Mercy Killing.

Laine took a seat on one of the rocks, and placed his burning sword beside him.

"Zeus, are they..."

"No. They used to be humans. Now, they are just husks waiting for selection."

He took a deep breath in and asked,

"Selection?"

"The reason that they show little to no response to external factors, is due to the fact that they have been forcefully converted into monster fetuses. Their biology has been changed to keep them dormant for a long time."

He looked at a small girl in front of him, crouching with her eyes open.

"After a certain time, when the conscience has faded away, the monsters take some of the fetuses and use them to create more monsters."

"Like slaves?"

Suppression of conscience. Very similar to the slave emblems back in Ascent.

"Not really. Slave seals suppress conscience. Once ghouls consume their food, the prey starts to slowly give up their sentience. More related to biological alchemy."

Alchemy is the process of transmuting matter to create something new. Biological Alchemy is the process of transmuting organic matter using the elements.

"Science? These primitive monsters can use science?"

While he was in ascent, he had never come across a book that mentioned the ability of Monsters to use a strict discipline like science.

"Had you ever witnessed a Death Swordsman before?"

Zeus asked.

"No. I had only read about them."

"Exactly. All ghouls use biological alchemy to absorb food from their victims. Humans and Demons, both have long forgotten about the true roots of alchemy. Science exists as a concept, not in practice. "

Those words hit Laine hard.

"So most of the information that I have read in books is mere fantasy based on observation, and not experimentation?"

"Unfortunately, that might be the case. People started over-relying on elements and their gifts as time went on. Almost everyone can wield the power of Aura, hence the need for experimentation became scarce. Most people would prefer being powerful, rather than resourceful."

Zeus sighed.

Laine looked back towards the ghoul fetuses and asked,

"Can we save them?"

In a calm tone, Zeus said,

"No. The best you can do is put them out of their misery."

"Even with biological alchemy?"

Laine asked with hope.

"Still no. They have already been through a lot. Using biological alchemy will only increase their suffering."

He had to face the reality. There are some people whom you cannot save.

Laine picked up his sword, took a deep breath in, and the flames on the great sword started to increase in intensity.

"Rest well. I know that all of you might not have been good, but you still deserve a proper judgement in the afterlife. No one shall withhold your suffering any longer."

The intensity continued to increase.

He slowly let out a sigh, and the mercy killing began.

*****

"Strange. They should be here by now."

Dain and Brobek had left the cart inside the vicinity of the Darks Swordsmen's territory. They were observing the cart from a distance, waiting for the monsters to take their swords and tributes.

"This has never happened before, has it?"

Brobek asked.

"Yes. At least for the last 5 years."

Dain was starting to get nervous.

"Should we leave?"

Brobek wanted to make a run for it. This tardiness could mean that the monsters didn't want the tribute.

"We can't."

They were the ones closest to the territory. If they ran now without any information, preparing against them would be difficult.

For the next hour, no one arrived. There was no movement in the forest. With each passing moment, their uneasiness started to increase. What in the heavens was going on?

Brobek was considering his options. He couldn't take this nervousness any longer.

"Dain, we should return. That way, we can be ready for their attack."

Dain was struggling to make sense of this situation. If he ran back now, and sent a message to the kingdom for reinforcements, their village would be destroyed by the time help arrived. Evacuating the village was a possibility, but their agreement with the kingdom would end up branding them as deserters. Their group will be hunted and enslaved in that scenario. It was a lose-lose situation.

They had to hold on.

"If we retreat, any chance of making it out of this situation alive is gone. As the village head, I cannot allow that to happen."

He looked back towards Brobek, who looked at him and said,

"I will wait with you for one more hour. If the situation doesn't change, I am leaving."

Dain nodded. He couldn't ask more from him.

After about 19 minutes, a strange man appeared.

"Look!"

Dain pointed towards him.

Brobek's eyes widened. A human wandering in this forest?

"What should we do?"

The village head was perplexed. Who was this guy?