Chapter Fifty-One

Once Ambrose got to the island, he used [Internal Recall], manipulating the hellcats path to drive itself over the ocean's water at a speed that defied mortal imagination. It took no time for it to arrive, driving itself up the cliff-side like a smooth ramp, leaving trails of green-red fire in its wake.

The group followed Ambrose up the path and into the clearing where he had left Darren and the others. He paused after entering the glade. A massive pile of logs lay off to one side, next to a truly huge pile of stone and metals of all kinds.

A draft table had been set up near it, with Darren standing over it. He was gnawing on the end of a pencil, eyes roaming over blue paper lying on the table. Thomas was doing something with the stone and metal, tapping some of it. After he tapped it there was a flash of mana, and before him would be a bar, an ingot.

Another tap, suddenly Thomas had nails, which he would deposit into a box near the area. He had a few boxes going, some larger than others, and he would either tap stone or a piece of metal, turning it into hinges, ingots, dark bricks, or other items Ambrose didn’t recognize.

Angie was playing with Jenny and was away from it all. Everyone looked up when Ambrose entered the glade, followed by the large group of former slaves he had brought. Darren’s mouth tugged downward, his eyes coming together. Jenny’s face brightened, and she rushed toward him in a shout of glee, her face alight.

Thomas shrugged, going back to work. Angie followed behind Jenny, her expression quizzical.

“Where did all of these people come from?” Angie asked as Jenny tackled Ambrose’s leg in a hug. She looked up at him, eyes shining.

“Hey, Mister Ambrose! Daddy’s planning to make stuff, which is supeerr boring! That’s why we have all this stuff going on, see? Who are all of these people?”

Her eyes widened.

“Other kids!”

She waved at the kids, who brightened for the first time in what Ambrose was sure was a long time. Jenny’s upbeat personality was infectious.

“Hey, Jenny. Angie. I found these people while I was away. They have agreed to the same terms you all have. It looks like work here is already underway; perhaps you can get them started on helping you while I take care of some things, okay?”

He didn’t wait for an answer, merely nodding at everyone and trekking back to his car to retrieve Troy. He threw the bound, unconscious man over his shoulder, then teleported to the tree. Vivienne stood by the trunk. When he appeared, she inclined his head.

“You have returned, Sir Knight.”

Ambrose threw Troy onto the ground. He wasn’t gentle.

“I want him to undergo Penance Protocol Zero.”

Vivienne’s eyes regarded the slave merchant. There was something in them he hadn’t seen before, a kind of anticipation you might see in a predator getting ready to feast.

“Certain, dear Knight. However, don’t you need him?”

Ambrose crossed his arms.

“Yes. After the protocol, the Tree should have more power, yeah?”

Vivienne nodded.

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Ambrose produced a seed from his bag, offering it to the Lady of The Lake.

“Get this active. When the protocol finishes, I want him bound to my service. He will obey all commands I give. Further, he will be unable to harm anyone ever again.”

Vivienne held out a hand, palm upward, and a crystal began to grow from the ground, encasing Troy’s form. As it did, a pulse of viridian light reverberated around the crystal-encased Troy. Within the crystal, the slave merchant’s eyes shot open, and his dull brown eyes swelled with inner light.

Ambrose leaned closer; sure enough, images were playing across his eyes.

Memories.

Ambrose looked away. He deserves it he thought.

“I defeated a forerunner. I expected it to be harder, but it wasn’t. I thought forerunners were supposed to be tough customers.”

Vivienne regarded him,

“Has it not occurred to you that you are also this ‘tough customer,’ as you say? You were integrated early and given a class before level ten, dear Knight. You fail to understand what a boon that was. Most newly integrated do not survive until level ten precisely because they lack a class to give them attributes and skills.”

Ambrose waved a hand,

“Sure, but I expected to have to work for it. She was a cakewalk.”

Vivienne’s brows furrowed,

“You walked on cake? For what purpose did you do this?”

Ambrose sighed, running a hand through his hair.

“I mean that it was trivially easy to defeat her.”

Vivienne shrugged,

“Forerunners are given powerful skills and a head start. That does not always mean they use these gifts correctly.”

Ambrose chewed his inner cheek. Am I ready for Eric? That was the thought that kept pulsing in his mind.

“Does the tree have enough energy to find a forerunner, now?”

Vivienne’s eyes gained a faraway look as she considered.

“Yes. However, it can only do so once. Would you like to use the Location Protocol, Knight?”

Ambrose walked over to the tree. He leaned against its trunk and closed his eye.

I keep returning to the question, “Am I ready?” and I don’t know if I am.

Know your target. Ambrose’s lip twitched. It was the first lesson any headhunter learned. He knew Eric Delrosa pre-System. He did not know him now, not really. Knowing his location was a part of that. It at least ensured he would not accidentally stumble upon him.

“Vivienne, can the tree tell me about a forerunner’s skills and abilities?”

“Yes, but there is not enough power for it to do both, Knight. It can reveal to you one or the other.”

Ambrose rubbed the bridge of his nose.

He looked at the Lady of the Lake.

“Give me the run-down on what he can do.”

Vivienne’s brows rose,

“The run down? There is no ‘running down’ required, Sir Knight.”

Ambrose groaned.

“Give me the information on Eric Delrosa, his skills, and his class.”

“Very well, a moment Sir Knight.”

Vivienne tucked her head into her chest, hair falling around her like a shroud of dawning light. A moment later, she looked up, speaking.

“Eric Delrosa is the first Forerunner of this world. His class is “Dominion Sorcerer,” and he has a single legendary skill called “Suggestion.” It allows him to bend the will of others to his own simply by speaking. He is currently level one-hundred and fifty.”

Vivienne’s voice had gained a mechanical quality as she delivered the information, like a computer reading text out loud. Her vision had gone cloudy. After speaking, she shook her head slightly, her eyes clearing up.

Ambrose considered what he had been told. It was not good news. He knew Eric had to be powerful, but level one-hundred and fifty already? Monstrous he thought. That legendary skill was absurd. Just by speaking he could make people do whatever he wanted?

Ambrose punched the tree, growling, his face a burning scowl.

He was still too weak.

“I need to get stronger, Vivienne.”

She cocked her head,

“You have a notification pending. Points from your profession leveling up thanks to you giving an evil soul to the tree.”

Ambrose’s fists clenched,

“Not. Enough.”

Vivienne tapped her chin.

“Well, perhaps training is in order.”

Her eyes glittered,

“I can assist with that.”