Chapter 196: DOING IT AARON’S WAY
Edmond watched Aaron leave, his face resolute as he prepared to complete the task given to him, the weight of responsibility settling on his shoulders like an invisible mantle, his newly granted powers thrumming in his veins like shadows waiting to uncoil.
"Edmond...," Jarync called out, staring at his son, unable to say a word, his weathered face etched with a mix of concern and resignation, his eyes reflecting the turmoil of a father caught in the tides of fate.
"Father, you saw how powerful he is. He gave me strength like it’s nothing. We have to stand behind him," Edmond said to his father, hoping his father would understand him, his voice steady but pleading, his gaze earnest as he sought alliance in the face of overwhelming might.
Jarync said nothing, his silence heavy in the dimly lit room, the air thick with the scent of aged stone and flickering torchlight. He knew his son was right. With the Frostmaw trolls, the fate they suffered was gradual, with a grain of hope for surviving. But with the mysterious man, Aaron, it was far worse and different. Jarync felt like he was in the presence of a god that could not be killed, one whose words were absolute, and he feared the repercussion of denying that god his demand, the thought sending a chill down his spine like icy fingers.
"Do what has to be done," Jarync gave his son the go-ahead, his voice gravelly with reluctant acceptance, his nod a seal on their shared path forward.
"The rest of you?" Edmond asked, his gaze sweeping through every leader within the room, his eyes sharp and unyielding, assessing their loyalty in the tense atmosphere.
"We are with you," they all chorused, their voices a unified echo, no one wanting to have his head cut off, the fear palpable in their hurried agreement.
"Thank you for your understanding," Edmond nodded his head, a flicker of relief crossing his features as he absorbed their compliance.
"I will be back. You know what to do, Father," Edmond said to his father, dissolving into shadow, his form melting into the darkness like ink in water, vanishing without a trace.
"Let’s inform the people of what’s going on," Jarync said to the others, feeling exasperated, his shoulders slumping under the burden of change. The weak had no right. The past few years had taught Jarync that lesson better than anyone, hardening his resolve into a steely pragmatism.
---
Edmond appeared outside the stronghold, bypassing the anti-mana barrier easily, the magical wards shimmering harmlessly around him as his shadow form slipped through like a whisper in the night. He made his way to Stronghold 20, the lowest-ranked stronghold, its weathered walls scarred from endless assaults, standing as a testament to fragile survival.
He decided to go to each stronghold from the lowest to the highest ranking, a methodical approach that built like a gathering storm, his determination fueling each step.
Edmond stood before the stronghold, standing on diplomacy, he waited till he was granted access, taking a leaf from Aaron’s book, patience masking unyielding intent, the cold wind whipping around him as he maintained his composure.
After a while, the large gate of the stronghold creaked open, a groan of metal echoing in the desolate landscape, and a man with white beards and cunning eyes emerged, surrounded by armed men clad in battered armor, their mana guns glinting under the pale sun.
"Edmond. Never expected your visit," the man said, his voice smooth but edged with suspicion, his eyes narrowing like a predator assessing prey.
"I’m pressed for time. We have important matters to discuss as soon as possible," Edmond said, trying to be as fast as he could, his tone urgent yet controlled. The only reason he wasn’t using force right off the bat was because he wanted to avoid bloodshed as much as he could, a lingering remnant of his former self clashing with his newfound power.
"I see. Come with me," Jacob, the leader of Stronghold 20, said, inviting Edmond in, his gesture calculated, leading him through dimly lit corridors lined with reinforced stone and flickering mana lamps.
"So, what do you want to talk about? I’m on board with time management. We haven’t received an attack from Frostmaw trolls for an entire day. Hoping that lasts, we need to repair our stronghold and strengthen the weak portions. So, I can’t be talking with you all day," Jacob informed, his words clipped, settling into a chair in the sparse meeting room, the air heavy with the scent of oil and metal.
"There will be no need to worry over the Frostmaw trolls. They have all been taken care of," Edmond informed, his words causing Jacob to raise an eyebrow in surprise, the room’s occupants, Jacob’s assistant and guards mirroring the reaction, a ripple of astonishment passing through them like a wave.
"How can you be so sure about that?" Jacob asked, focusing his eyes on Edmond, studying the silent, confident look on the young man’s face, his cunning gaze probing for weakness.
"That’s essentially the reason I’m here. A god descended to our world and has asked for our loyalty. In return, he promises freedom from pitiful living in constant fear, and greater strength. All he wishes for is our loyalty to serve him," Edmond informed, his voice steady, laying out the terms with the gravity of an ultimatum.
"Have you gone mad, Edmond? What nonsense are you saying?" Jacob asked, finding Edmond’s words as stupid, his laughter barking out in disbelief, echoing off the stone walls.
"I’m not. Everything I said is true. Perhaps this will help you believe me," Edmond said, sinking into the shadow as he appeared behind Jacob before anyone in the room could react, the darkness coiling around him like a living entity.
"Sir!" the guards yelled, pointing their mana guns at Edmond, their hands trembling slightly in the sudden tension.
"Let him go!" the leader of the guard commanded Edmond, his voice sharp with alarm.
"I have no interest in killing him. I’m simply just showing you what I’m capable of," Edmond said, disappearing into the shadow once more, appearing on his seat like he had never left there, the demonstration a swift, fluid display of power that left the room breathless.
"You are saying? Someone granted you that ability?" Jacob asked, recalling the cold sensation of having a dark blade made of shadow on his throat, his hand instinctively touching his neck, a bead of sweat forming on his brow.
"Yes."
"When can I meet him?" Jacob asked, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he hungered for that kind of power, greed igniting in his gaze like a spark in dry tinder.
"After everyone has pledged their loyalty."
"I want to see him now. I will only pledge my loyalty when I have received the same ability from him," Jacob said, greed taking over him, his voice rising with entitlement.
"You can’t negotiate with him. It’s either you accept or not," Edmond said resolutely, his tone unyielding, the risk of having a crazy man make demands from that monster and possibly offend him weighing heavily on his mind. Edmond didn’t want to imagine what Aaron would do if he felt dissatisfied—probably destroy his entire planet, the thought sending a shadow of dread through him.
"Then we don’t have a deal. And don’t think you can come to my sanctuary and boss me around just because you gained a new set of ability," Jacob said coldly, his guards pointing guns at Edmond, the room crackling with impending violence.
Pledge loyalty to another and serve him? Jacob didn’t even consider that for a minute. All he wanted was to gain the ability from Aaron, and then think of a way to kill Aaron, his mind already scheming in the shadows of his ambition.
Jacob wasn’t willing to give up leadership. There was a reason he remained leading Stronghold 20, the weakest stronghold with high risk of being overrun by Frostmaw trolls, when he could have gone to a lower-digit stronghold with more degree of safety and protection. The reason was control—the ability to rule as he saw fit. He wasn’t willing to give that up for any reason. God or not, Jacob was adamant on playing king, his ego a fortress unto itself.
"Hah. How did we live this long? It seems arrogant people are the ones ruling each stronghold," Edmond sighed, slightly annoyed he wasted his time trying to convince Jacob, the realization building like a slow burn in his chest.
"So, what’s it going to be? You tell him to bestow an ability to me? Or you burn the relationship we have, and any chance of getting the loyalty of Stronghold 20?" Jacob asked, pressuring Edmond, his voice a sneering challenge, the guards’ fingers tightening on triggers.
"You know, it never ends well for greedy weak people. And two, your loyalty doesn’t equate the loyalty of Stronghold 20," Edmond said calmly, his eyes darkening with resolve.
Shadows pulled from every point in the room, attaching to Edmond like a garment being sewn directly on him, the darkness coiling and writhing with ominous intent, the air growing colder as power amassed. Edmond had thrown diplomacy out of the window and was planning to do it Aaron’s way. Talking with your strength. He couldn’t deny it; he was beginning to think just like Aaron, the influence seeping into his actions like shadows into light, the tension escalating into an inevitable clash.