2 years ago. Arthur had ran away from his home. His legs were weakened and his body was frail, but he was able to keep himself up by using magic. He burst from area to area with the white lightning, as determined as possible to get as far as possible. His mana was slowly being drained by the seal on his back. He could feel his mana core dwindling in strength, as well as his legs. He didn't care about that though. Arthur simply wished to run. In the month or two he had been in this world, he had forgotten simply how unfair the world was. He had seen this world simply as a game. But it was so much more. It was real. He was there. Living and breathing. And just like it always has been. The world is a cruel place.
The ancient calamities were born by a being known only as the dreadful cycle, or Samsara, they are one of the many beings in this world that are born through the dreadful cycle. And because he killed the being with the seed of the calamity inside it. It had spread to him instead, to sow him as a being of great destruction. Slowly whittling him down until he lost his composure and destroyed everything. The last bit of his mana flowed into the seal that Camus Zephyr had placed onto his back. The seals golden glow died down until it turned a dormant black tattoo. That covered the calamities brand. Arthur's legs gave out and he hit the ground hard. His face dragging through the dirt.
He managed to lift himself up. Sniffling a bit. He felt like a child again. Despite the fact he was an adult, Arthur was not, and it was affecting him. Back then, he never really felt sad. He sat through so many funerals, until those funerals left them alone. And he could never say a word. And people would get mad at him over it. How could he never be sad at a time like that. And he was confused. Why was he sad now? This world meant nothing to him in the grand scheme of things. But maybe it wasn't him that mattered. He dragged himself back onto his feet. He walked for about a day straight. His throat was dry and his stomach was rumbling. It's not that he didn't want food or water, it's that he couldn't get it. Turns out, empty plains didnt exactly always have small ponds, or even wildlife. It was empty. He didn't have the energy to hunt anyways, he was weaponless as well, and without magic to reinforce his body, he was frail. He had neglected physical training, and it was starting to bite at him.
A day turned into two, which then turned into three, and then finally four. On the third day he had came upon a group of merchants. On that day he had asked the merchants where was inhabitable. He discovered there were no cities in the larger area. But there was a small village close to the mountains and the ocean, a place that always snowed. A place where people went to be forgotten. It was perfect. And on that fourth day he arrived. In the middle of the night he arrived at the strangely quiet village. There was not a sound to be heard, except for the soft pattering of his worn down boots in the snow.
Until there was. The shadows started shifting and contorting before horned shadow creatures ascended from the shadows and levitated to the houses. Before they noticed Arthur and stopped, the shadows seemed to be panicked and scrambled back into their hiding places. Arthur looked at them in a confused manner.
'The hell was that?'
As he thought to himself about the strange creature, a door to one of the houses swung open. An old lady holding a sharpened stick came out. And then looked at Arthur.
"Oh! A child! Come here, child! It's not safe out here. There are Oni lurking!"
Arthur, still puzzled. Shuffled over in the snow towards the wooden house. Where the old lady pulled him in by the hand and sat him at a table. Sitting there was a small boy. Slurping up a bowl of soup. The old lady gave him a bowl of soup and Arthur looked at it.
'Just who the hell are these people? Is this poisoned...?'
The old lady sat down across from him and looked at him with a smile.
"Where have you come from, boy? You seem lost. And starved as well."
Arthur looked at the lady. His throat was incredibly dry. And he decided or eat the soup before speaking. It was delicious, he ate it slow just in case, it had been days since he ate after all. After having his fair share his throat cleared up enough for him to speak.
"Uh...I'm just a traveler. Looking for a place to settle down."
"Hm. I can tell you're only telling a half truth, normal men don't have that hair color, nor those eyes. Nobility doesn't just come stumbling into villages at random. But I'm not one for prying. Whats your name, boy?"
"...Arthur."
"Do you have a last name? Do you belong to a house?"
Arthur shook his head and sighed. Before finishing his bowl of soup.
"Well I'm Astor. And this boy over here is Jeremy."
The small boy grumbled before getting up and going into his room.
"If you're looking for a place to stay, the old lumberjack had a cabin up in the woods. He was killed mercilessly by the Oni. But I'm sure you'll manage."
'There it is, that name again...Oni.'
"If you don't mind me asking, ma'am. What exactly are Oni?"
"Hm, well, it's a bit of a long story so I'll sum it up for you. Long ago this land was a place of blessing. The goddess of light herself resided her thousands of years ago. But alas the villagers here were terribly greedy, and tried to take advantage of the goddesses light. Though they failed. Although the goddess did not want to take away her blessing. The other gods forced her to remove her light from this land. And so, the land was forced into perpetual darkness. The cold causes it to constantly snow here. And those Oni come out when the moon reaches its peak. Only for about a minute or two. But it's enough. They try to get into our houses and kill us. Though, we've been without casualty for about 3 years now."
Arthur processed the information and nodded. He thanked Astor for the meal and pulled his hood up before going back into the cold. As he trudged through the forest. He swore he saw a large black blur shifting through the trees. He arrived at the lumberjacks cavern. There were fresh clothes laid. Though they were quite old. There was a quaint desk, a rough bed, and a fireplace. As well as a small carpet. Arthur changed into the fresh clothes and felt a bit warmer. Though, it was a bit odd the clothes were worn. Assuming that the lumberjack had been killed three years ago. Suddenly a figure shifted through the door. Arthur jumped backwards. Grabbing the lumberjack's axe off the wall. Though he was barely able to handle it. It was a little less heavy than the sword of the broken oath. But heavy none the less. Walking through the door way was a large shadow like wolf. It's body felt almost transparent, darkness leakin out of it onto the floor. It's eyes a vibrant blue mist.
"Hm, I didn't expect to find you here, boy."
The wolf spoke in a somewhat human voice. Though he recognized it. As he had encountered the same voice only days ago.
"Thanatos?"