For the last five thousand years, the continent of Thalmyra had been beset by demons from Hell.

  It was a conflict between the living and the damned; an eternal war that claimed countless lives with no end in sight. The living suffered greatly. The future was bleak.

  However, thanks to the intervention of a deity simply known as the Goddess, the world was able to endure the demonic invasions. The Goddess selected her champions from the masses — her ‘Chosens’ — and gave them superhuman abilities, allowing her children to combat the hordes of Hell.

  In time, the Aurelian Empire came into existence. A coalition of all sapient species — Human, Elves, Dwarves, and so on — formed, united in the ultimate goal of slaying the Demon Kings once and for all.

  With their combined might, new strongholds were created to block the tide of the damned. Fortresses of steel and magic, the first of which was built in the North, where the earliest primordial Hellgate was born upon the freezing steppes.

  And the name of that mighty fortress, that first embodiment of unity and hope, was known as…

  Kaldreach.

  ~~~

  A week later…

  “Kaldreach is a logistician’s nightmare.”

  “Eri, we haven’t even reached the city yet.”

  “I can already tell. Hells, a blind man can tell from the cold alone. I mean, really, who looks at all this barren snow and ice and thinks to themselves, ‘Yes, perfect. Here is where we will build our civilisation, where thousands of people will live with no access to farms, trees, or—’”

  “I get it, brat. Stop yapping in my ear.”

  Eri sighed, his breath steaming into pale mist within the freezing cold. “Why do you even need to come all the way out here?”

  “It’s not anything complicated. I’m just helping an old friend clear his Tithe,” Elen explained, her eyes kept on the road as their little wagon continued down the path, pulled along by a sturdy horse.

  It has been a month since the pair left Footfall. The travel was mildly inconvenient, necessitating a lengthy ship ride up a river, followed by long weeks on the road as the temperature steadily plummeted.

  Eri shuffled in the back, trying to find a comfortable spot among the pile of supplies. “The Goddess Tithe, you mean? Is their Tribulation Day approaching?”

  Elen nodded, expression grim. “By the time we get there, he should have less than a month left.”

  “What is his remaining debt?” the boy asked cautiously.

  “... Sixty-seven balance kills.”

  Eri winced. Far too many, far too late.

  It was well known that all Chosens received their magical Core from the Goddess. However, what was less spoken of was that such a powerful gift demanded tribute, and the Goddess claimed hers in the form of demon corpses.

  The Goddess Tithe was the annual evaluation performed on each Chosen by the Goddess herself. Each year, a Chosen was required to kill 100 Demons of equal Core rank, with the due being on the same date as when the Chosen first received their magical Core.

  This amount was commonly known as the ‘100 Balance Kills’, and the date on which the divine evaluation was performed was known as ‘Tribulation Day’.

  Mixing kills between ranks was allowed to a limited degree; 10 Demons kills below one’s Core rank equates to a single Balance, while a Demon slain in the higher Core ranks equates to 10 Balance.

  As an example, a Silver-Core Chosen would have to kill 100 Silver-Core Demons each year, but they could also opt to kill 1000 Bronze-Core Demons, 10 Gold-Core Demons, or even a mix of all three if their circumstances favour such tactics. So long as the total reached ‘100 Balance Kills’, the composition of their kills did not matter.

  However, killing Demons more than 1 Core rank higher or lower than the Chosen’s own rank would not count towards the Balance. No sharing of kills was allowed either; only the Chosen who performed the final blow earned the Balance in the Goddess’s eyes.

  As a final pain, if a Chosen killed more than their annual Balance, the spill-over would not carry over to the next year’s Tithe.

  Failure to meet the Tithe by Tribulation Day would result in Divine lightning smiting the Chosen, killing them instantly.

  It was a little unintuitive. If the Goddess wanted the living to win against the damned, why would she impose such arbitrary rules? Some of the restrictions even seemed to encourage fewer demon slaying, rather than the opposite.

  And for the punishment of failure to be instant death… With how in-demand Chosens were as the war dragged on, it seemed shortsighted.

  But that was a matter for priests to debate. Eri shook his head. “Why did your friend wait so long? Leaving such a large debt for the last month before his Tribulation Day… It seems needlessly risky.”

  “It wasn’t his fault, if that’s what you are implying,” Elen snorted. “He fell into a coma eight months ago after a failed expedition and had only just woken up last month. As you know, there’s no way for anyone to help him clear the debt if he is unable to land the killing blow. So, well…”

  Eri instantly felt guilty. “Sorry. I assumed…”

  “It’s fine. Just remember, things usually aren’t as simple as they seem,” the matron chided. “Life has a funny way of pulling the worst surprises sometimes…”

  “What Core is he?” Eri asked.

  “Gold.”

  The same as Elen. Meaning her friend needed to kill sixty-seven Gold Core Demons within a month. Eri grimaced worriedly. “You will be fine, right?”

  “Relax, brat,” Elen chuckled. “I’m not the only one helping him. He called in many favours to get a personal expedition going. The Church is also chipping in with a few of their Crusaders to aid in fulfilling his Tithe — Gold Core Chosens have value, after all. We will be fine.”

  Eri glanced at the Matron, willing his System to life.

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  \-\

  Elen Ravelyn*

  Lvl 98 Shield Warden

  An exceptionally skilled Chosen who retired from the demonic front before her prime, pursuing a softer life instead. She abandoned her real name and took on the alias of Elen Ravelyn — a war veteran who became the Matron of Footfall’s orphanage. She still maintains contact with her old squadmates, occasionally lending her aid so long as her true identity remains hidden.

  Be careful when trusting her. Even shields may be used for foul deeds in the wrong hands.

  \-\

  The woman had gained several levels since Eri first met her six years ago. While her growth did not appear as expedient as Eri’s, the truth was not so simple.

  The System had once informed him that higher levels required exponentially more XP to level. As a Gold Core, Elen had occasionally left on expeditions to fulfil her demon-slaying Tithe. Even in instances where she returned after killing dozens of Gold Core Demons, her levels barely rose more than 1 or 2 levels.

  That fitted with Eri’s understanding of how the System’s levelling mechanic worked in comparison to other Chosens. Copper or Bronze Core Chosens usually ascended in rank every few years, while someone moving from Silver to Gold could take a decade.

  Elen would likely reach the revered Jewelled Tiers in a year or two, starting from Ruby Core at Lvl101. From what Eri understood, the change in strength from Metal Tiers to Jewelled Tiers was a lot more significant than previous advancements.

  Eri had not seen a Chosen over Lvl100 yet, so he was looking forward to seeing how much stronger the Matron would become.

  But for now… “Are we there yet?”

  “Brat, I swear, if you ask that question again, I will leave your ass in this cold and let you walk home yourself.”

  ~~~

  A few days later, the Northern Capital of Kaldreach finally came into view.

  Situated closer to the demonic front, Kaldreach was the last major bastion of civilisation before one entered the corrupted steppes surrounding the First Hellgate to the far North.

  The energy in the air was ripe with mana. There was a slight tinge of purplish darkness to the usual blue skies. The days were short, the nights longer and colder.

  If one stood upon the mighty ice walls of the citadel, they could see the First Eye of Damnation in the distance — the Hellgate of the First Demon King; a boiling purple moon engulfing the horizon.

  Still, the place was relatively safe. Flanked by large mountains and situated in a valley with massive walls blocking its entrance, the Northern Capital was home to nearly a hundred thousand people, easily half of whom were Chosens, and half of those numbers yet again permanently situated as military garrisons under the combined command of the Goddess Church and the Aurelian Empire.

  The place bristled with life, like an angry hive. The presence of industry — clamour of colliding iron, smoke blooming from a hundred fiery furnaces, people bustling non-stop — was ever-constant and alive.

  Kaldreach had stood for five thousand years. It has never fallen once; it shall never fall, ever.

  “Well, what do you think of the place?” Elen smugly asked as they crested a snowy hill and the capital of steel and fire came into view.

  Eri stared, speechless. “It’s… big. Too big. There’s no way so many people can live together in this cold. How would you feed them? Where would you get the heat?”

  Elen chuckled. “There are volcanic vents and underground reservoirs under the city. Dwarven engineering supplies heat through hot water pipes from the earth into homesteads. Elven magic terraformed the caverns below to grow crops and trees. Mountains on the side are rich in ores and coal as well. No shortage of raw materials or foodstock here. If anything, the capital exports its excess to the South when it can.”

  Eri watched it all, awestruck. “I think I can see how my predecessors failed to take the city…”

  Elen winced. “When I asked for your thoughts, I meant it more as your opinion on whether the city would be a good fit for your growth.”

  “Oh, um, yes,” the boy awkwardly answered. “It’s definitely better. More people, higher-level quests, might even find a tutor or two for my Skill training…”

  An awkward silence stretched between them for a moment.

  Just as Eri was about to apologise, the matron chuckled.

  “Sometimes, I can only see you as a normal boy — A little strange, perhaps, but also kind; Bright. And then you would say things like that, and I am reminded the truth of who you are. Or rather, were…”

  “I meant it as a compliment,” Eri weakly said.

  “Well, I'm sure the original architect of the city would be pleased to hear such praise from an ex-demon god,” Elen jested. When Eri didn’t reply, she sighed. “I apologise. That was wrong of me to joke about.”

  “It’s alright,” the boy murmured, before retreating under the cover of the wagon.

  Matron Elen didn’t comment further.

  The boy closed his eyes. The Matron knew, of course. She had known for a long time, ever since Eri told her about the truth of his origin, a year after they had first met.

  Back then, he had been naive; he did not understand the full scope of what his kind had done to the living.

  Looking back, it was a miracle Elen had stopped her killing hand and given him the chance to properly tell his tale.

  A past life of isolation. Long centuries spent in a castle, with only the occasional group of heroes to barge into his abode and attempt to kill him.

  No company. No learning. Not even news from the outside.

  Just the eternal march of nothingness across an entire millennium.

  For whatever strange reason, Elen had spared him her blade. In the years to come, she had nurtured him, trained him. She had never raised a hand against him outside of sparring, never once lashed out at him for his origins and mutations.

  They rarely spoke of his demonic nature. At times, when they converse about the strange System he had come to possess, they would also steer clear of topics regarding his past life.

  And so the tenuous relationship between them survived: a retired Chosen and a former Demon King in a child’s body.

  However, there was one thing that bothered Eri tirelessly: a promise that Elen had forced upon him in exchange for her secrecy.

  Eri still remember the venom in her words, and the painful steel in her burning gaze.

  “Just promise me this — this alone, and nothing else. In the distant future, if a day ever comes when such an opportunity presents itself… If you ever find yourself standing before the Goddess of our world…

  I want you to ask her a question for me.”

  ~~~

  “This will be your abode for the next six weeks,” Elen informed as Eri looked around his room. “I will likely be back before then, but if I’m not, you can extend the duration for another four weeks. I made a deal with the innkeeper; I’ll leave with you the coin necessary.”

  “Will you be leaving immediately?” Eri asked.

  Elen nodded. “Time is short, so I can’t stay for too long. I’ve prepared some basic guides for you: maps, pamphlets, city lawbook, information on the local nobility, healing houses and Church locations… Read through them before you set out.”

  “You are giving me free rein to do whatever I want in Kaldreach,” Eri realised. “Is that… wise?”

  “As if you won’t make full use of your independence once I’m gone,” Elen snorted before raising a finger. “You may roam and do as you wish. I have rules, however. No explosions, no killing, and no breaking the law. Also, avoid the districts I marked in red on the map — I’m serious about this.”

  “... What’s in these places?” Eri asked curiously as he opened the map. Perhaps criminal alleyways, or black markets? Those would be prime areas for quests and trade. Maybe he could—

  “Brothels and whorehouses,” Elen replied flatly.

  Eri coughed, turning his face away. “D-duly noted. I’ll stay away. Any other rules?”

  “You’re smart enough to take care of yourself. Your Chosen status also allows you enough leeway to compensate for your age when dealing with other people. The denizens of this city greatly respect heroes, even young ones,” Elen informed. “In general, stay out of a gaol, and avoid adding to or subtracting from the population while you are here.”

  “Understood,” Eri huffed. “You don’t have to make it sound like I’m a troublemaker.”

  “You are, but you’re my troublemaker,” Elen said fondly as she rubbed Eri’s hair. “Oh, and one more thing: no matter what happens, don’t die. Even if you have to break all my rules to do so.”

  “I’ll be fine, Matron,” Eri assured her. “The same goes for you. Stay safe on your expedition.”

  “I will, brat,” the woman said as she hefted her heavy overcoat and supply bags before stepping out the door. “Enjoy your stay, and have fun levelling. Just make sure you’re still in the city and in one piece when I get back.”