“Why did you join Heavenly Light, Konfed?” Adion asked. He was sitting next to him up front, while his teammates were traveling inside the carriage.

“Well, unlike most who join, I don’t actually have any great grievance to beasts. I don’t have a family left, but that’s not because of beasts. It’s because of humans.” Konfed explained.

“Oh?” Adion was a little surprised. Heavenly Light seemed deeply focused on the hatred of beasts, at least in their recruitment. “Then why join?”

“It’s a long story, but someone from Heavenly Light took good care of me when no one else did. I didn’t think I’d get the chance to have a family again. I’m very lucky.” Konfed said with a smile.

Ah, even if he takes an Oath, I’m not sure I’ll trust it…Do I have to kill you, Konfed?

“What about you?” Konfed asked Adion.

“Revenge,” Adion answered.

“Mm,” Konfed nodded in understanding, “I also thought a lot about revenge once. But I don’t think that’s a path that leads to anything good. Now that I have people I care about again, I can’t be so selfish to put them or myself in danger for anything as empty as revenge.”

“Let’s see where that attitude brings you, Konfed,” Adion countered, “The world won’t change just because you do.”

“Well, maybe you're right. But at least I’ll have led a life I can be proud of.” Konfed said.

“So can I,” Adion answered.

“That’s good,” Konfed smiled, “I wish you luck on your quest for vengeance. Under Diamond Eulen, you won’t have any problems accomplishing that, I’m sure.”

“Right,” Adion said before turning quiet and looking out to the road ahead again.

They continued their journey for hours, and by the time they made it back to Wender, it had already gotten dark. Adion had his hood pulled up. There was no reason to take a gamble that no one on the streets along the way would see him and remember his face.

“I’m guessing I should head straight to Diamond Eulen?” Adion asked to make sure.

“Yeah,” Konfed nodded.

They arrived at the gate leading to the city, and Konfed handled talking to the guard. Adion also noticed that his teammates stepped out of the carriage.

“We’ll walk from here,” Benji said, “We’ll see you later at the inn, Adion.”

“Alright,” Adion nodded. He knew that they wouldn’t actually go back to the inn but follow them from a distance.

It wasn’t long before Adion and Konfed arrived in front of the manor where Eulen resided. They jumped off the carriage and walked up to the two guards at the entrance.

“Hi there, Konfed,” One of the guards said, “A little late, but I was to let you through no matter how late it is.”

“Not envious of you, kid,” The other guard said, looking at Adion, “Hopefully, you’ll get away with a scolding.”

“Mm,” Adion simply nodded. He and Konfed then made their way to the mansion he had been to the last time he visited.

“Does everyone here know about me?” Adion asked Konfed as they were walking.

“Well, Diamond Eulen kind of lost his patience last night. I think a lot of people heard him yelling. The guards probably figured it was you that his anger was directed at when he saw you with me.” Konfed answered.

I guess that’s fine. Those guards won’t live past tonight anyway.

When they got to the main mansion, Konfed stepped up and knocked on the door. It didn’t take long before the butler, Jakett, opened the door to let them in.

“You, head up to Diamond Eulen,” He said to Adion, “Konfed, I have something to talk to you about.”

“Alright,” Adion nodded and made his way to Eulen’s study. He was nervous but didn’t think he needed to hide it. It was expected, considering how he’d angered a Diamond mage.

Adion felt the presences in the mansion through his sphere of space mana. It seemed fewer people were around than the last time Adion had visited. Those Bronze mages that Adion assumed were servants seemed to have gone home for the day.

Those Gold mages aren’t here either. That’s good. But If they have heard Eulen talking about me, it would be good if they got killed. That Hettim knows my face too.

Adion arrived in front of the door leading to Eulen’s study and prepared to knock, but before he got a chance, Eulen’s voice rang out from inside the room.

“Come in, Adion,” He said.

Adion didn’t stall and immediately stepped inside. He bowed low and greeted the Diamond, “Good evening, Diamond Eulen. I apologize for my tardiness, but I had a good reason.”

Eulen stared quietly at Adion for a moment before speaking, “And what reason would explain your absence for two months, knowing full well that your superior is waiting for you?”

“I have a treasure that I believe will make you forget any anger toward me, and perhaps even want to praise me to the skies,” Adion honestly answered.

Eulen raised his eyebrows in interest, “Very well, take a seat. I hope you are correct in your assumptions. A treasure for you might not be one for me after all.”

Adion straightened his back again and went to take a seat in front of Eulen’s desk.

“So?” Eulen asked, “What is it?”

Here we go. Adion thought as he grabbed the Grand Soul Clarity Pill in his pocket.

Adion had practiced sensing pills for the past weeks and discovered that pills indeed have a type of aura, like Dellia said. It was not the same type of aura that stemmed from the soul, but Adion didn’t know what to call it besides ‘aura’; he could sense it with his aura sense, after all.

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He could now not only tell them apart just through his aura sense, but he could also hide their aura with his own if he kept them close to his body. Something done naturally to a certain extent, which is why Dellia couldn’t feel the pill Adion had had in his pocket when they talked.

But in front of a Diamond mage, Adion had taken the necessary precautions and actively hidden the pill’s aura. He also focused on his killing intent, which was starting to slowly show its presence in his aura. He had practiced hiding it a lot, but he wasn’t sure it was enough to slip by a Diamond mage’s senses. Hopefully, the pill would help distract Eulen from feeling anything off.

Adion slowly lifted up the pill from his pocket. At the same time, he took control of the space behind Eulen’s head using his Authority. He froze the space, preparing his attack.

“It’s this pill,” Adion said, dropping the pill on the desk between them.

He could feel Eulen’s shock as the pill’s aura was released.

Adion immediately split the space into 128 separate spaces and made them move around as fast as he could with his Will. He then controlled it to push into the back of Eulen’s head, trying to force control over the space there.

It all happened so fast. Adion felt he got some damage done, but Eulen reacted almost immediately. Eulen sprang to his feet and conjured a blade of water that was shot toward Adion.

Adion tried to use his Authority over space to stop the attack, but it only managed to slow it down somewhat. Adion felt how his torso was almost cut in two. He yelled out in pain and immediately pulled out a Supreme Healing Pill of Mesana.

Adion made the mistake of looking down and could see his guts spilling out. With very shaky hands, he focused on bringing the healing pill to his mouth.

As soon as he swallowed the pill, his wounds started closing up, and Adion felt an enormous amount of healing energy course through his body.

Adion got up and prepared for the next attack. But as he looked toward Eulen, he noticed the Diamond’s eyes slowly closing. The next moment Eulen was on the floor, and Adion saw a big bloody hole on the back of his head.

It worked!

Adion immediately brought out his sword and cut Eulen’s head off, not taking any chances.

I did it. I killed a Diamond mage. At the cost of one of my healing pills, but I counted on that being the case. Hopefully, that’s the only one I have to use tonight.

Adion smiled. Guess I’m going to cause Heavenly Light some serious trouble sooner than I expected.

He closed his eyes and tried to calm his breathing. Mom, Dad. This is the first step. When I’m finished, not one member of this group will be alive to threaten our family again.

Adion didn’t have much time to be left in thought, though. He could feel several Silver mages approaching.

They must’ve thought nothing much of the sounds, but now that Eulen’s aura has disappeared, they must have started wondering.

Adion grabbed the Grand Soul Clarity Pill that had fallen to the floor and ran out of the room into the hallway. He could feel two high Silver mages were coming from the right. Adion ran up to meet them.

“Help! Diamond Eulen, he is, he is,” Adion tried his best to act scared.

The Silver mages quickly approached Adion, “He is what?” One of them hurried Adion.

Adion was now in front of both of them, and their guards were down. Adion froze the space surrounding them and quickly slashed his sword across their throats.

He could just barely hold on to the second man before managing to kill him. If he had been only a second slower, the fight might have been a lot more difficult.

Hopefully, they’ll get here soon. It won’t be easy facing that kind of situation many more times. Adion thought as he observed the mansion through his sphere of space mana, looking for his teammates.

I guess it will take them a while. I’ll have to do what I can.

Thankfully, Adion could feel that only five more Silver mages were left in the mansion. Two of them were in the basement, guarding the treasury. Two others were running toward him from the same direction the other two had come from. Adion ran up to meet them to employ the same tactic. The last Silver was the butler, who seemed to be walking briskly in Adion’s direction next to Konfed. But they were still a distance away.

“Please hurry!” Adion yelled as he met up with the two Silver mages.

“What’s going on? Who is-” But before the man could finish his sentence his body was frozen stiff and a sword cut his throat open. His colleague experienced the same end a second later.

Their Will was a little weaker, fortunately. But still too close for comfort.

Adion turned to the direction where the last Silver mage was coming from.

That butler might be tricky. He’s not running here in a panic. He might be on his guard more. But that also gives me some time to think about how to deal with him. Konfed won’t be a problem; he was supposed to be captured by the others, but he hasn’t had time to leave yet. I guess I’ll have to question him myself.

Adion decided that it wasn’t worth risking being attacked when running towards Jakett like he had the others. Supreme Healing Pills of Mesana weren’t growing on trees. So he sat down in the hallway in a meditative position, and closed his eyes.

He focused on Jakett’s and Konfed’s approaching figures through his space sense. Adion hoped that his non-threatening and odd position would give Jakett some pause.

It didn’t take long before Jakett and Konfed appeared before him. Jakett stopped about 12 feet away from Adion and stared at him warily. And that was good enough for Adion.

“What-” Jakett didn’t get to finish as his body was frozen and the back of his head busted open. Adion let go of the space and let Jakett’s dead body drop to the floor.

“Adion, what…what is…” Konfed stammered with a pale face.

“Who knows about me being here today?” Adion asked as he stood up and stared at Konfed.

“Adion, did you just-” Konfed tried asking, but was interrupted as his body was frozen in space, only his head free to move.

“I asked who knows about me being here today,” Adion asked.

“I…I don’t know Adion. I was ordered to bring you back to Eulen by Jakett,” Konfed tried to look around, probably confused about where Eulen was, “I think Gold Hettim and Gold Darto would know about it, though.”

I think so, too. The possibility that they know about me is certainly not low enough for me to feel safe while they live.

Adion focused on Konfed. He was still unsure of how to deal with him.

This isn’t a decision I can take back if I regret it.

“Adion…?” Konfed hesitantly asked as Adion turned quiet.

Leaving him alive would be annoying, but…I guess killing him might provoke a worse feeling. Screw it.

“You’ll come with me,” Adion said, “I’ll take you to Gerrinswood, where you’ll have to swear an Oath so strict you’ll wish it were a slave Oath. That or die.”

Konfed looked at Adion, conflicted, “I won’t do that, Adion.” he said resolutely, “Never. Shouldn’t my word be good enough?”

“Are you crazy?” Adion asked, “Not even your Oath is good enough, I’m just trying to find some way to let you live. You won’t be a slave. It’s simply an Oath of strict secrecy.”

Konfed shook his head with tears in his eyes, his body still frozen in space, “My grandfather was a slave, you know. Kuwamin. My parents were slaves. Only I got away. My grandfather told me that even if the other option was death, I should never swear an Oath.”

“Who cares what your damn grandfather says?” Adion said in a slightly raised voice. He pulled out his sword and walked up to Konfed. “Oath or death. Last chance, Konfed.”

Konfed seemed to hesitate for a moment before more tears started running down his cheeks, “I…I won’t swear on Oath, Adion.”

Adion sighed, “Like so many else tonight, you don’t deserve to die. But you made friends with the wrong people. My enemies. So I won’t let you live.”

Adion raised his sword above Konfed’s neck, “I’m not sorry,” he said and swung his sword. Konfed’s head fell on the floor. Adion let go over the space holding his body, and took a few moments to gather himself.

That wasn’t fun. But I should get used to it. It is only the beginning.