“Mm, mmhm, hmmm ♪”

Max hummed merrily while walking on the road home to Luxore town.

Hehe, I’m so lucky today! During the quest, I found two Winter Melons. One for the quest and the other… I must share this with the folks back home. I heard it is very delicious. The timing is just right, tomorrow is little Janice’s birthday. I hope she likes it. Mmhnmm ♪

Max smiled while thinking about his sister’s birthday present. It was winter and it was snowing last night. Max took a quest that brought him quite far and spent the night at a neighboring town; he was in a good mood because the quest’s completion and an unexpected bonus. The sun was high in the sky and the air was chilly but Max was filled with warm feelings.

As he approached Luxore town, there was a commotion. Two dozen or so people were gathering at the main entrance.

“Afternoon, is something wrong?” Max asked.

“Yeah, we can’t get inside. Look at that,” a bearded man pointed to the entrance.

A middle-aged man tried to walk inside but he was blocked by a mysterious force as if someone put an invisible glass on the road.

“And we won’t realize it unless we get really close but the town seemed to be obscured with mists. It’s hard to pick up from far away, but now you can see what I mean, right boy?”

While he was walking here, the town didn’t look strange at all.

“Yeah, that’s strange. When did this happen?” Max asked.

“Since this morning I heard, it’s been three to four hours now,” the bearded man explained.

Before Max asked another question, someone spoke up.

“Hey, hey! There’s a crack in the air!” The man worriedly backed away.

Max saw it too. As if the scenery inside Luxore town was made of painting and someone started to tear it apart. Accompanied by the sound of a glass breaking, black smoke seeped through the air. In the next few seconds, the misty look of Luxore town suddenly transformed into a burning inferno. The people outside didn’t even feel the heat moments before but a blazing town suddenly appeared before them.

“The town is burning!”

“What the hell happened?”

“Look! Bodies,” a man pointed at human bodies fallen on the streets.

“Nooo! That’s my house! Wife!” Another man ran to his house with a worried look.

Max was stupefied. He left yesterday and found his hometown was burning the day after. He didn’t believe what he was seeing at first but the man’s concern for his family jolted Max awake.

Mom, Dad, Janice!

Max broke into a run to his home. He witnessed the streets littered with blood, guts, and dead men. An extreme sensation of fear and worry struck him. He felt a similar sensation once before, when he saw his friend brutalized by a hobgoblin. The horror back then was making its way to the present.

Not all buildings in Luxore were burning. He could still use the main streets because of the wideness. During the trip, max was forced to find another way because of the burning urban terrain or collapsed houses but he made it to his home at last.

Max collapsed on his knees.

His house was on fire.

On the lawn, he saw the bodies of his family.

His father had a hole on his chest, and his mother was hugging his little sister in a pool of blood.

“Noooooo!!!”

Max screamed in denial and great grief. Unfortunately, Max was not the only one who lost people dear to them.

***

“…and that’s gist of it.”

Viers explained the rough outline of what happened. He didn’t tell them everything. Only the simplified and censored version of it. He didn’t told them his ability to monster-morph and the lamia. The reason he had soul affinity and could talk to them now was because of a relic he found in a hidden cave. To Paina, he also told her about his relationship with Farley, about the Cult of Dumuzin, and Farley’s father.

“Sooo yeah, you’re dead but not completely. However, saying you’re alive isn’t quite accurate either. If you want to be philosophical about your existence, feel free to count me out. I’m not a philosopher,” Viers said.

“Father… is dead…” Farley muttered, still hugging the unconscious Gwen.

“You’re… you both are cultists!? The town is destroyed because of a mad man’s ambition? I’m just a soul?” Paina looked downcast.

An awkward silence occurred.

“It’s a lot to take in, that’s for sure. Even I don’t know how things would go down,” Viers said. Although, I did anticipate it and make some preparations.

“Why is Gwen not waking up?” Farley asked.

“I’m still new with this soul affinity thing so don’t take me as an expert. That said, I have a hypothesis. Unlike us, Gwen is not a Path-seeker, not even level 0. Perhaps her soul is not strong enough to wake up or her soul went into shock because it was ripped out from her body. But I assure you, her soul’s condition is currently stable and isn't deteriorating.”

After hearing Viers’ explanation, Farley turned silent.

“You lay in wait and killed the one responsible, you said this, was that true?” Paina eyed him warily.

“That happened, yes.”

“Then you could have prevented this!” She raised her voice.

“I could, but I didn’t,” Viers said with a flat tone.

“You! ...Why?” Paina had a pained expression.

“It was a battlefield. A single wrong move could be fatal. He was much stronger than me so I had to wait until his guard is down. I don’t want to take unnecessary risk.”

“But… but because of that, thousands of people got hurt!”

“Unfortunate, but I’m not perfect. Besides, I’m not a hero. I was busy saving my own skin.” Viers didn’t show any remorse.

“I was dead! I’m sure of it! A Ghoul killed me!” Paina screamed in anguish.

“Even if you survived, the soul taking Arte would have killed you. I don’t know how the process would be like but I bet it wasn’t a pleasant experience to have your soul forcefully extracted.”

“Souls which you used for your own selfish purpose!”

“They were already dead. I didn’t kill you or them. It was Benjamin’s fault. But then I had an unanticipated opportunity… I took it. That one is on me.”

“Everyone is dead! Our friends, Mr. Teldo, Ms. Nakala, Mrs. Yisha, and everyone else is dead! How can you be so nonchalant like this!? Is this a game to you!?”

Paina burst out in tears. Her jumbled and confused feelings poured out. Viers fell silent contemplating her words; it felt like lashes from a thorny whip. Farley listened to their exchange wordlessly; she couldn’t help but feel she had a hand in the catastrophe that befell Luxore town.

“…Why am I here?” Paina weakly said after cried out her feelings.

“…I’m here to give you both a choice,” Viers said while looking at their eyes. “We have walked in the Path of Power and I have no intention of stopping now. Farley, in exchange for your everything, I promised you I will save your sister’s life. I will keep her soul safe, find ways to wake her up and create a new body for her in the future. Paina, I consider you the only friend I have in Luxore, that’s why I shall help you. I recall you want to meet your father, correct? At a city? I can take you there, seek out your father, and reunites you both.”

“You both have a choice to help me in this endeavor, then perhaps you three might regain the life you’ve lost.”

“Wha…” Paina was dumbstruck.

“Create a body? Is it possible?” Farley answered.

“I don’t see why not. As my strength grew, I might be able to put your soul in another body. Or, if you don’t like the idea, create your body from scratch then put your soul back inside.”

“…Help you with what?” Paina asked.

“I don’t know yet. Battle, I reckon, perhaps more. My soul power is pretty new so I don’t know the extent of what I’m capable of… Look, the Path of Power is long and difficult. During my journey, I might die, just like what happened to you both. Tomorrow, next week, next year, who knows? Help me so I do not die mid-journey and I will help you accomplish your wishes.”

Farley and Paina didn’t answer. Viers could see they were thinking earnestly behind their eyes.

“Or you can call it quits. If you don't want to take my offer, I can release your soul right now so you can go to Heaven… or Hell, the destination is not up to me.”

“Ugh…” Farley bit her lips.

Salvation and doom both, Farley recalled the words of her mother came true.

“…” Paina expression was very complicated.

“Well, think it over. Oh, one more thing. If you do decide to be my companion, I will expect professionalism from you both. I don’t need unmotivated, unwilling, or incompetent personnel. See ya.”

Viers left the two confused girls and one little sleeping beauty in the flowery closed soul space.

He was still in his own realm of consciousness, he just went out from the space he put the three girls. He returned to the black empty space that was his mind.

Pheew… that part is over. I’m not good at explaining things and dealing with sentimental things. Next is more my cup of tea.

He extracted one of the souls from the cubic cage and began testing his ability. He had experience molding water and bending it to his will but he was an amateur dealing with souls. He needed practice but luckily, there were a lot of experiment subjects. Still, Viers wasn’t a complete scumbag so he didn’t experiment using the soul of people he had a positive relationship with such as Yisha and Teldo. Viers picked the soul of a random cultist as his first human experimentation.

All is okay in the name of science. Viers convinced himself he was 100% in the right.

“Wake up… Talk to me… Do this…”

Viers didn't know but it just so happened that this soul belonged to the cultist that happily threw fireballs at civilians beside Wesk.

Oh, he woke up… I can turn him into human form too… Well, his unwillingness to cooperate is a bit of a problem. Should I change my approach?

At first, just simple instructions. Then, it escalated.

Split his soul to see what happens… Forceful soul control… Creating a soul wound… Heal his soul wound… Letting him out of my body to see what would happen… Feed him my soul energy… Drain his soul energy… Creating simple soul Arte that works… Ah, so many things to do and so little time.

To the cultist, it was as if he was undergoing open-heart surgery fully awake and without anesthetics. The pain was indescribable and what's worse, he could not die or lose consciousness.

Doctor Vierskenstein started his first attempt at performing inhumane soul research.

Viers’s main purpose was one of the most famous techniques of Chinese power fantasy novel, soul-searching technique. To get into another’s mind forcefully to extract the inside of their brain. Often lethal and very damaging to the subject. In the novels, the subject could end up having his mind mutilated and become a vegetable or a cripple.

His primary target? None other than Benjamin Styra. Viers likened the old cultist's mind like a buried treasure trove. Who knew what secrets were hidden inside?

How a soul without a functioning brain could have memories? Viers wasn’t too concerned about such trivial things. From a certain story about two alchemist brothers, a human being was made of body, mind, and soul. Mind connected the body and soul. The end. Viers didn’t need any more explanation. Why? Because he successfully performed a soul-search.

Yes! I saw only glimpses and fragmented memories but it’s definitely possible to soul-search people. I suspect as I grow more skilled in soul path, the efficiency of soul-search will improve.

The soul of a cultist whose name Viers didn’t know, kept screaming in anguish while the fat boy continued his pursuit of uncovering the mystery of human soul. Viers zealously increasing his knowledge as if he was an undergraduate chasing his Soul Doctor PhD.

***

At nightfall, Viers dug up his hidden supplies, wore thick traveling clothing for winter, and made his journey in the cold winter night. He had to do this despite night wasn’t an ideal time for traveling. Because he needed to bring his traveling luggage, turning into a monster wasn’t ideal for carrying things. The natural cover of darkness masked him from unwanted attention. Still, he knew he wasn’t safe yet. The farther he went, the better.

In his original plan should town destruction happened, he would get the hidden provisions then make a straight journey from there to a neighboring settlement. If he went full speed, he should be arriving before the news of what happened at Luxore started to become a problem. However, because of his newfound ability, Viers must make a roundabout detour in the opposite direction. He had a new plan before leaving this region.

Fortunately, the sky was clear tonight and the road was illuminated by the moons. Viers ran while burning his Victa. There were times where he would be stingy with his Victa, there were times where he should use it without holding back. His current situation was the latter. After a few hours, he reached his destination.

Wheew… I have been running for about three hours? Only level 1 and I already become a minor superman… I have decided. I should solve my past karma before continue on.

Viers released forty-three souls that he housed within him to the night sky. ‘Good’ or decent people that he knew. Yisha and Teldo were among them. Normal people couldn’t see 'souls' but to Viers, they were like fireflies flying upwards. Viers clasped his hands in prayer.

Godspeed to you all. I hope you’ll find a better life wherever you end up… thus my debt to the five children has been completed. Ah, feels like a burden has been lifted from my shoulders.

Five children were dead for the sake of raising his water affinity to tier 4. Viers decided he would kill fifty bad guys in their name to settle this debt. He already killed four during the Faith Water affair, and another three in the coming months so he still needed forty-three heads. Viers decided to release these good guys’ souls as a substitute in place of bad guys’ heads.

“May you find peace, all of you…”

Viers honestly offered his prayer to all of them, then his eyes turned sharp again looking at the destination before him.

This would be risky but I think I have a chance of succeeding. Either way, I refuse to give up without trying.

Viers took off his clothes, monster-morph, and swam to the cave under the lake. The cold water in the lake was painful but Viers gritted his fish mouth while pressing on.

***

“Yo, I came back.”

Viers spoke to the gem that projected Kala like a hologram in the past. Silence was the reply he received.

“That’s no way to treat a guest,” Viers sneered. “I have to force it then, come out!”

Viers yelled while yanking the faint presence he felt inside the gem. The lamia showed her form to Viers once more.

“Eh? Viers?” Kala looked bewildered.

“I’m terribly sorry about this but our time window is short. I’ll fulfill my promise to you but I’m afraid you won’t like it. You can vent as much as you like after this, haaaahhh!!”

Viers faced his palm to Kala’s direction. The lamia felt strange, a sensation he never felt before.

“What? What did you do?” She asked with a bit of panic.

“…Got it! Kala, can you get the Aspect treasure thingy out?” Viers spoke while maintaining his hold.

“I can… Eh? My mouth just–”

Kala was shocked and her thoughts disoriented, Viers pressed the attack and didn’t give her time to recover.

“Bring it out here and give it to me!” He commanded.

“Viers! You–”

Despite her sound of protests, her hand moved on its own and a gate appeared on the cave wall. This gate opened by itself and an object flew out.

“No!! I-I can’t resist!? No Viers, you shouldn’t!”

Kala was aghast but Viers didn’t have the luxury of dealing with that right now. The ultimate treasure that could bestow him with an Aspect was a heart. Not the ‘heart’ shape like the one on playing cards but the organ. The beating organ of muscle responsible for pumping blood throughout the body. A heart made of red ruby floated towards Viers.

“Yes! The Aspect relic shall be mine!” Viers’ eyes were aglow with glee.

“Cease this at once!!”

An angry voice with a supernatural pressure bore down on Viers.

“Hah,” Viers mockingly said, “finally moving your lamian ass from your throne, queenie?”

The Lamia Queen took over Kala’s soul form and broke the hold Viers had over her. Viers received the first backlash in his life because of his technique was broken forcefully.

“Ahagh…” Viers coughed a bit of blood but the injury didn’t reduce the savage expression he wore.

“Puny mortal, you will pay for your offense!”

The Lamia Queen seethed with fury. She released a beam of golden light from her hand.

“Raaahhh!”

With a ferocious roar, Viers hit the beam to the side with his backhand. The beam looked regal and majestic and mighty but Viers repulsed it with only a searing skin as the price.

“Hm? You have gained soul affinity!”

“Hahahahah!”

Viers answer her question with an unbridled laugh.

“Your aura is too weak! Your attack is also weak! I was right!! You have been dead for far too long and only have a minuscule power left! If this is inside your domain then I most likely won’t be your match but out here, you’re only a shadow of what you once was!”

The Queen attempted to bring the ruby heart back to the gate, to the lamia trial grounds but Viers prevented it.

Using mysterious power, both were trying to pull the floating heart to them. Viers had seen a similar scene in the eighth movie, a supernatural tug-of-war over the ruby heart.

“You have failed our test, this does not belong to you. You are unworthy of it!” The Lamia Queen sharply said.

“And who dares to decide my worthiness? You?”

Viers conjured a soul spear made from one of the souls inside him. He pointed the tip to the Queen.

“You cannot judge me! I am justice itself!”

The voice rang loud and colored with complete confidence in the words.

“I was meant for more than this… to be a friggin’ badass!”

The Queen was unable to immediately find words to refute the boy’s colossal absurdity. Making use of her momentary astonishment, Viers continued his speech.

“But if your precious opinion bind you all to inaction… then I will no longer need your permission.”

“So you take what is ours? Where’s the justice in your deed!?”

“The justice of capability! Now release her and sulk back to your lair, old ghost! No one shall stand in my way!”

Viers reverse gripped the spear and threw it through Kala’s soul body. It hit her in the chest and kept flying onwards. Then, Kala’s soul split. The spear carried the true form of the Lamia Queen back to the trial grounds through the opened gate.

“NOOOO!!!”

The lamia monarch let out a scream of unwillingness which cut to silence after she went past the gate.

Using that spear strike, Viers separated Kala’risyah and the Lamia Queen, just like he hoped it would.

“Viers…”

Kala suffered minor soul injury but she was mostly fine, Viers sensed it. The lamia lost consciousness and fell down. Viers tenderly held her in a princess carry before absorbing her soul into his body.

With the Lamia queen gone, nothing prevented the ruby heart from falling to Viers’ hand.

“Rest a bit, my friend. I will not mistreat you,” he gently spoke. Then he gazed upon the ultimate prize. A sinister smile bloomed on his face.

Seeing no attempt of interference from the Lamia Queen, Viers immediately used the relic.

“With this, I claim my Aspect!”

The ruby heart glowed with brilliant red. Viers raised the relic above his head.

“I am a seeker of the new! Experiencing something I never have, and enjoying the wonder that comes with it! To accomplish that I need power! And by broadening my horizon, power I shall have!”

Something sublime started to grow within him.

“Every experience in my life shall fill the water of my well of power. Everything I have done, and everything I will do! By doing things I have never done, my power will grow! Every new food I eat shall make me stronger. Every new book I read shall make me stronger. New sights I see, new places I visit, new people I meet, new knowledge I understand, new items I touch, new sounds I hear, new friends I make, new enemies I kill, anything and everything new for me shall empower myself!”

The red ruby’s brilliance was getting increasingly radiant. Viers felt as if he was bathed in the light of rebirth.

“The name of my Aspect is Horizon! If what people can experience in the world is truly infinite, that limitlessness shall be my power! That is my prayer… That is my wish. Now! Grant it… Incubator!!”

An explosion of red light enveloped Viers, his wish was taking form inside him. Like a phoenix experiencing the flames of nirvana, Viers felt he was being elevated to a higher form of existence.

No, he did not become a god.

Not yet.