VengefulBirch
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Chapter 214
🕑 Added 2026-01-19 21:00:08 +0000 UTCArghh, I wish I didn't have to post another short chapter since we've barely broken 1.7k words chapters this week. But the way I wanted to develop the 214 and 215 means that I either do this or make a monstrous 3k words 214 đđ. I'll try to have longer and more succulent chapters up in the next few days. đ
At the very least, I feel like things have been smooth-sailing now that I'm back home. No interruptions in our daily release (fingers-crossed to avoid jinxing it). đĽ
Chapter 214
âLiuthkrav,â an ancient voice calls an almost equally ancient name, making the Mithril Golem immediately drop to one knee. During their last encounter, the construct had not been addressed by name.
âMaster,â the Mithril Golem says, keeping his eyes on the ground, âwhat brings you here?â
âYou subjected this young man to my sonâs device.â
Itâs not a question.
The voice is immaterial, but the Mithril Golem, faced with his own action and the all-understanding nature of his master, canât do anything other than nod.
âI hope I have not failed you, master.â
âLiuthkrav,â the voice sounds weary. âYou do not. However, there are many steps this young man could have taken before facing this Trial. This was unnecessary cruel.â
âIâm sorry to disappoint you, master,â the Mithril Golem clenches his fists, furious with himself for having disappointed his master.
âLiuthkrav, rise.â
Immediately, the Mithril Golem feels a magnificent force lifting his body up until heâs standing straight. This is his masterâs Mana even after his departure from this world.
âMaster, please do not consume this vesselâs reserves. Your Mana can only be created ever so slowly. Iâm not worthy ofââ
âLiuthkrav,â Rafnov says sternly. âStop. Youâre not a mindless servant. Youâre my first ever magnus opus. Youâre far from a mindless slave and it irks me when you act like one.â
The Mithril Golem feels like apologizing again, but even an idiot like Jacob Cloud could have inferred that that would anger Master Rafnov.
âWhat would you like me to do, Master?â
âIf he survives,â Rafnov voice says in a more relaxed tone, âstop this cruelty, Liuthkrav. Youâre here to guide him as a potential inheritor. He would have still had to face this sooner or later, I just hope for him that his heart was always in the right place.â
âYes, Master,â Liuthkrav nods, uncertain.
âI know that your devotion and love to me are immense, Liuthkrav. And no one will ever take your place in my heart. But, at some point, with no more of my blood walking around, youâll have to help me pick someone worthy of my inheritanceâand, youâll have to treat them with respect.â
*
In front of Jacob, thereâs King Baalrek.
Itâs the same King Baalrek that he saw when he killed the curse of the Mad God.
And thereâs Jacob, fully turned into an Infernal by his sideâhis son.
Itâs not written anywhere, itâs not spelled out by the figures that move. But there are King Baalrek and an Infernal Jacob fighting a horde of monsters, with a distant, malignant presence in the background. Jacob keeps in the shadow of King Baalrek, sweeping every monster that his Masterâs sword doesnât take.
Most importantly, not only he gets the distinct feeling that heâs a sonâor perhaps, just like oneâto King Baalrek, but thereâs a strong sensation of relief. Jacob doesnât have to charge head-down alone against the horde, not like he would have to do now, he is lead by the man he respects more than anybody.
Jacob feels a few tears running on his face before taking the sleeve of his shirt and drying them up. He notices that Boomgar and Zibrek are still fully absorbed into this maladaptive daydream.
Jacob slaps the back of Zibrek and Boomgarâs neck, snapping them out of their reverie.
âLad,â Boomgar coughs, embarrassed. âWhat are you doing? The lass said that two of us couldââ
âJacob, this is perhaps the rightââ
âYou two, let me explain before you say something youâd regret. This is the most interesting thing Iâve seen so far today. The other projections are desirable futures, which lets you believe, I suppose, that this is a desirable future as well. But, in reality, this is just oneâs surrender to their own worst fears. This is not a desirable future, this is a nightmare.â
âWhat?â Boomgar looks confused. âLad, I donât know what youâre seeing in yours, but mine⌠Iâm ashamed to say, but itâs a very tempting offer. It could change my life forever.â
Zibrek, too, looks ashamed and puts her eyes to the ground, saying nothing.
âThis is not the best future, Boomgar. This is a version of your future where only your fears shape you. Iâve seen myself stripped of agency, acting only as second-fiddle to my Master. It touched a deeper chord than Iâd like to admit. Iâm sure the rest of this future also shows me in other situations that feel like âIâm too afraid to admit to myself but are the real deal.â In reality, this is just what an uncontrolled spiral of fear would have you become. Fate is not something you decide based on what you fear youâre not. Fate is something you strive for based on whom you want to become. If either of you really wants to become what you just saw, go ahead. I have a Trial to win.â
Jacob walks through the standard corridor and leaves them both behind.
Zibrek looks at the future where she's a powerful Queen with many concubines once again.
âHeâs right,â she realizes, feeling a deep shame. âThis is⌠just the worst future I could ever wish upon myself, Boomgar.â
Boomgar looks wistfully at the future where heâs something heâs not and will never be and nods, âguess you have to make do with what you have, donât ya? Heh, Iâll miss those long legs.â
âEew,â Zibrek frowns. âI donât want to be part of whatever sexual fantasies you were just witnessing, Boomgar.â
âWHAT?!â Boomgar almost trips. âSexual fantasies?! Wait. What are you seeing in your damn future, lass?!â
Zibrekâs eyes widen slightly and then straightens and coughs in her closed fist, ânothing. Letâs go. Itâs time to win this thing.â
When they reach the last room, they see only one corridor and Jacob staring at a sign above it.
âYou two took your sweet time,â Jacob comments.
âSorry, lad, but Iâve found out against my will that the lass was apparently engaged in some high-level sexual debauchery in her future.â
âITâS NOT TRUE!â Zibrek shouts at the top of her lungs, becoming red as a cherry. âSHUT UP!â
âReally?â Jacob says, with a raised eyebrow in Zibrekâs direction.
âJust explain whatever that sign is! I donât want to hear anything else about this!â
âYou wouldnât get so mad if you hadnât seen some pretty insane stuff,â Boomgar says with a disappointed shake of his head. âAnd to think Iâve been your teammate for so long.â
âJacob,â Zibrek says, taking out her gun, âif I hear another word from him, Iâm putting a bullet through his head.â
âSure,â Jacob says, âI have bad news. Apparently, only two of us can go through this door. And the one who stays behind has a fifty-fifty chance of not receiving any Star Metal.â
Boomgar and Zibrek step up to read the sign which says in more words what Jacob just explained to them.
âThis is unfair,â Zibrek frowns. âWhy do this? And why have a chance of not getting Star Metal at all? Doesnât this conflict with the Mithril Golemâs explanation?â
âI also think that this is not the last crossroad.â
âWhat do you mean?â Boomgar asks. âAre you sure?â
âI canât be sure, but it would only make sense that thereâs a next room. First, because this one would otherwise mention the fact that itâs the last. Which, by the way, leads me to believe that the next room will make sure that one of us doesnât get any Star Metal.â
âWhat?!â
âLad, are you sureââ
Before Boomgar can ask the question, Jacob steps into the corridor.
âIâm the Leader of the Champions. You two need Star Metal more than I do. Iâm still a Champion despite the fact that I could really use the Star Metal. One of us will have to risk a fifty percent choice, but Iâll take the fall.â
Comments
JW Saxby
Tftc đť
Joshua Little
Thanks for the chapter.
