Chapter 11: The Linia Brothers
Loki gazed at the two strangers before him. The familiar items they carried. His eyes were inevitably drawn to the board game that looked so recognizable.
It's a chessboard, after all.
The appearance was identical, but the rules, the piece designs, even the number of movable squares on the board would differ. Yet the chessboard in front of him matched perfectly with the one from Loki's world—and the game itself.
Above all—
Familiar food.
Tteokbokki, which had no place in this world, sat right before his eyes. And it was the exact taste Loki remembered trying.
—How's the taste, sunbae?
It matches the flavor made by that junior of mine.
The junior who had suffered the same fate as him. It perfectly resembled the food she used to make for him.
Loki lifted his head and glared at the two men, Aum and Per.
The air grew taut with tension.
"Not going to talk?"
Aum suddenly realized the surroundings had fallen silent. Not a single Nod remained around the crow-masked figure; the shops were shuttering their doors. In their place, skeletons exuding a dark crimson aura overran the streets, even perched on rooftops, glaring down at Aum and Per.
Per…
Aum muttered lowly.
Can we break out of this encirclement?
I-impossible. Not just a few undead… With Death Knight-level skeletons everywhere, it's hopeless—
"Impossible."
Aum looked up at Loki. He stared down at Aum, lips curling into a smirk.
"You can't escape. And answer my questions. Or shall I take an arm to make you speak?"
As Loki pressed him, Aum broke into a cold sweat. He opened his mouth to answer.
"We're merchants."
"You lie as easily as breathing, I see. Not a twitch in your expression."
Loki leaned down to eye level with Aum, his lips moving close.
"Will you only tell the truth under torture?"
"……!"
He can judge lies to some degree?
The man meant it. Any more falsehoods, and he'd tear limb from limb to extract the truth.
Aum spoke with a tense expression.
"No point in lying, then. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Aum Linia, great chieftain of the Linia Tribe. Per."
"Per Linia. Aum-hyung's little brother."
"…Linia?"
Loki tilted his head.
"Ah, I've heard of them. The largest tribe among the Nods, right?"
"……."
He knows about us?
That means he's gathering intelligence.
Aum swallowed a silent groan.
If the enemy knew of his tribe, keeping him captive carried clear implications.
"I am the great chieftain of Linia. Holding me long will provoke Linia's warriors to attack this city—"
"You were talking about Kankun Raguna earlier. I heard the name 'Kudan' in that story."
To Loki, Aum's excuses meant nothing.
…He overheard us in that noisy market?
That faint whisper?
A monster beyond human limits.
Aum heightened his wariness.
"Are you Kudan's subordinates?"
"…As if. We're Kudan's 'allies'."
"Allies?"
"We're also the ringleaders who aided his rebellion."
Per glanced at Aum from the side. A look warning that he was revealing too much truth.
But Aum knew. Showing even a hint of suspicion to the being before him would mean his head rolling.
"I see. So you incited the rebellion?"
"More precisely, Kudan asked for our help, and we gave it."
"You mentioned Kankun earlier. Still after that girl? Raguna Village is gone. The tribe is now just one faction subservient to this city called Valhalla. There's nothing here for this Kudan."
"No. Kudan doesn't care about the 'Raguna Tribe'."
Loki tilted his head.
"What Kudan wants is his niece, 'Kankun Raguna'."
Loki narrowed his eyes beneath the crow mask.
"He's straining every nerve to kill his niece. Is she his sworn enemy?"
Aum let out a hollow laugh. The one before him didn't know everything, after all. It brought a sliver of relief. The foe wasn't infallible.
"The opposite."
Loki tilted his head again.
"Kudan sought to 'protect' Kankun."
"Protect?"
As Loki echoed the unexpected word in surprise, Aum explained.
"It's unfair if only we speak. I've revealed my identity, so reveal yours."
"I am Healer Hoon."
Not a lie. He had healed Nods, so healer fit, and his name was indeed Kim Hoon.
Loki spoke no falsehoods. But Aum didn't believe him.
"A mere healer can't wield such martial and healing prowess. Moreover… these undead are kneeling and bowing to you."
Aum pointed to the surrounding undead. They all knelt, offering obeisance to Loki.
This went beyond second-in-command.
"Brazen for an outsider."
"…We're guests traveling here as 'merchants'. We caused no disturbance."
"Hm…."
"Also, we're curious if your tribe desires exchange with ours."
"Exchange?"
"Our lands hold three mining districts rich in iron ore, copper, and magic stones. So—"
"You want treatment befitting such valuable guests?"
"Exactly."
Loki looked at Aum and spoke.
"I am…."
In that instant, the crow mask enveloped in shadows and vanished. What emerged was a horned mountain goat skull. Black plate armor encased his body. Unlike the slender frame before, he now wore heavy armor, a massive cloak billowing.
Before Aum stood a lord of death, crawled from hell itself, ominous beyond measure.
Aum and Per froze at the sudden transformation, and Loki answered Aum's question.
"…Loki."
The air swelled, growing heavy.
Aum broke into cold sweat, breath catching. His heart pounded madly, mind clouding.
Hard to breathe…!
His vision blurred. Instinctively, Aum recognized the being before him as perilously dangerous, spine-chilling.
This was no second-in-command. He was the ruler of this domain. And to the Nods, the Constellation of Sin they revered as a god.
Not just a con artist!?
The descent of a Constellation. It carried undeniable majesty.
Then, Per stepped in front of Aum, drawing a weapon from his luggage. Trembling in terror yet aiming a massive axe blade at Loki, he bellowed.
"Hyung! Run aw—!"
He vanished.
Per's arm.
"……!"
Per stared rigidly at Loki, who dangled the severed arm from his grasp.
"Aaaagh… Aaagh! H-hyung… Run—! I'll buy as much time as I—!"
"Shut it, Per! Can't you see I'm talking?!"
Aum roared, and Per flinched, clutching his right shoulder, staring at Aum.
Aum bowed to Loki and shouted.
"My brother has offended you! Let his arm atone for his rudeness. Please forgive—!"
"Fine."
Loki nodded and tossed Per's arm to the ground. Per groaned, scrambling to retrieve it.
Aum bowed, sweating coldly.
…I nearly lost my reason too! Stay calm! Don't let fear rule you! Think. Think—!
Aum took deep breaths, steadying his mind. His racing heart gradually slowed.
Loki inwardly admired Aum's composure.
Impressive. Regaining reason in that brief moment?
A sign of exceptional mental fortitude.
"I've revealed my identity."
Loki sat back on the ground, pointing at it with claw-like fingers.
"So sit and talk with me."
"We…."
"Refusal not permitted."
Aum sat under the pressure. Truthfully, his legs had buckled upon seeing Loki's true form.
Had Loki not ordered him to sit, he'd have embarrassing collapsed on his rear.
"As rulers of our cities, let's speak only truth, without lies. What say you?"
"…Agreed."
It was what Aum wanted. He was curious about his foe's identity.
"What did you mean by trying to save Kankun?"
"…Kudan rebelled to rescue Kankun."
"From what?"
"Shaman's prophecy."
"Shaman tried to kill Kankun?"
Aum shook his head.
"No. Shaman is merely a mediator for Nods. He never interferes in tribal affairs unless attacked."
"Then who targeted Kankun?"
"The elders."
Loki narrowed his eyes.
"Raguna Tribe's old fools feared the prophecy and sought to kill her."
An unexpected revelation. Raguna elders still lingered in this city.
"Killing over superstition?"
"…Once people latch onto belief, they obsess fanatically. You've seen it yourself, haven't you?"
Loki nodded, thinking of his worshippers.
"Indeed. So the elders are behind it."
"No. The true mastermind is elsewhere."
"Who?"
"May I ask a question too?"
Loki tilted his head, then nodded.
"Very well. I sought equal dialogue, so I can't monopolize questions. Ask."
With permission, Aum spoke.
"What… are you, truly?"
"Loki. Kim Hoon. And creator of this domain."
Loki pointed to the distant Valhalla Palace.
Aum felt his mind reel. Lie or truth? He truly claimed to be the 'Constellation of Sin'.
"Are you… truly the 'Constellation of Sin'?"
"No, I am not the Constellation of Sin."
"……."
Aum's eyes widened. He hadn't expected denial.
Not a Constellation after all.
Relief washed over him. He'd been shaken by the sight.
"…I see."
Not a Constellation meant human. And thus, killable.
"I've answered. My turn to question?"
Aum felt lighter. The foe showed consideration. Despite the power gap and uninvited intrusion by a rival chieftain, he offered 'dialogue' over interrogation.
"Yes, ask away."
"Who is the true mastermind behind the attempt on Kankun?"
"Kankun's father, Karan Raguna."
"……."
"Her own father sought to murder her."
Loki stroked his chin. Laughter bubbled up, his body shaking.
A father trying to kill his daughter? What a mad world.
"Why? The prophecy?"
"To gain the elders' recognition."
"Recognition? Are the elders that influential?"
"Back then, in Raguna Tribe, elders heavily influenced chieftain selection. And until then, their unanimous choice was… Kudan Raguna. Kankun's uncle. He was hailed as the strongest Nod."
"No need to explain how Karan Raguna became chieftain…."
"……."
"Seeing his power waver, Karan chose poison for Kudan, his daughter as sacrifice, to win the elders' faith. And then…."
"Kudan found out?"
Aum nodded.
"That's why Kudan smashed the Raguna Tribe."