****(POV)

I have been walking for a long time.

With a destination in mind.

One I am about to reach.

This is where I will find them.

The wolf and her owner.

At this point, I don't care what happens to me.

I simply want answers.

It took me a while to adapt to blindness.

I kept walking all this time.

Somehow stumbling on the road.

Feeling the ground to know when I exited it.

Sometimes getting help from kind strangers.

I met some helpful guys that were arguing about the best place to sell a gem.

They also talked about some crazy powerful naked guy.

They helped guide me.

From what I know about this city, I need to register myself in.

"Hello! Anyone here?"

I can hear footsteps.

But no answer whatsoever.

The place is eerily silent.

Maybe I'm lost again?

"HeY, dIdN'T YoU HeAr aBoUt tHe cItY'S ReStRuCtUrAtIoN?"

His tone is weird, not that a cripple like me can judge.

"Not at all, is it closed or something?"

"HeHe, UsUaLlY YeS. bUt wE CaN LeT YoU EnTeR If yOu sO DeSiRe."

"Nice! I am looking for someone. Any idea where I could gather information?"

"We aRe tHe oNlY OnEs hErE. nO OnE ElSe. EvErYoNe hAs eVaCuAtEd tHe cItY."

We? Somehow, I get the feeling he's talking about himself.

"Ah! Then, can I ask you a few questions?"

"HeHe, We cAn lIsTeN FoR A ShOrT WhIlE."

"Thank you, kind stranger! I'm looking for a small white wolf and her master."

I can feel him pause for a second.

"WhO ArE ThEy?"

"That…I'm not sure. All I know is I got blinded trying to simply divine about the pet's whereabouts."

"YoU KnOw dIvInAtIoN? wE HaVe nOt hEaRd oF MaNy oN ThIs cOnTiNeNt kNoWiNg sUcH An aRt."

I point to my eyes.

"Eh, I know it but have lost my sight. I am looking for answers."

"ThIs iS InTrIgUiNg. HoW WoUlD YoU SaY HeR MaStEr wOuLd fArE AgAiNsT A StRoNg eNeMy?"

"Depends. How strong are we talking about?"

"HoW AbOuT A BoNe dRaGoN. hYpOtHeTiCaLlY?"

"Hm, regular bone dragon or some ancient mythical one?"

"WhAt aBoUt a rEgUlAr oNe?"

"I feel like even his pet could defeat it alone."

"WhAt aBoUt aN AnCiEnT OnE ThEn?"

"The master is unfathomable, he could for sure."

I can feel the surprise of my interlocutor.

I guess he believes me.

"ThErE Is nO SuCh bEiNg iN ThIs cItY. bUt rEcEnTlY We sAw a hUgE CoMmOtIoN."

"What?"

"MaNy sEcTs cAmE OuT AnD ChAsEd a mAn. FaIlInG To aCcOmPlIsH AnYtHiNg. MaNy eVeN GoT DeStRoYeD."

"Ah, is this why the city is temporarily closed to outsiders?!"

"YeS, sOmEtHiNg lIkE ThAt. We aRe iN ChArGe nOw."

"Do you know where he went?!"

"ThAt wE IgNoRe. HoWeVeR, iF YoU ArE ReAdY To dO ThE JoUrNeY, wE WiLl wIsH YoU ThE BeSt."

"*Sigh* This was the only place I knew where to look for.

It will be hard."

"So, WiLl yOu gIvE Up sO EaSiLy?"

For some reason, I can feel dread.

As if this one answer may determine my future.

Ah, actually it will.

The way I am I will at best be a beggar.

Probably die in a ditch somewhere.

I want to at least talk to him once.

My mind is made.

"No, I'll keep going. This continent is only so big."

The air seems less heavy for some reason.

"We pRaIsE YoUr wIlL."

Then he mumbles something.

Out of who knows where comes a horse, I think.

An armored one.

Every step it takes causing a ruckus.

"HeRe, A GiFt fRoM Us. It wIlL BrInG YoU WhErEvEr yOu wAnT."

"Ah, no! I can't accept. I won't be able to take care of it!"

"No nEeD. oUr hOrSeS ArE SpEcIaL YoU SeE.

TheY NeVeR GeT TiReD, aNd tHeY ArE LoYaL.

THeRe iS No nEeD FoR AnY MaInTeNaNcE."

Maintenance on a horse?

Is that how it's called nowadays?

I want to refuse at first, but better not.

Who knows how long this journey will take me?

I know it myself, my fate is disastrous.

I am bound to die young.

The clock is already ticking for me.

I bow deeply.

"NoW Go! We wIlL Be aWaItInG YoUr sUcCeSs."

"Thank you so much!"

On that note, I climb atop the mount.

I try to motion it to advance with my talons.

Yet it doesn't move.

"We tAuGhT It tO FoLlOw cOmMaNdS."

"Go forward, keep following the road!"

I can feel the acceleration.

As simple as that I got a new helper.

One that is smart enough to understand directives.

My luck is great.

Meeting a benefactor as soon as I approached the city.

Such a kind soul!

I was expecting entering to be extremely troublesome.

After all, I am blind and poor.

Still, I wonder what happened to the city.

He said he was the only one.

My bet is the city got destroyed.

He is probably squatting in the ruins.

Not that it matters.

This world is already going crazy.

Yet the war is not even started.

I feel the urge to divine right now.

But I can't.

Men have always feared the unknown.

I am no different.

Funny how I thought of myself as one of the elites.

I was proud of being on the Killers' board.

I'm searching but I'm not even sure what I will do once I meet him.

Will he even agree to talk to me?

I remember the disdain his pet showed me.

As if I was trash.

Will he simply annihilate me for bothering him?

I don't know. *Sigh*

****

What a peculiar man.

He came to this city without knowing anything.

When he was surrounded by my legion of undead, he didn't flinch.

When the bone dragon opened its jaw right above his head, he didn't' t panic.

We have no idea how he even survived thus far.

Still, he talks about something interesting.

He knows about the white wolf.

One of us died to it.

It did the deed apparently effortlessly too.

The wolf has a master.

This new information is worrisome.

We were planning to march against the surrounding cities.

To dominate this continent.

Now we are reconsidering.

We need to gather information first.

If we piss him off, we will probably die.

How many are as strong as him too?

We are used to scheming in the shadows.

Mostly against the arrogant nobles.

This time is different.

Our potential foes are hidden too.

We don't even know this man's name.

If we make a move too soon, we could bring disaster.

This is unsettling.

This unknown variable.

No matter.

We will simply consolidate our forces.

We can improve the current undead.

Make them stronger with our magic.

Not as efficient as making new ones, but it is low-key.

Hehe, this world may prove interesting after all.

Oh so very interesting.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"