His anger seething, cursing the world, cursing the humans. He was now storming off back to the ruins to the west. Near the small lake, his hideout should still be there. He was supposed to bring home glory… get celebrated, but then this happened.
The plan should have been flawless, all the time the demon spent was drowned into nothing. Influencing the nobles that were true to their greed. Making sure of the success of the adventurers slaying the Rat Foxes.
His blood boiled, and his head throbbed in frustration. He failed. Then to add to the insult. The clan of the Light users was still there. The demon had both missing arms and his right horn disintegrated. The light magic was their weakness, it was their bane. But he was sure another demon reported that the clan had already perished. Knowing that the light users still exist he felt fear.
He tried running as fast as he could to escape, as long as he was still alive then he could still plan. Navigate the human weakness, he was a demon. It was their mandate to install the demons back on the top of the food chain. The demon who never knew how to smile smirked. He was going to get back to them. Plan more carefully… plan more sophisticated.
Drips of his blood blood splattered the ground where he was traveling. Demons don’t die that easily. Given time he could regenerate his limbs by absorbing magic in the air, it was slow but he could live even a thousand years. Then the demon began feeling something on the back of his head. His instinct warned. He dived without knowing what was going to hit him.
“Missed?-” It was the old man, the user of the light magic that ended the ancient turtle. “-Your blood is blue… you are a demon,” The old man spoke. His face was clearly agitated. The demon saw his life flashing in front of him as he saw the old man’s light.
“You are a Varus… bringer of light!!!” the demon spoke glaring.
“I’ve thrown that name a long time ago… my family had been abolished a long time ago… demon,” the old man’s sword glowed. His eyes flowed with magic and a flowing light. He went into a high stance. “I was told… even by my grandfather if I find one of your kind… I must eradicate you…” the old man was high on magic, probably because of the Dragoon Root Extract? Or maybe because his blood was screaming.
“On that note… any more of you?” the old man smirked. His eyes blazed with more light magic than ever.
“Do you…!!!! GRAAAAAAH!!!!” but before the demon finished his sentence. The intense light coming from the old man’s swing disintegrated him. Every fiber of the demon turned into dust and into nothingness.
“I don’t really care what you say…” the old man said.
As the light subsided not even the shadow of the demon remained. “Boy… you followed me?” the old man said immediately noticing Simon who was just a few meters behind him hiding on a rock.
“What was that?” Simon asked wondering what the blue-blooded species was.
“The scum of the earth… bane of the humans… never mind that, go back first, the drug is doing great, maybe I would help them carve the road back to normal again while I still can,-” but Simon just stared at him, the boy could tell that he was not well. “-Boy… don’t look at me like that… go on,” the old man said.
Simon nodded and followed the old man’s words.
After the boy left the old man smiled. The feeling of his magic overflowing… and under his full control. He savored the feeling. The donkey road was trampled by the rock turtles, he was going to clear it.
<--->
The party was a total blast. The adventurers were singing and eating the night away. They would resume work tomorrow in clearing and fixing back the rock turtle carcass would be a long process. The noble that was commanding was planning to use the lump of soil and rock to just extend the southern wall going up to the west side.
Wilfred and his wife Lady Farris just sat by the plank with a beer in hand. The two couldn’t even move. After the boy screamed that the ancient rock turtle was dead, all of their tension drained down, the knight even needed to escort them back to the plank and from when the party started they hadn’t moved away from the plank.
The old man arrived, and a few of the knights who were still stationed on the borders instantly noticed him. Compliments and applause were on the go as the adventurers and knights saw his visage. The old man smiled at the warm welcome, it's been a long time since he had basked in the light of applause after his glory. He had in his mind where he was going next, he was going to the commander.
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“Finally!!! Alphecca of the sword of light!!!! Please enjoy the feast!!!” Wilfred said as the old man approached the two.
“Where’s the boy?” the old man asked.
“Sorry… we don’t know where is the boy, when the party started he said he would eat some and left,” it was Lady Farris who answered, the old man raised his brows, the lady was speaking to him normally unlike the tone of a noble.
“I see, I will find him, I’m also planning to drink the night away, oh and by the way,” the old man took a glass of rum which was lying near the plank. “I have cleared the western donkey path, add that to the expenses… enjoy the party,” the old man said as he left.
“He really rambunctious,” it was Lady Farris the one who spoke. But she was smiling, she didn’t mind how the old man acted or spoke. Others would say the most beautiful things in front of you but leave you at the moment of your weakness… the old man was different, he would say the most honest remarks one could possibly hear, using the most efficient words like ‘Stupid’ or ‘Idiot’; to her surprise, those words were effective for her husband.
“Stop smiling… Farris… do you fancy the old man?!” Wilfred the jealous man that he was glared at his wife.
“No, I love you… but he just reminds me of my great grandfather, tee-hee… rather, I’m in the mood tonight… if you are?” the lady bewitchingly smiled at Wilfred.
All Wilfred’s worries drained and he forcefully finished his drink and with all his might stood up and took the Lady Farris in a princess carry.
“I’ve got some lovely pills in the bedroom that I think will be to your liking!!” Wilfred declared full of determination. Farris laughed.
“Okay! Men I will be leaving for a while! See you tomorrow!!” Wilfred declared. For the captains that heard them, they knew it and they cheered for their lord, they were all men.
<--->
Simon was silently doing the Flow exercise, the old man skillfully found him on one corner of the western border, an elevated ground on a hill. The boy was in an Indian seat position. Simon instantly opened his eyes when he felt the old man getting closer.
Simon stood up but the old man stopped him by waving his hand waving down.
“You didn’t have to train tonight, the adventurers are celebrating along with the knights, it’s a rare sight,” the old man said and he gulped down a shot of the wine he opened with a pop.
“Old man… that blue thing you killed… what was that?” the boy asked. The old man smirked, innocence was bliss.
“Remember this Simon… if you see one… do everything you can do to kill them… these blue creatures in humanoid form are demons,” the old man explained.
“Demons?” but it was not enough for Simon.
“Remember my words… but don’t tell anyone about it… don’t think about it actually,” the old man concluded putting his fingers on his chin while nodding.
“Old Man… you are really strong… I want to understand more about magic!” Simon exclaimed, the boy was clearly excited.
The old man smiled and sat along with the boy. “Unfortunately I can’t teach you properly… I actually learned by instinct and self-taught… and the years really built me up,” the old man explained.
“But when you trained me with sword… you said I should learn my own style… doesn’t it work like that with magic?” Simon wondered.
The old man shook his head. “I’m actually better with swords… if you have seen how the old magicians used magic… my magic would be incomparable. They would probably say that it was a child’s play,” the old man said and he took another swig.
The old man could tell. When peace came, it forged weak humans but when it was their era where everywhere was survival, it forged stronger humans. He looked at the boy. The boy would have thrived during those times in the past. It would be so good to see that. How far could this boy climb up?
The old man’s hands began shaking, the alcohol was numbing his pain. Simmering it down to be almost unnoticeable.
“Where should we sleep?” The old man asked the boy.
The boy used his thumb. The bed and their things were already set up a few walks behind them. The old man gazed around finally understanding why Simon wanted to stay there.
“Do you miss the mountains boy?” the old man asked.
“Hmm… yeah, I do sometimes, especially when I see the sky,” the boy said smiling a bit.
The wind breeze was cool. The sky was cleared, it was because of the turtle’s fall. It totally cleared all the clouds around the area. It reminded me of the nostalgic feeling on the mountains they stayed… where Simon grew up. The two stared at each other.
“Let’s go down and get some more meat, it's okay for today,” the old man said smiling fiercely, Simon nodded, of course, he do love eating meat.
The two jolly went down back into the festivities.
<--->
A few weeks later, Joshua found himself in Trist Port Town. He would never forget his time spent on the eastern frontier; the world seemed so vast, and so much had happened in just a few days that his life was changing rapidly. Now, he was waiting in the cafeteria of the adventurers’ guild in Trist Port Town.
A group of adventurers from the Farm Lands had escorted him to Pharsha, the closest town to the Farm Lands. After a day, Pharsha’s Adventurers Guild had arranged for escorts to take him to Trist Port Town, where he had been training.
“You are a Varus? Joshua Varus?” the guild staff member at what she was seeing.
“Yes… do you know me?” Joshua asked.
“No… wait for a while here-,” the lady was supposed to leave but she glanced back to Joshua “-do you know Alphecca Varus?” the lady asked before leaving. Joshua shook his head.
“I see… you can eat for a while, order anything on the menu,” She said.
“I just had breakfast thank you,” Joshua smiled and the lady left.
As he sat in the guild cafeteria, he heard clattering sounds and shouting voices from outside the guild. Curious, he wondered what was happening and decided to investigate it. He followed the sound and went out of the guild building.
To his surprise, it was behind the next building after the guild’s house. It was an underground arena. Where people were screaming watching the two fighters in the middle fight. Joshua smiled. He still had some money and wondered where he could buy a shield and sword.