I was shocked awake, gasping for breath as my eyes snapped open, the darkness of the forest swallowing me whole. The reality of my death hit me like a hammer, the weight of it pressing down on my chest until I felt like I might suffocate. The pain and wounds were gone, but a phantom ache lingered in my skull, a cruel reminder of where the dagger had pierced through my eye. It didn’t make sense—none of it did. Her face, twisted in rage, flashed before my eyes. Why had she been so enraged that she murdered me? The question echoed in my mind, a relentless torment.

The fact that I was awake again, lying in the same forest where I had just been killed, only added to my confusion. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decay, the forest around me silent, as if holding its breath. I didn’t know who I could trust anymore, and the fear of being killed again gnawed at me, a constant, insidious presence in the back of my mind. Two people had already proven themselves to be evil—what was I supposed to do now?

"Malice," I muttered, my voice hoarse and trembling as I addressed my floating crystal companion, "what do we do now?"

[Well, that’s easy. Just die again! That was so much fun the first time, wasn’t it?]

I forced a weak laugh, the sound hollow and brittle. "Ha ha, very funny. How many Malice points do I have left?"

[You’ve got enough to purchase a class. But do you really want to waste them on something like that? I mean, you already blew a perfectly good Paladin class.]

A groan escaped my lips as I rubbed my temples, trying to ward off the headache that was starting to form. "Not my fault! How was I supposed to know she was going to murder me?"

[That’s the part you need to figure out. But hey, I have an idea—how about magic?]

I hesitated, the memory of the mind mages back in the palace sending a cold shiver down my spine. The way they had looked at me, their eyes cold and calculating, still haunted my nightmares. "I was always kind of terrified of them. They could read my mind, but they never seemed to do anything with that power. I wonder why that is…"

[Let’s have you be a wizard,] Malice suggested, his excitement palpable. [You’re going to love this class—though it’s a little painful. I should note.]

"Painful? How?" I asked, wariness creeping into my voice, my mind conjuring up images of horrible suffering.

[Well, every time you use the Fireball spell, your fingers burn. And every time you cast a spell, your teeth fall out. And with Lightning Bolt, your muscles spasm like crazy. It’s really great—so much fun to watch!]

"No, no, no!" I protested, recoiling at the grotesque images Malice had planted in my mind. My stomach churned with revulsion. "That sounds horrible. Let’s go with a warrior class instead. I want full armor again."

[Fine, fine,] Malice sighed, his tone laced with disappointment. [We’ll do it your way.]

The magic of the class change system swirled around me, a familiar yet unsettling sensation. When I opened my eyes, I was clad in full plate armor once more, the cold metal pressing against my skin, grounding me. A two-handed sword—no, an ax—was in my hand, its weight reassuring, a solid anchor in the chaos of my thoughts. I took a few practice swings, the blade slicing through the air with a satisfying whoosh before it met the trunk of a nearby tree. The wood splintered and cracked under the force of the blow, the trunk toppling to the ground with a loud, resonating thud.

I froze, my breath catching in my throat as the noise echoed through the forest. But as the dust settled, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of satisfaction. The power behind the swing, the way the ax cleaved through the wood with such ease, filled me with a sense of control I desperately needed. I had my visor down now, the world outside reduced to the narrow slit in my helmet. I wasn’t going to let anybody catch me off guard this time.

I walked out of the clearing where I had awoken, moving silently toward the sounds of the base. The air was thick with tension, the forest around me dark and foreboding. Elric and his chain of command would be there, along with the woman who had killed me. The memory of her betrayal burned like a brand in my mind, fueling my steps, each one faster than the last.

When I spotted her, my heart pounded in my chest, the sound loud in my ears. Anger, hot and wild, surged through me, a storm raging inside. Without hesitation, I raised the ax and brought it down in one swift, brutal motion. Her head rolled to the ground with a dull thud, blood pooling around it in a macabre halo. The catharsis I felt was overwhelming, like a wave of pure joy washing over me. I couldn’t help but laugh, a dark, rich sound that echoed through the clearing, sending shivers down my spine. My entire shook in mirth as I fought back my laughter. She'd had it coming.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

But as I looked around, something strange caught my attention. No one reacted at all. I killed someone, and no one cared. Not even me. The people around me just stared blankly for a moment, then turned back to their conversations as if nothing had happened. The thrill of revenge began to fade, replaced by a gnawing sense of unease. It was as if the death of a Penitent was no big deal to them, as if nothing had really changed. For a few minutes, I stood there, confused, trying to make sense of their indifference-- and my own.

[So weird,] Malice commented, his tone oddly detached. [It’s like being in a video game. No one reacted at all.]

"What’s a video game?" I asked, staring at the blood on my ax and the obliviousness of the guards, a sinking feeling settling in my stomach.

[Don’t worry about it,] Malice muttered, the edge in his voice unmistakable.

The idea of going on a murder spree tempted me, the dark thrill of it tugging at the corners of my mind. I was mad—mad at the world, mad at the people around me, mad at the ones who had put me in this spot. The joy I had felt from killing that woman was unreal, intoxicating. It had been ages since I had felt that good, not since… not since I kissed Rod. The memory lingered in the back of my mind, bittersweet and distant, like a dream I could barely remember. If I wasn’t careful, I was going to lose track of time in this place, lose myself in the madness.

But no… I couldn’t give in to that temptation. As fun as it would be, I needed to move forward. There was a larger plan at play, and I needed to focus on it, to stay grounded.

"Malice," I said, an idea forming in my mind, a spark of hope in the darkness, "can you help me convince Elric that they’re both trying to kill him?"

[Oh yeah, I can talk to him for you,] Malice replied nonchalantly, as if it were the easiest thing in the world.

I blinked in surprise, a flicker of disbelief crossing my face. "Are you serious?"

[Yeah, I just didn’t want to do it earlier,] Malice said, his tone so casual it made my blood boil.

I sighed, the frustration welling up inside me like a tidal wave. "I hate you. Why do I even bother with you?"

[It’s like you’re trying to get me killed.]

[It was fun earlier, wasn’t it?] Malice continued, ignoring my complaint entirely. [If I had talked to him, you wouldn’t be dead right now. But that was, like, the coolest death ever! I mean, you got stabbed in the eye, the blood was everywhere… But that woman you just killed—now that should’ve been cool! But it was totally lame, like, no preamble, no badass one-liner, nothing! What are you even doing?]

I clenched my teeth, my hands tightening into fists, the urge to throttle the crystal almost overwhelming. "Just… let’s focus on the task at hand."

With Malice grumbling in the back of my mind, I approached Elric, who stood unprotected in the center of the camp, soldiers gathered around him, their armor gleaming in the pale light. They looked relaxed, too relaxed, as if the threat of betrayal and death didn’t weigh heavily on them. Elric’s second-in-command was nowhere to be seen, a fact that only fueled my suspicion.

I rushed forward, my heart pounding in my chest, expecting to meet resistance but stopping just in front of him, my hands held out in a gesture of peace.

"Hello, is this Elric, sir?" I said, my voice shaky as I tried to speak in broken, Ancient Aerlyntian. Malice was translating my thoughts into the language, but it felt awkward, like trying to speak with a mouth full of marbles. The effort of relating my thoughts to Malice, and then having them translated back, made the whole process feel obtuse.

Elric turned, raising an eyebrow at me. "Erm, yes, hello. How are you speaking our tongue?"

[Mind you never that. It has been okayed. I am of the helping. Assistance have now come.]

Elric frowned, clearly struggling to follow my mangled attempt at communication.

"I’m having trouble understanding you," he said, his tone cautious, his eyes narrowing slightly. "But I must say, your glottal stops are… impressive."

"What can I help you with?" he continued, his posture tense as he tried to make sense of my presence.

"I understand that you are having the hard time with a traitors. I know who they is being," I replied, doing my best to convey urgency, though Malice's translation and my pronunciation probably butchered that too.

Elric's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of interest sparking in them. "The traitor? Who is it?"

"The Third-in-command and that Naomi person. Both have designs on your life and have tried and failed to kill me. Thankfully, I used a ring of Redditus before they could succeed." I lied about how I returned so quickly, not that they noticed penitents dying.

Elric nodded slowly, absorbing my words, though he still looked skeptical. "Hmm, yes, good to know."

I stared blankly at him, unsure if my and Malice’s butchered pronunciation had conveyed the urgency I intended. The mistrust and paranoia that had been festering inside me flared up again, making me question whether this was the right approach.

[Let’s get you inside,] Malice interpreted for Elric, the tone eerily calm. [Tell Michael here everything you need.]

It took a little while to organize with Michael, who was also a Penitent, but once we figured out the two traitors, we knew we had this in the bag. We were prepared for the worst, and with any luck, we’d root out the most traitors there had ever been.

But as I followed Elric and Michael into the camp, a heavy sense of unease settled over me. This place was filled with secrets, lies, and treachery, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was still so much I didn’t understand.