Chapter 28 - War's Echoes

Entering the red tent of the job's commission, Jett was hit with a blast of humid smoke.

Coughing, his eyes watered and squinted as he waved his hand, trying to push the smoke away.

In front of him was Karmiris, the one who had lent the freezing talisman to Terell.

Karmiris was quite large herself, he lower body being slug-like with her upper being upright, akin to a mantis.

Her lower boy was a cacophony of swirling black and grey with a reflective surface.

The tent had several shelves, cases, and ceiling hooks from which talismans and artifacts were displayed.

In Karmiris' hand was a long pipe. Only half her face was covered with a white mask, allowing for easy access to her pipe.

"Ahh…" Karmiris raspily exhaled. "You have my talisman, young human?"

Opening his eyes and taking a much-needed breath of fresh air, Jett pulled the black necklace talisman out of his pocket before extending it towards the slug mutant.

"Yes. However, Terell was likely killed by the High Lords gang of West Lower City, and as such, cannot pay his debt."

With one mantis arm Karmiris took gentle hold of the talisman. She brought a pipe to her wide mouth with the other.

"Terell?" she said, blowing smoke off to the side.

"The man you lent the talisman to."

"Mmm…" she deliberated. "No matter."

"And my payment?"

"Mmm…" she thought with a throaty grumble. "I have no Catas."

'Fucking fraudulent bastards.'

All Jett could do was berate the Troup internally, too tired to throw any real fit.

"Mmm… you can have a talisman. More valuable than any currency of man."

Karmiris turned around and grabbed a large wooden crate, placing it at Jett's feet.

His eyes gleamed with greed as he witnessed a special sight.

An entire crate of powerful talismans and artifacts, haphazardly layered upon one another like they were nothing more than cheap trinkets.

'I'll admit, these are much preferable to Catas.'

Not only did they exceed the value of his task, but Jett did not need money now that he was returning to Maros' mansion.

"Only one," Karmiris stated.

Thus began Jett's talisman hunting spree.

He dug through the box, occasionally picking up something which caught his eye.

Jett would take an artifact or talisman out of the box and show Karmiris.

Each time, her right eye glowed red as she squinted behind her mask.

She had some ability to understand their functions, and would—albeit vaguely—give him their abilities and drawbacks.

But a lot of them were quite niche in their uses.

For example, one would perfectly freeze the wearer in the air upon activation.

This one had some combat application such as allowing him to take no damage from great falls along with knockback from attacks.

One artifact in the pile expanded into a watering can. Its water would grow any crop, even potentially imbuing Soul properties into the plant.

Another gave the ability to enter and alter the dreams of others, but that wouldn't help Jett all that much.

From his experiences with dreams, they didn't offer much.

"Tiresome," Karmiris sighed. "Hurry and choose, human."

'Seriously? How could I, in good conscience, take a dream catcher without seeing everything else? One of these has to be good…'

On the clock, Jett picked up his pace, nearing the bottom of the pile.

A talisman caught his eye.

It was a necklace. The centerpiece was a pristine black gem hung from thin black strings.

'It's jet…'

"What about this one?" Jett held up the jet-black gemstone talisman up to the slug arbiter's face.

"Mmm… it will greatly amplify your power."

"…That's it?"

"The eye says nothing more."

'Perhaps I was destined to meet this talisman…'

A comforting thought. Though he knew better than to accept this. Too good to be true, it seems.

But if it were truly as advertised, then it would by far be the best option.

"Have you decided?"

He felt under the pressure of time, but more so, it was the weakness of the other talismans.

'If it doesn't work, I could always sell it as a gemstone for some pocket change, hah…'

"I'll take this."

Jett wrapped the necklace around his neck, attaching the ends.

The abyssal gemstone glistened as the cold surface touched his neck, slowly warmed by the heat of his body.

"Then farewell," Karmiris said.

"You as well," Jett replied as he began to walk out of the red tent. "And please extend my gratitude to the Cartographer."

It felt a bit redundant to see the Cartographer himself.

Jett's business was over.

***

In the North, two storms raged:

The touch of an everlasting winter and the zealous craving of battle.

The people of the Divine Crusader kingdom were numb to the former. And for the latter, the same could not be said.

They were eager.

An insatiable bloodlust, fueled by an eternal and unwavering religious dogma.

There was no deviation, no alternative path. This had always been life's way.

As an army—a hundred thousand strong—stood within the frigid winter storm, they stood as one.

Behind them rumbled massive armored war machines and complacent mounts.

The storm encompassed the frozen army, shrouding them entirely within nature's dark depths.

But the sun's light pierced the clouds for one.

Frigid winds parted for one.

One man stood atop the massive army.

Pristine steel armor, accentuated by the finest white pelt of a great northern beast.

His sword and armor clamored as he rose onto the stone platform

The army held their tongues and chattering teeth, arduously awaiting his call.

The man—a youthful yet weathered look to him—looked down upon his army with sharp eyes; silent and stoic.

Long black hair refused to flutter.

His army shook in anticipation of his gaping mouth.

"Ma helistan!" his voice boomed through the snowstorm, bouncing from every flake, rumbling the innards of each warrior.

"ME VASTAME."

The mountains shook with the combined stomp of the Divine Crusader's grand army.

"Crusaders!" the man bellowed, not a single syllable lost in the storm. "For too long have we stood at the heels of a complacent and weak empire!"

"EKS!" the army stomped in response.

"But we stand tall! Face-to-face with our greatest obstacle! Our greatest task. Our destined mission!"

"EKS!"

"Do not be saddened or fearful. Do not be cold, or distraught. Do not feel compassion, for your enemy is not worthy!" the man unsheathed his glistening white sword, holding it by his side.

"EKS!"

"From the heavens, the Ascendant's call. They beckon to embrace their kingdom, crying from the Mound's summit," he raised his sword into the air. "Our grand crusade shall heed their call and soothe their tears!"

"EKS!"

"Ascendants! Your Apostle responds!"

"EKS!"

"We shall pile Stratan flesh, blood, and Soul! And we shall stand atop that pile as victors!"

"EKS!"

The Apostle's sword began to glow red, pointed toward the clouded sky.

"They will become our ladder. AND OUR SPIRITS SHALL PIERCE THE HEAVENS!"

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM

A solid manifestation of crimson parted the sky. An extension of his sword originating from the deepest depths of his Soul.

The screeches of energy were sharp as steel, penetrating the ears of each soldier.

Yet not one face strained under the beholden power of the Apostle. A robust and determined mind protected them.

The Apostle's face remained indifferent to the spectacle of his creation.

And the snowstorm was no more.

"EKS! EKS! EKS!…"

Yet the storm raged on in the Crusader's determined spirits.

"We march!" the Apostle commanded.

The yells and stomps of the Crusaders leaked out the Ridge and into the Valley, reaching the keenest of Stratan ears.

They signaled the drums of war.

***

On Jett's way back to the tavern, he couldn't help but fiddle with his new talisman

Either his youth forced him to fidget, or something external compelled his intrigue, it was not for certain.

'Greatly amplify my power? So vague.'

Not to mention it was also the only item in that set of—likely entirely defunct—talismans and artifacts to be without an exact drawback.

It was tough to say he made the right choice, but only time will tell.

'What's done is done?'

Jett didn't believe such a minor decision warranted such a powerful statement.

With heavy eyes, he walked through the sunsetting East Lower City.

He entered the tavern. Nodding to the owner, he quickly looked for the reprieve of his room.

Jett unlocked, opened, shut, and locked the one-bed inn room.

The plate and water by the bedside had been fully consumed.

Valeria slept peacefully under the bed's blanket covers.

'Where am I going to sleep?'

The bed could probably comfortably fit two…

'No, she's too sprawled out. And I would prefer not to risk my life now.'

Jett couldn't be bothered. He was simply too tired.

He quickly changed out of his armor, wearing the normal Lower City attire that he had purchased prior.

With no other option, he laid on the hard wooden floor.

'I've become just like Toze… this isn't good.'

It would not be a pleasant rest, but one much needed.