My body was in pain. I wheezed as I pulled my face close to the floor; black sweat dripped from my chin. I pushed myself back up.
"Argggh," I grunted out. Every cell in my body was screaming for me to stop. I was doing a mere push-up.
Kali was the woman's name, and when she told me that I was being expelled from the system. She meant everything. That divine attack had reset me back to an infant (even though I look like an adult). I needed to rebuild my body.
"Is that all you got," Kail said, doing push-ups. She was only using her fingers to hold herself up. "Does your goal only sit so low on your list of things to do? Where is that drive?"
I let out another scream and went down for another rep. My goal had changed since coming down here. I just wanted a second chance at life. Trying my best to live peacefully with my family. Taking everything slowly, but I had fallen back into old habits. Stealing from people and riding off of their success. Then I went and tried to play the victim card. How would I know that I was hurting so many people? I was just trying to live like everyone else.
I left people wounded and destroyed. People would spend years practicing their skills or blessings. It was everything to them, just like how copying was to me, but when someone steals all your hard work and claims it to be yours. It defeats you; only pain and anger grow in your heart.
I told myself I was copying, not stealing. Copying is OK as long as you make your own, put your spin to it. I didn't do that. I didn't bother placing personality into my work because I didn't have one. I lived just the way I had lived in my first life. Scum, picking up pieces from others and turning it into a heaping mess, I called me. I was the byproduct of a society that was struggling to breathe.
We've only taken from each other and watched the strong survive. I told myself I needed to be like that and deny any upbringing and morals that come with growing up. Some morals and rules are dictated by society, but that doesn't mean that strong people follow them. I just absorbed the bad, the ugly, and the toxic.
Which reminded me of Joy and Anna. I craved them sexually, and I showed it. I was strong in that relationship with them. They thought they were righteous members of society. Following rules and laws no matter how much they were battered down—a single aunt taking care of her niece, I knew why. Anna's mother had a bad gambling debt; she had sold off Anna to a gang that she had an obligation to. When Joy found out, she poured everything she had in her savings to buy back Anna from them. At that moment, it was almost too late. Anna was hooked up on crack. Joy had to put more time into her niece, and that meant more money. She had downgraded from a lavish apartment to a dinging old shed next to mine. Joy needed more hours and took on more hours. Every night, she worked as a computer programmer trying to improve programs and create a viral mobile app. Money is what pressured her to work hard. Anna's treatment wasn't cheap.
I had money but didn't bother to share without asking for sexual favours. Joy didn't accept, and I knew why. It was morally wrong for her to accept it. That is what held her back. I remember telling myself that I was glad to be this mirror of society. Without morals, money flowed in.
Now things were different. Even though the society on Rolrista was the same as on Earth (without the technological advances), I played the same game. I was selfish, and even though I was being selfish for a good reason, such as my family. I always told myself that they could reject me at any moment. I could leave at any moment. I didn't need them as much as they needed me. Yet, it was so painful for me when my sisters rejected me. My soul was as fragile as it was on Earth.
My face was slammed into the floor. Kali's grip holding me down, I could hear the creaking of my skull underneath her strength.
"You're not focused," she said. "Stop thinking about how you have failed and how it was never really your fault. You're just a byproduct of your society."
"It's not my fault," I squeezed out.
"Of course it is. Do you believe that you aren't at fault for your own demise? I know how you've lived. You steal, kill, and lie your way through life."
"You don't know me!"
"But I do because I've lived the same. You could've become king of whatever dynasty or kingdom that lies above us. You could have risen up to the top and looked down on those who thought you were nothing but scum. But let me tell you," her grip tightening, "No amount of money or power will make you happy. They will only look at you as what you are. A thief, a thief king, stealing everything from less unfortunate."
My face twisted to grief. She was telling the truth. No matter how much money I made or how much power I held. I could never seem to hold on to happiness. If someone knew my secret, they would hate me. I kept everyone an arm's length away, except for my sisters.
"There it is—the shame. I've seen that look hundreds of times. The only good thing that comes from being a [Copywriter] is that you can build up from the bottom. It's work, but it's worth it. I know the temptation of waiting for people to reach the peak of their talent and then rob them blind. There is a word for it, an old friend of mine used."
"Grooming," we said in unison.
"Right, right. You've done it, haven't you? Now let me ask you did you kill them when you were done?"
...
"Answer me, or I'll end you here."
"No."
She laughed, that sick bellowing laugh. It flowed from her stomach and made her whole body shiver.
"You're a cruel man," she said, letting me go. "Now tell me what happened."
Samuel Belmont, Vanessa Mast, Jacob Decker, and Lorcan Ravenswood. These are the four heads that rule Chadel under Callum the seventh. Each family holds a considerable amount of power. One single decision from them can make the simple lives of the commoners a living hell (not that it's already a living hell, just remember you can always fall even further down). Each team of the Underbelly was in charge of taking on each family, with Team Delta being regulated to the Ravenswood family. They were in charge of spreading the religion of Drykena throughout Chadel and the rest of Rolrista. At first, I thought this was bad news, but then I realized this could be a blessing in disguise. There wasn't any incentive to go after the Ravenswood family because many of the rebels followed the religion. We were backups for Team Alpha, Beta, and Charlie. We were told that we would assist them on mission
Documents. Everywhere I look, only documents. A papery grave as sharp as any blade or sword. I had always had a problem being organized, even when I was a teacher at the Chadel Royal Academy. It had almost cost me my job a couple of times. Lucky for me, I had an eager little student. She wasn't really little, but she worked hard to make a name for herself. It was a... peaceful time at the academy—past tense. Everything went to shit when Julius Darcey showed up. I don't know what a prince or princess does every day. I would imagine it would be learning royal customs and how to manage the country—wishful thinking on my part. Julius is a prodigy in the magic department, taking after Callum the Third, once called The Magic God. A being referred to as the closest person to the first Callum's power. I never lived through such a time and can't fathom what kind of power Callum the First held, b
Katar, Ben, and Chris were the last three members added to the group (Katar was the elf). Jofrorli was still made captain even though he was the only one out of the eight that had the hardest time trying to learn [Shadow Step]. I was sure it was due to laziness on Moses, who didn't want to correct the mistake of making Jofrorli captain. Plus, the dwarf seemed quite happy being in charge. Team Delta was the name of the team. We were the fourth and last group to be created. Our purpose was a bit of an enigma. I couldn't wrap my head around us being just assassins. There was no way the nobles of Chadel would just let this ragtag team of adventurers run rampant in the streets. I didn't know how powerful the Nobles were but there was no way they were weak enough to be shaken by us. I started to regret ignoring the inner workings of the Captial. All of my information now came from Kali and wh
"You have five hours to get the basics of this skill down," said Moses. Thirty -five of us stood before him. Each of us well-rested and ready to start the second test. I noticed that everyone had one of the knock off masks. Either it was on their face or hanging to the side. It was a weird sight to see because it felt like whoever was in charge of the Underbelly was a fan of mine. I don't remember making fans when I was traveling in Chadel. I only remember making enemies. "Now watch carefully. I will only show it once."Moses took in a deep breath, making sure his body was ready for the task. He put his foot forward and took another step. His body slowly started to dissipate into the air, like smoke rising from a candle, disappearing into the atmosphere. It started from his head till it was gone. I felt that he was taking his time on purpose for us to deduce what he was doing. A little a
Moses gave each team a room. It wasn't in the castle because there wasn't any room in the castle. The castle floors had been occupied with different departments and sub-departments. The tour through the castle reminded me of an American military base. Anything that wasn't a part of the main goal was kept in the barracks, and barracks were kept outside the castle.Logistics department, strategic department, magic department, espionage department, blacksmith and Armoury department, food department, shelter department, and registration department. Everything was organized with nothing left unturned. The whole area wasn't that wide but told a very good secret. Kaminarimon was built on the remains of New Kaminarimon. Kali immediately recognized where we were before anyone else. It was like she was visiting an old hometown of hers.After the tour, I wanted to rest, take a load off
I only remember him being quite charming in a pitiful way. He was blond and wore a black mask; personally, I thought it should have been white. It would have suited his blond hair. His clothes weren't any better. A black bearskin cloak and leather clothes. It was cheaper than the burlaps and cotton. He was very awkward around women, and his humor wasn't any better. It felt like he was trying too much.He only asked for a mead and a simple meal. He had money but wasn't loaded. His hands were rough from practicing with the sword. He would even spar sometimes with the local guards.I don't know when I started to like him, but he stayed in our little town a bit longer than he expected. I remember old Ravod telling us not to hang around him. There was something about his mask that Ravod didn't like. "Anyone that wore a mask like that was up to no good." I didn't accept that. I be