The building was near a river. There was a strange decoration near the door. A counter was near the door, and the windows had blinds that was unusual since Alician City didn’t have that much of sunlight even when there is rain pouring. An old man was reading a thick book. He wore glasses and his hair was as white as snow. Two tables away from the old man was a person with an ash-like hair. His eyes were red and his coat was rather worn and ragged.

Nolan Salvatore has been studying the history of the world. He had suspicions but he concluded that he was in an alternate timeline. In fact, he would be both blind and deaf if he didn’t still realize that it was the same world. Everyone speaks the same language spoken in Oasis City, and their accent was smoother compared to his.

“What a cruel joke?” he said bitterly.

He thought that maybe he had traveled into a new world since they had steam machines. It was an era comparable to 1901 in terms of development. He didn’t know what future he was in now. But it was clear that it was a future he wouldn’t know. It was a future where the darkness was defeated.

“Then does this mean that blessed maiden is actually a war maiden? I see...so she must be something else to live this long. I remember Ciara struggling against the darkness, but this war maiden seems to be too powerful compared to the last world I was in. If only Ciara had that power...then she wouldn’t have to die because of me.”

He held guilt and even today he had still not forgiven himself for letting her die. In the end, no matter how much he tries to forgive himself, he cannot do it. Every time he closes his eyes he would be able to see the death of Ciara. It would be then followed by the screams and death throes of his friends.

He had to tap on the book once, dusk flies as he stares blankly at the world. On his right was a notebook filled with corrections of his phrasing and that he was saying his name wrong. He was saying Lanon instead of Nolan, and the only thing that could be faulted was the changes in the way people read and speak the language. If he had to learn another language again then he would have probably lamented and drink two liters worth of alcohol.

The light bulb flickered. The old man who was reading his book turned towards the bulb before turning his eyes back the book adjusting his glasses. Nolan continued practicing with the book while reading the history of the New Empire. As he reads the book he found no traces of the name of the blessed maiden.

“Her name is barely in any of these books?” he said.

Her name was only given to those who she trusted. They would only refer to her as a Blessed Maiden or her grace, for it has become a tradition to speak not of the name of the maiden. And even if they were curious enough then they have to belong to a house that had a lot of prestige.

“How odd?” he thought. “She must have a lot of influence if she was able to make a whole empire keep silent about her.”

She must really want to stay-low as possible or that she rather had a few know her name? It didn’t matter since he might get to know the current war maiden of this era and asked why she was doing all of this. Absolute power and worship would allow her to keep the criminals and thugs in check. But he also realized that ridding the criminals would only mean that those who did not know of her power would come and seeking to be parasites for this city.

“Controlled criminals but at the same time harboring children labor. It just doesn’t make sense for them to act as a cruel organization when they have the power to control and regulate the black market of the city. I heard that a lot of the merchants coming from Sleeker have said that the gangs there have become complicated. Their ringleaders were using the machines as an excuse to commit a crime. I heard that this was the only city that flourishes.”

He held a strange look on his eyes. He had lived most of his life fighting against an impossible war. He followed the heroes to the battle as a part of the light’s war. He could still remember lining up with his fellow walkers and crashing toe to toe with demons that were ten feet taller than them. They had to make do with inscribing runes in their bones and making potions that would increase their strength. It was part of the reason that bleak walker was considered to be dangerous and easy to throw away. He remembered that a Bleak Walker would throw his life away without blinking. Not because they were brave or selfless, but it was because they had nothing to lose compared to the others.

Nolan recalled a man who said something from the past.

“Look! A Bleak Walker! A poor man branded with the curse on his eyes! Forever haunted by the ghosts of the past in exchange for the power of the runes! Do not pity the bleak walker! Let them throw their lives for that they would be happy to!”

It was not like he was wrong in that regard. Bleak Walkers were twisted from the core and are dead men walking without any purpose. Nolan didn’t really care much and if anything he sympathized with that man’s words. Death was indeed the purpose of a walker that lost everything. To find some meaning before fulfilling that purpose.

“But I have no time for that now,” he closed the book silently. He stood up with a grim determination plastered on his face. He had to learn more about this world. He was only planning to rid the city of criminals. But this time he had more reasons to stay alive.