When the party had happened, everyone had been startled by what followed.
Aiden suddenly collapsed, covered in wounds, as a fullblood with crystalline legs appeared before the princess's knight and cloaked guards.
The knight paused at the sight of the new figure.
"Prrrrrincess," the fullblood said, sitting down as if this were a casual discussion and not a moment that held all their lives in the balance, "I believe you have rrrrreceived yourrrrr pound of flesh. So why do you feel these young adventurrrrrrers must die?"
Everyone dove to Aiden.
Thalia, being the most knowledgeable about Aiden's kit, grabbed some healing potions and applied them, but their effectiveness seemed reduced.
Minuscule compared to the amount of blood pooling around him.
"I prefer not to have loose ends on matters I am involved in," the princess said, crossing her arms. "So who are you to stop me?"
"I am Victorrrrrrr, a member of Team Forty-Seven on the Pandorrrrrra Project. We are a brrrrrranch of the Rrrrrred Man's Trrrrrrroupe."
Everyone shifted to different degrees.
Even the princess seemed startled.
It was well known who Red was, but there had always been rumors that Red had an organization, one that had formed even though he had not actually founded it.
Regardless, the Red Man's Troupe was known for following Red's orders.
And in return, receiving his protection.
The princess grimaced before turning and leaving with her guard.
For the most part, however, the party had their hands full trying to keep Aiden alive.
"Crap, the potion's not working right!" Liora yelled as she tried to apply pressure to a large wound at Aiden's shoulder. "Why isn't it working right?"
Victor walked over and placed a paw on Aiden's forehead.
The potion's effectiveness increased drastically.
At the same time, the crystals that formed Victor's back legs seemed to lose some of their glow.
"Yourrrrrrr frrrrriend is sufferrrrrring from mana exhaustion," Victor said. "He lacks the mana in his body to assist the potion with the healing, so this should help."
After healing Aiden for the most part, they had all stayed inside Aiden's room, making sure they would be there when he woke up.
In that entire time, Aiden had never been conscious when Victor appeared.
So the fact that he was aware of Victor's presence and seemed worried put Jax rather on edge.
"I thought you were just our bailout," Aiden said, shifting uncomfortably in his wheelchair. "What's this about getting us up to snuff?"
Jax glanced at Aiden, confused by what he meant by bailout, before turning back to Victor.
"Will you ask forrrrrr a bailout everrrrrry time trrrrrrouble comes yourrrrr way?" Victor asked.
He started licking the back of his paw and running it down his face.
"I am simply prrrrreventing a rrrrrreturn trrrrrip."
Aiden squinted at Victor as if he did not trust him.
Victor reached into his bag and produced a strange crystalline rock.
It was deep blue, with a pulsing red light at its center.
"Since yourrrrrr body will need anotherrrrrr two days to fully rrrrrecoverrrrrr, I have brrrrrrought some materrrrials so you can have something to do while you rrrrrest."
Victor looked to Jax.
"As forrrrr Jax, I will perrrrrrrsonally teach him a rrrrrather fun s—"
Jax cut him off with a raised paw.
"Sorry," Jax said, shaking his head matter-of-factly. "I refuse."
That seemed to catch both Victor and Aiden off guard.
Jax continued to look forward without a change in expression.
"Uh, Jax," Aiden said, astonished, "he is offering you something rather precious that can only be helpful."
Jax kept his gaze on Victor.
"I was always told that power without foundation is flimsy," Jax said. "And no gifted strength holds foundation. So I will work for every bit of might I get."
Victor and Aiden looked at him with matching confusion.
Internally, Jax had to wrestle down the urge to beg to be trained by someone almost three times his level.
That, and using his brother's old saying as an excuse, did not exactly help his mood.
But if what Jax had found was correct, then this was the right choice.
Victor and Aiden shrugged, though both gave him worried looks.
Victor let them go, and Jax wheeled Aiden back up to his room.
Once there, Jax helped him get situated.
Aiden tried to argue that he should start working immediately.
Jax refused and told him he could start tomorrow.
After getting Aiden settled, Jax quickly made his way back to his own room to begin.
He glanced over the book he had found and quickly read the contents again.
The Vows of Sacrifice
A ritual said to have been conceived and used by nobility in a bygone age during marriage, where marriage served as both a binding contract between two partners and a method for both to grow in strength.
These vows come in three forms.
Each grants more power, but also more dire consequences based on the tier of vow used.
When performing this ritual, the following ingredients are required:
A quiet, sacred location, such as a moonlit glade, mountain peak, or still cave.
Three smooth stones, each carved with the same sigil.
A medium of blood or essence to seal the vow, which may be drawn from the self.
Full understanding of the consequences.
Absolute sincerity.
These vows are divided into three categories.
The Vow of the Heart.
The Vow of the Body.
The Vow of the Soul.
Each vow is formed in exchange for losing something in return.
As such, each vow is said to form a flaw.
Warning:
There are some people who are born into the world with one, two, or even all three vows already formed at birth.
Those said to hold these innate vows are known as fateless.
Each vow must be made with full understanding of the consequences.
As such, it is recommended to repeat the following when applying each of the vows.
Vow of Heart
"Let my words bind not just my voice, but my spirit's longing. I offer this vow knowing that the heart is fragile, that truth is heavy, and that emotion is both blade and balm. May love guide me. May failure scar me. I vow, and in doing so, I make space for flaw. May what I feel never become what I forget."
Vow of Body
"Let my flesh carry the weight of my will. I offer this vow knowing that motion without meaning is hollow, that strength without honor is corruption. May my limbs be swift, my stance be firm, and my weakness be earned should I stray. I vow, and in doing so, I become both weapon and wound. May what I endure shape who I become."
Vow of Soul
"Let my essence be carved by conviction. I offer this vow knowing that the soul is eternal, that to bind it is to dance with consequence. May my truth burn brighter than fear, and may oblivion find me if I forsake it. I vow, and in doing so, I give myself to the flame of purpose. May what I become never forget what I was."
As Jax reread the book, he thought back to how he had found it.
After the party, the kitchen staff had finally brought him alcohol.
He had been allowed to get drunk after a week of forced sobriety.
Then he had blacked out.
When he woke up, he was inside a strange vault full of fancy weapons and gold, with this book in his hand.
After sneaking out despite the massive hangover, Jax realized what he had actually found.
He had no idea where he got it.
For all he knew, he had stolen a treasure from the duke's personal vault.
But that did not matter.
Jax had plans for the vows he wanted to make.
He even had a location planned for the strange ritual.
So while Selene, Thalia, and Liora returned looking oddly energized, and while Aiden recovered in bed, Jax spent the afternoon in his room carving the small stones.