Chapter 285: Unexpected Visitor
Alex and the others stared in stunned disbelief at the River King for a long second. It didn’t even feel possible. But there was no denying the truth right in front of their eyes. The huge man stood alone, blocking the path to the door just beyond him.
“How the hell is this the guy that beat us here?” Wess asked. “There’s no way he could have fought a single monster on his own. He’s shaped like the broad side of a barn. You couldn’t miss an attack on him if you tried.”
But Alex was a little more focused with what the River King had just said than where he stood.
His sacrifice?
You can’t be serious. Is he talking about Alyssa? The reason he wanted us to keep an eye on her was because he wanted to sacrifice her? Is he implying that this was his goal from the very start?
“What are you talking about?” Alex asked, his eyes narrowed. “And while Wess might be a bit crass, I think I have to agree with him. How did you get here?”
The River King laughed. “There’s more than one kind of power, and there’s more than one way to get through a dungeon. Everything has a cost. Everything can be bought.”
“No,” Wess said with narrowed eyes. “I really don’t think it can.”
“Should I axe him?” Derek asked. “I don’t like sacrifices much. It’s cheap. If you’re ever in a spot where you gotta kill someone to get something, it’s best to start with yourself.”
“Not to argue with you, but we met with you trying to kill me,” Alex pointed out.
“Yeah, but I at some point during that fight, so it counts,” Derek replied with a wave of his hand. He reached into his side and yanked free the broken, obsidian blade that he’d gotten from the Night King back in the Mirrorlands some time ago. “I say we chop him up.”
The River King just laughed. He didn’t seem even slightly bothered by the threat. For that matter, he barely even seemed to notice Derek. His eyes were completely affixed on Alyssa — and he was making no move to hide it.
An uneasy expression passed over Alyssa’s features and she tightened her grip on her paintbrush. “What does he mean, sacrifice?”
“Damned if I know,” Alex replied. “He asked me to keep an eye on you before we entered the Ancestry. I’ve been trying to figure out the whole time. Not to say I’m exactly the most loyal individual, but I’m not sure why he seems to think I’m going to give up someone whose been fighting at my side just because he happened to make it here before we did.”
The River King’s smile grew wider. That really shouldn’t have been possible. It had already been stretching across his face. There was something distinctly inhuman about the wide man, as if he were equal parts whale shark to man.
“Free? The taste of that word is repugnant,” the River King said. “I would never deal in such a thing. You will, of course, be compensated for your hard work. Just as we agreed.”
And with that, he shoved his hand right down his gullet. Even Claire winced at the sickening squelch that followed. They all stared on in a mixture of horror and awe as the River King plunged his hand into himself all the way past his elbow. He dug through his guts like it were an old box full of toys.
Then, with an even more sickening pop, he yanked something free. Goblets of thick saliva splattered across the ground before him. One by one, the River King unfolded his thick fingers. A star-shaped piece of what seemed to be white marble shimmered in the center of his hand. That was partially due to the liquid coating it, but the vast majority of the light came from a faint energy burning within the stone.
The System shimmered through the air above the star-shaped marble the instant the River King’s fingers had fully released it.
Ancient Starcaller (Legendary) — Consumable
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Upon Destruction: Receive the blueprints for a random Mythic Building.
“Everything can be bought, Ash. Everything,” the River King said.
Alex stiffened. That was one hell of an item. Mythic Buildings didn’t just cost a single Mythic Boon, after all. They could cost up to — well, only God knew how many. An item that just gave him the blueprints for a building like that was incredibly valuable.
But that wasn’t the reason he’d gone still.
This wasn’t just some innocent offering. Perhaps he was reading too far into it, but he was pretty damned sure it was a threat. Giving him a building for his town was almost the same as the River King saying it didn’t matter how strong Mirrorwane became.
Does he know our location?
Alex’s eyes flicked to Claire. Her expression was still, but he knew her more than well enough at this point to read the faint stiffening of her shoulders. She hadn’t missed it either. Alex got the feeling he wasn’t overthinking things at all.
“You think that’s enough to make me give someone up to be sacrificed? Why would I do that?” Alex asked with a snort. “And why the hell do you even want to sacrifice her?”
“The answer is one and the same,” the River King said simply. “The door behind me will only open with blood. Shawn should have told you what he told me. Those who survive the final trial can spend their remaining points with him. Not everyone. Just those. You see — the door at my back will not open without a life.”
Alex grimaced. “God, that’s cliché.”
The River King laughed. “You want the Rotkeeper’s Legacy. I do not seek such a thing. Rot disgusts me. I seek preservation. The Legacy is yours — as is this consumable. All in exchange for the life a girl you don’t care about. And that is why you will give me Alyssa. Because you are pragmatic. We are alike, Alex.”
Alex’s jaw clenched.
Frankly, I’m offended that he thinks I’m this big of a piece of shit.
“You remember when I said you were similar to the River King, way back when we met?” Alyssa asked, taking a small step back and bringing her paintbrush to bear before her. “I didn’t mean it.”
The River King just smiled. “Do not fight the current of fate. Nobody here follows your orders. They brought you to me. Just as I asked. And they will be paid for their services. All of them. That is the way the world works.”
“If we’re going to be cliché, then I’m going to say the line,” Alex said through gritted teeth. “We’re nothing alike. I went into the Apocalypse with the plan to enjoy it. And, unfortunately for you, that means I have zero interest in selling someone out for a fancy fucking rock. If we need a life to open that door… I think yours will do quite nicely.”
The River King shrugged one shoulder. It was a gargantuan effort, as if he were pushing back the weight of the world itself. Given how much he must have weighed, perhaps that wasn’t a surprise.
“Your cooperation is not required. I could purchase your loyalty… but it seems that would be more expensive than the alternative,” the River King said.
“Man, I’m not taking shit-talk from a guy that named himself after a frumpy video game character. Especially that game.” Wess spat on the ground. “Partial Soul Manifestation: Big Fuckin’ Gun.”
A crackle of blue light arced between Wess’ hands as his massive weapon appeared in his grip.
The others all lowered their stances. But something was wrong. Even as Alex reached for his magic, something tingled at the back of his mind. The River King was far too calm. It still made absolutely no sense. No matter how much bullshit the wide man spouted, there should have been absolutely no way for him to get here alone.
Is he really strong enough to take us all on?
“Be careful,” Claire said as her wings tore free from her back with a loud crack. “Something is wrong. His confidence isn’t fake. Take the fight slow. Don’t overextend. And—”
“Partial Soul Manifestation.” The River King grabbed the sides of his mouth, pulling them apart like they were made out of dough. His eyes shimmered, as if a wave of gold had crashed against them from within. “Rivers of Gold.”
Then the roar of crashing metal tore through the room. Golden coins poured from the River King’s mouth, clattering against the ground in a thunderous cacophony and spilling out in a lake around him.
And in that crashing torrent of wealth, a man slipped free from deep within the River King. He landed feet-first with a thud amidst the pool of glistening gold, draped in a burgundy robe studded with shimmering silver stars.
A glossy silver mask covered their features, leaving only a single eye of brilliant purple hue uncovered. The flow of coins skittered to a halt as the River King’s mouth closed once more.
Alex’s hair stood on end. A wave of unease passed over him. Raw power emanated from the man before them. It wasn’t magical fear like what the Revenant had caused. No, this was pure instinct.
What the hell? What kind of weird ass Soul Manifestation is that? He had a whole ass person in him? And a creepy one at that. I don’t like this dude at all. There’s something wrong with him, and it’s more than that he let himself get eaten by the creepy fish-guy.
“Allow me to introduce you to my compatriot for the Ancestry and backup plan for the circumstance in which you proved foolish enough to not take my offer. He will act as your executioner for the day,” the River King drawled. “This is Vincent, of House Starfallen.”