The aftermath of the battle left an eerie stillness in the void. The jagged twilight line that had divided the realm began to fade, replaced by a gentle glow emanating from the Tear of Umbralis. Its once-violent energy now hummed softly, resonating with the newfound balance in Eagan and Celeste.
Eagan sheathed his sword with a weary sigh, glancing at Celeste. "So, that was fun. Remind me not to take any quests that involve 'facing your inner darkness' next time."
Celeste, still catching her breath, smirked faintly. "You say that now, but you'll forget the moment someone waves a big reward in your face."
"You're not wrong," he admitted, his lips twitching into a tired grin. "Now that you have it, how will I get my reward?" He asked with a raised brow, and Celeste paused before reaching into her inner pocket.
She brought out her phone, the one connected to the shadow web. Eagan watched as she clicked enter the web and clicked the mission as completed. "You have your details registered on the web, correct? I'm talking about bank details and all." She asked without looking away from the phone.
"Yes. I fixed it immediately," Arianna echoed in Eagan's mind.
"Yes." He provided, and Celeste nodded as she stood straight. "You'll get the reward once you click it as complete on your side. Don't forget to select an artefact you want." She added.
"Now, let's get out of here before we draw the attention of other seekers." She urged and began leading the way.
Eagan followed behind, his steps echoing faintly in the vast expanse of the void. The tear's light dimmed as they moved, and he felt its pull lessening. His thoughts were focused on the reward—especially the artifact. He opened his own shadow web interface, navigating through the mission details Celeste had marked as complete.
"Alright, let's see what we've got," he muttered to himself, scrolling through the options.
The list of artefacts appeared, each one accompanied by a detailed description: enchanted blades, shadow-bound grimoires, protective talismans, and more. But one item stood out to him—a Runed Down Jacket of Warding.
"Do you belong to a guild or something?" Eagan asked curiously. "I mean, how are you able to get hold of all these artefacts?"
"Don't you know, you aren't supposed to ask the identity of people you meet on the shadow web?" She asked, her voice laced with amusement.
"Yet, you go around wearing your fave?" Eagan pointed it out, and Celeste laughed.
"And how sure are you that this is actually my face?" She replied. "I may be wearing a skin mask, you know?"
"True." Eagan muttered.
"And to answer your question, I do own a guild." She replied. "My original face is actually a public figure, and that's why I have access to those artefacts."
Eagan nodded and continued scanning through the list. And his attention returned to the jacket.
It wasn't flashy, but the jacket's description highlighted its defensive properties against physical and magical attacks, as well as its adaptability to harsh environments. Eagan smirked. "Practical and stylish? Perfect."
He selected the item, confirming his choice just as Celeste glanced over her shoulder.
"Picked your artefact yet?" she asked.
"Yep," he said, "I picked the defence jacket."
"You've got great eyes." Celeste chuckled. "As long as you enter a pickup location, the item will be delivered to you in twenty-four hours."
Eagan raised an eyebrow at Celeste's explanation. "Delivered? You mean like… a courier service? For shadow artifacts?"
"Exactly," Celeste said, her smirk widening. "What, did you think some shadowy figure in a cloak would appear and hand it to you in person?"
"To be honest, yeah, that's exactly what I thought," Eagan replied, his tone dry. "This is almost disappointingly modern."
Celeste laughed, shaking her head. "Welcome to the new age, Eagan. The shadow web isn't just about lurking in the dark anymore—it's efficient. Set a pickup spot before we get back to town, and you'll have your fancy jacket waiting for you by morning."
"Wouldn't that put the receiver at a risk?" Eagan asked. "I mean, if everyone is going to hide their identity, why set up a meetup place that can have you traced?"
"Are you new to the shadow web? I mean you look new but I was thinking you'd have at least done some smaller task before this huge one."
"We'll, I am new. And this is my first task." Eagan replied.
"Wow,that's bold of you." Celeste replied, her voice filled with surprise. "Well, except people like me who is a public figure every other people on shadow web is a maniac."
"They love the attention. They want to be known. Besides being known is also part of the credibility." She began. "Once your name is registered people starts monitoring your tasks and your ranking will soar. The more you grow the more privileged you'll have." She continued.
"Some clients don't go through the shadow web to deliver task, they go through the seeker themselves.for that seeker, it means more money more opportunity." She explained.
"That sounds dangerous but fun." Eagan muttered. "Oh it is. Try to familiarise yourself before you take another task though. So you'll know what to expect."
Eagan nodded pulled up the interface again, quickly entering the details for a safe pickup location near the town they were heading to. As he confirmed the request, he noticed a notification ping for the monetary reward as well.
"Fifteen million dollars…" Eagan muttered under his breath, the amount making his head spin. "How do you even transfer that kind of money without raising every red flag in existence?"
Celeste glanced back at him, her expression amused. "The shadow web handles that too. Don't worry—it'll look like a perfectly legal business transaction. Just don't go spending it all at once, or you'll get attention you don't want."
Eagan rubbed the back of his neck, still trying to process the windfall. "Guess I'll have to start thinking about what to do with all this. Maybe buy a real house. Or a decent sword."
"Or save it," Celeste suggested, her tone more serious. "Money's a tool, not a solution. You'll thank yourself later if you plan ahead."
Eagan frowned but nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right. Still feels surreal, though."
They walked in silence for a while, the quiet of the ruin city surrounding them. The tension from the trial had finally begun to dissipate, leaving Eagan feeling more grounded.
"So," he said after a moment, breaking the silence, "what happens to the Tear now? You're not just going to keep that thing lying around, are you?"
Celeste shook her head. "No. The Tear is too powerful to leave unguarded. I'll take it back to my guild. We have vaults specifically designed for artifacts like this. It'll be safe there, under constant watch."
Eagan raised an eyebrow. "And you trust your guild that much?"
Celeste's expression turned thoughtful. "I trust the measures we have in place. Trusting people… that's a different story."
"Fair enough," Eagan said. "I guess that means I won't be seeing you again anytime soon."
Celeste glanced at him, a small smile tugging at her lips. "You never know. The shadow web has a way of bringing people back together. Besides, you're not bad in a fight. If I ever need backup again, I might just look you up."
Eagan chuckled. "I'll hold you to that."
They reached the edge of the city as the first light of dawn began to break through the trees. In the distance, the small town they were to rest was just beginning to stir.
"Well," Celeste said, adjusting the Tear in her arms, "this is where we part ways."
Eagan nodded, feeling a strange sense of finality. "Take care of yourself, Celeste. And, uh… good luck with the whole guild thing."
"Thanks," she said, her smile softening. "You too, phantom, I know that's not your real name but it suits you well. Try not to get yourself killed chasing your next payday."
"No promises," he replied with a grin.
As Celeste disappeared down a side path, Eagan turned toward the town, his mind already planning how to explain his arm to Alastair and a way to invest the money he had earned.
"You can just leave the money sitting around," Arianna cut into his thoughts. "For now that is. Your future Training is going to be in bed of it. Besides, you'll need equipment when you actually become an hunter."
"That's true , but I'm worried about Alastair finding out." He voiced. "That dude is like a mother hen"
"That's because you are the only family he has left." Arianna muttered knowing. "For your injury, I'll give you a healing potion that will heal you up without leaving a scar. That's a reward for completing your first task and making an acquaintance."