The guild was in a mess. Adventurers were in a really hard mood due to recent events. Previous night lots of them got hired by the city’s militia to aid them to “push attackers away”; at first, they were eager, then, they noticed who they were fighting with.

Beastmen – protecting women and children as they were fleeing the city. Some of the best men that put up a fight were starved, exhausted or wounded. The only pure spirit was keeping them standing, the burning passion in their eyes – the passion of people that were ready to die just to buy few additional minutes.

Adventurers were known for their love of freedom – they themselves wished to have no connection to a single country, they often wished to travel and see a world (and getting from one kingdom to another wasn’t really an easy task – because of politics and such); you pretty much couldn’t just travel unless you were a part of some guild.

And here they were forced to fight and kill people yearning for the same freedom they had.

As soon as we entered the building, we were greeted by silence and empty gazes.

“Fuck. I feel so dirty…” one of them would say quietly “… they killed people thought…” “Slave traders are not people. They are animals. Beasts. If I would meet them again I would personally thank each of them for carrying these trashes out of the city… Fuck. FUCK!”

We have quickly located Blanka and Lanele, normally, they would start with the question “how was the date” or something similar, this time, they were both sitting in the corner of the inn gazing with lifeless eyes outside the window, into dark nothingness.

We sat beside them

“Z-Zari, I don’t know how to say it, but Kim… Is missing.” Priestess said shyly once she noticed us approaching “Missing? No. Gone? Yes. This little fucker started quite a mess. I came just to inform you I am about to clean it, and that I will be gone myself for day or two.” “What do you mean?” “Didn’t you heard that slaves got some monster of their side?” “We did but we thought… You mean that Kim was that beast?” “Seems so. I didn’t want to keep him on a leash, let him know the life on his own, but apparently Resistance found them and managed to indoctrinated… And I fucking told him not to take candies from the strangers… Kids these days…” “Don’t joke about it! It’s serious!” Blanka got up from her seat, almost flipping the table. “You don’t say? Maybe you didn’t notice, but Kim is me. Literally.” “… I… I am sorry. Giselle and Lanele told me that you deal with the stress with poor jokes. I didn’t even consider how hard it was for you… I am sorry.” She bowed her head “Yeah, exa… Wait?! What do you mean POOR jokes?! Since when are my jokes poor?” “Since always.” Three girls responded with unison “Pff. I am just a man living in the wrong epoch. My genius will be understood!... Eventually.” “Yes, yes. But, more important is, what are we going to do about it…” “We? Nothing. I? Everything. He is my mistake. And my responsibility. First, I will have a long conversation with him, then… I will decide. But I can’t just let my genotype run freely in amok waiting to be captured by some evil mage that would turn him into a weapon of mass extinction.” “No, Zariel…” elf said with strong resolve in her eyes “… we are a team, it’s more than normal that we will help you!” “Not. This. Time.”

There was no discussion. Not this time.

“Sorry, girls…” Giselle aided me “… this time only me and Zari will…” “Gis. You stay too.” “WHAAAA?!” “Don’t me here, instead I would have bit different favor to ask. I am more than sure that merchants that lost their cargo and friends would let that little revolt go unpunished. They would most likely gather mercenaries and try getting their merchandise back. I need you to: one – find out who wants those slaves back in the chain, two – delay them as much as possible. Also – it is quite possible that local authorities will be partaking with it – a squad of city guard or somebody else. They will try calling it or something like that. I told them that they are expected to leave everything to me, but there is no way they would listen to me… Will you do this for me?” “Gathering such Intel will be less than easy…”Blanka said after a moment of silence “… I could even let myself be hired, then I could sabotage them from within, delay the match out and even then slow them on the path. You know, carts have a tendency to get their wheels broken…”

I bowed with gratitude.

“Once Blanka would tell me who is responsible for it, I could ask for a little meeting; if they are nobles or merchants they won’t say no to the next high priestess of Elves… So, as they would be occupied with my gracious presence…” Lana throw a glance at dragoness “I would walk to the militia barracks and start havoc!” “GISELLE NO!” “GISELLE – YES! Seriously, I know the Capitan, years ago he said that if I would be in the city again, he wants to drink with me. He won’t say no if I come with a bottle or two… And then once we would drink a little we could start a small competition, you know, arm wrestling and such. And I could accidentally break a table or two… I tend to be a little wild when I get myself drunk… ha-ha…”

She put a hand behind her head laughing awkwardly

“Great plan, but tell me Gis, where do you intend to get booze from?” I asked with suspicion “Very nice that you asked because this question leads exactly to you!” “… I could have figure out this much…” I sighed exhausted. Of course that my love will help me, but only if she would have her own share of fun. Looks like I am about to found her another day or two of drinking. “Soooo?” She asked still waiting for my final answer. “I will get you a crate of vodka.” I agreed “Three!” she yelled “WHAT?!” “We won’t be drinking alone! He has underling too, you know!?” “Only if you would promise that you WON’T behave.” “Me? Behave?! Tfu!” “Good girl.” I messed her hair

I got up from my seat and moved toward the room I booked together with Giselle. I had to prepare myself.

“You want to leave already?! Maybe it would be better to wait till morning?” war dancress suggested “Time is our enemy, so I have to hurry.” “Zari!” Giselle called me one last time “Yes?” “… I wish you good hunts, love.”

Somehow, her voice was full of sadness. I just responded smiling with corners of my eyes.

“Who do you think I am? Few slaves and incomplete copy of myself won’t be enough to stop me.”

I left the inn, entered my room and looked at the table. On it, my alchemy set was occupied the whole desk. I started opening shelf bringing out a small wooden box in which I carried my potions.

I checked the content. It was full, in the end, I was making new potions on daily basis.

I quickly uncorked two vials filled with yellow liquid and bottomed them in a single gulp.

You drank [High-quality Medium Stamina potion - Self-made]

Your fatigue is being lowered

Stamina regeneration +50%

You drank [High-quality hunting potion - Self-made]

Your instincts are being sharpened!

RFX + 5

DEX + 5

The drugs started quickly rushing withing my veins. I skipped the notification with time counter that informed how long potions would be working. I had quite a few hours.

Few other vials I put in special pockets behind a leather belt - allowing quick access without the risk of vials getting shattered. I took a dagger and put in my boot - just in case, and after a moment of hesitation, I also picked a sword of embers and attached it to my suit.

I have opened the window and with few jumps, I get on the roof of the guild.

The night was bright, the sky was clean - thousands of stars and two moons were illuminated brightly everything around me. A cold breeze tickled my skin as I took a whiff.

The smell of smoke. Of sweat. Of blood. Of death. It was almost suffocating the city, every other creature with senses as sharp as mine would get crazy on that stench. I myself barely hold myself not to let the inner me outside. The evil me. The hungry me.

The smell was really... intoxicating.

I took a step forward and another one, and yet another, slowly building up speed till I eventually ran to the edge of the room and jumped toward the next building - over thirty meters.

From the cacophony of smells, emotions, and magic I quickly isolated the frequency I was looking for - Kim. It wasn't hard, in the end, he didn't try to cover his presence during his rampage.

Obviously, I morphed my body preparing it for a very fast and very long journey boosting myself with mana. The reason was simple: I knew that Senator would "attach me a tail" made of his sentinels - they had to act from the shadows and because of that they would be left behind for they couldn't use magic to keep up with my tempo. This way I could lose them. I wasn't sure if this plan would work, but it was more than just worth trying,

Kim. You little bastard, have you any ideas about how many problems you caused? And I am not even speaking about myself. Until now, outside of higher rank nobles, politicians, my closest friends, and few random people barely knew that new Devourer has been born. And now, many will wake up from their slumbers. Many will rise, many will try to justify their sins saying that they did it in my name or in my honor.

The world started spinning faster and faster, forcing events into motion - events I was not ready for.

My life starts looking more and more like a puppet show. Was I a puppeteer? Or a puppet?