Debauchery of a Soul-Eating Wraith

Ember made the urgency clear and with the promise of extra pay, the Coachman pushed his Carriage to the very limit of speed he could without charging through pedestrians and squashing them to death.

Evian sat close to a window and looked out of it but he could barely appreciate the scenery. The Carriage moved so fast, that it was all reduced to a passing blur.

While Evian observed, with one hand over his broken ribs, Daria haughtily eyed the duo of Ember and Carleine while they stared right back at her like they were itching to ask exactly how she and Evian knew each other.

Both Gryon and Gillert were slumped on seats still unconscious with Gryon looking the worst off.

Koln's potions had clotted his blood and stopped his bleeding but his wound remained open and his skin remained deathly pale. His breathing dragging and sluggish.

"He'll be alright," Daria said suddenly with her eyes nonchalantly eyeing Gryon's injuries, "If he was going to die, he already would have."

Ember and Carleine shared a look unsure what to say to that.

Whether or not it gave them hope for their friend, the nonchalance of it all remained the highlight.

"Um, Thanks," Carleine eventually said.

"No need to thank me," Daria said simply, "Just making an observation."

An awkward air followed her words but Evian detached himself from it all and closed his eyes.

He only opened them when the Carriage came to a stop.

"We're here." The Coachman announced.

The Lockheart Mansion was magnificent. Its scale surpassed the Viyeen Complex by more than a few square meters and it was stocked full of workers and Guards undertaking some task or provoking constant security to the premises.

Ember stepped down from the Carriage first and once the Guards at the Mansion Gate laid eyes on her, they were immediately attentive.

"Miss Ember," they said in unison before their eyes fell on the blood on her clothes and they got looks of concern.

Ember waved aside all pleasantries and concern, vocal or visual, and immediately asked for assistance getting Gryon and Gillert's unconscious selves off the Carriage.

"Right away, Miss," the Guards said as they got right to work.

Carrying Gillert and Gryon, the Guards led the way into the Mansion and it didn't take long for their group to get attention from the active workers of the Mansion.

They all recognized Ember. Apparently, despite her dedication to the Resistance, she had frequented the Mansion enough to be known and beloved. They gave her greetings and cast looks of worry on the state she was in while also eyeing her companions with suspicion.

From Carleine's look of being out of place and weary from battle and capture, to Daria's statuesque beauty accompanied by a nonchalant expression, and finally of course, to Evian- The most eye-catching of the group regardless of the observer's gender.

In the tussle of battle, Evian had lost and not bothered to retrieve his Larnak Guard Hat so his peculiar Grey hair swayed heartily in the gentle wind- His observant Grey eyes pulling in everyone who stared at them. A light curious smile on his handsome face.

Evian was also the most bloody of the Crew.

Thrusting himself into the midst of the enemy when he charged towards Gillert while cutting them down left and right, Evian was quite practically drenched in Elite Larnak Guard blood.

Anyway,

Once Gryon and Gillert had been taken away to be cared for and the group was very much within the Mansion grounds, Ember consulted with a few workers who nodded enthusiastically to every word she said and then she turned around to address the others.

"I have to speak to my Father. The workers will lead you to guest rooms," she said before letting out a breath and then turning around and walking away. Her hair bobbing with every step she took.

The workers did as they had been instructed.

After yet another glance at Evian and Daria, Carleine vanished behind the doors of the first Guest room the workers led them to.

Evian and Daria took the next.

They let the workers 'prepare' the room for their stay and once they were left alone, the water in the bath bubbling with heat and the required cleansing properties, Evian took off the bloody Guard Uniform he had on.

Daria's lips curved into a sexy smile as Evian bared himself before her eyes. She took off her gown and bit her lower lip at the view she had not been opportune to see for a while but then her smile slipped when she saw Evian's hand on his side. Noticing for the first time, that he had been injured.

The spot Evian's hand was on had about half a foot wide blue-black bruise that showed off the internal bleeding.

She followed Evian into the bath and watched as he waddled into the water with an almost imperceptible wince of pain.

"You're injured," she said as she waddled into the warm water right after him.

Evian let his eyes roam her body, her breasts floating slightly in the water, shining with the sheen caused by the steam of the warm bath water.

"Donan got a good kick in," he told the Witch with a smile, "It's no big deal."

Daria frowned and her Spatial ring appeared on her finger.

"What do you mean no big deal?" she asked before retrieving a vial of healing potion from her revealed Spatial ring,

"If it's not treated soon, it'll just keep getting worse," she said urgently intent on healing the wound even if Evian was being casual about it.

Evian grabbed her hand gently to get her to stop and then he shook his head.

"That won't work," he said, "Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

While Daria stared at him, confused at his words and how exactly he would 'take care of it', Evian addressed his Assistant.

'Decadence Status.'

-

[Decadence: Corrupted Wraith {1500/600 Soul Points}]

-

'Good haul. Open the Decadent Store.'

Evian ignored the [Health Pack] tab and mentally clicked [Manuscript] instead.

-

[Manuscripts; Knowledge to make you the best Wraith you can be.

-Light Injury Health Pack(Tis but a scratch) Manuscript: 500 Soul Points.

-Heavy Injury Health Pack (Oh look, it's bleeding) Manuscript: 1000 Soul points.

-Fatal Injury Health pack (Give me something for the pain, let me die) Manuscript: 1500 Soul points.

...

According to his Decadent Assistant, purchasing a Health Pack Manuscript did not free Evian completely from cost. It just reduced it drastically.

A very cost-effective option.

'Alright, time to invest in the future.'

Evian clicked the Light Injury Health Pack Manuscript;

[Confirm Purchase] [Yes] [No]

He confirmed the purchase and a mental depiction of a scroll appeared in his mind as the knowledge of the creation of the Light Injury Health Pack flooded into his mind.

It was like getting led into the backstage of a major production and having intimate details revealed to you.

With a smile at the knowledge he received, Evian made a mental indication and harnessed his Eldritch energy to fashion himself a Health Pack that he infused into his injury, mending his broken ribs and returning his body to its normal unblemished state...

... At the cost of 50 Soul Points.

Bringing his expended total to 550 Soul Points and leaving him with a balance of 950 Soul Points.

Daria watched patiently as Evian went silent for a minute and then her eyes widened as she witnessed the healing. Amazed at how instantaneous it was and how it had even been possible.

Evian continued to address his Assistant.

'I'd like to increase my Decadence.'

[Are you sure?]

'I'm sure.'

Wherever improvement an increase in Decadence granted him, Evian decided it was well worth it if only so he could be sturdy enough to receive the kick or blow of a Fourth Order Knight without getting punctured through.

[Very Well]

Similar to what had happened the last time, Eldritch energy started to sip out of Evian's body except, unlike the last time, he was not alone.

Daria shivered as the cold hit her but with a release of Spiritual energy, she warded it off and just observed whatever process Evian was undergoing.

She sensed as his aura got more intense, the Grey Eldritch energy seeping from his body increased in concentration. Not enough to successfully push against her Spiritual energy but substantial nonetheless.

When the process came to an end, it took only a few seconds for Daria to realize what she had just witnessed.

'That's it? He just reached another cultivational milestone?' she asked herself in disbelief.

[Congratulations. You are now a Denounced Wraith]

Evian reeled in his released Eldritch energy, reveled in the noticeable increase in his physical attributes, and sunk underwater only to emerge cleansed of whatever dirt or grime he had had on him as an aftermath of the recent battle.

When he emerged, he found Daria staring at him with a mixture of awe and annoyance.

"So that's how you do it?" she asked.

Evian understood her immediately and he smiled.

"Yes. That's how I do it."

"It looks easy," she said.

"Is that-" Evian started and then paused to let out a chuckle much to Daria's chagrining frown,

"Is that Jealousy I hear?"

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