People rarely adore geniuses, but to avoid hatred, one needs charisma. A lovable villain is preferable to the despised genius.

~Lugh, God of Battle and Craft

“This gods’ damned luck of mine,” Crow muttered fiercely under his breath. Taking a deep breath, he stepped out of line decisively and headed toward the stairs. Regardless of going first or last, there was no avoiding this outcome. Despite that, he inwardly continued to curse his luck. His fervent prayers hoped he’d get drawn later in the day when people left or were no longer paying attention. Instead, everyone in the amphitheater had their eyes on him.

Refusing to get rattled, he took the stairs with the solemnity of a funeral march. He bit back his anger, and before several breaths passed, he stood before Eoghan, one of the two remaining members of the Trinovant clan. Over fifty years ago, this man became a legend as he fought against the beast horde to protect his little brother Mitch. As a result, they survived while the horde took the rest of their clan. Crow had never seen Mitch, but the man was Eoghan’s counterpart on the other side of the portal. He ran the City of Light and the council on the lowest floor of the tower.

Elder Trionvant smiled kindly upon Crow, knowing full this was the favored child of Mugna.

“It’s easiest if you cup your hand over the token because it’ll give you some space to build up the mana before sending it into the token. The rest is up to you and the Mother.”

“I’m pretty sure the Mother has abandoned me,” Crow mumbled.

Eoghan still heard the words and felt a little shocked. He knew it shouldn’t be all that surprising, especially considering Crow’s history. While he kept the surprise to his eyes alone, the admission still shook his soul.

Crow approached the Awen and noticed the three lines that nearly came together to a point. Above the middle line was a small coin-like indention, so he placed his token into it and cupped his hand over it. Inhaling sharply, Crow expelled all the energy in his Source and the air in his lungs.

Lights strobed within the sphere a few times before a weak glow illuminated the area. It was enough to pass, but Crow felt his mind blurring from pain. He couldn’t focus anymore and lost track of where he was and why. All he could feel was the pulse of energy beating within him, and then a raw scream of pain tore out of his throat, bursting blood vessels as it went.

Black flames erupted from the Awen, burning away the blood mist and dwarfing the light. The fire simultaneously lit the area and sucked in all the surrounding light. It was an anomaly worthy of Night Fire. The pulse within the Awen merged with the flames and blasted Crow back, and sent him stumbling across the stage. The moment his hand left the Awen, it went dark once more.

A stunned silence made every little sound seem like a boom, so everyone heard Crow attempt to stand. His knees thunked against the stage twice before he pushed himself up and stood on his wobbly legs.

Eyes shut against the pain, Crow stood before the crowd without seeing them. Blood rolled out of the corner of each eye and stood out starkly against his pale cheeks. Crow’s hand tore at his chest like a claw gripping prey. His ragged breath carried through the entire amphitheater before he vomited black tar-like blood. Following all that were the involuntary whimpers as he tried to gain control of the raging fire within his body.

Most of the older generation had some familiarity with Soul Burn and recognized those dark flames immediately. Only a handful of them had ever tried it as a training method, and they all knew how terrifying that fire was. Eoghan was one of those people, and the fact that Crow was standing left him in awe. Even more impressive was that the boy lit the Awen, something he doubted he’d be able to do if he was in Crow’s position.

“I’m sorry,” Eoghan whispered to Crow as he helped steady him, but his voice was quickly drowned out by laughter.

“I told you that you were trash,” Munro shouted out, laughing louder than the rest. “I didn’t expect you to be a cripple as well.”

“… so much for Maddox’s golden boy…”

“… haha, arrogant fool…”

“… you see that weak light? So pathetic…”

“… go home trash. Why bother…”

After a waterfall of taunts, challenges, mocking, and more, Crow finally opened his eyes. Expecting the vitriol was one thing, but Crow underestimated the depth of the jealousy that ran rampant among them. Most of the younger generation spewed their viciousness, and even his own clan looked away guiltily. The ridicule broke the last of his dignity.

Going from a genius with a talent that hadn’t surfaced in thousands of years to a clown that could barely produce enough mana to light the stone, how could Crow not feel shame? He stumbled toward the stairs on the right of the stage. There was such a commotion that the elder hadn’t even called out another name yet. Crow went forward with as much dignity as he could and claimed his token.

During his single-minded focus, he didn’t see the commotion happening within the crowds.

“This mommy will beat the next person who laughs!” Mara Teonet shouted out. Her voice rang out clearly over the taunts.

Simultaneously, a giant leaped from the amphitheater seating and landed with enough force that those closest to him felt the ground shake. Right beside him was Song Xue, her daggers twirling in her hands.

“COWARDS!” Otto bellowed. His rage fell on the crowd like a tidal wave. “Lack honor.”

The last two words left his mouth with the type of contempt that can only the pure-hearted and simple folk could manage. It just took three words to silence the entire amphitheater once more. For most, it was shame that silenced them, for others, it was anger, and for the majority, they remained quiet to see what would happen next. However, no one stopped Otto from walking over toward Crow, who had arrived at the bottom of the stairs. He handed over his token while his other hand still clasped his chest. The elder handed him a small box without saying anything. It came as a surprise because Crow didn’t think their team had won anything.

Crow’s eyes were still blurry from the pain, and he hadn’t been paying attention to anyone until he heard Mara and Otto both yelling out. Otto ran up to him and held him up. Crow’s head turned to Mara with complicated feelings. The hand upon his chest curled into a fist, and he gave her a slight bow. It was weak, but it was the best he could do in that situation. It did not go unnoticed.

“Stand tall. Otto help,” Otto whispered. The simple words caused Crow’s spine to straighten, and he pulled his hand away from his chest. The pain raged hotter than a forest fire and rippled outward in a manner that was visible to all. Some astute observers shuddered upon seeing it.

Crow and Otto walked toward the stone archway, intending to leave. A clear and mocking voice spoke from beside him.

“Little bird, if you wanted a performance no one would forget, I think you succeeded. Look, the head of the Druid Council is still staring at you and hasn’t drawn another name,” Song Xue chided. Crow remembered seeing her hop down with Otto, but after that, he had no idea how she appeared right beside him—she was a damned ghost.

Unexpectedly, in the current silence, Crow started laughing and subsequently coughed up more blood. She winked at him, and despite the storm that was coming, he realized he had two—no, three friends that would never abandon him.

“Very touching.” Crow turned to see one of the Baird members standing there, a sneer on his face. “A retard, a witch, and a crazy bitch are the only friends you have.”

“Better than picking a fight with a cripple to impress your four girlfriends.” Crow’s voice was hoarse, but it was enough for a good portion of the observers to hear. Song Xue snickered, but Otto scratched his head in confusion. The four men with this Baird boy all were beautiful, with skin and complexion comparable to a woman.

Those who were just ridiculing Crow were now laughing at the five male beauties. The thing the Baird genius hated the most was those that mocked his beauty, and it angered him enough to launch a vicious kick at Crow’s stomach. What he didn’t expect was Otto’s fast reaction speed, and before the leg even reached Crow, the giant’s hand clamped down on it.

Otto’s hips rotated, and he turned in the opposite direction while the hand grasping the leg swung upward. The Baird kid followed the momentum, and his body moved in an arc over Otto’s head before slamming down on the other side. Leaving Otto between him and his allies.

The Baird genius barely had time to register fear before his head crushed the ground. A protective treasure was the only thing that saved him from any serious injury, but it wasn’t over yet. Otto pivoted and swung again, slamming the boy right in front of his friends and then back and forth. It was as if the kid weighed more than a leaf, and after the third or fourth time, everyone was wincing in sympathy.

“Attack Otto. Otto kill,” the giant grunted. Everything happened so quickly that no one had yet reacted.

“No,” Crow croaked, worried that the giant would do as he said. “Don’t kill under Father Oak.”

“Yeah, let me go, you damned oaf. You can’t kill here,” the Baird clansman yelled out, and his high-pitched voice and pretty long hair left people confused about whether he was actually a boy.

Otto controlled the fight from beginning to end.

“Otto leave. Take toy to sun. Then kill,” Otto grinned and slammed his toy onto the ground once more.

“Just break his leg. He’s not worth all that trouble,” Crow’s remaining strength was failing. He felt Song Xue insert some cooling Qi into his body, but it wasn’t enough.

“Y-y-you, no. You kill me. My clan will kill you both.” The Baird screeched in terror and regretted confronting the cripple of the Maddox clan.

“Why? You attack. Otto kill. Law. Crow say break. Break okay. Yeah, Otto break,” Otto said and slammed the guy on the ground once more before walking towards the stone archway once more. The giant laughed loudly, as if enjoying the thought of killing, and everyone shivered. It was impossible to say if the brain-damaged giant would do precisely what he said. After the last incident with Crow, it was unknown if the elders would interfere with the younger generation’s dispute. Unless Otto really dragged him away to kill him, they were afraid to do too much.

Crow observed all this and didn’t move an inch. Otto looked back at him and smiled, and while Crow knew the big guy was intelligent, the amount of cunning he saw in the giant’s eyes just then startled even him. Anticipation crept into Crow’s burning soul.

“Oops, toy-thing slip,” Otto roared, but everyone clearly heard a bone snap. The Baird genius flew toward the crowd, who all stepped aside, not wanting to get hit. The boy hit the ground and tumbled several times. The press of bodies then stepped in, blocking the giant’s path to the boy.

“Gimme!” The giant shouted and ran towards the crowd without slowing down. “Otto’s toy. No touch.”

Before anyone reacted, the Baird boy took off running, so terrified he ignored his broken leg in an effort to get close to his elders. Even Otto’s eyes grew round, witnessing the speed of the boy’s escape. Shocked, he had stopped running toward the crowd and then roared with laughter. Everything went silent, and there was not a single jeer or taunt aimed at Crow. Instead, they all backed away until they heard a woman’s crystalline laughter.

“Mommy likes this kind of play very much! That Baird dog nearly pissed himself. Come back, you dog cultivator, Otto wasn’t done playing!” Mara laughed and shouted at the fleeing boy. “Little brother, your big friend there is outstanding!”

“Little bird, your woman friend is very entertaining.”

At this point, even the entire Baird clan turned red with anger. This outrage was all targeted at Crow, and the other clans were sighing in relief—glad they hadn’t taken their provocation too far. Now they turned eyes filled with pity toward the Baird clan. The sharp words bit deep, but having their clan’s genius tossed around as if he was a toy, that was even harder to swallow.

As entertaining as the entire situation was, Crow turned and left. His body was about to collapse but refused to show it even after swaying a few times. Never once did he lower his head. Shortly after, he could hear them calling out names again, but he was beyond caring.

The entire way back, he grit his teeth, telling himself it was fine. It became a hopeless mantra. It wasn’t fine because eventually, he’d have to repay this debt. Otto, Mara, and Song Xue could only be a deterrent for so long.

News of Crow’s condition, while not a secret before, spread like wildfire. His peers rejoiced in his fall, and the older generations winced at his fate. Every single one of them felt that it would have been more merciful to kill the boy. Yet, they couldn’t help but grudgingly admire Crow’s tenacity.

“Did you miss this mommy?”

Crow nearly fell from whipping his head around. Only Otto’s steadying hand kept him upright.

“Damn your mother, this daddy doesn’t swoon for just anyone,” Crow snapped, falling into an old rhythm and flushed when he saw Song Xue and Otto staring at him. “Where have you been?”

“Clan locked me up,” Mara admitted. “That damned sister of mine ratted me out. Her hate for you is unnatural. You going to introduce me?”

“Oh, right? This is Otto and Song Xue.”

The two girls stared at each other, and a dagger danced through Song Xue’s fingers. Crow would learn how she did that eventually because that little girl could be downright scary. Mara cracked her knuckles with a big smile on her face. He didn’t know what was going on, but the two clearly were up to something.

“Otto… I might need you to—” Crow’s eyes rolled up into his head, and he fell over. Otto grabbed him and carried him back towards the Maddox manor.

Mara turned and walked alongside the big guy. “Is that from the Soul Burn?”

“Like you care. You assisted those that did this to him,” Song Xue snapped.

“I…” Mara didn’t know what to say. “He won’t blame me, but tell him my sister is going to visit tomorrow. It—it won’t be pleasant. Warn him, please.”

Song Xue stared at Mara for several breaths of time. “I will do as you ask.”

Mara nodded and turned to leave.

“He calls out to you sometimes. When the nightmares are at their worst, he screams out to you as if he is watching you die. Blames himself for the pain you suffer. I don’t understand it. But you should know,” Song Xue said and turned to run after Crow.

Mara stood there staring at Crow’s limp body draped across Otto’s arms, and an unbidden tear streamed down her cheek.