1 The Temple

Is this world fair?

What does it mean to be fair?

A world where weak and strong are equal?

That's just what weaklings have thought, in this world mysteries, money, and mana rules, and I was the sole one who never conquered anything, yet I am standing here, at the edge of heavens, and gallows of hell, facing him…

"Who are you, Aaris Ralkier?" The man with 12 wings and soaring horns, scorned me, raising his sword in contempt, he descended,

"Just a plain guy who loves shattering egos and conquering!" My blade and his clashed and the mayhem shook the three worlds!

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It all started years ago, when I was 14 years old…

The world I lived in was majestic, flying lands, divided oceans, a whole country on a tree, rivers that followed no laws of currents, majestic beasts, and plants.

This world was ruled by 5 prime races, Humans, High Elves, Beastkin, Dwarves, and Demons.

They conquered most of the continents and laid their empire to the edge.

But the more beautiful the world seemed, the crueler the reality was behind it.

In this world, if you don't have money or status, you are bound to die as a peasant, but if you are not weak, then there could be some leftovers you could live upon left by the nobles, that was the world of commoners.

But what if somebody has none, no money, no status, no mana… then he is nothing but, 

"Oye Garbage! What the fuck are you doing staring at the sky!" The team leader Kyle growled at me, 

"It looks like it will rain." I felt strange anxiety suffocating me.

It was in the morning, we left for the village Kurg, in the outskirts of kingdom Esnair, the biggest and mightiest kingdom of the whole world.

"What the fuck? Are you a spring toad or something? If you think you can cover your uselessness with your 'weather predicating' magia then it's just pathetic!" Rute the vice-captain of our party.

Our guild Minotaur was the 8th strongest guild in the whole kingdom, our party consisted of 5 members officially, Kyle, Rute, Tesol, Polmung, and Folia.

"Why don't you try to use your muscles on something good? You should be thankful to us and call us lord for our benevolence who took you in as our donkey!

I am sorry that must've hurt you, as a lackey!" Rute and Kyle cracked into laughter.

"Hey! Don't be so rude to him, well but really he is better than a donkey, now my shoulders aren't stiff anymore! You see, to a weapon mage, it's really bothersome! For an idiot with no mana, he is pretty useful as a henchman!" Tesol smacked my back, with a sly smug.

That's right I was their henchman, carrying their bags and running errands that's what I only did.

"Guess my shoulders are stronger than yours…" I've had enough, 

"What fuck did you just say? Do you think physical strengthening will give you one up on me?" Tesol grabbed my collar and pushed me down, pulling out his ax.

"That's enough you all! We are here on an important quest! So pay attention!" Polmung grabbed his ax and just glared at him, this was enough to scare the shit of that guy.

He cussed and put his ax back and continued walking.

We were walking inside of the forest of Kurg, the strange silence felt really ominous, the trees and plants around didn't even shake with the wind as if they didn't even have permission to do so, something was not right.

"Some dead creatures have been sighted here hunting the humans and cattle, the village chief said, they were definitely not alive, and as soon as the reinforcement came from the village, they vanished near the old temple." 

Folia our healer, she looked at the map figuring out the pathway to the temple, she and Polmung were the only ones who saw me as human.

But for Folia, she was more than just an acquaintance, she was my childhood friend, there were not many secrets between us, for a timid girl like her, she was quite close to me.

"It could be a beast or Spirit user, the bandits are getting really strong these days, so they must have sought shelter here forcefully." Tesol cracked his neck as if he was ready to shed blood.

"What kind of jokers are they? Do they think they can fool me? The Kyle of the Minotaur!" 

'There is nothing wrong with being cautious…' I muttered, they all act high and mighty, one day they are going to pay for it.

"Careful you say? Oye, retard! You're the one with a mana level not even close to Mortal 10th, you are saying I should be careful?" Kyle was ready to throw hands, and I didn't want to get beaten up in front of Folia so I sighed, ignored him.

"Aaris is right! Something is wrong here…"  Polmung looked around, I guess he noticed too, 

'We came so deep in the Yellow area of the forest there were neither monster nor human traces…'

"Woah, I didn't even notice, you are sharp as always Aaris!" Folia gasped with a wide smile, and I kinda feel frustrated now.

She was a real beauty, after all, her Turquoise eyes and cute face with a lew-

I mean a lean body, was the eye candy for many in the guild.

We walked chatting with each other and suddenly with a gust of wind dreadful feeling strangled me, I halted at my place terrified, and drenched in sweat, 

What was that? Why am I so afraid, something in me is telling me to run away but for some reason, I can't, 

"So that's the temple huh!" Kyle and others stopped in front of the temple, I couldn't see it clearly, I stopped before I could see it.

I sprinted to them and saw a huge ruin riddle with vines and creepers, it looked like the god itself perished in that temple.

"Let's go…" Kyle huffed and marched inside, 

I was still hesitant, I had no other choice but to follow them.

I stepped inside and my eyes stretched in awe, the broken statues made such as the real angels and gods manifested as them, the gallery, the chapel was divine in itself,  this old temple was like a broken piece of heaven.

I was looking around in a daze, and something unexpected happened, 

"Folia, how's your brother? Is he still asleep?" Kyle uttered, 

And I was shocked. He isn't the type of guy who is worried about others, but he is the one who takes advantage of them.

"Unfortunately, there is no improvement, the mages are saying there is still no hope for him but I believe as long as he is breathing there might be a chance." Folia drooped down, her brother's strange illness is what made her join this party at a young age.

"Treatment like this is quite expensive, I hope you're getting paid by our guild."

Here it comes, the lax reminder that Folia is dependent on them, then I saw Kyle's hand moving toward Folia's butt.

'AHHH!' I shouted my lungs out, and everybody was startled with their guard up.

"What happened?" Tesol gawked at me spinning his ax.

'Um-

A cockroach!' I averted my eyes from them, 

"Grow some balls! Aren't you a man! Fucking pussy!" Kyle scorned me, grabbed my collar, and then threw me aside like a toy.

They moved forward except Folia, "you don't have to do this every time!" She helped me get up with arm on her shoulder, 

'What are you talking about?' Does she know? Crap! I don't want to be a cringe hero or something!

"I see, well then take my free thank you!" She chuckled and we stepped ahead.

We explored the whole temple but didn't find anything. Everything we saw was broken statues, leaking walls, and strange inscriptions.

It looked to me like some kind of an old language that was carved on the wings of the angels. I was the only one to notice but I couldn't decipher them.

The temple was slowly filling up with darkness, it wasn't the dusk but light was slowly fading away from the temple.

We were standing in a huge hall with 10 walls, in front of a big broken statue in the middle of some kind of God who had 8 wings, and that statue was surrounded by broken statues of angels each in front of a wall.

People may mistake him for an angel because of wings but I can't, it was definitely a God!

Why? Every angel has a crown of solace on its head, but it didn't, so why was this God surrounded by the statue of angels?

It's almost like an odd one out of the game! I glared at the wings of that God and noticed the peculiar thing.

The inscription, there was none!

I touched the wing to get a closer look, but I slipped and pulled down the wing, suddenly all the wings of that statue widened and closed in an instant. 

"Oi! Oi! What the fuck did you do?" Rute was pissed off, but I don't have time for him.

And again all the angels around closed their wings too, and a strange discovery took place, the wings of the statue were made in front of small light holes embedded with different gems and orbs, giving the light passing through them a new color.

When all the wings of the statue retracted, all the light holes shot a beam of light from all directions, creating a decagon around that statue.

"What the hell is this happening? You fucking donkey! I will kill you for this!" Tesol pulled out his ax, and suddenly the God statue wings and hands moved again, they spread and divided the decagon from inside and filled each of them with spell inscriptions.

It was the statue, it was using a spell!

Abruptly, several more magus circles appeared above that statue, and that statue disappeared with a bright flash, which almost blinded us.

"What in the world just happened?" Kyle and I slowly opened our eyes and found no statue around us anymore.

We all just gasped in awe, nothing like this ever happened to us before, they left speeches and started running to see if what happened earlier was true or not.

It was true and it happened before us. I looked around too but found nothing, but my gazes were only looking up. When I lowered them I fell on my back with surprise.

"Now what?! Another cockroach?!"

Tesol marched at me, with his ax and everybody followed him, but they were shocked as much as I was.

"What the hell is that?" Kyle kneeled, before the long downstairs which hollowed the hall we were standing upon now.

"Should we go and check it?" Rute looked anxious and was sweating a lot.

"Of course! It must be their hideout! If it weren't for me nobody would ever have found out about this!" Kyle was all smug and proud and it ticked me off, 

'I was the one who found this-' a strong punch knocked my sense out, 

"I am the one leading this team! I am your owner you fucking dog! Where you sniff, dig and pull out belongs to me!" 

Kyle started pressing my head with his foot, I kept my voice in until I was ready to pass out, but Folia jumped in between, 

"Captain! Please let him go! I apologize on his behalf! Please!" 

Why is she desperate and worried,  almost as if she was crying, 

"Will you go out with me this Saturday?" Kyle's hoarse voice stung my ears, 

That's your cue Folia! Reject this guy! There is no need to-

"I will, so please let him go!" She answered immediately, why are you putting up with a guy like him for a guy who is good for nothing?

my vision was going blurry until he lifted his foot back.

"You better thank her! Donkey!" Kyle chuckled and he walked down the stairs, 

"Aaris! Aaris! Are you alright?" Folia caressed my head with a healing spell that eased my pain a little, 

'Why did you agree-'

"We'll talk about that later! Let's go now, shall we?" She averted her gaze with a saddened look, 

Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! I can't even protect this girl's smile, who is putting herself in the line for a puny threat!

Just why the fuck I am so WEAK?!

We walked down following them, Folia was walking in front of me, while I was wishing to disappear,

I never had mana, since my childhood, in this world even the weakest of the commoner old men and women have enough mana to burn down a house, but me on the other hand, 

Didn't even have enough to light a candle, I was pathetic since the day I was born! Just why?

I clenched my teeth and fist, that was the only thing I could do besides being their donkey, 

I can't deny that now,

I am pathetic! a weakling! But I won't let Folia get dragged because of my weakness! I need to save her from that leecher somehow!

Cursing myself to the point I wanted to kill myself! But before myself, I wanted to kill someone else too… I could feel an urge inside my stab my dagger behind Kyle's back, but it was wrong, 

But if I had to protect Folia I need to do it!

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Walking down the stairs we reached the stair ends, but the moment I took my last step, my heart screamed to me to run, I almost fell down with that feeling of terror, the room was pitch black!

As if it denied the existence of light, the ominous and suffocating feeling!

I couldn't calm myself down! I was drenched in sweat, and Folia noticed me, 

"Aaris! Are you alright?" She grabbed my arm, 

"What a wuss! He got this much scarce just from a dark room?!" Tesol broke into laughter, 

"Rute!" Kyle shouted, 

[ MAGIA - ELEMENTAL FIRE ]

[ FIREFLIES ]

Rute chanted and a magus circle appeared above his closed fist, he slowly opened them and small flickering embers glowed brightly as torches started fluttering to the canopy, it was beautiful to watch.

I was in awe watching these fireflies ascending like stars, and filling the room with golden-red light. I couldn't move my gaze from them, but an ember got smaller and started falling down, my eyes followed him until it touched the ground and vanished.

But when I saw the floor, my body went cold and my heart stopped, my heart was beating faster than it ever did, I couldn't stop shaking, I was standing in hell!

Everyone who looked at the floor either closed their eyes or threw up, 

Folia who was hurling and trembling with this brutal sight started screaming and panicking, 

The floor was ridden with blood, flesh, and bones!

Eyeballs, decaying teeth, splattered veins, intestines, and brains, some corpses were rotting and turned black, and some were carved so horribly that it was impossible to tell that it was human or something else!

There is no way a sane human could do this! We need to get out of here! We need to-

Folia kneeled, clenching her stomach and covering her mouth. She couldn't bear it any longer, I ran to her and drenched my shirt, and started wiping her face.

After vomiting a bucket, Rute started panicking 

"We need to get out of here! Can't you see this is horrendous! It definitely wasn't a-"

Then we heard a roar, a horrifying screech shook our souls! It rattled the cold blood on the floor,  my impulses were telling me to run! 

Leave everyone behind and run or I'll die!

It was definitely a monster! 

Its screech was horrifying Tesol pissed his pants and stood there lifeless as he gave up on life.

"Kyle we need to get out"

"What the fuck are you talking about!

I am Kyle! I ain't afraid of some monster! These corpses are nothing compared to what I killed until now!" Kyle was shouting even though his voice was shaking, 

Kyle joined his fist to activate his spell, he was already desperate, 

[ MAGIA BEAST RAGE ]

[ WYVERN! ]

His body got covered in white scales, and he grew larger…

"No! Stop Kyle! Don't release mana!  what it is didn't notice…us…" 

"What happened, Polmung? Why are you looking at me so stunned? Are you that scared of me?" Kyle's arrogant laugh wasn't the reason we were silent.

It was that monster who was standing behind him!

Folia fainted with her eyes open, and Rute and Tesol, they were looking at Kyle, with no left in their eye.

I was also unable to speak, when I tried to utter a word that breath slipped out of my lungs, I couldn't speak, I tried but I couldn't, I looked at Folia and screamed inside until my voice came out…

'Kyle behind you!' I screamed and Kyle turned, 

His eyes widened in fear and he couldn't even move from there until I yelled out again, 

He stepped back and clenched his fist, he was arrogant and an idiot, but he knew if want to walk out alive from here he needed to kill it.

"You ain't more terrifying than me!"

Kyle surged his mana inside him, and yelled out again, 

[ MAGIA - BEAST RAGE! ]

[ INFLAMED WYVERN ]

His body half turned into Wyvern and flames started coming out of his scales!

It was his strongest form of Beast morph magia!

"Die you motherfuck-"

Before Kyle could finish, that monster gouged out his head in the blink of an eye, I couldn't even see it, it was so fast that Kyle's lips still moved after getting severed.

"Kyle!" We screamed out in terror his torso fell on the ground and that monster much his head splattering everything inside it on the ground, he chewed the mana imbued Wyvern scales like candies, and he started laughing, 

He was mocking the terror he filled in us! This wasn't a monster!

It was a Lost Soul Demon!

An enormous ebony torso with a strange marking on it like armor melted on its skin with the markings was pulsating with glistening crimson and livid glint,  to every inch of its body, his face was like a skull has burned down thousand times but the flesh never melted completely, the horns on his head were scraping the roof, while his eyes, they were crying blood! 

A demon who turned cannibal and ate his kind, and turned into an accursed being! But the spell to create one was made forbidden centuries ago! So 

Why?

Why is one here?!

He picked up Kyle's body and chewed it in, the cracking and gouging of his bone and flesh with dripping blood from his mouth, 

 I threw up! I wanted to run away but that demon cried again and my body turned cold. The time given to us now was death mocking us…

This is it! This is the end of suffering and pain. I could finally be free of this miserable life, where I had no choice but to die like this one day. I was smiling, my sanity left me, and I accepted my fate…

But that was the beginning of my salvation!