Chapter 67: Peace before ruin

[Broken sword]

Item description: Pursued by flying warriors, the fallen knight flee into the unknown ruins. Only to meet an ancient sage sealed in ravaged chamber. Giving him a broken gift of his former glory.

After discovering it's hidden power, Aizra added new lines of texts.

Enchantment: This sword are lost for millennium and found by none. Those who learned of its existence are worthy as its Master. To see is to wield this inconspicuous blade.

Aizra's poetic habit tends to make simple descriptions vague for the sake of literature beauty. The sword enchantments in summary, are being invisible in the sight of others, with the exception of its wielder, Zyro.

Which is a bliss to be thankful for. To someone who's life are full of danger in a land surrounded by gluttonous beasts. Most living beings heavily rely on eyesight to perceive the world, therefore, Zyro's future opponents were mostly not blind. Having an invisible blade against such adversity are a given advantage already. For they will be oblivious about its length and width, while helplessly guessing where the blade truly are.

'Relatively fantastical world, aliens. I mean, inhumane people's, system and now a magical sword. Hmm, with all that, I'm finally feeling I'm in a otherworldly adventure like in those books.'

Although, Broken Sword was an accidental product of prolonged exposure inside Depter seal. And wasn't truly forged by enchanters. Zyro was happy to have it, nevertheless.

After a while, the dou was done erasing lingering evidence of their committed murder, resulting the poor Blinker's life. The Shroud of Night's flown plating bits that been scattered by the explosion was all collected by Pert. Although, Zyro doesn't have the necessary tools to fix the intricate armor. Hiding it's loss fragments is a must, albeit, rarely, Grickish scouts still wandered around the forest in search for the Fallen Knight. If let alone and was founded by scouting Gricks, those dark metallic scraps can serve as clue to guide the Gricks search towards the nearby Mine. Bringing with it additional trouble that might hinder their plan. The two won't take the risks.

As for their victim corpse, of course, such obvious source of suspicion are needed to be removed. Being near their burrow, it may reveal their hidden scape path.

However, they had nowhere to hide the Blinker carcass. Except into the secreted exit tunnel. The problem is, it's passage size was too small for the monster body to fit. So, Zyro lend his axe to Pert to butchered the Blinker to smaller pieces. Fortunately, the dead monster remain wasn't that big. It's body relatively skinny structure favored them when cutting it. Allowing them to minimize the numbers of cuts needed for the job to be done.

Penetrating it's skin and flesh was a real hussle. Taking Pert a few hours, despite his target being dead to finish severing and dragging the Blinker's remains through the tunnel. Before covering trails of blood with soils.

It's a shame they can't obtain the Blinker bounty due to their status as slaves. Their position were the lowest in society, to the point that the likes of them don't even have the luxury of being treated as normal citizens. Hence, if they claimed slaying the legendary beast with undeniable evidence - the corpse to back them up. And ask for the Mine aid to claim their reward.

Without strength or respectable status, no one would believe them. The beast were slayed by Zyro's trick, not might. Pert was an Alpha, so as several of Mine guards.

Eventually, the one who holds power will decide what's true. The Mine owner, Boss Boru. Having loss numerous workers in the Blinker's maw might view this as an opportunity to salvage his financial loss. Leading him to rob their kill, and claim the bounty for himself.

The least they could receive from what rightfully belongs to them was tiny scraps.

'Like hell I'll feed that fat mustard.'

Pert are defiant, as well.

So, instead of going through multiple troubles of surrending the Blinker corpse to obtain little rewards. They rather keep it for themselves, and moved on their plan.

However, they can't actually do anything with it. Eating the Blinker meat was a gamble, for no one knew it's taste and edibility.

Resting in the secret stone chamber where the burrow ended, after a long day of work. The two stare at the Blinker dismembered parts, piled onto each other. Musty smell of blood drowned the room, making breathing unpleasant.

"How about we go outside" Zyro suggested.

The young Aster, sweating profusely after handling the task of dismantling and dragging the corpse here tiredly nodded.

"Good idea, let's have some fresh air outside. But before that, what are we going to do with the corpse? It's going to stink after a few days."

Zyro thought, and remembered Pert's useless pet. The slime he named Cat for the fun of it.

After se thinking, Zyro said with mixed sarcasm.

"Say, Cat consume anything right? Why don't we made that powerful pet of yours devour that mess."

"Ah, Now that you mentioned it, I haven't feed it recently because of all this problems. Cat must be starving, so let's go with that."

With the Blinker dead, the Mine that was in the verge of falling suddenly return to it's former glory. For the following days, none of the guards disappeared nor died. They were suspicious at first, thinking the monster was resting for a big hunt to come. However, their dread was wasted when nights past in peace.

A week devoid of harm from the legendary beast was enough to convinced them that the danger has left. Lifting accumulated weights over everyone's shoulders, along the brewing distresses in the protectors minds.

Slowly but surely, internal disputes subsides. Without fear clouding their minds, the guards dissatisfaction was settled rationally. Giving way for the crumbling order to be restored. But not for Boss Boru's bleeding wallet. The goods delay brought anticipated reinforcements to check the Mine condition. However, founding nothing wrong or solid proof of the Blinker involvement. The owner was forced to compensate them for the trouble. That, and considerable loss of soldiers and slaves had costed plenty of pennies.

Nevertheless, everything returned to normal. When the monster disappearance are absolutely confirmed. The boss fear of lossing more profit was extinguish, letting him set the caravan to deliver mined magic ores towards the Vampire village.

However, Pert was the only one who accompanied the carriages to trade supplies. For Zyro's was not in the suitable condition to come along.

Waking up within the mine, dimly lit by dancing flames from clinging torches. Zyro's felt sick, partially due to his loss of blood and partially because of his injured ribs taking it's toll. But more than that, his body didn't feel right since slaying the infamous beast and receiving those ominous dark smokes.

Aizra, who share his perceptions reported unnatural shifts within his body. She nested in Zyro's mind, allowing her to monitor part of his internals through observable brain reactions when at work. Zyro's body functions that had always been a monotone constant. Repeating various procedures as it functions daily like how his brain reacts with every movement he made. However, lately, new fluctuation started appearing. Showed miniscule changes in his body workings cycle.

Aizra capabilities are limited, and can't access every signs. But those irregular shifts she noticed are enough to disturb world class researchers. For what's happening within Zyro was unheard of.

He didn't truly know what's exactly occuring in his body. According to Aizra, it's somewhat related to growth. But the unique and undiscovered kind of growths. To simply put, Zyro's body are evolving in a new path, something Zyro had difficulty believing.

His used to witnessing bizarre phenomenon's in this world. However, when it's taking place inside him, Zyro's can't help but feel the creeps.

'It must have been that smoke.' He thought as he rose up groggily.

All Zyro have are guesses, not certain answers. And fractured ribs constantly hindered him from moving freely. Fortunately, both problem can be solved by Depter.

Zyro weaved a new set of shrouding garments due to his previous clothes being ravaged by the explosion. Donning it on before loading necessary supply's for his journey to visit the old mage. Done with his preparations, Zyro enter Pert's secret chamber where the scape tunnel are connected. Pert was sleeping there for the upcoming departure of the caravan at dawn. While the Blinker carcass are still being devoured by Cat, the slime.

Passing through the burrow, Zyro came out outside. Meet by the familiar cold breeze of night, as he silently navigated through overgrown wilderness under the gaze of a lone crimson moon above.

Wandering into the forest had never been safe. Lurking nocturnal beasts are there, slumbering abominations are present, too. With the addition of scouting airborne warriors in this specific region his headed. However, unlike before, Zyro are traveling with plenty of experience for previous adventures.

Unless misfortune strike, he wouldn't be able to reach his destination. Thankfully, fortune was in his favor tonight.

After hours of tiresome venturing. Zyro was back into the sealed sage chamber in seek for answers.