Chapter 39: Purpose you choose for yourself

Pov Kira:

How I came here, kneeling before a black-skinned, red-haired Goblin, using the ancient oath of the Gray Elves.

If I heard that this would happen to me I would for the first time in years laugh at whoever said it, I know I’m stronger than this Goblin, but for some reason I know he would beat me in a fight, I can see a longing in his eyes No Boundaries.

He made me see the promise I left buried inside of me and the truth I chose not to see while blinded by hate.

All this hatred started a long time ago, my mother and I lived in a small agricultural village in a smaller kingdom, she was an immigrant who came to this village after I was born.

My mother was the kindest person I have ever met, she cared and cared for everyone, even though I have her difficulties.

She never told me anything about my father or his past other than being a “Warrior of the Night”, the Elves are divided into three ethnic tribes which are the White Elves, the Dark Elves, and the Gray Elves.

Each tribe has its advantages, White Elves have more energy and great talent for either magic power or spiritual power, Dark Elves are born warriors and have strong bodies and high physical stats are talented in using combat magic or Ki manipulation and finally, the Gray Elves who are born Thieves and Killers have great speed and dexterity along with talent in spiritual power or Ki manipulation, each tribe has its Guardian Unit and the Gray Elves are called Night Warriors.

The Night Warriors have this name because they fight murderers, thieves, and spies, they are also responsible for gathering information, unlike warriors of other tribes their fights are not seen or known, as their name suggests they fight during the dark of night protecting the Elves from the shadows.

My mother always proudly told me that she was a night warrior and taught me about the history and culture of our people, but she never said why we lived in a human village or about our family.

My mother had a lot of scars all over her body, she didn’t have the right arm and leg, she used a wooden leg to walk, but even in these conditions she always had a smile on her face, she taught me much more than just knowledge about our people, she trained me with all her Night Warrior knowledge, she taught me everything she knew and even though I learned everything I was just a child with a weak body, I couldn’t make good use of what she taught me.

One day the people of the village discovered that the nobleman responsible for the village lands had changed and the taxes were going up, and this was not the only time, the taxes went up every year and whoever couldn’t pay became a debt slave, like it was an agricultural people, there were years when it was difficult to pay these taxes and many children and elderly people began to die of hunger or illness.

With this happening, the once happy village became gloomy, my mother supported herself from the sale of medicinal herbs she found in the forest, but during a pandemic she became ill and without any money, there was no medicine or doctor she could get for her, in a few weeks ago she died of the disease, but before she died she told me about a buried box that I was only supposed to open when I grew up.

I was very sad and lonely when my mother died, she always said that for us Gray Elves the most important was a purpose and that hers was me, she made me promise one day to seek a purpose for myself, she said that when I lie I would know.

Things only got worse over time, with my mother dead and being an orphan Elf a desperate neighbor captured me in my sleep and sold me as a slave to the same nobleman responsible for these abusive taxes, seeing that I was a Gray Elf he bought and put me through a hellish training regimen.

After months of getting beaten up with the excuse of combat training and being forced to kill weak monsters to raise my level fast, he finally started giving me assassination and robbery missions, I was glad this noble believed in human supremacy, thanks to this he never looked at me as a woman.

Over the years and because of the slavery brand I became the secret of this nobleman, whom he used as a tool to steal items he liked, steal information, or kill his enemies, he didn’t even tell his family about me.

After ten years of being a mere weapon in the hands of this nobleman, my body was covered in horrible scars and my face was unrecognizable due to the number of scars on it, after so many years the innocent child had disappeared and all that was left was a mass of loneliness and hate that she thought every day about how to kill the one who had made her do so many horrible things over the years.

One day she saw from afar the nobleman’s son kill his father with a smile on his face as he talked nonsense about being time to inherit his title and be recognized as a true nobleman, what he didn’t know was that when his father died the seal of slavery disappeared from me and I was finally free.

The first thing I did was go back to the village where I grew up to get the box my mother told me years ago, when I arrived I only found a ghost village with some burned houses, this place must have been attacked by bandits years ago.

I went to the place my mother spoke of and dug until I found the box and opened it, there were only three things inside the box, a black mask, a ring with the design of the twin moons in silver, and a letter.

I took the letter and read it, there wasn’t much written, it was just my mother’s proud words about me and how she loved me, she also explained that the ring and mask are my father’s mementos that she kept for me.

Then I realized I had nowhere to go and no one was waiting for me, I was standing there not knowing what to do when the images of all these years of suffering appeared in my mind, but there was no way to give back everything I suffered since I was responsible was already dead.

I had so much anger and hatred inside me that I needed to find someone to take it all out, thinking about it I moved to this country and started making noble rubbish like the one that enslaved me the same taste I went through and I started to kidnap and sell them like slaves, I also started stealing from rich merchants as I needed money, after all, one thing I learned from that noble garbage was that money is always useful.

While acting I hired some criminals that I could use as expendable parts for my plans, and after all that, all that hate and anger doesn’t go away.

One night I come back to my hideout only to be attacked and captured by a strange Goblin, after so many years living in the criminal underworld I can tell he’s the most dangerous thing I’ve ever seen, his eyes are crystal clear but deep as the abyss and I feel like I’m able to see through the truth as if I can’t deceive him.

All my years of experience were screaming that no matter what the reason I shouldn’t become your enemy at all.

I had been shocked when they found my “Dream Creeper”, I remember he made me drink the sleeping pill and I was scared not knowing what this thing would do to me until I finally fell asleep thanks to the effect of this plant.

I soon started to feel something covering my body and when I open my eyes I’m in a strange space full of energy flows with no form, pattern, or any order, it was a Chaotic and bizarre place, the most strange was the shadow in front of me.

The eyeshadow had different colored eyes like the Goblin, and it emitted a kind of Aura from its body that made me want to kneel before it as if that act was the norm.

There was pressure on me like something was trying to get into my body, and a question always popping into my head asking if I’m an ally or an enemy like I was being judged.

“No, no, I prefer death.” (me)

And the shadow is still looking at me as if waiting for the trial to end, and suddenly it starts asking me questions.

“What you want?” (Shadow)

His voice was full of authority and carried wisdom as if he already knew my answer even if I didn’t say anything.

“Do you want power?” (Shadow)

“Do you want authority?” (Shadow)

“Do you want wealth?” (Shadow)

“Do you want fame?” (Shadow)

He asks the questions but doesn’t wait for my answers, of course, I want all that.

He speaks as if he knows something I don’t know, I feel these questions are not for me to answer but to guide me to the answer.

“Do you want revenge?” (Shadow)

When he asks that question I remember everything I went through as a tool in the hands of that nobleman, I for the first time want to answer yes, but before I can answer he speaks firmly.

“I think not.” (Shadow)

“So answer me what you want, what you’ve buried inside yourself.” (Shadow)

“What do you want? Answer!” (Shadow)

His questions confuse me, what does he expect me to answer? Why does he speak as I am ordered to respond? How can his voice carry so much authority?

“(What do I wish?)” (me)

His words resonate inside me and an image comes to my mind, a memory of my mother, she was telling me.

“Daughter the most important thing for us Gray Elves is to have a purpose.” (mom)

“Especially for the Night Warriors as this is the source of our determination and power.” (mom)

“My purpose is you, and that’s why I live my life every day full of happiness.” (mom)

“So promise me, my dear Kira, that one day you will find your purpose, something that will bring you happiness and strength to live in this world.” (mom)

How could I forget my promise? How could I forget her?

At some point I started to cry, this was what the Shadow wanted, this was the answer he was guiding me to discover, he had already seen it inside me, he knew what I wanted in my heart even before I did.

“What you want is a purpose.” (Shadow)

“Serve me, submit by your will.” (Shadow)

“Do this of your own free will and I will make you see your purpose for yourself.” (Shadow)

I see now, at some point I strayed from what I am, at some point, I forgot the promise to the person most important to me, but he helped me, it’s weird that it’s a shadow showing me the way instead of light.

I know what I must do now, just as my mom once told me, I would know when I find my purpose.

And I choose to serve the one who showed me what I wanted to be, who showed the real me, I kneel and say.

“Yes” (me)

It raises its shadowy claws and a jewel with chain designs forms, soon the jewel begins to float towards me and enter my heart.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

<[ You have submitted to Zenos (Blood Goblin) ]>

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<[ You have become familiar with Zenos (Blood Goblin) ]>

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<[ You have been gifted with a Gift of Power by Zenos:

• [ Contract: 1 ] ]>

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<[ His skill evolved when he came in contact with Byakko (Spirit of Thunder and Metal) ]>

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<[ Your Ability Evolved [ Contract: 1 ] > [ Spiritual Contract: 1 ] ]>

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<[ You purchased the titles:

• [ Familiar of Zenos ]

• [ Spiritual Contractor ] ]>

When I submit, the pressure disappears, it turns into waves and waves of energy that invade my body and fill me.

I feel something inside me pulsing and sucking in that force, and then a burst of new energy fills me and I start to hear a roar coming from inside me.

I stand up, take off my mask and lower my hood, and swear the Gray Elves’ ancient vows of servitude to master Zenos.

“I swear to serve you body and soul for eternity master.” (me)

“Today I Kira by the ancestral vows made before the World Tree swear to be the shadow and blade of Zenos, that Dravos God of Spirits be a witness.” (me)

It was a long journey but I finally found my mother’s purpose.