Chapter 145: Chapter 145: Ambush on the Road
Jax’s clone remained kneeling, unmoving, while the golden light descended from the heavens, bathing the village in a blinding radiance. The voice that echoed from within the light was not human; it was deep, serene, and filled with divine authority, as if the Dream God himself were speaking.
"I will hear all your prayers," the voice declared, "but in this world, nothing comes for free. If you want my favor, you must give me your faith and your hard work. There is nothing I despise more than a mediocre people... Only the worthy shall receive my power!"
The light fell directly upon a young man who had sung louder than anyone else. His body was flooded with pure energy, erasing his hunger and exhaustion. His level surged from 2 to 15 in an instant, and he collapsed once more to his knees, worshiping with renewed fervor.
The villagers, speechless, watched as the energy flowed. The voice continued, resonating over all of them:
"My envoy will teach you what you must do next."
The clone of Jax slowly rose to his feet, his face stern, his gaze unwavering. The golden glow faded from the sky, but within the villagers’ hearts, the echo of the divine voice still lingered.
"From this day forward, you will work under my command," the clone announced, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "Each of you will receive a mission. Those who serve with dedication and effort will be rewarded. Those who fail... will be forgotten."
The men and women, still trembling with emotion, nodded without protest. Some were already moving, gathering tools or preparing the little they had to begin. Faith had mixed with a reverent fear.
The clone studied them for a few more seconds, then added:
"I must leave for now, but I will return. When I come back, I expect to find this place transformed."
An elder, his voice trembling, raised his hand.
"My lord... there are other villages, not far from here. Several... but they are cut off. Monsters prowl day and night, blocking every road. No one has been able to help them."
The villagers lowered their gazes, ashamed of their helplessness.
The clone of Jax allowed himself the faintest smile, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
"Perfect... then our mission does not end here."
The villagers pointed east, explaining in detail where the isolated settlements were located. Jax’s clone nodded, then rose into the air without another word, gliding calmly above the clouds. The wind whipped against his mantle as the horizon unfolded before him.
It wasn’t long before he spotted smoke and heard screams. Down on a dusty road, a carriage was under attack by hulking ogres with grayish skin and yellowed tusks dripping with saliva. The monsters laughed as they hacked the wooden frame apart with massive axes.
Jax descended in a flash. With a mere gesture, a golden sword materialized at his side, floating in the air. The weapon vibrated faintly, as though it were alive, awaiting his command.
With a thought, the sword shot forward. The gleaming blade carved a perfect arc, cleaving one ogre in half from shoulder to hip. Another tried to raise his weapon, but the sword spun in place, faster than lightning, and pierced straight through his skull.
In seconds, the ogres’ corpses were scattered in bloody pieces, the ground soaked with dark blood. Silence returned to the road.
Jax approached the shattered carriage and pushed aside a broken plank. Inside, curled up, was a young woman with golden hair that seemed to shine even in the shadow of the wreck. Her eyes, milky white, revealed her blindness, yet there was no fear in them only a disquieting calm.
The only one who had tried to protect her lay at her side: an elderly butler, dressed in fine clothes now drenched in blood. His breaths were shallow; an axe had nearly cleaved him in two across the waist. With a faint voice, he tried to rise, placing himself between Jax and his lady.
"P... please... don’t touch her..." he whispered before collapsing once more, trembling in a pool of his own blood. Even as he lost consciousness, his fierce gaze remained, more afraid of harm befalling his mistress than of death itself.
Jax knelt beside the dying butler. Without a word, he extended his hand over the mortal wound. A gentle light both silver and gold poured from his palm, enveloping the torn body. Flesh knit back together, bones realigned, and within seconds the injury vanished as if it had never been.
The man gasped awake, staring in disbelief at his perfectly restored torso. His breathing steadied, and with tears streaming down his face, he dropped to his knees before Jax.
"M... my lord... thank you..." he said in a broken voice, bowing his forehead to the ground.
Jax gazed at him with calm authority and spoke with a voice that carried the weight of command:
"Rise. I have not come to take lives, but to protect them. I am the envoy of the Dream God, and under his mantle, none who believe shall be forsaken."
The butler wept with gratitude. Without hesitation, he rushed to the rear of the carriage, where the young lady still hid. Carefully, he removed the splintered wood, and Jax himself extended a hand to help her out.
The young woman rose slowly. Her golden hair caught the sunlight, and though her white eyes betrayed her blindness, her face remained calm, unshaken. From the very moment Jax saw her, he noticed something strange: she did not fear him. Instead, she wore a serene expression, as if she had been expecting him.
When Jax held her hand to help her down, she lifted her face toward him and asked in a clear, tranquil voice:
"Are you... an angel?"
Jax blinked, surprised. He had hardly spoken a word, yet the girl looked at him as if she already knew his essence.
With solemnity, he answered:
"I am a divine envoy, little one. Tell me... why do you ask?"
The young woman smiled faintly, as if her lips carried the memory of something precious.
"Because my mother told me that angels radiate peace... that their very presence calms the heart. And you... you feel like that. It’s as if I were seeing my parents again."
The girl’s words echoed in Jax’s heart, and for a moment, he fell silent, staring at her with intensity.