As the silver moonlight cascaded over the Wazar Desert, a group—five-man strong—stood before the Wazar Canyon. They wore long-sleeved gray upper garments, studded with six elaborate buttons. Their pants were also gray, coupled with ash desert boots.
On the uniform of these men, a plain star insignia could be seen. Although the moonlight illuminated the desert, they held torches as they stared at the unforgiving darkness covering the Wazar Canyon.
"Captain Wallace, do we really have to do this? This place gives me the creeps," a young man said, unable to mask his apprehension. His eyes stared at the back of a short and chubby man.
Unlike him, the other members of the party gazed at the gorge with fear evidently etched on their faces.
"Poole, do you think I want to do this? Of all places, do you think I'd rather come here?" Wallace said as he massaged his temple. "If we don't do this, our city will be at risk. Since the guild has ignored our request, we have to take matters into our hands."
"Captain… whatever is hiding in the canyon is not something we can handle. I have heard stories of the people who wandered into the canyon. They say a terrifying beast lives within. They say it has three heads, six limbs, and four tails. Some claim it's over thirty feet tall. Others say the canyon is a prison holding beasts released from the dungeons." A man named Poole tried to make him reconsider by raising more fear in the group. "I, myself, have heard the explosions from the gorge. Definitely, this place is a prison for those demonic aberrations."
Poole's words sent shivers down the spines of the men. They, too, heard the rumors; and some had experienced the explosions.
"Enough! It doesn't matter if demons themselves are trapped below. We have to confirm its existence. If not, the guilds won't take us seriously. Ready yourselves!" Wallace believed them, but he was clear of the guilds' concern. Without evidence, they would never be entertained. Although he tried to raise the morale of his men, they remained crestfallen as they stared at the gorge.
'How did these lily-livered bastards become soldiers? Don't they realize the importance of the mission to our city?'
Wallace could hardly control his rising urge to smack his cowardly underlings.
"All right, boys. Let's move. We—"
Before Wallace could finish his statement, he noticed the eyes of his men widened while they retreated in hurried steps. Their bodies trembled while they pointed behind him.
'No! It couldn't be. Demons? Were the rumors true?'
Wallace's legs went limp as he slowly turned his head. While he turned, he could not count the number of times he swallowed his own saliva while praying in his mind. However, nothing came into Wallace's sights. Before he could comprehend what was going on, Poole's voice reached him, "Captain, see? You're just as scared as we are."
Unlike Poole, the others could not stop laughing.
"Are you idiots out of your mind?!" Wallace barked, an ugly scowl distorting his face.
"Captain, we—"
"Shut up! I don't want to hear it! Do you think this is the time for fun and jokes?"
Although the previous joke had somewhat elevated the morale of the group, Wallace remained furious that it was at his expense. If anything, his anger originated from the fact that their ill-timed joke revealed his inner fears. He was more embarrassed than furious.
"You bastards think you are clever, huh? I can't wait until we get back to—"
"Captain! Behind you!" Poole interjected, pointing as he retreated.
"Who the hell do you bastards think I am?! Do you know—?" before Wallace could finish his statement, he felt a hand rest on his shoulders.
"So, who are you guys?"
A voice of a young man to his ear made Wallace's heart give up. Without turning his head, Wallace went limp, fainting on the spot. His body would have fallen face-first if Adam had not caught him.
"Captain Wallace has been caught by a monster! Somebody, save us!"
Adam watched as Poole and the others fled in panic. His brows creased as he heard their screams.
"Monster? What are they talking about? I only wanted to ask for directions," Adam muttered as he stared at Wallace who seemed to be convulsing.
'What's wrong with him?'
Using his right hand to hold Wallace's body, Adam lifted his left hand slightly before delivering a resounding slap to Wallace's cheeks. However, Wallace remained unconscious, but he stopped convulsing. Unperturbed, Adam continued to deliver slap after slap. He watched as Wallace's chubby cheeks slowly turned red.
On the twentieth slap, Wallace's eyes snapped open with tears flooding them. "If you want to kill me, just kill me! Why do you have to torture me like this?"
"Oh. You're awake. Do you have a sickness or something? Why did you suddenly faint?" Adam said as he released his hold on Wallace.
'Bastard! Is he insulting me? Isn't he the one with the sickness? Who scares someone silly and then slaps them?'
Laying on the floor and holding his swollen cheeks, Wallace's brown deep-set eyes scanned his assailant. His gaze fell on Adam's toned body. Adam wore a caramel sleeveless garment that was torn in multiple places. It was matched with breeches-like pants and knee-high combat boots. Adam looked imposing as he towered over Wallace's body.
Gazing into Adam's limpid blue eyes, Wallace trembled subtly. He felt as if he was gazing into the eyes of a beast slowly observing its prey.
"Are you okay?" Adam said as he donned a smile while extending his right hand towards Wallace.
Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
Accepting Adam's gesture, they locked hands; and Adam pulled Wallace up with a slight pull.
'He only looks like a teenager, and yet his grip is so firm. Who is this kid?' Wallace thought while observing Adam.
"Yes, I'm fine now. I'm Wallace Wood. Captain of the Night's Scout division of Biamal. May I ask who you are?"
"You can call me Adam. Captain Wallace, where is this Biamal you speak of? Is it far from here?" Adam nodded as he returned the gesture.
'Huh? He doesn't know of Biamal? How did he get here if he doesn't know Biamal? Wait, where did he come from in the first place?'
Wallace's brows creased as he stared at Adam. A sudden realization dawned on him at that moment. Adam emerged while he was cursing his underlings, and only the vast desert and Wazar Canyon surrounded them. Since he had his back against the canyon while rebuking his men, it could only mean Adam emerged from the Wazar Canyon.
While Wallace's thoughts wandered, his legs grew weak as he struggled to flee.
Noticing the changes in Wallace's demeanor, Adam's left brow shot up while he inched closer. "Are you sure you're not ill?"
"Pl-Please… don't eat me… please—"
"Eat you? What nonsense are you talking about? What do you think I am? Do I look like a monster?" The young man frowned at the begging meatball of a person. Eat him? Did he even look delicious?
Wallace's gaze landed on Adam's lean muscles which had several scars. He could also see scars on Adam's belly through the hole in his garment. He almost nodded, but the fear of what Adam would do stopped him.
"Captain Wallace, calm down. I'm not a monster. Can you tell me how to get to Biamal? As you can see, I'm not in the best of conditions. I'd appreciate it if you could point me in the right direction." Adam parted his disheveled hair while waiting for Wallace's response.
Although Wallace could not detect any signs of animosity from Adam, he could sense he was growing irritated.
"I-If you walk five kilometers east from here, you'll get to Biamal," Wallace said as he pointed eastwards.
"Thank you for your time."
Wasting no time, Adam walked towards where Wallace indicated. However, Wallace cried to stop him from taking another step, "Please wait a moment!"
Adam tilted his head, his gaze meeting Wallace's, "Why? What do you want?"
"Did you come from over there?" Wallace asked as he pointed to the Wazar Canyon.
Without saying a word, Adam nodded. Wallace's eyes widened as he muttered inaudible words. Ignoring him, Adam continued on his journey.
"Wait a moment. Please wait a moment." Wallace tried to stop him again.
However, Adam ignored him still. Anxious, Wallace chased after him until he overtook him. Almost growling, the young man hissed through his teeth. "What do you want this—?"
"Pl-Please, tell me what is down there? Is it really a prison for the trapped demonkind?" Wallace forced himself to talk.
'What? Prison? Well, yeah. That's if you count me...' Adam thought. A smile bloomed on his lips. He then crossed his arms on his chest and entertained the chubby man. "What makes you say that? Is such a thing even possible?"
His words washed away Wallace's anxiety, and a wry smile donned his face.
"It's a rumor that is as old as Biamal." Finally, the captain found someone who could confirm or dispel the stories. It would be much easier for him if this young man would deny the existence of demons at least. "The founding members of the city believed demonkind were imprisoned in the canyon. Most of us have heard their howls over the last five years. Some say it's been seven years since it started."
'It started seven years ago? I came to Wazar Canyon seven years ago. I refuse to believe this is a coincidence. Did Vicar have a hand in this?' Adam hummed as he thought. He then erased the amusement in his face. "Who are the founding members of Biamal?"
"I don't really know much about them, but from what I heard, they left Biamal yesterday. I don't know why," Wallace felt like he had hit a wall in their conversation. If he could not give decent information, what were his chances of making this young man speak the truth?
'Nah. This is definitely not a coincidence. Did Vicar create a city while he trained me? No wonder he always had fresh clothes and seemed to smell like he ate something good.' The young man sneered inwardly as he imagined his master leaving a grand life while he was bathing in sweat and mud. He huffed softly. "Tell me more about the city."
"Although I called it a city, we don't have any towering structures. Instead, we mainly use tents. Our major export is Wazar Salt and the skin of gray Wazar snakes. The population mostly consists of merchants and mercenaries. Less than ten percent of our five thousand citizens had stayed for the last two years. We also have two divisions in charge of protecting the city: the Night's Scouts and the Day Warriors."
Wallace loosened up the more he spoke. Adam thought it was a good thing. Someone as unguarded against a stranger as this captain would feel free divulging more and more information that he needed. With a slight smile, he found it proper to thank him. "Thank you, Captain Wallace. By the way, do you know how I can get to Dratol?"
Wallace's countenance changed as he stared at Adam. It had suddenly become stranger than earlier. First, he didn't know the city next to the place where he was. Now, he wanted to go somewhere remotely connected to this place? Was he lost, or did he take the wrong ship? Worse, was he a fugitive some traveling guild caught?
"What? You don't know? Or is there—?"
"No. It's just that, it's far from here," Wallace interjected as he noticed that Adam was back with his scowling. With the kind of appearance this young man had, it would be best for the captain not to make him angry. Who knew if he was truly a monster in disguise?
"How far?"
"Two months if you take a flying ship. I can't estimate for other means of transportation. Is that where you—?"
Before Wallace could finish his statement, Adam motioned for him to be silent. While he tried to comprehend the meaning behind Adam's actions, a faint voice reached him; but he couldn't hear the speaker clearly.
"Captain Wallace, do you know how to fight?" The young man gazed at the chubby man seriously.
Wallace's countenance darkened, "Adam, what do you mean? Why would—?"
"Captain! Help me! Bandits have taken over Biamal! They killed the others!"
As Poole's words echoed, Wallace's jaw dropped. He wanted to speak, and yet words left him.
'How is that possible? Why would bandits attack a place like Biamal? We don't have much for—' Panic devoured the poor captain. He thought the most of his problem was the demon stuck deep in the gorge. How come the city was besieged all of a sudden?
While deep in thought, Wallace felt a firm hand on his shoulder. Before he could react, Adam's voice filled his ears, "Captain, can you fight?"
Wallace's eyes widened as he stared into Adam's. He had a dangerous sense of foreboding, telling him something bad would happen if he said no. The aura around the young man was beginning to change as if he was staring at a fighter instead of a wanderer all of a sudden. The grip on his shoulder was also sending signals.
"I can…" While Wallace's words trailed off, a sickening scream echoed in the distance. Nobody needed to tell them what it meant.
"That's good. I thought I would have to knock you out." Adam nodded in self-assurance. "There are six of them. Handle as many as you want. For your own good, don't get in my way."
"Six—"
Before Wallace could finish his statement, Adam pushed him to the side. The exact moment his body landed on the ground, three arrows ran past the spot he once stood. The young man narrowed his eyes and glanced at the man who was scared by the sudden appearance of arrows. He had no choice but to fight alone.
"On second thought, just lay on the ground. They're not people you can handle. Let me take care of it."
[Danger Detected]
[Establishing Connection to The Omen...]
[Connection Successfully Established.]
Name: Adam Staples
Age: Seventeen
Race: Human
{Stats}
Constitution: 5; Agility: 10; Endurance: 12; Luck: 0.5;
Dexterity: 12; Strength: 12; Charisma: 5
{Skills}
None
{Title}
Manipulator
{Status}
Awakened!
{Omen Points}
None
{Level}
E
'Barely ten minutes out of the Wazar Canyon, and yet I can test myself already,' Adam thought as he popped his neck. He then noticed the vacancies in both of his hands. "Captain, do you have a weapon?"
Silence greeted Adam's words; Wallace looked visibly disturbed. If Adam hadn't pushed him earlier, those arrows would have perforated him like a drum of water.
"It seems you don't have one. That's all right. I'll get one for myself. These fine gentlemen are carrying plenty."
For the first time in a while, Wallace's gaze left the three arrow shafts. As he raised his head, he noticed that six men approached. The one leading them held a severed head by the locks of its hair.
"Poo… Poole…"
While Wallace's words echoed, the brawny bandit hurled Poole's head through the air; and it landed just a few feet away from Wallace. He then eyed at the man on the ground, recognizing him as the target. "Capture the one named Wallace. Kill the other one."
Wallace's body trembled as he heard the declaration of the bandit. They knew him by name? Was he on someone's hit list? Why was he on someone's hit list?!
"Yes, sir. We—"
"Sorry, boys. I don't know or care why you are here"—Adam stepped in front of them, obscuring their view of Wallace—"but this won't go the way you expected."
For the first time, the leader of the bandits gazed at him. This young man chose to look down on them than to run for his life. He sneered at the insult. "Cut off his limbs and tongue. We'll let him roast under the sun."