Chương 26: Omnimancer 21: Home

The first piece of furniture arrived two days later, delivered to a nearby warehouse, after which Jax had then chucked it into his inventory to bring home. They'd not only bought it through proxies Tala knew, but she'd even managed to snag pieces other buyers had canceled for a hefty discount. Not that she'd needed to given the literal hoard Jax had, but haggling seemed to be in her blood.

The sofa had nice, deep cushions upholstered in dark leather and even with Jax's enhanced Vitality, it took both of them to maneuver it down the stairs and into position, huffing and cursing the entire way.

"This thing weighs more than I do," Tala said, wiping away the sweat on her forehead after manhandling it into place. Given how small she was... that wasn't exactly saying a whole lot though. Jax wisely kept such thoughts to himself. Sadly, while his inventory was great for hauling stuff like this, he couldn't really finely tune exactly where something appeared, but the bigger reason was because he didn't want to use the power in front of Tala at the moment.

His hermit excuse was already on thin ice with all his powers, and he didn't really want her getting suspicious of that story. One or two items suddenly appearing in Tala's absence wasn't an issue, but if he did that for everything, she'd absolutely notice. And once that girl noticed something, she never let go.

"Yeah, well, good stuff's usually pretty heavy," Jax said instead.

"Besides, look how nice it is!" And a workout is a workout, Jax thought. In addition to the +25% boost from the School of Life, the System had awarded him enhanced Vitality thanks to his physique and he was damn certain he'd keep it that way. He also wanted to see if it would change if he grew measurably stronger, because if there was any way he could compensate for his physical weakness, he'd take it. It wasn't just furniture he'd bought with Nimashi's hoard, after all.

Under his loose clothes, he wore thick fabric armor that resembled gambeson, just more form-fitting, and above that, he had a chainmail shirt and leggings. They were uncomfortable as hell and had been the most expensive things he'd bought at 20 gold apiece, but the peace of mind was worth it. He only took them off to sleep now. He'd gotten a metal helmet, too, but only wore that when he had his sack on. Most people didn't walk around wearing full kit. To say it attracted attention was an understatement.

He'd also asked Tala about defensive enchantments and such, but it took a Mancer with the School of Enchantment to make those, and not only were they in high demand, Gifts that bestowed the School were beyond rare, with their items always swiped up by the richest of the rich. Tala had feelers out for such an item, but Takora, despite being a trade hub, was not one of the bigger cities in Wakanya. Nor even the region, apparently. For now, his armor would suffice.

"Still would be nice to have a Biomancer onhand to do this sorta thing though," Tala muttered, breaking Jax out of his thoughts.

"True that," he replied, thinking how it would be even better for him to have that shard himself. It had really hit home upon entering Takora and seeing just how relatively frail he was that got him thinking long and hard about improving his squishiness. A single punch from one of those guys would easily take him out, and as powerful as his offensive magic was, what good was it if he was caught by surprise?

He hoped these measures would serve as a stopgap until he found a shard that would grant him true physical protection. He was almost certain the Schools of Land and Force had something to that effect. He just had to find them.

"Speaking of, what's the deal with those guys?" he asked.

"What do you mean?" Tala asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Like why is every Biomancer I've ever seen old? And is it just me or do they seem more like a Tier II than a Tier I? They certainly seem powerful enough." Tala shrugged.

"Bios are strange like that. Especially now that they're so rare. Basically the previous group who ruled Kozi—that's the seventeener the Biomancer Gift's at… wait, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Uh, Kozi wouldn't happen to stand for Koziusczko, would it?" Jax asked, almost afraid of the answer. Tala's eyes widened slightly.

"So you have heard about it. Well, it figures, I guess." What are the chances of that? Jax wondered. That was the exact same name as a peak on Earth. The tallest mountain in Australia, in fact, except that one was a paltry seven thousand feet tall, not seventeen. Come to think of it, Tala's own peak— Pumasillo—sounded familiar too, and there were several similarities to Earth in other aspects of the cultures here, though that one was perhaps not as surprising as it seemed.

Jax had already seen evidence of at least one other being transported from Earth. It wasn't a stretch to guess that more had been throughout Wakanya's history. Luxspire's similarity to Everest, though? Yeah, that was tougher to explain.

"Anyway," Jax said, coughing awkwardly.

"Please, continue." Tala shrugged.

"Basically the Heavy Fist came in and took out the Demon Claws around thirty years ago, and they barely let anyone have that Gift now. Because of that, the only Bios you see around are old. They're rare wherever you go, let alone somewhere as far as Takora is from Kozi. That also means they're Tier I in name only. They certainly get paid as well as any Tier II." Artificial scarcity, huh? It certainly made sense. These Heavy Fist people sounded like quite the shrewd operators.

"But wait, what about shards on mountains?" Jax asked.

"Wouldn't that throw a wrench into their plan?" Tala gave him a look at the turn of phrase before shaking her head.

"Only a few years after, Bio shards started disappearing from peaks as well. No one knows why. They're still out there, but they're rare. Really rare." Well, great, Jax thought, thinking how it would be so nice to nab one of those himself. It sounded like he would have to work for it. If only he could just buy the shards off some merchant, but nope. Like the Space and Time shards he'd consumed, they became soulbound once touched.

The best thing one could do was find a lead on someone who'd found one recently but hadn't claimed it, choosing instead to sell the location for profit. Precious few of those, sadly. Especially with how those shards apparently appeared and disappeared randomly from peaks. Likely the Goddess' doing to prevent just such gaming. Jax flopped down onto the amazing sofa with a satisfied groan.

"Well, to answer your earlier question, as nice as it would be to rely on our Bio, you know why we can't show our guards our operation's nothing but a bluff." He patted the cushion next to him.

"Come on, try it."

"I'm covered in dust and sweat," Tala replied.

"So am I. We'll just clean it later," Jax replied, shaking his head. She truly had come far from the person who refused to take a bath to clean up. Tala hesitated, then gingerly sat on the far end, perched like she might need to bolt at any moment.

"O-oh," she muttered as she slowly sank into the cushions.

"Oh!"

"Right?"

"I've…" She trailed off, running her hand over the armrest.

"Never even touched anything this nice. Let alone sat on one."

"Well, you'd better get used to it, because we're getting more." And they sure had. Over the next days, everything from upholstered chairs to a nice new hardwood table arrived. Overstuffed armchairs, low tables, you name it. Most of which they hauled in the old-fashioned way. All the furniture were prebuilt items, of course. Commissioning projects would have taken months. As a result, nothing really matched, but that didn't bother Jax at all since Tala's surprising aesthetic sense easily made up for it.

Yas and his crew helped to move much of it to the entrance, with Jax taking it from there, wearing his mask. He appreciated that Yas asked no questions. Like why Moonfire had sent only one Mancer, or when they could expect reinforcements. Jax felt the man was likely just happy to retain his old position. Especially given his generous pay. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

And so they brought in piece after piece, moving it in together and adjusting its position until Tala was happy. With every room they did, she seemed to get more comfortable around him, her opinions getting stronger and stronger as they went.

"Y'know, for someone who says they don't care, you seem quite interested in the whole decorating thing," Jax teased as she made him move one of the armchairs for the third time.

"Well, you asked for my opinion," she huffed.

"That I did," Jax laughed.

"And I like it!" She paused, halfway through adjusting the chair.

"You do?"

"Definitely. If it were me, I'd just have placed things according to what took the least effort. This? This not only feels livable, it feels so good." Tala was quiet for a long moment, then went back to positioning the chair.

"Just a little to the left," she said, though she refused to meet Jax's eyes. The cleaning had definitely been the least glamorous part of the transformation, but it was also the most essential, by far. Years, or maybe even decades, of neglect had left every surface coated in grime. The walls were slick and moldy, and the floors were slick with dried fluids Jax didn't want to identify. Even the air stank, and the concept of ventilation might as well have not existed.

"This is disgusting," Jax announced with a bucket of soapy water in hand. They'd been tackling the compound room by room. Cleaning it up before decorating it.

"None of the Dead Hands had any problem with it," Tala pointed out, scrubbing at a stain.

"Call it a difference of culture. And hygiene," he muttered under his breath. Despite her grumbling, Tala threw herself into the work with surprising vigor. They scrubbed every inch of floor, ceiling, and wall until Jax was satisfied. [Force Wave] helped greatly to blast dirt out of corners and crevices, and the jets of air were far more effective than any broom. Tala followed up with soap and water, making sure surfaces were properly cleaned.

"You know," she said, wiping sweat from her forehead, which left a streak of soapy suds behind, "I never thought I'd ever get to clean my home like this. Let alone alongside someone like you."

"Oh? Someone like me is it?"

"A mountain warrior who singlehandedly took down the Dead Hands? A Quad—sorry, no, a Whatevermancer with multiple schools in the Second Tier. I didn't even think that was possible for a human until you came along. It shouldn't be possible!" she said, giving Jax a judging look, which gave him the sudden inkling that she just might be convincing herself of a rather concerning misunderstanding. Great going, Jax. Really should've thought of her reaction before buying another School like that…

But what's done was done, and despite their recent closeness, or maybe because of it, Jax didn't feel like correcting her. What would happen if he told her he was from another world? That he wasn't 'just' a Quad or a 5-Mancer, but had rather summited the tallest peak on the mortal plane and possessed what might just be most powerful Gift in the whole damn world? Or that his eyes had turned into iridescent opals?

"Training in the mountains was no joke," he said instead.

"I guess I never realized how much it paid off." While not quite a lie, he still felt guilty when she seemed to buy it without questioning anything.

"I'm just glad to be here," he added, awkwardly trying to change the topic.

"Working together on something. Making it ours, you know?"

"Ours, huh?" she said with a frown. But this time she smiled as well, making for a rather comical expression like she couldn't decide whether to be angry or happy.

"I suppose it is." What should have been pure drudgery flew by in no time, in no small part due to how much they talked while they worked. It started with small talk, initially. Things like what furniture clashed with each other and why. Of all the awkward times Tala had snooped on private moments in her rodent form. Just hearing about them made Jax cringe.

After a while, Tala told him about growing up in the slums and surviving on the streets before she'd proven herself valuable enough for the Dead Hands to take her in. How it had seemed like salvation at the time, and that even though she knew better now, nothing ever since had elicited that sort of happiness in her. That her happiest memory was being inducted into a criminal smuggling cartel who treated her like a shitstain made Jax's heart break.

He wished he could do something for her before realizing he already was. It just didn't feel like enough. How could it be, with all that she'd been through? As for his part, Jax shared snippets of his stories of the mountains and his training regimens for summiting large peaks. Those, at least, he didn't have to lie about. He couldn't tell her everything, of course, but it was more than enough to keep her interest and more. Especially when he started talking about wanting to build something better.

To do something that helped the world in a meaningful way.

"You ever think about what happens if we succeed?" Tala asked one evening as they finished scrubbing down the kitchen.

"If we actually do all the things you're saying?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean… people like me don't usually get to be part of something good. Damn the night, people like me don't even think about shit like that! We're just… grunts. Expendable grunts at that."

"You're not expendable to me," Jax said firmly.

"So don't you dare put yourself down because some braindead fuckers told you so." She glanced at him, looking for any hint of deceit, but Jax met her gaze. He had nothing to hide. Seeing as much, she deflated a bit.

"Besides," Jax said.

"I think the real reason you're down is because you just haven't experienced the bliss that is my bath project." Tala snorted.

"You mean the project you'll never finish?"

"Oh, it'll be done, and soon. Because you're gonna help." Jax only wished he could've taken a photo of the look of exasperation on her face as they walked over to his pet project. Jax's favorite project, in fact. Having experienced the novel and, quite frankly, genius design of Sagebrush Kiva, he'd been hoping to replicate something similar here.

The Dead Hands had been using a natural thermal vent that produced hot water, but they'd just shunted it into a crude stone basin that collected water, barely big enough for one person to crouch in uncomfortably. How Hakan put up with that sorry state of affairs was something Jax would never know. Tala raised a brow.

"Er, what exactly are we doing, then?"

"Watch and learn," Jax said, cracking his knuckles. He then proceeded to carefully blast away stone to gouge out a larger pool in the ground… or at least as carefully as one could with the sledgehammer that was Force magic. Not the most subtle field, that one. Still, he at least ensured not to damage the thermal vent itself, blasting channels in the rock such that hot water spewed from the wall into the pool continuously like a shower.

Tala helped him smooth the rough edges and lined the pool with the rubble from their excavation efforts, which had the double benefit of making comfortable seats submerged in the water and adding to the overall aesthetic of the place. She even suggested adding a small shelf carved into the wall for soaps and oils, which was an excellent addition. It was finally time to fill the thing, and since Tala utterly refused to use it until Jax did, he was only too happy to oblige.

The experience was easily on par with the best soaking tubs he'd used, and considering how long it had been since he'd experienced one, to say it was bliss was an understatement. One look at his expression upon emerging from the bath was all she needed to convince her, and she emerged a full two hours later with wet hair and a dazed, glowing expression.

"That was the most amazing thing I've ever experienced. Why is it so nice! It's unfair!"

"Oh?" Jax asked with a smirk.

"Even better than the sofa?"

"So much better than the sofa. I could practically live in there!"

"Considering how much time you just spent in there, you kinda already do."

"I regret nothing!" she said. Jax laughed, genuinely delighted by her reaction. They were getting there. Slowly but surely. Where there had once been oppressive corridors and dingy chambers, there was now an open, welcoming living area. Rugs layered the floor in all sorts of colors and patterns, and magic lanterns now cast warm golden light across everything. The best part, of course, was that it no longer smelled like piss. It wasn't beautiful, but it was home.

"What're you grinning about?" Tala asked as she retrieved a piece of corn from the root cellar, greedily biting down into it.

"Just thinking about what this place could become," Jax said.

"All the people we might bring in. The community we could build here." Tala followed his gaze around the room.

"Let's worry about surviving the next few weeks first. Word's gotten around town. The other factions should be aware of us by now."

"Good," Jax said.

"That'll buy us some time, at the very least" She was quiet for a long moment, then set her empty plate aside and met his eyes.

"You know, when you took down the Dead Hands, I thought you were crazy. Some monstrous hermit out of touch with reality who'd get me killed."

"And now?"

"Now I think you're a crazy monstrous hermit out of touch with reality," she said with a snicker.

"But maybe that's not such a bad thing. Maybe crazy's just what we need."

"Gee, thanks," Jax said with a grin, warmth spreading through his chest.

"Best decision I ever made, recruiting you."

"Kidnapping me, you mean," she replied with suspicious eyes.

"Eh, call it aggressive recruiting." Tala laughed.

"You're impossible, you know?" Between her progress and the glow-up this place had received, he was feeling pretty dang good about things right now. His plan for dealing with the inevitable fallout that was to come when Takora's flame vanished would require a lot more work. This was but the first step, and yet, he couldn't help but feel proud. After months away, Jax was finally home. Nimashi had lost one thousand battles and learned one thousand lessons. He had nearly died more times than he could count.

He had overcome adversity time and time again, and he had pushed past his limits so many times that the very word lost its meaning. Through all of it, Nimashi had grown. Wiser. Faster. Stronger. The Goddess herself confirmed it every time the energy of his fallen foes flooded into him. Nevertheless, he'd barely taken the first step even now. To be worthy of the one who'd chosen him—the cosmic being who referred to himself as Yellow Jacks—he needed more. So much more.

Letting out a bestial roar, Nimashi surged toward his foe, ignoring the gash that spanned half his length. The enormous eight-legged beast raised its pincers once again, its deep, dark eyes flashing with hatred. The beast flared its Soulfire, far outstripping Nimashi's own. Quashing his presence. Nothing but an insect. A nuisance to be swatted from the sky. The Soulfire pressed upon him as he drew near, compelling him to submit. Most creatures would have.

Most creatures would have halted in their tracks before taking a mortal blow. Not Nimashi. For he had challenged those far his superior. He'd lost. He'd challenged them again. And again. Until he won. His movements slowed. The enemy did not waste the opportunity, seizing his magnificent body in its pincers. Death would soon come. All as planned. Flaring his own Soulfire, Nimashi resisted the effects. Just for an instant. An instant was more than enough. He opened his mouth wide.

This close, there was no hope of dodging. No hope of defending. He'd outwitted his foe, and it knew it. It released its hold upon him. It tried to skitter away. It was too late.

"CELESTIAL… BEAAAAM!" Nimashi roared, proudly declaring his attack to his honorable foe. An almighty column of pure Lux gushed from Nimashi's maw, and when it disappeared, a hole three scale-spans across had been carved through his foe's carapace. It froze, unmoving for a long moment, before collapsing. Congratulations! For killing [Lvl 1, 948 Crab Sovereign] x1, Luxor, Goddess of Light, has granted you 59, 457 Aurum. Nimashi acknowledged the blessing and swiftly dismissed it from his mind.

Level 1, 948 though his foe might be, Nimashi was barely 1, 400. Pitiful. Pathetic, even next to what Yellow Jacks must command. No, to be worthy of his master, Nimashi needed to double that! Nay, triple it, at the very least! The great Water Panther pushed through the pain, spitting a wad of blood onto the pristine snow.

"More," he declared to no one at all.

"More!"