I walked past countless broken down homes and I identified what the fires from before were.

They were large bonfires made from corpses.

The smell of rot filled the air and so I assumed they were trying to stave off disease.

The people I passed gave me curious or even cautious glances but it seemed as though they had their own troubles and so they left me alone for the most part.

We ended up going with Ower’s plan to turn my cape into a cloak and so I had covered most of my body, hiding my legs and armour.

Unfortunately, not much could be done about my horns and eyes.

I could change my appearance to appear more like Katsíki, but he was a goat and I did not want to appear any more goat-like. The opposite was also true. I could regain my more Rendaro-like features, although nothing could be done about my hooved legs.

I eventually arrived at a congested campsite that sat right in front of the city’s southern gate.

Countless people could be seen squatting around small fires and eating all manner of foods.

I could’ve sworn some of them were even cooking rats and like Flora said, countless dogs could be seen in many barbed cases.

Several Liland knights could be seen harassing people and I knew they were Liland because even though they were much taller than normal people and had white hair, they wore dirty leather armour.

I eventually arrived at the front gate where several armour clad silver knights stood, keeping people from entering the city which looked just as crowded and dingy.

I walked up to one of the many knights and he promptly looked me over.

His eyes then widened and I sighed.

“What’s wrong with yer eyes and what’s that on ya head?” He asked with an alcohol infused breath.

“Oh- This? It’s a decorative headpiece which is actually quite common where I’m from.” I said with a weak smile.

“Oh yeah? And where the fuck are ya from?”

“A small village near Startta.”

The knight droned before crossing his arms and sighing.

“Far be it from me to judge the customs of another people. Anyway, one gold coin or five silver and ya can enter.” He said, but I winced.

The knight realized that I definitely didn’t have any money and so he shooed me away with his hand.

“If ya don’t have any, go get some and I’ll let ya pass.”

I nodded and turned to leave.

I then made my way to a cluster of tents and I snuck in between two tents and much to my dismay, it sounded as though people were having sex in one of them.

“We tried doing it the hard way. Now let’s try the easy, but significantly riskier way.” I said while gathering darkness beneath the tent to my left.

“First off, stop that. Secondly, the fact remains that although we can be spotted by powerful magicians, we can spot them as well. Our focus, should the need to fight arise, should be on getting Ncil to a safe place so that we can go all out.” Ower said.

I nodded before sinking into the dark world.

I then made my way into the city and after finding a secluded corner behind several buildings, I emerged.

I immediately regretted it because of the myriad awful smells that filled the air but this much I could handle and so I made my way onto the city’s sticky streets.

Paving the path north were dingy, dirty buildings lined with all manner of people.

Merchants and traders could be seen here and there although watching over them were knights.

I wondered if there was some kind of agreement between the two groups.

“AHHHHHHH”

I turned my head to the east and saw a person getting burnt alive while being tied to a pole.

A crowd of people gathered around him as a pillar of light fell from the sky to cook the him alive.

I was curious about what was happening but not so much that I’d stop to ask and so I continued north while ignoring the countless people who tried selling me their wears by yelling things into my ears.

My vision blurred and suddenly darkened but I shook aside my drowsiness.

Well, I tried, but keeping my eyes open was getting harder with each step.

I wondered if it was the work of a death or life magician, but Ower answered my concerns.

“You need sleep, sir.” Ower whispered into my ear and his stupidly wispy voice wasn’t helping.

But I couldn’t stop and so I didn’t.

I walked northward while taking care not to walk to close to the handful of golden knights I spotted, but it quickly became clear to me, as I walked up the crowded streets of Centartta, the knights were also avoiding me.

I let out a low drone as I locked eyes with a knight who stood in an alleyway.

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He then looked to the north prompting me to do the same.

My eyes narrowed slightly as I saw several pillars of light rising from just beyond the tall northern wall.

“Shit.”

I eventually arrived at the northernmost part of the city and I groaned upon seeing that it was mostly empty.

Not only that, the gates hung open, revealing a small army of soldiers and knights who stood in the now empty outskirts of the city.

I exited the city and my eyes fell onto the man who led the small army of about five hundred men. His body illuminated in the dark of night by a small orb of light above him.

He was a fairly small man who wore a uniform embellished with countless medals, badges and ribbons which is strange because just by looking at his scar-less, smooth skin and relaxed demeanour, it looked like he had never seen combat in his entire life-

“You, harbinger of death and destruction, Kneel so that justice may swiftly dealt.” He said as though he were bored. Every word came half out of his nose.

I glanced at the many knights and soldiers behind him and saw that their eyes were filled with anger although some were rather visibly anxious.

I sighed before sinking into the dark realm and before the strange little man could even say anything I lowered my hands, gathering tons of darkness beneath his army.

I then threw my hands upwards, sending up a bed of spikes that impaled nearly every soldier, hanging their corpses high.

Many of the fifty or so knights predictively dodged the spikes and so I ran to the nearest one, a silver knight who looked beyond terrified.

I created a ball of darkness and placed it in his skull before materializing and I watched as his head exploded.

Several golden knights shot at me with beams of light and although I wasn’t able to dodge them, my armour absorbed most energy.

I sunk back into the dark world with my dark ball and I launched it at the knights and as I materialized, it maintained its momentum and crashed into the heads of each knight, shattering each one.

“Sir, look out!” Ower yelled prompting me to turn around and just as a silver knight appeared behind me with his sword raised, Ower materialized and kicked him in the face before sinking back to the subspace with Ncil on his back.

I turned to face the remaining knights and gasped lightly as several golden knights poured tons of light into a singular large ball.

I then got a brilliant idea.

I raised my right, darkened hand and engulfed the group of knights in a cloud of black smoke.

I then crystallized the smoke and swung my hand, forcing the darkness to shatter and this ruptured the ball of light the knights were making, resulting in a massive explosion that almost knocked me backwards but it was worth it since I got to see their obliterated body parts fly out.

I turned around and glared at the knight that Ower had kicked.

The piece of shit was trying to crawl away.

I walked towards him and stepped on his back, stopping him from moving any further.

He then turned a fearful eye towards me. His other hung loosely out of its socket.

“Please… spare me.” He begged.

I nodded before mounting him and wrapping mat hands around his neck.

I then gathered a bit of darkness around my hands and I made it rotated increasingly faster until it formed a disc.

A disc which I shrunk in an instant, decapitating the knight.

I then stood up and looked around the dark and bloody battlefield for a certain small man.

I knew I hadn’t killed him and it’s unlikely he got killed by accident.

Maybe he ran away.

I sighed before walking towards the bed of spikes from which countless bodies hung. Some of which still moved and moaned in pain.

I walked around the spikes before returning to the road that led north.

The adrenaline's effects eventually wore off and my fatigue became crippling.

I couldn’t pass out in the middle of the street lest I be discovered and unceremoniously killed.

“Ower, leave Ncil here with me and look for a place to camp.” I said and Ncil suddenly appeared next to me and the poor thing looked tired as well.

I lightly wrapped my arm around her and pulled her closer as cold winds blew across the grassy planes of Centora.

My vision remained on the northern horizon and even though many aches troubled my tired body, my steps remained steady.

.

..

Ower had found us a place to camp in a patch of trees that was rather way off the path, but I didn’t really mind.

I created a dark little house where we dropped all of our gear. Well, I dropped the Golden sword on the ground and Ower and Ncil carefully packed their things in the corner.

I then created a large bed and promptly removed my armour.

I crawled onto the admittedly uncomfortably hard bed and glanced at Ncil who stood next to the bed.

“Get undressed.” I instructed and the black blade complied.

She neatly folded her clothes and placed them on the floor before standing in front of my cross armed self.

I eyed her small, pale body over and although they were both covered, she hid her breasts and crotch behind her arms and hands.

I chuckled internally before offering her my hand.

She accepted it and I pulled her into my arms and allowed her to lay on my large warm body.

The cold of winter would be hitting especially hard in the night and the last thing I needed was for Ncil, a non augmented Rendaro, to get sick and so I held her.

Her small heart beating rapidly on top of my chest.

Ncil…

She was the Black Blade Han had assigned to me and yet I knew so little about her.

I wasn’t going to sleep any time soon and so I gently placed my hand on her head before running it through her short hair.

“Who are you?” I growled unintentionally deeply.

“A-are you speaking to me?”

“Is there anyone else in the room other than Ower? Speaking off, take off your armour and join us.” I scoffed prompting Ower to remove all of his gear revealing his tall pale, muscular body. His many scars had yet to fully fade and… he had one less arm than before. He placed his stuff next to Ncil’s things before joining me in keeping Ncil warm.

“Mmm… My name is Ncil. Protector of Coh and your humble aide.” Ncil said rather softly while Ower and I had a staring competition.

“And who were you before?” I asked while realizing that Kommáti didn’t need to blink and so I lost.

“Well, I am a Foph. Although I ran away when the time came for me to go to the breeding dens.”

“Hoh? I have always been fascinated by that entire process. They take young women and have them birth the children of strong warriors until they are unable. Then, when that time comes, those women become nannies who watch it all happen again. What made you run? Apart from the thought of having to birth countless children.” I said.

“I was afraid.” Ncil simply said before falling silent.

I wanted her to be more specific.

I wanted her to pour out all the nightmarish truths about being a Foph women but…

I remained silent.

I then stared at the ceiling and delighted in the small thumping sensation made by Ncil’s heart.

It kept me company in the darkness of the night.

.

..

I hadn’t managed to get a wink of sleep and my thoughts were getting beyond muddled but I couldn’t go back to that place.

I looked down at a sleeping Ncil and sneakily grabbed her ass, waking her up instantly.

“Rise and shine” I said with a grin but the sleepy woman returned her head to my chest.

I chuckled lightly before locking gazes with Ower who had kept me company throughout the night since Kommáti didn’t really need to sleep.

I looked deep into his eyes and his unshaking dark pupils peered into mine.

I knew how to make them tremble.

“Come here.” I said prompting Ower to move his head closer to mine.

I then leaned forward and pressed my lips onto his and like clockwork, they shook.

I placed my hand on his cheek as we laid in the dark.

“Why are you following me?” I asked as a rather sharp pain filled my chest.

“Because, as a Kommáti, I am bound to my duty and that duty is to protect you.”

“I see-“

Ower suddenly placed his hand on my cheek making my heart rate tremble.

“But, more than that, I want to stay by your side and ensure you, both of you, are alright. Words cannot describe how much it pains me to see you get hurt. So, allow me to follow you on the dark path you tread.” He said with a smile.

My mouth hung open.

I then clicked my tongue and quickly got out of bed.

“Jerk.” I muttered while wearing my armour.

Ower and Ncil got dressed as well and we promptly left the house just as I destroyed it.

We then continued north as the sounds of distant thunder filled the air.