NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter-186 Reaper
The training hall occupied the bow section of the bottom floor, an open ward large enough and sturdy enough to endure the bombardment of simple spells. Layers and layers of sticky grime and loose dust coated the floor, cascading rust laminated the walls, and the cracked cabinets, rotted wood, and corroded targets added the touch of grim seasonings. Yet, amidst the desolate and the wrecked ambience, an opaque and intact glass case embedded in the wall contrasted the context around it.
“Stand in front of it,” Ewan said, bringing Lance across the hall, Kidd following behind them, their boots carving their steps in the layered filth. “I’ll cast the spell for you, you just need to shed some blood.”
“I understand, sir,” Lance said.
The spell circuit for the assessment of the candidate’s affinity with the Reaper path was in Perceval’s book, the Radons’ legacy. The more Ewan studied the Kaaleria language, the more he explored the book. And the more he understood its contents, the easier it became for him to use it.
Assess!
He slit Lance’s wrist with his Ryvia and cast the spell in tandem, drawing the blob of blood and splashing the glass cabinet with it. The glass glowed with a muffled violet and soaked up even the last streak of blood, the halo around it beating in a rhythm. The assessment lasted for minutes, and finally when the glow faded away, Ewan received the ping of confirmation as the caster of the spell—Lance satisfied the Reaper’s requirements, the degree of harmony was high.
“Put your hand on the glass and accept it,” Ewan said, healing his cut with the <Aid> spell.
Lance sank into a stupor with his eyelids fluttering when he touched the glass, and the cabinet chipped at the corner, the crack expanding by the minute.
“Did he succeed, Boss?” Kidd asked.
“Hmm.” Ewan hummed.
“It was our loot…”
“Don’t obsess over it, it’s safer this way.”
“What about Sae’sa, Boss? Can't she use it? If any of us matched it, we can keep it in the family,” Kidd said.
“Nana’s already a Severynth, and you have your own path too, focus on that,” Ewan said. “I’ll also try to look for one that matches Stefan.”
“You have two names Boss, Severynth and Elementalist, and now the Reaper…only mine doesn’t have any cool name. Willy also wants one.”
“Is that your main concern…,” Ewan asked, gaping at Kidd. “Just name it anything you like,” he said.
“We actually thought up a couple of names recently. I like ‘Master of Shadows’, and Willy likes ‘King of Undead’,” Kidd said. “Which one do you think sounds cool?”
“Both are good, yell that when you fight the enemies, just don’t talk to me when we’re in public,” Ewan said.
….
Almost an hour later.
The glass cabinet shattered and faded into dust and the seed of thought bloomed and withered when Lance woke up, a violet-bladed long scythe chained to an amethyst shield hovering before him—they were his armament. A Reaper’s weapons were not only his means to defend his path, but they were his path. Reapers sharpened their weapons, and the weapons nourished them back. The origin of the path held a shadow of the Severynth system.
“You received all the information, right?” Ewan asked, confirming the seed’s end.
“I did, sir, but I’m not familiar with this weapon combination,” Lance replied.
“Didn’t you want to die? Why’re you concerned about that?” Ewan chuckled and asked.
Lance looked down at the floor, his dim eyes wavering, and the scythe and shield shivered, the chain jingling.
“We have some days till we get to our destination. Think about what you want to do in that time,” Ewan said. “And if you want to help, row the ship for us.” As Stefan predicted, the mast and the sail strategy failed to give the Warship any direction or speed. The lack of materials accentuated the issue, the makeshift joint couldn’t carry the size. Luckily, the waves led them towards their destination, so they sat back and enjoyed a free ride. But still, they had to be prepared to row the mammoth in case the Morinfair’s mood changed.
Lance nodded. “I will do that, sir,” he said.
“Boss!” Kidd yelled from outside, dashing towards the training hall, the clangs of his hurried steps echoing inside the corridor. “We’re getting attacked!”
“Stay here, don’t move around,” Ewan said to Lance, and launched away, dragging Kidd with him towards the tail of the bottom floor, the mechanics hall. They’d already forced open a slit in the exit hatch of the hall, which the mechanics and the Artificers of the Warship generally used—the gap was big enough for Ewan and Kidd.
“What happened?” he asked.
“We were fishing, and we caught a couple of baby horses for dinner, but their parents got angry and are attacking us,” Kidd said.
“You caught what now? Horses? Didn’t you check with <Identify> before catching them?” Ewan asked and landed on the top deck, dropping Kidd behind him. Their brain-dead action left him flabbergasted.
“They looked weak, I thought they were just some normal horses…and they looked tasty,” Kidd said. “They got caught way too easily.”
“Normal horses? All the way out here, running on water?” Ewan looked up at the two giant horses with wings circling the Stormfalcon in the sky, their grating neighs vibrating the ocean waves. “Do they look normal to you?”
“They’re a bit too big for normal horses.” Kidd laughed and scratched his head. “And they got wings.”
“Ask Stefan to cook a good meal. If I’m fighting for them, I at least want a good meal out of it,” Ewan said.
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