In fact on that day he suffered two consecutive blasts of [psychic lash] and at the end of his second life he gave up fighting and allowed himself to be killed.
It was no coincidence that the time ran out there and then.
In the journal of the Lost Ones, he got a warning to fight for every life like it was the last and yet even when he knew he just couldn't do it.
Ultimately he paved the way and allowed the beast to take over. At the time Aldrich was actually glad that happened, if it doesn't he could have died for real.
It was both a blessing and a curse. Immortality did not come without a cost and he had a feeling he was just beginning to see the tip of the iceberg.
"Not bad, it seems like you were able to come to terms with it. Don't be down, it's part of the job." Uldin cheered him up and looked pretty revitalized himself.
"Why are you so chipper?"
"I made a transaction for the first time in a while. For us merchants of Leng trade is a way of life, it's who we are. There's also the fact that you became powerful enough to actually start trading with me from now on."
"Well, I won't be staying here for long I will soon leave to Castamerphia." Aldrich wanted to be up front about this.
"All the better then!" Uldin declared.
"You're going to follow me there? I am not sure if the gate can take the two of us."
"I don't need to use the gate itself as long as you activate the gate, the spatial node here would be free and I can teleport myself to anywhere on this world."
"That's a neat ability." Aldrich said enviously.
"It is, it's just that I need the whole ban on this realm undone so I can get out of here." Uldin spoke with conviction, he was like a sailor that hot stranded on an Island.
"Sounds like you actually need me to activate the gate… how about some help then?" Aldrich picked up on Uldin's desire to leave, so shouldn't he be more cooperative then?
"I will be." Uldin said which shocked Aldrich a little as he expected Uldin to refuse.
"I will give you a 20%—no, 30% discount on all my wares. Even a thousand years ago I didn't give this kind of discount. There's not much else I can do."
"Uh, thank you. That sounds like an awesome deal but… why don't you join me in the fight?"
Aldrich appreciated the deal but he wanted more substantial help.
"I can't, I can't fight or use my powers unless it's in self-defense." Uldin looked resigned, "if I could I wouldn't be stuck here like this."
"What? How come?" Aldrich honestly didn't understand.
"Easy. Back then, when otherworldly beings like myself wanted to come here, we had to sign a contract. We are still beholden to that contract, unfortunately."
Aldrich sighed, he was disappointed, Uldin seemed like he could handle himself well. But whoever was running this realm was really through, huh.
"Fine, at least tell me what is this?" Aldrich showed Uldin the Proof of Devotion and watched out for his reaction.
"Ehm? It's the Unseen Hand's Proof of Devotion, right?" Uldin nonchalantly answered. He didn't seem very interested in it. "I will give you one green orb for it how about it?"
"One green orb? You're kidding, right?" Aldrich asked in disbelief.
"I mean it's just a slave brand, and it's useless now that it's been taken out. It's basically a collectors item, and I am not a collector."
"Just a slave brand?" Aldrich repeated and understood something. Uldin didn't know that it was also a prototype of the artificial divine core…
"Then forget it, I'll keep it."
"Have it your way."
Aldrich returned to the base and stashed the Proof of Devotion somewhere safe and locked the cupboard.
It may become useful some day. It was better to just keep it than to just sell it for scraps. Besides he found it interesting that Uldin didn't know about the artificial divine cores.
Indeed it might come in handy.
****
Aldrich returned to the real world and tried to resume his sleep, feeling satisfied with a good day. But before he could something unexpected happened.
He remembered Irene, the feeling of her body pressed against his own, her soft breasts crushed against his solid chest muscles.
Her taste on his tongue, her ass on his hand. His mouth was suddenly dry and his little brother was wide awake.
'Shit, it's time to sleep. Get back down!'
No matter how he pleaded he couldn't control his little brother even when he tried to distract himself with random thoughts.
'Damn it! You're rebelling?!'
This did not happen often, most days he was simply too exhausted so he fell asleep as soon as he return to the real world but now…
'Uldin did say that my desires would increase. It's all that beast's fault!'
Aldrich decided to blame the beast for all of it, ignoring that he was almost sixteen now and his recent debacle with Irene.
The next day, a new sun rose above the clouds and the stars. The birds sang in the treetops and animals grazed in the woods.
While they were eating breakfast, a boy in a colorful clothes walked in and said in their table's direction, "this is a letter from senior Giltmere. Stand to receive it."
Aldrich put down his fork, took a breath and stood up with a respectful expression.
"Oh? The senior inquisitor sends a letter to the like of me? It is a true honor." Aldrich said seriously looking very moved.
"Oh?" The boy looked a little taken back as if he expected a different response, "ah, eh? It's good that you know your place… but the others behind you don't seem to hold the inquisition in the same regard."
Aldrich shot a look at them, they scrambled to stand but most of them had terrible expressions.
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