Ruins

Walking alone in the woods, a young man talked to himself... Well, at least seemed to.

"So Nemesis, you mean you've become sentient now and now live in me like some strange kind of wraith?"

[That could sum it up.] Nemesis walked alongside Riot seemingly in thought.

He was the carbon copy of Riot even wore the same armor. Though it was all like an illusion. The insects buzzing around flew threw him like he wasn't there.

Nemesis glanced at him. [You don't have to talk out loud father. Just think of what you want me to hear and i would hear you.]

'Who am i?' Riot tested.

[My creator.]

'What was my name?'

[Zain Cross.]

'What am I?'

[A monster.] The replies came instantly.

Riot nodded. He noticed that Nemesis mouth moved but the voice echoed directly in his mind.

Riot held his chin in thought. 'You can hear my thoughts then. This has potential.'

[Well technically, i'm a part of you. When you formed me on planet Gauntlet, you did it by forcefully separating your dark thoughts and sorrow...]

Riot ignored Nemesis's rambling as he tried to devise how he could prove useful to him.

'Wait! You called me a monster?'

[Well, according to the former 'Riot's memory of this world. The human race has no chest organ that makes them receptive to sound waves, you have spirits living in you, your blood is black. Furthermore, the smell of human blood gets you excited which isn't normal among humans. Well, unless you discount psychopaths and other oddities.]

In this world dungeon monsters had varying blood color some could be green and others blue, this was a crucial determiner for potion masters when creating potions. And yes! There are dungeons in this world which spawn monsters.

Riot signed. 'A monster eh? It's still isn't confirmed though.'

He then smiled slyly. 'Does this face look like a monster to you?'

Nemesis glanced at him. [Anything that lives at the cost of another is a monster, have you eaten fish? Yes? Then to the fish you are one. But to your fellows you aren't. It just the twisted way of thinking of the world's sentient species that every other creature that harms them are monsters. In truth we are all monsters with different ideas, needs and strengths. In the end what really matters is who is stronger you or the fish.] Nemesis walked on looking indifferent.

Riot stared at him a little dazed. 'Okay... Since when were you a realist? Did i envision you this way?'

Nemesis showed what looked like a smile, but it wasn't. [The truth should always be brought to light and never hidden, only then can you know what you really want from life and the right path to take.]

Riot placed his hands behind his head and said while looking up. "Well, i know what i want from life. A good nap in a comfortable bed. A life where i would be spoon fed by beauties. Hey, do you think i can hire a cat girl demi-human beauty to give me massages." Riot walked with more vigor in his steps as he babbled on.

The look in Nemesis's eyes changed to irritation. [You live in a world where humans could accumulate the strength to blow up mountains and form valleys just by fighting each other. And you are here dreaming about mere shallow self indulgence! Father, take my advice, just kill yourself.]

'Ouch!' Riot winced with a smile. 'What?! Didn't you say the truth should always be brought to light, and now that i told you my piece, you stab me for it! Heartless!' Riot suppressed his laughter.

Riot didn't mind rather he enjoyed the company. Nemesis reminded him a bit of his little sister.

They walked past several empty mildly ruined villages.

'No monsters... no humans.' Riot found it odd as he looked around.

Except for the strange insects consuming different sized carcasses here and there the place was empty.

Nemesis sneered and said. [We are already close to the kingdom, yet there are no sign of human activity. What are you going to do if the luxury you so desired has already fallen into the hands of monsters.]

'We'll know once we get there.' Riot wasn't bothered. No matter what happened, as long as he was alive he believed with his current skills he could always earn a living.

As they walked on. Riot decided to test something along the way. 'Can you pass through walls or hard objects.'

[I can pass through you, so of course i can pass through hard objects.] As he said this he walked through a tree like it was nothing.

'I wonder how far our telepathy or should i call it soul connection? How far can it reach before cutting off.' Riot asked.

Nemesis shrugged. [I don't know.]

'Is that so? Why don't we test it then. You walk ahead. While i walk slowly. You say something random every minute. Then when you see the kingdom tell me the situation.'

Nemesis began walking then turned back and grinned, as if he found out something. [You almost got me there. You just wanted a scout didn't you.]

"It seems you can read my thoughts, but can't sense my intentions clearly." Riot really wanted to know how deep their minds where connected.

That didn't mean what he said to Nemesis was false though, he just wanted to hit three birds with one stone. Besides, he didn't believe anything could harm him even if he encountered something dangerous.

[Sign.]

They acted as planned. Riot began feeling tired all of a sudden he took a piece of meat and munched on it along the way.

Nemesis walked on until he finally set his eyes on the kingdom.

From a distance behind, Riot sensed Nemesis's shock.

'So, it turns out i can also sense his feelings a bit if they are intense enough... Or does it go both ways?' He inwardly speculated.

[I think you should come see this yourself.]

'Is it safe?'

[Yes. At least. I don't sense any threat.] He didn't elaborate.

Riot couldn't help but be curious and ran over.

'!!!'

Riot stood on a distant hill as his gaze fell on the kingdom. It looked like a 100 meter tall flaming giant had just dance around it.

Most buildings were turned to burnt rubble and the 12 meter tall 5 meter wide enchanted gate looked like it was stepped on.

The thick metal gates were bent flat surrounded by rubble and bent metal bars. The high walls and towers were no more than piles of rocks now, some parts of the walls still standing were pitch black while other wall parts looked like melted candle wax.

"This doesn't look like what a disorganized mob of tier 0 too tier 2 monsters were capable of." Riot said. He then looked at the acres of land before the walls covered with flowers.

Although there were patches of land were the flowers had been either burnt or crushed, overall the place was still full of flowers.

[This was the deed of a single creature.] Nemesis concluded. He had been sitting there on the hill waiting, while trying to find out what happened.

Riot observe the land more. "The monsters didn't reach the kingdom. You can tell just by looking at the terrain." He then looked up as if remembering something.

"Do you remember when i just woke up, there was a lizard with wings way high up in the sky. Back then my mind was still quite hazy so i didn't really think much of it."

Nemesis thought of it. [I wasn't conscious then. But from from your memories, i see it does have a similar outline to the fantasy-like dragons you watched in movies.]

"Heh! Except it's no longer a fantasy. I guess this was how humans felt when they first discovered the aliens in my previous life."

He shook his head.

"There was once a story about a great black dragon that occupies the castle of a fallen Empire deep within the northern forest. Legend has it that whenever it awakened it ate higher tiered monsters within the forest and then went back to sleep."

He then looked at Nemesis with a solemn expression. "But whenever it rampages out of the forest it is a sign of a bad omen, one that involves the peace of the entire continent."

Nemesis thought of it. [Isn't it because of the dragon's rampage that the entire continent's peace is threatened? By the way why do you keep talking out. What if the dragon that attacked this place has a good hearing.]

"You mean the dragon might be inside the castle? Pff! Come on! A dragon able to crush the gates with a single step? Hehe, even it's head alone wouldn't fit through our castle's puny doors." Riot thought it was funny.

Though he knew Nemesis just wanted them to communicate through their psychic link.

Nemesis didn't appreciate being laughed at. [I don't see anyone still alive inside. It seems your dreams of being massaged by maids as you eat high quality fruits has already been ruined by the dragon.]

It then occurred to Riot. "Oh snap! My luxury! What's a prince without it's people?" Riot could feel his identity's privileges going down the drain. He fell to his knees and sulked.

Nemesis felt like he hit a soft spot and snickered. [Oh stop sulking! I never supported your idea of living in shallow indulgence anyway. Think of this, it's a new world a world of magic, fantastic places and creatures that defies science itself. It's a world were the strong has and takes everything and the weak can only curse at their weakness. I believe there's only one true path and that is the path to power...this kingdom's current state is proof of my claim.] Nemesis looked over the kingdom.

Somer was a backwater kingdom with only a few grade D level combatants and the strongest were the crown prince Eger Silver, Striller the royal guard and the high priest presiding over the church of Lumen at Somer.

'All my life. I've trained and fought. I've slaughtered countless lives for the galactic empire. I've spilled blood for my selfish ego. I was so busy living seriously i didn't enjoy life thoroughly.' Riot sighed. 'I didn't even leave behind a child for myself... Right now, i just want to forget about my past. Live a nice life, get a nice girl and have normal kids... and live the rest of my life happily. Is that too much to asked?' He gave Nemesis a questioning look.

[Don't be silly father, without overwhelming power how do you intend to protect the ones you would learn to love. Only the strong can truly maintain a life of happiness.]

'That's not necessarily true Nemesis. Besides, this body has average bloodline potential anyway, so how do i get the so called (overwhelming power) you speak of? If i had lots of money and resources i could always hire mecenaries, buy a land, build my own forces.'

[Then what! Build a kingdom that would be overrun by mindless beasts! Or burnt down by a dragon that had a bad dream?!] Nemesis was starting to feel frustrated.

'Dragon...now that i think about it. It wasn't a dungeon outbreak, but the dragon that scared the monsters out of the forest.' Riot had a flash of inspiration.

Nemesis felt helpless. [You're thinking of that now? Are my words going into your head and then sinking into oblivion?!]

'Hold on Nemesis! The kingdom's treasury!' Riot smiled and quickly regained his spirits. Then he began walking briskly towards the kingdom's 'gates', or at least, what was left of it.

[I thought the treasury was protected by advanced magic formations. Even the walls were made of special materials and then enchanted with various defensive spells. Unless you had the king's seal or are able to find Eger ('Riot's' older brother) I don't see you getting into that vault, after all, you don't know magic spells.] Nemesis didn't know what made him so lively all of a sudden.

'Dragon's are intelligent creatures highly sensitive to mana fluctuations right?'

[The stronger varieties usually are. Yes.]

'The black dragon lives in a castle right?'

[So the stories say.]

'Therefore, supposing it's highly intelligent and it has knowledge of where humans hide their treasure what will it do?'

Nemesis frowned. [I'm not a dragon, just say what you mean.]

'What do dragon's like?' Riot didn't slow down his pace.

[Treasure? No shiny things in general... Ah! You mean it would be attracted by the mana fluctuating from the mana cores used to set up the defensive magic formations, and then suspecting treasure to be within, it would brake in.] Nemesis finally saw his point.

'If my hypothesis is correct, it couldn't have taken away everything. There must still be lots of valuables within.'

Riot really hoped that he was right.

As they got closer to the gate, Riot could feel Nemesis sulking and so he tried to draw his mind away from the argument.

'By the way Nemesis, since you are some kind of ghostly being. Does that mean you can fly? And how are you capable of walking when you don't have a physical body?'

Nemesis knew what he was trying to do but answered him anyway. [Flying is possible, though doing that would only increase the energy i take from you i.e the farther i go. It's the same when i pass through objects too.]

'Energy? You mean stamina and mana?' Riot asked.

On Anvil, humans were able to absorb and store mana in their souls and this mana interacted with the bodies cells to produce a lot of energy.

Therefore, if someone with mana and someone without mana were to eat a peanut. You would find out that the person with mana is able to last three days without feeling hungry while the person without mana feels hungry even before the end of the first day.

This interaction was done automatically in the body once you had mana in you. The amount of energy you were able to draw out of your cells depended on your 'Energy level' which were the grades that had been mentioned.

The higher your grade the longer you were able to go without hunger or do combat.

This was important for high level combatants as their fights were usually fast-paced and consumed a lot energy.

And because little mana was used during the formation of this energy, the mana consumed normally during combat wasn't much different to the amount of mana the soul replenishes on a normal basis. So unless you used a skill or entered the voltage state your total mana wouldn't decrease much.

Energy level (average grade) also affected the power of skills you wanted to perform. For example, Riot who was at the grade F even if he had enough mana, wouldn't be able to perform a popular skill for grade D combatants like the wind burst. Which had enough power to blow up an ogre to pieces instantly, as his energy level wasn't high enough. Even if he learnt the skill and activated it, it would only produce the effect of a large leaf blower.

[Don't you feel something leaving you through our psychic connection?] Nemesis glanced at him.

'I do feel something leaving, though, it's hard to notice.' He finally recognized the strange feeling he had.

[That's because i'm trying my best to minimize the energy i receive from you.] Nemesis then tried flying. The higher he went the more energy was spent. Riot felt a slight exhaustion and his stomach which hadn't taken in much food recently suddenly growled.]

'Alright, i get it! Get down!' He told Nemesis who was already thousands of feet high. While he took out another meat jerky from the ranger bag to snack on.

Nemesis quickly flew down. [As for the walking... it only looks like that. But i'm actually air walking. To imitate you i make it look like i'm walking on the ground.]

Riot looked closer and saw the grass pass through his feet without a sound as he moved and knew he was telling the truth.

'Well, that clears things up a bit.' He thought.

They finally got to the ruins. Riot climbed over the rubble moving carefully over and under large rocks and protruding metal bars.

When he got across the rubble what he met were swaths of burnt corpses.