Eric's body floated back down, the forest seemed to still at his presence. Creatures looming in the darkness backed away as his body burst into something different.
Unlike his snake and monkey hybrid for the Mountain Cloud Guardian and his hellish figure in the Underworld Vulcan form, his figure seemed ghostly. As though about to phase out from existence, he used his spider appendages, growing from his back to stand higher.
His skin a ghostly white as a purple soul energy formed silk like clothing that fit on him loosely. Turning to the city, Eric moved. Driven by an instinct, Eric returned to the city. By the time he arrived at the gates, his ghostly form was back to human.
Flashing his badge, he went to a cheap but filling eatery and gorged on food. His scrawny figure drawing glances.
"Did you hear, the army is ramping up selections and it's to start in a month."
"Ohhhhh, I heard. I also heard that the inquisitors have been moving around lately."
"Shush, don't talk about them too loud. I'm more concerned with the flood-dragons introducing new drugs. I also heard Yulo got a new girlfriend, if you can call her that."
Eric registered the first three pieces of news, sighing at the third. However, a bubble of optimism came as he heard about military selections taking place sooner.
'Good, something to focus on.' Eric went back to the Iron Dragon Shop and was immediately pulled by Rudolph. With a wave of a hand he was yanked across the shop into the back.
"Boy!!!! Where have you been and why---" Stopping, Rudolph did a double take as he tapped around Eric's body.
"Boy, who have you been around?" Eric didn't answer Rudolph, merely shifting into his newly gained bloodline.
" It's called the [Eight Legged Ghost] bloodline. It's from the Hades Spider that was inside of me." Telling the old man about his chance encounter, Rudolph's face tightened.
"Listen carefully boy. For everything that grants power, something must be given in exchange. That girl was a Teller. They're oracles that try and read and tap into fate. DO NOT MEESS AROUND WITH SUCH THINGS. That is God's domain, they're kind have gone extinct because of this."
Eric nodded slowly.
"Kid, don't use that bloodline transformation. The damage to your soul is still there, it's gonna take time and a myriad of items to heal your soul. Keep your head down and focus on trying to get into the army."
Rolling his eyes, Eric asked something that had been stewing on his brain since coming back.
"Hey old man.... why do people lie about history?" Rudolph was silent, Eric could see a tsunami of emotion and information flashing in the man's eyes.
"That isn't an easy question, nor do I have the sole answer to."
Eric's eye narrowed, "Will the Keepers have the answer to my question?" Rudolph was silent, just silent. It made Eric feel as though he were fighting to dredge up any morsel of truth from the old thing.
"You won't know how bitter the world is until it burns you completely." Eric watched him walk away, the old man seemed weighed down by the very world itself.
'I'll become a Keeper one day, and I''ll discover the truth about the races. No one will be able to pervert the truth, no one will be scarred the way you are.' The thought was outlandish, childish, and extreme.
*****************************************************************************************************
Amare paced back and forth, his irritation growing as things started to spiral. Looking at the five corpses in front of himself, he could only let out a low growl.
"Amateurs, the fucking lot of em. One job, one simple fucking job. All you need to do is keep sacrificing and you still can't do that right."