Chapter 6 Questioning my morals.

As I came to the end of the hall a door filled with figures appeared before me. Dragons, men, monsters, and beast where all apparent. In the middle I noticed a dragon grabbing a shield. As I looked through the door more and more, I recognized various western nobility crest upon the door. Finally, I saw a man slicing the head off a massive orc. I sat down to study the door more and recover.

‘Enter.’

I clutched my head in pain. My body, my soul felt as if it wasn’t aligned for a moment.

Getting up I cast |Protect| over my body before entering.

What I entered looked to be in a small armory with an assortment of weapons ready for use However laid out on a table before me were weapons that I was clearly meant to use. A one-handed ax with a swirl pattern embedded into the center of the blade. It had a black jewel encrusted at the base with ebony wood for the handle. A buckler lay next to the ax I recognized my bowie knife on the table as well and a new sheathe for the punch dagger still in my hand. Last there was an ebony leather armor set with undergarments and a cloak to match. Next to all the equipment was a backpack, one that distinctly looked familiar. I was sure I had this made with the number of pockets it had yet I couldn’t remember commissioning something this nice in terms of materials. I stuffed the cloak in the backpack as I got dressed. I wasn’t Frodo.

‘Tell me boy, what do you know of Eradication?’

I was getting quite tired of hearing a second voice in my head especially one that was raspy like an old witch.

“Eradication is the event in which the orc alliance Supreme, Rakix Doom, tried to wipe out every last man, woman, and child of human descent.”

‘What lead to the event known as Eradication?’

“The Great Rebellion or the Human Rebellion whichever you refer by. It was when humanity finally believed it had the strength to establish itself under no one’s rule. Slave to no one but ourselves.”

I was curious as to why the Gatekeeper was asking me these questions, but I didn’t bother myself to much with it. I knew about the Catacombs and how it was a large battlefield during the Eradication War. I figured the questions were something leading up to it.

‘Yesssss.’ The Gatekeeper hissed right into my skull.

‘How did we defeat the orc alliance?’

“Do you want my honest opinion or the one in the history books?”

I learned the events of the Eradication war through my teacher Rue and although it was a lot to take in. Several points in history didn’t add up. After learning how much America’s history was skewed in our K-12 once I started college my outlook on the world and history changed drastically. That played a part in why I had suspicions about the Empire’s history and Eradication. Even before Eradication in the ancient history books it is stated that when humans first arrived on Nia estimated six thousand years ago that we didn’t know magic and had powerful weapons in a different form which is what caused Gaia to take notice of us. This has me confused especially because it says we arrived on Gaia. Like it wasn’t our home planet.

‘Interesting… Tell me both versions.’

If I had the Gatekeepers curiosity before, now I had its full attention.

“Officially, we’re taught that Empress Chiara the first of her name and Apollo Kan with several other notable figures underwent the first Magi Human transformations turning them into super soldiers who killed their way into the deepest region of orc territory and slayed the Supreme Rakix Doom. Officially.

However, I’ve come to believe that something else was going on. We were already winning. Even before the Magi Human project was complete. We could have pushed them outside of the Empires boarders. All of humanity had come together and was pushing the orcs and their allies back in what is now known as the Empire. I think humanity went into the deepest orc region to retrieve something. What? I don’t know. I do know what humanity was left with few million people at the end. An estimated 80% of humanity was killed to retrieve whatever it is we pushed so deep into orc lands for. The only good thing that came out of it was we managed to kill the Supreme.”

“A thousand and some years later and we’ve more than regained our numbers and vastly increased our territory.”

*

The Gatekeeper listen to the boy with rapt attention. She was surprised. Surprised at how accurate the boy had been with his deductions. It was almost like he was recalling it as if he’d been in the events himself. The Gatekeeper knew little of what truly happened during Eradication however she did know that humanity had pushed so deep into the orc lands to retrieve something. If this boy no if Aegis was allowed to reach his full potential the Gatekeeper knew the Empire would have a massive change. A beastly smile appeared on her face.

Fabulous.

*

I waited in silence for the Gatekeeper to speak. During this time, I equipped all the gear and checked out the backpack. In it I found that the inside was a lot bigger than it appeared on the outside. Massive even as I could peer into the depths and see empty space. In the space that was occupied various items laid in neat piles. Things from daily necessities to camping equip to storage equipment for precious items and herbs. I also found a seal note addressed to me in my mother’s handwriting. I put it away immediately I would read it after I got out of whatever this was. The last thing I managed to see was a pouch of gold and a book on the ecosystem I’d be visiting shortly.

‘Fabulous. I must have you. If you weren’t of his bloodline… whatever it is time for you to proceed to the last trial. Go.’

This time her voice wasn’t that bad, even with the use of that ability. It almost felt… nourishing to me. Like a cool drink of water on a hot summer day.

‘Wait.’

This time the feeling of nourishment wasn’t there but the piercing pain from before had returned. I clutched my head in pain. It was like I was experiencing a migraine but amplified by 5. When I finally looked up two more items appeared on the table before me. Two silver bracelets with runic writing on them. I knew exactly what they were.

“Rune cuffs? Why?”

Rune cuffs are bracelets used to cut off magic within the body. It was how the Empire kept its criminals from using magic or their enhanced strength. My spell protect would disappear if I equipped these.

‘Each Kan is tasked with a quest to retrieve an item from Redcoomshi however, they must do it exactly as Apollo did. Tier 1 with no magic for the duration of the trial. Fear not, as you descend to deeper levels your strength will be returned to you as Apollo once grew in strength during his descent. However, this is not a curse but a blessing as this is also a trial to grow your bloodlines strength and temper your will.’

I wanted to get angry, but my mental energy was already beginning to wane for the day. I just wanted to go home at this point. A tier one in physical cultivation is basically a peak human from back on Earth. I hadn’t been exposed to the monsters of this world just yet, but I knew most roaming monsters were minimum tier 2 beyond human.

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“Fuck.”

“Shit.”

Did my father want to kill me? Was it worth it to follow in my ancestors’ path?

“This is basically sending me to an early grave.”

A softer voice entered my head this time as the Gatekeeper spoke next.

‘If it was my decision then only your mana would be shackled for the duration however this was sent in motion by Apollo’s first son and second Duke of the West. You may back out now and give up your claim as the next Duke of the West if you wish.’

I stood there for the next twenty minutes thinking over my life so far. I had learned magic and how to enhance my body with magic essence following the Kan teachings. It’s simple really intake the magic of the surroundings and your own into your core before permeating it throughout the body in certain pathways. Of course, with a magic core it’s much easier for me and many other Magi humans to do so and the Kan had perfected their family training method. All this was allowed and given to me because of my status and who I was and who I was to become. If I gave it up what would happen to me.

I sat there really thinking things through.

Then a fire lit up in my eyes. No, I would not be indecisive any longer. I was not Terrence Brown anymore. The young college student who didn’t know what he wanted. I was Aegis Kan, and I was going to be the next Duke of the West.

*

Clink.

Clink.

The Gatekeeper watched as the boy equipped the bracelets.

“Good.”

Few Kans had ever turned back during this point however it was not impossible and had occurred previously. It was by Apollo’s rule when he found out that his son was conducting these trials for their descendants that each be given an opportunity to back out.

She watched as the boy moved to the back of the armory with anticipation upon her face.

*

I walked through the double doors of the armory with wariness but excitement in my heart. My training arc was officially on the way! Although I knew this was very much real, I was excited as the anime protagonist in me came out. When I remember what the Gatekeeper said earlier the excitement quickly died down. Today I would be facing a sentient being. Through the dark hallway I could see a vast opening.

I walked out into a coliseum ax in my right hand and buckler equipped to my left. I was ready, ready as much as I’ll ever be. I tossed the backpack full of equipment to the side. Before taking a good look at the coliseum. Rows upon rows of seats lead ever higher until it was too dark to make out the top. Yet as I looked around every seat was empty. It was quiet, not a calming silence that I got when I meditated and cultivated, but a creepy, stifling silence. Like a crowd was waiting with bated breath. I felt as if something is watching me. Although the seating was well lit the actual ground floor where I was at wasn’t and patches of darkness littered the place.

My senses immediately went on high alert and the grip on my ax tighten. Funny thing was the reason why I was trained in the ax and expected to use it over every other weapon was because of Apollo. He was originally a farmer who took up his wood chopping ax to fight in the war. My ears strained as I sensed for any signs of movement, something was hunting me. I was sure of it. My family, my father, my aunty had prepared me for this. Now the question was, where would it atta-

I jumped to my left and felt something brush past my right shoulder a jolt of pain erupted from my cheek and I felt the blood start to drop. Rolling I dodged another attack as I repositioned myself to look at my attacker. It was a hobgoblin standing around 178cm tall. Almost two heads taller than me with a significant reach upon it. Him, the hobgoblin had long black horns with fiery red streaks running throughout them.

I recognized that colors as its affinity to darkness and fire. One of the many lessons my teacher Rue drilled into me upon the history of our enemies where the hobgoblins and what their traditions and horn colors meant. See the goblins as well as other creatures of this world would grow their mana affinity on their horns or other body parts.

The hobgoblin was wearing similar leather armor and instead of an ax it used a sword. In his other hand he equipped a dagger.

“Man whelp,” the hobgoblin, in a surprisingly deep voice, sneered at as it looked at me.

I reached my left hand up to my face and felt the cut on my cheek. Nothing too deep for me to really be concern about. I didn’t expect the goblin to speak to me in Imperial the official language of the Empire at least among the nobility. Most people just spoke Common. I regarded the hob with wariness not attacking the creature. That was my first mistake.

“Who, are you?”

“Your death,” the hobgoblin said as it lunged at me piercing its sword towards my stomach.

I hurriedly raised my buckler to parry his attack. Arm wringing from the strike.

Strong.

Then my training kicked in as the hob moved in a speed almost too fast for me to counter. Moving in close he slashed towards my midsection with his dagger, and I brought my buckler forward for a strike that never came. That was my second mistake. Instead, I received a knee to my groin which almost doubled me over in pain.

“You creatures are weak. Your bloodlines petty. Your magic terrible. You forget your place in the world. Underneath and to serve.”

As the creature talked, I created distance between us I could see black spots forming in my vision. If only I had access to my magic. Ragged breathing erupted from my throat, and I studied the creature hoping to find something or some advantage that I could take care of. That’s when I noticed the same cuffs that shackled me shackled it as well.

I was losing to a creature that was on the same level as me?

“No.”

“You’re wrong.”

Something was bubbling within me. Rage.

I was getting angry and that wouldn’t help me in this situation. I could lose my life here.

Control.

Control.

That’s when I felt it within me. My eyes became clear, and my blood flowed smoothly. Was this an effect from my bloodlines?

I focused my attention back on the hob only to see the black beady eyes of it turned red.

“Thieves,” the hobgoblin hissed.

“Thieves, who want to copy our bloodline. Our heritage.”

Using this moment of clarity, I recalled everything Rue had drilled into me on the goblin race. It was said the reasons goblins where so dangerous was because of their Ancestral Heritage. It was explained to him as an ability goblins process to pass down knowledge from one generation to the next. Which is why they were classified as one of the stronger races. Imagine if a goblin discovers how to make fire in a more efficient way. Within a generation or so every goblin related to the one who discovered the method would be using it.

Not because their ancestor told them but because it became part of their bloodline memories passed from offspring to offspring. Each generation of improvements goblins only grew more, and more dangerous. The downside of their species is their inability to innovate drastically enough to make them the strongest race upon the continent. That’s where the Orcs come in. Humanity had studied how the bloodlines were passed down in goblins to do the same but could never get the Ancestral Heritage part down.

As the hob grew more and more riled my blood seemed to respond in kind and a fire seemed to be produced in my body. Coming from my heart.

“Thief.”

“THIEFFFF.”

“THIEF WHO STOLE FROM US.”

It sounded as if multiple voices overlapped upon one another. I raised my ax and proceeded towards the hob in wariness. If I could take the creature out now while it was losing its mind, then it would be best to move fast. Falling into the hob’s initiative was my third, but final mistake. No more.

I charge forth using his shield to bash into the hob, which took him out of whatever trance he was in. The hobgoblins eyes returned to normal but in the very center they glowed with a red ominous light. He swiped at my shield arm with his dagger, but I was no longer in his rhythm. I based upwards with my shield while swinging my ax forward, chopping towards his neck.

The hob was fast however, and it dodged back with a shallow cut in its chest. The creature however was forced to drop its dagger.

Control.

I readied my ax for another attack but hesitated. I’ve never killed anything. Well, anyone sentient and it was scary. Scary that I was finding pleasure in the battle.

This was a breathing, living creature in front of me and I felt pleasure at the thought of fighting it to the death.

I… I cannot kill something with intelligence. With emotion.

Yet my ax didn’t stop as I forced the creature backwards and into a corner.

“You will DIE by my blade wretched beast.” The hobgoblin had a crazed look within its eyes as it lunged towards me in a desperate attempt, knocking my ax to the side in a wild swing that caught me off guard. We tumbled to the ground as the hob’s hands found their way around my neck.

So, this is all you amount to.

As I struggled to remove the hob from me the System spoke up and something in me snapped. I remember my knife and punched dagger still equipped respectively on my left and right.

My body was starting to scream for air. The dagger found its way into the hobs gut only to be brought out and shoved in again. Tearing sounds worked its way into my ears as the armor he wore gave way time and time again. Blood and entrails started to fall out as I slashed its belly open, but I never noticed not once had our eyes moved away from each other’s in deaths embrace. Its strength weakened and the punch blade ended in his throat as I finally grasped it loose. I watched the life wade away in its eyes and not once did it take its hands from my throat.

I shoved its body off me before weakness settled upon me and I lost consciousness. The heat in my chest gone and expended.

Before I fully blacked out the System asked me a question.

Was it worth it?

…yes.