Timeless Prominence

Rein found himself charging into a familiar forge with two choppers in his hands, attacking a mature-looking teen that appeared scared and uncertain.

He found himself throwing one of the choppers at the teen, before feinting with his other chopper followed by a body twist and a kick at the scared teen’s chest.

The scared teen had stumbled backward into the wall, and as Rein walked up to deliver the finishing blow, Rein suddenly recognized that the teen was not just anyone… It was himself!

The shocking moment coursed through Rein’s mind, and a flabbergasted Rein woke up, finding himself back in the Black Wolf Forest with a blackish-purple corpse next to him.

Rein had read many words of wisemen-- it was a demand his father had of him, claiming that it would come in handy when socializing with high class, well-educated clients of the Hehr merchant company.

Rein had memorized a few, but in honesty, even though some of the words made sense, he could never quite fully comprehend much of it. For a single moment, he had felt rather stricken, especially because he remembered that there was a scholar who claimed that some dreams were messages from the heavens and signified a deeper comprehension without the dreamer necessarily being conscious of it.

Was he similar to the bandit who had tried to kill him? Ridiculous.

Rein quickly shook off the dream-- a stupid dream.

Unlike the bandit, he was only seeking to kill those who had ruined his life, his family, and his town. Bandits more or less robbed on the road, and the mercenaries killed when paid.

And yet, his mind thought of another critical question-- how did these men become bandits and mercenaries…? Not a question he could answer.

Thus, Rein soon refocused his thoughts, and placed this dream in the back of his mind. It was just something his mind had conjured up due to the traumatic night.

Yes. It had to be a doubtful part of his mind that was weak and wanted to challenge the part of him that was filled with resolve to hunt down his enemies, or maybe this was his mind interpreting and learning the strategies that the bandit had used on him, for future combat uses.

However, Rein still remained somewhat uneasy. He felt a feeling of emptiness and uncertainty about his own actions, as if he had lost something important.

If he lost something important, what would that be? He could not tell, but he could no longer feel the rage that was within him that helped him survive Golden Desert Town and kill the mercenaries in Wolf Syrup Town. Perhaps it was spent after his killing spree.

With a shake of his head, Rein again banished the idea of resolving his inner conflict. What’s important now was to find out whether the imperial forces might have long surrounded him while he was out.

He was just outside the Wolf Syrup Town, and he perked up his ears as he stared at the town walls. He could hear the screams of women and the hollering of men. He then examined his own aurae reserves and found that he had recovered a smidge.

That was a far better measure of the passing of time. It’s likely that he had reawakened once his body recovered a sliver of aurae. That meant he had only lost consciousness for a short time.

Rein sighed in relief, for that also meant any investigative forces would still be far behind.

He then turned toward the corpse that looked odd after being corroded with blackish-purple aurae. He suspected that this must have something to do with the man being dragged through by the teleportation magic. It was possible that some official might be able to discover some clues from examining this ‘corrosion’ that would ultimately lead to him!

Rein refocused his uncertain mind, and did his best to try and find a hollow area beneath one of the surrounding trees’ roots to hide the corpse.

However, he initially hesitated. He was worried that the corrosion on the body might infect him if he attempted to move the body. But then, he noticed that the blackish-purple aurae on the man’s body was not spreading to any of the surrounding environment such as the grass or the trees.

This lessened Rein’s worries about touching the body, and he quickly dragged it into one of the larger hollows he could find. Surprisingly, when he touched the blackish-purple corpse, not only did the blackish-purple aurae not spread to him, but it was even repelled away from the areas that Rein gripped the man.

This made Rein think. The blackish-purple aurae must have something to do with the origin skill that he was using. Perhaps only he could teleport safely using the skill, and since the scarred man had held onto his ankle, the man was dragged into the black sphere and afflicted by the energy of the skill.

Yes! If he really needed to, he could simply drag an enemy into that blackish-purple sphere. This would drain much of his current aurae reserves, but if he were to become stronger and his aurae reserves rise by tenfold, or a hundredfold…

The skill could be used to kill after all.

Still, that was his final reserve. Teleporting the scarred man alongside himself had exhausted his aurae reserves in one go. That meant that it was only when using the skill on himself that his aurae exertion remained minimal, but not other bodies. As for the tools and travel sacks he had been teleporting alongside himself-- he can but assume that only ‘live’ objects required aurae exertion.

Rein increasingly felt that his superficial knowledge of advancer magical arts was a problem, but at the very least, he had a sharp enough mind to gradually gain an increased understanding of this origin ability that he had only recently gained. It somewhat troubled him that the echo of the fallen gods did not pass on such information to his mind when he had awakened this origin skill.

After dumping the corpse into the hollow beneath a tree’s roots, Rein kicked dirt into the gap to try and cover up the body as much as possible, before finding a few branches with leaves still attached to cover up the scene of the crime.

He sighed. This was good enough. If he had more time, he would even make sure to dig a grave and bury the body completely to avoid any complications. With a bit of luck, perhaps the blackish-purple aurae will eventually corrode that body, leaving nothing for the imperial forces to use for tracking advancer arts.

The only thing that Rein could identify as a tracking ability with his lack of knowledge would be tamed canine demonic beasts that definitely had scent tracking abilities. At the very least, Rein had knowledge of the basics: All beings contained different types of aurae, but the composition was unique to each individual, leading to an ‘aura’ exclusive to the individual. It was the basis underlying many tracking abilities in the apotheosis world. Canines were often born with the ability to identify and pursue targets by relying on this aura.

Looking up, he noticed a simple yet elegant dagger stuck into the trunk of the tree in front of him. It was none other than the dagger that was thrown by the young son of the now hidden corpse.

Rein plucked the dagger from the trunk, feeling the weight of the dagger in his hands. He remembered something metallic coming out through the blackish-purple sphere before he ended the teleport skill. Luckily, the origin skill functioned in a way such that after his body passed through, the thrown flying dagger simply flew out of the sphere. 

The dagger did not have any intricate details. Such decorative elements would only be present on an expensive dagger. Its blade had a tapered point and a single fuller, as many daggers would have. The blade was well-polished, probably because of the care put in by the young boy.

The only striking element of the dagger was the ‘crossguard’. Calling it a crossguard would be inaccurate-- it was simply a thick ring that was in the position where the crossguard would be normally. This was odd looking and yet gave the dagger an elegant feeling. The ring had some simple carvings that crept from the inner of the ring, curling out to the outer ring area, even extending slightly into the grip.

Rein squinted his eyes. If he were to make a guess, some sort of spherical magic item should be placed in this crossguard-ring. However, this was just his uninformed guess, and he couldn’t be certain.

He pocketed this dagger. As a proper kind of blade, it would be more effective for sneak attacks in the future than the cumbersome heavy hammer. Plus, this dagger once belonged to the son of the scarred right cheek mercenary. Rein figured that the dagger would remind him of the mercenary’s role in his hometown, and serve as bulwark against any doubt within him.

The dagger also reminded him of that young boy of Jein’s age… Rein was once again reminded of the young boy’s initial miserable expression followed by rage, making him recall a sense of conflict as well as fear at that moment.

He quickly dismissed these considerations for now. He could no longer waste any time!

He then picked up his travel sack and heavy hammer again, before looking upwards, forming his hand circle, and teleporting upwards until he was on a branch, at a height that overlooked the nearby Wolf Syrup Town.

What greeted him was the sight of a frenzied town, where street torches were lit and groups of frenzied imperial soldiers ran door-to-door in an attempt to find the perpetrator for what now amounted to seventeen deaths in the town-- although the seventeenth death was only reported by a young boy who claimed that the perpetrator vanished on the spot, a rather unbelievable tale.

The town had been completely locked down as well, but frankly, that was nothing to Rein, who could instantly teleport in and out. Rein once again realized how heavenly his origin skill was.

As he turned to leave, he felt a few drops of water striking the top of his head, as well as a moist breeze blowing against his face.

He looked up through a gap in the canopy at the cloudy night sky, and he could not help but snort as, for a moment, he felt indignant, that the rain was falling now for the mercenaries that he had justly killed, and yet did not earlier when the Golden Desert Town was butchered and left in flames.

He had to right this wrong. Shouldn’t the rains be falling for him?

However, this indignant feeling quickly vanished as the image of the mercenary’s resentful son popped into his mind. Rein, little by little, felt sickened at himself.

But what was he to do? He could only turn and return into the forest, and head slightly north before east to search for a water source that was in the forest. He needed a place to clean off the blood and dirt from his body, as well as rest for the night, and doing either of those in Wolf Syrup Town was now out of the question.

It did not take long before a figure flashed into existence beside a pond surrounded by trees. The figure was dressed in a messy red and yellow outfit that was covered in blood streaks as well as grayed by dust. The top and pants had clearly seen much better times.

A small fox drinking water from the pond was startled by the sudden appearance of Rein, before bolting back into the forest.

Rein looked around wearily, worried that demon beasts might be hiding beside the pond for an ambush. However, the rain had started pouring and the rumbling of thunder occurred ever more often. This could be obviously seen from the pond’s surface, which rippled chaotically as it received the tears from the heavens.

Low level demon beasts were really only marginally physically stronger compared to animals. They, too, liked to avoid storms and hide in their safe burrows.

The water of the pond was supplied by a waterfall that fell from a ledge high up above. Although the sound of the waterfall was dulled in the current rainstorm. It could still be somewhat heard once one was close enough-- that was how Rein arrived at this location. In the current darkness, Rein could not see the waterfall properly, but it was probably a beautiful sight during the day.

Rein looked around at his surroundings again, and no demon beasts could be seen.

Just to be safe, he threw a few stones into the center of the pond to see if anything was lurking underneath the surface. Low level demon beasts did not have much intelligence, and this should startle them out. There was no reaction, and Rein could finally relax.

Rein quickly stripped bare, revealing his toned body. Some of the rain that leaked through the forest canopy had already cleaned Rein’s hair, but the blood soaking his body and the clothing, though slightly camouflaged by the red color of parts of the clothing, needed to be properly cleaned.

Rein jumped in the pond, feeling a cool sensation across his skin. The downpour also now directly struck Rein’s face, since the waterfall created an opening in the forest canopy to the small pond.

Looking up at the dark sky that occasionally brightened up for a blink of the eye followed by a loud rumble, Rein felt large water droplets flowing from the top of his head downwards, dispersing the night’s blood and grim away from his body.

The coolness of the pond and rain completely washed away any remnant rage, making Rein truly feel a sense of calmness absent ever since the night’s disaster occurred.

Yet now, without the presence of rage, Rein could only feel a sense of loss and depression that he didn’t realize he could ever experience. Looking down at the red and yellow outfit that he never had the time to change out of tonight, Rein suddenly grimaced with disgust, discarding it to the side instead of taking the time to wash it.

Rummaging through his travel sack, Rein found a simple black outfit. It was a smooth black long sleeved top with knot-buttons at the front and long black pants. The outfit was slightly baggy because Blacksmith Tiehr’s body was slightly larger. This was probably something that Blacksmith Tiehr used back when he was younger and less bulky.

Regardless, this slightly larger black outfit would have to do. Rein looked at the red and yellow outfit he had discarded to the side. Those were too flashy. This black outfit would be much more appropriate and help him hide in the dark as well, especially if he needed to assassinate certain targets in the future...

He then sat down against the trunk of a tree with thick branches that warded off most of the rain. However, there would still be occasional drops that flowed through, smacking the top of Rein’s head.

Rein aimed to take a rest and maybe even try to doze off, but now that he had been calmed from the cool rain, and his rage satiated by his violence, the reality of his situation finally struck his heart.

His thoughts returned to the Golden Desert Town in flames. Even though the rain had eventually fallen, this was no mercy from the heavens. It was too little, too late. When Rein left Golden Desert Town, everything was already up in flames, and this rain had only started to fall recently.

The Golden Desert Town by now should have more or less been completely burned down. Most of everyone he grew up knowing were dead… At the very least, this rain will put out any remnant fires...

All that remained of his hometown was just his memories. The stores on the street that he would buy snacks from, the owners that occasionally treated him and Jein. Everyone would get together in the town center to celebrate festivals. There would be beautiful red lanterns that lit up the streets, from one end of the town to the other. Fireworks would light up the sky with a crackling roar...

Rein closed his eyes as finally a tear rolled down his cheeks. Everything was gone, his parents, his younger brother. Out of everything, only dear Meynan and her family, with the supposedly telekinetic realm advancer Steward Xeer’s support, could have safely passed through the storm.

But Rein wondered what Meynan would even think of him as of now. Yes, they had grown up together...but Rein felt guilty that he could not protect his brother nor the pouch that contained the deeds that hung around his younger brother’s neck. Looking at the red and yellow outfit he discarded, he no longer even knew who he himself was.

He needed to enter the advancer world to find his answers. To rescue his younger brother. Perhaps this was fate. He and Meynan simply weren’t fated…

Yes. Rein convinced himself. Meynan would be far better off without him. His search for the cause of the Golden Desert Town massacre would no doubt cause trouble to all those around him. Even if he rejoined Meynan, he would be a source of woe.

Rein felt increasingly alone. He was no longer a merchant, nor was he part of a family attached to such an idea anymore. 

His expression turned grim and dark. The sound of rain and thunder seemed foreboding. Rein suddenly stood up and looked up at the skies and roared in exasperation. But the only answer he received was rainwater in his throat, causing him to cough and sputter.

When he sat back down again, he had taken out the dagger with the odd hollowed-ring crossguard that the young son of the scarred right cheek mercenary had thrown at him.

In his downcast mood, Rein tried to retrace his steps in his mind. Although he felt spiritless, it was precisely this feeling that gave Rein a clearer mind than he ever had.

He had killed the scarred right cheek man just as the mercenaries had killed his parents. Now, both him and that younger boy would not have parents.

Rein could not help but bitterly laugh. He had killed that mercenary, but it was not like his own parents would come back to life. Beyond satiating his rage, he hadn’t gained much of anything and was still alone. Would that young child become like him? Alone with a back up against a tree…

His thoughts returned to the dream he had when he lost consciousness due to aurae exhaustion. Even though he had killed out of revenge for my loved ones, that young boy definitely saw him in the same way as he saw that mercenary…

It was not as if he could have sought justice from the imperial forces either. Mercenaries only took on missions from a guild, and these missions were vetted and approved by the regional ruling dukes. As Blacksmith Tiehr had noted, the imperial forces were nowhere to be found during the Golden Desert Town massacre.

All of these clues only created more questions than answers. All Rein could be sure of was that something nefarious was hidden underneath the surface.

Following this line of thinking, Rein tried to not to feel guilty, but he could not control it as he wished. His rage was gone, and all he could think of was that the young boy looked around the same age as Jein.

The world was to blame, he felt, for having dealt both him and that young boy a bad card of fate.

Rein looked at the palm of his hands. A pair of hands that had produced at least a widow and an orphan. And yet, to what degree was this an avoidable result? Oddly, this pair of hands were completely hopeless and harmless in the early night when disaster first befell the Golden Desert Town.

That was the first time he had ever felt such rage. Although he had experienced moments of anger throughout his life, today was the first time he truly felt the desire to slaughter… and he did it without a second thought...

What had so quickly enabled him to become so able? Rein suddenly recalled Blacksmith Tiehr’s tale of the Spear of Heaven a day ago. The tale had spoken of how the mortals invented the Spear of Heaven to strike down the gods that fought each other, who carelessly yet completely destroyed the settlements and labor of the mortals down below.

An uncomfortable thought occurred to Rein. Was he still a mortal, or did he become a being closer to the gods, using my newfound origin skill to decide the fate of that young boy as well as the mercenary?

Rein gradually felt something had gone very wrong, yet he knew he was not completely unjustified in seeking revenge. He could not place an exact finger of what it was though, but he felt that he himself had changed once he discovered that he gained the origin skill.

All this further made him feel guilty, and regretful for not closely considering Blacksmith Tiehr’s parting words, to “not lose sight of what’s important”. Then again, it was not as if he could specify what had exactly changed in him...

He picked up the young boy’s dagger, wondering for a moment, exactly how it would feel to be killed by a dagger. It was not as if the young boy was that far off when the dagger was thrown.

He closed his eyes, his heart spiraling downward in turmoil. As the exhaustion of the night deepened in his bones thanks to the cold and damp environment, Rein further doubted himself. Would he ever have the ability to save his younger brother when Blacksmith Tiehr couldn’t?

For a moment, Rein felt completely overwhelmed by all these emotions, and he gradually brought the dagger closer to his very own neck. The words of the fallen devil that had tried to possess him now reverberated seductively in Rein’s mind. “... pass onto the next world to spend a blissful and joyful time with your parents...they are likely impatiently awaiting your arrival right now…”

Saving his younger brother was a task of too high difficulty… Would he even reach the required advancer realm quickly enough to prevent his younger brother from death? He was, at the end of the day, a nobody in the world.

Not even he himself recognized who he truly was anymore. How many would even care…? That young boy would even be happy that the killer of his father died.

Rein, without his spent rage, was filled with desolation, gradually bringing the dagger to his own throat with his own pessimistic contemplation. The devil might not have taken over his body, but the seeds of its words remained.

All of a sudden, a bright thick bolt of yellow lightning struck the shore of the small pond, causing yellow lightning to arc into the surrounding ground and trees, completely blinding Rein as well as causing him to drop the dagger that was dangerously close to his throat.

Once the blinding yellow-tinged white light vanished, a male form with two white slightly curved horns protruding out of a thick and long azure green mane of hair appeared.

The male was supporting a pregnant female who appeared exhausted and pale. The female, too, had two white horns but they were more curled and twisted compared to the male. The pregnant female’s hair was a silky and soft green.

Both of the figures were dressed in travel-worn robes of an ocean blue color with white intricate dragon patterns conveying regality. 

At this moment, Rein had woken up from his dark trance, and in contradiction with his actions just a few breaths ago, took measures to survive. His instincts told him that these two were some type of demon beasts, and was probably bad news.

He quickly formed a circle with his hands, attempting to activate his teleport skill. Observing the skill in the process of being activated, the white horned male’s eyes displayed a surprised look, and in the short moment before the skill could fully activate, Rein suddenly found that his aurae flow had become completely static.