In a medieval world plagued by four betrayer Dark Lords, the story of the "living hell" began three years before the war.
The Raid on Oakhaven
Thirty thieves descended on a wealthy town to loot its resources. They took the women hostage and tortured the men with iron whips. When one woman begged for mercy, a thief threatened to strip her daughter next.
A young boy named Noa stepped forward. "Hey, you bald shit, leave him alone," he commanded. As the thieves laughed, the insulted man charged. Noa dodged and delivered a single punch that blew the man's head apart.
The Thief Leader ordered a full assault. Noa moved with such speed that he slaughtered the entire group, leaving only the Leader standing amidst the bodies. The Leader tried to attack with a heavy axe, but Noa caught the blade and punched through his helmet. Terrified, the Leader fled, but Noa skewered him with a thrown spear.
The Reward
The King approached, offering 100 gold coins. Noa snatched the stash. When the King secretly thought, this greedy fuck, Noa sensed it and challenged him. The King backed down. As Noa turned to leave, the King tried to grab his shoulder to stop him.
"Get the fuck away!" Noa snapped, shrugging him off and continuing his journey.
The Watchers
From the shadows, four thieves—Wezio, Nagumo, Lunnaux, and Thar—watched Noa.
Wezio: "Look at that guy!"
Nagumo: "He looks strong."
Lunnaux: "He doesn't even have a weapon."
Thar: "I use melee too, but look at his body compared to mine."
They reported to their Lord. Wezio and Nagumo asked for permission to loot the boy. The Lord, tired, told them to do what they wanted as long as they didn't wake him. Lunnaux promised to kill Noa if he refused to hand over the gold.
"Just don't come back crying like last time," the Lord warned.
"I didn't cry!" Wezio protested as they set off.
Noa was soon surrounded by a fresh group of twenty thieves. He stopped, looking at them with pure annoyance. "What are you fools doing in my way?" he snapped. "Get out. I've got things to do."
"We aren't fools," one stepped forward confidently. "I am Wezio—or you can call me 'Wez the Magician.'"
"You're a bum, not a magician," Lunnaux interrupted with a sneer.
"Shut up!" Wezio barked.
Lunnaux laughed coldly. "Who was the one crying during the last encounter? Not me. Definitely this magician bum."
Thar stepped between them to settle the bickering. "Stop it. Hey, boy—just hand over the stash of gold and this will all be over."
Noa didn't hesitate. "Fuck no. Go fuck yourselves."
"The hard way, then," Wezio sighed, drawing his blade and lunging. Noa didn't even draw a weapon; he snapped Wezio's sword with his bare hands and buried a punch into the man's stomach. Wezio collapsed instantly.
"Oh no! Fuck, I think he killed Wez!" Nagumo shouted, panicking.
"Don't panic," Thar growled. "He just collapsed."
Noa beckoned them forward. "Scared already? Attack me."
Lunnaux hissed, "As you wish." The remaining thieves swarmed him. Noa systematically tore through their ranks, but Thar and Lunnaux proved more difficult than the others. Finding a brief opening, Noa snapped Lunnaux's sword and kicked her back, but the distraction cost him. Thar seized the moment, pinning Noa to the dirt with a devastating punch.
From the top of a nearby hill, the Lord they served—a man named Amity—watched the struggle with a calm gaze. He began to descend.
"Come now, Thar," Amity said smoothly. "He's just a boy. Don't go too hard on him."
"Sorry, My Lord," Thar replied, breathing hard. "But he actually overpowered us."
Noa spat blood from his mouth and nose, glaring up at the newcomer. "You bastard... you almost killed me!"
"We are truly sorry about all this," Amity offered.
"Fuck off. I'm leaving," Noa growled, trying to stand.
"Wait," Amity said. "I was wondering if you'd like to join us."
Noa scoffed. "Join thieves like you? Fuck no."
"We aren't actually thieves," Amity revealed. "We are Elysium, the second strongest nation in the world right now."
"Like I'd believe that."
"Come to our camp and see for yourself," Amity invited, but Noa remained stubborn.
Amity sighed. "Fine. Let's settle this with a duel. If you win, you leave with an extra 500 gold coins. If I win, you become a soldier of Elysium. Deal?"
"Fine," Noa agreed, his eyes narrowing. "Free 500 gold coins."
The fight began, but Noa quickly realized he was outclassed. Every strike he threw at Amity met empty air. Just as Noa thought he had an opening, Amity blurred out of the way and delivered a heavy blow to Noa's torso, sending him crashing to the ground.
"Get up," Amity challenged. "Are you giving up?"
"Against you? Nice joke. Fuck no," Noa wheezed.
"Good. Then stand up and fight me."
Noa threw everything he had at Amity, but he couldn't land a single hit. With a final, lightning-fast kick to the head, Amity ended the bout. Noa's vision went black, and he collapsed onto the grass.
Noa is now a soldier of Elysium.