Rem held the scissors tightly in her arms as she trimmed the bushes in the garden. Her round blue eyes couldn't keep still and kept looking at the man some distance away, sitting bare back in the field. Around him was a phantom light and Rem had never seen anything like it.
It had been two days since this strange man had arrived in the mansion and he had this routine everyday. Waking up very early, he would go for a run to the village and would only return two hours later. Breaking his fast, he would stay in the garden until afternoon where he would train.
His method of training was a peculiar one, if Rem had something to say about it.
"Scary." would be the word that she used to describe it to her sister while they cleaned the kitchen. For as he sat there, surrounded by the phantom light, something peculiar happened. It was normal for the most part, until the light started to increase. Slowly and surely, the light would become tangible, and with it, it's effects as well.
It seemed as if the mana of the entire world was surging forth, attracted to this single focal point. Lesser spirits would come running from far far away and even lady Beatrice had once been drawn out of her library to see what was going on. Suffice to say, everyone in the mansion was shocked but they did not ask questions.
Particularly, Lord Roswaal had forbidden any questions.
As per his own words, once he began learning magic, his abilities would be revealed one by one. There was no need to interrogate him things even he might not know about and risk alienating his trust.
And yet, Rem had other ideas.
From the moment she had seen him, she had been on high alert. She had always had a trustable nose. And yet, on first impression, she had failed to pick up any scent from him.
Slowly, the scent started to reveal itself.
Power. Pure, unadulterated power. She was sure - if strength had a smell, it would be like that. The fragrance was almost intoxicating. Almost. For hidden somewhere inside it was a deeply concerning discovery.
He smelled of the witch.
Instantly, fear, anger and a profound helplessness had overridden her brain. A witch cultist.
Someone that ruined her sister's life, someone that caused so much pain and suffering to her was right here, standing in front of them as if he owned the place. She was sure of it. Everything was a trick.
She never believed a word he said.
The only reason she hadn't killed him in his sleep was because both Lord Roswaal and her dearest sister had forbidden her from doing anything.
"Hooooo~" She exhaled, calming her breath. Even now, every time he came before her, she would tense up and her mind would scream at her to run away.
She shook her head and began to move back inside. Once again, she could not help but glance at his face; eyes closed, wild black hair. She could not help but scowl.
To think my sister needs to teach this pig every night... I just wish to kill him. Her grip on the scissors tightened. And as she moved into the mansion, she failed to notice when Hedin looked back.
Much of Rem's day passed by in a flash.
It was not long before she and her sister were cooking for lunch. Well... she was cooking and her sister was providing her support.
"Sister." Rem called out.
Ram turned to her, her pink eyes narrowing in question.
"Do you..." Rem hesitated. "Do you think the... don't you think that man is dangerous?"
Ram didn't speak.
She sighed and turned her body, now looking directly at her younger sibling.
"Rem." She called out. "We've had this discussion before."
"But his smell!" Rem exclaimed, gripping the knife tight in her hands.
Ram looked at her and shook her head.
"Leave the matter alone. Roswaal said he'll deal with it. Going in blind will only do harm."
Rem did not look pleased with the decision but nodded nonetheless.
"Until now, he's been decent enough." Ram explained. "He hasn't been suspicious during our lessons and actively tries to engage in information exchange. You shouldn't beat yourself up over him."
That was indeed the case. Hedin had been a lot more vocal with Ram who he could actually interract with than with Rem.
Ram picked up the potatoes and began to peel them.
"You shouldn't jump to conclusions."
Silence reigned in the kitchen.
...
It makes me sick... Rem said as she knocked on the door to Hedin's room. In her hands was a tray carrying a tea cup.
"Come in!" The voice called out and Rem opened the door.
Instantly, the fragrance hit her.
The fragrant scent of power.
And within it was the hidden witch's scent.
How can a witch cultist amass such power? She wondered. Just then, the voice of her sister came to her mind. 'You shouldn't jump to conclusions.' The voice said.
She shook her head and focused on the task.
"Dear guest, I bring some tea."
Hedin was seated on the table right beside the bed. The evening light filtered through the glass and fell over the book he was reading. It was a children's story.
"You can keep it here." Hedin turned to her and flashed a small smile. Rem kept her impassive face and placed the tea cup by the table.
Absently, she threw a glance at the story he was reading. It was a story about Alec Hoshin.
"Interested?" Hedin asked, having noticed her passing glance. Without waiting for a response, he began to speak.
"It's a fascinating story. How a single man can make an entire nation and revolutionize trades for generations to come." He chuckled.
"Alec Hoshin was indeed a great man." Rem agreed, trying to not appear too tight in her approach.
"I also have a similar story." Hedin continued. "Would you like to hear it?"
His crimson eyes looked at her with welcome.
Rem thought it over for a moment and could not find it in her to reject it. Most of her work had been completed and at least for her sister's sake, she could hear him out.
She nodded methodically and Hedin turned his chair around fully to face her.
"Well, how should I begin? Hmm.
"At the beginning, there was this thing called the miracle." Light bloomed over his hand, splintering into many different vistas. Images of various animals and cataclysmic events. "The miracle exists everywhere and in everything. It is a force of nature. It predates time and space and reigns supreme over all laws of nature. And most of all, it provides boons. Gifts of power, as they're called."
The lights split to reveal cats, dogs, fishes, birds and worms of all kind.
"Each form of life was granted a different power. A different boon. Cats received dominion over claws. Dogs over smell. Pigeons over wings. And humans... humans were blessed with glory." Hedin smiled.
And then, light exploded out from his body. A hundred different colours exuded out, exploding into petals and flowers and a hundred intricate patterns. The room lit up and it seemed as if the world had stopped; as if it held it's breath, waiting for what came next.
Rem's eyes widened. The light reflected off her eyes, off the walls and off the glass. And she was mesmerized. She could not possibly pull away from such a display. She felt like she was a kid again when everything was beautiful and pretty and great.
"Glory constituted the light of the dawn and of twilight. Of birth and decay. Of progress and of destruction." He continued. The light around him continued to warp, showcasing different forms of warfare, of technological innovations, of kindness and cruelty. Tanks rolled off the ridges, flamethrowers were used in trench warfare, buildings towered over the landscape and trains zoomed past the world. "It was the culmination of all of Humanity's efforts, their history and their to be future in a single power. It was their boon.
"But alas, they were not able to harness it. And just like the humans had their boon, some other creatures got theirs." The visions shifted to form amalgamations of flesh. Eldritch abominations given form that writhed and creeped and crawled and ran.
"They were the great ones. Each more wicked than the last and the epitome of evil. To even utter their name was heresy. To bear witness to their forms? The greatest form of sin. And they were given the most heretical boon of all. The boon of corruption." The light exploded again. The various beings reappeared, dogs and cats and fishes and birds, now being gnawed at by tendrils of black.
"They not only corrupted other creatures, turning them into the pawns, but also did the unimaginable. They corrupted the miracle itself."
And then, silence. The light died out, leaving them both in the dimly lit room.
"Each great one; great old one; blasphemers; or whatever name you wish to utter of the hundreds they have gained, stole a piece of the miracle. A piece of divinity. A boon from the miracle. And that only led to the miracle giving them another. The boon over blasphemy." Hedin chuckled. It was full of rage and unbridled anger.
"But then" his eyes met hers. "The first hunter arose. He was the one to harness the power of the miracle. He brought humanity back to it's glory and combated the great ones."
The light returned, this time, showing the figure of a single man leading an army.
"He united humanity's greatest warriors against the foe. And beside him were his three most trusted companions. The second and the third hunter and the first sorceress.
"The first hunter rallied against the strongest of the great ones. He who held the boon over survival and blasphemy and corruption. Each of his followers was immortal. Their flesh unrendable. Their lives like eternal flames. And so, the first hunter did the impossible.
"He pulled into his being, and pierced the miracle. With his glory, he grasped destined death and made it descend into the world, immortalizing every hunter and destroying the concept of death in the universe. Everyone became immortal." A man appeared. In his hand was a sword, black as obsidian and his figure was bathed in warm light.
"Anything his blade touched became ash and disappeared forever. For destined death found them. He engaged the great one in a battle of the ages. They fought for a day and a night, and eventually, the first hunter plunged the blade of death into the blasphemous flesh of the great one, ending his reign and pushing humanity into a new age of glory and progress. As the first hunter returned destined death to it's rightful place in the miracle, hope was ignited in humanity."
The visions died out again. Hedin took the tea cup and took a small sip.
"Alas. It was not to last. Disaster struck when it happened. Nobody knew why. The second hunter; Poemath, a brother-in-arms to the First light bearer betrayed him." Hedin's voice became downcast. "The world wept it's first tears. The second hunter stabbed the first with a thorn of blasphemy. It was imbued by the corruption of a great one. He who held the boon of stillness. The thorn, imbedded into his left arm stopped his glory and the blasphemy crept into him." Hedin grasped at the armlet on his left bicep.
"The second hunter stabbed him in the heart and in the genitals. Sealing his fate. But the first hunter was not to be put down so easily. In his last breath, he banished the second hunter into a different world. A world that lay in the shadow of the first, never to return again." He took another sip. "Then, he crucified himself. The final way to enhance his glory with his life; a final act to cleanse himself of blasphemy by sacrificing himself."
Silence.
Rem stared at him, her eyes wide. Hedin looked at her, his crimson eyes glowing in the dim light.
"And that is why the greatest sin any hunter can commit; the greatest form of blasphemy - is betrayal."
Rem gulped.
"Is that... is that why the brother of the second hunter was shunned?"
Hedin looked at her in surprise for a split second before understanding dawned on his face.
"Emilia told you, huh. That's right." He nodded and turned his head to look out of the window.
"The world is a fickle place. It hinges towards calamity. All things lead to it. It is a hunter's job to make sure it doesn't end there." He chuckled. "We all have some role to play in it. In the end, people just want to work toward something."
"And... what do you want to work towards?" Rem found herself strangely soft spoken.
"Me? Heh. I'm just a lost man." He shook his head. "I want to see what this place has to offer. Magic is a novel concept to me. Maybe it can help my people?"
Rem stared at him. Wide-eyed.
Now, she realized. She may indeed have judged him too harshly.
Rem could not help the small smile that graced her lips as she looked at him.
"That's... a very noble goal, dear guest."
"Please. You make me feel way too old. Just Hedin is fine."
"I will keep that in mind." Rem nodded. Just then, a thought came to her mind.
"Um, Hedin?"
Hedin raised an eyebrow.
"You wouldn't happen to be from beyond the great waterfall, would you?"
Hedin's focus suddenly sharpened at her words.
"What's... the great waterfall?"
...
Your pockets look very heavy. Let me take some stones off of you.
...
(Image Here)
...
A/N: Read upto 10 advanced chapters on my patreon: patreon . c o m/Yesnth Just remove the spaces from between.
Cheers~