Chapter 35: Slumber party~ Slumber party~ Yay, yay, yehey~!

Chapter 1: She Fell to meet Me

Chapter 2: The Darkborn Fella

Chapter 3: QUEST! Open the Gate, Irene!

Chapter 4: Please.

Chapter 5: Oh, boy. She’s gonna throw me again. 

Chapter 6: Down the Lake to the Rat Den! Yay!

Chapter 7: Run, Irene, Run!

Chapter 8: Deep Dark Meeting! How spooky!

Chapter 9: Johnny Splinter! What a weirdo.

Chapter 10: So, uh, we made a new, weird friend?

Chapter 11: I feel stupid and dehumanized 

Chapter 12: Escaping that deep dark shit hole

Chapter 13: Back through these dirty tunnels, we roam.

Chapter 14: Hall of Rat. Or something.

Chapter 15: Battle over the Rat Treasury

Chapter 16: …Ratville? Are we actually in Ratville right now… God help me.

Chapter 17: Dungeon time! Too much time!

Chapter 18: I’ll save you even if I’m an immobile item! 

Chapter 19: That one time a single rat overthrew his ratty monarch. Johnny Rules!

Chapter 20: Conversation, conversation! Irene wakes up!

Chapter 21: Back to the treasury, with a new king under wing!

Chapter 22: I’m OUTRAGED!

Chapter 23: The most beautiful nightmare fuel lurks in the lake 

Chapter 24: Rise above thy wants! WOOHO! 

Chapter 25: Reuniting with Fabian, did the rascal really do it?

Chapter 26: Opening the gate to a parting… And a what now?

Chapter 27: Fabian’s search Quest

Chapter 28: A Beginning long overdue

Chapter 29: First day in the open

Chapter 30: Bath time!

Chapter 31: An odd dude appeared! Seriously, this guy is WHACK!

Chapter 32: Could’ve had a better start there, couldn’t we?

Chapter 33: Entrance to Ruge City + a tad of racism

Chapter 34: The Bridge City of Ruge!

Chapter 36: A nice morning chat with Mrs. Caroline, plus an age revelation! You're HOW old?

Chapter 37: Cadmus’ pawn shop! Am I getting sold? Bet I’d fetch a pretty penny at least.

Chapter 38: Betrayal.

Chapter 39: Captured! Nice going there, Irene.

UPDATE FROM THE AUTHOR!

Chapter 40: A hectic yet necessary talk.

Chapter 41: We have ourselves a situation! And I hold the solution.

Chapter 42: Finally using our darned points!

Chapter 43: Oh my god, we’re back to this!

Chapter 44: Irene decimates the outlaws

Chapter 45: Captain Lenor the Torturer

Chapter 46: He knows my secret, and spoiled it! Bastard!

Message from the Author: Thank you for 10,000 Views and 1,000 Likes!

Chapter 47: Carnage brought to life

Chapter 48: Auramancy Versus Biomancy

Chapter 49: Oz has a plan! Uh-Oh…

&#x3C;p&#x3E;I laid bare against a cupboard. A cupboard. Just sprung against it like some stick in the middle of the night. What? You couldn&#x2019;t spare one side of the bed? The damn thing&#x2019;s empty! No one&#x2019;s here! Would it kill you to tuck a poor sword in? I want some softness too, you know! I can kinda feel touch, you know! &#x2018;Kinda&#x2019; works great for me! Ya kno?!&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;But nah, I got left in some top floor room to freeze in my buttocks. I don&#x2019;t have buttocks. But yeah, this was presumably where Irene stayed. Seemed nice, more girlish than I would&#x2019;ve given her credit for, but nice. I mean, really? Pink sheets? A flower embroidered pillow? And I swear I could see some kind of stuffed toy on her bed too&#x2026; Was Irene actually ten-years-old or did that old coot of a butler get the rooms wrong?&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Anywho. She&#x2019;d been keeping those kids and the granny company for the better half of the last two hours. And hey, I got a warning. &#x201C;Teleport to me, and I will have a blacksmith turn you into a saw.&#x201D; She said THAT! SCARY! I don&#x2019;t think there&#x2019;s a blacksmith alive who could actually chip me, I do FEEL nigh-indestructible. I mean, I should be quite durable! All that harsh treatment in them burrows didn&#x27;t leave a scratch on me, y&#x2019;know? Most other blades would be in tatters, needing repairs, but not orewa! Okay, that was cringe. Why did I do that? Why am I cringe, suddenly?&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Oh right. Lonely.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;I&#x2019;m lonelyyyyy! Where did that bird brained wielder of mine shoot off to? Her threats are inconsequential to me but her tone scared the crap out of meeeee!&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Sheesh. At least wrap me in those pinkish sheets. They could be my sheath. I&#x2019;m really craving a sheath, to be honest, not gonna lie. Like seriously. A sheath would be nice. Having stood bare for decades, it&#x2019;s about time this old sword got itself a pearly new friend to tuck into, right? And sheets are close enough that I&#x2019;ll compromise. They look so fuzzy over there, pink&#x2019;s not my jam but I could swing that way. Yup. Ain&#x2019;t nothing like some comfy sheets. Why am I so obsessed with those, anyway? I didn&#x2019;t even note the rest of the room. Like, hey, the window has a wonderful view! Night time had hit, and the aurora borealis came back! Yay! Why didn&#x2019;t that catch my eye first&#x2026;? I mean, aside from not having one.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Oh my god! Was this in fact a carnal desire for me, as a sword? Sheets can be said to sound close to my assumed&#x2013;real aim&#x2026; If I could gulp, this is where I&#x2019;d gulp. Dear god&#x2013;am I into sheaths now? Jesus Christ, let it be untrue! I&#x2019;m a proud ladies&#x2019; man! No! Noooo!&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;Why are you screaming in my head?&#x201D; The door flew open with Irene marching in, holding her forehead. &#x201C;What&#x2019;s wrong?&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Oh, Irene! It&#x2019;s horrible! So, so horrible! I&#x2019;ve come to an agonizing realization!&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Her eyes sharpened. &#x201C;What is it?&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;I need a sheath! Desperately! It is but my one, humble requirement! Quell this need of mine!&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;A sheath? Is that why you were screaming just now? Are you kidding me?&#x201D; She flopped right in bed.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Yes. But being inside the sheets would do nicely, too.&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;So that&#x2019;s your actual goal.&#x201D;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Maybe. I honestly don&#x2019;t know. I&#x2019;m scared. I want some fuzzy, soft warmth. I have some sense of touch and I wanna use it!&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;That is useful information.&#x201D; Irene sat up. She stared at me in the dimly lit room, one eyebrow raised. &#x201C;So, do you feel pain?&#x201D;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Irene, you&#x2019;re scaring me.&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;I&#x2019;m joking.&#x201D; She undid some of her clothing; pants came off. &#x201C;Have a good night, sword.&#x201D;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Irene laid under the sheets and tucked herself in. Surprisingly, her stone halo moved from behind her head to just over it. As if it tried to keep a vertical position even now. Well, ain&#x2019;t that convenient! But there&#x2019;s more to this here situation, and I won&#x2019;t let my needs be ignored!&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Hey, you won&#x2019;t take me up on my one request?&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;I don&#x2019;t want to cut myself on you in my sleep,&#x201D; she grumbled out.&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Ah&#x2013;Fair, fair. But now you have a reason to give me a sheath!&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;Sword, you&#x2019;re not sleeping in my bed.&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Why not?!&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Irene turned her back on me. &#x201C;You creep me out sometimes.&#x201D;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;&#x2026;Well, you creep ME out sometimes! Ha, there, how do them apples taste?&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;I don&#x2019;t care, actually.&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Wha&#x2013;Hey, come on now!&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;Good night, don&#x2019;t make me throw you out the window.&#x201D; She paused, as if giving it some thought as she hugged her plushie tight. &#x201C;Because I will do it repeatedly.&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Oh, so that plushie gets a cuddle while I get a threat? So unjust!&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;Hey, Mr. Feathers is soft, unlike you.&#x201D; Irene turned back around and showed me the plushie, a snowy white bird covered in fluff-made feathers. He looked kinda chubby.&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;You named it?! And you named it that? Are you five?&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;A kid here named the plushie. Thank you very much.&#x201D; She hugged Mr. Feathers, hiding the lower half of her face behind his beaked head. Cute.&#x26;nbsp;&#x26;nbsp;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Fair. But at least indulge in some conversation with me, too. You conversed tons with the little gremlins downstairs.&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Irene&#x2019;s soft stare turned to a glare. &#x201C;They are not gremlins,&#x201D; she said from behind her plushie.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Right, they&#x2019;re cute kiddos. Sure. Anywho. What&#x2019;s that all about, anyway? Is this like an orphanage? And why do you seem to live here?&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;It&#x2019;s not exactly that, but it might as well be one,&#x201D; Irene laid on her back, she stared at the ceiling, still keeping that plushy in her embrace. Seriously, is she five?&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;What do you mean by that?&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;I could see the edge of her lips curve. &#x201C;You see&#x2026; To this day, I&#x2019;ve yet to meet a kinder human individual than Mrs. Caroline.&#x201D;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Oh! Are we getting some of that Granny lore? She did seem nice at first glance, but your praise goes beyond. Is she really that good?&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Irene chuckled. &#x201C;You could say that.&#x201D;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Getting giddy, are yah? Come on! Spill the beans!&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;Well, for starters, she took the time and effort to care for a Fallen like me when I needed it most.&#x201D;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;That is indeed quite nice of her! There did seem to be some prejudice to your kind back there.&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;You have no idea&#x2026;&#x201D; Irene sighed. &#x201C;I was lost, forsaken, and forgotten by my comrades. And while valkyries are mostly viewed with awe, we&#x2019;re also feared by the lower races. When a Fallen like me is seen, it brings out the worst kind of contempt in people.&#x201D;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Oh, but not in this Caroline lady!&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;Not at all. She saved my life, you know?&#x201D; Irene glanced my way. &#x201C;And it&#x2019;s more of the same for everyone who has spent time under this roof. Past and present. When we all needed someone the most. She arrived to pick us right up.&#x201D;&#x26;nbsp;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Even the butler?&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Irene laughed. &#x201C;Hahaha, yes, even Edwardo.&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Damn, now that&#x2019;s a great streak to have kept over the years. Not a single person to have left your home without feeling grateful is quite the feat!&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Irene nodded to herself. &#x201C;People have always come and gone, some older people in need of slight assistance, lots of kids who&#x2019;ve lost their parents, as I&#x2019;m sure you&#x2019;ve guessed. Even sickly folk used to come by for her to treat them.&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Whoa! So that lady is also a doctor? Now you&#x2019;ve had me. What&#x2019;s the catch? She can&#x2019;t be that perfect.&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Irene kept quiet for a bit. She looked out the window and spoke. &#x201C;She was a doctor. Mrs. Caroline is too sickly nowadays to do much of anything she used to. Some of the more ungrateful noggins even took the chance to steal one or two of her family heirlooms and ran when she came down with sickness.&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;You know, I&#x2019;d rather take you up on a kill quest with these sorry fools. Who would dare?!&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;They&#x2019;re long gone now, we wouldn&#x2019;t find them less on blind luck.&#x201D;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;But that&#x2019;s so fucked up! How can even a single person screw over their benefactor like that?&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;I couldn&#x2019;t tell you that,&#x201D; Irene mumbled out, &#x201C;people of all manner roam this world, as sad as the fact may be.&#x201D;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;If I could sigh, I&#x2019;d be sighing right about now.&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;Your sentiment is understood.&#x201D; Irene sighed, then turned to me with a light smile. &#x201C;There, a sigh in your stead.&#x201D;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Why, thank you kind wielder of mine!&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;Worry not of it.&#x201D; She kept the smile strong.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;My oh my, conversation returned to thriving status alas! Oh, it&#x2019;s almost like one of those pajama parties I heard about! We get to gossip about this and that topic like little kids! Hehe, well, it&#x2019;s mostly Irene gossiping since I haven&#x2019;t a thing to contribute conversation wise! But I&#x2019;m happy. Smiley sword~&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;Oh,&#x201D; Irene perked, &#x201C;perhaps I should mention it now. She&#x2019;s that friend I told you about before.&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Ohhh! Now it makes perfect sense why said friend would know tons about the city. She do be an oldie.&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Irene chuckled. &#x201C;You&#x2019;re not wrong, she was a kid when this place got founded.&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;I&#x2019;m sorry, what? A kid? Is she like a vampire or&#x2026;&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;Vampire?&#x201D; Irene asked with a rather quizzical tone.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Oh, you don&#x2019;t got those? For real? You have rat people but not bloody vampires?&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;Did you&#x2013;Did you insult Mrs. Caroline?&#x201D; Her voice grew a growl.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;What? No! No! God, no. Just mentioning a myth of long-lived people. Don&#x2019;t sweat the details. Do tell me though, how come this Mrs. Caroline was here during the founding, if the city was among the oldest in the whole-ass continent? That don&#x2019;t make sense.&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;You really don&#x2019;t know the first thing about the flatlands, huh?&#x201D; She sat up, balling herself as she held her knees. &#x201C;I knew you were clueless, but I thought you&#x2019;d know at least some things.&#x201D;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Oh, spare me the contempt.&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;Sorry, just shocked.&#x201D; She shook her head. &#x201C;I&#x2019;ll proceed as if you&#x2019;re a toddler who just learned to speak from now on.&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;A bit degrading, but proceed.&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;This city is 74 years old.&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;74?! You said it was old! That&#x2019;s like brand new!&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;Look, Sword, I don&#x2019;t know what sort of misconceptions you have, but in the flatlands it&#x2019;s rare for a city to survive any longer than a couple, maybe so decades&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;What in the balloony&#x2026;? How come? That shouldn&#x2019;t happen across a whole continent!&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;Simple. A vast majority of humans are trash.&#x201D; She said, staring at the wall. Her hand over the other, squeezing her wrist. &#x201C;Real trash.&#x201D;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Humans being trashy doesn&#x2019;t explain this anomaly. Less you&#x2019;re about to tell me the world is 500 years old and my life is a lie.&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;Raiders, Sword. They come and go. They always come and go until the city falls. Neighboring enemies don&#x2019;t shy away either.&#x201D;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Wouldn&#x2019;t that just result in a city changing ownership?&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;Rarely.&#x201D; Irene shook her head. &#x201C;Most are simply annihilated, the populace chained and forced to watch as their home burns. A simple yet effective scare tactic. Telling them, &#x2018;you have nothing now,&#x2019; it&#x2019;s terrific to even think. The reality of it all has even led to a popular saying among the people. &#x2018;No child shall see the birth home of their parents.&#x2019;&#x201D;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Wow. That&#x2019;s&#x2026;&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x26;nbsp;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;Horrible?&#x201D; She glanced my way. &#x201C;I know. But there&#x2019;s nothing we can do about it. I&#x2019;m just glad there&#x2019;s at least a few cities like this one where the fact doesn&#x2019;t persist. For now.&#x201D;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Her fingers dug into her palms. It hurt me just watching her &#x3C;em&#x3E;squeeze.&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Isn&#x2019;t there like a governing force that can intervene? How can any decent country just stand idly by as their cities are overrun?&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;That&#x2019;s the thing, Sword. The Baratosh Flatlands have not had a single proper nation for as long as humanity has roamed it. Closest it ever got was with cities like this one.&#x201D;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Wh&#x2013;What?! You&#x2019;re kidding me! That&#x2019;s insane! So, you&#x2019;re telling me this entire continent is littered with just city states?&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;More or less.&#x201D; Irene&#x2019;s shoulders slumped. &#x201C;You might get a little more of it now, right? Just how messed up this land is.&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Yeah&#x2026; But, if it&#x2019;s like that, then why are you here? That guard called you an Ex-highlander, and you and Fabian had a weird conversation before, too. Seems to me neither of you is from around here.&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;Mmm,&#x201D; she mused. &#x201C;Let&#x2019;s stop here for tonight.&#x201D; Irene laid back on her bed.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Wha! Hey, you can&#x2019;t just stop here! I was just getting to the juicy stuff!&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x201C;I can. It&#x2019;s getting late, and I have things to do in the morning. Let&#x2019;s wrap it up for the moment and continue some other time.&#x201D; She tucked herself in. &#x201C;Good night.&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;But I&#x2013;&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x26;nbsp;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Her tone turned stern. &#x201C;Good night.&#x201D;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;em&#x3E;Good night&#x2026;&#x3C;/em&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Dumb twat&#x2026;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x2026;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;

&#x3C;p&#x3E;The Sword System, a soul bound blade punished for the sins of his past, craves the most basic of human needs in this new life. If you can even call it one. Alone, forgotten, forsaken. He remained for decades in solitude beneath the earth, all until the day she fell to meet him.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;&#x3C;br&#x3E;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Irene Vespera, a Fallen Valkyrie filled with distrust. She now wields the Sword System begrudgingly, far more eager to throw him away than regain her divinity. With a dislike for each other and the dubious goal of rising to their prior glory, their journey across the Baratosh Flatlands begins.&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;---------------------------------------------------------------&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Author Note: Hello everyone!&#x1F60A; If you&#x27;d like to chat with me and other readers of this series, please do head over to the official reader hub! I&#x27;ll be expecting you!&#x1F609;&#x3C;/p&#x3E;&#x3C;p&#x3E;Discord: https://discord.gg/5CVUhpKxbe &#x3C;/p&#x3E;

I am the Sword System