Awakening Of The New Emperor

POV: Unknown Character

"But sire, why must we?" I shout out of anger. This decision was made out of pure stupidity, specifically just because of a hunch.

"I've taken an interest, what can I say," he replied.

He sat up from his chair, wordless but intentions clear. His messy red hair and scarred face shun brightly under the dim light. "I'm sure you'll pass with flying colors. Although, if it means anything, failure results in death. For you, and your family of course!"

Almost cheerfully, he skipped out of the room like he hadn't just said what he did. 'God, I need a better occupation,' I reminded myself.

POV: Recruit 79

The man licked around his lips, gathering the drips of blood that made its way down his face, a disgusting sight to be my last.

He walked back over to the dead body of the other recruits and grabbed the backpack stuffed with our belongings and food that he had dropped. He picked it up and came right back over, before tossing it down next to my side.

"Good luck out there," he laughed mischievously as he vanished into the night without a trace of his presence left behind, almost like he wasn't even here.

However, I couldn't rest for long, as the noise from the slaughter seemed to have attracted the village folk, as dim lanterns made its way into view followed by the snapping of the occasional twig on the ground, indicating many pairs of footsteps heading my way.

This entire thing would be pinned on me if I was caught here!

Using my strength, I managed to drag my body upwards, grabbing the backpack along with it. I stumble around on the bloodied floor riddled with unrecognizable corpses as I continue to push my pace faster, heading for anywhere that's not here.

I don't know where I am, nor where to go, so I need to recollect myself soon. But first, I need to get out of here fast.

 "Who's there?" A surly man's voiced penetrated the deep bushes that separated us.

I didn't respond of course, instead choosing to keep going. I could tell they were in a light pursuit, but with the blood moon shining over the forest high in the sky, it was impossible to see where exactly I had gone.

The one advantage I was able to use. 

Thankfully, after just a few minutes, the light from the lanterns was no more, and it was quiet. I kept moving, mostly out of fear.

I had to get back to Zhang's territory, and fast.

***

I found myself in the city of Vorrak hours later, with a ripped ranger cloak, hood dripping just over the side of my face, as the rain sunk into the heavy material.

The hustle and bustle of one of the major city capitals in the Blackreach region was very alive even with the shrewd raindrops smacking against the earthen concrete below. As of two decades ago, Blackreach has been under command by Kaelth, emperor canditate of the Hidden Lotus militia, the same one that kidnapped me and raided one of our centralized bases.

With the weight of everything recent becoming nothing but a tragic burden, I slowly pull myself around the city, falling into the floor like it's quicksand as a futile attempt to isolate myself from the surrounding flock.

It's been... what? 3 weeks, maybe even 4 since the base attack?

I was declared dead on the spot, no doubt.

But have I made my return in due time, would they accept me back into the ranks? Maybe I'd finally receive a promotion for having survived through all this without becoming a traitor?

Or perhaps my reward is survival itself. A medal they'll never pin on me—a burden that drags in my shadow's wake, of a memory that now, only I will have.

I dragged my sorry excuse for a working soldier over to one of the local bars, shaking as I entered—the surprisingly warm air felt huggable, close. It didn't feel discriminating, nor unbearable. It was just... perfect.

Plopping down on one of the rusty swivel stools by the bar, I gesture for the bartender.

"What would you like?" His voice was calm, without worry.

I cough up about a dozen or so copper coins on the table, a few of them managing to mingle out of the group and slide a bit away across the table. "Whatever's easiest," I reply while trying to hold myself high enough as to not raise suspicion for my stand out appearance.

It was clear as day. I was way too paranoid. But, who could I trust? Those few that plagued my memories since forever ago turned out to have a one sided hatred against me.

But, they're all laying in the dirt now, while I'm about to be drinking my thoughts away.

The bartender rushed out minutes later, holding an overflowing grass of green, bubbling liquid that foamed slightly at the top.

I practically snatched the drink from him before he could remove his hand, bringing it straight to the tip of my mouth and began drinking, letting the warm liquid flow down my throat like a liquid, reminding me of the late drinks I had with Recruit 24.

Nearly slamming the drink back down on the hard wood, I couldn't help but realize how utterly disgusting this drink was. Nearly everyone had one, almost like it was a special around here.

'How the hell do they drink this?' I ask myself out of pure disbelief.

I sighed reluctantly as I grasped the cold drink once more, finishing off the remaining quarter of the drink that swooshed around violently while held up in the air.

Another man sat beside, looking just as out of place as I was.

"I'll take whatever he's having," the man beamed with joys as he pointed on over to my drink.

The bartender looked over and gave him a nod, acknowledging, before turning away to go help the chatter that sat on the other side of the bar.

Nearly falling over his chair twice in just a minute, it was clear the man next to me was drunk, a lot more drunk than I was soon to be. His face was as red as tomatoes as the yellow lights reflected off of skin, putting it out on display.

"So, what makes you so depressed and all sad?" The man spat jokingly as he patted me on the back with a little more force than I hoped, nearly choking on the last of my drink.

"What's it to you?" I snapped, irritated.

"Woah, calm down now. I mean, you clearly aren't from around here. Doing a terrible job at your little 'pretend' game, have I mention," he explained.

Tsk. He was right.

"My apologies. Who do I owe the pleasure of this conversation with?"

The man seemed proud of my words almost. "Oswin."