Chương 44: Chapter 45: Black Shade

VANESSA Diary log UNDERGROUND - BLACK SHADE"Fjord the horn. An honour to meet you." I took a step back. Circles run in my heart with mana circulating. But I was drained, weaker.

"Ah, better not try that or you will be sucked dry." I looked at my chains glowing with runes.

"... I understand Veil very well now that I see you up close. If you try a bit, you could make any man obsessed with you. Poor fellow was trying to snatch you before anyone realised your potential." I pulled the chains in frustration.

"Who was the man who left? Why is Viel?!" I squat in my dark navy dress, filthy from the underground room's floor. I held my pounding head. It was all too much at one time. The murder, the violence, the disappointment, the betrayal. A saint!?

"Rökkr?"Fjord smiled at the bald double-sword user, bringing in a nervous man.

"Priest?" I asked.

"Why are you here?" The priest was silent as he let his energy check me with his mana.

"She is well. But she hasn't awakened yet.

"Tsk." Rokkr kissed his teeth.

"Disappointing, however, it's something we can correct. As long as they don't have her –" Rokkr glanced at the priest.

"We have succeeded."

"Sir's" The priest spoke up.

"I have stayed put in this abominable hole; I did as you've asked. May I know when—""You will know when it's time. But you will receive your order soon; don't worry. We just have another endeavour to conclude," Fjord interjected sternly. The priest simply nodded as he looked around the room.

"Take him back, Rok." Rokkr gruffed, about to do as the large man asked until I had had enough.

"EXPLAIN." My screech echoed in the dark, candlelit prison. Rokkr and Fjord take a glance at each other. Rokkr shrugged his shoulders and left with his capture.

"Alright, since we owe the governess this much. Clown! Chair!" And a clown indeed brought a wooden chair for him to sit in.

"Tell me, tell me! Will he come!?" The clown jumped around in his bright costume.

"Why not? He always follows his master like a bitch. Now leave us." And with the slam of a heavy steel door, we were truly alone.

"Veil and you."

"The mage and my fellow shaved are…temporary partners seeking the same goal. The elimination of your husband. Other than for some 'goods', we only seek his death. My business, my clients and my man in charge. ALL GONE." I sensed his mana rumble with anger, yet a smile crept across his bearded face.

"You have no idea how much I want to crush your head in just to spite him." He gripped his knee, staring into my eyes.

"But I promised these men I would not touch you. Veil's love is all-encompassing. Hehehe!" A chill travelled through my chest. Veil and Rokkr are working together. If they are then… A warm tear fell to the muddy ground. A giant man's grin spread wider as if my anguish fuelled him.

"You know, Veil vented to me regularly. Lands above, the man is taxing! Most of it was his magic nonsense about formula and being underestimated. But he talked about you a lot. Every moment he remembered about you was repeated again and again till my ears bled. Yip-yapping about leaving the mage tower and taking you out of the brothel." I haven't been to Mother's brothel in years. She hasn't either.

"To give you the life you never had by being the mage above all mages. And that was before he knew you were the target." I swallowed, wiping off tears that fell in vain.

"After he realised you were special 'too', he became obsessed. He made a point to follow you everywhere, noting what you were doing and who you were talking to. The times when you and Tarion got intimate were terrible days." I held my mouth. I felt like vomiting out every food I had ever eaten.

"I know, right? Very Creepy?" The ponytailed man could stop himself from laughing.

"Why are you telling me this?" Fjord sat more comfortably on his creaking seat, leaning on his thighs that were about to pop out of his trousers.

"Veil has messed up so many plans due to carelessness. Due to his love for you. If only he hadn't come to create the blizzard. Like lightning, my heart was struck. It was him. Since the beginning, it was Veil. Anger was an emotion I had known all my life, but only through others. In a chair thrown, slapped faces, whip marks and bruises on my mother's face. But never had I felt it erupt in me. Although I am chained, inside is a hurricane.

"But I am glad he finally saw sense." The horn continued.

"Now work can finally commence. Your husband will bring his broken self here and taste defeat at last."

"Tarion? Broken? That's not the man I saw. You will regret this. This foolish plan will be the end of you!" Circles spun, and my energy was drained. I whipped the chains on the ground in anger. I spun them harder and harder. Pulling the chain apart with all my strength. Like a python, the horn's hand snapped at my neck.

"Calm down your circles before you overcharge."

"Damn you!" I spat on the beard of a now-enraged northerner. He let me go, dropping me to the ground. The squeezing on my neck left a harsh bruise.

"I said calm." Trying to stand, I gasped for air.

"Ruined goods don't fetch a fair price." Fjord went back to his street. Follow your fellow girls' example. STAY PUT."

"Fellow girls…?" So little light, yet I can finally see so clearly. How did I not notice them hiding in the dark? Young, dirty and malnourished. They hugged each other like frightened kittens in the corner of the room. As if my mind were finally open, the smell flooded my nose. That was not sand.

"Better get used to it, darling. This is your life for a while." The large man winced at my neck.

"Ah shit. Better bring the priest. Don't like the colour of that." TARION CITYWALL - BLACK SANDS I closed my eyes. On the city wall's battlements, I sat on the old cold stone. Overlooking the dilapidated town of Black Shade, I was cross-legged, my knuckles on my knees. I inhaled. Mana entered my body. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Good. Nice and slow. Now, with your mind's eye, search for your basin." As my master stood near, I felt for my gut, and I was overwhelmed by its purity.

"I sense fear in you. Remember. You are healed. You can withstand the QI. Now transfer the mana to your lower dantian. I can do it… Pain is of the past. My stomach hummed, a resonating tone that spread throughout my body.

"Cultivating is, as its name suggests, the cultivation of body, mind and soul. Conversion: the foundation stage of cultivation. Simply take the mana from the world and make it yours. We in Liu don't separate the two energies, but doing that makes it easier for Westerners to understand." The tone in my gut rose in pitch until I felt a change in the energy within my basin.

"That there, that you feel is QI. Right, exhale." As I breathed out, a torrent of energy travelled upward from the basin to my core. Ignore my circles; qi coursed through like a river splitting into streams that were my meridians. A tempered body is the goal of most qi users."

"A normal Qi user would unlock the middle dantian in the Iron core stage, but you westerners had to skip ahead because of laziness."

"Or impatience," I said, thinking of myself.

"Indeed. But I must give you Friedmen credit. Circles were an ingenious way around the problem."

"Problem? I asked with eyes still closed.

"The problem of talent and privilege. In Liu, the philosophy of meritocracy is drilled into us. That only the strongest and most talented should lead us. But who else keeps the seat of power? Who else has the privilege to 'buy talent'?

"The rejuvenation pill…" I heard Zhi pace behind me.

"And many pills you couldn't dream of. The likelihood of a person being talented enough to be able to develop qi is already rare. Reaching Nasent Soul is almost impossible. But with wealth… Argh, what am I yapping about! Those Orthodox bastards still bother me to this day." Orthodox…? I never did wonder what sect she belonged to. But her hatred for the Orthodox does narrow it a bit. Zhi coughed.

"Anyway. Technically, you are at manifestation, but not truly. Stay as you are, but bring out your qi. Keep those circles still. I do as my master asked, feeling my Qi simmer off my skin.

"I see the issue. Fear still holds you back." I gritted my teeth. I stayed silent. A frail hand held my shoulder.

"You have done well to get this fair. All your hard work has brought you to this point. You don't have to endure anymore. No need to hesitate any longer. I slammed my chest. The beat of my strong heart made the world shake. QI shot to heaven. Clouds opened for the stars to shine upon us. I became a beacon for my men to follow.

"Good. My student," Zhi said, sporting a big, kind smile.

"Very good."

"We are ready," a younger liuen spoke behind me. Her voice trembled with shame.

"Are you?"

"To get my people back, yes. To receive your punishment, yes."

"Mm." I continued filling my basin.

"We commence in thirty minutes. You will meet Drac there." I heard her salute, "Understood, Your Grace!" and her little footsteps disappear down the stairs.

"Better follow."

"Zhi…"

"I am involved now as a friend, a teacher and an Osbergian. I will get your duchess back." Feeling relieved, I said.

"Thank you." I couldn't hear her go, but her presence disappeared.

"So I am the last to go." Turning to my right, I opened my eyes to see the solemn Drac staring at the orange dusk sky. Legs dangle off the edge of the tall wall. His hood down, his locks waved gently in the wind.

"Drac", I hung my head, still collecting mana into my basin.

"I am being reckless?" Drac turned to me with a smile.

"You were reckless that night when you rushed to save a mere prostitute. And you still are now."

"Hahaha, I figured."

"But…" Drac looked to the stars again.

"Cowards don't accomplish anything." Drac threw back a locket.

"Without your recklessness, Kobi would be… So be reckless, M'lord. Lives count on it." I caught it, and an assassin vanished. I rubbed my good luck charm as my heart was warmed. I am alone. It was time to be crazy.

"Blue box? Any advice?" Silence. I regretted it immediately. The dragon was still in the back of my thoughts; I had to find a way to ask the blue box.

"Tarion…" I spun on my bum and found a limp prick on crutches.

"I told you to go back!"

"And let my mother see me like this? Rather swim in refuse, thank you very much." I sighed, "For fuck's sake, fine, stay with Uncle." Loran was in charge of the temporary evacuation of Black Shade's residents as the guard kept the ne'er-do-wells caged in the rough town. We had the entire slum surrounded. A slum. There shouldn't be such a thing. But it has become such because of our irresponsibility. Trak would bulldoze the town.

My father would let it flourish, but sadly, he kept them separate for fear of backlash from the citizens. What can I do? Joshua didn't leave. I could see guilt and embarrassment on his hurting face.

"I am sorry, brother. I let you down." Dropping his crutches, he wobbled, kneeling on his good leg.

"I could ask forgiveness, but I know I do not deserve it."

"That night, a young boy lost his life. Before my carelessness, a boy not much older than us lost his life without even a chance to fight back." Joshua's head rose as I dropped from the battlements and walked to him.

"I failed." A blue glowing wire wrapped around my brother and picked him up.

"I may fail again." I bent down to pick up my brother's crutches and put them under his arms.

"But I will just try harder next time and learn from my mistakes. I pat my brother's hair. As long as you keep trying hard, you don't need to be forgiven because you tried your best." Joshua's crimson eyes became a geyser.

"I will become stronger, I promise you, Tarion… I won't let you down…!"

"Good, guardsman. Proceed." I saluted him, and with a proud smile, he saluted back.

"Yes, your Grace!" I slapped Joshua's shoulder.

"Now get the fuck out of here!" Still with his beaming smile, he limped away. I need to learn from my own advice… Still feeling pride in my brother's growth, a simple jump flipped me back on the battlements. I still have time to fill this basin. I fill it with Qi, never filling it up fully. How much can I contain? Plonk. REMEMBER THE BASICS. An allocation box popped open.

I checked a pocket watch.

"Lovely," Beatrice brought forth my cloak, hanging it on me. I admired her new metal claws as she handed me my clean sword. Wrapped in black and masked, I saw tenseness in her movement, like a panther ready to strike. Kurt warmed himself, practising his forms near me. Jimmy looked half scared/excited with his spear.

"Team. Remember your tasks."

"YES, YOUR GRACE!" they shout in unison with hard salutes. I stepped to the edge of the battlement with my back to Black Shade.

"Stay alive." I fell off. Wind blew up my cloak like a parachute. An allocation box appeared before my left hand. 40 Points to Agility With mana repulsion on my feet, I kick off the side of the wall. Crushing stone, I launched myself deeper into the slums. The world blurred, but the target was clear. An old guard station, cracked and vacant. Was. I saw the building shimmer. 40 points to Strength. I unsheathed my greatsword and slashed a collection of mana shields. A second swing shattered them.

However, my momentum slowed. Arrows flew imbued with mana. 20 Points to Sense. 20 points to Agility. Mana pushed me as my sword slapped away the arrows. An arrow evaded my sword. It missed my nose. However, it flew back at my head, and I caught it with my hand. I crushed it, landing on an old street just before the pimp's hideout.

"Hey! I needed that! Hehe."

"You…!" My sword grated on the ground, sparking as I strode towards the enemies' den. I raised my sword and thrust. Mana erupted from the tip of my blade, aimed at the laughing clown. A person dropped in front, splitting the mana in two.

"Good to see you again. The name's Rokkr. I have been itching for another try."

"Of course you're itching, you dirty-ass baldy." A panther sprinted past me. Claws ignited with mana, slashing at the double-sword wielder.

"Sorry. But you're with me today." She scratched up, pushing the shaved man into the fields. I stayed calm as seven daggers popped the air. With smooth movement, Kurt hit them all away.

"HURRAY! HAHA! I'VE MISSED YOU!" The clown danced and clapped his hands like a happy child. Kurt silently assumed a fencing stance. His mana cloaked his sword like a sheath. I walked past my captain. I heard the roars of men amidst battle. Jimmy led Gamma against the zealous bandits. A door opened.

"So much noise." A giant bent the short door frame. In his right hand, an axe cut the ground. Its handle glinted gold. The axe head was rough and jagged and had seen plenty of battle. Wearing leather armour, his arms are bare, showing his engorged muscles. He saw me. A smile of longing, yet his eyes gleam with murder in his sight. This will be the end for one of us. My heart bumped with excitement. We nod to each other. No more words to be said. Mano e mano. TO THE DEATH. We picked up speed.

Our grins grew as we flared our mana. Our weapons collided, and Black Shade shook.