Volume 12

Chapter 34: Pale Death

The lifeless-looking entity stands before me, doing nothing. Just existing. It's hunched over, revealing its coral-gobelleto-like infection on its back. Before long, it spots me in the corner of its eye. It wastes no time and cries out a deafening horrid screech, digging and stabbing into my very mind. I stumble back through a mix of fear and dread, unable to stop my shaking feet. But I grit my teeth and regain balance. This may have been the thrill I needed in my life all along.

As I always do, I perform a large inhale to prepare my lunge. I compress all my muscles and fibres in my legs to release it all at once to create an explosion-like boost towards these 'things' ankles. I slide through its legs and cut its right foot, slightly toppling it to the side. However it doesn't faze it, and soon it delivers a wide swing with its arm coming from the left. It may be big but if I parry this with the right timing, I should be fine. I'm surging with adrenaline at this moment, everything seems to have slowed down. I can see it. Its left swing is coming, closer and closer, and then I redirect its energy by moving my stiletto and my body at the same time, saving me from its attack. Afterwards, I'm able to get 3-4 hits in before it unleashes another attack with a swing from the right. As it was before, it feels a lot slower so I'm able to parry it correctly, however, this time what I didn't anticipate was that it was readying a kick. As its leg was coming down on me, I barely manage to get out of the way, brushing along death itself. There is a big cliff behind me, it would be ironic for me to die the same way I had killed those insane bandits before.

Right after its kick, I make sure to circle around it to make sure if I did get kicked then I wouldn't meet the same fate as those 'broken-minded bandits' from earlier. However it didn't throw a single swing or kick, instead, it bent over revealing its gobelleto back infection. I had no idea what it was about to unleash. All I could do was watch, as millions upon millions of thorn-like objects came out of its back and pierced my entire body, from the waist up to my shoulders. Luckily I was fast enough to cover my face but I still suffered injuries to my torso. This isn't good, my heart is pumping too fast I'm losing blood at a faster rate. Just as I was still in pain, I looked up to see death itself. This monster was truly the end of my road. I'm sure it had ended lots of other young passionate pathfinders along with me. It was readying another kick, knowing that I would have enough time to dodge it and keep my injury to a minimum at the same time. As it flung me to the other side of the field, I start to lose consciousness. I'm no longer able to keep fighting, was my journey this short? What was I lacking? Knowledge? Power? It's no use thinking about it now, I'm going to die anyway. I hope in my next life, I get to live with a nice family in a nice village with nice people in a nice world. I close my eyes, accepting fate as to what it is. I can hear its large stomping grow louder as it drew closer. I can hear other footsteps along with the loud ones, someone is running. This person's quick, I can tell from the vibrations and the speed of the footsteps. I can hear parrying, and dodging, all of which are in time with one another. Wait a minute...

Chapter 35: The Soloist

I open my eyes to see that Khan from earlier fighting against the hell-sent entity. He's predicting all its moves and dodging and parrying them with little to no mistakes. He dances from toe to toe, analysing its movements until he sees an opening. With speed, he draws one of his swords and slashes its right upper leg, then stabs it in its left upper leg. Quickly jumping back afterwards to avoid the left swing. "Voidwalker, not good enough. How can you expect to take a bounty when you can't fight a Sharko, or what you may know as Megalodaunts"

Was this the thing the Tempokeeper needed for his work? I didn't know he needed the skin of death itself. I don't want to jinx it, but surely he's got this under control, right? He draws his other sword readying for battle. "Watch me, Voidwalker. See if I'm rushing or dragging. Perhaps you may learn something" Whiplash reference??11!!!1!?

As he's readying, I can see his battle spirit materialise into space. He's On Fire, but it doesn't bother him. It's like he's channelling the power of the flames himself. Of course, why didn't it cross my mind? I can't be the only one with powers from the Song, I've only just been granted the ability to harness the gales. The Tempokeeper must've been granted the power of the flames.

With haste, he rushes straight towards this Megalodaunt, or Sharko, without hesitation. When he's close, he unleashes a powerful move strong enough to lift him and the Sharko, a few meters off the ground into the air and then slams it down with a meteor-like impact. Then right after, he unleashes a second attack where a legion of flames had materialised around him, all attacking the sharko at once. However, the sharko wasn't fazed at all and hadn't been registering those two attacks as actual attacks. It had swung its right arm again, followed by a kick. But the Tempokeeper had swiftly parried the arm and dodged the kick, he can see things far before they even occur, so it's a given that he would be able to weave in between attacks. After the kick from the left leg, he retrieved his sword that was stuck in it. Now he's dual-wielding the swords again, he holds both his swords loosely, just as you would with drumsticks. He doesn't see his weapons as weapons. He sees them as another piece of instrument you would use to make music. His eyes move around to find more weak points, openings and overall analysing the situation at hand. "You're dragging, Sharko. Speed up to 152 bpm" He speeds up his movement even more. Now he's definitely moving quicker than he was before. 152 bpm? Is he moving at that set time? I count in my head, 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4. No, it doesn't feel like 152, maybe he's just saying that cuz that's how fast the song is. The one the Author linked.

But nevertheless, he's definitely sped up his movements entirely. His breathing, his footsteps his attacks are all in sync with the timing of his dancing. It's as if he's enjoying this. Not long, the Sharko looked like it started to lose its balance. The Tempokeeper has been focusing his attacks on one part of the body, the left leg and that was enough to take the sharko down. Now that it's kneeling on its left leg, the Tempokeeper is in range to deliver the finishing blow to its head. Swiftly and quickly, he uses the same attack he used first to rise into the sky and cut its monstrous head off. It's over, I'm alive to live another day. I can finally, rest...

Chapter 36: Flamecharmed Musician

"-ck up" I can hear a distant voice. "-fuck up" It's somewhat familiar, I've heard of this voice before. "-ke the fuck up" Where have I heard this voice? "Fuckin wake up dude, you've been out cold for like ages." My eyes jitter open to see that Khan looming over me. "Fuckin finally man. I've just been sat here for ages"

"Well I'm sorry I couldn't go against that Sharko, maybe it's cuz I'm still beginning my journey ya idiot"

"Whatever man, I'm leaving. I've got what I wanted so there's no reason for me to stay"

"No wait, I wanna ask a few things first" I accidentally spoke without thinking. Whatever, it's probably better to go with the flow. "How are ways I can get stronger?"

"Simple, just train till you can't anymore. This place is probably good for people like you. Just don't go wandering at night and you'll be fine."

"How can I become a Tempokeeper?"

"Did I impress you last night? I already told you, if you want to become one then find me at Miners Landing."

"Can I be your apprentice?" He stands there, I can't tell whether he's shocked or unfazed. Nobody speaks a word for a solid 30 seconds.

"Oh, you're serious aren't you. Look man, I already told you that if you want to become a Tempokeeper just go to Miners Landing when you're ready."

"Can't do that, I need to become your apprentice now."

"Oml, fine. I'll be gone for two weeks to assemble my drum kit again. I will come back after two weeks and if you're still alive, then I'll consider it. If not then, well yk."

Really not sure why I asked that. I wasn't planning on becoming anyone's apprentice. It's probably because I want to get stronger quicker. But it's fine. I'll take what I can get so I'll definitely get stronger, now or later.

"If you have nothing else to say then I'm off, don't die."

"Wait one final thing, what's your name?"

"Janus. Hugh Janus. Remember the name, it'll be heard across all lands. Now then, farewell! Voidwalker!"

...There's no fucking way...

Chapter 36.5: Bonus (but it's canon)

It's been about a week since Janus left. Still, though, who decides on a name like Hugh Janus? There are definitely more shit names than that one, but this one is far up the list.

A guy that looks like a freshie arrived on this island the other day in a schooner. He's an Adret and he doesn't look to be equipped with a weapon, but he's got good combat knowledge and knows how to handle what looks to be medium weapons. He's creative as well, I saw him kick some bandit in the nuts to get a weapon and then fought off two other bandits. He's also a Flame user like Janus is. I saw him walk into a cave and I could sense danger emanating from it, the same danger as the night of the Sharko attack so I kinda just left. R.I.P Freshie ig.

Chapter 37: Squeamish

It's been about 3 days since I've landed on the shores of Erisia. I'd say I've done a pretty good job at hiding this stolen ship. It's over to the east where not many pathfinders or sailors would come past and there's a small opening to a cave that leads directly to inland Erisia.

I've learnt a bit more about this world from experience and the Pathfinders Manuel. That thing I fought is apparently called a 'Megalodaunt' or more informally named 'Sharko'. It's documented to have a few attacks. One of which I had the misfortune of experiencing. It's dubbed 'Insanity Roar' because the effects of whoever hears the screech tend to have lost some sanity or they'd just not be thinking properly as a sane person would. There's another deadly attack the Megalodaunts can do, called 'Thousand Needles' where it would hunch over and shoot out hundreds of thousands of needles that is capable of ending dozens of young ambitious Pathfinders.

I also powered up again. If I my math is correct then I should be at power 3. Which isn't a lot but higher than the average Erisian bandit. I've found out that my gifts that have been bestowed is called Flamecharm, one of the many different elements or more specifically, 'Attunements'. It's best to train it using what's called a Hearthgem but there doesn't seem to be any on the ship so I'm just burning bushes for now. Just as I was lighting some bushes on fire, something over to my right caught my eye. I look over and see three bandits dressed in black and equipped with a stiletto charging at me.

I quickly draw my sword and ready for an attack. The one on the left leaps into the air aiming to strike me down but his moves are rather sluggish so I swiftly cut him diagonally from his hip to his shoulder. He soon fell and dropped his stiletto. The other two guys were a bit further back so I quickly picked up the stiletto and threw it at one of them. But I never really knew how to throw a knife so it kinda just hit him and tripped him up a bit.

The one to the right swings his stiletto and aims for my ribs but I parry his slow move. As i did, the third bandit almost strikes me to my left but i grab his overextended wrist, making him unable to move and threw him at the other guy. While they were both on the ground, I lit them on fire. Their screams pierce my ears. I can never get over how inhumane some of my methods are, however, if I succumb to it and give up, i won't be able to complete my mission and survive in Erisia. These bandits would kill anyone at the first chance they get so i have to be the same. The first guy I struck down is still alive, but barely. He's gurgling on his own blood as he draws his final breath.

"Who are you? What is your goal?" I ask, not expecting him to give an answer

"None of your business. You won't survive here in Erisia for long, Pathfinder. Better pray THEY don't get you" He says, as he lies lifeless on the floor.

It's probably a final scare tactic just to seem cool. Can't be that bad.