1 Prologue(1)
It was a beautiful summer's day, the sun's brilliant warm rays fell on the courtyard, not a cloud in sight.
The gleeful sound of children playing in the yard could be heard all along the street as a group of kids chased each other around playing tag.
Their sound was only matched by the happy chatter of the neighborhood women as they updated each other on the latest gossip.
"Gather round, children," called out a blonde-haired woman, her warm expression causing the children to smile in response.
"Yes, Miss Jane," answered the children in chorus, stumbling over each other playfully as they rushed towards her.
The woman waited silently, a smile on her face as the children sat around her in a circle.
"How many of you are planning to be knights? Or maybe warriors?" asked the woman, looking at the children as she waited for their response.
A Handful of boys and a single girl looked at each other excitedly, raising their hands with cheerful smiles on their faces.
"And who among you wants to be a wizard?"
The remaining two girls raised their hands shyly.
"And Jake, what do you want to be when you grow up?" asked the woman, a concerned look on her face as she realized that one of the kids hadn't raised their hand yet.
"I want to live with my grandparents and support them. I don't really care about what job I get." replied the boy, a shy smile across his face.
The other children looked at him incredulously. Where is the honor? Where is the quest for power, for strength?
Even the teacher was alarmed, kneeling in front of him with a concerned look on her face. Jake's smile didn't waver, he truly believed in his answer, unaware of his naivety.
"You are still young Jake, you don't understand how this world works. Only the strong are appreciated, on the other hand, the weak... Well, you'll understand someday." she said, patting Jake's shoulder before standing back up.
The conversation kept going for hours, talking about the adventures of the great fortune seekers, about legendary fighters and great magicians.
The children listened in rapt attention, dreaming of the day when they could go out in search of these adventures themselves.
When the woman left, the children gathered around to talk to each other. The group surrounded Jake, leaving him and another girl at the center.
"Jake, from now on, I think it's best we stop being friends." scowled the girl, pushing Jake to the ground.
"Mary?..."
He looked around and saw the disapproving looks of the other children. They looked at him as if he were a misfit, unworthy of their company. Tears began welling up in Jake's eyes.
"B-but why? We always played together."
One of the boys kicked him in the side and spat in his face as he walked by. He looked at him with contempt and smiled
"Not anymore."
The first misfortune came and went. A year passed, and although Jake had no friends, he had grandparents to look after. And truth be told, that was enough for him.
From the day his friends left him, he resolved to help his grandparents. He had given his best to make things as easy as possible for them.
He would get up early in the morning and bring firewood from the woodshed every day. After stoking the fireplace, he would start cooking breakfast.
During the day when he wasn't working in the garden, he and his grandfather practiced swordplay.
Although Jake didn't care for swords, magic, and all the other nifty methods of destruction, his grandfather would always tell him, "Jake, even though you don't plan to be a soldier or an adventurer... When Grandma and I are gone, you'll need to know how to defend yourself. For yourself and for others."
"Who are those others? Apart from you two, I have no one else."
"Those who are weak! Strong people, need to protect the weak." answered the old man sternly, with a soft smile on his face.
When taking a break after training, he always tried to ask about his parents.
Why were there no pictures of them? Why didn't grandpa tell him anything? Why are one of his eyes amber, while the other red?
But the answers never came. Because whenever he saw his grandfather's worried face, he would always change the subject.
Three years later, another disaster occurred in his life.
It was a cold winter night, and Jake was warmly dressed as he headed into the woods in search of firewood. After a long walk through the woods, he found a suitable pine tree and spent a couple of dozen minutes chopping it down.
He tied a rope around it and dragged it through the forest. As he walked, he found a dead hare.
"Poor thing, torn to pieces," he whispered, poking at its body with a stick.
" Well, so is the cycle of life," he shrugged before dismissing it and continuing on his way.'
As he got closer to his house, the smell of smoke began to fill the air. Without thinking too much about it, he walked straight towards the house.
His eyes opened wide as he saw the burning red embers that engulfed his grandparent's house.
"Grandpa! Grandma! S-someone please answer," he shouted, a feeling of dread gluing saliva to his throat.
He took off his jacket, wet from the snow, and covered his face with it, ignoring the searing heat as he entered the cottage.
Quickly he found their bodies and dragged them into the yard. Unfortunately, it was too late. His last remaining family members had died. The flames consumed everything. Homes and loved ones alike.
He stood half-naked in the winter storm. The tears that had been streaming down his cheeks were now frozen still.
As he stared at the burning house, he fell to his knees, unable to handle the pain that squeezed at his heart.
"Poor people. Well, that's life," he said to himself, willing himself to move on.
Three years without the warmth of a home, fresh food, or love. Jake lived in a woodshed. He had stolen some rags and a few clothes to get by the cold winters.
He had just turned sixteen and his peers were already in school, most of them had already learned basic magic.
The first years were easier. No one gave him anything, but at least he wasn't bullied. However, in the last few years, one of his former childhood friends kept coming to his yard to trample him. And this day was no different.
The boy, who had no magic, had no chance to defend himself.
Mark and a couple of friends came and broke down the door which Jake had locked for his safety.
With a contemptuous smile, he punched Jake in the face. He felt a certain pleasure from seeing the tears stream down Jake's face.
Jake's face was no longer recognizable, his fresh wounds indiscernible from the old ones. But he continued anyway.
"You fucker! Why don't we just put you out of your misery? I'll break your legs, and see how you get food."
"We don't need this kind of garbage in our city anyway. Might as well get rid of him!" they replied with satisfied expressions on their faces.
"Hey, I have an idea. How about a bet? Let's see how many days he can go without food!" laughed Mark as the other boys held Jake down.
Using a metal stick he had gotten from a corner of the shed, he began slamming Jake's legs. Laughing hysterically as he squirmed on the floor crying.
"That's life for you," smiled Mark after he was satisfied with his work. Jake's legs were bent at an unnatural angle, Mark had been true to his promise.
Mark and the gang left him lying in the woodshed bloody and dying. Throughout his life, he realized, nothing can help the weak. Only hatred and the scorn of those around him are left. Jake smiled and with a tear in his eye, he saw
"God, please… At least let me take those bastards to hell with me."
His red eyes began to shine. A buzzing sound resonated in his ears, the voices of the dead echoing in his mind.
"Devil's eye activated! Devil's eye activated! Devil's eye activated!" they repeated.
At the other end of town, Mark and his friends were throwing stones into the river. They joked merrily about their abilities. And the one who caused Jake the most pain smiled. A brown aura covered his body as he pointed to his muscles.
"Soon, I'll be able to lift 50 kilos with one hand! The magic body strengthening is really cool! I should have used it on that moron. Haha"
"M-Mark! B-behind you!"
Turning around, he saw a horrible sight. Jake was standing right behind him, all bloody and with a smile in his eyes, barely able to drag his broken legs.
He quickly moved towards Mark. The whites of Mark's eyes turned red and his pupils disappeared. With a wicked chuckle, Jake Looked up.
"Well, well, well, God, who said, I can't grant wishes!!! HEHE!~"
