Vengeance of the Returner

A surprise attack paved a path for both Nix and Waltner akin. And this is something that's bound and prewritten by destiny. The one who wins will change the tide of war. An easy, sure-fire kill for both sides.

As though Waltner had already seen the ending a smile bloomed on his face. A smile of relief, a smile that contained sorrow one wouldn't able to predict what was really in his mind unless he utters his feelings but, for some reason, Nix sensed sorrow in the edge of the blade that was approaching him while Nix's had nothingness. 

Nix's mind was blank at that point. His sword didn't carry a purpose or passion. IT was an empty blade that didn't carry any emotion. Unlike most people's expectations, none died as their swords collided.

The huge repulsive wave transferred a shiver down the spines of the spectators. Surmise one was to fight these two deadly men they'd surely die akin to any other human regardless of their race.

Nix was never such skillful but his ability was something similar to that of a mirror. When he was made to face someone with huge potential his' rises to match them by covering the parts he lacked and Waltner's abilities were something rivaling his own private abilities.

[Private ability: Nova manifestation activated]

At that point, Nix didn't have a choice but to activate it. Though he had drawn his sword halfway out the ability is a pinnacle of a vagabond who once was living in vain with a heart filled with despair.

In a second the sword gained emotions. The most powerful of them all, A sword of Revenge and wrath. The Vengeful sword.

The immediate rise in pressure made the soldiers around him stun in their places. 

Slash!

A single clean cut passed through as the men crossed by.

"Ahh!"

Nix growled and touched his gut that was spraying blood. He had lost.

Waltner looked at Nix and placed his sword in his sheath wearing no expression on his face. 

"Yes!" "We have won!"

Some of the Outlaws that Noticed Nix falling on his knee yelled in the joy of victory.

"What?"

Sonali uttered and most of the members were baffled. If he was defeated then there sure is no hope.

One should stay silent until they are sure of their victory. From everyone else Waltner clearly knew this which was why he didn't utter a word.

Once again the infamous vagabond of the past stood up emanating a vicious red aura that held vengeance.

In that mere instant, Nix knocked Waltner down using his sword hilt and nothing more. An attack that contained no intention of killing.

"You've won huh?"

Waltner asked falling in Nix's hand.

The dual emotion of both Nix and Dark Nix, for some reason, coexisted when he faced Waltner. This gave a clue that Waltner was an ally of Dark Nix in the past as well. No matter what the clue is there is no use when it comes to finding out a past that would never happen. But, Waltner was certainly a good man who was made to choose the path he never liked.

"Kill me Nix..."

Waltner asked with a warm smile.

***

Twenty years ago,

"Dad, What'd you like to have?"

Asked a young man possessing a smile. 

His hair was dark and shiny and his body was lean and quite average in height. Someone extremely similar to Nix who just entered Ranrak after Transmigration. Next to him was his mother and opposite him was the buff bald man with a smile.

"Honey, can't you just order what you want?"

His wife asked.

The family was in a local restaurant and their son had brought them there to buy them food for his first-month salary. 

They were a mediocre family who lived quite a hard life that lacked luxury at the same time they did not suffer much. Though they did crave a relaxing life escaping from the 9-5 rat race.

Their son had become a lawyer after all the troublesome things he had to go through. He had never really asked for his parent's help. He solved his problems since his a child on his own, a very talented independent lad who loved his family.

At first glance, anyone could say it was a fulfilled joyous occasion to the family until a catastrophe befell on them.

"Everyone hands behind your head!"

A man wearing a black mask and hoodie said kicking open the door accompanied by two men possessing shotguns and a sack.

The son stood up and said stretching his hand.

"Hey! Hey! Please stop!"

"You! Fucker! On your knees!"

The man yelled and attacked him with a shotgun with a thrust.

"You fucker!"

Waltner shot up and kicked him.

In the next moment he saw a hole in his chest and the next second his wife cried out trying to pull the gun and got shot.

Seeing his parents lying dead. The son got angered. He was a professional fighter in Taek won do. He began kicking the people and killed two men and finally got himself shot by the remaining one.

"Hah! Hah!"

The young man closed his eyes panting heavily and blinked his eyes four to five times as his vision faded. Within the very next moment, he found himself lying in a different terrain accompanied by his parents.

"Dad?"

He uttered.

"Haha, was that some shitty dream?"

Waltner asked after laughing and noticed a hole in his shirt.

"Probably not."

His son shrugged.

"Eddie! Waltner..."

His mother hugged both of them.

In that instant, they didn't question where they were and or anything else. All they cared about was being alive and grateful to that thought.

In that instant, a message appeared. 

[Welcome to the forest of scrutiny]

[Confront your fate: Kill the men that killed you]

The messages appeared akin to everyone in from of them.

Empyrean is a strange world. A world that was bound by destiny and fate. One that has been prewritten.

They all jumped in a startle upon noticing the three masked men appearing before them.

"Hasina, Eddie... Leave this instant."

Waltner said rolling his sleeves. 

Unlike these three people, the assaulters seemed to have gotten a different message. As they quietly tried to approach the family.

Waltner was not in the right mind. Just before Waltner could fight. Eddie emerged before them. He kicked into the gut and shot his leg straight on the other guy's nose and the next move to the neck. This time it was spot on and they were all attacked on their vital points which led them to death.

Both his mom and dad looked at him with their jaws dropped. They didn't dare imagined their son to kill people without giving a damn. 

It was at that moment even Eddie realized that he killed people. Well, considering the unknown mysteries he couldn't imagine what would have happened if he didn't comply with it.

That was rather a good choice even if his parents didn't understand that.

"What have you done?"

His mother asked in shock.

"Shhh! He did what's right!"

He said hugging her whilst caressing her head.

"What will you say when the police come for investigation?"

As she asked he placed his finger on her mouth and said.

"Shhh! For know, we escaped for death... Just think about that.

That was how Waltner tragical got transmigrated. The family was soon got through the scrutiny and entered Empyrean. Eddie couldn't leave out his mother and father who didn't get to join a company or parties.

This was why he chose to party along with them. People thought it was ironic. An outsider pioneering along with his parents. He was ridiculed often for his decision.

Upon leaving, he ventured into the labyrinths and reached the Zenith of Ranrak. One of the few figures who made it to the top. A man who was the hot news among both the factions of Outlaws and regulars. 

Eddie of Ranrak, the one who amassed treasures and subjugated monsters that often went on a rampage, the ones that intruded the city. He was a solid fortress that was raised in power. However, on one fine night, the happy family that once again lived in peace had to face a tragedy.

The tragic night of Ranrak was something of a hot topic and written down history. One that was strongly engraved within the hearts of Regulars. Some called it butchering of the rude.

Waltner who went out in venturing the streets to fill himself with booze came at midnight to the mansion they had bought. That's when he saw some regulars and Patrol soldiers butchering their son and wife akin.

Their eyes were gouged out, chests were torn open and the organs were all scattered. Among all, they were nude and seemingly tortured until they died.

Waltner was stunned and shivered in fear. He'd have seen many things and many cruel occurrences but this thing that happened to his own family was something beyond one could dare imagine.

"You pieces of filth!"

Waltner shouted to the top of his lungs.

There were almost about twenty men all armed. 

"Why? Why? Why did you do it?!!!"

He cried out and saw the men handling the weapons Eddie had amassed. 

At that moment he didn't care if he'd die nor cared about it. His mind was occupied with the sense of revenge. His lousy moved barely reached the men and did not kill them.

The men mocked him and slashed their blades onto him and chased him out until he bled a river and was wounded to death.

Enduring the sorrow and clenching his wounds he wandered the streets and finally reached RIT and the first thing they asked for was proof. Though he seemed wounded they treated him, when they went to check his mansion there was no hint or remains of the robbery that occurred.

The Royal investigation team abandoned him, saying "Your family must have left to some other city." It was simply because of one thing and that was the RIT's anger towards Eddie.

The men that entered were the top professionals in assassination and few of the most crooked men of the entire Regulars. 

Waltner couldn't accept it. Beyond all that he showed his back like cowered and ran away unable to confront.

"I am sorry Eddie! I ran away! Hasina!"

He screamed and cried in the mansion alone. Which was once very bright.

Later the morning two dead bodies were exhibited in the center of the city. Their skins were ripped off their bodies and hung insides along with the butchered flesh that was hung by the street light.

Waltner recognized them with a mere glance. He was traumatized. 

When he tried to take poison in order to suicide but, in the end, he couldn't.  He convinced himself that it was because his heart wanted to bring justice.

He often went to the Patrol officers in order to know about the investigation that has been taken over by RIT after they recognized the bodies and the complaint he placed.

Few weeks passed yet, they didn't find the maniacs. Waltner's frustration grew up more and more he hunted down the regulars who walked in dark paths.

He trained in ordered to overcome his weakness, in order bring retribution. Waltner couldn't find the culprits however hard he tried and finally when he sought the integrity gods they just blankly answered him that they do not possess eyes to look out for every single existence but in a polite way.

Regulars abandoned him. The royal investigation team abandoned him. The patrol department abandoned him. They simply said they couldn't find the men.

After several months he found out that it was Eddie's friends who did that. They were the officials of the Royal dynasty. The men who worked in government. 

Eddie had many enemies who fought him directly but his friends were crooked maniacs. Who did some dirty business and still able to amass treasure comparable to his. As such, they joined hands with the vile assassins.

There were several things that shouldn't be spoken nor revealed but when he tortured those men after hunting one by one. He heard horrible things. 

"Your whore was tasty."

A necrophiliac said with a sadistic smile whilst another gay man quietly smirked. Those men were rotten to the core that they didn't feel the slightest pain of what their victims felt.

Waltner was horrified as he blankly stared at the demons that were in human skin. He made a plan, a ruthless one.

Each had their own family. An incident that later gave him a title. Waltner was deemed as a demon that night.

He brought their family and did whatever the men narrated and mocked him. He made them agonized. He kept them alive on a pig farm. Broke their minds and were humiliated, made them cry until they lost their will without even asking help from an illusionist or a hypnotist.

He made himself as a demon greater than them. Lastly, he hung them alive whilst skinning their family members. First, he butchered them and later went for the men.

And lastly, he made the same exhibition as they did by hanging them on the street lights.

Under the lights were a few lines written in blood.

'Justice served - Waltner'

Waltner left the city after escaping from a little girl who called herself a knight. Later he joined Outlaws. There was no good nor evil.

Both sides were filled with evil. From the beginning, there was no point in choosing sides from his point of view. Greedy and envious folks, vile people he felt like he'd be better off joining the faction who admit that they are indeed evil.

Waltner often tried committing suicide even though he tried. That was when he accepted. Deep down he was cowered who feared death. He gave petty reasons. This was why he ran away. 

He faced sleepless nights. And when he did sleep, he dreamt of his son killing him.

Fifteen years later, a young lad caught his eyes very similar to his son who was a criminal in the get-go.

Though his wits said that the young man was someone who's innocent.