Lord Joyde The Madman: Heylo, everybody! How are you all doing?

Bruh.

Only two days and an update?!

WTF.

Don't mind me guys and girls! I'm just a line break...

A few minutes later... - Raiding Party - Alice's Point Of View...

"Casper!!!!!!!!" I exclaimed at the top of my lungs as I ran over to said gang boss, eliciting a sickened grunt from many of his friends."Ah, Alic-ah, should I still call you that? Anyways, where your halberd?"

The man in question asked me with a beaming smile as I came closer to him, only to pummel into his abdomen with a fist empowered by golden light."Greater Exorcism!"

"Wh-UUUUUUARGFH!" He screeched in pain, his eyes going into panic as they widened, yet his troops didn't dare even react to my supposed aggression."Ugh... what was that f-..light magic. Oh."

He blinked a few times before quickly recovering from my blow, causing me to quirk an eyebrow at the man. Something which he caught strangely easily."Hah! You know how many priestesses I tried to bang in my life, Alice? Those girls may be damn fine, but they'll exorcise ya real quick unless yer careful!" An explanation for his rather quick recovery.

Tilting my head for the briefest moment, I replied with a sigh."You know what, that makes perfect sense. Most men would quit after one exorcism, though."

"You kiddin'? The shock is part of the fun!" Someone from the crowd replied, but I could see who as both Casper and I turned our heads towards the other thugs."What he said. Anyways, guess this was for callin' you a demon, eh?"

A nod was his answer as he pointed towards a weathered caravan cart and leaped inside. His minions followed suit, each boarding their own carts... there were fifteen carts in total, but only six of them were loaded with people."We attacking a town or something?"

Casper offered me a bloodthirsty smile."Hah! I wish, but no... our target today wont be any easier though. We're raiding an excavation camp. A royal, excavation camp that is."

"Oh?" My questioning gaze made his smile even brighter, if that is a word that could, or perhaps should, be used to describe that sickening smile."Yeah, one of the royals from the Kingdom of Greater Yoryn is apparently a bookworm or some crap like that, wastes a lot of his time digging out ruins and pillaging ancient crypts... this is one of them."

A simmilar expression etched itself into my own face as I replied."And rumours say that they finished whatever they were doing there yesterday, which means that today was a day for celebration which in turn means that all the guards, workmen and others alike are all either dead drunk or passed out cold."

Casper grinned savagely towards me, my assessment causing the faces of his thugs to turn to shock and awe. Then the turned around to face them."See?! I told you this little lady has talent!"

"Still not sure how she's gonna fight, though." One of the women in the cart up front of us, there was only two us in this cart by the way, three if you counted the coach, spoke with disdain in her voice. She appeared to be wearing very light dark-brown leather armor, cured and perfect for stealth. Upon her lithe waist were two elegant daggers which gleamed in the dark, against the moons light."A dark elf?" Her ears twitched through her blackened cowl.

"Huh!? How the fuck did you-" She began to rise from her seat as Casper pointed his gold-carved pistol towards her head."Sit. The fuck. Down." She complied without a second thought, promptly breaking whatever illusion spell was masking her true appearance.

"Sorry, but I'm kinda famous for being able to see through illusions." I apologized to the woman, realizing that the only reason why she even cast the spell was most likely because of me. You see, dark elves are hated by most humans, who see them as no better than monsters and demons.

True enough, quite a few of them act as servants of evil, but not all of them do. Then again, this woman is a bandit so she isn't exactly much better."I see." She turned her head back without another word as Casper sheathed his firearm."Anyways Alice, would you mind explaining exactly what you are since you arent a demon or whatever?"

Casper asked me in a tone of pure curiosity, which I replied to with a shrug."As you said, I'm not a demon. I just managed to get two sentient artifacts bound to myself..."

"Oh?" He urged me to go on and I did with a deep sigh as I rose my hands, revealing my black gauntlets."The first one you might recognize. This is Luctus, my family artefact."

"Bullshit. Luctus is a hal-oh. Sentient artefact. I get it. Anyways, the other one?" His face twisted from utter disbelief to shocking realization, eliciting a small laugh from me as I pointed towards the ring on my left hand."Its this ring but... I honestly have no idea what the hell it is or how it does what it does. What I do know is that its basically given me super strength. I got it from my mothers treasury, if you can even call an attic a treasury anyways... I originally thought it was some kinda daemon ring since I can't remove it from my finger but it seems to radiate holy energy so.."

"Basically, you have no fucking idea what or why it is." A stout conclusion indeed. I merely nodded towards Casper in reply.

He nodded right back before continuing this little interrogation."So, considering that you ain't a demon... why'd you agree to come?"

A shrug was his answer."Honestly? I was bored." My gauntlets shivered for some reason as I turned to look at Luctus. The weapon appeared to be telling me something."And I guess Luctus was getting pretty hungry."

Scales shifted and cloth shivered, almost as if the weapon was grunting in approval as I turned my head back towards Casper, who was staring at Luctus."Well, that ain't fucking creepy at all."

"Hhahahah!" I let out a cheery laugh before asking."Anyways, can you tell me more about this excavation camp that were going to hit? What exactly were they digging there?"

To my surprise, Casper took out a map of the province, the area around the city of Sorcirerre. He pointed towards a location marked by a giant red X, which I felt was ironic for some reason but ignored the feeling."See the X? Its mark is an old, abandoned mine."

"Coldsparrow Dredge?" Quirking an eyebrow towards Casper, I urged him to continue."Right. Its an ancient place, once used by whatever Lord was in control of the area before he was forced to cede the land for the contruction of Sorcierre, but thats not important. Y'see, one of our rival bandit gangs recently visited the place and re-opened the mine, in a way. They dug deep and eventually struck something that looked like carved stone."

"They found a ruin?!" My exclamation made Casper put a finger on his lips, effectively shutting me up."Yeah, but not just any kinda ruin... the place was actually a remnant of the Ignave Profugo!"

My eyes went wide in shock and awe. Ignave Profugo... that name belongs to a very specific group of people. Namely, it belongs to the original humans. The first humans who came into this world and named it Encore.

You see, us humans are said to have originated from a number of humans who arrived here from another world, where their title came from. The *Ignave Profugo* apparently means Exiled Cowards in whatever ancient tongue our ancestors originally used. Nowadays, nothing remains of their great legacy...

They came here in an attempt to save themselves, running away from an apparently dying world and rushing into this one in hopes of survival as the remainder of their race was left behind. Yet, much to their dismay, this world was also in grave danger, as the demons made their first attempt on world domination during that time and the other races were caught unaware. Otherworlders or not, the demons did not desire to share this world with the ancient humans and saw them as just another target for their Great Purge... but the Ignave Profugo were far from easy prey. The world our race originates from was far more advanced, far more powerful than anything our world had back then or has even today.

The Ignave Profugo wielded incredible weaponry which shot the light itself out of them, capable of incinerating even the flesh of the infernal demonkind with ease. This is where the cocept of our firearms came from... sadly, the firearms of today are not even worth mentioning in comparison to a weapon which can end the life of a Demon King in a single, well-placed shot through the head.

Sadly, or perhaps fortunately if you were to ask the other races, the first humans were few in number and the war against demonkind made that number even smaller. It also took away the time they had to teach their ways to their children, leaving them in the hands of other races and cultures alike. Eventually, the war was won, but not a single first human remained capable of passing on their great legacy to their descendants, who were born within this world of Encore, making their original planet, whose name nobody remembers, their culture and knowledge fade away into the echoes of the past.

Decades passed and the children of the Ignave Profugo banded together to form the first human kingdom, intent on collecting and mastering their incredible ancestral legacy. Naturally, the other races saw this as a direct threat, as the second and current humans would become no better than the demons, seeking to secure this world for their own race and exterminate everyone else.

This resulted in a good thousand years of war and endless, senseless strife before the world finally began to cool down and a degree of normalcy managed to return to it.

This was all five thousand years ago.

Which brings us all to here and now. While we aren't exactly the direct equals or superiors to the demons as our ancestors were, we are supposedly the most populous of all the races of Encore which is a feat all in of itself."Alice?" Casper's hushed whisper shook me back into reality.

"W-wh..." I quickly turned my head upwards and my neck with it, causing it to give out several cracks and making me quickly place a hand onto the back of my neck."U-oogh... bloody hell, how long was I-?!"

"Shhh... you fell into some trance and I didn't feel like waking you up from it 'till now. Anyways, were here so do some stretches while me and the boys set up camp." Casper explained to me silently and efficiently, eliciting a nod from me as an answer as I did exactly what he told me to.

Do some stretches.

Which resulted in a boatload more cracking sounds.

My bones... the sickening echo of your torment makes me think that this should hurt.

Thing is, cracking my bones always made me feel so much better, much to the dismay of those around me, that is...

A few minutes later...

We approached the excavation camp, which had a rather tall two meter wooden wall all around it, a remainder of the previously rich mining village most likely. The wood was withered and damp, ready to fall apart at even the slightest touch."Ely, Skave, take care of the guards and open the gates." Casper spoke in hushed whispers towards the dark elf woman I met before and some other thug I didn't yet know of.

The duo nodded towards Casper and towards each other as the man leaped to the left wooden guard tower and the woman to the right. This kinda coordination..."Theres something going on between those two, isn't there." I muttered out before I could stop myself, much to the approval of the people around me as Casper nodded."Ya, you think so too, right? We all do, but they just deny everything for whatever reason."

So even Casper ships them? Who would've though he was that kinda guy.

Actually, I take it back. As a womanizer and romantic, this is exactly the kinda thing he would do.

Anyways, the duo used a common spell named blink, to teleport right behind the two sleeping guards and slit their throats in perfect synch, promptly solidifying my ship of them as the guards corpses hit the wooden floor. Within seconds, the doors were open and the way inside with them.

Without making a sound, the gang of thirty-two people, myself and Casper included, made their way to the front of the camp. Perfectly round soldier tents, bearing the multicolored flag and emblems of the Kingdom Of Greater Yoryn littered the otherwise flat landscape, yet the mine or ruin entrance was nowhere in view. There was also a blazing bonfire in the middle of the excavation camp, with a multitude of rising plumes of smoke revealing that there were more such fires spread throughout the camp.

Casper motioned for everyone to listen with a click of his tongue."Alright everyone, listen up! We spread out, kill as many of these blue-blood fuckers as we can, ah no offense Alice, and once someone inevitably triggers the alarm, re-group at that bonfire over there, capiche?"

"Yes, sir!" The gang exclaimed and each member either formed a small group or went their own way. It was smarter to go alone in this case, but safer to be in a group. Casper fucked off in his own direction before I could make him stay with me.

Oh well.

More for me, I guess.

First, I went to the rightside of the encampment, managing to find myself in the midst of two tents with a lone guard sleeping merrily on the job... while somehow still standing upwards, leaning into his freshly-sharpened pike with one hand while holding an empty mug of beer in the other, the remainder of the acohol still dripping on the floor. I snorted at the scene as I approached the guard from behind, ensuring that I don't step on the tent as I did so.

A single look thrown towards my gauntlets caused Luctus to eagerly form elongated, sharp fingernails on my right gauntlet. My instincts forced my head to turn back towards the guard as a brief flash of imagery went through my head. Within the merest of moments, I leaped onto the guards back.

"M-auhuu-ghaa*gurgle*." Before I even realized what was happening, my left hand grasped the mans mouth shut, preventing any loud sounds from escaping him as my right hand tore the flesh out of his neck, spine and all. The blood which spurted forth changed direction mid-air, flowing into my own veins and feeding into my gauntlets.

After the sheer euphoria passed, I found myself standing on top of a pile of ashes, nothing remaining of the man I had just devoured alive. A grin plastered itself onto my frame as I quickly took away the guards clothing and left behind the dust and ashes as I looted what little coin the man had on him.

Hmm, my demon purse could prove to be very useful in this situation, couldn't it."Ah, I got some ash on my clothes." Quickly wiping away the stain from my charred-black shirt and pants, I steeled myself and continued my hunt.

I was currently wearing my own little stealth suit... well honestly, it was little more than a set of silken, black clothes etched with simple, equally black-colored runes. Black pants, shirt, shoes and my newly-gained gantlets were what currently adorned my body. A simple ... perhaps very paranoid idea which I had some time ago though this isn't what I had in mind when I ordered the suit.

You see, since I already figured that I was going to be stalked by all sorts of bad people wishing to hurt me in a multitude of ways, I ordered Yvain to get me a suit of matching, prefferably dark clothing which I could use to possibly escape my would-be hunters. The good man also had them echanted with Ignorance Runes, which drained some of my mana passively in order to keep the enemy's attention away from me, thus allowing even my untrained self to be decent at stealth.

Granted, its not like they made me invisible or anything, but they seemed to be working out fine for me.

As I finished removing the ashes and dust from my clothes, I decided to enter the tent on my left to find two naked people inside. A man and a woman, a soldier and an archeologist it seemed. Aww, love at first sight. How cute.

Their silent screams were just the best as I leaped into the air, crushing both of their skulls with my feet."Eww, brain stuff. Icky." Cleaning myself off once again as their bodies thankfully turned unto dust, I looted the tent of what little they had.

A duet of garnet, silver neckales which would be worth more if I took them apart and sold the parts than as one whole. A bit of silver and copper coins, but no gold sadly. The woman also had a ruby ring... a memento of another lover, perhaps?

Or maybe they were already married?

Neither of them had a wedding ring, though. Which was strange in itself. Maybe I just killed a duo of cheaters? Perhaps the woman was cheating on her husband, spending some time away from her family. Her hips were rather wide, truth be told. Ah, I killed a mother.

The realization had me paralyzed for a very, uncomfortably brief moment as I shook my head out of my stupor. Who the hell cares. Whatever kids mom I just killed is better off without her!

... bloody murderous witches...

... why did mom have to try to kill me?...

... was I really that worthless to her?...

I shook my head again and finished looting the place, wiping away the tears in my eyes and steeling my heart for the days and nights to come.

I am here for you, child. I will always, be here for you.

The voiceless, toneless echo of Chaos thundered inside of my mind... yet, there was no pain. Only pure comfort and relief.

I felt my heart cool as its presence washed over my body and soul, healing wounds I did not even know were there.

A deep breath was released in continuous relief."Thank you, Chaos..."

Don't mind me guys and girls! I'm just a line break...

AHH THE CLIFF, IT BUUURNS!

XD, at least I hope it does.

BURN MOTHERFUCKERS, BUUUURN!

MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAA!

Anyways, read and review! And Good Morning/Day/Night to you all! ADIOS FOR NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!