39 - (season 1) Spoils of war

The air shimmered with the residual energy of the battle, the scent of ozone and burnt flesh still heavy in the air. Jim, his hand trembling slightly, examined the cursed sword. It was a magnificent weapon, the blade forged from an obsidian-like material that seemed to absorb light. Runes, ancient and arcane, etched themselves across the surface, glowing faintly with an eerie inner light.

A shiver ran down his spine. The Hell Knight's parting words echoed in his mind, “I hope to see you in hell one day so I can take it back.”

He sheathed the sword, a knot of unease settling in his stomach. This wasn't just any weapon. It was a piece of hell, a conduit for dark energies. He had a feeling this sword would be more trouble than it was worth.

Jim, still buzzing with adrenaline, examined the remaining items. There were several rare potions, a set of enchanted armor, and a strange, pulsating orb that hummed with an otherworldly energy.

"What's that thing?" Jim questioned, gesturing towards the orb.

Jake shrugged, "No idea. But it feels… powerful."

Sera, her eyes gleaming with curiosity, reached out a tentative finger towards the orb. It thrummed violently in response, sending a jolt of energy through her. She recoiled, her face pale.

"Whoa, that thing's alive!" she exclaimed.

Jim raised an eyebrow. "Alive? How?"

"I don't know," Sera replied, her voice still trembling. "But it's definitely sentient. It's trying to… communicate."

The orb began to pulsate more rapidly, the humming intensifying. Then, a voice, ancient and ethereal, resonated within Jim's mind.

“Free… me… from… this… prison…”

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The voice was weak, barely a whisper, but it sent a shiver down Jim's spine. The orb, he realized, was a prisoner, trapped within its own confines.

"What do you think it is?" Jim asked, his voice low.

Jake looked at the orb, his eyes narrowed. "Some kind of ancient spirit, I guess. Maybe a djinn, or something even older."

"But why is it trapped here?" Sera asked.

The orb thrummed again, the voice growing slightly stronger. “Betrayed… imprisoned… by… the… very… beings… I… sought… to… protect…”

The story was intriguing, but also dangerous. Jim knew they shouldn't interfere. Ancient beings, especially those imprisoned for a reason, were rarely benevolent.

"We should leave it alone," Jim said, his voice firm. "We've already dealt with enough trouble for one day."

Jake and Sera exchanged glances, but ultimately agreed. They had faced a Hell Knight and a Lesser Demon in a single day. They needed a break.

As they turned to leave, the voice of the orb grew desperate. “Please… help… me… I… can… offer… you… great… power…”

Jim hesitated. Power was always tempting. But he remembered the Hell Knight, the whispers of the damned. He wouldn't be swayed by empty promises.

"No," he said, his voice unwavering. "We have our own path to follow."

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving the imprisoned spirit to its fate. The voice of the orb faded, replaced by the rustling of leaves and the distant chirping of crickets.

Suddenly the snake spoke up “You should reconsider its words. It is not an evil spirit, it is an ancient spirit that was being controlled by an evil spirit.”

Jim was in thought about what to do. After some thought, Sera spoke up, there is a ceasefire seal I can place so neither party can do anything without majority consent. In this case, it would benefit you Jim since you count as 4 people vs this one being.

Jim asked “Is there any backlash? Nothing in this world is free”

Sera responded “ It will slowly siphon mana from the environment and will recover its strength slowly. Depending on the strength of the spirit, it may recover to undo the seal but it would need to be stronger than I was in prime. But with my current strength it would only hold to tier 6.”

Jim knew this wasn't the end of their encounter with the forces of darkness. The world was full of secrets, and some were best left undisturbed. But he also knew that they would face more challenges, more dangers. And he was ready. He was ready to face whatever came their way, to protect the innocent, and to uphold the honor of true heroes.

Do you agree to partner with me. I do not kill without reason. Jim asked waiting for a response.

The spirit did not respond immediately. Call me by my past name Asura and I will agree to your terms. As soon as they agreed, time resumed as everyone was running up to the angel.