3rd Person's Pov
Exiting his traversal state Azrael blended in with the crowd, looking around as he look for his mother.
(The capital is so big, It's hard to find someone here) Azrael thought
Azrael paused when he heard a familiar voice—his mother's. So he quickly followed the sound of his mother as his pace's quickening.
Finally, he found her. She was arguing with a merchant, her back turned to him. Beside her stood a young woman in a black hooded robe, her face partly hidden.
"What? That's absurd! You're clearly trying to rip off this young lady!" his mother exclaimed, her voice rising with frustration.
"Ah, ma'am, please refrain from making a scene," the merchant responded, his tone fake and placating. His smile was too wide, too forced.
A small crowd began to gather, their curiosity piqued by the commotion.
"Ma'am, I think we should just look at another stall and look for a much fairer mechant than this guy." the young woman said gently, her voice calm despite the situation.
"Miss, I assure you, my goods are fairly priced," the merchant countered, his grin turning sly as he tried to maintain his façade.
"Tsk, let's go, Eli. We're not wasting any more time here," Azrael's mother said with a huff, shooting the merchant a final glare.
*(Eli, huh? That must be her name.)* Azrael thought as he observed from the sidelines.
But just as they turned to leave, the merchant let out a mocking laugh.
"Ahaha! That's right, ma'am. If you can't afford it, better to walk away instead of making excuses, eh?"
Azrael's mother froze. Slowly, she turned back to him, her eyes blazing. "What did you just say?"
The merchant opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, a gruff voice interrupted.
"Hey, lady. Can you quit it already? You're disturbing the rest of us."
Azrael turned to see a man approaching. He was in his mid-thirties, sporting an unkempt beard and a hunter's badge pinned to his chest. His tone was harsh, his posture intimidating.
"If you don't move along, we'll make some trouble for you. Got it?" the man sneered.
"Let's just leave," Eli whispered to Azrael's mother, clearly uneasy.
But the hunter's eyes caught her, and his smirk widened. "Well, what do we have here? A fine young lady. What's your name, sweetheart?" he asked, reaching out to touch her shoulder.
"Don't touch me," Eli said sharply, shrugging off his hand.
Azrael's mother stepped forward, her voice sharp. "What's your problem? Aren't you a bit too old to be bothering young girls with your filthy hands?"
The hunter's smirk faltered for a moment before he chuckled darkly. "Oh come on ma'am it was just a little flirt, no harm intended"
"Harmless flirt?" Azrael's mother snapped. "You disgusting piece of sh*t, with you face like that all you could've done is to be a decent man so you could make up for the looks you lack"
The man's expression darkened. "What did you just say?" he growled, raising his hand as if to strike her.
Before his hand could land, it stopped midair. The hunter's face twisted in confusion.
"What the—what's happening to my arm?" he snarled, trying to pull it back.
Eli's eyes glowed faintly as she stepped forward. "It seems you're illiterate enought to not understand the word NO" she said, her voice steady.
The man's arm twisted unnaturally, forcing him to his knees. "Ack! Please stop!" he cried out, his voice laced with pain.
Azrael, who had been watching silently, In an instant appeared behind the hunter that who's about to attack his mom but clearly Eli manages it by herself.
"Azrael!" his mother exclaimed, startled by his sudden presence.
Eli's eyes widened as she released the spell. "Who—?"
"Oh, this is my son, Azrael." Azrael's mother said proudly introducing her son.
Eli studied him for a moment. (I've seen him before. That face… but where?) she thought.
The creepy hunter dropped to the ground, clutching his injured arm while groaning in pain. He tapped the ground in an attempt to ease the pain.
Without saying a word, Azrael stepped on the hunter's other hand who's uninjured, pressing down harder. The hunter screamed again, struggling helplessly as he couldn't break free with both hands already hurt.
"Azrael, that's enough," his mother said firmly.
Azrael stepped back right away, lifting his foot off the hunter's hand.
"Ahhhh…" the hunter groaned, quickly pulling his hand away as he staggered up. Without another word, he turned and ran, stumbling as he fled, not once looking back.
The merchant, who had been watching quietly, finally found his voice. "Ah… Miss, perhaps it's better if you leave now. You've caused enough trouble to me" he said, trying to sound composed but failing to hide his uneasiness.
"Let's go, Azrael, Eli" said by Azrael's mother. She turned away from the merchant, making it clear that she wasn't interested in continuing the argument.
Azrael followed behind silently, while Eli stayed close to Azrael's mother side. The three walked away, leaving the anxious merchant as the crowd continuously talk about them and dispersed as soon as they left.
------
At Azrael's carriage, the three of them gathered after leaving the market.
"Mom, we already have a place to stay," Azrael said.
"Oh, really? That's good! Where is it?" his mom asked.
"At the guild's inn. We sold some monster drops there, but we'll need to wait 4-5 days to get the gold coins. That's what the guild master said," Azrael explained.
"4-5 days? Well, that's fine. We can stay here a bit longer and enjoy the kingdom while we still can," his mom said with a small smile.
Eli, who had been standing quietly, suddenly spoke up. "Sorry if I overheard, but are you planning to leave the kingdom?"
"Yes, we are," Azrael's mom replied. "We're planning to move closer to Asheroth Academy so Azrael won't be too far from us."
"Asheroth Academy? That's great for him," Eli said, her voice sounding a bit down.
"Is something wrong?" Azrael's mom asked.
"Well…" Eli hesitated. "I'm only 11, so I can't apply yet. Even in two years, when I'm 13, I still won't qualify. I'll have to wait another two years after that. By the time I can apply, I'll already be 15, and who knows what might happen by then. Maybe I won't even get the chance to go."
It went quiet for a moment before Azrael's mom spoke up. "Would you like to join us for a meal? It might cheer you up."
"Oh… no need, but thank you. I actually have something I need to do. I'm really thankful for your kindness," Eli said politely.
"Alright. Good luck with everything," Azrael's mom said warmly.
Azrael stayed quiet, watching as Eli gave them a small nod and walked away.
Azrael watched Eli as she disappeared into the crowd before turning to his mother.
"She seemed a bit lonely," Azrael remarked.
His mom nodded. "Yes, it's hard not to notice. She's so young to be dealing with things on her own."
"Do you think she'll be alright?" Azrael asked, glancing in the direction Eli had gone.
"She seems capable, but even strong people need someone to lean on sometimes," his mom replied. "Still, we can't force her to stay with us. Let's hope she finds her way."
"How did you meet her anyways?" Azrael asked
"Well, when I was looking out for an inn we could stay I bumped unto her from another scamming merchant, then we get along and ayun sinamahan ko siya habang naghahanap din ako" sabi ng mama niya
"ahh okay" Azrael replied as they began walking toward the guild's inn.
-----
The atmosphere in the guild was tense as Azrael and his mother entered. Conversations quieted, and heads turned. Whispers rippled through the room—words about their recent feats and reputation reaching even those who hadn't witnessed it firsthand.
Azrael glanced around, unfazed by the heavy air. His mother walked confidently beside him, her presence along with Azrael draws too much attention as they walk inside. At the far end of the room, Azrael's father stood waiting talking to the staffs about informations.
As they approached, his father noticed them and greeted them with a smile. "You're finally here, we just got a room for two here."
Azrael's mom then asks. "How about the payment?"
Azrael's father replied "I talked to them, they said it was all free, since they consider us as vips, but we would have to wait here for 4-5 days to process the items sold"
The family made their way upstairs, the murmurs in the guild fading as they disappeared into Azrael's room. Once inside, her mother offered them to eat.
The room was modest, its only light provided by two candles flickering in the corners. Their soft glow spread throughout, casting warm shadows on the walls and giving the space a quiet, homely atmosphere.
The family sat around a small table, eating the meal Azrael's mother had prepared. As they ate, Azrael hesitated for a moment before speaking.
"Father, about the thing I wanted to talk to you—there's actually someone outside the kingdom following us," Azrael said, keeping his voice steady.
His father paused mid-bite, raising an eyebrow. "Huh? Who is it?"
"It's my companions. The ones I met when I entered the forest back in the village," Azrael replied.
His mother's eyes widened as she placed her utensils down. "So your father wasn't wrong all this time—you *are* that famous kid from the forest," she said, a mix of surprise and frustration in her tone.
Azrael couldn't help but only chuckle "ahaha---- yes"
"What's so funny?" she snapped, her tone sharp. "It's dangerous out there, Azrael! You should've told us sooner."
His father, however, seemed more composed. "Alright," he said after a moment of thought. "We'll figure out a way to smuggle them into the kingdom. Could you lead me to them tomorrow so I can see them?"
Azrael nodded, his tone earnest. "Yes, Father. Thank you."
The tension eased as the conversation shifted back to the meal. Azrael's mother finished first, leaving the table with a soft sigh. "I'll go rest now to the other room. Don't stay up too late," she said, heading outside of the room.
As Azrael and his father finished eating, azrael cleaned the dishes used, and cleaned up the table while his father go back to their own room, saying goodnighy to Azrael as he left.
The room got quiet, but Azrael can't help but worry about the two, sibat and Azy. So he uses his skill copyswap so he could switch places with Azy.
----
As the sun began to set, Azy leaned on a tree, holding his necromancer's staff, while Sibat rested nearby, his ears alert.
"Master went inside," Sibat said quietly.
"Yes, but I think it's better if we wait here," Azy replied.
"I agree," Sibat nodded.
They waited in silence until dusk, the forest growing quieter.
"You could easily enter the kingdom with your abilities, Azy, but I don't have such skills," Sibat said.
"That's why I'm staying here with you," Azy reassured him.
Before the conversation could continue, Azy suddenly vanished, replaced instantly by Azrael standing in the same spot.
Sibat tensed, then relaxed. "Master, how've you been?"
"I'm fine. How about you?" Azrael asked.
"We've been waiting patiently for you here, Master," Sibat replied.
"I can't bring you into the kingdom. They're strict about wild monsters. Could you move to the other side of the kingdom and wait for us there?" Azrael asked.
"Yes, Master. I was already considering that, but I stayed here because I still need your confirmation before we make our move." Sibat explained.
"Good. Azy is strong, so he'll stay with you. If any monsters show up, he can handle them. I'll keep checking on you through the copyswap," Azrael said.
"Understood, Master," Sibat said.
"but Although we'll just have to wait for 4–5 days here... Azrael continued.
"What- but why so long, Master?"
"Well the guild needs time to process the payment for the monster drops. They have to get the money from the capital," Azrael explained.
"I see. I'll head to the other side once the time comes and wait for you there," Sibat said.
"Perfect. Don't worry, I'll check on you regularly," Azrael said.
In a flash, Azy returned, his necromancer's staff in hand. Sibat then talked to Azy and explained and tell him everything what Azrael said.
-----
Night fell, and Azrael slept soundly in the guild's room.
By morning, the sunlight streamed in, and Azrael stirred awake. "Already morning. I should head outside," he murmured to himself.
As he stepped out of the room, he noticed his parents were gone.
(They must've gone for a stroll) he thought. Shrugging it off, as he head downstairs.
The guild was still bustling with hunters, their chatter filling the room, but as Azrael descended the stairs, the atmosphere shifted. Conversations hushed, and eyes turned toward him.
*(Why do they always go quiet when they see us? It's like dealing with scared NPCs.)* Azrael sighed internally.
Feeling awkward, he glanced around and noticed the bulletin board filled with various posters.
1st poster:
**Missing Child**
Age: 5 years old
Height: Unknown
Weight: Unknown
Brown skin, black eyes, black hair, last seen wearing a blue t-shirt and brown shorts.
**Reward: 10 gold**
(That's a high reward...) Azrael thought, moving to the next poster.
2nd Poster
**Monster Subjugation Task**
Kill the monsters in the northern outskirts.
**Reward: 100 gold**
Note: Hunters can only apply
A group of 5 will be formed to set out
(Seems like good money, but it's for hunters-only.) Azrael thought as he move to the next poster.
3rd Poster
**Wanted**
Pietrroo, alias "Fang"
leader of the Blood Fang terrorists.
Dead or Alive.
**Reward: 200 gold**
Note: Anyone can participate
(Now this is something, it's free for anyone, not just for hunters. And that reward's huge. Too bad I have no leads on him.) Azrael thought as he continues to look to the bulletin board.
As he pondered, a hunter approached—a brown-skinned man in his twenties, clearly drunk, holding a mug of beer.
"Hey, kid. Thinking about becoming a hunter?" the man said.
"Uh, maybe," Azrael replied cautiously.
"Bwahahaha! Love the confidence, but trust me, don't. This job'll mess you up not just physically but also mentally" the hunter said with a grin and a laugh while he chugged his beer.
"haha, thanks for the advice... sir," Azrael said politely.
The man laughed again. "Saw you yesterday. You sold a lot of monster loot, didn't you? Bet your dad's loaded!"
"Why do you care?" Azrael asked straightforwardly, raising an eyebrow.
"Haha! Just wondering if you'd spare some gold for another drink." The man leaned down for a little then slung his arm over Azrael's shoulder, grinning while he talks to him.
(Ah, I see. He's just an opportunistic hunter trying to leech off some money) Azrael thought.
"I don't have any money on me. My dad handles it," Azrael replied, shrugging him off.
"Ah, bummer. Well, see ya around then!" the man said, wandering off.
(He left as soon as I said I have no money, shameless) Azrael thought looking at him.
Azrael sighed as he noticed other hunters still staring at him and decided to leave the guild and look for his parents.
----
After walking through the streets for a while, he spotted a familiar figure. "Is that... Eli? What's she doing with those guys?" he thought, noticing her with four men.
(Something feels off. Should I follow or leave it be? She looked strong enough to defend herself yesterday.) Azrael hesitated but decided to follow them from a safe distance.
The group along with Eli entered a sketchy building, and Azrael stopped. (This is as far as I can go. It's probably private property so I can't enter. I'll just leave and mind my own business) He thought as he turned away and left.
---
Not long after, he heard a commotion nearby. Azrael hurried toward the noise.
"F*ck, old man! When are you paying up? We're done waiting!" a man shouted.
"Please, just one more week. I promise!" the old man begged.
"You say that every time! The interest just keeps piling up, old fool," the man sneered.
Nearby, a boy ran to the old man's side, yelling, "You crooks! You tricked us with your unfair interest rates!"
"What did you say, you little brat? Want me to cut your tongue out?" the man threatened, brandishing a knife, while his lackeys laughed.
"Sorry! Please forgive him!" the old man pleaded.
"Sorry's not enough!" the man barked, kicking over the old man's wares.
"No, stop!" the old man begged, clinging to the man's leg.
"Let go of me, you worthless geezer!" he growled, kicking the old man again.
The crowd watching as they can't do anything, scared they'll get in trouble too, cpuld only help but to watch.
The grandson, angered, prepared to charge and tackle the guy kicking his grandpa but before he could do it, he was shocked.
"I think that's enough," a voice cut through the commotion.
Everyone froze, including the man and his 4 lackeys behind him, as Azrael appeared besides him. As he grabs the mans side stopping him from what he's doing.
The man's eyes widened in shock. *(Huh—when did this f*cker get so close?!)* Panicking, he swung his knife wildly, but Azrael vanished before his eyes.
The old man, sensing his chance, quickly let go of the man's leg and scrambled out of the way.
Before anyone could react, Azrael reappeared behind the man and delivered a powerful kick. The force sent him hurtling across the street, crashing into a wall with a thunderous impact.
"How does it feel to be kicked?" Azrael asked coldly, his voice sharp and devoid of emotion.
The four lackeys froze, stunned by what they had just witnessed.
"Bastard!" one of them snarled, gripping a knife tightly and charging forward. His movements were clumsy and reckless as he run towards Azrael.
But before the blade could even graze him, Azrael vanished again.
The remaining three lackeys barely had time to process what was happening before Azrael appeared directly in front of one of them, his fist already drawn back. With a sharp leap, he delivered a brutal punch to the man's face, the force of the blow sending him sprawling to the ground, unconscious.
The second lackey reacted instinctively, raising his arms to defend himself, but Azrael moved faster than his eyes could follow. A swift kick to his ribs knocked the air out of him, leaving him crumpled on the ground.
The third and fourth lackeys hesitated, fear now evident in their eyes. Azrael didn't give them a chance to retreat. In one fluid motion, he grabbed the third by the collar and slammed him into the fourth, sending both crashing into a nearby cart.
The fight was settled in seconds. All five men were either unconscious or groaning in pain on the ground.
Azrael stood in the center, his expression calm and cold. He turned to the old man and the boy, both still in pain from the attacker's assault. The crowd was stunned and amazed by what had transpired.
"A little boy?" someone in the crowd murmured.
"He destroyed them?" another whispered.
"Who's this kid?"a woman from the crowd asked as her voice tinged with disbelief.
The old man approached Azrael, gratitude and concern etched on his face. "Oh my, thank you for your help. I truly appreciate it, but you've put yourself at great risk, young boy. You shouldn't have intervened... They are..." he trailed off, clearly worried.
"Grandpa, we should run too. Why are you taking the blame?" the grandson urged.
"Notorious? Are they criminals or something?" Azrael pondered, assisting the old man to his feet.
Laughter erupted from the man who had been sent crashing into the wall. "HAHAHAHA, this little brat..." he groaned, struggling to stand. "Hey kid, don't you know which group I belong to? I'm from the Blood Fang" he declared proudly, revealing a tattooed fang symbol on his shoulder. "You should've minded your own business."
(Blood Fangs, huh? It would be great if he could lead me to their base, but I doubt this small fry knows anything useful.) Azrael contemplated.
The old man clutched Azrael's hand, pleading, "Please, child, leave now. Don't involve yourself further with us."
"Don't bother, old man. I've already seen his face, and I don't forget those who wrong me that easily!" the thug spat, finally rising to his feet as he walk towards Azrael, who remained alert, gauging the man's intentions.
The crowd watched in fearful silence, aware of the Blood Fang's notorious reputation. "You know, I hate when people play the hero. That's a surefire way to meet their end. Do you understand how serious this is, kid? The Blood Fang will hunt down you and your family without mercy" the man threatened, his voice dripping with menace.
(A 200 gold reward for the Blood Fangs... Maybe this encounter isn't so unfortunate after all) Azrael mused, observing the man's movements.
(This little punk isn't scared at all) the thug thought, frustrated. "Hey kid, do you even grasp the situation you're in right now?" he shouted, attempting to intimidate Azrael further. "You and your family is now in dang--"
Before the man could finish his tirade, Azrael swiftly raised his arm, releasing a concentrated plasma blast that struck the thug squarely, sending him sprawling to the ground, unconscious but alive.
The crowd gasped in unison, eyes wide with shock and awe. Murmurs of disbelief rippled through them.
"Did you see that?"
"What kind of power was that?"
"He's a mage."
The four lackeys stood frozen as the crowd watches immensely, eyes wide with a mix of anger and fear while their gang leader lay incapacitated on the ground.
"You'll pay for this, kid! We won't forget your face!" one snarled, though his voice wavered.
"The Blood Fang will hunt you down!" another one said shouted, though his eyes darted nervously.
"Let's get out of here" another blood fang lackey urged, and without further hesitation, they scrambled away, disappearing into the alleys.
Azrael watched them flee, then turned to the old man and his grandkid saying "They're not going to bother you anymore, I promise that." he said softly.
Just then, the kingdom's guards arrived, pushing through the crowd.
"Clear the area! Step aside!" one commanded.
"Let us through!" another barked.
Sensing the need to depart, Azrael nodded to the old man. "They won't bother you anymore, I promise," he said softly. With a swift motion, he used soul traversal to vanish from the scene.
----
The four lackeys staggered and exhausted as they run trough the narrow alley with their bodies ached from the earlier encounter with Azrael.
"That damn brat!... we'll make him regret this," one of them muttered, clutching his ribs. "He messed with the wrong people."
"We should go to Albert. He'll take care of the brat." Another lackey wiped his sweaty brow, nodding.
Before they could say more, a familiar voice interrupted them, cutting through the silence.
"Albert who?"
The blood fang lackeys froze, their blood turning cold as they heard the familiar voice. Their hearts skipped a beat as they turned around till they saw Azrael is a few meters away infront of them with a menacing aura like a predator following his prey, as he hold his sycthe behind his back.
Now without them talking, Azrael swung his scythe infront with a fluid motion, the crescent-shaped blade dropping low before rising to point directly at the four lackeys.
He held the scythe in place before talking again.
"Speak, who is Albert?"