Kaaaaaaaah
The large blue bird screamed at the man.
In fact the bird is called a lec bird.
Originating from the thunderous mountains named Lec Mountain.
Thunder streamed across the large spread wings of the lec.
The thunder seemed pitiful in the presence of the opponent.
A being of a much higher realm than the lec.
One who can easily cover the skies in their fog.
A being whose whole body is essentially fog.
Jack Barnum.
A perfectly gray matte of hair covered his scalp, clinging onto his head.
His pupils absorbed by his own fog in a lovely endless abyss of pure ashy grey.
On both hands, even on the fog arm, were two silver gauntlets, his innate weapon body.
Barnum didn’t wait long as the lec continued its pathetic screeching—begging for survival.
His hands curled into fists as his body darted straight over to the lec.
Fog grasped the legs of the lec, firmly wrapping and tightening around the bird’s leg.
Attempting to run away, the bird tried to burn the fog away with their thunder but the pointless blue zaps were barely an itch to the fog of Barnum.
The lec’s head on a swivel—looking: left/right/front/back and then left again.
Immense fear gripped the bird’s mind.
Kakaaaaah
A punch soon got clogged into the large mouth of the bird, but the lec could only taste fog.
Another more physical punch came from the left of the bird, connecting straight at its head.
Blood splattered onto Barnum’s waist coat as thunder tried to crawl up his body but was quickly trampled on by the dark fog.
Another punch and then another: 3 more, 5 more, 10 more.
The gauntlets firmly striking the lec.
The fog wanting action of its own clambered up the bird.
Fully wrapping around the belly of the bird, it squeezed it until a large pop was witnessed.
Rivers of blood bursting in all directions.
The lec was stripped fully naked.
Just bird meat left dripping with fresh wine blood.
The fog released its grasp from the battered body and the corpse dropped through the layers of charcoal fog and murky clouds.
Splat
Beasts, insects, mechs and all others gathered in one location.
A large lump in the middle of the crowd.
The main attraction causing a long fight between all the species of the forest.
That same location, only an hour later:
Bones—bones—bones and more bones.
No blood, no corpses, no signs of battle.
Just a collection of bones; bones that were ripped of all protection and safety.
The massive lump of bones (placed in the middle of the open space) that should have once held a thunder life core, no longer did.
But where did it go?
Barnum never came down here nor did a single other human.
…
On top of a battlement of Birnam City:
“Commander Barnum, sir,” announced a soldier standing not far behind a foggy figure leaning over the castle walls.
Barnum’s gauntlets had disappeared from his hands, his purely fog arm created an artificial cigarette bringing it to his mouth.
A huff and a puff later unnatural mist escaped his lowered jaw.
Retrieving his heavy fog, the sky began to clear up but the murky clouds still hung high overhead—very rarely dissipating over Birnam City and Greywood Forest.
In front of the few soldiers lined up against the walls and the speaking soldier, Barnum’s figure became visible, no longer marred by the mist.
“Commander Barnum, the sun cultists aren’t moving.”
“Well they have no reason to when the bloody beasts are doing all the work, ey?” Barnum replied.
“So someone better bloody figure out how those sun slaves are forcing the beasts to attack cause they ain’t no companion beasts,” Barnum continued, fed-up by it all.
Another man walked up to the top of the battlements; a man much better dressed in a tuxedo, a pocket watch dangling from his breast pocket.
His blue hair curled over, forming a perfect ocean wave.
“If we knew that we wouldn’t be in this situation, would we Barnumpty?” Two soldiers turned and leaned towards each other, laughter creeping up their faces.
A cold stare from the now Barnumpty banished the laughter to the void.
“So I just stay here-ey, and protect this city?”
“Spot ooooon, Barnumpty,” his tone rising into a squeal by the end.
…
Inside the Union building, Flo is at the desk and a yet again exhausted Emily has to deal with him.
Without speaking to him, Emily passes him a letter and a small bag.
Flo took both items and read the letter:
‘Dear white-haired adventurer,
Due to some unfortunate events I will not be able to meet you again during this day.
I have been able to hand in the quest and get our reward.
I have split the reward in the middle, your money is in the small bag accompanied by this letter.
If you have any complaints, I will be able to meet you tomorrow and we can talk about the split of the reward if you wish to do so.
Any further questions may also be asked during that period.
Yours sincerely,
Max.’
“What a formal bastard,” Flo stated as he pocketed the letter and peeked into the tiny brown pouch.
Not only did the money strike Flo but also that he did never tell Max his name.
“You knoooow, some old woman was shouting ‘Maxwell, Maxwell’ and he rushed over to heeeeer,” Emily yawned by the end of her sentence.
Flo gazed a bit more happily at his plink’s screen:
[Currency – 60 Shards 0 Sols 0 Eclipse Shards (Owes 35 shards to Blake Hospital to be paid within 28 sunrises and 250 shards to All Gunnery to be paid within 89 sunrises)]
“How much is an iron tier blood core?”
“1 shard for stage 1 iron core, 2 shards for stage 2 iron core etc.”
Flo buys 3 stage 5 iron blood cores and while in the process pays his hospital bills:
A tad bit more satisfied with his finances, Flo headed back home.
The bell of the antique shop rang as Flo entered.
The shop was empty, Bil was sitting lonely at the counter; upon hearing the chiming of the bell be looked up and a much happier expression covered his face:
“Your back, I never asked, what do you do?” Bil started.
“I’m an adventurer and I’ve had a good day today, making enough shards to pay the rent.”
They clicked plinks soon after, Bil’s plink was his glasses that hung around his neck with both ends connected by a lengthy chain of wooden blocks that hit each other as he moved.
“Make sure to be careful you hear me, my friends be chatting that the sun cultists are near.”
“I will be,” he declared loudly as he moved towards the stairway.
Entering his room he plopped down on the bed, having a rest for 30-ish minutes.
Finally feeling restored in the plain bedroom he sat up, his gaze wandered around the room eventually hitting the window.
He aggressively rubbed his own head as he forgot to check the wall where the boy disappeared.
Though he regretted it, he decided not to leave now as it would not only be strange to leave in front of Bil again but also the sun had already set.
The moon though not visible from the window but is definitely somewhere in the sky.
Grabbing the 3 blood life cores, he quickly ate all of them.
His essence exploding inside his body, his black blood raging inside him, spiking through his skin.
Eventually it settled:
[Job – Adventurer
Currency – 0 Shards 0 Sols 0 Eclipse Shards (Owes 250 shards to All Gunnery to be paid within 89 sunrises)
Life Core Element – Blood
Weapon Body – Gun Body
Innate Body – Marksman Rifle
Current Level – Beginner Gun Body
Realm – 7th Stage of Iron Core Gathering Realm.
Realm Stabilisation – 0
Companion – None
Location – Brimnar City
Date – 14th Sunrise of Summer of Year 4032]
His total power and storage of essence heavily increased but a big problem would be the realm stabilisation.
The bigger the gap between the actual realm and what realm he had stabilised means less control he has over his blood.
The only way to stabilize someone’s realm is simply through meditation.
Through meditation, the person can control their element and allow it to settle making future use of it much easier.
Flo crossed his legs on his bed and began to stabilise his realm.
Many hours later, the sun rose:
[Realm Stabilisation – 4th Stage of Iron Core Gathering Realm]
After a bit more resting, his body felt good enough to go after the long meditation session.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t stabilise until his current realm but it should still heavily improve his control.
Passing a small “hello” and “goodbye” to Bil he left the shop and turned the corner—determined to find out the mysteries behind the wall.