Andel's Fall (3/3)

Wyatt POV

In the light, the armored individual truly looked like an angel, untouched by the cruel world. No. What he truly resembled was a demon who had stuck an irretractible claim on the very land he sat upon, luring those seeking an easy paradise into the deepest pits of hell.

As they approached this demon, it looked up, as though it only just took note of their presence. Of course, it saw them coming from a mile away, and when it looked at them, it took notice of their condition at a speed far faster than any human mind should've been capable of.

'Let's see... seven people, so one missing. Six with obvious bruising. Four with lacerations somewhere on their body. Three limping. And one perfectly healthy, if not sweaty, Pathfinder.'

Continuing his analysis, he then focused on the possible composition of the party.

'One Pathfinder. A few sword holders. A spear holder! That's not something you see everyday, except for Effie I suppose. One holding a shield. Perhaps a tank... Well isn't that curious, a robe wearer, seems like the same guy who was standing next to Andel at the beginning. Might be a magic user. I'll see his build once I have his Memories.'

As Wyatt relays his observations to Sunny, not expecting anything, he is pleasantly shocked when he hears a voice in his head again.

'(The sorcerer is the most unpredictable, they could be a ranged attacker, a shield type or even a support type. Be careful around him.)'

Excited, Wyatt lets it show on his face, which thankfully is covered by a faceplate.

'[Sunny!!! I'm sorry about what I said. I meant it as a complim-]'

'(Zip it. I'm not in the mood right now. Just let me think.)'

Respectfully, Wyatt accepts this and gets back to looking at them.

Satisfied, he then puts his head down on the table.

From the point of view of the Hunters, this was an egregious crime. To look for five seconds and then to ignore them as though they aren't even worth his time was a true blow to their prides.

Feeling disrespected, Andel storms up to "Unknown" and as he nears him, he slows down. With hesitation clear in his eyes he begins trying to order Wyatt around.

"Y-you there, tell me your name!"

"My name?" Wyatt answers in a deep voice.

'Thank goodness I kept my Golden Leaf with me, that might've turned into a fight.'

"Don't play dumb, you might think you've done a good job hiding yourself but your luck ran out the moment I found you."

Inwardly laughing, Wyatt can't help but secretly make fun of him.

'[Oh no, this guy really has my timbers shivering. Hehehe, this third rate villain.]

As he quickly returns to the conversation, he plays around a bit.

"How am I supposed to tell you my name?" He asks innocently, a stark contrast to his artificially low voice.

As he is thoroughly confused and pondering whatever deeper meaning such a response could have, the rest of the Hunters walk into the range of the Leaf and are hit with the desire to not spark any conflicts. Everyone acted noticeably different when affected except for one man. The robed individual.

This does not go unnoticed by Wyatt.

'Looks like Phase One: [Soften Them] has hit a snag. You get more interesting by the second, don't you, Mr. Robes?'

Seeing no real problem Wyatt simply made the effect of the Leaf stronger with the shadow. With that the man's sharp gaze finally seemed to loosen. Although Wyatt would certainly keep a much closer eye on him.

Phase Two: [Get Them Drunk] was as self explanatory as it could be. Leveraging their increased desire to not get into conficts, he planned to get them drunk to make Phase Three even easier.

As he was considering what to say, the Pathfinder spoke up and said something completely shocking.

"I-it... I... I think we have the wrong person. I'm sorry for disturbing you."

'What the hell! Don't stop now, I can't rob you if you walk way from me.'

Wyatt then preemptively offered them a drink, rasing the flask high up with his left hand.

"Do you want some? It's very good." 'Probably'

'They're all twenty one, right? I wonder if I'm breaking any laws by doing this... what am I thinking? They've killed people.'

Unfortunately, Andel decided not to accept Wyatt's hospitality out of fear of being considered rude. So, seeing no other choice, Wyatt eased up on the Leaf.

Thankfully this had the intended effect and made Andel a bit more belligerent and demanding. Getting him to accept a drink was a cake-walk and getting his men to follow was even easier. When it came time for Mr. Robes' turn however, special attention was given. The gulps he took were small, slow, and clearly deliberate, as though only faking his involvement. Mr. Robes noticed the attention he was getting, and simply kept going, as though challenging Wyatt in the softest and most effective way. By ignoring him.

'Well played. Do I beat you into giving me your stuff, or avoid you and focus on everyone else? Ugh, their fight or flight might kick in if I threaten you, and I'm in no shape to fight them.'

Making his decision he walked up to the now dangerous individual and patted him on the left shoulder. At this point the other arm was not quite as useless anymore thanks to healing slightly, but it was still only just enough to weakly rest it on his hip so it looked semi-normal rather than leaving it limp.

"That robe is interesting, a very rich and feiry shade of red. Is it cashmere? How did you get it?"

Wyatt was in no mood to fool around at the moment. Not with someone who might just be a walking bomb. So rather than wait for an answer, he checked the Memory in the same way he checked the Memories back in the shop.

'It's so soft, I can't wait to try out his robe.'

Memory: [Secluded Counsel]Memory Rank: Ascended.Memory Tier: VMemory Type: Armor.

'w-WHAT!' 'How is his only one rank below mine?!'

'[Sunny, do you see this? It's unbelievable, he's a hunter and has a Memory like this!]'

As soon as Sunny saw the rank and tier of the armor, he was also worried. Enough to leave his seclusion and have a counsel with Wyatt. He even made every shadow except for one on the ground increase the power of the Headband causing the world to nearly stop.

'(I see it. We need to check the Enchantments.)

Memory Description: [A young man sat atop a hill, overlooking a quant hamlet. As the dawn came, he bore witness to a young girl, frolicking in the breeze and climbing in the trees of a forest. Yet when the other children came by to play, the little girl shooed them away.

"Little girl."

The man said.

"For what reason do you choose not to play with them? The day is so short, would it not be a blessing to let others share it with you? Let yourself be surrounded by others and your life will be twice as long and ten times as full."

______

A wise sage sat atop a hill, overlooking a quiet village. As the morning passed he bore witness to a young teenager walking to the forest. It was a boy with a flower in hand.

'Ah little girl, how long has it been since last we spoke? It appears one of your friends wishes to become something a bit more. May you find happiness, and live your life well.'

______

A lonely hermit sat atop a hill, overlooking a small town. As noon arrived, he saw a lavish ceremony. A beautiful wedding where it seemed the whole village was invited. Yet, the hermit was still stuck on a hill, watching everything, and yet forgotten by everyone.

'Little girl, little girl. Perhaps you've forgotten what I've done for you. Why, if not for me, you'd be alone, scorned by all. You never let anyone play with you, all you did was chase them away. It wasn't until I came along that you learned how to play nice... So why little girl, why forsake me?'

'(Or perhaps I only have myself to blame.)'

'Wait who said that?!'

'(Perhaps if you took the advice you doled out so long ago, your own life would be fuller.)'

'You don't understand, nobody would.'

'(Only if you don't tell me.)'

The hermit went silent, with not even his own thoughts to comfort him.

______

A embittered recluse, sat atop a hill, overlooking a busy town. As the afternoon came and went, so too did the kids, coming home from a long day of learning. There was no forest, no trees. Just buildings.

At least the hill was still around.

'Little girl, little girl. Is this what you wanted. I can see your son from here. How sad.''(Yes, he really is quite pathetic.)''[Oh yes, we had no such luxuries when we were young. I bet he'll even have the gall to say he's so smart just because he knows a few things.]''Are you another voice?''[Why yes. How might you be doing.]''Quite alright.''[I don't care. Deep down that kid is smarter than you.]''You speak nothing but lies. That bastard son will grow up just like her whore mother.''[Perhaps if you yourself had grown up like that you could also be like her whore mother. An upgrade if you ask me.]''(Don't forget me, I'm also here.)''What in the gods' names could you wish to say.''(Simply that I'd call you a son of a bitch, if only that didn't insult my mother who put so much effort in raising you.)''I would watch the both of you hang if I could.

______

A enraged misanthrope sat atop a building, overlooking a crowded city. As midnight fell, the quiet sounds of weeping could be heard. The man had lost his old hill long ago, replaced by a building of some sort, he never bothered to check what building it was. He didn't care either, for tonight, it was as though his deeping and greatest wish had been realized. And for that reason, he was observing a funeral with the face of someone who had snapped long ago.

'HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!! LITTLE GIRL LITTLE GIRL, I WON!!! So you lived longer, so what, you still have nothing to show for it. (He's right, look at him, he doesnt have a child who would weep for him.) [Ha, you say that but he doesn't even have a hill anymore.] I know, I'm quite angry about that too, but it was worth it. You got nothing. (Yeah, you got nothing. You cretin, you had a whole life in front of you, and did nothing but talk to me, I'm a damn figment of your imagination.)'

______

A broken old man sat atop a hill, overlooking... something. It wasn't important. Nothing was important. The place wasn't important. The time wasn't important. Only he was important. If the surroundings would change without him, if the time would change without him, then so what. Such an act was only more proof of their own irrelevance.

He was perfectly happy being by himself, even if the voices sometimes blended together, making it impossible to understand anything.

"Little girl little girl where ar-iN A gRaVE- whoops hehehe I-wORthLEsS-no, it... the litle girl, the little girl... she simply...-she lived, and you're jealous-what ar-PatHeTIC-stop-mISeRAbLe-stop-WorThLEsS-STOOOOP STOP STOP STOP-hey don't be mean-what, which one of you said that-me-no me-you dummies it was me who els-ME MmeEMEhEHe-Enough please, I beg of you to shut up-why-yeah why-we're all you have-yeah, we're all you have-why did you join us-WHY NOT-and who said our life couldn't be full-him-who me-no him-me-no, the first him-ohhh-well don't worry, you have us-and you always will."]

'[...]'

'(...)'

Memory Enchantments: [Echo Chamber.] [Repellant.] [Regulator.]

Enchantment Description: [One can create multiple consciousness that can think separately and communicate with each other.]

Enchantment Description: [When activated, all nearby beings will feel a desire to stay far away from the cloak wearer.]

Enchantment Description: [The cloak will always be kept comfortable for the wearer, even the temperature will always be perfect.]

'[Fuuuuuuck]' '(Damnation!)'

They spent so long reading the description of the Memory that they forgot they were currently in a conversation with the owner of this robe. Even if time was passing far slower, the man had already asked a question in response.

Fortunately at this moment, a drunk Andel arrived and snatched the bottle from the his hand, creating the perfect distraction.

As Andel started chugging down alcohol, Wyatt had a thought:

'If he dies of alcohol poisoning that would count as my kill, wouldn't it.'

Wyatt then quickly springs into action.

"Stop right there you fiend."

"Why should I?"

'...Wait a second.'

As he waited a second, the Memory in Andel's hand vanished into sparks of light. This did not make the Pathfinder happy however.

Andel started preparting to pull out his own Memories to attack Wyatt. Before he could, Wyatt reached under his rock chair and pulled out a golden leaf along with one of the red rocks. In a split second two shadows rushed to the Leaf. In one final movement, he pinched the rock over the leaf.

As the rock popped, it reaveled that it was never a rock in the first place, but a pouch of blood made from that which he lost in his getaway from The Marble General. The blood from the exploded pouch fell onto the Dark Leaf and allowed it to shine so brightly.

That was when Wyatt struck.

"Stop."

And everyone did, except for one. The robed man.

Wyatt noticing the mans apparent immunity to mind attacks, prepared for retaliation. But it never came.

Although not frozen, the man just calmly watched, as though sizing up Wyatt and the extent of his abilities.

This suited Wyatt just fine. He had never intended for the persona of "Unknown" to be a Crouching Tiger, hiding its true strength so no one would attack it. He intended for it to be a means to project power, flaunting its strength so much, that no one would dare attack it. Whether or not it succeeded depended on his own acting, but if it worked, everything the world had to offer would be his, and no one would fight back.

A witness could only help.

"Everyone. Stand in front of me."

And they did, lining up horizontally in clear view of him. As they did Wyatt prepared another pouch seeing that the effects could only last for so long. A significant portion of the blood had already blackened, sapped of energy.

"Everyone, give me your all of your Memories."

While the Hunters were De-summoning their armors and preparing to hand it to him, Sunny's newest shadow was looking at him strangely.

'Yes, I did just ask a group of attractive and muscular men to strip. No, I did not mean it like that.'

While the shadow was giving him the side eye, he was giving the robed man a side eye. It was at this moment he decided to speak up.

"I would like to beg for my life, please state your terms."

Wyatt's eyes opened wide and while he was considering this man's words, the Hunter's started giving him everything on their persons.

[You Have Received...][You Have Received...][You Have Received...]

As this was happening, he used another pouch of blood to extend the time they were under his control.

He used this time to ask the robed man a question to determine his honesty

"What does that robe do?"

"How am I supposed to know?"

'(He's trying to avoid the question.)'

Not in the mood to waste his pouches, he asked a clear yes or no question.

"Do you mean to say that you don't know?"

Without a moments hesitation the robed man answered.

"That is correct."

Wyatt grinned. He could show off even more of his powers by catching him red handed.

"That is to say, you don't realize that your robe allows you to create multiple consciousness?"

Silence.

"If you wish to beg for your life, you're doing a terrible job. I will kill you if you don't act properly. Now tell me again, what does your robe do."

'(I thought you were against killing?)'

'[I'm not against bluffing.]'

"It let's me split my consciousness and process far more things at a time... It also functions to keep me comfortable."

'That's better.'

Seeing that he would now be at least somewhat honest if he knew his lies would get called out, Wyatt decided he needed to know more.

"What is your name?"

For a second the robed man said nothing, as though pondering if he could hide his name without getting caught and killed.

"My name is Kosimo."

'...'

Noticing the silence, Kosimo was wondering what was going through Wyatt's head. After continuing the effects of the Leaf with another blood pouch,  Wyatt spoke up, saying only one word.

"Interesting."

'(What's so interesting? Do you know something about him?)'

'[No. That's what's interesting. I should at least be able to recognize the name if he's so powerful.]'

'Did he perhaps die in the Siege of the Spire? He wasn't mentioned in the story.'

Despite being watched for so long, Kosimo showed no signs of discomfort. He even seemed glad to have time to prepare. So before Wyatt had a chance to speak, he was ready to offer a deal.

"I thank you for your kindness in sparing. As a show of good faith, I will show you my Memories and let you pick out your favorite."

'That certainly sound reasonable, I'm glad he understands what's going on.'

With a smile on his face, Wyatt agreed, and in moments, dozens of Memories started appearing in front of him.

The smile froze as he struggled to count just how many Memories were currently on the ground. Wyatt realized, this man might well be more powerful than Andel. Maybe even more powerful than him.

'Something doesn't add up here, if he has so many Memories, even Ascended Memories, why isn't he one of the Lieutenants.'

Thinking through it, he discovered Kosimo's critical weakness.

'This man, has no fighting Aspect. His Aspect must be centered around his mind. Unless he just has a really strong mental protection Memory.'

'No, Kido has no fighting aspect either, yet she's a Lieutenant.'

Seeing no other way of knowing, he decides to ask Kosimo.

"You seem like you could weasel your way into a Lieutenant position, just kiss up to Gunlaug or Gemma and you have a spot."

Kosimo had a mild expression of confusion on his face before it disappeared.

"It is difficult to get an audience with the Lord, and Gemma, as perplexing as it is, is currently supporting Kido, the leader of the Artisans."

It took Wyatt a while before he finally remembered that in the Novel, Gemma supported Kido out of love. But why couldn't someone as perceptive as Kosimo see that, instead describing it as "perplexing". Was it a ruse, or a genuine failure to understand.

It was at this point that Wyatt noticed he was running low on blood pouches and could not keep this up for much longer. Rather than press Kosimo on this, he decided to pick his prize.

'Three choices on what to take. Something that covers for my weaknesses. Something that will leave him vulnerable. Or something that will create the appearance of a weakness that I'm trying to fix. Ideally it does two at the same time.'

After skimming through the choices, he found something that could serve him well.

Memory: [Pure Heart]

Memory Rank: Awakened.

Memory Tier: II

Memory Type: Tool.

Memory Description: [A baby bird was in the nest with it's mother where he spoke nothing but lies. Not even he knew where his true self began. No one knew he never learned how to fly, and certainly no one knew to help him. When it came time to leave the nest, the bird plummeted straight to the ground. Only when he told everyone did they help, only when they knew he couldn't fly, did he finally get the chance to.]

Memory Enchantments: [Weight of Guilt] [Weight Off Your Chest]

Enchantment Description: [When any lies are spoken, the Heart will get heavier.]

Enchantment Description: [When any truths are spoken, the Heart will get lighter.]

'What a tiny heart, it's as small as my thumb.'

As he held it in his gaunleted hand, he made one last proposition.

"If you choose to work with me, you can become a Pathfinder. In exhange I want half the Memories you have."

Kosimo smiled as he heard such a bold remark, as though this negotiation was taking a fun turn. He knew that despite what is seemed, he held the advantage, especially since Wyatt was starting to run out of time.

"How am I supposed to do that?" Kosimo said.

"You're already in a good position, your leader just gave the enemy everything he owns. You haven't. If you can play your cards right, then becoming a Pathfinder will be easy."

"If it's already likely I become a Pathfinder, then what do I gain out of giving you my possessions. For you to make such a unrealistic demand, it seems like you want something else."

'Dammit, I got seen through.'

"Yes. Become a spy for me, tell me about the on-goings of the BrightCastle. In exchange you wil recieve Soul Shards."

"How many Soul Shards?"

"That can be discussed later."

With a calm smile on his face, Kosimo decided to try his luck, betting on Wyatt making a poor decision due to running out of time.

"One Shard per piece of information or no deal."

Wyatt saw what Kosimo was doing and decided to exert his own pressure.

"Then there's no deal." He said as he started walking away, forcing Kosimo into action.

"Fine, it can be discussed later."

Looking back with a hidden smirk, Wyatt quickly gave the time and place for their next meeting.

"In one week at three PM, meet with me in front of the Cathedral."

Kosimo stood there akwardly as he was thinking things over.

"I'm afraid I can't meet with you that early, I need sleep."

Wyatt was confused, he woke up perfectly fine today. Did he sleep till noon on all other days of the week?

'Oh, I get it.'

"Meet me at fifteen PM, next week."

Now Kosimo understood, barely.

'(Hahaha, What is fifteen PM?)'

'[Shut up.]'

"Well, I'll be taking my leave now, goodbye Kosimo."

_________________________

Walking back to the outer settlment, Wyatt was thinking over the conversation and he was not happy.

'[Sunny what happened?]'

While now willing to talk to Wyatt, especially after such a fun show, Sunny was in no mood to pull any punches.

'(You got flattered and wasted time. Your strategy of showing of left you vulnerable when he also showed of. You gave him the initiative and you let him set the terms. In the end, the winner was him, who now will control a group of Hunters and enjoy more power.)'

'[Okay, yes, but... I didn't do to bad myself. Our robbery went astonishingly well. Even if it hit a snag. It's not everyday you find yourself forty seven new Memories.]'

'(... you said forty seven...?)'

'(Perhaps, I was a bit... harsh.)'

Caught off guard by such a one eighty in attitude, Wyatt stopped walking, letting him catch a glimps of a dead body on the road they took. As he look both ways before walking onto the road, he saw nothing coming, nor did he see any monsters near the body.

Approaching the body, with a mortified expression frozen on its face, he kneeled down and closed its eyes. He then whispered something lightly.

"rest in peace"

Knowing he couldn't do anything more for the body, he simply walked away, and stepped into the shadows, all the way back "home".

_______________________

Not long after, he made it to the dirty hovel, in a dirty torn up Puppeteer's Shroud, and with a limp right arm. He wanted to not be seen by anyone and so took a roundabout way to Effie's place. Currently he was standing on the roof and preparing to enter through a chimney.

Taking a long look to make sure it wasn't currently lit, he jumped right in while yelling.

"Ho Ho Ho!"

For once he thanked being so small because otherwise he would never have tried going down a chimney like that.

While coming out covered in soot, he looked around and wondered if breaking into a girl's house was the best idea.

Not for any moral reasons, but because there were currently four separate weapons pointed at him.

While everyone else was looking on utterly shocked by the event, Caster asked the first question.

"Sunless. How... are you here?"

Kai also had his own worries, although they were more so out of concern for Wyatt's health.

"What happened to your arm?'

Looking at his own bandaged shoulder, he raised his right arm with great effort, and slowly scratched the back of his neck with it.

"Well, if you must know. I got into a fight with a Fallen soldier of the Underworld, so I lifted my legs, and it died."

"Now then, where's the food. I'm starving."

_________________________

Kosimo POV

'What a mess he left me with.'

Currently kneeled down on the cafeteria floor was Kosimo. In front of him was his Lord. To meet with him was a rare event, even for someone of his station.

As he was kneeling, someome was currently being brought in, restrained by two Pathfinders. It was Andel, dressed in Mundane clothing.

The Pathfinders weren't the only people watching closely. Everyone in the Castle was looking, wondering how the trial would go. Why wouldn't they? After all, it's not everyday that a group of hunters arrive buck naked at the Castle gate.  And it's certainly not everyday when you hear that those same hunters, these absolute elites within the Castle, all get robbed blind by a single person.

The legend of Unknown is starting to spread like wildfire among the BrightCastle inhabitants. It has gotten to the point that not even Gunlaug can stop the rumors. He can only hope to put them to use and paint Unknown as an enemy that needs to be stopped. An extremely tall task.

"Unhand me you heathens! I'm innocent I tell you!" Andel screamed out.

"Silence."

Although the voice didn't yell, it still doused the tension in the room and made everyone remember who was in charge.

"Andel. What to do, what to do? You have just been ruthlessly stolen from by an unjust outlaw. My heart is screaming to get justice, but your actions aren't helping. Is it really robbing if you yourself gave him everything? While I love each and every one of my wards, it worries me to see you act like this.  Have you joined the enemy."

'[Now is the perfect time to bring Andel's murder of the hunter.]'

'(I disagree Beta. If we speak up now, that could be seen as a sign of disrespect towards Gunlaug. I propose we stay silent and allow him to dig his own grave.)

'[If we say nothing, we get nothing. Now is the perfect time to strike.]'

'He's right Alpha, we've waited years for the perfect opportunity. This is likely the best chance we ever get.'

After this internal conversation Kosimo finally speaks up.

"My lord, if I may?"

As Gunlaug looks to Kosimo and Kosimo looks at Gunlaug, he experiences the crushing pressure of the Armor Echo. Yet the force that hits everyone else like a train, does not affect him nearly as much. Still, he pretends to struggle if only for show.

"That is not Andel's worst crime. His worst crime... was using my fellow hunters as a decoy for the Creatures."

Gemma standing behind Gunlaug is now staring daggers at Andel. As if robbery and murder of the normal people wasn't bad enough, he dared to treat a hunter in such a manner. If true, then he was more than a liability. He was now a threat.

Andel was starting to go crazy. He knew that if he couldn't fight of these accusations, he would die. No two ways about it,

"YOU FAITHLESS DOG!! I challenge you!!! Fight me!"

Kosimo just smiled.

"I accept."

Now Andel was looking at Kosimo like he was a piece of meat waiting to be carved up.

"I would like to borrow a weapon to fight with."

'You pitiable sad sack.'

Gemma looked down on Andel and almost lost his cool. He just refused in the most scathing way.

"Bright Castle has given you a wide variety of weapons over the years. Please use the one you like best."

Upon hearing this, Andel's face paled.

"But I have none of them with me."

As Gemma squinted, the Pathfinder finally understood he had no chance. Gemma's next statement was just the nail in the coffin.

"Who's fault is that?"

Looking at Gemma with murder in his eye's, Andel did something no one could have expected. He grabbed one of his sleeves, and tore it off. Holding the torn clothing in his hand, he then stretched it out, and activated his Ability.

In clear view of everyone, the cloth turned from soft, to rigid, then to sharp. Sharp enough to cut steel. As the onlookers watched the show unfold, they were reminded why a Pathfinder was deadly in every last way.

As Kosimo looked on, he felt neither fear nor stress. Knowing his former boss like the back of his hand, he had already come up with a plan to kill him in every situation. That was without mentioning that this situation was as ideal as it got.

'The only reason you lived for so long was because it was never worth changing the status quo. Unfortunately, you've been overstepping your bounds. I'll say it again, what a mess.'

As he was thinking this, a writhing mass of flesh discretely made its way down his legs. It then implanted itself in the floor in front of Kosimo, camoflauging to be no different in color and texture from the floor.

He made sure to distract everyones attention by summoning a weapon. An Ascended Saber he had the good fortune of acquiring. One that would also be powerful enough to cut steel. If only Kosimo knew how to use a blade properly, he wouldn't have to rely on the protection of others. But to train would mean taking time away from his plans, and he had no particular compuction towards dependence on others. He only had a desire for power, and pleasure.

Now was the time to see what would win, the heartless machinations of a schemer, or the flawless technique of a fighter.

Knowing of his subordinates incompetence with a blade, Andel made a beeline to slice apart Kosimo. In a fit of rage, he practically flew across the room. It took not even a second to cross the distance of the room, standing within striking range of Kosimo.

Kosimo, for his part, simply retreated backwards, and activated his trap on the ground.

In that moment, the world grew brighter.

In the epicenter of the explosion, where Andel was standing, an immense heat formed, creating a blinding light. In the blink of an eye, it started to expand in all directions. Digging both deeper into the ground, and rising up past Andel's legs, past his torso, stopping as it reached his neck. A perfect sphere was formed, and rather than dissipating, it became hotter, brighter, vaporizing everyhing within. Nothing within the radius was safe. Had Kosimo stood in place, he too would have been a victim of this dastardly trap.

As it finally stopped glowing, the sphere of light dissapeared. The only evidence of it's existence was a pool of magma on the floor, and a disembodied head floating above. Not even the bones were left.

It was not a fight between a Schemer and a Fighter. But between a Trapper and a scared animal.

It happened so quickly that the head didn't even realize it had already lost, still holding a deep scowl.

It was a painless execution.

[Your Memory has been destroyed.]

'A shame.'

Smacking the head away from the magma, he then picked it up, noticing the wound on it's neck had been cauterized. As he took note, he offered the head to his Lord.

"Would my Lord like me to take the place of this pathetic traitor, and to make sure that Unknown never terrorizes your valiant Hunters again."

Noticing what Kosimo was getting at, Gunlaug gave his edict.

"Very well. From this moment on, you shall be a Pathfinder. Lead your men well, and serve the good people of this Castle to the best of your abilitites.

Tilting his head slightly behind, Gunlaug gives a more chilling order.

'Harus. I believe now is the proper time to take out the trash."

From behind the throne emerges a crooked hunchback with glassy eyes.

He then let's his arms hang down as he picks up the head with little care.

"As you wish my Lord."

"Good. Now then." Gunlaug said, looking at Kosimo.

"You are free to leave and plan your next hunt. Do not disappoint me."

Kneeling before his Lord, Kosimo responds confidently.

"I am grateful for your generosity. It would be my honor to serve you well."

End Chapter 19