1 Prologue - This World Is Cruel

No matter how strong the connection to others is, in the face of death and grief, the blinded mind is the real judge. No matter how great the trust seems to be, no matter how long a friendship is, there always needs to be someone responsible if something goes wrong. The failure of the collective is suddenly only the fault of one...how cruel and unfair the world can be....

Kingdom Astarios, 3763 n. Dn.

"Hey Klea, don't go too far away from our village, we'll get in trouble from your mother and I don't feel like being punished by our leader".

"Don't worry, I know this way. Besides, you wanted to hunt here the other day too so don't complain!"

As usual, Klea and Marus had an argument when they were exploring. Klea wanted to collect herbs for the village, for Marus this was incredibly boring. He preferred to hunt animals as his father once did. But since they were only allowed to leave the village in pairs, they had to get along with each other. Both had a great temper and were very stubborn. For several hours they were on the road, not realizing that they had gone quite far from the village.

"Do you remember where we are? I don't see the way anymore. We should never have gone across the river."

"There's no point in grumbling now, you'd better try to keep an eye out for other people. I certainly don't want to lose my stuff so make an effort."

Marus gritted his teeth, it was Klea's typical annoying personality. Although she went ahead he always followed her. At some point he had gotten used to it and ignored her words.

Meanwhile it had become night, they found a shelter in a small cave. Both sat there with their backs turned and didn't speak a word, it was the usual for the two although they knew they had to work together.

After a while Marus spotted some lights in the distance. They both ran towards it, ignoring any caution. When they got to the street, Klea called out in the direction of the shadows, who turned around and grinned at Klea. When the two realized which group was in front of them, fear caught up with them. They were Vakans, a famous group of mercenaries who fulfilled any order by any means without any scruples. Klea froze at the sight, it was not the first time she had an encounter with Vakans. Traumatized, she became motionless while the group approached her.

"Klea, run away! I will try to stop them!"

Marus words woke her up and she ran away. Marus shot with his bow but his arrow bounced off a invisible wall. The mage of the group had conjured a barrier that could not be destroyed by long-range attacks.

"Tsk, change of plans then!"

Marus threw the bow away and took the dagger from his belt, he waited until one of the mercenaries ran towards him. Concentrating, he took a deep breath and got into a fighting stance. At the last moment, he dodged the axe that was rushing towards him, the blade still strifing his cheek with blood dripping from the cut. In the next moment he kicked the soldier's leg away, took his dagger and rammed it directly into the soldiers neck.

Blood spurted like a fountain and soaked the ground. The mercenary gasped for breath and faced his death Astonished, the group stopped, Marus again took his stance. Outwardly he looked like a boy but he was very skilled in fighting, his father used to force him to train almost every day. Suddenly he heard a scream behind him, in panic he turned around, his eyes became frightened. The two of them were very unlucky, this group was not just made up by simple mercenaries, the leader of the group was a former archmage of the kingdom. Due to lack of money, he joined the group, which welcomed him with open arms. Klea was floating in the air and could not move. Magical chains had bound her, every second they were getting a little tighter.

(„Damnit...damnit! Stay calm Marus, panicking won't get you anywhere. Your opponent is clearly stronger than you but there is always a way. Even if you don't make it, at least try to save Klea. Father would have wanted it that way.")

Energetically he ran towards Klea and tried to break the chains with his dagger. Shortly before, he lost his breath and was lifted from the ground. He saw the chains forming around him. Desperately he tried to free himself but it didn't help.

"You can have me but leave her alone, I killed one of you, she is innocent. Free her you piece of shit!"

The chains tightened and he began to cough up blood. The mage walked towards him while the other group turned towards Klea. He just smiled wickedly and whispered in his ear.

"To be honest I don't care one bit about you two but the group needed some entertainment. Because of you I have at least for a few days peace from their screaming for pleasure and death. I truly am indebted to you."

Marus just spat blood in his face, at which the chains tightened.

"Don't take it personally, you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, you were just unlucky."

The mercenaries began to undress Klea and pulled off her pants. Desperately she tried to hold on, with tears in her eyes she looked towards Marus. He could only witness what was about to happen. Even though she had a mature body, she was only 14 years old, innocent and inexperienced, she was now at the mercy of these beasts. The first one was about to rape her, Marus couldn't look and closed his eyes while boiling with rage.

"Let me go, no please don't, Noooooo, Heeeeeeelp!"

Suddenly a great gust of wind passed her by, as she opened her eyes the head of her attacker fell onto her lap while his body fell over backwards like a bag of sand. Panicked, the mercenaries looked around, holding their weapons at the ready. The archmage conjured a barrier around the soldiers and tried to locate the attacker through a field of magic. Klea wiped the bloody head from her lap and began to run away. One of the soldiers ran towards her with his sword in his hands. After he took his first step out of the barrier, a black dagger flew straight through his mouth, piercing his neck without a problem. Instantly dead, he fell to the ground, his eyes rolling backward, Annoyed, the archmage shot a fireball towards Marus, who was still tied up. Suddenly the blood of the puddle formed a small barrier in front of Marus. The fireball was literally swallowed by the blood-red shield. Marus just looked puzzled and relieved and screamed towards Klea.

"Keep running Klea, run as far away as you can!"

Normally, she would help Marus in the situation but due to her trauma she followed Marus' order without hesitation. With quick breaths she ran through the forest as far away as she could. Suddenly she heard a loud roar of flames.She hid behind some bushes, a man with black clothes and cold red eyes walked past her. Even the crows in the trees were silent as he walked trough the forest.

There was commotion in the group, even the mage could not make out the enemy. He knew that their chances of survival were slim, the mercenaries were not strong enough. Therefore, he implemented his plan B. He dissolved the large barrier and summoned a smaller one around him. The more compact the barrier, the greater its effect and strength. Enraged, the mercenaries beat against the shield, but it was futile, the mage was safe from their attacks for the time being. The chains around marus dissolved, the mage wanted to save as much mana as possible. As Marus ran into the forest he was hit in the leg by an archer. He cried out in pain and writhed on the ground. Suddenly he heard a burning sound behind him, a mysterious man just stared at him. As if he was the hunter and looked down at the injured deer. But this time the deer was not his target, fortunately for Marus. The group was intimidated at the sight of his figure. Black blood dripped from his wrist, but the man did not care. Emotionless he stopped and looked at the mage behind the group, the next moment his barrier only turned black and he was paralyzed. Blood flowed down his arm and formed a scythe, with an icy cold look he kept walking towards the group. Provoked, the soldiers attacked.

From a distance, the archer shot directly at him, but the arrow was devoured by the scythe. It was as if the scythe had its own consciousness... and it was far from being satisfied. The 4 swordsmen had no chance, one after the other was brutally killed. The first one's head was cut off while the second one's sword was cut in half with his hands being severed. The wound began to burn and soon his whole body was burning in black flames. He was writhing on the ground in endless agony. Desperately the other two soldiers attacked from the side but it was in vain. He dodged backwards and both soldiers crashed into each other, the next moment the man was standing in front of them again. As they stared into his eyes, they knew that death stood before them. With a huge blow he cut the first one in half while the second one on the ground could only watch. Desperately he crawled as far away as possible from the reaper. After a few meters, the man rammed his victim's head on the ground. He moved his foot a little, in a split second he broke his victims neck. The archer also saw that it was hopeless he smiled briefly and shot an arrow towards Marus who was still lying on the ground. It was too late to dodge, Marus could only watch the arrow and looked his fate in the eye. Suddenly he heard footsteps behind him and an impact. Klea was standing in front of him, arms outstretched, and the arrow hitting her directly in the chest. She sank backwards and fell on Marus, blood dripping from her wound. At this sight Marus panicked in fear and desperately tried to help Klea. While the archer only smiled maliciously, the man made his scythe disappear. He grabbed the archer by the neck and lifted him into the air. Suddenly his neck veins darkened and blood red streaks filled his face, second by second he became paler and paler. His eyes turned blood red, his arms and legs just wriggled around until finally they were just hanging off his lifeless body. The man's arm literally sucked up the blood of its victim while his black blood flowed down his forearm. It looked like his body was cleansing itself from corruption. Behind him, he heard loud shouts from Marus, begging him to help Klea. Annoyed he stared at the mage and turned around to Marus. When the man looked into Klea's eyes he knew she would not survive. He looked like a judge who was holding a soul in his hands. On a closer look into her eyes, he was surprised.

"What's her mother's name?"

Klea coughed up blood, her eyes glazed over. Marus panicked as he heard the question.

"I-her mother's name is Fria, she is our leader. Please save her, you can take my life in trade for hers."

The man ignored his beggings and rejoiced his memories.

"Fria...so it is..."

The man closed his eyes and took a deep breath, he pulled the arrow from her wound and placed his hand on her chest. Suddenly black flames blazed on her skin, a whole lot of blood flowed down his arm and into the wound, Klea lost consciousness. After a few seconds he closed the wound and a black scar remained. Klea was breathing normally again and her pulse was getting stronger. Marus put his head on her chest, relieved, he smiled at Klea. Shortly after he felt a sharp pain, the man pulled the arrow out of his foot and closed his wound aswell, a black tear flowed down his eye as he gritted his teeth. As Marus was about to thank him, the man was already walking towards the mage.

"How long has it been? Three years or was it four? Seems like I lost my sense of time but certainly not my memories."

He dissolved the black barrier and looked the mage in the eye. The mage looked at him in amazement and began to smile.

"So you are still alive...actually I shouldn't be surprised. I heard you performed some miracles back then, a genius on the battlefield and yet just a ridiculous little speck in front of the king, how cruel this world is isn't it? Hahah- Urgh"

The man grabbed his foe and pulled him closer.

"And what about you? I guess we are more alike than you think. Seems like you were just a little speck too, Mr. Archmage. I wonder what happened, did they all realize your incompetence and banish you. And now you're crawling on the ground desperately trying to survive. How low you must have fallen, little worm."

With a smile he whispers in the mage's ear.

" If this world is cruel then you just have to be crueler. If the world hates you then hate it back. Let your hatred run wild and see where it takes you. That's what I've learned the past three years. I was ready to make any sacrifice and now I will demand sacrifice for this is my blessing and my curse.

"Ha, a chosen hero without powers now comes to this „ridicolous thing". So you have entered into the bargain of the cursed ones. You will realize later what it means to feel endless agony and torment, I will long for the day to see you suffer. But dont worry, I will welcome you with open arms."

In the next moment the man took his hand and placed it on the mage's head. His head began to burn and soon his whole body, full of agony he cried out while laughing as he burned away. Soon there was only a pile of ashes left of him.

"...Old bastard..."

Klea opened her eyes, Maru's tears dripping down her cheek. They looked like lovers who had found each other through suffering and death. The man looked annoyed and shouted their way.

"Loot the corpses and take their gold. They're mercenaries so they should have some. Your village is in that direction, if you cross the river you should be able to see it."

"We owe you our lives, we are deeply indebted to you."

Before Marus could finish his sentence the man looked him. His cold eyes were starring daggers which lead to Marus not being able to breathe for a second.

"Your death would have been your very own fault, you would have just left your relatives and loved ones with grief and pain. Both of you were just in the right place at the right time, you were just lucky, no more, no less. Go on your way, I hope we will never see each other again."

With these words he said goodbye to the two and went his way through the darkness of the night.

"I certainly don't want to see him again...that monster."

Marus was visibly intimidated, he hadn't felt this feeling in a long time.

When they arrived in the village, all the inhabitants were very angry. First of all Fria, who was severely angered by her daughter. Marus was sent home by his mother while Klea was questioned by hers.

"I wish this was all a bad joke but your scar is real and your clothes are soaked with blood. Why Klea...Why do you not listen to your mother...you know what happened to your father...don't make me lose you too."

Kléa realized how disappointed her mother was in her. She started crying while apologizing. After a few minutes she explained how exactly everything happened.

"A man with dark clothes and a scythe as a weapon? Black fire...bloody arms? It really sounds like you made that up, how could such a monster even exist? Any other features, how old did he look?"

"He had red eyes, cold red eyes and made an evil expression but somehow he looked sad to me. He was at most maybe 19 or 20, he somehow reminded me of my older brother . And he knew where our village was for some reason, must have seen it by coincidence."

After Klea explained everything that happened her mother looked up at the night sky.

("Cold eyes and black clothes...was it you Leo...what happened to you?")

A few miles away, the young man set up camp. While sitting around the campfire a group of thieves was ambushing him.

"Seems like today is not your lucky day kid!"

Without minding them he stared into the fire while eating an apple.

"Sorry, I've had enough bad luck today. I don't feel like taking care of you right now. But don't worry, he should be here any minute now."

„Y-you little...!"

Provoked, the leader attacked him. Suddenly, a loud growl could be heard from a distance and it was getting closer. Completely relaxed, the man continued to eat his apple while the thiefs blade was about to hit him. In the next moment, a huge wolf raced through the trees and mauled the thief next to the man. His limbs flew scattered through the air, some landed in front of the group. The beast growled at them, suddenly his pitch black fur ignited and was burning. He howled one last time before charging the group. For the next few seconds, only screams of pain and agony could be heard trough the forest. With his huge claws he easily cut the bodies of his victims. His bite could even destroy armor and weapons. If his victims were not mauled or dismembered by him then they died on the ground at the latest when their body started to burn. The smell of burnt skin and death was in the air. The wolf's fur returned to normal like an on/off switch and he sat down next to the boy. Satisfied he just looked at the sky while stroking the fur of the huge creature.

Soon many more victims would lie at his feet although he might have protected them earlier.

A friend, a cripple, a commander, a genius, a traitor...and from now on....a messenger of death....