Interlude – You Move, I Move
In the bowels of the unnamed continent, in a forgotten town, in a rundown hovel of a bar, they gathered. The most cutthroat, morally grey degenerates that coin could summon—rounded up with nothing but whispers and the promise of blood money.
The room was a ruckus of cackles, spilled drinks, and half-hearted brawls. That all came to a screeching halt the moment he walked in.
Heinz.
The new leader of the Wayside Bandits.
He'd claimed that spot by killing the previous boss—a man many believed to be his closest friend. That had been their first mistake.
Scum like Heinz didn't need friends.
Didn't want them.
According to him, the only things worth living for were:
"Booze, coin, and loose women."
A quote that had become a mantra around these parts. The filth lived by it.
"'Scuse my tardiness," Heinz said, clearing his throat. "Was a bit preoccupied."
No one dared comment. His proclivities were well known, and he was a psychopath even among psychos. Anyone who spoke out would likely be butchered on the spot—then he'd go right back to drinking like he'd only swatted a fly.
"You all know why we're here, so I'll keep this short," he said, swaggering toward the center. "I'm offerin' the job of a lifetime. There's a big catch out in the Reach… and I aim to claim it."
A ripple of unease moved through the bar at the mention of the Wildreach.
Heinz chuckled. "Don't shit your pants just yet. Yeah, it's dangerous—but that's why we're building a team. No risk, no reward. And this one's a big risk… with a colossal reward. Pull this off, and none of you ever gotta worry about coin again."
He scanned the room, letting the idea soak in.
Then a hooded man stood, arms crossed. "Yeah, but it's the Reach. Ain't like you can guarantee success. It's a suicide missi—"
Thud.
A knife embedded itself in the man's forehead.
He dropped, lifeless. Eyes still wide. No one had seen Heinz move.
Heinz gave a half shrug. "Sorry. I must've given the impression that you had a choice."
He let the silence drag.
"Here's the deal," he said. "You showed up, so you're in. If you don't like it, you're welcome to leave—or try to. But if anyone so much as touches that door, they're dead. Any takers?"
No one moved.
"Good," he said with a grin. "We leave in a week. Teleportation gate'll take us to the edge of the continent. After that—one month by ship. Say your goodbyes if you must, but I've memorized every face in this room. If you're not in place when we move out, you and everyone tied to you dies. Simple."
He gave a cheerful wave, turned on his heel, and strolled out the door.
No one dared speak until his presence had fully faded. But even then, one question lingered—soft, anxious, and filled with dread:
"Just what the hell is this CHOSEN?"
⸻
Interlude: Frigid obsession
Elsewhere… deep in the Wildreach
Seldric stalked through the forest, his breath ragged, each step laced with pain. The wound on his chest pulsed—a jagged memory carved into flesh. It made his heart race. Made him smile.
A smile that would make most women's skin crawl.
"Yuki…" he breathed, dropping to his knees, eyes dilated with need. "My sweet snowflake… you must be so lonely without me…"
He climbed unsteadily to his feet—only to be blindsided. A baboon-like monster lunged from the trees.
A surprise attack.
Or it should have been.
Seldric pivoted on trembling legs, slicing the creature clean in two. Blood sprayed his already-tattered robes.
"You see, Yuki? I'm strong!" he cried. "I can protect you! Only I can protect you! So why… why do you resist me?!"
His voice echoed through the trees.
Two more baboons dropped down, snarling.
Seldric stumbled, pressing a palm to his wound—reopening it. Blood oozed between his fingers, mixing with madness. The first baboon struck his ribs with a savage kick, sending him staggering. The second clawed across his face, carving four shallow slashes into his cheek.
"Oh, Yuki…" he muttered, voice slurring into delirium. "Must you be so—"
He vanished.
A blink later, he reappeared behind the baboon that had clawed him.
His aura shifted—ice-cold and merciless.
The baboon turned to strike—only for its arm to shatter like glass against Seldric's face. The beast screamed, clutching its stump as frost devoured it. The second baboon bolted up into the trees.
Futile.
"If I can't have you…" Seldric whispered, pupils dilated to slivers, "then nothing can."
He crafted a crystalline bow of ice, drawing an arrow made of frozen death. He loosed it without blinking.
The escaping baboon froze mid-air.
So did the tree. And the one next to it. And the one next to that.
A 2-meter radius of forest turned to white crystal.
Seldric watched, unmoved. Cold. Inhuman.
"My little Yuki…" he whispered, his depravity curling into a grin. "Wait for me."
He staggered deeper into the Reach.
"Wait for me…"