Tyler thought a moment. The Demon Prince waited. Reaper waited. But he needed to think. He was in this damn situation because he hadn’t thought enough, making decisions under duress. Wisdom gained or not, had those decisions been the best he could make? But he didn’t have time. Delay too long, and the Prince would squash him, like he had Alina. In that pool of blood ahead of him, that solitary green eye still stared.
“What do you mean, he’s lying to me?” Tyler asked of Reaper. He kept his eye on the Prince, trying to gauge how long he could delay before the Prince became suspicious.
“Zellaran does not have the power to resurrect,” Reaper said, but after a pause, added, “not in the way that you would want.”
“Can you really bring her back?” Tyler asked aloud to the Prince. “The way she was? I’m not doubting you, but I need to make sure.”
“What does that mean?” Tyler said in his mind to Reaper.
“All you have to do is say you will join us, and I will fulfil your wish to show you the power that could be yours,” Zellaran said. “But make your choice soon. I have given you too much leeway already. I have a world to conquer.”
“I need time,” Tyler pleaded.
“You don’t have it. Choose.”
“Reaper?” Tyler thought.
“You have my offer on the table,” Reaper said. “You need to choose. If you choose Zellaran, I’ll kill you first. You cannot be allowed to live as a demon.”
“Can you take the risk?” Tyler echoed back. “He’s more powerful than you, isn’t he? If you could kill him without dying, you wouldn’t have made me the offer. Tell me the truth.”
“We don’t have time for this,” Reaper replied.
“You mean, I don’t have time for this. Whatever I choose, I’m screwed, so fucking tell me what I’m missing.” Tyler was playing with fire, but he was already in the frying pan.
“He can resurrect but he will resurrect an empty shell of a person. Alina will come back intact, with her memories and her skills, but no emotions or feeling. And she’ll do the Demon Prince’s bidding without question. She would kill you, and not blink. She’d become the perfect killer for him. He might do it anyway, just to teach you a lesson for taking too long.”
“Can you bring her back?”
Reaper stayed quiet. The Demon Prince was running out of patience. His red eyes glowed, narrowing at Tyler.
“The Nexus Prime can.”
“The way she was?”
“Yes.”
“Then do what you have to, to make that happen and I’ll take your contract. You need me as much as I need you,” Tyler said. Of the two, he much preferred Reaper’s proposition, but he needed to gain an advantage from the situation. He was learning. Fast. Nothing in life should be free. And he had value. He needed to make sure he secured his worth.
“Mr Prince,” Tyler said aloud. “I’m considering your proposal. Definitely, being alive would be preferable to being dead.”
“I would think so,” the Prince responded.
“But this is a once in a lifetime opportunity, I think?” The Demon Prince nodded.
“Can you bring back her companions too? I assume they’re already dead?”
“That’s what I want Reaper,” he said in his mind. “Tell your master. I’ll take your offer, if Alina, Imanie and Emelyn are resurrected. With their memories, skill and whatever else intact. Most importantly, with their free will. No strings attached. No hidden conditions. No puppeteering. Bring them back exactly as they were at the moment they died, and let them live their lives.” Then he thought about it. Thought about the Demon Prince’s words earlier. The Nexus Prime’s connection. The limits it imposed. He wasn’t sure what it meant, but it gave him an idea. “In fact, bring them back exactly as they were at the moment they died, and without the limits imposed by The Nexus Prime, whatever those limits are. Those are my terms and conditions.”
“I can bring back her companions too,” The Demon Prince stated. “Now, join us.”
“You ask for too much,” Reaper’s voice echoed in his mind. “You ask for the power of the Riftborn, without the allegiance.”
“Then that’s what I’m asking for. I want Alina, Emelyn, and Imanie to be resurrected as they were before they died.” Something else occurred to him. Since he’d pushed it this far, might as well go that extra bit. What was there to lose? “And I’m asking for the limits The Nexus Prime imposes on The Seven Sisters of Retribution to be lifted. And any limits on me to be lifted. I don’t want to join either of you. Demon or Riftborn. And I don’t want to be a puppet.”
“Mr Prince,” Tyler said aloud. “I think we can come to an agreement.” He took a step backwards towards the edge of the ravine, trying to seem relaxed.
“I’m going to jump off this ledge, Reaper,” Tyler spoke into his mind. “Make your choice.”
+2[INT]
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“Master,” Reaper reached out beyond his consciousness, his thoughts passing along that information pathway to The Nexus Prime. The boy was edging back, slowly enough that Zellaran wasn’t noticing. The Demon Prince was overconfident, thinking he held all the cards. Reaper didn’t blame him. He had been much the same, but the boy had proven to be elusive. Smarter than he looked. More resourceful than he even knew. Reaper allowed himself a smile. Revenant moaned as she curved across his abdomen.
“REAPER,” the booming voice of The Nexus Prime echoed back to him. “WHAT IS IT?”
“My apologies for bothering you, master. The boy wishes to change the terms of the binding contract.”
“I DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR THIS, MY CHILD. THE CITADEL IS UNDER SIEGE. TOO MANY OF MY CHILDREN HAVE DIED OR ARE UNABLE TO BE PRESENT IN ITS DEFENCE. AND NOW YOU HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO REMOVE YOURSELF FROM THE BATTLEFIELD TOO. I DO NOT HAVE THE PATIENCE FOR THE BOY.”
The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
“He makes an enticing offer, master.”
“I VERY MUCH DOUBT THAT. HE JUST NEEDS TO BRING YOU BACK TO ME. AND FOR THAT, HE WILL LIVE. HE NEEDS NOTHING FURTHER.”
“His companions have been killed. He seeks their resurrection, as they were at the moment of their deaths, and without any conditions attached. And he seeks for you to remove the limits imposed upon their growth, and upon the growth of four others in their guild. And he seeks for you to remove the limits imposed upon him.”
“YOU WOULD DARE TO ASK SUCH A THING OF ME?”
“I don’t have much choice, master. He is willing to kill himself. And if that happens, then after I kill Zellaran, there is no option for me. Can you afford for more Riftborn to die?” Revenant wailed. Reaper agreed with her. After so long, this death would be so pointless. But he had no choice. He lived to serve The Nexus Prime. And right now, that service meant the death of Zellaran. The boy was correct. Zellaran was far more powerful than Reaper. He would stand no chance, but he had his trump card, pressed against the palm of his left hand.
[Mythic Artifact: Reaper’s Gambit]
[On use: Grants the user the ability for their next attack to bypass all damage reduction, all invulnerability or protective effects, and all healing effects to cause 110% of the opponent’s maximum health as damage. This attack is fatal. It cannot be survived.
On attack: User will be reduced to 1HP for one hour. During this period, user will be immune to healing, immune to invulnerability and protective effects, and have 0 damage reduction.
Usage: One attack per cooldown.
Opponent Level: Mythic C grade and below.
Cooldown: Seven days.]
He wouldn’t survive. Zellaran’s [Backlash] ability would make sure of that. But he would have killed the Demon Prince, in any case. And the boy could make sure he survived this. Tyler was almost upon the edge of the ravine, making a long-winded speech about the greatness of the demons, but not yet accepting Zellaran’s offer. He was a natural at deception. He would have fit in well in their ranks. Demon or Riftborn.
“AND YOU THINK I SHOULD GIVE THEM THE POWER OF THE RIFTBORN? WITHOUT ANSWERING TO ME? WITHOUT BEING COMPELLED TO ASSIST ME IN THE DEFENCE OF THIS WORLD?”
Reaper remained quiet for a moment. “Perhaps it could be a good thing, your Excellency,” he said, reverting to a more formal honorific. “Your power is undisputed, but with so many incursions, perhaps having allies with the power of the Riftborn, but with more flexibility in their decisions could turn out to be a blessing? Allies with armies at their command. The Riftborn are weakening. We find fewer to persuade every year, and very few of us remain at the height of our powers. We cannot deal with every threat, and soon, we will not have the power too.”
“IF I GRANT YOUR WISH, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT IN TIME, THEY WILL RIVAL THE POWER OF THE RIFTBORN AND SURPASS YOU. THAT IN TIME THEY WILL BE ABLE TO CHALLENGE THE CITADEL ITSELF.”
“I do. But that also means they will have the power to rival the Asuras. And I think we will lose the Citadel to the Asuras if we do not do this.”
The Nexus Prime stayed silent for a moment. He knew what it would mean if the demons – the Asuras – took the Citadel. The world would be lost. Like so many others before.
“I WILL GRANT YOUR WISH. BUT FOR THE BOY TO BE GIVEN SUCH REWARDS, HE MUST PROVE HIMSELF WORTHY OF THEM. AND IF HE DOES, AND WHEN YOU HAVE RETURNED, YOUR DUTY WILL BE AS A MENTOR TO HIM AND HIS COMPANIONS. YOU WILL TEACH THEM. YOU WILL TRAIN THEM. AND YOU WILL SECURE THEIR ALLEGIANCE. AM I UNDERSTOOD?”
“It will be as you say, master.”
Tyler had neared the edge of the ravine and was distinctly aware that his next step would be his last. He wasn’t sure how much more he could blow smoke up the Prince’s arse, but he was running out of things to say. There was only so much he could bullshit about the relative advantages of joining the demon ranks, and helping them in their incursion on Cytheria. What was taking Reaper so long? The Prince was smiling, a rather chilling juxtaposition on the wolf’s snout of a face, but Tyler could feel he was coming to the end of his patience.
“So, Mr Prince,” Tyler said, the heels of his feet hanging at the ravine’s edge. “I think, for anyone, it would be an incredible honour to join your organisation. I have always admired you, since I became aware of you less than an hour ago.”
“Reaper?” Tyler spoke into his mind. “It’s now, or never.”
Suddenly, Reaper’s offer came to him. But it wasn’t the same as before. There were three quests now. And the rewards had changed. Most concerning were the terms and conditions of the binding contract.
[Reaper offers you a Quest]
[Epic Quest: Rescue the Outworlders]
[Investigate the kidnapping of the two outworlders, rescue them, and bring them to the Citadel to join the Riftborn.
Quest Rewards:
500,000 XP.
1000 Gold Crowns.
Gear of your choice from the Citadel.
Resurrection of Imanie.
Imanie, Mira and Celeste, of The Seven Sisters of Retribution to have the limits upon their growth removed, with no requirement of allegiance to The Nexus Prime]
[Reaper offers you a Quest]
[Legendary Quest: Defeat Prince Zellaran and General Zeren]
[Assist the Riftborn in defeating Prince Zellaran, and complete the dungeon at the Academy of Champions by defeating General Zeren.
Quest Rewards:
1,000,000 XP.
2000 Gold Crowns.
Gear of your choice from the Citadel.
Resurrection of Emelyn.
Emelyn, Sadie and Kiri, of The Seven Sisters of Retribution to have the limits upon their growth removed, with no requirement of allegiance to The Nexus Prime]
[Reaper offers you a Quest]
[Mythic Quest: Return Reaper’s Essence to the Citadel]
[In the event of Reaper’s death, his essence will transfer to your body for a period of seven days. During this time, you will have access to all of his power, his skills and his abilities. His suit of armour – Revenant – will be yours to command for the entirety of this period. During this time, you must return his essence to the Citadel.
Quest Rewards:
2,000,000 XP.
4000 Gold Crowns.
Gear of your choice from the Citadel.
Resurrection of Alina.
Alina, of The Seven Sisters of Retribution, and Tyler Smith to have the limits upon their growth removed, with no requirement of allegiance to The Nexus Prime]
[Reaper offers you a Binding Contract]
[Binding Contract: A life for lives]
[You have seven days to return Reaper’s essence to the Citadel.
If you fail to do so, you will live, whilst the other nine will perish. You will be located, hunted and brought to the Citadel, where you will become a Riftborn, forever in service to The Nexus Prime. You will not be allowed to die, living with the knowledge of your failure for eternity.
If you succeed, you and your companions will be free to live your lives, free of any constraints. The Nexus Prime reserves the right to ask for your assistance, by way of a world quest, for which you will be adequately rewarded]
[All must be accepted for the offer to be valid]
“The other nine will perish?” Tyler spoke into the void of his mind. “I’ll need to live for eternity with my failure?”
“You wanted to negotiate with The Nexus Prime,” Reaper said. “These are the terms of the deal. You get everything you wanted. You just need to deliver. Or are you afraid? Whatever you choose, it needs to be now. Either we all die. Or no-one does. Make your choice.”
Tyler thought about it a moment. He had been given everything that he wanted. He just needed to complete some quests. Like they were nothing. Alina had spent two weeks trying to locate the sisters, and still hadn’t done so, and he was supposed to find the two outworlders in seven days? And in the same time, help defeat General Zeren?
Did he really have any choice?
He recalled the moment yesterday when he had stumbled upon the riverbank, and saw Alina for the first time. The silver hair, the green eyes, the beautiful curves. She was fierce, both in command and loyalty. He recalled meeting Kiri, and his shock at her size, and at how young she seemed. But she had a zest for life, and she’d called him bro. He had liked hearing that. He recalled meeting the other four and how they’d warmed to him. Protected him. Saved him. The camaraderie between them. He had felt like one of them. They were the kind of companions who would die for each other.
They had died for him.
He knew in that moment that he wasn’t afraid that he would fail the quests.
He was afraid that he would fail his companions.
“My choice is made,” he spoke into his mind. “I agree to all the quests and your binding contract. Let’s do this.”
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