The door slammed open, startling both me and Mira.
"Boy-o, we got trouble!" Gux called out, pointing a thumb down the hallway. "Grab whatever weapons you have and get ready!"
"H-huh? Wha- why? What's going on?" I blurted, stumbling toward my shoes. I shoved one foot in and started hopping in place, trying not to fall as I yanked the other on.
He started explaining as he passed me my sword from the desk. "Some bastard's going on a rampage outside. I don't have time to explain the details, so hurry!"
"A-alright!" I grabbed the sword once I'd finished with my shoe.
Mira stepped over, and I quickly thanked her as she handed me a belt with a scabbard attached. I swapped it for my old one and tossed the other onto the desk.
"The assailant is an armed Tenebrim. Be careful, boy."
I wanted to ask what a Tenebrim was, but the urgency in his tone told me there was no time for a Q&A.
"Where is he now?" Mira asked, her voice calm but firm.
"In the courtyard. Ren and the guards are stalling him, but they won't hold for long."
I hurried after Gux, Mira and Night close at my side. I could hear the sounds of boots hitting the floor, shouts and orders echoing through the hallways, and the unmistakable sound of steel clashing.
We finally arrived at the courtyard, met by quite the sight. At least half a dozen palace guards stood in a loose circle, their spears and swords aimed at the intruder.
And there he was, crouched on top of the fountainhead.
The man was taller than I expected, broad-shouldered with dark, smoky skin and a pair of stubbed horns on his head. His clothes were worn but sturdy, and a heavy, curved axe rested on his shoulder. But most noticeable of all was the white, tribal-like markings all over his body.
Damn, that guy looks pretty dangerous. I hope he doesn't kill me…
Ren stood behind the guards, holding an ornate metal staff in his hand. His eyes flicked toward us, making it obvious that they'd been holding him back.
The man shifted his stance as his eyes laid upon me, balanced perfectly on one foot as he gripped his axe with both hands. There was something unnatural with his eye, but I couldn't be sure due to the distance between us.
Night started barking at the man, his fur bristling, while Gux pushed past the line of guards and stepped forward.
"Oi, you bastard!" he barked, cracking his fists together. "You realize this is the royal palace, right? You've got two choices: drop your weapon and explain yourself, or we put you in the ground."
A chill ran down my spine. Something about the man made me feel uneasy, and I instinctively backed away, pressing myself against a nearby pillar. I wasn't planning on getting myself killed when I've just arrived in a new world.
I saw the man scan the crowd, before his eyes locked onto Mira. His eyes widened as if in shock, his stance wavering for a moment. Then, without warning, he let out a guttural, animalistic war cry, the guards stiffening and lifting their weapons in alarm.
"Look out!" Gux roared.
The man launched himself off the fountain, spinning his axe in a blur. He came down in a vicious arc that tore through three guards before they even registered the strike. Their cries were cut short as they crumpled down in a spray of blood, one of them clutching his throat as he gurgled and twitched on the ground.
My chest tightened and my hands clenched against the pillar. I'd seen stuff like this in movies, even in games… but this wasn't behind a screen. I ducked behind the pillar, fisting my shirt as my heart thudded louder in my ears.
Mira copied my movements, pressing against a nearby wall. I could hear Night growling low, his fur bristling, and I felt my jaw tighten as adrenaline surged through my body.
Okay, this is real, but I've seen worse in movies… focus, and don't get hit.
"Shit, he's a monster!" a young guards cried out, his grip on the spear tightening as he stumbled back.
"Hold formation!" a grizzled veteran barked. "Keep him boxed in!"
"Form the wedge!" Gux ordered. "Spears forward, bring him down!"
A horn blast echoed as one of the men bolted to call reinforcements. The surviving guards reacted instantly and adjusted their position, the front rank stabbing low to trap his legs while the second thrust high, trying to box him in. Another pair circled wide, aiming to flank him.
But the man didn't even flinch, bleeding from his wounds but not slowing. His eyes were wild, his pupils blown wide, and froth spilled from his lips as he ripped a spear from one man's grip and threw it like a javelin.
The spear pierced clean through the guard's chest, slamming him back against the wall with a sickening crack.
"Darin!" someone shouted, the line wavering.
The man's head snapped toward the voice, and in a flash he lunged forward, his axe raised high. The blade came down like a guillotine, only to meet a deafening clang as Gux caught it on his bracer.
Sparks sprayed, the shock running up his arm, but he shoved the axe aside and drove his fist into the man's gut. A sharp knee followed, cracking against his jaw, before Gux locked both hands together and hammered them down onto his skull, slamming him to the ground and forming a small crater from the force.
Ren reacted instantly, raising his staff as he mumbled something under his breath, a shimmering blue light enveloping his body. He tapped his staff on the ground, aiming his free hand towards the man.
"Tro-ko bil!"
The man's eyes snapped open, bloodshot, flickering towards Ren as he pushed off the ground and somersaulted away from the guards and Gux, narrowly avoiding the vines emerging from the ground that were supposed to detain him.
"Dammit, keep still!" Ren cursed out loud, aiming his staff at the man again.
"Cut off his angle, Ren, don't let him breathe!" Gux called out, turning to face the man with clenched fists.
He shot a glance towards where I hid. "Keep your cover, boy, but don't shut your eyes. You'll learn faster seeing the real thing than swinging at straw dummies."
What the hell? I was supposed to just stay there and watch? I wanted to run off, to get myself to safety. Even as my instincts screamed at me to run, a part of me couldn't look away.
The guards were moving with precision, one group distracting the man while the other closed gaps, forcing the man into a tighter space.
And instead of fear, my heart thudded with a strange heat. This was nothing like watching action movies back home. This was real, brutal, and dangerous. And yet…I wanted to learn. To one day move like that, to fight without hesitation, like Gux.
I grabbed onto the hilt of my sword more tightly, itching to draw it. I knew I'd stand no chance in battle, but the chance to simply block a strike was to tempting, to use a sword in real combat. Even if the hilt was slippery and my legs shaking.
"Look out, hero!"
"Wha-"
A blur of fur darted in, teeth clamping into my pants leg. Night yanked me off balance, throwing me hard onto my ass just as an axe flew through the air and buried itself deep into the pillar where I'd been standing.
I quickly scrambled back in a panic, twisting myself onto my feet and scooping up Night in my arms before bolting off towards the farthest cover I could find. In the corner of my eye, I could see the axe twitching free of the pillar, a shimmering blue thread tugging it straight back into the man's hand.
I barely had any time to react, pain shooting up my ribs as his fist connected to my side, white-hot pain exploding through my body. I couldn't even register his presence fast enough, flung against the wall like a ragdoll. A scream escaped my throat, clutching my side as I crumpled down to the ground.
It hurts… fuck it hurts! Something definitely broke…
"Shit, he got the Hero!" one of the guards called out, causing the rest to waver slightly.
Even Gux froze for a second, turning my way in concern.
"Master!" Mira called out as she hurried over to my side.
I tried to face her, but ended up coughing up blood at the movement. She crouched down next to me, and I winced as she pressed her hands on my wound. Four nearby guards moved our way, forming a defensive line.
At the sound of the man's footsteps coming my way, I immediately curved curled into a ball, holding my side with one arm while covering my face with the other. The pain was unbearable, never having broken a single bone in my life.
I waited for the inevitable strike, curling more tightly in acceptance, and then-
"Tro-ko Branto!"
A sudden burst of light flared across the courtyard, blinding me even with my face covered. The ground shook as glowing chains of runes erupted from the earth, wrapping around the man's limbs with a sizzling hiss and breaking his stride.
The man snarled, thrashing wildly as he attempted to break the bindings. The chains shuddered, cracks of light forming on their surface as if they wouldn't hold on for much longer.
Ren pressed his staff into the ground, sweat dripping down his face. "Stay down, damn you!" he shouted, his voice uncharacteristically aggressive.
For a moment, the spell seemed to work. The man dropped to one knee, baring his teeth as the runes burned into his skin. The guards tightened their circle again, raising their weapons and ready to end it.
I could then hear the sound of boots thudding against the ground, closing in by the second. Eight heavily armored knights and a man dressed in a white robe approached us, led by Mernel. The guards gave them a wide berth as they approached, and Gux hurried over, whispering quickly in Mernel's ear.
I caught his hand gesturing over at my direction, and the white-robed man hurried over, kneeling down next to me and reaching into his pouch on his hip. He then brought out a vial, flicking the cork open and gulping it down.
Huh?…Wasn't that for me?
I coughed up more blood, my vision blurring, finding it painful just to breathe. I could faintly make out his voice as he murmured something under his breath,
"Tro-la Hetyn," he murmured, his voice calm and low, almost like a prayer.
A soothing feeling washed over me, my wound knitting together with golden threads, the pain numbing over time.
"Master! Are you okay? Does it still hurt?" Mira asked, her tone laced with worry as she held me upright.
I relaxed my body, letting out a shaky breath as I slumped against her shoulder. "N-no, the pain's gone. Just like that."
I coughed into my hand, feeling how my body was trying to get used to the intruder known as magic. "In fact, I feel much better than before."
The robed man grabbed my hand, helping me up on my feet. Despite the sudden burst of energy from the healing, my feet were unsteady, and a sudden rush of lightheadedness was shot up to my head.
"I've managed to heal your wounds, but your body will fail to function properly due to the lack of experience in being healed. You'll need to rest for now."
That's… kind of pathetic. A supposed hero like me, already losing a battle that wasn't even mine to begin with. Well, what can I do? I'm only human, after all.
The man and Mira supported me on either side, guiding me toward a smaller building beside the main hall. Night padded after us, but midway through, its ears twitched and it darted off into a nearby corridor. I didn't think much of it, too busy trying not to fall on my face.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught the feral man twitching against his bindings. A chill ran down my spine as his head snapped toward me, his eyes locking with mine in a cold, predatory glare.
I watched as Mernel stepped forward, giving a firm nod to two knights. They moved in immediately, gripping the man's head and forcing it still. He thrashed violently, even snapping at their arms, but with great effort, they held him down.
Mernel raised two fingers and pressed them to the man's forehead. His lips moved, though I was too far to hear the words. The man's struggles faltered, then weakened, until he went limp.
In seconds, he was unconscious, his body slumping as the knights dragged him away. The rest of the guards followed, some escorting him, others hauling away the corpses.
My memory after that was fuzzy. I had just woken up, just to be met by an unfamiliar, blurry roof and a comfortable four-poster bed under me.
I shielded my eyes from the light of the setting sun beaming in from the open window, wind gently blowing in. I slowly sat up, scratching my head as I looked around the room, hoping to recognize my surroundings.
"Where are my glasses…?" I mumbled drowsily, still only half-awake as I moved my hand over the nearby nightstand in hopes of finding them.
"Here, Master."
Mira appeared suddenly in front of my face, not having noticed her presence until now. "Mira…?"
She lifted something in her hands, and I instantly recognized them as my glasses. She slid them on, and everything became a lot clearer.
"Thanks, Mira." I said, my voice still hoarse from my sleep.
"No problem. How are you feeling, Master?" She asked, taking a seat at the edge of my bed.
"Ah, just dandy. I mean, I feel like I had a really good sleep despite what happened, and I usually wake up not wanting to leave my bed." I chuckled softly, rubbing the back of my head. "What about the man? Was he detained or…?"
Mira nodded, her expression softening. "Yes, I heard that he is being held in the dungeon for interrogation."
"I see…"
I then heard the door creak open, revealing figures dressed in white robes like the man who saved me earlier. This time, it were two women wearing white hoods with green linings at the edges, accompanied by the head priest, Marcel.
"Oh, the hero's awake!" one of the women exclaimed, making her way and crouching down next to the bed, placing a brown leather bag on the nightstand and rummaging through bottles and herbs. Mira quickly backed away in order to give her space to work.
The woman grabbed my hand, pressing a vial of green liquid against them. "Please, Hero, drink this. The nature of the wound you received is beyond anything we've seen, and therefore your body needs to rest for longer. This potion will help you in your recovery."
"Huh? What's' wrong with my body?" I asked, worried that I was still in danger. I grabbed the potion nonetheless, uncorking it before taking small gulps. The acidic burn, coupled with the bitter and salty aftertaste, did nothing to lift my mood.
Marcel walked over, taking the woman's place and taking sitting down on a stool that the other robed woman carried over. "We meet again, Hero. I heard what happened, and it is most unfortunate that you were caught up in this mess. I promise you that this is shocking to us too, and we'll ensure your safety while you recover."
He then put his hands on his knees, bowing down. "Now, on behalf of everyone, I apologize for all this. This is hardly an acceptable treatment for our hero, especially as you've yet to grown accustomed to this world-"
"It's fine, it's fine!" I cut in, waving my hands in reassurance."
"No no no, this behavior is unacceptable. Ucliat is sure to bring us punishment for our lack of proper defense for a hero like yo-"
"L-like i said, it's okay!"
We went back and forth for a couple minutes, and I finally just gave up and allowed him to take the blame. Marcel cleared his throat, before speaking up again.
"Now, as soon as I heard what happened, I rushed over to offer you a prayer to aid you in your recovery. I am not proficient in healing magic, but this much I can do."
A prayer? Will that even do anything?
Marcel slipped an amulet from his pocket and placed it around his neck. His hands folded together in a smooth motion, his fingers steepled into a peak while his thumbs curved inward. His eyes closed, his mouth moving quietly in prayer.
When he finished, he opened his eyes and spoke in a steady tone.
"The staff will be occupied for some time, and security has been doubled, including your own."
He gestured a hand towards the door. "Two knights are stationed outside this chamber, so you may rest assured. The beastly man from earlier will trouble you no longer. As for the ball you were meant to attend tonight, it has been postponed indefinitely. You will be informed once a new date is decided."
He then put his hand together in the same sign as earlier, bowing slightly. "Now, may Ucliat grant you swift recovery and peace of mind."
I simply laid there, watching him until his assistants finished their work, which included tidying the room, checking my wounds, murmuring reassurances, before leaving me alone with Mira once again.
I didn't feel that much different, other than a clearer head. Maybe it was thanks to him, or maybe just the potion I drank earlier. Then again, I have no idea how things function in this world yet.
With nothing to do other than lay here and rest, I yearned for some kind of entertainment to keep me occupied. I wasn't tired enough to sleep, and Marcel had firmly told me to stay in bed until I was fully recovered.
That's when Mira slid onto the stool next to my bed (which the people from earlier allowed her to use), holding out a book in front of my face.
"I thought Master would be bored with nothing to do, so I brought the book you received while you were sleeping."
She handed me "A Guide For Heroes" book I had received from the Queen, which I happily accepted. "Oh, thanks. I've sort of been wanting to read more of it."
I ran my hand over the golden title, before flipping open the first page. It was the same, annoying little welcome, but I had only read so far. Below the warm greeting, it followed:
'Now, before you read further, you'll have to swear an oath in order to get access to the rest of the material.'
An oath? What the hell…
As soon as I flipped to the second page, it was completely blank. Then I turned the page again. And again. Blank, blank, and more blank pages. Almost as if it was erased the moment I read those lines.
I sighed, flipping back to the first page and continued to read.
'By taking this oath, you swear never to discuss anything you read in this book with anyone else. Especially the Queen or those affiliated with her. This is for your safety.'
'The only exceptions are slaves or familiars bound to you by pact. They cannot betray you, so long as you explicitly order them. Otherwise, the oath will break.'
'Now, once you swear upon this oath, you'll get full access to this book, and your own knowledge and experience of choice will automatically be inserted into this book through a Skill of mine. More information regarding that can be found in later pages.'
'If you break this oath, your memory of the book, its contents, and anything you've created with its help will be erased. You will begin again from the start, along with anyone you told. You will essentially be trapped in a loop until you stop breaking it.'
'When you decide to take the oath, channel your mana into the sigil on the book's cover. Once you've done that, you've officially taken the oath. I wish you good luck.'
I already didn't like the sound of this. It gave me the idea that this kingdom couldn't be trusted, and that whatever this book contained would put me in danger.
I was relieved that I could at least share it with Mira, but I didn't recall ever forming a contract with her. Even if she was a 'hands-me-down' slave, I never really signed any kind of formal contract nor acknowledged her as a mere slave.
I closed the book, staring at the yellow sigil I only now noticed at the top-right corner.
I glanced over at Mira, who has been silently sitting still in her seat and staring holes at me. Normally I'd have noticed it immediately and gotten self conscious, but now I felt oddly indifferent about it.
"Is something wrong, Master?" she finally asked.
That's what I should be asking you, with how much you're staring.
"No, nothing's wrong. It's just… the book wants me to swear some kind of oath before I can read it fully."
Her expression didn't change, though I thought I saw her brows twitch slightly.
"So I wanted to try it, but…"
"But?"
I tapped the sigil awkwardly. "How do I, uh… channel mana into something?"