Time slowed to a still, Reinhold remembered far too many things in that instance.
He reminisced on the flavorful moments in his life, no matter how little they were. The dark cruel world he was living in seemed to ease away as the salvation he always wanted to reach him was now right in front of him.
The broadsword finally stopped only a mere inch in front of him, one last inch to end it all.
“What the-“
The broadsword stopped instantly, an unknown force held down his broadsword in place. The aggressive man instinctually pulled back and was met with no resistance, as if this unknown force was only protecting Reinhold.
The aggressive man immediately steadied his eyes, taking this much more seriously. He didn’t understand what blocked his strike but to block it with such ease could only mean that it was a very formidable foe.
Not feeling the pain he was expecting, Reinhold opened his cloudy eyes in confusion, staring at the two people in front of him.
His eyes immediately cleared up when a familiar cold spine-chilling sensation erupted from right behind him. He vividly remembered this specific sensation, something only inhuman could be behind it.
This feeling vanished as quickly as it appeared, seemingly as soon as the sword strike was repelled.
The polite man widened his eyes in clear shock, “Against all odds, you even managed to figure out how to use those coins. This is too much of a coincidence. Fine, we’ll spare you if you give up all the coins in your possession.”
The aggressive man understood just a bit slower than his partner and put his broadsword back on the sheath on his back.
“Does that mean…”
“Yes, he can live. We’re in the land of fate, after all, we can’t force things too much. We’ve been meddling here for far too long.”
Reinhold, trying to understand the conversation between the two of them, realized that there was still a pathway for survival. Although he suffered greatly these past few days, he couldn’t do anything else but grit his teeth. Being alive was better than being dead.
He opened the pouch strapped to his leg and pulled out fifteen metal coins, all of which had a symbol of a cross piercing a circle. He weakly threw these coin pieces towards them and looked extremely spent doing so.
The aggressive man looked over and collected the coins, it was then that he noticed the color inlaid within the coins.
“Gerald, there are twelve red coins. God, how’s this even possible?”
The polite man named Gerald went over and verified the coins in his partner’s hands.
Gerald now was even more certain, the strange rules in this land started to manifest once more.
“Reinhold, do you understand the meaning behind these twelve red coins?”
Reinhold shook his head, an answer to Gerald’s question.
“It’s only obtained from the trial of sacrifice, usually these extremely rare trials only take one person at a time. Yet here you are with twelve.”
Still not understanding what Gerald was trying to imply he asked, “So what else do you want from me, I have nothing else.”
“It means that you have a very interesting future ahead of you,” Gerald smiled mysteriously. He then took three coins which were inlaid with green, blue, and orange, played around with them for a while, and threw it back toward Reinhold.
“Keep it.”
Reinhold wasn’t grateful to these two people at all. None of this would’ve happened if these two didn’t sabotage the entire team. No, perhaps the entire party was already doomed from the start, everyone’s death was already predetermined, and he only slipped through the extremely minute crack to survive.
“Androc, bring him. Let’s go back.”
Androc was the aggressive man with a broadsword strapped to his back. He nodded and carefully brought Reinhold alongside him.
There was only silence until they managed to reach the exit.
Bright daylight met his eyes, Reinhold weakly used his arms to prevent the light from blinding him. A took a deep breath and weakly mumbled.
“I’m finally out.”
A giant outpost was set up in front of him. Mercenaries were sharpening their blades and people were tending to livestock, a very lively scene.
A blaring torch atop the gate of the mansion dimmed down and the gate mysteriously opened by itself.
“They’re out! Someone inform the chief!” a young boy shouted loudly informing the entire camp. Another man heard this and ran towards the center of the outpost where the chief resided in.
Doctors came forward going through the motions, not expecting to suddenly be handled with the task of treating a young man. They quickly set up a bed inside a tent and used the bare necessities to keep him alive. Complementary food and water were given to him to give him some strength.
Gerald and Andoc were still standing in front of the mansion waiting for the chief to greet them.
Andoc talked to Gerald about Reinhold, the argument turned a bit heated but eventually Gerald clearly made his stance. Andoc scoffed and left the camp going back to his station, beyond the boundary.
Gerald was left to speak with the chief, their initial plans were a bit derailed, but the twelve red coins Reinhold got them made the chief’s eyes wide with glee.
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Reinhold was given preliminary care and was now able to finally rest for a bit. He didn’t know what was about to happen to him, especially after all that trauma.
A petite young girl, barely reaching the age of twelve went up to him with a scroll in her hand.
“Father said to ask you what your healing plans were. Here it is.”
Reinhold already saw this scroll before and didn’t need to read it anymore.
“I’ll take the revitalization one, I’ll pay after I exchange the coins I got.”
The child winced a little, “But sir, that leaves long-lasting injuries, there’s a better one which slowly rejuvenates your injuries and it’s only just a bit more expensive. Although it takes longer, your health in the long term would be much greater.”
“I know, I’m sticking by it.”
“Sir, fine, I’ll call Father.” The child seeing people take the destructive options for saving a tiny bit more money was getting more and more used to it.
“Also, can I get a strong sedative and some pills for the pain?”
She nodded and went outside.
A middle-aged man smoking a pipe came inside his tent wantonly. He placed the case he was holding on top of the desk right beside Reinhold. He opened it and mumbled a few words before choosing the proper pill and a liquid bottle to give him.
The doctor lazily said, "This uses your future's vitality to heal you right now. Take it. Here's also the sedative you wanted."
Reinhold took this cheaply made pill and drank it alongside some water. Immediately, his fingernail grew back, and the acid-stained skin grew new skin under it. His leg, however, only received a tiny bit of nourishment and only had his bones realigned.
"You still can't use your leg, if you want, I can sell you a proper crutch than that, hahaha, wooden table leg you got." The doctor amused himself.
"How much is it?"
"50 noux."
"Can you do a tiny bit cheaper? I'm running out of funds." Reinhold acted embarrassed.
"How much cheaper?"
"20 noux…"
"20? That's less than half the price! Pure nonsense, I'm leaving."
"Wait! I know where you can get better nicotine leaves. It's near here, I found some just before arriving."
"Oh? So, bartering with info, alright I'll listen." The doctor smoked his pipe in interest.
Reinhold told the doctor about a nearby place, just beyond the camp. The doctor had his assistant go there and he brought back a few leaves for the doctor.
"These are better quality than what they sell in town. Alright, 20 noux it is."
Reinhold asked the doctor's assistant to help him go over to the camp's center to find the exchanger. He exchanged each coin for 1000 noux, leaving him 3000 noux in total.
"A life's only worth a few months of rations. The more I learn, the more I see how tragic living is."
As he was leaving the exchanger's tent, he overheard two mercenaries talking.
"There's been some talk about a new holy war going about. A few crazy churches decided to take more control."
"Again? Life's already tough as it is. Forget it, this is my last expedition I saved enough money to propose anyways."
"Really? Good for you, better choose me as your best man or you'll live to regret it!"
Both men laughed as they continued to talk about their personal lives. Reinhold didn't care much for the mercenary's personal life, but his focus gathered on a specific term, holy war.
As he continued to move on, a feisty girl threw her shoe toward the man who was going to propose to a certain girl yelling, "It better be me! Otherwise, you'll really get it!"
Reinhold's heart ached, friends, a loved one, he had no one. Even the promise to his neighbor to help her son through this job was met with failure. Even being the cause of his demise.
He got back to his tent and paid the doctor 50 noux, 20 noux for the crutch, 30 noux for the rejuvenating medicine, and extra supplies.
The doctor was mildly high as he let Reinhold stay for a bit more, the beds weren't getting used anyway and 30 noux for a constant supply of high-quality nicotine leaves was too good of a deal.
Reinhold thanked the doctor and rested for a bit more, he wanted to stay here as long as possible since he should be safe. The mental toll to tell his neighbor that her son was dead and that he was the sole reason he died was something he just couldn't do.
The child from earlier entered his tent out of curiosity, she fiddled with her fingers as she timidly walked over. Compared to how calm and practiced the girl was earlier, there was something on her mind.
"Why'd you give Father more things to smoke? Don't you know it hurts him?"
Reinhold was taken aback by this child's words. Indeed, why did he do that, he had no reason to. The 30 noux he saved was barely anything compared to what he just earned.
Perhaps it was because he was so used to bartering with people that it came to him so naturally. It could've also been him thinking of saving more money to get out of this hellhole since he barely had enough to make it.
"I don't know."
The child puffed her cheeks, "Even back then! You also chose to hurt yourself! Why are adults so dumb!"
It dawned on Reinhold, innocence. How long has it been since he saw this pure naivety?
"The world hurts. Living hurts. Us choosing things to hurt ourselves hurts less than how everything else hurts us." Reinhold mumbled absent-mindedly.
She was taken aback, apparently not expecting such an answer from him.
"Wow, you answered me, you're dumb but still better than those dumb adults who just swat me away!" The child's eyes sparkled as if she finally found a friend.
Reinhold recalled the outside scene, it was all people getting ready for war, not a place for a child to be in. He didn't recall another kid in the area, so she must've been bored of her mind not being able to talk to anyone.
"I may be different but I'm not better than them."
"No, no, no! My stinky dad makes my nose burn and all those other people outside don't have the time for me. I want to be like you when I'm older, still being friendly!"
Reinhold mumbled under his breath, "I'm the last person you would want to become."
"What's that mister?"
"Nothing, hey do you this game called 'Hands Out?' Want to play that?"
The child's eyes widened as Reinhold played with her the entire day. The doctor glanced at his daughter having fun with Reinhold and decided to let him be.
The next morning came as well as a few changes occurring in the camp. People started to wear heavier armor, blood started to permeate the camp as people with missing limbs came back to camp. The weirdest thing was that they didn't enter the mansion, they went somewhere else.
"Reinhold, you can't stay here anymore. It's not that I want to chase you out but it's getting more crowded here." The doctor puffed out one hollow circle of smoke.
"I understand."
"Goodbye, mister! I'll see you around!"
Just before Reinhold left, he asked the doctor one question, "I know you're protecting her but is this really where a child should grow up?"
"Not everything's as it seems, in the upcoming days this might be the safest place in Trien."
Reinhold narrowed his eyes towards the meaning behind the man's words then picked up his crutch and kept his pouch now filled with noux. He slowly waddled out of the tent in the direction of his hometown. The mercenaries couldn't care less now that Reinhold was leaving since he wasn't one of them.
As Reinhold reached the outer bounds of the camp a voice came behind him.
"Reinhold, do forgive me about what happened but these sacrifices were not in vain," Gerald spoke in a calm voice, trying to mend the situation between them.
Reinhold didn't understand, he had nothing, at least nothing that was of value. The only worthwhile achievement he made based on Gerald's words was that he managed to get twelve red coins. What this meant still eluded him.
"Oh, I know, how about this, use this if you're in trouble. The design is a bit primitive but if you press the button on top, it'll give out a signal and I'll come save you. At that point, you should be able to find it in your heart to forgive me." Gerald casually threw a cylindrical object toward Reinhold.
Reinhold examined the cylindrical object, other than the black luster it gave off and a clear button on top of it he couldn't find anything else of note.
The cylindrical item in his hands was still a mystery and he couldn't possibly blindly trust Gerald. The memory of him unleashing that monster on him still weighed heavily on his mind.
Gerald added a few more words of caution, "The range is limited and it's a one-use item, so be careful where you use it. Especially under wet conditions, it has gunpowder so it might not work."
Reinhold said nothing and went on his way. He couldn't blindly trust Gerald but one more net of safety, no matter how faulty, was easing to his mind.
Now it was finally time to go home.