15 Bargain☆

~in Jin's room~

The pale looking Jin slept peacefully on his bed. Ra couldn't help but overlook the two deities in the room as he immediately sat at Jin's bedside, he looked at him with eyes of worry.

Vex and Aka looked at one another as they saw Ra's actions.

"We've come to make a deal with you."

It wasn't clear for Ra as to who said that. He heard it, but his attention was all on the young man who saved him. He looked at his pale face, though it was not deadly pale anymore, still the paleness of his skin was worrisome. He noticed that his body sweats continuously as he struggled in his sleep. Also, his life force was still quite weak.

He sighed as he looked at this frail and barely alive man, the prowess he showed earlier on paled in comparison to the state he was currently in.

"We've come to make a deal with you." Aka said again. She noticed the tiredness in his gaze.

Unexpectedly, even though Ra was tired, he suddenly exuded an icy air as his brows furrowed after hearing Aka. "Do you really think you have the right to make a deal with this prince?" he replied with a hint of scorn, he didn't even look at them. But he could not deny, Jin seemed better than earlier on.

"We both want to keep him safe." Vex said apathetically. "We are the only ones that can help him. Could you really afford to treat us in this manner and expect us to help him--- as someone who is acting as Jin's guardian, is this the right decision?"

Ra clenched his fists. He then looked at the two sisters, both were standing like unmovable mountains. "Speak." he conceded as his words sounded like a whisper with a hint of his controlled anger.

Vex looked at Aka and nodded. Aka then walked towards Ra. "We will stay."

"Aren't you already staying?" he remarked questioningly.

"Let me finish." Aka seemed unfazed and calm but her words became raspy as she spoke, "He will not wake up for a long time. He used his lifespan in exchange for a chance at saving you."

Ra made a face as if to say he did not understand, one can even see a hint of disbelief in his eyes.

Vex understood this, she opted to continue Aka's explanation to him noticing her sister's gaze at her, "Listen well, the twin swords he used aren't just weapons, they resonate with the soul. Those weapons need a soul of a deities' caliber to withstand its enormous power. It devours power in exchange for its power. Since we are deities, we have a limitless amount of power."

Vex stared at Aka, she knew that her sister didn't want to hear what she was going to say next. They both knew the price that was payed. But not explaining will bring trouble to this bargain they were offering Ra.

"Jin lost 3-5 years of his life span in order to protect you. That is the power he exchanged with the twin swords. He wasn't really powerful to begin with, he bargained with the sword so that it may lend him its power. The twin swords are special weapons. They were made by an upright deity that died long ago because of his own weakness."

Ra's eyes constricted. 'A deity that died? A life exchange?'

Regardless of the questions visibly seen on Ra's face, she did not stop, "Those swords can only be wielded by someone whose soul had ~integrity~ as one of their main outlooks and beliefs in life. Jin is most definitely a rare breed. But, the price he payed was just as high. He won't wake up for a year or two."

Ra was alarmed that he could not help but question what he heard, "WHAT?!"

"You heard clearly..." she spoke as she gazed at her sister's distressed look, she then proceeded to explain this phenomenon, " His soul needs to be repaired so he won't wake up. You could liken it to hibernation. The state he is in is quite perilous because in this state he will be in between the line of the living and dead. I don't understand why he saved a man like you, willing to pay such a heavy price...

His body will naturally enchant soul piercers[1]. Some humans, piercers to be quite exact, would want to eat such a spectacle like him. His body can offer them limitless potential if they eat him at this state...

Naturally, if we took him with us, he would be safe. But we cannot decide for him. His trust, this trust... we are willing to trust in it as well."

Ra closed his eyes and sighed. He breathed in deeply and remain quiet after his abrupt reaction.

Vex noticed the crease on his forehead, "Let us stay until he wakes up and in exchange we will help his body heal. He cannot eat nor drink in this state. We will feed him with our spirit. We're the only ones who could help him."

"What if I say no?" he said as if to test the waters of this so called deal. He knew well enough that the possibilty of soul piercers itself was danger for his whole territory.

Aka brushed her lips unto one another, she replied with a sense of melancholy, "He'll die within a week."

"Ha! A deal? More like you just informed me of an inevitable predicament wherein I cannot do anything..."

"His life is in your hands. It's up to you if you will let us stay."

"Then tell me..." he eyed Vex and Aka, "Why would you willingly help him?"

Aka and Vex had another eye contact. Vex looked to her right as if to indicate that this should come from Aka and that she was no longer part of this talk. She also looked at the door, she realized her other sister was nowhere to be seen.

Aka peered down, "He is the only one who has an idea as to where our disciple is. That disciple of ours is like our very own child. We can't let go of the information he can give us. But he risked his life for you, so we also can't take him with us. He seems to be fond of you.

When he wakes up, he cannot be agitated, he'll easily get sick and die. The state he is in may seem like he is an ocean with no repercussions whatsoever, but any extreme emotion after waking up is as lethal as a sword piercing any of his vital points. It would also seem that he really fares well with you, meaning, you are the person he will personally look for when he wakes up..."

"And?"

"We can only help him til he wakes up, but the human will has been frail and weak like its body. All will be up to you. In other words, your existence could help him get better after waking up. Since he trusted you." she said grimly with a grim expression.

"Me?"

"Yes, you. We wished it weren't so. But that is the case."

Ra snickered, "Fine. Leave, for now. I'll watch over him. I'll leave him to you after an hour."

Xen and Aka went out, not replying, but their tacit agreement with him could be seen through their actions.

When they were outside the room, Vex asked Aka, "Where is Xen? Why wasn't she with Ra?"

Aka also pondered on this question, until they heard footsteps.

They looked towards the path that leads to Ra's room, there they saw their sister walking towards them, it's just that she had this particular look that easily caught their attention. When she was finally just a few yards away, Vex spoke in a clear and well modulated manner, "Where have you been? What's with the face, Xen?"

She eyed them suspiciously, as if looking for something that she wanted to kill. "Where is he?"

"Inside." Aka said.

She looked at the door, and then at her two sisters. There was this heaviness as she spoke, "There's something I need to tell you..." The dark aura on Xen brought about a deep foreboding for the two sisters.

~Egon's Botanischer Garten[2]~

Egon carried Prime until they reached a narrow path between a mountain cliff and a river. The path was filled with rocks that had runic inscriptions. After passing this narrow path, what would come to view was a very harmonic eden like place.

To the right was the clear ebbing river. It made a pleasant sound which when one hears, it soothes one's soul. Not only that, at the riverbank, echoes of sirens singing could be heard. There was also the sound of celestial spirits prancing atop the water.

On the left side one can see a mountain with a lush forest, celestial beasts roaming freely. The dazzling light that passed through the shades created an ethereal forest. The jungle that held more danger than a mortals' jungle held this unknown peace. The wind that passed by would create soft and gentle rustling sounds.

At the bottom of the mountain was a rainbow colored meadow which was followed by a botanical garden where there were rows upon rows of different medicinal and poisonous plants which looked like an otherworldly untouched land.

He placed Prime on a patch of violet grass, the scent one catches from these grass could ease the tension of ones nerves. This helped Prime continue her sleep.

Egon walked towards the river, mermaids could be seen swimming up from the depths of the river.

"der Heiler[3]"

"Mmmm."

Egon washed his hands and then washed his face.

One of the mermaids whose hair was in a waterfall braid that was set like a crown on her head came near the shore, near Egon. "der Heiler, we beseech your help."

Egon looked towards them inquisitively. "Speak, Nike."

Nike spoke with a hint of disgust, "A traitor is amongst us. The traitor taught mortals to eat the flesh of us sirens, no, not just sirens, of deities and celestial creatures."

Egon squinted his eyes when he heard this, he could not help but look at Prime. Nike also looked at Prime. "They know... of her existence... they are trying to..."

"Trying?"

Nike hesitated whether to speak or not at first, but his question pushed her to relay the message of her injured comrade, "Kara returned from the mortal realm. She was supposedly to watch over a lake, but suddenly, they hunted her. In her escape, she shapeshifted into a human and she stayed in the forest, she risked staying atop the trees of the hunters camp to gain understanding for such vicious attacks."

Egon was becoming impatient, anything that had anything to do with Prime was a matter he took seriously. "Get to the point, Nike."

"They're called Soul Piercers. They eat pieces of our soul and absorb them." as she stopped, one can see her fists clenching, the mermaids with her also radiated immense anger. "They're hunting our young, because older deities have the capabilities to seal off our power or to send our soul out of our physical body. They haven't benefitted much from killing the older deities, it's because of your friend, he taught those mortals how to kill us." a hint of aggression could be heard when she said the word friend. She continued with unadulterated disgust, "He also allowed his woman to eat him. That was the reason we couldn't find his corpse, it explained a lot as to why it took a while before Prime was born."

Egon's jaw became prominent as he tried to constrain his anger, "That fool..."

"She..." she averted Egon's gaze, afterwards she looked at Prime as she relayed the information she knew, "She knows about... her..."

The wind suddenly became cold, the mermaids were afraid to look at Egon when suddenly they heard a shout, "How!? How does she know!?"

They all looked towards the source of the voice, it was Micaheil. Micah and Lucien had a deadly aura about them, the same aura that Egon had.

"General..." Nike whispered under her breath. She looked down, afraid to look at Micah.

"Speak!" Micah shouted, it reverberated in the whole expanse.

"She... she feels her. The young one has a piece of his soul..."

The look in Egon and Lucien's eyes widened, they eyed Nike suspiciously.

"I'm not lying." she said sheepishly.

Egon gazed towards Micah and their eyes met. Micah had clenched her fists all throughout the time she found out about her sister's predicament.

"She said that the girl is special, she has a piece of some deities' soul. She is your sister, but also his sister."

Micaheil's eyes constricted. "But... that's..."

A giggle was suddenly heard which broke the immense silence that had built up. "My general, it seems I have grievously forgotten to tell you something about Prime..."

Everybody present either kneeled or bowed and said in unison, "Lady Iroko."

"Stand." she said amicably. Iroko wore something similar to a sleeveless white top. On top of this is a black see through tunic that had a three-fourths sleeve, her skirt's length passed her knees and the embroidery on it was exquisite. Other than that, on her waist was a black belt. She had a very relaxed look. She also wore gladiator sandals that emphasized her dainty ankles.

She looked like a girl beginning to enter womanhood. She had phoenix eyes which had violet pupils, her nose was petite and straight, her lips were of pinkish color, while her cheeks was quite ruddy, not only that, she had quite an adorable looking pair of ears, her neck was aesthetically pleasing. Overall, she was a beautiful girl, very beautiful.

Her physique was lean, but all the deities present knew, her feminine body hid all the strength of a goddess equal to that of the Lord. They couldn't hide the sense of relief they felt when she arrived for they may have authorities as deities, but they knew that actions should be measured in a just, fair, and equal manner. This matter was too slippery and fishy, one couldn't act presumptuously. Having the Lady to judge made the predicament more lax.

"Your sister, she asked permission from me."

Micah's brows furrowed at her words.

She continued her talk, "No..., more like she made a deal..." she smirked as she remembered Prime's action and continued, "with me... to ensure her soul's survival."

"Lady!" A sweet voice shouted and soon a young girl smaller than the Lady ran towards her and hugged her. The Lady only smiled and hugged her back. As the little girl faced the deities, the Lady mouthed something that nobody else had seen.

[1] Soul Piercers: Humans who can devour pieces of the soul once they eat a part of a human or deities' body. They gain power from such acts, but they must first lure the physical body into a place with rune seals.

[2] Egon's Botanischer Garten: This garden has all the medicinal and poisonous plants in the world, and even celestial creatures live here. Technically, it really isn't a garden, more like an untouched natural work of nature. Egon was the one assigned to watch over this place. This garden was inspired by the Celtic Symbol, Awen. The top view showed that the three points at the entrance of the cliff, was like the Awen, and they all spread out:

Left-the mountain

Middle- the herbal garden

Right- the river.

The middle part was conic in shape.

[3] der Heiler (Healer): Though Egon is a soldier deity, he is most known as the deity that heals anyone of any illness.