Fate´s Bloody Path

The bar was filled with a heavy, dense atmosphere. The female creatures moved with a grace that put me on edge, their touches provoking sensations I couldn’t control. The feline woman who had taken my hand slowly slid my fingers along her waist, her warm skin igniting something in me that I didn’t want to admit.

My heart was racing, and though I tried to keep my composure, every one of her gestures, every whisper seemed designed to break my resistance. Her smile was mischievous, her half-closed eyes telling me more than anyone could express with words.

"Relax," she murmured softly, bringing her face closer to mine.

I felt her warm breath on my skin, and for a moment, my mind went blank. I thought of my Selene, trying to stay firm, but the closeness of this woman, and the way she moved as if every step was part of a carefully crafted plan, made everything else fade away.

Grimmor, from his seat, watched with an almost imperceptible smile. I knew this wasn’t just a celebration; it was a test. A test to see how much I could resist before I gave in completely. I tried to find a way out, but every time I attempted it, one of the women would find a way to draw me back in with a touch, a whisper, or a glance that ignited something inside me.

"Come," said the feline woman, gently pulling my hand towards a darker corner of the bar. Her movements were slow, as if she knew exactly what she was doing. I tried to resist, but my treacherous body followed her almost without thinking.

The dark corner enveloped us, and the noise of the bar faded into the background. The woman pressed closer, her body against mine, and at that moment, all the tension focused on the small space between us.

Her hands slid up my arms, her fingers playing with my clothes as her lips curled into a smile that promised more than I could resist.

I couldn’t deny it anymore. Every part of me was ready to give in, and when her lips finally met mine, I knew I had crossed a line from which there would be no return.

We kissed, at first with restrained intensity, but soon the passion took over. My body responded to hers without me being able to stop it. Every touch, every caress lit a fire that I didn’t know how to extinguish.

The alcohol in my blood began to take effect, clouding my judgment. That’s when another woman, this time human, approached. She watched us for a moment with a knowing smile before taking our hands and leading us to a more private room in the back of the bar.

The room was dark, barely illuminated by a few candles. They led us to a large, comfortable bed. There were no words, only the language of bodies speaking for themselves. What followed was inevitable. The tension I had felt all night was released in a wave of uncontrollable passion.

I let myself go, thinking only of the warmth of their bodies, the urgency of kisses and caresses that didn’t stop until I found myself lost in the abyss I had feared I wouldn’t return from.

The next day, I woke up in the same room where I had spent the night. The light filtering through the curtains was dim, just enough to reveal the chaos of the previous night. My head pounded, punishing me for the excess alcohol I had consumed.

I looked around—the women had already left.

As the fog in my mind began to clear, a deep sense of guilt settled in my chest, wrapping me in a feeling of emptiness I couldn’t ignore. I wondered if what had happened last night could have been avoided. The memories came back in fragments, each more disturbing than the last.

The remorse crushed me, making me feel like I had betrayed my beloved. After all, I was in this world for her, and now I had succumbed to the temptations of a completely foreign place—temptations I had never fallen into before.

I got up, wobbling slightly, and began to get dressed. Each piece of clothing I put on was an effort to leave behind any trace of what had happened.

As I buttoned my shirt, I muttered to myself, “What a disappointment you turned out to be, Darius.”

I took the new sword and strapped it to my waist, the one Grimmor had given me. I couldn’t help but feel the cold metal against my skin.

If Grimmor was going to use me, I would use him too. I knew he would surely send me to hone my skills today, and I was certain it wouldn’t be easy.

I left the room, leaving behind any trace of the previous night. As I descended the stairs, the bar's air hit me, making me feel nauseous. When I reached the counter, a lizard was waiting for me in silence, its gaze fixed on me.

Without saying a word, the lizard signaled for me to follow. I didn’t bother asking where we were going. I knew my fate was already sealed, and there would be no turning back.

I followed the lizard through the town’s streets, still feeling the weight of the hangover in my head. The sounds of the environment rattled in my skull, but I forced myself to focus on what was coming. As we progressed, the atmosphere became darker. The buildings were old and run-down, and the place was almost deserted.

The lizard led me to a part of the town I hadn’t explored before. Here, the people were sparse, and the silence was more noticeable. We stopped in front of a building that seemed insignificant from the outside. There were no clear signs of what it was, but the place exuded a sense of control and surveillance.

The entrance was guarded by two imposing figures who watched us without saying a word. It was clear that access was restricted to a select few. This place was different from the others I had seen, and that only piqued my curiosity further.

We entered what looked like a reception area. The room was simple, with stone walls and a counter at the back. The place was dimly lit, making it feel even more closed off. Behind the counter, a humanoid creature watched me attentively.

I couldn’t identify it at first, but what surprised me the most was the respectful greeting. Its voice was soft and controlled. “Welcome, I am Loran,” it said calmly. “A demi-human at the service of this place.”

Its tone was polite, which surprised me. After everything I had experienced in this world, I didn’t expect to meet someone so courteous. I observed Loran, trying to understand his intentions, but I couldn’t decipher anything. The formality of his greeting made me doubt.

Loran offered us both water, which I gratefully accepted. It would help with the hangover still pounding in my head. The lizard, however, only looked at Loran with disdain and refused the water without a word. His attitude didn’t surprise me but was no less irritating.

Loran, still smiling, asked if I was ready. “Ready for what?” I replied, still a bit confused. “To hone your skills, of course,” Loran answered, clear excitement reflected on his face. His enthusiasm surprised me, but I responded hesitantly that I was.

He gestured for me to follow him to the room on the side. When we entered, I discovered a space much larger than I expected. A circular arena surrounded by stone walls stretched before me. The place seemed specifically designed for training. I already had an idea of what awaited me.

Loran showed me the entrance to the arena and positioned himself outside the walls, from where he could see everything that would happen. To my relief, the lizard didn’t enter with me. I knew I wouldn’t stand a chance against him in a fight.

From atop the walls, Loran shouted that I wasn’t allowed to use my sword, so I had to discard it. Confused, I obeyed and threw it to the side.

As soon as I did, I noticed that from the opposite end, another creature appeared through an entrance. Upon closer observation, I realized it was another demi-human, but this one had the build of a warrior.

As the new creature approached the center of the arena, I slapped myself a few times to wake up. I knew I had to be ready for what was coming. Loran, with excitement, gave the final instruction: I had to defeat the demi-human. The fight would only stop when one of us couldn’t continue.

Adrenaline began to course through my body at Loran’s words. My opponent was practically the same height as me, which gave me a slight sense of equality. However, I didn’t trust it for a moment. When Loran gave the signal, the fight began.

My movements were clumsy, doubting every step I took. The demi-human, on the other hand, moved with a precision that startled me. His blows, while not as powerful as the lizard’s, were accurate. He attacked sensitive areas, weakening me little by little.

Every hit I took made me retreat. I felt the fatigue building in my muscles, and my breathing grew heavier. As the fight went on, my strength was fading. I tried to stay on my feet, but the blows to my ribs and legs were becoming too much. I knew I couldn’t last much longer.

Finally, my legs gave out, and I collapsed to the ground, unable to continue. From the top of the walls, Loran watched me intently. He gave a signal to stop the fight and descended into the arena, bringing a glass of water.

"Take a break," he said, offering me the water. I accepted it without hesitation, feeling the refreshing liquid soothe my dry throat.

"From up here, it looked like you were hesitating a lot," Loran commented with a smile. "Relax and let your movements flow. Don’t overthink it, let your body do what it knows how to do."

I nodded, trying to process his words. I stayed silent for a moment, attempting to calm my mind and find a new focus.

The break ended, and I got up for the next round. This time, I closed my eyes for a moment and concentrated on what Loran had said. I felt a familiar energy—the mana I had obtained from the sword Eldrek had shown me. Suddenly, an unexpected calm washed over me, and I knew something had changed.

When the fight resumed, I moved with new determination. My steps were firmer, my movements more fluid. The demi-human noticed the change, and for a moment, I saw surprise in his eyes. It was as if I was no longer the same person who had started the fight.

The pace of the battle shifted. For the first time, I was the one dictating the rhythm. I found an opening in his defense, a brief moment when he let his guard down, and I didn’t hesitate. My fist struck his abdomen hard, and the demi-human fell to his knees, gasping from the pain.

I stood there, staring at my hands, unable to believe what I had just done. I noticed subtle black sparks and wondered, What the hell is this? These movements weren’t something I had learned anywhere. I reflected for a moment, wondering if the mana from the sword had activated some memory from the past, something my body had forgotten but now resurfaced with clarity.

From above, Loran clapped excitedly, cheering for the fight with shouts of encouragement. I looked at him, and without realizing it, a smile spread across my face. The adrenaline and excitement of the moment made me forget the pain and fatigue for a brief time.

I extended a hand to the demi-human, who was still on his knees. He looked at me, hesitating only for a moment before taking it. I helped him to his feet, and he smiled at me, clearly surprised. "You’ve impressed me. Are you up for more?" he asked, with a gleam of challenge in his eyes.

I returned his smile, feeling the adrenaline pumping through my veins. "Of course," I responded, ready for whatever came next.

Loran, filled with excitement, encouraged the demi-human to include magic in his movements. "Come on! Show us what you can do with magic."

I froze when I heard that word.

"Magic?" I repeated out loud, unable to believe it. Until that moment, I hadn’t seen any evidence that magic truly existed in this world. I wondered aloud if this was all possible, if magic was real, or just another trick.

The demi-human cracked his neck from side to side, as if preparing. Then, with a confident smile, he showed that he was ready to continue. Without giving me time to think, the fight resumed, but this time, it was different.

The demi-human extended his hand, and suddenly, a faint current of energy filled the air. A bluish light appeared around his fist, and before I could react, he launched a burst of energy that hit me hard.

It wasn’t devastating magic, but powerful enough to put me in a tight spot.

Every move he made, every attack he launched, was now accompanied by flashes of magic. My attempts to counter him became more difficult. The fight grew more balanced, with both of us battling without yielding an inch. I felt the exhaustion building in my body, but I forced myself to keep going.

The fight dragged on for a long time. Neither of us was giving up, and every second that passed, the battle grew more intense. However, with each blow, the fatigue and the damage caused by his magic started to take their toll. I knew I couldn’t continue for much longer.

Finally, I raised my hand, signaling that I couldn’t go on. The pain and exhaustion had overtaken me. The demi-human stopped his attack and approached, offering me his hand. I took it gratefully, and we shook hands as a sign of respect.

"My name is Kael," said the demi-human with a friendly smile. "I hope we can train together again."

"I’m Darius," I replied, returning his smile. "And yes, I’d like to continue training with you."

We bowed our heads in farewell, and I left the arena accompanied by Loran. He couldn’t contain his excitement. "That was incredible! I really enjoyed watching that fight," he exclaimed enthusiastically.

As we left, the lizard was waiting for me. Without wasting any time, he said in a serious tone, "Be ready for tomorrow. We will continue."

It was already nighttime, and fatigue was taking over me. I decided to return to my inn—even if it was a miserable place, it would serve to let me rest. I needed to recover my strength for the next day.