"We have too little information at the moment. Slaughter all except Guild members who approach Teary Hill. We must withstand the attack for mankind."

-Executive Chancellor Order #02 on The Siege of Teary Hill

The upstairs of the fishing shack was a lot cosier than the open shop area of the first floor. With a jumble of rooms the size of large closets, the maze was connected through a single landing after walking up the first floor stairs. Daniel found that he was going to stay at the guest room on the second floor, one which looked similar to his room in Igo's home, but a lot smaller.

"Sorry that I was a bit late, I was just finishing the final touches on your new room." Havie admitted after leading Daniel up to his room, with Eni following and Avos staying behind to play with Anya. Havie had the disposition of someone kind-hearted and friendly but his appearance was a bit on the rough side. It would be a stretch to call him burly, but Havie certainly was muscular. A small scar on his upper lip gave the feeling that he was always snarling or angry at something yet all of those things melted away when he gave a smile that could fell nations and swoon the hardest of hearts. "I really hope it's to your liking."

"It... it should be fine, thanks." Daniel muttered, staring down at the floor and not paying too much attention to the conversation.

"Make yourself at home, Daniel. Me and Havie are just going to have a little chat." Avos said, pushing Daniel into the room and closing the door. With the creaking of the outside stairs, Avos and Havie had gone back down to where the rest of the family were, leaving Daniel well and truly alone.

Methodically, Daniel searched through the drawers and cabinet of his room, checked under his bed, tapped on and checked that nothing was behind the window curtains and made sure the door was shut tight. After he found nothing to be worried about, Daniel finally collapsed on top of his bed.

Had I always been this paranoid? Daniel couldn't help but ask, am I going to be so pathetic that I'm going to be like this now? Why couldn't I have just stayed dead? Then nobody would worry about me anymore. They'd all return to normal. If I hadn't escaped from-

As if his body had stopped him, Daniel felt sick enter his mouth, forcing him to jolt up from his bed, crying in the searing agony it caused his mouth. He couldn't bring himself to throw it up so he instead swallowed it, resulting in even more pain.

"I'm sorry Igo, I-I'm sorry..." Daniel moaned, tears falling down his face and he fell back onto his bed. Crawling into some semblance of a foetal position, with the bed duvet soaking up most of his tears, Daniel fell asleep.

"So what do you want to talk to me about?" Havie asked, going downstairs with Avos in tow.

"I need you to be firm with the boy. He's gone through a lot and so you might be inclined to give him a bit of leeway. That's fine and all, but eventually he must learn to move past his painful memories and live normally once more."

"How hard are you talking? That kid, Daniel, seemed pretty normal, but if he is dealing with a lot like you said, doesn't that suggest that I need to give him a bit more time? Time to come to terms with his past, in a sense, before fully being able to move ahead and deal with those things?"

"The thing is, Havie, the second this boy even thinks about what he has dealt with, he breaks. In a normal circumstance I would give him all the time in the world to deal with his issues and help Daniel with that. But that boy is a fuse. A very powerful fuse that could kill us all if we let it burn for long enough. So, we need to be hasty and get that burning fuse under control before it ends up burning faster." Avos explained, the two now stopped in the middle of the stairway, a grim contemplative expression on Avos' face.

"Even then, is it possible to just give Daniel a chance, a chance to stop that fuse himself and then be in a better position than he would have been if we forced him into it?"

"I get where you're coming from Havie, I really do."

"Then why, Avos, why do we have to push a kid in the best years of his life so far?"

"...-I don't know," Avos muttered.

"What?" Havie whipped around, meeting Avos' gaze. It was empty.

"I ask that myself too. Constantly. Why do we indoctrinate entire generations of young children to become machines of war against the redcaps? Why do we act as the righteous ones when we also slaughter and murder entire villages and towns of innocent redcaps? I always tell myself it's for the greater good, the survival of man-kind. But isn't that what the redcaps are also doing it for? In order to survive and not get obliterated by their divine leaders, they do the same as us. They kill."

"Avos, I-"

"The reason we kill each other, the reason why we have waged war against them for a millennium, it doesn't exist. It is lost to time. The real reason that is. The reason the gods knew, though? That is what still exists. And so, as the last remaining gods of this world, Obelisk and Dhalene continue commanding the races that worship them to slaughter us all. We godless humans, however, are left to retaliate without a clue for why they do it. So in the end, it's the same reason why I am going to push Daniel so hard. There is no reason other than survival. And that poor child has the potential to find that reason out for himself."

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

"...I see. What else did I expect from the Guild," Havie said, helpless. "Go downstairs already, I'll check on the boy. Anya's bound to be waiting."

"I can't stay for long, sorry. Have to head back to Alandriel for my match."

"Match?"

"Let's just say I'm going to fight one creepy bastard over some useless rank."

* * *

"Folks, welcome to this grand competition between two gods among men!" An orator exclaimed, standing on a small platform that projected from one of the audience stands. In comparison to the rest of the packed stadium, the orator's figure was barely visible, only her voice penetrating the hubbub of the crowds. "Today's ranking match is between two men, whose history and power are highly contested among the Guild's ranks and a match between them has been orchestrated to find this out once and for all!

"I welcome to the stadium, Platinum Rank 4, The Brawn, Avos Ashbeck and Platinum Rank 5, The Vileblood, Ender Gemein to the stadium!" The orator shouted, her voice reaching almost to a scream as the two proclaimed men walked into the stadium from opposite ends. "The betting pool is now closed and it is requested that from this point onwards you stay in your seat the whole time. If you violate this rule you will not be insured against any damages done to your person. The battle shall commence shortly!"

"So, Ender, what sort of shit have you been up to this time." Avos asked, quiet enough for the crowd to not hear.

"Nothing you need to know, Avo," Ender grinned, "Let's just let the true rankings decide themselves. After all, isn't my rightful position above yours?"

"Should've never asked you in the first place. Let's try not to have a repeat of last year's match, Ender, and actually fight for once."

"Shouldn't I be saying that to you old man."

"Old-?!"

"And now, it is finally time for it to start." The orator said, her voice, although quiet, echoing around the stadium, which was full of the short breaths of excitement and anticipation. "One match to decide it all. Let it begin in-"

"3"

As soon as the orator began to count down, Avos' hand grew slightly in size, a humming glow being emitted around it.

"2"

In the same instant as seeing Avos begin to prepare, Ender took a small dagger and cut a long slash along the length of his arm, drawing vast amounts of blood.

"1"

Manipulating it, the blood streamed out of Ender's arm, flowing like a rapid river, until it formed into a large blade that solidified in that same arm's grasp, all tethered to the original wound. Avos also pulled back, readying a punch, with his fist growing even larger in size while it began to glow red hot.

"Go!"

A massive explosion resounded from the stadium floor as dust erupted from the centre, obscuring the audience's view just enough to prevent immediate sight. As the dust cleared, it revealed the two locked into a stalemate, Avos' glowing fist rumbling and vibrating from the shock of being blocked by Ender's blade.

"How predictable, old fart."

"Fuck off."

Avos kicked his leg into the ground, sending him flying into the air spinning, spreading his arms out to balance and manage his speed more effectively. While Ender recovered from the small explosion that Avos' leg had caused, Avos muttered a few words.

"Blood Arts: Crimson Brace."

In an instant, Ender's blood dispelled from the shape of a weapon and reformed into several spikes that screwed themselves down far into the ground, nailing Ender to his position without any chance of him moving. Reeling from the pain of being subject to FAE, Ender was barely able to react before Avos kicked off of the air itself and sent himself spiralling into him, brightly-glowing fist first.

Trying to mitigate damages before it was too late, Ender stretched his arm straight out so that it would be the first to be crushed by Avos' attack. By the time Avos had processed what his enemy was planning to do, it was too late to alter course. Avos' fist completely obliterated Ender's arm, sending blood and gore spraying everywhere. In that same moment, the blood reconstructed itself into a spiked shield located at the elbow, the rest of the arm still missing. Even though it was a quick job, it blocked the attack enough so that Ender wasn't mortally wounded and was only sent back a few metres.

Checking for wounds on his fist, Avos immediately retracted his arm, finding that their were no areas of damage deep enough to draw blood, and therefore allow Ender an easy victory.

"Whose an old fart now, brat." Avos spat, a bit of blood mixed into his saliva.

"What can you say when you can't even attack righ-" Ender's retort was cut short as Avos landed a clean hit on his face, the punch's shockwave shattering the solidified blood around him like ice. Flying backwards, Ender reshaped the crimson mist that remained after the art dissipated into an array of spears that Ender shortly commanded to attempt to impale Avos.

Spinning and twisting around every projectile, Avos danced forward catching up to Ender, both of them nearing the edge of the arena.

"That was for Daniel." Avos whispered, loud enough for only Ender to hear. Ender's face of concentration broke into one of surprise upon hearing that name, an attack that he was preparing crumbling apart. "And this... is for Igo. Enhancer Art:"

"Shit-" Trying to recuperate but ultimately failing to, Ender stumbled for a defence, a slight smirk still on his face as if it didn't have enough time to adjust for Avos' art. However, Avos knew it was too late.

"Demi Pow-" Avos' chant was cut short as a sudden pain shot through his entire body. Looking down, Avos only saw a mess of blood. With Avos' hands feeling around his stomach, he found a spike skewering his chest. Avos tried to make a counter-attack before Ender gained control of his blood and therefore his body, but it was just as he thought initially; he knew it was too late.

Darkness flooded his vision and all went silent.