Siegfried Fors
Muffled voices drifted in and out of my awareness, distant yet persistent, like echoes in a fog. My mind felt heavy, my body sluggish, as if I were sinking into an abyss with no bottom.
"-Are we sure it's this child?"
The voice was rough, wary. It sounded close, yet I couldn't place it.
"-I confirmed it with the townspeople."
Another voice, sharper, more certain.
A dull throbbing pulsed through my skull, making me wince. Even though my eyes were closed, it felt as if the world was spinning, tilting in unnatural directions. My throat was dry, parched beyond belief, and my body ached all over.
"-We will move at dawn."
Move? My thoughts were sluggish, tangled. What was going on? Where was I?
I forced my eyelids open, but everything was a blur, hazy shapes shifting in the dim light. I tried to speak, but only muffled sounds escaped my lips. A damp, foul taste filled my mouth. Cloth. A gag was tied around my face, restricting my breath, pressing against my tongue.
"Did the brat wake up? Wasn't the solution supposed to keep him down till morning?"
Another voice, gruff, irritated. A shadow loomed nearby.
"Put him back to sleep."
The command was cold, authoritative.
Ah... right. I was…
A cloth pressed against my neck, the scent cloying and sickly sweet, invading my lungs like a creeping fog. My body felt heavier. The spinning sensation grew worse, dragging me back into the void.
My eyelids fell shut.
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"FUUUEEEEE!"
A sharp, high-pitched cry rang through the air, jolting me awake as if someone had dumped a bucket of ice water over my head. My body tensed, a shiver running down my spine. The heaviness, the grogginess, the lingering fog of unconsciousness, all of it vanished in an instant.
I had never felt this awake before.
That voice...
At the side of my head, something soft and warm pressed against me, nuzzling into my hair.
I turned slightly and felt fur rubbing against my temple.
He was with me.
The fox, my fox, leapt in front of me, its golden eyes glowing faintly in the dim candlelight. Did it... wake me up? I never thought that lazy, good-for-nothing furball would actually prove useful. Still, if it hadn't been for that cry, I might have slept through my own kidnapping.
Wait…
I was kidnapped.
I sucked in a breath, my senses sharpening as the weight of my situation settled over me.
Was this… a side effect of being born a noble? Did they take me for ransom?
It made sense. Fors Barony was a developed territory, wealthy, thriving, well-known. If they were after money, I wouldn't be surprised.
My gaze shifted to the man sitting a few feet away. He was slouched in a chair, arms crossed, his head tilted slightly downward. A single candle flickered on a wooden table beside him, casting faint, wavering shadows across his face. The hood he wore concealed most of his features, but I could make out scars running across his cheek.
More importantly...
Was he asleep?
The answer came in the form of a deep, rattling snore. I exhaled slowly through my nose. Good.
Now, to get out of here.
I shifted, testing my restraints. My arms were tied behind my back, my legs bound together, and a filthy, disgusting cloth was stuffed into my mouth. The rough texture scratched against my tongue, making me gag. Taking in my surroundings, I could barely make out the wooden walls around me. From the high ceiling and the faint scent of hay lingering in the air, I guessed this was a barn, a large one. Then, my eyes landed on the double doors at the front. My way out.
It didn't matter why they kidnapped me. Whatever their reasons, one thing was certain, if I stayed here, I would either be killed or sold into slavery. And the last thing I wanted in my second life was to become some decrepit old woman's... or old man's plaything. I shuddered. Nope. Absolutely not. I needed to escape. At any cost.
I took a deep breath, steadying my nerves. The rough ropes around my wrists dug into my skin, firm and unyielding. I twisted my hands, trying to loosen them, but no matter how much I struggled, the knots didn't budge.
Damn it. I let out a muffled grunt, my eyes shifting to the fox sitting in front of me. Its golden eyes gleamed in the candlelight, its fluffy tail swishing lazily. Worth a shot.
"Mrmmph brof tof mrofs! (Bite off the ropes!)" I tried to instruct it through the gag.
The fox tilted its head, blinking at me in confusion. I exhaled sharply through my nose. Of course. Of course, the stupid thing doesn't understand. Frustration gnawed at me, but I pushed it aside. I needed to focus.
Mana.
That was the next option.
I closed my eyes and reached inward, trying to find the source of mana within me. If I could just channel a tiny bit of it... I had seen Zayn create a mana blade and cut through trees in an instant. If I could do even half of that... I tried to draw mana from my Soul Crucible, but nothing happened. I tried again, concentrating harder. Still, nothing. It was like trying to grasp air, slipping through my fingers before I could hold onto it. I couldn't help but groan. It would have been more surprising if it had actually worked. I awakened just yesterday and haven't learned anything about mana manipulation yet. No mana. No escape.
A sharp, hot surge of anger bubbled up inside me. I refuse to be powerless. I gritted my teeth and yanked my arms apart, not caring if it hurt.
SNAP!
The ropes around my wrists tore apart like wet paper. I couldn't believe what just happened. I just stared at my hands in stunned silence. What?
Then, a memory surfaced, Zayn's voice, calm and matter-of-fact. "Fors blood carries the gift of monstrous strength. Even without magic, you are physically superior to most." I had forgotten. After accidentally breaking a few things back home, I had been holding back, subconsciously restraining myself to avoid causing trouble. But now? A slow grin spread across my face.
I lifted my bound legs and ripped through the ropes with ease. Next, I reached up and tore the filthy rag from my mouth, exhaling in relief. I got to my feet, rolling my shoulders as the stiffness melted away. In the dim candlelight, I could now make out the full size of the barn—massive, stretching high above with wooden beams crisscrossing the ceiling. Hay was scattered on the ground, and large wooden crates were stacked against the walls. The fox slowly wrapped itself around my neck again. Seriously?
Ignoring the fox, my eyes flicked back to the man in the chair. Still asleep, his snores steady. Good.
I moved toward the large double doors at the front of the barn, keeping my steps light and controlled. If I could just slip out quietly—
Clang!
A sharp metallic noise rang out behind me. I spun around just in time to see a metal door at the back of the barn swing open. A man stepped through, his eyes immediately locking onto me. The moment he saw me standing free, his expression twisted in shock and rage.
"You!" The shout was loud enough to shake the barn. Shit. I bolted for the double doors. The noise jolted the sleeping guard awake. He scrambled to his feet, eyes wide.
I slammed against the doors, trying to push them open, They didn't budge. "What?!" I pushed again. Nothing. Behind me, the two men chuckled darkly. "You're not going anywhere, brat," the man who was sleeping before sneered. "The doors are barred from the outside."
My heart pounded as they both moved toward me, their expressions dark. "Looks like we need to double your dose this time," one of them said, pulling out a small vial. My breath hitched. I clenched my teeth, thinking of a solution to get out of this situation. I backed up until my shoulders pressed against the door. My mind screamed for a way out, but before I could do anything—
CRASH!
A thunderous impact shook the barn as something punched through the wooden doors behind me, sending wooden shards flying. Something massive burst through—an arm—tanned, muscular, veins bulging with raw power, the force alone sending one of the men flying. His face caved inward from the impact, and he slammed against a stack of crates, unconscious before he even hit the ground. The second man stumbled back in shock, his face pale.
The arm pulled back through the hole in the door. A deep, familiar voice rumbled through the night air. "Where..."
Two huge hands gripped the broken edges of the wooden doors. With a roar, they were ripped apart as if they were nothing but paper. "...is MY SIEG?!"
Standing in the wreckage of the destroyed barn doors, his body framed by moonlight and swirling dust, was the last person I expected to see.
His expression was twisted with fury, veins bulging along his arms and neck, like a war god descending onto a battlefield. "G-Grandpa?"
His piercing sapphire eyes locked onto me, and in an instant, the rage on his face softened into something else—relief. "My Sieg."
Before I could process anything, I was suddenly scooped up, lifted off the ground as if I weighed nothing. Warmth. Strength. Safety. His massive hands checked me over, brushing against my arms, my shoulders, tilting my head up as his eyes scanned every inch of me. "Are you hurt?" His voice was gentle now, but still tinged with the remnants of his fury.
Before I could answer, A glint of silver. The remaining mercenary charged from the side, knife in hand, lunging straight for Grandpa's exposed side. "Tch." In one fluid motion, Grandpa pulled me closer, securing me in one arm, and leapt backward. With his free hand, he extended his fingers toward the incoming attacker. "Repulsion." A pulse of invisible force erupted from his palm. The mercenary's body jerked violently backward, as if yanked by an unseen hand, and was flung across the barn like a ragdoll, crashing into the far wall with a sickening crack.
I barely had time to breathe before,
"What the hell is going on?!"
More mercenaries burst through the back entrance, weapons drawn. Their eyes widened as they took in the sight, two of their comrades unconscious, the barn doors in splinters, and a single, towering old man standing in the middle of it all, holding a child in his arms.
And then I felt it. Something above us. A strange pressure in the air, heavy, suffocating. I could feel it somewhat... the mana in the atmosphere was being pulled toward a single point.
Grandpa turned his head slightly and let out a low sigh. "She is very angry..." Grandpa spun on his heel, holding me close as he bolted out of the barn.
The moment we stepped outside, I felt it—heat. A glow washed over us, illuminating the night like a second sun. Still in Grandpa's arms, I tilted my head upward. And there, floating above the barn, was a massive fireball. Bigger than the barn itself. It hung ominously, casting everything in an eerie, golden-red light. Below it hovered a woman, her face illuminated by the blazing inferno beneath her feet, her arm raised, a staff gripped tightly in her hand. The red orb embedded at its head pulsed like a heartbeat, feeding the inferno above.
But it wasn't the fireball that made my blood run cold. It was her face. The flames flickered, casting twisting shadows over her features, her usually gentle expression was replaced with something utterly terrifying, her brows furrowed, her eyes burning with fury. "G-Granny...?"
Her lips barely moved, but I heard it. A single word, spoken with quiet, seething rage. "Die."
The fireball descended. It wasn't just an attack, it was an execution.
The moment it touched the barn—BOOOOM! A deafening explosion erupted behind us, consuming the wooden structure in a matter of seconds and sending shockwaves rippling through the air. I buried my face against Grandpa's chest as heat roared past us, licking at my skin. The crackling of flames filled my ears, and in the periphery of my vision, I caught a glimpse of it, Shadowy figures trapped within the inferno. Limbs flailing. Bodies engulfed in fire. Screams. The smell of burning flesh invaded my nose, twisting my stomach into knots. The barn collapsed in on itself, the roaring flames reducing it to blackened rubble within moments. The only sound left was the crackling of fire, and the howling wind that carried the smoke into the night sky. I swallowed, feeling a cold sweat on my back.
"Elara! Move!" Grandpa's sudden shout jolted me. I snapped my head up just in time to see something cutting through the air, too fast for my eyes to follow. Granny's response was instant, a wall of fire erupted in front of her, a towering inferno meant to block the attack. But it wasn't enough. The projectile pierced straight through the flames and struck her square in the chest. "Granny!" She was sent flying, her body twisting midair before plummeting toward the ground.
Before I could even react, Grandpa tightened his grip around me and took off. The world blurred, wind whipping against my face as he rushed toward her at inhuman speed. Just before she could hit the ground, his arm shot out, catching her in midair. But the momentum was too much. We crashed into the dirt, skidding across the ground. I felt every tremor, the impact shaking my bones as Grandpa's back absorbed the force. His grip around us tightened, shielding both me and Granny with his own body. We only stopped when we slammed into a stone wall. A sharp jolt of pain ran through me, but it was nothing compared to the fear surging in my chest.
"Grandpa!" I struggled against his hold, pushing myself up. But before I could check on him, he spoke first, his concern wasn't for himself. "Sieg, Elara, are you two alright?"
Granny coughed, straightening up as flames flickered faintly around her. "I'm fine," she said, though I could see her left arm trembling slightly. "The fire barrier reduced most of the impact." Then, suddenly, she turned toward me, her eyes scanning me from head to toe. "Sieg, are you hurt?" I shook my head. "I'm okay."
But then I looked at Grandpa. He had taken the brunt of that crash. "What about you, Grandpa? Are you—" He chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound, as he rolled his shoulders. "Hah! Something like this? It'd take more than that to put me down." I exhaled in relief.
"You people look relaxed." The voice was cold, laced with quiet amusement. I turned toward the source. A man descended slowly from the air, his boots barely making a sound as he landed in front of us. The moonlight illuminated his form. He wasn't just big. He was massive. A tower of muscle, easily over two meters tall, with bulging arms thick as tree trunks. His black leather armor strained against his chest. And his gray eyes gleamed with confidence, like he already knew the outcome of this fight.
But I didn't care about any of that. Because this was the bastard who hurt Granny. Rage boiled inside me, hotter than any fire. My hands clenched into fists, nails digging into my palms. I wanted to move. But before I could do anything, a warm hand landed on my head. "Stay with Granny." Grandpa's voice was calm, but his tone left no room for argument. I looked up at him, he wasn't even looking at me. His gaze was locked onto the enemy. But as I turned slightly, I noticed something, Granny was holding her arm. She had been hurt. My jaw clenched. Damn it.
I gritted my teeth and took a step back, moving closer to Granny just as Grandpa slowly pushed himself up. The air grew heavier. Grandpa's broad shoulders straightened as he dusted himself off, rolling his neck with a slow crack. Then, he stepped forward. The enemy stood tall, his bulky frame casting a long shadow under the dim moonlight. His gray eyes gleamed with arrogance, the faint glow of mana pulsating around his leather armor. Grandpa, in contrast, was still. Unbothered. His presence alone made the air feel heavier, as if the world itself was preparing for what was to come.
"Surrender," Grandpa said, his tone calm but absolute. "Lay down your arms, and you might live."
The enemy stared for a moment, then laughed. A deep, mocking laugh that sent rage boiling in my veins. "Surrender?" The enemy scoffed, rolling his shoulders. "How about this, you hand over the brat, and I'll let you and the hag walk away with your lives?"
The sheer audacity of this bastard!
Granny's flames flared, and I felt my blood boil, my nails digging into my palms. But Grandpa?
Grandpa didn't react. Instead, the air around him shifted. A low hum reverberated through the ground. The dust at his feet trembled. The weight in the air deepened, pressing against my skin. The enemy's smirk faltered. "Tch." He clicked his tongue. "Fine. Your funeral."
His mana flared. With a sudden pulse, the ground shook violently, and from the dirt, massive golems erupted. Their stone bodies towered over us, eyes glowing ominously as they encircled me, Granny, and Grandpa. The enemy stood at their center, his smirk returning. "Crush them." The golems lunged.
And Grandpa… didn't move. Not an inch. He just stood there, hands at his sides, as if none of this was worth his attention. Then—He slowly lifted a hand. And swiped it downward.
CRASH.
The moment his hand fell, so did the golems. All of them.
SLAM!
The earth shattered beneath their weight as an invisible force crushed them into the ground. The once-massive constructs crumbled instantly, their bodies cracking apart, reduced to lifeless rubble.
The enemy, who had been standing confidently, was now on his knees, panting. He trembled as he tried to move, but his body was pinned down, as if the very air had turned against him. He looked up in shock, his eyes widened.
Grandpa tilted his head, his voice a menacing whisper. "Was that supposed to be... impressive?"
The enemy's expression contorted with rage. With a furious roar, his mana surged again, veins bulging as he forced himself up, the crushing gravity cracking the ground beneath him. "YOU—!" His arm plunged into the dirt, and suddenly, a massive gauntlet of compressed earth formed around his fist. Mana crackled around him as he shot into the air, his eyes filled with murderous intent. "DIE!" With terrifying speed, he launched himself, his colossal fist crashing down towards Grandpa.
But Grandpa… Pulled his fist back. Then, he punched. BOOM! The moment their fists collided, a deafening shockwave tore through the battlefield. The force sent debris flying, scattering rubble like paper in a storm.
Something was sent flying through the dust cloud. A moment later, I saw what it was. An arm. The enemy's arm. His agonized screams pierced the night as the dust settled. He lay on the ground, his remaining hand clutching his shattered, zig-zagged limb, bones visibly jutting out from the broken flesh. Blood pooled beneath him. He gasped, his pupils trembling. "M-Monster…" he choked out, his voice laced with fear.
Without hesitation, he turned to flee. His mana flared, and wind wrapped around, his body shot into the air, trying to escape.
Coward.
Grandpa tilted his head. "Who gave you permission to leave?" His hand rose, fingers curling slightly. The enemy's body froze in midair. His limbs stiffened, his escape halted instantly, as if invisible chains had bound him. His eyes widened in horror as he struggled. It was useless. He was completely trapped.
Grandpa pulled his fist back. The enemy's body yanked downward, accelerating like a meteor, straight toward Grandpa. Mana concentrated around Grandpa's fist. Faster. Faster—until—With a crushing sound, Grandpa's fist met his face. The impact was devastating. The enemy's body was driven into the ground, forming a deep crater. A violent whirlwind erupted from the sheer force of the blow, sending a blast of wind that rattled the trees and knocked loose debris away.
When the dust cleared, The enemy lay unmoving, his face barely recognizable, teeth missing, nose broken, blood dripping from his shattered mouth. Grandpa exhaled, shaking his hand as if he had just swatted an annoying fly.
I swallowed hard. This… was so COOL! Grandpa was so amazing. The way he fought, the sheer power in his fists, it was unlike anything I had ever seen before. There was no tricks involved, no hesitation. Just raw, overwhelming strength. I had always known Grandpa was strong. But this? This was on another level.
As I stared at the crater where the mercenary leader lay unconscious, a desperate, frantic sound suddenly reached my ears. Footsteps. Uneven. Rushed. Panicked. A man came stumbling out from the shadows, his face pale, his left arm missing. Blood dripped from the tattered remains of his shoulder. His breath came in ragged gasps as his wild, terror-filled eyes darted around, scanning each of us before locking onto the fallen leader.
"Shit… shit… this—this wasn't how it was supposed to go!"
I felt a chill crawl up my spine. The way he said it, like everything had been planned. Like this wasn't just a simple kidnapping. Suddenly, his body began melting. Darkness oozed from his skin, swallowing him whole, his form twisting and contorting like a living shadow. I recognized it immediately. "Ah, he's the one who kidnapped me." Memories of being dragged into the darkness, of the ground swallowing me whole, resurfaced in my mind.
Grandpa and Granny reacted instantly, but before either of them could move Something, or rather, someone, came slamming down from above. A familiar silver axe gleamed under the moonlight, before cleaving straight through the melting man. His body split open. Blood. Flesh. Organs. It all spilled onto the ground. I instantly looked away.
My stomach twisted and my throat clenched. The thick, iron-like stench of blood flooded my senses. I had seen death before through a screen, but this—in person it was completely different. I swallowed hard, forcing back the nausea.
"Ah, you found him."
I turned, my head still spinning, and there she was. Mother. Drenched in blood. It covered her from head to toe, dripping from the edges of her clothes, her axe still embedded in the corpse.
"Are you alright?" I asked.
She blinked at me, tilting her head. Then, with a casual shrug, she answered, "It's not my blood." Her tone was completely unbothered. I didn't know how to respond to that.
"Looks like everything's over." A voice came from the opposite direction. Zayn. He emerged from the darkness, his expression calm, and he was carrying two men. But my relief quickly turned into horror. They were missing their arms. I felt my stomach churn again. There was so much blood.
Then, I noticed Zayn was staring at me. He didn't say anything at first, his silence stretching the air between us.
So I asked, "What is it?"
The tension in his posture relaxing before he spoke. "How are you?"
The simple question caught me off guard. I opened my mouth to answer, the weariness of the whole incident settling in my voice. "Somehow alive."
He smiled gently, a warmth that felt real despite everything.
"Good. That is what matters most."
A sound of movement in the distance drew my attention. Silas and a few soldiers were rushing toward us.
"My lord, we arrived as soon as we—" Silas stopped mid-sentence as his eyes fell on the scene around us. His expression shifted, shock breaking through his composure. "Is it… finished?"
"Ah, Silas, it's all over," Grandpa said.
Mother let out a soft sigh, shaking her head. "Late, as always."
Zayn stepped forward and dropped the two mutilated kidnappers before Silas, their forms barely recognizable. "They are still breathing. Put them in the cells. I will handle the questioning when the time comes."
Silas swallowed hard. Even a seasoned knight could not mask the disturbance in his eyes.
"...Yes. Understood. Take them."
The soldiers hesitated only a moment before carrying the two away.
A gentle pressure settled on my head.
I looked up to find Grandmother beside me, her expression soft yet tired.
"Come. Let's go home."
I nodded slowly; though a lot happened tonight, I could finally relax. However, a question still remained: I looked at the man in the crater, wondering, "Why did they kidnap me? For money, or for some other purpose?"