End of an Era (Project Chrysalis Book 2), John Gold [ebook reader online txt] 📗

Project Chrysalis

Book Two

End of an Era

John Gold

Translated by

Jared Firth

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Contents:

Part One

The Trial

Part Two

First Among Equals

Book Recommendations:

Part OneThe Trial

Bernard was celebrating getting all the way to Level 950. Over the previous two years, he’d picked up 450 levels, created a powerful clan called the Black Rose, and nurtured the next generation of leaders. The former god did nothing but push himself continuously to the limit.

The guild’s military wing had spent the past two weeks clearing the local dungeons. Bernard pushed them, forcing them to level up and work on their skills, teamwork, and ability to think strategically. At some point, he had realized what a good thing it was that he had been the one to fight Idzumi and die at his hand. The ancient god rued the stupidity of underestimating his opponent, though he also knew that nobody else in the large pantheon could have created as strong a clan with such well-trained fighters.

During a modest party he was having with the other leaders, one of Bernard’s brothers got in touch with him.

“Hi, Bernard, can you talk?”

“Hey, Teur. It’s good to hear from you.”

“Well, something’s up. Do you remember the ritual in my temple, the one that created Leon?”

“Sure.”

“They sacrificed a kid. Anyway, my current high priest swears that the boy roughed him up and forced him to say what happened to his parents while he was dead.”

“Wait, wait, wait, how can that be? He’s in Hell! There’s no way out - nobody’s ever come back.”

His party mood vanished, replaced by fear of the unknown.

“Well, apparently, there is. The kid got away, and he’s not exactly looking human.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“He showed up looking like death. The priest swears the boy was choking him with hands as cold as a skeleton’s.”

“Could he have just been scared?”

“No, he said he saw the arms of a skeleton. There was complete darkness under the kid’s hood too. The priest is Level 106, and the kid just shoved him down on his knees and choked him until he gave up the information. He even promised to eat him, drink his soul, and make him suffer - in my main temple! Can you imagine the nerve the kid has to pull that off?”

Bernard sat back in his chair, looking out the window in fear and hopelessness. His worst fears and deepest suspicions had been confirmed. Why hadn’t the quest been failed? The boy was alive, and he was in Imir.

“Did he say anything else? Did he mention me? Any threats or anything about the ritual?”

“He just said that he’d be coming for my soul if his parents were hurt. That was it. Nothing about you. Fun little character, don’t you think?”

“Okay, I’ll have my people in the city keep an eye out. If they see him, I’ll do what I can to neutralize him. What happened to his parents?”

“When the priest was killed, certain fanatics took matters into their own hands. The new priest wanted to solidify his position too. They were going to execute the two of them, hang them for murder, but they ran off to No Man’s Land. It’s all godlessness in there. I didn’t have a new high priest initiated yet, and I couldn’t create a new avatar for myself, otherwise I might have caught them.”

“That may be for the best. We don’t know what powers the boy has after Hell. Let’s hope he’ll just forget about us.”

“That’s possible, though I don’t think it’s very probable.”

“You are forgetting the wanderers of the last era! They proved how strong they can become over just a short period of time, something I only realized once I was brought back to life. Anyway, thanks for the news… How’s everything over there? I had a bad feeling after that war.”

“Yep, everything’s quiet. It’s been a good harvest, so everyone’s happy. It’s probably just odd that the little gods are lying low. They all went missing before the beginning of the war, almost at the same time.”

“Thinking up something unpleasant.” The mage grimaced, thinking back to their previous tricks.

“Who knows, Bernard? They talked with Idzumi during the wanderers’ last exodus too. Maybe, he offered them the same thing he offered us.”

“Could be. Okay, thanks.”

Teurus gone, Bernard exhaled freely. He needed to figure out what the boy was up to, what he was capable of, and if he was planning his revenge. Sagie was still a kid, which meant that making his childish dreams come true would make him willing to forgive and forget.

***

I did my best to put as much distance between me and Imir as I could. If Teurus paid me any attention, he’d be more than capable of using his followers to keep track of me. And I certainly don’t need any extra divine attention.

As soon as I left the city, I took off the cloak and gloves. I need to find my parents, but that isn’t going to happen right now. The road south will be locked down after my conversation with the priest. Instead, I head east and take a wide circle around the dwarf mountains. I want to get to No Man’s Land from the sea. Father…mama…I’m so glad you were able to get away!