Return of the Woodcutter

"To kill you?" Aito was confused. Normally, he would not hesitate, but killing the Khül was in the first place impossible. Even if he could, it'd bring him more troubles, divine troubles. 

If the gods had imprisoned the giant orc without killing it, it meant they had a purpose in doing so. And slaying the Khül would be spitting on their divine faces. Not that Aito minded it. On the contrary. But he'd better not attract the gods' attention too much. 

Aito already knew how costly their attention was. Was he willing to take the risk? If the gains outweighed the losses, yes.

The Khül was truly desperate if he asked someone to kill him. Could it be beneficial to him? Of course, it could. Now, the question was, how to exploit this opportunity to its fullest, but most of all…

"How am I supposed to do that exactly?" He asked. 

"How do you kill a soul, human warrior?" The Khül replied. "Think about it. Surely you already figured it out." 

Pondering the question, Aito realized that until now, there has been only one way he had killed souls and that was… "By absorbing your soul." 

"Indeed," the Khül nodded. 

Aito froze upon this statement. 

What kind of power would he gain by absorbing the Khül's soul? Even if it was just a fragment, his soul was so strong Aito's level would surely skyrocket, reaching the peak of the Ascender realm thanks to all the orc souls he had absorbed until now. 

He could become someone in the Tower with such powers, even some moderators would have to be wary of him. 

But there was just one problem, and that was the Khül's strength. A soul, if it wanted to, could counterattack, which was almost always the case. 

If he willed it so, the Khül could crush Aito's soul to smithereens and take possession of his body.  If Aito failed to absorb the Khül's soul, the orc would kill him and replace his soul. Such events occurred from time to time when one failed the soul digestion process. 

And Aito had no doubt he would not be able to overpower the Khül's soul. There was no denying that fact.

"Why me?" Aito asked, curious. The Khül could have picked an orc from the sixth floor to do the job or any other human for all he cared. 

There was no real reason for him to be chosen as the executioner, at least that Aito understood. 

The Khül grunted. He stared at the nothingness, through the cracks of his soul, through the void. "My fake kinsmen are unworthy. I am desperate, but I still maintain my pride. Although you used cheap tricks to beat me, it remains that you bested me in a duel. You could not have done so otherwise at your current level, anyway. 

"All is fair in war. So I accept my defeat. I do not want to be killed by undeserving fakes. And to cross the path of another human like you is unlikely."

He calmly shifted his gaze to Aito, piercing him with his fatigued eyes that were still somehow, even after hundreds of years in this place, filled with power. 

Aito felt his soul penetrating by him as if something looked into his very being. 

"I searched your soul, your memories. I've seen your past," the Khül declared. "What you've been through. What you've done. Your sin. I know it. And I can tell, only a few humans would be mentally strong enough to keep ongoing as you do. To question yourself on how to make things right. To face the harsh reality. It is not easy to live as a sinner amongst your own people when condemned on all sides for what you did." 

Aito clenched his fists, remembering the dark stares his inmates in prison had given him or even on the fishing ship. Everyone had judged him for what he did. He hadn't refuted nor defended himself. 

There was no denying his misdeeds.

"Humans were and are still right to condemn your wrongdoings. Even you are condemning yourself for your sin. But despite it all, you go on. Treading a broken path where no blades can help you. For it is a war of the mind. Is it right or wrong? Should you just be put into one of your… human jails and atone for your sin by staying in such a place? I find that pointless." 

The Khül certain could not comprehend the reason humans put criminals behind bars. For him, criminals should either be executed or banished. Not imprisoned.

"Although I find it repulsive that you killed your own father. Because even me would not have done such a dishonorable deed," the orc said. "What you did was wrong, but what you're doing is right and honorable to me. It requires more courage than waging a war. Of that, I'm certain. And that is what's fueling you. That undying flame of despair. You don't primarily fight for power, but for atonement. I can respect that.

"I might not recall all my memories, but I can tell you. I fought many a war, human warrior. And all for the same reason. To acquire power. Everyone I knew in Iris fought for that reason, even the gods. They fought and still fight for power.

"People can pretend they fight for their home, to defend their families and whatnot. But the truth is, they also search for power. Because power, in our world, decides everything. So people will always seek it. Even you desperately need it." 

That… somewhat made sense to Aito. Although there were points worthy of debate, he mostly agreed with the orcs. 

"Your quest for atonement requires power. A lot of it. Maybe more than what I had in my previous life and I was a warrior capable of rivaling a god in combat." 

Aito froze. 

He knew the Khül wasn't kidding, but it was still hard to believe. He had seen, felt first hand what a god was capable of. That kind of power was just… beyond ridiculous. If he needed to transcend that…, well. It felt unreachable.

"You have my respect and thus worthy of my help. Also, you're taking a path that will become a thorn in the gods' foot. If I can spit to their faces somehow by using you, then so be it. I alone can do nothing against them," the Khül said, stretching his hand for Aito to grab. "So take my strength. Make it yours and make them pay for what they did."

"Tempting offer, but I cannot," Aito spurted dryly. "What guarantees me you won't eat my soul? Nothing."

"Kaha, the careful type. I see. That's… too bad. But I understand. I'd do the same in your place," the Khül scoffed, then gazed at the darkness covering three fourth of his body. 

Since the start of their conversation, it had spread and continued to do so. Soon it will eat up his torso and reach his head. "Our time is almost up. Once this reaches my brain, I'll turn into a blood-thirsty beast again." 

Aito also noticed the darkness eating up at the Khül's body. It was creeping its way up to his torso, almost at neck level. 

"Let me make you another offer then," the Khül said. "One more reasonable that would benefit both parties."