The people around Eddy just stared at him like he had just chosen death. Even Sofia was freaking out, her one chance was about to get summarily executed by the High King himself.
The King looked down, "Hello, again Thaddeus, how are your preparations going? Well, I hope."
Thaddeus bobbed his head and wasn't kneeling, "I found an excellent steward, Sofia Argent, I can feel great potential in her."
The King's eyes sparkled, "Yes. She is an excellent choice, but not the one I would have made."
Thaddeus nodded, "She has money and political issues. But. Who cares."
Eddy turned to smile at the woman, turning his back to the King.
Audible gasps could be heard sounding out around the room. The matron saw red and moved forward to smack him, "YOU INSOLENT BRAT!" Yet, as she swung her hand, she was stopped by the High King who gently redirected her entire arm as if it was the easiest thing in the world.
Eddy turned around.
'Oh no...' then he looked at the King holding the woman's hand in a gentle embrace.
"Please do not harm my friend." He said with a dazzling smile
Eddy realized that he fucked up, then he went to kneel, only to be forced back up nearly instantaneously.
The King just smiled at him.
"My friends Thalim and Brook Blackstone never had to perform the rituals of respect."
Eddy just mumbled, "I don't mind doing it, you are my friend. I would want to show respect anyways." He then scooted awkwardly, "It is just that...nobody told me what those rituals are." He made a wide smile and the King began to chuckle.
He placed his hand on Eddy's head, "You are very much like your father, foolhardy, but also like your mother, cunning."
Eddy realized he had been partially seen through. 'Who wouldn't know the rituals of respect? Duh, dingus.'
High King Jeru raised his hand, "Sofia Argent, do you wish to enter into perpetual servitude, either until you are dead, or you are relinquished from the role?"
Sofia stumbled forward, "I-I-I don't know, your majesty..."
She hadn't been expecting a perpetual contract. It was something only rulers issue. An eternal bond, forever fated unless released.
She bit her lip, 'This might be the only one...' and then said, "I live to serve!"
The King smiled at her backbone, "Even when betrayal means death?"
She realized what the shift in speech and the flow of the High King's massive amount of mana meant.
'A Soul binding!!!!' She was scared to death, this is usually what slaves are forced to take "willingly" under the threat of probable death. They never knew if the 1000 foot fall would actually kill you, there were survivors after all.
The King repeated, "Even. When. Betrayal. Means. Death?"
The young Lord in front of her was just smiling. He wasn't "stupid" but he lacked knowledge. Plus. He was young. Maybe she could influence him in subtle ways. Not that she wanted to go too far, but stewards that underachieve have been known to live a life adjacent to the Deep Red.
She trusted her gut, the kid was smart, he realized that the other girl would have led him down the wrong path with her incomplete assessment of the question. It was an excellent if simple test for an advisor.
"I swear." She felt a rush of mana flow over her body and into her chest, it was primal.
Eddy was looking around at the scared look on everyone's faces, then his steward dropped.
Eddy rushed forward, "SOFIA!" and barely caught her before she brought him to the ground.
She was burning up and glowing lines were crawling all over her.
One line of the Soul Runes touched Eddy and it felt...pleasant, like an old warmth that he felt nostalgic about.
The wormed their way into his skin and people expected some sort of reaction by the look of anticipation on their faces.
"It seems you really do have a great talent." Erickson was looking ashamed, "That was meant to be a surprise, the pain is easier to endure when you don't know it is coming. Less people are lost that way."
Eddy felt dizzy for a moment as his skin was getting hotter.
"Um, I don't feel any pain, but I feel-" A look of terror flashed in the Kings eyes, "BUCKET!" He yelled when a man sprinted into the room and shoved it into the arms of Eddy.
"Not again...-HURGGG- Oh no...why...-HURGGG-" Black goop was flowing out of him.
The King smiled, 'Never again.' Then he had flashbacks to when he was 13 and Thalim had just experienced his awakening.
'Bad times..but..good times.' Brook was so much more ladylike, they didn't even KNOW it had happened until she slung her first Earth Bolt.
Eddy was laying in a mess of his and Sofia's body when he woke up.
[Congratulations. You have awakened. Please focus your 'will' on opening a 'Menu'.]
Eddy blinked.
'Wait. HOW DID I NOT NOTICE THE FUCKING SYSTEM?' Eddy recalled his acceptance in the...the...thing..? The big thing...with the dude...and?
'Memory. Fuckery.' Eddy stood up and was livid.
[Some memories have been altered to assist in the transition between dimensional realms.]
'Why? CUNT!'
[The existence of -------------- is prohibited on the mortal planes.]
'You just said "Mortal pLaNeS. Dumbass. Implying otherwise PlAnEs!'
'Yeah. Shut up. You shouldn't go fucking with people's memories. I have very important ones, ya' know? Like anime. I will never get to see it again! But...I will manage, unless you delete that shit!'
[The Oracle will cease assistance in the prevention of Imminent Soul Detonation. 5. 4.]
'What is that countin-[3.] HEY, WTF?' [2.]
'OKAY, CHILL. I'M SORRY!'
[dUmBAsS.]
Eddy just ignored it. 'Fuck it, blow me up.'
[You have unlocked your status page.]
The King was staring at Eddy.
'Raincheck!'
"I am sorry, I don't know what happened to me." Eddy bowed in shame.
The King squinted, "Bring me an Orb of Discernment."
A mage quickly entered the room, from the ceiling.
'What the fuck?' Eddy saw the man pass the King a clear crystal, 'Talent testing?'
The King held the orb out and said, "Please place your hand on the orb and focus your will on it as hard as you can."
Eddy reached his hand outward and felt the coldness.
'Nice.' He pushed some of his will into the orb.
It glowed slightly gray.
'Unaspected?' The King thought.
"Harder."
Eddy looked and shrugged, 'Fuck you system, suck my balls, my DRAGONBALLs, BECAUSE THEY ARE DRAGGIN' ALL OVER YOUR CHIN.'
He pushed the the anger he had been suppressing, the pain he felt, it hadn't ENDED. We are still fucking going. I just want to rest and not throw up twice in an hour. 'FUCK OFF.'
The Orb shone a deep gray and Iron began to rock towards the source.
Pendants, buttons, shoe pins, and anything containing a part of Iron was being drawn into the small orb.
"Aspect of Iron." The King seemed satisfied. "Excellent."
Some of the true magicians in the room were shocked at the amount of mana a freshly awakened was putting out.