Gleam - Chapter 152 (Patreon)

“It’s been too long, friend,” Wren said, pulling Chance into a hug. He released him, then did the same to Bella and Yeo. Chance fully expected Yeo to say something witty, but they were all so exhausted from fighting the Essence Eaters that he just returned the hug with a weary smile. “It’s unfortunate our reunion has been in such a vile place.”

“Unfortunate? Hardly,” Yeo said. “You saved our asses. We’ve been fighting these bastards for ages. You showed up right on time.”

Wren’s eyes flicked over to Chance as a knowing look passed over his face. “Perhaps not as random of a meeting as I first suspected, then. I should have known.”

“Sorry,” Chance said with a tired smile. “I needed help. I didn’t know who was in the area, but we couldn’t risk letting the Essence Eaters leave. They’re too dangerous.”

“You did the right thing,” Wren said. “Those were wretched creatures, and the world is better off with their passing.”

“I have to know, how’d you find us?” Yeo asked. “Did you follow a golden light or something like that? Chance’s Essence makes absolutely no sense to me. It isn’t like you were just taking random turns and ended up popping out to save us, is it?”

Wren rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish grin. “I was going shopping when I heard a woman call for help from an alleyway. I looked into it, only to find that the back of the alley had vanished behind me. There was only one path, so I had no choice but to follow it until it dropped me off here.”

Yeo let out a burst of muted laughter. “Sounds more like the Old City kidnapped you than anything else.”

“Old City?” Wren asked, tilting his head to the side and frowning. “What is that?”

“A long story,” Chance replied. “One I’d be more than willing to share with you, but we have a more pressing matter at hand.”

“There are more Essence Eaters?” Wren’s face paled a shade and he tightened his grip on his polearm, turning to follow Chance’s gaze.

“I don’t know, but we aren’t done here,” Chance said. “All of us were pulled here because of my Karma. There’s a monster somewhere in the house that the Essence Eaters were originating from, and it’s tied to me with Karma. If I don’t kill it here, while it’s in hiding, I suspect I’m not going to come out of this alive.”

“A monster that Essence Eaters congregate around?” Wren’s brow knit with concern. “That is truly a threat. Possibly one far too great for us to handle. How did you get involved with it?”

“There’s a job to kill someone called Acen right now,” Bella explained. “We took it, thinking his situation might have been similar to the one that we were in.”

Wren nodded his understanding. “I’ve always found such jobs distasteful. I take it not all went as you hoped?”

“Unfortunately not,” Chance said. “We found Acen, but he had a marble with him that was completely stuffed full of the darkest Karma I’ve ever felt. It was like evil incarnate. We got caught up with it, and my mentor showed up shortly thereafter to warn me that I was probably going to get killed if I didn’t deal with this monster.”

“And you’re certain the monster wasn’t any of the Essence Eaters?” Wren asked with a hopeful look in his eyes.

It almost hurt Chance to shake his head. “Yeah. I can still feel the tie. I don’t even know if we’ve killed all the Essence Eaters, nor do I know what kind of monster would be disgusting enough to sit around Essence Eaters and not get attacked by them.”

“Could we retrieve more help?” Wren asked. “I could seek out my master.”

Chance considered the request for a second, reaching out to his Essence and running the thought by it. The only response he got was a cold shiver running down the back of his spine.

“I don’t think so. I think if I don’t handle this here, then it handles me,” Chance said. “You’ve already helped a lot, though. Maybe you could head off and find your master while I try to deal with this thing. If you’re fast enough–”

“Surely you aren’t insinuating that I would depart allies about to plunge into a fight with a force that the very universe reviles,” Wren drawled, tapping the butt of his polearm on the ground. “When we fought in the Shikari tournament, we spoke with our blades. I know you, and you should know me. And anyone that knows me would know that I would not run from such a threat.”

“God, you’re cool,” Yeo muttered. “Stop doing that or I’m going to get jealous. I can’t have two rivals.”

“Why not?” Wren asked, flashing Yeo a grin. “Not cool enough?”

Yeo’s eyes went wide and Bella covered her mouth to keep from laughing too hard. A grin slipped across Chance’s face as well.

“Damn, he’s good,” Yeo muttered.

“I’d have to agree, but I think we should focus on the problem at hand,” Bella said. “How long do you think we have? Can we rest before we try to go in?”

“For a bit, I think. It’s not that precise,” Chance said after a second. “I just know I can’t leave the area, and the monster will eventually get strong enough to come kill me if I don’t kill it first.

“You sure you can’t convince it to be a friend?” Yeo asked. “You seem to be generally pretty good at that, given what Jade told me.”

“Jade?” Wren asked.

“Another Shikari our age that we met while we were on the run,” Chance said. “She’s nice once you get to know her. A bit abrasive, but nice.”

“Pretty badass too,” Yeo added. “She almost tried to kill me.”

Chance and Bella looked to Yeo and he blinked.

“What?” Yeo asked. “Why are you staring at me?”

“Is that what it takes for you to start respecting people?” Bella asked. “Them trying to kill you?”

“I mean, it was pretty badass.”

Bella rolled her eyes. “You know what? At least nobody can’t say you aren’t easy to please.”

Chance couldn’t hold it any longer. He started to laugh, doubling over and pressing a hand to his mouth to keep from making too much noise.

“I’m sorry,” Chance said, wiping tears from his eyes as he continued to snicker. “I was just thinking about how we have to be the only people that would start talking about this while standing just a few dozen feet away from an Essence Eater nest.”

“The peaceful man will emerge victorious,” Wren proclaimed, taking on an air of authority.

“Or the one with the bigger sword,” Yeo said. “That tends to help.”

“Bigger swords would likely help peaceful men stay peaceful for longer,” Wren agreed. “Unfortunately, I do not think we will be able to intimidate our opponent. I suspect they will have a larger sword than us.”

“Speak for yourself. My sword is huge.”

That earned Yeo three glares.

But, as stupid as the joke had been, Chance could feel his Essence slowly replenishing. He wasn’t sure if it was because he was somehow relaxed in spite of everything or if it was just the natural return of his energy, but he accepted it gratefully regardless.

“We need a plan,” Bella said, crossing her arms and breaking the last few seconds of silence. “I’d suggest destroying the building, but something tells me that whatever we’re up against isn’t going to get killed by a few pieces of falling rubble.”

“If it is stronger than we are individually, we should seek to create an opening. Draw it out from the building,” Wren said, chewing his lower lip in thought. He pointed to the spot where the street met the alley. “Have two of us lure it out over there. The other two will lie in wait, their strongest attacks readied, and unleash them the moment we get a chance.”

“That means we need the people with the strongest attacks to wait, right?” Yeo asked.

“Wren and Chance, then,” Bella said. “I saw what Wren could do during that tournament. Whatever move your master didn’t want you using was terrifying. That lineup works for me, since I’m the best at defense and Yeo is really slippery, so he should be hard to hit.”

Chance started to nod, but he paused as he saw a pensive look on Yeo’s face.

“Yeo?”

“Did you use your strongest attack today?” Yeo asked, his voice uncharacteristically serious.

“I got close to it with some of the Essence Eaters, but they didn’t have any Karma to cut. I can get stronger, but that was my strongest attack on its own,” Chance said. “Why?”

“My strongest attack is stronger than yours,” Yeo said.

“Yeo, this isn’t the time for a competition,” Bella said. “You’re strong and we all know it, but it would be more effective if you used your metal wires to make a trap and then helped me lure the monster out. Chance’s Karma–”

“Is really strong,” Yeo agreed. “I know what you’re thinking, Bella. But you haven’t seen my strongest attack.”

Bella frowned. “What do you mean?”

Yeo reached into his belt and pulled out the black hilt that Chance had seen him carrying around ever since his return to Gleam. A vague sense of unease passed through Chance, but it was Wren who spoke first.

“Why do you have something like that?” Wren asked, the distaste clear in his voice. “That is not a kind weapon, Yeo. Its dance is one of blood and pain.”

“I’m more than aware,” Yeo said. “How do you think I survived the Shikari? I don’t have Chance’s Karma to protect me. I’m being dead serious here. This is our strongest attack, unless Chance has something else that he’s hiding for the right time.”

“I don’t,” Chance said. “Is this attack… safe? I won’t lie to you – that hilt makes me uncomfortable.”

“It won’t hurt me,” Yeo promised. “I don’t like using it, but I’ve done it before. Many times.”

Bella looked to Chance, but he could already see that she’d come to the same conclusion he had. Beyond all the jokes and stupid proclamations, both Chance and Bella trusted Yeo.

“You’ll stay, then,” Bella said. “Chance and I will get the monster.”

“Perhaps that works the best,” Wren observed. “Chance’s Karma will be useful in avoiding getting killed before you escape the house. Who knows how deep within the building our foe is.”

“Yeah,” Chance said. “That works, then. If there are more Essence Eaters, I might have to stay in the back of the fight to make sure that I can keep my protection on everyone.”

“That is fine. The Essence Eater’s greatest power is their fear, and you ward it away like a torch to the dark. I will handle the Essence Eaters,” Wren promised.

Chance nodded. He drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly, steadying himself. His reserves of Essence were far from fully recovered, but he had enough to fight once more – and something told him that the longer they took, the stronger the monster in their path would grow.

“It’s settled, then,” Chance said.

“I am prepared,” Wren said. “Be safe.”

“Me too,” Yeo said, flashing Chance a confident grin that hid more than a little concern. “But Chance and Bella don’t have to be safe. They just have to be lucky.”

“I’ve got more than enough of that to go around,” Chance said, exchanging a nod with Bella. “We’ll be back soon. Be ready.”

“We will,” Wren promised. “May your steps be light. Good luck.”