NOVEL NEXT Chapter 416: Tribute
"We have endured tide and storm for centuries. To lean too heavily on another would shame us. Yet we will never forget that it was you who carved open the night and broke the Murder. Our strength now is because you gave us the chance to find it again."
Damon nodded. "Okay. Just don't hesitate to let me know if you need any help. We will probably be here for some more time until the portal stabilizes."
"Your presence alone steadies the tide, my Lord. With you here, even the dark currents hesitate to stir."
Damon could only chuckle helplessly at the guy's stubborn attitude. "Flattery aside, it's good that you're not letting victory make you complacent. Enemies have a way of sniffing out weakness the moment you relax. Keep your warriors sharp. There is also something else I need to talk to you about. I hope you are not offended by my words."
The merman immediately shook his head. "My lord, no word of yours could offend us. But fret not, I have already prepared everything for your needs. I have selected fifty of our finest virgin merwomen, and they have all been instructed to dedicate themselves wholly to your service. They are yours to use as you please."
Damon's eyes widened. "Cough. What are you talking about? I don't need any such service. I wanted to ask you about tears. Merpeople's tears."
The merman froze, clearly startled by Damon's blunt refusal. "My Lord, forgive me. I thought you spoke of… tribute. But I have clearly misunderstood you. I was too hasty, too presumptuous. Our ways are crude compared to your grandeur, Blood God. Please, strike me down if I have offended you."
Damon waved a hand dismissively. "Relax, it's fine. It's an honest misunderstanding."
The leader bowed and quickly spoke. "My Lord, I am very grateful for your generosity. But I am afraid I once again have to disappoint you. Please strike me down this instant."
Damon rubbed his temples. "Can you explain things to me first? What are you talking about?"
The leader sighed and then explained. "My Lord, I am afraid that someone has spread you misinformation. The rumors about merpeople's tears are widely spread. Our tears are indeed valuable to a certain extent, but they are no life-saving elixirs."
Damon nodded. "I already know that."
"My Lord, we are also not able to produce them at will. Only once in a blood moon, we are able to shed a drop of tear for the ones in our hearts. And I do not have anything collected and ready for you. Please strike me down for not having the foresight to prepare such a treasure for you," the merman finished, lowering his head until his scaled brow nearly touched the sand. His voice trembled with shame.
"It is a failure of my duty. I should have known, should have set aside drops long ago for the day you would come. Punish me as you see fit, Blood God. My life is yours."
Damon pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling slowly. "Why is it that every time I ask for something, you jump straight to 'strike me down' or 'take my life'? Relax. It's okay. Can you start collecting them now? Maybe the next time I pass through this way, I can get some from you?"
"My Lord… you would entrust us with such a task? You honor us beyond measure. Yes. Yes, we will begin at once. Every drop shed by our kin shall be gathered and consecrated in your name. When you return, the Shoals will present them to you."
Damon nodded, satisfied. "Thank you!"
Seeing Damon smiling and pleased, the merman became even more enthusiastic. "My Lord, we might not have tears at the moment, but we have collected a huge amount of other treasures from the sea. Please allow me the honor of presenting all of them to you. Give me a moment. I will prepare everything."
With that, the leader hurried off, his voice booming through the water as he barked orders to his kin.
Damon smirked faintly as he watched the merman's broad back retreat. "Heh. Finally, the reward-collecting part." He folded his arms, tapping his fingers against his elbow as his mind already spun through the possibilities.
Soon, there was a lot of movement in the waters with mermen and merwomen rushing here and there. Then, one by one, merfolk swam forward in graceful arcs, bearing treasures that shimmered with the light of the deep. They laid them carefully at Damon's feet.
First came pearls the size of a clenched fist, glowing softly with inner light. "Moon pearls," the merman explained. "They are born in trenches where the light of the sun has never touched, yet they hold within them a radiance that can ward away shadows."
Next came a set of coral branches, crimson as fresh blood. The mermaid who carried them bowed so low her hair touched the surf. "Bloodcoral," she whispered. "It feeds on the wounds of the sea. In your hands, Lord of Blood, it will never wither. It will sharpen your essence, strengthen your dominion."
Damon's eyes widened. As soon as he looked at the coral, he had a slight feeling, but now he could even feel his blood reacting so strongly to it. If he was not wrong, then the blood coral should have some sort of bloodline purifying ability.
Damon had never expected to run into something like this here with the merpeople. He was impatient to try it out immediately, but he forced himself to wait until they were done with everything. Maybe there were more surprises waiting for him.
Then, carried by two burly warriors, came a conch shell larger than a man's torso. Its spiraled surface shimmered with runes older than language, humming with a deep, oceanic resonance. "The Tidecaller," the leader said, planting his trident beside it.
"A relic said to be carved when the Tides themselves first learned to roar. Blow it, and the air around you will be filled with water essence even if you are in the middle of a horrid desert."
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Golden ticket bonus chapter!