I went for a jab to the face once again. He jumped away but at the same time, I backed off my fist. As he jumped at me with his knee he was surprised by the hit to the face. Right there I saw a chance for another attack but he only acted like that. When I went for a punch he grabbed my hand and threw me to the ground. While he pinned me to the ground I went for another punch to the face. Even though he grabbed my fist, Set In Motion was activated and he got hit.

This time I pinned him to the ground and his face was wide open. I punched him again and again and again and again! I lost count of how many times I punched him. When my fists were covered in blood I stopped. His nose was smashed, some of his teeth were missing, and his right eye was swollen. When he wakes up he won’t see much. Not like I let it happen.

[ Eric ]

“Now! THE TIME HAS COME! Swift death isn’t for you! Get eaten by the fire you scum!”

While Eric fought Connor, Tae was teleported somewhere with Kyle. They were on the hill on one of the islands around Dalir. The ship was clearly visible as well as the village. When Tae landed on the ground he took his knife out and pointed it at Kyle who wasn’t even paying attention to Tae. There was a chance to attack but Tae was hesitant about it. He slowly approached Kyle.

[ Kyle ]

“I didn’t take you here to fight.”

[ Tae ]

“Then what’s your reason?”

[ Kyle ]

“Se WE wouldn't interfere…”

[ Tae ]

“What are you plotting?”

[ Kyle ]

“I thought that I would go to haven. To a peaceful place in the afterlife but I didn’t find that peace here. I was immediately ordered to deceive, steal, and kill. I can’t rest.”

[ Tae ]

“You’ll never be able to rest!”

[ Kyle ]

“Currently? Yes. In the future… I will get my rest. This will be my reward for changing this cruel place. Don’t you want it? A better place?”

[ Tae ]

“I’d like that… but not the one made by you.”

[ Kyle ]

“If not me then who? Mentally unstable soldier? Unkillable psycho? Or maybe the clan that enslaved you when you came to this world?”

[ Tae ]

“How do you know that?!”

[ Kyle ]

“You might have escaped but the mark is still there. It’s a prove of your position in this world. This cruel world…” Said Kyle as he pointed his staff and Tae’s ankle.

A dark red tattoo appeared on Tae’s ankle. It looked like a circle made of a chain with an eye in the middle of it. It was a sign of Tae being a slave in this world. Since he escaped the tattoo wasn’t even visible but now it was there.

[ Tae ]

“How… Last time I checked it disappeared! It wasn’t there!”

[ Kyle ]

“It was there. Believe me. You just didn’t want to see it so it wasn’t visible to you.”

[ Tae ]

“But I was finally free… They never came looking for me…”

[ Kyle ]

“And I can make that true for you. I can make you free of that mark.”

[ Tae ]

“You’re lying… I can end you right here.”

[ Kyle ]

“I’m not lying. All I want is to strike a deal with you. I’ll remove your mark and you’ll just wait for what’s going to happen.”

[ Tae ]

“You think that I’ll just watch as he dies?”

[ Kyle ]

“I’m not saying to watch him die. No matter if he dies or Connor dies I can change this place. Depending on who will win I can change my plan. All I’m asking is that you’ll do nothing.”

Tae didn’t like that deal but he didn’t refuse it either. Right there conflict appeared in his mind. Is he truly free? Is helping Eric better than freedom or is it another way around? Will he be free if he helps him? Will accepting this deal show that Tae doesn’t trust Eric or will it show how much he trusts in him?

[ Kyle ]

“So… Do we have a deal?” Said Kyle as he held out his hand to Tae.

Tae looked at Kyle’s hand and then slowly moved his eyes toward his face. There were no emotions on his face. No intention to read. Just a proposition. Tae shook his hand and as he did it the mark faded away. As Tae took a few steps back as a precautionary measure he saw a ship covered in flames. He couldn’t exactly tell what was happening. All he was able to see were two figures fighting between flames. Tae instinctively moved toward the ship but after one step chains appeared from the ground and wrapped around his legs, stopping him.

[ Tae ]

“What the hell is that?! You tricked me!”

[ Kyle ]

“I didn’t. One of my spells is Fair Exchange and if someone accepts the deal willingly both sides will be stopped or punished for not keeping the promise. You chose to watch so that’s what you’ll do.”

While it all was happening a loud scream was heard around the island. It wasn’t a human voice. Both Tae and Eric could see what made this sound. On the beach by Dalir village stood a giant four-meter-tall monster with six tentacles on his back that almost looked like a pair of wings. After the scream more small monsters walked out of the water.

[ Eric ]

“LOKI! I KILLED HIM! REWARD ME NOW! I NEED THE POWER TO HELP THEM!”

I shouted from the bottom of my lungs expecting some kind of answer from Loki like usual but nothing happened. Time didn’t stop, I wasn’t pulled into the dream. Not a single whisper from him. I definitely wasn’t rewarded since my bruises didn’t heal.

[ Eric ]

“Keep your promise! AND REWARD ME!”

[ Loki ]

“First you need to keep your part of the promise…” He whispered.

I heard another scream behind me and when I looked back I saw a body covered in fire running toward me. Before I could do anything it grabbed me and pushed me into the water. When we were under the water I could finally see his face. Connor was still alive. He didn’t want to realize me. I tried to get free of his grasp but I was losing oxygen. Punching didn’t work either. Even ripping his ear didn’t work. He was still holding me as I was losing consciousness.