He sat there, bathed in sweat, and still breathing heavy.

It's still quite dark . . .

But as he reached into his satchel to take out the lantern he heard multiple people plod through the still muddy forest floor.

My footprints . . . shit.

In the hectic, he had completely forgotten about that. The people quickly came closer and closer to him. He hectically started looking for a way to escape the situation but he noticed lights in the forest, surrounding him completely.

Shit seems like my only option is to fight.

He tried putting on his mask again but before he could an arrow shot it out of his hand and pinned the mask to the tree.

Shit, please tell me that was just luck.

The lights had closed in on him and he could now see around a hundred soldiers surrounding him, one of which threw a lit lantern in his direction to reveal his appearance.

"Who do we have here?" one of them asked with a smug undertone. A few soldiers started laughing but he could also notice a few backing away.

What's that about?

"Sir, I don't think we should engage." the soldiers said with a frightened voice.

"What?"

"Snow-white hair, light green eyes, and skin so pale one might think he's sick." He took a short break in which he backed away even more. "That's Zane Larcadia . . ."

"So what?"

"Also known as the Reaper!"

A few of the soldiers immediately started backing away as well.

"The Reaper eh? I heard a lot about you . . . although I believe it's a bunch of bullshit." The smug undertone annoyed Zane a lot.

One of the other soldiers whispered something to the others. "He's new here right? Must be." Others nodded in response.

"I am Regal Sybaris. A soldier only recently sent to Ion."

Studying the man's posture showed Zane that this was most likely not something he would get out of without a fight.

Ah dammit, now I won't be able to play both sides of the war again.

Regal came closer and closer to Zane who still leaned against the tree due to the shock.

"Well, come on stand up. I will give you the chance to achieve an honourable death," said Regal sounding strangely excited. A few soldiers shook their heads.

Zane stood up which made Regal quickly realize how small he was, compared to the Reaper. The one he had provoked into a fight was towering above him.

"Well, Reaper. I did hear you are quite tall but I didn't expect something like this," his tone still hadn't changed.

Still as cocky as before . . .

Zane stared down at Regal, piercing him with his eyes, which did make him back off a bit.

"Bring i-,"

Zane quickly interrupted Regal, "Fuck off."

These two words were not only directed at Regal but also at the other soldiers. Half of them started running in fear.

Good.

"Those cowards!" one of the soldiers that had stayed yelled.

"Well, maybe it wasn't that bad of a decision," another said while looking in the direction the others had run off to.

"Don't be so afraid of a single man. You stain the name of the great Avalonien Army," yelled Regal back at the remaining soldiers.

This one doesn't give up, does he? Fine, I'll just have to give him a good scare.

He opened up one of the two satchels, revealing four large glass containers filled with blood.

"Last chance," said Zane but once he saw that Regal wasn't backing away he opened up one of the containers. The next two words he spoke sounded as if they came from another world, like the wind he had heard earlier.

"Blood Dragon!"

The blood rushed out of the container, but instead of a blade, it had formed into the head of a dragon, an Amphithere's head. A long neck had formed from the container and now went around Zane once, the dragon head resting over his shoulder, looking down at Regal who started back with fearful eyes. The head was snake-like but also seemed to be feathered, just like the Amphitheres Zane had read much about in his childhood days.

"Rush!"

Again Zane's words sounded as if not from this world. The dragon head rushed towards Regal, which took him by surprise. Regal tried to crawl backwards but his attempt to escape was cut short.

"Bite!"

A loud crunching sound was followed by a loud scream from Regal. The dragon head had bitten straight into his shoulder, through the steel guards and the hardened leather. Its blood teeth seemed to be buried deep in Regal's bone. Zane looked up and saw that all but one soldier had run away.

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Seems like that one is one of those overly loyal ones . . .

"Release!"

The dragon head let go of Regal's shoulder and pulled back a bit.

"Bit-"

A loud voice interrupted Zane.

"I won't let you do that. Even if you are the Reaper!" said the soldier, clearly scared to the core.

He slowly raised his bow and shot an arrow straight at Zane's head.

"Rush!"

The dragon went towards the arrow.

"Bite!"

It caught the arrow mid-air and bit down on it, the arrow broke into multiple pieces with a loud crunching sound. The soldiers seemed shocked. What Zane had just done as if it were an everyday event happened in such a short time that he couldn't believe it. The archer backed away but tripped over a root and fell to the ground.

"Rush!"

The soldier crawled backwards trying to escape the dragon head made out of blood that was quickly coming towards him. Zane also slowly walked in the soldier's direction leaving Regal who was still writhing in pain on the ground.

Is he trying to get out of my reach? Well, it's over now anyway.

The dragon head had reached the soldier after he had hit a tree on his escape.

"Bite!"

The soldier's head disappeared within the blood dragon's mouth and never came back out. Instead, the dragon head only spat out a dried-up head, as if all the blood within it had been sucked out.

"How dare you!" yelled Regal who had stood back up, still holding his shoulder. "I will kill you!"

"Rush!"

Regal and the dragon head rushed towards each other and were about to crash into each other.

"Bi-"

Zane stopped his command as soon as he saw how Regal quickly ducked beneath the dragon's neck and came back up to its side. He was now only a meter away from Zane, already starting to swing his sword.

Guess he does have some talent. The blood dragon isn't fast enough to get him now.

Zane quickly unsheathed his katana in response and slashed at Regal, all in one fast fluid motion. A loud scream and the rustling of leaves were what he heard next. Regal had barely dodged the blade and was now holding the left half of his face with one hand.

Did I get one of his eyes?

Zane already prepared for the next attack but before he could Regal threw up a fistful of dirt into his eyes. The plodding of Regal's footsteps told Zane that he had run away.

Probably better for him this way. But did I really have to kill one of them to get them to run away? This will definitely take a chunk out of my payment.

He wiped the dirt out of his eyes but still couldn't see well and it was dark on top of that. His mask was still pinned to the tree by an arrow.

He had talent as well . . . should have run away, what an idiot.

He removed the arrow and put the mask in his satchel.

I can get that fixed later.

Zane now took out the lantern and lit it.

That noble wants to meet at the Ducold Inn . . . should be south of here.

A compass he had in his satchel showed him where south was and Zane started making his way there. The darkness around him, only disturbed by the light of his own lantern, made him feel uneasy, it felt almost like he was back there, back at the place where he had stared deep into the abyss, and the abyss had stared back. A shiver went down his spine.

This oppressing feeling really reminds me of back then. Is he watching me?

Zane went on through the forest, feeling like someone or something was watching him. He left the forest and went up a steep wall of grass, on top was a wide path made out of gravel, dirt, and stones. It was already day by the time he reached the path, the sun had appeared from behind the mountains in the distance. Once at the top he decided to look around, trying to find the shortest route to Ducold Forest. He looked around, studying the environment, and noticed a few familiar-looking hills. And there it was the river where he had washed of the blood afterwards.

That place is close. I should visit once I'm done meeting that noble. And if I'm here that means I can get to the forest by following this path.

As Zane moved his eyes away a shiver, worse than before went down his spine. Things he had wanted to forget came back.

"Zane, don't. Please."

"Wait!"

He closed his eyes, trying to focus.

I should go there, or else . . .

He felt the shiver again and noticed how a single tear rolled down his face.

I don't have time for that now . . .

On his way, he came across travelling merchants, other mercenaries, explorers, and an advocate of the Holy Lord.

As if any of those twelve would save humanity from anything.

"Young man, I'm sure your fights would be easier if you were to follow the only true God, Argider, the Holdy Lord, the god of light," the tiny man said.

Zane tried to ignore him but the man simply followed him. "Don't run away young man, I'm sure that our Holy Lord would help you in your journey."

Annoyed by the man's babbling Zane turned his head and stared the tiny man in the eyes. The man fell to the ground with fear in his eyes.

"You . . . you have stared into the abyss . . . made a pact with the Lord of the Deep!"

The man stood up quickly and started running away all the while screaming for help from his Holy Lord.

Pathetic. But at least they leave me alone. At least if they don't have any paladins with them.

The path meandered through the environment, along rivers or forests, Zane saw a few castles in the distance and also a barred up shack here and there. Some were overgrown with weird-looking plants.

Were there witches here at some point?

The sun had already risen right above him by the time he reached a place from which he could see the Ducold Forest with its enormous trees that dwarfed giants and even titans.

A beautiful sight.

The path narrowed down as it got closer to the forest. Once Zane actually entered it was barely wide enough for a small carriage to pass.

Haven't been here in a few months. Innkeeper probably has some more jobs for me.

Even though it was day the forest was dark. In the distance, he heard the stomping of something large.

The Duclon clan? So close to the edge of the forest? Or maybe a titan?

Whatever it was, it came closer to him. Zane slowly reached behind his back to take the cork off of one of the vials. The ground around him started shaking, small stones jumped up in the air and standing became continuously more difficult as the large being came closer and closer. A large, barefoot hit the ground right in front of Zane which made him fall to the ground. It was a giant, nearly nineteen meters high and as broad as the enormous trees of the forest. The giant looked down at Zane who sat on the narrow path.

"Oh, it's you. Almost didn't see you there."

The giant had a deep and growling voice, like rolling thunder.

Good, it's just Liege.

Liege crouched down so he could see Zane better. The giant was bald and had a long orange full beard that now rested on the ground. His large kind eyes were brown like tree bark, and the giant also smelt like that.

"You on your way to the inn?"

Zane nodded hastily and got back up. Even while crouching the giant was still more than twice Zane's height.

"Want me to give you a lift? It's on my way anyway."

Zane nodded again and climbed onto the giant's shoulder. He nearly fell when the giant got up and had to hold onto Liege's baggy shirt. With every step Liege took the ground shook, just like Zane on the giant's shoulder. Even from up there, the trees looked enormous.

Big but still so small . . .

After they travelled through the dark forest for a while a few beams of sunlight started to break through the ceiling of leaves far above them. The number of beams kept increasing until they reached a spot where a single large beam of sunlight shone directly onto a building attached to three trees.

Finally here.

Liege let Zane down and they said their goodbyes. The giant stomped off to the right of the Inn, as Zane followed the path and went up the wooden stairs, he left behind a small bit of dirt with every step he took.

Wonder if that noble is already here.

As he got closer to the Inn itself he started hearing what was going on inside. He heard people cheering, singing, and chatting.

As lively as ever.