Aethon, Kirkcour Woods.
11:35 pm, 14 th Banem 1092.
Ruumble!
The earth trembled as over two hundred pairs of hooves thundered out of the surrounding forests into the deserted town. The moonlight shone on the small army and revealed them to be a force of 104 centaurs, of which 100 were composed of the Longma tribe. Darian, Larsial, and Shadow rode just behind Kashi, who led the centaur contingent.
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As they approached the town, Kashiâs brows furrowed. Thick, acrid smells of smoke and rot blew into his nose, and a terrible premonition overcame the daeben. Fearing the worst, Kashi spurred Drixlia into a hard gallop and raced to the town. The rest of the army picked up on the daebenâs unease and subsequently increased their pace.
Within a matter of minutes, Kashi reached the town gates, or rather what was left of them, and the sight that greeted him caused something primal within him to awaken from its slumber. The daebenâs lips were tightly pressed together as he looked at the âscarecrowsâ that adorned the broken gates.
The scarecrows were fashioned by impaling branches through centaurs and raising them several feet above the ground. The branches, some big, some small, positioned the centaursâ limbs in humiliating positions like strings of abandoned puppets.
Judging by the open-eyed despair and anguish in most of the centaursâ eyes, they had died a slow, painful death, devoid of honor.
Kashiâs eyes were grim as Darian, Shadow, Larsial, and Agamios joined his side. Without looking at any of them, the daeben asked in a dark tone, âHave any of you learned telekinesis?â The deafening silence that followed answered his question. âI see,â Kashi muttered and dismounted.
The daeben took slow, purposeful steps to one of the scarecrows. Kashi looked up at the tear-soaked, anguished filled eyes of the female centaur and followed her gaze to see a little colt a few meters away in a similarly humiliating position.
The daeben could tell from the severity of the gashes around the punctured parts of her body that the mare had fought till her last breath to save her child. Unfortunately, not only had she failed, sheâd been forced to watch her son slowly bleed out in front of her.
How the colt must have cried. How he must have wept. How did the mother feel seeing the despair take over her sonâs eyes?
Boom!
Larsial paled as Kashi smashed the branches that held up the centaur mother with a single punch. The corpse lost its support and dropped toward the daeben. Larsial, convinced Kashi was too overcome with rage to notice his surroundings, opened her mouth to warn Kashi to move out of the way.
Bam!
Larsialâs mouth remained open as she watched a massive surge of ki gush out of the daeben in the shape of a dragonâs clawed hand and catch the corpse. âYou can do that?â Larsial looked at the daeben in awe and shock as the ki hand gently placed the body on the earth.
Kashi, at the moment, did not care in the least what the others thought about him. The centaur motherâs eyes arrested his gaze and dredged up old memories Suzuki had buried deep within. Those eyes. They were the same as that time in the fire. The desperation of a mother willing to do whatever it took to save her child no matter how futile it seemed.
The only difference was that this mother failed to save her child. She never got to experience the relief of seeing her child escape to safety.
Kashi sighed as he crouched next to the centaur and gently closed her eyes. âYou can rest now. I promise I will find those responsible and make them pay,â he promised as much to the centauress as it was to the monster raging within him. The fire in his soul seemed satisfied by this answer as the heat in his chest slowly calmed.
Kashi shook his head in resignation. Suzukiâs relationship with his mother was a tricky sore spot that would not be healed for many years to come. Even Kashi, who shared the same brain as Suzuki, could not explain the psychological hold over the young man. Was it hate or love that bound them or more likely a complicated mixture of both? Only a psychologist could answer that question.
The sound of footsteps to his side drew Kashi out of his thoughts, and he looked up to see the grim-faced Darian and Agamios. The Longma tribe centaurs followed Kashiâs lead and began to cut down their brethren and gently place them on the earth. Kashi looked at Darian and asked, âWhy have their bodies been left like this for so long?â
Darianâs jaw trembled with grief and guilt. âWe did try sending parties out to give them a proper burial, but the monster army beset every party we sent. It would be lucky if one out ten survived the attack. We also could not afford to send the full army as that would leave our own homes vulnerable to the enemy.â
Kashi frowned. âHow many days has it been since this village was destroyed?â
âFour days,â Darian replied.
The daebenâs brows furrowed even more at his answer. âFour days? So they have the power to wipe out an entire village. Why havenât they wiped out the rest?â Kashi felt like he had begun to pull on the end of this mystery rope. âHow long have your villages been under siege?â
âJust under six months now,â Darian replied. âInitially, the attacks were limited to skirmishes between our hunting parties and a few loose blights. The situation only escalated to what you see now in the past few weeks. Tonight was the first time weâd experienced a push on this scale that seemed intent on wiping us all out.â
Kashi thought about it and wondered aloud. âIf the enemy decided to wipe you all out today, why did he split up his forces rather than attack each settlement with the full army?â He looked at Darian with curiosity, âDoes it have something to do with why no army was sent to your village?â
Darianâs pupils dilated as his heart skipped a beat. âOf course! Why did we not think of this!?â The agitated centaur cursed the high heavens for his foolishness.
Kashi, unable to follow, asked, âWhat are you talking about?â
Darian shook his head. âKashi-dono, you must have noticed that the placement of our villages takes the formation of a spear if looked at from above.â
Kashi nodded. He had indeed taken note of that very fact from the very first moment Darian mapped out the villagesâ location. It seemed just like he thought, it did play a vital role. The only question now was what?
âThe formation was passed down to us by our god several centuries ago to protect us from external forces,â Darian revealed. âIt is capable of producing incomparable power on the level of gods in desperate situations. Naturally, there are several restrictions in its actual use, but the fact remains that the power exists if one knows how to use it.â Darian gripped his spear as he watched the Longma tribe go about their work. âThere are two vital points on the formation. The speartip, which is the topmost tribe, and the handle, which is the bottom tribe.â
âFor several centuries, the Longma tribe occupied the spear tip,â Agamios stated. âWe are the strongest tribe, so it made the most sense for us to hold this position.â
Darian nodded. âThe village located at the spear tip also got a natural boost to their strength, so it only made sense for the Longma tribe to reside there. Unfortunately, their numbers began to decline after centuries of defending the centaur tribe from external forces. Someone had to switch with them or risk the extinction of our strongest tribe.â
âThe tribe that was chosen was the Aethon tribe.â Kashi clarified. âBut how does this explain why the Lymar tribe has not been attacked?â
âBecause the moment the Aethon tribe switched with the Longma tribe was the moment our enemies realized that the land itself was what made the Longma tribe so strong,â Agamios replied. âIâm sure that a few centuries later, the Aethon tribe would have looked just like us. The landâs strength is not just a blessing but also a curse.â
âWhat!? Is this true!?â Darian shouted, stunned by the revelation. âDoesnât that mean you were like us? Why does no one know about this?â
Agamios shook his head. âThe chiefs of your villages are aware of this truth. But think about it? What would happen if our enemies knew they could become like us by staying in that land?â
âExactly what is happening right now,â Kashi replied and looked at Darian. âYou said the spear tip is for offense. Then whatâs your tribeâs purpose?â
âOur place in the formation is the last bastion of defense,â Darian replied. âIn a situation where the spearhead has been shattered, we provide a place to hide out the storm until we can rebuild.â
Kashiâs brow rose. âHow does that work?â
âYou did not notice because you were with me, Kashi-dono, but our village is hidden in a mirage that is near impossible to penetrate unless you know the right process,â Darian explained.
Kashi shook his head. âThe greatest strength of an illusion lies in no one knowing it is an illusion. The moment an illusion is exposed as such, itâs only a matter of time before it is exposed.â Kashi gritted his teeth. âI remember your father did not want anyone leaving the village during this period?â
Darian nodded. âYes, why?â
Kashi sighed. âOld ginger is truly the spiciest no matter the world.â At Darianâs confused expression, Kashi explained, âYour father saw the enemyâs endgame long ago and was trying his best to prevent it from happening. The enemy has been searching for the last village to obtain the entire formation. Unfortunately, he/she could never find your village because your hunters always ensured they werenât followed on their way home. Furthermore, as you said, no one would realize where the illusion started and ended just by randomly walking into the forest.â
Kashi shook his head as he looked in the direction of Lymar village. âBut what happens when a mass exodus of centaurs are headed in the same direction?â
Darianâs face turned white as a sheet as he whispered, âIt will be too easy to track a large group back to our village.â
Kashi frowned. âI had initially thought we would have a few days to prepare and stake out the enemy camp before we attacked, but if my hunch is correct, the enemyâs main force is already on its way to Lymar village. As for the illusion, Iâm certain they already have a way to break it.â Kashi looked at both centaurs and said, âI still donât know what the enemyâs overarching motive is, but for now, we can infer they are at the very least interested in your villageâs formation and derive joy in tormenting the weak.â
Agamios folded his arms and frowned. He looked at the daeben and asked, âSo, what do you propose we do now?â
âThe plan hasnât changed,â Kashi replied. âWe lead a strike force against their headquarters and take out the entire army by destroying the source of the blight. The only difference is weâll be doing that tonight. We have to believe in our comrades to hold the fort while we complete the mission.â
Agamios nodded. âI understand.â
âThat is indeed the best course of action right now,â Darian concurred.
âBut first,â Kashi said as he looked at the corpses on the ground. âWe must send these brave centaurs off to the circle.â Kashi, Darian, and Agamios joined Shadow and Larsial to help the rest of the Longma tribe build several funeral pyres for the corpses.
Thirty minutes later, Kashi solemnly stood in front of dozens of funeral pyres with Ferulicâs Bow in hand. He took out Rosarioâs brush and drew a flaming rune on the bow. The daeben notched an arrow, whose head burst into flames as soon as it was strung. He looked at the centaurs and his companions, then at the funeral pyres. âAethir guide your paths. May Alure welcome you with open arms, and grant you happier lives in the next life.â
Whoosh!
The centaurs present watched the arrow as it slowly flew in the air, a small light in the darkness of night and despair. There was always hope in the world, no matter how dark it may seem. And all that hope needed was a spark, a catalyst, and it would set the world aflame with bright light.
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âGo, Suzu. Mother will be alright.â
Kashiâs jaw was tightly set as the flames and acrid smoke once again dredged up those desperate eyes. Only, this time, rather than relief, the eyes held hatred and blame. The final words she said. The words Suzuki never heard but could make out.
The words that would haunt him for life.
The words that destroyed Suzuki Mato.
âThis is all your fault!â
âAgamios-sama!â
A scoutâs shout pulled Kashi away from the flames. The daeben turned to see a centaur gallop up to him, Darian and Agamios with urgent strides.
Agamios looked at the centaur, and sensing the situationâs urgency, said, âReport.â
The centaur took a moment to catch his breath and then reported, âWeâve spotted traces of a massive monster army headed this way.â
âHow many monsters?â
The scout swallowed hard as he looked at the daeben and said, âWe couldnât make out their full numbers, but weâre sure theyâre at least double the number that attacked us.â
âHow far?â
âAbout thirty minutes out?â
Agamiosâ eyes twitched, and he looked at Kashi with respect. âLooks like your predictions were right. The enemy has indeed launched a final offensive. What do you propose we do now?â
Kashiâs eyes narrowed as he looked at the scout. âWere you discovered?â
âNo,â The scout refuted with a shake of his head. âWe left before they could.â
Kashi released a sigh of relief at the scoutâs response. âGood. The enemy cannot know about the Longma tribeâs presence here. It might cause the headquarters to raise their guard.â Kashi looked at Agamios. âYou and Darian will take the tribe and my people and circle around the army. Take as wide a berth as reasonably possible. We canât risk you getting seen.â
Darianâs brows furrowed in concern. âWhat about you? How will you find us?â
âDo not worry about me,â Kashi reassured with a heartening smile. âShadow and I have prepared for moments like this. Heâll leave marks on the trees for me to follow. It will not be difficult for me to find you.â
âI understand, but why are you staying behind?â Darian asked. âDo you intend on wiping out the entire army by yourself? If so, why do we need the infiltration plan?â
Kashi shook his head with a wry smile. âI cannot possibly take on an army of that size by myself. It doesnât matter how fast I regenerate mana or ki. My stamina will bottom out eventually. Besides, thereâll definitely be a few marilith class monsters in this final army. A battle of attrition is far too detrimental.â
âIndeed,â Darian nodded. âBut if thatâs the case, what do you intend to do?â
âIf I were to be altruistic, I would say, I wish to thin out the enemyâs numbers and more serious threats before they reach the village,â Kashi said with a wry smile. âBut, if I were to be truthful, then the truth is, I need to vent .â
Crrrack!
A flash of lightning pealed through the night sky, accompanied shortly by a sharp clap of thunder. The light illuminated the daebenâs features. His gruesome smile and blood-red eyes shone against the backdrop of his dark skin and sent shivers like none other down Darian and Agamiosâ spine.
Suddenly, Darian and Agamios felt like they no longer spoke to a daeben but the personification of death itself. They could feel the deathly cold touch of the grim reaper upon their necks when they looked into Kashiâs eyes.
Luckily, the phenomenon only lasted for a brief moment, before Kashiâs aura returned to normal. âIâve got a monster inside me, you see,â Kashi explained. âVery few things in existence can trigger that monster, but once it has been awakened, it can only truly be sated with blood and pain.â
âBlood and Pain,â Agamios murmured with a hollow expression. This was something he was all too familiar with. The Longma tribeâs powerful bloodlust would often consume them during battle, and they would not regain their faculties until they had shed enough blood or suffered enough damage to pull them out of the trance.
âYes,â Kashi concurred with a light smile. âThe monster is awake but simmering right now. I do not want to go into the enemyâs HQ like this. Thereâs a good chance heâll disrupt my thoughts, and I do not want to risk that. I do not want to die, after all. So, Iâm going to vent. I will offer up our enemiesâ blood to sate the monster and put him back to sleep. Then I will escape and join up with you.â
Darian swallowed hard and nodded. âAlright, I understand.â He turned to Agmios and prompted the centaur chief, âWe should start moving if we want to dodge the army.â
Agamios grimly nodded, then regarded Kashi with a solemn look. âWe of the Longma tribe know what it feels like to have a monster of rage and bloodlust in our hearts. You must learn to control it, or it will consume you.â
âThank you. I shall keep those words to heart,â Kashi said, then watched as Agamios and Darian left to organize the rest of the punitive force. A few moments later, the daeben let out a wry smile and said, âHow long do you plan on standing there? Not going to scare me?â
âNot this time,â Shadow muttered in a low voice as he walked out from behind the daeben to his side. âNot in the mood.â
Kashi, even though he had a good inkling what the answer would be, asked, âWhatâs wrong?â
Shadowâs eyes narrowed as he looked at the daeben. âYour eyes. I donât like them. They scare me.â
âI didnât know you could get scared.â
âNeither did I,â Shadow replied. âThereâs always only been one thing in this world that scares me, and thatâs losing my sister. But right now, it seems Iâm scared of losing you too.â
Kashi could feel the assassinâs intense gaze on the side of his face. He sighed as he looked to the night sky and promised, âIâm not going anywhere, Shadow.â
âYouâd better not,â Shadow said and finally took his eyes off the daeben. âOr else Iâll find you wherever you are, even if itâs hell itself, and drag you back to apologize to Lunette.â
Kashi burst out in laughter and ruffled Shadowâs hair. A serene smile played on his face as he said, âI canât have you haunting me now, can I? Iâll be sure to stay put.â
âDonât die,â Shadow said with a snort, then walked away towards his horse.
Kashi looked at his palm, then clenched it into a fist as he muttered under his breath, âI donât know how long Iâll be here, but I swear I will never die.â
âLooks like your friends really love you,â Larsial called as she walked over to Kashi with a teasing smile on her face.
Kashi shook his head with mirth in his eyes. âWho would have thought, right? I mustâve been a saintly doctor in my past life to have this much going for me.â Kashi said as Shadow, Darian, and Agamios approached him.
âWe are ready, Kashi-dono,â Darian reported with a stern look in his eyes. âWe will be leaving now.â
Kashi nodded his acknowledgment. âRide safe, and may Aethir guide your path.â
Agamios raised his arm to his chest in a salute. âMay your spear strike true.â
âWell, Iâm an archer so Iâm not sure how well that applies,â Kashi joked, then raised his arm to his chest and added in a solemn tone, âbut thank you. I will find you safe in two hours.â
Kashi shared a look with Shadow, who sat atop his stallion. The assassin gave Kashi a curt nod then galloped alongside Darian and Agamios as they escaped into the surrounding forests.
âYou are not leaving with them?â Kashi asked as he turned to look at Larsial, who was stroking Drixliaâs body.
âI am here to watch you and decide the fate of those under my command,â Larsial stated with a sultry smile. âWhat better time to find out what you are about than when you are about to confront your inner demons?â
âIt wonât be safe,â Kashi stated, though he made no effort to convince her otherwise.
âIâll be with Drix-kun at a safe enough distance,â Larsial assured. âYouâll probably be exhausted when itâs time to escape anyway. With me here, youâll have ample time to rest both mentally and physically.â
Kashi looked at her for a brief moment, then shrugged. âDo what you want. Itâs a free world, or at least weâre trying to make it one.â
âAs you wish,â Larsial said and then led Drixlia into the forest to hide.
Kashi watched her leave, then walked north of the burning pyres and sat on the floor.
As he felt the flamesâ heat warm his back, Kashi thought back to Agamiosâ advice. âWe of the Longma tribe know what it feels like to have a monster of rage and bloodlust in our hearts. You must learn to overcome it, or it will consume you.â
âYouâre wrong, Agamios-san,â Kashi muttered as he looked toward the still forest. âWhat plagues me is not as simple as rage and bloodlust. It is not a sickness or abnormality that can be removed or trained away in time. It is a part of me. A critical part of me that I cannot tamper with. It is a force that can consume and destroy me any day it wants at will. I am nothing but a Resident in this body. I can be deleted the moment I break the established rules.â
Kashiâs body trembled as he looked up toward the night sky. âDo you know what the worst thing is? The man who controls this body, the man who controls my fate is also not in control of this monster. It has warped his mind on numerous occasions. Made him do and say things he should never have. That night, in the fire, he saw what the monster could do. He saw what it was capable of. That was the day he learned the truth. The truth each of us has to contend with. This is not a monster that can be controlled or overcome. This monster can only be sated temporarily. We can only put it at bay and try our best to ensure our lives and personalities forever run Parallel to it. For should we clash, we will always lose. Every single time. And it will end in our destructionâŚâ
WhooooâŚ
A gentle breeze blew past, rustling the leaves upon which the daeben sat. As if influenced by the wind, a voice echoed in the depth of Kashiâs heart. ââŚIâm sorry.â
Kashi blinked, stunned by the apology, then burst out laughing. âWell, howâs that for character development!?â the daeben joked. âYou never once apologized to Razznik, did you?â
âNo, I didnât.â
âWell then, I must be doing something right,â Kashi remarked with a wry smile. âWonder how much longer I have left if thatâs the case.â
âI wonâtââ
âNo, you will,â Kashi interrupted. âEven if you donât, one day, when my purpose is complete, I will ask you to. That is our fate and your curse. It is your punishment for what you did. You must create and watch us die, one by one, until you are complete. Only then can you finally destroy the monster and truly live.â
ââŚâ
âHey, donât go quiet on me now. Itâs not like I blame you or anything,â Kashi said with a bright smile. âYou are as much a victim as the rest of us.â
DudududuâŚ
Kashiâs ears perked up at the low rumbling sounds of thousands of feet striking the earth. âBut you know, I do not intend to live my life like a victim,â Kashi said as he rose to his feet and dusted his backside. âI will not repeat the mistakes you and Razznik made. I will not give in to the fear, the anger, the hatred.â The daeben flashed a toothy grin as he slowly walked toward the direction of the rumbling. âI will live my life to the fullest. I will learn happiness. I will learn friendship. I will learn what it means to love. I will learn to put my trust in others. I will learn what it means to build something great with companions.â
DUDUDUDUDUDU!
The earth trembled as what was once a low rumbling transformed to the sound of a thousand thunderclaps echoing through the night sky.
Kashi grinned as the first batch of the monster army began to spill through the trees. âI will leave my name in this world. Even when I pass on, my name will live on in the hearts of my friends.â Electricity and lightning sparked in Kashiâs eyes as scales began to grow along his body. âSo, sit back and relax, Suzu. Iâll put that monster to bed real soon.â
By the time the entire monster army rolled out, they were met with a lightning infused Draconian glaring at them with a bright, toothy grin.
âBut Iâll do it MY way!â Lightning flashed in the night sky, and the earth trembled from the booming thunder that announced the daebenâs presence. âBecause I am not you, nor am I Razznik. I am meâŚâ
The monsters froze in place, petrified by fear, and Larsialâs eyes opened wide in shock as they gazed upon the personification of âLightning Tribulation.â
The daebenâs form disappeared amongst the lightning as a voice boomed over the entire forest, âMy name is Kashi. Kashi of the Hopeful Maggots. Better Remember It!â