8

I had been traveling for several minutes when I come across something odd. At first, I am not sure what to make of it until I come closer to what turns out to be a body. It looks as if it had been there for a long time.

Inspect the body and find that it has several arrows sticking out of it. The torso was riddled with them and what was likely the killing blow through one of the skulls eyes. I feel a strange power emanating from the body and decide to see what it could be.

At first, I was sure what it was until I find two scabbards hanging from the rotten belt. The scabbards were once resplendent with their intricate filigree, but have given much of that beauty to the ravages of time and weather. The scabbards hold a dagger each. I think to myself they must be in as bad a condition as the rest of this guy. However, with closer inspection I find that the pommels and handles are just a bit dirty. I pull one of the daggers out to see just how badly damaged they are and find the metal of the blade to be gleaming and bright as if they were newly forged honed and ready for sale. I look to the other dagger and see the same result there. The handles of the blades were a dark ebony, rich and fit almost too perfectly into my hand. The blades themselves looked wickedly sharp. The blade of the dagger was also a lot longer than I would expect a dagger to be, but they were not quite long enough to be considered swords. Come to think if it they were what I would consider tantos a straight one-sided blade forged by the Japanese smiths. The wondrous weapons had no guard and were truly beautiful weapons. The blades each had its own unique design. One of the blades looked like it had fire emanating along the edge. And the other looked like waves. The tanto with the fire along the edge had a fiery red ruby embedded in the pommel and the other blade had a cool blue sapphire in the same location. Each blade held in my hand hummed with a power I was not sure of. I almost dropped them but thought better of it. I placed them into my inventory to ask the others what they thought of them.

I search the rest of the remains and find several hundred gold and what looks to be some various gems. The skeleton had a ring on each hand one an almost white band with an odd deep black hypnotic design. The white of the band was almost transparent in comparison. The other ring was flat black almost so obscure I could have missed it. I put both into my pack as well since I wasn't about to don anything I wasn't sure of. I had no way of identifying these items and thought better of getting cursed the first few days in the worlds.

The last thing I notice was a necklace the heavy chain held several stones of different colors and at the skeletons breast an intricate shield locket. Within the locket there was a diamond of pure clarity and beauty. It was one of the most perfect things I’ve ever seen. This item was easily the most expensive and powerful item I have found. Even with my limited information of the worlds I could sense how wondrous this was.

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Once I had finished searching the body, I laid it out as best I could and said a few words aloud. “Through your misfortune you have given me much. Although I’m not sure what I’ve found here, I know they can no longer be of use to you. I thank you for the bounty and wish you the rest you deserve. Be at peace My unfortunate benefactor.” As I say the final line the earth mysteriously opens, and I jump back drawing my daggers. The body gently sinks into the ground leaving nothing behind but a patch of grass. In my head I hear a voice that fills me with joy.

“Salvino O’shea, put away those silly things” the voice sings about my daggers, “you have done a great thing. You gave a soul its peace, when you had not reason to do such. I know that you have found some of his possessions, but they are yours now. The Man you had seen before you died saving a great many people and his body has been missing for a very long time. His soul was bound to this corpse due to the nature of his death. Your actions in giving him peace freed his soul to reenter the great cycle once again. For this above what you have found I give you a gift.

“Hold out your hand dear one.” she says kindly. Seeing as I have no reason to decline I put my daggers away and I reach out my hand. The being I feel I know so well and in the very core of who I am get the feeling that this being is the creator of this place.

My hand begins to burn, and the feeling radiates up my arm into my whole body. The burn although painful is more like that feeling you get after a good workout. As quick as it started the sensation ceases.

“Continue doing great things dear one. This is but a small gift for your trouble. Go now and grow, as I will continue to watch your progress.” and with that the entity is gone.

The power that was just before me although I could not see it spoke directly in my mind. It was similar in the way Waverly talks to me, but even more intimate. It is almost as if the being and I knew each other. Thinking on it more the thought itself fades and I only seem to recall having a brief conversation with the creator.

Having spent enough time dawdling I continue to head back to camp. After taking several steps, I realize yet again that there is a flashing in the corner of my vision. I have some notifications that need to be addressed. Opening them while I continue my way I see what I was gifted from the creator.

~Congratulation you have leveled up you have 5 stat points to spend.

~Congratulation you have leveled up you have 5 stat points to spend.

~Congratulation you have leveled up you have 5 stat points to spend.

~You have 20 unused stat points to allocate

~Congratulations you received the blessing of the creator, she has deemed it befitting to bestow you with a gift for your good deeds.

~Congratulations will has increased to 30

~Congratulations Luck has increased to 30

~Congratulations Absorb has been increased to 40%

I have to say I am quite proud of myself. I didn’t expect anything like this to happen. Although it seems like I didn’t gain any stat points in fighting Waverly. I did gain experience through that fight and the gift of the creator gave me several levels so, I have nothing to complain about.

After several minutes I can begin to smell the stew and hear the bustle of camp. Waverly and Sullivan speaking in a heated discussion. Well, I guess the peaceful walk is over I think to myself as I enter the camp.