Chapter 6: Confrontation with Bandits

Ruktia Village was one of the hundreds of villages that belonged in the Fifth District of the Empire. Surrounded by a taiga, and with a small lake near its vicinity, it depicted a soothing view of a classical country side. Medium-sized birds were frequently seen flying above the woodlands, and their chirping sounds marked the arrival of dawn. The residences were meters from each other; the partitions were wide enough for the residents to create their own gardens. The soil was peaty, and it generously provided ample amount of nutrients to the crops; the village itself was self-supporting.

Dan and Minerva took Mervik’s offer and went to his house. The house resembled a cabin, and it was wide enough to fit five rooms in. Despite its simplicity, the wood it was created from was sturdy. An aromatic steam was smelled by Dan as he dried his head using a towel. He had just gotten out of the bath.

“Food’s ready,” Mervik said. He wore a brown tunic that hanged till his knees. A leather belt made a partition right at his waist, making his toned body vivid. His skin was tanned, and it gave off the appearance of someone that had been continuously exposed to an enraged sun. His arms were slender, but the muscles were evident. He held a wooden cup in one hand. “Your mother’s not finished with the bath yet?”

“Yes,” Dan said with a nod. The bath was located at the back of the cabin, and it was separated by a partition, making it possible for two separate genders to take a bath simultaneously. Surprisingly, despite the chilly breeze that filled the air, lukewarm water flowed out of the water pumps.

Dan glanced at the food prepared on top of the table. A bird that was around ten times the size of a fist was roasted, and beside it were balls of rice that have orange toppings. The delicious aroma that entered him definitely came from it.

“Haha! Women... They definitely like taking long baths. Come, let’s eat,” Mervik said. Despite the scar that ran across his left cheek, his face was docile, all the while a gentle smile was plastered on his face. “This roasted thing is something that lives exclusively within the woodlands. It’s a delicacy found only in our proud village—Roasted Falta”

Dan courteously sat down on a chair before the spherical wooden table. He was directly in front of Mervik which was beside Carin. After slicing off a portion of the roasted falta, Dan placed it on his mouth and slowly chewed. It surprisingly tasted akin to turkey. The meat was crisp on the outside, and it was absurdly soft on the inside. It gave the feeling that it would melt on one’s mouth.

“This is good,” Dan said after another bite. He looked towards Mervik. “Thank you for your kindness. For helping my mother... I could not be grateful enough.”

Mervik snorted after the statement. “What a polite kid! Hahaha! Hey, don’t be too serious, okay? It’s in our family’s custom to help those that are in need. It’s something that’s been instilled to us since the first generation.” His eyes twinkled. “I hate to say this, but you seemed too mature for your age.” At the corner of Mervik’s eyes, he saw Carin munching down his food without restraint. “You’re so different from my child Carin.”

Sounds of footsteps were heard, and moments after, Minerva walked into the dining area. Her hair was wet, and her previously worn out clothes were replaced by a simple flowered dress; it was the dress of Mervik’s deceased wife. Her red hair hanged past her shoulders. Merkit’s mouth was slightly opened as he stared at her.

“Oh, come. Lunch’s served,” Mervik said after he broke out of his trance. Minerva said her thanks and joined the group. Just like Dan, she was surprised on how delicious the food was.

“Would it be alright to know where the two of you came from? I normally wouldn’t invite someone inside the house, but I felt neither hostile intentions nor malice from you two. Maybe it’s because I saw you both covered in dung? Haha!” Mervik joshed. His son that was beside him continued devouring the food on his plate.

Dan glanced at his mother. He knew that the question of Mervik would bring up a sensitive topic. Contrary to his expectations, Minerva’s eyes were filled with resolve. She smiled and replied, “We’re from the village of Ortas—outside the Great Wall.”

Mervik was taken aback when he heard of the words ‘outside the Great Wall.’ He lightly tilted his head and tapped his fingers once. “Outside? Now, that’s rare. It’s common for some to enter the empire after paying the appropriate fees, but to come to our secluded village? People would normally go to one of the major cities.”

‘I guess the news that Krukas began invading the Empire hadn’t reached this village yet. Well, that’s to be expected. This place’s a bit secluded,’ Dan thought. He silently listened to the conversation like a child would.

Minerva paused for a while before replying. She swallowed the lump in her throat and said, “Krukas. They attacked our village. Everyone was killed… we’re the only ones that survived.” Silence filled the room as she continued with her story. Only the sound of Carin innocently munching his share was heard. “We had no choice but to seek solace in the Empire. Luckily, we’re granted entry. The Empire…,” She looked at Mervik straight in the eyes. “It was attacked by Krukas a few days ago. The Military City of Molivia was devastated.”

Mervik knew of the famous city, Molivia. It was a city that boasted its military might. Specifically, the general that governed it was one of the geniuses in warfare and tactics. For the great city to fall in the hands of Krukas, it meant only one thing: a massive invasion was perpetrated. He shivered at the thought on what would happen if Krukas moved in further into the Empire. Their village may be secluded, but it would definitely not be spared if such large scale invasion was to take place.

“Molivia…,” His voice trailed off. “What happened to it?”

Minerva’s brows twitched as she recalled the events. “Last time we’ve seen it, a dragon decimated the entire northern area of the city. It was a massacre. Even the thousands of soldiers guarding the city were unable to do anything against the creatures.”

Another deafening silence filled the air. Mervik clasped his hands and mumbled, “A dragon… absurd.” He looked towards Minerva. “I’m sorry for asking such question earlier. That was incessant of me. So I take it that you two got here in your attempt to escape the pandemonium?”

“Yes,” Minerva simply said. The barrage of nightmarish events made her mind almost as hard as steel. She resolved herself to be strong. Dan and the soon to be born child needed her.

“I see,” He said as he pondered. After a while, he smiled and said, “You could stay here for as long as you needed. Is there any particular place you wish to go to in the Empire? I’m not that knowledgeable myself, but I know a few locations.”

Minerva glanced at Dan as if asking his opinion. Over time, she came to realize that her son was different than other kids his age. He was absurdly mature, and his decision-making skill was impeccable. Although she was ashamed to admit, she felt that her son was someone indispensable in her decisions.

“Mister, the major cities of the Empire would be good enough,” Dan said.

“Major cities? Hmmm… if we say major cities, then it’s definitely one of those four: Zana, Naldey, Ilian, and Peralta. Each of those cities represents the four cardinal directions. The nearest one would be Ilian—around two weeks of travel from here. And that’s by cart.”

The name of the nearest city sparked Dan’s interest. It was the city mentioned by the mages that conducted the magical feats back in his village. According to the mages that time, a certain magical school named Ilian Academy was located inside the Empire of Kulaima. The name of the city and the academy was most likely related.

“Is Ilian Academy located in Ilian? The similarity in name can’t be mere coincidence,” Dan asked. Minerva also remembered the academy he mentioned.

“Oh, so you guys are not so clueless after all,” Mervik said. His voice did not have a hint of arrogance in it. “Correct. The Academy is named after the city it’s located at. It’s the best school for magicians in the entire continent.” He grinned, showing his complete set of teeth. “Kid, interested in learning magic?”

Minerva’s heart sunk after the question. She knew that Dan have little to no mana inside his body. Even the S ranked magician that they met back in the village said so himself.

“Yes, but it seems that I have no talent in that field,” Dan calmly said. He was indeed interested in learning magic. It was something that even he, the Grim Reaper, would be delighted to learn. It was something entirely new. Still, he resolved himself to accept the fact that he had no innate talent in the field. He knew that there was no sense in pondering too much on something that he would not be able to change.

“Is that so?” Mervik said in a disappointed tone. He did not delve further on how the child knew that he had no talent.

“Not everyone could use it anyway. Statistically, only one out of a hundred could use magic. Quite a low amount actually.”

“Daddy! Carin wants to play!” a high-pitched voice rung out. Carin tugged his father’s shirt and leaned closer. He looked at Mervik with big and expecting eyes.

Mervik looked at Dan. The two children were around the same age, but the level of maturity surely was different. He smiled and said, “Sure. After you finish those.”

“Yay! To the lake!” Carin squeaked.

****

It had been three days since Dan and Minerva came to the village of Ruktia. Each of the houses was meters apart, and one needed to walk some distance in order to reach the next residence. Mervik was hospitable; he provided the two with comfortable lodgings and absurdly delicious food. Dan and Minerva were very grateful for such kindness. In four days time, they would depart towards the city of Ilian. It was the decision of Minerva.

“Dan! Let’s go to the woods! I saw a large stag beetle! Large! Large!” Carin excitedly said. Without waiting for Dan to say a word, he pulled his hand and ushered him towards the direction of the woods. It was a few minutes of walk from their current spot.

Dan smiled and let himself be dragged by the child. It had been a long time since he took care of one, and the current feeling was pleasant. It was early in the morning, and the sun was shrouded by the clouds. The woodland was filled with coniferous trees that spanned ten meters in height. Its leaves kept falling off like a scenery during autumn. Dried leaves crackled the moment their young feet stepped on it.

“There!” Carin said. He pointed at small clearing. Buzzing sounds filled the air as they went towards the direction Carin pointed at. The child was so enthusiastic about it that Dan felt no choice but accompany him.

Suddenly, Carin gasped. He casted a quick look at Dan and smiled, showing two missing front teeth. As quick as lightning, the child ran deeper into the woods. Dan was surprised by the unannounced action, and he immediately dashed and chased.

“Hey! Don’t go deeper into the woods! Your father said it himself. There are rumors that bandits inhabit th—” Dan halted. He had caught up with Carin, but the figure in front of the innocent child was ominous. With a large gash across its left eye, and a scorched jaw, the man towered two meters. Its frame was thick, large enough to crush a tree into smithereens.

‘Bandits?’ Dan thought. He heard the crackling of crushed dried leaves. Afterwards, five more figures appeared. All wore leather garbs and a chainmail. Scimitars hanged at their waists.

‘Six of them. No… eleven. Others are hiding behind the trees.’ Dan felt the presence of the other bandits. With wary eyes, he glanced towards the first man they saw. He appeared to be their leader.

“What’s this? Kids playing inside the forest? What are your parents doing, eh?” the leader spoke. His voice was raspy, and a foul odour came out every time he opened his mouth.

Carin stood there as he gawked at the man before him. The man glared at the child with a murderous rage, and Carin’s body trembled. His lips quivered, and he cried with all his might. “Faaattheer!”

The man covered his ears as he stared at the child in irritation. He bit his lips and mumbled, “Sleep.”

Suddenly, a cold chill filled the air. Everything seemed to have frozen, and Dan felt his body gradually become heavier as the clock ticked by. His muscles seemed to sag from the pull of the earth, and his legs wobbled as he tried to remain standing. His stomach churned, and he resisted the urge to vomit. The phenomena lasted for only a second, but to Dan, it felt like eternity.

He huffed as numerous trickles of sweat flowed down his cheeks. He glanced at Carin and saw the child’s body sprawled on the ground. Dan’s eyes widened as a fierce rage swept over him. He remembered the time when his brother died in front of his very eyes. His mind went blank, and his eyes turned enraged. He dashed towards the man and leap towards the scimitar that hanged on its waist.

“Seriously?!” voices from within the forest were heard. Ruffling sounds reverberated as everyone stared at the charging child.

Dan stretched his arms wide as he reached for the weapon on the man’s waist. The man shot his hands towards him, and Dan immediately ducked as response. He twirled his body twice as he evaded another attempt of grabbing. He kicked the leaves that scattered on the floor, and a blanket of dried green and brown shrouded the man’s view. Using that split second opportunity, Dan grabbed the sword and pulled it out of the scabbard. It was released with a fluid

~swichk sound. Without wasting time, he shot the scimitar towards the man’s neck. It was then that he felt a chilling sensation all throughout his body, and he felt his strength leave him. His vision blurred, and he fell down his knees. It was then that he saw a surreal phenomenon: The scattered leaves on the ground turned to dust one-by-one.

“Hey boss, you might kill him if you keep that up,” a female voice said.

“Sheila’s right. Please stop it boss!”

Dan felt the bandits that hid in the woods slowly come out one after another. They all surrounded him, and they stared with vigilant eyes. The pressure continued to envelope his young body, and he felt his skull splitting into two. He silently endured the pain.

Suddenly, the pressure receded. Dan looked up and saw the leader of the group staring at him with curious eyes. His stomach churned, and he puked on the ground. It was crimson; it was blood.

“See? The boss is too cruel. Just knocking him out unconscious should be enough, right?”

“Shut it. The soul spirit I used is enough to make a Fenris lose consciousness. Still, that child managed to live through it.” The leader’s remark made everyone dead silent. Their eyes were filled with disbelief as they glanced towards their boss, then to the child.

Dan vomited again, and he felt the malaise that accompanied the loss of blood. Twin crimson lines flowed down his mouth. “Bandits. Please… spare that child,” Dan said after he wiped the blood on his mouth using his sleeves. His stare took everyone by surprise. It sent a chill down their skin. It was the eyes of a trapped beast.

“This child… what the hell….”

“Ku…kukukukuku!” the leader chuckled. He tilted his scar-filled head to the left and grinned. “Bandits? Is that why you tried to kill me? Kukukukuku!” He walked forward. His figure loomed over the panting Dan. “We’re no bandits, child. Make no mistake. We’re not some irrelevant group that knows nothing but rob people of their belongings.”

‘They’re not bandits?’ Dan thought. His body was aching all over, and just standing alone was an arduous task.

“Boss, we can’t help it if people think we’re bandits. Just our appearances alone….”

“Yeah, and who the hell suggested that we hide in the woods? Oh heavens! My skin’s full off mosquito bites!” the woman said.

“Shut it,” the leader said. He turned to Dan. “Child. Who are you? The pressure I’ve used is something I’ve acquired through training for decades. It’s not something a normal human would be able to endure—moreover, a child.”

Dan did not reply. Instead, he looked at Carin. The child remained sprawled on the ground. The leader followed Dan’s line of sight and said, “Don’t worry. He’s asleep. I’m not the kind of guy that would kill a child for no reason.”

Dan heaved a sigh of relief after those words. He said, “You’re not bandits? Then what are you guys? And why are you hiding in the woods close to the village?”

The group glanced at each other. “We’re no bandits. Magicians. I don’t know if you’ve heard of the Revolutionary Army before—that’s us.”

Dan wordlessly stared at the group after the revelation. Somehow, he believed it. He felt that they were not lying. Still, he did not lift down his guard. He said, “So, that’s magic.” He pertained to the pressure he felt moments before.

The leader paused before he replied, “Nah. I’m no magician. My mana pool’s too low to be one. I’m an Anito—one that uses utilizes his soul spirit instead of magic. This is probably the first time you’ve heard of it. Basically, it’s something even rarer than magicians. A person needs to have a monstrous amount of spirit force in order to be an Anito.”

“Boss, what do we do with the child?” one of the men spoke. “It seems that the villagers are aware of our existence. It won’t be any longer safe to hide in this area.”

“We’ll regroup with the third army. We can’t let the royal family do as they please. We’ll put an end to their tyranny!” the leader declared. He raised a hand and applied the same pressure from before towards Dan. “Damn this kid. Not even this amount of pressure is enough to make him faint.”

Dan felt the tremendous pressure from before invade his body. His muscles screamed in agony, and his bones creaked. He bit his lips then said, “Teach me… that technique of yours… teach me.”

His words made the leader stop. It stared at him with a surprised expression. “Kid, believe me. Being a magician is a hundred times easier than being an Anito. It’s a technique that only those that have stained their hands with the blood of thousands of lives could master. It’s a technique that would devour the wielder if used improperly.”

The leader sighed. “Why am I even conversing with a kid?” He again sighed. “Here: The trick is quite simple, but it’s absurdly hard to master. Know of the term bloodlust, son? The technique is synonymous to that. Instead of uncontrollable rage, direct the flow into a point in your body. If you have a weapon, direct it into your weapon. It won’t break that way. If one reaches a certain mastery in it, one could direct it to the atmosphere itself—just like what I’ve been doing.”

“It’s just like mana manipulation, but the one you’re manipulating is the bloodlust—or if properly termed, soul spirit,” the woman added.

Dan’s eyes glimmered for a moment after the revelation. ‘So there was a way for me to use magic despite the lack of a good mana pool?’ Dan thought. Even now, he thought of the pressure as some form of magic. After all, everything that could not be explained by his previous world’s science was tantamount to that.

“Hey kid, just faint, will ya?” the leader said in irritation. The pressure further intensified, and Dan’s body finally gave in. He fell on his knees, and his face kissed the ground. He lost consciousness.

It was not until three years after that encounter that Dan found out that the man he thought was the leader of the bandits was actually the second highest leader of the Revolutionary Army. He was one of the most wanted criminals of the Empire. A name that made even the royal magicians cower in fear: Rendrik the Anubis.