Piece by piece the mana gland within Atkozott peeled away, leaving a pulsing, dark organ the color of char. Despite being unconscious, his body released a violent shockwave of pure, violet mana. The aching of his body immediately receded, the pained expression he wore even as he slumbered lessened, gradually becoming peaceful. As things seemed to settle down, the members of the camp and the Earl’s entourage were sitting in their places, shocked silly. Atkozott’s body suddenly seemed to vibrate violently, the gland responding to his savage rage that seemed to burn even in unconsciousness, beating ecstatically as it let out a pulse directed at the enemy.

The Azuran was flung back from the force of the mana, unable to get up again as he slowly bled out in the dirt. It was over, the match was decided. Atkozott won.

Atkozott POV

I woke up in a daze, fully expecting the full brunt of agony that would soon follow. Furrowing my brows in confusion when it never came, I recalled the events of the fight. My eyes widened in shock as I jumped up from the bed, a wave of dizziness assaulting me. Grabbing my forehead, I groaned at the severe headache. What happened? Where am I?

Looking around, I immediately recognized the infirmary. It was relatively small with only four beds, a few cabinets of pills and concoctions stood in the corner. A large working desk on the right side was filled with papers, the open inkwell showing it was recently used. Seeing I was alone, I shook my head in an attempt to chase the migraine away. Massaging the side of my head, I grew annoyed.

The door opened as Sylvia entered in a clean, white lab coat and an apron underneath. She was the best healer this place had and we have been acquainted for a while. My visits to the infirmary were quite often thanks to pushing myself. The Felkin was short and chubby, small fox ears peaking at the top of her head while her short dusky hair was in a tight ponytail. Two black fox tails fluttered behind her freely. Her clawed hands had some thin fur while her yellow eyes were a lot larger than normal, giving her an adorable look. She was an alchemist and a water mage, her skills with healing magic the best I’d witnessed so far.

She looked at me with some surprise and smiled sweetly, “Well, well, well. Someone’s finally decided to join the living.” Putting away her clipboard, she walked over and grabbed my face. I grunted as she widened my eyes with her fingers and looked me over, making me growl at all the spinning that just made my headache worse. She snorted and moved back, “Boy, don’t you growl at me! You should be happy I let you sleep here instead of hauling your ass to your room. You’ve been unconscious for three days.” her brows furrowed angrily, her chubby cheeks puffing up, “Just what the heck have you been doing to yourself?! Imagine my surprise when I checked you over and found severe internal damage all over your gosh ’darn body. That wasn’t from no fight!”

She scowled with crossed arms, her foot tapping impatiently as she waited for an explanation. I glared at her. She slapped my knee, “Talk!” Rolling my eyes, I flinched at the throb in my head, “It’s just how my body is. I think I need to shed before training again, it built up muscle that had no way of developing. Now give me something for the headache, I can’t hear myself think!” I hissed, my vision spotty, giving me a sense of vertigo.

Her brows furrowed in worry as she put her hand on my forehead, “Headache? Boy, you need to lie down.” she forced me back down on the bed, the spikes on my back tearing through it. Ignoring the damage, she ransacked her cabinets before returning. Pushing a plant under my nose, she grumbled, “Eat.” Shaking my head, I grunted, “Can’t, mix it into water.”

Sighing and grumbling, Sylvia did as I asked. I recognized the Hulba Flower, it had calming properties and acted as a mild tranquilizer. Downing the glass, I coughed at the bitter taste while she put her hand back on my forehead. Shimmering blue light left her hand and into me. Feeling the migraine gradually recede, I could finally relax. Closing my eyes for a moment, I sighed, “Thanks.”

Chuckling, she gave a small pat on my chest, “Don’t mention it. Try to rest up a bit. Knowing you, you’ll be up and running in minutes.” she left the infirmary, most likely going to get Trent. I lied there in silence, trying to get my bearings a bit. Something happened during the fight. I was still the same so it wasn’t the change. The pain and stiffness were all gone, but I could tell nothing was different. I could still feel my muscles pressing tightly, just not painfuly.

Groaning, I sat up and closed my eyes. I was shocked at how laughably easy it was to enter meditation. I immediately understood why the pain stopped. My core matured and awakened. I could feel my own mana as easily as I could breathe. The amount was decently large but more than half of it was layering my muscles and organs, keeping them stable. As I tried to remove it, I inhaled sharply when the pain suddenly spiked. Probably for the best to leave it as is.

It was spreading through my body in a lazy manner, circulating like a bloodstream through the pitch black gland. Feeling strange, I suddenly felt myself gag. Spitting out a mouthful of oily black substance, I gaped in shock. The hell is that? Residue? As soon as it touched the ground it started to corrode a hole in the floor. The infirmary floor bubbled and hissed as steam rose into the air. The gland, as if sensing I was awake and aware began increasing its pulsations. I choked and coughed violently, feeling like I was burning from the inside. Thick violet steam rose from my skin. Like a million fire ants, the burning passed through every vein and bone. The fire seemed to mingle with the mist as they seemed to fight for dominance. I felt like there was a war inside of me. Odd notions, almost instinctual memories gave vague impressions that the affinities were only now awakening.

The books never mentioned this! I knew every maturing was unique, but this really was abnormal. It shouldn’t have waited for three days. Don’t tell me it’s another quirk of this damn body. Though it was uncomfortable, it didn’t hurt that much, just a mild sting here and there. I understood I manifested two different affinities because of the seemingly inherent instincts. The burning under my skin was fire while the violet, corroding mist was darkness. My annoyance rising with every second, I growled and smashed the glass cup against the door, the shards shattering everywhere. Suddenly, the two powers stopped. The two streams of different mana properties entwined. The burning lessened and mist receded. The previously light violet color of my mana turned darker, looking almost black.

Sighing in relief, I knew it was finally over. My body was protected by my mana on the inside, keeping my muscles from tearing. The rest was enough to protect myself on the outside. I had the bare instincts on how to use it, but there was always time to learn. I think I’ll take it slow for once. The important thing was, I no longer had a gaping vulnerability to mages. My mana could counter theirs now.

The door opened as Trent and Sylvia entered. She gaped at the shattered glass on the floor and the charred spot before taking the clip board and slapping it against my knee, “Boy, what the heck did you do to my infirmary?! What is this black stuff on the floor?” she scowled, her eyes demanding answers. I chuckled, “Sorry. My mana gland matured and there were some late consequences. Uh, I tossed the glass in a fit.” I said with a shrug and glanced at Trent. He was giving me a strange look yet it had clear severity to it, “Sylvia, please leave us for a while.”

Glancing between us, she tossed her hands in the air, “Fine! But one of you better clean that up!” with a grumble, she left us alone. I sat on the side of the bed and stretched, groaning in relief. It was good to be mobile again. I was already used to this kind of behavior from Sylvia, she was always hotheaded in an endearing way. Seeing Trent was staring, I sighed in irritation, “What is it?"

Shaking his head, he frowned, “You caused some trouble but its fine. It was the Earl who demanded a duel to the death. Seems he had a bit too much confidence in his slave. He and his entourage left soon after you fainted. Though he made a scene, there was nothing he could do. Otherwise, he’d start a real confrontation with Lord Evergreen.” catching me up on the events, he sighed and took a seat on the chair near the door. Standing, I continued to stretch, my bones and joints giving pleasant creaks, “And?”

“Why didn’t you tell me immediately you had severe internal damage?” he asked with clear displeasure. Narrowing my eyes, I snorted, “No offense, Trent, but I don’t trust anyone here. Maybe Sylvia a bit but she really is as harmless as they come, the woman wears her feelings on her sleeve. As much as I appreciate all you did for me, we are not friends nor are we confidantes. How would Evergreen say it? It’s just business.”

Trent seemed to be visibly surprised by my words, thinking for a minute before nodding, “Okay, I understand. Though it’s a shame you feel that way, there is not much I can do that I haven’t already done to prove you wrong. Now that we’ve got that cleared up, when will you be leaving?”

Lifting a brow, I stop my exercises and look him in the eyes, “Is my part of the deal here done then?” I ask. Standing, Trent smiled and nodded, “No one is chasing you away, feel free to stay as long as you’d like. As far as I'm concerned, I’ve taught you everything you need. Whether you master the things I taught you and follow my advice is up to you.” heading out, he paused, “Just come find me once you come to a decision. Oh, and clean this shit up.” the door closed behind him.

Grabbing my stuff from the chair, I stared at the torn up shirt. My armor was still in decent condition, a bit damaged but it did its job. Using the torn shirt, I wiped the char off the floor but couldn’t do anything about the small hole. Spotting a broom, I swept up the shattered glass and tossed everything into the garbage. Seeing the torn up bed, I made a complicated face and left her 20 gold coins on the desk. She had been taking good care of me these last couple of months so I might as well leave her something for the damage I’d done. I might have been a bastard, but I wasn’t without gratitude.

Walking to the dorm, I nodded to the greetings everyone tossed my way. Some asked how I was doing. Shrugging, I’d just answer that I was fine. I wasn’t attached to this place. Though it was an enjoyable stay for the most part, there was unfinished business waiting for me in Vaarn. My expression darkened at the memory of that disgusting hag. It was high time to get some payback.

Entering my room, I began packing everything into my travel pack, leaving a set of fresh clothes out. My possessions had grown over the time I’ve been here. Save for more clothes and my armor as well as a towel or two, I now had a belt with throwing knives strapped to it. There was paper and ink, some rope and a medium flask filled with some nice liqueur. It was nice to have a sip before going to sleep. There was a rolled up mat as well. I didn’t need much else.

Checking the small spatial storage on my finger, I checked my stock of money. Thanks to a few odd jobs I did around the place and in the village, I had a decent amount of around 300 gold, a third of it in silvers. It was enough for a commoner to live on decently for a month or two. I would have had more, but had to pay for a few things here and there, like my knives that were pretty pricey. I also needed to buy a better saddle for Kala, the one I had irritated her too much.

As I was about to head to the baths, Saal walked in. He stopped and glanced at my packed things, “You leaving?” he asked casually. Nodding, I grabbed a towel and flung it over my shoulder, “Yeah, I need to visit an old friend and then see where the road takes me from there. I haven’t been able to see much while I was in-“, I grimace, “captivity.”

Lifting a brow, he gave a grin, “I see. Well, best of luck then. I’m glad you stuck with the ranged practice despite my words. Make sure you stay out of trouble.” he offered a hand. Staring at it for a while, I awkwardly shook it with a nod.

After cleaning up and having everything set, I took my things and headed to Trent’s house. Seeing him shirtless and practicing his halberd skills, I observed and waited for him to finish. He noticed me after a while and put his halberd into the holding rack. Wiping his sweat with a rag, he walked over and glanced at my pack, “Leaving?”

I nodded, “You said to let you know.” I muttered simply.

Chuckling, he patted my shoulder, "Atko, believe it or not, I just might miss you. I have no doubt we’ll meet again, until then, don’t neglect your training.” he looked at his house then back at me, “Wait here, I have something for you.”

Staring in some confusion, I waited. He came back holding an odd looking weapon. The tip of it looked like a spearhead but the shaft handle was as short as a dagger. Handing it to me, I accepted it quizzically. Spreading my mana over it, I saw surprised to see it was enchanted. Grinning, Trent gestured at it, “Well? Try it out.”

Shrugging, I infused it with mana directly as I would the storage on my finger. It was a good thing I was keeping it pointed into the air. The thing elongated with fast movement, leaving me gaping at the 2 and a half meter long spear. There was nothing else special about it save the decent quality, but it was more than enough. The weight was well proportioned and the weapon light. Focusing my mana again, it shrunk.

“This as well.” he said and handed me a sheath that looked like it was meant for a dagger. Taking it, I strapped the thing to my waist and smiled, “Thanks.” Trent rolled his eyes, “Damn Atko, you really love to show your enthusiasm. Liven up a bit. It can’t be healthy cruising through life with that much gloom and doom.” he said with slight sarcasm and offered his hand. Chuckling, I accepted the handshake.

"Atko, stay safe and out of trouble." he said with more seriousness than before.

Sighing, I turned to leave, “Don’t count on it.” I said with a smirk. I haven’t even left yet, but I was already up to no good.

Heading to the stables, I put the shitty saddle on Kala and pet her neck, “Time to head out girl, there’s a long journey ahead of us.” giving a happy growl, she licked my hands in understanding. Smiling, I jumped up. We rode off not long after, leaving camp Warmonger behind.

***

There was a little pit stop I had to make before heading to Vaarn. First, I stopped by the nearby town and bought Kala a new saddle. After some intimidation and haggling, the man lowered his price to 30 gold from 50. What a rip off, it wasn’t even all that comfortable. But Kala seemed happy so all’s well that ends well. It was better than before at least.

My second stop was the farm. I wanted to make sure the report I read in the Colosseum was true. Riding on Kala, a broken down fence came into view. Halting, I took in the surroundings in surprise. Qualla bones were everywhere as well as some other, half decomposed beasts. There was the smell of death and rot in the air. Seeing the house looked ransacked and the garden totally wrecked, I lifted a brow. Heading to the old barn, I dismounted Kala and opened the shut door with a creak. The smell of decay nearly made me gag as it blew into my face full force.

Looking around, I spotted decomposing corpses, seemingly not that old. There was a small dog pile of them. Frowning in confusion, I saw they were all looted. There was nothing that could give away their identities. Glancing up, I saw her. The flesh had nearly decayed of her bones by now, showing filthy bones. The body hung in the air by a noose, some parts of it seemingly gnawed on. Hearing happy squeaks around the dog pile of corpses, I immediately understood this was fun land for rats and other pests. Contemplating for a second, I thought about where the other corpses came from but got my answer soon enough.

Kala was growling in threat outside. Narrowing my eyes, I walked out and saw a small group of men was surrounding her in a half circle. Seeing me, all attention shifted along with their weapons. Their equipment was shabby and most of them had sunken faces. Though it was obvious they were bandits, they seemed more like a ragtag group of issues. Even while keeping me in a lock, their eyes would wander to each other in suspicion as if waiting for the others to pounce on them. The distrust and tensions were almost tangible.

“Ya lost friend?” one of them spoke. It was the biggest guy. He was a beastman, judging by his features and size, he must have been a bearfolk. The others seemed terrified of him. His bulging arms were bare and he held a large, slightly rusted longsword in his hands. Giving a toothy grin, his intentions were clear, “Leave the lizard and yer belongings or end up like the rest.” the evil intent showed in his eyes. Snorting in disdain, I took out my spear. This filth wasn’t worth getting myself dirty, “Riiiight. What do you take me for?” I said sarcastically, watching them snicker at my ‘’dagger’’. The bearman gave a signal with narrowed eyes, “I take ya for a corpse cuz’ dat’s wat ya gonna be soon. Get ‘im!”

They moved at the same time, but before the first one could even touch me, I channeled the mana and the spear flashed. Impaling him through the eye, the bandit fell before any of them had time to even see what happened. Whistling in approval, I figured these guys were as good of practice dummies as any. Moving faster than the lot of them could follow, I waved past them and directly moved my spear. Tripping the big guy with my tail, I ignored him for now and made short work of the crew, practicing some moves I’d learned with the spear. It was okay, needed work though. I wasn’t precise enough and missed a few vitals. Not feeling bothered at all, I heard the bear charge at me from behind.

Snorting, I retaliated but someone beat me to it. The man was squealing on the floor while Kala stood on his back, tearing at it with her hooked claws. She was staring at me as if asking for praise. Since all of them were dead now, I gave her a nod, “Good girl. Eat him if you want.” Her eyes widening in delight, she helped herself. He was begging for mercy but it fell on deaf ears. Biting into the back of the beastman’s neck, she tore at him until he stopped twitching. I focused my senses this time. It was a mistake on my part. I didn’t think this place would become a home to bandits. The farm was empty now.

Leaving Kala to her meal, I walked up to the bandits corpses and dug around their pockets. They had a few silvers each but nothing of real value. Their things weren’t worth hauling with me and I doubted their heads were worth much. Walking into the house, I saw it was totally pillaged and vandalized. I had a place in mind that probably wasn’t of interest to a bunch of bandits.

Entering the old study, I saw the books were tossed all over, the desk flipped upside-down. They’d searched the place but obviously found nothing of value. Shuffling my hand at the top of the bookcase, I grabbed the circular, wooden case. Taking the map, I also looked over and grabbed three books that weren’t totally destroyed. I hadn’t read them yet so it should keep me busy during my road trip. It was a history book with the title ‘On Terra Silva and the Menace’ and volume II of the bestiary. The last one was a book on plant life titled ‘Wild Herbs and Gardening’. Though seemingly lackluster, it held plenty of good information. It was thanks to the one I had read at the Colosseum that I could recognize some of the things Sylvia had given me for pain and healing. This one had sloppier sketches but still was good enough to learn a thing or two.

After checking over the house some more, I found Seth’s bedroom. There was a small safe on the floor. It was burst open and looted. Figuring there was nothing of interest left, I grabbed the only drawing of them that survived and tossed it at the wall on my way out. Seeing Kala had eaten her fill, I checked the bandit’s pockets but only found 20 gold. It would appear they were the stragglers. Someone else robbed the place first. Pity, I was hoping to take the money Patrick had paid them for me.

Saddling Kala, I wiped the blood on her with a rag I had grabbed in the house and tossed it aside, “Let’s go.” directing her to the dirt road that led to Fort Town, I left that hell hole once and for all. Checking the map, I saw we were on the right track.

Daisy POV

Another fruitful day indeed. I thought as my last customer left, his goons dragging his handsome little slave behind them. I was quite delighted at having played with that one, definitely deserving of the discount. Cleaning up my play room, I locked the door and went to stitch some more clothes in the back that had been ordered. As always, my mind wandered to the happy memories of my toys. That feline beastman really was a fun ride. Oh, and the Ogre! Mhm, a wonderful tool indeed.

While lost my pink and fuzzy thoughts, I recalled my old friend, Patrick. I received word recently he was dead. The poor man died in his sleep. My brow wrinkled as I felt it was a pity he wouldn’t bring me anymore nice treats. I did have doubts about the circumstance of his demise but thought it pure baloney that his slave attacked him. I knew better than anyone how effective the contracts were. That handsome young man would have lost his head and his hands before he could even move to do anything. I’d seen it happen so some of my toys. The naughty things. I had to compensate for their death.

My mood dropped at the thought of needing to give away my hard earned gold. Cussing under my breath, I stung myself with the needle. I heard the little bell chime, announcing a customer. Excited at the prospect of having seconds today, I put away my tools and shouted, “Be right out!”

Moving the drapes that concealed my work room, I walked to the counter with a wide smile. It dropped when I saw the person was alone. A tall man was draped in a cloak, concealing his features as he looked around the shelves and clothes. Lifting a brow, I tilted my head, “Anything I can help you with dear?”

I could see some bulges on the man’s back and head but didn’t think much of it. After all, my customers were rarely normal. Without looking my way, the figure spoke, “Yes, miss. I need an enchanted cloak, one that would hide some extremities.” Widening my eyes at the prospect of someone looking for something that expensive, my smile returned almost instantly. Not to mention, the ‘miss’ honorific he referred to me with made me almost melt, “I do hope you can afford it, sir. Spatial enchantments are pricy, despite their effectiveness.” Licking my lips, I let my imagination wander. He sounded very nice, the husky voice was deep and sexy.

He froze but still didn’t look at me, “How about a discount?” he asked with an odd undertone. Too busy with feeding my perverted thoughts, I used my impeccable seduction skills, “Well, I could be convinced to lower the price for the right motivation.” I hinted.

“Oh?” he said and turned my way but the hood was too long for me to see anything but a strong jaw, “Then let’s see the cloak and I just might oblige.” Absolutely delighted, I almost squealed, “Haha, right away.” rushing to the back, I found what he was looking for after some digging. The cloak was simple and gray but had a minor spatial enchantment. Whatever he wanted to hide, he could hide it with this. Proud of my work, I walked out and showed him the merchandise, “This is what you need then.”

The dark hood still obscured his face, giving me a sense of excitement. I felt him look over the cloak with mana before nodding, “Then, do you mind if I try it on somewhere more... private?” I made an O shape with my mouth, I think I finally found the man with the right tastes. Winking happily, I beckoned him over with a finger, leading him to my playroom. As we entered, I sat on my velvety bed and looked at him seductively, “Let’s see how it looks on you then.”

Before he did anything though, I noticed his mana sense pass over the room as if checking for any traps. Chuckling, I leaned back, “Worry not my dear. I run my business with full discretion. The walls are enchanted with a sound dampening spell and the bed is the softest you’ll ever see.” with another wink, I checked him out in anticipation waiting for him to remove his pesky cloak.

Once it came off though, I felt my eyes widen in terror. I recognized him. It was that slave! Screaming for help, I jumped off the bed as quickly as my lame hip would allow and pressed myself into a corner, “You?! How are you alive?! Patrick died and you should have gone down with him!” I shivered in fear as those cold, green eyes glowed without mercy. Turning around, he took the key out of the locked door. He was a lot more handsome than I recalled but the aura promising death dampened any dirty thoughts I would have usually had.

“Hello you filthy nympho hag. I see you’ve gotten careless, letting even strangers into your little playroom. It’s a good thing I kept an eye on this place for a while. I couldn’t have found out about this little sex chamber of yours otherwise.” looking around with clear disgust at the toys I had displayed on the walls and cabinets, he stopped right in front of me.

I didn’t dare speak as he crouched in front of me, those terrifying clawed hands leaning on his knees. He chuckled, “What’s the matter Daisy? Last time, you couldn’t keep your dirty hands off me. Where’d all that spunk go?” he teased maliciously.

Grabbing my puffy hair, I screamed in pain as he straightened me up. The strain on my neck was horrible, making me feel like it would snap any second. Tears welling up in my eyes, I sobbed, “Please let me go. I’m just an old woman.” he laughed at me, “Old woman?” he tugged and the hair was ripped out. The burning of my scalp was intense. I need to activate the defense mechanism! I recalled my fail safe and stared at him fearfully. Glancing at the small cupboard by the table, I tossed my tool kit at the porcelain cat statue. Staring in confusion, he did nothing to stop me and waited to see what would happen.

As soon as it shattered, I smirked hatefully through my tears, “Let’s see you handle this you little shit!” The spell activated, a powerful pressure falling on him within seconds. It was an immobilization enchantment. By now, he shouldn’t been able to move a muscle. He stood there, glaring at me with a small smirk, “You think that bit of weight can hinder me? You really underestimate me hag.” A violet mist seeped out of him, dampening the spells effect. I snorted, “Don’t think your meager amount of mana can protect you.” fully confident in my spell matrix. After all, it was a gift from a good customer, a well-established enchanter. However, my self-assured posture shattered when he moved, “How!?” I squealed, feeling my heartrate become dangerously high.

Sneering at me mockingly, he grabbed my face, squishing it painfully between his claws, “Its high time we end this little charade before someone comes looking for you.” The claws pierced my cheek, entering my mouth and slicing open my lips. Screeching in agony, I grabbed for my face but didn’t have time to full comprehend what he’d done. Grabbing me by the arm, he tossed me on the bed violently, making me bounce off and fall hard on the other side. My hip and arm released a crack, eliciting another whimper from me. I could hear his steps approach and squeezed myself into a small ball.

He kicked me over with his foot, glaring down at me with clear anger, “Bye, bye Daisy.” Those were the last words I heard as he stomped my head flat.

Atkozott POV

Man, was that satisfying. Seeing the bloody pulp that was once a head, I smiled happily. The pressure in the air was intense but thanks to my mana and natural strength, it didn’t affect me much. I’d done some recon on this little shop of profanities, learning some things I would rather have not known. Like this little sex dungeon. But it was the ideal place to get rid of her.

Knowing full well the capabilities of magic, I had locked her store and removed all traces of myself. The mana signature every living creature usually left was meticulously erased. It took a bit of practice on my part but I had more than enough time on my way here to figure out the quirks. I hadn’t really touched anything so it wasn’t that difficult. I only had her corpse to ‘sanitize’ and the key. Taking the cloak she’s shown me, I put it on, storing the old one into my bag. Standing sideways, I saw no sign of my spikes, the cloak swallowing them into the minor spatial enchantment it had. Putting up the hood, I saw it did the same with my horns. Very convenient.

Seeing night was out, I left the store, checking to see if anyone was around. I ignored the register, not wanting to leave it to chance if they could track me somehow through stolen gold. I wasn’t that greedy. Seeing the coast was clear, I locked it and left he ‘closed’ sign up. Clearing the last bits of evidence, I headed to the tavern on the other end of town where Kala was stabled. I left the town that morning along with a small caravan I’d employed myself with. They paid 10 gold per day. We were heading south-west, to a town called Volkal on the edge of the Forest of Amissum.