Chapter Fifteen

Ambrose pointed at Jenny.

“I want the girl healed. What do you want in return?”

Misaq pursed his lips, turning his eyes to regard the injured girl.

“Uhh, who is this guy?” Andrea asked.

Misaq put a hand to his chest, suddenly looking offended.

“Guy? Miss, I will have you know that I am a devil. Not a ‘guy’.” Misaq glared at her.

Andrea blinked. Ambrose waved her away.

“The girl.” He stated.

Darren looked up, his eyes suddenly hopeful. Misaq took a sip of his wine, his lips turning downward into a small, almost sad frown.

“I’m afraid, I cannot. It’s too soon after our first deal, I’m afraid. A deal which resulted in a longer cool down.”

Ambrose growled,

“There must be something you can do.”

Misaq gave Ambrose a wry smile,

“I told you that the System is rather protective of newly integrated worlds. Even if my skill was not on cool down with you, I doubt it would allow me to interfere with you too much. Alas, you’re in luck. There is a way.”

Hope surged through Ambrose like an unprotected electrical current.

“What is it then?”

Misaq sipped his wine before replying,

“Another willing soul, of course. I cannot make a deal with you, but there is nothing that prevents me from making a deal with another. Someone who cares deeply for the child, perhaps.” Misaq grinned at Darren with a look that Ambrose equated with eager children.

Darren moved his eyes to Ambrose.

“A devil? Let me guess, he wants my soul?”

Misaq let out a pained groan,

“Nothing so immaterial. Please, I am a professional. I want Ambrose here to give you something from the island after he breaks the curse. Once he does, you will give it to me.”

Darren narrowed his eyes, saying slowly,

“Curse? And what ‘something’?”

Misaq shrugged, sipping at his wine.

“Nothing overly important to you, I assure you. This island is cursed, Ambrose was sent here by yours truly to free it. I daresay you’d still be caged or dead if not for him. Anyway, do you agree?”

Darren looked down at Jenny, who was growing paler by the second, her chest fluttering weakly. Without look away, he said,

“If I do, you’ll heal her?”

“Indeed.”

“No.” Ambrose stated.

Darren looked up sharply, but Ambrose held out a palm towards him.

“You won’t just heal her, you’ll take all of them away, somewhere safe until I clear the island of its curse. You’ll return them all to me when that is done.”

Misaq pursed his lips, cocking his head before nodding sharply.

“Done. If the father finds that agreeable, of course?” Misaq arched an eyebrow at Darren who gave a jerky nod of acceptance.

“Very well then. Done, done, and done!”

A pulse of red light washed over the room and little Jenny sucked in a breath before opening her eyes. Darren put his palms on the sides of his daughter's face, looking into her eyes.

“Baby girl? Princess, are you okay?”

‘Da-daddy?” Jenny said, her eyes fluttering open. Color was already returning to her skin, her chest becoming steady and strong as she breathed.

“Jenny…” Darren whispered, relief palpable in his voice as he hugged his daughter to him. His eyes opened as he looked at Ambrose.

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“Thank you,” he said simply.

Ambrose nodded and pointed.

“Get them out of here, Misaq.”

The devil bowed as Andrea said,

‘Wait what's-?”

With a pulse of red light, they were gone, and once again, Ambrose was alone.

______________

As Ambrose stood in the cavern, with nothing but silent wind for company, he took a deep breath. That’s why you don’t have attachments, boy. Raylen’s words slithered into his mind. His father had always called emotional attachments weaknesses. Something to be used against you. In a way, his father had been right. He had also been very wrong.

Alice had made him a better man, had given his life meaning and purpose beyond just violence. She had filled the emptiness that he went through on a daily basis. He didn’t get much of a chance to interact with the people he had freed from captivity, but saving little Jenny, giving them a way out of here, and a chance to live…it had been worth it.

“You’re my knight in tarnished armor.”

“Tarnished? Why not ‘shining’?”

Alice smiled, trailing fingers through his bushy red beard. She tugged it downward to capture his lips with a kiss.

She leaned back from him, smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

“It's getting there. Just needs some more polish first.”

Ambrose hadn't been sure what she had meant at the time. But maybe she had meant that he needed time. Time to change, to add some good in with all of the bad he had committed. Pounding on his resolve with hammers of perfect memory of his dead wife, Ambrose mastered himself and pushed forward.

Starting with my new skill options.

Ambrose brought them up, unsurprised to see that he had a couple options he had previously. Insight was the same upgrade as before and he put it to the side as a possible pick. He also put the smite upgrade to the side as a possible pick

He focused on two new skills he wanted to consider.

[Aura of Righteous Wrath-Epic]: Project an aura of rightous anger that strikes fear into lesser enemies, even incapacitating some. Increases effectiveness and power of smites.]

Ambrose was seriously considering this one. In a way it upgraded his smite while also offering new effects. Two for the price of one is always better. Ambrose rubbed the bridge of his nose and considered the next skill he was thinking about.

[Necrotic Hands-Rare]: Infuse an enemy with necrotic power, harming them through nearly every defense.]

It was becoming increasingly apparent to Ambrose that he needed to get through defenses. Being able to do so had saved his life in the past

In the end, Ambrose didn't pick it. His smite did something similar, and this skill basically required touch. He didn't like that limitation.

So, he upgraded his insight and picked Aura of Righteous Wrath.

[You have chosen [Insight-Uncommon], and [Aura of Righteous Wrath-Epic.]

Next, was his attributes. He had gained twelve levels and so he had twenty-four points to spend. He put eight into willpower, and then four to each one of the remaining stats. His health surged, and when Ambrose checked on that little ball of light within him, he found it had grown. It was still small, just not as small.

Ambrose decided to check his profile screen due to all of the changes he had undergone

[Name: Ambrose Severen

Level: 55

Race: Human [E-Grade]

Traits: Ruthless [Uncommon], Giant Slayer [Uncommon]

Class: Paladin [E-Grade]

Profession: N/A

Mana: 700/700

Health: 460/460

Skills:[Mana Infusion-Rare], [Insight-Uncommon], [Smite-Uncommon], [Sanctuary-Uncommon], [Aura of Righteousness-Epic], [Shield of Conviction-Uncommon]

Constitution: 46

Strength: 37

Intellect: 39

Wisdom: 45

Willpower: 70

SC: 0

Attribute Points:0]

Ambrose felt satisfaction settle over him. Every encounter strengthens me. Forges me into the weapon I need to be. Ambrose turned his attention to the table with the statues around it.

He still had a curse to break. He took out the blade, the last piece he had gotten from the lion and put it on the table with the other two pieces, the hilt and the pummel. As soon as he did the pieces began to vibrate, orange gold light surrounding them in a glow that pulsed like a firefly in the night.

The pieces snapped together as Ambrose stood back They formed a small gleaming sword. It was a simple sword, but orange gold glyphs did line the blade, as if burned into the mettle.

Ambrose used his newly upgraded [Insight] on the sword as it was settle onto the table with an unseen force.

[Avalons Key-Mythic]: ???

Ambrose grunted. This entire time Ambrose had been dealing Arthurian Mythology. Something he wasn't too familiar with. He knew the very basics of the myth, or the version of it he had heard, anyway. King Arthur pulls Excalibur from the stone and is declared the King. He has Merlin the Wizard as an advisor and he founds the knights of the Round Table.

There was Lancelot, a master swordsman and the one Gwenivere had an affair with. Galahad who found the Holy Grail, and a few others Ambrose couldn’t remember.

In that myth there had been mention of a mythical island. Avalon. Ambrose didn't know much about it but he was sure this island was either the place the myth was based on, or the place itself. Someway, somehow, it had gotten cursed.

Ambrose picked up the key and as he did, a voice echoed throughout the room as the table with the knight statues began to swirl with orange gold light.

“FIRST SECURITY PROTOCOL PASSED. NOTIFYING KNIGHT. ERROR. NO KNIGHT DETECTED. SEEKING NEW KNIGHT CANDIDATE. CANIDATE DETECTED, CANIDATE HOLDING KEY. WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE THE KNIGHT?”

Ambrose was fairly certain that the booming voice was talking to him. What does it mean by Knight and do I want to say yes? Ambrose didn't want to say yes. He wanted to move on.

Problem was, he was pretty positive he couldn't without saying yes. Ambrose Severen sighed.

He gave his answer.