Part 4: Forging Bonds (Medium Quest)

Forging Bonds

Medium Quest

Requirement: None

Reward: 1,250 zeni and Special Reward.

One of Kanassa's most renowed Soul Forgers has put closed his shop. Upon hearing about this you investigate and find out his son has forsaken him and ran away from home. If you find his son, you might be able to convince him to return home. Maybe you'll get rewarded.

Special Reward

For returning his son, he will forge one soul of choice on a piece of equipment for you, at no charge. Just include your choice on your RP submission.

Soon after getting my power, I pulled myself out into the mortal realm. So much time had passed. Days melded with one another, and even though I was simply a slave, they had apparently gone by quickly. Without realizing it, more than 200 years had passed, and I wasn't in a familiar place.

The gravel shifted. Larger rocked tumbled down the hill. A bird nearby squawked and the unfamiliar creature coming out of the ground. It was a taloned hand. Wicked in design. Claws four inches long, and the hand with veins popping out from the tight thick hide that was the color of blood.

The Mound shifted as a white haired, red skinned creature pulled himself out. He clawed at the ground, breathing heavily. Its claws scrapped at the rocks with a ear shattering screech. Once out, the creature laid there, basking in the sun of the unknown location. He stood slowly, nude, but not caring too much.

He called himself Izon, a demon that nearly ruled over the demon realm. Except this wasn't that demon. This was a mere man who managed to kill not one, but two demons. The power had been enough to escape hell and come to the mortal realm.

Ian was aware of his looks and knew disguising himself was far more important than anything else. Though who he'd disguise himself as he wasn't sure what to disguise himself as. He had no clue where he was. Guess first thing he needed to do was simply go scout if they were human or what.

He made his way down the steep rocky slope. He really wanted to fly, but he didn't have the energy, nor did he want to be spotted by someone. Not yet anyway.

He made it to the bottom and vanished into the trees, moving swiftly. He moved downward as was generally a good survival tip since most civilizations were at the bottom of hills and mountains. Reaching a river, he bolted at a sprint, following it down stream.

A couple of blue scaled fish standing on two legs who had just got done training watched as the red skinned creature run along the river bank. They're eyes were wide with confusion. They hadn't ever seen anything of the sort.

Night was falling, Ian had yet to reach any civilization. Where ever he was, he was way out from any known location. Taking to the air, the cool night bit at his skin.

The city glowed off in the distance like a massive metropolis. It was one of the most beautiful things he'd seen. He was one for the city. The opportunities were endless.

Already plans for new enterprises flooded his mind. First thing first, he had to find out who inhabits this place. He had seen Saiyans before and they certainly wouldn't accept one such as him. Human would be more than willing to burn someone like him at the steak. Though he wasn't sure how much time passed.

He took off soaring through the sky for the first time, feeling the chilled night air on his face. His wings stretched, soaring through the sky. He felt free, freer than he had ever felt before. He could get used to this for sure.

The city came closer and he dipped down, sticking low until he got close enough he could walk. His wings folded behind him and he stuck to the shadows keeping himself out of sight. He moved, through them with little effort. The city was quiet and peaceful.

He paused a moment when he heard a door closed and Izon watched from the shadows as a green tinted fish-man closed a door to his shop. The fish let out a sigh and mumbled something to himself before leaving.

He wasn’t sure what the place was, but it looked kind of like a shop. He made sure no one was around and bolted across the street and looked inside. It was a tailor shop. Strange clothing, but anything was better than the chilled air biting at his genitalia.

He walked around the building, but found there was no other access. Going back to the front door, he tested the door. It was unlocked. Must be a place where theft was unheard of or very rare. He wondered for a moment what the penalty was for stealing, but shrugged it off. He was kind of dead anyway.

He walked in and shut the door. The place was loaded with various fabrics he had never seen before. He made his first suit so he figured he could very well make a new one before morning. At least up until the hat. He’d have to figure something out eventually. In the meantime, he needed something to hide himself.

Grabbing what looked to be male clothing he put them on. It was a simple robe much like the priests of earth except of the various colors of greens and blues and some oranges and browns. He dressed and went to work immediately on getting his other clothing made.

It took longer than he had planned. The fabric was much different that he was used to making it difficult to choose. The door opened with a ring telling Izon that someone had entered. He froze and looked out through the door of the back room. The fish had returned and sun shone through the glass.

He went behind a stack of crates and waited. The fishman came in and grinned when he saw the partially made suit. “Don’t worry creature. I knew what you had thought about when I left. Figured I had given you enough time, but apparently not.”

Izon left the safety of the crates and faced the fish man. “How’d you know I was there?”
“I could say that I smelled you, but that’s not true. Truth is, you’re on a planet where we’ve developed telepathic powers. So don’t try to hide. It won’t work.”

Izon felt foolish, but also he began to get an idea. “Is this something you can teach someone?”

The man shrugged. “We’re born with the ability. It isn’t just with our race though. So maybe, but I wouldn’t know how.” He looked at the clothing. “You’re butchering a fine selection of cloth. What is it you’re trying to do?”

“Make myself a set of cloths.”

“What about those you have on?”

Izon looked at them, a bit disgusted. “Not really my style.”

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The fishman nodded, "Well, finish up here. I gotta get this place cleaned out."

Izon rose a brow. Who's want to close a business. It was obvious this one was doing well for himself... or itself in case they didn't have gender. One never knew when it came to other species. Hell, he could never tell on dogs without looking at their package.

"Why shut the doors? Are you not doing well on business?"

The man shook his head. "I'm getting old, and I was going to give it to my son. We do more here than simply tailor. And it takes a special kind of person to do it."

"Where's your son?"

"He has forsaken me and the trade we do."

Izon wasn't one that would do a laborous job such as this either. But he was getting curious about this trade that is more than just tailoring. "Where is he?"

"He left a week or so ago. I just don't have the drive to run this place any more."

Izon scratched his chin a moment. "What is this other trade?"

"Soul forging. The world is littered with souls floating around. They are trapped with no place to go. It may sound evil, but we bind them to clothing. For our monks, it gives them strength, making them better warriors. For scholars, it improves their intelligence. And for people like me, well, my cloths I have on makes me a smarter businessman."

Smarter businessman Izon thought to himself. This was an excellent trade he could start in for himself. If he got the guy's son, he could easily get him to sell his business to him and work on doing that.

"I'll be right back." Izon left the fishman alone, flipping up his hood. He didn't want the man to know he was looking for his son. That would make him seem desperate. This way he would look like a saint. A man with a conscious. That was a bit of a joke really, but he could play the good guy for now. It led to bigger and better things. This was his chance to get start getting his power back, the power he craved. The power over money.

Izon spent the better part of the day learning the man's name and his son's name. The man was Iora and his son's was Tithin. Izon traveled around, keeping the hood up, though it was mostly for his own sense of security as everyone seemed to not care about his looks. And it seemed the man was truthful when he said they were psychic. He walked up to a few and they just said "I don't know their names". It was a bit annoying. He'd have to learn how to block out his mind.

Night was falling again and his son was no where to be found. He wasn't hungry which was good, but he was feeling low on energy. He needed to rest.

Taking flight, he landed on a roof. These cloths were warm and it was a clear night. He could survive outside. He landed on one of the roofs and sat down, learning up against the wall. He knew nothing about this place which only made this more difficult. Then how would he get his son to go to him? Only way he knew how was to play dirty like he did in business. This was only business, so it made sense. Though the kid would be able to read his mind as well, so if he needed to make sure he was absolutely willing to kill the old man if he didn't come with him.

He may also have to kill the kid. Which may take a fight. He knew nothing about him. This was beginning to get bothersome. This psychic ability of theirs was a problem. Oh well. He'd find a way, he always did. It's what he did best.

Morning came all too quickly. Though he was warm, with thoughts of how he would convince the child to come with him as well as rock on any planet was hard. Even in slavery he had comfort. Maybe he really wasn't free.

He took flight once again and landed on the ground. Hiding his wings, he continued on with his search. The search seemed fruitless once again till late in the day when he ran across an old woman, or from her voice, she seemed old.

"You looking for Tithin I see."

Izon paused and walked over to the one who said it. "Yes, have you seen him?"

The woman shook her head. "I will not tell you if you plan to hurt them."

Stupid psychic abilities. He had no choice. At this point he had to be feared. It was the only thing he knew. Thoughts of the things he could do to her flooded his mind and her eyes widened. Terror struck her. He could no longer take the neutral route. He had to play one side or the other, and he was not good at playing the good boy.

Izon removed the hood. "Tell me where he is now woman. You can read my mind. You know what I'm thinking about."

She trembled as she spoke, stuttering every word. "i-i-in th-the m-monastery." She ran in, vanishing from his site. It was starting to come through, he wouldn't kill them but his thoughts would certainly show that he'd kill them.

The monastery, great, this place had hundreds. This was going to be difficult. But at least he knew where to start. He took flight and headed to the closest one. He was running out of daylight.

The first five showed nothing. The sixth was more promising. Well it couldn't get any more promising than Tithin coming out to meet him.

"I'm not going back to him, I don't care what you do."

Izon grinned as best as he could. No lips made that more difficult than one would think. "You really think so? So you obviously don't care about your father."

"He's not my father! He was a man who kidnapped me and forced me to work! That soul binding takes a part of your soul as well. He's merely forty, a quarter of what we can live to. He'll die in thirty if he stops now. That's what soul binding does to someone, which is why I'm not going to do it."

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Izon was a bit shocked at what he had heard. This would definitely be something he would have to think about. "So there's nothing I could say or do that would get you to go back to work for him huh? Not even say leveling this monastery?"

Tithin's eyes narrorwed at the threat. He was young and hated most things, but he had his limits. The monastery was his home and those in it his friends. "You wouldn't dare."

A loud boisterous laugh escaped from deep down in Izon. "Boy, when I go after things, I will never back down. I want you to work at that shop. I want you to act like you're happy. I want you to build me and my customer's some soul forged merchandise."

The boy couldn't believe this. The man before him would go as far as destroying the temple below. Who'd do such a thing? Was money all this man thought about? The answer was obviously yes.

Tithin charged forth rearing his fist back. Bringing his fist back, Izon charged up some energy and unleashed it by waving his arm in a wide arc. Several orbs of energy rained down upon the monastery below. All Tithin could do was watch in horror as a quarter of the place erupted into a fury of flames.

"You're mad!"

Izon grinned. "I'm hungry! Come with me or watch the rest burn down!"

Tithin didn't know what to do. All he could do was watch his brethren work on getting the fires out. "Fine, i'll go with you. But know one day someone will kill you."

Izon's laugh echoed through the area. "I'm already dead boy. Can't get much deader." Then he signaled for him to go ahead. And as Tithin got far enough ahead, Izon dropped another orb of energy that struck where the monks were standing to put out the fire.

The area went up in a blaze. People screamed in agony as flesh burned. Tithin looked back at him. Izon only shrugged like it was an accident. "Just so you know I'm not bluffing." He shooed him. "Now get going and don't tell your father."

Tithin took off, disgusted with the red creature following him. He wasn't sure what else he could do, but he knew things could easily get much worst. Oh how he hated this creature. One day he would make sure he would pay. Oh he would pay dearly.

He wasn't sure if the creature could read minds, but incase he could, he blocked his own mind so the creature nor Iora could read it. He wasn't sure if Iora was in on this or not. Either way, he wondered if the creature would be sticking around. If Iora was with him, then the creature would probably leave. If not, then he'd probably stick around.

They reached the shop. Iora was closing up as he normally did, but this time everything was in a cart.

"Iora! Where are you going?" called out Izon.

Iora looked up and his eyes watered with happiness. "Tithin? My son? You've returned! My good sir, how did you ever convince him to return?"

Izon shrugged. "I told him how much you loved him. It took a little bit of work, but he came, worried about you."

Tithin gave him a sharp deadly look, but faced Iora with a smile and tears of his own. Conjured up tears. "I'm sorry father."

The older fish paused a moment. "Ah, good sir..."

"Izon is fine."

"Ah Izon, I wasn't sure if you were returning. So I finished up your clothing."

Iora handed him a wrapped package. "Thank you." He was afraid of the horror it would bring to his looks if Iora finished it, but he nodded and gave the best smile as possible.

"There's also a little surprise there for you."

Izon nodded. "Thank you very much. But I also have something I would like to discuss with you."

"Anything, please! Let's go to my house and we shall discuss this. We have much celebration to do."

They left and walked the streets. They eventually arrived at a small home and entered. It was simple, but the expensive linen lined the walls. Apparently he did his tailoring at home as well as the shop.

They sat down and Iora poured what would pass as coffee on Earth. They drank and Izon started. "I'm gonna be a little abrupt with this. I would like to buy your shop."

Iora and Tithin froze. Iora spoke first. "I'm not sure what you mean. Purchase my shop?" Izon nodded. "My shop isn't worth much. And we don't buy stores from one another."

Izon shrugged. "There's a first for everything. I'm a man of business. I can make your tailor and soul forging shop large and can make you a lot of money. You could retire wealthy."

If they could read his mind, it told them nothing. He wanted money, simple as that. He had no other intentions and he had no problem making them wealthy. Or at least Iora. As long as Iora was willing to play ball. He stopped his thoughts there.

"I don't know. I'm not one for money."

"Think of it like this. A thousand tailors. Customers from all over the galaxy. I'd leave you in charge here, and I would just handle the money aspect and promote the business across the galaxy."

Iora thought a moment, then smiled. "I've always wanted to dive into other styles. Yours was most intriguing. I'll do it."

"I will purchase your shop for 10,000 zeni. Which you will make on my share until I am paid off." Iora agreed to it. The prospect of designing clothing for countless races enticed him.

Thus the start of my business venture. Simple clothing and the soul forging. Tithin would be an issue, but Iora trusted me explicitly. I just needed Iora to teach me how to do the soul forging, then I could do it alone and I didn't need either of them. Then teach someone else how to do it so I could continue to grow my business. Something else wonderful happened as well. I tried on that suit, and I was given these arm bands that changed me into a human.

Iora told me it was the soul of an artisan which made me happy. I could walk around like a human for the remainder of my days if I please. Mo more terrifying face. Thus began my movement to power in the mortal realm.

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