Freslia P.O.V.
“How is it going Darin?” I was eager for results.
“We have retrieved most private records from the healing ward Claimere. Analysis will be finalized shortly. Since everyone believes me bedridden back in Lemuria; I personally took the infiltration of the Healing Ward elder. We will know the real awakened status records of everyone in the castle soon. War is always expedient for such matters.” He gave me a noncommittal word salad.
“My reputation is taking a dive, make it worth it, brother.” I felt a very subtle energy fluctuation.
“Please bear with it my lady. Subtlety is required to not arouse further suspicions.”
“You are not the one that has to carry that name. I am Deathbringer, not Ballbuster!”
“You have been able to interact and check everyone with the help of the Soul Orb, Claimere. They all come to you to talk about the old days, whoever doesn’t come could be a deviator. Combining with the ward’s records we can cross check for special blessings. It is complicated to search for that which cannot be seen. Process of elimination, my lady. Please be patient.” He explained avoiding my eyes.
“So, how does it work? Just give me the overview.” I commanded.
“Think of a measure of a 100, just like when affinities and blessings are checked. The total is always a 100. Now, the god’s blessing is hidden while under Ugra Ladnah but the blessing of any god increases certain affinities. Consequently, we will check for sudden increases in everyone here through time. And in the case that the deviators have always had the same values it can only mean the traitors are one of those special cases, like the Regressors. Orgis will detect fluctuations in reality and time, moving true powerhouses would have alerted the entire eldership. Soon, we will find the targets. If not, they will be forced to stay put. It’s a win-win situation.”
“You are telling me the troublemaker has done good?” I wanted clarification.
“If nothing else he has bought time. Krigsain’s action forced their hand early, the hanging fruit was too tempting. The deviators won’t move carelessly for a while.”
“What is Krigsain’s registered blessing affinity with the Will?”
“From the last reading, 87.” Darin answered.
“He is increasing even with a lost core. But still to calculate that precisely he must have visions constantly. For a half double core that should mean madness.” I was slightly confused.
“Perhaps that is why he is so attached to women. Blessed ones require outlets for their power, the more intense the better.” Darin gave a high probability riposte.
“Understood. I hope your master’s plan to unearth the culprits isn’t one of his five-minute prodigy brainstorms, Darin.”
“Why do you say that, my lady?” He began to fret.
“For starters, the Healing Ward elder came to dissertate on how he had operated on Iklos when he had to repair his busted balls. Later, Sufyul came here asking tips on how to bust the balls of her new boyfriend, Tarei, without receiving legal repercussions. Did you know those two in Sarkan’s class were lovebirds? Should I keep going, brother.” My eyes shone their blue light.
I sealed the space within the sealed space of Akathos study. I closed my hand into a fist.
“I didn’t know your name mattered that much to you, my lady. Fame and infamy always seemed to roll off your shoulders” Sweat began pouring from his forehead.
“Ballbuster isn’t nice to hear. They are all coming in for my expert advice!”
The vein in my side began palpitating. Darin stood there not knowing what to say.
“The new surveillance artifacts that your master sent work wonderfully as you know. And since I am head of security I have to review everything! You know what that means?!”
I was getting worked up by the recollections, more energy surrounded my fist. In an instant, I was standing before Darin.
“My lady calm yourself down, I don’t know what to say, if you tell me how I can help?” He offered a hand expediently.
“I had to play your master’s little game. So, I just gave casual made up suggestions based on my arcane knowledge of seduction arts as a joke but everyone took them seriously. Now, I am the resident pound for pound guru on birthing awakened offspring. I got crystalinks from the Sachears parents congratulating me for helping them foment pregnancies among the ranks! I have been asked to give a lecture at Starzirium University back in Lemuria! Guess what the topic is, Darin?”
“I wouldn’t dare my lady, I don’t dare.” His eyes were shaking.
“Sex by the Star, A New Path! I was joking!!! I am surrounded by sex fiends! Even the ones I try to help are getting ruined. Kletay was singing the praises of the chosen one just yesterday, the “Godly Bolt” for goodness sake! What’s wrong with this generation?!?”
“I’ll take over crystal record reviewing immediately my lady, I’ll figure out a way to bypass procedures!” He offered scared.
“Thank you, I don’t know how to bypass procedures without falling deeper into the mud. Figure out a proper excuse I just can’t tell the truth.” I told him.
I released the energy and the sealing. I sat back down.
“How are our weaker Sachears?” A topic I care deeply about.
“Puri remains in the castle. Frein is getting ready to depart. But I think you are really asking about Ikrei?”
I nodded.
“His two guards placed by Lord Akathos, remain in the shadows tailing him. And by your request, my soul contract brother has come to guard him from Lemuria.”
For a change, I was glad.
Darin was pleased by his deed.
“There’s nothing else we can do for him. He either sinks or swims. Keep me updated on how he is doing… don’t get discovered, you are bedridden in the capital brother, allegedly.” He agreed with seriousness.
“Deduct it from my pay, get a magicraft bow with one true artifact arrow of the same level to Ciel. Let her choose whatever is suitable from Wanei in any of the cities. Furthermore, get cultivator Jin to sell me a crystalink record of Xīngguāng jiàn, also for Ciel.”
“The starlight arrow? You want her to train in cultivator techniques and arts, Claimere?”
“She needs joy; her heart will be unstable. This is a momentary patch but it will take her time. There might be problems acquiring the technique from the Big Dipper Sect. Overpay whatever is necessary. Tell Mikros to add the integration of the technique into her regimen, I will compensate her with one of my personal blades. Finally, tell Mikros I am sorry for not seeing her more often. I’ll see her when Akathos returns.”
“Once she forms her third core, her archery will be as beautiful as it will deadly. But if you start her on this path, she will need further assistance later on, my lady.”
“Contact Sage Irya at Stargazer Bank and tell her to setup an awakening cultivation fund for Ciel, my personal undisclosed request. Once the calculations are done, I’ll execute the soul verification for the funds transfer.”
“My lady…you are not saying what I think you are saying?” Darin was clearly distraught with my statement.
“The convolution of serendipity is there if you must know.”
“I will notify the Sage, my lady.”
‘Funding Iru, Ikrei and now Ciel is going to cost me my daily orgon crystal baths. Grow powerful, ungrateful scrubs!
“May I offer a word, Madame?”
‘Darin changed the honorifics, why?’
I waved for him to speak.
“A coin is more valuable than a pure heart for the blind but the pure hearted have no coin for they see, Book of the Fourth Precept. If no one else says it, you are truly worthy of your rank Madame Freslia Karis Avair Baeyon. Andurin bless you with even more beauty and power in your next life for caring for so many for so long, may a worthy companion be bestowed upon you.” Darin bowed very respectfully.
This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
“Don’t make me blush, brother. It’s not entirely pure, I have selfish reasons.”
“I am part of the record keepers, I know the meaning of your name and how you received it, my lady. You never named yourself, these were names others gave you through the ages. You are flawed as we all are but you are worthy of the heptagram you wear on your cloak and the raven in your scythe, Liberty Grace Thunder and Righteousness. Good names.” Darin beamed.
“I am where I am because my heart was cold. I should have done better this time around. But thank you very much, brother. How about we play Andukros when we can from now on?” I smiled, I genuinely did.
“It will be my honor, Claimere. Anything else?”
“Yes, get Krigsain fighting for cores under disguise in the mercenary pit of Clariun, he needs to cool off his pecker. Contact cultivator Jin in the Merchant Association for arrangements, do not to allow him to return until he regains his second core. Give him the intense experience he requires, Darin.”
“Lord Sarkan will object, my lady.” He questioned my command.
“Tell him that the boy is getting more tail than him and watch the show brother.”
He peered into my eyes with wonderment for a second.
“Yes my brother Darin. We are the celibate pair; we are the resistance!”
We both laughed sinisterly for a while.
“Dismissed.”
“By your order, Claimere.” The seal opened.
Darin left in a hurry. I closed the rift once more.
“Well that worked out somehow.”
‘The truth…the truth brother Darin is that everyone here is getting laid but me! A woman has needs Great Will! Maybe it is the eyepatch?!’
----------------------------------------
Ikrei P.O.V.
I was standing inside the Iron Eagle Guild offices in Clariun. After four days of none stop hunting, I had come to deliver the required fearbeast hides for my mercenary adventurer certification. The man in the counter was giving me the rundown.
“Depending on what you brought, we will determine what else is needed will assign you a rank.” He handed me a little piece of paper.
Guild adventurer / mercenary ranks
Iron
Bronze
Silver
Gold
Platinum
Ipsrum
Augir
Augir Master
Augir Grandmaster
“Show me what you got.” He pointed to a nearby very large table.
From my temporal ring came seven shadow wolf hides and two moon panthers. The panthers were particularly complicated, they only come out at night because their blessing gives them strength under the moonlight. Thanks to Yun Hee I was finally operating as an “awakened” with limitations, of course.
True hunting is an art, you have to kill without destroying the cores, yet the cores are the source of power. The beasts aren’t dumb, you hit them, they counter, they can’t win, they run. A complicated song and dance of either swift overwhelming action or careful and systematic planning. There are variations in between but I am not that type of guy.
“Where are the cores?”
‘The cores are mine old man; they are for later as instructed by Lord Sarkan.’
“I can’t provide them for you. Sorry.”
“This will affect your rank, young man.”
“It is acceptable, please proceed.”
“Very well, let’s measure your levels and affinities in the Vice Master’s room.”
“I also cannot do that, sorry.”
“Your rank will plummet if we cannot asses your strength. Give me your name, your real name. This is Zunar we keep detailed records of everything we can by law. Too many troublemakers around.” The old man spat out a veiled critique.
‘Yeah, I am a troublemaker alright.’
I placed the Andurin sigil coin I was given by the order on the counter.
Andurin Seal Coin [https://i.imgur.com/i61k99Z.png]
‘If I lose the coin I will get severely reprimanded and not allowed to leave the castle for a while. It is that important. Freslia sealed the coin with her imprint for me. Why? It’s cultural, the owner of the coin is vouching for the one holding it, if you lose it, you are unworthy!’
The man checked the coin carefully. He politely returned it to me.
“I am sorry, sir. We will immediately issue a bonze certification coin for you. Just come with me to imprint the coin. Under what name would you like to register?”
‘Could I have placed the coin first? Sure, but his attitude wasn’t good.’
“Brett Black.” We walked towards the room with the certification coins.
The first of my three wishes was in full effect. Mastercraftsman platinum, leather and orgon armor. Infused by the Will. And a personally crafted special alchemical mask by our resident chosen one. My new appearance on show, green eyes, long blonde hair, still me yet different.
Part one of the loophole plan I came up with.
“I said I’ll help you and I will, you just tell me what you are planning and I’ll play support. Support, real support from the chosen one!” Krigsain’s words came back to me.
‘Muscle mass is going all out for me! Those charges don’t hurt as much like this.’
I proceeded to register under my new name.
My instructions were fairly straight forward. I am to hunt in the territories of Zunar for game. I have free access to portal gates thanks to Freslia’s coin. I can go anywhere in an instant as long as there is a connecting gate. They cost a fortune to use. I just need to deliver my quota of game and make money. Update the order every day of Ioƛl and slowly but surely cross the beasts I need to hunt from the list in the given order. No progress of any kind with each return to the fortress means failure. Successful progress will be determined by our elders upon report.
Sachear Ikrei Fearbeasts Target List
7 Shadow wolves
12 Moon Panthers
22 Acra birds
5 Zirufins
4 Star Jaguars
1 Golden eagle
1 Griffin egg
3 Musky bears
1 Ragnar
All corresponding cores must be fully developed
“That’s a long way to say, don’t fuck around!”
‘The fear training is effective in a malicious way; these beasts are nothing compared to that nest. The intense battle has honed my technique, reaction time, etc. And now it gives me the courage to do what I’m about to.’
“The problem with the list are the quality of the cores and the preparations for certain hunts. The wolves are down. The panthers I got were no good, no materialized core. The money I earn is for supplies. The last three hunts are impossible for the current me.”
And like this, “Brett Black” headed to the “Wanei Merchant Association.”
----------------------------------------
“Xièxiè wǒ de péngyǒu” Cultivator Jin spoke waving someone away.
The door closed behind me.
“This is a surprise, Andurin. Would you like some tea? I know your order prefers your own liquor but courtesy shouldn’t be disregarded.”
“Maybe another time, I thank you really. I believe the word I am looking for is impertinence. Apologies for my intrusion, cultivator Jin.” I bowed a little.
‘I didn’t know if it was proper. I have no training in eastern etiquette.’
“No need to fret. We can dispense the pleasantries for now, I accept your openness. Please speak what’s on your mind, awakened Ikrei. Mr. Jin will suffice.”
I sat on the chair properly. Cultivator Jin court attire was gone, he was wearing a noble suit, black with glowing blue borders, a very light hue with the proper white tie to match. An orgon suit, truly, truly expensive.
‘Here goes nothing. Poker face part two.’
“Mr. Jin I am looking for a little job with a peculiar characteristic, I wonder if there’s a way to accommodate me. Pardon the perturbance I am causing.”
“Ho, for a non-awakened youngling, your words are considerate and proper. Good for someone so young.”
My eyes went wide.
“We are the financial arm of the eastern continent, the hammer of Yinshengan. We know a lot about a lot of things, youngling.”
He was letting his words settle.
‘I better thread even more carefully here. I am trusting you again, Rednicker Support Department.’
“My friend suggested that I could come here and apply for the errand boy position, Mr. Jin.” I worded very politely.
“Among equals, sincerity works best. No need for feints or backstabs. That was Freslia’s coin. Tell her, she now owes me that drink.” Cultivator Jin told me.
“I will Mr. Jin, be assured.”
‘Initial shock aside, taskmaster gets around, doesn’t she?’
“See. We all know each other quite well. We really wouldn’t mind but with your current strength you will be doing menial chores for an awakened. Would that be agreeable?” Cultivator Jin wore a serene smile.
“I’ll do my best to not disturb nor disappoint. Thank you very much, Xièxiè.” I said one of the two eastern words I had learned.
“What can you do? Tell me everything that is within disclosure.” He waved his hand.
“I am an elite hunter, I can play the ketar, sing and can blend in with my artifacts. I cook a little but I don’t think it helps much. Finally, I have access to the portal gates in the kingdom.”
I waited for assessment.
“This will do.” He served a couple of teacups and pressed something on his desk.
“You will have to lose your cloak and we will give you a proper cloth elemental suit, elegance is our calling card and we must fit in with the others. We will deduct it from your pay. Do well and you get to keep it. It’ll do you good to experience the marvels of cultivator design. We are the original awakened after all.” He sounded very proud of what he said.
I wasn’t going to argue with him.
‘His god can turn back the sands of time in the entire world!’
“Xièxiè.” I said while bowing again.
“Proactive assimilation, keep it up.” Seven breaths later, a lady walked in.
She appeared no older than twenty-four, nowhere near as perfect porcelain as Yun Hee but still emitted the same warm and welcoming feeling, a proper face of the easterner beauties. She was wearing the fashion of the nobility, a two-piece black suit with a white silk shirt that accentuated her curves. Orgon infused with barely visible eastern sigils in the fabric. A variation of the etiquette of the Kotar court. The Zunar kingdom pin on her long elemental black jacket was eye catching. An incredibly well matched combination.
‘History lessons with Puri and Iru were starting to pay off. Is that wyvern skin on her jacket? Wow! Can I touch it?’
“This is Hau Yǐngr, she will be your new boss. Meet Brett Black. He will be your new westerner ruckus maker.”
“Yes Mr. Jin” She politely saluted with a slight bow.
‘Do as they do not as you think, Krigsain’s reminder came back to me.’
“We will take 50% from all your ‘activities,’ we are a business not a moral compass around here. You understand?” Mr. Jin declared.
With a warm smile and a cup of tea later, we were celebrating the new little enterprise. I left with Yǐngr.
Sure enough before long, we arrived at my new job’s location, somewhere near the center of the port city. The sign in eastern language, of course.
“倒立的乳頭”
I didn’t understand a thing but I noticed the orgon light glowing logo on the side. I just pointed at it and waited for an explanation.
“They look like it but not quite like it, it’s confusing, isn’t it?” Yǐngr just walked right in opening the door of the establishment.
“Welcome to the Inverted Titty Bar, Brett. Let’s get along.”
‘Wait? What? Upside Down Milky Bomb?’
She ushered me in for further training on my new duties. And even with a level of greater certainty than Krigsain’s probability matrix, there was a woman hanging inexplicably upside down from a vertical pole, naked in a corner of the establishment. The coins of Ucra were flowing around her from the effusive patrons. The lavish place was crowded.
‘Krigsain!?!’