Chapter: 4

Chapter: 4

I watched as the knights approached, my frown deepening. Among them, the douchebag stood out, his cocky grin plastered across his face—the only one foolish enough not to wear a helmet. That arrogance was going to cost him dearly.

"You waited out here just to turn yourself in?" he sneered. "Hah! Unfortunately, I have no intention of taking you alive. You and that little bitch are finished."

Those words froze me for a moment, but they sealed his fate. Killing him outright would be too quick, too merciful. I would make sure he felt every ounce of pain.

Standing straight, I snapped my fingers, summoning a thin veil of energy around us, turning invisible to the outside world. One of the knights noticed and asked, alarmed, "What kind of blasphemy is this?"

I smiled coldly. "Simple, really. It's so no one will see or hear you scream."

My eyes began to glow faintly, causing the knights to exchange wary glances. The douchebag, however, remained unfazed, yelling, "Kill him!"

The knights charged forward, their swords drawn. I moved calmly, summoning a lightning-formed scythe in my left hand. I dodged two knights' attacks, jumping over the third with ease.

"Too slow," I muttered as I landed.

As I touched the ground, I spun, cleaving through the three knights like they were nothing. The remaining knights stepped back, fear evident in their eyes. But they were trapped, with nowhere to run.

Raising my right hand, I unleashed a beam of lightning, impaling two more knights. I didn't give the others a chance to react as I exhaled, releasing a stream of pure white flames. The flames engulfed three more, their screams filling the air as their armor melted onto their flesh, their bodies burning alive. The last knight, aside from the douchebag, stood frozen in terror. I appeared before him, plunging my hand through his chest, tearing out his heart, and placing it in his trembling hands. He collapsed as I walked away, leaving his body in the dirt.

Now, only the douchebag remained.

Slowly, I advanced toward him. He turned and tried to run, but the veil I'd created stopped him in his tracks. Realizing he had no escape, he spun around and began to plead.

"Please, spare me! I'll give you anything—money, women, whatever you want!"

I grabbed him by his breastplate and lifted him off the ground until he was eye-level with me. His desperation was pathetic. With a quiet, cold voice, I gave him my answer.

"No."

In one last desperate move, he pulled a dagger from behind him and attempted to stab me. His grin of triumph quickly turned to horror as his hand fell to the ground, cauterized at the wrist by my scythe. His scream echoed in the night.

"This is going to be fun," I said darkly.

The next morning, the people of the Red Keep awoke to find the bodies of the knights strung up on the walls of their homes, their intestines used like rope to hang them.

That morning, I sat across from my mother at the table. She was already drunk, reaching for another bottle of wine. I quickly snatched it from her grasp.

"Mother, you need to stop drinking. You're killing yourself. What kind of example are you setting for Lily?" I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

She looked at me with bleary eyes before sneering. She got up, swaying slightly, and yanked the bottle from my hands.

"Whatever I do is up to me," she slurred, stumbling upstairs. A few moments later, her door slammed shut.

I sighed deeply. It was hard watching her like this. Part of me wanted to give up, but for Lily's sake, I couldn't. Not yet.

"What am I going to do?" I muttered to myself.

I stood up and made my way to my room. Walking over to my bedside table, I picked up the egg I had created and placed it in a small bag. Strapping the bag over my shoulders, I headed out.

Fortunately, Lily was with her tutor for the day, giving me extra time to focus on my training.

I reached my secluded training area, where plants and animals sprang to life around me as soon as I stepped inside. Sitting down beneath one of the large trees, I set the egg beside me.

"Alright, time to continue my project."

I raised my right hand and began pulling together the elements—fire, water, wind, earth—along with the essences of time, space, gravity, life, and death. Slowly, they coalesced into a form. First, its head took shape, revealing a beautiful female face with long white hair, the tips of which were a soft green. Her body followed suit, slender yet strong, with an ethereal elegance. She stood at the height of an adult human, her presence radiating an otherworldly grace.

When her form was complete, the woman opened her eyes, which were a vibrant forest green. She regarded me with calm reverence before bowing deeply.

"I greet my creator," she said softly, her voice like a melody carried on the wind.

I smiled faintly. "As I greet you, Lilith."

Chapter 4: End