{Bing, Bong.}

Luckily the rest of the ride went pretty smoothly.

Ok no I lied, it didn't go smoothly at all.

The feelings I felt earlier returned and with each moment I got closer and closer to the Imperial City of Otihame. It kept getting worse.

The call for blood, revenge, vengeance, murder, rage, regret, fear, joy, sadness, and insanity. It was maddening.

There were even times where I thought I gained multiple other voices besides Rose. Luckily Rose was able to keep my mental state straight.

Honestly I don't know if I would have been able to keep my own sanity without her help. Or hold onto the sanity I had.

'Rose I don't know how much longer I can stay in this cursed, damned, or hell of a city. The closer we get the worse I feel.' I internalized, to Rose. 'I'm starting to lose my own rational thought. I can't tell if the urge to rip out my own eyes and eat them is my own, or the voices of the ones who are buried beneath this city.'

I was shaking slightly as I fearfully stared at my own two hands. With the terrifying feeling and curiosity of how it would feel to claw and even eat my own two eyes.

[Don't listen to those voices, Bastion!] Rose screamed in my mind with worry. [Those aren't your own thoughts but those who are buried, killed, or slaughtered. Please I urge you to take a few deep breaths and cross your legs and meditate. Hopefully your passive Calm Mind of the Fisher will help.

I could feel the worry and concern in Rose's voice as she urged me to try and ignore the ever increasing voices of the dead.

'I'll give it a shot.' I answered weakly as the voices were getting louder and asking for more forms of violence.

Somehow I was able to slowly and shakely cross my legs, sit straight, and tried to sit still.

Somehow after a rough thirty seconds and the voices of the dead reaching an almost mind numbing insane level. I felt a cool and refreshing feeling starting to spread in my mind as the voices started to slowly disappear.

I released a long and slow breath of air slowly opening my eyes before an intense feeling of exhaustion hit me.

Small rivers of sweat started to form and fall off my face as I started taking long and deep breaths. As I felt the strength of my mind become stronger.

{Bing, Bong.}

{Host just went through an intense mental and physiological attack from an uncountable amount of the dead that would have killed those with a weaker mind.}

{Reward: +1 to Host's Intelligence.}

{Special - Huh, I'm a little impressed. Just a little though. I would have been more impressed if you actually clawed your eyes out in my opinion.}

'...'

[...]

You really are a dick system.

{Bing, Bong.}

{Why thank you for the compliment host. Such nice praise. Good luck out there.}

'Rose.' I called out to Rose with a slight tone of defeat.

[Yeah.] Rose answered with the same tone.

'I don't know how to feel about the system's dickery.' I spoke with a slight sigh of pain as I could still slightly hear the voices of the dead.

[And you think I do.] Rose bluntly asked. [The only thing we can do Bastion is try to find a way to change the system or bug Ulrich for the information when we get back.]

I nodded my head as I started to rub my temples to help try and ease the pain.

'Status.'

Name: Bastion

Age: 20

Race: Human/Unknown.

Title: N/A

Class: Grave Digger. (Origin)

Job: N/A

Rank: Human - 1

Strength: 5

Constitution: 5

Dexterity: 4

Intelligence: 7

Wisdom: 7

Charisma: 7

'Ulrich didn't lie when he said it was really hard to increase your stats. Which means it's going to be a grind and a lot of hard work.' I silently said mentally.

Still besides the intense moment from a little while ago. I do have to mention the Imperial City of Otihame, the city of Light is quite beautiful. Minus the mass grave it stands upon.

The walls were massive and sturdy like a mountain that wouldn't stand the tests of time. There were guards that patrolled the walls that watched everything like a hawk. There were even small patrols on the streets.

But what truly blew me away was the amount of abundance the city showed.

Food, clothing, equipment, and anything you could possibly think of. The city sold it.

But if there was one thing I saw that really showed the reality if one was weak. I saw many in chains. Some being led like a dog, being ridden upon like a horse, beating them for being in the way, and some killed as their owner bought a replacement.

[I know your previous world was dark, but still. Seeing it like this makes me feel sick.] Rose said with pain and a not so hidden rage.

'Indeed. Unfortunately it is a dark reality and truth. It's' an evil that always seems to appear and if I'm right there are probably those that fight against it. But even if they did stop it, it doesn't mean someone else won't start it again later down the line.'

I answered with a slight frown as I watched what looked like a noble pierce their slaves chest and ripped out their heart as to try and impress someone. Laughing the entire time, while a soft smile formed on the dying slaves lips. Almost like a prayer had been answered .

We quickly made our way through the city as everyone formed a path for the carriage to pass. Almost like magic or from what I saw, fear.

"Your destination is ahead Otherworlder. The Temple of Summons." One of the Dukes Soldiers said with no emotion in his voice.

I looked out the window of the carriage only to see a field of slaughter with a flawlessly and majestically built temple. It was like a scene out of a movie. The only thing is, nobody was doing anything with the dead and slaughtered bodies.

"Well at least the welcoming was thoughtful I guess." I said aloud.

[Thoughtful. What makes you think this was thoughtful, Bastion? There are literally dead bodies littering the lawn of a temple.] Rose snapped a little.

'Well simple, look at the bodies. What are they equipped with and what is my class Rose?'

[Covered with?] Rose said with slight confusion. [They looked to be equipped with heavy armor and some looked to be carrying a couple decent weapons. And obviously your class is Grave Digger.]

'Exactly. From what it looks like nobody is coming to claim them or wants to. So if I'm able to strike up a deal and take those dead bodies off the King's hand it could potentially help me figure out what my class is maybe capable of. Plus with the potential deal with the Crown Prince I might be able to work with the two very powerful people.'

I answered Rose with a slight smile as in a strange way that plus one to my Intelligence seemed to make me think of a path I never would have thought of before. Or my mind is playing tricks on me again.

I felt the carriage stop as one of the Dukes Soldiers opened the door and stood to the side. I stood as and exited the carriage nodding my head to the Soldiers.

"The trip was an extremely pleasant one, guys well done. If I could give a rating, it would be five stars." I spoke in a joking manner as only one of the Soldiers looked at me with the most confused and bewildered expression on his face. "It's a compliment guys come on. Smile a little."

The Soldiers continued to remain stone faced. Even the bewildered one after a small sigh.

[Bastion you do realize that they are Soldiers. Not your normal average everyday person, right.] Rose spoke with a deep and embarrassed sigh. [They need to remain focused at all times when on duty.]

'Thought I'd try and lighten the atmosphere.' I mentally shrugged as I started to head to the entrance of the Temple of Summons.

[Still, I doubt they would know what Zubber is in this world.] Rose sighed again with a lite laugh.

'Hey got you to laugh, didn't it.'

[Yes, one of pity.]

'...'

Ow.

Entering the Temple of Summons was smooth and easy since there was a group of soldiers that conveniently lined up in a way that led me to where I needed to head to.

But when it looked like I was getting close to my destination a thick and heavy smell of iron filled my nose as five… piles of meat littered the floor.

[Well isn't that nice to see when entering a temple.] Rose said as I leaned down and noticed a familiar looking crest on one of the piles of meat.

'They're the Duke's soldiers! And from the look of things they were killed rather effortlessly. And I'm pretty sure none of these Soldiers did it.' I said internally as I stood back up and entered the main hall of the temple.

'And from the look of things I might be able to know who soon.'

When I entered the main hall of the Temple of Summons the first thing I saw was a man sitting on a very exquisitely crafted wooden throne wearing a majestic yellow and blue edged robe with a heavy looking crown placed upon his head. He was gently resting on his sword on his lap that looked like it was stained with blood.

"Ah you've finally arrived, Otherworlder and Inheritor to the Grave Keeper Ulrich Braune. Welcome, I wish you would have arrived with the others but it seemed that the Heavens thought otherwise." The man on the throne spoke with a clear and calm voice.

But when I saw the look in the person's eyes on the throne I noticed that his eyes didn't match his voice. His eyes held deep greed, obsession, and something I couldn't describe.

"Still, that will be for another time. Welcome to my glorious Kingdom of Otihame. I am its King and ruler. Now since you've all arrived we can now get down to business as I desperately need your help to defend my glorious Kingdom from my enemies!"

The King said with passion that in a way left me speechless.

Even the other Otherworlders looked speechless.

"Now you either have two options. Do you agree or. Do you agree?" The King smiled warmly, but what I saw definitely wasn't a warm smile.

It looked sinister.