So, when we arrived at the wagon all they talked about was our new member Maisazha, they praised how strong he was, taking out a magic wild boar all by himself, nothing impressive really.

And whenever I say something it gets lost within the conversation between those four. As a core member and founder of this group I’d rather not be excluded in these conversations as if I were a side character in a novel.

Sigh...why do I even care? I’m ninety-eight years old, I shouldn’t be bothered by these kinds of things! Of course they’d take the time to get to know Maisazha, he’s a breath of fresh air and his skills are definitely impressive.

We’ll be back to normal in no time, why am I even worrying about this stuff, I’ve known, those three for a while.

That’s what I thought would happen, but as we got back into the wagon and back onto the road their conversations continued, I also ended up being the driver of the wagon, Robbert asked me because he wanted to get to know Maisazha, and so I was left alone in the front of the wagon.

Ahh…I could really go for a smoke right about now. When was the last time I smoked a cigar? Probably before I got sent to prison, feels like it’s been forever since then. Does this world have anything similar to cigarettes? Or cigars? I haven’t found anyone using one yet but so far I’ve been in areas where people can barely afford street stall food.

Maybe I’ll ask one of those four…oh wait, not like it’s gonna get through to them, whatever, guess I’ll have to find out myself at some point.

So much chit chatter was occurring behind, inside the wagon, chit chatter that I couldn’t get in on even if I tried my very hardest. Guess it’s over for me, I guess my authority has been completely depleted, who knows if they’re gonna listen to me during fights, who knows if I’ll even have the chance to participate in any fights, one swing from Maisazha and it seems to get the job done.

Up ahead there was a man standing in front of our path. I gave him a signal to move out but he didn’t move, I then try to yell out at him, “Hey move out of the way please!” And still no response. Guess I’m gonna have to go around him, crazy bastard, what does he even think he’s doing blocking the path like that!

As I slightly go to the left the man goes left as well in order to block me.

“Hey bastard would you please so kindly fuck off!”

“Hmm...you definitely have a mouth fit for a criminal, good thing you are.”

Shit, he’s probably out for the bounty on our heads.

“Hey you guys in the back we got some company………”

They were still talking as if they didn’t hear me, are they ignoring me?

“You must be the leader of this criminal group, which means you must be worth quite a sum of money.”

Guess I’m on my own for this.

I get off the driver's seat and and aim my BAR, there’s only one person so I shouldn’t have much trouble.

A magic circle appeared below his feet, this magic circle then divided and lined up side to side with each other, then from the ground magic circles emerged identical copies of the original man.

That’s gonna be a problem.

In total there were seven identical clones and the original guy I’m gonna have to be fighting, damn those four are as useless as ever.

All right do them start charging me, I shoot each one, each one was hit and had wounds, but they kept on charging as if nothing had happened.

One of them got close and threw an over extended right hand punch, it was easy to dodge and it left him wide open, I slip to the right and made my BAR kiss his gut and held down the trigger, it was like green fireworks.

Once I shit him a bunch of times I threw his towards another clone, the clone that had been filled with holes started to fade away, now I know how to differentiate between the real and the fakes.

“One down, seven more to go!”

“Your a lot tougher than you look criminal.”

All the clones said in unison. Frankly, quite creepy if ya ask me.

This time two clones came at me, instead of throwing an over extended punch like the last clone they postured up into a boxing stance. The one on the right was a southpaw and the left was an unorthodox, they looked a lot more professional.

They threw lighting fast jabs at the same time which I was only able to block with my BAR out of reflex, if it weren’t for that I’d be a goner.

“Could really use some help here guys!!!”

Even when yelling they continued to talk and not respond.

And again they threw left and right hooks in unison, each one I managed to go slip under.

I start running further away from the man and his clones, as I’m running I’m reloading my BAR.

“What a coward you are, running away and leaving your criminal allies behind, so pitiful.”

As the two clones were chasing after me I stop, turn around, and just started to spray both of them down. Their bodies rocked and shook as they were being filled with holes. Once I was out of ammo they both fell to the ground and faded away.

“Three down! Five more to go! Bring it!”

I feel heavy pressure on my abdomen, as if I was supporting a skyscraper with my stomach. I then realized that it was one of the clones punching me.

The force of the punch sent me off the ground, then another clone jumped up and hammers my back forcing me to go straight down. My face smashed the grass and earth, it felt as if I hit the earth with enough force to displace it.

Once I was on the ground one of them walked up to me.

“This is it, peacefully let yourself be captured.”

“Got you.”

Hiding my bar with my body, I turned around and shot the man a couple of times.

He fell on me and I pushed him off to the side. His other clones started disappearing.

“So why are you doing this huh?”

“Money…….this……...world………...is all about money……..I have nothing, and maybe getting you is finally have something, money.”

“If you had asked for money I would’ve been fine with giving you some, hell, you should’ve asked to work for me, those who do get paid pretty well.”

“I’ll have to pass the offer…..hah…………….”

His eyes slowly closed.

I’ll give him a proper burial later, first I gotta get something off my mind.

I walk to the wagon, the openings to the wagon were closed, I flung them open exposing those four happily having a conversation. They notice that I had opened it and looked at me.

“What’s wrong Boss?” Asked Robbert all happily smiling.

“Antonio what’s with all that blood one you?” Asked Elizabeth.

“Please leave, such a sight is not pleasant for my lady.” Said Maisazha coldly.

And Alexandria kept quiet.

“Oh now you guys care? Cut the crap! What were you guys doing this whole time?!?!”

“We were talking, I casted a enclosement spell so that we couldn’t hear what was happening outside, we wouldn’t want a loud person such as yourself ruining our pleasant conversation.” Said Maisazha.

“Is that why!?!?! I kept on yelling out for you guys and mike of you responded!”

Maisazha stood up and pointed his damaged sword towards me and said, “Silence you imbecile, your voice is hurting our eardrums, leave at once or else I will end you right here!”

I held his damaged sword closer to me, it was touching where my jugular artery should be.

“Try it fucker I dare you, I double dare you mother fucker! Do it!”

“If that is what you wish!”

Maisazha was wearing a necklace with a red gem with a magic symbol on it. And his eyes glowed red as his necklace was glowing red as well.

Maisazha then cocked his arm back.

“Maisazha stop immediately!” Yelled out Alexandria.

Maisazha eyes and necklace stopped glowing and he lowered his sword.

That necklace is suspicious...but I’m not sure as to what it does or it’s purpose.

“Antonio I think you need to go somewhere alone and cool off your head….”

Alexandria's making me leave? I’m not the one who was about to swing. If anyone should be leaving it should be him!

“Yeah boss I think you need some time alone.”

“Elizabeth thinks so too.”

“Seriously! Now all of you are against me?”

Now everyone’s eyes started to glow red as well as Maisazhas eyes and his necklace...somethings going on here.

“Alright, Alright, since you guys want me out so badly I’ll leave, but I’ll be back.”

I walked off on another direction, there really is something wrong, I’ll take this time to think about it, something about this situation is just strange, Robbert would never go against me, both Alexandria and Elizabeth wouldn’t blame be because it wasn’t my fault.

I create enough distance between me and the wagon, I sit by a nearby pond.

“Sigh...what could be wrong with them?”

“Maybe I could help you with that.”

A voice that I’ve heard of before but I couldn’t match a person or face to go with it, a mysterious person.

Right across from me and the lake was this man in a dark cloak, he had a plague doctor's mask with red lenses, and he had a black cane.

“Who are you!?!?!”

“Oh I think we’ve met before once, haven't we?”

“Once before?....are you….the man in the rooftops from the burning village?”

“Oh your correct! Oh how delighted I am that you remember who I am.”

Ugh, I think this guys a creep.

“You see, I’ve been following you for quite some time now, and every moment has been enjoyable.”

Yep definitely a creep, should I run or should I kill him?

“Oh how rude! I haven’t introduced myself yet! My name is sir. William Procter at your service!”

“Hmm, nice to meet you, I’d like to thank you for the unstable elemental fiasco, I wouldn’t have been here talking to you if, well, if it wasn’t for you, so thanks.”

“Oh! No such need to thank me! I did it of my own free will, you are quite an interesting person you see, you use language and different slang that I’ve never heard of before, where do you reign from? Antonio?”

“Eh...um...from another continent! Far from this one! No one here has found that continent but people from there have definitely found these!”

“Another continent full of new and interesting things, oh how delighted would I be if I were given the chance to experience that.”

“So, you said you knew something that would help me right?”

“Yes in fact I do, this’ll help you greatly! But I do have an exchange system!”

“Exchange system? Okay, so…what do you want from me exactly?”

“Oh it’s not that big I trust! In exchange for some clues about this unusual situation of yours, I would like to know more about your undiscovered continent! But at a later time of course, after relaying this clue to you I’m afraid I’ll have to take my leave, although I would feather stay for a bit longer to hear about you and where your from.”

“Then it's a deal, now fulfill your part of the exchange and I’ll fulfill mine later.”

“Alright! So my clue is the red necklace on that demon boys neck, it has a magic symbol curse, it also acts as a mind control device, whoever wears it can be controlled by the original owner and whenever others speak to the mind controlled person they too will be mind controlled after they develop the magic symbol on their foreheads.”

“So it was the necklace, so will breaking it revert them back to normal?”

“Yes, that is indeed correct! Oh how magnificent you are! Alright then I just leave now. See you later!”

A magic circle appeared under William and he slowly descended down through it, once he was completely down there the magic circle disappeared.

So now I gotta break the necklace, and hopefully, Alexandria, Robbert, and Elizabeth haven't been completely controlled yet, having two walking power houses would be quite a difficult problem, Alright, here we go!