Prologue: A Villain or a Hero?

A man was sitting in a corner in front of a large book under a dimly glowing candle. Picking up his pen the man slowly brought his hand to the top of the white paper. Slowly he started to write on top of the paper, "Villain or a hero?" He dropped his pen down and turned his attention to his right.

A Few tables away was an old man drinking his beer with a smile talking to an enchanting woman. The writer placed his belongings in his bag and slowly walked toward the duo and averted his attention as soon as the old man and the woman laid their eyes on him.

He looked straight ahead at the bartender.

"One Cold bounty," He ordered leaning on the counter. He acted as though both woman and the old man were invisible to his eyes. The two slightly paid attention to him and turned back to continue with their conversation.

"I heard he killed earthlings in Nemper and released the slaves."

"Heard it became a bloody mess. Are you perhaps from Nemper? " The man asked.

"May I know who you are, before answering your question?"

The old man asked looking at him with hostility.

The man immediately raised his hand in denial as he saw wariness in the old man's eyes and said, "Hah… No need to be wary. I am an earthling but not a player. I am looking for the traces of the Player slayer…"

Before he could end his sentence, the old man hurried and covered the earthling's mouth.

"I wouldn't call him by that name… Firstly Why are you interested in his story?" He asked and slightly signaled the woman with his head and she left quietly.

"I am a reporter from the earth. Just want to let the people of our world know the truth."

"I see… Know the truth huh?" The old man nodded his head with his eyes closed as though he was deep in thought before answering.

It was ironic to the old man. 'The players' otherwise known as earthlings were arrogant and always saw the natives unfavorably as such it was rather amusing for him.

"Yes… And I am planning to publish a book with collective stories based on your people." The writer said.

The old man analyzed the writer before him from head to toe and then asked "What's your name?"

"Ranga" The writer replied.

"Hmm, Ranga… I don't know about the stories of other people but, I surely, do know that mad lad's terrible tragedy."

"Would you like some drink sir?"

"Sure, and don't forget to mention my name in your book... It's Sagithan." The old man said with a smile as he took the drink from the counter ordered by Ranga.

"Surely sir!" He replied with excitement and brought out a small note from his handbag.

"Follow me." He said and walked towards the private room of the tavern and took a seat.

After Ranga sat, he looked at him for a while and started.

"What did you call him? PLAYER SLAYER? He is not the slayer… But the goddamn butcher!" He tapped the table ferociously after ending his sentence.

Ranga wrote the words as he spoke.

***

Approximately, Thirty-five years ago,

Those days were disastrous. Flood, drought, Famine, volcanic eruption... Landslides and many more occurred in that particular period of time. it was as though the whole bloody world was enraged and punishing the poor natives due to some trivial births of lives that shouldn't be born.

Maybe he was one of those cursed born?

The day he was found was still vividly imprinted in Sagithan's mind. The rain was pouring out like a fountain for seven days straight prior to 'that day.'

On the eighth day, a child was found in the cemetery soaked in blood with a face devoid of any emotion.

It didn't cry nor show any reaction on its face. It seemed dead but alive. Its face was distorted and weird enough for people to mistake the child for a demonic creature. That weird demonic creature was him, the player slayer also infamously known as the butcher, who surprised the destiny called death.

"Goddamned wicked creature!" One of the men in the cemetery yelled as one of the members took the child from the ground.

"Look there's a trail of blood." Another one yelled and pointed to the ground and all their eyes followed the bloody trail and soon it led them towards a corpse with a bite mark on his throat…

****

"Wait… Wait! Is this the same man you are talking about?"

Ranga stopped in the middle and asked with fascination.

"Indeed, and I was there… And I still remember his cold eyes."

The old man nodded his head with a devious smile on his face.

Anyone would call the old man mentally ill. It was logically impossible for a child to kill an adult. Perhaps he was blabbering nonsense, knowing that he was following the trace of the Player Butcher. In any case, Ranga found the story interesting. So, he wanted him to continue.

***

In the beginning, all the men in the cemetery refused to take him to the village. Yet, that one mad lad called Victor took the kid. He lost his son a few weeks ago. So, he thought that this was perhaps a child sent by the gods. And so, victor took him as his son.

But unfortunately, his wife and a few more people who went to fetch water from a nearby lake were kidnapped by goblins and before the villagers could rescue his wife lost her senses and became blind. Maybe it was her brain that acted in self-defense to endure the trauma.

And this incident made one thing clear. That kid was an omen of unfortunate events. The people of the village heavily opposed Victor's decision to take care of him. Yet, he still believed he was the only one left for him...

***

"Thud!"

Before the old man could complete the story few armed men intruded the private cabin and began to beat to chain him and guarded Ranga as the old man jumped up on the table and sat twisting his limbs like a possessed.

"Haha! Haha! Ranga his name is Garuda! Follow the trails of the eagles in Nemper and you will see for yourself." He screamed as they pulled him away.

"Sir… He is a man who escaped from the asylum of Iron wall…"

Ranga was baffled and shocked to hear it. The man was able to converse well like a normal person but, he was actually possessed by evil spirits.

"Did you cause any trouble to you, sir?"

One of the men asked as Ranga sat there shocked.

"No-No" Ranga refuted and rose from his seat.

He quickly searched for the woman who accompanied the old man and couldn't find her. He ordered a drink and took a seat in the corner. He just happened to follow the traces of this man named Garuda and, it led him to this Tavern located in an uninhabited land.

And by a strange coincidence, he managed to find a stranger who was from Nemper and that man was sick in his head. It all seemed very obscure that he wanted to dig deeper into the story.

Who was that woman? Who is this Garuda? All sorts of questions arose in him. At a certain distance, a man covered by a dark cloak facing him rose from his seat…