Chapter 75: Wearing human skin - A quest for one’s soul
*Bing* *Bong*
'Welcome to Tokyo, Ward 8'
The sun had not even reached the midday hours, yet the train station was busy, packed, and bustling. Commuters, and trains were moving along with controlled chaos.
"Hello, I'm Jun Jiao, nice to meet you."
Jun took the hand of the large man; Isamu. Dressed for a wintery day, a blue hoodie, and jeans. A friendly, youthful face, yet an imposing stature.
"Hello." He replied, "I'm Isamu-"
"No. Your Thanatos." Eren corrected.
"You trust him with that information?" The renegade Reaper asked.
Here Eren was, being careless with such delicate information, especially with someone like Jun. The young man's face, attitude and demeanour seemed to say 'I trust everyone. I just love life.'
"Yep, I trust him way more than I trust you. With the bonus; if you try to betray my trust. He will kill you."
Thanatos was almost offended, both at the lack of trust and that a mortal could kill a former reaper such as himself. Yet... The tall man certainly hid something behind those friendly eyes. A deadly aura.
"Fair enough."
Eren led the two men through the station, towards the exit of the platform. Their a blue portal swirled amongst shoppers and armoured warriors. After all this time, it was still uncanny to see people go about their day amidst the glow of gates to otherworld's.
"Where are we going?"
"Eosar."
The hub of all commerce in the connected worlds. A place where goods, services and information were traded on both the open and closed markets.
A perfect place for Thanatos and Eren to search the markets of the great city.
"Yeah, but where in Eosar? It's a giant city, with a million different markets and shops. What exactly are we looking for?" Eren asked. To which the large man paused, pondering what to say. Or, rather, what to omit.
"The recipe for a special kind of potion, one to separate my soul from the beyond the veil of life. I know a witch who lives in Eosar. We just need to convince her to sell it to us."
Eren was already unimpressed, a feeling only amplified by the fact that they would need to 'convince' a witch to part with a recipe.
"But leave the convincing to me... Please, she is, a bit strange." The renegade reaper spoke, hoping Eren would catch the hint.
"Whatever." Eren replied, stepping through the portal.
Thanatos and Jun in tow, they stepped through to the great city of Eosar.
---
Gate Info:
Name: Eosar
Opening time: Once a week for 3 days.
Danger level: C+
Owners: The council of blue hearts.
Last clear: N/A
Rewards for clear: N/A
Gate closing time: 1D 9H 32M 10S
---
Changing the hustle and bustle of Earth's Tokyo, Ward 8. For the hustle and bustle of Eosar.
The city was in the grips of early summer, air humid, smell of other races created an indiscernible but putrid smell that assaulted the nose.
Many towers of different heights rose to the sky, like tree's reaching for the sun. Yet, the great tower of the city loomed over all. A skyscraper that rivalled anything on earth, its great spire stretched to the clouds and beyond.
"Follow me, I know the way." Thanatos led the two into the streets. Markets selling gear, skills, abilities and even potions lined the walls of the city streets. Many a visitor to the city would be distracted by these, yet the reaper was single minded. Moving with purpose, a man on a mission.
Many hours of travel later. Through putrid smelling alleys and crowded humid market places. They arrived at a far cooler undersection of the city. Vines of luminescent flowers grew from cracks in the stone. Glowing in a vibrant blue that lit up the cavern.
In the wall of the under section was a large arch, a curtain of beads covered the door. The shop was dark, dusty, old. Shelves of jars lined the walls. Artifacts of all shapes and sizes sat on display.
"Jun... don't touch anything." Eren whispered to his apprentice. Who gave a quick, and respectful nod of agreement. Eyes already scanning everything with a look of childlike wonder.
"She is hiding in here somewhere. Try to not to disturb anything." Thanatos spoke. Heading deeper into the shop. Past many a bookcase and ancient artifact.
Eren looked through glass and display cases of the darkened shop. Everything from old books to glowing crystals and more. It was a treasure trove of magic and the arcane. Yet... something caught his eye a round table with a hooded cloak. It was simple and ordinary.
"Come... sit." A creole roll in a woman's voice. From under the hood, two blue eyes glared at the reaper, piercing his soul. Her black skin wrinkled, and her hair grey. A witch, one of many years of experience and a lifetime of wisdom.
"A soul; lost in the sea of the living... You seek purpose, child."
"The witch, Jun go and find Thanatos." Eren ordered.
"A follower, yes... But not for you. They follow an image of what you could be. A false idol." She continued her soothsaying. "You are lost, searching for purpose."
"Do you 'read' all your customers with bullshit psychic nonsense and word salad?" Eren replied coldly.
"Do 'you' always respond to a gift of truth with venom and scorn? Or do you hide a deeper pain. One that can only be soothed with violence." Her words spoke directly into the mind.
Although some truth to the soothsayer's words. It was not enough to sway Eren's annoyance.
"Tell me, boy. What is your name?" She asked.
"I ain't telling you shit. If you are so good at reading people; then tell us what we want to know so we can leave." He replied. Leaning against the bookcase. Eyes scanning the room for Thanatos, hopping to break up whatever nonsense this was.
"You will find love; but your heart will be forever closed." She stated, "It's a shame... One so young should not bear the burden you carry."
"Listen you old hag, I could find your bullshit on some fortune cookies." Eren spoke harshly, growing tired of the old witch's ramblings.
"Come... Child. Your journey has only just begun. There is still time to open your heart." She beckoned, a call to come sit with her.
Angered now, undiscernibly so. He wanted to push the bookcase on top of the old woman and leave. This anger was not from the ring, or from the witch's words. No, it came from a place of frustration and annoyance at the situation at large. Words had power, and right now deep down Eren felt some relatability to the witches' words.
"Madame Laveau. Apologies for his disrespect." Thanatos finally emerged, Jun in tow. Not happy with the vulgarities Eren had unleashed on the wise witch.
"Ahhhh, Thanatos. A Reaper. A goal you seek. One which only I can provide." She said, hopping off the table. Toddling off deeper into the shop. "Follow..."
No bigger than a child; a wonder no one had yet stepped on the lady during her life.
*Clank* *Clack*
Bottles and herbs knocked together as Madame Laveau moved around the cluttered room. This was her place; she knew it well. Using her staff to clear the herbs and bottles, and to feel her way about.
"Are you always this rude to everyone that offers wisdom to you?" Asked Thanatos.
"I don't care; her words are a dime a dozen at some dollar store back on earth." Eren snapped back, not really taking the advice to heart.
"Any respect for your elders, Eren? None at all." He said, sternly.
"Fuck off, I should've killed you already. Now. I'm working to help you get another chance at life. So, spare me any lecture on respect." He snapped back at the large man who had nothing else to add to the conversation.
"Here is your answer, Thanatos." Madame Laveau spoke, her accent rolled of the tongue and into the ear, her speech filled with wisdom and care. With hints of raspy tones and sharpness to every syllable. Placing an ancient piece of papyrus and an empty bottle on the counter, and her hooded face peered out from behind the desk once more. Her piercing blue eyes once again locking in with the Reaper,
"How much?" Thanatos asked.
"You've come for a potion of high price and power... but... No monetary wealth can afford such an item." Her eyes became melancholic at her words, a longing stare peered at the towering man.
"You want a soul." Thanatos became unnerved. Deathly pale as if already sucked of life and vibrance.
Madame Laveau pulled a long pipe. Lighting it with some magic incantation. A glowing ember drifted from the wood tip.
"A soul for a soul, my sweet." A smile returned to her wrinkled face. Her teeth sharp and inhuman. "Make your choice."
"Will this soul be bound to the afterlife?"
"My sweet Thanatos. Does it matter?" She asked with a sly wink.
"...No" Thanatos replied.
With that word; a wisp of purple began to manifest from Thanatos. It drifted gently, and began to solidify into a violet flame. It moved toward the bottle. The purple inferno trapped within the bottle as if it was alive, caged, and tormented at the very thought of confinement.
"Go now, return when your mission is complete." Madame Laveau said, handing the glass bottle over.
Goal: Sever the tie between Isamu and Thanatos
Objectives:
─ Sands of Styx 0/3
─ Essence of life 0/2
─ Shards of the veil 0/100
─ Lih'burne essence 0/10
─ Sweet soul 0/1
"What's a sweet soul?" Eren asked the two. Stepping back into the streets of Eosar as the sky appeared once more. Bright and sunny.
"...Leave that one to me... Please." Thanatos answered coldly. The words were solemn and laced with reluctance. As if this is what the reaper feared since they stepped foot in Madame Laveau's shop.
"What even are these ingredients? They sound arbitrary, like someone couldn't be bothered to think of a creative quest and just made it up on the spot." Eren complained about the stupid naming choices and annoying nature of quests, their arbitrary requirements, and ever-increasing demands of effort.
Thanatos gave Jun a sideways glance of displeasure. That one had to break bad news to a stubborn person.
"What?" Eren asked, noticing the awkward feeling hanging in the air.
"Well. Some of these items... Only drop in certain gates, and are rare rewards."
"Of fucking course." Eren muttered, to the amusement of Jun. Whose smile was met by a dark glare, shutting the former army brat up.
"We can't buy them anywhere?"
"Our choices are either clear gate's where there is a slight drop chance. Or spend days here looking for them, where we might not even find anyone selling. A gamble, that doesn't favour us." The towering Isamu explained.
"Oh, what wonderful fucking luck. Fine let's hope your gods smile on your endeavours. Because right now, you need all the luck you can get."
***
Gate info:
Name: Desert of Saryn
Opening time: 1 Week, Lasts for 7 days.
Owner: The Harpies
Last clear: Two months ago
Clear rewards: Boss drops and riches within the great pyramids of Saryn
Gate closing time: 6D 22H 5M 35S
---
*Clang* *Ding* *Swish* *Clang*
Steel met steel. Sparks flew with each strike, as the clanging noise of battle echoed through the air.
The shadow knights engaged with spiders larger than cars, battling against the 2-meter-tall nightmarish beasts. The spider queen who was Eren's and Jun's first enemy they faced together was now nothing less than a nuisance.
"ARGHHHH" the nightmarish beasts cried in the agony of death. Falling to the ground in a spasm of legs and venom.
"Did she drop it?!" Eren called, keeping distance from the battle as the nights carved through the spider's and the monsters who called these gates home.
"Sorry, Eren... Nothing." Jun rummaged through the corpse but nothing but common gold and mana stones were found.
"Ughhhhhh!" It has been 4 gates now and still they were yet to find a single ingredient for this so-called Separation potion.
Eren was hot, cranky, hair full of sand and sun burned. A fact that Thanatos despite having his executioner next to him found amusing.
These desert gates always had the worst effects on the mind. A harsh blistering sun was one aspect; however, another was the sheer time it took to find these monsters. It always seemed that when they killed a beast that may possess what they were looking for it turned out to have nothing.
They left for the exit. Another one down and yet to even find a single item.
---
"Where is the next one?" Asked Eren trying to clear his head of sand.
"Ward 4... Back home." Jun answered.
"Fine last one for the day then we call it." The reaper said, as the maglev rocked side to side.
"No, we will keep going until-"
"You can keep going. I'm going home to have a shower and get the sand out of my clothes."
"The gates are only open for a limited time and-"
"I don't care. You are welcome to keep hunting; just leave me to relax." Eren replied sternly. He was not in the mood.
"Fine..." Isamu conceded, sitting back down, and looking out the window. He had to pick battles with Eren carefully. After all, a sentence of death already hung on Thanatos.
The train was packed full, so many warriors and ordinary people alike.
Yet... a couple gates ago. The trio picked up a tail. A shadow began to stalk them. An omen of ill tidings was beginning to befall them. Thanatos could sense it.