n

n

nSylvester sensed some doubts in their minds. So he decided not to push it as antagonizing them might have the opposite effect. This was the rule of taunting, don’t do it so much that the other person feels obliged to respond.

nInstead, Sylvester kept staring into the eyes of Null, who was undoubtedly the leader of these Void Keepers.

nThere was a fierceness in Sylvester’s eyes as he started the man down. He made it clear that what he said was not an empty threat. Yes, he would go to any length to kill them, no matter how long it takes. He has done it once, he can do it again.

nOf course, Null didn’t know it but just looking into Sylvester’s eyes made him feel subconsciously small as if he was in front of not a young boy but a seasoned veteran who had seen all the evil that the world had to throw at him.

n“Hehe! You’re threatening us? Little youngling… yo-”

n“Stop it, Spine!” Null ordered the woman. “We’re leaving… our work is done here. We need to head south.”

n“B-But what about these? These three are not God’s Favored! We can kill them, right?” She tried to argue with him. Bloodlust was apparent in her voice. “We must kill anyone who knows us… and he killed Double-O… or perhaps… you’re scared?”

nSlap!

nNull suddenly appeared in front of the woman as if he just teleported and slapped her with the back of her hand while donning a cold face. “I can have you beheaded for this disrespect to your senior, Spine.”

n“I… I’m sorry.” She apologized, her head held low.

n“I didn’t hear you. Say it loud so all can hear!” Null pushed.

nShe suddenly cried loudly and ran away. “I’m Sorry!”

nNull ignored her spoiled theatrics and eyed Sylvester again. “Welcome to the game, Bard. Let’s see how far you can go as a sapling so small… Will you survive or die when the giant shall fall?”

nSylvester didn’t have much strength left to speak any longer. So he remained there and glared at the man with his golden eyes.

nNull eventually stepped back to gather what was left of Double-O and moved out of the town with his team, headed south towards the Sorrow Kingdom to do god knows what.

nWith the peace of mind that the threat was gone, Sylvester finally allowed himself to fall unconscious as the headache was killing him. His body had already lost more than half its weight and mass–and blood… was now a rarity.

n“Max!” As soon as the pressure on their bodies was gone, Gabriel shouted and ran to his best friend. Even Felix crawled beside Sylvester as he had faced a similar humiliation not long ago.

n“Let him be!” Sir Dolorem ordered since he was there the last time Sylvester had fallen sick after the fight with the bloodling. He now needed blood and solarium crystals the most. “Let us find an intact shelter and rest there… we shall think about the next step after recuperating. Priest Felix also needs urgent medical attention.”

nSir Dolorem and Grabriel were in the best state right now, not fully healed but still much better. So the two first moved out to look for a place to spend the night as the heavens continued to cry its tears upon them.

n…

nSylvester felt like he was floating in the clouds, engulfed in darkness. He had no idea where he was until a familiar and haunting view appeared.

nHe saw little white snakes flying around, everywhere, moving to win the race. Sylvester felt saddened that he died this way, and after living for so many years, growing up as a kid… and now it was all a game over.

nHowever, he had no motivation anymore and didn’t even want to live again. So he aimlessly just moved around and saw other snakes being snakes.

n“Hey, how are you, Max? Long time.”

nSylvester was shocked that someone called him, so he looked at one snake, a bit too large in size. “Felix? What are you doing here?”

n“I’m here too.” Gabriel appeared too.

n“Me too.” Markus’ voice also came.

nSylvester felt speechless beyond belief. “W-What… how are we all in the same space?

n“Meow! Meow! Maxy!”

n“Chonky?” Sylvester was shocked to see a cat-headed white snake.

nSylvester’s mind went blank. “You’re a cat… this is impossi… is this a dream?”

nIn an instant, Sylvester tried to imagine things per his wishes and turned all the little white snakes into white cats, similar to Miraj. Then he imagined a surrounding, a memory from the past. His original house back on Earth.

nBut, sadly, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t remember the face of his beloved Diana. It just appeared blank as her form appeared in the surroundings. Sylvester tried harder as he remembered all their moments together, all the lovely conversations… But why not the face?

nLeaving it aside, he tried to imagine things from this world–Markus, who had left them too soon.

nThen Xavia, who was doing what she usually does, humming one of his hymns and cooking something good in the kitchen.

nThis suddenly dawned a realization in his mind. ‘I have so much to lose in this life now. I may never trust people, but I care for them… For Felix… For Sir Dolorem, for Chonky, and for Xavia.’

nHe tried to imagine the scene from the past when he was about to die, being thrown into the pyre. ‘What if it had ended right here? What if Lord Inquisitor had never arrived… what would have happened to Xavia?’

nAnd then, Chonky’s figure appeared in front of him, sitting alone, sadly looking out of the building in the Holy Land, still waiting for his beloved caretaker even after five hundred years. His eyes were full of hope and loneliness.

n‘I’ve brought so much change to the lives of all around me. The butterfly of chaos has already fluttered its wings once I took my first breath here… yet my battles are the same with just a new frontier– and to survive is the only game on which I must thrive.’

nEventually, the scenes changed, and he found himself standing in the empty Pope’s Palace in the room of the high seat, where the throne coveted by many remained… shining in its glory and gold.

nHe walked to it and just watched it, never even touching it. He stared at it blankly and then moved back a step. “What must it cost to rest on you? Is it worth paying? Or will you be the reason for my body decaying?”

nSylvester shut his senses away and returned to the darkness with his body floating in nothingness. He knew not when he’d wake up, but he hoped the damage was not too much.

n…

nBoom!

nThe thunder was striking the lands as if the heavens were falling. The four sat close under the roof of a wooden house they had fixed recently. They had lit a fire in the middle of the hall and ate their fill.

nThankfully among them, only Felix was physically injured beyond the point of being able to walk smoothly. He was still lying down beside the fire but was awoken. Still, the frustration was apparent on his face. After all, he lost badly. “How did that man move so fast? I didn’t even see him, and before I knew it, he had cut my body.”

nBishop Lazark, who seemed to be more knowledgeable, replied, “That was Exnine, the ninth member of the thirteen Void Keepers–twelve now, thanks to Lord Bard. Each one of them is the best of the best, with the strangest abilities you can find in the world. They are usually mentally deranged, cruel, and, above all, they are loyal dogs. Nobody likes them, but they hold the most authority. You were likely defeated by Exnine’s singing swords style.”

nFelix sighed as his eyes flashed. “So that’s singing style. I did only hear a musical humming of air being cut by his sword… never knew what it was.”

n“What about you?” ｂｏ𝚟𝚕.

nHeads turned as it was Sylvester speaking from the sleeping mattress beside the fire. He seemed fine now from the look on his face, but his body remained thin as before. So he didn’t move much. “Are you and Exten related?”

nBishop Lazark clenched his fist and took down the hood of his robe, showing his bald, pale head that he rubbed annoyedly. “Sadly, yes… he’s my elder brother. I haven’t seen him in ten years… he became a Void Keeper now, it seems. Well, we never got along since we were kids, and after our parents passed away, we were both taken in by our old mentor. He taught us necromancy… but then my brother tried secretly experimenting by attempting to mutate me with a chameleon’s blood.

n“Thankfully, he was caught by our mentor and expelled. But it seems the church found a use for him as a loyal dog.” the man looked into the fire as he finished his short story.

nSylvester sighed and didn’t say anything as he knew everyone had a sob story. One worse than the other.

nHe finally got up. “Let’s head out… the rain will not stop anytime soon. Clean up the town and burn the dead, or soon the place will be infested with creatures of the night and undead.”

n“But… your health!” Sir Dolorem tried to force him back.

nSylvester pushed the old knight’s hand away. “I’m fine, Sir Dolorem. The crystals have done their magic. I can walk and use basic magic… don’t worry. We should leave for the Fallshoot village tomorrow and get a horse and carriage from there.”

nFelix also got up slowly despite being in a bit of pain. “Yeah, I wish to return home now–if I can even call it that.”

nTruly, all of them were shaken by what had occurred today. The church itself inflicted unnecessary wrath on poor innocents already suffering. None of them spoke it out loud, but right now, they could somewhat understand why the Anti-Light was gaining influence.

nThat night, as decided, all five of them walked around the town and burned the dead while flattening the breaking buildings. The work was not too much; burning could also be done with simple fire crystals, saving their own magic.

nThey continued to work until the first light in the morning and the last drop of rain and eventually gathered back in front of the monastery. However, the clouds still appeared dark.

nBut it was time to say goodbye to the land… the lost town of Sphinx.

nLuckily, one of the horses had run away at first sight of fire and was found outside the town, a little burnt and scared. It was Frost… Sylvester’s white stallion. The others had likely died.

nSo they healed the horse first and then patched up a crude carriage with the help of an already broken one. Then, all five climbed on and decided to head back.

nFelix was in even worse physical condition than Sylvester, so he was made to lie down in the back, with Gabriel and Bishop sitting beside him while Sylvester and Sir Dolorem held onto the reins.

nSylvester took one final glance at the area before they headed towards the exit. All burnt now, nothing like the cheerful and colorful town that used to be.

n“Max, here.” Suddenly, as they started moving, Felix tugged Sylvester and extended a small crumpled booklet.

n“Isn’t this mine?” Sylvester recognized it was the book of hymns he had given to Shane. As he remembered the cheerful face of the kid, he opened to look. To his surprise, he found there was an addition to the written material, so he read silently–and fell into silence.

nHis eyes widened–finally, the first sign of genuine sorrow appeared on his face.

nThud!

n“Max!”

n“Priest!”

nSylvester suddenly jumped off the carriage and ran back towards the monastery. The others shouted for him; only Felix remained silent.

nHe only stopped outside the burn-down monastery and used magic to lift off a massive piece of sleek stone rudely, and placed it into the soil, so only a part was visible. Then, he deeply carved something on it.

n“Here lived the kind and strong Shane Kolt, the little bard, apprentice of Sylvester Maximilian.’

n___________________

nO’ Great King of Bards by Shane Kolt

na??I want to be your hymn student.

nI promise I shall forever be prudent.

nMemorized I have all the hymns.

nIt’s time to write my own rhymes.a??

na??O’ Great King of Bards

nReally, I promise to work very hard.

nOne day, I, too, will be a bard.

nSing the songs and pray to the lord.

nLike you, be the good people’s guard.a??

na??For I have now super strongly vowed.

nJust watch; I will make you and mum proud.

nO’ Great King of Bards, I say without a doubt.

nOne day my name–even you will shout!a??

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