Pax slowly rises to his feet, his towering figure casting a shadow over Elysia. She can’t help but feel a shiver down her spine as if she’s facing a gorilla in the wild. His soft golden eyes and brunette hair only add to the mystery of his presence. The tension in the air is palpable, so thick you could cut it with a knife, as Elysia meets his gaze. Pax finally breaks the deadlock, his voice cutting through the silence like a sharp blade.
[Pax: Lila, Kai, and Leo. It’s getting late. You guys need to head to bed now.]
The kids give a slight [Ahhh] before relenting to Pax’s request. Pax looks satisfied before turning to Mira. [I’ll deal with this.] Before motioning for Elysia to come outside. Elysia follows Pax outside as he slowly turns to her. His golden eyes seem to glow in the dark of the slums, radiating something more than dislike and less than hatred. Pax quickly puts up a smile, but Elysia can’t shake off the feeling of mystery that surrounds him.
[Pax: What would the great King Valerian want with someone like me from the slums? I trust I did nothing wrong?]
Elysia decides to change her tone to a more welcoming one—Elysia then explains the whole situation. Pax just laughs. Elysia gets a little infuriated.
[Elysia: What’s so funny?]
[Pax: I don’t know who you think you can trick with this excuse, noble. I don’t know why you want me to come to the capital, but I’m not going anywhere. Especially with a noblewoman.]
Pax’s prompt response left Elysia speechless. She knew about his distrust of nobles, but he was barely willing to talk. Hell, for a moment, she was sure he just wanted to straight up kill her. Luckily, she had a trick up her sleeve. Elysia immediately regains composure and says with a smile.
[Does Hector Grimwood still live around here?]
The silence was deafening. Pax had the face of a deer in headlights. Pax quickly questions with an agitated voice.
[Pax: How do you know old man Hector?!?]
[Elysia: I used to live around here. A long time ago. I think it was up until I was around 12. So13 years ago.]
Pax’s face was in shock until he pieced the story together.
[Pax: Don’t fucking tell me? You have forsaken your noble lineage in order to live in the slums?!?]
This, indeed, was the truth of the 25-year-old Elysia Marywood. When Elysia was 5, she publicly threw away her noble lineage in one of the most contentious events in recent history. She went to live with a lower-class family until the age of twenty. At twenty, King Valerian very controversially picked her as his head of relations after the death of the last one 13 years ago.
Elysia gives a weary smile.
[Elysia: Well, not the slums. Just lower class.] She clarifies.
Pax, still surprised, grabs her hand. Elysia lets out a surprised yelp as Pax tells her [We need to go to old man Hector’s place right now!] Then he runs her all the way to a wooden shack out in the slums.
[Pax: This is old man Hector’s place. He taught me how to fight. I couldn’t be more thankful.]
Pax says with admiration brimming out of him. Elysia can’t help but wonder where his hostility toward nobles came from. Pax knocks on the door.
[???: SHUT UP!!!]
A small old man opens the door. This man is Hector Grimwood. Hector Grimwood is a seasoned veteran who once served in King Valerian’s army. After retiring from his military career, he chose to live in the Iron Quarter to be close to the people and to make a difference in their lives. Hector has seen many battles and carries the wisdom of years spent on the front lines. His decision to live in the slums is driven by his desire to impart his knowledge and skills to those who need them most.
Pax quickly jumps at Hector in order to hug him. Hector quickly dodges and wacks Pax into the ground. Ignoring the giant, he looks over at the woman before him.
[Hector: Oh! Elysia, my favorite student, Welcome back!]
Pax looks up in confusion and says weakly [Student???].
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After about 20 minutes, everyone sits around a fireplace outside. Hector explains that he took in Elysia after her parents disowned her. He trained and imparted all his fighting knowledge to Elysia before she found a foster family.
[Pax: Wow… I can’t believe we have the same master. I must apologize for my rudeness earlier.] Pax says dejectedly.
Elysia responds with a simple [It’s fine.]
[Hector: Yeah, you better apologize. She was an infinitely better student than you. She actually listened and learned. The first time as well.]
Hector was talking like a proud parent despite being in his 70s. Pax just sighed. Pax then excitedly states.
[Pax: Let’s go drink at the bar! The tab is on me!]
Hector quickly responded with a sharp [I’m too old to go drinking, Fool!] Hector proceeds to kick them both out. Pax looks at Elysia with puppy eyes. She almost instantly relents.
[Elysia: I guess a few drinks won’t hurt…]
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Elysia is completely drunk at the bar and slams the table while saying [More drinks!] Pax just looks at her in disappointment.
[Pax: Geez, You really can’t take alcohol. This bill is going to crush me!] Pax scratches at his head anxiously. Elysia looks at him.
[Elysia: H-Hoh dou you even pray for all thus?] Elysia is slurring her words. Pax has friends like this so that he can understand her.
[Pax: I help out the local community with building and fighting off monsters. I don’t want payment, but they insisted.]
[Elysia: Oh~ Yoh ar pretty pupulor I gwess.]
[Pax: You can say that.] Pax looks up and sees it’s dead of night.
*Pax: Shit it’s late. I better take her back to the carriage.*
Pax grabs Elysia’s hand and starts to lead her back to where she was originally dropped off. However, as they get closer, a group of thugs stop them.
A man walks forward.
[???: Hey! Pax! Seeing you out here with a drunk noblewoman is rich! Haha! I know how much you loathe nobles. Let me and my boys take this one off your hands!]
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One of the men approaches the drunken Elysia and reaches out for her. Smash
Pax suddenly punches the man on the side of his head so hard he flies into a building.
The leader just smiles.
[???: Woah there, Pax! Don’t want another murder charge, do you?] The man says with laughter accompanying it.
[Pax: Shut it, Fin.]
Elysia looks up at Pax as she starts to sober up. She puts her hand on her head.
[Elysia: Are these your friends?]
Pax just looks at Fin with a deadpan stare.
[Pax: Quite the opposite.]
Elsia proceeds to look at the man named Fin. He is of an average build, with yellow hair and blue eyes. His smile seems like he knows something. Fin has a dagger in his hand, and he is flipping around casually.
[Fin: Come on, hand her over. You don’t want anyone to find out about how you sacrificed your parents? Don’t you?]
With surprise, Elysia quickly turns to look at Pax. *Elysia: What the hell?!?*
Pax is breathing heavily, and anger veins start appearing on his face. His eyes glow, and he seems to begin manifesting power. Elysia quickly puts her hand in front of him. He just looks at her with a desperate stare.
[Elysia: I will question you thoroughly, but for now, I think I need to interrogate some thugs.]
Elysia walks forward as a crowd of thugs surround her. Pax tries to move, but he can’t.
[Fin: Nice job giving yourself up, girlie! Now-]
Suddenly, a bunch of red crystals appear near every thug. Fin looks at Elysia. Elysia smiles.
[Elysia: This is my esper ability! Jewel magic, ruby explosion!] Elysia makes a hand sign. Boom!
All the crystals explode. Knocking out all of the thugs. Fin starts to make his way up to his feat weakly.
*Fin: She was an esper?!? What the hell?!?*
Before he can think any more, a fist slams him into the ground. Pax slams his fist again; however, Elysia stops him.
[Elysia: He is already knocked out.]
Pax looks down. It only took one hit. Fin was no longer moving.
[Elysia: Now tell me. What was he talking about?]
Pax sits down. He starts with an introduction of his parents.
[Pax: My dad’s name was Garrick, and my mom’s name was Liora. They were both great people in my life. My dad instilled in me my tough nature, while my mom guided my personality to be kinder. We lived an everyday middle-class life.]
Elysia looks up.
[Elysia: Garrick…Stone? You mean one of the Heros of the War of Shadows?!?!]
Pax just looks solemnly.
[Pax: Yeah, the bloody war of shadows. Fought between Aranthia and The Dominion of Umbra.]
Elysia looks worried.
[Elysia: Doesn’t that mean you are the son of the man who-]
Before finishing her sentence, Pax quickly stands up and yells [It was false!!!] Elysia just looks on.
[Pax: Those noble bastards didn’t like the sound of “Hero from the slums.” So they fabricated an allegation that my dad killed one of King Valerian’s royal guards. My dad got arrested, and King Valerian pardoned him from a murder charge. However, our life was never the same. Dad couldn’t find a job, and my mom was shut out of all her communities. No one wanted such a dangerous man working for them. Naturally, that extended to me as well, as the child of a man called a demon. After a while, we had no money left. We were forced into the slums. This was when I was ten.]
Pax clutches his fist.
[Pax: Two years later, I turned 12. My family’s situation kept deteriorating not long after we had nothing. Living in a wooden hut with no food. We were on the brink of starvation. When it happened…]
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Inside a run-down wooden hut. A little twelve-year-old can barely stand to his feat, nearly skin and bones. He crawls over to his mother, who is weakly sitting at a table. She looks at Pax.
[Liora: Oh? Awake early?]
A man walks through the doors. His determination is the only thing keeping him standing.
[Liora: Anything?] She said in a weak voice. The father just looks at her with tears welling up in his eyes. He slams his fist on the ground as the woman goes to comfort him.
[Garrick: Why did everything have to turn out this way?] Garrick says while sobbing. He looks up to see his child, Pax. [I’m sorry! You shouldn’t have to go through this!] Garrick is still on the ground when a voice makes itself known.
[Want a way out?] Garrick and Liora immediately stop as this almost ethereal voice penetrates their head. It was soft and sounded alien at the same time.
Time seemed to stop, and the colors of the world inverted for everyone except the three. A giant portal appeared, and something started to come out.
It was a massive, monstrous entity wearing a purple cloak with four arms, one pair being much larger than the other pair, and two wing-like protrusions on either side of its bulbous head with a single eye nestled in its mouth. It wears golden bracelets on its smaller arms and rings with eyeballs on each of its fingers. Its wing-like structures host dozens of eyeballs that spiral around randomly. The color of the entity was an alien-like blue. Garrick just looked at the thing.
[Garrick: What the hell are you?]
The entity seemed to laugh as it started to talk.
[My name is Riga. I am responsible for giving negations to people. Surely you have heard of them?]
[Garrick: Negations? I fought someone with one. The power to negate an entire concept. It is truly a terrifying ability. What the hell do you want with us.]
The entity is amused and keeps entertaining the conversation.
[Riga: See, I have come to make a deal. I used to be real, like you guys. However, someone defeated me and relegated me into this false realm we are in. I wish to defeat him. My power isn’t enough, so I need a vessel. I give out negation abilities in the first place in order to see who has the potential to become my new vessel.]
Garrick gets right to the point.
[Garrick: What the hell does this have to do with us?!?]
The entity gets closer to Garrick.
[Riga: Simply put, all three of you have the potential to become my vessel. So, let’s make a deal! One of you guys will gain great power and become my host…]
Garrick states the obvious. Pax is hiding in the corner, unable to stop the shaking or move.
[Garrick: What is in it for you?]
[Riga: Hahaha! You really are right to the point! In return, I will need the souls of everyone close to you!] The entity gets a horrid smile on its face. [You see. In order for my power to manifest in vessels of your quality. A tragedy needs to occur. This is the price that needs to be paid.]
[Garrick: If we decline?]
[Riga: Simple, I will leave, and all three of you will starve to death. Don’t you want at least one of you to survive? With my power, that is possible. Let me sweeten the deal. I will give you the strongest negation I hold as well.]
Riga puts out his hand. Garrick looks to Liora and thinks. They know what has to be done. Garrick takes Riga’s hand.
[Riga: So, Hero of the slums, you will take my power?]
Garrick points to Pax and smiles.
[Garrick: Not me, my son. Is that satisfactory?]
Riga looks over at Pax. He then smiles.
[Riga: This works out in my favor. His compatibility with me is insane. Let me revise the deal. For him, only two sacrifices are needed. You can guess who.]
Pax wants to interrupt to stop this deal. However, he is paralyzed with fear and still can’t move.
[Garrick: Will my son live?]
[Riga: I won’t let him die until my revenge is complete.]
[Garrick: Then it’s a deal!]
Garrick and Liora look over to Pax.
[Garrick: We are going to go ahead a little. Make sure to keep living…]
A bright light envelops the room. Everything is covered. When the light fades, Garrick and Liora lie on the ground. Pax’s body is in a healthy state again as he runs and holds his parents’ lifeless bodies. Tears start to form in his eyes.
[Pax: Why… Why is life so…]
『Unfair』
After this moment, Pax was filled with rage, specifically at the nobles who had put his family in this position. For the next three years, Pax hunted down and killed nobles left and right. During this time, he killed another negation user.
When he was fifteen, he ran into a girl with light brown hair and green eyes. Pax knew she was a noble and attacked her, but he was easily defeated.
[Mira: Geez. Garrick told me to take care of his child if anything happened to him as a favor from our war days. I didn’t think you would cause this much chaos, though. My name is Mira Thorne]
The rest was history.
—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the present, Elysia can barely stop herself from crying after hearing his story.
[Pax: Mira Thorne took care of me and moved to the slums. Just like you, she revoked her noble lineage to take care of me in secret.]
*Elysia: Thorne? Is Mira related to Sarah in any way?*
Putting away her thoughts. Elysia walks up to him. She cups his hands and looks at him directly in the eyes.
[Elysia: How long are you going to let this hold you back?]
Pax immediately looks up at her.
[Elysia: You want to help others, don’t you? If you stay here, all you will be helping is yourself. When your parents sacrificed themselves for you, they wanted you to live a better life! Your parents didn’t save you so that you can waste away in the slums like before! Now, you have a chance at saving the world that your parents wanted you to thrive in! Are you going to take it?] She pleads as she stares into Pax’s soul.
Pax averts his eyes.
[Pax: Geez, mayb-.]
Suddenly, Pax gets thrown into a wall.
『Analysing』
Elysia looks around to see Fin standing there.
[Fin: I never revealed my ability! Special Barrier Constructs. I remade my skull with my unbreakable barriers!]
Fin grabs Elysia and creates a barrier around them.
[Fin: Now I will kill you!]
He starts to create a barrier around her throat when… Crack.
Elysia is surprised as Pax breaks through the barrier and punches Fin in the face.
『Unstoppable』
The barrier making up Fin’s skull breaks to pieces, and Fin is sent through multiple buildings.
『Analysis Complete. Perfect Barrier copied.』
Pax looks over at Elysia.
[Pax: Fine! I’ll join you damn smooth talker!]
