Yo, welcome to my new story. I wrote this before I started writing Rebirth but I released that one first because this would make this make more sense. This story is going to be way more violent and dark than Rebirth is. I came up with this story after watching Invincible, so watch out for violence. Enjoy.
Waking up is always a bitch. It just means that those bitch ass gods everyone seems to love didn't receive my wish to die in my sleep. A sigh escaped my lips as my eyes fluttered open as I already gave up on the day before it started. Sitting up on my cot I start to ponder, as I do every morning, about just biting my tongue off. After about a good 10 minutes I decided to just get this nightmare over.
I stood up and started stretching while mentally preparing for my day. Taking a look over at my "closet"(really just piles of clothes on the floor) another sigh came out at my very limited fashion. Picking a long-sleeve red flannel, with the sleeves rolled up and unbuttoned, and a pair of jeans I was finally ready to suffer. Throwing my room door open and trudging into the kitchen I noticed my stepmom making breakfast that didn't smell too good, but that was normal. Her blond hair was tied up in a bun and disturbingly enough, she was still in her nightgown. She was so engrossed in burning whatever she was making that it took her a few seconds to realize I was there.
"Morning Dearie, how did you sleep"? She asked in a voice so sickly sweet that it could wilt flowers.
"Oh man, those two whole hours were just really great," I said throwing myself down into a chair, "and when the fuck are we going to get a table, it's weird just eating in chairs".
"Aw you know how tight money is Albert, we can barely afford to keep this house. You and your sister don't have real beds to sleep on. We can't buy an ox or horse to help around the farm. Oh, speaking of money, we need you to go to Uafu to get more wheat seeds. The cheapest ones you can find. Your father can't make it because he's, um, inebriated." she said hesitating a little before that last bit as if she had to find the nicest way to say it. I let out my third sigh of the morning, this one much deeper than the two previous.
"Hey look on the bright side", another voice rang out from behind me. I turned around to see my sister Cecilia standing in the hallway still in her pink pajamas, brushing her blond hair. Just seeing her brought a smile to my face. "You get to spend more time with that woman you like, Rebecca or whatever her name is."
"Heh, her name's Lily but thanks anyway" I got up and started doing some light stretches. "Welp, I should probably get going since it's a two-hour walk and I want to get back before I can't see shit anymore".
" Oh make sure to take the axe with you, in case monsters attack you on your way there," my stepmom said while still not being done with making breakfast. Suddenly she got a serious look and her voice got deathly serious " And make sure to cover up that mark of yours". Obviously, she was talking about my "birthmark" on my right arm. At least I have been told my whole life it was a birthmark but in my very limited experience, most birthmarks aren't in the shape of a wolf's head. For whatever reason, I have never been able to show my mark to anyone, which isn't really a problem where I live.
"You know, one day I will find out what this is, and I might just die right there and then". I said while rolling my sleeves down. With my final sigh of the morning, I exited the house.
After grabbing the axe from the shed I start making my way out of Faleuila Village or as I call it, the "Shithole of the South ''. Only around 16 people live here and all of them have severe financial trouble which is why they live here and not in the beautiful port city Uafu. Honestly, I hate almost every person that lives here because they just accept the fact that they are poor and don't try to do anything about it. They just live their stagnate lives and that disgusts me. On top of all that, it borders the Mataʻutia Forest. Which doesn't sound completely awful, except it happens to be a giant Silverback den. Any step inside what is most likely a bountiful reservoir of marketable products is just a death sentence. It could've been this shitholes' saving grace but now it's just that place curious children never come back from. Fuckin' children. The only person in this whole village that I don't hate is Cecilia. I'm not a brocon but she does have gorgeous wavy blond hair and almost hypnotizing red eyes. The only reason I don't just run away is because of her. She's my whole reason to live.
Two whole boring-ass hours later I arrived at the gates of Uafu. Luckily there were no monsters on the way here so it was pretty much smooth sailing. Since it was 7:30 in the morning there was no line to get into the city and I could immediately speak with the guards.
"Good Morning". One of the two guards said. "What is your reason for visiting?".
"Morning, I'm here because I need to buy wheat seeds."
"Sir?" The other guard asks in a harsh tone "You know you can't take an uncovered weapon into the city. If you'd like we can keep it here until you leave".
"Yeah I can leave it with you, that's fine." I said handing over the ax.
"Can we have your name, Sir, so we can tag this to give back to you?" The first guard asked.
"It's Albert."
"What about your last name?".
"I don't use one". The guard looked at me quizzically. She stared at me for a good 30 seconds before the second guard spoke up.
"Just write Albert parenthesis farmer ".
The first guard let out a deep sigh before tagging the axe and handing it over to the other guard to put in storage. She then smiles at me and says "Welcome to the port city Uafu Albert".
One of my favorite things about this city is just how beautiful it is. Every time I come here there is something I've never seen. One time I saw a Renard, another I saw a person walking around with a Kobold on a leash. There's always something crazy going on here. That's the magic of a port city. But no matter how many magical things I see here there's always someone I see that's the best out of all of them.
After taking the five minutes to buy more seeds I found myself at what's weirdly my favorite place in the city: The Police Station, also known as the home of the Bunzi Familia. Their familia acts as guards for the town and do patrols, guard the gate and ports, and they also train others so that someday they might join the familia. I happen to be one of those people.
Walking in the station I see a female cat person at the front desk. She was licking her black fur without a care in the world. When she finally saw me a creepy smile crept across her face. Unnerved out of my fucking mind, I cautiously walked up to her. Her smile seemed to increase the closer I got.
"Good meowning Albert, how are nyou today"? She asked in a very high-pitched voice.
"Holy fuck, how do you know my name?" I said jumping back into a half-ass fighting stance. I was genuinely terrified of this woman, especially because I knew she was 100 percent stronger than me. She just laughed at my question, which didn't help my nerves.
"Silly, the majority of the force knows of nyou Albert. Your 'dates' with Lily are a famous thing nyow." In an instant, all my fear turned into embarrassment. A deep blush quickly spread across my face and I found myself unable to speak. From the look on her face, the cat-lady was getting way too much amusement from my reaction. She then got right up on me and her face was way too close to mine. Her eyes seemed to stare into my soul as she looked me up and down, keeping that same creepy smile the whole time. When she was "finished" she reached up and started caressing my cheek.
"Alright Handsome, I'll go get Lily for ya." She said as she turned to leave.
'What a weird fucking woman' I thought. 'Does what she just did count as sexual harassment. Because it felt like sexual harassment. Also, I'm sure it's fine to just leave the front desk of a police station vacant. Surely there will be no crimes while you're gone.'
As more ugly thoughts passed through my head, I started to feel a chill down my spine. Turning to see what was causing it I saw another officer leaning on the wall opposite of me. She was a pink-haired Werewolf decked out in the standard blue painted leather armor that all Bunzi familia officers wore. It had their emblem, a rainbow going through a tidal wave, imprinted on her arm guards. Different from most, however, was a star on the left side of her armor. The Captain. She was flashing a sultry smile and just eyeing me as if I was her prey. Luckily before she got to do anything, Weird Cat-lady came back with Lily in tow.
Saying that she was beautiful was an understatement. Elves are known to be good-looking but she was in another league. Her long brown hair fell gracefully down her back and her emerald green eyes seemed to draw in even light. With her armor on she gave up a fierce, yet comforting Aura. Like she could fend off a hundred invaders while you were crying in her lap. An elvish shortsword dangled off her hip in a scabbard with the most intricate design you'll ever see on it. She told me that it was a symbol representing Endurance but it looked like random lines to me.
"Hey Al, you sure here early," she said in a voice that was sweet, but not overly sweet like Nancy's. "Don't tell me you rushed over here just to see me."
"I was just in the area getting stuff for the farm and figured I should come over here and see if you were free for some training today".
"Well, I have to patrol the docks until noon, but if you shadow me we can train after." She started blushing as she said this, as did I.
"I mean if you'll have me". This was not the right thing to say as the Cat-lacy and the werewolf both broke out laughing.
"Captain, Lucy stop laughing," Lily yelled. She then grabbed my hand and quickly led me out of the station.
Shadowing Lily was interesting because no matter what she was doing, it was never boring. Even if she was just on gate duty for the day, it was fun seeing all the travelers come and go, each with a new story and a new motive. Some were just mercenaries turning into monster crystals, while some were whole families looking to start new lives in this zestful city. Same thing with what she was doing today, Patrolling the docks. Every ship that comes into the harbor she goes on and checks for any contraband cargo, illegal drugs, slaves, etc. Naturally, since I'm not part of the Bunzi familia, I can't go on the ships but I can stay on the dock and interact with the mariners. Most of the information I learn is random shit some sailor told me.
Four exciting hours later Lily and I found ourselves at a cafe on the coast. We sat outside on a patio with a seaside view. She ordered a salad while I ordered a three-piece chicken meal: Two breasts and a wing. We ate in silence for a while until Lily decided to spark some conversation.
"So, how are things back in o' Faleuila". She asked, resting her chin on one hand and giving me a smug look. I stifled a laugh before answering.
"Well, like usual nothing has happened or will ever happen. Except, guess what? Dad has been spending all our money on alcohol and is so constantly drunk and/or hungover that now I have to do everything on the farm. We can't hire help and the added stress of what's essentially double my previous workload has taken a massive toll on my mental stability. Cecilia's the only thing that keeps me sane. I don't know what would happen if she was gone. Someti-"
My rantings were cut off by a wave of pressure that Lily sent at me. Being a level two all it took was her stare to shut me up. She looked almost disgusted by what I had said.
"You're too depressed for a 15-year-old" she growled, finally dropping her glare. "But listen, I spoke with Goddess Bunzi, and she said that she will accept you into the familia before you're 18. So whenever you are ready, bring Cecilia and we'll accept you both'.
"I'm very flattered that your goddess likes me, but that's not going to happen". She looked at me in surprise.
"Isn't that everything you want?"
"Yeah, it's what I want. But Cecilia doesn't want to leave, I've asked her before. Do you honestly think I would still live there if she didn't? Her life isn't as hard as mine so she doesn't hate living. She also doesn't want to leave Nancy alone with my Father, which is understandable."
"Al-"
"Look, can I just eat please? I'm starving over here"! I yelled. A look of shock graced her face before it was replaced with a stoic one as she solemnly nodded. We ate the rest of lunch in silence.
After a very tense and awkward walk back to the station, it was finally time for my favorite thing to do: Training. Lily and I breezed through the building and exited the back to arrive at a huge courtyard used as training grounds. There were three "arenas" set up separated by fences. Racks of wooden weapons lined the sides of these arenas, for easy access.
"So this is the first time we've sparred since I've leveled up, do you want me to get a level 1 so that you can get a warmup"? She asked while grabbing a Jian-type sword from the rack. I looked over at the rack and found my go-to weapon on the rack-a greatsword.
"Nah, I'm feeling extra pissed off right now. I said practically ripping the sword off the rack. " No Warm-up is necessary.
Someone once told me that it was a bad thing to be beaten by a woman, but after the fifth time my back hit the ground I knew he was lying. Forcing my weak legs to stand up once again I saw Lily standing a few paces away. She was panting heavily but looked relatively unharmed from the hours of fighting.
"Well, you're getting better. This was easier when you were eight," she said with a nostalgic smile coming to her face.
"I'm not getting strong fast enough." I said, grabbing my sword and making sure my mark was still covered.
"For someone without a falna, you're doing just fine." A new voice rang out. Looking over I saw the pink-haired Werewolf from earlier. She was focused on me taking in the sight of my beat-up body. "Hey Lily, I'm going to fight him." Lily's eyes went wide after this.
"Captain!" she screamed. "You can't fight him. You're level 3 and he's already tired."
"I wasn't asking." the Captain growled as she jumped into the arena. Lily nodded and left. "Hi, Al. My name is Rheo." She said in a seductive voice. "Think you can take me?" The ever-growing crowd started laughing. They were here for a show. My frown deepened and a growl came out. Rheo's face hardened. "Is that any way to talk to a lady? You'll have to be punished for that." Her creepy smile returned.
I couldn't even comprehend what I had said before she closed the distance between us. She planted her foot in my stomach sending me flying back into the fence. I hit the ground with a thud and didn't even try to get up. It wasn't worth it. Blood and bile forced their way out of and splashed across the dirt. The day was just getting worse and worse. The werewolf sauntered up to me and I could hear her breathing from across the arena.
"Is this all you got?" she bellowed. I attempted to get up but she struck with her foot again, this time smashing my head into the fence. Another kick connected with my stomach, causing a crack to reverberate across the arena. A third kick. A fourth. My chest was going to cave in if this kept up. Luckily, Rheo had gotten tired of this fight. Grabbing me by my right arm she threw me back towards the center of the arena. My shirt ripped as I was thrown, leaving my right sleeve in her hands.
I was struggling to keep consciousness. The lack of sleep was getting to me. My assailant was yelling something towards the crowd but I couldn't hear her. All I could hear was the thumping of her footsteps getting closer. Preparing myself for the worst, she stopped before she got to me.
"Hmm, what's this?". She crept closer to me slowly. I felt her grab my arm and twist it, fully exposing my bicep to her. Her grip tightened. "Get over here," she growled at her family. A panicked rush of footsteps followed.
"Oi, isn't that-"
"That symbol!"
"Boy," Rheo said. "Do you know what this mark on your arm is?"
"N-no. No one tells me wh-what it is." I managed to say in between bloody coughs. She mused to herself for a moment.
"Who would know?" she said in a way that didn't make it seem like a question. "Would your parents?" I barely got out a nod. She mused again. "Go inform Goddess." she growled to another member, who ran off.
"What should we do with the boy?" asked another. I made eye contact with Rheo for a moment before she smiled sadistically. I felt a blow to the back of my head and my consciousness faded.
With a gasp, I jolted back awake. My head was ringing and my vision was blurry. I sat there for a second waiting to gain my bearings. When the world stopped spinning I saw where I was. A white room. No visible doors or windows. No furniture. There was a mirror on one wall but that was it. Just white walls and floors. Standing up, I realized that my wounds had been healed while I was out. A creak rang out from behind me. Turning around I saw that creepy Cat-lady from earlier entering through a hidden door.
"Oh, so nyou're awake nyow huh? Bummer. We had a lot of fun while you were asleep." she said as a perverted smile came across her face. 'No fucking way.' I thought.
"Yo, here to let me out?" She let out a laugh.
"Let you out? No need. You're not locked up. You're one of us, right?"
"No. I turned down the early invitation."
"Hmm, that won't matter soon. After the raid, you'll be ours then." A resounding silence filled the room after this statement. 'Did she just say what I think she said?' Her face looked almost horrified as did mine. "Did I say that out loud?"
'Raid? I'll be theirs? That can only mean one thing.'
"Home," I said out loud my face morphing from horror to anger. "You guys are attacking Faleuila?" Her silence confirmed it. Taking a deep breath I jumped at my jailer, tackling her to the ground. She wound up a punch but I slammed her head into the floor before she could execute it. As she was dazed, I slammed her head back into the floor. She stopped struggling after that. Must be a level one. Her level didn't matter right now though.
Bolting out the door, I sprinted through the station and crashed out the door. Stumbling into the street, I ran full speed to the gate not stopping for anything. When I hit the gate, the same guards from earlier were there and I got my axe back with no problems. With this, I ran off towards my village.
Even miles away I could still smell the blood. It lingered in the air as if a warning for me to not return home. But I'm not known as the smartest guy. Running into town, I couldn't help but stare in awe. There was blood everywhere. It coated every wall in sight and the ground was caked in it. The smell was overwhelming as well. Creeping through the town, various body parts were thrown around. At least they struggled in the end. Dodging Bunzi Familia members I found myself in the town square where another horrific scene was taking place. In the square were twelve spikes. Each one had a head on it. The heads of the townspeople.
A certain blond-haired head caught my eye. Her eyes were still open, the look of pure terror implanted on them forever. My heart stopped seeing it. My breathing got quick and my vision got blurry. Then all that surprise turned to anger. My grip tightened on on my axe, causing some of the wood to splinter. Looking down, I saw a male member of the familia setting up more spikes. Poor guy.
Running up on the man, he barely had time to scream before I swung. The axe landed dead center in his temple. Blood and brain matter flew as his lifeless body hit the ground. Digging my bloody weapon out of his skull I felt multiple eyes looking at me. The scream must have alerted the familia. Hesitantly I turned around and saw over thirty members all staring at me. There was one more shocked than the rest.
"What the hell do you think you're doing here Al?" asked Lily in an aggressive tone.
"You're not in a position to ask that question are you?" I growled back. The other members were getting tense and fidgeting with their weapons. We all knew something was going to happen.
"Oi!" yelled Rheo from a rooftop. "Lily, you handle him or I will!" The elf sighed and looked at me. Her face showed sadness then it quickly turned into determination. She unsheathed her sword and dropped it from the roof to the ground.
"Útrýma". She said and her sword ignited into flames. As soon as she hit the ground, the elf took off towards me ready to do what was necessary. I raised my axe to strike but I had a feeling it was in vain. Swinging my weapon down it connected with Lily's sword. The two weapons clashed for a second before the axe head shattered leaving the sword free to continue its arc which slashed me across the chest. Stunned by the pain I was defenseless against the spinning kick that hit me dead in the face, sending me flying backward. Landing on my back again I quickly flipped up onto my feet. I reached up to my wound but it was cauterized by the flame.
"Al, just make this easy and surrender. I'm sure they'll go easy on you." The elf said slowly walking up to me.
"Why are you doing this?"
"...Our goddess ordered it."
"You murdered a whole town just because Buzi ordered it! And you expect me to join you wack-ass familia?" She growled and charged again. Unarmed, all I could do was try to punch her. Throwing out my left arm I hoped for the best. The elf ducked under my punch and I then saw a quick movement of her sword. Followed by a burst of pain and blood splatter. A thud rang in my ears. I looked down and saw my left arm lying on the ground. Instinctively my remaining arm reached over and felt the cauterized stump.
"This is your last chance. Surrender." I calmed my breathing.
"Go. Fuck. Yourselves."
"So be it." A kick forced me to my knees. I felt the searing flame right next to my neck. "I really wished we could be together." She raised the sword. Then, the ground started shaking. A rhythmic thumping that distracted Lily from executing me. I didn't have to look to know what the noise was. Similar phenomena happen when you get too close to the forest. Silverbacks. Hulking white gorillas with a hunger for flesh. Two of them, by the sound of it.
"Whew," said the elf. "Now I don't have to kill you." A palm grasped my face and threw it back, forcing me to lay on my back. She embedded her sword in the right side of my chest burying the blade into the ground. I coughed up some blood for what seems like the hundredth time today.
"Sayonara," Lily said before nodding to her familia who started running away from the village. Sparing one last glance at me, the elf disappeared as well. As soon as she was out of sight, I grasped the hilt of the sword. Slowly pulling it out of me, a roar bellowed through the square. The monsters had gotten a whiff of me and were out for blood. I tried to get up but my body failed me. The Silverbacks circled around me. My anger and worry shot up. Do I die like this? My body started feeling hot. My eyes were burning. The wind picked up blowing like a monsoon. One of the gorillas raised their hand to strike. As the hand fell, the pressure around me jolted up. I screamed. It was over. A sudden golden flash obscured my vision, and my head fell to the ground, unconscious.
Thanks for reading. I've been having trouble on the next Rebirth Chapter but it should be done by Sunday. This story will make more sense as it goes along. It's really just my imagination running wild and Albert had a character that let me do that. For him to be strong enough to fight the OEBD by himself, he has to be extremely strong, so expect him to be overpowered in this story. Until next time. Have a nice day.