‘But how? What did you do to me?’ the merfolk questioned. As it descended into a bout of confusion. It cried in pain, and Rohan heard it through his mind as it was full of agony and anguish.

‘What is this place? Where am I?’ the merfolk looked around as the swamp was an unfamiliar sight.

‘Wait, this isn’t your home?’

‘You! You’re the one doing this aren’t you, human?’ there was anger in its tone. Its webbed feet brought it closer to Rohan as it wasn’t scared of the height difference. ‘Tell me, human! Tell me where…’ it shouted across the mental link. But fell silent as something was unearthing from the depth of its mind. It fell into a stupor, and Rohan grew curious.

‘Hey, you okay there, bud?’

‘I can’t remember,’ it uttered. Its black eyes shook as no matter how hard it tried to recall its memories, nothing was surfacing. It couldn’t even remember its own name. ‘What’s happening, human? What kind of evil had you done to me?’

Those words were like arrows piercing his heart. As he did nothing. The young lord only gave the mark, but did the mark have an effect on the receiver’s memory? From how Giotto acted, he was sure the mark didn’t work like that unless something else was in play here.

‘Do you know you’re in a dungeon?’ he asked.

‘A dungeon? No . . . I . . . Don’t,’ the merfolk sounded uncertain.

The young lord explained to it the phenomenon of the dungeons and how monsters roamed in them. He even told it about the village they saw where a mad monster was throwing out tridents like they were anti-air missiles. But it was futile. Nothing registered in that blank state of the merfolk as if its memory was wiped out clean. Soon, the poor merfolk fell into distraught. The loss of its memories and identity was a heavy blow at the creature that had semblance with a catfish.

“What in the hell are you doing?” Vhaerla intervened. “Why are you just standing there like a scarecrow with this thing here acting all feeble and weak.”

“Be patient, I’m talking to it,” he replied.

“What? How?”

“Through my skill. I’m now talking with the merfolk with my mind,” he answered.

“Do you know how stupid that sounds, it doesn’t make any—”

“Does any of this make sense to you?” he cut her off and retorted back. Knowing Rohan was right she kept her lips shut and backed away. She went away as she continued picking up her arrows from the dead merfolks. From the look of things, her whole quiver was not going to be enough.

‘How about this? If we meet one of yours, I’ll let you talk to them first,’ he said. Not knowing what else to do, the merfolk could only agree to Rohan’s suggestion.

“So you’re done?” Rohan nodded to her question, and the woman was quick to draw her bow.

“Wait, who told you, you can kill it?” he blocked her, grabbing her by the bow.

“It’s a monster . . . Didn’t it just try to kill you?”

“Well, not anymore . . . I kinda made friends with it,” a bold lie considering the forceful method he did. He felt guilty about it, but did he have a choice? From what he heard, things weren’t as simple as he thought.

“Fine . . . Just so you know, if it tries anything funny, I’ll put an arrow in its head,” she warned.

The three of them ventured further through the swampland with the merfolk leading in front. It did not take long as more of its kin appeared within the depth of the murky water. They leaped out, water splashing. Their eyes were full of fury as they landed with the intent to kill.

The marked merfolk was elated and quickly ran over to them. Speaking in its bubbly pop voice.

“Well, there goes your friend. A pity I’ve to kill it,” Vhaerla said. Drawing her bow. Yet again Rohan pushed her bow down, shaking his head to her.

“I give up, what’s going on here?” she asked.

“Possibility to learn the truth,” he said. Hoping it would turn out well for the poor merfolk under his brand.

But things were quick to escalate. The peace he thought between kins was broken by the sight of those tridents impaling the merfolk under his mark.

‘What’s going on?!’ he shouted through the mental link.

‘They won’t listen. They…’ the merfolk lost its word, not knowing what else to say about this betrayal it faced.

Arrows went flying as Vhaerla took matters into her own hands. One down, and the rest went charging at her. Rohan raced forward as his estoc cried in its shining splendor. Its end found its mark as more of them fell victim to his brand new weapon. In a matter of seconds, three merfolks were dead, and one of them hanging by a thread.

[You have gained 3 Exp.]

He knelt beside the dying merfolk as their minds were still connected. ‘What happened?’ he asked.

‘Rage . . . There’s only rage in them . . . And I can’t even talk to them,’ said the merfolk. Its blue blood spilled through the holes on its body, bringing it closer to its death. ‘Like they wouldn’t listen . . They even call me—’ the mental link ended. No more words rang in Rohan’s mind as it was enough to tell him that the creature of the swamp had met its end. The guilt he felt over its death made him somber. Even if it was a monster, it was still someone under him, someone that he should take care of no matter the circumstances. But he failed. He miscalculated and it ended up with the death of this poor merfolk.

Yet something emerged.

[The Mark has returned. The Master has inherited a sliver of the dead's random stat; Endurance +0.1]

He didn’t know what to say. This may be like a cheat to him, but he wondered whether he could really sacrifice the lives of those under his mark just for the sake of increasing his strength. He frowned and stood. Staring at the dead merfolk with its mark long gone from its forehead.

Vhaerla placed her hand over Rohan’s shoulder as they shared a glance with one another. They moved on. They trod carefully and continued their journey through the swampland. She craned her head above and saw the shadow of her wyvern, soaring up high in the air. It was only for a little while, but she missed being in the sky. While down here felt gloomy and also an awful lot of work, working those small strides of hers.

“Wait,” she said. Stopping on her track with her hand grabbing Rohan by the edge of his tunic. Eagle Eye was an astonishing skill to her. She could see it clearly in between the reeds, black eyes staring at them as if waiting for them to come to their trap.

“Where?” he said.

Rather than words, she angled her bow high, and let loose her arrow. It made a beautiful arc as it dove right on top of the unexpected merfolk. She saw her target splashed on the water, turning limp. The arrow hit its mark, and she smiled.

In return, the merfolks came out from their hiding and rushed towards the one that killed its kin. They were many. Their speed within the creek was unmatched. Speeding through the body of water with their spinal fin exposed above like a shark gunning for its prey. Arrows trailed behind them as they were too fast for Vhaerla to follow. It hurt her pride. But that was not going to stop her to hit her mark. Arrow after arrow flew, and by the sheer skill of the bow, she hit her marks. Yet they were too many.

The merfolks leaped from the water and bared their tridents at these two humans. Rohan took the first strike, impaling one of them right through the heart.

[You have gained 3 Exp.]

His feet were quick and dodged a trident coming towards his way. He spun to the merfolk’s back and with the change in front of him, his hand grabbed it by the shoulder as he uttered those three words. “Mark of Thraldom.”

The merfolk wriggled in pain, fighting against the new power that was wrestling over the dominion of its mind. Yet Rohan couldn’t just stand still as he faced the rest of them that were coming in drove. His estoc slashed, sending countless shallow cut marks over their bodies. Enough to slow them for a little while as he found his chance and killed one by a stab through its eye. He found out the skull of these merfolks were a lot softer when compared to the goblins.

At the same time, he tried establishing a mental link to his new merfolk-in-arm. ‘Hey, you there?’

The same thing happened as the marked merfolk was also confused over what was going on. It saw its kin fightings against humans and from instinct alone it grabbed its trident and joined in the fight. But the moment it did, glares of hatred focused at it as if it was a scourge. Before Rohan could go and lend a hand, the marked merfolk met its untimely doom.

‘Why?’ the voice of the dying merfolk rang in his mind as slowly the link faded.

[The Mark has returned. The Master has inherited a sliver of the dead's random stat; Perception +0.1]

Rohan gritted his teeth as his plan wasn’t working. By chance, he took one of them by surprise and marked it with his skill. He fled immediately, putting distance between him and the group of merfolks that had their attention pulled at their marked brethren. Rohan didn’t bother using his mental link as before he knew it, the message greeted him again.

[The Mark has returned. The Master has inherited a sliver of the dead's random stat; Arcane +0.1]

It was foul play from him. But his life was at stake here, their numbers were far too many, and being encircled would spell his doom. With a little leeway in present, he glanced at how Vhaerla was doing. She too was running. Heading towards him while sending arrows at her chasers.

They met and the feisty lady almost slipped from the mud. Rohan caught her before she could fall flat. His hand managed a boob grab, but no smile on that man of culture's face. Now wasn’t the time to indulge in perverse thoughts as he knew better. Vhaerla’s face reddened. She wanted to rebuke him, but seeing how his face was cold as ice, she swallowed her mockery deep down her throat.

“I’m out of arrows,” she said. Her eyes panned over the merfolks that were circling them from all directions. Their numbers were close to two dozen of them. And four hands were not enough to deal with that kind of number.

“I think a visit from our winged friend would be nice,” Rohan said. The merfolks went for the attack, storming the duo in unison, leaving no gap for them to flee. Rohan pierced and Vhaerla whistled.

[You have gained 3 Exp.]

[You have level up.]

[You have gained 5 points.]

[Class bonus stat distributed; +1 Arcane, +1 Charisma]

The moment he reached level six, a huge shadow plummeted on the ground. Dirt and muddy water went flying. While Rohan stumbled on his steps, barely managing to hang on as all the merfolks dropped like flies, sprawling on the ground from the impact. Then their eyes fell upon the figure that came out of nowhere. Their black eyes quivered as they faced against a wyvern.

Makvreiss let out a thundering roar. Leaving this school of merfolks motionless on the ground, strick in fear. Rohan saw his chance. He pumped his legs and ran towards the listless merfolks. His hands went busy, touching these merfolks in every possible way as his mouth mumbled those words.

“Kill them!” Vhaerla yelled. Letting out her warcry as she rode on top of Makvreiss as her beloved wyvern decimated these defenseless merfolks.

In the end, eighteen laid dead, while Rohan gained five new allies. He looked at them as they looked at him. As terrible as it may be, he needed them if he wanted a chance to win against the trident thrower.