I was out of breath, my body screamed for me to stop, and my head yearned for rest but I knew If I stopped I'd be dead. I used a basic incantation but I used too much mana for it, nearly causing this entire structure to fall on top of me. I laughed for some reason, I guess it was the delirium coming to me.

Did Kara really mean that? I thought...Nah, Screw this screw this world screw this goddamn fucking world. I need, I need to get out stop thinking about her.

"THUNK!"

next to where I was about step laid a knife embedded into the fucking floor, a damn knife shouldn't pierce through stone like that. I looked behind to see Adric sprinting towards me madly, he looked pissed. "Get the fuck back here bugger!" he threw another knife, and it almost hit me.

I ran but was quickly caught by him, he tackled me to the ground, his fist connected to my face. Blood was splattered throughout the small corridor. I almost lost consciousness from his beating. It hurts but not as much as I thought.

I grabbed the knife that lay on the ground next to me, he noticed and grabbed it before I could. "No" to which proceeded with the most pain I ever felt when he stabbed my hand making it embedded with the stone floor.

I couldn't breathe, the sharp intake of air wasn't enough I wanted to cry when the sharp cold blade was stuck between my hand. I tried to push him off but he was stronger, it was a stark difference between B and E rank adventurers. I need to get him off me, I placed my free hand on his chest but it did nothing.

I wanted to burn him, I couldn't chant magic with him pummeling my already battered face, and I couldn't use a weapon since it failed but I really want to incinerate him with a damn fire bolt, I want to smite this person who I called a friend, a brother into nothing but ashes.

My head started to feel hot, I started to imagine the spell already in my mind's eye, my body started to heat up as my hand started to glow upon his chest. Adric noticed far too late.

***
We arrived too late, Adric that bastard ran faster than both me and Gurt. When we arrived we both took in the scene in front of us. The stone corridor was covered in blood, scorch marks were everywhere and Adric was lying on the ground. We checked on him, he was still alive and suffered burn wounds on his chest, his body was strong and durable enough to take a beating from a cave troll but this was well shocking.

Gurt lifted him up so I could start healing him. "What happened?" I asked. He groaned in pain before opening his eyes. "He used magic on me" he laughed "I thought me beating down on him was enough to knock him down." he looked down at a bloody knife that was lying on the ground.

"How is that possible? he had ways to concentrate on a chant, hell even without a spell it could go wrong" I explained, his wounds were slowly repairing themselves. "Chant less magic. He learned to chant less magic all by himself" he laughed again "What have you been teaching this bugger Kara?"

He learned something almost unattainable by most, only a few others knew chant less magic but he mastered it in just one day. "I didn't he learned on his own"

Adric stood up fully, his arm grabbing the knife off the floor. "If that's true then it's almost better for him to die" he shook his head "he's a monster that needs to be slain"

***
My body wasn't sparred, my entire was caught in the crossfire from the sudden spell. I couldn't run straight, nearly stumbling at every step. I got to the stairs leading outside, and I had to climb instead of walking, each step felt like a hurdle to get up. My hands were bleeding profusely each time I put pressure on it.

I pathetically cried for my mother to save me, hell I even cried out for Hera that sadistic fucking angel I left behind. I need someone to save me. I got outside, and the fresh forest air was still in the dead of night. The full moon was out, and I got up slowly almost falling onto the forest floor below.

I shambled my broken body forward. One step. Two steps. One step. Two steps. Again and again, I repeated it in my mind so I could keep going without passing out then and there. My eyes were drifting into a state of unconsciousness but I need to keep going you damn fucker, keep going or you die.

I thought about home, about mother, about father hell even Hera for some damn reason. I swear to god and to the light mother keep me alive and I will go back to my old self, I will create more inventions I will bring repentance to this forsaken place in this cruel world.
I couldn't move, I laid my exhausted body onto the massive tree next to me. Luckily no Twin wolves or damn goblins saw me. I sighed in relief until a cold blade was pressed upon my neck.

"Sshhh let it happen" A cold voice entered my ear, I looked slightly seeing a dark figure. I thought I could forget it but it was the assassins that appeared all those weeks ago. I couldn't move, I couldn't scream her black jagged blade was sharp to the touch. Tears welled up in my eyes, I tried to speak before- "THUNK!"

From where she was a knife was stuck into the tree next to me, and she disappeared into the darkness before it could land. I looked for my savior to only see the furthest thing from it, Adric was there still alive and kicking.

"bugger..." he spoke, his voice rough and haggard. Next to him were Gurt and Kara.
I noticed only too late were three figures across from me, the assassin was not alone. They spoke in a foreign language before nodding. Instantly they charged towards the Adric and his party.

I took the chance to run, run away from this carnage. I ran through a small creek, stumbling down the hill and landing against the tree chest first. I heard cracking, I think I broke a few ribs. I gasped for air, needed air. I need air.

I heard the screams in the distance knowing full well that they were dead. God, I wanted to suffer but not this. Kara, Adric hell even old quiet Gurt.

I heard something, something stumbling through the bushes, I raised my hand towards the direction, unsure if I could use another spell. I was prepared until I saw her, Kara.

"James? god thank you" she spoke up before rushing towards me, I couldn't conjure a spell in time but surprisingly she wrapped her arms around me. "What?" I stammered out.

"I'm sorry for all this, I didn't want this to happen, James. God, I'm sorry for this to happen." her hug tightened, and I couldn't help but hug my only good arm around her. I needed this. "I'm sorry that I listened to Adric, I'm sorry for this to happen James" She then untangled herself from me and straightened herself up "I think Adric and Gurt are dead, I had to leave those guys behind," she spoke quietly.

"We need to survive and find a way out, let's go. we need to make some ground so those things wouldn't catch up" I nod "I agree let's get out of here" We started to make our way out, and she assisted me since she clearly knew I was fucked from earlier.

***
I tried to stand, but my left arm was gone, Gurt was missing his entire torso, Kara ran off that bitch. I managed to kill one of those bastards. I grabbed whatever was at my disposal, whatever knife, dagger, or sword I had. "Come at me, you hapless runts!"

The first girl with the weird dagger ran towards me, she covered the ground from where she was to me in an instant. I threw a pair of knives at her while throwing another pair at the other girl. She dodged out the way but I had enough time to cut her neck apart. She quickly disappeared into the mist before my blade could make contact.

A large black blade jutted through my chest, she was behind me. I quickly summoned any strength I had left and elbowed her causing her to stagger back.

"You gotta do better than that you damn buggers!" I laughed in hysteria.

The leg went first. Then my Arm, My eye, and finally the other leg.
"Hah, damn buggers."

I'm sorry. I'm sorry James for being such a bad brother. Hahaha. The figure looked down at me, she tilted her head before bringing down her blade for the final time.
***

We made enough distance away that I was able to rest, Kara had enough Mana to heal parts of my body. "Damn, you should be dead by now, how the hell are you breathing?" she did a forced laugh. "I don't know. I guess wanting to see my mom again?" I said not as an answer but as a question to myself. I was unsure why I kept moving, was It because I wanted to live, or was it because I wanted to see my family?

I looked at Kara, she was diligently healing my wounds, and guilt was ridden on her face. I couldn't help but brush her hair. "sstoopp. you're getting blood in it" she genuinely laughed. "you have red hair, it's not like it would show" I responded.

I think I love her, I think when she appeared I found my reason to live.

"Kara I think I love you" I spoke softly, it was foreign for me to say. I couldn't believe what I was saying. She didn't look up, she continued to keep healing until it was fully done. I didn't notice at first but she was trembling. "You idiot..." She looked at me, her eyes were watering, and she was smiling.

"I think I love you to-"

"Thunk!"

...

"Thud."

...

My eyes didn't register it, more like I refused to register it. A blade came through, a black jagged piece of metal was stuck in the tree next to me. On my lap, God... no. Kara, her head.

I screamed, I screamed until my vocal cords couldn't keep up. I screamed knowing she was gone and I was next. I screamed knowing I lost everything.

Tears streamed down, my voice was rough and my head was numb.

She approached, and two of them were there walking towards me. She walked past, grabbed the blade that was lodged into the tree and grabbed it out, she pointed the blade at me. The blade skimmed my forehead down to the nose, It was so sharp that It drew blood from barely making contact.

"Just do it. Just fucking do it"

she nodded before raising the blade up.

...

...

...

Then she appeared.
Hera.