I–I'm going to die again? Just like that?
So simple?
That witch stood in front of me, her black dress flowing as if it were alive, glaring at me with raw fury, fury that I had given her victory without even meaning to.
W-What do I do now? She—
"Actually..."
The smoke swirling around her staff thinned and disappeared, as if she had dismissed the spell.
Her lips transformed into a smirk.
"I'd rather make you suffer."
S-Suffer? M-Meaning she's going to torture me?
N-No, no, I don't want that—
"Slend."
The word cut through the air like a blade.
An instant later, I was on the ground. Blood gushed out in fountains from what remained of my leg.
I hadn't even seen it. The attack was invisible, just a faint ripple in the air, and then my limb was gone.
My brain screamed it's not real, it's not real, but the nerves quickly sent a only a few sensations to my brain:
Pain and despair.
My leg, my leg was lying there on the dirt, detached, my own bone covered by my red flesh.
The sight made the pain worse.
I've never lost a limb in real life but, the feeling is definitely not much different.
"GYAAHHHHHH!!! M-MY LEG! AUGHHHHH!!!"
"Oh, you naughty boy~..."
Her eyes shone with twisted delight. She enjoyed it, my desperate cries my sobbing, the pathetic way I writhed in the dirt. She enojoys it.
"J-Just leave me alone!" I managed to choke out between sobs. "I-I'll give you the staff, anything you want, just—"
Would it even matter if I died again?
But I dont't want to. I don't wanna die anyway!
She tilted her head, almost amused.
"I already told you. It's not just about the staff. I like this."
Her tongue ran slowly across her lips.
"Th-Then why me?! Why don't you do this to the other wizard?!"
Her playful smile twisted into disdain.
"Because she is a wizard."
"Slend."
That word again. The slash came again.
This time, my left arm was carved away in a flash.
"GYAAHHHHH!!! N-NO STOP!! T-THIS... GAHHHH, THIS HURTS SO BAD!!!"
"I know."
She gazed down at me with a cruel, satisfied smile.
"I'm going to have so much fun today ♡"
O-Oh, shit... my vision... it's fading, blurring at the edges.
Am I dying? Passing out?
I—I didn't want to—
"Captain, it's him!"
That voice from above... I know that voice. Ruma?
"Oh, Hermione..." a deep, calm male voice replied. "It's been a while."
W-Wait. Hermione? Is that the witch's name?
Did Ruma said "captain"? Is that the guy?
The witch glanced up with irritation. "Who are you? What do you want? Can't you see I'm busy? If you interrupt, I'll kill you too."
The male voice didn't falter.
"Alright. Then we duel. Ruma, take care of him."
"Ok, leader!"
A-Ah... my vision is almost fading away...
Through sheer will, I moved my head, enough to glimpse him. A man. His face was blurry, but I could notice one thing, he was smiling. Calmly smiling.
That was the last thing I saw before black swallowed everything.
I think I'll wake up to white skies again.
…
"Augh... I... uh..."
I opened my eyes. White again as I expected.
I ended up dying and ended up here again, lying down.
Damn it, I died again—
"Wait..."
These aren't skies.
"These are walls!"
I quickly sat up
"I'm in a bed?! A room?!"
The place was small and plain, without much decoration. Four white walls, a little bedside table with a mirror and the small bed I was lying on.
"Tsk. Thought you'd never wake up."
I froze. Sitting on a bench beside me, closing a book with a sharp snap, was—
"R-Ruma?! Y-You're the girl from before! Where am I?!"
She gave me a flat look, unimpressed.
"You're in a rented room at a tavern. Paid for by us, Grimwerod."
"O-Oh... the group you mentioned. B-But I thought I was going to die..."
"And you were. Idiot." She sighed, her tone failed to mask the anger
"When I saw you pull the dumbest decision in history, I knew it would go wrong. I was already heading back to the tavern ,but luckily for you the leader was nearby, so I called him. He saved you."
"H-He defeated that witch?!"
"Yes. Saved you too. And then forced us to bring you here. We only paid for one day though."
"O-Oh... well, thanks for getting help at least!"
She laughed coldly.
"Haha, don't get me wrong. I wasn't trying to save you. Just got lucky the leader was around."
So it was luck. Again. Or she is lying?
Wait, MY LEG!
I quickly pulled the blanket off, but to my surprise, my leg was intact. Whole
"You also lost an arm, remember?"
"T-That's right! M-My—"
Both arms. Both legs. All fine. my body doesn't have any scratches, cuts or wounds at all, I'm 100%. Just a bit tired pherhaps.
"H-How..."
"We've got someone good with healing magic. She fixed you. It's been 5 hours by the way."
"Ah... thank—"
She stood, brushing off her clothes.
"Save it. Thank her. And the leader."
Shit. I hate owing people.
She started to move towards the exit door.
"I'll tell the others you're awake. The boss wants to meet you, with all the other members. Don't take too long. Just open the door, turn right, you'll find seven people at the table. Don't keep us waiting."
With that, she left, closing the door behind her.
…
Insanity.
I looked down at myself. Same clothes as before, even the coat tied around my waist. Everything intact.
Doesn't matter. What matters is—
I'm about to meet their whole group.
WHY THE HELL DO THEY WANT TO MEET ME?!
Ah, it must be because I stole that wizard's staff, and now they think I'm powerful or something.
It's just a misunderstanding then... A huge misunderstanding.
I dragged myself up, heading to the door. My hands trembled on the knob.
Wait...
I'M GOING TO MEET 7 PEOPLE!!
Shit. NO!
WHY DID I MAKE THE DECISION TO TRY TO STEAL THAT STAFF!? N-NOW I HAVE TO DO IT! YOU IDIOT! IDIOT!! IDIOT!! IDIOT!! WHY WAS I SO RECKLESS!?
Will they think I'm some genius? Some fearless fighter? someone who knew what I was doing
N-No... they saw me half dead! They know I'm not like that!
DAMN IT. I WAS NEVER LIKE THIS. WHY DID I TRY TO PLAY HERO?!
I SHOULDN'T HAVE DONE THAT! WHY DID I DO THAT?! I-
I clutched my head, forcing a breath.
Calm down. Calm down.
After all... this is just an illusion.
I opened the door.
A wall. A plain yellowish wall stared back at me.
I blinked.
"Yes. Definitely a wall... beautiful wall..."
"AH! STOP WITH THAT!!"
I shook my head hard.
No running. No hiding. I have to meet them!
Very well, here I go!
So I stepped out, turned right, and kept walking.
O-Ok, there is no problem... T-They will just realized I'm a random weak guy, and will loose interest in me!
Y-Yeah, that's what is going to happen!... Is that what I want?
The corridor opened into the tavern's main room. A classic wooden tavern, wooden beams, a polished counter with a fancy waiter, few scattered tables.
And there they were.
In a massive dining table in the center. Seven people. Three on each side, one man at the far end, clearly the leader. The seat at the other end, closest to me,was empty. My seat.
My chest tightened.
"H-Here I go..."