[Earth]

Nicco sat on a metal chair. He was blindfolded and gagged while chained to the solid chair. Although the whole place was rocking, the chair was not moving. He can smell sweet smoke from the air as he perceives another person.

‘Where am I?’

Nicco thought as he felt the constant tremble of the place. He could feel the rhythm of the movement and deduced that they were inside a moving vehicle. It was also constantly stopping, which meant they were inside a city.

‘What is happening?’

Nicco mused as he remained in the same position to evade unnecessary attention. The chains on his hands were fixed to the chair, as well as the restraints on his legs. His neck was still sore from the previous attack. However, something is different from the ‘Nicco’ right now.

The vehicle stopped moving. Nicco could hear the rumbling of steps around him as he remained motionless. People were speaking in different Spanish accents. Although Nicco used to know all the major world languages, he couldn’t understand Spanish right now. He seemed to forget many things.

“Pull him in.”

A hoarse voice said as the mechanical hydraulics sounded around him. Then he felt it. Men pulled his chair and moved him. He was seated on a chair with wheels. The grinding wheels under his chairs sounded awful as he was brought into a room.

The room was silent. It was exceptionally noiseless. Gears sounded inside the room as Nicco’s metal chair was again fixed into a space. The rustle of steps left him alone. He expected people to ungag him, but it didn’t happen. Instead, they placed him inside a room, fixed to a metal chair that caused cuts on his wrists and feet. His eyes were still blindfolded, and he was all alone.

A few minutes inside the room, he felt nothing special. But then, he heard it.

He heard his heartbeat. His heart beat a constant rhythm that became louder as time went by. The sound was coming on him like a marching band.

After his dreadful heartbeat, he heard his bone creak following his movements. He was terrified at the thought of hearing his body. It was getting into him.

Then he got it! They placed him inside an Anechoic Chamber, and it was their way of torture.

“I’m sorry, brother. Goodbye”

He added as he walked towards the door with a sour heart.

Nonetheless, it was dreadful. Nicco’s mind was getting mad whenever he moved. But the constant heartbeat was also making him crazy. It was a madness chamber. By this time, he could hear his blood flowing into his veins as he sat there unmoving and openly accepting his fate.

Nicco couldn’t differentiate up from down as his sense of balance got lost in the silence. The absolute silence rang in Nicco’s ears as he lost himself in confusion.

***

Nicco suffered inside the madness chamber for an hour or so. After that, he was brought out of the room. He was slumped in the metal chair. He didn’t have the energy to move. He was nauseous and tired. But, the people doing these inhumane acts were not done with him.

Nicco was placed inside another room. This time, his blindfold and gag were removed. The moment the metal gag left his mouth, he vomited. Tears poured from his eyes as the light of the place burned his eyes. He was inside a well-lit room, and a few people stood before him.

“What do you think?”

An elder said as he looked at the bloodied and dirty Nicco. The sound of his cane reverberated inside the room. He wore a white suit and a white felt hat. He looked like a wealthy-innocent grandfather. With this get-up, no one would suspect him as a Mafia Boss.

“I think you did great, Sebastian.”

Another voice echoed in the room. This man was sitting in a mechanical wheelchair. If Nicco could see his face and try to remember, he would learn that this man was a Senator of the North American Federation (NAF) and was considered a powerful businessman inside the country.

“Hopefully, Carlos could rise in the ranks of the CIB with this achievement.”

He added as he looked at the young man standing behind Sebastian.

The young man with curly hair smiled and said: “I sure can. Mi amigo here will surely become an excellent addition to my portfolio.”

Nicco heard the conversation but still couldn’t figure out the faces of the people before him. He tried to open his eyes, but due to his head trauma, he couldn’t remember the people inside.

“Who..are…you…people?”

Nicco inquired frailly. His mouth still had fragments of upchuck as his face went sour from the disgusting smell and taste.

“You don’t remember me?”

Sebastian probed with a raised brow. He stood unmoving while he observed the beat-up brother of his continuously change his face. As if to say that the person did forget him. It was an amnesia caused by head trauma, which usually happens to people.

“...”

On the other hand, Nicco didn’t reply but only gawked at him with ignorance. Nonetheless, Sebastian didn’t buy it as he motioned to the men at the door to bring someone in.

Another metal chair rolled into the room. This time, a blindfolded and gaged blond woman was seated on it. She wore a drenched white and blue dress as metal restraints kept her on the apparatus. However, compared to the broken-down body of Nicco, the woman only had minor bruises.

After the woman was positioned and all hydraulics moved, her blindfold and gag were removed. Then she opened her eyes and gasped for air as her heavy breathing echoed in the room.

Within a few moments, the girl held her ground and saw everything vividly. She saw the three men standing before her and Nicco on the other chair. Her eyes turned wide as she saw the mature man half-dead and slumped back into the rugged seat.

“Nicco!”

The woman shouted as she looked at him with a sense of worry. The man sluggishly looked to his left as his name was called. Nevertheless, he couldn’t remember the name of the woman nor who she was.

“Who…are…you?”

He weakly asked as he willed himself to even utter the words.

“I am Lucia, don’t you remember?”

The girl replied as tears started to pour from her eyes. She felt awful that the man was so broken that he forgot her name. It also broke her heart that he seemed to have forgotten their experience and the memories they shared.

“Nicco, please remember!”

She shouted, but the man was not still responding.

“Nicco…please… remember.”

She said as her voice became weaker and dread filled her heart.

“It seems like the room worked. The mind is now broken.”

Sebastian uttered as he observed the connection between the two. The supposed lovers have broken apart, and Nicco is now an empty shell.

“We can transform him into our killer machine.”

The Senator in a black suit said as his face revealed extreme excitement. He was grinning from ear to ear.

However, before he could do anything, Carlos, the young man with curly hair, immediately moved forward and aimed a handgun at the forehead of Lucia as his face looked at Nicco.

“Five.”

He counted, but Nicco, now a shell of the man he was, didn’t bother to respond as he looked blankly at the man counting.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

“Four.”

Carlos proceeded with the counting as he pinned the gun on Lucia’s forehead even more.

“Three.”

He added and grinned as his counting stopped, and he pulled the trigger.

‘Bang!’

The shot resounded inside the room as the men behind him made disgruntled faces of his actions. Blood splattered everywhere as Nicco’s irises opened wide.

“What were you doing, Carlos?!”

Sebastian hollered as he asked Carlos about his action, pointing the end of his cane at him. On the other hand, the Senator in a black suit stood there with a facepalm.

“I am merely testing ‘Mi Amigo’ here.”

He said as he placed his arm on Nicco. Because of what happened, Nicco became aware again of Lucia. His eyes teared up as he looked at Carlos with bloodshot eyes.

“Why?!”

Nicco growled as he gritted his fist. The restraints moved as his hands dripped blood.

“Why!”

He shouted as he tried to move his body, but Carlos was not having it. He suddenly punched Nicco on his solar plexus, which collapsed Nicco. However, he was not done. He hit and mauled Nicco like a punching bag. The sound of Nicco’s grunts echoed in the room. It went on for a few minutes. The whole torture only stopped when the Senator held his hand and kept Carlos from hitting Nicco.

“End him tomorrow behind his apartment by the railway.”

The Senator said as he tsked his mouth and pitied what happened.

“Understood, Señor.”

Carlos replied. Likewise, Sebastian looked at Nicco and regretted allowing Nicco to leave.

***

[Vulta Village]

After witnessing the incident, Mira walked outside the Church of Isa. She and Hilda went out first as the three leaders were still having a meeting.

“Are you fine, Mira?”

Hilda worriedly asked Mira as she sat on a stone by the road while hugging Hulkis. On the other hand, Nicco was cradled by Hilda as the bird soundly slept. They were staying in a field across the road. The sun was already up, and clouds littered the sky. The wind would often caress the two, as shown by their swinging outfit—even the fur of Hulkis actively moved with the breeze.

Vulta village was a small village of only 400 or so people. Gaps between houses were usually wide as the green trees surrounded the place. It was a serene place full of the comforts of nature.

The Church of Isa, where they were, was not far from the Village Square. People buy, sell, and gather in the Village Square as it acts as Vulta Village’s Marketplace. Traders en route to the north or south also visit the space to rest their hearts or have their fill.

Mira and Hilda can hear the noise from the few people in the square. Mira also saw a small convoy coming into the market pulled by transport beasts.

This was a common occurrence as the Vulta Main Road extends from Village Square to the North and South Gates. It was the place where the Northbound road met the Southbound paths.

Vulta Village was in the middle of three cities of the Napsaki Duchy. The Capital, Napsaki City, was southwest of the village, Hulin City was southeast, and Deter City was northeast of the place. (Please check my Patreon and Ko-fi for the map!)

Hence, the village was inside a primary trade route. However, since carriages and vehicles would only take one day to reach Vulta Village from different cities due to the extraordinary-class transport beasts that move the carriages, only a few people found Vulta Village as a lucrative migration prospect.

Whenever people stayed for the night, the Trader’s Rest Inn and Weathered Forest’s Elixir Tavern were their homes. Both of these businesses were located along the Vulta Main Road. Brothels were non-existent as the Order of Tarion prohibits such acts.

All of these qualities created the peaceful rural life culture of the village while ensuring adequate opportunities were easy to come by for those who wanted an adventurous life.

Although the whole village was at rest, Mira was not. She was full of worries and pain, and being the subject of Maru’s desire for growth took a toll on her, as well. She hugged Hulkis while thinking of all these pains.

***

[Inside the Church of Isa.]

“Once again. I am greatly indebted to you, Elder Basil.”

Elder Marwal said as he bowed before the mature man in simple clothing. Although Elder Marwal was a massive man, he was the meekest person then. His simple beige clothing complemented his actions as Chief Muska followed suit.

“You’re welcome, Elder.”

Elder Basil replied as he stopped Elder Marwal and Chief Muska from bowing towards him.

However, Chief. I think. We need to bolster our militia in the next few weeks before the Sapling of Tarion recovers. Otherwise, we might be overrun by monsters.”

Elder Basil said as he looked at the massive tree in the middle of the hall that lost its luster. It was still glowing with the energy earlier, but the consumption of the bird to break its curse sapped much of its saved-up energy.

The Sapling of Tarion was a tree that kept power and created a healing space around it. It also created a barrier against monsters and other entities corrupted by demonic energy. But only the Guardian of the Sanctuary has the power to command the shield. Another thing about this tree is that it also acts as a connection node to other churches and cathedrals of the Isan Faith.

The Isan Faith was an old belief system that their ancestors already believed even before the current Millennium. Nonetheless, it permeated the whole world as the only Faith to have ever existed.

Nevertheless, it is not a united entity. Politics still exists in the Faith as orders sprung up. The Six Orders of Isa holds the Faith’s political powers within the world. These orders stem from the different individuals who became Saints.

People also don't like Saints as they create times of war for the common man. Whenever one individual becomes a saint, world powers immediately flock to them as they scramble for more power and influence. Although not all saints are the same, some followers under them will always have a rotten heart which will cause these problems.

Nonetheless, because these saints are nigh-immortals they can live for a long time to not be led by mortal cares. One of them is Elyon who stood as the world’s guardian for more than five millennia.

Nevertheless, because of the constant demonic invasions, some of these saints died and were lost in history. So far, only six saints have been recognized, and only Elyon is left. The last saint to have died was Nam Song.

History tells us that Nam Song started as a merchant’s daughter. But when a Demon King threatened the stability of the whole world, she rose as an excellent leader for the Holt continent. She used her abilities in mercantile and logistics to provide people with food and necessities, ensuring everyone's safety while faring the worldwide storm.

Out of her endless effort to help the people, she was granted Sainthood by Isa when she faced the Demon King Seir. Thus, she became the Saint of Wealth with dominion over gold and was a fierce melee combat fighter. She was a golden knight that could turn anything into gold. This power of hers also helped the Holtia Kingdom become the current Holt Empire with military and economic might.

However, Saith Nam Song was never to be seen again after her fight with the Demon King, Crocell, at the end of the ninth millennium.

That's why the current world admires the Saint of Protection, Tarion, and follows his lead. He has existed since the fifth Millennium and even to the current era, the tenth Millennium.

Saint Tarion is a sentient ash tree that grew inside the Grand Valley of Zulto. As time went by, he became strong and big. He became so big that he grew as large as two mountains. He was a haven against demonic entities inside the Zulto Continent. He stood there for 4 millennia.

However, four centuries ago, he faced a Demon King that burned his main body in Zulto. But because he already had a sapling in Mando, Tarion was saved and reborn there as Mando’s protector. Today, Tarion still thrives in the mountains of Mando, surrounded by the city of Tarion that sprung up around him.

As a tree, Tarion's powers are of wood and plants. Because of this, the tree in the middle of the church was high-powered because it was a saint's sapling—carrying a visage of his power.

"Don't worry, Elder Basil. I'll have Winston maximize wall defense over policing."

Elder Marwal replied as he looked at his brother, Chief Muska.

"And, I request Mazel's hunting party to do the policing instead."

He proposed to Chief Muska as he looked back to Elder Basil.

"I think that's a good thing, but can we trust Elder Remona to stay for the time being?"

Elder Basil inquired.

“I think we can request for him to stay, but let's have a hall meeting tonight to polish everything.”

Chief Muska answered.

“Moreover, what do you think of the bird?”

He added as his brows met thinking of the situation that the cursed bird caused to the village.

“I think the bird is conscious, but it is still young. However, I don't think it has been corrupted by the curse. Instead, it is keeping the curse at bay.”

Elder Basil said as he tried to look outside the temple to the shadows of Mira and Hilda in the field.

“But, we need to confirm things before we can conclude that the bird is not bringing demonic influences around it. I will send a missive to the Father of Napsaki if he can send us a Holy Warrior to check on the creature.”

He went on, but the two men gawked at Elder Basil.

“Wait! Are you sure?”

“No. You don't need to.”

Both of them outrightly opposed the idea of allowing a Holy Warrior into their cares as these holy men would often go beyond their responsibilities and deal harshly with anyone hinted to be cursed or corrupted. These Holy Warriors also follow the cruel methods of the Saint of Courage who sees the world in black and white. All of these things factor into the dark reputation of this Order of Lorin.

“I'm sorry, but we need to keep ourselves safe”

Elder Basil replied with a grim expression, as he stood up and turned around.

Nonetheless, the two men shouted as they pulled Elder Basil back.

“Wait a minute, Elder Basil.”

Chief Muska hollered.

“Yes, Chief?”

Elder Basil inquired.

“Are you sure about this decision!?”

Chief Muska replied with anger.

“Yes. I'm sorry, Chief.”

Elder Basil said as he pulled his clothes from the two elders.

Then out of the blue, Elder Basil felt a strong pain on his left cheek as his eyes went wide.

*Pang*

Elder Marwal punched him.

“Hold it! What are you doing, Elder Marwal?”

Another voice echoed inside the hall as the cloth at the entrance of the church flapped, and a man wearing a pompous dress shouted.