The Fate of The Reincarnated

18. Namek

Namek Surtur wanted to be free.

From the very moment he came into this world, he was given a severe choice from the moment he was born: take the throne as the ruler of the city his father oversaw, or meet a gloomy and cruel demise. While he dreaded the idea of passing away, he equally wished for a life free from the burden of obligation where he could pursue his own goals and desires.

Even though he cared about the city's residents, he couldn't stand the thought of being confined to a desk and having to hear about everyone's troubles day in and day out. He wants his own life, not one that was predetermined by others.

As a prince oppressed by the weight of his destiny, he found comfort in stories of journey and freedom. He found solace and joy in the tales of the man who traveled the globe and Ikarus, who flew across the endless skies. These stories served as beacons of joy, lighting his way with hopes that one day, he too could feel as liberated as they did.

"Namek!" The king's commanding voice rang through the halls, and Namek hurriedly emerged from his room, hastily shoving the tale of Ikarus beneath his bed.

He unintentionally bumped into his father's commanding figure as he exited his room, falling down. He was followed into the room by his father, who yelled at him to get the secret book out from under the bed. When Namek reluctantly pulled out the banned book, his father's rage erupted into a brutal beating that left Namek's eyes bleeding.

Namek's desire for the sky and his desire for freedom persisted despite the severe penalty and his father's disapproval. He was firm about achieving it, even if it meant going against all the odds and facing against death.

Namek took the throne of the kingdom of Eldoria many years after his father died at the hands of an enemy commander. He had a vision to end the need for war and lessen the burden of hefty taxes, and he was resolved to govern the kingdom differently than his father had.

The ultimate objective of Namek was to provide conditions that would allow the citizens of his kingdom to flourish. Despite his continued desire for personal freedom, he placed the well-being and opportunities of the people living in his nation above all else.

As an opportunity for his kingdom's prosperity was threatened by an impending attack from another realm seeking control, Namek made every effort to ward them off their route as a chance for his kingdom's continued prosperity.

In an effort to satisfy their ambitions, he provided them with wealth, resources, and even leadership posts within the ranks of his kingdom. They persisted in their determination to have total control over the kingdom, nevertheless, and showed no sign of giving up.

Namek recognized that yielding to their demands would only result in the exploitation of his people, even though a part of him wanted to comply and stop the battle. In order to make a significant offer to the opposing forces, he gathered even more resources.

He was relieved that his plan had worked since the neighboring country stopped threatening him and instead proposed a peace pact as a way to settle their problems.

The reconstructed ruins of Trojan were given to Namek as a wonderful gift for accepting the terms of the peace treaty. Namek dared to think that maybe he may discover the freedom he had long sought among these mysterious, ancient ruins. He accepted the offer with a firm heart and went off on his own into the mysterious ruins, not knowing the surprising destiny that lay within those old stones.

Namek was grinning as he felt the walls, tracing the ages-old marks. Intense joy enveloped him as he looked up at the gorgeous patterns on the ceiling and felt as though symbolic wings were unfolding on his back. He experienced pure delight for the first time in twenty years.

But just as he was reaching the peak of his joy, a sharp agony shot through him as a knife pierced into his chest, ending his life in an instant.

Namek had been deceived into the ruins after being betrayed by the adversary country, where he was ruthlessly murdered. He was cruelly thrown outside the ruins, his lifeless body left for scavengers to eat.

Even though he had previously accepted that his life was unimportant, a burning desire for ultimate freedom still burned within him. He felt a core connection to this location as he awoke in a tomb, his memories confused and hazy like a jigsaw puzzle.

His hideaway and haven from a deceived world was this sanctuary. Here, he could be free, and he vowed to protect it from any intruders. But amidst this resolve, Namek, a mere afterthought in the Keeper's memories, yearned for a peaceful passing into the unknown.

The Keeper emerged from the broken wall, revealing a trail of purple fluid leaking from the wound caused by Hiakam's blow. Its behavior appeared to change, becoming more human-like rather than beastly.

Its voice was filled with desperation as it begged, "Help me..." The creature grasped its head and swayed frantically in agony. But as soon as it felt frustrated, a fierce wrath overcame it, and the Keeper yelled, "LEAVE MY ABODE!" It charged ferociously at Hiakam, trying to drive back the intruders.

"Noise." Hiakam propelled himself into the air with a sudden burst of energy, promptly delivering a forceful kick that sent the Keeper hurtling toward another wall. Meanwhile, Finn cautiously approached Hiakam, his throat growing increasingly parched with every step he took.

"Hiakam... is that you?" Finn asked, clutching his chest.

"Ah, that's the designation of this minion." Hiakam lightly tapped his abdomen. "I must confess, it's been quite a while since I indulged in a rampage. And when I was summoned, this minion didn't exactly provide me with a list of foes." Hiakam's (now Hajun) gaze bore into Finn's eyes with intensity. "Disappear."

The sound of cracking concrete could be heard as Finn was forcibly thrown into a connecting room, propelled by a wave of darkness. Finn could hear Dusk's voice above all the chaos, but the words had been hidden by the immense noise. "That entity is Hajun, a deity of death since ancient eras. His essence has been contained within the spear that Hiakam wields."

"And, what do we do about it." Finn coughed up blood as he forced himself to get up.

"Most deities propose contracts with people who seek to summon them in combat, if I base my guess off the words Hiakam used for the spell, I'm guessing he won't come back until all 'the adversaries' he mentioned are destroyed," Dusk explained.

"So even if he kills the Keeper, there's no guarantee, He will change back."

"Hiakam is an evil god. He's a harbinger of death with a taste for senseless violence, it won't be surprising if he never changes back."

"Is there a way to snap him back into it?" Finn asked and Dusk hummed as if in thought.

"You're gonna have to knock him out."

"That seems simple enough, unlike with the Keeper my techniques could actually work."

"Well..."

"Why are you talking to yourself." Hiakam was in front of Finn and instantly Finn jumped back.

"I didn't notice him," Dusk said, surprised at the sheer speed of Hajun.

"Are you friends with the Keeper over there?" Hiakam asked.

"Wait, I'm Hiakam's friend, he reached out to you to ensure my safety," Finn's words were cut off as a sudden blow landed in his stomach.

"I don't like the way you smell kid, you smell like another god I know. One I despise."

"Crap!" Dusk shouted.

"I... don't... know, what you're talking about," Finn muttered.

"I'll make you know." Hiakam lifted his foot to strike Finn, who lay on the ground. However, before he could proceed, a surge of purple energy hit him, emanating from the direction where he had previously left the Keeper.

Once more, the Keeper emitted a piercing screech, its eyes and hands glowing with a shade of purple. Hiakam, recovering from the blow, stood up and declared, "I'll make you regret that." He lunged at the Keeper, and in an instant, the arrangement of the ruins transformed, flipping over and over, rooms joining and breaking off and in a bizarre coincidence all of the party members were united.

"Leia!" Leyla hugged her party member before noticing the Keeper was nearby. "Crud!" She shouted looking around for an exit.

[Oblivion magic: Condensation] When Hajun reached out his palm, the space around the Keeper shrank, trapping the huge being inside a spatial cocoon. The Keeper's screeches grew more and more human as it was slowly crushed. With each cry, its plea echoed, "I don't want to die!"

The Keeper quickly unfurled its wings, causing Hiakam's spell to be dispelled. "Tch, his mana is low," remarked Hiakam. He dashed towards the Keeper, aiming to deliver a decapitating blow to its neck with a kick. Unexpectedly, it was Hiakam who lost his head in the confrontation.

[Formless bird: Great Ikarus] Suddenly the Keeper's wings spread to incredible lengths, striking everything in their path. This also applied to Hiakam, who was heading in its direction; his head was wrenched from his body. Finn watched as the head fell off and rolled across the floor.

"Hiakam..." Leia reached out and caught his rolling head, but Leyla swiftly intervened, pushing her away from the Keeper's wings.

"This Keeper can use techniques. It's unlike anything we've ever faced before, if Hiakam's Hajun couldn't defeat it. We don't stand a chance! Retreat!"

Leyla yelled, clutching Leia, while they both fled from the Keeper. In contrast, Finn knelt down, the sounds around him growing fainter until they were almost unheard. He was once again overcome by a feeling of helplessness and unable to protect the people he held dear.

"Finn!" Leyla called out, but as Finn looked back at her, all she could perceive was a seething vortex of fury, a force unwilling to back down from any confrontation.

[Equip]

[Double power]

"I'll kill you," Finn stated, his voice resolute.