One-sided Illusion

Perspective : Thor Gild

{ Past }

After that day soon they became the talk of the town. Those two were the first two adventurers to reach S - Rank in two weeks.

While I was still an A - Rank adventurer. Then it was only a matter of days, untill Elkdrack Introduced me to them. Patrick was gone for more than a month now, our adventuring activities were halted because of him, we were a party of three, and him missing had put a cudgel in our activities.

So, when Elkdrack introduced me to those two, I saw a new side of Conrad, he had a warm welcoming vibe emanating, from him. It seemed that, they were forming a new party, and he wanted me on it.

He came up to me, extended his hand and said,

"Your friend here says you are exceptional with your sword and blunt weapons .... and since I have fought you, I can second his opinion".

"We would be honoured If you joined our party".

The look on his face was so different, it even made me question if he was the same man I had fought that day.

Maybe I judged him wrong?

"They really say, 'Never judge a book by it's cover',".

So, without second guessing I agreed to join his party, I got guilt tripped.

Then we went on several jobs, we had our share of moments, scuffles and arguments. But that man I could never get a read on him, his personality, or his relationship with Regina.

There were days when I noticed Conrad's protective and warm gaze towards Regina, as if he were her guardian, on other occasions his gaze was filled with love and adoration like that of a lover, I could sense that he was restraining himself, and whenever I saw Regina I couldn't help but notice her wistful gaze towards Conrad, reflecting a longing and suffering . Interestingly when I approached Regina about it, she revealed that they were both engaged, despite Conrad's previous statement about her being like a little sister to him.

That wasn't making any sense.

"Then why would he call her his sister?".

She refused to explain any further and warned me to stay out of it.

And yet I still loved Regina, I couldn't just give up on her. So I decided,

"Fuck it .... I don't care .... I will make her mine no matter what".

Since than I and Conrad had a bitter sweet rivalry between us.

And yet he still claims her, as his little sister.

.... Present .....

That day, during the first day of expedition, I saw Conrad staring down from the edge of an open Chasm.

So, as to taunt him,

I said,

"If you fell there not even your bones will be found".

"I wish .... I could throw you in myself .... but there are too many witnesses".

He replied, "Yeah ... you would love that .... won't you?".

For some reason he acted as if I was seriously going to throw him.

At that moment, I wondered "what does he really think of me?".

"Am I his Rival?".

"Am I his friend?".

"Or Am I his enemy?".

Later that day, in the forest we got attacked by an army of dare wolves.

Myself and these two siblings, Ron and Sheela were defending the 3rd Supply carriage, we were already spread thin. so, there were only three of us.

Two B Rank adventurers and one A Rank adventurer. As I was the senior, their lives were my responsibility.

Sheela was a mid level spell caster and Ron was a swords man.

In the midst of a raging snowstorm, two menacing dare wolves jumped at us, their presence was barely discernible from the blinding snow. The atmosphere was tense, barely anything was visible, Eerie howls echoed all around us.

As the first wolf approached Ron, he skillfully dodged it's lunge by sidestepping towards the right, then with a powerful strike he severed it's head. Simultaneously the other wolf charged towards sheela, reacting quickly I extended my sword and thrust it towards it's stomach, swiftly impaling it mid flight and ending its life.

As soon as we dispatched those two, 7 of them emerged from the storm, they were barking and growling at us.

Sheela cast a spell named "flame sphere". Initially, a tiny spark flickered near the wolves, with a small flame floating in the air resembling a candle. Then, in just a few seconds, those flames grew into huge spheres, quickly engulfing and incinerating two or three wolves at a time. Only two of the seven wolves survived. As they leaped towards me, I spun with my blade, severing both of their heads in one smooth motion.

Then as defensive measures, Sheela cast a spell called "Fire land mine". She released small flames that began to surround us, forming a protective barrier. Shortly after, we heard the howling of the wolves. As they launched themselves at us amidst the snowstorm, those tiny fire orbs simultaneously exploded, eliminating a dozen or so wolves in a chain of small but impactful blasts.

I was pretty impressed by her.

But as I spared a glance at her, she looked exhausted.

So I asked,

"Do you need rest?".

While panting she answered,

"No .... I can handle this .... it comes with being an adventurer".

I wouldn't want to hurt her pride. So, I let her be.

Suddenly, about 13 wolves appeared from the snowstorm. They began to cautiously encircle us, ready to pounce at any moment. Naturally, we had our guards up. Ron swiftly defended himself when three wolves attacked him. With lightning-fast reflexes, he stabbed one in mid-air, severed another's arm, and even managed to cut one in half. His sword skills were good but, you could see his amateur mistakes as his hits were not precise or fatal. Sure, they were quick but, in return for his speed he sacrificed his accuracy.

Then four wolves approached me, and I defended myself by using my skills. I kicked one of them into the air, pierced another one's mouth, beheaded the third one, and swiftly struck down the airborne wolf. Finally, I delivered a fatal blow to the last remaining wolf by plunging my sword into its skull.

As I dealt with my fair share of wolves, I noticed four of them approaching Sheela. Sheela, in a moment of panic, cast "Flame Sphere" and successfully incinerated three wolves. However, the last wolf leaped at her, prepared to attack. In a quick motion, I impaled its head with my blade, mid-flight, protecting Sheela. Unfortunately, in the process of defending her, I left myself quite open. One wolf managed to sink its teeth into my leg.

At first the wound didn't look that bad, I had managed worse. And as a code of asceticism I wasn't going to heal it with magic, so I bandaged my leg after applying healing herbs, I thought, I would bear the pain, as punishment for my carelessness.

I was a true ascetic warrior and "I am going to abide the code of our clan".

I would never be a coward.

But the wound appeared to be much worse then it first looked, it swelled up, I wasn't even able to move my feet. By the end of the day, I was squirming with pain, on that cart, that is when he appeared.

Conrad peeked inside through the curtain, a part of me wanted to ask him for help, but my ascetic pride won't let me.

A part of me was ashamed of letting my rival see this deranged side of me.

With a Sardonic grin on his face,

He asked,

"So this is where you were hiding?".

I showed him my wound, so he could at least understand my situation.

The pain was unbearable so, I said him to,

"Leave me be".

As he withdrew his head outside, a part of my soul lashed out for him, my wound felt that painful.

My mind became clouded with pain, I started to reassess his character and personality, this time my mind starting to paint him as a sinister individual.

That's how painful my wound was, my mind was breaking from that pain.

Than after a while, Patrick came and patched me up. Upon asking he mentioned that, he came on an errand from Conrad.

In that sense, he sent Patrick to save me as It won't hurt my pride, But I shouldn't be aware of that, shouldn't I?, getting saved by my Rival didn't sat well with me.

So, yet knowingly I decided to thank him.

During dinner, at the campfire, I saw him with Regina but for some reason he finished his meal, even before I could try talking to him.

It was embarassing and yet swallowing my pride I approached him and thanked him.

But he didn't accept my thanks. He kept claiming that it wasn't him.

I wasn't going to ignore his generosity, "It's against my code of honor".

His behaviour was strange, as if he himself believed that "it wasn't him" and once again I was genuinely starting to believe him.

He started acting absurdly, he started screaming at me.

I was never able to read him before, but now it felt as if some ghost possessed him.

His actions became un predictable, yes, he was still insulting my clan but this time, I didn't felt any rage.

My only question was,

"Why is he acting this way?".

while he had his fingers held on his face, stretching his facial skin downwards, like a mad man.

With the corner of his eyes curling down, he shouted

"I hate you.... I hate you".

After a while, his nose even started bleeding.

As the scene unfolded before me I didn't knew what to do?

So, I tried calming him down, but he lashed out at me.

"The only one who can calm him down now, is Regina".

So, I ran towards Regina.