Chapter 179: To The Wizard

Jin followed Kai through the village. From the time Jin had left the house—which he found himself in—he started roving at his new surroundings. The sky was a bit grey, a bit dark, but these were again the norms of this world.  This village was quite active for one amidst an apocalypse. People carrying wood, bodies, and tools to different locations; people dressed in anachronistic wool clothes, selling items at stalls; gawking citizens, and construction taking place. 

Jin was impressed. But it was still conspicuous to him that this village was established before the recent chaotic series of events. Or perhaps it was just some part of a town or city that's been altered for safety and cohesion in such a way that it became an outright village. Jin didn't know the answer, but he was still, fairly, impressed.

This was a gated community. There were two rows of protection here. There was first an iron fence of barbed wire, then further down the plain was an extremely innovative row of an earthen, brown, ragged stone wall that separated them from the apocalypse. The wall was comprised mainly of grime soil upon the rock at the top, then an onlooker could see rough grey rock, more defined the lower he looked from the dirty summit. 

Kai had seen Jin peering at the rocky wall that's protected them for weeks. He looked at Jin, then at the huge wall again. He smiled, closing his eyes in comfort and looking ahead again as he walked. "Y'know, that thing you're looking at is our savior right there," he cooed, "the Wizard's brother, Khan, used his earth ability to raise an earthen wall from the ground. This mammoth circular wall has protected us." He sounded grateful. 

Jin nodded, taking note of that. He mainly tried to fathom how powerful that Earth user had to be, this well praised 'Khan'. Perhaps he could fight Khan one day, and hopefully, get awarded a lot of experience points.  The system was willing to award him with a lot of experience points for defeating Nyx and his gang. He hoped the people at this busy village were strong. Now that he was no longer hellbent on revenge, revenge on Nyx and his comrades, he was searching for new opponents on whom he could use his full power. 

This village was full of them. There were over one hundred ability users in this busy village. He had even already met a few of them. They shared looks and then scowled at him, storming away with huge boulders on their backs — boulders normal little children couldn't heave unless gifted. Jin already had quite a horrible impression on them so soon. He could've only imagined how they'd react should he decide to exhibit the darkness of his abilities.

"You guys have done a good job," Jin said, "there aren't many civilizations out there anymore. You shouldn't screw this up."

"We won't," Kai said brusquely, ''and by the way, there are many other civilizations out there. Take the government's domes, for instance, I heard one of them accommodates twenty thousand, then the second-largest holds ten thousand survivors. In this village, we know what we're doing. That's the reason you're seeing our Wizard."

Jin smirked. "Well you people are surely taking your time with it, aren't you?"

Kai glanced at him. "That's 'cause you were unconscious. Usually, we would have new survivors take the test upon arrival, but this time is different. Couldn't get you to wake up even after dumping water on you, so we figured you'd need healing first. Besides, if you're really a monster, there'll be nothing to be fearful of," he smiled, "I'm sure taking you out would be child's play."

Jin smirked even wider. "Do all you guys here test your luck or is it just you?"

"Well," Kai placed his hands on his waist as he walked, raising his chin up, "I'm like one of the best, if not the best, scout here. It's just what I do—my thing. I'm pretty strong too. And that's something you need to be out here. There is no place for the weak anymore."

"Couldn't agree more," Jin said. 

"What about you?" Kai asked, now looking at Jin again. "What are you good at? How has life been to you?"

Crippled and depressed. Stressed and sorrowful. Then bestowed with a God's asset. Lied about sexuality at a Salon. Met new best friends who later chose to betray. Lost all family. Was hellbent on revenge. Death of an inner self. Obsessed with power. Became narcissistic. Became a ruthless murderer. Fought off hundreds of creatures. Becoming hellbent on becoming God.

After much thought, Jin looked at Kai and said, "I'm a pretty boring guy."

Kai looked at him. "What about your love life?"

"Threesome. Me, myself and I."

"Your Ability?"

"Complicated," Jin replied curtly. 

Kai sighed, looking ahead again. "What about ..." his expression grew serious, "what ... what were you doing out there? It's been a few weeks since the invasions. How'd you survive ... alone?"

Jin smirked. "Oh, that's simple," he jammed his hands in his pants pockets, "I ran into a Void. Defeated the weak thing, walking away bleeding and losing health, got captured because I allowed it, and now ... I'm here."

Kai was dazed. His eyes widened. So he was correct after all—Jin had defeated a Void. Those scars came back to him. Jin had really defeated a Void. What if Jin was a Void himself. It wasn't uncommon to see Voids fighting each other. He clenched his fists tightly. It was dangerous having one of them inside of the village. A single Void could spell the destruction of the entire place. He had to handle this discreetly.

Jin looked at Kai's hands as they walked. Those trembling, balled fists, veins running up his hands and only becoming less defined at the wrist, under the skin. Jin scoffed. "You're not going to kill me, are you? 'Cause if I were you, I'd see me as a walking hazard within these walls. Within these walls with all of these nice, assiduous workers, and these nice villagers. Men, women ... children ..."

Jin wanted those one hundred ability users attacking him. 

Kai grunted, his nose wrinkling. Was that a threat? What did he want from them? Was it a battle he was asking for? 'He mentioned something about getting captured because he "allowed it" ..." he thought, 'was it all a part of his plan to come here? On purpose so that he can be in our residence?'

Having seen the look on Kai's face, Jin couldn't hold back a smirk. He didn't expect his words to have such an effect on Kai. 'Yes, give in,' he thought, staring at him as they took another turn. 

'I should fight him now. It's one of these things that got Marcus,' Kai thought, clenching his teeth, 'but I can't. Not here. A battle against a Void will not bode well for us. I'm in the centre of the village right now.  I need to lure him away from here first.'

"Well?" Jin asked, "What are you gonna do now?"

Kai didn't look at him. He looked ahead, raising his head high again, but keeping that impenetrable look on his face. "I'm taking you to the Wizard as planned," he said, speeding his gait.

Jin stared for a bit. But then, he slowly rejuvenated his smirk, speeding his pace. Things were finally starting to get fun!

***

Jin pursued Kai's path to a rather tall building. It had to be one, if not, the tallest concrete building in the entire village. It was longer than it was wide. Quite strangely, there weren't many windows in this building, which made it appear a trifle ugly to the onlookers. The doors to this building were wide opened, and so the guests weren't at all unbidden. 

Jin, however, did feel quite unbidden. There was an ominous aura to this building. One that gave him the impression that this Wizard was dangerous. But to him, dangerous was but great news and translated into more fun for him. 

Kai looked back, looking over his shoulder. He had been paranoid about having a Void standing behind him all along, but sacrifices had to be made, and fear had to be swallowed for the lesser evil. "Let's go in," He said, "you don't need to take your shoes off." With that said, he walked right inside, looking ahead again. 

Jin stood there, smirking, excited. Slowly, he walked inside after Kai. The room was just empty. Monotonous. With old-fashioned furniture—lanterns, torches, wooden chairs—and everything normal except ... an opened basement in the middle of the floor. The basement had a triangle opening that spanned across the room, and then stairs to take one down. 

Kai stopped, and then, he started walking down the stairs. He furrowed his brows. 'I'm leading him to the Wizard,' he thought, 'It'll now be easier taking him down with the minimum amount of casualties. First 

Jin simply followed him down the dark, cold staircase.  He shrugged. "To the Wizard ...."