Awaken, Contract From A Forgotten Promise

Unique Class Incantation

By expending a soul essence, bind the soul of the deceased to a marked vessel, transforming it into a soul reaver. A physical body material shapes the soul reaver's form, aligning with the soul's deepest desires. Only with the soul's consent can the incantation succeed.

Sacrificing their former existence, the soul reaver gains the ability: Living Armor.

"A revival of choice..." Niche whispered while its eyes were fixated on the unseen privilege only it could perceive. Turning toward Adolph, who was currently perched atop Charon's body, Niche saw him doing something unexpected.

He was... painting?

"It looks like a bunch of fan-shaped leaves. What's that figure, Adolph?"

Adolph paused and glanced at Niche. "It's supposed to look like a lotus, but that'll do."

"I see. So that's the emblem."

"Yes."

"Hmm..."

"You're not going to ask why?"

"Mhmm... I don't have a reason to."

Niche turned away and approached Barth's corpse. With its sharp fangs, Niche tore out the exposed throat of the corpse's neck. Blood spurted out at the open wound like a fountain. The tube of thick and gooey blood drenched Niche's fur, spraying it red. Niche then carried the bloody throat to Adolph, placing it on List's stomach.

Adolph was there, sitting on his haunches, studying the symbol he had drawn on a fine vest draped over Charon. His left palm cupped a small pool of blood, serving as ink, while his right index finger acted as his pen. "This one's fine..." he muttered.

"Excuse me, Adolph, but I'll be back soon while you prepare those vessels. I won't take long."

Adolph, engrossed in his task, hummed in acknowledgment as Niche slipped away, disappearing behind the dilapidated hovel.

"Hmm?" Adolph then noticed the bloody throat resting on List. "Niche, did you do—" Adolph stopped abruptly, realizing his fox was no longer there. Perturbed, he turned his attention to the bloody tube resting atop List. "Well..." Adolph slouched, feeling a bit awkward, "You didn't have to do that."

Adolph drew a blood lotus on the chest of three vests and placed them on top of each body. It didn't take long before Adolph finished the whole preparation for this new incantation.

"I've done my part. Now, decide." With a strong and resounding voice, Adolph chanted the awaited words—

Awaken, Contract From A Forgotten Promise

...

At the tree line near the hilltop, two shadows lingered behind the ancient acacias. They peeked from behind the thick, gnarled trunks with eyes locked on the shattered home at the hill's peak.

Their bodies were shrouded in dirtied and shabby cloaks. The thin and ragtag fabric barely shielded them from the biting cold of the encroaching night. As the chill seeped through the worn material to nip at their skin, one let out a dampened sneeze.

"Bless you..." one voice whispered.

"Snort... I have a bad feeling about this, Wilhelm," the one who sneezed whispered back, tinged with impatience as he shrugged off the cloak covering his body. A striking figure emerged, appearing to be in his mid-twenties. His sharp, chiseled features and lean, athletic build stood out even in the dim light. His hair, a cascade of midnight black, was tied back in a loose ponytail. It revealed a jagged scar that ran from his left eyebrow down to his cheek.

His eyes pierced with a shade of green, glinting as he focused on the hilltop. He wore a weathered brigandine adorned with leather shoulder pads, several of its metal plates and rivets conspicuously missing. Its appearance told tales of countless experiences that now it looked like it was about to graduate. At his waist hung a finely crafted dagger, its handle set with a smooth green stone that shimmered subtly in the moonlight.

"Don't do anything stupid now, Ernst," the other man growled, his voice gravelly and thick with authority. This one was an older man—a lot older. His face was lined with age and framed by a neatly trimmed silver beard. His eyes were a sharp, icy blue, sparkling with wisdom from his age. His hands gripped a patched-up, yet surprisingly functional, coat made from various scraps of fabric and leather. A feat of resourcefulness and ingenuity.

"Over there." Wilhelm raised his right arm and pointed at the hilltop. His movement was accompanied by a low, metallic creak.

Under the pale moonlight, a metal arm glinted. Fashioned from finely wrought steel, it was designed with intricate gears and plates that moved seamlessly. The polished surface caught the faint light, casting a silvery sheen that contrasted sharply with his rugged attire.

"Hush..." Ernst whispered, his head snapping to the right as his eyes darted among the bushes and ferns nearby. Something moved... or was he hearing things? He wasn't entirely sure, so he kept on scanning the underbrush with a heightened sense of alertness.

"Oh, my word... Why are there four of them now?" Wilhelm asked, surprise coloring his voice as he ignored Ernst's warning. "Didn't you say they all died earlier?" he posed his confusion with disbelief.

"Quiet, Wilhelm," Ernst hissed again.

FRUSH.

The bushes rustled with a faint, dry sound as if something unseen had stirred the leaves. Both men swallowed air into their throats as their eyes locked on those bushes. The air grew heavy with tension as the two men crouched lower, their senses now on high alert. The sounds of the night seemed to amplify—the distant hoot of an owl, the rustle of leaves in the wind, the faint crackle of twigs underfoot. Every shadow seemed to pulse with hidden threats, every whisper of the breeze a potential enemy. Ernst's heart pounded in his chest, for now, he was sure. There's something indeed—and it's going to happen.

FRUSH.

Ernst's eyes widened for the second rustling—his breath quickening as adrenaline surged through his veins.

"Ernst?"

"Too late, old man..."

Right after Ernst spoke, a pair of wild, rabid eyes gleamed through the leaves brimming with a sinister glow that pierced the darkness.

"We've got company—"

"WA-OOOOH!!"

A distinctive, eerie, and high-pitched howl came from the bush. A shadow leaped into the open, revealing the source of the haunting sound.

"That's... the black fox from earlier," Wilhelm gasped, recoiling from his hiding spot as his old heart raced.

"It found us," agreed Ernst.

"Yeah... And they're all coming now." Wilhelm let his cloak fall to the ground, his gaze locked on the approaching force of four making their way down the path.

"Get behind me, old man." Ernst drew his dagger, the blade catching the faint moonlight as he braced himself for the confrontation. "You might want to run for it while I buy you some time."

"You sure you want that?"

"No... I'm just acting cool. Please don't leave me here."

"I've got a princess waiting for me back home."

"You sure with the 'waiting' part?"

At a distance, Niche growled low and menacingly as the echoing footsteps of Adolph drew nearer. He was accompanied by three armored figures, each clad in black with a crimson emblem glowing faintly on their chests. One couldn't set them apart from each other if not for the subtle variations in their dark helmets.

The first figure, positioned in the middle, wore a sleek helmet with a polished metallic finish that gleamed sharply in the moonlight. Its visor featured narrow slits, with cheek guards that flared slightly outward of its helmet's shell, adding to its menacing silhouette. The helmet’s defining feature was a bold, angular crest painted deep red, running from the forehead to the back of the head. This crest, slightly raised and sharply defined, stood out against the otherwise smooth, polished surface, making it stand out prominently.

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The second figure wore a helmet with a matte finish, giving it an almost shadowy appearance. The visor, with its finely beveled edges, formed a wide V-shape, extending outward slightly from the faceplate. The smooth lines of the cheek guards complemented the aerodynamic design of the helmet, absorbing light and creating a blurry effect as the figure moved.

The last figure, at the rear, sported a helmet with a robust build and matte finish, hinting at a rugged texture. Its visor was integrated into the helmet’s shell with functional slits for vision. A distinctive nose guard, resembling an elevated ridge running from the top of the helmet down to the nose, gave it a utilitarian look. Solid cheek guards seamlessly fused with the angular faceplate. A striking golden plume, secured with metallic fixtures, swayed gently from the top of the helmet. The plume added a vivid splash of color to the otherwise somber design, moving with a lifelike grace like a hair alive.

Niche eyed their arrival with a grin—its expression a mix of pride and awe. Though even Niche knew who they were and where they came from, it could not distinguish who was who among the three.

"Whoa... This is them?" Wilhelm moved forward, stepping away from Ernst’s protective stance. His eyes were riveted on the formidable line-up, causing Niche and the rest of Adolph's group to watch the old man with wary eyes.

"So this is where you went, Niche?"

"I have sensed these two long before you were creating the incantation," Niche explained its actions, its steps carrying it closer to Adolph and the others.

"Goodness... Did you hear that, Ernst?" Wilhelm asked, his tone fraught with surprise again.

"Oh, I heard it alright... That fox just fucking talked," replied Ernst with a voice tinged with disbelief.

"No, not that. They mentioned something about the creation of an incantation. These people serve a wisp!"

"Are you just going to ignore the fact that the fox just spoke, old man?"

“Shut it, boy.” Wilhelm raised his metallic right hand and waved it toward Adolph. “We mean no harm. I am Wilhelm, and the man beside me is Ernst. We came here for another reason, but that’s irrelevant now that you’re here, wolf-mask. You see... I too am a champ—”

"Woah! Hold it!" Ernst interrupted sharply, his voice cutting through Wilhelm’s speech. “Are you sure you should be revealing that? After all the times you’ve kept it hidden?”

With an expression unshaken, Wilhelm shot a look back at Ernst, “Their very presence is the only reason I need.”

“Why? Do we even know who they are?” Ernst’s eyes darted between Wilhelm and Adolph, "These your prodigal sons now?"

"Don't be daft. My privilege has been updated, Ernst. They are the people my wisp wanted me to find."

“Are you certain about that?”

"Progress flashed from priveledges cannot be wrong. This only means I've already fulfilled my wisp's request."

"You are a champion too?" Adolph inserted his question, to which Wilhelm nodded to confirm.

“Then these are the champion’s forces we were supposed to find earlier this morning?” Ernst’s disbelief was palpable as he scrutinized the opposing group. “I thought they were all defeated during that attack…”

"But you're looking at them right now," countered Wilhelm.

“You know what happened this morning?” Niche asked, moving closer with keen interest. Very... interested.

Wilhelm looked at the fox with a cheerful gaze. He answered, "With the ruckus caused by a force that large, who else wouldn't wake up? Everyone at the settlement does—it's not just us."

"And you all did nothing?"

"What're we supposed to do, dear fox—fight them? One of the big familias ruling this land? I have no death wish like that and I still value my life. But this one with the wolf-mask did, and you put up a good fight. You did! Well, too bad because you picked the wrong opponent, my friend."

Adolph and Niche exchanged a glance as if agreeing with Wilhelm’s assessment. "What are you both supposed to do here in the first place?" Adolph then asked.

"We've heard of a commotion breaking out of here earlier, and so I and my aide here followed it until we found out that this place was being raided. We've seen young people captured by the raiders and then they completely burnt down the house to ashes." As Wilhelm spoke, the full-armored man with the red-crested helmet stepped forward, agitation clear in his movements. Wilhelm was surprised by their sudden action, but the red-crested figure was halted by the two armored men beside him.

“Sorry about that,” Adolph said, addressing Wilhelm. “He knows the people living here and was just concerned. If you have more information, it would be helpful if you could share them.”

Wilhelm wiggled his head, shrugging off the sudden aggression. "I could recall there were deaths that happened but... I don't know who they were, or if they were the residents of this place," Wilhelm continued to explain.

"Were they some young men?" Adolph asked, his voice anticipating a certain reply.

"I don't know. My memory... fails me right now. I don't even remember whose band of thieves was it that raided this place... no, I seemed to forget about them, but I feel like I should know them. I do remember a name earlier but..." Wilhelm stopped and looked at Ernst at his side.

“I’m sorry, old man. I uhh... also seem to... forgot.”

“I see. You’re as useless as ever.”

“You’re no better, you senile fool!”

“Say that again, pipsqueak!”

As the two strangers continued to bicker at each other, Adolph couldn't help but be conscious of this sudden memory loss happening to them. It was still acceptable if the two did forget about the three young men who died earlier, for that was the consequence of why they were still alive behind him right now. But the fact that they forgot even the thieves who shouldn't have been affected by the incantation of revival? Either the both of them were lying, or something was happening without Adolph's knowledge.

“Perhaps you’ll remember if you see their dead bodies.” Niche offered the suggestion, turning on its heel and starting back toward the hilltop.

“Well, I suppose my dear fox has a point,” Wilhelm agreed—tone shifting to one of reluctant acceptance.

Wilhelm, Ernst, and the others followed Niche’s lead, trailing behind as it made its way up the hill. There, they encountered the aftermath of a gruesome massacre left by Adolph and Niche. The scene, saturated with eerie and bloody remnants, left the newcomers and the three full-armored figures feeling a deep despair. Everyone couldn't help but become dispirited by such an eerie and bloody atmosphere.

“This one,” Niche said, nodding toward Barth’s lifeless body. “He’s the leader of this band. Do you recognize him?”

"What's his name?" asked Ernst.

"Barth," replied Adolph.

Wilhelm squinted at Barth’s mutilated form. “I’m afraid I don’t know him, but I can’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for the... state of his throat,” he said as his back shuddered in disgust.

"You know what they did,” Adolph retorted sharply, “so don’t pretend to show sympathy.”

Wilhelm’s eyes swept over the scene, taking in the macabre spectacle. “Well, you see, it’s as if I’m seeing their faces for the first time... but I do recognize a band with this kind of fashion—Oh shit, is that a severed head near your feet, Ernst?"

Ernst started to look down, "You know I won't fall for such—" he stopped speaking as he saw the grotesque head. "Schupidity..." His face blanched at the sight of the head's tongue grotesquely protruding. He recoiled in horror, jumping back and frantically pacing in place as if trying to escape an unseen terror. His eyes welled up, and his voice trembled with fear. “I don’t think I could sleep any time soon tonight, old man,” he admitted, his voice breaking as he fought back the tears.

Amidst Ernst clowning around, Adolph walked forward.

"You mentioned you were here when they attacked, right?" Adolph asked Wilhelm. But his voice right now seemed to be a little... furious. Niche was suddenly worried because of this. “Why didn’t you intervene? Why didn’t you help when you knew what was happening? These guys aren't the familia you're so scared of. They're just a bunch of... criminals.”

“My mind is in disarray,” Wilhelm admitted, his tone edged with frustration. “How could I forget so much today?” It felt as if Wilhelm was dodging the question with his words, which Adolph found to be quite... unpleasant. Niche sensed the growing tension and worried that Wilhelm’s behavior might escalate his champion's anger further.

"I asked you a question, Wilhelm.” Adolph’s voice cut through the air like a blade, commanding attention. Wilhelm, sensing the heat of the moment, finally faced him to respond.

“Even though I’m retired, I was once a thief. Our code forbids us from interfering in the activities of other bands... unless we want to declare a war against them.”

Faint red again glowed at Adolph's eyes. "That's some fucked up code you believe then. Can’t you come up with a better excuse instead—"

“Hey!” Ernst’s hand moved to the hilt of his dagger, his stance ready for a confrontation.

"Calm, Ernst," commanded Wilhelm with a straight voice. In response to Adolph's hostility, Wilhelm's presence seemed to also have... changed.

"I can tolerate insults directed at me or Ernst here. It's all okay, and I won't mind it at all. But..." Wilhelm raised his metallic arm, transforming it into a clenched fist. "Never tarnish the code we hold sacred, boy."

“Wait! Wait...” Niche interjected, stepping between the two heated adversaries. The fox’s voice quivered slightly with the weight of its peacemaking role. “There’s no need for hostility. We can resolve this... Talk this out. Right, Adolph?”

"My only concern is that why couldn't they rescue those that were captured earlier."

“I'm a thief, not a hero. I have no obligation to do so,” Wilhelm replied, his tone cold.

"But still—"

“I could ask the same of you, Adolph. Why didn’t you arrive sooner and offer the help you wished to find with us?"

“I was— I...” Adolph faltered, his anger giving way to a deep sense of guilt. The truth broke his angered temper, now it seemed to have backlashed and targeted himself instead. Guilt swarmed over him: the weight of his powerlessness and his earlier harshness toward Wilhelm took its toll.

"Now, now...” Wilhelm clapped his hands together, a gesture signaling the end of the argument. “As our dear fox said, there’s no need for further anger. I understand what you are feeling, and even if we couldn't help earlier, it doesn't mean that we can't provide one now."

Adolph looked up from being disheartened upon hearing Wilhelm's words. Still guilty, but a renewed spark of hope returned to him again.

"We may not know these thieves personally, but we do recognize a band with similar... crude uniforms. We’ve encountered them before, and I can tell you the location of their camp."

"Won't you break your code if you decide to help us now?" asked Adolph, now feeling a tad skeptical.

"And now you care?"

"Ugh... I'm sorry for my arrogance earlier. It wasn't nice of... It was wrong of me. Yes, now I do care."

"Mhmm... Apology accepted. Of course, we will help you in such ways that the code we follow will not be breached. Also, it is getting cold in here, don't you think?"

"Damn right, it is. Being surrounded by dead bodies only triples the chill," Ernst seconded, his voice echoing the discomfort of the group.

“We should continue this discussion elsewhere,” Wilhelm suggested.

“Agreed!” Niche exclaimed. “Although, we don’t have such a suitable place right now,” the fox added, glancing toward the distant wreckage of the hovel.

"Oh, don't worry, dear fox..."

.

.

.

"We've got a place."