Chapter 18 — Savior’s path
Sunday had come at last. The bright sun had only started its perpetual ascent over the horizon. Never before had Ranalitta looked so beautiful. Apparently, even the city of dung and excess could be graced by the hot golden crown. After all, only rampant towers and massive luxurious mansions’ roofs remained in the field of view.
Keyaruga was admiring the view by looking through the window. He, his girls, and his unexpected ally were spending the early morning in an inconspicuous inn around fourteen kilometers away from the town. The healer, the sorceress, the she-wolf, and the dealer shared a single table.
"…when you’re done, Yirvin and Block will be waiting for you outside the colosseum, there…" Quinta was speaking of all aspects of his role in the plan. The former man he mentioned was his nephew; the latter was the innkeeper, both tinkered with two carriages outside. The hero, though, lent only half an ear to him. He waited, nervously gripping the amulet Nogato gifted him with. He lost his parents again, to his love, of all the people. `If you fail to protect your parents, it’d be your fault`. Now, the man could only hope to save his fellow villagers from the worst. He had an astonishing level of forty-three at that point, but the worries remained all the same.
"Thanks, Quinta. We’ll lead my people here, then you all will get new lives outside of this fucked up city." Finally, the man unceremoniously dismissed the exiled trader. He had another figure in that game, who had but an hour to reach their current dislocation before being discarded.
"He fears you still, master, Setsuna smells it." The ice warrior stated, moving closer toward the red-haired lad. Here, they woke up, and in this very inn, the huntress had her level cap moved toward the number of thirty, with her actual level trailing only by two. A good result, but still far from suitable for what was to come.
"Good, that means he’ll behave." Keyaruga replied, focusing on magic exercises. He extended his right hand forward, and a ball lightning appeared above his palm. Apparently, there was nothing special about it, aside from the obvious risk of doing so indoors. Or?..
"M-m… Is that…" Freia was still sleepy. Although the girl got more and more self-disciplined, she wasn’t prone to such early awakenings. But even so, she felt it. "There’s something wrong with your spell." The magician mused, leaning on her `lord’s` left shoulder.
"Nothing’s wrong. I’m just powering it with wild mana." The man replied blithely, revealing his right eye glowing with jade. Apparently, he had a much easier time harvesting that untamed force when seeing it.
"You what?!" And now, the princess’ drowsiness had evaporated with a shocking reveal. So much so that she jumped from her chair. "Lord Keyaruga, do you even imagine how dangerous it is?!"
"Of course. Why else would I be doing it?" The healer sneered, looking at the girls. While one got positively scared on his behalf, the second didn’t really understand what all the fuss was about. "I know what’s written in your books: `blah-blah, wild mana dangerous, yada-yada, keep away from it.` But we can’t. You see, that distinction between the natural mana, which our bodies produce, is one big load of bullshit. What we usually use to cast is nothing more than just filtered energy we receive from literally everywhere. See my logic?"
"Wait, you mean, we always use that stuff? But why is it so dangerous then?" Freia wondered, carefully looking at the sphere of buzzing lightning. It wasn’t impressive on its own, but the hero’s arm trembled, and it wasn’t a good sign.
"First, let’s answer your first question. See my amulet? It does absorb the wild mana, cleansing it and letting me draw upon it freely. Our souls do the same; some slower, some faster. And you could also do it with your staff. Well, you’ll have to eventually. There’s that fundamental law of nature, according to which nothing comes from nowhere, so in order to cast the highest spells, you’ll have to draw upon the ambient mana." The man elaborated, feeling his focus degrade. "Still, it’s called `wild` for a reason. Specifically…"
"A-A-AH!!!" The pink-haired princess yelled, as Keyaruga’s hand rapidly creaked and twisted as if caught in a maelstrom. None of the fingers remained whole, the wrist was torn down to the bones, and the forearm got three open fractures. Fortunately, though, the thunderbolt dissipated without a trace. The gray-haired girl just silently creaked her teeth, trying to imagine the sheer pain the lad just felt.
"Heh, calm down, I’ll be fine." The Hero of Healing playfully waved his mutilated arm, as if it was a toy. Then, he made a couple of overdramatic gestures, and the green spark returned everything to normal. "Voila! See? Not that bad. Although… Damn, my sleeve is ruined."
"You… are more worried about your clothes than your arm?" The sorceress accused her man, on which he simply shrugged. How could he deliberately cripple himself just for a short demonstration?
"Calm down, master’s stronger than that." Setsuna stated, unfazed by the hero’s masochism at that point.
"You just saw what it can do, if handled incorrectly. So please, Freia, don’t try it without me around to patch you up if anything goes wrong." The healer said, smiling at the princess. She loved him, and seeing him unnecessarily torturing himself for no reason made her bitter.
"I won’t, but please, stop hurting yourself, I beg you!" The caster exclaimed. But being unable to find the compassion in the crimson eyes, she backed off. "I’ll be upstairs. Rehearsing the speech."
"You made her sad." The tailed huntress pointed out, watching the princess walking away. The latter would cry for some time, that’s for sure. "And Setsuna too."
"I need you two to be ready. Trust me, you may find me in much worse shape than just with a torn limb, and I need you to be calm and collected at that time." Would that excuse be enough? I know you’re listening to me, Freia. I can see you, after all. "Still, I’d rather we changed the topic."
"Okia (fine)." The ice warrior shook her head while touching Keyaruga’s right hand. "You said nothing comes from nowhere. That means nothing goes to nowhere?" She inquired, rubbing the smooth skin. A few moments ago, it looked like something right from the slaughterhouse.
"Wise question. Yes, Setsuna, you’re right. My thunder may have been dispelled, but it’s still here, flying as a cloud of hell-know-what-colored energy." The hero mentioned, pointing to his jade eye. Ultimately, while a normal human could see only three colors and their combinations, the gift from the star nymph allowed him to distinguish at least twelve, although all of them had that annoying greenish tone. "Same with all the other spells, or level-ups. It’s always here, and when animals are exposed to it for too long, they become monsters. Presumably, humans too. Some sages assume that demi-humans are actually human monsters. It seems like a plausible explanation, since we live in dense cities, where the mana is absorbed by many, while you settle in small villages somewhere in the deep woods. But it doesn’t really correlate with the legends of the Children of Enuas." Keyaruga concluded with a mirthful nod. Such casual talk on serious themes allowed him to relax a little bit.
"Interesting. That’s why they’re poisoned? Monsters, that’s." Setsuna pondered, scratching her nose. It looked somewhat cute, even with her claw-like nails to consider.
"Hm, you’re much smarter than I gave you credit for." It wasn’t the best compliment to make, but coupled with patting Setsuna’s hair, he quickly got her smiling. "Yes, wild mana is volatile. It literally takes a weapon worthy of a god to tame it." Specifically, Vanargand.
"Master Keyaruga, could you ma-?.." The she-wolf was interrupted by the loud door slam. It was a man in full plate armor. He could look scary, but the ironclad lacked his helmet to hide just how shabby and sweaty he was after his rabid ride and the sleepless night the youngster had spent.
"Hello, Buck. I never expected to see you here." The healer scoffed, welcoming the knight to sit before him with a gesture. "I’m eager to hear about the results."
"Right… Fine! Sir Keyaru, Lady Setsuna, as you already know, we’re trying to save…" Oh, that’s the worst way to start a conversation…
"We know what we know!" The girl snapped, sparing them from the pointless overview.
"I’m… sorry." Buck sulked. Apparently, he rehearsed his speech, unaware just how mundane and unwanted his pretentious words would be. "No matter! Sir Gray had accepted our gifts, master Calavr too, but Zork, he…"
And so, the rebellious soul started describing the result of volleys of bribes. As expected, the success was guaranteed. Most responsible people turned out to be really pliable to the combined power of Keyaruga and Buck Tarvill — namely, the power of money. And now the armored youngster could effortlessly lead the princess inside the colosseum, while the red-haired lad wouldn’t meet resistance on his path outside Ranalitta. Presumably…
"Excellent, let’s make our move then." The healer said, walking upstairs to Freia, while the knight returned to his horse, sipping from the same drinker as the party’s raptor. The ice warrior, in turn, followed her master.
"Setsuna don’t like him." The girl voiced her concerns, pulling Keyaruga’s torn sleeve.
"Me too. He’s a moron, but a useful and loyal one." He countered with a rational response.
"No. Not that. He smells bad. Really, really bad." The ice warrior elaborated, making the red-haired lad a little uneasy. She didn’t comment on any other person that way, even if they reeked of booze or feces. So it should be something to consider.
"He can’t be a traitor." Keyaruga spoke, stopping near the room. The Hero of Magic melodically hummed inside. "Still, if he does something stupid, kill him. Freia is your main priority, so keep her safe."
"Yes, master."
…
Midday turned out to be cloudy and cold. Hundreds of Ranalitta’s denizens arrived at the Colosseum, including Keyaru. The boy, in his true form, blended with the audience. His face was hidden under a simple hood. With `traitors` and `heretics` being bound to massive crosses, the crowd got more and more agitated. Around forty captives were guarded by forty-three soldiers. They were coordinated by Taretoya, a dignified black-haired man with a moderate beard in a blue coat with golden lines. Strangely enough, even with the jade eye, none of the local lords were anywhere to be found. Which was strange, since Afr Reol Ranalitta was known as a huge connoisseur of such events. Either way, that left no need for a spirit vision.
The healer was alone in this. He returned Flare’s initial face, and even went as far as buying her a regal attire; it seemed it was common for rich girls to try to mimic the gracious princess, so purchasing something like that wasn’t so hard. Now, accompanied by Buck and Setsuna, she had her own part in that mission.
Too bad I sent Kureha away. Not that I couldn’t handle all of that myself, though, Keyaru reflected on his decision. And truth be told, he wished he had spent more time with her. Still, she would at least make sure Norn wouldn’t end her life the way she did in the previous world. Even if there was no ground for this, the lad’s paranoia wouldn’t let him shrug off the possibility. The warlady had armies at her disposal, and even if Margurth was killed, leaving her to roam with all of her forces would be unwise. That left only one singular option. We’ll meet in Buranikka. I know you’ll come for answers. Rest assured, my love, I’ll give you plenty.
"Damn, I’m nervous." The youngster unintentionally mumbled. After all, Alban’s population numbered around two hundred people, and only a fifth part of that remained, mostly adults, who survived the initial raid and then the rapid transportation to Ranalitta that followed.
Well, it’s not like I have time to brag, I just need to quickly dispatch the guard, and then we’ll talk business. I hope Quinta won’t double-cross me again. I hope my expenses weren't in vain.
"Kill them all!"
"Murder!"
"Nail them to the boards, shitheads!"
"Death to the heretics!"
The tribunes raged; they craved for blood. Soon, they would witness the death of the murderers of princess Flare. Nobody cared that it was just Keyaru’s doing, much less that there were women and children among the convicted.
Yup, you people are just cruel trash we’ll have to filter out eventually.
With everyone finally crucified at the wooden stage, the leader finally faced the people. He clapped his hands, and a loud screeching filled the colosseum. Loudspeaking magic imbued in a ring allowed his voice to thunder above the tribunes.
"We have gathered here to exact punishment upon the excommunicated heretical tribe! They turned away from the words of our Lord Faran, sold their souls to the demons! It was their blasphemy that led Keyaru on his dark path! Her Highness Flare perished by their hands!"
Damn, he’s so loud. Wait, am I imagining it, or is someone literally crying over her? Oh, I see, I saw that fatso pig in the slave market. Heh, your princess lives, and now she hates your kind.
"This tragedy will not repeat itself!"
I’m pretty sure it will…
"For we shall execute the root of evil here and now!"
Soldiers pointed their spears at the villagers. Keyaru shivered a little, ready to shower the grunts with long-range magic…
"Unless, of course, the devil chooses to reveal himself! Show yourself, Keyaru, the accursed hero! Come and accept your sins! Embrace your righteous death! Let us exorcize your demon back to hell, and their souls will be spared!"
Heh! Keyaru, the accursed hero! I like this one. The healer smirked. You really think I’ll fall for that? That I would let you murder me and then finish the job with the people of Alban? No, I want to have my cake and eat it.
Finally, the young man rose from his seat and casually strolled down the stairs. He heard whispers, yet none of the spectators were brave enough to challenge him. After all, when the boy reached the pit, he just carelessly jumped downwards, harmlessly landing on the sand. Then, the hero dropped his robe, revealing his juvenile face along with dark-red hair.
"THERE HE IS!!! Keyaru, the damned healer! Murderer and fugitive!" The announcer yelled, agitating the crowd even more.
"KILL HIM! KILL HIM! KILL HIM!" The screams, the hatred, the bloodlust — it was too much for the ruined boy.
"Heh, now that’s a warm welcome. Damn, I think I’ve got a boner." Keyaru wryly whispered, approaching his adversaries.
"Have you come to repent? Surrender your miserable life, and you’ll save your people! I promise you, we are merciful! We shall even have your body properly hurried!"
Where? In a cesspit? Fuck you and your pretentious `mercy`! Let’s see… wait, level twenty, twenty-four, nineteen...
"Are you fucking mocking me?" All that preparation, all the time he spent on training, and for what? These troops were pretty much like children, compared to him.
"GET THAT PRICK!!!" Ten grunts ran toward him, not even bothering to unsheathe their swords. Mindlessly, without any formation.
Keyaru dodged the grab and clapped the first on his back. He tapped the second by the shoulder, the third got slapped on the belly, and the fourth got hit in the ribs. The hero merely touched them, but their fate was horrible — men turned into piles of exploding meat. The fifth fool lived a tad bit longer, only to have the youngster grab his head and raise him above the ground. Keyaru stared into his terrified eyes before the purple spark devoided the mortician of his mana and lacerated his entire body. That way, the healer replenished his energy for further bloodshed.
No longer did the watchers chant `kill him`. They got terrified, along with the soldiers.
"SCUM! DEMON’S SPAWN! Have you not committed enough sins?!"
"Sins?" The hero tossed the bloody corpse away. "I just came here to save my people from you! I dispense justice here!" The healer exclaimed, lowering the troops’ morale. Too scared to engage the murderous devil, too irresponsible to turn on their commanders.
"Is that… your justice?" Taretoya got even more intimidated as Keyaru continued his silent march. "N-no… No step further! Or else I… I shall not tell you the outcome!" With that, the bearded executioner snarled, having his men point their weapons at the peasants.
Simultaneously, another half a dozen foolish grunts attempted to encircle the hero; this time they took out their swords. But what can a bunch of weaklings do against someone who’s equal to the powerful Cryleths?
The first one started the initiative with a downward slash — he failed. The healer evaded with a swift pirouette, touched two men-at-arms at once, and bathed in their blood. Another tried thrusting, but Keyaru used it to pull the poor idiot to his death. The next soldier attempted to surprise the `devil` by striking him in the back, yet with Kureha’s perception, he just slightly bent backwards for another fatal touch. The two last bastards managed nothing, as the avenger took them by the necks and made them literally defecate their guts in their pants, loudly wailing in the process.
"Can you tell the outcome now?" Keyaru mirthfully shrugged. It was so quiet, he didn’t even need any loudspeaking spell to have himself heard by the crowd, even on the apex of the tribunes. The red-eyed youngster basked in the fear of his enemies, his excitement still showing in his pants.
"KILL THEM!!!" Finally, the commander decreed to commend the carnage. It took a second for the executioners to turn away from the Hero of Healing. After all, none could take their eyes off of this terrifying bloodbath. Still, the revenger was many things: rash and petulant, over-sensitive and paranoid, mostly uncaring for the others’ feelings, sometimes short-sighted, foolish even. But incompetent he never was.
"COLOMNAS FULGURUM!!!" Keyaru screamed the incantation, raising his left arm to the sky. A dazzling yellow lightning rushed into the sky. And it took but a moment before it returned as a crackling ray of thunder energy that incinerated eight men in but a second before they could harm anyone.
"H-how did you?.. MURDERER!!!" The leader yelled, unable to believe his eyes. The convicted were unharmed. Suspiciously silent, yet no spear reached them.
"Me? Murderer? In what fucked up world did you see me just stand and watch as you kill my people, you fricking shithead?!" Keyaru replied, while wavering his hands to form a loud-speaking effect. And when it was ready… "LOOK, PEOPLE OF RANALITTA!!! AND HEED ME, SOLDIERS OF JIORAL!!! YOU CAN GO AWAY AND LIVE!!! PRINCESS FLARE HAD TAU…"
"BARRIER! TURN ON THE BARRIER!!!" The man in blue and gold screamed while his knees trembled. He and the twenty-four remaining grunts almost prayed for it to appear above them. And yes, a couple of blue crystals sparked with red, and a yellowish dome with a magic circle on it manifested above the arena.
"This is where the fun begins." The healer gloatingly grinned. He felt nothing unusual. But grunts... Oh, you debilitated cretins! How do you like the taste of your own medicine? "HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!! NOW DANCE FOR ME, SWINES!!!" The boy nervously cackled, as the trembling soldiers fell to the ground just to vomit their own lungs in the process, their eyes, noses, and ears blended profoundly. That was the price for not bothering to check if their deathtrap was truly intact.
Now, I have to save my people. Then, Freia will help me break that barrier, and then we’ll set Jioral on fire.
And so, Keyaru once again walked among the corpses. Taretoya apparently figured it out. He tried to take off the amulet, but before he managed that, the healer waved his hand and finished the moron with a thunderbolt from above. Just as he did with everyone who tried to do the same. Only twenty seconds had passed, and every one of his foes was dead on the ground.
And yet, barely had the red-eyed lad approached the scene, something uncanny happened along the way. A loud hiss resounded above the ground. It was like that time, a rift in space itself, but if Reeharoze (if it was truly her) had made it black, this door shone in crimson. A moment later, the portal spat out a figure in a full iron mask. It landed on a wooden stage, creaking it upon landing. But surviving the fifteen-meter fall was unsurprising in comparison to what it carried — a flayed child, a skinless bleeding boy who had somehow managed remain alive.
FUCK! It’s Bloodbringer! Keyaru stumbled, watching as the champion of Jioral dropped the poor kid on the ground. He… she… they spent no time before smashing his head with a boot. And when this thing drew an unadulterated rapier with the left arm and pierced the body, the sinister browny-red weapon absorbed all the blood that remained.
"My apologies for an uninvited visit." The abomination spoke with a feminine, yet somewhat grave voice. It resounded only in Keyaru’s head, much like…
"Hey, you don’t happen to know Lorenzo, do you?" The hero inquired, regaining his bearings. He now faced the strongest blood mage in the world, and the prospect scared even him, but ultimately, that promised to be fun, at least.
"He is my husband. Was, at least." Bloodbringer shrugged, caressing her blade. So, it’s all about family quarrels, huh? Either way, let’s see what you’ve got.
Race: Human (?)
Name: Catherine
Class: The Knight, Apostle of Quetzalcoatl
Level: 55 ☆
Mana: 311/350
Physical attack: 366
Physical defense: 420
Magic attack: 327
Magic defense: 488
Speed: 365
Abilities:
Blood sorcery: 7-th circle
Destruction magic (wind): 5-th circle
Battle arts: 6-th level
Fencing: 7-th level
Skills:
Crimson Star: The skill of the Apostle of Quetzalcoatl. Allows the use of blood instead of mana for rituals.
Mastery of the sword: 5-th level, the Knight’s skill. Increases attack power of bladed weapons.
Level cap: 55
Potential:
Mana: 237
Physical attack: 248
Physical defense: 283
Magic attack: 221
Magic resist: 325
Speed: 246
Summary: 1560
All right. This… This is fucked up. Has she... (if this is still a woman, that is) eaten monsters for years? Is Kureha equal to her? Yeah, you bet she is! She’s just like Margurth, another monster. I really wonder what’s under that mask, though.
"Have you come for me? Then let’s finish it fast. I have people to save!" Keyaru spoke, picking up the nearest sword. A silent spell of stone covered his forearms in gravel shells. However this would go, the lad had to take it seriously.
"Then you failed." Bloodbringer turned her head toward the crucified people. Wait, they’re not breathing. Is that? Oh, poison, huh? You outmatched me again, Norn.
Although the painful realization hit the Hero of Healing, he had to focus. After all, the left-handed champion assumed the offensive posture. The Tribunes rejoiced, eager to see the legendary fencer gut the rebellious and heretical boy.
"Let us see if you are indeed worthy to be our savior."
Chapter 18 — Savior’s path
Sunday had come at last. The bright sun had only started its perpetual ascent over the horizon. Never before had Ranalitta looked so beautiful. Apparently, even the city of dung and excess could be graced by the hot golden crown. After all, only rampant towers and massive luxurious mansions’ roofs remained in the field of view.
Keyaruga was admiring the view by looking through the window. He, his girls, and his unexpected ally were spending the early morning in an inconspicuous inn around fourteen kilometers away from the town. The healer, the sorceress, the she-wolf, and the dealer shared a single table.
"…when you’re done, Yirvin and Block will be waiting for you outside the colosseum, there…" Quinta was speaking of all aspects of his role in the plan. The former man he mentioned was his nephew; the latter was the innkeeper, both tinkered with two carriages outside. The hero, though, lent only half an ear to him. He waited, nervously gripping the amulet Nogato gifted him with. He lost his parents again, to his love, of all the people. `If you fail to protect your parents, it’d be your fault`. Now, the man could only hope to save his fellow villagers from the worst. He had an astonishing level of forty-three at that point, but the worries remained all the same.
"Thanks, Quinta. We’ll lead my people here, then you all will get new lives outside of this fucked up city." Finally, the man unceremoniously dismissed the exiled trader. He had another figure in that game, who had but an hour to reach their current dislocation before being discarded.
"He fears you still, master, Setsuna smells it." The ice warrior stated, moving closer toward the red-haired lad. Here, they woke up, and in this very inn, the huntress had her level cap moved toward the number of thirty, with her actual level trailing only by two. A good result, but still far from suitable for what was to come.
"Good, that means he’ll behave." Keyaruga replied, focusing on magic exercises. He extended his right hand forward, and a ball lightning appeared above his palm. Apparently, there was nothing special about it, aside from the obvious risk of doing so indoors. Or?..
"M-m… Is that…" Freia was still sleepy. Although the girl got more and more self-disciplined, she wasn’t prone to such early awakenings. But even so, she felt it. "There’s something wrong with your spell." The magician mused, leaning on her `lord’s` left shoulder.
"Nothing’s wrong. I’m just powering it with wild mana." The man replied blithely, revealing his right eye glowing with jade. Apparently, he had a much easier time harvesting that untamed force when seeing it.
"You what?!" And now, the princess’ drowsiness had evaporated with a shocking reveal. So much so that she jumped from her chair. "Lord Keyaruga, do you even imagine how dangerous it is?!"
"Of course. Why else would I be doing it?" The healer sneered, looking at the girls. While one got positively scared on his behalf, the second didn’t really understand what all the fuss was about. "I know what’s written in your books: `blah-blah, wild mana dangerous, yada-yada, keep away from it.` But we can’t. You see, that distinction between the natural mana, which our bodies produce, is one big load of bullshit. What we usually use to cast is nothing more than just filtered energy we receive from literally everywhere. See my logic?"
"Wait, you mean, we always use that stuff? But why is it so dangerous then?" Freia wondered, carefully looking at the sphere of buzzing lightning. It wasn’t impressive on its own, but the hero’s arm trembled, and it wasn’t a good sign.
"First, let’s answer your first question. See my amulet? It does absorb the wild mana, cleansing it and letting me draw upon it freely. Our souls do the same; some slower, some faster. And you could also do it with your staff. Well, you’ll have to eventually. There’s that fundamental law of nature, according to which nothing comes from nowhere, so in order to cast the highest spells, you’ll have to draw upon the ambient mana." The man elaborated, feeling his focus degrade. "Still, it’s called `wild` for a reason. Specifically…"
"A-A-AH!!!" The pink-haired princess yelled, as Keyaruga’s hand rapidly creaked and twisted as if caught in a maelstrom. None of the fingers remained whole, the wrist was torn down to the bones, and the forearm got three open fractures. Fortunately, though, the thunderbolt dissipated without a trace. The gray-haired girl just silently creaked her teeth, trying to imagine the sheer pain the lad just felt.
"Heh, calm down, I’ll be fine." The Hero of Healing playfully waved his mutilated arm, as if it was a toy. Then, he made a couple of overdramatic gestures, and the green spark returned everything to normal. "Voila! See? Not that bad. Although… Damn, my sleeve is ruined."
"You… are more worried about your clothes than your arm?" The sorceress accused her man, on which he simply shrugged. How could he deliberately cripple himself just for a short demonstration?
"Calm down, master’s stronger than that." Setsuna stated, unfazed by the hero’s masochism at that point.
"You just saw what it can do, if handled incorrectly. So please, Freia, don’t try it without me around to patch you up if anything goes wrong." The healer said, smiling at the princess. She loved him, and seeing him unnecessarily torturing himself for no reason made her bitter.
"I won’t, but please, stop hurting yourself, I beg you!" The caster exclaimed. But being unable to find the compassion in the crimson eyes, she backed off. "I’ll be upstairs. Rehearsing the speech."
"You made her sad." The tailed huntress pointed out, watching the princess walking away. The latter would cry for some time, that’s for sure. "And Setsuna too."
"I need you two to be ready. Trust me, you may find me in much worse shape than just with a torn limb, and I need you to be calm and collected at that time." Would that excuse be enough? I know you’re listening to me, Freia. I can see you, after all. "Still, I’d rather we changed the topic."
"Okia (fine)." The ice warrior shook her head while touching Keyaruga’s right hand. "You said nothing comes from nowhere. That means nothing goes to nowhere?" She inquired, rubbing the smooth skin. A few moments ago, it looked like something right from the slaughterhouse.
"Wise question. Yes, Setsuna, you’re right. My thunder may have been dispelled, but it’s still here, flying as a cloud of hell-know-what-colored energy." The hero mentioned, pointing to his jade eye. Ultimately, while a normal human could see only three colors and their combinations, the gift from the star nymph allowed him to distinguish at least twelve, although all of them had that annoying greenish tone. "Same with all the other spells, or level-ups. It’s always here, and when animals are exposed to it for too long, they become monsters. Presumably, humans too. Some sages assume that demi-humans are actually human monsters. It seems like a plausible explanation, since we live in dense cities, where the mana is absorbed by many, while you settle in small villages somewhere in the deep woods. But it doesn’t really correlate with the legends of the Children of Enuas." Keyaruga concluded with a mirthful nod. Such casual talk on serious themes allowed him to relax a little bit.
"Interesting. That’s why they’re poisoned? Monsters, that’s." Setsuna pondered, scratching her nose. It looked somewhat cute, even with her claw-like nails to consider.
"Hm, you’re much smarter than I gave you credit for." It wasn’t the best compliment to make, but coupled with patting Setsuna’s hair, he quickly got her smiling. "Yes, wild mana is volatile. It literally takes a weapon worthy of a god to tame it." Specifically, Vanargand.
"Master Keyaruga, could you ma-?.." The she-wolf was interrupted by the loud door slam. It was a man in full plate armor. He could look scary, but the ironclad lacked his helmet to hide just how shabby and sweaty he was after his rabid ride and the sleepless night the youngster had spent.
"Hello, Buck. I never expected to see you here." The healer scoffed, welcoming the knight to sit before him with a gesture. "I’m eager to hear about the results."
"Right… Fine! Sir Keyaru, Lady Setsuna, as you already know, we’re trying to save…" Oh, that’s the worst way to start a conversation…
"We know what we know!" The girl snapped, sparing them from the pointless overview.
"I’m… sorry." Buck sulked. Apparently, he rehearsed his speech, unaware just how mundane and unwanted his pretentious words would be. "No matter! Sir Gray had accepted our gifts, master Calavr too, but Zork, he…"
And so, the rebellious soul started describing the result of volleys of bribes. As expected, the success was guaranteed. Most responsible people turned out to be really pliable to the combined power of Keyaruga and Buck Tarvill — namely, the power of money. And now the armored youngster could effortlessly lead the princess inside the colosseum, while the red-haired lad wouldn’t meet resistance on his path outside Ranalitta. Presumably…
"Excellent, let’s make our move then." The healer said, walking upstairs to Freia, while the knight returned to his horse, sipping from the same drinker as the party’s raptor. The ice warrior, in turn, followed her master.
"Setsuna don’t like him." The girl voiced her concerns, pulling Keyaruga’s torn sleeve.
"Me too. He’s a moron, but a useful and loyal one." He countered with a rational response.
"No. Not that. He smells bad. Really, really bad." The ice warrior elaborated, making the red-haired lad a little uneasy. She didn’t comment on any other person that way, even if they reeked of booze or feces. So it should be something to consider.
"He can’t be a traitor." Keyaruga spoke, stopping near the room. The Hero of Magic melodically hummed inside. "Still, if he does something stupid, kill him. Freia is your main priority, so keep her safe."
"Yes, master."
…
Midday turned out to be cloudy and cold. Hundreds of Ranalitta’s denizens arrived at the Colosseum, including Keyaru. The boy, in his true form, blended with the audience. His face was hidden under a simple hood. With `traitors` and `heretics` being bound to massive crosses, the crowd got more and more agitated. Around forty captives were guarded by forty-three soldiers. They were coordinated by Taretoya, a dignified black-haired man with a moderate beard in a blue coat with golden lines. Strangely enough, even with the jade eye, none of the local lords were anywhere to be found. Which was strange, since Afr Reol Ranalitta was known as a huge connoisseur of such events. Either way, that left no need for a spirit vision.
The healer was alone in this. He returned Flare’s initial face, and even went as far as buying her a regal attire; it seemed it was common for rich girls to try to mimic the gracious princess, so purchasing something like that wasn’t so hard. Now, accompanied by Buck and Setsuna, she had her own part in that mission.
Too bad I sent Kureha away. Not that I couldn’t handle all of that myself, though, Keyaru reflected on his decision. And truth be told, he wished he had spent more time with her. Still, she would at least make sure Norn wouldn’t end her life the way she did in the previous world. Even if there was no ground for this, the lad’s paranoia wouldn’t let him shrug off the possibility. The warlady had armies at her disposal, and even if Margurth was killed, leaving her to roam with all of her forces would be unwise. That left only one singular option. We’ll meet in Buranikka. I know you’ll come for answers. Rest assured, my love, I’ll give you plenty.
"Damn, I’m nervous." The youngster unintentionally mumbled. After all, Alban’s population numbered around two hundred people, and only a fifth part of that remained, mostly adults, who survived the initial raid and then the rapid transportation to Ranalitta that followed.
Well, it’s not like I have time to brag, I just need to quickly dispatch the guard, and then we’ll talk business. I hope Quinta won’t double-cross me again. I hope my expenses weren't in vain.
"Kill them all!"
"Murder!"
"Nail them to the boards, shitheads!"
"Death to the heretics!"
The tribunes raged; they craved for blood. Soon, they would witness the death of the murderers of princess Flare. Nobody cared that it was just Keyaru’s doing, much less that there were women and children among the convicted.
Yup, you people are just cruel trash we’ll have to filter out eventually.
With everyone finally crucified at the wooden stage, the leader finally faced the people. He clapped his hands, and a loud screeching filled the colosseum. Loudspeaking magic imbued in a ring allowed his voice to thunder above the tribunes.
"We have gathered here to exact punishment upon the excommunicated heretical tribe! They turned away from the words of our Lord Faran, sold their souls to the demons! It was their blasphemy that led Keyaru on his dark path! Her Highness Flare perished by their hands!"
Damn, he’s so loud. Wait, am I imagining it, or is someone literally crying over her? Oh, I see, I saw that fatso pig in the slave market. Heh, your princess lives, and now she hates your kind.
"This tragedy will not repeat itself!"
I’m pretty sure it will…
"For we shall execute the root of evil here and now!"
Soldiers pointed their spears at the villagers. Keyaru shivered a little, ready to shower the grunts with long-range magic…
"Unless, of course, the devil chooses to reveal himself! Show yourself, Keyaru, the accursed hero! Come and accept your sins! Embrace your righteous death! Let us exorcize your demon back to hell, and their souls will be spared!"
Heh! Keyaru, the accursed hero! I like this one. The healer smirked. You really think I’ll fall for that? That I would let you murder me and then finish the job with the people of Alban? No, I want to have my cake and eat it.
Finally, the young man rose from his seat and casually strolled down the stairs. He heard whispers, yet none of the spectators were brave enough to challenge him. After all, when the boy reached the pit, he just carelessly jumped downwards, harmlessly landing on the sand. Then, the hero dropped his robe, revealing his juvenile face along with dark-red hair.
"THERE HE IS!!! Keyaru, the damned healer! Murderer and fugitive!" The announcer yelled, agitating the crowd even more.
"KILL HIM! KILL HIM! KILL HIM!" The screams, the hatred, the bloodlust — it was too much for the ruined boy.
"Heh, now that’s a warm welcome. Damn, I think I’ve got a boner." Keyaru wryly whispered, approaching his adversaries.
"Have you come to repent? Surrender your miserable life, and you’ll save your people! I promise you, we are merciful! We shall even have your body properly hurried!"
Where? In a cesspit? Fuck you and your pretentious `mercy`! Let’s see… wait, level twenty, twenty-four, nineteen...
"Are you fucking mocking me?" All that preparation, all the time he spent on training, and for what? These troops were pretty much like children, compared to him.
"GET THAT PRICK!!!" Ten grunts ran toward him, not even bothering to unsheathe their swords. Mindlessly, without any formation.
Keyaru dodged the grab and clapped the first on his back. He tapped the second by the shoulder, the third got slapped on the belly, and the fourth got hit in the ribs. The hero merely touched them, but their fate was horrible — men turned into piles of exploding meat. The fifth fool lived a tad bit longer, only to have the youngster grab his head and raise him above the ground. Keyaru stared into his terrified eyes before the purple spark devoided the mortician of his mana and lacerated his entire body. That way, the healer replenished his energy for further bloodshed.
No longer did the watchers chant `kill him`. They got terrified, along with the soldiers.
"SCUM! DEMON’S SPAWN! Have you not committed enough sins?!"
"Sins?" The hero tossed the bloody corpse away. "I just came here to save my people from you! I dispense justice here!" The healer exclaimed, lowering the troops’ morale. Too scared to engage the murderous devil, too irresponsible to turn on their commanders.
"Is that… your justice?" Taretoya got even more intimidated as Keyaru continued his silent march. "N-no… No step further! Or else I… I shall not tell you the outcome!" With that, the bearded executioner snarled, having his men point their weapons at the peasants.
Simultaneously, another half a dozen foolish grunts attempted to encircle the hero; this time they took out their swords. But what can a bunch of weaklings do against someone who’s equal to the powerful Cryleths?
The first one started the initiative with a downward slash — he failed. The healer evaded with a swift pirouette, touched two men-at-arms at once, and bathed in their blood. Another tried thrusting, but Keyaru used it to pull the poor idiot to his death. The next soldier attempted to surprise the `devil` by striking him in the back, yet with Kureha’s perception, he just slightly bent backwards for another fatal touch. The two last bastards managed nothing, as the avenger took them by the necks and made them literally defecate their guts in their pants, loudly wailing in the process.
"Can you tell the outcome now?" Keyaru mirthfully shrugged. It was so quiet, he didn’t even need any loudspeaking spell to have himself heard by the crowd, even on the apex of the tribunes. The red-eyed youngster basked in the fear of his enemies, his excitement still showing in his pants.
"KILL THEM!!!" Finally, the commander decreed to commend the carnage. It took a second for the executioners to turn away from the Hero of Healing. After all, none could take their eyes off of this terrifying bloodbath. Still, the revenger was many things: rash and petulant, over-sensitive and paranoid, mostly uncaring for the others’ feelings, sometimes short-sighted, foolish even. But incompetent he never was.
"COLOMNAS FULGURUM!!!" Keyaru screamed the incantation, raising his left arm to the sky. A dazzling yellow lightning rushed into the sky. And it took but a moment before it returned as a crackling ray of thunder energy that incinerated eight men in but a second before they could harm anyone.
"H-how did you?.. MURDERER!!!" The leader yelled, unable to believe his eyes. The convicted were unharmed. Suspiciously silent, yet no spear reached them.
"Me? Murderer? In what fucked up world did you see me just stand and watch as you kill my people, you fricking shithead?!" Keyaru replied, while wavering his hands to form a loud-speaking effect. And when it was ready… "LOOK, PEOPLE OF RANALITTA!!! AND HEED ME, SOLDIERS OF JIORAL!!! YOU CAN GO AWAY AND LIVE!!! PRINCESS FLARE HAD TAU…"
"BARRIER! TURN ON THE BARRIER!!!" The man in blue and gold screamed while his knees trembled. He and the twenty-four remaining grunts almost prayed for it to appear above them. And yes, a couple of blue crystals sparked with red, and a yellowish dome with a magic circle on it manifested above the arena.
"This is where the fun begins." The healer gloatingly grinned. He felt nothing unusual. But grunts... Oh, you debilitated cretins! How do you like the taste of your own medicine? "HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!! NOW DANCE FOR ME, SWINES!!!" The boy nervously cackled, as the trembling soldiers fell to the ground just to vomit their own lungs in the process, their eyes, noses, and ears blended profoundly. That was the price for not bothering to check if their deathtrap was truly intact.
Now, I have to save my people. Then, Freia will help me break that barrier, and then we’ll set Jioral on fire.
And so, Keyaru once again walked among the corpses. Taretoya apparently figured it out. He tried to take off the amulet, but before he managed that, the healer waved his hand and finished the moron with a thunderbolt from above. Just as he did with everyone who tried to do the same. Only twenty seconds had passed, and every one of his foes was dead on the ground.
And yet, barely had the red-eyed lad approached the scene, something uncanny happened along the way. A loud hiss resounded above the ground. It was like that time, a rift in space itself, but if Reeharoze (if it was truly her) had made it black, this door shone in crimson. A moment later, the portal spat out a figure in a full iron mask. It landed on a wooden stage, creaking it upon landing. But surviving the fifteen-meter fall was unsurprising in comparison to what it carried — a flayed child, a skinless bleeding boy who had somehow managed remain alive.
FUCK! It’s Bloodbringer! Keyaru stumbled, watching as the champion of Jioral dropped the poor kid on the ground. He… she… they spent no time before smashing his head with a boot. And when this thing drew an unadulterated rapier with the left arm and pierced the body, the sinister browny-red weapon absorbed all the blood that remained.
"My apologies for an uninvited visit." The abomination spoke with a feminine, yet somewhat grave voice. It resounded only in Keyaru’s head, much like…
"Hey, you don’t happen to know Lorenzo, do you?" The hero inquired, regaining his bearings. He now faced the strongest blood mage in the world, and the prospect scared even him, but ultimately, that promised to be fun, at least.
"He is my husband. Was, at least." Bloodbringer shrugged, caressing her blade. So, it’s all about family quarrels, huh? Either way, let’s see what you’ve got.
Race: Human (?)
Name: Catherine
Class: The Knight, Apostle of Quetzalcoatl
Level: 55 ☆
Mana: 311/350
Physical attack: 366
Physical defense: 420
Magic attack: 327
Magic defense: 488
Speed: 365
Abilities:
Blood sorcery: 7-th circle
Destruction magic (wind): 5-th circle
Battle arts: 6-th level
Fencing: 7-th level
Skills:
Crimson Star: The skill of the Apostle of Quetzalcoatl. Allows the use of blood instead of mana for rituals.
Mastery of the sword: 5-th level, the Knight’s skill. Increases attack power of bladed weapons.
Level cap: 55
Potential:
Mana: 237
Physical attack: 248
Physical defense: 283
Magic attack: 221
Magic resist: 325
Speed: 246
Summary: 1560
All right. This… This is fucked up. Has she... (if this is still a woman, that is) eaten monsters for years? Is Kureha equal to her? Yeah, you bet she is! She’s just like Margurth, another monster. I really wonder what’s under that mask, though.
"Have you come for me? Then let’s finish it fast. I have people to save!" Keyaru spoke, picking up the nearest sword. A silent spell of stone covered his forearms in gravel shells. However this would go, the lad had to take it seriously.
"Then you failed." Bloodbringer turned her head toward the crucified people. Wait, they’re not breathing. Is that? Oh, poison, huh? You outmatched me again, Norn.
Although the painful realization hit the Hero of Healing, he had to focus. After all, the left-handed champion assumed the offensive posture. The Tribunes rejoiced, eager to see the legendary fencer gut the rebellious and heretical boy.
"Let us see if you are indeed worthy to be our savior."
