For a person to become an Origin, he had to create an Epos. Every inhabitant of the Great Lands knew this. Anyone who has done something truly remarkable receives recognition from the world itself.
But the Eposes were not the only thing that distinguished the Origins from ordinary people.
They were the ones who, through their actions and their presence, changed the world around them. Monsters, lands, and people all fell under their influence and could themselves become part of someone's Epos or Record.
It could not be said that the Records were better than the Eposes or vice versa. However, the Records undoubtedly involved many people and large-scale events.
The prisoners, as mere participants and observers, received only a slight touch of the Kreyn's Record. The energy that filled their bodies just restored their strength. They did not become the Origins, their involvement was not enough to be recognized.
But... If a person proved themselves to be outstanding, especially if it was somehow connected to the main figure of the Record, then something incredible could await them.
Daren was the co-creator of the plan and dealt the first powerful blow to their enemy, while Valyra, although she did not take part in the battle, saved Kreyn's life.
The energy decided that without them, this Record would not exist, and since they were an important part of the Record, they deserved their Epos, becoming the Origins.
However, there was only one true winner.
[Record – Sacrificial Worm.]
[Sacrificial Worm
Magnitude: First
Type: Conquest
Number of Scripts: One.]
[Possessing no powers other than your desire to win and your devilish mind, you were able to do what hundreds of prisoners who had spent many years in the Dark Hand Prison without hope to ever see the light had failed to do.
You became their inspiration, their leader, and also a strict general who considered his will to be supreme.
As a result, you defeated an Arakta Worm and an Origin as a simple human with sealed powers. All of this deserves more than to become a secondary story.]
Then, new runes appeared before Kreyn's eyes.
[First Script of the Record: Sacrificial Worm.]
[Will of the Exhausted: The limits of your endurance have widened. Your aura will frighten or at least make every worm-creature wary. When faced with a desperate situation, you will have the opportunity to snatch victory and repeat your first Record.]
After a few moments, Kreyn nodded slightly. He felt energy coursing through his body, healing his wounds, but everyone else felt the same. Many became part of his Record, but only he received the Script.
"I see. So, the Epos gives you abilities, but the Record is something like a general amplification, right? It's not as powerful as my Spark, and you're unlikely to win a battle with the Script, but it definitely opens up new possibilities."
For a while, Kreyn pondered over the Record and First Script, while Valyra and Daren tried to comprehend that they had actually become the Origins. Groza had a different path.
Step. Step. Step.
With powerful strides, Groza moved forward, straight towards Laura, who was standing in the same spot since the beginning of the fight.
At one point, she wanted to help Enor when the situation became critical, but she just couldn't bring herself to go up against the three Origins.
Now, all she could do was watch with fear in her eyes as Groza approached her.
Crack!
The great sword plunged into the pillar behind Laura, the blade sweeping right over her shoulder.
"You... You're Laura von Wurhen, right?" Groza grabbed her face. "Cool name, huh?"
Her actions did not go unnoticed. Many prisoners had seen Laura before. Like other members of the Wurhen Family, she visited the Dark Hand Prison from time to time, and these visits were not easy for the prisoners.
It didn't matter whether Laura wanted to behave this way, or whether it was more of Enor's influence on her, who didn't consider prisoners to be human beings. All the prisoners wanted was for Laura to be treated the same way, and she understood that very well.
"Wait!" Laura exclaimed. "I've always been against this idea! I wanted something else!"
Her words were useless. The prisoners gathered around her, and all they wanted was to tear her to pieces.
"Shut your mouth, bitch!" Someone shouted.
"Yes! Somehow, you didn't say that three months ago when you were whipping my friend!"
One of the female prisoners spat on the floor.
"Tsk. Let's strip her naked and send her to work in the mine! That'll be fun!"
"Hell yeah!" The bald man grinned. "That's a great idea!"
The prisoners' suggestions became increasingly cruel and explicit. After all, except for a few unlucky ones, it wasn't the most kind-hearted people who ended up in prison.
Laura's heart beat rapidly in panic. There was nowhere to run, and the shouts turned into a nightmare.
BANG!
The deafening shot made everyone flinch. The prisoners turned to see Kreyn and his revolver, a wisp of smoke coming from the barrel.
Next to him stood the blue-haired girl who had remained in charge of the kitchen. She brought him a pack of bullets, which he slowly loaded into the cylinder.
"Alright, let's not go to extremes."
Groza frowned. "You say that after you killed a man with a sledgehammer?!"
"Hah." Kreyn shrugged. "Everyone has their flaws, right?"
"W-What?"
Kreyn waved his hand and moved forward. The prisoners parted to the sides.
"Stop complaining. But, you're right." He stopped in front of Laura. "We have to decide for her."
Laura gulped. She understood that the exhausted young man in front of her was the one who ruled everything.
"Y-You…" She glanced at his revolver. "Are you going to kill me?"
"It depends." Kreyn narrowed his eyes as he pressed the barrel against her chest. "Would you like that? Or... do you actually have some other goal?"
Groza clenched her teeth. "Kreyn, she'll say anything in this situation. There's no point in even listening to her!"
Click.
Kreyn cocked the hammer of the revolver.
"Answer me. You said you were against going to prison, so what is your true desire?"
The pressure on Laura was unreal. From being the eldest daughter of the family that was running everything here, to a near public execution.
"I... I want to get out of this shithole!" Laura exclaimed with her eyes closed. "FUCK! You think I like living here? Going to parties, humiliating prisoners, and learning fucking manners 12 hours a day?!"
She pointed toward Frost Ridge.
"I want to go there. I want to see the world!"
Clutch.
Kreyn grabbed her by the hair, his eyes full of hunger.
"Great. In that case, we'll work together and escape from this prison, and our new story will begin."