I turned back to Katherine, my voice barely above a whisper. "What… what happened here?"
Katherine's expression was grim, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and sorrow. "You don't remember, do you?"
I shook my head slowly, my heart pounding in my chest. "Remember what?"
She hesitated, then took a deep breath. "After you… after you blacked out, something happened. You changed. You were… different. You killed the high orc, but then you turned on everyone else. The goblins, the soldiers… even one of our own. You… you killed them, Alex. And then you just… disappeared."
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I stared at her, my mind reeling.
I had done this? I had killed all those people?But how? I didn't remember any of it.
And then it hit me—Aro. He must have taken control. He must have used my body to unleash chaos.
I looked down at my hands, my stomach churning. The power of chaos… it was inside me.
And now, more than ever, I realized just how dangerous it was. How dangerous 'I' was.
"I… I didn't mean to," I said, my voice trembling. "I didn't know…"
Katherine reached out, placing a hand on my shoulder. "I know you didn't. But you need to be careful, Alex. Whatever that power is… it's not something you can control lightly."
I nodded, my mind still racing. She was right. I had to be careful. I had to find a way to control this power before it consumed me—and everyone around me.
But as I stood there, surrounded by the aftermath of chaos, I couldn't help but wonder if it was already too late.
*************
It took some time, but Katherine managed to convince the townspeople that I wasn't a threat.
Her words carried weight, and after much debate, they reluctantly allowed me into Oak Town to rest for a few days.
The atmosphere was tense, and I could feel the lingering fear and suspicion in their eyes whenever they looked at me.
But I didn't blame them. Not after what had happened.
The town held a funeral ceremony to honor the soldiers and civilians who had died during the goblin infestation.
The mood was somber, the air heavy with grief. Rows of graves were dug, each one marked with a simple wooden cross.
Families wept, friends embraced, and the entire town came together to mourn their losses.
I stood at the back, my head bowed, feeling the weight of their sorrow. Even though I hadn't been in control, I couldn't shake the guilt.
Those deaths… they were on me, whether I wanted to admit it or not.
After the funeral, the town held a festival to celebrate the fact that, despite everything, the majority of the townspeople had survived.
The mood shifted from grief to cautious optimism. Music filled the air, and the streets were lined with stalls selling food and trinkets.
Children laughed and played, their innocence a stark contrast to the horrors we had all endured.
It was a bittersweet celebration, a reminder of life's resilience even in the face of death.
During the festival, Katherine and I visited the mayor, Dreck Dingt.
He was a portly man with a balding head and a nervous demeanor, especially when he saw me.
I had already convinced Katherine not to say anything to the adventurer's guild about what had really happened, and now it was time to ensure the mayor's silence as well.
"Mayor Dingt," I began, my tone polite but firm, "I trust you'll be discreet in your report to the guild."
He shifted uncomfortably in his.seat, his eyes darting to Katherine and then back to me.
"Of course, of course. But… surely the guild should know the truth. About the high orc, about… you."
I leaned forward slightly, my expression calm but my eyes sharp.
"The truth is complicated, Mayor. And sometimes, it's better left unsaid. After all, you wouldn't want anything… unfortunate to happen to Oak Town, would you?"
His face paled, and he swallowed hard. "N-no, of course not. I'll keep it vague. Just the goblins and the high orc. Nothing more."
I smiled, though there was no warmth in it. "I knew you'd understand."
Katherine shot me a disapproving look but said nothing. She knew as well as I did that we couldn't risk the guild finding out about my… condition. Not yet, anyway.
A few days after the festival, Katherine and I prepared to head back to Erantel.
We gathered some of the personal items belonging to Jessica, Viona, Grant, and Joseph—things that would confirm their deaths to the guild.
It was a grim task, but a necessary one.As we left Oak Town, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief.
The place was a reminder of everything I had lost—and everything I had become.
When we arrived in Erantel, we headed straight to the adventurer's guild.
The guildmaster, Veradine, was a middle-aged man with neatly combed black hair flecked with gray.
He listened intently as we recounted the events—the overwhelming number of goblins, the shaman's strength, the high orc.
We told him we had blacked out during the battle and woke up to find the high orc dead, with no explanation from the townspeople.
It wasn't entirely a lie, but it wasn't the full truth either.
Veradine's expression was grave as he listened. "This is… troubling," he said, his voice heavy with concern.
"A high orc appearing so close to a town is unprecedented. And the fact that it was killed without explanation… it raises more questions than answers."
Katherine nodded, her face somber. "We're just glad the town survived. But we lost good people in the process."
Veradine sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yes, Joseph and his team were well-loved here. Their loss will be felt deeply."
A few days later, a burial ceremony was held for Jessica, Viona, Grant, and Joseph. Katherine and I attended, dressed in black.
The atmosphere was heavy with grief, and the guildhall was packed with adventurers paying their respects.
Jena, the receptionist, was inconsolable, her tears a stark reminder of how deeply Joseph and the others had been loved.
As I stood there, listening to the eulogies, I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. These people had died because of me—because I hadn't been strong enough to protect them.
And now, I carried the power of chaos within me, a power that could destroy everything if I wasn't careful.
The ceremony was a sobering reminder of the dangers of this world.
The adventurer's life was one of constant risk, and death was always just a step away.
But it was also a reminder of why I had to keep going. Why I had to get stronger. I couldn't afford to lose anyone else.
As the ceremony ended, I caught Veradine's eye. He gave me a solemn nod, his expression unreadable.
I didn't know what he was thinking, but I knew one thing for certain: the road ahead would be long and difficult