Chapter 34: The Oath of Steel and Plague's Whisper
POV: Jacob
"Haaa..."
I awoke with a sharp inhale, my body lurching forward as I nearly lost my balance. The weight of the vision still clung to me, suffocating, oppressive. My trembling hands found purchase on the cart's railing, my knuckles turning white from the grip. Sweat poured from my brow, soaking into the worn fabric of my fatigues as my breath came in ragged gasps.
Lowering my head, I choked on the remnants of a sob. The images—the ghosts of the past—played through my mind like a hololithic recording, each frame more agonizing than the last.
"No... no, it was my fault... I should've done more... I should've changed sooner..."
The words spilled from my lips in a whisper, barely audible over the symphony of labor beyond the cart. My men toiled, their grunts and curses forming a backdrop to my grief.
Minutes passed before the storm within me settled. I wiped away the last remnants of weakness from my face and turned my gaze upon Leon. Unconscious, yet exuding a presence that loomed larger than life. Now I understood. Now I knew what he was meant for.
And I had made my decision.
'I will stand at your side, Leon. I will see your path to its end. I will see humanity saved from the precipice of extinction. This, I swear.'
With newfound resolve, I reached out, grasping Leon's hand in both of mine. Pressing it against my forehead, I made my silent oath, sealing it in my heart.
"This, I promise."
As the words left my lips, a golden strand slithered from the star-shaped mark on Leon's hand, weaving its way into me. A searing warmth spread through my veins, coiling around my very essence like a serpent of fire. I clenched my teeth, suppressing a groan as my body trembled under the weight of the power seeping into my being.
For half an hour, I stood unmoving, enduring as the blessing rooted itself within me. Only when the golden light receded, slipping back into Leon's sigil, did I finally allow myself to exhale.
My eyes remained shut as I reached inward, feeling the changes wrought upon my soul. The power was familiar, welcoming, as if it had always been a part of me—merely waiting to be awakened.
And then I opened my eyes.
The world had changed.
Everything was clearer. Sharper. The air itself seemed to shimmer with unseen threads of fate, the ebb and flow of potential futures dancing at the edges of my perception. My mind grasped concepts beyond my previous understanding. **Danger Sense. The Eye of Horus.**
The name made bile rise in my throat. A name synonymous with betrayal. With damnation. But the blessing given by Leon did not choose arbitrarily. It granted what best suited the recipient.
I despised it, yet I could not deny its power.
The **Eye of Horus** allowed me to see the battlefield with uncanny clarity. Every weak point, every flaw in armor, every precise strike that would lead to a swift and merciless kill. It granted me the ability to perceive entire engagements as if I were an outsider, devising strategies with the cold efficiency of a Primarch.
Leon's blessing had also strengthened my body, enhancing my endurance, my reflexes—everything I would need to wield this new power.
As I shifted, I felt the weight of my own form pressing against my armor. The cart beneath me groaned, wood protesting under my augmented mass. I frowned. An increase in strength came with physical repercussions. I would need to adjust.
Stepping off the cart, I clenched my fists, feeling the raw power coursing through me. There was work to be done.
And I was done waiting.
---
**POV: Merah**
The scent of sterilizing agents and chemical compounds filled my nostrils as I moved deftly through my tent, overseeing the meticulous packing of my equipment. The men assisting me moved with care, though I could see the nervousness in their eyes.
"Be mindful of those containers," I warned, not bothering to mask my amusement at their trepidation. "Some of these vials contain diseases capable of reducing a man to little more than liquefied meat. Handle them with the caution they deserve."
Their hands trembled as they secured my instruments, but they did as instructed. I chuckled, running a gloved finger along the glass tubes, my mind whirling with possibilities.
Among my collection, one particular vial stood out—the prize of my latest research. A sickly green substance churned within, its viscous form pulsating like a living thing. A remnant from Leon's battle with that corpulent daemon of decay. The mere sight of it made my heart race with excitement.
But then, pain struck.
A sharp, blinding agony lanced through my skull. I staggered, reaching for the table to steady myself—
But I missed.
The world spun as I stumbled, my mind ablaze with searing torment. And in that moment, as my vision blurred and my body failed me, I heard the unmistakable sound of glass slipping from its place.
A heartbeat passed.
Then silence.
By the time my senses returned, I found myself gripping the edge of the table, my breath heavy. My eyes darted downward, expecting disaster.
But the vial was gone.
My gaze snapped to the group of assistants still busy packing, their movements uninterrupted. No shouts of alarm, no sounds of shattering glass.
Someone had caught it.
Someone among them had saved us all from catastrophe. And yet, they remained silent.
My lips curled into a slow smile as I watched them work, none daring to meet my gaze.
Interesting.