Hero of Darkness

As the serene bright night under the two moons in the sky was coming close to an end… Kahn and Kassandra sat on the sofa again while the gentle breeze freshened their bodies and mind. 

For some reason… both of them didn't want this night to end. 

"This is nice." said Kassandra as she looked at the two moons and basked in their soothing light. 

She looked at Kahn with an expression of gratitude. If the man whom she once saw as a rival hadn't been so mature and understanding of her situation… she was certain that she would've committed suicide and ended her life to escape the pain and heartbreak. 

And like Kahn told her… it wouldn't have made any change at all. And the one to lose in every aspect would be her. 

"I should do the same… if you have anything to say, tell me. I can also be a good listener." spoke Kassandra. 

Kahn let out a slight smile and replied. 

"Be careful what you wish for. My story isn't something that great. You'll be bored to death." 

"Challenge accepted." said Kassandra with a playful tone. 

For the first time in the past month ever since her fight with Caladrius… Kassandra let out a genuine cheerful smile. 

Kahn, for some reason… did not want to play mysterious anymore and spoke… 

"My life is similar to yours in some way. And plenty different at the same time." spoke Kahn as he gazed at the blank space.

"It's full of misery, plenty of mistakes and regrets. Are you sure you want to hear?" added Kahn. 

"You're the textbook definition of a great person. Something akin to the historical figures we read about in books. 

A prodigy born amongst the poor, who lost his parents at a young age and through the sheer hard work and heaven-defying will... You even became the most talented as well as the strongest semi-saint. 

On top of it… you're the new Emperor's Chosen champion and also a Sovereign at the same time. 

I refuse to believe that your life is anything as you're making out to be." said Kassandra. 

"But still... I'll listen. And I promise I won't judge you." she continued and nodded in affirmation. 

Kahn sighed and spoke without holding back. 

"I grew up in a similar situation. To my parents, I was nothing but a failure. No matter what I did… it was never enough. 

In the end… I had a family but I was no different than an orphan." he said. 

Kassandra suddenly had an alarmed expression. 

"And now… I have too much blood on my hands. Both guilty and innocent." said Kahn as he started with the topics people would naturally avoid right off the bat. 

"There was a time when I foolishly condemned an entire clan's future because one of their leaders tried to kill me." he said with a serious voice. 

Kahn then remembered how he killed off all the stronger members of Stragabor Sigurd's clan because their young master, a beginner rank grandmaster had poisoned him in a banquet of nobles and influential figures. 

"And there was a time when an innocent woman died because I stole something from someone. 

And to find me… those people tortured her to death. But even till her last breath, she did not speak my name because I had saved her life twice. 

Because of my greed and foolishness… she died in agony and alone. And to make a statement… they hung her corpse on a tree close to my house." spoke Kahn. 

The one he talked about was obviously Jessica Artwinger. The redhead girl Kahn saved when he just exited the abyss forest and saved a caravan from a group of bandits. 

Later, he saved her in a dungeon floor and robbed a space ring from the corpse of the dead leader of a guild who was hunting the floor boss. 

And because she was the only survivor of that group… they caught her and tortured Jessica to find out about Kahn. 

But even after having her nails ripped off and her face beaten with an iron mace… she never spoke his name until she finally died a miserable death. 

Kassandra gasped in surprise as soon as she heard Kahn. This was not what she was expecting to hear from the man she had come to admire at this point. 

"And after finding out about what happened… I stormed inside the guild that caused her death. 

In my moment of rage… I killed over a hundred people that day in the name of revenge. Many of whom probably didn't even know anything about her death." iterated Kahn. 

That was the very day when Kahn stormed inside the guild headquarters of the Red Lion Adventurer guild and then later, he killed all of their top fighters in the Cintra dungeon while his head was filled with guilt and fury. 

Kassandra then covered her mouth as she was unable to accept this revelation. 

Although she was aware that this was a cutthroat world… she had never killed a person in her life so far. 

"There was a time when I tried to cause a revolution with the hope to change people's lives. Only to foolishly lead them to their deaths because they weren't organized and there was no true leader. 

My acts of acting like a hero lead to over a thousand deaths of those who tried to rebel against the powerful." mentioned Kahn. 

After his crusade as Azrael started in order to bring justice to the noble clan heirs who r*ped and murdered the daughter of Albestros as well his son… 

Kahn gave a moving speech when he carried out the punishment of the last heir that sparked the fire of rebellion among the masses. 

But since the commoners who had been oppressed for most of their lives in Flavot city didn't have any weapons, weren't organized or had someone to lead them… the aftermath caused over a thousand deaths. 

At this moment… Kassandra was rooted on the spot. Because so far, all her encounters with Kahn gave her a good impression of him. 

But now… she came to know the truth about him. That the man in front of her… 

Had walked a path made of blood and bones of the innocents.