Lymar Village,
05:45 a.m. 15 th Banem 1092.
The desperation surrounding the battle for Lymar village had reached a fever pitch! The monsters in the valley had experienced a massive boost in strength ever since the earlier mana explosion. Worse yet, the evil aura not only increased the monsters’ strength but also unceasingly healed their injuries, small or large.
Hundreds of centaurs had given up their lives in the process of fighting the monsters, their potential futures crushed beneath the paws of the heartless monsters. However, even in death, the proud warriors held a robust and determined gaze.
They did not believe they were throwing their lives away. If their lives were the cost they had to pay to secure the wellbeing of their friends and family, then so be it! They would happily pay the price.
On the battlefield, in the face of possible extinction, race became meaningless. Be they Lymar, Dora, Tulpar, Glashtyn, or Longma, each warrior fought for the sake of the other and protected their own. The Longma tribe, in particular, stood out amongst the rest. The fearless warriors stood at the forefront of the army and battled against the larger threats.
Even the most cold-hearted and skeptical centaurs could not help but admire these proud warriors who were willing to freely shed their blood for the sake of the entire centaur clan. Only now did they see the truth about the Longma tribe. Though they might indeed be scary, that power had always pointed toward the centaurs’ enemies. The Longma tribe had always given their lives for the tribe without care for gratitude and even sometimes incurring ridicule.
Faced with the somber reality, the centaurs from the other centaur tribes banded together and joined the Longma tribe, unwilling to let their brothers carry this burden any longer.
Unfortunately, despite the centaurs’ combined efforts, the juiced-up monster army proved too powerful. Warriors fell in droves as the defensive line was pushed farther back until they were only a kilometer from the peak upon which Lymar Village rested.
“Is this the end?” Balasius regretfully murmured as he watched another centaur fall prey to the enemy horde. The centaur general grimaced as he glanced over the monster army at the woman comfortably seated upon her direwolf with a smug smile on her face.
The woman’s confidence did not surprise Balasius, as he was well aware that he and the rest of the army were working on borrowed time. At this rate, the centaurs would be wiped out within a few more hours as they grew wearier and succumbed to their injuries, whereas the monsters’ ki, mana, and stamina endlessly generated.
But then, just as the centaurs were about to abandon hope, the monsters suddenly froze. It was like a puppeteer pulled on their strings. A deathly silence spread over the battlefield as the centaurs gazed at the silent monsters with suspicion.
The smile disappeared from Verlito Amberheart’s face. Unlike the stunned centaurs, she knew that the strange phenomenon meant that the monsters had lost connection to the dark crystal. This should have been impossible as a demi-god level demon protected the crystal. Sure, he had lost most of his powers, but he should never have lost to a mere mortal.
Verlito had no way of knowing that Kashi had Yggdrasil inside him, a force which was the natural antithesis to the crystal’s corrupt force. Despite this, the daeben topped her list of potential culprits. The young woman took out her Rink and placed a call to her superior.
Verlito only spoke a few words, “The crystal has been taken.”
“Oh?” a light male voice responded. “Any suspects?”
“One,” Verlito confirmed. “Kashi of the Hopeful Maggots.”
The voice on the other side went silent for a moment and then said, “Return. The daeben will answer to the Order soon. We are all heading in the same direction after all.”
“What about the Chaos Energy?”
“Do not worry. Gurt collected enough last time he was there. We no longer have a use for that factory.”
Verlito nodded and then confirmed. “I will return.” The daeben looked up the mountainside, and then, with a snide chuckle, spurred her beast into a hard gallop toward the north.
Balasius’ eyes widened as he watched the daeben’s retreat. He looked from the woman to the frozen monsters and then shouted as he raised his sword to the sky, “VICTORY!”
“Victory!” The centaurs broke into a wild cheer as their hopes were finally confirmed. The survivors hugged each other, shedding tears over the loss of their clansmen and surviving what was certain doom.
Balasius looked at the monsters with a weary gaze but made no move to touch them in fear of reactivating them. Instead, he looked in the direction of the Chaos Order Outpost and shouted, “Thank you, Kashi-dono!”
Upon hearing the general’s shout, the surviving centaurs finally understood who was responsible for the strange phenomenon. With hearts filled with gratitude and joy, they humbly bowed toward the Chaos Order Outpost and roared at the top of the lungs, “Thank you, Kashi-dono! Live Long and Prosper!”
Chaos Order Outpost,
05:50 a.m. 18 th Banem 1092.
While the centaurs cheered, the man being praised, Kashi, was in no shape to receive or care about praise from anyone. The daeben’s body violently spasmed, veins bulging grotesquely with dark red energy.
Larsial’s gaze flickered as she stared at the daeben, unsure of what to do. Kashi’s expression and how his body spasmed appeared eerily familiar to what happened after they left Suvron’s Gate.
Back then, Kira was the one who helped Kashi get back to normal. Unfortunately, Larsial had no clue how the direwolf accomplished that task, so she could not offer Kashi help.
Larsial gritted her teeth as she recognized the severity of the situation. Without help, it would not be long before the daeben gave up the ghost. She could not let that happen. Not now. Kashi had exposed her to a new world. A new view that did not require the suffering of millions and endless pain. A world she could actually be proud of. She could not let him die without fully exploring that world.
“Larsial-san!” Larsial looked over her shoulder to see a bloodied Darius approaching, waving in delight. Just like Lymar, the infected monsters in the outpost had frozen in place like robots without orders from the master computer, which gave the centaurs free rein to trample over the acolytes.
Darius galloped up to Larsial with a big smile, “Kashi-dono did it! The monsters—” The words stuck in his throat when he laid eyes on the shivering Kashi. He instantly stabbed his spear into the earth, and worriedly examined the daeben. “What’s wrong with him? What happened!?”
Larsial shook her head. “I do not know,” she replied in a defeated tone. “He jumped into that pit. And when he came out, he was like this.”
“He is fighting the infection,” Agamios stated as he joined their side. “I’ve seen this before in a monster. That red ki in his veins is a by-product of fighting the infection.”
Darius raised a brow in surprise and shock. “Humes can be affected!?”
“I don’t know,” Agamios frankly replied. “This is the first I’m seeing this happen to a human myself.”
“Yes, humes can be infected,” Larsial confirmed and then pointed at Rayatha, “That druid confirmed as much to us. He was also responsible for spreading the blight.”
“My name is Rayatha Thorn,” the druid declared as he slowly opened his eyes. He looked at Kashi, and his eyes suddenly shone with an enthused light as he screamed, “Your friend did it! He actually did it!” The druid made to stand up but suddenly fell over. Only then did he realize that dimeritium shackles bound his hands and feet. These shackles, when secured on a hume and activated, drained them of all their magic.
Rayatha glared at the clasps for a moment but then surprisingly began to worm-crawl his way over to the daeben with excited enthusiasm. Larsial, Darius, and Agamios were so stunned by the sight that they failed to react until the druid was only a meter from Kashi,
Only then did Larsial come to her senses. She quickly jumped on Rayatha’s back and pinned him down. She placed a dagger next to his neck as she questioned, “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Get off me, woman!” Rayatha roared as he struggled to shake off the persistent daeben. “Do you have any idea what you’re witnessing here!? This is history, and you are making me miss it!”
“What are you talking about?” Darian questioned with furrowed brows. “What do you mean history?”
“The Blight, you fools, the Blight!” Rayatha shouted, brows furrowed in disbelief and disgust at the stupidity of his captors. “He has absorbed the blight into himself!” Rayatha further emphasized as he stared at the daeben with greed. “He’s still alive, which means his body has built an immunity to its effects. Do you know what this means? If he lives, his blood will forever contain the key to curing the blight, not only in humes, but in beasts and plants as well!” The excited druid’s voice rose to a crescendo as he shouted, “Do you not get it yet!? We might be witnessing the end of blight for all eternity. How can you not be excited!?”
Darian and Agamios shared a look, neither sure what to make of the druid’s words. However, one thing was clear. Regardless of Rayatha’s claims, Kashi was in real danger. Whatever was in his body was tearing him up from the inside. It was far beyond anything either of them could handle.
“The shamans might know something,” Darian suggested as he worriedly looked at the daeben.
“Maybe,” Agamios agreed with a curt nod. “It’s worth a shot.”
Larsial looked at the centaurs with renewed hope. “Your shamans can help him?”
“I am not sure, to be honest,” Darian admitted. “However, if there’s anyone who can help Kashi-dono, it’ll be them.”
Larsial looked at Kashi and then nodded. “It seems that’s our only choice.” She got off Rayatha’s back and walked over to Shadow. She crouched in front of the sleeping assassin and shook him awake.
Shadow groaned as he groggily opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was Larsial’s worried, helpless expression. His brows slightly furrowed as he asked, “What happened?”
“It’s Kashi—” Larsial started to say, but Shadow immediately shot to his feet at the mention of the daeben’s name and interrupted her.
“Where is he!?” Shadow demanded, but then spotted the shaking daeben a moment later. Shadow grimaced and could not help but curse out, “Damn it! Not again, Kashi!”
Although Shadow did not know the exact cause of Kashi’s state, he recognized the symptoms to be eerily similar to the one the daeben displayed earlier. Considering there were very few things that could cause so much pain to a Summoned or produce such a phenomenon, he was inclined to believe they were related.
Shadow gritted his teeth. “Damn it! What can we do?”
Larsial walked up to his side and proposed the centaurs’ plan. “The centaurs think their shamans might be able to help.”
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“That’s reasonable,” Shadow agreed with a hesitant nod. He looked at Darian and Agamios as if sizing up their trustworthiness. Moments later, he came to a decision and then politely requested, “Please could you take us to Drixlia? We’ll go the rest of the way on our own.”
Darian shook his head. “It’s better we go together, in case you get attacked.”
“Time is of the essence,” Shadow argued as he glanced at Kashi. “No offense, but you are all too slow to keep up with Drixlia at full speed.”
Darian’s brow twitched. “I assure you that is not the case.”
“There’s only one way to find out, isn’t there,” Shadow replied with a sigh. “But just in case, please tell me how to get past the illusion around Lymar.”
Although feeling it unnecessary, Darian explained the safe route through the illusion while Shadow and Larsial loaded Kashi onto his back.
They kept Rayatha on Agamios’ rough back and then climbed onto Darian’s back.
The centaur did not seem to feel the weight, as after ensuring they were comfortable, he charged out of the outpost to meet Drixlia and two other horses in the woods.
Shadow loaded Kashi onto Drixlia’s back and then climbed onto its back himself. Sensing the severity of the situation, not only did Drixlia not throw a tantrum, but it allowed Shadow to spur it on.
Larsial mounted her horse and followed the centaurs through the forest.
As for Drixlia?
Well, it had long since left their sights.
Lymar Village,
7.45 a.m. 15 th Banem 1092.
Gloomy dark clouds hung over the quiet village. Heavy rain drenched the surviving centaurs, who were gathered at the mountaintop, staring at the frozen monster army. The beasts’ presence caused a strange atmosphere to hang over the town, as they could not decide whether to celebrate their victory or prepare for war.
A brave centaur had attempted to cut down a monster earlier, but it instantly broke out of its ‘trance’ and defended itself. Even scarier, its cry seemed to awaken the others around it, but luckily, the centaur and his squad were able to kill it off before it thoroughly roused its kin.
This led to the current standoff. The centaurs did not dare attack for fear of bringing about a disaster upon themselves. However, they could not celebrate in good faith with hundreds of enemies at their doorstep, either.
Balasius stood at the forefront of the centaurs with the other generals, their expressions as gray as the somber clouds. He hated this feeling. They had won and managed to survive, so what was this conclusion? Why were they forced with this twisted reality? Were they gods playing a practical joke on the centaur clan!?
Balasius was on the verge of letting out a roar, but Casetes suddenly patted his shoulder and then said as he pointed to the forests, “Hey Balasius, do you see that?”
Balasius started, his heart quickening in fear. He prayed as he peered in the direction Casetes pointed. “Don’t tell me it’s more enemies. If they agitate these guys…”
“Don’t think so,” Casetes assured. “There’s only one horse.” The young general gave Balasius a snarky smirk, “You’re getting old, Old Bal, you need to get your eyes checked.”
“Shut it, kid. You may be a general now, but this old man can still tan your hide,” admonished the old general with a snort as he channeled ki into his eyes.
Casetes turned pink with embarrassment as Anatolia hid her chuckle behind her right hand. Casetes grumbled and then turned his attention to the approaching horse to hide his apparent shame.
“What!?” exclaimed Casetes, eyes shaking as he realized the horse had already reached the base of the hill. “How fast is that horse!?”
The centaur received his answer, as Drixlia charged up the mountain within seconds and arrived at the rear of the monster army.
Balasius’ gaze shifted when he noticed the horse’s path. “Wait! Sto—” the general started to shout, but the warning froze in his mouth when the most inexplicable thing happened.
The monsters which had remained frozen the entire time suddenly parted ways and dropped to the ground, laying their heads low in submission.
Balasius barely had time to process his shock when Drixlia suddenly arrived in front of him in a fierce gust of wind.
“Where are the shamans, Balasius-san!?” Shadow shouted, too agitated to care about courtesy. “Kashi needs their help!”
Balasius’ heart skipped a beat as he stared at the daeben. He thought of the monsters’ strange actions and dared to hazard a guess. “The enemy stro—”
“Taken care of,” Shadow hastily interrupted. “Please, Balasius-san, there’s no time to waste!”
As if on cue, Kashi suddenly coughed up blood, and he began to spasm violently. Balasius’ expression turned grave as he finally realized the severity of the situation. “This way!” the general shouted and galloped into the village with Drixlia in tow.
The general approached a heavily guarded, barn-like building near the village center. The soldiers on duty recognized Balasius, and after a quick word, allowed him into the building with Shadow and Drixlia.
The building’s interior did not house much except for a few tables and paintings on the wall. Ten centaurs of advanced age stood around a long, rectangular table discussing the ongoing battle and its implications for their tribes.
These nine centaurs comprised of the chief and shaman of five of the six centaur villages. There were five shamans, evident by the bone staffs they held, and four chiefs. Agamios, who was still on his way back from the enemy stronghold, was not present.
The council of elders looked to the entrance as Balasius walked in with Drixlia. The elders were about to greet the general when a shaman suddenly exclaimed, “Him! That boy! Bring him here now!”
Surprisingly, that shout was echoed by the other shamans who ignored Balasius and pointed at Kashi with heated gazes. The chiefs turned to look at the shamans in shock, wondering what had gotten them so riled up.
Shadow’s eyes grew frosty as he glared at the shamans. His right hand rested on the hilt of his dagger as he said, “My guild leader got sick while dealing with the source of the blight. Can you help him?”
“Help him!?” cried a shaman in disbelief. “That daeben has the blight source in him. If we just destroy him, the blight will end for good. You want us to help him?” the shaman glared at Shadow and then ordered Balasius, “Grab the daeben. He must be purged at once!”
Balasius suddenly felt a cold chill rush down his spine. He looked to his left and met the assassin’s cold, unfeeling eyes. The general did not doubt that his head would roll if he attempted to carry out that order.
The general had seen enough bloodshed for one night. He did not wish to see any more blood—especially when it was unnecessary. Balasius took a step forward and pleaded, “Exalted Chiefs, Great Shamans, this young man has risked life and limb for us this past day and night. He journeyed far to our villages and fought a battle that was not his own for our sakes. Even now, he has almost paid the ultimate sacrifice to ensure our continued survival. Please reconsider your choice.”
A shaman shook her head. “The daeben did not assist us for free. It was a fair trade. He needed us to improve his horse’s bloodline and thus saved us. We will fulfill our end of the bargain as promised, but this and that are completely different things. The blight concerns not only our people but the entire forest. We cannot jeopardize the safety of our sacred land for this man.”
Shadow snorted. “Since you refuse to help, I will be on my way. You are hardly the only shamans the Maggots are acquainted with.”
“You can’t leave with him,” another shaman interrupted. “We finally have a chance to rid the world of the blight. We will not waste it. Besides, I have heard that you Summoned do not truly die. This should not be a—”
“Do not speak lightly of death,” Shadow coldly interrupted. The room’s temperature suddenly plunged as the assassin enveloped the room with the thick aura of death. “You do not understand what death is. Touch him, and I will show you what it means to die.”
Balasius, who stood in front of Shadow, suffered the brunt of the assassin’s murderous aura. Sweat poured down his chest in droves as he pondered if this would be his last moments on the earth.
“Wait.” However, at this moment, Mando Alshmeer, chief of the Lymar tribe, suddenly spoke, his voice cutting through the tension. He looked at Shadow with concern in his eyes and said, “Young man, did you happen to see what Kashi fought to get like this?”
“No,” replied Shadow. “There was a large pit which had evil aura pouring out of it. Kashi jumped into the pit and fought something in there. By the time he came out, he was like this, and the aura was gone.”
Mando scratched his chin as a thought surfaced in his mind. “Can you bring him here? Let me examine him.” At Shadow’s resultant, suspicious gaze, the old centaur laughed and assured the assassin, “Do not worry. I do not intend your friend any harm. Actually, if my guess is correct, this could be an opportunity for both him and us.”
“What!? What are you talking about!?” the shamans shouted in protest.
Mando raised his hand, prompting the shamans to lower their voices and hear his case. “Wise shamans, perhaps because of recent events, you are much more sensitive to the blight than the rest of us. That has indeed helped our people to survive in these trying times. But right now, it also almost caused a disaster we would have regretted for millennia to come.”
“Speak clearly, Mando,” Gelarios, chief of Dora tribe, reprimanded with a light chuckle. “You’re not speaking to juniors here. We can do without the roundabout.”
Mando chuckled as he shook his head. “Apologies. Old habits die hard.” The chief took a moment to collect himself and then said, “Shamans, if you would please attempt to sense the boy’s aura once again. Not just the overwhelming blight, but the other aura that is locked in fierce combat with it. Your judgment should be better than mine on the matter.”
The shamans looked at each other. After reaching a silent agreement, they closed their eyes and reached out to the daeben mind. Just like before, their senses were assaulted by a heavy dose of negative, dark aura. Previously, they instantly retreated due to the horrid aura, but this time, they stood their ground and further investigated.
Whoo~
That was when they sensed it.
The shamans gaped in disbelief as a warm breeze blew over them, clearing away the dark aura. They had never felt something so full of life, so inviting. They could feel themselves getting younger the longer they stayed in its presence. This was life in its purest form, as it was meant to be at the beginning of creation. The shamans wished they could stay within the presence of this aura for all eternity.
Dum-dum…
However, it was at this time they became aware of the presence of another aura. This aura was robust, powerful, and forceful. But it wasn’t tyrannical. It seemed willing to live in harmony with the life energy and coexisted alongside it, but it also possessed a will of its own that would not be easily challenged.
“It can’t be!” The shamas cried as they felt this aura brush past them. They could not believe their senses even after confirming it numerous times. They recognized this aura. It was the aura of their god! How could they not recognize it!?
A shaman broke out of the trance, glared at Shadow with anger and disbelief, and then shouted, “What is our god doing in that man!? What did he do!?”
“God?
“He has our god?”
“What does that mean?”
“Can a hume even hold a god?”
The centaur chiefs murmured among themselves, confused by the shamans’ words. They could not fathom what the shamans meant by their god being in Kashi’s body. It made absolutely no sense.
“A god?” Even Shadow was stunned by that revelation. He looked at Kashi and frowned. “What the hell did you do?”
The shamans, meanwhile, quickly approached Shadow and Kashi. They repeatedly assured the reluctant assassin, and then, with his permission, lifted the daeben and placed him on the table.
One of the shamans murmured a spell then placed his hand on Kashi’s chest. The centaur’s brows furrowed as he examined the daeben’s body for further clues.
Boom! The centaur coughed blood as an unseen force blasted away his hand,
The other shamans quickly came to his aid and grabbed his arms, holding him up for support. “What did you see?”
“A world,” the shaman replied, gaze filled with awe and reverence as he stared at the daeben. Considering the urgency of the situation, the shaman looked at the chiefs and said, “We need The Spear.”
The chiefs’ expressions instantly turned grave…