Ch 83 - I appreciate everyone's patience. I started a new job and I feel like I am drowning. I hope this weekend I can get caught up on the 15 chapters. Forgive me!

The cyclops attack had happened in a split second. As quick as it was, I had seen it coming. 

I dropped low and let the spear zip past. The attack confused me. It seemed like a huge gamble. It was just me and the Cyclops–the rest of his army was still a good bit away and now the cyclops was completely unarmed. 

Without hesitation I lunged forward out of dodge, dirt and rock spit out as I dug my feet into the ground. 

Is that all this world was? Was the entire universe built on this same twisted logic? This cyclops just saw me as a walking number to help him further his growth. 

Why did it always seem to go this way? In a moment this Cyclops had decided that it wasn’t worth speaking. 

First it was Richard. It felt so long ago. Really it hadn’t been that long. I thought about that time so often. He was unhinged, a murderer, and he would’ve killed me just to gain a few measly levels. 

I was afraid that the world would be full of men like Richard. Men who would take, men who would kill, all just to get a little more power–others be damned. 

Jordan had been worse. Richard was bad but Jordan was terrifying. 

I cast my dome of protection. 

It was happening again. I could feel it. Something in me sturred. 

When I first entered this world I knew that killing was going to become a necessity. Even before the world shifted I knew that was a reality. I ate meat, I supported war if it meant defending your rights and protecting the innocent, I even supported the death penalty in certain cases. 

My skin began to prickle.

What happens when wicked people become gods? People who’s rise to glory was lined with the bodies of the innocent? Whole worlds–no. Whole galaxies would be held hostage. Devorah had proven this. 

My journey had just begun. But my mind was made up. My decision wrapped around me like a glove, it urged me forward, the current crashed around me.

Click. 

Tranquility started to glow.

These cyclops embodied everything that I hated about Richard and Jordan. Power shouldn’t be used to control, it shouldn’t be used to oppress, and it definitely shouldn’t be sought out above all else, at the expense of the innocent.

Those with power should be the ones to give, to uplift those around them, to help instead of hinder, and to protect instead of enslave. 

That’s the target I aimed for, the cyclops was just in the way. 

Tranquility bled blue mist. The Cyclops’ eye began to glow a vibrant red and it held out its hand, a smile split his face. I ignored it completely. 

Crack! 

Strangely something from behind me collided with the small dome I had cast. It didn’t matter. Tranquility didn’t even slow as I swept low across the Cyclops thick legs. 

The smile faded and two massive hands reached forward to collect me into a bear hug. I continued my swing. A massive bellow forced its way out of my enemy as his forearm and hand dropped to the ground with a clink and a thump. 

I bounced back and dodged a wild swing from the arm still intact. It moved to step after me–the moment it did its eye grew wide. 

First one then both legs came clean apart mid thigh armor and all. 

The cyclops reached out desperately–any smugness from before now long gone. 

Tranquility had become my tool of judgement.

It was faint, but I could feel the whispers. Agreement, acceptance, gratitude? 

There were no words. I just felt. Tranquility was aware of its existence. It knew it was made to kill. There was no choice for it, but within me I could feel it embrace its identity.

Tranquility wanted–no–it needed to enact my sentence. It hungered to enact judgement on those I had deemed wicked. 

As the cyclops fell forward I gave Tranquility what she wanted. My sword flew and the first cyclops fell. 

She?

[You have killed level 32 cyclops berserker]

Why had I suddenly thought She? It just felt right. My bond with Tranquility was growing and now she wanted more. 

I looked up. The other cyclops thundered across the meadow. 

Who was I to deny her?

-

Tom ran through the streets of his old faction, the pain of where Layton had slapped him still burned. 

As much as the slap had hurt, the pain of his sins burned even deeper. 

Just hours ago Tom had been about to assassinate a young boy. A boy who had done nothing but upset Jordans pride. 

Of course–his attempt was laughably unsuccessful. Not only had Nick been prepared for the attack, he was excited for it. 

The voice that had become Tom’s companion had warned him that Layton and the boy with strange dark eyes were more than they seemed. 

Nick had completely turned the tides.

“Don’t move, don’t even breathe. You and I are going on a little walk.”

And they had. Tom had already been close to breaking before the knife was at his throat, now that it was. He crumbled. As they walked Tom told Nick everything.

They freed the captives and returned to town. Of course Jordan was spinning his webs around Layton and his friends. If only Layton was stronger. 

“You know this is wrong. It’s not too late to change.”

It was time. He couldn’t let Layton take the blame. The fear of what people would think of him at his confession made each step he took feel heavy. But he did it. 

He saw the shocked judgemental eyes, felt the shame of exposing his sins. 

Then Layton spoke and the world itself seemed to listen. Each word carried the weight of mountains, they demanded to be heard. 

Tom had listened to the judgement, watched Layton execute it and knew it was fair. Worse? It had cut Tom to his core. All he could think was he had to hide his shame. When the fight started Tom dropped from the stage and hid. 

Now here he was. He stood at the edge of the town, guilt and shame mingled with terror as he watched Layton stand in the middle of a field toe to toe with a literal giant in thick metal armor and an army at its back.

Tom knew he should help. Layton was just a healer. Sure, he had killed Jordan, but he thought that was more due to his strange judgement skill. This would be different. 

He wanted to help. He couldn’t. It was suicide. How could this young man stand in front of such odds, was he delusional?

No he wasn’t delusional, he was just more of a man than Tom ever was. The shame burned in his chest but it wasn’t enough. 

The giant lifted its visor and Tom could see from here the bright red single eye. The blood drained from his face. 

The cyclops spoke briefly then raised its spear and attacked. This would be it for Layton. 

It wasn’t though. Somehow Layton was able to avoid the attack. The spear flew like a missile, then it began to glow red–slow and then gradually turn. 

It had telepathy. With a smug grin the cyclops had completely outmaneuvered Layton, he wouldn’t even see it coming. 

Just move! Do something! He wanted to move but his feet wouldn’t let him. Besides, what good would he be? In a moment Layton would be dead.

Wrong again. When had that sword begun to glow?

In a cloud of dust the young man erupted into motion–he looked like a child compared to the massive cyclops. The spear was about to land when it stopped midair colliding with some unseen barrier. 

Then the cyclops toppled. 

What?

The other cyclops charged. Layton stood tall, blue sword lit at his side. 

Tears flowed down Tom’s face. This is what Tom should’ve been. What he wanted to be when this all started. He had lost his way. 

He had done it all wrong. He was broken and alone. The voice, the one that always told the truth, had said something. 

It wasn’t too late. 

Tom cried as Layton charged the other Cyclops.