Kyros opens his eyes, still feeling a bit dizzy.

Why does it seem like I’m always waking up this way? Kyros asks himself in frustration.

Looking around he realises he’s still in the prison chamber, however it’s no longer pitch black but illuminated by light permeating through the tunnel Lilith created. Looking at it though, the tunnel seems a lot shorter in distance than he initially thought. He could’ve sworn it ran a few miles up before surfacing, however the tunnel in front of him was only a few hundred metres.

The last thing I remember was Lilith gazing at me, and then I seemed to have passed out. Safe to assume that’s by her doing. Well I should consider myself lucky that she didn’t just kill me, guess even she knows how to repay someone.

At the top of that tunnel is freedom, but I can’t just go running out there. So the plan is to find the Nerva family and return James’s ring. To do that first I need to escape here and somehow find my way to the Nerva family. Assuming the guards are doing patrols, I can’t just run out there either. Maybe I can find a way to get in contact with master, and maybe he’ll help me get to the Nerva family. It’s a lot of maybes, but I don’t have much of a choice right now.

Making up his mind, Kyros picked up as many pieces of the adamantium ore he could carry, deeming them to be valuable. After collecting a few pieces, he started to climb up the tunnel which was at 45-degree incline. His body still lacking strength as he hadn’t eaten or had any water in a little over two weeks now.

He was nearing the top after about an hour of climbing. He quickly ran the plan through his head. First, he was going to sneak out and avoid being detected from any guards. Then he was going to find a way to contact his master, finally he would head off to the Nerva family.

Reaching the top, he pulled himself out of the tunnel and took a deep breath of fresh air. The air felt cool against his sweaty skin. However, he didn’t feel any joy in the breath of fresh air, he was too shocked. The surroundings were completely foreign to him, looking nothing like when he was first brought to the mountain.

In fact, the humongous mountain that bested Mt Everest in his old world was no longer even half the height it was before. The top half of the mountain had been broken off, smashed into thousands of boulders that littered the ground. The ground was even worse off than the mountain. All the surrounding trees within a few miles were blown over or snapped in half, crevices webbed along the ground.

The sight was akin to a bomb going off but x100, as just the size of the destruction alone was something only an atomic bomb from his previous life could replicate.

Master!

Kyros suddenly realised the damage to the mountain would have caused the majority of the mines to cave in, his master could have been trapped in it.

Forgetting any notion of his previous plan, Kyros sprinted to the entrance of the mountain. The guard checkpoint was in tatters, dead bodies littered throughout it. Kyros ran over to the dead bodies, and inspected them. He found some bread that was covered in dirt and canteen half filled with water. Kyros stuffed the bread into his mouth, swallowing it despite the taste of dirt. He used the water to help get the bread down and then sculled the rest.

Kyros then stripped a guard that was of a similar build and wore his armour. He also armed himself with a short sword and a dagger hidden in his belt. Kyros deeming there was nothing of use left, headed off into the direction of the mountain entrance. He was only 100m from the entrance of the cave when an arrow flew towards him and landed only a metre to his side

“Halt! State who you are and what you’re doing here?!” A voice screamed from inside the entrance.

Kyros’s vision was already superior to a normal human, but with the skill perception, he could see a group of guards hustled up at the entrance. There were only 6 of them and they were covered in minor wounds, and their armour broken in various places. They looked pitiful.

“Brother, I’m a guard for the Mavis family as well! I was stationed at the checkpoint.” Kyros shouted back, he had to think quickly and that was the most believable excuse he could come up with.

“We already inspected the checkpoint! There’s no way anyone survived that!” The guard shouted in suspicion.

“I wasn’t there when disaster struck! I was out in the woods on an errand when I heard an explosion, I’ve only just rushed over! What happened here brother?!” Kyros continued the act.

… The guards were silent for a few minutes, Kyros could still see the bows directed at him though.

“Alright! Come over!” The guard finally shouted. Kyros then promptly started to head towards the entrance.

Kyros arrived in front of what seemed to be the guard leader.

Title:

Mavis Family Guard

Name:

???

Level:

31

Health:

398/545

Description:

A guard employed under the great Mavis family.

“Sorry about the distrust brother, but as you can see things have become chaotic.” The leader said wearily.

“I can see. What happened while I was gone?” Kyros figured Lilith had something to do with it. Kyros also noticed one of the guards was contemplating something while staring at him.

“Ah there were reports of a gigantic sword hovering over the mountain, when it suddenly collided with a black object. The shockwave alone caused multiple cave ins. We decided to bunker down in secure chambers and to wait for whatever it was to pass. However, it continued for hours and until it just suddenly stopped.” The leader took a breath and then continued, the guard behind him still staring strangely at Kyros.

“We went to the other secured chambers to find they had all collapsed or the tunnels leading to them were sealed off. I’d be surprised if more than 50 people survived that on blast. You were lucky to have not been here.” The leader patted Kyros shoulder, a genuine look of relief to see another brother in arms had survived the ordeal.

“You’re right, sounds like the next couple of weeks are going to be tough once the Mavis family representatives arrive.” Kyros continued to play his part.

“Aye, maybe surviving wasn’t a mercy.” The leader grinned.

“What of Master Atilius?” Kyros finally asked what he had come for, using his master’s real name.

“He was out, handling matters. They say he went to make a complaint to the family head after he heard of that slave that had tried to escape and was executed. There’s rumours that he had taken the slave on as an apprentice. Honestly, I think there’s merit to the rumour If you ask me, he was to enraged for there to have not been a deep connection between those two.” The leader answered.

Thank god, he escaped this! To think he would actually go to the family head over what happened to me… Kyros felt even more guilty for not placing any trust in his master. Who knows, maybe if he had, James would still be alive.

“Ah I knew you were familiar!” The guard who had staring at Kyros suddenly drew he blade and pointed it towards Kyros.

“What’re you doing Henry?!” The leader suddenly enraged by his subordinate’s sudden action.

“Don’t you see boss, he’s the slave.” Henry accused, never taking his eyes off Kyros.

“That’s preposterous! The slave had been banished down the hole. No way he survived, let alone escaped!” The leader defended. The other four guards standing around, not quite sure what to think.

Kyros was silent throughout this, seeing how it played out. If the leader could convince the guard named Henry, that would be for the best. However, he had his fireball skill charged up, ready to release at a moments notice otherwise.

“I know that! However, how many elves had been employed as guard? I remember four of them, and this guy isn’t one of them!” Henry still didn’t relent on his accusation.

“That’s ridiculous!” The leader continued to defend Kyros. However, Kyros could tell Henry was not going to give up.

“He’s right. I am in fact the slave that tried to escape.” Kyros openly admitted.

“See, I told you!” Henry shouted, his sword still directed at Kyros.

“Why does it matter though? This mine is no longer functioning. If you stay here, you will most be punished by the family for failing your duty. You’ll live out the rest of your lives doing the shit work for them. Why not leave? They wouldn’t even hunt you down, they’d just think your bodies are crushed somewhere underneath.” Kyros had no clue if they would be punished if they did stick around, but neither did they. All he was doing was voicing their insecurities.

Five guards started to shift, obviously thinking through their options. Henry however had no change, clearly his loyalty to the Mavis family ran deep.

“Don’t try and twist things you scum!” Henry lifted his sword, ready to swing down on Kyros. Kyros sighed at that, because he truly didn’t want to kill these men if he didn’t have to. They seemed like genuinely good men, maybe aside from Henry. But even he was just doing what he believed was right.

Kyros readied himself, able to shoot the fireball at Henry within a second. Another sword intercepted Henry’s though, Kyros stopped his spell at the last second.

“What are you doing Gerald!?” Henry screamed at the leader, Gerald.

“The boy has merit to his words!” Gerald retorted.

The other guards started to look at each other nervously, realising they had to take a side. Kyros still remained standing at the same place the whole time, neither speaking nor helping. He was waiting for the right moment.

“What’re you waiting for guys!? If we kill him and present him to the Mavis family, we can expect a reward!” Henry realised Gerald’s mind was set, so he switched his targets to the four onlooking guards.

The guards were still nervously looking at each other, until three of them made a silent decision and split of to stand beside Henry.

“Don’t be fools you lot! Nothing awaits for us if we stay!” Gerald realised his situation was growing dire.

“Where else are we to go!?” One of the nameless guards who sided with Henry shouts in retort.

“Aye, we don’t have much of a choice!” Another nameless guard shouted in agreement.

“Personally I just never liked you Gerald haha” The final nameless guard spoke with an evil smirk across his face.

“You lot are blind, can’t see the truth of the situation! What of you Birch?” Gerald directs his question to the final guard who had yet to have taken a side.

Birch completely ignored Gerald’s question, gazing directly at Kyros, everyone was awaiting the answer. Gerald was strong enough to rival two maybe even three of the other guards, if Birch was added in that it would become a stalemate. Obviously this was assuming that Kyros was a normal slave who had no combat ability.

Birch took no heed to the silence or the importance of his upcoming decision, still focused on Kyros.

“You.” Birch said towards Kyros.

Kyros held his gaze, “Me.” He said in response.

“Something inside of me is screaming for me not to go against you… Why am I getting this feeling from a slave?” Birch furrowed his brow.

Title:

Mavis Family Guard

Name:

Birch

Level:

30

Health:

398/545

Description:

A guard employed under the great Mavis family.

There’s nothing special about his status… This guy must have something similar to perception. Kyros deduced.

“Hahaha! Have you gone crazy Birch? The boys just a slave.” Henry and his entourage of guards chuckled at Birch’s statement.

“Are you going to side with them?” Kyros asked Birch, ignoring his previous question.

… Birch furrowed his brow yet again, battling logic against this mysterious feeling telling him not to cross Kyros.

“Something must be wrong with me…” Birch said to himself with a sigh as he walked over to stand beside Gerald.

“Birch you traitor!” Henry and the other guards slung insults his way.

“Won’t you guys just let us leave? We served together, I’d rather not have to kill brothers in arms.” Birch asked the opposing guards, a weary look on his face. Gerald beside him slightly nodded his head, signalling he agreed with the statement.

Two. More than I expected… They both are pretty competent as well, should be enough to help me find my way to the Nerva family. Kyros wasn’t expecting any of the guards to side with him, so he was surprised to see two join him.

“What brothers in arms? Any lot that sides with a slave ain’t a brother of mine!” Henry yelled back, his sword at the ready.

“You.” Gerald said towards Kyros, “Stay behind Birch and I, things might get a bit messy.”

Kyros paid no heed to what he said though, he started walking forward. He wasn’t walking slowly or fast, just a leisurely pace. Gerald went to grab hold of Kyros and pull him back, about to ask him if he heard what he had just said. However, Birch’s had grabbed a hold of Gerald first, telling him to leave it.

“Look at this! The little slave came to present himself to us! Haha” One of the nameless guards laughed.

Kyros continued walking directly towards the guard who had just spoke. The guard may be an idiot but he had seen plenty of battles in his time, he could feel something was wrong.

“Oi slave! Stop there alright!” The guard ordered. Kyros continued walking towards him.

‘Fuck it, it doesn’t matter if you’re dead or alive!” The guard took a step forward and swung his already drawn sword towards Kyros.

Their skill is nothing compared to James’s, I could dodge these strikes with my eyes closed. Kyros thought to himself calmly, as he never took his eyes off the guard’s eyes, not even staring at the blade.

The guard started to get a cold sweat running down his spine, this boy in front of him was too strange. Kyros using his windsense dodged the sword by stepping to the side with a slight shift of his body, dodging the sword by centimetres. Kyros then released his bloodlust skill while still staring the guard in the eyes.

What the fuck is he! I have to run! Move body! Fucking MOVE! The guard roared at himself mentally, but the fearsome aura of the boy in front of him had petrified him.

Kyros pulled the dagger from his belt, and with a speed so fast that the other 3 guards standing around couldn’t react to, he sliced the dagger across the guard’s throat.

+2850 EXP

Immediately after he sliced the guards throat open, he lifted his hand an aimed his fireball towards the other two nameless guards who were standing close to each other. The skill had already been charged, so there was no delay in the firing. A metre-wide fireball shot out from Kyros’s hand towards the centre of the two guards, striking them both of them on their shoulders and chest.

The two guards went flying from the force and smashed into a wall with enough force to create fissures on the wall where their bodies had hit.

+5138 EXP Level up!

Kyros paid no heed to the blue screen which popped into his vision, he turned to stare Henry in the eyes. Henry was suddenly under Kyros’s aura of bloodlust, cold sweat dripped down his spine.

“Pl-please spare me!” Henry shouted in fear towards Kyros. Kyros continued to stare at him, contemplating in his mind.

He was only doing his job, he doesn’t deserve to die just because he went against me… But I can’t afford for him to give anything away about me. Am I really going to kill this man, who hasn’t done anything fitting to deserve it? I already killed those other 3, did they deserve to either?

Kyros had killed before, but he did that out of hatred. This was different. Kyros felt no ill feelings towards these men, this would be cold blooded murder. The other three he had done in the heat of the moment, but he had calmed down and was forced to think about it.

Henry started to see a glimmer of hope as he saw Kyros was undecided on what to do.

He might be terrifying, but he’s just a boy. If I continue to play weak and defenceless, he might succumb and let me go! I swear after this is over I’m going to get a simple job around home and look after my ma, find myself a nice wife … huh? Henry was broken from reverie when a hand grabbed his face and slid a dagger across his throat.

Henry’s body dropped to the ground as he tried to cover his throat with his hands, however, the blood kept pouring out until his eyes grew dim and his hands dropped to his side. He died. Kyros watched the whole ordeal, he understood it was the right decision, but it still left him feeling uncomfortable.

“It had to be done boy.” Birch stood behind Henry’s listless body, wiping the blood off his dagger with a piece of cloth.

“He’s right lad. They may not have deserved it, but we have to do what’s best for us.” Gerald stood beside Kyros and put a hand on his shoulder.

“I know. Next time I won’t hesitate.” Kyros’s promise was directed at himself.

“It’s normal to hesitate the first time lad, it’d be worrying if you didn’t.” Gerald said, to which Birch slightly nodded his head in agreement.

They seem like good men, or I can trust them for the time being at least.

“If you two have nowhere to go, how about joining me?” Kyros propositioned.

“Hmm… What’s your plan?” Gerald asked.

“I’m heading towards the Nerva family.”

“What? You’ve actually got connections in that family?” Gerald was slightly surprised.

“Yeah, something like that.” Kyros was rather ambiguous about answering, in case they decided not to follow him if they knew he had no living connections now.

“Well I have nothing holding me back any longer. Guess I’ll tag along for now.” Gerald declared.

“You?” Kyros now asked Birch.

“Something tells me that I should follow you. My instinct has yet to fail me.” Birch used a roundabout way of saying he’d follow.

“Alright then. First up, do either of you know how to get to the Nerva family?” Kyros asked.

“Wait. You don’t even know how to get to the Nerva family but you have connections there?” Gerald asked, Kyros realised he must look stupid right now.

“Essentially, yes. It’s a long story.” Kyros responded.

“Ah, if you say so lad. Well it’s no guarded secret where the family is situated. Did you want to head now?” Gerald was eager to leave sooner, rather then later.

“Kyros. My name is Kyros. Also no, first I have something to do.” Kyros replied.

“Holy shit lad! If what you say is true lad, then we’re rich!” Gerald couldn’t help but shout in surprise. Even the silent Birch had a glimmer in his eye as he looked around the chamber coated in adamantium ore.

“Yeah it’s all adamantium ore. However, I can mine this all but there’s no way we can carry it all between the three of us.” Kyros voiced his concern.

“Aye. There’s no way we can leave this all here though. Me and Birch will make a trip to closest village and pick up a wagon, and you stay here and mine it.” Gerald offered up the option.

“How long will that take? I don’t want to hang around here any longer than a few days, lest the Mavis family arrives.” Kyros agreed it would be a waste to leave it all, but it wasn’t worth risking being caught again.

“It’s a three day round trip lad. Do you think you can mine it all in that time?”

Kyros pulled out the arm length metal pole he had grabbed before and a sharp piece of adamantium ore. Using a rope he tied the ore to the pole, and made a makeshift pickaxe.

Skill Name:

Skill Rank:

Skill Level:

Skill Experience:

Crafting

Beginner

1

15.00%

Determines how well you can craft objects. Higher levels will add bonuses to crafted items.

Crudely Crafted Adamantium Pickaxe

Type:

Pickaxe

Durability:

100 / 100

Quality:

Very Poor

An adamantium pickaxe crafted using the simplest of methods.

“Yeah I should be capable to do it, if I use this.” Kyros only had been able to use a fist size chunk last time, but with a pickaxe his previous speed wouldn’t even be able to compare with his current speed.

“Alright, stay here and lay low alright? We’ll be back as fast as we can.” Gerald patted Kyros’s shoulder and Birch gave Kyros a slight nod.

Kyros watched them leave, and then turned around and started his work.

Gerald loaded the last of the ore into the wagon, and wiped the sweat off his forehead.

“That’s the last of it. We best be off while we still have a few hours of light.” Gerald declared.

Kyros gave the broken mountain one last stare.

This is it. I’m finally taking my first step into this world. Master, thank you for everything, one day I will find you and thank you in person. Rulf, I promise I will find where you’re kept and free you. James don’t worry, I’ll get your ring back to your family and make sure they know what happened.

Kyros finished his goodbyes to this stage of his life. Turning around he walked into the forest, Birch and Gerald by his side, and the wagon being pulled by two horses behind them.

Skill Name:

Skill Rank:

Skill Level:

Skill Experience:

Mining

Grand Master

MAX MAX

You have reached the pinnacle of this skill, a grand master. There is no ore or gem under the sun that you cannot mine.

+20 to all stats

Status Screen

Name:

Kyros

Level:

39

Race:

High Elf

Mana:

680/680

Health:

810/810

Stamina

840/840

Titles:

None

Stats

Strength:

99

Intelligence:

41

Agility:

83

Wisdom:

68

Vitality:

81

Dexterity:

30

Stamina:

84

Luck:

30

Perseverance:

39

Unused:

55

Skills List

Grand Master - Mining

MAX

Beginner - Crafting

1

Beginner - Bloodlust

6

Disciple - Windsense

5

Disciple - Shadowstep

6

Intermediate - Perception

2

Beginner - Unarmed Mastery

3

Spells List

Class 1 – Fireball

1

Completion of Slave Arc