Bloody Odyssey

Chapter 56: Interest

"To be honest, you are not the winner," Dax said evenly, "but your ability interests me."

He turned and stood directly in front of what appeared to be a blank wall.

Anastas heard the words and felt a strange mix inside—part disappointment, part unexpected relief. He wasn't sure whether to feel sad or happy. After a brief pause, he dipped his head slightly. "Thank you," he said, showing genuine gratitude.

Dax pressed his open palm against the smooth, featureless surface. The wall responded at once. It rippled outward in gentle waves, faint lines of strange nanotechnology glowing briefly in electric blue before the entire section parted like liquid curtains. A dark passageway opened silently in front of them.

Zain and Anastas could only stare, completely bewildered. What sort of magic-tech is this? Zain whispered under his breath, barely loud enough for Anastas to catch.

Dax stepped through without hesitation. The moment his foot crossed the threshold, hidden lights bloomed to life, revealing a spacious office bathed in cool, sterile illumination. Black tech dominated everything—sleek panels, matte surfaces, and strange skeletal structures positioned like sculptures around the room. Some of the frameworks looked eerily humanoid, their bone-like shapes catching the light in unsettling ways. At the center stood a massive black desk, and on its surface rested a small transparent container—no bigger than a gentleman's hat—inside which two pale specimens floated gently in suspension fluid, drifting in slow, dreamlike circles.

The walls were covered in diagrams of alien creatures: intricate line drawings, dissected views, evolutionary maps, and handwritten notes scattered in apparent disorder. Yet the chaos only made the room more striking; nothing about it felt random or diminished its strange, captivating beauty.

Anastas scratched the side of his head, glancing around. "Captain, I think you have a thing for black."

Dax ignored the comment. Instead, he motioned for them to follow and led the way deeper into the space. They descended two short steps, and the atmosphere shifted again.

They entered a magnificent living room.

Anastas let out a sharp, involuntary scream of astonishment. Zain clamped his mouth shut and fought to keep his face neutral, though his eyes betrayed pure shock. The room was stunning—deep leather sofas in rich charcoal tones curved gracefully around low tables that seemed to float just above the polished floor. Soft, shifting ambient lights moved slowly from cool violet to warm gold. One entire wall was a seamless window looking out into endless star-filled darkness, yet the space still felt intimate and welcoming.

"This place is crazy," Anastas muttered in awe. He rushed forward, running both hands along the nearest sofa. He pressed down firmly; the leather gave way with luxurious softness. "This… this is way better than the one back at our base."

He sank into the cushion with a happy sigh and bounced once to test it. Dax gestured politely toward the opposite seat.

Zain bowed out of long habit, then sat down carefully, back straight and hands resting on his knees.

"You all did well today," Dax said as he took the central chair facing them. "You see, something I like is growth…" He let the word linger for a moment before continuing. "You are still in your growth stage, Zain. The seed I gave you has already germinated, but it still has plenty of chance for further growth."

He shifted his attention to Anastas. "And you, Anastas—I can provide the materials and tools you need to grow. More than that, I would like to record the entire process."

Anastas's expression grew serious. His voice came out calm and measured now. "Then why didn't you bring Hanna along?"

Dax leaned back slightly. "Hanna is powerful, but I lack the concepts to help her. Or else I gain a proper understanding of mana, it's only genetic modification i can help with.

He looked between them. "You both didn't participate fully today, so I wasn't able to see the true depth of your abilities."

Anastas's mouth fell open as Dax went on.

"At first, I saw the entities you summoned come out from a realm you opened."

Anastas leaned forward instinctively, stunned into silence. How can he see the Realm of Death? This is abnormal. The thought hit him hard. I need to train myself harder. I can't keep getting surprised around this man. A quiet resolve formed inside him. It seems the House of Fall will touch the sky once again.

Dax continued without pause. "When you asked me for Cain and Little Purple's meal, I gained a vague understanding. If your power was strictly bound to that space, it would be useless to train you."

Anastas lowered his head. "Captain, I'm not special. There are a lot of powerful necromancers out there—far more powerful than me."

Dax raised an eyebrow. "So you mean to tell me there are more necromancers in our clan?" His tone carried faint surprise. This kind of ability was too powerful to be common.

"No, Captain. I'm the only one—with the sole exception of my mother. But she's dead."

"I see."

Dax's voice remained level. "The world doesn't know me. So why would I go around the world just to find and train a new one?"

He studied Anastas carefully. "But you… you are different. You possess something called an ego."

Anastas's face showed no surprise—he had suspected something like this for a while.

Zain spoke up quietly. "Captain, do you mean a double soul?"

Dax shook his head. "A double soul is two souls inhabiting one shell. But with Anastas here, half his soul consists of two almost similar properties."

He leaned forward a little. "Some might perceive you as different once your ego takes control of your body. To me, this is simply your inner voice—or, as I prefer to call it, your inner mind—taking command of your being."

Dax offered a small, genuine smile. "Anastas, you have a beautiful phenomenon called split personality."

Zain stared, shocked by the casual way Dax spoke about something so profound. This man speaks and acts like a god. Is this truly Lord Omin's son?

Every word Dax uttered felt impossibly heavy to Zain. He tried to absorb it all, but the concepts pressed down on him like stones.

Dax raised a hand. An aid bot floated over instantly, humming with a soft, calming tone. "Bring me two bottles of the finest Bervan wine."

He rose, walked to a nearby drawer, and pulled out a slim blunt. He exhaled gently over the tip; it ignited with a faint blue spark. This was Rejuvenating Breeze—an advanced cigarette engineered to perfection. One pull sharpened focus, cleared the mind, and left the user refreshed and alert.

Dax returned to his seat just as the bot arrived with the bottles. He picked one up, uncorked it smoothly, and poured himself a generous glass. The deep, luxurious scent of fine wine immediately filled the room—rich berries, subtle oak, and a hint of spice.

Zain's gaze locked onto the glass. Such fine wine…

"Pour yourselves a glass," Dax said casually.

Anastas grabbed the bottle without hesitation. Zain smacked the side of his own head in embarrassment. "Sorry, Captain—I can't accept." He clasped his hands together quickly.

Anastas's face twisted into an exaggerated scowl. "You dare turn down fine wine?"

Dax smiled faintly. "One should know when to relax." He sparked the blunt again, took a slow drag, and followed it with a sip of wine.

The smoke curled out in thick, lazy clouds. At first it carried a sharp, choking bite, but beneath that lay the delicate fragrance of night flowers.

Anastas watched the smoke drift from Dax's mouth. He poured a glass for himself and—after shooting Zain a meaningful look—poured one for him too. Then he tilted his head curiously.

"Why are you burning small sticks of firewood into your body?"

Dax nearly choked on his wine. The blunt froze halfway to his lips as he stared at Anastas, genuinely caught off guard by the blunt, innocent question.

The room fell quiet for a heartbeat, broken only by the faint hum of the aid bot in the background.

Then Dax let out a low, surprised laugh that echoed softly through the luxurious space.