Free Web NovelChapter 265: _Truth
In a hotel room somewhere in Aurelia, Augustus sat at the centre, tied up to a chair. He groaned, blinking slowly as consciousness flooded him.
The room was dark, with big lush curtains draping over the windows in a way that made it impossible to know if it was night or daytime.
Memories of what happened before he lost consciousness hit him. His forehead creased when he remembered how Delilah kissed him—before everything went black.
"That... bitch." He sneered, struggling to get off his restraints. It felt like chains, but at the same time, he could tell it was much more. Perhaps made with aether. "Where the fuck is this? W–Who do you think—?"
"Careful, now." Loki finally got bored of watching him, stepping out of the shadows slowly. They wore a silk purple dress with slits running down both sides, their slim muscular chest exposed underneath.
They were also in their unshifted form, their eyes hued with black eye shadow.
Augustus blinked with confusion at first. Then his frown deepened. "Who the fuck are you? Where is that bitch?"
"You keep throwing that word," Loki stopped a few feet in front of him. Then they lowered themselves until they were at eye level. "If you want to see her face so much... here."
Their features shifted instantly to those of Delilah.
Horror and disgust flashed across Augustus’ face. "W–Wait... wait, wait..." he shook his head, looking like he was going to vomit. "I made out with a fucking dude?"
Loki sighed.
Typical.
"You know, I should take offence to that," their face shifted back to base form. "But you’re not worth it. If it’s any consolation I was fully a woman at the time."
They straightened, fingers intertwining with each other. "So," a pause. "I basically dragged you here because of something you said. About a peculiar Guide I’m meant to look after."
Augustus eyed them. "... Ambrose Hale?"
"Precisely. See? We’re getting somewhere," they took calm steps, circling the man with zero signs of urgency. "What do you know about him? You said there was... more to him than meets the eye, correct?"
"And who the fuck are you?" Augustus snapped. "You should be arrested and you’re here questioning me like you’re from the bloody FBI."
"The FBI wishes they had me, darling. True story. But that’s not the point. Are you going to talk or not?"
"I’m not saying shit!"
"Oh, come on. You were so good at talking the first time—is it because of this form? I could change back if you—"
"Get me out of here!"
"Again with the yelling." Loki rubbed their forehead. "Tell you what? I’ll make sure you don’t remember any of this once this is over. Deal?"
They stretched a hand to the guy’s face. Then quickly remembered he was bound.
Augustus spat on their hand before they could retrieve it. "Get that hand away from me you fucking degenerate." His eyes flared as he gathered enough strength to break out of the chains.
His fists glowed with a sickly black energy as he sent one of them at Loki’s face—
—Only for the latter to catch that hand effortlessly, snuffing out the black energy.
Loki proceeded to grab his jaw with their other hand, squeezing so hard that he yelped from the pain. "You’re exhausting the very last of my patience," the words came out icy. Irritated. "Sit."
Augustus found himself following the command against his will. His chest was constricted under an unexplainable pressure. All while Loki kept their fingers clamped on his jaw.
"I’ve had to tolerate people like you," the lord of chaos drawled, a cruel grin stretching their lips, "for decades. Since I got my powers. Knowing fully well that I could incinerate them in a heartbeat. Without the world blinking."
They brought their face closer to Augustus’, their eyes gleaming with a dangerous light.
"One way or the other, you WILL tell me what you know." The lights flickered. "And you better pray that whatever you’ve been up to doesn’t prove a threat to Ambrose’s safety. Unless..."
No more words were needed.
Ghastly apparitions appeared behind Loki, each of them opening their mouths to reveal several rows of jagged razor-like teeth. They moaned out like ghosts, shifting toward Augustus while the light in Loki’s eyes brightened.
"No," Augustus’ heart was in his throat. "N–No, please. Get away from me! No... NOOOOOO!"
★★★★★
Meanwhile, the Guide both Hunters were talking about was having challenges of his own.
Four, annoyingly hot challenges.
"I know I haven’t been upfront with you all," Ambrose began after over a minute of awkward silence in the living room. The others sat in front of him. "I think that’ll change today."
Ambrose made a decision shortly after Valentine confronted him in the backyard.
These men were all linked with him at a soul level. He knew things about them that no one else did. Yet he’s been hiding secrets big enough to start wars.
Living with that burden was becoming too much, too quickly.
And if there’s anything he’s learnt since he got to this world... It’s that hiding things from them eventually becomes pointless when dealing with men who’ve been in the game for ages before he showed up.
On the flip side, Valentine squinted at him. ’Where is he going with this meeting?’
"Uhm, Rose." Devon cleared his throat. "You know you don’t need to—"
"I think I do." Ambrose heaved. "I... I’m..."
[Sweetheart—]
’This was bound to happen from the beginning.’ Ambrose shut her down fast. ’It’s about time I tell the truth. All of it.’
[You’re not really about to—]
"I’m what you’d call a transmigrator." He began with the first and probably biggest bombshell. "In my first life, I was killed by my ex... not really relevant but yeah. Then my soul got sent here and I woke up with this... system. In my head."
Viktor frowned. "System?"
"It’s complicated but we’ll get there," Ambrose lifted a finger. "It’s why Valentine could sense something off with my soul when he first saw me. I’m not a Necromancer... Well, at least I wasn’t at the time."
Gabriel arched his brow. "At the time?"
[Babes, you’re going too fast.]
He ignored that and went on. "With this system, I got an ability that allows me to create permanent links with multiple Espers," his nostrils flared with hesitation. "It... it also gives me copies of your powers in the process. All I have to do after creating the link is increase your attraction points."
Viktor scoffed. "Rory," he said, placing his hands on his knees, preparing to get up. "Listen, you didn’t need to go out of your way to cook up some crazy story just so we—"
Ambrose didn’t let him finish.
He raised both his palms, conjuring a tongue of blue flames over one and a star-shaped ice crystal on the other. Then his eyes glowed with a dark blue light.
His shadow stretched behind him, covering the wall in darkness. Viktor sat back with his mouth wide open as dozens of orc phantoms appeared, standing behind Ambrose like foot soldiers waiting for an order.
Even the orc king—Beherath—from the C-Rank dungeon raid was among them.
Silence.
No one could speak. Or breathe. Or even move.
They all gawked at the sight before them—visibly torn.
Ambrose suddenly felt like there was a lump stuck in his throat.
[You actually did it.] Aura sighed. [Oh, Ambrose. I hope you realise the gravity of what you’ve just done...]
