November 19th, 2018, Tokyo #1 colony

  What am I doing?

  Climbing up the service ladder to reach the roof of their de facto base, Rin Amani couldn’t help but question his own sanity. He was a weakling and coward through and through; it was the opinion he held of himself after years of proof to cement the idea. That opinion had been before the world was changed, and he went from a small fish in a large pond to a piece of algae in the ocean, just waiting to be devoured.

  When faced with an onslaught of such threats, Amani had merely implemented the strategy he had used throughout his life. He had clung to those stronger than him and hid behind them, allowing them to face the world and the challenges it presented in his stead.

  It was the only way someone like him could survive in the Culling game. First he had clung to the sorcerers “spawn camping” the new players, then he had followed Yuji’s lead to Higiruma, and finally he enlisted himself under Higiruma as a part of his self-led plan to get all the civilians out of the colony.

  If Amani were to give a self-assessment of his qualities, he would consider his’ abilities and strengths to be one of his few positives. It was through this trait he had managed to stay alive so long after all.

  Reaching the top of the building, Amani took a large gulp of air as he looked forward, spotting the slumbering monster he was looking for. His limbs were splayed out, and his chest was rising steadily. The atypical and admittedly un dignified manner of rest did nothing to quell the nervous Amani; he understood just how dangerous the sleeping beast before him was after all.

  Higiruma had been the strongest sorcerer Amani had ever heard of or come across. Amani was not so na?ve to believe that Higiruma was the strongest a sorcerer could ever be; instead, he thought of Higiruma as what was considered the upper echelon of sorcery. Even people more fearsome than him existed in the other colonies; Higiruma couldn’t be that far off from them in terms of strength.

  Amani began walking forward, taking out a bottle of water and a prepackaged meal from a bag he had been carrying. He stopped once he was a few feet away from Shinji. Looking down at his face, Amani couldn’t think of any words to describe it other then gentle. His face was soft, his body lax as he let out shallow breaths. Shinji was only a little older than Amani, still what many would consider a child. His age was reflected in his youthful appearance

  Looking down at this “child,” Amani realized once again just how na?ve he had been in his overestimation of Higiruma’s might. All he had seen from him was a single display of physical prowess, but even that tiny display of what could be considered Shinji’s might had been enough to show Amani he was in a completely different world than the rest of them.

  He was a monster.

  Kneeling down, Amani set the items he had produced aside. Pulling out a tablecloth and some plastic silverware, setting it up facing Shinji. Amani removed the wrapping from the decently healthy junk food he had brought and set the bottle of water down.

  He began to reach over towards the slumbering man, pausing before he reached him as he debated whether or not attempting to wake him was a good idea. From the very few interactions they had, Amani gathered he was a laid-back and free-spirited person. Still, that had a very small effect on how he would behave if he wasn't a morning person and was awoken rudely.

  “Aahhh.”

  Not paying mind to Amani’s deliberation, Shinji let out a low-pitched yawn. His eyes opened to an incredibly startled Amani, who rapidly crawled back in shock. Shinji either didn’t notice Amani or didn’t care to comment on his reaction as he leaned up to sit cross-legged. Another lengthy yawn was let out as he stretched his arms above his head.

  Amani didn’t move a muscle as Shinji limbered up his limbs. He felt like a deer who had walked into a slumbering wolf's lair, that wolf having woken up while he was still an occupant.

  “You’re the guy who went out with Higiruma yesterday.” Wiping drowsy tears from his eyes, the wolf addressed Amani’s presence with a curious gaze.

  “Yeah, that’s me…” Cringing under his scrutiny, Amani could only answer in the affirmative to his question.

  “What’s your name again? sorry, I’m bad with faces.”

  “Rin Amani Mr. Shinji.”

  “Don’t call me Mr. please; it feels weird… Did you bring me this?” Shinji's face frowned in disapproval at the formality. Noticing the breakfast laid out for him moments later.

  “Yeah, well, you kind of…missed our breakfast since you slept on the roof.”

  “Ah, sorry I didn’t think about it.” Shinji moved in closer towards the meal laid out before him. Tilting his head as he looked at it more closely, he took a tentative bite at first. Only to quickly begin stuffing the food down his throat.

  I can’t believe I’m doing this.

  Watching him devour the meal, Amani retreated into his thoughts to once again review his course of action. Shinji was without a doubt the strongest person in the colony. Given this reality, it was clear where Amani needed to stand in relation to him; how he would manage to get to such a position, he had a few tiny ideas.

  “We have sleeping bags so you don’t have to sleep on the floor. I can go get you one if you want.”

  “Nah it’s fine… I’ve slept on worse… So it doesn't bug me,” Shinji managed pieces of a response in between mouthfuls of food.

  “Even still, it wouldn’t hurt to have something nice to sleep on. Why’d you sleep on the roof anyway?”

  Amani overcame his fears to the point of being able to ask a question that had been nagging at his mind. He wasn’t averse to what Shinji had done; it had made him feel saf—

  “Well, Higiruma seemed scared of me after what I said, so I figured putting as much distance as I could between us would be for his benefit. I still need to think of what to say…” Shinji’s voice trailed off as he remarked about his lack of a plan, putting his utensils down now that he had finished eating. Amani felt the lump in his throat rise again as Shinji accidentally addressed the danger he held.

  “I doubt Higiruma’s scared of you… What did you say anyway?”

  “I… may have mentioned a certain… blood relative I have. Apparently he became

  infamous after I was gone,” Shinji leaned back and let out a puff of air as he recalled this mysterious family member.

  “I see,” Not sure what he should say in such a circumstance, Amani responded with the simplest phrase he had.

  “Say you’ve known Higiruma for longer than me. How can I patch things up, Amani?”

  Amani felt the need to squirm under such direct focus; Shinji’s eyes felt like they could bore a hole through him. He was able to resist such instincts as he spoke his answer in a hushed tone.

  “I’m not really sure, sorry. I’ve only known Higiruma for about a week, so I can’t say I know him well.”

  “I see what a bummer… Hey, are you two friends?” Shinji leaned over the table mat as he asked his question. Making Amani lean back to preserve the gap between them.

  “Not really, no.”

  Shinji let out a sigh as he tilted his head down, a frown taking root on his face. Standing up a moment later as he began to walk towards the edge of the roof.

  “Thanks for the food, Amani. I’m going to head inside and take a look around.”

  “Want me to show you around?”

  “Nah, they’ll be fine. I don’t want to bother,” Shinji jumped down to the ground slightly after he refused Amani’s request. It was a fall of over a dozen feet onto pavement; if Amani were in his shoes, his legs would likely snap. Though he highly doubted Shinji

  would feel anything from that kind of fall.

  Amani was left standing alone on the roof after his descent; he stayed still for a few moments before letting out a sigh of relief. He had managed to be of some use to him; it felt too greedy to ask for anything more. Reliability and an extension of trust was a step-by-step process; it wouldn’t happen overnight.

  If he were to make any sizable headway, he would have to get over his constant fear of Shinji. It had only taken a few days for him to stop being scared of Higiruma, so with any luck he could manage the same time frame with the newest beast he had found around him.

  Shinji didn’t seem like a bad person, and Higiruma had vouched for him. So there really was no need to worry as much as he was, but a deer being told a lion wouldn’t devour them only went so far to making that deer feel safe.

  Still, it would all be fine, so long as he did what he always did; he could stand to the sidelines and let the strong lead the way. Everything would be fine. It was a creed that Amani believed with every fiber of his being, so then why did he feel uneasy about his role as a side piece.

  “Wow.”

  Opening the door to the store that rested below where he had slept, Shinji couldn’t help but marvel at amazement at the sight that was inside. His eyes widening and mouth falling open, a short exclamation of his surprise left his lips on its own accord. He simply couldn’t help himself.

  The store was divided into three rows with two shelves separating it near the middle of the room. All three rows were full of people, most of whom were on the older side. They all seemed to be chatting amongst themselves or reading literature. The few kids that were present seemed to be playing with each other in the back of the store, using the toys left behind to entertain themselves.

  The store while populated, was still what would be considered normal occupancy for a store of its size. Shinji however had never seen this many adults gathered together before, so this ordinary sight left him at a loss for words.

  “Are you okay?”

  A voice from his left roused Shinji from his stunned stare. It came from a middle-aged woman who was sitting on a folded chair. A young girl was sleeping on her lap, her back leaned against the older woman's chest. It took Shinji a moment, but he was able to recognize them as the girl Higiruma had brought in and the person who had greeted him at the door yesterday.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s just… a new experience to see this many people together.”

  “That so… You really are from another era, huh?” The woman rubbed her daughter's head as she paused, tilting her own as she came to the conclusion Shinji wasn’t from around here.

  “Is it that that obvious?”

  “Hmm, just a little,” The woman smiled a tad as she confirmed it.

  “Do you know where Higiruma is? I wanted to talk to him about… some things.”

  “Yeah, they’re probably getting things ready with Kairo. They said we were going to leave tomorrow, so I imagine he’s busy.”

  “Alright, thanks for letting me know.” Shinji did his best to conceal his disappointment, but it must have leaked into his voice. It seemed apparent given how the woman raised her eyebrow.

  He had wanted to see Higiruma now to patch things up. If he was busy, then Shinji would just have to wait. He may be lacking in the concept known as social skills, but even he had the wherewithal to recognize that dragging Higiruma out of his current arrangements would run counter to his own intentions.

  It was irritating, but it seemed to be the only option forward. He could just read a new manga series till then; the store surely had one. It’s not like he had anything better—

  Oh right.

  “Why’d you apologize yesterday?”

  Recalling a conundrum that had weighed on Shinji’s mind the day prior, he sought to find an answer to this particular puzzle while he had nothing better to do. The woman's eyes widened slightly as she stared back for a moment, her face softening as her lips began to move.

  “I just… realized you’ve probably had it pretty rough.”

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  “Rough?” Shinji repeated the word, clueless as to its meaning in this context.

  “Yeah, from what I could tell, you seem… You don’t have a good relationship with your parents, do you?”

  “... No, I don’t.” Responding honestly after a moment's hesitation. Shinji crossed his arms over his chest defensively. Wondering where exactly this was going.

  “That’s what I mean by rough. I… I didn’t know what else to say other than I’m sorry.”

  “How’d you know my parents and I aren't on good terms?

  Shinji's eyes narrowed ever so slightly as he asked his admittedly trivial question. While he was curious, it was on the minor side of his priorities. It was a rather unsubtle deflection on his part to steer the conversation away from the present topic; to be seen through so cleanly was unsettling. It dredged up memories of his conversations with a certain scar-headed man.

  “Well, you were surprised that I cared for my daughter. It’s a … bit of a giveaway if I'm being honest.” Seeing Shinji arch his eyebrow in confusion, she let out a gentle sigh.

  “It’s natural for a parent to love their child and for a child to love their parent. I’m sorry you grew up without understanding that is all.”

  Well, I guess they were lying after all.

  The confirmation of one of the many truths that had been hidden from Shinji had little effect on him. Perhaps he should have felt anger over what had been taken from him. The chances they had robbed him of, but it was hard to feel loss over something he never had.

  As the empty realization settled within his mind, his eyes drifted towards the sleeping girl before him, embraced by her mother's arms. He didn’t know why, but the sight stirred something in him. Shinji had no idea who his mother was or what they were like; as far as he was concerned, he didn’t have one. Even still…

  Being loved by someone, I wonder what that feels like.

  The answer was found a long time ago in his memories. Back before he had destroyed that love for her own sake.

  Stepping out of a back door, Higiruma let out a sigh of relief at having finished planning through all the routes they would take tomorrow. He hadn’t been able to contribute much, but those who actually devised the paths wanted to run it by him since he would be the one protecting them during the group’s migration.

  Though I think I’ll have help from now on.

  Eyeing the rusted and rickety ladder connected to the building on his left. Higiruma began to walk away from the building, stopping once he was a few dozen feet off. He wasn’t quite sure if he could accomplish what he was about to attempt, but it couldn’t hurt to try.

  Higiruma began to run towards the wall in front of him, reaching his top speed once he was only eight or so feet away from the wall. After reaching such speeds, Higiruma bent his legs and launched upwards with all the might he had. He hadn’t tested just how much he was physically enhanced by cursed energy, but given the ludicrous displays he had seen by those far stronger than him. A comparably small feat of jumping a dozen feet off the ground couldn’t be that hard.

  To his triumph, he quickly managed to soar over the wall before him; Higiruma’s victory was quickly diminished as he realized where his judgment had erred; he hadn’t considered he was underestimating his capabilities.

  Rather than stopping near the edge of the roof like he had intended, his body continued to soar through the air, his limbs flailing about as he futilely tried to stop his momentum. His body continued to glide over the roof for a few seconds before he reached the ground. Managing to land on his feet despite his initial miscalculation.

  Looking forward, Higiruma saw he was a few feet from having cleared the roof entirely; he let out a sigh of relief at being spared from such a fate. It seemed he would have to become better acquainted with his ever-growing strength; how else could he help Yuji put an end to this madness?

  Higiruma looked around the roof as he searched for the reason he had come up here; he didn’t have to look very hard as the person he was looking for was staring at him. He was sitting with his legs hanging off the edge of the roof, his hand in front of him holding what looked like a manga.

  “Hey Shinji, I wanted to speak with you about some things.” It was only after the boy had stared blankly for an uncomfortable amount of time did Higiruma elaborat on the reason for his presence. Beginning to walk towards him soon after.

  “Alright, I also had some things I wanted to say,” Shinji tossed the thing he was reading aside, the book flipping over to a random page as it landed on the ground with a thud.

  “We can talk later if you want to finish whatever you're reading.” Higiruma sat down in a

  similar position to Shinji a few feet to his right, seeking to gain an even ground for the conversation.

  “Nah it’s fine. The series sucked anyway.” Shinji looked away as he reprimanded the piece of literature's quality. It left Higiruma staring at the back of his head.

  A void filled Higiruma’s mind as he became unsure how he should go about what he came to discuss. His lack of a means to proceed caused the two to enter a silence that dragged on for an uncomfortable length of time.

  “I’m sorry about what I said.”

  Shinji turned to look at Higiruma and was met with a face as equally covered in surprise as his own. Both of them were equally surprised at the other’s words. One’s they had said aloud conjointly by sheer coincidence.

  “What are you apologizing for?” Higiruma couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at his sentiment, not having the slightest idea of anything the boy had done even remotely wrong in the brief time they had known one another.

  ““Well, I… You seemed disturbed by my blood ties with Ryomen; I probably shouldn’t have mentioned it.” Shinji swung his legs in the air and put his head down as he elaborated.

  “Yeah, you really shouldn’t have answered the question I asked you,” Higiruma sighed as he pointed out the absurdity of what he was suggesting.

  “...I just said I’m sorry.” Shinji turned back to look at Higiruma, frowning at the lack of reception his apology received.

  “...I was being sarcastic, Shinji. I don’t blame you for being someone’s relative; no one gets to choose their family.”

  “Oh… What exactly were you saying sorry for then?”

  “My initial reaction to… your admittance to being Sukuna’s sibling,” Higiruma answered the question stiffly, well aware of the inherent contradiction with what he had said mere moments prior.

  “Wha— You just said you didn’t blame me,” Shinji leaned in as his eyes narrowed, his face contorting into a scowl as he stared down Higiruma. The display of aggression caused Higiruma to flinch back, elaborating on what he meant after he took a deep breath.

  “I don’t, but when you first told me... I confess I was quite unnerved. I haven’t met Sukuna myself, just heard of some of the things he’s done since incarnating. So to hear he had a sibling was… quite the frightening development. I’m sorry I pushed my fear of him onto you; that wasn’t something you deserved.”

  It was an apology he never should have had to give. Because of this, Higituma felt awkward giving it. It was embarrassing to admit he had let such a childish thought process consume his mind, but it was better to confess to such a foolish mistake than let the damage caused by it fester. He learned such a lesson the hard way.

  “It’s rather bold of you to imply you know what I deserve, Higiruma,” Shinji gave a slight chuckle with his response, one Higiruma couldn’t help but note held a melancholic tone.

  “I’ve had a lot of experience in the field of judgment. I know better than to let one thing consume my entire perspective of someone…”

  ‘At least I do now.’ Higiruma trailed off before he could finish his sentence, realizing that adding words of pointless self-deprecation would only serve him. He had resolved himself to open his eyes to the truth of the world, to gaze unblinkingly at all the evil and filth that was that truth. Eventually he had become unable to see anything but those very evils when he looked about, regardless of whether or not they truly were present.

  He had been blinded by his desire to never look away.

  Without realizing it, he had gone back to being blinded for a brief moment. It was yet again even more proof of the kind of person Higiruma truly was. That person being—

  “You give me too much credit. Just because I’m not my begrudging brother doesn't mean I’m any better.”

  “... Have you considered you aren’t giving yourself enough credit? From what I’ve seen, you’re far from what one might call a bad person.”

  “I can assure you I’ve given myself plenty of that in regards to my actions,” Shinji grumbled.

  “... You shouldn’t condemn yourself. You’re far from having passed a point in which you can’t turn back from.”

  Shinji took pause as he tilted his head, examining Higiruma as the seconds ticked by.

  “If you think you’re past that point, then I’m screwed.” Shinji fell backward as his body collided with the rooftop, a short sigh exiting his mouth as he was collapsing.

  “You’re by no means screwed,” Higiruma stood up to look down on the laid-back boy as he made air quotes to half-heartedly mock his crude language.

  “But you think you are right? Screwed, I mean,” Shinji lifted his hands a few inches off the ground a few inches to make a similar gesture to the one Higiruma had performed.

  “I… I probably am, but that’s besides the poi—”

  “See, if you don’t have hope for yourself, then I am screwed. Royalty so actually.”

  “And why are you so obstinate about this if I might ask?”

  “Hmm…,” Shinji closed his eyes, humming in thought before he opened them again a few seconds later.

  “How many people have you killed?”

  Higiruma’s eyes widened at the question. Both from the suddenness with which he had asked and the casualness with which he had brought up such a thing. Shinji himself didn’t seem particularly interested in the answer; his head was laid back and his eyes were. The answer, of course, being—

  “Thirty-eight.”

  It was hard to forget the people who he had failed as their defender in court. It was even harder to forget those who he had served the role as executioner for. It was the same for those who Higiruma thought deserved death and those who certainly did not. He doubted their memories would ever leave his mind. Truthfully, Higiruma didn’t understand how anyone could ever forget such things—

  “That’s what I mean.”

  “Huh?”

  “The reason why I’m beyond help if you think you are?” Shinji opened his eyes and stared blankly towards the sky, not focusing on anything in particular.

  “... I’m afraid I don’t follow.”

  “Well, you just said you’ve killed thirty-eight people, yeah?”

  “... Yes, I have.”

  “That in of itself is proof of the difference between us,” Shinji folded his arms behind his head as he pronounced his answer with an air of confidence. Looking up at Higiruma, who continued to stare questioningly, Shinji let out a sigh.

  “Not only do you care enough to keep track of the lives you ended, you’re actually doing so. I’ve never bothered with things of the like; whenever I kill someone, I forget soon after. Their lives are inconsequential to me. If I was able to give a count of the people I’ve killed, it would be well above yours,” Shinji’s voice didn’t falter as he elaborated on his intentions; his calmness only served to unnerve Higiruma.

  “While both of us may have done things of equal magnitude, it’s our response to them that shows us how we differ. You’re a kind person who’s made some mistakes; I’m a monster whose existence in itself is a mistake.”

  Confessing to the sin that was his birth, the monster closed his eyes once more. Gazing at a blackness he had begun to accept was of similar constitution to his soul. He never held any disillusions about the kind of person he was, the kinds of things he had done. Only now did those heinous deeds begin to stand out when he was surrounded by people who hadn’t committed such acts.

  It was his desire to form a kinship with someone, to return to how things once were. But after thinking it over, he held no place in such a fantasy. It seemed absurd in hindsight that he ever thought he could contort himself into fitting into such a role. Yet he had attempted to anyway because he had sought the simple goal of being happy.

  Reaching for things you know you don’t deserve ought to be a person's right.

  If he didn’t work towards that selfish, undeserving goal, what else did he have left to long for? There was nothing left from the life he had lived; this new world was full of endless possibilities and people—all ones he knew he should stay far away from. Despite his awareness of the distance that should be put between him and everyone else, Shinji would defy this twisted yet just fate.

  Not letting Kenjaku win was of the highest priority; to ensure such a thing never came about, he would grant himself whatever things he was unbecoming of. It was a far easier fate than having to bear witness to his smug grin.

  “You’re a terrible liar,” Higiruma said bluntly.

  “Hmm?”

  Shinji opened his eyes at Higiruma’s statement, surprised by this turn of events. What was even more surprising to Shinji was the way his eyes lit ablaze with anger as he looked down on him.

  “You claim to not feel remorse, but you spoke of wanting to prevent me from killing that sorcerer we encountered yesterday. You understand that ending a life is wrong, even if you don’t care about the ones you end. I’m unsure why you’re clinging to the sentiment you’re a monster, but it seems quite flawed from my perspective.” Higiruma crossed his arms over his chest as he renounced Shinji’s claim.

  “Looking at it from your limited perspective may be the issue.” Shinji sat up and lay out on his stomach, his head hanging off the roof along with his arms.

  So what if he knew it was wrong? Didn’t that make it even worse? He had continued to slaughter for no reason other than he had been told to do so for years. Someone like that didn’t—

  “Looking at it from your perspective may be the issue. Sins can always be rectified. Even if they can never be undone,” Higiruma countered from Shinji’s flank. His voice carried to his ears despite the lack of eye contact, though he could hear his words waver.

  “No, I disagree.” Heaving his body up, Shinji finally stood. Facing Higiruma a few feet behind him, locking eyes with him.

  “I think real sins are the kinds you can never wash away.”

  He had come to this time to put the things he had done behind him. However, that had been an ultimately pointless endeavor; he couldn’t just forget about them—about her. He had been hopelessly naive; all the pain he caused would never leave Shini’s mind. It mattered not how far he ran from it.

  Higiruma didn’t have a response; he could only stare back blankly as he tried to formulate a response. Thankfully, Shinji didn’t need to allow him an opportunity to do so, as the perfect excuse was nearing.

  “There’s a player over there. I’ll go see what they want; you stay here in case they’re wrong.” Taking note of a white-haired sorcerer approaching the store from a few hundred feet away, Shinji took a few steps towards the roof's edge. It was hard to make out finer details, but it looked like there was a bird near them—probably related to their technique.

  “What? That’s impossible; I checked…”

  Higiruma walked forward to see the oncoming sorcerer himself. Whatever he had intended to say next was lost as he stared in shock at the sorcerer.

  “Kogane, who’s the last player who entered the colony?” Taking note of his reaction, Shinji sought to confirm the reality they were gazing upon.

  “You are,” confirming Higiruma’s doubt about this person's identity. It left both sorcerers more confused than before.

  “Is it possible there is a cursed spirit who just looks like a person?”

  Shinji shrugged as he offered up the only explanation he could think of for this person's unregistered presence.

  “Maybe… I’ve never seen anything like it, though. Then again, I’ve only been a sorcerer for a few weeks. My knowledge is far from what I would call refined.” Admitting to his own lack of reliability, Higiruma squinted his eyes to get a better view.

  “Well, they’re getting closer… I’ll go on and see what their deal is.” Addressing the mysterious person's shrinking distance, Shinji crouched down as he prepared to jump forward.

  “Alright… Shinji about what you said. I’m—”

  Whatever words he had intended to say were only heard by the wind as Shinji leapt forward, leaving naught but dust behind.

  Treading through the empty streets of the colony. They had to admit it was somewhat peaceful. On either side of them, empty buildings were the only things that could be found. There was nothing to see or hear aside from their own footsteps on the ground and the occasional noise the cursed spirit made—but they would soon rid themselves of that problem. There was only so much time left till they finally found it after all.

  Before the sorcerer could take another step, they noticed something in the sky coming towards them; someone seemed more appropriate at second glance. The individual was quite far up and rapidly descending towards them. Unsure how to treat the situation, they simply stood still and let them fall. The bird they had leashed was attempting to rip its shackle off all the while.

  After a few seconds, the person made it to the ground, landing a few dozen feet in front of them. Rubble and dust rose up from the site of impact; after it cleared, they were able to get a better look at the individual who served as the man-made missile. There wasn’t anything particular about their appearance, other then the oddity that he was only wearing a glove on his right hand and not his left.

  “Can I help you with something?” Calling out to the man, the sorcerer didn’t bother to conceal their displeasure at having been interrupted. The sooner they were able to leave, the better.

  “Just with someone's questions. How exactly did—”

  The boy gave up on what he was trying to say as the cursed spirit they held began making a considerable racket. Its struggle against its icy chain grew in ferocity as it desperately tried to move forward towards the boy. It began making a series of bird-like sounds as well, drowning out all other sounds.

  Its behavior left both sorcerers surprised. However, one was able to realize the source of its actions soon after. Experimentally, the sorcerer allowed its leash to extend a few feet; as expected, the bird moved a few more feet forward—towards the sorcerer before them.

  No longer having a use for the spirit, a series of icicles began to form from the collar around the bird. Piercing through its neck and causing it to freeze instantly. The cursed spirit fell to the ground with a crash as the ice that surrounded its corpse shattered on impact.

  “What… Why’d you—”

  “Give me the finger in your possession,” Interrupting his surprised response, the sorcerer made their demand.

  “... Who are you and why do you want it?”

  “My name is Uruame, and I intend to return it to its rightful owner. I ask that you hand it over before you’re without a choice in the matter; needless conflict is something I detest.”

  A tense silence filled the empty streets as the sorcerer before them debated his options. Reaching his decision after a few moments.

  “Sorry, but I’d prefer it if he didn’t have this.”

  “Frost calm.”

  Having heard his refusal of their generous offer, Uruame made the first move. Raising their arm as an ever-expanding wall of ice rushed forth. It filled the city street completely, reaching up to the building's heights as it grew. Despite its size, it moved at a frightening speed, overtaking the sorcerer who held the finger before they had an opportunity to react. They would give it a few minutes before dispelling the glacier, enough time to ensure he had—

  The sheet of ice they had created suddenly was diced into thousands of small chunks, all falling down towards the ground. The sound of the ice splitting filled the quiet colony, echoing between the buildings and morphing into what could only be called a bom. Looking through the falling icey debris, Uruame could see the sorcerer who they thought had been consumed. His right hand was outstretched, seemingly having annihilated their attack with a mere touch.

  Suddenly the sorcerer ran through the empty street, crossing through the terrain even quicker than the ice had. In the blink of an eye they were in front of Uruame, his fist crashing into their torso. Rather than blocking the blow Uruame grabbed his arm, coating it in a layer of ice before they were sent sailing backwards through the air from the impact. A dull sense of pain flared in their chest, one that grew even duller as they healed whatever minor damage they had sustained.

  Before reaching the ground a layer of ice covered the pavement, causing the sorcerer to glide across it. Increasing the distance between them and their opponent, one who seemed un-bothered by their frozen limb. His left arm hung limp at his side, covered completely in ice from the elbow down. The sorcerer brought his unfrozen hand over the sheet of ice, shattering it on contact. Steam began to rise from the unfrozen body part as it began healing. The man simply smiled as he flexed the still healing arm in front of him.

  “Thanks Uruame.”

  Uruame could only stare in confusion as the sorcerer offered thanks. A wide grin sprouted on his face as he raised his arms up in a fighting posture.

  “I really needed this,” admitting to his selfish goals, the man charged forth—intent on spilling blood.