Abraham Valdes stared at the departing knight who was walking toward the walls. An epic artifact hung on his waist, making him think like he owned the world. Abe wanted to remind him that he almost died because of an insect-level monster.

A sigh escaped his mouth as he was tired of following this knight around. A promise was a powerful thing, and it bound to the owner of this body. The Healer Guardian was bound to fulfill that promise even now, or his vessel would reject him.

That would be troublesome.

"Abe," paused the nuisance. "I already know about the promise you made to my older brother. I will not act noble and tell you to forget about it. However, you can consider the debt to be settled if you help me find out what is going on in this city."

Abe stopped walking and looked at the knight in the eyes. There was unwavering determination to do good, and maybe that was how his brother raised him.

'Tell me what you think, Abraham Valdes?' Abe's eyes glowed green as he asked the vessel. Then, the response came, and it made him smile.

"If I remember correctly, your name is Hurst," smiled Abe. "I will help you resolve the issue with this city as one last repayment. Tell me, what do you want me to do?"

Hurst did not answer and stared at the man in front of him as if knowing he had changed somehow. However, the change did not interest him, and he looked toward the palace in the distance. 

"The monster from before was chasing the knight from Runera. It decided to attack me when I wanted to apprehend it. The most plausible reason is that the demihuman was targeted because he was a part of Runera."

"Then, do you want me to find the demihuman now?" asked Abe, and Hurst nodded. The guardian sighed before crouching on the ground, his index finger touching it. "For all the living, answer my calls."

Hurst stared at him with confusion, but soon it turned into shock. The ground beneath them started to shake before the cobblestone lining the road began to sink. The result was a two-meter-wide hole that led somewhere.

"These are.... plants?" Hurst sounded uncertain, but Abe nodded before jumping. The knight took a moment to gather his wits and jump after.

The interior was created of branches, green arms that stretched inside an underground tunnel. Hurst gulped down before turning to Abe, whose eyes were now as green as the things he summoned.

"What exactly are you, Abe?"

"I am the master of life and none other," answered the mysterious man. "The demihuman is at the end of this tunnel, as my plants told me. We need to reach him before he dies, or this would have been for nothing."

Hurst nodded and led the way into the tunnel. Abe took a moment to look at what he summoned, and it brought him waves of nostalgia. His palace was now gone, the one he created with utmost care. Abe wanted to return to that era, where his simple touch could change the world.

"Are you coming, Abe?"

"I am," answered the guardian before he followed after Hurst. His steps were slow but slowly breaking the restraints it once had.

***

The world is not cruel, we are.

"That is the eternal truth," said the sovereign before he gulped from his gourd. Arthur watched the liquid inside trail down his chin as the spirit resumed its teachings. "I ruled the Spirits Realm a long time before you appeared. You sought to give people the ability to contract spirits, even if it was only for those facing life and death."

"I don't remember that," frowned Arthur.

"That was the past version of yourself. King Arthur wanted humans to survive because he believed in them. I explained that this would be like giving power to the wicked and the good alike, but he decided to believe in the goodness of humankind."

"That is a bit idiotic, and why are you telling me all of this? I just want a way to go back home."

"You need to rekindle your connection to the world. This world is not cruel. It is merciful. You have to carry its will before you can control the runes that make this world."

Arthur sighed. That indeed answered his question, but he felt like it was an elaborate brainwashing scheme. The world gave its powers to those who did not want to make it a better place, which would force whoever wields the runes to answer a divine will.

"This sounds like a scam," muttered Arthur.

"I wonder why you refuse to accept that this world needs you."

"I don't think that the world deserves saving. We are inherently evil. Anyone who obtains power in this world would wage wars and fight for resources."

"We are inherently evil, but we do our best to be kind."

Arthur snapped his eyes open and turned to the sovereign. The gourd-holding spirit turned to him with a wide grin, showing its sharp teeth. The arm that was lined with engravings pointed at him.

"You were the one to tell me this."

"...well played," muttered Arthur as he looked at the layers below him. "We are cursed with selfishness because it is the best way to survive. However, some of us try to be kind despite the circumstances."

Arthur's golden eyes looked through the Spirits Realm, wondering how he grew up to be a cynical character. It might be what happened with Jin, Tyrin, his father, and Solomon. It was hard to trust people when all they did was hurt you.

However, this truth was revealed to him long before. Arthur had to find money to live at a young age. He refused to face reality until it was shoved in his face, and when it was, he could not return to it before.

Arthur closed his eyes as his lips muttered the words. "We are inherently evil, but we try our best to be kind," he said, and the light exploded with colors. It stung his eyes before he opened them.

Yggdrasil was gone, and so was the sovereign. Arthur looked above and saw a giant sphere of light surrounded by golden chains.

"This is..." he was confused before he recognized it not by knowledge but instinct, "the world's core."

Arthur has already used the Chains of Order, but he knew that they did not belong. His body was still made of nothing but golden mana, but somehow, he landed on a platform in front of the sphere.

The world's core was gigantic, looking like a planet that was far away. Arthur stared at the core silently, looking at the chains that made the world the way it is. Runes were surrounding the chains, which were the source of his powers.

"Now then," muttered Arthur, "what should I do?"

***

The demihuman was barely alive when they reached him. He managed to avoid the vampires somehow, but it was a close call since he had already been bitten.

"He is alive, but what is this demihuman blathering?" asked Hurst with confusion. "Abe, do you know something?"

"I do," sighed Abe. "This is the power of Kar, Overlord of Vampires. It was one of the calamities that almost destroyed the world before. As long as one is bitten, it is not long before he becomes a slave of Kar."

"Since you said all of that, then you must know a method to counter it," smiled Hurst at him. Abe looked at the young knight with annoyance since his demands were becoming too much.

Abraham crouched beside the winged demihuman and touched his face. His eyes glowed eerie green as his lips whispered the command.

"Heal."

The demihuman snapped his eyes open as soon as the command fell on his ears. Hurst stared at the scene with awe, remembering how he was healed instantly as well.

"Not even the Seika is a match to this power," muttered the young knight, and Abe frowned before he turned to him.

"There is another person with these powers?"

Hurst was about to answer when a blade decapitated Abe's head, making it roll across the ground. The young knight blinked as he did not understand what happened before turning toward the demihuman, who held a blade toward him.

"I will kill whoever comes near me!" shouted the demihuman with fear, looking as traumatized as a chicken. Then, Hurst slowly turned toward Abe's body, which was headless.

"You killed the person who healed you?" muttered Hurst with confusion. "I don't understand why." stared Hurst at his friend's brother, who was still on his knees, even in death.

The demihuman did not answer, his eyes darting between Hurst and Abe. There was fear and untrust in them. Hurst grabbed the epic-tier weapon strapped to his waist, ready to attack.

"Fear is more powerful than morals, Hurst," muttered a voice from below. Hurst looked down to see Abe's decapitated head talking to him.. "This is the first lesson," smiled the head. 

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