Hunter narrowed his eyes at the scroll hovering before him, a contract with a god. It wasn't something you see every day. As the words began to appear line by line, he couldn't help but wonder what the hell he was getting himself into.
Claude's hand on his shoulder only added to his unease. "Please take your time and read it carefully. Divine order pacts are binding agreements."
Hunter glanced up at Claude. "Until death do us part?"
Claude chuckled. "Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that." He withdrew his hand and took a step back, as if giving Hunter space would make this whole godly deal seem less intimidating.
The text on the scroll remained elusive, but Hunter knew he couldn't just skim it like the NDA. This was a life-altering decision.
Pact Pt. 1 [https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64792192cebc5b13fea7f600/fc19e6fe-e80c-40e6-ace3-ec71e912a876/Scroll+back+-+Divine+Order+Pact+pt+1.png?format=1000w]
Pact pt2 [https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64792192cebc5b13fea7f600/7ce64db6-dd2b-435f-8197-4a22df491c6c/Scroll+back+-+Divine+Order+Pact+pt+2.png?format=1000w]
“Are you finished?” Claude asked, hand extended.
"Just a moment," Hunter said, raising his finger before diving back in to re-read the divine contract.
When he finally finished reading, he couldn't help but frown. It wasn't like he was expecting a simple job offer, but this... this was a cosmic-level task. He looked back at Claude, the cogs in his mind turning.
"So, let me get this straight," Hunter began, "you weren't joking when you said I wouldn't just be leveling up and training. You expect me to be a time-traveling talent scout, finding twelve initiates from different eras, and helping them cultivate in some newfangled cultivation system?"
Claude twirled his staff, leaving a trail of golden light in the air. "Well, it's encouraging that your first question isn't about the travel perks. But yes, you've got the gist of it.” He stopped spinning the staff and planted it upright. “The new system has thirteen chi cultivation paths, not just one like the old broken system. Each initiate gets a personalized path knowledge scroll. Cultivation involves visualizing their core as a specific animal or plant totem, depending on their dominant trait. This approach reduces the risk of bottlenecks between the Founder and Core Former stages since a stronger core is forged during the Refiner stage."
Hunter raised an eyebrow. "So, this new system uses the same ranks as the old one? First, second, third, peak star leveling within each stage, and all that?"
Claude nodded. "Exactly. Both systems use the same ranking system, from Pre-Refiner to Refiner, Founder, Core Former, Soul Stabilizer, and so on. However, the thirteen new chi cultivation paths place a greater emphasis on developing one’s aura sense. Even a First Star Refiner, if well-practiced in aura sense techniques, can identify item tiers through their status scroll. Quite handy when you're shopping for magical weapons."
Hunter scratched his head, still trying to wrap his mind around all this. "Sounds promising, but I've got a million more questions. Let's start with this: how does the time travel part even work?"
Claude grinned. "I've analyzed all possible outcomes in all the realms of existence. The twelve other initiates, like you, come from times of great conflict, but their reasons for delayed chi cultivation growth differ. Don’t worry Hunter, you'll get all the training and resources you need before being sent to locate the next initiate. The tower here, once a legend in your world's history, is now your tower of ascension headquarters. While you'll lead the charge, the tower will facilitate the training of each initiate. Your role will evolve into that of a leader. While you can advise and train with the other initiates, remember, you're not their teacher. Your primary goal is not to spoon-feed them techniques. Instead, you show them the way, and the tower will provide everything they need to level up."
Hunter felt a weight lift off his shoulders. The tower of ascension intrigued him, and the rewards were undeniably tempting, but the risks loomed large. "The consequences of failure seem no laughing matter," he said, crossing his arms. "I couldn't help but notice that if I mess up, it could mean the end of the world. Care to elaborate?"
Claude's response came a bit too swiftly for Hunter's liking. "Oh, that's just standard jargon in Divine Order pacts," Claude said with a thin smile. "If you focus, put your mind to it, and recruit the other initiates in a timely manner, everything will be fine. These clauses are more to keep the other gods in the Divine Realm appeased, you know."
Hunter arched an eyebrow. "So, the other gods are aware of what you're doing?"
Claude shifted uneasily, his smile still in place. "Yes, of course. But some of them are quite conservative, stuck in their ways. I need to make sure this pact measures up to their standards. But there's nothing for you to worry about."
Hunter didn’t buy Claude’s reassurance. If there's one thing he learned, it's that gods had their own agendas. But for now, he had to make a choice. The lines on the scroll glowed brighter, a prompt appearing:
Do you accept the Divine Order pact? Yes/No?
Claude flashed a knowing smile. "It's a bit like the Trial of Worth. Just touch 'yes,' we’ll shake hands, and you'll have access to the tower."
Hunter hesitated, his heart pounding in his chest.
The temptation to say 'yes' was overwhelming, but he couldn't just abandon his sister, not without ensuring her safety. He had to find a way to make this pact work for both of them.
Negotiating his own terms was the key.
The pact clauses made it seem like Claude could easily find a replacement for Hunter should he fail, but summoning an ascension tower visible to the entire city and ensuring Hunter was there at the right moment was no small feat. There had to be something about Hunter that made him the prime choice, something he could use to his advantage.
“I will consider saying yes if I can add my own clause to the agreement,” Hunter said, trying to keep his voice steady.
“Go on.” Claude's expression was unreadable, but he didn't immediately reject the idea.
Encouraged, Hunter pressed on. “If I do all that you ask, I will be away from my sister for some time. I need a way to guarantee her protection.”
“Your sister is clever; she has survived this long without cultivation,” Claude replied. “I cannot directly intervene to save her if trouble finds her. I am already on the edge of what I am allowed to do to avoid breaking divine laws.”
Hunter shook his head, frustration bubbling up. “You made a tower appear that everybody can see. All I'm asking—”
Claude interrupted him. "What you're asking is for me to intervene where there's no benefit for me and no earned intervention from you or your sister. Even if I had a shrine in this world, and you both worshiped me, the cost would be steep."
Hunter clenched his fists in frustration. "Then, I can't—"
But Claude wasn't done. "Don't make a hasty decision you'll regret. If the goddess Athena of this world agrees, she could bestow a blessing on your sister linked to your progression within the tower. In life-or-death situations, your sister would be granted an intelligence boon that will sharpen her mind and reflexes, matching your current stage of chi cultivation when triggered."
Hunter watched as the scroll shifted, new words appearing. He studied the new clause closely.
[https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64792192cebc5b13fea7f600/158c163e-cb1d-43cb-81aa-cf75624450f8/Scroll+back+-+Hunter+Negotiation+clause.png?format=750w]
Once Hunter was satisfied with the wording, confident there were no loopholes, he turned to Claude with one more pressing question. "I will accept the pact but first I need time to talk to my sister and Big Nic. How much time do I have before I need to say yes to the pact?"
Claude met his gaze, his expression serious. "Now that the pact has been initiated, you are time-bound. Otherwise, this scroll becomes unstable and collapses. The divine energy required to forge such a pact between a god and mortal is vast..."
Hunter tapped his foot impatiently. "How long?"
"If you walk away from the scroll now without saying yes or no, it will close and reset. You won't get a second chance to access it, I'm afraid."
Hunter groaned in frustration. "You could have mentioned that earlier. If I say yes now, how much time do I have before I have to enter the tower?"
Claude considered for a moment before answering, "You have until first light tomorrow. The tower, once summoned, must have its first initiate enter before its first sunrise; otherwise, it will collapse."
Hunter's mind raced, considering his options. "Can’t you just summon another tower of ascension if that happens?"
Claude frowned. "Yes, but it will take me a few centuries before I have replenished my divine energy stores to summon one to this era."
A crimson light beamed overhead as night crept in. "The tower beacon will remain lit until dawn. Settle your affairs and return here. Enter through that arch. It is soul bound to you once you accept the pact, but once inside, you must immediately enter the guild to seal your pact."
Hunter glanced at the silhouette of Death Island in the distance, then at the bustling city port below. Determination etched on his face, he squared his shoulders. "Looks like I have a busy night ahead. Best get moving."
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself and touched 'yes' on the divine contract. He extended his hand to the god, sealing his fate.
Claude nodded. "Godspeed."
The god's words propelled Hunter into action, and he sprinted towards the city port, determined to find his sister.
***
Hunter moved through the night-painted streets toward the port, a chaotic tapestry of sights and sounds. Spirit lamps swayed, flickering like lost stars, illuminating The Tangled Mermaid tavern as he passed by. The air buzzed with drunken laughter, the clinking of coins, and the sultry whispers of women offering pleasures for a price. The salty scent of the sea mingled with the pungent aroma of unwashed bodies and sweet perfume.
Hunter slipped past Magistratus Dimus, a man so drunk he wouldn’t have noticed a minotaur tap dancing in front of him. Two women clung to him like ivy as he stumbled into the tavern.
Hunter knew Dimus would be nursing a colossal hangover by morning, a condition that would make him as mean as a bear with a sore head. For Hunter and Nic, that meant trouble. Dimus would undoubtedly seek retribution for Hunter's intrusion during the Trial of Worth. But that was a concern for later.
From the tavern entrance, hetaira women blew him kisses. “Hey, boy,” one purred, her voice oozing seduction. “Want me to turn you into a man?”
Hunter felt something stirring. Straightening to appear older and more confident than he was, he shot the women a wry grin. “Ladies, I’m afraid you’re too late. That ship has sailed, but thanks all the same.”
He shook his head in amusement and continued on his way, leaving the tantalizing offer behind.
The night was far from over.
Hunter followed the roads leading to the port office, where Xuthos' city residence was rumored to be. It was well-known that Xuthos preferred to keep his servants close at hand, ready to serve his every whim.
Navigating the bustling streets, Hunter caught fragments of conversation about the mysterious tower. Worried street vendors whispered anxiously among themselves, peddling their wares and sharing the latest gossip.
"My cousin, he saw it, right before the city guards slammed down the curfew. Cracked and ruined, it's oozing' a deadly aura, he says. No tower of ascension, at least not one blessed by the gods. Looks downright sinister, so it does.”
Another vendor spoke up. "I bet those death cultists summoned it, disguising it as a heathen Empusa shrine."
"Empusa? Just what we need, more slutty demons flaunting their wares. As if the debauchery in this city isn’t bad enough."
"I hear you.” The vendor tightened her scarf. “They’ll turn that tower into a goblin sex dungeon before we know it. Once my husband hears about this, he'll be camped out by that tower, hoping for some Empusa action."
Hunter stifled a laugh, listening to the outlandish rumors. If he wanted to move freely once his initiate training began, he needed to help spread the rumor mill and dissuade city folk and officials from approaching the tower.
If time allowed, he would send word to Helios, one of the few figures sympathetic to him in the city, and perhaps it’d even keep his Uncle Eratos occupied.
As he approached the port, the crowds thinned, and Hunter found himself in a nearly deserted harbor, facing a towering stone building on the corner overlooking the landbridge to Death Island.
Moving cautiously, Hunter's footsteps were drowned out by the sounds of the harbor. The building was bathed in light from spirit lamps, illuminating Xuthos' opulent lifestyle.
The building was a beast, a damn monolith of marble and iron. It towered above him like a judgmental god, its grand pillars etched with tales of blood and divinity standing tall and silent, like grim guardians. The windows, shrouded in intricate iron grilles as complex as a spider's web, hinted at the opulent interior.
“Ah bull’s pizzle!” Hunter scanned the fortress-like structure. There was no way in hell he was making a grand entrance through those windows. Light spilled onto the ground, offering a glimpse of the interior. All polished marble floors and walls, adorned with ornate spirit lamps hanging from the ceiling.
Despite his disdain for the Andenos, it reminded him of home. Of the grand halls and opulent rooms of the Filo family residence. Only, this was more lavish, more pretentious, more...everything.
The tapestries were a sight to behold, intricate pieces of art woven with tales of heroics and creatures straight out of a myth. They added to the room's pompous grandeur, their vibrant threads telling stories lost in time.
Couches and chairs, plush and weaved with fine silks, were scattered around like they had every right to be there. And commanding the room was a colossal wooden table, its surface groaning under the weight of a feast that could feed an army.
Inside, Xuthos, a man of imposing stature, conversed heatedly with his son Pheres, their voices rising over an extravagant feast. Hunter couldn't help but overhear their discussion.
Xuthos bellowed with arrogance. "That tower's appearance stole your thunder after your victory in the arena! It's an affront to my reputation!"
Pheres, his voice slurred from alcohol, responded with self-righteous indignation. "Father, we should take action. This tower and its master have disrupted the natural order. It's an insult to our family!"
"If Eratos doesn’t resolve this immediately, I'll handle it myself,” said Xuthos, the clanging of copper on wood echoing through the air. “He's too soft on the death cultists, and I'm not the only one who's noticed."
Pheres, swaying like a sapling in a breeze, downed red wine from a goblet and slammed it onto the table, clearly on the brink of drunken stupor. "What if I pay Eratos’ lovely niece Jocasta a little visit? Perhaps she knows something."
"No!" Xuthos' palm met Pheres' cheek with a resounding slap. "Lay a finger on her, and I'll core you like an apple—"
Pheres retreated, his jaw smarting from the blow, now a fiery shade of red.
Xuthos composed himself, his tone sinister. "Be patient, Pheres. For now, she's of little value to him or us—if she becomes 'used goods.' I've negotiated certain services with Nastes of the Marinos clan, and I have exciting plans for her future with us."
Hunter clenched his fists, realizing he needed to tread carefully. He sought information about his sister, not a confrontation with Xuthos and his son.
Heart pounding, he decided to sneak around the back of the building, hoping to find an entrance that would lead him closer to his sister.
Rounding a dark alley into the back, he found no open windows or doors. Scaling vines that crept up to the second floor, he hopped onto a rooftop balcony. The glass doors were shut, but Hunter forced them open using his rusty dagger from his inventory.
Inside, his sister Jo sat, her head bowed as she read a book.
"Jo!" Hunter called out in a low voice.
Startled, she spun around and dropped the book, her eyes widening when she saw him. Racing over, she threw her arms around him. Hunter lifted her up, spinning her around just like when they were children.
Her kind brown eyes still held the same curiosity and intelligence. "Hunter!" she exclaimed, her voice muffled by her hand as she lowered it. "By Jupiter’s hairy balls, look at you! Have you been wrestling bears on Death Island? How did you escape? No, never mind. Why are you here? If Xuthos—"
She looked around nervously, as if expecting him to burst through her chamber door any second.
Hunter pulled back from the hug.
Seeing his sister transformed from the child of his memories to a young woman hit him hard. If only his parents were there. Pain sliced through him like a knife. His mother. Jo had her sad smile.
He choked down the bitterness and regret and managed a smile of his own. They were together, and that was all that mattered for now. "You look great. It's a long story. You better take a seat."
"Let me guess, you crashed the Trial of Worth. A massive tower appeared out of nowhere, and somehow you're tangled up in it all."
"How did you—"
"Big-mouth Pheres has been complaining about you and the tower nonstop since he got back."
They spent the next hour catching up; Jocasta told him how she had stayed in the family compound until she turned sixteen. Uncle Eratos, who had paid little attention to her beyond assigning her a stern mentor, didn't endear himself to her. Hunter could tell Jo didn’t like the mentor much either.
"So I've shared my tale. How about you share yours? Eratos mentioned he dispatched you to the Theban Province in the temple of Hadad on Elysium Island for studies to become an archivist, but I never believed him, the lying snake.
Hunter swallowed hard.
"He sent me to apprentice for forty years as a gravedigger under the care of Nicander on Death Island."
"He what!" Fist clenched, Jo slammed the table, knocking her tea over. "The lying son of a cock sac. If I could…I would…" She trailed off into a stream of curses, many Hunter couldn't catch.
Her cheeks flushed with rage, and Hunter knew there was little point in hushing her. A clinking noise of a bottle falling over came from outside, underneath the balcony.
Jo snapped her mouth closed and rushed out, gripping the iron railing. She looked down below into the courtyard.
She exhaled in relief and turned back to Hunter.
“It’s just Toby, the harbor cat, scavenging for food.” She searched for food but couldn’t find anything. Hunter pulled out some fish jerky and gave it to her. She wrinkled her nose.
“I know, I know,” Hunter said. “It smells like a demon’s crotch but my rats love it.”
“You have pet rats?”
“Sort of.”
Jo rolled her eyes and moved back to the balcony. Moments later, a scrawny black cat hopped onto the railings, its tail curling into the air, its piercing green eyes fixed on the jerky in Jo’s hand.
The cat gave it a haughty look as Jo offered it to her from her palm. Pawing it a bit, she looked a little disappointed it wasn’t alive, but then gave a wistful look as if to say, "I really wish you’d do better, but I suppose beggars can’t be choosers," and she gobbled it up. She dropped to the floor, lapped water from a clay bowl Jo must have left for her, then turned tail, hopped back onto the balcony, and disappeared into the night.
“Remember when we used to play the stars game?” Hunter asked Jo, drawing her eyes to the constellations twinkling above them.
She nodded. “You were awful at it,” she said, then caught herself as if in realization, “or you pretended to be.”
He raised both hands in defense. “Never, that’s a lie. You were just that good. I may be smart, but you could list off all the stars' names and their constellations before you were knee-high to a grasshopper.”
She laughed. “I haven’t heard anyone use that phrase, not since mother…”
Hunter wrapped his arm around his little sister, and it was like all the years that separated them fell away. She leaned her head to the side, resting it on his shoulder and sighed heavily.
“Do you ever think they’ll find him?”
“Father?”
She raised her head and nodded.
“I don’t know. Uncle said he was…”
She tensed at the mention of their uncle. “He’s a liar… Father can’t be dead; he’s like a mountain, and mountains can’t die…” She looked at Hunter with such earnest intent he wished he could reassure her.
They both knew of their mother’s passing, but only Hunter knew what really happened.
“I have to go soon. You were right about the tower. I know a way inside, but you can’t tell anyone.”
“But what if it’s dangerous? What if I lose you…again.”
“Not going to happen. First chance I get, I’ll be back.” Hunter didn’t want to remind her about the dangers on her doorstep living in this city. “There are risks, but no worse than if I was to attend a cultivation academy. I can’t pass up on this opportunity; I will grow stronger faster than I would even if I joined the most elite academy and had all the best resources like our parents. Trust me, Jo, I know this is the only way. When I return, stronger and richer, I will buy your freedom from Xuthos.”
Jo wrapped him in a hug and squeezed him so tight he thought his ribs would cave. “Wow, easy, you are stronger than you look.”
His sister grinned. “I learned a few things while you were away. Ask me again, and I’ll tell you sometime.”
Hunter never felt so torn when it came to saying goodbye to Jo, but he had to make it to Nic and ensure everything would be okay in his absence. He gave a final wave as he scaled down the trellis and looked up at his sister from the ground below.
She waved back and wiped tears from her eyes before turning away.
Hunter pushed through his pain and emerged into the harbor. There in the distance was the land-bridge, the one he crossed earlier with dreams of passing the Trial of Worth. That dream was shattered, but now a new one took its place, strengthened by the call of the tower that once too was just a dream.
Now it was his reality.
He took a deep breath.
It was time to go back to Death Island.