The Invader (Part 1)

<??? POV>

In the dead of night, standing on top of the walls that guarded Isle City, I peered down at the many homes and businesses of this rotten civilization.

I allowed ‌the wind to breeze past and let it guide my long purple hair and the edges of all the bandages that covered my body towards its direction.

Raising my head, I took a breath of what should’ve been the natural air of Eldoria.

That was until hints of burning meat, smoke, and booze forced their way up my nostrils, violating my sense of smell.

It brought back memories of my past life. Horrible ones, thought that was all I ever had.

I spat towards the ground.

“These people…they’re all disgusting.”

I couldn’t help but snarl.

“And they are also nothing more than a hindrance to this once beautiful world.”

After that, I sighed, then my ears perked up.

Someone’s coming. No…not just one, but more.

From below, I could hear their footsteps and armor clanking with each stair they stepped on.

Must be the guards.

The edges of my mouth curved towards the glistening stars in the sky.

“Took you vermin long enough,” I mumbled.

“You! In the bandages!” an armored guard yelled, waving his sword in my direction. “Don’t think you can run away after killing all the ground dragons in the city’s stables! And don’t lie about your crime either! We have multiple witnesses who can confirm that you’re the culprit!”

He and 2 of his comrades kept their distance from me, standing by the stairs from which they had come.

They were all pathetic, but I’ll play along…

“Okay…” I said with my weakest and gentlest voice. “You caught me.”

I raised my hands in defeat.

“I surrender.” I said.

With just those two words, the guards lowered their stances, putting their guard up even more.

It was…hilarious.

Your faces tell the entire story. Each and every one of you are frightened by me.

I forced the top of my teeth to push down on my tongue. This wasn’t the time to be smiling or laughing.

“What should we do, boss?” the archer asked the man in armor. “Should we arrest him?”

The boss, standing in front of his comrades, didn’t look back.

“I’m not sure. I don’t know what to do…”

“Well, I do,” said the mage. “Let’s kill him!”

“Kill him?” said the archer, gazing at me with shaky, undetermined eyes.

“Yes, kill him! It’s the most logical thing to do after this psycho executed every ground dragon in the stables—which, if you forgot—are the property of Lord Viscus, and the Lord would want the perpetrator dead for destroying his property.”

“Still…” the boss said. “Do you think we can take him?”

The mage laughed.

“We’re three official guards of Isle City, with levels in the mid-30s. And this psycho over there—”

The mage was pointing in my direction.

“—is injured beyond belief. It doesn’t matter what his level is. Of course we can take him.”

Again, the mage laughed, looking down on his comrades.

It was an expression I’ve witnessed thousands of times before.

And it was an expression that I loved.

With shaking shoulders, I cackled.

“You’re really going to kill me?” I asked, throwing away the gentle voice and speaking with my authentic, genuine tone.

A tone that mixed disgust and excitement to my dried-up vocal cords.

The boss tightened his grip on his sword.

“I’m sorry, but it must be done.”

The mage cackled.

“Right you are, boss! But don’t think of it as killing. After what this monster’s done, think of this as more of a disposal job. We’re simply throwing away garbage for the better of our city. That’s all.”

The archer nodded, though his eyes still bore a great heap of hesitation. Nevertheless, persuaded by that awful mage, he drew an arrow back.

Really now? I’m nothing more than garbage to be thrown away?

Even after all these years, people still use that phrase.

“Fine then. I’ll demonstrate to you all what this heap of garbage can do!”

My tongue swung into the air as I ran towards those bunches of vermin, flailing my bandaged arms as if I were swimming towards them.

“Watch out!” the archer screamed, shooting an arrow towards me.

Too obvious!

I crouched under the arrow, before I was face to face with the boss’ blade heading down in my direction.

Shifting power to my legs, I jumped to the side, where out of the corner of my peripheral vision, a faint red light shone from the mage’s staff.

“Phoenix Volley!”

A small swarm of dark red fireballs flew towards me.

“Tch.”

There was no time to dodge.

The best I could manage was to raise my arms as the fire made impact upon me, creating a cloud of smoke.

“Pahaha!” the mage shouted. “All of that big talk to be hit just like that?!”

The mage continued laughing.

“You’re not a psycho! You’re just filth! That’s what you are! Now come on out, you filthy mummy! We know that didn’t kill you!”

I clenched my teeth so hard that they were on the brink of shattering, and yet I wasn’t worried. Not at all.

In fact, the edges of my lips curved into a smile.

“Fine. If that’s what you wish, I’ll do just that!”

Jumping out of the cloud of smoke, my first target was the boss. He raised his sword in a defensive position, but it was no use.

With my left hand , I pushed his sword down, leaving the boss vulnerable to my right hook.

“Hahaha~!”

This tingling sensation. I missed it!

“Uwah—!”

Startled and unprepared, the archer attempted to draw his dagger.

I don’t think so!

Landing quickly, I balanced a side of my body towards the ground before delivering a sloppy high kick to the young man’s temple and using the momentum of the kick to jump away from the mage’s swing.

Leaving him in the perfect spot for an uppercut.

“Urph!”

The mage stumbled back. That was good. Vermin such as himself should learn how to take a beating.

With a mere slap, I sent him to the ground.

“Kakakaka~!” I reveled. “Tell me! How does it feel to be slapped like that of a lowly bitch!”

I arched back, laughing maniacally.

Even when the boss swooped my legs from under me, I didn’t stop.

And even when the archer pinned my hands with his arrows, I didn’t stop.

“Tch.”

Blood dripped from the mage’s nose. Oh how proud I was of myself to see him wipe it off.

“Oh, I’ll tell you how I feel about that slap, you filthy mummy.”

With bloodshot eyes, the vermin aimed his staff towards me.

“It doesn’t feel as bad as what I’m about to do to you!”

“Kakakaka…your eyes, the way they’re looking at me…it’s—”

“What? Crazy?” The vermin laughed, cutting me off. With his wicked smile, he enjoyed the very sight of me pinned against the ground.

“No,” I laughed. “They’re how a real human looks at the world!”

The mage smirked, not agreeing, but not denying the absolute fact I had just spoken.

“I’ve had enough.”

A flash of red emitted from the orb on his staff as a light vibration made contact with my spine.

Kaka…it’s time.

“Phoenix V—”

“Nightsmoke!”

The mage stopped his chant as smoke thicker than that made from fire enveloped all of us.

“Ahhh!”

“Cough! Cough!”

“I can’t see! Ugh! Phoenix Volley!”

Blasting a hole through the smoke, the three vermin ran for clear air.

“Where did the man go?” the boss asked.

The mage gasped for air.

“Don’t tell me he ran!”

They took a second to collect themselves before the boss turned his head from side to side.

“Hey, where’s—Urk!”

Pressing an arrow into the side of his neck, I stared into his fearful eyes.

“If you’re talking about the whereabouts of your archer…then I have bad news…I got to him first.”