As the months went by slowly we saw our faces on wanted posters in every town we traversed to.

  Every time we came up against more soldiers the weight of killing grew lighter, the same as the blade did.

  I didn’t have to dispel the energy when I was done with my slaughters the way I used to have to. I let the blade run its natural course and calm itself down.

  The intricate freedoms we Jerek and I had lived by would shortly come to a close soon.

  When you’re a fugitive of the empire it’s simple, they track you down and exact their law how they please.

  Apparently I’m not the first person to break the law, and then defend myself in defiance.

  It hasn’t happened in a while so there isn’t a direct plan the empire has, but Torian was tasked with my execution.

  Cecilia was tasked with keeping a close eye on me.

  Ingrid Varkane, defender of the walls, was tasked with ensuring I wouldn’t try to break out of the empire.

  Rex was tasked with simply killing me if he found me.

  I guess the emperor wasn’t too worried about forcibly directing Rex away from his work.

  And there were talks of a new Grand Marshal, to take the mantle in Veran’s place.

  However, just because a Grand Marshal dies that doesn’t mean the replacement Marshal does exactly what the former did.

  This new Grand Marshal is apparently a sword wielder like Veran, but has no intention of teaching, or even involving themselves in schooling.

  The likelihood they just want to aspire to be the next Rex is high.

  Most definitely want to make a name for his or herself.

  My thoughts loomed over all of that as I took a sip of beer.

  I didn’t always like drinking, but every now and then it helped ease the pain shooting through my eyes.

  It had been almost six months since my awakening with the goddess’s powers and I hadn’t removed my blindfold in a crowd yet.

  Jerek saw my eyes when I first was asleep, but since then no change.

  “Cade.” Jerek’s voice cut through my senseless thoughts.

  I groaned awake. “What? More soldiers?”

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  He sighed. “No, we’re getting kicked out of here too.”

  I stumbled to my feet. “Right, soldiers? Or just the bar.” I paused, trying to flush my system from alcohol. “Or is it worse? Is it legion?”

  His eyes darted between the entrance and the back door. “Soldiers, and the bar. But it’s weird—” He started.

  I felt just one soldier present in town. “They just brought one.”

  His eyes glanced at me then to the entrance again.

  I grabbed his soldier and darted out the back.

  We could take on a single soldier, but if it was just one person it likely was a Grand Marshal, maybe even the new one. I didn’t want to risk that yet.

  We left town before anything happened.

  That’s what life was like constantly for us.

  Town hopping. All of the people remembered eventually the act of kindness I did for them years prior, but they gave me one favor before kicking me to the curb.

  They couldn’t draw more attention, I understand.

  Doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt.

  Through the barren wastelands between towns we fought monsters and even raided certain dungeons. We couldn’t trade with any guilds because we were fugitives but we fought for the training, and for any kind of ores/valuable metals.

  When we arrived at the last town, soldiers were already present.

  We couldn’t bother with skipping this town, so we had to fight.

  It was at the bottom of a valley so we decided on an ambush.

  Within a fraction of a second after our feet hit the ground I pushed off, inertia carried me through the first fifteen bodies, and we made lightwork of the rest.

  My sword carried my conviction through the hearts of every single soldier.

  I didn’t have hatred for them, nor did I enjoy killing. But it was nothing more than a necessity.

  When the dust settled my blade was vibrant with heat.

  I had to dispel it for the first time in a while, I couldn’t risk giving any innocents a radiation burn.

  Feeling all of their eyes pierce my soul I needed to do something to pronounce an apology.

  “I don’t expect you to forgive the action I just did. You all didn’t deserve to witness that. Allow me to cook a dinner for the town for everyone.”

  After a few minutes of short prepwork I had a grill and other borrowed items at my disposal. I began cooking a stew for the crowd.

  The same hands that were covered in the blood of corrupt soldiers a half hour prior were now cooking for the townspeople.

  I offered bowls to children first, then adults second.

  A kid came up to me after we served everyone. “Sir, how are you cooking when you can’t see?”

  I knelt down in front of him. “Excellent question kiddo, it’s simple. You already can feel where things are around you. Just focus on that skill and you’ll train to be able to move like me one day, keeping your eyes intact of course.”

  I could feel his muscles in his face twitch into a smile before running off.

  It was too good of a memory to last long.

  Soldiers arrived sooner than I anticipated.

  A company of two hundred swarmed the outskirts before I could even sense their arrival.

  They stormed in and made the homes and other buildings their means for guerilla war.

  It was a reverse of what Jerek and I did earlier.

  Most of the battle was a blur. I did everything I could to prevent casualty.

  But I could hear every broken bone.

  I could smell the stench of fear from every civilian.

  The taste of blood slowly consumed the atmosphere.

  Why? The people of this town are innocent.

  I don’t know what came over me but I tapped into even more power I had been feeling and unleashed a barrage of attacks that killed them all within ten minutes.

  Except one.

  My sword halted before I removed their skull from their spine.

  Her heartbeat was off.

  “You do not wish to be here, your heartbeat betrays your conviction.”

  She looked up. I felt water form near her eyes and gravity sucked the tear to the ground.

  “CADE.” She screamed and hugged me.

  This was new.

  I pulled away. The thought of hugging someone, let alone a woman, felt impossible since Mariel’s death.

  “What was that for, and who are you?”

  She recoiled and her heart skipped a beat then relaxed. “I forgot, you can’t see. Cade, it’s Rona. Rona Helgar, you saved my parents once and they fled here. I continued to become a soldier to protect my family so they wouldn’t bother them.”

  I relaxed the blade and attached it to my back. The soft burn of the metal’s radiation was manageable.

  “That isn’t me anymore.” I said as I began to walk away.

  Her heartbeat steadied and what she said stopped me in my tracks immediately.

  “Bullshit.”