TALMAN TALES - NEW WORLD ORDER

  Chapter 6: A Raging Hothead Rarely Comes Alone!

  At first, there was no real real direction pulling us anywhere. We helped out here and there, made a name for ourselves. Humanity, which had learned to appreciate our kindness and willingness to help, soon started calling us the “Quattro Prosecco Gang.” I asked a few people where that strange name came from, but no one could give me an answer. All I ever heard were sentences like, “That’s what people have always called you,” or, “I don’t know, I heard it somewhere and thought it was your official name.” And so we travelled as Quattro Prosecco – and to be honest, I liked the name, even though I had no idea where it came from.

  We had surely been travelling for about two years already, because my sixteenth birthday was just around the corner. Together with Aurelia, Neo, Stahlhaart and, not to forget, Gotti-Gottfried, I thought about how we could celebrate this occasion properly. Of course, it had to be something special, maybe something like the Market Weekend in Brauland – just on a smaller scale. I’ve never been one for big celebrations. My last birthday… my sixth birthday. The images of that day still haunted me.

  It was the year 1353 a. gKS., more precisely the 1st of July – one week before my birthday on the 7th of July. It was a quiet summer morning. We had just settled down in a small, actually even quieter village called Apfelhain. But the peace was deceptive. The residents were regularly visited by a gang of thugs who stole their entire apple harvest. Without this source of income, the village stood at the brink of ruin. If we didn’t act soon, Apfelhain would disappear from the map.

  In our group there was no official leader, but the role of speaking with the villagers usually fell to me. So I combed through the village to gather information. An old man estimated the number of bandits at 250 to 300 members. A six-year-old boy – with an alarming enthusiasm for weapons – explained to me that most of the bandits carried simple swords, but some were equipped with massive war hammers. The most important information, however, came from an elderly lady.

  Her name was Sigrid. She spoke calmly, but her eyes looked tired. “It all began five years ago…” Back then, her grandson Bobo had just celebrated his 18th birthday. His parents had died early of an illness, so she had raised him. “He was a cheerful and lovely boy. No one in the village had any reason not to like him.” But then, five years ago, he met a woman – Mara. “At first she seemed fine, but I quickly realized that this woman was up to no good. Suddenly Bobo became obsessed with martial arts and started training day and night. But that was only the beginning. Over the years he gathered… followers. More and more shady figures appeared in the village. They called Bobo and Mara ‘the loving couple.’ And then – one day – they were gone.”

  Sigrid sighed heavily. “I cried for Bobo every day. But the wellbeing of the village was more important. For a long time, we had peace. But half a year ago, the raids began. Our apple harvest was systematically stolen. People who didn’t resist weren’t murdered – but we were enslaved.” I processed the information and returned to our group. We sat down together at the campfire and drew up our plan.

  Neo took all the information we’d gathered and forged a daring but promising plan. “First, we need to cut off their supply routes…” A loud shout from the village interrupted him. Neo rolled his eyes in annoyance. “Could I, JUST ONCE in my life, explain a strategy without being interrupted?!” But that was just how it always was. Somehow, something or someone always cut him off.

  “We’ll wait until morning,” I added. “Then we’ll gather the whole village and explain our plan.” The group accepted it without complaint. And so the day came to an end.

  The night brought no rest. Not for me. I thought about the time before all this. Before the training with Sensei Bi-Shi-Zu. Before the years on the street. Before the death of my parents. I hated it. These thoughts wouldn’t let me sleep. I spoke with Gotti-Gottfried, trying to unload some of the weight, but it didn’t help. I would have loved to have a normal life. Normal parents. A normal job. I could have gone to Mr. Rosenberg with my children. A good schnitzel never hurt anyone.

  And what would that have brought you?

  The voice came out of nowhere. I didn’t know it. It sounded… familiar, but wrong.

  Would you have been happy? Or would you have ended up just another nameless nobody, like all the others?

  I took a deep breath. My heart began to race. The dreams didn’t help either. They came every night – the same sequence: a happy life in which my parents had never died. Then the brutal truth – my parents, chopped into pieces in the garbage bin. A battlefield. The charred corpses of Neo and Aurelia. And then that dark figure. I couldn’t make it out. I only knew one thing – it cut off my head.

  I woke up with a start. My breathing was heavy. Stahlhaart was standing next to me. He hadn’t slept. “I know it’s not easy, always having to be the hero,” he said quietly. “I’m sure you’ve got your own worries and problems. I’m sure you have no idea how you’re supposed to live up to everyone’s expectations.” His words sounded sincere. I stayed silent. But in my head, that other voice was still there.

  They had no choice. You let them die.

  “Zeki…” Stahlhaart looked at me seriously. “Do you know what the difference is between us and the ones out there?” I shook my head.

  “We still have hope.”

  I wanted to believe that. I really did. But in the darkness, something else was already lurking.

  Stahlhaart continued, his face serious. “I’m sure you wish you could be a normal person. But let me tell you one thing: without you, there would be no hope in this world. Humans, animals, the Quattro Prosecco group, creatures and even monsters are placing their hopes in you. You’re the one who gives them that glimpse of light, who brings humanity something other than hatred and rage again.”

  His words sank deep into my core. “I know that demands enormous strength, but I’m sure you’re meant to endure not only the highs, but the lows as well. In these two years in which I’ve been able to accompany you, I’ve learned so much. You alone pulled me out of the darkness. That’s exactly what humanity feels. They see you as a savior from the darkness, as the one who takes them by the hand, searches for the path of light together with them and leads them out. I know it’s a heavy burden to bear, but let me assure you of one thing: if anyone can do it, it’s you. And you’re not alone.”

  These words, coming from Stahlhaart of all people – someone who rarely expressed his feelings, and wasn’t particularly good at it either – hit me to the core. He was a robot whose emotions had never interested anyone. But now… now they felt unbelievably good. I couldn’t help it – I broke into tears, tears of joy. Only in that moment did I truly understand that I had never been alone.

  On my path I hadn’t just found enemies; I’d found even more friends. Aurelia, Neo, Pablo, and now also Stahlhaart. My will burned like a blazing fire. One good conversation was enough to blow away all my worries. I could hardly put my gratitude into words, so I opted for the only thing that came to mind.

  “On our next visit to Casino Edhart, I’ll let you have the red 7, my friend.” I grinned as I saw his eyes light up golden – a quiet sign of his emotions. To top it off, he pressed a small gift into my hand: a ring.

  “I don’t know where I got it from, but it means a lot to me. If I can’t be with you and you feel alone, then look at this ring. It’s not much, but it will remind you of me.”

  My emotions boiled over. Thanks to Stahlhaart I could go to bed with renewed determination and even a bit of joy. And for the first time in months, my dreams changed.

  I had three dreams, to be precise. The first one showed my parents and me again in a normal life. Fear crawled up inside me that everything would repeat itself. But this time, it was different. The second dream placed me in a place I imagined as paradise: a snow-covered mountain with an old hut at the top. I entered and saw my parents, aged but full of life. My father stepped forward and said, “Zeki, I am so incredibly proud of you. Your mother and I have been watching you this whole time. You’ve come far, but your journey is far from over. Hang in there and don’t let bad feelings overwhelm you, otherwise everything would have been for nothing.” My mother didn’t say anything, she just hugged me. The rest of the dream was a shared feast.

  Then came the third dream. I was afraid that all this happiness would be destroyed again. But instead, I found myself once more in the village center of Apfelhain. The city gate was decorated with the words: “Happy Birthday, Zeki, our savior.” Musicians played a cheerful tune, Aurelia and Neo ate apple strudel. The mood was light-hearted. For a moment, everyone could forget their worries.

  Then there was something. A flicker. A dark shadow that didn’t fit this peaceful picture at all. It felt as if someone were tugging at this moment of joy, trying to erase it from my memory. Suddenly Apfelhain was empty. No celebration, no people. Just a desolate wasteland.

  A voice in me whispered, “These memories weaken you, Zeki. They are not real. They are meaningless.”

  It was not a familiar voice, no memory of someone. It was simply there, unstoppable, a quiet but insistent echo in my head. A dark whisper trying to convince me that all the happiness I felt was an illusion. I felt it clawing at my consciousness, trying to take away the strength I had just found.

  But this time I didn’t let it. With all my strength I clung to the image of my friends, to the music, the apple strudel, the light of the lanterns. I forced myself to hold on to that joy. And in an instant, the shadow was gone.

  I woke up with a smile.

  Neo was already out with Aurelia, gathering the villagers. They formed a circle around him while the musicians played a dramatic melody. Just as Neo began his speech, the musicians overdid it again. Their passion for the piece got the better of them, and they worked themselves into a loud emotional frenzy. It was just one big wall of noise.

  Neo cleared his throat and tried again. “I, Neo Rückmann, would like to thank you all very much…” Suddenly a child ran through the circle chasing an escaped pig. Neo rubbed his temples. “I, Neo Rückmann…”

  A man from the crowd yelled, “WE KNOW THAT! START WITH THE PLAN, YOU CLOWN!”

  Neo took a deep breath. “We all need your support. The enemy consists of two hundred and fifty to three hundred troops, plus two well-trained soldiers at their head. They are armed with swords and war hammers. We know little about their leaders Bobo and Mara, who are also called ‘the loving couple’. Our plan is as follows: they come here every week, but never on the same day. Their last visit was about a week ago.”

  He looked around at the crowd. “I ask you to help us. We have collected 25 weapons. Not enough, but it’s our only chance. I need 25 men who are willing to join us. Each of you takes a weapon and goes to Aurelia to train.”

  Within ten seconds, 50 men surged forward. Chaos broke out. The whole village wanted to fight. Neo briefly closed his eyes and thought. His original plan had been a focused surprise attack. But suddenly he realized there was a better option.

  “We’ll turn Apfelhain into a fortress!” he shouted.

  The Quattro Proseccos suddenly had a new mission. Our job was to lead the different parts of the defensive build-up. I was put in charge of the village’s defensive line together with the men who had volunteered. Twenty-five men were assigned to me, and we worked together like a well-oiled machine from the very first moment. Using the Bi-Shi-Zu Special, I felled trees, and groups of five men each carried them back to the village.

  There, Stahlhaart came into play. With his gilded fist he set the trunks upright while the housewives reinforced the walls with thick ropes. Aurelia trained 25 of the volunteers in how to use their weapons. The exercises were simple but effective. Her sharp eye missed nothing, and whenever she noticed a mistake, she corrected it immediately with her magic. Neo, on the other hand, took care of the children. They were to look after the animals of the village: five pigs, three cows and five dogs. Even though Neo wasn’t a fighter, he knew that this division of roles was essential for our survival.

  Then, one day before my birthday, the time had come. A horn sounded through the night, and the dark echo of it sent a shiver down my spine. The enemy was coming.

  Fifty men rushed towards us. Together with Aurelia I stood on the newly built wall. Her bow and my football made for an effective duo. Within a very short time we had taken out forty of them. The remaining ten were stopped by the village’s close-combat squad.

  But this was only the beginning.

  Then the real hell came.

  Two hundred and fifty more troops marched in. The earth trembled under their boots. The air vibrated with tension. A suffocating feeling pressed on my chest. Hopelessness crept up my spine like cold fingers. We were finished.

  But we didn’t accept that. Not today.

  The musicians kept playing. Their melodies grew louder, faster, more insistent. The music felt grotesque in the middle of all this bloodshed, but it kept us going. We staggered, but we did not fall.

  The battle raged on. One hundred enemies had fallen. But the price was high. The once lush green meadows were now soaked in deep red. Stahlhaart fought at the front, his steel-hard fists a storm of destruction. One hundred and thirty enemies remained.

  And then the loving couple appeared.

  Bobo and Mara.

  The earth shook as Bobo set his foot down. He was a giant of a man with a war hammer that looked light enough for him to swing it one-handed, yet heavy enough to split boulders. Next to him stood Mara, her long black hair surrounded by a sinister dark-green aura. Her weapon was a chain with sharp ends that hissed through the air like a ravenous snake.

  We had to change tactics. Stahlhaart and the villagers were to focus on the remaining lackeys. Aurelia faced Mara, while Bobo became my opponent.

  The fight began.

  My first attack, a Bi-Shi-Zu Special, was blocked by Bobo as if it were nothing. In return he swung his hammer, his strength inhuman. I barely managed to dodge, but the exhaustion from the battle weighed heavily on me. Every attack, every sidestep grew more painful.

  Then I made a mistake.

  I used my football.

  Bobo just laughed. With a single swing of his hammer he sent the ball flying back at me at five times the speed. I couldn’t dodge. The impact tore me off my feet. Stars exploded in front of my eyes. When my vision finally cleared, Bobo was standing over me.

  I rolled to the side, clenched my teeth and rammed my knife into his flank. Blood sprayed, but Bobo barely moved. He only laughed.

  “Was that all?”

  Then Stahlhaart charged in. With brutal force, he hurled himself into the fight, supported by the villagers. But Bobo was too fast. His hammer roared through the air and struck five men at once. They didn’t even scream. Their bodies were simply torn apart, entrails and bones raining down onto the ground.

  I felt sick. These men had fought for us. They had given their lives for a hope that died with them.

  Something in me snapped.

  I felt a foreign power shoot through my veins. My skin burned. My mind threatened to split apart. Then Stahlhaart was hit. A massive blow flung him through the air, his metallic body crashing into the ground with a screech of bending metal. I saw his shattered limbs, the flickering light in his eyes.

  My mind shattered with him.

  Gotti-Gottfried whispered in my head. “Zeki, let go. Let me help you.”

  I screamed.

  I exploded.

  My skin turned blood-red, my senses sharpened, my pain vanished. I was no longer just myself. I was more. Wilder, stronger, merciless. I was vengeance.

  Bobo swung his hammer again. I was faster. I rushed him, landed a brutal combo – seven strikes in less than a second. The Bi-Shi-Zu Special followed. Bobo staggered. I saw fear in his eyes.

  Stahlhaart pushed himself back to his feet. Blood dripped from his fists. “Let me finish this,” he said.

  Then he hammered down on Bobo. Again and again, until there was nothing left but a bloody pulp where his head had been.

  Aurelia stumbled back to us. Her body was covered in wounds, but she had defeated Mara. And yet… we had lost.

  I collapsed. Like an empty sack, I broke down.

  The next morning, I woke up in a warm bed. Next to me sat a little girl. When she saw me, she jumped up and hugged me.

  “Daddy said you’re our savior!” she whispered.

  My heart tightened. Her father had been one of the fallen. Silence lay over the village. The price of victory had been high. Far too high.

  A traveler from a distant village – Abrofar – who went by the name Siggi had come to help. He had nothing to do with the village, but he helped defend it anyway. According to the villagers, he was known for his chocolate.

  Glor was the father of the girl. Her name was Anthea. She had just turned ten and had lost her father, yet she was so happy. She said to me, “You know, I can’t thank you enough. My father died as a hero, to protect you and your gang and, above all, to free the village from these shackles. I’m not sad, because I know my papa passed away for the good of all of us. I’m also glad that you’re feeling better again. And now go and see what the other children have prepared for you, and also: Happy birthday!”

  I had barely realized it, but today was my sixteenth birthday. After thanking Anthea from the bottom of my heart, I made my way towards the village center.

  Neo had joined forces with the villagers and decorated the entire place with flags and banners that said, “Happy birthday, Zeki, our savior.” As I stepped onto the square, the musicians started a heroic little tune. Neo stood ready on the stage and began, “Please welcome my friend, Zeki Talman!”

  He couldn’t get any further.

  Once again, the musicians overdid it and kicked back in at full force. The whole village was in a festive mood, so it didn’t bother Neo much that his carefully prepared speech was interrupted yet again.

  The rare stores of “Apfelhainer Apfelmost” were opened, and in honor of the occasion there was apple cake lovingly baked by the housewives. As I looked into all the happy faces, felt that rare sense of peace and tasted the apple cider on my tongue, the shadow returned.

  “How can you be happy about such a meaningless little celebration?”

  I flinched. The pen in my hand trembled. The voice did not come from the memory – it was here. In the present.

  “You like thinking back to this day, don’t you? So much joy, so much happiness. But why are you writing this down, Zeki? Do you really think it matters? That it changes anything?”

  My vision blurred for a moment. The village square vanished. No music, no lights, no laughing faces. Just me, standing alone.

  “They celebrate you today, but they’ll forget you tomorrow. These memories weaken you. Let them go.”

  I clenched my teeth. No.

  I forced myself to grip the pen even tighter. I would remember this moment. I would preserve it.

  Ten years later, I was able to celebrate my birthday with new friends, new memories and new courage. Aurelia’s injuries had been severe, but even she managed to get out of bed late in the evening, still clearly shaken by the battle. After this wonderful day came to an end, I sat together with the Quattro Proseccos at the campfire. We talked for a while.

  Aurelia told us that Mara had mentioned during their fight that she would first destroy this village and then the kingdom of Abrofar. Aurelia added that the story with this kingdom was far from over – it would definitely need our help. So we decided to head there the next morning.

  In the morning, we said a heartfelt farewell to the village. But before we set off, Anthea handed me a small paper rose. Years later, in the present, I turned that same rose between my fingers. I sat at my desk, the candlelight flickering while my gaze rested on the unassuming little gift. The folds of the paper were still precise. Anthea had made it with so much love.

  “Why are you looking at it?”

  The voice was back. This time not in a memory, but here, now, with me.

  “Do you really think it means anything? It’s just paper. Just as fragile as all your memories. And just like them, it will eventually fade into the past.”

  I closed my hand around the rose. The folds crackled softly beneath my fingers. I didn’t know where that voice came from – but I knew it was lying.

  The next morning dawned, and one of the villagers, Fritz, an older man with neatly combed grey hair, handed us a map of the kingdom of Abrofar. It lay about a week away. Since our means of travel hadn’t improved, we had no choice but to go on foot.

  “The foot bus is always running!” became our motto, and full of motivation we set out on our journey. It was a good chance to talk to Aurelia. She still hadn’t told me everything about her fight with Mara. When I asked, she dodged the question. Her eyes looked uncertain, almost tormented.

  “I can’t talk about it,” she muttered.

  I assured her she could always rely on me. She just nodded and whispered a quiet, “Thank you, Zeki.”

  We continued on our way. Unfortunately, the town musicians couldn’t come with us. Even though they tended to lose control of their pieces to Neo’s dismay, I had really enjoyed their soundtrack to our lives.

  The first day of our journey passed quietly. Finally, a bit of peace. The well-earned calm before the storm. We even earned a little money: a middle-aged man had heard of us and absolutely wanted an autograph from the Quattro Proseccos. It was the first time anyone had ever asked me for a signature. I felt honored. The group shared my joy – except for Aurelia. She was unusually nervous.

  Just as the sun was setting, we reached a small inn. The owner, Moritz, was a kind man who welcomed us with open arms. After a long day, we went to sleep. But while everyone else slept peacefully, I found myself trapped in another nightmare. Bloody fields. Burned-out houses. Shadows leaping at me. I woke up drenched in sweat.

  Stahlhaart caught me before I could fall out of bed. “Evil never sleeps,” he said. “That’s why I don’t sleep either.”

  I was more grateful for him than words could describe.

  Moritz gifted us some of the seeds from his vegetable garden – all, according to him, varieties he’d bred himself. He called them “Quattro Gew?chso.” The name made me smile, and the rest of the Quattro Proseccos couldn’t help laughing either.

  And so the second day began, with a long road ahead of us. It was a hot day. Memories of my earlier march came back to me – the march that had finally given my life meaning again. Without it, I’d never have found the group.

  But I had barely let those thoughts in when it came again.

  That march was necessary for you to gain strength. Don’t fall back into unnecessary sentimentality.

  I stopped. The words were sharp and precise. They weren’t my own.

  My hand curled into a fist.

  You don’t need this nostalgia, Zeki. It’s a chain around your neck dragging you backwards. Focus on what really matters. You’re stronger now than you were back then – but only because you’ve shed that sentimental weakness.

  I clenched my teeth. I wanted to remember. I wanted to remember every single step of that march. But my thoughts grew sluggish, blurred, like they were wrapped in fog. I knew there was a truth I needed to hold on to, but it slipped through my fingers like sand.

  You defeated the beast, didn’t you?

  I flinched. The pen in my hand froze for a moment, as if it had decided on its own to stop writing. Then it moved again, barely but surely.

  Are you sure?

  My breath caught. I didn’t know where that impulse came from, but I could feel it. It wasn’t tangible, not visible. But it was there. And it was waiting.

  I shook my head and forced myself to focus back on the path.

  At some point we reached a small place called Raforba. Considering our destination, the name was rather unfortunate, but it was pure coincidence. The place consisted of five little huts and a bar called “Durstloch.” Our thirst left us no choice but to go in.

  Before entering, I noticed a sign next to the door:

  “Fallen, but not forgotten. Find your final rest, Oskar.”

  Hardly had we taken one step into the bar when a loud voice boomed, “BORIS, WE’VE GOT GUESTS! MOVE YOUR ASS OVER HERE!” followed by, “Shut up, Luis, you’re going to scare them off.”

  The Boris in question stepped up to us. His brown hair reached down to his neck, and he wore a moustache. A large scar ran across his face, from his right eye up to his forehead. He greeted us and offered us a drink. We gratefully accepted an “Oskar” – a drink I couldn’t really describe. But after the first sip, I suddenly felt no exhaustion at all.

  Talking with the bartender, we learned who Oskar had been. An eight-year-old boy whose family had been brutally murdered by a creature that had nested in their home.

  “He tried to run to me for help, but he didn’t make it. The creature was faster. I had to watch as little Oskar was torn into bite-sized pieces right in front of me.” He fell silent for a moment, then glanced at two bizarrely decorated axes hanging on the wall. “I took these boys here and used them to drive the creature off before it could do any more damage. But it’ll be back. I know it.”

  Right then, something crashed. The door flew off its hinges.

  The creature was back.

  Neo recognized it immediately. A warrior ant, twice as big as others of its kind, with yellow slit pupils instead of green eyes. A mutation – gene mutation “787.” But unlike we expected, the beast didn’t attack us. It ignored us completely and went straight for the bartender.

  Boris was in trouble.

  “Stay back! I’m going to kill this thing myself!” he shouted. His determination was impressive, but the fight didn’t look good. After ten minutes of heavy battle he was badly wounded, but he refused to give up.

  When it became too dangerous, I rushed in. “Aurelia, hold it in place with your magic! I’ll chop the monster’s head off!”

  Then came the shock.

  Aurelia’s eyes flew open. “Zeki, I can’t focus any magic for some reason! Get back!”

  But I was already in the middle of my attack. I barely managed to dodge a deadly bite. Now the creature’s full attention was on me. We fought fiercely. My Bi-Shi-Zu Special hit, but it barely did any damage. Its carapace was too strong. One wrong move would have cost me my life.

  Then Boris came to my aid. After I distracted it, he managed to split the ant’s head with his axes. Panting heavily, he looked at me and said, “I finally avenged Oskar and his parents. I finally got my damn revenge.”

  The tension ebbed away. After we cleaned up, we sat down with Boris over another glass of Oskar. He offered to cook for us. The “Hausmannstoast” – two slices of bread with meat, cheese, onions and spices, baked crispy – was a complete success.

  Then Boris wanted to know what we were planning to do. I told him about our mission to Abrofar and invited him to join us. He refused.

  “The village needs me. My skills would just be wasted anywhere else.”

  But when I mentioned Abrofar, I saw something flicker in his eyes – sorrow, maybe?

  I still had one last question burning on my tongue. “And your scar?”

  He smiled surprisingly calmly. “I had a pet when I was a kid. His name was Ignaz. One day he ran away. Maybe he was looking for something new. But before he left, he gave me this little souvenir. I don’t blame him. Curiosity drives all of us. Just like it drives you, Zeki.”

  Boris was an interesting man. And Aurelia was still acting strangely when it came to her magic. Something was wrong.

  We still needed to ask whether we could stay the night. “Of course you can, I’d actually be happy if you did,” Boris said. With that settled, nothing stood in the way of a good night’s sleep. In memory of Oskar and his parents, we were allowed to sleep in their beds.

  I was as happy as a child about the chance to finally get some rest.

  I actually managed to sleep for a while – until I was woken up late at night by a blinding light and a soft voice. A voice I didn’t recognize.

  I stretched, rubbed my eyes and blinked – and suddenly saw a faintly glowing blue family standing in front of me.

  “Is this… a dream?” I asked, still half asleep.

  “Yes, you’re in a lucid dream,” the man replied calmly. “I’m sorry to disturb your sleep, but this was the only way to reach you from the realm of the dead. I haven’t even introduced us properly. We are Oskar, my son; Theodora, my wife; and I am Merlin, father of this wonderful family.”

  He took a step closer and inclined his head slightly. “We wanted to express our deepest thanks. Your efforts in the fight were crucial to its outcome. Thank you for helping Boris defeat that monster. We’ll also thank your friends in person. You should know, ever since Boris moved here about two years ago, Oskar was like the little brother he probably never had. But now, get some rest, you still have a long road ahead of you. Be sure of this: we’ll be with you.”

  I was speechless. After a short pause, I thanked him sincerely for his words.

  But scarcely had I lain down again when I decided I wanted to finally live out one of my dreams – and win. Against Edi.

  Naturally, I wasn’t granted that pleasure.

  The dream shifted. It turned dark, heavy, suffocating. I found myself once again in one of my usual nightmares. Same scene as always. A deep wound gaped in my chest. A distorted scream echoed through the darkness – Aurelia. It began to rain. My own voice joined in: “AURELIA, DO SOMETHING!”

  Then I was ripped out of the dream. Cold sweat was running down my forehead. When I looked up, I saw Aurelia, staring down at me with a frown.

  “What is your problem?” she asked.

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  I wiped my face with my hand. “Nothing. I just had another nightmare, I’m sorry.”

  She looked at me for a moment longer, then said nothing more.

  I managed to catch a bit more sleep.

  Next morning. Next leg of the journey. But not without a good breakfast.

  Boris prepared fresh pancakes for us, and before we left, each of us received a carefully packed travel ration: one Hausmannstoast and three bottles of Oskar. But fate still had one more surprise for us.

  A loud whistling noise cut through the morning calm. Then – a voice. A surprisingly musical voice, coming from the sky.

  “I want to be the very best, like no Pablo ever was!”

  A second later, something crashed in front of the bar with a heavy thud.

  Boris barely blinked. “Ah, that must be the postman with my ingredients.”

  Stahlhaart raised an eyebrow. “Is your postman by any chance a giant goose?”

  Boris nodded. “Yeah. How did you know?”

  We rushed outside – and sure enough, there he was.

  Pablo. Lying on the ground, still dizzy from the crash. After a moment, he recognized us. His first words:

  “Hey friends, what are you doing here?”

  The morning sun was already high by the time we left the little village of Raforba behind us. The path led us across a barren, rocky plain, its dusty tracks offering hardly any shelter from the blazing heat. The march was exhausting, but we kept ourselves awake with conversation. Pablo floated casually beside us, chest puffed out, clearly in high spirits.

  “Pablo hasn’t even told you what happened to Pablo’s family yet!” he declared. “You remember the 100,000 Olevs, right?”

  “The ones you got from Viktoria’s private fortune?” Aurelia asked.

  “Exactly! Pablo used that money, and now Pablo’s wife and Pablo’s little chick finally have their own magnificent house! No old stable anymore, no leaky roofs – a real home! Pablo could cry from happiness, if Pablo weren’t such a tough guy!”

  I had to smile. “I’m really happy for you, Pablo.”

  “Yes, yes, but here comes the best part: Pablo has decided to go on a great journey. Pablo just wanted to say goodbye and give you one last hug!”

  “Oh no.”

  Too late.

  Before I could react, Pablo grabbed me and pulled me into a crushing hug. I heard my ribs creak.

  “Pablo is so happy! Pablo will see you all again soon! Someday!”

  Then he let me go, burst out laughing, soared into the sky and shot off into the distance. It took me a moment to get my breath back.

  “I swear, this time it was almost the end of me,” I groaned.

  Neo snorted. “The guy just lives for dramatic exits.”

  We watched Pablo until he was nothing more than a tiny dot on the horizon. Pablo was chaotic, loud and often unpredictable – but somehow I couldn’t imagine this journey without him.

  Shortly after midday, the landscape changed. Ahead of us rose a grassy hill, and at its crest we could see a single hunched figure, outlined against the sky. The stranger wore a long coat, his hood hiding his face.

  “A wanderer?” Neo muttered. “Out here?”

  As we approached, the figure lifted his head. I saw a face marked by the sun, lined with deep wrinkles and clear, piercing eyes.

  “You are travellers,” the man stated in a calm voice.

  “You could say that,” I replied, studying him carefully.

  “Where does your path lead you?”

  “To Abrofar.”

  A tiny hint of a smile tugged at his lips. “Then you are on the right road.”

  There was something familiar about his voice, but I couldn’t place it.

  “Who are you?” Aurelia finally asked.

  He stayed silent for a moment. Then he said, “A nobody. For now.”

  He turned and slowly walked down the other side of the hill. Just before he disappeared from view, he stopped again.

  “When you reach Abrofar, remember me,” he said without turning around. “The shadows there are deeper than you think.”

  With those words, he left us standing there.

  “What… was that?” Neo asked quietly.

  “No idea,” I said. “But I have a feeling we’ll see him again.”

  In the afternoon, the path grew rockier. A river cut through the plain, and to avoid a detour of several hours, we decided to cross it.

  “I could just create a bridge out of magic,” Aurelia suggested.

  “Good idea,” Neo said. “That’ll save us the long way around.”

  Aurelia stepped forward and took a deep breath. For a moment, the air around her seemed to hum – then nothing happened. I frowned.

  “Aurelia?”

  She tried again. Her hands trembled slightly, a faint vibration filled the air… and then vanished. Nothing. No bridge. No magic.

  “This can’t be happening,” she whispered. “I know how to do this. I can do this.”

  The more she tried, the more frustrated she became. Finally, she stepped back and lowered her head.

  “It just doesn’t work.”

  I looked at her. Her hands were clenched into fists.

  “We’ll do it the hard way,” Stahlhaart said, and without hesitation he tore a tree out of the ground and laid it across the river as a makeshift bridge.

  “Not exactly elegant,” Neo commented dryly.

  Aurelia said nothing. She didn’t show much on the outside, but I knew she was scared.

  That night I sat alone by the campfire. There was a strange emptiness inside me – not because of Pablo or Aurelia, but because of a memory I had pushed away for a long time. I reached into my pocket and pulled out an old, slightly crumpled photo. On it was a small black ball of fur with big, curious eyes.

  “Neo.”

  My cat. My best friend, long before I really understood what friendship meant. Back then, he was always by my side. No matter what happened, he waited for me – until the day I lost him.

  He was just a cat.

  I blinked. The voice was cold, factual, merciless.

  He couldn’t have saved you. He was weak. Just like you were back then.

  I clenched my teeth. Something was trying to warp my memories. I stared at the photo. Neo had been more than a cat. He had been family. So why did it feel like I was losing these memories piece by piece?

  Later that night, as we sat together at the camp, I let a coin roll over my fingers.

  “I told you about my big casino win once, didn’t I?” I said aloud.

  Neo grinned. “Oh, is it time again for the amazing story of how you broke the bank?”

  “Of course! I… won…”

  I stopped.

  Something was wrong.

  I’d told that story so many times, hadn’t I? I knew I had won. But the more I thought about it, the less I remembered how. Had it really been a victory? Had I actually placed the chips correctly? Had I even been playing that night?

  A chill ran down my spine. I was sure I had won. I knew it. Or… did I?

  The night brought no peace. I dreamed again.

  The same battlefield. The same blazing ruins. But this time, something was different. The shadow that usually drifted faceless and formless through my dreams began to solidify. It was no longer just a presence – it had a shape. Dark, blurred contours that reminded me of something, or someone, I couldn’t quite grasp.

  I stumbled backwards, the pain in my chest unbearable. I knew I had to wake up – but I couldn’t. The shadow moved, slowly, like a predator circling its prey. I couldn’t see any eyes, but I knew it was staring at me.

  Then it jumped.

  I screamed – and woke up, gasping, drenched in sweat. My chest burned as if someone had carved a glowing hot knife through it. I pressed my hand against the wound, but the trembling wouldn’t stop. My gaze wandered over to the others. They were sleeping deeply. No one had heard a thing. No one knew what haunted me night after night.

  But I knew one thing:

  The shadow was taking shape. And soon, I would know who it was.

  Still exhausted from my nightmares, I woke up in the morning. The others seemed well-rested – everything was as usual. Stahlhaart once again hadn’t closed an eye; at least we could always count on his watchful presence at night. Aurelia was still acting strangely. I kept wondering what exactly that fight with Mara had been like.

  With Neo I noticed a small change. It was only a tiny detail, but I could see that his left eye was no longer completely brown – green flecks had appeared in it. This journey was clearly taking its toll on all of us.

  At that time, I thought a lot about my dreams and what they might mean. Even though I spent a lot of time brooding over them, I couldn’t figure anything out. The travel package Boris had kindly prepared for us was also slowly coming to an end. When the sun reached its highest point, I opened my last bottle of Oskar. This drink really was wonderful – it allowed us to walk for longer stretches without getting exhausted, so we made much faster progress.

  However, one question still nagged at me: what was the deal with that wanderer?

  I had to shove these thoughts aside soon enough, because of course this road also held its dangers. Our next task was once again to take care of a band of robbers – and on closer inspection, it turned out to be the very same group that had crossed our path with Pablo on the way to K?nigsgraben. There were about twenty men again, and it didn’t take long for their leader to spit out the first cheeky remark.

  “Hey, we know you lot! Without your damn goose you’re nothing. So don’t cause yourselves any trouble and just hand over your stuff.”

  I felt my anger begin to boil.

  You like that feeling, don’t you, Zeki? That anger.

  Where were these thoughts coming from? Were they mine? Who was talking to me?

  Come on, Zeki, tell them what you did to those men.

  I ignored the voice and kept going with the story. As I said – my anger was rising. No one was allowed to insult Pablo. Especially not the ones who had already been beaten senseless by him once.

  I replied, “Even if Pablo isn’t here, if I were you, I’d run.”

  But of course, you can’t talk bandits out of it that easily. They wanted to learn it the hard way.

  So I drew my little treasure – the knife that slid through throats like butter. In no time at all, fifteen of the men lay lifeless on the ground, their necks slit open, not even remotely worthy of my strength.

  That’s exactly what I want to see from you, Zeki. Focus on your strength.

  I’m trying to suppress these thoughts even as I write this right now, but I can’t. I can’t explain who it is that keeps talking to me.

  Anyway – the remaining five men were so shocked by how fast their comrades had fallen that they bolted. I basked in the little bit of glory, but then Neo hit me with a, “Did you really have to kill them? Wouldn’t a beating have been enough?” That comment made me think about my actions – but too late.

  Once the path was finally clear, and after another three hours of hard marching, I could hardly believe my eyes: Edi had set up a mobile casino again. Naturally, I had to lose. I wanted to write lose, no, win. Strange. My hands simply won’t let me write what I’m thinking.

  No matter. Moving on.

  The sun was already setting and we still hadn’t found a place to sleep. That didn’t bother me much. I had always followed my parents’ rules and never wandered around outside at night, because they’d said it was too dangerous. Even in my time as a stray in the Schattental, I had always made sure to at least find an old stable to sleep in, although I had always wanted nothing more than to finally see the starry sky at night.

  Forget your starry sky, weakling.

  That voice was really starting to get on my nerves.

  So I asked the group whether they’d agree to marching through the night for once. The reactions were mixed. It was obvious that Stahlhaart had no problem with it; he never felt exhaustion, and I didn’t know whether he’d ever heard the tales about the cursed nights.

  Neo and Aurelia, however, were against it. They said it was too dangerous. In the end, though, I managed to convince them to put an end to those myths together.

  We prepared ourselves for our very first night march on the streets of the Schattenreich. We had no idea what awaited us – and that was exactly what made it exciting. We set off in formation, ready for whatever might cross our path.

  To our surprise, we did not encounter a single cursed creature.

  Instead, there was only silence. Complete darkness. The constant tension of waiting for an attack that never came. That was the real torture. My mind suffered under that total emptiness. Even though I had Gotti-Gottfried as a sixth sense, I couldn’t endure that feeling for long. It reminded me of my parents – of how, after their deaths, it had become just as brutally silent inside my head.

  “My lord, this is precisely why I joined you back then, you know?” Gotti-Gottfried said. “On the street. Your greatest wish was a companion in your story.”

  “I know. Thank you, Gotti-Gottfried.”

  Then suddenly, finally, something happened. We heard a loud scream.

  But it was only Neo, who had tripped over a stone.

  I was ready. I wanted to fight. I already had my knife in my right hand – but my will was shattered in an instant. We had to keep waiting for something interesting to happen. The only thing this night had to offer was the crushing feeling of emptiness. On top of that, I couldn’t even look up at the starry sky.

  Late at night, we finally reached an empty, abandoned house. It was run-down, but good enough to serve as shelter. Conclusion: the night was not as dark and terrifying as everyone made it out to be. Once again, I was the only one who couldn’t enjoy his sleep. The nightmares hunted me down.

  Same scene as always. Only this time, the shadow took on even more shape. It looked like a woman lunging at me. The wound in my chest hurt more and more.

  I wanted to talk to Stahlhaart about it, but I didn’t want to bother him every single night with my nightmares.

  “My lord, how do you intend to get rid of your nightmares?” Gotti-Gottfried asked.

  “I think I just have to live with them. It’s not like I have any other choice, right?”

  At least I could count on Gotti-Gottfried. The thought that I didn’t have to go through all this alone made it a bit more bearable.

  You were always alone, and you always will be, little pest.

  “Who’s there?”

  No answer.

  I’m sitting alone in my room right now. It’s 4:02 in the morning. Whoever or whatever that voice is – why is it so bitter?

  “Tell me, who are you?”

  Again, no answer.

  I don’t know what kind of creature is messing with me here, but let me tell you one thing: LET ME WRITE MY BOOK IN PEACE.

  I’m sorry, dear readers. Let’s continue.

  Just knowing that Gotti-Gottfried was at my side made everything a little easier to bear. We hadn’t slept much, but it was time to move on. Thanks to our night march and the small detours we had taken, this would be the last stretch before the kingdom of Abrofar.

  We started the day highly motivated. The closer we got, the more severely traumatized people from the kingdom we met on the road. No one – absolutely no one – wanted to talk to us about what was happening there. One man just screamed at us:

  “WHAT ARE YOU DOING, TURN AROUND RIGHT NOW!!”

  That meant the war had already begun.

  Time to pick up the pace.

  I hated doing it, but I had to call Pablo.

  So I stroked the feather.

  We advanced, passing more and more disturbed faces, more and more blood-stained, war-torn survivors.

  Don’t pretend you feel sorry for those pathetic creatures. They wouldn’t show any pity for your story either.

  LEAVE ME ALONE, STRANGE VOICE.

  Although… you’re not wrong. They probably really wouldn’t feel sorry for me.

  Two hours passed before Pablo finally appeared. With a heavy heart, I asked him whether we could ride him towards Abrofar. I was embarrassed to even ask for that much.

  “But of course! For friend Zeki and other friends, Pablo does anything! But Pablo likes to sing while flying, hope that’s no problem for you.”

  Of course it wasn’t a problem. At least not for me. I was actually curious what Pablo listened to.

  One by one, we climbed onto Pablo’s mighty back, ready for the terror awaiting us in the kingdom. He put on his pilot outfit: a pair of flight goggles, a forest-green helmet with a sticker of a small blue girl on the right side and ten little tally marks on the left.

  The flight began.

  From up above, we had a good view – and it was simply horrifying. Everywhere within a radius of ten kilometres around the kingdom, the grass was dyed blood-red. The houses had all been destroyed. Every field was burned to black ash. The scene was so gruesome.

  Be honest – you enjoyed that view.

  NO, ARE YOU STUPID?! Why would I enjoy something like that? Get lost already.

  In that moment, we understood why those people were so traumatized. Never before had I seen destruction on such a scale. Even the Quattro Proseccos were visibly shaken. No wonder – this was pure terror. Aurelia, on the other hand, didn’t seem nearly as disturbed as I would have expected, although she had been acting strange the entire way here anyway.

  I accepted our fate. Ready for battle, I had Pablo land us a bit away from the centre, in a small town. The situation there was just as devastating. We followed one blood trail after another. The whole place reeked of war. You could feel the suffering that had taken place here.

  It was anything but a pleasant welcome – but we had a mission: save this kingdom.

  Neo, our strategist, already had a plan: first, we’d send Pablo ahead as a scout to gather information. We would decide everything else once we heard his report.

  Half an hour passed before Pablo returned with his findings – and they were anything but good.

  “Hundreds of them are on their way to friend Zeki and friends right now. They tried to hit Pablo with crossbows, but Pablo dodged like a master!”

  Neo immediately came up with the next plan: a surprise attack from inside the houses. We got ready. Everyone was assigned a house.

  The sun disappeared behind thick smoke, the sky no longer had anything to offer but black clouds.

  Then it began.

  The enemy’s horns blared, and we felt the ground shake beneath our feet. Hundreds, if not thousands, of warriors charged towards us, heavily armed to the teeth. There was no hope – and yet we fought.

  We burst out of our hiding places in the houses and met the enemy head-on. Pablo immediately charged the first wave, while Neo, Aurelia and I attacked from a distance. I could take down enemies with precise shots using my football, but something bothered me: Aurelia kept missing. Out of three arrows, only one hit.

  Weird. Normally, she never missed.

  By now, Pablo had already taken out a large number of warriors. When I glanced over at him, I saw bodies flying through the air wherever he went. The best moment, though, was when Stahlhaart rushed to his aid, grabbed the massive goose and hurled him forward like a javelin. Pablo started spinning in midair, turning himself into a deadly drill that tore through their formation.

  Once he reached the enemy ranks, Pablo really went wild. I think he had acquired a taste for it. Warrior after warrior fell to him, his mighty wings and sheer strength showing no mercy to our tormentors. I’ll never forget that scene.

  Forget the oversized sack of feathers, you’re stronger than he is.

  DON’T TALK ABOUT PABLO LIKE THAT, YOU BASTARD.

  Thanks to Pablo, we managed to reach the next zone unscathed. After a short break, the terror continued. We passed through a massive gate and were greeted by yet more warriors, too many to count. They piled up in front of us, disciplined and ready.

  It was time to give the knife another chance.

  I felt my rage rising again. My skin began to change, turning blood-red. My eyes burned with fury, my veins felt like they were boiling. I reached a state more extreme than ever before. By now, I was almost as tall as Pablo. In terms of strength, too, I was no longer behind him.

  The knife changed with me. It transformed into a gigantic scythe, pitch-black with golden writing on the blade: “Gemma du Wappler, nimm denan ois.” Maybe someone will be able to decode that one day. I certainly can’t.

  It was time to put this upgrade to the test. Together with the scythe, I felt like a newly born god. I sliced off the attackers’ heads with ease. On top of that, in my transformed state I could jump to unbelievable heights. It felt so damn good to be guided so perfectly by this weapon.

  Like a war dancer with his beautiful partner I moved across the battlefield, dancing with our enemies.

  See? What did I tell you?

  Okay, I’ll admit it – that part did feel pretty great.

  But the centre of the battle was still ahead of us. The path there was heavily guarded by an enormous number of enemies. It didn’t matter. We had to fight.

  Our next plan? The next bombing run.

  Stahlhaart gathered all his strength to hurl both me and Pablo into the air at the same time, directly at the enemy defence lines. The strain was immense – his engines glowed, steam hissed from his joints.

  But then we were airborne.

  Two five-metre-tall creatures, flying straight at the forces attacking the kingdom.

  Pablo grabbed my hand, and we spun together at dizzying speed. Then he flung me with full force into the enemy ranks. I used a Bi-Shi-Zu Special to amplify the impact even further. Anyone unfortunate enough to stand in the immediate blast radius was torn apart instantly.

  Covered in blood, I kept fighting.

  The second bomb followed shortly after. Pablo plummeted from the sky like a meteor, crashing into the warriors blocking our way. The earth shook. Pablo and I left behind enormous craters in the ground.

  But battles like this demand sacrifices.

  The way ahead was clear. Time to bring the others in.

  They were stuck in front of another gate, struggling to get it open. Just as Neo finally managed to crack the lock, Pablo started another bombing run.

  “Why am I even here…” Neo muttered, visibly annoyed.

  Soon after, we all found ourselves at the main square of the kingdom – and to our surprise, it was completely deserted. I only realized what was happening when it was already too late.

  We’d been lured into an ambush.

  We were surrounded by thousands of warriors. We were done for. We surrendered – a tactic we only wanted to use in the most desperate of situations. I raised my hands, the signal to the group to follow the plan.

  But our deception didn’t work. As soon as someone grabbed me from behind, that was the cue for Aurelia to act – but she didn’t move an inch.

  I screamed, “AURELIA, DO SOMETHING!”

  No answer.

  Instead, Aurelia transformed in front of my eyes into a creature more horrific than anything we’d seen before.

  In that moment, it became clear. This had to be Mara.

  Pablo was captured, then Stahlhaart, then Neo. Mara had planned all of this from the beginning. We had noticed it far too late.

  Once the group was completely restrained, Mara leapt at me with my own blade and drove it straight into my chest.

  The pain was unbearable. Worse than any injury I’d ever suffered. My chest burned. My head felt like it was going to burst. I collapsed from the sheer exhaustion.

  “My lord, I believe this is a worthy farewell,” Gotti-Gottfried murmured.

  That was the last thing I heard. After that, I don’t remember what happened.

  When I woke up, I was in a cell with Pablo. Pablo was chained to the ceiling. I was shackled to the ground. I couldn’t believe that things could really end like this. Every attempt to free myself was hopeless. I had to watch as they tortured Pablo day and night. Every day, they came to hurt him and drain his blood. Talking was forbidden; we were watched around the clock.

  Only when Pablo’s suffering finally ended and they left him alone did my own torture begin.

  They broke me emotionally. They treated me like a dog – made me bark, eat from a bowl. They stripped me of my humanity in the worst possible way. The worst part was that poor Pablo had to watch all of it.

  I don’t know how long I was their attraction, something to laugh at, a circus animal – but it left scars deep inside me. I couldn’t think straight anymore. It only fed my hatred.

  If I ever get out of here, I swore to myself, they will suffer.

  They will suffer the way only Grandlord Braunstein ever deserved to.

  Chapter 6.5 – Other Perspectives

  While Zeki, Pablo, Neo and Stahlhaart were imprisoned in a bunker belonging to the Mushkaren – the ones who had taken over the kingdom of Abrofar – something else was moving into place on another path.

  Boris De Graaf had joined up with Aurelia, and together they made their way towards the kingdom. They were about two days away from the scene of horror – an important journey. They were Zeki’s last hope.

  But from whose perspective should I tell this?

  Aurelia’s? Boris’?

  Whatever. I’ll just flip a coin. Heads = Aurelia, tails = Boris.

  The coin has spoken… heads. Good. Then we’ll go with Aurelia’s perspective.

  One thing first: I’ll tell you the story from Aurelia’s point of view as well as I can. Let’s start with the fight against Mara.

  This vile beast was a shapeshifter – but I only realized that far too late. The moment I stepped into that fight, it was already decided. There was a lot I could do with my magic, but even magic couldn’t heal the pain of being forced to fight the headless bodies of my own parents.

  For what felt like an eternity I had to fight the corpses of my mother and father, their necks torn open, their faces twisted. Over and over again, I was reminded that it was my fault. At least, that’s what that monster wanted me to believe.

  Still, I held my ground as best I could. Sadly, Mara was not just a tormentor – she was incredibly powerful as well. To be precise: far too powerful for me.

  I tried everything. The classic stone-hail spell. Lightning magic – the same bolts I’d once hit Zeki with. Nothing. Absolutely nothing worked against this creature. I was powerless and could only delay my end, hoping that the others would somehow come to my rescue.

  But they didn’t. How could they? They had more than enough problems of their own.

  My downfall was getting closer. At this point, the only thing I could still do was keep up my shield. I was completely unable to attack. You can imagine how that ended. The moment my shield finally broke, it was over. My suffering had ended – or so I thought.

  Just as I accepted my fate, Mara said something that haunts me to this day.

  “I’m sorry, Aurelia. I’m fighting for a higher purpose. I don’t want to hurt you. Your magic is wonderful. You’re just fighting for the wrong side. So cut your ties – before it’s too late.”

  After those words, everything went black.

  When I came to, I was shackled in some old chamber. My head was pounding. But I knew I had to get free from these chains. I had no idea how long I’d been down there. I screamed for help, but no one could hear me.

  One evening, I heard loud music. Someone was celebrating above me. I was at my limit – physically and emotionally. I’d never been this low before.

  After what felt like an eternity in that chamber, a small girl finally discovered me. Anthea, as she later told me her name was, was completely shocked. She immediately whacked me over the head with a shovel.

  She screamed at me, “YOU’RE NOT AURELIA! SHE LEFT TWO DAYS AGO!”

  Thankfully, I managed to convince her with the last bit of magic I had left that I really was the real one. Zeki and the others were in serious trouble. They had a traitor among them.

  Anthea apologized over and over again, even though my head still hurt like hell. The kid really had some strength in her swing. The villagers explained the group’s plan to me – the plan to reach the kingdom of Abrofar.

  I grabbed what I needed, and set out after them. Anthea pressed a small good-luck charm into my hand, something she’d made herself. I had to hurry. I had to stop the approaching disaster.

  But I was already two and a half days behind the group.

  With those thoughts in mind, I set out – until I came across a small village named Raforba. And yes, backwards it spells “Abrofar,” but I didn’t have time to laugh at that coincidence.

  In this little village, I quickly met Boris – a young man with long brown hair and a scar that practically covered his entire face. He looked at me, shocked.

  “But… Aurelia. Weren’t you on your way to the kingdom of Abrofar? What are you doing here?”

  “Am I supposed to know you?” I answered.

  “You don’t remember? You were here just a few days ago. You know – when we killed the ant?”

  My mind reeled. I stared into his eyes, completely stunned.

  Before I could say anything else, Boris stood in front of me, axes in hand. His scar began to glow faintly. Out of nowhere, he attacked me. I barely managed to block his strikes with my magic shield.

  “Ah, I see you can use your magic again,” he growled.

  “Of course I can. Why wouldn’t I be able to? And why do you know so much about me anyway?”

  “Didn’t you travel with Zeki and the group?”

  I started to explain my side of the story. Not everything – I still needed something to talk about on the road later – but enough for him to understand the situation. Once the misunderstanding was cleared up and Boris realized how much danger the group was in, we set out immediately.

  “I don’t like visiting my kingdom,” he said, “but I owe Zeki this much.”

  “Your kingdom?” I asked, confused.

  “Yes. My kingdom. I’m its leader. Or… I was. Before I was cast out.”

  We had plenty to talk about on the way. I poured my heart out and told him my story. He did the same.

  I learned that he was once the prince of this kingdom. Until one day, a battle against the Mushkaren changed everything. He told me about the horrible suffering those creatures brought with them, how they wiped out all the warriors in his realm. He told me that he’d given his axes the names “Adam” and “Eve,” and that they were originally meant for a ritual in which he would have had to behead his own father, the king, to claim the throne.

  “Let me guess – it never came to that?” I asked.

  “No. I was far too young to take that burden onto myself.”

  He went on to say that he’d received the blades outside of the official ritual. Technically, that had made him king of Abrofar – but his people hated him for it. They didn’t accept him as their new ruler. According to them, he was too young, too weak to wield those axes. They accused him of taking them out of pure greed for power.

  In the end, all of that led to his flight from the kingdom. He was emotionally destroyed. It all happened five years ago, he told me. He had received the axes when he was sixteen. Most heirs didn’t receive them until they were forty.

  He hadn’t been able to carry on his father’s legacy.

  “You know, Aurelia,” he said quietly, “these axes grant me incredible strength… but I’m too weak to use them properly.”

  In some ways, he was just like Zeki. Broken on the inside, and yet such a strong fighter.

  His story brought me to tears. Mine had the same effect on him. We were both marked by fate – just in different ways.

  But feelings could wait. Right now, we had to catch up to the group and warn them. I knew that returning to this kingdom was one of the lowest moments in Boris’ life. But his people needed him now more than ever.

  We didn’t give up. That drink he’d brought in large quantities – “Oskar” – allowed us to run almost nonstop. It tasted like heaven, and thanks to it we made up about half a day of lost time.

  At some point, we ran into a strange traveller, to our great fortune.

  “Where are you headed?” he asked. “Especially you with the violet hair. Did you turn around again?”

  “What do you want? I don’t know you,” I answered, my voice trembling.

  The man removed his coat.

  Underneath it was a pale body, slowly rotting. His head was bald, his beard ragged. Where his eyes should have been there were only empty sockets, and blood dripped constantly from them.

  “I can help you,” he said. “But only for a price, naturally.”

  “How exactly are you going to help us?” Boris asked, voice like steel.

  “You’re in a hurry to reach the kingdom, aren’t you?”

  He was right. But how did he know that?

  “My drawings become reality,” he continued. “Think of something fast, and give me 3,000 Olevs per drawing.”

  Before I could say anything, he had already pulled out his tools.

  “Well? What now? Don’t you trust me, girl?”

  “Be honest – do you trust yourself?” I shot back.

  “I don’t have to trust myself. You have to trust me.”

  We didn’t really have a choice. I handed over two thirds of my savings – 6,000 Olevs for two drawings.

  “All right, what do you want?”

  Boris chose a machine: two wheels made of chains, with a terrifying skull mounted on the front.

  “Seriously, Boris?” I asked.

  “I have to arrive in style,” he replied. “And what about you? What do you want?”

  I wished for a horse, faster than lightning, with majestic white fur and a blood-red mane.

  “Red costs extra,” the man said. “Forgot to mention that.”

  Boris’ axes cleared that surcharge issue up pretty quickly.

  “Okay, okay, I don’t want any trouble,” the stranger muttered.

  The artist got to work, drawing Boris’ monstrous machine first. And incredibly – once he was done, the machine became reality. He hadn’t been lying.

  Then he drew my horse. When he got to the mane, he reached into his eye sockets, scraped out the bloody emptiness and smeared it across the paper. The sight made my stomach turn. After seeing that, it was hard to appreciate the majestic presence of my horse.

  “Now get going, your time is running out. By the way, my name is Nihilum. If you ever need help again, just call for me.”

  Without another word, we took off.

  “You criticized my idea and then you go and choose a boring horse?” Boris grumbled.

  “Sometimes boring is better,” I answered.

  Nothing stood in our way now. We just had to close the remaining distance.

  Next morning. Our wishes parked and ready. Time to move out. Today we’d reach the kingdom.

  “Are you ready for this?” I asked Boris.

  “There won’t be another chance,” he said. “So yeah. Ready or not.”

  He was right. His people needed him.

  The closer we came, the more twisted and traumatized the faces became. The grass slowly turned blood-red. Wounded people who hadn’t made it far enough littered the path, their blood mixing in dark pools on the ground. The sight dug deep into my mind. I’d never felt anything like this before.

  The destroyed houses, the burned fields, the smell of decay and blood. The palpable suffering in the air. I knew our world was messed up, but this? This was beyond anything I’d imagined.

  The nearer we came, the more extreme the scene grew. Everything changed.

  As if reading my thoughts, Boris said, “The work of the Mushkaren. I’ve seen it once before. These creatures love destruction.”

  Before I knew it, we were already at the gates of the kingdom. A mountain of corpses loomed before us. Rough estimate: about 25,000 bodies. Lifeless. Piled up like trash.

  We had to come up with a plan.

  “We need to find Zeki and the others,” I said. “But where could they be?”

  “Judging from how quiet it is here – either dead, or in the dungeon beneath the castle,” Boris replied.

  Not exactly reassuring news.

  “I know a secret way into the castle,” he continued. “It was meant as an escape route for the royal family.”

  “Then take me there,” I said. “We’re going to pull this off, right?”

  Boris looked me in the eye, tears forming.

  “Right.”

  About half an hour later, we stood at the outer tower of the castle. And so the first act of retaking the kingdom began.

  We searched the outer walls for a single weak point. When we finally found it, all we had to do was bring that section down – but doing so would definitely draw attention.

  We took a moment to steady ourselves.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  “Ready. After you, Aurelia,” he added with a grim smile.

  I gathered my magic, focused everything I had left, and tore a boulder with a diameter of about one and a half metres out of the ground. Then I hurled it at that one weak spot in the wall – without any idea what consequences that would have.