The Obsidian Order

Damon found himself taken by men toward another room. He glanced around and memorized their paths, but it had too many hallways. 

After several minutes, they arrived at a massive and elegant-looking door. The two men pushed it open, revealing Frederick looking sick on the bed.

The men gestured for Damon to go forth. 

"Are you dying, old man?" Damon asked while walking. His eyes glanced at Alfie, standing beside the bed, who had a swollen cheek.

"You!" *cough* Frederick couldn't barely speak due to his condition. He sighed deeply before relaxing on the bed. He gestured toward the other man standing next to Alfie since he didn't want to deal with Damon anymore. 

The man in the black cloak stepped toward Damon. His hood covered his face, but his aura was intimidating. 

"Hero, we summoned you here for a mission that only you can do," the man stated sternly, but Damon didn't give a sh^t. 

"Oi, have you forgotten what you did to me!?" Damon shouted angrily. He was still bitter about being left behind, which took a toll on him.

"Apologize. Let me introduce myself. I am Aidan, and we are a group that worked together to bring you here," Aidan explained and removed his hood. He had blonde-coloured hair, but his face was covered by a duck mask.

Damon bit his lips to prevent ruining a serious situation, but his laugh escaped.

"HAHAHA! What is that get-up? You look so weird but funny!" Damon yelled while wiping the invisible tears from too much laughing. He expected Aidan to look cool, but the duck mask ruined everything. 

Aidan remained silent and waited for Damon to shut up. It was awkward as the silence in the room was too loud. 

"Are you finished yet?" Frederick called out after having enough of Damon's bullsh^t.

"Ah, yes. I am alright now," Damon went serious. He gazed at Aidan's face one more time, but it only made him laugh even more. 

Aidan sighed before gesturing toward Alfie to come beside him. 

Alfie was hesitant. He looked down while making himself small as he was afraid of Aidan. 

"What are you doing?" Damon asked. That time, his laugh vanished and was replaced with concern over Alfie's well-being. 

Without a word, Aidan slapped Alfie on the right cheek. The sound echoed in the gigantic room as the little boy's body flew a meter apart.

"ALFIE!" Damon screamed and unconsciously ran toward Alfie, but he hit the barrier, causing him to get burnt. 

"Every time you laugh, Alfie will get a slap from me. Do you understand Hero?" Aidan stated sternly while massaging his wrist. His voice sent shivers down on Damon's back.

"Y-yes," Damon replied lowly. He felt guilty for causing Alfie to get hurt, and somehow, he could see himself on the kid, being weak and powerless against those at the top of the chain. 

"Then, I'll continue, so listen carefully, Hero. I don't want to repeat myself twice," Aidan stepped forward with a fierce stance. 

"Y-yes," Damon nodded and looked down. He didn't like how he felt so small against Aidan. He saw himself repeating the same wretched life he had back on Earth.

"Good," Aidan smirked before encircling Damon's cage. "We are the Obsidian Order. The only Master you will follow, Hero," he added and removed the barrier after piercing it with a magical dagger. 

"Ah!" Damon was taken surprised, making him lose balance. He fell on the cold floor while Aidan gaped at him coldly. "I also have a name," he added before lifting himself. 

"Hero, your task is very simple," Aidan continued, ignoring Damon's words. He took a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to Damon. "That's a map of this Nation. Go to where a red circle is located," he added.

"Huh? Then… what will I do there?" Damon frowned while looking at the map. For him, the map was an essential piece of data he needed to survive. 

"Your job as a summoned Hero. You will defeat the weakened Dragon of Libertia," Aiden replied sternly. He crossed his arms and watched for Damon's reaction. He never liked him since he looked weird and inhuman-like, but he couldn't defeat the Dragon and only weakened it in the meantime. 

"Ah… a Dragon? Did I hear that right?" Damon asked worriedly. His body started to shake, and cold sweat formed on his forehead. He couldn't even kill a mere cockroach, yet his task was to defeat a Dragon of all creatures.

"Yes, the Dragon's blood is the most powerful substance and can cure Master Frederick's sickness," Aiden explained but left some vital information to prevent their real intentions from leaking. After all, they didn't trust Damon and only wanted to use him.

"I see," Damon stared at the map. He wanted to cry and run away but knew he couldn't. He didn't want to be seen as vulnerable, just like his old life, so he looked at Aiden with fake confidence. 

"Sure, it's so easy, yet you can't even do it, haha!" Damon snickered, but he wanted to piss so bad. 

"Hmm, that's good to hear. You will be leaving tonight. Alfie will accompany you as support," Aiden smacked Alfie's back, making the kid stumble before Damon. 

"Why are you letting a child go to a dangerous place!? Also, stop hurting him," Damon shouted. He wanted to help Alfie stood up, but his hands went through his body. 

"You laughed," Aiden replied. He turned around and went beside Frederick, who was proud of him.

"W-we should go, Hero," Alfie sobbed, holding his wounded knee. 

It hurt Damon to see Alfie being abused, but there was nothing he could do. He smiled and nodded in reply to prevent things from escalating.

"We will make a good team, Hero! I'm excited to travel with you!" Alfie cheered with twinkling eyes. He ran toward the door while aggressively waving at Damon to follow quickly. 

"It must be nice to be young," Damon chuckled while watching Alfie adorably, but before the door closed behind him, he looked back and saw Frederick with a wry smile. 

Somehow, Damon felt there was something more to Aiden's information, but he wasn't naive enough to know the Obsidian Order was a sketchy group.