Into the Pandemonium

by StarKnight2.0

Part 2 of "Somewhere Far Beyond." Things are beginning to heat up. Follow Gareth and Kane as they dodge enemies and assume new roles. Ainz follows the path of the Overlord while battling a mysterious rival who wants nothing more than to see Nazarick burn. Meanwhile, secrets are unearthed and ancient powers are awakened, threatening both the players and the New World.

6. A Well Respected Man

(a/n: Hey everyone! A bit of a long chapter and a shift in focus but I hope you enjoy it! Big thanks to Lucius Walker for all his help.)

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Ch.6: A Well Respected Man

Gonzalo the Heretic yawned and rubbed his tired eyes. The former priest sat alone at his table outside the cafe, watching people pass him by on the busy street. It was noon, and the sun was high above him, causing the former priest to sweat. Gonzalo tugged at the collar of his robes and sipped his tea. Looking around, none of the other patrons of the cafe nor the people walking by on the sidewalk noticed the heretic in black, waiting for his murderous companion to arrive and his target. To them, it was just another day in the Holy Capital, and all was right in the world.

Although it has been three days since both he and Clementine were released from the Institute, the former priest was still trying to adjust to being out and about in his former home city. Ever since his banishment, Gonzalo never considered that he'd end up back home. He was prepared to spend the rest of his life in exile, wandering the land and carving out a living through crime, but life had a way of surprising him.

A part of Gonzalo was happy to be home again, but wished it were under less strenuous circumstances. Across the street, the former priest observed a crowd gathered outside one of the largest item shops in the capital. Earlier, he and Clementine followed and observed their prey enter the establishment. The emerald clad wizard was accompanied by two young girls with hair that matched his and a woman whose beauty took Gonzalo's breath away. The three were the image of a happy family, though Clementine seemed unconvinced.

"I don't know, something about him doesn't seem right," the blonde psycho murmured. "Kinda gives me the creeps if you ask me."

"Hah, didn't know that the infamous Clementine could be rattled by a pretty-boy," Gonzalo smirked from under his teacup.

"Oh don't get me wrong, he's sexy as hell," Clementine smirked, before her grin melted into a frown. "I'm just saying that there's more to this bastard than what meets the eye."

"Oh?" the former priest lifted an eyebrow. "And how can you be so sure?"

"I just know," she shrugged. "I have a nose for when people are bullshitting me."

Gonzalo would've normally chalked up such suspicions as just being paranoid, but after observing the wizard for a few moments, the former priest's initial observations of the man gradually changed. Before entering the item's shop, the wizard spent a few minutes greeting people as they rushed over to him. The wizard named Oz wore a warm smile and a long, fancy green coat. He laughed and cracked jokes with the people, who laughed and complimented him. At first it seemed like a celebrity or a beloved king greeting his people. However, the longer Gonzalo stared at the man, the more he grew unsettled.

In his time as Chief Researcher of the Lotus Scripture and as an outlaw, Gonzalo has met his fair share of people, both high and low ranked. In that time, the former priest interacted with them and grew to know when someone is putting on a front. Oz was good but Gonzalo could see cracks in the wizard's facade.

His laughter, his smile, the way he interacted with the crowd, it seemed very...rehearsed. It was as if he were putting on a performance, acting like a warm public figure. Funnily enough, it reminded the former priest of some high ranking clerics he once knew. Whenever he gave his report or requested something, they'd put on this false face of friendliness and compassion. In reality, they were unpleasant.

After Oz and his family entered the item shop, Clementine excused herself. Gonzalo warned her not to stray too far or attempt to harm anyone that isn't Oz.

"I know, I know!" she grumbled, smoothing out her black and silver robes of a cleric of the Six Scriptures. "I'm not going far and I'm not going to hurt anyone, I swear by all the gods."

"You better, or else you know what happens."

Clementine gritted her teeth angrily as she glared at the bronze wristband attached to her wrist, before stomping off.

That was two hours ago, and she hasn't returned since.

Gonzalo looked at the wristband on his wrist. Although it's been exposed to direct sunlight for the past few hours, the metal was still cool to the touch. The former priest traced the runes etched into the metal with his finger. No matter how much either of the two did, neither wristband would budge. When he asked Chief Researcher Peddle about the wristbands, hoping that he could glean something useful, the brown haired woman shrugged.

"To be honest, we're not entirely sure how these things work, let alone what they are," the Chief Researcher said, folding her arms.

"What? But isn't it dangerous to give unknown items to random people? How did you know that it won't give us untold power and make us go on a rampage?"

Chief Researcher Peddle shrugged. "We don't, but that's all part of the job, I suppose."

Noticing the panic rising in Gonzalo, the brown haired woman assured him that everything would be fine. She promised that she'd continue to research the wristbands once the mission was over.

If the mission is over, Gonzalo thought bitterly.

All that they do know is that the former priest and the pretty, blonde lunatic were bound together. Neither can leave the other's company. If they did, for a prolonged amount of time, they would fall deathly ill. If one tries to hurt the other or any other person without Gonzalo's command, they would receive a nasty shock. The wristbands came as a pair, and Gonzalo was entrusted to keep Clementine in line. Afterall, who would trust a psychopath like her? Though branded as a heretic, the Cardinals knew that the former priest would carry out their will. After all, their freedom and their lives were on the line. If things were to go wrong, he'd be wishing for imprisonment.

Hearing a buzz of chatter rising from the crowd, Gonzalo looked up. Oz and his family emerged from the shop. The wizard was wearing a pair of spectacles with green lenses and smiling. He waved to the crowd. His children curtseyed and smiled at the crowd, eliciting some "aws." The crowd surged, trying to get closer to the wizard, but were held back by his green armored guards and employees from the shop.

"Disgusting," Clementine said, suddenly appearing behind the former priest.

Gonzalo jumped, nearly spilling his tea, and he turned to the blonde psychopath. She was staring directly at Oz, who was politely wading through the throng toward a carriage that just pulled up in front of the item shop.

"Where the hell were you?" he demanded.

Clementine said nothing. She stood there, staring at the wizard and his family. After a few silent moments, the blonde murderer looked at Gonzalo and smiled.

"While you were sitting on your ass, drinking tea, I believe I found a weak point in our target."

The former priest frowned at Clementine. "What?"

"Come, I'll show you."

After paying for his tea, Gonzalo followed Clementine away from the cafe. The two left the street they were on and headed north. They crossed a few streets, zigzagged randomly through different paths and doubling back a few times, in case they were being followed. Eventually, the two made their way through an alley and came to a stop at the end. Clementine looked around the corner and waved Gonzalo to follow. Emerging from the alley, the former priest saw that the blonde murderer had led them to a restaurant.

Frowning in confusion, he asked why they were there. The blonde psychopath offered Gonzalo her hand. He looked at it and then at her.

"Come on, I won't bite," Clementine teased. "I just want to show you something. I just need you to make us invisible for a little bit."

"Why?"

"So we don't get seen, duh."

Gonzalo hesitated, but remembered the protection afforded him by the wrist band. He took her hand. The moment the former priest touched her hand, his amulet, which he kept around his neck and under his shirt, shivered. His heart skipped a beat.

"Ooh, someone's nervous," Clementine purred, noting the color leaving Gonzalo's face.

He smiled a little. "Sorry. Shall we continue?"

He murmured the incantation for the most potent invisibility spell, [Veil of Shadows]. In a matter of seconds, the two faded from sight. Once they were invisible, Clementine led him forward toward the restaurant.

As they made their way across the street, Gonzalo took deep breaths and did his best to remain focused. Now that he had his amulet back, the former priest had to be careful. The harsh voice of the amulet was back in his mind, whispering to him what he should do. He almost forgot how loud it was. Gonzalo supposed that it was because he and the amulet were separated for a time, and that he hadn't reacclimated to its influence. However, the more time he spent with Clementine, the louder and more powerful the demonic item seemed to grow.

I can do this, the former priest thought to himself. Just breathe.

Yes, keep telling yourself that, the amulet sneered in Gonzalo's mind. You know that my power grows with each passing moment. It won't be long before I overwhelm you.

I won't let that happen, Gonzalo shot back mentally.

Why do you resist? Allow me to take control and I shall free you from the bonds in which you are kept. With our combined might, I can help you take your revenge! I can bring those blithering old fools to their knees! I can make them regret ever banishing you!

As fun as that sounds, now's not the time.

Coward! If you don't have the stomach to take what you want, then give me to the female! She's not a pathetic worm like you. She knows what she wants, and I believe that she'll be more willing to accept my help.

Gonzalo took a deep breath, and, with some serious effort, forced the amulet's influence back to its source.

"You good?"

Gonzalo realized that they had stopped. Clementine was looking at him, puzzled at how hard he was breathing.

"Don't tell me that you're this outta shape."

Much to her surprise, he just let out a weak smile.

"No, it's...it's nothing. Let's keep moving."

The former priest was relieved when the blonde murderer proceeded as if nothing were wrong. Fortunately, the amulet had gone silent, but he could still feel it at the edge of his mind, sulking and waiting for the right moment to reassert itself.

The two invisible agents of the Cardinals followed a man through the front door and into the restaurant. The place was busy, though the atmosphere was calm and formal. Most of the tables were occupied, but the patrons spoke in soft tones and handled their utensils with care.

Looking around the interior of the place, Gonzalo slowly realized that the restaurant was a high class establishment. There were waiters and servers circulating about, tending to the needs of the well dressed patrons. A crystal chandelier hung above the spacious dining area, glittering brightly. Clementine nudged him, bringing the heretic back to reality, and silently led him deeper into the restaurant. The two carefully navigated the maze of tables and serving carts, ducking away from servers carrying fully ladened trays and patrons arriving or leaving. At the far end of the restaurant, the murderer and the heretic came to a stop. Before them was a wall of wooden dividers. Standing close by were a trio of beautiful women in black dresses and white aprons, denoting their status as servers in the restaurant.

Gonzalo could hear loud, obnoxious slurping sounds and the clatter of silverware on a plate. There was a loud moan of pleasure and a chuckle from behind the dividers.

"Oh deary me, this is by far the finest roast I have ever tasted!" a voice said gleefully.

There was scraping of silverware on plates, followed by more slurping and loud chewing. For some odd reason, Gonzalo felt very uncomfortable and annoyed. He had lived among a band of outlaws who have done things that made him sick to his stomach, and yet he was feeling very unsettled by someone being a loud and annoying diner.

Clementine tugged his arm and the two drew closer. They tiptoed closer and peered through a gap in the divider. On the other side, Gonzalo saw perhaps one of the fattest men he has seen in his life.

Sitting at a crowded table was a large man in a tightly fitting white shirt and black coat. Sitting on the chair beside him was a tall, cylindrical hat. Before him was a veritable feast. Dishes, big and small, were laid out across the table. It looked as if the man had ordered one of everything on the menu. Even though it looked as if there were enough food for the group at the table, nobody else had a plate set before them.

Gonzalo studied the faces of the other guests at the table. Men and women, ages varied from elderly to in their early twenties. Their state of their attire varied as well, with a few dressed in fine dresses and coats but most were dressed in old and plain clothing. They watched as the hefty man wolfed down a juicy roast and chased with a glass of expensive wine. Gonzalo grimaced as he watched the man eat. Wine, saliva, and meat juice dribbled down his double chin and onto his already stained white shirt. This went on for a few moments before the man lowered the glass to let out a loud belch.

"Now then," the man said, wiping his mouth with his coat's sleeve "What can I, Lord Oz's Chamberlain, do for you good people?"

The people began speaking at once, a chorus of desperate and eager voices. Gonzalo caught snippets of what they were saying. Some requested an audience with the wizard, others were asking for some form of assistance, one had hoped to see Lady Galinda. The former priest looked to the large man. The large man lifted an eyebrow and gestured with a meaty hand. One of the serving women appeared beside him and refilled his glass. He swirled the drink in his glass, sniffed it, and drank it as the people continued to talk.

After a few moments, the large man's face twisted with annoyance and lowered his glass. He raised a hand and calmed the people down.

"I understand," the self-professed Chamberlain sighed, sounding bored. "You all wish to meet my great lord, hoping that he can help you with all your little problems. He can and he will, though as you all know, nothing good in this life is free."

"W-What do you mean?" asked one of the men at the table, a man dressed in a worn old coat.

"It means, sir, that Lord Oz is a very busy man. Everyone wants his help and there is a terribly long line to even catch a glimpse of his radiance. Which is why you all came to little old me."

"They said that you were the man to talk to if we wish to meet the wizard," a woman in a plain blue dress said. "They said that he listens to you."

"He listens to no one," the pudgy man said, raising a finger. "He is, after all, the great and powerful Oz!"

A sardonic smile formed on the man's face as bitterness dripped from every word.

"Will you help us or not?" a serious looking man demanded, his fist pounding the table. "I don't like wasting my time."

"Calm yourself! I said I would, didn't I?" the Chamberlain said, his sardonic smile turning sweet. "Of course I can help and I will, but first I must know that you are serious! How should I know that you aren't the ones wasting my time? My lord is a great man and has a great deal of enemies. How do I know that you aren't assassins hoping to get closer to him and murder him!"

The serious looking man scowled and looked ready to explode. However, the woman in the blue dress placed a hand on his arm, causing his expression to soften.

"What do you want?" the man asked in a low voice.

"I want you to prove to me that it'll be worth my time. My lord doesn't like being bothered with trivial requests and likes treachery even less. Prove to me how much you want to see him. How desperate are you that you need his help?"

The serious man's jaw tightened, and he reached under the table and produced a hefty sack. He dropped it on the table rudely, causing the dishes to rattle and the contents of the sack to clink. The pudgy man eyed the sack and reached forward and opened it. Inside was a small mound of gold, silver and copper. Sticking out of the pile of coins were some rubies, emeralds and a silver necklace.

"It's all our valuables," the man said grimly. "Every coin and valuable heirloom we have. We sold everything else. We...we need the wizard's help. Our daughter…"

"Will receive a visit from the great one tomorrow," the pudgy man said, eyeing the sack of riches greedily. "You have my word."

The serious man blinked in surprise and the woman in blue gasped. Tears came to the woman's face and she began showering thanks upon the pudgy man. Gonzalo felt disgust as he watched the pudgy man regard the woman with a mixture of annoyance and lust, before replacing them with a forced sense of chivalry.

The other guests at the table began to produce their own bags of valuables and chattering at the pudgy chamberlain.

The former priest looked to Clementine and whispered, "What the hell is this?"

"He's our way in," the blonde murderer hissed, nodding to the pudgy man who was waving to the serving women again "This fat bastard is Oz's Chamberlain. He organizes and oversees everything that goes on in his castle and what his little group does here in the capital."

"How do you know?"

"The fatass has been boasting about it to everyone who cares to listen. Fortunately, that seems to be most people in the capital. Apparently, he's going around offering favors to those who can pay. People seem to be paying and not just in gold and jewels. Food, wine, women, anything that seems to catch his eye."

Gonzalo raised an eyebrow. "Okay...so, now what? Should we report this to the Cardinals? I mean, this is extortion! He's swindling these people out of their money."

"Pfft, no way. We can tell them after."

"After what?"

Clementine smiled and released Gonzalo's hand. Her form flickered and she became visible once more. She unbuttoned her robes and loosened her belt, allowing the robes to open, revealing what's underneath. Underneath the black and silver uniform, the blonde murderer wore a set of bronze armor. It was similar to her old attire, the one she wore when she died, in that it showed a lot of skin and drew attention to her assets. While her old armor was made of the tags of slain Adventurers, this set of armor was made of enchanted bronze that boosted her speed and defense, despite all that exposed skin.

"What the hell are you doing?" Gonzalo hissed.

"Fulfilling the mission," Clementine grinned. She winked at the former priest and walked around the divider and leaned against it.

Gonzalo went the other way and poked his head around the side. He saw the guests at the table go quiet and staring at Clementine. The blonde murderer put one hand on her hip and wore a sweet smile.

The pudgy chamberlain had his glass to his lips but stopped when his eyes landed on the beautiful killer. He lowered the glass and a lewd smile formed on his lips. He stopped and he looked at the other guests at the table. Quickly, he waved them away and told them to return in an hour. Although they complained loudly, the people obeyed. In a matter of moments the table was vacated, leaving Clementine and the pudgy man.

"Hello," the man greeted her, grinning like a pig.

"Good afternoon! You don't happen to be that man who can help people see that wonderful wizard Oz, are you?"

"I most certainly am that man. Come, sit," the chamberlain gestured to an empty chair, which was once occupied by the woman in blue.

Clementine sauntered in and sat down. The pudgy man waved at the serving ladies who placed a glass in front of the blonde murderer and filled it with wine.

"So, how can I help you today?"

Clementine picked up her wine glass and gazed at the ruby liquid within.

She looked at the pudgy man and grinned. "My partner and I were wondering if your great lord has any need for some servants."

"Oh? You're looking for a job?"

"I'm afraid so. I really hate to ask, but times have been tough. My friend and I are looking for work. You see, I was a part of the Black Scripture, until I went rogue and killed one of the Mako Princesses."

Gonzalo felt his heart stop. Why in the name of the gods would she start with that? Oh no, they were doomed.

He closed his eyes, and was prepared to get on the ground to assume a surrendering position.

But the man just raised an eyebrow. "Go on…"

"I'm a wanted killer. I've killed so many people. Most of them Adventurers. That certainly made me popular in Re-Estize. Being a sexy outlaw, I have no way to provide for myself, and I need to make money. Your boss, this Oz guy, he seems to have a lot of money. Maybe he could use a person of my skill set."

The former priest opened his eyes and saw the pudgy man consider Clementine's words seriously. After a few moments, the chamberlain nodded slowly.

"I see," he said softly "Well, that's certainly a first. Nobody has been as upfront as you, my dear. Usually, I need to pry the truth out of the people."

"What can I say, I'm not like most people."

"No...you're not," the pudgy man looked Clementine up and down.

Gonzalo saw the blonde killer position herself so that the chamberlain could get a nice view of her curvaceous form. The former priest couldn't help but stare as well. Although she was criminally insane and has taken the lives of many good people, Clementine was a beautiful woman. That was what made her so deadly. A beautiful face and an alluring body, both serving as a mask to hide a vile, hideous soul. Judging from the sweat beading on the pudgy man's brow and the gleam in his eye, it appears that Clementine didn't lose her touch after being dead for some time.

"What sort of job do you hope to receive?" the pudgy man asked, reluctantly directing his gaze into Clementine's eyes. "My lord has little need of a killer for hire. He has an army, a castle, and a whole host of other...things to protect him. In fact, if he were in the mood, he could turn this entire city into a smoldering pile of ash with a single spell."

Gonzalo felt his mouth go dry.

A single spell destroying a city? That was impossible! Or was it? Over the years, the former priest has studied a wide range of spells and types of magic. But he's never heard of anything that could destroy a city as large or as populous as Celestis. Well, anything was possible. The types of spells or powers that could do such things were only spoken of in legends. The Eight Greed Kings and the Six Great Gods were said to have brought about great destruction on their foes. Is this man claiming that the wizard's power was equal to that of the gods? And people called him heretic!

"Oh, I'm not expecting much," Clementine sighed, placing her hand on the table. "If you need me to scrub floors or empty out chamber pots, I'll do just that. I'll do anything to make money."

She leaned over, and allowed her cloak to open up, revealing her skimpy, bronze armor that revealed a lot of her legs, belly, and breasts. The man breathed heavily, and although it reeked, she managed to not recoil in disgust, keeping up her sultry smile.

The former priest saw the pudgy man reach over and placed a meaty hand on Clementine's. He stroked it tenderly and smiled.

"Fear not, dearie," the chamberlain purred. "I believe that I can find a place for you...and your friend."

Clementine grinned, unbothered by the sweaty man's hand on hers and the lustful look on his face.

"Thank you so much!" the blonde murderer squealed, grabbing the pudgy man's hand with both of hers, squeezing and fondling it with care.

The pudgy chamberlin waved at the serving women standing close by and began issuing orders. They brought forth another plate and set of utensils. The man gestured to the luxurious spread on the table and told Clementine to eat up.

"Eat! Eat to your heart's content!" the man chortled.

"Oh, I couldn't possibly impose."

"My dear, you are in the employ of Lord Oz now. You will want for nothing, ever again! Now eat, get comfortable."

The way the pudgy chamberlain emphasized the word 'comfortable' made Gonzalo's skin crawl. In all his time around Brain and his outlaw band, he knew how to recognize a man who's salivating over a woman he intends to have his way with. For a brief moment, the former priest didn't know who he felt more sorry for: Clementine or the chamberlain. One way or another, they're going to find out soon.

---

Many miles away, in the royal capital of Re-Estize, Brain Unglaus tossed and turned in his bed. The former bandit was once again in the depths of that awful nightmare of that night. Brain was back in the subterranean hideout that played home to the Death Brigade, his outlaw band. He was racing to confront the intruder. In the distance he could hear the anguished screams of his comrades, all begging for help, for mercy, and for death. The swordsman rounded the corner at the end of the tunnel and came face to face with her.

"Where do you think you're going, little man? I thought you were strong enough to at least give me a warm up, but I guess you're just weak like the others."

Brain gripped his sword tightly and assumed a fighting stance. He stared down the short vampire, who stood there, grinning mockingly. A violet aura surrounded her as she glided toward him.

"I'll show you," the swordsman growled. Once the vampire entered the confines of his Field, Brain acted. He swung his blade as hard and fast as he could, just like he always did during his countless training sessions.

"[Blade Technique: Whistling Wind]!" he growled. The blade sailed through the air, homing in on the vampire's bare throat, only to stop a few inches away from it's target.

Although this moment had replayed in his mind over and over for weeks, Brain was surprised by how effortlessly she stopped his attack. The vampire held the blade of his katana between her finger and thumb, looking unimpressed. She moved the blade away from her throat.

"Well? Is that it?" the vampire sneered.

Feeling a growing sense of fear, anger and embarrassment, the swordsman attacked the vampire with all his might and ferocity. Swinging the sword over and over again, Brain hoped to cut her to pieces. None of his strikes came close. Shalltear deflected each one with the nail of her pinky finger, yawning with boredom. Eventually, Brain ceased his attacks. His arms were heavy, his heart pounded in his chest and he was breathing heavily. Despite his best efforts, it wasn't enough. The nightmare proceeded as it usually did. The vampire mocked him, saying that although he used Martial Arts, she barely noticed a difference in strength. Overcome with fear and the crushing reality that his skills were useless before this monster, Brain fled.

The defeated swordsman fled through the tunnels of his old hideout, which slowly morphed into a nightmarish maze of twisted, unfamiliar passages and hallways. Cold, cruel laughter echoed through the tunnels, hounding his every step. He turned left and right, trying to find his way out by memory but found nothing looked familiar anymore.

"What's the rush? Why not stay for dinner!" Shalltear cackled, her voice sounding close and distant at the same time.

Brain tripped and stumbled. The swordsman tumbled down a steep slope, leading into a dark, dank abyss. He blinked and found himself standing alone at the bottom of a cavern. Stretching on before him was an endless, impenetrable darkness. The area he stood in was illuminated, somehow. Behind him was a wall of solid rock. Brain searched for an exit or a way out, he had to escape this underground hell and get away from Shalltear. Unfortunately, as he pressed onward into the darkness, he wound up back where he started.

Shit! The swordsman exclaimed when he was greeted by the same rock wall that he tried to escape from.

"Ooh Brain~" a voice said in sing song.

His blood turned to ice. The swordsman turned and saw, standing there, wrapped in shadows, was none other than Shalltear. Her face was hideous. Gone was the perfect, cutesy facade and in its place was a gaping maw with rows of razor sharp teeth. Her dress was now rags and her hair was a wild, tangled mess. The vampire's eyes glowed a infernal red.

Brain instantly recoiled and backed away, only to bump into the wall of rock behind him. He searched for an exit but saw additional pairs of glowing red eyes, appearing in the darkness like fireflies. Soft muttering sounds emerged from the dark as humanoid shapes shuffled out of the dark.

"S-Stay back!" Brain cried out, now frantically swinging his blade at the darkness. But just like before, the darkness kept crawling forward, with his sword doing nothing to fend it off.

A tentacle grabbed at his blade, yanking it out of his hands, and dragging it into the dark, where it was forever lost. Whatever bravery he had left in him died, snuffed out like a candle as he curled up into a ball.

The shapes were upon him now. Brain was horrified to see that among the grey, snarling vampires were some of his old comrades and rivals. Their clothes and armor were torn and stained in dried blood. Their eyes all glowed with evil and hunger. Among them was a face that Brain had hoped to never see.

"Gazef...p-please!" Brain whimpered.

The Chief Warrior of Re-Estize let out an inhuman roar as he lunged for Brain, his claws and fangs bared. The vampiric legion followed, and they began to tear into the swordsman. Brain screamed, but his voice was drowned out by Shalltear's laughter. Standing beside her, Brain saw, before being completely buried beneath the horde of monsters, was the raven haired man from the tavern. The one with the silver eyes. He watched Brain with cold, pitiless eyes.

---

Brain bolted upright, gasping for air. The former outlaw was drenched in sweat, which seeped through his shirt. For a moment, he was disoriented. However, as he looked around and got his bearings, Brain remembered where he was.

He was in Gazef's house, in his spare bedroom. The first night he woke up from his nightmares, it scared the hell out of him. He didn't know where he was, and he searched frantically for his sword, thinking he had been kidnapped or that he stumbled drunkenly into someone else's house. Fortunately, Gazef was there, and had managed to calm him down. The Chief Warrior helped Brain back to bed, since he was running a fever and wasn't at full strength.

Brain didn't know how long he'd been in bed. Judging from the stiffness of his joints and the aching all over his body, it must've been a while. The swordsman had been in and out of consciousness. The rare times he was conscious, he'd lay in bed and stare out the window, his mind was swimming in a haze. Now, however, Brain was fully conscious and alert.

He looked out the window and saw that it was morning. Outside, he could hear the distant sound of the city beginning the day. Looking to his left, he found his sword propped up against the nightstand. Knowing where his sword was provided some small relief, though it didn't do him much good.

With the nightmare fresh in his mind, Brain felt his gut twist into knots. Just how the hell can anyone stand up to that monster? She deflected his attacks like they were nothing. All that training and effort and it amounted to nothing!

Brain rubbed his eyes and forced himself to get out of bed. He was hungry, and he was sick of lying in bed. His legs were wobbly and weak, having spent so long lying in bed. After splashing some water in his face from the wash basin in the corner of the room, Brain grabbed his sword and, using it as a crutch, made his way downstairs.

On the ground floor, Brain found Gazef, sitting at his table. The Chief Warrior was wearing his plate armor over his uniform. The smell of bacon, eggs, and tea greeted the swordsman as he pulled up a seat at the table.

"Good Morning, Brain!" Gazef greeted his rival cheerfully. "You're looking well."

"I feel like crap," the former outlaw grumbled, rubbing his temples.

"Maybe, but you're looking way better than you did a few days ago."

Brain mumbled a 'thanks' as Gazef got up and brought him a plate of steaming eggs and bacon. Although he didn't wish to impose on his former rival, the beaten swordsman couldn't resist the food laid out before him. He felt awkward about Gazef watching him as he ate. After a few moments of silence, the Chief Warrior spoke up.

"Where was it we first met? The championship of the Royal Tournament, right?"

Brain nodded glumly.

Gazef smiled. "I barely managed to win that bout. It was the closest match in my life, from my first day to now."

Brain sat there silently. His eyes were on his half-finished breakfast, but his mind was elsewhere. The memories of the Royal Tournament replayed in his mind. Those golden days seemed so long ago, almost like another life. Back when the world seemed simple and made sense. He missed those days.

"Talk to me," Gazef said suddenly, bringing Brain back to the present. The Chief Warrior had concern written on his face. "What the hell happened?"

Brain silently considered what he should say. Eventually he looked up at Gazef. "I-I found out how weak I really am."

He left that sentence hanging in the air for a moment. Gazef gave him a curious look.

"But it's not just me, Gazef," Brain continued. "It's all of us. We're all nothing. Our skills in the sword are nothing in the face of monsters. All because we're human...an inferior race."

"Goes without saying," Gazef said solemnly, "every warrior should understand their own limitations, but a monster's strength is a height to work toward. That's why you fight. Close the gap, reach those new heights."

"You're wrong!" Brain snapped "The level I'm talking about can't be reached. No matter how hard we fight or how far we manage to push ourselves, the human race can never see those heights. That's the truth...plain and simple."

Gazef gave him a surprised look. "You saw something that powerful?"

Brain nodded. "A summit of strength that humans can't even climb to. No, what I saw wasn't even a 'height'. I was so lacking in ability, that it was just a game. It was almost funny." His fingers tightened around his sword as his frustration and despair grew.

"Pursuing strength through the sword is a fool's errand. In the face of true strength, it's rubbish!"

The Chief Warrior sat there and stared at his rival in silence. His expression held concern but also interest as well. Brain knew that Gazef was a brave man and would not hesitate to put himself in danger to save someone. But he wanted to warn his old friend, keep him safe and out of that awful monster's way. There was no way that he would survive.

After a length of silence, Gazef nodded slowly.

"I see. I believe you in that there are things out there that make our skills seem meager in comparison. But you should try telling that to Nicholas."

"Who?"

"The man who we met at the Mace and Dagger. Oh, wait, you may not remember him. You were pretty much out of it."

Brain thought for a moment, and the memories of that night at the Mace and Dagger slowly came back. He vaguely remembered the man. Tall, thin, dressed in black, and had unusual silver eyes.

"Wasn't he the one who said that humanity stood a chance against monsters like Shalltear?"

"The same. He's stopped by a few times to check your progress."

"Why?"

"He's a nice man, seemed genuinely concerned about your wellbeing."

"Why?"

Gazef shrugged. "I don't know. I've asked and he said that it'd be a shame if a good man like yourself died."

Brain winced, feeling a sharp pang of guilt. A good man? He wasn't a good man, not anymore. He remembered the bard the Death Brigade captured and brought back to the hideout the night Shalltear attacked. His words stung, reminding him of what a good man would've done or should've acted in that situation.

And he stood by me and faced that monster, the swordsman thought glumly. Brain had no memory of how he escaped Shalltear. He had passed out and woke up in the guard barracks at E-Rantel a few days later. The soldiers said that some Adventurers had found him and carried him there. Given the circumstances, Brain concluded that he fled and somehow escaped the murderous vampire, leaving Gareth to his fate. What kind of man leaves someone to die horribly? It should've been him.

"I'm...I'm not a good man," Brain said after a brief silence. "I'm an awful man."

"You're not awful," Gazef said firmly. "Believe me, I've met some bad people in my time and you are better than them by far. You just need to get back on your feet, rebuild your confidence-"

"It's pointless. My skills are worthless. Against a monster like Shalltear Bloodfallen, I'm just garbage. No, I'm less than garbage. Maybe I should've let that monster devour me."

"Don't say that!"

"But it's the truth! Aside from being useless, do you think I deserve redemption, even after all I have done? I was a criminal. I wasn't some powerless hostage, I was their strongest fighter. I could've done something...but I didn't."

Gazef fell silent and his mouth formed a tight line. Brain knew that his rival wanted to say that he deserved a second chance but the Chief Warrior was an honorable man who firmly upheld the law of the land. A man like Brain was guilty as hell and deserved to be punished. Maybe this was the gods' way of punishing him. Breaking his spirit, showing him how powerless he really is, much like the people he and the Death Brigade tormented and victimized. If so, then who was he to say otherwise?

After a stretch of tense silence, Brain finished the last of his breakfast and shakily got to his feet. Gazef rose to help him, but Brain stopped him.

"Thank you Gazef...for everything," Brain said sincerely, averting his gaze. "I'm sorry for everything. I'm going to go now."

"Where?" Gazef asked, raising an eyebrow.

Brain shrugged. "I don't know. What I do know is that I don't belong here, nor do I deserve your kindness."

The Chief Warrior wanted to argue, but seeing how resigned Brain was to his fate, he held his tongue. "If that's how you feel…"

"Thank you, Gazef. I'm...I'm glad I got to see you one last time. Now, I can die."

Before the Chief Warrior could say anything, Brain turned and limped out the front door. While some of what his rival said was true, Gazef still believed that Brain was a good man. He just needs time to get himself sorted out. Redemption is possible, though it is a long and arduous path, especially after all the things that Brain was involved in.

The Chief Warrior sighed and sipped his tea. He uttered a silent prayer to the gods, asking them to help the younger warrior to find his way again and to better himself.

...

Although Brain felt like he was unworthy of being around other people, he had no clue as to where he should go. After wandering around the royal capital a bit, limping along, using his sword as a cane, Brain stopped and considered his options. He wasn't strong enough to travel alone or across a large distance, so that's out of the question. He had little money to hire a wagon or a carriage, so leaving the capital was not an option, at least until he could scrape together some more money. With nothing else to do and feeling a strong sense of guilt over his past actions and how he treated Gazef, the young swordsman searched for a place to help him forget his troubles. This ended up bringing him back to the Mace and Dagger Tavern.

Standing outside the door of the establishment, Brain sighed deeply.

"I'm sorry...Gazef," he muttered to himself, feeling angry with himself.

With that, Brain entered the tavern.

Looking around, the young swordsman found the tavern to be somewhat empty. There were a few patrons milling about at the bar and at a few tables. Two of the patrons looked toward the door as Brain entered, but most kept their heads down and eyes focused elsewhere. The swordsman felt slightly relieved and grateful for the scant number of people and their apathy. He didn't want anyone to recognize him by chance. He was in no mood of being reminded of his glory days or his sins.

The swordsman sidled up to the bar and sat down on one of the stools.

"Haven't seen you in a while," Peter the bartender said, surprised. "Thought you went off with Gazef."

"I did, but now I'm back," Brain said glumly, resting his elbows on the polished counter. "I'd like some ale."

Peter nodded and went to fulfill his request.

The young swordsman was left alone with his thoughts. Where was he going to go? What was he going to do with his life? His sword skills mean nothing now. All that hard work and sacrifice, undone in the course of a single battle. Maybe Brain was ready to pack it in. After all, what good is a swordsman if he can't fight or kill an opponent of Shalltear's level?

As Brain mulled his situation, he felt a presence appear beside him. He turned his head and saw a dirty figure in rags and a black wool cap plop down on the stool beside him. The man looked absolutely filthy. His face was long and gaunt, with a ratty grey beard hanging down to his chest. The man's face was smeared with grime and dirt, though his eyes seemed to twinkle with energy and joy. A rotten stench wafted off of the man, causing Brain to gag a little and nearby patrons to scoot away. The dirty man sat there, either not caring or not noticing, smiling.

"Barkeep!" the man chirped happily. "Your finest ale!" he slapped a handful of coins onto the counter. Peter eyed the man with confusion, but after seeing the coins, he shrugged and went to fill the dirty stranger's order.

As Peter fetched a mug and began to fill it, the man drummed his hands on the counter top and hummed cheerfully. Brain snorted. Seems like someone was in a good mood, despite smelling like a dead horse.

"What a beautiful day, today!" the dirty vagabond said, turning to Brain. "Don't you think so?"

Brain shrugged. "Yeah...I guess."

The man cocked an eyebrow. "Why so glum, chum? You look like someone just killed your whole family."

"Not exactly...I just...I just learned how weak I am."

"Oh? Is that all? I'm sorry, I don't wish to be rude, but that doesn't seem so bad."

"To you, maybe. But to me, strength was everything."

The dirty man chuckled a little. "I'm sorry, how rude of me. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Jasper." he extended a hand.

Brain looked at the hand for a moment, a long, pale and boney thing, before shaking it. "Brain Unglaus."

"Nice to meet you well and properly, Brain. Now, what's all this about strength being important to you, if you don't mind me asking."

The downcast swordsman gave the vagabond a funny look. "Seriously? Don't you know who I am or at least recognize my name?"

"Nope! I'm new here, and I don't really stay in one place long enough to get to know people. In fact, you're probably the only one who's bothered to say hello."

I wonder why, Brain thought sarcastically, but immediately scolded himself for it. This stranger was dirty and reeked, but he gave off a very friendly air that strangely made the swordsman feel like opening up to him.

"So, who are you supposed to be?" Jasper asked, taking a sip of his drink that Peter had placed in front of him.

"I'm supposed to be the world's greatest swordsman," Brain answered glumly.

From there, the downcast swordsman began to explain his situation. He recounted his experience, his skills, and how far he's gone in his career. Although he didn't know why he was saying these things, Brain just felt like he was releasing a lot of stress and tension that was bottled up inside of him. Jasper stared at him with thoughtful blue eyes, silently listening and sipping his drink. Finally, the swordsman began explaining his current predicament.

"I encountered a monster that exhibited strength unlike anything I have ever seen," Brain told the vagabond, and his hands began to shake. Images of Shalltear flashed through his mind. The version from his memory blended with the terror from his dream. Her cold, mocking laughter echoed in his ears. "No matter what, my skills weren't good enough. She deflected them with just her fingernail!"

Jasper nodded slowly, looking very intrigued. "I see. What happened then?"

"I ran, that's what!" Brain said it a little louder and harsher than he intended, but his pride was still smarting from the beating it took. "I ran...like a coward. I escaped, somehow. I-I abandoned a good man, who's probably dead now. It's all my fault."

Jasper nodded again. "Probably."

Brain gave the vagabond a look.

Jasper raised his hands defensively. "I-I mean, you may have left that other fellow to die, but what could you do? From the sound of it, this monster was in a league of its own. You'd have gotten yourself killed."

"Maybe it's better if I did die," Brain muttered bitterly. "Die like a warrior, a man! Maybe it could've been different."

"I highly doubt that," Jasper said, tracing the lip of his mug with a boney finger. "A powerful vampire versus a swordsman with only Martial Arts, this Shalltear character would've been picking her teeth clean with your bones."

The bitter swordsman lowered his head and took a big gulp of his ale. What is he doing here? He's had this conversation already with Gazef. Although his confidence was broken, Brain deep down felt like he could've done something, anything. Maybe it was just wishful thinking. Maybe Brain just wanted someone to tell him that everything would be okay.

"Can I give you some advice?" Jasper asked. "Well, more observations really. You can accept it and try to change your life around, or just spend the rest of your days grappling with your trauma and drowning in ale. Your choice."

"Go ahead," Brain mumbled.

"Well, here goes: So what?"

The downcast swordsman looked at the vagabond. "What?"

"So what? This monster happened to be stronger than you? From what I've seen, all monsters have an innate strength advantage compared to humans. Was it really surprising that you ran into a monster that you couldn't handle? The way you described her, this Shalltear was no mere vampire, and you were lucky that she considered you a non threat."

Brain frowned at the man, but said nothing.

"So what she toyed with you and bruised your ego? Could've been worse. She could've, I don't know, sucked you dry and turned you into a mindless undead puppet. You're alive! You should be thanking your lucky stars! I know, I know, you wanted to die like a burly manly man but guess what? Guys like that usually don't live that long. They're the meatheads that kings and lords send off to die in pointless wars and soften up their enemies so they can swoop in and steal the glory!"

The downcast swordsman raised an eyebrow. "You think so?"

"I know so! All that 'way of the warrior' junk is nice and does give men discipline and courage, but the name of the game is to stay alive! What is the point of glory if you're not around to enjoy it? So, buck up! You're alive! It's regrettable to lose your friends in battle and to monsters, but you know what you can do?"

"No. What?"

Jasper grinned. "You can improve!"

Brain rolled his eyes and the vagabond held up a hand. "Now, now, no need to roll your eyes. I know what you said. That this evil bitch vampire was beyond anything human. Well duh! She's a vampire! Already she has an advantage, but so what? While it is true that you won't match her for strength, there is a weak point that she's overlooked: Hubris."

"Huh?"

"Arrogance! Pride! You said it yourself, she considered you nothing more than a nail clipper, right?"

"Yeah…"

"And that's what you've got going for you!"

Brain scowled. "What are you talking about?"

Jasper rolled his eyes. "Come on, think! You're smart. These monsters all think that they're better than humans, no, they know that they're better. It's been ingrained in them since birth. Humans are weak, but how do you think humans are still around? The mercy of monsters? Bah! It's endurance, perseverance, and creativity! Humans had to fight and claw for their place in this world, and they had to fight smarter."

Brain pondered the vagabond's words for a few moments. While he didn't fully believe what Jasper was saying, some of it struck a chord. It was true, Shalltear toyed with him and made her views on him abundantly clear. He may not be strong, but maybe there was a way he could catch her off guard. But what good is a surprise attack if it didn't do much to hurt the monster? The swordsman recalled a story he heard during his childhood, the Tale of the Golden Knight and the Wolf King. The Wolf King was one of the Demon Gods and had terrorized a forest far to the south of what is now considered the Slane Theocracy. The Wolf King was an arrogant beast who devoured hundreds of innocent souls, human and non-human. He was so ferocious and terrible that even the mighty Golden Knight struggled against him. During their battle, the Golden Knight, weary and badly injured, came up with a plan. The brave warrior taunted the demonic wolf, launching surprise attacks and did everything he could to throw his foe off balance. The strategy worked. The Wolf King grew so blind with rage, he entered into a state known as "Wrath of the Berserker." He pursued the knight through the woods and fell into a deadly trap set by the hero and his allies.

Brain smiled a little. While he found the stories about the Thirteen Heroes to be tedious and unrealistic, that story was the only one he liked.

"I think I understand," Brain said after a few moments of silence. "But monsters like Shalltear, they're too strong!"

"True," Jasper said with a nod, "though that's why it's best to work with others. Humans can be strong individually, but they can truly work wonders when united and working together toward a common goal."

"I see, but how does that help me?"

"First, you need to get out of this slump. Second, you need to get back in shape. You look worse than I do."

Brain chuckled a little.

"Thirdly, and this is the important part, you need to work well with others. Sure, even if you aren't strong enough to kill a monster like Shalltear, there may be those who can."

The young swordsman gave Jasper a questioning look. "A-are you saying that there's someone who can beat a creature like Shalltear? That's impossible!"

Jasper shrugged. "Maybe, maybe not. But know this: Monsters aren't invincible, nor are they omniscient. They can bleed, they can be hurt, and thankfully, they can die."

Brain studied the dirty vagabond for a moment. His cheerful expression was now pensive and serious. Jasper stroked his beard and glanced toward the door.

"There's something coming...something evil," Jasper said ominously. "And mankind is not prepared for it."

"Hm?" Brain raised an eyebrow.

"A dark evil stalks these lands, wearing the face of a friend. It seeks to destroy humanity from within."

A brief silence passed and Jasper looked at Brain and said two words that made the swordsman's blood turn to ice.

"Shalltear lives."

It felt as if the world beneath his feet had crumbled away, leaving him to fall into a void.

Shalltear was alive? But he heard that the vampire near E-Rantel was slain! He remembered people talking about it and used a different name. However, from the way people described it, that monster sounded an awful lot like Shalltear. But how? The Adventurer Momon had killed her! Or did she escape him somehow?

Questions filled Brain's mind and he felt an overwhelming tide of fear and despair fill his gut. However, when Jasper placed a hand on Brain's shoulder, the cold terror faded away and was replaced by a sense of warmth. It was as if someone had thrown a blanket around his shoulders and filled him with hot cider.

The swordsman looked at Jasper. The vagabond had a serious but confident look on his face.

"It's okay," the vagabond told Brain. "Everything will be okay."

"O-Okay? How?! Shalltear is alive! She's going to kill us all!"

Jasper shrugged. "We're all going to die someday, some sooner than others. The important thing for you to consider is this: what do you intend to do? Do you intend to stick your head in the sand and drink yourself to death? Or are you going to do something about it?"

"Do what? What can I do against a monster like her?"

"Get stronger! Find allies and be ready! Shalltear and her master have dark designs for the kingdom of Re-Estize. You can get ready or you can sit here, become a bloated drunk and wait for her to end your misery."

Brain thought what Jasper was saying was insane, but the conviction in his voice and in his gaze made the swordsman feel like the dirty man had a plan. The swordsman suddenly remembered the silver eyed man, Nicholas. He said something similar to what Jasper was saying. He said something about being sent here by his lord and something about preparing humans for some catastrophe. Maybe he knows something about fighting monsters and how to get stronger.

The young swordsman blinked as Jasper patted him on the shoulder and rose from his stool.

"I know it's a lot to put on you, but you can't just give up," the dirty vagabond said, adjusting his wool cap and wiping the foam from his beard with his sleeve. "You can't give in to despair. There are people who are counting on you, people who will miss you. Besides, that's what Shalltear would want. Are you seriously going to give that bitch the satisfaction?"

Brain blinked. He never really thought of it that way.

"Sure, maybe you're not as strong as you thought, but it's a vital lesson that everyone has to learn at some point. Hell, even I learned that a long time ago. Changed my life. Made me the man you see before you."

The swordsman looked Jasper up and down, causing the vagabond to grin.

"At least you learned that lesson and lived. Most guys don't learn it until it's far too late. Now, I must be going. Keep up the good fight, Brain!"

"T-Thanks," the disheveled swordsman said, a little dazed. He watched the vagabond leave the tavern, moving with a spring in his step. Brain sat there and stared after him, even after he had disappeared through the front door. He turned his attention back to his drink.

While his confidence was still in disarray, Brain oddly felt better, even with the news of Shalltear's survival. He mulled over Jasper's words and slowly saw some wisdom in it. Brain thought of Gazef and what he said about warriors needed to know their limits. He had heard stories about proud warriors who seemed invincible. They were always confident and their skills were peerless. However, these men would always be put to the test and often suffer for their arrogance. Brain would scoff at those stories, called those men foolish and go on believing that he'd be unstoppable. But now, after all he's been through, the young swordsman understands.

The disheveled swordsman looked at his ale and he set it aside. He placed some coins on the counter and thanked Peter as he got up and left the tavern. Brain didn't know exactly what he was going to do. All he knew was that he had to get back into shape. His skills were rusty and, in his current state, he probably wouldn't stand up to a bunch of thugs on the street. Although he wasn't sure about fighting a monster like Shalltear again, Brain couldn't bear the thought of losing to some punk on the street. If he did, the shame would probably kill him.

---

The man who called himself Jasper watched from the shadows of a nearby alley as Brain limped away from the Mace and Dagger. The vagabond smiled and silently cheered for the disheveled swordsman. While he could care less about what happened to the man, Oz couldn't afford to let a valuable piece slip through his fingers. Once the swordsman was no longer in sight, the disguised wizard turned on his heel and left.

The wizard whistled an upbeat tune as he traveled up the busy street, ignoring the dirty looks and discomfort of the people around him. Whenever someone glared or turned their nose up at him, Oz would smile, showing off his crooked yellow teeth and wave. This seemed to piss them off and cause people to avoid him even more. Perfect.

Oz paused at a junction and picked a random direction and sauntered onward, heading towards the older part of the wealthy part of the capital. While he had all sorts of schemes cooking back in the Theocracy, the wizard decided that he needed to check in on Nicholas and the rest of the party he sent to Re-Estize. That, and he wanted a small vacation from his fan club. It was nice to have a horde of screaming fans who were so devoted to him, though it did wear on him from time to time. People throwing themselves at him, begging for his help and kissing his ass.

Having people avoid him like he had the plague was a nice change of pace.

Nicholas and his party were settling in quite nicely. So far, they've made some connections with the lower classes in the capital. A whole lot of discontent and resentment bubbling under the surface. They loved the king, but absolutely despised the nobles around him. Could be useful, in the near future. However, Oz was slightly disappointed to hear that not much progress has been made regarding Ainz's subordinates. The wizard remembered the information he gleaned from Shalltear's mind. They were a team of two, a prim and proper butler named Sebas and a pretty little slime named Solution.

Oz passed their home earlier that day, as the city was waking up. He pretended to be a loony vagabond, going door to door for some spare change. Most cursed him and drove him off, but that Sebas fellow was kind enough to give him a few copper coins and a stern warning. As he received a lecture about what the butler would do to him if he showed up again, Oz took stock of their home's defenses. It was warded against attacks, and he noticed shadow demons lurking around the property. Good thing that Oz had ordered his own to wait at the edge of the property. While it wasn't exactly Fort Knox, it certainly wasn't undefended.

A part of the wizard wanted to storm the place and murder Ainz's two little wind up toys, but decided against it. As fun and satisfying that would've been, he needed to stay low, and battling two OP NPCs was not the way to do it. Besides, Ainz had plans for Re-Estize. He didn't know exactly what he had in mind but the ultimate goal had been burned into Shalltear's brain: World conquest. How original. It was audacious, but not very creative. All the power and resources and he chose to play at being a world conqueror. Sure, Oz was doing something similar, but he was doing it with more flair and care.

The wizard sighed and ventured off the street and began wandering through the back alleys.

Ainz Ooal Gown.

The thought of the infamous monster guild made his hands clench in anger. Competition on YGGDRASIL was ruthless, but it was what it was. People did all sorts of things to get what they want and fulfill their goals. Oz has made his fair share of enemies, but he never hated them as much as he did Ainz Ooal Gown. A pack of hypocrites, that's what they were. Sure, players with monster characters had it rough, but it wasn't like it was a secret or anything. Hell, the prejudice was somewhat justified, considering how OP some races were. Besides, it's not like the monster players didn't player kill either. It was survival of the fittest and the toughest and smartest survived.

Honestly, though, what really got his goat were two things. The first was when they rejected him from joining the guild. Yeah, he tried to join Ainz Ooal Gown. Who didn't? They were an upper ranked guild and were like rock stars to most. In retrospect, Oz could see why they said no. He was still rather low level and was a total stranger. The rejection wasn't what pissed him off. It was how they rejected him. The arrogant assholes had all the would-be applicants show up and interviewed them, as if it was some sort of job interview. They sat there at their little round table, looking down on the newcomers and making their decisions like they were gods. Most were given time to speak about themselves a little and told that they'd get back to them. When it came to the wizard, they took one look at him and told him to buzz off without so much as a "thank you". Oz tried to plead his case and tried to say something to change their minds. They just brushed him off. The burgeoning wizard left, but on his way out, he could overhear them talking about him. Most were polite, but Peroroncino was needlessly rude.

"I don't know why we're doing this," the player with the Birdman avatar whined. "I mean, look at these chumps. They're not guild material, especially that guy. I mean, did you see his stats? Besides, he's American! Lazy asshole, he'll probably drag us all down."

There was a division between players from different parts of the world and players from the West have always gotten a bad reputation. Oz wasn't patriotic nor did he care what people said about his homeland, but he couldn't stand people talking about him behind his back. How dare they look down on him for who he was. The wizard was actually thankful for the experience. Those words gave him the motivation to get stronger and incinerate assholes like him. It's what also led him to join with The Good Companions. They were a small group, but they were welcoming to all regardless of player race: humanoid, demi-human and heteromorphic. A rarity. They were all about the fun of the game and, for a time, Oz was rolled with it. Which led to the second thing that pisses him off about Ainz Ooal Gown.

The second thing that pissed him off about that wretched guild, which was actually worse than the first thing, was what they did to his friend, Lilly. It was a few months after his rejection from their guild. The holidays had rolled around, and it was the guild's Christmas celebration. They had grown to around twenty players by then and wanted to celebrate with a game of secret Santa. Everyone got someone a gift and were to share them at once at the guild's Christmas party at the Golden Lion tavern, located in the safe zone on Midgard. At the time, The Good Companions had no guild hall or base of their own. They frequented the taverns and gambling halls located in the various cities, which prevented Player Killing and stealing. Christmas, while fun, was a nightmare on YGGDRASIL. Player killers and thieves worked overtime, ambushing people who had lowered their guard and robbing those with rare and special seasonal items that come only once a year.

Most of the guild had already gathered at the Golden Lion, though Lilly and her friend Marc were running late. As time went on, Oz and the others tried calling them. It was then they learned what happened. Oz remembered rushing out to the edge of the city and found Marc, he suffered some damage but no sign of Lilly. Marc was shaken up. Although it was a game, the younger player was still learning the ropes of YGGDRASIL and was a socially awkward, sensitive boy who rarely ventured beyond safe zones without a member of the guild. He explained that they were ambushed by a band of Player Killers, who took their time tormenting them and taunting them. Lilly told them where to stick it, but they jeered and began to focus their attention on her.

Oz gritted his teeth and recalled how Marc described it. They grabbed onto her, making lewd comments and treating her like she was some plaything in an H-Game. When they complained, the assholes simply responded, "It's just a game!" or "Go with it!" or some lame ass excuse those filthy perverts used. In the end, they killed her, took all her gold and items, and just left. Lilly was a friendly girl who got along with everyone. When she was resurrected, the poor girl apologized for losing Oz's gift and blamed herself. Hearing about what those PK assholes did to her, along with the genuine sorrow in her voice and beating herself up over losing her things, made Oz's blood boil.

Lilly later told him that she had purchased a rare seasonal item for him, which cost her a good chunk of change. Oz was taken aback by this and asked her why. She told him that it was to show how much she valued their didn't need to go all out for a video game gift exchange but that was the kind of person Lilly was. She cherished her friends and always went the extra mile for them, even paying real money for Cash Shop Items.

While very handy in a pinch, Cash Shop Items can cause a serious strain on some people's wallets. The very thought of someone treating such a kind girl like that and taking something of actual value from her pissed Oz off very much. He wanted to find those bastards and make them pay. But there were a hell of a lot of Player Killer groups in the game so it was pointless. Though that didn't stop him from taking his frustrations out on any dumbass who tried to PK him.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, Oz discovered their identities soon enough.

It was at the World Tournament at Alfheim that the wizard saw the culprits. The Good Companions went to see the toughest players show off and compete for the title of World Champion. Thousands of players were in attendance, cheering on their favorites and their friends. When it came down to the final round, it was down to two. One of them was the white knight, Touch-Me. His friends cheered the loudest.

"It's them…" Marc murmured, a little anxious face appeared next to his avatar's face, showing his mood.

"Who?" Oz asked.

Marc nodded and Oz looked down near the front row. Sitting there were the oh so wonderful guild of Ainz Ooal Gown. Most of them at least, including Peroroncino, Flatfoot, Wish III and Suratan. The wizard looked at the junior member of the Companions and asked if he was sure.

Marc nodded. "They're the ones who touched Lilly and stole our items. They...they laughed at us."

The wizard asked the shy young ranger for specifics, wanting to know which one did what. Marc clammed up and Oz couldn't get a straight answer out of him. The younger player didn't want to cause trouble and was always skittish when people pressed him about things. In the end, Oz concluded that it must've been Peroroncino who did the deed. The pervert.

Oz stared at the Birdman for most of the match, wishing more than anything he could burn a hole in the back of the man's head. How dare he and his pals sit there as if nothing happened. Lilly was like a little sister to the wizard! The grubby little vermin put their hands on her and stole from her. He should pay. They should all pay. After all, that's how things worked where Oz was from. Any man who dared to lay hands on another's loved one, especially a woman, should pay dearly. On that day, Oz's hatred of Ainz Ooal Gown was cemented. They weren't just players, they were scum that needed to be purged from the system. The wizard began to plan his revenge. It shouldn't be quick and mundane. It should be slow and painful. The gap between their levels was still noticeable, and they outnumbered the wizard by a lot. If Oz was going to do something, he'll do it when those assholes least suspect it.

The wizard then saw his means of revenge in The Good Companions. Alone, he wasn't strong enough. In time, he'll get stronger but he'll need some back up. With the competition growing fierce online and a noticeable division spreading through YGGDRASIL's player base, Oz began recruiting like mad. Players joined in droves, growing sick of being picked off by PK guilds and other groups. The wizard took the initiative and organized the Companions into the Emerald Legion. As he fought to raise his levels, Oz began to do his homework.

The Great Tomb of Nazarick was a multi-leveled underground fortress, with many traps hidden around every corner. Initially, it had six floors but had been expanded to ten. A massive dungeon raid was waged against the tomb by a powerful guild alliance. Unfortunately, they had only managed to reach the eighth floor before being completely wiped out. Fortunately for Oz, this gave him some much needed insight. He managed to track down a few players who were there, and they were more than willing to share what they learned. Most YGGDRASIL players are careful with what they share, not wanting to give away anything vital to a potential enemy. However, after the severe beating they got from Ainz Ooal Gown and seeing how difficult it was, they felt that if Oz wanted to waste his time and possibly lose a lot of gold and levels, they saw no issue in helping him.

Oz collected every scrap of information he could get. His enemy was very careful with their information, all thanks to one of their key strategists, Punitto Moe. Fortunately, Ainz Ooal Gown had no shortage of haters. In the middle of his quest for information, the wizard stumbled upon a forum full of people who loathed the guild as much as he did. These people had beef with them, ranging from personal to downright petty. Regardless, the wizard welcomed any help he could get and they were more than willing to share. Anything to knock Ainz Ooal Gown down a peg. From this collection of spiteful and disgruntled players, Oz formulated all sorts of strategies and learned from their mistakes. One day, he came into contact with a guy who claimed to have been a part of Ainz Ooal Gown, back when they were a small clan called Nine's Own Goal. The two spoke over private messages. The man had a lot to say, considering that he was kicked out of the group after a falling out with Touch-Me. Oz didn't need to say much. He just sat back and let the man spin quite a yarn about his former "friends." It was a little more than what he was bargaining for, but it was really eye opening. They certainly weren't the perfect supergroup that they led everyone to believe. Some had serious skeletons in their closet.

Over time, Oz began to build an army. He wanted to raid Nazarick and pound their smug faces into the dirt. It wouldn't be easy but he was confident that they'll fare much better than previous attempts. They had preparation, planning and the element of surprise on their side.

Then, it happened.

YGGDRASIL began losing popularity and, over time, people began to quit the game. Oz also grew weary of his little revenge quest. One day, sitting alone in castle Garadon, the wizard had a serious moment of reflection. He spent three years plotting revenge, obsessively hunting down information to get back at a bunch of assholes online. Lilly wasn't physically harmed. She was shaken up and upset about the whole thing, but she eventually moved on. Hell, she became a law clerk and still kept in touch with him. Just what the hell was he doing with his life? As trite as it sounded, Oz did in fact feel like he belonged on YGGDRASIL. He had friends and actually had fun, even when he was plotting his revenge. In real life, he was a nobody. He could blend into a crowd and into his surroundings. He'd get up, go to work, and do as he was told, like a zombie. YGGDRASIL allowed him to actually be somebody, even for a little while.

Soon, Oz began to spend less time online. He focused more on work and managed to claw his way upward and made a name for himself. When the announcement for YGGDRASIL's closure popped up in his inbox, Oz thought "what the hell", and reached out to his old contacts for one last get together online. While he knew the likelihood of anybody from the Legion showing up, the response was surprising. Over a hundred other players arrived and they all hung out at the castle, swapping stories and catching up. Some had little PVP duels for old times sake. During the festivities, Oz bumped into Lilly and Marc and got caught up. Lilly was getting married and Marc had joined the military. It made the wizard proud to see how much they've grown. When the topic of that one Christmas was brought up, Lilly apologized to Oz. She said that she was so caught up by what happened online and IRL, she forgot about his gift. She produced a small book, a black leather bound tome covered in harsh scarlet symbols.

"The Tome of the Infernal Scholar!" the chipper blonde elf said, a smiley face popped up beside her head "I saved over a month for that book, but lost it because of those creeps. So, Merry belated Christmas!"

Oz accepted it gratefully and studied the book. It allowed magic casters to have additional spell slots, allowing them to learn more spells. Handy, but by now at the highest level possible, Oz had no use for the book. Regardless, he pocketed the book and thanked Lilly. It was a lovely gathering, until some jackass brought up Gareth and his prick elder brother, Kane. The wizard had no issue with the bard, he was a great guy who welcomed him into the group. However, Oz saw him as a weak nuisance. If they were going to overcome their enemies, they had to remove any and all dead weight. Which was why he arranged for that little stolen item kerfuffle and circulated all those rumors that pinned the blame on the guild's resident bard.

Despite bad memories being brought up, the gathering was a success. Oz went away feeling happier than he did in a long time. Although everyone had permanently signed off of YGGDRASIL, the wizard couldn't help but feel drawn back to the old game. In the following weeks, the wizard spent time wandering the halls of Garadon. He visited each floor and reminisced with all the NPCs, minibosses and Guardians. On the DMMORPG's final day, Oz was in his private study. He took one last look at all his old schemes and the items he had accumulated to use on each member of Ainz Ooal Gown. He laughed and shook his head at the time and energy spent on the endeavor. With his goodbyes said and old memories put to rest, Oz moved to sign off...only to see the HUD suddenly disappear and feeling pins and needles all over. The wizard became trapped in his in-game demonic body and in a completely foreign world. The rest was history.

Oz paused and leaned against a wall. This isn't a game anymore. This was real now. This was life or death now. Although his hatred of Ainz Ooal Gown had faded over the years, seeing that Lich and that loli vampire oddly stirred up those feelings once more. It was strange, but then again, he hasn't been feeling exactly like his old self ever since he ended up in this body.

The wizard pondered his situation. Sure, he had all this magic and an army at his disposal. But he wasn't invincible. Although the spellcasting abilities of these people were feeble, there were YGGDRASIL items in this world, including World Items. Should any of these knuckle dragging idiots get their hands on an item like Downfall of Castle and Country, especially one of those conniving Cardinals, it'll get very ugly. There was also Ainz, who is aware of his presence and has sworn revenge on him. Which was why Oz currently has Galinda and the others collect as many of these dangerous items as they could find.

Which brings him to Re-Estize. Aside from a vacation and checking in on his loyal subordinates, Oz wanted to pay a visit to the local branch of Eight Fingers. From what the wizard could extract from their associates in the Theocracy, the criminal syndicate trafficked in more than just slaves and drugs. They also procured and smuggled items. Which means they were very likely the ones who pinched that wagon load of items enroute from that crypt discovered by the Lotus Scripture. Some were sent to Baharuth, so he'll have to check on those later. Meanwhile, some were sold off to an interested party in Re-Estize. Oz didn't know what these items were, only that they once belonged to someone named the Queen of Darkness. If they were a higher caliber than what is available in the Theocracy, it was imperative that Oz get his hands on them. He had to get to them before Ainz Ooal Gown did.

The grimey wizard brushed some strands of his messy hair out of his face and moved to continue but he stopped. In the silent alley, he heard a sound. The demonic wizard frowned. He waited and listened. It sounded like someone was crying.

Oz raised an eyebrow and followed the sound, which led him up the alley toward a single, black iron gate. The wizard saw a large, two story house that looked like it had seen better days. He peered through the bars of the gate and saw a lush little garden. The walls are lined with flower beds and shrubbery. Looking about, Oz eventually located the source of the crying sound.

Sitting beneath a tall tree was a frail looking girl with blonde hair and big green eyes. She looked to be about sixteen, though it was difficult to tell. The girl was gangly and pale, looking more like a ghost or a corpse. She wore a maroon dress that looked like it's been fixed up more than a few times. Although the demonic wizard had places to go and people to see, he couldn't help but stare at the crying girl. A book was lying open in her lap but she was busy wiping tears out of her eyes and blowing snot into a hanky. Oz didn't know why, but he couldn't help but look on. She looked unremarkable and feeble, so she'd be of no use to him. And yet…

The wizard sighed and scratched his chin. Maybe all this reminiscing of Lilly has made him soften up a little. Plus, he noticed a faint bruise on her face, which was partially hidden by makeup. Oz looked at his pocket watch and decided that he could spare a few minutes.

---

Elizabeth Stanton was a miserable young woman. She's been miserable all day and everyday before this. But it wasn't always like this. The pretty, young blonde remembered a time when she was happy, when her mother was still alive. It seemed like a lifetime ago. Her mother, her father and herself were close and as happy as any other family in the capital. But once Lady Maria Stanton had passed away in a carriage accident, so did their happiness.

Lord Stanton, once warm and kind, became cold and distant. He blamed Elizabeth for the death of his wife, and he never let her forget it.

It didn't help that his standing at court only worsened. The Stanton family once held power and position, they even had the king's ear at one point. However, the winds of court politics shifted, and Lord Stanton's position plummeted. Not only did his standing in politics fall, so did their fortune. They sold off their ancestral home, dismissed many of their loyal servants and were forced to live in a smaller house with a pair of old maids and an old cook.

At first, Elizabeth believed that things would get better and that as long as they stuck together, she and her father would be alright. That was before she saw the real Lord Stanton. He had kept his distance from her for some time, but then he began to berate her and force her to undergo various etiquette lessons. He said he wanted her to become a proper lady and she followed his wishes. However, she learned the awful truth when he invited the eerie Lord Morwin over to tea. Lord Stanton left her alone with the man. Once he was gone, the man tried to force himself on her. She screamed and kicked and scratched his face up pretty good. Lord Morwin smacked her and stormed off. When he was gone, Elizabeth went to her father sobbing, and was greeted by a slap and a harsh reprimand.

Lord Stanton said that Lord Morwin was their chance at regaining what they had lost. He was an influential member of the noble faction and had his eye on Elizabeth for sometime. If she had allowed the clammy old man to do as he pleased, then their fortunes would've changed.

"You stupid, selfish girl!" Lord Stanton growled, his face was red as a beet. "Now I have to clean all this up and apologize profusely to Lord Morwin. Perhaps I can still salvage this…"

Elizabeth stared at him in shock, her face still stinging from his strike. At first she thought it was a mistake or some horrible dream. But she slowly learned that it wasn't a dream. This was who her father was. The maids and the cook were far kinder to her than her supposed father. They did everything they could to protect her, but her father was very ruthless. He was going to regain all that he lost at court by any means necessary.

So, over the years, he'd meet with all manner of shady and unpleasant people. They'd gather in his study and speak in hushed tones, hatching schemings and making deals. Every time they emerge, Elizabeth would hold her breath as her father offered her "services" as an added incentive. She'd silently prayed that they'd leave right away. Most do, but those that don't….

Elizabeth shuddered with revulsion, doing what she can to not vomit. Her father taught her to always remain composed, even in the face of depravity and humiliation. If not, he'd make her regret it. The blonde teenager wiped her tears with her sleeves and tried to focus on her book. This was one of the rare times where her father was out of the house and that she had time for herself. Whenever she wasn't assisting the staff around the house or being subjected to her father's whims, Elizabeth would retire to the garden and read a book.

Blinking through the tears, the teenager found her place again. The book was a story about the Golden Knight, the leader of the Thirteen Heroes, and the various adventures he went on. In this chapter, he was rescuing a young girl from the clutches of the Demon God of the Forests. It was her favorite part of the book. One of the few pleasant memories she clung to was that of her mother, reading from this book at bedtime. Young Elizabeth was tucked in bed, enthralled by the story. Her mother would pull funny faces and read in funny voices, depending on the characters, which always made the young girl laugh. A bitter smile appeared on the teenager's face. She grew up believing in heroic knights rescuing people from danger, just kings who punish evil doers and the kindness of strangers. But she learned the truth very quickly early on. The world was ugly. You can't trust anyone. The people we love turn out to be monsters, and good people are powerless to stop them. Elizabeth had considered running away many times in the past, but she feared what her father would do to her and to the staff. Lord Stanton was well aware of their affections for the girl and their defiance toward him. So he made it clear to her that if she were to run away, he'd make them suffer for her decisions.

Elizabeth's hands balled up into fists. She wanted to escape, to run away. She wanted to leave her father. She'd rather live amongst monsters than spend another minute with him. But how? How can she escape? What can she do? Elizabeth knows that although he has no pull in the king's court, he has many unsavory friends who belong to Eight Fingers. There was one option, a permanent option that would allow her to go free. But there was still the matter of the staff. Who will protect them when she's dead?

"E-Excuse me!"

The blonde girl looked up suddenly. She sniffed as she rubbed her eyes. Her gaze went to the back gate of the garden that led out into the narrow lane behind her home. Standing outside the gate was a lanky man in rags and a wool cap. The man removed his cap, revealing his bare scalp, and smiled, showing off his crooked teeth.

Elizabeth frowned. "C-Can I help you?"

"Pardon me miss, I don't mean to disturb you, but do you think you could spare a coin for an old man? Maybe some crumbs? It doesn't need to be anything extravagant, I just need a little bit to eat. I've traveled long and far, and nobody seems willing to help an old fellow like me."

The teenager studied the man carefully. It wouldn't be the first time that her father tried to test her. The man at the gate was filthy. His face was smeared with dirt and grim, and, thanks to the wind, was very smelly. Elizabeth looked around, trying to see if someone was watching her but saw nothing. She was alone.

"I-I'm sorry," Elizabeth said, closing her book and standing up. She brushed the dirt and grass off of her skirts. "But I-I can't help you."

"Please?" the man implored, his eyes widening. "I-I haven't eaten in days. Just a little morsel, nothing more."

The young blonde turned to leave, but the tone of the man's voice pulled her back. She could hear the desperation and see him pleading for her help. Elizabeth didn't want to get into trouble but she couldn't bear the thought of not helping someone who was in need. After all, that's what her mother would do. She thought of the heroes in her book, of the Golden Knight and his companions. What would they do? In the end, Elizabeth opened the gate and allowed the dirty vagabond into the garden.

"I...please wait a moment," she sighed, closing the gate behind the man. She quickly left to grab some bread from the kitchen, gaining some odd looks from her maids, but they didn't ask any questions.

To her surprise and relief, the beggar was still there, sitting patiently instead of trying to steal, vandalize, or...everything else her anxiety whispered he'd do.

"H-Here you go sir," she gingerly handed him his bread. He accepted it, thanking her with a nod, before he began eating the bread.

She watched him as he wolfed it down, eating it hungrily and savoring each bite. Some crumbs got caught in his beard, but he didn't seem to care. In a matter of moments, the beggar man finished his meal. He let out a satisfied sigh and looked at Elizabeth. He gave her a toothy smile.

"Thank you, dearie. That was very kind of you."

"Y-You're welcome" Elizabeth said nervously.

"As payment for your kindness, I shall help you."

The blonde teen gave the beggar man a funny look. "Help me? I-I'm sorry, but unless you have a bag of gold or can cast a spell on my father to make him forget about me, then you can't help."

The beggar's eyes twinkled. "On the contrary..." The man began to glow green, and his miserable appearance began to melt away. Elizabeth fell backward and landed on her rear. She watched as the light died away, revealing a completely new man.

The difference between the beggar from moments ago and the man that stood there now was night and day. Gone was the smelly bearded man in rags, and in his place was a tall handsome man in a green coat. His hair was white as snow, reaching down to his shoulders. His emerald eyes matched the coat he wore, a deep forest green. If she didn't know any better, Elizabeth would've thought that he was an elf. The lack of pointy ears indicated that he wasn't.

"W-Who are you?" Elizabeth breathed.

"I am Oz the great and powerful. I am a wizard, to be precise. Because of your kindness, I want to pay you back. Say the word, and I will do everything in my power to make it a reality."

Elizabeth's mind went blank. She was still reeling from the miraculous transformation she had just witnessed. A wizard? This was something out of a story! This can't be real. However, the more she stared at the handsome wizard, the more the reality sank into her mind.

"Well?" Oz asked gently, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh! Uh, well, uh…any wish?"

"Yes, within reason. Perhaps I can heal your bruises? Maybe I can take you somewhere else and give you a new life?"

Elizabeth's eyes widened. She liked the sound of those things. Maybe this was her chance to be free? She didn't have to go with the man, she could just wish to leave the capital. But go where? She didn't travel much beyond the city's boundaries. There were some vague memories of family trips to land they owned in the north but they were murky now. Even if she did leave, what would she do? She didn't have very many prospects. The girl could cook and clean and sew but that limited her options. She obviously can't serve another noble house, they might let her father know of where she is. Elizabeth thought long and hard, trying to think of how she could use this wish effectively.

After a few moments, she looked to the wizard and said: "I want to make my father pay. I-I am tired of being afraid of him. For once, I want him to be afraid of me!"

The moments those words left her mouth, Elizabeth blushed. She never said those words aloud before, not even in private. She did, in fact, want her father to be in pain, but she never had the courage to say it.

The white haired wizard smiled. "I can do that." With a flick of his wrist, an object appeared in his hand in a puff of black smoke. He offered the object to Elizabeth.

The blonde girl accepted it and inspected the object carefully in her hands. The object was a cylinder atop a little red wooden box. The cylinder had slits, through which Elizabeth could see a dozen images of a monstrous figure in a suit, carrying a black item that covered it from falling rain.

"What is it?" Elizabeth asked.

"A little something that can help you deal with your father," Oz said. He reached over and waved a glowing hand over Elizabeth's face. The dull, throbbing pain in her face was gone in an instant. The blonde girl felt her face and looked deeply into the wizard's eyes.

He smiled. "You don't need to be afraid anymore."

"W-Why are you helping me?" Elizabeth asked, suspicion written plainly on her face. "Hardly anybody's ever bothered to help me with anything…"

Oz chuckled, a soft, melodic song that made the girl's heart flutter. He looked Elizabeth right in the eye, his emerald orbs sparkled in the afternoon sun. "It's healthy to be skeptical, but I truly am here to help. As to why, well, let's just say that I'm a big believer in happy endings, and that no wicked deed should go unpunished."

Elizabeth trusted very few people. Although she had just met him, the blonde girl believed the wizard's words. The more she stared into his eyes, she knew that the wizard was telling the truth. He meant everything he said.

A smile tugged at her lips and, for the first time in a very long time, the young girl couldn't wait for her father to come home.

…

Lord Stanton arrived home at dusk. The last dregs of daylight quickly faded from the sky, turning it to a deep dark purple. The greying noble trudged home, tired and feeling like he actually accomplished something today. He spent a majority of the day at court, listening to the bickering of his airheaded contemporaries. It was the same old complaints and arguments, though he did pick up a few interesting tidbits that could aid him in his glorious ascension. Once the meeting had been adjourned, Lord Stanton paid a visit to Succulent and Cocco Doll. Apparently, they were interested to see Elizabeth.

The large former knight had set a time for them to visit the house. It was a few days away, which should give him enough time to get the girl ready. He hoped that the deal would go smoothly. If they liked her, then the two members of Eight Fingers may pay him a generous sum. This should keep those debt collectors away for a little longer and help him with his latest endeavor in court. Despite what the commoners think, being a noble was very costly. One needed money to grease a lot of palms and to maintain one's holdings. If a noble ran low on funds, poverty would be the least of their problems.

Lord Stanton reached the front gate and looked up at his so-called home. It was a dilapidated mound of brick and lumber, unbefitting a man of his noble lineage. The Stantons were leaders, warriors and builders, who shed much blood for this country and had been instrumental in many key events. He wasn't going to let it end here, not now. Elizabeth was a weak and foolish girl. In the past, she could've been used to marry into a more powerful family, but his fall from grace has destroyed any worthwhile prospect. The girl was his ticket back to paradise, and he was going to milk her for what she was worth.

The large former knight entered his home. The inside was dark and silent, like a grave. His footsteps echoed through the house. Lord Stanton scowled and called out.

"Rose! Serena! Tom!"

No response. The greying lord scowled. Lousy good for nothing servants. That's what you get when you can afford only a trio of tottering old fools. Once he returns to glory, Lord Stanton plans on hiring a high class chef and a full staff of younger, prettier, and more obedient maids.

"Elizabeth!" the large former knight bellowed, his voice caused the walls to rattle a little.

"In here, father," the girl's voice replied, sounding clear and defiant.

Lord Stanton scowled. It sounded like it was coming from the dining room. Good. It'll save him the trouble of hunting her down or trying to coax her out of her room.

The large, burly lord made his way toward the dining room. His footsteps echoing through the dark, like thunder. When he reached the door, he saw light spilling out from under the door. Lord Stanton opened the door. In the dining room, hundreds of candles filled the interior with flickering orange light. The burly noble found his daughter sitting at the table, waiting for him.

The greying lord did a double take. Elizabeth, his frightened and frail little daughter, looked like a new woman. Her hair was braided into a bun and her face seemed to have a healthy glow. She wore a beautiful green dress that looked very expensive. On the table in front of her was a strange contraption, a cylinder atop a red, wooden box.

Elizabeth looked up at her father, making him recoil in surprise. Her green eyes were hard, and she seemed to have a different air about her. Normally, she couldn't look at him directly, but here she is, staring him right in the eye.

"Welcome back, father," the transformed young woman said, her voice was cold and formal.

"What is this?" Lord Stanton demanded. "Where is Rose? Where is Serena and Tom?"

"I sent them home. They have served us so well and for so long, I thought it best that they have the night off."

"Y-You? You thought it best?" The greying lord was livid. "How dare you! I pay their salary, therefore, I should be the one who says who stays or who goes!"

"Not anymore," Elizabeth said, her eyes narrowing. "I believe that it is time for a change around here."

"Oh, I couldn't agree more," purred an unfamiliar voice.

Lord Stanton turned his head, and saw a tall handsome man with milk-white hair enter the dining room from the other door on the opposite side of the room. The man was clad in emerald and looked like a prince from a fable. He came to a stop beside Elizabeth.

"What is this?" the greying lord demanded "Who the hell is he?"

"This is Oz," Elizabeth explained, her voice steady and firm, "He's my...friend. What is happening is this: I am taking everything that rightfully belongs to me."

"You what?!"

"Our house, our money, our titles, everything. Believe me, it's better this way. You've been a poor lord and an even poorer father."

"You ungrateful brat! Do you know what I've done for you!?"

"Do you?" Elizabeth spat back, causing the large man to blink in surprise. "Do you know what you've done to me? You may have given me life, but you are not my father. A father doesn't treat his daughter like chattel! A father loves and protects his child, not feed them to lusty old men and sleazy degenerates! You've lost the right to call yourself my father years ago. I-I loved you, with all my heart. I-I thought that you cared. But time and again, you let me down and showed me how you truly felt. You used me and treated me worse than garbage."

Lord Stanton stared at Elizabeth, taken back by the fury and anguish on display. She'd never talked back to him before. It infuriated him. She was his daughter, and she was supposed to do what he said. It was her duty to obey him and assist him in restoring their family's honor.

"You ungrateful little runt," the greying man growled, his hand reaching for his thick leather belt. "I shall teach you a lesson that you will never forget. You are my daughter and you will do as I say! Duty comes before everything, and it is your duty to restore our family's reputation and prestige."

"Oh, I will," Elizabeth said, a crooked grin appearing on her face. "Starting with you, father dear. I shall root out the corruption in our family tree. With you gone, I shall be free to repair our family's honor my own way."

She reached over to the toy in front of her, and began winding its crank. The cylinder spun. Lord Stanton eyed the thing, and saw the tiny image of a little demonic creature in a coat, walking in a long halting stride. The inside of the cylinder glowed, allowing the image to be seen more clearly. A soft, tinny song began to play, and children's voices began to sing.

"There was a crooked man and he walked a crooked mile. He found a crooked sixpence upon a crooked stile. He bought a crooked cat, which caught a crooked mouse, and they all lived together in a little crooked house~"

Lord Stanton stared at the tiny demon walking, stepping along to the tune of the eerie melody. He blinked, and suddenly, the demonic man was gone. The music had stopped, but the cylinder continued to spin.

Suddenly, Elizabeth's body began to twitch. He looked up at her, and wondered what it was now.

Her blank, stern look suddenly turned into a painful smile as she suddenly began to grow, her bones painfully cracking and stretching.

He gasped as he stumbled backward, falling over a chair. Unintelligible babbles began to crawl out of his throat as his "daughter" suddenly grew taller, thinner, and paler, with even her clothes suddenly transforming.

Gone was his daughter, replaced by a tall, slender man in a red suit. His face, save for his yellow, sharp teeth, was covered by his red, bowler hat, which had a lensless pair of spectacles sitting on it.

"E-Elizabeth?" he finally managed to stammer.

This thing said nothing in return, simply grinning at him as it cracked its neck.

"There WAS a CROOKED MAN-!"

The creature bellowed, and Elizabeth's father began frantically scrambling backwards.

"-Who LIVED a CROOKED LIFE!"

Lord Stanton screamed as he tried to get up, but The Crooked Man, who was now holding his crooked umbrella, used the curved end to trip the man back onto his rear.

"He SOLD his DAUGHTER to THE CROOKED WELL, all for a chance to LEAVE HIS CROOKED HELL!"

The demonic being grinned as he seized Lord Stanton's face. He struggled to free himself from this thing's hand, but couldn't break its iron-grip.

*DRIP.* *DRIP.* *DRIP.* *DRIP.*

The former-knight whimpered as he had finally soiled his pants, his shame leaking onto the wooden floor.

"DAMNED HIS CROOKED SOUL, AND FELL INTO A CROOKED HELL!"

Lord Stanton wailed as The Crooked Man flung him down the hallway. Scrambling onto his feet, he tried to run to the door, but found the hallway to suddenly stretch, the door knob always just out of his reach.

"Help me!" he cried out to anyone who might hear him. "Somebody help me!"

But no one came for him. And to make matters worse, the hallways began to turn, bending, twisting, and turning crooked. It was then that the door on the other side finally opened, and he made a mad dash towards it.

Yes, he could see the dim light of the lampposts! It was the way out!

Letting out a mad laugh of relief, he dove his way to freedom-

-Only to land back into the dining room.

"Welcome back, father." He looked up, and saw Elizabeth back in her seat. She was still wearing her beautiful, green dress, and still looked unnaturally healthy.

"W-What have you done to me?!" he demanded.

"Just gave you a taste of hell," she simply replied, before taking a sip of wine. "I certainly enjoyed watching you squirm, much like how you've watched me squirm under all those men."

She then crinkled her nose as she stared at his crotch.

"I still can't believe you actually soiled yourself."

This made him snap.

"Why you-URK!"

Something hooked him by his neck, and to his horror, it was the demon! Its rancid breath violated his nose as he licked his cheek.

"Enjoy this moment, father," she said over his pained cries. "It's much more comforting than the silence that awaits you."

She watched as her new "friend" began devouring her father.

…

Elizabeth sipped her wine as the tall, slender demon dragged her father's corpse out of the dining room. Oz offered to take her away, but she insisted that she watched her father die slowly and painfully, to which he just shrugged. She shed no tears for the man who made her life hell.

As her father's unmoving feet were dragged out of sight, she let out a sigh of relief. She felt as though a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. With her father finally gone from the picture, the blonde girl could finally live the way she wanted.

"So, what do you think?" Oz asked, pulling up a chair beside her. "How did it feel?"

"It felt...good. But I-I still feel dirty from...from all those things he put me through…"

"It's fine," the wizard soothed. "It will be alright. I am here for you. You have his title and what little money he has left. If you want, you can leave this place and never come back. I can find you a nice quiet plot of land for you to live on, far away from this garbage heap of a city. If that is what you want."

"No...No, I think I'll stay. I meant what I said. I want to restore my family's honor my way. I want to take back what is rightfully mine."

"What about all those men who...took advantage of you?"

Elizabeth winced. There was that. Those men were prominent figures, occupying key positions in parts of the capital. While not nearly as powerful as the high nobles who currently advise the king, those men held enough influence to, theoretically, help the Stanton family regain its wealth and power. What should she do? Should she take the wizard's suggestion and leave? No. Not yet at least. She wanted to destroy those bastards. Their disgusting faces paraded through her mind, unbidden. Their leering, lustful faces mocked her, which caused her blood to boil. She wanted to make them scream.

"I want to make them pay," young Lady Stanton growled, her grip on her wine glass tightening. "I want them to bleed. I want them on their knees, begging for mercy."

She looked to Oz, whose face was a placid mask. Elizabeth blinked, and hastily added, "If-If that's possible."

A few moments later, a wolfish grin appeared on his face.

"My dear, anything is possible," the wizard said, his eyes twinkling dangerously. "When you wish upon a star~ "

With a snap of his fingers, a dozen orbs of magical light blossomed into existence, filling the room with warm golden light. The doors to the dining room opened, and a dozen servants dressed in matching green and gold uniforms emerged. All of them were carrying trays with steaming hot dishes and bottles of fine wine. The servants laid out a fine emerald tablecloth, along with fine dining ware and began serving the young lady a freshly cooked meal.

Elizabeth's eyes widened in surprise. She'd never seen so much food, let alone food of this quality, in her home before. She looked to Oz, almost as if asking his permission. He nodded, and she began carving up a hunk of meat from the nearest dish and taking a bite out of it. As she spent the night eating and being serenaded by a green clad musician, Elizabeth didn't want to go to sleep. She was afraid that she'd wake up from this wonderful dream, and that she'd be forced back into the hellish nightmare that was her life.

However, with Oz sitting by her side, Elizabeth felt more confident and sure of herself. No one was going to take her happiness from her ever again.

---

(A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Until next time, stay healthy and safe out there!)

(References)

(chapter title): song by The Kinks

The Crooked Man/skinny demon and Zoetrope/cylinder object - The Conjuring 2