The Achievement Junkie

The next morning was just like any other. With the sun beginning to climb over the streets of Gilga, the foot traffic began to increase. Businesses were all opened and the city was gaining more immigrants as the rumors of the Lesure Guild, Jack, and the gods were spreading further from Trodar's borders.

"Citizens of Gilga!"

A shout caught the attention of everyone at the southern extents of the city. Everyone looked to find a man standing on a small platform before the ancient statue of the Legend of Trodar, but the likeness between the statue and the man was startling.

"Everyone, I'm here to make something known!" Jack continued his shouts as more and more people started to gather around him. "For those of you that don't know me, my name is Jack, the same man you regard as the Legend of Trodar!"

People started to flock as Jack's voice filled the streets. Crowds hastily gathered around the platform, waiting for Jack to say more.

Smiling, Jack was ready to stun everyone. "Everyone, first and foremost, it's important that I now announce my candidacy for the Trodan Council, the same organization that I helped create long ago. As for why that's necessary, let me prove it to you. Bring them out!"

The attention of the crowds shifted to the northern end of the street, where Jack was pointing. They saw a small gathering of people leading a steel cage on wheels.

As those men at the lead stepped on to the platform, the crowd was stunned to realize who most of those people were.

"Allow me to introduce the newest members of the Leisure Guild," added Jack, stunning the crowd further. "Handling the major events of the guild, we have Tralon and Vixus, both councilmen. Also, we have Kims as the newest Security Advisor. Kaldor, the former guild master of the now fallen Golden Haven from Federal City, is our treasurer. The other two men are Argyle and Hurmot, the guild masters of Fat Goose and Celestial Crane, the two newest subordinate guilds under the Leisure Guild."

That announcement was too much to handle for the public to digest in a single moment.

According to rumors, the Leisure Guild had long been on the decline and may even start to dwindle away. But that was all before Jack's divine announcement a few days ago. Now, the people of Gilga finally got to witness the rapid growth that the Leisure Guild had gained, allowing it to again rival the council.

"As for those in the cage, they're two men who dared enter our storehouse to rob our treasures and even attempted to kill us. I'm sure you can recognize both of these despicable councilmen, Lords Bikkem and Quallace!"

The degree of shock that the crowd felt was unfathomable. Introducing the Leisure Guild's strength publicly was enough to shatter their mindsets but adding that twist of two beaten councilmen was over the top.

"Now, do you want to know why I use the term despicable?" Jack asked the crowd, pausing in wait for an answer.

"Why!"

"Tell us!"

Riled up and in search of an answer, the mob mentality was starting to trickle into the crowd.

"I say so because not only did these two councilmen attempt to kill us and steal from us, they have been acting in secret with something we all despise. These two councilmen have done something unthinkable, betraying the trust of all the people of Trodar!" shouted Jack, riling up the crowd more and more with every word. "These two men dared to turn against us. These two men have dared conspire against your lives! These two men have been working under false personas, but they're truly snakes planted by the Chaos Syndicate!"

Fear, anger, disappointment… All sorts of emotions began to churn within the mind of every crowd member.

No one wanted to believe that their elected councilmen dared to be apart of the shadiest organization known to history, but it was hard to not believe Jack and his band of powerful figures. That only let their emotions fester more, leaving them undecided and questioning everything.

"You can't prove anything!" Everyone's attention was recaptured by Bikkem, who stood against the steel bars, shouting, "How dare you so easily admit lies and blatant rumors! You're no hero!"

"Oh, do you want me to prove it?" Jack smiled back at Bikkem, startling the man into silence. "Very well… I'll prove it here and now...

"By the fire in hell and the chaos in the earth, I call upon thy power to show me thy follower's birth!"

Covering up the picturesque morning sun, black clouds started rolling in over the southern extents of Gilga. This terrified the crowd, especially after the recent event that left Federal City in ruin.

"As turmoil and blood wash the world over, let my blood guide thy signs as they crossover!"

More terror sunk in as Jack suddenly slit his forearm. As Jack started to paint a circle of his own blood, the clouds grew thicker and larger.

"Skaryn, reveal thy intent and let the world behold thy servant's work!"

"CRACK!"

Black lightning started course over the clouds, giving everyone chills. The most terrified person, though, was Bikkem, who saw Jack look back at him with a devious smile and blood dripping onto the finished circle.

"Thy deeds shan't remain hidden, and thy hands shan't go berserk!"

As Jack finished the incantation, two bolts of lightning struck the steel cage. Both Bikkem and Quallace tensed up as the crowd saw the lightning remain dancing over their bodies.

But there was also a third bolt of lightning, that was what caught Jack's eye.

That third bolt of black lightning fell onto a man attempting to flee from the center of the tightly packed crowd. As the lightning hit him, he jumped and tried to flee at full speed. But he had already been discovered by Jack and the many men surrounding the hero.

Tralon's hands were already on Kims's and Kaldor's backs. They all teleported directly in front of the fleeing man.

The man was blinded and then met with a fist to his face. He was rocketed to the pavement below, indenting the road as Kaldor fell on top of him and Kims placed his sword at the man's neck. Tralon calmly landed and shook his head in disgust.

In the chaos of the situation, no one had recognized who that third man was, but they were quick to remember the man's face now that he wasn't moving anymore.

"Lord Halmon…" Jack stated the mystery man's name aloud, letting everyone realize that a third councilman had been inducted into that shadowy organization. "Lord Halmon, I'm sure you weren't expecting to get caught like this, but you can only blame yourself for following my little parade."

"Jack!" Halmon snarled. "You dare to defy the council?! That's treason against the state! You--"

"You have no right to make such a statement!" A new voice called out. The crowd parted in awe as Thyron Tindrell continued his accusation, "Halmon, along with Bikkem and Quallace, consider yourselves removed from office! You'll be taken into custody as criminals of the state and you have no right to deny your guilt!"

"B-but… Thyron why--"

"Silence!" Thyron walked up to the pinned councilman, holding a fireball directly in front of Halmon's face. "Should you dare utter another word of blasphemy, I'll reduce you to cinders where you lie now!"

The crowd began to cheer, glad to know that their most trustest councilmen, the spokesman, wasn't a member of the Chaos Syndicate. It relieved some of their doubts and worries, also making them proud to see him standing up for the people of Trodar.

Jack watched Thyron carefully. With Thyron trying to take some of the glory, Jack tried to figure up what exactly Thyron was after.