《The Archaic System》


 1 A New Beginning

    It was just for a moment. Was that really him?


    I stopped to take another look.


    How could I see him here? Now?


    I took off running like my life depended on it.


    After so long he''s just 50 meters in front of me.


    40


    30


    20


    10


    "BRAD!!!"


    As he turned towards me the face of my little brother which I hadn''t seen for ten years was looking back at me.


    Finally!


    I reached out to embrace him. Tears filled my eyes. The ever-present pain of longing and loss released its grip on my heart as it exploded with boundless warmth.


    "Brad I can''t tell you how much I''ve missed you."


    I couldn''t believe it. I searched for years. I never stopped looking. I used everything I had to find him, yet that day, with no warning, I saw him on the street. I felt so lucky.


    Reveling in the immense joy of finally finding him, it took me a moment to notice a cold piercing pain growing in my chest.


    As I stepped back I looked down to see a thin dark colored blade coated in bright red liquid. It slowly revealed its sharp edges as it finished withdrawing from my chest. At the end of the blade a hand was splattered with my freshly spilled blood, Brad''s hand. I looked up, eyes filled with confusion.


    How could this happen? How could that sweet innocent child I knew ten years ago do this? Why?


    My knees became weak. A bitter coldness rapidly advanced from my extremities toward my struggling heart.


    I desperately searched his face for meaning, a clue to reveal his motives, his reasons.


    The only thing reflected in his eyes was pain. His features twisted as if he was the one on death''s door.


    Our gazes locked, all at once overwhelming sadness, regret, and grief screamed to break free from the depths of his eyes as they trembled, "Brother... I truly wish... you had stayed away."


    The last bit of heat evacuated the hole in my chest. The cold took over and my body began to fall as my brother''s face got further and further away.


    I desperately tried to get my lips to move.


    Just one word! I just need to get out one word! I just want to ask him why! I have to know!


    Like an unforgiving wave the darkness silenced me.


    .....


    .....


    .....


    "Troy....Troy....TROY!!!"


    "Huh."


    Light flooded my vision as my eyelids flew open. Startled, I sat up.


    "Where am I. Where''s Brad?"


    My mind was a jumbled mess. Memories flooding in before arranging themselves neatly in my mind.


    "Huh? You have always been such a heavy sleeper."


    I know that voice. I haven''t heard it in years. Not since¡­..


    I quickly turned my head. This can''t be. It''s not possible. My hands began to shake.


    What is going on?


    "Mike?"


    "Who else would it be moron?"


    How can this be real? He died right in front of me. I buried him myself. I agonized over his death for years.


    Still, there was no denying it, this could only be my best friend Mike. We were friends for years, even before the migration. I had started my first job at a garden center, but I had always been a weak kid, skinny, with pale skin. I always preferred burying myself into books over getting involved in sports. I had a hard time lifting any of the heavy stuff like bags of mulch or potted plants. Mike would always help me out.


    Mike was much stockier than me, a little short, but he had always been strong, even at a young age. He had a rough tan, short brown hair, and a full beard even though he was just 18.


    "What?!?!..... What are you doing here Mike?"


    "What do you mean what am I doing here?.....Are you still asleep?," he stared at me.


    Suddenly reality struck, like a glass mirror shattered across the floor, the truth became unavoidable. The differences I couldn''t notice before became glaringly obvious, demanding my attention. Mike''s left eye wasn''t mangled, the scar that disfigured the left side of his face, vanished. His skin and face radiated the youthful vigor of a teenager.


    I looked down at my hands. I repeatedly turned them over, as if this was my first time seeing them. All the calluses and scars I had grown painfully familiar with, gone. It felt surreal, as if at any moment the calluses and scars would magically manifest.


    However, after several moments they remained the hands of an average teenager. The hands of someone who had not yet witnessed the cruelty of reality. Someone who hadn''t used them to fight for their survival.These were my hands. It had been so long I forgot what they looked like.


    Where... No... When am I?


    "Troy, what is wrong with you?.... We need to get going!"


    He looked at me as he shook his head, "It''s a good thing I stopped by. I just knew you would oversleep. I swear, if you weren''t my best friend I might''ve left for Agartha without you."


    A torrent of emotions suddenly paralyzed me.....


    It''s today.


    The day that radically changed my life, my definition of normal, what it meant to be human.


    Today is the day that thrust me into a powerless existence. Today is the day that sparked a life of misfortune and abuse. Today is the day that sealed my miserable fate.


    No longer.


    No longer will that be what today represents. I will change the meaning of today.


    Today will be the day that thrust me to the apex of human existence. Today will be the day that sparked a life of strength and determination. Today will be the day that sealed the fate of my enemies.


    Today is the day I left for Agartha, ten years before my death.


    Agartha, another world, a world that changed the course of humanity.

 2 Preparation

    Agartha


    Another planet in another universe. Humanity never could be satisfied, a fact that''s held true since ancient times.


    In the 20th century humans realized that one day Earth would run out of resources and become incapable of sustaining life. However, on September 10, 2008, the Large Hadron Collider fired for the first time. When the particles in the experiment collided it ripped open a portal to a planet in another universe. This planet was vastly different from Earth, this planet was called Agartha.


    The world governments met and decided to research Agartha in secret.


    There was a lot to learn, the universe Agartha was in had completely different universal laws of nature. Over the next 500 years, a task force overseen by the world''s governments managed to gain a basic understanding of Agartha. However, many sacrifices were made and many obstacles made progress exceedingly slow.


    Their greatest obstacle was that no matter what they did or how they tweaked the portal everyone that went through would end up in a random location on Agartha. This was unavoidable and made functioning as a team almost impossible, which slowed down progress the most.


    Snapping out of my reverie I gathered myself. I adjusted as best I could to suddenly arriving in my past.


    I stood up and said to Mike , "Let me get ready."


    My first instinct was to go see my brother, but I remembered that it was too late. The government had already separated everyone based on age in preparation for the migration to Agartha.


    Since you would end up in a random location when you go through the portal the world''s governments decided to send everyone through in batches based on their age. 26-30 would go first since this was when most people are at their peak. Followed by 31-35, 21-25, 36-40, 41-45, 16-20, 46-50, 51 and higher, and finally 15 and younger. The world''s governments decided this was the best way to give everyone a better chance of survival. If the elderly or young went in too early they may not be able to survive against the natives or beasts in the wild. With the better fit and more skilled paving the way and setting up villages the others would at least have a chance to survive.


    Mike and I are 18 so we are going in the 16-20 group, but my younger brother Brad is only 14 so he will be in the last group to go 15 and younger. It''s been about a month since the first group went to Agartha and now it''s our turn to go.


    After the first portal was opened they were able to replicate their results and now there is at least one portal in every major city. The food supply was dwindling so the plan to migrate to Agartha was moved forward. The government brought everyone into the major cities, separated us by age, and provided us with our basic amenities.


    I began to pack up what little belongings I had with me, my I.D, a picture of me and my brother, a pocket knife Mike had bought me years back, and a watch that didn''t work anymore.


    The watch had been my fathers. He gave it to me the day he and my mother disappeared. As he was leaving our home he looked back at me, took off his watch, and said, "Son, I want you to have this and remember to always watch over Brad for us."


    We never saw them again. We were moved to an orphanage until I could make enough to support myself and Brad. Mike would always help us out when we were struggling, buying us groceries if we couldn''t make ends meet.


    As I was putting my things into a small knapsack that I attached to my belt Mike said, "Man I can''t wait to find out what Agartha is like. I definitely can''t wait to use the Archaic System. They say some of the advance teams already have incredible powers because of it."


    "Haha, I''m sure we will get a chance to find out."


    I wanted to tell him about just how harsh life on Agartha could be, but I didn''t think he''d believe that I had come back from the future and I didn''t want to say something that would affect his decisions.


    In the last timeline, Mike and I were able to meet up just three months after entering Agartha and I didn''t want to say anything that would jeopardize that.


    I just had to keep my secrets to myself and use them to make myself powerful enough to protect those I cared about.


    After I was ready, we left the small room. It was really just half of a cargo container with a bed and nightstand in it. I could see hundreds of people milling about in the huge warehouse as Mike and Iheaded towards where the portal was.


    It was about an hour walk and we passed thousands of people on our way to queue up. The time period to migrate for 16-20 year-olds lasts roughly two weeks and you can go at any time within that time frame. So while there was always a line to enter the portal it was never absurdly long.


    The portal was located in an old sports stadium. The place was pretty run down, no one had played the sport in over 250 years due to the extensive injuries involved. For some reason, the city had never torn down the stadium, something about it being a piece of history. We arrived at the stadium and got in line at the entrance.


    When we got to the front there was a large man in a black coat who said, "Identification please."


    Mike and I pulled out our I.D cards, "Hmm, Troy Williams and Michael Durbin both 18. You may proceed."


    His stoic monotone voice revealed his boredom. He glanced at us and said, "Make sure to go to the armory first to get your care packages."


    "Thank you." We responded.


    We walked towards the armory following the signs in the stadium. While walking next to me Mike said, "Have you thought about what kind of weapon you will choose?"


    In every care package was a liter of water, 10 kilograms of a compact grain-like food, and your choice of weapon. It wasn''t much since everyone who migrated received it, but it was better than nothing.


    In the last timeline, I had chosen a longsword with fantasies of being a majestic and aloof hero who could decimate his foes with one slash of his blade. However, reality was harsh and after getting to Agartha the longsword was too burdensome for someone with my physique to wield. I ended up abandoning it. This time I wouldn''t make such a short-sighted decision.


    "I think I''m going to get a kodachi."


    Virtually every cold era weapon was available to choose from.


    "What''s a kodachi?"


    "It''s essentially a short sword. Longer than a dagger, but lighter and shorter than a sword."


    "That sounds perfect for you."


    Even though I already knew I figured I''d ask, "What are you going to get?"


    "Of course I will get a spear. What other weapon could possibly display all this strength," he patted his bicep.


    "Hahaha, of course a spear would be best for you."


    Mike smirked and stuck out his chest as we entered the armory.


    We could see dozens of people walking around trying out different weapons as headed toward the counter. We got close when we noticed a muscular young man with a crop top haircut and military fatigues at the counter shouting at the attendant, "What do you mean I can''t get any firearms? I''ve been training with guns my whole life. I know what best to defend myself with."


    The attendant responded with a firm tone, "I''m sorry but there is no way to produce gunpowder in Agartha so the government has decided it''s best you start with one of the weapon options here since that is how you will have to protect yourself in the future."


    "Ugghh" grunted the young man quickly turning around appearing very displeased.


    He saw me looking at him and barked, "What do you want?" He went to shove my shoulder and step past me. I saw his hand coming so I lightly sidestepped which caused him to miss and lose his balance. Since he was distracted by his anger he couldn''t adjust in time and fell to the floor.


    After leaping back to his feet he looked at me flames blazing in his eyes and shouted, "You''ll pay for that punk!"


    He was halfway through swinging at me when Mike stepped up and hooked the man''s arm with his, stopping his arm in its tracks. The young mans eyes opened in shock for just a moment as he glared at Mike. Not one to shy from a fight Mike glared back and said, "You sure you want that?"

 3 General Gunther

    The young man was getting ready to say something, but before he could the attendant came around the desk and said, "Fighting is not allowed here, stop at once unless you want to portal to Agartha without a care package."


    All of us understood the importance of the care package and took a step back. The young man glared at the both of us and with a menacing tone said, "You better hope I never find you brats in Agartha."


    Mike just laughed and said, "Sure thing crop top, we''ll keep an eye out."


    He growled back, "My name, is Benning Gunther and don''t forget it."


    "Uh huh, whatever," The young man stared at Mike for a moment then walked off.


    As we turned back towards the attendant I said, "Sorry for the trouble sir we didn''t intend to start anything."


    He had an amicable smile on, "I know, that kid has always been difficult to handle. Speaking of which you two should be careful. He is the son of Brigadier General Gunther."


    "WHAT!?" I couldn''t help shouting out loud.


    "Who''s Brigadier General Gunther?" Mike turned to me and said.


    "Remember that already powerful advance team you mentioned before? General Gunther is their leader."


    "So what? Agartha is 10 times the size of earth. What are the chances we run into him?"


    "Very little, I hope."


    That didn''t stop me from worrying though. I was concerned this might affect the timeline. We didn''t run into Gunther''s son in my past life and General Gunther is one of the true human powerhouses of Agartha.


    I almost slapped myself.


    What''s wrong with me? I shouldn''t allow something this small worry me. I know a lot of things that are going to happen and many secrets of Agartha. As long as I use that knowledge properly who says I won''t end up even more powerful than General Gunther.


    I reaffirmed my determination to change everything this time.


    I turned to Mike and said, "Let''s get our care packages and go. I''m ready for everything Agartha can throw at me"


    Mike chuckled, "Now that''s what I''m talking about pal. Let''s do this!"


    After getting our care packages we headed straight to the portal. In the middle of an open field at the center of the stadium was a huge circular metal apparatus. Inside the center of the circle was a dark liquid substance that seemed to ripple outwards from the center. As we got closer we could feel a barely noticeable pull towards it.


    There were probably 3000 chairs set up around the portal and about 2500 already had people sitting in them. A man in a black coat asked us to take a seat as we got closer.


    Not too long after sitting down a portly man in a black robe trimmed with red stripes swaggered onto a stage in front of the portal and said, "Welcome citizens, I am Captain Bartholomew and I am here to brief you before you portal to Agartha. I am sure you are all ready to adventure into this new world and embark on a journey like you have never imagined. However, before you go, there are a few things we need to make sure you understand."


    "First, we are not alone on Agartha, besides the beasts that roam the new world there are at least four other sentient races. The most dangerous of them and the one that hates humanity the most are the Fey. They are a very domineering race who believe that their god placed them on Agartha to subjugate all other races under their rule. They consider humans abominations. They look very similar to the elves you have seen in fantasy fiction. They have pointy ears, fair skin, and silver hair. Their body is about the same as ours in terms of constitution but they are very agile and attack in both a swift and fierce manner. If you encounter a Fey don''t try to run. Hide and hope they don''t find you or attack before they get the chance to notice you."


    The crowd visibly shivered at the thought of the Fey.


    Captain Bartholomew paused briefly before starting again, "The G''eth are a race that while its shape is human seems to be made from many plants corded together with a set of emeralds for eyes. They have not shown a direct aggression towards humans, however, they seem to be whimsical in nature as we have not managed to develop many connections with them. Associate with the G''eth at your own discretion."


    "The Shades are a mysterious race and not many have been seen, but we know they exist. They seem to be capable of conforming and moving within shadows and darkness. On the few occasions we have interacted with them we have noticed they tend to speak in riddles and love money. Be careful if you happen upon them."


    "The last race and the ones that we have developed the best relationship with are the Una. They have a human-like shape and can be identified by their blue skin. They are capable of coming on land however, they prefer to stay in water. The Una are a gentle race who have been of great assistance to humans in Agartha. The only thing to be wary about the Una is that they focus greatly on purity. Therefore, under no circumstances can any of you enter into a relationship with any of the Una. Doing so is punishable by death not only under Una law but under our law as well."


    I could hear a guy in front of me snicker, "Who would want to have sex with some alien freak race anyway."


    The guy next to him said, "I don''t know, it might be interesting."


    A shiver ran down my spine when I saw the weird look in his eyes.

 4 Migration

    Captain Bartholomew began speaking again, "Now these are just the races we have had a chance to interact with. There is a chance there are more. Another subject I must pass discuss is something I''m sure all of you have heard rumors about, the Automatic Learning Interface Connector, ALIC for short.One of it''s functions allows you to understand every language from the natives of Agartha in real time. Most important it connects you to the Archaic System. The Archaic System is a large part of the greatest difference between Agartha and Earth. It is also the main reason the natives overpower humans so easily.


    To access the Archaic System you need an origin stone. Origin stones can be found scattered throughout Agartha and in the majority of both human and native settlements. When the native races kill a living creature they absorb something we call essence from that creature by utilizing the natural laws of their universe. Then when touching an origin stone the Archaic System automatically enhances them using that essence.


    For reasons unknown, when humans kill something they cannot absorb essence naturally. ALIC will absorb and store it for you. It automatically syncs with the essence of any living creature the moment you kill it. If the killing blow killed it over time the last person to inflict damage on the creature will receive all of it''s essence. Their is also a distance limit. You cannot be further than a kilometer away from the creature when it dies or the ALIC cannot sync with the creatures essence and the essence will simply disperse."


    "After storing the essence you can connect with an origin stone by placing your hand on it which allows you to access the Archaic System. However, it cannot automatically enhance you like it does other races. The Archaic System needs direction from ALIC on what aspects of your body to enhance.


    For your convenience this process has been put into a format that is easy for you to understand. This format closely mimics video games."


    "First you have levels and when you have enough essence you can level up allowing you to distribute 2 points for each level up to your stats. The stats for the human body fall under these categories strength, constitution, willpower, and dexterity. Unlike a video game every person does not have the same starting stats. For reference an elite soldier would have about 10 in each category. Unfortunately, at this point their is nothing you can do to alter your stats with exercise, because in Agartha your body will require essence to improve due to the universal laws there. Once you go through the portal no amount of exercise will increase your stats."


    I couldn''t help but sigh. From my past life I knew my starting stats would put me at a significant disadvantage to start.


    "Moving on, the skills you can develop will be largely dependent on the essence you gather. For instance, the Fey are extremely adept at wind-related abilities so if you kill a Fey and absorb their essence you may obtain the chance to earn a wind-related ability. However, skills also cost essence to activate since it involves restructuring the human body. Some of these abilities can even alter your appearance. Choose wisely."


    He paused.... then said, "Before administering ALIC and sending you through the portal to Agartha I want to stress the importance of developing your abilities and power strategically. The only thing you can truly rely on in Agartha is yourself. Good luck!"


    This amount of information was a lot for those in attendance to process. Mike sat in the seat next to me dazed. Having already known this information, and more that they haven''t discovered yet, I had no problem and was just waiting for Mike to break out of his stupor.


    "You ready to go bro?"


    "Huh? Oh, yeah. I just didn''t realize that there would be other races in Agartha and that humans might not be at the top of the food chain. The Fey sound frightening," Mike said with a bit of worry on his face.


    "What did you expect to find in a different universe?" I replied snarkily.


    "I don''t know. I at least thought it would be similar?"


    "It doesn''t look like it. Regardless, we don''t have a choice."


    "That''s true. Me and my spear will take them on if they dare!" said Mike regaining his former bravado.


    "Remember your own safety is more important. Don''t take stupid risks"


    Mike looked at me slightly offended. "I got it. I got it. Stop worrying, mother."


    "Fine." I scoffed, "Let''s get up there and get going."


    "Yeah, I''m ready."


    Mike and I got up and walked towards the front of the portal. We were among the first in the group to recover from the shocking information. From our spot in the queue we could see people getting their ALIC inserted. Ugh, it''s so painful. I can still remember the searing pain I felt in the back of my head when I got it in my last life. As we got closer I could see Mike getting nervous. I chuckled knowing he''s not a big fan of shots.


    "Getting squeamish?" I prodded him with my elbow.


    "Jerk! You know I don''t like needles."


    I just laughed in response as we got closer.


    Finally, we were at the front and a guy in a white coat asked Mike to lean forward. Real quick he jabbed the needle in the back of his head.


    "Ahhh! No warning?!?!"


    "I find this works faster." Responded the guy in the white coat with complete ambivalence.


    "Next."


    I walked up prepared. Leaning over I felt the jab in the back of my head and the searing hot pain in the back of the skull. At least the pain doesn''t last too long but it still stings like hell. We continued forward toward the portal. You don''t really feel any different with ALIC unless you are absorbing essence or connecting to the Archaic System through an origin stone. The only difference I felt at the moment was a soreness at the back of my head


    As we got closer to the portal we could see people passing through the dark liquid and disappearing beyond.


    Finally, it was Mike''s turn. He was in front of me, spear strapped to his back with the water and food in a duffel bag around his shoulder. The spear was almost as tall as he was. He turned to me before passing through and said, "I''ll find you when we reach the other side."


    "Not if I find you first." I retorted.


    We spoke the exact same words last time. I really hope nothing changes and I can see him soon.


    Chuckling he took large steps towards the portal and was swallowed by the dark liquid substance.


    I took a deep breath and said to myself, "Here we go."


    As I neared the portal the pull got stronger until it eventually swallowed me in a tumultuous darkness.


    Have you ever imagined what it would be like to be put through one of those old drying machines they had centuries ago? That''s what it feels like when you wake up after having portaled to Agartha. Every part of your body feels like it was pounded on. Traveling through a rip in space and time to another dimension is not a fun trip even if you were prepared for it. However, those that are able to wake up are the lucky ones, some unlucky people die before their consciousness can return.


    Before opening my eyes I prayed, hoping that I got sent to a different place than I did in the last timeline. As I opened my eyes I could see a dark cavern above me. So dark you could barely see what looked like tunnels running through the ceiling. A sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu hitting me. Why? Why did it have to be this place?


    This absolute godforsaken hellhole.

 5 Cavern

    I immediately grab my kodachi as I spring to my feet. I may have been clueless in the last timeline, but now I know just how dangerous this place is. Out of all the people that portaled to Agartha I couldn''t be considered the unluckiest, but I certainly am not lucky either. Unfortunately, my current body''s fitness couldn''t match that of my past life and I instantly got a cramp for my effort and fell back to the ground. I wanted to shout in pain, but I knew that would be a terrible idea. After, giving my body a chance to recover I was ready to go again and slowly got to my feet.


    The place I was teleported to was the middle of an underground cavern. That in itself wouldn''t have been so bad. The real problem is that this cavern was the den of a Grootslang. The Grootslang is a snake like creature that has immense strength. It is 50 meters long, has pitch black scales, white oval eyes, and two long fangs that stick out of its mouth. However, its fangs are not poisonous, instead it uses the fangs to impale its prey then detaches its lower jaw, which has razor sharp teeth and minces its prey to pieces before swallowing it. Of course it can also just coil around you and crush you with its massive strength. Just a flick of its tail is enough to shatter bones. In the last timeline it took a hundred man team of level 20 humans two hours to take down the Grootslang.


    Luckily, in my past life I didn''t run into it, but I did run into a few of its offspring. By forcibly mating with other snakes the Grootslang produce offspring that are about five meters long and as thick as a human arm. They, like their parent, have two long fangs, incredible strength, and can wrap around a human limb snap it in half if you let it. I almost lost my life multiple times before. The only weakness they have is that their senses are limited since they mostly locate prey through sound. Also two inches behind their head is a reverse scale that was softer than all the other scales. It''s a small target, but if you hit it you will pierce right through the scale and the snakes spinal cord.


    Humans don''t know if it is caused by some unseen rule of this universe or if it is just coincidence, but many creatures on Agartha have what we refer to as critical points. These are locations on a monsters body that can result in an instant kill. For some monsters it''s a soft spot in their defense like the Grootslang and it''s offspring. For others it requires a certain element or situation to work. Critical points are hard to find and most of the knowledge about them are close kept secrets. If it wasn''t for a book I happened to find in my last life that described the critical points of many creatures I wouldn''t know about critical points at all.


    If the 100 man team had know about the Grootslangs critical point only one person would have been needed to kill it. If I were level 20 I would hunt down the Grootslang myself, but for now I''m too weak.


    Currently, I don''t have the strength I had before I died, so most of the techniques and abilities I had learned cannot be used. However, after concentrating some of the easier movement and blade techniques surfaced in my mind.


    The first one that came to mind was a technique I picked up from a corpse I found in the Saarthal Desert during my last life, clearly it didn''t work so well for him but it''s all I have right now. It was called the shifting sands movement technique. It was very basic and essentially focused on using the strength of your toes to make sudden angular movements to quickly evade enemy strikes.


    The blade technique I remembered was a mediocre one that was commonplace among humans called the body force technique. The technique focused on leveraging your weight behind the blade to make parry''s and deliver heavy blows and strikes.


    After a moment of contemplating them and preparing myself mentally I began to prepare myself to get out of this damnable place. Last time I wondered aimlessly fleeing from offspring before finding the exit. So I couldn''t remember exactly how to get out. I would just have to try different paths and hope they lead me to the exit. Even my ten years of knowledge couldn''t help me navigate this place. That''s just one of the reasons I was hoping I ended up somewhere else.


    Many tunnels branched from this room, so I arbitrarily chose a tunnel on my right. The ground was soft beneath my feet, which helps since it dampens the sounds I''ll make. The whole cavern was covered in a misty, humid atmosphere. It was very dark but I could vaguely see about 10 meters in front of me due to a small fungus that gave off a weak glow. The fungus is harmless to humans as long as you don''t eat it. If you eat it you''d be vomiting for hours as I learned on my last visit.


    This tunnel goes on for quite a while, it had been about ten minutes since I left the last cavern. Slowly I began to hear a soft scraping noise coming from in front of me. I steeled myself, I knew what that sound meant. It couldn''t be the Grootslang, the sound would be louder, it must be one of the offspring. I softly stepped over placing my back against the wall of the tunnel. I could hear the offspring getting closer each second. In a bend in the tunnel ahead I saw a greyish snake about three meters long with two short fangs protruding from its mouth slowly slithering down the tunnel. I almost let out a sigh. It was a fairly newborn. Once the offspring reach the adult stage they will be five meters long and have black scales. Being three meters long and having greyish scales meant this one was only about a year old. Knowing that I needed essence to get stronger I couldn''t let such easy prey slip by.


    As it began to get close I tightened my muscles getting ready to pounce. Just as it was about to pass me I raised my kodachi and using the body force technique putting the power of my entire body behind my strike as I brought the kodachi down on the critical point of the Grootslang offspring.


    Essence gained +3


    The notification flashed in the corner of my vision. ALIC would notify you every time you gained essence. Satisfied, I let out a sigh and as the tension left my body pain quickly took it''s place.


    Ughhh! I hate this! I screamed inside. I hated myself for ignoring my body for all those years on Earth. Obviously, I had over taxed my frail body with just that strike. I had to relax my muscles and rest for over an hour before my body felt well enough to move again. The body force technique while simple did use the entire body''s force and my frail frame could barely handle that transfer of power.


    After feeling normal again I began to skin the corpse. Even though I had the grain for food who knew how long it would take to get out of here and the scales can be used to make some light armor if I can bring it to a blacksmith in one of the towns. I put the scales and about five kilograms worth of meat in my knapsack. Too much would only slow me down. I could only carry about 20 kilograms total before my movement would be affected.


    Again I set out to try to find an exit. After about two hours of careful traveling I came upon another large cavern like the one I appeared in. I was starting to feel hungry so I decided to munch on a little of the grain and drink a some of my water. I would have eaten the meat from my kill but I didn''t have any way of starting a fire in this damp cave. I could eat it raw, but even in my past humans had not fully understood bacteria and diseases in Agartha, so it wasn''t a good idea to eat raw meat.


    After my short break, I looked at the surrounding cavern. Stalagmites were coming up from the floor and at the edge of my vision I could see the start of a pool of water. I began to move toward the other side of the cavern to look for another tunnel. I also kept an eye out for any Grootslang offspring nearby. I had to circle around the pool since I didn''t know how deep it was and although I hadn''t heard of offspring that could swim I didn''t want to take the chance since I would be at a disadvantage underwater.


    I made my way around the side of the pool and was looking into distance when I saw what appeared to be a tunnel. In my excitement I focused on the tunnel as I moved closer. Just as I passed a stalagmite on my left I felt a sudden change in the air. Quickly I brought my kodachi up on my left side preparing for danger. Just as I braced myself a huge force rammed my kodachi launching me backward. I slammed into a stalagmite knocking the breath right out of me and sending my senses into confusion. Forcefully overcoming the pain and bracing myself I looked up and saw a five-meter black snake with two long fangs wrapped around the stalagmite I was just walking past.


    Crap! I was too careless. After seeing the tunnel I dropped my guard just a little. With my experience I should have never let something like that happen. It seems being on Earth for a day and seeing Mike had effected my mindset. Realizing the problem, I used a trick I had learned in the past and a cool sensation enveloped my mind. I calmly analyzed the situation.


    It''s an adult offspring and it has the advantage. I noticed a tension in the tail wrapped around the stalagmite. In the next moment the offspring used the stalagmite as a springboard and quickly shot towards me. Anticipating that move, I easily used the shifting sands technique exerted force on my toes and shifted my body to the right. Missing me, the the offspring slammed into the stalagmite. It became dazed not expecting me to be able to react. Before it could recover I brought the kodachi straight down on the offspring''s critical point. After piercing through I could see the offspring struggle for one last second before giving in.


    Essence gained +5


    The ability to clear your mind and think rationally may not seem very useful, but it was this exact ability that kept me alive for ten years. Without my previous life''s experience there is no way I would have survived this ambush. Even wielding a kodachi with enough accuracy to hit two critical points in a row without missing would have been a near impossible feat.


    Just as I felt my adrenaline begin to wear off I heard the sounds of scraping coming from the tunnel I noticed earlier. It kept getting louder and louder. Then to my absolute dismay a dozen adult Grootslang offspring came charging out of the tunnel.


    This is bad! They must have been drawn by the noise of our fight. Before I could start to panic I calmed my mind.


    If I run back the way I came I risk my adrenaline wearing off and all the pain from the earlier fight will flood in preventing me from out running them. To go to the tunnel they came from is pure suicide. Then I looked over at the pool and thought I really, really, hope they can''t swim. I only have about a half a second before the pain from my last fight overwhelms me. I don''t really have a choice. I grabbed my kodachi and sprinted towards the pool.


    Luckily, I was close to the pool and was able to quickly dive in.

 6 Underwater

    As soon as I jumped in I struggled to see the past the bubbles and noticed that the pool was even deeper than I thought. I wanted to swim forward as fast as I could, however, an overwhelmingly intense pain starting on my left side washed over me. Slowly, I allowed my body to float back up to the surface. Judging by the time passed I''m fairly confident the offspring will not enter for some reason. As I broke through the surface I quickly looked around expecting to see the menacing glares of the offspring. To my surprise, rather then looking at me menacingly they looked fearful.


    Hmm. This isn''t good, drawing on my experience from my past life I knew that they wouldn''t be fearful for no reason. Most likely there is something in this pool that is much stronger than them. I looked beneath the water. I noticed there was something glowing further down allowing me to see about 30 meters down into the pool despite the darkness of the cavern. I looked all around and couldn''t find any kind of creature. Still, something must be scaring the offspring. I decided it''s best to wait and see if the offspring move away after a while. As an added bonus I don''t think I could swim anyway.


    For a while I just let my body float on top. Occasionally I would have to kick to keep myself in the middle of the pool because the offspring would still try to bite me if I got too close to shore. I floated there for what seemed like hours waiting for the pain to recede. I need to get essence soon. So far I''ve been lucky and haven''t torn a muscle. Most of the pain is coming from from cramps, soreness from sudden exertion, and a bruise on my left arm from blocking the offspring earlier. Most of the pain fades with time or at least decreases to a manageable level.


    After recovering, I decided I would try to find another way out because with my grain being ruined after being in the water my sources of food were limited. Also, who knows how long the offspring might stay here.


    In the end, the pool was my only way forward. If a creature is in this pool, but I can''t see it, there must be underwater tunnels. I took a deep breath and dove underwater. I kept my eyes open trying to spot any tunnels or any danger. After diving about 15 meters I saw a tunnel to my left. It was fairly large about 8 meters in diameter. I quickly swam towards it. I knew I wasn''t in the best condition so i needed to find another source of air quickly.


    I went into to the tunnel and continued moving forward using what appeared to be glowing algae to see my way. I had gone another 15 meters in the tunnel. My eyes began to sting and I could feel my lungs burning due to lack of oxygen. I knew if I turned back now I could get back before I passed out, but would I have the strength to get this far again? Determined, I pushed forward. After about another 10 meters I could see the tunnel start to angle up.


    Oh thank god! I hope this leads out my lungs started to burn even more. Frantically I swam forward desperate to make it before my strength failed me.


    I swam furiously, finally, I could see a glossy rippling barrier above me, I knew that meant there was air. Struggling with my tired sore muscles, stinging eyes, and burning lungs I finally broke through the surface.


    "HHHHUUUUHHHHH" I inhaled a huge mouthful of air. Panting, catching my breath as the burning in my lungs slowly subsided. I eased over to the shore and pulled myself out of the water. Collapsing, I laid there just letting the feeling of being alive wash over me. Maybe having come back from death made me braver than before. I would never have done something so risky in my past life. I always chose to play it safe. Things can be different now, I don''t have to live the meaningless life I did before, always at the mercy of others. I don''t know why I was given a second chance but, I swear I will make the most of it.


    I began to look over my belongings. My kodachi was strapped to my right hip and my knapsack strapped to my left. I opened the knapsack finding a sloshy grain like mess. Uh, you would think they would have given us a resealable package for the grain. The grain and meat were ruined, I didn''t know what was in the water and didn''t want to risk consuming food that had been soaked in it. The picture of me and Brad was completely unrecognizable. After emptying the knapsack out the only usable items I still had was my plastic I.D, the bottle of water, my dad''s broken watch, and the pocketknife Mike gave me. Other than that I had completely soaked clothes and boots as well as my kodachi and it''s sheathe.


    This is a problem, I need to find a source of heat and a food source, or I need to leave this cavern soon. With the dampness down here I will probably never dry out. While I could find and kill more offspring eating the meat raw for food, I''d really rather not.


    For now, my best option is to continue to move forward. I took a 30 min break to return to the best condition I could. Afterwords, I gathered my things and looked around me to see what my options were. The pool seemed to come out against the cavern wall and the cavern extended into the darkness opposite of it. I headed into the darkness. I stayed vigilant, there was no guarantee that I was out of danger and I still hadn''t seen any evidence for why the offspring would be scared. I didn''t want to get surprised again, that was how I ended up in this condition.


    I walked forward slowly, this cavern was different from the one with stalagmites, it had a flat floor and the ceiling was higher than I could see in the dark. As I continued forward I could start to see the walls coming together on my sides. Eventually, I got to another tunnel about ten meters wide. At least it wasn''t a dead end, all my efforts would have been in vain.


    I continued treading lightly through the tunnel, trying to make as little sound as possible. After a couple of minutes walking I could see the slope start to angle up. Hope sprouted in my chest!


    Maybe, just maybe, this leads to a way out. As I climbed further I got more excited, it took me a week to get out of here before, if I could be out on the first day losing my food and being soaked was totally worth it. Others wouldn''t, but I know what plants were safe to eat in Agartha. As long as I can get out of here I''ll be fine.


    As I got further along in the tunnel I felt a subtle breeze blow by. Yes!! Now I know an exit must be nearby. Finally, I saw the tunnel widen into a large cavern filled with stalagmites. Light from the opposite end of the cavern illuminating the area.


    As I looked further into the cavern I noticed something large wound between the stalagmites. Suddenly my entire body went cold as ice.


    It felt like the hand of death had gripped my heart.


    This can''t be possible, I was so close.

 7 Grootslang

    Despair overcame me like sudden cold downpour of rain in winter, freezing me where I stood.


    The Grootslang, here, blocking my only way out. I was so close, how could I have returned to ten years in the past to die in this godforsaken cave. Given another chance just so my life can be meaningless twice.


    No.


    I don''t accept this.


    I refuse to accept this.


    It''s just a Grootslang if I''m careful I can get around it.


    I looked forward, the majority of its body seemed to be coiled around a pillar in the center of the cavern with just the last ten meters stretching out, lying between stalagmites. It appeared to be sleeping. It''s black scaly eyelids as large as my torso, laid closed. Its head turned sideways with it''s two massive fangs shining like ivory resting on the ground.


    I started to move forward taking slow steps allowing my feet to barely make contact with the ground before applying pressure so I could reduce the sound to a minimum. I continued, moving as slow and as soundlessly as I could. Sweat was pouring down my face.


    I steeled my nerves, I just had to get past this and everything would work out. I went to take another step and my knapsack snagged on a protruding point of a stalagmite.


    A faint ripping noise echoed around the cavern.


    My whole body went rigid, my breath caught in my throat. I slowly turned my head towards the Grootslang.


    After what seemed like an eternity, I calmed down. That didn''t seem to wake it. I slowly moved back to unhook whatever part got caught on the stalagmite when, before I could react, my dad''s watch slipped out of the newly torn hole.


    It made a crisp "DING" as it made contact with a rock on the ground.


    Without thinking I used the shifting sands technique to immediately shift my body backward.


    "BOOOOOOM!!!"


    The stalagmite in front of me exploded as a large black blur completely passed through it. I felt a sting in my heart because I already knew the watch was demolished, but I quickly shifted my focus.


    The Grootslang lifted it''s head up into the air, its large white oval eyes staring down towards me like a king about to execute a prisoner, hissing lightly.


    Malice, pure unadulterated malice was emanating from its very being. My entire body became tense as the fear rooted me to the floor.


    I quickly used my trick to calm my mind down, if I lose my head now I''m dead for sure. The only advantage I have is my intelligence. I quickly used my peripheral vision to analyze my surroundings while drawing my kodachi.


    Ok, there are a lot of stalagmites in this cavern, they may not block it but they can at least slow it down. There is also a large pillar 20 meters to my right, maybe he won''t be able to break that and I can somehow use that to get a shot at its eyes or critical point.


    Without giving me any more time to think, the Grootslang shot towards me. It was much faster than me, but with shifting sands, I could just barely dodge. As I narrowly evaded its fang passing by me, I saw a chance. I struck out towards the critical point with my kodachi, but it was too fast and the reverse scale was a small target. The strike landed on a different scale on it''s back barely leaving a white mark. I used my momentum to leap over it''s back and go towards the pillar I noticed before.


    Continually using shifting sands, I moved in a zigzag pattern in the direction of the pillar. When I was about five meters away I heard the Grootslang getting close, so I glanced back. It''s a good thing I did because at that very moment the Grootslang was bringing its fangs down on top of me. They couldn''t have been more than a half meter from my back. I underestimated it''s speed. I didn''t have time to dodge to the side.


    I dove to the ground.


    "CHHHH!"


    As I lay flat on the cavern floor the Grootslang''s fangs are on both sides of my head impaled into the ground. It''s open mouth above, its tongue flickering just inches from my head. It''s fangs being caught by the ground gave me a split second reprieve.


    I quickly stabbed up with my kodachi into the roof of its mouth. Due to my own weakness and the dense mouth of the Grootslang it only went in two inches, far from a fatal blow. However, it was enough to anger it.


    The Grootslang pulled backward hissing. As one of the fangs was being withdrawn it scraped my left shoulder, cutting it open.


    I winced in pain, but quickly blocked it out. While the Grootslang was reeling I got to my feet and dashed toward the pillar. I was almost there when the Grootslang recovered and angrily shot toward me. I had just got around the pillar when the Grootslang''s fangs came whipping at me from around the pillar.


    It tore open a gash in my thigh before impaling the pillar. However, the pillar was tough and for a second it was able to hold the Grootslang still. Ignoring the pain in my thigh and shoulder I twisted my hips and used every ounce of strength to plunge my kodachi into the Grootslang''s eye.


    "PLLKKCCHH!"


    I buried the kodachi handle deep before quickly pulling it back out. Hot black blood mixed with milky fluid from the Grootslang''s eye flew everywhere! The Grootslang broke loose from the pillar and reeled back. It shook its head back and forth and hissed loudly.


    Just as I was about to use shifting sands to get some more distance I felt a large force crash into my side.


    "CRUNCH!"


    I was sent flying into the cavern wall to my right. My left arm felt thoroughly shattered and went limp. I had to have at least five broken ribs, maybe internal organ damage. The pain was so intense I thought I would pass out.


    What hit me? Luckily, I had tucked my arm in at the last moment or I probably would have died instantly. I opened my eyes. I could see the Grootslang still whipping it''s head and tail, back and forth.


    The tail, that''s what hit me.


    In my past life I always fought large monsters with groups because of how weak I was. Normally, different teams would focus on different parts of the beast. I simply didn''t have enough experience solo fighting a beast this large. I became too focused on the head and lost track of the tail. I allowed my knowledge of my past life to blind me to potential dangers. I felt ashamed, but I refused to admit defeat.


    I can''t let it end here. As long as I can kill it I''ll still have a chance.


    I knew I was running on borrowed time, even in a life or death situation adrenaline can only last so long, it can only block out so much pain. I knew I was using my body beyond it''s capacity and that it wouldn''t last much longer. If I was gonna do anything else it needed to happen in the next couple seconds.


    Using every ounce of willpower I had, I stood up, ignoring the pain that seemed to come from every part of my body. My left arm fell limp just dead weight attached to my shoulder. I used my right arm to grab my kodachi and headed toward the still thrashing Grootslang. After getting close, I reached into my knapsack and used the tips of my fingers to grab the bottle of water. I threw it towards the pillar in front of the Grootslang while still holding onto the kodachi.


    The bottle awkwardly sailed through the air. Somehow, despite using the tips of my fingers and having to adjust because of my left arm, the bottle struck the pillar making a loud sound. When it hit, the Grootslang stopped thrashing and headed straight for it, fangs bared. It''s fangs pierced right through the bottle and into the pillar, becoming stuck again.


    However, this time I was behind it. Summoning every remaining ounce of strength in every cell of my body, I darted forward. My run was awkward as my limp left arm aimlessly swung through the air. My knuckles turned white from how tightly I held my kodachi. I could feel muscles throughout my body tearing as I aimed my kodachi at the critical point behind its head. Just as it seemed the Grootslang would break free, the blade sunk into the critical point severing it''s spinal cord. It''s massive body immediately went limp.


    Essence gained +22000


    I did it.


    I really did it.


    Before I could relish in my victory, utterly indescribable waves of pain wracked my entire body. Collapsed over the back of the Grootslang, I didn''t have the strength to move a finger. I couldn''t even turn around and could just blankly stare at the kodachi stuck in the reverse scale of the Grootslang. Trickles of blood seeping from its edging and cascading down it''s back. My breathing became shallow and I began to think, even after all this I still lose in the end. I''m going to die.


    Even if I managed to somehow live, I would just be a cripple. My left arm was completely ruined and I almost certainly had multiple internal organs damaged. That alone was enough to cripple me and that''s not including the numerous torn muscles, ligaments, and tendons I undoubtedly had.


    Any advantage my past life gave me just got negated. At best I''d still be useless. Despite all that, I desperately struggled to keep my eyes open. I couldn''t help thinking, this can''t be right, after all this, I''m just gonna die in this musty cave?


    Before I completely lost conscious, I saw my body rise off the Grootslang.


    I remembered stories about how people could turn into spirits and rise to heaven, but why is my body coming with me?


    Am I reincarnating again?


    I wonder why it feels different this time?

 8 Nightmare

    "AGGGHH"


    My eyes opened wide, the pain throughout my body was so intense that I couldn''t help but scream as soon as I woke. I could see trees all around me. I''m moving backward.


    "AGGGHH"


    The pain came in another wave. I couldn''t help but squeeze my eyes closed, sweat was pouring down my face and back from the sheer amount of agony I was in. In that brief moment of consciousness, I realized something or someone was carrying me. The jostling from their movements causing the waves of pain. I embraced the respite as I once again blacked out.


    I awoke confused, my mind in a fog and my surroundings hazy. Suddenly a young Brad came up and embraced me.


    "Brother what are you standing there for? Let''s go and play."


    "What? Brad?"


    "Come on big brother I want to play in the sandbox."


    "Ok. Ok. I''m coming."


    I let him lead me by the hand into the sandbox.


    "Brother help me build a sand castle."


    "Ok. First, grab that pail. Now fill it with sand. You pat it down like this. See you can use your shovel to make little windows or a door."


    I instructed Brad on how to make a sand castle.


    I looked off into the distance. I can''t remember the last time we simply enjoyed a day together. Wait, something''s not right. I''m missing something.


    "Brother I want to build a moat around the castle"


    I turned towards him, "Ok. You have to....."


    When I turned towards Brad his shovel had become a dark dagger and he was stabbing it into the sand like he was trying to dig a moat, but instead of sand, a dark red liquid was bursting out all over him. With every stab the blood spread to more of his body until he was completely covered.


    I looked at where he was stabbing. It began to twist and morph, coalescing into a human shape.


    It was..... me.


    "This is your fault you know."


    Distracted by the image of my own body covered in bloody stab wounds, my eyes jerked back to Brad when he spoke.


    One corner of his mouth arched up into a smirk. It appeared especially eerie as the blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.


    "What... What are you talking about?" I couldn''t help stuttering as I stepped backwards.


    "Ughhhh, isn''t it obvious?" He replied while rolling his eyes. Blood began to drip from everywhere as he stood and moved towards me. Blood seemed to flow towards the dagger in his hand as if the blade was sucking it in. Soon all the blood was coalesced on the dagger like a slim layer coating it.


    He began twirling the dagger with his fingers. The blood rolling off the edge creating streaks of blood in the air before it splattered on the ground around him. However, blood still coated the blade. He looked at me with eyes cold as ice.


    "Everything."


    I couldn''t understand what was going on. I took a another step backwards.


    "What do you mean?"


    He leaned forward.


    "You know exactly what I mean."


    He leaped and made a lateral slash towards me. I stepped back to dodge. The blood coming off the dagger splashed on my face and chest.


    "It''s your fault mom and dad left!"


    He jumped toward me making another slash.


    I dodged then shouted, "That wasn''t my fault!"


    "It''s your fault I was lost in Agartha!"


    He jumped, slashing at me again.


    I sidestepped, "I looked for you every day!"


    "You didn''t try hard enough!" He shouted as he leaped into the air plunging the dagger towards me.


    I twisted out of the way and shoved him, "I did everything I could!"


    Brad stumbled away from the shove. After staring at the ground he looked up, a maddening scornful rage overwhelming his features.


    "I had to kill you! Something as weak as you doesn''t deserve to live! It''s your own fault! You couldn''t protect me! It''s all your fault! Pay for it! Just let me kill YOU!!!"


    I couldn''t bear it anymore, it was my fault.


    I am too weak.


    I couldn''t even protect my little brother.


    I stood still. Brad ran toward me, dagger raised overhead, a sadistic murderous smile spread across his face. With every step closer he grew until he looked just like the Brad who killed me that day.


    "It''s ok little bro. If this is what it takes." I softly whispered.


    Suddenly a gentle light obscured my vision. Brad dispersed like fog blown away by the wind. My eyelids weakly opening. Above me an arched ceiling, brown with a wooden texture, sprouts of branches intermingled with tiny green buds. I could hear running water in the distance. There was no more pain and it felt like I was laying on clouds. I took a deep breath, it smelt like spring after wisterias bloom.


    "Welcome, back to, the living. We weren''t sure, you would be, joining us again." A gravelly voice said very slowly beside me.


    I turned to look at the source of the voice. It was sitting in a stone chair to my right. It''s torso comprised of gnarly knotted vines twisting upwards. The vines bundled up at it''s shoulders then twisted down, falling and thinning like a willow to form it''s arms. It''s face looked like the branches of a Socotra dragon tree, that had been shaped to look human. He had deep green emerald eyes with what seemed to be cape lilac leaves with browning edges for eyebrows and hair. His legs like the trunk of an oak sturdy and solid, with roots spreading at the base.


    It was an elderly G''eth.


    I blankly stared at him for a moment trying to understand what was going on. Just a moment ago I was prepared to let my brother kill me and now a G''eth was talking to me. I needed a moment to comprehend what was happening.


    Then it all rushed back. The desperate fight with the Grootslang, the feeling of being carried. I realized what happened with my brother was obviously not real. It was nothing more than a horrible nightmare. I became aware of my body which should be crippled at very best.


    All of the pain was gone. I flexed my left arm afraid to look at it.


    I could feel everything down to my fingers. The muscles tightened and relaxed.


    I quickly sat up and looked at myself. I was in what appeared to be a toga, the fabric coming over my right side before wrapping around my waist and going down. My left arm and side were exposed. I looked them over, not even a scar.


    How?


    This G''eth must have played some role in saving my life. Even in the past timeline, I had never heard of the G''eth possessing such amazing healing abilities. As a matter of fact, no race should have been capable of healing someone to this extent.


    "You are, completely fine, I assure you," said the elderly G''eth.


    I quickly stood up from, what appeared to be, a giant pile of moss and bowed towards the G''eth.


    "Thank you, sir, for the immense kindness you have shown me."


    "Hahaha, I did not expect, someone of, your kind, to react, as such." He slowly said with a deep and jovial voice.


    "The majority, of your kind, act with wariness, if not hostility, towards my people. From what I, understand, that gesture, is a show, of respect, in your society."


    It was no surprise he knew this. The native races of Agartha were aware of humans long before the migration occurred. Just as we studied them, they studied us.


    I straightened locking eyes with him.


    "Yes sir, and I apologize for my fellow humans while some of us may act thoughtlessly, not all do."


    "Indeed, your actions, prove as much," he said as he raised his large frame out of the chair. He was at least a meter taller than me.


    "However, our treatment, of you, was not due, to the, whimsical nature, of which, your kind, claims us to be. Rather, it is because, of your actions."


    Confused I responded, "Sir, I apologize for my lack of understanding. What exactly have I done to merit such treatment?"


    A slow deep chuckle emanated from him.


    Then he said, "Were you not, the one, who slew, the Grootslang?"


    I nodded.


    "That creature, has been, terrorizing, my people, for centuries. We simply, had no way, of getting past, its defense, and were helpless, in front of, it''s strength."


    That made sense, I''m sure this G''eth''s strength far outstrips mine. However, without knowing the critical point a G''eth would have a hard time killing it. This is mainly due to the nature of their attacks versus the strengths of the Grootslang.


    "However, yesterday, one of, my warriors, was patrolling, the area, around the, Grootslang den.


    He heard, the Grootslang, hissing, and thrashing about. To his, great surprise, when he looked, inside, he saw, a barely alive, human, leap at, it''s head, slaying it, with one strike."


    The elderly G''eth looked me over then continued, "He brought you, back to, our village, to me, begging me, to save, your life. At first, I did not, believe him, and, it would, be costly, to save your life. However, upon hearing, his story, and after, twenty, warriors, hauled the, Grootslang''s, corpse back, I had no, choice, but to acknowledge, the service, you rendered, to my people."


    He took long moment as if talking this much was painful.


    "This was, no small debt, you have saved, many lives. I would, like to know, how you, could achieve, this feat? I sense no, great strength, from you."


    "Sir, during a fight with the offspring I noticed there was a scale, facing opposite the others, which was significantly softer located two inches below the head. After being mauled by the Grootslang, I made a last ditch effort to hit that scale and luckily managed to pierce through, killing it."


    Obviously, I could not tell him the truth, that I had the known this because of a past life.


    "This knowledge, is truly, valuable. It will be, of great assistance, to our warriors, in other, territories, that are, under threat, from a, Grootslang. You must, have a, keen mind, to notice, such small details."


    "Thank you for your kind words, I was merrily doing my best to survive."


    "Nevertheless, it took, great courage, and determination. Please stay, in our village. Valerian, will guide you, to a room. He is also, the warrior, who found you." He then raised his arm gesturing behind me.

 9 Geodenisis Arboreth

    I turned around looking at where the elderly G''eth was pointing. As I turned I noticed the surrounding area. It was a large open courtyard. The moss I had been sleeping on was located under an overhang made of live branches from a nearby tree. The center of the courtyard had a natural spring running through it and the surrounding fauna was remarkable. I had worked at a garden center on earth so I could notice the care that was put into this courtyard. Then again the G''eth can manipulate plants so maybe it is natural for them. I had seen G''eth villages in my past life but never a courtyard this stunning.


    Valerian, the warrior the elderly G''eth mentioned, was standing by a large arched door at the end of the courtyard. He was clearly a much younger G''eth similar to me in height. The vines comprising his torso and arms much denser and smooth than the elderly G''eth. The green of the leaves in his hair vibrant as if freshly grown, his emerald eyes were a light green color.


    The G''eth have no need for clothes or weapons as their ability to manipulate the surrounding plants and their own body give them great dexterity in combat. G''eth are best known for their spear techniques and ability to control an enemies movements.


    They use their arm to form the shape of a spear and manipulate the vines to make it more dense at the head, increasing its penetrative ability. Some gifted G''eth can even form multiple spears, lashing out at the same time to corner enemies. They can also manipulate the surrounding plants to bind up enemies slowing them down or completely stopping their movements.


    That''s one of the reasons they struggle against the Grootslang. It''s hard slick scales and long body make it hard to bind with high defense. It''s fangs can also easily break through even G''eth manipulated plants, which are sturdier than normal ones. It''s somewhat of a natural enemy of the G''eth.


    I looked at Valerian and bowed.


    "Thank you for saving my life! I will forever remain in your debt."


    Valerian laughed loudly, "Debt? What debt? I was merely doing what I should for a fellow warrior."


    He seemed energetic and cheerful.


    Then a despondent mood fell over him, "Plus, the Grootslang killed someone important to me. You have avenged him."


    The somber mood passed and his energy returned.


    "Therefore, if there is any debt owed it is I who owe you."


    I straightened up, "Surely saving a life is worth more than avenging one. "


    "Hmmm."


    He seemed to think long and hard.


    "In that case, take me as your brother and you can consider your debt paid."


    I was shocked, "This is all you want?"


    "Yes and now that I am your brother you must take me with you to see the world," he replied shamelessly.


    I didn''t have gaining a G''eth ally in my plans, but I don''t think it will cause any problems.


    Valerian looked at the elderly G''eth and said, "I''m assuming you won''t have a problem with this Grand Elder Corytheius."


    Grand Elder? He is a Grand Elder? I was floored. I never heard of any human even meeting a Grand Elder in my past life. Grand Elders ruled the forest and G''eth villages for the surrounding 50,000 kilometers. There were only five in all of Agartha and they were rumored to be immortal.


    Corytheius looked at Valerian and said, "If this, warrior, takes you, as a brother, I see, no reason, to deny you. I knew, from the time, you were, a sprout, you could not, stay rooted, here."


    Valerian kneeled, "Thank you, father."


    Corytheius turned to me, "Warrior, what is, your name?"


    "Troy Williams," I responded quickly.


    I was more than a little nervous now that I knew he was a Grand Elder. It was rumored they could decimate armies and control entire forest. However, either those rumors were untrue or Corytheius was weakened at the moment. Otherwise, the Grootslang would have been killed long ago.


    "Troy Williams, do you, accept the, brotherhood of, Valerian Nightshade, and promise, to remain, an ally, with the, G''eth people."


    "Yes sir."


    Corytheius extended a vine-like hand towards my left shoulder. As it neared the vine began to subtly glow. When it touched a weird itching sensation came over my shoulder. When I looked, a green tattoo in the shape of a tree with its roots extending down rose under my skin like a brand. However, while it was startling, it wasn''t painful at all.


    "This is, the mark, of the Arboreth, symbolizing you, as a friend, of the G''eth."


    Valerian walked up and threw his arm over my shoulder.


    "Haha, now we are brothers."


    I couldn''t help but think he is gonna be a lot to handle. That''s alright though, I feel like I can trust him. After all, he did save my life.


    I looked at Corytheius, he seemed to have a mix of relief and worry on his face. There was one question pressing on my mind that I simply couldn''t help but ask.


    "Grand Elder, if I may, can I ask you something?"


    "You may," he responded.


    "How did you heal me? I have never heard of such incredible healing abilities in all of Agartha."


    "This...," he was clearly struggling with the answer.


    "Since you, are an ally, of the G''eth, you could, have some, right to know, the answer. However, it is, an important, secret of, my people. I cannot, tell you, for free."


    He paused, then said, "If you, agree to, hand over, the corpse, of the, Grootslang, I can, tell you. Do not, worry, we will, still prepare, some gifts, for you."


    This is not an easy decision. I know just how much the Grootslang is worth because of my past life. In the last timeline, a human mercenary group rose to incredible heights after killing the Grootslang. Not only were they able to make over 50 sets of high-quality armor, they sold the remaining parts for the absurdly high price of 100,000 gold. Considering the fact that an average farming family could live on five gold a year, this is an enormous sum.


    However, sometimes knowledge is invaluable, as I well know after fighting the Grootslang. Either way I could not have gotten the profit from the Grootslang on my own anyways. I could have easily been killed by others for it.


    "Grand Elder, I am willing to turn over the corpse to your village."


    "Fantastic!" He heartily bellowed.


    "To understand, the source, of what, healed you, you must first, know how, we G''eth, came to be."


    Corytheius sat back down in his chair, the roots at his feet extended till they reached the spring in the center of the courtyard.


    "Valerian, you know, the story, tell Troy."


    Valerian nodded his head and began, "When this world formed it was nothing but a large desolate mass with no life. One day an object descended from above. Within that object a single seed. The seed took root at the center of the world and grew into the Geodenisis Arboreth. It''s also known as, the world tree. It gave life to the planet and is the mother of all G''eth. Every G''eth is born from it."


    Corytheius cut in, "I picked, Valerian''s bud, myself, and nurtured him, in this courtyard, before he, became the warrior, he is today."


    He paused looking softly at Valerian.


    "When I saw, what you had, done for, my village, I used some, of the sap, of the, Geodenisis Arboreth, we have stored, in our treasury. The vitality, it contains, cannot be measured, and it is, capable of, restoring all life, that has, even one, breath left. This secret, cannot be, know to the, outside world. They would, surely destroy, Geodenisis Arboreth, in their greed. This would, destroy not only, the G''eth, but all, of Agartha."


    Nodding, I understood the gravity of the secret that he revealed to me.


    "I sense, greatness in you, please do not, disappoint me." He slowly said as he closed his eyes.


    "I will not reveal your secret even in the face of death."


    Valerian headed to the exit.


    "Let''s go, he needs to rest. It''s been a long time since he spoke this much."


    I ran to catch up with Valerian who was almost through the arched exit. Before leaving, I looked back at Grand Elder Corytheius. I meant everything I said. I thought it was over for me, again.


    Corytheius brought me back at a great cost and was even willing to share many secrets. There''s no way he didn''t know I wouldn''t be able to sell the Grootslang on my own. I wasn''t the type to return kindness with enmity. Right now I''m too weak, but one day I will repay this debt to him.


    Finally I caught up to Valerian, "How about showing me around the village?"


    "Not a problem brother!" Valerian grinned.

 10 Origin Stone

    "Hey Valerian."


    "Yes brother?" He responded with a smile as we walked away from the courtyard.


    "Does this village have an origin stone?"


    He turned to me, "It does. I had heard that humans had found a way to access the Archaic System. I didn''t really believe it though.... I''m assuming you want to go and advance after killing the Grootslang?"


    "If it wouldn''t be too much of an inconvenience. I need to get stronger before our journey, there are those I still need to protect and find." I said solemnly.


    "Not a problem. How is it that humans are able to access the Archaic System? From what I understand you all are from a place very different from here." He said as he led me through the village.


    I saw no harm in telling him, "Our government developed a technology called ALIC that allows us to absorb the essence of things we kill and connect with the origin stone to access the Archaic System. I''m not sure exactly how it works, we were never given those details."


    "Ahh, it seems we have underestimated humans, while you lack raw power, you have great intelligence." He sighed.


    "That is true. Back on earth humans ruled the entire planet due to our intelligence. However, that is also how we destroyed it."


    Valerian turned to me in shock, "Your planet is destroyed?"


    It seems I may have said something I shouldn''t have. In my timeline, all the natives eventually found out about human history and knew we ruined our previous planet.


    "Well not destroyed exactly, it''s more like we used up all the resources the planet could provide. On earth, we don''t have something like the Geodenisis Arboreth which provides vitality and resources to the planet."


    He noticeably calmed down, "Oh ok. That makes sense. I was afraid your race had destroyed its world tree."


    "No nothing like that. Our worlds operate in different ways. Our world works off concrete rules of physics and science. Yours seems to function based on some kind of transmutable essence. It is something beyond our understanding."


    "I see.... Well here is our origin stone."


    I had been so engrossed in our conversation that I didn''t realize we had arrived at the location our destination. In front of me was a structure comprised of large white stone blocks that had been fit together. There were four entrance through large arches with the origin stone located in the middle. Stairs leading up to each entrance with steps that were slightly larger than the steps I was used to. Clearly, it was tailored for the G''eth who can grow significantly larger than humans.


    Not all origin stones are located in structures like this one. Some are even in the middle of the wilderness with grasses and moss covering them, making them look like normal rocks. However, all origin stones have three things in common. A blue crystal that is embedded on the top, the fact that they are completely indestructible and that they cannot be moved. Someone from my past life tried digging underneath one but realized that the stone extends down into the earth. No matter how far he dug he never got to the end of it.


    "Thanks for guiding me here Valerian."


    "No problem brother."


    I went up to the origin stone, climbing the large steps of the structure. Memories flooded my mind from my past life. So many times I stood in front of these stones to get more powerful. So many times I trained arduously just to get that little bit stronger. So many times I sacrificed my blood, sweat, and tears just to cling to the hope that I could rise above those who pushed me down.


    I took a deep breath. This time would be different. This time I will be unstoppable and those who looked down on me before will have no choice but to tremble beneath me.


    I placed my hand on the blue crystal.


    Name: Troy Williams


    Level: 1 (0/100)


    Essence: 22008


    Stat Points: 0


    STATS


    Strength: 7


    Constitution: 9


    Willpower: 7


    Dexterity: 8


    SKILLS


    Snake King Aura: (Inactivate) (0/20000)


    You have defeated an apex existence of the Grootslang species and absorbed its essence. You can now use essence to develop its unique ability. This ability allows you to have dominion over all lesser snake species and can induce a fear effect in an enemy. The effect is stronger the more your willpower exceeds your target. A significant difference can induce paralysis.


    I stared at the notification appearing in front of me. I blinked a few time to make sure that I wasn''t dreaming. It is real!


    "Hell Yes!"


    I couldn''t help shouting out!


    First time upgrading and I gained the chance to earn an amazing new ability! Snake King Aura looked extremely useful and I could already imagine many different scenarios where it could be used. Since the ability was a mental ability it shouldn''t affect my appearance.


    Another surprise is my starting stats which are significantly higher than in my previous life. In my last life, my highest stat was willpower at 7, but the rest were all at 5, which I could only assume was because of my weak physique and lack of involvement with sports.


    What caused the change? I thought back to what has happened.


    It had to be the treatment of the Geodenisis Arboreth sap, that is the only thing that could have impacted the fitness of my body. Such amazing stuff, no wonder the G''eth would want to keep it secret.


    Now I was faced with a decision. Use all my essence to level up, or use the essence to unlock Snake King Aura and use the rest to level up. The increase in fitness from leveling up would be immense, however, Snake King Aura would significantly increase my combat abilities. Not to mention I would have to save 20000 in the future to get it. Whereas I can still level up quickly using what''s left and my knowledge of Agartha.


    I put 20000 essence into Snake King Aura. The notification changed.


    Snake King Aura: (Active)


    This ability allows you to have dominion over all lesser snake species and can briefly induce a fear effect in an enemy if their willpower is lower than yours, even paralyzing them for a moment if it''s significantly lower. To use this ability focus your mind on domineering thoughts and direct them at your enemy.


    First I checked my face then body to see if any changes had occurred and fortunately nothing had changed in my appearance. Then I tried using my ability. Unfortunately, without a target it mind it seemed to not do anything, although I couldn''t be sure. Unlike a video game where you can instantly use an ability, when you gain skills from the Archaic System you have to learn how to control it and use it properly on your own. It could be that I''m just not using it right.


    Lastly, I still had 2008 essence left and can use it to level up. I started pouring the essence into my level.


    Level 1: (100/100)


    Level 2: (200/200)


    Level 3: (450/450)


    Level 4: (750/750)


    Level 5: (0/1100)


    At the end, I was level 5. I gained 8 stat points and had 508 essence left over. The reason I didn''t put all the leftover essence into level 6 is because of a piece of advice an old man in a tavern gave me in the last life. He said, "Never dump essence into your level unless you can level up. You never know if the next time you come to an origin stone you have a chance at a new skill and sometimes skills are more important than a level up." So it became a habit to hold on to the leftover essence.


    Now it''s time to distribute the stat points. I decided to distribute the most into willpower and then dexterity. This is because Snake King''s Aura can cause an enemy to pause in fear and in that moment if I deliver a quick blow I can kill them immediately. For the moment willpower and dexterity are my most important stat. However, strength and constitution cannot be overlooked. Constitution was greatly boosted by the Geodenisis Arboreth sap so I didn''t think it needed increasing however, strength could use another point.


    Name: Troy Williams


    Level: 5 (0/1100)


    Essence: 408


    Stat Points: 0


    STATS


    Strength: 7 + 1


    Constitution: 9


    Willpower: 7 + 5


    Dexterity : 8 + 2


    SKILLS


    Snake King Aura: (Active)


    A cool feeling shot through my hand and into my body. I could feel my muscles tightening then expanding. My mind felt refreshed and my joints loosen up. You never get tired of that feeling, the feeling of getting more powerful. It''s intoxicating.

 11 Gseth Village

    I took a deep breath. It was a crazy feeling like your entire body was remade into the body you always wanted to have. Before, on earth, it took people years to get to the fitness level they could after just a couple level ups on Agartha. It is truly a euphoric feeling.


    In my past life, there were many people who would chase after level ups like madmen. They craved the high of leveling up, almost as if the actual increase in fitness was secondary. While I wasn''t one of those people I could certainly understand why they would do it.


    After adjusting my body for a moment I turned towards Valerian, "Could I take a look at the market next?"


    "Haha, sure thing brother!" He began to walk around the side of the origin stone.


    I caught up with him to walk side by side. He always walked so briskly straight toward his destination. After thinking for a moment I asked, "What makes you want to leave the G''eth village so bad?"


    "Well...." he said while his leafy eyebrows scrunched up.


    "I have a complicated history."


    I was intrigued.


    "How so?"


    "Well, my bud that Grand Elder Corytheius picked from the Geodenisis Arboreth was partially the product of an attack made on it 700 years ago."


    "What? How did that happen?"


    "It''s complicated and will take a long time to tell. Why don''t we wait for another time?" He responded in a despondent manner unlike his normal boisterous attitude.


    "Ok. Not a problem." I could tell the subject bothered him and I didn''t want to press any further.


    However, not wanting to walk in silence I asked another question, "Who was the important person that the Grootslang killed?"


    He became gloomy, I began to worry I had asked too much.


    Then he loudly sighed, "Growing up in this village I didn''t have many friends. Other than Grand Elder, I rarely saw anyone. However, one day a young G''eth who was about my age wondered into the Grand Elder''s courtyard where I stayed. We instantly became friends and played for hours. When Corytheius returned and saw us he got mad and told him to leave. However, after we begged and pleaded he allowed us to continue to hang out occasionally."


    Valerian seemed to stare into the distance as he spoke.


    "For years we played in the courtyard and grew really close. As we grew older, playing like children became conversations about life. I talked about the training Corytheius had me do and he talked about his job as a warrior in the patrol and about the village. He was my only connection to the outside world. One day I was waiting for my him by the entrance but he was very late which was rare, but occasionally happened. I was about to head inside when I heard one of the warriors screaming about a strong monster that invaded our territory. I began to get nervous."


    I could see the vines forming his arms twisting tighter and tighter. Suddenly a couple dark vines rose up from Valerian''s feet. They were purple and looked different than normal G''eth vines. Valerian seemed to finally notice them and they quickly went away.


    "Long story short, that night was when the Grootslang moved into our territory. It killed my friend even after I tried to save him."


    Valerian quickly finished the story. We walked in silence for a short while, but his normal exuberance soon returned and Valerian began to happily tell me about the village.


    We made our way over to the market. It was so lively there, the G''eth were selling a lot of the products they cultivate from the forest. The number of fruits, vegetables, and nuts available was simply astonishing. Suddenly I realized I hadn''t had anything to eat in a while. I was starving.


    I looked down at my toga. I didn''t have my knapsack or kodachi with me and even if I did I wouldn''t have any money. I looked over to Valerian.


    He looked back at me and chuckled,a vine at his waist unwound revealing a pouch. He pulled out a couple silver coins.


    "Tonight will be on me."


    "Thank you!" I couldn''t wait to dig into the succulent fruits at the different stalls.


    We spent the next couple hours roaming the streets frequently stopping at the different stalls sampling the delicacies. I didn''t have this kind of money to spare in my past life. Almost every spare cent was spent either trying to survive or on finding my brother. I was one of the poorest and weakest in human society.


    I refuse to be brought that low again. I refuse to be trampled on and used by others. This time I will rise above them all. Fierce determination bubbled up within me.


    "You ok." Valerian said beside me.


    "Yeah I''m fine just remembered something unpleasant."


    "Oh. You ready to head to your room? It''ll be dark soon."


    "Yeah, it''ll be nice to get a rest."


    We headed out from the market into a residential area, the two moons shining as the sun began to fall. We came to an area with enormous trees rising high into the sky, holes had been hollowed out at every ten meters. A large vine started at the base and wound around it like a spiral staircase.


    After passing about a dozen of these trees Valerian led me up to one.


    "Go to the room at the top, your knapsack, clothes, and weapon have already been delivered there."


    "Thanks, Valerian for showing me around today and for saving my life."


    "Don''t mention it, brother. I''m sure I''ll save you again in the future hahaha." He laughed uproariously.


    "I''m sure you will."


    I genuinely believed he would.


    I turned and started walking up the vine. The climb up the tree seemed to take forever, this tree was just so large. Finally, I got to the top. I looked out over the forest. In the moonlight it was so tranquil, a gentle breeze blowing, it almost made you want to stay here forever. However, I couldn''t, I knew this peace was temporary and I had to get stronger fast.


    I walked into the room, in the corner there was something that looked like a weaved basket filled with feathers. The G''eth don''t need beds so I''m happy they remembered to provide me one. Over to the side laid a large round tree stump with my knapsack, clothes, kodachi, and a lit candlestick on it. I was tired and ready to go to bed. I grabbed the kodachi, blew out the candlestick, and jumped on top of the feathers, drifting off to sleep in just a few minutes.


    "Troy!"


    "Ughh" I grunted as I rose up. A feather stuck in my mouth.


    "Pphhh pphhh pphhh" I spit it out.


    "Troy get ready to go!" Valerian shouted


    "Huh, whats going on?"


    "After you killed the Grootslang some of its offspring began to wander out of the cave. Even a few villagers have been hurt by them. Grand Elder Corytheius issued a hunting request offering 5 silver for each young Groostlang offspring and 10 per adult. I thought we could figure out each other''s combat style and work on our teamwork while earning some spending money for the road. Also, Grand Elder said it will take about five days to prepare your gifts from the Grootslang so we have the time."


    "Ok just give me a minute." Why does he have to wake me so early? I know G''eth don''t need sleep but I sure do. Regardless he is right and I haven''t had the chance to try out my new ability or test my fitness yet.


    I put on my old clothes, there was still a tear in the shoulder and thigh, but I didn''t have any better options right now. I strapped the kodachi to my right side and my knapsack to my left. Finally ready, I walked out of the room to see Valerian leaning against the tree outside my door with his arms crossed.


    "Ready to go?"


    "You know it!"


    We walked down the vines and headed out of the village.

 12 The Grind

    Valerian led us through the village and back towards the Grootslang den. As we walked, we got to know each other better. We talked about funny moments from our past, our friends and family, things we have done, all kinds of things.


    From the conversation, I was able to understand a lot about Valerian. After he gained control of his abilities Corytheius let him live in the village. He is an energetic guy who enjoys making friends and isn''t afraid to be at the center of attention. More importantly I can tell he is the loyal type, the kind who will standby someone no matter what. Eventually, we made it to the Grootslang den. Valerian had us stop about 100 meters away.


    He whispered to me, "We have to be careful, according to reports there can be as many as 20 Grootslang offspring around the cave at any time. We will have to draw them over here in twos or threes to kill them. It''ll be an arduous process but we will be able to kill quite a few this way."


    I looked at his nervous face. Part of me wanted to laugh and explain my new ability to him, but the other part of me decided it would be more fun to see his reaction.


    Before Valerian could say anything else I dashed towards the cave.


    I could hear him shouting behind me, "It''s too dangerous! Troy! Stop!"


    For a second I thought he would try to slow me with his vines, but for some reason, he didn''t. He just chased after me. However, with a 10 dexterity, I was just fast enough to stay ahead of him. I quickly arrived in front of the cave. Valerian continued shouting for me to come back and turn around.


    When I got within 20 feet of the cave numerous Grootslang offspring swarmed towards me. There had to be at least 30 of them.


    I couldn''t help thinking, maybe I should have practiced this before I tried to use it against so many at once. For a moment I slowed down and fear began to creep into my mind. I quickly calmed my mind, I needed to have domineering thoughts and direct them towards my enemy.


    I began to think of all the events in my past life, how many times I was forced to bend my knee for someone else. How many times my hard earned rewards were taken for someone else''s gain. I thought about how much I would make those people suffer. How I would rise to the peak of the human race, looking down on them.


    My back straightened as I glared at the Grootslang offspring. The air around me seemed to stagnate. The offspring immediately froze, they slowly bent their heads down.


    Valerian caught up to me grabbing my shoulder like he wanted to pull out of danger. He was about to start dragging me backwards but suddenly stopped."


    Troy. What... What is going on?"


    I turned around, his face a mix of confusion and fear.


    "Don''t worry they are under my control."


    His jaw dropped, I couldn''t help but bust out laughing. It just looked hilarious with his leafy eyebrows arched up and his wooden mouth hanging open. It looked like the perfect place for a bird''s nest. I almost fell to the ground in laughter.


    I explained the effects of the Snake King Aura and how ALIC can allow humans to gain certain abilities from enemies we kill. A huge grin grew on his face.


    "This brother of mine is so amazing!" He slapped my back.


    This fool. I could see the dollar signs spinning in his eyes as he turned and walked towards the offspring. They were still bowing their heads towards me and even when Valerian got close they didn''t make a move.


    When he came up to one he stopped and asked, "Where was that? What did you call it? Reverse Scale? Where is it?"


    "Two inches below the head." I stabbed my kodachi right into the reverse scale of the nearest offspring.


    Essence Gained +5


    Valerian formed a spear where his arm was and pierced through the reverse scale of the offspring he stopped at. Even after they died, the rest of the offspring didn''t make any movements. I couldn''t help but think about video games in my past life and how people would spend hours, even days, grinding for levels. If people could grind this easy they''d be masters in any game. It was like a bug or a cheat. I could walk up and kill them in an instant with no risk.


    Valerian and I continued to kill the remaining offspring here, after which we entered the cave to kill more. This cavern was the one the Grootslang used to rule over and was incredibly large. Valerian explained that the cavern was spread out underneath a nearby lake called Lake Lyenas. That coincides with what I knew from my past life since I exited close to Lake Lyenas then as well.


    We spent the remainder of the day killing Grootslang offspring. Luckily, you only needed to bring back the fangs as proof of the kill or else we would have had to stop much sooner. Valerian had said another team would oversee collecting the remains after areas were deemed safe. They still had use for the scales and bones.


    Even though we didn''t have to haul back corpses, Valerian had to make sled out of vines just to haul all the fangs we gathered.


    When we got back to the entrance of the cave I looked through my notification log. I had always been good at math and added it together quickly. In total, I gained 823 essence after killing 205 Grootslang offspring. Some of them were young offspring and some were adult. Overall it was a great haul. Valerian could barely stay still he was so excited.


    "We are rich!" He shouted out.


    I smiled as I said, "Let''s head back to the village for now. We can come back tomorrow, the sun will be setting soon."


    We took turns hauling the fangs back to the village. As we walked through the streets people started to stare at us. It was somewhat unusual for a human to be in the G''eth village. Most had heard of humans before, but hadn''t seen one. What they really stared at was the sled full of fangs from the offspring we killed. I could see there emerald eyes move with it.


    G''eth eyes have a strange property to them. They look just like bright circular emeralds if you don''t look close. However, while they look like an emerald they actually have a liquid center that emits a subtle light. That light actually moves based on where they are looking.


    As we walked through the center of town I began to develop an uneasy feeling from all of the attention we were getting. The G''eth are certainly one of the more morally sound races, but no matter what race, riches can be an overwhelming temptation. We got closer to the elder compound and for a moment I thought my feeling was just me being overly cautious.


    Unfortunately, just as we were about to arrive at the place where the fangs are turned in, a large G''eth stepped out and said, "Well if it isn''t little Valerian."


    There is always one idiot.

 13 Cratagus

    The G''eth that stepped in front of us had an enormous frame and was at least half a meter taller than Valerian and me. The way the vines corded together to form his frame made him look like a bull that was standing on two legs. He even had large thorns protruding from his shoulders making him appear especially vicious. He was sneering at Valerian and appeared to ignore my existence completely.


    "Oh, if it isn''t my old buddy Cratagus. If you would kindly step out of our way we would like to collect the reward for our hunt today." Valerian said, as steppe forward dragging the sled full of fangs behind him.


    "Sure, no problem, but I think we need to inspect those fangs first," he chuckled.


    "You don''t mind do you?" Cratagus sneered as he reached towards the sled.


    Suddenly, a dark purple vine, similar to the one that appeared when he was talking about his friend, shot out from the ground and swatted Cratagus''s hand.


    "AHHH!"


    Cratagus yelped, as he quickly withdrew his hand and stepped backward. He fiercely glared at Valerian. I looked at where Valerian''s vine hit his hand, a purple blotch was slowly spreading. Poison? G''eth are known for their manipulation of plants but they generally avoid using poisonous ones. It''s very rare for a G''eth to have any poison related abilities, especially one so potent that it would show that fast.


    I looked at Valerian intriguingly. Why would he have an ability like that?


    Cratagus must have noticed my confused look because he turned to me shouting, "What? Didn''t little Valerian tell you? He is the shame of our people!"


    Valerian seemed to tense up when he heard that. His energetic features draining as a somber atmosphere fell around him.


    "He can''t be worse than a degenerate like you," I replied to Cratagus.


    "Hmph!" Cratagus snorted.


    Then he looked at my face again. I was just defending Valerian and was still curious about what he meant by ''shame of our people''. It must have shown on my face.


    "Wait, he didn''t tell you did he? Well I certainly wouldn''t want to hide anything from the Grootslang slayer." Cratagus responded sarcastically.


    He straightened up like a proud peacock and severed the part of his hand that was covered in purple. The Vines on his body extended and grew to reform it. Before he began speaking again the severed part dissolved into a purple liquid.


    "You see, about 700 years ago the Fey got wind of the Geodenisis Arboreth location and launched an attack on it. Although we repelled them a despicable Fey was able to shoot a final arrow before his death. This arrow was coated in an extremely toxic poison. If it wasn''t because of how much vitality it possessed and the combined efforts of the Grand Elders, the Geodenisis Arboreth would have perished. For centuries it was weakened producing less buds than normal, which greatly reduced the G''eth population. If it wasn''t for this our greatest enemy, the Fey, would not have grown to be as dominant as they are today." Cratagus said in anger.


    At first I was confused why he would reveal such a huge secret, but I noticed that twice he looked at my shoulder while talking. The Mark of the Arboreth on my shoulder was visible through the tears in my clothes. I couldn''t help feeling like this tattoo holds some kind of secret. Cratagus didn''t hesitate to reveal such a huge secret in front of me because of it.


    I focused back on the conversation, "What does that have to do with Valerian?"


    I remember Valerian mentioning that his was bud was related to the attack, but at the time he didn''t explain further. I also knew about the animosity between the Fey and G''eth. The Fey preferred either a rapier or a bow as their weapon and their favorite material to use for their bows was the dead body of a G''eth. It was natural that the G''eth hated them.


    "The Geodenisis Arboreth had just finished expelling the last of the poison 27 years ago. It just so happened that a bud absorbed a portion of it gaining the ability to turn any plant into a toxic, poisonous, abomination." Cratagus stared at Valerian as he pronounced the last three words slowly. Valerian was clearly upset as the mood around him seemed to sink into the abyss.


    Suddenly, a lot of things began to make a lot more sense for me. Why Corytheius seemed to treat Valerian so special. The look of worry and relief on Corytheius''s face when Valerian decided to travel with me. The subtle looks we would get walking through the street, which I had assumed were because I was human. It also explains why Valerian hadn''t stopped me with his vines before, he must have been afraid he would might poison me.


    It also explains all the strange aspects in the story about his friend. Why he was being trained in a courtyard alone. Why Corytheius got mad when he found someone else there. It was to protect Valerian, and the villagers, until Valerian could control his powers.


    Cratagus continued his raving, "Worst yet if the Fey ever killed him and got a hold of his body he could be turned into..."


    "SILENCE!!!!"


    A voice from the elder compound boomed, it''s echo drowned out all other noise.


    The earth trembled as massive vines shot out from the ground wrapping around Cratagus. Before he could react they completely encased him, wrapped so tight Cratagus couldn''t get a leaf out. His contorted face clearly displayed the pain he was feeling.


    From the courtyard Corytheius''s deep gravelly voice emerged, "Cratagus, you are aware, that I, forbid anyone, from speaking, of this, correct?"


    Cratagus timidly responded, "Yes Grand Elder, I just thought the human should know, what he is associating with."


    "You think, I am blind, Cratagus? You think, I haven''t, long known, your nature? You think, I can''t, see how, you abuse, your power? You think, I don''t notice, your greed? I have, allowed you, to exist, because of, the threat, the Grootslang, posed, and the, need for, strong warriors, to defend, the village. Now, I think, you are, no longer, necessary."


    Anger and frustration emanated form Corytheius''s every word. The vines around Cratagus began to squirm and pulsate. Quickly, the color drained from Cratagus''s face as he seemed to wither in an instant.


    When the vines released him he fell to his knees barely stopping himself from hitting the ground. He was half the size he was before, almost as if Corytheius had sucked the vitality right out of him. A red branding ran from his chest to his shoulders and extended down both arms.


    "I have, left you, your life, however, you are, no longer, welcome, among the G''eth. Leave, Immediately."


    Cratagus looked in the direction the voice was coming from with a face full of shock. Then he turned towards Valerian and me with a hateful glare as if we were the ones at fault. Without saying a word he made his way out of the village.


    After a long silence Corytheius said, "Abelia, count, their fangs, and give, them their, reward."


    The G''eth named Abelia quickly came over and started counting the fangs in pairs. You could tell she was a female G''eth due to the numerous flowers blooming across her body and in her hair. G''eth still separated into males and females even though they themselves don''t reproduce. Valerian explained it as a balance of nature.


    The crowd that had gathered began to disperse as everyone continued about their day.Valerian turned towards me, a look of shame and fear on his face.


    "I am sorry I did not explain before."


    "Explain what? I see no problem."


    "But.."


    "Regardless you are my brother now and you saved my life. Not to mention having the ability to form poisonous vines may be useful for us. It is not an abomination or a curse as Cratagus suggested, in fact it may save our lives in a dangerous moment."


    Valerian noticeably perked up and said, "Haha, you couldn''t be more right. I''m awesome!"


    "Ok, Ok, don''t overdo it"


    By now Abelia had finished counting our fangs, "104 adult offspring and 101 young offspring fang pairs. Allow me to go retrieve your coins."


    She returned after a short while, "Here are 15 gold coins and 45 silver coins. Thank you for killing so many for us."


    Abelia held out a small sack. 100 silver coins equaled 1 gold coin, so the total was 1545 silver coins before she converted what she could to gold coins.


    "Our pleasure." Valerian said as he quickly grabbed the coins.


    "Let''s go get something to eat, it''s been a long day," I said.


    "Sure," responded Valerian as he pulled out ten gold coins. "Here is your portion."


    "What? We can just split it in half."


    "No," Valerian insisted, "Your ability is the only reason we killed so many. If I am your brother then just take it."


    "Ugh, fine."


    He didn''t really leave me a choice. We ate dinner then headed back to our rooms. We agreed to meet at the village entrance the next day to continue hunting.

 14 Last Day

    Over the next four days Valerian and I continued hunting the Grootslang offspring in the cavern system under Lake Lyenas. Sometimes I would use my Snake King Aura to wipe out large groups, but other times I wouldn''t activate it so we could get a chance to experience each others combat style.


    Valerian was definitely the stab first and ask questions later type. It took a lot of patience and repeated instructions to drill some tactics into his head. He was also reluctant to use his deadliest weapon, his poison vines. It was as if hiding them was a reflex he had developed, only using them in moments of anger or desperation.


    One time a Grootslang offspring surprised him and used its fangs to rip open the vines in his leg causing him to fall down. Out of shame and anger he used four poison vines to pierce through it. Within about 30 seconds the offspring was reduced to nothing but scales, fangs, and a skeleton. All of the meat had been completely melted off.


    I wanted to give a name to his poison vine ability and we eventually agreed on referring to it as Nightshade, partly because it was his last name and partly because Nightshades on earth were a type of flower that could be highly toxic. We may not be very creative but I thought it was fitting.


    The more we hunted the less kills we would get. For one we had to travel further into the cave to find them, and the more we killed off the less were left. After all, the Grootslang wasn''t there to produce anymore and we didn''t find another Grootslang in the cavern. On the last day we only managed to kill 54 and at this point we didn''t even need the Snake King Aura to help us. Our teamwork was flawless and we could hit the offspring''s critical point in our sleep.


    Over the course of the four days we collected 521 pairs of fangs. 307 came from Adult Grootslang offsprings and 214 came from the young ones. We were able to earn 41 gold coins and 40 silver coins and I gained 2,177 essence. Together with the first days earnings we had a little over 50 gold, since we had spent some on food and necessities. I had exactly 3,408 essence saved up after including the last five days and the leftover amount from my last level up.


    Naturally my first stop after getting our rewards at the elders compound was the origin stone. As I placed my hand on the blue crystal my information popped up in my vision.


    Name: Troy Williams


    Level: 5 (0/1100)


    Essence: 3408


    Stat Points: 0


    STATS


    Strength: 8


    Constitution: 9


    Willpower: 12


    Dexterity : 10


    SKILLS


    Snake King Aura: (Active)


    I poured essence into the levels. I was a little disappointed that I didn''t gain a chance to learn another ability. I was hoping for something like Snake Eliminator or Butcher of Snakes, but nothing came up.


    Level: 5 (1100/1100)


    Level: 6 (1500/1500)


    Level: 7 (0/1900)


    After assigning the stats I looked over my information again.


    Name: Troy Williams


    Level: 7 (0/1900)


    Essence: 808


    Stat Points: 0


    STATS


    Strength: 8 + 1


    Constitution: 9


    Willpower: 12 + 2


    Dexterity : 10 + 1


    SKILLS


    Snake King Aura: (Active)


    Again a cooling sensation shot up my hand followed by a rush of intoxicating power coursing through my body. It is really such an amazing feeling and I love every second of it. I stretched my muscles adjusting to my new level of fitness quickly.


    Today is the day Corytheius said the gifts from the Grootslang would be prepared and when we went to the elder compound earlier we asked about it. However, his assistant Abelia let us know that the gifts needed a little longer than expected so they would be ready in the morning.


    Since the day was almost over Valerian and I decided to go eat some of the fruits and nuts from the stalls in the market and then head to our rooms to rest.


    The next morning I woke up early, Valerian and I agreed to meet in front of the elder compound before meeting with Corytheius to accept the gifts. We also planned on this being the last day we stayed in the G''eth village.


    Two days ago I purchased a map and found out that the human settlement I found after escaping the cave in the last timeline was about a day''s travel around Lake Lyenas to the North East. Luckily it wasn''t too far away and considering it took me a week to escape from the Grootslang Den in my past life, I''ll be getting there about the same time as I did before, however, this time I''ll be significantly more powerful.


    I gathered my things and put my clothes on, which by now had a couple more cuts from close calls with Grootslang offspring. I also strapped on my kodachi and knapsack. My kodachi had numerous nicks and was in a state of disrepair from killing so many offspring.


    After descending the tree I went through the village towards the elder compound. I was greeted by many G''eth along the way. Even a few of the younger G''eth approached, giving me pieces of fruit. It seems after killing the Grootslang and so many of it''s offspring I have became somewhat popular in this village.


    The weak always revered the strong and this is especially true in Agartha were danger is everywhere. The weak are either used as tools or killed, few in this world will view the weak as anything more than ants. I wish I could say humanity would overcome this and protect the weak, but I knew from personal experience that it wouldn''t happen. I had to become strong.


    I arrived in front of the elder compound, Valerian already waiting for me, a sack strapped around his shoulder.


    "You ready to go?" I said to him.


    "Naturally," he responded.


    We walked into the elder compound together. Grand Elder Corytheius was sitting in a stone chair. A few items laid out on a stone table next to him.


    "We have, prepared the, gifts from, the Grootslang, for you, young warrior," He slowly said in his normal gravelly voice.


    "You have my sincere gratitude," I responded bowing.


    He nodded a smile spreading on his face.


    He looked at Valerian, "And for, my son, I have, prepared a, parting gift."


    Valerian was beaming. I wondered if it was because the Grand Elder looked proud of him or if it was because he was getting a gift.


    Corytheius extended one of the vines on his arm to one of the items on the table and brought it in front of me.


    "First, an inner armor, made from, Grootslang scales, and bound together, using a, living plant, called, Dragon''s Twine. When the armor, is attacked, the Dragon''s Twine, will bring, the scales, towards the, point of attack, increasing defense, and reducing, the penetrating, force of the, attack."


    I held the armor in my hands, the scales light but dense, a red plant interwoven through the scales like fabric.


    I focused my eyes on the armor. Another function of ALIC was to identify equipment. Since the vast majority of items in Agartha are unknown the government developed this function to allow humans to identify the properties and effects of items. The reason this function was not mentioned in the briefing is because, overuse of this function can cause damage to the human brain if your willpower is not high enough. In about two years time, after most of humanity has used essence to become stronger, this will be common knowledge.


    As I focused my eyes on the armor it''s information appeared.


    Name: (Unknown)


    STATS


    Defense: 30


    EFFECTS


    Reduce piercing: 40%


    Self Repairing


    Overall these stats were pretty amazing. A defense stat of 30 means it can disperse a blow from a human with a strength of 30. That is already really high but the reduce piercing 40% stat is insane. Just because something has a defense of 30 doesn''t mean you are invincible as long as the opponent strength is under 30. When using a weapon the sharpness of a blade magnifies the strength, however, this will be greatly mitigated because of the reduce piercing effect.


    I figured I should come up with a name for it since it was unnamed. Hmm, how about Grootslang Armor? No too wordy. Living Scales? That sounds creepy. Oh I know Dragon Cuirass. Since it was made with Dragon Twine I thought it was appropriate. The instant I settled on the name it appeared in it''s information.


    Corytheius began to reach for the next item on the table.

 15 Departure

    Corytheius''s vine-like arm extended wrapping around a small bottle. It was just about the size of a baby''s fist. A golden translucent liquid was jostling about as Corytheuis lifted the bottle into the air.


    "A parting gift, for my son, Geodenisis Arboreth sap. Only use it, in a, desperate moment."


    Corytheius brought the bottle in front of Valerian. Valerian took the bottle, carefully storing it within the vines comprising his torso.


    Again Corytheuis reached out to the stone table. His vine-like arm wrapped around two objects bringing them in front of me.


    Corytheius looked at me, "We crafted, these two, curved daggers, from the fangs, of the Grootslang. They are, especially sharp, and perfectly balanced. I hope, they serve, you well."


    I grabbed the two daggers inspecting their exquisite craftsmanship. The handle was crafted out of a dark onyx-like metal. Their handles seemed to be covered in scales that somehow gave the daggers fantastic grip making it easy to hold and apply force with them. At the end of the handle, a snakehead formed, similar to the Grootslang but without the long fangs protruding from its mouth. The blade had the same ivory look as the Grootslangs fangs except it was polished to the point it gleamed in the sunlight. Its curved edges were beveled and looked sharp enough to slice through steel. I was so excited my hands trembled. I was just beginning to think that my kodachi needed to be replaced soon and receiving these daggers was like getting coal in winter. I quickly focused my eyes on the daggers.


    Name: (Unknown)


    STATS


    Sharpness: 75


    Hardness: 70


    EFFECTS


    Armor piercing: 20%


    I looked at these stats stunned. This was a top quality weapon. There were few weapons I had seen in all of my past life that surpassed this pair of daggers. I had a few fortuitous encounters and had seen some incredible things in my past life so they were not the best I had ever seen. However, that was years later. As of right now, I have only been in Agartha a week and I already had a huge boost to my stats and amazing equipment. I know I have to take advantage of this opportunity and I know exactly how because of the memories of the last timeline. However, I can''t take full advantage of my memories until I return to the human settlement.


    After taking a moment to appreciate the beauty of the daggers I began to think about what to name it. Considering the origin of the daggers, the look of the handle, and the way it curved I instantly thought of a name, Twisted Serpent. I need to make a sheathe for it, but other than that it was perfect.


    "Thank you Grand Elder Corytheius. I will always remember the kindness your people have shown me."


    I bowed towards him.


    A smile spread across his face, "Thank you, young warrior. Good luck."


    Valerian suddenly kneeled, "Thank you for this opportunity father, I will return with stories of glory and grandeur."


    Corytheius nodded his head in a way that only a father knows how. Somehow revealing how proud he is of his son with just a simple nod. Valerian stood and together we headed out of the elder compound. We still needed to gather many supplies before heading toward the human settlement, I had traveled in the wilderness many times in my past life and know you could never be too prepared. Even though it was just a day''s travel and in an area not known for being dangerous you can''t underestimate the wilderness in Agartha.


    After spending a couple of hours in the market gathering supplies we headed towards the gates of the village. As we were going through the gates I looked over at Valerian.


    "You gonna miss it"


    "Miss what?"


    "The village. You''ve lived here your entire life"


    He turned around looked at the village, then he looked back at me, "Nope."


    Facing the road he leaped out with no hesitation, his hands raised to the sky, "I''ve been waiting forever to get out of this place! Corytheius always treated me well, but I never really got along well with the rest of the G''eth. I''ve always been more interested in the outside world than in the old customs of the G''eth."


    I nodded towards this new brother of mine, "Well we will see a lot of this world, I have a best friend and a brother to find."


    Of course, I know how to find Mike, but I couldn''t tell Valerian that. I will get to meet him in time, that isn''t a big concern for me. My brother, on the other hand, is an enigma. Other than in ten years when he kills me, I have absolutely no clue where to find him. Even after years of searching, I found no clues about his whereabouts and have no idea why he would kill me.


    Suddenly, I remembered one detail I had forgotten about the moment he killed me. I had recognized the dagger I was stabbed with. It was an incredible item, the blade was a dark purple with a pitch black handle. My team had taken it off the corpse of a dead Fey in a ruin 8 years after I arrived in Agartha. We wanted to keep it but needed the funds, so we ended up selling it in an auction. I don''t know how it could possibly help me find my brother though. I put it to the back of my mind, there is nothing I can do to find him right now. Even if I did I might not have the power to help him.


    The best thing I can do is get strong, get strong and build up my influence. Become someone that people can''t ignore, can''t take advantage of, someone who stands above all others. Only then can I protect those I hold dear. Only then will I be satisfied.


    I looked down the road, the forest extending into the distance. A feeling in my soul rising, vibrating at a fever pitch. Goosebumps spread across my body, I knew deep in my soul that my journey was beginning, that from this moment forward I couldn''t back down, that I would either rise to the heavens or fall into the abyss of hell.I stepped forward.

 16 Black Lion Village

    Valerian and I began our trek toward the human settlement. It isn''t particularly large, about half the size of the G''eth Village. The settlement has a simple structure since the majority of humans haven''t been in Agartha very long. Also a lot of the technologies that humanity had on earth were either incompatible with Agartha, could not be replicated here, or could not be brought through the portals. For instance, electronics will be fried going through the portal and even if they made it safe to Agartha the magnetic field works differently here causing them to malfunction. On top of that humans could not find sufficient replacements for many of the raw materials used to create advanced technology on earth. This essentially sent humanity back to the era of cold weapons and rudimentary technology.


    This is why human settlements have simple structures reminiscent of buildings from centuries ago. This particular settlement is surrounded by a wooden fence with archer towers in the corner. There are only two entrances, one in the north and one in the south and it is located near Lake Lyenas in an open plain. The settlement is called Black Lion Village after the mercenary group that established it.


    Many different groups and factions began to vie for power when humanity moved to Agartha. It is a land of opportunity and many people view it as a chance to gain power and prestige. There were no shortage of average people becoming dazzling figures in my past life. The leader of the Black Lion mercenary group is one such person.


    His name is Alexander Morrow, he was a government officials son on earth. He was also a national level boxer, top athlete, and an influential society elite. This gave him both the physical skills to rise above others and the ability to lead others with charisma. He formed the Black Lion mercenary group shortly after arriving in Agartha and quickly established a settlement. It was clear he had high aspirations and the drive to achieve them.


    In my past I admired him as did many people in Black Lion Village. He seemed like a lofty lord valiantly defending the people of Black Lion Village. However, Alexander Morrow was much more devious than anyone realized. He secretly supports a bandit group that has a hideout in a nearby mountain in the forest. He uses the bandits to both appear as a hero to the people of Black Lion Village and take out anyone who may threaten his authority. It was not uncommon for powerful merchants who tried to establish themselves in the area to suddenly disappear one night. He wants to build an empire and he wants to be the single authority in it.


    He was also one of those humans who despised the native races of Agartha. He wouldn''t go so far as to kill them in the streets, but his prejudice was obvious and any native races in the village would be relegated to menial, sometimes demeaning jobs. His prejudice spread to the other humans in the village creating an oppressive atmosphere.


    Black Lion Village is not a place that holds many pleasant memories for me. However, it is a necessary step on our journey and most importantly I have to be there two weeks from now as an opportunity I cannot let pass will appear.


    For the most part our journey towards Black Lion Village has been a mundane one. There were a few wild beast that tried to attack however, between Valerian''s vines and my daggers they posed no threat to us. I had studied a few dagger techniques in my past life, but that was at a higher fitness than I''m currently at so I couldn''t use them. However, I could simplify some of the techniques allowing me to still perform at a high level compared to other humans. The wild beast were an excellent opportunity to sharpen these techniques and I even gained 43 essence.


    The road out of the village had long ago turned to wilderness however, we still had it relatively easy because Valerian could move the plants out of the way reducing the time spent going around them and the risk of tripping over them. He would always use his arms to make a grand gesture like he was parting a sea even though we both know he doesn''t need to.


    He would look over at me grinning or saying, "I know I know I''m the best."


    Sometimes he really gives me a headache.


    Nevertheless it was very convenient. After traveling for about half an hour we heard a rushing sound and the trampling of leaves and twigs from our front-right. Valerian who was in the middle of another one of his grand gestures stopped, his face hardened and he got into a battle stance his right arm forming into a spear. I pulled out my daggers and crouched down ready to take immediate action.


    We heard a roar and the sounds of something large moving through the brush got closer. Suddenly a large brown bear like creature bust through the brush and into the clearing Valerian had made. I quickly observed it while activating Snake King''s Aura to stop it''s movements. It was huge, about three meters long with massive hind legs and forearms. The brown fur on it''s body reflected like metal however there were gashes covering it''s body especially on it''s face. One of it''s eyes was even cut open blood still leaking out of it. This is a brown steel bear I realized, although it is in terrible shape.


    As I finished observing it the bear shook it''s head erasing the Snake King Aura''s fear effect. That was quick, it only had a moment to observe it yet it already broke free of Snake King Aura. So far this is the first creature I''ve encountered to break free that fast.


    The bear glared at me with it''s remaining eye and began to charge as it roared ferociously with immense hatred.


    Did I kill it''s cub? I suddenly thought. I had no idea why it would have such hatred for me and seem to ignore Valerian''s presence entirely.


    I used the shifting sands technique to dodge to the side and almost simultaneously Valerian said, "You really shouldn''t ignore me."


    Four large vines burst out of ground wrapping around the legs and forearms of the brown steel bear just as it turned to face me. I dashed in front of it stabbing one of the Twisted Serpents into it''s eye. At the same type I flipped onto it''s back, I noticed a gash through it''s fur below it''s head. I plunged my other dagger into the open wound severing it''s windpipe. It gurgled and collapsed on the ground.


    Essence gained +2300


    The large brown steel bear laid on the forest floor dead.


    I looked towards Valerian, "Nice timing."


    "Yeah yeah I know you couldn''t have killed it so easily without me," he laughed.


    Just as I jumped off the bears back and retrieved my daggers the sound of many things rushing through the brush came from the direction the bear had came from. We turned towards it getting back into our battles stances. Seven humans came through the brush, they were all wearing a brown leather armor with a yellow wolf painted on the front.

 17 Yellow Wolf Bandits

    The seven humans that stepped into the clearing stared at the brown steel bear then stared at Valerian and me. They glared at the the two of us, a look of hatred and frustration showing on their faces.


    I instantly knew, who they were and generally grasped the situation. These are the Yellow Wolf Bandits the bandit group that Alexander Morrow supports. They must have been sent specifically to hunt the brown steel bear because their equipment wasn''t what a normal hunting party would have. They had two men carrying shields and short swords, two with long broadswords, one with a large battleaxe, one with two straight daggers, and one with a short-bow. If they were a normal hunting party they would have more archers and less sword and shield-bearers. They were clearly put together with a large powerful target in mind. This combined with the wounds the bear had when it arrived painted a clear picture.


    They had just been chasing the bear and were all a little short of breath. After a moment the one with the large battleaxe stepped forward. He had a large muscular frame, his arms and chest almost bursting out of his leather armor. He had a rough stubble beard and short spiky black hair.


    "Did you kill the bear?" He said with an authoritative tone.


    He directed his question to me. He definitely isn''t the brightest guy is he, I couldn''t help thinking.


    "Yes, WE killed it," I gestured towards Valerian. I know he hates being ignored.


    The bandit looked at Valerian and scoffed, looking back towards me.


    "That was our prey, how will you compensate us?" He sneered.


    I already knew where this was headed. I don''t like playing games and don''t mind killing humans. It isn''t the first time, it won''t be the last and these aren''t good people anyways. I won''t lose a second of sleep over their deaths. I turned towards Valerian a murderous look in my eye, he returned the look. We were on the same page.


    I looked back at the bandit a grin spreading across my face. He looked at me perplexed. Before he could blink I dashed in front of him. I switched the Twisted Serpent in my left hand to a reverse grip and swung my left arm at his neck. His head was cleanly separated and hit the ground with a thud.


    "How''s that for compensation?"


    At the same time a purple vine shot from the ground and pierced the archer through the abdomen. The tactics I had taught Valerian seemed to be paying off, he knew to take out their ranged support first.


    I then activated Snake King Aura and directed it towards the two bandits with shields. For a moment a look of fear overwhelmed their faces. Before another thought could enter their brains my daggers slid across their throats,like a hot knife through butter their necks opened up, blood gushed out in torrents.


    By now the remaining two swordsmen and dagger wielder recognized the trouble they were in. However, Valerian had already began to use his vines to hinder their movements. Valerian leaped forward with a loud battle-cry his spear extending, simultaneously piercing the two swordsmen directly through the heart.Naturally I had explained to him the weak points of the human body.


    The only one left was the dagger wielding bandit. I ran towards him quickly overcoming him due to Valerian''s vines. Just as I was about to plunge a dagger into his back he spun deflecting it with his blade. However, he overestimated his weapon as it was shattered by the force and hardness of Twisted Serpent. A shocked look spread across his face. I was astonished as well, he shouldn''t have been able to deflect my stab so easily. Regardless, I followed up by slashing through his neck and then plunging my other dagger into his eye. He breathed his last. I looked around, ten seconds hadn''t passed and all seven of the bandits were dead.


    I turned to Valerian, "Nice work, you''ve gotten much better."


    "Better? Hmph, I was always this good!"


    Maybe I shouldn''t compliment him anymore.


    We began to go through the corpses of the bandits looking for any items that may be useful. As we were doing this I explained the situation of Black Lion Village and the Yellow Wolf Bandits to Valerian. He was extremely displeased by the treatment of the natives and by the deviousness of Alexander Morrow, however, I convinced him to keep his cool. I explained that even if we were stronger we couldn''t take on a whole village on our own. We kept going through the corpses.


    Most of the bandits just had a few silver coins and some dried meat on them. As I checked the dagger wielding bandits equipment, I noticed a small worn manual tucked into his waistband. As I opened it the bold black words at the top caught my attention, Quicksilver Blade. It is a blade technique manual, it can be used with numerous kinds of short blades including daggers. It focuses on short instantaneous burst of speeds and flexible movements allowing you to strike and block from unusual positions. This must be how the bandit had blocked my strike earlier!


    I couldn''t wait to study the manual but we had to hurry as the Yellow Wolf Bandits might have more people nearby. We finished gathering what we could from the corpses. I thought it was a waste, but we had to leave the brown steel bear remains behind. It''s fur makes excellent armor and it''s meat would make an exquisite barbecue, but we don''t have the time to take care of it here and it''s too big to move.


    We quickly rushed away from the scene of the fight. As we were running I added up the notifications from the bandits in my head. You gain essence even if you kill humans. In total I had gained 957 essence from killing four of them . Surprisingly the majority of essence came from the dagger wielding bandit and not the battleaxe bandit who appeared to be the leader.


    An unspoken rule for humans in Agartha is to never reveal your level. If someone knows your level it makes it easier to gauge your strength. Generally, you only know someones level if you kill them. This is because the amount of essence they accumulated is absorbed by their killer. From this I could see that the battleaxe bandit and dagger wielding bandit were level 2 while the other two were only level 1. They never stood a chance against someone like me who is level 7, especially considering my fantastic armor and daggers. However, that made me want to start studying Quicksilver Blade even more because it allowed the bandit to block one of my strikes even though he was only a level 2.

 18 Mysterious Stranger

    We continued to run for about 5 mins before we came to a clearing in the forest. In front of us was an expansive plain. The sun was at the peak of the sky so it was about mid-day. Despite Agartha''s larger size it still had a 24 hour day like earth. The sun on earth rises in the east and sets in the west similarly, the sun on Agartha also rises in the east and sets in the west. Since we had been traveling north-east the sun had been been mostly on our right side, but now it was directly overhead.


    To the west of where we emerged from the forest we could see the shore of Lake Lyenas. It is a fresh water lake whose tributary comes from highlands to the west. The tributary brings clear glacier water down from the highlands into Lake Lyenas. The slow moving water from the tributary, the general lack of storms in this part of Agartha, as well as the mountains to the west and east that block high winds causes the water in Lake Lyenas to be particularly clear. Lake Lyenas also has a river that flows southeast through the forest leading out into a sea referred to as the King''s Sea. Water from Lake Lyenas was one of the few sources of drinkable water for a long distance.


    There is no doubt that one of the reasons Alexander Morrow established his settlement here is due to Lake Lyenas. Lake Lyenas provides the settlement with clear fresh water which needs little processing for consumption and a means for future transportation channels out to King''s sea. The open plains provides a clear line of sight for any enemy attacks and plenty of farmland. The nearby forest has numerous amounts of game for the villagers to hunt and beast the villagers can attempt to domesticate.


    Some beasts in Agartha can be domesticated others are not so easy. People with connections to the government can get this information ahead of time giving them an edge on establishing settlements. As a government officials son, Alexander Morrow knew of some beasts that could be domesticated and had a few of the villagers begin domesticating them.


    Also the high rising glacier mountains to the west and the low woodland mountains to the east actually separate a portion of the continent we are on. This means to go from north to south you must either go through the mountains, around them, or pass through the plain in the middle which is the very plain Black Lion Village is located in. Alexander Morrow had established his settlement in a location that would make it a massive trade hub in the future. Overall the location of the Black Lion Village is excellent, not to mention there is an origin stone within the village.


    Since it was about midday I was starting to get hungry, after eating nothing but plants and nuts for almost a week, G''eth don''t eat meat, I was dying to eat some fresh meat. Hunting on the plains was laborious and we didn''t have any bows or mounts so it would be even more difficult. I looked at Lake Lyenas and decided it''s time for some fishing.


    We headed over to the shore, which was a short walk from our location. Valerian immediately stretched out his vines into the near lake water and spread out his arms. He really reminded me of a tree now. He must be loving this sunshine and fresh water.


    I reached into my knapsack pulling out a long tough twine. I had got this when we got supplies in the G''eth village. You can never imagine just how many uses there are for twine in the wilderness. It is an essential item for any adventurer.


    I looked at Valerian, "Can you make me a tough long stick?"


    "Sure," He responded.


    A meter long stick grew from the side of his arm then fell off. I picked it up, this''ll work. I whittled a hole at the end to run the twine through. Then I tied the twine to the top and fashioned the other end to a fishhook I had the forger in the G''eth village make for me. Next I just needed bait. I went into the shallow part of the lake, a few small fish were swimming around that looked similar to minnows on earth but had a bright green color. Forming my hand like a scoop I managed to hit the water in a way that sent one of the small fish flying on to shore. This was a trick one of my old team members taught me in my past life. I hooked the small fish onto the hook, making sure to keep it alive so it would lure other fish better.


    When I was ready I pulled back with the rod then spun to get the line into the air and gently jerked forward. The trick was to get the line far enough out there without sending it so hard the line comes taut and snaps back. I had plenty of practice from my past life so I managed a pretty good cast.


    After about two hours and repeating the process numerous time I managed to catch about three fish. Since Valerian didn''t need any I prepared a fire and was ready to roast them, my mouth salivating at the thought. I had gathered a few herbs and spices while at the G''eth village and couldn''t wait for the fish to be ready.


    I ran a stick through the center of the fish and slowly roasted them over the fire, then I lightly seasoned them. The smell of the herbs mixed with the oil of the fish heating up created an intense aroma that was simply irresistible. I pulled all three off the fire, I jabbed two into the sand so that the stick was buried with the fish untouched at the top. The other one I held on to waiting for it to cool down so I could eat it. Before long it was cool enough to eat and I tore into like a ravenous wolf. The fish practically melted off the bones.


    "Mmmm."


    It had been so long since I had a delicious meal like this. Even on earth the meals were rationed by the government and all the food was processed and bland. This was fresh and bursting with flavor. I savored every bite. Just as I was about to tear into the second one I heard a voice behind me.


    "Youngster, could you spare a fish for this old man."


    I nearly leaped out of my skin, I spun around as quick as I could, I used shifting sands to quickly move backwards and retrieved both my daggers, entering a battle stance. Valerian too quickly retracted his vines getting into a battle stance, his right arm forming a spear. It takes long to describe but happened in a moment.


    In front of me was a seemingly very old man. He had a long scraggly white beard and long white hair flowing down from underneath a large brimmed hat. A tattered brown robe was draped around his frame. His wrinkled hands where wrapped around a cane that seemed to prop him up.


    How on earth did he get behind me without me noticing? The old man seemed suspicious, however, he had no domineering presence and not even a hint of killing intent. If he had I would have sensed it.


    "Oh? A young human and a G''eth, fast friends? How intriguing!" He chuckled. "How about you sit and give me a fish, in exchange I will tell you a story." He raised an eyebrow at me.


    I had to admit I was still very wary of him, no normal old man could get that close without me sensing them. Then again I had the feeling if he wanted me dead I''d have never known who ended my life.


    I relaxed putting my daggers away. I gestured to Valerian to calm down.


    "No problem, I have two left anyway. Have a seat."


    I sat next to the fire. The smile of the old man and the glint in his eye didn''t escape my eyes as he took a seat.

 19 Gilgamesh

    Valerian came over and stood near me. He was obviously still wary of this mysterious old man, as was I. After taking a seat, the old man began to eat the fish I gave him. Unlike me he ate it slowly, taking small nibbles almost as if he didn''t have the energy for big bites. We sat in silence for a few minutes while he ate his fish.


    I could only take a few bites of mine. Something about him just made me nervous, I couldn''t quite put my finger on it. It''s as if I was on a small boat on top of the ocean and right underneath the water was a colossal beast but I couldn''t see it. It made my hairs stand on end.


    After finishing the fish he looked up at me, "That was quite good youngster, would you like to hear that story now?"


    For a second I debated just asking him to leave, but I didn''t know how he would react and felt like hearing the story might be interesting.


    "Yes sir, thank you for sharing."


    He looked me over and it felt like he had seen right through my soul.


    "There is no need to be nervous kid, I''m just a humble traveler." He glanced between me and Valerian.


    "Hmm where to start? Which story to tell? You know old men like me have many. Hmm that one? No. What about.... no. There was that one time. Ehh no forget that one."


    He rambled on for a second.


    "I got it! Young man how many races are there on Agartha?"


    I looked closely at the old man. I know there are more races than the four stated in the briefing however, if I revealed that I wouldn''t be able to explain how I knew.


    "There are five including humans right?" I said while trying to stay as calm as possible.


    "Ha, you shouldn''t believe everything the government says. I can tell you right now there are more than you can imagine. Have you ever heard of Gilgamesh?"


    For a second my heart pounded, I tried to stay calm and not let any of my emotions show. Of course I know who Gilgamesh is. As a matter of fact if it wasn''t for my death at my brother''s hand, the next thing I was supposed to do was go on an expedition to explore a ruin that was rumored to be connected to him. Unfortunately the client wouldn''t give us the details of the location until the expedition started so I had no idea where it was.


    Valerian at my side looked at the old man inquisitively, "What''s a Gilgamesh?"


    The old man looked at me his eyebrows rising. There''s no way I was able to hide my reaction from him.


    He looked me in the eye and said, "Interesting."


    Then he looked at Valerian, "It''s not a what but a who."


    Valerian looked confused.


    "Have you ever noticed how some of the wild beast in Agartha''s wilderness seem to be more intelligent than others?"


    I regained my bearing and calmed myself down.


    "Some of the beasts we encounter have shown a higher level of intelligence," I responded.


    He nodded, "This is not a coincident, beasts on Agartha are capable of evolving at a very rapid pace because of the existence of essence. However, even though they can evolve, that only minimally increases their intelligence. In normal circumstance even the most powerful beast will only have the same amount of intelligence as an average eight year old child."


    He took a deep breath.


    "That was what we thought until Gilgamesh appeared. Around 450 years ago when humans were just beginning to explore Agartha we found out through some of the native races we were in contact with that a large group of beast had gathered together and shown signs of building a civilization. The leader of these beast was called Gilgamesh. It was rumored that his intelligence was on par with geniuses from every race and that he had discovered a way to bestow intelligence upon other beasts. Gilgamesh used the beasts with enhanced intelligence to build up a beast empire, he called them The 4 Beast Generals."


    The old man paused staring into the distance, "Then just as quickly as the beast empire rose, it fell. No one knows what happened to Gilgamesh or the 4 Beast Generals and the beast under their command scattered. It was rumored that many mythical and powerful items were in Gilgamesh''s possession. It really makes one wonder what happened."


    He looked at me closely, "It''s just a rumor but I heard of a place that may be connected to Gilgamesh."


    He raised his hands pointing to the south, "In the south there is an inlet surrounded by three mountains. At midday when the tides are lowest, at the bottom of the mountain shaped like a fang, a door will be revealed. Maybe if you are lucky you will find it."


    Valerian and I turned looking in the direction he pointed, staring off as if we could see where he was talking about. When we turned back around the old man was gone. I looked around, the expansive plain made it so I could see for kilometers around us and yet, I couldn''t find the smallest trace of the old man.


    Valerian looked at me, "What a strange old man. Do you believe his story?"


    I know Gilgamesh existed but had never heard of the door he was talking about, "Maybe, he didn''t have a reason to lie to us. He is clearly some kind of powerful expert. When we go to the south we can keep an eye out for location he was talking about."


    The idea of finding something connected to Gilgamesh excited me especially considering it could somehow be connected to my brother since he killed me just before that expedition, although I doubt it.


    I couldn''t waste time searching for it though. I have to get stronger and there is no guarantee that will help me and it''d take too much time. I''ll have to leave it up to fate.


    We put out the fire and packed up our stuff. We might be out of the forest but, it''s still a little less than half a day''s walk to the Black Lion Village and I''d like to get there before sunset.


    Valerian and I trekked over the plain for hours, nothing exciting happened we didn''t even encounter any beast. Just as the sun began to set we could see the wooden archer towers sticking up over the horizon. Black Lion Village we have arrived.

 20 Trouble

    As we neared the village more and more memories of my time here began to flood into my head. I spent the majority of my first two years on Agartha in Black Lion Village. The only time I left was to kill beasts in the nearby forests and mountains or to go on a few expeditions with Alexander Morrow''s mercenary group. I wasn''t an official member, My position was more like a servant relegated to menial tasks for minimal pay. However, I was able to meet Mike during an expedition that had us clearing a nearby fort at the base of a mountain. Afterword Mike came back to Black Lion Village with me. This was the only blessing in an otherwise dismal two years.


    At the time I thought I was doing what I had to survive and to find my brother. Alexander Morrow promised that if I served his mercenary group for two years he would help me find my brother. I was so naive. Not only was I treated like dirt, when I brought it up to Alexander Morrow after two years he laughed in my face and kicked me out of the village. If it wasn''t for Mike going with me and helping me travel to another human settlement I probably would have died.


    There were a few in the mercenary group who were especially cruel and would go out of their way to make my life miserable. It was made even worse by the fact that the mercenary group functions as the town guard. No matter where I went I was harassed by them.


    Two that were especially terrible was the captain of the guard Sauer and his right hand man Ward. Sauer was a burly large captain and enjoyed humiliating me in front of people as often as he could. He would belittle me and repeatedly emphasize how weak I was. Ward was worse though, he was truly sadistic, waiting for the perfect moment to destroy any happiness I could cling to. He even tried to drive a wedge between me and Mike. Luckily we found out that he was the one behind it. They are truly sick people who derive joy from preying on those who won''t or can''t fight back.


    Part of me looked forward to crossing paths with them as we neared the village. I''ll give them a taste of their own medicine. I''m not the same person I was in my last life.


    At this point the sun had almost completely disappeared behind the horizon to the north. Valerian and I stepped into the back of the line to enter the village. It wasn''t too long only about five people in front of me.


    We could hear the guards ahead talking to the villagers entering before us.


    "10 copper to enter for both of you," said a guard to one of the villagers.


    It was a younger man and what appeared to be his wife.


    "I''m sorry sir, we just arrived here after a long journey and haven''t earned any money yet."


    "10 copper or you can sleep outside with the beasts," the guard said stoically.


    Most human settlements don''t charge a fee to enter. Only greedy lords like Alexander Morrow chose to.


    The young man began to get a little panicky, "Please sir, if we can just get inside I''m an excellent tailor and can make money in no time, I swear I will return and pay you the 10 copper."


    "No money no entrance," then he looked over the female next to the man a grin spreading on his face, "well maybe if you let this little lass stays with us tonight we can let you through." The guard sneered at the young man.


    "That, That''s not possible," The young man stammered.


    No longer able to continue watching, I stepped forward, "Here are 10 coppers, let them in."


    The guard glared at me. Clearly I ruined his fun. However, he still took the coppers and allowed the young man and woman into the village.


    When it was mine and Valerian''s turn to enter the guard looked both of us over. He must have been confused how I could afford to pay the young mans fee when I looked so poor myself. After all, at this point my clothes were practically in tatters after our numerous battles. The G''eth didn''t have any spare clothes for humans so I just used random patches of cloth to fix what holes I could on my own.


    The guard began to sneer at me. It looks like he is determined to make things difficult for me after I ruined his fun earlier.


    "1 silver coin to enter."


    One silver coin is equivalent to 100 copper coins. This is ten times what the other people paid!


    "1 silver coin? Everyone else only paid 10 copper for two people!" I responded.


    "That''s right for two PEOPLE. That ain''t a person is it?" He gestured towards Valerian.


    "So pay 1 silver coin or don''t even think about entering Black Lion Village."


    I was fuming. These ignorant people.


    Clearly this guard didn''t think I''d have the money and that I''d have to stay outside the village. In all honesty it wouldn''t be hard for me to do so, I had done it many times before. However there are things I needed to get in the village and there is no guarantee that there will be a different guard if I try to come back a different day.


    On the other hand, if I pay it, this much money will definitely attract some unwanted attention. It is certainly not usual for someone my age to be able to spend one silver just to enter a settlement. After thinking for a moment I decided to just pay it and if there are consequences I will deal with them as they come.


    I pulled out 1 silver coin and flicked it at the mans forehead hitting him right between the eyes.


    "May we enter now?"


    The man looked at the silver coin as it fell to the ground stupefied. For a second it looked like he would explode, then a disturbing calm came over him as he said, "Go ahead."


    Valerian and I began to walk through the gate. After we passed through I turned and noticed the guard from before was whispering to another guard behind him and looking in my direction.


    Yep there is gonna be some trouble tonight. I will have to take care of this. I sighed.

 21 Barry

    After walking through the gate we noticed the young couple waiting on the other side. The man ran up to me and grabbed my hands.


    "Thank you, sir, for your kindness," he said, as he vigorously shook my hands.


    "If there is anything I can do to repay your kindness please let me know." Then he looked at my clothes and noticed how tattered they were, "Why don''t you let me fashion some new clothes for you. On earth, I was a very talented tailor."


    He immediately withdrew a measuring tape and began to take my measurements before I could even respond. I stood there and couldn''t help but grin a little, this young man is so eager and has a good heart.


    After he finished my measurements he said, "If you give me a few days to earn some money I will get the materials to make you a new outfit."


    While we were talking the young man''s wife was behind him staring in awe at Valerian. Valerian was just looking around observing the village. I had told him to just follow me and talk very little due to the opinion of the villagers towards natives.


    I looked at the young man and after a moment of consideration said, "That is very generous of you, however, it was no big deal to help you out back there. I tell you what, I''m in need of new sheathes for my daggers and it''s hard to find a good tailor around here. I''ll give you 40 silver to help you get set up in the village if you can make the new clothes and sheathes in two days."


    I pulled out the 40 silver coins and placed them in the tailor''s hands. He looked down at the coins in his hands, stunned for a moment. He suddenly began to sob.


    "Thank you so much..... we have had... such a hard time..... since we came here... I will not forget this kindness."


    I was a little surprised, wasn''t it just a few silver coins? Then I remembered how desperate I was when I first arrived in Agartha and thought I probably would have reacted the same way he did.


    "No need for so much gratitude, I too will benefit from developing connections with a talented tailor such as yourself," I tried to ease the awkwardness. After all, we were still in the middle of the street. Some of the villagers began to look over and I didn''t want to draw any more attention.


    "I will be staying at the Black Claw Inn, it is getting late. You can ask for me there when the items are ready."


    The man had calmed down by this point, "Yes sir, have no doubt they will be ready in two days."


    After giving him the measurements for my daggers so he could make the sheathes Valerian and I began to walk towards the center of town. The sun had completely set at this point. A few fires were lit in braziers on the front of the buildings allowing you to see the streets in the village.


    Valerian and I continued down the street towards the Black Claw Inn. It is located on the central street at almost the center of the village. The length from the north to the south gate is only about 2 kilometers and the central street ran directly from one gate to the other.


    After walking about a half a kilometer I began to notice figures dashing in the shadows of the alleys to our left and right. Pretending not to notice I counted the shadows, 1...2...3...4. They are definitely underestimating us. If I had to guess they are probably level 1 maybe 2 at the most. However, considering a gate guard doesn''t have that much authority they are probably all level 1.


    I whispered to Valerian, "Four enemies in the alleys, Let''s take care of them."


    Then I said in a much louder voice, "Man I need to take a leak and I can''t hold it till we get to the Inn."


    Valerian laughed, "You humans and your weak filtration system"


    I almost face-palmed, he is such a dork.


    I headed into the alley to my left, I got far enough down the alley so I''d be just beyond the light coming from the braziers. I quickly opened my knapsack and secretly took out my Twisted Serpents and a bottle of water. I leaned against the wall with my left hand concealing the dagger in my palm and inside the cuff of my shirt. With my right hand I held the bottle and the other dagger. I let the water run out splashing onto the ground.


    I extended my senses behind me. After the battles we fought over the last week my instincts from my past life began to come back to me. Even if these thieves were ten times better they still wouldn''t be able to sneak up on me.


    Even with the splashing of the water, I could still hear the light sound of someone approaching. Absolute amateurs, even without the sound of their footsteps they didn''t even try to hide their killing intent.


    Just as the sound of a dagger rushing through the air approached the back of my head I ducked down simultaneously letting go of the bottle and shifting the twisted serpent in my right hand to a reverse grip. I used my legs to torque my body to the side while sending my right arm in an arc burying the full length of my blade in the side of the thief''s neck.


    Essence gained +177


    The momentum of my strike carried the man''s body to the side where my outstretched leg allowed him to gently lay on the ground. Of course, he was dead before he got there.


    Silence.


    I felt a rush of adrenaline course through me. This is how a true expert kills someone. From the time he began his strike to the time he laid on the ground, not a sound was made. Quicksilver blade was truly astonishing, even after just studying the manual for a brief amount of time while I was fishing, I could already perform a devastating move. Of course, in front of a real expert, I would probably die if I tried performing that at my level, but this thief was an amateur and he died not knowing how it happened.


    I headed towards the back of the alley where his companions were waiting for him. As I got there I heard a couple grunts and moans. Looking on the ground I saw 3 dark-clothed figures bound by vines. The vines even covered their mouths keeping them from shouting out. Valerian was leaning against the wall with a smirk on his face.


    "What took you so long?"


    "Ugh, don''t be so smug. Nice job, though."


    I looked down at the three thieves their eyes filled with fear.


    "Unfortunately, we only need one of you to remain alive."


    I quickly ran my daggers across two of the thieves necks.


    Essence gained +112


    Essence gained +129


    The last thief began to squirm, his face paling and sweat pouring down. I walked over to him.


    "Now, I''m gonna ask my friend to allow you to speak. If you scream you die."


    After he nodded his head I gestured to Valerian. The vine covering the thief''s mouth came off.


    "I''m... I''m.... I''m.... sorry sir p-p-p-please spare me," the man stammered uncontrollably.


    "Calm down I won''t kill you. What''s your name?"


    "B-B-Barry," he said as his whole body shook.


    "Ok Barry, I need you to do a few things for me. First, I need you to eat this."


    I pulled out a dark purple fruit. I brought it in front of Barry, he clearly looked distraught and didn''t want to eat it but after I spun my dagger a couple times he relented.


    "Good, now that is the Death Hand Fruit. If after two weeks you don''t get the antidote it will feel like death itself has grabbed your heart causing it to explode."


    Of course, there was no such thing as a Death Hand Fruit. The fruit was just one I had bought from the G''eth Village Market. However, since most humans were new to Agartha they were susceptible to these kinds of tricks.


    An intense look of fear overcame Barry''s face, "Please, please sir give me the antidote."


    "I can give you the antidote, however, I need you to do a few things for me, Barry."


    "Yes, any...anything you want."


    "Good."

 22 Plans and Problems

    "Nhh."


    The sun shone through the window waking me from the hazy world of dreams. I stretched out my arms and rose from my bed.


    "Humans waste so much time sleeping," Valerian said as he stood next to my bed looking at me.


    "Aghh," I couldn''t help shouting.


    That dang weirdo is standing too close to me.


    "Well next time you can go outside and not WASTE time in here," I responded sarcastically as I stepped by him and began to get dressed.


    "Nah, no thanks."


    So annoying.


    After gathering all my things I thought about the events of last night and how to work them to my advantage. Barry will play an important role in solving one of my problems.


    There are four problems I''m currently facing when it comes to developing a power that can affect real change in Agartha. The first is that I don''t have any kind of powerful backing. For now there is nothing I can do about that however, in the near future an opportunity will present itself, I just have to be prepared. The second problem is that I don''t have any kind of reputation. How can I influence the masses and build up my own force without any kind of reputation? Without reputation what reason would they have to join? Even if I offered great benefits what people really desire in this chaotic world is someone to lead them who they can believe in. The third problem is that I don''t have enough money. I have almost 16 gold between what I earned in the G''eth Village and took off the bandits. Unfortunately it''s still not enough to develop my own force. The fourth problem is Alexander Morrow, even if I had the background, reputation, and money he would never let someone build up a force within Black Lion Village.


    I have a plan to help with the 2nd and 3rd problem since the same place can help with both, the Black Wolf Arena. Even though Alexander Morrow is a completely evil human being, he does have a good nose for business. Shortly after establishing the village he built up the Black Wolf Arena. Not only does it provide a source of income through it''s viewing fees and gambling house, it also provides entertainment for the village, a place to scout for new mercenary members, and it allows his mercenary troops reputation to grow since most of the fighters are his mercenaries. Overall, it was a stroke of genius on his part.


    The Black Wolf Arena is Alexander Morrow''s pride and joy and it has very tight security. It''s one of only three structures in the entire village comprised of stone. The others are the Lord''s mansion, where Morrow lives, and the Adventurers Association which administers the explorations and missions for people to complete. Other than these the other buildings are mostly comprise of wood including the inn we are staying at.


    I once asked a G''eth in my past life if staying in places made of wood or eating plants bothered them at all. He explained it like this, G''eth are descendants of Geodenisis Arboreth and possess sentience. The plants of the world are a by-product of the vitality given to the world by Geodenisis Arboreth as are all things on the planet. Therefore, while G''eth are from the same source and they have similar characteristics, they are as different from plants as they are from the wild beast. This was one of the reasons I knew Valerian wouldn''t mind staying in the Inn.


    Valerian and I finished gathering our things and left the inn. Before I head to the Arena I first need to go to the origin stone in the village to level up. I should be able to easily handle any opponents within the arena however, you can never be too safe so I want to make sure I''m in top shape when I go. The origin stone was located almost two kilometers to the east of the Black Crow Inn, we took our time strolling through the streets on the way there. Valerian took in the sites of the human village but most humans either ran away or gawked at Valerian as he walked through. Finally, we reached the origin stone.


    Once again we must deal with the money grubbing system set up by Alexander Morrow.


    "15 copper coins to enter, 5 for you and 10 for the G''eth."


    A guard blocked the entrance to the origin stone. At least this one wasn''t unreasonable and looked at Valerian with the same gaze he looked at me. Few people in this place remained clear headed with all the hate that was being spread.


    "No problem, here you go." I couldn''t change the system in a day so I just paid the extra.


    "What''s your name?" I asked him.


    "Malik Zakaria."


    I nodded, "I''ll remember it."


    I seemed to have a vague recollection of that name. I think in the last timeline, he was the guard who tried to force the Mercenary Captain Sauer to pay a fee to use the origin stone. Sauer in his rage beat him so bad that he ended up crippled. Such an upright guard who was just trying to strictly perform his duties shouldn''t have ended up like that. I''d have to do something about that. I think it''s about a week before that incident occurs, I''ll find a solution before then.


    Valerian and I stepped into the building that housed the origin stone. I let him go first. He placed his vine-like hand on the blue crystal. A soft glow flowed around him. He took his hand off and grinned his vines pulsing with new power. He stepped down. Natives had an easier process to upgrade, the essence naturally knew how to enhance them and unlock knew abilities without an interface.


    "You learn anything new?" The essence could also impart them abilities with inherent memories on how to use them. Like the instructions that came with ours.


    "You''ll know eventually."


    "Fine don''t tell me."


    Valerian chuckled. Sometimes I think he annoys me for the fun of it. I got up to the origin stone and placed my hand on the blue crystal.


    Name: Troy Williams


    Level: 7 (0/1900)


    Essence: 4483


    Stat Points: 0


    STATS


    Strength: 9


    Constitution: 9


    Willpower: 14


    Dexterity : 11


    SKILLS


    Snake King Aura: (Active)


    Part of me was really disappointed. I know that I can''t unlock new abilities through killing humans, that was hardwired into ALIC as a means of trying to keep us from killing each other just to gain abilities. However, I thought maybe I would get an ability from the Brown Steel Bear, unfortunately reality proved otherwise. I am able to level up twice, so its not too disappointing


    Level: 7 (1900/1900)


    Level: 8 (2400/2400)


    Level: 9 (0/3000)


    I distributed my stats a little more conservative this time considering Snake King Aura would only be a last resort in the Arena. Not to mention most humans don''t put a lot of points in Willpower, with 14 I was already far above the vast majority of humans.


    Name: Troy Williams


    Level: 9 (0/3000)


    Essence: 183


    Stat Points: 0


    STATS


    Strength: 9 +2


    Constitution: 9 +1


    Willpower: 14


    Dexterity : 11 +1


    SKILLS


    Snake King Aura: (Active)


    I took a moment to enjoy the newfound power welling up in me. Now even with the weak body I started with I was already more powerful than the average soldier from earth. Between these stats, my instincts from my past life, and all my techniques I should be nearly invincible within the Black Wolf Arena. I cracked my knuckles.


    "Time to go to the Arena."

 23 Black Wolf Arena

    As we arrived outside the arena we noticed the area was especially busy. Many people were coming from all over town and entering the arena. The energy in the air was palpable.


    I stopped a nearby stranger and asked, "Excuse me, what has everyone so excited?"


    I couldn''t recall what would cause this. Then again, in the last life, I almost never came to the Arena.


    "Don''t you know?" He looked me over, "You must be new here. The Mercenary Captain Bo "Grizzly" Sauer is fighting today. His fights are the best, he crushes opponents with his massive clubs and immense strength."


    Suddenly a plan formed in my mind. It''s risky, but if I play my cards right this could move everything forward by months. I told Valerian where to go to watch the match and place bids since natives had a separate section from the humans in the arena. I despise the way they treat the natives here but, we simply don''t have the power to affect change right now.


    There were two entrances in the front of the Arena and one in the back. The one in the back was for the natives so Valerian began to make his way around the arena. Of the two at the front, one was for competitors and one was for human spectators. I ran up to the entrance for competitors and was about to enter when a gargantuan hand reached out and stopped me. A behemoth of a man came out from the corner beside the door.


    "What are you doing puny boy? Children belong to other side," he pointed to the spectator door. The man was over two meters tall and was covered in fat, he had to weigh at least 200 kilograms.


    "I''m here to compete," I said confidently.


    "HAHAHA," the man bellowed, his laugh like thunderclaps.


    "You are like toothpick, easily snapped in half," he made a snapping motion with his hands. "Regardless, I will compete," I moved forward to step past him.


    He went to stop me by striking out with his palm. I whipped my arm towards his, hitting the base of his palm with mine. Shock filled his eyes as he stumbled backward.


    "I said, I will compete."


    The gargantuan of a man looked me over again and said, "Very well, but you think that''s enough to be champion you are wrong. Record name on register then go indoors, there is practice area and weapons inside."


    "Thank you."


    After walking through the doors I could hear him mumble, "Little man will die"


    I couldn''t help but chuckle, I hope they underestimate me, that''ll make it even easier for me to crush them. After passing through the doors, I could see a large open practice arena with racks of weapons lining the wall to my left.


    There were about 15 people in the room. Seven were practicing their moves in the outer edges of the practice arena, and 6 were sparring with each other in the middle. These warriors were clearly amateurs. In the corner of the room was a middle-aged man sitting in the lotus position with a katana laid across his lap, he exuded a sharp aura, he was clearly dangerous. Standing in the opposite corner was an elderly man making movements with his arms. His arms moved in a mesmerizing pattern that reminded me of the ripples of a stone thrown into a pond. This man is also dangerous.


    I went toward the weapon racks. All the weapons are simple, similar to those you could pick for your care package back on earth. I could pick the kodachi again, although, I had grown attached to daggers after using the Twisted Serpents. I picked up two daggers and focused my eyes on them.


    Name: Basic Iron Daggers


    STATS


    Sharpness: 37


    Hardness: 32


    EFFECTS


    (None)


    These stats are worse than my Twisted Serpents, but if I used them it would draw too much of the wrong kind of attention. Their superior craftsmanship would almost certainly draw many unsavory gazes.Plus I already had an advantage with my inner armor. The armor was entirely hidden behind my clothes. The arena didn''t want to provide armor for competitors since they are damaged too easily. So, you are allowed to bring your own armor into the arena.


    I found a corner to practice in and began looking through the Quicksilver Blade Manual. I had a chance to study it a little more last night and had practiced a few poses to increase flexibility. These poses need to be performed daily since flexibility is crucial for many Quicksilver Blade techniques. I immediately got into one of the poses while waiting for my name to get called to the arena.


    Many of the amateur fighters would look at me and sneer, "What is he the yoga king?" They would laugh at their own joke and then go back to training.


    I remained calm, switching between a dozen different poses before I moved on to practicing the different techniques. The strange and weird angles and forms of attack I would take unsettled many of the amateurs causing them to avoid my side of the practice arena. After practicing the techniques for a while, I looked up and locked eyes with the elderly man who was practicing the arm movements before. It seems I have gained his acknowledgment. I looked over to the man sitting in the lotus position. He remained as stoic as before.


    I was about to continue practicing the techniques when I heard the officiator say, "For our next fight we will have a never before seen contender face a long time favorite. Young Lion and Raven''s Claw enter the arena!"


    One of the competitors practicing by himself began to walk towards the corridor leading out to the arena. I also started moving towards the corridor.


    As we entered, the man called Raven''s Claw looked over at me and sneered, "Try not to die too fast kid."


    "I''d be more concerned with keeping my head if I were you," I responded.


    "Arrogant fool," he spouted as we went our separate way down side tunnels.


    The tunnels lead to the east and west side of the arena. After a couple minutes of walking, I arrived at the entrance. The fighting arena was about 100 meters in diameter in the shape of the circle. It looked like the sand from Lake Lyenas was moved in to create the arena floor with four large pillars set in the middle about 5 meters apart forming four corners. It was very reminiscent of the coliseums from ancient Rome on Earth.


    On the opposite side, I could see Raven''s Claw stepping out into the arena. The crowd exploded into cheers, he waved his arms around causing the cheers to rise in volume.


    After the noise died down I stepped out, the crowd clapped but it sounded more like a death toll than a cheer. Clearly, I was the underdog in this match. I couldn''t help but chuckle.

 24 Ravens Claw

    "Ready! Fight!"


    Raven''s Claw and I took off heading towards the middle of the arena. As we dashed towards the center of the arena I analyzed his movements. There was very little energy wasted and his movements were clean and crisp. It was easy to tell he was a typical assassin type.


    As we neared the center of the arena Raven''s Claw suddenly disappeared behind a pillar. I took a wide angle so I could approach him from the side he would emerge from. When I got around the pillar I looked and couldn''t see any sign of Raven''s Claw.


    For a moment I was stunned. Where had he gone? Then I heard a subtle sound coming from above me. I immediately used shifting sands to shift to my left, moving me closer to the pillar. In the place I had left Raven''s Claw landed both daggers in hand. When he disappeared behind the pillar he must have somehow climbed to the top launching a sneak attack from above.


    After landing Raven''s Claw dashed towards me shouting, "DIE!!!"


    I had my back up against the pillar wall. For most, this would seem to be a disadvantageous position, but I knew how to take advantage of it. As Ravens Claw got close he began a diagonal slash with his right arm aiming for my chest. With my dexterity, it was easy to follow and block his attacks. I used my dagger to deflect the strike up.


    At the same time, he began a horizontal strike with his left arm aimed at my waist which I deflected down. I then moved my right leg past him and used the back of my heel to strike the back of his right knee while shifting to my left. This coupled with his forward momentum caused him to fall forward and since his arms were to the side after I deflected his strikes his face slammed right into the pillar.


    Raven''s Claw was dazed and I was behind him. At this point, he was completely defenseless. I couldn''t help but say, " I told you to be more worried about keeping your head."


    I swung both daggers in front of me and sent his head flying.


    Essence Gained +457


    For a moment there was a stunned silence that lingered over the crowd, then they erupted into cheers. I could hear people shouting, "Fierce! So dominating! It ended so quick!"


    The officiator''s voice boomed, "The winner is Young Lion."


    I looked over the crowd, at the other end of the arena on a platform that rose above the crowd was a pavilion which sat two people. One was a large burly man, he had a shiny bald head and wore dark-colored armor. The other was a refined young man, he wore a Black Robe trimmed with a golden pattern. His hair was long and blonde and he had a certain royal air to him. These two were Sauer and Alexander Morrow. I could never forget their appearance.


    For my plan to work I couldn''t reveal any of the true feelings I had for them. I must convince them that I am not a threat. I locked eyes with Alexander Morrow and took a bow. After the cheering ended I looked up towards them and said, "I hope my performance has been satisfactory."


    Alexander Morrow looked down at me, "Indeed for a newcomer to defeat Raven''s Claw is a surprise. I wish you continued success in today''s tournament."


    Continuing my act I said, "Thank you for your kind words, Lord."


    I bowed one more time and exited the arena. After getting back to the practice arena a young attendant came up to me holding a sack.


    "Your winnings sir," the young man said to me.


    I grabbed the sack and opened it up. There were five gold coins in the sack. This may not seem like a lot, but these were just the winnings for the first match. The more you won the more gold you could get. This is why the arena can help with my money problem. At the very least it will help get things started. I will still have to find other sources of income, I couldn''t fight in the arena all day every day.


    The tournament Morrow mentioned isn''t anything special and is just how the arena functioned. Every day the arena would announce a finalist. Sometimes It would be people from the Black Wolf Mercenary Group and sometimes it would be people who gained fame in the arena. The contenders would then be arranged to have single elimination matches until one finally fought the finalist, determining the champion. Today''s finalist is Sauer.


    After I received my winnings I went back to the area I was in before and practiced some of the techniques form Quicksilver Blade. After practicing the techniques for an hour sweat was starting to pour from my forehead. I didn''t want to tire myself out so I decided to go find Valerian, I should still have another 30 minutes before my next match.


    I exited the contender section and made my way around the arena. I concealed myself with a cloak and entered the section for natives. There was a heavy security here but they were for making sure the natives didn''t get out of control. They didn''t care to check whether or not someone was human. I quickly located Valerian in the seated area and sat next to him. There weren''t many natives here, most couldn''t afford the luxury, so he was easy to find.


    "How were the winnings," I asked him.


    "Huh?"


    He looked over at me, "Oh! Brother! Nice fight!"


    "Keep your voice down, you idiot!"


    He is just so dense. There is a reason I don''t want to be recognized here.


    He chuckled, "My bad. We made out pretty good your odds were 5 to 1."


    I had instructed Valerian to use 3 gold to bet on my fight. I would have placed all the gold we had on the fight but that would have drawn too much attention to Valerian. We still made a nice profit of 12 gold though so we were doing fine.


    "Good, on the next fight the odds will be lower so you can bet 5 gold. Remember to keep a low profile please."


    Yeah, yeah I know," He responded. I still couldn''t help but worry.


    "I''m gonna head back now."


    I rose out of my seat and headed towards the exit of the native section. I made my way over to the contender section and went back to practicing a few of the poses for Quicksilver Blade in the practice arena.


    After a short period, I heard the officiator''s voice, "For our next fight we have two up and comers, Old Man Shui and Young Lion enter the Arena."


    I looked over and the old man who was practicing the arm movements before began to move to the corridor.

 25 Martial Arts

    I grabbed the two iron daggers and headed towards the same corridor as Old Man Shui. He stood at the entrance waiting for me to catch up. As I neared we locked eyes, he had a gentle appearance almost like a kind elderly grandfather.


    He smiled, "Young man let''s have a pleasant match. As I''m sure you know there is no need to kill each other in the arena. Since we have no animosity, why not give this old man a chance to admit defeat if you manage to overpower me?"


    I nodded at him, "Of course I will not kill wantonly, if it wasn''t for Raven''s Claw trying to kill me first he may have lived. As long as you extend courtesy to me I will extend mine to you"


    Old Man Shui beamed, "Excellent in that case let''s both do our best and give them a good show."


    He turned heading down the corridor seemingly gliding across the ground This old man can''t be underestimated his movements are mysterious and he acts with prudence. Others may not have noticed, but I could tell that he must be a martial artist. The movements he practiced earlier and the footwork he just displayed both reveal his origins as a martial artist.


    Martial arts had been on the decline for centuries on earth. The advancement of technologies had made martial arts almost useless in warfare. Even for fitness people used technology that assisted them in building perfect bodies. Not to mention the world was mostly at peace and crime had dropped to an all new low. Martial arts were seen as a thing of the past that no longer served a purpose.


    It wasn''t until humanity came to Agartha that martial arts began to take the center stage again. Reclusive masters burst into the limelight and became revered as heroes. Children began to practice martial arts and seek out masters to teach them. Over the next couple years things like dojos and sects that taught martial arts would begin to gain popularity throughout the human population. Even some of the natives were interested in learning martial arts. Especially the Una, many martial arts focused on mimicking water and waves which Una had a high affinity for. Therefore, they became extremely proficient in some martial arts, vastly expanding their power.


    Old Man Shui was clearly one of the people who practiced martial arts, I have to be careful when fighting him. I can''t afford to lose, this is an excellent opportunity that I can''t pass up, however, I must reach the last round or my plans will be ruined.


    I went down the corridor and side tunnel to reach the entrance of the fighting arena. This time when we entered the arena there were about the same level of cheers for both of us. They might have started taking me seriously.


    The officiator''s voice sounded, "Competitors have a good fight and may the best man win! Begin!"


    This time their was no burst of speed leading to a fast paced battle in the middle. Old Man Shui just looked at me from afar. Similarly I looked at him trying to see any weaknesses he may reveal.


    After a few moments I decided I''d head over first, after all the crowd would be displeased if we just stood there forever. I didn''t use any special technique and just walked over to Old Man Shui''s side of the arena. After getting about 10 meters in front of him I came to a stop.


    "Ready?"


    "The young go first." he gestured towards me.


    I dashed towards him brandishing my daggers. When I got about one meter away I used shifting sands to quickly dash left before taking a swipe at his side with my right dagger. I was about to bury my dagger into his side when a strong force hit my wrist forcing my dagger to miss. I used the force of the hit to gain a bit of separation. I looked down at my wrist, a red mark on it and a numbing sensation ran through it. My strength is an 11, I''m by no means weak. How did he manage to hit that hard? Is this old man really that strong?


    Old Man Shui just stood there waiting for me to resume my attack. I dashed back towards him heading straight in with a thrust from my left dagger. I focused on Old Man Shui''s movements this time. His arm traveled in an arc and struck my wrist while he spun in the opposite direction away from the dagger. I went past him with the same numbing sensation in my left hand as was in my right.


    This time I was able to see how he did it. It''s not that he is stronger than me it''s that his technique allows him to gather momentum in his arms striking his opponent with more force. Because, of his palm strike the force travels into the muscles causing the numbing sensation. If I get struck many more times I might not have the strength to hold the daggers.


    Clearly blindly trying to strike him wouldn''t work. So far his defenses have been air tight. I will have to try using a unique method to defeat him.


    I dashed towards him the same why I had before angrily saying, "Fight me like a man."


    A glint appeared in Old Man Shui''s eye, it seems this is the effect he was looking for. Most fighters would get frustrated having their strikes deflected like that, while their opponent nonchalantly waits for them to attack again. This would cause them to attack with abandon which is what the old man wants.


    Pretending to attack with abandon I swung the dagger wildly at the old man. Just before his palm was about to strike I turned the dagger around allowing the pommel of the blade to strike his palm. Using the momentum from his palm strike I turned my body and struck out with my elbow hitting Old Man Shui in the side of his head. Clearly he wasn''t expecting me to use his own force against him and to deliver a crafty blow.


    Stunned Old Man Shui stumbled to the ground. I quickly dashed behind him and placed my blade at his throat.


    Old Man Shui raised his hands in the air, "This old man admits defeat."


    The crowd cheered although not as loudly as when I killed Raven''s Claw. Such a bloodthirsty crowd, I guess this is what happens when a society that was sheltered for so long get''s thrown into a chaotic world. A few even boo''ed wishing I had killed Old Man Shui.


    I looked towards the Pavilion where Alexander Morrow sat and bowed, then I left the arena.

 26 Moving forward

    After returning to the practice area I once more collected my winnings from the attendant. This time I won 8 gold coins. While I was counting my winnings next to the attendant I felt a hand my shoulder.


    "That was a good fight young man, I didn''t think someone your age was capable of using psychological tactics in the middle of the fight."


    I turned around, it was Old Man Shui that was talking to me. He must be referring to when I pretended to go all out with my attack during the fight causing him to drop his guard. Many people would realize the importance of mental warfare it just wasn''t very common at the moment.


    "What martial arts family did you come from," Old Man Shui asked.


    "Oh... we had a few reclusive masters that instructed the children in my family."


    Obviously, I couldn''t tell him that all my skills and battle sense are because I reincarnated from 10 years in the future. Even if I had he probably would have thought I was crazy or lying to him.


    "Oh! How uncommon, no wonder you have such skills and mindset," He looked at me with surprise.


    "Thank you Old Man Shui, I must take care of a few things before my next fight so I must go."


    "You may call me Shui, hopefully, we will meet again," He responded.


    "Yes, hopefully, Shui."


    We parted ways. I had a good impression of the old man. Even after suffering a defeat against someone young like me he did not show any signs of anger and handled it with grace. I somewhat admired him and hoped we could meet again.


    I had a few things to take care of before my next fight. First I went to Valerian and confirmed he submitted the correct bet and got the money. Fortunately, there were no mishaps, even if he acts foolishly sometimes he can be relied upon. The odds were 3 to 1 so we made a decent profit of ten coins. I told him to hold off betting for the next two rounds because the odds would be low and we couldn''t afford to draw attention to him by betting with a large amount. As a native, he would get too much attention for having that much money in a human settlement. Best case he gets mugged by petty thugs worst case he draws Alexander Morrow''s attention.


    I, on the other hand, wouldn''t draw so much attention and the majority of the crowd could already recognize me which decreases the chances of my bets causing problems. There were also no rules banning contenders from betting on themselves.


    I made my way around to the human section. I had to exit the native section and go around the arena since there was no passage connecting the two sections. After getting to the human section I entered the gambling house and got in line at one of the booths.


    After reaching the attendant I said, "13 gold on Young Lion winning his next fight."


    I bet with the money I had won from my fights.


    "Thank you, sir, here is your gambling receipt."


    The attendant had a cute smile and delicate features. No doubt this is why she was placed here. Nothing get''s a man''s blood boiling like a cute girl. This tactic was frequently used on Earth to drive up spending.


    My odds for my next fight were 2 to 3, significantly lower than the other fights. After receiving my receipt I left the gambling house and went to the entrance of the arena. After waiting there for about half an hour a figure came up to me and handed me a document. This is what I had been waiting for and is essential for my plan to move forward.


    "I got you what you want, now can I please have the antidote?"


    I looked at Barry, he was trembling. His face had become white as a ghost and sweat was pouring down his face. No doubt he was suffering from imaginary symptoms his mind had conjured regarding the Death Hand Fruit. Feeling sorry for him I handed him a small leaf from my pocket.


    "Grind this up and mix it with hot water then drink it all at once. This will temporarily keep your symptoms at bay. However, don''t even think about betraying me the poison remains in your system. This is not a complete cure."


    "Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate your kindness. Is there anything else you need from me?"


    "As a matter of fact, there is something you can do for me. I want you to start evaluating the mercenary members. Since you are one of them it shouldn''t be too hard. I need to know whether they can be bought, are frustrated with Morrow, or are loyal to him. I need to know which ones I can win over."


    "Yes sir, no problem. I will get you a list as soon as I can."


    After Barry walked away I looked down at the documents in my hand. With these I have nothing to worry about and my plan can proceed without fail. I just need to get to the final match.


    I went back to the contenders section and readied myself for the next fight. It wasn''t too long before my name and another contenders were called by the officiator. I was slightly hoping it would be the man with the Katana, but it was just one of the other contenders which are of no concern to me.


    I went into the fighting arena and dispatched the man with ease, in less than 30 seconds. Honestly, the fight was barely worth mentioning. I did manage to gain 378 essence though.


    I once again returned to the practice arena collecting 10 gold from the attendant. Then I went back to the gambling house and collected my winnings. After collecting the money I counted it. Between the gold, I won for fighting and gambling I had 29 gold and 50 silver. I then used that same amount and placed it on my next fight.


    After getting the gambling receipt back from the attendant I checked the odds. The odds went back up to 2 to 1. It seems my next opponent must be the Katana man and he must have a good record in the arena. He will definitely be a tough opponent.

 27 Silent Killer

    I left the gambling house and went back to the native section. I had to let Valerian know what to bet. At a 2 for 1 odd we could make a small profit without having to make too large of a bet. After letting Valerian know to put in a 5 gold bet I headed back to the contenders section.


    When I entered, the quiet of the place struck me for a moment. There was no sound of contenders sparring or practicing their techniques. No sound of moving feet and loud breathing, just silence.


    I looked across the room, the man with the Katana was still sitting there with the Katana laid across his lap. I swear if it wasn''t for the fact that I knew he was a contender I would think he was a statue. I couldn''t even hear his breathing.


    I began to practice my Quicksilver Blade techniques and think through some of the strategies I could employ to close the distance with the Katana man. His Katana gives him more reach than my daggers. If I can''t close the distance he will defeat me. I purposefully didn''t practice my shifting sands technique because I didn''t want him to see it ahead of time.


    It wasn''t long before I heard, "Our next contenders will be the rising star Young Lion versus Silent Killer a fan favorite. Contenders enter the arena."


    Silent Killer rose, a sharp aura exuding from him, and slowly made his way towards the corridor while barely making a sound. He didn''t even spare a glance at me and went down the side tunnel. Such a strange character.


    I made my way through the corridor and side tunnels to the fighting arena entrance. When Silent Killer entered the arena the cheering erupted I could even hear many women shouting things like, "Silent Killer take me as your wife. I''ll have all your babies. I''ll pay you for just one night."


    It seems like he is more popular with the ladies. I guess his silent cold demeanor has a certain effect on women. It probably helped that he had long flowing black hair and well-defined features.


    When I entered the arena there was also an eruption of cheers, although not quite as loud as Silent Killers. There were still some people shouting for me, "Yeah you''ve made me a killing so far, make me more. Kill him quick. Ruthless Young Lion kill him."


    Why are they all old men shouting for me? So annoying.


    I prepared myself staring towards Silent Killer while he stared back.


    Then the officiator announced, "Who will win, the Young Lion with his daggers or Silent Killer with his katana? Let''s find out! Fight."


    I dashed towards Silent Killer and he began walking towards me. Something about that bravado of his almost like he wasn''t taking me seriously really started to get on my nerves. I passed the four columns in the center of the arena and was rapidly approaching Silent Killer.


    As I came close I brandished both daggers and placed them both in a reverse grip. Using the Shifting Sands technique I made a forward dashing movement. Then almost as if out of thin air a katana appeared near my neck. I had to twist my torso back while bringing my dagger up to defend the blow. The force sent me tumbling backward. How could it have gotten so close without me sensing it?


    It''s nearly impossible his dexterity is that much greater than mine, it''s more like I couldn''t sense the strike. It felt like I was overlooking a snake in the bush. It was an uncomfortable feeling. I have to figure out how he does that. I went in for another strike but before I could get close once again a katana nearly sliced through my waist before my dagger deflected it.


    This isn''t the same as Old Man Shui, he isn''t using momentum to gain force its something else. Shui reminded me of ripples on a pond this man makes me think more of a sharp knife slicing through the air. Air. That''s it! When a blade slices through the air it normally makes a sound. The sound is coming from the vibrations of the blade caused by unnecessary movements we make when swinging them. Somehow this man has eliminated all unnecessary movements making his blade silent as it strikes.


    Unfortunately, even if I know how he is doing it I''m not sure how to defend against it. I could only once again cross blades with him. This time I tried to come in from his side, both my arms raised my daggers poised to defend. Just as I reached out to strike the katana appeared this time aiming at my arm. I was barely able to bring the blade back in time to block his strike. I was about to retreat when he used the force of my deflection to slice towards my shoulder. I knew I couldn''t block in time so I leaned back and kicked off with my feet. He still managed to graze my shoulder opening a light cut.


    I grimaced as I gained a little distance from him. I could feel the sting in my shoulder. This will make it so much harder to swing my right dagger every time I make a move I''ll feel the pain.


    Wait a sec. That''s the key.


    He just accidentally gave me the key to defeating him. Even if he can make his blade strike silent, he has to move his shoulder to make the move. If I closely analyze his body movement I can see where he will strike before it arrives.


    Armed with my newfound knowledge I dashed directly towards him. I stared at his shoulder as I drew close. It moved in and forward. It''s a thrust! I twisted my torso to the right and lowered my body while sweeping out with my left leg. His Katana passed just beside my chest as my left leg struck the back of his calves sending him flying in the air. As he landed on his back I drove both my daggers into his chest. He is too dangerous to give a chance to live.


    As I stood up I could see the hatred in his eyes as his life slowly slipped away from him. For a moment it looked like he wanted to say something and then his eyes lost all color.


    Essence Gained +1789

 28 Bazaar

    The crowd burst into cheers to the point it seemed to shake the sky. Haha, looks like I gave them a fight to remember. The cheering continued as I cleaned my daggers and waited for attendants to take Silent Killer''s body away. After the cheering abated I looked at Alexander Morrow.


    "Has the lord been pleased with my performance," I took a bow.


    He looked down on me from his position in the pavilion, "Indeed you have surpassed my expectations. Although, you may not have it so easy in your next fight," As he spoke he looked over at Captain Sauer.


    "Kid just because you have had some success doesn''t mean you can face me, HAHA," said Sauer boisterously.


    "We won''t know till we try," I responded coolly.


    Suddenly, Sauer''s face went cold and an evil gleam flickered in his eye.


    Then Morrow said, "We will give you three hours to go get your wound checked out and prepare for the fight. Afterward, I would like to have a moment to speak with you. I ensure that you will find it worth your time."


    "It would be my pleasure," I said as I turned and exited the fighting arena. I went back to the practice arena were an attendant gave me 13 gold coins for my win and directed me to a physician who stitched and bandaged my wound. After applying a special ointment I basically had all movement back in my arm and it affected me very little.


    First I wanted to go check my odds for the fight at the gambling house and collect my previous winnings. After waiting in line and getting up to the attendant I presented my gambling ticket for my fight with Silent Killer. After checking the attendants eyes looked shock for a second then put the gold in a sack and handed it to me. "Here are your winnings."


    I appreciated the attendants decorum, even if I was the finalist 59 gold was a substantial amount.


    I asked, "What are the odds for the final fight?"


    The attendant promptly responded, "7 to 1 in favor of Captain Bo "Grizzly" Sauer."


    "Swee," I couldn''t help but whistle aloud.


    Even after beating all my opponents while barely suffering one injury my odds were still that low. Even lower than my first match. I thought about it for a moment then placed a four gold bet and left the gambling house. I didn''t place a higher bet because I knew from my past life that if the gambling house had to pay out over 30 gold Sauer and Morrow would be notified and that usually didn''t end well for the person betting.


    With my last bet even though I received 59 gold my bet was 29 gold and 50 silver. With 2 to 1 odds this meant the gambling house only paid out 29 gold and 50 silver. Just under the amount that would make the gambling house manager notify Morrow and Sauer. I bet 4 gold on 7 to 1 odds because the payout from the gambling house would be 24 gold, but if I bet 5 gold the payout would be 30. All of my bets were carefully calculated to get the most gold with smallest amount of risk.


    Next, I went over to the native section to see Valerian. As I was entering I noticed a somewhat familiar silhouette. I stopped pulling my cloak around me and moved to the side so I could get a better angle.


    Then I noticed the red stripe running down the G''eth''s arms and the large thorns sticking out from his shoulders. Crap its Cratagus! I didn''t expect him to come here and I don''t have time to deal with him at the moment! However, he is the only one who would recognize Valerian and me. I quickly went to where Valerian was sitting. Luckily a wall of the arena obstructed Cratagus''s view of Valerian''s seat. If he saw him he would definitely start trouble.


    Valerian looked over at me as I sat next to him and I could tell he was about to say something loud and stupid.


    I quickly said, "Shut up," in a quiet tone.


    Valerian got a hurt look on his face.


    "Cratagus is here."


    Quickly his face went from hurt to shock. He spun his head around.


    "Where is he? Let''s go teach him a lesson."


    He is really too hot-headed sometimes.


    "No, absolutely not. We cannot let him see either one of us. It will be detrimental to the plan."


    "Oh yeah, I guess you are right."


    "You are gonna have to leave the arena for now. While you are out I need you to find a way to make sure Cratagus doesn''t watch my fight with Sauer. This is important you can''t screw it up. When you are done just go back to the Inn"


    "Gotcha, I understand," Valerian responded.


    We then quickly made our way out of the arena ensuring Cratagus didn''t see us. So far my plans were moving forward flawlessly, however, Cratagus could be a very serious problem. For my plan to succeed I must win over Alexander Morrow''s trust and I can''t do that if he finds out I''m close with any of the native races, including Valerian. This is why I have been coming to the native section hiding under a cloak. This is also why Cratagus could be a huge problem as he could reveal my relationship with the G''eth. I could only leave it up to Valerian, even if he seems like a moron sometimes he hasn''t let me down yet.


    I still had about two hours before the fight with Sauer and pondered over ways I could improve my strength before the fight. Even with the essence I gained during the previous fights I still don''t have enough to level up again. I have been practicing my techniques and poses for Quicksilver Blade all day and don''t think that will help significantly improve my strength in a short period.


    I looked up in exasperation. I just can''t think of anything that would significantly improve my strength. I stared into the sky. Based on the position of the sun it should be a couple of hours after midday. Hmm... there is normally a bazaar in the market district around this time.


    I decided I might as well head over there to take a look around. At the very least it wouldn''t hurt and maybe I could come across something that can help me. I made my way through the streets towards the bazaar. As I was walking I looked around taking note of all the activity in the village. Overall, it was a fairly bustling, the basic shops and amenities had been set up. You could find a variety of products and lots of foods due to the fertile land on the plain.


    Other than the frozen and desert areas most of Agartha is fertile and there are plants similar to the ones on earth that can be farmed. Clearly, Alexander Morrow provided the villagers with the descriptions of the edible plants and what their counterpart on earth is. Even if his intentions are not pure he did set the foundation for a strong village in Agartha.


    It only took me about 15 minutes to reach the bazaar. The bazaar was especially busy with all kind of unique products to Agartha in all the different stalls. There were some things that were similar to things from earth and others that were completely different.


    The good news is that most people don''t know the true value of the things they have so I could find myself a few treasures if I get lucky.

 29 Another Meeting

    The sun was bright high up in the sky but there was a nice breeze blowing keeping the bazaar from getting too hot. The streets between the stalls were made of dirt and due to the recently dry weather the dirt was loose making the bazaar dusty. As the crowd moved from place to place the dirt would get kicked into the air forming small clouds of dust around everyone''s feet. With the bright light shining down it felt like you could make out each particle as it swirled in the air.


    I began to walk around the bazaar and most of the shops I passed had the usual wares. A lot of items were replicas of those you could find on Earth like, pottery, cutlery, clothing, with a few native plants mixed in here and there. For the most part it was just like any bazaar you would have found on Earth long ago.


    Without modern technology people were forced to make things the old fashioned way and many skills had been lost. This made the quality of most the items for sale very low and even if I had the time to spare looking at them I wouldn''t have bought any. Over time the quality would rise. Humanity would relearn how to make items and new technologies would be discovered that took advantage of things unique to Agartha.


    For instance, on Earth most of humanity relied on electricity in almost every aspect of everyday life, but on Agartha electricity was more wild and hard to control. Even ten years in the future humanity hadn''t discovered a way to harness it in the way we had before. On the other hand, we had newfound items that in some aspects could replace it. Like sun stones, in the south there are fields that contain a type of stone that harnesses energy and can release light for long periods of time afterwords. They work a lot like solar panels absorbing the sun during the day afterwords they release the energy in the form of light.


    The Fey already use sun stones for lighting, however, humans here in the plains don''t have access to them yet. A large portion of the south has been conquered by the Fey and they control the trade of sun stones.


    In the future due the effort of many humans and at the cost of many lives trade will become more abundant and many items will become available.


    I continued to move around the bazaar, however, I was continually disappointed. The quality of items was just too low and the lack of trade routes made the resources available limited. Even with future knowledge none of the items I saw in the bazaar were useful to me in any way.


    At this point I only had about 30 minutes left before my fight with Sauer begins which means I don''t have much time left to search the bazaar.


    I was just about to start heading back towards the arena when an elderly figure caught my attention. I almost didn''t see him, but before I turned I caught a glimpse and swore I had seen him before. I headed towards the old man who was sitting in a lotus position beneath a stall that read "Lucas''s Wares." As I got closer I could make out his features.


    Shocked I walked up to him, "Fancy meeting you here."


    The old man had his eyes closed and his head tilted down. When he heard my voice he looked up at me and squinted, "Well this is a pleasant surprise, any chance you have some more roasted fish."


    I couldn''t help chuckling, "Do I look like I carry them around in my pockets?"


    The old man smirked at me, "No, I guess not."


    This was the mysterious old man we ran into on the beach. The one that told us the story about Gilgamesh. I looked around at his wares and noticed a shiny green stone with black marking etched onto it. For a moment I was stunned. How had something like that end up here?


    I looked up at the sign and back at the old man, "Are you Lucas?"


    He smiled and sarcastically said, "No I just like to sit under other people''s signs."


    "Touche." I replied, clearly he was giving me lip for my earlier sarcasm.


    "In that case is there any chance I can buy that green rock off of you?"


    "Oh this?" He picked up the stone tossing it up and down in his hand.


    "Why would you want a simple rock like this?" He devilishly smiled at me.


    Simple? Does he have any idea what that is? Or is he messing with me? I had the feeling this old man know''s quite a lot more than he is saying.


    "I simply thought it looked nice and wanted to give it as a gift to a friend," I stammered.


    "Ohh.... in that case I can be convinced to part with it. For 15 gold."


    My jaw dropped, now I know this old man is messing with me. He clearly knows the value of this stone. He must have put out the 15 gold price because he doesn''t think I''ll be able to pay that much. If he really knows the true value of the stone he wouldn''t actually sell it for 15 gold even 100 gold may be too little. I looked down at the sack on my waist, in it was my gold, 59 from my last bet, 13 from win in the arena, after paying 4 for my latest bet it left 68 gold total.


    "Fine! I will take it." I simply couldn''t pass this up.


    This time the old man was the one whose jaw dropped. He looked me over seeming to analyze every inch of my body.


    "You have secrets don''t you boy?"


    I couldn''t help but break out into a sweat. That piercing gaze sent shivers down my spine.


    "I simply came upon some money recently and have taken a fancy to the stone."


    "Uh huh," he replied cooly.


    "Here''s the money," I put the gold in his hand.


    He placed the stone in my palm and suddenly grabbed my wrist, "Be careful boy, some transactions aren''t this simple."


    I nodded my head then rushed out of the bazaar heading back to the arena. That old man gave me an extremely eerie feeling. After I was out of the bazaar and the eerie feeling the old man gave me went away I looked at my palm, a smooth green stone with black etchings was lying there. A big grin came over my face. With this Sauer doesn''t stand a chance.

 30 Windwalker Stone

    Others may have thought the stone was simply normal or that it was a piece of decorative art. I, on the other hand, knew exactly how useful this stone really was. I focused my eyes on the stone.


    [???]


    [Connecting to host for more information]


    This is another function of ALIC. When an object cannot be identified using the knowledge pre-stored within ALIC it will search the hosts brain for information regarding the object and if the information can be found it will be displayed. If the information cannot be found within the host it will remain unidentified. This process doesn''t affect the host at all and as far as we know has no negative side effects. After a few moments the information regarding the stone appeared.


    Name: Windwalker Stone


    STATS


    Uses: 1


    EFFECTS


    Increases users speed by 50% for 3 minutes


    It may not seem like much but a 50% boost in speed would easily allow me to defeat people even if they were multiple levels above me. Just considering how many stats it would take to boost my speed by half is enough to realize how much of an advantage it gives me. My dexterity was already at 12 which boosted by half would mean a plus 6 in dexterity. However, something like dexterity alone isn''t enough to sufficiently represent a persons speed. Even if you have a high dexterity without strength you can''t produce the power to move faster. Without constitution your body could be damaged by it''s own force.


    In my last life many studies had been performed to find what ratio was necessary to maintain between the stats to optimize a persons speed. At the end they found that while dexterity is the main stat, to perform at the highest speed your strength had to be at least half of your dexterity and your constitution had to be a third. Otherwise, the lack of strength and constitution would begin to limit your speed. Therefore a 50% boost in speed wasn''t just like getting 6 dexterity, it was more like getting 6 dexterity, 3 strength, and 2 constitution. This means your essentially gaining around 6 levels. No matter how strong Sauer is in front of a level 15 human he would be nothing but minced meat.


    As much as I wished the windwalker stone could permanently bestow these stats to me that isn''t quite how it works. When a person breaks the windwalker stone it wraps them with a powerful wind type ability that augments their speed. Essentially the stone boosts their speed by making using the power of wind. The effect is immediate, however, it is short lived and doesn''t actually augment the body directly.


    In fact the windwalker stone is a lot light sun stones in the fact that they have absorbed the essence of wind like sun stones with light. However, a windwalker stone has been augmented using a special technique that gives it the ability to boost a person''s speed. I know this because of the black lines that cover it''s surface. A normal wind stone would simply look like a green stone that always had a light breeze around it.


    Their are many different kind of stones that harness different kinds of essences throughout the world of Agartha and different races and tribes use different techniques to augment them in different ways. The windwalker stone is a type that is normally only found in a specific Fey kingdom to the southwest. That is why I was so surprised to find one here and why I couldn''t help but find the old man who called himself Lucas even more mysterious. That''s something I have to put to the back of mind right now though, my fight with Sauer isn''t far off.


    Needless to say this windwalker stone gives me a great advantage over Sauer. However, I will only use it as a last resort. I would rather use Snake King Aura than use the Windwalker Stone. Using, Snake King Aura will reveal that I have an ability and might alarm a few of the villagers. However, in the end I will always have it and other humans know they can''t kill me to get it. The windwalker stone, on the other hand, is a one use item as indicated in its stats and finding another wouldn''t be easy. More problematically other humans may think I have more or know where they are and that could stir up problems.


    I made my way back to the arena and headed over to the native section. I have to make sure that the Cratagus problem has been dealt with. As I neared the section I could see Valerian just outside the entrance waiting and scanning the area. When he noticed me he quickly came over.


    I pulled my cloak tight around me, "Have you got Cratagus out of the arena?"


    "There was no need to, after about 30 minutes he met with someone and left the arena on his own," Valerian replied.


    Intrigued I asked, "Who did he meet with?"


    "I couldn''t get close enough to listen to their conversation so I wasn''t able to get a name. However, I got a good look at him. He had sharp features and a very pointed nose. He is very skinny, has black hair that seems to be matted to his head, pale skin, and beady eyes."


    I took in a deep breath. "Ward! What is that sadistic jerk doing meeting with Cratagus?"


    No doubt this means trouble. Ward is Sauer''s right hand man and is also the liaison between Morrow and the Yellow Wolf Bandits. I couldn''t help but get a foreboding feeling and feel slightly worried for the G''eth Village. If Cratagus wanted to take revenge he would need outside help and with Morrow''s opinion regarding natives I''m sure he''d be all too happy to carry out an attack.


    I definitely need to find a way to intervene if I can. However, my plans here are moving forward and I simply don''t have the resources at the moment to fight a battle on two fronts. After thinking about the situation for a minute I came to a decision.


    "Valerian you have to go back to the village and warn Corytheius that Cratagus may have the support of the Yellow Wolf Bandits and lead an attack on the town. Let him know that I will do what I can from here. After you''ve warned him come back here and wait for me at the Black Claw Inn."


    After explaining everything he needed to know, Valerian left. I knew the trip would take at least two days and that I''d be on my own for now. I headed back over to the contenders section and began to prepare myself for the fight ahead.

 31 Rage

    I sat on the ground in the practice arena waiting for the officiator to announce the beginning of my fight with Sauer. I was adjusting my mind in preparation for the fight and simulating different scenarios in my head. I had seen Sauer fight many times in my last life and was familiar with his battle style and strength. I knew he wouldn''t be an easy opponent to defeat and out of everyone in Black Lion Village he had the second highest level, only behind Morrow.


    It wasn''t long before the officiator''s voice sounded out, "Ladies and Gentlemen, the long awaited final fight of the day has arrived. Reigning champion Bo "Grizzly" Sauer and rising star Young Lion enter the arena."


    Finally it was time. I rose from the ground and proceeded down the familiar corridors to the fighting arena. Once again I waited for my opponent to enter the arena first. There were no rules specifying contenders had to enter the arena in a certain order or even separate, but it was good showmanship and allowed me to gauge the crowds reaction.


    Sauer entered the arena in a arrogant manner holding his blood stained clubs over his shoulder, a cacophony of cheers erupted from the stands. The guttural cheers of the crowd reverberated around the arena like an ancient beasts roar. An atmosphere of bloodlust descended. As I stared out at the crowd there were noticeable differences between this crowd and those from other fights. It was as if the devil itself had possessed them. Many people were cheering at the top of their lungs their eyes bloodshot and open wide.


    It was truly in these moments that one can understand the depravity of human nature. The crowds desire for blood and Sauer''s normally brutish methods of dispatching opponents revealed the dark side of humanity. Even though most humans were able to live peacefully on Earth, as soon as we returned to ancient era like in Agartha, humanities savage nature came out full force. It shatters the peaceful image of people that was cultivated on Earth for centuries. In our core we will turn into beasts as soon as we are given the opportunity.


    However, this atmosphere didn''t scare me, nor did I look down on it with an aloof righteousness. Rather, I embraced it. I allowed the rage from past life to boil over inside me like a surging river. It began in my chest and burned its way through my veins like lava. I began to harmonize with the atmosphere that surrounded this bloody red arena.


    Memories of my past began to flicked through my mind. All the times I was humiliated and belittled by Sauer played in my mind like a bloody film. I had been purposefully subduing these memories and emotions before. I knew I had to wait for the right moment to unleash my rage. I had to act carefully and with intelligence, but with the atmosphere acting as a catalyst, my rage burst from within. No amount of willpower could restrain it. It was all I could manage to retain my sanity.


    One might expect someone like me who had experienced so many things in the past to have a tighter grasp over their emotions. In fact, it was my past experience that made me feel them even more sharply.


    How could I not be enraged when returning to a place where I suffered such torment, yet now due to just a small difference in power I am treated worlds apart from before. In the past I was viewed as less than a dog before these people, something to be used and thrown away. Before, my ignorance shielded me from realizing the truth for two years. I accepted the humiliation and beatings subconsciously agreeing that I was worthless. My ignorance kept me from seeing things for what they were. I was weak and they wanted me to stay that way so they could continue to reap benefits from me.


    No more. I had shed my weakness. I had dispelled my ignorance and thrown away the shackles that bound me. This time I would rise. This time they would be the ones to kneel before me with fear in their eyes.


    I could no longer contain myself. My rage and strength exploded all at once as I dashed towards Sauer without waiting for the officiator to announce the match.


    Like a whisper at the back of my mind I could hear the officiators voice as I crossed the arena, "Haha, It seems Young Lion is eager to start. Let the fight begin!"


    My eyes trained on Sauer as boiling killing intent erupted from me. Sauer seemed to notice the difference as a coldness came over the features. The arrogant demeanor he had when he entered the arena changed into a vigilance as he braced himself for my arrival.


    All of my carefully thought through plans from before entering the arena faded from my mind. A fog of rage and intense desire for slaughter clouded my mind. I did my best to restrain it, I knew a clear mind was better for a fight, but my rage was just too overwhelming.


    As I got close to Sauer I leaped towards him lashing out with both daggers. Sauer raised his club and blocked both of them. Using my momentum I twisted my torso and lashed out with my left leg landing a strike in the middle of Sauer''s chestplate. The force of the strike sent Sauer stumbling5 steps backward and I landed on the ground where he previously stood.


    I quickly got up and dashed at towards Sauer again. I could see a surprised look on his face, clearly he had not expected me to lash out with such ferocity considering I hadn''t in any of my other matches. Despite the shock he quickly braced himself as he glared at me.


    Sauer and I began an intense exchange with our weapons. I was clearly faster than him by a notch, however, his strength allowed him to wield two large iron clubs and with his battle experience he could position them in ways that blocked my strikes. Even though he was successfully defending, he had no opportunities to mount an attack of his own since my barrage of attacks were furiously lashing out at him.


    Frustrated at having my attacks continually blocked I lashed out with even more strength and managed to hit one of his clubs hard enough to deflect it into the ground. This gave me a momentary opening. I used shifting sands and shot in close to his right side. In this close he couldn''t use his clubs to deflect my strikes and I buried one of my daggers into a gap in his armor near his waist.


    Sauer shouted out and pain as he stepped to the side getting a little separation. I prepared to chase after him when Sauer used the club in his right hand to bash into me with a massive force. The club struck my left left side and sent me flying away from him.


    The force of the impact was fierce, no doubt Sauer had invested the majority of his stats in strength. Luckily, I had the Dragon Cuirass on or that blow might just have killed me. Still I ended up almost coughing up a mouthful of blood. On the plus side the blow managed to help clear up the fog of rage in my mind and regain control over my thoughts.


    As I rose up from the ground I looked towards Sauer. Blood was running down his side and he was clearly favoring his left side with his stance. That stab had clearly weakened his defense. Despite my rage having clouded my judgement for a moment, it just might have given me the advantage I need to take Sauer down.

 32 Sauers Demise

    The crowd was silent. No one had expected a young fighter like myself to get an edge over Sauer. Even Alexander Morrow was leaning forward in his seat. After all this was a fight concerning his right hand man and the Captain of his mercenary force. Their is no way he would allow something to happen to him in a fight in the arena.


    Sauer was standing there panting a little and a small look of fear crept into his features. No doubt the ferocity of my previous attacks had made him more wary of me. Although my previous fierce assault had allowed me to gain an advantage by injuring him, it also consumed a large amount of stamina and I had also been lightly injured in the process. Still, my injury wouldn''t impede me as much as his would.


    For a moment we both stood there staring at each other. Then Sauer said, "There is no need for us to go all out against each other. Lord Morrow already has the intention of giving you a position within our troops. At that time you could stand proudly above many others."


    I continued staring at him not giving him any response and revealing no emotion in my face. All I wanted was a little time to catch my breath so I could kill him. After a few moments passed he began to look irritated and was clearly getting angry, but before he could say anything else I began to attack him again.


    Even though we were both slightly slower than before we continued clashing repeating the same scenario, with Sauer defending as I attacked with higher speed. This time however, I had a clear mind and could analyze his movements to see flaws in his attacks.


    As he went to deliver a blow overhead I subtly sidestepped and used shifting sands to move in on his right side. Unfortunately, Sauer was no fool and the same trick wouldn''t work on him twice. Before I could get close his other club came swinging in my direction forcing me to retreat. After a moment we resumed our clash weapons colliding in a fierce manner.


    Then something unexpected happened, as Sauer defended one of my strikes with his club a loud snap was heard and the dagger in my right hand was snapped in half. If I had been able to use my Twisted Serpent daggers this wouldn''t have happened, however, arena rules don''t let you use personal weapons. Even if they did I still wouldn''t have used them, they just stand out too much. Even Silent Killer and Sauer were using weapons provided by the arena. I couldn''t help but be distracted for moment as I hadn''t expected something like this to occur.


    In my moment of hesitation Sauer swung his club attempting to bash it into my side. Unfortunately for Sauer his swing seemed to cause his wound to flare up which gave me just the slightest moment to catch my bearing.


    Realizing the danger I was in and without the time to dodge or block I activated my Snake King Aura.


    An intense look of fear overwhelmed Sauer''s features as the Snake King Aura exploded out of my body and overwhelmed his senses. Clearly, he hadn''t invested many stat points into willpower. With the time given to me with Snake King Aura I swung my dagger towards Sauer''s throat wanting to end it right then. To my dismay just before the strike landed Sauer recovered and shifted his body to the side in the nick of time. My dagger landed on the armor covering his shoulder and was deflected.


    Sauer sudden dodge cause him to lose his balance and stumble backwards, but he didn''t fall. Seeing this, I quickly followed up with another strike aiming for his throat. One of my daggers is broke so I have to press my advantage now or I might end up losing. As Sauer began to regain his balance he saw me coming in with my strike and quickly raised his clubs blocking me from aiming at his face.


    I couldn''t help but smile, that was an amateur move and under normal circumstances there is no way Sauer would make a mistake like that. It had to have been due to a combination of my earlier viscous assault and an aftereffect of the Snake King Aura making fear cloud his judgement. He blocked his own line of sight.


    I immediately lowered my body and buried my blade into a gap in his armor behind his right knee. I could feel the severing of his tendons as Sauer let out a blood curling screech. There are few things more painful than having your tendon severed. When the all the tension on a tendon is suddenly released the tendon snaps back towards the closest connected joint. In Sauer''s case that would be his hip.


    As Sauer screamed he fell down to his knees dropping both his clubs out of his hands. I quickly circled around behind him and was prepared to slice open his throat. Just before I could strike a loud voice boomed from the audience, "STOP."


    The entire arena went silent as I stopped my strike mid swing. In that moment you could hear the wind whistle as it passed over the arena. The entire crowd was completely still as if time had stopped.


    I looked up and Alexander Morrow who was staring out viciously towards me.


    "Yes?" I calmly replied.


    "You are the victor! There is no need to kill him. You will be announced the champion of today''s tournaments and receive many rewards."


    "Lord Morrow do you know my real name?"


    He looked at me as if I had smashed a pie into my face.


    "What does that have to do with anything," he asked confused.


    "Everything," I replied.


    I then slid my dagger across Sauer''s throat. Hot red blood splashed out coating the front of his armor. His eyes widened with shock and dismay as his hands feebly tried to stop the outpouring of his own blood. In the pavilion Alexander Morrow stared on in utter disbelief.


    "My name is Troy Hargrave."

 33 Deception

    The crowd remained stunned. Since Black Lion Village was established no one had so much as spoken a word that Lord Morrow didn''t want to hear. He was the absolute overlord of this place and his every whim was catered to. In this village no one dared to disobey even his slightest suggestion much less kill his right hand man in front of him after being told to stop. Even as Sauer finally bled out and his lifeless body hit the ground Alexander Morrow still hadn''t said anything.


    I could see the expectant looks on the crowds face. No doubt they were waiting for Morrow''s fury to descend upon me demanding I endure the most extreme of tortures. I waited with baited breath I was making a large gamble right now. With the help of the Windbreaker Stone I might could still escape if my plan went south, but even with it I probably only had a 20% chance of keeping my life.


    After what seemed like an eternity Alexander Morrow said, "Guards escort him to the Lord''s Mansion and don''t do anything till I get there." He then turned around and left the arena.


    The crowd erupted in astonishment.


    "What did I just hear? What in the hell is going on? There must be something wrong with my hearing. I swear I just heard the Lord invite him to the Lords Mansion."


    They looked at each other baffled and confused.


    I calmly breathed out a sigh of relief. It worked. Oh thank god it worked. As long as he didn''t try to have me killed on the spot I was sure my plan would move forward. After the tense moment passed I noticed the notification from killing Sauer.


    Essence Gained +2112


    While I was slightly stunned at the fact he was a level 4 about halfway to level 5 after thinking about it for a moment it made sense. He had the support of the entire mercenary group to help him level up. Not only would they fight strong creatures then let him get the final blow to get essence, they also captured creatures for him to kill. Not to mention the humans he killed in the arena. If it weren''t for my fortunate encounters and circumstances my leveling speed could never compare to his.


    Soon after, a small retinue of about ten guards came out and surrounded me.


    "Please follow us calmly sir," the leader of the guards said to me as he confiscated my only remaining dagger.


    I nodded my head and allowed them to escort me out of the arena under the astonished gaze of the crowd. As the guards escorted me through the streets of Black Lion Village crowds of people would stare and whisper as we passed. Clearly the news of me killing Sauer was traveling fast. It wasn''t long before we were standing in front of a large gate made entirely of medal.


    The leader of the guards looked up and shouted, "Open the gate!"


    A guard looked down at us from a tower next to the gate. Moments later the sound of groaning metal was heard as the gate was opened revealing a spacious courtyard behind it. Everything was meticulously in order, with clean cut stone paths separating an evenly cut grassy area. The trees growing to the side in a perfect line trimmed to have matching heights and width. The stone forming the path matched that of the mansion itself and was a pure white.


    I was quickly escorted inside of the mansion. The mansion was large however, the design was still a little crude. After all even though Alexander Morrow had been in Agartha for a longer time than me and probably had help gathering resources ahead of the migration due to his connection with the government their was no way they would have sent a master craftsman in early just to build a residence. After all they had no way of knowing where Morrow would arrive in Agartha.


    In the end we stopped in a large lobby area where the guards stayed in formation around me ensuring I didn''t go anywhere. After a short wait Alexander Morrow entered through a side door and said, "Guards stay here. Troy come with me."


    He walked into another room and I followed behind him. This was his study, their were crude furnishings that included three chairs a desk and a bookshelf. Alexander Morrow went and sat behind his desk and gestured for me to sit in one of the chairs in front of it. As he sat behind the desk he pulled out a necklace and placed it on the desk in front of him.


    He stared at me from across the desk almost as if he was analyzing every aspect of my appearance.


    Then he slowly said in an icy tone, "There is only one reason you''re not suffering unimaginable pain right now and if you can''t tell me what this is you still will."


    He held up the necklace.


    This is what I had been waiting for. The necklace was a pure gold color and in the front was a circle of gold with a silver rose inlaid in a ruby red gem shaped like a flame.


    Without hesitation I said, "It''s mothers. On the back it says, To my beloved sons."


    Alexander Morrow eyes rose in shock and he quickly broke out into a huge grin.


    "It really is you! I can fulfill my promise to her," a long sigh escaped his mouth.


    With that the first step of my plan came to fruition. Even in my past life their was something not many people knew about Alexander Morrow and if it wasn''t for the fact that Sauer had thought I fell unconscious during one of the times he beat me I wouldn''t know it either.


    There isn''t much Alexander Morrow cares about other than power and money, but when a young boy grows up in a household with a domineering father who spends all his time working he tends to be very attached to his mother. When his father''s political career was taking off his mother had an affair with another man. Eventually his mother got pregnant and she hid it from her husband for months before he found it. When he found out he flew into a rage and forced her to give the child up, but to save face and for his career he stayed with her.


    Alexander Morrow''s mother was always sickly and when time came for his family to migrate to Agartha she fell ill and the doctors said she wouldn''t survive the trip, forcing her to stay on earth. Before, he left his mother met with him and revealed to him the truth about his half brother and made him promise to find him and protect him in Agartha. She told him that she had the same necklace made for him and that''s how he could identify him.


    I heard Morrow discussing all of this with Sauer while I laid beaten on the ground in Sauer''s office one time. I remembered it because I swore I would kill Morrows brother out of spite if I ever found him. Now this information was really useful to me. It was also then that I heard him mention his mother''s maiden name, Hargrave. Morrow was revealing this to Sauer so he could perform a search for anyone going by that name.


    This is why Morrow reacted the way he did when he heard me say that I was Troy Hargrave. That is also why I went by the name Young Lion in the arena because his mother''s family crest bore a black lion. That is also why Morrow named his village Black Lion Village. All of my actions were leading up to this point. This is how I had planned to gain Morrow''s trust.

 34 Proof

    Alexander Morrow''s look of immense joyed lasted for a few minutes as he asked me questions of my childhood and my time in Agartha. Using a mixture of truths and lies I weaved an exceedingly believable story of a young man who struggled early in life, but was eventually able to rise up and make something of himself. I even elaborated on the struggles I faced in the wilderness and how my necklace was broken and lost in a desperate attempt to survive. After listening closely to my story Morrow seemed satisfied, however, I noticed a solemn look come over his features.


    He looked at me as a dominant atmosphere developed around him, "I am happy to find you brother. And even though you killed Captain Sauer I can look past it for my mothers sake. However, don''t you owe me some explanation."


    I gave him an innocent smile as I confidently responded, "I can understand your concern brother. In truth when I first arrived here from the wilderness I was ecstatic to find that you were the lord. Mother had passed a message to me a few months before the migration that if I could I should find you in Agartha. Yet after many days of trying to get into contact with you I couldn''t get through your men who would turn me away without a glance."


    Morrow nodded as he understood his organization and had set it up this way on purpose to keep out people he viewed as unimportant as ants.


    I continued, "One day while sitting in a tavern I overheard a conversation concerning Sauer that made me curious. A young man was describing how he had joined a "personal force" of Sauer''s. I considered this strange, however, I couldn''t discern whether this was under your orders or not."


    After saying this Morrow''s brow raised and a cold look solidified on his face.


    "After investigating I was able to find proof that he was developing his force in secret and when I heard he would be the final opponent in the arena I realized that would be the best way to resolve a problem for my older brother and give us a chance to meet. There was no way I could reveal the information I had because Sauer would have found some way to suppress it and would have undoubtedly had me tracked down and killed to keep you from finding out."


    Morrow nodded his head again understanding the logic of what I was saying. Of course he didn''t know that it was mostly made up and a carefully planned lie.


    He then asked, "Do you still have the proof that Sauer was building a secret force?"


    "Of course," I responded.


    I then pulled out the documents I had stuffed underneath my inner armor before the fight in expectation of this meeting. Naturally these were the documents that I had Barry steal at great peril to his life. To get these documents Barry had to break into Sauer''s office and retrieve them. Luckily for Barry he was a member of the mercenary group or else he would have had almost no chance at succeeding.


    These documents contained a record of the money Sauer had embezzled from city funds and used to develop his own personal force. It also had a detailed record of every man under his payroll. We were fortunate that Sauer was participating in the Arena today because if he had returned to his office to find these documents missing he would have became extremely vigilant and might have even fled.


    I handed the documents over to Alexander Morrow. As he began to peruse the documents anger began to distort his features. Eventually he lost all control and slammed his palm down onto his desk in fury. The solid wood desk shook and a crack originating at his palm shot across the desk like a viper. He nearly split the desk in half.


    I couldn''t help but take a deep breath. There is no doubt that his strength stat was similar to mine, but it had to be less than Sauer''s, after all Morrow wouldn''t be as foolish as Sauer and invest all his stats into strength. If I had to guess Morrow had to be a level 5, maybe even a level 6.


    No doubt Morrow had a firm physical foundation to start at. After all, the standard soldier from earth would have his basic stats start at 10. Even after I consumed the Geodenesis Arboreth sap my basic stats only improved enough to put me at the same starting point as a normal human. It wasn''t until I was level 4 that I had the same stats as a soldier started with. Essentially I''m at the same fitness as a level 5 soldier even though I''m level 9 due to my weak starting fitness. Being a government officials son and having trained from an early age I am sure Morrow had a similar starting fitness as a soldier. That means based purely off fitness Morrow and I should be at the same level. In an actual fight fitness isn''t everything so even at the same fitness I could fairly easily win over Morrow with my past experience and my techniques.


    Even though I could defeat him fairly easily there were two reasons I couldn''t kill him here in office and simply take over the village. One, there were a large number of guards on the residence so if I didn''t cleanly kill him in one strike I''d have a small chance of making it out alive. Two, even if I cleanly killed him and made it out alive it''d cause chaos in the town which wouldn''t be beneficial to my plans. It is much more beneficial to gain his trust and build up my force on my own.


    After Morrow''s anger subsided and he sat back in his chair I said to him, "Now can you understand why I had to do what I did dear brother? How could I allow this snake in the grass to live and put everything you worked so hard for in jeopardy?"


    Alexander Morrow looked at me, joy, appreciation, and gratefulness radiating from his features, "I really cannot thank brother enough for handling this matter for me. It just so happens that I''m currently in need of a Captain for my mercenary group and you have clearly demonstrated your combat ability in your fight with Sauer. How about it brother, will you be my Captain?"


    An enormous grin spread across my face, "I''d be honored," I said as I stood and deeply bowed. Unfortunately, for Morrow he couldn''t see how sinister my grin was as I stared at the ground.

 35 Captain

    As I rose from my bow I could see the happiness in Morrow''s eyes. He had bought every single thing I said. Even though almost everything I told him was a lie he completely believed every single word. The trick in weaving a good lie isn''t just throwing in obscure details to hide it. The trick is in giving the listener something they desire and from the moment Morrow believed I was his long lost brother it made it easy for him to believe my words.


    This is why even though it might seem absurd to give someone you just met who killed your right-hand man the position of Captain it had happened. I had convinced Morrow that I was his brother and that had filled a great longing in his heart. At this point it would be harder for him to not believe I''m his brother than to believe it. Even the most cold and callous of men would be defenseless in front of such a situation.


    Similar events had occurred on Earth in my past life. Long lost children showing up on their parents door step and even after many inconsistencies they still believed that they were their child. Even in front of proof that the child was a con-artist the family would still insist that they are their child. Even if the rest of the world could see it the family would become blind to the truth. And now because of my knowledge of the past Morrow had fallen victim to the same trick and his belief in me was so strong that he made me the second most powerful person below him. After all Alexander Morrow had yet to reveal any information about his brother yet and as far as he knew this was a secret only him, his mother, and his brother would know. Even his father was unaware of the necklace and what it represented. After all, he never would have imagined someone from the future would be sent back to the past aware of his secret.


    After accepting my role as Captain, Morrow sat me down and we discussed the Black Lion Village and my responsibilities. He had a well thought out plan and had built the village on a firm foundation. I gave him a few pieces of advise to help bolster the economy of the village as doing so would only benefit me in the future.


    As the Captain I was the highest ranked member of the mercenary group/town guard, therefore while I oversaw the large picture the vast majority of the work was carried out by those beneath me. Under the Captain are 10 Lieutenants who are each responsible for 10 sergeants who each lead 10 mercenaries, all together it was a little over a thousand men. This was not a random number, it was carefully decided based on the income of the village and the number was not increased without the explicit order of Alexander Morrow as it would place a burden on the finances of the village. The pay scale was also based on what rank you held. As Captain I received 5 gold a week, Lieutenants recieved 2, Sergeants 1, and regular mercenaries received 20 silver.


    The structure allows for a clear chain of command and a breakdown of responsibilities. Besides issuing orders to the Lieutenants my only other responsibilities were to occasionally fight in the arena to increase prestige, to lead expeditions to other areas as decided by Morrow, and to get stronger.


    After discussing the village and my responsibilities Morrow became very serious as he looked at me, "Have you heard of the Yellow Wolf Bandits?"


    Naturally I had been expecting this to come up at some point and nodded, "Yes, some of the villagers have talked about how vicious they are. They must be quite the thorn in your side."


    He grinned, "Actually they are also under my command. You must understand brother, Agartha is a cruel world and we have to rule with an iron fist. The reason my Black Lion Village has flourished to this degree is because the villagers remain in fear of the Yellow Wolf Bandits and have to rely on our "protection". Without this there would be chaos and the populace would be hard to control. It is a necessary thing"


    I faked a look of admiration and shock on my face, "Brother you are so clever, this is indeed an incredible strategy and the best way to build a village."


    Morrow broke out into a huge smile, no doubt he had believed my act, "Good I am glad you understand. However, you won''t have to dirty your hands personally. I have someone else who oversees that side of things and he will only occasionally need you to assist him when your men need to "take care" of the bandits. The person who leads them is named Cain Ward. He is an odd fellow but he gets the job done."


    Naturally I already knew this, yet it still took everything I had to maintain my expression and not leak any killing intent. I hated Ward even more than I hated Sauer. Not to mention he is by far more cunning and will probably be my greatest obstacle in taking the village over.


    Morrow continued, "I will announce your appointment to Captain tomorrow at midday at which time you can meet the lieutenants still with us, as well as Ward. For now you can go and collect your things and take care of any business you need to. Sauer''s manor will be handed over to you and I will have the guards of the manor replaced."


    When Morrow said, "still with us" he was obviously alluding to the fact that some of the mercenaries were on Sauer''s list and that he would have them removed before tomorrow. When Black Lion Village woke tomorrow no less than 30 members of the mercenary group would have breathed their last, including two lieutenants and seven sergeants.


    This was actually beneficial to me since the men loyal to Sauer would not be easy to control or win to my side. It would also allow me to put my own men in place since I would be in charge of finding the replacements for the two lieutenants and through them five of the sergeants. This would help me get closer to achieving the very same thing Sauer had attempted in my past life. Taking over Black Lion Village.


    There was still about four hours left before night and I still had a few things to do. This included collecting my winnings from the gambling house, retrieving my items from the Inn, and visiting the origin stone since I had enough essence to level up again.

 36 Malik Zakaria

    Before I left Morrow handed me a small sack, it was my winnings for the final fight with Sauer. The sack contained 20 gold coins, fighting in the arena is certainly one of the most lucrative businesses in Black Lion Village.


    After leaving Morrow''s manor I relaxed and took a deep breath. My plan was proceeding as smoothly as I could possibly imagine. Originally, I thought I would have to work my way up the mercenary group, eventually revealing Sauer''s plot and my "relation" to Morrow after a couple months. The opportunity provided by Sauer fighting in the arena came at the best time.


    I shook my body out, all the lying and acting was stressful and my body felt stiff. I knew I''d have to get used to it but it didn''t mean I liked it. No normal person could be so deceitful without any worries. If it wasn''t for my experience in my past life hardening my resolve there is no way I could have performed as well as I had.


    I decided to head to the origin stone first. A habit from my old life. Even though Black Lion Village was fairly safe it wasn''t unheard of for human villages to suddenly suffer attacks from beast or even the other sentient races. Therefore, I had developed the habit of leveling up as early and as often as I could.


    When I arrived at the origin stone I noticed the same mercenary was still there collecting fees for using the origin stone. What was his name again? Oh yeah, Malik Zakaria. He was a dark skinned fellow who, from my past memories, adhered to a strong moral code and sense of justice.


    As I approached his eyes rose in acknowledgment, "Back so soon? You couldn''t have possibly gained enough essence to level up since the morning."


    I joyously laughed, "Actually I have."


    Malik''s jaw dropped, "What? How? It takes most people days to gain enough to level up."


    I looked at his shocked face, "It wasn''t much I just won a few battles in the arena."


    Malik began to nod, it was common for people in the arena to level up fast since contestants would often kill each other.


    Then he stopped and looked at me hesitantly, "If I may what name did you go by in the arena?"


    "Young Lion," I responded casually.


    Again his jaw dropped as he stood their stunned, "Young Lion? How are you here? Lord Morrow didn''t kill you?"


    Obviously he had heard the news about me killing Sauer. Since he had to stay at his post he hadn''t witnessed the fight himself.


    "The situation is a little more complicated than it appears, you will naturally know the details tomorrow."


    He looked at me quizzically then gathered himself and stated, "If you want to use the origin stone again it''ll be 5 copper."


    I handed him the 5 copper coins and proceeded to the origin stone.


    Name: Troy Williams


    Level: 9 (0/3000)


    Essence: 4919


    Stat Points: 0


    STATS


    Strength: 11


    Constitution: 10


    Willpower: 14


    Dexterity : 12


    SKILLS


    Snake King Aura: (Active)


    As I focused on the level the essence poured out and the amount in my level bar increased.


    Level: 9 (3000/3000)


    Level: 10 (0/3600)


    Having felt the advantage of being faster than my opponent in the arena, I decided to put all the stats into dexterity. I know I was disadvantaged against Sauer due to a lack of strength, but I felt an increase in speed would still be more beneficial. Not to mention, increasing dexterity increased the effectiveness of the windwalker stone as well. Obviously the stone has a limit in how much it can increase a persons speed. A level 100 human would not get a 50% speed boost from the windwalker stone. There are tiers assigned to the stones and the one I have is only tier 1. A tier 1 windwalker stone will only boost 50% speed for a level 20 or below human. Every level after 20 will decrease the effect by 1%. In other words, by level 70 it would have no effect at all.


    I looked at my stats before stepping away from the origin stone.


    Name: Troy Williams


    Level: 10 (0/3600)


    Essence: 1919


    Stat Points: 0


    STATS


    Strength: 11


    Constitution: 10


    Willpower: 14


    Dexterity : 12 + 2


    SKILLS


    Snake King Aura: (Active)


    After I came down from the origin stone I looked at the mercenary who stood there patiently. Even after finding out I was Young Lion, the man who had killed Sauer and was still let off by Morrow he continued to ask for the payment. A lesser man would have tried to use the chance to curry favor, let me enter for free in hopes of hanging onto my coattails. In his mind I must be some insanely powerful character, yet he still stood true to his duty. A man with such a true and just character should not be regulated to collecting fees all day.


    "Malik Zakaria was your name right?"


    He nervously responded, "Yes."


    "Would you like to be a Lieutenant?"


    "Of-of course, many men dream of becoming a Lieutenant," he stammered.


    "Very well, tomorrow be prepared to take on the rank and responsibility of Lieutenant."


    "What?!" He stared at me confused.


    I turned and began to walk away, "As you will learn tomorrow, I''m your new Captain."


    Without looking back I already knew the man was standing there shocked, with his jaw dropped for the third time in just a couple of minutes.


    After leaving the origin stone I headed over to the Arena. I didn''t want to be too late gathering my winnings or I would have to wait till the next day and I wasn''t the type of person who liked putting off tasks.


    After arriving I came up to the attendant at the gambling house and presented my gambling ticket from my fight with Sauer. The attendant looked at the ticket and quickly gathered all the gold into a sack and handed it to me.


    "28 gold for Young Lion defeating Sauer."


    I took the gold and left the Arena. I was planning on heading back to the Inn and getting my knapsack I left there. There wasn''t much left in it, mostly miscellaneous things Valerian and I bought at the G''eth village for our trip here. However, I''m the type that doesn''t like leaving things to waste so I decided to get it before heading to the Captain Manor which will be my new residence.


    On my way there I could smell an enticing aroma drifting from one of the nearby buildings. Suddenly, I recalled just how hungry I was, I had small snacks between matches but I hadn''t ate a full meal all day. I was starving. Following the smell I found a quaint building with a small sign on the front with Boar''s Belly in red letters painted on it. I remember this place! The owner was a small time chef back on Earth. After coming to Agartha he didn''t have much money but was able to buy a small house off the beaten path in Black Lion Village.


    Since it wasn''t on the main street where most of the commerce was conducted it took a long time to become well known. Evan though he was small time on Earth the man had a talent for cooking meat, he could cook any kind of meat making it tender yet juicy. He also had three sons who had inherited his talent and became renown chefs on their own. However, if i recall correctly, it wasn''t until he began expanding his restaurants to other human villages and cities that he found all his sons. After ten years Boar''s Belly had restaurants in almost every human city and was the largest human restaurant business in Agartha.

 37 Boars Belly

    My mouth began salivating at the thought of being able to eat at Boar''s Belly! In the last timeline I was only able to eat there once when Mike took me for a celebration after one of his expeditions. He had gotten lucky and found an artifact that Morrow wanted and was rewarded with 5 gold. To us at the time it was a small fortune and we celebrated by spending one gold on a meal at Boar''s Belly.


    Thinking about it now I couldn''t help but laugh at us. I looked down at the sack hanging around my waist. Inside were exactly 101 gold coins. Over the span of one day I had amassed a fortune that Mike and I would have considered impossible in my past life. Even though I had amassed a large amount of gold quickly Morrow would not let me participate in the arena everyday and even when I did it would only be as the finalist. On top of that my odds would be significantly lower now that I had proven my strength. In short, the arena was no longer a way to quickly make gold.


    I mulled over this problem in my head as I entered the Boar''s Belly. I would need a significant amount of funds in my plan to overthrow Morrow. Due to Sauer''s betrayal Morrow would be guarded against anyone trying to embezzle funds from the city again and I despised using such a method anyway. I continued to ruminate over the issue as I sat on a wooden chair in the center of the restaurant.


    A young waitress walked over to me breaking me out of my thoughts.


    "Can I help you?" She meekly said.


    I looked up at her, she was pretty, in a girl next door kind of way. She began fidgeting when I looked at her, clearly she was quite shy.


    "Yes, is there a menu I can see?"


    "Certainly," she walked to the back and returned with a rough paper in her hand.


    How to make paper out of local plants was one of the basic technologies that many of the society elites had acquired knowledge on before coming to Agartha. Humans were too dependent on written systems and the government knew that for humans to regain some systems in society we must have at least something to write on and with. So many villages had there own paper processingfacilities were they turned trees and plants into paper and used pieces of charcoal to write with. Black Lion Village had been established for months so most of these basic facilities were already running and products were available. Of course, all these facilities were owned by Morrow and the profits went to him.


    After the waitress arrived she handed me the menu. The menu was crude, much unlike the fancy hologram menus most restaurants had back on Earth. Restaurants were considered luxuries since most people were issued food by the government. Only the very wealthy still went to restaurants.


    I browsed the menu and finally settled an item that interested me, Rack of Wild Boar Ribs. It was listed for the price of 20 silver and was one of the more expensive items on the menu. The prices now were obviously much lower than when Mike and I went almost 2 years in the future.


    As I waited for my ribs to arrive I began to look around the restaurant. It was fairly small, the seating area only had five tables each surrounded by four chairs. The building was only slightly larger than the surrounding houses. All of the buildings around here were built of wood and they are barely solid enough to keep out the elements. This one had been modified to have a slightly larger "living room" which is where the seating area was. I was the only person in the restaurant at the moment so I quietly waited at my seat pondering the possible avenues I could take to build up my wealth.


    After a while of being lost in thought I almost didn''t notice a portly man who was approaching me from the side. I looked at the large man who almost seemed to waddle his way over to me.


    He stuck his rather large hand towards me and said, "Hello young man, my name is Travis Miller! I''m the owner here. I wanted to come and meet my first customer in person!"


    I stood up and shook his hand almost instantly regretting the decision as I felt his sweaty palm. He strongly shook my hand as I responded, "My name is Troy Hargrave, I wasn''t aware I was your first customer."


    Obviously, I couldn''t use my real last name Williams, that would cause unnecessary problems if Morrow found out. I wanted to wipe his sweat off my hand but didn''t want to appear rude so I just let it dangle awkwardly at my side.


    Travis loudly responded, "Good to meet ya Troy. I''m happy we finally drew someone in. It''s been a hard road getting this place going without my boys."


    I could notice a bit of melancholy and loneliness leak out of his eyes. Then I remembered how he spread his restaurant across Agartha and realized that he must have used his restaurant and the money gained from it in part to find his sons. Suddenly, it hit me if I could invest in Boar''s Belly early I could make more gold than I knew what to do with when it expanded. I could also use the restaurant chain as a base for an information network to help me find Brad. I had to approach this carefully, this is a massive opportunity I can''t pass up. As I started to make a plan in my mind I took the chance to sit back down and sneakily wipe my hand off on my trousers.


    Travis continued talking, "If it wasn''t for Amelia helping me out I don''t know if we would even be open yet."


    He gestured towards the waitress who was working in the back.


    Taking this chance to further the conversation I said, "Have you struggled with establishing Boar''s Belly?"


    He sighed, "In every way you could imagine. From procuring meat from hunters, spices from herbalist, water from the city, even bringing items through the gate requires me to pay off the guards. Every step cost money if business doesn''t get good soon I don''t know if we can stay open."


    Naturally I knew he would be fine, but gifting coal in winter will be appreciated more than summer.


    "What if I said I could fix all of that for you?"


    Travis who was looking around at his restaurant spun with an agility I didn''t think possible for his size and stared at me, "Could you?"


    Before I could respond he turned back around and said, "Of course not. This isn''t something a teenager with a few silver coins can fix."


    I coughed, "I really can help you."


    He looked over his shoulder and stared at me intensely. Then he squarely faced me and said, "Ok, I will hear you out. If you can really help me I will not be ungrateful. However, I don''t think it''ll be as easy as you think."


    I pulled my sack from my waist opened it up and said, "Will 100 gold do the trick?"


    Travis looked at the gold as if he had been smashed over the head with a rock. He dazedly stared at it, for a moment I feared his massive body would fall breaking the furniture behind him.


    "After months of hard work I was barely able to scrounge together 5 gold to get started. Even that much was only possible because I won a few bets in the arena. Most people wouldn''t have 1 gold even if they saved every penny. How do you have this much money?"


    I calmly responded, "Even if I told you, you might not believe me. However, I can assure you it was all legal. I wouldn''t give you tainted money."


    He stammered, "With this I could move to the main street and have tons of regular customers."


    Then he shook his head, "No it''s too late, all the properties available have been sold or promised to those with connections."


    "Actually, I think I can help with that too."


    Travis removed his gaze from the gold and stared at me, "How? Who are you?"


    Clearly despite me saying I acquired the money legally he was still suspicious.


    "I''ve told you I''m Troy Hargrave and as you will find out tomorrow Lord Morrow has appointed me the new Captain."


    Travis looked me up and down then nodded his head, "If that is true then it all makes sense."


    He sighed in relief, he must have been thinking I was some criminal mastermind.


    His eyes gained an amount of reverence and small amount of fear in them. After all the last Captain wasn''t the nice sort.


    "What do you want in exchange?"


    I calmly replied, "A 10% cut of future profits and a promise to pass on any information your restaurant manages to hear about things of interest to me."


    "What kind of things interest you?"


    "It depends, it may be a person or an item or a particular beast. You don''t have to actively seek out the information. Just if you or your employees happen to overhear information regarding it I want that information to be passed to me."


    He quickly responded, "I can agree with that, as far as the 10% profits, I''m afraid it may be a long time before we return your investment."


    I nodded my head, "Maybe, however, as long as you ensure me that no matter how big your restaurant gets you will stay true to this agreement I am fine with 10%.


    Travis quickly nodded his head, "Of course, you are my benefactor I will always stay true to our agreement."


    There is no way to enforce contracts right now so we had no choice but to go by a verbal agreement. Even then I have confidence the man will stay true to his word. He couldn''t have developed his previous restaurant empire by going back on his promises.


    "For now take this gold and use it as you see fit. As far as moving into a building on main street I will visit you tomorrow evening with more details."


    Travis nodded his head. He took the gold into the back and came back in a few minutes with the ribs I ordered.


    As he sat them down he said, "They''re on the house."


    I chuckled and said, "Looks good!"


    I had complete confidence he would use the money well. As far as the building on main street, I refuse to abuse my power as Captain to take someones property. When going through Sauer''s documents I noticed one of the Lieutenants on his pay role owned one of the buildings on main street near the Black Claw Inn I was staying at. After tonight the Lieutenant would most likely no longer need it.

 38 Tailor

    I finished my meal at the Boar''s Belly and said goodbye to Travis and Amelia. The overly large man tried to give me hug which I adamantly refused since he was still covered in sweat. Amelia just looked at the ground and drew circles with her toes. What an unusual pair.


    As I left the restaurant I patted my stomach. The meal cooked by Travis was truly delicious and abundant. It''s no wonder he did so well in my past life the man really had a talent for cooking meat. I was thoroughly satisfied with both the meal and the deal we had struck.


    Remembering the deal I looked at the deflated sack on my waist. I couldn''t help but sigh. I knew the investment would be worth it, but it still sucks to be almost completely broke. I went from having over 100 gold coins to having 1.


    At this point it was well past midday. Judging by the position of the sun I would say I had about two hours left before nightfall.


    I headed towards Black Claw Inn. The inn was located almost right at the center of the town and wasn''t too far away from were I was. Although most things aren''t very far the village is essentially a two kilometer by two kilometer square. The entire village is within walking distance.


    There are some facilities outside of the main village. For instance there are an east and west barracks that are on the outside of the village walls. There are gates on the east and west side, but they are for mercenary group members only. Villagers and travelers must enter through the south and north gates. The barracks are strategically located there to protect the Lord''s Manor on the east and the production facilities on the west.


    For instance, the paper making facility and water processing plant are in the west. The residential areas are located in between the main street in the middle and Lord''s Manor on the east as well as the main street and the production facilities on the west. Obviously, residences closer the Lord''s Manor are better and are reserved for important figures. That is where my Captain Manor as well as the origin stone are. Residences on the west side are essentially the slums reserved for the poor working folk. This is where Boar''s Belly is.


    All of these aspects are designed with a purpose and were no doubt prepared ahead of time for Morrow by someone working for his dad. Lower class residences are close to the production facilities where they will work. This also separates them from the higher class residences on the other side of main street. With the main street in the middle acting as a commerce hub the higher and lower class citizens can exchange goods with minimal contact. Expanding in the future won''t be difficult as most buildings are made of wood and are only semi-permanent anyways. Even the village walls are constructed of wood.


    Other than that there are facilities outside of the village such as granaries, a dock, and even a mining quarry about 20 kilometers to the north. All of this falls under Morrows purview.


    While Morrow''s way of separating citizens into a caste-like system disgusts me. It is wonderfully designed to achieve it''s purpose, making Morrow as powerful as possible as quick as possible.


    As I continued walking to the inn I began thinking of ways I would change the system to be more fair and give people a chance to develop themselves. I''m by no means a saint, I will not give handouts to everyone, people need to work for what they have. At the same time I won''t give favor to those I want to have power and suppress those that don''t benefit me. Nor will I allow a few to get wealthy on the backs of the many. If a person works hard and treats people justly and fairly he can build as much wealth as he wants, but those who are corrupt or cause suffering will face my wrath.


    As I neared the Inn I snapped out of my daydream of ruling a city as a just leader and focused back on my environment. In the end I wasn''t at that stage yet, nor was that my end goal.


    I walked into Black Claw Inn and just as I was about to ascend the stairs towards my room the receptionist stopped me and said, "Sir, a man stopped by the Inn and requested I give this note to a man fitting your description."


    Confused I grabbed the note. Who knew I was staying here?


    As I read the note I couldn''t help chuckling. It was the tailor I befriended at the village entrance, even though it''s only been a day if feels like a long time ago and I had almost forgot about him. I didn''t even get his name or give him mine so he had to give the receptionist my description. The note was simple and said that he had established a small shop in the west residential district and gave directions on how to get there.


    I quickly went up the stairs and gathered what was left of my things. Nothing of Valerian''s was left in the room since he had came and collected it before heading to the G''eth Village to warn them. At best he would be back midday in two days. Valerian and I had paid for a weeks stay at the inn when we got the room last night so Valerian would come here when he got back. Just in case he didn''t hear the news about me becoming Captain I left a note with details about what happened and that I would meet him here. Before I could come up with a plausible reason to have him stay at the Captain''s Manor I couldn''t let Morrow know about him.


    As I left the Inn I considered heading to the Captain''s Manor, but decided to go ahead and visit the tailor instead. At the least I needed to let him know that I would be residing at the Captain''s Manor now. From the directions I knew the tailor''s shop was on the opposite side of the west residential area as Boar''s Belly. The tailor''s shop was in the south and Boar''s Belly was in the north.


    As I walked I paid attention to the people passing by in the streets, every human race was present. By the 26th century on Earth most cultural lines were already blurred and the universal human language was adopted in the 23rd century so almost no one spoke a different language. There were still separate countries and militaries still existed but a war hadn''t happened for a hundred years. After coming to Agartha cultural lines basically disappeared, humans were scattered and couldn''t easily separate into culture based communities. Also the threat of other sentient races and beasts forced humans to unite as one race. They couldn''t afford to have cultural biases anymore, survival was more important than anything.


    Sometimes, however, you could still pick out the differences. Humans have different skin tones and behaviors. For instance, Travis Miller was clearly from a western society based off his appearance and how he acted. Even though some differences were still there people just didn''t care about them like they did before.


    I observed all the people I walked by till I arrived in front of the place the note directed me to, but I didn''t see a sign so I walked up and knocked on the door. I heard quick footsteps rush to the door and it swung open. The young tailor was standing at the door and a big grin broke out when he saw me standing there.


    "Such perfect timing! Come in! Come in!"


    He practically dragged me into the building. Inside was a small open area which is where I assumed he would put the items on display in the future. However, we passed through here to a room in the back. As I entered I noticed many machines and apparatuses all around the room. They must be used for making clothes, however, I have no idea what they were.


    Since we had stopped I said, "I noticed you don''t have a sign out front."


    He responded as he was gathering things in a corner of the room, "Yeah we aren''t really ready to open yet. Also we haven''t thought of a good name."


    When he turned back around he presented me with a package, pride practically beaming from his eyes, "This is yours."


    In the package was a pair of leather pants, a shirt, a leather jacket, a pair of boots, a pair of wool socks, a leather belt, and two sheathes. I was stunned.


    I looked at him and said, "I thought you said it would take a few days? How could you have made all this so soon?"


    His grin was so big I thought his face would rip, "I''ll admit I had some help. The supplies for my shop were prepared by a friend beforehand so I didn''t have to gather the materials. The money you gave me helped move things along and my wife and I stayed up all night to work on it. I told you I was a talented tailor. On Earth I worked for the military so I was used to rushed orders and staying up all night. Even though a war hadn''t happened in a long time those guys were always strict and demanded perfection.


    I was genuinely stunned, the clothes were top notch even by Earths standards. It''s impressive he was even able to make these on Agartha, much less in one day.


    "I don''t think we ever exchanged names. I''m Troy Hargrave. What''s your''s?"


    He grinned, "Connor O''Dell, my wife is named Anna. I can''t thank you enough for what you did yesterday. If you''d like to see how everything fits you can change in there."


    He was energetic and talked like he would run out of time. He pointed to a nearby door.


    After changing into the new clothes I stepped back out into the workshop room. The clothes fit like silk. Everything was form fitting yet it didn''t hamper my movement at all. I performed a few of the poses from the Quicksilver Blade Manual. It felt like I might as well be doing them naked. Even the sheathes had special connectors to my belt that allowed me to quickly access them and didn''t interfere with my movements.


    Connor looked me over seeming satisfied with his work.


    "I noticed the inner armor you were wearing before so I made adjustments to accustom it. I also figured you were the dexterity type based on your build so I focused on maximum maneuverability. However, that means I had to sacrifice defense, hard leather would be able to block some blades, but this leather is a lot softer and is easily sliced open. At most it can slow down rusty or dull blades. However, If you look closely there are inserts for arm guards and shinguard''s. If you decide to equip any in the future this can increase your defense, but might impact your maneuverability. It might not properly adjust to all kinds so come back and I can make the changes for you. Same goes for if you put on a lot of muscle and need it refitted."


    His attention to detail is remarkable, "Thank you. This is worth way more than the money I gave you."


    "Nonsense," He responded waving his hands around as if it was no big deal.


    I stayed and talked with him about his future plans and even his wife came out and chatted for a while. She had been napping after working all night and most of the day. Eventually, it was time to leave and I waved goodbye to the tailor and his wife and began heading towards the Captains Manor. I had already decided I would send as much business his way as possible and my personal force will be outfitted by him alone in the future.

 39 Ambush

    By the time I left the O''Dell''s house night had already arrived, two moons shining bright. I remembered what happened last night when the town guards sent people after me and couldn''t help but chuckle. There probably isn''t a single person in this town that could defeat me, I hope they send more people. I''d happily take the essence. Then I remembered the old man. Well... I wouldn''t want to fight him. I wouldn''t last one second against that seemingly weak old man.


    I made my way through the side streets and passed the well lit main street. There weren''t any drunkards out since what little alcohol was in the process of being made couldn''t have fermented yet. It would at least be another half a year before most human settlements would have readily available alcohol and even then it would be the cheapest and weakest available. The Una on the other hand make incredible alcohol, like nothing you ever tasted before. When trade routes start to open up it will be a hot item for the social elite.


    Humans will eventually become a kind of medium that connects Agartha together. That doesn''t mean all races like us. The Fey in particular hate us. It''s more because humans are so adaptable to their environment. This allows us to live anywhere and with our nature inclination to trade goods we develop a kind of network that connects areas that otherwise would have stayed apart.


    The natives here don''t trade with each other and for the most part don''t interact unless it''s for war. The Una build their cities in and stay near water. The Fey mostly live in mountainous areas. The G''eth tend to live in forests and the Shades, what few have been found, tend to stay in valleys or in areas constantly covered in storms. The widely accepted theory by humans is that natives of Agartha lean towards certain elements and therefore are more comfortable in environments surrounded by it. Also their combat prowess is higher in their environment. A G''eth''s combat would be significantly diminished in a desert and significantly boosted in a forest.


    Humans on the other hand could reside any and everywhere, which is why we were able to establish settlements all over the planet. Of course, there are risks involved, especially near Fey Kingdoms. Luckily for me this area was mainly plains and forest so G''eth were the most common race around. There are glacier mountains to the west and woodland mountains to the east, however, no Fey had tried to develop those areas yet. The closest Fey Kingdom is over a 1000 kilometers southwest and there are many Una cities a few hundred kilometers away if you follow the river that flows southeast from Lake Lyenas to King''s Sea.


    Lost in my thoughts I had passed main street and entered a side street heading towards Captain''s Manor when a noise drew my attention. It was subtle but it sounded like a chain rattle coming from the alley just in front and to my right. Curious I headed in that direction. Just as I was about to turn the corner of a house I could hear the whistling sound of something flying through the air.


    "CRUNCH!"


    I had just managed to duck down when a chain embedded itself into the side of the house I was walking by, snapping a few of the wooden boards.


    A rough muscular bearded man stepped out from around the corner the chain wrapped around his wrist and his upper body bare. He looked at me and started laughing loudly.


    "It looks like you didn''t defeat Captain Sauer for no reason," he said as he glared at me.


    Instantly another man came from the alley behind me and one more from the other side of the street. I glanced around taking stock of the two men. Both slim builds in dark clothing, one with a small shield and shortsword the other with a dagger. They surrounded me in a triangle. It must be my lucky day, I was just hoping to get some more essence.


    "And what has you fine gentleman appearing before me this evening?" I said flippantly.


    "Haha a smooth talker, we''ll see what sounds you make when I''ve slit your throat," the muscular man replied.


    "Me? I guess you could say that. Surely, that''s not the reason for your visit though?" I didn''t much care about them attacking me, but the reason why might be important.


    "Of course not!" He said angrily.


    "You stepped in something you shouldn''t have! I don''t know how you found out about Sauer''s plan but when you killed him in the Arena and Lord Morrow didn''t kill you I knew something was up. Me and my boys went into hiding and sure enough Morrow had the other mercenaries start to round up everyone involved. I''m not stupid, I figured he''d planted you in the mercenaries as a spy. He had to trust you a lot to do that so I thought he might make you the new Captain. Sure enough here you are headed for the Captain''s Manor. I figured we''d relieve you of your arena winnings and make our escape from this stupid village."


    For someone who claimed to not be stupid he didn''t notice some glaring gaps in his logic, however, surprisingly he wasn''t too far off. Him and "his boys" must be three of the guys on Sauer''s payroll.


    "Arena winnings? You mean this?" I opened the sack at my waist with only 1 gold in it.


    "What?!?! I thought you said he collected his winnings?" The large man looked at the man with the dagger to my left.


    "He did!"


    Interesting! The man with the dagger must have a pretty good disguising and tracking ability to have known that I placed a bet at the Arena and went back to pick it up. That also means Sauer was probably having me tailed after I killed Silent Killer since that''s the only way he could know I made a bet. That means Sauer might have found out about Valerian when I went to see him after defeating Silent Killer. Luckily I killed Sauer before he could tell Morrow or else my plan might have failed. At the minimum Morrow would have brought it up in our conversation. As long as these fools die no one should know about it. My eyes turned cold as I looked at them.


    "Aghhh! You must have hid the gold somewhere. Tell me where it is and I''ll give you a swift death."


    I sneered at him, "I have no idea what you are talking about."


    "Fine," he calmed down. A cold killing intent emanating from his eyes, "Even if I can''t get some easy gold before I leave, you''ll still die right here."

 40 Revenge

    The muscular man suddenly whipped the chain up and then back down sending it slashing at my head. At the same time the other two lowered into battle stances. As the chain headed towards me, I sidestepped only to find a shortsword headed for my neck. I leaned backward, bending my body like a horseshoe and placed one hand on the ground. As the shortsword passed overhead I whipped my leg out towards his side. I connected and felt a couple ribs crack. He grunted falling to his hands and knees. A shocked and pained look on his face, he clearly hadn''t expected me to be able to dodge his attack that way.


    Noticing the opportunity, I prepared to stab one of my twisted serpents into the base of his skull, but before I could the man with the dagger lunged at me. I could either kill him and get stabbed in the side or block the dagger. I pulled my dagger back and blocked his while gaining a small distance. There were three of them I couldn''t afford to trade blows.


    It takes a long time to say but happened in a short moment. I pulled out my other dagger that I didn''t have time to use. I had to find a way to kill them all off. I couldn''t let a single one escape. Individually I could easily kill them, but their teamwork was excellent which revealed fewer openings. Obviously, these men weren''t amateurs, even on Earth. They had to have been formally trained before. This level of skill and coordination couldn''t be learned in a few months. Luckily I had somewhat injured one of them.


    Now the three men were in front of me with the chain wielding man behind the other two. I quickly realized that this could limit his attacks since he''d be afraid to hit his companions if I got in close to them. I lunged forward aiming my dagger at the man with the shield since he was struggling to get up. I had almost certainly knocked the air out of him and it''d take him a moment to recover.


    Noticing my approach he raised his shield with great effort. Since he was crouched it covered most of his upper body but not his thigh. I swung my dagger down at his thigh as I lunged at him. The large man couldn''t hit me without hitting one of the other two. As I expected, when I was mid swing the dagger wielding man used the other mans shortsword to try to deflect my blow. Normally, this would repel me since the weight of the sword had the advantage over my dagger. However, in our earlier blow I confirmed that my strength was greater than his. I switched my dagger to a reverse grip and positioned myself beneath his blow. I used my dagger to block his strike up forcing the shortsword to deflect in an upward arch that opened his left side. In that brief moment after the shortsword was deflected I drove my other twisted serpent toward his throat. He tried to use his dagger to block but was a hair to slow since he hadn''t expected me to block the sword like that.


    Essence Gained + 572


    In truth he was my target all along, he was the fastest and weakest of the three which meant he''d be the first to runaway if I killed one of the other two.


    I quickly pulled my dagger out of his neck and he fell to the ground. I then prepared tolung at the man who only had his shield left before he could recover and retrieve his shortsword. However, to my dismay he abandoned any attempt to retrieve a weapon and dove at my legs tackling me to the ground.


    I was stunned. I hadn''t expected him to recover so fast or make such a suicidal move. He only had his shield left and had no way of blocking my daggers from that position. His arms were firmly locked around my waist and he was pinning me to the ground. His shield was strapped on his arm which after wrapping around me covered the mans head which he tucked close to my side. Without being able to instantly kill him I knew it''d take a moment to get him off me even if I plunged the daggers into his exposed back and sides. The large man realizing what his friend had done reared his chain back ready to bring it''s full weight down on me. I had little doubt that at the bare minimum I''d be crippled if that hit me.


    My mind started running at top speed I knew my situation was bad now so I used every ounce of willpower to analyze things quickly. I don''t know if it was because of my high willpower or divine intervention but everything seemed to become really clear as a plan revealed itself to me.


    I could tell from the large mans arm swinging the chain the trajectory of where the chain would land. The man had me pinned to the ground determined to not let me move so I stabbed both my daggers into the dirt and used the leverage to just barely shift my position. I then leaned back bringing my arms back to my side, leaving my daggers stuck in the dirt.


    This adjusted our positions just enough so that when chain came down it landed on the mans right lower back, across his back to his left shoulder, and into the dirt centimeters from my right side.


    "AGGHHHHHH!" The man howled in pain.


    His arms let go of my waist and he arched his back in pain. The large man realizing he missed started to rear the chain back for another blow. I reached out and grabbed my daggers swiftly slitting the man with the shields throat as he screamed.


    Essence Gained + 734


    His body began to fall to the side as I realized I wouldn''t have enough time before the next blow landed. I locked eyes with the large man and activated Snake King''s Aura. The large man''s eyes filled with fear which interrupted the momentum of the chains causing them to falter mid-air. The chain landed between my legs just centimeters before...


    I shivered. There was no doubt in my mind if that was a full strength blow it would have split my head open or crushed my...


    The loss of momentum caused the chains to land short. I couldn''t help but stare and breath a sigh of relief. At the same time the large man recovered from the shock of Snake King''s Aura. I flipped one of my daggers around grabbing the tip and flung it at the large man''s face. Seeing me fling the dagger he brought his left hand up to block and the dagger buried itself up to the hilt.


    "AGGHHH!"


    "You''ll pay for that!"


    With his right hand he reared the chain back ready to strike again. Needing to see to aim he lowered his left hand from his face. Unfortunately for him at that exact moment my other dagger left my hand. He didn''t have time to block again and the dagger pierced right through his eye into his brain. His body went limp and collapsed on the ground.


    Essence Gained + 1659


    I let out a massive sigh. Never again will I wish to be attacked just to gain some essence. My series of success''s and high level had inflated my ego. Just because I may be a strong fighter now doesn''t mean I could take everyone on. I almost lost my life to just a level 4, 3, and 2. Amazingly, I had came through without a scratch.


    I stood up dusting the dirt off the back of my clothes and retrieved my daggers from the body of the large man. I then went through their clothes and found just 1 gold and 35 silver between all three of them. I also found a Lieutenant''s badge on the large man and Sergeant''s badges on the other two. Sure enough they were part of the mercenary group and the large man was even one of the two Lieutenants on Sauer''s payroll.


    Every member of the mercenary group carries a badge with their rank on it. Personally, I think it''s an inefficient system since badges can be easily stolen and none of them have names on them. As a matter of fact Barry used this loophole to get into Sauer''s office. After taking a badge off a sleeping Sergeant he used it to make the guards on Sauer''s office chase after a "nearby thief" so he would have time to steal the documents.


    After collecting the badges I stood over the corpses searing the image into my brain so I wouldn''t forget the lesson I learned here. Even a small low level group can be a threat if they are trained and have teamwork.


    Just as I was ready to leave I barely noticed a shadow moving behind me. The shadow stopped when I slightly turned my head. I''m really getting sick of this now. Can I just go somewhere once without someone attacking me. Seriously, if my last life had been like this I''d have died a thousand times over.


    I had to admit though, this person was way more skilled than the others. Even now I hadn''t heard so much as a pin drop nor had I felt any killing intent. I turned my head back to the front and used the edge of my vision to track the shadow. I let out an audible sigh and relaxed my shoulders. The shadow suddenly dashed forward. I still hadn''t heard anything but the faintest killing intent appeared. Just as the assailant was about to arrive I side stepped. A dagger flashed by followed by the assailant who had expected to meet the resistance of a body instead of the air. As he was passing I grabbed the back of his clothes and slung him forward increasing his momentum.


    "SMACK!"


    Unable to stop, the assailant flew forward smashing his face into the wooden boards of the house in front of me. I darted forward expecting a fight but the assailant had already gone limp. Confused I pulled back the assailants hood. Underneath was the face of a young girl with jet black hair and pretty features. That is, except for her nose, which was currently smashed and bleeding.


    "What is going on?"

 41 Sylvia

    "Sir, you requested I wake you at this time."


    I opened my eyes. The bright light from the window rushing in as a middle aged woman spread open the curtains to a nearby window. I rubbed my eyes and stretched out my body, a brief yawn escaped my mouth.


    I looked over at the middle aged lady. She had a look that appeared both stern and gentle which somehow made her seem motherly. She is the new head caretaker for the Captains Manor. From our conversation yesterday I learned that Morrow had personally appointed her to replace Sauer''s old staff. This made me wary as she probably reported everything I did back to Morrow, however, she managed the property exceedingly well. Every member of he staff worked efficiently and coherently under her command. Even the maids were diligent in their work and showed the utmost courtesy.


    While it seemed humanity had returned to ancient times not all things were like back then. These maids were paid well and no one was forced to be here. Even Sauer didn''t abuse his position to take advantage of his maids as that could cause public outrage if anyone found out. Even Morrow would be forced to act if the masses were outraged.


    Other than the three maids there was a cook, three gardeners, and ten guards that came with the manor. Even though the guards technically had a higher position than the head caretaker, they all treated her with respect and listened to her orders. I had overheard one of the guards mention that she was a high ranking member of the military in the country on Earth that Morrow was from. However, some incident occurred and even though she suffered no physical injury she voluntarily retired.


    I hopped out of bed and faced the middle aged woman.


    "Thank you, Matilda. I''ll get ready and be down in a moment."


    She nodded her head and began to quickly make her way to the exit.


    Remembering something I hurriedly said, "Oh yes, how is our guest?"


    Matilda turned and stared at me, an unidentifiable look in her eyes, "She has been screaming curses for hours, banging on the door, and demanding you return her locket." She then quickly left the room.


    I couldn''t help chuckling. I don''t know who this girl is or how I upset her but at the very least it should be interesting. When I arrived at the manor last night with the young girl thrown over my shoulder Matilda looked like she was about to rip my head off. I couldn''t blame her for her reaction since it almost certainly looked like something it wasn''t. Fortunately, before having my own guards arrest me she listened to my explanation.


    I told her how I was attacked by the girl on my way home and in the process knocked her out. At first Matilda doubted me, but after I insisted that the girl be kept in one of the guest rooms with two guards stationed outside she calmed down seeming to accept my story. Naturally, I had Matilda search the girl since I had not felt comfortable doing it on the street after the attack. After a few minutes she gave me a locket which she found hidden in one of the girls pockets. She said the girl had no money and that was the only thing of note.


    It was a simple copper locket which opened to reveal two pictures, one on each side. One picture was of two people, a boy around twenty patting the head of a girl around five. The other was of a lady who looked to be in her early thirties, wearing a fancy dress with a beautiful smile.


    I started to get ready. The outfit Connor made me had already been cleaned of all the dirt and blood from last night and was laid on top of a dresser on the side of the room. Besides the basically over-sized T-shirt I was wearing right now these were the only clothes I had. Maybe after I earn some more money I will have Connor make me some more casual clothes. While these clothes are impressive they give me a very dominating appearance, which can be detrimental in certain circumstances.


    After getting ready I exited my room. The Manor is not overly large and was clearly built with the intention of expanding in the future. The reason I had as many maids as gardeners was because the relatively small manor was on a fairly large plot of land. After all this is the second largest residence in Black Lion Village. The Manor only had one story, but it had a central, east, and west wing. The central wing was reserved for me and had my large bedroom, two smaller bedrooms, a common area, and a study. The west wing was mainly for the staff. This is where the guards quarters, maids quarters, and kitchen were located. The East Wing had a dining area, living area and four guest bedrooms. One of these rooms currently held my mystery assailant. I leisurely made my way towards the east wing. It didn''t take long before I began to hear the obscenities being shouted by the girl through the walls.


    As I approached the room, the two guards standing next to the door greeted me, "Good Morning Sir."


    "Thank you. This shouldn''t take long."


    This entire time the girl had continued to shout obscenities through the door. I was surprised her voice hadn''t given out. I loudly banged on the door.


    I shouted, "If you don''t shut up I will melt this locket into a pick and use it to clean my teeth."


    Suddenly, the area became quiet. I could see the tension leave the shoulders of the two guards next to me. No one would enjoy being screamed at for hours.


    "Step to the back of the room. I want to be able to hear it."


    I hadn''t forgotten how stealthy she was last night and didn''t want to take any risk. After hearing steps that faded as they got further away I opened the door. Looking inside the furnishings were simple and the room was about 15 by 15 meters in size. The smallest of my guest rooms.


    On the opposite side of the room was a young girl who looked thirteen but must be fifteen since thirteen year-old humans couldn''t be in Agartha yet. Her eyes and cheeks were puffy, tear stains fresh on her cheeks. Her nose was swollen and purple with a red gash that had been stitched closed running over the bridge. Matilda had some experience and stitched the nose while she was unconscious last night. She was bracing herself on the dresser behind her. I guess the effects of her concussion last night weren''t completely gone.


    I relaxed a little and stepped towards her, "So why did you attack me last night?"


    The girl glared harshly at me, anger burning deeply in her eyes. After a moment it became clear she didn''t want to answer my question.


    I took out the locket and dangled it from my hand, "If you want this back you are gonna have to answer my questions."


    Her eyes sparked with a short moment of happiness before the fiery anger returned.


    "Fine," she curtly responded.


    "Good, lets start with something simple. Whats your name?"


    "Sylvia."


    "Ok Sylvia. Where did you learn your stealth techniques and how to track people."


    Her extreme anger made me think I was her target which means she either tracked me or tracked the three men who ambushed me knowing they would lead her to me. Either way she has to have superb tracking skills. The stealth techniques she displayed were also among the best I had ever seen.


    "That''s none of your concern," she responded viciously.


    I began to put the locket away.


    She stared at me furiously, but before I could put it away she shouted, "STOP."


    She sighed and said, "My family taught me. We come from an ancient family trained in the art of assassination."


    "We? There are more of you?"


    Her anger flared up again as she clenched her fist in rage, "There were! Me and my brother were the only ones left. We managed to find each other here in Agartha!"


    She paused as her breathing became rapid, "We were going to take this chance to restore or family''s honor and take revenge on our families killer! But you, you," her whole body was trembling at this point, "You monster, you killed him! YOU KILLED MY BROTHER!"


    Her last sentence came out like a howl. Rage, grief, anger, and despair coated her words as they echoed around the room almost as if they were desperately trying to stay heard. She swayed and tried to steady herself with the dresser before collapsing to the ground. Every ounce of strength she had was used in that last sentence.


    She had fallen unconscious again. I stood there dumbfounded. When did I kill her brother? There weren''t too many people I had killed so far in Agartha. I began to think back through every man I had killed trying to match her appearance to one of them. I quickly came to the only possible conclusion. Silent Killer. Her hair and features were almost identical to his. I don''t know how I hadn''t noticed it before. While they used different techniques both of their techniques focused on being silent. I can''t believe I hadn''t figured it out before.


    I couldn''t help but wonder, he had to have stealth techniques just as good as hers, he was at least 15 years older. Why didn''t he use those techniques in the arena? He waited for me to come to him. If he had gone to the pillars in the middle and combined the stealth technique with his silent slash I don''t think I could have won the fight or even kept my life. He forfeited all the advantages of being an assassin. It just doesn''t make sense.


    I couldn''t help but feel pity and a little bit of regret as I looked at Sylvia unconscious on the floor. I picked her up and placed her on the bed. I then placed the locket beside her and left the room.


    I looked at the guards and said, "Don''t let anyone other than Matilda in this room."


    I then went and found Matilda and asked her to frequently check up on Sylvia, to make sure she was fed, to provide her with anything she asks for that is within reason, and to prevent her from doing anything rash to herself or anyone else. I didn''t want her grief pushing her to harm herself. I couldn''t help but feel partially responsible since I truly could have spared her brother, but killed him to be cautious. I then relayed a few other commands to Matilda related to the manor. Including building a private fenced in garden on the back of the property.


    I left the Captains Manor in the direction of the Guards Barracks outside the east wall. I walked quickly since I didn''t have much time to spare. I had Matilda wake me up later because I was exhausted after everything that happened yesterday, but it would be midday soon so I had to get to the ceremony where Morrow would make me the new Captain.

 42 Cain Ward

    It didn''t take long before I was standing at the east gate of the town which lead to the east guard barracks. As I neared I noticed how this gate was even better protected than the north and south gates used by civilians. A team of ten men stood outside the gates with halberds in their hands and their were ten more archers on a raised platform behind the wall. The gate was currently open just enough for three men to pass side by side. A few mercenaries were going through the gates in small groups.


    I was prepared to be stopped as I went through the gate, but when the man checking peoples badges saw me he came up and shook my hand.


    "Hello sir, my name is Jeffrey Tate. I am one of the Lieutenants who will be under your leadership in the future it''s a pleasure to meet you," He gave me a big toothy grin.


    These are the type of people I like the least, a complete brown noser. I could tell in a heartbeat, this is the type of guy who licked the boots of everyone above him and actually accomplished very little.


    "Sure. I''m assuming Lord Morrow told you who I am. Can you take me to him."


    The man looked stunned by my unenthusiastic response, but he quickly recovered and said, "Of course sir, when I heard a new Captain would be announced today I volunteered to be the one to greet you at the gate. I am surprised the man who killed Sauer is our new Captain."


    He looked at me with what was obviously a fake and exaggerated reverence. Clearly, he was skilled at stroking a persons ego, unfortunately for him that wasn''t going to work on me.


    Noticing my lack of a reaction he continued, "I can''t believe you are so young. You must be a genius to be able to beat Sauer at your age."


    The concept of age equaling strength would be a thing of the past in a few years. Plenty of young people will become the elites of humanity. It''s actually easier for the young to develop faster since they are able to adapt to new environments and ideas quicker. Of course, my advantage is unique.


    We were walking towards a fortified building that''s just beyond a large open training ground that was slowly filling up with mercenaries. As we walked the brown nosing Lieutenant continued to lambaste me with words of praise, to which I hardly responded.


    Finally, we reached the building and the Lieutenant opened the door and gestured for me to step inside. After walking down a few hallways and taking a couple turns we arrived at a sturdy oak-like door. Again the Lieutenant opened the door and I stepped in.


    Inside two men were sitting comfortably in leather chairs with a table between that had a small pitcher and couple documents on it. One man had his back facing me, only the black hair on his head visible. The other was Alexander Morrow who was facing the other chair wearing a flowing golden robe with embroidered red lions adorning the sides. He was relaxed and held a cup in his left hand.


    Noticing me, his eyes shot up and a joyful expression spread across his face, "Brother! Come sit down and enjoy a drink with us!"


    After he signaled to the corner a person brought over a leather chair and placed it on the side forming a triangle with the three chairs with the table in the middle. I prepared myself mentally because i already knew who the person whose back was facing me would be. As I sat down I looked over and sure enough there was Ward calmly sitting with his hands in his lap and that creepy chilling smile on his face. With his gaunt figure and creepy looks it''d be easy for people to think he is a sadistic serial killer, and they''d be right. Ward killed countless innocents in the past and he never grew tired of it or showed any sign of stopping. He wouldn''t be so lucky this time. I was prepared to see him and with great effort buried my inner thoughts and put on a convincing face.


    "You must be Cain Ward, my brother mentioned you and the important work you do," I stuck out my hand with a warm smile on my face.


    Ward observed me for a moment and then grabbed my hand and shook it saying, "My pleasure, I wasn''t aware that Lord Morrow had a brother. I can''t say I see a great resemblance."


    His hand was abnormally cold to the touch. I couldn''t help wondering if the man was even alive at all. I was prepared for him to be suspicious and stand against me, but I didn''t think he would start throwing insinuations so soon.


    Thankfully Morrow responded for me, "Nonsense, brother has my mother''s eyes. He just inherited a lot of his looks from his father."


    Naturally, I don''t know what his mother''s eyes look like, but if they look like mine all the better. Whether he had just convinced himself of that or if it were really true didn''t matter to me.


    "Of course, of course they do. I didn''t mean to imply otherwise," his nasally voice was grating on my nerves.


    Morrow leaned back in his chair, "Now that you two have met, Ward have everyone prepare for the ceremony. I want as many people there as possible. I still have a few things to discuss with my brother."


    "Of course, it will be taken care of immediately."


    Ward rose and left the room hastily. A significant amount of tension left my mind. Even though I despise Morrow and am determined to kill him one day, Ward is at an entirely different level of hatred. Maintaining my composure around him takes ten times the effort it does around Morrow.


    After Ward left Morrow instructed the remaining guards to leave the room as well.


    After they left he looked at me while holding up his cup and said, "Drink? I wish I could offer an alcoholic beverage, but those aren''t quite ready yet. This is fruit juice from a local fruit that grows in the nearby forest."


    "Absolutely!" I responded politely and took the cup after he poured some of the juice from the pitcher. I secretly took a whiff before placing it on my lips and not smelling anything unusual took a sip.


    After pouring my glass Morrow leaned back and took a deep breath,"Now to business, after looking at your report yesterday we identified the people Sauer had convinced to join his pathetic Coup attempt. I waited till the evening to have my loyal mercenaries dispose of them. Luckily, the corruption didn''t run too deep and most of the traitors were regular soldiers. I thought three men, a Lieutenant and two Sergeants, had slipped through the cracks. Fortunately one of our patrols found their bodies late at night. Someone killed them for us."


    I nodded my head, "About that."


    I pulled out the three tokens and placed them on the table between us. Morrow''s eyes shot up in shock as he grabbed the tokens and flipped them over confirming their authenticity.


    He looked at me and asked, "How did you get these?"


    I leaned forward and retold the events that surrounded the three men.


    After I finished Morrow asked, "Why didn''t you come and inform me before?"


    I then explained about the follow up attack by Sylvia and bringing her back to the Captains Manor. He would no doubt find out from Matilda eventually if he didn''t already know.


    "After all of that it was so late I figured it could wait till now."


    "That''s understandable. Nothing more could have been done anyways." He responded.


    He stroked his chin for a moment, "What are you going to do with the girl?"


    I had left out remarks about her abilities and parts of conversation with her this morning. We had spoke soft enough that I wasn''t worried about the guards overhearing. At best they only heard the part about me killing her brother.


    "With your permission I''d like to keep her at my manor for now. I haven''t decided what usefulness she might have yet."


    Morrow seemed to like this answer and gave me a sly smile, "As long as it stays hidden you are free to do what you want with her."


    I almost involuntarily had a look of disgust show on my face but was barely able to reign it in. Clearly Morrow had misunderstood my motives. While good for me, his cavalier towards the possible abuse of Sylvia completely disgusted me. I quickly gathered my thoughts.


    "Naturally, I will act in the utmost secrecy."


    "Now that we have handled that matter let''s discuss another topic."


    I leaned back and took another sip of my juice. The flavor was quite good, like a cross between orange and mango juice but slightly sweeter.


    "Have you noticed that some things about Black Lion Village seem a little too convenient?"


    "What do you mean?" Interested in where this was going I leaned in.


    "I mean, why does it seem like the people that appeared in this area seem to be exactly the ones I needed to develop Black Lion Village quickly?"


    After thinking about it for a second I realized he was right. Without a large amount of carpenters and other tradesmen even after months he couldn''t have developed this fast and smoothly. Black Lion Village was already self sufficient and flourishing. There is no way that many people, with the proper occupations had been sent close to here. Agartha is a huge place so they should have been more spread out.


    "It does seem awfully unlikely it happened by chance."


    Morrow nodded his head, "At first even I thought it was just the heavens smiling down at me since I too was told arrival in Agartha was random. However, just last night I received a missive from the new government, The United Human Federation, explaining everything. Since you are my brother I thought you would want to know and we can work together to develop this village even faster."


    My heart began to beat rapidly. What could it be? Had the government found a way to place people where they wanted? Conspiracy theories abounded in my past life, but no one ever confirmed if any of them were true.


    "I would like to know! I never imagined they hid something like this from us."


    Morrow chuckled at my enthusiasm, "Ok. You must swear you will take this secret to your grave. It must never get out. If the common people discovered it they would almost certainly riot."


    "I swear I will never reveal this secret to a single person."


    "Ok I will tell you."

 43 Secret Revealed

    I could hardly wait for Morrow to reveal the secret. I had lived my entire past life assuming that everyone was placed here randomly. Knowing that the government had a method to place people where they wanted was a huge revelation and could help me in figuring out where my brother could be.


    Morrow leaned in and began to talk, "For the first 100 years after discovering the portal to Agartha every attempt to send something in resulted in failure. No signal or communication was ever returned. We sent people, drones, communication devices, special forces and nothing worked. At that time the government wasn''t even sure if the portal lead anywhere. There only clue was a spacial disturbance when someone passed through. For all they knew it could have been a black hole like existence that just crushed everything that went into it to pieces then hurtled those pieces through space. They couldn''t give up though, since no solution to the resource crisis was revealing itself. However, after 100 years something came through the portal to Earth."


    Morrow took a sip of his juice and continued, "It was amazingly, a person, one of the people who entered the portal ten years prior. He described Agartha and everything he experienced. He said that one day while exploring he came across an old cave at the base of a mountain and went in to seek shelter for the night. When he woke a pack of savage beast appeared outside the cave and nested there. Afraid they would attack he went in deeper hoping to find another way out of the cave. After what he said felt like eternity he arrived in a brightly lit underground cavern that was impossibly large in size. Everything within was ten times larger than its counterpart outside. A forest was growing there and the man tried to make his way through it to find some kind of exit. He almost died many times, even the ants were capable of biting off a human limb. One day deep in the forest the man came upon a building that, like everything else there, was ten times larger in size. Afraid to alarm the potentially sentient resident he decided to quickly leave, but before he could the massive door flew open and what looked almost like a human stepped out. The only difference, it was almost 20 meters tall and had grey skin."


    I had actually heard of the existence of the Agnar Giants before. An Una I was familiar with in my last life gave me a book that described them as an ancient superior race. The book described them as a secretive but formidable race. However, I thought they were a myth. The book said no one had seen one in 1000 years. Eventually, the native races of Agartha considered them a lost civilization. After my split second of thought I returned my focus to Morrow''s story.


    "So after the door opened the giant beckoned the man into the building. Afraid for his life he entered, but to his surprise the giant tried to communicate with him. In the short span of a few minutes the giant learned our language and began talking to the man. He said it was by far the most intelligent being he had ever encountered. Vastly more intelligent than humans. After explaining Earth and how they couldn''t find a way to pass information back the giant showed him something that altered the course of human history. A space stone, its a small rock that is normally unidentifiable even if you are staring at it. You can actually walk right through it since it exists in a fold in space. The giant taught the man how to see and collect the stones. Then he showed him how to use a formation to harness the stones power allowing him to travel back to Earth."


    I was shocked. Their were people that postulated the existence of space stones in the past, but everyone laughed at them and called them crazy. It makes sense though, In Agartha almost every element has a corresponding stone that harnesses it just like wind and sun stones, therefore, space can have one too.


    Morrow continued, "The man learned a lot from the giant and took careful notes, all of which he passed on to Earth. Before he left, using the space formation, the giant told him that if the man returned he should not look for him and that his dwelling will not still be in its current location. That mans notes are now considered a holy book by the new government and is kept in a secret location. What I have been told is only a small amount of information held in it. Also, starting that day The United Human Federation came into existence. It has been controlling everything behind the scenes since that day. Even world conflicts and news media were orchestrated to make everything seem normal."


    I knew about The United Human Federation since they publicly appear as the new human government in a couple months. I just didn''t know they had really been around for 400 years organizing everything. However, my real concern was about how the space stones placed people and if everyone was put in a chosen location. If so, why was I put in a cave surrounded by beasts? Even if they thought I was useless that doesn''t make much sense.


    "What do the space stones have to do with people being sent to specific locations." I had to ask.


    "The formation to send someone back wasn''t the only one the giant taught the man. Another formation allows you to manipulate the flow picking a spot where someone traveling through the portal will end up. Fortunately, this takes significantly less of the stones power than to send someone back to Earth. Unfortunately they didn''t have enough to shift everyone''s location. This means some people really will be randomly placed on Agartha. The people with needed skills for the fast development of a settlement and high ranking government members had priority. If the public knew we picked and chose who we wanted to put in safer areas close to settlements they would be furious."


    I could understand why the public would be furious. If I were deemed important enough I wouldn''t have had to face all the hardships of my past life and I could have found my brother before he was tricked into killing me. Unfortunately, this information isn''t useful in helping find my brother since he was still placed randomly like me.


    Morrow continued his explanation, "My being here and the plans for development my father provided including being near a lake were not a coincidence. Using ALIC they can know when a person is coming through and shift them using it. ALIC also has an infinitesimally small piece of a space stone in it. That''s why it isn''t fried when you portal. Fortunately, the new government did have enough space stones to provide everyone with an ALIC. Soon everyone will be on Agartha and you would think the government wouldn''t need space stones anymore. For some reason the government needs more stones after everyone gets here and they need an enormous amount, so they created a plan. Every single ALIC can sense a space stone that''s close by resonating with it even if the human can''t see it. The ALIC will then automatically activate a program and send a message with the space stones location to the government."


    If they can send a space stones location can the government track my location?


    "Are they able to track us using ALIC?"


    "No, the space stone in ALIC isn''t strong enough.It actually has to draw on the power of the space stone you are close to in order to transmit the location. ALIC was primarily designed so humans can get stronger using essence. It also worked as an anchor for those that were chosen for specific locations. It only has one other function that I will tell you about in a moment."


    Morrow took a deep breath, "Now let''s move on to the important part. Certain people like myself were chosen to run human settlements which while creating a place for humans to live, will also retrieve space stones. Using a specific verbal command ALIC will allow a person to see the space stones in the folds of space that normally would be impossible to see. I am also allowed to pass on the command to people who agree to retrieve the space stones. If you agree, on top of your usual Captain duties, you can lead the retrieval team I will set up. From what we know so far, space stones tend to show up in areas that are considered very dangerous. They are almost always guarded by a high level beast since the fluctuations of the stones appear to benefit them. While it is dangerous, you will be rewarded for it. From what I understand the government will give people involved in retrieving space stones points that can be used in exchange for captured beasts that are known to give you specific abilities and high essence. The rest of the team will think the points are for a monster hunt. However, the team leader and Lord will know its for the space stone and will receive more points than the rest of the team."


    In the past these hunts were known as [Boss Hunts] and you had to be an elite of a city to even get a chance to join a team. Many of humanities greatest figures had once been a member of these teams which will eventually be called Battle Teams . Every recognized city had at least one battle team and some had more. In the future these battle teams will fight each other once a year in the human capital to decide a cities rank. Of course this system won''t be fully developed and go public for about another three years. In the past I had thought this was to push humans to improve and inspire them. Now I realize there was a deeper purpose behind it.


    After taking a moment to consider everything. I said, "I accept the position."


    This entire revelation made it a little more difficult to kill Morrow and take over Black Lion Village. There are more parts involved than I was originally aware of. However, now I know and he revealed it with his own mouth. Unfortunately, just knowing these doesn''t currently give me anymore leverage to kill him and take over. I still have to develop a force that can help me takeover his. I need backing that can shelter me from his dad''s retaliation. I need to learn more about his responsibilities and how he communicates with the new government so I can smoothly take over his role without alarming them. Most importantly I need to get stronger. If I had enough strength nothing else would matter. I lose nothing and stand to gain a lot by becoming the Battle Team Leader.


    I haven''t decided where I stand regarding The United Human Federation though. They did give every human access to ALIC which has made us stronger and given us a chance to survive. However, when they chose who to put where they essentially said some lives aren''t as important as others which I can''t agree with. Also, I still don''t know what the their true purpose is for gathering the space stones. For now all I can do is continue to deceive Morrow and take it step by step.


    Morrow was greatly pleased after I accepted. He said, "Great! It may be a while before we get any locations for space stones since most humans aren''t strong enough to reach areas they are found in yet. Also I will need to hold competitions to find members. The United Human Federation said I have about a year before they expect people to start finding the stones. The only thing I am suppose to reveal to people on retrieval teams is that they will be rewarded for killing certain monsters the government designates. Only the team leader can use the command to see the stones and be told the true purpose and they have to be sworn to secrecy. They specifically stated that anyone caught divulging the secret will be hunted and killed along with their family and anyone else on or in charge of that team."


    I nodded my head, "I understand. There is no chance someone find''s out from me."


    "As long as you understand. This is an important mission that can make us both immensely powerful and wealthy. Together we brothers can rule the world." He stood and placed his hand on my shoulder.


    "Ready to become Captain? We can shelve the topic of the space stones for a while. I will pass you the command to see them when we get the team finalized. It''s useless till then anyway. Let''s go to the ceremony. I''m ready for everyone else to know about my little brother."


    Morrow had a huge grin as he stared off into space. I''m sure he thought he looked inspiring and regal. I was a little shocked at how effective my plan to gain his trust worked. In the end he was only a 22 year old young man who apparently enjoyed playing the role of a big brother.

 44 Ceremony

    After Morrow was done narcissistically staring off into space, we left the room. We made our way back through the building towards the entrance I had came through earlier. As we went through the last door, the spacious training ground opened up in front of us. The mercenaries that had been aimlessly milling about before, were now lined up in rows. The group looked organized, but nothing like armies of the past.


    Means of production and access to resources had been established in Black Lion Village for some time. However, that did not mean Morrow could arbitrarily allocate everything where he desired. Many of the mercenaries had mix-matched clothing and were not at all uniform in appearance or grooming.


    This is one of the reasons they used tokens for identification. Morrow was simple unable to produce enough uniforms to outfit all the mercenaries. Only a portion had uniforms and those were mostly gate guards or patrols that couldn''t be at the ceremony because of their duties. There were also a large variety of weapons among them, due to them still needing to use the free one from the care package.


    Eventually, most major cities would have a standing army, but that was a long way off. The biggest difference was their unified spirit. Armies of Earth''s past and armies in Agatha''s future were able to project a kind of unique spirit. Depending on the army you would get a distinct feeling from their presence. For instance, some armies would feel like a giant steel wall. You knew breaking their defense would be like climbing the Heavens. Others would feel like a fiery tiger, as if at any moment their attack would pounce on you ferociously. Very few would even feel like a noble dragon, it''s might so unreachable that the thought of facing them whether offensively or defensively would seem impossible. In front of this group, I felt nothing.


    An army without a spirit, a unifying purpose, an undying will, is doomed to be defeated. I don''t know how they managed in the past, but without change this force would have no hope in facing the dangers I know are coming.


    At this point we were standing on top of a wooden platform at the edge of the training ground. The mercenaries were lined up in front and the eight remaining Lieutenants were standing in a line towards the rear of the platform. I walked over and stood nearby, but still in front of them. As Captain, it would set a bad precedence to diminish my position by standing beside them. One of the basic concepts of an army is the importance of hierarchy and respect of position.


    Of course Morrow went to the front to a makeshift podium. Without the assistance of technology to amplify his voice he had to speak loudly and project his voice so people could hear him. He began the ceremony with remarks about the progress of the village, about how important the role the mercenaries played in different aspects of that progress as well as a few miscellaneous announcements.


    After the pleasantries he finally arrived at the real important topic, " As some of you may have noticed we are missing two Lieutenants as well as other mercenaries who should have been here by now."


    Instantly, the mercenaries looked around nodding and mumbling a little.


    Morrow waited for them to calm down...., "This is no accident, in fact, they are dead."


    Immediately an uproar sounded from the mercenaries. Many men began shouting, demanding justice, asking who the culprit was, for a moment I thought they would storm the stage.


    Morrow''s eyes became cold and he swept the crowd as he shouted, "SILENCE!"


    As quick as the uproar began it fell back into complete silence. I had no choice but to admit Morrow''s charisma and his ability to effectively control the emotions of the crowd were top notch.


    Morrow let the silence linger as if daring someone to break it....., "Now, do not worry. There has been no attack. However, there has been a betrayal."


    A few gasps could be heard, but most of the mercenaries remained silent after last time.


    "Fortunately for Black Lion Village, I had a contingency in place for exactly such a possibility."


    So typical for Morrow, even in rewarding me he is going to take the credit and uses it to further cement his power.


    "When establishing the mercenary group I entrusted an important mission to the person I knew I could trust the most, my only brother."


    A small ripple of shock passed through the crowd, most reacted with a slightly confused look.


    "I know most of you were unaware and there was good reason for that. His mission was to pretend to be a commoner and infiltrate Black Lion Village looking for weaknesses and corruption in my mercenary group."


    This time many faces appeared shocked. I was even able to take note of two who looked slightly nervous. I made a mental note of their appearance since I would want to check into them later.


    Morrow took a moment then continued, "Imagine my surprise when my brother revealed to me an organized attempt to start a coup and take over Black Lion Village. Luckily, my brother was able to find this out without tipping off the man behind it..... That man was Captain Sauer."


    This time there were audible sounds of shock coming from the mercenaries, almost everyone was stunned in disbelief. However, the two who were nervous before had relieved looks instead of shock.


    "I know, I was even more shocked than you. I had placed a lot of trust in Sauer, but the evidence was irrefutable."


    He paused, letting the silence linger as if he the betrayal was truly hurt him.


    "I wanted to eliminate this threat without upsetting the peace of Black Lion Village. However, to do that I needed your help and with Sauer being both culprit and Captain I couldn''t do that easily. So I came up with a plan. I wanted Sauer to be the finalist for the Arena the next day so he could be killed without raising suspicion from his co-conspirators. The only problem was Sauer was our best fighter, no one would be able to beat him."


    Many nods of understanding and agreement could be seen in the crowd of mercenaries.


    After a short pause Morrow continued, "Except for one man, and even though I wanted him to stay in the shadows protecting the village he was willing to reveal himself to resolve this danger. My brother stepped out from the darkness and in front of everyone he killed Sauer in the Arena. Many of you have already heard his arena name, young lion."


    The looks of surprise and shock of Sauer being the man behind the coup paled in comparison to their faces now. Even the two men hiding something were shocked this time. I couldn''t help but again take note of how skillful Morrow was in leading his audience to feel the way he wanted them to. A lesser man could not have evoked this much of a reaction. Especially while weaving a convincing lie at almost every step of the story.


    After giving the crowd a chance to process, he began again, "Of course, after he killed Sauer we had to keep up pretenses so we could dismantle the organization he built to cause chaos in our wonderful village. We knew the names of every member of the coup, and with Sauer gone could round them up last night. Also, my brother young lion, was not punished for disobeying my order to not kill Sauer, since we planned to kill him all along."


    The mercenaries began to nod as they realized why young lion was spared by Morrow the day before. More than a few people had been discussing why young lion was spared on the streets yesterday. With that statement Morrow would erase any talk of him being weak.


    "Due to his appearance being known by many in the arena my brother cannot continue his work of protecting us from the shadows. I will need all of you to be more vigilant against nefarious plots and corruption in the future."


    Morrow took a deep breath, "Now, with Sauer dead I need a new captain. Who better to serve as Captain than the man who just saved the entire village, my brother, Troy."


    In a sweeping motion Morrow gestured towards me and waved me toward his side. I came up and stood next to Morrow.


    Morrow placed his hand on my shoulder and faced the crowd, "Mercenaries, from today forward the new Captain of this mercenary group will be my brother, Troy Hargrave."


    He placed a large token with the word Captain on it in my hand and then raised my arm in the air. A cacophony of cheers and applause erupted from the crowd of mercenaries. An obvious effect of Morrow''s speech.


    It was no wonder he rose in power in my last life. His ability to take advantage of circumstances was at a ridiculously high level. He managed to solidify his power, explain why he didn''t kill me in the arena, convince the mercenaries I deserved to be Captain, raise the mercenaries defense against future plots, and portray everything in a way that painted him as a benevolent caring leader. He managed to do all of that with one convincing and elaborate lie.

 45 Changes

    After the cheers of the mercenaries died down Morrow took a step to the side allowing me to take the podium. I knew I would be expected to speak to the crowd so I had prepared a few things I wanted to say in advance.


    "Thank you all for your enthusiasm in my taking command as Captain of this mercenary group."


    The new outfit made by Connor gave me a domineering presence and I maintained that image in how I spoke to the mercenaries. Even if the words were pleasant I made sure to say them in a way that made them feel unquestionable.


    "What happened with the former Captain Sauer cannot and will not be allowed to happen again. In an effort to ensure that, I will be implementing a few changes, effective immediately."


    The only weakness in Morrow''s previous speech was that while it solidified his power, in many ways, it put me on a similar level of authority as him. While he never explicitly stated that, the picture he painted would naturally make people think we were in agreement and working together at the same level. I would not miss this opportunity to stack the deck just a little more in my favor.


    "First, you will no longer view yourselves as mercenaries. You are not sell-swords that can be bought by the highest bidder. Your loyalty is to this village and this village alone. You are now the Black Lion Village Army. You are duty bound to protect it and the people inside. If you cannot accept this new role and erase your tendencies as a mercenary, it is best you leave now because I will show no mercy in eliminating those who can be bought."


    A shiver ran through the crowd. My direct and ruthless approach instilled fear in them. After all most men hadn''t fully adapted to their new life on Agartha. After a few tense moments I began to worry I had overdone it and that some may be staying due to fear of reprisal. I was still getting used to having such a dominating presence and couldn''t create a perfect effect like Morrow.


    So I decided to add, "While I will treat those who betray us without mercy, if you are still here you haven''t done so yet. Any of you who think you will not be capable of transforming from mercenaries into a proper soldier may leave now and face no consequences. Just leave your token where you stand."


    The two men I noticed before were the first to place their token down and leave. After they left a wave of mercenaries followed suit. In the end about 300 of the 900 or so mercenaries present, exited through the gate. Instantly, a third of the people present were gone. Even then, I didn''t think the force was weaker than before. Also, my motives for doing this was not to weaken Morrow''s force. I need them in the future and useless people would have only dragged it down.


    After those people left a small, almost non-existent, amount of spirit began to show from the remaining 600 or so people. I had given them a unifying purpose, protect the village, and even though it was weak it was a place to start.


    I stayed steadfast at the podium, however, I could see a somewhat nervous look develop on Morrow''s face. Due to the things he said before he couldn''t step in and say anything or it would weaken both of our authority. I will need to explain a few things after this is over or I risk making him suspicious.


    "For those who remain, I welcome you and ensure that I will do my best to lead us to a brighter future."


    I may not hold the same level of reverence as Morrow in these men''s heart, but judging from the looks on their faces I have gained their respect. They have heard about my strength in combat and now they are witnessing my strength of character. Winning the loyalty of these men will be a long and arduous process and a necessary step on my path to taking this city from Morrow.


    I have not given up on developing a force of my own, but Morrow''s guard is up now and the men are aware of the previous corruption so they will be more vigilant. I will have a much harder time trying to secretly convert people to my side. Instead I will do it in the open. I will replace Morrow''s position in their hearts and when the day comes to chose between us they will choose me instead of him. It will be more difficult, but it is the better plan given the circumstances.


    "Also, as your new Captain it is my job to appoint the replacements for the two vacant Lieutenant positions. Before doing this I want to say, I know in the past positions like Lieutenant rarely changed. This will not be the case moving forward. If someone more deserving or better suited for Lieutenant appears, I will not hesitate to have the better man fill the position. You must always prove you deserve whatever position you hold. This goes for all current and future Lieutenants and how they will select Sergeants as well."


    The men in front began to clap. Anyone could tell that some of these Lieutenants had become lazy and no longer deserved their position. I could feel the icy glares of the Lieutenants behind me, no doubt some of them hated me for saying that. Unfortunately, Morrow would probably never let me replace Ward. His position as Lieutenant was more of a cover than an actual position.


    "There will also be a few structural changes. The Requests Division that was in charge of taking on mercenary requests from citizens will now become an enforcement team. They will have the right to capture and punish members of the army caught breaking laws. They will report directly to myself and my brother and will be known as the Punishment Division."


    Each Lieutenant commanded one division and they all had a specific purpose. For instance, town guards and patrols fell under the Defense Division. Ward''s division was called External Division which allowed them to operate as bandits since they appeared to always be on a mission far away.


    I continued, "My reasons are two-fold. Since we are an army and not mercenaries, mercenary work is beneath us. I will send out a notice letting those who left here today know that they can take over the mercenary work for the village, on the condition they agree to our terms. Second, as an army we must be able to hold ourselves accountable or corruption will continue."


    Of course, not included in the people they could punish would be myself and Morrow.


    "The new Lieutenant for the Punishment Division will be Malik Zakaria. If any of you have been to theorigin stone I am sure you have witnessed the strength of his moral character. It is because of his character that I have chosen him for this position."


    Since I had already informed him, he was at the ceremony and someone else was performing his duties at the origin stone. Malik confidently walked out from the crowd and came up to the platform. I gave him the Lieutenant token and after a brief exchange of pleasantries he went back to stand proudly next to the other Lieutenants.


    "Another division that will be repurposed is the Collection Division. Their previous job was to provide small loans of money to assist business owners and push the economy forward. However, they turned into a division known for harassing the citizens of Black Lion Village. With the village economy stable and the amount of loans reduced this division will be absorbed into the Financial Division. The Financial Division will have the authority to give out loans and collect the payments. However, they can only set up a collection location for citizens to make payments and are not allowed to interfere with the citizens personal life. They will come up with a proposal for how to collect missed payments and present it to myself and my brother."


    The crowd nodded agreeing with my logic and even Morrow seemed pleased with this command. He understood the previous method was crude and ineffective. Even though he isn''t beyond using cruel methods he understood my method would be better in the long run.


    "The Collection Division will now become a division focused on gathering information. They will work both in and outside of the village. In order to grow we must better understand Agartha and our current circumstances. This division will be responsible for procuring useful information from all available sources. They will be known as the Intel Division."


    Morrow''s eyes really lit up after this announcement, clearly he appreciated this idea a lot. In truth he would set up something similar himself in just a few months time if I hadn''t already done it. After all, what village in Agartha didn''t set up some form of spy network.


    "The new Lieutenant for the Intel Division will be Barry Kurtz. He was an asset that helped me many times during my investigation of Sauer and has proven his abilities to gather information."


    I didn''t have a chance to inform Barry I would make him a Lieutenant, but I saw him among the crowd so I knew he was there. Almost the opposite of Malik, Barry was a bundle of nerves as he came up and accepted the Lieutenant token then nervously stood next to the other Lieutenants. Barry wasn''t really the best choice to run the Intel Division and I will undoubtedly have to make most of his decisions for him. The real reason I picked Barry was because I knew I could control him. Being able to pick and choose what information Morrow receives will make it significantly easier to create favorable situations for me in the future.


    "Those are the only changes in structure, for now. As the village grows we will make more changes as they become necessary. Also, due to many members leaving, some shifting of personal among the divisions is necessary. Continue with your normal duties, but be prepared since you may be in a different division tomorrow. My brother and I will be meeting with the Lieutenants today and they will have their new Sergeants and personal chosen by tomorrow. Thank you."

 46 Explaining

    I left the stage with Morrow and we walked back to the room we were talking in before. I could tell Morrow wanted to discuss a few things with me before we talked to the Lieutenants. After enteringthe room we sat back into the chairs we were in before.


    Morrow looked at me silently for a moment, then said, "Brother, I want you to know I didn''t make you a Captain solely because you are my brother and uncovered Sauer''s plot. I also did it because you showed patience, intelligence, and creativity in the way you handled the situation. Traits that I hoped would make you a great Captain."


    His forehead creased and his hands tightened. I could tell he was worried and frustrated.


    "So I need an explanation for your decisions out there. It will not be too late to retract them, but that would not benefit either of us."


    I had expected him to say something like this. I never took Morrow for a fool and I already knew he would require an explanation. Even though Morrow was head and shoulders above most people in intelligence and charisma he simply didn''t have my experience and insight.


    I put on an apologetic smile, "Of course, I am sorry I blind sided you with my decisions out there. I had to establish my dominance early to ensure my future commands will be taken seriously. I should have warned you, my apologies."


    Morrow nodded and some of the tension in his shoulders relaxed.


    I continued, "I assure you my decisions were all to benefit you and the village. First, having mercenaries run the security is dangerous, because they are used to being bought. By turning them into an army we give them a greater purpose and increase their loyalty to the village. This will prevent corruption and make them fight harder when they need to."


    Morrow waved his hand dismissively, "That wasn''t what concerned me. I was already considering implementing a change like that. The decrease of personnel was within my expectations and we are in a relatively safe area so it shouldn''t be a major issue. When you boldly implemented that change I did become concerned about other changes you might make. Which leads me to my real concern, the change in purpose of the Request Division. The Request Division brought in a large amount of money. This could potentially impact the development of the village."


    I nodded along as he talked appearing to agree with his points, "I am aware that a lot of funds came through the Request Division. That is also why Sauer targeted that division and the Collection Division. Both of the two corrupted Lieutenants came from these divisions because it allowed Sauer to collect funds before they could enter the cities coffers and were accounted for. The Financial Division is only responsible for the security of the money. You personally oversee the books and you''d notice if money was going missing."


    Morrow looked a little surprised, "Naturally, I picked up on that. I''m a little surprised you did too."


    "Of course, mother would not have allowed my education to slack."


    As if just realizing that I would have also received a high level of education, Morrow nodded his head.


    "I have a plan that will compensate the lost funds. First, with the rabble of the mercenaries gone we won''t be wasting money paying them. Second, in my speech I mentioned that before they could set up a mercenary service they would need to agree to a contract with us. I know you have already set up a tax system, but you keep them low to improve growth and that''s a good decision. However, since we used to manage the mercenary work ourselves and they will need our permission to operate we can take a higher cut. Now we can reap the profits without paying the men ourself. Not to mention that a real professional army would never act as mercenaries. It would affect discipline."


    Morrow leaned back and thought about it. After a few moments he lightly clapped his hands a few times.


    "I knew making you Captain was a good idea. I can feel at ease with a man like you in charge of my forces."


    Part of me wanted to laugh out loud as he said that. If he only knew what I was really thinking he would have me executed on the spot.


    "As far as the Intel Division and Punishment Division goes come up with a solid plan for how they will function and show me. I have confidence in your abilities."


    We exited the room and walked over to another one were the Lieutenants were waiting to havea discussion with us. As I expected many of the Lieutenants had complaints and took issue with the changes I had proposed. To my surprise Morrow did not use a domineering forceful tone to quell their arguments. He allowed me to defend my reasons and when a Lieutenant and I simply could not reach an agreement he would put his weight behind my decision. It was obvious he was experienced in managing people and the way he shifted his tone and strategy when addressing certain people was very effective. I took mental notes since these would be skills I had to develop to lead in the future.


    In the end I was able to calm most of the Lieutenants concerns. They were still upset about my promise to be open about who would be a Lieutenant. However, I explained that we would be expanding as we grow and that as long as they performed well it was unlikely I would replace them. Eventually the conversation headed to what personnel would go where and Morrow and I got ready to leave since this was not an issue we needed to be involved in. As we were leaving Ward and Barry got up and came over.


    Ward looked at me and said, "It will be..... interesting... to work with you."


    He lightly chuckled and stuck out his hand. Cold chills involuntarily went down my spine as I shook it. He then left the room. For obvious reasons, Wards personnel would not need changing therefor he also didn''t need to be part of the conversation. I just wish I had someone in his Division that could leak me information. The idea of Ward out there plotting god knows what made me nervous.


    Barry came up to me nervously and asked, "How should I select personnel?"


    I laughed and said, "Don''t worry about it Barry I will come up with a selection exam that people will have to pass to be in your Division. I need you to take charge and step into your leadership role. You are a Lieutenant now."


    I patted him on the shoulder. Barry seemed to straighten up and shake loose a little of his weak personality after that.


    He responded, "Of course, I won''t let you down."


    "Good! Meet me at the Captain''s Manor in a few days I will need you to be in charge of the selection process after I create the format for the exam."


    "Understood!"


    Barry walked away in much better spirits.


    I then walked out of the room with Morrow.


    As we walked I sighed, "I will be busy the next few days."


    Morrow laughed, "I''m sure you can handle it."


    We parted ways after leaving the building and I went back to the Captain''s Manor. There was only a few hours of daylight left. The meeting with the Lieutenants had taken most of the day.

 47 Clever Plan

    When I arrived at the Captain''s Manor the place was still bustling with activity despite the fairly late hour. Some of the guards were assisting the gardeners in bringing plants into the back and a couple of the maids could be seen arranging and organizing different parts of the manor.


    Upon entering the central wing I saw Matilda in the common area giving orders to a maid. When she saw me she immediately stopped talking and walked over. She had a kind of purpose in her walk that only people who had been in a formal military possessed.


    When she arrived in front of me she said, "Good evening sir, the majority of your requests have been carried out or will be completed by the end of the day."


    My brow involuntarily scrunched up as I thought, if she completed most of my requests in one day with just the staff she had this morning they must be exhausted. Then I thought back to everyone I had seen so far. I hadn''t really been paying attention before so I didn''t notice. The guards seemed out of breath, the gardeners looked drained, and the maids looked tired and worried. It seems I underestimated Matilda''s military mindset. She has been running the staff ragged.


    I quickly said, "Matilda tell everyone that work is done for the day and have the chef prepare a large meal for them."


    "But sir," she tried to say.


    "Matilda, this is not the military. This is just a house and you are just my staff. While I do expect my request to be completed, I thought it would take a week not a day. You can''t exhaust the staff like this. These people are here for a paycheck, they will quit if you treat them like this everyday."


    I sighed, "I know you have a military background and probably spent your entire life in that environment. However, not everything works that way. You must learn to adapt. I don''t doubt your capabilities, but not everyone has the mindset of a soldier. You have to learn to see things from other people''s point of view."


    Matilda seemed to understand what I was getting at, "Yes sir, I will be.... more accommodating in the future."


    Even when saying that she maintained a professional bearing. I really hope she is able to adjust.


    "Thank you, now go make sure everyone gets a good meal and rest."


    Matilda nodded and left the common area.


    Honestly, I was impressed by her ability to motivate the staff to the point they would work so hard for her. However, it seemed as if they were motivated through fear. While that can be an effective method in a military environment, it would cause too many problems here.


    It served as a reminder that even intelligent and capable people needed time to adjust to a new environment. Many people were placed in entirely new occupations that functioned on different social constructs. I made a mental note of this since my next couple days would be filled with designing plans for the new divisions, a selection exam, all while making my own plans. Just the though of it all gave me a headache. However, things would become smoother after I took care of these things. There won''t be too much for me to take care of and I can get back to getting stronger.


    This day had been mentally exhausting and I really wanted to just go to bed, However, I had one more thing to take care of before I could. I left the central wing and made my way over to the east wing. I had to check in on our guest.


    After arriving I asked the guards, "Have you had any problems?"


    They promptly responded, "No sir, she ate the food we provided and we retrieved the utensils as you requested. Her only requests were for new clothes, a book, and a chair."


    I nodded, good, everything should be fine since she doesn''t have anything to attack me with.


    "Oh yeah, she also asked for makeup, a comb, and a nail file. I guess even female assassins care about their appearance."


    Hmmm, I thought it over for a moment, but she is a girl that made sense.


    I knocked, "Sylvia, I''m coming in."


    "Ok, I''m away from the door," her voice came from the far side of the room.


    That''s strange she sounds significantly less hostile, almost as if she wants me to come in.


    I began to open the door. Wait....


    Just as it swung open, I dropped straight to the ground. I could hear a click and a whistle of wind as something quickly shot at my head. I felt a sharp pain on the very top of my scalp. A moment later a thud came from the wall behind me. I rolled to the side just as Sylvia leapt out with a makeshift stake and stabbed into the floor where I was just laying. The guards were shocked, but they quickly grabbed and restrained before she could attack again.


    Sylvia stared at me furiously, but I could notice just a tinge of genuine shock in her eyes. She is intelligent and has a knack for attacking when a person''s guard is down. I bet she rarely fails, but now she failed twice to the same person. It''s no wonder she is a little shocked. Honestly, her plan was almost flawless, if it had been anyone else it would have worked.


    However, as someone who was once among the weakest on Agartha my survival largely depended on understanding how other people think. Over ten years I honed my ability to understand how people think as a self defense mechanism. It doesn''t work 100 percent of the time, but it has saved me from countless dangers.


    After ten years it became second nature to analyze people''s actions. I couldn''t stop if I wanted to, I would feel defenseless. That''s why it stood out when Sylvia suddenly seemed more agreeable. It sent alarm bells blaring in my head. As I opened the door I suddenly realized why she would act that way and why she specifically requested a nail file.


    A member of my team in my past life used to have a weird hobby. He loved making weapons out of ordinary objects. He could make spears, axes, bows, just about anything. He said it was so if he was ever captured he could fight his way out. One thing he always said, was that the hardest part was finding something you can use to cut and shape things with. He said a small knife won''t get you far in a fight but you can use it to make something better.


    In order to stay prepared he kept sandpaper strapped to his under garments. He was a bit of a strange guy. He said sandpaper can sharpen any piece of metal with an edge into a blade. He would say the first thing people do when they capture someone is take away their weapons, so keeping a knife on you is useless. You have to be able to make your own. He mentioned that ceramics, leather, and even cardboard could be used to sharpen metal into a knife.


    Ceramics and cardboard haven''t been produced in Agartha yet. However, sandpaper has because carpenters need it for their work and it''s simple to make. All you need is paper, sand, and glue. Paper is already made, sand is available at Lake Lyenas, and glue is already being produced from the cartilage harvested from local beasts.


    Sylvia asked the guards for a nail file. While not widely available Sauer had kept some for his ladies of the night and a nail file is essentially a finer form of sandpaper. The guards got it for her because the request seemed harmless and I told them to fulfill any reasonable request.


    In the moment I opened the door all of these facts came together like a light bulb going off in my brain. I wasn''t sure how she would attack, but my instincts told me dropping down was safest. I guessed she would follow up with another attack which is why I rolled to the side. The whole process might have lasted a second.


    While the guards kept Sylvia restrained I went into the room. Just as I guessed, she made a crossbow. When I heard the click and the sound of something hitting the wall behind me, I figured it was a crossbow. I studied it for a moment. She had used the curved backing of the chair to make the front limb a notch carved out where the bolt would pass. She used one of the chair legs as the barrel with a straight line carved out for the flight groove. The string I assumed came from the disassembled clothes strewn across the bed. The latch that held the string in place was a carved out piece of wood from the seat of the chair. Another piece of string ran from the latch to the door and the whole crossbow was propped on top of the dresser with the book wedged underneath so it would be aimed at my chest.


    That''s why even though I ducked it still managed to nick my scalp. I placed my hand on top of my head. It stung a little and when I looked there was a small amount of blood. Just a minor cut nothing to worry about. It looked like requesting the makeup and comb was just to cover for the nail file since they were untouched on the bed.


    I walked out of the room and looked at the bolt stuck in the wall. It was drooping down but was still stuck in the wood. It''s shaft was made from the spindle that held up the arm rest of the chair. It had a notch on the end were the string would go. The arrow head was a sharpened corner from what I think was a bracket used for the bed frame. It was lodged in the spindle and tied with string. She must have used this to carve everything before attaching it here.


    She must have known the bolt didn''t have enough power to kill me, she just tried to stun and injure me so she could kill me by stabbing me with the stake. I was incredibly impressed with the cleverness and ingenuity of her attack. What kind of training did she receive to be capable of doing this at her age?


    Between her stealth and tracking techniques as well as her ability to pull off an intricate multi-layered surprise attack, I had to admit she was extremely talented. However, even though I appreciated her talent, I was furious that she constantly tried to kill me just because I killed her brother in self defense! It was the only thing I couldn''t understand about her. Why would she obsess with killing me? She had to understand that I didn''t set out to kill her brother. I had originally planned to try to talk to her about this, but now I wasn''t in the mood.


    I walked up to the guards who were still restraining her, "From what I can see she had to have made tons of noise preparing this attack. What were the two of you doing? Did you not check on her once?"


    The guards looked stunned, "We.... We.... Just assumed she was throwing a fit like yesterday."


    "Morons! Next time check on her if she makes so much noise! Be careful though, she''s dangerous."


    Sylvia was still glaring at me with her arms locked behind her back by the guards.


    I glared back and said to the guards, "Hold her here for a moment."


    After a while I returned with Matilda.


    "Matilda want you to oversee this. I want her room removed of anything that can be used to attack and I want her to be restrained. You can turn this room into a cell."


    I had already told Matilda what happened and we agreed that letting her go wasn''t an option. However, I didn''t want to kill her because I thought she might be useful and Matilda seemed to feel some empathy for her. We agreed to keep her here for now, but we didn''t want to mistreat her. I had faith Matilda could accomplish this while minimizing the danger she posed. Surely, through her time in the military she understood how to best handle a situation like this.


    "I understand, she won''t have the chance to attack you again," Matilda responded.


    "Good."


    I left, I needed rest. I knew the next couple of days would be exhausting. Although, I was a little excited. Not everything was going exactly as planned, but i was getting closer and closer to my goal.

 48 Explosion

    My legs bent and strained under the pressure of forcing them to move as fast as possible. I used the cords that comprised my legs like a spring, tightening and releasing with every step just to increase my speed. I could feel my energy getting low, but I couldn''t stop.


    I have to get back to Troy!


    He doesn''t know he is in danger!


    I have to warn him!


    After Troy saw Cratagus at the Black Wolf Arena he had me leave to inform Corytheius that the human leadership of Black Lion Village might know about the village. Troy had explained the danger they could pose and that the bandits led by a human named Ward might attack. I understood his concern so I agreed and headed back to the village.


    ( Quick Author''s Note: Some reader''s had expressed that Valerian''s character didn''t have enough depth. I changed and added some of Valerian''s background information to remedy this issue. Unfortunately, that means some readers may not understand why certain things are mentioned. While I think you can understand the chapter without it, if you choose, you can read the changes in Chapters 9 & 13)


    After grabbing my stuff from Black Claw Inn I went through the south gate and headed in the direction of the village. I knew it was important to inform the village about the humans, but I wasn''t in a great hurry. Troy has wisdom and character which I respect, but I think he underestimates the power of the village.


    Of all the warriors in my village, I''m in the middle in terms of combat power and that''s including my nightshade abilities. Without them I''d be at the bottom. Not to mention, we have about 300 warriors protecting the village. Any one of them could easily take on three or four of the bandits based on what I''ve seen so far.


    Troy as wise as he is, couldn''t have known that of those 300 about 280 were away on a mission during his stay. A mission they would have returned from yesterday evening not long after we left. From his perspective we only had about 20 warriors to defend so it was understandable that he was worried.


    Then again humans get stronger at a frightening rate, or at least Troy does.


    I didn''t really understand the things Troy told me about ALIC, but being able to gain the abilities of things you killed sounded powerful. Humans, although weak right now, have the potential to grow incredibly strong. Which is why, even though I knew the village would be fine, I still agreed to go inform Corytheius about Cratagus working with the humans.


    After a few hours of walking, I decided to head to the lake to absorb some water and spread out. While G''eth are sentient, and plants are not, we do share similar traits. We need to absorb nutrients from water and use the energy of the sun to function. Nutrients from water nourish our body and we absorb the energy of the sun. After absorbing the energy it is channeled to a core that stores it. All G''eth have a core in their chest that can store the sun''s energy.


    That energy allows us to move and power our abilities. From what Troy has told me it seems to function similar to human''s blood, in the sense that it travels through paths in our body and the core is in our chest. Except, we don''t immediately die if we run out and it''s not constantly circulating. We can allow the energy to lie dormant, only using it when we need to. If we run out we cannot move until we absorb more. Although, if we go three days without it, we can die.


    After all the activity over the past few days I finally got the chance to completely restore my energy. G''eth can somewhat tell where our energy level is. I''d say it''s similar to the human feeling of hunger. You begin to crave it and your core will start to feel more and more discomfort as it gets low. Being empty is not a pleasant feeling.


    After spending a couple pleasant hours basking in the sun and absorbing the water from Lake Lyenas I felt fully recharged. I resumed my trip to the village, easily passing through the forest. Few beasts noticed me and those that did avoided me. Most beasts understand G''eth are the true rulers of the forest. Only a few, like the Grootslang, are unreasonably aggressive.


    However, for some reason beasts that normally avoid us, ferociously attack humans. I was shocked at how frequently beasts would attack Troy as we traveled last time. It also seemed like he even expected them to behave that way. It''s very unusual.


    I arrived in the village after dark and headed straight for the Elder Compound. As I got close I noticed that many G''eth were rushing about performing different tasks. That''s odd.


    Curious, I walked up to a G''eth I knew from patrol, "Acaena, what''s going on?"


    Acaena looked at me with surprise as she responded, "Valerian? I thought you left with the human?"


    "I did, I returned with important news for the Grand Elder."


    "The Grand Elder is in the Elder''s Compound, luckily he wasn''t badly hurt in the explosion. We are still working to repair the damage."


    I was startled, "What explosion? How could there be an explosion? I was here just yesterday morning and everything was fine."


    "I don''t know all the details I just know it happened late this evening."


    How could this happen? What if... is this connected to Cratagus and the humans? It shouldn''t be right?


    I bolted in the direction of the Elder Compound. I dashed through the crowd quickly reaching the entrance. Two guards standing there tried to block me from entering.


    "It''s me, Valerian, let me in. I have important information for the Grand Elder."


    They hesitated, but after recognizing me they slowly stepped back. I couldn''t help noticing that one of them looked at me with disdain, but I couldn''t care about that at the moment.


    I quickly made my way to Corytheius''s private quarters, in an area behind his courtyard. As I entered I could see Corytheius leaning back in a large stone chair. The chair had ten sockets placed so they would be on the edge Corytheius''s body. In each socket was a sun stone giving off a bright glow. Corytheius was slowly absorbing the sun energy.


    I had seen Corytheius sit in this chair many times before. 700 years ago Corytheius''s core was almost shattered in the fight to defend the Geodenisis Arboreth. Even with repeated use of the Geodenisis Arboreth sap it never fully repaired. This made it harder for him to store sun energy. The amount of sun he could get naturally simply wasn''t enough. Ever since, he''s needed sun stones to keep him functioning. Even more troubling, over the years he has needed more and more.


    Most forests don''t have areas that produce sun stones. However, this forest borders many plains and has a few clearings that can produce them. This is actually why an important Grand Elder was located in such an obscure village far from major G''eth centers. The mission the warriors just returned from was to retrieve some newly found sun stones from a clearing further south.


    As I looked closer at Corytheius I noticed a few scorch marks that were slowly healing on his legs and torso.


    Grief overwhelmed me.


    I should have been here.


    I could have prevented this.


    I owe my life to Corytheius, I never should have left.


    Corytheius noticed me, "Valerian? Why, have you, returned?"


    "I... I have important news, but it can wait."


    Silence swept the room.


    I felt guilty, "I''m sorry... I should have been here."


    Corytheius let out a deep sigh, "No. Valerian, we discussed, this. You have, a greater purpose. That human, Troy, there is, more to him, than meets, the eye, he has, a great destiny."


    "I know, I''m grateful to Troy and I want to, but..."


    "Valerian, do you, remember why, I picked you, back then?"


    "I remember..."


    When the other Grand Elders realized a bud had absorbed the last bit of poison from the attack on the Geodenisis Arboreth they wanted to let it die. If a bud is not picked in time it will wilt, eventually dying. This is almost never allowed to occur, but they were going to make an exception. When Corytheius heard, despite his condition, he traveled the long distance to the Geodenisis Arboreth and picked the bud himself. He assured the other Grand Elders that he would take care of it and train it. That one day it would save all G''eth.


    When I was old enough to understanding, he told me the story and said he picked me because I had a greater purpose. As much as I wanted to stay with Corytheius, I couldn''t doubt his judgment. It''d be the same as admitting he was wrong to save me 27 years ago.


    Silence lingered for a moment before Corytheius spoke again.


    "Now, what news, have you brought?"


    I quickly began to relay everything I knew about Black Lion Village, Ward, Morrow, Sauer, and Cratagus. Troy told me to tell Corytheius everything, even his personal goals. It surprised me how much he trusted us.


    "Interesting. What do, you think?"


    "Troy''s plans are always ten steps ahead of everyone else. He has a powerful desire to get stronger, but he won''t sacrifice the weak or innocent for it. He''s willing to kill, but only those who are a danger to himself or others. I trust him with my life."


    Corytheius smiled as if he already guessed I''d say that, "And the other humans?"


    "Troy fears they pose a threat, but he hasn''t seen our true strength. I don''t think it''s a big deal, but from what I''ve seen humans have the ability to improve quickly."


    Corytheius nodded, but a painful expression appeared and he grabbed his torso.


    "You need, to return, to Troy, but first, talk with, Castor," Corytheius looked at an area to my left.


    For the first time I noticed we weren''t alone in the room.

 49 Castor

    After Corytheius pointed him out, Castor walked towards the door and gestured for me to leave first. We exited Corytheius''s room and began walking through the compound.


    Castor was one of the few G''eth in the village I truly respected. He was the Chief Warrior who was in charge of all warriors in the village. His dedication to the village was unwavering and his personal strength was the greatest among all the villages warriors.


    However, it wasn''t his strength that allowed him to lead the warriors. It was his character. He always lead the charge in battle and would even perform menial tasks if it helped his fellow warriors. He was a large part of the reason the Grootslang was confined to the caves. While unable to kill it, Castor was able to lead the warriors in forcing it to retreat into the caves. He was also the first person to accept me into the warriors and never mistreated me because of the origin of my abilities.


    Castor looked at me with concern as we walked.


    "Valerian, you have spent a lot of time around humans lately correct?"


    I nodded, "After meeting Troy I went with him to the Black Lion Village in the plain in the north. "


    "So I''ve heard."


    He paused for a moment then continued, "From what I understand, G''eth aren''t treated particularly well there. I heard about the village popping up a few months ago. A few of the warriors I sent came back with information about it."


    He rubbed his head, "They didn''t get much, but they said humans use a lot of abnormal things that we''ve never seen before."


    I began to worry. Why is Castor asking me this and acting like he wished he was somewhere else?


    "Yes. Troy explained a lot of it to me. The world they came from was... different than Agartha."


    Almost as if it pained him Castor said, "I''v heard that too. You... need to see something. I know you think highly of humans, but their arrival is causing a lot of changes to Agartha. I wish things could be different, but protecting the village is my priority."


    The tone of Castor''s voice and the look on face hinted at a hidden meaning in his words. The core in my chest tightened. When a G''eth''s mental state is disturbed the sun energy in its core can fluctuate erratically. The core will tighten as a natural response to calm the energy down.


    While talking, Castor had lead me to a restricted area of the elder''s compound. We had just came to stop in front of a stairway that was tucked away at an odd angle at the end of a passageway. The angle of the entrance was slanted which made it hard to see from the hallway we came from. The few times I had been in the restricted area I hadn''t noticed this was here.


    Castor was gesturing for me to enter as his words faded to silence. I involuntarily hesitated before entering. What is this? Why is Castor acting so weird, like he knows something bad will happen? Does this have something to do with the explosion or me? My core tightened even more.


    The stairway spiraled downwards. Darkness enveloped us at first, but it was quickly banished by sun stones that were placed at intervals in holders along the wall.


    After a few tenuous minutes of a spiraling descent the steps ceased and flat ground spread out. Large metal doors menacingly loomed in front of me, a large G''eth stoically stood at their side. Castor nodded towards him. He plunged his arm into the ground, the doors creaked as they opened revealing a dimly lit spacious cavern.


    Castor entered and I tentatively followed, the large G''eth returned to his stoic stance. Castor walked over to an area at the edge of the cavern were the light from the sun stones barely reached. As I neared I could hear shallow ragged breathing. In my nervousness my mind went in fifty different directions trying to figure out what that sound could be.


    However, nothing prepared me for what I saw next. My body trembled as I quickly averted my gaze, but the image was already imprinted in my mind.


    On the wall was a human bound and devoid of clothes. The roots of an ancient Zerden tree, renowned for it''s hardness, wrapped around the human''s wrist, ankles, and waist. While startling, that alone would not have provoked my reaction. What truly horrified me was the state of his body.


    The pure and just image that I had of Castor, Corytheius, and by extension all G''eth leaders, was instantly shattered. I knew some G''eth could be heartless. I hadn''t forgotten that the Grand Elder''s were originally going to let me die and that some villagers had treated me with disdain. However, I understood their reasons for making those decisions. I didn''t blame them, I understood the threat my existence posed. I still believed in their desire for justice, in their passion for life.


    But this... this is too much... this is too... sadistic... too... cruel.


    I looked at Castor, "Why? How could doing something like this protect the village?"


    Castor looked ashamed as he responded, "Valerian, you are still young, you haven''t seen the realities of life beyond this village. Did you honestly think peace could be preserved without bloodshed, without violence? I didn''t want to do this, I had to. Sometimes sacrifice is necessary."


    "This isn''t a sacrifice, this is... this is... heinous ," I shakily pointed toward the human, inadvertently taking another look.


    In-bedded in his flesh were Razarac vines. They were growing in and out of numerous areas of his body. His skin bulged in places roots were growing underneath. Areas all over his body leaked blood as the Razarac vines entered and exited his flesh. Parts of his face and body distorted as the plant slowly dissolved and ripped him apart. His ragged breathing the only sign of life.


    The Razarac is a particularly vicious plant that is normally seen growing in battlefields after large battles. They dissolve and absorb the flesh of the corpses they grow on. They have razor sharp leaves that could easily slice into a brown steeled bear, much less human flesh.


    Razarac vines grow in necrotic tissue. It could not naturally grow in a living human body. That coupled with their various stages of growth painted me a clear picture of what had happened. A G''eth had inserted Razarac seeds into his body and accelerated their growth at varying speeds.


    Killing him I could understand. If he was a threat to the village I wouldn''t hesitate to kill him myself. Anyone who harmed innocent lives deserved to die, just not like this, never like this. He was tortured. Tortured in the most terrifying, sadistic way possible.


    I glared at Castor, on the verge of losing control, my anger at the cruelty of it all bubbling over.


    "How could you do this? If he caused the explosion killing him was enough!"


    I was near delirious with rage, I couldn''t fathom it. Castor''s lack of an answer broke my last attempt at control.


    I screamed, "WHAT PURPOSE COULD THIS SERVE? HOW DOES THIS BENEFIT ANYONE?"


    My shouts seemed to echo around us.


    Castor had a sympathetic look on his face, "I understand how you are feeling. I know that you can''t comprehend it now, but you have to,"


    "AHHHHHHH!"


    A horrific scream erupted without warning. The pain and terror expressed in that sound was so profound it could freeze souls.

 50 Valerians Resolve

    Before the echoes of his scream could fade the man lost consciousness again. After he returned to unconsciousness I tried to take control of the Razarac vines. If I gained control I could make them shrink and remove them from his body. Unfortunately, Castor was prepared and significantly stronger than me. His robust energy firmly held the vines in place keeping my energy away. I couldn''t move a single leaf.


    Castor shook his head, anguish on his face, "Stop Valerian," somehow he was the one who sounded defeated, "The Razarac vines are touching his core. We think he could die if you move them at this point."


    The ''core'' he''s talking about must be the human heart. After looking closer I realized it didn''t matter, he would die soon even if his heart was undamaged. I don''t know how much Castor understood about human structure, but its closer to a Fey than a G''eth. According to Troy, human bodies have many organs that work together to keep humans alive. If any one is damaged or destroyed they can die and most of them are in the torso area. A Razarac vine was growing in the humans middle torso on the right side. It looked particularly gnarly and many of his organs were probably already beyond repair.


    I recognized that I couldn''t do anything to help this human. I had no healing abilities and even if I was willing to use the Geodenisis Arboreth sap I had Castor would probably stop me. Corytheius would certainly never allow it. The only thing I could do was talk with Castor and hope for an opportunity to end his suffering sooner. I slowly calmed myself down, more outburst weren''t going to be useful for anyone. Hardening my resolve, I focused on facing this situation.


    For the first time in my life I used a cold tone with Castor, "You keep saying I don''t understand. So explain."


    Castor looked shocked for a moment, then he nodded his head. It seemed he understood I would never be able to look at him the same way I had before.


    He took a formal tone, "First, this man was involved in the explosion. He wasn''t the main culprit, he was a scout left behind to study us and report back the results. We were able to... get a lot of information from him, but for some reason he can''t stay conscious long enough to respond to questions. He just wakes up, screams, then goes unconscious again. We fear if we move the Razarac and he dies we won''t get the answers we need."


    "How does that involve me?"


    He visibly winced at the sharpness in my voice, "You have spent a lot of time with humans, more than most. Unlike the G''eth I had sent to gather information, you have a good relationship with a human. He''s explained human stuff to you correct? You may notice something we missed."


    I nodded stiffly.


    "Corytheius had mentioned before you arrived that if you or Troy were here, you might be able to understand more than us. When you arrived and Corytheius told you to talk with me I knew what he wanted. Not just for you to help us, but to also let you know that the real world is dangerous. That horrible things can happen anywhere, even here."


    The last bit of hope I was clinging to, that Corytheius didn''t know about this, disappeared. My resolve weakened. I felt heartbroken, at the same time I felt conflicted. I understood what Castor was trying to say. I believed he acted in the best interest of the village and that he didn''t enjoy doing this. I also wasn''t so naive that I thought everyone outside the village would act justly. I just thought we were better than them, that we acted justly no matter what, that we wouldn''t stoop to such despicable methods. I was wrong and it hurt.


    "He worried about you after you left. He worried you would underestimate the danger."


    My mind struggled to reconcile what was happening and the image I had of the G''eth I respected. I understood the reason''s for their decisions, but I couldn''t agree with them. I knew I was inexperienced, but this went beyond that. I couldn''t continue focusing on this, I needed to focus on the situation in front of me. I pushed out my emotions and feelings, hardened my resolve, and focused back on the situation.


    "What do you need to know? It seems you already have a lot of information."


    Castor relaxed a little, like he had been anxiously waiting for me to ask that, "We did, but a few things still don''t make sense. For instance, how did they cause the explosion? It occurred in the room we store our sun stones. A large amount of the stones we retrieved on the last mission were destroyed. If it wasn''t for him, we wouldn''t even known humans caused it."


    Castor pointed at the half-dead human as he said ''him''.


    "You didn''t ask him how they caused the explosion before he lost consciousness?"


    "No, when we captured him he insisted he was just a hunter. Under threat of execution he revealed he was part of a group of humans that caused the explosion, but it wasn''t his plan. After he refused to tell us more unless we released him, we brought him here. When the questioning resumed I was more concerned with understanding who was behind it and why they did it. I was still working on the why they attacked when he first went unconscious. We didn''t get to the how, we thought we could figure out that part on our own if necessary. However, that has proven to be more difficult than we imagined."


    "I will do my best to help you find the answer."


    Castor was ecstatic, "Thank you! I know we are asking a lot, but,"


    I cut him off, "On one condition," I pointed to the human, "Kill him. Now. He''s suffered enough."


    Castor hesitated for a moment, then he raised his arm. The exposed leaves of the Razarac near the mans chest and face gathered into two thin spikes. Castor silently nodded toward me then swept his arm in front of him. The two spikes pierced through his head and chest simultaneously. This was all I could do for him. Give him the quick death he deserved.


    "Ok, let me see what he had and anything found around the explosion."


    As we walked away the corpse was slowly dragged into the earthen wall by the Zerden roots.

 51 Update

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 51 Revelation

    Castor led the way as we left the damp underground dungeon. The image of the human''s riddled body hunted my mind as we ascended the stairs. I could hardly imagine the amount of pain he must have been in. At least I was able to end his suffering. There is nothing more I can do. It''s time to focus on what''s in front of me.


    After returning to the surface, we walked to another part of the Elder Compound. Castor walked up to a door guarded by two G''eth. After entering, I saw multiple G''eth sorting through piles of burned miscellaneous items.


    Castor said, "We have already started repairing the storage room. We moved everything from around the explosion into this room so we could go through it. Additionally, the human''s items are over there."


    He pointed to a corner of the room. I could see a small pile of clothes and other typical human items on a small table. One of the G''eth was carefully looking through the items.


    I nodded, "I make no promises, but I will look through everything and let you know what I find."


    Castor expressed his thanks and said, "I will leave you to it. I''m going to go see how the restoration of the warehouse is going."


    I responded, "Ok. Additionally, can you have everyone else leave? I''d prefer to do this alone."


    A pained look crossed Castor''s face, "I understand."


    Castor commanded the other G''eth to leave, and soon I was alone in the room. Surrounded by silence, I looked around. As I stared at the remains of the explosion, I couldn''t help wondering why I asked Castor to make everyone leave. It''s not like they would really be in my way. I couldn''t explain it, I just felt like being alone. Almost as if anyone else''s presence was painful. It was an unsettling feeling, one I had never felt before.


    After a moment of silent contemplation, I began my search. Since I had no idea what I was looking for the search would have to be slow and meticulous. The room was large, and piles of burned and broken items were strewn all over the place. I guess it''s best to start with the man''s things since they should still be intact. I walked to the corner of the room and began looking everything over. Most everything was items I''ve seen on many humans. He had leather armor and everyday human clothes as well as a small shortsword. Nothing seemed of particular interest.


    I was still suspicious that this attack was connected to the Yellow Wolf Bandits and Cratagus''s betrayal. Troy had told me that the man Cratagus was talking to was secretly the leader of the Yellow Wolf Bandits. I picked up the man''s armor and flipped it around.


    "Phew"


    I let out a sigh. It didn''t have the marking of the bandits. Was this really a coincidence?


    I continued going through the items. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. After I picked up his pants, I noticed a pile of things laying underneath. I recognized the different coins that are typical of most of Agartha. Additionally, there was some twine, bandages, and a small piece of paper. I remember how Troy said he always carries twine with him because it has so many uses. This must be the contents of his pockets.


    Everything seemed normal; however, the piece of paper seemed out of place. I picked it up. It appeared to be a hand-scrawled note. The writing was in the human language. Luckily, Troy had started teaching me how to read since we met. He said it was astonishing how quickly I learned since humans spent years learning how to read.


    I remember him muttering, ""Is it unique to G''eth or is it just Valerian. Must have something to do with their neural capacity."


    I didn''t really understand what he meant, but I was able to understand most human writing. I looked at the piece of paper:


    Monitor the plan, discover targets condition, report back - Sergeant Marcel


    Interesting, what was the target? Was it just the sun stones or was it a particular G''eth. The Grand Elder''s injuries flashed in my mind. Was Corytheius the target? I had a bad feeling. Was this a covert assassination attempt? I''ll have to let Castor know about this.


    Additionally, the term Sergeant set off warning flags in my mind. Those are the same titles used for Black Lion Village mercenaries. Was this related to them after all? Then again Troy said those titles were common for humans. I decided I would express my concerns to Castor after I was done looking through everything.


    With nothing left in the human''s items to look through, I began to go through the rubble and remains of the explosion. Most of it was just charred pieces of the walls, roof, and crates that were in the warehouse. The piles were extensive, and I spent the remainder of the night going through it piece by piece. Light began to stream in through the window, the morning was here. I couldn''t stay forever, and I was tempted to give up, but I decided I would continue looking until at least midday. As I was going through the pile, I felt a slowly building pain on my leg. As I looked down, I noticed a tiny bright dot of light where the pain was. The light is causing the pain?


    I placed my hand in front of my leg, and the burning sensation quickly returned. Eventually, the pain became strong enough that I had to move. I looked at my hand, and there was a small burn mark. This isn''t like anything I''ve ever seen before, maybe this is related to how the humans caused the explosion. I placed my hand in front of the light and traced it back to its source.


    In a giant pile near the window I followed the light to a clear round object. With hesitation, I grabbed the object. This is glass. I had seen this in many places in Black Lion Village. Multiple building had it in their windows instead of just leaving it open like we do. Troy had explained how they heat up the sand from Lake Lyenas to create it. However, I''ve never seen one shaped like this before. It was curved and thicker than the glass I had seen.


    How was it causing the burning on my hand and leg? I turned it around and around, but the light dot was gone. What''s different? I looked at the spot it was laying in the rubble. Then I noticed that the light from the window was covering that area. Maybe?


    I placed the glass in the light. Suddenly, the light dot returned and moved around as I moved the glass. I couldn''t help but experiment with it for a moment. It was even kind of fun. It seems the glass needs a light source, but it can concentrate the light into a small area making it stronger. However, why would this be with the rubble from the explosion?


    Then it hit me. What if this was aimed at a sun stone? The concentrated light could possibly overload the stone before it could release energy. That could have caused the explosion! I figured it out! I have to go tell Castor!


    I quickly left the room. Castor said he was going to the site of the explosion, so I ran over there. As I arrived, I noticed Castor directing other G''eth in repairing the warehouse.


    "Castor!"


    "Valerian? Did you find anything?"


    He anxiously made his way over to me. I quickly explained the glass and the light dot. I told him how I thought it could be used to cause the explosion.


    Castor looked shocked, "This was caused by this small piece of this glass? That is frightening. I will have a few of our people test this in a safe location. Additionally, our sun stones will be stored underground from now on. Thank you, Valerian."


    I nodded, "I better get back to. Troy I''m going to go tell Corytheius goodbye."


    I was just about to leave when I remembered the note on the paper and told Castor about it.


    He nodded, "We saw the note too, but we couldn''t read it. When we were questioning the human about why they did this, we were going to ask him about it. However, he was already near collapse and must have been delirious. Between large breathes he said random words that didn''t make any sense."


    This caught my interest, "Really? What did he say?"


    "I can''t remember, but I wrote it down. Hold on."


    Castor left and soon returned. He was holding a leaflet with markings. It''s kind of the G''eth version of paper. On the leaflet was written:


    Overheard. Sergeant. Lieutenant. Sauer. Discover. Young. Lion. Connect. G''eth. Yellow. Wolf. Attack. Leader.


    Castor continued, "This combined with what you found makes me think Corytheius was the target. I already suspected it based on him saying attack then leader, but I couldn''t confirm it."


    However, while Castor was focused, I was still looking at the other words. It may seem random to someone else, but I knew better.


    I quickly pieced it all together. This is bad!


    "Castor protect Corytheius! I have to go back to the human village now! Troy is in danger!"


    I took off toward Black Lion Village. Please let me get there in time!

 52 Clarity

    "Ugh"


    I rolled over in my bed. I just couldn''t seem to get a decent nights sleep tonight. After dealing with the trouble caused by Sylvia, rest just didn''t come as quickly. I decided to get up and go for a walk. No sense in rolling around in my bed all night.


    I left my manor and headed to the garden in the backyard. I asked Matilda to build the garden specifically so Valerian would have a place to stay and hide in Black Lion Village. G''eth weren''t an uncommon sight in Black Lion Village, but one coming and going in the Captain''s Manor would undoubtedly draw attention.


    The two moons of Agartha were high overhead. Both full and shining bright. It was this feature of Agartha that likely saved my life the night before tonight. Sylvia was a well-trained assassin, she was probably taught from an early age how to use shadows to catch her opponent unaware. However, the two moons of Agartha cause shadows to be cast differently here. Everything here is more complicated than Earth. It takes time for people to adjust to that.


    I found a bench in the garden and took a seat. A large tree with beautiful pink blooms stood tall in front of me. Its petals slowly fell, dancing with the wind in their descent. The gentle sway of the branches, the falling petals, and the low buzz of nearby insects created an entrancing atmosphere. My mind, which had been operating at max capacity since I was reincarnated, became empty. In that moment, I thought nothing and let all my worries and machinations slip from my mind. I felt a simple kind of pleasure, one I hadn''t enjoyed in a long time. The ease of being in the moment and letting go of my burdens.


    As much as I wanted to relish the feeling, it was fleeting, and it quickly passed. The knowledge I possessed made living a simple life impossible. No one in my position could be satisfied remaining normal. That is why I always planned, trying to turn everything into my advantage. So far things have worked in my favor. My strength, whether individually or socially, has risen at a breakneck pace. However, I couldn''t let my quick rise lead to an equally swift fall. That moment of clarity calmed my mind, gave me a chance to objectively observe everything I was planning and the reasons why.


    I quickly realized that what I really wanted the most was to become strong. I still wanted to find Brad and protect my friends, old and new. However, I acknowledged that, in the end, strength was what really mattered. Strength takes many forms, it isn''t limited to your combat power. Even with ten years of experience on Agartha, I just don''t know enough to reach the peak on my own.


    After taking a step back, I was able to see where I made mistakes. I was so focused on my plans that I failed to take action when I should have. That focus is one of my advantages, but it''s also one of my most significant weaknesses. Even though I wasn''t ready to start altering my plans, I made a few decisions that I believed would make me stronger.


    First, I need to find people I can trust with varying experiences and knowledge to help me see what I alone cannot. Essentially, I need a team. A team with varying strength in both combat and society. Multiple people came to mind immediately. Obviously, I could already count on Valerian. Matilda was the next person to come to mind, her military background and commanding skills would be invaluable, but her loyalty is questionable. Another person quickly came to mind, although he is a bit of a mystery. I will have to keep a lookout for more people that would be a good fit. These aren''t people that are merely useful like Barry. These are people that are capable of thinking and taking action, people I will help become stronger, people who I can trust that will become essential to my team.


    Additionally, I decided I could not let my last life hold me back. While it provided valuable information, I can no longer make decisions that are influenced by actions that have technically not occurred. That doesn''t mean I will ignore the insights I have on who people really are. However, I can''t allow my personal feelings to get in the way of developing my strength.


    Lastly, I must set aside my desire to turn everything into an advantage. I have to acknowledge that certain things must be handled decisively. The decision that bothered me the most was letting Cratagus go at the Arena. At the time I thought letting him go without drawing attention to ourselves was the better decision. I didn''t want him to reveal mine and Valerian''s connection or identity. Also, I thought I could use him against Ward at some point in the future.


    I failed to properly evaluate the risk and benefits of that decision because I was too focused on my plot to kill Sauer and earn Morrow''s trust. Now Cratagus poses a significant threat and must be dealt with. Guards have been on the lookout for him since yesterday, and no one has reported anything. Moving forward I must be more decisive in removing things that provide greater risks than benefits. Speaking of which, I walked around the garden and after spotting a group of yellow colored flower I picked one. I gently held it in front of me and focused my eyes.


    [???]


    [Connecting to host for more information]


    After a brief moment text began to appear.


    Name: Adarna


    STATS


    Before the rest of the information could appear, I looked away. I just needed to confirm this plant was what I thought it was. The built-in ability ALIC has that searches the host brain for information rarely results in misidentification. If there is not enough information for it to be 99% sure it usually goes back to the question marks. It is capable of analyzing memories you had thought you forgot which typically produces accurate results.

 53 Sleeping

    I left the garden and went back to the Manor making my way to the kitchen area. As I was leaving, I picked two small pieces of bamboo from those that formed the perimeter of the garden. The kitchen was silent, no one was present since it was still the middle of the night. I started a fire in the wood stove, drew a small amount of water from the well, and placed it in a pan to come to a boil.


    While waiting, I hollowed out one of the bamboos with an ice pick and used my knife two fashion three little darts from the other. Then I used a bit of glue to attach a small patch of cloth to the end of the darts. When I was finished, I grabbed a mortar and pestle and ground the petals and stem of the Adarna into a paste. When the water came to a boil, I poured just enough in the mortar to cover the mixture. Then I stirred it all together until it was soupy.


    The Adarna plant had a secret that not many knew about. Typically, the flower is used as a decoration, due to its beauty it''s very popular. That is why it was placed in my garden and can be seen in flower displays all over the village. However, the stem and petals produce a unique chemical that when mixed together and exposed to warm water creates a fast-acting sedative. The sedative is strong enough to knock out a Brown Steel Bear. The only downside is once the chemicals of the flower are mixed they lose all potency after 30 min. Therefore, you can''t make any ahead of time and must use it immediately. Also, even if you use it, the effects wear off at the end of that thirty minutes. So if you mix it and take 25 min to affect your target, they will only be out for 5.


    I dipped the three darts into the mixture and loaded one into the hollowed out bamboo. I quickly made my way over to the East Wing of the Manor. As I passed through the seating area, I looked for a particular chair. After finding it, I used my knife to pry off a metal trim that was part of the decorative design.


    When I got closer to the east wing, I slowed my steps so I wouldn''t make any noise. I reached the area with the guest rooms and peered around the corner. Two guards were sitting in a chair on either side of one of the doors. One looked half asleep while the other was lazily looking down the other side of the hall. I made a mental note to address their lackadaisical actions later, for now, it actually helped me. I pointed the bamboo at the closest guard who was half asleep. I quickly blew into the end, and the dart shot at the guard.


    Fortunately, the guards weren''t outfitted in full body armor. They had leather chest plates, but nothing on their legs except cotton pants. The dart stuck into the guard''s calf.


    "Ouch"


    He reached toward his leg and slumped over, completely asleep. The other guard looked over when he heard the sleeping guards voice.


    He looked at him with disdain mumbling, "If you are going to sleep at least stay quiet. Talking in your dreams, how pathetic."


    He waited for a second to see if the sleeping guard would respond, "Hmph."


    He went back to staring down the other side of the hall.


    I quietly loaded another dart, took aim, and blew into the bamboo. Another hit, right in the thigh.


    "What the hell?"


    The guard turned around, but before he could even see what hit him, he went limp. I got up from my crouching position in the corner and walked over to the guards. I removed the two darts from their legs. The hole from the dart was too tiny to notice and the dark-colored cotton pants absorbed and obscured any sign of blood. Even if they see the small mark, the will probably think it was a bug bite. I propped them both up against the wall. It''s vital that they believe they only dozed off when they wake up.


    So far so good. I unlocked the door to the room. My heart was racing, but I knew what I had to do. I entered the room, most of the furniture was removed. All that was left was a small mattress, a blanket, and a pillow. Sylvia was laying there with her hands shackled together, and her feet chained to a bolt in the floor. She looked like she was peacefully sleeping. However, I had to be sure. I placed the bamboo to my lips and blew the last dart. It hit the center of the bottom of her foot sticking out underneath the blanket.


    She quickly sat up completely alert, "What? What are you do....."


    It seemed she was only pretending to be asleep. However, the sedative quickly kicked in, and she fell back down. I pulled out the metal trim from earlier, formed it into a Z shape, and left it on the floor. Then I used my key to unlock her from her shackles. I picked her up and carried her out of the manor and into the garden. Before leaving, I made sure to lock the door to her room behind me.


    After getting back to the garden, I placed Sylvia beneath the large tree with the pink petals. I tied her hands and feet up with rope I had retrieved on the way. Then I tied her body to the tree just in case she woke early, I still had one more thing I needed to go do.


    Not too much later Sylvia groaned as she woke up. She looked at the ropes binding her, then she looked at me.


    Overwhelming hatred burned in her eyes as she said, "What is this? What do you want?"


    Her loud shouts shattered the peaceful serenity of the garden. Fortunately, the garden was far enough away that she wouldn''t be heard from the house.


    "I just have one question, Sylvia."


    "What?" She growled back at me.


    "Could you ever overcome this hatred you have for me? It may not look like it now, but following mewould lead you to a life you could only dream of."


    The silence seemed to linger for an eternity. Numerous thoughts sped through my head. After my moment of clarity, I realized Sylvia was too great of a risk and decided she had to die. However, I had a problem, Matilda would never approve of this, and if anyone found out, it could be used against me. So, I was going to make it look like she broke out of her chains and used them to hang herself. However, at the final moment, I just couldn''t do it. I knew she posed a threat, but it seemed cruel to decide her life and death so arbitrarily. So I changed my plan. Sylvia''s loud exhale brought me back to the present.


    She locked her gaze on me, "My brother was my only reason for existing. Unless the dream life you propose includes him, I want nothing to do with it. I will always seek revenge for him."


    I could see it in her eyes that she already knew what would happen next. She accepted it before she gave her answer. She had resolved to die, if my resolve were any weaker, it would be an insult to her.


    "Understood, you leave me no choice. However, I have no desire to be cruel. Drink this."


    I walked over from the bench and placed a cup in her hands. She stared at it for a moment then glared at me as she downed the whole thing. No words, just a cold glare, and acceptance. As soon as she swallowed she slipped back into sleep.


    While she was tied to the tree, I created another batch of the Adarna sedative. In small doses, it knocks people out. If you drink a large amount, you fall into a sleep so deep that your brain stops functioning. It was the most painless death I could think of.


    I cut her loose from the ropes and gently laid her body next to the tree. I grabbed a shovel the gardeners had left behind and begun digging underneath its limbs. The garden was recently built, so all of the dirt looked overturned and fresh. No one would notice that a body had just been buried here.


    As the shovel bit into the dirt I heard a voice, "At least you understand mercy."


    I spun around. I prepared to defend myself. How could someone be here without me noticing?


    My eyes went wide with shock as I recognized the figure standing there.

 54 Reunited

    It took me a moment to collect myself, "What are you doing here Valerian? When did you get back?"


    Valerian slowly replied, "After receiving the message you left at Black Claw Inn, I arrived in the garden and discovered this tied up human."


    That''s right. Originally, I left a note telling Valerian I would meet him at the Inn, but Matilda had the garden built so quickly that I sent someone to change it. The new note told Valerian where the Captain''s Manor is and how to access it through a hidden entrance designed just for him. I was so consumed with the task at hand that I didn''t pay attention to my surroundings. That, combined with a G''eth''s ability to blend in with nature made him practically invisible to me. That explains how I missed him, but that doesn''t explain why he stayed hidden.


    "Is something wrong Valerian? Why didn''t you say anything when you saw me?"


    "I wanted to understand."


    The way he said those words sounded eerily similar to how a young child might sound after his dog died. I began to feel concerned. Just what had happened with Valerian over the past day and a half?


    "Understand what?"


    "At first I wanted to know why that human girl was tied up. Then, when I saw you, I wanted to know what you would do."


    I couldn''t help noticing a weird atmosphere around Valerian, "And?"


    Valerian slowly exhaled, his rigid body relaxed a bit, "I... I''m just glad I wasn''t wrong about you."


    "Wrong about what?"


    Valerian seemed to decide something as he locked eyes with me, the doubt and anguish that engulfed them scattered as they sharpened into focus.


    "It''s nothing to worry about, what''s done is done."


    Valerian sounded cryptic, and I wasn''t sure what he was thinking. I could tell that something had happened, but it seemed like he didn''t want to talk about it.


    Valerian suddenly reached out and grabbed my arm, "More importantly, your life is in danger. We need to leave this place right now!"


    Valerian began to pull me, but I stood firm, "Hold on Valerian! You can''t just show up and drag me away saying my life is in danger. I need an explanation."


    Valerian continued to try to pull my arm, "We don''t have time, that shifty looking human Ward knows about your relationship with the G''eth."


    "What!?"


    In my shock, Valerian dragged me a couple meters forward. I quickly got my feet underneath me and braced myself stopping us both.


    "Hold on!"


    I pulled Valerian''s arm off me, "How long has he known?"


    Valerian looked back at me frustrated, "At the latest early this morning, but he''s probably known since yesterday. That''s why we need to leave now!"


    I shook my head, "No. If he''s known that long we don''t need to do anything right now. If he wanted to do something he would have already done it. A lot of things have happened here that you don''t know about."


    I sat Valerian down and explained everything that occured while he was gone.


    "Wow! No wonder you didn''t want to leave. Everything worked out better than you had planned. Although, that doesn''t explain why Ward didn''t tell Morrow about you"


    I began to analyze every interaction I had over the last two days. After thinking about it for a long while I narrowed it down to three possibilities.


    "He could have told Morrow, and Morrow decided he didn''t care. However, I doubt this since I know what he thinks about non-humans."


    "Right," Valerian responded.


    "He could have told Morrow, and Morrow is pretending he doesn''t know so he can observe and test me. Although, I doubt it. I don''t think he could hide something like that without me picking up on it."


    "Ok, then what do you think happened?"


    "Most likely, Ward has kept this to himself. Maybe he is unsure how Morrow will react to it due to Morrow believing I''m his brother. Also, he is most likely looking for an opportunity to use this to his advantage. Ward may work for Morrow, but he will always do what is best for himself."


    Valerian responded, "So what should we do?"


    "For now, nothing. Disposing of Ward was always one of my priorities. Now I just have an extra incentive to make it happen sooner."


    Valerian nodded.


    "Is this why you are back so early?" I asked.


    "For the most part, but there is more to it."


    Valerian proceeded to explain how humans blew up the sun stones, Grand Elder Corytheius was injured, and how they discovered a journal on the body of a dead human scout with details on the plot. He explained how the G''eth didn''t know what happened until he got there to read the human writing.


    "After I finished passing the details over to the G''eth, I rushed back to warn you about Ward."


    "Thank you, but I wasn''t in any danger. Ward, Cratagus, and all the Yellow Wolf Bandits will pay for what happened. You have my word."


    "Thank you," Valerian said with gratitude.


    I thought about everything he told me for a moment before saying, "It is strange that a scout kept a journal with so many details, we got lucky."


    Valerian silently nodded.


    "For now, we must continue to get stronger and establish my power within the village. Meanwhile, you need to gain the support of any natives living here or nearby."


    I looked over at Sylvia''s dead body, "I still need to bury her."


    "Allow me."


    Valerian moved his hands and vines appeared, ready to drag Sylvia below the ground.


    "That''s ok. I have to do this myself. Her death is my responsibility."


    Valerian nodded, and the vines around Sylvia slowly retreated.


    Valerian sat silently on the bench as I spent the next few hours digging Sylvia''s grave. After I gently laid Sylvia in and filled the grave, I moved the dirt around to make it look undisturbed. It was as if nothing had happened. For some reason, the idea that not even the garden was affected by her death seemed painful. I had Valerian take a few Adarna flowers and plant them in a circle where her grave was. At least this way I would be reminded of her every time I saw them. Even if nature forgot her, I would not. A ring of Adarnas guarding the slumber of the one that rests below.

 55 Ancient Ruins

    "SIR TROY!"


    "SIR TROY!"


    "Ughhhh."


    I groaned as I rolled over. The mental and physical exhaustion of last night could not be made up by a few hours of sleep. My eyes slowly opened to reveal a panicked Matilda screaming my name.


    I begrudgingly said, "What is is Matilda?" Even though I already knew the answer.


    "Sir Troy, Sylvia has escaped from her room! Somehow she managed to escape her shackles and pry open the window that was nailed shut."


    Of course this wasn''t actually the case, Sylvia has been beneath a ring of Adarnas for hours. In actuality, after deciding to give Sylvia one last chance instead of hanging her, I pried open the window to make it appear she had escaped in case she denied my offer. If she had accepted, it would be simple for her to close it herself after returning to the room. Since she had denied, this served as my explanation for her disappearance.


    In my best attempt at shock I stated, "How did this happen? Have everyone look for her at once!"


    Matilda swiftly responded, "I have already sent out the guards to search for her. However, she is no longer on the grounds."


    I nodded, "This isn''t good her hostility towards me remains a threat. Report this situation to my brother Morrow and request additional guards."


    Event though I knew this was unnecessary Matilda would expect at least this level of response. Additionally, it would show Morrow that I "needed" him when I was in danger, further allowing him to trust me.


    "Matilda I will entrust you with handling this. I will be spending the next couple of days taking care of my necessary duties as Captain."


    This was mostly the truth, I needed to give Morrow concrete plans for the Intel and Punishment Divisions as well as create a selection exam for the Intel division. However, I was also working with Valerian to create an intelligence/militant network among the local G''eth and to create a plan to deal with Ward and Cratagus.


    I spent the following week mostly working out of my study in the Central Wing of the Captain''s Manor while occasionally going for a stroll in my garden to meet with Valerian. Additionally, I''d make the occasional trip to Morrow''s Mansion or the Guards Barracks to discuss Captain''s Business. Finally, at the end of the week most of my work was done. The divisions had been restructured, the Intel division was ready to have their first selection exam in a few days and the roots of Valerian''s Group were slowly gaining ground. At the minimum we were finally able to keep track of most of Ward and Cratagus''s movements.


    From what we had learned so far it seemed Ward had resumed his regular duties as a bandit and was keeping a distance from the G''eth Village. Cratagus was also keeping his distance and didn''t seem to have any more interactions with Ward. I could only assume that they were waiting to see how things shook out with me taking over as Captain.


    Just as I was beginning to feel relaxed Matilda entered the room.


    "Sir, a Lieutenant Jeffrey Tate is waiting for you in the Courtyard. He says he has urgent new for you."


    Tate, he is the brown nosing Lieutenant who I met at the gate when Morrow held the ceremony for me to be the new Captain. I remembered I wasn''t very fond of him, but because he had a good relationship with the other Lieutenants I hadn''t tried to remove him yet. If I recall correctly he is in charge of the Land Division. Their weren''t many guards under his charge, but they oversaw the development of properties throughout Black Lion Village. For instance, if you wan''t to claim a piece of land as your own. You would need to go to his Division to get the paperwork handled before paying the financial division a fee and finally Tate would personally sign the deed giving you the rights to the land. His position gives him a modicum of influence, but since he has to work in conjunction with other Divisions he can''t throw his weight around too much.


    After thinking for a moment I said, "Thank you Matilda."


    I got up from my chair and went down to the Courtyard to meet Tate. As I exited the Central Wing I was greeted by the big toothy grin of Lieutenant Tate.


    "Good Afternoon Captain!" Said Lieutenant Tate a little too enthusiastically.


    "Yes... What can I do for you today Lieutenant Tate?"


    Tate took my awkward pause in stride, "Lord Morrow has sent me to get you so you may discuss something important!"


    I couldn''t help but wonder if Morrow wanting to speak with me was tied to that event. This is around the time it occurred last time. However, last time I was too insignificant to even think about participating. My actions have certainly caused some ripples in history and this one might significantly help me.


    I nodded to Tate, "Very well."


    Fortunately, I had started to receive my stipend as Captain and had the Tailor, Conner O''Dell, fashion some casual wear that still allowed me to conceal my inner armor and daggers on me without it being obvious. Since I was already prepared, I left with Tate.


    On the walk over he showered me with unnecessary praise and asked inane questions and was just an overall nuisance. However, I nodded politely and spoke when I absolutely had to. After what felt like an eternity we finally arrived at Morrow''s Mansion.


    "Thank you for the delightful conversation Captain! I hope we can chat again soon!"


    I nodded my head towards him, while secretly wishing I could slit his throat. As I was passing through the corridors on the way to Morrow''s Office the guards saluted as I passed without question. After all it was a common occurrence to see me walking by at this point. I knocked when I arrived at Morrow''s office door.


    "Come in."


    I could hear Morrow''s voice from inside and opened the doors. Morrow was sitting at his desk staring at a map and documents spread over his desk.


    As I entered he looked up at me and asked, "Troy, have you heard of ancient ruins?"


    I could barely keep from breaking out into a huge grin.