Hundred Fang Mountains, far northwest of Red Dragon City. A guy in his early teens is pulling a wagon with a bunch of materials, money, and equipment that can only be seen on a noble’s household treasury that has centuries of history. The wagon is covered with dirty ragged cloth to avoid prying eyes and weighs almost a ton.

His short hair with a slight hint of copper color due to extended exposure to the sun is shining because of the grease. Tanned skin with robust healthy muscle makes his aura seemed like a person that has plenty of manual labor experience.

He has brown sleepy eyes and eyebrows that feels as if he is ready to take a nap anytime, and his height of 210 cm is intimidating from a commoner’s point of view, especially for those that have had no contact with him. But he’s not aware of how others view him from a foot below his head.

This was not what he looks like before nor expecting that he would walk the path of a Swordsman in a world full of mystery, magic and the unknown.

The way his skin color, dark hair, brown eyes, and tall figure sticks like a sore thumb in the Red Dragon Empire that consist of people with red, ginger-colored hair, blue or green eyes and pale white skin.

He spent almost a week getting his Steel Badge that consist of physical test, mana compatibility test, written exam and practical quest.

He was able to pass the test with a baffling result that will be forever be recorded as a highlight for the Swordsman Guilds in a few years’ time. But for now, he’s satisfied to receive his 3rd-Rank Steel Badge.

Every Badge has a shape corresponding to your main profession that will be useful as an identity and a proof that you’re capable to undertake professional missions.

Wearing a leather attire with a worn-out thin breastplate that covers half of his front upper body, and a long sword without a guard that’s hanging in his left waist, one glimpse and you will conclude that he’s living in a simple household.

His family is not an ordinary one but it’s the kind that was built from the ground up, despite the syndrome that he has ever since he was born, they still handled it regardless of the expensive medication and a severe lack of knowledge on how to treat the sickness.

While pulling the cart his muscles twitched, and it became increasingly itchy as time went by. It goes off and on at random intervals. When he was younger, he can’t even control the words that come out from his mouth and kept cussing nonstop whenever he tries to express his thoughts.

With enough practice, self-control, and medication he could manage somehow.

A very uncomfortable itch was crawling in his body from the inside. He took a break sitting on the driver’s seat of the wagon and took out a bamboo pipe the size of a pen, it’s already filled to the brim with dried Chonkee mushrooms, in the other end of the pipe is a stuffed compact piece of cotton that acts as a filter. He then lit up the other end with a flint.

This has become a nasty habit, but it works. Beggars can’t be choosers.

The scenery in front of him are the oddly shaped mountains that resemble giant fangs sticking out from the ground. Stories from Bards and Myth states that the Red Dragon slew Zyganar Lifestealer a dragon that devours the life span of any living being that is weaker than himself.

Unfortunately, one of the creatures that Zyganar killed is the eldest son of the Red Dragon which gained the ire of the rampaging mother. After his death, Zyganar’s body was shattered into pieces and became the foundation of the Red Dragon Empire. It is also a common belief that the noble citizens are the descendants of the Red Dragon, that’s reflected on their fiery red hair.

Finishing his medicine, his muscles stopped twitching and the extreme itchiness is gone and was replaced by a serene feeling. Reminiscing his time at the city he vaguely remembers the song that was sung by the Bards in the city square, it plays over his head while puffing out smoke that was carried away by the wind.

~The traveling lamp sets due west

dram creatures did lie in rest

lifeless eyes and their rotten bones

did damage hearts and burn’d homes

Thousand days battle came and went

sc’rching sun that lady ferocity vent

……..

Suddenly.

A feeling of death rushed through his entire body.

Everything his eyes can see is frozen in time, the falling leaves of the tree nearby, the sound of the river water hitting the rocks, the whistle of the wind that brushed through his ears, even the birds and insects that are flying about.

All the things he feels, smell and see are static and monochrome as if life itself refuses to move.

The only thing he can control right now is only his thoughts.

This sensation is not foreign to him, he has been in a lot of life and death situation, he lost count on how many they have been. But there is a special feeling of a sure death with no chance of escape that he only encountered once before, and this will be the second time it will happen.

Ah! this is why I hate surprise parties.

His thoughts ran rampant thinking of what’s happening, how it happened and how to escape the predicament.

Through his peripheral vision he could glimpse a shining black hair and a pair of black slippers, these are the only things moving and has vibrant in this dimmed and gray world.

The whole area around him vibrated and he could hear a voice that sounded like a hundred people trying to speak all at once.

“Human,"

“Pledge an oath and swear to obey me until your death, I’ll give you 5 seconds to decide!”

He counted inside his head, preparing for the worse.

5

Is this it?

4

3

So unlucky encountering this psycho.

2

He was expecting an unbearable pain, but it didn’t come.

1

With a woosh! Everything moved again, akin to a cat that’s following a red dot he leaped as fast as he can. A tinge of pain was felt in his heart, so he looked back to take a last view at the wagon that was filled to the brim before he leaves it forever.

What he saw baffled him, he slowed his footsteps and took a good stare at the creature that was threatening his life a moment ago.

He was at awe at what was laid before his eyes. A glittering body with a straight obsidian color hair that reach the feet, child-like face, very large black scarf that’s covering the whole body, pair of black slippers that’s loose and too big for its wearer, sharp pointed ears and the most striking of all was the huge pair of butterfly wings that the creature is holding tightly in its hand. The wings seem to be ripped forcefully and were covered in blood.

Unconscious. There isn’t any movement to be seen aside from the hair that’s blowing in the wind.

He approached the wagon slowly to inspect. The creature seems to be around the height of a child that’s about 6-7 years old.

His steps are careful and full of curiosity. Because a being that can cast that kind of enormous magic is not something you can encounter in your daily life and live to tell the tale.

He examined every detail of the unwanted guest in his wagon. During his time at the Empire’s Academy, he got a decent score at Monsters & Creatures 101, and upon further investigation, he concluded that it resembled a Pixie but a rather different kind.

The Pixies that are written in the books are just about palm size, was never aggressive to humans or to any creature and always have a vibrant color.

There are even examples in the book about Pixies giving blessings to weary travelers and in exchange, the Pixies will ask them items like cloth, spices and other things the travelers have in their cargo or belongings that are not excessive.

A fair trade to the blessing they will receive, but if the transaction isn’t satisfied the blessing would turn to be a curse, like any other temporary buff the curse will go away in a period of time.

So, he did what any mature and sensible human being would do.

He poked it with his sword.

Sure enough, after several pokes of the sheathed sword, there doesn’t seem to be any reaction.

Just to make sure it’s not a threat anymore, he poked it one last time on the cheeks and at the same time, the tip of the sheath was lightly embedded on the creature’s face. The Pixie opened its eyes.

He immediately pulled his sword back faster than the eyes could see, in case of misunderstanding.

Glaring intensely at him, with a confused and wronged look, tears flowed down its cheeks and continued to drop on top of the bloody butterfly wings. The pixie hugged the wings like it's the greatest treasure in the world.

Huuuuuh!? Why do I feel like I’m suddenly the bad guy here?

While the tears leak down its deep dark eyes, the listless face with freckles looked left and right as though searching for something or someone in a distressed manner. The pixie suddenly spoke in a very raspy voice typical of a person that has a dry throat from sniffing and crying for quite a while.

“Mother!”

Panicked and afraid. The little creature fell down the wagon's seat dropping face first on the gravel, compared to a newborn fawn that’s trying to stand. The pixie kept stumbling away from the wagon and just made it at a mere meter then collapse.

“Dead, they are all dead! kihihihi!”

He kept hearing unintelligent and deranged mumbles coming from the Pixie. The people that have lost their sanity sounds like this. He came to understand that the power he experienced earlier didn’t come from this broken kid. Because to cast that kind of large-scale magic you’ll be needing a sound mind and an indomitable will.

He got the gist of what happened a few moments ago, he felt pity, he might not know what happened to this little being and the things it’s mumbling about, but he knows it’s suffering an immeasurable pain in its heart. That even a flushed unconscious face a while ago is being contorted.

Taking a step forward and drawing his long sword that’s almost the same height as the crying Pixie in front of him. He intends to end its suffering here and now. He knew from experience that a shattered heart, mind and soul is not only dangerous to oneself and will bring forth endless suffering, but also a danger to the people that will encounter this mess.

He took it upon himself to take responsibility. It all sounds effortless to describe. But for those that haven’t even slew a chicken or have the stomach to watch a butcher in the course of strangling its neck while his knife cuts through the feather, skin, and flesh.

Its warm blood dripping on your bare hands, feeling its muscles jerk and struggle in your grasp, letting out squawking noises holding for its dear life and worse of all when it somehow managed to escape your grip. Witnessing a thrashing chicken, neck half tore and dangling, blood gushing about while it slowly loses its life twitching on the floor is a sight for a horror story.

Needless to say. Killing another being with intelligence and resembling a human child.

“I hope you find peace in the afterlife, my name is Rus, 4th Head of the Tessaro Familia, if there’s a reincarnation you can seek revenge to any person that bears the last name Tessaro!”

Compared to seeing a magician that pulled a rabbit out of the hat, the Pixie slowly stood up with snot, red eyes and tears, looking up at the tall man in front it without fear in its eyes.

There are three words from what he said that resonated in the depths of the Pixies consciousness and pulled its mind out from drowning in self-destruction.

Still holding the bloody butterfly wings, the black-haired Pixie bowed lightly and made an impulsive decision.

With a grating sound coming from its throat due to crying for a long time, the Pixie uttered her greetings.

“My mother taught me that when someone introduced themselves it’s the proper manner to respond in kind. I am Semira Zyganar, one of the daughters from the Night Pixie Tribe, I….I..came to give you weary traveler a blessing,"

According to what was written in the books of Monsters and Creatures 101, Pixies cannot receive anything without giving out something with magic that’s connected to them first. It’s not out of morals but they are biologically engineered that way since ancient times and was mentioned in one of many books relating to Pixies.

“Hnnnngggg!, Hnnnnggggg!, Hnnnnggggg!” *huff* *huff*

At least she tried to, but no magic came out. Lock and loaded she’s already gearing to start bawling out again. but another idea popped up from that wee head of hers.

With a shaking hand and an obvious body language that’s full of unwillingness, Semira extended her hands that’s holding the butterfly wings while her legs shook, holding the wings on a position that’s offering it to the other party, but her hands are still tightly clutched on to it. But this is the only thing in her possession that has mana and connected to her.

His right eyes twitched, not because of the ailment that he has, but because of the awkward situation. Not knowing its value or the consequences attached to the thing that’s being offered to him. Rus shamelessly grabbed it, and what happened irritated him.

Semira isn’t letting it go. Resulting in both of them staring at each other again and a small tug of war between the two was started. Due to her small figure and lack of physical strength Rus was able to get hold of the bloody butterfly wings.

He lifted the ragged cloth covering the items inside the wagon and carefully put the wings inside. Seeing the content of the wagon, Semira confirmed that she had made a wise choice.

“What do you want in exchange?”

Semira thought of the things that flashed through her mind earlier that seems to be a foolproof plan.

“Uhmm Water, Food, Shelter..”

With half her sentence not quite audible because Rus pulled the wagon again, and its wheels grating on the gravel. He couldn’t hear the other half of the sentence. Focusing at stirring the wagon in the right direction without damaging the goods inside.

He barely made out what was said by her. Rus thought she was talking about what happened to her family dragon tribe, and due to his natural instinct to not pursue people’s pass and be nosy about it. His mind acted like it’s listening at a spoiler for a movie and filtered the most important part of what Semira said.

With her voice dimming down from shame, Semira said the other half of her request.

“..Family and help me destroy the whole Blaze Fairy Tribe along with the Red Dragon,"

“All right hop on the wagon, the water and food are just behind the seat and we’re going to a place which will have lots of shelters,"

“Can you promise that you will fulfill the request I said earlier?”

“Yes, of course. I Rus Tessaro promise that I will fulfill all your earlier request.”

Without anyone noticing. The blood on the black butterfly wings vanished after he replied.

Continuing his journey back home along with a little extra baggage and a treasure of unknown value. Rus was very much satisfied with the result of this encounter.

Unbeknown the both is a huge wall of misunderstanding regarding the deal that has been made.

Semira’s expectation is bloating up like a balloon from the promise that has transpired, and from the thought that this young man is someone important.