Chapter 17 – From the Hands of Sinners

A single stream of blue energy emerged from the cannon mounted below their bridge and devoured the darkness of space as it approached the foe and found its target a second later.

The impact almost instantly lead to an explosion, destroying not only the large cannon that bombarded them with energy beams but ripping apart the enemy’s hull.

Their attack tore through metal and either killed everyone inside the adjacent room in an instant or exposed them to the cold dark vacuum of space, granting them a far slower and more painful death.

“Lieutenant, incoming transmission from the enemy ship.”

Hall smiled, now a lot more relaxed. “Put it on the screen, recharge weapons.”

It took a while to reload the energy for another shot so before he could give the command to fire a second time an image appeared on the screen.

A tall man, so thin it almost looked sickly, with foam on his lips screamed at the top of his lungs. “What is the meaning of this? I demand to speak to your commander.”

Hall chuckled slightly which infuriated the man only further. “You are speaking to the commanding officer of this vessel. The one you attacked, now you have two options.”

The hostile captain trembled in anger and while his face changed colors from pale to blood red he cursed Hall in colorful terms.

“Option one, give yourselves up, prepare to be boarded, imprisoned and trialed.”

Putting on a dark grin, Hall looked like a predator about to devour his prey as he continued.

“Option two, resist, try to escape and you die.”

Silence fell over the raging captain, also a commander by rank, identifiable by his shoulder markings. A few people could be seen running behind him, assessing the damage done by their retaliation. Though the attack was a devastating one he was far from giving up.

“I planned to give you chance and let fate decide if you manage to land but now you better make your peace. I promise, your ship will become your grave and the blood of your men will be on your hands... auxiliary weapons fire at will, shoot them to bits.”

Surrendering was not on his mind as he gave the command to attack. It surprised Hall who presumed their fighting capability was gone.

Instead small spheres, bullets of blue light, emerged from the ship’s wings where two hatches opened moments before. A hidden turret ascended from each one and let out a barrage of energy shots.

They were hitting their hull, causing slight shocks throughout the ship. Thankfully their shields withstood the attacks, but they wouldn’t hold very long.

“Damn it, terminate communication and do not launch the escape pods. Keep the frontal shield at maximum.” Hall was furious, how did he not think those bastards would have hidden weapons on their ship.

Although they weren’t nearly as strong as the beam cannons, the constant rain of mana bullets would drain their shields sooner rather than later.

Even worse, they were close to the planet’s atmosphere and their shields could never endure an attack as well as the strain of atmospheric entry.

“Aim for their left turret cannon and blow it away. Fire as soon as the target is locked.”

He spoke fast as the constant hail of bullets chipped away at their shield’s strength.

“Sir, many of the mages are hurt, the energy level of our weapon barely reached 50%, a shot will most likely not penetrate their shields.”

Simply waving it off Hall ordered to fire.

“Doesn’t matter, we just have to destroy their weapons. They have to be installed outside the shield or they would hit it from within.”

Hall assumed the shield would encase the crystals that powered the turrets, similar to the one he saw before that was used for the engine and the weapons then would be placed on the outside.

“Commence firing, use all available power and reload immediately. Should you get no other orders, open fire on the second turret as soon as the energy storage inside the weapon crystal reaches 50%.”

Another energy beam emerged from their mana cannon, dispersed the darkness in complete silence and melted the metal of one of the turrets that spewed bullets of light.

Drops of melted steel and metal alloy soon lost their red hot color as they drifted away into the freezing, endless nothingness of space.

Even though the weapon was destroyed, the enemy’s shield just started to glow as it received the incoming damage without giving in. Instead a ripple of blue light spread through it as if a stone hit the surface of a calm lake.

Their speed only increased as they did not have the propulsion to counteract the planet’s gravity. While they still prepared the next shot the continuous shower of bullets not only weakened their shield but chipped away at the crew’s mental state.

The mages who had to keep up the shields and weapons reported the first cases of fainting due to exhaustion and blood loss. Their situation was dire and they were now close enough to the enemy vessel to see the crests painted on it. The same he wore on his sleeve and on his gun.

“How’s the status of the weapon crystal?” Hall grew impatient and tapped repeatedly with his fingers on the red leather of the captain’s chair. He tried to appear calm, reassuring, but his facade slowly crumbled as the impacts of the attack shook the ship more and more and he could only wait for the shields to fail.

“Sir, we are at 29%, we can’t compensate for the loss of personnel, we need another two minutes to reach 50%, I’m really sorry…”

The voice of the man reporting sounded dejected as he began to lose hope. Hall’s mind was racing as he tried to predict the movement of both ships and how long they could endure.

There was no way they could last two more minutes. Mainly because they would reach the enemy’s evading ship, which tried to avoid a collision by adjusting their course. This would result in their right side, which was not covered by mana shields, being exposed to the hostile fire. The unprotected hull could not withstand the onslaught of energy bullets.

“Adjust our angle of approach by twenty degree starboard and redirect 30% of the energy to the starboard shields. If the hull is breached, immediately seal off the affected areas.

Fire the weapon in exactly one minute, no matter the level of energy.”

He paused for a moment as his crew tried to execute his orders. If he delayed the attack any longer, their foes would blast them out of the sky and if he fired too early, they would not destroy the weapon and instead would be shot down while entering the planet’s atmosphere.

Still, it was a gamble, one he had to make.

“If our attack is not effective, eject the occupied emergency pods and evacuate the ship after moving it into position to cover the launched pods from enemy fire.

If we succeed in destroying their weapon, immediately shift angle for atmospheric entry. Mages from the weapon section are to support the shields, we won’t fire on the enemy ship, our survival has priority.

Godspeed Ladies and Gentleman, I hope we see each other on the surface.”

With these words he fell back in his chair, hearing excited but coordinated yells from the crew that surrounded him and observed the ship that now almost filled half the screen in front of him.

By now he could make out mountains, forests and rivers on the planet’s continents. Vast, deep blue oceans separated them and white clouds covered large parts of the land and the sea.

If it weren’t for the purple spots and a giant, almost black maelstrom that spread over half of an ocean it would be very similar to Earth.

It was magnificent, breathtaking, a view he so far could only dream about. He did not think it would be this intimidating though.

Clenching his fist, his gaze shifted back to the enemy’s ship.

As their spacecraft shifted slowly, the impact from the hostile fire increased and shook the ship to its core. The shield, already weakened by the skirmish, had to cover larger parts of their hull and barely endured the attack.

Counting down the seconds until they would fire, Hall heard something that made his skin crawl. A number of explosions rattled the ship and the ghastly sound of creaking metal and escaping air was audible for what seemed like an eternity but lasted only a moment.

“Sir, our hull was breached in living quarters four to nine, area has been sealed off, flames have been extinguished and leakage is contained, no casualties, but we can’t take much more of this.”

Hall knew that much himself. Even now the strained metal around them screeched as it barely kept the vacuum of space away. The chance of their survival dropped with every bullet that hit their flank, with every light that dispersed at their shield and with every ounce of mana his crew had to pour into this fight.

Although he put up a front of confidence, the situation took a toll even on him and it cost him a lot of his strength to stand straight while others looked to him for guidance.

The remaining seconds slowly faded away as sweat dripped from the faces of his crew that showed their exhaustion and anxiety.

He took one last breath and one last gaze at the men and women surrounding him. “FIRE!”

A beam of blue energy rammed the enemy’s ship and although it hit their weapon turret, the metal withstood the impact of the blast and continued to fire spheres of light into their direction. The shots were fewer and weaker, yet they continued to come.

Gasps went through the ship because everybody knew what it meant. They failed, there was no time for a second shot and their hull couldn’t take much more.

Explosions shook the ship as their rear was hit by the enemy attack.

“Lieutenant, we didn’t destroy their weapon, our shields are barely holding, but we already have breaches of the hull in several locations. Our engines are down, weapons lost energy, please Sir, we need orders.”

An uncanny calmness took a hold of him as he analyzed the situation. If he hadn’t ordered to retaliate they might have been able to land. Maybe fewer of his crew would have died or sustained injuries.

Though there was no use pondering on it now. The time for blame and guilt would come, if he managed to make it out of here.

“Abandon ship! Do as ordered before, use all energy left to move our vessel in between the enemy and the launched pods. I repeat, abandon ship, everyone to the escape pods. We will regroup on the planet’s surface.”

His subordinates followed his words without a complaint and without a single glance of blame. They simply left their stations and entered the pods closest to the bridge. Hall was behind them and last to board a capsule.

Although he thought about going down with the ship, he decided against it. After causing the vessel to be destroyed, he had the responsibility to take care of the crew that hit the ground.

It all felt so unreal to Hall. A battle in a space ship, an evacuation and now they were about to fly toward a planet and crash on its surface. He still couldn’t shake the feeling while his own pod descended to the ground.

Behind him, through a small window in his pod’s white wall, he could see their own ship, riddled with small explosions. The grey hull slowly breaking apart, scattering pieces of metal and glass into space, some falling to the planet and destined to burn up in its atmosphere.

At some point all flames were extinguished and the remains of the destroyed ship almost looked like the carcass of a large animal, drifting on a lake of black water.

Only moments later though a light emerged from its core, small at first but expanding at a frightening rate. A large explosion of bright white light swallowed what was left of their spacecraft and spread through the darkness.

When the wave of light hit him, his pod was shaken violently and although he tried to endure while grinding his teeth and tensing his muscles, he blacked out, helpless against the force that pushed back his consciousness.

After what only felt like a single second he slowly opened his eyes and was welcomed by a dark wooden ceiling and warm candle light.

His body was covered by bandages and he felt a stabbing pain in his side.

“Yar a lucky one aren’t ya? Didn’t think ya’d gonna make it.”

The warm voice with a thick accent broke his daze. A young woman sat next to him and was wiping his head with a cool, wet cloth.

“Ya didn’t wake up for months. Already wanted to bury ya. Pops told us not to.” She seemed kind, yet not all that bright. Hall slowly tried to get up, but before he managed to he noticed the metal chains that bound his wrists to the bed he lay on.

‘Well that didn’t take long, it seems I have a certain attraction for chains.’

The girl noticed his confused stare and giggled slightly, wrinkling her freckled nose and showing a somewhat cute smile. With the small gap between her front teeth and the straw-hat on her dirt blond hair he wouldn’t be surprised if she were to take out a banjo and start singing some folk songs.

“Did ya think we’d let ya walk free after what ya people do everywhere? Don’t know what happened and where ya came from. Pops said to keep ya locked up, so that’s what we do.”

Hall was still confused and had to concentrate to follow the girl’s words. First he was surprised and angry when he heard he had missed the months after the landing because he planned to lead his crew to safety.

Now she told him that his people did something and from the chains on his arms it probably wasn’t good. Though it was not a surprise, the enemy ship should have landed soon after them. It was astonishing he wasn’t caught by them.

Once again he was in awe over the game. The AI created a whole new reality with its own magic system, planets and its people for a simple side story, it was beyond impressive. So much so that he began to think there might be something more to this world, to this whole galaxy. There might exist connections he wasn’t aware of. Though he could only speculate so his thoughts soon returned to the problem at hand.

His best guess was that his pod was somehow pushed away from its initial trajectory and crashed where the inhabitants of the planet found him. Before he could think of anything else, the door opened and light poured into the small wooden hut.

A bright smile appeared on the girl’s face as she jumped up, grabbed the tips of the skirt, that barely covered her knees, and gave a quick curtsy to the man who entered. He simply nodded and she left without another word.

“So you finally woke up. It was about time. Let me welcome you to our village, although I might as well welcome you to our planet.” The man in front of him couldn’t be more different from the girl who just left.

Tall and dark haired, he wore an amber cotton suit and his deep voice sounded educated when he explained his situation to the still befuddled Hall.

“You have been critically injured and your landing device was severely damaged. Even with magic and my medical skills I barely managed to save you.”

He continued to chant a few spells while casting green rays of light on Hall’s bandaged wounds.

“Thank you for that and I'm sorry for the trouble.” As he apologized the man only shook his head.

“I didn’t do it for you. You should know we also captured several of your people but be at ease, those who survived the initial days are alive and we are treating them well.”

While brushing over the fact that several of Hall’s crew were dead and many imprisoned, he looked directly into Hall’s eyes for the next part, his gaze, cold as ice, also held a lot of worries.

“Something I can’t say about your people who already plundered several villages and are now on their way to us. Be aware though, if they try to take what we are tasked to protect, it may spell doom for them and most of us will follow them into the abyss.”

A doubtful frown showed on Hall’s face. An expression that the man noticed and sighed as a glow surrounded his fingers which he brought to Hall’s forehead. “There is no time to convince you, so I will show you. Be warned, it can be a rather... agonizing experience.”

With a stabbing pain between his eyes, images and information flooded his mind. Pictures of an oath sworn generations ago. A promise to guard the door to the greatest power the planet hides. A power so dangerous, if its seal was broken, it would shake the earth and burn the air.

Though he was shown the implications, the secret itself remained hidden. All he saw was a long golden sword, piercing a relief that covered the wall of an ancient temple buried under a small town. The lock that was not to be broken.

It took a moment for his heartbeat to settle after the images disappeared and although they were strange, Hall knew they were true.

“I assume it is what we protect here that your people search for.” The middle aged man showed him a wrist device similar to his own where a map was visible as well as a blinking dot in the middle of it.

“This is a very interesting piece of technology your people created. One of your men explained it to me and I have to admit, it’s no surprise whole villages didn’t stand a chance against a few armed men.”

After he put away the device he grabbed the mana gun he brought in a dark blue pouch and lifted a glowing, bullet sized crystal to his eyes.

“Fascinating, using different types of metal to conduct magical energy and using it to cast spells. To guarantee sufficient supply and protect it from supercharging and destroying it in the process you use a crystal which can be fueled and drained at will.

This way you can use communication, information storage, transportation and a thousand other application. I even saw you fly in a giant ship. Really incredible.”

His gaze was full of awe while watching the pieces of technology he held, but it turned to stone once he looked at Hall.

“Yet instead of sharing it with others or trading it, you take things by force. How do you justify that?”

Hall took his time answering while being scrutinized by a reproachful glance. “I won’t justify it. As a matter of fact we had a slight disagreement with them too and in the process our ship was destroyed. You could say we have a common enemy and I still have a debt I need to collect.”

While the man still eyed Hall with suspicion the door was pushed open violently and what looked like a guard, armed with shield and spear and dressed in blue and yellow, stormed into the room.

“My liege, the enemy has been spotted. They are on the move and will be here in a few hours.”

With a wave of his hand the man in front of him sent the guard away and looked at Hall with a questioning look.

“If I read your intentions correctly you not only wanted a chance for retribution but also to right the wrongs committed by your people.”

He was not wrong. Although Hall didn’t consider them his people, he felt it was partially his fault they were now invading the settlements on the planet. If he could have taken care of them in space, the problem would never have arisen.

“If you want my help I have a few requests. I need my men, my equipment and…”

Before he could finish, the device that still stuck to his wrist started to vibrate and a flashing name appeared on the screen. He was so surprised he still had the piece of technology, he pressed the button on reflex.

The pretty face of his childhood friend appeared and showed a concerned expression. “Hall, are you alright? Thank god, I just picked up your life signal. We were looking for you for months, I’m so glad you’re alright.”

Her emotions seemed honest, so honest they caused a stabbing pain in his chest.

“Listen, we picked up a few of the crew of our crashed ship and are continuing our mission. I can see your signal on the digital map. We are heading right for you. You are at a village we wanted to trade with. As soon as we arrive, I need you to let us in, just in case they close the gates.”

After Hall agreed and he had to promise her he was alright a few more times before she finally ended their call. The man in front of him remained silent during the exchange even though his gaze revealed his feelings.

A single sigh left Hall’s throat. “Well, she may have found the survivor’s you missed and followed our initial ideal of peaceful exploration and the sharing of knowledge…”

They talked for a while more and Hall swore to help them to protect whatever was sealed away inside the village. Partially because he wanted to, but also because he knew it was part of the quest and he felt it was the best choice he had.

He wasn’t sure if the game would react differently if he was completely sincere compared to him also having other motives. In the end though he couldn’t help himself, logical thinking was one of his strengths.

It took them almost an hour, but they finally had a plan of action and when the two of them were about to leave the small house, they wouldn’t call each other friends, but they developed some respect for the other.

“I can’t believe I didn’t introduce myself yet, my name is Jacob and this small settlement is called Vacht. This country is a rather peaceful one, so we don’t have much fighting experience but we’ll keep our oath, even if it means our death.”

He moved closer with the intentions of unshackling him, though Hall simply shook his head and showed a fierce smile.

“Just open the locks on the bed and leave the chains on my arms, I’m used to them by now.”

Even though Jacob looked surprised, he nodded and did as asked. The freed Hall slowly lifted himself from the bed and stretched his tired joins, rusty from the long rest.

Because many game elements were disabled inside this story he put on the uniform, which rested on a small table next to his bed, like he would in the real world. Usually he could instantly equip clothes and armor with a command, though with swift fingers it barely took him a minute to put on the cleaned clothes.

After wrapping the chains around his arms and covering them with the sleeves of his uniform he couldn’t help but welcome the familiar feeling.

The chains he once cursed were now almost a part of him, just like Lily who he missed during his travels through the stories of the seven figures in the catacombs under Roselake.

Attaching the sword and his mana gun onto his belt and connecting his shield to his wrist device he was ready and followed Jacob to see his men.

When they left the tiny wooden house, the bright light that greeted him blinded him for a second, yet he welcomed the momentary pain as it felt he hadn’t seen the sun for quite a while.

Breathing the fresh air in deeply, he looked around while still walking beside Jacob, taking in the serene picture the small town offered.

The open place they crossed was surrounded by stud work houses with tall chestnut trees in front of them. They promised relief from the burning sun, and dogs as well as horses found some rest in their shade during the hot noon hours.

Few people, compared to the number of animals, were walking the streets and they seemed tense as they were carrying bundles of swords and armor. Their faces showed anxiety as they greeted Jacob when they passed them.

“Everyone is scared of what’s to come. I can’t blame them though, most haven’t fought for years. Those who won't be part of the battle were already moved to other villages, this town is pretty much empty.”

With a worried look on his face he led Hall into a wide street that stopped after a while in front of a rather large gatehouse that was the only way through the wooden palisades that surrounded the village like a wall.

On it several archers and mages already looked into the distance while a number of towers along the palisades were slowly filled by more soldiers, dressed similar to the guard that stormed into the house Hall woke up in.

The open area between the wall and the houses was mostly unused and the reason why they didn’t have a stone wall was something he couldn’t comprehend. Especially when what they protected was as important as he was led to believe.

A few more soldiers were gathering and armor and weapons were distributed so they at least looked battle ready even though they were still nervous. He could see their hands trembling while they equipped swords and spears.

It was time to begin their preparation. Hall signaled Jacob and they called not only a group of the town’s soldiers but also gathered the men who survived the destruction of the ship. They were armed though their wrist devices were removed.

It didn’t take Hall a lot of words to explain the situation and convince himself of their absolute loyalty.

After a few hours all preparations were completed and when the sun slowly set figures were visible on the horizon as they approached the town of Vacht.

Jacob’s gaze wandered between Hall and the group that slowly advanced toward them and even though he tried to hide it, his voice carried slight trembling.

“Are you sure this is the right thing to do? Isn’t there any other way?”

Hall scratched his cleanly shaven chin in silence. Either someone shaved him while he was unconscious or he couldn’t grow a beard in this story.

“It’s probably not the only one, but it is the best I can think of.”

Jacob nodded, more reaffirming himself than Hall and raised his voice while turning around. “They will soon be here, everyone knows the details, get to your positions.”

In complete silence Hall waited at least a hundred steps away from the now open gate to greet Belinda and the rest inside the town.

Only a few barrels and crates were placed between him and the gatehouse and not a single man was visible on top of the wooden towers.

He breathed calmly while the shadows grew longer and the temperature dropped significantly. The wind picked up and scattered dust over his dark boots while he made sure all his equipment was in reach.

It didn’t take long for them to arrive. They used the local means of travel, meaning a handful of covered wagons, large grey horses pulling them, passed through the gate and stopped a few meters in front of Hall.

He could only see faces that seemed familiar amongst the men and women who sat on the benches of the carriages while their cargo areas were masked by stained canvas.

With strained expressions their eyes darted around nervously, taking in their surroundings while their hands rested on their belts.

Only Belinda, who rode on the first wagon, had a large grin on her face as she jumped down and ran towards Hall. Her hair wasn’t tied anymore and flew in the wind like a veil of black velvet. She hugged him and her scent made him feel nostalgic.

For a moment he faltered and he had to grind his teeth and dig his nails into his palms not to be charmed.

“I’m really glad you’re ok and …I’m sorry.” While still holding him, her left hand swiftly grabbed hold of his mana gun and pulled it out. With three quick steps she distanced herself from him and pointed his own gun at his head.

“You know, I really am happy to see you again but there is something I have to confirm before we can go forward. I'm sure you know there is a faction among our federation that does not agree with the way things are currently handled.

There are riches and powers beyond imagination out there and yet all we do is give away what we have, only diminishing our own strength, our own value.

Though to be honest, all this talk about leadership and politics is something I don't care about. What I am interested in is the reward they offer for those that find them the power they need to take control.

You can be part of this you know? Share in the reward, it would be enough to split with the crew and still live a luxurious life without any worries. Am I right Commander?”

She yelled the last sentence and as if waiting for the command the covers were lifted from the wagons. Dozens of soldiers were hidden amongst large wooden crates and steel containers and jumped down to the ground, their heavy boots causing the dry earth to tremble slightly.

The one who jumped from the first wagon and now approached him caused him to clench his fist in anger. The captain of the enemy ship stepped forward with a vicious grin, his posture straight, while bathing in what he believed was certain victory.

“Very true Ensign Belinda. Lieutenant, are you even aware of the riches this planet holds? Not only ores and minerals, we are talking about weapons and armaments that increase magical potential without the risk of overloading it.

No more need for magic crystals to ensure the safe operation of our technology. The possibilities are limitless. We can expand our territory into the vast reaches of the galaxy and all of us will be rich beyond our wildest imagination.

I could use someone with the guts you showed, so what do you say Lieutenant?”

The silence that ensued was only disturbed by whispers of the wind and the sound of Hall who cracked his sore neck by turning his head left and right. He let go of his breath slowly, ignoring the meaningless words the Commander uttered.

His eyes fixated on Belinda who already lost sight of him and instead her gaze seemed distant as she was enchanted by the promise of wealth beyond reason.

Would she really have turned out like this? Couldn’t he have made a difference? Did the game simply take her current personality to create this Belinda or was it the inevitable outcome?

Those were questions that plagued his mind but he had to shake them off. In the end there were no answers to be found and he had to focus. Yet it was easier said than done. Since he met Belinda on the ship these ideas gnawed on him, making him restless.

His mind was tired by now, his mental barriers weakened. He played for over a day now and only logged out two times to drink a little bit and to go to the bathroom. He was simply exhausted after two weeks of strenuous playing, body and mind were worn out and he still had ways to go before he could get some sleep.

He reacted to the betrayal by his old friend, the one he thought about so often when alone and desperate, with anger and resentment. His determination and unyielding will drove him forward and the rage he felt only fueled his tenacity in the face of resistance.

Though the wound that was dealt to him was not one he could just brush away. In the end it festered beneath the surface and the game itself dealt him a blow he hadn’t seen coming.

The game he played as a way to get his revenge had also become his means to cope with the loss he once again felt. His anger was a way of handling feelings he didn’t want to experience.

Novus Vita offered him a valve for his emotions, in his rage he could actually achieve greatness whereas in the real world all it could breed was grief.

It may not be the healthiest way of dealing with the turmoil in his heart but he didn’t want to blame himself and didn’t want to drown in an abyss of sorrow. He walked that path before and it was a dark one.

Even though he wasn’t certain the road not taken, the one he didn’t choose all those years ago, was a better one, but it simply was the only way he saw at the moment and he followed the fire in his chest.

His fatigued mind was now once again confronted with Belinda. Though after days of austerity he simply was too tired for his burning anger to suffocate the emotions that tried to claw their way back to the surface.

Yet the ember of wrath that lingered inside him would not be extinguished so easily even if it was drowned out for a moment. He would get his revenge, sooner or later.

Another question was if the game knew what was going on inside of him?

Did the artificial intelligence witness what was done to him and how he reacted now? Was the AI just messing with him or did it try to help him by confronting him with his inner demons? More questions he couldn’t answer.

While he regained his composure he saw the soldiers who jumped out of the wagons relaxing slightly after they hadn’t met any resistance.

His gaze focused back on Belinda who was still dreaming about the riches that awaited her while the Captain, who just made him an offer he thought to believe tempting, impatiently waited for an answer. One he would get.

Hall closed his eyes for a moment. The rattling of heavy metal chains broke the silence as he let the shackles on his arms untangle and they hit the ground hard, raising fine dust off the bone-dry earth.

It was this sound that started it. Without waiting for any reaction Hall swung the chain on his right wrist dexterously with precision and force. It was a little shorter than he was used too but he still smiled faintly at the familiar feeling. In the heat of battle he could suppress his emotions and despite his boiling blood he remained calm.

The metal links wrapped around the delicate neck of the stunned girl that looked so much like his childhood friend. Before she realized what happened, he yanked back the chain and pulled her off her feet with all his strength, causing her to crash into ground beneath his feet.

The mana gun she aimed at him was knocked out of her hands and landed right before him and he picked it up without hurry. The situation changed in a heartbeat as soon as the sound of his chains striking the ground resounded around him. Though it was instantly buried under noises of dozens of men and women appearing behind crates, on walls and on towers.

Hall ordered them to hide from view and only to show on his sign. So now there were almost one hundred people pointing guns, bows and staffs, who gave off sparks of magical energy, at the soldiers that entered the town.

Not only his own men, but Jacob’s troops, mages as well as regular guards, were standing tall with weapons in their hands, aiming carefully while awaiting Hall’s orders.

The Commander’s face distorted in anger and his men showed surprise and fear as they didn’t know how to handle the ambush they walked into.

While Hall took a step forward and now stood over the pale Belinda, who was still coughing violently after her neck was almost crushed, he yelled in the direction of the convoy in front of him.

“I order my men to return to my side, take the weapons of the Commander’s troops and tie them up. If they resist, shoot them…try not to kill them though.” He decided not to shoot on sight. He didn’t want to risk killing innocents if there were some among them.

He would have liked to end this story by now. It was so incredibly difficult to deal with the girl that lay before him. Even though she wasn’t real and he expected exactly what happened, he again felt a stabbing pain in his chest, but this time it was not him that was on the ground.

‘Fool me once….’ He shook his head while looking down at her. Belinda avoided meeting his eyes and instead lowered her gaze. Shock, pain, confusion and fear, those were the expressions he could read on her face. He wasn’t sure, but he could have sworn there was shame too, but maybe the wish was just the father to the thought.

“This is your idea of trading I see. Want to tell me how many you already killed on your way here? What if I wouldn’t have agreed, would you have added me to the pile of bodies you left behind?”

Not a single word left her mouth, not a single apology, not a single attempt to explain.

“Alright, if you don’t want to speak you don’t have to. Though I hope you are aware what you did cost not only lives of the inhabitants of the planet but also those of our crew.”

This time she opened her mouth, even if her voice remained soft and she still stared at the ground. “If you just hadn’t retaliated, they all would still live. We would have landed here, repaired the ship…and then…and then we could have…why…why…?”

Tears filled the corner of her eyes as she rubbed the marks his chains left on her neck. Moments ago he thought about killing her on the spot. She lied to him, again. She used him, again. She betrayed him, again. Now his heart was in turmoil once more.

Anger and sadness, loneliness and grief, it all swept over him as he was reminded of what happened two weeks ago. He obviously hadn’t really dealt with it and it hit him harder than he would ever admit.

Now the images of Belinda overlapped each other. The Belinda laughing at him together with those that stabbed him in the back. Those who he longed to take revenge on and who he dreamed of dragging to the doors of hell and then roasting them over its flaming pits.

On the other hand he had the image of her crying, ashamed, so small and frail. She deceived him too and yet he felt almost helpless and at a loss on how to react.

There was no way he could kill her now. The one in front of him was not the one who really hurt him, she went behind his back yes, but she simply fulfilled his expectations. He wouldn’t get any peace of mind by murdering her.

He breathed in deeply as it seemed a weight was lifted from him and some of the confusion inside his mind dissipated. There was still rage and sadness in his heart but there was also the prospect of moving on. Of course it wouldn’t happen within a day or two but someday maybe, someday he might find some peace.

Until then he would teach those that wronged him what it meant to mess with the Harbinger of Death. While working through his emotions he almost missed the change that happened before him.

The hostile commander was foaming with anger as he stepped, ignoring the conversation beside him and before Hall’s crew could disarm the enemy soldiers a small explosion shook the ground.

An impact hit a large metal crate and penetrated it from the inside, destroying the lock that sealed it. Everyone’s movements ceased as they watched what rose out of the almost three meters high box.

Grey and silver metal, two legs and a wide torso, its right arm ended in a five fingered hand and the left one was armed with a rotary cannon, several barrels arranged in a circle.

Hall’s eyes went wide at the giant robot that stood against them. ‘You got to be kidding me, they brought a god damn Mech?’

Unfortunately he barely had any time to be surprised as the cannon aimed at a group of his men that tried to take cover behind a pile of rocks and barrels. “Jacob, you deal with the Commander, I take the machine.”

Although he was far from convinced he could stand up to his claim, he was prepared to try. His yell reached Jacob’s ears who was leading a small group of his men and was currently taking cover several meters away from him.

“ATTACK…” Hall’s desperate scream didn’t fade away before the first mana gun was fired. Streams of blue light, magic flames from the town’s mages and even arrows filled the air. Flesh was charred, metal screeched and bones were crushed.

His crew as well as the hostile soldiers quickly deployed the shields they had attached to their wrists. Even though he didn’t know how to do it, Hall decided to follow their example. It took him a few moments to figure out how it worked, but all he had to do was to concentrate for a moment and the device followed his will.

The metal sheet on his forearm performed a circular motion with his elbow as the center and formed a round shield, covering an area slightly larger than his torso. A glimmer covered the thin, grey steel as if it was a dark road on a scorching hot day.

The moment he was ready, the Mech’s cannon started to spray a rain of energy bullets blasting away any cover Hall’s troops hid behind. Dozens of shots per second cut apart stone, wood and flesh.

The shields that could stop dozens of energy bullets fired from the mana guns, were practically melted by the Mech’s barrage and the men who tried to protect themselves were ripped apart mercilessly.

Within seconds he shot several enemies, the weight of the pistol and the feeling of pulling the trigger still familiar. His men and Vacht’s troops decimated the surrounded opponent and if it weren’t for the robot it would have turned into a one sided slaughter.

Now it was a slaughter on both sides. The Mech ruthlessly butchered everyone he aimed his cannon at. The townsfolk’s magic as well the mana gun’s shots dissipated ineffectively on the machine’s shields. Glowing ripples spread from hundreds of impacts, coloring it in a bright blue shade.

It couldn’t have been more than a few minutes and barely anybody was left standing. Some were wounded, others fled, but most were dead. Limbs and charred bodies scattered on the open field. Every cover, every crate and every barrel shot to pieces. The horses long gone, the wagons trampled by the heavy machine, along with those that weren’t fast enough to escape its crushing steps.

By sheer luck, Hall evaded the Mech’s bullets and the few times a soldier fired at him he managed to block it with his shield and instantly returned precise shots until finally his ammo was gone.

He didn’t know it but there were two different types of mana crystals. Those used in the ship or in the Mech were rechargeable, differently from the bullet sized ones inside the magazine of his pistol.

Those could only be used once before their crystal structure was changed irreversibly, making it impossible to store energy again. Only a single crystal, imbedded in the gun’s grip, was rechargeable, making it possible to fire a shot every few seconds.

While he stood not even a meter behind the Mech, trying to remain unseen and out of range of the enemy’s weapon, he desperately attempted to use his mana to fire more shots at the machine’s back, which he hoped was not as heavily armored as its front.

It took him too long to notice nothing happened, he couldn’t refuel the gun or the shield. It was infuriating, but not surprising. He never actually learned how to do it, it was that simple.

Never giving away his position to the pilot of the Mech, he tried to think of another way to solve the situation while his men, even the wounded and fleeing ones, were mowed down brutally.

Desperate, he grabbed his sword and chopped away at the robot’s metal legs. The black steel was repelled by the shield without making so much as a scratch in the armor. The whole situation drove him mad beyond reason.

It was as if this story was somehow cursed. Again he misjudged the situation. Again he got his people killed. Again he failed. With each strike he let out his anger. With each blow the shield glowed brighter under his assault.

Before he knew it, a red glow surrounded his hands and slowly crept up his pitch black blade. The light filled the gaps and crevices in the metal and made it look alive.

He immediately understood. Even if he couldn’t use his mana to fuel the technology of this world, the black sword he carried somehow reacted to his soul energy. It was similar to the blades of the soul weaver and it glowed brighter and brighter the more of his will and determination he poured into it.

Soon enough the bright shield grew dimmer while Hall’s blade only increased in brightness as he continued to swing his blade with all his strength. The machine’s pilot seemed to notice him because he circled around Hall, trying to crush or shoot him.

Of course his Mech was not constructed to stand in single combat against a swift and small target. The robot’s movements were slow and predictable while Hall never stopped, never stood still, never ceased to strike. Yet it was an unbalanced fight, a single sword against a large machine, its armor thicker than the blade was long.

All he could do was bide his time, hoping his stamina would last longer than the mage’s mana who controlled the robot combined with the energy inside the crystals that fueled it and keep it busy until his men could get away.

He cursed and yelled, rushing them, ordering them to take the wounded to safety. It was pure chaos as the Mech’s energy bullets missed him and instead tore up the ground beneath and the wooden palisade around them.

Even houses dozens meters away were falling apart under the constant shower of the powerful shots. Although not more than a few minutes passed since the Mech stepped out of its crate Hall was already exhausted. Using his soul energy while jumping and running like a madman to evade bullets and steel limbs drained him of his strength quickly.

Focusing on the enemy in front of him, he tried not to be distracted by the scene of carnage that surrounded them. They fought, almost danced, locked in a deadly standstill, neither of them gaining the upper hand. It cost him so much of his concentration he barely noticed the shaking ground, thinking it was the machine’s doing.

Only when the heavy leg of the robot was swallowed by the arid earth and a spreading crack formed, splitting the ground, he knew something was deeply wrong. His foot was caught in a forming fissure and while stumbling the Mech’s enormous hand caught his shoulder. Crushing bones and throwing him back several meters, he crashed into the ground, landing hard he was barely able to breath.

The broken bones in his arm and his leg made it impossible to stand up, instead he tried to crawl away from the rifts that seemed to devour everything around him. Even the large Mech, the opponent that towered over him, powerful enough to kill him in a moment of carelessness, was unable to lift its massive body from the hole that formed under his leg.

Instead it disappeared with desperate motions, trying to save himself before it fell into the bottomless darkness.

Screams and shouts were emerging from those running and from others who were too injured to flee as the earth split everywhere, swallowing corpses, rubble and whole buildings, greedily devouring anything that couldn’t get away in time.

He knew what happened. Neither Belinda nor the Commander was anywhere in sight. The Mech required his full attention and even though he gave Jacob the task of handling the enemy leader, it was more an act of desperation than a clear plan.

Now lying on his back, his bones shattered and pain clouding his mind, his head filled with agonized screams, he couldn’t do anything but contemplate the mistakes he made. What if he hadn’t attacked the ship? What if he would have attacked the convoy instantly? What if…?

He felt his body getting weaker as numbing cold seeped into his joints and limbs. When he already made his peace with his fate, a pillar of blinding white light broke through the ground dozens of meters away from where he lay.

The earth around it crumbled and disappeared as it followed the rubble and corpses that vanished before. As the light grew dimmer he could make out ruins of what looked like an old temple, standing on a stone plateau that was surrounded by nothing but darkness. A sea of shadows, a bottomless pit.

Even though the walls of the temple were over ten meters high, they were still far from the surface and in the middle of a roofless building he saw two people. He didn’t know how they got there but one of them held a long golden sword while they stood in front of a huge relief that covered the whole wall.

Jacob showed it to him before. It was the lock, opened by the Commander. The hostile leader had Belinda with him as he held the sword high and laughed hysterically. Though it was hard to hear his voice over the destruction of the city, as it sunk into the ground, Hall heard him yell.

“Witness the power of the gods, I shall become unstoppable.” It was the last he heard of him as the man greedily laughed while caressing the regal blade with his claw-like fingers. The light grew brighter again, swallowing him, Belinda and the whole ruin.

Although there was no heat emitted by the bright radiance that enveloped them, Hall had trouble keeping his eyes open. His fractured bones and the blood loss from inner wounds, the cold spreading inside of him, the knowledge from having failed, all of proved to him, this story neared its end.

He watched while the town, the palisades, whole hills and forests, even mountains in the distance split, sunk and vanished and he himself remained at the edge of rift that didn’t seem to extend.

It was as if the game wanted to rub it in, show him his failure, the result of his hubris. He wanted to, but couldn’t avert his eyes at the spectacle before him. No matter how frightening it was, it was also incredibly impressive, a sight he wouldn’t forget for the rest of his life.

One thought ripped him from his trance. He remembered the message at the beginning of the story. It mentioned he was allowed to take back a single item. A chance he didn’t want to miss.

His first thought went to the pitch black blade, the sword that helped him keep the Mech at bay. Though he decided against it as he already had a more than adequate close quarter’s weapon in his possession.

The shield would make more sense, but it wasn’t that different from the ones he saw before. Additionally he would sacrifice mobility and the shield would get in the way of his chains.

The mana gun was what interested him most. So far he had no real ability for ranged combat and a gun was something he had not seen in the whole game yet. So his choice was simple, out of the three items he acquired, the pistol was the best option.

Of course he dropped the weapon when he was blown away by the Mech’s hand and lost sight of it when he lay dying, his bones crushed and his flesh torn. If it rains, it pours. So he looked around frantically, feeling his consciousness slowly fade away.

He grit his teeth and forced himself to carefully observe his surroundings. It didn’t take him long to find the gun. He was not in the least surprised to see it lying on the end of a ledge, hanging over the endless darkness. Its edges were slowly crumbling away, threatening to swallow the pistol he desired.

Ignoring the pain and swallowing wails of agony, he pushed himself with his healthy leg and clawed his way forward to the edge. His hand was bleeding as it tore up the ground in his attempt to retrieve the weapon.

Just a bit more and he would reach it. While the world around him burned, while people died and while his actions jeopardized the future of a galaxy, he crawled, beaten and battered, trying to get a single gun. One he wouldn’t get.

He was sure, the moment he came too close, the ledge would break off and drag him down into a dark grave. With an almost hysterical chuckle he bumped his head against the ground before he turned himself on his back.

Out of ideas he smiled while watching the setting sun and low hanging clouds that reflected the fire raging on the ground. The sky, covered in shades of red, seemed almost calm and serene.

It was a nice last view while he waited for the end and darkness encroached the edges of his field of view. He missed Lily. It hasn’t been long since he first met her but she gave him more comfort than he received in years.

Meeting Belinda again and the turmoil inside of him, all that would have been easier with her by his side. ‘I really do owe her.’

He hesitated a little to admit it as in the end she was a program, an artificial being, but he had to acknowledge it. Right now she was the closest thing he had to a family.

While those thoughts occupied his mind, he contemplated to just go for the gun and try to grab it while falling to his death. This was simply a story, there was nothing he would lose and there was nothing that would change, probably.

When he was ready to put it all on the line, Lily crossed his mind again, together with a single thought. ‘Family…’

He chuckled and even laughed, but his body ached so much he could only grit his teeth.

Finally he found the answer. There was no need to give in to his greed, he already possessed the most precious item he could ever gain in this world.

Opening the pocket of his uniform he took out the picture he put there. The picture of him and his parents, smiling happily, of a reality denied to him, was something more valuable than any weapon he could hope to gain.

If it weren’t for all the distractions he would probably have chosen it from the beginning. Now there was one more thing he had to thank Lily for. Without her he wouldn’t have remembered.

With a smile he took another look at the picture and while his surroundings grew darker and he lost his consciousness, he mumbled a few words, unheard by anybody in the dying world.

“Yeah, that’s what I’ll take with me…”

It was a surprisingly tranquil end to a hectic, confusing and at times painful story, but it was also one that gave him some peace of mind and helped him to find a little bit of relief.

Within moments his vision returned to normal and he was back in the room where Lily jumped and hugged him out of nothing, causing him to stumble back in surprise. “Thank god, you have been gone for so long…”

Hall could only smile faintly while he tried not to raise any suspicion.

Blushing slightly she separated from him. “Welcome back…it has been more than a day.”

Looking at his satiety bar he knew it was true. It was deep in the red and while he ate and drank to fill it, he noticed a message.

*Ding*

You have leveled up!

‘About time!’

He assumed he would get a lot more experience from finishing the trials but it had been a while since the last level up and he was getting impatient, but even a single level wasn’t so bad for now.

The next messages were far more interesting though

*Ding*

The item you chose will be adjusted to this world!

The message at the beginning of the story neglected to mention this special feature and even though he was curious what he would have received if he had picked any other item, he was glad he didn’t.

A warm glow filled the hand in which he held the picture and within a few moments it disappeared into hundreds of particles of light, swarming around him before rising to the ceiling and slowly dissipating.

It was an incredible sight as they danced around his arms and chest, formed patterns and broke them and even though he felt sadness from losing the picture, he couldn’t help but feel a comforting warmth spread through him.

*Ding*

You have gained a new skill!

Skill Name:Skill Rank:Skill Level:Skill Experience:Watching over Me--100%Even though they aren’t with you anymore, your loved ones continue to protect you.

Effects:

Passive:

Sneak and stealth (close and ranged) attacks won’t cause any additional damage

Attacks from the back won’t cause any additional damage

One second before incoming damage, your perception of time will be changed (instead of 4:1 to 16:1) until you receive the attack or half a second later if you evade. (time dilation will accumulate to a maximum of 6 perceived seconds, meaning you will experience 6 seconds while 1.5 pass) Does only apply once, at the beginning of combat.

Activation:

The next incoming negative effect will be nullified (for example damage or curses)

If 10 seconds pass after activation without any effect, the boon will expire

Cost:

If activated as a passive skill it will consume 10% of your maximum mana and won’t refill past the 90% mark

Activation won’t use any mana, but it will consume the protection granted to you. New passive activation can only be granted after 6 hours.

Mana consumption by the boon is disabled during this time.

The skill he got was pretty amazing and highly unusual in its mechanics. The reduction would only affect his mana pool while Lily’s remained untouched, making it a good trade when in return he gained a significant advantage at the beginning of every fight.

Additionally it gave him a comforting feeling of safety, at least a bit.

By now the warming lights that remained of the picture he took with him, had disappeared and he had to fight against his tired mind that was deprived of a good night’s rest for too long.

It this state it took Hall a moment to notice the difference in the room. He couldn’t see the grimoire anymore. His mind instantly sharpened, taxing his surroundings for change and anything suspicious.

The color of the light changed as he looked around, the calm forest green that painted a tranquil atmosphere yielded to a glow of red and violet that got slowly darker. It felt eerie, somehow threatening and it caused him to raise his alertness.

The figures were now harder to make out as they were standing at the circular wall of the room where the light barely reached them. Their names were carved around him in the ground, each one about a meter away from him and another two from the name’s owner.

Even though he was sure they hadn’t changed their position, their silhouettes, their movements, their being, it felt off. He couldn’t describe it but somehow he knew and moments before his hands were about to grab the once cursed chains he had gotten so used to, the last, the seventh figure walked out of the darkness.

With every step the woman took the ground shook a little more. Small rocks and unsettling amounts of dust started to fall from the ceiling as the tremor continued even after she stood before him.

It hadn’t been close to seven days yet, but he was warned not to believe everything he was told. He also had no idea how he fared so far on the trials as he was not issued any kind of evaluation that would assure him he passed or tell him he failed.

At least he was still alive and only one more figure was left. So even if the situation around him changed, even if the ceiling was about to cave in and even if every fiber in his body told him to be on high alert, he was determined to get the grimoire.

When he eyed the woman in front of him he was rather surprised by her appearance that seemed out of place in the now uncanny atmosphere of the room.

The clean white robe that covered her body and the simple wimple of the same color that concealed her neck and her hair reminded him of the habits some nuns wore. Though even these clothes barely managed to hide her beauty. Full red lips and dark eyes that held a depth he rarely saw before, it was as if her face was drawn by an artist.

Her pure voice rang like a bell on a clear night. “You have made it far young traveler. My name is Castitia and instead of telling you my story, I shall give you the possibility to gain what you seek. All you have to do is follow my words.”

*Ding*

Let the truth guide you

What you search for hides under a lie,

If you seek the true name: think,

Its start is at the beginning of the galaxy

and it waits for us at the end of every living thing.

In every grain it's the first you see

part of burglar, beggar, yes, even of the king.

If you want to see the end: you need,

what ends all cold and starts the dawn.

It is in the wind and the ground,

in every adult and child, in every body and mind.

Yet you won’t find it in yourself or anyone, but in all mankind

‘Great, a riddle and good thing I have so much time.’

The ground shook beneath his feet and larger chunks of rocks began to fall from the ceiling while Hall tried to focus on solving the word puzzle he was given.

As he read the message window Castitia took off her wimple, the cloth that covered her hair, and released it by shaking her head while smiling at the concentrating Hall.

If he could analyze the situation from a distance, he might figure out the solution in the blink of an eye, but it was a different thing altogether if he was in the thick of it. He had a dozen things to consider, the stories he experienced, the riddle and the distractions around him and the accumulated exhaustion took a toll on him, all this was weighing on his mind.

Another distraction was about to manifest itself before him as the gorgeous woman, who he guessed was in her mid-twenties, stripped off her long, snow white robe and revealed a short dress, deeply cut and very revealing. Her fair skin gave off a noble air and the contrast to her black clothes only deepened the impression.

As her delicate hand gently brushed against his cheek, he felt a shiver of excitement and her scent completely captured his senses. She was a promise of bliss and ecstasy, a dream of rapture and paradise. Her voice held the beauty of a thousand songs. It was so enchanting he barely missed the words she spoke.

“I offer you the pleasure of the gods and your every desire shall be fulfilled. You can attain the greatest satisfaction, simply indulge yourself in lust.”

He couldn’t tell afterwards if it was the brutal kick to the head he received from his angry companion, who was foaming while he almost drooled over Castitia, or if it was the last word he heard her say.

It didn’t really matter though. It was as if the last piece of a puzzle fell into place. The stories, the changes around him and the behavior of the seven people he met, it all made sense, even their names.

‘Oh god, the names, how could I not see it…’

It was all so obvious now. Putting on a wide grin his attention shifted from Castitia whose face distorted in displeasure at Hall’s reaction and without another word he grabbed both of his chains and turned around.

Back to Main Page

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Author’s Note:

Well, that took longer than intended, but the chapter 17 is out, hope you like it

I have to apologize again for taking so long, life has its means of getting in the way :grin:

Anyway, the trials are pretty much over, next time we'll get on with the rewards and the story, and the grimoire... ^^

I also have to thank everyone for their support, for their ideas and for pointing out mistakes,

Also thanks for all the new ratings after the old ones were deleted

It’s great and ecouraging to see so many people enjoying my work and I will make sure to continue :grin:

Well, as always, if you find any mistakes or have suggestions, please share them with me

The problems with the server migration (editor, bbcode, chapters cut after 65k characters) have been mostly fixed by now and I hope you like the new design, I personally think it’s great. It’s focused on fiction now and supports us authors, so yay admins for their hard work ;)

We are waiting excitedly for comes next

P.S: Another reason for the delay of this chapter was the birthday contest and my entry in the onshot competition. If you want to read the first oneshot I wrote, check out the link, if you already read it, I hope you enjoyed it and thanks for the votes there too^^

http://www.royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=4332

You could also check out the other oneshots if you haven’t already. :bye:

PPS: Detailed Skill / Stat next chapter, these last chapters wasnt enough progress to warrant an update