Chapter 2 - Chapter 1: forsaken child

In a remote corner of the devroties kingdom. a land where greed has corrupted the minds of the people, causing them to kill one another and commit all kinds of sins. a land where the strong subjugate the weak, I was born in a place called Thrall, a land rife with corruption."

The weak became slaves of the strong. thus, I was born in such place called thrall, the land of corrupt.

***

"I was beaten to death. This wasn't supposed to happen," Vladimir said, frustrated.

"Random slavekeeper asked, 'How did you kill the vice chief?' 'Where did you get this knife, boy?!'"

Vladimir...….

The leader of the village punched Vladimir in the face over and over again, until his face was unrecognizable.

The village elders laughed. "You always overdo things your way. Why? You don't like it?" They continued laughing.

Vladimir bit his tongue in fury. "I will get my revenge on all of you god-damned fuckers."

***

"Once, this land was a place of peace, love, and joy, where the people lived in harmony with each other and the world around them. But that was before they tasted the power bestowed upon them by the devil himself. With newfound strength and cunning, they turned on each other, their once-benign natures twisted by greed, envy, and hatred. They suppressed the devil inside them, but it had already taken root, and soon their very appearance began to change, both inside and out.

As years passed, their aggression grew, and they began to commit all kinds of sins without remorse or hesitation. They took what they wanted and gave nothing in return, leaving the weak and defenseless at their mercy. The king, who had once been a just and compassionate ruler, was now corrupted by the very same power that had turned his subjects into monsters. He named the land Thrall, the land of the corrupt, and those who could not fight back were forced to submit to the whims of the strong.

I was one of the weak, born into this world without power or influence. I knew from a young age that my only choice was to obey, to do whatever the strong demanded of me, no matter how cruel or unjust. But deep down, I knew that there must be a way to fight back, to resist the corruption that had consumed this land and its people. And so I began to plot and plan, biding my time until the moment was right to strike back against those who had made me and my fellow thralls suffer for too long."

"Beaten and bloodied, Vladimir lay on the ground and gasped for breath. Despite the pain wracking his body, he felt a strange sense of relief. In truth, he had been waiting for death for a long time. He had grown up in a world of suffering, where pain and hardship were his constant companions.

At an early age, Vladimir had experienced horrors that no child should ever have to face. His mother had been a whore, and she had never even known that she had a child. His father had been a proud knight, sworn to protect the king and defend the people of the land. But when he had faced a near-death situation and been defeated by an unknown beast, he had been reduced to a mere peasant, barely able to eke out a living. He had become bitter and resentful, cursing the day he had ever been born.

Growing up in such a world, Vladimir had learned to fend for himself. He had become a survivor, learning how to fight and how to hide, how to steal and how to lie. He had no illusions about the nature of the world he lived in - a world where the strong preyed upon the weak, and the powerful did as they pleased.

And yet, despite it all, there was a spark of hope within him. A small flame of defiance that refused to be snuffed out. Vladimir knew that he was destined for something greater, something beyond the suffering and the pain. He just didn't know what it was yet."

"I was born into a life of servitude in a small village, where every day felt like a struggle for survival. The people in my village were ruthless and uncaring, and I was often beaten for no reason at all. I would go days without eating, watching as my masters wasted food without a second thought. My parents and former friends had turned their backs on me, leaving me to fend for myself in a place where strength was everything.

But I refused to let them break me. I dedicated myself to training, every day swinging a wooden sword until my arms ached and my hands blistered. I would swing it vertically, horizontally, and in every direction I could think of, until I had mastered the basic techniques.

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and before I knew it, a year had passed. But I kept training, even when the rain poured down and the snow whipped around me. I was determined to become strong enough to take on my oppressors and escape this miserable existence.

And then, two years later, something changed within me. As I continued to train, I felt a power growing inside me, something more than just physical strength. My body felt different, more beast than man, as if I was tapping into a primal force that had been lying dormant within me all along.

I knew then that I was ready to take on my captors, to fight back against the cruelty and injustice that had defined my life for so long. With my newfound strength and determination, I was certain that I could make a difference in this world and perhaps even find a way to escape the clutches of my oppressors once and for all."

"Next morning."

The other children saw me swinging my wooden sword and approached me.

"Child 1," Hey, what are you doing with that wooden sword? Are you trying to show off?"

"Child 2," Yeah, it's not like you're a knight or anything. Give us that sword, you're gonna hurt yourself."

I stopped swinging and turned to face them. "I'm not trying to show off, and I'm not going to give you my sword. Just leave me alone."

"Child 1," Ooh, look at him trying to act tough. Let's tell the grown-ups about him."

"Child 2," Yeah, they'll know how to deal with him. Come on, let's go."

They walked away, and I went back to practicing my swings.

After hearing those words, without a second thought, Vladimir swung his sword with all his might, forming a cross as he swung it both vertically and horizontally. In a split second, the demon kids were already cut, and as Vladimir turned around and walked away, blood burst out from their wounds.

As he walked away, the elder of the village noticed him, and news of the incident quickly spread throughout the village and even across the Devroties Kingdom. But little did Vladimir know, an unknown man was watching with a smile full of malicious intent. "Hmm, very interesting kid," the man said to himself.

"Vladimir continued to swing his sword, feeling the pain in his muscles and the exhaustion in his body. But he refused to give up. He refused to let the demons win. He knew that if he kept training, kept pushing himself beyond his limits, he would become strong enough to defeat them.

Days turned into weeks, weeks turned into months, and months turned into years. Vladimir trained tirelessly, never giving up, never backing down. And slowly, but surely, he began to see the results of his hard work.

His muscles grew stronger, his endurance increased, and his reflexes became sharper. He no longer felt the pain of the wooden sword against his skin, but instead, he felt the power that came from wielding it.

Finally, after years of training, Vladimir felt ready. Ready to face the demons and avenge himself for all the pain and suffering they had caused him.

He walked into the village square, his wooden sword in hand, and challenged the demon leader to a duel. The demon leader laughed at him, mocking him for his audacity.

But Vladimir didn't flinch. He stood his ground, staring down the demon with a cold, unwavering gaze. And as the two charged towards each other, their swords clashing with a deafening noise, Vladimir felt a surge of power within him.

He swung his sword with all his might, striking the demon leader with a force that sent him flying. And as the demon leader lay there, defeated and broken, Vladimir raised his sword to the sky and let out a triumphant roar.

He had done it. He had become strong enough to defeat the demons and avenge himself for all the pain and suffering they had caused him. And he knew that from that day forward, he would never be weak again."

" Vladimir wakes up."

As Vladimir got up from his bed, he stretched his arms and legs, feeling the soreness from yesterday's intense training. He looked around his small, dimly-lit room, which was nothing more than a few wooden planks nailed together to form a shelter. It was all he had, and he was grateful for it.

He walked to the door and opened it, stepping out into the bright sunlight. The cool breeze greeted him, and he took a deep breath, feeling the fresh air fill his lungs. He looked around the small village, which was mostly empty at this time of day.

Vladimir began to walk towards the outskirts of the village, away from the other villagers. He walked for a while, enjoying the peacefulness and quietness of the surrounding forest. As he walked, he thought about his past and how he got to where he is now.

His mind drifted back to the day he was sold into slavery by his own parents. He was only 10 years old at the time, and he had no idea what was going on. He was taken away from his home and brought to this village, where he was forced to work long hours and endure constant abuse from the villagers.

But he didn't let that break him. Instead, he used his pain and anger to fuel his determination to become stronger. He trained every day, never giving up even when he was beaten down. And now, he was finally starting to see the results of his hard work.

As he walked deeper into the forest, he found a secluded spot by a small stream. He sat down and took out his wooden sword, the one he had been using for training. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, focusing his mind on his goal. He swung his sword with precision and strength, cutting through the air with ease.

After hours of training, he stood up and looked at his sword. It was worn and battered, but it was also a symbol of his determination and perseverance. He smiled, feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment.

"Vladimir began to make his way back to the village, feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. As he walked, he came across an old man who was sitting by the side of the road. The man looked up at him and said, 'You have a determined look on your face, young one. What is it that drives you?' Vladimir paused for a moment, considering the question. 'I want to defeat the demon in this land,' he replied. The old man nodded thoughtfully. 'It won't be an easy task,' he said, 'but with determination and perseverance, anything is possible.' Vladimir felt a surge of renewed determination and thanked the old man before continuing on his way. He knew that he had a long way to go, but he was confident that he could achieve his goal. He just had to keep pushing forward, one day at a time."

***

Chief Hall, a man greeted his boss as he returned from his journey to the capital. "Oh, welcome back boss. So how was your journey?" he asked, eager to hear about the trip.

The boss let out a sigh. "Umm... not so well," he replied, looking exhausted. "There were some unexpected complications that arose, and I had to deal with a lot of bureaucratic red tape. It was a frustrating experience."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Chief Hall said sympathetically. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

The boss shook his head. "No, I think I can handle it from here. But thank you for the offer."

Chief Hall nodded and then asked, "So, is the supply ready for the upcoming demonic harvest?"

Victor, one of the assistants, chimed in, "No, boss. We are short of supplies. We've been working around the clock to make sure everything is in order."

The boss nodded in approval. " That's not Good at all."

Suddenly, " an Incoming message from a neighboring kingdom. Shall I accept the call?"

The message came through, and the boss listened carefully.....

"I see,"Everyone, please prepare yourselves. We will be departing soon to journey to the corrupt land of Thrall in the kingdom of albedos."

***