"Should have asked Romain or Sir Aubert back then about the fastest road to Wildespring."

He then sighs and then looks around him. The scenery already changes a lot from the rocky road around Arkmunster into a green field that full of flower and small animals. He takes a deep breath and smiles for a while.

But, suddenly a loud sound from his stomach reminds him that he is really hungry since last night. He really didn't think it thoroughly about his way to Wildespring, and he doesn't have any food right now. The good thing is he found a small water source for him to drink, but that didn't enough. He then looks at the sky and mumbles,

"It seems that pesky hawk isn't here... If only he is here, maybe I could ask him to find some food for me."

He then sighs and then sits for a while. He looks around him and then just realized that there are not many people around there. It looks like an abandoned area, but this kind of situation isn't rare near the Wraitus Kingdom. The Wraitus Kingdom is another Kingdom at Therious in which reside near Wildespring and the one that makes an outpost around Wildespring. He remembers the bad rumors about Wraitus and remembers the mission back then was a deal between Haegia and Wraitus in order to annihilate the bandits that Volya kills.

After sitting for a while, Volya then remembers that there should be a small village near him. He then looks around him and starts to cast a spell. He made a light blue crest under him and says,

"Let the breeze of the wind lift those who not fear with anything! Lift!"

The crest has gone and Volya starts to fly to the sky. He looks around there and looks around him. At first, he only sees an ocean of tree around him and some bird that really surprised to see him. He continues to observe around until he finds a black smoke from distance. He then mumbles,

"That indeed the village, but looking from the smoke there... It seems that one band of bandit was raiding that village."

He wants to look around again, but his stomach growl becomes louder. So, he chooses to land and says,

"I will go there! I will perform fantastic magic in order to soothe the villager's heart and if possible will look at their fortune in exchange for anything! If I didn't get any food now... I will definitely die this night!"

Volya then dashed towards the village. It needs around thirty minutes to arrive there and he immediately disappointed. The village already burned and the blood spilled on the ground. The building already becomes rubble and everything is gone. He looks around the village and didn't find anything there. Not even a pet or vegetable around. He then falls on his knee, sobbing, and shouts,

"Argh... Is my luck really low?! Really?"

He then starts to stand up and looking around once more. When he looking around, he found something that really odd. He didn't find any corpse around him. When he checks on the horse track, it didn't show a sign that the bandit is leaving the area after they finished raiding the enemy. It's more on the bandit that run away with fear, but they failed to do so. He follows the trails and sees it suddenly disappears. Volya then checks the surrounding and mumbles,

"How in this world the horse suddenly stops and disappears like this? Huh? This residual mana..."

Volya knows that someone used large-scale magic there. He then gathers the residual mana and from there he knows the type of magic that used at that village. He says,

"No way... Someone really used the reanimation magic and curse magic at the same time?! Did they really disregard the other life like this?"

He then starts to walk around the village once more and he feels the residual mana gathers in the middle of the village. He then looks at the sky and then at the ground. He mumbles,

"So... It seems the scenario is the villager are gathered here by the bandit and suddenly someone ambushed them and murder all of them here... Who in this world could... Huh? Don't say..."

Volya remembers one mission that posted at the mission board at Belcrest. About one magus that roaming around near Wildespring and using reanimation magic as their magic. He knows that all of the Kingdom is searching for that magus, but none of them knows the face of that magus. He then mumbles,

"Then, it's not strange if they keep an eye on me. As a magus that live at Wildespring, of course, they will think that I am that criminals."

He starts to find any clue about the village attacker, but because of the severe condition of the village it really hard for him to find it. He then makes a small familiar to find around the area. That's when he sees a man in a white robe and white hair. He stops for a while as the familiar sees the man smile at it and suddenly vanish into thin air. Volya that sees him says,

"Don't say that he... No... No... He always values other human life... Of course, he shouldn't be the culprit in doing this... No way... Then, why is he around here?"

Volya changes the familiar objectives to find the man, but he chooses to stop as his stomach already growls again. He thinks that he needs to find any food as soon as possible if he didn't want to pa.s.s out. So, he starts to search around the village again and he could find one loaf of bread. He takes the bread, cleans it with magic, and then says,

"Whoever that have this bread before, I'm really sorry... At the same time thank you for saving me from this hunger."

Volya eats the bread and when he finished he continue to find any clue for the magus that destroy the village and the man that he found. When he walks towards the entrance of the village, he could see a group of knight gathers there. The banner of the group is two dragons that holding a crest. Volya knows that banner and he also sees three knights with a familiar armor gathers there as they talk about something. They are a group of knights from Haegia and from the armor of the leader, he knows that they are Albert Martin, Villias Pavlov, and Ludmila Karychenko.

Volya's instinct says that he needs to move slowly from that area so none of them find him and questioned him. But, it's futile as one of the knights saw him and his instinct says that he needs to run. Unfortunately, Villias see him and he smiles at him. He then shouts,

"Volya Portar! Is that you that I see right here and right now?!"

His shouts really loud and that really surprised Volya. He peeks around and he only could sigh knowing that if he really runs away will make him a primary suspect there. He then walks towards the band of knights and hears Albert asks him,

"What are you doing here, Sir Volya?"

"Well... At first, I want to buy some food here. You know I miscalculate when I am planning my way home to Wildespring. And the moment I reach here, it's already like this... So... This isn't my fault!" answer Volya

Villias looks at Ludmila and then nods at her. Ludmila immediately points her sword at Volya and Volya raise his head. Volya then says,

"I'm telling the truth!"

"Is that so..." ask Villias

"Yes, I am! For what I destroyed this village only for a mere food?!"

"You should know that we searching for a magus that making a ruckus around here... And you know you are really fitting that details," says Ludmila

"No... No... No... I'm innocent! I didn't do anything like that! I'm really serious here!" shouts Volya that started panicking.

Suddenly, he hears Ludmila and Villias that laughs a little. Volya opens his eye and sees Ludmila already put away her sword. Villias then says,

"I'm really sorry about that... We must keep cautious with any situation here."

"Eh?"

"But, you don't need to worry as we know that you are harmless... At least in our eye," says Ludmila as she sheathed her sword.

"A... Alright... And please don't joke like that! Everyone definitely will be scared to death because of it!" protest Volya.

"Ahahahaha... We know... We know... But, because it is you..." says Ludmila.

Volya only could sighs and fall to the ground. He then looks at the sky and sees Villias walks towards him. He takes off his helmet and says,

"Then, Sir Volya... Do you know something about this place?"

"Besides this village known as the best village to produce several pickles, I don't know anything," answer Volya.

"I didn't mean that..."

"I know... I don't anything about what really happens in this place."

"Perhaps, you could use your power to see something that happens here? Probably you have that kind of magic in your disposal," ask Albert as he takes off his helmet.

"Hmmm... Makes a projection of something that happens in the past? That one quite hard..." answer Volya

Albert and Villias looked at each other and then they hear Volya's stomach rumbling. Both of them looks at Volya that looks down with embarra.s.sment and then says,

"Err... Do you have some spare food for me?"

Albert laughs at him and then orders Ludmila to call someone from the flank. Ludmila nods and starts to search for the person to bring some food. Ten minutes later, Ludmila back with another knight. The moment the knight see Volya he shouts,

"Sir Volya?!"

"Huh? For some reason this voice sounds really familiar," says Volya

Volya looks at the knight and sees it's take off its helmet. From there Volya sees Romain Ambros, the knight that with him while he is at Haegia. Volya looks at all of them and then says,

"Hahahahaha... I can't believe this, I meet all of you quite fast after I leave Arkmunster. Is the fate really want me to meet all of you?"

"Probably that what really happens," answer Albert

"Then, your Queen must be following all of you."

"Unfortunately, no," answer Ludmila

"It's not unfortunate, Lady Ludmila. Our King needs her right now," says Villias

"In an exchange of a puffy mouth. Our Queen really an interesting person," says Ludmila

"Lady Ludmila..."

"Uuuu... You are really cold, Sir Villias." protest Ludmila

Volya smiles at them and then he sees Romain offers him some food. Volya shows some grat.i.tude, and while he eats the food, Albert asks him,

"I know that you say that you know nothing about what happened here. But, did you find any clue around here?"

"Sort of," answer Volya as he eats the food offered by Romain.

"What did you find?"

"A residual of magic... Forbidden magic to be more precise."

"Forbidden magic? Is this kind of magic really scary just like the name?" ask Romain

"It depends on how powerful the mage that cast this type of magic. And judging from the flow around here..." says Volya as he looks above them.

Albert and Romain look at Volya and could see a concerned face there. From there, they know the mage that they fight definitely really strong. Albert then asks him,

"Then, do you know if this mage is the same as 'Smiling Angel of Death'?"

"I don't know... Even though I lived at Wildespring for many years, I never meet that person," answer Volya.

"Hmmm, then this person is someone that really hard to catch and easily sneak around the area."

"Sir Volya, do you have another clue about what happens in this place?" ask Romain

"How to put it..."

"Huh?" says Romain and Albert

"What is it, Sir Volya?" ask Villias that overhear their conversation.

"Well... It's about any clue that I found in this place."

"And, what is that?" asks Ludmila

"Everyone in this place is gone... Even the cattle and horse. But there is no sign of them leaving this village. As if someone teleports them away from here to confuse anyone who comes to this village later."

Villias, Ludmila, Albert, and Romain look at each other and seems in deep thought. Albert then nods and wants to ask him another question, but they hear one of the knight shouts,

"We find several people walking to us."

"Huh? There is some survivor?" asks Villias

"Survivor... But, this smell..." says Volya that quite suspicious.

Volya then runs towards the knights and that really surprised the four of them. They immediately put on their helmet and prepares their weapon. The moment they see Volya again, they feel a hostile presence from him.

Albert walks towards Volya and sees in front of them. He could see around ten people are walking towards them. He then asks Volya,

"Sir Volya, what happens? Did you feel that those villagers a threat?"

Volya didn't answer him immediately, rather he prepares his staff as if he will attacks all of them. Ludmila immediately jumps in front of him and says,

"Are you out of your mind, Sir Volya?! They are only a mere villager?! Why are you attacking them?"

"I must do it... For their sake," answer Volya.

Villias looks at Volya for a while and then looks at the villager that coming towards them. From there he could see something odd from all of them. All of them walks really slow and most of them almost tripping. The moment one of them falls down, he sees that it's lost his limb. He then shouts,

"Everyone prepares your weapon now!"

"Eh? Sir Villias?" says Ludmila with a surprised face

"Sir Volya, do you know something about that? Perhaps you know something to thwart them off?" asked Villias.

"Yes... The mana that flows around there, it's a pitch black... I definitely sure it is one of the forbidden magic, reanimation magic..."

"Then... What will you do?"

"I will cast a spell to purify their soul... But while I cast that, I'm vulnerable," says Volya with a stern face

"So... Our task is to protect you."

"Sir Villias... Why did you..." asks Ludmila with a concerned face.

"Just like Sir Volya just said... They aren't normal people."

"Huh?!"

Ludmila looks in front of her and now she could easily see the people there. They are indeed really pale and most of them look really hungry. She immediately takes out his sword together with Albert. Villias then shouts,

"Listen up! The enemy is approaching all of us... Prepare yourself and annihilate them!"

"Sir, yes Sir!" shouts the knights.

Romain stands near Volya and then asks him,

"Perhaps... You know what we should do against them..."

"Just attack their limbs so they can't move," says Volya

"Is that so..."

Volya peeks behind him and could feel the discontent from all of the knights there. He understands that they didn't want to harm the villager, but they also know if those villagers past through them it will cause a bigger problem.

Villias understand about that and immediately shouts,

"Listen up! I know that all of you are feeling it is wrong to attack them. But, think thoroughly. If we let them slip, it will cause more problem. Do you want that to happen?"

All of the knights look down after hearing that question from Villias. That includes Ludmila and Romain. Albert then continues,

"I know that it's wrong. But at the same time, I know that they didn't want to attack us. I know that they also feel in pain to attack the other while they can't move on their own will. Because of that, I think it is the best for them."

"By killing them, that means we freed them from their curse. That also means we free them from their guilt from killing the other. Do you want them to kill the other because of something that they can't control?" continues Villias.

All of the knights look at each other and some of them understand their duty. Villias then shouts,

"Those who want to protect and free them from their pain, raise your weapon now and protect Sir Volya!"

"Sir, Yes Sir!" shouts the knights.

Some of the knights prepare their weapon, while the other still not sure about it. Ludmila looks at the knights and says,

"Aaaaa... Whatever! We will free them and fight for the other. Listen up, if you think that it is wrong, yes it is wrong. But it's also wrong if we let them go. Which one that will you choose now? Protecting them or protecting those who are really important to you at home?"

"Lady Ludmila..." says one of the knight.

"If our Queen here, she will choose to protect that important for us! Then, let's kills them and think about the sin that we commit later when we really are died! Who with me now?"

The rest of the knights look at Ludmila and nods at her. She immediately smiles and then asks Villias,

"What should we do now, Sir Villias?"

"We only need to protect Sir Volya... But, I don't know..." answer Villias that interrupted by Volya,

"What you only need to do is severe their lower limbs and if possible gather them in one place."

Albert and Villias nod at Volya and then orders the knights to gather. They make two rows, in which the first row that consists of fifteen knights using their s.h.i.+eld to hold them and later will encircle them. The second row is the rest that will be responsible to cut the 'villager' lower limbs. If the 'villager' still struggles, then the second row needs to cut the 'villager' upper limbs in order to minimize the force for the first row. And they need to hold it for at least ten minutes for Volya to ready his magic.

Villias orders all of them and their mission starts now. Volya observes all of them from distance together with Ludmila and Romain. He quite surprised to see how all of them work together. He then looks at the sky and then smiles a bit. He mumbles,

"Father... Is this your way in order to make me love the world once more. Or the fate that wants me for that?"

Ludmila and Romain look at Volya and then Ludmila says,

"Sir Volya... Is your life as a slave made you think the world is really cruel?"

"Huh? Ah... Did you hear what I say?" asked Volya quite surprised

"I'm sorry if you don't want to answer it..."

"That's alright... And for that question, yes... When you are a child and only see a bad thing in this world, they will think that the world indeed cruel." answer Volya

Ludmila only stay silent for a while, and Romain says,

"If you think that, how about you live with us at Haegia? I believe it will change your mind."

"Well... After living in your Kingdom for several days, it is indeed a nice place. But, I must ask permission first." says Volya as he prepares his staff.

"Hooo... Permission from who? Your deceased father?" ask Ludmila

"I thought you are a refined lady type, Lady Ludmila. But, my impression changed little by little about you the more I hear every word you said," says Volya with a disappointed face.

"Well, that's our Lady Ludmila," says Romain

"Ahahahahaha... You could say Our Highness is the one that defines who I am now," answer Ludmila.

"Then... Probably I could change myself there, the same as your Queen define you like now, Lady Ludmila... If the fate really wants me with all of you." says Volya.

Romain and Ludmila only smiles at Volya and then they hear Volya shouts,

"Could both of you looks after me for a while... I'm quite vulnerable when casting this magic."

"Don't worry... Sir Villias appoints me for that. Romain, you protect his other side!" says Ludmila

Romain nods and prepares his lance, while Ludmila already takes out her sword. Volya smiles and sees that the knights under Albert and Villias are struggling to hold the 'Villager'. He then closes his eyes and then a white magic crest appears below him. Not only one, but two of it. He then opens his eyes and points his staff to the 'Villager'.

Romain looks behind him and sees that Volya's eye change into a dark blue color. Volya then says,

"O thy maiden who hold on the fate, hear my prayer."

Another white magic crest appears above Volya and with that, a faint hand appears behind him. Volya then continues,

"Let those hand freed the bind that holds those soul. Let those hand takes them to their eternal sleep."

All of the magic crests disappears from Volya and reappear below the 'Villager'. Volya then continues,

"Let their soul free and make a new string for a new life. Hand of Fate!"

All of the knight that struggling to hold the 'Villager' could see a lot of chain at them. Suddenly, they could see a hand that pulls them to the sky and a light pillar that surrounds the 'Villager'. Little by little the chain begins to disintegrate and with that, they could see their pure soul. All of them smiling at them and shows their grat.i.tude for what they did. After that, all of the soul vanished at the hand that pulls the chain from their body.

All of the knights, including Albert and Villias, amazed with that and all of them have something to tell to everyone when they back home. Suddenly, they could hear Ludmila and Romain that calling Volya's name several times.

Albert and Villias immediately look behind and see that Volya falls to the ground with Ludmila put him on her lap, while Romain tried to check his pulse. All of them could see that he is sweating too much and that really concerns Albert. He immediately says,

"Sir Volya!"

"Ahahahahaha... You don't need to worry..." says Volya as he opens his eye a little.

"But... You..." says Ludmila with a concerned face.

"You don't need to worry... That magic really... consumes a lot of my power, so it's something... normal. Thankfully... there are people around me after I use that... kind of magic... Ahahahahaha." says Volya.

"But, are you sure that you alright?"

"..."

"Sir Volya?" says Albert with a panicked face

"You don't need to worry, Sir Albert. He just asleep." says Ludmila

Albert shows a relieved face, while Villias walks towards Volya and then says to the rest of the knights,

"We will make our camp here. The first and second squad will be resting at the camp, while the third squad will start to gather any information around here."

"Sir, yes Sir." shouts the knight

"We will wait until Sir Volya recovers a little bit from this encounter. I believe he could tell us what happens to those villagers."

All of the knights nods and starts to make a camp there. Meanwhile, the third squad takes their horse and start to disperse around the area in order to find any Villager or any clue around there. Ludmila help tends the wound from the injured soldier, Romain looks after Volya that sleeping peacefully, while Villias and Albert are gathering any clue that they could find.

Night falls on the village and Volya opens his eyes. He looks around him and could see he is inside a tent. He then searches for his staff and starts to walk outside. There he could see some knights are patrolling around the area with around five knights gathers in the middle of it.

One of the knights notice Volya and immediately notifies one of the knights in the middle. Albert immediately walks towards the tent where Volya sleeps and see him there. He says,

"How do you feel, Sir Volya?"

"Err... How to put it... Still, a little bit exhausted because of the fight. But it's better than before," answer Volya

"Good to hear that."

Volya observes around him and asks him,

"I believe your task to help this village, right? Why did you and your group didn't going back to Haegia? Or maybe all of you considerate with my well-being?"

"Yes. You are one of the reasons we build this camp," answer Albert

"Then, what is the other reason?"

"The being that we fight before. We are afraid that they are running rampant around here."

"Oh... About those zombies."

"Yes. We are afraid that they will make a problem around here..."

"You don't need to worry about that."

"Huh? Why did you say that?"

"It looks like they return to their master. But, I can't spot where they are going..."

Albert looks at Volya for a while and then he could hear Volya says,

"But, something really concerns me... Why suddenly their master calls them back..."

"Why are you really sure that they are back to their master?" asks Albert

"Ah... About that... How to put it... Hmm..." says Volya

"Is it because something with the flow around here?" asks Villias that follows Albert not long after he asks permission to see Volya.

"Ah... So you understand about that terms? That's will make everything easier to tell," says Volya with a surprised face.

"I know a little about it. But, I could grasp what you will tell us here."

"Yes. The flow of mana changes... As if they are withdrawing from the area."

"Then, we could make that the last priority until we found them again," says Villias as he starts to walks towards the middle of camp.

"If you say so, then we must check of the other one," says Albert as he follows Villias.

Volya smiles at them and starts to walk towards his tent. He thinks that he isn't needed again, and he chooses to leave them there and continues his walk towards Wildespring. But before he enters the tent, Villias shouts at him,

"Where are you going, Sir Volya?"

"Huh? Did you still need me?" ask Volya

"Yes. With your knowledge of the area around here, hopefully, you could help all of us."

"But... I..."

"Please, will you lend your hand to the problem that arises around here?"

Volya looks at Villias for a while and then remembers how his father will help everyone that in need. He then sighs and says,

"Alright. I will help you. And I believe the string of fate have something to say about this."

"Huh? Did you say something?" asks Villias

"No... I will help you," says Volya

Volya then walks towards the middle to gather with the other. And the moment he walks there, the wheel of fortune starts to move again. And it will change his fortune in the future.

Meanwhile, not far from the tent, a man with a white robe observes them. He smiles at all of them, especially at Volya. He then says,

"Hopefully, this action will not make us cross path again Volya. And hopefully, you will not meet the same end as our father."

And with that, he starts to walk towards the deep of the forest and vanish from there.