Chapter 34: A Bleak Lifestyle

Fall came fast, his life was dull and uneventful yet the presence of Alcina made him think less of why he was here in this world. Instead of drowning at the thought of his meaninglessness he decided to create a home in Moirai. It was a home located near the markets. It was a second-story home that was quite empty of furniture other than the basics.

A table, a chair, a simple matting that allowed one to sit on the floor. His room was located upstairs and it faced the market where he could see the stalls. Every afternoon he would watch goers shuffle around the market. It was a constant cycle that he started to be fond of doing.

His profession as a guardsman of throes was the same. The Guardsmen has decided to settle down in Moirai to recruit more men, he has been left behind and was now a guardsman of throes tasked to patrol the city along with the few. His partner has been living under the same roof as Alcina who turned out to be someone he could understand and rely on.

She stood around the window adjusting her leather armor. She has taken a liking living in the basement where she usually stays. It wasn't much of a home but it was a start for Lanon who was readjusting his mindset for this world. He chose to give living this world a try. This two-story house was his comfort zone and the only place he could put his mind at ease.

A heaven for him, he found himself relaxed when he's in this home of his. It wasn't easy having this home. It took weeks of hard labor and if it wasn't for Alcina's proposal he wouldn't have gotten this house before winter. Lanon sat steadily adjusting his bracers, his fingers adjusting the straps.

Alcina stayed quiet at the window. She would give Lanon a queer gaze that made him confused. What was she looking at him for? He felt like there was something that she wanted to say.

"What is it?" he asked, his arm leaned on the chair. "You've been looking at me as if I can guess your thoughts."

"Lanon, have you heard of the Lady of Pale Shine Pass?"

He furrowed his brow. "What about it?"

"There was once a Lady of the Pale Shine Pass. She was a lady of extraordinary beauty. Many had asked for her hand but none has succeeded even at the age of the ancients. It was said that she's a skinwalker, a person with many faces and her might cannot be fathomed even by the six heroes or the War Maiden. A master of the arcane and the ability to move objects with her thoughts made her...lonely and invulnerable."

"What about her?"

"What do you think of her?" she said with a curious look on her face. "Do you ever wonder how someone could live through the ages and watch everything she knew and cared for dies? She's always alone as if none can ever understand her pain. She doesn't even dare to love with how she would eventually watch her love wither away. The thought of it pains her."

"I don't understand."

She smiled, "Me too. It was a lonely tale that ma and pa used to tell me. This 'lady' of Pale Shine Pass could not take her life and she's always reborn again and again. She wouldn't have any memories at first, just like you, and it would take her years to have her memories back. Worst, she wouldn't know that she was the invulnerable lady of the Pale Shine Pass."

"So is that it? She dies then reincarnates into another form?"

"Yes," she said. "But she has this curse where those who have truly loved her would enter a cycle of pain and suffering."

"I don't really understand this," he scratched the top of his head. "She could never love someone. And every time she dies she would lose her memories and regain it? So what if she has truly loved someone then she has forgotten that person?"

"Ma and Pa said that she never forgets. Her attainment of Magic was so high that she's recognized as the Master of the Lady Pale moon conjecture. All the current magical theories are rightly proven and tested by this lady. Isn't she wonderful?"

"She is," he agreed. "But I must say that it's quite weird of you to ask me if I know this legendary figure. Why did you ask me of this legend?"

She shrugged, "Nothing really, it just came into my mind when looking at the window. It's an old tale that I am fond off. My friend back in my old village used to listen to the old grandma. It was something about the tale that we were fond off. I want that lonely lady to be happy! Is what I and my friends would always say."

"She does sound lonely," he mouthed. "But isn't it her fault that she's like that?"

"Huh?" Alcina eyed him oddly.

"I mean...she's a powerful magician yet she could not trust or love anyone. If she truly wanted to be loved or have someone be at her side then she should raise or find a companion that would truly love her. She has all the time in this world yet she cannot do that?" he shook his head.

Alcina crossed her arm and raised her modest breast. "So what she should have done then?"

He touched his chin. "I say she should have hidden her beauty and travel around finding good men she can be with her. That would be the best thing to do. I mean she sounds like someone who loathes those who only loved her for her beauty and body. Therefore the only path for her is to find someone and know if they would be the man that was meant or her."

Alcina smiled," Sounds like a good point. Though if she's doing that then she must have been searching for a long time. She must be thoroughly disappointed by all these 'men' that are after her. After all, the legend still persists even to this day. That Lady of the Pale Shine pass must be...really lonely that she might just be searching for a home...just like you, Lanon."

He only nodded.

...

...

In this forest where there were shadow casts everywhere. A monster in humanoid form runs while panting heavily at the 'ghost' that haunts him. The trees were overgrown and they towered like towers. The vines above the branches allowed the 'ghost' to chase the monster.

He was a monster of dark red skin. His horns were clear on his forehead and yet as a monster he was being chased by this hunter that was beyond what he expected. The hunter that was hunting him exuded a frightening aura. He was 'charming' to the monsters for the mark of blessed that plagued this ghost. Yet, instead of being the hunter, he was now the hunted of this ghost who seems a master of killing monsters like him.

"A monster in human skin!" he spat out.

The ghostly shadow hunted him above as if waiting for him to tire out. The ghost seems like he has a limitless stamina and no matter where he goes he was being followed. This constant presence of this 'ghost' slowly made the monster mentally exhausted.

No matter where he goes the ghost with the red eyes would gaze upon him like he was a wonderful food to be devoured. He didn't where he was going. All he knew at the moment that even with his monstrous strength he cannot possibly take down this ghostly human.

"How come such human knows to track as well!" he thought. "It should be a secret among us! No human has observed us this well yet this human knows our ways of escaping! It doesn't fool him in the slightest! And those curse-ridden eyes! How could someone closer to the revenant exist like that here! They should be all dead!"

The humanoid ran farther inside the forest. He leaps above overgrown roots and vaulted upon rocks and ledges. He was trying his best to lose the ghostly human's eye but yet it was all for naught. It was as if the eyes of the ghostly human were forever locked upon him. There was no escape from this human. That thought was plaguing the monster.

He was a proud humanoid monster who sensed the blessing of the blessed while hiking around the woods. He thought that he could hunt down the possessor of this lovely scent yet he was wrong. The human was intentionally luring monsters like him. He never believed the rumors from the monster's herd and groups before. Yet, the fear that he was feeling made him finally believe that there was indeed a ghostly human that was hunting the higher monsters of the barren lands.

Lady Tania the Obsidian Flower told them that their conquering of the Outer Lands would go smoothly. Yet, the appearance of a strong war maiden and finally, the ghost that was hunting him down made him truly fearful. He wanted to curse at the Lady for her lies.

Suddenly, a swooshing sound was heard. The monster that was running felt like he got hit below his shoulder blade. He looked at the bolt and saw that it was a crossbow bolt. This crossbow bolt stung and seeing the dripping liquid on the tip of the bolt made the monster fear.

"Stop this human!" said the monster.

The 'ghostly' human landed smoothly thirty-steps away from him. The human wore a hooded cloak, his eyes were glowing red and the mask around his mouth made it hard for the monster to see what his true face was. His eyes glowed red and the sigil of the snake of woes, and the dove of thorns rotated in his irises.

"A bleak walker," the monster thought.

But it was not time to wonder who this human was. So, the monster launched the thin horns around his arms and flung it at the human. The human seems like he knew that the monster would do that. He tilted his body to the right and slowly moved forward.

The monster felt the tree touching his back. He was shaking. His eyes dilated and shuddered as his teeth clatter loudly. He was a demon that was sent to the land of the sons and daughters of light to wreck havoc. He has never been so cornered this far. Not to mention that the human before him was a masterful and an experienced monster.

"A demon-kin led an army of monsters around," the ghostly human said. "These monsters raided and killed a village, the males slaughtered or gutted, turned into food. The females, turned into breeding sows to release their pent-up lust."

"Stay back human!" the monster slammed his fist like a hammer. The human made a fine pirouette and masterfully threw four daggers at the joints of the demon. The demon growled in pain as he felt his limbs unable to move. "Who taught you our weakness human!? Who dared to betray us! Tell me!"

The ghostly human stopped. "Betrayed?" his tone was cold and bland. "No one betrayed you all. Unfortunately, I've been living most of my life killing monsters and demons. I do not have the ability of the Heroes, but it doesn't mean I cannot learn how to kill abominations. So knowing the weakness of you abominations is something that I know and I can exploit."

"Arrogant!" the demon struggled in anger.

The ghostly human swooped near the demon and cut at the demon's throat. The sword twisted and returned back to the neck of the demon, the head of the demon, flying away from the demon's body. Blood splattered the ground like a flower. The ghostly human took the head of the demon and used a meat hook to hang the demon's head on his waist. He looked around everywhere with his craze eyes.

Madness, disdain, blankness, and the lack of mercy were clearly written in his eyes. He was sane and his mind was clear. Ever since he parted ways with his guiding light he returned to what he was, a bleak hooded man that slaughters demons and monsters that are blocking his path.

The monsters are now attracted to him. Yet, it only felt like he was back at the time when the world was dim and where he had to watch every step for his life. The life he was living now was no different from the life he became used to. That's why even though he killed a demon that would give him praise for doing so. He only thought of the head as a way to sustain his bleak lifestyle of taking them down for gold coins.