The City Lord and the two merchants arrived at the scene of chaos.
Blatant spite, misery and sorrow were written on City Lord Orald's face.
People under his care were dead, and the cause of the disaster was nowhere to be found?
A vein popped on his temple.
The Outskirts, even if not within the walls, were still part of the city.
Therefore he thought of the victims as part of Monsoon City's population.
Over the long years, people settled outside the walls, be it wanderers from beyond the Pluvial Grasslands, refugees of scattered villages in the Fervent Sand Plains, or farmers plagued by bad harvests.
Be it people cast outs, victims of banditry, nomads or be it for some other unknown reason, it didn't matter.
Everyone was welcomed to settle.
That was how Monsoon City initially formed, many dozen years ago.
Despite low funds, and rising property cost, Orald has steadily done his utmost to provide and accommodate for every person seeking his care.
Allowing all to erect houses and set up tents, he fed the hungry by organizing soup kitchens.
All that, which was possible, was done.
As a consequence, even in the face of economic peril, many had survived starvation, and avoided the gruesome death of cold.
And suddenly ... suddenly his people succumb to a waterfall from the sky?
Orald's eyes turned red and scary.
Who was responsible?
Boiling blood flowed through his veins, and his hands shaked in anger, but...
He had to stay composed. Now more than ever.
For his people.
The healing unit has been alarmed.
Thinking about how to save at least one more of his own, a light reflected from beneath a pile of rubble, where once a house stood tall, and blinded his eyes.
Quickly removing the steepling debris, in hopes of the slim chance, that it was a survivor, Orald pulled out the exposed hand.
And an entire arm followed. His face turned grim.
It was just the arm... completely severed.
At the same time, a young man trodded out of the next stable building and talked to a fellow man.
This location acted as an Emergency Treatment Center for First Aid, seeing how all wounded people were brought here.
This proved to be the case, as another figure started screaming out to bring all the wounded into the building.
Just as Orald wanted to address the young man... the youth stared at him incredulously and... hurled onto the floor.
Orald felt deep empathy for the young man.
'He must be overwhelmed.'
Is what Orald thought.
And Théo... clearly was.
* * *
'That can't be mine, right?'
'No no no, I must be wrong.'
'...But it clearly is?'
'Yeah it is ... That's my ring.'
'But is it really? Something must have happened to my old body, but ...'
With every step he took, more thoughts bashed around in his head. He blended out the surroundings completely.
He didn't care about them.
An inexplicable stare glued to the hand, he stepped closer and with each single step his face grew more twisted and distorted.
Even through the lacerations and bloodied parts, he saw old scars, moles, the shape of his fingers and with each detail he saw he was more certain.
'This is my hand.'
Was the conclusion.
But what escaped his lips in a hushed groan was the complete opposite.
"This... it can't be right."
Only then, was he thrown back into reality, hearing the dignified man in the white robe posing a question with a concerned voice.
"Are you alright? Is this perhaps... do you know who this belonged to?"
Théo lifted his gaze, trying to compose himself as well as he could, but the voice escaping his dried lips betrayed the chaos of his mind.
"U-uh... Mhm. Yes. Yes, I-I know this person."
Snatching the arm away from Orald he stared at it deeply.
Seeing his old arm in the grip of his current- well, new arms, a strange sense of revelation and calm descended upon him.
I'm alive. It doesn't matter.
Was what his mind tried to tell him in a comforting way.
Théo pulled the golden ring of the finger and put the sever s arm on a big chunk of fundament, broken away from one of the houses.
Giving a last, meaningful gaze, he turned around to face the three men behind him.
Sensing that the young man was ready to talk, Orald initiated a discussion.
"How is the situation with the wounded people?"
Théo sighed and glanced to the restaurant, his face still pale.
"That depends on how fast the Doctors arrive, some people are barely hanging on. But... "
"We have created a place for First Aid at least. Most people should be able to pull through once proper medical treatment is provided."
The man in the white robe nodded, "That's good ... The healing unit is notified, they should arrive very soon."
'Healing unit. Once again such an unusual term to use for medicinal personal.'
Repressing anger, Orald sighed and asked how the events exactly transpired, and if Théo happened to see anything.
"I am not too sure myself. Masses of water suddenly spilled down from the sky," Théo explained, twisting the truth a bit.
Pointing to the debris he stated the obvious.
"The aftermath, you can see."
Next, be shaked his head and added.
"The reason, I don't know."
Théo wasn't in the best mood to answer any more questions, so he hoped this much would suffice.
Orald thought out loud, "I sensed an influx of Mana, even back in the City Hall. Meaning this must've been caused by either someone or something strong."
A vicious light lit up in Oralds eyes and became more and more pronounced.
"There is only one person I know ...", he said with a low voice, "with a grudge against me that is deep seated enough to do this."
He continued spitting out maliciously, "Only one person, who is vicious enough to kill ordinary people and who simultaneously has a Water Atrribute."
His face by now a terrible, frightening scowl, distorted at the mere thought of the described person, Orald turned to Théo and asked him another question.
Inexplicably, Théo found himself gasping for air.
His body shuddered involuntarily, triggered by a deep primal instinct.
"So tell me young man, are you really sure you didn't see someone in the sky prior to the water crashing down?"
Gripped by fear, Théo worded his next sentence very carefully, "When I looked up I saw a black blur before the water came crashing down. There might have been someone, but it was all so far away, I can't say for sure."
Théo really wasn't sure what exactly caused this situation. It escaped his logic. He only knew that it must have been a natural phenomenon, connecting Earth to this planet, and he decided it was best to just go with the flow that presented itself.
It was because he realized that he couldn't possibly handle the repercussions, if the one issuing them was the person opposite to him.
'I-is he a demon? Am I dreaming?'
Théo was out of his wits. He felt intimidated.
"City Lord! Who else could it have been, if not the Water Bandit!"
Silver Hawk chimed into the conversation. His sly eyes looked even more cunning than usual and his tone was as confident as it could possibly be.
"I've heard he has been more active than usually, too. Robbing the merchant routes and terrorizing the greenlands around the city."
The key word finally fell. It was as though Silver Hawk knew the magic word which was more than enough to bring the already boiling pot to spill over.
"I knew it!"
"I KNEW IT"
The City Lord flew into a mindless rage. His scowl turned into a demonic frown, radiating morbid bloodlust.
The surroundings quiveled under the pressure he gave off.
He screamed in fury, "I thought you atleast had the decency not to rob and kill my people in broad daylight. It seems I was utterly wrong!"
"Wash your neck for me old bastard, you absolutely crossed the line this time."
With a terrifying scowl and murderous intention in his eyes he resolved himself to deal with the Water Bandit once and for all.
Théo's face was bloodless and deluged with sweat. A muffled groan parted his dry lips.
Completely out of breath, he muttered, "I-It feels like a thousand needles are prickling me all over..."
The City Lord curbed his anger in an instant, withdrawing the aura he erupted, as if remembering where he was.
It was clear that the grudge between the two was not simple at all.
"Thank you, young man. For providing First-Aid to the wounded and... please excuse me for my thoughtless blunder."
Orald's face was hidden by a shadow. He brandished his hand and translucent crystals of blue-ish color landed in front of Théo.
"Let's go back, I have a lot to prepare."
* * *
In the distance, the carriage of the healing unit raced through the narrow streets.
Silver Hawk asked rhetorically, "Is it finally time to vanquish the evil bandit?"
Orald nodded slightly, "Yes ... The last attempts ended in failures because the old bastard is just too slippery."
He took a deep breath and with resolved eyes, he continued.
"But... what he did this time?"
"IT'S UTTERLY UNFORGIVABLE."
With his hand shaking in anger he promised, "I'll hunt the damn dog down, even if it kills me!"
The veins on the clearly agitated City Lord were pulsating terribly. He looked like a ferocious beast, out for blood, out for vengeance.
"City Lord I'll definitely help you with your mission, I can supply some weapons and artifacts for.", the Golden Bull assured in a righteous tone before adding with a embarrased laugh, "But as for the bandits treasures... hehehe."
Orald didn't mind the ulterior motive. Money makes the world go round after all. His goal was just one thing.
The death of his old enemy. Revenge for his people.
"You'll get your fair share by then, but first, the mission has to succeed." Orald said somberly.
"I will also be more than happy to help you with your endeavour.", Silver Hawk added, of course, he also had the compensation in mind. For he knew, how many merchants the Bandits have robbed.
The City Master folded his hands and suddenly he stopped. The healing unit rushed past him.
"I appreciate it "
He stood on the spot and started roaring with a thunderous voice. He addressed his people, a lot of which already came from the streets which were mostly unaffected, or only mildly involved.
"People of my city!"
Some people started gathering around the City Lord, some watched from open windows or the inbetween door frames.
"Its the City Lord."
"The City Lord is about the speak ... silence."
A voice somber in tone, mixed with sad fury resounded through the destroyed streets.
"Those unfortunate ones of you, who today, lost a dear person..."
"Those unfortunate ones of you who today, have to see a dear person fight for their lives..."
"A dear person hurt... cowardly... from the skies above."
"Those of you, who lost their homes, lost their sons, daughters, mothers or fathers... to the evil plots of the insidious Water Bandit."
Orald took another deep breath.
His face twisted in dark wrath.
"WE WILL GET REVENGE, I SWEAR THAT WE WILL RIP THE HEADS OFF THE DIRTY BANDIT PACK AND STICK THEM ON THE STAKES IN FRONT OF OUR TOWNGATES TO EASE THE SPIRITS OF THE DECEASED."
All people who listened to the City Lord's words shuddered instinctively, a sense of hatred slowly washing over their minds.
Orald's emotions chained into angry screams and sad howls cursing the Water Bandit to death.
If the City Lord said it was done by the bandits, then it was done by the bandits.
Orald followed his furious promise with another, "Even before we kill the heinous terrorists and robbers who are terrorizing our Monsoon City. I promise to rebuild the homes of those who lost theirs today. And I promise to let the deceased rest easy, with their families taken care of."
"...This is what I can assure you, the people of my city."
An old woman with tears in her eyes screamed to the sky with a voice so bitter it gave shudders to even the gods hearing its faint echo.
"CITY LORD, TAKE REVENGE FOR MY DAUGHTER."
"BELIEVE IN ME, I WILL"
"CITY LORD, AVENGE MY PARENTS."
"BELIEVE IN ME, I WILL"
"CITY LORD, LET JUSTICE PREVAIL."
"BELIEVE IN ME."
"I WILL."
With resentful words echoing in the air, he disappeared into thin air, alongside the two merchants.
"Are you sure this is not a waste of money?" Silver Hawk asked the City Lord, just to receive a stern look, making the air palpable in-between them.
Sensing that this wasn't the right time to ask any questions, Silver Hawk remained silent for the rest of the ride. The Golden Bull, however, didn't catch onto the heavy mood and broke the silence with another question , "Was it really necessary to gift Spiritual Crystals to the kid for the small thing he did?"
Realizing it's no use arguing with the greedy merchants, the City Lord just let out a heavy sigh.
"How is saving my people a small thing?"
* * *
At the location of tragedy, the healing unit has finally arrived.
The residents who didn't immediately pass away, were now being healed in quick succession. But something about the procedure was vastly different from how Théo imagined it to be.
There were no doctors with scalpels, needles or synthetic threads. No complicated measures or grueling hour-long surgeries to restore their patients health.
No, it was quite different.
There were no more than three women in the healing unit.
To heal, they summoned something akin to a warm light with their hands and hoverd it above the ghastly wounds. It took just a simple touch for the wounds to squirm around and start closing. If not completely healing it, it at least saved the patient from deaths door.
It was as if the light reminded the bodies of their original state, compelling them to repair themselves and only providing them with the energy to do so.
Sweat rolled down from the healers foreheads, and altough they were completely exhausted, they managed to keep almost every single patient alive. As for the rest... their injuries were just too fatal.
Théo obversed the healing process incredulously, "Just where have I landed?"
If he didn't understand that this was a vastly different planet than Earth by now, his head wouldn't be of any use to him. Demonic middle-aged men making him fold with just their presence? Women capable of healing terrible wounds with just a touch? No... Clearly, this wasn't Earth.
"Cultivators, was it?" he mumbled quietly.
His face showed a slight smile and his eyes gleamed in a deep curiosity.
"...That's... pretty interesting."
Walking out of the First-Aid Center he was stopped by a male voice calling out to him from behind.
A hand held him by the shoulder. As he turned around, a familiar face smiled at him hesitantly.
...He knew this man. In fact, just half an hour ago he digged him ou from inbetween piles of rubble. His body was in a much better condition than before by now, and he stared at Théo with a thankful expression, as he tried to find the right words to say.
"Thank you very much. I wouldn't have survived if it weren't for you finding me. I distinctly recall hearing your voice and seeing your face, when I had already given up ... the pain was so overwhelming. There was no light and e-everything hurt ...."
Tears streamed down from his eyes, he couldn't bring himself to say another word. A lump formed in his throat and with a heavy sob he weeped the most sincere words of gratitude he had ever given.
"Really ... T-thank you ... Thank you so, so much."
Théo smiled bitterly, his eyes wetting up a bit. The only words he found to say were:
"Hey... it's the least thing I could do."
* * *
Standing in front a piece of rubble his face went dark again.
A severed arm sat on the cement nonchalantly.
It was his arm. Or to be more accurate, the arm of his old body, which was undoubtedly dead now.
He sighed.
It came as a shock at first, but deep down he knew it from the time he found himself in a new body.
He knew something must've happened to the original body. Considering what had happened back on Earth, this development was to be expected, but still...
His heart felt very heavy suddenly.
Just thinking about the broken district and all the people who lost their lives or livelihood made him feel a deep-seated, profound sadness.
"Was everything my fault?"
He had asked himself this question repeatedly. But no matter how deep his desire, he was powerless to prevent this disaster from happening.
Simply said, it was outside his realm of action.
"...I did not choose to be transported in this world. I resigned myself to death in that ocean, then and there."
"But so many people died because of this, why the fuck did this teleportation have to open above a town?"
He went silent for a minute.
"And... would I still be alive if it didn't?'"
With this thought he looked at his hands. They were much thinner, smaller and younger compared to the big bulky arm that lies on the piece of debris.
This new body. Its light, but ... at the same time so uncomfortable...
There are things you can control and things you cannot control. This is a fact of life, no matter where you live. And this situation clearly belonged to the latter. With two claps on his cheeks Théo resolved and composed himself.
"There's nothing to be done. I'll have to keep on going."
"This world is build on the concept of supernatural powers... or is it rather natural powers to them? I'm the alien here after all," Théo murmured while scratching his cheek, " No matter what it is... It seems a bit too much like a fantasy story."
He let out a heavy sigh and added, "If I can believe what I saw with my own eyes just now, and this isn't a weird dream then ... Then this could become quite interesting."
The irony of the situation forced a sad snicker from his lips, as he left his arm lying between the rubble and turned around.
Théo Floga was now a dead man.
He pulled a golden ring out of his pocket and slid it on his right ring finger. With a resolved expression painting his face, he walked into the bright rays of dusk, the sizable ruby on the ring glimmering faintly in the last rays of the sun.
"A brand new beginning, huh."
"Here I come then!"