CHAPTER 165

“I won’t agree as is.” Keikain answered. “I’m happy to help you, but it can’t be one way. The bloodline isn’t something we can ignore. If I take those restrictions, you need to aid me in finding sapients to kill. I need the contract to have a duty of care back to me.”

“No…” Everlyn interrupted. “You don’t get to make ultimatums. You don’t have a choice. We’re not giving you pricks anything.”

“I do. You just told me I sign a contract or I’ll be killed. I’ve countered with my alternative proposal. I’ll abide by Tom’s skill, providing you provide a valid pathway for me to not go insane. If this agreement dooms me to madness, I’d prefer to die today.”

“We’re not doing that.”

“Evie. I don’t think he’s being unreasonable. We’ve both studied the bloodline. They’re going to have to feed.”

“I know intellectually, but I don’t need it shoved in my face.” Everlyn snapped in frustration. “They can do that evil stuff, in private, away from me.”

“There’s no condoning what I’ve become.” Keikain said. “I don’t have the option of dying happily. Not after committing the crimes I have and will probably have to do again in the future. The only thing that can make it even remotely worthwhile is if the oracle question is accurate and I make a real difference to the ladder.”

“My plan gives you that chance.” Tom told him.

“And maybe DEUS always intended this situation to occur. But I’m,” he shot a pointed look at Sven. “I’m broken too. I don’t care anymore. I don’t give a shit. I’m over the struggle, the lying, the horror.”

“You’re sick of it!”

“Evie,” Tom warned quietly. She looked like she wanted to tear his face off.

“Yes, I am.” Keikain answered meeting Everlyn’s furious glare. “You can’t possibly understand–”

Crack.

The arrow slammed into the stone right next to Keikain’s neck.

“You killed GITA!”

Keikain’s hand went to touch the magical arrow that was vibrating next to him. He tugged the shaft, and it was embedded so deeply into the wall that he couldn’t move it. Then the stone warped, and he plucked it out and it turned to wisps of smoke in his hand.

Everlyn glowered at him. Another arrow in her bow which was at full draw and aimed right at his heart. “Give me an excuse. I might not understand the depravity it takes to kill people, but I understand how much her death hurts.”

“If you want to kill me, then do it.” Keikain said philosophically. “I can’t stop you. What I will say.” He was looking straight at Tom. “If you’re blocking me from humans, then you’ll need to guarantee that you’ll try to help me both find and hunt down stronger sapients. Everything else out there is more powerful than us, and we’ll need the entire team to pull it down. I’d rather die now than go mad. And to be honest, that’ll be better for you as well. You don’t want me insane and fully empowered by my bloodline. I’m not sure that your full group will be capable of taking me down if that happens.”

“Don’t do it. Tom.” Everlyn warned. “Your targets might not be human, but a deal here will make you a murderer.”

“It’s not just up to me,” Tom admitted. “Harry. Can you please get the others? Sven should be able to break the stone. And you.” He glared at Keikain. “Put these on.” He threw the manacles.

Both Tom and Everlyn tensed for a moment as the chains thumped down on the hard rock in front of Keikain. The clang reverberated through the courtyard. Keikain appeared to be visibly torn between fighting and accepting his capture. Then he sagged in defeat. With the fighters arrayed against him, his chances of escape were low and even if he did, his secret was out and the wider team would hunt him down and eliminate him, anyway. Keikain knew that and he shut his eyes briefly. Pain mirrored in them and leant down, picked up the chains and clicked them into position.

“Move to in there.” Tom pointed at the mana draining circle.

Once more, Keikain hesitated.

“It’s over.” Tom reminded him. “You might as well cooperate until you’ve read the contract.”

Silently, Keikain sat in the still active Mana draining ritual. It wouldn’t fully negate someone as dangerous as the earth mage, but it would help. “This is unpleasant.”

They ignored him while watching him like a hawk. Tom’s Remote Earth Manipulation was active to make sure he was not doing anything. Between that protection and Everlyn’s observation skills, they didn’t think he could pull a fast one over the two of them, but he’d come through at number two and was clearly terrifyingly competent.

Finally, Harry returned with the other prisoners.

Tom looked around at the group he had formed. The three killers and the others who had agreed to accompany them. The raw potential was impressive. They had all proven to be capable.

With a thought, he sent across the contract to everyone. “Rahmat and Jingyi will not be signatories because I can only bring eight of us into the agreement. We’ll buy the ritual and protect them that way.”

Tom half expected Rahmat to object, but he studied the wording without looking concerned. “I’m fine with not being included. I wouldn’t want to sign this, anyway.”

“Why?” Tom asked in surprise.

“I don’t want to be in a position where a contract forces me to sacrifice a sapient. My religion doesn’t agree.” He didn’t elaborate, but everyone knew he was referring to an old Earth religion. That was not something to talk about in a place like Existentia where different GODs were active.

Sven cleared his throat and stared at tom with narrowed eyes. “Am I understanding this. You're not going to kill us. Instead, you want us to help you for a little while and then we’re free to live our own lives?”

“Basically.” Tom answered.

The three killers looked at each other. It was like they were exchanging information, but neither he nor Everlyn could see anything, which meant it was impossible. The bloodline didn’t give them the ability, and he doubted they could have purchased the type of ability that could fool Everlyn’s senses.

“And you’ll help us.” Keikain said finally. “Help us find sapients to sacrifice.”

Tom grimaced at it being stated that bluntly, but he knew exactly why the earth mage had chosen that approach. He wanted there to be no misunderstandings. If they entered this relationship, they would all be condoning the continuation of the evil practice. Not for humans, but Tom was not sure the delineation mattered.

“Yes. I will.” Tom answered. “Humanity comes first and my gut tells me I need you. So yes, I’ll help.” he turned to look at the others that his statement was implicitly signing up. “If you’re uncomfortable with this, I’m happy for you to back out and stay with the main group. All I ask is you keep the fact we took the killers with us secret for a while.” He was looking specifically at Toni, Rahmat, and then Michael. “If you’re not willing to be part of this, now’s the time to walk away.”

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“Deus, spare my soul. I’m in.” Michael said.

“Don’t like it, but me too.” Toni agreed.

“I’ll continue with you, but I won’t help them hunt.” Rahmat agreed.

Everyone’s eyes went to Thor who looked the most uncomfortable out of all of them. He stood there quiet and reflecting on what he was being asked. “This is too much, man. Way too much.”

“The alternative is to kill them.” Tom answered. “This way seems a superior use of resources.”

“In every country on earth, thay’d have been sentenced to death.” Thor stated.

“Not even close.” Clare disagreed. “In most places we would have pleaded not-guilty because of insanity. Not sure we would have got the death sentence anywhere to be honest, but it would depend on the jury. I’m guessing twenty years and out in ten with good behaviour or if the insanity worked five years of psychiatric confinement.”

“You can’t justify what you’ve done.” Thor snapped.

“I haven’t,” she answered. “But I absolutely could justify it. It was kill or go insane. We’ve already discussed the fact that when I took the bloodline, I was expecting to have hostile native species to feed off, not humans.”

“Thor,” Tom said, deciding to ignore Clare. “I want you to come with us. But I understand if this is too much. Are you in or out?”

“I’m in.” He made the sign of the cross on his chest.

Tom engaged the skill he had got given by the reward portal. Everlyn was right. The decision to pursue this solution felt foolish. Even binding these three didn’t justify the cost, but after investing his resources to get the Contract Binding and then engineering this discussion, he felt trapped.

The contract was done.

The new terms that Keikain insisted on being included were displayed in front of everyone. While you read the English words, they were not what was important. Intent drove everything because language was ultimately imprecise, but this contract made the meaning of each clause clear. There could be no doubt and there was no room for a lawyer post fact to argue the words meant something else, even if in the English language they did.

There was no way to weasel out of the magical contract once agreed it would bind everyone.

“I don’t like your reciprocal clause.” Keikain said. “It’s too easy for you to find a reason to ignore it.”

“We will help if it’s reasonable to do so.” Tom answered evenly.

“If you think it’s reasonable.” Keikain corrected.

“I’m not going to risk anyone else’s life to get you prey. If we can safely go do it, we will, but otherwise we won’t.”

“I’m not signing it unless you change it.”

“That’s your choice.” Tom answer quietly his eyes turning to Clare and Sven. “You guys can still sign even if he doesn’t.”

“Don’t.” Keikain warned them immediately.

“It’s not that bad.” Clare told him. “I think you’re just being stubborn. This deal is far better than we have any right to expect.”

“He doesn’t have to agree to anything. If Tom decides it’s too dangerous, you know if he thinks someone might get scratched, he can pull out and sacrifice us. It’s that simple.”

“I will do my best.” Tom said quietly. “But I’m not changing the contract any further and I won’t accept any more restrictions on my autonomy. You’re not stupid Keikain. You can see that I barely have the votes from the others to push this much of a concession through.”

“Please Keikain.” Clare begged. “This is a way out of our nightmare. A real way to escape.”

“You know, this means we need to make a beeline immediately for the nearest non-human race.” Keikain said quietly.

“That’s my plan, anyway.” Tom answered. “Plus, we knew that is what we needed before we brought you together. Potentially not the nearest, but they’re all similar distances away.”

“Where are we going?” Claire asked curiously.

“Let’s finish the contract and then I’ll find out.”

“You don’t know?” she asked in surprise.

“Tom has certain advantages.” Everlyn interrupted on his behalf and then shot him a look, asking for permission.

They were going to be a team, and it was fine to share secrets. Tom gave her the all clear with a nod.

Everlyn took a deep breath still looking uncertain. “One of his advantages is a trait that will let him decide which race to track down. Because of your menace he has been forced to delay using it. Now that you’re neutralised he can act.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You don’t need to.” Everlyn answered flatly.

“It’s ok Evie. It’s not that big a secret, anyway. With a large chunk of my contribution points, I purchased a version of the yes or no Oracle questions. I’m going to use that to plot my way forward.”

“Why didn’t you find us sooner.” Keikain asked immediately his eyes narrowing.

“I only got a question every eight days, and I didn’t want to waste them.”

“Enough.” Michael interrupted grimly. “Let’s get the contract done. I’m sick of watching these three and expecting them to try to escape.”

Keikain laughed at Michael’s suggestion.

“We won’t, we can’t.” Clare said sadly.

“Let’s finish it.” Tom agreed. Once more, he presented the contract. Keikain immediately accepted it. Everyone else took a few seconds longer before following the earth mage in a rush of mental yeses.

The magic snapped between them for a moment. It was visible only to those who were part of the contract because Rahmat, unlike the eight offered the contract did not relax. He watched the prisoners with his hand on his spear ready to react to any treachery.

Black chains linked them. Ethereal constructions with a scent of blood and the promise of absolute subjugation. An impossibility to resist. The agreement they had forged was more than words. It was something physical. The links between them transcended mere metal as they dug into everyone’s soul and they were not evenly distributed. The chains covering the cursed were heavy, thick, and covered with spikes, an inherent threat that they had to abide by the rules or suffer the consequences. While those to the co-signers, the individuals who were peripheral to the contract were linked with a delicate construction that looked useless and fragile. Tom was not fooled he knew that even delicate silver necklaces could strangle someone. Even though they looked harmless, they could enforce the terms as effectively as the heavier version with spikes.

The chains existed in their vision for a little under five seconds before they faded away to nothing. They looked at each other with wide eyes. It was done. He, they, and everyone knew the bindings had successfully been put into place. Tom knew that the ability to force obedience was there if it was required. All he would need to do was to apply intent and he could order Keikain, Sven or Clare around and the other person would have no choice but to obey. Tom internally adjusted the capability to ensure it would not trigger unless in addition to intent he also disengaged a lock. He didn’t want to accidentally abuse his newfound power.

The body language that had promised explosive violence vanished as everyone realised that the risk was gone. They were bound to the same side.

Rahmat had been blind to the magic linking them, but he noticed the abrupt change in everyone’s posture and the cycle of emotions. He perked up his hands still on his spear but in a less threatening manner. “Is it done? They’ve signed?”

“I don’t like it one bit.” Michael answered without looking at Rahmat. He glared at Keikain. “But it’s done.”

Michael may not have been happy with the decision to bring the three with the cursed bloodline with them, but he could not argue with the contract itself. It was heavily restrictive and would permanently block them from killing the five co-signers of the spell. Beyond that, it would restrict them for the duration of the contract from sacrificing humans unless Tom signed off on it. There was a clause that Tom could approve it but he planned on never using it and finally they had to help Tom complete the plan labelled Operation Racial Bonus Assimilation.

Tom had hesitated before including the term in the contract. He was worried it would give them too much information, but in the end he had decided that it was opaque enough that it shouldn’t fall a foul of the conditions that his oracle questions during the tutorial had warned him about. It would also stop him from changing his mind and claiming the operation was something different or broader.

Finally, the contract included a general responsibility for him and the group to help the cursed source future victims to prevent the descent into madness. Despite Keikain’s concerns, it was a binding clause. Tom’s skill did not have a provision that allowed him to ignore the items that applied to him. He would have to do his best to find victims for the cursed. It made him feel sick, but he would do it. Humanity came first and hopefully when they were at war with another species he prayed the job would become easier.

Hopefully, whoever his oracle questions pointed him toward would be a terror race.

“Can everyone else feel the nature of the contract?” he asked interested in their impressions.

“I can,” Everlyn said immediately. “I know I can’t get revenge on them. Nor can they betray me.” Her voice was scathing and angry. Tom knew she thought he was letting the killers off with too much freedom.

“I can feel it too.” Michael told them. “I never would have contemplated doing something like this. To bind the serial killer or killers, as the case turned out, I would never have considered it. But now the chains are in place it is truly an elegant solution.”

Thor confirmed the same feelings.

The three murderers said nothing.

Then Sven looked up. “My life is yours to command. Thank you for this opportunity to make a difference.”

“Well then,” Tom declared. “Now that the unpleasantries are out of the way, we should find out which way we’re heading. Everlyn, do you want to join me for this?”