Okaay, I was given 3rd rating… the low one… 2stars… that kinda hurt… nope. Not because it is low, but because there was no info why you, dear sir or madam, think I deserve it… if you could just mention what you find annoying in my story I could improve… For the future I ask you all for, while you would be rating, write what you find in need to improvement. That would help me a lot!

Another thing… my break between terms at my University is coming to the end… and from next week I’ll have to start writing my bachelor thesis. Yup – it means that I ll have less time to write a story, still I’ll release about 3 chaps a week (at least). I will also start correcting those already posted.

Kay that all I wanted to say right now. To the story!

I was walking through the forest humming a song and playing with my fire magic. I know, I know! I shouldn’t just play with fire inside of the forest… BUT WHO CARES!? I CAN USE A FIRE MAGIC!

There were just a few discovers about it. It’s not that deadly. Ignition was more to use to set campfire on… or turn on candles. Setting a human on fire was out of question for now. I am just way to weak. Fire bolt at the other hand… could do some damage, but for my greatest disappointment – it deals no exploding damage in contact. Let’s just say how it works:

I can focus mana in my hand. That mana is accelerating the movement of molecules increasing its friction. Then fire appears. It is basing on heat generated from friction, and as fuel it uses my mana… but don’t need oxygen. No idea why. The more mana I pour the bigger and more condenses the fire ball in my hand gets… to a certain point… there is a limit of how much mana I can use for it. After I exceed 20 mana points, the fire began to be unstable – once calm ball start losing its condensation and began to act violently. I just knew, that if I add any more it will explode in my hand. As I throw it, as I have already said – it will not explode. More like upon contact it will catch its target and start burning. Bolt itself has just enough momentum to disturb stance of its target… maybe it will also force him/her to step back a little but no damage from hit itself.

Oh, it’s not like that I can just by my will in any moment make any kind of fire bolt size by will. If I want to make a big one I have to start with the smallest amount and then keep adding more and more mana while staying focused. To charge it to 20 mana it takes up to 10 or so seconds. Not long? Say it again in middle of a battle. Shit, looks like mages are not overpowered.

I can empowered it by one more method – a chant. And it do a looooot more than just pouring mana in it. Ball size rises, mana cost decreases (the same power of 20 mana bolt I can achieve with 10 or so), it improves my control over spell ( I can exceed 20 mana limit), but it takes a way longer. Good if enemy is far, faaaar away. Bad if he s just about to separate your head from rest of the body.

So what will I do? I will play with it as much as I can in order to rise my level!

I was, just now, creating a lighter flame sized fire manifestation on my fingers. On my pointing finger, than I was tuning it off and I was casting it as fast as I could again on another one. Surroundings? I don’t have to be aware of it now! I have my wonderful raven! Every times it spots something he would flew to me, and then he would show it to me! Sooo convenient. From time to time I would get a notification like:

[Your familiar [Raven] has slain an [Forest Green Rat] – 1 exp – 1exp boost]

Exp gained this way is not only boosting my own exp pool, but my summoning mastery too! Who is a good boy? Oh tell me, who is a good boy? Yes, you are, my wonderful birdie!

It was getting late… I sent my glorious familiar to look for some kind of a cave. He came back after an hour. Found nothing. Bad luck – today we will sleep in the forest.

Huh? Am I not afraid of animals? Not at all. Summoned monsters are not normal animals. They feed mostly on mana I use. Once every few weeks I will have to pour it to them to keep them in my realm. Same way they don’t need to sleep. He will keep a watch for a night and if anything bad would come he would wake me up. Easy? Yes, easy.

I set a campfire, basic shelter from branches and leaves, inside it I made a bed from dried leafs, moos and on top of it I put a fur. Now I was munching a rabbit meat while looking at raven.

- I need to name you… any ideas boy? – he stopped scanning our surrounding and look at me with interested gaze…

- What would you say about: “Abelard”? – he start shaking his head on the sides

- Not good huh? Then: Walter? Abraham? Richard? … - I was enumerating names for 10 or so minutes – Abaddon? Charles? Pudding?

SO PICKY BIRD! I looked at him once again. The feathers darker then night, creature so elegant that it looked like he is in some kind of smart suit… butler like… no no no! I know the story about the devil with black-raven feather playing a butler role… don’t tell me…

- Then… S…Sebastian? - I don’t believe I want to name my familiar Sebastian… that will not work. I can already see him shakin… he nodded? He just nodded, did he?

Ding [name for familiar was chosen. The [Raven] is named now [Sebastian]]

No. Fucking. Way.

- Okay it will be funny if you would be some devil in disguise, that after leveling a bit would take butler role, would it?

He looked at me with fearful gaze, like all his secrets was just revealed… His beak was opened like some child whom some shocking truth was told… like: SANTA DO NOT EXSIST!... OH! Sorry everyone who was believing in Santa! I didn’t mean to! I am sorry! Please forget about this part!

But that raven… no. it must have been only my imagination. It’s a normal wonderful raven and period!

- Good night Sebastian. – I said while laying on my self-made bed leaving shocked bird alone in the dark.

Pov change

Bahoru was left speechless. In about 6 hours from his summoning this little boy just pointed out his existence… how wonderful was this boy perception!? Or was it but a lucky guess? No! not possible! He has just said: “devil butler” HE IS A DEVIL BUTLER! Did he failed? HE?! ONE OF THE GREATES SERVANTS OF MISTRESS OF DARKNESS?! HE – ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL OF THE PANDEMONIUM!?

He sensed a presence

[Black Killer Warg Elite Boss – level 41]

You little maggot… you came just in time for me to de-stress myself… He flew and rushed at horse size muscular beast and killed it in one go

[Your familiar [Sebastian] has slain a [Black Killer Warg Elite Boss] – 712 exp – 712 exp boost]

He looked hatefully at notification, and it changed instantly

[Your familiar [Sebastian] has slain a [Forest Green Rat] – 1 exp – 1 exp boost]

This will be a looong night.

Pov re-change

I woke up and first thing I saw was enormous amount of notifications:

[Your familiar [Sebastian] has slain a [Forest Green Rat] – 1 exp – 1 exp boost]

[Your familiar [Sebastian] has slain a [Forest Green Rat] – 1 exp – 1 exp boost]

[Your familiar [Sebastian] has slain a [Forest Green Rat] – 1 exp – 1 exp boost]

[Your familiar [Sebastian] has slain a [Forest Green Rat] – 1 exp – 1 exp boost]

And so on. There were about 40 of those…

- Aw my lovely little Sebastian worked hard in the night, is it true? – I said while I was searching for some black bird… instead I found a red one… take a closer look..

- Sebastian…is that.. a blood? Really? You are completely covered in blood! From tip till bottom! You have to be more careful while hunting you silly! Eh, can you please find some kind of lake? Or river? Or some other kind of water where I could re-fill my goatskin?

Aww, he is sweet. I couldn’t finish my sentence and he already flew in order to finish his task. He is more and more like butler.

I was putting campfire embers down… with magic. Aha, the Fire magic allows me to do that too… it is pain in the ass thought. Hell’a annoying. Creating a fire? Piece of cake – trying to control already existing one? Nope.

Sebastian returned just as I was finishing my practice. He found some lake… you are still bloody… you really like being covered in blood? You small psycho… okay. I ll have a surprise for you then.

We headed to the small lake Sebastian has founded. And as I filled my goatskin and drink from it, I grabbed raven and put it… him, he has a name now, let’s pay our respect to him as if he is a person… to the lake. Oh boy, you don’t like it?

Pov change:

I AM A MIGHTY DEVIL FOR ALL CRAETIONS! I AM FEASTING UPON BODIES OF MY ENEMIES! I BRING DESPAIR! I AM A FIRE! I AM DEATH! YOU DO NOT WASH A FIRE AND DEATH IN A LAKE!!! I HAVE MY PRIDE!

Ghhh, if all other devils would see me now… ME! The one who lead armies of darkens in first day of clash of light and dark! ME! The Harbinger of Agony! The grant General of Wastelands! ME! The… oh its soo nice… he is so gentle… scrub a bit higher… aww yissss… put more strength now… what the fuck am I doing? I am done… I can’t call myself a devil ever again… forgive me my lady… oh crap.. now it’s perfect…. Under a wing… oh.. pure delights… I failed everything… but it’s… I will allow it.. yes! It’s done with my willingness! If I want it there is nothing wrong! I will allow it… for now… if it is this boy… I think I can allow it… a little… from time to time…

Pov change

- See? You are now clean and shiny again! – in the middle of wash Sebastian gave up and allows me to clean him… Haha! I bet than if he would be some kind of cat he would be purring! Such a cutie you are…

- We will go now… you can wait on my shoulder until you get dry… is it ok with you? – he jumped on my shoulder… did I say you are cute? I probably did… aww my little birdie, an omen of death and devastation who flies behind armies to eat corpses of fallen… How can you not love him?

And once again, humming, fire playing and more humming. We were getting closer. In the end of the day we should get to the village. How will they react if they would know I am a witch? Or a mage at all? I have NO idea where I am heading right now. Then, I will just walk there, and ask them if they know location of any magicians… if they do like magicians I will tell them I want to study, if they don’t I will play a scene – I will tell then I am a witch hunter, and if they are hiding any they will burn on stakes too… hehe then I will leave this country as soon as possible.

FUCK! What if witch hunters from church has some special uniforms… ah, screw this. We will just burn whole village if things will went wrong… hehehe…hahaha.HAHAHAHAHA! cought cought… easy me.. I am still not powerful enough to… I mean… HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND? Who on earth want to burn villages? (the fact that we are no longer on the Earth shall remain silent).

The sun was slowly going down as I finally step out from this damned forest.

There was a village… about a kilometer away… hehe. Haha. AHAHAHAHA.

Something pulled my sleeve… I turned back almost throwing a fire bolt. There was little girl… green hair, green eyes, a bit childish-chubby face that only gave her more charm.

- A..a…ano… big brother… w..w..would you maybe come back here from time to time, please?

What… I don’t know her… not at all, yet she is behaving as we were almost siblings…

- And you are…

- A..Ano! I am sorry! I didn’t introduce myself! I am no shameless! – aaand now she was sobbing. I have just made a little girl cry. Good job me.

- I am Aira – she said with teary face – I am a deity of this forest… I was taking care of you until now…

Great. Another deity… Do I have some kind of note within my soul, like: deity friendly individual!, or free cuddles with deities?

- I…I am always so lonely… not many are coming to this forest… it was fun looking at you… as you hunted… as you were practicing.. as you were washing… - kay’ two things: 1. That was extremely creepy 2. She just looked like as she has just notices what she has said.. – t..t..t..that was not what I mean! i.i..i. it’s not like I am watching you taking bath in those lakes! Not at all!

- Do I have a mole on my back?

- No you don… - and here we go again – NO! IT’S NOT LIKE THAT! – aw, even as she is creepy she is a bit sweet too… as long as she won’t turn into some kind of yandere… ya know: “ I saw you talking with that woman for a whole minute”, “she was but a waitress, I was ordering a meal”, “oh, crap, ya see… she has an accident, she fell on knife… like 17 times…”. We don’t wanna those kind of actions!

- Please! Don’t hate me! - … she really is crying… but honestly… what kind of god would throw her to such desolated area? She clearly is a talkative person! More like goddess of gossip, no goddess of dreadful forest filled with everything that want to kill you… and bunnies… bunnies were okay.

- So that “tear of goddess” was from you? – I asked, kneeling and putting my hand over her head and patting her a little… we don’t wanna some a bit crazy deity to target us, don’t we? Oh something I just noticed. There were gods and goddess, and they seem to have deities as helpers, but as gods themselves don’t intervene in life of mortals, deities do, and it looks like common people call deities a gods… it’s fucked up.

- A..aha…

- Heh, you saved my life then, thank you – I said putting as warm smile as I could on my face.

- Thehe – aw, and now she is all in cheers. What a easy-spirit you are. You are sad – you cry, you are happy – you smile. So pure little one…

- Probably I will be back someday, in the end I have made some friends here, but I need to get stronger, I don’t want to be eaten by that gryphon.

- Oh, no! she is actually pretty nice… she just like to play while eating… there are few others that you should be afraid off… - great. That is what I just needed to know. Boss like monster – a gryphon is but a small fry there… once more.. how did I survive there?

- I need to go now… Will you be ok? – how can she be not okay? She is a damned manager of this place..

- Thehe! Fear not! I will be alright big brother! I will be waiting for you to get back! Yeey! – and while “yeeying” she ran back to the forest… creepy. Sweet, but creepy.

Okay focus on most important things! Stay focus! Find a mage!... not a strict one, not associated with mage institutions, then get stronger! Then… oh is it an inn? To they have a pork there? Yeeey!

But first. Moneys. I headed to the building with signboard on which was painted bow and arrows, the shops for hunters? Will do!

- We are almost closing – what a grumpy old fat man… where you even a hunter before? You couldn’t even sneak to deaf, blind and completely drunk workman!

- I would like to buy a skins – no, there is no mistake there. That was exactly what I have said

- Depending on quality and animals prices are different. What do you want?

- A Brown Horned Rabbits and Lone Shade Wolfs

- Those are pretty pricey - got ya! – for those are living only in dreadful forest and coming out rarely, even bad quality one are worth small fortune – you are digging your own grave old man thehe

- Okay so how much?

- That would be from 50 coppers to 2 silvers for rabbits, and for wolfs that would be from 3 silver to 10

- Huh… Actually… I want to sell them –aaand his face turned even uglier

- But… then why did you say you want to buy?

- I am new here and don’t know prices. Didn’t want you to rip me off, you know? – oh if you could see face…

- Actually..

- But I have found such a wonderful merchant! Who didn’t even flinched while saying a price! You must be one of those honest one! So rarely to see your kind in these times! – oh boy, I took a magician class? Not an actor? He was completely at lost!

I have putted all my skins on counter. There were 9 bunnies skins and 2 wolf I hunted, and 10 more of those I got from goblins bunnies skin, waaay better quality. Classis 100 copper = 1 silver, 100 silver = 1 gold. My loot was worth 24 silver and 75 copper, but I was given 21 silver. Why? The merchant said that he need to re sell it with profit. I didn’t argue. I got still more than it was probably worth. That man looked like a scammer. Scamming a scammer is not a bad thing!

As I wanted to grab coins, they disappeared.

Ding [New function of [Ring of life eater] was found.

Space Purse – allows you to store any amount of coins and gems and summon them by will.

Moneys and gems in your Space purse cannot be stolen.

Current stored goods : 21 silver coins]

It is… useful…

The merchant didn’t seem to notice it as he was lamenting over moneys he lost. One more thing. I have no idea, if 21 silvers are worth much… Well… we will check it soon!

I walked away from the store and headed to the inn. It was loudly inside. Lots of villagers were sitting inside eating and drinking and cheering and… doing all the stuff you usually do in the inn you know? They didn’t noticed me. Not from the start. I walked to waitress in the maid uniform, she was standing with backs turned to me cleaning some table. She heard me approaching and without even looking at me she said with cheered voice, she seem to enjoy her job.

- What do you want here? We have everything all inns should have! A good hot meals, a nice drinks that will help you relax after hard day, and warm bed where you can sleep. One meal cost 2 copper, a room renting cost 5 copper. If you want, you can buy a packet containing 3 meals and night for 10 copper!

- For now I want just a meal. And maybe some gossip? I am a traveler and was in wildness for a long time, any recent news?

- Sure! Just take a sit wherever you please! I will soon bring you… - and she turned to be. Aaaand she almost drop everything she was holding… why? Is it my hair outstanding? Or eyes? Or robe? Or Sebastian on my arm? Probably all of them.

I sat at nearest table. Somehow the situation in the inn turned by 180 degree. It was almost completely silent. Some whispers. I appraised them, you know, it’s better to know who can be a threat to you. Nothing outstanding. Some 2-6 levels, and no class nor job that would be very dangerous. Some lumberjacks, some hunters, and a lot of farmers, fishermens and so on.

The waitress came to me holding my order. She was trembling… why for fuck sake?! I am not some kind of murderer. As she was putting it in front of me, I asked:

- Can I ask what I am going to eat? – I really was curious about it, some diversity in diet is important

- I..it’s a ragout of Horned Rabbit with potatoes stewed with own sauce… They were spotted near the village, i..it’s rare for them to appear so we are almost off of it…

Great 2 weeks of eating bunnies… here I come and get what? A bunny! But! Don’t look like some fussy asshole. If a young lady says you, that they are rare and good, it means that they are rare and good. Smile! Oh crap… I have bandana and robe’s hood on myself…that’s probably why I look like some kind of murderer… I took it off.. bandana was now laying around my neck… it was still considered as equipped so appraisals would be less effective.

- I have another question… do you know about location of any magicians somewhere around?

Fuck. Great. Most of them raised from their chairs and surrounded me. Eaaasy… Eaaasy me.

- W… What do you want from old Hanna? – oho, we have one here.

- Jenny! No stranger! We have none, we know none. Now get back to your country, you dog of the church! – YEY! Not only they do like magicians, they don’t like guyz who don’t like magicians too!

- I am not bounded in any way with any church… - and they didn’t let me end…

- LIES! If you truly are not one of witch hunters proof it!

Great. Back on earth there was a witch hunting. Here those are too, but witch hunter hunting seem to be here too. Oh irony

I set a fire on my finger. Oh crap. Really? Mages are that scary?

Wait. I just noticed. The waitress is named Jenny. The magician here is named Hannah… aaand I have name like some cursed sword… really?

- F..forgive us our impudence please! – the waitress said. holy crap. Mages really have nice position here… or maybe because they think I am from magic academy… crap… better not tell anyone I am wild mage…

- So where can I find her? I do really need to ask her about opinion… - they seem to like my story. Seem like they are proud of her so let’s give them an impression like I am impressed by her. They have told me everything. Such a nice fellows. Oh! Hannah is a witch! Jackpot. I finished my meal. Paid, thought they didn’t want me to. And headed to the hut at the end of the village.

I knocked to the door. Soon they were opened by a young girl with red hair reaching her shoulder.

Pov change

I need to hurry. It has been 3 days since mana disorder in the forest. I knew what it was. I hoped it would never happened again. I am old. Mages has theirs ways so keep themselves alive way longer than most humans. Because of my age I remember many things I did while I was young. Things I am not proud off.

200 years ago there was a war between humans and demons. They surpassed us almost in everything but number. They warriors, they war beasts. The power of their mages and the number of them. It’s pretty rare for human to be a mage. About 1 of 10 000 can be mage, and for every mage about 1 of every 10 000 was a male magician. Some are born with affinity to magic, some can achieve it by years of meditation. And we were despaired so we did something that we should never do. We tried to make an artificial mage. A super-mage-warrior. It was a catastrophe. Women couldn’t be putted to process of forceful opening mana veins. They just died on spot. Males on the other hand… oh no, it was still no success. We took 10 000 males – a thieves, murderers, and so on… in 2 years of researched and tortures of those poor beings, we manage to forcefully create 10 mages. 7 went in coma right away and soon died. 2 went completely mad – they were screaming, seeing things that were never there and throwing spells on right and left. And 1 who was a success… and went on rampage. Oh, he was completely sane. He just abused his power. He was known as warlock Darrion. He was gaining power in insane speed and bring despair and sufferings to both human and demons.

That was the only good thing that occurred because of him. Humans and demons sign a non-aggression pact. The warlock was hunted down. We never know how many died while fighting with him.

There were few things that occurred while somebody was forcefully awoken… after process was successful, the body of those poor souls was emitting a powerful force – the unstable mana that was created during the process. That was exactly what I felt.

There was one more thing. Because of stress they hairs were always turning white.

I prepared everything for me to take my leave. I have said everything I needed to Ruby, my apprentice, for she will be in order of treating villagers for next few weeks. I need to say about it to the arch mage. He was there too. He need to..

There was a knocking to the door. Ruby opened it. My heart stopped. There was a young boy in some mage robe, beautiful double colored eyes, but those were an eyes of fighter, eyes of hunter. He has aura of someone who was fighting with powerful opponents, who was forced to be in many fight and came out victorious.

And he had a white hair. There is no mistakes. He has the same air around him as warlock!

If my heart stopped beating while he entered the room, then when he turn his gaze from Ruby and looked at me, and said those terrifying words my whole soul went numb:

- Hello Hanna – it was calm voice, to calm. Voice of murderer – I was looking for you.