“Do you know what happened here?” Sera asked, her voice reassuring.

“Sera,” The gruff gentleman said, “You assuming the little lad even lives here?”

“Where else would he have come from, Gregor, a hole in the ground?” Sera shot the man a disapproving look. She cautiously, and slowly approached Levi. When she noticed him scramble behind the tree, she crouched down. “It’s okay, we’re not going to hurt you. Where are your parents? Is there anyone in the town?”

Although the woman was a beauty, and her words were like honey in his ears, Levi couldn't help but remain vigilant.

If he asked too many questions, would it piss her off? Would she use that blade to chop off his head if he asked something wrong? These people looked powerful. Far stronger than the greenkins and wolves and even that terrifying tentacle monster from the Deep Dark.

In the end, Levi decided to use his age to his advantage. Children always asked lots and lots of questions.

“Who are you?” Levi repeated his first question. It wasn’t an answer that told him much at all. He needed to know who they were, not just what they were doing here. First he needed to understand their objective, then their standing. Were they good people, or bad? Violent, or peaceful?

Them blasting the wolves skull open left a lasting impression. A scary one.

“We belong to the Supernatural Detective Corps, lad,” the man named Gregor said. “SDC for short.” He walked to the border of the forest where the town lay in full view. He spotted the burnt corpses of the greenkins. “It’s our duty to investigate the supernatural. The shit that just can’t be explained with common sense, that can’t simply be deemed as a result of ‘magic’. Get me?”

“He’s just a child, Gregor,” Sera spat.

“A child that has awakened to a Birthright,” He said, Levi’s guard rose. “A child that defeated a party of greenkins, along with its chief. A child that has survived the nights of Krag. He’s not just a child, Sera.”

Levi’s mind spun. He had to redirect the attention. This wasn’t looking good. “It wasn’t me–”

“It was.” Gregor smiled, his eyes turning pure white. Levi shot behind the tree, peeking out warily. The man continued, “Others may not be able to tell, but not me. I see. More than you know, lad. So no lies. And that ain’t even bothering to mention that the Krag-chosen have a particular stink to them.”

Levi’s heart sank. It felt as if he was stripped bare in front of the white-eyed man–as if he could see all of his secrets. Levi panicked. Did he know of the System? No, he would have reacted differently if that was the case. Calming down somewhat, Levi found another question. He had an inkling of what it was, but he thought he’d ask.

“Krab-chosen?” Levi asked from behind the tree.

Gregor blinked, his eyes returning to normal.

“Krag-chosen, Dark-Dweller, Grave-Seeker, we call them many things,” Sera said.

“It’s okay, don’t be afraid,” the massive man said with a kind smile, “You’re not the first child Birthright user we’ve met or chosen, for that matter. We are speaking the truth, we are only here to investigate what happened here.”

“May I get your name?” Sera asked expectantly.

“...Levi.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Levi,” She continued. “You must have gone through a lot. My name is Sera–” She held out her hand with a sweet smile.

In the end, Levi decided to trust them. From their weaponry, and with Gregor’s aim, if they wanted to kill him, he’d be dead already. Stepping free from the tree, Levi walked forward, and hesitantly grabbed the ladies hand. It was warm. Her smile brightened.

Damn, she’s pretty.

“–and this is Gregor, our captain.”

“Aye, nice to meet you, Levi.”

And then he was introduced to Bram. He had an iron grip, and honestly, if the giant wasn’t gentle, Levi could easily imagine every bone in his hand would disintegrate if he squeezed a little harder.

“Levi.” Sera removed the smile on her face. “Where are your parents? Do you know what happened here?”

Levi shook his head. He decided to tell a little white lie. “One day I just woke up, all the memories I have are, well, they’re just a blur. I was all alone. There is no-one in the town. They’re all gone.” Levi took a deep breath, acting as their deaths bothered him. Spoiler alert, they didn’t.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

He continued, “But isn’t it obvious what killed them? This… Krag. The first day I woke up, I remember seeing a terrifying monster with tentacles and teeth and scary claws.” He shivered at the recollection.

“Aye, could be,” said Gregor, stroking his chin. “But that doesn’t make sense. You see, only the Chosen can see the Krag’s monsters. Imagine a ghost that only you could see. When it rips its victims apart, there is no culprit. All the others see is the Chosen get carved up like a pumpkin with no monster in sight–”

Sera walopped Gregor’s arm and shot him a glare. “Captain, do I have to keep reminding you?”

“I’m being inconsiderate? My bad.”

“Otherwise I’ll remind you with my boot next time,” Sera threatened.

“Er–” Gregory tried to think of a way to say it without creeping out a child. “So you see, only the Chosen can see the Krag and only the Krag can harm the Chosen. Regularly.”

“Regularly?” Levi asked.

“Aye–” He wanted to say more, but he glanced at Sera with shrunken shoulders.

“I’m fine,” Levi said.

“Good,” Gregory said with a smile. Come on, we’ll walk and talk. As they returned to the path, he continued as they walked toward the town, “We call them Abberants. Monsters that ignore the limitations of the Krag, and attack the regular people.”

“Do you think an Aberrant was responsible for this?” asked Levi.

“It’s possible,” Bram said. He flexed his muscles. “But don’t worry. If there’s an Aberrant here, I’ll deal with it.”

Levi smiled.

Gregor stopped in front of one of the closest buildings. It was one set on fire. Greenkins lay within. Most were outside, burnt to a crisp. Levi hadn’t scrimped with the oil.

“This was your doing, lad?” Gregory asked.

Levi nodded. He explained what happened when he woke up. He travelled to the east, to try and find help. And that was when he encountered the greenkin. From there, he told them that because he didn’t have the strength needed to defeat them in battle, he built traps, killing them that way,

“Smart,” Gregor smiled. Levi saw more than a hint of appreciation in his eyes. He continued, “What’s your Sway?”

Sway? Levi panicked. He didn’t know what the hell that was… then he remembered one of the books he had read. Sway was what the people of this world named their Classes.

Taking Levi’s momentary silence as refusal, Gregory added: “Of course, you don’t have to tell me. Sway’s are a secretive thing. But I’ll find out eventually. I’m good at seeing.”

He’ll know what my Sway is the moment I use my ability. There’s no reason to hide it, thought Levi.

“Incite,” Levi said.

“Aye, that’ll do it.” Gregory laughed. “So the large pit in the forest, you lured the greenkins in, and set them alight with the oil you found within the town?”

Levi nodded.

Gregory stopped laughing. He looked at him seriously. Levi flinched.

Gregory said with no humour to his voice, “That doesn’t explain the pile of corpses we found you in. A child, just awakened, did that? It’s hard to believe, Levi.”

Both Sera and Bram looked at him.

Levi gulped. “When I used Incite against the others, I noticed that my words were most effective when I mentioned their chieftain. From that, I guessed that their relationship wasn’t a good one. When the greenkins gathered to put a stop to the one threatening them with traps–me–I forced them to fight amongst themselves. Thankfully, the chieftain fell. Only one greenkin made it out alive, but it fled deeper into the forest.”

“Bloody hells,” Gregory said. “We have a genius on our hands, eh?” He turned to Sera. “What do you think, turn him in to the Academy? If he does well, it’ll reflect well on our backs. May even result in a shiny new promotion.”

“That’s Levi’s decision,” Sera said. “But it’s a good one, Levi. It’s a safe place.”

“The Academy?” Levi asked.

“Aye,” said Gregory. “It’s a place where little lads such as yourself, awakened and all that, learn how to use your powers. Only the talented can join. We’ve been there ourselves. I graduated top of the class, you know?”

Levi thought for a second before saying, “I don’t know.”

It was the truth. With the System, he could just get stronger by killing monsters, or training his magic. Why did he need to go to school? Although, the notion did light up a fuzzy feeling in his stomach. School? He didn’t really have good memories of it in his past life.

But if he was given a fresh start with powers? He was tempted.

“Anyone in your position would practically beg to join the Academy,” Gregory said.

“He’s telling the truth, Levi,” Sera said as she glanced around at the barren streets. “Not only do they have teachers of various Sways, each year, you get a free Ingredient. Each year, the Ingredient increases in rarity. There’s also competitions, tournaments, where Ingredients are often the reward.”

“And Ingredients, good ones, are incredibly hard to come by,” Said Bram.

“Aye, like a unicorn farting out rainbows,” added Gregory.

Sera shook her head. “Sorry, I’m saying all of this as if you understand what I’m talking about. You’ve just awakened, after all. Care to explain just how you did that?”

It was then, and only then, that Levi realised that they had suspected him from the very beginning. The wait he was being walked. He was in the centre. Bram was right behind him. Gregory always walked in a way that he would be able to react to any situation. And Sera, who he believed was the kindest amongst them, had never removed her hand from her blade’s handle.

They had suspected that it was he who was responsible for what was happening here.

Levi’s heart only dropped further when he thought of his home–Krale’s home.

The one where he was summoned.

The one with the words on the wall and the mention of the Ruler above the heavens.

Levi forced himself to calm down.

He had to destroy all the evidence of that room.

The trio waited for an answer.