Michael Chatfield
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Four Horsemen: Chapter 18
🕑 Added 2023-10-31 11:00:03 +0000 UTCChapter 18:
Limos let out a choked laugh, his eyes focused on Desari.
Our bodies? Petor thought, his mind moving away from the gold he’d just earned and mentally putting it against what he could buy.
“Well, that’s an interesting story really.”
“One I believe you owe us for putting us in the midst of a coup against a god and a city getting sacked,” Desari said, lightly.
“I dabble in all kinds of trades with all kinds of people. There are clients looking for all kinds of things and commissions. Everyone and everything in these fine planes are trying to increase their power. From the mortals to the gods themselves. There is no lack.”
He wrapped both hands over the top of his staff.
“As we agreed I was able to incarnate you, I just made use of some resources that were forgotten about. The old buyers removed through various means.”
“You’re talking about gods aren’t you?” Petor asked.
“Gods, such a word is used too lightly. It would be fairer to call them celestial beings, formed of mana and the cores of thousands of believers.”
“So you knew the location of four bodies that a celestial could descend into and put us into them,” Valter said.
“Why would a god even want to descend?” Petor asked.
“Power,” everyone else answered in the same breath.
Valter turned to him. “Power in the celestial realm goes into creating a realm for the dead. Once the realm is established, the extra mana goes into forming the god of that realm.”
When someone dies, then the majority of their core—their soul—passes through the planes to arrive in the celestial realm. There they might reap the rewards of their afterlife. Souls still act like cores, you live out your existence in the celestial realm, but the part of your core that still exists, is still creating mana, mana that is refined into celestial mana.”
It powers the realm, and the gods.”
“Okay, there are a ton of souls though, so they get really powerful from that?” Petor asked.
“There are a lot of souls and not everyone is powerful when they die.” Valter continued. “Gods will slowly accumulate power, that mana advancing them. Though they pass it back through their priests as miracles and other such uses. It is a slim resource that they build up slowly over time.”
You need a lot of followers to create and support a god, even more if you want them to be anything approaching strong,” Mya crossed her arms and ground her teeth, glowering at the floor.
“Gods each have their own core, if they are in the celestial realm it grows slowly with the devotions of their people. Or they can take a shortcut, descend,” Valter continued. “They descend to the lower planes, there they become a person with a body, they still have access to their celestial mana, but they can harvest essence as we do. This allows them to get stronger from making things, consuming things, killing things, just as we do.”
“And it will also allow them to break through the barrier from divinity to demi-god,” Desari said.
“That’s what Jorai was trying to do?” Petor asked.
“The altar created a link to the celestial realm, the god’s soul could descend, go through the mountain and into the bodies that we use.” Valter looked at his hand and then back to Petor.
“Well aren’t you pleased you got it instead of a god like Jorai? Even his champion looked to betray him. Doesn’t really look good on one’s godliness now,” Limos said.
“No it doesn’t,” Desari said. “Though is there anything that we should know about these bodies?”
“You were dead, just souls, technically you are inhabiting homunculus. Your souls have fused with your bodies completely. With that your appearances and abilities are the same as when you died, albeit with a smaller core. Nothing to worry about.”
“And the horses?” Valter asked. “Ignus looks different.”
“Ah, well I think it might be easier to go through towns with a large horse instead of an automaton build of metal, rage, hatred and fire. Fine work my dear man.” Limos looked at him with an appreciative smile, before he spread his gaze to them all. “I reached out into the aether seeking mounts that would heed your call. They responded. For their loyalty they are bound to your souls, they share in the bounty of your power. They will appear as if a normal horse to nearly all others, unless you strip away their appearance and unleash their full power. You can summon them as if a soul bound item, if they die you can revive them. If they are completely destroyed, it will cost more mana, but you can reform them and revive them. It is only if they and you are dead, that they will die as well.”
“Thank you,” Valter said simply. He took his chest of gold into his storage ring.
Mya took hers. “Let me guess, you were the one to sell those gods these bodies.”
“What would give you that idea?” His smile confirmed what he failed to in words.
Petor stood and took his chest a few seconds after Desari took hers. It was more gold than he’d seen in his life.
Mya set to her second round of haggling with Limos, the devil yelling in outrage, turning to sweet smiles and kind laughter. He didn’t know what was stranger, the fact that Mya could counteract with the best he had to offer, the fact they both seemed to be having fun, or the fact that dealing with the devil didn’t rate that highly on worries of the day.
While Valter could make gear of incredible power, Desari had a vast breadth of knowledge and could create potions, Mya was a fast hand with gathering whispers and rumors, a master at trade. He was just a farmer’s son turned farmer. Good in the forests, in the fields, outside the cities he knew things, but he had no skills other than his arms.
And I have the most expensive information.
Three hundred thousand gold. The number was staggering. Each of the others could get their information and they could complete it. Would they stay to help him with his act? Would Limos let him take on missions by himself to make the coin needed to face Yaaseen?
He took in a breath and let it out. He needed to get gear that would increase his strength, information from Desari, cultivating. Nothing had changed really.
He ran through the VIP list once again.
He looked up at Valter’s footsteps, he tilted his chin at the VIP items.
“Anything interest you?”
“Interested in what Desari can get to help us out. I don’t think any of the items would really help me out in a major way, what about you?”
“The gauntlets of embers sound like it could be very useful, though expensive. The others are interesting and powerful, but they are a double edged blade, assisting one at a cost. That’s probably why they are much cheaper.”
“Cheaper, none of this stuff looks very cheap to me,” Petor snorted.
“Not really, no,” Valter grinned.
Mya pulled back her hand from Limos’ right before he took her hand.
“One final item, Sorelli.”
Limos pulled his offered hand back as if bit by a snake and slowly took his monocole from his eye. Items once again covered the counter. Barrels, crates, foodstuffs, ingredients and potions, there were four waterproof sheets as well as sleeping blankets and pillows.
Pillows his soldier heart was squeezed tight seeing such luxuries.
“Sorelli?”
“Seems that the small city might have a few people looking to harm them now. Fields all burned up now they’re going to need help to rebuild and keep going, though I hear their mountains might have a number of artifacts and metals within.”
“Yes?”
“I’m thinking that it might be a grand place for a trader such as yourself to make inroads, or through your subsidiaries. That you might want a way to cross into that land without the undead attacking you?”
“There are many mines to be found,” Limos said.
“How many of them have celestial mana leaking into the ground, spreading out to the people. Few months and people are going to start get wary of the Sorelli survivors and they’re going to have a mighty need for items. Good metal is never out of fashion and having the strongest city in an area your trading friend,” Mya drew in a breath and looped her fingers into her belt. “Not a bad friend to have.”
“Thought that a ritual you created would be better made.”
“Ah, got to give something back to the people, can’t have them just relying on someone else’s power now,” Mya said.
“What are you thinking?”
“Twenty percent of all profit made with them, split between my group. Also the agreement that you will trade with them no more than twenty percent over the plane’s average cost of goods.”
“You need not add in the restriction on the price. A trader that is there with fair prices in a time of need is a trader to have for life,” Limos smiled.
“Still,” Mya held out her hand. “Do we have an agreement.”
“Five percent.”
“Ten.”
He slid his hand into her grasp and shook it once. “As it is said, it is agreed.”
A piece of paper hopped up onto the counter with an inkwell and pen, writing out the terms of the contract.
“I will add the earnings to your credit line.”
“Naturally, why let that profit go anywhere else?” Mya grinned. Limos shared in it, two sharks eyeing one another across the expanse of counter.
“Ah, being but a member of the four horsemen is wasted upon you.”
“Trading and danger go hand in hand with me.” Mya said sweetly. “I like my band as they are.”
Mya turned to Petor and Valter. “Alright you two, I need your ten percent, we’ve got bedding, food, water as well as what we’ll need to increase our core’s power some. Let me know what items you’d like to purchase.”
“I was looking at some ammunition,” Petor stood.
“Oh?” Valter looked at the page his thumb was against.
“Mystery box of magical orbs-ammunition.”
Desari looked over Petor’s other shoulder. “Random collection of orbs with magical effects. Effects are unknown.” She pulled her head back. “I would suggest throwing them very far away.”
“Though it could increase the effectiveness of your sling,” Mya said.
“I could make small versions of Hot Shot and Lava Bomb. That could be a fun way to try some of the more excitable inscriptions,” Valter said.
“There are several potions that you could throw as well, just would need to use some of the rounded small tinctures,” Desari said.
“I can buy them from you,” Petor said.
“If you want to buy the base items that would help out. Which raises a question of my own. What gear does everyone need?”
“I could do with more round shot, if you could inscribe it that would be great, would have to be stable and I don’t want it activating something like Lava Bomb while its against the powder,” Mya said.
“I’d like to add some armored sections to my armor, I’ll layer it with leather so that it moves with me, and can’t be heard,” Desari said.
“And harder to notice its even there.” Valter rubbed his chin with a nod.
“Armor, shield and spear.” Petor laughed and rubbed the back of his head.
“Understandable. Well I need to add some things to my order.”
“I need clothes that will fit,” Valter said. “If there is something that will hide the appearance of my armor while I’m wearing it that would be appreciated. I saw some rings and amulets but I’m not sure if they will work.”
“Show me the items and I can let you know if they’ll work or not,” Desari said.
Petor gave Mya his ten percent, they split up the gear to a bundle for everyone. Valter got a buckle that would make his armor appear without the inscriptions.
“Though if you put in too much mana to your inscriptions then the illusion will fail and your true appearance will be revealed,” Limos warned as he handed over the buckle.
“Understood.” Valter added it to the clothes he’d already bought.
Mya bought several ingredients and Desari bought the Phoenix Feathered Quiver.
They stepped out of the store-carriage. Still the same size on the outside. Mirradon and the others looked up, interested but not surprised.
“Why the four horsemen?” Petor asked.
“Seemed appropriate no?” Limos quirked an eyebrow.
“Death was part of one of the largest trading merchant families on Samarra, the Asmani traders. When they killed bandits and pirates they turned them into undead serfs, the family donated their bodies in death to act as undead minions for the living. Using necromancy they became the strongest traders on the planet and were stretching out to other planes when the family tried to take over Samarra. They were defeated, but the war and the debts of the family, caused the survivors to sink into a massive recession. Samarra never recovered and is now dominated by pirates.”
“War, once an armorer, a blacksmith turned soldier. In a war against the Osori he was left barely hanging onto life, infected with the blood of the enemy. He recovered, consuming Osori power he was able to become stronger, turning into one of the strongest weapons of the Velledes. He went into a rage, killing his own family, he was killed by the military, but they bound his soul to his armor, used him as a warrior for several decades. Then the armor disappeared, re-appearing on another plane, fighting for its own cause. Velledes that had become reliant on the armored champion lost their protection, their enemies and conquered lands still fight them this day, continually embroiled in war.”
“Famine,” Limos smacked his lips and narrowed his eyes. “A farmer’s son that served in several wars through the Aeld kingdom. Served the goddess Yaaseen before he saw her true face. Though saving demons they gave him a gift rarely seen. The ability to drain mana and essence, and to give it back. To create famines and end them.”
“Conquest,” Limos licked his lips, taking a half-step towards her. “The spy that brough the Free cities of Ilus to their knees. A trained scorpion skilled in the arts of deception and assassination. She actually studied magic, going against the martial practices of her Graxian homeland. Studied and grew there for five years becoming an assistant to one of the forty seven mage heads. Her family gained great honor leading the charge and capturing the city gates. Only to be thwarted by her. For she was no longer a scorpion but a true student of the great Ilus academy in truth. Killed her own father and fought her brother to the death.”
Each of them shifted on their feet as he smiled at them.
“Alas all good things must come to an end. See you after you complete a quest. Remember its not about how you complete it, its just that you get it done. I love to see your flair with a job.” He pinched his hat and tilted it to them.
“Till later horsemen!” He tapped on the side of the carriage and closed the door to his store. The stairs rolled up as the beast-horses pulled him towards the path out of the clearing.
Reality split into his red-arch and his carriage passed through, the arch snapping closed and disappearing.
“Well, its always interesting dealing with an interplanar trader,” Mya said.
“I think tonight we get some rest, tomorrow we’ll look at the quests,” Valter said.
“I’ll take first watch, get some sleep,” Mya said.
Petor checked Mirradon, feeding her several apples before he laid down his new waterproofed blankets and pillow.
