Black Mist

by Michael Sisa

  His body quivered, and he felt a great rush of adrenaline. His vessels pulsated, and his heart pumped faster. His head felt like it was about to explode. Unbeknownst to him, an absurdly large amount of bloodlust oozed out his body as he meditated. It was so gargantuan that Minerva woke up from her sleep, and Mervik trembled on his bed. Even the residents near their area felt the murderous aura.

  ‘Channel it to a single point,’ Dan kept repeating in his mind like a mantra. The birds of the woodlands violently chirped, and flocks flew out from fear. The livestock tethered on the resident’s fences became erratic, and each of them wanted to break free and escape. Everyone felt suffocated as the murderous phenomenon filled the air. It was hard to breathe, and it took everyone their all to remain conscious, to remain sane.

  “What’s happening?”

  “I can’t breathe!”

  Dan was in trance, and he was deeply immersed in his meditation that he was left unaware of the impact his training was creating. He was unable to hear even his own loudly beating heart. Memories back when he was still the Grim Reaper occluded his mind, and he relived such life over and over again. His vein started popping up and bursting, and his entire body trembled as it contained such enormous bloodlust. The wooden ground beneath him slowly formed cracks, and eventually, it turned to dust. Memories kept resurfacing one after another.

  “Demon! You killed my father, and now you want to kill me? My entire family?!”

  “Please... please... hic... hic....”

  “Help! Heeelpp!”

  “Please spare my child! She’s only nine!”

  Dan’s face distorted into a grotesque appearance as he relived his countless massacres. His each and every assassination was a true definition of hell. Young or old, man or woman—he killed anyone that saw his face. He killed anyone that would be a threat to the Leopold Family. His hands were stained an irreversible crimson.

  Dan’s chest rapidly rose and fell, and he found it difficult to breath. Blood continued to spurt out the veins that had burst, and the entire wooden ground he sat cross-legged on was tainted red. The tethered livestock continued to wail and screech, and the entire village of Ruktia was suffocated by the surreal phenomenon.

  ‘It’s different from an uncontrollable rage,’ Dan recounted the words uttered by the man. He felt that what he was doing was different from the one the man performed. His bloodlust was unsuppressed. It was suffocating, and it consumed everything without distinction. Even his body felt the adverse effect of such meditation.

  Slowly, he suppressed the bloodlust little by little. The task was arduous, and it required extremely great concentration to do so. The murderous aura began to slowly recede, and the malice in the air slowly dispersed. Everyone in the village heaved a sigh of relief as the phenomenon faded away. Trickles of sweat were evident on everyone’s faces, and their skin assumed a pale complexion. They had never lived through such nightmare before.

  “As expected, it’s impossible to utilize such technique in a single day,” Dan said after he broke out his trance. He looked at his bloody body, and at the wooden ground beneath him. “Better clean up this mess.”

  He was heavily panting, but the euphoria from experiencing such phenomenon gave him an unexplainable bliss. His body was battered, but he paid it no heed. He had finally found a way to protect his family in such magic-driven world. The technique was his first step.

  ***

  Days passed, and the time of their departure towards the City of Ilian had arrived.

  “Thank you for everything,” Minerva said as she bowed. She wore brown hooded cloak with her green dress underneath. Dan did the same gesture and also said his thanks.

  “It’s fine.” Mervik waived a hand in response. “I’m a mere hunter, and I can’t give you guys Yilian to help you on your journey.” He shoved a medium-sized bag onto Minerva’s bossom. He was grinning. “Dried falta. I know that you guys love it. Should be enough to feed you guys for three days. If consumed wisely, it should last for about a week.”

  “Why are you doing so much for us?” Minerva said. She was very thankful for the man’s hospitality.

  Mervik wanted to utter, “It’s because you resembled my deceased wife so much,” but he chose to keep his mouth shut. He loved his wife, and he knew that he would love the same woman till his last breath. Just having the same appearance would not equate the feeling of love. That much, he was sure. As excuse, he said instead, “It’s the family’s code. Don’t be bothered by it.”

  Minerva gently smiled, making Mervik’s heart leap a beat. Just the mere fact that he was able to see someone that resembled his wife was more than enough as payment. It was as if fate itself willed the encounter.

  After another bow and words of parting, Dan and Minerva headed off towards the north. Their destination was the City of Prosperity, Ilian.

  ***

  Dan and Minerva traversed the taiga that surrounded Ruktia. They had finally reached the end of the sea of coniferous trees, and they found a hastily paved road. It was already late in the afternoon when they arrived at their current spot, and their feet were sore from the arduous journey. Horse was a resource they were unable to acquire. It was too expensive, and a single one would cost them their entire savings. Currently, all that Minerva had were fifteen Ors, and fifty-eight Kelts. It was a meagre amount that was hardly enough for the two of them to be accommodated in an inn for a few days.

  They kept walking through the road until the sun had finally given way to the stars. Their goal was to reach Takal Point within the next few days. It was a large intersection governed by merchants. In that area, they would be able to ride a carriage towards the City of Ilian. According to Mervik, the fee would amount to approximately four Ors each. It was a cheap amount; it was reasonable, but when compared to their family’s current budget, it was expensive.

  Dan glanced at the twin swords concealed within his brown robe. “Mother, this sword... it’s pretty sturdy. Do you know from which kind of metal it’s made from?”

  Minerva was snuggled up near her son. Her body was wrapped in a blanket given to them by Mervik. They had no choice but camp on the ground. “I’m pretty sure it’s made from Relihalcon. Take care of it. The price of a single dagger is equivalent to almost a fortune.”

  “I see...,” Dan softly replied. His eyes flickered of sorrow for an instance as he stared at the twin blades. Once they arrived at Takal Point, he had decided to sell one of them. It was a sacrifice needed in order for them to start anew in the City of Ilian.

  “Don’t sell it.” Minerva was psychic. “No matter how poor we are right now, we’ll eventually rise again. Those blades are your father’s memento. It’s something passed down to him from the previous generations. Now, it’s in your hands. Take care of it.”

  Dan did not respond after those words. Silently, he had resolved himself to go against his mother’s will. After snuggling inside a thin blanket, Dan closed his eyes and slept. The sounds of the tree’s leave’s rustling against each other served as lullaby.

  ***

  Days passed, and they eventually reached Takal Point. Their arrival was just in time for their rations were depleted. Their stomachs started to grumble, and the aromatic scent that filled the air made their mouth water.

  Takal Point was a fairly large place positioned right next to an intersection in the road. It spanned almost half a kilometer large, and numerous stalls filled the area. If one were to look at the eastern side of Takal, they would see numerous horses tethered to their respective carriages. The carriages themselves were large and long. Good enough to accommodate a dozen passengers.

  Minerva pulled Dan’s hand as she moved towards one of the stalls. The area beside it was bustling, and a middle-aged woman manned the counter. The scent of skewered meat entered them, and they could not help but salivate.

  “How much?” Minerva asked. The meat before her continued to sizzle, and with every drip of its juice, the burning inferno below it made ~shhhkk sound
s.

  The woman glanced at her and simply said, “Thirty Kelts each. Pay forty and a cup of juice’s included.”

  “That’s robbery!” Minerva remarked. The price was absurd for a skewered meat.

  “Oh, dear. Another clueless customer? Listen, honey. The price of meat began rising lately. People began fleeing deeper into the Empire. Basically, some of the farms were left without people. You think growing crops’ simple?”

  Minerva understood the meaning behind the woman’s words. It seemed that Krukas invaded further into the Empire, and the residents were left with no choice but to flee into the major cities. The refugees were of the same situation as them. With a gulp, she asked, “Then... the price of the trip to Ilian?”

  “Yeah. It’s skyrocketed. If you don’t hurry, you’ll lose a seat. Everyone’s frantic on escaping into one of the major cities. The invasion of monsters has died down a little, but no one is assured of anything. Major cities hold the greatest military might. It’s definitely safer there.”

  Minerva turned pale as she heard the word ‘skyrocketed.’ The money she carried with her was hardly enough to buy them two seats for the trip, but now, the price leaped beyond her control. The idea of traversing towards the City of Ilian by foot crossed her mind.

  “I’ll buy two skewered meat. Forty kelts each so include the cups of juice.”

  “Sure, honey.”

  The woman handed Minerva her order. She was about to hand Dan his share when she realized that he was nowhere to be found. Numerous thoughts flashed through her mind. Dan was different from other kids, but he was still a child. She felt shivers run down her spine as she thought of the worst things possible. Eventually, she saw his figure from a distance. He was in front of a stall and was conversing with a merchant. Minerva heaved a sigh of relief and walked towards Dan.

  “No. That’s too cheap, mister. Seven Wys. Fifty Ors. It’s a deal.” Dan said in a firm tone.

  “No, no. That’s absurd! Seven Wys. That’s final!” the merchant argued.

  Dan sighed and raised a brow. “Fine. I’ll sell it to another merchant. You’re too stingy, old man.”

  Minerva shook her head once after she heard Dan’s remark. She had never heard Dan utter such impolite words before. The child had always been respectful. Dan always knew his manners.

  “Hey! Fine!” The merchant raised his right hand. “Deal. Seven Wys and Fifty Ors. Damn this kid. You really know your way in the market, huh?”

  Dan smiled and said, “Deal.” He pulled out one of the twin blades from his robe and handed it to the merchant. The merchant pulled the blade out of the scabbard, and scrutinized its every nook and cranny. He then nodded once in approval.

  “Definitely made of Relihalcon. It’s the fourth strongest metal there is. Wonder where you got such a good sword from?”

  “Wait!” A woman’s voice made the stall owner stare in shock. He slightly tilted his head and said, “Yes, madam? What could this merchant do for you?”

  Instead of replying, the woman glared at Dan. Her eyes were squinted as she suppressed her anger. “Young man! What do you think you’re doing?! That’s the last gift your father gave you!” She bit her lips and groaned in frustration. “I told you not to sell it, right?” She grabbed the dagger from the merchant. “This is ours. We’re not selling it. End of story.”

  “Hey! That child already sold it to me!”

  “Shut it!” Minerva turned to Dan. Her eyes were not smiling.

  “Mother. My decision is final. I’m going to sell one of the twin daggers. It’s a sacrifice that must be made if we want to continue living. Face it—money cannot buy happiness, but it could buy everything else. We need money if we want to survive.” Dan said in a calm but serious tone. “I’m sure father would rather have the memento be sold that see us scavenging for food.”

  “B-But!” was all Minerva was able to retort. She knew that her son was right, but she can’t help but feel agonized by the fact that Krisse’s memento would be in the hands of a random person. The mere thought squeezed at her heart.

  Dan gently took the dagger from Minerva’s hands and returned it to the merchant. He then opened his palm as he wordlessly asked from the payment. All throughout the transaction, Minerva remained silent. She was weighing her thoughts and feelings.

  “That’s for me?” Dan said as he looked at the skewered meat Minerva held. Minerva handed it to him and he said his thanks. He was hungry, and a single piece was hardly enough to satiate him. He grabbed Minerva’s hand and said, “Let’s go. We have enough money to go to Ilian.”

  Upon arrival at the place where the carriages were clustered, Dan and Minerva were surprised of the absurd price of the travel feel. It skyrocketed to nine Ors each. It was an amount that was more than twice the initial value. Dan pulled out the required Ors and handed it to the stubby merchant. The travel time from Takal Point to Ilian was around eleven days by cart.

  Their destination was the City of Prosperity.

  Chapter 08: The City of Prosperity

  Almost two weeks had passed and thankfully, Dan and Minerva's travel by cart towards the City of Ilian was met with no adversity. The roads were becoming more paved as they went deeper into the Empire, and the ride towards their destination slowly but continuously became smoother; it was comfortable enough despite the anxiety that filled the air. By now, everyone was aware of the impending crisis in the form of Krukas.

  The City of Molivia was devastated beyond recognition. The previously almighty city was reduced to ashes, and all of the soldiers and residents residing in it were killed. Even the genius tactician, General Orbit, was killed in action. There were sightings of the mythical stone dragon, but it was something that needs to be confirmed by the royal magicians.

  Emperor Kulaima VIII issued a subjugation order. He assigned the S ranked magician, Theolfo the Beheader, to be the Commanding General. Thousands of magicians were gathered three days ago to form the Emperor's desired Legion. According to the statement of General Theolfo, a large scale battle will break out before the month ends. Still, he told the general populace not to worry. The battle will be held in the Workshair Mountain Range. That will be the place where they will intercept Krukas' invading army...

  Dan placed the newspaper he held on his hand inside his leather bag. After leaning on the couch, he looked at the opened window. The scenery of multitudes of trees lightly blurred as the carriage moved forward. The metallic barouche's movement was fluid and only occasional bumps along the road were encountered.

  "We're almost there. I wonder what awaits us in that city? 'City of Prosperity.' Just the name alone fills me with excitement!" Minerva uttered in glee. She was also looking at the open window and the breeze created from the barouche's movement was soothing. The scent of grass filled the air, and when mixed with the metallic aroma of the cart, it gave an indescribable feeling of the nostalgia.

  "Mom, what do you plan to do once we get to the city? I mean... how do you plan to earn Yilians?" Dan asked. His stare remained fixated on the outside scenery. The two of them were currently inside the carriage, and they occupied two seats that were separated from the rest by a metallic partition.

  It took Minerva a few seconds before she replied. In a sheepish tone, she said, "I'm not... sure? Probably do some errands." She was not confident that any of her skills would be ample to compete in such a major city. Dan knew the thoughts that filled her mind. He said, "You're a great cook--no, excellent. Once we arrived at Ilian, we'll open up a stall. Once we got ourselves a residence, we'll waste no time and immediately go to the market. We'll gather ingredients. Time is money. We don't want to have my soon to be born sibling live in poverty."

  Minerva was surprised by her son's words. She was speechless after finding out that Dan had already made a mental itinerary once they got to Ilian. With mixed emotions, mostly helplessness and gratefulness, she softly smiled, making her left dimple sink in response. "I'm really glad you're here with me. You really think my cookin
g skills' enough to compete in the city?"

  "Of course. I've tasted it myself for years. Food made by mom is the best. No competitions." Dan's tone was filled with no doubt or hesitation. From the open window, they saw a large wall that surrounded everything the eyes could see. It was around half the size of the Great Wall of the Empire, but the clumps of iron embedded on it depicted a more sturdy appearance. Hundreds of soldiers manned the gate, and they all have vigilant eyes.

  They heard the sounds of horses neighing, and the carriage halted to a stop. Suddenly, the coachman's voice rang out from beyond. "Passengers! We've arrived at the City of Prosperity! Welcome! Welcome to the City of the North! Ilian!"

  From the bow front, the coachman went inside the carriage. He removed his night black hat and bowed. "This is as far as the Takal Express goes. Thank you for your patronage."