A spurt of blood traveled through the air, painting the moonlit ground in brownish red.

The flame of the campfire flickered as some blood wetted its fuel causing the stench of gore to fill the surroundings.

The unfortunate victim desperately pressed his hands on his cut throat in an attempt to stop the excessive bleeding, using all his strenght, nearly suffocating himself.

The man fought for dozens of unending seconds before bleeding out.

"And another one out! C'mon now boys, who's the next lucky one?" [Bandit]

"You ba... stards..." [Knight]

An audible impact was heard as the weakened knight took a kick square in his stomach, causing him to spit out what little breath he still had along with droplets of more blood and saliva.

"Volunteering yourself?" [Bandit]

"Stop it right this instant!" [Girl]

"Oh? And why exactly should I do that?" [Bandit]

"Because otherwise you'll ha-" [Girl]

"-ve the whole kingdom after you and blah, blah, blah. Listen princess, if I was scared about that, I would've stopped long ago wouldn't I?" [Bandit]

"You will not be laughing when the royal guards find you. Leave them alone and let us go, if you do, I may be able to give you a more forgiving sente-" [Princess]

A heavy left hook connected to the princess' face, knocking her on the ground, writhing.

"Listen here, bitch. You do not scare me, I know how bad is the army after nobody returned from the war. The best of your 'royal guard' is right here battered and bruised, being raped or being beaten if not dead. And do not forget that the reason you're still unharmed is because your 'faithful' and 'courageous' aide offered herself in your stead." [Bandit]

"...⚍⥉⥝☊⎊!" [Princess]

A magic circle appeared in between the two, at the same time the bandit took one of his small pouches on his belt and spread its contents right in front of the formation, leaving a small cloud of dark dust floating just before the circle.

High amounts of mana, along with some of the princess' blood, fused with the formation as it opened itself revealing a hole into reality leading to an unknown location.

Dozens of sharp beaked birds flew out of the portal, burning inside the dust cloud rapidly catching on fire as the bandit casually kicked some embers into the floating cloud.

A split second explosion spat out corpses of flaming and suffering birds, forcing the wide eyed princess back on the ground as the blast from the fire cloud hit her face on.

A sharp pain on her arm made her jolt before being lifted from her hair. A scream of first shock and then pain escaped her mouth as she noticed her now broken arm before a tight grip on her neck cut off the sounds from her mouth.

"Don't think I didn't notice you whispering shit while I was speaking." [Bandit]

Suffocating sounds answered the bandit as the princess desperately tried to claw the grip open with her remaining functioning hand.

"Since you wish to play so much, I guess you'd like to participate in our little games. Your dear friend stopped giving satisfying reactions just two hours in, and we've been hoping for a piece of you ever since the first moment we laid eyes on you. It's not always that you get to taste someone from royalty, am I right guys..?" [Bandit]

Turning his head around, the bandit was met with a scenery that made him release his grip on the girl.

On the ground was a naked woman barely breathing, this was the princess' aide, trying her best to cover her up was a knightess abused the same way. Trying to move closer with uncertain steps were the few remaining injured and awake guards and knights.

The most abnormal thing to the bandit was that all of his men were dead or dying on the ground.

With broken or cut throats, sometimes depressions on their chests, they were killed while trying to make as little sound as possible and in a way that would be hard to distinguish from their own abuse.

A loud thump reverberated as his sense of danger instinctively made him guard against a punch from his back.

Putting some more force on his guarding arm, the bandit deflected the hit and countered with one of his own.

The unknown attacker answered in the exact same way and the time slowed down for the bandit as he noticed all the details around him.

The man was incredibly large, he was wearing a robe and had gloves on his hands, he was moving incredibly quickly compared to all the things travelling in slow motion around him.

A small prickling sensation made him look at the gauntlet on the arm he used to guard, making him notice a large dent on it, caused by the earlier hit.

Understanding that right now he was seeing the last moments before his death, the man tried to catch a glimpse under the stranger's hood, hoping to at least see the face of his killer.

Nothing.

A pure white mask, devoid of any details, reflecting the light from the firecamp, was staring the bandit.

He did not feel the pain from the impact, only the agony that followed as the hit broke his ribcage causing some of the ribs to puncture his organs, resulting in heavy internal bleeding and multiple organ failures.

Only a few seconds of endless pain and the man finally died.

Straightening himself, the masked stranger turned to the princess.

What remained of her guards hastily got together, expressing their thanks to their saviour.

"Urgh... Th-thank, you... for helping us." [Knight]

"Oh, you do not need to thank me, I just happened to pass by and witness the scene." [Stranger]

"No, it's the opposi... te... It's easy to see what would've happened if you hadn't stepped in." [Knightess]

"If possible, may we know of who you are? You just saved a member of royalty and... As shameful as it is, her guards... You will be rewarded for this." [Knight]

"I'm nobody really, I'm just a simple... wandering scholar, I wish to travel the world to learn all of its secrets." [Stranger]

"A-ah, well, I won't lie, I'm a bit surprised about your... Occupation after witnessing your skills. You're certainly quite... physical for a man of mind." [Knight]

"Really? I thought it was quite normal." [Stranger]

"...oh, of course, every Valian citizen is trained since childhood in the arts of self defence. I apologize." [Knight]

"Do not fret about it, I can understand why you would think so. Mmh... If I may, regarding my... reward..." [Stranger]

"Oh, yes, his majesty will definitely reward your help. We require only your name and you shall receive something worthy of a hero." [Knight]

"Yes, about that. As a scholar, I am very interested in the capital's library. If it is possible, may I ask for access to its contents? Of course, only if it is possible. If it isn't I am willing to accept an explanation on how I may access it." [Stranger]

"Our library? Well that's a-" [Knight]

"Do not lie to me." [Princess]

All the attention fell on the princess currently trying to apply medications to her aide's injuries.

"Pardon?" [Stranger]

"Do not think I believe a single word you're saying." [Princess]

"I can assure you I am not-" [Stranger]

"I am an accomplished magician well versed in the arts of sorcery. As a member of royalty I know of the strongest spells known to the reign. Unlike physical fighting, casting spells do not require stamina and can be casted at their fullest even when tired." [Princess]

"I do not follow." [Stranger]

"I'm telling you to show your true self if you wish for a painless death. I can recognize the dirty aura exuding from you with my eyes closed, undead." [Princess]

The camp was silent.

Every eyes were fixated on the masked stranger.

"Was he really an undead?" "Maybe the princess is just tired, we did just pass through hell." "Why would an undead let us live?" "He just saved us, that's impossible." Many thoughts similar to these passed through the weary minds of the guards.

A multitude of synchronized sighs came from behind the mask, making the guard jolt into whatever guard they could manage, holding their weapons tightly.

The man casually took one of his gloves off, revealing a hand made of pure bones. After doing the same with the other hand, he slowly removed his mask.

Gritting their teeths, the guards suppressed their fear as they now found themselves in front of what could only be described as "Death".

I wonder what went wrong.

Wondered Dar'ith as it adjusted its mask back into its robe.

The undead was quite thrilled by the discovery of the princess. If saving a few villagers made it a hero in a village, then saving a princess would make it a hero in the kingdom.

It was the greatest luck it could ever imagine: Dar'ith could've been able to access the knowledge of the kingdom, it could've studied combat straight from the army and if played right, it could've been able to use the king to help it get to Sanctus.

It didn't expect the princess to be an adept magician, but what was done was done.

"Yes, I am indeed an undead. But I did not lie to you about my objective, I truly do wish for knowledge."

"And why exactly do you expect me to believe you?" [Princess]

"Because I saved you. Would your average undead do that?"

"It never happened, but it is a possibility that you only wish to see our suffering by killing us when we feel safe." [Princess]

"Why would an undead do that?"

"For the same reason you undeads kill people." [Princess]

"I have no idea why undeads kill people."

"Then why do YOU kill people?" [Princess]

"Because it's the easiest solution."

Dar'ith sighed, How can I convince her that I don't wish her harm...

How did I convince the town again? I saved them, but I just did that.

Was it Sara? No, it was Gherman, yeah but... Maybe I should've brought her with me.

Actually no, didn't I convince her first?

"I know, how about I show you that I have no intention of harming you?"

"Do not try to tri-" [Princess]

"The skin closes, the flesh regrow, forever unwounded."

Casting at an unreactable speed, a large magic circle engulfed the guards filling them with mana.

Out of shock, the guards attacked. A barrage of well executed attacks approached the undead, attacking any possible blindspot the previous comrade could've created, the knights showed their training and discipline behind their hits.

And yet, all Dar'ith could think was 'Slow '.

Effortlessly dodging and parrying the swings, the undead stared at the princess.

"Stop." [Princess]

The guards stopped their attacks.

"Did you?" [Princess]

"Yes, I have indeed healed them."

At those words, the guards quickly checked themselves, noticing the lack of bruises and cuts suffered during their time as captives.

"But... why?" [Princess]

"Because I truly do only wish for knowledge and I truly am interested in your library. If you aid me then I will also heal you and the person that you seem to care deeply for. Otherwise I will only ask you to leave me alone as I do not wish to anger an entire kingdom.

May I have your answer?"

"...I will believe you. For now. But know that if you ever show the slightest sign of aggression, I will kill you without hesitation." [Princess]

"Of course, I understand."

"Good, then... As the daughter of king Alfred Caydor Octavis VI, I Amira Hitaris Octavis, accept to help you gain access to the royal library as a reward for saving us and healing our wounds." [Amira]

"Good, now allow me to hold my part of the agreement."

Sitting upside down on the wall, Dar'ith was conversing with a woman on the other side of the broken mirror behind the floor.

"Hello again." [The original]

"Again?"

"Another failure I see. That doesn't matter now, you just put yourself in danger, and quite a big one." [Reflection]

"What do you mean? Also where are we?"

"I won't answer until you start understanding and remembering, I may be able to get you to remember something and I want to make sure you remember the right thing." [---]

"I feel like I'm forgetting something."

"Just remember this phrase..." [☊✺☉⍢∳]

"...I have spoken those words, stand down."

Dar'ith whispered as it woke up.

"What spell is that?" [Amira]

"That was a spell?"

"Did you not just chant in magic language?" [Amira]

"I only repeated something I heard in my dream."

"Undeads sleep!?" [Amira]

"No, they don't."

"What? But you just said you dream, what do you usually dream about?" [Amira]

"I don't."

"Huh?" [Amira]

Right now Dar'ith was riding a carriage guarded by the surviving guards, headed to the capital.

After escorting them to Ralia, the princess offered it to join them in their travel back to the capital.

The skeleton obviously accepted as escorting the princess would improve its credibility and it could learn about the princess' ability as a mage in the meantime.

While wary at the start, the princess did accept in explaining some basics, and soon enough they found themselves enjoying magic talk with each other.

"By the way, the trip is taking a while isn't it? We've been traveling for a good three days now."

"Really? Given how far the kingdom is, this is normal." [Amira]

"Really? My map was truly made by an amateur then, according to it we were really close to Valian."

"Valian? I guess you're still half asleep, but then again Valian was the only thing you've known since you're comeback to life so I guess it's acceptable." [Amira]

"?"

A bad feeling assailed the undead as it thought more deeply about the girl's words.

Dar'ith subtly looked through the mana to survey its surroundings. It saw a large grassland with only the road they were currently traveling upon on it.

According to his map there was a lot of forest zone in front of Valian and yet the only trees around were few and sparse. Looking farther, the undead could feel water, a lot of it, could that be the sea?

Then it's vision began to disappear as a wall of something was blocking the mana it used to see.

"Milady, we're preparing for arrival." [Aide]

"Oh, that was quick, I figured it would still be a few hours before arrival." [Amira]

Hoping its thoughts were wrong, Dar'ith poked its skull out of the window and stood still in terror.

Large, enormous and sturdy looking walls barred the way at the end of the road. Towers erected on said walls and in front of them held countless soldiers moving back and forth from one position to another, arming and maintaining balistas, ready to jump into action.

But most terrifying were the engravings on the walls and the large doors, along with the banners on the towers, all of them with drawings of a symbol only known as Sanctus' Holy Symbol.

And to top it all, all around the fort was a large dome made of light magic. Meaning that the moment it entered the kingdom, all its magic and regeneration would be sealed, leaving it to fight by only physical means against powerful enemies that mastered the art of undead slaying magic.

In an instant, all its doubts clicked together: the guards were so weak and slow because they weren't as trained as anyone else in Valian, and while better at magic, it could easily be countered by stopping the chant in any way.

That's why highly trained guards lost to lesser trained bandits, and that also explaines how the princess of a country that valued fighting prowess over magical strenght was so knowledgeable on the arcane.

Dar'ith did not save the Valian princess, it saved Sanctus' princess.

The skeleton snapped back into reality as the princess playfully put the mask on its face.

"Don't act stupid now, you don't want our defenses to spot you before I can explain everything to them." [Amira]

"A-ah, yes, indeed..."

Furiously thinking of a way to escape this horrible situation, Dar'ith grew more and more agitated as the carriage got closer and closer to the holy kingdom of Sanctus.