‘’Lia get the hell away from the ledge’’ Ishmael ran towards her but her foot was starting to slip off and her body leaned forward towards the statue.

  Like a quick wind, Kayd dashed forward in front of Ishmael just in time as her body was about to fall off the edge, grabbing Lia by her cloak and throwing her back on the platform. His eyes accidentally glanced at the statue and dozens of thoughts struck his mind, but he managed to turn away quick enough for none of them to take root.

  What’s the deal with that statue, is that thing haunted or something? Looks like Lia wasn’t immune to it either.

  ‘’Feathers, speak. What in the eclipsed blue moons were you thinking.’’ Lia lightly slapepd her face, she was stuck in a daze, staring blankly at nothing. Quellin stepped forward with arms crossed. Even with the mask,, Kayd sensed disappointment from him.

  ‘’Perhaps you still need some more lessons Lia, you must keep your mind disciplined. How will you be able to survive in a place like this if you are easily distracted. Perhaps more physical and advanced lessons need to be used…’’ He coldly explained, eyes beaming down at her motionless body.

  ‘’Hey, lay off her! She’s obviously been dazed by something, probably the same thing that got Kayd earlier. Wonder that was though.’’ Right on cue, a windchime rung out.

  The Goddess of Greed: One of many other gods of this realm, the goddess of greed is a malignant creature, luring those that want an excess of anything, be it money, weapons, or other items. Some fall to it easier, but nobody is safe from its grasp, they can only resist it. Those that serve her along with buildings made in her likeness exude her power in hopes of getting new followers. When you see an excess of desires in your mind, fight it, or drown in it.’

  Greed….Extending power….Excess……I never heard of this type of god in any of the books, nor using statues. So this place has its own gods, and it looks like they’re more hands-on than the gods i was used to seeing.

  ‘’Greed goddess? You mean to tell me that statue is kind of alive?’’ Ikari helped Lia to her feet, looking back at the building behind them to deny the statue another victim.

  Everyone else did the same, they had their answer, now they just needed to find a way to continue the mission while heeding the warnings.

  “An artificial cause of losing discipline. I was wrong then. This wasn’t a mere faltering of her will.” Quellin remarked, looking down but not extending an apology.

  “Yeah, i told you it had to be something else. Now can you please stop being harsh on her ok?” Ikari shot back. Lia started to open her eyes again, a bit of dirt covering her face from being thrown away.

  ‘’Nice words won’t change anything, a stern voice only helps in the person understanding what needs to be done–’’ Ikari looked at Quellin with disdain, but before she could open her mouth and let loose again, Ishmael snapped her fingers.

  ‘’Stop, we need to focus on the plan. Quit bickering and get to snooping, we have to find that bastard.’’ Ishmael took out her hatchet and walked towards the door, expecting everyone to follow suit.

  "Uhhh, sorry. What happened and did i do something wrong again.?" Lia finally spoke and opened her eyes, having spent the last minute needing the help of Ikari to get up and stabilize herself.

  ‘’No no, nothing happened.’’ Ikari gave a scathing stare to Quellin, ordering him not to peep another word.

  ‘’There-’’ Kayd put a hand on his shoulder flashing a smile and getting his attention.

  ‘’You heard the captain, Quellin. How about we focus on the task and get it done, this can wait.’’ Quellin looked at Ishmael and back to Kayd.

  ‘’Very well, top priority is the objective. Disciplinary related matters can be dealt with after.’’ Quellin joined up with Ishmael, Kayd and Ikari breathed a sigh of relief. Lia slowly walked with them, grabbing her head and muttering something incoherent. The influence of the statue seemed to be worse for her.

  Mono was the most silent throughout the journey so far, now walking alongside Lia, a hand on her shoulder in case she stumbles again, blood from himself and others staining his soft armor, a short blade not aged or chipped as much compared to the weapons of Kayd and Quellin.

  ‘’This place is weird.’’ He muttered.

  ‘’I think we can all see that.’’

  ‘’No not just that, the people and the animals from earlier. You saw what they did right, they just went back to fighting the beast without a hint of hesitation when the woman showed up.’’

  ‘’Yeah, she probably has a similar ability as the statues.’’

  ‘’It’s best we be more careful when saving these settlers then, they might just attack us as well because of that woman, or hope we dont find those innocent settlers near the woman and anything else that can do that.’’ Kayd looked at Mono with a curious expression.

  ‘’What do you suggest we do then?" He asked, eagerly awaiting his answer, seeing if he may be smarter than he thought.

  ‘’Do stuff like you did before and other methods i thought of. Whack them with the sheathe, smack em with your fists, tie them up, tire em out, knock them out. Anything that won’t kill them but get them out the fight.’’ He explained, a surprise to Kayd to hear this from him.

  ‘’Quellin taught you a lot huh?’’ Mono took out his sword, walking forward without looking at Kayd or the statue.

  ‘’He did, and other stuff. Stuff he learned from his times as a umm….Military lieuten- lieutenent or was it tenont.’’ Mono put a finger to his mouth, trying to recall what else Quellin said.

  “I should remember it, damn,” He facepalmed, “Lieuten-lieutenont Quellin said we should memorize all he says as they are lessons forged in blood.” As if suddenly remembering something, he quickly looked at his sword and clothes, dusting anything off them and cleaning his blade.

  “How can i be a better soldier and protect everyone if i can't even keep myself proper, or wield a sword as fast as needed!?” His voice trembled, overwhelmed in just a few seconds with a hand covering his face. Kayd put a hand on shoulder.

  “You don’t have to fight for us, just fight with us, we all suck at something and rely on each other to fill those gaps.” His words calmed Mono momentarily, but he pushed his hand off.

  “Quellin says otherwise, that his advise supercedes all. Everyone must be capable in every aspect regardless of circumstance. To fight, defend, heal, haul,close and ranged combat, nobody was special, but all needed to be ready to die for who they protect…And i’m preparing myself for it.” A cold stare of determination stayed on his face after finishing, leaving no time for Kayd to say something back.

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  He wants them to be martyrs, not people, just pawns in a chess game. Last time i heard this train of thought was with the past general i worked under, didnt live long with that mindset when the war was nearing its end.

  He cast his thoughts aside, the objective was more important now, he needed those titles and those rewards after all. He caught up to Ishmael at the front, walking side by side with her, sword in hand and ready to clear out any threat. Ishmael quikly kicked down the door, splitting it in half, letting Kayd and Quellin rush in to clear the place up. But instead of a quarters or a breakroom full of armored bandits, they were struck by an intense yellow glow.

  Filling the structure up to the ceiling, piles upon piles of gold, ornamented weapons, and gems of different colors, giving off a beam of beautiful light alongside the golden aura radiating from the gold coins.

  Kayd stared in awe, but quickly turned away after remembering what happened earlier. Something began crawling into his mind, into everyone’s mind, trying to bury deep and forcing Kayd’s head to turn to the gold, bombarding his head with fragments of visions, each other getting bigger, slowly piecing together in his mind into a new image. Once the vision was complete, he felt off, he was no longer with his team, he found himself in a pit full of sheathed curved swords and titles. Each title bearing a unique name that enticed him. The walls or the ceiling couldn’t be seen, only a bright light shining down and giving light to the place. The many badges and weapons pressed against him, a rush of longing flooding his mind, overwhelming his resistance at a few points.

  Dragon vanquisher, beast feller, king slayer, Scorn of the pirates, Hydra killer, Benevolent savior, Clan’s finest…..I heard these titles before…Given to my classmates when they graduated, those nicknames were on the newspapers, so many of them had those nicknames and titles for their deeds, all until there wasn’t anything else to accomplish…None for me….

  ‘’A shame i must say, for someone just as skilled as you, unable to get those things.’’

  What the- who’s speaking.

  The voice wasn’t the same one he heard before, it sounded younger, clear, and elegant. Only way he could think of it was a voice of gold.

  The voice laughed arrogantly, ‘’I’m just saying, i saw how you fought, someone like you deserves all those kinds of rewards, unlike those mumbling idiot classmates you had. I doubt they could have survived that rat horde and all these bandits.’’ It explained. Kayd stayed still, trying to fight the urge to look at the titles surrounding him, a force tried fighting against it though, something was making his eyes open and his head moving to look at it.

  Who…are you….

  “Such titles would work better placed onto you, and aren’t you tired of all this back and forth to get them? It’s getting stressful and repetitive…” The pile of badges in front if Kayd parted, revealing the badges they shed so much blood for in this desert.

  Bandit killer, brigand butcher, angel, knight order…I can just finish it here and now and grab it, alongside these other badges, all the ones i ever wanted! What i deserved!

  His hand reached for it, but a shred of doubt in his mind stopped it. A memory appeared. One of a talk with master Carwel and him.

  If an award doesnt require blood or sweat to be taken, it is not worth it…

  I…No…I can’t take them, this is too easy.

  “Didn’t you spend most of your life fawning over such titles? This is your moment now! To seize what you didn’t get, what all the bloodshed came to!” A sense of overwhelming joy and compulsion to hold the titles flooded his head. His hand darted forward as if it had a mind of its own, inches away from grabbing the glowing titles, wearing them and perhaps grabbing a few of the adorned swords that lay next to him.

  “As a warrior isn’t it also good to increase your weapon selection? Besides, they would look very beautiful alongside your own sword. Elegant design if i may add.”

  No…This is a trick, nothing worth having is meant to be easy…Even i know that despite the envy of my classmates….

  Kayd retracted his hand, the images in his mind started to distort, able to think a bit more clearly.

  “No, this is merely a part of the path. And im here again to give you your reward, a bit of motivation to keep going. Along with a bit of extra stuff.” She sounded confused now. From above, scrolls rained down, unfurling themselves and revolving around Kayd to display their contents. Fighting styles, combat techniques, forms he had never seen before. His hand started floating towards the scrolls, and the focus began to break.

  Inches away from it, he stopped his hand, clenching it into a fist, closing his eyes and recalling more memories of the past, the images tried fighting back, intensifying and filling his eyes and ears with more images and even the sounds of coin and weapons clattering to the floor.

  No…This isn’t a test…You aren’t the one i spoke to, the one that gave me this second chance…You’re that woman in the statue huh!?

  Kayd pulled back his arm, unsheathing his blade, the images that bombarded his mind began dissipating once more.

  “Reconsider! I’m offering far more than you could ever think of! Far more than what that hag is giving for rewards!”

  Her desperate pleadings fell on uncaring ears, Kayd raised up his blade and hacked away at the scrolls, each swing chipping away at the images that coursed through his head, distorting them.

  “No- reconsider!” The voice desperately cried out, but its pleading meant nothing. The last of the scrolls was cut in half, slowly falling down with the rest.

  “I will help you see the truth, to see that this is the reward you deserve!” Kayd ignored the pleas, pushing his legs out of the pile, but the gold felt like quicksand, keeping him half stuck. But it didn’t stop his attempts to escape, slashing away at the weapons and titles, sending them flying across the pit, disfiguring and destroying them.

  “I will make you see the truth myself…” A pile of badges rose up, forming a hand, each facing Kayd to show their titles. A small glow emanated in the palm, partially covered.

  You…Aren’t showing me anything! Piss off and get out of my head!

  Kayd slashed at the hand, severing multiple badges in the process. It charged forward, intent on forcefully grabbing Kayd.

  I’m following my own path, and the one who gave me this second chance…Nothing great can be attained easily, and that’s the truth…

  He slashed again, destroying more of the badges and revealing more of that glow.

  You have nothing to offer me! This deal is bust! And i’m certain as hell not getting a deal from a runt like you! Get out of my head!

  The sword pierced the glow, a loud shout from the voice shook the pit. And the area began to break and shatter like glass, leaving Kayd in a void once more.

  “Well done…” That familiar voice returned.

  Before he could regain his bearings, the world reappeared around him. He fell to his knees, the grip of the badges around his legs was gone, the pit was gone. They were back near the pile of gold.

  Looking around, he realized the rest were standing still, as if stuck in their own trance. All except Ishmael who fell after he did, gasping for air.

  “Captain!” He helped her up from the floor, a mix of shock and horror plastered on her face.

  “Are you alright?” He asked. Ishmael nodded her head and turned to the others.

  “Go help them as well!” He didn’t know how he could even help, but he had to try. The first one was Quellin. He grabbed him by the pauldrons and shook him as hard as he could. After a short moment of silence, he gasped for air and fell to his knees.

  So that’s how you can break the trance…

  “Are you fine?” Quellin nodded his head, breathing normally and quietly again.

  “Alright, just stand watch for now.”

  He did the same to Ikari, but had to shake for a much longer time, once she broke off from the trance, she pushed him, pinning him to the ground and grabbing his chest.

  “Hey, it’s me! Calm down!” His voice stopped her, releasing her grasp on him and taking a look around with heavy breaths.

  “What the…Aww man, i was starting to enjoy that place, so full of skulls of different animals. That woman sounded like a creep though.”

  She also heard the voice too.

  “Help me snap the others out.” Joining the two, they continued breaking the trance stuck on the others.

  Kayd noticed that staring at the gold didn’t give off that same lure he felt earlier, he could look at it just fine. The images didn’t appear once, nor did the compulsion to approach come back.

  —----

  The last of the team to be stuck in the trance was Lia. Her eyes were blank, staring at the pile of gold, the staff on the floor.

  “Come on, snap out of it. We need a healer here.” Kayd continued to shake rigorously, but she didn’t seem to change, simply remaining stuck.

  “Hey! Come out get out of that pit, don’t listen to that woman in your head or what she offers!” She refused to budge. With no progress, he resorted to desperate measures. He lightly slapped her numerous times, getting a bit stronger until she finally gasped for air after minutes of silence.

  She pushed away from Kayd, falling on her butt and grabbing the staff.

  “No no no!” She crawled forward, clawing at the ground, trying to grab at nothing.

  She’s still stuck in it…

  Quellin stepped in, raising a hand to deliver a more strong strike. Kayd grabbed onto it, Quellin looked at him with emotionless eyes, as if questioning what stupid action he’s doing right now.

  “No, we don’t need that right now. Just wait!” He pushed him aside, but Kayd persisted. As they struggled, Lia calmed down.

  “Wait…Am i…Back?” The two stopped fighting upon hearing her voice again. A moment of relief swept over Kayd.

  Quellin simply turned and walked to Ishmael, silent all the way.

  We really need to speak about that soon…And i wonder what’s in Lia’s mind.

  He turned to her, she was being comforted by Mono, looking down with a hand covering her face, shaking.

  What’s the extent of his teachings to her?

  She put away Mono’s hand and got up, not answering his questions and instead walking forward with a staff in hand, standing behind Quellin, ready for the next fight. Her hand still covered her face and grunted in pain every step of the way.