The cold wind blew once again and with it returned the quiet. Rev walked to Victoria and propped her up.

"As expected of the fated hero, I hope you forgive me for my blunder"

Rev smiled as he helped Victoria walk back to their camp.

"Still it is strange to encounter a monster of that strength. Out in the plains only goblins and rarely orcs would attack. With one hit it damaged me considerably."

[So there are some spawn chances too?]

Victoria's armor clunked when she plopped down on a soft tuft of grass.

She cast a fireball spell once more and looked at the flames softly. Pondering the limits the damage she was dealt would give.

Rev noticed she was slightly depressed and from her words it should mean being damaged was the reason.

"Why don't you just drink a potion or two?" Rev suggested innocently.

"You know of potions?"

"They restore health, right?"

"Yes, but the last potion seen was no less than a hundred years ago."

[Woah. When you think rpg usually potions are everywhere. Not this time I guess.]

"They're really that rare?"

"The way it was made was forgotten since the last war. Ever since then potions were nonexistent"

[Odd.]

"Oh, but please don't worry about me. I can buff my regeneration. I should be fully healed by sunrise then we should depart and procure food"

"If you say so then it should be fine. I believe you so get some sleep. I'll stay up watch this time."

"No need for that Sir Rev since you defeated that monster, other monsters would stand clear if they are lower in levels"

"Good night."

...

...

Rev and Victoria woke up with the sun shining gently on their faces. Rev felt refreshed, something he thinks he doesn't feel every time he wakes up.

Victoria started packing immediately and Rev folded his sheet and handed it over. The horses ready to depart, Victoria jumped on, holding her badly dented helmet and strapping it to the side of the horse.

Just before Rev could hop on his horse, something glittered at the corner of his eye.

He turned his head and his eyes widened. A strange feeling of satisfaction warmed him inside. The golem's remains were huge and scattered across the field.

Just above the golem's torso, it glittered once more so Rev went to investigate.

"Sir Rev?"

He walked over and picked the object up. It was a glass-like orb, the size of the palm of his hand. Different colors streaked around the outer part of the object and in the middle, a faint grey shade was seen.

Victoria rode over to him, Rev's horse in tow.

He held the orb up to show it to Victoria and asked her, "What's this?"

"That is a culmination orb, Sir Rev. Once we finish our mission you can turn that over to a temple. They convert it to experience crystals."

[Why does this thing look a bit appetizing? I wouldn't even be able to put it in my mouth]

Rev slid the orb into Victoria's pouch and the two rode again. After a short while of travelling, Victoria took notice of dark smoke rising from far down the road.

She knew what it probably was. It was common around areas far from the capital or large cities. Bandits.

Stolen novel; please report.

Victoria informed Rev and picked up their pace. Hoping to arrive there as soon as possible.

When they finally arrived, houses were and fire and dead men were sprawled about. The smell of blood and smoke filled the air.

They unmounted and went deeper into the village where sounds of metal clanging caught their attention.

The two rushed to see people battling, bandits slaughtering the men and women and children running for their lives.

One woman burst out of a house beside them, her clothing torn and a bandit followed.

Victoria drew her sword but Rev was already one step ahead. He dashed forward and got in between the woman and the bandit, as he did. Victoria could swear there was a tinge of red on Rev's otherwise black pupils.

"You disgust me"

That was the first time, Rev thinks. That he ever punched another person so hard, his own arm disappeared. An event that would alarm Victoria if not for his regeneration making everything seem like it was just a trick of the light.

The loud bang interrupted the sounds of battle and stole the other bandits' attention. They looked and saw their boss' legs still standing and nothing on top.

Filled with fear, they ran.

Victoria sheathed her sword and knelt down to tend to the woman on the ground. But Rev didn't plan on letting even one of those monkeys escape.

Though he broke his legs a few times to catch up, it was nothing. Rev brutally murdered each and every one of the bandits, leaving blood ajd body parts scatter and fall down like rain straight from a nightmare.

When the women ans children were tended to, all that was left gathered in the warm tavern. Most crying, some left traumatized and some were simply quiet.

A woman walked up to their saviors. "I am Diana, the chieftain. You both have my deepest gratitudes for saving my people."

Victoria stood up.

"Think nothing of it,

[It's hot. Everything's bothering me]

"Do you have any food?" he blurted out of the blue

"Ah, yes. As a matter of fact we're almost finished preparing supper"

Diana smiled when she replied.

Moments later, women and children walked in carrying platter after platter of food.

Meat, fruits and barrels of ale.

The smell that filled the room temporarily made them forget about the previous attack.

The second the large platters were set down, not a minute was wasted and Rev started eating. He ate like it was the first meal he had in ages.

Everyone else followed and began to eat as well.

Even after consuming two large platters, he still felt hungry. It wasn't enough.

He stepped out of the tavern and nobody noticed but Victoria. She instinctively followed out of concern and a sense of duty.

The cold night breeze met Victoria's face then she saw Rev walking toward her horse.

He pulled the orb out of the bag and stared at it. Remembering his ravenous eating moments before, Victoria knew what he was planning to do.

She ran and shouted at Rev.

"Stop!"

But Rev's hunger got the better of him. Victoria knows what happens to people who foolishly try to eat culmination orbs.

They die.

He heard her voice and stopped.

Victoria rushed to his side and took the orb from his hand. "Not this!" she exclaimed angrily. What would happen if the fated hero would die from eating something he shouldn't have.

Rev faced Victoria.

She slapped him in the face hard. It snapped him out of his confusion and he wondered what he even was doing.

Both of them returned to the tavern without a word.

Sometimes, Rev feels that he's not a part of what's happening. Like a mere observer not meant to tamper with fate. Maybe it was because this world felt too much like a game. Nothing was real.

Maybe a dream he would soon wake up from.

So a little experiment took place.

On the second floor of the tavern was an inn, something merchant towns will always have for travelling salesmen.

In his room, only a single candle was lit beside his bed. An old smell of wood. The room was basically empty except for a drawer and a window that showed the road and the night sky.

Rev laid himself down and thought to himself.

[This feels weird. Something is definitely off and I don't know what.]

Someone knocked on the door twice and entered, Victoria walked in with a sorrowful look on her face.

This was a new sight.

Victoria without her armor and without her sword. Just another female of the human species. Completely defenseless yet with the audacity to say that she won't harm another human being. Lies.

She dropped and knelt to the floor,her head on the ground and on the verge of crying.

Her voice shook

"Sir Rev, I apologize for earlier. I didn't mean to hit you. It was against my vow and a great disrespect to you. Punish me as you please."

[Oho]

She sat up again to show her face.

"It was just, people die when they try to eat the culmination orbs. It was common knowledge and I had forgotten to tell you. My body moved on its own"

Rev knew Victoria wouldn't settle down umless some kind of punishment was laid down. And Rev was feeling a bit mischievous.

Rev picked her up in his arms.

"Eh? Sir Rev?"

"Just call me Rev."

He dropped her down gently on the bed and got on top of her.

"Si-... Rev?!"

"Punishment"

"S-something else, please. My vows."

"Oh right, you need to preserve your virginity or something"

"yes"

"Then kisses should be fine, right?"

"........"

Victoria was beautiful in the moon's glow. Her red hair sprawled about the pillow, her eyes straining to close themselves off and her arms desperately trying to cover her embarrassed face.

It was all too appetizing.

"If only..if only for a little bit. I shall accept it as my punishment"

Rev inched her face closer, agonisingly slowly for her to watch.

Too Gullible. An honest person that would most likely never lie in their entire life. One that would love one person wholeheartedly. So kind that preachers and priests would pale in comparison yet possesses the strength to defend the weak. A person that

[Makes me want to eat her up]

Rev stopped. Millimeters from contact with her lips, she smelled sickeningly sweet. Enthralling him even further to just consume her completely. Her neck in full display.

[No, this is. I may not remember anything yet but. This is probably not who I am]