Chapter 4 - Get in here, you cutie pie

'Shit, I'm losing consciousness… Have to get home quickly before I black out. Damn it all!'

Stumbling on the road, Raven gritted his teeth, hiding his pained expression beneath his dark cloak.

A thick stench of blood encircled his injured body. Fortunately, he didn't have a huge stature that would make him stand out amongst a crowd even more. Another benefit of being a teen, it was easier to avoid attention, especially in the dark slums of Charmire. Youngsters were as abundant as sand on a beach.

 Approaching the northern entrance, he quietly sneaked into the line that led into Charmire. Due to the terrifying dangers lurking beyond the safe zones, travelling between zones was as rare as a rainbow sighting. Hence, the entrance queue was pleasantly short.

"Oi, you again? What did you do this time?" a snarky voice called out to him as he reached the front of the inspection queue, "Wow, well, well, well. Look at you. Looking good, I see. If I didn't know you for your cautious self, I would think you had the audacity to piss a monster off and lived to tell the tale. Never mind, I don't wanna know what shit you went through."

Raven looked up at the guard who taunted him. Immediately, he lowered his head, not uttering a single word. Everyone knew it was foolish to mess with the guards. They might be as trash as they come, but as long as they wore the Order badge, they were invincible. The badge was, in itself, a weapon of fear, and anyone who wore it was an extension of the paramount government ordained by the gods.

There was once a rich businessman who took advantage of their shady deals. He thought he could blackmail them into doing whatever he wanted. Slowly, his ambitions grew. And he extended his claws into their faction, wanting to control them for himself and his business. Another daring thought. Well, he thought wrong because soon enough, his body was found outside the gates. Everyone knew what happened to him, but no one spoke.

Nevertheless, that did not mean there weren't other ways to deal with them.

"Normally, the procedure is to detain you for a series of questions but… you know the drill. Hurry up. No funny business," the guard harrumphed and stretched his hands as if to suggest something.

Raven reached into his pockets and paid the fee–ten sun coins and an extra five more for looking the other way regarding his sketchy appearance.

"Hmph. Like I said, I ain't gonna ask what you were doing, but the next time you come here looking bloodied, you gonna have to pay more than this. Do you understand, boy?"

Raven nodded.

"Now get going. Remember, keep your mouth shut. And don't die on my fucking street. No one's gonna clean up your dead ass. They don't pay enough for that. Now, shoo."

After a few seconds, the gate opened for the next batch to enter. The guard watched with a thoughtful gaze as Raven silently disappeared into the distance.

 Leyand, Harx's good friend, said, "Who was that, Harx? Never known you to talk a lot during your watch."

"Oh. Some new kid. He's been venturing into the woods for a week now."

Leyand furrowed his brows, "Isn't that dangerous? How has he managed to come back alive every time?"

"He's a smart kid. He knows the rules the hunters follow. He leaves in the afternoon and returns barely before midnight. I tried to tell him off, but this kid… he's weird. Different. You understand what I'm talking bout, right?"

"Ah sweet memories. The ambitious ones, huh? The ones who think they can make a successful life for themselves. The ones who still dream. Eventually, they all go crazy when reality hits and then they end up just like us." Leyand shook his head.

In Charmire, there were two distinct groups of people; the lower class and the aristocrats. Those in the lower districts, especially the young ones with active imaginations, were driven mad by the idea of wealth and prosperity. It always never ended well. This was why the lower districts reeked of crime and depravity.

"I don't know, man. There's something special about this one. Perhaps he will make it out of this hellhole."

"Whatever. It's not like it's any of our business." Leyand shook his head and said, "By the way, the Boss said you should round up the other guards and close the gates early."

"Something wrong?"

"Dunno. Probably expecting chaos with the new guests we have coming. Anyway, I'mma go tell the other guy. Say hello to the missus for me."

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'Almost there…'

As he climbed up the stairs, Raven soon found his apartment. With a pained smile, he stumbled into it… literally. Barging into the small single-bedroom apartment, his body gave way and he collapsed on the floor. His eyes slowly faltered and the last thing he saw was a silhouette of a familiar figure.

"Rae?!"

The person examined Raven's condition, instantly realizing Raven was still alive, albeit in a difficult condition.

"Shit, he's badly wounded. Wonder what stupid shit he tried doing today. Most likely, it didn't end well… as usual. Oh god, this brat is gonna be the death of me."

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In a void of absolute nothingness, Raven jolted awake to an unsettling cacophony. A sudden pang assaulted his head as his mind groggily stirred.

'Where am I?'

"53###&*"

As if to respond to him, the sinister whispers intensified. In this dark void, Raven lost his visual perception so naturally, almost as if the sense of sight never existed. However, he felt the whispers latching onto his skin, crawling over him in a matter of seconds.

'Ah–what the hell is this? Seriously, where am I?'

"##$%^76%%%"

The sinister whispers evolved into an eerie melody as they intensified on Raven's skin. All of a sudden, a bone-chilling sensation washed over him. Raven quickly understood what it felt like to be submerged in ice. The stronger the sensation became, the more he felt like he was buried deeper in the iceberg.

Everything happened so quickly that he was at a loss for ideas. He couldn't make sense of anything. The feeling of powerlessness took over, blending seamlessly with the other unearthly cold.

'I'm going to die!'

'No!'

'I can't. I still have a long way to go!'

He shivered involuntarily, but the cold sensation only strengthened until his thoughts faded, and his mind slumbered.

'Is this the e-end?'

Suddenly, a crack splintered across the void, unleashing a thunderous tremor that shook the stability of the nothingness. The crack swallowed up Raven and he vanished from the dark void.

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Raven's mind stirred once more. His eyes opened, and he quickly caught sight of his ceiling.

"So, this is your son? The fabled brat," a feminine voice sounded out.

"Argh—yes. Adopted son. Don't give me that look," a familiar voice replied.

Raven quickly realized he was back on his bed. 'Kase must have taken care of me after I collapsed. How long was I asleep?'

'Hmph, the old man must be awfully kind today.'

Kase was his adopted father. He was the one who found him when he had mysteriously awoken in Rustwood three years ago. Since then, they had lived together and gradually grew to like each other. Not a family, but something close enough.

The mysterious voice squealed, "Wow. What a handsome pie! Old man, you said he was the ugliest beast you have ever laid eyes on."

'Who is this lady?' Raven couldn't move because of the state of his body, so he pretended to still be asleep.

"Hmph, wait till you see how annoying he is. Anyway, now that you have seen him, what do you think?"

"Yeah, you are right. He is showing signs. But I would need more time to study him before giving a verdict. However, this does look promising for him. Remind me again, what happened to him?"

"Stupid brat. If I had to guess, he tried to ambush Light Dorin. He's been going on and off about the rumour of Light Dorin possessing a prima potion. But that doesn't matter. Is he okay?"

"Relax, nothing is wrong with him. He just needs to heal and he will be back to no good. You could have called anyone else, but you called me. There's something you aren't telling me, old man."

Kase hesitated for a moment and softly said, "Raven is getting desperate. He's at the age where he wants to see the world. I think you can relate to that."

"Ahh, the regional examination… brings me memories. But you still don't need me for that, though. You taught him, right?"

"Just the basics. To pass the examination how he wants it, he needs a systemic education. You see this stupid idiot doesn't want to settle for nothing but the best. Heck, I wouldn't put it past himself to commit suicide if he doesn't get what he wants. Only you among us can provide that."

"Hmmm… the regional examination… towards the end of the year, huh. Six months to go. That could work. But, old man, you do understand the implications of your request, right? Does he?"

"Believe me, it's what he wants. And it's better this way."

"Hahaha, you really like him. Alright, anything for the cutie. I've been feeling bored recently. It wouldn't hurt to add 'sensei' to my resume. Right, lil bro?" the lady smiled, directing the intent of her words at Raven.

Raven turned around in surprise. How did she figure out he was awake?

"You didn't think you could fool us, right? Get in here, you cutie pie," the lady teased and lunged at him.

Raven straightened his body, expecting an attack, but all the lady did was grab his body and give him an unpleasant hug.

"Finally, I get to meet you, brother! The old man's been hiding you for so long. Most likely, jealous of your looks. You have no idea how long I have waited for this day."

'Brother…?' Raven frowned. None of his blood-related siblings were alive in this current period. So…

He looked at the lady and then at Kase, who hid behind her. 'They don't look the same!'

It was almost the comparison of beauty and the beast. The lady had obsidian eyes that meshed well with her braided auburn hair. An intricate tattoo extended from her neck, but its form couldn't be discerned.

On the other hand, Kase was a brown-haired old man with abundant grey hair. He always overly draped himself in thick clothes that never showed any of his wrinkled skin.

The lady smiled mischievously as if she could read him. "Hmmm… well, half-siblings anyway. I certainly don't have the old man's looks"

"Tch, you wish you had my brilliance!" grumbled Kase.

"Hahaha. Ignore the old man. He often gets streaks of delusion. Perks of getting old, I guess. By the way, I am Blaike," Blaike said and hugged him.

"You and I are going to have a fun time together, Raven."

"????"