Chapter 50: Prince and the day of reckoning (final part)

When I was a child, I was told that music breaths and flows within my veins. If I bleed, music is my blood. If I cry, music is my tears. Music, that’s my greatest inheritance and gift that I have received from my mother, as well as the piano.

The piano chose me from the moment I breathed my very first. I was made for the piano and it was made for me, and yet, I chose the mouse and the keyboard instead.

Can’t say that I am a faithful type even at that time…

Nevertheless, even if I rejected the piano my fated betroth, I could never reject music.

Music was one of the few pleasures I could appreciate and allowed myself to be drowned within it. I never knew what it felt like to be someone else, to live without music flowing in their veins, that, I could never understand.

My dad, the one who sired me, he described music as if it was an instrument within him. My mom, on the other hand, described music as if it was a special gift that existed within our blood. I, I would describe music as if she was a lover of mine.

She was my greatest joy when it was sunshine and rainbow. There was a time that she was a hateful being, a clingy ex that I wanted to forget, a love that I wanted to pretend that never existed. There was a time that I wondered if I punctured my own eardrums with sharp pencils, could I truly say goodbye to that hateful lover? Or would I live the rest of my life forever obsessed about her like Beethoven when she was lost to me, drowned within her phantom? But I would never know the answer to those questions since Mrs. Hạ Đông came to my life and spared me the suffering.

Music was a willful woman, as willful as me or my sister and just as wild. She could not be tamed or reined. She was fickle and complicated, but never complex or insightful. She was brainless, as brainless as I was whenever I decided to drown myself in wines.

Some days, she was the sweetest girl in the world, all sugar and vanilla; and then, there were days that she suddenly became the most disagreeable girl in the entire world. She would do whatever she wanted and I was merely her slave, whipped and reined to her will, an instrument of her.

“Child, what would you do when the sun shines no more?

I will not grieve. I will not cry,

Until vengeance is mine.

I will live.

Child, what would you do when the sun shines no more?

I won’t be cold. I won’t be blind.

The torches my lights.

I will live.

Child, what would you do when the sun shines no more?

I will live

I will live.”

My stupid lover decided to sing her stupid “I will live” song and I was but her faithful instrument, an instrument that lived to execute her will. Can’t say that she is smart girl… I drummed my fingers on the desecrated altar of the shut-in goddess to the upbeat bubbly tone of “I will live” while my stupid and willful lover played her damn song thoughtlessly without a care in the world amidst the wailing winds from the Dragon corridors.

Can’t say that she is smart girl…

She has always been an EQ person than IQ.

That made me a brainless moron as well for listening to her willfulness. ..

That thought made me wanted to sigh a sorrowful sigh, but I cannot even do that, not when my lips swelled with the playful chords, not when I was still nothing more than an instrument of music, a slave of the chords and notes. I was the piano and music was my pianist.

I chose the spot, the very altar of the temple. It was barely damaged from the fire since it was literally carved out of a large rock. I tossed the roll of deer hide inside my arms over the blackened altar, jumped and planted my asses it, flapping my legs playfully as I unrolled the hide, singing still. My eyes have grown accustomed to the reddened duskiness around me, turned to appraise at the tumbled roof of the temple and its blackened wall and surroundings. This temple of Light, compact and humble, built from stone and wood to worship the goddess of wisdom Eogaill was repainted by the masterful brush of fire, darkened in the color of soot and chars. A sad sight, a great sorrow for book lovers and pursuers of wisdom.

No wonder the historical record of Escana recorded by humankind was so messy. But then again, it’s not like the historical records on Earth’s any better than this…

According to the lore, most houses of Eogaill were schools cum temples. They were first temples, schools, and libraries second, in accordance with the shut-in lifestyle of Eogaill. Most of them were built without the grandeur of the Great Temples or the elegance of the Essence temples or the hallowedness of the Faceless temples. Most of them would exhibit a compact feeling, warm and self-contained like a quiet haven for any introvert soul to reside and be away from the troubling matters of the world.

The priests and priestess of the temples of Light were disciples of Eogaill first and scholars second. Some of the disciples were not even the gift-bearers of Eogaill in the first place. As long as a person lived, giving praises to Eogaill and offered her service to the people of Escana, enlightened the mass with wisdom through their service, that person would be recognized as a follower of Eogaill, gifts and magic were not a matter.

In the world of Escana, the houses of Niwdar are the hospitals equivalent on Earth, with a little bit twist on that like the rest of the other temples that are built to service the other three deities.

The houses of Sinintee are factories and forges. The houses of Wonten are martial arts dojos and justice courts. The houses of Eogaill are schools and libraries, research facilities and on rare occasions, courts as well since Eogaill was also known as a pursuer of truth.

The disciples of Eogaill offered one of the most important services to the people of Escana, education. They enlightened the masses with knowledge and wisdom in exchange for donations. According to the lore, some Light Temple offered their service freely and gratefully accepted the donations while others demanded fees in exchange for their services. Most of them offered only basic education while a few specifics provided higher education as well. Then, there were those that opened to the elitists, those of royalty and nobility blood only; however, those could only be found in the largest of cities.

The disciples of Eogaill could be commonly divided into two groups, Traditionalist and Modernist.

The Traditionalist were people who decided to live exactly just like the goddess they worship, a quiet and self-contained and humble life to pursue their studies. They shut themselves inside their quarters and libraries and devoted their lives to their studies, following Eogaill’s example, which led to a life of frugality for most of them.

On the other hand, the Modernist actively reached out for the masses and politics even, arguing that being humbles and shut-in would muffle the gospel of Eogaill to the people of Escana. They pursued a not-so-humble lifestyle while worshipping their shut-in goddess. They valued positions and wealth as much as their pursuit wisdom, arguing that the pursuit of wisdom was deservedly costly and only in the positions of power and wealth that they could enlighten the mass with greater effect.

As such, the Traditionalist and the Modernist often waged wars against the other. But their wars were peaceful and civil, not “civil” in the definition of Sinintee himself. Their war took the form of debates, a war of words since 99% of magic spells bestowed to the people of Escana by Eogaill was not designed for combat purpose and the followers of Eogaill were mostly scholars and nerds. Furthermore, the disciples of Eogaill held the virtue of being pacifists in high regard.

According to the lore, the only kind of magic users that were not scary in the world of Escana were the followers of Eogaill, just like their harmless goddess.

I was sure that this desecrated temple of Eogaill belonged to the Traditionalist from its compact architecture. The location of this temple was also another giveaway, settled far away from the other monasteries of the other deities and even the houses of the villagers, as if mirrored the very lifestyle of Eogaill herself, trying to fit out instead of fit in.

This temple had a modest atmosphere, claustrophobic corridors that lead into tiny square halls that fully packed with shelves before arriving at the altar room. At most, its altar room can hold a maximum of two hundred people if I were to really pack the villagers inside it like canned sardines, a very small number in contrast to the number of houses within the surrounding villages.

From the ruin of the temple, I could imagine the event that happened within it when the worms of Bloodbeard entered it. There was nothing valuable or worthy in the eyes of the worms since the place was packed with nothing but books and scrolls, nothing else. Enraged, they lit the entire temple on fire while enslaving the priests and priestesses. I did not even need to have a degree in forensic to see that. The evidence were plain to see.

This is why the lore recorded by the elves is the most consistent. They live a long life as well as having Niwdar as their chief deity.

That’s why I believed that she was stupid, my oldest lover. Her song of choice was inappropriate and stupid. Its bubbly tone was even more inappropriate. There were a billion of somber songs, sad and mourning songs to match the atmosphere of this ruined temple, and yet, I had to be her instrument and played the damn bubbly song to satisfy her willfulness.

I stared at the night sky to lighten my bad mood. Only the red moon shone on the sky, casting an eerie red light on the world. The other two moons of autumn, the golden and silver one evasively hid within the shifting night clouds as if they were playing hide and seek.

Suddenly, my vision darkened, embraced by a sweet smothering softness.

“Guess who?”

Atuc’s sweet bewitching voice playfully brushed against my ears, carrying with it a sticky hot air that sent a small shudder of desire down my spine. I did not miss her quiet footsteps even while I was singing. I only pretended to not notice her.

“I have totally no idea who you are,” I clicked my tongue, playing along with Atuc’s game, “A voice as fair and sweet as yours, I have not the fortune to hear until now.”

A sweet giggle echoed within my ears, so sweet that it was addicting like my own brand of heroin. I tried to turn whilst removing the delicate blind on my eyes, pretending to, and was stopped immediately.

That smothering embrace tightened as I have predicted, “You are not allowed to look until you give me the correct answer,” Atuc admonished amorously. Her voice no longer had that fluffy shyness like that time when she met me on the watchtower, or revere or formality when she was around Bloodbeard’s presence.

I could feel the overwhelming fullness of Atuc’s twin mounds pressed against my naked back through a thin fabric, everything, their inviting heat that heavy and stiffened with desires, and the two prideful flower buds of hers that were even harder and hotter. Her flowery perfume, which I have come to love, filled my nose, steaming my lust to a painful bulging erection.

“You have to understand that this is a very difficult question for me. Please, at least, give me three chances to guess.”

Her giggle only became sweeter with playful delight, “But if your answers are wrong, there would be punishments.” Sweet nectar slithered into my ears. Hot, sticky, wet, and messy just the way I liked it.

“It’s really not fair of you…” I pouted, pursing my lips, “But I would accept any punishment if it means I could see you with my eyes. I am sure that the owner of such a fairest voice would be the fairest of a maiden in this world.”

A hot peck fell on my nape, “ A Maiden?” that giggle only became sweeter and stickier, “Goodness, how can you be so sure about that? What if I was a dirty whore instead?” Atuc asked.

The word “whore” entered my ears not without an allergic reaction due to how nonchalant Atuc’s voice was, “This world is filled with whores anyway, only that most of them do not even realize it. The greatest of kings and queens are but the whores of their own crowns and ambition. The bravest of generals are but the whores of their fame and glory. The most scholarly of people are but the whores of their own wisdom. The richest of nobles are but the whores of their own wealth. The most virtuous of priests and priestesses are too but the whores of their own deities and virtues. We are all whore of something or someone as long as we live. Even the gods and goddesses are but the whores of their own…”

The smothering blind felt off my eyes and clinched into my lips instead. “Goodness, the nerve of you. No matter how much they love you, if you slander the gods they would definitely punish you.” Atuc berated.

I realized that I was offended by her joke more than I thought I would. I deeply kissed the smothering fingers on my lips and moved them back to my eyes once again, covering my sight with its pleasant heat and enveloping darkness.

“What I am trying to say is since this world is packed with whores. Since everyone is a whore of some kind, nobody is really a whore or dirty anyway. So never again call yourself with that word.”

Atuc’s embrace tightened around me, crushing my frame with a surging passion, “Goodness, you make no sense at all with your argument. If you keep talking like this, I might fall in love with you for real,” she chuckled and planted an enticing kiss that lit a fire on my nape.

My ears picked up on her lies, all of them and filtered them into sweet nothing, “Also, the only living things that are dirty in this world are worms and demons. So never call yourself dirty again.” I told Atuc.

“Goodness, you have not even given me the answer and yet you keep making demands…” A resigned chuckle quietly filled my ears, and then a quick nibbling pain assault my ear lobe. “Hurry up with your answer already. The night is not long…” Honeyed hot air blew through my ear canal and my mind nearly lost within the steamy haze of passion.

“Your voice is too sweet. You must be Hilda the Fallen Valkyria. It’s said that the Hilda can make even the strongest of men swooned and weaken with her songs and fairest voice.”

“Would Hilda embrace you like this? Or do this to you?” Atuc nibbled on my earlobe with her teeth and her right hand slithered into the gap of my pant, caressing and flirting with my already stiffened lust.

I stifled a moan and asked, “Why wouldn’t she?”

“Goodness, why would she?”

“Am I not the one and only Fearless in this world?”

“Goodness, the nerve of you,” Atuc chuckled and sank her teeth into my naked shoulder, as if marking me with her own brand, painful but not too painful, stirring up an itch within my masochistic heart.

I played the guessing game with her a little bit longer, intentionally making mistakes down to my last guess, “Then you must be Lust, Queen of the Succubi.”

Atuc released me of her tight embrace, allowing me to turn around. I feasted my eyes on her ample curves with an appraising smile on my own lips.

Illuminated by the scarlet moonlight, Atuc was more alluring than a blooming Queen of the Night. She wore a different dress tonight, a white one-piece instead of a red one like last night. But, this one-piece of hers was a fire fanner, scant and tight, accentuating Atuc’s fleshly breasts and her lovely white thighs. She looked more erotic with this dress than being naked.

I stared appraisingly at Atuc’s bewitching body, being at a loss of word, rarely so.

“You must be very disappointed, sweet prince. If only I was as fair as Lust…,” Atuc’s pouty lush lips, full and fair as poppy petals betrayed a pretentious anger that dripped with desires.

Inside my head, I was asking myself a fucking stupid question. How did she get here in that dress? Until I saw a thick cloak at Atuc’s feet. And Ah was the only sound echoed within my hazy consciousness.

“If only Lust had a tenth of your brazenness, to come here to meet me with nothing but a dress like this underneath your cloak, and a tenth of your loveliness, I’m willing to die an unredeemable sinner.” I smiled while caressing Atuc’s lush lips with my fingers before fiercely sealed her pretty petals with mine. Lust invites lust, passion curries passion. She hungrily received my kiss and answered my passion with her own.

The two of us flirted and fanned our flame until we were at our limit. My pants fell off on top of Atuc’s cloak, followed by Atuc’s nearly transparent white dress as the red moon hanging above bore witness to our unholy union.

I plunged my stiffened lust into her inviting entrance, uniting our fever as one. The two of us became but the slaves of our wanton flame, steamed and drowned in waves of carnal pleasures.

My thought was the only thing that was still belonged to me on top of that altar.

Passion is passion and business is business, I knew that I have to keep them separated, just like my partying self and my pro-gamer self. And yet, this flame seemed to get the better of me.

The complete understanding that I was playing a dangerous game. The threat of discovery, the imagination that if I passed out for even a second I could undo everything that I had prepared, they did little to stop me. On the contrary, they only served as fuel my heated erected lust. This was already the fourth night which I have yet to sleep and my entire body was already showing signs of breaking down.

And tomorrow is supposed to be “The Day”, the moment I put a climax and an end to my almost perfect script…

Atuc did me no favor either. She came at me with a passion that was hotter than a thousand suns. She’s good. She’s so attentive and intuitive that it’s dreadful and terrifying. She fanned my fever so high that I had no way to stop it. Sex with Atuc only made me starved for more, further and further turning me into a ravenous beast, an animal of my desires. Her ample and fleshly mounds tasted like forbidden fruits that ripe and fell from the heavenly garden. Her sensual moans slowly became a morbid addiction of mine. The fact that she was merely pretending to be stupid and ignorant made this wanton flame even hotter, reminding myself of a mess that I am, a wretched mess of a man.

I was drawn to Atuc not just because of her sex appeal. I was drawn to her by her smell and sound. She smelled like me and sounded like me. We are very similar creatures at our core and we both know that.

Every time I remembered my conversation with Atuc since last night, my scalding fever ascended sky-high. Atuc committed to being stupid by her own choice, that alone made her extremely terrifying and attractive.

From my experience, there is three kinds of stupid people in the world, the one that is stupid because of ignorance, the one that is stupid because they have no choice but being so, and finally the one that is stupid because they choose to be stupid. All three of them are dangerous, more dangerous than the smart kind of people. Atuc was the latest of the three, the most foolish of them all and the most dangerous.

She was more dangerous than Bloodbeard. Bloodbeard was stupid because of ignorance, that made him predictable and less threatening. Atuc, on the contrary, was smart enough to understand her actions were stupid and yet committed to be stupid until the end. She’s unpredictable.

She was so good at this honey trapping that I have initially thought that she might be a spy of the Zombie Dragon and still to this moment, I could not dispel that suspicion despite knowing that she was not. Her words were honey coated upon layers of spices and sugar, stroking on my desire to be spoilt and tamed by her whispers alone. She knew how to stoke my flame, curry my pride and get the words out of my mouth… one heck of a terrifying femme fatale.

Last night when the two of us was bathing in the afterglow of our sex on the bank of the reservoir, I flirted with her, asking all manner of questions. She replied readily and honestly to every question of mine, tempting me to push for more.

By that time, I have already known that the flower that I made to bloom with my own hands was a dangerous flower. And woe me, woe my star, flirting with danger was another addiction of mine. Cannot stop, never me.

I sowed cryptic words into her head, hinting that I might or might not betray Bloodbeard. Her expressions, even when awash with pleasures betrayed a clear apprehension. For a moment, Enfermé appeared inside my deepest thought. Then, that phantom of a thought was dispelled when Atuc sowed her equally riddled words into my head, her answer and choice.

Within the distorted reflection of her steamy eyes, I saw a monster who was smiling because he has found his own kind in the most unlikely place. I immediately knew who sowed the idea of sending an attendant to serve me into Bloodbeard’s head, considering Bloodbeard’s perceptiveness.

Therefore, I asked her how she did all of that, “To sell the idea to Bloodbeard and one-up your competitions, to be a slave of pleasure like this.”

She snickered and warmly planted her lush lips on mine, whispering her answer, making my spine cold with a shiver of excitement. For once, I was glad that I did not make an opponent out of her or rejected her passion because if there were anyone who could undo my script without me knowing, it would be Atuc, not a god or goddess or even a Demon Lord. That’s thought was terrifying on its own, as well as being extremely pleasant, reminding me once again that this world was very different from the game that I knew.

Not once, I have seen this development in the comic pages or the campaign. That made me wondered if this was the reason why the fate of Bloodbeard’s harems was never mentioned at the end.

Atuc was the only one who understood my warnings against Bloodbeard’s worms. She understood my warnings and intention, thus, she approached me. I did not see this coming, like at all.

I bluntly asked her one question, the kind of question that only my kind would ask, “How long have you been like this?”

Committed to your role like this?

“Seven years.” A winter of frigid white shrouded her words.

Such strong emotion can only be love or hatred and I was sure that it was not loved.

Her hatred and fury buried beneath a controlled falling snow but never faded. Then like illusions, it vanished with a lovely moan when Atuc guided my fingers into her flooded entrance, “But that doesn’t matter now, does it? You are here for me now. You are my passion and adoration.” She purred as if a cat in heat, panting roughly, completely lost in her lust. Yet, I felt a shiver on my nape. My instinct told me to GTFO and stay away from this woman. She’s terrifyingly dangerous. At the same time, the rarely used auto-translation device working inside my head immediately conflicted with Iliva’s pearl, flashing all manners of warnings.

Atuc’s words after that were even more of a code, cryptic enough to be understood in two ways as if she was testing me. I purposely pretended to be stupid and misunderstood her words after that to test my theory, hinting her that our destination was the same, only our method was different.

Then, she dropped the bomb. “The nerve of you. Knowing that I am his woman and still…” she giggled sensually and serviced my resurging erected lust.

Iliva’s pearl of universal wisdom could never translate the meaning of this sentence. Only my auto-translation device could read its meaning, Bloodbeard is mine, do not touch.

It was a warning and an ultimatum, no negotiation allows. This was the only reason why she has approached me in this manner.

The shiver running at the back of my nape only became extremely painful as soon as I read that translation, not as painful as my fully stiffened brainless lust. My instinct and my desire came into conflicts, and as usual, I knew who would win that battle. The brainless ones always win and the smart one always loses this battle.

In an instant, I immediately understood that Clariciel’s final warning was about this unassuming looking woman, a seemingly stupid and harmless woman, one of Bloodbeard’s harems.

It was not about Ekar or Bloodbeard or any brainless worm of Bloodbeard’s horde or even a spy of the Zombie Dragon.

It was about Atuc. Clariciel understood that if I killed Bloodbeard by a mistake, I could have been the target of Atuc’s wrath. No, it was without a doubt that Atuc would take her vengeance upon my head, of course, she would if I were to spoil her seven years of vendetta.

Her hatred toward Bloodbeard has already become a manifestation of her insanity.

People said that “The longer it takes for you to extract your vendetta, the sweeter it is,” those people obviously have no idea what they were talking about, only pretending to know about justice and vengeance. There is nothing sweet about vengeance.

Seven years, I could not imagine myself being able to endure living with my enemy for that long even if it was for the sake of revenge. I could perhaps endure and keep my acting for weeks or perhaps months, but seven years would be a stretch. At that time, it would be torture for me, a kind of self-inflicted torture. And yet, Atuc has committed to her role for seven years, living with her target for such length.

I have enough cruelty within me to delay the final blow until it’s due, but Atuc just took it to a different level.

There are those preachers that love to tell me that, “Vengeance is God's job, not ours,” and I would tell them the same line as always, “I don’t read the Bible as much as you do, but even I know that the Lord is kind and merciful. If he is kind and merciful, he should stay a kind and merciful Lord for the greater good of his people. It’s just wrong for me to burden him to plot my vengeance. I cannot ask the Lord to be cruel and vengeful for my own sake, that’s beyond selfish. Thus, my vengeance is my own.”

I approved Atuc’s method but I cannot say that I have the strength and insanity to do it the way she did.

All of a sudden, I remembered a single panel in one of those comics that Misery forced me to read.

“Please spare our husband,” one of Bloodbeard’s women pleaded to Hyrios amidst Bloodbeard’s execution. But of course, Hyrios being Hyrios, he did not listen to that pleading.

Because of this panel, Misery kept telling me that Bloodbeard’s women were in love with him while I kept telling him that it was a case of Stockholm Syndrome. But I was wrong, so was Misery.

The woman appeared in that panel was without a doubt Atuc. Her “Please spare our husband” was a warning to Hyrios. I could even begin to imagine the tone that Atuc adopted when she said that line to Hyrios. Either that Hyrios could not understand the meaning of her words or that he did not consider her to be a threat, he continued the execution.

I reimagined the event and the events followed it. I immediately realized that Hyrios’ demise in the canon history had Atuc’s fingerprints all over it, as many fingerprints as the Zombie Dragon’s.

No wonder he got screwed so bad…

I was glad that I gave Bloodbeard’s worms a second chance. I was glad that I gave them my warnings. Otherwise, this woman would have been my enemy.

I kissed Atuc and sweetly affirmed, “That makes it even better, isn’t it?”

All yours,

I understood that this justice is not mine to claim.

The fact that Atuc returned my kissed and slammed her passion onto mine was her way of telling me that she had an auto-translation device working inside her head as well. Therefore, I only asked her one more question before turning her into my accomplice. I stopped my hips movement, a mocking smirk floated on my lips.

You are on your own. Can you do it?

Atuc shook her head in disbelief. Her bewitching lips curved beautifully and mimicked mine. She violently pushed me to the ground and pounded on me. She began to move her hips with absolute confidence, that, was her answer.

I joined my fingers with her, telling her my term, “Then, you better not sleep a wink and spoil my pleasures.”

Atuc shot me with a puzzled look while riding me like a horse. I could see that she was checking if her auto-translation device was working correctly because that term only meant something to me, but not her. I showed her an affirming smile.

“With you around like this, how can I sleep?” Atuc moaned sweetly into my ears, accepting my term and sealing our deal as the two of us shuddered with pleasures. Since then, our flame was one in double meaning.

Since yesterday, I have already carved a small tombstone for Bloodbeard and I would stick with it.

Here lies Ashtorá

He, who knows no pain,

Dies in agony.

Atuc worked extra hard to become Bloodbeard’s most beloved woman among the four. She did not even try to be the leader of that group to hide her abilities. She committed to her role perfectly for the last seven years until I arrived and threatened to mess up her vendetta.

The fact that she would be Bloodbeard’s executioner only makes it even more painful for him. Of course, her seven years of delayed vendetta against my three days of retribution, hers was the more potent poison, her knife was the sharper one.

“Ouch!” A sudden pain assaulted my body, snapping me out of my distracting thought. I stared at my shoulder. Atuc’s bite marks were there, with a fresh new one that dripping red. “Is that necessary?”

“Distract… not goodd,” Atuc’s pouty lips pursed bewitchingly. Like a drug, her steamed breath filled my nose as she admonished me. Her fingers stroke my bare chest, running to my chin and cheek, scalding, rekindling our carnal flame as one.

I sank myself within Atuc’s flesh, thrusting deeper and harder just so that her addicting sweet moans would echo within my ears. Her body arched as my fingers sank into her ample breasts and pinched her nipples.

Our craving and addictions joined as one, becoming stronger than our individual will, our master, our slaver and puppeteer. The two of us moved by the will of our master until our orders became urgent. We shuddered as one atop the altar. Our flame cooled down as Atuc flopped her sweaty ample body upon mine.

Our smiles were the mirror reflection of each other. Atuc kissed my bare chest soundly, “Do you know what my greatest wish is at the moment?” Her fingers caressingly traced my chin. Her upturned eyes were dripping with pleasure and something else.

That something else is the problem. I jokingly snapped my jaws at Atuc’s fingers, prompting her to withdraw them by reflex. She playfully slapped me and giggled sweetly.

“That I would grace you my undivided attention?” I joked.

“Aren’t you already?” She brought her lips close to mine, whispering, sucking hard on mine. Her long nail then traced a painful line across my forehead. “I really want to cut your head into two and see what’s inside it,” whispered Atuc in her lovely voice. Her eyes half-closed with fleeting pleasure and curiosity.

Mine as well

“Scary…” I replied, playfully biting on her lips, reminding myself once again that I was dealing with my own kin here. Atuc was so intuitive and attentive that it’s just plain terrifying. It only took her one night to understand my ego. But then, that’s what sex is. It dismantled our doors and walls. It opened our partners and ourselves to each other, linking us through our fleshes and emotions. I was reminded of the time I had to lie down on an operating table to reconnect my served manhood. It was for this same reason. It was when my manhood was served that I learned this important lesson. I was just as unguarded as the demon I hunted.

I was secretly terrified and yet my flaccid lust that was still enveloped within the addicting soil of Atuc’s syrupy secret garden suddenly stiffened.

“Goodness, what manner of man are you?” Atuc giggled and pleased with herself that she has made me hard with but a single whisper. She got me good.

“Goodness, what manner of woman are you?” I mimicked Atuc’s tone, staging my surrender in all but honesty. I immediately felt her flooded garden tightened around my bulging lust, and I smiled, knowing that I have evened the score with a whisper of my own. Atuc was not the only one who has mastered the art of honey trapping and I let her know that. It’s not very often I would find myself in the company of someone of my own weight class and I was sure, it was the same with Atuc.

“Goodness,” Atuc shook her head resignedly and sealed my lips with hers. “I’m glad that we are on the same side.” She smiled brightly and guided my hand to our joined garden, feeling her crowned jewel that was as hard as a polished diamond.

Me too, I smiled and pinched hard on her swollen jewel, sensing a wave of pleasure overcome Atuc’s aching body. A truly random thought entered my mind at that moment and I was not afraid to share it with Atuc, “What happened if… let’s say that I rejected you back then?”

Atuc revealed her pearly white teeth and savored on my earlobe, “Don’t ask a question that you already knew the answer.”

Just double-checking

“Scary,” I commented as Atuc giggled, and once again drowned myself within my carnal desires. I listened to Atuc’s sweet honeyed moans as the waned red moon above disappeared within the cloud, stripping the world around me of light and clarity, not that we needed them anyway.

See Ashtorá? If you had given her the code for a nuclear launch, you would have been vaporized by your own weapon by now.

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When dawn fell upon the walls of the Bundor Bastion, I have already spirited away back to my tower in a proper dress without drawing any suspicion, climbing the steep stairs leading to my room. Atuc was back to hers as well, but she did that without invoking any special skill or magic, solely relying on her brazenness and womanly intuitions. The silver sky and howling blizzard outside did play a part, masking her presence and lovely figure.

I have never seen the sky snowed this much since I came to this world. I have always fond of watching the snow, yet, I felt a bit irritable by this scene of whatever reason. Perhaps, because this snow was warm instead of being cold? Or perhaps, that irritation came from my self-inflicted sleep deprivation instead.

Pondering, I scratched my cleanly shaved chin and felt relieved. I had finally said farewell to my long nails and grown stubble thanks to Atuc’s careful attention. That alone solved two important issues for me, the sanitary issue and the trust issue.

The sanitary issue aside, neither Atuc nor I was willing to fully compromise with the other’s plan. We had our differences and while we can compromise with each other, we cannot fully compromise our plan at the 100 percent, thus leaving a gaping hole in our plan. Neither of us wanted to compromise our own schemes even further. Our sex just cannot solve that problem and that problem would not solve itself.

“Passion is passion and business is business. They are separate matters.”

It’s because we can confidently say something like that, that we both can be so good at honey trapping. Addicted to her passion I was, enamored to my lust she was, but neither of us would compromise our differences even further than we have already done.

Thus, I solved the problem by handing Enfermé to Atuc, asking her to shave my stubble and give me a haircut, not the smartest solution in the world. Considering the history of Enfermé and Atuc’s commitment to her vendetta, the chance is… I would have died the most gruesome death.

I literally handed my life into Atuc’s hand and let her decided for herself what she should do with it, not a smart decision I would say. At the same time, I forced Atuc to make a decision by choosing between her scheme and me. It was my ultimatum. If she chose to prioritize her scheme, welp, I would have been a goner. Enfermé would have inflicted the status on me the moment Atuc slit my throat. I would not be able to use to save myself.

In the end, Atuc just sighed, “Goodness, what manner of a man are you?”

“A very cowardly man. It’s just that I have the absolute confidence that you could not bear to watch me die,” I smiled and tried to annoy Atuc as much as I can, egging her to reconsider her choice.

Atuc threatened to slit my throat for real but ultimately gave my stubble a good shave.

Remembering that, I felt confident to roll a dice for sanity check, definitely bomb it without a sliver of doubt.

While my spirit lifted, my body ached. My hips were on fire and I could barely feel it. I was dead tired, all thanks to Atuc, but nowhere near the exhaustion I felt when I was chased by Iliva’s spiders or the fatigue I had during my first demon hunt.

Atuc’s situation reminded me of that time.

I remembered what I sounded like when I refused to sleep a wink for a straight 29 days while soaking my husk of a body with all manners of stimulants, an absolute insane bastard. However, with or without those 29 sleepless days, I was already an insane bastard by that time. The only difference between me and the other insane bastards was that I chose to be insane on my own avocation, by my own choice, similarly to Atuc’s commitment to being stupid. But then, that made me not only an insane bastard but also a stupid bastard. Even I knew that was stupid, What kind of person would choose to be insane rather than sane?

Me

Knowing that it was such a stupid decision, still I lived like that anyway. I chose to be stupid and insane.

It’s my life anyway.

Why is that matter to everyone else? Why is it matter to this fucking society whether I am sane or not, stupid or not? You don’t even care when I was hurt and wounded. You don’t give a fuck about my life back then, why now?

Why now?

It’s my fucking life. It’s not like I would rob or steal from people or murder or destroy a good man’s life. It’s not like I try to challenge against the very structure of this society and threaten it.

It’s not like I have become the worms that I detested so much or the demon I has just captured.

It’s not like this society would crumble down if I became an insane and stupid bastard. I have the freedom to live however I want. It’s my own fucking life. Why then? Why this society condemned me?

Did I not do them a favor?

With the disappearance of my midnight sun, Bạch Đại Phúc disappeared as well, that fucking coward.

Only Fearless remained.

I rioted with boozes and boozes and even more boozes. I drowned myself in carnal pleasures and even more carnal pleasures, falling deeper and deeper into the very abyss of carnal pleasure itself. But the abyss of normal people was my heaven. Days and night meant jackshit, my sun shines no longer, what’s the difference between days and nights when the sun would never rise again?

And yet, Alice and the entire The Alliance fell upon me in that moment with their tears, fists, and shouting. I could not even begin to understand how they could find me at the time.

Can’t win against that.

I have heard a Buddhist teaching that goes like this “Violence solves nothing.” I had no idea which era this teaching came from, but it was obviously incredibly outdated. Mankind’s History has shown that “Violence solves everything,” whether they are racial issues, religious issues, political issues or economic issues, everything. Otherwise, our history would have much fewer wars and a lot less bloodshed. Otherwise, my midnight sun would shine still.

A Vietnamese poet once wrote, “Tears solve nothing. Crying is useless,” and I would like to ask him only one question in person, “Then why the hells their tears hurt me more than those pummeling fists?”

My feet stopped.

Once again, I stood in front of the termite-eaten door. I shook my head, cleared my thought and opened to door to my room. Narik was there alongside his brother to receive my return. Their forehead was touching the floor as they greeted me.

I told the two of them to quit it. The only things that I made to kneel to me are demons and worms.

If I were on Earth, still, I would have hired Narik as my bodyguard cum butler cum secretary. He’s competent but above all, I liked how attentive and careful he was with the task he was given. He executed my orders to the minuscule details, unaltered. If he did not understand my order, he would ask.

Most importantly, he did not share my plan with his brother, not yet when I had not given him my permission. That alone has won him a lot of Fearless’ points.

I had no idea how Narik convinced his brother to give me his allegiance without telling him my scheme. However, that saved me a lot of works, winning Narik some more Fearless’ points on the run.

Narik’s past failure and his guilt has perhaps taken away his rashness and polished him into the person he was at the moment. With a bit rearing, he can evolve into a better chess piece. However, I won’t be there to see that. As soon as I fulfill my obligation and promises to him, we would part ways.

And I have only started to like him.

I gratefully accepted the Hound’s allegiance not before asking if he really wanted to follow a fellow as dodgy as me. The Hound replied that he owed me a debt of life and more, and he intended to repay them in full.

If only everybody were as straight-laced as you are…

I passed Narik a pair of swords to look the part. I recently swiped them from some random worms among the barracks on my way back to my room. The Hound, I gave him a small round shield and Enfermé to be “safe”. He would be the second insurance in my plan.

Then I passed a bunch of random weapons, mostly daggers to women in my group, telling them that they had to protect themselves if worse came to worst in this day.

I told them, “Even though nothing exciting would develop but it’s better safe than sorry. Narik, his brother, Erinys and me, all of us would be down there the whole day until our business is concluded. This morning, you lot are pretty much on your own.”

The weak will not stay weak forever… Please show me that.

That’s what I meant with my instruction. But then, it’s not like people had an auto-translate device built in their head like Atuc or me.

I passed Erinys a dagger that I had carefully picked, telling her to hide it and instructing her on how to use it. She listened and carefully remembered my words like a good girl, never pondering of my nightlife for a moment.

Please hurry up and mature, a good girl like you should not be with a bad guy like me.

I shook my head while patting hers. After that, I made Narik and his brother sit still, enduring, as I painted their face with makeups. While doing that, I used the opportunity to know about the Hound, not so much since he was such a quiet person. I then told the brothers my plan in details, what I intended to do with Bloodbeard and his worms, what expectation I had for the two of them and what might happen when things did not go according to my schemes. Of course, I spared them the details of Atuc’s participation and scheme according to her wish, trust is important. I gave the two of them my battle-forecast the same way that FY would tell The Alliance and me before any battle, expecting them to act accordingly to my plan as well as their own judgments.

“Sticking to a plan is good but no matter how smart you are, there are always elements that you cannot control. As long as you cannot control every elements and variables involving with your plan, there are chances that your plan may fail. Thus, you must be able to improvise and adapt to your failures at any moment, always assume the worst would happen to you,” I gave the two brothers my final instructions.

Narik only asked questions to affirm my will while his brother remained quiet, absorbing my advice.

I turned Narik into a smiling demon and his brother an angry demon, and further disguised their notable features with other accessories that I had. I hid Narik’s dead giveaway ears with a usual strip of rag that wrapped around his head and forehead like a badly designed turban.

I gave Narse’s appearance more care than his brother since Bloodbeard and many of his worms has seen his face and features. It was easy until I looked at the Hound’s eyes. His were a striking green, pure, resolute and clear as lab-created emeralds.

No wonder you followed Hyrios to the tomb…

Anyone who has ever seen his eyes would definitely remember them. I wished that I could give him shades or contact lens, but I had neither. Covering his face with a mask would do him no good either, only highlighting his eyes. Thus, I instructed him to squint his eyes, to have his eyes half-close at any moment. I then painted his eyelids with some yellow powder from the makeup box, creating an illusion that his eyes were of a different color.

A knock on the door alerted every single member of my group, making them tensed.

“Come in,” I nonchalantly spoke.

The door opened and entered Atuc in a dark long gown with a large basket of food on her hands. I knew that it was Atuc from the sound of her footsteps.

A flushed smile on her lips, “…milord, I have prepared your breakfast… please enjoy…” She spoke like a shy woman in love, but not without flirted with me through a fleeting heated gaze, reconfirming with me regarding the details of our plan through our brief exchange.

Scary

I winked my eyes once, affirming Atuc of the situation on my side. Trust me, she did, but not my companions and thus Atuc stuck to her role, minimizing the amount of risks she had to take. She would do that until her vendetta finished.

I took many mental notes inside my head, swearing that I would not see Erinys become a woman like Atuc in the future.

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I stood atop the white and shaggy rampart of the Bundor Bastion with my companions, waiting. My eyes naturally were drawn into a recently appeared empty lake at the feet of the rampart, staring still as the falling warm snow slowly filling the empty lake.

Am I being anxious?

A strange question appeared in my head, strange indeed.

Why should I be anxious? In fact, someone should have reported me for smurfing. This is not a battle that I can lose.

Yet, I reassessed my script one last time before the other main casts arrived.

I have softened Bloodbeard’s worms with heavy labors for many reasons. Giving them a sense of purpose was the first, proving my ability was the second, giving hints to Bloodbeard was the third, stripping the worms’ excess energy and stressing them was the fourth, rebuilding a fortification for the future released captives was the fifth.

Lastly most importantly, giving them the desire to be relieved of their tension and stresses.

To sate such a desire, the fastest known method to me was partying and wine. There is a Chinese proverb for that: 男無酒如旗無風. It can be loosely understood in English as “A man who does not know wine is but a flag that doesn’t know wind.”

I can’t say that such proverb made sense to everyone else, but at least, for me, it was true.

Just like yesterday, the worms stood in front of the rampart in their formation, anticipated, listening to another speech of mine. But this time, I have assembled Bloodbeard’s worms, all of them, down to the last worm, leaving none behind.

They have already noticed the strange empty lake that appeared overnight at the feet of the rampart, which I trusted that they all did because as far as I could see, none of them was completely blinded. Thus, within the howling blizzard of warm snow, I gave Bloodbeard’s worms an order to party. It was not a permission but an order, much to the worms’ delight.

One-eye’s unit was given an order to prepare this party since the day I killed Ekar, of course, I made them swore an oath of secrecy. “I have reserved the spot for any oathbreaker. You can see that spot from here, just next to Ekar’s spot,” I gave them but a single warning and it was effective. Bloodbeard did not have enough wine in his stock to sate the thirst of a horde of 6000 worms. One-eye has informed me about that and I gave him my solution. “Dilute the wine with water to fit the number, fool! Are you really so dulled enough to think that I would give my army the order to get drunk and stupid when our enemy has not been dealt? It’s not a party, fool. It’s a ceremony, of course. Morale, fool! Do you not know that word?”

Atuc arrived at the scene with Bloodbeard as his attendant. The two of them climbed the stairs together while I was waiting with my little group on top of the rampart.

Atuc has informed Bloodbeard of the ceremony since yesterday before she went to be intimated me in the ruin of the Temple of Light.

Before she came to deliver my breakfast, she dolled Bloodbeard with a spider silk jet-black tunic sewed with the insignia of the faceless god on the left breast that she has prepared for him and complimented his giant frame with an eagle-feathered cloak. With such color scheme, Bloodbeard’s attire would match well with my black and gold uniform.

Atuc girded Bloodbeard with a decorated golden belt and an ornate sword, which she has prepared for such formal occasion.

What Bloodbeard did not know was that black was the color of a funeral in the land where Atuc came from, white was his and black was hers. She told Bloodbeard to wear this formal tunic to match with the color of my hair and my uniform, which Bloodbeard gleefully listened to her advice. The fact that Atuc has confessed to me that she has painstakingly prepared them with her own hands to prove her love and dedication to Bloodbeard was downright scary on its own.

Atuc spent her morning to treat Bloodbeard’s unkempt grey beard and hair, combing them and tying them with small silvery rings, giving the bandit lord a dignified and handsome air. She did well to dilute the air of savagery from Bloodbeard to the point that nobody would have thought that such a person would be a bandit.

If you have known about this, you could have spared me the Pronounce game, Clariciel… This woman is no flower… she’s my kin.

I greeted Bloodbeard as if it was just another day. I followed by a lecture, asking if he understood the meaning of this ceremony, which he did.

“Preventing deserters. You cut off their retreat.”

I did not comment on that reply, neither showing approval nor disapproval. Then, I politely greeted Atuc and introduced my two Shadows to Bloodbeard. “This one is my Ear. This one is my Eye.”

Bloodbeard greeted them per my instruction. Narik and Narse acted according to my script, cupping their fists together as if they were actors of a kungfu movie. After that, they played their sign language game to Bloodbeard.

“He said that it’s an honor to meet you face to face like this. And he said that it’s thanks to him that you still have provisions to feed your army at the moment.” I translated to Bloodbeard.

Bloodbeard had a puzzled look as if thinking why my servants were mute. But he did not ask the question. “It’s my honor as well. Thank you… And uncle, are you sure that your translation is correct? It appears that he means to say something different. Are you sure that it’s not your words instead?”

“Does it matter? It’s the truth anyway. Without him, you wouldn’t have an army to fight.” I shrugged my shoulders and pulled Bloodbeard into my pace.

I aligned the platform, addressed the worms in my usual tone, and informed them that this was an oath-taking ceremony. I informed them that I was about to serve them the shittiest wine that they have ever tasted in their entire life. I told them that I would drink that shitty wine with them from the same source to bind my fate with theirs.

“How shitty it could be? You ask? It’s so shitty that it would be an insult to call something like that a wine. I would drink mud… No, I am telling you all that I would rather drink Niwdar’s piss for the rest of my life than taste such shitty wine.”

I made some vulgar jokes and the worms despite their initial puzzlement laughed roaringly. While Bloodbeard has already known how fouled my mouth and venomous my tongue could be, this was the first time that I have displayed this coarser side of mine to the worms, and they seemed to love it. I waited for them to finish laughing to continue my speech.

“But you know what maggots? I will drink this shitty wine with you all. I will savor every bit of it of how terrible it is and I expect you lot to do the same.

I will drink it and dread about it for the rest of my life for as long as I live. I expect nothing less from you maggots.

This would be our bond and shared memory.

This would be my oath to you all.

I will never again allow you all to taste such shitty wine. This would be the first time, the only time and the last time that I would let you drink something so horrible and shitty.

Maggots, remember this oath of mine and savor the taste of this shitty wine.

Maggots, drink my wine and bind your fate with me.

Drink and give me your fucking lives, and in return, I will teach you what it takes to be human.

So drink and let us be more than just general and soldiers.

Drink and become my brothers, bound by fate, oath, and arms.”

I concluded my speech while watching One-eye’s worms pushed hundreds of carts full of wine barrels to the feet of the rampart. They unloaded their carts and slowly filled the lake they dug since last night with the diluted wine.

I instructed the leaders of every unit to fetch the wine for their units to drink in an orderly fashion. They would make their men drink the same wine poured from the same lake. Only when all of their men had a cup that they were allowed to have their own cup. “Leaders drink last. Leaders eat last. From today onward, this will be the custom.”

The worms drank heartily as their leaders served them the wine. Most of them had a puzzled look on their faces once they tasted the wine for the first time, other seemed to be hungry for more, which I knew they would.

It’s not so bad…They must have thought.

It’s sweet. I heard their stifled voices carried by the winds.

“Of course, it would,” I thought.

After all, on Earth, the sweetest thing that is known to man is a reciprocated love. On Escana, the sweetest thing that is known to mortals and demi-mortals and even immortals alike is the Dragon Bane.

Not that I have tasted Dragon Bane ...

The single-player mode campaign and the multiplayer mode did this alchemical poison no justice. This poison dealt massive DOT damage in the game, and that was all. In the lore of Escana, Dragon Bane was the deadliest alchemical poison that can be produced through alchemy and there was no known cure for it.

Not much was known about this alchemical poison other than it was the deadliest poison in the world and it was first created some time after the First Great War concluded.

There was a legend told that Dragon Bane was created by a widowed half-elf woman whose sons became sacrifices for a red dragon. She spent over a hundred years of her life to concoct and master this poison and fed it to her most hated enemy, watching it died in agony before ending herself.

If Dragon Bane were injected through open wounds, it would be a swift death to most mortals and even demi-mortals. It took more time and potency to kill the immortals, the like of gods, goddesses and demon lords. However, that was not what Dragon Bane was designed to do.

Dragon Bane was known by many names “Zathrundafeá, Tua, Royal Nectar, Sweetest, …” depended on the context it was mentioned and the language of the races that spoke its name. However, one name stood out, one name was known to all intelligent races of Escana, “The kiss of Death.”

Dragon Bane was designed for ingestion, and even the smallest amount of it was deadly. If Dragon Bane were ingested, its victims would not die immediately. They die slowly. Only when ingested, the effect of Dragon Bane could be felt in full.

What kills the victims of Dragon Bane when they ingested the alchemical poison is not the poison itself but the curses imbued within it.

Other than the ingredients that needed to create the solution that would be Dragon Bane, that solution needed a ritual to turn it into an alchemical solution like any other potion or alchemical poison.

Normally, to create a potion, an alchemist had to imbue it with at least a blessing and to create an alchemical poison a curse. However, the ritual to create Dragon Bane was unique. Through a secret ritual, Dragon Bane was created by imbuing three minor blessings, two greater blessings, and fourteen deadly curses.

The creation of Dragon Bane was considered an impossible feat because an alchemical solution can only be imbued with a blessing or a curse, never both at the same time. Due to their contradictory nature, blessings and curses negated each other like Yin and Yang or the strongest spear and strongest shield.

However, the Dragon Bane was one of the few rare exceptions to that rule.

The two greater blessing and the three minor blessings inside it was the reason why Dragon Bane was so deadly and feared, not the fourteen deadly curses.

One of the two greater blessings in Dragon Bane would be the first to activate the moment Dragon Bane contact with the taste buds of its victims. This greater blessing healed the victims of Dragon Bane of the wound and fatigue, and granted them all manners of benefits, tricking their body into believing that the other fourteen deadly curses were also blessings, thus effectively bypassing all the resistances and immunities possessed by its victims.

The body of the victims of Dragon Bane would then try to absorb more benefits granted by the first greater blessing, greedily, thus magnifying the effects of the fourteen deadly curses.

Skills and perks that granted resistance and immunity meant nothing against Dragon Bane. There are skills and perks that allowed living beings to resist or be immune against poisons or curses, but there were none for blessings. Thus, no creature of fleshes or physical manifestation could defend against Dragon Bane the moment they taste it.

Once the victims of Dragon Bane tasted the poison, they would feel a sense of euphoria, joy and a bittersweet aftertaste inside their mouth due to the effect of the three minor blessings. Thus, entered the first phase- the sweet phase before Death took them.

Then, the hollow phase. Without warning, the four of the five blessings disappeared like a wisp of candle fire in the wind, resulting in an unbearable sense of loss and hollow within the victims of Dragon Bane, which made them wanting nothing more than to taste Dragon Bane again like drug addicts.

But never again, would they know such bitter-sweetness or such euphoria because the one remained acting greater blessing was designed for that purpose. This blessing while it was still in effect prevented the victims of Dragon Bane from feeling pain and suffering that the fourteen deadly curses did to their body but at the same time, preventing the victims from feeling anything. They could put their hands into a fire and still feel nothing. They could masturbate and feel no carnal pleasure or whatsoever. They feel nothing until this blessing would finally leave their body.

Lastly, the agony phase. The victims of Dragon Bane would then feel the damage of the fourteen curses, the agony and suffering they brought in the most devastating manner. It started first with an irritating itch that spread across their body. They would scratch to ease that itch, but the more they scratch the itchier it became. And then, agony fell upon them.

The final remained greater blessing did not stop the body of the victims of Dragon Bane from feeling pain and agony. It only delayed the agony while it’s in effect and when it left, the victims would feel all the delayed agony and sufferings in many folds as their body melted inside out, resulting in the most horrific pain that a person can take.

However, despite the agony and sufferings that the Dragon Bane brought to its victims, the body of the victims was still tricked into thinking that these effects were a blessing, preventing the mind and body of the victims from the usual countermeasures against pain like passing out or releasing pain control hormones. They would feel pain as pain is. They could not go mad from their pain because their brain still accesses their pain as benefits. They would suffer this pain until Death showed mercy upon their souls and took them away.

Without a doubt, the Dragon Bane was the cruelest and the deadliest poison in the world of Escana. However, while Dragon Bane killed its victims through the fourteen deadly curses imbued within it, what made it became such a deadly and cruel poison were the blessings imbued inside it.

However, Bloodbeard’s worms did not know that yet, not yet but soon.

One of One-eye’s worms climbed the stairs of the rampart, delivering me and Bloodbeard two mugful of Dragon Bane contaminated wine according to my previous instruction.

Before Bloodbeard received his mug from the worm, I stepped down from the platform and took it from the worm’s hand, sending him down the rampart with his unit.

“Between you and me, whose position is higher in this army?” I asked Bloodbeard, slowly word by word while giving Bloodbeard’s mug to Atuc.

I could not believe that there was the need to think to answer this simple question but it took Bloodbeard over five seconds to give me the answer, “…Yours higher, uncle.”

Even when you thought about it for such length, it’s incorrect still. Amazing, absolutely fucking amazing.

Man, I have curbed your pride so hard that you have none left in you…

I grimly passed my mug to Erinys, telling her to hold it for me for a moment. Then, I angrily grabbed Bloodbeard by his tunic, dragging his head down to my level by force, “You are the master of these maggots. You are their sole leader, the one and only.

I am but a strategist, no more, no less, an add-in. Did we not agree on that term?

There is no meaning for me to be their supreme leader. There is no meaning or joy for me to become the leader of this army. I only agreed to be your strategist, did I not?

These maggots…you are their master and their leader. Their loyalty and fate should be bounded to you, not me. They are your ambition. They are your tools and weapons. They are your choice. If they live, they should live for your glory. Should they die, they shall die for your glory. If you fell in battle, they will all die with you.

Never forget that even when you arrive at Death’s Hall.” I hissed emotionally to Bloodbeard before released his collar and put a respectable distance between the two of us.

I gave Bloodbeard five seconds to absorb everything I have just told him. Only then, I gave him my final lecture, “Once again, tell me, between you and me, whose position is higher in this army?”

“Mine,” Bloodbeard replied firmly, lifting his chest forward with pride.

“Who should drink the last mug?”

“I should.”

“Whose maggots are those?”

“Mine.”

“Whose fate must they bind themselves to?”

“Mine.”

“What is the meaning of this ceremony? For whose sake that I hold this ceremony?”

“Mine,” Bloodbeard answered.

“Never forget that,” I told the bandit lord firmly.

I grabbed my own mug from Erinys’ hands and aligned the platform.

“I offer this wine to the gods and goddesses above.” I held my mug high as if toasting to the gods of Escana and poured half of the mug on the platform, shouting to the worms.

“O mighty gods and goddesses, may you bear witness the bonds that we create and share through this wine in this joyous day.

O mighty gods and goddesses, may you review the injustice and malevolence that plagued this beautiful world with your appraising eyes. May your omnipotent wisdom let you correct such injustices.

Especially you O Mighty protector, he who uphold justice, hear my voice and correct the injustices of this world and make it a better place.

O mighty gods and goddesses, who reign over our souls and fate, watch us as we shall confront our enemies like heroes old legends or die trying, together.” I poured a quarter of my mug to the platform again before putting the mug to my lips, pretending to empty it with a single gulp. My uniform was black in color, nobody was perceptive enough to see the stain of spilled wine on it other than Atuc who wore a fleeting smile on her lips.

I tossed the empty mug to the ground and then pointed my index finger at Bloodbeard, clapping my hands. Soon, Bloodbeard’s worms caught onto my intention, clapping their hands as well, chanting for Bloodbeard to empty his.

Atuc handed the bandit lord his death sentence with the loveliest smile on her lips. Bloodbeard drained his mug with a single gulp, leaving not a single drop behind. He proudly showed his empty mug to his worms, pumping his fist to the air and they cheered for him thunderously.

Then, unbeknown to the worms, the bandit lord froze on the spot. His expression betrayed his puzzlement and euphoric joy.

He has regained his sense of taste. He could taste the bitter-sweetness of Dragon Bane with the tips of his tongue. Then, he seemed to realize that he has regained more than just his sense of taste. He could feel. He reached out his bulky hand to catch a small drifting snowflake in the air. He tightly squeezed his palm as the overlapping pinkish scars on his face relaxed and the crumbled away. His massive frame shook and Bloodbeard slowly turned his interrogating gaze on me. His quivering jaws opened and the giant choked on his words.

I answered his inaudible question with a nodding blink. “Don’t let your men see your tears, fool. This ceremony is still going on,” I warmly told Bloodbeard, “This is my gift to you, little Ashtorá.”

Bloodbeard immediately wiped his face with the sleeves of his tunic and quietly sniffled once. Then he stood in attention.

“Everyone, repeat after me,” I shouted.

“We weren’t destined to be born on the same day, the same month or the same year. But, O mighty gods and goddesses, please bear witness to our pledges. We are willing to die on the same day, the same month and the same year as brothers bounded by fate and oath.”

Bloodbeard and his worms chanted the pledge. I told them that the ceremony was over and gave the worms the permission to go wild for but a few hours. Many of them launched themselves into the Dragon Bane contaminated lake, swimming in it. Others thrust their head into the lake like a bunch of thirsty gazettes. They pushed each other and went wild, as I have told them.

Most of them have already entered the hollow phase, those were the earliest to drink my wine. Soon, they would be the first to enter the agony phase.

I turned my gaze upon Bloodbeard. But he did not notice my gaze.

He was in a daze, trying to feel the winds blowing against his skin, trying to feel the warm snow on his skin with his regained sense of touch. He was overwhelmed with emotions. He looked like a child who has just received his best birthday present ever.

I have completed everything that I have set out to do. Everything has been set in stone and nothing can change it.

Even if Atuc somehow miraculously failed at her job, that changed nothing. I was just this thorough with my job.

Nevertheless, the last scene of this drama did not go according to my plan.

I rolled my eyes over Atuc’s black gown and her emotionless face, communicating my thought to her.

We blinked our eyes as once and nodded our head as once.

It’s yours now, all yours.

It’s mine now, all mine.