Oren scurried past in a hurry, rushing by and keeping his head down to avoid contact with anyone. As he continued his departure, he felt the impending glare of death upon his back- as if Lord Ozun was staring down at him from atop the castle. Only a few villagers had recognized him, but he shrugged them off when they attempted to interact. With his situation there was no time for delay.

 

Shortly after his departure, he soon found himself on the outskirts of the southern gates. Since it was opposite the giant castle he resided in, it had taken him almost a solid 30 minutes to reach the opposite side. He looked back at his hometown and bid one last farewell before his departure. 

 

This was it. The beginning of his new life. Whatever it was that he was thinking and preparing himself for, he immediately stopped himself. From atop the hills and the great Pharolia tree, he could see the figures of three other individuals approaching the village. Of course, such an occurrence was seldom occurring. He could only determine that this was the trio. 

 

He hesitated leaving. If this was truly the case that they were arriving, then Zari would be waiting within the crowd. He knew how much his little brother had wanted to see the great team Exalt. This would be the last chance he would have to see that much joy in his brother’s face. Surely, it would have been soured had he left without ever a warning. He mulled over his decision for a couple of minutes before hesitantly turning back to the village. 

 

Of course, he had nothing to worry about. Not even his father would behave in such a threatening way in front of team Exalt. He sighed. At the pace they were going, he should arrive there shortly before them. Gagan especially walked a lot slower than the rest. He could tell from the silhouette’s stature which one was Gagan and which was Aman. 

 

As he walked, one of them must have noticed them because the shadows all stopped and Aman excitedly waved over at him. They were several hundred meters away from each other at this point so, he found it shocking that he was noticed so quickly. 

 

He picked up his hand to wave back, but something astonishing occurred. Just as his hand had twitched, a huge gust of wind blew in his direction with enough force that his close almost tore off his body. By the time he had opened his eyes, he had found Aman, in front of him. The hand that he had started to lift up to wave, was instead now embraced in a handshake. Behind him, Aman, the giant Gagan also towered just a couple feet before. 

 

He could now finally observe the two adventurers up front. Aman was just a little shorter than he was. 5’6? 5’4? He couldn’t quite tell because of her elevated platform sandals. Her light purple hair parted from the center and took all effort to cover her eyes. She smiled a deep grin. This was probably a delight she took from having frightened him. Deep purple eyes stared back into his. 

 

She then shook his hand and introduced herself. “Nice to meet you! I’m Aman.” She said this as if it was not hard to guess. Two adventurer’s of H.E.R.O Rank. One with purple hair and purple eyes, accompanied by an armored silver giant? One would be a fool to have guessed otherwise. 

 

She politely curtsied and pointed to the giant behind him. “And this is Gagan!” She slapped the man’s silver plated armor. As huge as he was Gagan winced as if the hit had done damage. “Stop, Aman. You’ll end up scaring the lad.” He bellowed out a hearty laugh. It could probably be heard all the way back at the village.

 

Gagan was definitely as described in the stories. A man towering over 7ft tall, with chiseled muscles carved of stone. The silver plated armor he donned on seemed to tightly encompass his body as if it was cloth. Aside from that his eyes were entirely blind, with two scars over them. One could easily tell just by looking at him. The white eyes seemed to look beyond the individual- never at. 

 

“Oren-” He said sheepishly

 

“It’s pretty rare seeing someone this far out. I figured why not accompany you.” She reached into her backpack. “Besides, it would be good to share some of the food I brought with me.”

What she dug out of her backpack almost made him flee the scene of the crime. A goblin’s arm. This bitch eats goblins.

 

The look on his face could easily show how unsettled he was by this information. After-all, it’s close enough to cannibalism. Eating any of the humanoid races is after-all… isn’t it? Though some people don’t consider goblins close enough to humans, this was a little too much for him. The hairs on his neck stood on end. 

 

“N-nno. No thanks. I’m quite alright.”

 

“Ahhw. You’re like Gagan here. Afraid of a little bit of green.” She proceeded to tear off the fingers with her mouth and chew away. As he looked over at Gagan to confirm what he was seeing, Gagan was already several meters away. His face turned back to meet his and seemed to indicate one single word. “Nope.”

 

He scurried after the only normal one of the duo. 

 

“Ahh come on. Don’t be leaving me behind like that!!” She hurried to catch up to them, only for Gagan to depart at full speed, dragging the Oren with him. 

 

“We got ambushed by a couple of goblins on the way over here. I didn’t know they were out this far.”

 

“Eh?? Every now and then there are a couple, but they rarely interact or cause problems in these parts.”

 

“That’s what I had hoped. But then she started eating them. Anyways. They mostly fled. So we figured we might accompany you just in case.”

 

She looked at Aman. Between the members of team Exalt. Definitely, the true monster in this was Aman.  Gagan on the other hand didn’t seem all too bad. He was like an older brother. He was also very approachable. 

 

“Errm… Gagan..” He had been wondering this since the first time he had seen him. “How is it you’re able to see?”

 

“Huh??”

 

“Ohh!” He laughed yet again. “Well you see, the thing is…- I can’t.”

 

“Hmm?? Then do you have a type of sensory ability? I don’t feel any mana around.”

 

“Nope.”

 

This confused him. “So…. it would have to be scent or hearing.”

 

“Those are both incorrect.”

 

He remained silent, waiting to give him an opportunity to guess the correct answer. After more than a minute, he gave up. 

 

Aman popped up right besides them. “Gagan doesn’t see through his own eyes. Haha”

 

“He takes everyones vision around him.”

 

“What??”

 

“Right now kid, I’m seeing myself on my back.” It took him a moment to realize that he was entirely piggy-backed on the behemoths back. It was rather embarrassing once he noticed.

 

“I am also seeing how funny you look from Aman’s prospective.” He laughed yet again, so loudly he almost flew into a coughing fit.  “Woah! That is amazing!! Doesn’t it require any mana?”

 

“No. It is an automatic condition.”

 

“Condition….- like … uhm….a divine prospect?”

 

“Ehm… not quite. It’s an illness that is common in the eastern continent. It’s an illness called Spider’s eye.”

 

Oren took a moment to ponder this. “T-that doesn’t really sound like an affliction.” 

 

“Well think about it… I see everything from everyone’s prospective… all at once. In large crowds, it becomes impossible for me to even know which way I’m going. From who’s view I’m looking at, and which one is my own. In a space like this… where it’s just the three of us, it is manageable. But in a large group of people…-”

“Ah-...sorry. I didn’t mean to–” 

 

“No no, you’re quite alright. I’ve lived with this condition ever since I was a child. At first I couldn’t understand what was happening. I had thought my eyes were going bad…” He paused for a moment and things got quiet. He stroked his cheek, feeling up the scars on his eyes. His demeanor drastically changed back again. “But things have gotten a lot better since then. So there’s no need to worry about that!”

 

“But… you should know, there’s going to be many people waiting for you at the village.”

 

“Don’t worry. I’ve gotten quite skilled with it these days.”

 

“I see…”

 

“Anyways. We’re approaching the village.” 

 

You could already hear the cheering of several dozen- no at least a couple hundred people just behind the gate awaiting to get a glimpse of the duo. “Hey kid, how about you get a grand entrance hm?” He grabbed the man off his back and placed him on his shoulder.” 

 

With just one hand, it made Oren feel like little more than a grocery bag. Oren looked around the crowd and could see the faces of many people shouting Gagan’s name and Amans.

 

Several others made eye contact with Oren in shock that he was seated atop Gagan’s shoulder. Aman gleefully waved at everyone who waved back and even went as far as to shake people’s hands. 

“This was the life that HERO rank adventurers live huh…. This would have been nice.”

 

Of course, Oren knew that was an impossibility. His body was beyond frail. This was all due to the failures of his parents. 

 

“Perhaps this may one day be a life that Zari would be able to live however. Hopefully it is. It would be a much better life than living with father..”

He scoured around, trying to see any signs of Zari in the crowd. But of course he couldn’t quite spot him anywhere. Zari was of a very small stature. It would be very easy for him to be overshadowed by everyone in the crowd. 

 

“Pst- Hey kid. Do you mind not frantically staring around like that… you’re probably the only one I could focus on.”

 

“-Oh. M-my apologies.”

 

“What are you looking for anyways?”

 

“My little brother…- Zari should be here. He wanted to see you guys the most.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

He picked up Oren from his shoulder and placed him on the ground. “Wait right here.”

 

From there, he stopped moving. He looked in each direction slowly, as if he was calibrating. Then he began to move towards the crowd. They quickly grew intimidated and moved out of his way as best quickly as they could. There, just behind them all, the young Zari showed himself. Overshadowed by most of the crowd, he was fighting people’s legs to try and glimpse.

 

Gagan picked up the kid and turned towards Oren. “Ehy, Oren. Is this the one?”

 

Zari looked shocked to see the great Gagan calling Oren by his name. “Heh, don’t you know? Your older brother here saved us from a couple of goblins just a couple hours ago. He’s pretty amazing ya know.” Aman threw an arm over his shoulders “Be sure to thank him later.”

 

Zari laughed and laughed. He laughed so hard you could see the tears in his eyes. This wasn’t just from the comedic effect of Aman’s words. He know that wasn’t true. This was just a laugh of pure joy. 

 

Oren smiled and turned towards Aman. “You guys will be staying here a while, right?”

 

“Hmm? No. We’ll only be here for the night. Probably leave off early morning to  No Man’s Land.”

 

“Ah…okay. Well the truth is, I was supposed to be departing when I ran into you all.”

 

“Oh? Where ya headed?”

 

“I don’t know..-”

 

He could see a look of confusion on Aman’s face. “It’s kind of hard to explain.”

 

“Hmm… well maybe you should head for Central Integra. It’s where we’re going.”

 

“No. I would just be dead weight. I’m not cut out to be an adventurer.”

 

“I think I’ll be departing now. If I wait too long, I don’t think I could bring myself to leave here.”

 

“Hmm… okay. I get it.” 

 

“You two, please, don’t let him notice I’ve gone. I didn’t want to ruin this day with the realization.”

 

Aman nodded and gave a soft smile. “Oren. I do hope you stay safe. Don’t worry. He’ll be chatting with us the whole day.”

 

“Thanks Aman. Give Gagan my thanks too.”

 

With that, he turned away from the trio as they continued to walk. The shadow he casted on the ground now seemed smaller and smaller, it was surely going to extinguish soon. As the dust kicked up between each of his steps, the crowd melded into silence. Some choosing to remain and go about their day, others choosing to follow team exalt and boldly strike up conversations. 

 

Gagan’s hearty laugh could be heard around the entire village as per usual. And Aman, with her outgoing nature, had no shortage of captured hearts and comrades. It was as if she was able to make friends anywhere… so long as she doesn’t take out another goblin arm from her backpack.

 

Something glistening caught his eye as he walked with his head hung low. The faint trace of blood….no? It was too thick to be blood. And the pool was much too large. It appeared to be an orb of some sort.

 

Oren knelt down and picked it up. Some sort of half orb, sanguine in color. When it lifted in his hand, it instantly changed shape into a completely rounded circle. This was the most peculiar thing he had ever seen. He squeezed it again, to see if it would change shape. However, it didn’t. The consistency of it was like both liquid and stone.

 

Whatever this was, he could see the footprint outline where he found it. It was something that fell from Gagan’s shoes.

 

He quickly tucked it away and left the village. Throughout the world, there are various gems of rare origins. Among them, there were those called Amalgems. This must have been what it was. Amalgems were a type of stone capable of exuding and withholding their own mana pools. The best part about them, was that they were also capable of replenishing their own mana pools.

 

Thus they become an integral material in certain structures, machinery, and golems. He peered into the stone one more time. The hollow redness of blood continued to mix within the stone. It gave a pulse as if it was living. He tucked the stone into his pocket. Certainly, with this, he would have no need to borrow any money or owe anyone anything. In fact, for how much they sell, he would be able to live a good and comfortable life for years.

 

Oren left behind his home town once and for all with renewed vigor. This time, should he make enough, he will return for Zari. They could be free of his father’s reign. He only needs to go to the market district, Count Jidans’ residency. There he could sell this for a pretty fortune. 

 

He left exactly where he came from. He passed the great Pharolia tree and gave it one final prayer before departing. The Pharolia tree was said to symbolize luck and fortune. This one was the only Pharolia tree within 100 miles. Thus they named the small village Pharolia Town, a town destined with luck and blessings.

 

“Live strong, Zari.”

 

From there, all he had to do was follow the river of toil and eventually he would find himself standing before the cave. The mouth of the cave was not quite that huge and one had to twist themselves into it to get through its pass. But the inside was enormous.

 

Once his eyes adjusted, he could clearly make out 6, no 7 figures. Several of them had their blades up and upturned towards him. 

 

He immediately tensed up. “U-uhm.. Master Owen sent me.”

 

“Who the hell is that?”

 

One of them approached cautiously with their blades upturned. “You know… it’s not every day a thief tries to steal from thieves.”

 

“Calm down Arlo. That’s just the Ozun brat. Oren Ozun. Right?”

 

“Tch. Why didn’t he just say his name then. Jesus. Kids these days are getting dumber and dumber.”

 

“Haha, ya got that right.”

 

“Owen’s also getting pretty dumb. To think after not seeing us for years and all the money he owes us, we’d have just accepted this type of deal off the bat?”

 

“Listen here kid. I hope he gave you the money you were supposed to cough up.”

 

“Uhm- … well, he didn’t really have time to..”

 

The man spit on the ground and got up agitated. “Well, then you’ve just ended up paying the price by collateral. You’re one of Ozen’s brats right? I hear he’s a lord in the high castle. It should be pretty easy for him to cough up the funds.”

 

Oren put his hands up and nervously swallowed. Surely, if they take him back to his father he would end up killed anyway. “Y-you can’t take me back there… he wouldn’t pay you anything.”

 

“Is that right, kid?”

 

“He’s the … one who’s trying to kill me.”

 

“Alright. Well how about this. Choose who you want to die from. Me or-”

 

“Wait!! I-it’s not like I don’t have anything h-here.”

 

He reached into his pocket and picked up the stone.

 

“Th’ hell we gonna do with a little rock?”

 

“I-its an amalgem. It’s worth at least a couple dozen grand. S-see. Take a look.”

 

The man put down his blade and walked over to him Just as his eyes set upon the stone and saw the twisting red substance within it, it melted. To nothingness. 

 

Oren grew shocked immediately. That- that was not supposed to happen. 

 

“Hey kid… you tryna fool us with fake stuff?

 

“N-no… it’s not like that. I don’t even know what happened.”

 

He tried to get it back together, but no such luck. There was nothing left in his hand at all. Not even the red liquid.  It had dissolved into his hand like…

 

A pulse went through him. It was different. This was like another heartbeat beating besides his, irregularly. Overwhelming his own. His breathing became highly irregular.

 

Everything was drowning. The world in front of him was drowning. His eyesight was fading to black until eventually, everything went dark. His whole body went numb and he found himself standing before nothing but darkness.

 

This odd sensation he was feeling… was like- he could see himself. It felt similar to what Gagan had described. He could see his own self from above and there, standing before him, was the cause of all nightmares.

 

A tall slender figure. Dressed in unusual clothes and skin made of reddened blood. It was as if… this being… The only way to describe him was that he shouldn’t exist…in this world.

 

He yawned and pressed his long slender fingers against the young lad’s head. “Ohhhhhhaaaaa~ I’ve had quite the long rest.That last man did quite a number on me you know. And just when I thought I was trapped for good, here you come along ~~ My herrooo~~~”

 

He pointed one long slender finger into Oren’s eye. Oren screamed louder than scream he had ever done before. The man’s fingers were red hot like tongs of smoldering iron. He kept the finger in his eye and let everything melt away. “I have to thank you. I was thinking everything would take ages to regenerate. Yet here you are, giving me a body like this. It’s perfect.”

 

He waited until his screams died down then stuck out his index again, this time slowly approaching his right eye. 

 

“Wait…wait”

 

“Wait!”

 

“Wait-”

 

Oren couldn’t move. The demons hand stuck into his right eye and the screams began all over again. This time when he screamed, he found himself screaming in the outside world. The cave was full of carnage. Each and every one of the bandits were little more than blood and bone.

 

He could feel the creature burning within him. His eyes were not even resembling his own anymore. He could see the reflection in the pools of blood that was around him. Then… he began to devour them. Uncontrollably as he tried to urge himself to stop.

 

All the while, the sound of laughter could be heard within his head, along with the tears he was shedding for what he knew was about to happen next.