Chapter 30 - Penitence (Patreon)

Echo reached into his pocket dimension and crafted a set of three rings for their group using Transmute Substance. He handed a plain band to Rose, designed a slightly ornate one for himself, and a truly elaborate one for Fumi. He gently placed it on her finger.

“Echo proposed. I accept."

Echo chuckled, while Rose just rolled her eyes and mouthed the word ‘kids’.

Brighsteel was unparalleled at being able to store Quintessence for retrieval and use at another time. Their armor and his boots were already imbued with the material, but he knew they could spend even more time stockpiling power whenever they were in times of leisure.

The ocean passed by swiftly underneath the adventurers and a few days later – days filled with Quintessence storing, discussion with Rose, or the two monsters indulging in their breed Evolution Instinct, the trio had arrived at Crux Gamma.

After docking their longboat at one of the jetties, and a simple transaction to sell the now useless-to-them boat, they were making their way through the streets and to the doorway that would transport them to the Guild Hall.

Echo and Fumi walked casually, arm in arm, as the taller Rose walked behind them.

They did draw some attention as Echo's appearance - despite being human - was unsettling to some. Coupled with the red-haired Ogo warrior and the pale, regal human; they struck an impressive and intimidating trio. The black eyes certainly helped.

Folks on the street parted for them - despite them walking on the side to avoid carts. It seemed that they had a palpable aura about them, and no one wanted to get within a certain radius.

The Guild Hall doorway was crowded up until the trio approached. People instinctively stepped away and the trio entered without having to wait in line.

The place was packed. There was standing room only at the bar and in the general, common area. Banners hung up all over the place, spelling out 'Freedom Day', with a plethora of other decorations that were nature themed. Cloud designs were on most articles of clothing. Many patrons had small flower circlets on their heads and the raucous atmosphere was quite cheery and merry.

Rose frowned slightly, "I'm not familiar with this holiday."

“It's the third of Winds Season. It's a day to celebrate doing whatever you want, with no inhibitions," Fumi commented. As if on cue a large bar brawl broke out and the trio skirted the skirmish.

"Caeli worshippers get into it. In my culture, we release captives who have served their time as servants."

They worked their way through the crowd and over to the far windows which were quite empty.

April was standing at her usual spot, her smile becoming slightly less cheery when she saw Echo and Fumi. But she kept her customer service demeanor engaged. "Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild. How can I help you?"

Echo slid his identification under the window and pulled Rose forward, "My friend here is signing up. Charge the amount to my plate."

April nodded at the obviously regal woman, "Alright. Ma'am, please place your hand on the glass, here."

Rose followed the instructions and April muttered something behind the glass that Echo couldn't make out despite his enhanced senses.

Name (Race / Rank): White Rose (Undead / S)

Strength: 6,500

Agility: 6,500

Fortitude: 20,000

Defense: 500

Offense: 500

Magic Resistance: 20,000

Magic Potency: 20,000

Equipment: Whitestone Scepter, Ring of Veiled   Undeath

Active Abilities: Control Undead (Mindless, Intelligent),   Touch of The Void

Innate Abilities:  Damage Immunity (Cold), Darkvision, Detect   Corruption, Detect Life, Detect Magic, Detect Undeath,   Disease Immunity, Mental Immunity, Paralysis Immunity, Phylactery,   Poison/Toxin Immunity, Sated, Vulnerability (Light, Life, Fire)

Affinities: Death, Ice, Spirit, Reanimation

"Welcome to the Adventurer's Guild, White Rose. Would you like to have your own apartment? Or attach it to Echo's here?"

Rose looked at Echo, seeking his silent approval. After he nodded, she replied, "Attach it to theirs."

April nodded and touched some icons on the table behind the glass which flashed momentarily. "Done."

Echo nodded "I need to expand my apartment. Can I do that through you?"

April nodded, "Certainly. I'll subtract the amount, let me just see how much you ha-" Her jaw dropped as the dreks displayed on a readout. "...Ahem. Your account total sits at…two million, three hundred thousand, and sixty dreks."

Narya must have sold some of the Brightsteel I left sitting around.

Echo smiled. He was rich. Extremely rich. And he felt like splurging. He knew from his conversation with Isaac when he first arrived that he could buy new rooms and addons. "Let's double – no, triple the size of every room. And add a sauna to the restroom."

April redoubled her customer-service smile, "Certainly.”

Echo nodded and took back his identification, giving a wave as the trio walked away and found a recently vacated table.

Rose held up her identification, "So this is how you evaluate each other's skills?"

"Mhmm…We are strong,” Fumi stated.

Echo grinned and pulled his chair next to Fumi, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as he waved over an attendant, ordering drinks and food before returning his attention to his companions who were comparing their stats.

"You can't fight for anything," Fumi commented. “A stiff breeze would knock you over.”

Rose's eyebrow twitched, "And your magic pales compared to mine."

Fumi gripped the hilt of her blade, and a brief green flash lit the underside of the table as a gust of wind pushed Rose's hair out of place. Rose's eye twitched and the air grew slightly colder.

"Fumi, it's not a competition.”

She snapped her head to look at Echo, "You're right." She looked back at Rose who seemed to be silently fuming at the insult to her power, "I'm sorry."

Rose nodded and her slight lapse in composure resolved, returning once more to her cool and collected appearance as she brushed her hair into place. "What is the plan then? You have a quest to complete, yes?"

Echo nodded, "We'll use one of the sets of doors to get to the capital of The Kingdom of Cruxia. We get to heal The Queen."

Rose's brow raised, "They sent you to get Deathvine…to heal someone. Someone living? That won’t work.”

"We didn't know that when we went to find it." He looked at Fumi and brushed a stray hair off her face before turning back to Rose. "We were just told to get the vine."

Fumi shrugged and nestled into Echo's arm until their food and drink arrived. Rose nibbled and sipped sparingly, but the two monsters dove in and drained gallons of beer and demolished plate after plate of food.

After a short while Echo stood up and stretched, "Let's get back to work."

Rose stood up and glanced around before leaning into Echo's ear, whispering, "You should be cautious. Crux Omega is the home of Lux's seat of power on Heimfold - save for her throne in the Conflux of Creation. If her most powerful political tool is undead, and she doesn't know about it…well, a succession crisis isn't good to be in the midst of."

Echo nodded as Fumi grabbed his arm and the trio made their way to the entry hall, "Right. We stay discreet."

Rose nodded and grinned, "It could also be excellent leverage if you want to use it as blackmail."

Echo shook his head, "If you think of some way to use any leverage, feel free."

Rickard woke once more in his heavenly chambers. Surrounded by gorgeous angels who served is every need.

But what woke him was not pleasure or a directive from his Goddess.

It was rage.

He knew. He could feel. Echo was reachable once more.

He pushed aside his angelic playthings and strapped on his armor once more.

“Her will be done.”

Moments later, Lux’s orders came to him. A heavenly voice that extolled his virtues and his might.

“Go, my champion. Bright justice to those who pervert my creation.”

The doorway was packed but as if they sensed a predator behind them most of the mob made a gap for the trio to get through.

The streets of Crux Omega were made of fine stone, painstakingly ordered in circle patterns with inlaid yellow, crushed rocks. The whole paved road looked like a sunburst pattern repeated over and over.

The capital was like Crux Gamma, but instead of single-story buildings and somewhat maintained exteriors, the streets were flanked by closely packed buildings several stories tall. Their outsides were immaculately maintained.

All up and down the street revelers were partying; songs were being sung, street vendors peddled their wares, and Crulon swept up the mess. That was immediately noticed by Echo and shortly picked up on by his companions; only the Axan were partying.

Rose scoffed, "Disgusting. And to think that a Goddess is supposedly the one who set up this system." She shook her head.

"That way," Fumi pointed at a street sign, and the trio wended their way past the crowds. They were given occasional glances and a wide berth but were mostly ignored. One of the Crulon was cleaning up a pile of vomit when she was pushed into the foul mess by a Brown Scale Axan.

Echo felt anger boil up in him at the mistreatment and glancing at Fumi saw her white-knuckled grip on her sheathed blade.

Rose placed a hand on each of their shoulders, "Now, now. You can't change things now. Focus on the task at hand." Her cool touch - icy cool - helped to calm them down.

Echo sighed and nodded, "Thanks."

"I could tell you two are hotheads from first meeting you. Remember, this place is filled with followers of Lux. And you two have the death mark for her church."

Fumi was still dragging him along as she made her way through the city streets, obviously upset at how the Crulon were treated, but keeping her temper in check. She led them via signposts towards the main castle.

The trio reached the end of the avenue and both Echo and Fumi gasped at the sight in front of them. Rose smirked and crossed her arms, "It's a bit ostentatious."

A temple stood in front of them, but it was massive. A large, rectangular building with Classical architecture stretched to the enormous hexagonal pyramid that shot into the sky behind it. The hexagonal pyramid structure had six towers of gold that extended from each of its faces to hold up a large central tower made of an opaque crystal.

The whole supporting structure was made of white marble inlaid with gold. Behind it, barely visible from their perspective, was an enormous castle made of granite blocks in a Gothic style.

"The Royal Academy is the long building in the front, and behind it is The Citadel of Light," Rose stated as if she were a tour guide.

Echo couldn't help but stare, jaw agape in awe at the beauty of the structure. Then, a pang of guilt ran through him. “Bertram said his daughter went here.”

Fumi and Rose looked at him. “Who is that?”

He looked at Fumi, “One of my allies. One of the first friends I made when I got here.” He looked away, disgusted at himself. “I…ate him.”

Rose inhaled slightly in surprise, but Fumi just ran a hand along his back.

Echo shook his head and stared at the long building. “I need to do something.”

He walked to The Royal Academy entrance and was stopped by a well-dressed, monocle-wearing, Green Scale Axan. A female one who sounded very hoity-toity. “You aren’t a student. Do you seek tutelage?”

Echo shook his head, “I just want to give money to someone. Can you look up a student by their parent’s name?”

The Axan pulled out a small, bronze tablet, and adjusted her monocle. “Name?”

“His first name was Bertram.”

The bronze plate glowed for a moment and the Axan nodded. “We have a student registered under that name.” She looked over the tablet at Echo, “You wished to deposit funds for them.”

“Yeah…and pass along a message.” He pulled out his identification, flicked a few dials on the back until the small dreks display showed one-million, and tapped the bronze plate with it. The Axan’s monocle popped off at the influx of monies to the student account.

“Tell her…her dad loved her.” Echo felt tears well up but Fumi’s reassuring hand on his back gave him strength. “Tell her that he died trying to provide for her. He saved my life. Tell her that Bertram saved Echo’s life.”

The Axan nodded solemnly, pulling out a small pen and notepad as the bronze tablet floated next to her. “I’ll convey your message exactly as you stated.” She smiled, “Perhaps you would like to make a general donation?”

Echo shook his head as sorrow overcame him. He shuffled off to the side, taking a seat a few meters away on a bench, and leaning over on Fumi as she cradled him.

I’m sorry for eating you.

He cried in her arms.

I’ll provide for your daughter as long as I live.

“Ms. Fielder?” There was a loud knock at the door.

“Coming!” Shara opened the door and was surprised as one of the headmasters stood there. His face was stern but hid sorrow.

She knew in her gut something was wrong.

“Yes headmaster?”

“…Take a seat.”

Shara did as instructed, sitting on her small bed.

The headmaster sat down next to her. “I just received word from the front greeter…I’m sorry…”

Shara’s breath caught in her throat.

“Your father is dead.”

Shara felt a punch to her gut. The wind knocked out of her as she curled her legs up and felt tears coming on.

“But…you have a beneficiary who wanted to pass on a message…and an exorbitant sum of money.”

The headmaster relayed the message.

“Is…” She sniffed. “…Is he still here?”

The headmaster nodded solemnly, “He’s outside. If you want to talk to him, I’d hurry.”

She got up and ran.

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