I Guard The Book That Slays Gods

He'd left without telling his comrades where he was going. Two days into the desert, the weight of that choice still hadn't hit him.

Raiden clutched his shadowy sword, his fluffy white hair moving with the desert wind along with his ragged clothing as the sun hung threateningly in the sky above.

He swayed, limbs protesting. Regeneration knit his flesh, but it couldn't patch the hunger that gnawed his strength away beneath the noon sun.

At night, he was filled with energy without feeling the slightest hunger, but with the sun directly overhead, it was as though his energy had vanished. Perhaps this was the price of being the moon dragon.

However, Raiden, in his zombie-like state, had zero interest in stopping. Though Noor's deserts were incredibly dangerous and he'd experienced their threats before, his broken mind couldn't retrieve those memories.

So he only sought something that would bring him happiness. What that might be was unclear to him, but he could sense it inside despite his fractured sense of self—the one impulse that still made sense to him. Therefore, it was something he couldn't deny even without full awareness.

The desert wind pushed against his lightweight frame, causing him to sway like a drunk, though he managed to stay upright. His golden eyes flickered once, the bewilderment and emptiness beneath his calm expression so obvious that even the blind could have seen it.

The day wore on endlessly, nearly reaching nightfall. His pale skin was drenched in sweat, his stomach growling with hunger, but none of these discomforts could break through his heavy stupor.

But as his boots pressed deep into the arid sand with each steady step, luck finally turned his way. Far in the distance, he could make it out: buildings spreading along the horizon.

Enormous walls extended before him, disappearing into the distance, and even at this range, their massive scale was apparent. Beyond them rose cityscapes, which was quite unusual for a city.

Yet he had no desire to quicken his pace. After all, it was clear he lacked the presence of mind to even seek food. Maintaining his steady rhythm from before, he began walking toward the massive walls.

Hours passed, and by the time he reached the vicinity, the sun was setting. The fatigue and hunger that had plagued him earlier were gradually becoming distant memories.

Four people stood at the city's entrance, dressed in casual clothing. Two had axes strapped to their backs, another bore a massive hammer on his exposed shoulder, and the fourth was a blonde girl leaning against the wall, hand resting on her sword's hilt. Her aura glowed yellow, while the others radiated white.

Beyond them lay a well-paved street running through the heart of the city, bustling with horse-drawn wagons and Noorians dressed in turbans and flowing robes.

However, the nearer he came, the more attention he drew from those around him. The confusion and terror etched on their faces went far beyond reactions to his typical appearance. Yet Raiden barely registered their stares; he was consumed with seeking purpose, something—anything—that might make him happy.

Before long, the girl against the wall approached him. Remarkably, she showed no trace of the fear that marked the faces of those behind her and the Noorian near the entrance.

The sight of her made Raiden freeze mid-step. His grip tightened on his shadowy sword, golden eyes locked onto the blonde girl while his massive dark aura pulsed with uncertainty.

"And who must you be… exactly?" She asked casually in Noorian.

Her words reached Raiden, his white hair flowing freely as it danced in the dark aura swirling behind him, but still, he couldn't speak a single word.

"You can't speak?" The girl leaned forward, folding her hands across her chest with a sneer. "…huh?"

Still, Raiden didn't utter a word. Her face began twitching with annoyance, her foot tapping repeatedly against the floor as she clearly struggled to contain herself.

But Raiden's expression was firm and steady without the slightest hint of emotion, practically unreadable.

After a brief moment, she let out a sigh. "No answers? Then get lost. Ember City doesn't welcome shady types."

Her words hung in the air for a minute, and for a reason he couldn't quite grasp, Raiden turned and began walking away without a word.

But the instant Raiden turned away, the topless figure dropped his hammer and rushed to the blonde girl, whispering something in her ear.

Terror finally crossed the girl's face as she drew her sword and assumed her stance. "Wait!" She said with sweat forming across her forehead.

Raiden then halted as though something within him heeded the girl's command, and without any coherent thought, he turned toward the girl.

"You… you're the one who killed everyone in James Town, aren't you?" Her voice trembled as she gritted her teeth.

"I'm sure he's the same one who drove the snakes in the Sea of Snakes insane." the muscular man said, his voice deep and echoey. "We've lost everything, and it's your fault, monster."

He wanted to speak, to deny or explain, but only a dry rasp left him. His eyes narrowed, every line of his face spelling the words he couldn't force out: What are you on about?

Still, he remained calm and collected, his gaze unwaveringly focused on them as the two who had been hanging back moved forward to join the others.

"Your presence doesn't intimidate us… you'll pay for what you've done." The girl added, struggling to approach him.

Yet Raiden felt no urgency or immediate threat—if anything, their weak presence had grown tiresome to him. He slowly turned and attempted to simply walk away.

But the four guards weren't going to let him simply leave. The girl gulped, drew a deep breath for courage, then rushed forward and placed her hand firmly on his shoulder.

"You aren't going anywhere!"

At that moment, Raiden felt something pierce through his despair for the second time—violent annoyance. His grip tightened on his shadowy sword as he turned on the girl, his face contorting into a sneer that made his features shake with barely contained fury.