As the tavern owner brandished his sword, the other patrons watched with a mix of curiosity and anticipation, clearly eager for some entertainment. Bolverk, Lily, Nocturna, and Gökbörü stood by my side, their expressions a mixture of concern and readiness.

I held the tavern owner's gaze, not backing down.

“Are you sure you know how to swing it?”

“You will see if you don’t get out.”

He said while stretching his sword towards me. I put my hands in my pockets.

“Or maybe I should have asked if you are sure you “want” to use it? Have you ever fought against another human with the intention of killing? Have you ever cut down a human while looking at their eyes?”

I moved towards him.

“You talk as if you have!”

He shouted.

“I just said I have a connection to the Goddes of War. Do you think I haven’t killed another human?”

I stopped just outside his range.

“Come on, take a swing. It is not like you will hit me.”

The tavern owner's face contorted with anger as he tightened his grip on the sword. His hand trembled slightly, a mixture of fear and frustration evident in his eyes. The patrons who had initially found this confrontation amusing were now growing uneasy as they watched.

After a tense moment, the tavern owner let out a frustrated growl and lowered his sword. He threw his sword back. I tilted my head to the side.

“I don’t need a sword to take care of a brat like you!”

He took a half-baked stance and swung his fist. As the tavern owner swung his fist toward me, I quickly leaned back allowing his punch to sail past harmlessly. He stumbled forward, off-balance from the force of his own swing.

“Is that all?”

Rather than answering my mocking question, he swung another wide punch. This time I sidestepped and kicked him in the leg. Since his balance was already messed up he fell on the ground. I looked down on him.

“I can hurt you if I wanted to. I just want to help you. Listen to me just this night. We barricade here and the temple for just this night then I don’t care if you beat me, curse me, or throw me out.”

He charged towards me. It wasn’t a punch or a kick. It was a tackle. I lowered my stance, pulling my hands from my pockets, and fell on a sprawl. If I had any kind of strength boost I could easily suplex him into the ground. Not only I didn’t have any boosts, but I was also pretty sure doing it to a normal human on a wooden floor would prove… fatal.

For a more peaceful solution, I rotated to his side. From there I was able to make him fall on his back. I ended up on top of him. I raised my fist and he raised his hands to defend. I could see the “Oh, shit!” in his eyes. But my fist hit the ground. I lifted my hands in a defensive manner and got up.

The tavern owner, now on the ground, looked up at me with a mixture of frustration and defeat in his eyes.

The patrons in the tavern, who had been eager for a confrontation moments ago, had fallen into an uncomfortable silence. The initial tension had dissipated, replaced by a palpable unease as they watched our exchange.

I extended a hand to help the tavern owner up. After a moment of hesitation, he reluctantly accepted my hand, allowing me to pull him to his feet.

He looked around to the patrons watching us.

“You heard the man. Get your families here or the temple.”

They looked hesitant but when the first patron stood up to leave, others followed him.

“Ah yes, the classic “I am going to outmatch you so hard you are going to have to listen to me” tactic.”

Lily came to my side.

“50 percent of the time, works 100 percent.”

“It didn’t work in Italy.”

“Don’t remind that. What a shit show it was…”

Nocturna looked at us with confused eyes.

“It worked?”

She asked. I shrugged.

“Humans are just bigger, fatter, and less hairy monkeys. You beat everyone, you are on the top.”

Lily’s explanation didn’t seem to explain anything to Nocturna since she looked even more confused. I poked him.

“Attention. We don’t have a lot of time. First, find weapons or anything that can be used as weapons and hand them to everyone. Second, find wood, rocks, or anything that can be used to reinforce the tavern and building.”

Bolverk slowly walked to us.

“ I have some axes and hammers I wanted to sell in my cart but guess if we are going to fight for our lives we can use them.”

I slowly turned my head towards him.

“You had axes and hammers while we fought those draugrs? Why the fuck you didn’t tell us?”

“Because if I did, you would use it! If I sold them as second hand they would pay me less.”

I covered my face with my hand.

“You are the stingiest person I ever seen.”

The tavern owner, now somewhat subdued, began instructing his patrons to gather their families and head to the tavern or the temple for safety. The unease in the room had shifted from confrontational to cooperative, even though some old ladies and children complained. I let Lily take care of them. With some sweet talk, entertaining tricks, and songs he was able to convince them.

With the equipment I found in Bolverk’s cart, I was able to make several makeshift shields. He went whiter and whiter as I took more things and handed them to people.

“Hey, they are for just this night only! Bring them back tomorrow!”

I ignored his erratic shouting.

Sun was going down when we finally convinced everyone to enter to temple or tavern. I was surprised. I was pretty sure some older folk would resist but guess I have to thank Lily for it. I looked at him and he gave me a thumbs up.

That left Nocturna who looked very uncomfortable as she tried to hide around me from people surrounding us. I put my hand on her head rather roughly.

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“Nocturna, it is okay. These people probably have been dead for years. We are currently in a world constructed by the First User of Sacred of Selection’s subconscious. These people are not real. Maybe you can try to get used to being around people? In my world, we had something called exposure therapy. Basically, you try to get used to things by being exposed to them. Maybe you can show children some magic tricks? They love it.”

“Are you sure?”

She asked with an unsure voice. I nodded and gave her a reassuring smile. She took a deep breath and mustered up a smile. With newfound determination, she began to approach some of the children who were gathered with their families, her eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. I watched as she let out small sparks out of her hands.

I turned my attention to Gökbörü. He was standing in the doorway, looking in the direction of the woods. His body was tense. I crouched and slowly patted his back. He slightly loosened up.

“What it is boy?”

He let out an aggressive growl. I got out but with the Sun going down, I couldn’t really see anything. I was just about to turn back when something hit my back.

“Can I touch your ears?”

“Create a fireball! Fireball!”

“Poyraz, help!”

I took Nocturna under my wing, defending her from very enthusiastic kids. I looked at the kids in front of me.

“Oi. What is happening?”

“Older sis’s ears are so cute!”

“Big fireball!”

Oh. Their loud choir gave me a headache.

“Stop speaking at once. Also, Nocturna is your elder. You can’t order her around. Apogalize now. Then go to your mother’s side.”

I used my older brother voice while shaking my finger at them. There were some stubborn ones complaining but I quickly made them shut up.

“It is okay, Nocturna. They are gone.”

She took a relaxed breath.

“They liked you. Guess now we have to work on how to assert your authority on them.”

“Thank you but I think it is enough for today. I don’t think I can take any more.”

“Hah, it is okay… Oh, shit. Sorry about that.”

Without realizing I was patting her head.

“It is okay.”

She said with a red face.

“You sent them away so easily…”

Her ears dropped. Cute.

“I was pretty high ranked before coming here. Even though I wasn’t very strict, I had to carry myself with the highest levels of authority and strictness in front of my troops.

“But kids and soldiers must be different.”

I smiled.

“Guess so. I also had a sister. My parents were pretty soft on her because she was a girl. I had to discipline her.”

“Oh, I am sorry about your loss. If I knew I… I wouldn’t have…”

I shook my head.

“It is okay. They have been gone for a long time. Guess-“

I looked at my body.

“They passed away when I was about this body’s age?

Nocturna looked puzzled.

“Ughhh, how old are you? If you don’t mind to answer, of course!”

“Around my mid-sixties, I guess? You lose the count after a while.”

“Huh?”

Nocturna blinked repeatedly. It was understandable. Accepting that the teenager you were looking at was actually an old man was… A little difficult.

“Should I speak more respectfully?”

She asked after a while. I laughed.

“You can speak just like how you were speaking before.”

Since Nocturna looked more relaxed now I went and checked on the barricades. Even though they were hastily made with whatever was in hand if the draugrs strong as normal humans came they would hold up. Though I doubted if what that old woman told me was true weak draugrs would come.

“Guess thinking without any hints would get me nowhere.”

I turned back to the tavern. Just as I was about to enter something rang in my ear. Gökbörü, who was beside me took an aggressive pose and growled.

“A horn?”

It came again, this time louder. An uncomfortable feeling spread in my chest.

“Everyone! Get inside! Barricade the doors!”

At first, they were slow and didn’t take my orders seriously but as horns got louder and louder they moved with a sense of urgency, their unease growing palpable. They rushed inside, some of them clutching makeshift weapons or tools they had gathered.

“Guess you were right, kid.”

Bolverk said with a trembling voice.

“Are you scared old man?”

“I should have taken my donkey inside too…”

I doubted he was worrying about its safety. He was just worried about his property.

“Don’t worry about it. You are not going to need money in the afterlife.”

He knocked on the wooden table beside us.

“Don’t call the bad.”

“Bom! Bom!”

Sounds of drums boomed.

“I don’t have to. It is already here.”

Lily put his hand on my shoulder.

“Do you think we should have set the barricade around the village?”

He asked.

“It would been better. But we don’t know the direction they are coming from and we didn’t have the time and manpower to cover all around us.”

I answered.

“It is getting kind of boring being dealt a bad hand every time.”

I shrugged at his complaints. I pointed towards the biggest adults.

“Hey, you guys. Take your shields and come! You, you and you, take those spears and form a line behind us.”

We formed a shield formation around the door. Behind us were the guys holding sharpened sticks longer than themselves. It was a shitty phalanx formation. The reason we were guarding the door was simple: It was the weakest opening.

“Stomp! Stomp!”

The children started to cry. An oppressive feeling pressed down on my shoulders.

“You were right…”

The tavern owner, who was just beside me whispered weakly.

“Hold your line. Remember what’s behind us. I’ll kill anyone breaking formation myself.”

“Poyraz this sound is.. too organized. Like an army marching.”

Lily, who held a spear behind me whispered.

“I know.”

Was the only thing I could whisper back before something heavy hit the door, hard.