I've traveled to Tomalesh many times, but I've never entered the city. My superiors know about how I felt about slavery, and they couldn't allow any conflicts to occur. So, I was always left outside, while they discussed the issues inside. We weren't allowed to hunt inside the city, only around the outside.

No one wants a hunt to happen in their house, but that was only a pretext. They knew about the cults that were in the city, it was just that they were under their protection as long as they supplied them with "materials" and "goods".

Nothing new, they always were rotten.

But when you go deeper you realise how truly fucked up the world really is.

...

The whole caravan is being looked through, and it's quite time consuming. But there's a valid reason. Four weeks ago, roughly the same time I was cleaning that cult, several things happened. More than half of the water wells were poisoned, a quick spreading disease appeared in the slums, several assassination attempts took place on city leaders, and for the cherry on top, the Caliphate attacked the western border a few days ago. There was also news that this wasn't the only city hit by this. The people gathered the pieces, putting them together, and came to the conclusion that it was a coordinated attack before the war.

But the leaders know about it, and they were prepared. The cult also knew,

The city is afraid of another attack, the leaders are nervous, the guards are nervous. It's a vicious cycle.

After two days of searching, we were finally allowed to enter the city. Jitak together with his guards came to me as soon as everyone passed the gates.

"Sir Alan, I know that my words cannot express my gratitude to you, but I would like to thank you for the protection of our caravan. Please accept this small gift of gratitude. He passed me a pouch, opening it I found fifteen gold coins. I give him a questioning look.

"This isn't the agreed sum."

"Of course, that amount is for the bandit's bodies, the dragon's corpse, and the guard work. How would it look if I paid you a dozen silver coins for saving my caravan."

He looks so humble and thankful, but I know the truth. He paid the wind wizard at least ten gold coins. The bandit belongings aren't worth much, but the body of the wyvern is worth at least ninety gold coins, if not one-hundred and fifty. While looking grateful he's trying to scam me and make profit from this situation.

"You won't mind my presence at the auction when the wyvern body will be sold?"

He pales visibly, the guards tense, understanding that their master just tried to fuck over a Blood Brotherhood member, well, ex-member, but they don't need to know that.

He quickly became respectful, and after a bit more discussion he paid me seventy gold coins. Additionally, he wrote a excellent review of my job on the guild contract. Even in life and death situations, people like him don't lose their merchant hunger, petty to the last coin. Of they would think a bit, they would understand that something's fishy, Blood Brotherhood members aren't allowed to have an Adventurer's Card. We have a different card.

I find the Adventurer's guild hall in the center of the city. After looking through the review I was given, they gave me a few curious glances and asked if I really killed a famous bandit group and a dragon. I corrected her and said it was a wyvern. In the end they told me I had been promoted to B class. I paid for the new card, which contained a stronger enchantment but also a tracking device, not many knew, but those who did didn't speak about it.

I asked about the next caravan that would travel south, but I was told that because of the war no one knew when the next caravan would be willing to go. And even if one does go, it will be fully controlled by the government, and neither public guards nor personal travel will be available.

I shouldn't stay here for long. Time is slipping away.

A group of four men and two women, who looked to be in their twenties, came to the counter next to me. Behind them is a tall white Rabbit woman, with short daggers on her side, two black Wolfmen, and a big red Lizardman. They all have steel slave collars on their necks, my eyes meet theirs, defeated and dead.

Slaves as adventurers are quite common for nobles. For them it's a cheap meat-shield. All nobles are taught from a young age to control slave collars. It takes quite some time until they are proficient enough. There are many forms of "punishment" the collar can give, people are creative in areas they shouldn't be.

I look away from them, I need to stay calm right now. It reminds me that there's still too much to do in the city. The slavery, the Moloch/Minervan cult in Kamalesh, it's highly likely that it also spread here. Stupid names, who the hell came up with the names for these cities. As I was receiving the card, a small movement to my left caught my attention.

"Hey, fucker."

One of the young nobles, one with long black hair and yellowish eyes, he grabs the ears of the white Rabbit woman in his hand as she falls down on her knees.

"You looked at my property. This. Is. Mine. Who gave you the right to look? Do you want to die, peasant?"

They all look down at me with disgust, while the Rabbit woman tries her best to not make any sound. I'm dressed in a thin shirt and a simple pair of pants. There's no need to buy new or better equipment right now, so maybe I do look like a hobo with a sword.

I look back at the nobles in pity, they're so green that they try to create a conflict out of nothing. They don't need a reason, they were already rotten, I can see it from their eyes and actions. My face changes from pity to disgust. I say nothing as I look at them.

Give me a reason to kill all of you.

The faces of the people in the guild change to fear and shock at my display of disgust at the nobles. Maybe they're "important" people. It doesn't matter. The man with black hair turns to an expression of rage as he takes out his sword.

"Fucking rat. I'll teach you how to look at the next Emir."

He swings his expensive looking sword, glowing with green, at me. I step forward and catch his right hand. He tries to hit me with his left hand, that glows with a golden light. His hand twists with a loud crunch as he screams, while orienting him to my right side. I stomp on his knee, snapping it in half. He crumples onto the floor with another scream. The guild guards draw their weapons, as the receptionist shreik and hide. The other nobles and slaves unsheathe their weapons and prepare to attack me. Some of the city guards are running into the building as well. A fat man runs down from the second floor.

"STOP IT. IMMEDIATELY."

The fat man looks down at the injured noble and his face morphs into rage and fear. They don't dare attack while the noble is laying at my feet.

"You're under arrest for attacking an esteemed guild member!"

"I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU! YOU FUCKING RAT!" screams the crippled piece of meat through the tears and wails of pain.

"You weren't here during the event, he was the one who attacked first. Ask the people."

My sword was still sheathed, while his is laying near him on the ground. By law, I'm innocent.

"How dare you! You will be executed for your insolence!"

He attacked, and he's still alive. And you want to execute me for his actions?"

"You dare to badmouth the young Emir? We gave you the mercy of a quick death and you had the audacity to reject it. Kill him."

Maybe if I didn't look at him or the slaves, this shit wouldn't have happened.

No.

It all starts that way, look away, forgive. And allow their evil existence to continue. It doesn't matter what happened, only what you did. I was going to clean this city anyways, if it happens a bit earlier, that's not much of a problem. I'll die one way or another. I put my hand on my sword as I start circulating mana for what is to come.

"NO! Please stop!"

The wind wizard from the caravan is here, our eyes meet, she takes a step back and starts shaking.

"Please don't kill them."

"Esteemed young Wizard, he committed a grave crime, and he shall be punished for it!" the old man says, not understanding she is addressing me.

"Please, they're just people, don't kill them."

Since the moment our eyes met, until now, she's still looking at me with pleading eyes. I'm not sure what's in this for her, but it doesn't matter. I can hear a few Mages, and Enforcers circling around my back to attack. My scar starts to burn like it had a long time before, I don't have much time left.

"They won't let me walk away." I reply as I turn to the nobles.

"Come, death awaits." I finish as I unsheathe my sword.

The wizard yelps and runs out of the building. My sword cleaves through the two Enforcers which tried to stab me in the back.

Death awaits all.

...

The moons shine brightly, it's hard to believe that a month ago, they weren't visible at all. It's a bit cold, but nothing like the north. I killed a lot. Everyone who attacked me, the noble on the floor, the Mages and Enforces who tried to kill me. But the fat man and the other nobles ran away before I could reach them. Fucking trash, starting problems and running away when they can't finish what they started.

I don't have much time, and more attackers were coming, so I ran away. They let me run, they figured they could track me by the residual mana trail I would leave. They clearly didn't think of the fact that I couldn't externalise mana. Just in case they would try tracking me by my guild card I threw it into the canal. And I just spent money on it too.

Hiding in the slums was easy, large place with tons of corners and hidden alleys. Even though they sent dozens of search parties after me, it still wouldn't be easy to find me, a single person in a huge city. Sitting with my back to the wall in a small alley, I thought about the situation I was in. I could've left the black haired noble alive, there wasn't any need to chop his head off. The experience could have changed him. Useless waste of human life.

[Who are you lying to? They never change. If you left him alive, he would use everything at his disposal to get rid of you.]

And now his father will take revenge upon me.

[Less hunters. Less problems.]

Is this the way you're trying to cheer me up?

I start to heal my back and right hand. The cuts from the water Mage's spells are a bit too deep to ignore. Before I realise it, I fell asleep.

...

The same dream. Just like all the times before.

The children surrounding me continue to whimper and beg for me to stop, for the pain to go away. They keep begging for forgiveness while I'm frozen. At one point the dark world becomes grey, and the children freeze with their begging and whimpering expressions.

"I still don't understand you fetish. Being verbally abused by children, a strange preference, but who am I to judge, right?"

A person in a full white robe with burnt white wings, and eyes as blue as the endless sky itself walks towards me. His face could be called perfectly symmetrical, something that couldn't be created by man, something heavenly. His smile so warm, and caring many would mix it with a motherly one.

"You did a good job sitting in the North. Finding someone with all the chaotic energy caused by a spirit magnetic center is hard, but it must've been harder sitting there, waiting, right?"

Fuck you, you piece of shit. Reincarnate into a goat motherfucker.

"How harsh. There's no one closer to you than me in this whole world. And yet, you treat me so terribly. I came to see my friend was doing, and the only thing I receive is this treatment?"

Then why don't you disappear? Everyone one would be better off.

"We've been at it for so long, why don't you just accept me? You and me, and every other living being are just a part of the system. There never was "father", only us, the "Initial" and the lie that people created so they don't have to think about their death and insignificance. I know that you're somewhere in the Dead Desert, I can help you. Together we could do so much more! Why do you continue to reject me? I've never done anything to you, it was the people who hurt you,...I was always trying to help you."

He comes closer, tracing the scar on my face with a finger. The scar starts to burn slowly, as if a thousand worms are eating my flesh.

"We will be together, if you accept me it'll be easier and better for everyone. I know what you want to do in the South Dungeon, why? I could give you eternal life, endless riches, and loved ones. They would never disappear, betray you, or die."

FUCK YOU! You think that your sweet talking and lies will work? You've tempted billions of souls, and you I think I'll follow them too?

"No, you are special. Very special. That's why I came personally."

Ha, did you think you could corrupt me with pride? We're all nothing but maggots in this shithole. Personally? You're everywhere and nowhere. You whisper your corruption and lies into every ear at every second.

"I do not lie. I never lie and never will. That is the job of the so-called "saints". I give people what they want, and I never take anything in return. You all have been lied to. But that's not important right now. Soon, we will meet. And I will always await you with open arms, remember that. Would they do the same for you?"

"Rest well my friend."

...

Jumping awake, I find it's still night. Maybe an hour has passed since I fell asleep. The hadn't burned for a while, I thought he had found someone else. But it seems I'm still the main candidate. I move north and didn't overexert my body to avoid this. With each battle, more time slips from my grasp. The cults take the most, but I still can't die yet. But this city is too corrupted to leave it as is. Slavery, and a high chance that the city leaders are part of the Lucifer cult.

The guards should be patrolling the slums to find me. They believe that I'm hiding, so I should do the opposite, attack their headquarters. Now, when they don't expect me, they can't track me. It would be better if I could acquire a few bombs or poisons, but that would require me to wait until tomorrow, which would give them time, and time is something I don't have.

I send more mana to my back and right hand, they're not fully healed but it shouldn't be an issue.

[Do not flatter yourself. You're not cleaning the city, you're just fulfilling your desire for your biased sense of righteousness. Who said that you are right? You're not doing something good. You're the same as "him", or any other dark creature. Never forget that.]

...

Silently jumping from building to building, I reach the rear entrance of the castle. There are several guards on each part of the castle wall. They're prepared for war and intruders, it won't be like in Kamalesh. The only way in is through the guards, and that means killing them.

[Would it be easier if they were raping a slave in all of her holes right now? Then you would take action? Who said thay they didn't do it?]

Who said they did it? They may have families, loved ones. They have a future. Maybe they aren't here not because they want to, but because they had to. There's a high probability that they don't even know what is happening inside.

[Oh poor them. May, maybe, high chance. Are we guessing or hopping? If they had an opportunity, would they not kill us? Of course they would. They're here. Protecting the corrupted leaders and the cult. Nothing changed. We know what is inside.]

[Looking for a reason to start the massacre? Don't lie to yourself, we would do it one way or another.]

[Children could be being sacrificed at this moment. And you need proof, your indecisiveness killed the ones in Kamalesh, and it will happen again.]

My body moves.

...

Why?

The sunrise tells me that a new day had come, new life will be born today. Many came and left this world yesterday, everyone is just part of the cycle.

Why?

The growing pool of blood below me tells me that I'm in critical condition and must focus on healing. I'm in the slums and finding me here is next to impossible.

Why?

Healing is the most important objective right now.

Why?

Why?

Why?

Why?

WHY?

Why am I always right? Why is it always the worst possible case? How can people be so cruel to each other? How can they justify their actions? How can they sleep after that?

The burning hot tears hurt more than the gaping, empty five centimeter hole on the left side of my chest. I can hardly take a breath as the droplets of blood continue to fall from my still lips.

Why?

...

There were too many guards in the palace, but I evaded most of them and silently killed about a dozen Enforcers and Mages. In the end I entered the basement hall at the worst possible time. They divided the slave children into three groups, the moment I came in one group with dead eyes was being violated, another was being cooked alive as they screamed for help, and the last were dead and being eaten.

The number of children was over a hundred, and the number of nobles was slightly under three-hundred. This time they didn't expect me, they weren't prepared. I jumped into the fray, so I could take the advantage and not get cornered. This time it wasn't just human nobles, there were many other races, and a few skilled adventurers who should have ranked somewhere around A class. Nearly no one was in plate mail, and my sword cleaved through them like a hot knife through butter.

I didn't think. My body moved on its own, as if I was a bystander.

But I was too late. Again. Too late.

One of the nobles cast a powerful wide-ranged curse, ineffective against me, but not against the children. They all died in an instant, those standing fell like dolls whose strings were cut, they just stopped breathing.

I don't remember much after that.

They're dead.

Why?

They're dead, but it doesn't matter anymore, I killed everyone.

It doesn't matter, I failed again.

Again.

I'm alive, but the children, the innocents, are dead.

And I couldn't do anything to save them.

They are dead.

Why?