**

Chapter 36: Shadow of Nihon

**

Nihon was a vast island nation and a world away from Ahrmania and Midaharia. Some referred to it as the 'quiet kingdom' because unlike its neighbors to the far west, conflict, and war had never spilled over its border. It would take months to reach Nihon by sea and chariots would literally run out of steam long before landing.

It was an ideal place for someone looking for an escape.

But despite Nihon's isolation, it couldn't hide from the hand of Damnation. Evil spawned by the wicked rune had made itself comfortable throughout a once tranquil and pristine portion of the world. Fueled by an urge for death and destruction, vile knights on towering horses stormed through villages, cutting down the living and setting fire to their homes. Misery and death followed the knights like a foul wind.

Rebirths, the only defense against the roaming knights, were unknown to the hundreds of people who had been slaughtered by them. They were shrouded in dark, heavy armor from head-to-toe with red glowing eyes protruding from their helmets.

One of the menacing knights pursued a fleeing young woman down a narrow road. Tears flowing from her eyes were ignored by the killer on horseback. It was fast enough to kill her at any moment, one swing of its curved lance would be enough. Yet, it seemed satisfied with running her or scaring her to death, perhaps.

Either way, Aiden wasn’t about to let it murder anyone else. He appeared in the knight’s path and sent it flying off its stead. The knight exploded into thousands of small pieces the instant its body hit the ground.

The young woman stared at him with wide, inquisitive eyes, attempting to settle her breath.

Aiden covered his head with the hood of his cloak. “If you keep heading north you’ll be clear of the fog, for a little while.” He hurried off in the direction of the village tormented by the corrupted knights.

Whether he meant for it to happen or not, he was responsible for the carnage unfolding around the world. He was going to put an end to it, one step at a time.

Brilliant splashes of yellow and blue stretched forth across a cloudless, early evening sky. The sun retreated slowly below the mountains, which meant another day had begun thousands of miles away. Back in a place, he used to call home.

But there was no real home for him, was there? He was the Rebirth Destroyer and the harbinger of global damnation.

The only family he ever knew tried to kill him, nations wanted to exterminate him, and a cognizant, maniacal rune was out to possess him. And until he was strong enough to stop that rune, the thought of returning to either Midaharian or Ahrman territories was the furthest thing on Aiden’s mind.

Too many people there knew of him, but on the distant island nation of Nihon, no one had heard of the silver-haired, crescent eyed doom bringer. Or, so he had hoped.

Besides, there were enough monsters here to help hone his skills.

Breathtaking green landscape sprinkled with colorful blasts of red and light orange covered much of his surroundings. It pained him to see such a beautiful place infested with an evil he created.

Bloody bodies were strewn across the entire neighborhood. Some hung halfway out of windows, others were face down in a river. Young or old, they all suffered a brutal, undeserving death.

Those responsible still lingered behind the trees, houses, off in the shadows. Their gaze followed him as he stopped to check the dead. If anyone was fortunate to have survived the attack, Aiden could heal them no matter how severe their wound.

The power of every Rebirth known to man flowed through his veins. Leagues less dangerous and devastating, the Rebirth of Healing was probably the least sought after rune back west. As Aiden checked another victim, the healing rune’s power proved to be too late.

This time it was a child much younger than him. An impression of a horseshoe sunk deep into his back. A second one was partially visible on his head and that one was going in the opposite direction.

Aiden slammed his fist into the ground. His semi-circular irises turned pale and illuminated. From their hiding places, the horror knights fought to retain control over themselves, but it was impossible. Aiden drugged them out into the opening without laying a hand on them. One after another, he made their bodies snap and twist and fold into a misshapen ball.

Seeing the heartless murderers crumpled and helpless brought a smile to his face. He could do whatever he wanted to them; set them ablaze, strike them with lightning, peel their armor away one layer at a time. His heart raced at the thought of splitting them into so many pieces. It didn’t matter. They were evil scum; they deserved worse.

Too bad their bodies automatically disintegrated upon defeat.

Aiden expelled his breath. Had Jaff been around to witness his abilities, the backstabber would have given him an earful. Thinking about the man got under his skin and irritated him. How dare he claim to love him then stab him to death?!

A snap of a twig snapped him back into the moment. He spun around and propelled the person behind him to the ground.

“Oh no!” Aiden said. It was the girl he saved before. What was she doing sneaking up on him!?

Aiden rushed to her side. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry! Are you hurt? Let me heal you.”

The girl remained silent as she pushed herself off the grass. Her round eyes stared at him so innocently as she smiled. “Are you okay?” Aiden asked, slower this time. He had forgotten he was on foreign soil. What language did they speak here?

He sat down next to her and lowered his head. “You’re smiling, so I guess you’re not hurt or anything. I should be more careful. It’s just so easy to do things with..”

The girl grabbed his attention with a tap on the arm and handed him a tablet. There was something written in it.

“Hi! I’m Asia! I can not speak, but thank you very much for rescuing me!”

“Oh! You can understand what I’m saying?”

Asia nodded.

“Great! My name is Aiden and you’re very welcome Asia. Did you live here?”

The young girl nodded again and pointed to a house across the river. It must have been her home. Aiden had previously checked it for survivors; there were none.

Asia held wrote on her note pad and held it up. "Are you a good spirit?" Aiden read. "I--I'm trying to be."

He parted some of the earth until it was wide and deep enough for a mass burial. Simply throwing the dead in a big hole didn't agree with him. Instead, he divided it into twenty-seven sections for twenty-seven bodies. "You might want to look away," Aiden said, as he telekinetically carried the deceased from Asia's home and set them down gently in their final resting place.

Now, there was just one thing left to do.

“Well, Asia, I'll take you north, out of this fog, to someplace safe, okay?"

Asia jumped up and grabbed his hand. "Thank you!" her note read.

"Don't mention it!"

There was no way she could stick with him, anyway; not where he was going.