Jacob sat back down at the table with Hethara and Carthus, Koranum nowhere to be seen. Before he could even ask Hethara spoke, “She and I had a little chat while you and Carthus went to get the bird. She has…agreed to your proposal, with certain conditions.”

Jacob was pleasantly surprised, ‘It would seem we forced her to swallow her pride, for the good of the people…Yeah right she just thought she would die otherwise.’ Jacob smirked and then quickly suppressed it to ask, “What are her conditions?” “I have seen to several of the demands I could help with, but there are three left.” Jacob squeezed her hand in his and said, “Thank you for your generosity. What are the three remaining conditions?”

“First you must prove that it is possible on a small scale. A small farm owned by one of her churches will be expecting your arrival in several days.” She paused for his comments and questions. “Do you have a map to said farm, and is it on the grounds of the church?” Hethara smile saying, “Yes and no it is not.” She waved her hand over the table and upon it appeared a high-quality paper map.

Jacob looked at the map for a moment and raised his hand about to ask one more question but was cut off as Hethara placed her hand upon his cheek. He felt new knowledge flow into his mind, very similar to when he gained levels or totems. “Thanks for the knowledge of how to read a map.”

Hethara smirked before continuing, “You must find at least 10 Necromancers who can be swayed to do this job and kill any rouges that you find.” Jacob asked no questions of her, instead he turned to Carthus across the table and smiled. Carthus smiled back at him nervously, “You probably cannot say directly but do you have any necromancer contacts?”

There was that feeling again. He felt a presence through the door, his instincts told him that death had come. They screamed at him to run with all his might, as far and as fast as he could, and not to look back. His body shook as he struggled to hold himself together. There was no knock upon the door, it simply opened silently, like a thief in the night. It was then that he felt the gaze of death upon him.

The man that stepped through the doorway was gaunt, and pale of skin. He was bald with eyes that shined a crystal blue. He was dressed in all black nobleman’s attire. As he spoke, Jacob could see his large canine teeth, and he knew what this man was. “Good afternoon, so this is the one that there has been so much buzz about in the last days. Well mostly the last hour or so. Nice to meet you Jacob. My name is Athes, God of undeath. We have much to discuss.”

Passive Skill: Fear Resistance has been obtained…

Fear Resistance has leveled up….

has leveled up…

leveled up…

“For I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for you are by my side.” Jacob spoke and as he did, he held tight to Hethara’s hand.

Semi Active Skill: Flaming Beacon of Hope has been obtained…

Without hesitation Jacob invoked the skill. There in the air above the table, in front of Jacob was born a small, pale blue flame. He felt the skills power rapidly rising as it fought with the oppressing aura emitted by Athes.

This small flame seemed to draw the attention of Athes. He strode over silently, not even his clothes made a sound as he moved toward the table. He did not speak as he stared into the flame. He reached out and as he did so the lights of the room began to dim rapidly. They dimmed until the only lights left were his own eyes, and the pale flame that grew ever brighter.

The vampire god reached out his hand to snuff out the flame. Jacobs mana pool was running low, but he was too curious as to what would happen next to cut it short. Athes’ hand wrapped around the flame, but its light did not diminish and all at once. “AH!” The light of the room returned as the god retracted his hand, and for a brief moment Jacob saw that the vampire god had burned his hand upon the pale flame of Hope. A second passed, and the damage was as if it had never been there. “Most interesting indeed.”