Path of the Slayer B3 40. Brands & Oaths

“So, you must’ve wondered what new spells I would have after all we gained from the Final Rose and the Diamond Castle,” Merlin said.

“That does spark some curiosity,” I replied.

He placed the children down and shooed them away. When Dinky tried to scamper off, a simple telekinetic spell snatched the little half-gob guard gently and dragged him close to our side.

Then, the telltale spark of spells and magic craft ignited in Merlin’s mind, becoming noticeable and familiar to me. A wave of power washed over me, and before I could question it, I hovered inches into the air. The same happened to Dinky as Merlin brought us skyward, his green eyes aglow.

“I doubled-down on what I already knew. I figured I could work on more advanced versions of plain evocation and telekinetic spells. No advanced versions of the verdant spells, unfortunately, but as long as you still have that thing, I could wait on it.”

He was referring to the Dungeon Core on my person. I barely nodded in response as Merlin took us across the air with his own will.

When asked about the energy cost, he explained that it was considerable. He’d prefer to use the Dragon Gunship more often, but for cases where we wanted to be more discreet, this telekinetic short flight spell did the trick.

I didn’t mind. A smile formed wide on my face as the halcyon rurals and forests blurred underneath us. Small, closely nestled communities looked like pockets of tiny civilizations amid the farmlands and the deep green wilds.

It all looked too peaceful and at ease for the likes of me until the city appeared. Our destination still had a rustic feel compared to even my old home, but it was large enough to be considered a city with most of the surrounding land cleared of woods.

We didn’t hide ourselves, so the guards on the wall were quick to point us out. A crew operating a ballistae launcher turned the weapon in our direction, and as Dinky screamed, I launched forward.

From my pouch, I pulled out an Exquisite Rank 5 bastard sword.

Regardless of the oneness, my Slayer Intent and a few other powers flared.

For a tiny moment, I was a god, and one swing of my sword sounded like thunder and hurricane winds. The ballistae bolt became tiny fragments upon meeting my blade. Then I became one with the lesser plane again and landed amid the guards on the wall.

“Stand down,” I ordered. “I hear you have an issue with the Hatchet Gang. I’m here to help with that.”

“What are you?” one guard asked shakily, spear still raised, but not pointed in my direction.

Before I answered, another guard piped up. “Did High God Baldwin and his office send you? Are you his god-interns?!”

I chuckled. “Sure. I’m whatever you believe. That means you have to listen, right?”

They dropped their weapons and prostrated themselves. I didn’t really care for that treatment, but I needed to cut through the bureaucracy faster somehow.

Landing close, Merlin looked at me smugly. “Seriously, god-interns? Stuff like that makes living in the Realm Verse so funny.”

“Well, we can certainly have a few laughs over beers once we lighten the mood.” I pointed my prosthetic finger at the large stone tower in the middle of the city. “Is that where the leader of the Hatchet Gang is holding up?”

A guard leader raised his head to look where I pointed. Tongue tied, the elf man simply nodded quickly.

I turned to Dinky. “Make sure you get rewarded for this. You’re a hero, Dinky.”

The little guy flinched at my words. Before he could reply, I launched off the wall and fell into the street.

Merlin landed softly with a ripple of spell power next to me. The streets closed in with quaint wood and stone buildings standing two to three stories tall.

The crowds of Rankers, mainly Rank 1s with the occasional Rank 2, moved about with hurry and fear, with many looking at the central tower. Nobody noticed us until we were right on top of them, then even our oneness couldn’t hide our true power, making more than a few locals cry out or fall to their knees as we passed.

It was at the marketplaces where I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes as entire throngs of Rankers stopped to kneel before me and Merlin. I imagined a few squad members would overly enjoy the special treatment.

As for me, I didn’t mind, but it wasn’t all that alluring.

I wanted more power than this.

I wanted Melody to look up to me.

So, when I kicked in the reinforced doors to the city mayor’s tower, the following slaughter felt more workman and impersonal.

Even with oneness and all of my best powers held in check, I moved and killed like a passing whirlwind of blood and sharpened Rank 5 steel. Merlin used the simplest spell in his repertoire: magic bolt. Just one of those splattered half a dozen gang members with ease.

One person stayed my killing hand while clearing a dining hall in the middle of the palace. “What’s a Rank 0 doing with a gang like this?”

Right under my bloody blade, a young man glanced up while on his knees, his head clutched by his hands, awaiting death. With hope glinting in his eyes, he spoke in a hurry.

“There ain’t much living when you’re Rank 0 and thought of as a heretic. Once you stay Rank 0 too long, you get ousted by loved ones and left for dead.”

“Did you rape and murder?” I asked.

He hesitated, and his guilt became open on his face. Sighing, I beheaded him and moved on.

By the time me and Merlin reached the last room, we left a trail of death and gore, all gang members, with the hostages running free and alive to safety outside.

We entered the mayor’s office, and a Rank 5 Suppression struck me.

For the first time in a while, my body locked down completely, and I fell toward my knees. My oneness became my weakness, and for the next few seconds, I fought to free myself while blind to all outcomes.

Then I snapped awake, finding myself folded in a corner, the scent of burnt pig fat and smoked carpet filling my nostrils. My oneness remained, becoming more like the default position now.

My Path Energy was down to 186%, which wasn’t bad at all.

Getting to my feet, I returned to the office and found it was mostly gone. Sitting on the black and ragged edge, Merlin smoked his gold pipe as he watched the city below.

“I saved the city mayor,” he said. “But I ended up smoking his secretary along with the leader of the Hatchet Gang and two others. The negative karma for that is, um, not great.”

I checked myself and noticed a small pebble of bad spiritual debt on top of my soul. Obviously, Doomie was all over it, making it a bigger part of my existential suffering. But I was quick to grow accustomed to that.

I imagined that wasn’t the case for Merlin.

“Did you lose control?” I asked.

Merlin nodded. “The Brand kicked in the moment you got Suppressed. You, uh, became hella important to me. So, even when I was trying to be careful and keep my oneness with this place, I still lost it a little. At least the secretary died quickly. Can’t say the same for the guys on the wall.”

I blinked before taking another look out of the gaping wound. I noticed multiple buildings had their roofs obliterated and blackened. Then, far at the end of the city, a section of the ramparts was missing.

I sighed. “Are you going to be okay?”

“It feels like having a stone on my soul. It’s hella uncomfortable. I don’t think I’ll be okay until after we succeed in the Royal Quest.”

“I didn’t want you to have a Brand like that, Merlin. I don’t know why the System would do that other than…”

“Other than her being a little cruel and tricky? Yeah, well, that’s our God-Queen for you. Honestly, it’s not that bad. And I’m pretty sure this is just further proof of you being the biggest deal. Thumper and I have a bet that you’re secretly the reincarnated ex-lover of the System. Maybe that’s why you have that big secret.”

I opened and closed my mouth. I didn’t think that could be the case. I was a nomad, and my soul belonged to my people.

Still, as much as I’d accepted the System as my ruler, that didn’t take away from her being a dangerous and mischievous creature with the ultimate power across the entire Realm Verse. And we all know she could nudge our reality, affecting anything and anyone within her parameters.

“Okay. Well. Might as well make the most out of this. I’m going to have a quick chat with the mayor,” I said.

“Because of the Rank 0 treatment?” Merlin asked. “Don’t worry. I already did it for you. I even went as far as pushing some policies written on paper for him to hand to the local king. Straight from the god-interns of Baldwin.”

I snorted a little. “You’re really leaning hard into being my wizard, huh?”

Merlin looked back with a smirk and some smoke wafting from his pipe. At that moment, I’d never seen him so mature before.

“Yeah, pretty much. I’m your Wizard Until Death.” He chuckled coolly. “And I Will Know The Best.”

Later in the evening, the rest of the squad trickled into a tavern me and Merlin chose as our spot in the big city. There were large platters of food set on multiple tables and huge tankards of drink. The best they could produce was Rank 2 stuff, but the city mayor donated some of his Rank 3 wines to sweeten the reward.

Crowds of Rankers gathered outside as the Pathwalkers congregated indoors. I saw it on all of my juniors’ faces – satisfaction of a job well done even with the slight discomfort of negative karma. Noodles seemed to handle it the best with how she had the biggest smile on her still-bloody face.

“I ate baddie hearts and saved a town, but the System’s punishing me! I don’t like that,” Grimmy grouched.

Chuckling, I stood on a table as everyone looked up to me. “True strength is being able to act with or even against the System. That’s how I could beat the Nemesis even when it should’ve been impossible.”

That wiped the frown off the half-goblin’s face right away. Now she was all smiles.

“I’m glad I could help save lives,” Marnarka said.

“When I finished with my town, I ran over to check on Weaver. And I saw him playing with the Rank 0 children.” Velira hid her smile behind her hand while her beau shot her a venomous glare.

The drider harrumphed. “The criminal lowlives were holding up a nursery school, so clearly I was in a position where those hatchlings could assault my person. What choice did I have when I was maintaining oneness?”

“I got to hold a baby, and they’re so cute and squishy! Like soft potatoes!” Redfang cheered.

“I think I want to be a dad one day,” Brug said, shifting the mood. Everyone looked at him as his eyes seemed to take on a different light. “Yeah … that’s what I’ll do after the Royal Quest. I’ll push to become a Veteran. Take all that credit somewhere nice. And raise a family.”

“I was thinking the same,” Marnarka murmured.

“Me too,” Redfang yipped.

Velira and Weaver shared a meaningful look.

“I would like to teach children,” Kroker said. “To mold the youth to become greater than ourselves and understand their place in the hoard of the God-Dragoness.”

For once, I didn’t know what to say. The topic was almost too mature for me. It spoke of a future that was happy, peaceful, and filled with more humble aspirations. A future that I could’ve chosen a long time ago.

“Not me,” Grimmy said, shifting the mood again. “I want to be like Elder Arden! Climbing further upward. I’ll become a Veteran, a Demigod, a God, High God, and even a Primordial! I’ll be so strong, you’ll all be so scared of me!”

“Hell yeah! That’s the way, knifey pal! Nyah!” Noodles cheered.

“Strangely, I share Grimmy and Noodles’ sentiment. I don’t see myself becoming a family woman. I see myself becoming a Goddess at the very least with a legion of worshipers.” Syleth hissed softly, sipping from a wine. “This little excursion of ours made me realize I enjoy the worship. I enjoy the mortals laying themselves before me. I even enjoy the occasional sacrifice.”

“Then you’ll have to keep climbing ever higher, even if it means facing death and danger,” Merlin said wisely.

Syleth nodded. “Yes, of course.”

“What’s on your mind, Arden?” Thumper asked.

It didn’t dodge my attention that Thumper had withdrawn into himself more even with his real face out. As I remained standing on the main table, I realized I still didn’t know what to say.

Taking my time, I took a goblet from the table and drank the weak alcohol, finding it unsatisfactory. I ripped a turkey leg out of the whole meat, took a bite, and came away dissatisfied as well.

Oneness attuned us to our surroundings. But once we took in something that our souls desired, it was easy to remind ourselves that our true selves were much grander than this.

“I want … to cook you all a feast,” I said. “I’d never cooked seriously before. But it’s been something I wanted to learn while making my bloody way upward.”

Ignoring the frank looks of surprise and amusement, I jumped down and turned in the direction I needed to go next. “Merlin. Thumper. It’s about time I checked on that thing of mine.”

They nodded in understanding. I nodded in return before looking at the Veterans in the corner. “I’ll be back. I have something personal that needs to be completed.”

Veteran Sharia narrowed her eyes, but Veteran Zez was quick to bow in acceptance. I strode out while leaving my juniors confused, not wasting time to explain my personal business. One junior didn’t take the hint to leave me be and ran out to catch me outside in front of a crowd.

“Can I come?” Grimmy begged.

“It’s personal,” I said firmly.

She knelt down and raised a hand. “I give myself to Arden the Nomad. I swear complete fealty and will ask the System to stop my heart for any betrayal.”

A groan escaped me as a few notifications arrived in my System Logs. What the hell?

[Congrats! You have the opportunity for the System to apply a Brand to Grimmy, Epic Level 100 Path of the Little Fighter. Do you accept? Yes? No?]

[This one in particular can’t be forced by me because of the Oath in her soul, or I would’ve done it already. So, I must ask that you accept. I know this makes you uncomfortable, but know this, what I’m doing will help you and your friends in the long run.]

“No!” I snarled.

I could only accept so many plots and twists from those above me, including my God-Queen. She should know not to push me this far! She should know!

Without another word, I turned away sharply. My oneness with the world became fragile, and my natural power leaked out a little, scaring away the crowds, the guards, and even the curious adventurers. To them, I probably looked like doom and damnation, and that was fine. Their fear of me was healthy, I supposed.

Yet, one person refused to fear. She did the opposite.

I made it as far down as the street corner when Grimmy’s defiance of good sense went further beyond.

“You’ve fed me tasty food. You’ve defended me when others looked down upon me. You’ve shown me nothing but kindness and shared your wealth with me when I have done little of anything for you. You even fought two Nemeses and allowed me to watch and learn from you! If everything you’ve done for me isn’t proof that you are the most deserving, then the Realm Verse is wronging you, and I shall not stand for it!”

I froze.

So did everyone else who was in the middle of running away.

An unfathomable power pressed upon us. But it wasn’t coming from the Realm Verse. It was coming from Grimmy, and it was godly and soulful and irresistible.

It was a power like none I’d felt before, and somehow, it made me turn fully around and bear witness. The crowd held witness with me as the little half-goblin girl clad in heavy knight armor raised her greatsword.

Golden light streamed out from her instead of coming down from the heavens. It was a glimpse of the true divinity, a light from the core of her soul, granting all visions of the powerful Goddess she was destined to be.

“If nobody else will, then I shall swear this on my soul! I’LL HONOR MY MASTER!”

Just like that, Grimmy had two Oaths.

***

Grimmy’s major power gain:

[Congratulations, Pathwalker! You’ve acquired an Oath: I’LL HONOR MY MASTER!]

[I’LL HONOR MY MASTER: Level 101 (Legendary): If there was ever a competition for number one sidekick, you’re making yourself a top contender with this one, and I wasn’t even expecting it. If I did, I wouldn’t have pissed off our special guy. Statistically speaking, having two Oaths is one of the most impossible feats in the entire Realm Verse. If that isn’t crazy already, this Oath works more like a PASSIVE. I still recommend saying your Epiphany with this to reaffirm its power as needed, but it’s fairly persistent as long as you act honorably for the sake of your master: Arden the Nomad. Thus, you’ll have your soul, your energy, your warrior attributes, and your combative powers boosted beyond what’s expected of you.] [Cost: 0%].