31. An old acquaintance

A few hours after the relaxing massacre, Adam was able to walk to the library by morning. All of his clothes were covered in blood, parts of his entrails and there were even a couple of pieces of brains. Tired, he opened the door and went inside and sat down on a chair. He threw his bag somewhere to the side and closed his eyes.

Using such a volume of power had exhausted him greatly. It would be the first time he used so much power, but it was worth it. He was able to test the limits of his strength and find out what he was capable of.

"And I am capable of anything. " - Adam leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes

His strength has no limit, or rather, until he saw it. Adam could do anything, he cut, dismembered, he turned one poor guy into cubes and Grime into a meat tortilla. It was just the perfect killing power, especially in his hands.

" As it was said, it all depends on the owner? I think in this case, it's true. " - He breathed slowly, in the silence and darkness of the library

He almost fell asleep until a bright light hit his eyes. He squinted and opened his eyes. He immediately noticed Ann and Sasha standing in front of him in their pajamas. Ann illuminated the library with her power, surrounding her hand with it and making it glow. Sasha stood behind her and held two swords ready.

"Adam, what the fuck?! " – Sasha quickly approached him and began to examine

Adam calmly watched as Sasha's hands jumped over his body, looking for any wounds, while she excitedly examined every inch of his body. He could only grin at such concern from her, because if she knew that he had cut out the entire outpost for her, he did not know how she would behave.

"Sasha, I'm fine. " - He gently grabbed her hand

"I don't have a scratch on me. "

"Then where did so much blood come from?! Wait, what color is your blood? And why are there so many people's insides here? " – Sasha did not stop worrying about him

While Sasha was squatting next to him and examining him, Ann came and sat on the arm of the chair, looking at him worriedly. She put her hand on his shoulder, trying to reassure herself that he was all right.

"Eh, girls, I'm fine. He patted Ann 's hand on his shoulder

"It's just that the meeting went wrong....as I expected. So I had to use force, which is very exhausting for me. " - he sighed heavily

" What kind of meeting was it that you had blood and guts all over your robe? " – Anne asked a reasonable answer

"Just a meeting of old friends. About the blood and guts, it's because of the giant insects. They flew at us, so we had to break through with a fight. " - He looked wearily at the old clock in the corner

"Okay, enough with the questions. Help me get to my room, I can't feel my legs. "

Ann and Sasha exchanged glances and picked him up from different sides and carried him to his room. Adam's room was in the same wing as their rooms. It was an ordinary room with a wardrobe, a table, a chair and a bed.

They laid him carefully on the bed. Ann wanted to take off his smelly robe, but Adam stopped her. He shook his head and she took her hand away.

"Thank you, now go to bed. We'll talk about everything tomorrow, but right now I'm too tired. "

Adam yawned and slowly closed his eyes. Soon the room was filled with his slow heavy breathing. Ann and Sasha left his room and went to their own, hoping to get answers in the morning.

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When Adam woke up, it was already lunch outside. He scratched his head and stretched sweetly after a long sleep.

"Eh, apparently I really overdid it. But how sweetly I slept. " – he winced sharply at the nasty smell

All his clothes stank of the sickening smell of dried blood . He quickly took off all his clothes and went to take a shower. After an awakening cold shower, he noticed the clothes in the closet were running out. He had only three sets of clothes, and this was the last one.

( Well, I guess I'll have to go shopping today. The girls will definitely be happy, because this is another day without training.)

He went into the kitchen, where Ann and Sasha were already waiting for him. They dined on the leftovers from the last meal, but were afraid to even go to the stove.

"Oh, you're finally awake and you don't stink anymore. " – Sasha raised her hand

"Yes, we tried to wake you up in the morning, but the smell was just terrible. " - Ann winced .

"Yeah, thanks for taking it. I wouldn't have made it myself. " – he took the bowl and put himself on the last plate of soup

" So what happened there anyway? I've never seen you so exhausted, even after a few hours of training. " - Ann looked at him

"Oh, nothing unusual. I met with old friends, talked and then got into the lair of giant mantises. I had to cut out the entire lair, along with the queen. It took a lot of time and effort, so I was really exhausted. " - he scooped up the soup

" And how many were there in total ? Since there was blood all over your robe. "

"Well, I stopped counting after the eightieth severed head. There were too many of them." - he shook his head and ate the soup, not noticing their surprised looks

" More than eighty ? Do you mean to say that you personally chopped off so many mantis heads? "

"No, of course not. It was eighty heads that I chopped off, and the rest I just cut into mush. My friend and I had a dispute about who would chop off more heads. And unfortunately this bastard won, it's not for nothing that he's a bounty hunter. "

He continued to eat while Ann and Sasha put their plates aside and focused on him.

"And don't look at me like that. In the future, you will be able to do exactly the same and even more, but all in good time. Let's talk about what you will be doing today. " – he pointed at them with a spoon

" Training again ? What is it this time ? Will you sit on our necks and we will squat ? " - Sasha crossed her arms over her chest

"....no, but it's a great idea for the future. " – she turned pale

" No ! I'm not that...."

"Today you have a break. Official break. We will all go to the village and spend the whole day there, enjoying what it has to offer. " – he interrupted Sasha

" Another laziness of rest ? Adam, are you sick by any chance? " - Sasha asked anxiously

"No, I'm not sick. I'll be waiting for you at the entrance in.....15 minutes. Today we are resting, and tomorrow we will start training according to a new method. " - He grinned and turned to Sasha

"Uh–huh." - Sasha swallowed, anticipating the horror she unleashed on them

-----------------------------

Soon they all entered the village together. This time Sasha and Ann were without costumes, as there was no need for them. After all, Sasha was already hated by most of the village, and most of the residents knew Ann and saw her face. After all, one day, because of her clumsiness, she still revealed herself.

But this is a story for another time.

"So, a small trade caravan arrived in the village today. " – Adam put bags of money in their hands

"Today we are resting, so everyone can buy what they want. "

" Yes ! Official shopping ! " – Sasha raised her hands up

They walked to the end of the village where the caravan was standing. The whole village was here, buying themselves various curiosities and necessary items. When they arrived, Adam immediately noticed a large queue that stretched to one of the tents.

"Hey, Wally, what are you all standing here for? " - Adam shook Wally 's hand

"Hello, we are waiting for our turn to the fortune teller! She can tell fortunes ! She predicted that Hop Pop 's back would break and it happened ! So people are standing in line and want to know their fate. "

"Pfft, me too! To believe in such superstitions. " - Sasha shook her head irritably, but Ann's eyes shone

"What's it to you, dirty cheater. I don't think your fate will change, because most residents already curse you before going to bed. Mrs. Valerian will definitely not tell you something new. "

Adam had already turned to leave, but stopped abruptly when he heard this cherished name. He quickly walked up to Wally and shook him by the shoulders.

" Wally ! Once again! What is the name of the fortune teller?! "

" Lady Valerian ! That 's what she calls herself ... " – Adam threw Wally aside and ran to the tent

Sasha and Ann looked at it in surprise, but immediately ran after him. Adam broke through the crowd, pushing aside all the dissenters. Those who resisted, he temporarily shocked by force. He quickly went into the tent, followed by Ann and Sasha.

Going to the very edge, he saw her, Valerian. She was sitting there smiling at him as if she was waiting for his arrival.

[ BANG ! ] – he was instantly at her side

" Valeria....you had the guts to show up, knowing that I'm here. "– he loomed over her

"Hohoho, I'm not afraid of you little frog. Because I know you won't kill me. " - She smiled at him while her hideous parrot flew off her shoulders

"Yes, I won't kill you. But "this ", it may well be. " - He took out a small test tube from his raincoat

Valerian just smiled and looked at him. He turned around and saw Ann and Sasha, who were watching their conversation with interest.

"You won't do it in their presence. I know that. "

"….my ass knows. " – he quietly put the test tube in a secret pocket

"Adam, who is this and why is she looking at us without taking her eyes off ? " - Ann shuddered when Valerian's single eye looked at her

"Meet Valerian, the past keepers of the box and..."

" My God ! " - Valerian exclaimed, interrupting him

He turned around and noticed how she was looking at him with reproach and with great surprise.

" You didn 't tell them ? Are you seriously hiding the past ? "

Adam clasped his hands while the girls exchanged glances with each other.

" Do you even know what consequences this will bring you ? You don't think your act won't have them, do you? " – she stood level with him

"I know. And I am ready to bear these consequences. But if you say one word..." – his eyes glowed golden

"Okay, I won't say anything this time. " – she slowly sat down on the bag-sofa

Adam rubbed the bridge of his nose and turned to the girls.

"Leave us. "

"But.."

"Sasha, don't argue. Leave, now. " – his golden eyes looked at them

Sasha shuddered and turned away. Anne just shook her head and they slowly left the tent, leaving them alone.

"…..why did you come? What made you come to me this time ? " - Adam sat down opposite her

" Warning and Advice. " – she took out a smoking pipe and lit it

She blew a stream of smoke into his face.

"The advice would be, tell them that you are you. The longer you delay it, the more confused you will become. Soon you will all be reunited again, then your secret will become much more difficult to hide. "

"I can't tell them. " – he picked up the phone and took off his helmet and took a puff

" Fkh....you know perfectly well what they did to me, since you see everything. I don't want them to find out who I am, because I just can't do it. "

" And what 's stopping you ? " – she picked up her phone

" Maybe your fear stops you ? Fear of how they will react. Fear of trusting someone again and getting stabbed in the back? The fear that all hatred will disappear with him? I can already see it in your eyes, they have become softer than before. "

"....you already know everything. " - he waved her off

"Hohoho, it's good to be young. But I'm asking you, don't delay it. They need you. "

"Don't talk nonsense. " – he looked straight into her eye

"They don't need me. More than four years have passed, they don't need me anymore. They are no longer little girls for me to protect them."

" And what are you going to do then ? Eh? What are you going to do when this is all over? "

"When it's all over....I'll disappear. I'll disappear and no one will notice. " – he touched his pocket, which did not go unnoticed

"....you're going to play a dangerous game, last Guardian. You have to be careful. " – she pointed at his pocket again

"....enough empty talk, what did you want to warn me about? "

Valerian's expression changed dramatically, from lazy to serious. She put down her pipe and picked up her staff.

"I wanted to warn you, I'm not using the force for evil anymore." She pointed at his heart with her staff

"What are you talking about, I don't understand? "

"Don't make a fool of yourself. You know perfectly well that I'm talking about that.....the massacre you caused yesterday. The more you use the force, the further it penetrates you. It goes deeper and deeper into you, until one day....it won't consume you. " – she tapped him lightly on the chest

"..... then what about the girls?"

"They're fine, their power is under their control. But here's your power, you don't control it. " - Adam's eyes turned cold when he realized what she was talking about

"The power that was granted to you can be withdrawn at any time. Be careful and don't get used to it. After all, who knows what HE's up to. "

" Do you know about him ? " - he straightened up abruptly

"Of course, because I was a Guardian. Every Guardian knew about HIM. "

"Then you should know who he is, where he came from, his weaknesses. " – he moved closer to her

[BONK!]

" Ouch ! " – he clutched his head

"Be careful with your words, don't forget, he always hears us. " – she turned away from him and started rummaging through things

"I have a gift for you. In my travels, I met a woman and she gave me an interesting book as a payment for my help. Aha, here she is! "

Valerian handed him the book. The book was worn in some places and with small tears. He wiped the cover from the dust. The cover showed a three-eyed owl sitting on a skull, there was a dark forest around and a swamp ahead.

" That lady was with her own oddities, but masterfully possessed a strange power called " wild magic ". I asked for a book purely out of interest, but during all this time I didn't understand anything. But maybe you can. "

Adam carefully opened the first page.

[Wild magic, the most beautiful thing that could happen. Wild magic cannot be controlled, you cannot control it, it controls you. She leads you along unknown paths to wonderland.

And it is all the way that I went, all the adventures that I had while I was walking along an unpaved path, I want to describe them here. The one who reads this book, know that I am giving you all my current knowledge. You can consider this an initiation into my students.

After all, not every wild magician can become my disciple

I.K

PS: Meet me at the crossroads of our magic, dear student. ]

Adam turned the page and looked at the title of the book.

[ Diary of the "Owl Lady ". ]

"I hope my little gift will help you. Now go, go and don't look back...."

Adam got up and started to leave the tent.

"….because HE doesn't like to lose his toys. " – the last words reached him

Adam hid the book in his bag. He quickly approached Ann and Sasha and they continued to walk around the market. They didn't ask what they were talking about, and he was glad not to answer that. They walked all day, and only returned home in the evening.

While Ann and Sasha were sleeping, Adam was reading a book. Reading page after page, his eyes involuntarily shone, plunging into new knowledge for him.

The arrows of fate have begun their turn. And you can already see how they began to deviate from the set course.