"What the hell's wrong with me!?" Xorathul yelled, clutching his head as he screamed incoherently, his voice echoing through the forest. He slammed his head against a tree, the impact reverberating through his skull. "I had one job, and she was right there! Right there, on a silver platter!" He struck the tree harder, the bark tearing at his skin as blood began to drip down his forehead. "There, I did it again! Saying those damn words I just learned about..."

Staggering, he fell to his knees, dragging his head against the rough bark of the tree, leaving a crimson trail behind. "I can't... I... why?" His thoughts spiraled, consumed by the image of the hero the one who had ruined everything. It had all started after he devoured him. That meal cursed him with a stupid system that limited his powers, a frail human body, and emotions he couldn't begin to understand.

He despised it. No he wouldn’t tolerate it. He needed to adapt, to overcome these human weaknesses. Perhaps, if he could grow accustomed to killing humans in this wretched body, he could reclaim his former glory. He could be what he once was a god, towering over these pathetic ants.

With a growl, Xorathul stood, wiping the blood from his face. He turned, his gaze fixed on the path leading back to the woman. This time, he would kill her. No hesitation. But then he stopped, frozen mid-step. He couldn’t. He shouldn’t. His emotions clashed violently with his ideals. He needed strength, but could he build it atop a mountain of innocent blood?

'But you already have, so what's the point?'

The thought drove his fist into the tree, cracking the wood. Pain shot up his arm, but he didn't care. 'You're a horrible person,' a voice whispered.

"I am," he muttered, striking the tree again, harder this time. Blood smeared across the bark as his knuckles split open.

'Shut up! These emotions don't matter. They don’t matter.' Another punch.

'What about their emotions? Do they matter?'

"No, they don't," he snarled.

Thud!

This time, he slammed his head into the tree. He laughed bitterly, the sound broken, as he continued to argue with himself.

Thud!

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."

The voice wasn’t his own. It was a memory. Not his memory, but the hero's.

Flames. Fields ablaze. Villagers screaming. Everything burning.

The hero’s first month of adventuring had been a disaster. He had sought strength to defeat the demon king, unaware of the collateral damage his power could unleash. A simple quest to deal with a group of bandits harassing a village had ended in unimaginable tragedy. The hero hadn’t known how strong his attack was, nor how flammable human bodies could be when exposed to such heat.

The bandits weren’t monsters. They had families. They were desperate, driven to crime by the devastation of recent demon attacks. The hero had destroyed them all. And in that moment, he felt guilt, remorse, and regret like never before.

Xorathul shuddered as the hero’s memories washed over him. 'Gods, how many civilizations have I destroyed? How many lives, planets, and galaxies have I erased, just because they stood in my way?'

He collapsed, curling into himself on the forest floor. Guilt upon guilt piled onto his soul, each one heavier than the last. He lay there, broken, as the sins of countless lifetimes crawled across his back.

And then, slowly, he got up. His movements were shaky, his resolve wavering, but there was determination in his eyes. He had to fix this one way or another.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

An envoy consisting of a small army travels through a forest road. Harsh rains fall upon the group, hindering vision and making the poorly maintained road muddy. Frequent stops have to be made due to the wheels getting stuck in the mud. The importance of such a convey was to escort her, the Princess.

"Why is it taking so looong?" she whined. Estellia, the third child of Prince Edwick was an impatient child through and through. She insisted on leaving her luxurious comfortable life within the palace walls to study at the academy.

The Academy so known as 'The Royal' Academy was when nobles, rich merchants, or important people sent their children to study and become successful in whatever field they wanted. If it is a merchant, adventurer, knight, alchemist, or magician you name it they got it. For that reason alone the princess wanted nothing more than to prove herself to her father and her two older brothers that she can become someone of importance.

She sighed while pulling out her book, one filled with teachings of the arcane, how to conjure magic and to manipulate mana. She was gifted with magic at a young age due to her having such a large mana pool and being able to use magic without chanting the words to do so. Countless magic is an advantage, being able to cut down the time it takes to use a spell. She read through the book numerous times already but no matter how many tutors she has or books she reads it doesn't compare to those who study and compete in the academy and that's what she wants.

She was so focused on whining that she nearly forgot her own servant, Edwick, was in the carriage with her. He was patiently sipping his tea while listening to her rant. "Edwiiiick, how long will it take to get there?" she groans while slumping over her seat.

He set his cup down as he straightened up to speak to her "With the weather conditions, the number of guards with us, and the breaks they need to take to help those stuck in the mud I believe we should get there around the evening."

"The evening!? That is far too long. It's better if I can use some magic to fix this situation!" she stands up, trying to open the carriage door.

"I advise you to not do so Princess Estellia. The rain can be quite unpredictable" he opens his eyes but does not make any move to stop her.

She brushes his advice away as she opens the door, her arms getting instantly soaked by the strong rain outside. "Nonsense Edwick. I am capable of handling such meddlesome rain!" she boasts. She places her heel on the footstep below before slipping. She was caught by her servant as he held her by the arm and he pulled her back in the carriage with a smug I told you so type of look.

She sighed, crossing her arms. "I didn't need your help edwick. I can do fine by myse-"

*SLAM*

Her heart stopped for a moment as she watched the lights go out from the carriage as it slammed on its side. Edwick caught her in his arms as he took the majority fall as he lay on the side of the carriage.

Something strong had crashed into them, strong enough to send their heavily armored carriage lying on its side. They heard it. The screams of her soldiers, horses, and whatever it was outside.

She cried, holding onto Edwick as he held her head in his arms.

Sounds of fighting were happening, mostly them screaming and running around them. Edwick feeling brave told her to stay as he climbed above to open the door. It swung open as the rain came pouring down, he then gasped as he spoke. "I think tha-"

He was gone.

He was ripped out from where he was watching, leaving her alone as she lay there hearing the screams of her men fighting. 'how can this be!?' She thought, desperately looking for an answer to this madness 'There are at least thirty soldiers, fifteen archers, and at least two knights?!'

Then a thought occurred in her head 'Was this really how am I going to be at the academy? Am I going to freeze up? Is this how I'll start my journey even If I survive... is this how someone important will act? cower in the site of great power?' She got up. Wiped away the rain and tears on her face as she climbed out.

Standing on top she looked around, seeing bodies of horses, and dead or unconscious soldiers lying in the mud with broken swords and spears scattered around. Straight ahead was when she saw it. A goliath, a beast of such caliber. It had multiple arms sprouting from each area of its body. The eyes, it was everywhere, on each part of its form, legs, arms, tendrils, and torso. Things beyond comprehension that her own mind needs to fill out what it looks like to her unless she goes mad. She heard of these things, tales of great horrors beyond the veil of their own world, great old ones that live in chaos and madness. Her father calls them the strange old ones.

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Her soldiers were fighting for her, the two knights struggling in the mud, their armor unsuited for this type of environment while trying to dodge the things flailing tendrils. At least around four archers were alive and three soldiers were still around thrusting their spears at it.

She brought up her hand as she aimed at it, she wasn't using a staff or wand so it was going to be less effective but it should do the trick regardless.

A ball of circulating fire appeared in her hand, she specialized in pyrokinesis and was able to cast a tier two fireball as it turned orange and then blue as she held it in. She didn't need to chant after all but she needed to pour more power into this one, just enough to kill it. The flame was getting hotter as she heard to hissing of rain hitting it and evaporating into steam as she looked at it.

She yelled at her soldiers to watch out as she let cast the spell. It was sent hurling at it, threatening to burn it to a crisp as what remained of her small army ran out of the way as it made an impact.

*Kakroom!*

A large explosion covered half of the monster's body. It reeled and screamed in a piercing veil of pain as it crumbled on the ground and slowly burned.

It wasn't dead yet, she knew this for a fact. Its body despite being covered in flame was repairing itself. She prepared another spell, this time using one that was recently created. Above her were four large shapes, slowly forming into swords of pure purple energy.

"Keep attacking!" she commanded as she concentrated her mana on the spell.

Hearing this they continued their assault on it, thrusting their spears, slashing their swords, sending arrows at the mass of tormented burning flesh of the beast that threatened to end them all.

It reeled its head before opening a maw of sharp jagged teeth, horrifying as it was she didn't falter instead strengthed her resolve as she was ready. Sending the first sword at it, then the second then followed up with the third and fourth.

The first sword plunged inside its chest as it faltered on one knee. The second blade went through, slicing off its left arm. The third one missed as it cut through the trees behind it. The fourth went through its head carving out a large chunk of its face.

She smiled at her work before she jumped down to join her men in finishing off the beast. She nearly fell as her heels were stuck in the mud below, she slipped out of it as she prepared another spell in mind. They continued to cut into the beast while it was still impaled by the magical sword. It shrieked in pain as it attempted to fight back, only managing to swing out a few tendrils that were blocked and chopped off by the knights.

It struggled to heal around the magical blade impaled into its torse as it watched the very prey it hunted now slowly killing it by bit. The building of desperation as it roared, mouths of every kind of monster, animal, and race appeared all around its body. Each mouth had a set of mouths in it as it lunged toward its body.

Fear. She felt fear in what she saw. It went for those closest including the knights. The sickening sound of bones breaking, flesh ripping and tearing as it was savoring the still screaming soldiers in its mouth. It no longer was vulnerable as it tore through the blades, and it ripped open its torso to remove the blade before it then seamlessly reattached itself like nothing. She heard of these things but she didn't ask as she didn't believe in them but she never asked how to kill them.

Cold sweat went down her back as she nearly forgot she was channeling another fire spell. It was called incinerate, a stronger spell than fireball but she doesn't use it often meaning it was only a tier one instead of the tier two.

She looked around, only three archers, one soldier, and one knight were still alive. She needed more time, more time to channel more mana inside it to at least deal significant damage to it at least.

"I got this!" A familiar voice from behind. Edwick was running past her before launching himself at the creature, he was missing an arm but in the other was a sword. He came into contact as he plunged it deep inside its neck before wrapping himself around its back and hanging onto one arm. She cried out to him as she watched as the creature tried to grab him with its arm.

"Watch out Edwick!"

Instead of releasing his grip, she was surprised to see he caught it. He didn't regrow his arm more like a new green spectral arm appeared from his missing arm and grabbed it effortlessly as he yelled "Do it now!" She didn't need to be told twice as it was finished, pointing both her hands towards it as she let out a scream of defiance. A great wave of fire emitted from her palms, the blast was immensely hot as it singed the forest behind it. The flames overwhelmed the creature, Edwick was fortunately sparred as he got out of the blast zone. The body burnt to a crisp as it crumbled on its knees as the sweeping inferno swirled around it in a pillar of burning flesh.

It didn't scream. It watched.

She sighed collapsing on her knees in exhaustion, despite casting three spells the sword one was recently created and often required large amounts of mana to use for at least one sword, she created four.

"Edwick can you fetch me some shoes?" she asked as he appeared next to her, the glowing green arm now gone.

"Of course your Highness" he replied.

"And can you please take care of yourself," she asked worriedly.

"I will"

He smiled as he made his way towards the carriage. He stopped midway, a look a sudden look of urgency and fear as he ran towards the princess. "IT'S NOT DEAD!"

Ripping and tearing noises came from the burning corpse as a new dark purple arm reached out from the stomach got ahold of the rest and it tore itself free from its burning cage. It was smaller, the size of a regular human as it finally made its way out.

"Prepare yourselves!" Edwick yelled out as he raised his hand up in a fist, the astral arm returning as it did the same.

The new being was too busy looking over its new body, this was a perfect time for an attack as one of the archers drew back an arrow before unleashing a quick shot at its head.

*THUNK*

Before they could react the same archer was sent flying back, his head was torn off with an arrow stuck embedded into the skull. It can't be. Its speed and its power were terrifying, it caught the arrow and sent it back at the man.

The knight was trembling before attempting to calm himself. He pointed his blade at the beast before running at it towards it.

*CRUNK*

A large hand was imprinted into the armor. The knight made sounds that were foreign, like hissing air escaping through his neck. He fell backward into the mud with a squelch as blood leaked through every orfus.

Amusement, the face it made, It was amusement even if it had no features it was pleased at seeing such vile carnage. Edwick was ready, as he held his arm out preparing to fight. The princess got up as she prepared herself to fight alongside him. The remaining two archers and a lone soldier stood in front of them.

"RUN!" one of them yelled in desperation.

"We'll hold it back you need to get to safety your highness," another said as they watched the entity intently.

"NO, we can fight!" Estellia pleads before she is picked up by Edwick in his one arm as they run away from them. She ran deep into the forest and the last thing she watched was the three remaining soldiers get decapitated.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Edwick!" she yelled, smacking his back in frustration. "We could've helped!"

He didn’t stop running. "Your safety is my top priority," he said, his voice steady as they sped past trees, creeks, and bushes, finally stopping in a clearing.

"This... this should be far enough," he panted as he gently set her down.

The rain didn’t let up. Edwick shrugged off his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders. "We need to find shelter, like a cave or maybe—"

CRACK!

He spun around, tense, only to see a deer a few feet away. It stood watching them, eerily calm. Slowly, it stepped closer. That’s when Edwick noticed the blood, a steady stream pouring from the animal as it staggered forward. Its body twitched unnaturally before freezing, its stomach bulging grotesquely. Then, its mouth snapped open, and tendrils shot out.

"Estellia!" he shouted, yanking her back as they tumbled to the ground.

The deer’s body tore apart as the tendrils pierced through, ripping it to shreds. A towering, grotesque creature emerged from the remains, its limbs writhing as it advanced. Edwick shifted, placing himself protectively between Estellia and the monstrosity. His astral arm extended, glowing faintly, to keep it at bay.

One step. Then another. The creature moved closer, its fourth step bringing it mere inches from Edwick's astral hand.

Before it could take a fifth, a wooden spear hurtled from the shadows, striking its chest. The creature reeled, searching for the source of the attack.

"Now!" Estellia seized the opportunity, summoning a quick spell. A bolt of fire streaked through the air, striking the creature and igniting parts of its body. The blast sent it stumbling back.

Edwick didn’t hesitate. His astral arm curled into a massive fist, delivering a thunderous blow to the creature’s side. It staggered but didn’t fall.

'It's weaker than before,' Estellia realized, noting its reduced durability. She launched another firebolt, then another, her spells pounding the creature relentlessly. Beside her, Edwick continued to pummel it with his fists, but it still wasn’t enough.

As if in answer to their struggle, their mysterious savior appeared.

A young man, around her age, dashed forward. His black hair clung to his face in the rain, his piercing blue eyes locked on the creature. Gripping the spear, he yanked it free from its chest and shouted a single word:

"SMITE!"

The spear radiated white light as he drove it clean through the creature’s head.

The beast shrieked, tendrils lashing wildly as it fought to survive. Edwick leapt back, avoiding the flurry, but the stranger stood his ground, enduring the slicing blows as blood streaked his body.

"You need to drop it!" Estellia screamed, desperation in her voice. 'I can’t watch another senseless death!'

But the man didn’t falter. The creature’s movements slowed, its writhing limbs turning to ash. Finally, its body crumbled, dissolving into dust that scattered in the wind.

Edwick exhaled deeply, relief washing over him. Estellia, trembling, buried her face in her arms. She quickly wiped her tears away, trying to compose herself before addressing their savior.

"I must thank you," she said, bowing deeply. "I am Princess Estellia, and this is my servant, Edwick."

Edwick bowed beside her, silent but respectful.

The stranger nodded curtly and turned to leave.

"Please, don’t go!" she called after him, her voice urgent. "We must reward you. At least tell me the name of my savior."

He hesitated, fingers running through his rain-soaked black hair. Finally, he looked back at her.

"Xorath—" He paused, his blue eyes narrowing slightly.

"Xora," he corrected himself softly. "My name is Xora."