Chapter 31: Glass sword
There are two things that I am waiting for now
X and another fight
I wonder how a glass sword can guide bullets and strikes away from him.
Slowly thinking, I feel something is not what it seems.
The hand of that prince held firm but yet it was an illusion to cover that fact that the wind pressure that was guilding things to his desire.
What makes such an ordinary glass sword to do such things?
I have no clue.
Maybe, the glass sword is a way to prove that even poor equipment, the prince can defeat the opponent
Why was he covering his hands with gloves? It is just another unimportant question
The real question is that the glass sword had so many scars but yet not broken until the shot I made.
That time, I almost lost to a mere human. Three against one soul.
Who had he been before he was born?
I believe in reincarnation but yet, I am the proof of regretting souls.
I don't know the frightening power he has but I am sure I was there, an existence that gave me such fear when I was Hiwan.
An old man with black hands, he grabbed a random thin stick but yet, he almost stabbed my eye. He respected me as a bigger being but yet I was frightening. He was the thing that has been haunting me for some nights.
I had never seen that old man ever again in wildest nightmares of mine until I faced that prince.
Today, I need to restock my weapons and tools. I better get some for those desert elves.
Maybe dried meat, spirit, cheese and perhaps some ice magic scrolls.
"So you are gonna go out to restock your goods?"
"Yes"
"Can we get to know why ice magic scrolls?"
"Desert is quite hot so some coldness would help me go through the harsh time"
"Seems reasonable. What about that bulky thing there?"
"I don't know, just a weird contraption, I want to give it to a dwarf and see how we can modify it"
"You may pass. Say, can you get me one or two bags of that strange fruit?"
"What kind?"
"Purple-ish one with white flesh"
"Dragon fruit?"
"How is that called a
"It may look scaly like dragon skin"
"Five silver in advance and the other half is when you bring me."
"I will try and get if I can"
"Godspeed"
The guard waves his hand. I whip my goats.
I need to know whether or not to trust this prince for revolting. He is an excellent fighter but very strange. I can't trust him much when we first met. But yet, his soul seems to be like an abyss. A dark and deep abyss.
I am quite villainous but I know my limit. If this man is going to rule the human land, it will be a nasty future for all. I need to find another candidate.
****
"Oh hello there,
"Can you just not call me that nickname, old fart?"
"I am the king here, I can do what I want. What seems to be your problem?" he switches his position to another side
"There is a prince whose soul is black"
"Strange. Don't you know your own souls are black?"
"I..."
"People who have black souls are usually cursed by something. However, your case is just pure rage and sorrowness"
"Rage? I am not one of those tyrants"
"Even if you are calm, you are very bloodthirsty inside"
"I can't against that your opinion"
"About that prince, I may say you should trust him in future revolting"
"How did you..."
"I was a sage before. I know what your planning once you asked about the fourth prince of Nortus"
"Even so, what method did you use?"
"I am here but also there. You can make my body die but my souls are never severed. Because I am the king of sandfolk afterall"
"I sometimes hate you, old fart"
"I am off for sleeping again. See you in another decade"
I walk out of the throne room, the door is closed and sealed.
The information I have gained gives me confidence to trust that prince. I need to further prepare for the revolt.
Perhaps, I need to gather more weapons and people.
There is a limit for me to trust someone or convince others.
Maybe, I need to consume some souls.
****
"So where are those
"Pay me" I hand him the bag
"A deal is a deal" he gives me the other half of the deal
"Say, are you going to need something else? I am about to go to Loreahor in a week"
"Just deliver this letter to my relative, she lives at a bakery which is located not far away from the fountain"
"I will"
"Just a small letter to cheer her up. Recently it is not going well for bakeries' business as I am hearing from others who come from Loreahor"
"Such a caring uncle heh?"
"I am only thirty, that is my aunt"
"I am so sorry for assuming that"
"I get used to it"
I am heading home after moving my wagon to the carpenter's shop. I should get more information from that jester.
The night falls.
"So, merchant, what seems to be your interest for the night?"
"Strange traveller"
"There is none recently. If you are talking about that masked man"
"Tell me about X would ya?"
He begins to play some notes
[
He is one of mysteries
This world may yet uncover
It keeps dancing and is slippery
That beneath his mask
It could be leprosy
It could be a scar
Or perhaps, he could be something else
There is one thing for sure
He is still living
With a disoriented voice
Until someone sees his face,
We don't know the answer
]
"Bravo, one silver for information and two for the performance" I hand out three silver coins
"How generous. Another bonus information, he was once something related to those aristocrats "
"Interesting rumor"
"It is not just rumor, I overheard from those nobles along the line: That masked bastard, he is such always tainted from the core to the face"
"So he has another name among nobles called
"You could say like that but I don't really know"
"Enough for the night"
I walk away from the alley. I head to the tavern for a drink. On the way, I feel something strange. I need to be on guard and go to another dark alley to avoid witnesses.
One! Seven! Three! Six!
At least those men are dead with their eyes gouged and their heads split open.
Who sent these assassins to aim for me?
I am not a necromancer nor a lich so I can't ask the dead such as these weaklings.
I need to search for some notices or rings or some wax sealed documents.
What is this?
A paper with a drawing. It looks similar to me, but the name is not me.
Maybe there is a shapeshifting magician around here, his name was heard while I was in the tavern the other day. If I remember correctly, he is Mawl Abish.
****
"Old man, are we gonna visit someone at Loreahor again?" Alira sharpening the spear
"Kinda, yeah. For a long time, I haven't talked to
"That guy?"
"Yes"
"I heard him from those mercenaries but now, he is retired"
"I heard that news too"
"By the way, that shady uncle X, I don't trust him until he unmasks" Alira puts away her spear
"I trust him"
"What? His soul is odd and somehow is not black?"
"You could say that"
"How about the prince you have brawled?"
"Pitch black, pure abyss"
"And you?"
"I may be a black piece but it doesn't mean I am an evil person..."
"Ironic claim by someone who has lopped people's heads like just mere toys"
"Just cut this out already"
I whip the goats until we are at Loreahor.
Here we are, in the town of busy.
"Alira, please deliver this to that bakery from the last time"
"Tch, you lazy"
"If I need to, I guess I can leave you here and you must walk home"
"I can earn a ride"
"Then how about another quality spear like that?"
"Fine, I am not gonna argue with you"
She snatches the letter. I am going to that old tavern
"Oh hi, that shady merchant"
"Stop with your bad mouth, you child abuser"
"For the last time, Miwra has been already retired for 2 years"
"How is she now?"
"Still a brat"
"How old is she?"
"51 "
"Literally or just her personality?"
"Both"
"How so?"
"I am currently busy and I just want to talk personally with you. Can you wait until then?"
"Maybe next time?"
"Alright, next time, you should stop at my place. "
"See you in a month"
I leave the place. I whistle to call Alira back on my wagon.
And so we travel back to Nakitel
****
"So, what am I gonna do?"
"We need you to test some upcoming group of recruits, Jehidas" she frowns
"Are they some kind of bumpkins or capital residents?"
"Capital "
"Can I not?"
"No, those people are mostly arrogant so we need someone to crush their fantasy before it is too late"
"I have no other choice then."