I grabbed a small spade and started digging.

It took barely 30 centimeters down before I struck something. The ground gave way as the coffin was revealed to have been placed diagonally in the dirt, with the top of the coffin closest to the surface.

I didn't want to stay any longer than necessary. I saw nails driven into the coffin and wrenched them out with the back of a hammer.

Inside was a... person?

Their eyes were open, staring into the distance as they occasionally twitched. It was like they were looking at multiple things. They seemed unnaturally faded, as if they were made of washed out paper.

Blue eyes shuddered close as they scoffed softly. Grinning, they simply looked down. On their neck was a colorless vial hanging from a large ring, interwoven with a silk scarf tied around their neck.

I hesitated for a second. Then I uncapped the liquid and met their eye. They nodded. I gritted my teeth as I tilted their head back and slowly poured the liquid down.

They forced themselves to choke it down. I patted his back and massaged his throat, making sure they didn't suffocate.

Those previous movements of his left deep rough cuts in his skin, as if he was encased in stone. I pushed him back into the coffin and saw a wretched bloody smile, neck and eyes.

I didn't let it faze me. This was merciful, no matter how cruel it seemed, or how much pain there was. It was kinder than most would care to do. As they closed their eyes, their body started cracking, splitting apart as it crumbled to dust.

I quickly stepped back to not breath in anything. With curiosity, I narrowed my eyes. What?

A name was inscribed on a tiny stone disk the size of a fist. Sisyphus. I froze, remembering his myth.

Eternally bound to push a rock uphill, for escaping death's clutches, twice. Did he somehow escape death for a third time? And if he did... how?

I grabbed the stone, and a small glow washed over me. I watched as it turned the most brilliant shade of gold, and melted against my skin. It flowed down my arm, melding into a small bracer.

Solaris Stone was engraved on the shining surface, which still felt like cold, rough rock. The sound of something slicing through the air caught my ear and I barely managed to hook the blade away with my spade.

A ragged figure snarled at me, grabbing my arm and pulling me closer. I stepped far too close and slammed my palm into his nose. Blood trickled down as his eyes watered in pain. It wasn't hard to smack his dagger to the ground before kicking it away.

Naturally, I followed up with a knee to the stomach, before popping their ears with a double clap. They were so dizzy that I only needed to tip him over edge of the grave and slammed the lid over his flailing body. I stood on the lid as I nailed him in.

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I waited. I wanted to see if this person was worth sparing. They screamed and yelled in malice and anger. Barely audible over the dirt after I buried him. It seemed foolhardy to show mercy.

Just before I left, a strange sting traveled up my legs and I found myself unable to walk away.

A knight of the Cristoph was in front of me. Their sword was pointed towards my chest, as their fury was evident. I was the typical reckless and criminal graverobber in this situation.

"Wait." I raised the bracer to my head. My eyes burned in pain as I saw the future. Just a glimpse. The sword was driven through my chest.

What presence it had, as my vision were always clear but barely in view. Like looking at something through the corner of my eye. It was imprecise as well, as I often saw meaningless senseless visions which made no sense.

I instinctively used my hand to grab the sword before she moved. "I am no robber, nor crook. My crime is fulfilling the wishes of the dead, by breaking the laws of the living. But, to the one who passed away, they only feel gratitude. I swear this on my life."

"Young... pastor. You have wronged the state of Archalia, you should be sent to prison." She muttered, her sword hummed to her intent.

"But. There are such few righteous folk these days. Even as a servant of the church, I have seen many ignore the wishes of the dead."

She stared at the coffin and nodded. The knight could feel the soul which left in peace. "I will overlook this. Please leave the area, I will take the crook you restrained away."

I wordlessly nodded. It was only when a blast of fire swept towards us that I acted. I spun forwards, shoving us behind a tombstone as a shield. Which freak decided to play hardball?

"Come out, ye false prophet and meet your end at the hands of Clarence Theodore!" A man dressed in drab robes called out.

This damned bastard wasn't going to make things easy for me. I used my newfound liberty to exersize my power.

His flames grew wilder, and more ferocious, nearly crushing and scorching the skin off our backs. Frankly, the heat was starting to get to my head. A few black threads lighting as I patted the smoldering ash off.

Better a light cooking, than a scorching shot stuck to the skin. One was light but suffocating, the other would have burned all the way through.

When he finally cornered us, The Knight of Cristoph stood at guard.

"Go. I'll hold him off."

I smiled.

Like cruel fate, akin to my fate, I poisoned his gift. The flames exploded in his face, killing the inquisitor. A man no better than a heartless butcher.

The knight had eyes wide with fear, mortification on her lips. Her sword dipped as all fight gave away. The loss of control was a terrifying sight.

I asked the dead to take care of one of their own. Skeletal arms took care of the rest, as they ripped open the earth and clawed in the corpse. The remains buried in the field.

"Amateur" I spat.

The Oracles probably guessed that I would try something. My poor wards were not enough to dispel scrutiny, but the fact I succeeded determined their stance towards me. Just another victim to the slaughter.

It was time for me to disappear. My death was already being faked as I pondered. I wasn't ready for a poisonous slugfest with those ancient bats. The knight turned towards me, and I felt the flat of her blade slam into the back of my neck.

It bounced off my collar as I felt dizzy as hell. Electricity jolted onto the blade and she was paralyzed, unable to move.

"Sorry. I still have things to do. If the church sends an envoy, play things up, make me the villain. Mention the inquistitor's foolishness and make me the common crook. This will be enough to spare your life. If you don't, you're signing a death warrant for both of us, and I don't owe you that much."

I walked away, Solaris stone burning against my arm. It was imperative that I made it as far away from this place as possible. Otherwise, my curse would find a way to break the protection of even this artifact.

After all. This curse of mine was of my own unwilling creation. A life for a life was fair in the eyes of the gods.