Hero Is Now Villain

It was by nightfall that Ryzen and company reached the gate of Frostmarch. The millennial old city stood gravely in the dark, with its strong ancient stone walls towering over Ryzen, impressed and awed as the only one who had not been to the de facto capital of Valforrest state.

Torches were lit along the lines of the wall, with two stoic guards in thick fur coats and horned helmets looking down at the belated visitors.

"The gate is closed," said one guard loudly with a thick northern accent.

"What do you mean? There is no curfew in the Ancient City, is there?" asked Kisha sharply.

The guards exchanged words between them, inaudible across the thirty feet distance from the ground.

"Stand closer to the torch. Let us see you in the light," said the other, older guard cautiously.

Ryzen moved Laabyrinth closer to the light as Kisha, with Garbiel behind her, did hers.

"It is them," said one of the guards quietly, but Ryzen could make out both guards drawing their bows and arrows.

"What is going on?" said Garbiel, noticing the guards' drawn weapons herself.

"There have been words from Sappling, about a man in black armor... and two witches," said the older guard.

"That was fast," scoffed Kisha.

"I told you we stalled too long," sighed Garbiel.

"I remember it was you who held on to Ryzen until the last minute," retorted Kisha, to which Garbiel closed her mouth tautly.

"And we are witches now. That is an improvement from p.r.o.s.t.i.t.u.t.es, actually, so I am not even mad," laughed Kisha nonchalantly.

"Whatever you heard, we did nothing wrong," said Ryzen calmly.

"You call butchering seven people and looting their bodies 'nothing wrong?'" asked the guard incredulously.

"They attacked us first," said Garbiel indignantly.

"Yes, and it was eight against one."

"Looting them down to their u.n.d.e.r.w.e.a.r was a bit too much, though," Garbiel clicked her tongue disapprovingly.

"Shut up, witch," hissed Kisha.

"Excuse me, I am a mage."

"Then I am a merchant."

"Look, it was all done in self-defense," said Ryzen patiently.

[Yes, right, self-defense.]

Ryzen ignored the Daemon's cackling as he went on.

"And those men were obviously low-lives. It was either them or us lying on the cold ground right now. You did not receive such words?" said Ryzen patiently.

"We do not care who those men were. We simply cannot allow a dangerous party like yourselves to the city. That is the order," said the guard indifferently, while he still held his bow threateningly, ready to fire at anytime.

"If we come back in the morning, will you let us in, then? Maybe speak to your chief and clear any confusion regarding the matter?" asked Ryzen.

"I am the captain of the guards," said the older guard.

"Why would a captain stand watch at this hour, at any hour?" frowned Kisha.

"Obviously, because he knew we would come this way?" answered Garbiel.

"... Shut up, fatty," said Kisha, unable to come up with a good comeback of her own, but not without an involuntary shiver and a sneeze at the end.

The night was getting cold, and even Ryzen could feel it.

"Captain, you still have a boss, do you not? Ask him whether if we can enter the city come morning," said Ryzen.

"I can ask her, but first you will have to survive the cold. There will be a dwarf blizzard coming this way tonight," said the guard with a faint, apologetic smile.

Ryzen looked towards the two accompanying women. He knew a blizzard, small or big, would not kill him, but he was not sure about the two 'human' girls.

"Can you let the women in, at least? I was the one who slayed those men. These two had nothing to do with the killing."

"But I am the one who looted their bodies. Just let the fatty blonde here in so she does not become a frozen pork out in the open," interrupted Kisha.

"What are you doing, Kisha?" asked Ryzen, dumbfounded and exasperated.

"You will hold me while I sleep, will you not?" shrugged Kisha casually.

"Am I really that fat?" asked the attractive blonde, shivering and in self-doubt.

"No, you look perfect," snapped Ryzen, growing impatient and annoyed.

"Are you saying that I am imperfect?" asked Kisha with a defiant frown.

"No, both of you are—look, this is not the right time."

"If you want my opinion, both of you are all fine ladies, especially compared to the cold bitches in the city," said the younger guard, smirking and enjoying the ruckus below.

Ryzen, Kisha, and Garbiel looked up, and then to each other.

"You heard him. Are you going to let two fine ladies into a foreign city by themselves where men sick of their women pillage us like they devour fresh food in midwinter?" asked Kisha to Ryzen.

"Where did that come from?" protested the younger guard, frowning in confusion.

"You, the man in the black armor. We will let the women in if you stay outside, like you said," said the captain, growing tired of the wayward conversation.

"I am not going to sleep with you, old man," spat Kisha, to whom the old captain simply pretended not to have heard.

"That is fair. Go on, you two, I will meet you in the morning."

"Will you be okay?" asked Garbiel with worried eyes, just as a harsh gust swept through her, almost making her fall from the horseback.

"I will be fine."

"Do not act surprised when you smell another man's s.e.m.e.n the next time you put your tongue between my legs," said Kisha.

"Rest assured that the women will be taken care of unharmed and safely," said the captain as the gate opened with just enough crack for the horse to enter.

Ryzen nodded and backed Laabyrinth off the gate, nodding reassuringly at Garbiel who kept looking back with concerned face until the gate shut completely, leaving Ryzen alone on the cold, desolate ground... when the younger guard peeked his head below just as Ryzen turned to leave.

"So, you and those two girls, like, at the same time or do you take turns?" asked the young guard curiously and earnestly, and Ryzen could only smile awkwardly as he retreated off path.

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.

.

The dwarf blizzard was no dwarf at all, and Ryzen, sheltered between two thick trees, held tightly onto his blanket as the snowy wind rasped about him.

"How are you doing, horse?" asked Ryzen through the snow storm towards Laabyrinth, who appeared completely unaffected by the wind that was making pine trees with trunks thrice his bulk shudder and shed their barks.

"Fine, I see. Same here," smiled Ryzen as he felt the sharp touch of the snow brace against his face. Indeed, he felt the wind and the snow chafing his b.a.r.e head, but not the cold itself.

"How about you, Daemon? Are you watching this?" asked Ryzen to the air.

[Yes, my child, a Daemon has so much time on his hands that he would do nothing but watch a man freezing his arse off alone in the dark. What a sight.]

The Daemonic voice replied with the usual teasing sarcasm.

"I was thinking, I could just ask you what really happened, regarding my death," said Ryzen.

[Better yet, you could have just believed me when I told you that you are hated beyond imaginable by the entire kingdom.]

"It does not seem like that at all. It is not hatred that I feel when I throw the name Betrard Falen around," said Ryzen thoughtfully.

The wind gushed and gusted in all directions over Ryzen's head, with his jet black hair wet and frozen unbeknownst nor unheeded by its owner.

[Not hatred, but forgettance.]

The voice echoed reflectively, understandingly, and piteously.

"... Yes."

[Which is far worse, if you ask me.]

Ryzen blinked at the dark and nodded slowly.

"It is."

.

.

.

When Ryzen opened his eyes from abrupt sleep he had fallen unknowingly, it was still dark around him but with calmer wind and snowfall.

The change of weather, however, was not what awoke Ryzen.

A giant, glowing white snake with its upper body raised gracefully was staring at Ryzen calmly, expectantly.

The first thought that went through Ryzen's dazed head was that he must be still dreaming. His reasoning was that no snake, white or any color, lived in the upper region of Alvyond. Maybe below Sappling, but even then most of them were hibernating during this time of the year.

But this was no ordinary snake, thought Ryzen instinctively. Dream or not, he reflexively reached for Bloodrink beneath the thick, snow-laden blanket.

The white snake did not budge at the slight movement from Ryzen. With his head clearing up, Ryzen could tell this was no dream.

"Another pet of yours, Daemon?" asked Ryzen tentatively, although he knew Laab was not involved with this chilling encounter. For one, reasoned Ryzen innately, the color was off.

The white snake suddenly slithered forward with a tantalizing hiss that sounded almost like a whisper.

And it was a whisper, a question, thrown not at Ryzen but at itself, it seemed.

"A Daemonic Champion?" hissed the white snake as it kept slithering towards Ryzen. It did not seem threatening—not safe either—but it was still a good ten feet away from him. It was within the striking distance of Ryzen, of course, but he was not sure it meant the same for the bizarre reptile as well.

"The prophecy did not mention any Daemon," the snake hissed to itself again. The voice sounded feminine to Ryzen's ears, not that it mattered to him anyhow.

Ryzen got up now, with Bloodrink firmly in his hand. He noticed that Laabyrinth was standing calm in the same spot from hours ago, not at all concerned about the strange, gigantic snake in front of it. It did blink its clear eyes at Ryzen as he stood up, as if annoyed by the abruptness of the action.

Then Ryzen realized that the Daemonic horse, in all its intelligence and supernaturality, could not see the white snake as Ryzen was seeing.

"A spirit? By a druid?" said Ryzen to the snake.

"He sees us," hissed the snake, with a hint of delight and surprise.

"What do you want from me?" said Ryzen, drawing Bloodrink forward menacingly.

"An affirmation," replied the white snake.

"Yes, that clears up a lot. Care to elaborate?"

The snake stood still for a moment as it slowly transformed into an equally glowing, dream-like apparition of a thirty-ish woman with long, silky hair—black in feels but appearing white in such a spectral form—and completely n.a.k.e.d.

Ryzen could not help but blink twice, first at the change and second at how beautiful she, the phantasm, looked.

"You are not Aoum, are you?" asked Ryzen hesitantly, remembering Laab's warning from before.

"I am no Daemon, Champion, but fear not as I hold no judgment towards any and all beings," answered the snake-turned-woman.

"You said you wanted an affirmation from me? What affirmation?"

The woman stared thoughtfully at Ryzen before opening her delicate, tempting lips.

"We will see each other, Champion. Then we can talk."

The apparition disappeared, leaving the area completely dark, all the more so in the absence of the bright light that had lit up the place a second ago.

As Ryzen adjusted his eyes to the dark, he could see the clouds had cleared and stars were shining brightly over his head.

The next thing that came to his sight was Laabyrinth, who was staring quietly at Ryzen, even accusingly in some angles.

"Thanks for the help, horse," said Ryzen, sheathing Bloodrink and sitting down on damp, cold ground once again.

Ryzen then glanced at Laabyrinth, who still did not take its eyes off him.

"What?"

The horse kept looking, knowingly and even holding him pathetic.

"I am fine, if that is what you are worried about. I do not get turned on by just watching a n.a.k.e.d body like some farm boy in the country."

The horse blinked, unconvinced.

"Besides, I could not even touch her, and even if I could touch her, I would be doing it with a snake, right? I have no intent to consummate with an animal. Oh, I see, that is what you are worried about, that my l.u.s.t would reach you? Not funny, beast, not funny at all."

Ryzen turned his head away from Laabyrinth in fear of the slightest chance that he might find its muscular legs and behind 'inappropriately' appealing for him.

"Damn you, Daemon," cursed Ryzen as he got up angrily and held Bloodrink by the grip. He could feel that dawn would not rise for another couple hours.

"Come on, horse, lead me to your breakfast," said Ryzen as he loosened Laabyrinth's rein and let him walk freely out in the open. Laabyrinth smelled the air, decided which direction it should head towards, and looked at Ryzen as if beckoning him to get on its back.

"I will walk behind," said Ryzen uncomfortably.

Laabyrinth whinnied softly, stared down at Ryzen's bottom, and trotted ahead.

"The next time you get a boner, I will return the exact same look, you disgusting, man-eating monster," grumbled Ryzen as he followed Laabyrinth's leisurely walk towards the nearest bandit camp.

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.

.

Ryzen did not bother looting the scrap armors off the dead bandit bodies. He was in a bad mood because there was no woman in this certain camp: all males, ugly, filthy, and weak. Ryzen did not ambush the bandits in the dark but waited until one of the bandits noticed him and all four of them attacked him at once. Even then they were no match for Ryzen. As Bloodrink s.u.c.k.e.d in the blood and Laabyrinth ate the bodies systematically, Ryzen's p.e.n.i.s only grew harder. Another thing that grew was his hatred towards Laab: l.u.s.t and constantly erected p.e.n.i.s were not among the list of curses in store for his new life as a Daemonic Champion.

Dawn came, and Ryzen still walked towards the Frostmarch gate. He knew he would not be able to stop himself when he saw Kisha and Garbiel—or any woman for that matter. He just hoped that there was no female guard at post at this hour. He did not know what he would do—well, he did know what he would do right away, but he had no idea what would happen after he was done raping a Valforrester stranger. Would he be jailed? Would he have to go to war against the city of Frostmarch?

When Ryzen reached the city gate, he was greeted by the guards' captain from the night before, standing on the same spot and looking down at Ryzen apathetically.

Instead of the younger guard, there was another person. A woman. A familiar face, in fact.

"We see each other again, Champion," said the dark-haired beauty under thick white fox pelted cape. The silky black hair shone blindingly under the clear, winter sky.

Ryzen swallowed with difficulty and turned to the captain.

"Is she your boss?"

The captain kept his mouth shut, either in disapproval or in character. At the same time, the raven-haired lady beckoned gracefully towards where Ryzen presumed the gatekeeper operated the mechanics. The gate creaked wide open, unlike last night when it opened up just enough for the Kisha and Garbiel on horseback to pass.

"Enter at your will. You are welcome to the Ancient City, Champion," said the lady with clear, charming voice.

"And who am I speaking to, if I may ask?" asked Ryzen, walking towards the gate while not keeping his desirous eyes off the confident, queen-like figure.

The well-dressed coquette simply smiled before she disappeared from Ryzen's sight. Ryzen hastened his steps, eager to meet her in person up close. Laabyrinth made an displeased noise as he was dragged by the rein instead of being ridden as Ryzen nearly ran through the gate and came out of the opposite side, inside the city of Frostmarch.

The first sight of Frostmarch was that it was a somber, but not shabby, town. Almost every building was built with stones, looking both sturdy and historic at the expense of meticulousness and fancifulness.

But Ryzen was not looking at the architecture of the oldest city of Alvyond. He was biting his under lip as he stared at the woman in front of him, bowing her head elegantly and, to Ryzen's eyes and heart, seductively.

"You are speaking to the Elder Druid of Frostmarch. Ophidia is the name."

"I thought Elder Druids were supposed to be older," said Ryzen, eyeing Ophidia's beauty and grace ravenously.

"Oh, but I am old," said the Elder who looked to be no older than mid-thirty to Ryzen.

The guards captain blinked at the flirty air between the two but still maintained tight lips. Ophidia nodded for the captain to leave, much to Ryzen's excitement.

"Now, what is the purpose of your visit to Frostmarch, Champion?" asked Ophidia, her smile as inviting and tempting as ever.

At that moment, Ryzen forgot all about his business with the Mana Cloud and the High Mage.

"Mine can wait. But I cannot help but feel that your business with me is more urgent," said Ryzen, stifling his evident urge to come out and violate Ophidia out in public, in the middle of the Town Square.

Ophidia stared at Ryzen with a mysterious, eerily omniscient smile. At this point, Ryzen did not care whether Ophidia saw through his boner or not.

"How about a morning tea, at my private place?" asked Ophidia causally.

"I would like that, yes," answered Ryzen eagerly, already picturing last night's flawlessly feminine nude physique on top of Ophidia's thick pelt coat.

With another knowing, teasing smile, Ophidia turned and walked away from the gate entrance, with Ryzen's hungry eyes marking out her ample h.i.p.s moving beneath the cape.