Bound and Broken: An Isekai Adventure Dark Fantasy (Melas Book 1) by V.A. Lewis (autobiographies to read .TXT) 📕

torch to the ground, and pointed at my hand. "Now get that healed up. It’s a minor burn, but I understand it probably is quite significant for a child. Go find Karna, he knows where the healing potions are."

"Oh, thanks." I slowly spun around to walk away, then paused. "And thank you for the lesson. I really appreciate it, Victor," I added before leaving.

I barely heard Victor mumble a ‘you’re welcome’, as I searched the camp for Karna. Honestly, I did not think I needed a healing potion for my hand; it was barely even a first degree burn. I could survive without getting it healed.

But it gave me an excuse to find Karna. Because I wanted to speak with him. Eventually, I found him.

"Hey Karna," I greeted him.

The Goblin was strutting out of a tent, and stopped right outside of it. He gave me a sidelong glance and asked. "...what do you want?"

"I, uh, was told you know where the healing potions are."

"Yes," he simply said.

I hesitated. "Um… where is it?"

Karna raised a hand and pointed at one of the unloaded carts. "It’s there," he answered, then began to walk away.

"Wait," I called out to him. "There’s something else."

The Goblin paused mid-step, and frowned. "What is it now?"

"I just wanted to apologize too!" I quickly sputtered out. The Goblin inclined his head to the side, as I continued. "For what Victor did earlier. He was just trying to help teach me. But he was being a bit rude. So... I’m sorry."

The Goblin stared at me with narrowed eyes. There was a moment of silence. Then he finally spoke up. "Can I leave now?" he asked, sounding annoyed.

This time, I was the one that frowned. "Well since you asked: no," I said. "Not yet."

Karna gave off an audible groan, and I folded my arms. "See, that’s exactly it! I’ve never done anything bad to you. In fact, I barely even know you! And all the times I’ve spoken to you, I’ve tried to be nice. But for some reason, you hate me and are a jerk to me."

I gritted my teeth as I watched the Goblin roll his luminescent eyes. He’s exactly like a mean girl in some teen drama! I screamed internally.

I continued.

"I’m not trying to force you to like me. I know better than to do that. But I just want to know: why? Why do you dislike me? What have I done wrong? And what can I do to be better?"

My questions caught the Goblin’s attention. He stopped giving me a bored look, which was replaced with a death glare. "Why, you ask? It’s simple: because you’re weak."

I waited for him to continue, but that was all he said.

"What are you talking about? How am I weak?" I barraged him with questions, forcing him to elaborate.

Karna shook his head, irritated. "You’re weak because you are. You can’t do anything for yourself, the Commander and the Dark Acolyte have to do it all for you. Not only that, but I have to go out into towns and cities to rob potions for you, to try and find anything that can heal your slave mark."

"Why must I do that for you almost every single night, while you get to stay in camp?! You who aren’t even one of us. Because you’re too scared to call yourself a Dark Crusader— even though your mother was hunted and killed by the Church— you’re too afraid to oppose them. That is why you’re weak."

His final words cut deep into me like a knife; I felt a pain in my chest, as he used my mom’s death against me. It was a low blow in every way, so it probably would have been a valid reaction for me to just storm off, mad at his comments. But I did not.

Was he insulting me in bad faith? I met his gaze, and I did not think so; he was being offensive, but that was because he truly meant those words. Yet it was not a meaningless attack, his words had some merit. So, slowly, I responded to him.

"You’re right," I conceded.. "Victor and Gerritt have been extremely kind to me, and maybe I’ve been taking advantage of it— even if it was unintentional. I was wrong."

Karna nodded, and I continued.

"And for that same reason, you’re right. Even though I didn't know you were finding potions for me from nearby towns, the pieces were all there and I could’ve put it together. I was thoughtless and exploitative. For that, I was also wrong."

I raised a hand up to the mark on my face, then took a deep breath.

"Likewise, you’re right that I’m scared," I admitted. "I’ve avoided joining the Dark Crusaders all this while, not because I’m scared of the Holy Xan Empire, but because I’m scared of knowing— of deciding. I thought I wanted revenge against them, and sometimes, I still think I do... but I’m too much of a coward to confront myself on it. So, I’m wrong on that too."

"However," I said slowly, "you’re wrong about one thing: I am not weak."

I lowered my hand to my chest, and felt my gentle heartbeats. I was calm. Completely so. I defiantly stared back at the two glowing yellow eyes, and repeated myself. "I am not weak, and I will prove it to you."

Karna looked at me warily. "How so?" He slowly reached for the weapon on his belt pocket, but I just grinned.

"I’m not going to fight you," I said. "That won’t prove anything. At best, one of us gets beaten up; at worst, one of us dies. I don’t think anyone here will be happy about either options."

"So what are you going to do?" The Goblin furrowed his brows. "If you’re not going to fight me, then