CHAPTER ONE

 

Do you think the world is truly fair?

The punch came faster than I’d expected. My back cracked against the tree bark, and I slumped to the ground, gasping. A trickle of blood ran down my arm, and fell onto the blades of grass I gripped, coloring the fresh morning dew.

“You’re weak, Ryder.”

Two blond men stood before me, staring with their stormy grey eyes. The dull shade blended in with the cloudy skies, and the flecks of gold inside their pupils shone like lightning within. They had identical faces, and would have looked like perfect twins if one of them wasn’t taller than the other. They weren’t too old, around the same age I was. Mentally, though, they were probably much, much younger.

And even that was an understatement.

“What are you glaring at us for, Levi?” The tall one knelt before my fallen form. He held a long tree branch in his hands and the thick, green leaves were streaked with blood.

My blood.

“What’s the glare for, brat?” He gritted his teeth. “You’ve gotten cockier since you turned eighteen.”

He swung the branch, and a stinging sensation cut into my arm. I gasped, and gripped my slashed skin, wetting my own fingers with more of the red liquid.

“He’s just going to keep wailing, Ben,” the short one said. He looked at the worn-out scroll he gripped between his fingers. “What do you even want with this thing anyway? Peasants like you shouldn’t have items like this.”

Why do I think the world is unfair? My jaw clenched. Ten years of effort lie in that scroll in his hands. And those ten years of effort are going to go poof, like a puff of smoke from a bloody noble’s hookah.

I lifted my bloodied arm, and more blood soaked the dew beneath. “Give it back.” My voice was firm.

The twins looked at me, then at each other. Laughter spewed from their lips, echoing into the air. Ben swung again, and more cuts opened over my body. I breathed heavily now, and my chest quivered with every puff of air.

Calm down, I thought. You know what’ll happen if you retaliate.

“You’re a pathetic existence, Ryder.” Ben plucked a few leaves of his branch, and let them float to the ground. “Consider yourself lucky. Jack would have hurt you more.”

“Oh, please.” Jack rolled his eyes. “You were the one that even wanted to take this scroll in the first place. I didn’t want anything to do with the shabby thing.”

“It’s a rare scroll,” Ben said. “It looks pretty old, too. I’m pretty sure there’s some value to it.” He looked at me, and a smile twitched onto his lips. “Isn’t there?”

I stared right into his gaze. “Give it back, Ben.” My voice was still firm.

He put his hands in the air and shook them. “Oooooh. I’m scared.”

The two twins chuckled, and the sound of their laughter echoed into my ears. My blood boiled. Calm down. My muscles twitched, raring to flex, but I stayed where I was, decorated in streaks of red.

Ben stood up. “You know, Levi….” He pulled a few more leaves off the branches and dropped them to the ground. “You wouldn’t be so easy to target if you weren’t alone all the time.”

“A loner doesn’t have to worry about betrayal,” I whispered.

Jack raised an eyebrow. “What do you know about betrayal?” He chuckled.

My heart twisted inside my chest. “More than you ever will.”

The two of them looked at me, and then they sighed. “You’re a weird one, Levi,” Jack said. “Probably why you’re always alone in the first place.”

I stared right at them. My arms were painted in red now, and pain struck my body repeatedly. Yet, I stared at the twins, right into their stormy, grey eyes. “Give me back my scroll.”

“Wow, such desperation,” Ben chuckled. “Hearing you speak, you’d think you need this thing to live or something.”

“Oooh.” Jack’s eyes darted my way. “Is that what this is? You need this thing to live?”

“That’s unfortunate.”

He nodded. “We’ll make sure to give you a funeral, though. Don’t worry.”

A gust of wind blew through us, and a crack of thunder descended from the grey skies. The twins looked up. “We should probably get going,” Ben said. “Mom is going to get mad if we get wet in the rain.”

I clenched my fists, digging my nails into my skin. So many bloody openings, I thought. And yet I can’t do a goddamn thing.

The branch came flying at my head and I threw my hands up, shielding my face from the jagged wood. The sharp edges cut into my skin yet again, and then, the branch thudded softly to the forest floor.

“Have a fun day, Levi.” The twins waved at me, and then walked away, as if they hadn’t just maimed me with branches and leaves. My head cranked, and I watched as their annoying forms faded into the horizon, with Ben gripping the scroll tightly.

I lifted my hand up. “I need that,” I muttered.

That scroll was everything to me. There was a reason I’d searched for it for ten years, a reason I’d scoured and hunted for information about it. And yet, those reasons didn’t mean a damn thing anymore.

I needed that scroll. It was my lifeline. It was my way out of all … this. A small pool of blood soaked my pants. I looked up at the fading forms of the two men.

You don’t understand. I gritted my teeth. You never will.

 

***

 

“What’s with all the red, kiddo?” the man chuckled.

I walked to the outpost, taking small steps. Blood streaked my clothes, but the pain had subsided.

Well, it’s not like it bothered me anyway.

A large wall rose before me, thirty feet off the ground, and expanded both left and right for as far as I could see. There was a hollowed entrance within it—one of the only points one could use to get inside the enclosure.

A man stood beside it—a Knight in silver armor. He had a lone spear in his hand, but also had a small, empty scabbard hung around his waist, probably for a dagger.

“You seem to have had quite the outing.” The man chuckled again.

I kept my gaze to the ground and kept walking.

“Quite talkative, ain’t you?” He slapped me in the back.

I stumbled forward, and a stinging sensation struck my skin, right where he’d hit me. I ground my teeth, but said nothing. I put my head down and walked forward, heading into the enclosure.

 

DING!

 

A screen of translucent-white appeared before me.

 

You have now entered Zevalon City.

 

I swiped through the air, and dismissed the screen. Yeah, like I didn’t know that. I looked ahead. Sometimes these Ga’em prompts are so annoying.

Small houses and run-down buildings stood a few hundred yards from me. They were all clustered together, wall-to-wall, with not a yard of space left wasted. Small streets broke into the clutter, and not many people walked through them.

A clap of thunder struck the skies again, and a quieter rumble echoed a moment later. I gazed up, past the bunched-up buildings. Larger structures rose behind them, and were located much farther away—maybe ten miles or so. Beyond them were even larger structures, and the trend continued.

My eyes traced the steady progression of buildings’ heights, up until I was looking at a large shadow, far off in the distance. The Royal Palace.

Its features weren’t really visible, since the larger buildings around it hid everything but the top, and the top—at this point in time—was shrouded in mist and clouds.

Another clap of thunder struck the air, and the skies dimmed. Clouds swirled around, much faster than before.

A storm was coming.

I stepped into an alleyway to my right, and a disgusting stench shot up my nostrils immediately. Eighteen years and still can’t get used to this smell.

A sewage line ran close to the wall, and the ground itself was littered was garbage and grime. I trod through, unbothered by the dirtiness before me. A form lay on the ground on the left, next to the sewage line. A large pamphlet covered his head, but his tattered robes were in full display, and had been smeared by the grime.

I paid no attention and walked past him. I headed to the door in the left wall a few yards after, and opened it carefully. I peeked through, and looked around. Silence echoed in my ears, and no footsteps sounded either.

Good, she’s not in. I stepped inside and closed the door, just as slowly as I’d opened it. A tiny kitchen lay to my right and a worn-out cot stood to the left. A steep, narrow flight of stairs rose in front of me, separating the kitchen and the cot. I climbed it, making sure I didn’t get my blood anywhere. The staircase turned to the left a few steps in, and I followed it up.

A small room stood at the top, about the same size as previous room. Another cot stood in the corner, and an alcove sat at the far end of the room, looking over the small streets.

I pulled the clothing off my upper body and walked to the washbasin in the corner of my room. The tap was tight but I managed to open it a few tugs later. A brownish water flowed out, and sand drained down the basin. My nose wrinkled. There used to be an odd scent that came from this water. There probably still was, but I’d gotten so used to it now that I couldn’t smell it anymore.

I put my head under the flow of water. The liquid soaked my hair and pulled the blood out of it. The water trickled down my face and my neck, forming small streams that lowered down to my pants. Multiple stinging sensations struck my body, but I didn’t pull away, and kept my head under the running water.

I straightened a minute later and exhaled. A half-cracked mirror stood on the wall above the washbasin, and reflected my image.

A young man with black hair stared back at me, with the longish locks covering his forehead. Beneath that darkness were a set of sunset-violet eyes, with flecks of silver sparkling inside them. I had high cheekbones, a thin jaw, and had no scars anywhere, even though I’d been bashed up plenty over the years. Blood still soaked my long eyelashes and I splashed some more water onto my face to get it out.

I grabbed a small rag hanging next to the mirror and ran it under the water. I squeezed it a little, and then dabbed it against my body. The cuts over my chest and my arms stung as I cleaned them, but there wasn’t really much I could do about that.

I stared into the mirror, at the form that reflected within it. You don’t even look strong. I sighed.

A noise sounded from beneath the floor, and I froze. Uh oh, I thought. Helen. I quickly dabbed down the rest of my body, and got out the streaks of blood on my skin.

I turned off the tap and peered into the mirror. The cuts aren’t that visible, I noticed. I hope. I looked underneath my cot and pulled out a fresh set of clothes — a white shirt, a sleeveless grey jacket, and a pair of black pants. I quickly slipped into them and walked back downstairs.

A middle-aged woman was working in the kitchen now. She was in a blue dress a few sizes too big, and wore a smudged apron over it. Her grimy brown hair was pulled into a tight ponytail with nothing but a dirty string. She paused when the wood creaked under my footsteps and turned around.

“Ah, Levi.” Her dark eyes looked at me. “When did you get back?”

“Just a few minutes ago,” I said.

She threw a small piece of wood into a metal range and placed a pot of water atop it. “How did the outing go? Did you get anything good in the forest?”

I shook my head.

“I see,” she said. “I hope you’re fine with boiled vegetables for tonight, then.”

“As long as there isn’t any beetroot.” I grinned.

She chuckled. “By the way” —she pointed at my neck— “you missed a spot of blood.”

I clutched the side of my throat. Ugh. Of course she’d notice a single spot.

Helen poured water into the pot on the stove. “Was it the Henway twins again?”

I twiddled my thumbs and stared at the floor.

She sighed. “You know, those kids just pick on you because you’re always alone. You don’t see them doing this sort of stuff to anyone else.”

“Helen, not this again,” I mumbled.

“Levi, if they knew there was someone else who would stand up for you, then they’d be hesitant to keep doing this. Why can’t you just try get along with the other kids? I’m not saying you have to. I’m just saying at least try.”

“Working with other people is bothersome,” I said. “They’d just hold me back.”

“And this lone wolf play is clearly working for you, considering the week has just begun and the Henway twins have already attacked you twice now. Clearly you’ve made so much ‘progress’ growing stronger.”

The sounds of boiling water entered the air. Helen picked up some cut vegetables from her side and dropped them into the pot.

“You’re going to have to get along with our neighbors. There are so many nice people around here. I’m sure they would be glad to know you.” She picked up a wooden ladle and pulled up her sleeves.

My eyes rose to her form, and my chest tightened. A large bruise bloomed on her right forearm. “Did you work the Henway house today?” My voice was quieter.

Helen looked at me, then back to the pot before her. “The tree isn’t much different from the apples that fell off it.”

My fists clenched. At this point, it was like we were the Henway family’s personal punching bags. Me every time I went out into the forest, and Helen every time she worked at their house.

Those lowlifes. I gritted my teeth. The Henways were a rich family who lived closer to the centre of the city, which was where the Royal Palace was. They weren’t the most influential family here, but they certainly had a say in things from time to time. Of course, that just meant striking back at those twins was close to impossible. Unless I wanted to deal with the repercussions, that is.

But let’s face it. If I hit those twins, their mother would end up taking it out on Helen.

Sure, that wasn’t the only thing stopping me from clocking them in the head, but it was probably the most compelling one.

“What are you thinking about now?” Helen chuckled.

I shook my head. “Nothing.”

She raised an eyebrow, and then turned back to her pot. “Just try getting along with someone, would you? For me.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“That’s more than enough.” She smiled. “Oh, and by the way, Mrs Henway mentioned there was going to be a Knight procession further inside the city, tomorrow at sunrise.”

I blinked. “So?”

“Don’t do something stupid. Just for tomorrow.”

“You have a lot of confidence in me, don’t you?” I chuckled. “Plus, the Knight Processions aren’t a big deal anyway.”

The corner of her mouth twitched into a smile. “Not one that has the princess coming along.”

My eyes widened. “The princess is coming?”

“Surprising, isn’t it?” she said. “You can see why this is a big deal.”

“She never comes out of the palace. When was the last time she even came out?”

“I can’t remember.” Her eyes narrowed. “She was still a little girl back then. Mrs Henway said she’s coming out with the procession to celebrate her new mastery of some kind of magic.”

“Well, she always had a flair for the Magical Arts,” I said. “Especially the Light Arts.” Some people have all the luck in the world.

“I heard a rumor that the procession is actually to commemorate the capture of a creature of darkness.”

I frowned. “What?”

Helen nodded as she stirred the pot. “A few people on the upper side were talking about it—a vampire has been captured within the city walls.”

“A vampire?” My chest thumped. “There was one here, inside the enclosure?”

“A grown one, too. Don’t know how he survived this long. So don’t go running around like a crazy person, okay? Though this city is generally safe, there are still things like that here.”

“Yeah, I got it.” I waved my hand in the air. Not that any of that really matters. My fingers curled into a fist. None of this changes the fact that I lost my scroll.

“Anyway,” Helen said, “lunch will be ready soon.”

I smiled. “Thanks. I’ll be up in my room ’til then.”

“Sounds good.”

I trod back up the stairs, and into my space. A rumble echoed from above me, and a flash of lightning shone through the windows. I sat myself down on the window seat in my alcove, and peered out the glass pane. Drops of water fell onto the streets, and in a second, a storm was pouring from the skies.

I stared at the larger structures in the shadows—the posher regions of the city.

I gritted my teeth. Damn those Henway twins. I lay against the wall and thought about what Helen had said, that I wasn’t growing any stronger.

I can’t grow stronger. It isn’t time yet.

A bolt of lightning struck the air right next to me, and a loud boom of thunder echoed a split second later. My fingers curled into a fist. “I’ll get that scroll back.” A drop of blood slid down my fingers. “I have to.”

 

***

 

 

CHAPTER TWO

 

“You worry too much, Albion.”

Horace sat on a throne carved from crystal. The shadows filling the air wove around him, and slithered into the clear gemstones, infusing them with darkness one moment, and leaving them in their glittering glory the next.

He looked at the young man who stood before him, and a smile curled onto his face. It had been a long time since someone had approached him seeking his help, and for something so wonderful at that!

The young man — Albion, he called himself — looked up. “Can it be done?” he asked, for probably the fiftieth time.

Horace held up a finger, and a multicolored flame burned above the tip. “Are you questioning my ability, human?”

“No.” He looked down at the floor. “I am just ensuring things will go according to plan.”

Horace chuckled. “Things I do always go according to plan.” He gripped the armrest of his throne. “The wheels have been set in motion. What you have asked for will happen.”

Albion nodded. “Hopefully. It would be unfortunate if we faced any issues.”

Horace stared at the man, trying to unlock the thoughts lurking in his mind.  “You worry too much, Albion.”

“That is only because I have more to lose here if things go wrong.”

“You have much to lose even if they go right,” he chuckled. “Surely, you remember the ‘payment’ you owe me, correct?”

“I do.” His voice was soft. “Keep your end of the deal, and I will keep mine.”

Horace dragged a finger down the crystal armrest of his throne, and a harsh screech echoed into the air. “They will not go wrong.” A hint of annoyance emerged within his tone. “This is the most fun I have had in years. And trust me,” he smiled, “I never play around with my entertainment.”

 

***

 

I looked at the kitchen knife in my hand and focused hard on its sharp surface. I shouldn’t have to concentrate this much just to summon an Analyze screen. I stared at the blade, at its black handle, at its steely edge, and held my gaze.

 

DING!

 

Finally. I rolled my eyes and looked at the screen before me.

 

Equipment Title		Simple Kitchen Knife
Damage		4-5 ATK
Special Effects		None
Grade	Zero Stars	Durability	2/5
Rarity	Common	Value	25 Sol

 

I swung the cooking utensil in the air, and gauged its balance. Should be good enough. I pulled out a leather scabbard from my pocket. It was too small to hold a large knife, but I pushed the blade in anyway. Three-fourths of it went inside, and that was good enough for me.

I placed the scabbard on the kitchen counter, amongst the other items that littered around — two torn shirts, five steel spoons, and a black, hooded jacket with open sleeves.

That’s almost everything.

I peeked at the cot across the room. Helen laid in her bed, cocooned in a thick rug, and didn’t move an inch. I guess work exhausts her enough.

I tugged at the strings attached to the scabbard, checking for their tensile strength, and then tied them around my waist. I bounced where I stood, testing the knot, and it didn’t loosen up. Good. I put on the hooded jacket next, and then picked up the spoons and torn shirts.

 

DING!

 

You have found a new item.   Steel Spoon (x5)!   A spoon made of weathered steel. Usually used as long-lasting cutlery. And definitely cannot be used as a weapon. (Really. Don’t do it). Would you like to transfer the items to your ‘Item Inventory?’
Yes	No

 

DING!

 

You have found a new item   Torn Shirt (x2)!   A shirt that has been worn out to the point of not being recognized as a shirt anymore. Hopefully no one is planning on wearing this. Would you like to transfer the items to your ‘Item Inventory?’
Yes	No

 

Of course I’m not planning on wearing them.

I tapped Yes on both screens. The items glowed a dull white and then broke apart into two streams of light. The rivulets flowed through the air for a moment, and then dissolved away.

The Ga’em is so useful. I smiled. Although, the sarcasm can get annoying at times.

The Ga’em was a hidden entity that helped everyone interact with the world. It was an invisible power that bridged a connection between someone and everything else around them. The prompts that I was seeing now were all examples of how the Ga’em interacted with living things and gave them information about the world.

With all my items either on me or in my inventory, I tiptoed toward the door. Helen stayed as she was, huddled up in her quilt, and facing the wall away from me.

I tugged on the door and it creaked gently. My eyes stayed on the woman, but she didn’t move an inch. I walked out of the house, and shut the door close, with no creaking this time.

A sigh of relief left my lips. That was close. If Helen had seen me leave at four in the morning, she’d have yelled at me for hours. And that’d have only been the start of it.

I took a look around myself. Darkness still surrounded me. The sun wouldn’t be up for another two hours at least, and that was perfect for my plans. I trod farther down the alley, heading deeper inside rather than out to the main streets. I still had one item I needed to get.

Half-broken crates stood at the sides of the alleyway, and up against the walls. I crept up to them and looked inside. A long coil of rope sat there, a little frayed, but usable nonetheless. I ran my hands along its length.

It was easily ten metres long, and I still hadn’t touched its end. Perfect. I grinned and lifted it up.

 

DING!

 

You have found a new item.   Frayed Rope!   A rope of twelve metres that has been cast away because its owner deemed it useless. Don’t let it snap! Would you like to transfer this item to your Item Inventory?
Yes	No

 

I tapped on Yes once again and the rope glowed a bright white before dissolving into specks of light and disappearing into the air.

That’s everything I need, I grinned. I walked back out the alleyway, and into the main street. There were no lights illuminating the pathway, and there wasn’t much moonlight either. Dark clouds still roamed the skies, hiding every star from sight.

Not that I cared much for those pointless pieces of light.

I jogged down the street, stepping softly over the stone tiles. There were no people out and about at this time — no civilians, and no Knights either.

Figured there’d be no Knights, I thought. They only care about the posher regions in the city anyway.

About twenty minutes later, the streets widened to triple the previous width, and the houses around me changed. There weren’t small or rundown like mine, and were instead good homes, with two or even three stories and a well designed exterior. My heart thumped. I was getting closer now.

My eyes darted between the darkness, but there were still no Knights patrolling the area. A thought sparked in my head. Maybe they’re all off duty to prepare for the procession.

A smile curled onto my lips. My job had just become ten times easier.

I ran through the streets, with a renewed vigor in my footsteps. The pathways within the city were all laid out in an organized pattern, with concentric circular paths at five hundred yard intervals, and straighter paths connecting adjacent circles to each other. The street I was on was a straight path that went as close as two miles to the royal palace, but I wasn’t going to have to go that deep into the city.

Nor do I ever want to.

I ran for another half a mile and then turned left, running along the circular street I was in. The houses had gotten bigger now, but only in width. Most of them were still two or three stories, with a four-story structure making an appearance occasionally.

My eyes darted to the doors of each of the homes, searching for a red plate. There! I slid to a stop. I looked up at the two-story house painted in rustic brown, and my gaze rose to the nameplate next to the door.

The Henways.

I patted the scabbard at my side, and then grinned. “This is going to be fun.”

 

***

 

I held my finger in the air and then swiped down. A small resistance tugged against me, but I pushed back and brought my hand to my side.

 

DING!

 

A vertical row of five icons slid into my vision. This was my Ga’em menu — an interface that contained everything that I needed to interact with the world. I tapped on the first one, the silhouette of a person’s upper body. My Player menu.

 

DING!

 

A new prompt popped up.

 

Stats

Items

Equipment

Skills

 

I tapped on Items, and a new screen opened over the previous one. The title Item Inventory was written at the very top and beneath it was a grid, with small icons contained within each one. I looked at the first three — my most recent — and saw the small-scale images of the spoons, rope, and cloth I’d put in before.

I tapped on the icons and brought them back out. A stream of light swirled out of nowhere and condensed before me, forming the items. I got to work immediately. I lifted the items and sat myself down in the small gap between the Henway house and the one right beside it. It wasn’t an alleyway, and went back only five feet, but it was good enough to hide in for a few minutes.

I laid the spoons down in a five-star spike, with each one pointing outwards. I grabbed a torn shirt and wound the old thing around the spoons, keeping the formation. I took the second one and tied it over the first one, reinforcing it.

I lifted the odd contraption in the air — a weird penta-spoon hook of sorts. I held onto two spoons and pulled apart. They slid from the force I applied, but only by a hair’s breadth.

Good enough for me. I lifted the rope and wound it around the spoons once before making a knot in the centre of the hook. I held onto a small length and spun a few times.

Good weight, good centre of balance. I grinned. I’d made a makeshift climbing hook out of spoons and torn shirts.

 

DING!

 

Congratulations! You have learned a new skill.   Crafting!   To make something out of nothing is the greatest joy in the world. Though using spoons and torn clothing is not the best way to start, you have proved yourself an apt disciple to the art of crafting. Reward: 1000 XP
Effect 1	The value of items you have craft will increase by 1%.

 

DING!

 

Congratulations! You have crafted a new item.   Spoon Hook!   Though spoons are used as cutlery by most people, you have used them to create a hook. The Spoon Hook can be used like any normal hook, but has a 1% better chance of latching onto something due to its five spokes. Reward: 500 XP. Would you like to transfer your new item to your Item Inventory?
Yes	No

 

I tapped on No and swiped the screens aside. I walked out of my corner and faced the house. It had a slanted roof that lowered on both sides, and I stepped back, looking farther up the top. A chimney — albeit a very small one — rose from the right end of the rooftop.

Perfect. I strode to the left and stood with my knees apart and my chest facing the chimney. I held the rope a foot from the hook and spun it a few times, gathering momentum.

I threw with all my strength and the object flew into the air. The rope grazed the side of the chimney, while the hook had soared past it. I held tightly onto the rope, and a second later it went taut, as the hook reached its max distance. The five-spoon wonder swung to the left, and wrapped itself around the chimney twice before tangling itself in the rope.

I tugged, and then grinned. “Worked as advertised.” I walked up to the house, and stood beneath the edge of the roof. I tugged the rope again to check its strength and then scanned the roof’s edge for any sharp sections that might cut the rope.

Can’t see anything. I held on tight with both hands and pulled myself up. I shimmied up and a few seconds later, I was up on the slanted roof. I walked to the chimney and stood there for a minute, catching my breath. I lifted up the other end of the rope and kept the extra length coiled up beside me.

I held my finger in the air and swiped down, summoning my Ga’em menu once again. I tapped on the Player Menu icon and brought it up. I looked at the bottom-left  of the screen that appeared next, and saw a small number counter right beneath the last option.

5:30 AM?! My eyes widened. Wow, this took longer than I’d expected.

But that was a good thing though. I turned around and scanned the surrounding areas. A few candlelights shone through the closed curtains and many more came into view. People were starting to get up.

I held myself close to the chimney, hiding myself as I gripped the structure with one hand, and the rope with another. About ten minutes later, a few people walked into the streets, with just one or two at the start, but many joining after. By 5:50 AM, around fifty people walked the streets, all following the same route.

The procession would start soon, and that was perfect for what I had planned.

Five minutes later, a creak sounded from below, and I froze. The street in front was far too crowded for me to just slide down the roof and see what was going on beneath me. But I didn’t have to go that far in the end.

A brunette man, a blonde woman, and two blonde boys — dressed in formal attire — walked from underneath the roof, and stepped into the streets. The woman and the boys were quite alike, but the man was distinct—with his tall stature, and dark black hair, the shade of obsidian shadows. The family melted into the crowd in a few seconds and quickly disappeared.

A smile flashed onto my face. They’re gone. I could have recognized those two blonde heads anywhere. Jack and Ben Henway.

The house should be empty now.

I waited another five minutes and the streets also emptied out. There was no one left to use them now that the residents had all gone to the procession.

I wrapped the rope an extra halfway around the chimney and looked down at the street on the other side, behind the house. Empty. I smiled and lowered myself down. My hands let the rope slide a few inches, and I fell until I found myself facing a window. I wrapped the rope four times around my left arm and held on tight. I let go with my right and pulled out the kitchen blade.

The overly-tight scabbard, however, refused to let go off the thing. Ugh. I twisted the blade and wiggled it out a few seconds later, but by then my left hand was numb from the force the rope was exerting on it.

Just a bit more. I gritted my teeth.

My left hand gripped harder onto the rope, and I fought the numbness that crept up my muscles. I held my knife out and inserted it into the gap between the window and the pane. I used the kitchen article as a lever and pushed to the side. The blade bent and the flimsy lock on the window snapped.

I threw the knife through the opening, into the room, and grabbed onto the rope with my right hand. I unwound my left arm, but still gripped the rope with it. I shifted my body, and swung back and forth. I built up enough momentum a few seconds later, and then let myself go.

I dropped through the window, and crashed into the first thing I saw. A desk. The furniture bucked under my sudden fall, and collapsed, snapping loudly as it did.

Damn it! I jerked myself back onto my feet and picked my knife up.

I stood still, waiting for a response, but nothing came. I was in the green. No one had been around to hear that.

“Stupid Henways.” I twirled the knife between my fingers, and a grin shone on my face. “You can take my scroll away, but don’t you dare think I won’t come back and get it.”

 

***

 

The room I was in was dustier than anything I had ever seen.

And I lived in the poorest parts of the city.

A desk — a second, unbroken one — and a cot sat inside the room, and both of them were covered in cobwebs. I stepped forward and a puff of dust rose from the floor. I held my hand over my nose, and stopped breathing for a second. Sneezing right now would be the worst thing.

Then again I’d also broken an entire desk, so maybe it wouldn’t be.

I stepped to the door and turned the knob. There was no lock, and the door eased open. A narrow metal railing stood before me, and in the middle was a staircase that led downstairs. I looked down either end of the hallway and saw two doors. I walked towards the one to my right, and saw a nameplate on it.

Jack and Ben.

I grinned. Just what I wanted. I entered the room, and the scent of vanilla hit me hard. I shook at the strong essence, and then looked around. A candle was lit up on the desk before me, but no one else was in there.

Leaving a lit candle in a house made almost entirely out of wood. You guys really ARE idiots. But I didn’t put it out. The Henways could handle their own issues. I picked up a book on the bed beside me.

‘The Path of an Elemental Swordsman.’

The twins are reading this? I rolled my eyes. This is too advanced for you numbskulls. I noticed the few drawers under the desk, and tugged them open, rummaging through them all. But there wasn’t much of point though since they were all empty, except for the one that had a pack of blank sheets of paper.

That was the only desk in the room too. Did they hide the scroll somewhere else? I wondered. Maybe I should search the other room.

I stood for a moment and thought about what I would do if I was the Henway twins. I’d probably do the worst thing imaginable to the scroll.

And then my eyes widened.

“No,” I whispered softly.

I darted out the room and my footsteps thumped down the staircase. No, no, no, no. My chest tightened. I looked around the lower floor, and noticed the kitchen a room across from the staircase. I rushed into it, my heart beating hard. A small metal basket stood in the corner of the room, probably for trash.

I looked in, and I froze. Heat rose up the back of my neck, and the muscles in my face quivered.

Pieces of old, worn parchment sat at the very top of the trash pile. I hesitantly picked them up, and looked at the writing.

Dammit! My teeth grinded. These freaking lowlifes.

They’d torn up my scroll and thrown it into the trash. I’d gone through so much to get this, and these idiots had ruined it all with their stupid bullying.

“Damn you,” I hissed.

A thud sounded through the walls. I jerked around, and instinctively tugged on my hood, just to make sure it covered my face.

“Seriously,” a voice muttered. “Why did he have to send me all the way back just to grab his umbrella?”

What? I blinked. I shook my head. Focus. I hid myself beside the doorway. Footsteps passed by me. I glanced to my side and saw a well-dressed lady walk past the kitchen door and deeper into the house.

She must be Mrs Henway. Images of Helen’s bruise appeared within my mind, but I closed my eyes, and quietly exhaled. Now wasn’t the time for anger.

I needed to get out of here. And fast. The scroll. I knelt down to the trash bin and pulled up every piece of torn parchment I could see. I shoved them into my pockets and peeked out. No one was around, and I quietly strode over the wooden floor.

Footsteps sounded again. Oh no. I jerked around, trying to see where the lady was, and found her standing a mere ten yards before me. She had the same grey eyes as her sons and looked at me in absolute contempt.

“Who are you?”

I threw the door open and dashed out. There were still no people in the streets and I just ran for it. The lady yelled behind me, but her voice was a fainting echo. A few seconds of running in I heard loud noises come from ahead of me. I ran around the curve, and my eyes widened.

A plethora of people stood at an intersection, with their hands in the air and waving. Damn it! I gritted my teeth. I’d run to the procession.

Wait, maybe this is a good thing, I thought. I can lose myself within the crowd. I pulled off my hooded jacket, and placed my knife in the middle. I crumbled the outfit into a ball, hiding the weapon, and carried the cloth with me as I ran.

I glanced back a few times, but saw no one chasing after me. My running slowed to a fast walk as I neared the crowd of people. A file of Knights marched through the streets, and the people cheered loudly. I pushed myself through the crowd and stayed still.

The veins on my forehead were throbbing now, and the realization of what had just happened hit me hard.

The scroll was gone. Those freaking lowlifes had destroyed it. I had the pieces, sure. But that didn’t assure me anything. Those stupid Henway twins had torn it to shreds.

Bloody idiots.

“All bow to the royal princess!” A voice boomed.

Everyone went down on a knee, and I followed suit. A large carriage rode from ahead. A man in silver armor stood at the front — another blonde. However, this one was actually capable, compared to those stupid Henway twins.

The Knight’s cold blue eyes didn’t glance at the crowds and stared down the street. A scar sat on the left side of his face, striking down from his eyebrow, down to his lips.

Elya Lambcost. The Captain of the Zevalon Knight force. I didn’t know him, but I’d heard enough to know how strong he was.

Behind the man was a chair of silver, and atop it sat the princess — Valentine Goodman. She was a tall woman — maybe a year or so older than me — and had lightly-tanned skin. She wore a white gown with a wide neck that showed off her collarbone, and had a royal-red cape draped over her back. Her teal eyes looked through the crowds but she sat completely still, like some kind of doll.

I held the bundled jacket tighter in my arms and quickly glanced back.

Then I froze.

Mrs Henway was running up here. She hadn’t seen my face back then, but I certainly didn’t want to risk the chance being recognized. I stayed in my knelt position and moved a step forward.

“Stop cramming the space, kid!” A man pushed me from behind. I tripped on another leg in the crowd, and fell forward onto the street, right into the path of the procession.

I quickly picked myself up, and a slap struck my cheek.

A man in silver armor stood before me, and stared at me with his eyes of intense black.

Elya’s right hand man. I straightened. Joseph.

“How dare you enter the procession route, peasant!” he yelled.

I stared at the ground. Please don’t find my knife. Please don’t find my knife.

“Get back in line.” He placed his hand on my chest and pushed me. I stumbled to the ground, still clutching hard to the wrinkled cloth in my arms.

Joseph looked down at me. “Trash like you has no place coming to a procession like this.”

Snickering sounded around me, and all eyes leered in my direction. My chest thumped louder than before, and I clenched my fists. I looked at the procession, at the high-esteemed Knights, at the rich families all around me.

And as the snickering escalated to laughter, a sole thought yelled through my mind.

This world is unfair.

 

***

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