On The Run

The sun peeked on the vast horizon making Luna squint her eyes. Both Berin and her are now traveling on a deserted road which one may tell it was once a small forest.

Luna teleported both of them a mile away from that small town and has been quietly walking behind Berin's back since then.

'I thought he's going to tell me more about magic but he's been awfully quiet. Perhaps he don't know how to start?' Thinking that her Uncle wouldn't utter a word if she won't blabber first, she decides to break the silence.

"Uncle, what happened to this place? Ever since I opened my eyes, the whole place screams death with the endless wilted trees and cracked ground. I really thought it only occured on the western part of the continent but we're half across the northern region now and it's still the same." a bit startled when Luna spoke, he realized his fast pace and matched hers.

"It's because you were born."

"…"

"As what I told you back then, you are a Haerem. And our race are born in a red crystal and not through sexual intercourse. The Elders would teach you the in-depth about it but I can spare you some details." He suddenly stopped and looked back, his ears pricking. He then proceeded to pick Luna up and carry her on his arms.

"I will need you to teleport us pass the city gates so I'm going to have to carry you to not waste your energy."

Thinking her Uncle must have sensed something, she proceeded to put her arm around his shoulders as Berin started to run. 'Haerem'. After I calmed down squirming like an idiot, aside from the system's data, Uncle told me about it. My race back then was only 'Joker' but now it's 'Haerem (Joker)'. So as what I've work out with things, if they're not called 'Joker', the Royals of 'Club', 'Diamond', 'Heart', and 'Spades', then I have to find out what.

"Now... you remember the crystal don't you? The womb you were in, which was that crystal, seeps the life force of the nearby surroundings. However, yours did not only took the lifeforce nearby but took almost the entire west region. And remember that the western region, which is the Bomian Region, is the main raw resource financer of the whole continent. With how vast this land is, its forest almost took half of the continent but the mines are mainly at the center of the forest, which is also located center at the region."

'Wait... so what I did surmounts as burning the Amazon?! I feel like shvt.'

"But why take life force? Because that made us tangible and achieve this physical body. It's one of our sources of power too. Now that I think about it, I guess that's why you consumed a large amount of life force because you possess magic. Though I don't know when you learned to chant at all." narrowing his eyes.

"Hm. I don't know what to say."

'Now I don't know what to feel... am I supposed to be happy that I was reborn even if it's in a game? Or guilty that nature was destroyed just to make me, an overpowered hinky small girl? Well, I'm selfish but I also have conscience...'

"You don't have to. You were born for greatness and nature knows that. So it's a small price to pay. Besides, it can grow back on its own... you just have to live your life to what you think is best to repay what's lost." Luna nodded her head in silence and lean on his chest.

'He's right. I just have to get wild and live wild. I'll be back before you know it, Amazon! I'll repay you twice... no, a hundred of times greater of what you have to sacrifice for me!' A content smile appeared on her face as she slowly dozed off to sleep without considering the future that lies ahead.

.

.

.

"I'm sorry! Please! Spare my daughter! I'm the one who let them stay..." the old man who owned the bar was on his bloody knees and crying, begging to a man wearing a black outfit of that a general.

"Then, you know your crime. Anyone who worked and aided a sorcerer should be captured and killed." he dragged the squirming girl by her hair towards the old man and raised his glowing golden sword.

"N-nooo!!"

Slash!

The general flick his sword in remorse. He thought all the sorcerers were purged during the Maegi Purge but here he was... killing another of his race. He never hesitated to punish his kind but to kill them leaves a bitter taste in his mouth, especially if the reason of it is sorcery.

"Bring his head and hang them at the Capital's core. Let it be the people's warning of colluding with sorcery."

Without much care of the weeping girl, he continued to drag her outside the bar and toss her in front of the crowd. "Listen well, Merfonians of the Ethian Town! Spread the word of two sorcerers, a seven-foot man with big build and a four-foot boy both in red robes, that's hiding amongst us in our continent. If anyone can bare witness on this two and anyone helping them, report to any of the imperial guards and you will get a hefty reward!"

The crowd immediately grew noisy. The news about Pilo and his gang massacred at the bar yesterday was indeed true. However, they didn't anticipated that it was because of sorcerers. They all knew about the Maegi Purge but sorcerers never crossed their minds. For them, they are corrupted beings who possess great power through dark magic. Noone wanted to get near them either as they would be persecuted and have their head hanged at the Captial or have their bodies displayed on a stick.

As soon as the general finished his message, the crowd disperse as a scuffy man with brown dirty hair ran towards him, nervously fumbling his fingers.

"U-uhh, great sir..."

The general then threw him a pouch with at most a hundred silver coins. "You've done well. The King is pleased with your loyalty."

"Ahh! Thank you so much, great sir!" and scrambled away. As one can tell, he's the one who reported the incident yesterday. He was sleeping at the alley beside the establishment when it happened. He was startled by the commotion and peeped through the window, hiding there trembling until Luna finished the spell. Because the four of them was so focused on Luna's stunt, they failed to notice the presence of this beggar.

"Argen. Put this girl in the barred carriage."

"Right away, General Mandin." A young man with an auburn hair then tied the girl and picked her up before putting her in a carriage of bars.

"Where are we heading now, General? Noone saw them leave earlier and they left no traces after two of our soldiers died due to the explosion. They must've known we were coming and casted an explosion spell on their room."

"Tell the team we're heading to Terasin City. They were after for the bandit reward that's why they're here so I assume they don't have any food or water to consume. However, everything's destroyed here and the old castle is of no use. With how small towns and villages are struggling, there's nothing to salvage after ten decades of drought. If they're laying low then the capital would be a bad idea so that leaves us with Terasin City."

"Then, I'll send word to the guards of Terasin City right away." Argen, the auburn-haired young man earlier, bowed to the general before once again running towards the group of men in black and green imperial uniforms.

Without wasting too much time, the general mounts his horse and lead the nine men also on their horses towards the north. He wore a tight expression on his face and clenched his teeth.

As they rode their horses towards the city, his light blonde wavy hair danced vigorously through the wind, a five cm black spade tattoo with a mini 'A' crown above a screaming sheep inside it suddenly glowed center on his nape, to be specific, a small eye glowed at the center of the sheep's mouth.

It's the Ace of Spade.