A faint light reached Zane's eyes.

Just like back then . . .

Zane opened his eyes and got out of bed. He walked up to the window and looked outside. The sun hung in the sky behind the roofs of a few buildings.

Still quite some time until noon . . .

Zanne put on his armour and cloak and went downstairs to eat. Rex already sat at a table, surrounded by mercenaries.

"Are ya crazy? Two thousand ain't enough for a job like that!" one of them yelled.

"Please calm down good sir," Rex began but he was interrupted by one of the other mercenaries.

"Listen here, noble, if you want anyone to help with yer stupid plan, you'll need to pay a lot more than that!"

Of course, he's in trouble again.

Zane unsheathed his katana and held it against the throat of one of the mercenaries. All three of them turned to him. At the sight of someone so tall that he would need to duck down to not hit his head on the ceiling they quickly apologized and declined the job offer.

"I must thank you, sir Reaper," Rex said.

Zane sat down and called the innkeeper so he could order food.

"Right, I meant to ask yesterday. I feel quite strange, always calling you Reaper. May I use your real name?" Rex asked.

It's not me who insists on being called the Reaper.

Zane nodded.

"Splendid, Zane."

The innkeeper came to the table and took their orders.

"Have you seen Lovia?" Rex asked.

Zane shook his head.

"I'm sure she'll come around soon as well . . . I had planned on going to the market to buy a few more things. Potions and the like."

Definitely a good idea . . . I should get some more smoke bombs and such . . . a tower might also mean that we'll come across them . . . definitely need firebombs.

"Any suggestions of what we might need? After all, you do have some more experience."

"Fire," Zane responded.

"Fire . . . firebombs then," Rex said to himself.

Shortly after their food arrived at the table. Rex wrote down things on a piece of paper as he ate.

"I apologize for sleeping this long," Lovia said as she approached the table.

"Oh, don't worry," Rex responded.

Lovia sat down and ordered food as well.

"So what is the plan for now?" she asked.

"First we will look around the market and buy a few more things before we begin our journey to the tower. I must say that I'm quite disappointed that no one else would join us but it is what it is."

"How long will the journey take?" Lovia asked.

"It will be a two-week ride with the carriage," Rex said.

Two weeks . . . that means we're going to the tower here in the Alva Highlands . . . I heard no one ever made it out of there.

The three finished eating their food and left the inn after they got the things they left in their rooms. The air was cold. Zane could feel that winter was close. He walked behind Lovia and Rex, looking out for more bandits, even in the city he felt like there might be an attack any second. As Zane looked at Lovia he noticed a bulge on her back that he hadn't noticed the day before.

Is she hiding something?

But Zane didn't have much time to think about it. The three had reached the market and Rex asked Zane about everything he considered buying. "Is this something we might need? Do we need that?" Rex asked so many questions that Zane nearly considered giving up on the job.

Zane filled up his satchel with smoke and firebombs. Compared to eight years ago there were far more stalls nowadays. It took them until shortly before noon to go through the entire market and reach the city gates.

"Sir Aldamillion, are you leaving already?" one of the guards at the gate asked.

"Yes, I have found what I needed," Rex said as he walked past the guards without paying much attention to them.

Nearly forgot the guy is one of those nobles . . . so he's only nice if he has to. Typical.

They walked to the carriage. Someone had repaired the broken wheel and a new, larger horse was now pulling it.

"You are back sir," the driver said as he saw the three approach.

The driver opened the door to let tjem inside. It was spacious in the carriage, even Zane could sit comfortably in it.

"Well then, let us begin our journey to the tower," Rex said with joy in his voice.

Must have been waiting for this opportunity for a long while.

"If I may ask, why do you want to conquer a tower?" Lovia asked.

"Ah, that is quite simple. My father said that he would only allow those who do great things to become the head of the Aldamillion family. I have already been outdone by my older brother on multiple occasions and I am only the second in line . . . for now. But if I manage to conquer one of the towers my father will have to recognize me as the next head of the family," Rex said.

An understandable goal . . . he seems different from Holvin . . . less cunning perhaps.

Lovia smiled at him. "Must be great to have such a clear goal," Lovia said.

"Do you not have a goal?" Rex asked.

"Not really, I became a mercenary because I wasn't quite sure what to do with my life. It seemed like an easy way to make some money. But I still don't know what to do . . ." she said.

"I am sure you will find something, perhaps even on this job," Rex said with a smile.

Definitely more naive than Holvin . . . I have to be careful or else Ion's nobility will really be the death of me.

"What about you Zane?" Rex asked.

Zane just shrugged.

"Still not very talkative . . . well you do make up for it in strength, I'm glad to be working together with you," Rex said.

The words made him smile a bit.

"S-So am I," Lovia quickly said. She chuckled a bit at her words.

As they travelled Zane looked out the window. Studying the environment. They passed many rivers and forests on their way. At night they would sleep outside in a large tent. Rex slept in a tent together with the driver and Zane shared a tent with Lovia.

He would sit outside at the campfire to keep watch. Switching with Lovia every so often. On their fourth night, Zane decided to stay outside together with her. For a while, they sat together in silence but she suddenly decided to break it.

"Uhm . . . Zane," Lovia began.

Zane looked to her, waiting for her to continue.

"I-I mean Reaper," she went.

"Zane, call me Zane," he said.

Lovia seemed a bit shocked. This was the first time he had talked to her. She gulped and continued.

"Why did you decide to become a mercenary . . . I heard you have been doing this for a long time now . . . you're a veteran. I've also heard how you became known as the Reaper . . . why did you do what you did?"

A single tear ran down Zane's face.

Why did she have to remind me . . .

Zane stood up from the log he sat on. Without answering her question he walked over to their tent and went inside. Before he disappeared inside he heard Lovia apologize. Once inside Zane sank to the ground and clasped the necklace with both hands. He felt the pain of the crystal's edges digging into his hands.

Why . . . why did she have to . . . I need to calm down.

Zane left the tent again, to Lovia's surprise. She looked at him, trying to say something but she couldn't bring herself to, not after what she had just done. She just looked as he walked past her and into the dark forest.

He went straight into the forest, without a goal or anything like that. It was difficult for him to see in the dark but after some time Zane saw a large tree stump and walked towards it. He sat down and stared up at the night sky. The moon was above him, a large piece missing.

So it's that day soon as well . . .

Zane lay down on the stump and just stared up. After a short while he heard people approach, to him it sounded like a group of at least ten. He jumped up from the stump only to face a group of Avalonian soldiers with lanterns.

"Who are you?" one of them demanded loudly.

Zane walked towards them, into the light of their lanterns, the moon right behind him. As he entered their field of vision Zane could see fear in the eyes of those who stood close to him.

"You!" one of them yelled. The voice sounded slightly familiar to him.

A large man stepped towards him. "Remember me? Reaper," he said.

He was tall, had a black top know and a trimmed full beard. One of his eyes was brown and the other closed and covered by a scar and his ears were pointy.

So he was a half-elf . . . interesting.

Zane began to grin.

"So you do," Regal said as he drew his sword. "I have waited for an opportunity like this. Bring i-"

"Fuck off," Zane said, just like last time.

He saw Regal's eyes shine in the light of the lanterns.

"Men! Surround him! Today we will slay the Reaper," Regal said.

Zane put one hand on the hilt of his katana.

This time I will have to kill him . . . a shame.

"Sir, do you rea-" one of the other soldiers began but he was interrupted by Regal.

"Follow the command or be executed as traitors."

"Yes, sir!" the soldier responded to Regal's threat.

"I hope you're prepared," Regal said mockingly.

Zane began to slowly draw his katana, waiting for Regal's attack.

Regal thrust his sword forwards. In an instant Zane stepped to the side, drew his weapon, and slashed Regal's arm, leaving behind a deep cut. Regal yelled out in pain.

"Attack!" he yelled, directed at his men.

All nine of them attacked at the same time, dropping their lanterns. Zane stepped backwards and struck the one behind him. The soldier stumbled backwards and fell to the ground. Zane quickly jumped over him.

"Shit! Get him!" Regal yelled as he wrapped a piece of cloth around his arm, covering the cut with it.

The eight soldiers turned towards Zane and began closing in on him. Four of them had Spears the other four long sword-like Regal. The one on the ground was still just laying there.

Eight left.

Zane sheathed his katana and reached behind his back. He removed the cork from two vials and formed the blood inside into sharp needles.

One of the enemy soldiers charged at him with a spear.

Idiot.

Zane hurled one of the blood needles at the spear tip from above, leading it into the ground. The soldier gasped in surprise.

Zane quickly drew his guns from their holsters, recalled one of the blood needles, and loaded them into the guns.

If I wanna be done quickly I should use words as well.

Zane pointed his guns at the group of soldiers.

"Shoot!" he said, his voice sounding different like it wasn't one out of this world.

Both blood needles left the gun barrels in an instant, hitting their targets in almost the same moment they left the guns. The needles went straight through the helmets of the soldiers and came out on the other side of their heads. Two shots had been fired and two soldiers had fallen.

Six left.

Zane had the needles turn towards the other soldiers.

"Shoot!" he said again, his voice still sounding as if it were out of another world due to the Aura passing through it.

The two needles rapidly flew towards the soldiers, slower than before but still too fast for the soldiers to react. Three soldiers fell to the ground.

Three left.

"I knew it, this was a terrible idea," one of the remaining soldiers said.

Zane looked over to where Regal still sat on the ground. His eyes were filled with hate.

Does he hate me that much?

Zane recalled the two blood needles. Pointed his loaded guns at the three remaining soldiers.

"Shoot!"

The two needles flew at the soldiers and one of them split mid-air. All three remaining soldiers fell to the ground.

Taken care of them. Now just him left . . .

Zane now directed his attention towards Regal who had gotten up.

"I'll kill you for that!" Regal yelled. "Men, kill him!"

Zane concentrated, there was no one there besides Regal. But as the range in which Zane sensed the presence of others expanded he felt a single presence in the forest.

Shit, he did have backup.

But instead of being attacked from where that presence was another appeared closely behind him.

He was alive.

The soldier that Zane had slashed first had gotten up from the ground and thrust his spear at him.

Zane barely managed to dodge it and saw Regal escape in the corner of his eye.

Damnit . . .

Zane didn't even look at the soldier as he pressed one of his guns at his head and shot the blood needle straight through his head. He looked towards where he had felt the other presence. He slowly walked towards the spot where the person was.

"Show yourself," Zane said while pointing both guns at the bush from where the presence came. It began to move and a figure covered in a cloak stepped out.