[Voidknight Ascension] Chapter 244 – Finders Keepers

The first thing that resolved in Sam’s hazy vision was Raiko’s worried face. Her violet eyes drew him in with the promise of safety. The shock of killing another man, the disorientation from the Remnants’ transportation, and the pain piercing through his torso was too much to bear.

Sam slumped into Raiko’s open arms.

“Sam!” Komachi cried. “I healed him, but…”

“Oh, the weapon,” Raiko said, full of sympathy. “It’s still in his back.”

“Machi didn’t know!” she wailed. “He got hurt, so I tried to heal him!”

“It’s not your fault,” Raiko told Komachi gently.

He felt himself being lowered to the ground on his side.

Raiko uncorked a green potion and poured the bracing liquid onto him. “I’m sorry, Sam. This is going to hurt. Maybe less with this.”

The weapon being pulled out hurt quite a bit. Though not as much as his feverish mind was expecting.

It was actually a relief to not be stabbed through anymore, with his muscles and bones healed wrongly around the weapon embedded in his body.

The pain that had lanced through his side became little more than a dull ache. He looked up, fully expecting to see Raiko again.

Instead, it was the Empress, slumped against a stack of books. He was within the nexus core again. The Dead Echo.

“Wasn’t I meditating? That was uncomfortable,” she mumbled, looking at her red stained hands. Rikard’s weapon was discarded on the ground, coated in his blood.

Boiling monster essence flowed across her hands, and the stains evaporated.

“How are you feeling?” Zarishna asked him, striding over.

Sam’s memories were a haze, but one crystallized moment stood clear in his mind’s eye. He didn’t shy away from what he did.

He didn’t know if he could accept what he did, but he could not–would not–deny that he did kill a man.

At least it wasn’t in cold blood, he thought to himself, desperately searching for a silver lining.

Rikard had been the first man he ever killed. It wasn’t as if the guy didn’t deserve it. He had tried to run Sam through when his back was turned.

But he wondered if he had wanted to kill him.

If some small part of his mind knew that knocking people out was a fool’s errand that he would be better off–not to mention safer–if he just killed each and every one of them.

Knocking them unconscious took a great deal more skill and effort. Sam could have easily caved in their faces with the flats of his large swords or simply broken their necks. It would have been all too easy.

He even had to pull back his punches, making sure not to swing from the hips so he didn’t kill them with his prodigious Strength.

Rikard was the only one who posed any real challenge, and even then he had only gotten to Sam because he was otherwise busy.

Where was that awareness of other people then? He couldn’t help but wonder where that strange sense had gone.

Sam pulled himself back to the present. “Been better,” Sam admitted. “Thanks for pulling Rikard’s sword out of me.”

Zarishna glanced at Komachi, visibly unsure how to deal with her. The cat was grooming her leg excessively, dealing with stress and guilt.

Sam reached over and pulled Komachi into his lap as he sat up. “Thanks for taking care of me, Komachi.”

“I’m sorry, Sam.” Komachi looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

He petted her with both hands, running them down her head, across her back, and up her tail one after the other without end.

“Things happen,” Sam said. “Though I can’t say I remember what happened with the Lumanot. It’s all a bit of a blur after the fight.”

Zarishna leaned in. “Did I hear you right? Rikard? General Rikard?”

Sam looked up at her. “Yeah, why?”

“Originally, the first Lumanot that the Empire ever lost was because of that man. He was a traitor of the highest caliber. Him and his entire family were put to the sword by the seventh Emperor, but the tenuous evidence caused a rift in the court and people feared that the Emperor truly did it out of concern for Rikard’s growing popularity among the troops.”

“Nah,” Sam said, trying to shake the surprised and horrified image of Rikard’s expression from his mind. Or the horrible SHINK! sound as his blades cut the man down. “He was definitely guilty.”

Zarishna frowned thoughtfully.

“Is it just me, or is it brighter in here?” Sam asked, looking around.

The room was considerably brighter than before. Still dim by standard comparison, but not nearly as dark and oppressive as it had once been.

“You returned the first Lumanot to the ruins,” Zarishna said, barely concealing her smile. “And a second appeared as well.”

Sam’s brow furrowed. “How?”

“Because you changed events, and for the better,” Zarishna explained. “Recall that I said ‘originally’ because that is not the events that transpired after your foray into the Seventh Age of the Empire. Originally, Rikard and his family were slain by the seventh Emperor, the rift caused yet more attempts on the Imperial family’s life, and another Lumanot was stolen.”

“But he did do it,” Sam protested.

“What the Empire found instead was a headless Rikard and signs of a fight. Without any traces of the Lumanot on his body, he was hailed as a hero for trying to stop the thieves, and his family was honored for generations. The troops thought he was a martyr and became even more resilient to the rebels’ insinuations, shutting down several further schemes throughout the Eight, Tenth, and Twelfth Ages all because each soldier grew up on stories of Martyr Rikard’s tireless faith in the Empire.”

“Dang,” Komachi said, beginning to return to better spirits. “They thought he was a hero, even though he was actually a traitor!”

Sam chuckled darkly. “In the end, killing him saved more lives.” It wasn’t exactly a weight off his shoulders, but it made him feel a little less like a bastard for killing the guy. Rikard’s family probably had no idea what he was doing. Sparing them seemed like the best outcome possible.

“It certainly did,” Zarishna said with astonishment. “Suddenly there was a little less darkness in the Empire’s past.”

“Sam got a twofer!” Komachi said excitedly. “How many more?”

“It was five total, so I guess we’re down to three,” Sam told her, straining to get up and then deciding it was best to stay seated. “It’s hard adjusting to the lack of time again.”

He felt like he was buzzing with energy and the whole world was shutting him out. A stark difference to entering the flow of time when he was so used to being still.

“It might be best if I went immediately,” Sam said. He didn’t really believe that, but he couldn’t stay still. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Rikard’s horrified expression. He didn’t think the Empress would be keen on furthering his training, and he certainly didn’t want to wait around and continue to relive those gruesome moments when he claimed Rikard’s life.

You got a sword out of it though, a pragmatic voice told him. A sidesword no less. Exactly what you wanted.

“I wonder where you will appear in history next,” Zarishna said, looking over at the control panels. “Are you sure you’re ready?”

“Probably some other bloody conflict where another Lumanot was taken,” Sam said. “It seems like, according to the people that live in that time, the events play out roughly the same: a Lumanot is lost. Only the how changes.” Sam shrugged. “And of course, the fact that we have the Lumanot now. It doesn’t change history too much, though I guess Rikard’s death disproves that.”

Zarishna picked up Rikard’s sword and tried to boil off the blood with the same monster essence she had used to clean her hands.

To her great surprise, the blood remained, staining the blade. In fact, the more she tried to get rid of it, the more it seeped in until the entire blade turned a deep crimson hue.

Sam looked over. “What’re you doing? I was planning on using that sword!”

Zarishna’s eyes widened with surprise. “It is clearly yours! I was only trying to burn away the blood, and yet it has transformed into a weapon of remarkable might.” The blade began to tremble in her gauntlet. “In fact, I can’t…”

The blade clattered to the ground. Zarishna grasped the wrist of her hand, locked into a half-clenched position.

“Can’t what?” Sam said, getting to his feet slowly.

“I can’t hold it,” she admitted. “Not without paralysis and pain. I don’t meet the requirements to wield the weapon. To apparently even handle it.” She looked up from the sword on the ground to Sam. “Because the blade is only meant for your hands now.”

Komachi gave it some tentative sniffs, then spooked and bolted to hide behind Sam.

Sam looked at her. “What’s it smell like?”

“Spicy!”

Sam had to admit it did look a little spicy. The blade was stained red and reminded him of flamin’ hot cheetos, one of his favorite snacks.

Picking it up, Sam examined the weapon, his eyes going wide at the power this ancient weapon now contained.

Technically, it was a piece of history.

[Bloodbane]

(Sword) (F-Class)

(Relic) (★★☆ Limited)

Enhancements

Slashing Damage V | Swing Speed V

Piercing Damage V

Blood Damage X | Void Damage X

Imbuements

Blood Mana X

Void Mana X

Deathly Mana V

Once the treasured heirloom of the Rikard family, presumed lost during Gebalt Rikard’s famous last stand against the rebels that threatened the Empire of the Seventh Age. Seeped in your blood for untold centuries, tainted by Void mana, carried alongside the countervailing purity of a Lumanot, and its overwhelming powers sealed by exposure to a Dead Echo, this blade has become something far more than what it once was.

Combining the antithetical properties of Blood and Void mana sealed within a Dead Echo to prevent catastrophic dissolution has produced a unique mana combination of utter stillness: Deathly mana. This mana is unique to you only while wielding this weapon.

As a Relic, what you do with it will shape its progress. Its power will scale alongside your own. Relics gain power and Experience through use in battle, and can be further upgraded by consuming rarefied materials.

(F-Class Skill) [Recall]: Focusing on your innate connection to this weapon, you can recall it to your side from nearly any location provided you are within one mile.

(Copper Trait): Range extended to any given Skyshard or location such as a Dungeon.

(Tin Trait): Range further extended to the same plane of existence. Enemies in the way of your recalled blade take bonus Blood damage.

(F-Class Skill) [Siphon] Utilizing Blood mana, you can draw out a portion of your enemy’s HP to restore your own.

(Copper Trait): Utilizing Void mana, you can destroy a portion of an enemy’s Blood mana instead of siphoning it, dealing greater damage.

(Tin Trait): Deathly mana grants you the ability to seal siphoned HP into [Blood Gems].

Requires: Samuel Hunter

Sam didn’t know what some of the things on the weapon did, but he was eager to test them out. It seemed like it was now tethered to his very blood and therefore impossible to steal.

At least, not without a hefty dose of his blood, which he doubted anybody would willingly get from him.

Well, Hunter, you’ve got your sidesword now.

He looked over at the Empress. “I don’t suppose you have a–”

She held up a sword belt with one finger. “Figured you might want one.”

Sam took it graciously and strapped it on. He felt a little ridiculous having three swords now, but at least one of them would be impossible to lose or have stolen.

Considering his track record for breaking or losing his weapons, it was very likely that Sam would be left with nothing but the longsword.

The Empress looked away from him.

“Don’t like the new look?” Sam asked. He fingered the rent in his armor where the sword emerged from one side and out the other.

“It’s not that,” she said, not meeting his eyes. “You just look so much like my husband.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

Sam’s first instinct was to get the hell out of there now that it had crossed into awkward territory, but he resisted the childish urge. Instead, he turned to Zarishna. “Tell me about him.”

The pain in her eyes was evident, but she gave him a tight little smile in return. “It will not aid you in your quest.”

“Humor me.”

Zarishna studied Sam’s face for a long moment as she thought about his request. She finally made up her mind with a derisive snort. “He is a fierce, courageous, outrageously handsome man who cares deeply for his own people. And for me, even when I was an Alchemist of little renown. He has a talent for spotting skill. Even on the battlefield, he was ever able to pick out those who he might turn to our side.”

She shook her head. “There is, however, one key difference between you two.”

Sam quirked a brow. “Yeah?”

“He always managed to find an excuse to have his chest or abs showing,” she said, with a faint hint of amusement. “No matter what outfit he wore, somehow they were always on display, almost as if he was challenging anybody to strike him there.”

“And did they?” Sam couldn’t help but ask.

“Oh yes,” Zarishna said huskily. “They all tried and failed.”

Komachi looked up at Sam’s armored chest with curiosity. “Beefy abs?”

“Let’s move on from the abs,” Sam said, trying to keep the conversation out of murky waters that he had no desire to wade in.

“Very well.” She sounded a little put out. “You and he have a lot in common. Unsurprising, considering you are both War Incarnates. His prowess on the battlefield was second-to-none, and he was beloved by the people because he never sat on a throne and issued edicts. He walked among the people, fought on the front lines, and made sure the Empire worked. Somehow, throughout all that…he always found time for those he cared for.”

Komachi shuffled her paws nervously. “Two War Incarnates? Does that mean…you’re the Emperor, Sam?”

“They do have the same eyes,” Zarishna said with a laugh. “But no, Sam is much too small.”

Komachi wasn’t convinced.

Should’ve just hopped on the teleporter, Sam thought, though he had to admit that the Empress looked considerably happier after sharing.

He settled onto a pillow nearby. “Tell me more about your home.”

Zarishna’s smile could have replaced the sun.