(Sorry that it's late, exams started this week and they will continue for another two weeks. So don't expect any daily chapters, mabye if I am in a good mood. Enjoy this chapter!)

The moment I breached the encirclement of soldiers I started to regret. I was haughty and threw myself right into the lion's den.

I just stood there, rooted to the ground, surrounded by dozens of trained soldiers clad in high spec gear.

As I felt the overbearing aura of the soldiers I could only facepalm in my mind. I could have wiped them out with simple magic, but my emotions led me to my demise instead. "Better make the best of the situation", I mumbled to myself.

Not moving at all would pose no help, so I swiftly dashed through the ranks of knights.

Giant bastard swords flashed before my eyes as the soldiers noticed the fickle silhouette that hid in their shadows and moved whenever a blind spot presented itself.

Cold sweat flowed down my back as I sauntered through the alley of iron giants. Their sharp branches whipped through the air; crackling wind and earth splitting apart. Each movement was swift and filled with prudence. One hit would end my life, the blades were heavy and the soldiers had buffed bodies that would turn me into mincemeat.

I felt the cold gale created by the swords brush past my back. The tearing air created a harmonous melody, a buzzing that was numbing my mind. I felt myself drawn into the swords, closer with each step. It felt exactly like those moments where you stand on a tall building or any kind of tall structure and think: 'What happens if I jump?', you are getting drawn to the edge, peek over the handrail and look into the abyss. It calls you.

Cries of the nether called to me, boomed inside my mind. I felt it move deeper into my ego, straggling inside and feasting on the gallimaufry that were my thoughts. Curiosity, a small seed, grew wider, surpressing the tingling sensation of danger my mind was radiating. The silver crescents looked so welcoming and a feeling of weightlessness overcame me. I wanted to fall, into the shivs, glowing silver and lulling me in with their songs.

The pull of the swords was strong, my agonized mind started to spun wild thoughts. 'Maybe its a dream? Maybe I will go back once I die?', but a part of my subconsciousnes new, this is a lie. Like a thunderclap a sword cut into my cheek, the red liquid crawled out of the wound, the tasty pain jogged me awake. Reason poured into my mind. If I die here I wouldn't just simply die. I would leave behind my SECOND family. My SECOND chance to do it better. Maybe there were other people that had this privilege, I don't know. But I would certainly not forfeit my second life.

With deftness I twisted my body around the sharp blades, a small margin of space seperating me from the cold steel. A thin strand of red floated in the air, before it splashed on the ground.

Throughout the fight I started to notice slight changes, changes concerning my life. Maybe it was the atmosphere created by the howling swords, the grinding of armor against armor, maybe it was the closing sense of death whenever I approached the blades. But I started to hang dearly on my life.

I never showed much emotion towards my parents, yes, not simply the 'parents' of 'this world'. No, they are now my parents, they always were but I was an ignorant fool that simply wallowed in self-pity. The children that enraptured my heart, the villagers that cared for my well-being. I simply shrugged it off, thought I was different than them.

It was hilarious how true it is. You only care about the things you lost. Once they are gone you realize how much they meant to you. And I for once thought: 'No! I won't lose them!'.

Determination brimmed forth from my small body. I was resolute, I wouldn't let any more harm befall those close to me. I. WOULD. NOT!

Tersely I gazed at my lone dagger. It was crude iron, but smithed with heart. Ancient scratches covered the dagger and each of them contained books worth of history. And at the end of the day another mark would proudly cover this dagger.

Its crusty surface smiled warmly at me. The slim hilt was tender, thin leather strips wrapped around a piece of iron, enchanting my soul.

I felt a grin spreading from ear to ear, filled with deviousness and excitation. The battered dagger was tightly held by my hands, it was a part of me. My fingers pricked and my eyes dilated, my muscles jerked and the hair on my neck bristled.

A handful of metallic giants surrounded me, gaps closed, shields raised and swords drawn. A ring of silver fire closed off the distant shouts, impossible to penetrate for me and yet I felt this unique tremble, this slight tingle in the back of your head, the thrill. Adrenaline swamped my system, my to young body, my to old mind. I just wanted to see the end of it and so I raised the dagger high.

I felt the heavy gazes of the knights on me, but my eyes stayed unwavered, my heart was serene. Their gazes changed, from incredulousness and disdain to respect. Yes, now I stood on the same level as them.

My frail body leaned forward -feeling the rumbbling of mother earth -, my breath swirled up small dirt particles on the ground. I exhaled. "Huuuuuuuhh....". The knights tensed, time slowed down.

My knees buckled, tendons and muscles tautened. I felt my bones screech under the immense pressure.

Before my face hit the ground I kicked off, the new world in itself, the mana, helping me. Air condensed under my feet, heat build up at my arms, the earth groanned as it cringed under my will.

BOOOM!

My power exploded forth, I could taste the blood in the air.

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Vanessa mumbled a short chant and nocked the next arrow. Her body leaned onto the wooden crates, one end of the bow dug into the earth.

Her breathing was calm, each shot flitted as fast as lightning through the rows of knights. She couldn't stop the young boy, Hyrion, from engaging with the soldiers.

Her emotionless face had a small smile on it. The boy's gaze was always stoic, but today... today it had a ramping inferno blazing in it. It ranged from fear, hate and grief to happiness and sheer madness. He was unique.

His demeanour was, brusque and clinical. She felt he didn't give two shits about them at all. Apart from a bit gratitude in his gaze there was nothing. And now he fought fiercly for his family, his friends. It made his previous attitude seem like a lie. Vanessa was still worried though.

Not about his situation, she knew he would be alright, but exactly this peculiar thought. He was so completely different from children his age, even the older ones. His young eyes shone with unspoken intelligence and gazed more than once at her with woolen lust. He seemed so mature. So strong. And... Reliable. Otherworldly was another way to describe him.

Vanessa only sighed. 'That boy is just so...'. She straighted her back, shoot another arrow; another soldier down. 'So, different.'

Her stock of arrows was rapidly dwindling, her body ached a bit from standing still the whole time.

She lolled and fastened the bow once again on her back. Her hands moved along her hips and grabbed on grey hilts. A longsword and a copper kris in each hand. Her leather boots created thunks as she marched closer to the battlefield.

Her smaragd eyes darted back and forth, between soldier and soldier, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses. A short limp, a slight jerk when the left arm moved, a twitch in the eyes. Nothing could escape her senses.

With short steps she accelerated into a sprint. Using speed as means to create raw power. She caught a glimpse of the boy. His smile full of sharp teeth. The eyes that burned with ardor. The small body that stood tall in front of the iron knights. His atmosphere that told tales of unimaginable magnitude, a posture that would tower over Gods.

Vanessa giggled cutesy and disappeared in a wall of moving iron.

CRACK!

A rooftop slowly crumbled into dust. Massive claws pierced through the simple stone. Black like a void, they cleaved the porous marterial into rubble.

Grotesque fangs flickered in the moonlight. Menacing, insidious, jagged daggers that would bore a hole throught steel, carried a broken, demonic grin.

Skin cracked by maggots and disease trembled as the excitement in the beast grew. Its lust festered through the panic ridden cries, the smears of red staining the ground and the sweet smell of blood permeating the air.

It gulped audibly as it took a relishing breath of the sullied air. Cut, burned, crushed flesh; it was heaven for the monster.

A low wimper escaped the beast as it once again sniffed the stench of death. Its whole body shuddered as the formless head picked up traces of fresh spilled blood, and it was close.

The beast imagined the delicious corpses of the small insects it would crush, a wave of pleasure shot through the beast. With a low profile it moved to the ground, Each of its six limbs caved in the soil.

A small puddle of blood obstructed its way. A headless corpse, crushed by a stone, laid inside the puddle.

The creature stopped for a moment, moved forward and stopped once again. It jumped back, inside the puddle and wallowed in the mixture of brain matter and blood.

A fat tongue rolled out of the creature's gaping maw. Sentient and moving on its own it crawled towards the corpse. The acidic liquid burned the muscle and skin tissue of the dead body. The maggot squirmed inside of the remains of what was once human and enjoyed the taste unmitigated.

Its small snack was all but eaten to the last strands of hair. Satisfied the creature stood up again. Its body still twitching from time to time whenever it thought about its prey.

Its maw let loose a cackle of infernal origin. The yellow teeth and black breath polluted the earth. Rattling in anticipation it moved its detestable body into a dash.