System Notification: You have leveled up Perfect Memory! (Level 3 → 4)

I woke to a hurting head and a notification. I looked around the area, and was able to piece together that I hadn’t been out for very long. Shorter than the memory had lasted, actually. The assassins were only just now jumping from the roof, and surrounded me as they landed.

One of them pulled out a weapon that looked like a huge needle. It was longer than my arm, but thinner than a stick. Luna didn’t doubt that its edge was sharpened though. I immediately tried to get up, but my legs wouldn’t support me. The assassin kept his needle-sword pointed at me while another withdrew a rope from seemingly thin air, and used it to bind my hands behind my back. And with that, I was thrown over someone’s shoulder, and awkwardly carried across the city-turned-battlefield.

The entire time I was carried around, I tried to search for avenues of escape. But there hadn’t been any. And I knew that none would come. The entire time, it had been hopeless. There was a valuable lesson that I’d been forced to learn. Nothing came easy. I’d been expecting some sort of miracle the entire time. I’d expected to somehow find a way out of a situation where I had no real options. It was a naive way to live. It was only too bad I wouldn’t live long enough to put it to any use. I’d already made up my mind earlier. If I couldn’t escape, I would die. Whether Victor ordered it, or I had to make sure of it myself. I wouldn’t let Victor turn me into a weapon, just so that I could cause the same amount of pain and suffering that I’d seen today.

That I’d caused in the past.

I was dragged back to the toppled walls, Victor was there, waiting for me.

“I’m assuming, that by your lack of new levels, your mission didn’t go as planned,” Victor said, his voice bored.

“She tried to escape, commander. She broke her legs as she jumped off a roof.’ one of the assassins finally spoke up for the first time.

“That is fine,” Victor replied. He sat on a large piece of marble. “I was almost completely sure Luna here would try to make a run for it anyway. I’d hoped the presence of you four would convince her otherwise, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.”

I stayed silent. If I was to be executed like any other deserter, then I didn’t want to drag this on any longer.

“But you know what, Luna?” Victor didn’t move from his seat. My vision was fixed to the ground. I could still feel him looking directly at me. And I could hear the smile in his voice. The bastard was happy about something. “I’m in a good mood today! Belias was once deemed impenetrable. Just like Isam, a century ago.”

Luna’s mind went back to one of the memories she’d recovered. She’d seen gigantic walls, much larger than what she’d seen in Belias, suddenly disappear. She could have believed a city so huge to be impossible to capture. But the disappearance of the walls likely changed that quite a bit.

“And yet, look at how easily we have taken the city.” I suddenly heard the sounds of wind blowing, and then noticed Victor standing right next to me. “And this is only the beginning of what will be our nation's greatest conquest in history!”

I tried and failed to stop rage from contorting my face. All this suffering… And he was only planning to keep going. If I’d had the strength, I would have killed him right then and there. How many innocent people would be hurt, simply because Victor had great ambitions? The world would have been better off without him, even if new blood stained my hands. Just like the world was slightly better off without Acelina.

I couldn’t help but wonder if the same could be said about myself. How many had I killed, even if it was my self in the past. I’d come scarily close to firing at the undefended soldiers that were only trying to get ready to protect their city and citizens. To some extent, I still had the capacity to hurt innocent people. Or at least, people I deemed innocent.

“That’s why, I’m going to let you go.”

I didn’t take whatever bait Victor was giving me. “Just kill me already. I don’t want to play any of your dumb games.”

“I assure you, there are no games intended, Luna. I have no use for a weapon that won’t kill. Now, I can’t guarantee that the arbiters won’t get involved, but I, at least, will not send anyone to track you down or hunt you.” I finally looked up at Victor. Once again, I was reminded of the smile of a hungry wolf. “Ah, since I’m feeling extra generous, I’ll even give you a potion to heal you of the injuries you stupidly suffered while jumping off the roof of a building!”

A red potion landed at my knees. Victor nodded to one of the assassins, and my hands were freed soon after.

“I’m not dumb, Victor. I know there has to be a catch. You aren’t so kind as to let me go without wanting anything in return.” My words were laced with hatred.

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Victor only gave an exaggerated sigh. He began walking further into the city.

“What do you want!” I yelled after him. He didn’t say anything. He only kept walking.

For a while, I stared. I’d finally gotten what I wanted, but it just didn’t feel right. I was free, but I couldn’t truly believe it. It all felt too convenient. Right after I’d been forced to learn that nothing would come so conveniently.

Eventually, Victor disappeared behind a building. The sounds of battle had stopped. My confusion was soon replaced with pain, my body reminding me of how terrible a condition I was in. I begrudgingly took the potion that I was given, and drank it. Within moments, my injuries were completely healed.

Victor’s potions had healed terrible injuries. They were expensive, I was sure. And he’d given me so many over the course of my time with the legion. Yet, there were likely plenty of dead soldiers that might have lived, if they’d had the same potion. Or perhaps that didn’t matter… They would only have killed others with their second chance.

I stopped my brooding. It wasn’t helping me any. The sky was already darkening, and I had nothing. I couldn’t depend on the legion for food anymore, but I also didn’t have a bow. I might have had time to search for one, but I didn’t want to chance running into anyone dangerous who might take me back to the legion.

It was time to leave, and start over. Cyril and Lise had been taken from me, and with them, the only home I knew. I didn’t have time to think about the future, though. Not yet, at least. First, I needed to ensure my survival. I would worry about everything else later.

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I ended up staying in the city for the night, but made sure to stay near the outskirts. The destroyed part had been almost entirely abandoned, including the buildings that still seemed to be in good shape. I wasn’t too worried about being caught sneaking around at night, as I couldn’t imagine any need to even have someone guard an area that was abandoned and destroyed. There just wasn’t anything to guard. Plus, I could clearly hear the sounds of celebration echoing through the city. Victor’s legion was triumphant, and they laughed, danced, and sang because of it.

As poorly as I felt about it, I did look around for some supplies that I could use. I refused to wear the legion’s uniform any longer than I had to, and I also needed a new bow. I didn’t want to go near the areas where the fighting in the city mainly took place, and look around for a bow someone might have dropped. That almost surely would have had me seen by someone, and I wasn’t quite in the mood to deal with any soldiers. Nor did I want to even have a chance to see Victor again.

It took an hour of searching for me to find clothes that fit me well enough, but also seemed practical for travel. I’d actually found it in what I assumed was a blacksmith’s shop. Armor and weapons were displayed all over the place, mostly made of metal.

I’d managed to find myself a leather skirt and tunic that also had woolen underclothes. Thankfully, the blacksmith was either a skilled leatherworker, or had someone working for him that was. I felt bad about taking it, but I really needed the supplies if I was ever going to leave the city. If I’d had money, I would have left some.

In another shop, I’d come across more useful things. A bag that was also made of leather, along with a waterskin and some dried jerky that I could take with me. I was confident enough to hunt for my food, but I’d never take preparation for granted again. If, for some reason, I couldn’t hunt, it was good to have a source of food. I’d needed to find some water as well, but a nearby well had fixed that problem easily enough.

After a fruitful night of searching, I found a comfortable place to rest for the night. Although I expected a bit of trouble getting there, sleep took me easily enough.

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Luna and Madeline made it back to the camp. It hadn’t really been a long journey to get there, though it felt like days to Luna. The sun had barely even shifted its position in the sky.

After being held captive for over a month, Luna needed time to herself. She seldom had any in the army, but she’d quickly grown to miss it.

“Welcome back,” Madeline said from beside her. Luna simply nodded. “We’ll have to go and give a report, before you can get any rest.”

It took all of Luna’s strength to follow Madeline to the command tent.

“Welcome back, Madeline. And from the looks of it, you have brought back our stray?”

There were five middle-aged men in the tent, each with highly decorated uniforms. They sat around a table with a small map. The most decorated one, who also sat in the middle, had been the first one to speak.

“Give us your full report.” His eyes had zeroed in on Luna, and the other four also gave accusatory looks. They’d assumed she had attempted to desert the army, so the commanding officers weren’t too happy with her.

Luna recounted everything, starting from the mission she had first been sent on, to the events of that very day, when she’d been rescued. The only thing she left out was the achievement she’d gotten at the end. Everyone, including Madeline, had quietly listened until Luna eventually finished up.

“Madeline, can you verify the validity of the parts where you were included?” The leader of the five asked.

“I can,” she responded.

There was whispering among the five, but they eventually seemed to settle on a decision. “Luna. We find your recounting to be believable. You may rest for tonight, and go back to your regular duties tomorrow.”

And with that, she was dismissed. Everything would go back to normal the next day. As normal as killing could ever be.

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