Chapter 18:

Jay stared at the necklace. Beyond its shape, there was nothing different between it and the pearl Jay was used to.

The Alt-Log claimed that some cult of the Demon God Atlyss collapsed, and this was one of the many artefacts collected from that ordeal.

Jay was fairly certain that this fifth of the swordsman was will, just as he was pretty sure that the husk in there was what body without spirit, will, mind, or shadow looked like.

The ugly fucking thing. Though that was Jay’s master...

‘Last chance’ Jay thought. He was having the joy he got from doing what was likely an easy and good thing belied from the fact that he was doing something unknown.

There was an astronomically small chance that it was the paladin's will to attack the first person he sees.

Even smaller was the chance that he’d actually manage to do anything, given the ‘no harm inside soul prison’ thing.

But still, it is overly apparent that Jay is not a risk-taking man. Gambling man, sure, but Jay would never risk anything that he even remotely cared about.

Needless to say, his life was something he cared about deeply.

Jay mulled it over like the coward he was, eventually though, the promise of an extra-good deed won out.

Jay held out pearls in one hand, and the gemstone in the other, then silently willed them together.

Jay balked at the pressure building around himself, “Come on Olgar, you wouldn’t kill a dude just for trying to piece you together, would you? I promise I’ll bring Elmer's glue next time!”

Regardless of Jay’s less than stellar pleading offering, the process surged onwards, eventually reaching a head. After the insane pressure and mass of swirling energies subsided, Jay was holding something else entirely.

In Jay’s palm was a flat octagon about half an inch thick and six inches across.

Jay pulled his signature move.

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Soul Palace

Soulwork

(Epic)

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Description:

A combination of ancient magics, hints of divinity, and soul energy. Built by a powerful soul. Houses Olgar Bladecaller. Allows access to soul ream.

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Jay was stunned, he couldn’t even focus on what was truly important. “I… I guess that proves that it really was Olgar that was in the fragments.”

Olgar Bladecaller being a hero of the Stansa Church that was said in the lore of the Church to have lived around the same time. He was also said to have died at the fall of the Grand Stansa Olgiarlogy. Official records stated Olgar to be in paradise granted to those who serve Goddess Stansa righteously.

Jay may even be tried for heresy, if he was stupid enough to bring this to the public eye.

Eventually though, the pen dropped, and Jay started jumping for joy.

Jay was exulbliant, “If it was this fucking easy to to get another Epic item, I’ll be swimming in them soon!”

Jay wasn’t entirely wrong, however, his joy was a smidge misplaced. Jay thought it would be a cakewalk to combine rare items to increase their rank. That, however, isn’t exactly the case. If it were so easy to combine items to better them, every other successful merchant would be lugging around epic items.

Still though, Jay’s joy was only a smidge misplaced. Some items, like the fragments of the same soul, are easily combined. It wasn’t entirely unfounded either, epic items lead to their owners gaining more epic items all the time. As a great strategist once said, opportunities multiply as they are seized, and, besides greed, it is the reason 90% of all epic items are seized by owners of epic items.

Jay jumped around, jumped up, jumped up, and got down. He sent the next Alt-Jay out before he forgot. He even visited Betsy.

But eventualy Jay stopped fucking around, decided to stop putting off visiting Olgar. He held the octagon and willed himself inside.

…

Jay looked around in awe, when the system called the place a palace, it wasn’t kidding.

He was standing in the middle of a ring, surrounded by white stone columns and stands. The sand ring was much like the previous one, only much larger.

Though Jay wasn’t looking at the ring. “Woah…”

He was looking at the surreal sight of a veritable palace shifting in the distance. It was like looking at a mirage in the desert, only Jay was sure that his brain was not capable of producing such a sight.

Jay was just about to step towards the palace, when overwhelming intent washed over him.

Jay instantly pivoted towards the source of the sensation, getting into the stance that had been drilled into him. However, fast as he was, Jay’s hand was stopped inches before he touched the hilt of his sword.

Despite being entirely unable to defend himself, or indeed, even move, Jay had moved enough to see the source of the intent.

Though, there was only really one real possibility to begin with. Olgar had his back against one of the columns. He was doing what Jay could only describe as a ‘Slave squat’ with his sword laying between his legs and arms. Though Olgar looked no different from Ghouly, there was an indescribable air about him.

Despite the overwhelming presence coming off of Olgar and Jay’s inability to move, Jay tried his best.

Yes, he tried his best to send out one of his famous quips, on the off chance that it would somehow diffuse this situation.

Jay didn’t get far, “Ha, y-”

The intent flowing off of the swordsman changed almost imperceptibly. If Jay had to describe it, he would say it was like he was told to ‘stop’ then to ‘shut up’.

But this entity didn’t use words, and in Jay’s mind, he doubted that it even thought in words. Just in concepts.

If someone put a gun to Jay’s head and told him to describe what he saw that day, he’d likely say, “It was like an animal, but somehow both more and less intelligent. It didn’t have the judgement of an animal, but it had something more. It was like instinct, combined with 5 other concepts, all merged together. The people here would call that will, but the people of my world might understand better if I called it the subconscious.”

He may also say, “You fool! You think a gun can kill me?! Hyah!” Depending on where he was in his training, and how many magical items he was carrying.

Jay then felt the intent change again. It was strange, it felt like his seventh grade bully had two of his goons holding Jay down and screamed ‘AFFILIATION!?’ at him.

Jay was so scared that he could barely feel something deep within himself weakly respond with a concept that could be described as ‘non-pious follower of Stansa’.

Olgar was annoyed at that.

That was what Jay read from the swordsman's intent.

Annoyance.

That was all Jay felt. No more hostility, the intent wasn’t even aimed at him now.

Jay sagged to the floor in relief. He didn’t know how long he stayed there, but it felt all too soon when Olgar’s intent fell back on him.

Ironically, ‘Intent?’ was broadcasted to Jay.

It was nowhere near as aggressive as it was before, but Jay still couldn’t stop something inside himself from responding ‘training?’.

An amused ‘Training?’ was sent back.

That woke Jay from his stupor. This fucker wasn’t going to let Jay continue training with him

Jay steeled himself and stood up. ‘Training.’ he sent back.

Jay’s face rapidly shifted from his ‘resolute’ face to his ‘ohshit’ face as he watched Olgar stand up. It was clear, it was on.

Jay hurriedly drew his spare sword and charged his master.

Jay’s ‘ohshit’ face transformed into his ‘ohfuck’ face as he watched his sword be cut through like butter.

The shock was large enough to switch Jay back into talking normally. “... Merging your soul fragments made your sword stronger?”

Olgar ignored him while he sent a palm into Jay’s chest.

Jay crashed into a column some ten feet away. The two impacts ripped holes into the front and back of Jay’s shirt. If this wasn’t the soul realm, Jay wouldn’t have broken bones, he’d have liquid bones.

Jay was flabberghasted, abso-fucking-lutly flummoxed, “I- It made you stronger?!”

Jay could only watch as Olgar strolled over to him and picked him up by the neck. He was likewise powerless as he was tossed to the other side of the arena.

The pen dropped before Jay did.

Jay focused as he picked himself up. “Oh.” ‘Intent.’

Jay charged his master with a broken sword and a renewed will.