Chapter 164: Two Lords, One Path

Luke was walking outside. Snow was falling steadily, and the wind blew hard against his coat. Around him, people huddled near campfires. The street had turned into a makeshift camp. Everywhere he looked, he saw survivors. Some were carrying firewood. Others stirred food in dented pots over weak flames.

Some faces he recognized from the Haven. Others were new. As he passed by, he received a few cold stares. No one confronted him, likely following Allison’s orders. That small group in the house he had just left were the only ones with enough standing to question her openly. After wandering for a while, lost in his thoughts, Luke decided to climb up the ruins of a partially collapsed building. He sat on the rooftop, letting the icy wind cut across his face.

“Snow…” he murmured, catching a flake in his hand.

He had first arrived in this world in deadly, frozen terrain. His eyes drifted toward the distant Safe Zone, then toward the castle on the horizon.

“I’m close to going home, everyone,” he whispered, thinking of his family.

The same family he had turned his back on, all to uncover the truth about what had happened to his mother. Now, when he finally left this world, he would have his answer. And maybe, just maybe, he could move on. He sat there for a while, just him and his thoughts. Even Artemis remained silent. Though, in fairness, she never spoke to him when others were nearby.

Lying back on the rooftop, he stared at the falling snow. His mind drifted, pulling him back to his first night in the capital of the kingdom. Doing what he was doing now, lying on a rooftop in peace, would have been impossible back then. There was no rest. Not even for a second. And at night, things became far worse. So much so that Luke found himself missing the Midnight Wardens.

Among all his memories of that place, and all the truths he uncovered, one stood out. The moment he approached the castle. It was strange, being so close, yet so far. The exit was right there, but the castle had been sealed. He couldn’t leave.

A mask appeared in his hand, one of the items he had obtained during his time in the capital. He studied it quietly. Out of all his gear, this mask, while not on the same level as the Beast Lord’s legendary drop, was still special.

After a moment, he sent it back into his inventory.

“I’m still not strong enough,” he muttered to himself.

Opening his system screen, he looked at his class, something he had earned in the capital. A hidden profession, one that had granted him new abilities. His eyes scanned his race level too.

“I’m close…” he said softly. “I need another epic skill. Fast.”

He almost considered returning to the capital immediately. But time was no longer on his side. The group urgently needed to take the second fortress.

Once that’s done… maybe I can slip back into the capital and grind a few more levels.

He read the description of the epic skill in his system. The words pulsed on the interface, as if they had been written just for him. It was a dangerous power, brutal and dark. There was something sinister in its nature, something that felt like it was staring back at him. At that level, it wasn’t just a weapon. It was a pillar. One of the few capable of carrying him through to the end of the tutorial.

Luke wanted more. More power. More control. Even though he was undeniably one of the strongest among the survivors, he didn’t feel ready. Not yet. The castle awaited, and he knew he would need everything, every edge, every ability, every shadow he could carry with him. But what really ate at him was a different kind of emptiness. One that grew louder every time he thought of Earth.

He knew. He had been declared dead long ago. And the worst part wasn’t that. The worst part was what he had left behind. That family. That girl. His sister, who no doubt was still waiting for news. He didn’t want them to go through what he had. The waiting… that was the true poison. Hope was a cruel prison, harsher than loss, because it made you wake up every day believing maybe, maybe that would be the day they returned. Until the next morning crushed it all over again.

That was how he had lived. Waiting for his mother. For years. And now he was doing the same to the Baumanns. To the world, he was gone. But to them… hope still lingered. Hope that would turn to pain. Luke felt a quiet anger toward himself.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

He looked at the palm of his hand, where he held the item he’d earned after killing the Beast Lord. He studied it for a moment, then tucked it away.

“Two Lords down… just one left,” he murmured.

Then would come the mechanisms. And finally, the road home. No factions. No politics. No games. Just a path. A destination. He was about to stand when he heard a soft sound behind him. Turning, he saw Allison climbing up the broken roof with surprising ease, moving as if that high ground belonged to her. She approached without a word and sat beside him.

“It’s been a long time,” she said with a faint smile.

“Many months,” he replied.

“I’m glad you’re still alive… and sorry about the blade to your throat. And the ropes.”

Luke shrugged. “I went along with Evangeline’s plan. But did the ropes have to be that tight? It’s hard to walk when your feet are basically glued together.”