The origins.

What is humanity's true strength, that which sets it apart from other races? Magical prowess? Perhaps, for humans have indeed mastered it incredibly well, but they are not the best at it. Those elegant elves, with hundreds or thousands of years of experience behind them, are leagues better than any human mage. Then ingenuity? Close, but no. While humans also excel in engineering, they will never surpass the dwarves, whose progress has left humanity centuries behind. What remains then? Combat mastery? Again, humanity comes in second. There's no better killing machine in the world than an orc. Their immense strength, lack of pain, and boundless thirst for battle make them perfect destroyers and devastators. So what is humanity's true strength? Adaptation. The capacity for adaptation is humanity's true power. Humanity always survives no matter what befalls it, no matter the conditions it lives in. No catastrophe, war, disease, curse, or famine can eradicate mankind. Whether cold or heat, hunger or poverty, war or plague, the human species always endures. The only way to exterminate humans is to let them do it themselves. Kingdom of Morteluna, outskirts of the capital Sellafun, Village of Villcorrmor. ... .. . ??? "Hey, mom!" exclaimed a skinny boy with rust-red hair, looking about thirteen. His rags were badly torn, and his feet were bare. His face was dirty and gaunt, his eyes an unnatural rose-gold color. "When's the old man getting back from the capital?" Mother "Show your father some respect and call him 'father,' not 'old man.' Don't forget, he's risking his neck going to that damn Sellafun trying to sell that sleepy juice he keeps brewing. And he's not old at all," said a woman with a tired face, slightly wrinkled from hunger and grim with irritation. Her eyes were so impenetrably black that the pupils were invisible. "He'll be back soon. He has to come back..." At that moment, a loud sound echoed, making the entire village flinch. People froze in fear. The sound came from far away, and no one could tell what it was. All eyes turned skyward, where flocks of crows flew like storm clouds. Whispers immediately spread through the crowd. Gossip, ideas, fear, suggestions to run home or flee the village. ??? "M-Mom..." the boy's whisper was frightened as he moved closer to her, seeking protection. "What was that? It was so loud... Even the crows got scared..." Mother "I don't know, Lucius, I don't know..." her answer was quiet as she stared towards the source of the echo. "I have a bad feeling about this..." she thought silently, then gave her son a light cuff on the back of the head and kept walking. "Come on, don't be so scared. It's just some noise. Maybe some travelers got into a fight. Not our business." Her words were stern and convincing. The mother was doing her best to diffuse the tension. Lucius "Ouch!" he cried out, rubbing the back of his head irritably. "That was uncalled for... Wait. You said fighting travelers? What if Dad is on his way back right now and walks right into it..." Mother "Don't worry about that, he definitely won't be back today. Maybe in a couple of days. He always sends word before he comes home." Lucius "Yeah... Maybe you're right," he said softly. Mother "What's this? Is it true? Or am I just imagining things?" she declared with a smug smile. Lucius "What are you even talking about?" Mother "Oh, don't even try to deny it, Luce!" she replied, poking his cheek with her finger. "You miss your father and you're worried about him!" Lucius "Pfft, keep dreaming..." the boy mumbled, embarrassed, turning away and rubbing the cheek she'd assaulted. Mother "Deny it all you want, Lucius," the woman said, then ruffled his hair and grinned. His once-smooth rust-red hair now resembled a wide, smoldering bonfire. Lucius "Hey! Why'd you do that?!" the boy protested, stepping back a pace. Mother "What's wrong? I think you look much better this way," the woman declared with a wide grin. "It's prettier than that slicked-back mop, at least." Lucius "Don't make me laugh! Like anyone gives a damn about looks in this hellhole," he snapped back. "If only we could move away from here someday... Anywhere! Wouldn't have to flinch at every freak, shiver in fear every night, starve..." Mother "Drop those dreams, Lucius. Be glad our miserable little village is close to the capital, not like those other unlucky souls far from any town. Unlike others, we're lucky." Lucius "Fucking fantastic luck... I hate this place," the boy snarled and started walking towards the house. Mother "Oh gods, kids will be kids..." she whispered and followed her son, when suddenly her eyes locked onto a figure the boy was about to walk straight into. This person, if one could even call him that, was shrouded entirely in a dirty black cloak that hid his body, wearing worn boots and leather armor. A pair of sheaths holding daggers hung threateningly from his belt. He stood unnaturally straight, as if perpetually at attention, a dirty bandage covering one eye. His hands were dry, long fingers nervously tapping against a sheath. Passersby turned to stare, scrutinizing the stranger. Everyone was seeing this man for the first time. Or were they? Mother "Holy Eclipse! He's terrifying!" she gasped in shock. "How can a person have so many scars... What's he doing here? Foot travelers practically never come here, only those on horses to rest. Why is he here? Just passing through? Or... Stop..." She froze, trying to grasp this sudden sensation. "Why does this guy look familiar? I've never seen anyone with that many scars on their face and missing an eye... Damn, that bad feeling again." Horror began to dawn on her face. "Who the hell is he?! Fear isn't like me! What's wrong with this man? Why am I trembling because of him? Think, who does he resem- N-No..." Her thought cut off as she spotted a brand on his hand. She didn't even need to look closely; one glance was enough to see the key detail of that brand. A Claw. "The brand?! And his looks! That scarlet eye... His height... I-Impossible! It's him! What the hell happened to him?! He looks like some beaten animal!" Her mouth fell open in shock, her face consumed by terror. Then her gaze fell on Lucius. "Shit! Lucius! He's going to walk right into that monster!" She thought, stretching out her hand to grab his shoulder and pull him back. Head down, Lucius walked towards the house, not seeing what was ahead. He took a few steps, glanced back at his mother over his shoulder, but before he could utter a word, he saw indescribable terror on her face, her hand outstretched trying to grab his shoulder. Before he could comprehend anything, he suddenly bumped into something that felt like a wall but wasn't. His mother's face instantly paled; the hand she'd stretched out snapped back and covered her mouth. Her eyes were wide open, pupils dilated, merging with the irises. Understanding nothing, he tried to step back and look at the unexpected obstacle on the path that had never been there before. As he turned his face, an inhumanly strong hand seized his throat and instantly lifted him off the ground. The fingers were covered in blood, the knuckles split. ??? "You..." the man said viciously, his voice disgustingly deep, loud, and raspy. The stranger's teeth were clenched, grinding angrily; his face was twisted with rage, covered in various scars and wrinkles, his one eye a blood-moon crimson. His hand held Lucius's throat in a chokehold, his body dangling in the air. "The crowd is watching. Good, just what I need. Beat, don't kill." This sinister thought flashed through his mind like lightning, and he acted. "Filthy brat... How dare village scum like you bump into me?! I still have 'rats' to find, and worms like you crawl underfoot." With these words, Walter punched Lucius in the stomach with his free hand. The blow, delivered without much effort, brought enough pain that an unbearable electric shock seemed to jolt through Lucius's body. A pained gasp escaped his lips. Surprised gasps and frightened whispers spread through the gathered crowd. "Who is that man?" "Great Sunset, I feel sorry for little Lucius." "Who the hell does that savage think he is?!" "Better not try anything, that psycho has weapons." Lucius's mother stood there, pale-faced, watching. She wanted to do something but didn't dare even twitch, understanding she could do nothing while her son's neck was literally in the man's hands. Mother "Shit... Looking for 'rats'? Has he really come for us..." Her voice was soundless. Her hands trembled as she restrained herself with all her might from making a wrong move. "I can't do anything. If I try to save Lucius, he'll snap and crush his neck." Her hands clenched into fists, nails digging into her palms, drawing blood. "How I hate my weakness in the face of scum like him... Ignavus, for the first time in my life, I pray you're drunk and lying in some ditch, not showing your face." The woman's muttering went unnoticed as Lucius gasped and writhed in the monster's grip. Lucius "L-Let go... Please... S-Sorry I bumped into you..." he whispered weakly, air scarce. His face was already red, his eyes desperately darting side to side, watering. ??? "What? Apologizing already?" he growled irritably, his eye darting to Lucius's cheeks where the first tears were already rolling. His grip tightened, and he snarled like an animal. "Fucking crybaby... You're so pathetic I don't even want to kill you, filthy to touch..." Saying this, he threw him into a mud puddle. "Worthless. I hate weaklings the most." With these words, he spat to the side and prepared to inspect the village, but saw the pale-faced woman standing before him. As soon as Walter threw Lucius into the puddle, the boy scrambled to his knees, clutching his throat. His breathing was sharp and ragged as he fought to catch his breath. His mind and vision were blurred by tears and suffocation. His throat burned with pain, his whole body shook with animal terror, eyes still watering, chest heaving frantically, heart pounding like mad. The boy felt a terror worse than the worst nights. Only one thought filled his head. "I'll kill him... Kill him... Don't care who he is... Don't care why he's here... I'll break every bone in the hand that choked me..." Something clicked deep in his chest. A sprout of blue darkness, like a thin vein, grew within his sunlit iris. The feeling of malice grew stronger. ??? "nteresting." The cloaked man's thoughts focused on the woman's face as he studied her. "She was scared. Scared earlier than she should have been. Trembled the moment she saw me and immediately tried to pull her brat back. Shaking with fear and anger, but didn't even try to save her brat while I was choking him. She knows me. If she didn't know who I was, she'd have mindlessly rushed to save the snot-nose. That can only mean one thing... It's her. Now just to toy with her a bit with some questioning." Valeria "W-Who the hell are you?" she asked in a trembling voice. Meanwhile, her mind raced. "Come on Valeria, you can do this! Too much time has passed, my face and build have changed too much for him to recognize me! All I have to do is play the weak, scared mother." ??? "I ask the questions here," the answer rang in her ears. Saying this, he drew his dagger and pointed it straight at Valeria's face. "You answer the questions. First and last name. Now." Lucius "Mom?!" A frightened thought raced through his mind. Anxiety filled his soul. Anger began to shift into wrath and a desire to protect. His hand desperately grabbed the contents of his hidden pocket. *Over my dead body will I let him hurt her!* Fury blazed in his heart like a bright flame. The sprout of darkness burned away as his golden eyes ignited. Valeria "What the hell? Why has Walter become so aggressive? Guy's not himself. Better not provoke." she thought. "L-Lena! My name's Lena! I'm just a simple, married housewife with a son!" Walter "I said first and last name, you stupid bitch!" His irritated shout echoed around them, but his internal monologue continued. "Lena? Quick thinking. But it won't save you. You can't fool me, 'Siren.' Lies don't work on someone who knows the truth." An arrogant thought flashed through his head. Valeria "We have no last names! The feudal lord abandoned this village nine years ago because it wasn't profitable!" Walter "A village without a lord? Amazing you haven't all been pillaged by now," he commented sarcastically, waving the dagger. "Enough. The act is over. You and your brother are expected in Sella- Fuck!" Walter's words were cut off by a sharp pain in the back of his head. Lucius "Don't touch her, you one-eyed piece of shit!" Lucius rasped, the pain in his stomach fading into the background as he tried to shield his mother from the threat. Walter "You little bastard!" As Walter spun around, a clod of mud from Lucius's hands smacked him right in his good eye, blinding the man. The grit burned his eye, making him stagger back. He tried frantically to wipe the mud from his face, but it was right in his eye, effectively blinding him temporarily. The next instant, the hunter felt something thin and sharp pierce his thigh. Seeing her chance in his moment of weakness, Valeria stopped trembling and decided to attack. Valeria "Now or never." Cold thoughts pierced her brain. Her body, remembering its past, instinctively took a stance and immediately delivered crude blows: an elbow strike precisely to the spine and a kick to the knee, forcing Walter to his knees. Walter "Fuck!" A fresh wave of pain shot through his body, making him stagger. "You damn whore and your freak!" With this shout, he swung his arm blindly, furious but confident Lucius hadn't had time to back away after sticking something in his thigh. Walter's wide swing cut through the air and instantly found its mark. Lucius, seeing the fist flying towards him, barely managed to block, putting his own forearm in the path of the crushing blow. A sickening crunch filled his ears as the radial bone splintered with cracks and his shoulder dislocated with a loud pop. The next moment, Lucius was flying away, crashing through the door of a nearby house with his body, landing inside. The crunch of planks and the noise of overturned furniture were loud, but Lucius was louder. A scream of pain escalating into a shriek tore from his mouth. His forearm exploded in white-hot agony, the arm feeling practically torn off. His eyes, flooded with fresh tears, saw white flashes; nausea surged; a deafening ring filled his ears. Valeria "Lucius!" The horrifying sound of a terrified mother's scream echoed everywhere. Blinded by maternal instinct, she stopped striking Walter's back and lunged towards her son with all her might. Walter "What the hell?!" Walter wondered as he felt unexpected weakness and a headache. When he tried to rise from his knees after Valeria's attack, the feeling of weakness intensified. The leg where Lucius had stuck something began to go relentlessly numb. Grabbing the object and pulling it out, he understood. In his hand was a dart. "Poison?! No, if it were poison, I'd feel sick. Tranquilizer?! But where from?! Damn, thoughts are getting muddled... Hard to stay conscious... Cunning bastard, blinded me to drug me..." His fingers were going numb too. Walter was losing control of his body. Lucius's pained screams and Valeria's frantic cries began to turn into a dull, monotonous drone.