Lost and Found

AN:

Don't know how all the other authors keep pumping out chapter after chapter without burning out or taking a break but I am not built different like them :(

So sorry for the long wait... again.

But anyway, hope this chapter will make it up for it. I haven't reread my story in quite some time, so there may be some things I have forgotten or plotholes or something I have missed so please point out any mistakes that I may make.

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Reaching the soul forge that produced the shining beacon Raas' Jaw dropped to the ground. It was so grand and pristine in contrast to the rest of this dimension, that he could almost shed a tear.

"Now Demon let's get this over with, sign the contract so I can repair this pitiful creature and send you out of my home."

Scorge smiled and replied, "With pleasure!"

As he was about to drop his blood on the contract the demi-god stopped him, "Don't try to scam me Scorge."

As Apolitus said that he cut out one of Scorge's hearts and let it drop on the parchment before shoving it right back.

"You don't have to be so violent about stealing my heart Apolitus" spoke Scorge in a fake shy manner as if what the demi god just did was perfectly normal.

'The fuck... this is probably the normal thing that happened today...' thought Raas as he just saw Scorge's heart being ripped out and put back again.

"Phew, so as the contract states you will get half of the pay now and the other half when you finished repairing this his core.

The demigod nodded and picked Raas up like a string and went towards the forge. Wendy rolled down not wanting to see the process.

As they went inside Wendy still in her ball form opened an eye only to see Scorge's smile.

She had a very bad feeling about this...

...

Inside the forge, Raas was placed on what looked like a large bloodstained sacrificial pedestal.

"So, how is this process gonna work? You just pour some mana inside me and boom I have a new core and a fully repaired soul?"

The Apolitus looked at Raas for a few seconds before he spoke, "No, I am going to tear out the remains of your old core and piece it together while I will fuel your body with mana, soulless souls, and astral energy. The process will be immense, no, unimaginable painful, and the after-effect will be life-changing. You will feel as if you were split into thousand pieces only to be put back in a different shape. But after enduring the pain, your core will be unbreakable by beings even a tier higher than you and you will find it astonishingly easy to gather ambient mana."

"..."

"Now, enough talking, let's get to work."

"Wai-"

Before Raas could even finish saying large metal wires pierced through his body chaining him to the altar.

Two long hands manifested and ripped through his ribcage and broke it open. Raas couldn't even scream or shout as his whole body convulsed in pain.

Apolitus placed a hand over Raas head and poured mana, souls, and cosmic energy into his body. The feeling made Raas stuffy before his whole mind and body were screaming with pain. The energy tried to repair his body but it couldn't as the core was missing.

With surgical precision, Apolitus took out the shattered core piece by piece. Even the smallest of fragments were pulled out of Raas' body.

...

The process took over 5 days. Raas was drifting in and out of madness and lost his will to live more than once. The pain wasn't humanly possible and the mental anguish almost broke him completely.

He lost count of time, what was "only" 5 days felt like years to him. Every second felt like hours.

But before his mind was irreversibly broken the pain suddenly stopped, before a soothing wave of energy filled him. It was familiar. Mana, his mana.

But even then did he not wake up, he was still floating inside his head aimlessly.

...

On the other side, Apolitus made the finishing touches. He was beyond impressed how the pitiful Acutra didn't die. It wasn't that his will was strong, no his soul and blood prevented him from dying as if refusing to leave this mortal realm for good anchoring him to the plain of existence even against his will.

Fishing up he fully repaired Raas before gently picking him up and walking out of the fore, Scorge and Wendy didn't even move for 5 days as they waited for his return. "His core is fully restored, his mind might be damaged, but it shouldn't take long before it fully restores."

"How long do you think it will take?" Asked Scorge as he inspected Raas' new core. The new core was bigger than before and brimming with mana.

"Thanks for the help we won't need your help to get back so bye!" said Scorge with a smile as he touched Raas and Wendy.

"You still haven't paid the other half, you know that breaking the deal will cost you dearly."

"Heh, lucky me that the heart isn't mine!"

"You!!"

Before he could finish Scorge, Raas, and Wendy turned translucent before disappearing.

"YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS DEMON!!!" shouted Apolitus, before channeling his mana, "I may not be able to interfere with your spell but that Acutra still has my mana signature inside him!"

...

Somewhere in a large forest Raas slowly got his bearings back. The teleportation was instant but for him, it feels like it took hours. Nauseating and confused he got his body magically disassembled and thrown threw space and dimensions.

As the dizziness of the teleportation ended Raas was assaulted by the sound of birds chirping. The smell of forest wafted over him, somehow it smelled familiar but he couldn't get his mind on where exactly it reminded him of. The clean smell of the air and slightly moist dirt was calming.

And as the demi-god stated ambient mana filled his core as if air rushing into a vacuum. He could see in his stats how his mana filled at a rapid past. He once again got an op cheat-like ability. But there were more dire things to worry about than that.

Looking around he saw unimaginable tall trees.

"Did I shrink?" thought Raas as he looked at the giant trees seemingly trying to pierce the heavens.

But remembering what just happened a few moments ago he shook with anger. He may have been out cold but he could still somehow hear the angry voice of Apolitus.

Scorge tried to scam the demigod... again! And due to that, he got teleported somewhere else. Maybe even another dimension for all he knew.

Taking a few deep breaths he tried to calm his beating heart. But he couldn't let that sit. For some petty reasons he tried to scam the demigod and for that, he got absolutely fucked.

Well, maybe not literally but who knows.

So letting all his frustration and anger out he towered over the few small bushes and grass and let out a deep his that shook the area.

*Thump*

Hearing a small rustling and the sound of something falling over, he quickly turned towards it and slowly slithered threw.

Behind a giant tree, a small woman cowered on the floor with tear-filled eyes and absolute horror in her eyes.

She whore light green clothing and a small bow and quiver around her waist and back, but most noticeable were her bright green eyes and pointy ears.

Realizing that Raas was peeking behind the tree she let out a silent shriek before hurriedly kneeling and praying.

In an unknown elven language, she spoke while praying between sobs, "Laton! Laton! Lifuta latis! Mala li lopit!"

Raas was bewildered by the sight of an elf and her reaction.

'Am I truly that scary?' thought Raas as he awkwardly flicked his tongue.

Seeing his tongue flickering the woman shrieked and bowed her head so that it was touching the ground while repeating over and over some kind of prayer.

Remembering his species, [Menacing bright youngling Serpent], he sheep scratched his head with his tail.

He never thought of it before as he never encountered humans or other races. All monsters that he met were just looking at him with destain, jealousy, or just indifference towards his appearance so he never thought just how truly horrifying he was for them. Well, except for Sahra and a few other weird people he met.

Trying to soothe the woman he slowly encircled her, trying to comfort her and to form a mana bridge. But the attempt was swatted away as he got a small headache trying to form it.

Looking bewildered at her he noticed that her earrings were faintly glowing, probably a device that protected her mind.

Seeing it didn't work he tried to speak in the common monster tongue.

"Hey, don't be scared of little ol me. I won't hurt you, so please stop crying."

Hearing the large towering monster speak the elf hesitantly looked up and spoke, "Please spare me! I don't taste good. No meat on my bones!"

Bewildered that she could understand him and could speak the language of monsters, albeit with a heavy accent, he smiled. Which only made the woman finally snap and faint.

""...""

"What now?" spoke Raas to no one while trying to figure out how to deal with this situation.