopping when his body could no longer move. To be certain, I used every ounce of strength I had and opened a small door into the abyss, casting his body inside. With the only witness to my deception gone, I sighed out loudly, crawling away from the vicinity. I had seen enough horrors for one day, and I had no intention of helping anyone without compensation. While still moving away, I heard the cry of child in danger, the cry of distress enough to make me stop and turn my head around. The child was holding onto her mother's leg, the guards unable to separate the crying pair. The father stepped in, his hands still bound, when one of the guards tried to kick the woman. The man was severely beaten, his face covered in blood, but he never stopped shielding his beloved family.

"Enough, all of you," a lead soldier boomed, ordering his guards to stand down. "If they refuse to let their child go, we will just let the tree take all of them."

Upon hearing that, my anger swirled out of control, hot blood rushing to my brain. Like a raging beast, I leaped to my feet and dashed into the heat of the conflict, conjuring my sword and revolver. My skin turned dark, as I distorted my facial features in order to hide my identity. Twisting my body, I slashed the closest guard with my sword, severing both of his legs from his body. And as they turned their attention towards me, I shot four of them between their eyes, ending their miserable lives before they even knew what hit them. I despised people who hurt children, more than anything. In a frenzy roar, I stomped forward, moving through their ranks, cutting and smashing metal and flesh. Two spears found their way into my abdomen, black blood gushing through my body, but I didn't falter or stop my assault.

"Surround that monster," one of the soldiers yelled, placing a long, silver shield in front of him. "We must not let him interrupt the ritual."

The soldiers formed ranks, placing the close combat unit in front, the swords and spears pointed at me. Archers and the firing squads moved a few feet back, away from my sword's range, and formed a circle around me. I would not escape easily, I knew: I was in it for the long run. I parried away swords and spears, dodging arrows and bullets, unable to launch a counterattack. From the ground, green vines shot out towards me, trying to capture me, but I dodged and cut them before they could entangle me. The tree, to my surprise, shrieked in pain, vibrating the ground beneath my feet. This tree is alive, I thought. This explains a lot.

Two huge, red eyes and a large, black mouth formed on the bark of the tree, its branches twisting into hand-like limbs. It roared in rage, several, long roots sprouting out of the ground and grabbing anyone at random. Some of the soldiers had their life-force sucked away by the tree, the servants picking up the fruits fairing no better. It was out of control. Everyone started to run for their lives, trying to flee the tree that had begun to move, its fruits still falling to the ground. Tightening my grip on the sword, I bolted towards the tree, hacking and smashing the vines that tried to stop me, planning on thrusting my blade between its eyes. Along the way, I stabbed and punched every guard I could find, using them as human shields to distract the tentacles from attacking me. The tree was way too big and powerful to be taken down by a mere sword and revolver—it would take a powerful enchantment to tear it apart, or set it ablaze. The planet was still warded against powerful magic, I knew, but as long as I used small enchantments and did not let my malicious aura leak out of me, I would go undetected. Jumping up, taking advantage of the wind, I extended my sword in front of me, shooting the tree with a barrage of bullets. None of my bullets could penetrate its tough hide, as I had suspected. The tree stopped attacking everyone else, focusing everything it had on stopping my assault. It deflected away my sword, pushing me back with its arm-like branches, letting out a terrifying roar. I could not help but feel this morbid fascination of using every ounce of my strength to watch this tree scream in a blaze of fire. It would certainly please me. From my dimensional pocket, I took a vial of dragon black-ash powder, sprinkling it onto my blade, as I sprinted forward. I swung down, cutting the tree in the middle, my blade not long enough to cut completely through it. Leaping back, dodging vines, I made several more cuts into the bark, inserting small portions of the powder deep within the tree. The longer this sporadic battle continued, the higher the probability of it drawing more guards towards our vicinity. I had to end it now, I thought. With my sword raised in front, in a complete, pensive mood, I chanted a small spell, setting the tip of my blade on fire. I made one more cut into the tree, thrusting the blade into it, and setting it ablaze. The giant tree shrieked in pain, completely engulfed in an inferno of red fire. And unlike ordinary fire, it could not be extinguished with water; it would not stop until the target had been completely eradicated into withering ash.

The tree went on a wild rampage, the sky shaking violently from the sound of its whirling, as the ground was overwhelmed by irregular quakes. Tiny flakes of fire, falling from the monstrous tree, began to fall on other forms of vegetation, creating a haphazard environment. When I formulated my plan, absentminded to my surroundings, I made a crucial mistake of not taking into consideration of the dry vegetation growing around us. The fire would not discriminate and only consume the tree—it would devour everything in its path. The captured people tried to flee from the burning tree, but they could not get past the red fire that was growing immensely on the west side, fueled by the wind and the dry, rotten shrubs. It burned so intensely that it made my sweat and mouth dry up.

"Turn around, you fools," one of them yelled in an eloquent tone, pointing towards the south side. "If we make a run for it, we can avoid the fire."

As they debated their options, I gazed at the tree, which was now falling to the ground at an incredible speed. It was falling directly towards me. Even if I could run, I would not escape unscathed. The temperature produced by the seething inferno was so great it made the skin of fingers melt away, and the air around me to evaporate. I could barely breathe, as my chest heaved uncontrollably. The only way out, I realized, was to leap towards the monstrous tree, and cut my way through it. It's hard, dense bark had been weakened by the flames, so one stroke of my blade would be all that I needed. Up above us, thunder boomed, lightning flashing, as rain clouds began to manifest. The air became cold and thick. It was as if some unnatural force was trying to meddle with my plans and save the tree from the fire. Realizing that my great plan would turn into a horrendous debacle, if I allowed the rain to plummet from the sky, I swiftly jumped up and swung my blade as hard as I could. It felt like I had cut a spongy substance, like there was nothing left except for a hollow husk of the great tree. Two fragmented parts of the tree fell to the ground, black as ash, just as the rain began to soak everything within sight. It was a heavy downpour, the weight and viscosity of the water powerful enough to expunge every trace of the red fire. This water feels quite strange, as if bewitched, I thought. The sky had turned as dark as the night, the temperature dropping significantly down, like a powerful blizzard was approaching. This wind brought back some bad memories—the memories of that dreadful planet of chimeras. The rain suddenly stopped.

"Thank you for helping us, kind stranger," a woman said, in a trembling voice, approaching me without caution. "If it wasn't for you, we would have surely perished."

"You misunderstand my intentions," I replied, my attention focused elsewhere, and my hands folded. "I really don't care what happens to you; I just loathe people who hurt children—that is all."

"How can we repay you for your services?" a bald man mumbled, attempting to remove his iron shackles from his hands.

"Well, since you asked, I would like that fine, golden watch on your arm," I snickered, pointing at his right hand, a wryly smile on my face. "It shall serve as a small portion of my down payment."

"What," he spat, curling away his arm from me. "You fiend, how can you ask me to do such a thing? This watch has been passed down from several generations of my family—it is practically priceless."

"Hearing you say that makes me want it even more," I snickered, pointing my blade at him. "I didn't save you out of the goodness of my heart. Now, old man, hand it over."

"You are no better than those evil guards," a woman, dressed in a fine silk dress, and precious emeralds around her neck, roared, looking at me with utter disdain. "How can you do such a thing?"

"I was just going to ask only for the watch; however, I have changed my mind," I hissed at her, pointing my revolver at her. "That emerald necklace will fetch a pretty penny on the black market. Fork it over, lady, or you will catch a bullet to the foot."

"That is preposterous to ask a lady for such a thing, much less point your gun at her," a stout man coughed, adjusting his oval spectacles, as he moved in front of her to shield her from harm. "Have you no shame, you ghastly-looking lad?"

"Ghastly, you say," I boomed, turning around and looking at each of them. "Turn out all your pockets, everyone, and I will take something of value from each of you. This is not up for debate, okay? If I had not intervened, you would all have been turned into ghouls and thrown into another realm. Now, if you ever want me to rescue your precious children, you will do as I say."

"Why would we entrust the lives of our children to a monster like you?" the stout man growled, flaring his nostrils. Everyone chimed in, supporting him as they looked at me with disgust.

"Suit yourself," I sniffed, lowering my weapons, ignoring them completely. "I don't care anymore."

"Hold on," I heard a deep voice say, forcing me to turn around. "If we pay you, will you really bring our children back?"

"You are not serious are you, Count Reginald Strasse?" the stout man, who seemed to annoy me to no end, grumbled, his hands tucked on his waist. "We cannot trust this cutthroat with something of this great magnitude."

"Shut up, Steven," the count roared, widening his eyes, and furrowing his brow. "Unless you know another way to rescue our children safely from the guards, I suggest you keep your mouth shut. We all saw what he did to that ravenous tree; it was something of inhuman strength and courage. I will gladly pay anything, if it means seeing my children again."

Upon saying that, he wobbled forward, the shackles on his arms and legs clanking, and turned out his pockets. He was a man with pale skin, grey eyes, and long, curly hair. He stood over six feet tall, his face clean-shaved, and wore a black, evening suit with a white scarf around his neck. His demeanor was of a man from the highest class of wealth, prestige, and honor. From his hands, I simply chose to take a gold pendant with a lion emblem, choosing to ignore the other items of higher value. I also cut off the iron shackles that bound his hands and feet, simply out of boredom. Everyone else, hesitantly, followed suit and turned out their pockets and purses. I took only one thing from everyone, except for Steve, the stout man. I needed to make an example out of him. When he approached me, his breath heavy and thick, I took everything from hands except for his wallet.

"You only took one thing from the others," he roared in disapproval, his face filled with anger and dread. "I demand you treat me with the same courtesy and respect."

"No, I shall make an example out of you," I snickered, slapping him in the face with my right hand. "I did not like your remark about my face, you pompous, selfish buffoon."

"How do we know that we can trust you to return our children?" Count Reginald asked, ignoring his companion, as he walked closer to me. "No disrespect, but we barely know you, or what your true intention are."

"That is understandable. I will just have to show you, I guess," I sighed, picking up a spear and chucking into the thicket.

A loud yelp echoed from the location where the spear landed, green blood spraying into the air. In a loud thud, the hyena-looking creature fell into the grass, dead. Everyone gasped in shock, looking at me as if I was some kind of monster. For a while, I had sensed the creature stalking us, waiting for a chance to ambush. I had intended to lure it somewhere else and slaughter it, but I decided to use it as way to get these people to trust me. From the moment I destroyed the great tree, I knew that I could no longer stay on this planet. I will never find happiness on this planet, I thought. This whole utopia is based on a great lie and I can't believe I fell for it.

"Before I go, I have a few questions I would like to ask," I mumbled, counting the gold trinkets I had taken from them, and examining them with great scrutiny. "I need to know what you all did to end up in this horrible quandary."

"We didn't do anything," the count responded in an honest tone, looking at me square in the eyes. "We simply decided that we did not want to stay on this planet any longer. The high master gave us his approval, letting his top men escort us out of the city, and back to our flag-ship. Or so we thought..."

"I see—that is quite interesting," I commented, feeling a bit of dread and anxiety. "What about you, Steve? What did you do to end up here?"

"That is none of your business, you fiend." he spat, his eyes bloodshot, and his jaw clenched.

"He spoke ill of the high master's brother," the count coughed, smirking lightly. "But in all honesty, no one liked that spoiled, arrogant sprout; he was a mischievous, sadistic brat who did nothing but stir up trouble."

"How many of you were just visiting the planet and did not intend to stay here?" I asked, attempting to confirm my greatest suspicion.

"My family and I were just here to see my brother," an odd-looking man sobbed, lifting his right hand slowly. A few more hands were raised in the air, five of them to be exact. "We came to this planet six days ago, and we told the high master of our true intentions. Please, you must get my children back—I beg of you."

"I will," I sighed, finally understanding what was happening here. "Have any of you drank from the syrup of eternal youth?"

"I only drank it once," a tan man said, looking around the group with shame and regret. "If I had known how it was made, I wouldn't have taken it. I regret my actions deeply."

"What do you know, stranger?" the count asked, taking a keen interest in everything I asked. "Your questions seem to imply that you have uncovered a great secret of some kind."

"Pay me no mind, Count. It's just my curious nature," I lied, trying not to incite any panic. "I will be on my way now—I will bring back your children, before this night is over. Whatever you do, I suggest you steer clear of the soldiers and do not contact your old colleagues."

After adjusting my coat, I turned around and walked away from them, the wind softly brushing against my hair. The sky had become darker, and the clouds thick and heavy. I had never felt such a malicious aura before; it felt like the air way trying to devour me. The wild wind rustled the flesh trees, the grass swaying from side to side. Behind the great mountains, I could see a strange, green light, and an unpaved footpath heading towards the center of the valley.

"This will be interesting," I sighed, sauntering forward, my sword firmly held in my right hand.

12

I hiked through the treacherous terrain, strange, sharp rocks cutting my arms and legs. The cold, wild wind tried to blow me off the mountain, but I held on for dear life, clutching into every crevice my fingers could fit through. I followed the footpath for what seemed like an hour, the road meandering around the thicket in a bizarre manner. I was heading in the right direction, I knew, because of the tire tracks on the ground. The groves created by their steam, powered road-locomotive left quite a deep impression in the soft, black soil. When I saw a clearing, a rectangular building with steam pouring through a huge chimney, I stopped and hid myself within the grass. The area was guarded by at least a dozen soldiers, all armed with shields and long lances. They patrolled the grounds in pairs, their eyes doting in every direction. A guard tower stood behind the back of the building, a man mounting machinegun looking carefully into the bushes with a huge, oval flashlight. Approaching without caution would be a fatal mistake.

"The children must be in there," I whispered, my head still hidden behind the grass, as I crawled closer to the building.

To get closer, I needed a distraction—something to draw the guards away from the vicinity. I wrote a rune with my finger into the black soil, muttering an incantation into the ground. After I was finished, I waited patiently. The ground shook slightly, a hidden object moving away from me, heading towards the building. The gunman in the tower saw it first and hollered to his companions on the ground. Within seconds, a platoon had formed and surrounded the strange object, following its movements with their spears and swords. Unbeknownst to them, I had conjured up a ball of air that could move freely beneath the ground, and it had no detrimental effect to their wellbeing, besides drawing their attention away from the building. The soldiers poked and stabbed at the object hidden beneath the ground, unable to maim or destroy it.

"What is the meaning of this?" one of the soldiers boomed, plodding through the dirt, arrogance and authoritarian mannerism in his gait. "Why are you all standing around here like a bunch of hoodlums, instead of patrolling the area?"

"Commander, there is something strange hidden beneath the soil," a soldier replied, pointing down with his silver lance. "None of our weapons can destroy it, sir."

"Out of the way, you numbskulls," he growled, pulling out a grenade from his satchel and throwing on the ground, to his platoon's horror. They all fled the area, trying to evade the effects of the explosion.

Laughing to myself, I manipulated the ball of air, descending it further beneath the soil to prevent it from being destroyed. When the grenade exploded—a fierce mixture of fire and smoke discharging into the air—it created a huge crater in the ground about four meters wide and seven feet deep. Some of the soldiers who sprawled onto the ground, when the explosion went off, began to wobble back to their feet, coughing and wheezing violently.

"Now that's how you take care of the problem," the commander laughed, brushing dirt from his blue mantle, the revolver tucked underneath his waist moving slightly to the left. "I suggest you go back to your duties immediately."

"Sir, look over there," one of the soldiers interrupted him, a bit of fear in his voice. "That thing is back again."

"What was that?" the commander snarled, removing his helmet quickly and turning his head around. "It's as I feared—we are dealing with an enchanted object. The conjurer must be nearby."

"So what do we do, sir?" a soldier, draped in a black mantle, asked. "How do we find the perpetrator? And isn't this planet warded against all forms of magic?"

"Yes, it is warded from powerful magic; however, the dampener is weaker on this side of the planet. It was created that way to preserve balance. Furthermore, there are ways to get around the inhibition of magic," he continued, scanning the area with his glowing, silver eyes.

There was something strange about his eyes, something unnatural about the way they glowed in the dark. He twisted his head around, craning his neck, attempting to find me. I held my breath, lowering my head, the grass sheltering me from his powerful gaze. I could feel his splenetic, baleful glance as if it had a physical form. The maddening silence was overwhelming; all I could hear was the wind rustling the trees. In an instant, I felt a vile presence on top of me, the singing cry of metal rippling through the air. I bobbed my head, rolling away quickly, as I realized that my position had been compromised. The enemy had found me. A silver blade sank into the ground, inches away from my head, a soldier standing above me. He retracted his sword, his gaze cast upon me, planning to strike me again. I coiled back, deflecting his blade with the sheath of my own sword as I kicked him in the leg. To my astonishment, he leaped lithely back with tremendous speed and agility, moving away from the reach of my blade.

"I found him, sir," the soldier screamed, patting his sore leg, his sword still trained on me.

"Who are you, stranger?" the commander asked, stepping forward without caution, his lance lowered. The whole squad had already surrounded me, before I knew it. "Why have you come here for?"

"I am here for the children," I replied sharply, pulling out my revolver and pointing it at him. "If you give them to me now, I might spare some of you."

"You are quite a brazen lad to utter such careless words, when you are clearly outnumbered," the commander glowered with a grimace smile.

"This is my final offer, gentlemen," I cackled, taking on a defensive stance, my instincts heightened by imminent thought of danger. "I will not repeat my offer again."

"Sir, we have a problem," a soldier panted, coming quickly towards us from the top of the mountain. "The tree has been destroyed and most of our soldiers have been killed."

"What! How can this be?" the commander boomed with fury, turning his attention away from me. "Who destroyed the great tree? Has the high master been informed yet?"

"Not yet, sir," the frantic soldier wheezed, his arms drenched in sweat. "One of my comrades left immediately for the capital to inform the chief of police."

"Good, then we should go and investigate the area, as soon as we have captured this uncanny intruder," the commander sighed, finally raising his lance.

"By the way, I am the one who destroyed the tree," I chimed in, taking pride in my handiwork. "You all deserve to fall under my blade, you animals. I really despise your kind the most."

"Wait, you destroyed the great tree?" the commander interrupted in a brusque tone, stopping his soldiers from attacking me. "And what do you mean my kind? What do you think we are doing here? Do you think we are eating the children or something like that?"

"I don't care for any of that," I grumbled, when I heard them laughing, the hair on the back of my neck bristling. "I have decided I won't spare any of you."

"You won't spare any of us?" the commander shrieked in a mocking laugh, his facial expression annoying my eyes. "Just who do you think you are? You are obviously skilled with the blade and the gun, I will not deny that fact, but you cannot deny that the odds are stacked against you. Your magical powers will not save you from our sharp, silver blades, intruder. Enough talk—prepare for battle."

"Finally something we can both agree on," I scoffed, spinning around and shooting the soldier behind me in the head.

As he fell backwards, in a loud thud, his comrades began to move in random patterns, trying to stop me from using my gun. They moved with grace, each movement perfectly coordinated and silent, as they never took their eyes off me. All I could do was use my sword and sheath to deflect some of their attacks. The strength and speed compressed into their leg muscles was impressive and difficult to counter. I slowly backed away, counting the intervals between each attack in a desperate attempt to anticipate their next moves. One of them jumped into the air, chucking a spinning axe towards my chest, as he roared like a wild animal. While trying to duck out of the way, I was stabbed in the chest with a long, silver lance, gasping for air, as I was unable to move. The axe caught me off guard, maiming me deeply in the right shoulder. Black blood gushed everywhere, my vision becoming blurry, and my right hand numb. A soldier's heavy punch caught me in the face, when I tried to fall, causing me to stagger on my weak knees for a second.

"I can't believe this crap," I chuckled, opening a dimensional pocket and drawing out my third weapon of combat. "To be forced to resort to such trickery—you have all earned my respect."

I holstered my revolver and raised my spiked flail into the air, swinging it as hard as I could with fierce rage. I could barely breathe or stop the bleeding; the only thing keeping me on my feet was my wrath. I twisted my body around, pulling out the lance and the axe from my body, as my knees buckled from severe blood loss. What I needed, more than anything, was a few crucial minutes to recover from my wounds. When I felt bloodlust, I swung back the flail, thrashing one of the soldiers in the chest violently. His scream of pain echoed through the terrain, his red blood spraying in every direction, as he fell several yards back. His colleagues shuddered with fear, upon looking at his mangled body, and retreated several feet back.

"That is an interesting weapon," the commander howled, moving swiftly and deflecting my flail effortlessly. "You possess a fascinating device—I don't mind taking it from your cold hands, when I am done with you."

"If you can, that is," I replied, shoving him away as I stabbed an unsuspecting soldier in stomach. I grabbed his body and hurled at like a rock into a tree, my bloodlust awakening slightly.

I began to feel the powerful effects of the magical barrier, and I calmed myself to inhibit my lust for blood and carnage. My wounds had yet to close, as my black blood still dripped from my right shoulder. The commander jumped back, placing both arms onto his lance, his eyes glowing fiercely. He bolted at me at full speed, swinging his lance in a horizontal fashion, aiming for my head. I deflected the attack, keeping my eyes on his lackeys, in case they decided to join in. Every attack the commander made was accurate and heavy; I could feel my arms writhing in pain each time we crossed blades. I needed to buy more time to recover from my mortal wounds.  
"So what are you doing with the children you took?" I asked, parrying away his lance with my flail. "If you are not eating them, then why did you take them?"

"To a stranger such as yourself, I suppose our actions do look a little sinister, to say the least," he hummed, patting off dirt from his metal breastplate. "I cannot say I blame you for such a thought."

"Their parents are worried sick about them," I roared, adjusting my posture, as I my shoulder stiffened slightly. "How can you live with yourself, you cruel monsters?"

"Your impertinence towards us infuriates me to no end, intruder. You call us monsters, and yet you look and fight like a wild beast."

"Let us agree to disagree:" I shrieked, finally recovering feeling in my right arm. "I will end this quickly."

Confused, he stood there and tried to comprehend what I meant. He did not see my movements until it was too late. In a matter of seconds, I had moved into his blind spot and struck him in the back with flail, felling him to the ground. I finished him off with a swift thrust into his sternum with my blade. I spun on my axis, hitting the rest of the soldiers with my flail. Red blood stained the ground, the soldiers lying on the ground barely moving. I slowly sat down, catching my breath, feeling as if I had won this bout by luck.

"That was unexpected," the commander commented, teetering slowly towards me, his armor dented and stained with blood. He took a vial of blue liquid from his pocket and gulped it quickly. "It won't be that easy to kill me, I am afraid. Everyone, enough playing—get up already."

The soldiers I had struck down stood up like zombies, groaning and coughing, proceeding to drink some strange liquid from a vial. If I had to guess, I would say it was the syrup of eternal youth. Their wounds began to heal, their bodies transforming and becoming bigger. They were turning into monsters. They roared and stomped, casting away their weapons, their eyes glowing silver like the commander's. The overwhelming feeling of fear began to gradually consume me. I could not take on all these monsters at once—I knew—not with the current power I possessed. The power emanating from their bodies was unlike anything I had ever felt before. It was powerful, dark magic, far much more ancient and potent.

"What is the meaning of all of this?" I asked, backing away slowly, keeping my blade trained on the soldiers. "Are you all monsters in disguise?"

"Not quite," the commander replied, forking his long tongue, his mouth widening with sharp teeth.

In an instant, he galloped towards me, his sharp claws shredding through the crease in my clothing. His face resembled a green lizard, and his height and size had increased threefold. They must be some sort of chimera, I thought. Yes, that would explain a lot. One of the lower ranking soldiers, assuming the shape of a lion-human hybrid, managed to bite my left leg violently, immobilizing me from moving. The fiend shook its head viciously, sinking its teeth deeper into my leg. Red, foamy liquid began to ooze from its mouth, the nerves in my leg tightening and burning hot. Desperate and fearful, I sunk my blade into its head and cut it off completely. If they were chimeras, they were far much more powerful than those vicious creatures I encountered on that planet. I trembled and spat blood, plodding through the soil, as my head felt heavy and numb. The ferocious creatures growled and snarled, approaching slowly and silently. It was as if they had cast away their sanity and any shred of humanity left, giving in to their animalistic impulses.

"You have nowhere to run, intruder," the commander snarled, walking on all fours, the armor on his body starting to tear asunder. "It was great misfortune that our paths crossed. And if you lay down your weapons, we will not eat you alive."

"I hope you can understand why I have a hard time believing you," I responded, kneeling on my right leg, unable to stop my bleeding. It was as if something was stopping the blood from clotting.

"You really don't have a choice in the matter," he boomed, sitting on his hind legs, as he licked my black blood from his knuckles. "What a strange flavor indeed."

"Since you are about to kill me, please grant me the courtesy of having a few questions answered," I pleaded, as I was starting to lose feelings in my hands. "There is no harm in telling a dying man, is there?"

"You do have a point," the commander mumbled, stopping the other beasts from attacking me with the flick of his finger. "What do you want to know?"

"What are you doing with the children here? Why are you taking them from their parents?"

"We are not doing anything to them, aside from holding them captives in that building. The high master does not take pleasure in seeing young children taking part in the great tree ritual. We will now have to make a new tree, since you destroyed the last one."

"There is a price to be paid for drinking from the syrup of youth, isn't there?" I finally asked the question that had been gnawing at me for a while. "You didn't assume those atrocious forms by choice, did you?"

"Well, there is no such thing as a perfect utopia, intruder—everything has a price," he replied in a cold voice. "I never thought anyone, aside from the high noble family, would ever figure that out. Just who are you?"

"My identity is not important, Commander," I scoffed, annoyed by his carefree nature. "Do the citizens know how the syrup of eternal youth is created? Do they know what they are ingesting to prolong their natural lives?"

"They don't and will never know. What do you think happens to those dissidents we cast away from the city; those who have broken a rule, or have somehow uncovered the truth? Do you think we will simply banish them from the city, let them take their ships and get off the planet?"

"No, I don't reckon that's the case," I replied, prodding the open wound in my shoulder with my index finger. "I saw the ritual with my own eyes, and I know what the tree requires to create the syrup of youth."

"Wasn't it the most glorious sight you have ever cast your eyes upon?" the commander shrieked, his squad cackling as if he had said something funny. "The syrup of eternal youth is the most precious liquid on this planet; its true value is immeasurable and I am delighted to be included in its making."

"I have heard enough," I sighed, finally standing up, the pain in my shoulder receding. "I no longer need to delay this charade any longer."

"What is going on here?" the commander roared, wide-eyed, assuming his offensive posture. "How is it that all your wounds have healed? I did not see you drink from the syrup, or take any medicinal potions."

"Your loose lips allowed my body time to recover," I hissed, swinging my blade in the air, an evil smile on my face. "That's all I will say, for now."

"That seems illogical, but I will not riddle you with anymore questions," he growled, prowling closer, his sharp teeth a bit intimidating. "I believe it's time we end this."

"I couldn't agree more," I bellowed, chanting beneath my breath. "Lantro."

An invisible force shot out of my hand, a powerful shockwave repulsing the creatures away from me. Stunned, the creatures tried to stand back up, their attention distracted for a minute. I leaped towards them, hacking and slashing, severing heads from bodies, my head filled with euphoria. It felt so good. The darkness within me had been stirred once more. After finishing off most of the creatures, except for the commander, I brandished my blood-stained blade in the air, taking pleasure in my carnage. The flail disappeared back into the dimensional pocket, leaving my revolver and sword in my hands.

"You are some kind of monster," he gnarled, trying to limp away from me. "This is absurd—I will lose face, if the high master learns of my defeat."

"Defeat is the last thing you should be worried about, my dear sir," I snickered, cocking my revolver and shooting both of his hind legs.

When he tried to reach for a vial, containing the syrup of eternal youth, my bullet tore through his hand. His scream of pain was like a soft lullaby to my ears. I never felt more alive than when I was toying with my wounded opponents. I had cast away my quest for happiness and peace, accepting the fact that misery was my fate. I could not believe I had allowed myself to think that I could be happy here, that I could change my fortune. And whatever feeling I had for the duchess, I knew, it wasn't real. The only thing I desired now was the book of legends. But in the meantime, I was going to enjoy tearing apart this false utopia.

"Please, grant me clemency," the commander pleaded, his monstrous form receding, and the glow in his eyes fading. "I didn't mean it—when I threatened to eat you alive."

"You are just saying that in order to return to your frugal way of life, with your rich, ignorant compatriots, who care for nothing but debauchery and amassing meaningless wealth."

"How is it that you can use such powerful magic without suffering the effects of the dampener?" he asked, placing his hands in front of his face.

"I don't know what game you are playing, but I will bite," I snorted, holstering my revolver. "For some unknown reason, I can see the ghouls you created and use a bit of my magical powers. I don't know how the dampener works; all I know is that it doesn't affect me that much."

"Thanks for telling me," he smiled, his body phasing into the ground, a huge grin plastered on his face. "I will be sure to pass on the information to the high master."

"Ah, crap," I yelled reproachfully, shooting at his nearly, invisible body to no avail. "I cannot believe I fell for such trickery."

A dark silence lingered in the air, the cold weather irritating my nostrils. All I could see and smell was the blood of the creatures, the pungent odors coming out of their decaying body a bit nauseating. The gunman in the tower had fled like a coward, the moment he realized his inevitable doom. I descended down the footpath, tugging on my torn clothing, the wind finally calm. The building in front of me, made from iron stone and dust cement, stood in ruinous glory, the windows dark and ominous. I stomped through the shattered entrance, sword in hand, my eyes adjusting to the eerie darkness. If the desperate parents had not beseeched me to find their cherished children, I would have not ventured into this place. It was not fear that was unsettling me; it was this maddening, dreadful feeling of the ghastly things that had taken place within the walls of this structure. I need to find the children now, I thought. There must be in here somewhere. Nothing stirred in gloomy corridors, every door on the first floor shut. A light brown liquid dripped from the rusty pipe, fresh, cold air entering through cracks within the foundation. How could they keep children in a place as filthy as this?

"Hello, children," I screamed, lighting a torch as I search through every closed door.

On the last room, I found an unmade bed, a half eaten loaf of bread, and a kettle containing black liquid. The kettle was still warm. Someone else had been in here, aside from the guards. I looked through the rest of the floor but I could not find any signs of the children. I could see the steam locomotives they used to transport the children parked outside, a bit of smoke still coming from the exhaust. My noble and yet self-serving quest to rescue the children was going horribly askew, it seemed.

"What the..?" I screamed, swiping my blade at the creature.

A strange ghoul had somehow managed to sneak up on me and had been twirling with the strands of my hair for what seemed like a couple of seconds. Her hands were wet with slime and black as charred wood. She was unusually tall, extremely thin—her skin wrinkled and saggy. What I found most disturbing was her spiky, black hair which seemed to move around like tentacles, like it had a mind of its own. She opened her mouth, her teeth missing, attempting to say something to me. All that came out of her mouth were these terrifying groans and thick, black foam. Unable to truly communicate with me, she lifted her long arm and pointed towards the basement, her eyes hollow and dark.

"Is that where the children are?" I asked.

As she nodded, she twisted her body around and began to float away from me. She stopped, halfway through the floor, glancing at me in a disheartening manner. She was expecting me to follow her, I thought. I did not move for a few seconds. It was not fear that held me back, nor was it her repulsive, ghostly appearance that raised a staggering level of concern and suspicion. It was not in my nature to be trusting of strangers. I weighed my options and realized that I didn't have a lot of choice. If the commander managed to make it to the citadel, he would bring reinforcements and a great deal of problems I didn't need. I slowly followed behind the ghoul, keeping my weapons trained on her, the air in the building stale and toxic. She led me through a blue door, down an old, wooden staircase which squeaked at the slightest touch. The walls were stained with blood and claw marks, the echo of the wind seeping through the huge hole above the ceiling giving the place a ghostly presence. When we finally reached the basement, the ghoul turned around and withered away like a burnt piece of paper. I could not help but feel like I had walked into an orchestrated trap. The basement floor was made of concrete, the walls cast from reinforced steel. Iron hooks swayed back and forth over a long, thick rope that ran across the whole floor. The air smelled like fresh raw beef. Fearing the worst, I moved swiftly towards a freezer and peered inside, hoping I was wrong. I felt relieved, when all I could see was the fleshly remains of strange animals of unknown origin. No children here, I thought. Further ahead, I could hear the clanking of metal, and something breathing heavily. Whenever it moved, the floor shook under its weight, the iron hooks rattling against each other. The light of a bright candle, seeping through the crack of a slightly open door, illuminated some of the junk piled across the floor. Silently, I tiptoed through the mess, the blade in my hand ringing in an unnatural tone. It had never done that before. Opening the door slightly, peering with one eye, I found myself looking at this colossal-size man holding a meat cleaver with his back turned to me. He grumbled and snorted, cutting and tearing fur and flesh apart. In the corner of the compartment, I saw a door with five iron-bolt locks on it, and it was sealed tightly. My intuition led me to believe that I would find the children in there. The only thing standing in my way was this monstrosity of man. Turning my nails long and sharp as razor blades, I prowled behind him as silent as a mouse, and plunged my arm into his back. I grabbed his beating heart, listening to his bleating scream, as I tussled with him to the ground.

"Stop moving or I will crush your heart," I hissed in a cold voice, placing my blade near his neck. "If you answer truthfully, I will let you go."

"Who are you, stranger? And what do you wish of me?" he coughed, his breathing slow and heavy.

"I want to know what you are doing to the children," I growled, holding his warm heart slightly tighter. "I made sure to avoid some of your vital organs. I can change that, if your answers don't suit me."

"Do you know who I am, you fool? Do you know what my family will do to you, if they find out about this?"

"Judging by your arrogance and lack of manners, I am going to assume you are a Lycole, right?"

"The name is Shane Lycole, the black sheep of my family."

"I can see why," I chuckled, feeling a bit perturbed at the sudden turn of events. "Now, where are the children?"

"In there, beyond that door," he answered quickly, the sweat dripping down his neck a bit slimy. "I didn't do anything to them—I was given a task of watching them, ensuring nothing would go wrong with the ritual."

"What ritual are you blabbering about? Do you mean the tree ritual?"

"No, this is something else, I am afraid—something much worse."

"Does it involve the children?" I growled, holding his heart tighter, controlling the pumping of his blood and breath. "Answer me now, you vile monster."

"You are not a poised gentleman, are you? You assumed that I had committed the worst type of atrocity without hearing my side of the story."

"My patience grows thin, vermin, so I suggest you explain everything to me about this so-called ritual."

"Well, the sacred ceremony is done once the children become of age—nineteen year olds are the suitable and desired. We take them and offer them to the tree, in order to make a stronger, more potent version of the syrup of eternal youth. This elixir is said to possess great power, granting the user prolonged life, speed, and great strength. The high master, my uncle, does not believe in using smaller children in the ritual, which is why we lock them up here. Have I answered your..."

"I have heard enough," I interrupted, consumed by maddening rage. "I will let you go, as promised, but I am keeping your heart."

In an instant, I yanked out his warm, beating heart from his body and crushed it in my hands, as I felt his body stop moving. The situation was worse than I thought. I could have overlooked them using adults for the ritual, since I didn't really care that much for their wellbeing. However, children were a different matter, on the other hand. I walked over to the locked door, tossing the fresh, squished heart to the side, and began to pry the locks apart. The cold, raw feel of the iron knob felt unsettling pressed against my bloody palm. I could hear faint whispers and rattling of chains on the other side of the door. When I finally managed to remove all the locks, the rusty, iron door squeaked open loudly, a stale odor overwhelming me. A horde of enormous rats stormed out of the chamber, scurrying away to other parts of the basement. The floor was wet and murky, water dripping from the rusty pipes. A few lights on top of the ceiling flickered on and off in an annoying manner.

"Don't be afraid," I whispered, my hands raised in a nonthreatening way, when I saw a child trying to move away from me. "Your parents sent me to help you."

"Are you here to take us home?" a young girl asked, coming out of the shadows, her clothes filthy with dirt. "Is my mommy here with you?"

"Don't worry, young one," I responded, slicing off the locks that bound them in the metal cage with my blade. "I am here to take you to them. You all need to follow me, children."

I could hear and see them whisper to each other, glancing at me with suspicion. The children kept their distance, the older teenagers standing between me and the younger children, in a protective manner. While I found the older children's actions to be courageous and admirable, time was against us. The thought of using force against the children, to get them to follow me, was quite displeasing indeed. I strummed my fingers patiently, leaning against a wall, as I waited for them to finish their discussion. My patience grew thin, but I was not the type of man to lash out against children.

"How do we know that we can trust you?" an older boy asked, his eyes sharp and as gray as a thunder cloud. "No offense, but we really don't know you."

"You could look outside, but the scenery would be too ghastly for your feeble minds to comprehend," I sighed, irritated and annoyed beyond reason. "I am leaving now—those of you who want to come should do so now. And by the way, those huge rats will return if you decide to stay in here."

Upon hearing that, the children lined up around me and stood there quietly, awaiting my instructions. There were around forty of them, from what I could see, their ages and size varying. I caught sight of a few toddlers, the thought of protecting them from the heat of battle churning my stomach. Even looking at their pure, innocent eyes made feel a bit queasy. Furthermore, I needed to shield them from seeing the body of Shane Lycole, which I had left lying on the floor.

"Before we leave, I need to do something real quick," I muttered, plodding through the wet floor, towards the other side of the basement. "Don't look outside—I don't want you to see this horrific sight."

Ambling towards Shane Lycole, I raised my right hand, summoning every ounce of power I had to open a small door into the abyss. Thanks to Shovan, my ability to truly open the gateway had significantly been reduced and required almost all of my magical abilities to work. A shroud of black air engulfed the body, a dark, spherical hole opening beneath it. His body slowly sank in, completely erasing every trace of his past existence. I sighed, sitting on the ground, fatigued. Opening the doorway into the abyss twice in one day left me completely drained, physically and magically.

"You may come out now, children," I hollered, out of breath, my body numb and sore. "It is time I take you to see your parents."

I truly missed the simplicity of harnessing my soul's power to cast my adversaries into the bottomless abyss. Without it, I fared no better than a witless novice at advanced magic. The children, curious and weary from exhaustion, came through the door and encircled me, bickering and fidgeting in an unruly manner. They looked like they hadn't eaten for quite some time, and were in dire need of a medical checkup. Some of the toddlers were crying, the older children doing everything they can to appease them. I slowly stood up, the pain in my tendons finally receding, as I wobbled forward, leading the children out of the building. It was a dark, moonless night, the wind cold and blowing wildly against us. Alarmed and shocked, I stopped in my tracks, looking around the terrain. The monstrous bodies of the fallen soldiers had vanished, the terrain free from debris and appearing undisturbed. What is the meaning of this? I thought. Who could have done this? I dreaded the feeling of engaging in another unnecessary battle while trying to protect the children.

"Stay behind me, all of you," I roared, attempting to control three rascals who had strayed a bit far from the group. "I will not repeat myself again."

"We should go back inside and wait until the sun comes up," an adolescent boy coughed, shivering from cold. "We don't have warm coats and some of the little kids are beginning to cry."

"You do make a valid point," I hummed, surveying the area around me for any lurking enemies. "We shall use that."

I led the children towards one of the steam locomotives that were parked a few yards from the building. The metal vehicle was almost the size of a two story house, made from thick, reinforced steel, and had two Gatling guns on each side and mounted rifle cannon. It was weapon designed for war. To our great fortune, the metal hatch was not locked and the engine was still warm. There was enough room for all of us to sit, although it would be a tight fit. Sitting inside the cockpit, I scanned through the levers, gears, and gauges, trying to decipher the mechanism behind the elaborate contraption. The sound of crying babies and constant bickering was making it hard to concentrate. I had never actually dealt with children before, so I was finding the experience to be rather harrowing.

"Please, children, sit down and behave," I roared in a stoic voice, reaching the limit of my patience. "I need time to think for a second?"

"Are you trying to figure out how it works?" a little girl, with tan skin and hair wrapped inside a bonnet, whispered, nudging at my coat. She sat next to me, on the other operator's sit, prodding at different buttons with her left thumb.

"No, don't do that," I roared. "You might break something, kid."

"I know how it works," she replied innocently, showing no signs of fear. "I was watching them when they transported us here."

"That's quite clever of you," I laughed in a sarcastic manner, clearly amused by her blunt response. "I am sure you were..."

I stopped my remark, my mouth ajar, watching the child hit several buttons and moving several levers, as the engine roared back to life. The steam locomotive vibrated violently, several onboard and outside lights coming to life slowly. She pulled back on the yoke and barely managed to push forward the pedal beneath her seat, as the vehicle began to move. Steam shot out of the exhausts ports, the interior temperature improving greatly. Whilst the girl operated the vehicle, to my profound shock, I scrounged through the dashboard compartments, locating frozen pastries and a box of unopened candy. I passed along the findings to the children, who eagerly devoured them like a pack of hungry dogs.

"You can leave this to me now, child," I muttered, switching over the controls to my side. "You should eat and rest; you will be reunited with your parents soon."

"Okay," she chimed, leaning back, her feet dangling beneath the seat. "What is your name, by the way?"

"I am Dari... I mean Rain," I replied, realizing the mistake I was about to make. My identity, for the moment, had to be protected from everyone.

"You mean like the falling rain?" she giggled, munching on a chocolate bar. "That is a funny name."

"Yes, like the rain," I chuckled, turning the locomotive left, avoiding going through the rough terrain surrounded by flesh trees. "And what is your name, young one."

"I am Adelia the forth, the daughter of the baron of Saxxon," she whispered, bowing her head slightly. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Rain."

"The pleasure is mutual, Adelia."

Before leaving the distraught parents, I had set up a rendezvous point somewhere past the valley, near the edge of the great lake. It would take less than hour to get there, based on the speed of the locomotive. I blinked once, massaging my neck, the realization of my choices weighing heavy on me. I had officially ruined my only chance at happiness and a normal life. Had I not gone after Tamian, and destroyed the great tree, I would have been in my comfortable bed, seeping on some fine tea and munching down on an evening cake. But what bothered me the most was this burning desire I had to see the duchess, this feeling I could not explain. I raised my left hand and scratched my beard, but suddenly stopped, realizing something curious.

"This bracelet has been on my arm the whole time," I whispered, examining the faded, golden color carefully. "This all started when I put it on my arm—it must be enchanted with a powerful charm. I wonder..."

"Is something wrong, Rain?" Adelia asked, her brown eyes reflecting the color being illuminated by the dashboard light.

"Yes, forgive me—I was just thinking out loud," I grumbled, putting my left hand down. "I just realized something important, but it's nothing to be concerned about."

Before jumping into the wrong conclusion, I decided that a little experiment had to be conducted, to confirm my new suspicions. If anything, I hoped my assumptions were wrong. For now, I would keep my thoughts to myself. Upon reaching the outskirts of the forest, the great lake a few yards to my right, I lowered the high beams and reduced the engine power towards idle position, in order to avoid being spotted or heard. I would be surprised if this whole area wasn't crawling with soldiers and peace officers, after what had transpired. They would surely do everything in their power to keep this grotesque and horrifying secret from getting out. And on top of that, they would have fortified and increased security near the flagship docks, to prevent anyone from escaping. It would take brains and brawn to get out of this predicament. And I could feel the threatening aura permeating in the air, the burning rage rippling the air currents and forcing the winds to move in a violent manner. Feeling pressured, I took a small blade from my pocket and cut slightly in my left arm, muttering an incantation beneath my breath. It was a last resort spell I hoped I would never use, if it was possible.

"We are here, at last," I smiled, pressing on the brake pedals hard, and releasing all the back pressure from the steam carburetors. "Your parents are waiting outside."

They broke off into a frenzy cheer, standing up and trying to peer through the windshield, to see if their parents were outside. They exited the locomotive in a haphazard manner and screamed with joy when they found their parents. If I had any true emotions, I would have been happy for them, but I wasn't. I dared not to linger around, so I located the man I was eager to see and beckoned him to follow me. I could feel the fear in his gait, the sweat trickling down his brow, and his heavy breathing.

"Please, sir, I didn't know what was in the syrup of eternal youth," he pleaded desperately, as if he thought I was about to execute him. "If you spare me, I will leave the planet and will not tell anyone."

"I have no intention of doing you any harm, provided you do something for me," I replied, turning around once we had reached a clearing free from curious eyes and ears. "All I want you to do is take off the bracelet on your arm for a few seconds."

"Please, sir, I want to know what you intend to do with me," he stuttered, taking a few steps back. "I will pay you anything you want."

"Listen, you fool," I frowned, growing weary of his pleas. "Just take off your bracelet, or I will cut it off by force."

"Okay, I will do as you ask—there is no need for violence," he sighed, reluctantly taking off his golden bracelet. "Are you satisfied now, Sir?"

"Yes, it is just as I had feared and suspected," I smirked, the irony not lost on me. "You may put it back on now. However, I have one more task for you, and it is important you all do everything exactly as I say."

We returned back to the others, the loud ruckus finally simmering down. I patted off dirt from my clothes, which were no longer in their pristine condition, finally turning my attention to the gathered crowd. For my plan to succeed, I needed everyone to obey my instructions without question, a difficult task to say the least. There were far too many variables to consider, and I did not like the idea of thinking three or four moves ahead.

"Listen, everyone, you cannot go back to the citadel," I began, turning my head left to right, studying their facial expressions. "Some of you think that it will be safe if you report this incident to the high master, that he will protect you; however, it's not that simple. If I am right, the high master was the one who orchestrated it."

"Are you mad?" an elder gentleman spat, adjusting his spectacles, his smoking pipe still stuck to his mouth. "That is a serious accusation to make, stranger. Don't get me wrong—I am truly grateful for everything you have done for us, but I will not have you speaking ill of the High Master Jaris."

"Think about it, you old fool," I rattled, smacking my forehead in anger. "It seems wisdom has not reached you in your old age. Did you all ever stop and think for a second how those in the capital have managed to live for so long? I am guessing none of you bothered to question his motives behind offering the syrup to only those who decide to stay permanently, right?"

"What exactly are you trying to say?" Count Reginald asked, holding his little boy in his arms, his wife standing a few inches behind him. "What exactly have you discovered, sir? If you want us to listen to your instructions, then we deserve to know the truth."

"That makes sense," I sighed, closing my eyes and inhaling deeply. "This is just a speculation, so don't take my word for it. This planet is, in a way, an imperfect utopia, and like any great civilization it is governed by ironclad rules which are absolute. My theory is that, aside from needing live people to create the syrup of eternal youth, there a two or three more rules that cannot be broken at all cost."

"What does that even mean?" Steve roared, spitting on the ground in a disrespectful manner. "Are you saying that there is something worse than using humans for the syrup?"

"Yes, much worse, I surmise. I have concluded that they need people to willingly ingest the syrup of youth out of their own free will. That is probably the second rule."

"Then what is the third rule?" Count Reginald asked, a bit of fear riddled on his face.

"I don't know, to be honest," I lied, looking away into the distant land. I did not want incite more fear into the fragile hearts and cloud their weary state of mind. "At any rate, the first thing we have to do is to stay clear of the soldiers."

"Those tire groves are going to be a problem," the Count commented, pointing to the obvious trail left behind by the steam locomotive."

"Yes, I am quite aware of that," I hummed, shifting my shoulders slightly. "I will take care of that problem—no need to worry. No one must know where we are. I will cast an enchantment and protect this area from being seen by anyone else. But before I go, I have an important task for the two of you—our lives depend on how well you can execute my plan. So gather around, everyone, and I am going to relay to you each step of the plan."

13

After taking care of things, I swam back to the other side of the great lake, returning to my manor with great haste. I discarded my old robes and sunk into my bed, pretending as if nothing had happened. If everything went exactly according to plan, I would soon get my hands on the book of legends and leave this planet with my dignity intact. I slept peacefully for a few hours, only to be awakened by gentle knock on the door. Tired from exhaustion, I covered my head beneath the silk duvet, hoping that whoever was knocking would go away. The knocks continued for several minutes, each louder than the last.

"Master Darian, it is I," the butler hollered in a patronizing tone. "Your morning breakfast is ready."

"Can you come back in thirty minutes," I groaned, turning my head away from the bright rays of the sun that had penetrated into my chambers through a small crack in the curtains.

"You have been summoned to an emergency meeting, Master," he coughed, his voice raised slightly. "You are required to be there within the hour."

"Has something happened?" I asked, throwing away the covers, my heart beating rapidly. "Tell me everything you know, butler."

"I am not sure, sir," he hummed, lowering his voice. "May I come in?"

"Yes, you may," I replied, putting on a clean shirt and sleeping shoes.

The butler strode across the floor with grace and elegance, holding a silver tray firmly with both of his hands. As usual, his black suit was exceptionally clean, the white handkerchief on his front pocket folded neatly with the corners hidden beneath. He placed the tray on the small, marble table next to my bed, proceeding to pour some tea into an antique mustache cup, and adding crushed almonds on top of the sugar. After handing me the cup, he sauntered towards the windows and opened the curtains, letting in the light. I sipped on the tea, munching on the cake as if it was my last meal. Once this was over, I would go back to my normal, miserable self, unable to truly taste and enjoy food, unable to sleep soundly through the night.

"Goodness, sir, these robes look dirty and worn out," he shrieked, pointing at the clothes I had discarded on the floor, a blunder on my part. "Did you go wandering into the woods, Master?"

"Yes, I was curious about those strange flowers, and before I knew it, I was lost. I wandered around the thicket for a few hours; it was quite a frightening experience."

"Yes, I concur," he added, picking up the clothes with a facial expression filled with disgust. "What is this black substance in the crease of the robes? Is this blood?"

"No, sorry about that," I chuckled nervously, lying through my teeth. "I fell into a ditch whilst wondering in the dark."

"Oh, is that so?" he replied with a bit of skepticism in his voice. "I shall prepare your bath, and iron your morning attire for the meeting. I have already instructed the coachmen to prepare all the horses for departure, and the other servants will be ready as well."

"I thought that I was the only one going to this meeting, butler."

"Actually, Master, everyone, within the city, have been summoned to attend the event, even the servants are no exception."

"Hmm, that is interesting," I commented, finishing my breakfast. "You may leave now."

As the butler left my chambers, I sat on the bed, gazing into the distant lake through my open windows. The plan I had devised was coming together perfectly, in spite of a few unpredictable obstacles. This gathering had happened sooner than I had envisioned, meaning I had to improvise. It certainly meant the high master had formulated a counter strategy to foil my plan, which was not good. The conclusion to our final battle would be decided by our wits, and not by crossing blades. I left my chambers and took a quick bath in warm water, dressing as quick as I could—the whole chore taking less than half an hour to accomplish. As soon as I exited the manor, I saw all the servants gathered outside, lined perfectly in two rows, in silence. They bowed and greeted me in a respectful manner, waiting for me to enter the stagecoach first. There were two more coaches beside the one I boarded, meaning everyone could be safely transported to the event, at the same time.

"Here is the schedule for today, Master," the butler snorted, boarding the same coach I was in. He was quite a bothersome and intrusive servant. "I trust you have prepared a gift for your meeting with the duchess."

"Oh, yes, thanks for reminding me," I sighed, resting my head against the palm of my hand, bored. "I shall do well to apologize to her the next time I see her."

"It just so happens that I picked up something on the way out, something she might like," he smiled, handing me a box of rare chocolates, the smell permeating from the box intoxicating.

"That is very kind of you," I glowered, looking at him curiously. "You seem to know everything I like and can act towards my benefit, all without my permission. I really don't know what I would do without you."

"Your kind words are unwarranted, sir, I only live to serve you," he replied, adjusting his posture, his facial expression vexing me a bit.

"I see," I hummed, looking away briefly without letting him know what I was truly thinking. "Keep up the good work."

The stagecoach moved at a steady pace, most of the vibrations being absorbed by the air-shocked tires. It was long, silent trip to the heart of the citadel, the butler doing all he could to avoid an unwanted conversation. The green pasture of the country side, surrounded by rolling hills with cherry blossom trees, was quite the sight to behold. I did feel a bit of guilt knowing that my plan involved undoing of all this great natural wonder. I stopped thinking, the moment I felt the coach tires screech to a halt suddenly. We were still a few miles from the walls of the great city, but it seemed traffic had stopped moving. There were more than four dozen airships hovering above our heads, men and women riding on steeds, and some people chose the horrendous chore of walking to the capital, paying no mind to the trifling heat. Soldiers clad in golden armor marched through the crowds, checking bracelets and giving out commands.

"If I may have a moment of your time, ladies and gentlemen," a young soldier hollered in a sincere manner, standing on top of a bucket. "I am deeply sorry to say that we cannot allow this many coaches into the city at the same time. We simply don't have enough space to host all of the horses and adored pets, so I humbly ask that you leave your transportation here and continue to the capital on foot."

"That is a ludicrous request to ask us, young man," an older gentleman, garbed in a long, black fur coat, bellowed. He was a short, potbelly man with thick mutton chops and unruly nose hair that moved around whenever he spoke. "Do you know who I am, young man? If you have any sense in that small brain of yours, you would let us pass immediately. If you don't, I will inform the high master of your insubordination and lack of respect to your superiors."

"Like I said, Viscount Meriem, I am simply relaying direct orders from the high council," he sighed, his voice tense and grim. "This message comes directly from the high master's inner circle, so you will do best not to question his order, sir."

"Fine," the Viscount grumbled, stepping out of the coach in the company of three ladies of high prestige and glamour. He adjusted the thick, golden cuffs on his arms, one of the ladies holding an umbrella above his head, as he dawdled away, brooding like an angry child. "Keep up with my pace, you hussies, or you will get a scolding later."

Reluctantly, I stepped out of the coach in the company of my butler, and shaded my eyes with my hands from the sun. The butler brandished me a hat and gestured me to wear it, which I gladly accepted. I had never seen anyone as resourceful and reliable as him, a trait I found a bit disturbing to say the least. His actions were not enough to cause alarm, but they were certainly curious. It was like he could read my mind, like he knew what I needed or desired the most. Turning my attention away from him, I began to follow the massive gathering, which had begun to walk at a steady pace to the great city, the soldiers standing on each side, watching our movements with dotting eyes. The crowd shouted, whispered, and giggled in a carefree manner, clearly oblivious to the true reason behind this emergency meeting. None of them truly knew about the dark side of this false utopia they were living in. But I intended to open up their eyes, to let them truly see who they really were. These people were in for the shock of a lifetime.

"Form a line, all of you," a female guard screamed, ordering the crowd that had formed against the huge, iron gates to disperse immediately. "We need to check your bracelets, before we let you in."

She stood above a vacant, merchant table, clad in red armor, embroidered with a silver eagle insignia on her breastplate, her right hand resting on the hilt of her long sword. A large, silver shield with iron spikes dangled on her back, as her face was hidden behind a helmet. She leaped deftly to the side, her movements fluid and well-timed, when one of the men accidentally knocked over the table she was standing on. It was utter chaos. There were at least a thousand people gathered near the gates into the city, bickering and shouting, all waiting for their chance to be let in. A few angry elites were clambering down from their fancy airships, when they were denied access to enter the city through the air, joining the crowd below to express their great displeasure. It took me over an hour to have my bracelet checked and granted entrance into the citadel. My servants walked behind me, as we fought our way towards the center of city, the place where the Lycole resided. I had never seen so much anarchy and disorder in one place. The level of disunity and internal rife was extremely troubling. This is what you get when you deny the demands of the rich, noble elites, I thought. This situation might work in my favor, if I play this out correctly.

"I cannot believe they had the audacity to summon me to such a disastrous meeting," a young lady scoffed, using an ornate fan to blow air on her face. "I was supposed to get a manicure this afternoon, and a back massage after tea with my fiancé."

"What do you think this is about?" her friend blurted in cold tone, holding an umbrella in her left hand, as her long, silk dress draped across the paved ground. "I shall write a strong letter to the high council to express my dissatisfaction."

"Don't worry, Master," my butler commented, adjusting his bow-tie briefly. "I am certain the issue will be resolved soon—then we can be on our merry way back to the manor."

"Has this ever happened before?" I asked, observing the people around me with amusement.

"No, I am afraid the situation might be dire, for them to summon everyone here," he muttered, fixing my collar without my permission. "Something bad must have happened."

"Yes, I thought as much," I commented, turning my head up towards the tallest building in the city. It was so high that the top of the building was enshrouded by thick clouds.

It was obvious that the high master had never thought that someone like me would appear and interrupt his ritual, and that he or she would escape back into the city unnoticed. The security around the planet was great, the vetting process done with extreme prejudice, but it was nothing for someone of my caliber. And without a doubt, this emergency meeting had been created to weed out the intruder, using some tortuous and detailed scheme. A bit of sweat trickled down my forehead, when I realized the great magnitude of my current position. The moment I entered the city, it became impossible to escape the citadel. They had thought of everything, I knew, and I was impressed, to say the least. I now had to put my faith in the others following through with my plan, step by step.

"Please, my fellow, noble citizens, gather around the building," a young man shouted, holding a long parchment with both hands firmly. "The high master wishes to address us at this moment. All shall be explained, so please be patient and settle down."

We all gathered around the building, a bit too close for personal boundaries. I could smell the thick scent of licorice and stale vinegar coming off the older gentleman's mustache so close that it was nauseating. My servants stood behind me, barely talking, as they cast their gaze towards the balcony situated on the fifth floor. It was grand, unique and very majestic. The outer surface floor was composed of the highest quality of gold, pure, sapphire rubies cast into the guardrails in an exquisite design. A small group of finely dressed men and women appeared onto the balcony, looking down upon us as if we were nothing more than ants. They wore the same type of clothing, I noticed, a golden pendant hanging around each of their necks. As they moved to the side, bowing their heads, the high master appeared in all his imperious glory. When he stood near the edge of the balcony, his right hand raised, all the commotion stopped.

"My dear friends, I hope you can forgive me for summoning you all on such short notice," he boomed, smiling faintly, as his sharp eyes scanned through the crowd. "It does not give me great pleasure to announce the bad news I am about to share. I am afraid....we have been infiltrated by an intruder."

"What, how can this be?" a tall, skinny man, wearing suspenders and long socks, shouted in an angry tone. "How could an intruder have gotten past all our security measures?"

"This is unacceptable," chimed an older gentleman, puffing on his pipe. "I paid a great fortune to be guaranteed happiness and safety in this great city. I will not accept anything other than perfection."

The crowd went into an uproar, discussing what the appearance of this intruder could do to jeopardize their peaceful, happy lives. Older men huffed and coughed, pointing their fingers at the younger men, who seemed to blatantly speak their minds without thinking clearly. The youthful lads did not care much for security and any internal issues concerning the city—they spoke of drinking fine wine and going to grand balls with fair maidens. The ruckus stopped when the high master raised his hand into the air, and cast a cold gaze upon them. The sense of fear emanating through the crowd was rather stiffening. The high master held absolute control over all their lives—his words were golden to them.

"Please don't fret, friends," the high master continued speaking, caressing his horse chin gently. "Even though the intruder managed to destroy the great tree, halting the syrup of eternal youth, all is not lost."

"What?" growled a distraught lady, pretending to almost faint. "How could the great tree have been destroyed? How will we acquired the syrup of eternal youth now? Oh, I can't bear to see wrinkles on my face—it would be too ghastly."

"Another outburst like that and I will have the next person thrown out of the city," Jaris hissed, neighing out loudly like a wild horse. "If you let me continue, I will explain everything. The intruder is still here with us, hidden within the crowd, and we have a way to root out this impostor. Everyone, hold out your bracelet in the air, please."

When I heard his words, my heart sank into the pit of my stomach. I had seriously miscalculated and underestimated the great ingenuity of the high master. It never truly occurred to me that the bracelet on my arm served another purpose, other than what I had previously assumed. I dithered for a bit, weighing all of my options—the noose slowly tying around my neck. In a matter of seconds, a vast majority of the crowd had raised their arms in the air, displaying their bracelets of different colors. Noble men and women of the highest status donned eccentric, golden bracelets, embellished with purple rubies and pure diamonds, while the servants wore silver bracelets of the lowest purity. Armed guards began to move into the crowds, checking bracelets and yelling at a few people who refused to obey instructions. My bracelet had not changed color, to my relief, but I sensed some sort of conniving trickery at play. An older lady, standing a few feet from me, launched a scathing attack on her rebellious son, yelling at him to raise his hand. The youthful man scoffed in an irritated manner, glancing at me slightly, his hand slowly rising into the air. A few eyes began to look my way, their whispers infuriating a bit. I was the only person remaining who had not raised his hand. Feeling the unwanted attention, the slowly, calculated movement of the soldiers closing in on me, I raised my hand reluctantly. In that instant, the golden color of my bracelet faded, the outer edges turning black and chipping slightly. I heard loud gasps, the crowd dispersing away from me.

"He is the impostor," cried a young man, his face twisting with rage and disgust. "There he is, High Master."

"Look at the color of his bracelet," an older woman grimaced, throwing a half-eaten apple at my chest. "He is the one who destroyed the great tree. Don't let him escape."

The enraged crowd turned violent, yelling and throwing all sorts of assorted objects at me. Escaping was impossible, I knew, all I could do was shield my body and try to plead my case. I glanced up and saw the high master with a menacing grin on his face, his hands resting over the rails. He gestured his guards to move in closer, completely sealing off my movements. Even if I was immortal, I would not escape this situation unscathed. The sadistic soldiers laughed and roared, jabbing me with their long lances, clearly toying me. In the corner of my eye, I saw my butler standing stiffly still, his hands in his pocket, a light smile on his face. Despite being in a serious predicament, despite feeling pain and anxiety, the look on my butler's face was the most disturbing thing I had ever seen.

"Wait, High Master," I roared in an explosive voice. "There has to be some kind of mistake. You cannot accuse me of being an impostor, based on the color of my bracelet. If this is truly a great society, then I, Darian Dreymus, am entitled to a defense and a fair trial."

"You deserve nothing, you imposter," one of the men, standing next to the high master, boomed in a disrespectful tone. He was a man in his early sixties, with a clean shaved face, wearing oval glasses and a long, black scarf. "Your mischief ends now—you won't escape from justice."

The man's words resonated with the distraught crowd, further agitating their unruly emotions. His vainglorious nature was only fueled by the high master's approval, allowing him to prattle once more.

"Did you really think that your actions would go unnoticed, that we are stupid?" The man continued. "The high master is the greatest, shrewd man to ever live; his powers are great and know no limit."

"That statement is quite debatable," I muttered beneath my breath.

I felt hot, sharp pain in my abdomen, the moment I tried to shift my weight to the left leg. A long lance had pierced through my flesh, maiming me deeply. The weapon belonged to the female soldier in the red armor. She pulled it back, my blood spewing onto the ground, as I fell to one knee. For a while now, I had felt my strength waning, my body getting heavy and numb. I could not draw upon my inner powers to cast any magical spells, let alone open my dimensional pocket. And on top of that, the wound in my abdomen was not healing. A black, corrosive substance simmered around the wound, the pain unimaginable. Before I knew it, several soldiers had pinned me down, placed thick, iron shackles around my arms, waist, and legs. They whisked me up, a soldier supporting each of my arms, as they displayed me for all to see.

"You were told not to move," the female soldier spat, placing her sword near my neck. "If you trying anything funny, this blade will finds its way into your head."

"What is the meaning of this, High Master?" A familiar voice shrieked with rage. She appeared next to high master, wearing a blue, evening dress and diamond necklace. Her beautiful hair hung on her right side, the ends of her hair braided into tight notches, and her cheeks pink and powdered. "I demand to know why you have Darian in iron shackles."

"Oh, my dear Anna," the high master smiled, twisted his head quickly, his right hand placed lightly upon her cheek. "I feel the utmost regret that you, of all people, will bear witness to the unmasking of this impostor."

"What are you talking about?" she shivered, glancing down at me, her eyes a bit teary. "What do you mean by impostor?"

"Anna, my duchess, that man down there is not the real Darian Dreymus, the man you fell in love with. He is actually an intruder in disguise."

"Please, High Master," Anna pleaded, unable to look me in the eye. "I refuse to believe that this man is not my Darian. He knew things that I never told anyone, things that we promised ourselves fifteen years, before he left for his mission. I cannot bear the thought of everything being a lie."

"Oh, Anna, it pains me to see you this way," he muttered, turning his attention to me. "If I had discovered this early, I could have saved you from horrendous pain. I don't want you to see the next part of this stage—it will only cause you further suffering."

"No, I will not leave," she hissed, wiping away tears from her eyes. "I need to see this to the end—words alone will not convince me otherwise."

I felt a cold shiver run down my spine, when our eyes met. I could not explain this elusive feeling, this burning, throbbing sensation of shame and guilt. In all my lifetime, I had deceived so many people, playing against their emotions to achieve my own self desires. But why did lying to Anna feel so wrong and depraved? I turned my head away, avoiding her gaze, as my mind went blank. The soldiers dragged me closer to the building, holding me up as the high master whispered something to his council. It suddenly became quiet. My heart began to beat rapidly, when I sensed danger approaching. The heat from the sun only further intensified this gut-wrenching ordeal for me.

"It is time to unmask the intruder," the high master howled, raising his right hand slowly. He pulled out a strange, glowing book, muttering something in an ancient language. It was the book I had been looking for. "Raise him up."

The soldiers pulled me up, my legs still sprawled, and jolted my head up. I had grossly underestimated the magnitude of my situation; however, they still didn't have real evidence to prove that I was an intruder. As long as Anna still believed I was Darian, the high master would not have me hanged, or worse... She gave the high master a look of reproach, a bit of anxiety and concern written all over her face. I could use this to my advantage, I thought. I still have a few tricks up my sleeves. The plan I had constructed would need to be modified, I realized, but it could still work.

"Pull off his face," the high master screamed to everyone's horror and disbelief. "If you want solid evidence of his true nature, you will do as I say."

"High Master Jiren, please," Anna shrieked, being held back by two guards from approaching him. "What if you are wrong? This is quite drastic, to say the least. That man is the real Darian Dreymus, son of the master of noble islands."

Reluctantly, one of the soldiers stepped forward, his hands shaking with doubt. He turned around, gazing at the high master for final approval, his dagger unsheathed and ready. He was man in his late twenties, wearing silver armor and a black mantle on his back. He stood well over six feet, his enormous arms almost the size of my thighs. His face was also hidden behind his helmet, except for his eyes. His eyes glowed red. I shrugged at the thought of having my face peeled open, the dreadful jolt of pain in my abdomen intensifying.

"Not with the knife, you idiot." Jaris growled, hitting the rail with his fist. "Just pull off his face off."

The crowd that had dispersed away from me began to move closer, their curiosity piqued by the high master's words. They looked at me as if I was some piece of meat, as if I was nothing more than an object for their amusement. They were in for the shock of their life. The big soldier turned around, his red eyes upon me, as his hand extended out towards me. I tried to move my head away, the thought of everyone seeing my true face making me very apprehensive. I felt his strong grip on my skin tightening, the magic binding the borrowed skin to my face weakening with each second. I heard them scream, gasp and vomit, when the skin was removed from my face.

"It's some kind of monster," one woman screamed. "Run for your lives."

14

The gathered crowd scattered in every direction, screaming and vomiting compulsively. Their eyes were filled with terror and disgust, once they saw what was hidden beneath the mask. Every glass, that could reflect my face, shattered to pieces all over the vicinity. In rage, I let out a fierce roar that echoed through the sky above me, inciting even greater panic amongst the people. Some screamed and fled in terror, some covering their eyes and noses, moving a good distance back. Even the guards were no exception—I could feel them quaking in their boots, their grip on me loosening. I felt ashamed and embarrassed—I had never let this many people see my true face, the face created as a result of immortality. Anna fainted when saw me, two guards catching her before she hit the ground. For some reason, my heart wavered briefly, the thought of Anna seeing my ghastly face greatly unsettling me.

"High Master, we must burn that thing," a young woman screamed, shielding her eyes away from me. "I will never be able to eat again, unless I see that hideous creature destroyed."

"Yes, destroy it," the crowd chanted, throwing stuff at me.

"Yes, it is certainly revolting," the high master responded, his right hand held high. "Now that you have all seen it for yourself, I see no point in delaying the inevitable."

"Wait, all of you," I roared, shaking off the flies coming from my head. "Don't you think you deserve to know how all of this happened? There is something the high master has been hiding from you, something you should all know. It's true—in my ambitious quest to acquire eternal youth, I stole multiple vials of the syrup of eternal youth and consumed them all at once. This is how my face ended up like this. If you doubt my words, then you must go to the other side of the great lake and see for yourself. You all need to see how the syrup of eternal youth is created."

"It lies," the high master boomed with anger, his eyes bloodshot red, and his nostrils flaring. "This creature is not only grotesque to look at, but it's also cunning and deceptive. Would you take the word of this monster over your own leader, the great man who created this society? Now burn that thing."

"No, he speaks the truth," a voice spoke above the crowd, forcing everyone to turn their attention to the left. "The high master has been deceiving all of us."

Three strangers, garbed in black cloaks, stomped through the crowd, removing the hoods from their heads. The crowd gasped, chatting amongst themselves at the new sudden developments. They were here a bit late; however, I was relieved to see them. Count Reginald, fuming with suppressed rage, adjusted his collar and walked casually towards me. He only stopped in his tracks when two armed soldiers blocked his path, their lances aimed at his abdomen. They had brought Lady Roselyn Kraft with them, a well-spoken lady of glamour and great influence. When she spoke, her voice sounded like a soft lullaby that could enchant weaker minds. Her words would surely reach the ears of this crowd of naïve buffoons.

"Is that you, Count Reginald and Lady Roselyn?" one of the women, standing next to the high master, howled. "Where have you been? What is the meaning of this? Weren't you supposed to be on a good will mission to the nearby star colony?"

"Don't listen to them," Jaris spat, clearly overwhelmed by frustration and fear. "They are all lying to you—dispose of them now."

"Before you rush into any hasty, irrational decision, you all deserve to know how the syrup of eternal youth is made," Lady Roselyn interrupted, puffing out smokes from her lips. "What we all thought was the greatest elixir of life is nothing short of deceptive nightmare. Tell them, High Master Jaris, you loathsome fiend, how many people you sacrificed to make even one vial of the syrup."

"This is treasonous behavior, even for you, Lady Roselyn," an older lady growled, slamming her fan into the guard rail, as she looked at the high master with a bit of doubt. "You seriously cannot expect us to believe that the high master's gift to us was created using live people. Do you have any proof of this?"

"I assure you that it's true," Count Reginald sniffed, taking a few steps back, fearing getting impaled by one of the soldiers. "If it wasn't for this man's heroic actions, we would have been fed to the tree."

"Guards, kill them now," Jaris shouted, his voice tense and grim. He was growing anxious and desperate, a truly bad combination for someone of his caliber. "I will no longer entertain these baseless lies. Can't you all see that they are trying to corrupt your minds?"

"That's not all," I finally spoke, seizing the moment of weakness to further agitate the fearful crowd. "Tell them, High Master, what the third rule of this utopia is. I am sure you never thought anyone would figure it out, did you?"

"Be silent, you vermin," Jaris hissed, his eyes starting to glow red.

"You all deserve to know something," I hollered, struggling to stay on my feet. "Those who come to this planet, voluntarily or not, can never leave this planet alive. Everyone who tried to leave ended up being used to create the syrup of eternal youth. If you want proof, I implore you to remove those bracelets on your arms."

"That's enough," Jaris snapped, jumping down from the balcony, and landing down on the ground in a loud thud. "I will clearly have to do this myself."

"Do it now, Sherman," I screamed, realizing what was about to happen. "Take your bracelet off now."

Sherman, the man who had accompanied Count Reginald and Lady Roselyn, twisted his head towards me and nodded. He took of his bracelet before the high master's hands could reach him, his body morphing before everyone's eyes. The crowd gasped, when they saw him, treating him like another monster. Sherman's eyes were now green, his skin hard and scaly, and his teeth sharp like those of a shark. His body grew twice in size, the black bowtie around his neck tearing, as his long, wide feet ripped out of his evening shoes. In every conceivable way, he had become a monster.

"Where are all these foul creatures coming from?" a man in the crowd huffed, wiping sweat from his brow. "How much more of this clown circus will we be forced to endure?"

"We need to flee the city before more of them show up," another chanted, the crowd agreeing with him.

"This is what happens to those who drink the syrup of eternal youth," I roared, pouncing on the opportunity to turn the people against the high master.

Jaris galloped through the crowd, grabbing Sherman by the neck and slamming him into the wall of an adjacent building. In his haughty manner, he brushed dirt from the crease of his black, silk vest, his horse ears twitching uncontrollably. In less than a minute, he had subdued and maimed the transformed Sherman, revealing that his strength was truly monstrous. He turned around, facing Count Reginald, his cheeks and arms covered in blood. I could not understand why women could not see his horse-looking face like all the men could, but it was not important. The situation, on the other hand, had played greatly well to my advantage. From the moment I saw the great tree consuming people, I realized that I could not escape using sheer brute skill and strength alone. I had to devise a way to create chaos and disorder within the city, to use the people's feelings to weaken the high master's power and influence. In addition, I had deducted that breaking through the magic barrier, enshrouding the entire planet, would require in-depth knowledge and a reversal spell only Jaris knew. It meant I was stuck here unless...

"Please, everyone, take off your bracelets." I yelled, trying to stir up further unrest in the weary crowd. "The high master wants to hide the truth from you—we must not let him get away with his crimes."

"Do it, all of you," Count Reginald added, raising his arm in the air and removing his golden bracelet. "If any of you have doubt in your hearts, then this test will surely confirm who has been deceiving you this whole time."

It took several more pleas from the count to get half the people to remove their bracelets, the result being disastrous cries of terror and shock. The whole city went fell into chaos, friends turning against each other, and lovers being drawn apart by their new physical differences. As expected, once the bracelets came off, most of the people morphed into hideous, volatile creatures. There is a price for all forms of immortality, I thought. These people are learning it the hard way—a shame indeed. If this madness did not stop now, history would repeat itself. The massacres that happened in the city of Ore were caused by something similar to this, I deducted.

"What is the meaning of this, High Master," a man with four eyes shrieked, his long tongue forking into the air. "Look at my face—its hideous now. What happened to my beautiful face?"

"My face is covered in boils," a lady chimed in, gazing at her reflection through a pocket mirror, her face filled dread and disgust. "How do we reverse this curse?"

I took advantage of the massive hysteria to loosen my shackles, as I planned my next move. I seldom ever planned this far ahead, relying mostly on my immortality, perceptional awareness and combat prowess. But I was facing the high master, a humanoid of great strength and speed, a truly difficult opponent. In my weakened state, he would prove to be far more than a worthy adversary.

"Enough, all of you," the high master boomed, the power of his voice shaking the ground and the sky above us. "I will no longer tolerate this insolent behavior. Even if there is some truth to their words, I have more than given you all everything your heart ever desired. But if that's not enough, I will tell you that there is way to reverse those disgusting mutations on your body and grant you permanent youth. You won't ever have to consume the syrup of eternal youth, and you will be free to come and go—as you please."

The restless crowd fell silent, their attention glued towards Jaris, who was sauntering towards me. The lingering sensation in the air changed, the shackles on my arms and legs somehow tightening. Jaris glared at me with sinister eyes, his malicious intent as visible as daylight. From thin air, he pulled out the book of legends, opening the first page quickly. He muttered something, his eyes glowing red, grimacing. Snapping his fingers, the soldiers dragged me closer towards him, felling me to my knees.

"You thought you could outsmart me, huh?" he whispered into my ear, his breath toxic and foul as pure sulfur. "Did you really think that you could turn these people against me? I must commend you for your cunning ingenuity, but, unfortunately, that ends now."

He retracted his arm and punched me in the face, loosening a few of my teeth. Not satisfied, he began to kick me in the stomach, only stopping when I lay flat on the ground, disoriented. Jaris turned his back towards me, his hands raised in the air, about to address the crowd. If I did not do something about these shackles, I knew, I was in for the pain of a lifetime. Wriggling, I turned on my back, studying my surrounding with great scrutiny, looking for a way out.

"The answer to all your problems lies here," Jaris continued, pointing at me, smiling. "Because he consumed a potent amount of the syrup, his blood mutated permanently to make him immortal. If you drink his blood, you will change back to your normal selves again."

"What," I stuttered, shocked, when I realized how crafty the high master was. He had managed to turn the situation around with just a few, mere words. It was exactly as I had suspected—whoever managed to outsmart the other, between Jaris and I, would come out of this victorious. "The high master lies to you all; you must not believe anything he says."

"Do you really think these naïve people would listen to you, even if you are telling the truth," he whispered to me, smiling lightly. "They don't really care about the truth. They care about beauty, precious minerals, materialistic wealth, and all forms of happiness. If they have to choose between the truth and happiness, they will choose the latter. You have lost, intruder, and now you will submit to my will. Now, soldiers, hold him down."

"If you do this, Jaris, there will be no turning back," I hissed, struggling to break free, my strength still fading. "You shouldn't use that book so carelessly for your own personal gain. If you have any sense in that horse brain of yours, you will heed my words and give me that book willingly."

"What are you blabbering about?" he snarled, slapping in the mouth with the back of his left hand. "You have the audacity to make a mockery of my facial features, and then you beg me not to use this amazing book. Who do you think you are?"

In an instant, he unsheathed his blade and slit open my wrists, drawing out massive quantities of my black blood. The servants hurried towards me, carrying a huge flask, proceeding to collect all of the blood spilling from my arms. I grew dizzy, nauseous, as my vision blurred. All of my strength left me, the weight of my own body bearing down on my like a giant boulder. I watched as the servants poured the contents of the flask, my blood, into smaller vials, distributing it amongst all of the citizens. They consumed the black blood without a moment's thought, some of them savoring the taste as if it were a fresh brew of honey. My word, these people had become monsters; they just didn't know it yet. I fell into the paved ground, my breath shallow, listening to the cheerful chants of the rowdy crowd. It seemed their monstrous mutations were receding, their faith in the high master restored.

"Do you want to know why your blood worked?" Jaris hummed, grasping the book firmly with both hands, admiring his handiwork. "It was because you consumed remnants of a soul eater—in that moment, you were became a pseudo soul eater, gaining some of its powers."

"What? How do you know about that, Jaris?" I asked, bemused, the pain in my arms overcome by my curiosity.

"This book contains more than just answers to powerful spells, curses and cures," Jaris grimaced, his dark eyes upon me. "It can even inform you of your enemy's deepest, darkest secrets."

"If that is true, then why didn't you use that book to deduce my identity from the very beginning?"

"I found you amusing, like a lost puppy wandering about on a rainy day. When you touched the cube, at the duchess's party, I concluded that you were not the real Darian Dreymus. A true member of the Dreymus lineage would have turned that cube into a diamond upon contact. It was the reason I sent Tamian to your manor, to truly understand the depths of your power, mentally and physically."

"So is that why you lured me to the other side of the lake? Did you intend to feed me to the great tree, to make another one of your so-called victims?"

"No, Tamian disobeyed my direct orders and lured you to that side of the lake for his own nefarious purpose. I never intended for you to see the great tree ritual. To be honest, I never imagined there would be another person on this planet that could see those ghoulish apparitions, besides me. It is probably a power you gained from consuming the soul eater."

"You must really enjoy hearing the sound of your own voice," I chuckled, my chest constricting, as I heaved and wheezed uncontrollably. "Your plans will fail—you won't be able to destroy me."

"Yes, I am aware of your immortality, and I also know your true weakness," Jaris snorted, ordering the guards to carry me, as he plodded towards a makeshift fire pit. "Your weakness is white fire, am I right? According to this book, it is the only thing that can destroy you."

Jaris's left hand glowed white, smoke simmering from the tips of his fingers. A white burst of fire enveloped his hand, the red aura emanating from his entire body. This was no mere cheap, parlor trick—his power, perhaps, exceeded that of Shovan. The great, white flames roared into the sky, the air getting thinner and hotter. I trembled with fear, upon seeing the intense flames, the hair of neck standing stiffly. In my current state, these flames could actually destroy me. I had barely escaped with my life against the power of the justice light, a power that rivaled the destructive force of twenty suns. The gathered crowd moved several hundred yards away, trying to avoid the awful heat the fire was producing. The giant flames were about twenty meters wide and were almost as tall as the Lycole's manor, but that was not the most baffling part. The flames did not spread or reduce everything around them to ash, as if Jaris had found a way to tame the wild blaze.

"Any last words, intruder?" Jaris asked, behaving in a supercilious manner, smirking. "If you had just ignored the great tree ritual, I could have allowed you to stay here among us, happy and free from misery."

"Well, I just couldn't allow you to hurt children," I scoffed, looking away. "Do your worst—I am not afraid."

"Despite your vicious, aggressive mannerism, you have a soft spot for children, don't you?" he laughed, grabbing me by the neck, and lifting me up. "It doesn't matter now—goodbye, stranger."

Jaris nonchalantly hurled me into the flames, his evil grin the last thing I saw before the flames consumed me. The pain was unbearable and never-ending. Every fiber in my body ached, my skin and bones slowly withering away. I screamed with rage and terror, my heart consumed with pure regret. This is it for me, I thought. Hopefully, I will not come back again. I closed my eyes and accepted my fate.

15

A great shroud of darkness surrounded me, the wounds on my body gone. I felt this gnashing rage burning inside me, this great power that threatened to consume everything in sight. It seemed I was not dead, to my disappointment. I opened my eyes and noticed that I was still within the white flames. Yet, for some reason, I was immune to them. I was nothing more than a skeleton now, without skin or muscle. The bracelet on my arm had crumbled away, all the emotions and sensation I felt before gone. My mind was hollow, and my heart as cold as ice. In a wild growl, I released my energy, transforming the white flames into a violent, black inferno. The power that had slumbered within me had been awakened in all its fury.

"What is going on, sir," I heard a deep voice ask, loud footsteps drawing closer. "Should we put out the flames?"

The moment I felt his subtle breath, I grabbed his neck and pulled him deeper into the flames, letting him taste the pain I felt before. He screamed and thrashed, trying to cut my arm off. Despite his tenacious, admirable fight to break free, he was no match for the black flames of the abyss. The massive inferno slowly consumed him until he was nothing more than ash in my hands. I felt absolutely nothing. In anger, I bolted out of the fire, roaring like a wounded animal, only to be met by a cascade of spears, arrows, and bullets. The crowd, upon seeing my ghastly appearance, screamed and began to flee away from the vicinity. The black vapors oozing from my body cast a dark haze of smoke, helping me hide my presence. To my left, I sensed the presence of an agile adversary, leaping and stomping, the cry of their sharp silver easily discernible through the mass hysteria. In an instant, I side-stepped and deflected her weapon with my unarmed hand, the force of her attack slightly chipping my tibia. It was the female soldier clad in red armor, her eyes glowing red. She retracted her arm back, spinning her body twice, her next attack aimed at my legs. I could follow the movements of her blade; however, I failed to dodge the shield she launched at me from the opposite side. As it hit me in the chin, my jaw dislocating, she followed her surprise attack with a wide, sword slash to my sternum. I fell to my knees, stunned, unable to defend myself.

"It seems you are a monster only in appearance," she commented, walking casually, her sword raised above her head.

"You don't know what a monster is, young lady," I hissed, catching her sword in flight with my left palm. "I am beyond a monster."

My skeleton body turned dark, the injuries I sustained from her blade vanishing, as I shoved her away with just sheer force. She was still a few hundred years too early to challenge someone like me. I turned my attention towards the high master, the fear and doubt finally gone. The only thing that remained was untainted wrath. He had played on my emotions and desires, making me believe that someone like me could find happiness. It was the most humiliating thing I had ever experienced, and I could not believe I had fallen for it.

"High Master, you horse-faced fiend, you will taste my steel," I growled, rushing towards him with great speed.

He did not looked fazed or fearful, when he glanced at me; instead, he turned his head and fidgeted with his fingers. Up above me, thunder boomed, the sky turning dark and windy. The ground shook beneath my feet, a cloud of dust slowly rising into the air. I stopped running, surprised, realizing that I had been surrounded. Unlike the other soldiers, my new foes had blue armor and actual, modern weapons. It was not their advanced armor or weaponry that caused great alarm—it was their bizarre, monstrous forms. They all looked like giant, humanoid rats.

"Just how did you survive the flames of purity?" Jaris asked, standing behind three armed guards, holding the book tightly close to his sternum.

"It was because your heart was impure, High Master," I snarled, assuming a fighting stance. "If you had been a man of good, moral intentions, those flames would have surely ended me. But I will give you credit for being one of the few people to discover my true weakness."

"What is that thing?" a woman suddenly shrieked, pointing towards the door.

Distracted, I twisted my head and glanced at the door that was slowly opening. Skinny, bony fingers grabbed the exterior walls, a ghost-like groaning echoing throughout the city. The ghoulish creature finally revealed itself, to the citizens' horror and shock. It resembled a woman in her late thirties, garbed in dirty, linen garments, and holding a black umbrella above her head. When she walked, her limbs violently cracked, her fingers twisting in every direction. It seemed everyone could see her—finally. More of these creatures were crawling out of the woodwork, terrorizing the citizens with their unruly behavior and inert desire for dialogue. Some people were dealing with only two ghouls while others were encircled by a dozen of them. It must have something to do with the amount of vials each person drank, I thought. This was more than I expected.

"It seems your plan backfired," I chuckled, observing Jaris's fraught, facial expression.

"It can be fixed—all is not lost," he grunted, trying to keep his composure.

"I knew that the people needed to be convinced of your wrongdoing, so I devised a way to make you show them yourself, High Master."

"You are lying, trying to trick me. There is no way you could have known that I would use your blood to complete the ritual of permanent youth."

"Yes, that would be impossible; however, I knew you were going to use the instructions from the book to complete the process. That book is cursed, if you didn't know."

"Are you telling me that you used reverse psychology, when you warned me against using the book? You cunning fiend, you knew that I would not listen to reason, that I would not take advise from someone like you."

"Had you thoroughly studied the history of Ore, the massacres that happened a decade ago, you would have figured it out for yourself," I chimed, reveling in his frustrations and anger.

"Yes, I should have but..." Jaris smiled, his eyes glint with excitement. "Lana Varo."

A cold wave of air hissed through the sky, yellow lightning striking down each and every ghoul within the vicinity. He completely destroyed them with extreme precision and power. The crowd sighed a breath of relief, the mixture of fear and desperation plastered all over their sweat, riddled faces. They clearly knew that the city was no longer safe, but they couldn't leave. The soldiers and city guards were preventing from leaving, for some unknown reason.

"Did you think you were the only one who knew highly, advanced magic?" Jaris asked in a boastful tone. "I clearly underestimated your tactful, resourceful nature, but I will not make the same mistake twice. It ends here, Rave."

"No, I was expecting it," I responded, pointing at the citizens. "You made a bad move, High Master."

The effects of consuming my black blood began to reverse their physical appearances, turning them into wild, violent monsters. The whole city went into a panic. This was what happened to the city of Ore, I surmised. The citizens, who drank the syrup of eternal youth and consumed my blood, went crazy with rage and hunger. They attacked other citizens, trying to eat them, the armed soldiers attempting to stop them. One of the citizens, in the form of a giant alligator with six arms, began to smash apart the buildings, his tail swerving, in callous manner, in every direction. All I could hear were screams and pleas for help throughout the whole citadel.

"What is the meaning of this madness?" Jaris growled, watching his city tear itself apart. "Did you do all this?"

"No, you did," I sniffed, pulling out my blade from my dimensional pocket. "Any spell you take from that book, if used for personal gain, will go horribly wrong. He cursed it to ensure people like us would not misuse its power."

"I see," he hummed, taking off his coat, the bandolier around his waist showing. "I will use this book to erase their memories of this day, and to rebuild the city once more, after I am done with you. All of you—get him."

The armored rats, all six of them, burst into a frenzy assault, using their numbers and great speed to confuse me. I dodged bullets and parried blades, unable to read their erratic movements. In the corner, I saw a glimpse of the high master muttering something, his right hand glowing yellow. Sensing the imminent danger, I ignored caution and went on the offense, sinking my blade into the heart of the first armored rat. His blade also found its way into my ribs, shuttering several bones in an instant. Gasping for breath, I felt several blades slash my arms, legs, and spinal cord, the pain unbearable. It was not enough to render me immobile but it still hurt a lot.

"Lantro," I chanted, firing a burst of energy into every direction.

The force of my power hurled the rat creatures several hundred feet back, allowing me enough time to attack the high master directly. Ignoring me, he hunched his shoulders, kneeling on one knee, smiling. From the ground, a mischief of rats appeared out of nowhere, their great numbers exceeding a thousand. But unlike ordinary rats, their eyes glowed red and their front teeth were sharp and metallic. They attacked me at the same time, their sheer numbers overwhelming me. I could feel their sharp teeth nibbling through my dark bones, their combined weight preventing me from moving.

"Lantro," I shrieked, casting another shockwave all around me, expelling away the rats. "Mavaro Lantro."

I followed up the first spell with another, tripling the effects of the enchantment on a greater scale. Despite the fact that there was a great magical dampener on this planet, it could not completely stop me from drawing power out of the smoldering, black vapors my body emitted.

"Your magical abilities are impressive," Jaris commented, standing upright and square. "Just how many wizards' souls did you consume to attain them? Yes, I am well aware of what you are."

"Then you know how dangerous I am," I roared, ignoring the falling rats, the blade in my hand singing through the air.

Bolting at full speed, my eyes locked onto the high master, I struck him in the chest as hard as I could, staining the pavement with his vile blood. As I watched him fall backwards to the ground, his arms spread apart—I could not help but feel uneasy. I sauntered forward, my sword still dripping with blood, and examined the high master. It was just as I had feared. I had been played for a fool. This body was nothing more than a puppet.

"Don't you think it's about time we ended this charade, butler?" I sighed, turning around slowly to face him. "Or should I call you high master?"

16

"What are you talking about, Master Darian?" he grumbled, patting his coat briefly, his eyes cold and distant. "How can you think that I, of all people, could be the high master? Isn't he lying over there at your feet?"

"Enough with your mind games," I hissed, pulling out my revolver out of the dimensional pocket. "I have grown weary of your tricks and deception. Did you think I wouldn't notice?"

"Notice what, sir? Haven't I been your loyal, faithful steward, serving you at your discretion?"

"Yes, you had me fooled from the start, but your greatest mistake was allowing me enough time to see through your trickery," I howled, pulling the trigger and firing one round.

Before the bullet could reach its target, it was deflected away by blunt side of a silver blade. I found myself staring at the female soldier clad in red armor, in the company of a battalion of castle guards. They were garbed in thick, heavy armor, armed with swords and steam, churning rifles. My butler stood behind them, smiling menacingly, his hands tucked in his pockets.

"What gave me away?" my butler asked.

"I first noticed that something was off when you set the soup spoon two inches away from the butter knife. A true butler would not make such a careless mistake as that. And what greatly caught my attention was how sharp and shiny your shoes were. Most stewards shine their shoes clockwise, but you shined your counter-clockwise."

"Are you serious?" he laughed, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard."

"That's not all," I continued, pointing at his shoulder. "You told me you had taken part in the high master's ritual, and were over six hundred years old, right? But when those ghoulish monsters appeared, you were the only person who they did not confront."

"That is quite an impressive deductive skill, I will admit," he commented, clapping his hands in a sarcastic manner.

"Since we are on that subject," I continued, ignoring his crude remark. "How long did you know that I was an impostor? I don't think it was a coincidence that you became my butler, was it?"

"From the very beginning," he replied, stepping forward, his guard dropped. "The moment I saw that gold from the city of Ore, I knew that you were an intruder. It had already dawned on me that someone would come looking for the book of legends, and I took precautions for such a scenario."

"So you were playing me the whole time?" I growled, adjusting my posture, inhaling slowly. "Well, it doesn't matter anymore, high master—as we speak, your city burns to the ground."

"Oh, you mean this city?" he responded, snapping his fingers, the air around us stiffening.

In an instant, everything around us froze, as if time had stopped. The monsters that had been rampaging in the city, the citizens fleeing in terror, had all stopped moving, like they were in some kind of trance. The power of the high master had vastly exceeded my wildest expectations. My butler walked casually towards me, his guards plodding behind him, their weapons trained at me. The book of legends was now in his right hand. To my bewilderment, his clothes morphed, his facial appearance changing drastically. In front of me now stood a young man with bright, golden hair and a chiseled face most women would fall madly in love with. He had strange, green eyes, a clean, shaved face, and a white scar covering most of his neck. He was slender, noticeably tall, with large, broad shoulders. I smelled a fragrance of orange peels and almonds from the light wind blowing downwind from him. Was this some kind of illusion? What sort of game was he playing?

"What is destroyed can be repaired and made anew," he hummed, appearing within inches from me, as if he was some phantom. "Everything on this planet is under my control, my dear friend."

I blinked, stunned, watching his small blade slashing through my sternum. The power and speed of his first attack was overwhelming, as it jerked me back a few yards away. If I was not immortal, this would have surely killed me. And before I could regain my mobility, I realized that I was surrounded by a horde of servants. It was a legion composed of every butler and maid from the whole city. Their eyes were as dark as the night, their teeth long and sharp. They did not move or breathe—the aura around them quite toxic. They are not human, I thought. I moved out of the way, feeling a threatening bloodlust, when of them abruptly moved. They acted like wooden mannequins, the bones in their bodies snapping and popping with each movement. I began shooting and cutting through the mass, unable to completely stop them. They did not wince or scream in pain, when my blade tore through their flesh. The horde was at least three hundred strong, unarmed, but each as strong as five grown men. I could not take them all at the same time.

"You should surrender now, Rave," the high master said, glancing into the distant sun, the sky still gloomy and ominous. "My servants were made to feel no fear or pain—your weapons are useless against them?"

"Is that so?" I chimed, turning around and dashing into the Lycole's building. "We shall see if what you say is truly true."

As expected, the servants stormed after me like brainless zombies, moaning and groaning, breaking the doors violently and shattering glasses. I ascended up the marble stairs, throwing furniture down their way, heading up to the highest floor. From my dimension pocket, I took four vials of dragon black ash-fire and green dust moss, sprinkling them on every floor I passed. The floors shook beneath my feet, the portraits hanging on the walls falling everywhere, the glass shards sticking to the soles of my shoes. To my horror, I found myself looking at this bizarre spectacle from my wildest nightmare. The stairway had turned soft and lumpy, these long, scabby arms bursting through the walls, attempting to apprehend me. The palms of the hands were covered in this green, slimy substance that stuck to the surface and hardened like glue. I could hear loud screams of anguish in the air, terrible and awful cries of lost souls. What had I walked into? Twisting my body, the blade singing through the air, I sliced one of the arms from the wall, kicking it away from me. But from the same hole where the dismembered arm had sprouted, two longer arms appeared, spraying odorous, green slime in every direction. The oil lambs on the walls suddenly burned out, several cracks in the foundation appearing. The servants finally caught up to me, hissing and spitting, their eyes glowing red.

"Ah, crap," I cursed, leaping through the stairs, cutting and shooting down any horrid arm in my path.

Upon reaching the next floor, I saw a humungous living room filled with antique, priceless artifacts. Old paintings from the lost ages hanged haphazardly all over the walls. In the middle of the room, I saw crates of pure gold, diamonds, and sapphire rubies next to mahogany table set. As much I was wanted to peruse through these treasures, I knew that time was not on my side. The possessed servants tore the doors, dashing towards me at full speed. In that instant, I lit a match stick, throwing the remaining contents of the vials onto the pine floor. I broke through the nearest window, freefalling down from several stories above the ground, feeling the effects of immense explosion behind me. The whole building was ablaze, the tremors rocking every structure within the city. I landed hard on the ground, the patella in my knees popping, and my heel bones cracking apart. I drew more power from the black vapors of the abyss, healing and repairing my wounds. A bit of my flesh was beginning to return to my body, but the rigidity of my movements was still a bit stiff.

"Bravo, Rave," the butler commented, smiling. "I must commend you for using my own advantage against me. You knew that you couldn't defeat them, so you hatched an elaborate scheme to draw them all into one place and eliminate them at the same time. However..."

Right before the entire Lycole building could fall into the ground, it froze in the middle of the air, along with blistering heat. His ability to stop time, to control everything on this planet befuddled me to no end. I had never met anyone as powerful as him. And to make it worse, he was practically also immortal like me.

"Let us finish this, one on one, High Master," I sighed, growing weary with frustration, the pain in my legs finally receding. "Why do you hide behind your men like a lowly coward? Are you afraid to face me?"

"Tell me, Rave, do you feel love for anyone?" he asked, ignoring my last questions. "Did you feel anything for the duchess, Anna?"

"What are you blabbering about, you fiend? I feel nothing for her. I had known for a while that whatever feelings I had for her were nothing more than delusions conjured from the bracelet I was given."

"Then why didn't you take it off? If you knew all that, you should have made the wise decision of casting it away."

"Because...it made me feel human, like I could find happiness and...," I stuttered, but then fell silent. "It doesn't matter now—the only thing I desire is in your hands."

"Now, I truly find this interesting," he grinned, signaling his guards to approach. "I truly want to see what your heart really desires."

Two guards stomped forward, holding someone whose face was covered with a black hood, her hands bound with braided rope. When the high master nodded, the two guards took the hood off her head, proceeding to push her down to her knees. She whimpered, terrified, glancing around without muttering a word. She looked at me with terror, a bit of tears flowing down her eyes. What was the high master planning? Did he think I would be moved by seeing Anna bound and helpless?

"My dear Anna, that is the man who was masquerading as Darian Dreymus," the high master said, rubbing away the tears from her eyes with his pocket handkerchief. "Do you believe me now? Do you really think this ugly thing is really your fiancé?"

She took a quick glance at me, averting her eyes onto the grounds without saying a thing. While I did not feel anything for her, I felt unbearable guilt for deceiver her, making her believe that my heart was true. I blanched slightly, tightening the grip on my revolver, the moment I saw the high master's blade pressed against her neck. He craned his neck, grimacing, reveling in my growing frustration.

"Do you love her?" he asked in a stoic voice

"No," I replied swiftly. "It will not work on me—I suggest you cease these childish, mind games."

"How about now?" he bellowed, forcing her up, his blade nicking her neck. "Will you stand there while I claim her life?"

"I will not fall for your deception," I growled, my heart beating rapidly. "You will not...."

"Okay, fair enough." he sniffed, plunged his blade into her abdomen, her screams echoing through the air.

Something snapped inside of me, when I saw her fall to the ground, saw her blood soak into the ground. I squealed, rasping for breath, my heart aching like it had been pierced by a thousand knives. I scratched my head, consumed by hatred and anger I had never felt before, the black vapors around my body spreading in every direction. Muscles and tendons grew back onto my skeleton body, organs and tissue following after, as skin dark as the bottomless abyss enveloped me whole. My body grew twice in size, my nails turning into long, sharp claws. I felt my jaw enlarge as a set of sharp teeth pushed out my ordinary teeth, in painful, bloody way. Black vapors oozed out of my mouth as I roared like a wild beast.

"This is getting dangerous," the high master muttered, raising his right hand. "We should change locations before you end up destroying the entire city."

Consumed by rage, I blitzed forward, my jaw open, planning to bite the high master's head off. A guard stopped my assault with his shield and blade, his efforts doing nothing to stop my relentless assault. I tore through his shield, biting and scratching his armor with all my strength. His companions were able to deflect my final attack before I could claim both of his arms. I leaped back, growling and stomping, biting and scratching the soldiers. I was losing control of my sanity and emotions. The darkness and pain was growing stronger with each passing second, threatening to overwhelm me. I knew I had to end it within the next ten minutes or less. And just before I could launch another grisly attack, I found myself in an entirely, new environment, the great city nowhere in sight. The high master had somehow transported us to another side of the planet, to a place where there was a lot of wild vegetation and treacherous mountains. It was cold and very dark, a wild wind howling ominously. Thorny roots poked out of the rough soil, limiting my speed and agility significantly. I could see those strange, glowing flowers all over the terrain, the light they emitted unhelpful against this darkness. I could not believe he had thought this far ahead—he chose this location to counter my newfound speed and strength.

"I am sorry, Rave, but I cannot allow you to run amok in my beloved city," he mumbled, coughing slightly into his gloved hand. "I really did not think you could get any more ugly; however, you keep surprising me."

"High Master," I growled fiercely, black fur sprouting from my body, as my nose turned into a snout.

In a pure state of rage, I launched a series of attacks, biting the arm off one guard and mortally slashing another in the chest. I leaped back, wincing in pain, upon stepping on a sharp thorn with my left foot. Whilst pulling it out, a streak of black blood staining the ground, I was impaled in the chest by a silver blade. I gasped for air, further consumed by rage, as I pivoted around and bit the man in the neck. He screamed, holding his neck, falling backwards to the ground, dead. I was growing agitated and restless, my mind falling further into obscurity. If I remained in this beastly form, the process would become irreversible.

"I will stop this beast, sir," the female soldier shrilled, striding towards me, holding a lance and silver sword.

She meandered through the grass, the cape on her back flailing wildly, as she took advantage of the long grass to hide her intentions. Her first attack was a short blade she threw whilst running, aimed for my chest. I deflected it with my claws, my attention drawn elsewhere, which gave her ample of time to maneuver behind me. I anticipated her next move and was able to stop her sword with both my arms. She pivoted back, spinning on her axis, impaling me in the stomach with her lance, the power behind her attack quite impressive. Yelping in pain, I held her arm, stopping her from retreating—drawing her closer to me. She had fallen for my trap. She wriggled and groaned, stabbing me repeatedly with her sword in a desperate attempt to break free. I held her arm with all my strength, placing all of my weight into my left leg, as I hurled her like a cannon ball towards the mountain. She flew in the air like a rogue bullet, disappearing beyond the horizon. The only person that remained was now the high master, my former butler.

"The power of the soul eater is incredible," he commented, grinning, his demeanor still unchanged. He took a flask from his pocket and consumed the liquid contents in one long gulp. "But it is no match for mine."

The vicious aura around his body intensified, his eyes turning big and black, the clothes on his body tearing asunder. He grew tenfold, morphing into some sort of horse, humanoid creature with six arms. His skin was grey, furless, and his muscles big and bulky. He let off a terrifying shriek that shook the sky apart, dispersing some of the dark clouds. I thought I was a monster, but my physical appearance paled in comparison to his. I sensed his power growing with each passing minute and realized that my window for victory was slowly shutting. I hurtled forward—claws extended outwards—and sunk my teeth into his thick skin. My word, I was shocked by how tough and rough his skin was. My sharp teeth could not penetrate it at all. He neighed like a wild stallion, grabbing me with all of his arms and smashing me into the ground. I lost count of how many punches he pummeled me with, as my mind phased in and out of consciousness. I needed more strength, more speed. I drew more power from the abyss, my mind and spirit being overwhelmed by the dark power. I stood up and slashed his chest with my right hand, gushing his blood all over the terrain. I followed my attack with a fatal bite to his jugular, almost ripping off his head in the process. It was now a battle between two monsters. Jaris, the high master, had already recovered from his fatal wounds, his regenerative speed greater than my own. This battle could last for hours, I thought. He will not go down, even if I rip him apart in two.

"Just like you, I grow tiresome of this skirmish," he sighed, kneeling on one knee, his right hand placed on the ground. "I believe everything is ready now for the final event."

"What are you talking about?" I snarled, licking blood from my palms.

"Did you really think I brought you here just to fight you?" he continued, the ground beneath us swarming with over ten thousand centipedes. They were loud, aggressive and kept stinging my feet. "I brought you here because I needed you to complete a reversal spell, to undo the damage you did in the city. I am sure you are familiar with the koniac spell, right?"

"That's impossible—that spell is impractical to create without gathering all the vital ingredients, plus you need..."

"Yes, you guessed right, Rave. I need the blood of an immortal, whose heart wanes between anger and confusion. Stabbing Anna, while it was saddening, was necessary for this ritual. You see, Rave, I had been waiting for someone like you for over five hundred years, someone who possessed your unique abilities and direct connection to the abyss."

"What exactly do you need me for?" I hissed—faltering—sweat pouring down my forehead, when I realized how many moves in advance he had planned everything. Jaris intended to use one of the three deadly sealing curses to bind me to this place for all eternity. Once the spell had been invoked, it could not be undone. It drew its power from the sealed immortal host, allowing the caster to manipulate a fabric of time and space, undoing or rewriting a specific event.

"It was exactly as you predicted, from the beginning. The power that gave me my immortality, allowed me to create my utopia, came with a great price. Anyone who came to this planet could never leave. To sustain our youthful appearance, some people had to be sacrificed, regardless of where they broke any rules or not. I never wanted any of this to happen, but before I knew it, things had gotten out of control. It was too late for regrets or to turn back. And of course, my horse-like face was another price I paid—well, not as hideous of a price as yours but similar."

"The pot calling the kettle black:" I chimed, noticing that the ground was starting to sink beneath my feet.

I was being buried into the swarm of centipedes, and I could feel them crawling and biting several parts of my body. The high master had no intention of fighting me in a fair fight, it seemed. The more I struggled to break free, the further I sank. It was like quicksand made of arthropods, a truly terrifying thought. I dreaded the feeling of being buried beneath the soil, being feasted upon by centipedes and worms for all eternity.

"You will be buried there, to complete the koniac spell," the high master snorted, rubbing his glowing palms to together. To make the situation direr, he summoned a great mischief of wild rats, ordering them to attack me. "With your demise, the curse that binds us to this planet will be broken, and we will be allowed to leave without losing our eternal youth and powers. Koniac Incernario."

"Reverse Karko," I screamed, pouring every ounce of my magic into a single finger.

"What did you do?" he screamed, struggling to control his army of rats and centipedes. "What was that spell?"

"This is a spell that repels back any attack aimed against me, Jaris. I knew that I couldn't defeat you with brute force, since you were also immortal, so I had to bait you into using your final spell."

"How could you have known I would use the Koniac Incernario spell? And even if you did, there was no way you could have come up with a way to counter it," he hollered, fighting off the rats and centipedes that had begun to attack him, his feet starting to sink beneath the ground.

"When you fight against me, you are facing the power and perceptive abilities of ten thousand souls. You never really stood a chance of victory." I responded, panting, resting my hands on my knees. "Had you waited till I was buried beneath the soil, your spell would have worked. However, your insatiable nature for boasting was your downfall, High Master."

"And when you transformed into that monstrous form, was that a part of your plan too? Did you fake feeling sad for Anna to get me to lower my guard?"

"Yes, I knew that if you saw how distraught and unfocused the whole thing made me feel, you were more likely to switch our battle location, thus playing into my hands."

"Looks like you win," he chuckled, tossing the book next to my feet. "I just have one more question for you. Were you happy, five days ago, before all this happened?"

"Yes, I felt like I had found a place I could call my own, a place for people like me. I really thought I had found love, a home, and a noble status in a greater society, even if it was all a lie." I sighed, being truly honest.

"That's what happiness is, Rave. It is a mental state of pure ignorance. If you had just ignored the ritual, returned to your manor after disposing of Tamian, I would have overlooked everything. That bracelet was created by powerful magic, drawing its power on your inert desires and fulfilling them. It gave you what you truly desired, did it not?"

"Yes, in a way, it did," I sniffed, watching him sink further into the soil, his head the only thing above ground. He did not cry or whine in pain, when the centipedes and rats crawled all over his face. "But people like me are not meant to find happiness. I was destined to be alone, to be miserable."

"Your own misery is of your own doing," he muttered, disappearing beneath the soil. "You will figure that out for yourself one day."

What did he mean by that? I thought. I collapsed to the ground, writhing and convulsing, unable to return to my human form. The darkness was starting to consume me, the light of purity burning my arms and legs. I was sweating profusely, wheezing and coughing black blood. I had drawn too much power from the abyss, and without my soul to act as a control center, the borrowed power would completely overcome me. I felt my body growing, the dark vapors around me swirling viciously. What do I do now? I thought. If this continues, I will truly turn into a mindless beast. It was then the book next to me glowed, opening up and flipping through a few pages.

"Bind your spirit to the soul of another," it read. "It is the only way to revert back."

"Where will I find a person to bind my soul to, you stupid book?" I chuckled, using my willpower to fight off the pain. "Who will want to bind their soul to a monster like me?"

"Just write their name on the page and it will be done," it wrote back.

"I see," I hummed, remembering the face of someone and writing it down. I did not want to do this—however, my choices were rather limited. I hoped she would forgive me one day.

17

She woke up in a violent scream, tussling with her sheets, sweating heavily. She looked left and right, reaching for a glass of water next to her bed and drinking it all. Upon finishing, she sat up, her unruly, black hair falling to her left shoulder. She sighed, her joints popping when she stretched her arms. I stood in the shadow, watching her, not knowing what to say or do.

"Darian, is that you?" she mumbled, adjusting her white, sleeping gown, turning towards me. "I know you are there. Why do you hide from me, my love?"

"Are you feeling okay?" I asked without stepping out of the shadows. "Does your wound still bother you?"

"Yes, thank you for asking," she replied back, smiling. "I want to see your face, to feel your warm touch. Please—come sit by my side."

"I can't do that," I muttered, ashamed and embarrassed. "I am not..."

"Darian, why are you acting strange?" she stood up and walked over to me, her hand reaching for my face. She gasped, covering her mouth with both hands, tears on her eyes. "You are not Darian, are you? The high master was right—I should have listened to him."

"I am the one who saved you, after he stabbed you in the chest," I replied, reaching for her hand. When she saw my face in the dim light, she cowered and retreated back towards her bed.

"What is this place? Where am I?" She asked without looking at me.

"You are inside my ship, Anna. I rescued you, and whisked you away from that dreadful, awful planet."

"You kidnapped me in my vulnerable state? I demand that you take me back at once, or I will report you to the authorities."

"Anna, didn't you love me when I was pretending to be Darian? Were you only in love with his physical appearance or with his heart? Were you not happy, when you spent those times with me? The real Darian Dreymus perished while confronting the witch in the marsh, and I know I can never replace him. Will you at least give me the chance?"

"Real love isn't about deception, lying, Dar...I don't know what to call you, and I can never love a person like you. You toyed with my heart, stringing my emotions for your own despicable ambitions. I want you to turn this ship around and take me back to my home."

"I can't do that, I am afraid," I responded, avoiding her cold, hateful gaze, unable to tell her the real truth. "The high master's spell, you see, backfired and froze everything in time. If you go back, there will be nothing there for you."

"So are you going to keep me here—as your prized prisoner? I will never submit my heart to a creature like you."

"I know you won't, Anna, which is why I will place a wager. If you stay with me for a month, of your own free will, I will undo the high master's curse and take you back home. And, in the process, if you fall in love with me, I will spend the rest of my days making your every wish come true."

"Do you even know what love is?" she asked nonchalantly, looking at me with curious eyes. "Why would you want to be with some like me? You barely know me. But...I will accept your wager, seeing as that I have no way to get home without your help. And if you try anything, I will stab you with a knife, or shoot you with a gun."

"That's fair enough," I smiled, turning around and exiting the compartment.

I could not believe I had deceived her again so easily. It made my stomach churn and my heart to ache, for some reason. Why did it hurt so much? I thought. What is she to me? Deep down, I felt nothing for her. I was using her for my own selfish reason, for my own desire to reclaim my lost soul. Truth be told, I had undone the spell on the city, using the high master's own final spell to reverse the magical barrier and strip the citizens of their eternal youth. The curse bounding them to that atrocious planet had been undone, and they could all now leave the place. The great utopia fell into ruins a few moments later, the air becoming toxic and nauseous. It was quite unfortunate I did not get to battle the other members of the Lycole clan and claim their souls. They somehow escaped my grasp, but their wealth and power could not prevent the rest of the colonies from learning their horrendous crimes. Their leader, Jaris Lycole, was now trapped in an eternal slumber deep beneath the soil, a satisfying end for my taste. And instead of being grateful and relieved, the citizens spat at me, threw stones and rubbish at my face, cursing at me with filthy words. Despite knowing what the high master had done, they still defended that wretched, horse-face fiend. They chose to blame me for everything that had happened, instead of accepting the gruesome truth in front of their eyes. All of them turned their backs on me. In my anger, I took most of their belongings as payment for my services, leaving them to their own devices. I could not revive the people turned into ghouls, as it required a power greater than my own—not that I even tried. I somehow speculated that their souls had been freed from the other realm, once the high master's spell had been dispelled.

The only person I took with me was Anna, the duchess. My spirit was now bound to her soul, the bond that held us together stronger than the bonds of carbon atoms inside a diamond. I needed her more than she knew—for the time being.

"What a day," I sighed, wiping sweat from my brow, as I adjusted the settings on the cockpit mainframes, plotting a new course.

"So where are you taking me?" she asked, appearing behind me, a hot beverage in her hands. "I demand to know what your plans are."

"I am going to Alstrasse, the city of virgins," I replied in a warm voice.

"Why would you go there? Haven't you heard the bad rumors about that city? They say it is a city of despicable things."

"I know, Anna, but there is something I need there," I hummed, pushing in the throttle. "You should fasten your seat beat—I am putting the ship into overdrive."

"Okay," she replied, sitting next to me, unfazed by my hideous appearance.

"When the time is right, I will tell you everything," I sniffed, unable to look at her. "For now, you will have to believe that I mean you no harm."
