Requiem Of A Failed Hero

Raith could vividly remember the first day he came here. What particularly made him stay was because the vicious asura said he was going to teach him everything about combat.

Over two years now, he had not taught not even a damn thing.

Raith sat down, his finger crossed. His messed up hair and dirty face made his serious demeanor look like an expensive joke.

This was it. He was not going to make the asura take advantage of him anymore.

'How does one even take these off?'

He inspected around the weight manacles. There was no marking where it can be opened.

'How strange. I've had these on all these while and I've never thought of removing it.'

Raith had gotten so used to the manacles that he sometimes forget they were there.

As he was inspecting it, the asura appeared before him. Immediately, Raith shot up with a stern glare.

"What?"

Thard - Harl grimaced.

"Master. I greet you!"

With the same speed he had used to swing up with, he grovelled at the feet of the asura.

"Yes?"

"You made a promise to teach me sir!"

"And I haven't?"

The asura slowly dragged out the chair tucked beneath the table and sat on it. Today he was wearing a black ancient eastern-styled attire. V - necked and a belt tying his waist. He also packed his hair to the back.

He showed up looking different a lot of times. But these one caught Raith's fancy because he remembered seeing it on TV a lot of times back in Korea.

"You have sir! You have been imparting your knowledge in me. I have just been very… anxious these days." His voice went low as he responded.

"Hmmm… why are you lying?"

The asura looked into his eyes, arching a brow.

'This bastard. What the hell does he want? I should say the truth so you can smack the fuck out of me?'

A cunning smile parted Thard - Harl's lips.

"You have changed since you came here. But you seem to never forget that I can read your mind"

"Fuck"

Raith said underneath his breath. He lowered his head and bit his lips.

"I'm sorry."

"You have become more docile and obedient compared to when you came here. I don't care what fangs you bare at me. As long as you are not able to reveal them within the period of this teaching."

He paused and looked at Raith with a hint of pity. Raith's head was bowed so he did not see it.

"I need you to be utterly obedient and submissive while I will be teaching you my combat style."

"Yes sir." Raith retorted.

"Then... I will start with a few explanations for you."

He crossed a leg over the other as he began.

"The crucial part of this training will he possible because you are a player. Do you know what it means to be a player?"

"No…" Raith slightly shook his head.

Thard - Harl pierced his harrowing gaze at him before continuing. It was as if he was desperately in search of any hint of rebellion in the young lad. So, he could beat the shit out of him.

"To put it in all simplicity. To be a player is to be a play thing for the primordials."

He continued.

"The concept of players was a power system created by the six original primordials. Hexallodon: Crown of the Conqueror. Sytheail the Banished Spear. Unflaming one of Asgaroth, World Shaper, Sea Dweller, Chaos Of the Dawn and The Forsaken Star."

Raith's eyes widened.

The asura sneered at his expression.

"What is that?"

"I'm sorry… is that their names?"

"Names? Primordials are not subjected to such servile concepts."

"Then? Crown of the Conqueror is supposed to be like a title?"

"More or less. What we know of the primordials are only messages that have been passed on by gods and higher races. As far as my knowledge is concerned no being lesser than an angel has ever feasted their eyes on even the silhouette of the least of them."

"I see… Apart from these seven primordials, are they other ones?"

"There are two. The Abyss and Broken Moon."

Raith's eyes narrowed at the mention of the abyss.

"For some reason Broken Moon sounds sad. If they were referred to according to messages told of them by angels and gods, does this mean the two of them are sort of some bad egg. Although Forsaken Star does sound the same too."

The asura's gaze drifted off... more like they grew distant in thoughts.

'Don't tell me he had never thought about it before?'

"Anyways! The primordials were bored and decided to create a power system. When a being enters these power system there is a particular feature that is open to them. Very rare and is unlike anything anyone has ever seen…"

He paused, adding tension to the air. Raith gulped in expectancy.

"They can choose a sponsor."

"A sponsor?"

"God's, arch - angels, even primordials can decide to be your sponsor. And when they do become your sponsor. They can bless you with powerful skills, arts or even reward you in ways that will break your physical limits. Players are ten times stronger than just anyone and that is why every being wants to be a player."

He stood up, crossing his hands behind his back.

"But the prerequisites to being a player are unknown. Which is why I will ask you." He slowly moved closer to Raith, his harrowing gaze aiming to unravel something.

"...how did you become a player?"

"I am not sure about the details but I was at the verge of giving up and then I didn't want to give up and then I almost died and somehow I became a player in the process. Not like it did me any good afterwards though."

The asura rubbed his desert chin. His eyes focused.

"Hmmm…."

After a while he returned his eyes to Raith.

"Players are obliged to do two things. Receive quests or hunt for bounties. It is always a hassle receiving quests. Most players just go ahead and hunt for bounties. There are also exclusive events like the Players Tournament and Unified Dimensional Rankings."

They were all terms that sounded interesting to Raith's ears but at the same time, a slight chill of fear crept into his heart.

He had thought the rulers and other beings were what he had to be worried about all these while. Looks like players are going to be more headache.

Plus, the way this conversation was going. Raith subtly suspected where Thard - Harl was driving towards.

"The Players Tournament is an event organized by the seven primordials. All players across whatever dimension gather and engage in three stages of games, reaping several astonishing rewards. The latter is a ranking event, where players are consistently challenged. Once defeated they lose their place on the ranking while the challenger gains the place. It comes with a lot of pros and cons."

"Okay sir?"

The asura folded his arm.

"And starting today… you shall resume full time into the player community. I have our first bounty."

He revealed an antique paper to Raith.

'Oh dammit!'