Chapter 18

“We as a people have come too far to not advance. We have survived the age of the broken. We have survived the Continental War. Now there is nothing in our way, only the hurdles that take us to advancement.”

-Vekail Elano

The sun began to rise in the eastern horizon. A thin coating of morning dew still laid claim to the fields of southern Tokanoba. Miles of turnips grew from the soil as far as the eye could see. Their wide leaves were bright green and healthy. They were full and well maintained, this seasons harvest would surely be bountiful. In between the fields sectioning off one from the other were narrow dirt roads slightly elevated above the tilled soil to keep the path dry. Upon the paths was a cluster of thin tracks.

Off in the distance traveling in between two fields, a farmer was transporting a wagon full of turnips. The all wood wagon was sided with tall strips of planks to carry a large load of crop. The turnips within bulged at the top so much that it couldn't hold not one more. The wheels of the wagon consisted of more wood, with the exception of a thin trimming of metal around the outer part of the wheel for durability.

The wagon was being pulled by a homely old horse. Its fur was brown, and its mane was well maintained. It was an elderly gelding, but it was still very strong and resilient, seemingly eager to work. The horse was equipped with a series of chains and leather straps to connect him to the frame of the wagon.

Sitting on the bucket seat at the front of the wagon directly behind the wagon was a middle-aged man. He wore a dirty straw hat atop his head and wore simple dull colored clothes riddled with dust and grime. His skin was also dirty yet tan for a northern inhabitant, showing signs of how often he was in the fields. Coming down from the sides and back of his hat was graying brown hair. Across his defeated face was a speckling of salted stubble. Across his left eye, he wore a large white bandage thickened with layers of gauze. Adhesive strapping diagonally wrapped around his head underneath his hat. His other eye was brown and bared an expression of sorrow.

He was heading for a storage house at the corner of four different fields to store his crop for the collectors he had been supplying for, one of which being the Tokanoba military. Even though they have not been paying him for his crop or his labor, he has been forced to give up his crop to feed the soldiers during the war efforts.

As he continued on his way, he heard a loud boom in the distance. Startled by the sound he quickly turned that way. His face grew pale, and his mouth dropped by the sight he saw. Rampaging through his fields was Koden mounted atop Rem. Koden was wearing a white leather reinforced vest with a scraggly thicket of long white fur sprawled across his shoulders. He wore nothing underneath the vest, exposing his thick arms with striped flowing patterns painted with what seemed to be blood. Covering the entirety of his head was the intimidating white boar mask. Because of the chilled morning bite that temporarily surrounded the area, a thick stream of his breath visibly rose from the venting slits near his mouth. In Koden’s right hand was a long pole with a for some reason bloodied jagged spear head attached to the end of it. He was destroying the crop by the thousands by sending waves of energy at the plants. Upon impact, the waves would immediately decay the plants. Rem contributed to the destruction by shooting powerful beams of heat at the crops. As the beams met the crops, the plants began to bake, expelling all of the water from their leaves leaving them to dry enough to catch fire. The fires grew fast as all the crops foliage began to dry up and engulfed in flames.

The farmer jumped off of his seat and stood on his dirt path, he was in shock. “My turnips,” he said lightly to himself as his eyes began to water. He knew he had to alert someone to help him and his land. He began running down the path towards his stead. “Help! Someone help!” he screamed as he tried to alert anyone to assist him.

Koden continued his rampage, he knew the more crops he destroyed, the more valuable they would be. Rem ran throughout the fields engulfing everything around him. Minutes later in the distance Koden saw a group of Tokanoba soldiers charging at him and Rem. That was a quick response, Koden thought to himself. He was fairly disappointed at their swift arrival, he was hoping for more destruction. Koden let out a long guttural yell and lifted his bloodied spear. The troops stopped and stared at him, the hairs on their arms stood up as an eerie feeling washed over them. “You will pay for what you have done!” Koden yelled with extra rasp to his voice, resembling what he imagined to be an evil spirit. “I will eat you, and then your fucking children!” Koden crudely exclaimed as Rem lunged forward at them. The soldiers knew they could not run away from Rem, so they braced themselves for the impact. Rem easily latched onto one of the soldiers with his teeth and whipped him side to side, demolishing all the bones in his body. Koden shot shredder-stars at multiple soldiers, killing them on impact.

After moments of light fighting, only two soldiers were left. Koden and Rem stood before them bloodied from the fallen soldiers. Koden jumped off of Rem and stabbed his spear into the ground. He began walking towards the soldiers breathing heavy. Each breath he let out a deep, gritty grunt. The soldiers stood in fear as they knew they were trapped. A soldier couldn't bear to stay, so he turned away from Koden and began to run. Koden quickly caught up to him and grab ahold of him. “No! Please no!” he screamed in panic.

Koden said no words. Instead he maniacally laughed. He brought him back to the other soldier and placed him in front of him. “Watch your partner die,” Koden said as he grabbed onto the fleeing soldier's neck.

“No!” the soldier watching yelled as Koden began to squeeze his friends neck.

The soldier gasped for air as Koden’s fingers dug into his throat. Blood began to pour down his torso as the soldier began to gargle. Koden tossed the man to the ground as he gasped his last breath before dying. The other soldier stood in complete fear as tears ran down his face. By this time the entire environment was engulfed in flames. Koden brought his face to the soldiers and looked into his eyes. The soldier grew even more fearful as he saw Koden’s signature Atomo eyes and the notorious Atomo Clan insignia on the forehead of the mask. “Today, your wife will not become a widow,” Koden growled. “You will take what you saw and tell the Tokanoba leaders about this, and tell them that it will continue as long as they disturb the Atomo grounds. Got it?”

The soldier shook his head in conformation. Koden rose his gloved finger to his own head and laid his finger on the Atomo symbol. “The Atomo’s hatred solely lives through me. You, your wife, your children, and everyone you've ever loved will be mutilated by my hands, heed my words cuck. I am the merciless god of anything that stirs in my world, and you will all suffer my wrath.”

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Koden lifted his finger off of his mask leaving behind a dot of soldier blood. “Take this burden to your leaders,” Koden said as he stabbed the soldier's right eye with just his finger. The soldier screamed in agony as Koden ripped his entire eye out of the socket. “Leave me, and count your days.”

______________________

Days later Keeman stood at a teller artifact within a certified Verkarion bank in Pecuna. The artifact was cylindrical and stood an arm's length high. It was made of a turquoise material that resembled glass. Inside of the glass was the information that Keeman wished to see. The interactive nature of the artifact allowed him to navigate swiftly through his information. After he made sure of the transactions Koden asked for him to do he turned the teller off and exited the bank. He walked over to his artifact carriage and began to travel home.

Minutes later he arrived at his beautiful home and parked his cart. He entered his house and was welcomed by the ever hating silence once more. Since Koden had taken his family from him, he had been so distraught. He had troubles thinking clearly because of the overwhelming stress. He was so concerned about their well being but had no idea how to help them without making things worse. He rounded the corner and entered his living room to see Koden nonchalantly sitting on his couch. Keeman jumped as Koden’s appearance was exceptionally unexpected. “Have you done your part?” Koden asked in a cool tone.

“Yes, it is done.”

“Good, now we wait a few days for the damage to take effect, and then you sell,” Koden said getting up from the couch.

“How is my family?”

“They are fine, I assure you.”

“Please don't do anything to hurt them.”

“If you do as I say Keeman the well being of your family should be the least of your concerns.”

“Thank you.”

“I'll be seeing you,” Koden said as he exited the room.

__________________________

Standing in the doorway, Milly felt worried as she looked into the room where Koden stayed. It has been days since I have seen him, I hope he’s alright, Milly thought to herself with deep concern. She shut the door and went downstairs, as she exited her home through the front door she saw a Verkarion guard. Though it wasn't a normal guard, it was Cyran’s head of security. He was employed through Cyran to protect him when he goes on business trips, and he sometimes uses him to guard his home.

Milly approached the guard, “Ousley, I have a question for you.”

“Yes, Miss?” Ousley politely said looking at Milly. He was in his thirties, he wore short brown hair with dark blue eyes. Thick short stubble lay across his face. On the side of his face in between his hairline and his right eye was a long battle scar. He wore thick leather armor and bore a large two-handed sword attached to his back.

“Have you seen our guest lately?”

“The warrior, Miss?”

“Yes, the warrior.”

“I have not, I apologize.”

“No need Ousley, thank you,” Milly said with a smile as she turned to walk away.

“Miss, might I ask you a question?”

Milly turned back to Ousley, “Of course.”

“What is the guest's story? How has he gotten so strong at such a young age?”

Milly grinned as she thought of Koden, “Why don't you save that question for when he shows back up and ask him for yourself?”

Ousley nodded, “Very well Miss.”

Milly turned around again and walked away as Ousley continued his patrol. As the time passed by she grew more and more worried about Koden. She has grown deeply fond of him and would hate to see anything bad happen to him. She walked out onto the sidewalk and kept going in hopes to clear her mind, although she has tried this method days prior with no use.

She passed by roadside shops contained within carts and large groups of people. Ahead in the distance was what seemed to be a new merchant cart that must have just now entered the city. The only difference between this merchant group and another is for some reason there is a large condensed group of people surrounding their carriage. Milly now curious of the commotion approached the group. “It rampaged throughout the fields in the north!” a man hanging off the side of his cart said as the people listened.

“What was it?” a citizen asked.

“It must have been an evil spirit! They rode a large white beast and destroyed miles of fields. They even killed Tokanoba soldiers!”

A gasp rang out from the crowd. “We must be careful that we don't see the same fate,” a crowd member said.

“What did they look like?” a citizen yelled from the rear of the group.

“The surviving soldier said that he wore a white mask, an evil one!”

A small chatter began to fill the surrounding streets, and slowly the crowd dissipated. Milly as well left the crowd thinking of what she just heard. She recollects a week prior when she saw a white mask sitting on Koden’s nightstand. Was that the mask the soldier saw? Is Koden this evil spirit? She had so many questions whirling through her head yet no answers could be found. Should I ask him? She thought to herself. No, I should wait and see if he would tell me. If he doesn't, I just won’t know. Milly shockingly to herself felt no negative feelings about what Koden has done if he, in fact, did it. She still felt fond of him and for some reason after hearing the story of the evil spirit grew even more attracted to him.

“Worried are you?” a voice called out from a side street.

Milly jumped with a light whimper and looked towards the voice. Koden stood to the side with his hair and eye color changed. Milly’s face lit up with joy, “Koden!” She leaped over to him and wrapped her arms around him. “Where were you?”

“I had to go and see how my lands were, I have no one to do spy work for me so I must do it myself.”

Milly grew relieved by his answer, even if it wasn't the truth she was happy to hear it. “How are they?” she asked looking up to Koden with a face of concern.

“Not good, the war continues.”

“What will you do?”

“Relieve the north, my plans remain unchanged,” Koden said as he began to walk with Milly.

“Well, I'm glad you're back in one piece,” Milly said with a large smile. She enjoyed the idea of being in a relationship with a warrior. She enjoyed the risk and power that comes with it. She dreads the idea of marrying a boring businessman like her father and living the comfortable life, power attracted her like many other women.

“Miss me did you?” Koden said with a grin.

“I did,” Milly said as she stopped and turned towards Koden.

Koden stopped as well and looked down to Milly. “I want you to teach me how to be powerful like you,” Milly said.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yes, I love how you conduct yourself, it's contagious. You're a leader at heart, and I would be the happiest little girl in the world if I could join you on your journey and learn from you.”

Koden smiled at the compliments Milly had given him, he felt undeserving of such treatment. “Milly, isn't your fate here in Verkarion?”

“My fate lies where I want it,” Milly said. “And I want it with a warrior.”