"It has been a while," someone said.

Zane opened his eyes and turned his head. He saw a large person with massive wings sitting on a boulder.

"Vin," said Zane while clasping the necklace around his neck.

He stood up and sat down next to Vindictus. "What brings you here?" he asked, his face still wet from the tears.

"Someone has to look out for you . . ." Vindictus responded.

"Look out for me." Zane began laughing.

As if I need someone to look out for me.

"Eight years . . . eight years have passed since then . . . and now you come here every so often, breaking down every time." Vindictus took a deep breath. "Do you really think that any of this will help? Do you really think your search for more and more power will help you?" he asked.

"I don't know . . . I never knew. But this is the best shot I have at finding purpose again," Zane said.

"Always remember, one does not become stronger to find a purpose in life . . . one becomes stronger because of his purpose in life. What you're doing right now will not make you happy in the long run," Vindictus said, but his words fell on deaf ears like every time he said them to him.

"The wisdom of the immortal." Zane chuckled. "I lost everything because I was weak . . . but if I become stronger . . . if I become stronger I won't have to lose everything. For that reason and that reason alone I accepted this power that has now made me famous . . . for that reason I have been using the power that took everything from me . . . so I won't have to lose everything again," Zane said, his voice cracking every few words.

To Vindictus, it sounded like the rumblings of a mad man.

"I see you won't listen to me . . . like every time I try to help you Z," he said with a saddened voice. "Just make sure to not get killed along the path you're walking . . . I don't want to lose any more friends."

Friends, heh . . .

"Yeah . . ."

Vindictus got off of the boulder and extended his massive dark green wings. Some of his feathers fell to the ground as he rose into the air.

Friends with the strongest being alive . . . my life has become something . . .

Zane jumped off the boulder and walked towards the hill on the other end of the shore. He stepped over bones and skulls and old, rusted weapons. Parts of the ships that hadn't been scavenged yet still remained in the shallow water.

A skull cracked beneath his foot as he stepped on it.

Where should I go now . . . the inn perhaps.

Zane made his way up the hill, his long cloak dragging across the ground and getting dirty.

I could also use a bath.

He followed a wide path to the other side of the mountain. To his left, where once a forest had been was now a golden wheat field. Many farmers were working beneath the sun.

As he walked he passed a broken-down carriage. What looked like a noble and his driver stood around it.

What happened here.

"Ah you there," one of them said as he approached him. "Hello there. My name is Rex Aldamillion."

A noble?

"As you can see we're in quite the . . . peculiar situation," he said as he pointed to his carriage.

One of the wheels was broken and the horse that had drawn it had fallen asleep.

Shit.

"The horse just suddenly fell asleep a moment ago an-"

Before he could finish an arrow flying past his head interrupted him. Zane quickly took off the cork from one of the vials behind his back and drew both his guns from their holsters.

"Down," he said calmly.

Where are they?

Zane looked around but couldn't see the archer. A second arrow was shot at the back of his head. He barely dodged it. Zane moved the blood out of the vial and formed two bullets which he loaded into the guns. He shot at a bush behind him. As the blood bullet went through the bush he felt that it had touched something warm for a split second.

Grazed one . . .

The bullet returned to the gun.

"Get them boys!" someone yelled.

In response, a group of four people, all in rudimentary armour jumped out of another bush and charged at them. None of them had a bow.

At least five.

Zane lifted both guns and shot at the bandits. They hesitated for a second which was enough time for Zane to shoot out both bullets, each piercing two heads. The four bandits sank to the ground with holes in the middle of their foreheads.

"How dare you!"

Another person came charging out from one of the bushes. The bandit nocked an arrow and drew. Before he could shoot he was pierced through the heart by a blood bullet.

Amateurs.

Zane looked over to the carriage. Both of the men were hiding inside. Rex quickly stepped outside and straightened his clothes.

"Splendid, sir. You must be that Reaper I keep hearing about."

Zane walked up to him and extended an arm, showing rex his palm.

"Ah yes, of course. Nothing is free," Rex said.

Good, he understands quickly.

Rex turned around and signalled his driver to get some money. The driver opened a small chest in the carriage and pulled out a small pouch. Rex quickly took it and put it in Zane's hand. Zane nodded and turned away, continuing down the path towards the city of Hirmal.

Zane recalled the blood into the vial and pulled out the cork back on. He opened the pouch, which was filled with gold coins, and put it into his satchel.

"Wait, sir. I could really use a bodyguard," Rex began. But Zane ignored him.

Zane reached the gates to the city shortly after noon. The city hadn't grown much in the past eight years in overall size, but a lot more people were going in and out of the city than back then.

Merchants, advocates of Argidr, mercenaries, and workers. All these different people went in and out of the city.

The city guard stared at Zane.

Do they recognize me?

"S-Sorry b-but . . . but what business d-do you have in the c-city?" one of the guards asked as Zane tried to enter.

"Bath and work," he responded.

The guard nodded slowly and let him pass.

Zane towered above everyone in the city. There was more than half a meter in height difference between him and the next tallest person he could see. In the past, he had often wondered why he was so much taller than everyone else.

Zane passed the large plaza where they had gotten that speech eight years ago. He walked up the wide street leading to the inn. Not much had changed here. The large stalactites still hung down from the ceiling, the wooden building was still there, looking exactly like it did eight years ago.

He had to duck down when he entered. The innkeeper gulped when he saw the large person come through the door. Zane took out a few silver coins and put them down in front of the innkeeper.

"Room and bathing utensils, one night," Zane said.

The innkeeper gave Zane a key and what he would need for the bath.

Zane put his stuff into his room, locked the door, and went to the bathing area. Like eight years ago he put his clothing into one of the large baskets and went into the large bath.

A few people were already there. Some fat merchants, a young couple sat in one corner and a small group of old people in another.

Zane sat down in a corner and closed his eyes to enjoy the warmth. He clasped the necklace with one hand.

Hope I can find a job here . . . maybe I should have accepted one over in duclon forest . . . I could always go back.

"Ah, there you are good sir," a familiar voice said.

Zane opened his eyes only to see Rex. The noble sat down beside him and tried to put an arm around Zane's shoulder. "You just ran away without even listening to my proposal," Rex said.

Zane turned his head away.

"Just listen. I plan on visiting one of the towers. And for that, I need able fighters. You, my good sir, fit the bill just right. So what do you say, why don't you come with me?"

Zane kept ignoring him.

"Ah, but here's the best part. I will pay you one . . . no two, two thousand gold coins if you help me conquer the tower," he said.

At the mention of such good pay, Zane couldn't help but get interested. Zane turned his head to the noble and nodded at him.

Rex's eyes seemed to shine for a second. "Perfect, I'm sure that it is possible with someone like you."

He extended his hand to Zane. The two shook hands.

"Of course I will employ a few more mercenaries once we're back at the inn. And your food will also be on me," Rex said happily.

Two thousand gold coins . . . but still it will take a lot of preparation to conquer a dungeon.

Once the two of them had finished with their bath they got out, put on their now cleaned clothes, and went into the inn. Rex and Zane sat down at a large table and ordered food.

Zane looked around the inn as he was waiting. There were a few wanted posters on the walls. Just the typical criminals but one piqued his interest. It showed the face of a young woman. One of her eyes was a yellowish colour and the other a light blue and she had dark red hair. Zane recognized the face. It was Mira Vermillion, the girl Holvin was looking for.

Right . . . how much did he pay again for her? Thrice the public bounty . . . that would be three thousand gold coins . . . all these nobles and their ridiculous amounts of money.

A few mercenaries came over to the table and talked with Rex every so often. But at the mention of conquering a tower, most of them turned away.

Can't blame them . . . those towers are dangerous . . . the only ones who would take a job like this are pros or newbies.

The innkeeper brought their food, a plate of meat and cheese for Zane and meat and vegetables for Rex.

A hooded person now approached the table. "I heard you were looking for someone to help you," the person said. It was a woman's voice.

"Ah yes, I'm looking for someone to help me conquer a tower. I already have the help of this famous mercenary," he said, pointing at Zane.

"What's the pay?" the female mercenary asked.

"Two thousand gold coins, if we are successful."

The mercenary nearly dropped to the ground.

"T-Two thousand?!" She started coughing. "I will take the job."

"Perfect," Rex responded.

"What is your name?"

"Lovia," she responded.

"Lovia . . . what a beautiful name. Well, sit down and order whatever you want."

Lovia sat down at the table, facing Zane.

Probably a newbie . . .

"So, are you really that Reaper?" she asked Zane.

He looked at her, studying her for a short while. Beneath her hood, she had black hair and brown eyes. He couldn't see any weapons on her and her face seemed soft. Definitely a newbie.

Zane nodded in response to her question.

"Don't mind him too much young lady. He is very quiet," Rex said.

"So I've heard," Lovia responded.

"Ah yes, mister Reaper have you ever been in a tower?" Rex asked.

Zane nodded.

"Splendid, what about you misses Lovia?"

"No, this will be my first."

Zane finished his food first and went to his room.

"We will begin our journey to the tower tomorrow at noon," Rex said before Zane disappeared upstairs. He entered his room and sat down on the bed.

Vindictus, please give me strength . . . conquering a tower with the help of an overconfident noble and a newbie . . . no way that will work out well.