What did faith mean to humans?
Was it the willingness to believe in something unseen? Even when it was forced on?
Like how existence may be known through sight, but accepted through faith.
Now proven and aware that such strong Forces exist outside their world. Looking at them, observing, poking for fun, and even throwing 'prophecies' to see who runs after it.
Knowing this, could faith still be called belief?
If an entity existed beyond human perception, yet left marks on the world, was worship devotion… or an act of compliance?
Would ignoring such premade prophecies be deemed a right move?
'It would not.'
She rose smoothly from her seat with her hands folded.
Keres was still stretched across the bed, bare skin unbothered as one arm of his lazily draped over one of the women beside him.
After watching a threesome silently for what seemed to be hours, Keres had said something that caught her attention.
She finally walked to the door.
"I'll excuse myself," Grace muttered.
No one stopped her.
She stepped into the corridor, nodding to other courtesans as she passed. A hand brushed her arm. Another laughed softly behind her. The brothel was as warm and loud as it could be.
Outside, the night air hit her lungs. She took one long breath, escaping the reality of being a tea attendant and a low courtesan in a well known brothel.
That is… until a hand yanked her back.
Her yelp was cut off as a palm struck her cheek, fast. Fingers clamped over her mouth.
"Shh," a voice hissed against her ear. "Don't make a sound."
Grace reacted on instinct. Her knee shot back as she kicked the 'kidnapper'. Twisting sideways, her elbow pressed against the stranger's neck.
She froze. Now looking at the man before her.
"Jaren?"
Her hands dropped, and relief rushed through her so fast her knees nearly buckled. "I told you to stop doing that," she snapped. "What if they caught us?"
Jaren, a brown-haired young man, pulled her close before she could step back. His arms were tight. He leaned in, kissing her passionately.
For a second, she let herself sink into it. Then she pushed against his chest.
"I've been careful," he said quickly, breathing hard. "No one saw me. Not even Wven. I swear. I-I'm saving. I really am. I've taken jobs wherever I can. I've even started going to the Game arenas. If I win just one big—"
Grace lifted her hands and cradled his face, cutting him off. Their foreheads touched. And his breathing slowed.
"I don't want you hurt," she whispered. "You're the only good thing I have here."
Her thumb brushed the red scar at his hairline. He had tried to hide it with his bangs. She moved them aside, studying it openly.
"Your scars are beautiful," she said, smiling. "Don't hide them."
His hazel eyes softened.
"I'll wait for you," she went on. "As long as I'm alive. I'm not going anywhere. Just… don't break yourself trying to reach me."
Jaren kissed her hand, then her wrist, then her knuckles. The small kisses made her laugh quietly.
"Hold on a little longer," he said. "I'll pay for your release. We'll leave this place. We'll go to the meadows like we talked about."
"We'll eat and drink all we want," she added.
"Yes. Whatever we want."
"I want two kids too," she continued.
Jaren intertwined his fingers with hers. "How about five?"
Grace playfully kicked him. However, she had a bright blush on her face. "D-don't joke like that!"
Jaren's expression softened even more, a small smile etched on his face, making his eyes form crescent moon shape. "I really wish this could last forever," he muttered.
Suddenly, her smile faltered.
Grace reached into the inner lining of her blue dress and tore at the hem. She pulled free a slim hairpin from her hair, wrapped it in the torn cloth.
She then pressed it into his palm.
"Give this to 'Grandfather'," she told him. "I think the man they're searching for is inside the brothel. I overheard a conversation earlier. I'm almost sure."
Jaren furrowed his brows in confusion. "Grace… Grace… this is dangerous. What if he hurts you? What if you get hurt?"
She leaned forward and kissed him again.
"I'm a worshipper," she replied. "I don't have a choice. Meet me behind Xie Chen's bar after this is over. Promise me."
A flick of hesitation lingered in his expression, but then he nodded. "I promise. I'll deliver your message to him… be safe. I love you."
Grace smiled at him. "I love you too."
He disappeared into the dark.
Grace stayed where she was for a moment, fingers curled tight at her side, before turning back inside. Surely, no one was watching her. 'Thank goodness Wven is busy. If she catches me again, I'll have to starve again.'
She was preparing to visit where the rest of them were. The worshippers of the god, 'Wrath'.
—
Keres had finally put on some decent clothes. It was unpleasant to see a grown man with his unbothered junk out.
The two women, Anouk and Violet, too, had left Fèi Ming's room for something else important.
"Your little tea attendant ran off," Keres drawled, rolling onto his back. One arm flopped across his eyes. "Looks like my work here is done."
Fèi Míng lifted his gaze at the shameless, now sober man.
"She left in a hurry," he continued. "Which means you can either stay and wait to be found, or you can move. I guess she ran to their hideout, I don't know."
One of his eyes peeked open. "From the looks of it, her reaction shows she's one of them after you. I'd suggest finding those worshippers first. Saves time. You wouldn't want to be caught in-between their 'prophecies', I tell you now."
Fèi Míng considered this. The idea seemed to amuse him. A faint curve touched his mouth and vanished just as quickly. So this was what he was now.
A being worth the time of a cosmic slug. Worthy enough to now draw attention.
Who knows what prophecy of his future got forecasted?
If only he knew Wrath would get back at him by just raising a 'prophecy' too. He would have punched that god till his bones ruptured. 'So annoying.'
"I'll leave," he declared.
Stealing a few noble man's coins was worth it in the end. Fèi Míng was now able to afford regular, non patchy clothes. Wearing a fitted charcoal-grey tunic with a high collar and loose black trousers, he almost looked remarkable.
Keres waved a lazy hand. "I wish you luck! If you want, I'm free to help. My other cousin works in the army… I can reach out to her, if you wanna."
Standing up and picking his sleeping kitten, the orange ball of fur stirred as he shifted it onto his shoulder, his small body warm against Fèi Míng's neck. He stepped past the cum and fluid stained bed. "I'd rather not."
Keres silently watched him leave the door. Suddenly, something struck him as he stated:
"Sometimes, I feel like… you underestimate yourself. It's like you're unknowingly holding yourself back. Are you short-sighted? You usually are not. I've seen you play Games. Maybe you are… on yourself?"
Fateless stopped on his tracks. What was Keres implying?
Grinning, Keres added: "Ah. I hit the nail in the bud. Telekinesis as a skill… is a very great tool. If I had that, I would be pulling buildings and people apart haha."
"Maybe I am," Fateless replied, not looking back. Then he left.
When he got out of the brothel, he scanned the outer area for his previous tea attendant, Grace.
___
Grace had stepped into a dim courtyard. The warm glow of lanterns highlighted the wooden beams, the scent of oils mingling in the night air.
She paused, one hand resting lightly on a wide broad wooden gate, taking stock of the small cluster of worshippers inside. Her heart raced as she pressed on the gate.
She turned back, scanning the narrow path she had walked, and froze. There was a shadowy figure behind her.
Stumbling, and catching herself on the large gate, her eyes widened in shock, a pit forming in her stomach. "W-wh-why are you here?"
Fèi Míng stood there, his presence a black weight against the night. The way his empty eyes met hers made her skin crawl. "I followed you," he replied, glancing at the carved gate. "You're one of Wrath's worshippers, are you not?"
She gasped.
Grace's mind spun. Jaren. 'Where is he? He had just gone to get 'Grandfather'. He should have returned any moment now,' she thought.
She had to stall, hold this monster back long enough. Her hands shot out, palms pressed against the heavy wooden gate, fingers spread wide.
"Stop!" she snapped, voice firm. "You can't—"
Fèi Míng tilted his head, silent.
Grace swallowed. Her pulse slammed in her ears. The worshippers inside were harmless. They did not deserve this. None of them knew half of what this monster could do.
She could see it in his eyes.
Bloodthirst.
No wonder Wrath wants him gone.
'Jaren. Where are you? WHERE are you? Where ARE YOU?! He's going to— he's going to kill me! I'm scared.'
"You shouldn't have followed me," she spat, forcing her stance as she planted her feet firmly and guarded the entrance. "I'll make sure you g-get caught. I won't let you—"
He stepped closer. His lips twitched into a short smile. "What's his name?" he asked.
Grace's eyes shot at him in fear. "Wh-what?" Then she gritted her teeth. Somehow, he knew about Jaren. "DON'T TOUCH HIM!!"
'JAREN WHERE ARE YOU?!!'
"Fine," he said softly. "I wasn't. Move."
"NO!"
'If only I had a choice to not comply. I'll be dead either way. I just want a 'Favour' from Wrath. To live with—'
"I… really do wonder how your death expression looks." Fèi Míng cut in.
Grace froze. The words made her blood run cold.
Ding!
[Your item 'Sword of Justice' is being taken out of your inventory.]
"What?" she whispered, confused, a note of disbelief cracking through her panic.
The sword plunged into her stomach.
She screamed, blood filling her mouth. Her knees buckled as her hands pressed against him instinctively, trying to shove him away, but he twisted the blade, cutting deep.
Dragging the sword in her stomach, he slashed her cleanly. The sword tore through her abdomen, making her writhe as she coughed out blood.
The excruciating pain shot through her, white-hot, spreading to every nerve in her body.
Vision blurry, her breath came in cracking, choking sobs.
"…you…" she croaked, the light fading from her eyes as her body collapsed to the stone floor.
Fèi Míng's gaze lingered on her corpse. 'Should I feel bad for killing a woman?'
[Do You Wish To Absorb Core?]
He scoffed at Grace's frozen face. 'Fuck no. What a thrill this is.'
"Yes," he replied to the system's message.
Her life essence condensed into a whitish bright liquid ball. It floated to his palms.
Taking a look at it, he opened his mouth, letting the essence sit on his tongue, and swallowed in one gulp.
Wiping the smeared liquid off the corners of his lips, he turned to the gate, pushing it open.
Inside, men and women were drinking and laughing. When they all looked to see who the intruder was, they all paused.
And everything went silent.
Their eyes went wide at the sight of the blood dripping from Fèi Míng's sword, tracing it back to the lifeless form of Grace lying just outside the threshold.
A robust bearded man stood up from where he sat. "Hey! Mind your manners! Who dares enter a Worshippers' place like this?! You want to face the anger of Wrath?!"
Fèi Míng's bored eyes counted the number of these mindless fools. 22 in total.
A soft'ding!' chimed.
[The First Equivalent Has Successfully Been Reached!]
[Total Cores Absorbed: 11/11!]
[You Are Now A Step Up The Ladder!]
[10% Of Your Humanity Has Been Exchanged For 10% Immortality!]
[Your Body Is Now Resistant To Mortal Damages.]