The Fate of The Reincarnated

10. Search

The usual splendor of the dawn sky was evident, and Finn smiled as the crisp air stroked his face. Even though the events of yesterday had made him angry, the quick possibility of retribution was satisfying, "Shall we get going?" He asked, getting Kyla’s nod

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Finn approached Kyla, who had covered her face and sat down on the ground, he had injured her assailants so there was no longer a reason for her to be scared, he wanted her to know that he’d protected her.

"Leave me alone." She slapped his hand away as he got close.

Confused Finn stopped after she pushed his advance away. Had the men injured her? If that was the case he would injure them more than he already had. He wasn't the most biology-versed person on the planet but he was sure he didn't hit any vital points or veins. Each cut was deep enough to bleed but would heal cleanly in about two weeks. Same with the stab on the boss. "It's me."

"Leave me alone, go away." She tapped her hand on the ground as if looking for something.

Finn turned to her cracked mask. "Was your face hit when they broke it?"

"Just... leave me."

"Show me."

"Please leave me."

Finn walked toward her, she slapped his hand away but this time he didn't withdraw. He pulled her hands away from her face and what he saw made him boil with unimaginable rage. She was scarred and burned. "When did this happen? Tell me. Did they do it?"

"No." She pulled her hands from his grasp and covered her face once more.

"Who did it then?" Finn forcibly calmed himself down. "You said people called you a witch, that part of the story had a hole. If your entire village was ruined who persecuted you?"

"It's okay, really."

"Were they also the ones that did this to your face?"

"Sir calm down." Dusk pleaded but Finn's emotions didn't subside the least bit.

"Finn. It's okay. Really."

"Tell me."

"A neighboring village. The village of Hootsmead. It's okay, I can't possibly blame them." Kyla revealed.

"Give me directions to Hootsmead Dusk." Finn walked away from Kyla.

"Sir. I think you are being rash here. Let's talk this through."

[MAP] Finn turned to his side and started running, although he had no idea what coming to this world would mean when it came to his personality and emotions. Right now he felt like he did back on Earth, despite all the blanks he could feel the exact rage he had felt before. The same rage he felt before he took his boss's life.

Vaulting over buildings and bounding along walls, Finn hastened toward Hootsmead Village. He contemplated using a form to make the journey faster, even if only slightly. However, he decided to conserve his mana and stamina for the villagers ‘sake’

Approaching a gate, Finn decelerated. It was the dead of night, with every light extinguished in the small village. "So, this is Hootsmead."

"Sir. This is genocide."

"How do I use double power Dusk?"

"Sir. Calm down. This won't accomplish anything, you will just be killing innocent lives."

"Innocent?"

Finn's imagination leaped to an eagle's eye view. He was stumbling around a building, facing verbal and physical abuse from his employer for every mistake. The vision moved on to his boss's funeral, which was ruled an accident. The moment showed his children and wife in tears. Finn grinned, recognizing his mind's attempt to demonstrate how his fury harmed others. "Innocent?" His laughter grew louder. "Are you joking?" He laughed even louder. "Are you fucking kidding me? They hurt me. They hurt her. They are bad people, how the fuck are they innocent?"

"Sir. I will restrict your magic for now. There's no need to be rash."

[Fire Magic: Flaming ball] Raising his hand, Finn focused on the flame above. The sizable fiery sphere grew larger and larger as it rested on his palm. It seemed to gain weight, draining his mana with each passing second.

"Sir."

"Burning and scarring an innocent girl. Filthy animals." Finn could feel the weight of the fireball getting noticeably heavier as if it was sucking his mana each second he didn't release it.

"It's okay." A voice said and two soft arms were wrapped around Finn. "I'm as angry as you are, but it's okay."

Slowly the fireball shrunk in size and the night sky slowly returned to the space the flames occupied. "How can you forgive them after what they did."

"I don't know." Kyla arched her feet and pecked Finn on the cheek. "I'm happy that someone could get as angry as you did for me though." She smiled.

Finn had an unusual experience with the fireball quenched and Kyla by his side. He forgave the village because she did, but his wrath remained, unlike the vanished fireball. "Let's go," Kyla said, clutching Finn's arm as Dusk sighed with relief. Due to his lack of access to earlier memories, Dusk recognized that beneath Finn's apparently happy demeanor resided a slew of demons.

They both returned to the inn for the night and made way for their individual rooms, Finn walking toward his room with anger that slowly subsided and Kyla with feelings of happiness.

The air was filled with an awkward mist and neither of them made a sound, Dusk wanted to apologize. Maybe he overstepped his boundaries. "Sir."

"No. I almost did something I would have regretted for the rest of my life." Finn raised his hand in the air. "I'm sorry I didn't listen to you and... thank you."

"No sir. It's my job."

Finn turned over to his side on the bed. There were still blanks and holes in his memories of the past but he more or less knew exactly how his life was back then. The mixer was still blank and showed no signs of becoming visible but he didn't want to focus on that for now.

Only now did he remember that he had taken someone's life— the murder of his boss, regardless of the situation he had still murdered him. That was something he would live with forever.

His head ached, so much so that he rolled onto his back, his hand on his forehead. What kind of person was he? What kind of emotions and memories were still buried beneath the blanks of his memory? What led to his demise? What led to his friend's demise? What about his friend's death? "I'll think about this later." He told himself as he went to bed.

Kyla and Finn proceeded together towards BaneStead in their quest for Gin. Although the chances of finding him there were slim, they weren't entirely nonexistent. Passing through the expansive village gates, they made their way toward the charred remnants of the once-thriving settlement.

En route to the village, Kyla had acquired a new mask, which she now ensured was securely fastened at the back of her head using her hand. She couldn't stand the thought of anyone she might have been acquainted with recognizing her by her body structure or clothes.

"Hey, you guys shouldn't be here." A construction worker said as he worked on a building.

"We're looking for someone," Finn responded.

"There isn't anyone except workers here but go ahead." He went back to his job.

And just like the construction worker said, there was not a single person in sight. Kyla walked toward a collapsed building Finn assumed was her home. She knelt beside it and offered a prayer before walking away.

"Sorry, we couldn't find this person you were looking for." Finn put his hand behind his head.

"It's fine, I wasn't even sure we'd see him in the first place." Kyla sighed. "I've sent your pay to the guild, thanks for your help."

"You sure you're okay?" Finn asked as her body language seemed off.

"I'm gonna stay here for a bit... alone... I wanna spend visit the graves."

"Okay." Finn understood and left her alone.

"Finn." She said and he stopped. "Your wife would be a lucky girl." She lifted her mask and smiled.

"Hiding that smile should be an offense punishable by law." Finn smiled back at her and she walked off. "Where too now Dusk? Gales?"

"I believe so since our mission here is completed," Dusk answered and Finn made way for the entrance of the village.

"Finally we can get an actual inn and some actual food." Finn's stomach grumbled. "I'm gonna miss her."

"I'm sure you guys will meet again," Dusk assured him.

Finn walked past the large gates of the village, his job was done and now he had to make the long trip back to Gales for the reward money. "Buffalo wings here I co-" [Plunder] Finn took a step and suddenly he was in a large forest. "What the?" He asked while looking around.

"It's me Gin from the cave." A voice echoed. "We gotta a lot to talk about."