Chapter 26: Witness Me

  Thomas danced around the day with the elegance of a drunken king, he found himself underneath the magical forest, where the cave walls spread out so far they could fit an entire city. Except, it was full of monsters that would tear him limb from limb if given the chance. ‘Hah!’ He whipped his hand and slung himself upwards away from a giant ant, he had rid himself of his armor and was now fighting in simple grey fabrics he had found in a couple of abandoned buildings.

  He used his telekinesis, though not the way any ordinary person would. He found that if he slammed the skill against itself, a negative and positive force would apply at the point where they met, becoming an unstoppable blade that could cut through anything. It used up plenty of mana, but then again, he was overflowing with it.

  The ant was split in two but sprouted legs where it was cut, Thomas landed beside a large boulder, the landscape being a long stretch of rock and boulders and vines. He shot another cutting spell at the ant’s face, cutting the head in half and watching as it shed that skin and grew a new one from under its outer shell.

  This thing won't quit… level 4…? He ripped the boulder behind him off of its stable ground and with a couple of veins popping he rolled it right at the ant, crushing it like the bug it was. The boulder continued to roll, landing beside some still water that made some large eels shoot out electricity.

  The ant was flattened completely, dead. He giggled to himself like it was the funniest sight imaginable.

  [Slain Firelord Ant]

  +400 xp

  He put his hands on his face and groaned, no other level ups. It was getting irritating, but when he stopped by to slay that Joey squad, he got a peek at the strength of one particular girl, he couldn’t remember the name, in the robe, of course. He knew he didn’t have the strength to kill her yet, the blonde one, maybe.

  He needed to rearrange things, so he fiddled with something in his pocket, a reset rune, which would allow a reset in profession or class so he could find a new one.

  [Remove Human Hunter (LVL 6)]

  “Yes.”

  [Removed Human Hunter (LVL 6)]

  He felt the stats leave him instantly, his vision became useless, his arms flowed like jello yet again and his mind was not so sharp as before. He knew it was the best decision, he needed a rare profession, something that would increase his wisdom and perception. First, he just needed to kill everything here, even if it took all day.

  —

  “Merry it is while summer lasts.” Millie sang as she brought her robe to some sewing needles, knitting it back together, “with birds in song… and when comes the cold wind’s blast, and the weather strong…” She tore a piece off and repaired it with a raggedy old handkerchief, “Ay, Ay, the night is long… and I, having done much little wrong, forget my timber and sing my song.’

  “Shut the fuck uppppp…” Marx stood and decided he needed to go somewhere, anywhere, “Fay! Come on.” He tapped a sleeping Fay twice on the shoulder, he woke up with his eyes not open and his mouth still letting out its snoring.

  “You can't leave.” Grace told them, “you need to rest for tomorrow.”

  “Right, because tomorrow will kill us!" He said gleefully. "So having us well rested make us a little less sleepy when we die, good lord. I’d rather be half awake when I’m stabbed and burned. Thank you very much.” he took Fay away, Lily followed with a few hops and quickly became a group of three walking into what was left of the forest.

  “We’re killing them, right?” Lily asked when they were away from ear-shot, “I think Grace would be easy, she is weak compared to Millie.”

  “And Millie?” Fay groaned, “this isn’t a one on one fight, Millie won't let Grace die.”

  Marx nodded, “but she would let herself get distracted, aye?” Marx stopped, looking over at the group, “Joey has his eyes on Grace, he loves women, we all know that, Jason would probably join us if we made a move. If you got Millie to scamper off with you into some lake so she can talk ‘bout how strong and handsome you are, we can quickly cut Grace’s throat and get out of here.”

  Lily agreed with everything Marx was saying, while Fay was looking mortified at the idea, he spoke up with all the command he could muster, “yeah? You think these people haven’t done all this before? I’d bet every one in two rotations they have a couple of people who think they’re smart or strong to go and backstab them, they are expecting it.”

  They both deflated visibly, slouching over into each other, Marx spoke up, “yeah? So we just let them kill us and take you? Fay, you’re the one she wants to bring back, you’re in no danger with this plan.” Marx for the first time showed real discontent with Fay, the same look Joey gave him, “are you just a shitty person or have you fallen for that witch as well as Joey?”

  Lily pulled them both deeper into the forest, “Fay, please just try, okay? Tell her you want to talk, alone, then… seduce her or something, take off your shirt I’m sure that’ll work.”

  “Don’t take off your shirt.” Marx put his hand over Lily’s mouth, “please don’t take off your shirt that's disgusting, just say you wanted to talk about the future, I’m sure she will be willing.”

  She bit Marx’s hand and giggled, “I just wanna see what would happen if ya did, would she be all like: ‘oh wow Fay you are simply delightful, you have the body of the gods, I see it now.’” Marx put his hand on her mouth again and contemplated searing it shut.

  “Millie’s smart.” Fay told them.

  “So are we! And I’m strong Fay.” Marx moved his hand down after Lily calmed, “and so is she, come on just please… I know we aren’t friends or whatever but I need this, I want to go home. We will kill her, run away, and we can hope that Millie will not find us, one is less than two.”

  That’s not a plan… Fay pinched his nose, “okay. Okay…”

  Lily hugged Fay, “good because you owe me for making me run off like a carrier pigeon when you were in that lake, if you didn’t do at least this I’d kick you in the nuts.” She squeezed tighter.

  Marx pulled her off and held his hand out in a shake, “we’re probably going to die, but either way, we were probably already going to die, might as well be on our own terms.”

  Fay held his hand, “this is really stupid, you guys know that right?”

  “Yep.” Lily giggled, “I don’t even care, now that I know that we never had a chance from the start I feel kind of liberated! I’m dead already, it's a good feeling. I’m not even scared anymore.” She lied, clearly, her entire body was shaking.

  Fay couldn’t understand her line of thought, but he did understand that when prey are already in a wolf's gullet they don't make much of a fuss anymore. She had reached that threshold, and frankly, he didn’t respect her for it. He swallowed his pride and walked back to the group with his head held high, knowing that Millie already knew what the plan was by the look in her eyes.

  “Can we speak alone?” He asked her, and without a moment of rest she hopped up and bowed to him.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  “Where to? Far?”

  “Far.”

  “Very well, Grace good luck.” She took the lead and led Fay across burnt stones and sticks, she was heading the way to the lake, and maybe even the cave if she was willing. The few birds there were scampered across the ground, trying to find seeds or forage for small bugs. Without a nest they were all on fight or flight mode, mostly flight, as all birds are. “Tell me why you are doing this?” She asked.

  “Doing what?”

  “Letting your friends die.” She looked back and flapped some of the cloth of her robe, “perhaps you see it as a noble sacrifice. Them putting up their swords one final time to cut down the villains.” She walked around a tree, the forest getting denser the closer they got to the lake. “I see it as a strategy, tell me, are you happy you will soon have less competitors?”

  They found themselves on the edge of the lake, not so far away from their original camp. Fay took off his boots and stepped into the water, it was still warm from the demon. “What was that song you were singing?” He asked.

  She took off her boots as well, little leather shoes fit for a dance at a ball, then her fancy fabric socks. She followed to be adjacent to Fay, looking in the general direction that he was, ahead. “It was something my mother taught me.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah, she said that the island hadn’t had a winter since the platform appeared those 83 years ago, and that when it came the world as we knew it would end. She learnt that from her mother, and the mother before that.” She laughed, “I’m sure I’ve messed up the words, I’m sure. Word of mouth travels quickly but rarely cleanly, songs mix and mash until they are forgotten or made into something new.”

  “That applies to everything, doesn’t it?” He wafted his feet in the water, making small ripples, “do you want to go for a swim?” he slid his hands along the leather armor he was wearing, unbuckling a soft latch hidden by the side of his ribs, it fell off and he was left with some simple fabric he could pull.

  “Very well. If it'll stall me, so be it.” She took off her robe, revealing some fancy black fabric with trims of gold, something a noble woman would wear. “It’s been some time since I’ve bathed.” She reached down and palmed water and brushed her hair and face with it, wetting it and causing the black hair to curl just slightly. Her grey eyes regained some colour in them, a dim green. “Not many people get to see me like this.”

  “You look young.” He noted, “your eyes don't."

  “Don’t talk about such things.” She smiled, “young boy.”

  Fay turned away from her gaze, he was looking at where the fight must’ve been beginning, waiting for the explosion, a sign that someone was winning.

  —

  Lily held a knife covered in Marx’s blood and put it behind her back, she was walking over to Grace, who was unhappily staring right at them with full knowledge of their plan. Fay couldve atleast been less conspicuous... she sighed. This was fine. She told herself as she got to be a foot from the girl.

  Grace slumped on one foot, her eyes drooping just slightly, “I’m not stupid. Give it your best shot.” She held out her hands, “come on.”

  Marx was making his way behind her, but Grace tracked his movements with her eyes, she was acutely aware of almost everything. “Hey Grace?” Lily stepped forward, “can I tell you something?”

  “Of course.” She let Lily move her head to her ear, ready to jump out of the way from that knife she knew she had behind her back. “Ask away.”

  In barely a whisper, she solemnly spoke. “Time. Out.” She whispered, and swung her knife right into Grace’s back, she couldn’t dodge, she couldn’t do a thing. “NOW MARX!” The blood on the blade ignited and combusted her from within. Lily had to jump back out of the way and watch the girl’s eyes and mouth start to spew good smelling smoke.

  Joey got up, “Lily what the hell!?”

  Grace stood there like a pig on a stick being roasted by the fire, her skin turned red and the cloak began to burn off, revealing dark fabric below that couldn’t char like the cloak did. Grace twisted her body to look at Joey, “it’s okay dear, don’t be afraid.” She laughed and reached to the back of her, grabbing the handle of the knife.

  Marx ran forward and shot a compact bolt of fire right through the girl's neck, going straight through one end and leaving another, she jerked forward, confused, “Joey dear it’s okay, just…”

  Jason got up and with no hesitation his axe slammed into Grace’s stomach, wedging it deep enough to hit her spine from the front. His eyes finally opened and his teeth bit down on his lip so hard Lily thought it would tear off. Grace looked even worse, her mouth began to spray out blood onto her chin.

  “Oh… forget it.” Grace shoved Jason off her and dodged another compacted fireball with a little sway, she finally took the knife out of her back, and let the axe slip from her gaping stomach. Her face was melting off by this point and blood was making the ground below a beautiful red. “Is that all?” Her voice became gargled, like she was being drowned, “you think that’s all?” She held her hand out high, “are you aware of just how many people I’ve collected?” She snapped her finger and a bright light blasted through the air, blinding everyone. Vision came back and Grace looked normal, “every prophet has the same class you see, we get it when we take our pledge… I don’t mean to sound crass or gross but whatever we eat, arm, leg, head, skin, we can use for stock in healing, we keep it in our skill for safe keeping.”

  She jolted herself forward, right for Lily, “you owe me your skin.” Her hand sparked gloriously with what looked to be tiny stars. Lily fell to be facing the ground and then snapped around to be behind Grace, confusing her greatly.

  Lily stepped backwards a few times and into the puddle of blood, “how many?”

  “How many what?” Grace ruffled up her own hair, looking like a wild animal, “People? Oh hundreds, a poor boy off that island can go missing and nobody would give a damn. How do you think our skin is so youthful?”

  Jason let out a terrible scream, something that came right from his lungs, with his one arm he threw the axe, tilting it with the right angle and hitting Grace right in the shoulder. “Witch!” He shouted, which she was, a genuine witch.

  Marx ignited the trees and grass and began to build up a great fire, using what little of the forest was left for a final attack. But Joey kicked Marx in the ribs, disrupting the attack and letting the flames grow wild. Joey grabbed his scythe and tried to cut Marx’s head clean off, he caught it with his wrist, getting poisoned as the scythe made its way halfway down his arm. “I knew you were a goddamn sociopath.” He fired a bolt at Joey’s hand and loosened the scythe, making his way backwards with a bleeding poisoned wound.

  “I’m not… I just want to live, Marx. Same as you.”

  “Are you going to eat people? Same as them?” He stumbled backwards, noticing Joey didn’t even seem shocked at the revelation, “you knew?”

  “She explained it all last night… and…. I hate her, she killed Jacky but… I’m not a headless idiot, I want to live forever, same as anyone.”

  Lily was continuously dodging Grace as Jason was picking up rocks and flinging them forward, each one slamming into Grace’s arms and legs and bruising them greatly. Grace strangely was only focusing on Lily for the time being, trying to lock onto her movements and get her palm onto her skin. “You’re a crafty little vermin aren't you?” Her back got hit by another rock and she slid around it, trying to swipe at Lily, missing as her target held a sideways position with her spine facing the floor.

  Grace was getting visibly mad, she couldn’t believe that Lily had gotten a blessing from a real god, that had not happened in years, “you’re not worthy.”

  “Huh?” Lily grinned and slid backwards, “you look all sweaty and gross Gracie.” She tapped Jason on the shoulder, “go help Marx.” She looked behind her and the flames were rising in the remaining part of the forest, “I think I can kill her by myself."

  Jason opened his mouth to speak but nothing would come out, he picked up another rock and ran off to where Marx and Joey were sparring. “Okay.” Lily found the knife and started circling the tired Grace, “why don't you get a new body and rid yourself of all that tire?” She wondered just how many ‘bodies’ this creature had in their arsenal to fully reheal, she hadn't fought before, but had in the past been in a few brotherly or sisterly scraps with her siblings.

  “You’re trying to be like that boy, aren't you?” Grace saw it from how much Millie had described Fay to her, a stupid boy that always somehow made the biggest bets on himself and came out on top, “you’re trying to be like him.”

  “I’m tryna be like myself, it's been a while since I did anything.” She felt her hand shaking, she was scared, genuinely, deeply scared. “I’m going to go home and slaughter every one of you, then I’ll kill my parents, you know?”

  Grace slammed her foot onto the ground, the ground shook and roots with pretty little white flowers ripped the dirt loose, coming right for her. “Why kill them?” She became slightly curious, the roots aimed for Lily’s foot and indeed wrapped around them, but her ankle dislocated and slipped out, then popped back into place.

  “To finally make them give a damn.” She was shaking even more so, “they didn’t even care, you know? That I was sent here, or when I was born.” This time she took the prerogative and held the knife in a bad stabbing posture. “I want them to care that I came back, and they will.” The knife was dropped as Grace leaned and tried to palm her face. Lily curled under like a coil and grabbed the knife off the ground, slicing it along Grace’s thigh to her hip as she jumped upwards, using her twisted and almost broken-looking legs to spring out of the way. Roots came from the ground but by the time they could unearth, Lily was many steps away.

  Grace sighed into her hand, “you know my group tried the same thing, against this ginger boy prophet and I watched all of my old friends get slaughtered because they all got too tired. The fight lasted six hours and by the end it was like they were begging for it to be over, they were screaming but he just wouldn't stop, any time they would slow their moving or parrying they would be attacked, so they either gave up completely and let themselves die or fell asleep due to exhaustion. I watched it, and rested during it all, hearing them beg for mercy and not be given any. Lily.” She snapped her fingers, the light appeared and then disappeared, then she was in perfect condition again, with no scratches on her. “Let’s see if you can last as long as them.”