24 Hours until The Culmination
Burning like fire, the party was met with the orc's soul shard. It was flushed with crimson and looked like the diamonds mined in the Great Mons' mountain. Its power was palpable amongst the adventurers—they realised something was abnormal about it, though.
Naturally, soul shards remained in place; they didn't move. They were stationary objects. However, catching the eye of Umiya first, the orc's soul shard began gravitating towards the adventurers.
Umiya squeaked, cleaning her glasses. Was what she was seeing reality? Soul shards, no matter how strong the beast, never had any motion; they only would just hover. That was the normal.
Blake, sharing the same surprise, looked at the soul shard as many other adventurers began flooding the battlefield.
Umiya spoke uneasily, "The soul shard is gravitating towards us? This is impossible. According to the laws of magical theory, forces like gravity or magical tension can't act on a deceased individual. I need to note this down—I NEED TO NOTE THIS DOWN. WHERE IS MY BOOK?"
Blake had no words as Aya began lifting Xerxes up. Xerxes felt inclined to walk towards it. Albeit struggling, he still stumbled, as a mass of adventurers all exclaimed in astonishment.
"The orc has been defeated?!"
Sir Knight and his party soon came forward. With the migration of the goblins due to the orc's appearance, most of the other adventurers had dealt with the brunt of goblins—perhaps hundreds in number at a time. This was all too evident: mangled pieces of flesh littered their bodies, mana was devoid in the air, and blades were coated in a shiny layer of blood that masked the silver.
Sir Knight, in disbelief, asked, "My word, I cannot believe my eyes. The overgrown brats and the normal-sized brats bested the orc in combat? Furthermore, what—" He stammered over his words. "What is that soul shard doing?"
Xerxes put out a hand to it as tendrils of mana, dissipating into ruby streams, entered Xerxes' mana pathways. It was beautiful and supernatural to see—crackles of mana poured from the shard, and gusts of wind rolled through the forest.
Xerxes frowned whilst absorbing the power, the soul shard becoming less luminous by the second. The power was being drained and was now becoming Xerxes' to hold and command once his body and mana were strong enough to keep up with the influx. He continued to reign in the power. It didn't seem unnatural to Xerxes, though; it became fluent and easy to obtain as more power poured into him, till eventually, the battlefield fell silent. The hissing of power faded away.
Adventurers all around the battlefield shared faces of amazement at the lad's feat, anger at not being the one to get there first—but there was one thing most adventurers did share, and that was respect. As soon as one person began clapping, the gears were set, and many others began clapping their hands, rejoicing in the boy's achievement.
Someone from the crowd beckoned to him, "What's your name, boy?"
Another female adventurer came closer and asked the party, "Tell us, who exactly are you?"
Xerxes looked at his hand. He felt the remnants of the orc's power residing in him, expressing sensations of its struggles, its accomplishments. Xerxes respected that but also felt disheartened. He knew he had to take responsibility for ending the last of its kind and replied with what felt appropriate.
"My name?" Xerxes questioned initially. "My name is Xerxes, the Executioner of the Orc Race."
Aya quickly ran beside Xerxes, raising his fist, as people murmured in surprise at the last portion of his comment.
Aya reaffirmed his title, shouting to everyone, "Did you hear that, everyone!? His name is Xerxes, the Executioner, and he will grow to be a great adventurer—we all will! Do you hear me? Me and Xerxes are going to be the greatest of adventurers!"
Umiya then smiled as she turned to the crowd. "You all can bet your arses that these kids are the face of adventuring—their genetics and environmental factors have made them grow at a rapid rate. The blondie's name is Aya, and the kid's name is Xerxes."
Blake quickly said to Umiya, "Thanks for the inclusiveness."
Umiya immediately got defensive, jabbing a finger into his chest. "Says the person who went down within twenty seconds, lunatic! You should be the example—did you skip the evolution stage, you baboon?" she snapped.
Blake flicked her on the forehead. "Maybe join the battle before commenting on the person who was in it."
She flailed her arms, not wanting to continue the conversation. "Whatever, there's no reason for me to communicate with you. I'll be steadily examining our trophy!"
She dashed towards the orc in anticipation of the discoveries she could make. As she pulled out an artefact from her side pocket—roughly the size of an apple—she shouted, "SHRINK!" The artefact was etched with runes, and as the rune fully faded, it seemed to signify that the number of uses was limited.
Umiya then pulled out another vial filled with a solution and scooped the orc's body into it. "Ah, perfect!"
Other adventurers murmured about her actions. "She has to have a screw loose." "Let's not make her angry at us..."
Shortly after, a man clad in midnight-blue armour emerged from the forest, walking towards Xerxes. The armour covered his entire body, even his face—only narrowly making his eyes visible. There was a sigil of the Layne Kingdom—a wolf, half-black and half-purple. He held a warhammer almost double his size. People gasped, whispering to each other, asking if this was really that person.
"I am Cid Eshvir, the knight known as Shadowbound. I am next in line to inherit the key to the Stargate. You seem to have bested the orc in battle—a feat Sir Eshvir had been anticipating for two months since its sighting. So, the Eshvir family applauds you for your actions and has called a parade in celebration of your victory. Of course, a handsome reward awaits your party."
Aya grinned, repeating, "Reward? Seriously? By the heavens, Xerxes, we're getting a reward!" She smiled from ear to ear, thrilled that their actions were being applauded.
Xerxes slowly realised that this feeling was more satisfying than anything he'd experienced before. Bringing joy to people, earning their trust and respect—it was gratifying and relieving. He felt more accomplished receiving their thanks than he had slaying the orc.
Xerxes took the knight's hand, bowing his head, a fixed expression of joy plastered on his face. "Thank you, thank you so much, Cid. I would love to attend the celebration."
He then looked back at Aya. She slung an arm around Xerxes and said slyly, "What happened to being so wimpy about the missions, Xerx? You ought to thank me now, isn't that right?"
Xerxes sarcastically remarked, "Ah, the self-centred princess-wannabe is expecting thanks, is she?"
She smacked him on the head as they began following the knight back. "I do not appreciate the sarcasm, Mr!"
Xerxes lowered his tone, while Umiya and Blake shrugged at each other. The forest was quickly vacated after, with people beginning to head back to the town hall, the long day in the forest coming to a close.
At the town hall, people were given necessary sustenance and medical treatment, restoring them to standard. A few mages were directed to heal the party that had faced the orc.
Xerxes was immediately rushed to one of the top healing mages at the knight's request. The adrenaline soon wore off, and his right shoulder seared with pain. The healing mages poured their efforts into it, which paid off—through a combination of healing spells and magical treatment, his shoulder was fully restored. His body, exhausted from overusing magic, was advised not to wield it for at least twelve more hours. Beyond that, he was in surprisingly good condition—likely a by-product of absorbing the soul shard, known for its restorative properties.
Aya wasn't as badly injured as she'd feared. Despite taking a direct hit from the orc, Umiya's swift application of a healing potion had mitigated the damage. The doctors found it strange—they'd expected worse—but she was allowed to rest, aiding her recovery.
Blake had suffered multiple broken bones, but the town's mages healed them swiftly. Still, he wore a sling for his right arm—an inconvenience, but better than full-body bandages. He opted to rest in bed, avoiding Umiya's antics.
Umiya, though unscathed from battle, looked worse than the entire party—her head slumped over a desk as if dead. A book lay before her, filled with frantic calculations, notes on soul shards, and magical object properties.
She had tried to solve the anomaly she'd witnessed—why the soul shard had reacted that way. She'd scribbled problems and attempted absurd solutions when standard approaches failed. She seemed to be on a reset until she could work again.
Finally, everyone had healed considerably, and a call summoned them to the town hall's main section—a grand dining room, large enough to accommodate all the adventurers who'd entered the forest.
The dining hall was magnificent, its high wooden beams adorned with wolf banners. Flickering torches cast golden light over the adventurers. Long oak tables groaned under platters of roasted meats, fresh bread, and goblets of wine and ale. A massive stone hearth blazed at the far end.
Secluded tables, seating four, allowed quieter meals. Xerxes' party chose one, food already laid out.
Knights and warriors flooded the hall, soon filling it beyond capacity. Drinks flowed, spirits soared.
Sir Knight stood atop a table, tapping his breastplate for attention. Conversations hushed as the crowd turned to him. Clearing his throat, he spoke:
"Everyone, today we all set out on a great adventure. There was thrill, great combat, and most of all—surprise. And who was that surprise, some of you may ask? The very people I mocked so shamelessly in the beginning! The party formed in a moment of hope! That group of adventurers right there—Blake, the bland one; Umiya, the crazy one; Aya, the feisty one; and finally, Xerxes. He called himself Xerxes, and Xerxes we shall cheer! Everyone, on my count—three, two, one!"
Booming like thunder, the name "Xerxes" rang out as the crowd roared, cups clashing, ale spilling. Laughter echoed as adventurers feasted, their eyes alight with joy. Xerxes and Aya chuckled, swapping stories with Blake and Umiya between mouthfuls of food.
Barmaids weaved between tables, dodging drunken advances. Bards strummed ballads of heroism, lifting hearts with every note.
Amid the revelry, Aya asked Umiya a key question.
"So, Umiya, Blake—what's our compensation?"
Umiya rambled, "Well, you see, I didn't exactly have that in mind. My thoughts were preoccupied with superior matters—the orc's properties. Blondie, don't fault me; you know how much this means to me as a scientist. The principal will surely grant more funds. Perfect! Then I can buy more materials, conduct more research—"
Xerxes cut in, "Umiya, you're obsessed with this 'science' thing. What's this 'principal'? Like a teacher?"
Before she could spiral, Blake interjected, "Xerxes, Umiya is a lead scientist at Indonyia Magic Academy. She may seem mad, but she's brilliant—her theories have aided top mages across kingdoms. Indonyia is the continent's finest academy."
Xerxes and Aya gaped. Blake continued, "I'm training to take an exam there soon. This ordeal, though inconvenient, will bolster my record. My family—the Velmonts—have taught there for generations. Guess it's my turn now."
Aya grinned. "So Umiya's a badass, and Blake's an aspiring badass? This trip just got even better!"
Xerxes marvelled. "Blake, I never realised how grand your dreams were. Aya and I were raised in a guild—no real family, but we made one at the Crossed Seas. Dorian, our friend, could've taken that orc alone. Vanessa's like our mum—she raised us. But your ambitions… teaching mages, studying magic daily… I'd love to see Indonyia."
Umiya smirked. "What's stopping you?"
Xerxes hesitated. "Our guild can't afford it. But maybe Aya, Dorian, and I can earn enough through quests."
Blake cut in. "Not necessary." He placed two cards on the table. "These are recommendation slips. Killing the orc qualifies you both. Full tuition, no cost. And trust me—this tale will spread. You'll have quite the reputation."
Xerxes and Aya clutched the cards, beaming, as more drinks were poured.
Shortly after, Cid Eshvir arrived to deliver their promised reward.