《Sealed in Steel [ Tank Litrpg ]》 1. A Giant Mistake Elian Ward always thought attacking Blunderbore, the Giants'' capital, was a laughably insane idea. Now, he was part of the force attacking it and wasn¡¯t laughing. And it truly was insane. Each one of them participating in the attack knew that. But they also all knew they had no choice. The beginning of the end for humanity loomed. That was why the Council of the United voted to send the strongest heroes to stop the ritual. Elian was strong but far from the strongest and shouldn¡¯t have been part of the attack. He wasn¡¯t a hero either. At least, he never thought of himself as one. But if everything went according to plan, he¡¯d be the most heroic hero in all of history. The earth trembled as another of the Giant King¡¯s elite guards fell. Flying debris dinged off Elian¡¯s barrier as he treated the wounded. ¡°Stay still, Yanira,¡± said Elian, holding his glowing green hands over her. Emerald tattoos curling in the runes of Sirona surfaced on his skin. ¡°I¡¯m doing the best I can.¡± ¡°Elian¡­¡± Lady Yanira of the Mist Barrier coughed up blood. ¡°Do-don¡¯t bother¡­¡± She looked down at her body. Everything past her abdomen was gone, entrails strewn across the ground. A swing of the Giant guard had caught her. She would be dead if not for Elian. His Melded Greater Boon of Lasting Relief allowed him to match the abilities of the most adept healers and was the reason the Council let him join the assault despite lacking in the firepower aspect. Boons, abilities granted by deities to their chosen, were akin to miracles. But they had limits. Elian couldn¡¯t reconstruct Yanira¡¯s lower half because he had expended too much energy during the course of the attack. Tears pooled at the corners of her eyes. ¡°Le-let me die. Re-remove¡­ pain. Heal others.¡± Elian knew he should move on. If he successfully pulled off his plan, her death wouldn¡¯t have happened. But he couldn¡¯t bring himself to leave her after all the years they¡¯ve fought together. Yanira was one of the earliest friends he made after getting yanked from Earth and thrown into the world of Fellenyr. Yanira touched his cheek. ¡°You were always¡­ so unwavering. Go.¡± ¡°Rest now,¡± Elian said, weaving her into a deep sleep before he withdrew his healing magic. He left her as she breathed her last. All of this will never happen, Elian reminded himself as he jumped over a severed Giant leg and joined the push into the castle of Giant King Gogmagog. He called up the Covenant with the Gods, a magical display only visible to the specific person that showed their attributes, Boons, and Curses. It was akin to the stat table of RPG games on Earth. Just like checking his pocket several times for his wallet before he left his apartment¡ªElian hadn¡¯t been in his apartment on Earth for almost fifteen years¡ªhe always checked and rechecked the Covenant to make sure there actually was a plan. He never trusted that Timekeeper not to withdraw his Boon suddenly. Elian Ward | Human | Level: 233 Health: 316,200/752,000 Energy: 951/244,510 ATTRIBUTES: Attack Power: 620,245 Magic Power: 0 Armor: 253,119 Magic Resilience: 135,702 DIVINE BESTOWAL: Melded Greater Boon of Lasting Relief III Melded Greater Boon of Abundance and Famine III Melded Greater Boon of the Enduring Circle III Greater Boon of the Timekeeper¡¯s Secret Gift III Greater Boon of Seven Sorrows III Greater Curse of the Berserking Abyssal Eye III Lesser Boon of the Final Throne III Lesser Curse of Tranquil Corrosion II I¡¯m unwavering because of this, Elian thought as he focused on the Boon from the bastard Timekeeper who freaking abducted him from Earth and tasked him with saving the humans of Fellenyr. Greater Boon of the Timekeeper¡¯s Secret Gift For a great sacrifice of your present and future, the way to the past is opened after your death. Forty-eight Favors and two-thirds of your improvements, so demands the Timekeeper. Along with your mind from the future, you can bring a Greater Boon or Greater Curse with you to the restart of your journey. Forbidden from sharing knowledge of this gift, your tongue is tied lest you destroy the Timekeeper¡¯s work. The conditions set by the Timekeeper¡¯s Boon severely weakened Elian despite him working much harder than the next guy. All of his attributes gained were down to a third, not to mention he had to start from level one though already an adult. Everyone should applaud him for reaching this far despite the massive challenges. And that wasn¡¯t all. Each level rewards the person with a Favor Point. Elian had to set aside forty-eight of those, twice the cost of Melding Boons, for the activation of his time travel instead of progressing his other Boons or Curses. Not to mention he had to invest Favor Points into the Timekeeper¡¯s Secret Gift itself to make it a Greater Boon and lessen its penalties. It was much, much worse before. So many attribute points were eaten away by this Boon. The Favor Points of forty-eight levels wasted. Or not. Everything would be worth it once Elian returned to the past. This was why the deaths of friends and allies never hit him as hard as they should. He was going to save them all anyway. He always kept note of important events that transpired and studied the Boons and Curses that¡¯d best suit the situation once he literally restarted his life on Fellenyr. Too bad there was a restriction on telling others he had a reset button; he could¡¯ve brainstormed much more. Nonetheless, he was confident in his plans. He chose the Greater Curse of the Berserking Abyssal Eye to bring back with him. Greater Curse of the Berserking Abyssal Eye Attack Power multiplied by eight. For every hundred thousand points of Attack Power, increase the multiplier by one. Magic Power reduced to zero. The Abyssal Eye curses your body to never feel the touch of healing from any deity. The effects of all potions on you will be reduced to a fifth. Boons and Curses¡ªElian would always say they were almost the same because they both granted benefits at a cost. Slight differences in obtaining them, he conceded. Boons were also generally less harsh. Even the Timekeeper¡¯s conditions were mild for the price of resetting the world. In comparison, what the Abyssal Eye imposed on him was much more burdensome and dangerous. A healer who couldn¡¯t heal himself, that was Elian Ward. After all the time and sweat he paid to gain favor from two gods and merge their gifts for the much-coveted Melded Greater Boon of Lasting Relief, people thought him crazy or stupid for approaching the Abyssal Eye for its Curse. But he needed the massive increase of Attack Power to change early key events that¡¯d certainly affect the future. He wasn¡¯t going to waste years as a weakling like before. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Trust in me, Yanira, Elian thought. Everyone. Trust in me. He¡¯d make sure to prevent their deaths in the next timeline. He¡¯d personally take care of this damned Giant King. Elian insisted on joining this mission because he couldn¡¯t get information about the defenses of the castle and about Giant King Gogmagog anywhere else. He was certain no one would survive this attack to return and share what they¡¯ve learned. This was a suicide mission, a last-ditch attempt of humanity to survive. As the heroes cleared floor after floor of the castle, descending deeper and deeper into its bowels, piling bodies the size of buildings, Elian committed its guards and defenses to memory. The next time they¡¯d attack this place, he promised none of them would die. Maybe some. They lost two-thirds of their number fighting from the walls of the city up to the castle gate. And they continued to dwindle as they stormed the castle guarded by the Giant King¡¯s finest warriors. ¡°Can we take on the Giant King?¡± asked Reuben the Faint Wind. He looked around, probably counting those remaining and thinking the same as Elian. Thirty-seven of them left. ¡°We have to,¡± was the curt response of Marcus of the Iron Walls, their de facto leader after the Great Hero Salvinor died outside the castle. Any more discussions were cut short as they arrived in front of towering doors. The doorway was wide enough to fit a human-sized castle through. Not really surprising because this was built for Giants. The problem was that the doors were made from faewyrm bones, resilient to magic, and secured by layers of warding runes of the ancient Elder Giants. Beyond them must be the place where the ritual was held. ¡°Are there any Runebreakers still¡ª?¡± Marcus began to say when a low rumble made everyone tense up. The doors slowly swung open. The darkness beyond looked like a monster¡¯s maw, inviting them to come inside with the promise they¡¯d never leave. ¡°The Giant King mocks us!¡± shouted Witchblade Maria. ¡°Saves us time too,¡± Elian mumbled under his breath. ¡°Let us enter.¡± Marcus sent flying light orbs ahead as he passed through the doorway. As the rest of the group followed, he ordered formations and preparations. ¡°Don¡¯t slack in your detection. Spread light. Defenses up! Healers ready your spells. We don¡¯t want to be caught by an ambush.¡± But there was none. No traps or Giants lying in wait to attack them. Their group wandered into a room so vast they couldn¡¯t see the walls or the ceiling despite the spells they cast. It might as well be a cavern with no end. Each of the hundreds of pillars holding up the dark ceiling was bigger than the towers of the Iron Walls. ¡°WELCOME, HUMANS!¡± A forceful wave washed over Elian and his comrades. Some of them fell on their knees. A couple outright fainted. Migraines suddenly plagued Elian as he tasted bitterness at the back of his tongue. Just hearing those two words, he knew they could never defeat the one who had spoken. From the shadows stepped forth the biggest Giant that Elian or any of them had ever seen, standing twice taller than the castle guards. They barely came up past the Giant¡¯s ankles. Wearing regal attire and adorned with jewelry boasting gems the size of a wagon, there was no doubt that this was Giant King Gogmagog. ¡°I CONGRATULATE YOU FOR REACHING THIS PLACE,¡± said the Giant King. ¡°YOU TINY CREATURES NEVER CEASE TO AMAZE ME.¡± None of them could respond to the Giant King. Only a few of their group remained standing straight on their feet. Most wobbled. Others were on the ground. Elian bent over as he vomited. The world spun. He fought for focus. What did he learn about the Giant King so far? Nothing! He couldn¡¯t pass out now. ¡°Yo-you¡¯re going to die!¡± Marcus found his voice and fought the Giant King¡¯s overwhelming pressure. The last knight of the Iron Walls conjured dozens of golden spears in the air in a blink and sent them flying to the Giant King. Inspired by Marcus¡¯ bravery, the others snapped out of their paralysis. They shouted in defiance of the unbeatable foe and used the last of their strength to attack. Even Elian joined in, desperately seeking the weakness of the Giant King. But there seemed to be none. They couldn¡¯t even singe his clothes, their spells stopped by an invisible wall. Someone tried to attack the barrier with his swords, only to be shocked by powerful lightning upon contact. I don¡¯t know how to beat this guy! Elian raged in his head. They had traveled so far and fought through hell only to discover nothing useful. No matter. There was a next time. And the next, and yet another next after that. He could rely on the Timekeeper¡¯s power to endlessly retry this until he won. ¡°ENOUGH!¡± Marcus exploded into fine red mist. Elian didn¡¯t see what happened. Some of them started to flee; their screams were cut short as they died in a blink. Those who stayed pressed on with the fruitless attack, bursting and dying one by one as Marcus had. Elian stopped fighting. I¡¯ll avenge all of you, was his only thought. Twelve of them left. Now, eight. Five. Three. Elian nodded at Reuben the Faint Wind before closing his eyes to receive his fate. Silence. No more screams. No more explosions. The only sound he could hear was his breathing. Elian opened his eyes to the last of the glowing orbs of Marcus flickering out of existence. But he didn¡¯t need to cast any skill for light because the gems worn by the Giant King shone brightly. The floor was painted red with the blood of Elian¡¯s comrades. He couldn¡¯t make out anything recognizable from the gore. Even the pieces of armor they had worn were pulverized. The monster responsible for the massacre remained unmoving where he stood, an amused look on his face high above. ¡°DO YOU KNOW WHY I LEFT YOU ALIVE, HUMAN?¡± asked Giant King Gogmagog. ¡°No¡­¡± Eli pushed on his knees and straightened himself to look up at his colossal enemy. ¡°EACH ONE OF YOUR LITTLE FRIENDS WAS AFRAID. THEIR BRAVERY OVERCAME THEIR FEAR, BUT THEY WERE AFRAID NONETHELESS. NOT YOU. I SENSE NO FEAR IN YOU.¡± ¡°Someday, the one who¡¯ll defeat you will come!¡± Elian shouted, his lungs struggling to push out air. It¡¯ll be me, he added in his head. He activated the runes inside his armor, preparing to detonate his surprise. ¡°YOU WHOLEHEARTEDLY BELIEVE YOUR OWN WORDS DESPITE FACING CERTAIN DEFEAT. I WONDER WHY¡­¡± The eyes of the Giant King turned gold with inscription of burning red surfacing. What was the Giant King doing? Elian made sure to remember every stroke of the inscriptions though his vision was hazy. The symbols might hold a clue to the Giant King¡¯s magic. He¡¯d research them in the next timeline. ¡°Humanity¡­ never gives up!¡± Elian stepped forward though his legs felt like lead. He flitted in and out of consciousness with one thought left¡ªput even just a scratch on this colossal ugly bastard before dying. ¡°AH¡­ I SEE. AN INKLING OF YOUR PLAN, I HAVE.¡± The Giant King must be talking about the bomb that Elian carried. He couldn¡¯t have known about Elian¡¯s Timekeeper¡¯s Boon, could he? A few more seconds. Whether the Giant King killed him or the bomb exploded, Elian would be on his way to the past. None of the Giant King¡¯s nonsense would stop him. ¡°I PRAY FOR MY ANCESTORS TO CURSE YOU!¡± rumbled Giant King Gogmagog. A mountain of a shadow loomed behind the Giant King. ¡°MAY YOU SURVIVE TO WATCH THIS ALL UNFOLD ONCE MORE BUT BE POWERLESS TO DO ANYTHING.¡± ¡°Wha-?¡± I BID YOU, GOODBYE.¡± And Elian exploded.
Elian stirred as sunlight danced on his eyelids. He blinked to adjust his eyes and looked up at the bright sun of Fellenyr, gold with occasional strings of green that were said to be a sign of good luck. He felt the soft grass under him as he pushed himself to sit up. Just like the previous time, he was wearing a plain shirt and shorts. His last moment on Earth was buying groceries. Looking around, he beheld a familiar sight he hadn¡¯t seen for so long. The house of old man Wendell and his wife stood across a plot of freshly tilled soil. Their barns were further beyond. The rolling hills to his left were where groff roamed. And behind him, there was the tree with that awful-tasting fruit. He tried eating it before and ended up puking the whole night. ¡°I¡¯ve returned to the past! It worked!¡± Elian cheered. He was concerned for a moment back there that the Giant King had a way to stop it. He balled a right hand into a fist. Angry red tattoos of different eye designs appeared on his arm. The Curse he designated to bring was also here. Excited to test it, Elian punched the tree for revenge, expecting the bark to break. But the tree was unharmed. 2. Sticks and Stones ¡°Huh? What just happened?¡± Elian stared at his fist. Tattoos of the Abyssal Eye blazed. He punched the tree again, giving it his all this time. His knuckles connected with the rough bark. But instead of a loud crash or a crunch, there was only a gentle thump as if he had tapped it. The bark wasn¡¯t cracked at all. The tree didn¡¯t shake. Not one leaf fell. A cold hand grasped his heart. Something was very wrong. With a wave, he summoned the Covenant with the Gods and made terrifying discoveries. Elian Ward | Human | Level:1 Health: 150/150 Energy: 50/50 ATTRIBUTES: Attack Power: 0 Magic Power: 0 Armor: 1,620 Magic Resilience: 0 DIVINE BESTOWAL: Greater Curse of the Berserking Abyssal Eye III Greater Curse of the Powerless Physical Immortal I Attack and Magic Power both started at a hundred the last time. His Armor and Magic Resilience should be ten each. The Greater Curse of the Berserking Abyssal Eye reduced his Magic Power to zero as a penalty. That was supposed to happen. But why was his Attack Power, which was supposed to have increased to eight hundred, turned zero as well? And what was this other Curse? He hadn¡¯t heard of it before. Greater Curse of the Powerless Physical Immortal Transfer all your Attack Power and Magic Power to your Armor, becoming helpless in a fight while gaining durability beyond measure. Suffer the ultimate vulnerability to magic in return for doubling your Armor. So wills the Elder Giant, whose skin is impervious to steel but not magic. ¡°Elder Giant?¡± Elian replayed his last moments before dying. Was the dark wall that came up behind the Giant King one of the Elder Giants? Was the awakening ritual already completed? If so, even if they had enough forces to kill the Giant King, their mission would have been in vain and humanity still would¡¯ve lost. Elder Giants were considered deities by other gods before they were defeated thousands of years ago. The Giant King must¡¯ve somehow suspected what Elian was doing¡ªperhaps he was knowledgeable of the Timekeeper¡¯s shenanigans¡ªand asked the Elder Giant to counter it. The Elder Giant couldn¡¯t overcome the authority of the Timekeeper, but he sure could make life very hard for the returned Elian. Bizarrely, the Elder Giant was able to inflict him with a Greater Curse. It should start from a Lesser Curse and it was up to Elian to invest Favor in it. Another thing was that it stuck with him through the time travel. His two Curses affecting each other meant that for every point of Attack Power, he¡¯d gain sixteen Armor. The Elder Giant didn¡¯t know that Elian had stored the Greater Curse of the Berserking Abyssal Eye and didn¡¯t account for this interaction. But it wasn¡¯t something to celebrate. From a healer who couldn¡¯t heal himself, to a tank who couldn¡¯t heal himself and was a wet toilet paper defending against magic. Worse, he didn¡¯t have any Attack or Magic Power to contribute to a fight! Elian rested his forehead on the tree and closed his eyes to compose himself. ¡°Fine,¡± he said after several minutes. ¡°If the Giant King wants me to stay on the sidelines of every battle, so be it. I have plenty of testing to do to see how things would play out. I can always return to the past and¡ª¡± Can I still return? He hurriedly checked the Covenant again to make sure his eyes weren¡¯t tricking him. Two Greater Curses. Nothing else. The Greater Boon of the Timekeeper¡¯s Secret Gift was gone. Was it a one-time thing? ¡°Timekeeper!¡± Elian walked around the tree, shouting for the Timekeeper to show himself. He wasn¡¯t expecting that creepy cloaked man carrying a dozen kinds of clocks to respond. The first and only time they met was right after the Timekeeper randomly picked Elian out of all the humans of Earth. In the whiteness of the dimension called the In-Between, the Timekeeper granted Elian his Boon and plopped him on Fellenyr with the task of saving humanity from getting wiped out. This time, Elian didn¡¯t come from the In-Between. He was from the future, carrying two Curses. He wasn¡¯t the same Elian granted the Timekeeper¡¯s Secret Gift or else he wouldn¡¯t have the Curses. There must be a time travel paradox explanation for this that he wouldn¡¯t understand anyway. Bottom line, there were no more second chances. If he died¡­ that was it. His mind raced. He wasn¡¯t giving up. Searching the field for a stone, he found one the size of his fist. If his punches couldn¡¯t do any harm, would wielding a weapon circumvent the limitation? He repeatedly hit the trunk with the stone. The ¡®hit¡¯ became a tap. Other than a few tiny scratches on the tree that must¡¯ve come from the stone¡¯s rough surface rubbing against the bark, there was no other damage. Frustrated, Elian threw the stone up. It got lodged in between branches. He looked up and laughed. It reminded him of a basketball stuck to the side of the hoop. Been a long time since he had played basketball. Not that he was any good at it. Just a bunch of unfit office guys trying to get some exercise after work, relaxing before diving into the horrible commute on the way home. He was starting to forget the faces of his friends. The Timekeeper promised to return Elian to Earth after he saved the humans of Fellenyr. He might never meet any of his family and friends again because of the Greater Curse of the Powerless Physical Immortal weighing him down. ¡°What am I going to do now?¡± Elian asked the stone above him. A gust of wind rolled over and made the tree sway its branches. Even the wind could do more to the tree than him. As the tree danced, the stone got free and fell on his head. It harmlessly bounced off of him because of his high Armor and landed on a fallen twig on the ground. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! The stone broke the twig. ¡°Newton!¡± Elian jolted at the epiphany. ¡°Wait. Newton¡¯s the guy who got hit by the apple, right? Not Einstein? Oh, wrong time period.¡± If Elian had difficulties remembering his life before he was taken from Earth, science lessons in school were a distant memory. He picked up the stone and dropped it a few more times on pieces of bark and twigs. Whether he dropped it from a branch or straight from his hand, the expected happened¡ªthe falling stone damaged whatever it landed on. The Elder Giant¡¯s Curse didn¡¯t work in this case because Elian wasn¡¯t doing any attacks, hence his zero Attack Power wasn¡¯t a hindrance. Conversely, if Elian threw that same stone at the tree, it didn¡¯t do anything. He was technically attacking the tree with the stone. ¡°I¡¯m not so helpless after all,¡± Elian said, sitting next to the tree. ¡°Given how this Curse worked, I still should be able to use bombs and potions.¡± Did a crossbow count? It wasn¡¯t the shooter who propelled the bolt forward but rather the rope pulled back by mechanisms. But the line in the Curse about ¡°becoming helpless in a fight¡± might extend to a crossbow since it was still a weapon he¡¯d operate. He¡¯d figure that out with more testing. This was the hand he had been dealt with. No use complaining and moping. Always look on the bright side. That was his mantra to survive the corporate world as one of the cogs of the massive wheel. He¡¯d drown in misery if he only focused on the negative. The bright side was that he was very hard to kill. A very huge deal in this dangerous world. Right now, he was as durable as padded clothing. Armor extended to internal organs too, so he wouldn¡¯t easily be affected by concussions. He also didn¡¯t need to spend any Favor Points leveling the Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse while the Elder Giant¡¯s Curse only had two more levels to go before its highest tier. He should avoid taking any more Curses because they couldn¡¯t be Melded together like Boons. At least, no one had succeeded doing so. Be more conscious of what Boons to fill up the remaining six slots for Divine Bestowals. Wrapping up his self-pep talk, Elian headed to Wendell¡¯s house. The kind old man would give him breakfast, and he could begin training. Unlike the humans of Fellenyr who were born with the Covenant, Elian obtained it as an adult. His actions had just started to be taken into account for attributes. Every level gives one Favor Point. Unlike the RPGs he used to play, the level-up didn¡¯t give points to Strength, Agility, or those sorts of things. There was none of those in Fellenyr. A person doing push-ups would increase his strength, and that would be reflected by higher Attack Power. Studying and practicing magic spells would increase Magic Power. That meant people slowly increased their attributes through the years. Elian had a lot of catching up to do. Walking up to the door of the small farmhouse, Elian breathed deeply, taking in the smell of grass and manure. There was also the scent of freshly baked bread. He arrived just in time. He sorely missed this place and also felt guilty he wasn¡¯t able to return here. Elian never saw Wendell and Thalia, his wife, ever again. This area and the rest of the valley would be razed by the Giants in a few years. Elian knocked on the wooden door, barely making a sound. ¡°Good morning!¡± he loudly said. He spoke Angloise, an odd mix of oldish sort of English and the other languages of Fellenyr. Humans weren¡¯t native to Fellenyr, which was why the Giants wanted to wipe them out. A long time ago, different groups of humans from around the Renaissance Period of Earth got transported here. They survived and thrived, mingling with the other races. Hundreds of years later, humans carved a large portion of the biggest continent as their own territory. The door opened and out came an elderly man, stooped because of age but retaining some muscles due to working hard every day. He raised a bushy white brow and looked over Elian, no doubt wondering about his half-Asian features and his clothes from Earth. Elian¡¯s black hair in a crew cut wasn¡¯t common for men in this world. Probably most notable for the old man was Elian¡¯s complexion, with no hint of working under the sun as he spent most of his waking hours in an air-conditioned office. ¡°Mornin¡¯, good sir,¡± said Wendell, assuming that Elian was someone high-born from abroad. ¡°How may I help you? Are you lost?¡± When Wendell and Elian first met in the original timeline, they skirted the cliff of incoherence. Angloise had just enough English words for Elian to understand maybe ten percent of the conversation. It was the pronunciations that made comprehending them more difficult. Wendell also had thought Elian was a noble or the son of a rich merchant who had lost his way or been left behind by his caravan. The old man took him in and gave him food and a roof over his head for a month while Elian learned about the new world. If there was an award for the most charitable person on Fellenyr, Elian would give that to Wendell. ¡°I¡¯m not lost,¡± Elian said, smiling so broadly it must¡¯ve appeared unsettling. He wanted to hug the old man but that¡¯d make things awkward. ¡°My name¡¯s Elian Ward from Gilders beyond the Sunder Valley.¡± Wendell gave an airy whistle through his missing tooth. ¡°Sunder Valley? That fiery wilderness next to Cinder Town? I know someone from Cinder. That¡¯s a mighty long way away, young man.¡± Wendell leaned to the left and looked behind Elian. ¡°Don¡¯t have anyone else with you? How did you get here?¡± ¡°With two groffs pulling my wagon,¡± was Elian¡¯s reply. He was prepared for his second first meeting with Wendell. ¡°But the axle was broken. That rough patch of road outside the town claims credit for causing our party such a headache.¡± Wendell scratched his sharp chin covered by a patchy beard. ¡°I¡¯ve been tellin¡¯ the mayor we should get that fixed. You¡¯re not the first one to suffer misfortune there. Where¡¯s your wagon and groffs?¡± ¡°I left them in town with my companions while I came to visit you. I decided to walk because it¡¯s not too far. Good thing the road passes through here is in a much better condition. Made walking easier.¡± ¡°Visit me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m an acquaintance of your friend, Patel of Gilders. Always offers me a discount for the supplies I buy from his shop. Whenever my family butchers a Filloswine, I make sure to give him the head. He adores it. Patel told me that you gave him a Filloswine head as a gift on his wedding day. I came here to say hello and see if you have a message I can bring to him.¡± Wendell¡¯s face lit up and more wrinkles appeared at the mention of Patel. ¡°You know Patel? Damn right, he likes his Filloswine. Eats so much of it he ends up lookin¡¯ like one too. Er, it¡¯s been years since I last saw him. Is he still¡­?¡± Wendell shaped a large belly in front of him. ¡°Most definitely,¡± said Elian. Five years from now, he¡¯d walk into Patel¡¯s store to stock supplies for exploring Sunder Valley. Their conversation would lead to another until Patel realized that Elian had met Wendell. ¡°Come on in.¡± Wendell opened the door wider. ¡°Any man who makes sure Patel doesn¡¯t lose weight is a friend of mine.¡± Elian couldn¡¯t help but feel nostalgic as he looked around the cramped house made of logs. Fifteen years he lived on Fellenyr and he¡¯d never forget his first month. This farmer couple was a blessing to him. He had zero idea of survival. Typing away on a computer for twelve hours a day never prepared him for the mission that the Timekeeper gave him. Wendell introduced his wife and they all shared a meal of bread and soup with vegetables. Thalia thought their meal was too simple for a well-off-looking guest like Elian, so she cooked a few slices of the cured ham hanging from the rafters and fried a few eggs. ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± Elian said. ¡°It makes me feel inadequate for not bringing a gift.¡± ¡°No worries about that, Sir Ward of Gilders,¡± said Thalia. ¡°We scarcely have a guest in this part of the valley. Enjoy it here after your long trip.¡± ¡°It is relaxing on your farm. I was supposed to have a quick chat before returning to town, but I¡¯m thinking of staying until the sun sets if that¡¯s okay with you. Enjoy the air and the beauty of the landscape. Our group will resume traveling tomorrow.¡± Wendell took the plate of sizzling ham and eggs and placed them in front of Elian. ¡°You can sleep here for the night if you want. Tell us stories of Patel, and your travels as well. Storm God knows we get no news ¡®round here.¡± Elian readily agreed, for he intentionally steered the conversation this way. This was what he had been waiting for. Tonight, a Myrclaw would come to attack the farm. It escaped from a passing caravan transporting beasts for a nobleman¡¯s collection and somehow wandered here. Elian would make sure no harm came to the couple. This wasn¡¯t related to the big picture of defeating the Giants. This was about saving his friends. And because he¡¯d earn money for fixing the nobleman¡¯s problem. 3. Cursed Lemonade A hearty breakfast and an enjoyable chat with the farmer couple lessened Elian¡¯s frustration with the Elder Giant¡¯s curse. Elian insisted on helping with washing the plates. It used to be his task when he stayed here. ¡°Your clothes, Sir Ward.¡± Thalia peered at it. ¡°What incredible quality. I¡¯ve never seen such a fabric before.¡± Polyester from Earth. Of course, she hadn¡¯t encountered anything like it. ¡°My father bought it when he visited the Nadpani Desert,¡± Elian said. ¡°This is common there. Light and airy, protects the skin from the harsh sun while keeping the body cool.¡± ¡°Nadpani Desert?¡± Wendell asked. ¡°First time I¡¯ve heard of that place. Your family is well-traveled.¡± ¡°Part of the business of trade.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been to any desert. I wouldn¡¯t step foot on one. My beloved Thalia and I are stickin¡¯ to farmin¡¯ this land of my father.¡± ¡°I¡¯m actually interested in the business of farming,¡± Elian said. ¡°Perhaps you can show me around? I¡¯d love to help you with your chores.¡± ¡°Not much of a business of farmin¡¯ here to show,¡± Wendell said. ¡°I would describe our day as the business of stayin¡¯ alive. But I¡¯ll be glad to show you our humble farm. It¡¯s humble, and I¡¯m proud of it.¡± Wendell took Elian to the animals and was surprised he knew how to feed them. This was also part of Elian¡¯s daily duties in the first timeline. The groffs mooed and goat-like markhut bleated while he gave them food. With the animals fed and watered, they went to chop some wood next. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best.¡± Elian asked for a turn at the chopping block, taking the opportunity to test if it counted as an attack. ¡°You can do it, young man,¡± Wendell said after giving him tips on how to swing correctly. ¡°Go on. Try it.¡± Elian swung the axe as he had done many times in the past. The axe¡¯s heavy head descended straight for the standing log. A small part of the blade bit down into the wood, creating a tiny crack along the grain. ¡°It¡¯s normal not to split it in one try,¡± Wendell said. ¡°Again. You have a good swing.¡± Elian swung with all his strength. The blade dove into the crack, deepening it. But not as much as he expected. He felt that his force was nullified. It was only the weight of the axe head pulling it down. It took him longer than he¡¯d like to split the wood. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough trying. I¡¯m just slowing down your work.¡± He grinned, scratching the back of his head in faked embarrassment. ¡°Better if I just help with stacking the logs.¡± Elian wracked his brains while arranging the logs against the side of the house. The Elder Giant¡¯s Curse was more problematic than he thought. Can I get rid of it? He knew of ways to remove Curses in general. It usually depended on who cast the Curse and how reasonable they were of a deity. Other deities could also step in and intervene, though most found it abhorrent to stick their divine noses in the business of others. What about a Curse from the future? Could another deity dispel it? Rather than puzzling over a possible impossibility, Elian decided to focus his energy on planning how to use the Curse to his advantage. As they say back on Earth, if life gives you Cursed lemons, make Cursed lemonade with it. Someone would buy that if marketed right. Throughout the day, Elian helped with other tasks, insisting on physical labor. He explained that it was payment for the food. Wendell didn¡¯t want him to help because he was supposed to be a guest, so Elian then gave the fake story that he always wanted to work the land but his family never allowed him. There was something to the story of a rich man working as a farmer that made it endearing. Wendell and Thalia had a higher view of him after hearing it. It helped that Elian was already familiar with what to do. ¡°Be prepared, young man,¡± Wendell said. ¡°If you¡¯ve never worked this much before, your muscles are goin¡¯ to complain of soreness tomorrow. Ready with a health potion. I bet you can afford a bottle or two.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll cherish the soreness as proof of my hard work,¡± Elian replied, fully knowing that his inherent Armor would counteract the soreness. Another positive point for the Elder Giant¡¯s Curse. His Armor had increased by sixteen points¡ªexperiment done. He must¡¯ve gained a single Attack Power as the physical labor strengthened his body. When he had the Lesser Boon of the Timekeeper¡¯s Secret Gift, it took him five times longer to gain an attribute. When he had leveled the Timekeeper¡¯s Secret Gift to a Greater Boon, the penalty lessened to only halving his attribute gain. ¡°I¡¯ve never done any carpentry,¡± said Elian while observing Wendell repairing a fence. ¡°With your guidance, maybe I can make something simple.¡± The simple thing Elian wanted to make was a wooden shield. He tricked Wendell into teaching him how to build a short section of a fence but ¡®accidentally¡¯ fitted the planks close to each other. Two more planks secured the others, one bracing across the top and the other in the bottom. He tied the cords while leaving some hammering to Wendell, giving the excuse that his body ached. With this, he had something to use against the Myrclaw come nighttime. ¡°This is, uh, a fence.¡± It was clear on Wendell¡¯s face that he didn¡¯t want to criticize Elian¡¯s work. Elian laughed. ¡°I know I did poorly. This is more like a shield than a fence. Let¡¯s just attach a handle here so it¡¯d be a shield. Then I can say I didn¡¯t make a mistake.¡± Several minutes later, Elian had a shield. Elian Ward | Human | Level:1 Health: 150/150 Energy: 50/50 ATTRIBUTES: Attack Power: 0 Magic Power: 0 Armor: 1,712 Magic Resilience: 0 The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The wooden shield gave a pittance of an Armor boost, as he expected, doubled by the Elder Giant¡¯s Curse. This would do for tonight. It was a juvenile Myrclaw that would be groggy from sedatives administered to it for the trip. Whoever was in charge of the sedatives made a mistake because it wasn¡¯t enough. Come nightfall, the farmer couple offered their house to Elian while they¡¯d sleep in one of the smaller barns. Elian declined, of course. He wanted to sleep in the barn because he missed the experience. ¡°If you insist for me to sleep in your house, I¡¯ll leave,¡± Elian said. ¡°Your house is your house. I¡¯m not squeamish to sleep in the barn.¡± If he was in the barn, he¡¯d meet the Myrclaw first. The previous time, he hid in the barn as the Myrclaw started killing the animals. He only got out when Wendell started to fight the beast and Thalia called for help. Both he and Wendell were injured in the fight, but they managed to drive away the Myrclaw. Back then, Elian was surprised at the bout of bravery that surfaced from the depths of his being. Becoming a hero was possible for him. Such a chaotic night that was. The following morning, they learned that the Myrclaw was killed by the town guards after it had mauled another farmer. Covering piles of hay with a blanket made them quite comfortable. Elian stared at the moonlight pouring through the window as he wondered about the changes to his plans given his predicament. His short-term goal remained the same¡ªbecome stronger. Not sure what the definition of stronger would be now that all of his attributes got turned zero except for Armor. He should figure something out soon and prepare for the first attack of the Giants eight months from now. He closed his eyes and willed his body to sleep, a trick taught him by soldiers during the Siege of Tulla. He needed to rest his body for the action. It was only a couple of hours until the Myrclaw would come. The frantic shrieking of markhuts awoke Elian. Grabbing the brand-new shield that he made, he rushed out of the barn to find the Myrclaw. The hound-like creature could reach the size of a lion on Earth. But this specific one was only half of that. Still very dangerous though even if it was drugged. The full moon and the clear sky full of stars lit the farm. Elian kept his eyes on the shadows. A Myrclaw could cloak itself in darkness for almost perfect camouflage. It also moved faster while in the shadows. A trail of fresh blood shimmered under the moonlight. Elian followed it to the carcass of a markhut with its stomach torn open. The Myrclaw left its prey because it sniffed out a better one. Up ahead were the stalls of groff cows nursing their calves. The Myrclaw would prefer the soft flesh of the calves. By now, Wendell and his wife had stirred. Falling pots clanged. Wendell must¡¯ve pulled his rusty spear that propped up the side of the faulty cabinet. Two lanterns exited the farmhouse. One went to the barn¡ªthat was Thalia checking on Elian. Unlike last time, she wouldn¡¯t find him hiding in the rafters. The other lantern fast approached as it swayed. Wendell¡¯s spear glinted from the lantern¡¯s light. ¡°Wendell, I¡¯m here!¡± Elian shouted. His voice was drowned by the rumbling of the groffs. ¡°Sir Ward? What are you doing there?¡± ¡°Follow me! A Myrclaw is attacking your farm.¡± Elian didn¡¯t wait for Wendell to catch up. With his shield raised, he entered the dark barn, barely lit by moonlight poking through holes in the roof. The Myrclaw, hard to discern in the shadows, had cornered one of the groff cows in its stall. The cow¡¯s calf trembled on the ground. The Myrclaw approached it. Its mother grunted but was too afraid of the Myrclaw to attack. They have been bred for generations to be docile. ¡°Tasty human over here!¡± Elian hooted and howled to draw the Myrclaw¡¯s attention. ¡°Come and get me!¡± It worked. The shadowy predator dissolved into smoke and slipped through the wooden fence of the stall. Elian walked backward out of the barn. The Myrclaw followed him, returning to its solid form as it basked in moonlight. Elian retreated diagonally sideways. He wanted a certain angle to the wall. The Myrclaw slowly approached him, eyes burning red with its hatred of humans. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what they¡¯ve done to you,¡± Elian said. ¡°But I can¡¯t let you kill more.¡± ¡°Sir Ward!¡± Wendell shouted somewhere behind him. ¡°Get away from the beast!¡± The Myrclaw snarled and poised to leap. Elian bent low and charged with his shield, slamming into the Myrclaw before it pushed off the ground. Didn¡¯t hurt the Myrclaw but that wasn¡¯t his goal. He continued with his rush and pinned the thrashing predator to the barn wall. This isn¡¯t an attack, he thought with a smirk. On its hindlegs, the Myrclaw couldn¡¯t push Elian back. But it could still hurt him as only a thin wooden shield separated them. The Myrclaw chomped on the top portion of the shield. It also tried to reach around with its forelegs. Claws slashed Elian¡¯s clothes from the Nadpani Desert department store and wounded him. Pain. But not much. ¡°For the Storm God!¡± Wendell speared the left flank of the Myrclaw. The beast wailed but was still alive. It lunged forward, clambering over the shield¡¯s chewed top. Elian leaned sideways while maintaining the pressure. The Myrclaw sunk its fangs into his shoulders. Broke some of them too. ¡°No!¡± Wendell cried out. ¡°Finish it! I¡¯m not letting it go.¡± Wendell ran his spear through the beast twice more, the last stab was into the neck. The Myrclaw let one last moan, unlatching its jaws from Elian¡¯s shoulders, and slumped on him. Elian pushed it aside and discarded the remnants of his shield. It served him well. He leveled up from the encounter and gained one Favor Point. Though he couldn¡¯t use it for now. Lesser Boons and Curses needed only a point to progress, but their Greater counterparts required three. Two more levels before he could increase the tier of the Greater Curse of the Powerless Physical Immortal I. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Wendell took Elian¡¯s right arm and draped it over his shoulder. ¡°Let us return to the house and tie your wounds before you bleed to death.¡± They found out that Wendell need not worry because Elian¡¯s wounds weren¡¯t as deep as would be expected from a Myrclaw attack. Well, Elian already expected this because he knew his Armor was massive for a human wearing only a shirt. The Covenant displayed that he lost only twenty or so Health. Wendell and Thalia were the ones surprised. ¡°The Storm Gods bless us,¡± said Thalia, shaking her clasped hands at the ceiling. ¡°How horrid for a Myrclaw to appear. Caught us unprepared. It¡¯s not yet cold in the north for them to wander this way.¡± ¡°It probably came from somewhere nearby,¡± Elian said, trying not to smile. ¡°A noble lost his pet.¡± ¡°Apologies for lackin¡¯ the proper potions.¡± Wendell rummaged through the cupboard. ¡°They¡¯re mighty expensive for people like us to keep around. Turns stale too often. All we have are some herb pastes.¡± ¡°Those would work fine,¡± Elian said. The Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse diminished the effect of potions on him anyway. Part of his plan was to rely on magical plants to sustain him in battle. He made impressive headway in his studies during his past life. A Boon for herbalism should be included in his Divine Bestowals, maybe from the Goddess Floralia or the Sabyn Twins of Autumn. ¡°We also have ale for your pains.¡± Wendell shook a bottle. ¡°Helps you sleep as well.¡± Elian smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll take that too.¡± The next morning, the town mayor arrived on horseback flanked by two of his guards in shabby equipment. Wendell had gone to town early to give word about the Myrclaw. Behind the three visitors was a fourth man with bronzed skin wrapped in cloths of different colorful designs held together by golden chains. The horse he rode was similarly decorated in Khazan¡¯s flamboyant and intricate fashion. Elian recognized him as the subordinate of the beast dealer. ¡°Wendell, we came as soon as we could,¡± said the mayor. It was midday, so that was several hours from the time he was informed. Looking for the man in the colorful cocoon must¡¯ve taken long. ¡°This fine gentleman here is Malvar. He wants to compensate you for the damage the beast caused.¡± 4. Setting Out Once Again In Elian¡¯s mind, he was already rubbing his hands. Money to buy supplies for my trip. ¡°Compensate?¡± Wendell asked. ¡°Why so?¡± Malvar stepped forward and thumped his chest with a fist turned outward, the Khazanite greeting of peace. ¡°The Myrclaw that caused you damage is ours.¡± He proceeded to explain what Elian already knew about their caravan of beasts. What about becoming a beast tamer? It was an option Elian considered while brainstorming alternatives last night given that the Elder Giant ruined the plans that he spent years preparing. He knew of many strong beast tamers fielding powerful monsters. They had five among the forces that attacked Blunderbore. But there was the issue of time. He had zero clue about beast-taming. Impossible he¡¯d have a beast army ready to fight the Giants docking their massive ship at Sarnival Port in eight months. Just seven months, actually. He needed to join and win Sarnival Port¡¯s tournament first to gain an audience with its rulers and convince them of the threat. No one was going to listen to a nobody. If he won the tournament, all eyes would be on him. Seven months. ¡°We sincerely apologize for the mishap,¡± Malvar said. ¡°I assure you that the negligent person accountable for it has been punished.¡± Thalia gasped. ¡°It really was a nobleman¡¯s pet. Sir Ward was right.¡± The mayor gave Elian a probing look. ¡°Wendell, is this the injured man you¡¯ve told me about?¡± Elian bowed in the Southern manner. ¡°Good morning, mayor. Just visiting your quaint town and Wendell¡¯s farm. Imagine my surprise when a Myrclaw attacked us.¡± He took off the long-sleeved tunic he wore and rolled up the shorter sleeves of his thin shirt underneath¡ªboth hand-me-downs from Wendell¡ªto show his upper arms in wrappings. Then he pulled the shirt¡¯s neckline to the side and presented his bandaged shoulder and neck where the Myrclaw bit him. Malvar nodded while stroking the gold chains on his chest. ¡°Supremely unfortunate. Although it can also be thought of as good fortune that this is all you suffered.¡± ¡°Always look on the bright side,¡± Elian said. ¡°It¡¯s a good mindset in this harsh world.¡± ¡°The Seven Deities gaze upon you. You will be compensated. I understand some farm animals also perished. I¡¯ll pay for them as well.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you have normal pets?¡± Wendell demanded in a quivering voice. His forehead turned red. He was on the verge of shouting but minded his manners and kept himself in check. ¡°Why choose those that could kill people? Pick a markhut or even a plant.¡± ¡°Some plants are dangerous,¡± Malvar replied, not understanding that it was a rhetorical question. ¡°We also have customers for those, like the Thorned Vine¡ª¡± ¡°We could¡¯ve died! What use is your compensation then?¡± ¡°Now, now, Wendell,¡± said the mayor. ¡°No one wanted this to happen. An accident is what it is. You¡¯re still standing on your two feet, aren¡¯t you? This¡­ Ward¡­ is too. Accept the money as a settlement.¡± Malvar gave a bag of coins to Wendell and another to Elian. Wendell was somewhat appeased by the amount; the Khazanite paid for the killed markhuts as if they were fully fattened. Elian counted the money¡ªit was more than the payment last time¡ªand started to compute his shopping later. ¡°Wendell, let not this matter tarry in your mind.¡± The mayor turned his horse around and led his party away. ¡°Buy yourself a drink. Enjoy your windfall.¡± Watching the four men and their horses disappear over the crest of the hill, Elian said, ¡°I think it¡¯s time for me to leave too. I would¡¯ve gone earlier if we didn¡¯t wait so long for the mayor.¡± Wendell and Thalia insisted that Elian stay another day or two. They were adamant to make up for his sleep interrupted by a murderous beast and repaying his help in saving their animals. ¡°Let me convince your friends that travelin¡¯ with fresh injuries would make it worse,¡± Wendell said. ¡°The wagon¡¯s bouncin¡¯ and shakin¡¯ will tear your wounds open. Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re all welcome on my farm. I tried lookin¡¯ for your friends in town to invite them back with me but nothin¡¯. Are you sure they¡¯re there?¡± ¡°They must be at the watering hole for groffs,¡± Elian was quick to reply. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I truly can¡¯t stay longer. Business dealings, you know how it goes. I¡¯ll come visit when we pass this way again.¡± Carrying vegetables and fruits wrapped in wide geseum leaves to keep them fresh and a letter to Patel, Elian waved goodbye to the farmer couple. He vowed in his heart to stop the Giants invading the valley someday.
Elian strode into the town of Ambervale, reminiscing about his weekly trips there accompanying Wendell to sell his farm¡¯s produce. Was it Ambervale or Amberwynd? He couldn¡¯t remember the town¡¯s exact name because it was unremarkable as could be. The only thing that could be considered of note was the ten-foot statue of its founder named Ambervale¡­ or Amberwynd. The townspeople claimed that the statue was made to scale¡ªtheir founder was that tall because he had Giant blood in him. Couldn¡¯t be true. How would that even work? A Giant and a human? Even if someone very determined could think of something, it would be impossible to¡­ implement¡­ because the Giants left the continent and sailed to the Forgotten Lands three hundred years before the first humans arrived in this world. The Forgotten Lands would become the Remembered Lands. As in, the various races on the continent would remember there were Giants somewhere on lands beyond the vast seas. A grim reminder filled with blood and death. ¡°Time¡­¡± Elian shook his head with a dejected smile. He was the Timekeeper¡¯s chosen one but lacked time. In the face of this irony, all he could do was smile. ¡°My old plan would¡¯ve worked.¡± From Ambervale or Amberwynd, he was supposed to travel to the War Monastery of the Thrice Avenged Commander. There he¡¯d learn the Forms of the warrior monks and obtain Divine Commander Cael¡¯s Boon of increasing Attack Power if not wearing any armor. Not only would those have synergized well with Elian¡¯s chosen Curse, but he also would¡¯ve saved plenty of time because the fighting techniques he wanted to learn and the Boon suited for them were in the same place. Traveling on foot was so slow¡­ but probably faster than the traffic¡¯s pace during rush hour back on Earth. Too bad he wouldn¡¯t get to see the surprised faces of the warrior monks as he¡¯d progress exponentially because of the Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse. Instead of the War Monastery to the east, he decided to head west to Sabyn Mountain where the Sabyn Herbalist Lodges sat. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Malvar the Khazanite was right¡ªsome plants were dangerous. Elian read about Guardian Herbalists using monster plants to defend their mountain. Elian had already planned to pick up herbalism, studying extensively about magical plants in the previous timeline, so why not use plants that could fight too? Same concept as a beast tamer with the advantage of not starting from scratch. Did he have enough time with this revised plan? The only way to find out was to go to the Sabyn Mountains and make it happen. He had to be prepared for the arrival of the Giants no matter what. ¡°Hello?¡± Elian entered a sort of general store at the center of the town. ¡°Is anyone here?¡± The shopkeeper emerged from the backroom and gruffly asked. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Supplies for a journey through the mountains.¡± He raised his money bag and jiggled it. The shopkeeper brought the things Elian asked for such as a waterskin, dried meat, matches, woolen cloaks and blankets, ropes, and various other tools. He thought of buying a tent but changed his mind because hammering stakes into the ground probably counted as an attack. Since Elian was buying many items, the shopkeeper switched to friendly mode. ¡°Where are you going?¡± the shopkeeper asked while helping Elian pack his purchases into a bag. ¡°Are you traveling alone?¡± ¡°I¡¯m on my own, heading to the mountains of Sabyn. Do you know the way there?¡± Elian could draw a detailed map of the route to the War Monastery but only roughly knew the direction to the Sabyn Mountains. He¡¯d much prefer to study herbalism at the Forest of the Goddess Floralia but it¡¯d take a month and a half to get there. ¡°Should be ¡®bout two weeks from here. Follow the river that flows down the mountain outside town and you won¡¯t get lost. Why do you want to go there if you don¡¯t mind me asking? I¡¯ve heard plants there could get plenty fierce. The people too¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking for herbs that might cure my mother¡¯s ailment,¡± Elian said, ready with another fake story. ¡°Potions don¡¯t work on her. The top-quality ones might, but we don¡¯t have the coin for those.¡± The Sabyn Herbalists had an unsavory reputation because their plants¡­ could eat people. It was also common knowledge in these parts that the Sabyn Twins of Autumn hated humans. Couldn¡¯t blame them because humans cut down forests to make settlements. Still, Elian didn¡¯t want the shopkeeper to know that he planned to join the Sabyn Herbalists. ¡°So sorry to hear that. I genuinely am,¡± the shopkeeper said. ¡°How about try visiting the Temples of Tribulation?¡± ¡°The Temples of Tribulation?¡± Elian had heard of this place but only had a cursory knowledge of their practices and Boons. It was also due west but on a route that veered away from the Sabyn Mountains. ¡°I heard their deity could grant wishes to those that survive a strike from the heavens. Now, I¡¯m not telling you to go do their trials, lad. You might die. I won¡¯t want that burden on my conscience. However, you can ask their priests if they know of a cure if their god is as powerful as claimed. They also have pilgrims coming from abroad. Who knows, they might bring remedies you¡¯ve never heard of before. It¡¯s better to look for a cure there than ask the Sabyn Witches.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try¡­¡± Elian had no desire to waste time going to the Temples of Tribulation. ¡°How much for all of these?¡± A heavy backpack weighing on his shoulders, Elian¡¯s next stop was the leather craftsman¡¯s workshop for a leather vest. A modest protection to add to his inherent Armor, bringing it up to almost nineteen hundred. The craftsman offered him finer works, such as studded leather or those reinforced with metal plates. There was even one Enchanted armor for sale. But Elian¡¯s purse complained. No way he could afford even the buckles of an Enchanted item. The first time that Elian left the town, he headed south to the City of Mists. He met Yanira there and learned about Boons and Curses. Their meeting had to be postponed because he¡¯d go west this time. Elian waved goodbye at the statue of Ambervale or Amberwynd, took one last look at the town he wouldn¡¯t see for the next few years, and set off on his journey.
Firmly gripping the vines coiling out of the rock cracks, Elian pulled himself up the steep slope. The climb was certainly a challenge for his untrained body fresh from the sedentary hell of an office cubicle. His wounds burned from the strain and some bled again. But there was no going back. He didn¡¯t know how to descend from this spot. Onward was his only option. He didn¡¯t follow the river as the shopkeeper instructed. Cutting through the mountains, he hoped to shorten his travel time by a few days. All this hiking also trained his body. Was it dangerous? Yes. He did fall about an hour ago when he lost his footing on slimy moss-covered rocks. Good thing he had a durable body. It wasn¡¯t like wearing a suit of metal armor and rolling over rocks. A normal person would get a concussion and other injuries while getting bunged up inside their metal casing. Rather, Elian¡¯s body was the Armor so he suffered only bruises and shallow cuts. Falling still wasn¡¯t advisable though. The sun rolling lower in the sky told Elian he¡¯d been traveling for around four hours. A couple more hours before night would fall. Daylights were longer this far north during summer, so he had more time to travel. He continued his ascent and found the slope angling gentler. He was almost out of breath and his arms were ready to give up. The next day¡¯s travel was easier because he descended the mountain¡ªthe first of several mountains along the way. It was still something to celebrate. His muscles began to adjust to his strenuous activity, his Armor making him skip the soreness part. Thank you, Elder Giant, for giving me this Curse. Just kidding. He¡¯d rather not have it. The solitude of the forest gave Elian plenty of time to plan¡­ and realize the tremendous challenge posed by the Elder Giant¡¯s Curse. He wracked his memories for deities he could approach and techniques or spells that could work with his unfortunate condition. At any rate, having zero Attack Power didn¡¯t mean he was useless. He was very useful in stopping the Myrclaw and giving Wendell the opening to kill it. Be creative in finding ways to use his durability. Thinking about the fate of humanity made time pass quickly. Days added up and a week had already passed. ¡°Almost there¡­¡± Elian sat on the cliff¡¯s edge, dangling his legs while savoring the cool mountain breeze wash over him. He spotted a winding road traversed by long lines of people. They must be the pilgrims the shopkeeper had mentioned. ¡°Almost there to the road and it¡¯s another three days of travel to the base of Sabyn Mountains.¡± Always look at the positive side, he reminded himself. It was much easier to travel on a road, even an unpaved one, instead of hiking through the mountains. He could even hitch a ride with the pilgrims and just get off when they¡¯d turn to the Temples of Tribulation. More time saved. Elian stretched out his open right hand and summoned his Favor Points. Three tiny orbs of light emerged from his palm. He had leveled up twice while taking on the challenging mountains. Most activities that improved one¡¯s self physically or mentally contributed to leveling. No need to kill monsters to gain experience points like in those computer games he used to play. ¡°I call upon the deities for my offering.¡± Streaks of glowing red formed the symbols of the Abyssal Eye on his arm. Those tattoos peeled themselves and floated in the air, forming a circular seal of rotating eyes circumscribed with runes. To follow was the dark amber pattern of the Elder Giant, geometric and sharp. They left his skin and formed a square around the picture of an angry Giant bound by chains. The Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse was at its maximum tier so it couldn¡¯t accept more Favor Points. But the fact that it still showed up lent some credence to theories that Greater Curses could be improved like the Melding of Greater Boons. Elian never did find out if there was a way. Researching ancient ruins was a bit difficult while the war with the Giants was going on. Elian offered his Favor Points to the Elder Giant¡¯s Curse. The three orbs on his palm flew to the seal of the Elder Giant. Greater Curse of the Powerless Physical Immortal Transfer all your Attack Power and Magic Power to your Armor, becoming helpless in a fight while gaining durability beyond measure. Suffer the ultimate vulnerability to magic in return for quadrupling your Armor. So wills the Elder Giant, whose skin is impervious to steel but not magic. 5. Penitent Scoreboard ¡°It now quadruples my Armor? With the effects of the two Curses, each point of Attack Power would give me¡ªDamn, I don¡¯t want to do math. I¡¯ll just check¡± Elian Ward | Human | Level: 4 Health: 210/210 Energy: 55/55 ATTRIBUTES: Attack Power: 0 Magic Power: 0 Armor: 3,912 Magic Resilience: 0 DIVINE BESTOWAL: Greater Curse of the Berserking Abyssal Eye III Greater Curse of the Powerless Physical Immortal II Elian had an accountancy degree and worked on hundreds of mind-numbing spreadsheets in the office. That was also fifteen years ago, not including time travel shenanigans. Math had mostly taken a long vacation from his mind. With this much Armor, it¡¯d be like his leather vest was layered all over his body. He could throw himself down the mountainside to descend faster and survive with only some injuries. Or not. More likely he¡¯d break his neck or get impaled on some jagged rocks. A small part of his Armor should be from Attack Power gained as his body strengthened from all the climbing and hiking. His Health and Energy also increased a tiny bit. If he had Health points displayed on Earth, he would¡¯ve cared more for his body. Instead of consuming ultra-processed fast food, he was one with nature on Fellenyr, eating tough and salty jerky, sour unripe fruits because animals had already picked the ripe ones, and bland mushrooms around the roots of trees. I miss fast food so much. Opening a restaurant near the Temples of Tribulation would be a grand business idea seeing all the pilgrims going there. Elian exited the woods and nonchalantly joined their march. He stuck out like a sore thumb because the pilgrims wore clothes of bright blue and gold, displaying a design of concentric circles with layered triangles in the middle. Even their wagons and some groffs were painted with this symbol. Didn¡¯t the group he saw from up the cliff earlier wear red? Could be pilgrims following a different deity. ¡°Greetings on this fine day, brother.¡± An aging man with a silvery braided beard flowing down his chest approached Elian. He spoke somewhat understandable Angloise, but the clipped accent gave away his Tellerin origin. ¡°I, Borlen Bluebeard, welcome you to¡ª¡± ¡°But your beard isn¡¯t blue,¡± Elian blurted. He raised his hands. ¡°I apologize if that was insensitive. The hunger is getting to me. It¡¯s been days¡­¡± ¡°We will share our food with you,¡± said Borlen, chuckling like gentle coughs. ¡°For no one is allowed to be hungry in the company of the followers of the Penitent Tharguras. Come, brother. Sit with us and I will tell you the story of my beard and much more. We were about to pause our journey to cook lunch.¡± Talk about timing. And just like that, Elian had a free meal and new friends. He had employed this tactic of being endearingly obnoxious many times before. Sometimes people would get angry. But more often than not, people would be understanding, appreciate the apology, and accept his made-up justification. It was a high-level maneuver from the holy manual of office politics, several steps above becoming the office clown, keeping some initiative while lessening self-deprecation. The pilgrims of blue and gold set about making fires for their large pots. Every one of them, both young and old, helped prepare the ingredients, peeling and slicing the vegetables and meat, and throwing those into the pots. Each wagon carried one family and several families shared one pot of stew. Chatters and songs filled the air just like the rich scent of food. Elian felt a tug at his heart. Absorbed in the rat race of capitalism, he hadn¡¯t visited his mother and father for years. If only he met them one last time before being whisked away to another world. ¡°A happy group you have here.¡± He took a spot in the circle of pilgrims that Borlen had pointed to. ¡°My name is Elian Ward of Gilders and I¡¯m traveling to Frothlake.¡± That city was on the other side of the Sabyn Mountains, if he remembered correctly. He¡¯d rather avoid talking about the Sabyn Mountains with this many people listening. ¡°Once again, I¡¯m Borlen Bluebeard, formerly Borlen Lha¡¯ar Sarkhan of Tellerin. Our group¡¯s destination is the Temples of Tribulation. I took on the name Bluebeard when I started following Penitent Tharguras eight years ago. If you¡¯re wondering about this¡ª¡± he stroked his beard ¡°¡ªI¡¯ll dye it blue on the day our Champion Penitent receives his Tribulation.¡± Borlen introduced the other people in the circle. They were from his tribe in Tellerin that he converted into his belief. All took second or third names with the word ¡®blue¡¯ or ¡®gold¡¯ in them to show their support for this Penitent Tharguras that Elian was yet to meet. ¡°I apologize in advance if I get things wrong,¡± Elian said, ¡°but isn¡¯t this Tribulation you speak of caused by a Boon?¡± ¡°That is so, brother.¡± Borlen loosened his robes and let them fall off his shoulders to show his chest. Swirls of faded black sparkled as if the starry night sky formed patterns that looked like scales. In the middle of his chest, the swirls straightened into jagged strokes of thin triangles, arranging themselves into familiar patterns. ¡°Twenty-four,¡± Elian said. Borlen¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Oho! You can read Kymorathi script?¡± The Kymorathi were an ancient civilization of magic far older than the Giants. They forged the Covenant with the Gods, receiving Boons and Curses. Expectedly, they used that power for war and wiped themselves out. Tale as old as time. Quite literally, in their case. ¡°Only their numbers,¡± Elian replied. ¡°If I could read their words, I¡¯ll have a job at the Imperial Library of Solvi instead of getting lost in the forest. Learned it from the Runebreaker living in our town.¡± ¡°How blessed to have such an opportunity. I¡¯m incapable of reading Kymorathi numbers but know this is the symbol for twenty-four because that is how many Tribulations I have survived. Those with the Boon granted by the Hundred-Armed Magistrate can present themselves to face the Tribulation once a day.¡± Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°This Tribulation is a strike coming down from the sky, isn¡¯t it?¡± Elian asked, repeating the information from the shopkeeper of Ambervale or Amberwynd. He also heard rumors in his past life about this bizarre Boon. ¡°And if you survive this strike, you¡¯ll get stronger?¡± ¡°That is so, brother,¡± Borlen said. ¡°Prove to the Magistrate your resilience and you will be rewarded accordingly¡ªan increase in the attribute of your choosing. Each Tribulation will be stronger than the last, the rewards greater¡­ if one survives.¡± ¡°So¡­ you never know if the next Tribulation will be your last.¡± Elian couched his incredulity at the craziness of the Boon as respectfully as he could. There were plenty of Boons and Curses that boosted attributes with no risk of grave injuries or even death. Why pick the Hundred-Armed Magistrate¡¯s Boon? Should be categorized as a Curse. Even then, most Curses Elian knew of didn¡¯t include the possibility of getting killed by your deity. Elian pointed at Borlen¡¯s chest. ¡°You¡¯ve survived twenty-four Tribulations. Are you preparing to take on the twenty-fifth?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. This is my limit.¡± Borlen cast a forlorn gaze at the fire. ¡°We are taught not to have regrets¡­ but I cannot overcome the regret of coming into the Hundred-Armed Magistrate¡¯s embrace too late in my years. If only I was younger. If only I was stronger. If only I wasn¡¯t injured in the war. If only I had more resources. These regrets I openly share so that I may overcome them.¡± Elian knew too well about regrets even before he left Earth. Avoiding the topic was his tried and tested strategy. ¡°What was that about resources? Did you mean money for top-tier Enchanted armor and shield for the Tribulation?¡± ¡°And hiring barrier mages, constructing protection wards, transference golems, and much more. A hefty amount of investment to meet higher Tribulations.¡± ¡°Those are allowed?¡± Elian asked in genuine surprise. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to go through a Tribulation yourself? Uh, I¡¯m just assuming that¡¯s how it works. Having the help of others dilutes the point of taking on a Tribulation, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You misunderstand, brother.¡± Borlen gestured to the other pilgrims. ¡°We are not meant to walk this world alone. The forest is not a single tree. A house is not a single brick. If I was on my own, I wouldn¡¯t have reached far. Wherever you are in life, you are there because of the help of others.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Elian could see his comrades¡¯ faces flash before him. How long could he have lasted on Fellenyr without them? If he had slept on the streets instead of in Wendell¡¯s barn, the wandering Myrclaw could¡¯ve killed him. ¡°The same principle applies to Tribulations. Alone, I am weak. Only twenty-four Tribulations. But if I help others, perhaps they¡¯ll travel farther in their journey. My hopes and dreams and penance, I offer to them to carry in return for supporting them.¡± Elian nodded, understanding the practices of these pilgrims. ¡°Everyone here supports this¡­ uh, Penitent Tharguras.¡± ¡°He is our Champion Penitent, blessed be his journey,¡± Borlen said. ¡°Blessed be his journey,¡± the rest of the pilgrims repeated. Borlen drew signs in the air with his hands. Circles and triangles. ¡°Penitent Tharguras has reached two hundred and seventy-eight Tribulations, presently at the third tier of the Lesser Boon of the Hundred-Armed Magistrate¡¯s Judgment. Twenty-two more and he¡¯ll reach the Greater Boon. In three days, he will present himself to receive his two hundred and seventy-ninth Tribulation. I invite you, brother, to witness it.¡± ¡°Three days? I¡¯ll be in the Sabyn Mountains by then, on my way to Frothlake. That¡¯s opposite where you¡¯re going.¡± ¡°Unlike me, you¡¯re still young,¡± said Borlen. ¡°You have many days in front of you. Spare a few to behold a miracle.¡± Should I go? Their food did smell nice. Elian was also interested in the pilgrims¡¯ preparation for the Tribulation. Might learn something useful since he¡¯d essentially build himself as a tank. The days he saved from his shortcut through the mountains would cancel this little side trip. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll witness it¡­ brother.¡±
It took Elian three days to realize the morbid ridiculousness of the situation¡ªthe Champion Penitents were competing for the high score in Tribulations with the penalty of death if they failed. Sure, the Penitents had the support of their followers. And they were formidable people, from what Elian heard of them. But no one could accurately gauge how hard the next Tribulation would hit. They might see Penitent Tharguras get obliterated later. How could people be okay with this? ¡°You¡¯ve dyed your beard blue,¡± Elian said as Borlen emerged from his wagon. ¡°To support Penitent Tharguras,¡± Borlen said. ¡°It shows I symbolically share his pain.¡± They were at a clearing as wide as four football fields, waiting for the arrival of Penitent Tharguras. A sea of blue and gold wagons and tents surrounded a deep bowl-shaped hole in the middle about twenty feet across. Borlen had earlier explained that Penitent Tharguras would stand in the hole for the Tribulation. The higher level of the earth around him was added protection. All sorts of constructions, both physical and ethereal, ringed the dug bowl. Towers carried enchantments and wards. Shards of magical domes were pieced together. If Elian didn¡¯t know what was going on, he¡¯d think they were in the middle of war. From here, the hills where the Temples of Tribulation stood were about an hour of travel away. Elian could spot some of their gleaming domes in the distance, catching the rays of the early morning sun. This clearing, Borlen had told him, was used for one last Tribulation test before the Champion Penitent returned to the Hundred-Armed Magistrate and presented their high score. Borlen didn¡¯t really call it a ¡®high score¡¯, instead saying that it was the proof of unity among the devoted. ¡°I see people in red.¡± Elian nudged his head in their direction. ¡°Those are the followers of Faridar, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Borlen replied, contempt dripping from his voice. ¡°Penitent Faridar stands at two hundred and seventy-eight Tribulations, equal to Penitent Tharguras. After today, our Champion Penitent will be the most accomplished bearer of the Magistrate¡¯s Lesser Boon. Despite all their talk of cooperation and unity, Elian found the pilgrims very competitive. Yesterday, he witnessed a scuffle when Borlen¡¯s group met pilgrims that supported Faridar. The groups were like different denominations of a religion. Amusing that humans of Fellenyr weren¡¯t too far away from those of Earth. ¡°You talk of the Lesser Boon,¡± Elian said, ¡°Are there any survivors¡ªerm, I mean, are there any Champion Penitents still around who have reached the Greater Boon?¡± ¡°Enlightened Penitents. Seven that I know of. But these seven are what we call¡­ Stagnant.¡± There was disdain in the way Borlen said the last word. ¡°The seven stay as priests at the Temples of Tribulations to share their knowledge and guide others on their journey, as they had ceased their own years ago.¡± ¡°Did they stop undergoing Tribulations because it had gotten too strong?¡± The burdens of Boons and Curses usually lessened when they reached a Greater status. It sounded like the Magistrate¡¯s Boon did the opposite¡ªthe Tribulations of its Greater counterpart were even more dangerous. ¡°Exactly. Stagnant.¡± There was that tone again. Elian held back from pointing out that Borlen also stopped his journey, and it was hypocritical of him to judge the seven priests. Though he could sort of understand where Borlen was coming from. Borlen was a mere follower. Who cared how many Tribulations he passed? The seven priests were heroes, and could even be thought of as prophets. For someone so accomplished to give up¡­ it would¡¯ve been a huge blow to the morale of the pilgrims looking up to them. ¡°Does that mean no one is taking on Greater Tribulations nowadays?¡± Elian asked. Borlen shook his head. ¡°If we support Penitent Tharguras to the fullest, he might become the next one to be Enlightened. The journey is long. We have plenty of work to be done, brother.¡± 6. A New Destination Borlen waved at his group. They removed the covers of several heavily laden carts, revealing almost perfectly round stones carved deep with signs unfamiliar to Elian. Each stone was as large as a basketball and needed three men to carry it to the hole¡¯s edge. Noticing Elian¡¯s curious stare, Borlen explained, ¡°Absorbing stones of Lha¡¯ar, one of the Tellerin tribes. The stones are embedded within castle walls to absorb hits from cannons. We will pile them around the bowl to lessen the impact of the Tribulation. This is our contribution in alleviating our Champion Penitent¡¯s burden.¡± Hired mages, wardcrafters, enchanters, and all sorts of defense experts, flocked around the hole. Everyone was busy at work. Elian took the opportunity to learn about the deployed magics unfamiliar to him. The Giants destroyed many nations before humanity started to unite. An answer to winning the war might be among the technologies lost. The other pilgrims were suspicious of Elian¡ªhe could be a spy sent by the supporters of Faridar to steal their secrets or even sabotage their work. Borlen assuaged their concerns and introduced Elian as a brother. Listening to Borlen¡¯s lectures about their beliefs for the past three days was worth it to get his support. By midday, cheers erupted at the outskirts of the encampment. The wave pushed to the middle. The powerful chanting grew stronger as more and more people joined. Thousands of voices became one, shaking even the trees. ¡°Penitent Tharguras!¡± ¡°Penitent Tharguras!¡± ¡°Penitent Tharguras!¡± Elian climbed on top of Borlen¡¯s wagon to see above the crowds. Others also thought the same so it was still difficult to find a good view. A mountain of a man, muscles upon muscles, long hair worked into a netting of braids and dyed blue, Tharguras looked like what you¡¯d expect from someone who had supposedly endured dozens of Tribulations. He didn¡¯t wear anything on his upper body, other than golden bands around his massive arms, to proudly display the shimmering black tattoos of the Magistrate¡¯s Boon. Elian couldn¡¯t see from this angle, but he expected the number two hundred and seventy-eight written in Kymorathi on his chest. The Lesser Boon of the Hundred-Armed Magistrate¡¯s Judgment was one of the rare Divine Bestowals that didn¡¯t need Favor Points to progress. Passing the Tribulations was the payment. Borlen taught Elian that the Lesser Boon required a hundred Tribulations for each tier. Three hundred in total to attain a Greater Boon. Who in a Giant¡¯s armpit could reach the Magistrate¡¯s Greater Boon? Probably had to be the level of the Great Heroes of the Solvi Empire. Elian was eager to meet the seven priests Borlen told him about. That said, how many powerful people have died because of this nonsense? Though it might not be fully nonsense. It could be the solution to Elian¡¯s problem. He needed to watch a Tribulation in action to confirm his plan. A bath of potions awaited Tharguras outside the dug bowl. Next up was a magical feast that he ate and drank. Elian didn¡¯t have Aethersight yet, but he could tell Tharguras was buffed to the gills and could take on Giants. Elian sighed. ¡°Looks like that¡¯ll take another hour. I might think they¡¯re crazy, but they take preparations seriously.¡± Mages wrote protection spells on Tharguras¡¯ skin before attendants fitted his armor. The unearthly white glow that Elian could spot from afar meant only one thing¡ªthe bones of undead dragons. A Giant¡¯s punch was nothing to them. Full sets were extremely rare. Penitent Tharguras certainly had a lot of wealthy supporters. The costs for this one Tribulation could fund an entire army for months. A fully armored Tharguras descended into the hole followed by several attendants carrying two great shields. No doubt the shields were imbued with all sorts of enchantments. When Elian checked the hole earlier, he saw two metal stands. Those were to help Tharguras hold the shields up under the weight of the Tribulation. ¡°Damn, I can¡¯t see what¡¯s going on.¡± Elian hopped from wagon to wagon, trying to get a closer look into the hole. The crowd also pushed forward. They were held back by massive forcefields. Majestic notes of horns reverberated throughout the congregation. Amplified voices recited prayers. The pilgrims beat drums and clanged pots and pans. Elian was looking for the next wagon to jump onto when the hair on the back of his neck and arms stood on end. The air around him got sucked upward. He gazed at the sky. Thick clouds swirled, turning the clear day dark in a few seconds. A beam of blue light shot out from the center of the swirl. A great crash! The world shook as if a thousand Giants stomped all at once. Elian fell off the wagon and onto several other pilgrims. Dust clouds covered them. His ears were ringing from the noise as he tried to extract himself from entangled limbs. ¡°Sorry! Really sorry about that.¡± His eyes teared from the dust. The barriers must¡¯ve been destroyed for dust to reach them. Such a powerful impact. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry if I hit¡ª¡± ¡°Is he alive?¡± a pilgrim next to Elian asked him. ¡°Huh? Who are you talking about?¡± ¡°Penitent Tharguras! Did he survive?¡± Other people also asked each other the same question. They picked themselves up and surged to the middle to check. Elian couldn¡¯t do anything against the tide of people. He left himself to get carried by the flow because he wanted to see the aftermath too. He didn¡¯t care about the fate of Penitent Tharguras. He was interested in the hole. What did the Tribulation do to it? ¡°He lives!¡± An amplified voice swept the crowd. ¡°Our Champion Penitent Tharguras lives!¡± Masses of pilgrims erupted into cheers that almost deafened Elian. While everyone was busy hugging each other or kneeling and praying, Elian jostled his way onward. He didn¡¯t get far as the wall of people became too dense close to the center. He headed to a covered wagon tipped to the side and climbed on it. Still couldn¡¯t see. ¡°I have an idea.¡± Elian jumped on the covering of the wagon, planning to use it as a trampoline and rise higher. His feet tore through the canvas followed by the rest of his body. He crashed into crates inside the wagon. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Okay, stupid idea. But in the short time he was in mid-air after jumping, he got a glimpse of the hole¡ªit became even bigger, double in size. The dug bowl turned into a crater in the shape of a palm as if an Elder Giant slammed his hand down. Everything was gone. The towers bearing the barrier wards were flattened into rubble pancake. Magical barriers were shattered. Elian couldn¡¯t see the bottom though he had gotten closer because it became much deeper. The announcer did say Tharguras survived though. Elian chuckled, staring at the hole he made through the wagon¡¯s cover. ¡°That Tribulation has got to be a physical attack.¡± The obvious evidence was the very large and very physical hole it left behind. A solid ¡®something¡¯ crashed down like an asteroid. The protection wards, the barriers, the enchantments, none of them were for defending against magic¡ªhe made triple sure of that while interviewing the people working around the hole. All defenses were in anticipation of a physical attack. ¡°Am I really going to go through with this?¡± His chuckles turned into laughter. ¡°Did time travel make me crazy?¡± The plan made sense though. The Armor attribute was for physical attacks. Magical Resilience defended against magic. Simple enough. But not very straightforward. The explanation of Yanira of the Mist Barrier returned to Elian. ¡°If someone used magic to levitate a boulder and throw it at you, that¡¯s a physical attack,¡± she had told him. ¡°Have all the Magic Resilience you want, but that¡¯s not going to protect you from getting squished. A mental blast that pushes targets as its only effect is also considered a physical attack. On the other hand, Magic Resilience will counteract the slash of the sword made of astral flames.¡± ¡°What about a flying boulder coated in astral flames?¡± Elian had asked. ¡°What do you need for that?¡± ¡°You need to get out of the way.¡± Just because something was made by magic didn¡¯t mean its damage was magic in nature. The Tribulation was a strike from the heavens that squished people. It was caused by a deity, yes. But it was a physical force. ¡°That¡¯s it. I¡¯ll do this!¡± Elian punched the air, his heart filled with resolve. The Tribulation would be his ¡®skill¡¯ for offense. Given that it came from the Hundred-Armed Magistrate, it didn¡¯t use the Penitent¡¯s Attack Power. Otherwise, Penitents could lower their Attack Power using various methods and easily survive the Tribulations. It could be used only once a day and it could kill him, but this was a start. He¡¯d think about the issues later. ¡°Hey! You there!¡± A furious man peered into the hole that Elian made. ¡°This is my wagon. Are you stealing from me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I just fell inside. I¡¯m getting out now.¡± It took Elian a few hours to reunite with Borlen. Elian returned to their campsite and found that most of the adults had left to scoop soil from inside the crater. Some sort of religious souvenir since it was literally touched by their god. When the pilgrims returned with their jars of dirt, Borlen wasn¡¯t with them because he had gone looking for Elian in the Healer tents, thinking he was injured in the aftermath of the Tribulation. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for disappearing earlier,¡± Elian said. ¡°I made you worry. It¡¯s just that thought of seeing the Tribulation up close¡­ I still should¡¯ve told you.¡± Borlen made the circles and triangles sign. ¡°It warms my heart that you desire to witness the Tribulation. I was right to invite you to this momentous occasion, brother. You were part of its success and I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here with us. Please stay longer to join our celebrations. After which, I will no longer hold you back from your journey to Frothlake.¡± ¡°I changed my mind,¡± Elian said. ¡°I¡¯m postponing my trip to Frothlake.¡± ¡°Why so?¡± ¡°I have found a higher calling to go to the Temples of Tribulation. I will ask the Hundred-Armed Magistrate for his Boon.¡±
Elian¡¯s stomach was about to burst after the party. Wealthy supporters of Penitent Tharguras made sure food piled high and drinks endlessly flowed. Elian couldn¡¯t fight the food coma that followed¡ªhis Armor was useless against it¡ªand slept in the wagon as the caravan started to move. Borlen had told him they¡¯d travel to the Temples of Tribulations to support Penitent Tharguras meeting the Hundred-Armed Magistrate. Elian wasn¡¯t listening to the rest of the explanation because sleep claimed him. Booming fireworks woke up Elian. ¡°Wha-what? Are we already there?¡± His voice struggled to be heard over the blaring trumpets and more fireworks. ¡°We are on the Road of Penitents Past.¡± Borlen, sitting across Elian, gestured outside the wagon. Behind them were groffs, more wagons, and hundreds of people on a wide road paved with white stone. All of them witnessed Elian sleeping like a drunk Filloswine. Lining either side of the road were statues of people with hands raised in defiance of the heavens. ¡°Are they Penitents who died during a Tribulation?¡± Elian asked, pointing at the statues. ¡°Champion Penitents who have reached the Lesser Boon¡¯s third tier,¡± said Borlen. ¡°And yes, it is as you surmised. Further on, we¡¯ll pass by Enlightened Champion Penitents who perished from the Tribulations of the Greater Boon. None were Stagnants. All brave, pushing their limits to the end.¡± Elian thought it improper to voice his thoughts about the Stagnants, choosing to instead ask, ¡°Where¡¯s Penitent Tharguras?¡± ¡°He should have reached the gates of the first temple by now. The fireworks indicate so. Our lines stretch far back so it will take time until our wagon arrives at the gates.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see the Temples of Tribulation. Or maybe I can. I still don¡¯t want to move. So full¡­¡± Borlen went on to explain that although the place was called the Temples of Tribulation, there was only one true temple¡ªthe building that housed the Hundred-Armed Magistrate¡¯s aspect on this mortal plane. It stood on the central hill surrounded by smaller hills with the other so-called temples that were actually more like schools dedicated to different ways of defense. Each hill was a town unto itself, connected by roads and bridges to the other hills. A bustling place for it wasn¡¯t only the pilgrims that traveled there but also scholars and soldiers from various kingdoms wanting to train themselves or share their knowledge for a fee. A huge blow that the Temples of Tribulations were destroyed so early by the Giants in the previous timeline. ¡°Seven hills in total.¡± Borlen held up as many fingers. ¡°The central hill and one for each of the Six Paths of Enduring Penitence.¡± ¡°What are those Six Paths?¡± Elian¡¯s curiosity prodded him awake. ¡°Most prominent is the Path of Vigor. As its name suggests, it focuses on raising your Health and abilities with Health as a cost, such as the Steelskin Form pioneered by the warrior monks.¡± Elian had previously planned to pick up the Steelskin Form while at the War Monastery to shore up his defenses. Odd that they have teachers of the Steelskin Form here. Did they have a treaty with the War Monastery to access their scrolls? ¡°Opposite the Path of Vigor is the Path of the Mind,¡± Borlen continued. ¡°Barriers, auras, all manners of protection spells fueled by your own Energy. Then there is the Path of the Immaterial. Drawing from the Aether, the element unseen permeating all life, manifest magical constructs such as unearthly armor and shields. These three paths are focused on the individual.¡± ¡°Paths for people who want to be a Penitent,¡± Elian said. ¡°I¡¯m guessing the other three Paths are for those who want to support the Penitents?¡± ¡°That is so, brother. The Path of the Forge is quite self-explanatory though not all of its followers are armorers or use the forge for their creations. Everything worn for protection is the domain of this Path. Then there is the Path of Construction. Enchanters share their blessings with armor, wardcrafters drawing from the powers of the earth to make defenses, rune carvers, and many more. Last is the Path of the Cauldron consisting of potion brewers, alchemists, witches, and the like, all making concoctions to meet the Tribulations.¡± ¡°Thank you for your explanation, brother,¡± Elian said. He liked how all of the pilgrims called each other brother and sister. As a single child, he sometimes wondered how having siblings would feel. ¡°After receiving my Boon, I¡¯ll visit the Temples of the Paths and pick one to master.¡± ¡°I suggest the Path of Vigor for it is easiest to tread in the beginning,¡± Borlen said. He presented his arm. His skin rippled, turning into gleaming silver. ¡°Mastery over the fundamental Skins will do you well in your first few Tribulations.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep your advice to heart.¡± But Elian wouldn¡¯t follow it for new plans brewed in his mind. Didn¡¯t Aether armor defend against both physical and magical attacks? 7. Kitchen Equipment Another round of fireworks woke up Elian. Again. ¡°Huh? What?¡± He rubbed his eyes. ¡°Did I fall asleep? That¡¯s twice now. Sorry. The trip is taking so long. Where are¡ª? Woah¡­¡± He jolted at the view framed by the covered wagon¡¯s opening. They had passed through colossal marble gates of elegant make that could rival any from the great cities of the Solvi Empire. ¡°Are we in the Temples of Tribulation?¡± ¡°We¡¯re in the territory of the Temple of the Path of Vigor,¡± Borlen said, looking pleased that Elian was impressed by the architecture. ¡°That¡¯s a mouthful. Can I call it Vigor Town? Vigor Hill?¡± Borlen smiled. ¡°Some do call it Vigor Hill.¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing Penitent Tharguras is now meeting with the Magistrate?¡± ¡°Almost. The explosive festivities signaled his climb up the stairs of the main temple. I apologize for our pace but expect the same throughout the day. An hour or so until we reach the central hill. And after that¡­¡± Elian made a face. ¡°Is it alright if I stretch my legs and familiarize myself around town?¡± He stretched his back. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can get my Boon today since it¡¯s busy-busy for everyone at the main temple. I¡¯ll go there tomorrow.¡± Borlen told Elian where they¡¯d set up camp for tonight and gave him suggestions of places to visit. Elian alighted from the wagon and swam against the tide of people to escape the caravan. He dove into an empty alley to begin his exploration of Vigor Hill. A sense of adventure he had missed for so long welled in his heart. The first year of his first life on Fellenyr was difficult and exciting. Earth boasts of having the internet, fast food, air conditioning, all the works. But Fellenyr was straight out of a fantasy book. Elian could wield magic and fight monsters. He could die a horrible death to monsters and there was no modern plumbing. But, hey, magic powers! As time went on, he lost the childlike wonder at all things magical. His mission to gather information and plan for his second run took over. He bonded with many people and worked hard to save them with no thought about his return ticket to Earth. Sometimes, he was fine with staying on Fellenyr. I¡¯ll decide when the time comes. He was a long way away from defeating the Giants. Elian emerged from the alley and stepped on a lively street lined with stalls of food and wares. Following the winding road downslope would lead him to the marketplace, Borlen had told him. He went in the opposite direction and climbed through the levels ringing Vigor Hill. Sitting on its flattened top was his destination¡ªthe Temple of the Path of Vigor. Why were there so many people here? He thought everyone would flock to the Magistrate¡¯s Temple and celebrate the new high score of Tharguras. Pilgrims wearing garbs in all colors of the rainbow and presenting different symbols made him realize there were many other groups. Tharguras and Faridar might be on top of the leaderboards but there were many more Champion Penitents below them. And it wasn¡¯t only humans that were pilgrims. There were Dagalans, reptilian humanoids, wearing the red of Faridar. Wispy Sylphshades with green ribbons floated by. Not sure if they were supporting a Champion Penitent or if those ribbons were for fashion. A goatkin with a broken horn, lugging an overstuffed backpack twice his size, was probably here to sell items rather than worship. A passing man wearing a blue coat with silver buttons down one side made Elian stop. Wasn¡¯t that the uniform of the army of Sajilis Isles? Elian had stayed there for a year to find an item the Seventh Sister of Sorrow asked for. He looked over his shoulder and spotted the familiar golden emblem of an anchor on the uniform¡¯s back. Everything clicked. ¡°This place is the schools of Raelyon they were talking about!¡± People looked at him. Elian waved at them. ¡°Nice to meet you all. Let¡¯s just move on with our lives. Thanks.¡± Ambervale or Amberwynd, the City of Mists where Yanira came from, the Sabyn Mountains, the War Monastery, and the Temples of Tribulation¡ªthese were all located in Raelyon, a region with an absolute scrambled egg of political history, with this or that guy claiming to be the ruler only to be assassinated or toppled by another guy. Not one kingdom has ever completely claimed Raelyon and the various settlements simply went on with their own thing and settled in harmony. While Elian was in the Sajilis Isles, he¡¯d mingle with various people at the bar¡ªtheir seasnail wine was garbage¡ªand that included soldiers. Some soldiers told him they had attended the schools of Raelyon after he said he was from the region. He assumed they were talking about the War Monastery¡ªit was sort of like a school¡ªbecause they mentioned the Steelskin and Iron Constitution Forms. It turned out that they came to Vigor Hill. There were many things Elian didn¡¯t know about this part of Raelyon because he went south last time. Reaching the top of the hill, he could see why the Sajilisan soldiers referred to the Temple of the Path of Vigor as a school. The not-really temple was several floors of pristine rooms and arching windows topped by a golden dome held up by towering columns, looking like the universities of Pundar Domains. Its gates were open and people freely came and went. Elian entered the school grounds and toured the gardens, listening to thuds and explosions muffled by the high walls surrounding what he suspected to be a training arena beneath the center of the dome. ¡°Greetings, brother,¡± said a man in red and gold robes seemingly popping out of nowhere. ¡°How may I help you?¡± The way he carried himself gave off the impression he was someone in charge of something. The Boon tattoos on his exposed arms showed that he was a Penitent of the Magistrate. ¡°I was just looking around.¡± Elian nodded at the man¡¯s arms. ¡°You¡¯re not going to call down a Tribulation, are you?¡± The man laughed. ¡°No, no. We maintain manifesting the mark of the Hundred-Arms Magistrate as a show of devotion.¡± He gestured at the domed building. ¡°I take it that you are interested in the Path of Vigor?¡± ¡°I very much am,¡± Elian said, though he wasn¡¯t. Whatever Path he¡¯d pick, he should focus on. He couldn¡¯t stretch himself thin pursuing various things. ¡°But I also don¡¯t have money to pay for training in the vigorous ways.¡± ¡°Material obstacles won¡¯t be allowed to deter those who walk the Path of Vigor,¡± said the robed man, waving his hands. ¡°The initial stages of your instruction are free. The Temples of Tribulation aids aspiring Penitents. Those committed to walking further need more¡­ resources, let us say, for advancement.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± Elian said. The free basic lessons would be like advertising. Penitents aiming for a higher score would be willing to spend or find supporters for funding. Overall, a good business for the Six Paths. ¡°The other Paths have the same policy,¡± the robed man said. ¡°The Paths of the Forge, Construction, and Cauldron also offer the alternative of producing items to be sold as payment for higher education. But you need not worry. I assure you that you¡¯ll find supporters when you take the Path of Vigor because you¡¯ll progress faster through the Tribulations compared to other Paths. You only need to prove that you have passed one Tribulation and we can start with your instruction. Show me your Kymorathi¡ª¡± This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°I haven¡¯t received the Magistrate¡¯s Boon yet,¡± Elian said. ¡°Should be today, but the temple is too crowded. I¡¯ll return once I¡¯ve met the requirements.¡± From the very vigorous school, Elian descended the hill in the opposite direction and found another flat area cut into the slope. Borlen told him to visit this place to witness Penitents with lower numbers of passed Tribulations and gain donations from the audience. Borlen didn¡¯t expressly say it, but Elian suspected he was getting told to earn money. ¡°I should buy the whole group food,¡± Elian said. ¡°I¡¯ve been leeching off of their kindness for a few days now. Very tasty kindness.¡± The Stage of Devotion was a circular amphitheater, a few tiers of seating around an arena. It looked like a smaller Colosseum of Rome. And just like the Colosseum, people came here to watch the violence and possible deaths. Though bloodlust and entertainment weren¡¯t the hook that drew crowds¡ªit was religion. Elian had read that top-performing gladiators could rake in coins back in ancient Rome. Penitents here could too. ¡°Pardon me, sir,¡± Elian said to a guard wearing a red surcoat emblazoned with the Path of Vigor symbol. The man raised his chin at being called ¡®sir¡¯. Elian even did a couple of bows. ¡°I¡¯m going to start my journey as a Penitent and am looking for support. I¡¯ve been told to come here. How does this work?¡± he asked, though Borlen had explained it to him. ¡°You have to pass ten Tribulations to use the Stage of Devotion, brother,¡± said the guard. ¡°Prove to the followers of the Magistrate that you are worthy of aid by beginning the journey on your lonesome. After which, we invite you to the fold. The Stage of Devotion has barriers to empower your defenses against the Tribulation while protecting the faithful watching. I encourage you to pass ten Tribulations soon and return here.¡± ¡°Thanks for your kind words,¡± Elian replied. With the Elder Giant¡¯s Curse, he was confident he¡¯d easily fulfill the requirement. He could even be a Champion Penitent given enough time and have his loyal band of followers. He needed to reach level seven fast to gain three more Favor Points and max out the Greater Curse of the Powerless Physical Immortal. How many more times would his Armor get multiplied then? He¡¯d likely be the first person in the history of the Covenant to have two Greater Curses of the third tier while at such a low level. Given that level sevens would be children, his competition didn¡¯t have a chance. There was a very slight problem¡ªleveling without any Attack or Magic Power was a challenge that became more difficult the higher his level would get. In Elian¡¯s previous life, he gained levels through training and defeating opponents, usually monsters. Sometimes a grateful god would level him up as a reward, but it was mostly those two methods. Between them, fighting and winning was vastly more effective. While with Borlen¡¯s group, Elian tried working out but didn¡¯t even manage to level up once. He gained a few points of Attack Power which became more Armor, and nothing else. All too slow. This was where the Magistrate¡¯s Boon came in. Surviving a Tribulation would help him level up, he was certain of it. Defeating a monster using the same Tribulation also would progress the unseen experience bar. Killing two birds with one stone. Or as the poster at the grocery told him before he left Earth, ¡°Buy one milk cartoon, get one free.¡± ¡°Sometimes, I still get amazed by my genius,¡± Elian mumbled, stroking his chin. ¡°Just sometimes. Saving Fellenyr is back on track.¡± But he couldn¡¯t completely rely on the Elder Giant¡¯s Curse to save him from getting squished by the Tribulation. The Curse multiplied his Armor attribute. He needed Armor for it to multiply. Continuing his tour of Vigor Hill, Elian swung by the equipment section of the marketplace. He found the vendor with the cheapest prices and browsed his goods for sale. ¡°Good day to you, fine gentleman,¡± the vendor said, doing an elaborate bow. ¡°Are you looking for your first armor to meet the Tribulations of the Hundred-Armed Magistrate? You¡¯ve come to the right place! Let my steep discounts be my contribution to your journey.¡± ¡°Is this Enchanted?¡± Elian nudged his head at a layered leather vest with overlapping metal plates sewn on. It pulsed with a faint yellow light. ¡°A good eye you have, sir.¡± The vendor unhooked the vest from the wall and laid it on the table. ¡°An Enchanter with a Boon from the Protector Konshari improved this item. See for yourself.¡± Glowing green Kymorathi writings that Elian couldn¡¯t read emerged from the leather vest and floated above it. He touched the words and it changed into the language he understood the most. During his first few years on Fellenyr, Enchantments would appear as English to him. Eventually, they became Angloise. This one read: Konshari¡¯s Protection for the Brave: Stand your ground and not one step back. Your bravery earns you the blessing of ten percent more Armor so long as you stay in place. ¡°That¡¯s a nice boost for Tribulations,¡± Elian said, eyeing the dangling tag. It had a very reasonable price but buying it would put a sizeable dent on his meager budget. ¡°Are you sure this isn¡¯t fake? Why is this so cheap for such a useful Enchantment?¡± ¡°Simple, my good sir. It is on a leather vest. The Enchanter I bought it from told me he was drunk when he enchanted this item. Someone with more money would rather buy a steel breastplate with a Konshari Enchantment than waste a single glance at this leather vest. I keep my prices honest.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve heard around here that you¡¯re the most reasonable man in this marketplace,¡± Elian said. The vendor stood a little taller after hearing that. Elian moved to the weapons side of the story. ¡°But I¡¯m not planning to call a Tribulation soon. Still preparing for it. I¡¯m actually looking for a weapon. A cheap one for personal defense. I know these hills are mostly safe, but you never know.¡± ¡°Take a look at these daggers, fine sir. Easily hidden in your cloak. The metal isn¡¯t high-quality, I admit that. You get what you pay for. But it¡¯ll do its job in a pickle unless you¡¯re going to stab this leather vest.¡± ¡°Did your Enchanter friend mistakenly cast his blessings on another cheap blade? I¡¯d buy it off of you.¡± ¡°As a matter of fact, he did.¡± The vendor rummaged beneath and pulled out a small chest. Inside was a cleaver faintly oozing black smoke. ¡°That¡¯s a knife for cooking,¡± Elian said. ¡°Or butchering. Hardly for personal defense.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s cheap,¡± the vendor said as he took the cleaver from its container. ¡°And it packs quite a punch with this Enchantment from the Self-Flagellant Elashor.¡± Elashor¡¯s Payment in Blood Lose a percent of your Health for each ten seconds that passes while you hold this weapon, earning the right to increased violence of an additional two hundred Attack Power. ¡°That Enchantment¡­¡± Elian slowly said, grimacing. He had to make the vendor think he didn¡¯t want this. But this was exactly what he wanted. Any Attack Power he¡¯d obtain would be multiplied by eight by the Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse before conversion into Armor. In terms of raw Armor attribute, it was better to use weapons than wear armor. Of course, Enchanted armor would have powerful effects he¡¯d need, but that was for the future. ¡°How much for this?¡± Elian asked. The vendor quoted something within his budget, but he tried to haggle a bit and eventually bought it. ¡°Let me see¡­¡± Elian Ward | Human | Level:4 Health: 410/410 Energy: 70/70 ATTRIBUTES: Attack Power: 0 Magic Power: 0 Armor: 12,008 Magic Resilience: 0 Burning pizza from outer space! Elian then checked the components of his Attack Power. ATTACK POWER Internal: 109 (Base) External: 50 (Equipment), 200 (Enchant) Multiplier: x8 (Berserking Abyssal Eye), x0 (Powerless Physical Immortal) The cleaver¡¯s own Attack Power and the Enchantment added more than eight thousand Armor because it was multiplied by a total of thirty-two courtesy of his two Curses. Even a cheap weapon could become a good-quality protection. Elian kept his expression neutral. ¡°I pray you are satisfied with your purchase, good sir,¡± the vendor said. ¡°I¡¯m going to buy some meat and test this,¡± Elian said. ¡°I¡¯ll cook for a lot of people tonight. May the Magistrate bless your business.¡± 8. An Opposite Request ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware of your cooking prowess, brother,¡± Borlen told Elian. ¡°If you open a tavern or a cookshop, I¡¯m certain of your business¡¯s success. All will sing praises of your food.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think about it after I get the Magistrate¡¯s Boon,¡± Elian absentmindedly replied. It was early morning of the next day and Borlen accompanied Elian to line up at the Temple of the Hundred-Armed Magistrate. Still dark and yet there was already a crowd before them. ¡°I should¡¯ve slept here.¡± Elian pointed at the pilgrims wrapped in blankets huddling near the temple gate. There were also tents. ¡°This is going to be a long day. And probably, night. Might even take the next day until it¡¯s my turn.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, brother,¡± Borlen said. ¡°Most of them intend to only give offerings or ask blessings from the priests. A trickle few will pray for the bestowal of a Boon. Not everyone can suffer through the Tribulations.¡± ¡°Any tips for meeting the Hundred-Armed Magistrate? Is what you told me last night really true? There¡¯s no test for the Boon?¡± ¡°None whatsoever. The Magistrate is accepting of all. The test is having the courage to ask for the Boon.¡± No, the Tribulation is the test, Elian thought. As a condition for granting Boons, Deities would give tests ranging from difficult but logical to batshit insane with absolutely no connection to the Boon. People could die during these tests. Some could be quests that took years to complete. There were rumors of tests that were impossible to pass; Elian hadn¡¯t encountered any like that, thankfully. Tests weren¡¯t about worthiness but about devotion to the deity. Overcoming a test showed devotion far above the faith of normal worship. The Hundred-Armed Magistrate appeared magnanimous by doling out Boons for free. But it wasn¡¯t free. The Tribulations were tests that harvested a constant stream of devotion to the Magistrate. Elian wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the system of Penitents competing for top scores was engineered by the Magistrate to turn the Boon into a religion. The Champion Penitents fueled the ever-strengthening Tribulations resulting in stronger devotion to pass the next one. This Magistrate is a shrewd character, Elian thought. Not the first time he¡¯d dealt with a deity with this personality. He could simply ask for a Boon and leave, like all the others, or he could try to gain an advantage. As the sun rose, the gongs of the temple sounded, the gates opened, and the lines started moving. Green solar winds circled the sun, glinting off the massive temple dome. Something sparkled on the roof¡ªa smaller dome of glass on top. The Magistrate¡¯s house was quite fancy, more so than the physical dwellings of any of the deities residing in the Solvi Empire. ¡°Green greets us with luck, brother.¡± Borlen pointed at the sky and then at the lines in front of him. The pilgrims were sorted according to their business at the temple. The line for climbing the main steps was quite short. ¡°Is asking for a Boon the only way to visit the Magistrate?¡± Elian asked. ¡°That is so, brother. The priests gave Penitent Tharguras an exception. However, he wasn¡¯t allowed to enter the sacred room if what I¡¯ve heard of rumors is correct. They only opened the doors and he stayed outside as he communed with our deity.¡± ¡°All that lengthy procession only for¡ª¡± Elian tensed. An overwhelming presence. His body wasn¡¯t yet trained to detect the strength of others, nor did he have scrying spells at the ready, but he sensed this projection. It was intentional. The pilgrims knelt and murmured prayers. Borlen pulled down Elian. On one of the temple¡¯s many high balconies stood a tall and slender figure wearing pure white robes that matched her bleached hair. She looked at the masses below with colorless eyes before turning around to disappear behind the curtains. ¡°The Priestess Hazelheart,¡± Borlen said as he stood up. ¡°Once known as Hazelheart Caelidon of the Blistering Wind. Close to ten years since she became a Stagnant.¡± ¡°Caelidon?¡± Elian had heard of that name before but couldn¡¯t remember where. ¡°The Caelidon family of Auric Blademasters. They¡¯re famous in the northern lands of Raelyon. You must know of them.¡± ¡°Famous, yes¡­¡± Elian stared at the balcony where Priestess Hazelheart had stood. Her family was the ruler of Sarnival Port Town, prestigious because of their Blademaster schools and wealthy due to managing the ports. The Caelidons were the first among all humans to fight and kill a Giant. Many Giants, actually. Those colossal oafs were definitely surprised at how strong the defenders of a not-so-big port town were. Elian hoped to impress the Caelidons by winning their tournament, and convince them to prepare defenses for the impending Giant vanguard. ¡°Only the Priestess Hazelheart spreads her aura in that manner,¡± Borlen said. ¡°The other priests aren¡¯t as intimidating.¡± ¡°Will I meet a priest later?¡± ¡°One will accompany you to the Magistrate¡¯s chambers. Let us hope it is not the Priestess Hazelheart.¡± An eternity of climbing up the stairs of unreasonable steepness had passed and Elian finally neared the golden doors of the tallest tower of the temple. No heavy atmosphere or pressure. The priest standing next to the doors wasn¡¯t the Caelidon woman. ¡°A good day for devotion, new brother,¡± said a short old man with round glasses. His meager hair swept forward over his balding spot as he bowed. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°I greet you, priest of the Hundred-Armed Magistrate.¡± Elian bent his knees so he could bow even lower than the priest. He was expecting someone who looked like Tharguras, not a retired librarian. But he wasn¡¯t underestimating the old man. Elian couldn¡¯t sense anything from him. Not that the priest was weak. Elian sensed nothing as in the priest had no presence. If Elian wasn¡¯t looking at him, he¡¯d probably slip out of his mind. High chance the old man was an illusion. ¡°My name is Thalman,¡± said the priest, moving as if floating an inch above the floor. His feet were hidden by too-long robes. ¡°Let me be your guide to a better you.¡± Priest Thalman led Elian through a grand hall covered floor to ceiling with silver. Glass cabinets, pedestals, and racks displayed hundreds of items. There were potions in bottles of all shapes and sizes. Scrolls as big as rolled-up carpets. Armors and shields of elegant and formidable make. Rings and other glimmering jewelry buzzing with energies. ¡°And that¡¯s why this room is silver,¡± said Priest Thalman, finishing an explanation that Elian didn¡¯t listen to because he was distracted by their surroundings. ¡°What are these treasures?¡± Elian asked. ¡°Are they used for enduring Tribulations?¡± ¡°The finest products the Paths of the Forge, Construction, and Cauldron to offer,¡± Priest Thalman replied. ¡°Champion Penitents can use them for a fee. It is quite a hefty fee as the possibility of the item getting destroyed is great.¡± The next hall was almost blindingly gleaming gold. Unlike the previous room, this held only twelve items lining one side of the carpeted path in the middle. Twelve if a set of armor was counted as one. They were kept behind adept-level protections that Elian couldn¡¯t have broken even at his strongest. Granted, Elian was severely hindered by the Timekeeper¡¯s Boon, but these protections were still formidable. The armor inside the shields crackled with blue lightning. Elian was drawn to them. ¡°Are these also made by the Paths?¡± he asked, interrupting the priest¡¯s explanation of why the room was gold. ¡°The Paths aspire to make equipment of this caliber someday,¡± was Priest Thalman¡¯s reply. ¡°A long story for each of their origin. These supremely valuable pieces are used only by Enlightened Penitents receiving the Tribulations of the Greater Boon.¡± Elian wanted to ask Priest Thalman if he had used them but that seemed insensitive. He just let himself fall into a stupor as the priest spouted the lessons that Borlen had also taught. Elian listened through it all, for what else was there to do? He wouldn¡¯t risk disrespecting the Magistrate¡¯s priest or breaking some rule before he got the Boon. ¡°The world is most difficult and harsh, brother,¡± said Priest Thalman as they reached the end of the golden hall. ¡°And you are choosing to add to your burdens.¡± ¡°The Tribulation will be the least of my burdens,¡± Elian truthfully said. ¡°It will become my strength. That¡¯s why I¡¯m going through with this.¡± Priest Thalman opened the normal-sized plain door in front of them and entered. Elian followed him into a small room that seemed to have been carved out of stone. There were no items or furniture inside the room. Only the two of them stood in the sudden coldness that wrapped them. ¡°This is the Depositary,¡± Priest Thalman said. ¡°Here, you will leave your regrets in life before meeting the Hundred-Armed Magistrate.¡± ¡°Leave¡­ my regrets?¡± Elian slowly repeated. A new requirement? Borlen didn¡¯t say anything about this. Was it supposed to be a secret to newcomers? Elian couldn¡¯t fathom how to fulfill it. How would Priest Thalman even check his regrets? ¡°You must be free from the world,¡± said Priest Thalman, ¡°to take on the challenges heaven will impose¡­ is my supposed line.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± Elian frowned. He was already preparing made-up regrets, weaving a sad backstory to share and claim that he had moved on. Priest Thalman paced the room with soundless footsteps. ¡°It isn¡¯t reasonable to expect anyone to drop their regrets in a snap. I, myself, cannot unburden my own regrets, and I¡¯m supposed to be a priest. You may be wondering why I¡¯m telling you this, brother. It is because of a final lesson I want to share before you meet the Magistrate¡ªyou choose how to carry your burdens.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Elian was tired of this profundity nonsense. Part of him suspected the winding phrases and hidden meanings were simply to add mystique to the priest¡¯s image. ¡°The Tribulation illustrates my lesson. You call upon it when you think you are ready. You might be, and you gain a reward. You might not be¡­ and you pay the price. But unlike the Tribulations, we usually have a second chance if we fail. Choose how to carry your burdens.¡± I have no idea what he¡¯s talking about, Elian thought as he nodded with fake earnestness. If he¡¯d also face this sort of nonsense from the warrior monks of the War Monastery, then it was probably better that he went here. At least, with the Temples of Tribulation, after he¡¯d received the Boon, he wouldn¡¯t need to meet any priest ever again if he didn¡¯t want to. ¡°I know that you don¡¯t understand, brother.¡± Priest Thalman smiled as he adjusted his glass. ¡°But you someday will. I hope that someday I will as well.¡± He stretched his hand. Light traced a rectangle on one of the stone walls. The stone receded into the ground, revealing a doorway. ¡°Go and meet the Hundred-Armed Magistrate.¡± As soon as Elian stepped through the doorway, the stone immediately returned to its place with a woosh and a snap. He was inside a wide circular room. Pillars carved with heads of various beasts were equally spaced around its circumference. In the middle of this room, illuminated by sunlight passing through the glass roof, was the Hundred-Armed Magistrate. ¡°I guessed right,¡± Elian said, beholding the Magistrate¡¯s form. ¡°This is why you can exert so much power in the mortal plane.¡± In front of him was a gigantic hand large enough to cup Wendell¡¯s farmhouse, ending at a severed wrist wearing a golden bracelet engraved with symbols Elian was sure he had seen before. Probably from some ancient texts he had tried to decipher. The hand was fair and unblemished with a marble-like sheen, each of the fingernails dazzlingly clean like polished shells. ¡°You left your actual hand on Fellenyr,¡± Elian said. ¡°Probably not intentionally. I suppose you have ninety-nine left?¡± Only a handful of deities had fragments of their original bodies left behind after ascending from the mortal plane thousands of years before the Kymorathi civilization rose. After the Covenant was forged, deities manifested on the mortal plane in various ways such as possession, be it objects or living creatures, or creating illusions and projections. The extremely rare few deities with body parts remaining on Fellenyr had the most power. The Magistrate¡¯s hand floated and beckoned at Elian with a finger. Elian approached the deity. ¡°Before I ask anything of you, I have an important story to share. I¡¯m from fifteen years into the future and have returned to the past because of the Timekeeper¡¯s Boon. You know the Timekeeper, right? Shouldn¡¯t all deities know each other or something? Anyway, in two years, the Giants will destroy these lands. I know you can tell whether I¡¯m telling the truth or not. If you help me and¡­ you don¡¯t care.¡± The Magistrate''s hand stood upright, five fingers pointing up and palm facing Elian¡ªit was the sign to stop. ¡°I stayed up all night thinking if I should tell you about this or not,¡± Elian muttered to himself with a heavy sigh. ¡°I should¡¯ve listened to the half of my brain saying this won¡¯t matter to you¡ªthis is no longer your world. I still get to ask something from you, right?¡± Changing positions, the hand lowered itself to the ground. The palm faced upward while its fingers pointed at Elian. It appeared to be a gesture to receive something. He took it to mean that the Magistrate was ready to accept his request. Elian touched the Magistrate¡¯s finger which was bigger than his whole body. ¡°I pray you bestow upon me¡­ a Curse.¡± 9. Talk to the Hand Curses operated on the principle of higher risks for higher rewards. But it wasn¡¯t the reward Elian was after. The Tribulation from a Curse, or whatever its counterpart was, would be stronger than from a Boon. Very useful¡­ so long as he could tank it. A risk, for sure. But he should take risks, within reason, because time wasn¡¯t on his side. He should become strong as fast as possible. He was confident that he could tank a Cursed Tribulation with the synergy of the Elder Giant¡¯s Curse and Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse boosting his Armor sky high. If he felt he couldn¡¯t do the next Tribulation, he wouldn¡¯t call for it¡ªa simple solution. Priest Thalman did teach him to choose how to carry his burdens. The Magistrate didn¡¯t move as if pondering Elian¡¯s request. Too bad a hand didn¡¯t have facial expressions to read. ¡°You can grant me a Curse, right?¡± Elian asked. ¡°I know you don¡¯t need me to jump through hoops for one.¡± Obtaining Curses was the opposite of getting a Boon. Instead of following the biddings of deities, one would find a way to offend them badly enough that they¡¯d cast a Curse. Like the devotion from tests, the endurance of struggling through the Curse was what the deities craved. Examining the Tribulations closely, they inspired devotion and required endurance from the Penitents. Two-in-one. The Magistrate was practically cheating with its Boon. A Cursed Tribulation should give it more yummy snacks. Elian was more than half sure the Magistrate would agree because deities loved shenanigans way more than they¡¯d care about a time traveler trying to prevent a destroyed future. The giant hand turned into the blackest black, absorbing all the light in the room, even the rays of the sun from above. For a moment, everything went dark. The air stopped moving and there was pressure from all sides as if Elian was deep underwater. Then dots of light appeared on the hand as if a pimple outbreak. ¡°I knew you¡¯d do it,¡± Elian said. ¡°You won¡¯t regret this.¡± Tendrils of a star-filled sky stretched from the Magistrate¡¯s finger up Elian¡¯s hand. They coiled around his arm and under his sleeves. He could feel the power of the Magistrate spreading all over his body before branding itself into his skin with a hot coolness he couldn¡¯t quite explain. And it was done. The Magistrate¡¯s hand disconnected from Elian, closed itself into a fist, and rested knuckles down on a wide velvet cushion. The light returned to normal and the air moved again. Elian sensed the new Curse in his body, willing the contract emblems to surface on his skin as proof. The magical tattoos for the Magistrate¡¯s Curse were also scales like its Boon, only with a more pointy and jagged design. ¡°Can I go to the Stage of Devotion with this?¡± he wondered with a frown. Followers might not like the idea of someone Cursed by their deity. He had found a possible source of funds, and it was taken away just like that. He hoped the Curse was worth it. Lesser Curse of the Overzealous Judge Once a day, you must call upon a Tribulation and suffer it twice, increasing two attributes of your choosing as reward. If you fail to present yourself for heaven¡¯s judgment before the day rolls into the next, the Hundred-Armed Magistrate will strike you with Tribulations thrice the number of what was owed. All debt must be paid. ¡°What in the infernal hell¡­? This might be the biggest mistake¡ªwait. Is it? What about that time I ate a¡­ No. This is bigger. The biggest mistake of my life. Damn rotten meatballs in my pockets.¡± Elian stared at the words of the Curse floating in front of him, unblinking for several seconds, rereading it several times in the vain hope it¡¯d changed. He even forgot to breathe. As his brain slowly regained function, he assessed his situation. ¡°Every day?¡± Elian demanded of the giant hand. ¡°I was expecting the Tribulation to hit harder¡ªtwice is plenty. That¡¯s already commensurate to twice the rewards. I was even expecting the Tribulation to hit thrice if really pushing it. Why add the daily thing?¡± Since he could raise two attributes, he¡¯d pick Armor and Attack Power, which was also Armor, after every successfully passed Tribulation. More Armor each day to meet the Tribulations. But at some point, the rate the Tribulation hits harder would outstrip his ability to be harder. The requirement to call upon Tribulations every day was a death sentence with an unknown date. This was a real curse compared to other deities¡¯ Curses. The green solar winds failed him today. The stone door rumbling open snapped Elian out of marveling at his bad luck. ¡°You appear to be finished, brother newly walking the penitent path,¡± Priest Thalman said. ¡°Come with me. Others follow after you to ask the Magistrate for a bestowal.¡± Elian followed the priest back into the Depositary while wondering if he should study math again. He had gotten so bad at calculating risks. He had asked Borlen about the Magistrate¡¯s Curse, but he hadn¡¯t heard anything about it. No one did. Elian knew that the Magistrate would impose something heavy on him just for fun but didn¡¯t expect it¡¯d be to this extent. ¡°Through here.¡± The priest opened a doorway different from the one leading back to the golden hall and led the way. Elian stepped into a narrow tunnel made of smooth stone. Earlier, he wondered where the pilgrims meeting the Magistrate exited because they didn¡¯t descend the main temple steps. They left a different way. ¡°Is another priest accompanying the next person?¡± ¡°It¡¯s still me,¡± Priest Thalman replied. ¡°You can multiply yourself? Or are you making illusions? Are you an illusion?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll never know,¡± the priest said, chuckling to himself with a distant gaze. ¡°I¡¯ll also never know. Putting that aside, brother. You have taken the first step of an arduous journey to find your true self by connecting with the heavens. Why the unhappy visage?¡± ¡°Something didn¡¯t turn out the way I wanted.¡± Priest Thalman patted Elian¡¯s shoulder. There was only a faint contact. Elian wasn¡¯t even sure if he felt the priest¡¯s hand or was just imagining it. ¡°Did you ask questions you have about life and didn¡¯t receive any answer?¡± asked the priest. ¡°Or the answer wasn¡¯t what you expected? That is how the Magistrate is. That is how life is. In the future, several Tribulations and even more epiphanies later, you¡¯ll have a better understanding of life and look back at this moment to realize it happened as it should¡¯ve.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of opening a cookshop and forgetting about all this.¡± ¡°A cookshop?¡± ¡°Just random ramblings,¡± Elian said. Part of him weighed telling the priest about the future and asking for help. Priest Thalman would just think him crazy. Elian would need to be stronger first so people would listen to him. ¡°Say, can I borrow the items in the gold hall?¡± ¡°I see now what¡¯s bothering your heart. Fear of death. That is normal. You cannot see life with new eyes if you let death cloud over you.¡± The priest was wrong. Elian had mostly forgotten the feeling of fearing death. Having the Timekeeper¡¯s Boon desensitized him to it. Now that he lost his rewind feature, the feeling didn¡¯t return. Not death. That wasn¡¯t on his mind. Rather, the urge to turn things around, finding the solution in the direst of situations¡ªthis was what bothered him. He got himself into this crap bath. His brain raced to find a solution to how to get out. ¡°As for the armors reserved for the Enlightened Penitent,¡± said the priest, ¡°reach a Greater Boon and I¡¯ll personally vouch for you before the Seven for permission to use them.¡± ¡°All of you vote on it?¡± Priest Thalman nodded. ¡°And all of us are needed to break the seals since all of us secured them. Work hard, brother. May you someday petition us to use the items of the silver or even the gold hall?¡± ¡°I will,¡± Elian said. He added in his head, But I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll allow a Cursed brother to use them. Clapping greeted Elian as he returned to Borlen¡¯s camp around midday. The pilgrims had parked their wagons outside the rim of Cauldron Hill. Or rather, simply the Cauldron. It wasn¡¯t actually a hill but a small caldera. A shallow crater with the temple, or school, in the middle and everything else around it. Borlen and the other pilgrims crowded around Elian. He didn¡¯t remove his clothes as he concentrated on manifesting the Magistrate¡¯s Curse, opting to simply pull down the neckline of his tunic to show the Kymorathi number zero on his chest. He didn¡¯t want to show them the rest of the tattoos. ¡°Congratulations, brother!¡± Borlen took something out of his robes and gave it to Elian: a pendant with a violet crystal inscribed with warding symbols. ¡°I present this gift to you, a Health-boosting necklace given to me by the person who led me to meet the Magistrate. It¡¯s not much of a gift, I admit¡ªit blesses you with only three hundred more Health points¡ªbut it will help in meeting the Tribulations. Keep in mind that you should take care of your Health underneath the Armor and defenses.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make sure not to forget,¡± Elian said, accepting the gift and wearing it. ¡°And many thanks for the gift.¡± The pilgrims wanted Elian to call a Tribulation right then and there. He had to make some excuses about wanting to experience the first strike of the heavens on his own. A closer and more personal connection with the Magistrate or something like that. He¡¯d need to keep thinking of excuses because he shouldn¡¯t do it in front of them. Seeing his Tribulation, they¡¯d know something was¡­ very different. As zealous followers of the Magistrate, he was concerned there¡¯d be a huge misunderstanding if they knew of his Curse. True to his story of seeking isolated communion with the deity, Elian entered the forests to have his first Tribulation somewhere with no people. Borlen offered to accompany him, but Elian refused. ¡°May you endure the Tribulation,¡± Borlen had told him. ¡°It doesn¡¯t start strong. Most men can endure it with no issues. But I ask that you return before the sun sets.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to fail,¡± was Elian¡¯s reply. ¡°And I¡¯ll return as soon as I finish it so you won¡¯t worry about having to look for me in a ditch somewhere.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about that, brother. I have full confidence that you¡¯ll pass your first Tribulation. But the beasts of the forest pose a threat if you venture too far into their territories. At night, more ferocious monsters prowl.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep your warning in mind.¡± Elian rejoiced that there were strong monsters for him to hunt. A stronger Tribulation would hurt them more. Always look on the bright side. After an hour of trekking through the forest, Elian found a pile of boulders stacked beside the slope. Must¡¯ve been the result of an ancient avalanche. He might not have a fortified hole like Tharguras, but he found a little nook in the middle of the boulders that worked the same way. He probably wouldn¡¯t have much use for it yet because Borlen had told him that the Tribulation would strike a small area first, around a foot wide, and gradually expand with each succeeding one. Looking on the bright side, it was fortunate the Tribulation spread over a wide area. It¡¯d hurt more if it was concentrated to a point. Might poke holes in him. Still, the Magistrate was very powerful to have this much effect on the mortal plane. Best if he¡¯d find a more permanent spot and start constructing defensive seals. He could also put protective wards, though that¡¯d need some money for the materials to start making. Elian, wearing Borlen¡¯s gift, stared at the craggy surfaces of boulders while holding his cleaver. At twelve thousand Armor, it was like his body was the leather vest reinforced with metal plates the merchant was selling. It was difficult to exactly quantify his toughness because it also affected his insides and not just his skin. Stronger bones and muscles. The effects of the cleaver gnawed at him, slowly draining his health. He should get this over with fast. ¡°Wait¡­ I don¡¯t know how to call the Tribulation.¡± He hadn¡¯t seen Penitent Tharguras do it. Neither Priest Thalman nor Borlen told him to do it. Embarrassing if he¡¯d return to camp just to ask. He transferred the cleaver to his left hand and raised his right, mimicking the pose of the statues on the Road of Penitents Past. He didn¡¯t want the cleaver to get hit by the Tribulation. Tattoos of point scales emerged as he awoke the Magistrate¡¯s Curse inside him. ¡°What should I say? Hmmm¡­ I present myself for Tribulation!¡± The sky darkened for a moment. Two flashes of light, a second or two apart. And all Elian felt was a push from above that didn¡¯t hurt at all. He maintained his raised arm. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± he asked the boulders. There wasn¡¯t any scratch on them. Examining his leather vest, he saw one strap that had snapped. The soil around his feet was slightly disturbed; the radius of the Tribulation was too small for hunting monsters. He wasn¡¯t finished checking the very underwhelming aftermath of the Tribulation when his tattoos peeled off his body to form six white balls with splotches of black surfacing here and there, looking like a disco inkblot test. Kymorathi writing appeared above the balls, translating to Angloise as he read them. Choose two of the following rewards: + 150 Health + 100 Energy + 30 Attack Power + 30 Magic Power + 30 Armor + 30 Magic Resilience Elian¡¯s smile almost stretched around his head. ¡°Oh, it included Health and Energy too? This is a nice set of rewards to start with. And this is supposed to increase with each Tribulation I pass.¡± He chose Attack Power first, obviously, boosting his Armor by nine hundred and sixty points. His second pick was the hundred and fifty Health points. If the Tribulation did manage to get past his massive defenses, he needed Health to cushion it. Even more so because heal spells didn''t work on him and potions weren''t very effective. He checked the details of his Armor attribute. ARMOR Internal: 10 (Base), 3,112 (Powerless Physical Immortal) External: 120 (Equipment) Multiplier: x4 (Powerless Physical Immortal) All in all a good haul of rewards. Even if he did the Tribulations naked, he could probably last for several days, or even weeks just relying on the rewards. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t actually test that without knowing how strong the next Tribulation would be. Delectable roasted star hens waited for Elian at the camp. He presented the proud proof of a Tribulation passed on his chest. A fitting dinner before he¡¯d look for a Path to join tomorrow and start preparing for the Sarnival Port in earnest. A bit over six and a half months to go. Elian woke up the following day to delve deeper into the forest to find a site for a magic circle. 10. Entering Aether Magic School ¡°Is this correct?¡± Elian tilted his head, examining the Urwaz rune invented by the Kymonthyr sages, far descendants of the Kymorathi. The angles of the last downward stroke seemed too far to the left. He swept the soil with his foot and drew it again with a stick furrowing the ground. It was loose soil so he could write runes on it without effort. He found out earlier that compacted soil required some digging which somehow counted as an attack. Dratted Elder Giant¡¯s Curse hampering his life. It took Elian about fifteen minutes to make a defense seal that increased the Health, Armor, and Magic Resilience of those entering it by five percent. He only cared for the first two because his Magic Resilience was always zero anyway. He drew the seal starting from the center, spiraling outwards. Simple magic seals could be made just by drawing with anything, so he dedicated thousands of hours to practice making them and committing to memory runes from different civilizations. As he wrote the last rune on the outermost circle, the whole seal glowed a slight whitish blue. Tiptoeing over his work, taking care not to smudge anything, he made his way to the middle. He didn¡¯t need the seal¡¯s defensive boost; this was a practice and a test. He¡¯d make a more permanent construction over time. He left his cleaver outside the circle, losing a big chunk of his Armor, because he wanted to test how much leeway he had until the daily Tribulations would become a huge concern. And he hated the itchiness the cleaver caused whenever it nibbled at his Health. Instead of standing and raising his right hand as he did yesterday, he went down on one knee to better absorb the impact. He then crossed his arms above his head. Borlen explained to Elian over roasted star hens last night that the intent of calling for the Tribulation mattered, not the pose or the words used. ¡°What about the location?¡± Elian asked Borlen that time. ¡°Can I call for the Tribulation while deep inside a cave? A mountain blocking the strike would help a lot.¡± ¡°You need a clear line of sight from the heavens,¡± Borlen explained. ¡°That is why the Tribulation will descend despite many layers of transparent barriers but not if the Penitent is beneath the earth.¡± Elian didn¡¯t ask Borlen about the other lines of his Curse. Did its penalty mean the Tribulation would strike him six times at midnight if he didn¡¯t call for it during the day? What if he hid underground for a week and then came out? How many strikes would that be? But he¡¯d leave those as questions with no answers because he wasn¡¯t stupid enough to test them. Fortifying holes seemed to be the go-to strategy of most Champion Penitents. But that was for a stage when the Tribulation¡¯s area had grown wide enough. Elian didn¡¯t need to puzzle over how to dig holes for now. If his magic seal test went well, he¡¯d just make layers of them. He focused on the Magistrate¡¯s Curse and shouted, ¡°Bacon, lettuce, Tribulation sandwich!¡± Blue light flashed twice, a smidge brighter than yesterday. Something heavy pressed down on Elian. A slight strain on his arms that bore the brunt of the Tribulation, if it could even be considered a brunt. No marks on his skin. Didn¡¯t even redden. Plenty of time before he¡¯d start to worry if the Tribulation would kill him the next day. The Tribulation had blown away some of the central parts of the magic seal, proving that it wasn¡¯t just the gentle push that Elian felt. Next time, he¡¯d write on wet clay and then harden it. He¡¯d prefer etching runes on stone but his Curse surely wouldn¡¯t allow him to do that. Just as the Tribulation¡¯s power had slightly increased, the rewards did as well. Health and Energy added twenty points each to the previous amounts. As for Attack Power, Magic Power, Armor, and Magic Resilience, they became forty points. As before, Elian chose to get Attack Power and Health. ¡°That¡¯s the Tribulation done for the day,¡± Elian said. He should always remember to complete this. Would be a big surprise if he was struck by it while he was fast asleep at midnight. The agenda for the day was picking one of the Six Paths of Enduring Penitence. He agreed with Borlen¡¯s suggestion that picking the Path of Vigor was the best option for beginners, which he technically was. But that applied only if surviving Tribulations was the goal. Elian had a glaring weakness that needed addressing¡ªhe had zero Magic Resilience. A fireball could easily barbecue him. He doubted the Path of Vigor taught Skins resistant to magic, unlike the War Monastery. The Path of the Mind seemed to be the best option because mages could make all sorts of defenses to meet any threat, like Energy Mantle and magical shields. And this was Elian¡¯s go-to in his previous life. However, it meant a serious investment in Energy. And he also couldn¡¯t use offensive spells because his Magic Power was zero. And so, the only option left was the Path of the Immaterial¡ªAether Magic. Aether Constructs had their own stats separate from the maker. Elian¡¯s Curses wouldn¡¯t affect them. If only I¡¯d known this would happen, I would¡¯ve prepared for it. This was as far from the martial art forms of the War Monastery as could be. But that was how life was, as Priest Thalman had told him. He wouldn¡¯t get what he expected. Fortunately, Elian wasn¡¯t clueless about Aether Magic. He had some experience using it, and his knowledge of Energy-based magic was mostly applicable. After all, Energy-based magic evolved from Aether Magic. From the forests behind the Cauldron, he made the long trip to the top of Immaterial Hill and lined up outside the Temple of the Path of the Immaterial. Well, there wasn¡¯t any actual line. Barely any people went in and out of the temple that was, in reality, a school. Not a surprise. Other than the Path of Vigor and the Path of Energy being better options, Aether Magic was¡­ outdated. The school of the Immaterial Path was grand, a central section of crystal spires while its left and right wings held several floors of rooms. Floating armors hovered above the spires in the middle while statues dotted the roof of the building wings. Still, the building was smaller than that of the other Paths and its grounds were less well-maintained. On his way up the hill, Elian also noticed there was barely anything related to Aether magic sold by the few vendors here. There were fewer people on this hill, be they pilgrims, merchants, or people just wanting to learn Aether Magic. ¡°Are they accepting people here?¡± Elian wondered, looking for someone who could teach him how to apply. A man wearing light blue and purple robes exited one of the spires and approached Elian. Unlike the guy Elian met at the school of Vigor, this man didn¡¯t manifest his tattoos of the Magistrate¡¯s Boon. He also wore a gauntlet of what could be Aether-constructed armor on his left arm. It glinted with unnatural light and shed some sparkles as the man walked. Looking longer at the beautifully crafted Ather gauntlet, Elian realized that there was no hand inside. The man wasn¡¯t wearing it. He used it to replace his hand. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°A good day to you,¡± said the gauntleted man. ¡°My name is Varmisal, a teacher of this institution. Are you perhaps interested in joining the Path of the Immaterial?¡± ¡°My name is Elian Ward and I certainly am interested.¡± Elian unbuttoned his long-sleeved shirt¡ªhe bought this to easier show his Tribulation number without revealing the rest of the tattoos¡ªand made the Kymorathi number for two appear on his chest. ¡°Is this sufficient?¡± ¡°Oho, a new Penitent!¡± Varmisal knew how to read the Kymorathi symbol. He excitedly clapped his hands, not making any noise as his right palm struck the material of Aether-make. ¡°Just in time. Two others are waiting for the instructor for introductory lessons. Come along now and start on the Path of the Immaterial.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it? Don¡¯t I need to show a high aptitude for Aethersense first?¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re familiar with Aether magic school. That is why you came here instead of the other temples. We do things differently here, new Penitent. Our goal is to teach Aether magic to everyone, not find prodigies and only train them. Everyone can ask for the Magistrate¡¯s Boon. Everyone should be taught Aether magic to survive the Tribulations should they choose to come here and learn. We will help them Aethersense.¡± Varmisal led Elian to the left wing and into a modest hall the size of half a basketball court. The room had seen better days, with paints peeling off and carvings entwined with cobwebs. Several chairs were to the left side, arranged in uneven rows, while there were four blue cylinders large enough to fit a person to the right. Elian couldn¡¯t recall the actual name of those cylinders, something hard to pronounce in an ancient language. He just called them Aether-enhancing vats. Those vats were pretty expensive and rare, with only the wealthy and ancient Aether magic schools possessing them. Surprising they had them here; four at that. They were used for rapidly improving the Aethersense of chosen initiates, spending days on end meditating inside. Perhaps they could also be used to help anyone sense the loose and unbound magic of the world. Everyone was accepted here, Varmisal claimed. The Aether-enhancing vats looked old. They had cracks around their base of magical dragon steel and some of the runes appeared to be recent etching to replace broken ones. The Temple of the Path of the Immaterial was like that one department in the university the board cut the funding to because of low enrolment rates. And because the department lacked funding, resulting in deteriorating facilities and fewer teachers, even fewer people enrolled there. A downward spiral. Could it be a mistake going here? At least his fellow classmates looked interesting. ¡°Hello there, fellow beginner Penitents.¡± Elian smiled broadly as he thumped his chest with an open palm, the usual greeting in this part of Raelyon. Best to make a good impression on possible future allies. ¡°My name is¡ª¡± A door loudly swinging open cut short Elian¡¯s introduction. In came a woman with bright blue hair that cascaded in waves past the back of her knees. She had a youthful face, though the streaks of a few wrinkles at the corner of her steel blue eyes hinted at her older age. She wore the same design of robes as Varmisal and displayed rings of Aether-make on her fingers. ¡°Huh, three for the day?¡± she said with a snort. The perpetually tired and bored look she had, as if she had seen much nonsense in the world, confirmed she was indeed older than she looked. ¡°When was the last time this happened? Like maybe a month ago?¡± Varmisal, standing by the opposite door, replied. ¡°Yes, it seems we are blessed with a surge of interest.¡± ¡°A blessing? Everything can be a blessing if one rationalizes hard enough,¡± she said. ¡°And I don¡¯t know about this surge of interest you speak of. Once these kids learn the truth of Aether Magic, we won¡¯t see them tomorrow. They¡¯ll have gone to the other Paths.¡± Elian looked at the two other new students¡ªa red-haired young man in his early twenties and a woman who might be around the same age even though she looked younger hiding her thin pale face behind a curtain of black hair. Elian sat beside the black-haired woman. ¡°Don¡¯t go discouraging our students, Lyra,¡± said Varmisal. ¡°Take this opportunity to impart your knowledge upon others who are eager for it.¡± Varmisal exited the door before Lyra could continue their banter. She shook her head with a sigh. Placing her hands on her hips, she looked at the new students. ¡°Let¡¯s begin with introductions, shall we? I go first. My name is Lyra Khestri Samora of the Faded Seas.¡± The female student gasped. But Elian didn¡¯t recognize the name or the place. Their teacher was probably famous around the areas destroyed by the giants early in the war. ¡°If we¡¯re going by tradition,¡± Lyra continued, ¡°I would¡¯ve asked to be addressed as magister or master. But I hate how that sounds very much. Address me simply as ¡®Teacher Lyra,¡¯ to make it seem that I¡¯m nice. Which I am¡­ most of the time¡­ sometimes. Before you introduce yourselves, I have to tell you that I do not have the Magistrate¡¯s Boon.¡± Elian raised a brow. Did that mean Varmisal wasn¡¯t a Penitent too? Could be why he didn¡¯t have the tattoos of the Magistrate¡¯s Boon and didn¡¯t call Elian a brother. ¡°Wha-what? Why?¡± the black-haired woman blurted. She gasped and covered her mouth. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry if I wasn¡¯t supposed to ask that.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t I have the Magistrate¡¯s Boon?¡± Lyra shrugged. ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to. We only have eight Divine Bestowals, and I pick what would best help my Aether Magic. Also, the prospect of getting flattened into the ground is not appealing to me.¡± ¡°I think so too,¡± said the black-haired woman beside Elian in a whisper that he barely heard. ¡°And it¡¯s not required to have that Boon to teach here,¡± said Lyra. ¡°Otherwise, they¡¯d have a very limited pool of teachers. Now then, you¡ª¡± she pointed at the man with the red hair ¡°¡ªintroduce yourself.¡± The man stood up, revealing his towering height and formidable physique. From looks alone, he had the potential to be a Champion Penitent. Maintaining a resolute and stern face, he said in a deep voice, ¡°My name is Thorren Wilts of Rakhon.¡± ¡°Tell me, Thorren Wilts,¡± said Lyra. ¡°Why did you ask for the Magistrate¡¯s Boon? Why undergo the Tribulations? I know the answer might be personal to you, but give me and your classmates an idea so we can gauge your resolve to learn Aether Magic. All of us will be helping each other progress.¡± ¡°I have no qualms sharing my reason for being here,¡± said Thorren. ¡°I aim to be a Champion Penitent and gather a fortune.¡± Wow, straight to the point, Elian thought. Respect for this guy. ¡°You want to be rich, Thorren Wilts?¡± Lyra regarded him. ¡°There are far better ways. As you reach higher Tribulations, yes, you¡¯ll find more sponsors, but you¡¯ll also use that wealth to fund surviving the next Tribulation. And if you fail, then goodbye fortune. Not very good, this idea of yours, I tell you that.¡± ¡°Money was my first goal,¡± said Thorren. ¡°But after watching many Tribulations of Champion Penitents, I want more than that. They have followers that weep for them when they die, even more so than for fallen warriors. I¡¯ll gather a fortune and followers. Choosing Aether Magic sets me apart from the other Champion Penitents, making me more recognizable.¡± ¡°You sound very motivated, I give you that. We''ll see how your plan unfolds.¡± Lyra pointed at the black-haired woman. ¡°Next one.¡± She timidly stood up. ¡°I¡¯m Jadewell of Stoneholde.¡± ¡°Stoneholde?¡± Lyra peered at Jadewell. ¡°Are you perhaps living outside of the town, let¡¯s say on a manor on a hill? And is your family name Khaero?¡± ¡°Um, yes. I¡¯m a Khaero¡­ the family of Aether mages. My family sent me here because they want me to explore the world and meet new people. They also said the Temple of the Path of the Immaterial has respectable teachers.¡± ¡°I¡¯m respectable now, am I? What about your reason for taking the Magistrate¡¯s Boon, Jadewell Khaero? I doubt it¡¯s only to enter this school. A huge waste of a Divine Bestowal slot, if that¡¯s the case. You could¡¯ve stayed with your family and learned from them.¡± Jadewell took a deep breath before sighing long, letting her shoulders droop. ¡°My grandfather was a Champion Penitent and made Stoneholde Academy famous. My parents think that I¡­ can do the same. They said that grandfather became strong because he survived many Tribulations. I should too.¡± Lyra accepted the answer with a small nod before turning to Elian. ¡°Last of all. What about you, sir with very weak Energy? 11. The Limited and the Limitless How did she know? Elian had the Energy pool of a child or maybe a lethargic teen because his Covenant with the Gods started two weeks ago. He glanced at Lyra¡¯s eyes, noticing a wisp of white that faded¡ªAethersight. A respectable teacher indeed to have such a seamless Aethersight compared to others whose eyes turn completely white. ¡°I¡¯m Elian Ward of Gilders.¡± ¡°Gilders?¡± Lyra asked. ¡°That¡¯s beyond Sunder Valley. A long way you have traveled, Elian Ward. What brings you here to ask the Hundred-Armed Magistrate for its Boon?¡± ¡°I want to see how far I can push my limits.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard many propelled by that reason. Though I may disagree with its logic, I respect those who push themselves to the edge and over. Just remember that when you do find your limits, you might also find yourself as a flesh pancake.¡± Elian grinned. ¡°Well, I hope I¡¯ll realize to stop before reaching that point.¡± ¡°Why Aether Magic, Elian Ward? The Path of Vigor seems most suited to your goal.¡± ¡°I know that Aether Magic can make magical armor that moves around. Surviving Tribulations is the goal of all the Paths. But Aether Magic can also give me minions and that¡¯s pretty useful.¡± Elian was telling the truth. Manifested Armor summons could cut vegetables and meat that he couldn¡¯t, they could dig howls, carve rocks, even put up tents. Most importantly, they could fight for him. The Tribulation could only be called once a day. What would he do if after using it there were still enemies standing? During the tournament, he¡¯d save the Tribulation for the last match of the day, presumably his hardest opponent. For all other matches, he¡¯d need something else. Manifested Armor could fight for him while he tanked everything his opponent would throw at him. Coat his summons¡¯ weapons with poison, maybe add astral thorns aura, plenty of options to whittle down the enemy and turn the match into a battle of endurance which he¡¯d certainly win. Lyra blinked, probably wondering what she¡¯d make of Elian. She then burst out laughing. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you right now, Elian Ward, that the curriculum of this school is focused on you surviving the Tribulation, not on having minions to command. What made you think of making Manifested Armors?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen the armies of King Idum-Ani,¡± Elian said. ¡°I was inspired by it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been to the Sarhat Kingdoms? That¡¯s far southwest from Gilders. You might not look like it, but you¡¯ve traveled far, Elian Ward. The Golden Army is indeed awe-inspiring to behold. I now understand why you aim to push your limits, as King Idum-Ani is an Aether Archmage unrivaled in history.¡± Elian nodded. He didn¡¯t know much about Aether Magic history, but King Idum-Ani sure was an awesome guy. The aged but muscular king holding back dozens of Giants with his Golden Army during the Siege of Sarhat was quite a sight. ¡°With everyone knowing each other¡¯s names,¡± said Lyra, ¡°we can proceed with our lesson. Jadewell Khaero, pretend that you¡¯ve heard this for the first time or I¡¯ll throw you out.¡± ¡°Yes, Teacher Lyra,¡± Jadewell squeaked. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s start from the beginning, as things should. As you all know¡ªor may not know if you haven¡¯t cared much about your surroundings¡ªmost flora and fauna touched by magic uses Aether, the building blocks of magic floating around and through all creation. They have organs, parts, be they physical or ethereal, that extract and use Aether. We humans, having come from another world, do not naturally extract Aether and do magic. But we learn from what we see.¡± Lyra narrated the history of how humans learned to use magic, starting from domesticating magic beasts, studying their organs, and making various tools with them. Elian knew most of it but Lyra also taught him some new things such as magical beasts that he thought were natural but were actually descended from human-bred livestock that escaped their pens. ¡°Over a few generations,¡± Lyra went on, ¡°our bodies adjusted to the world of Fellenyr and we started to sense Aether. Perhaps living close to domesticated magical beasts also had an effect. That was the beginning of Aether Magic and the boom of humanity. We can finally fight on even grounds¡ªwell, maybe not yet. At least humanity has magic too.¡± Instead of getting bored with the lecture he had heard and read before, Elian listened with interest. He had plenty of teachers and masters over his fifteen years on Fellenyr, teaching him the various magic systems and martial art forms. But he had never been to a magic school. He was in a fantasy world. It was a requirement to enroll in a magic school. More fun than fleeing the Giant invasion destroying city after city. Their history lesson then went over the evolution of human magic technology. ¡°The ruins of many magical civilizations surround us,¡± said Lyra, stretching her hands out as she swished her robes. ¡°With the knowledge of Aether Magic, it didn¡¯t take long to decipher the seals, glyphs, and runes invented by peoples long past, and how they interacted with magic. The symbols channel and control Aether. Thus rose the professions of wardcrafters, rune carvers, and so on. ¡°From then, it was only a matter of time until someone discovered the Covenant with the Gods and roped the whole of humanity into it. Energy-based magic was born and became the most dominant magic system of our civilization.¡± She discussed the various theories on who could¡¯ve managed to add humans to the Covenant. The how was also an interesting question. Thorren and Jadewell didn¡¯t appear interested. Thorren looked like he was raring for action; he wanted the actual magic part to start. Jadewell maintained her facial expression of wanting to leave. ¡°Why tell you about all of this?¡± Lyra asked. ¡°So that you¡¯ll understand why having three of you here is a surprise while a dozen new students is a normal day at the Temple of the Path of Vigor or the Path of Energy.¡± Anything Aether Magic can do; Energy Magic can do better. King Idum-Ani himself told Elian that. Lyra wasn¡¯t expressly saying it, but that was her message. Thorren raised his hand. ¡°A question from Mr. Champion Penitent,¡± said Lyra. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡± ¡°Teacher Lyra, there have got to be advantages of Aether Magic over Energy Magic, right? Or else no one will use Aether Magic.¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Jadewell Khaero,¡± Lyra said, pointing at her. ¡°Answer the question of Thorren Wilts.¡± ¡°Erm¡­ Aether Magic do-doesn¡¯t use Energy,¡± Jadewell said, slowly gaining her voice. ¡°If you run out of Energy and don¡¯t have potions, you can still use Aether Magic.¡± Thorren nodded and bowed at Jadewell. ¡°Thank you for the explanation. I understand now. Aether Magic also works through Energy binds, when the opponent locks my Energy. I can also find a Curse that turns my Energy to zero and¡ª¡± ¡°No, no, no,¡± Lyra cut in. ¡°The two of you are going in the wrong direction. Elian Ward, tell them the advantage of Aether Magic.¡± Elian knew the answer to this but had to pretend he didn¡¯t. ¡°If it doesn¡¯t need our own Energy¡­ then it¡¯s, uh, limitless?¡± ¡°Precisely.¡± Lyra snapped her fingers. Out of nothing, crystals formed mid-air, and the shards merged to become bigger structures. Breastplates, helmets, gauntlets, swords, shields. Entire suits of armor with their weapons materialized. A dozen of them. Another snap of Lyra¡¯s fingers and another dozen formed even faster. She kept snapping until the entire hall was filled with an army of Manifested Armors. They weren¡¯t high-tier summons; child¡¯s play at her level. Elian was sure she could¡¯ve filled the room in one breath. She didn¡¯t even need to snap her fingers. All theatrics to prove her point. Lyra clapped once and all the Manifested Armors disintegrated into nothing. ¡°That was amazing,¡± said Thorren, his eyes wide. Jadewell meekly nodded but her eyes were also full of admiration. ¡°The Sarhat Kingdoms are unconquerable under King Idum-Ani,¡± Lyra said. ¡°They have the vast desert on one side, true. But even if it weren¡¯t there, the invaders would be met by inexhaustible armies of golden armor. The Sarhat King is the prime example of the limitless nature of Aether Magic. You remember now, Jadewell Khaero? This is why Aether Magic persists. Back to you, Elian Wards. Why don¡¯t we prioritize Aether Magic if it has limitless potential? ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know,¡± Elian said, feigning hesitation though his discussion with King Idum-Ani replayed in his mind. ¡°Is it because it¡¯s too difficult to push the limit? I¡¯m thinking it¡¯s like the vast seas. Plenty of space to swim, but even the best of swimmers can¡¯t reach very far.¡± ¡°Correct, Elian Wards. The frailty and short lifespans of humans are the chains holding us back. For such reason, Aether Magic schools prefer to concentrate their time and resources on training those with proven potential, those gifted with inherent Aethersense. Bet on the best chance to make it.¡± Jadewell suddenly flinched and then looked at the floor as her cheeks reddened. ¡°Unlike those schools,¡± said Lyra, not minding Jadewell, ¡°we on Immaterial Hill welcome all. We will help you acquire Aethersense.¡± She beckoned for them to follow her to the vats. ¡°Are we going inside these containers?¡± Thorren asked, starting to remove his shirt. ¡°You¡¯re not required to undress, Thorren Wilts,¡± said Lyra. ¡°It may look like liquid inside, but it is Aether concentrated to a point it is visible. You won¡¯t get wet. Think of it as very dense and heavy air. Jadewell Khaero, explain what these Eyoneir Maghindr are used for. You should know about them because your family¡¯s school has two.¡± ¡°Only one now¡­¡± said Jadewell, looking at the floor. She jolted, realizing she still had to explain about the vats. ¡°The Eyoneir Maghindr were created by the Kymonthyr sages to increase one¡¯s proficiency in Aether Magic. Um, they don¡¯t really call it Aether Magic¡­ I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t recall their name for¡ª¡± ¡°Focus on the explanation, Jadewell Khaero.¡± ¡°Er, yes. Sorry. Doing things normally, we¡¯ll have to meditate for years in magical places to build Aethersense. I mean, that¡¯s for normal people. Some just have it. The stronger the Aethersense, the stronger the magic. But it takes a lot of time to build it. Inside the vats, Aether density is multiplied a thousand times, or even more, that it feels tangible¡­ like water. I¡¯ll just borrow, um¡ª¡± she cautiously nodded at Elian ¡°¡ªyour analogy using the sea. The Eyoneir Maghindr is a boat to help us travel farther.¡± So that¡¯s the name of the Aether-enhancing vats. Elian could never remember their Kymonthyr name. King Idum-Ani slept inside one of those, each day since he showed signs of Aethersense as a baby. Add that he was a one-in-a-hundred-generations sort of genius, dedicating his whole life to the pursuit of Aether Magic, and you¡¯d get the Golden Army. The final days of the Siege of Sarhat would forever be imprinted on Elian¡¯s mind. The walls of the capitals were breached, Giants stomped the houses, and soldiers and civilians fled to nowhere, surrounded on all sides. In a last act of desperation to save his people, King Idum-Ani led the Golden Army to break through the encirclement, ordering hundreds of powerful Manifested Armor to climb inside the Giants through any hole they could find. Any hole. An utter nightmare for the Giants and an opening for the king¡¯s subjects to escape. Elian had one last conversation with the Sarhat King before they parted ways, with Elian joining the fleeing people while the king stayed behind to stop the Giants from chasing them. ¡°I¡¯ve trained my whole life for this,¡± King Idum-Ani said with a crooked grin. ¡°Trained for what?¡± Elian asked. ¡°Controlling your summons to climb inside the asses of Giants?¡± ¡°Exactly. Now, go! Protect my people.¡± ¡°Elian Ward.¡± Lyra¡¯s stern voice cracked like a whip, bringing him back to the present. ¡°I was asking if any of you have questions. Why are you smiling there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy for the opportunity to use this¡­ vat,¡± Elian said. ¡°I have finally a hope of gaining Aethersense.¡± ¡°You certainly do it using the Eyoneir Maghindr. An aptitude for Aethersense is not required. Since we were using water as an analogy, imagine this as throwing a child into the water so they¡¯d learn how to swim. If a child can do it, so can you Aethersense.¡± Lyra proceeded to instruct them how to meditate inside. It was the standard fare also used by Energy Magic practitioners, so Elian was very familiar with it. She gave each of them a potion to help them meditate. ¡°If you¡¯ve been drunk before, you¡¯ll feel similar to that at first. And then your concentration will spike as if the world is slowing down.¡± This won¡¯t work much on me, Elian said, taking a drink. The Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse cut the efficacy of potions down to a fifth. Lyra knocked on the vat¡¯s glass with her Aether-made ring. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t take too long. You can even see the Aether now, and we¡¯re supposed to be the Immaterial Path. Fueling the Eyoneir Maghindr requires expensive concentrated fizzle crystals. Each of you has two days¡¯ worth of supplies. You should have awakened your Aethersense by then.¡± Three Manifested Armors appeared and helped Thorren enter the first vat. Jadewell was assigned to the next one. She had a huge sense of relief on her face as the glass casing shut tight and the runes on the base glowed. Wait, Jadewell too? Elian assumed she¡¯d already have Aethersense if she came from a family of Aether mages. They probably sent her here for advanced classes or something. He pieced together what he knew and made a hazy picture of her true backstory. Jadewell was sort of ¡®exiled¡¯ to the Temples of Tribulation because she wasn¡¯t a prodigy. The story about wanting to follow in her grandfather¡¯s footsteps might not even be true. The certain thing was that her family didn¡¯t think she was worth training. Lyra immediately discerned the situation so she didn¡¯t ask Jadewell if she could Aethersense, sparing her humiliation. A very respectable teacher indeed. ¡°You, Elian Ward,¡± Lyra said before the summons closed his vat. ¡°Don¡¯t fret if you can¡¯t Aethersense in two days. You can continue your training even without the Eyoneir Maghindr.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best, Teacher Lyra,¡± Elian replied. She need not worry about his low Energy. He¡¯d be the first to awaken Aethersense among the three of them. But he wouldn¡¯t tell her that. He¡¯d stay in the vats as long as possible for his training. 12. Grasping the Immaterial Elian wasn¡¯t a prodigy, be it in Aethersensing or anything else. Twice he peeled a banana and threw away the banana instead of the peel. Granted, he was stressed with deadlines at that time, but that was two bananas wasted. Still, he was sure he¡¯d Aethersense soon enough because he had an advantage not even Jadewell from an Aether Magic family had¡ªhis experience from the future. He had used a combination of Aether and Energy Magic in the past and was very much aware of what Aether felt like. It was like not forgetting how to ride a bike or swim no matter how long. He also learned a few things about Aether Magic because he made sure to become close to King Idum-Ani in his previous life. For this second run, Elian planned to reach the Sarhat Kingdoms early and befriend the Sarhat King again before the Giants opened another front of the war in that part of the continent. Not sure if that was still on the table now that his plans had gone awry, but his learnings remained with him. There were also many principles of Energy Magic applicable to Aether Magic given that the former derived from the latter. Floating in the condensed Aether, Elian relaxed his body and closed his eyes. He breathed rapidly in small bursts, slowly filling his lungs with Aether. When he couldn¡¯t inhale anymore, he held his breath as long as he could, feeling the warmth spread from his chest as if he drank hot cocoa. Then he exhaled, dragging it out as slowly as possible. His lungs protested because he hadn¡¯t yet trained for such breathing exercises. It was hard for an average person to slow down their breathing this much. Let the Aether permeate his body. Savor it. It didn¡¯t taste much like anything, rather it was a sensation that affected each of his senses. He recalled the feeling of casting Aether Magic, using it to augment his barriers. It¡¯s all coming back. Seconds¡­ minutes¡­ maybe an hour later, Elian couldn¡¯t tell how long, his breathing settled into a relaxed rhythm of around three or four cycles a minute. Aether freely flowed through him. He sunk into a meditative state to become one with the building blocks of creation. He no longer felt his chest expand as he inhaled, nor the viscous condensed Aether going in and out of his nose and mouth. He didn¡¯t need the potion from Lyra to meditate¡ªhe could shut off his senses on his own and increase his concentration. The slimy caress of the chemicals inside the vat that captured Aether, the sound of his beating heart, the ticking of a large clock in the silent hall, the itchiness caused by the cheap fabric of his clothes¡­ All of those became distant as if he were looking from afar, observing his own body experience them. There it was. In the stillness of his mind. Moving. Tangible. Moldable. He reached out for the Aether in his mind¡¯s eye. The dense Aether in the vat began to swirl. He could feel it. The trance was breaking. Not yet. He had successfully sensed Aether, but he pushed himself further. He clamped on his consciousness surfacing and let himself get swept back into meditation. Only feel the Aether. Direct its flow toward his palm. He couldn¡¯t control all the Aether in the vat. Only a very small fraction of it bowed to his will¡ªthe Aether he managed to control, he fiercely held on to. He willed the flow to go faster and stronger. The small streams of Aether pulled others around it. He compacted them all in his hand. His mind pushed the Aether he controlled from all sides. A small bump the size of a pea. The object was in his hand. He closed his fist tight to make sure there really was something there. A tiny object that disintegrated soon enough. Elian opened his eyes. I did it. I did more than ¡®it¡¯. He awakened his Aethersense and formed his first Aether construct. Through the almost liquid-like Aether and the foggy glass, he spotted the large clock on the wall. Three and a half hours had passed since they entered the vats. Thorren and Jadewell were still inside. This vat is amazing, Elian thought. If he was outside, he wouldn¡¯t be able to make even a rice grain-sized construct. Take advantage of this opportunity and continue improving his Aethersense. But limit himself to meditation. He wouldn¡¯t try to make a construct again and risk getting discovered he had already awakened his Aethersense. It wasn¡¯t just to avoid getting kicked out of the vat. He wanted Jadewell to have the honor of being the first to Aethersense. She might not have the talent the rest of her family had, but she certainly possessed the resolve to become something they¡¯d be proud of. If she didn¡¯t have the resolve, she would¡¯ve run away instead of burdening herself with the Tribulation. Elian was on a quest to save humanity, not ruin someone¡¯s moment. And so, he descended into meditation again and continued his breathing exercises. More hours passed, unnoticed in the world of Aether. ¡°Rise and shine!¡± Urgent knocking on the glass prodded Elian out of his trance. Aether drained from the vat, lowering him to its base. He exited the vat feeling wet. Just a feeling. His skin and clothes were dry, but the sensation of floating in water stayed. He rubbed the sleepiness out of his eyes. Lyra was with Jadewell. Two Manifested Armor helped Thorren out of his vat. ¡°Wake up, you two,¡± Lyra said. ¡°Congratulate Jadewell for awakening her Aethersense.¡± Jadewell bowed her head and hid her face behind layers of her hair. She shifted her feet and tried to retreat as Elian and Thorren approached, but Lyra held her in place with floating gauntlets. ¡°How long was that?¡± Thorren glanced at the clock. ¡°Seven hours? Amazing. Seriously amazing. As expected of someone from an Aether mage family.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter which family she came from,¡± Elian said. ¡°She did it on her own.¡± He thought Jade would appreciate that he spoke up for her, but she just gave him an odd look before shielding her eyes with her hair again. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Ah, true,¡± Thorren said. ¡°My mistake there. I myself am not of any notable heritage. I just do my thing and work hard. I¡¯m going to be the next to awaken Aethersense.¡± ¡°We shall see tomorrow,¡± said Lyra, ¡°for this is enough for today.¡± She glanced at Elian; a few strands of white passed over her eyes. ¡°Spending time inside Eyoneir Maghindr has benefitted you, Elian Ward. Go along now, all of you. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re hungry after so many hours. The school does not provide food, but there are charitable cookshops outside if you don¡¯t have the coin.¡± Elian hid a smile as their teacher left. Her Aethersight would¡¯ve seen his Energy increase because of meditating and progressing his magic. But she wouldn¡¯t know he already had Aethersense unless he used it. Jadewell was quick to exit the building. Thorren walked with Elian until they reached the gates. ¡°On the morrow then, new friend.¡± Thorren patted Elian¡¯s back. He must¡¯ve put some force into it to show dominance because he seemed surprised it didn¡¯t affect Elian. ¡°Huh? Uh¡­ I¡¯ll have to get back to my cousins. They travel with me.¡± ¡°What an odd fellow,¡± Elian said, as Thorren jogged down the hill. Elian made his way back to the Cauldron. When Elian returned to camp, he shared his experience with the Path of the Immaterial with Borlen and the other pilgrims. Borlen made the circles and triangles sign of Penitent Tharguras. ¡°I pray you achieve this¡­ Aethersense, was it? Yes, you will obtain this soon, brother. I¡¯m proud of you. Blessed be your journey.¡± ¡°Blessed be your journey,¡± echoed the rest of the group. ¡°Thank you,¡± said Elian. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be on this path if it weren¡¯t for you. Also, uh, thank you for the food and the company. I¡¯ll hunt something early tomorrow to repay your kindness.¡± ¡°There is no such need to repay among family. We are one big family. Ask of us what you will, and we are happy to help you. We¡¯ll also be glad to witness your Tribulation. Have you done your second one?¡¯ ¡°Yes¡­ I have,¡± Elian replied, wondering if he should¡¯ve lied and told them he was still preparing for it. Best they cheered him on as a Penitent. Their group was staying at the Temples of Tribulations for a few weeks until Tharguras left; they were going their separate ways after. Elian appreciated their company. It reminded him of the caravans he had been on while traveling the world. Unfortunately, many of those caravans were fleeing the Giant invasion instead of a having relaxed trip with no fear of death. Elian showed Borlen the proof on his chest that he progressed his Tribulation, making sure that the rest of his tattoos were hidden. How would Borlen react if he knew that Elian was Cursed by the Magistrate? Would Borlen believe Elian asked this of the Magistrate? Likely not. He¡¯d think Elian did something blasphemous to get Cursed. ¡°Really sorry,¡± Elian said. ¡°I¡¯m not yet ready to show my Tribulation to others. I feel that I should keep it personal while starting. Also¡­ I don¡¯t want others to see me fail at it.¡± ¡°If you fail, wouldn¡¯t it be better if there¡¯s someone to help you?¡± said one of the pilgrims. ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± another chimed in. ¡°If you¡¯re grievously injured, we will be there to aid you and perhaps keep your injuries from worsening. If you die¡ªheaven forbid that happens to you, brother¡ªwe will lay you to rest. You wouldn¡¯t want your body to be eaten by scavengers.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s respect the decision of brother Elian,¡± Borlen said. ¡°I understand the fear of being seen as a failure even if those around you wish you well. It¡¯s a weakness of the human mind, one we all have. It defies explanation.¡± He placed his hand on Elian¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Just assure us, brother, that you can handle the Tribulations. When it becomes too dangerous, promise to come to us for help.¡± ¡°I can handle it for now,¡± Elian said. ¡°And if I no longer can, I promise to tell you.¡± The sun was starting to set but Elian¡¯s day wasn¡¯t over yet. He didn¡¯t join Borlen¡¯s group for dinner, scarfing down a few pieces of bread with dried meat before venturing into the forest, though he didn¡¯t stray too far from the camp. The lantern ball tied to his waist would help him return in the darkness if need be. With a waterskin filled with a tea of powdered melfroth leaves¡ªhe didn¡¯t know if the leaves contained caffeine but they were used as a stimulant in this world¡ªhe was ready for an all-nighter on Aether training. He headed for an ancient tree he found this morning, its thick roots exposed above the ground by the elements. There was a nice nook among its gnarled roots where he could slot himself in to be safe while meditating. Danger could come from only one direction¡ªin front of him. Predators seldom attacked their prey head-on, preferring to ambush or chase them. As an added precaution, he rubbed saegenta leaves all over his skin to mask his scent. Would¡¯ve been safer if he did this while inside the camp, but he didn¡¯t want the pilgrims to know how fast he improved his Aether Magic. That¡¯d raise some brows. Also, if they knew how strong he¡¯d gotten, they¡¯d be more eager to see him call a Tribulation. Better have some peace while meditating. Beasts rarely wandered this close to camps anyway. In fact, he hadn¡¯t seen any while exploring the forest other than tracks of what could be a faeboar yesterday. He drank his melfroth tea¡ªhe didn¡¯t trust himself not to fall asleep¡ªbefore settling in a cross-legged meditative pose. He laid his hands on his lap, palms up, one hand over the other. One thing was on his mind¡ªgather Aether on his palm. One by one, he closed his senses and withdrew into himself. The long night, timeless in the realm of the mind, thus began. Every few hours, Elian would get kicked out of the trance. He roughly knew the time by looking at the familiar constellations in the sky and noting the moon''s placement. His body wasn¡¯t used to lengthy meditations, especially after his first session inside the vat. The simple solution was to continue doing it until he¡¯d get used to it. ¡°Sunlight?¡± It was the third or probably fourth time he exited his meditation when he found flecks of orange streaking the no-longer-dark sky. The chirping of crestlarks confirmed it was morning. Elian¡¯s clothes were drenched in sweat and the cool breeze blowing through them made him nauseous. The last drop of melfroth tea dropped from his waterskin, and his stomach grumpily demanded food. He had expended a lot of energy meditating the entire night. What did he have to show for it? Just some sparkles on his palm¡­ ¡°This is fast!¡± Elian wanted to jump out of the nook and do cartwheels to celebrate, but his legs had fallen asleep from being in the same position for hours. And he also didn¡¯t know how to cartwheel. He resigned himself to observing the traces of compacted Aether gradually fade as he loosened his concentration. Must be the experiences from his past life doing the heavy lifting. Even a prodigy wouldn¡¯t progress this rapidly not even a day after awakening Aethersense. He¡¯d spend more time in the vat later to boost his growth even more. Since it was the start of a new day, Elian¡¯s ritual should call down the Tribulation before going about the other things on his to-do list. But he saved up his Tribulation for later. He refilled his waterskin back at the camp, took some fruits to snack on along the way, and returned to the forest, this time carrying his cleaver. He wasn¡¯t going to cut anything with it, but he hoped something would cut itself on it¡­ like a faeboar. He searched the area where he last saw faeboar tracks. As if the heavens shone on him, there were fresh imprints on the soil from a cloven foot that was larger than his own foot. This could only be the resident faeboar of this area. Unlike other pigs and boars which lived in groups, the faeboar were solitary creatures. The faeboar would roam its territory and suck in Aether from the air to grow bigger and bigger. Its thick hide could fend off fangs and claws, while its tusks could gore predators. Elian¡¯s newly awakened Aethersense helped him detect where Aether flowed strongest. He didn¡¯t need to wander far for the faeboar found him first. A furious grunt and angry stomping feet behind him announced an incoming charge. 13. Tussle with Tusks Elian didn¡¯t even look over his shoulders. He immediately dove out of the way and rolled himself upright. The massive faeboar stampeded past him, kicking up dust. It wildly swung its head, brandishing its scimitar-shaped tusks, probably thinking Elian was still in front of it. Faeboars didn¡¯t have good eyesight, their beady eyes hampered by their bony helmets. Wait, can one creature stampede? Elian pondered this important question as he observed the faeboar turning around for another pass at him. It was bigger than he expected, standing about three feet at the shoulder, not counting the massive hump of muscles and Aether-sucking chimneys on its back. This hulk enjoyed dominance of the area, filter-feeding Aether and reaching the weight of almost half a ton by his estimate. Looking at its coarse and dense fur, Elian could already tell his cleaver wouldn¡¯t cut through that even if the Elder Giant¡¯s Curse wasn¡¯t holding him back. His Tribulation might not even be strong enough to put this faeboar down. But Elian had a plan. He always did. A different question was if the plan would work. The faeboar pawed the ground with its right foreleg. It was getting ready for another charge, leveling its tusks at Elian. Hesitation momentarily flashed in its eyes peeking from inside the helmet. Elian wasn¡¯t running away. This must be the first time in a long time the faeboar had met a creature willing to challenge its bulk and might. ¡°Come on, now.¡± Elian bent his knees to absorb the impact better, his cleaver at the ready. Time seemed to slow down as he concentrated on the faeboar¡¯s movement. ¡°You¡¯re going to feed our group for a week. And I¡¯m going to sell your tusks for new equipment.¡± He touched the necklace that added Health from Borlen. It¡¯d be his ritual at the start of each battle from now on. The faeboar rumbled in fury, its chimneys spewing black smoke. It charged at Elian. He waited for the boar while manifesting the Magistrate¡¯s Curse. Ten feet, five feet, three, two¡ªElian lunged forward, slotting himself in between the tusks. The left tusk snagged his flank, tearing his leather vest. His chest met the faeboar¡¯s helmet with a loud thud echoing among the trees. The impact coursed through his body. It didn¡¯t hurt much. The beast continued pushing and pushing him back until they both stopped. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Elian looked down at the faeboar¡¯s head as wide as his chest. Its eyes darted around, filled with confusion. ¡°Bacon, scrambled eggs, Tribulation!¡± As the sky became overcast, Elian released the faeboar¡¯s head and ducked below it. He held the cleaver¡¯s blade with both hands and rammed the sharp edge against the throat of the faeboar. He aimed right at the windpipe unprotected by cords of neck muscles. The cleaver couldn¡¯t cut, of course. It didn¡¯t need to. The first Tribulation descended with a flash of blue. It slammed mostly on the faeboar. Nasty cracks and disgusting squishy sounds were drowned by an agonized squeal. Elian went down on one knee; his feet and knee descended half an inch into the ground. Heavy faeboar. Stronger Tribulation. Dammit. The next strike from the heavens came. Elian made sure to hold the blade straight against the faeboar¡¯s throat. More crunching noises. The cleaver sunk into the thick hide but still didn¡¯t cut it. From the feel, Elian was sure he crushed the faeboar¡¯s windpipe. The faeboar got heavier. Elian rolled out of the way as it collapsed on the ground. It wasn¡¯t dead yet. Its helmet was broken, blood freely flowing; its head was flatter than before; and the chimneys on its back got crumpled down. But it still tried to stand up, teetering on wobbling legs. It grunted, struggling to breathe. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t give you a clean death,¡± Elian said. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to put you to good use.¡± The faeboar fell on its side and stopped moving. Elian exhaled long as he sat down in front of a tree and leaned back on its trunk. His chest was sore and he had bruises. Taking on the faeboar and the Tribulation proved more difficult than he thought, but everything went according to plan. Mostly This was rare. He was right that he could call the Tribulation, use the faeboar as a shield, and not violate the requirement of having a clear line of sight to the heavens. After all, Tharguras did use shields, and those would block the heavens if raised above him early. Elian figured it would be fine to hide under a cover when the Tribulation was already called and about to descend. Otherwise, Tharguras wouldn¡¯t have bothered with shields. Choose two of the following rewards: + 190 Health + 140 Energy + 50 Attack Power + 50 Magic Power + 50 Armor + 50 Magic Resilience Elian assumed that the Penitents with Boons also had the same reward choices but could only pick one. Even then, the attributes of Tharguras from the Magistrate¡¯s Boon must be monstrous. It also spoke volumes about the overwhelming power of the Tribulation that Tharguras needed all those protections to survive it despite being already incredibly powerful. ¡°Attack Power and Health again,¡± Elian said, waving his hand at his choices. Attack Power was tons of Armor. Health was for when something got past the Armor. Being hard wouldn¡¯t matter if he was dead. And being beefy was somewhat of a solution to the restriction of the Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse on healing spells and potions. ¡°Looks like I¡¯ve leveled up.¡± He opened his Covenant with the Gods to check his stats. Elian Ward | Human | Level:5 Health: 1086/1,220 Energy: 325/325 ATTRIBUTES: Attack Power: 0 Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Magic Power: 0 Armor: 15,896 Magic Resilience: 0 DIVINE BESTOWAL: Greater Curse of the Berserking Abyssal Eye III Greater Curse of the Powerless Physical Immortal II Lesser Curse of the Overzealous Judge I One free Favor Point. He needed two more to level the Greater Curse of the Powerless Physical Immortal to its maximum. From multiplying by four, he suspected it¡¯d multiply by eight. That was usually how Curses progressed with their boosts. The Magistrate¡¯s Curse didn¡¯t need Favor Points, so Elian would have to look for Boons to level up. Health and Energy increased with physical and mental training respectively. His time inside the vat plus the all-nighter meditation added plenty of Energy, though he didn¡¯t have any use for it. He was sure his Attack and Magic Power also increased through training, the first adding a bit to his Armor and the latter just getting turned to zero by the Elder Giant¡¯s Curse. Elian examined himself and his equipment. The cleaver was fine, surprisingly. He thought it¡¯d break from the faeboar¡¯s weight. The enchantment must¡¯ve improved its durability. The same couldn¡¯t be said for his leather vest with the huge tear on its left side, going from front to back. It had done its part protecting him from an injury worse than a shallow gash on his flank. He patched the wound with medicinal herb paste he got from Borlen¡ªhe told the pilgrims he was allergic to potions¡ªand returned to their camp with haste. No way he could move this faeboar without help. ¡°Did you kill this behemoth of a beast on your lonesome?¡± Borlen asked. He and several pilgrims accompanied Elian to his kill. They chased away scavengers prowling around before examining the faeboar¡¯s body. ¡°I did, yes,¡± replied Elian. ¡°With what?¡± asked another pilgrim. ¡°That butcher¡¯s knife of yours is used after a kill, not before. It couldn¡¯t have smashed this beast¡¯s skull.¡± Borlen stood up and turned to Elian. ¡°This is due to the Tribulation, is it not?¡± Elian nodded. There was no other explanation for this unless someone would believe he managed to trick the faeboar into running headlong into a boulder. And there were no boulders around. If Elian could skin and cut up the carcass on his own, he wouldn¡¯t have asked for help. ¡°I chose this area for my Tribulation,¡± he explained. ¡°I was about to call for it when this faeboar charged me out of nowhere. There was no time to act. I continued with the Tribulation and managed to wrestle the faeboar above me so it¡¯d get hit by the heavenly strike.¡± ¡°An incredible feat of bravery and quick thinking,¡± said a pilgrim holding a spear. ¡°If that were me, I probably would¡¯ve run.¡± ¡°A faeboar attack and a Tribulation.¡± The pilgrim next to him whistled in amazement. ¡°And you came out with only minor injuries. Truly a miracle.¡± ¡°This is only your third Tribulation, correct?¡± Borlen felt the flatted head of the faeboar and picked a shard of its broken bone helmet. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t have been this powerful¡­¡± ¡°Uh, I also know some martial arts,¡± Elian said. ¡°That¡¯s how I can endure the Tribulation. I finished off the faeboar with some of my own strikes.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve chosen the Path of Vigor instead of the Immaterial to augment your martial arts.¡± Borlen¡¯s overthinking this. Annoying. Elian kept his face straight. ¡°I have a master for my martial arts back home. I don¡¯t want to replace him. In this foreign land, I¡¯ll learn of magic systems yet unknown to me to further my knowledge. Actually, I¡¯m going to be late to my Aether Magic training.¡± ¡°Is that so? You should hurry along.¡± ¡°As we talked about on the way here, keep the prime pieces of meat from the faeboar and sell the rest including its tusks and chimneys. I hope the Aether organs inside didn¡¯t get damaged too much. Those could fetch a pretty penny. We¡¯ll divide the profits.¡± ¡°That¡¯s overly generous of a share on our part.¡± ¡°The Magistrate¡¯s blessing allowed me to take down this beast. You led me to the Magistrate and changed my life. Sharing the spoils of my inadvertent hunt is only the beginning of my repayment. I won¡¯t take no for an answer.¡± Please no more questions, Elian thought as he waved goodbye.
¡°Elian Ward, you¡¯re horribly late.¡± Lyra turned around, her lush blue hair bouncing, when Elian entered the hall. ¡°Two hours late, in fact. Look at Thorren Wilts already inside the¡ªwhat happened to you?¡± Elian¡¯s clothes mostly hid his bandaged bruises, but there was a purplish patch on his cheek. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being late. I was hunting this morning and¡ª¡± ¡°It was a rhetorical question. I don¡¯t care even if you¡¯re fighting a dragon. You shouldn¡¯t have been late. Your spot in this school is a privilege paid for by donor-followers of the Hundred-Armed Magistrate. Show your gratitude by arriving on time. One point docked, even though I¡¯m not grading you.¡± She stretched a glowing purple hand and swiped it an inch from his cheek. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Teacher Lyra.¡± Elian stepped back. ¡°You don¡¯t need to heal me. It¡¯ll go away on its own.¡± ¡°Your injuries will hamper your¡ªwhat?¡± Lyra frowned. Her hand glowed brighter. Then it changed colors. Elian recognized that she was trying stronger forms of healing. She touched his cheek with hot fingers and frowned. ¡°Is a Curse stopping my healing?¡± ¡°Ye-yes¡­ I have a Curse that does that.¡± He looked to the side. If he acted embarrassed, Lyra wouldn¡¯t pry. ¡°I suppose that your low Energy is also caused by a Curse?¡± Elian nodded. ¡°A different Curse.¡± ¡°A different one? Two Curses?¡± Lyra looked around for a few seconds before sighing. ¡°It appears you¡¯ve been a very busy man, Elian Wards. I¡¯m not going to ask about your Curses, for that is your business. But I have to point out the insanity of becoming a Penitent with a Curse that prevents healing. You¡¯re crazier than Thorren Wilts here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a big problem,¡± Elian said. ¡°But the Curse also gives benefits for surviving the Tribulation.¡± ¡°I find the whole Penitent culture illogical, so I¡¯m going to leave it at that. My job is to teach you, and teach you I will. But you need Aethersense first. Enter your Eyoneir Maghindr and waste no more time.¡± For his second day inside the vat, Elian used an even deeper meditative training. It toed the edge of deep sleep. Staying up all night helped him descend into this state, opening himself to the Aether to enter his pores and fill his relaxed body. This was an exercise that King Idum-Ani taught Elian when he tried the Sarhat vats. His training, though it was for Aether Magic, helped enhance his Energy Magic before fighting the Giants. Elian snapped out of his almost-sleep as the condensed Aether drained from the vat. Hard to pull together his groggy mind. He was surprised that suits of armor with no people inside them helped him stand before he remembered what was going on. ¡°Thorren¡­¡± Elian looked for his classmate. The other vats were empty. ¡°Thorren Wilts has awakened his Aethersense two and a half hours ago.¡± Lyra strode forward with her Manifested Armor. ¡°I didn¡¯t awaken you, Elian Ward, because you were deep in a trance. Commendable that you followed my instructions with such precision. However, the second day is done and you¡¯re yet to fulfill your task. No matter. You can continue to meditate in the garden and¡ª¡± ¡°What about the fuel for the vats of Jadewell and Thorren?¡± Elian asked. ¡°Are you saying that you want to use those and prolong your meditation in condensed Aether?¡± ¡°If you¡¯ll allow it¡­¡± He put on puppy dog eyes. ¡°The school has budgeted two days worth of fuel for each of us, right? Jadewell got done early, and Thorren has some leftovers, I think? If I can use their vats, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll awaken Aethersense soon. I can feel it.¡± ¡°Your Energy has indeed grown relatively rapidly since I first laid eyes on you. The Eyoneir Maghindr counteracts your Curse to some extent, is my hypothesis. I¡¯ll allow it, Elian Wards. You have one more day tomorrow. After that, no more chances.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you down, Teacher Lyra,¡± Elian said, bowing low to hide his smile. ¡°Tomorrow. I swear.¡± 14. The Seed of an Idea By noon of Elian¡¯s third day inside the vat, he decided it was time to make the big reveal he had achieved Aethersense. Too bad the only people in the hall weren¡¯t people; they were Lyra¡¯s summons. Not much of a reveal. He still had a few hours to go until the time limit Lyra gave him, but he decided he didn¡¯t want to look that incompetent. Imagery was important in dealing with the teachers and students. He touched the glass of the vat and transmitted a thought command to open it. As it sucked the condensed Aether and dispensed it outside as regular Aether, Elian found himself lowered to the base. Glass walls swooshed open. The Manifested Armor approached to catch him as he struggled to find his footing, still woozy from the deep trance. All in all, a good session. ¡°Elian Ward, have you fulfilled your goal?¡± Lyra entered the hall through the doorway held open by a Manifested Armor. Her summons must¡¯ve communicated with her. ¡°Or are you giving up? There¡¯s no shame in that. Walk away from the building and no one here will remember you tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯m staying, Teacher Lyra.¡± Elian held out an open palm. Sparkles of light danced on it for a few seconds. ¡°Is this Aethersense?¡± Lyra didn¡¯t immediately answer. Her brows raised so high they disappeared behind the waves of her blue hair across her wrinkled forehead. ¡°That is not Aethersense¡­ you¡¯re already controlling Aether, Elian Wards.¡± A nod of acknowledgment was all she gave him and the word, ¡°Good.¡± I got her with that. Elian grinned to himself. ¡°An aside, Elian Ward,¡± she said, wiping the impressed look off her face. ¡°Is that a new welt on your forehead? Did you bump your head or¡ªAh, it¡¯s an injury caused by the Tribulation.¡± Elian nodded. No point in making excuses. ¡°I called for the Tribulation this morning.¡± ¡°Do health potions work on your injuries?¡± ¡°Somewhat¡­ partially.¡± Lyra tapped her rings together as she gazed at the ceiling in thought. ¡°The only Curse I can think of with both those effects is from the Abyssal Eye. I have no idea how you reached its abode. What did you do to make it angry at you?¡± She raised a finger before Elian could think of a fake story. ¡°A rhetorical question, Elian Ward. Your business is your own. I know you won¡¯t tell me the truth. I¡¯m marveling at your utter insanity taking on the Tribulations while suffering such an impediment.¡± ¡°With your help,¡± Elian said, ¡°I¡¯ll survive the Tribulations.¡± ¡°Not mine. Your next lesson is with Varmisal. You¡¯ll train with the rest of the novices.¡± Lyra brought Elian to the end of the wing, into an indoor garden surrounded by glass walls looking out to a night sky even though it was day outside. It was twice the size of the hall that they left. A dozen or so people¡ªthe novices, Elian assumed, because Jadewell and Thorren were among them¡ªsat under trees with crystalline leaves and golden branches. Those were Creation Trees. Probably lesser clones of one. They must¡¯ve grown from broken-off branches of a mother Creation Tree, gigantic trees bigger than skyscrapers of Earth. They fed on Aether rather than nutrients from the soil. These many Creation Trees should amount to quite a fortune. Their bark, leaves, and branches were used in all sorts of things magic. If left to grow undisturbed, they absorbed Aether from the air, breaking it down for sustenance and releasing a ¡®digested¡¯ byproduct that was easy to mold and control for construction. Varmisal waved with his Aether-made arm, donning an excited smile. ¡°Another student?¡± ¡°This is the last one,¡± Lyra said, pointing at Elian with the Manifested Armor accompanying them. ¡°Another month until we have three newcomers in a day.¡± ¡°We cherish those moments,¡± said Varmisal. ¡°My work here is done. I didn¡¯t do much, I know, but it is done. Note this young man awakened his Aethersense and can control Aether. He¡¯ll catch up to the rest of the class soon enough.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± Varmisal rested his Aether arm on Elian¡¯s shoulder¡ªit didn¡¯t feel heavy¡ªand led him to a Creation Tree. He giggled when Elian demonstrated his skill as if a child was given the present he wished for on his birthday. ¡°Marvelous work there, young man. Elian, was it?¡± ¡°Elian Ward of Gilders. I don¡¯t know how I did it. Something just¡­ clicked. I was struggling and then everything fell into place.¡± ¡°I remember the feeling fondly. Grasping a tiny fraction of the world and my tiny place in it. Sit here, Elian. This is a Creation Tree.¡± Varmisal explained things about it that Elian was already aware of. He also narrated the perilous journey beyond the Dim Mountains to get the branches for the school garden. Varmisal must be quite strong to have survived such an expedition. He could¡¯ve lost his arm there. A humanoid figure of shimmering glass gave Varmisal a roll of parchment¡ªthis was one of his summons. Aether mages could make anything they could imagine. It didn¡¯t have to be suits of armor. Just that armor was familiar to all and evoked thoughts of fighting, strength, and durability. Imagery greatly affected construction. King Idum-Ani could¡¯ve made the Golden Army into thousands of fluffy poodles instead of hulking behemoths of interlocking plates and gears, but they would¡¯ve been weaker despite his unmatched skill. ¡°Thank you,¡± Varmisal said, though he didn¡¯t need to show gratitude to his own creation. He flattened the parchment on the grass. It was full of drawings of circles and lines with beautiful handwriting along the borders. Must be Varmisal¡¯s notes. ¡°These are visualization exercises to help you make your first construct.¡± Elian found it hard to tear his eyes away from the drawings. They were hypnotizing. When his eyes followed the lines, it was as if he was drawn into a dream, his mind led to think a certain way. He hadn¡¯t seen this scroll in his past life because it was for Aether Magic novices. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°You start with gathering Aether at a point.¡± Varmisal held up a finger. A minuscule disco ball formed above it. ¡°Don¡¯t think of shapes or forms. Concentrate only on gathering. Progress your training by making this point bigger and bigger until you eventually make a sphere¡ªthat is the easiest form to maintain. A cube has an uneven distance from the center, like its edges. Clear your mind and think of a point. Refer to these illustrations if you have difficulties concentrating.¡± ¡°Thank you for your guidance, Master Varmisal,¡± Elian said, formally addressing his mage teacher. Varmisal moved on to guide the other students. Jadewell, hiding her face, as usual, could already form a marble-sized construct. Thorren was behind a tree so Elian couldn¡¯t see him, but judging by the flickering reflection on the Creation Tree¡¯s leaves, he hadn¡¯t achieved stability in his construction. Other students, their seniors, were further along. A Dagalan could already make three balls, their light reflecting off his scales. A man with greying hair who could¡¯ve been mistaken for a teacher focused on making a cube. Last night, Elian succeeded in making a sphere the size of a golf ball¡ªhis second day at the vat improved his skills exponentially. Now, after another half day marinating in Aether, he was sure he could attempt gathering Aether at two points. But he wasn¡¯t going to show it to Varmisal and the other students. Lagging would reduce questions and also get him more help from the teachers. Eventually, he¡¯d show off to make his progress look even more impressive. I¡¯ll fake my skills for now, Elian thought as he gathered Aether¡­ inside his closed fist stowed inside his pocket. He needed to keep its light hidden. He had even sewn a patch of thick cloth over his pocket for more precaution. Wouldn¡¯t want his classmates to wonder why a rave party was going on inside his pants. Concentrating on a point out of sight made the task several times more difficult. More than several times. Elian didn¡¯t stop at that¡ªhe also gathered Aether on his finger, as he was instructed. The divided attention resulted in a sputtering of sparks on his fingertip, making him appear a beginner. He was sure nothing was happening inside his pocket yet. Despite the difficult start, Elian estimated he could form two points before the class was over. The Aether flowed smoothly in the garden, offering no resistance whatsoever as he plucked them out of the air. He¡¯d love to have a garden of Creation Trees someday. Retire after he¡¯d vanquish the Giants. Just relax here and¡­ ¡­and no longer return to Earth? Elian¡¯s concentration was broken. Dammit. He chewed his tongue as he stared at his finger, annoyed at himself. Not the time for these thoughts. He balled his fist inside his pocket tighter before unclenching it. Ready to gather Aether again. In between breaks, he consulted the scroll of illustrations. Classmate-watching was also an interesting pastime. Jade¡¯s sphere had grown twice bigger. He imagined her face contorted in concentration behind her black hair. Thorren, on the other hand, was cursing so much that Varmisal had to make him leave and cool his head outside. Such a temper on that guy. Elian couldn¡¯t see outside because the glass walls of the garden mirrored the skies above the mother Creation Tree. It was nighttime there, on the other side of the world. He recognized some of the stars and constellations to roughly estimate the passing hours. Should be late in the afternoon by now. He admired the colorful grain of Aether rotating above his finger. In his pocket was another tiny piece of Aether. King Idum-Ani would be proud of him. Varmisal went around the class to examine everyone¡¯s progress for the day, giving pointers for improvement and assignments for the night. ¡°A wonderful development you¡¯ve made,¡± he told Elian. ¡°Lyra was right to allow you another day inside the Eyoneir Maghindr. Continue the exercises even when you¡¯re outside the school to hasten your growth. But remember to rest. Deep sleep allows your learnings for the day to embed themselves in your brain.¡± Elian didn¡¯t mingle with the other students after the class¡ªthough he overheard their conversation about another student giving up that morning¡ªbecause he had some shopping to do at Vigor Hill. Tribulations weren¡¯t going to do any massive damage to him anytime soon. The problem was they chipped at him here and there. He didn¡¯t want to keep applying ointment on his body every day. Health potions were too expensive for doing so little. Better gear would help, and he¡¯d buy those, but he also wanted a more reliable solution to healing himself. Traveling over the bridges and roads from Immaterial Hill to Vigor Hill was a relaxed affair. It turned into a bustling nightmare as he entered the gates of Vigor Hill. He thought there¡¯d be fewer people as the day wrapped up, but because the main temple was closing, the crowd dispersed to the surrounding hills. Vigor Hill was one of the more populated areas because of its numerous students so it drew more people. A hassle, but also a good thing. More people, more merchants, more chances of finding what he was looking for. Always look on the bright side. If only he had summons that shared vision with him to look at every shop. The marketplace from his first visit expanded to occupy the streets, sprawling like an Engorged King Slime over the entire hill as sunset drew nearer. Lantern balls dangling from posts went up and shouting from vendors competed with each other like mating calls. An angry man with a soot-covered face complained to a trinket merchant, ¡°I was looking for something to help me hide in the darkness, not bathe me in whatever this is!¡± Their arguments were drowned by the crowd up ahead, oohing and aahing at whatever the armorer had put on display. Elian stood on tiptoes but couldn¡¯t see what the demonstration was, just that armor of coiled vines was getting hit by swords and sledgehammers. ¡°It has an enchantment of Molten Damascus,¡± Elian heard one of them say. ¡°Makes it impervious to unenchanted weapons.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t what I¡¯m looking for.¡± Elian held his cloak tight about him as he fled from the immovable clusters of people. Underneath his tunic was a pouch full of coins¡ªhis half of the proceeds from selling useable parts of the faeboar. But he wasn¡¯t sure if it¡¯d be enough for what he wanted to buy. ¡°The plants'' section is that way, sir,¡± said a man selling pickled eggs. Finally, Elian found someone who could help him. ¡°Straight down, take the third corner to the right. You¡¯ll see greenery and know you¡¯re there.¡± Elian¡¯s original plan to combat the restrictions of the Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse was to train the regenerative forms of the warrior monks and learn high-level herbalism. Obviously, that couldn¡¯t happen now. Even the herbalism part got knocked off the tracks when he went here instead of Sabyn Mountain. Then something occurred to him while staring at the Creation Trees while resting. He could continue his herbalism plan¡­ sort of. It¡¯d still involve plants. ¡°Hello there, good sir!¡± A portly man in attire too fancy for a rowdy marketplace put down the sandwich he ate when he saw Elian checking his table. ¡°How can I help you? I have all things¡­ well, most things plant that you may require.¡± ¡°Do you have a plant symbiote?¡± Elian asked. ¡°Just the seed, not a dormant seedling. Can¡¯t afford that.¡± ¡°Of course! We have a varied selection to help you survive the Tribulation. The most popular of all is the Living Armor symbiote. Another choice is the Barkskin¡ªI recommend this one. Cheaper and easier to grow. We have metal variants for the Barkskin. Just don¡¯t forget to feed it iron filings unless you want it to suck the iron out of your blood. Then there¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Not for the Tribulation,¡± Elian said. ¡°Something for healing, like Vampiric Pods or maybe Rejuvenating Roots. I hope they¡¯re not too expensive.¡± 15. Dark Alley Dealings Elian didn¡¯t consider using magical plant symbiotes before, though there were many choices with various uses, because they take a long time to grow. Whatever he¡¯d pick would still be weak come tournament time and fighting off the first Giants to show their ugly faces. He also had to care for the plant, buy nutrient solutions, give it Energy, and maybe worry about fungi and plant diseases. And the foremost reason plant symbiotes hadn¡¯t come close to being included in his plans was he¡¯d need to plant it on himself¡ªit was a symbiote after all. He ate plants. Plants didn¡¯t eat him. Supposedly. But desperate times called for desperate measures. ¡°What was that, young man?¡± The fancy merchant cupped a hand on his ear. ¡°This market be too loud. Vampiric Pods?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a vine with pods the size of a fist,¡± Elian replied. ¡°They explode and attach these fanged things on anything nearby and suck out Health to transfer to the host. I¡¯m not an expert on Vampiric Pods, but I know the floramages have made symbiotes of them.¡± ¡°Haven¡¯t heard of it. That other thing you mentioned. Rejuvenating Roots, was it?¡± ¡°Yes. It creates roots to¡­ well¡­ root into the ground and absorb nutrients. Feeds the symbiote and the host. It¡¯s good for healing.¡± This was Elian¡¯s first choice because mature Rejuvenating Roots could quickly heal the host, matching an entire bottle of top-quality health potions. It might not be as handy as a potion that could be chugged during battle¡ªthe host needed to stop moving and take root¡ªbut he expected to survive with his tankiness and just heal afterward. ¡°I have heard of that,¡± the merchant slowly said, stroking his chin. Meaning he doesn¡¯t have it in his shop. ¡°Do you know where I can buy the seed of a Rejuvenating Root? A Vampiric Pod works too. It¡¯ll be more affordable. Or a Leech Reaper Bower. Not sure though if there¡¯s a plant symbiote of that one.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, young man. I don¡¯t think anyone here sells what you¡¯re looking for. The plant symbiotes available are for protecting oneself from the Tribulations. You know, because we¡¯re in the Temples of Tribulation, not Temples of Healing. Why would you need even a symbiote like that? Worried about potion costs after a Tribulation? I have a friend who can give you a discount if you buy in bulk. Ten bottles, get one free.¡± ¡°Costs, uh, yes. Something like that,¡± Elian said. That was just the tip of the reason. Thinking long term, having a sort of self-healing skill would prevent a whole lot of issues he faced in his previous life because of the Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse. He wouldn¡¯t even need magical herbalism. ¡°See it this way, young man,¡± said the merchant. ¡°It¡¯s more economical if you protect yourself against the Tribulation so you¡¯d have fewer to no injuries afterward, am I right? Prevention is better than cure¡ªthat¡¯s what my mum used to say. Magistrate bless her soul.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯ll try to see if I can find it first.¡± ¡°Come back here if you change your mind. I offer the best prices out of anyone else.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t!¡± shouted someone hidden by the crowd. Elian left as an argument among the vendors ensued. Many other stalls sold plant symbiotes, but none had in stock what he was looking for. Just like the fancy merchant, they were confused as to why he didn¡¯t want something like Living Armor or Barkskin. ¡°The Living Armor will protect you during the Tribulation,¡± said a merchant with a big necklace around his frail neck. ¡°You following me so far? After the Tribulation, you heal your Living Armor with a nutrient solution. No need for health potions for you. I have a crate of nutrient solutions that just arrived from¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll keep looking,¡± Elian said. ¡°I¡¯ll return later if I can¡¯t find it.¡± ¡°Make sure that you do return. I offer the best prices¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re a liar!¡± a gruff voice interjected. Elian was quick to find an exit through the stalls, wondering why the plant vendors were so aggressive. Night fell, the sun resting beyond the horizon, on his continuous fruitless search. The closest lead Elian found was a snappy grandmother who had direct contact with the floramagus unions, or so she claimed, offering to order a Rejuvenating Root seed for him. When Elian asked for the price, the number he got was several times the amount in his pouch. ¡°It¡¯s a special order, sonny,¡± said the old lady. ¡°Costs for the message, transporting just that specific seed, the distance. Closest floramages union warehouse is two weeks on groff wagon.¡± ¡°Thank you for your help,¡± Elian said with a bow. Getting it straight from the union would cost too much time and money. ¡°I¡¯ll keep looking. I¡¯ll return¡ªI mean, I¡¯ll just keep looking.¡± Elian searched the entire plant area of the marketplace, asking every stall. Vendors dubbed him the ¡®crazy healing plants buyer¡¯. He was proud of his persistence, though it may prove fruitless. He even visited other parts of Vigor Hill in the vain hope that a random plant vendor was tucked away in an obscure corner. ¡°Where else have I not visited?¡± Elian was back where he started, standing by the stall of the fancy merchant. He could list all the symbiote seeds within his budget and decide their pros and cons. If there was nothing, then¡­ nothing. The fancy merchant said, ¡°Come to take a second look, young man?¡± ¡°Sure, yeah,¡± Elian said with a sigh. ¡°What are¡ªoh, hello?¡± A hooded figure sidled next to him, standing a head taller. From inside the shadows of his hood, only his crooked nose and bushy beard revealed themselves to the light. The man¡¯s robes were scruffy, though a closer look revealed an expensive make under the dirt and grime. ¡°Perhaps I may be of assistance.¡± ¡°Get out of here, Gideon,¡± the fancy merchant said. ¡°I¡¯m merely offering my help,¡± said Gideon in a soft and silky voice not matching his appearance. ¡°Don¡¯t peddle your horrendous plants here.¡± ¡°How dare you call my creations horrendous!¡± A furious finger with a long nail pointed at the fancy merchant as Gideon drew his height even taller. His smooth voice became a growl. Then he turned to Elian, returning to his previous demeanor in a flash. ¡°Come this way, sir. What I offer for sale at my carriage might interest you.¡± The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Following a hooded man to his carriage slotted in a space between a dilapidated pub with barred windows and a collapsed house might not seem to be a good idea. Their location at the end of an empty street, far from lantern balls, wasn¡¯t great. But Elian had found gold in the oddest of places. Sometimes literal gold. He had a suspicion as to the man¡¯s identity and figured this was his last chance of not returning to camp empty-handed. The wagons of Borlen¡¯s group were simple carts covered with canvas roofs. They must¡¯ve spent most of their funds on the absorbing stones. Elian didn¡¯t know how many stones they had recovered after the Tribulation of Penitent Tharguras. Gideon¡¯s carriage was twice as big as Borlen¡¯s wagon, with wooden walls and a roof. It looked more like a workshop on wheels than a standard carriage for well-off passengers. ¡°So¡­ Floramage Gideon.¡± Elian stepped inside the carriage, wrinkling his nose at the cured meat, assortments of herbs, and sharp chemical smells. The space inside was large, packed with cabinets full of jars and other curiosities he wasn¡¯t curious about. ¡°What do you offer for sale?¡± Gideon took off his hood. The lantern orb above, yellowish and dimming with age, caught the deep wrinkles on his pasty face. ¡°How did you know I¡¯m a floramage? Did they tell¡ªno, I never told anyone. Was it because I said my plants are my creations?¡± ¡°That. And the conviction and hatred behind your words when your plants were insulted. Unregistered?¡± Elian asked, remembering the little he knew of floramages affairs. ¡°I prefer the term unshackled. Liberated. But, you¡¯re right. Think of me as willfully unregistered. Knowing, or at least suspecting this, you still followed me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I followed you. If my guess was wrong, if your carriage looked different than I expected, I would¡¯ve run away with all my might and be at Energy Hill by now. Onto possible business then? I¡¯m looking for¡ª¡± Floramage Gideon held up a freakishly long hand. ¡°I¡¯ve overheard from the others¡ªyou seek a plant symbiote that can heal you. Let me guess: potion allergy? You don¡¯t have a Healer friend? A Curse?¡± ¡°The last one.¡± ¡°You also seek to protect yourself from the Tribulation. You would have considered buying a different plant symbiote if I hadn¡¯t approached you. A Penitent, are you not?¡± ¡°I am,¡± Elian said. ¡°Are you done building up your sales pitch?¡± Gideon rolled up his loose sleeve to reveal a glowing green seed on his thin arm. The seed had sprouted tendrils that burrowed into his flesh. Elian¡¯s cheek twitched knowing this would happen to him too if he used a plant symbiote. The floramage pointed at the seed that pulsed as if it were a beating heart. ¡°This is my latest¡ª¡± ¡°Hang on. What¡¯s this one?¡± Elian pointed at another seed further up Gideon¡¯s arm. ¡°Meteoric meatballs, you have several symbiotes feeding off you?¡± ¡°All for the pursuit of science, I offer myself as a test subject.¡± ¡°I have a feeling I know why you¡¯re unregistered. Probably did some other offerings too.¡± ¡°Keep your feelings to yourself, my good sire. Where was I? Yes, this symbiote combines the effects of the Living Armor, Barkskin, and Rejuvenating Root.¡± ¡°A hybrid?¡± Elian peered closer at the symbiote. It''s quite young to still have its seed casing. He had seen bigger ones on people, covering half their chest, tendrils creeping beneath the host¡¯s skin. ¡°Not a hybrid.¡± Gideon wagged his creepy finger at Elian. ¡°Combined effects, not that I combined the plants themselves. Those three are from different families. You can¡¯t breed them willy-nilly, my dear customer.¡± ¡°Potential customer.¡± ¡°I extracted the desired essence from those three plants,¡± Gideon went on, ignoring Elian. ¡°Then I surgically implanted them through astral means into the soul of a fourth plant. I¡¯ll keep its identity a secret. And thus, I have created, after hundreds of failures, the Guardian Exactor Vine!¡± Vines grew out of Gideon¡¯s arm and coiled around it, completely covering it. ¡°The effects of the Living Armor,¡± Elian said. ¡°Not quite. For this layer of vines is not durable enough to block powerful Tribulations.¡± The green vines began to shrivel up and turn yellowish. Gideon knocked on it. ¡°A combination of Barkskin and Living Armor. Instead of turning your skin into a defensive bark, you build this calcified layer of armor. The Guardian Exactor Vine is young, but this hardened cocoon of vines can block sword strikes. It will only grow stronger with age and the attributes it feeds upon.¡± ¡°What was that? Attributes?¡± ¡°And its last ability,¡± The calcified armor broke apart and fell to the ground. Another set of vines grew, thinner and of a darker color. They reached for a bottle on the table. With slight difficulty, the vines managed to open the bottle and dip their tips inside what Elian assumed to be a nutrient solution. ¡°The trait of the Rejuvenating Root,¡± said Gideon with pride in his voice. ¡°Can you ask for a more perfect creation for a Champion Penitent?¡± ¡°Probably not,¡± Elian said. ¡°But I¡¯m going to ask why you¡¯re not famous if you¡¯ve made such an awesome plant symbiote. You¡¯re unregistered; that¡¯s part of the reason, I suppose. You¡¯ll still have many customers with under-the-table dealings.¡± Gideon sniffed as he jutted out his chin. ¡°People are yet to recognize my genius.¡± ¡°I am recognizing your genius. However, I also sense there¡¯s a catch. What¡¯s the downside of the Guardian Exactor Vine? It¡¯s in the name, isn¡¯t it? It doesn¡¯t tap the host¡¯s Health or Energy, but instead¡­¡± ¡°The attributes,¡± Gideon answered with a dramatic sigh. ¡°The fourth plant, the crucible holding the essence of the other three, is a Revulsion Dread Sapper from Black Flint Valley the next region yonder. It will drain any prey trapped in its vines of all their attributes until they are too weak to escape the digestive¡ªwait! Make no mistake, my creation does not kill the host.¡± ¡°It only drains attributes,¡± Elian pointedly said. His mind already worked in the background. He knew of the Revulsion Dread Sapper, making itself stronger from the attributes of its victims. There might be something to this. ¡°A fraction of the attributes to make itself stronger. Think of it as a Curse exacting payment for its benefits, hence the name.¡± Gideon fixed his sleeves and retrieved a box from the drawer. Inside looked like a seed of the Guardian Exactor Vine that hadn¡¯t sprouted yet. ¡°Try it for yourself, dear customer. Three days to sprout. A week or so to grow enough for use. Assess for yourself.¡± ¡°How much? My budget is tight.¡± ¡°The price of a basic Barkskin seed is what I ask. I should charge higher, but this is a new product not yet familiar to the market. You¡¯ll help me market it through your usage as part of the payment.¡± ¡°How can I trust you that this seed is what you say it is? I prefer not getting scammed out of my hard-earned money.¡± Symbiote seedlings commanded a higher price because they had successfully germinated and the customer could confirm the plant species they were buying. Seeds were trickier and relied on the seller¡¯s reputation. Vendors at the marketplace wouldn¡¯t risk selling fake goods and ruining the future of their business for one measly sale. An unregistered floramagus hiding in a dark alley, on the other hand, could easily disappear the next day. ¡°I understand your reservations,¡± said Gideon. ¡°I offer this solution: pay when you have confirmed the product. Receive the Guardian Exactor Vine seed and let it take root. I¡¯ll cast a binding upon it, hindering its growth for two weeks. Enough time for you to test it. Come back, pay, and I¡¯ll dispel the binding.¡± ¡°What if I run away and not pay you?¡± Gideon bowed. ¡°The risk I take. You don¡¯t need to flee, dear customer. Simply tell me you find my creation unsatisfactory, and I¡¯ll accept it as a business loss. However, I have full confidence in my product and my assessment of you as an honest man.¡± He unscrewed the cap of a bottle with purple liquid. The smell of rotten eggs filled the carriage. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Elian asked, coughing. ¡°Acid?¡± ¡°My own recipe. That fact you¡¯re not looking for a symbiote to help your durability tells me I¡¯ll need this acid to open a hole in your flesh. Do you accept the deal I offered?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just looking for a test subject, am I right?¡± Elian presented his arm. 16. A Friend In Me Elian changed his pose for the following day¡¯s Tribulation, his fifth one. Instead of crossing both arms above his head, he only used one and held the other close to his chest, protecting it with his body. The Tribulation descended twice, slamming hard on the armguard and helmet he bought yesterday. ¡°Didn¡¯t hurt much,¡± he muttered, coughing from the dust clouds rolling around. The runic scribbles on the ground a foot radius from him were wiped clean as the soil got compressed. The giant palm imprint was more noticeable today. As he stood, he noted the deep indents left behind by his knees. He¡¯d have to find another place for tomorrow because he couldn¡¯t draw a defensive magic seal here. Checking his gear, he found the metal plate of his armguard got warped by the impact. ¡°And I just bought this yesterday,¡± he said with a sigh. ¡°That¡¯s what I get for being cheap. At least the helmet looks¡ªoh, a couple of dents. Maybe Casimir could hammer these out.¡± Borlen¡¯s nephew was a self-taught blacksmith and carpenter, in charge of all repairs for their pilgrim group. Elian didn¡¯t splurge on armor because he didn¡¯t need it. He was plenty tanky due to his Divine Bestowals. Weapons would¡¯ve helped him more. The armguards and helmet were for protecting body parts hit the most by the Tribulation. His right armguard was unscathed because he didn¡¯t block the Tribulation with it. Removing it revealed bandages covering his arm. ¡°Should I have placed the seed in my left arm instead?¡± He planted the seed in the inner part of his right arm. Floramage Gideon told him not to disturb the wrappings soaked in special liquid fertilizer for at least a day. But Elian couldn¡¯t help himself. Just a peek. He wanted to see how it was growing as a consolation to the gnawing pain, like that caused by his cleaver, and the eerie wriggling inside his flesh. He couldn¡¯t meditate last night because the plant symbiote taking root was too distracting. Borlen offered him a strong ale to help him sleep soundly, which he took and got rewarded with a headache. There were splotches of blood on the bandages as Elian uncoiled it. According to Gideon, the acid concoction was slow but long-lasting, nibbling away his flesh for hours to help the tendrils of the plant spread. The acid didn¡¯t affect plants, Gideon added. The floramage seemed too prepared for this that Elian suspected there were other ¡®test subject¡¯ customers before him. Gently pulling away the last layer of the bandage, a faint green light pulsed. Inside the notch in his flesh, ringed with scabs, the seed of the Guardian Exactor Vine had a mane of hair-like tendrils. Elian immediately wrapped it again, fighting the urge to dig it out of his arm. He couldn¡¯t get the disturbing image out of his head. This must be why Gideon told him not to open it. That madman had several plant symbiotes on him. ¡°I¡¯ll get used to this,¡± Elian coaxed himself. He got used to dragon bone shards etched with Kymorathi soul words sewn beneath his skin for a perpetual protective barrier. This was nothing. He placed his left hand on the seed and called up its attributes. Guardian Exactor Vine | Plant Symbiote | Level:0 Health: 100/100 Energy: 25/25 ATTRIBUTES: Attack Power: 10 Magic Power: 10 Armor: 10 Magic Resilience: 10 TRAITS: (Germinating) His symbiote got roped into his Covenant with the Gods and had its own display. The same applied to summons like Manifested Armor. Attributes of Aether constructs would be based on the Aether mage¡¯s mastery of magic, concentration, and quality of Aether in the surroundings. On the other hand, the stats of a Living Armor symbiote were mostly affected by how well it was taken care of by the host. The Guardian Exactor Vine would most likely adopt Elian¡¯s attributes as it grew, knowing it was essentially a mutated Revulsion Dread Sapper. The Sapper of Black Flint Valley absorbed all attributes from its prey and would take on their characteristics. Elian had once encountered a Sapper that had eaten a group of mages some time ago. The abominable plant could cast spells and was incredibly resilient against magic. What if I gave my pet plant lots of Armor? That was Elian¡¯s thought when he agreed to Gideon¡¯s offer. Making a hardened cocoon, he could not only protect himself¡ªhe could even root and heal in the middle of battle¡ªbut he could also protect others. Or why just him and his allies? Cocoon his enemies! See how they¡¯d try breaking out of that. He could do a lot of things if the Guardian Exactor Vine worked as advertised. Could it also absorb the attributes of his enemies? The question was how much Armor his pet plant would drain from him, and how tanky it could get. Still some growing to do before he could assess it.
The plant symbiote wasn¡¯t much of a distraction during class. Elian¡¯s arm had become swollen and hot throughout the day. The bright side was that it masked the writhing pain, turning it into more preferable persistent numbness. What was distracting were the noisy people around Jadewell. She constructed an Aether replica of the earrings she wore. A damn good copy, from the sound of it. Elian remained seated under the canopy of the Creation Tree, not bothering to insert himself into the group. Students a few weeks their senior could make various forms, even up to four or five simultaneously. But none could construct something with such intricacy and precision. Jadewell had a hard time making multiple forms. Understandable because she was just starting this part of the training. And yet, she managed to copy her earing almost to perfect dimensions. This was just a few days from awakening her Aethersense. ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re a Khaero,¡± said a woman with veiled hair. Elian guessed she was from Sarhat given her mahogany skin and the design of her clothes. She must have traveled here to learn the foreigner¡¯s ways of Aether Magic. The Dagalan let out a croaky laugh, his fangs showing as he opened his mouth. ¡°The blood of your Aether mage ancestors manifest in you.¡± Can skill be inherited? Elian wasn¡¯t too sure about that. There were certain special Bloodlines on Fellenyr, but that wasn¡¯t what the students were talking about. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Being born into a family of Aether mages was an advantage in terms of education and environment, not because of inheriting skills through blood. A large part of Jadewell¡¯s success was her hard work. She must¡¯ve struggled to meet her family¡¯s expectations. Elian thought Jadewell would be offended being told her success was because of her family¡ªhe would be pissed off in her situation¡ªbut she looked¡­ happy. He misunderstood the situation. Jadewell wanted to be recognized as a Khaero. Despite interacting with a lot of people, both on Earth and here on Fellenyr, he was a hit-or-miss reading them. What about this guy? Thorren approached with a wave. He also didn¡¯t join the other students around Jadewell. ¡°What are you drinking there?¡± He pointed at the bottle filled with muddy green liquid beside Elian. ¡°An elixir that helps with concentration? Care to share a swig? Storm God knows I need it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a nutrient solution,¡± Elian replied. Gideon gave it for free. That crazy floramage was really experimenting on him. ¡°This is for the plant symbiote I bought yesterday.¡± ¡°A plant¡ªwhat was that?¡± Elian decided to show Thorren rather than explain. He unwrapped the bandages on his right arm, grinning as Thorren¡¯s face twisted in horror at the sight. He didn¡¯t expect this guy to be squeamish. ¡°A pa-parasite plant?¡± Thorren backed away. He leaned on the Creation Tree¡¯s trunk and started to gag. ¡°A symbiote could be a parasite,¡± Elian explained, holding his laughter. ¡°But it could also have a mutualistic relationship with the host, like this one. It¡¯s a give-and-take thing between us. Are you familiar with Living Armor?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen a couple of people use them at the Stage of Devotion.¡± Thorren wiped his mouth as he stood straight again, scrambling to piece together his fa?ade of toughness. ¡°That¡­ thing. Is it a Living Armor yet to grow?¡± ¡°Not a Living Armor. Don¡¯t have the money for that. Can think of this as a cheaper version of it. I take what I can get.¡± ¡°I respect your efforts to explore various avenues for surviving Tribulations,¡± Thorren said. ¡°In my case, after I received the Magistrate¡¯s Boon¡ªand don¡¯t tell our teachers about this¡ªI went to Vigor Hill and studied body tempering. I was advised the basic training offered was comprehensive enough for a student to continue learning on their own. I had no intentions of proceeding to Steelskin Forms. After a month there, I switched to the Path of the Immaterial to set myself apart from other Penitents on the Stage of Devotion.¡± ¡°You can make a name for yourself as the Penitent wearing Aether armor. Color your constructs with something eye-catching. Not just solid colors like blue or red. Have different shades or combine contrasting colors for a striking appearance.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Thorren nodded, gazing into the dark sky of the glass walls. ¡°A brilliant suggestion you make, friend. And a name to go with the color scheme. I can hear the crowd shouting¡­ I don¡¯t know yet. Can you think of a good name for me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not good with names,¡± Elian said, remembering the fiasco that got him Cursed with Tranquil Corrosion instead of obtaining its Boon counterpart. ¡°Sorry for not being of much help.¡± ¡°Your suggestion with colors for my construct was help I appreciate.¡± Thorren leaned closer and lowered his voice. ¡°There¡¯s something else I hope you can help me with. I can¡¯t seem to focus on gathering Aether. I managed to achieve Aethersense in a short time because of my meditation training at Vigor Hill. But I¡¯m stumped in this next stage of learning.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re forcing it too much,¡± said Elian. Thorren¡¯s temper tantrum yesterday was proof. ¡°We meditated for Aethersense, right? In a trance, our mind is different. Our mindset is also different. Time isn¡¯t really there. But now, while gathering Aether, we¡¯re not in a trance. We can feel the hours go by without progress. You¡¯re becoming impatient, expecting to be done with the task quickly.¡± Thorren looked like he was constipated. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ admit it is as you say.¡± ¡°I guessed right? Let me guess some more then. Because of your impatience, I assume you¡¯re trying to impose your will on the Aether. Just like we didn¡¯t force Aethersense, it won¡¯t do you good here forcefully gathering Aether. Just relaxed plucking from your surroundings. Impose your will after you have the Aether to mold.¡± ¡°Relaxed plucking?¡± He had an unconvinced expression. ¡°I¡¯ll try that. Many thanks, friend.¡± Elian continued gathering Aether in two points, one visible and the other hidden. An inch above his finger, he had a spherical Aether construct the size of a ping-pong ball. Inside his pocket, he was already trying to make a cube. Then he kept adding faces as he stabilized the form. After lunch¡ªpilgrims donated food to the students¡ªVarmisal gave a lecture about visualization. He also asked Jadewell to share her experience with the class. Elian thought she¡¯d be shy. Again, he was wrong. She was in her element explaining to the class that anyone passing would think she was a teacher. A very insightful lesson she gave. Varmisal soundlessly clapped after she finished, showering her with praises. Only then did she turn red and hide behind her hair, crouching beside a tree to make herself small. The advice she shared was quite helpful, giving new insight even to Elian who had more experience than all the students combined with Aether Magic. He was always welcome to learn new things. It seemed to have helped Thorren too. ¡°I¡¯ve succeeded.¡± Thorren showed Elian that he could now gather Aether after the class finished. ¡°That¡¯s great. See, you were just too impatient. Your obstacle was yourself.¡± Thorren smiled a bit wistfully. ¡°I do have a habit of holding myself back. Again, many thanks for the help, Elian.¡± It was the first time Thorren called Elian by his name. Thorren walked a few steps to the door but then stopped and turned around. ¡°Say, are you free this afternoon? Perhaps you can accompany me to the Stage of Devotion.¡± Elian thought it¡¯d be an interesting trip. ¡°Are you going to join? How many Tribulations have you passed?¡± ¡°Fourteen. It¡¯ll be my fifteenth later. Since I reached ten Tribulations, I¡¯ve participated there.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m free. I haven¡¯t seen how the Stage of Devotion thing works though I¡¯ve been here for almost a week now.¡± Each of the six hills around the main temple hill has its own Stage of Devotion. These amphitheaters were open for the entire day but started filling up only late in the afternoon when classes had ended and Penitents were ready to apply what they¡¯d learned for the day. Thorren and Elian went to Vigor Hill. ¡°It¡¯s the most crowded Stage,¡± Thorren explained. ¡°Most lucrative for gathering support.¡± Thorren¡¯s cousins were waiting outside Vigor Hill¡¯s gates. Four of them, all red-haired too. The eldest cousin was fifteen and the youngest was a two-year-old boy in her arms. Elian thought better than to ask why these children were with Thorren. He had expected Thorren¡¯s cousins to be around his age or older, a group of warriors searching the world for their fortune. ¡°We¡¯ve brought your armor,¡± said Nelisha, the eldest. She passed her youngest sibling to the second youngest so she and her next-in-line brother could help Thorren suit up. First was a heavy tunic threaded with protective scripts. Next was padded armor filled with the wool of Gurner Buffalords. Thorren explained those beasts native to Rakhon had magical fur that muted the strength of strikes. Last were steel plates embedded with enchanted gems. Nelisha and her brother struggled to secure the plates on the padding. Elian volunteered to help them. ¡°These are hand-me-downs from my father and uncle,¡± said Thorren. ¡°You¡¯re very prepared,¡± Elian said. ¡°The Stage of Devotion also gives protection to the Penitent. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get through it no problem.¡± ¡°I hope so,¡± muttered Nelisha as she double-checked the ties and straps. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Nelisha,¡± Thorren said. ¡°I also have this.¡± He reached inside his tunic and pulled out four cylindrical pieces, each the size of a thumb, secured by a chain around his neck. ¡°Interlocking glyph stones. My uncle spent a fortune acquiring five. He lost one in an accident. He wore this when he¡­ uh. I wear it now.¡± ¡°Wait, let me look at that,¡± Elian said as Thorren returned the necklace inside his clothes. ¡°Their order is wrong.¡± 17. A Supportive Friend Thorren clutched the necklace and glanced at his cousins. Nelisha gave him a subtle nod. Thorren removed the necklace. ¡°This is an important memento,¡± he said, handing it to Elian after a few seconds of pause. ¡°My uncle had this for several years. Are you telling me he was using it wrong?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Elian said. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t spend a lot of money and not know how to use this. Did your uncle give you this necklace as is?¡± ¡°My father didn¡¯t give it to Thorren,¡± Nelisha said. ¡°I gave it to him after I pieced it back together.¡± ¡°What?¡± Thorren jolted. ¡°This was broken?¡± ¡°Not broken.¡± Nelisha vehemently shook her head. ¡°The glyph stones are fine; Grandma Lemma was very sure. But the chain snapped when father¡­ the Tribulation.¡± Her voice cracked. She shook her head as if it¡¯d throw painful memories out of her mind. ¡°Glyph stones scattered. Found just four of the five. I put them back together and gave them to you. I¡¯m really sorry if I did something wrong.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware glyph stones needed to be ordered correctly,¡± Thorren said. ¡°They¡¯re called interlocking glyph stones because this entire thing¡ª¡± Elian pointed at the long cylinder made of four smaller pieces ¡°¡ªworks as one after you put them together. But order is key to how they work. It goes right to left if you¡¯re wearing it. Which means that the first piece should be this one.¡± Elian dismantled the cylinder and held up a glyph stone with an inscription of inverted triangles on top of each other. ¡°Can¡¯t recall the correct term for this piece,¡± Elian said. ¡°We¡¯re just going to call it a modifier. It boosts all the other pieces. What you have here empowers connected glyph stones by ten percent, if I¡¯m not mistaken. It should go first, not last.¡± Nelisha covered her mouth as she gasped. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Thorren. I didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°No harm done,¡± Thorren quickly replied, patting her head. ¡°I¡¯m alive and well through all my previous Tribulations. If anything, it¡¯s my fault for not learning about glyph stones. The Storm God sent Elian to help us. What¡¯s the next piece to use, friend?¡± Elian held up a glyph stone with squiggly lines. ¡°If you see this, it means the stone reduces damage by a percentage, so it should be rightmost after the modifier stone. After that, these last two pieces are barriers. As a rule, use the stronger one first because the weaker barrier will merge with it. And there you have it.¡± Thorren wore the redone necklace. A thin film of silver and then gold covered his body, combining to become a shimmering coat before fading away. ¡°It has never done that before,¡± he said. ¡°Storm God, strike me down if I¡¯m delusional, but I can feel myself more protected. My deep gratitude, friend. I won¡¯t forget your help.¡± Nelisha and her siblings mumbled their thanks too. The amphitheater was packed when they entered. Thorren went to line up with the other Penitents while Elian led the children up the stairs to find an empty spot to stand in because all the seats were taken. ¡°Is it always this crowded?¡± Elian asked. Nelisha nodded as she hugged her youngest brother tight, protecting his head from the jostling crowd. ¡°Followers of Tharguras and Faridar are in town, so it got this crazy. Wasn¡¯t this bad before Tharguras arrived.¡± She was more laid back in her speech compared to the sometimes too-formal Thorren. Penitents appeared one by one, from the lowest Tribulation¡ªten gunning for their eleventh¡ªto the highest. Save the most exciting for last. It also ensured the weaker Penitents would have an audience and donations. If the crowd favorites went first, pilgrims might empty their pockets for them and immediately leave. So that¡¯s the protection of the Stage of Devotion. Elian was too far away to examine the individual components making the layered seals protecting the Penitent. Barrier Mages patrolled the edge of the arena to protect the audience. This level of defenses couldn¡¯t contain the Tribulation of Tharguras. Elian assumed there was some sort of limit for Penitents who wanted to participate. The Tribulation slammed on the first Penitent, a grizzled middle-aged man who had poured purple liquid on himself and then generated a forcefield. Modest cheering and a light rattle of coins. People wishing to donate could drop their coins into the railings of the tiered seatings. The coins would get sucked to the bottom-most tier and collected for the Penitent. A parade of Penitents. The same pattern repeated. A loud slam. Cheers. Rattling coins. Elian focused on the different means of defense the Penitents used to distract himself from the baking heat of packed bodies. Maybe he was imagining things, but he swore the audience kept multiplying, people finding spaces where there were none. On the bright side¡ªthere¡¯s always one¡ªit was fun to learn about how different Paths were used and combined. As the turn of Penitents calling for their fifteenth Tribulation neared, Nelisha¡¯s face lost its color. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Elian said as if that¡¯d magically erase her worries. He sucked at comforting other people on Earth. Fifteen years on Fellenyr didn¡¯t help him get better at it. ¡°Did Thorren get hurt last time?¡± Nelisha shook her head, not speaking. She had pressed her lips so hard together they turned white. ¡°Then he also won¡¯t get hurt now,¡± Elian said. ¡°Especially with your uncle¡¯s necklace working properly.¡± Nelisha could only nod. She stood on tiptoes to see over the head of the crowd as Thorren entered the arena. Her siblings wanted to have a look too. Elian bent down to pick them up, but Nelisha stopped him. Without hearing her explanation, he discerned she didn¡¯t want them to see if something untoward happened to Thorren. Thorren puffed his chest out with confidence. There was a slight swagger in his steps as he walked to the center of the Stage of Devotion. His bulky armor amplified his strong presence. Elian stood by his first impression of Thorren¡ªthis guy looked like a Champion Penitent with throngs of supporters. The audience thought so too. They cheered louder for Thorren than for other Penitents. Some coins rattled even before the Tribulation was called down. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. The defenses of the Stage of Devotion activated. Thorren assumed the first stance of body tempering. Some sparkles flickered on his body. He was gathering Aether, not for protection but for effect. Nelisha muttered a prayer in her native tongue. The siblings held each other hands tighter. The skies darkened. Elian hoped that Thorren would be unhurt, uttering a quick prayer to some unnamed god. He frowned. I¡¯m worried? Why? Before Elian could dissect his thought, the Tribulation descended in a blue strike. The ground vibrated. Nelisha gasped. The amphitheater fell silent for a moment. Thorren remained standing. The protective coat from his necklace shimmered in the last rays of the setting sun. He punched the air and roared in triumph. ¡°Thorren! Thorren!¡± Elian shouted, egging on the crowd. ¡°Come on, yell his name!¡± At first, people were surprised at his shouting. They had cheered for other Penitents but never mentioned names. Just general support for everyone. Elian continued yelling; stopping would be asking for humiliation. After giving Elian a bewildered look, Nelisha laughed and cheered for Thorren too. Like a spreading wildfire, the cheers spread outward from Elian, the crowd following his chants. Having an easy-to-say name definitely helped. It sounded catchy too. ¡°Thorren!¡± ¡°Thorren!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Thorren?¡± Elian heard someone say behind him. ¡°Probably the guy on stage?¡± his companion sarcastically replied. ¡°Use your brain and eyes now.¡± Thorren¡¯s name echoed in the amphitheater, accented with a tinkling stream of coins. Thorren was surprised at the reaction and gaped at the stands, almost tumbling on his way down the stage. Elian facepalmed himself. Don¡¯t ruin your exit. ¡°It¡¯s over¡­¡± Nelisha exhaled long as if expelling every bit of air from her body. They descended the tiers to look for Thorren. The Tribulations continued with steadily stronger thumps and quakes. A couple of Penitents were a tad underprepared and suffered grievous injuries. Healers were quick to respond. No deaths so far. Elian still maintained the entire thing was a morbid event. If Thorren died, I can¡¯t save him in the next rewind. There were no more rewinds. This was the worry nibbling at Elian. In his previous life, he connected with people, made strong bonds with friends and allies. But there was a distance he couldn¡¯t get rid of. He hated to admit to himself, but there were times he didn¡¯t fight as hard as he could. Didn¡¯t care much for their deaths. He¡¯d save them in the next loop¡ªthat was what he always told himself. Changing things in the next timeline also meant he might not even make friends with them. Like now, he didn¡¯t go south to the City of Mists. At this point in the previous timeline, Yanira was helping learn the ropes of magic in this new world. Their connection would be erased after the rewind¡ªElian used this excuse to stop himself from getting too attached to others. Now, there was no rewind. This was it. He needed to bring himself to care more beyond the bigger idea of defeating the Giants to save humanity. ¡°Um, si-sir,¡± Nelisha said while they waited for Thorren. He must be collecting and counting his coins. ¡°Thorren respects you, sir. Can you¡­ can you convince him to stop doing this? But don¡¯t tell him I said it,¡± she hastily added. ¡°He keeps saying this is to make money. I don¡¯t understand him. Money isn¡¯t worth risking his life in front of everyone.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not necessarily risking his life¡ª¡± Elian began to say. ¡°Yeah, he makes sure he¡¯s going to survive it. He promised us he won¡¯t go through with a Tribulation unless he¡¯s dead certain nothing will go wrong. All those assurances. Hunting is also dangerous, and those things. This is different.¡± Elian recalled Thorren¡¯s explanation to Lyra about his motivations. It was something deeper than money. ¡°Wasn¡¯t your father also a Penitent?¡± he asked. ¡°I think Thorren wants to emulate him. He mentioned in class something about Champion Penitents having many followers.¡± Nelisha wrinkled her brows. ¡°Father didn¡¯t have many followers, except if you counted me and my siblings following him around town to town while he performed Tribulations. He didn¡¯t progress far in his Tribulations because of an¡­ accident.¡± She sniffed, her eyes watering. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Thorren,¡± Elian said, thinking what his true motivation could be. Having lots of followers was obviously a lie. Maybe it had something to do with regaining their family honor. Thorren ran up to them with a big grin and an even bigger pouch of coins. Nelisha tried to look happy, but Elian could tell she was already imagining the worst that might happen in the next Tribulation and the next one. Elian would find the time to talk to Thorren when they¡¯d gotten closer. It was time he learned how to deal with people. His time travel rewind excuse was no longer available. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Elian said. They were walking away from the amphitheater when they met another large crowd of people heading to it. Elian and the red-headed family flattened themselves against the wooden side of a cookshop to let the praying horde pass. ¡°Are they supporters of a popular Penitent?¡± ¡°They¡¯re accompanying Priest Thalman,¡± Thorren shouted his explanation. Was that the priest over there? People seemed to give way to the balding crown barely noticeable because of its owner¡¯s short height. ¡°Is he going to watch the Tribulations?¡± ¡°He helps us Penitents. Twice or thrice a week, he visits the Stages of Devotions. If he was around, all the Tribulations were guaranteed to be completed without issue. Once I was lucky to avail of his aid.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know he¡¯s such a nice guy.¡± ¡°Way better than Priestess Hazelheart,¡± said Nelisha with such spite that Elian was sure she had a personal bad experience with the intimidating priestess. ¡°Priest Thalman visits all the Stages of Devotions,¡± Thorren added. ¡°Extends help to all.¡± ¡°How is he¡ª?¡± Elian realized the answer. ¡°His illusions. Or clones. Whichever is which.¡± And it wasn¡¯t only the amphitheaters that Priest Thalman visited. When Elian returned to camp, he learned from Borlen that the multiplying priest passed by there too, giving blessings to the people. Proselyting was so much easier for religion if one missionary could multiply himself into many copies to spread their beliefs. ¡°He talked to me, the good priest did,¡± said Borlen, his eyes sparkling with delight. He momentarily forgot his disdain of Stagnants, which included Thalman. ¡°I unburdened myself to him. My heart feels lighter now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, brother,¡± Elian said. ¡°The priest told me to choose how to carry my burden. I¡¯m not really sure what it means, but you¡¯re the example. You chose to share your weight with him.¡± ¡°I suppose I did,¡± Borlen said. ¡°The good priest also promised to let me borrow religious equipment. I might attempt to call another Tribulation.¡± "I''ll support you in any way I can," Elian said, meaning each word. It wasn''t even two weeks since he joined Borlen''s group, but he had bonded with them. Also, there was something inexplicably satisfying about seeing someone find hope again. 18. Shifting Scoreboard The next day started uneventfully enough with Elian calling for his Tribulation. He managed to wake up earlier than Borlen and left the camp before anyone could offer to accompany him for his Tribulation. They knew what he was doing because the sound of the impact could reach far in the quiet of the forest. Good thing the impacts were close to each other that he could wave it away as echoes. Making excuses was tough. He might have to wake up earlier and earlier each day to avoid Borlen until it¡¯d be before sunrise. Attack Power and Health again¡ªhis plant symbiote would appreciate it in the future. He also leveled up, a reward for taking on a powerful attack. His Aether training also helped in his progress. Remember to visit Floramage Gideon later for a check-up, he thought with a groan. Back to Vigor Hill with way too many people. Elian examined the aftermath of the Tribulation. He shoved aside the pulverized pieces on the ground with his foot. ¡°These clay tablets aren¡¯t a good idea.¡± Since he couldn¡¯t carve on stone and didn¡¯t have the money to pay others to do it, or even just buy ready-made runestones, he thought of writing on clay tablets and then harden them. These didn¡¯t look dry enough; he should¡¯ve put them under the sun for longer. Though it probably wouldn¡¯t matter much against the Tribulation. Back to the drawing board. He had a couple of days to think of the next thing to test because he wouldn¡¯t do his early-morning Tribulation routine tomorrow. He¡¯d save it up for a hunt after his classes. By then, he expected to level up again¡ªsurviving a Tribulation and killing a monster¡ªand gain the last Favor Point for the Elder Giant¡¯s Curse. If he was lucky, he could sell whatever quarry he¡¯d kill. Passing through the streets of the Cauldron, Elian saw signs that the day might not be as uneventful as he expected. Pilgrims wearing red robes flocked around preachers singing praises of Faridar. Red banners went up along the road. Shouting matches between red robes and other pilgrim groups smoldered here and there. Guards dispersed them before anything untoward happened, telling the noisy factions to take their arguments outside the walls. ¡°What was that?¡± Elian slowed down to listen to a Faridar follower, publicly and very loudly praying on top of a stack of crates. The owner of the boxes of vegetables yelled for the red-robed man to come down, but the latter continued with his prayer. ¡°¡ªand guide our Champion Penitent Faridar in meeting the strike from the heavens! We ask of you¡­¡± ¡°So that¡¯s what it¡¯s all about,¡± Elian said, walking away. ¡°Faridar is going to match the high score of Tharguras. Seems like it¡¯s happening today. No wonder these red guys are so busy.¡± Recalling the Tribulation of Tharguras, Elian guessed that Faridar¡¯s followers remaining on the hills should be preparing for the triumphant arrival of their Champion Penitent. Of course, that was assuming Faridar would succeed. He and his other followers must be in that huge clearing an hour away from the hills, preparing for the Tribulation. Elian was tempted to cut classes¡ªsomething he had done a few times in his college days¡ªto watch Faridar¡¯s Tribulation. But if mingling amongst the fans of a fierce rival sports team was a bad idea, even more so in this case. He wasn¡¯t wearing blue, but many people knew he was with Borlen¡¯s group. Even on Immaterial Hill, the least populated of the six hills around the main temple, red robes scurried around. A couple approached Elian to share their word about something he didn¡¯t care about. He politely told them he¡¯d come to the main temple later before they could start their speech. He wasn¡¯t going to, of course. Though he wanted to see who Faridar was, his hatred of crowds won out. It was a relief to reach the garden of Creation Trees inside the school. Jadewell¡¯s progress yesterday pulled others to improve faster. There was the inspiration aspect, but having a student explain to other students was the more helpful part. Study groups saved Elian¡¯s ass more times than he could count during his college days. Elian recalled a story he heard from a motivational speaker during a company teambuilding he was forced to attend. For the longest time, runners thought it was impossible to run a mile in four minutes. Athletes tried for decades and failed. And then one guy managed to run a four-minute mile. Suddenly, others could do it too and records were broken left and right. Physical versus psychological barriers. Applicable more so for Aether Magic where the only limitation was the mind. Only limitation. And yet, it was a vast desert to be traversed on foot with no water¡ªthis was how the Sarhat King explained it. The human lifespan was too short and too troubled to gain enlightenment and wield Aether like a god. Elian didn¡¯t need to be a god. His goal was to make constructs to defend against both physical and magical attacks, especially the latter. He¡¯d stay in this school until his Manifested Armor was decent enough before resuming his travels to gather Boons, skills, and equipment. Thorren let out a triumphant roar from somewhere to the back of the garden. He showed off two spheres of Aether. ¡°Wonderful work, Thorren,¡± Varmisal said, clapping without sound as usual. ¡°How is everyone else doing?¡± I¡¯ll show off a bit tomorrow, Elian decided. Since the class has progressed, he shouldn¡¯t be left behind. Maybe he could make a tiny shield or could go for something more intricate like a helmet. For now, he took advantage of Varmisal¡¯s attention on him, the supposed laggard of the class. Varmisal¡¯s shimmering summons brought more scrolls and books. The lessons were different compared to what Elian learned in Sarhat. Made it all the more interesting. ¡°Remember not to tighten your core or hold your breath as you gather Aether,¡± Varmisal said. ¡°A tranquil mind and body are the key. Momentarily remove problems from your mind. I know we all have burdens, but it¡¯s not as if you¡¯re slated to save the world. Put your burden down for now.¡± Elian struggled to keep his face straight. His mission wasn¡¯t technically saving the world. Just all of humanity. Less pressure, he sarcastically thought. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Varmisal gestured at the open books on the grass. ¡°Alternate between these three illustrations to see which helps map your mind¡¯s path the most. A sensation of freeness will confirm the one best suited for you. Continue as you are. I¡¯ll return later to check your progress.¡± Varmisal would be surprised if he knew Elian could gather Aether in three points now, two of which were inside the pouch he was sitting on. Gathering Aether out of sight was already hard enough; not using his hand as a focal point upped the difficulty. He was sure he succeeded in doing it because he felt pointy things under his butt. A cube was his goal, but it turned out differently because he couldn¡¯t see his construction. ¡°On second thought,¡± he mumbled, dispelling whatever was poking his behind, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t gather Aether under me.¡± Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Jadewell looking his way. She had been doing it for several minutes. What was she thinking about? Did she see herself in him? Elian being the supposed last in class must¡¯ve triggered bad memories in her. He faced her, hoping to make friends and someday connect with the family of Aether mages. Their eyes met. She turned away and shifted to the side, hiding behind a Creation Tree trunk. So much for making friends. ¡°Are you going to the Stage of Devotion?¡± Elian asked Thorren at the end of their class. The other students were in a hurry to leave for some reason, with Jadewell pulling off her patented disappearing technique. ¡°No, I promised my cousins to not do consecutive Tribulations,¡± Thorren replied. ¡°Always rest and prepare for the next Tribulation even if I wasn¡¯t hurt during the previous one. But even without my promise, I won¡¯t go today because there won¡¯t be any people there. Have you heard that Penitent Faridar is attempting his two hundred and seventy-ninth Tribulation? It¡¯s over by this point, I reckon.¡± ¡°Ah, right,¡± Elian said. That was why the other students immediately left. Wouldn¡¯t want to be caught up in the crowd for hours. ¡°People will be at the main temple to celebrate¡­ if Faridar succeeded. Do you think he did? ¡°More than likely. When his rivalry with Tharguras began, Faridar was thought by many to be the stronger one. Note that I¡¯m merely repeating what I¡¯ve heard from others. I haven¡¯t attended any of their Tribulations. I avoided witnessing any Tribulations until I came here and received the Magistrate¡¯s Boon.¡± Elian wanted to ask about Thorren¡¯s last sentence but decided there were better things to do than dig up someone¡¯s painful past. And so, Elian made his way to Vigor Hill. Since his destination was on the opposite side of the main temple, he had to take the long way around the other hills to avoid the masses clogging up the central pathways. ¡°Looks like Faridar did it,¡± Elian said, stopping in the middle of an empty bridge to gaze at the streaks of red rising into the orange, blossoming into gigantic crimson flowers of light. ¡°Wow, their noise even reaches¡ªwhat?¡± He snapped his head to the right. He felt somebody¡¯s gaze on him. The bridge was empty other than a groff-drawn wagon coming into view as it went over the crest of the hill. They couldn¡¯t have been looking at him a couple of seconds prior. The swaying grass lining the sides of the road wasn¡¯t tall enough to hide someone, nor were the thin trees spaced along the bridge wide enough. ¡°I must be tired from gathering Aether the whole day,¡± Elian said with a shrug. Cancel his planned all-nighter meditation. He should keep in mind that his body was fresh from Earth, not a body that had trained and fought for fifteen years on Fellenyr. He shouldn¡¯t push himself too much. An upside of the festivities at the temple was that it drew people away from Vigor Hill. Elian was all smiles, almost skipping as he walked the less-crowded-but-still-with-many-people streets. In no time, he reached the part of Vigor Hill that always had no people whether or not there were events elsewhere. Floramage Gideon lived here, so it wasn¡¯t exactly devoid of people. Elian was there too. And whoever was following him. Good thing I didn¡¯t bring money today, Elian thought. Or maybe he should¡¯ve brought some to buy something to help him sleep better. The hooded floramage was waiting for Elian inside his carriage. He excitedly unwrapped Elian¡¯s bandaged arm as if it were a present. He advised Elian to keep silent as he assessed the plant symbiote¡¯s growth, muttering gibberish to himself as minutes ticked by. ¡°I have a proposition for you,¡± said Gideon, removing his hood after he seemingly finished the examination. ¡°There is this¡ª¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Elian had laid his right arm on the table, the bandages undone and the seed¡¯s light flickering. ¡°I understand your apprehension at my¡ª¡± ¡°Not that.¡± Elian pointed at Gideon¡¯s head. ¡°Did you leave your hood on the entire time you were examining my arm just so you can pull it off now?¡± Gideon laughed. ¡°Makes for quite a scene, doesn¡¯t it? I¡¯m an unregistered floramage doing Magistrate knows what experiments by my lonesome. Let me have my entertainment once in a while.¡± ¡°Sure, sure,¡± Elian said, chuckling along. This Gideon was quite an interesting fellow. ¡°What was that proposition?¡± ¡°Your symbiote is growing as it should, though in the lower range of measurements. Germination was a success. Rooting is the problem. Your body is much tougher than I expected. The amount of acid I used the other day wasn¡¯t sufficient, oddly enough. I was certain of my calculations. However, it¡¯s as if your body grew more durable by the day.¡± Oops, Elian thought. ¡°Can you drop more acid then? I¡¯d rather not experience it, but I also don¡¯t want this entire effort to be wasted. The acid shouldn¡¯t affect the plant, right?¡± Gideon shook his head. ¡°This is too late a stage now. Your shifting flesh would disturb its roots. My recommendation is a more aggressive nutrient solution regimen.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do that then.¡± Elian raised a brow at the Floramage. ¡°But I¡¯m sensing you¡¯re going to say that we can¡¯t. I suppose this is where your proposition comes in?¡± ¡°Indeed, dear test subject¡ªI mean, customer. I lack certain ingredients for the concoctions I wish to administer.¡± ¡°Is this a scam rearing its ugly head? If you¡¯re going to make me pay for¡ª¡± Gideon held up a hand. ¡°I¡¯ll acquire the ingredients out of my pocket. Only the cost of the seed is what I¡¯ll charge you, as agreed. A very steeply discounted cost, may I remind you. No, what I need your help with is collecting ingredients not found in the market. The month of Godwanu is when the Spectral Fairy Azalea blooms. For only a few days does its flower open to the world, after which it wilts and is useless. This is the reason this ingredient is unavailable. It has to be picked fresh at a specific time and used almost immediately.¡± Spectral Fairy Azalea? Elian had come across that in his herbalism studies. What Gideon said was true. ¡°And you want me to collect this plant? Why not hire someone to do that?¡± Gideon had a sly smile. ¡°Are you going to shoulder the cost? No? And I¡¯d rather keep the flower¡¯s location a secret from third parties. The acquisition involves peril. If it didn¡¯t, I wouldn¡¯t have asked for your help. Do you accept?¡± Elian shrugged. ¡°The school closes during the Magistrate¡¯s semi-monthly mass That¡¯s two days from now. I¡¯ll get this flower for you.¡± 19. A Barbecue Night Elian no longer sensed anyone trailing him on the way to the Cauldron. Whoever his stalker was probably got tired of waiting for him to exit Gideon¡¯s carriage to mug him. More likely, it was Elian who was tired. He pictured a warm dinner of roasted faeboar¡ªthey had preserved plenty of its meat in its own lard¡ªbefore taking a beautiful sleep. Imagined sounds of crackling skin and sizzling fat of the faeboar filled his ears as he ignored the brawls among pilgrims along the way. There was even a small riot on Energy Hill, with fire dancing on the roofs of some shops. It was immediately put out by a flying mage spraying water down. These people should learn to relax. The Cauldron was more peaceful than other areas because it was mostly populated with brewers and merchants interested only in production and money, not in Penitent high scores. Elian didn¡¯t see any red robes. He exited the gates of the Cauldron, expecting it to be the start of his peaceful night when he spotted splashes of red illuminated by lantern balls in the distance. ¡°What are Faridar¡¯s followers doing there? Are they headed for¡ª?¡± The red robes took the left turn to Borlen¡¯s camp. Elian hurried back to the gates to alert the guards about a possible disturbance. They didn¡¯t seem to want to move at first, but their reactions changed when he mentioned Borlen¡¯s name. ¡°Magistrate¡¯s pinky!¡± exclaimed a burly guard. ¡°It escaped my mind that Borlen set up his camp that way.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± the second guard asked. ¡°That was Naamon!¡± ¡°Accursed fingers, is this going to be a repeat of last year?¡± The two guards hurried away before Elian could ask what was going on. Elian thought of following them to make sure they called for reinforcements, but from the tone of their conversation, he needed to find Borlen fast¡ªvery fast. He ran out of the town, wishing he could perform Wind Walk or Fleeting Steps. Normal running was very slow. Through the trees, he saw the lantern balls of the red robes fan out in front of the wagons. Even before Elian could reach them, shouts reverberated through the lantern-lit forest¡ªa man who probably was the leader of this group of red robes and Borlen were yelling at each other in Tellerin. Elian found it hard to follow their words because he wasn¡¯t fluent in their language. Their clipped manner of speaking wasn¡¯t helping. From what Elian could gather, Borlen and the other guy were fellow tribesmen. And they had quite an interesting history. Borlen used to be a Faridar supporter? Elian wasn¡¯t too sure if he translated that Tellerin line correctly. He listened more as he circled the large group of red robes, stalking among the trees to their side. Borlen¡¯s group was smaller in comparison. Only the men accompanied Borlen; the women and children stayed in their wagons. ¡°I¡¯ve made my choice, Naamon!¡± Borlen shouted. ¡°We all did. We¡¯ve thrown our lot with Penitent Tharguras, and here we shall stay.¡± ¡°You are wrong, you traitor!¡± yelled back Naamon. ¡°Penitent Faridar completed his Tribulation with nary a scratch to his defenses¡ªproof that the Magistrate¡¯s favor is upon him. Come, return to the fold. Let your support lay where it should.¡± Elian snorted. Not a great idea to call someone a traitor when inviting them back to the group. Then again, emotions and overzealousness impaired reason. Add the tumultuous past of these two, and Elian was worried things would escalate badly. Did those guards really call for help? ¡°Right or wrong is yet unseen,¡± said Borlen. ¡°Whatever the future may be, regret does not fill our hearts. We stand steadfast in our choice.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve made your choice to betray me and the Tellerins. You¡¯ve betrayed Faridar, the Champion Penitent of our people.¡± Faridar is a Tellerin? Elian started to piece together their backstory as the shouting continued. This Naamon guy converted Borlen to follow Faridar a long time ago. Together, they worked to bring other Tellerin tribes behind Faridar. Elian wasn¡¯t quite sure what caused their rift, but they seemed to have fought and injured each other. Naamon showed his upper right chest to Borlen, pointing at it and shouting words Elian couldn¡¯t understand. Elian assumed those were Tellerin curse words from the horrified gasps of the crowd. He couldn¡¯t see Naamon¡¯s injury from his spot at the end of Borlen¡¯s group. Good thing he reached them without any red robes attacking him. He slowly inched to the middle to help if ever things went out of hand. ¡°After the success of our Champion Penitent in enduring his Tribulation,¡± said Naamon, ¡°now is the time to let bygones be bygones and be one again. I¡¯m prepared to lay down my grievances if you lay down yours.¡± He extended a hand to Borlen. ¡°Let¡¯s wipe the slate clean and start anew.¡± Borlen swatted Naamon¡¯s hand away. ¡°You tell me that after cursing twelve generations of my ancestors to my face? Insincerity reeks from your skin.¡± ¡°Let me tell you a secret, lost brother of mine,¡± said Naamon, still not lowering his hand. ¡°Preparations for Penitent Faridar¡¯s next Tribulation are underway. So successful was his Tribulation this morning that plenty of resources were saved. There are talks of the seven priests lending him armor from the golden halls.¡± ¡°Lies!¡± Borlen said. ¡°Those are for Enlightened Penitents!¡± He followed it up with a string of words that drew outcries from everyone. Something about betrayal and a dead wife. The rest of the sentence might be obscure curse words Elian didn¡¯t know about. Naamon roared and made a throwing motion. His robes wildly fluttered as gusts of wind howled through the trees. Elian saw light bending around the almost transparent force Naamon gathered around his arms. Borlen pushed aside those near him. Elian ran towards them. But he was still far as Naamon brought his hands down. A basketball-sized compressed air hit Borlen and sent him crashing into a wagon. Naamon rotated his hands to call up a flurry of blades, the expected follow-up, taking advantage of the turmoil of air after his first attack. Wind blades caught some light from the lantern balls as they swirled around Naamon. ¡°How dare you speak my wife¡¯s name!¡± Naamon swept his arms across his chest. The wind blades hurtled towards the wagon Borlen crashed into. Elian jumped in front of the wind blades, crossing his arms in front of him. From the size of the blades and the speed of their spin, he gauged he could take them head-on. This Naamon guy wasn¡¯t a big-shot wind molder. Elian gathered Aether in his skin to reinforce it, a body tempering of sorts but with Aether Magic. People yelled in panic as the wind engulfed Elian. But he stood firm. The wind blades tore his clothes, tunic and pants gone. He was almost naked. Any cuts? Maybe some of the level of a paper cut. Naamon wasn¡¯t a weakling, and a huge gap between Attack Power and Armor was needed to completely disregard an attack. Elian lowered his arms as the tattoos of the Elder Giant faded. The symbiote was safe in the inner part of his right arm. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Wha-what?¡± Naamon lowered his hands and backed away, surprised at Elian¡¯s appearance and durability. ¡°Who are you?¡± The red robes murmured among themselves, shifting uneasily backward. Then they fell quiet, waiting for Naamon to act. Everyone was looking at each other. Cries of a child coming out of the wagon¡¯s wreckage broke the silence of the crowd. The blue-robed pilgrims rushed to dig her and Borlen out. Naamon looked behind Elian and then at his hands. ¡°Wha-what have I done?¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing what¡¯s right!¡± One of the red robes strode forward, his hands bursting into purple flames. ¡°This is the time to settle this once and for all!¡± Elian clenched his jaws. The pattern of the sparkles and the unnatural movement of the fire¡ªenergy-based conjuration. Magic. His right leg twitched to the side. But he willed himself to stay. ¡°I¡¯m Elian Wards of Gilders! I was on my way to Frothlake when I met Borlen,¡± Elian said in barely passable Tellerin. He pressed on, capitalizing on the crowd¡¯s surprise that he spoke their language. Since they saw how he shrugged off Naamon¡¯s wind blades, they subconsciously held him in high regard. ¡°They invited me to witness the Tribulation of Tharguras, and so I did and was inspired to become a Penitent. I don¡¯t know Tharguras or Faridar. I don¡¯t know any of your grievances with each other. But I do know that the Champion Penitents everyone here is following are great men for enduring the tests of the Hundred-Armed Magistrate. Whatever is going on here is not¡­ uh¡­ great.¡± What a lame ass speech. Elian wanted to dig a hole and hide under it until the Giants trampled these lands. Speeches were for charismatic people like the Great Hero Salvinor. ¡°This isn¡¯t your fight, Gilderian,¡± said the man with purple flames. ¡°Step aside. Or better yet, join our side.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not on anyone¡¯s side,¡± Elian said. ¡°Let¡¯s calm down, okay?¡± Buying time until the guards arrived was all he could do. These idiots didn¡¯t know he had zero Magic Resilience. If they did, they¡¯d have torched him to get to Borlen. Given that he took on Naamon¡¯s wind blades, the others wrongly assumed he had high magic defenses as well. Anger might fill their hearts, but they weren¡¯t made irrational enough to fight someone they thought could take on their magic. Or maybe I¡¯m the idiot. When spells started flying, what could he do? He was weaker than a child when it came to defending magic. His thin layer of Aether reinforcement would break against a proper spell. ¡°Don¡¯t stick your nose in the conflict of others.¡± A red-robed woman speaking Angloise pointed a sword made of writhing yellow energy at Elian. Another magical attack. ¡°Leave if you value your life, Gilderian. We don¡¯t take kindly to strangers impeding our way.¡± What am I supposed to say to angry crackpots out to kill? Public speaking wasn¡¯t one of the skills Elian prepared for his rewind. In retrospect, he should¡¯ve practiced giving speeches since he was supposed to inspire and gather armies. Too bad he lost his time travel ability. ¡°I¡¯m a Penitent of the Hundred-Armed Magistrate,¡± Elian said. ¡°I¡¯m sure some of you are too. There¡¯s no need for bloodshed among us.¡± ¡°Blood debt for betrayal,¡± said the man juggling purple fireballs. ¡°This is the Tellerin way. Useless to make you understand¡± He raised his hand, winding up for a throw. ¡°You can¡¯t defend everyone here.¡± I can¡¯t defend anyone from a magical attack! Elian bent his knees, about to charge and tackle the man. But he didn¡¯t immediately move. Then he felt the wind stop. A barrier divided the two groups. The man threw the fireball sideways at Borlen¡¯s relatives. It spread into a purple haze on the transparent wall. ¡°That¡¯s enough, all of you!¡± An amplified voice shook the leaves of the trees. Two mages wearing the colors of Energy Hill floated above them. It was the older man with a long beard tied with golden ropes who spoke. ¡°The party¡¯s over.¡± ¡°But, sir,¡± said the younger mage. ¡®They weren¡¯t having a party. We were called for a disturbance.¡± ¡°Bah, you know what I mean. All of you, go disperse! Return to your camps and go to sleep or I will put you all to sleep myself!¡± Elian remained standing in front of the transparent barrier, staring at the red robes on the other side shooed away by a squad of guards with enchanted halberds. Would tackling that guy have worked? Elian couldn¡¯t have remained standing and watched others die. But if he reached the man with purple flames, the woman would¡¯ve cut him down with the energy sword. Elian knew things would¡¯ve played out that way. The other half of his mind stopped him from charging. They saved me from making a choice, he thought, looking at the two mages bickering above him. In his past life, Elian wasn¡¯t too keen on sacrificing himself to save others. Surviving as long as possible to gather information for the rewind was his mission. Knowledge was his priority. Any people who died because he held back on heroics would be saved in the next timeline. It was different now. People who¡¯d die were dead. But it was also, in some ways, the same. He couldn¡¯t jump in and sacrifice his neck because there were no more retries. If he died, events would unfold mostly the same as before, ending with a Giant victory. If a situation like this came up again¡ªand he was certain it would, many times more¡ªwhat should he do? Before Elian could arrive at an answer, Casimir, Borlen¡¯s nephew, appeared by his side, offering him a cloak. ¡°Brother Elian! Are you okay? Your defenses are amazing.¡± Other pilgrims marveled at Elian¡¯s barely scratched skin. ¡°Very much okay.¡± Elian cracked his neck, bringing himself back to the reality at hand. ¡°How¡¯s your uncle?¡± ¡°Priest Thalman saved him. Come see for yourself.¡± ¡°Huh? Thalman¡¯s here?¡± It turned out that the priest wasn¡¯t at their camp. Thalman had sent Borlen a few pieces of armor as help for his next Tribulation. Borlen wore them, anticipating trouble when Faridar succeeded in his Tribulation. ¡°These are made by artisans of the Merl Kingdom.¡± Borlen pulled aside his torn robes to show more of the gleaming green metal underneath. ¡°It nullified most of the force of Naamon¡¯s strike, but getting thrown back still took its toll on my old self.¡± He stretched his body and winced. ¡°No lasting injuries; that is the important part. How are you, brother? You didn¡¯t even need to wear armor. You¡¯ll go far on the Magistrate¡¯s Penitent Path.¡± ¡°No worries about me.¡± Elian wrapped his naked body with Casimir¡¯s cloak. ¡°Lucky Priest Thalman gave you the armor today. Divine intervention?¡± Elian didn¡¯t believe in that, but maybe he should because there were actual deities in this fantasy world. ¡°In some ways,¡± Borlen said. ¡°It strengthens my conviction. But I¡¯m also not one to label every coincidence a miracle. Priest Thalman is the most helpful among the seven. He doesn¡¯t shy away from interacting with the people. It was only a matter of time until he visited us and offered his help. In truth, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask for aid for my Tribulation. It came faster than expected.¡± ¡°Even before you asked, technically,¡± Elian said. ¡°Speaking of aid from the priests¡­¡± He didn¡¯t know if continuing the question was a good idea. ¡°Naamon mentioned that Faridar is going to borrow¡ª¡± ¡°Impossible,¡± Borlen curtly cut in. ¡°Why not? I mean, if he has the money to rent it. I don¡¯t understand why only Enlightened Penitents are allowed to wear those armor.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of money, brother. Those suits of armor are invaluable. If they are severely damaged, repair might be impossible. And so, only the strongest of the strongest Penitents can petition to borrow it. The approval of all seven priests is required because they have to assess if the Enlightened Penitent would succeed without irreparable damage to the equipment.¡± ¡°I¡¯m assuming that the seven priests have worn at least one suit of armor from the golden hall when they used to call down Tribulations.¡± Borlen nodded. ¡°That is so.¡± ¡°And when the priests of their time judged them incapable of succeeding without damaging the armor, then that¡¯s when they¡ª¡± ¡°Stop their journey of penitence and become Stagnant,¡± finished Borlen, his expression sour. ¡°Let us leave this topic, brother, for it reminds me of Naamon¡¯s falsehood. Dinner awaits. It might¡¯ve gotten cold because of the untimely arrival of the unwelcome.¡± 20. Just Get Hard Throughout the following day, Elian wondered what he would¡¯ve done if the guards didn¡¯t arrive in time. Sitting under a Creation Tree¡¯s kaleidoscope umbrella of leaves, he kept replaying yesterday night¡¯s events while molding Aether into various shapes. They weren¡¯t going well, both the pondering and the molding. His gaze traveled from the wonky Aether blob, down his finger, to his bare arm. The few scratches from Naamon¡¯s wind blade were almost invisible because of the ointment slathered on top. Those red robes weren¡¯t fighters. They were Penitents fixated on surviving Tribulations, not on killing others. Still, if the magical fireball hit Elian, he¡¯d be very toasty. What¡¯s the answer? Elian was well aware of the concept of living to fight another day. He had done it many times¡ªpainful retreats he buried in the deep recesses of his memories, trying to forget the faces of those left behind, both fallen and alive. He needed to fight during the proverbial next day when the Giants would arrive. Naamon and Borlen¡¯s quarrels were tiny green peas in comparison. But Elian couldn¡¯t and wouldn¡¯t abandon others when the same situation would present itself. This second run was the time he was supposed to save people. He told himself that many times in his past life. Promised himself. Promised others. All those oaths kept him going and staved off the guilt and regret. And he still couldn¡¯t do it? Was this all a waste? ¡°Elian, how are you doing?¡± Varmisal shaded him from some of the Creation Tree¡¯s light. ¡°I sense chaos in your heart.¡± Elian looked up. ¡°You do?¡± ¡°I jest,¡± he said, lightly laughing as he knelt to Elian¡¯s eye level. ¡°I lack the powers to peer into the hearts of people. What I do have are eyes that can see your troubled expression, very wrinkled forehead and eyebrows trying to merge. And I also see your molding becoming unstable.¡± ¡°Some chaos inside me, yeah.¡± Elian sighed, dispersing the Aether on his finger. ¡°Can I ask for guidance, Master Varmisal?¡± This was a fantasy magic school. Varmisal was a sort of old, but not very, wizard teacher. If this was a book, Varmisal would be the mentor dispensing advice that¡¯d lead Elian to an epiphany. Nothing to lose by asking. ¡°I sense this isn¡¯t related to Aether Magic,¡± Varmisal replied. ¡°But if it¡¯ll help unburden your mind so you can continue Aether molding, I¡¯ll try my best. Though don¡¯t let it be a love problem.¡± ¡°Master Varmisal, what if I want to protect someone from danger but I¡¯m too weak?¡± Elian added in his head, And I can¡¯t die because the fate of humanity literally rests on me. Varmisal didn¡¯t need to know about that. The teacher looked up at the dark ceiling¡ªit was filled with clouds blocking the stars¡ªand tapped his chin with his Aether-constructed finger. A few seconds of thinking passed, and he said, ¡°We can look at Tribulations for the answer. I¡¯m not saying it in a philosophizing sense given that you¡¯re a Penitent. Sort of as an analogy.¡± ¡°Uh, sorry, I¡¯m not following.¡± ¡°Protecting others, like defending against the Tribulation, is a challenge. You prepare to be sufficiently strong to overcome the Tribulation¡­ the challenge. If you¡¯re weak, inadequate, you work hard to be strong. It sounds like a simple answer, and it is. The most straightforward answer is most often simple¡­ and obvious. Be strong to meet the challenge, Elian.¡± Elian frowned. He could see what Varmisal was getting at but wasn¡¯t with it. ¡°With all due respect, master. When it comes to Tribulations, I can prepare and call it down when I¡¯m ready. I don¡¯t have any say when danger will come. Big chance it¡¯ll come when I least expect it.¡± ¡°And so, you always expect it to come,¡± Varmisal patiently replied. ¡°Prepare for it with all your might.¡± Always expect it to come¡­ Something clicked in Elian¡¯s brain. That¡¯s it! Varmisal was right. This was like a Tribulation¡­ but not the one from the Magistrate¡¯s Boon. It was the Cursed Tribulation that came daily. Yes, Elian could control when the Cursed Tribulation would descend within the day, but it would come even if he didn¡¯t call for it. There was no rest. In the same vein, danger would always come. He didn¡¯t know when, but it was out there somewhere, waiting for him to pass by. Or maybe, he¡¯d pass by someone needing his help. Just like the constant Tribulation, Elian¡¯s only solution to protecting everyone from danger was to continually prepare. Build up his Magical Resilience too. Do his best to keep his promise from his past life. No need for weighing morality and deep thinking. Be hard¡­ always. To protect people. Not that other kind of hard. ¡°Your expression tells me you have solved your conundrum,¡± Varmisal said. ¡°Always happy to help. Though there¡¯s a possible follow-up question to this¡ªwhat if your preparations aren¡¯t enough?¡± ¡°They have to be,¡± Elian said with a grin. ¡°If they¡¯re not, I¡¯ll worry about that then. I can¡¯t let it take up space in my brain. I don¡¯t have the ability to see in the future and I can¡¯t rewind time to change the past. All I can do is focus on the present.¡± He held up one finger in both hands and showed Varmisal he could gather Aether in two points. ¡°Splendid improvement, Elian.¡± Varmisal did his weird clapping. ¡°Continue as you are.¡± Before the class was dismissed for the week¡¯s end¡ªit was the Magistrate¡¯s Sabbath tomorrow¡ªVarmisal asked them to show their work. Jadewell could make more elaborate forms, like a groff figurine and a cube with holes in it. Thorren could make two Aether constructs of basic shapes, choosing to make plates to be like shields. Others have also progressed; the furthest one was the Sarhat lady showing off an Aether copy of a helmet that Varmisal brought in as a model, though a smaller version that couldn¡¯t fit her head yet. When it was Elian¡¯s turn, he presented two intricate forms¡ªthorny balls with spikes of uneven placement and length. It wasn¡¯t as detailed as Jade¡¯s work but making two of them drew oohs and aahs from other students. Jadewell stared intensely at Elian, probably surprised at how fast he improved. ¡°Well done, my students,¡± Varmisal said. ¡°You¡¯ve improved by leaps and bounds, a much faster rate than average. It warms my heart, rightly so. Your goal for next week is to mold a rudimentary form of covering for your body. From there, I¡¯ll begin the lesson proper for making Manifested Armors.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Manifested Armor¡ªthis was Elian¡¯s target. Achieve this, even just a basic make, and he could move on to other things, perhaps travel to the Sabyn Mountain. Aether Constructs, unlike those generated from Energy, didn¡¯t rely on his attributes. They were separate forms out of reach of the Elder Giant¡¯s Curse. Through them, he¡¯d have Magic Resilience. ¡°Elian, I was about to talk to you,¡± Thorren said when he saw Elian approach. ¡°I¡¯ll go to the Stage of Devotions with my cousins and use the Aether plates I can make. They are useless, of course. But it¡¯s the start of my signature look. Are you free to accompany us?¡± ¡°Sorry, I have something to do later,¡± Elian replied. He planned to hunt in the forest before it got too dark. ¡°I have a favor to ask from you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it if it¡¯s within my abilities,¡± said Thorren. ¡°You have my gratitude for repairing my uncle¡¯s necklace.¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯m not holding that over you. I helped you with no strings attached. If you really want to repay me for that, just buy me food or something. I¡¯m asking for your help as a friend. This involves danger and might take time so I understand if you refuse.¡± ¡°Danger is a common occurrence for us Penitents. Let¡¯s hear it.¡± Elian unwrapped the bandages on his right arm. Thorren grimaced, anticipating the gross sight of the Guardian Exactor Vine growing in human flesh, but didn¡¯t retreat. Elian said, ¡°This plant symbiote seed¡ªwell, I guess it¡¯s considered a seedling now¡ªisn¡¯t growing well. The rewards from the Tribulation made me too tough for it to dig into¡ª¡± ¡°No need to elaborate,¡± said Thorren. ¡°How may I assist you? I hope it doesn¡¯t involve touching that¡­ thing.¡± ¡°No, no. That¡¯s not it,¡± Elian said, laughing. He explained his task from Gideon and the location of the Spectral Fairy Azalea he needed to harvest. ¡°Isn¡¯t that near the Forbidden Temple?¡± Thorren meant the ancient ruin about half a day¡¯s hike from Forge Hill. The Forbidden Temple was rumored to be the previous home of the Hundred-Armed Magistrate¡ªto be more accurate, the home of the deity¡¯s hand remaining on the mortal plane¡ªbefore this whole Penitent religion thing started. Not only was the area out-of-bounds for religious reasons, always guarded by one of the seven priests, but there were also many dangerous monsters living around there. Gideon explained this all to Elian a couple of days ago. ¡°These powerful beasts are attracted by the residual energies left behind by the deity. They have been made powerful, mutated, and insatiable. The hunters here give it wide berth.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re asking me to go to pass by that place?¡± Elian had asked. ¡°Only through the area under its effects called the Dark Forest. And not without preparation.¡± The floramage provided Elian with maps with detailed safe routes to take, as well as information about possible monsters he¡¯d encounter. Gideon bought and compiled the information from various hunters and adventurers. ¡°I now see the danger in your request,¡± said Thorren. ¡°I¡¯m not heading to the Forbidden Temple itself,¡± Elian said. ¡°We¡¯ll get stopped by a priest if it¡¯s true one is guarding it. My aim is a hill further on. But I¡¯ve heard the creatures living in the Forbidden Temple venture out to hunt, so the danger is real.¡± ¡°If we leave early on the morrow, we might be able to return before our class the next day.¡± Is he agreeing? Elian was wary of adventuring alone. He considered asking Borlen but knew that the old pilgrim would prefer staying at the camp, especially after what happened yesterday. Venturing far from the guards might attract the ire of angry red robes. And so, Elian thought of Thorren. The Rakhonite seemed experienced in hunting and survival skills. Elian would have someone who could attack, unrestricted by stupid Curses, and was tanky enough to not need babysitting. But there was a problem. ¡°Not early tomorrow, sorry,¡± Elian said. ¡°I have to accompany my friends to the mass at the temple.¡± Borlen and his group were going there. Elian would go with them for their security; he became a source of bragging rights for them and Naamon¡¯s group thought he could tank anything they could throw. The temple hill would have guards but the path going there and back to the Cauldron provided plenty of opportunities for an attack. ¡°The mass, yes¡­¡± Thorren gazed in the direction of the main temple. ¡°I¡¯ve never attended any though I¡¯ve been here longer than you, but I understand why you¡¯d want to. Leaving midday, we¡¯ll miss our class the following day.¡± ¡°Plus, the danger. A day of class isn¡¯t that much¡ª¡± Elian stopped as Jadewell jostled past. He didn¡¯t realize she was behind them. ¡°Well, missing class means we¡¯ll get delayed catching up to her.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a worry, my friend,¡± said Thorren. ¡°I was getting bored of sitting here the whole day. The light of these trees hurt my head. Let¡¯s go find this flower of yours.¡± Elian returned to the Cauldron in high spirits. Adventuring with a party just like in the old days that were yet to happen. That was the most enjoyable time Elian had during his previous life¡ªmaking dumb mistakes with a group of friends, exploring the world while on the verge of poverty, and with no Giants yet to present an existential threat. He also needed to gather allies and Thorren appeared to be a good start. At least, he¡¯d know for sure come tomorrow. Instead of heading for the gate leading to Borlen¡¯s camp, Elian went to a different one. The hunt begins. ¡°Finally, a slight variation to the forest environment,¡± he said, walking over ancient pavement partially covered with grass. This no-longer-used road led to a half-buried olden settlement of the race who used to worship the Magistrate¡¯s hand, humanoid cats, judging by some of the statues still standing. The Hundred-Armed Magistrate¡¯s racket of making a religion out of his Boon was in place before humans arrived on Fellenyr. Elian passed open areas with craters in the form of giant hands, partly obscured by the forest that sought to reclaim the land over the years. How many of the cat people died here? How many were injured? Deities couldn¡¯t be really considered good or evil, and that included the asshole of an Abyssal Eye. They have their agendas not constrained by the morality of humans or other races. Elian didn¡¯t even know why the Timekeeper wanted to save humans. Time marched forward irrespective of which race survived on Fellenyr. And humans didn¡¯t even know there was a Timekeeper. If Elian were to list candidates for an evil deity, the Hundred-Armed Magistrate would be up there. The Magistrate wasn¡¯t intentionally malicious, but its methods for feeding itself were. There was something sinister about the deity he couldn¡¯t put his finger on. ¡°It¡¯s not like I can just let the Giants take that hand,¡± Elian said. Attending the mass tomorrow might shed more light on what was going on here. For now, his focus was on the hunt. After Gideon taught Elian how to get the Spectral Fairy Azalea, Elian asked for information about valuable animals around the hills. Gideon should know a lot since he needed an assortment of ingredients for his experiments. Elian didn¡¯t take no for an answer and even threatened the floramage he¡¯d pull the Guardian Exactor Vine out his arm. Elian wouldn¡¯t go through with it, but he gambled that Gideon valued the plant symbiote more than he did. And so, Gideon relented and shared his files on the creatures of the hills. Elian zeroed in on the Quillhusk as his target. ¡°It should be around here,¡± Elian said, passing a house-sized statue head of a feline. Despite going deep into the forest, he still found remnants of the civilization that used to live there. The sun started to set, painting the sky with pink and orange. Would he find his target before night fell? Luck was on his side. When he stepped through a prickly thicket, he found a Quillhusk munching the branches of a short gelborn tree. The Quillhusk was around half the size of a groff, the beast of burden preferred by human civilization. Not too big, but still fairly large. A thick exoskeleton protected it while it ambled around six stubby legs. It also had a mane of quills coated in toxins that it could shoot forward at any threat. This time, the threat it faced was Elian. He chose to hunt the Quillhusk because its armor would prevent it from getting turned to paste by the Tribulation. He hoped the Tribulation would crack the exoskeleton so he could pick it off, dump the pieces into a bag, and sell them to the market. Though money was his secondary goal. His true aim was to level up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Quillhusk,¡± Elian said, walking up to the giant bug. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to put the money I¡¯ll earn from you to good use.¡± 21. A Goopy Mess Not many predators around the area were motivated enough to face a Quillhusk¡¯s spikes or bother cracking its shell. It probably didn¡¯t taste good anyway. And so, it had learned to fear nothing. Except humans. The Quillhusk stopped eating as Elian neared. Given its size, it was old for its kind. It should know that the odd bipedal creatures occasionally wandering in the forest were dangerous. Elian crouched low as he shielded the front of his body with the steel of his armguards, peering over them as he moved. A helmet protected his head. Ninety-nine percent sure the Quillhusk couldn¡¯t penetrate his skin, but it was prudent to be cautious¡ªhe shouldn¡¯t forget that no matter how tanky he¡¯d get. If the Quillhusk¡¯s spikes did puncture his flesh and inject toxins into his bloodstream, he¡¯d be paralyzed for hours. A giant bug wasn¡¯t getting the better of him. Clouds swirled, hastening the darkness as he prepared to call for a Tribulation. He stopped. There was that eerie sensation again. Someone was looking at him. A predator? ¡°Where¡ª?¡± The Quillhusk sauntered forward and lowered its front legs to level its spikes at Elian. It fired with a forward wave of its back. Elian charged into the blanket of spikes, bowing his head to make his profile smaller. Most spikes dinged off his armguards and helmet; others hit his legs, poking holes in his pants but not piercing his skin. They fell off as he continued to run. ¡°Chocolate ice cream Tribulation!¡± Elian grabbed the Quillhusk¡¯s head from below, propped it on his shoulder, and pushed up the front half of the giant bug above him. Felt like he was lifting a sack of potatoes, potatoes made of iron, because he didn¡¯t have anything boosting his strength. Blue flash. A tremendous slam. The impact was noticeably stronger than yesterday. He felt the roof of his helmet cave down on his head. His pose wasn¡¯t stable, leaning too far forward. The Tribulation forced him to his hands and knees as the Quillhusk fell on him. His joints and muscles complained. The sharp edges of the Quillhusk¡¯s exoskeleton dug into his back. Cracking shells popped like gunshots. And the second Tribulation descended. Elian was more stable on all fours. He clenched his teeth and tensed his body as he got hammered again. More cracks above him. Add in wet pops this time. He felt warm liquid cover his back¡ªthe soft inside of the Quillhusk burst out of its destroyed exoskeleton and oozed all over him. ¡°A level up,¡± Elian said, spitting out the purple goo covering his head. The options for the reward floated in front of him, six white balls with symbols. It was almost second nature to choose Attack Power and Health. ¡°I¡¯m going to smell awful when I¡ª¡± A scream. A woman¡¯s voice. The hell? Elian scrambled out of the Quillhusk¡¯s organic wreckage and scanned the trees. Who was that? There was no one. A slight movement to his left. Moving grass. He scooped some goop stuck on him and threw it that way. The handful of disgustingness stopped midair with a splat. It hit something invisible. ¡°Ugh, gross!¡± The voice again. Branches and blades of grass bent aside as the invisible woman continued to flee. The goop was falling. No, she was wiping it off. Elian ran after her, catapulting more squished remains of the Quillhusk. She yelped as she got hit a couple more times. The floating globs of flesh went down; the invisible woman must¡¯ve stumbled. Elian found an area of depressed grass, a mini-crop circle with a humanoid outline. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for spying on you, Elian,¡± said a voice that he recognized. ¡°Don¡¯t hurt me. I swear not to speak of anything I saw. In truth, I didn¡¯t see anything because I had my eyes closed the entire¡ª¡± ¡°Jadewell? Is that you?¡± Jadewell shimmered into view, wearing a black cloak that matched her long black hair, accented by Quillhusk purple sludge. She held up a ring. ¡°A ring of invisibility my family gave me for my protection. Very useless since I gave myself away.¡± ¡°You¡¯re certainly not using it for your protection,¡± Elian said, speculating various reasons why she was tailing him. She had seen his double-strike Tribulation. Did she understand its significance? ¡°Why did you scream?¡± ¡°Because I thought you died from the Tribulation.¡± Jade sat on the ground, scowling while she wiped goops off her clothes with clumps of grass. ¡°It was also horrifying seeing the Quillhusk squished on top of you.¡± ¡°And why did you run away?¡± ¡°What was I supposed to do if you died? I don¡¯t want to stay here and be mistaken as your murderer.¡± ¡°No one¡¯s going to think it¡¯s your fault.¡± Elian gestured in the direction of the Quillhusk. ¡°If I died back there, it¡¯d be obvious a Tribulation was the cause. What if I was injured? You weren¡¯t going to help me? Or if I really died, would you have reported it to¡ª?¡± ¡°An instantaneous impulse of mine. Are you going to judge me for it?¡± Jade got on her feet and regarded him with large defiant eyes with dark irises. Too dark. It was hard to take her very serious face seriously because she was more than a foot shorter than him and had a slight frame. ¡°Many people would react the same way if they saw¡ªor they think they saw a squelched blend of man and bug.¡± She gave up on her tough expression soon enough, wrinkling her nose and stepping back as she gagged. The Quillhusk did smell awful. Elian nonchalantly brushed bits of the giant bug off his crumpled helmet and flicked them away. He had endured much worse smells. Passing through a several-day-old battlefield, the stench of death and decay was incomparable. ¡°Fair enough,¡± Elian said. ¡°But why were you following me? Must¡¯ve been you I sensed in town. I thought I was going to get robbed.¡± ¡°You should answer that question.¡± Jadewell poked his chest. ¡°Why are you following me?¡± ¡°Flipping the story on me now?¡± ¡°I know you¡¯re hiding your Aether magic abilities, Elian Ward of Gilders, if that¡¯s truly your name and origin. I see through your schemes.¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± If Elian was given a thousand guesses on how his day would go, he wouldn¡¯t have picked this. Could be hallucinations from too many Tribulations. ¡°Spare me your innocence ploy. I saw you achieve Aethersense before me.¡± Elian was about to speak but Jadewell held up a finger. ¡°Ah, no excuses! On our first day, I rested from meditating inside the Eyoneir Maghindr and checked how far along you and Thorren were. Imagine my surprise when I saw you controlling the Aether. You must be a prodigy or, likelier, you already have Aethersense in the first place.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have¡ª¡± ¡°Why would someone hide their Aethersense? Why would such a person travel to the Temples of Tribulation? The ideal course is to enroll in an actual Aether Magic school, say, Stoneholde Academy. Or maybe¡­ he is a student of such a school and was ordered to spy on a certain someone.¡± This was the reason she was tailing him? ¡°You can¡¯t be seriously thinking that.¡± Jadewell placed her hands on her hips. ¡°You showed up on the same day I did. Claiming a coincidence, are you? Save your words. Tell my family I¡¯m not returning even though I¡¯ve gained Aethersense. This is the path I chose.¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± Elian blinked, recalling the backstory Jadewell shared during class introductions. ¡°All that talk about making your family¡¯s school famous and following your grandfather¡¯s footsteps was a lie?¡± ¡°Of course! You know that¡­ right?¡± Jadewell pursed her lips as she examined his eyes. Several seconds of silence. Her shoulders dropped. ¡°Clouds of the Storm God¡­ you¡¯re not a spy sent by my family?¡± Elian shook his head. ¡°I was wasting my time all along?¡± ¡°Pretty much, yeah.¡± Elian stopped himself from laughing because Jadewell looked so pitiful. She slapped both her cheeks. ¡°Supremely dumb. I always left class early because I thought you¡¯d nab me and drag me back to Stoneholde. I could¡¯ve made friends. I was supposed to make friends to start my new life.¡± ¡°Sorry for¡ªwait, I¡¯m not apologizing. This is all your fault.¡± ¡°I know, I know.¡± She sighed long, almost deflating. ¡°I sincerely apologize, Elian. Burdens on my mind clouded my judgment. I¡¯ve been so afraid that my family might¡ªno, those issues are my own to deal with. I¡¯m not making excuses for my behavior.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say I understand your situation,¡± Elian said. ¡°Because I don¡¯t. And it¡¯s probably best it stays that way. But there¡¯s no lasting harm and¡ª¡± He clenched his fists and swept the trees with his gaze. Eyes on him again. Hungry. Inhuman. This was different from Jadewell tailing him. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Jadewell asked. She turned around just as a thickly-furred beast of mottled purple slinked out of the thicket, silently stalking on its thickly padded paws. ¡°It¡¯s this jarlion again,¡± she hissed. ¡°I thought I escaped it with my invisibility ring.¡± The jarlion was bigger than the big cats of Earth. More muscular, its fur adding to its bulk. Its strong claws and fangs were valuable, made of a material that could puncture plate armor. Not that big of a problem for Elian. The jarlion had a carpet of crystal shards where the mane of a lion would be. This was the problem. It could absorb Aether and cast basic forms of energy beams. Basic but powerful. And magical. ¡°Jarlions have a strong sense of smell,¡± said Elian. ¡°It can also detect life residues with the crystals on its back. No wonder it tracked you.¡± Was the world toying with him? He was resolved to work hard on his Magical Resilience to protect others, but this was too soon. His conversation with Master Varmisal was just several hours ago. But he couldn¡¯t just run away and leave Jadewell. She had better chances of survival than him when it came down to it. He was going to fight. ¡°Jadewell, use your ring and run,¡± Elian said. ¡°I¡¯ll stay to¡ª ¡°No. I won¡¯t run this time. It¡¯s here because of me.¡± She took out multiple rings from the inside of her robes¡ªspell shard rings that stored spells with limited usage. Expensive and helpful. ¡°I-I can fight,¡± she stuttered, fumbling to put on the rings. She shifted behind Elian, expecting him to face the jarlion while firing her spells. His fight with the Quillhusk gave her the wrong expectation of his tankiness. She might not have much in the way of defenses, but he was weaker than her in the magic department. He wasn¡¯t going to tell her, of course. She was already panicking and might find it hard to use her rings. ¡°Better to fight anyway,¡± he said, observing the jarlion circling them. ¡°It¡¯ll hunt us down if we run. Prepare your rings. We¡¯ll wait for its move. Hope it doesn¡¯t attack because we¡¯re not its usual food.¡± Healthy predators rarely bothered with unknown prey. They wouldn¡¯t risk getting injured in a hunt that wasn¡¯t familiar. This jarlion must¡¯ve tracked Jadewell far earlier but didn¡¯t attack because she was a curiosity to it, not actual food. But why did it reveal itself now? ¡°The Quillhusk gore,¡± Elian said, clicking his tongue in annoyance. ¡°The jarlion thinks we¡¯re injured and easy pickings. Gather Aether in between us and the jarlion.¡± He started doing so about three feet away from them. That was the limit of his range. ¡°Its crystals are glowing,¡± Jadewell said. ¡°Does that mean it¡¯s going to attack?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll shoot instead of pounce because there are two of us. I have to get closer. Help me block its shots with Aether constructs.¡± ¡°What? I can¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m going,¡± Elian said as the jarlion opened its mouth. A crackling ball of purple energy formed inside the dark maw. Elian fanned out his three Aether constructs in the air, ordering them erratic trajectories to confuse the jarlion. Taking a page out of Thorren¡¯s book, Elian flattened the constructs into plates. They were thin and didn¡¯t offer much protection as a shield, but they sure were distracting. Jadewell followed his lead. Her Aether blob divided itself into four¡ªeither she was lying she couldn¡¯t do this in class or this was the first time she pulled it off¡ªand copied his disc constructs. The jarlion fired. Jadewell yelled. A couple of plates shattered. Elian continued to advance, rushing low and weaving. More beams. No more plates. He was two feet away from the jarlion. It roared and lunged at him, incensed at the audacity of a smaller creature charging at it. Both of them tumbled around on the ground. Claws ripped his leather vest. No repairing it this time. The slashes were so strong it drew red lines on his chest. Not too deep but painful. The jarlion got on top of him and roared with its mouth wide open. It gathered another ball of energy. Must¡¯ve found Elian too hard to bite. I have no choice. Elian thrust his left arm into the jarlion¡¯s mouth to stop its energy charge. ¡°Argh! Damn it!¡± Aether flares scalded his skin and flesh. His arm uncontrollably shivered, experiencing extreme heat and coldness simultaneously. Not the first time he experienced something like this. Painful every time, more so now. The jarlion clamped down its jaws. Fangs punctured the armguard and stabbed into Elian¡¯s arm. The bite of this beast was far weaker than a Tribulation, but its force concentrated into small points. Blood spurted. Elian¡¯s own blood splattered his face. ¡°Jadewell!¡± he called. ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± Several thuds. The jarlion spasmed but still stood. Then its eye exploded, splashing more blood on Elian. Out of the jarlion¡¯s eyehole poked out an Aether spear wrapped with strings of glowing runes. The beast collapsed on Elian. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jadewell ran to his side. She grabbed the straps of his leather vest and pulled. ¡°What kind of question is that?¡± Elian huffed as he wriggled out from beneath the beast. He saw that its flank was riddled with crystalline arrows that dissipated in the air. Jadewell was a good shot with that spear. ¡°So-sorry, just an impulse question.¡± She muttered something he couldn¡¯t hear before saying, ¡°Let me see your arm. Storm God! That looks¡ªWhere¡¯s my healing ring?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother. Won¡¯t work on me. I need to clear the Aether burns first.¡± ¡°I know of a lake nearby,¡± Jadewell said, grabbing his uninjured right arm and leading him. 22. Crazy and Long Story It was fortunate the small lake wasn¡¯t too far away. From its shape, it must¡¯ve been a crater left behind by a particularly strong Tribulation long ago. There could be a shattered skeleton somewhere at the bottom. Through centuries or even millennia, water filled the hole and it became a lake. Elian couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the many odd things he kept finding on Fellenyr despite living so long here. And beside him was another oddity. He couldn¡¯t figure out what to make of Jadewell Khaero. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want me to pour the potion on your arm?¡± she asked. ¡°I can do it myself,¡± Elian replied, perhaps too quickly. She had given him a bottle of orange liquid meant to be poured on injuries for quick regeneration instead of being drunk like most potions. Shaking the bottle, he didn¡¯t notice any impurities. Like her other possessions, this must be expensive. ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate to ask for my help. I¡¯ll just wash this.¡± Jadewell removed her cloak stained both by the Quillhusk remains and Elian¡¯s blood. The darkish emerald dress she wore underneath was of Northern Raelyon style, mostly hugging her petite body other than for puffed shoulders and flared sleeves. Around her waist was a huge belt, reminiscent of those wrestling title belts on Earth. Here, it had a dual purpose for women¡ªa sort of outer corset to taper the torso and a place to slot in gems. Though Jadewell didn¡¯t display jewelry, the quality of her clothes proved her wealthy background. Her various spell shard rings should cost a hefty bag of coins too. She tied her hair up and coiled it into a bun, exposing her sharp cheeks. A dark jagged patch of skin, stark against her paleness, ran from her left cheek to under her ear and down her neck. ¡°A scar caused by Aether flames,¡± Jadewell explained, noticing Elian¡¯s gaze. ¡°Like mine?¡± Elian asked as he scrubbed off the dried blood on his skin. He checked the plant symbiote in his right arm. It happily pulsed green light. ¡°This was worse. Much, much worse. Overly curious seven-year-old me meddled with my grandfather¡¯s experiment. My burns were more severe then. Flesh rotted¡­ dissolved, even. My family called for the most skilled of Healers to treat me. This was the only part they couldn¡¯t fully restore.¡± ¡°Ethereal necrosis,¡± Elian said. ¡°Your skin has forgotten it¡¯s alive and won¡¯t respond to healing. It¡¯ll need something like the Melded Greater Boon of Lasting Relief to restore it.¡± ¡°Oh, you know about this?¡± Jadewell stared at him, impressed and also sad. ¡°My parents couldn¡¯t find anyone with that Boon. It was just¡­ awful. The purple flames haunted my sleep through the years. More than a nightmare, it became a mental block, preventing me from sensing Aether no matter how hard I tried.¡± She knelt at the side of the lake. With her hair out of the way, she bent down to wash her cloak. ¡°But you did it in our school within a day,¡± said Elian. ¡°Just several hours, actually.¡± He bit the cork sealing the bottle and pulled it off. Instant relief as the liquid coated his injuries. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what happened,¡± Jadewell said. ¡°I was seething in my vat. Anger filled my thoughts at the audacity of my family sending someone after me. I channeled the swirling rage into concentration, broke through the wall of fear holding me back for years, and¡­ succeeded in awakening Aethersense. Someone could explain it, but I cannot.¡± ¡°For a moment, you forgot your fear,¡± Elian said, ¡°and all your training kicked in. Boom. Success.¡± ¡°Possible, possible. My gratitude for your inadvertent help and sincerest apologies for thinking ill of you.¡± ¡°And for following me around while invisible.¡± ¡°And for bringing a jarlion along.¡± She grinned while giving him a sidelong glance. ¡°All the apologies on Fellenyr for my mistakes. You must have a keen sense to notice me. Didn¡¯t you also notice the fearsome beast before it appeared?¡± ¡°Honed my senses through experience,¡± Elian said with a shrug. He dangled the half-empty potion bottle. ¡°Just going to say it outright, I can¡¯t pay for this anytime soon. ¡°I''m not asking you to. Consider it an initial payment for my mistakes.¡± ¡°Okay then, because I¡¯ll use the entire bottle. My Curse that stops your healing ring? The same one diminishes the effects of potions on me.¡± ¡°A weighty condition to endure.¡± Jadewell gave him a look of pity. ¡°I wonder how you¡¯ve come about such a Curse.¡± ¡°A long story.¡± Elian reminisced about the string of shenanigans with the Abyssal Eye. He wouldn¡¯t have thought it possible if it didn¡¯t happen to him. Adding the time travel part for why he got the Curse now, it¡¯d be an even longer story. ¡°Quite an interesting life you have.¡± Jadewell paused washing. ¡°May I ask why you hid your skills and delayed claiming you have achieved Aethersense?¡± ¡°Ah, that. I wanted you to be first because¡­¡± Elian¡¯s brain used all its power to formulate an explanation without sounding condescending, patronizing, or creepy. But he didn¡¯t need to. Jadewell¡¯s face already turned sour. ¡°Was it because you pitied me?¡± Her words were coated in ice. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for it.¡± ¡°I was trying to be nice.¡± Elian threw up his hands in exasperation. ¡°And you weren¡¯t supposed to know. Thinking about it, I should¡¯ve just lied to you.¡± ¡°I appreciate you didn¡¯t.¡± She furiously rubbed at his blood on the sleeves of her cloak. ¡°But you can¡¯t blame me for resenting you. My success is now tarnished by¡­¡± She shook her head. A few strands of her hair fell off her bun and strayed down her cheek. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. I wouldn¡¯t have awakened Aethersense without you. I suppose this is the time we agree to keep each other¡¯s secrets?¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°What secrets?¡± Elian guardedly asked. ¡°That you ran away from your family?¡± ¡°I respectfully expressed my intent to leave and didn¡¯t let anything they said stop me. Then I walked out with my belongings and went on my way. There was no running involved. Yes, this is the secret I¡¯d like you to keep. In return, I¡¯ll say no word to any soul about your bizarre Tribulation.¡± ¡°What are you¡ª?¡± Jadewell had a sly smile. ¡°I thought we were past the point of playing dumb, Elian Ward? Two strikes occurred. You can¡¯t fool my eyes and ears. I may be a beginner Penitent¡ªI haven¡¯t moved past my third Tribulation yet¡ªbut I have witnessed many others call for it on the Stage of Devotion. Only one strike. All of them. Why is yours two?¡± Should I tell her? Could Jadewell be a future ally? Her resources and connections might prove useful in the future. She didn¡¯t leave him when they fought the jarlion even though she could¡¯ve fled using her invisibility ring. He knew her secret, whatever that was worth. She¡¯d value keeping a lid on those secrets rather than exposing his Curse for whatever reason. Moreover, she felt that she owed him after wrongfully accusing him of being a spy and attracting a jarlion that mauled him. At the least, she¡¯d be bound by honor to keep her mouth shut. ¡°I¡¯ll show you,¡± Elian said, removing the sad remnants of his leather vest. Then he unbuttoned his shirt. ¡°By the Aether¡¯s flare,¡± she exclaimed. ¡°What are you showing me? Cover yourself. I¡¯m not¡­ wha-what is that?¡± ¡°This is the Magistrate¡¯s Curse.¡± Sharp scale tattoos covered Elian¡¯s body as the Kymorathi symbol for seven appeared on his chest. He was more than sure Jadewell wouldn¡¯t treat him like a heretic. She wasn¡¯t a zealous follower of the Hundred-Armed Magistrate. He recalled the first day they met that she was reluctant about the Tribulation; she must¡¯ve asked for the Boon only to get into the Path of Immaterial. ¡°A Curse?¡± Jadewell gathered her wet cloak and shifted to the side, wary of him. ¡°Why were you punished by the Hundred-Armed Magistrate?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I didn¡¯t do anything wrong,¡± Elian said. ¡°The Magistrate doesn¡¯t require passing a test for its Boon, right? Just ask and it shall give. I tried asking for a Curse, and it granted my request.¡± ¡°You absolutely did wrong!¡± Jadewell¡¯s face contorted into utter confusion as she tried to process how someone could be so stupid. ¡°The Magistrate¡¯s Boon has killed many people. Its Curse should be several times worse!¡± ¡°It is. On top of hitting twice, I also have to do it every day or else it¡¯ll hit harder by midnight even if I don¡¯t call for it. The way it¡¯s worded¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible to avoid it unless I never see the sky ever again.¡± ¡°What!¡± Jadewell almost stumbled back in shock. ¡°You¡¯re marching towards death, you crazy¡­ yo-you¡­ We should ask help from the priests to remove it. There must be others Cursed by the Magistrate before. The priests will have records of them.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want it removed. This is according to plan.¡± ¡°Plan to emulate a flatbread with your body?¡± Jadewell asked, incredulity tinging her voice. ¡°Why did you ask for such a dangerous bestowal? I doubt it''s merely to squish Quillhusks or whatever nonsense you were doing back there.¡± Elian fixed his clothes as he considered what to tell her. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. Crazy too. A very long and very crazy story.¡± ¡°I¡¯m no stranger to crazy stories. My grandfather searched the lands and seas of Fellenyr for anything to help him survive the Tribulations. The stories he brought back from his travels, now, those are crazy. I doubt anything you say can shock me. I suppose I was shocked just now that you asked the Magistrate for a Curse. Do you have anything that can surpass it?¡± ¡°Lots and lots.¡± Elian looked Jadewell over. What would be her reaction if he revealed that he was from the future? Think that he was crazy, most likely. It always happened in the time travel movies he had watched on Earth. Problem was he didn¡¯t have anything to prove his claim. If this was Yanira or Corondel or others of his first adventuring group, he knew plenty of their secrets and was confident of convincing them. He also knew near-future events down south that he could predict. But when it came to Jadewell and this part of Raelyon, he got nothing. He didn¡¯t plan on telling anyone he was from the future until he had reconnected with a few old friends who could vouch for him. The fame from winning the Sarnival Port tournament would also add weight to his words. But the situation was different now. He lost the infinite retries of the Timekeeper¡¯s Boon. Gather allies. He intended to eventually tell Thorren. Why not try with Jadewell? It really wasn¡¯t much of a gamble because he¡¯d lose next to nothing other than Jadewell thinking he was insane and avoiding him. Best test how this would go with various people. He had to prepare the script when meeting the Caelidon family of Sarnival Port. ¡°So¡­ are you going to tell me any of those stories?¡± Jadewell had finished washing. She hung her cloak on the branches of a tree. ¡°I have time to spare. Want me to wash your clothes for you while you talk?¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll tell you,¡± Elian said, ignoring her offer. ¡°You probably won¡¯t believe it. I wouldn¡¯t either, if I were in your shoes.¡± He took a deep breath, imagining the suspenseful background music welling. ¡°I am¡­ from the future.¡± With a deadpan face, Jadewell replied, ¡°The double Tribulations have hit your head too hard.¡± It was the reaction Elian expected. She softened her expression, ¡°However, as part of my apology for all my wrongs to you, I¡¯ll listen to your story. I can¡¯t explain this feeling that I should.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I ask,¡± he said. ¡°If at the end you¡¯ll dismiss my words as my delusions, we¡¯ll forget this happened and continue as we were before. It¡¯s not like we talked much in class. So, again, I¡¯m from the future. To be more accurate, my mind is from fifteen years into the future, and it was transferred back in time.¡± Time traveling forward was common in many Fellenyran tales, usually about people cursed to sleep for decades or centuries, waking up to a different era. Not really the time travel mechanics someone from modern Earth would think of. Time traveling backward was a fairly newish thing in Earth stories. Humans of Fellenyr might not have any of that kind when they got warped from Earth. Elian¡¯s theory was that it¡¯s better to claim to have visions of the future than tell the truth. Familiar concept and easier to explain. He¡¯d try that next time if this wouldn¡¯t pan out with Jadewell. ¡°I¡¯m starting to relive those fifteen years is what I¡¯m saying,¡± Elian continued. ¡°Think of me as knowing things to come. Around two weeks ago, I was passing through Ambervale or Amberwynd, the town about two weeks of traveling on foot east of here.¡± ¡°That¡¯s Ambervale.¡± ¡°Ambervale, yes.¡± Elian started his story from that point, intentionally omitting he was from Earth¡ªan even more complicated story for another time. ¡°At that point in my previous life, I met the Timekeeper, a powerful yet forgotten deity who could control time. I know you haven¡¯t heard of him,¡± he said, noticing Jadewell¡¯s expression. ¡°Just bear with me here. The Timekeeper gave me a Boon that allowed my mind to return to the past after I died.¡± Elian explained the specifics of the Boon of the Timekeeper¡¯s Secret Gift. ¡°Fairly complicated and punishing,¡± Jadewell said. A good sign that she was listening. ¡°You needed that many unused Favor Points when you die to activate it? I also can¡¯t imagine the hardships you endured with your attribute gain hampered to that extent. I¡¯ve heard of Boons that could raise the dead, and those are legends. But a Boon that transports one¡¯s mind through time? What you¡¯re telling me is¡­¡± ¡°Crazy, right? It¡¯s going to get even crazier. The Timekeeper gave me this Boon to save humanity from the Giants.¡± 23. How I Lost My Rewind ¡°Save humanity¡­ from the Giants¡­?¡± Jadewell fidgeted with her fingers. Elian spotted the ring of invisibility she was trying to hide. He wouldn¡¯t blame her if she disappeared and ran away. ¡°Giants are extinct,¡± she said. ¡°They have descendants of diluted blood, but true Giants are long gone. No one has seen any for, I don¡¯t know, hundreds of years. Perhaps a thousand. Unless you mean their mutated cousins roaming the snowy scape of Granaja?¡± ¡°True Giants. They¡¯re still around, just not here. They live in the Forgotten Lands.¡± Elian noticed that Jadewell was about to roll her eyes but stopped herself. ¡°You¡¯re telling me that an extinct race will come from an island mentioned only in legends to wipe out humans?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± said Elian, trying not to sound sheepish. Sounded very unbelievable putting it that way. The vision-of-the-future plan seemed more defensible. He¡¯d try it with Thorren during their trip. ¡°The first of the Giants will arrive less than seven and a half months from now on Sarnival Port.¡± ¡°A long time to confirm your story,¡± said Jadewell. She closed her fist around her ring. She might not believe what he said, but she seemed willing to continue listening. ¡°Taking your words as hypothetically true¡­ why were you chosen by this mysterious Timekeeper to be the savior of humanity?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t know the answer to that.¡± Elian lied because he was angry at the truth. ¡°If I succeed in my mission, then the Timekeeper would be correct. Maybe he saw something in the future?¡± The Timekeeper told him the choice was completely random. His magic worked best on someone not bound to Fellenyr¡¯s life wave¡ªsome complicated explanation Elian didn¡¯t understand and couldn¡¯t remember¡ªand so he picked someone from Earth, the homeworld of humans. The Timekeeper¡¯s power was diminished breaching the veil across worlds, so he didn¡¯t know who he was pulling. ¡°Lady Fortuna showered me with luck,¡± the Timekeeper had told Elian while they were at the In-Between dimension. ¡°An infant could be standing in your place right now.¡± ¡°Firstly, an infant can¡¯t stand,¡± Elian angrily replied then. ¡°Secondly, what if you did pick a baby, you asshole?¡± ¡°But I picked you. Your choices are either to do it or not.¡± Deities really didn¡¯t care about anything other than what they wanted. ¡°In your previous life,¡± Jadewell said. ¡°What happened when the Giants came to Sarnival?¡± Elian briefly narrated how the Giants destroyed the port town and made it their staging ground. From there, they swept through Raelyon and beyond. There were other places they¡¯ve landed as well. They came in their hundreds on island-sized ships and then in their thousands when they established portals on the mainland. Humanity was disorganized and many kingdoms fell. Expeditions were sent to find the Forgotten Lands, hoping to bring the fight to the Giants and lure them back to their homes to no avail. It wasn¡¯t until one of the Giant portals was captured and reversed that humanity gained access to the Forgotten Lands. The night was falling as Elian neared the end of his tale. He thought Jadewell would leave¡ªperhaps she¡¯d wildly assume he had some unsavory plans for her in the darkness¡ªbut she didn¡¯t. She listened to his every word. He could tell he wasn¡¯t convincing her of their truth, but she was still transfixed by the tale. ¡°There were several campaigns to the land of the Giants,¡± Elian said. ¡°All failed, the human armies were wiped out. The last was an attack on Blunderbore, the Giants'' capital. This was where I died at the hands of the Giant King. I woke up two weeks ago at Ambervale and found that I no longer could travel back in time.¡± ¡°You lost the Boon?¡± Jadewell must think he was making excuses not to demonstrate its power. ¡°What Divine Bestowal did you bring with you from the future?¡± This can be my proof! Angry red tattoos bloomed on Elian¡¯s skin, shining brightly in the darkness enveloping them. ¡°This is a Greater Curse from the Abyssal Eye. This isn¡¯t someone of my level could obtain.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not familiar with this deity you speak of,¡± Jadewell said, dashing Elian¡¯s plan in one swoop. ¡°But why did you choose that Curse?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll start my journey with boosted Attack Power,¡± Elian explained. ¡°Same as how money can make more money, I¡¯ll gain strength at a faster rate than before, not even counting the penalties of the Timekeeper¡¯s Boon. But it didn¡¯t go as planned because¡ª¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you choose the Timekeeper¡¯s Boon?¡± Elian¡¯s mind ground to a halt. ¡°Isn¡¯t that why you no longer have it?¡± Jadewell continued. ¡°I may be misunderstanding some parts of your convoluted and complicated story, but shouldn¡¯t you have chosen the Timekeeper¡¯s Boon to preserve your ability to redo those fifteen years? He closed his eyes and covered his face with his hands. ¡°I¡­ am¡­ an¡­ idiot!¡± His mind or spirit or whatever it was came from the future. He wasn¡¯t the same person whom the Timekeeper granted his Boon¡ªthis was the reason he lost it. The solution should have been to keep picking the darned Timekeeper¡¯s Boon for infinite retries so long as he fulfilled its conditions. He could have been the ultimate expert of all things magic on Fellenyr after a century or two of rewinding. It should¡¯ve been an unlosable situation for humanity, and he dropped the ball¡­ so fucking hard. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Jadewell tapped his shoulders. He looked up. She was shining a glowing blue ring on him. He was so buried in his thoughts that he didn¡¯t notice her come closer. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not sure. If humanity is doomed, blame it on me.¡± ¡°We should return to the Cauldron,¡± she gently said. ¡°It¡¯s not safe this deep in the forest at night. Creatures more dangerous than the jarlion prowl hereabouts.¡± Elian was silent the entire time they walked back to town. He wasn¡¯t even thinking of where he was going, just a small part of his brain directing him to follow a step behind the woman with the glowing hand. What if he had retained the Timekeeper¡¯s Boon? He could¡¯ve rewound time to get rid of the Elder Giant¡¯s Curse. After that, he¡¯d learn all the rights moves until victory was assured. Then he¡¯d go for a final run, picking the winning Divine Bestowal, and end the Giants for good. That wasn¡¯t happening now. Look on the bright side, was what he¡¯d always think in these shitty situations. There had to be a bright side. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. For starters, he didn¡¯t have to level up for the needed Favor Points to rewind while penalized by both the Timekeeper¡¯s Boon and the Elder Giant¡¯s Curse. A large chance he¡¯d die before then since he¡¯d be incredibly weak and couldn¡¯t even attack. That was a decent bright side. ¡°I¡¯m not inclined to believe your story,¡± said Jadewell as the walls of the Cauldron greeted them. They ascended the ramp to the gate. ¡°The Giants, rewinding time, it¡¯s all difficult to take in. However, your reaction to me pointing out your mistake¡ª¡± ¡°Exceedingly colossal mistake,¡± Elian chimed in. ¡°¡ªappears genuine. It makes me afraid. If your story is true¡­ I-I don¡¯t even know what to think. I pray to the Storm God you¡¯re weaving an elaborate prank or just touched in the head by the sun.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid not,¡± Elian said. She looked over her shoulder, peering through her curtain of hair. She had untied her bun. ¡°Say, you haven¡¯t finished your story. Why did you ask the Hundred-Armed Magistrate for a Curse? Something about a plan. Is killing Quillhusks with a Tribulation part of it?¡± ¡°You can say that,¡± said Elian with half a snort and half a chuckle. Amusing how things got this way. If he picked the Timekeeper¡¯s Boon, he wouldn¡¯t be out here squishing giant bugs with a palm strike from the heavens. ¡°It wasn¡¯t only the Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse I brought with me from the future. Before I died, the Giant King¡ªno, it was the Elder Giant. Probably. Whoever it was, they placed a Curse on me.¡± Elian told Jadewell about the Greater Curse of the Powerless Physical Immortal and its interaction with the Greater Curse of the Berserking Abyssal Eye. She made no comments about his plan to use the Tribulation as his attacking skill while making himself stronger through its rewards. Since it sounded like a good idea at that time, wouldn¡¯t it be better to make the Tribulation stronger? And so, he asked for a Curse. ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t think the Magistrate would agree just like that,¡± Elian said. ¡°This is now how things are, and I¡¯m hunting using the Tribulation to level up. I know you don¡¯t believe my story; I¡¯m not forcing you to. But what do you think of¡­ my mistake, assuming it were true?¡± Jadewell turned away to think as they entered the gate; he could only guess her expression. ¡°What can I say? Hmmm¡­ I commend your ingenuity in making the best out of your unenviable situation. That¡¯s the most important part. We can¡¯t control what fate¡ªbefore I go on, you won¡¯t be offended if I give you advice? You seem down.¡± ¡°Very much down. Beating myself over my mistakes. I doubt your words can pull me up, but let¡¯s hear it.¡± She stopped walking and turned around to face him. ¡°As I was saying, we can¡¯t control what fate throws our way. Even if you pick this Timekeeper¡¯s Boon to redo your life several times¡ªand I¡¯m not saying I believe such a deity or Boon exists¡ªyou can¡¯t fully predict the outcome. As you rewrite the book of time, the future pages also change. It might very be only in this book you have both the Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse and the Elder Giant¡¯s Curse. Other books could be worse and¡ª¡± ¡°The bright side!¡± Elian blurted. She raised her hand with the light ring and peered at him. ¡°Is there something wrong with what I said?¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re right. This might be the only timeline I have both of these Curses.¡± Could he obtain the Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse again? Most of the events leading up to it were outside his control. If he¡¯d change the present, the future would as well. That infuriating abstract existence of an eye might not even be in its volcano lair the next time he would visit. What about the Giants? As Elian would thwart their attacks time and again, one of those murderous bastards would realize there were time magic shenanigans on the humans¡¯ side. They know of the Timekeeper. Heck, the Giant King discerned it just from one encounter. Lucky Elian was about to die that time, his bomb primed to go off, so the most the Giant King could do was inflict this pesky Curse. If the Giants had time to prepare, they might come up with something much worse to impede his time travel. Could be better, could be worse. Useless to think of what-ifs, really. What he had now was an amazing synergy of Curses. He should make the most out of it. ¡°This was a day full of epiphanies,¡± Elian said, a smile disrupting his gloomy face. He called up his Covenant with the Gods. Elian Ward | Human | Level:7 Health: 2,013/2,205 Energy: 970/970 ATTRIBUTES: Attack Power: 0 Magic Power: 0 Armor: 18,664 Magic Resilience: 0 DIVINE BESTOWAL: Greater Curse of the Berserking Abyssal Eye III Greater Curse of the Powerless Physical Immortal II Lesser Curse of the Overzealous Judge I If Elian had brought his enchanted cleaver, it would¡¯ve given eight thousand more Armor after the multipliers. But even without it, the Attack Power from his Tribulation rewards and the Armor of his helmet and armguard put in the work. ¡°Uh, Elian?¡± Jadewell waved at him. ¡°Are you still right in your head? That is, if you ever were.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very grateful for your help,¡± Elian told a very confused Jadewell. ¡°But I have to leave now.¡± ¡°Help? I brought you more misfortune than aid. Good luck with your, um, plans. But I hope more that your story is untrue. I¡¯ll assume it is so for my peace.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s probably better for you.¡± Elian rushed back to camp to get the cleaver and max the tier of the Elder Giant¡¯s Curse. He¡¯d buy a better weapon. Weapons¡ªplural. Better equipment. Enchantments and the works. He¡¯d push this mistake to be his greatest strength. In the shadow of Borlen¡¯s wagon, Elian called up his three Curses. To the symbol of an angry giant bound by chains, he offered three orbs of light, his Favor Points. The Elder Giant¡¯s Curse reached its maximum tier of three. Greater Curse of the Powerless Physical Immortal Transfer all your Attack Power and Magic Power to your Armor, becoming helpless in a fight while gaining durability beyond measure. Suffer the ultimate vulnerability to magic in return for octupling your Armor. So wills the Elder Giant, whose skin is impervious to steel but not magic. ¡°Octupling? That means multiplied by eight, right?¡± With the cleaver grasped by his hand, Elian checked his Covenant. He whistled in amazement, rapidly blinking his eyes several times to make sure he read the right number. ¡°More than fifty-three thousand Armor?¡± This much Armor is like wearing a suit of enchanted plate armor from the prime Forges of Berakan. In comparison, he had utter trash gear. Could he take on a shot from a dwarven ironboomer? Oh, wait. No time rewind. Better not try. He checked the details of his Armor to make sure the Elder Giant¡¯s Curse worked perfectly. ARMOR Internal: 10 (Base), 6,296 (Powerless Physical Immortal) External: 360 (Equipment) Multiplier: x8 (Powerless Physical Immortal) Elian grinned. His misfortune might just turn out to be a fortune. Those words were antonyms, right? Who cared if he was wrong if he had this much Armor? Speaking of Armor, he probably shouldn''t have upgraded the Elder Giant''s Curse just yet because the plant symbiote would have a harder time growing. Though this was the best time to test if it was a good idea to have a symbiote. He''d continue to grow tankier. If the symbiote couldn''t survive, even with Gideon''s concoctions, maybe Elian should plan for something else. ¡°Brother Elian, are you there?¡± Borlen called. ¡°Join us for dinner.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± Elian answered. Then he muttered. ¡°I¡¯m getting tired of faeboar meat. Better than Quillhusk¡­ the Quillhusk!¡± He forgot about it and the jarlion. He had to return to it tomorrow before going to mass. 24. Tale of Two Priests Walking, trudging, with multitudes of people to the central hill, hemmed in all sides by robes of blue, Elian gazed up at the cool sun streaked with silver and wondered if he shouldn¡¯t have come with Borlen¡¯s group. Probably no need for him to protect them from Naamon and other vengeful red-robed Tellerin. The hills teemed with so many guards that any squabbles would be quelled soon enough. And they did encounter some fights involving supporters of lesser Champion Penitents. This day was supposed to be for worship, yet the atmosphere was tense and dense, like the inside of Aether-enhancing vats. But instead of Aether, anxiety and suspicion weighed the air down. While having dinner last night¡ªit was indeed faeboar stew¡ªthe pilgrims shared stories of violence. Two dead and several injured outside the walls of Energy Hill, Casimir had said. Those weren¡¯t followers of Faridar or Tharguras. According to another pilgrim, a camp beside the Road of Penitents Past was set on fire. There was also a leader of the followers of Penitent Melusine stabbed a dozen times inside her tent. Assassinated, more like. ¡°As if the hills are turning mad after Penitent Faridar¡¯s Tribulation,¡± said Borlen. ¡°Bad omens, I fear. Tomorrow¡¯s mass hopefully brings guidance.¡± ¡°You told me you do this pilgrimage every year,¡± Elian said. ¡°Was this the same situation the previous year?¡± ¡°I¡¯m ashamed to admit there are always conflicts among the followers of Penitents. There shouldn¡¯t be any¡­ but there are many. However, not to this extent. No deaths last year. Injuries, yes. Some serious. But no deaths. This year¡¯s pilgrimage is more troubled than others I can recall.¡± From yesterday night to this morning, Elian squeezed memories of his past life, sifting for troubles in western Raelyon around this time. It was just too long ago. If there were any news back then, they didn¡¯t stick with him because the Giants attacking Sarnival was the big deal. Riots were inconsequential next to it. Could also be that nothing particularly worrisome happened. The Temples of Tribulation had a surprising number of troops at their disposal. Elian looked up at the mages zipping overhead. If they deployed the Six Paths, they could probably conquer the whole of Raelyon. Use religion and their followers, and their success was ensured. But followers dying and not calling down Tribulations wasn¡¯t in the Magistrate¡¯s interests. Elian and his pilgrim companions entered Energy Hill and headed for the bridge to the main temple. They were greeted by hulking golems carrying the fist symbol of the Magistrate on their chests. Not very efficient guards because they exacerbated the heavy traffic with their wide and craggy girth. ¡°What are these supposed to do if there¡¯s trouble?¡± Elian asked, looking up at a golem. ¡°Squish people?¡± ¡°Creations of the Priestess Khalamundi,¡± Borlen explained. The old pilgrim dyed his beard blue today. ¡°Her eyes and ears throughout the hills. Rock they may be now, the priestess can turn them to inescapable mud, restrict the disturbers of the peace, and harden once again. I¡¯ve witnessed it happen twice.¡± ¡°She can control her golem¡¯s composition to that extent?¡± Though they looked like normal rocks to Elian, he was sure their true structure was something unnatural. The priestess must¡¯ve made her minions look like this to intimidate people with thoughts of mischief. Difficult to start a fight with a stack of boulders looming nearby. Their steady march slowed to shuffling feet the closer they got to the last bridge to their destination. The golden dome of the temple gleamed the next hill over, but it seemed so far away given their pace. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making us late,¡± Elian told Borlen. He asked for their help with the Quillhusk and jarlion. They left the camp before the crack of dawn but it took time cutting out what they could sell from the half-eaten bodies. Scavengers got to the carcasses and ate plenty throughout the night, but the valuable and hard parts, like the Quillhusk¡¯s exoskeleton and the jarlion¡¯s crystal mane, remained. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, brother,¡± Borlen said. ¡°Those are valuable beasts you have hunted. I reiterate my view that you should retain most of the proceeds.¡± ¡°Half and half like last time,¡± Elian replied. Going by hunting rules, the one who killed the beast should claim the best parts. He decided to split them because the pilgrims had reliable contacts in the market. If Elian brought a bag full of jarlion crystals to sell, he would be lowballed by every vendor and their grandparents. He was a no-name here. Technically, Jadewell should have a share too since she landed the killing blow on the jarlion. But she almost got them killed, so cancel that. ¡°The least I could do,¡± Elian added, ¡°for delaying us on this important day.¡± ¡°No place to fret,¡± Borlen said, patting his shoulder. ¡°Even if we began our journey as the moon sailed across the sky, we wouldn¡¯t reach the temple square. We¡¯d need to have camped there a day or two prior.¡± Reaching the other side of the bridge, they didn¡¯t climb the ramps snaking up the spacious tiers ringing Temple Hill. Impossible to go that way because they¡¯d meet a solid wall of bodies. Their group descended three levels down, almost to the base of the hill. It became less congested the lower they went. Borlen led them to one of the many fountains on the level. Instead of the arcs of dancing water, the fountains sprayed them upward into a fine mist. Light shot upward into the cloud of water and projected a three-dimensional image of a robed man speaking. This guy was probably a priest up there at the temple. They were really prepared with the logistics of the event. Magically enhanced voices uttered litanies, spreading through the entire hill without echoes. The pilgrims responded between the breaks. The prayer wasn¡¯t in Angloise or any language Elian had heard before. ¡°It¡¯s in the tongue of worshippers of the Magistrate long ago,¡± Borlen earlier explained. ¡°Builders of the ruins we passed on the way to the Quillhusk and jarlion.¡± This is the language of the cat people? Elian expected it to be high-pitched, involving a lot of hissing. Was it racist to assume they spoke that way? The prayer was aggressively guttural and rolled words. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Borlen had also told him they didn¡¯t understand the words they were saying, same as they couldn¡¯t read Kymorathi script. Pilgrims simply repeated the sounds of the ceremonies. Elian didn¡¯t ask if they weren¡¯t worried about following the practices of a fallen civilization. Seemed morbid and also dangerous to do so. Were none of them concerned of meeting the same mysterious fate of the cat people? The projection changed to a wizened man with a flowing beard dressed more elaborately than the previous person. This priest, for what else could he be, had skin the color of copper, leaning more towards rust but seamlessly shiny. The lush beard carpeting his chest was the same color, as well as his eyes. Elian must¡¯ve mistaken him for a statue dressed up in the Magistrate¡¯s religious robes and placed on a marble chair, were it not for his mouth moving ever so slightly as he talked in the cat people¡¯s language. He was more akin to a puppet than a man. ¡°The High Priest Ambrose Tolland,¡± Borlen said. ¡°The Seven may be equal in the eyes of the Magistrate¡ª¡± That hand doesn¡¯t have any eyes, Elian amusedly thought. ¡°¡ªbut they saw fit to choose a leader among themselves. Ambrose Tolland was the logical choice, having walked the path of the Penitent for over a century and a half before pledging himself to the Magistrate¡¯s service until the end of his days. Much of our practices came from his research of worshippers long gone.¡± ¡°That includes the prayers, I bet,¡± Elian said. This Ambrose Tolland person could be making up words and no one would know. The High Priest must¡¯ve been a powerhouse in the past, but he was a sorry existence at present. Though the projection was blurry as the wind disturbed the mist, Elian noticed golden veins creeping on the High Priest¡¯s copper exterior. They were most prominent on his stiff beard. Those weren¡¯t supposed to be there. ¡°Are you wondering about the color of his body?¡± Borlen asked. ¡°It¡¯s an ancient body tempering technique the High Priest discovered in his travels, or so I¡¯ve heard. He¡¯s the only one who could use it on all of Fellenyr. Think of it as Steelskin but on a different level.¡± Elian nodded, choosing not to correct Borlen. An ancient technique, as the blue-bearded old man believed, its origins were said to be traced back to the Giants. But it wasn¡¯t body tempering like what the War Monks and other Health-centric fighting styles used, reinforcing their skin and flesh with life force from the Health Attribute. It leaned more into transformation than tempering. The better comparison was a Barkskin symbiote changing the host¡¯s skin and flesh. Borlen was also wrong that only High Priest Ambrose could use it. Tarnished Transcendence Body¡ªthis was what the royal guards of the Ruton Dynasty called it. When the Giants attacked the Far Eastern kingdoms beyond the Great Chasm that divided Fellenyr, the Solvi Empire came to their aid and Elian was there tagging along. He wasn¡¯t a big-named hero nor was he strong enough to be one, so he wasn¡¯t assigned to where the fighting was heaviest. But he did glimpse some of it, with the Ruton royal guards gleaming copper, defending their mountain cities from dozens of Giants climbing up to attack. Incredibly strong they may be, the Far Eastern kingdoms were eventually lost and only one royal guard survived to join the retreating forces of Solvi. ¡°The next we clash with the Giants,¡± Elian remembered Royal Guard Zhengjin, his body turned copper, telling the Great Hero Salvinor in labored Angloise, ¡°I will stay on the battlefield until the last drop of blood leaves my body.¡± ¡°Waste not your life in such fruitless endeavor,¡± Salvinor replied. ¡°We require everyone who can fight a Giant, and you can take on several.¡± Zhenjin showed them his arm, branching veins of gold coating it. ¡°I¡¯ve burned my life force molding the Tarnished Transcendence Body. A dead man walking¡ªthat is what I am. Returning to my normal body is death. I¡¯ll expend the last of my strength before rejoining my brethren in the Final Cycle.¡± From the little Elian understood of the technique, he guessed that High Priest Ambrose barely survived his last Great Tribulation. Similar to Zhenjin, Ambrose could no longer return to his human body and was on a timer. Instead of choosing a way to die, Ambrose somehow stretched the last of his energies to live up to the present. ¡°With this technique,¡± Borlen said, ¡°stories relay that the High Priest in his endured Greater Tribulations on his lonesome. People called him Ambrose Tolland the Transcended Immovable.¡± He¡¯s very much immovable, alright. A statue with a moving mouth. No sensation in his metal body. Elian could only marvel at the resolve of Ambrose. There was also an existential dread creeping up Elian¡¯s neck. He¡¯d never agree to something like this. He¡¯d go the way of Zhenjin if this ever happened to him. Half an hour of leading prayers later, a different priest swapped out Ambrose. That must be the energy expenditure quota of the High Priest for the day. ¡°He¡¯s huge!¡± Elian exclaimed at the projection. He hurriedly covered his mouth. ¡°Oh, I meant no offense. Just surprised.¡± ¡°No worries brother,¡± Borlen said with a chuckle. ¡°An understandable reaction when seeing Priest Ihadir for the first time.¡± The new priest was so massive his projection couldn¡¯t fit the globe of mist the fountain sprayed. Three times bigger than the quite imposing Tharguras, Priest Ihadir was more mountain than man. His arms, straining against the sleeves of his robes, could be mistaken for concrete columns. Back muscles were humps pushing him down to stoop. His regular-sized head, fully covered by a golden mask with no holes, looked out of place on his humongous body. To Elian¡¯s surprise, the voice of Priest Ihadir was calm and soothing, carefully enunciating Angloise words as he delivered a message of peace to address the growing unrest among the pilgrims. Elian would¡¯ve thought a highborn scholar was talking. Was this a fake voice? ¡°Priest Ihadir is an Itzirean Alchemist,¡± Borlen explained. The island state of Itziri? Elian had heard of the name but didn¡¯t know much about the place because it was far from the mainland. It was rumored to have been destroyed in the third year of the war with the Giants. Itzirean alchemist were famous¡ªor rather, infamous¡ªfor sprinting far past the line of morality when it came to human experiments. ¡°Using his unparalleled concoctions,¡± continued Borlen, ¡°Priest Ihadir sculpted his body into a bulwark that absorbed Greater Tribulations. He was said to feast daily on elixirs and pills when he was an Enlightened Penitent. He also invented metaphysical metals that he melded onto his flesh, covering the scars of sigils branded on his skin. Admittedly, his appearance is¡­ intimidating. But that is proof of his resolve to push the limits of his journey.¡± ¡°Very impressive resolve,¡± Elian said. In good ways and bad, he added in his thoughts. If he were to choose between the life of Ambrose or Ihadir, he wouldn¡¯t. He just wouldn¡¯t choose. Appalling and dread-inducing the lives of these two priests may be, they gave Elian a few ideas. He didn¡¯t know that the Tarnished Transcendence Form could tank a Greater Tribulation. He should expand his horizons. Elian was prepared to do almost anything to save Fellenyr, his second home, but the way of this Itzirean Alchemist was too far. Potions wouldn¡¯t work well on Elian anyway, only at a fifth efficacy because of the Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse. He scratched his chin, examining the hulking form of Ihadir. Each time the priest raised his arms, the end of his sleeves rolled down a couple of inches, exposing scaly skin. If potions don¡¯t work well on me, maybe I could avoid the worst effects while gaining some advantage? Still might be a bad idea to drink anything Itzirean made. But it opened Elian¡¯s mind to the possibilities. When he planned during his previous life for this next one, he focused on Divine Bestowals, skills, equipment, the whole works, that he could research. Not only were his plans inadequate¡ªwell, they were really useless now because of the Elder Giant¡¯s Curse¡ªbut his knowledge was severely lacking. Plenty of information was out of his reach then, like the magic of the Far Eastern kingdoms, the alchemy of Itziri, and so much more. While at the Temples of Tribulation, he should spare time to research. It wasn¡¯t like the Path of Immaterial required attendance in classes or else they¡¯d kick him out. Students came and left. And before Elian would eventually leave this place, he should have his shopping list ready. Here was someone who might point Elian in the right direction. In the middle of their group, as if popping out of thin air, Priest Thalman materialized. ¡°Greetings, brothers and sisters in penance,¡± said Priest Thalman. ¡°May I disturb you for a moment?¡± 25. A Little Shopping Scores of pilgrims, not just Borlen¡¯s group, rushed to Priest Thalman like iron filings to a strong magnet. The next thing Elian knew, he was several feet away from the priest, boxed out by layers of people. How did that even happen? He tried jostling to get nearer to the priest but was worried he might inadvertently hurt someone with his tankiness. Elian admitted defeat and evacuated himself from the colorful horde. Within sight of the fountain and Priest Ihadir¡¯s projection, he leaned against a post with a lantern ball on top and sighed. ¡°Why do you look down, brother?¡± someone asked him. ¡°I wanted to ask¡ªPriest Thalman!¡± Elian stood straight as one of the most important people on the hill appeared beside him. The priest¡¯s appearance of an elderly librarian disguised his true strength. Not that Elian could be sure what Thalman truly looked like; this right here was another illusion of many. Elian warily looked around him. No tsunami of people. Most were still with the Thalman talking to Borlen. Curiously, those who didn¡¯t join the crowd by the fountain looked like they were talking to the air. Everyone had their personal priest illusion. How convenient. ¡°Uh, good day to you, sir.¡± Elian bowed as low as he could without looking comical. ¡°Gladness wells in my heart to see your healthy visage.¡± Thalman adjusted his round glasses. ¡°How many Tribulations have you performed?¡± ¡°Seven,¡± Elian replied. ¡°Plus, one later.¡± He kept it in reserve for the flower-hunting trip. ¡°A fine number. Seven. You¡¯ve called for the Tribulation each day since receiving your Boon from the Magistrate. I pray you do well for your Tribulation today. Concerns are unneeded, I¡¯m sure. Borlen tells me your body¡¯s constitution is quite impressive, taking on a troublemaker¡¯s wind blades with scarcely any scratches. ¡°There were several scratches,¡± Elian said, glancing at Borlen¡¯s way. Thalman could keep track of several conversations at the same time. ¡°What¡¯s been done to Naamon and his group?¡± ¡°They have paid remuneration for the damage caused, in the amount assessed by the Temples. Half goes to the Temple coffers, half to Borlen. I¡¯m now giving it to him.¡± Thalman nudged his head toward the crowd. ¡°We¡¯ve added guards near your camp to prevent such a confrontation from repeating.¡± ¡°Good thing you gave Borlen that fine Merlan breastplate. Saved him from serious injuries.¡± Elian mentally mapped how the conversation should go for his questions. ¡°A show of appreciation for Borlen¡¯s contributions to the community,¡± said the priest. ¡°Borlen may have switched his support to a different Champion Penitent, but from then up to now, his hard work grew the number of those walking the path forged by the Hundred-Armed Magistrate. He intimated to me his desire to continue his journey but laments his weak body unable to safely receive a Tribulation. I saw fit to aid him.¡± ¡°When it comes to the ever-increasing power of Tribulations,¡± Elian said, ¡°everyone will be weak in comparison one day.¡± Thalman gave him one slow nod. ¡°I know that very well.¡± ¡°Ah, I meant no offense, Priest Thalman,¡± Elian quickly said, feigning a flustered voice. He switched to a worried expression, looking sideways and down. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ the fear of death. You¡¯ve counseled me about this the day I got my Boon, but it¡¯s not so easy to push away. Reassuring to know you¡¯ll help people that¡ªI mean, I¡¯m not asking for a handout.¡± ¡°You show great promise, brother,¡± the priest said. ¡°As you progress your journey and find your place in the community, the resources of the Temples of Tribulation will be open to you. Show devotion and you¡¯ll be rewarded.¡± Elian gazed up the tiers of the hill. ¡°I imagine myself wearing one of the suits of armor from the golden hall.¡± Then he shook his head. ¡°But that requires me to reach a Greater Boon. I shudder at the thought. I¡¯ve witnessed the Tribulation of Penitent Tharguras. The Greater Tribulation should be a far stronger single strike from above, right?¡± ¡°Not so,¡± said Thalman. ¡°A Greater Tribulation descends in multiple strikes and various forms¡ªa slam; a drilling force; corrosion, in parts; and magic, as well. Many more. This isn¡¯t to put more fear in your heart but to inspire you to work harder and marvel at the greatness of the Magistrate¡¯s influence on this mortal plane.¡± Magic? Damn it. Almost made Elian lose his train of thought. A problem for Future Elian. He should keep the conversation going because he was almost there. ¡°There are multiple strikes?¡± Elian asked, channeling the shock of needing to face magic Tribulations in the future. ¡°I-I shouldn¡¯t¡­ let it dwell in my mind. What¡¯s important is I¡¯ve confirmed a Lesser Tribulation is a single strike. Greater Tribulation, multiple strikes. The rumor that Lesser Tribulations can have multiple strikes is a lie, thank goodness.¡± ¡°Where did you hear that?¡± Priest Thalman asked. Elian scratched his chin. ¡°Can¡¯t really recall. At the pub on Immaterial Hill, most likely. I hang out there sometimes to relax.¡± He paused, hoping for the priest to fill the silence. Was it enough prodding? He¡¯d rather avoid mentioning the word ¡®Curse¡¯ if possible. ¡°A Lesser Tribulation can strike multiple times,¡± Priest Thalman tentatively said, looking intently at Elian as if peering into his soul, ¡°if it¡¯s from¡­ a Curse.¡± ¡°A Curse from the Magistrate?¡± Elian wished he had gotten acting lessons in his previous life. Was his surprised expression too fake? ¡°How is that possible? The Magistrate is so benevolent. Also, how can somebody get close to the Magistrate to commit offensive acts worth a Curse?¡± ¡°For your sake, learn not of those heretical stories, brother. But awful things have happened, and the Magistrate has meted out punishment before.¡± ¡°I never thought that could happen. The Magistrate is just, uh, so nice, giving Boons to everyone. Wait, can someone get a Boon and a Curse?¡± Elian thought of this last night. As the weight of his mistake Jadewell had pointed out sunk in, he was more resolved than ever to save humanity. No way he¡¯d push himself to the extent of Priest Ihadir, but he¡¯d explore less crazy but still very crazy ideas like having both the Magistrate¡¯s Boon and Curse. If he could survive the Curse, he¡¯d survive the Boon, no problem. The rewards from the Boon would help make him tankier, and he wasn¡¯t required to call upon its Tribulation every day when it¡¯d get too difficult in the future. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of such a thing,¡± the priest replied, ¡°from the Magistrate or any deity. Such a preposterous concept of carrying the Boon and Curse of the same deity.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ preposterous.¡± Elian casually chuckled. He¡¯d bet a million faeboars the Magistrate would agree to something like it. The giant hand would think it extra hilarious and ripe for mortal shenanigans. Elian would be a yummy snack with all the devotion and endurance in the Magistrate¡¯s name. Still, Elian, same as Priest Thalman, hadn¡¯t heard of such a thing happening to any deity. There was also the issue of the Divine Bestowal Slots¡ªthree of his slots were taken up by Curses. So far, Elian wasn¡¯t aware of upgrading them beyond a Greater Curse. In comparison, Greater Boons could be Melded together. But there was the very big question of which deity would agree to Melding with the Hundred-Armed Magistrate. It could end up as an underpowered slot. Elian shelved the idea for now. He couldn¡¯t reach the Magistrate to ask anyway without the priests stopping him. ¡°Priest Thalman, before you go,¡± Elian asked as the illusion started to fade. ¡°Is there someplace I could research things beyond the scope of the Six Paths? Borlen told me of the extreme journeys of the priests. I may not have access to the silver or gold halls because of my meager state, but knowledge is accessible to all, isn¡¯t it?¡± Priest Thalman solidified again as he smiled. ¡°Almost all knowledge is available to those who ask. Beneath the left wing of the temple, beyond the Three Gates of Acuity, is the trove of knowledge of Penitents Past.¡± ¡°Three Gates of Acuity? Is that a test? I¡¯m not very good with riddles and puzzles.¡± The priest broadly smiled as he disappeared. ¡°It¡¯s the name of a great door. Even I don¡¯t know the reason it¡¯s called Three Gates though it¡¯s one door.¡± The illusion was completely gone and yet his voice remained. ¡°Come visit and I¡¯ll guide you.¡± As the silvery sun reached its highest point in the sky, Elian ran over the empty bridge to Forge Hill. Three hours had passed since Thalman left and the mass still wasn¡¯t done¡ªit was Hazelheart¡¯s turn to preach. Elian had an appointment to keep and some shopping to do before it. Satisfied with Borlen¡¯s safety, especially with Thalman favoring him, Elian took his leave, telling only Casimir. He couldn¡¯t tell Borlen directly; the old man would guilt him into staying. Forge Hill, being Forge Hill, had a more extensive array of choices when it came to weapons and armor compared to Vigor Hill. He wasn¡¯t planning on buying new gear when he invited Thorren for the mission, otherwise he would¡¯ve set a later time. But with the incoming windfall of yesterday¡¯s hunt, he decided to spend the money he had now. His earnings from the jarlion and Quillhusk would be more than enough to pay for Gideon and other equipment upgrades. ¡°Do you have any fist weapons?¡± Elian asked a plump merchant wearing an orange turban. The shop was impressively spacious, with several attendants busy in between weapon racks. ¡°Or gauntlet weapons? I don¡¯t really know what to call them. Those you wear on your hands?¡± Elian would be holding weapons when calling for the Tribulation. So far, it had been going well with keeping the cleaver down by his side as the strike descended. If he bought something long, like a sword or even a spear, it¡¯d most likely break. Even daggers, unless they were really short, could be damaged by stronger Tribulations in the future. Going to be very costly buying new weapons again and again. And so, he thought of using something compact, weapons he could protect from the Tribulation. Funny how he¡¯d protect the weapons, not the other way around. ¡°Follow me, dear customer.¡± The merchant moved with astonishing speed for his size, snaking through narrow aisles and around piles of weapons. ¡°Peruse our claws on offer. You can test the feel of their grip. Make sure it is comfortable and secure when you stab your enemies or swipe at them.¡± ¡°None with claws and blades,¡± Elian said, browsing the weapons. ¡°They¡¯re too unwieldy. Something that¡¯s not long.¡± ¡°If that is what you have in mind, then push-daggers are out.¡± The merchant jogged to the next cabinet, his turban bouncing. ¡°How about retractable blades, sir?¡± He took one from the shelf, equipped it in a blur, and demonstrated the straight, double-edged blade extending from its end. ¡°Let the blades remain hidden if not in use. We have smaller options easily concealed with long sleeves if such is your purpose.¡± The merchant gave him a wink. ¡°If the blade is retracted, then I won¡¯t get the Attack Power, right?¡± ¡°Ye-yes¡­ that¡¯s how it works.¡± The merchant glared at Elian, probably gauging if he was a real buyer. ¡°If you don¡¯t want blades, spikes, or claws, then blunt-knuckles might be what you¡¯re looking for.¡± He transferred to the next row of cabinets and gestured at the shelves. ¡°This is it!¡± Elian pointed at a gauntlet that ended with straps around the wrist. Its knuckles were reinforced by a thick layer of steel, and studded to increase the damage of the punch. ¡°How much for this one?¡± The price the merchant quoted was lower than Elian expected. Weapons didn¡¯t have a high demand, more so knuckles. But perhaps he could find a better deal. He had to spare some coins for other purchases. He tried others on display, eventually settling with a simple one that looked like brass knuckles from Earth attached to a leather glove. The metallic knuckles were wide enough to be used as a buckler in a fight. The price was within budget and it came with an enchantment. Nagawada¡¯s Baleful Strike Gain twelve Attack Power for every level. Lose six Health for every level. Handing the appropriate number of coins to the merchant, Elian wore the Jawbreaker Knuckles and checked how much Attack Power the pair gave him. ATTACK POWER Internal: 117 (Base), 420 (Tribulation) External: 326 (Equipment), 84 (Enchant) Multiplier: x8 (Berserking Abyssal Eye), x0 (Powerless Physical Immortal) ¡°I¡¯m going to get very hard with this,¡± Elian said. ¡°What was that, sir?¡± A dash of worry flashed on the merchant¡¯s face. The wild smile Elian sported didn¡¯t help. ¡°If you find everything in order, I respectfully ask you to leave.¡± ¡°No, no! That wasn¡¯t what I meant. Weapons make me hard because¡ªUh, yes, I¡¯m not going to continue that sentence. Thank you for your assistance.¡± Elian hurried away from the merchant¡¯s weirded-out stare and headed to the section of the town selling helmets. His cranium was harder than most of the helmets for sale, but he wanted added protection to cushion the impact of the Tribulation. It¡¯d be like the bumper of a car. In this case, attaching a bumper to a tank. ¡°I¡¯m going to buy this one,¡± Elian told the scrawny vendor persuading him to pick the more expensive options. Instead, he chose a simple conical helmet with a noseguard. His old helmet, armguards, and leather vest would take too much work to repair. He¡¯d buy more equipment next time. ARMOR Internal: 10 (Base), 7,576 (Powerless Physical Immortal) External: 220 (Equipment) Multiplier: x8 (Powerless Physical Immortal) ¡°That totals to more than sixty-two thousand Armor,¡± Elian muttered, examining his Covenant. ¡°One last purchase. I hope Thorren didn¡¯t arrive on time.¡± Fifteen minutes later, he came out of an alchemist shop specialized in armor protection and enhancement. With the last of his coins, he managed to buy the smallest bottle they had of fulgurate oil. When applied to equipment, it gave added durability for a short duration. Elian had to be thrifty with it because he¡¯d use it every day. In the long run, he¡¯d save on repair costs. ¡°Thorren, I¡¯m sorry for making you wait so long,¡± Elian said, arriving at the southern gates of Forge Hill. Thorren was already there along with his cousins, making Elian feel even guiltier for his tardiness. ¡°Are you ready?¡± 26. A Relaxed Forest Stroll Elian and Thorren departed through the gates, Thorren¡¯s cousins waving goodbye behind them. Nelisha told Elian a few days ago she¡¯d prefer if Thorren did anything else other than call for Tribulations to earn money. She mentioned hunting. That was what they would do now, but she looked distraught about it. Elian was more than half sure Thorren told her they¡¯d pass the area around the Forbidden Temple, called the Dark Forest by some. Even if Thorren didn¡¯t share the specifics, the southern forests were known to be more dangerous than other areas around the hills. She shouldn¡¯t be so worried. Thorren had prepared well for their trip. Wrapped around his body was high-quality leather armor with intricate runic stitching. Its black color glinted luxury, though the worn patches here and there told of its extensive use. Another hand-me-down from his father or uncle. Along with the layers of armor he wore for his Tribulation, Thorren¡¯s family seemed to be quite well-off. Thorren also had a large hunting knife strapped to his right hip, a quiver of arrows with different magical heads secured on his left, a backpack, and a bow slung across it. Lastly, he had a lantern ball dangling from his bag, the new model that maintained light even as the liquid inside dried up. Thorren could very well live off hunting magical beasts instead of doing Tribulations on the Stage of Devotions. The donations he¡¯d receive wouldn¡¯t be large, considering his low Tribulation level. Surely, there was more to the story of this mysterious Rakhonite family best kept as their business. Elian had invited Thorren for the hunt but looked less prepared in comparison. He had his own backpack with a rolled-up sleeping bag stacked on top. His newly-bought helmet and Jawbreaker Knuckles hung from the backpack¡¯s side, clicking together as he walked. The lantern ball he brought was cloudy and almost empty, an old one borrowed from Borlen. It probably worked for the best that Elian appeared shabbier because Thorren took it upon himself to be in charge of their party of two. Thorren walked ahead, pointing out various plants they passed and explaining which were useful and which were dangerous. He also shared what he heard from hunters about the resident beasts of the area. ¡°My only goal is the Spectral Fairy Azalea,¡± Elian said. ¡°Anything else we find or kill is yours.¡± ¡°We should split it, my friend,¡± Thorren said. Elian smiled, recalling Borlen wanted him to get the bigger share whenever he¡¯d ask for help processing his kill. This time, Thorren expected he¡¯d be the one to land the killing blow and was gracious by offering an even split. But the Rakhonite shouldn¡¯t be so sure. Elian had a Tribulation ready if needed. ¡°No, no,¡± Elian replied. ¡°You help me get the flower. I help you hunt any valuable quarry we come across. We both gain something. All¡¯s fair and fine.¡± It wasn¡¯t beasts they came across but people. Two groups of hunters. The first group was a trio of grumpy old-timers, the type who couldn¡¯t help but look down on those younger. Elian and Thorren being new faces added to their dismissiveness. ¡°Go hunt somewhere else, you smooth-handed boys,¡± said the burly bear of a man in the lead. ¡°You two aren¡¯t cut out for a real man¡¯s hunt ¡®round the Dark Forest.¡± ¡°Dun¡¯ stare at me like that.¡± The second hunter with a scar stretching his smirk to his ear told Thorren. Elian assumed the Rakhonite was on the verge of picking a fight. ¡°We¡¯re lookin¡¯ out for both of ya¡¯ rascals,¡± said the hunter. ¡°Marchin¡¯ to your deaths without knowin¡¯ it.¡± Elian stepped in front of Thorren. ¡°Sirs, we¡¯re not going to interfere with your hunt.¡± ¡°Correct, the forest is spacious enough for all of us,¡± Thorren said with an edge to his voice. ¡°Are you claiming¡ª?¡± ¡°What my friend here means,¡± Elian cut in, ¡°is that we¡¯d appreciate it if you tell us of the dangers ahead. You¡¯re right. We don¡¯t know anything. But if we knew, maybe, just maybe, we¡¯ll turn back.¡± The last hunter was the most reasonable of the bunch. ¡°Look here, fellows.¡± He raised a bandaged arm with yellow pus seeping through the cloth. It stunk worse than bananas left inside a leather bag for a month. And Elian couldn¡¯t even remember what a banana smelled like. ¡°A Mordant-Spitter got me good.¡± The hunter grimaced. ¡°It wasn¡¯t where it¡¯s supposed to be. Beasts are restless. Unruly. Something¡¯s wrong in the forest.¡± ¡°Ya¡¯ll will feel it entering the Dark Forest. Moreso, near the Forbidden Temple, ya¡¯ listenin¡¯ to me? Bu dun¡¯ go there, or anywhere near, if you value your lives. Just do chores at yer house.¡± ¡°Whatever it is the priests sealed in that place is projecting its malevolent aura,¡± continued the third hunter. ¡°Think what Priestess Hazelheart likes to do, yeah? But much worse. Drives the beasts mad. They¡¯re fleeing, spilling out of the Dark Forest over to supposedly safer areas. A good hunting opportunity, for sure. Can also lead to something like this.¡± He nodded at his bandaged arm. ¡°A Mordant-Spitter isn¡¯t cause for concern,¡± Thorren said, puffing out his chest, ¡°if we won¡¯t allow its saliva to touch us.¡± ¡°Really, now?¡± The first hunter roughly laughed like gurgling gravel. ¡°Maybe a Grumpbeing will be a cause for concern for you, boys. There¡¯s one stomping about. Or a Tahlkor with four arms ready to rip you in four. We¡¯ve also seen tracks of a¡­¡± The hunter proceeded to list fearsome monsters, reminding Elian of his childhood when his mother would enumerate a bunch of adults, most of whom he didn¡¯t know, who¡¯d get supposedly angry if he didn¡¯t eat his vegetables. The other hunters chimed in with their horror stories, trying to convince Elian and Thorren to go with them as they returned to town. The duo thanked the trio for their information, most of which could be false, and continued with their journey just the same. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about their words,¡± Thorren said. ¡°Their intent was to cower us, concocting tall tales. However, the Mordant-Spitter wasn¡¯t a lie. The smell¡ª¡± He wiped his nose. ¡°The Grumpbeing might also be true,¡± Elian said. Gideon had warned him about it. Asking Borlen¡¯s group, they¡¯ve heard rumors about it around the hills. They¡¯d know early if one was approaching. ¡°Those stone monsters with their fear auras might be the trouble those hunters mentioned. That part about the Tahlkor was a lie, though. Too hot a climate for them. Thick fur and layers of blubber¡ªthey¡¯ll cook themselves to death in this forest.¡± The second group of hunters they met was on the friendlier side. ¡°Ah, you saw old Scrunchy¡¯s gang up ahead,¡± said the bald man who had introduced himself as Marlowe after Elian told them about the first group and their warnings. ¡°Don¡¯t take it personally. Just his sandy demeanor, sprinkling his grating grains on people. Won¡¯t listen to my advice to lighten up. But he¡¯s right that monsters move about all wrong these days.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°I reckon our kudzun friend changed its residence too,¡± Frederick, the other hunter, chimed in. He was talking about the vine monster that could grow to an acre in size; the one lurking along the edge of the Forbidden Temple was quite young and small, according to Gideon. Elian unrolled the map from the floramage. ¡°Is the kudzun no longer here?¡± He pointed at a circle with some scribbles. "I got this from a friend. Might be no longer accurate.¡± ¡°Uh, doesn¡¯t look right. You got something to write with?¡± Marlowe and Frederick were kind enough to share their knowledge about the goings of the area. Reassuring to hear information directly from those with fresh experience. ¡°Our goal is somewhere here.¡± Elian pointed at a cluster of small hills beyond the thick black line that was the southern border of the Forbidden Temple¡¯s wide, spooky influence. ¡°The hill infested with Solbasks,¡± Marlowe said. Elian nodded. ¡°We started our journey late, so either we stop before sunset here¡ª¡± he referred to the northernmost tip of the Dark Forest ¡°¡ªor enter it, continue for a few hours until we reach this part to camp and rest.¡± Marlowe tapped the map. ¡°You¡¯re saying that you¡¯ll enter the Dark Forest at night? Not the brightest idea I¡¯ve heard today.¡± ¡°Just a small portion of it,¡± Elian replied. He turned around to show his bag. ¡°Won¡¯t take long inside¡ªan hour and a half, maybe two hours at most. We¡¯ll stick to the edge. I was thinking we push on tonight, so by tomorrow, we¡¯ll start from here. Another cut through Forbidden Temple this way, and we¡¯ve reached our goal. We¡¯re a bit pressed for time.¡± ¡°How ¡®bout this then.¡± Marlowe taught them a shortcut that¡¯d cut their time inside the forbidden area by half¡ªonly an hour of travel. It also avoided the kudzun¡¯s territory. ¡°There¡¯s a waterfall on this spot not shown on your map. It¡¯s a short climb down. Just slippery. Cross the stream below, and you¡¯ll breathe lightly again, free from the pressure of the monster inside Forbidden Temple.¡± ¡°A monster?¡± Elian asked. ¡°The priests are guarding a monster there?¡± ¡°Rumors. Just rumors. Anywho, use the one hour we saved you to put some distance from the Dark Forest¡¯s edge before setting up camp. Have a peaceful night¡¯s sleep then.¡± ¡°We are thankful for your guidance,¡± Thorren said, clasping his hands and bowing. Elian followed his lead, awkwardly clanking his helmet and gauntlets as he bowed. Thorren added, ¡°If ever you¡¯ll be in need of help, don¡¯t hesitate to approach us so we can repay you.¡± ¡°We¡¯re asking for none of that, friend,¡± Frederick said. ¡°We just want to sleep tightly, knowing we¡¯ve made your trip safer. Sleep is good. And we don¡¯t want to be questioned about missing people in this forest.¡± An hour of traveling later, the trail faded to the rocks and greenery. Half an hour more, Elian and Thorren found themselves hiking over hills. Some beasts lurked on the other sides of thickets and behind trees, but none approached. The animals had better things to do than bother the dangerous bipedal creatures intruding on their lands. ¡°This must be the start of what many refer to as the Dark Forest,¡± Thorren said, slowing his pace after yet another hour of travel to gaze up at the canopies of trees. ¡°It''s pretty dark, alright,¡± Elian said. Another hour to sunset, but it was almost nighttime in the depths of the forest. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong with these trees.¡± Ancient trees towered, each boasting an impressive pillar of a trunk. They oddly grew close to each other. Too close. Navigating through them was like getting lost in a maze. Their gnarled roots, crowded and entangled, were pushed out of the soil. Looking high above, the branches of the trees were entwined instead of staying apart. Their crowns of leaves merged into one expansive roof, preventing most of the sunlight from reaching the dried leaves on the forest floor. These were different species of trees, making their merging habits even more bizarre. This shouldn¡¯t be. Trees competed for sunlight and nutrients from the ground. As they grew, they¡¯d starve weaker plants around them, including other trees, capturing most of the sunlight with their height and spread of leaves while using their wider and deeper roots to hog the soil nutrients. ¡°Must be the effect of the secret inside the Forbidden Temple.¡± Elian clambered over a staircase of gigantic roots. His theory was it could either be an ancient artifact from the cat people or could be another hand of the Hundred-Armed Magistrate. ¡°And it¡¯s going to remain a secret because we won¡¯t go near that place.¡± The actual ruins of the Forbidden Temple were about a three-hour hike from where they were. Sticking to the edge, they were giving it a very wide berth. ¡°The thrill of the unknown beckons,¡± Thorren said. ¡°However, I have promised my cousins to avoid the dire place. Even discounting such an oath, I¡¯d rather not risk getting caught by a priest. Lots of money bags with my name await me at the Stage of Devotion.¡± Expecting the worst, Elian wore his helmet and Jawbreaker Knuckles. He wouldn¡¯t be breaking any jaws, but he was ready to meet any physical threat. Magical danger was a bit woozy. But nothing happened while they followed the way taught by Marlowe and Frederick. They descended the waterfall¡ªthe stones were indeed slippery¡ªand refilled their waterskins in the stream below. The trees respected each other¡¯s personal space again, and the canopies receded to reveal the mild pink of the setting sun. Would you look at that, something went right with no twists. If this kept up, they¡¯d reach their camping spot in an hour and would have plenty of time to cook rather than eat dried meat. Thorren suddenly crouched ¡°What is it?¡± Elian asked. Thorren ran his hand over tracks on the ground. Pawprints. ¡°Fresh ones. A jarlion. It¡¯s nearby.¡± Again? Couldn¡¯t be something else? Calling for beasts without magic damage-type skills to attack them. Thorren pointed at Elian¡¯s knuckle weapons. ¡°Are you going to punch it to death?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tackle it for you to kill. I¡¯m more than tough enough to give a jarlion a big hug. Just shoot its mouth when it gathers Aether. Defending against magic isn¡¯t my strong suit. You can do that, right?¡± ¡°Should not be an issue,¡± Thorren said. ¡°We follow your plan. I trust your words.¡± Thorren showed off his tracking skills, quickly picking a path where there was none. Elian could only notice some of the signs where the jarlion had passed. It was like watching a magician perform sleight-of-hand magic tricks¡ªyou know what he¡¯s doing but just can¡¯t catch the actual trick. The jarlion might¡¯ve caught on it was being followed because it veered to an area with sparser vegetation. Thorren kept muttering that it was near, but Elian couldn¡¯t see. The jarlion¡¯s mottled purple fur worked well to camouflage it in the dim light and shadows. Elian gathered Aether to his eyes. His sight became a jumble of blinding light and absolute dark spots as he experimented with controlling Aether lines to have a semblance of Aethersight. Through the mess of life forces and energies given off by the plants, he saw a large blob that didn¡¯t belong. ¡°To the right, beyond those two toppled pillars.¡± Elian dissipated the Aether in his eyes before they could burst any veins. Thorren had already notched an arrow in his bow, chanting words to activate Rakhonite magic. A dark reddish light traced the runes on his armor. He raised his bow. The arrowhead sizzled orange. ¡°I¡¯m probably not needed here,¡± Elian said as they reached the pillars adorned with carvings of the cat people. ¡°Let me go first.¡± He rounded the pillars and found himself at the edge of the small clearing. Opposite them was the jarlion, mouth open, already charging up its beam too far for a tackle. He immediately gathered Aether for constructs to distract the jarlion. Though he probably didn¡¯t need to do it. ¡°It¡¯s mine,¡± Thorren whispered, aiming with his bow. An earthshaking roar stopped the world. It literally made Elian¡¯s bones tremble, and his heart palpitate wildly. He couldn¡¯t move. The jarlion clamped its mouth shut, Aether vapor going out its nose as it let out a small whimper. The racket of animals in the forest fell silent. A Grumpbeing! What was it doing this far from the Dark Forest? 27. A Crazy Desperate Plan Elian wouldn¡¯t mistake this call for any other beast. How did a Grumpbeing get this near to them without warning? Only now did they feel its aura. A sense of dread gripped his heart, the hair on his neck standing on end. Fear from nowhere. Fear without reason. Bizarre. It was as if he was looking at someone else experiencing the fear, not understanding how it came to be. And yet, it froze his body, his muscles not listening to his instructions. The ground shook from the heavy footfalls. The Grumpbeing was coming to eat the prey it had snared¡ªunfortunately, that included Elian and Thorren. Elian concentrated his will to face Thorren and tell him, ¡°Run¡­ Ru-run¡­¡± A stupid thing to say because both of them couldn¡¯t move. The shadow of a hill appeared behind the jarlion. A short tree bowed down before snapping as a slow-moving behemoth plowed onward on four legs, ending in a wide base with way too many toes. The leather-like skin of the Grumpbeing caught the last rays of the sun, highlighting many wrinkles. As it breathed heavily, louder than an industrial air conditioner, a subtle blue glowed from inside the cracks on its skin. The Grumpbeing opened its mouth wide. Wider. The ends of its mouth continued to split open past what one might think was its head, extending across its flanks, revealing that it was practically a giant head on legs. Its teeth were as large as a great shield. Shaped like one too; big rectangular blocks ready to grind prey into paste because the Grumpbeing didn¡¯t have the internal organs for proper digestion. Elian steadied his breathing and focused to regain control of his body. They had time. The Grumpbeing had something else on its plate. Literally. The jarlion, recognizing it was dinner, struggled to move. Letting out strenuous growls, it managed to step once with its right foreleg. Its body spasmed as it tried to step again. The crystals on its back fizzled. It kept trying and failing to gather Aether. Its mind must be in turmoil so near the Grumpbeing, but its survival instincts fought back. Too late. In a blur, the jarlion was gone where it stood. The Grumpbeing had closed its mouth; the jarlion¡¯s hind leg stuck out from between the massive teeth. The Grumpbeing might be slow in walking, but its bite was faster than an arrow loosed from a bow. The jarlion didn¡¯t have any chance to cry out as its head was certainly the first to be crushed. Sounds of breaking bones and crystals, squelching ground flesh, and the Grumpbeings satisfied grunts filled the silence of the night. Listening to the jarlion getting chewed, Elian thought, Is it too much to hope that it¡¯ll choke on¡ªan idea suddenly came! Ninety-nine percent certain it¡¯d work. But first, Thorren should be out of the way. Elian checked his body, tensing the muscles here and there. The effects of the Grumpbeing¡¯s roar started to wear off. Only the pressure of its pesky aura, similar to the hobby of Priestess Hazelheart, but this was the work of a magical organ instead of caused by overwhelming strength. It¡¯s¡­ weak? The aura wasn¡¯t as debilitating as Elian expected, and he was able to wriggle his left arm after a few seconds of intense concentration. The Grumpbeing may be injured or diseased¡ªthis was why its aura didn¡¯t reach far like the usual for its kind. When he heard of a Grumpbeing in the forest, he didn¡¯t think much about it because the fear aura would announce its presence from a distance. And it was easy to break out of the aura¡¯s grasp with mental prowess. The shout was a problem, which the Grumpbeing wouldn¡¯t do unless it was sure of a scared prey nearby. Elian stretched his arm and touched Thorren. He feebly pushed the red-haired Rakhonite. ¡°Fi-fight it¡­¡± he said through chattering teeth. He pushed Thorren again, a bit stronger this time. Would¡¯ve been better if he could punch Thorren to snap him out of it. Thorren looked at Elian as he raised a trembling arm. ¡°Stab¡­ pain¡­ move¡­¡± Elian said, intensely looking at Thorren¡¯s eyes, hoping he¡¯d get the message. ¡°Yargh!¡± With a mighty roar, Thorren pulled out his hunting knife and stabbed his leg. The shock of the pain freed him from the paralysis. ¡°I-I¡¯ll sa-save you,¡± he said to Elian, words slurring. He tried to pick up the nearly immobile Elian, but his strength still hadn¡¯t returned. His knees wobbled, and they both fell to the ground. ¡°Just go¡­¡± Elian imagined himself a three-month-old baby with how hard it was to lift his head from the ground. Pushing up his body was like lifting three fully-grown faeboars. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ handle this.¡± ¡°No,¡± Thorren replied. ¡°Fo-forgive me¡­ Raaah!¡± He stabbed Elian¡¯s leg, probably hoping the same move would work. And it probably would¡¯ve worked if the hunting knife pierced the flesh. But the blade broke as it met Elian¡¯s skin, a chip off its end flying away. Dammit, Thorren. Elian wanted to rap the Rakhonite¡¯s forehead for wasting time and breaking a family memento. ¡°Just go¡­¡± Elian had better control of his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Not die. I¡­ won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t leave a friend,¡± Thorren lifted Elian. He succeeded in doing so but didn¡¯t get far before falling again. Thorren cursed in his native tongue. Elian glanced at the Grumpbeing. It had noticed them trying to flee. It headed towards them as it continued to chew the jarlion. The low grumble it let out didn¡¯t bode well. ¡°Save yo-yourself.¡± Elian gave Thorren a stronger shove. ¡°Leave now. Can¡¯t shout while¡­ eating.¡± Thorren¡¯s face was wracked with conflict. Elian voiced what the Rakhonite was thinking. ¡°Your cousins need you.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Thorren asked. ¡°I¡¯ll survive. Trust me.¡± Thorren nodded and hobbled away. It¡¯s just you and me, big guy, Elian thought, looking over his shoulder at the Grumpbeing. It stopped chewing, regarding them with its crown of beady eyes ringing its dome-shaped top. It spat out the tattered remains of the jarlion. Elian realized its plan. ¡°Thorren, it¡¯s going to¡ª¡± A monstrous shout washed over them. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. Elian blinked, pulling his consciousness back from the abyss. A wall in front of him? With a blue light branching out like a fork of lightning. Not a wall. It was the Grumpbeing. Elian got knocked out for several seconds, enough time for the beast to close in on them. He wasn¡¯t worried about getting eaten because of his massive Armor. This was all still according to his plan. But the Grumpbeing had no care for his plan, going against it and ignoring him. No! Elian willed the Grumpbeing to turn to him. Of course, that didn¡¯t work because he had no mind powers. ¡°Ea-eat¡­¡± he weakly said. His tongue wasn¡¯t following him. His lips quivered as his jaws twisted. ¡°Eat, eat me. Don¡¯t go¡­ to him.¡± Instead, the Grumpbeing continued and went for the farther prey¡ªThorren splayed on the ground a dozen feet away. The Rakhonite hadn¡¯t come to yet. Elian clenched his teeth in fury. Thorren wasn¡¯t going to die on his watch. Recall meditation aspects. As the war with the Giants escalated, humans came up with mental defenses for the overwhelming presence of their enemies. It was different from fighting the magically induced fear paralysis by the Grumpbeing, but it was worth a try. He cycled memorized chants, and visualized the sigils for mind fortification. It wasn¡¯t effective, as he expected, but it worked somewhat. ¡°Hey, giant turd!¡± Elian shouted. His body spasmed from the effort. The Grumpbeing stopped in its tracks. The eyes on its side facing Elian swiveled down to examine him. The Grumpbeing must¡¯ve wanted to eat Thorren first to prevent another escape attempt before returning to Elian. And so, Elian tried with all his might to crawl away. With the Grumpbeing right next to Elian, the oppressive aura was amplified. His head felt much heavier, and his neck refused to support it. ¡°Eat me! I¡¯ll escape if you won¡¯t!¡± Convulsions threatened to collapse his chest. ¡°Eat me! Eat¡ª! ¡°Grouagh!¡± The Grumpbeing turned to him with a cavernous mouth. Complete darkness. Borlen¡¯s lantern ball activated. It broke and lost its light as something wide and slimy wrapped Elian¡¯s body¡ªthe Grumpbeing¡¯s tongue. He managed to free his left arm before the tongue tightened. The Grumpbeing positioned Elian¡¯s head on one of its massive lower teeth. Some light came in from the cloudless night outside as the monster opened its mouth for a big bite, its upper molars above Elian like a guillotine. Fresh air diluted the stale stench inside the mouth. The Grumpbeing chomped him. Elian braced his arm against the side of his face. A sharp shot of pain as his arm and head were squeezed hard. Nothing more than that. Not even a broken bone. Elian imagined the beast surprised. He was also surprised at how well this worked. The upper jaw raised like a castle¡¯s portcullis, ready to descend once again. Elian propped his elbow on the lower teeth, his fist pointing upward. The Grumpbeing bit down again. The teeth from above met his fist. His Jawbreaker Knuckle got shredded as his fist pierced the tooth. Chunks of the broken tooth tumbled along with Elian in the Grumpbeing¡¯s mouth¡ªits strong bite worked against it. Jawbreaker Knuckles, I¡¯ll avenge you, Elian promised in his mind. At least it broke a tooth before it was gone. It''s not a jaw, but close enough. The mouth vibrated as the Grumpbeing bellowed. Could be from pain. Could be anger. The Grumpbeing chewed Elian, rubbing its jaws back and forth, trying to grind him. Elian lost one of his knuckles; the chewing hurt more and more. Giant teeth ripped apart his helmet as if it were paper. Elian fought against the tongue to avoid the teeth. ¡°What are you going to do now?¡± Elian shouted, cackling like a deranged witch. The pain of getting chewed snapped him out of the effects of the shout. The fear aura wasn¡¯t strong inside the beast because it projected it outward. ¡°I¡¯ll hang around¡ªurk! Blasted smell!¡± Injure the beast from the inside¡ªthat was Elian¡¯s plan. Wouldn¡¯t be counted an attack if the Grumpbeing swallowed something it couldn¡¯t break down into smaller bits. Elian shoved back the tongue as he crawled deeper into the Grumpbeing¡¯s mouth, away from the dangerous teeth. In the struggle, he lost his backpack. The Grumpbeing must¡¯ve spit it out thinking it was him. Elian hung onto the bumps of the tongue and pulled himself into the darkness. He called upon his Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse to use its tattoos for light. Really wasn¡¯t sure what he was looking at. Must be the start of the monster¡¯s very short digestive tract. The Grumpbeing shouldn¡¯t be able to handle something as large as him in its innards; it had to chew its prey very well before swallowing. That was all logical and seemingly viable, but it wasn¡¯t working as fast as Elian wanted. The Grumpbeing was still up and about, and it might eat Thorren soon. However, Elian¡¯s tattoos gave him another idea. After a little bit of scrambling, he reversed positions. Now, he tried to climb back out the Grumpbeing¡¯s throat, if it could even be considered one. Tattoos of unnatural black that shone in the darkness unfurled on his arms, the scales of the Magistrate¡¯s Curse covering him. Through the jumbled mess of slimy tongue and walls of teeth above, Elian saw hints of the stars swallowed by swirling clouds. Muscles pressed him from all sides. The Grumpbeing faced upward, mouth wide open, trying to vomit him out. An opening to its vulnerable insides. ¡°Eat this Tribulation!¡± The darkness retreated for a moment. Bright blue filled the night. The Tribulation broke some of the Grumpbeing¡¯s massive teeth on the way to slamming Elian deeper into the bed of guts. The second strike came. Elian no longer understood what was going on. Which was up? Which was down? Everything was a mess. Warm blue blood sloshed out of destroyed organs, glowing bright blue at first, slowing dimming and losing their light as life left the beast. A couple of level-ups. I won¡­ Elian didn¡¯t celebrate because he was buried in gore. Six white balls representing the Tribulation rewards crowded around him. Couldn¡¯t just leave them around. He hesitated for a moment before picking Attack Power¡ªhe¡¯d just have to cheer for the plant symbiote growing in his arm. And, as always, he chose added Health. He¡¯d need all the life force he could get in this situation. How do I get out of here? Digging seemed to be considered an attack. What did work was pushing stuff to the side. Shimmying forward was also possible to some extent. But those weren¡¯t enough to escape. I have to trust Thorren, Elian thought as he calmed down. He relaxed his muscles and descended into half a trance, slowing his breathing to conserve energy. Might take some time for Thorren to dig him out, so he should stretch his oxygen for as long as possible. It wasn¡¯t a close call. A few minutes later, Elian felt a surge of air. ¡°Elian, are you there?¡± came the muffled voice of Thorren. The Rakhonite feverishly shoveled at the mushed insides of the monster. Soon, a hand covered with glowing green tattoos burst through a wall of flesh. Elian grabbed the hand. Thorren pulled him out of the Grumpbeing¡¯s stomach into its mouth. Looking around, Thorren had used the monster¡¯s teeth knocked off by the Tribulation to prop up the collapsed roof of the mouth. There was a pile of flesh next to the hole Elian came out of; Thorren used his broken hunting knife and a shard of the monster''s tooth in another hand to dig. And together, they crawled through the remaining teeth of the dead beast and out into the night. ¡°Well¡­ we could¡¯ve died here,¡± Thorren said, taking a deep breath as he gazed at the skies that had cleared up after the Tribulation. ¡°Just you,¡± Elian said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t.¡± Thorren looked at him. They both laughed. ¡°That explains your supreme confidence in telling me to trust you. Calling a Tribulation while being swallowed by a Grumpbeing¡­ I admit I wouldn¡¯t have thought of that or have enough bravery in my body to try it.¡± Elian shrugged. ¡°Desperate times call for crazy desperate plans.¡± ¡°And so, your plans did come to fruition. Let us depart to clean ourselves. The stream should be running that way. Perhaps we can find¡ª¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Elian said. ¡°You¡¯re not going to leave all this money lying around, are you? We should harvest the jarlion and Grumpbeing.¡± 28. A Wriggly Friend They started with the jarlion as it was the easier work of the two and less smelly. Thorren also reasoned they should let the Grumpbeing air out before entering it again to harvest its valuable organs. Wouldn¡¯t really work¡ªthe insides of the Grumpbeing would still be smelly later, if not worse¡ªbut Elian knew Thorren was just psyching himself up and steeling his stomach. The Rakhonite may have a tough appearance but has a selectively squeamish side. Kudos to him for digging out Elian despite it. ¡°Storm God¡¯s grace, this cuts better than my old knife.¡± Thorren separated the still-useable crystals from the jarlion¡¯s half-minced corpse. ¡°This is my old knife¡ªwhat¡¯s left of it.¡± He held his broken hunting knife wrapped in Aether to reform the blade. ¡°I¡¯m amazed it¡¯s working this well.¡± Elian¡¯s eyes locked on his construct around the knife. All of his concentration not spent on talking was used for Aether Magic. ¡°Hard to maintain its form because you¡¯re the one moving it, not me. Very different from controlling a construct in the air. But I¡¯m getting the hang of¡ªoops.¡± The Aether blade shattered as Thorren tried to dig in between a crystal and the jarlion¡¯s spine. Aether flocked back to the broken end of the hunting knife, and Thorren resumed his work. This was the tenth or eleventh time the construct broke. ¡°Keeping it sharp is the most difficult part,¡± Elian said, becoming quicker at reconstructing the blade. ¡°I still can¡¯t make it strong while thin.¡± ¡°A nifty skill you¡¯ve learned for yourself,¡± Thorren said. ¡°I will endeavor to learn it likewise. It¡¯s reminiscent of the Auric Blade Arts, though those Blademasters use their Energy to make weapons.¡± They didn¡¯t get many good crystals from the jarlion¡¯s body. Most were broken, some even pulverized, and would be considered rejects because contaminants like the Grumpbeing¡¯s saliva and jarlion¡¯s blood had entered it. The dwarves might buy reject crystals to ground them up for their ironboomer shells, but the Ironkiln Mountains were supremely distant and shut tight to any humans. The Grumpbeing was next. Elian shared a fraction of Thorren¡¯s hesitance for this one. It was going to be a damn dirty job. Thorren wrapped a piece of cloth around the lower half of his face. ¡°More impressive than your feat killing this fearsome beast,¡± he said, his voice stifled by the cloth, ¡°is your commendable endurance of the stench. This is far from that of field dressing and quartering a feldeer.¡± ¡°The aura-emitting organ, as well as the fear crystal¡ªI don¡¯t know their actual names¡ªare worth a small fortune. Everything we¡¯ve gone through will be a waste if we don¡¯t harvest them.¡± ¡°Everything you have gone through,¡± Thorren corrected him. ¡°A sense of shame cloaks me. I cannot in good conscience claim all of the proceeds of the loot we¡¯d sell. Moreso, given the value you estimated for it. You take a two-thirds since it is your kill.¡± Elian thought of declining the offer because he did promise Thorren would have all other than the Spectral Fairy Azalea. But he did kill the Grumpbeing and saved Thorren from it, so he shouldn¡¯t be ashamed to claim a share as custom. Also, he needed money to buy gear again. None of his Curses had a line about his equipment getting destroyed all the time. But there should be. He lost too many within the span of a few weeks to be a coincidence. Maybe Lady Fortuna herself was throwing spikes in his way as a prank. ¡°We split it,¡± Elian said. ¡°You¡¯re the one harvesting them. Plus, you saved me from inside the Grumpbeing.¡± ¡°Same as you saved me from becoming food for this terrible beast. Dare I say I¡¯m not as inedible as you. I can¡¯t bear to imagine Nelisha¡¯s anguish if I don¡¯t return, my remains nowhere to be found, digested by a Grumpbeing. Furthermore, I couldn¡¯t have known about harvesting its organs without your guidance. I also can¡¯t harvest this without you, Elian thought, keeping it to himself. ¡°We split it, and that¡¯s that,¡± he firmly said. ¡°Time spent discussing this is better spent digging out our loot. Other monsters might wander this way.¡± The aura organ and the fear crystal were found in the Grumpbeing¡¯s brain¡ªElian remembered some pages of monster biology books he had read. The Tribulation smashed down the Grumpbeing¡¯s innards; their loot should be safe up inside its exceptionally tough skull. And Grumpbeings were sturdy creatures. Even Thorren¡¯s Tribulation might not crack the skull if it hit from the top. Shooting a Tribulation into its mouth was the only way Elian could¡¯ve killed it. The internal-injury-choking plan had a low chance of succeeding now he had time to think about it. He expected Thorren to bring up his double Tribulation. So far, no word. The Rakhonite was probably still incapacitated by the Grumpbeing¡¯s shout by then. ¡°We don¡¯t have the tools or the strength to break through its skull,¡± Elian said. ¡°I don¡¯t even think the Aether knife could cut its skin. But we have another way¡ªwe go in from the bottom. There¡¯s a hole at the base of the skull where the spinal cord, blood vessels, all those things pass through. Not sure if it¡¯s big enough for you to enter, but the bone is surely thinner there. Can just chip it away.¡± ¡°Why am I the one to enter it?¡± Thorren said, his voice a pitch higher toward the end. ¡°I, uh, I¡¯m not one to shy back from a challenge, but this is¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re holding the knife. I¡¯ll turn it into a shovel or a chisel later, whichever you might need. Could also be a hammer too. I can maintain the construct, though it is out of sight, and you dig with it. It¡¯s teamwork.¡± Apparent from Thorren¡¯s face that he¡¯d rather be on another team, but he uttered no complaints. They entered the Grumpbeing again, removing pieces of its teeth to use as walls for the tunnel they¡¯d dig. Finding the base of the skull was easy enough. They followed one of the ribs of the Grumpbeing to its spine and traced the spine to the base of the skull. Good thing they didn¡¯t need to do much remodeling for Thorren to pass through. As Thorren tunneled into the brain, Elian scooped out the mushy matter to keep the space open. Best not think much of what they were doing¡ªElian kept repeating this to Thorren. But the Rakhonite barely listened to his advice, vomiting thrice during their excavations. They emerged from the Grumpbeing almost an hour later, triumphant and stinky, the aura organ and fear crystal secured. Chitinous creatures feeding on the carcass greeted them with apprehensive twitching of their antennae. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Scram, you wretched critters!¡± Thorren threw his broken knife at one of the dog-sized bugs, hitting the joint of its head and body right into the thin gap, instantly killing it. He then dropped to his knees and vomited¡ªit was the sixth time already. The rest of the bugs scampered away. Elian waited for Thorren to finish his business, looking away to pretend nothing was happening. ¡°Not all men can say they¡¯ve been inside a Grumpbeing¡¯s skull,¡± Elian said as Thorren stood up. ¡°Men shouldn¡¯t be inside the brain of such a foul creature,¡± Thorren harshly said, wiping his mouth. ¡°But someone has to harvest these,¡± Elian said, nodding down at the warm organs he cradled in his arms. ¡°Now, let¡¯s find that stream to wash them.¡± ¡°And ourselves,¡± Thorren added. Removing bits of brain and sludge, Elian found that the aura organ was damaged. It was supposed to be two kidney-shaped parts, each the size of his fist, wrapped by a network of veins. But this particular one had its left side fifty percent smaller than its right. And that wasn¡¯t the only thing wrong with it. ¡°Look at these lesions¡­ scarred tissue,¡± Elian said, pointing them out to Thorren. ¡°This wasn¡¯t caused by your digging or my Tribulation. Old injuries. Maybe a disease? This was why the range of its aura was so small.¡± ¡°A disease, you say?¡± Thorren nodded. ¡°It might be caused by the dark miasma of the Forbidden Temple.¡± A discount here and there to entice buyers, Elian was certain he could sell the damaged aura organ with Borlen¡¯s help. Fortunately, the Grumpbeing¡¯s fear crystal was unblemished. The bluish surface of the cube-shaped form reflected the clear night sky above. This would fetch a very high price. Elian imagined himself buying more equipment, only for them to be destroyed again. They set up camp about ten minutes away from the stream in a small clearing under an aging gelborn tree. Too close to the water, and they might meet some of the animals coming for a drink. Thorren started a fire by rubbing two lava shards together and cooked the faeboar meat Elian brought in a small pot. ¡°Nelisha made me bring vegetables.¡± Thorren chucked the ingredients he cut with an Aether blade into the soup. ¡°Seeing your construction earlier helped me make mine. It is indeed a nifty skill.¡± ¡°You can make all sorts of things with Aether,¡± Elian replied. ¡°Could even be a house. Live in an Aether house with Aether tables and chairs. Every tool you¡¯ll use. Clothes too. Only missing would be food and water. But you can hunt with an Aether-made bow.¡± Thorren laughed as he stirred the pot. ¡°Is this an echo of Nelisha I hear? She made the same argument why I should stop doing the Tribulations.¡± ¡°Why did you choose to become a Penitent?¡± Elian asked. ¡°Is there any other reason than earning money and gaining followers?¡± Like Jadewell, Thorren had fought alongside him. This could be the standard test before he¡¯d see if a person was a potential ally. Elian gauged that after their brush with the Grumpbeing, he could push personal questions. Thorren could tell the truth or lie; either way, Elian wouldn¡¯t prod further than necessary. Thorren stared up at the stars for several seconds. The steam from the pot spiraled upwards. ¡°I suppose¡­ I wanted to see for myself what prodded my father and uncle to become a Penitent. The Tribulations claimed them, leaving behind their families. Was it worth it? Worth what? What is this it?¡± Elian sensed Thorren had something more to say, so he waited. Thorren shrugged and looked down, pretending to stoke the flames though it already roared strong as could be. ¡°If my words sound like inane ramblings, that¡¯s because they are. I haven¡¯t organized my thoughts about this yet. I tread this path because I feel I should. The answers should be somewhere ahead. How far? I don¡¯t know.¡± Hearing this, Elian abandoned his plans of telling Thorren about the future. Not because he thought Thorren wouldn¡¯t believe him, but because it was very likely he would¡­ and do something crazy. Too volatile of an ally. Thorren was hurting from the loss of his family members and wanted to make sense of the world. The truth Elian carried would certainly give Thorren a much-needed meaning to cling onto, but likely at the expense of his cousins. Every human should be concerned about the Giant invasion. It was everyone¡¯s fight. But each one also had a fight of their own¡ªThorren¡¯s duty right now was to his family. If Jadewell was troubled by his words, who knew what the effect on Thorren would be? Someday, perhaps. Not now. ¡°What¡¯s bothering you, friend?¡± Thorren asked. ¡°Unsatisfied with my story?¡± ¡°Not that. It¡¯s this plant symbiote.¡± Elian rubbed his right arm. He had removed the bandages because they were soaked in Grumpbeing saliva. ¡°Want to see it? It has grown a lot.¡± ¡°Erm¡­ I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m interested. But after enduring the insides of a Grumpbeing, it¡¯s relatively tame in comparison. Fine, I¡¯ll behold this pet parasite of yours.¡± Elian presented his arm. The plant had fully opened its seed, the casing shriveling as it dried. It had rooted firmly, with several tendrils piercing his much-hardened flesh. From the center of the web of roots rose a single tendril, a green wriggling thing about four inches long. This was the first time Elian had seen it. Curious, he willed it to move right. It wriggled a bit before bending the way he envisioned it. He tried the left side. A bit of delay, but it also followed his thoughts. ¡°Are you controlling it?¡± Thorren sat beside him for a closer look. ¡°I think¡­ yes. This is the first time this happened.¡± Elian opened the magical display of the plant symbiote. Guardian Exactor Vine | Plant Symbiote | Level:1 Health: 110/110 Energy: 30/30 ATTRIBUTES: Attack Power: 11 Magic Power: 11 Armor: 61 Magic Resilience: 11 TRAITS: Host Attribute Absorption ¨C Absorb (150) Attribute points from the host and gain a third of it. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s leveling up now,¡± Elian said. ¡°The experience I got from killing the Grumpbeing must¡¯ve pushed it to awaken.¡± It appeared that the Guardian Exactor Vine¡¯s own attributes grew slowly as it leveled up. The bulk of its stats would be coming from the host. Given that Elian¡¯s Attack Power, Magic Power, and Magic Resilience had been zeroed by his Curses, the symbiote could only absorb his Armor. That meant it would be weak in all aspects other than tanking physical attacks¡ªit couldn¡¯t do that now because it was just level one and didn¡¯t have its hardening skill yet. But someday, it would. Elian would pay with his Armor for a tanky pet that had lots of utility. It was a good trade in his eyes, especially the healing part which Gideon showcased. That ability would probably show up when the symbiote was mature. Though he understood why the symbiote wasn¡¯t attractive to most people, the attribute absorption thing would be a huge setback for the average person lacking the insane multipliers Elian had. A summoner might be okay with sacrificing his attributes for the symbiote, but he probably had better choices than this one. ¡°Fascinating¡­¡± Thorren said. ¡°And not any less disturbing than the first I¡¯ve seen it. This flower we aim for¡ªit is to make a growth potion for your pet parasite, right?¡± ¡°Yep. I hope we¡¯ll find lots tomorrow. I want this to grow fast to develop all its skills soon. I¡¯ll take the first watch.¡± He¡¯d use the time to train with his symbiote and progress Aether construction simultaneously. 29. Weirdness of the Catfolk When the sun rose the next day, Elian and Thorren were already a third of the way to their destination. They timed it so there¡¯d be daylight when they traversed the outskirts of the Dark Forest. So far, they hadn¡¯t encountered any creature that wanted them for breakfast. ¡°Are those perhaps spires of the Forbidden Temple?¡± Thorren pointed east at pearly towers poking through the verdant peaks of trees. ¡°Don¡¯t think so.¡± Elian inspected the map. ¡°Too nearby. Must be another set of ancient buildings; lots of them around here. Oh, here¡¯s another statue. At least it doesn¡¯t look disturbing like the last one we passed.¡± The statue of the humanoid cat had too many arms, probably representing the Hundred-Armed Magistrate, most of which were broken off and lost through time. Unlike the previous statue posed in an agonized manner, this one was just sitting against a tree trunk that had swallowed a third of its body. Many more remnants of the catfolk civilization littered the surroundings. A small hill turned out to be the head of a gigantic cat statue. They didn¡¯t realize it until they had descended and looked back to see its features highlighted by the sun¡¯s rays. Gideon¡¯s map was fairly accurate, including the landmarks, though a bit lacking in certain areas. Marlowe and Frederick''s additions saved them from getting lost a couple of times. ¡°This is the plaza Marlowe mentioned.¡± Elian brushed away vines concealing yet another statue. It was of a catfolk astride what appeared to be a jarlion variant. They didn¡¯t find this wrong? It¡¯d be like a human riding a¡­ gorilla or something. Although, if compared to other statues in the plaza¡ªthere was self-flagellation, forms bound in chains, and ritualistic scenes¡ªthis cat person riding a big cat was on the normal side. ¡°Where do we go next again?¡± Elian asked. ¡°Over there,¡± Thorren replied. ¡°The shortcut our good acquaintance spoke of is behind that wall.¡± A small section of an intricately carved wall depicting more rituals had survived to the present. It seemed to be part of a grand building no longer there. The rubble of the structure was gone; only its floor, consisting of white stone slabs, and the portion of the wall remained. Earlier, they spotted a Dabaron pulling a broken column using its four muscular arms. The bear-sized creature, preferring to make stone nests underground, had been clearing the land for generations. This area was the perfect place for their kind because tunnels from long ago were empty real estate waiting for them to move in. It was sad that Dabarons erased much of the remnants of the cat people''s civilization, but they also uncovered hidden tunnels like the one Elian and Thorren entered. According to Marlowe, this path would cut through the hills, take them safely under the new territory of the kudzun, and exit near the edge of the Dark Forest. From there, it was only a short trip to the hills of Solbasks. Thorren raised his lantern ball to reveal more of the darkness ahead. ¡°Do we trust Marlowe¡¯s words?¡± ¡°I trust him that this is a shortcut,¡± Elian said. ¡°If you¡¯re asking, is it safe, then I don¡¯t know. We met the Grumpbeing outside its usual territory. Hunters did alert us that monsters are behaving oddly.¡± They nodded at each other and continued due south, maintaining their bearings with a compass Thorren brought. Once again, Elian was a tinge ashamed of being unprepared. Fellenyr wasn¡¯t magnetized compared to Earth. Instead of magnetic fields or whatever they were called¡ªElian forgot much of his high school science lessons¡ªFellenyr had streams of concentrated Aether rising from its magical core and running beneath the crust. This was how the living world dispersed the magic of its life across its surface. Tune the compass to an Aether stream aligning with your destination, and it¡¯ll hold that direction until reset. More versatile than an Earth compass, so long as it was made to point the right way beforehand. Not as easy to use because it required some knowledge of the Aether world lines. Plenty of curiosities drew their attention as they jogged through the tunnel, their steps echoing in the lonely silence. Runes and sigils of ancient magic, side routes teasing mysteries, and remains of various creatures. Occasionally, more bizarre statues would appear. There were also carvings on the walls that Elian would rather not look too closely at. A weird civilization, these catfolk. It was enticing to veer off their course and explore other paths, but the human skeleton they passed was warning enough to stick to their mission. ¡°One day, when I¡¯m stronger,¡± Thorren said, ¡°I¡¯ll return to claim the secrets of these ruins.¡± ¡°Just make sure to survive your Tribulations until then,¡± Elian said, smiling. He too hoped to explore this place and many others in the future. Defeat the Giants first, and he could adventure throughout the lands as if he were the main character of a fantasy book. Sunlight broke the tunnel¡¯s darkness. Up ahead was a giant hole through the tunnel¡¯s roof. It was circular and lined with bricks all the way up¡ªanother work of the cat people. No stairs or ladders allowed anyone to ascend it. But many vines were dangling from above if they wished to climb. ¡°What is the purpose of this hole?¡± Thorren asked. Elian showed him the map. ¡°Judging the curvature of the paths, I reckon this whole network of tunnels used to be an underground magic circle. Can¡¯t really see it in this map because it only shows a portion of it.¡± He pointed at the runes carved into the walls of the tunnels. ¡°Those might be for directing Aether, but I¡¯m far from adept at reading ancient symbols. If my guess is correct, this hole is an exhaust for pressure to escape and prevent explosions if something goes wrong.¡± ¡°Perhaps something did go wrong for this lost feline race,¡± Thorren commented in a tone as if he was talking about the weather. ¡°Er, yeah,¡± Elian said, raising a brow at the nonchalant morbidity of the Rakhonite. ¡°Something definitely did. I hope it doesn¡¯t happen to us.¡± Other holes peppered the tunnel. Small ones. Big ones. Some had been covered by cave-ins; others had grown wider due to collapsing walls. More than mere vents, Elian now suspected they were for projecting the magics of the cat people aboveground. The ceremonial sacrifices were probably part of it. ¡°We¡¯re in the Dark Forest,¡± Elian said, pointing at the hole above them. Only a meager light came from above because the dense canopy outside blocked the sun¡ªthe oddly growing trees affected by the Forbidden Temple. ¡°We must be past the kudzun territory. Do we go up or continue as we are? Frederick and Marlowe couldn¡¯t agree if it¡¯s still safe this way or not.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Higher chances of monsters here, now that we are inside the Dark Forest,¡± Thorren said. ¡°Higher chances of monsters up there as well. Down here, the monsters we¡¯ll encounter would be limited in size by the width of the tunnels¡ªa Grumpbeing can fit through here.¡± ¡°But we also have limited options for fleeing,¡± said Elian. He didn¡¯t add that he couldn¡¯t call down his Tribulation if needed unless they were under a hole. Only Thorren was the firepower of their party of two. ¡°Also true, friend. However, we move much faster underground and have been in relative safety. Let us continue for now and act accordingly if the situation changes.¡± Not even five minutes later, Thorren stopped and raised a fist to warn Elian. Both of them crouched next to the bend of the tunnel. The path ahead forked, and shadows were moving from the path on the right to the left. ¡°Hold this.¡± Thorren tossed his lantern orb to Elian before unslinging his bow. Elian shifted left to see past Thorren, holding the lantern to the side so Thorren¡¯s shadow wouldn¡¯t cover his target. The light had already exposed them; the creatures knew they were there. No point in handicapping themselves by turning it off. A dark form moved closer to them. Larger than a man. Was this a Dabaron? They had passed an empty stone nest earlier. But a Dabaron wouldn¡¯t make scratching noises when moving. It sounded like many pointy feet, as if a giant insect was walking. This mysterious creature moved forward into the light¡ªsome kind of lobster the size of a crocodile. In place of pincers, it had spear-like appendages for stabbing forward, the perfect weapon for fighting in the narrow tunnels. ¡°This is my first encounter with such a creature,¡± Thorren said. ¡°Could this be a product of the Forbidden Temple¡¯s insidious miasma?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is either.¡± Elian tugged at Thorren. ¡°And we don¡¯t need to introduce ourselves to it. Let¡¯s slowly back away. I see more shadows behind it.¡± Thorren hesitated for a moment before lowering his bow. ¡°Right, you are, friend. A losing battle to face those numbers in such a cramped space.¡± The spear lobster¡ªthat was Elian¡¯s temporary name for it¡ªlooked at them with eyes on top of stalks on its head. It didn¡¯t follow them as they retreated the way they came. They returned to the hole and climbed up using vines growing from the top. It turned out to be the right call because they didn¡¯t encounter anything dangerous as they trekked through the Dark Forest. Another point of fortune was that the kudzun had moved from its previous spot, just as Frederick had told them. If it hadn¡¯t done so, Elian and Thorren would¡¯ve needed to travel around it. No way to win against the powerful vine monster. Thorren, with all his magical arrows, could hurt only a small portion of the kudzun. In turn, the kudzun could engulf the two of them in a blink. What use was Elian¡¯s tankiness if he¡¯d just suffocate inside a ball of tendrils? ¡°That must be the kudzun¡¯s previous spot,¡± Elian said as they circled a low wall around a huge hole, another of the vents made by the cat people. The difference was that this was far larger than the other holes they had passed. Bigger than the plaza of Ambervale. In the middle rose a black obelisk from deep underground, adorned with grotesque carvings that made Elian¡¯s head hurt when looking at them. He couldn¡¯t figure out the designs because they were obscured by many dried vines. And not just the obelisk. A thick weaving of tendrils covered the entire hole, looking like a calcified trampoline of veins. ¡°Is this the kudzun¡¯s body?¡± Thorren asked. ¡°Previous body. It can¡¯t easily disentangle itself from its spot, especially if it has stayed there for quite some time, so it molts like a snake. Unlike a snake, though, a kudzun leaves a chunk of its old body behind. It¡¯s going to regrow and grow more at its new home. Probably has a hard time hunting food around here.¡± The kudzun¡¯s former territory marked the southernmost edge of the Dark Forest. Continuing farther south were more hills; one of those was the home of Solbasks. Gideon had explained to Elian that some rare plants naturally grew on Solbasks because of the life-giving properties of their carapace. One of them was the Spectral Flower Azalea. ¡°Someone, sometime a decade or so past,¡± Gideon told Elian a few days ago, ¡°had the brilliant idea of planting Spectral Flower Azaleas on the Solbasks living there. Over the years, the flowers grew. They adapted. They thrived and multiplied to other Solbasks. And they could be harvested for potions. The person who did the planting could no longer harvest them. Your task is¡ª¡± ¡°Are you connected with why he can¡¯t harvest them?¡± Elian asked. ¡°Don¡¯t think of me as that kind of person. Although¡­ I may be tangentially connected¡­ in some minor way.¡± And so, only Gideon knew of the rare flower growing here. If Elian could harvest lots of them, Gideon promised to reward him with plenty of potions for his plant symbiote. ¡°I¡¯ve only heard tales of Solbasks,¡± Thorren said. ¡°Armored beasts that collect the power of the sun for itself. You say a colony lives on one of these hills. How will we know which is it?¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not going to be a problem.¡± Contrasting the lush green displayed by other hills, one stood out, mostly barren, with sparse trees here and there. A thimble came to Elian¡¯s mind as he headed for this hill. It was shaped like one and had numerous craters that looked similar to the small pits covering a thimble. Those holes were made by Solbasks, who loved digging into the ground and fitting their craggy bodies over the hole as if they were fooling anyone with the laughable disguise. ¡°Quite an easy task finding this hill,¡± Thorren said, chuckled as he looked up. ¡°The Storm God unburdens us after our ordeal with the Grumpbeing. Let us go and find¡ª¡± ¡°We need to prepare first, or we¡¯ll get fried.¡± Elian held up a bottle given to him by Gideon. Truly lucky the Grumpbeing spit out his bag, or this bottle would¡¯ve been shattered. Without it, it¡¯d be crazy difficult to complete this mission. ¡°The liquid inside produces a smell that calms the Solbask. Not much in here. I¡¯ll use it once when we¡¯ve found the flower so I can get close to the Solbask. But while we¡¯re snooping around their colony, checking each of their carapace, we need to disguise ourselves.¡± Twenty minutes later, Elian and Thorren climbed the hill, covered in layers of ferns tied together by braided roots. Not much of a disguise, but it didn¡¯t need much to fool a Solbask. Intelligence wasn¡¯t their strong suit. Solbasks were plump giant worms encased in armor, walking around on six stubby feet that ended in sharp digging claws. Most peculiar about the Solbasks was that they sunbathed to eat. Crystals on their craggy shell could be thought of as magical solar panels. Throughout the day, they¡¯d reposition themselves all over the hill to catch the sun, just digging and growing their entire lives. They were very destructive and considered pests. He¡¯d seen many areas devastated by Solbasks look like the surface of the moon¡ªEarth¡¯s moon. He didn¡¯t know what the moon of Fellenyr looked like up close. Elian scanned the hillside as he went up, looking for clusters of freshly dug craters. A Solbask was hard to miss up close, but this far away, its camouflage worked pretty well. He¡¯d start where swarms had been and look for them from there. After three false leads, they found a Solbask with Spectral Fairy Azalea. At the right side of the Solbask¡¯s barely discernable head grew the flower¡ªmany thin purple petals radiating from a golden center. Elian didn¡¯t need to check what it looked like because Gideon shoved a picture of it to his face several times. ¡°Look over there,¡± Thorren whispered as he elbowed Elian. ¡°Another Spectral Fairy Azalea. The Solbask beyond it also has one. We are blessed with bounty.¡± ¡°Very blessed indeed,¡± Elian said as he crawled forward, Gideon¡¯s concoction at the ready. 30. An Unsafe Return Trip Solbasks were formidable monsters. The magical solar panels they carried may be valuable but not worth the risk and effort of hunting them. Their exoskeleton looked like rocks but was harder than steel armor and several inches thick. These creatures were practically tanks. And for offense, their magical solar panels could fire concentrated sunlight, barbecuing those who¡¯d disturb them. They¡¯d often cause forest fires¡ªanother reason, in addition to their excavation activities, why this hill had a different landscape compared to the others. Can I tank them? Elian couldn¡¯t recall if the Solbask¡¯s attack was magical damage. Gathering energy to be fired as a beam had to have some magic along the way. Partly magic, at the least. He shouldn¡¯t risk it. Opening Gideon¡¯s bottle, Elian poured a few drops on his palm. The smell of flowers, the artificial kind from detergents, went up his nose. Memories of his mother smacking their broken washing machine to make it work flashed by. He rubbed the liquid all over his body before resuming to crawl on the ground, his trusty blanket of leaves draped on top of him. He aimed to pass between two Solbasks to reach the one with the special flower behind them. The two in front were fairly spaced apart and hopefully wouldn¡¯t mind him going through. If they showed any hint of agitation, he¡¯d sprint away immediately. Solbasks take a couple of seconds to charge their lasers. Another Solbask wasn¡¯t contented with the sunlight it got from its spot and transferred to block Elian¡¯s path. It started digging its hole while looking at him. I can still squeeze through, he thought, turning left to pass behind the newcomer Solbask. It paid him no heed and focused on getting comfortable in its hole. Elian did a little shake of his fist after he went past the sunbathing creatures without issue. His target Solbask was asleep, its panels folded down into its shell. No hesitation. He pulled off the flower and hurried away, his leafy blanket rustling as he headed to his next target. A few seconds later, he had a flower. Was that a third one over there? As long as he smelled of soapy flowers, he¡¯d search this group of Solbasks. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it is this easy,¡± Elian whispered to Thorren, showing him four flowers. The odor from Gideon¡¯s concoction was fading, so Elian made his exit. ¡°A few more Spectral Fairy Azaleas over there, but they haven¡¯t bloomed yet.¡± ¡°How many blossoms are you looking for?¡± ¡°As many as I can gather. However, it¡¯ll take the whole day to search the entire hill. Let¡¯s just aim for two more groups of Solbasks, and we can return to camp. By tomorrow, we¡¯ll be back at the Temples of Tribulations. Depending on our pace, we¡¯ll probably be late to class by a couple of hours.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not too concerned with missing classes,¡± Thorren replied. ¡°Meditating for hours on end, trapped indoors with a fake sky above, is not for me. My brain becomes as mushy as the Grumpbeing¡¯s insides after your Tribulation. We can find four or even five more Solbask groups to harvest.¡± They didn¡¯t let their initial success reduce their vigilance. Shadowing another group of Solbasks, they spotted a smoldering tree, a victim of a stray laser beam. The charred landscape told the dangers and unpredictability of the hill. ¡°If the Solbasks are spooked, they just shoot everywhere,¡± Elian said, repeating the warning from Gideon. Thorren nodded. ¡°I suggest we only harvest from Solbasks if there¡¯s a cover nearby. Presumably, these ruins can handle the creature¡¯s beams.¡± He nudged his head at a scorched pillar with a crater in the middle. ¡°Probably some kind of special concrete the catfolk used,¡± Elian said. ¡°We can also jump into tunnels. There¡¯s an opening back there. And I suspect there are more on this hill. The cat people were very busy with digging if their underground network reached here.¡± Around midday, Elian and Thorren decided that the next Solbask they¡¯d harvest would be the last. Very fitting that their last target was an impressive specimen, twice the size of an average Solbask, with crystalline panels so wide they looked like wings. Its backside was covered in purple, a carpet of Spectral Fairy Azalea. ¡°Fifteen blossoms, sixteen, seven¡ªoh, it turned,¡± Elian said. ¡°Probably a couple dozen fully bloomed flowers in total.¡± ¡°Equal to what we currently have,¡± Thorren said, patting his backpack. Elian had given Thorren the flowers for safekeeping. As the tank, Elian might need to jump into trouble again. Better if the flowers they worked so hard to get were far from him if that happened. ¡°I¡¯ll have lots of growth potions for my plant friend.¡± Elian poured the last drops out of Gideon¡¯s bottle and showed Thorren it was empty. ¡°This really is our last harvest. Funny how things lined up.¡± Elian reached the massive Solbask¡¯s backside without any hitch. As he started to pick the flowers, a smaller Solbask to his left stood up and faced him. Parts of its armor with the magical solar panels swiveled forward. Elian didn¡¯t react¡ªanother flower and another flower. So long as the Solbask¡¯s crystals weren¡¯t glowing, he was safe. It was likely just adjusting its position to take in more sunlight, or it could be curious of him. Gideon¡¯s potion hadn¡¯t failed him yet. ¡°Keep on sunbathing there, big fellow.¡± Elian alternated his gaze between the purple flowers and the Solbask eyeing him. Just a few more. He scooted left to reach the flowers there. No reaction from any Solbask. He could scarcely believe he¡¯d complete his mission with flying colors, mostly purple. Given his various experiences in the first few weeks of his second life, it was reasonable to expect there¡¯d be some last-minute hiccup that¡¯d¡ª Scratching noises. He tensed. Sounds familiar. He turned right. How the hell is that here? A spear lobster was creeping towards a small Solbask about ten feet to Elian¡¯s right. There must be a hole nearby connected to the catfolk tunnels. The spear lobster wasn¡¯t camouflaged whatsoever, its blue and green shell stark against the dried brown ground. The armored worms noticed the very noticeable intruder. They stirred from their sunbathing, panels flaring wide open and the crystals glowing white. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Elian, get out of there!¡± Thorren shouted, jumping up and down to get his attention. Subtlety was useless. The Solbasks were already agitated. Profanities flooded Elian¡¯s mind. He ran in Thorren¡¯s direction, leaving behind six or so flowers. In the corner of his eye, he glimpsed the spear lobster stabbing a Solbask with its sharp arms. He gasped as the spear penetrated the sturdy shell. Those spear lobsters were powerful. As the injured Solbask shrieked, the rest of the group charged their attacks. A couple of seconds of humming was the calm before the storm. ¡°Elian! Faster! They¡¯re going to¡ª¡± Blinding beams of light strafed the pockmarked landscape. Elian dropped on all fours and madly crawled while keeping himself as small as possible. Dried and sparse trees burst into flames around him. He shrugged off his burning cloak of ferns. His hair got singed by a beam that got too close. With a smoking head, he continued fleeing. Thorren shot his arrows at the Solbask. Wasn¡¯t sure what Thorren was trying to accomplish there. The Solbasks didn¡¯t stop their disco party of death. Elian reached the statue of the giant hand Thorren used as cover. He tore off the smoldering parts of his clothes before they burned the flowers he collected. Luckily, the Solbasks were only reacting to the noise instead of targeting him. ¡°I should stop expecting things would go well,¡± Elian grumbled. ¡°Did they at least cook that pesky spear lobster? It just had to come and ruin my harvest.¡± ¡°It remains alive,¡± Thorren said. ¡°What? How?¡± Elian peeked from behind the statue. The spear lobster generated a shield as it dragged the small Solbask it had killed. The shield deflected the lasers. That said, most of the lasers missed their mark since the Solbasks wildly fired in panic. One of the beams shot their way, breaking off a finger of the giant hand statue. The finger dropped on Elian¡¯s head and cracked before dropping in pieces to the ground. ¡°Ah! Are you fine?¡± Thorren exclaimed. ¡°A Grumpbeing can¡¯t chew me,¡± Elian replied. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m fine. But we might not be fine for long. Look over there.¡± Rocky humps loomed over the crest of the hill. Reinforcing Solbasks attracted by the shrieks of their fellows. Their solar panels were open and ready to fire ¡°Let¡¯s run!¡± A second after they left the giant hand statue, it exploded. More lasers came. Elian led the way, making sure to keep themselves covered by the charred remains of trees and the mounds of dirt left behind by Solbasks as they zigzagged down the slope. As if Lady Fortuna wasn¡¯t done making their life harder, some Solbasks tucked into themselves, forming boulders, and rolled after them. ¡°Why us?¡± Elian shouted over his shoulder. ¡°We didn¡¯t do anything bad to you!¡± ¡°They¡¯re exceedingly fast,¡± Thorren said. ¡°Their weight, the steep slope. How do we lose them?¡± ¡°I know where to go.¡± The racket of the Solbasks would attract more of their kind. The hill would soon be ablaze. And it¡¯d take some time for the armored worms to calm down. Hiding behind rocks or ruins wouldn¡¯t be a hundred percent safe. Elian wouldn¡¯t allow himself to get barbecued right after he completed his task. Since they couldn¡¯t stay up here, they had to go underground. He made a beeline for a tunnel opening they found earlier. Easy to spot because all the vegetation had been burned away. He paused for a moment on top of the broken stairs leading to the darkness, recognizing they could meet spear lobsters down there. A laser lancing an inch past his head convinced him to choose the spear lobsters¡ªbetter chances of tanking their spears than the lasers that could be magic. They descended the stairs just as a rolled-up Solbask landed on the opening in a powerful crash. The ancient ceiling broke from its weight, sending large chunks of debris down on Elian and Thorren. Elian could shrug off the pieces of concrete, but the olden steps couldn¡¯t. ¡°Woah! The stairs are giving way!¡± Elian hugged Thorren, making sure to protect his head as they tumbled into the abyss.
¡°This is the third time you¡¯ve saved me,¡± Thorren said. He tucked his lit lantern orb under his arm as he pulled himself forward, crawling through a small hole Elian kept open. ¡°Third time?¡± Elian asked. The weight of a few tons of magical catfolk concrete was on his shoulders and back. Dull aches and protesting joints. Good thing he managed to pull out his cleaver to add to his Armor. Too bad he lost his Jawbreaker Knuckles and helmet, or this would¡¯ve been just an enjoyable massage on his shoulders. ¡°This is one time; the other was with the Grumpbeing. What¡¯s the third?¡± ¡°When you fixed my uncle¡¯s necklace.¡± Thorren exited the hole and started to pull their bags out. ¡°I wasn¡¯t saving you there,¡± Elian said. ¡°Even without the necklace, you would¡¯ve survived the Tribulation, no problem.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not referring to my Tribulation then. A future one. There¡¯d come a time when the necklace would save me. Be it from a Tribulation or some other danger.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll count it when that time comes then,¡± Elian said. ¡°You¡¯ve saved me once, digging me out of the Grumpbeing. After you¡¯ve helped me get out of his, that¡¯ll be twice. We¡¯re even.¡± Thorren found rocks to use as support for the load Elian carried. Then he tied a rope around Elian. ¡°On the count of three. One, two, and three!¡± Thorren pulled Elian with all his might. Elian dove forward. The pile of debris sunk as he left, caught by the rocks Thorren placed. But the weight was too much and too sudden. The rocks crumbled, and the rest of the pile cascaded down. By then, Elian was already free. He and Thorren ran away from the dust clouds coming for them. ¡°Quite an adventure this has become.¡± Thorren walked ahead with his lantern ball. ¡°I thought we were done with the excitement after collecting the flowers. A dreary return trip is, understandably, preferable. But this is what fortune sent our way.¡± ¡°Misfortune, you mean?¡± Elian replied with a snort. ¡°Perhaps not, my friend. Gaze ahead. I spy a purple sparkle.¡± It was a flowering Spectral Fairy Azalea growing on a broken piece of Solbask shell. ¡°This must¡¯ve fallen off from the Solbasks killed by spear lobsters,¡± Elian said. ¡°The plants can survive in the darkness? Amazing. Must be something inside the shell. There could be more.¡± There were indeed more remains of Solbasks and other creatures, but it took them around an hour to find another Spectral Fairy Azalea. And then two more fifteen minutes after that. They followed the tunnel¡ªthey had no choice of where to go¡ªpicking up animal parts that looked valuable along the way. Thorren fiddled with his compass, tuning it to another Aether line opposite the previous one. He assured Elian that they were going northward. ¡°Back to the Dark Forest then,¡± Elian said. ¡°All good. We¡¯ll find a way out through¡ªwhat in a groff¡¯s udder?¡± They entered a cave with a ceiling so low they had to bow their heads. The stalagmites and stalactites, poking up the ground or down from the ceiling, whichever was which, made moving around difficult. The cave was about the size of the Stage of Devotion. Elian could tell how wide it was because its walls were stacked with pulsating sacks that gave off a green glow. Elian and Thorren crouched as they cautiously navigated the cave, their shoes getting stuck at times to the slimy floor. Some of the sacks burst when they passed, spewing out wriggling creatures. Their sharp forelegs made it obvious what they were. ¡°A nest of spear lobsters,¡± Elian said. ¡°We need to leave before their parents return.¡± ¡°Which way?¡± Thorren asked. Three exits out of the disgusting cave. Four, including the way they entered. They couldn¡¯t go back because the exit out of Solbask hill had collapsed. Out of the three, the middle was painted with even more glowing green slime with a pile of skeletons littered right outside¡ªit couldn¡¯t have been clearer not to pick that one. ¡°Am I imagining it, or are scratching sounds coming from there?¡± Elian pointed at the left exit. ¡°Lots of scratching sounds. Right, it is!¡± Before he finished speaking, a spear lobster shot out of the left tunnel like a torpedo, spears at the ready. Several more swooshed out and skittered toward them. Elian and Thorren ran with all their might to the right. 31. Unwitting Participant Run, run, run! The tunnel narrowed the farther they went. Soon, its width could only fit one person. Elian was in front; their pace depended on him. Too bad he was slower than Thorren. Elian wanted to bring up the rear. He was the tank, after all. But Thorren insisted it should be him. The Rakhonite shot magic arrows and left traps to slow down the spear lobsters, muttering about the costs of materials he used. Thorren did delay the spear lobsters. One magical arrow exploded, partly collapsing the tunnel behind them. The spear lobsters tore through the rocks as if they were wet parchment. Another arrow burst into lightning, momentarily stunning the spear lobsters. Bought some time. Several seconds here and there. An elaborate trap creating a confusion array stalled their pursuers for a couple of minutes. But the spear lobsters caught up to them eventually. The tunnel was just one path. No forks. No way to lose these blasted, many-legged crustaceans! Turning around to fight wasn¡¯t an option. Elian and Thorren both knew they couldn¡¯t kill these tenacious creatures that preyed on Solbasks. I have to hold them so Thorren could escape, Elian thought. Elian survived getting chewed by a Grumpbeing. He¡¯d survive the spear lobsters. What came next after surviving? He didn¡¯t know. So long as he wouldn¡¯t die, there was a way out. Thorren, on the other hand, would quickly die to the spear lobsters. If worse comes to worst, Elian knew what he had to do. Hints of light in the distance. ¡°Our escape!¡± Thorren exclaimed. ¡°We¡¯ll see,¡± Elian said. They were still underground. What could these lights be? ¡°I¡¯ll use the last of my traps,¡± Thorren said. ¡°A gamble. May Lady Fortuna watch over us.¡± Several pops. Elian glanced back. Pink goo slathered the spear lobster in the lead, sticking it to the floor and walls like bubblegum. The spear lobster furiously struggled. Its fellows behind it pushed forward. The tunnel shook as the gum started to pull rocks loose¡ªsuch strong creatures. Elian and Thorren exited the tunnel and found themselves in a massive cavern stretching up at least a hundred and fifty feet. The buildings of the school of the Immaterial Path could fit inside with some expert stacking. In the middle of the space was a column made of a shiny black material. Depicted on it were hands performing various signs. Elian¡¯s vision wavered looking at it, and he became lightheaded. ¡°It¡¯s that obelisk,¡± Elian said. ¡°We¡¯re under the kudzun¡¯s shed body.¡± Following the black obelisk upward revealed the roof of hardened vines. In places where the layers of tendrils were thin, light could shine through. They had reached the edge of the Dark Forest. ¡°We can climb up,¡± Thorren said. ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± At ground level, there were carvings of catfolk doing their bizarre rituals, sacrificing and hurting each other. And themselves. There were also pictures of buildings and altars. Was this the Forbidden Temple? Unfortunately, past this tier of carvings, the walls were completely smooth, the line between the slabs almost invisible. And there were no cracks or any signs of aging. Magic was at play in their construction. There were only two ways up. The first one was a fossilized kudzun tendril that had climbed down long ago. It looked suspiciously fragile. A risk if it could hold its weight. The second option was¡­ ¡°The obelisk,¡± Elian said. ¡°Should we try?¡± ¡°I dare not touch such a threatening artifact,¡± Thorren said. ¡°Remember the sinister effect of the Forbidden Temple. We may escape but suffer an inexplicable curse. Even if we risk the obelisk or that tendril, I fear that those spear-touting creatures can climb faster than we could.¡± ¡°Right. But we can¡¯t run forever.¡± Elian looked left and right. ¡°Where do we even run? Over there!¡± Blocked from view by the obelisk, there was another tunnel opposite the one they had left. It was covered by dried kudzun vines. It¡¯d take some work clearing them. A crash echoed out of the tunnel behind them, followed by a chorus of scratching. The spear lobsters had broken loose and were coming. Elian pushed Thorren. ¡°Destroy those vines! Open the way while I hold them back.¡± Thorren was about to run but exclaimed, ¡°No! I¡¯m not going to¡ª¡± ¡°Go!¡± Elian rushed to block the spear lobsters before Thorren could protest. Thorren realized what was going to happen but didn¡¯t try to stop him; his cousins were probably on his mind. Elian positioned himself right at the exit, under the sturdy stone archway, and lowered his stance. Cleaver in hand, angling a bit to the side to keep his weapon safe, he was ready to meet the spear lobsters. He didn¡¯t go deeper into the tunnel because they might dig around or collapse it on him. This underground structure of the catfolk had survived for ages with no damage whatsoever. Surely, the spear lobsters couldn¡¯t dig through that. One last look over his shoulder¡ªThorren hacked away at the vines, a purple streak with each swing¡ªbefore facing forward right as a spear headed for his face. Elian leaned left. The spear went over his shoulder. No one said he should tank every hit. But he couldn¡¯t avoid the spear lobster¡¯s second arm. It hit him right on the chest. His Armor attribute reduced much of the damage, but he did feel the pain of a punch. Without his twin Curses, the spear would¡¯ve blasted right through him. The spear lobster skittered back a few feet to the rest of its fellows in the shadows. Their stalks warily waved as they judged him, their eyes glinting in the scant light reaching the tunnel. An ominous zing. The first spear lobster rubbed its spear arms together like a butcher sharpening his knife. Zing, zing, zing. The rest of the swarm made the same noise. Then they attacked. Spears hit every part of Elian¡¯s body, the monsters clambering over each other to strike him. Pain wracked him. The spear lobsters could shatter a Solbask¡¯s shell. And they were hitting him hard. ¡°Is this the best¡ªugh!¡± A spear hit his jaw. ¡°Is thi-this the best you got, you damn overgrown lobsters?¡± Elian could only laugh and taunt them in return. Not that they understood him. ¡°Thank the Storm God, you¡¯re all dumb!¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. If the spear lobsters weren¡¯t bound by their instincts to spear their targets, they would¡¯ve realized that they could overwhelm Elian by sheer mass. They could use their combined weight to nudge him out of the way. Elian was just nullifying the force of their strikes, the same as what the Elder Giant¡¯s Curse did to his attacks. He didn¡¯t weigh several tons because of his Armor. An impenetrable armor could still be moved. ¡°Elian, I¡¯ve cleared the way!¡± Thorren shouted. Elian could hear the Rakhonite running towards him. ¡°You¡¯re still here?¡± Elian couldn¡¯t look back at Thorren. ¡°Go already! You know I can¡¯t move away from here. They¡¯ll swarm us, and you¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°I¡¯m well aware of that. I came to offer aid. You¡¯re bleeding.¡± Elian looked down. Red trickled from his legs. Shallow wounds, but wounds nonetheless. His Tribulation was stronger than the force of the overgrown lobsters. But their spear arms concentrated their force into a tiny area. He spat out curses as his blood steadily dropped to the ground like a leaky faucet. The blood drained into grooves into the ground. He wanted to examine the rune carvings below him, but he had to face the spear lobsters. ¡°This will help,¡± Thorren said. Footsteps approached. ¡°Don¡¯t come near me!¡± A spear lobster tried to aim for Thorren, but he evaded. Thorren quickly fit something over Elian¡¯s head and fixed it around his neck. It was the interlocking glyph stone necklace from his uncle. Elian felt himself getting tougher as a coat of silver wrapped him, followed by a gold. These were the twin barriers generated by the necklace. After several hits, silvery shards burst outward. The gold shield held firm as the silver slowly reformed itself. The two other glyph stones were a damage reduction one and a modifier that strengthened the other stones. ¡°I¡¯ll find help,¡± Thorren said. ¡°Endure until then.¡± ¡°Who will you ask for help? No one¡¯s here! Go back to Forge Hill. I¡¯ll figure this¡ª¡± ¡°The priest.¡± ¡°Priest?¡± Elian frowned when Thorren¡¯s plan clicked in his head. ¡°You can¡¯t mean the Forbidden Temple?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll return as quick as I can, my friend!¡± ¡°Just go back to your cousins!¡± Elian shouted. He risked checking on Thorren behind him. The Rakhonite headed for the other tunnel. That idiot! Elian didn¡¯t save Thorren just for him to jump into the arms of danger again. Would Thorren find a priest at the Forbidden Temple? They didn¡¯t know if the rumors were true. What was true was that the Dark Forest was a dangerous place. Elian thought of chasing Thorren. Not possible. If Elian unblocked the hole, the spear lobsters would spill into the cavern. Without Thorren¡¯s traps delaying them, they¡¯d catch up to Elian and pummel him from all sides. There¡¯d be no escape. Would take a long time, but they could kill him. They were killing him now! Very slowly. Thorren¡¯s necklace boosted Elian¡¯s tankiness, but the blows of the spear lobsters still hurt and drew blood. How long until these crustacean bastards get tired of forcefully poking him? They must have a limit at some point. Predators weighed expending energy with the food they¡¯d gain. He was just one tiny body compared to a Solbask. Elian¡¯s hurt sank when he noticed the spear lobsters swapped out with each other to attack him. This was beyond hunting or protecting their nest. They wanted him dead for some reason and were working together for it. So¡­ yeah¡­ Maybe he needed Thorren¡¯s help. Recalling Gideon¡¯s map, the Forbidden Temple was around two hours of travel from here. Going as fast as he could, Thorren could probably reduce that to an hour and a half. Maybe an hour. How long until Thorren got hold of a priest? How fast could the priest get here? Would the priest even help? Elian had almost two and a half thousand Health points. It got slowly chipped down as the strikes landed, a point there, another point here. Without any healing, he wasn¡¯t going to last for a couple of hours. He had to. Closing his eyes, Elian recited the strongest meditation chants he knew to fall into a trance. Quite insane to accomplish while getting beaten nonstop. He wanted to clear his mind as much as possible to absorb Aether the fastest, weaving them into his skin to harden it. Along with the barriers of Thorren¡¯s necklace, Elian hoped to slow the injuries he suffered. Minutes rolled by. Elian was in a half-conscious state. Both the silver and gold barriers were gone. It took them around ten minutes to reform. He didn¡¯t waver. Another half an hour passed. Maybe. He couldn¡¯t tell. Blood running down his body was more annoying than the spears tenderizing his body. The spear lobsters were still none the wiser that they could push him. Or just shove themselves past him. Maybe they didn¡¯t want to do that. Maybe¡­ they just wanted to kill him. They were succeeding. He was at half of his Health. Could he last another hour? Possible. He was gaining insights on Aether Magic at a rapid pace, the prospect of death powering him. How about two hours? Probably not. Might not be enough time for Thorren to get help¡­ that was if the Rakhonite hadn¡¯t already been eaten by monsters. Dammit. He worked hard to save Thorren. If that idiot got himself killed¡­ What would Elian do? Figure this out first before thinking of how to apologize to Nelisha. He had hoped the spear lobsters had left by now or at least reduced their numbers. Nope. Still there. Still very many. Still stabbing him. Elian checked his Covenant to figure out how long he had until things were dire, as if his situation wasn¡¯t already dire. His Health was a bit higher than he expected. Likely, he wasn¡¯t in a trance for as long as he thought. He observed his Health tick down. Then, it ticked up by a single point before descending again after he got hit. ¡°What? Where did that¡ª? My symbiote!¡± Guardian Exactor Vine | Plant Symbiote | Level: 2 Health: 130/130 Energy: 40/40 ATTRIBUTES: Attack Power: 13 Magic Power: 13 Armor: 73 Magic Resilience: 13 TRAITS: Host Attribute Absorption ¨C Absorb (180) Attribute points from the host and gain a third of it. Rejuvenating Roots ¨C Restore (1) Health Point of the host every second. ¡°Great job, little guy!¡± Elian glanced at his right arm, which he had kept to the side to protect the symbiote and the cleaver. A tiny tendril had reached down to the ground to feed on¡­ what? The symbiote had dipped its tip into a groove on the ground filled with red liquid. That wasn¡¯t his blood, was it? He looked behind him, even as a spear lobster kept hitting the side of his head. All thoughts of pain left him as his eyes widened. The entire floor of the cavern was covered in red writing, layers upon layers of magical circles and unknown symbols. The red lines converged in the middle, climbing up the obelisk. The carved hands on the obelisk began turning red. The red lines stopped around twenty feet up. None of the carved hands above it lit up. ¡°Wait, I¡¯m not getting hit?¡± Elian found the spear lobsters retreating into the tunnel, waving their arms at him. It wasn¡¯t a goodbye, he was sure. They were scared of what was happening to the obelisk, and maybe he should as well. He tucked his cleaver into the rope keeping his pants up and ran across the floor filled with red runes. As he neared the obelisk, intending to circle it to reach the exit on the other side, the ground shook. At the base of the obelisk, a small column rose to four feet. A pedestal. A small item floated on top of it, pulsing familiarly, a faint blue and then seaweed green. The item was enchanted. Two enchantments. The red carved hands on the obelisk started to lose their glow, returning to black as the red lines receded to the floor. Elian looked at his feet. Everything was returning to normal. He could hear the spear lobsters returning. Then he turned to the pedestal. ¡°Ancient artifact?¡± Elian grinned, changing direction to get it. ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I do.¡± 32. Priestly Savior Elian beheld the object. It was a thick ring cut from a single blue stone, likely made by the ancient catfolk. This had to be valuable. From a cursory glance, he couldn¡¯t see any traps or insidious hexes waiting to be triggered. There could be danger unseen. And there was danger behind him¡ªthe spear lobsters spilled into the cavern. He snatched the floating object and ran to the exit. Obtaining it must have something to do with blood and pain if the carvings back there didn¡¯t make it obvious enough. But he didn¡¯t know the specifics. Probably needed to endure lots of pain and bleed for hours. The obelisk in the middle could be some sort of measuring device¡ªthe higher the red lines climbed, the more¡­ things¡­ would happen. He had no clue about those and wasn¡¯t interested in testing it. Not soon, anyway. Calling for the ring¡¯s enchantments, Elian noted the binding sigils orbiting the ring. Intricate and difficult to undo. The first enchantment was the one pulsing blue. (Sealed) Atoning Fortification of the Penitent For each hit suffered, increase by one percent the penitent¡¯s Health gain, Armor, and Magic Resilience, up to a hundred. Elian slowed as he reread the enchantment until he remembered angry giant crustaceans were after him. He picked up the pace, thinking, this is an insane effect! At maximum stacks, the wearer would double his Armor. Too bad the Magic Resilience part didn¡¯t apply to him, but the Health gain part probably did. Wasn¡¯t that what his pet parasite, as Thorren called it, was doing to him with Rejuvenating Roots? The enchantment with a bright green color had an even stronger effect. (Sealed) Omamyar¡¯s Abiding Undeath Before a strike lands, be it physical or magical, cloak yourself with another layer of life amounting to ten percent of your lost maximum Health to meet it. Groff steak and star goose eggs! If he could use this enchantment, the more his Health plummeted, the harder it was to kill him. And if the attacker couldn¡¯t deal more than ten percent of his missing Health in a single hit, then he¡¯d be unkillable. Investing in Health was key. Even better, he could use this enchantment to defend against magic. He¡¯d still need Magic Resilience, lots of it, but this would be a huge help. That was¡­ if he could unseal this damn thing. When Elian first noticed the runic bindings, he thought of selling the ring. Hiring a Runebreaker would cost a fortune. Finding one who could specifically untangle the seals of the ancient catfolk was as difficult as unscrambling an egg. High Priest Ambrose Tolland might be able to do it, but why would he? The Temples of Tribulations would want this ring as a religious artifact. Better just sell it to them. Money was money, and Elian needed it. His bad luck when it came to his destroyed possessions was gaining strength. Clothes in tatters and bloodied. He might as well go naked while holding a kitchen knife. His backpack was torn open by the spear lobsters, so he left it behind. Good thing the flowers were with Thorren if he was still alive. But after seeing these two powerful enchantments, Elian changed his mind about selling the ring. He¡¯d find a way to unseal this¡­ after he escaped the Dark Forest. The spear lobsters were gaining on him. Elian reached an intersection of tunnels. One of the openings had a piece of cloth stuffed into the crack of the archway. He followed the sign Thorren left behind. The spear lobsters were only a few feet behind him, the incessant strikes of their spiky legs on stone becoming more urgent. A strike hit his back. He stumbled but regained his balance and kept running. More pokes. He glimpsed the tunnel opening up ahead. Another large space? He had to face them now. ¡°Round two, you pesky crustaceans!¡± Elian turned around and stood his ground. The leading spear lobster rubbed its arms together before stabbing at him. The spear arm didn¡¯t reach him. A blur of gold zipped over his shoulder, hitting the spear, and abruptly stopped it like a video on pause. Huh? A golden chain? The chain didn¡¯t stab the monster lobster¡¯s arm. Going through it like a ghostly specter was the better description of what happened. A dozen more chains shot forward from behind Elian, weaving themselves through the spear lobsters in the tunnel and freezing them. ¡°What the¡­?¡± Elian turned around. Two people entered the tunnel. ¡°Elian, my friend! I¡¯ve returned as promised.¡± Thorren offered him a healing potion. ¡°Thorren! And, uh, priest¡­?¡± ¡°Priest Yonnik, at your service, brother Elian,¡± he said in a sing-song voice. As Elian drank Thorren¡¯s potion¡ªit¡¯d still help somewhat¡ªhis eyes went to Priest Yonnik¡¯s pointy ears. Half an elf and half of something not human. The priest¡¯s neck and limbs were disproportionally too long for his body. Very thin, almost skin and bones. The priest had his spindly fingers form a triangle in front of his chest, out the center of which came the chains. If he let his arms fall down his sides, they¡¯d be past his knees. That was if his knees were in the ¡®correct¡¯ position. The way Priest Yonnik walked made Elian think he had an inhuman pair of legs. Better not look under those robes. ¡°Many thanks for your help, Priest Yonnik.¡± Elian placed a fist on his chest and bowed. He hid the catfolk ring in the surviving pocket of his torn pants. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯d last if you didn¡¯t arrive.¡± ¡°I reckon I could¡¯ve arrived an hour later,¡± Priest Yonnik said, adding a tune to his words, ¡°and you would¡¯ve been on your bubbly feet nonetheless. Come nearer, brother Elian. Don¡¯t be shy. We¡¯ll leave this place and let the excited costrahastans be with their lives. You¡¯ve disturbed them fairly enough.¡± Thicker chains tinted dark green burst out of the priest¡¯s fingers and formed a ball around the three of them. The chains turned transparent, giving them a view of the outside. As if they were on a charging Vestin steed, the walls of the tunnel outside flashed past. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. But Elian couldn¡¯t feel any movement. ¡°It¡¯s like the world is moving while we¡¯re standing still,¡± he said, amazed by the magic he encountered only now. Seeing this stoked his adventurer¡¯s spirit again. Fellenyr was vast. There was much to learn and much that would be destroyed if he didn¡¯t stop the Giants. ¡°My first impression as well,¡± Thorren said. ¡°It is fascinating to behold.¡± ¡°Priest Yonnik, what magic is this?¡± Elian asked. ¡°That of the secretive Kelmarog residing deep in the Great Chasm,¡± was the priest¡¯s nonchalant reply, as if exploring the Great Chasm was something many could do. ¡°The Great Chasm?¡± Elian recalled the treacherous voyage on airships over the vast crevasse dividing the world. ¡°I didn¡¯t know there were races living inside it.¡± He knew of monsters, but this was the first he had heard of the Kelmarog. ¡°Kelmarogs dislike nosy humans.¡± Priest Yonnik¡¯s tone was friendly but laced with a threat. There was something odd about the priest that Elian couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on. ¡°At the risk of being a nosy human,¡± Elian said, ¡°can I ask you how Kelmarog magic helps with surviving Tribulations? Just curious nosiness, if you permit it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll allow nosiness for once,¡± Priest Yonnik said, drumming his steepled fingers together. ¡°I pity your dreadful state.¡± The priest nodded down at Elian¡¯s shredded clothes coated with dried blood. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ Many ways, I use Kelmaran magic. Chief of which is to delay the damage I¡¯d receive.¡± ¡°Delay?¡± ¡°An inaccurate but simple explanation is to think of it as stretching time. You¡¯re in a crowded bar. You accidentally elbowed a rambunctious drunk. He punches you so hard he blows out the flame of your mind¡¯s candle, and you lay there on the floor. But imagine, brother Elian, that you can stretch the damage of that punch over several days. It could be a slight headache for hours and hours, day after day. Preferable, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Passing out is the better option, in my opinion,¡± Thorren said. ¡°But if it was a stab to the heart,¡± Elian said, ¡°no contest, you¡¯d want to stagger the damage of the injury, or you¡¯d die. You can heal yourself, too. Chug bottle after bottle of healing potions. If you¡¯re dead, you can¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Heal yourself,¡± Thorren finished my sentence, eyes beaming with astonishment. ¡°I see it now. This is quite a powerful magic for meeting the Tribulation, Priest Yonnik.¡± ¡°It is, it is¡­¡± The priest heaved his shoulders and let out an exaggerated sigh. ¡°But alas, all the bad luck I will ever have converged on the day of my last Tribulation. Do you know how Greater Tribulation works, nosy lads?¡± Elian nodded. ¡°I know there are multiple strikes and different¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, yes, it¡¯s a finicky gamble, really,¡± Priest Yonnik quickly said. ¡°What I had was six consecutive Spear of Absolution, it¡¯s the name of the most powerful form of the Greater Tribulation. Ihadir would say the Damnation Fist is stronger, but I digress. A million-to-one odds of it happening¡­ and it happened. My defenses were stripped with each strike, and it didn¡¯t end there. I was going to die. Gathering every strand of Kelmarog magic in my body, I stretched the damage for decades.¡± ¡°Are you, um, are you still¡­?¡± Elian hesitated to continue. ¡°Dying?¡± Priest Yonnik smiled so broadly that Elian thought of a Grumpbeing¡¯s mouth. ¡°Why, yes. Thank you for asking.¡± Elian kept silent the rest of the way. It wasn¡¯t a long trip. What would¡¯ve taken several hours traversing the entirety of the Dark Forest passed only in twenty minutes or so. ¡°What an odd fellow,¡± Elian said after Priest Yonnik deposited them outside the northern edge of the Dark Forest. The ball of greenish chains rolled away so quickly it was gone in a blink. How it fit through the dense clusters of trees, Elian didn¡¯t quite catch. ¡°Quite odd indeed,¡± Thorren said. ¡°How did you find him?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t. Priest Thalman found me. He couldn¡¯t help me because he was a projection, he explained, so he called for Priest Yonnik.¡± ¡°Thalman is just everywhere, huh? I thought only one priest was assigned to guard the Forbidden Temple. But if they have this guy who can make dozens, maybe even hundreds of illusions, they don¡¯t really have a problem. Good thing you didn¡¯t run into anything dangerous on the way there.¡± ¡°Lady Fortuna says we have enough misfortune for the day,¡± Thorren said, laughing his lungs out. Elian grinned. ¡°Very true. Only the return home left on our plate.¡± ¡°Use my cloak, friend. I assume it¡¯s not very comfortable wearing¡­ that. How are your injuries? Wounds and welts blemish your entire front, even your face. Is my potion not sufficient?¡± ¡°Ah, potions don¡¯t work very well on me,¡± Elian automatically replied. ¡°But I do have another way of healing myself. Want to see what my pet parasite can do?¡± A couple of hours after sunrise of the next day, Elian and Thorren arrived at the southern gates of Forge Hill. One of Thorren¡¯s cousins, the brother immediately younger than Nelisha, was chatting with the guards while waiting for them. The young boy excitedly ran up to Thorren and gave him a hug before saying he¡¯d fetch his siblings waiting at an inn nearby. Elian felt a tug at his heart. He didn¡¯t have any siblings, nor was he particularly close with his cousins. He wasn¡¯t close with any of his relatives at all. ¡°Are you going to school?¡± Elian asked. ¡°There¡¯s still time before it opens. I think I¡¯ll go in the afternoon. I have to deliver these.¡± He patted a bag fashioned out of woven leaves containing the blossoms of the Spectral Fairy Azalea. ¡°They go bad in a few days. Wouldn¡¯t want them to go to waste after what we¡¯ve been through to get them.¡± ¡°On the topic of what we¡¯ve been through¡­¡± Thorren paused for a moment, closing his eyes, before deciding to continue. ¡°May I offer some words, unsolicited they may be? Not advise, per se. My observations of your disposition.¡± ¡°Um, sure,¡± Elian replied, unsure what Thorren had to say. ¡°You are incredibly durable,¡± said Thorren. ¡°There is no denying that. With the Stage of Devotion, you¡¯ll coast through your Tribulation in the twenties, maybe even thirties. You should try it there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not very good at performing in front of crowds,¡± Elian said. Was this all there is? Thorren had too much seriousness. ¡°Ah, I see. What I was trying to say is that your durability has perhaps prodded you to¡­ excessive heroic acts.¡± Elian was a touch irritated. He saved him, and now he was saying he did too much saving? He didn¡¯t say anything, but his expression must¡¯ve shown his thoughts because Thorren clarified himself. ¡°I¡¯m thankful you have saved me, of course,¡± Thorren continued. ¡°Eternally so. However, there is worry as well. Worry that I must share since I consider you a good friend. Even if I was blessed with your sturdy body, I wouldn¡¯t, in a thousand years, think of getting eaten by a Grumpbeing or¡ª¡± ¡°Or get poked for a couple of hours by those spear lobsters. I understand what you¡¯re saying. I, uh, thank you. I¡¯ll take your words to heart.¡± Elian¡¯s tone ended the conversation. As Thorren reunited with his family, Elian turned the opposite way and headed to Vigor Hill. Thorren¡¯s words replayed in his head. Reckless¡ªThorren didn¡¯t say this, but that was the message. Elian was too reckless, the complete opposite of his previous life. Before, he had to be very careful as he gathered the required Favor Points to time travel. Even after he did, he continued to be cautious because he aimed to survive as long as possible to gather information. Now, he wanted to save people. It was the time to be a hero because there was no rewind¡­ ¡­or was he using this justification to mask his recklessness? Elian shook his head, unsure of the line between heroics and recklessness. One thing he was sure of¡ªbecoming tankier would move that line to the side of heroics. After his visit to Gideon, he¡¯d research at the temple library. Maybe Priest Thalman was there and could offer words of wisdom. 33. Idea in a Bottle ¡°What happened to you?¡± Gideon the Floramage exclaimed after opening the door of his carriage. Elian wore Thorren¡¯s cloak and had tied what remained of his clothes into a loincloth to cover his lower parts. He also had many scars on his skin after his pet parasite restored him to full health. Healing spells or health potions, the high-quality ones, wouldn¡¯t have left any trace. His appearance was strange, Elian admitted, but he wasn¡¯t the most bizarre sight around, especially in this part of Vigor Hill. ¡°A very long story,¡± Elian said with a tired slur. ¡°I¡¯m sure it is. I have no interest in hearing it.¡± Gideon wriggled his crooked nose. ¡°Did you get what I¡¯m looking for?¡± Elian raised the bag with flowers. ¡°Sure did.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Gideon stepped aside. ¡°If I didn¡¯t bring the Spectral Fairy Azalea, would you have turned me away?¡± ¡°Shush now, dear customer.¡± Poking his head out of the carriage, Gideon shiftily looked left and right. Nobody on the street other than Elian. ¡°You have it, don¡¯t you? Now, tarry no longer with these nonsense questions. Come in and show me what you have.¡± Gideon raspingly gurgled his excitement as he ran his hands over the blanket of flowers Elian spread on the table. The Floramage picked each one and took a sniff before categorizing them according to size, brightness of color, and other qualities Elian couldn¡¯t tell. ¡°You have obtained more blossoms than I expected,¡± Gideon said. ¡°Almost cost us our lives getting those,¡± Elian said, but Gideon didn¡¯t seem to be listening. ¡°More than a dozen bottles I can make with this,¡± muttered the Floramage, stroking his beard. ¡°I can set aside some for a concentrated¡ªno, perhaps you can¡¯t stomach it. I¡¯ll start immediately.¡± Concentrated? Elian¡¯s ear flapped at that word. With delicate tweezers, Gideon picked apart the flowers and threw them into three separate pots. One had a green flame under it, the black pot had purple flames, and the biggest pot was heated with invisible flames from dried dragon poop¡ªElian recognized the smell before Gideon crushed it into powder. Different colored fumes rose and added to the already very complicated scent of the carriage. Gideon poured in this and that vial, rummaging through his many cabinets to look for more. The floor panels could even be removed; he had ingredients stored underneath the carriage. Spewing technical terms about potion making and magical properties of plants¡ªElian understood some of the things he was saying¡ªthe floramage feverishly got to work. It was as if he had several hands as he stirred here, measured that, and cut up these pieces. A fascinating scene. Elian was entertained watching it. He wasn¡¯t told to leave, so he stayed. ¡°Is it possible for me not to drink that?¡± He made a face as a particularly awful smell stabbed his nose. He had a tolerance for odors, but this made his stomach push up his breakfast of hard tack and dried beef. If it tasted as bad as it smelled, that would be a problem for his next idea. ¡°Some other way to get the nutrients to the symbiote?¡± Gideon stopped what he was doing. ¡°Dear customer, you are the soil upon which the symbiote grows. If you have a fertilizer, you mix or pour it into the ground. The nutrients seep into the soil to be absorbed by the plant¡¯s roots.¡± He gestured at the pots. ¡°If I poured this on you, the liquid won¡¯t seep into your skin. And so, you have to drink it.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t there nutrient solutions that could be sprayed on the plant?¡± Elian asked, recalling his studies of herbalism. It made Gideon smile. ¡°Ah, you know of foliar concoctions. The way they work, partially informed customer, is by taking advantage of holes in the leaves. Yes, they do have holes. Special lenses are required to view such minuscule organs. At certain times of the day, these holes open. Spray your foliar concoction for direct absorption into the leaves. ¡°Advantages and disadvantages of using those, compared to inputting the nutrients into the soil and so on. But discussing them is a waste of time. You know why is that, dear customer? Notice that the Guardian Exactor Vine has no¡ª¡± ¡°No leaves. I can see that.¡± Elian commanded the tendril to emerge from his arm. He¡¯d like to imagine it had grown a bit thicker compared to yesterday, but it looked just the same. ¡°My vine has gained the ability of Rejuvenating Roots. I¡¯ve tried it out. It could absorb¡­¡± He didn¡¯t continue the story of the symbiote sucking his spilled blood. ¡°A Rejuvenating Root is different from the true roots of the plant symbiote¡ªit transfers lifeforce from the surroundings to the host. This is not lifeforce.¡± Gideon tapped the black pot with his ladle. It gave off the note of a wind chime. ¡°I suppose there are other ways. If your plant symbiote is more mature, I could inject the potion directly into it. In its current state, its capillaries will be damaged.¡± ¡°What about injecting it into my arm near the plant symbiote?¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s your capillaries that will be damaged by the unfiltered potion. Drinking disperses the potion, thinning it to be comfortably carried by your bloodstream. Sacrifice your stomach for your bloodstream was what my teacher used to say. Does it taste bad? Yes. Does it have side effects? Also, yes. But very tolerable downsides, I assure you. I know because I¡¯ve drunk this myself many times before. And I¡¯m going to drink some of my current brews as well. Partners in suffering that we are. Be thankful this isn¡¯t a concentrated growth potion, else your bowels will curse you for a hundred years.¡± ¡°Is drinking a concentrated growth potion really that bad?¡± This was Elian¡¯s goal. It could help his pet parasite big time as he became tankier and tankier from the Tribulation rewards. His thoughts turned to Priest Ihadir and the horrifying consequences of the potions he consumed. ¡°What¡¯s the effect?¡± Gideon had returned to brewing and groaned at the interruption. ¡°Can¡¯t a floramage have peace? I escaped the union, so no one would bother me, and yet, here we are. The effect on what? You or the plant symbiote?¡± Elian shrugged. ¡°Both.¡± ¡°A growth potion made from a Spectral Fairy Azalea is an aggressive nutrient solution, as I¡¯ve told you before. Forty to sixty percent boost. If I make the concentrated version, it¡¯d be a two hundred percent boost. Three times, if you didn¡¯t comprehend, because you add¡ª¡± ¡°Sounds great. What¡¯s the trade-off?¡± ¡°Now, this depends on the individual. You might have an iron stomach and endure it well. For the average person, you¡¯ll spend half a day voiding your guts from whichever hole¡ª¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I hope that doesn¡¯t include ears,¡± Elian muttered. ¡°And be plagued by headaches for a few days, as if clamps on your temples are¡­¡± Elian listened with one ear as he read the Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse. Greater Curse of the Berserking Abyssal Eye Attack Power multiplied by eight. For every hundred thousand points of Attack Power, increase the multiplier by one. Magic Power reduced to zero. The Abyssal Eye curses your body to never feel the touch of healing from any deity. The effects of all potions on you will be reduced to a fifth. The word ¡®effects¡¯ of potions should encompass both good and bad, right? Gideon was likely exaggerating the side effects, but it would still be an awful experience. The Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse would alleviate his suffering. What about the growth boosting part of the potion? As for Elian¡¯s interpretation, the Curse wouldn¡¯t affect it because the benefit was to his pet parasite, not him. The symbiote would absorb the potion out of his body. He might as well be just a potion bottle the plant would drink from. But if it did reduce the positive effects, then all the more reason Elian had to go for the concentrated version. ¡°I dare not try it,¡± Gideon said. ¡°But I tell you, I¡¯ve seen someone who¡ª¡± ¡°Make me this concentrated potion.¡± Gideon¡¯s only reaction was to bow. ¡°My pleasure. And my admiration of your courage.¡± From Gideon¡¯s carriage on Vigor Hill, Elian went to Borlen¡¯s camp outside the Cauldron. He figured Borlen would¡¯ve sold the jarlion crystals and Quillhusk shell by now. Elian needed money to buy clothes and many other things, such as a sleeping bag. Lacking the powers of foresight, he could still predict he¡¯d lose his belongings again in the near future. He was also supposed to pay Floramage Gideon for the price of the plant symbiote seed¡ªan extremely discounted price, as Gideon reminded him a few times. But Elian argued that since Gideon would use some, or probably most, of the Spectral Flower Azalea for his own, they should be even. Gideon agreed with no pushback. Elian suspected that the floramage didn¡¯t care about the money. Finding a willing test subject was more important for Gideon. ¡°What happened to you, brother?¡± Borlen asked, touching a particularly visible scar on Elian¡¯s forehead. ¡°It¡¯s a very long story,¡± replied Elian. ¡°Come, sit here. Let us listen.¡± Elian shared a condensed story, cutting out the part of getting an ancient ring. They didn¡¯t need to know about that, and he doubted if they knew how to unseal it. He also omitted the conversation with Priest Yonnik about Kelmarog magic; the pilgrims might think Elian was rude to ask if the priest was dying. ¡°You vanquished a Grumpbeing and a jarlion in a single fight?¡± a pilgrim asked, gasping in amazement. ¡°An incredible feat, brother Elian!¡± ¡°It should be recorded in the journal of our travels,¡± chimed in a gossipy granny. ¡°We¡¯ll share this story with others of our tribe once we return. They¡¯ll see reason to join our journey next year.¡± ¡°The Grumpbeing killed the jarlion,¡± Elian explained, scratching the back of his head. He regretted telling them about it; he wasn¡¯t good at receiving attention. ¡°And I only managed to kill the Grumpbeing because of luck.¡± He was downplaying that last part. More than half certain he¡¯d win if he met a Grumpbeing again using the same strategy. ¡°You also traveled to the Forbidden Temple,¡± said one of the older pilgrims, a cousin of Borlen, if Elian remembered it right. ¡°I shudder to think of the horrors you faced.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t face anything there, really. We were protected by Priest Yonnik as we passed by in a few seconds. Barely saw what was there.¡± ¡°And you have met Priest Yonnik,¡± said Casimir. ¡°What fortune! He seldom shows himself, even during mass and celebrations. He was guarding the Forbidden Temple all along.¡± Borlen didn¡¯t share the other¡¯s enthusiasm. Shaking his head, he somberly said, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have let you go. A myriad of times, you could¡¯ve died. You endured the spears of the relentless costrahastans.¡± ¡°If they weren¡¯t underground, brother Elian would¡¯ve crushed them with his Tribulation!¡± Casimir said, punching the air. ¡°Grumpbeings, costrahastans, he¡¯d trounce all danger.¡± ¡°The spear lobsters¡ªI mean, the costrahastans wouldn¡¯t be hurt by my Tribulation. I don¡¯t think I can get them to open their mouths and¡ª¡± Elian jokingly started to say, but the pilgrims picked on another thing to fixate on. ¡°Show us your Tribulation, brother Elian,¡± one said. ¡°Or do it at the Stage of Devotion,¡± suggested another. ¡°You must be nearing your tenth Tribulation. We¡¯ll come as one to support you.¡± And that was Elian¡¯s cue to find a way out. He needed to buy clothes, he told them. Borlen was quick to offer him clothes. Changing into them, Elian added that he had to hurry to his Aether Magic classes, even though, in truth, he planned to skip the entire day. He also had other things to buy later. Taking a hefty bag of coins from Borlen, Elian fled the story circle of the pilgrims. It was Elian¡¯s first time at the Cauldron¡¯s marketplace. A reverse of Vigor Hill and all the other hills, the Cauldron had its tiers built going down into the caldera. Elian started from the topmost level, passing the gates, and descended a series of ramps and stairs to the area that looked busiest. True that he needed to buy clothes, a bag, and all that, but that wasn¡¯t his goal coming here. ¡°Fancy some potions, lad?¡± said a hunched-over elderly woman with a fake purple eye. The glass eyeball was inscribed with a symbol of the Crone Aspects. She must be a witch apprentice who failed to enter the Inner Circle and decided to start a small business here instead. ¡°Are you looking to treat the scars on your handsome face?¡± ¡°If your potions only work on handsome men,¡± Elian said, ¡°they won¡¯t work on me. But I¡¯m not looking to remove the scars or beautify my face. Do you have potions that increase Attack Power?¡± ¡°Attack Power?¡± The woman¡¯s glass eyeball rotated in confusion. ¡°Not Armor or Health?¡± Elian nodded. He received the same reaction in a couple of other shops; they didn¡¯t have any. Maybe he¡¯d have more luck with this one. The woman ducked under the table. ¡°I have some here, I remember.¡± Clinking glass and thudding planks punctuated her words as she searched several crates. ¡°My memory is unreliable nowadays, mind you. I even forgot the recipe for the potion that strengthens memory! If only I¡ªoho, here we are, handsome laddie.¡± She presented a small rectangular box containing eight vials in a row. The vials contained a red liquid of different shades, starting light on Elian¡¯s right and going darker to the left. ¡°Got here your basic set of Attack Power potions.¡± The woman tapped the cork of the vial with the lightest red color, almost pinkish. ¡°This gives you an additional hundred Attack Points. This is two hundred¡ª¡± she pointed at the next bottle. ¡°Three, four, five hundred. Choose which one to drink because their effects do not mix; remember that, or you¡¯ll waste coin. The length of the effect depends on your consumption. Drink the entire bottle and it¡¯ll last for a little bit over a day. A drop is a minute or so.¡± ¡°How much does the one that gives five hundred Attack Points cost?¡± The witch merchant quoted a price that wasn¡¯t cheap but expected. Elian estimated this would be more economical than buying mid-tier quality equipment only for them to be destroyed by the Tribulation or some monster. A small bottle could last him quite a long time since he¡¯d only need it for the Tribulation. It wasn¡¯t like he was in a battle raging for hours. His Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse would cut the five hundred Attack Points down to a hundred. It looked bad on paper, and it was a huge reduction, but the Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse would also multiply it by eight. The Elder Giant¡¯s Curse would then convert it into Armor, multiplying it by eight once again. One drop was six thousand and four hundred more Armor for a minute. Not a bad deal at all. ¡°Will you take it, handsome customer?¡± ¡°Do you have a potion that grants a thousand Attack Points? The smallest bottle you have, because I know it¡¯ll be expensive. And is there no discount for handsome customers?¡± 34. Silence in the Library The witch merchant stopped thinking Elian was handsome after he asked for a discount. But she did have a potion that gave a thousand Attack Power, stowed in an enchanted safe at the back of her store. He left her shop with his bag of coins much lighter. Not too concerned about the cost since he expected more money after Thorren sold their loot. A show of trust that Elian would wait for his share. If Thorren had greedy motives, he could¡¯ve left Elian to die and take all their loot for himself, including the Spectral Fairy Azaleas. The fact that the Rakhonite braved the dangers of the Forbidden Temple and returned with help proved his honorable nature. I should have a safe container for this potion, Elian thought, examining the viscous, deep red liquid that shimmered under the sun. Though the witch merchant assured him the glass vial was magically reinforced and battle-ready¡ªthat was part of the cost¡ªhe went to look for a padded leather pouch. He¡¯d probably fit a wooden or metal frame inside to slot in vials for more protection. Instead of worrying about equipment that was less durable than his bare skin, he only had to think about one small bottle. He grimaced, remembering the fulgurate oil bottle that broke inside his bag¡ªan expensive purchase he didn¡¯t get to use. Applying it on his Jawbreaker Knuckles and helmet might¡¯ve saved them from getting destroyed by the Grumpbeing¡¯s teeth. But how could he have known they¡¯d get attacked? No opportunity to use the fulgurate oil after the Grumpbeing¡¯s scream. This was the downside of relying on potions for added Armor¡ªhe had to drink them to gain their effects. It wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d always have time to prepare; the Grumpbeing showed that. On the other hand, he¡¯d already be wearing armor and weapons if an unexpected enemy pops up. ¡°So, always expect an enemy, huh?¡± Elian asked a stray ringko. The small cat-like creature looked up at him, a fishbone dangling from its mouth. ¡°Right? Drink potions whenever there¡¯s even a tiny hint of danger.¡± That plan necessitated lots of potions and lots of money to buy them. Not an easy solution, but quite straightforward. Potion overdosing wouldn¡¯t be too much of a concern because of the Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse if his interpretation of it was correct. Elian hadn¡¯t yet called his Tribulation for the day. He¡¯d test the Attack Power potion later. Should he use his cleaver for more Attack Power? A surprise that a kitchen knife survived everything he¡¯d been through. Given his Curses, wielding weapons combined with Attack Power potions was the optimum combo for copious amounts of Armor. That circled back to the issue of equipment surviving a Tribulation, especially the stronger future ones. The Champion Penitent¡¯s way of sacrificing gear every Tribulation wouldn¡¯t work for Elian. The effect of the potions wouldn¡¯t get removed, but if the first strike destroyed his weapon and armor, the second strike would hit much harder. And what about actual fights? He¡¯d need well-crafted equipment made from highly durable materials to stand in front of danger. Money issues. Again. In his coin-strapped state¡ªfor the short term, hopefully¡ªbuff potions were best. It wasn¡¯t like he could¡­ wait. ¡°I can go unarmed,¡± he told the ringko that decided to follow him. The ringko tilted its head right and raised a leg, pawing the air. He took that to mean it agreed with him. Or it just wanted food. The War Monastery had various Fist Forms that increased Attack Power when fighting without weapons. Should have some Boons related to it from their deity, Divine Commander Cael. But since Elian couldn¡¯t deal damage with his attacks, he couldn¡¯t train the war monks¡¯ techniques in the conventional sense. Would they even accept him as a student? Add that to the things to research later. There had to be alternatives. Elian wrapped up his business at the Cauldron, buying a pouch for his potion and a meat skewer for the ringko. He almost forgot to buy a notebook and charcoal nibs for writing. The temple on the central hill was his next destination. ¡°This might be the Three Gates of Acuity.¡± Elian stepped back to appreciate the beauty of the ten-foot-tall double doors made of glossy wood and inlaid with veins of bluish ores to highlight the carving of a man sitting cross-legged with dozens of arms in various poses. Was this depiction supposed to be the Hundred-Armed Magistrate? Following Priest Thalman¡¯s instructions, Elian entered the left wing of the temple and descended the first staircase he saw. The library was beneath the building, the priest had told him. Elian looked for people who might be heading to the library¡ªthose carrying scrolls and books, those with serious, don¡¯t-disturb-me expressions, those with glasses. His method wasn¡¯t very scientific, but he somehow reached this door. He knocked on it, confirming it was wood. This should¡¯ve been made recently. A wooden door couldn¡¯t have survived centuries in this pristine condition unless it was protected by magic. In contrast, the archway looked ancient, the stone blocks lining it etched with runes he was certain he should recognize. ¡°The symbols on the Magistrate¡¯s bracelet?¡± The deity¡¯s hand inside the middle tower of the temple wore a golden bracelet around its severed wrist. Not an exact match, but these runes were very close to it. ¡°Have I seen them elsewhere before?¡± The door opened a few inches, and an annoyed woman peeked out. She had an elaborate hairstyle balanced on top of her head that swayed as she spoke. ¡°Were you the one who knocked?¡± ¡°Yes, I am. Is this the Three Gates of Acuity?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to ask if there are two other doors, then you¡¯re out of luck because I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡± ¡°If you¡¯re asking what the word ¡®Acuity¡¯ means, then we have several dictionaries written by renowned scholars inside the library.¡± ¡°The library! I¡¯m here to research. Not the meaning of ¡®Acuity¡¯ though.¡± The woman sighed, her hair structure dangerously tipping forward. ¡°You should¡¯ve simply entered. A knock on this door echoes inside the hall. They should¡¯ve replaced this door with something else.¡± She opened the door wide. ¡°I want to place a sign, but they won¡¯t let me. Ruins the beauty of the art piece, they always say.¡± Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Elian walked through the doors and stepped onto a landing. On the right side was a table¡ªthe woman¡¯s station. In front of him, past the wooden railings, was a vast library dug deep into the ground. Platforms carved into the rock held rows and rows of book-filled cabinets. People went from one platform to the next on floating discs. ¡°My name is Marielle,¡± the woman said, her expression turning friendly as the door closed. ¡°Navigating this library is difficult for newcomers, so don¡¯t hesitate to ask me what you¡¯re looking for.¡± ¡°Plenty of topics I want to study,¡± Elian said. ¡°I want to start with the lost catfolk. Seeing the ruins of their civilization scattered all over the hills piqued my interest.¡± An innocuous enough start. He wouldn¡¯t immediately ask for material on the catfolk binding seals. That might draw some suspicion. He had to work his way there. Marielle tilted her head back and forth as if processing data in her head. Her stack of hair swayed in turn. ¡°The catfolk? Are you sure you don¡¯t want to research how to survive the Tribulation? I have introductory references prepared here.¡± ¡°Taking a break from thinking about Tribulations,¡± Elian said as nonchalantly as he could. ¡°Later, I¡¯ll get to it. For now, I want to satisfy my curiosity as a form of relaxation. Do you have something about their history?¡± Some truth in his words. He was genuinely curious about the cat people¡¯s fate. Marielle gave Elian a paper of books he should look for. She also instructed him how to navigate the hundreds of shelves and use the floating disc. It wasn¡¯t as hard as he thought. Ten minutes later, he rode a disc to the platform floating in the middle of the library full of tables and chairs. More than twenty other people were there, hiding behind tall stacks of books as they researched how to not get squished. The books Elian read all agreed that the catfolk were long gone before any human explorer set foot in the area. But they differed on the reasons. The Rise and Fall of the Feline Imperica, penned by Ackerly Quilt, an author Elian had read before, claimed the catfolk were decimated by war. But the Essay on the Mistakes of Ackerly Quilt, written by a rival author, argued that sites of ancient wars pointed to the catfolk winning, even conquering large swathes of rival civilizations. Giant hand-shaped imprints on excavated fortifications of their enemies abound. ¡°They used Tribulations to attack? And here I was, thinking my idea is new.¡± Elian chuckled, interrupting the silence and attracting glares from other tables. Sidetracked by this tidbit, he read about how the catfolk conducted warfare. Ruins showed the use of multiple Tribulations to bring down walls and magical defenses. Multiple? On the same spot¡­ Something about the way the ruins were compacted led researchers to this conclusion. Elian sat straighter, questions swirling in his head. Were these several Tribulations or multiple strikes of one Tribulation? The latter seemed more plausible. Difficult to organize several people to call down their respective Tribulations on the same spot while in the middle of a freaking siege. And how would the Penitent wall-breaker survive the Tribulation strong enough to smash walls and the enemies trying to stop them? Only one answer¡ªthey didn¡¯t. The author theorized they were most likely criminals sentenced to death. Too huge a waste to send willing warriors. But why would a prisoner, knowing he¡¯d die, cooperate with the catfolk army? ¡°They¡¯re using Cursed Penitents¡­¡± Elian muttered in revulsion. It wasn¡¯t stated in the book, but there was a single way in his mind the catfolk could¡¯ve pulled this off. Filling in the blanks the author omitted, perhaps intentionally, Elian imagined the catfolk keeping criminals Cursed by the Hundred-Armed Magistrate in underground prisons. They¡¯d help the criminals get through several Tribulations to strengthen the strike, but beyond that, it was a waste of resources. On the day of the battle, the criminals would be packed inside secure carriages or maybe boxes with no openings. Reaching the enemy walls, the Cursed criminals would be catapulted at it, whether by siege engines or magically. Tribulations would descend from the sky¡ªthe sacrificial wall-breaker didn¡¯t call for this; rather, it was the owed Tribulations for how many days they evaded the Curse. A low-level Cursed Tribulation could deal a lot of damage if it was going to descend a whole lot of times. It might even get stronger the more days it went ¡®unpaid¡¯ to the Magistrate. Elian closed the Hand of Ancient War, disturbed by the practices of the catfolk as if the blood sacrifices and self-flagellation weren¡¯t enough. Maybe it was for the best their civilization was destroyed. Still intent on finding any lead about their runes, Elian continued reading books. There were other theories, such as diseases, famine, and magical disasters. An interesting one was their rituals gone wrong. The scholar Nehu Sharnu explored the sites of these rituals he called Blood and Pain Sacraments and found clues of terrible damage and thousands of catfolk bones. He didn¡¯t elaborate much on what he thought actually happened. Researching further, Elian couldn¡¯t find any other mention of the Blood and Pain Sacraments. Elian asked Marielle about it¡ªit was a very interesting topic, he reasoned¡ªbut the titles she gave didn¡¯t elaborate much on it. He could be imagining it, but she seemed to avoid the topic. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that High Priest Ambrose Tolland is an expert on the catfolk.¡± Elian was back on Marielle¡¯s platform. ¡°Are his writings available here?¡± ¡°Many are,¡± she replied, scribbling yet another list of titles for him to look up. She was becoming short with him. ¡°Others are in the restricted area. There are halls further down only Penitents with higher tiered Boons can enter.¡± Sure enough, Elian didn¡¯t find anything useful in the books written by the high priest available to him. Giving up on finding leads on how to break the sealed ring for now, Elian switched his research to strategies for surviving Tribulations. Marielle was delighted he stopped with his weird topics. Before she could offer the standard introductory references for the sixth time, Elian asked, ¡°Do you have some sort of compilation of the strategies used by Champion Penitents? Summaries for each one I can easily peruse. Then I¡¯ll pick those that suit me the most and focus on researching that.¡± ¡°We have such a catalog.¡± Marielle wrote the platform he should go to. ¡°Each volume contains around fifty years of data for the notable Champion Penitents living in that period.¡± Elian opened the latest volume, started with the last page, the most recent records, and read backward. He had a few criteria for deciding which strategies to pursue. For starters, it shouldn¡¯t require traveling to extremely dangerous or far away locations. That was an unnecessary risk and a waste of precious time he could spend on something more immediately impactful. The method of obtaining the skill, item, or Bestowal also shouldn¡¯t be too difficult or take a long time to accomplish. Preferable if he had heard of the strategy before. ¡°Protector Konshari¡­¡± Elian wrote in his newly bought notebook with a charcoal nib wrapped in hardened gum. Out of the first ten Champion Penitents discussed in the book, eight had the Boon offered by Protector Konshari. When Elian first visited the marketplace of Vigor Hill, a merchant offered him a leather vest with a Konshari enchantment. He couldn¡¯t recall the exact details, but it was something along the lines of added Armor when standing one¡¯s ground. That was how the actual Boon of Protector Konshari worked, but with way better benefits. Perfect for Tribulations and would synergize well with Rejuvenating Roots since he couldn¡¯t move while healing himself. Protector Konshari resided in the Barony of Durthane. Elian pushed aside books to reveal the surface of the table that was a map. Quite far on foot. But if he took a boat from Sarnival Port, tracing the coastline southward, he¡¯d be there in a week. ¡°Yep, this should be my next destination,¡± Elian said. ¡°Very near my original plan.¡± From the Barony of Durthane marked on the map, Elian¡¯s eyes traveled seaward to a large island with several towns on it. This was part of the territory of Pollion Kingdom and the site of the second Giant landing. Some chroniclers posit that Stormfell Island might also be the first location of the Giant-constructed portal to their mainland. If true, the defense of Stormfell Island would be more important than Sarnival Port. 35. Healthy Viney ¡°A lot of Penitents sure love Konshari¡¯s Boon,¡± Elian said, flipping the pages. Meaning there¡¯d be plenty of material in the library for it, including skill and item synergies. Maybe even details about its Melding. In his past life, Elian had met several people with Konshari¡¯s Boon¡ªthey were great aura lynchpins for armies. He had heard from them that Protector Konshari was quite agreeable. Perhaps one mentioned that the Boon could be Melded. He didn¡¯t pay attention to their conversation back then because his aim was an Attack Power build. He ran his finger down the page, eyes sweeping left to right for anything interesting. He stopped. It wasn¡¯t a Bestowal or a skill that caught his attention but the name of an Enlightened Penitent¡ªThalman Thistlecork of Gladeshire. ¡°Priest Thalman?¡± This must be his last Tribulation before retiring and serving in the temple. The kind priest had a remarkable repertoire of Bestowals, some of which Elian didn¡¯t know about, combined with an interesting set of skills. The catalog didn¡¯t explain the Penitent¡¯s actual strategies; it was up to the reader to figure it out based on the information provided. Most builds were easy to discern. But Thalman¡¯s wasn¡¯t immediately apparent at a glance. Thalman could make illusions; everyone knew that. But Elian was surprised to know that Thalman turned those illusions into clones using Aether Magic. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have guessed Thalman is an Aether Mage. But why go through this step?¡± Thinking for several seconds, Elian snapped his fingers. People at neighboring tables shushed him. ¡°Sorry, sorry¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t help but be impressed with Thalman¡¯s strategy. The priest used illusions as a sort of template for his clones. They¡¯d be much stronger constructs, given how imagery benefitted Aether Magic. He took a Boon that worked with illusions and a Boon that made constructs stronger, ending up with even stronger clones. Why use clones instead of suits of armor if imagery was paramount for Aether Magic? Elian was both horrified and amazed at the reason. The Greater Curse of Unabashed Puppetry allowed the bestowed to disperse a fraction of any damage he¡¯d take to others of his image, be they magical constructs or physical golems, while suffering several times the pain. The Melded Greater Boon of Judicious Forced Parity also shifted damage, but Elian couldn¡¯t recall how. Elian hadn¡¯t heard of Thalman¡¯s two other Curses. Judging their names, they likely penalized the priest as the cost of boosting his Aether Magic. The priest didn¡¯t care about what happened to his true body since he was, effectively, a mere conduit for the damage to his clones. Well, yes, he suffered. A lot. But looking at Ihadir and Ambrose, suffering seemed to be the middle name of Enlightened Penitents. Thalman¡¯s last Melded Greater Boons were party buffs. Everything was for the clones tanking the damage. On the day Elian got the Magistrate¡¯s Curse, he asked Thalman if he was an illusion. Thalman replied he¡¯d never know. Elian assumed the priest was either joking around or trying to sound profound. In truth, Thalman¡¯s clones could be considered more real than him. ¡°Why are the backstories of the priests so tragic? I wonder what Hazelheart¡¯s¡ªwait a second.¡± Elian reread Thalman¡¯s information and counted the Divine Bestowals. Four Melded Greater Boons and three Greater Curses. Seven in total. Where was the eighth? Possible that one of the Curses removed a Divine Bestowal slot. Could also be that Thalman had a specific Bestowal in mind and was in the process of obtaining it. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s his Greater Boon from the Magistrate that¡¯s missing,¡± Elian said. ¡°Probably a printing error.¡± He shrugged and continued through the list of Penitents. He found a couple more Enlightened Penitents, and both of them used a Melded Boon with Konshari as one of the paired deities. An hour passed; he had several pages of notes. He was halfway through the volume when he decided to research what he had jotted down. He prioritized Konshari¡¯s Boon because he recalled its higher tiers generated a wide dome that could protect a large group of people and¡ª¡± ¡°¡­ defend against magic damage,¡± Elian said, tapping a sentence on a page of A Modern Disquisition on Protector Konshari. The dome was an external construct, similar to what Aether Magic could make, so it shouldn¡¯t be affected by the Elder Giant¡¯s Curse. On the topic of Melding, A Modern Disquisition on Protector Konshari discussed the best ways to find a partner for Protector Konshari to Meld with. The combinations listed gave Elian a lot to think about. Such a comprehensive and helpful book that Elian wanted to borrow it, but Marielle was adamant it wasn¡¯t allowed. Too bad it was too big to steal. Elian was staring off into the open space around the floating platform, thinking about strategies, when he noticed a person ascending on a disc. ¡°Priest Thalman?¡± That guy was just everywhere. At this point, it¡¯d be a surprise if he wasn¡¯t present in an area. Unlike what happened during the mass, only a couple of people rode discs to meet him on the way up. Most continued to research as if their butts were glued to their seats. Elian hopped on a disc and zoomed to the platform the priest headed to. They both landed at the same time. ¡°Greetings, Priest Thalman.¡± ¡°Brother Elian.¡± The priest adjusted his glasses. ¡°It warms my heart to see you well, other than the scars on your face. Brother Yonnik told me about your run-in with the costrahastans.¡± ¡°Run-in with the spear lobsters is putting it mildly,¡± said Elian. ¡°I¡¯m very grateful for Priest Yonnik¡¯s help.¡± He looked over Priest Thalman, trying to sense if he was truly there. ¡°Is anything amiss?¡± ¡°Uh, no. I assumed this was your real body since you were using the floating disc instead of, I don¡¯t know, just instantly appearing. I hope I¡¯m not being nosy.¡± Elian remembered his conversation with Yonnik. ¡°Not at all, brother,¡± replied Thalman, a melancholic smile on his face. ¡°I try to go about my day as any would to not forget the sensation of normalcy. Is there anything I can help you with?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve read that you¡¯re an accomplished Aether Mage. Your constructs¡ª¡± Elian was about to point at Thalman¡¯s body but stopped his hand from going up. He had a knack for slightly offending people or bringing up awkward topics without intending to do so. ¡°I mean, do you have recommendations for a beginner like me?¡± Priest Thalman was delighted to help Elian journey through the Path of the Immaterial. Although Thalman didn¡¯t have time to lecture, he enumerated books to study¡ªElian feverishly wrote them down¡ªbefore starting to fade instead of walking away. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Don¡¯t try to commit the meditative illustrations to memory,¡± Priest Thalman said, only a faint image remaining in front of Elian. ¡°Copy them the best you can. And don¡¯t tear off pages, or Marielle will be furious.¡± He was gone. It was already dark outside when Elian left the library. To be more precise, Marielle kicked him out because it was closing time¡ªhe and many other library-goers were engrossed in their research and didn¡¯t want to leave. ¡°Going to class and researching afterward,¡± Elian said, looking back at the temple as he planned his daily schedule. ¡°Yeah, I can do that.¡±
Elian sat on the ground, gazing at the mostly purple sky that had just been touched by the faintest of sunlight. Thick clouds rolled away. Chirps echoed in the forest; the birds were distressed by his ruckus. The cleaver¡¯s blade reflected the sparkles of his shattered Aether construct fading away. He had hugged his trusty kitchen knife, so there was no damage. He had just finished his thirteenth Tribulation. It sounded ominous in Earth¡¯s superstitions, particularly in Western Culture. But on Fellenyr, thirteen was the special number for fertility. Though Elian didn¡¯t plan any offspring-making activities that day, he considered himself particularly fertile because of the concentrated growth solution he drank before leaving Borlen¡¯s camp. His Guardian Exactor Vine would agree if it could talk. It had grown rapidly over the past few days, its roots multiplying as they thickened. Would¡¯ve grown faster if Elian wasn¡¯t so damn tanky, but he intended the plant symbiote to get used to his body becoming more durable over time. Regular plants could be sort of ¡®trained¡¯ to handle stronger winds. Maybe the concept worked with magical plant symbiotes, too. Gideon had removed the binding on the symbiote¡¯s growth after giving Elian the concentrated growth solution. They started to trust each other more¡ªit was what Elian felt anyway. The floramage could be an important asset in the war against the Giants that Elian considered telling him about the future. Would Gideon care? If Elian couched it as plant symbiotes versus Giants, the floramage might be enticed to join him. Having the floramage around would help Viney¡¯s growth big time. Viney was the name Elian gave the Guardian Exactor Vine. He never claimed to be good at making names. Guardian Exactor Vine | Plant Symbiote | Level: 5 Health: 250/250 Energy: 100/100 ATTRIBUTES: Attack Power: 25 Magic Power: 25 Armor: 115 Magic Resilience: 25 TRAITS: Host Attribute Absorption ¨C Absorb (270) Attribute points from the host and gain a third of it. Rejuvenating Roots ¨C Restore (1.5) Health Point of the host every second. Viney absorbed Armor after the Curse multipliers were applied¡ªElian confirmed it after some dreaded math. Made sense. Viney was external to Elian; Curses applied first. If Viney¡¯s absorption took precedence over Curses, it¡¯d have all of Elian¡¯s other attributes before they were zeroed. Since Elian wasn¡¯t wearing any gear, not even a leather vest, it meant that Viney took Armor from his Tribulation rewards. What¡¯d happen to the absorbed Armor if Viney died? Elian didn¡¯t know. Neither did Gideon because he never tested it before. Only four seeds of his experimental Guardian Exactor Vine seed had successfully germinated. One was in Gideon¡¯s arm. The second was with Elian. As for the two others, Gideon wouldn¡¯t say. Probably test subjects who abandoned him. Based on how the Revulsion Dread Sapper behaved, Elian should just write off his absorbed attributes as permanently lost. But he didn¡¯t think they were wasted. A small price to pay for gaining health regeneration of sorts. It¡¯d even be more worth it once Viney gained its Barkskin effect¡ªit¡¯d give Elian some of his Armor back and, more importantly, more effective Health because the Barkskin had Health of its own. Depending on how fast Viney could reconstruct its hardened layer of vines, it could also be considered healing since he¡¯d gain Health again and again. Best of all, Elian could use Viney to protect others. There was no time rewind for another chance to save people, so he¡¯d do his best in this timeline. The bad part of Viney was enduring the side effects of the concentrated growth potion. He no longer ate breakfast because of it. A huge storm brewed in his guts while his heart palpitated. The alternating numbness and tingling shocks weren¡¯t as bad as yesterday. He hoped it¡¯d subside before he went to class. ¡°That Tribulation barely hurt me,¡± Elian said, checking his attributes. He also examined the details of his Attack Power and Armor. Elian Ward | Human | Level:10 Health: 4,369/4,375 Energy: 1,825/1,825 ATTRIBUTES: Attack Power: 0 Magic Power: 0 Armor: 111,554 Magic Resilience: 0 DIVINE BESTOWAL: Greater Curse of the Berserking Abyssal Eye III Greater Curse of the Powerless Physical Immortal III Lesser Curse of the Overzealous Judge I ATTACK POWER Internal: 126 (Base), 1,170 (Tribulation) External: 50 (Equipment), 200 (Enchant), 200 (Potion) Multiplier: x8 (Berserking Abyssal Eye), x0 (Powerless Physical Immortal) ARMOR Internal: 10 (Base), 13,968 (Powerless Physical Immortal) External: 0 Multiplier: x8 (Powerless Physical Immortal), -270 (Host Attribute Absorption) This time, Elian was certain he could take an ironboomer''s cannonball to his stomach and not keel over from the pain. A hundred thousand Armor was the base value of high-end suits of armor on Forge Hill, the ones expensive enough not to get displayed in front of the store. The sort of equipment the entire group of Borlen, including Elian, couldn¡¯t buy even if they pooled all their coins together. The suits of armor in the golden hall were probably in the half-million Armor range, given that they were for Greater Tribulations. Half a million base Armor. If Elian somehow had the opportunity to wear them¡ªhe hadn¡¯t reached that level of gear in his past life¡ªthe Elder Giant¡¯s Curse would turn it into a few million Armor. Still, it was better to prioritize Attack Power than Armor. ¡°I should find a Boon that gives raw Attack Power,¡± Elian said. He had the multipliers; what he needed was the thing to multiply. His Favor Points were unused since his two Greater Curses were maxed and the Magistrate¡¯s Curse leveled by different means. He had a couple of ideas about where to go for Boons but wasn¡¯t yet set when to leave the Temples of Tribulation. His Health stat grew quickly because of the Tribulation. No physical training required. All his free time was spent meditating to further his Aether Magic. A byproduct of that was an increase in Energy he wasn¡¯t going to use. Usually, Aether Mages would learn Energy-based spells to add to their skill set. Mostly defensive ones or buffs so they could exchange their underutilized Energy for survivability. Elian was of the same mind but wasn¡¯t going to learn Energy-based spells¡ªhe¡¯d buy them. He walked to the tree where he hung his clothes and wore them. Tribulations could rip them at this point, so he did it in his undergarments. He held his stomach. It rumbled and grumbled and then settled down. Probably fine to go to the Cauldron¡¯s marketplace. His heavy coin pouch was begging to get spent. He bagged another Quillhusk yesterday and processed it with the help of the pilgrims. His share of the proceeds added to the small fortune from selling the Grumpbeing¡¯s organs. Hunting beyond the immediate area around the Cauldron would yield more valuable loot, but Elian couldn¡¯t venture far because no one could break down his kill. If he asked for Borlen¡¯s group to help him somewhere around Forge Hill, for example, they¡¯d insist to watch him use his Tribulation to hunt. Actually, they¡¯d been bugging him every day since his return to do so. Elian raised his arm, palm facing upward. Viney wriggled out of his flesh. ¡°Let¡¯s go shopping for your equipment, Viney.¡± 36. The Tale of Three Rings Elian held his breath as he downed another big gulp of Borlen¡¯s concoction¡ªa mixture of crushed roots and dried krell newt tails. Bad but not the worst taste in the world. According to Borlen, he should drink it whenever his stomach threatened to revolt. Elian had asked him to make it extra strong. So far, it was working well, and Elian didn¡¯t have the urge to vomit. For all the other negative effects of the growth solution, Elian just had to endure it. He wobbled as he walked, feeling like a bowling ball was inside his skull. Shuffling his feet to maintain balance, he descended the main ramp of the Cauldron to its lower tiers. Maybe he should¡¯ve stayed in camp until it was time for his classes on Immaterial Hill. But the excitement of a new idea wouldn¡¯t let him rest. Yesterday, he spent his time at the temple library researching Magic Resilience and plant symbiotes. Since Viney wasn¡¯t directly affected by his Curses, maybe it could provide a loophole to defend against magic? Not a breakthrough or anything because that was also Elian¡¯s idea with learning Aether Magic. And just like remaking Aether constructs, a mature Viney in the future could regrow its tendrils and harden them again. The problem was that Viney only had its natural Magic Resilience, which wasn¡¯t much to speak of. ¡°How to give plant symbiotes Magic Resilience?¡± Marielle had frowned at Elian¡¯s question. ¡°We don¡¯t have anything as specific as that. We have a section on plant symbiotes, though the topics there lean more into increasing their Health and Armor since that is the interest of Penitents tackling Lesser Tribulations.¡± ¡°What about the Enlightened Penitents?¡± Elian next asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t there any who used plant symbiotes?¡± ¡°There were a few that did,¡± she replied. Elian noted her usage of the past tense. ¡°But none used it as their primary defense for the magical aspect of Greater Tribulations. I have references for their strategies. Let me write¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m focusing right now on my plant symbiote. Hoping to eventually reach Greater Tribulations, so I¡¯m preparing my Magic Resilience. Being responsible and having foresight, and all that.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m understanding you correctly, you want something like Barkskin against magic? Why not just buy Magic Resilience armor?¡± ¡°There are some complications with that¡­¡± Elian didn¡¯t want to explain the Elder Giant¡¯s Curse. Marielle¡¯s towering hair bounced as she heaved a sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you. I don¡¯t even understand your aim. Put an anti-magic ring on your symbiote, I suppose? That was a joke if it wasn¡¯t obvious. I¡¯m turning up blank on you¡ª¡± ¡°That just might work,¡± Elian blurted back then. And now, he was looking for the cheapest ring with Magic Resilience that he could find. If it wouldn¡¯t work out, he¡¯d gift the ring to Borlen to reciprocate for the necklace he had given him. But this plan, stupid-sounding it may be to put a ring on a plant, had precedent. Beast tamers would often equip their controlled creatures with magical items. No difference with a human wearing gear. Elian once fought together with a rather eccentric beast tamer who confined himself to controlling only floranimalis¡ªplant beasts. Floranimalis were more animal than plant, having nervous systems and the usual innards, though they had plant parts like roots and leaves, even fruits and flowers. Elian had picked the fruit of one of those floranimalis and remembered seeing it had strength bracers around its forelegs. Why shouldn¡¯t a magical item work with a plant symbiote? People on Forge Hill probably had answers, but the fastest way to know was to try. ¡°Excuse me, sir. Are these Magical Resilience rings?¡± Elian pointed at the items with a signature inscription for magic protection. Just simple metal bands with the barest enchantments and Energy infused in them. Should be cheap. ¡°These rings here¡ª¡± the merchant gestured at the bottommost row of the short glass cabinet ¡°¡ªgive a hundred Magic Resilience. These give two-fifty. The top row is five hundred. Those are the standard ranges, the same as you¡¯ll find elsewhere, even on Forge Hill. Enchanted rings with above five hundred Magic Resilience, I keep in the back.¡± ¡°And these are the prices?¡± Elian pointed at a tag at the end of each row with Angloise numbers. ¡°If you¡¯re complaining they¡¯re expensive, that¡¯s just the way it is, young man. You can wear metal pots glued together and add more than fifty Armor. A hundred Armor if you¡¯re using good quality pots, no kidding. But Magic Resilience is a different matter. And these are no simple rings. These columns here are for enchantments.¡± ¡°Anti-astral enchantment,¡± Elian said, tapping the carved symbol on top of the cabinet. ¡°Anti-zephyr energy. Oh, this one has a magic dampener. Very useful. But I¡¯m looking for something without an enchant because my budget is tight. Do you have a ring with just a hundred Magic Resilience? Smallest size, please. It¡¯s not for me.¡± The merchant was initially hesitant to offer Elian any of those because it¡¯d rake in more profit to have rings enchanted and then sell them at a premium. Elian remembered that after his first salary back on Earth, he bought an expensive phone with a ton of features that he never used. Just the immaturity of showing off. Enchantments on the ring were good and all, but in his state of zero Magic Resilience, getting any was the most cost-effective move. Eventually, the merchant relented because Elian said he¡¯d also buy an Energy-draining shard ring. ¡°Wha-what are you doing, sir?¡± The merchant took a step back as Elian awakened Viney. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ll put the ring on tha-that¡­ thing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you that, yes, it¡¯s what I¡¯ll do .¡± The ring, small it may be, was a loose fit for one tendril. Elian willed Viney to make another one. The two together had the width of a finger, and ¡®wore¡¯ the ring. Checking Viney¡¯s stats, Elian grinned. ¡°Would you look at that¡­ it really worked. Makes logical sense. I should¡¯ve thought of this earlier.¡± ¡°Erm, young man, I won¡¯t question your business with that vine growing out of your arm, but what about the spell shard ring you wanted to buy?¡± Spell shard rings, like those Jadewell had, contained a spell that could be used for a set number of times, limited by the power stored in their crystal cores. Even a kid, assuming he was trained how to activate the ring, could generate the stored spell. Elian was looking for a spell shard ring that generated a simple shield against magic. Didn¡¯t need to be a dome covering attacks from all sides. A rectangle that could cover half his body was enough. Elian enumerated the spells he was looking for. ¡°The Energy-drain variant of the ring,¡± he added. ¡°Crystal cores are too expensive and limiting.¡± ¡°You are aware that the stored spell will cost several times the amount of Energy compared to normal casting?¡± asked the merchant as he searched below the counter. ¡°Very aware. I don¡¯t use my Energy at all, so, no worries.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, young man, I don¡¯t have what you¡¯re looking for in stock. You must understand that physical defense is the priority for the Temples of Tribulation.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Elian nodded, juggling his schedule in his head to free up time for shopping at Forge Hill. He¡¯d have better choices available there. He got lucky finding a shop that sold him an unenchanted Magical Resilience ring, but that was where his luck ended. Same as the other shops he checked earlier, what he wanted to buy for himself wasn¡¯t there either. ¡°This is the only Energy-drain, spell shard ring I have in the shop containing anything anti-magic.¡± The merchant raised a purple crystalline ring pulsing a faint rainbow glow for Elian to examine. The merchant then wore it to demonstrate its effects. It took several seconds for the ring to sufficiently charge itself, signified by its light no longer flickering. Elian looked down. Obscured by the counter and the shelves around them was a magic circle around ten feet across, with the merchant in its center. ¡°An attribute impairment aura,¡± Elian said, noting its construction. ¡°What does it do? Something with Magic Power?¡± It looked like it, but he couldn¡¯t check the effect because he had zero Magic Power. ¡°Reduces the Magic Power of anyone inside the circle by ten percent. A respectable amount, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Ten percent is huge,¡± Elian agreed, nodding. Could be viewed as a ten percent reduction in actual magical damage. The stronger the mage, the more powerful the attribute impairment compared to if subtracted only a fixed amount. ¡°If this was sold elsewhere, this would fetch a very high price,¡± the merchant said with a lamenting tone. ¡°But since there¡¯s a low demand for such an item in this area, I¡¯ll give you a discount.¡± The price the merchant quoted was laughably high. Elian leaned on the counter with a smirk. ¡°Low demand or defective product?¡± ¡°What are you implying, young man? I¡¯m appalled that you¡¯re accusing me of¡ª¡± ¡°Impairment auras should cover an expansive area, way larger than enhancement auras that are for supporting party members. What¡¯s the use of an impairment aura that can¡¯t reach the enemy? Even more so when it comes to Magic Power impairment. Mages would be firing spells from a distance.¡± The merchant¡¯s furious face faltered. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Ah, well¡­ you see¡ª¡± ¡°What am I supposed to do? Run at the enemy mage and pray they¡¯ll be daydreaming? I¡¯ll get fried before the edge of the impairment aura touches them. And that¡¯s not all.¡± Elian pointed at the floor. ¡°How about you step out from behind the counter so I can see the whole seal.¡± ¡°Is that necessary? Why are you insisting¡ª¡± ¡°Not only is the seal¡¯s area of effect tiny, it also has a huge flaw. It affects the user, doesn¡¯t it? These lines here are a mistake.¡± Elian tapped the floor with his foot, pointing at the portion of the seal with error. ¡°Tell you what. I¡¯ll buy that ring from you for the cost of the materials minus ten percent for the defective seal. I¡¯ll find some use for that.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even recoup my capital for buying this!¡± ¡°You may not recoup it at all because no one¡¯s going to buy that other than me.¡± Elian extended his hand. All the problems he mentioned about the ring were true. The impairment aura affecting him wasn¡¯t a huge deal because he had no Magic Power. As for encompassing enemies inside the seal, that was up to his battle experience and instincts. The price for a regular impairment aura ring with an expansive area of effect was several times the money he brought. But he could make do with this defective product, especially if he was hunting beasts like jarlions who wouldn¡¯t think of positioning. He¡¯d buy this for now and save his money for stronger items. ¡°A hard bargain you drive, young man,¡± the merchant said, shaking his hand. ¡°But this ring has been sitting in my store for more than a year already. A bringer of bad luck, my wife always tells me. May it serve you well.¡± With three rings and a grumpy stomach, Elian hurried to class. It should¡¯ve started by now, and he had a long way to walk¡­ run. He should run. He took the last swig of Borlen¡¯s mixture and hoped his stomach would shut up in the silence of the indoor garden. Today, Elian would show the class his Manifested Armor, a fully formed construct recognized by the Covenant as an entity. He was holding back, waiting for Thorren to make his. After which, Varmisal would progress the class to controlling their creations. ¡°A good day to you, fellow Penitent!¡± A group of people blocked Elian¡¯s way as he crossed the bridge to Immaterial Hill. Red robes. That symbol. Faridar¡¯s followers. Elian raised a brow, hiding his annoyance at the utter waste of time. What were they up to? ¡°I¡¯m a bit busy¡ª¡± he started to say. ¡°We won¡¯t hold you long, dear brother,¡± one of them said. ¡°We only want to share the good news that Champion Penitent Faridar will be attempting his two hundred and eightieth Tribulation three days from now!¡± Elian stopped trying to shove his way past them. ¡°He is? But his last Tribulation was just a few days ago.¡± ¡°And the great Faridar is once again ready. Rejoice! Rejoice with us!¡± ¡°Uh, yes¡­ I heard he saved most of the resources meeting the previous Tribulation,¡± said Elian, repeating what Naamon told Borlen. There was something else. ¡°Is Penitent Faridar going to use an armor suit from the golden hall? There were rumors of¡ª¡± ¡°The rumors are true!¡± The red-robed pilgrim hugged him. ¡°The priests granted our Champion Penitent permission to borrow from the golden hall.¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± Elian jolted at the unexpected news. What would be the reaction of Borlen and the supporters of Tharguras? The supporters of lesser Penitents would complain as well. Not just complain. Riots were going to start again. More chaos if Faridar succeeded in his next Tribulation because he¡¯d be the top one on the scoreboards. Elian just wanted peaceful surroundings while he trained. ¡°Really, really, really brother.¡± Another pilgrim hugged Elian. And then another. All of them came for one stuffy huddle. ¡°There is presently no Enlightened Penitent walking the path of Tribulation,¡± explained one of the pilgrims. ¡°The priests want to hasten the Enlightenment of Faridar. This is proof that our Champion Penitent is the strongest! Come and witness it!¡± ¡°Ye-yes, I¡¯ll come to the Tribulation,¡± Elian said. ¡°Thanks for the invitation. Uh, see you there, I guess.¡± This time, Elian didn¡¯t want to miss Faridar¡¯s Tribulation. He was interested in the man¡¯s strength and also wanted to see a legendary suit of armor in action. What Elian didn¡¯t want to see was chaos leading up to that day. The aftermath would be worse, whether Faridar succeeded or not. Elian couldn¡¯t maintain concentration during class. There was something amiss. It was¡­ there. Just an inch out of his grasp. Intuition honed through years of bad things happening one after the other told him that yet another bad thing was coming. Not the obvious ones, the riots and whatnot. Something else¡­ ¡°Elian, are you ready to present your construct?¡± Varmisal broke Elian¡¯s spiraling thoughts of doom and gloom. ¡°You¡¯re up next, followed by Thorren. I believe the two of you have done your assignment. Thorren seems raring to go. Hurry now, Elian.¡± Elian drew Aether from the air and molded the image in his mind¡¯s eye¡ªa circular shield with an intricate carving of a jarlion, fangs bared. Its mane of crystal was a wreath around the shield. None of the flair was needed. He was just showing off. ¡°Impressive artistry!¡± Varmisal clapped his heart out as if Elian gave the performance of a lifetime. Students exchanged knowing gazes. The class was used to their teacher¡¯s over-the-top reaction. Varmisal came closer and peered with Aethersight at the shield. ¡°Level four. Yet, its attributes are above what¡¯s expected for the level. And that¡¯s not all. You¡¯ve zeroed the unneeded Attack and Magic Power. I applaud you again.¡± Elian smiled, mentally thanking Thalman for his help. He looked over the stats of his construct that Varmisal should be seeing with Aethersight. Manifested Shield | Aether Construct | Level: 4 Health: 200/200 ATTRIBUTES: Attack Power: 0 Magic Power: 0 Armor: 74 Magic Resilience: 105 ¡°It is now Thorren¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Wait, Master Varmisal,¡± Elian said. ¡°I¡¯m not finished yet.¡± He conjured three more shields. 37. Slicing Fruits Though the other shields were also all level four and had the same stats as the first one, each of them had their designs¡ªa dragon, a markhut lord, and a human. Elian¡¯s face was supposed to be on the last shield, but he couldn¡¯t pull off that level of control just yet. ¡°Splendid workmanship,¡± said Varmisal, touching the designs with his Aether arm. Needless to say, Elian¡¯s classmates were also impressed, including Jadewell. Only she could match his level of detail in his work. She had made a level eight construct because she focused on just one. In contrast, Elian prioritized many constructs. If he got rid of the details and just settled for plain round shields, he could make eight level five constructs if he exerted himself, probably more if he reduced their size, but that wouldn¡¯t be as showy. At this stage of his Aether Magic journey¡ªpretty much the beginning¡ªit was better in terms of defense to layer several weaker constructs than use one stronger one. If he met a jarlion again, he was confident he could block its magical attacks¡­ some of them. His construction rate was some ways from keeping up with its constant firing. ¡°Thank you for the praise, Master Varmisal,¡± Elian said. And thank you, Priest Thalman, he added in his mind. The books that Thalman had recommended gave Elian a new perspective in his meditations. One book, or rather, a diary of an Aether Mage Penitent from two decades ago, detailed an easy way to tweak the attributes of constructs. It was like using the notes of an upperclassman to breeze through an otherwise difficult subject. Because Elian could transfer his constructs¡¯ Attack and Magic Power points to Armor and Magic Resilience, they were sturdier than other constructs of their level. Thorren came next, making a simple helmet that fit over his head. He made sure it gleamed brightly, explaining that he wanted to attract attention at the Stage of Devotion. His control was of its colors and patterns. ¡°If such is your goal,¡± said Varmisal, ¡°then I suggest making an open-faced helmet instead to add more recognizability. Aether Magic may be rare among Penitents, but your face is your own.¡± ¡°I failed to consider that,¡± Thorren said as the front part of his helmet disintegrated. ¡°The crowds shall forever remember my face.¡± With all of the students having made constructs that had attributes, Varmisal led them out of the garden of Creation Trees and into a room with tables and chairs. Their next lesson was controlling Manifested Armor, imbuing them with thoughts so they could act on their own. Elian was elated¡ªit was time for good old lectures in a magic school. He could feel like the main character in one of the fantasy books he used to read as a kid. While drawing simple seals for thought commands on the board, Varmisal explained, ¡°I¡¯ll first address what most of you are thinking¡ªthis skill isn¡¯t necessary for defending against Lesser Tribulations. Many Penitents using Aether Magic never instilled a portion of their will into their constructs. But it is useful, nonetheless, and would give you a better understanding of Aether Magic, in turn allowing you to make stronger constructs. ¡°For Aether Magic, everything is connected to the mind and how you impose your will on the world, molding blocks of magical creation to the form you desire. And what better way to train your will than with Manifested Armor? There¡¯s a misconception among the common folk that all Aether constructs replicating armor are Manifested Armor. Not so. It¡¯s only when they can act without your direct control can they be considered as such.¡± Varmisal went on to explain some of the benefits of having command seals on constructs. One of the more useful ones was that they could repair themselves¡ªthis was what made the Golden Army of the Sarhat Kingdoms famous. Where did King Idum-Ani place the command seals on his summons? Elian pondered about this only now. Those fearsome gleaming warriors could regenerate themselves even if only a metallic pinky survived. ¡°You may think such a function isn¡¯t useful for meeting Tribulations,¡± Varmisal said, pointing upward, ¡°but you¡¯ll have another thought when you reach Greater Tribulations. Your mind will be preoccupied with a dozen other things that you¡¯ll be grateful your constructs will repair themselves as strikes continue to descend from above. Stemming from that point, there is another benefit to putting some thought into your constructs. Get it? The command seals? Thought?¡± He laughed at his pun. Elian and the other students hesitantly chuckled along to avoid awkwardness. Oblivious to the reaction of the class, Varmisal continued to laugh while making a small ball of interlocking gears. The teeth of the gears were inscribed with runes. Varmisal stepped away from his floating creation. Its gears began to rotate. Aether visibly gathered next to it, forming a blob, slowly solidifying into a small round shield. A sort of buckler. The ball of gears continued whirring and clicking. Another Aether buckler appeared, and one more after it. The gear construct stopped moving after it finished the third buckler. ¡°The construct is making other constructs,¡± gasped one of the students. ¡°The applications are endless,¡± said Varmisal. ¡°If mastered, you can use this function even for meeting Lesser Tribulations.¡± Thorren raised his hand. ¡°A Lesser Tribulation is only a single strike, Master Varmisal. After its descent, what use is making more constructs? Is it not the same limitation as repairing constructs after the fact? One must prepare all that he can before calling for a Tribulation.¡± Varmisal answered with another demonstration. The three small shields faced upwards and layered on top of each other. Above them, Varmisal materialized the head of a spear. It rotated on its tip as it gradually descended. It drilled into the first Aether shield and shattered it. The spear continued downward to the second shield. But in that time, the ball of gears had made a fourth shield under the third one. ¡°The Tribulation is so much faster than this, of course,¡± said Varmisal. ¡°And so, you have to make constructs that replenish your defenses just as fast or faster. Each person has a limit to the quality and quantity of constructs they can make. If you can make five, and one gets destroyed, you can make another one. Mastering construction, especially its speed, could multiply the effectiveness of your defenses.¡± Elian nodded, recalling that King Idum-Ani explained the same thing to him. His constructs can repair themselves and make others, turning them effectively inexhaustible so long as the Sarhat King can sustain them. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°By using builder constructs,¡± Varmisal continued, ¡°you can free your mind for other things. A powerful Tribulation will certainly be stressful; leave the Aether constructions to your builders. They won¡¯t make any mistake.¡± The lecture about Manifested Armor control went on until it was time for lunch. Elian figured that his stomach had calmed down enough that he could risk eating. For a couple of days, he skipped lunch because he didn¡¯t want to cause an explosion of the unpleasant kind at school. ¡°Are you feeling much better now?¡± Thorren asked as they walked to the dining hall in another building. ¡°If so, you should eat. Lots and lots! Remember, you¡¯re feeding your pet parasite as well as if you¡¯re carrying a child.¡± ¡°Babies in the womb can be thought of as parasites, uh?¡± The two of them laughed. Elian rubbed his stomach. ¡°Yeah, I think I can handle it. Is that stewed markhut I smell? I can¡¯t miss that.¡± The dining hall had five long tables with seating that could fit around two hundred, maybe two hundred and fifty people if with a bit of squeeze. There were only around a hundred people eating inside, both teachers and students. Varmisal had mentioned in passing during one lesson that the dining used to be packed when there were Enlightened Penitents specialized in Aether Magic. He must¡¯ve meant Priest Thalman. Now that they didn¡¯t have a poster child for Immaterial school, attendance dwindled. Elian surmised that most of the students who moved on to take the paid advanced lessons were rejected from proper Aether Magic schools. This place was their only choice. They had to sacrifice one of their Divine Bestowal slots to enter, but it wasn¡¯t that huge a blow because the Hundred-Armed Magistrate¡¯s Boon was decently good, providing lots of base attributes. Divine Bestowals were usually modifiers. A Manifested Armor placed a large bowl in front of Elian. Chunks of markhut meat floated in the thick brown soup along with plenty of vegetables. Another many-armed construct set a basket of bread to the side and another basket of fruits on the other. The food was donated by pilgrims and wealthy graduates of the school. ¡°Thorren, look at this.¡± Elian put his arm on the table close to the basket of fruits. Viney reached out with a tendril. ¡°Can you perhaps show me later?¡± Thorren asked with a grimace. ¡°I¡¯d rather it wasn¡¯t my stomach that¡¯ll be upset.¡± ¡°This¡¯ll be interesting, I promise. Look.¡± Elian ordered Viney to pick a konnaki fruit from the basket. Around the size of a baseball with a hard shell, it reminded him of a coconut from Earth, just smaller and not hairy even if matured. Normally, this would be served with its shell already broken, but since students and teachers weren¡¯t normal humans, they could easily open this. Except for Elian. He gathered Aether around the tip of Viney¡¯s tendril and constructed a small blade with a blunt edge. Viney struck the indented line that ran around the middle of the konnaki fruit where the shell would part if the seed inside grew. A few hits from Viney¡ªit did have an Attack Power, increased by its new Aether ¡°weapon¡±¡ªand cracks showed on the shell. ¡°Yes!¡± Elian slapped the table. ¡°That is¡­ interesting,¡± Thorren said, looking away. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re trying to achieve.¡± ¡°I¡¯m opening a konnaki fruit. That¡¯s my achievement!¡± And Elian celebrated by scooping out the fruit¡¯s fleshy insides. It was sweet and melted in his mouth. ¡°What is that on your arm?¡± Someone asked from behind him. It was Jadewell. She must¡¯ve approached them after seeing Viney. She usually sat at the end of the long table nearest to the door, keeping to herself as she quickly ate. Elian wasn¡¯t sure, but she seemed to be avoiding some of the teachers who knew of her family. Understandable, given her circumstances. ¡°His pet parasite,¡± Thorren dryly said as he stirred his stew. ¡°It¡¯s a plant symbiote,¡± Elian said. ¡°It¡¯ll help me meet the Tribulations when it grows to maturity.¡± Jadewell questioningly tilted. Her long hair fell aside, revealing the scar on her cheek. ¡°Oh¡­ I feel like there are other less, erm, invasive options for defense.¡± ¡°I have been repeating the same line to him,¡± said Thorren. ¡°But Elian is set on his pet parasite. We risked our lives, braving the dangers of the Dark Forest and beyond, to harvest ingredients for a concoction that¡¯d help it grow.¡± ¡°The Dark Forest?¡± Jadewell sat next to Elian. As soon as she did, a Manifested Armor came by to serve her food. She ignored it, concern creasing her forehead. ¡°Was that the cause of your scars?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± Elian said, feeling his cheek. The scars should be gone now after he drank a couple of health potions. ¡°A daring tale,¡± Thorren said. ¡°One that involved costrahastans, Solbasks, a jarlion, and a Grumpbeing. Yes, even a Grumpbeing¡ªElian managed to kill one with a Tribulation. He called for it as he was getting eaten by the fearsome beast.¡± ¡°Storm God¡¯s thunder!¡± Jadewell covered her mouth. ¡°Is it true, Elian?¡± Elian shrugged. ¡°You do know I¡¯m pretty hard to kill, right? It was only a matter of timing when the Grumpbeing opened its mouth.¡± ¡°You make it sound so trivial and underwhelming,¡± Thorren said. ¡°I¡¯ll tell the story and do it justice.¡± He narrated how their fight with the Grumpbeing, their escape from the panicked Solbasks firing beams everywhere, and Elian blocking the way of the costrahastans until Priest Yonnik came to the rescue. ¡°What did the Forbidden Temple look like?¡± Jadewell asked. ¡°Another set of ruins like many others around these hills,¡± Elian replied. ¡°Bigger and grander, for sure, but we really didn¡¯t get a chance to tour it. Probably for the best, with the rumors of monsters and diseases.¡± ¡°An ancient curse is my theory,¡± Thorren said. Jadewell looked down at her bowl. ¡°I¡¯ve heard my grandfather talk about it¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, he was a Champion Penitent,¡± Elian said. Would Jadewell agree to help him connect with the Khaero family? They must¡¯ve kept records of her grandfather¡¯s journey as a Penitent. If Elian brought Jadewell back to them, perhaps¡ªElian shooed away the thought. That¡¯d be fulfilling Jadewell¡¯s wrong accusation of him. ¡°I didn¡¯t listen much to my grandfather,¡± Jadewell said. ¡°Tribulation this and that. I avoided the topic any way I could back then. But I remember this Forbidden Temple because he had talked to my father about the priests of the Temples of Tribulation.¡± She leaned closer and continued in a lower voice. ¡°Experiments on humans are conducted there. So horrifying they made my grandfather¡¯s bones tremble. Those were his words.¡± ¡°A plausible explanation,¡± Thorren quietly said. ¡°Having priests guarding the area makes more sense. If it were truly a monster or an ancient curse, they would¡¯ve dealt with it long ago. But if it¡¯s their own operations, they¡¯d have an interest in keeping it near these hills but far enough that people wouldn¡¯t inadvertently wander nearby.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised,¡± Elian said, remembering the statues and engravings of the catfolk inside and around the Dark Forest. ¡°History repeating itself.¡± Having Ihadir around already made the priests suspect¡ªsomeone who had done those insane experiments on himself wouldn¡¯t hesitate to do it to others. Thalman should also know about the goings on at the Forbidden Temple; he might not be as kind as Elian thought. The priests of the Hundred-Armed Magistrate had to present a fa?ade of righteousness. Part of the job description. But since they used to be Enlightened Penitents, they must¡¯ve done some very questionable things in their quest for the Tribulation high score. As if to prove Elian wrong, Thalman visited Borlen¡¯s camp the next day to check up on them. Conflicts between the supporters of Tharguras and Faridar were escalating and the priest was concerned about Borlen. 38. Look for the Bright Side Twilight had just started, the sun¡¯s gentle light preceding its rise painting the sky purplish pink, when Elian returned to camp from his daily Tribulation. He planned to practice Varmisal¡¯s teachings from yesterday and so did his Tribulation early. It shouldn¡¯t have bothered the pilgrims because he was far from the camp when he called for it, standing inside a ravine that he found just today. A really good spot. Not only did the sides of the narrow gorge lessen the force of the descending strike, but it also dampened the noise. It was his fourteenth Tribulation, but it felt stronger than the one he witnessed Thorren call for on Vigor Hill. Of course, he hadn¡¯t experienced Thorren¡¯s Tribulation. He just saw it. The Stage of Devotion removing much of its force probably made it look weaker. Elian expected most of the camp to still be asleep and was surprised to see people already up and about, gathering around a person who turned out to be Priest Thalman. Too early for a visit. But Thalman explained he had many things to do for the day, official functions and whatnot, so he went to Borlen first before he¡¯d forget. ¡°A good day to you, brother,¡± said Priest Thalman when he saw Elian join the group. ¡°I see that you¡¯re unscathed. Borlen here told me that the early morning rumble is your Tribulation.¡± They could still hear it? Elian sheepishly scratched the back of his head. ¡°I thought I was already far enough. Sorry if I woke up anyone.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t fret, brother Elian. My hearing is just keener than most.¡± How keen exactly? And what did the priest hear? Elian started to explain, ¡°I was inside a ravine. The echoes¡ª¡± But Thalman continued on, ¡°My arrival is what disturbed your camp. It is I who should apologize.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to apologize for, gracious priest,¡± Borlen instantly replied. ¡°You¡¯ve brought us gifts!¡± He pointed to a couple of crates stuffed with armor pieces. A smaller chest beside them had its lid open, revealing enchanted protection trinkets inside. ¡°To wear so you can protect yourselves,¡± said Thalman. ¡°We¡¯ve doubled the guards to prevent any unrest, but I¡¯m also aware of the enmity between your group and Naamon¡¯s group. There will be times when guards aren¡¯t present. It is best that you can defend yourselves.¡± Elian peered into the crate. The green steel and the distinctive etching told him the pieces were made by blacksmiths of the Merl Kingdom. Thalman probably had a special connection to that place. Elian estimated each piece could have a couple thousand Armor points each. And that didn¡¯t include their enhancements and enchantments, hinted at by the different colored pulses as if the metal was a beating heart. ¡°You might even try for a Tribulation again, brother Borlen,¡± Elian said. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to suggest that before I left,¡± Priest Thalman said. ¡°With Elian¡¯s help, you might be able to overcome your twenty-fifth Tribulation with no issues.¡± ¡°I dare not dream of such¡­¡± Borlen said, trembling hands picking up a helmet from a crate. ¡°But it might be possible now. I¡¯ve mostly recovered from my injuries fighting Naamon three years¡ªAh, no. I don¡¯t want to dwell on that memory. All my focus will be on supporting Penitent Tharguras and furthering my journey. I will try again.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you,¡± said Elian. He wasn¡¯t sure how¡ªhis low-level Aether constructs wouldn¡¯t do much¡ªbut he¡¯d find a way, even if it meant hugging Borlen. As the pilgrims fawned over Thalman¡¯s gifts, Elian left the group. Time to practice inscribing seals on his constructs. He turned around to find a person standing behind him. ¡°Priest Thalman?¡± Elian checked behind him. The first Thalman clone was still beside Borlen. He turned to face the second clone that seemed only he could see. ¡°Is there anything I could help you with?¡± He was prepared with excuses if the priest did notice the double strike of his Tribulation. It wasn¡¯t like he committed any crimes against the Hundred-Armed Magistrate. Thalman was there, right after Elian met with the deity, and would know that. Fortunately, Thalman wasn¡¯t interested in his Tribulation. ¡°Brother Elian,¡± said the priest. ¡°Relief fills my heart that you volunteered to aid Brother Borlen in his Tribulation. Brother Yonnik shared that the costrahastans only scratched you with their spears. I pray of you to protect Brother Borlen.¡± ¡°I will do my utmost,¡± Elian said. ¡°Although¡­ I only have my sturdy body. My Aether Magic is severely lacking to make more durable constructs.¡± He didn¡¯t explain more. Helping him was helping Borlen, was his message. Priest Thalman adjusted his glasses as he looked over Elian. ¡°I¡¯d love to share my knowledge of Aether Magic with you and many others. Alas, my time won¡¯t allow it even though I can be in many places at once. One would think I¡¯d be freer with my abilities, but no, even my real body can¡¯t move.¡± Are you at the Forbidden Temple doing human experiments? Elian thought. It was always the quiet and unassuming ones who held the darkest secrets. Though it was unfair to think this. All he had heard were rumors, and he had no plans of visiting the Forbidden Temple to confirm them. ¡°Here¡¯s an idea,¡± said Thalman. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Marielle to allow you access to certain lower tiers of the library. I¡¯ll also leave a list of helpful books that could be found there.¡± And with that, Elian decided to skip school for the day. He was the first inside the temple library as soon as the Three Gates of Acuity clicked unlock. Marielle still hadn¡¯t fixed her hair into an elaborate stack, its wavy locks cascading like a waterfall over her shoulders. She shot him an annoyed look, wordlessly handing him a paper with a list of books and an amulet that permitted any floating disc he¡¯d use to go down the lower tiers. ¡°Thank you,¡± Elian said. ¡°Your hair looks good this way too.¡± She rolled her eyes at him and shooed him away. ¡°None of that. Just ask me about books.¡± Several minutes of searching later, Elian had gathered a pile of ancient books on the table. He was inside one of the smaller caves carved into the side of the deep hole that was the library¡ªbooks from there weren¡¯t allowed to be brought above. He copied everything he thought useful, having brought several notebooks with him. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. The books on this level almost crumbled with age, written on some sort of thinned animal skin. This was expected because controlling Aether was the first magic learned by humans. Without restorative magic, these books would¡¯ve been long gone. ¡°This looks complicated¡± Elian traced the illustration with a finger, trying to decipher the functions of the individual components of the layered seal. In his haste and businesses, Priest Thalman must¡¯ve forgotten that he listed books unquestionably not for beginners. Without Elian¡¯s knowledge from past life, this would be all gibberish to him. But since he had plenty of experience with magic, though it was mostly with Energy-based spells, he could understand the books with not too much difficulty. And they were immensely helpful, giving his mind paths that someone steeped in Energy Magic could never even consider. Thinking of trying out the protection seal detailed in the book, Elian concentrated on gathering Aether. The tiny ball of solidified Aether disintegrated like a melting snowball. He tried again but the same thing happened. ¡°A comprehensive suppression ward?¡± Elian looked around to find it but couldn¡¯t. Likely, it was embedded into the rock. The ward stopped all manner of skills from being used, be they powered by Vigor or Energy or whatever. A necessity given the fragile and possibly priceless books stored here. Elian shrugged and went on copying from the books. If he had Thalman¡¯s powers, he could write on several notebooks simultaneously. He could even practice different techniques with each clone. That¡¯d probably work because Thalman¡¯s clones seemed to operate independently of each other while sharing memories. It was all connected to his original body. ¡°Look on the bright side¡­¡± Elian hummed as he copied the helpful parts of The Sworn Scrolls of Domara. Plenty of mishaps had happened to him. Mishaps were a light way of putting how much nonsense forced him to deviate from his original plans for his second life. Aiming for goals never did seem to work. Thinking more, he noticed that he performed better reacting to the unexpected and making the best of it. Just accept what life throws and always look on the bright side¡ªhe believed in this but couldn¡¯t always apply it to himself. But his current situation had many bright sides. He couldn¡¯t have accessed this wealth of knowledge if he wasn¡¯t cursed by the Elder Giant and instead went to the War Monastery. He didn¡¯t even know there was such an extensive library here. Many libraries were destroyed in the original timeline, dozens of great scholars and teachers dead. He couldn¡¯t even properly research for a way¡­ home. Elian stopped writing. ¡°I can try asking Marielle.¡± ¡°You want material on traveling across worlds?¡± Marielle had a confused face. Her hair was up to challenge gravity. ¡°What do you mean?¡± It took Elian an hour from thinking of finding a way home to force himself to ask her. Difficult to admit to himself but only a third of his heart wanted to return to Earth. Another third was set on remaining on Fellenyr, and the last third was of the mind to wait until after defeating the Giants to decide. After all, the Timekeeper had promised to return him to Earth if he won. Why try to find a different way before then? It was more to prevent himself from settling on Fellenyr that he forced himself to search for another way to return to Earth. He had an obligation to his family and friends to do so. And¡­ he didn¡¯t belong here. Shouldn¡¯t even be here in the first place. ¡°Us humans came from another world,¡± Elian said. ¡°I was thinking of maybe going to those other worlds.¡± ¡°No one has succeeded in doing so,¡± Marielle said. ¡°That we know of, anyway. Maybe someone did succeed but hasn¡¯t returned to tell us. Many have attempted and, as far as we can tell, all have failed. This library doesn¡¯t have books going beyond the general knowledge of such topics. You ask the oddest questions as if forgetting you are on the Temples of Tribulation. Why are you interested in finding our home world?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious where we came from? What¡¯s it like there?¡± ¡°Never crossed my mind. I¡¯m quite happy and contented in this world. I barely know anything of Fellenyr to bother thinking about other worlds.¡± Elian slowly nodded, eyes staring blankly at Marielle¡¯s hair. ¡°Ah¡­ that¡¯s true.¡± ¡°If you find this fabled gate to our home world, are you seriously going to jump through? There¡¯s no assurance you can return to Fellenyr. You¡¯ll be leaving everything behind here.¡± That¡¯s true, he answered in his mind. But if he stayed here, he¡¯d be leaving everything behind over there too. Why was he puzzling over this now when he had other things he could research? Shaking his head, he said, ¡°It¡¯s only for curiosities¡¯ sake. I¡¯m just looking for a break from researching Aether Magic. Anyway, are there more books about the catfolk in the new area I¡¯m allowed to enter? Just curious.¡± Unfortunately, Elian didn¡¯t find anything that could help him break the catfolk seals on the ring from the Dark Forest. A couple of books gave detailed descriptions of the ritual sacrifices of the catfolk, but nothing beyond that. No clues as to the mysterious black obelisk with hand carvings either. For hours and hours, Elian copied charts, seals, and other kinds of illustrations. And as he did, he internalized their structures, falling into a mild trance while meditating on them in his mind. A master Auric Blademaster once told him half of his practice was in the mind. Back on Earth, Elian read that playing a musical instrument mentally helped hone actual skills. It wasn¡¯t just philosophizing nonsense. For Aether Magic, it did work. With an hour and a half till library closing time to go, and very much bored of writing, Elian turned to research more Divine Bestowals he should aim for. The restricted area had detailed information about a possible Boon to meld with that from Protector Konshari. It was a book from thirty-three years ago, he wasn¡¯t too sure of its accuracy¡ªit was normal for deities to change their mind and residences¡ªbut it was worth a shot. He also looked up Blood Arts, brainstorming possible synergies with the enchanted catfolk ring. Even if he stayed at the library every day until the Giants arrived, his excavation of knowledge wouldn¡¯t put a dent in the mountain of books here. Tempting to skip classes, but it was beneficial to have an actual teacher on the subject. Also, Elian would skip classes on the day of Faridar¡¯s Tribulation, so he kept his absences to a minimum. Two days later, Elian was prepared to go to the wide clearing where Champion Penitents did their Tribulations when Borlen threw a spiked mace at his plans. ¡°What? You¡¯re going to do your Tribulation today?¡± Elian asked, his voice rising toward the end. ¡°It¡¯s so sudden!¡± ¡°It is not an impulsive thought, brother Elian,¡± Borlen replied. ¡°I have decided on this when Priest Thalman came with his gifts. And I also set it on this date, hours before Penitent Faridar¡¯s Tribulation, to show that I too, personally, am working on my goals.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve told me back then. I would¡¯ve helped you prepare.¡± ¡°We have been preparing.¡± Borlen gestured to the rest of his group. ¡°We haven¡¯t told you because you were busy with your studies and own Tribulations.¡± ¡°Uh, yeah, I guess I was busy.¡± Elian returned to camp past sunset for several days now. ¡°But I¡¯m always willing to help. I¡¯ll help now. When are we heading to the Stage of Devotion?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going there. I will do it by the open area next to the ruins outside the northern gate.¡± ¡°But why? The Stage of Devotion makes it safer.¡± ¡°Because Naamon had never stood on the Stage of Devotion to meet his Tribulations,¡± Borlen firmly said. ¡°And never will I.¡± Elian raised a brow. ¡°Wait, what has Naamon got to do with this?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve invited him to witness my show of faith.¡± 39. The Reconciliation of Tribesmen Elian¡¯s concerns fell on deaf ears. Borlen was resolved to go through with his Tribulation, and all Elian could do was help rather than try to stop it. A small procession around a groff-pulled cart, their group entered the gates of the Cauldron, followed the curve of the uppermost tier, and exited through another gate. Catfolk ruins were somewhere ahead. Piled high on the cart were the Lha¡¯ar absorbing stones that survived the Tribulation of Tharguras. The stones were usually embedded inside Tellerin fortifications, such as walls and towers, to absorb the impact of cannonballs and other physical strikes. During Tharguras¡¯ Tribulation, Borlen¡¯s group placed their absorbing stones around the bowl to chip away at the force of the strike as it descends. This time, they used it differently. Instead of digging a crater, which wouldn¡¯t be too helpful as Borlen¡¯s Tribulation didn¡¯t have a huge area of effect, they placed the absorbing stones around a magic circle on the ground. ¡°You hired wardcrafters?¡± Elian asked Borlen, nodding a greeting at the people drawing on the ground. ¡°That is so,¡± Borlen replied. ¡°Confirmation of our utmost seriousness in this endeavor.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ looks like they¡¯ll directing the force from above to the absorbing stones. A sound plan.¡± Elian wanted to add to their seals but thought it might be rude. Instead, he told Borlen, ¡°I can share your burden. Let me take the brunt of the Tribulation¡± As soon as those words came out of his mouth, he knew that they were even more rude. ¡°Nay, brother,¡± Borlen said with steel in his voice and darkened eyes. He surely had more to say but his two words got the message across. Elian bowed in apology. He couldn¡¯t help but be protective of others, especially those who have helped him. He was confident he could endure Borlen¡¯s Tribulation. But covering the old man would be a massive hit to his honor. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll make Aether constructs to protect the absorbing stones later.¡± Borlen nodded¡ªElian took that to mean he accepted the offer¡ªand gestured for the other pilgrims to start moving the absorbing stones. With their work underway, Elian stayed on the sidelines to not bother them. After all, he was just invited. He sat on the lap of a many-armed catfolk statue, wondering if he should¡¯ve tried harder to stop this. He didn¡¯t know how hard the twenty-fifth Tribulation would hit, nor how tanky Borlen was. Elian wouldn¡¯t have any worries if this was Thorren wearing a complete set of armor crafted by the Merlan blacksmiths. But Borlen had mentioned he had injuries¡ªit seemed they were grievous enough to stop his Tribulation progression¡ªand he was, very clearly, very old. Elian ran some calculations in his head while scanning the magic circle. Even if his estimates were correct, the effect of his constructs would be minimal. Letting out a resigned sigh, his mind wandered to the ruins. During his research at the temple library, he came across what he assumed to be the Forbidden Temple¡ªit was called the House of Tormented Salvation according to scholars who translated the ancient catfolk language to Angloise. No monsters there. No curses. It was an important place where lots of rituals were held, that was all. Elian could tell that without reading any book. Neither did he find any information about the Magistrate¡¯s Curse besides what he already knew. Asking Marielle for help wasn¡¯t an option. He couldn¡¯t think of an innocent explanation for such a request; his excuse of curiosity was getting old. When the preparations of the pilgrims were nearly done, Naamon came on his own. He wore a plain brown cloak over his embroidered tunic made in Tellerin fashion. Noticing Elian, he placed an outwardly turned fist on his chest and bowed. Elian had become quite famous among the Tellerins for taking on Naamon¡¯s wind blades with only a few scratches on his skin as injuries. Stories of Elian¡¯s Dark Forest shenanigans possibly also spread to them. Elian breathed easier. No red robes. He took it to mean that Naamon wasn¡¯t bringing any Champion Penitent rivalry issues with him. Was this an attempt at reconciliation? Did Thalman talk them into it? ¡°Brother, welcome.¡± Borlen extended both hands. Naamon accepted them, performing a double handshake the Tellerin used to convey respect. ¡°I¡¯ve come to witness the resumption of your journey and give aid.¡± ¡°We will begin soon.¡± As the other pilgrims helped Borlen into the Merlan armor, Elian approached the magic circle. He made some adjustments to the outer ring with his foot, adding lines on the ground here and there to strengthen it. Finding it still insufficient, he bent down and pretended to fix the absorbing stones¡¯ placement. While doing so, he ordered Viney to come out and stealthily scribble more runes. He blocked it from the view of the pilgrims with his body. ¡°Is anything amiss, brother?¡± Casimir asked. ¡°Just checking the absorbing stones,¡± Elian quickly replied. ¡°I¡¯m going to protect them with my Aether constructs.¡± The first instinct of a novice Aether mage might be to make simple shields, transfer all their attributes to Armor, and stack them on top of Borlen to defend against the Tribulation¡ªthis would be a waste given how strong the strike would be. A better use of the constructs was to let the magic circle distribute the Tribulation¡¯s force to the absorbing stones and just choose to protect some to make them last. Elian chose eight stones of the few dozen to protect with tiny purple domes made of Aether. Each of them would reduce the load of the stone they were covering. Still not much of a help, but better than just getting shattered instantly. He stood with the rest of the pilgrims as they hummed their tribal songs for bravery. A fully armored Borlen stepped into the middle of the magic circle. He carried a round shield cut from a single red stone. It wasn¡¯t among the gifts of Priest Thalman, Elian was sure, so it must be Borlen¡¯s equipment. Naamon, standing a foot from the perimeter of the circle, stretched out his arms, palms facing Borlen. A sparkling blue film covered his body, and out of his hands extended ribbony filaments, numerous strands of hair reaching Borlen. Once they connected, Borlen also glowed like Naamon. This was Elian¡¯s first time seeing this. He didn¡¯t have the capability to scan the effect of luminous threads. ¡°What is he doing?¡± He expected it to be some kind of defensive boost. Could also be a bond that shared damage like Thalman¡¯s strategy. ¡°The ultimate act of friendship and selflessness,¡± Casimir explained. ¡°Naamon is temporarily sharing his attributes with Uncle Borlen. This is the power of the Lesser Boon of the Tri-Horned Magnam¡¯s Altruistic Tether.¡± ¡°Tri-Horned Magnam? Sounds familiar. Isn¡¯t that deity living among the sand towers of Tellerin?¡± Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. ¡°Indeed, brother Elian. Many Tellerin Penitents take this Boon so we can help each other endure the Tribulations. Since only one Lesser Altruistic Tether can attach to a person, Tellerin Penitents pair to form oath bonds¡ªone will be the Bearer and the other will be the Giver. The Bearer is the one between the two who¡¯ll likely travel further on the Penitent Journey. He will devote himself to preparing for the Tribulations, carrying with him the Penance of the Giver. The Giver sacrifices one of his Divine Bestowal slots to help the Bearer through his Tribulations, doing his utmost to increase his Armor. In turn, the Bearer will help the Giver become stronger, the benefits redounding to him.¡± ¡°Is Naamon the former Giver of Borlen?¡± Elian asked before he could stop himself. As he belatedly predicted, it was the wrong question. Casimir looked away, ¡°Naamon is¡­ was oath bonded to someone else.¡± ¡°What was that about sharing attributes?¡± Elian changed the topic, sensing there might be something useful here. ¡°The Tether transfers Naamon¡¯s attributes to Borlen?¡± ¡°A fraction of it. It¡¯ll then be multiplied upon reaching the Tethered. Twice or thrice. I can¡¯t recall by how much.¡± ¡°What benefits does the Giver get? I mean, not counting that the Bearer will shoulder the Giver¡¯s burdens. The Tether¡¯s caster loses his attributes but also receives something in return, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Casimir had a puzzled expression as if Elian was asking a trick question. ¡°Er¡­ no. It wouldn¡¯t be called the Altruistic Tether if it were otherwise. The benefit is gaining the ability to protect others.¡± Isn¡¯t that what I¡¯m looking for? A way to use his massive Armor to help others. A very direct way. Before Elian could ask more questions, the sky darkened as clouds swirled. Casimir joined the others in singing. Their voices become stronger. Elian concentrated on the tiny domes he made. ¡°I, Borlen Bluebeard, formerly Borlen Lha¡¯ar Sarkhan of Tellerin,¡± he shouted to the heaves, ¡°offer myself to be judged. Let the Tribulation descend!¡± Borlen knelt on one knee as he raised his shield to cover him. Blue light zapped down from the middle of the cloud vortex, heading straight for Borlen. The magic circle activated and the ground was alight with energies. Different colors and symbols blossomed around Borlen. A loud boom. Barriers shattered in an instant. The last layer of defense dispersed the bulk of the Tribulation to the absorbing stones. It all happened in a second. The next second, the absorbing stones cracked. Some outright exploded, their pieces ricocheting off Borlen¡¯s armor. Naamon created a barrier of wind blades to protect himself. But the stones that Elian protected remained intact and continued to lessen the force of the Tribulation even if slightly. The Tribulation slammed on Borlen. A loud ringing almost made them deaf. It was the Merlan steel vibrating to dissipate the force. The magic circle was wiped away as the ground was flattened, a depression a few inches deep formed. The last of the absorbing stones were destroyed. And it was done. ¡°I¡­ I did it,¡± Borlen¡¯s weak voice, muffled by his almost, was clear in the silence that followed. He let his shield drop as he fell on all fours. Elian was running towards Borlen, but Naamon got there first, offering a healing potion. Elian and Naamon helped Borlen stand as the other pilgrims cheered. Elian may think the Tribulation system was stupid, but he felt their conviction and unity. There was a spark of inspiration and hope watching Borlen succeed. When they were sure that Borlen was safe from harm, they loaded him on the cart they used to transport the absorbing stones and went to meet the rest of the group already ready with the wagons for their short trip. Their destination¡ªFaridar¡¯s Tribulation. Elian couldn¡¯t wrap his head around the unfolding events. Much had probably happened while he was holed up inside the temple library. Happenings for the better, it seemed, as the rival groups were making peace. Some of Naamon¡¯s companions joined them upon reaching the central hill. Coldness and awkwardness abound. But Naamon powered through, trying to keep up a conversation between the two groups. ¡°Brother Elian,¡± Borlen said, wincing as he sat straighter. He was on the right side of the wagon while Elian was across him. ¡°Are you sure we¡¯re not disrupting your Aether Magic education? Don¡¯t let us pressure you into coming with us.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Elian said. He never told them he intended to go to Faridar¡¯s Tribulation, assuming that Borlen would take offense. ¡°I want to show my support to a fellow Penitent.¡± From the central hill, they went over the bridge to Vigor Hill and out the marble gates to traverse the Road of Penitents Past. The way was mostly empty as most people had already gone to the clearing for Tribulations. Ten minutes to their destination, it became clear they could no longer travel on their wagons. The way was packed with other groffs and wagons left behind by their owners to continue on foot. ¡°Are you okay with walking, brother?¡± Elian asked Borlen as he alighted from the wagon first. In the distance, over the crowns of trees, he could see towers and floating shield constructs. ¡°I may be old and have just endured my twenty-fifth Tribulation,¡± Borlen said, ¡°but walking wouldn¡¯t exact a toll on my body. My promise to Naamon, I will keep with ease.¡± Naamon came up beside Elian as their group merged with the river of people flowing to the clearing. ¡°Brother Elian,¡± he said. ¡°I haven¡¯t apologized for the harm I have caused you. I deeply regret that I did so.¡± ¡°I accept your apology.¡± Elian deemed those words sufficient. He was an outsider to their conflict. Better for him to blend into the background and not accidentally mess up their healing wounds. ¡°If there¡¯s anything I could do to repay you,¡± Naamon said, ¡°I will do it if it is within my power. Let me erase my shame.¡± Elian couldn¡¯t think of anything he wanted from Naamon. And he shouldn¡¯t. Asking for compensation would diminish his standing. The damage to him was minimal. The most he could ask for were clothes, which he could buy himself. But then, he thought of something not worth much but could be invaluable in the future¡ªinformation. Specifically, about the Altruistic Tether. ¡°Perhaps you can tell me about the Tri-Horned Magnam¡¯s Boon?¡± Elian asked. ¡°How much of your attribute is taken from you and how much will the Tethered receive?¡± ¡°Ten percent of my total attributes I give,¡± he replied. ¡°It¡¯ll be multiplied twofold and added to the Tethered attributes. However, the multipliers and bonuses of the Tethered will not affect the shared attributes. I¡¯m only at the first tier because I used my Favor Points on other Boons.¡± ¡°I¡¯m assuming the higher tiers give a bigger percentage? Probably a higher multiplier too.¡± ¡°That is so,¡± Naamon said. Elian was beginning to suspect the Tellerins were required to use this phrase at least once a day. ¡°You can also share certain barriers and enhancements you have to your Tethered.¡± ¡°What about the Greater Boon of the Tri-Horned Magnam?¡± ¡°It will allow one to Tether many. Are you interested in becoming a Giver? I dissuade you from doing so. You can travel far as a Bearer, given your sturdy body. Let others support you.¡± Elian could only nod as he flipped through the pages of his memory. They lost many heroes in the original timeline; heroes who could¡¯ve changed the course of history had they lived. An important aspect of his plan for his next run was to not let these heroes die. He wasn¡¯t conceited to think he could singlehandedly defeat the Giants. The Magnam¡¯s Boon was the perfect way to make his massive Armor count. He couldn¡¯t expect enemies to hit only him and ignore everybody else. Imagine if the Great Hero Salvinor had a million more Armor. He didn¡¯t need to sacrifice himself to break the defenses of the Giant¡¯s castle. He could¡¯ve reached the Giant King and dealt some actual damage to the colossal bastard. A Divine Bestowal slot, though precious and limited, was a small price to pay to keep the important pieces of humanity¡¯s victory alive. And it was a net gain overall. Yes, Elian would lose Armor, but the Tethered would gain much more than what would be subtracted from him. That settles it, he thought. The Boon of the Tri-Horned Magnam would take one of his slots. He¡¯d have to travel to Tellerin before the Giant invasion would escalate. 40. An Unexpected Alliance Since they came late, their group could no longer press closer to the Tribulation site. They couldn¡¯t even reach the clearing itself. Throngs of red robes had camped there for days already. Even those who weren¡¯t supporters of Faridar but only attended for the spectacle had arrived early in the morning, hours before their group. The farthest they reached were the trees bordering the clearing. Naamon commented it was better to be away from other Tellerins since he couldn¡¯t be sure they had let go of their enmity with Borlen¡¯s group. A benefit of staying by the trees was that they could climb them. Much better to have a vantage point up here than be down there, squished by the crowds while seeing nothing. Elian perched on the highest branch that could hold his weight. Similar to the strategy of Tharguras, the followers of Faridar dug a hole and fortified it the best they could. It wasn¡¯t the crater left behind by the Tribulation of Tharguras¡ªthat was a few dozen yards to the left. It was a new hole because the bowl should be smaller than the Tribulation¡¯s area of effect. Elian boosted his eyesight with a little Aether, not enough to strain them. The scant details he could pick up from this far away told him that Faridar¡¯s group seemed more prepared than Tharguras was. More towers bristling with all sorts of defenses. Around thirty floating balls of pure black, each bigger than a groff, were secured by chains to the towers. Likely a gigantic version of the absorbing stones since Faridar was a Tellerin. Ghostly apparitions swirled above the bowl; Elian had no idea what those were. And the magical barriers were shaped like pyramids instead of the usual domes. From where did the mages they hired come from? Again, this demonstrated the amount of knowledge destroyed by the Giant invasion before humanity scrambled to unite. Also goes to show Elian should prioritize saving people. He¡¯d never know if someone held the key to defeating the Giants someday. Save people and get them to work together¡ªthe second part was more challenging. Supporting others in battle could be the better way of accomplishing it. Originally, Elian aimed to be the hero, inspired by the true heroes he followed in his first life. Be the strongest to save others. Everyone would then look up to him. But he remembered his high school and college days playing online role-playing games with his friends. Whenever they¡¯d explore this dungeon or fight that dangerous boss monster, it was the healer or tank who called the shots, commanding the group while the strongest warrior focused on killing the enemy. Could he apply that setup here? Elian sighed. His memories of Earth were needles of guilt pricking his heart. He shook his head to clear his mind and focused on the center of the red-robed masses. Something was happening. ¡°Behold! Our Champion Penitent!¡± Naamon, standing on a branch below him, gestured at the source of the ripples spreading throughout the crowds. He didn¡¯t need to say more about who among the thousands was Faridar. The Champion Penitent was very noticeable, to say the least, far more than Tharguras was. ¡°He¡¯s huge¡­¡± Elian whistled at the surprising size of the cloaked figure. ¡°Taller than Priest Ihadir.¡± At first, he thought Faridar wore an extremely oversized armor or likelier embedded himself inside a golem¡ªhe had seen that strategy during research. But when Faridar removed his cloak to the deafening cheers of thousands, Elian saw that he was really that huge. Unlike Ihadir, a mutant monstrosity of ballooning muscles, Faridar was well-proportioned as he stood twelve feet tall. He wore a simple white tunic with short sleeves, perhaps a symbol of purity before he¡¯d equip the armor from the golden hall. The Kymorathi number of his Tribulation glowing through the fabric of his clothes. ¡°Two feet taller than Priest Ihadir, to be exact,¡± said Naamon with pride, as if there was a height competition going on. ¡°Though the esteemed priest most likely has more muscle mass. It is the Greater Boon of Goliath¡¯s Blood that¡¯s the cause of Penitent Faridar¡¯s growth in size. A side effect of it.¡± ¡°Half of one¡¯s Energy is turned into Health,¡± Elian said what he knew of Goliath¡¯s Blood Boon. Elite soldiers of Strella, a kingdom neighboring Merl, were required by their king to get this Boon. ¡°There¡¯s also a lot of Health added each level up. A very good Boon for tanking the single strike of the Lesser Tribulation¡ªbe as beefy as possible.¡± ¡°You are learned in the various Divine Bestowals,¡± said Naamon. ¡°Brother Elian is widely traveled and knowledgeable of many things,¡± Borlen said from somewhere further below. ¡°The downside is growing bigger and bigger as Health increases,¡± Elian continued. ¡°Some may consider that a bonus, but for me, there are many not-so-slight adjustments to be made living with that size.¡± This was why Elian wasn¡¯t aiming for the Greater Boon of Goliath¡¯s Blood even if it could make use of his otherwise idle Energy that just keeps growing due to his Aether Magic training. That, and getting this particular Boon would take more than a year. It¡¯d depend on how long the Goliath Knight of Kenshiron would require absolute service. Elian heard that the Goliath Knight was very demanding and grouchy. ¡°An enlarged body is a trivial sacrifice for one devoted to the Penance Path.¡± Naamon pointed again. ¡°This next Boon is a far weightier detriment. It may be harder to see from here.¡± The body of Faridar began to darken into brownish red, stark against the white of his tunic. Elian pumped his eyes full of Aether for a few seconds of extremely enhanced vision and saw cracks branching all over Faridar¡¯s face as if it were land ravaged by severe drought. Elian wasn¡¯t sure if this was a Curse he had read about in the temple library. ¡°Is this Unhealing Ceaseless Constitution?¡± he guessed. ¡°That is so,¡± Naamon said, sounding like Borlen. ¡°The Greater Curse of Unhealing Ceaseless Constitution.¡± ¡°He¡¯s doing Tribulations while having this Curse?¡± Elian jolted as he recalled its effects. ¡°Penitent Faridar¡¯s Health is multiplied twelve times, but¡­ he can¡¯t heal or regenerate or get back lost Health in any way ever again.¡± ¡°It is as you say, Brother Elian.¡± Elian couldn¡¯t think of a worse Curse to use against Tribulations. ¡°He has to have ways to use his mountain of Health points for defense so he wouldn¡¯t get directly damaged. Barriers and equipment that scale off Health, I¡¯m thinking?¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°There are those, yes.¡± Naamon nodded. ¡°As for the core of the Champion Penitent¡¯s strategy, we are not privy to it and can only guess. There are rumors he has only one Health point, having used the rest for long-lost blood magic spells.¡± ¡°If true,¡± said Elian, ¡°then he has¡­ something, I don¡¯t know what, that helps him move normally despite his lifeforce diminished that much. And he¡¯s stuck with only that one point forever because of his Curse.¡± Disregarding for a moment the insanity of having only one Health point, he could think of various ways to take advantage of it. It would work well with Omamyar¡¯s Abiding Undeath, the sealed enchantments in his catfolk ring that created a barrier based on health lost¡ªit¡¯d be a hell of a thick barrier for Faridar. Possible that Faridar had such an enchantment, a stronger version even. Catfolk magic seemed to be based on pain and injuries. Certain branches of blood magic would synergize with this too. Faridar would need to go all in on this to defend that single strike of the Lesser Boon Tribulation. Even if Elian could find a way to unseal the ring¡¯s enchantments, he had no plans of copying Faridar. Outside of Tribulations, this strategy was unwise and downright dangerous. Tribulations were well documented and could be prepared for. But in battle, one could never know what the enemy could dish out. If anything gets past the defenses and pokes the last remaining Health point, then that was it. ¡°Are those blood mages?¡± Elian spotted figures gathering around Faridar. They were cloaked in a shade of red darker than the rest of the pilgrims, accented with splashes of black. If he were closer, Elian was certain he could read the black symbols on the robes of the blood mages to know the Sanguine Shrine they came from. ¡°That, they are,¡± said Naamon. ¡°They administer to the Champion Penitent as he bathes in potions.¡± The boring part of the event, the preparations, took far longer than Tharguras¡¯ did. But the waiting was interrupted by an arrival from the sky. Elian noticed it only when the pilgrims near the middle started pointing up, apparently expecting this creature. Elian gazed in the direction of the Temples of Tribulation. The small blot in the sky with flapping wings became larger as it approached. It flew quickly and was soon above the clearing, circling in tighter spirals as it descended. The shadow it cast was wide enough to cover the hole and the towers surrounding it. ¡°Is that¡­ a golem?¡± Elian wondered. The creature with six wings didn¡¯t have feathers. Rather, it looked like it was made of stone, all grayish and craggy. Somehow, it was flying. Magic was a very acceptable answer in this world. ¡°A beautiful creation of Priestess Khalamundi,¡± Naamon said. ¡°It has come to deliver the last piece our Champion Penitent needs to pass the Tribulation.¡± ¡°The suit of armor from the golden hall,¡± Elian said, watching the giant bird golem extend its neck and spit out a large crate near Faridar. It turned out true that the priests did allow Faridar to borrow from there. ¡°What suit of armor did he¡ª?¡± A tsunami of cheering swallowed the last of Elian¡¯s sentence. He couldn¡¯t see what happened to the dropped crate because people climbing over wagons and each other blocked the view. Faridar must be presenting it piece by piece because a wave of shouts would roll every few seconds. The next Faridar came into view, he climbed on a wooden platform to present the suit of armor to everyone. It was shimmering crimson as if made of crystal, encrusted with different gems that each gave off their light. His helmet had golden horns coiling around its sides. Elian couldn¡¯t tell what the armor was made of but it could resize itself to fit the wearer. Did Faridar pick this out of the several choices because of its color or was it a coincidence? To the right of a clearing, a group of people pushed their way forward. Easy to see their movement because they didn¡¯t wear red. The chants of a different name reached Elian, and he finally understood what was going on. ¡°Tharguras!¡± ¡°Tharguras!¡± ¡°Huh? Tharguras is here?¡± Elian zoomed his Aether-enhanced vision on the head of the mass parting the sea of red. It really was Champion Penitent Tharguras. He and his followers weren¡¯t wearing their signature blue color because they were here to show their support for Faridar. Naamon was saying something that Elian couldn¡¯t hear. Looking down, Elian saw Borlen shouting up at him. Words couldn¡¯t reach him. Trees shook from all the cheering. Was this planned? What the hell happened while he buried his nose in books? Carrying two wide shields that looked like double doors of a grand hall, Faridar descended into the hole and out of sight. Elian expected metal structures inside to help Faridar hold the shields up. To the western side of the layers of pyramid barriers was a smaller barrier with someone inside. Tendrils of light extended from that person into the hole, presumably connecting to Faridar. An Altruistic Tether? Must be the personal Giver of Faridar. The connection looked stronger than that Naamon generated. A higher tier of the Tri-Horned Magnam¡¯s Boon? And that wasn¡¯t all the help Faridar had. A magical dome large enough to enclose the pyramid barriers was erected. The person who made it surprised Elian. Tharguras is helping Faridar? This had huge implications! On one hand, it was a massive concession for Faridar because the supporters of Tharguras could say that Faridar couldn¡¯t have done the Tribulation without Tharguras¡¯ help. On the other hand, by extending his help, Tharguras was saying Faridar had the better shot at becoming an Enlightened Penitent first. Not only it was Tellerin culture but the practice of all Penitents to support the stronger person. Essentially, those two would cancel each other out, leaving a gesture of peace and cooperation. But before the celebrations, the Tribulation had to be endured first. As dark clouds covered the previously clear blue sky, Elian hugged the tree trunk. The Tribulation descended and hit the barrier Tharguras made. It dispersed the force to the giant absorbing stones. As the stones exploded, so did the dome. The pyramid barrier was next to go. As it gave way to the Tribulation, the towers crumbled. A blinding red light welled up from the hole to meet the Tribulation. Elian had to look away because it was so bright. There was a muffled noise and a slight shaking of the ground. ¡°That was it?¡± Elian blinked to clear his eyes. He expected to get thrown off the tree. ¡°I have completed my two hundred and eightieth Tribulation!¡± Boomed an amplified voice. Elian assumed this to be Faridar. ¡°In five days, I will aid the Tribulation of Tharguras!¡± ¡°They¡¯re truly at peace,¡± Elian said, though he couldn¡¯t hear himself as the myriads of pilgrims erupted in jubilation. And there was much to celebrate. The two Penitents leading the scoreboards had decided to help each other. With their rivalry evaporating, their followers had no more fuel to hate each other. Hopes arose that there¡¯d be a new Enlightened Penitent soon. Possibly two. The priests were helping by lending equipment from the golden hall. Elian didn¡¯t join the feasting that followed. It was a time for Borlen¡¯s group to reunite with their Tellerin friends and relatives. Not only did Elian think he¡¯d be out of place, he didn¡¯t want to ruin anything with his tactless mouth. He told Casimir that he¡¯d needed to go to his class before the crowds paraded back to the hills. He jogged back to Vigor Hill, pushing himself hard because his bodily constitution could handle the physical exertion. In about an hour, he reached his real destination¡ªGideon¡¯s carriage. 41. The First Party Member ¡°Let me see its attributes,¡± Gideon said, fixing a pair of rumin glasses on the bridge of his crooked nose. ¡°Yes¡­ yes¡­¡± He poked Viney here and there with a crystalline wand and also did some measurements with a sketchy-looking compass. ¡°I was worried when it had issues taking root in your flesh, but it is growing very nicely now. Very nicely, indeed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain, but I can also feel it getting healthier,¡± Elian said. ¡°Might be some sort of mind-body connection between us. When will Viney¡ªer, I mean, when will my plant symbiote do that Barkskin thing of making a shell? Would be helpful if I could use the Armor it takes from me.¡± Guardian Exactor Vine | Plant Symbiote | Level: 8 Health: 460/460 Energy: 205/205 ATTRIBUTES: Attack Power: 46 Magic Power: 46 Armor: 226 Magic Resilience: 46 TRAITS: Host Attribute Absorption ¨C Absorb (540) Attribute points from the host and gain a third of it. Rejuvenating Roots ¨C Restore (1.8) Health Point of the host every second. -¡°Given my very small sample size of three,¡± Gideon said as flipped through a tiny notebook, ¡°I expect your Guardian Exactor Vine to gain its Barkskin properties when it reaches around level ten to fifteen at the latest. It started with a stunted growth, so a slight delay is normal.¡± ¡°Just nonstop drinking these, I guess.¡± Elian sighed as he tapped another bottle of growth solution that Gideon gave him. ¡°I¡¯m getting used to its side effects anyway.¡± ¡°Do keep in mind that whenever the Guardian Exactor Vine produces the Barkskin covering, it can¡¯t endlessly do so. It will be fueled by its Health and Energy as well as yours. It can¡¯t create something out of nothing, after all.¡± ¡°Health and Energy. I got plenty of those. The limitation would be more on Vine¡ªmy plant symbiote. Mental note not to push it too hard.¡± Gideon leaned closer, peering at Viney again with his special glasses. ¡°I must say that you are quite fortunate to have these synergetic Bestowals that allow you to only have Armor. Remarkably suitable for Tribulations.¡± ¡°Fortunate? If trying to see the bright side, one can always think something is fortunate.¡± Elian had told Gideon a vague explanation about why Viney only absorbed Armor. He didn¡¯t elaborate on the actual effects of his Curses or the story of how he got them. He wasn¡¯t sure how to open up the topic of the Giant invasion. Or when he should talk about it with Gideon. Were they close enough already? ¡°Your Guardian Exactor Vine would be quite specialized in Barkskin against physical damage,¡± Gideon said. ¡°How I dearly wish to observe its state at level fifty. What would it look like at level one hundred? Thrilling prospects make my heart palpitate.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t have a heart attack on me now,¡± Elian said with a laugh. He too was excited to see a fully matured Viney. Would an Altruistic Tether work on it? He could think of some tricks if it did. ¡°If I may ask, dear customer. Until when are you staying here, at the Temples of Tribulation?¡± ¡°A month from now at the most,¡± Elian replied, still not settled on a definite answer. ¡°Maybe a bit earlier.¡± He had to travel and search for Boons, skills, and equipment. As for Immaterial School, he had learned the basics of Aether Magic¡ªthat was about what he wanted, though more instruction was always welcome and helpful. Preventing him from leaving early was his research at the temple library. Too much knowledge he couldn¡¯t simply leave behind. Another factor was Gideon¡¯s help in raising Viney. A stone falling from a tree on Wendell¡¯s farm¡ªthis was what taught Elian he wasn¡¯t so helpless with his Curses. Now, he had a plant that could throw a stone. Envisioning how useful Viney could be, he even thought of going to the Sabyn Mountains as he previously intended. Viney¡¯s Rejuvenating Roots filled the role of herbalism. However, the Sabyn herbalists might give him ideas on how to make Viney stronger. ¡°Two months is not enough time.¡± Gideon frowned as he stroked his beard. He muttered to himself about timelines and experiments he had to do. Something about valuable data and a lack of test subjects. Should I invite him along? Elian regarded the floramage furiously scribbling on his notebook. Learning about Tethers and seeing Tharguras help Faridar, Elian felt the universe telling him to start gathering allies. If he had gone to the War Monastery, he intended to gain followers through a display of strength, capitalizing on the Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse. Should be easy enough, he had thought. Now, he didn¡¯t have much to offer or display for people to follow him. He couldn¡¯t even prove his claim of a Giant invasion. ¡°I have a hypothetical question for you,¡± Elian said. He¡¯d try a different line of conversation for Gideon. It was like puzzling over dialogue options in a computer game. Memories of Earth again. Dammit. ¡°I have no interest in such things,¡± Gideon dismissively replied. ¡°Humor me a bit, will you? I¡¯m your customer and most promising test subject.¡± Elian raised a hand as Gideon was about to speak. ¡°Nah, don¡¯t deny it now. I¡¯m not angry about it. Just answer this question¡ªif monsters intent on wiping humanity are attacking, what will you do?¡± ¡°What?¡± Gideon wrinkled his nose at Elian. ¡°Monsters? Is this a trick question?¡± ¡°No. That¡¯s the question. Are you going to fight if that happens? Run away maybe? Or something else?¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll humor you,¡± Gideon replied, closing his notebook with a tired sigh. ¡°Fleeing seems to be the best option. Let the soldiers do their job while I do my job of creating more plant symbiote. What monsters are you referring to in this juvenile hypothetical?¡± ¡°Giants that want to destroy all humans.¡± The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°But Giants are ex¡ª¡± ¡°Extinct as far as we know,¡± Elian said, tapping his temple. ¡°That¡¯s why I asked you to humor me. I¡¯ll expand my hypothetical scenario. Thousands¡­ tens of thousands of Giants came over the sea to stomp every human they could find. Armies fall before them, cities and kingdoms trampled beneath their feet. Will you continue running? Or will you fight?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡ªwhere is this headed? If everyone is dying to the Giants, why would I fare any differently?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll just continue to run and wait for your end?¡± Elian kept Gideon off-balance to glimpse his true personality. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why not just fight from the beginning? What use is your research if there¡¯s no one left alive to appreciate it? Also, wouldn¡¯t it be awesome if your creations can take down a Giant?¡± Gideon leaned back on his chair as he removed his glasses. ¡°I¡¯ve talked to many people in my life. And my life has been very long, far longer than you¡¯d think¡ªthe result of my experimentations. In this long life of mine, I¡¯ve learned how to discern the truth in a man¡¯s words.¡± Gideon stared Elian in the eye ¡°Are you telling me that Giants are coming to destroy us all?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a hypothetical scenario,¡± Elian said, keeping the glee out of his voice. He had managed to interest the eccentric Gideon¡ªthis man was someone with knowledge who shouldn¡¯t be lost to the Giants. ¡°In this scenario, the Giants will come seven months from now, landing their massive ship at Sarnival Port. That¡¯s a month after the annual tournament there.¡± Gideon narrowed his eyes. ¡°If the Giants do arrive at Sarnival Port as you said¡­¡± ¡°Then, all of this will no longer be hypothetical.¡± ¡°Storm God¡¯s deliverance,¡± the floramage whispered. ¡°Either you¡¯re telling the truth or you¡¯re numbingly deluded that you believe what you say is true. Where did you learn about this? Is this related to why you only have Armor as an attribute?¡± Elian shrugged, keeping up his nonchalance. He shouldn¡¯t take it upon himself to prove his words because that was impossible. ¡°A vision, a prophecy, maybe reading it off bird droppings. Whatever it is, you¡¯ll only believe me in seven months. Too long to wait. And I can¡¯t return here from Sarnival Port to bring along a Giant toe or something as proof. Or maybe I am crazy. I can¡¯t tell if I really am, right? Again, seven months to see which is which.¡± ¡°Wha-what do you want from me?¡± Gideon looked left and right as if wanting to escape. Maybe he did think he was trapped in his carriage with a crazy person. ¡°Accompany me to Sarnival Port,¡± Elian said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure where I¡¯ll go after leaving the Temples of Tribulation, so it¡¯ll be an adventure, I suppose. In the meantime, you get to study and experiment on my plant symbiote. Tell you what, I¡¯ll even use it during the Sarnival Port Tournament.¡± ¡°Why are you join¡ª? Ah, I understand. You can convince more people after displaying your prowess as a winner. People listen to strength.¡± ¡°My victory¡¯s benefit to you is that your creation will be exhibited for all to see. This might be your big break, your chance to make your name known. No need for the floramage union. A good deal for accompanying a crazy person, isn¡¯t it?¡± A glint in Gideon¡¯s eyes. He was enticed by the possibility. But he was also visibly troubled. ¡°What if¡­ you¡¯re not crazy?¡± Elian smiled. ¡°That¡¯s for you to decide. Fight or flee. Decide when you see the Giants with your own eyes. Until then, let¡¯s make it our project to win the Sarnival Port Tournament. It¡¯s all benefit to you whether Giants are coming or not.¡± He offered his hand. Gideon shook Elian¡¯s hand.
The next day, Elian didn¡¯t do his early morning Tribulation. He wanted to save it for hunting. Since Viney was becoming stronger and could use Aether blades, Elian would no longer have issues processing his kill without any help. Not all beasts, though. He had to choose those that weren¡¯t too bony or muscly, but not too soft that the Tribulation would splat them into mush. He¡¯d skip class for the day. He went there yesterday anyway after he met with Gideon. At this point, the class was mostly practicing various commands seals while inside the study hall. No Creation Trees. No Aether-enhancing vat. No reason for him to go there unless he needed guidance on specific aspects of the lessons. As for books, those from the restricted area of the library were more comprehensive and helpful. Basically, it was college all over again. Elian had a few subjects that he attended only during exams. And there were no exams here. ¡°I keep thinking about Earth,¡± Elian said, as he walked past the temple, heading to the bridge to Forge Hill. As always, the temple had dozens of pilgrims sleeping outside its gate, waiting for its opening. But there were more people than usual because yesterday, the temple was practically shut down for Faridar¡¯s meeting with the Hundred-Armed Magistrate. Elian had tried to go to the library after his class, found the huge crowd partying there, and decided to meditate in the woods until Borlen¡¯s group returned from the festivities. ¡°I¡¯ll research about the Altruistic Tether Boon later,¡± Elian reminded himself. He hoped to find a suitable Melding partner for it. A Boon not too far away that he could easily obtain and spend his Favor Points on. Preferably, it was useful for the tournament. Tellerin was too far away, so getting the Altruistic Tether wouldn¡¯t be anytime soon. He could go to the library after his hunt because it wouldn¡¯t take the whole day. Just one valuable beast and he was done¡ªhe only had a single use of his Tribulation anyway. The goal was to gather funds for travel and equipment. Traversing through Forge Hill, he passed through its southern gate and headed to the Dark Forest. He wasn¡¯t stupid enough to go back there, especially with no backup. He¡¯d veer east before hitting the Dark Forest¡¯s border. Gideon had tipped him off about possible targets in that area. ¡°Do you know if there really is a monster inside?¡± Elian asked Gideon yesterday as they were talking about the Forbidden Temple. ¡°I have no firsthand knowledge,¡± said Gideon. ¡°All I¡¯ve heard is hearsay as well. The least vague accounts I¡¯ve encountered say it had always been a dangerous area, with the strongest beasts taking up residence there. Yet, hunters had ventured there until this supposed monster came.¡± ¡°So, there is a monster?¡± ¡°Rumors. There might be some truth to them, however, because the priests barred exploration of the Forbidden Temple starting a decade or so ago.¡± Elian snapped his finger. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t do that if there¡¯s nothing there, right? The priests brought something in they¡¯re trying to hide.¡± ¡°That is my thought as well,¡± said Gideon. ¡°A real monster isn¡¯t needed for this tale. The priests are more monsters than men. Let them hide their business.¡± I don¡¯t have any plans of finding out, Elian thought as he surveyed the edge of the Dark Forest in the distance. The trees crowded each other as if to tell visitors they weren¡¯t welcome. Given their size, they couldn¡¯t have grown in just a decade, or even two. Something magical made them grow unnaturally long ago, and that something was why the priests decided to move in. Elian headed to the right, following a barely imperceptible trail covered by tall grass. It had been freshly hacked in places, cleared by hunters recently. And he¡¯d get to meet them as he heard a cry for help barely fifteen minutes down this path. Without any hesitation, Elian ran in the direction of the shouts. There were also a couple of crashes. He found a couple of hunters wearing through the trees. Energy balls and flying rocks took chunks out of tree trunks. They were Marlowe and Frederick, the hunters who taught Elian about the shortcuts in the Dark Forest. Chasing them was a psyowog, a giant toad with psychic powers. ¡°Run away!¡± Marlowe shouted, spotting Elian. ¡°It¡¯s danger¡ªargh!¡± A rock smashed into his lower leg, sending him spinning mid-air before crashing into a tree. He wasn¡¯t moving. Frederick, seeing his companion down, turned back to help him. But an energy ball was already heading Marlowe¡¯s way. Elian concentrated on gathering Aether. 42. A Priests Secret Past Elian operated on instinct. Form constructs in the path of the energy ball. Make several simultaneously and layer them. Divert all attributes to Magic Resilience. All that in less than a second. The energy ball smashed through six shields and emerged weakened before hitting the ground beside Marlowe¡ªElian had made the shields lopsided, with their left half much thicker. That affected the ball¡¯s spin as it hit them, changing its trajectory just a smidgen but enough to avoid a direct hit to Marlowe. The energy ball exploded, spreading astral flares and kicking up dirt as it sent Marlowe¡¯s body tumbling. Could¡¯ve been much worse. Frederick had reached his friend¡¯s side. Elian ran toward the psyowog; his job was to stop it. The psyowog was a warty and craggy toad with a mouth wide enough to swallow a man. Elian wasn¡¯t going to do his get-swallowed-and-call-a-Tribulation strategy because psyowogs were soft, made tough only by their barriers and magic-infused rocks they loved to stick to their bodies. Could the Tribulation smash the psyowog¡¯s defenses? Time to find out. The psyowog looked at Elian coming closer, its rectangular pupils blazing purple. It sent rocks Elian¡¯s way. He crouched low. The rocks crumbled on his crossed arms. The psyowog let out an angry croak. The energy balls revolving above its head shot forward. Elian made an Aether step to his left and kicked off of it to quickly switch directions. A couple of energy balls whizzed past. He pressed on with his charge. Ten feet to go. Eight. The psyowog conjured more energy balls, a dozen or so, and shot them in a wide arc. It wasn¡¯t allowing for any evasion. Except down. Elian dove into the ground. The energy balls hurtled overhead. He rolled forward and picked himself up, his arms glowing with scaley tattoos as he channeled the Magistrate¡¯s Curse. Two feet away from the psyowog. This should be close enough. Sonorous rumbling shattered his concentration. The psyowog¡¯s throat pouch bulged and vibrated, sending sound waves that disconcerted anyone who heard it. The next set of energy balls began to form, even more than the previous volley. I forgot this stupid ability, Elian berated himself, his thoughts jumbled. He wrestled his mind to gather Aether and make a construct cupping around his ears. He crawled to the psyowog to maintain balance as the world spun. ¡°Frog legs Tribulation!¡± The psyowog stopped croaking and looked up. Energy balls zoomed upward. It sensed what was coming? A flash of blue followed by purple. The first strike descended and destroyed the energy balls, slamming on top of the psyowogs barrier. Tinkling glass. Broken panes of purple spread as the Tribulation heavily pressed on both Elian and the psyowog. Elian bowed his head from the weight, his hands and knees driven into the ground. He couldn¡¯t look up to see what happened to the psyowog but heard its rock armor break. The second Tribulation descended. Squelching noises preceded a bucket of slime splashed on him. The psyowog had turned into a gory pancake. ¡°Blargh!¡± Elian spat out the psyowog fluids that got into his mouth. Wiping the gunk off his face, he chose his Tribulation rewards for the seventeenth time. A breeze ran up his spine. The shirt on his back was torn open by the Tribulation¡¯s force. No spare clothes. This was just a new fashion style now. More proof he was cursed to lose his possessions always. He raked away bits and pieces of the giant toad off of him as he stood up. He wasn¡¯t sure how effective shooting energy balls at the Tribulation was¡ªhis ring did lower the psyowog¡¯s Magic Power¡ªbut the Tribulation¡¯s second strike finished the job. The mess left behind was barely recognizable as a psyowog. Pieces of rocks faintly crackling purple mixed with grayish chunks and sludge. A psycrystal should be somewhere in there. He¡¯d wait for the two hunters to fish it out to avoid any issues about loot. ¡°How is it?¡± Elian asked Frederick tending to Marlowe¡¯s magical burns. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you,¡± Frederick said, looking up, recognition glinting in his eyes. The lanky hunter had bruises and welts on his face and arms. The psyowog must¡¯ve bunged him around earlier. ¡°We met some days ago, didn¡¯t we? You and your friend passing through the Dark Forest or something. Evian, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Elian Ward of Gilders.¡± ¡°Well, Elian, you have our profuse gratitude.¡± Frederick opened a small can and scooped some of the paste inside with his fingers. ¡°Marlowe got burnt by the astral flares, but nothing too serious. If you weren¡¯t there, we might both be smoldering.¡± ¡°Smokey, and toasty, and dead.¡± Marlowe chimed in. His bald head was reddish from the heat of the flares. He slumped against a tree trunk, nursing a healing potion as Frederick wiped ointment on his burns. Marlowe inhaled after a long draught and wiped his mouth. ¡°You saved our asses there, friend. How can we repay you?¡± ¡°No need for that,¡± Elian said. ¡°This is repayment for your help. We¡¯ve avoided danger and saved a lot of time in our journey because of your tips.¡± ¡°Enthralling how fate moves.¡± Marlowe laughed, but abruptly stopped, wincing as he clutched his side. ¡°Ow, a broken rib. That pesky toad.¡± He nodded at Elian. ¡°Doing a good deed does return full circle, doesn¡¯t it? We helped you, and you helped us.¡± ¡°Not always how the world works,¡± Frederick said. ¡°But I¡¯m glad whenever it does.¡± After making sure Marlowe was fine, Elian and Frederick searched the psyowog remains for its psycrystal. It was a small crystalline object inside the psyowogs brain, allowing it to filter Aether from its bloodstream. Its slimy skin had a special trait of gathering Aether¡ªwould¡¯ve fetched some coin if it were intact¡­ which it wasn¡¯t. The psycrystal wasn¡¯t in good condition either. ¡°It¡¯s not broken.¡± Frederick held it up against the sun after wiping it. ¡°No cracks, see? But it¡¯s empty. The damn toad must¡¯ve spent all its Aether stores to block your Tribulation and still couldn¡¯t save itself.¡± He tapped the edge of the hand-shaped depression with his foot. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to get hit by this.¡± The Tribulation left behind an imprint about five feet long, from the bottom of the hand to the tip of the middle finger. The imprint sunk around three inches into the ground at its deepest portions. This was after the Tribulation was weakened by the psyowog¡¯s barriers. ¡°And yet, you were hit by this, friend,¡± Frederick said. ¡°Other than your torn clothes, you look unscathed and dandy. A mighty sturdy body you have. You Penitents take your business seriously, huh? It¡¯s my first time seeing a Tribulation thingy used to kill beasts.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°How did you end up getting chased by a psyowog?¡± Elian asked, wanting to shift the topic away from Tribulations. Did these hunters know that Tribulations, those that came from the Lesser Boon, should be only one strike? Most likely, yes. Did they notice the anomaly of Elian¡¯s Tribulation? Also, yes. But they probably didn¡¯t think of it as an anomaly. They hadn¡¯t processed it yet because they were focused on staying alive at that time. Elian wanted to steer their minds away from thinking things further. ¡°We were hunting costrahastans,¡± Frederick said. ¡°Do you know what they are?¡± ¡°The giant spear lobsters,¡± Elian said. ¡°I met a few of them. Aren¡¯t they really dangerous?¡± ¡°Very. But we¡¯re not fighting them head-on, are we? We lay traps and magical snares, that¡¯s what we do, somewhere near the mouth of their tunnels. We lay in wait until a group returns from the hunt. When the last of their line passes over the traps, we spring it with a switch.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the rest of the swarm, colony, whatever it¡¯s called, come to help?¡± ¡°That¡¯s very correct. I forgot to tell you that we also rig the opening of their tunnels with explosives. Expensive but necessary, and worth it¡­ if we succeed. So, that¡¯s how it goes¡ªwe trap a costrahastan before it enters the tunnel. Boom! The opening collapses behind its fellows. We move fast to kill the immobilized costrahastan, a stab at the center of the first grove on its head¡ªthat¡¯s where its brain is. Next step is to run away.¡± ¡°Huh? You leave behind your kill?¡± ¡°Temporarily,¡± Frederick clarified with a chuckle. ¡°The costrahastans could dig out of the ground quite fast, you see. We have to be nowhere near when they reopen their tunnel. But once they find their buddy very dead, they would no longer care to fight. There¡¯s no one to fight anyway because we¡¯re hiding.¡± ¡°You then come back to claim your prize after the spear lobsters leave.¡± Elian nodded at the fascinating hunting technique. ¡°When did the psyowog show up?¡± ¡°While we were preparing the traps.¡± Frederick bitterly laughed as he headed back to Marlowe. Elian followed him. ¡°The damn toad lifted me with its powers and slammed me against the trees. Marlowe distracted it, and we both ran away. It was as angry as an uncastrated bull groff. We didn¡¯t even do anything to it! The crazy mound of warts just waltzed out of the Dark Forest and chose violence.¡± ¡°Did you find the psycrystal?¡± Marlowe asked when they returned. Frederick held it up. ¡°Empty. It¡¯s still worth something. Can cover our losses. But this isn¡¯t our kill.¡± They turned to Elian. ¡°I lay no claim to the crystal,¡± Elian said. ¡°My intent was to help you, not hunt the psyowog.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Frederick frowned. ¡°This doesn¡¯t sit right with me.¡± ¡°If you want to repay me, how about telling me more about the Dark Forest and the Forbidden Temple.¡± Elian was interested in this possible source of power. Not just possible, when it came down to it. A real source of power. The experiments of the priests would prove useful in the future. When news of the Giants¡¯ return would spread across Raelyon, Elian could more easily gather allies. One of the factions he wanted on his side was the Temples of Tribulation. Very few people could survive getting stomped by Giants; fighting walking buildings was very different from humans warring against each other. But the Penitents were hardcore tanks. They could be on the frontlines against the Giants someday. Whatever the priests were doing at the Forbidden Temple could be improved upon and replicated in the future to give humanity a fighting chance. ¡°What do you want to know?¡± Frederick asked. ¡°It¡¯s not like we know much, to be candid with you. Yesterday, we would¡¯ve told you that psyowogs live by the large lake close to the Forbidden Temple, but that turned out wrong now, didn¡¯t it? We¡¯re about two hours trek from there, and yet one showed up here.¡± ¡°This rumored monster inside the Forbidden Temple,¡± Elian said. ¡°I¡¯ve heard this story started about a decade ago. My hunch is that it¡¯s to keep people away from what the priests, erm, I mean¡ª¡± ¡°Everyone thinks the priests conduct suspicious business there,¡± Marlowe said. ¡°We don¡¯t say it out loud, especially in town, but it¡¯s in everybody¡¯s minds.¡± ¡°Everybody who¡¯s been around here for long,¡± said Frederick. ¡°Me, I came to these hills around seven years ago as the follower of a Penitent, if you can believe that. Lost my faith long ago. Anyhow, I only heard stories about the Forbidden Temple. No personal experience. But the stories are fresher back then if that makes sense.¡± ¡°What did you hear when you first came here?¡± Elian asked. Frederick leaned forward and dramatically whispered, ¡°Stories of this monster taking up residence in the Forbidden Temple spread shortly after Thalman tried to kill the Hundred-Armed Magistrate.¡± Elian blinked, unsure if he had heard it correctly. ¡°Do you mean Priest Thalman?¡± ¡°Yes, him.¡± Frederick warily looked behind them as if Thalman would materialize. The priest probably could have if he had known they were there. Elian wasn¡¯t sure of the limitations of Thalman¡¯s powers. ¡°There must be a connection there, I think.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard about that one,¡± Marlowe said. ¡°I don¡¯t know why he did it, but they say part of the temple was destroyed as he battled the priests. He wasn¡¯t a priest yet that time. Again, all stories. If you want to know more, you can ask someone who¡¯s been around here for more than ten years.¡± He turned to Frederick. ¡°Reckon if Bufford might know?¡± ¡°The one-eyed old man would know of this,¡± Frederick agreed. ¡°If you¡¯re returning to Forge Hill,¡± Elian said, ¡°Can you lead me to him?¡± With his daily Tribulation spent, Elian couldn¡¯t continue his hunt. He could go to the temple library or his classes. But before that, he wanted to meet this Bufford and learn more about Thalman. Did the kind priest really attack the Magistrate? Time could change people though. Elian wondered if Thalman was Cursed by the Magistrate as a penalty. In the catalog of Penitents, Elian found Thalman¡¯s name along with his Divine Bestowals. It listed only seven, with the Magistrate¡¯s Boon missing. Could the lost entry be the Magistrate¡¯s Curse that then got censored? Unlikely. Thalman was already an Enlightened Penitent by the time he attacked the temple. And he didn¡¯t have any slots for a Bestowal. The month and year of Thalman¡¯s last recorded Tribulation was more than ten years ago. If Frederick¡¯s story were true, Thalman tried to kill the Magistrate after his Tribulation. Maybe the priests at that time didn¡¯t allow him to borrow equipment from the golden hall, effectively forcing him into retirement. How did he become a priest after attacking the Magistrate? Bufford might be able to answer that. ¡°Bufford¡¯s not here either,¡± Frederick said after they exited another pub. This was the fourth one they visited. ¡°Too early to drink, I suppose. These are the places he frequents if you want to meet with him. I must say that it might not be wise to ask your questions while in town. Eyes and ears everywhere.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Elian said, wondering if he could meet with Bufford while he was outside the town walls. Elian wanted to obtain more information about the Magistrate¡¯s Curse. Nothing in the library¡ªnot even a single word about it in the hundred or so books he had read. A temple priest would know about it. In fact, Thalman did; he confirmed that Cursed Tribulations had multiple strikes. If Thalman attacked the Magistrate in the past, he wouldn¡¯t be judgmental of Elian having a Curse. That was Elian¡¯s theory, anyway. It was Thalman who brought Elian to the Magistrate, so he¡¯d know Elian couldn¡¯t have done anything bad. Thalman could then be a conduit someday for an alliance with the Temples of Tribulation. The plan sounded good in Elian¡¯s head. But given his experiences so far, he shouldn¡¯t expect it to go smoothly. ¡°Makes me feel bad we weren¡¯t of any help, friend,¡± Marlowe said. ¡°Let us buy you clothes. That¡¯s the least we can do.¡± Elian couldn¡¯t help but grin. ¡°I hope they¡¯ll last longer than my previous clothes.¡± 43. The Boon That Wasnt So Stupid After All ¡°Two Quillhusks to start the day right,¡± Elian sang as he crawled out of the mess made by his twentieth Tribulation. ¡°Are there any beasts around here that don¡¯t have soft insides?¡± When he found two male Quillhusks headbutting each other for territory or mating rights, he didn¡¯t get to ask them about their conflict, he immediately shed his clothes. Thank the Storm God no one was around or it would¡¯ve been awkward to explain. He dove in between the fighting Quillhusks and called for his daily Tribulation. The double strike smashed the exoskeleton of the Quillhusks above him and squeezed out their goopy insides. The Quillhusks pressed on him as they were hammered by the Tribulation. If Elian hadn¡¯t undressed, his clothes would¡¯ve been ruined. Again. Not this time, deity who stealth Cursed me to lose my possessions. His monstrous Armor made it impossible to gauge the strength of the Tribulation through feel alone. The depth of the giant hand imprint wasn¡¯t a reliable measure either because the hardness of the ground affected it. However, Elian was certain that the size of the imprint had grown. Also, these Quillhusks were more crumpled than the first one he hunted some weeks ago when Jadewell was tailing him. The shells of the Quillhusks were broken into hundreds of pieces. Easy to pull out and put in a bag. And what a heavy bag he¡¯d later lug back to town. If some portions of the exoskeleton had to be broken apart or cut from connective tissues, Viney was there to help. Elian might not be able to completely take everything sellable but the important thing was no longer relying on Borlen and the other pilgrims. Before dressing up and harvesting his kill, he headed to a nearby stream to wash himself. Elian raised his right arm covered with hardened tendrils. No cracks because he hid it close to his chest while holding his cleaver when the Tribulation descended. The Quillhusks were additional cover. The wooden gauntlet was yellowish, like aged parchment, and had holes for his fingers. He hadn¡¯t figured out how to make armor that allowed movement if it was even possible. This was one whole piece. Could he make interlocking plates? Maybe he could leave some parts thin and pliable with enough practice. ¡°Looking great there, Viney,¡± Elian said. ¡°I wonder at what level of yours will I be able to cover my entire body.¡± Guardian Exactor Vine | Plant Symbiote | Level: 12 Health: 772/880 Energy: 364/415 ATTRIBUTES: Attack Power: 88 Magic Power: 88 Armor: 448 Magic Resilience: 88 TRAITS: Host Attribute Absorption ¨C Absorb (1080) Attribute points from the host and gain a third of it. Rejuvenating Roots ¨C Restore (2.2) Health Points of the host every second. Barkskin ¨C Coats host with hardened tendrils. Costs a quarter of the symbiote¡¯s Health and Energy to create, shared equally with the host. The protective layer possesses half the attributes of the symbiote. Viney gained its Barkskin Trait when it reached level twelve, and Elian immediately tested it. The wooden gauntlet had been on his arm since then. He didn¡¯t use it to block the Tribulation¡ªit¡¯d break apart like a layer of toothpicks¡ªbut just thought it looked cool. The cost to cast Barkskin was based on Viney¡¯s Health and Energy, which was then divided between Viney and Elian. Doing some hated math calculations, he figured that Viney could create a Barkskin coating eight times before it was spent. He wouldn¡¯t push Viney that far. It might die, and he wasn¡¯t going to test it. They were comrades-in-arms in the fight against Giants; his first official ally, technically. A tendril of Viney emerged from a hole in the wooden gauntlet and waved at him. ¡°Grow faster and absorb more of my Armor,¡± Elian told it. ¡°I have plenty to spare.¡± He called up his Covenant with the Gods to check if his Armor reached a new milestone. ¡°Aw, not yet.¡± Elian Ward | Human | Level:14 Health: 7,527/7,700 Energy: 2,889/2,940 ATTRIBUTES: Attack Power: 0 Magic Power: 0 Armor: 196,248 Magic Resilience: 0 DIVINE BESTOWAL: Greater Curse of the Berserking Abyssal Eye III Greater Curse of the Powerless Physical Immortal III Lesser Curse of the Overzealous Judge I ¡°Another Tribulation and I¡¯ll shoot past two hundred thousand Armor,¡± Elian happily bragged to the flying discus fishes as he sat on the side of the lake. ¡°Two more after that and I¡¯ll have two hundred thousand Armor even without my cleaver or Attack Power potion.¡± A grandmaster monk would gain around the same amount of Armor from a perfected Divine Steelskin. Well, that wasn¡¯t a fair comparison¡ªSteelskin gave base Armor while Elian¡¯s Armor was after a ton of multipliers. Still, he was confident to claim that no one else in the history of Fellenyr was this physically tanky at his level. If he had high-quality equipment¡ªhe was working on that by hunting to earn coin¡ªreaching a million Armor was very possible. Even two million wasn¡¯t such a difficult goal because of how his multipliers synergized. He was far from reaching that tankiness in his previous life. If he did, he could¡¯ve taken hits from the elite guards of the Giant King head-on. He could¡¯ve saved many of his friends. Because Elian was already this tanky naked, Tribulations weren¡¯t a problem in the near future. Would take some time for the strength of the Tribulation to ramp up and pose a threat. Even then, he¡¯d buy weapons and armor. ¡°I might be fine up to the next tier of the Magistrate¡¯s Curse,¡± Elian said, washing his arms. ¡°After that would be the real challenge. I should work on raising my Health too.¡± Health points were more a gauge of a person¡¯s life force rather than a reflection of how well they were. Injuries would translate to lower life points, but the reverse wasn¡¯t necessarily true. Case in point was the blood mages. With how much Health sacrifice they loved to do, they¡¯d always be writhing in pain if it translated to injuries. Very believable that Faridar had only one Health point while walking around and enduring Tribulations. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Most important above all is the last point of Health,¡± Master Kailash would tell Elian in his past life. One of the last surviving monks from the War Monastery, Elian would converse with Master Kailash often while planning for his next life. All Health points were a resource to protect the last one. They could just be a literal meat shield or they could be used for other things, like Faridar and the blood mages did. Whatever the strategy may be, Health was very important in Fellenyr because this wasn¡¯t a game where a person could resurrect. With the Timekeeper¡¯s Boon permanently lost, Elian only had one life. Elian had neglected physical training, mostly spending every free time meditating to progress Aether Magic. The result was excessive Energy he had no use for. If he hadn¡¯t holed up in the library so much, he would¡¯ve had even more Energy. Still wasn¡¯t sure what to use it for because spell shard rings were too expensive. Something to convert Energy into Health would be ideal. Another unused resource was his seven Favor Points. What Boon should he aim to get first? He wanted two before reaching Sarnival Port. Later, he¡¯d visit a person who might help him. But that was after selling his loot. Elian met with Borlen¡¯s contact on the outskirts of Temple Hill. ¡°Quillhusk shells,¡± Elian said, plopping the two heavy sacks by the feet of a stout man with a constipated expression. ¡°Already broken into small pieces so less work grinding them to powder. I, on the other hand, had a lot of work bringing those here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to pay for your labor,¡± he curtly replied. ¡°It¡¯s included in the cost of the goods.¡± ¡°As it should be,¡± Elian said. A couple of days ago, Borlen introduced Elian to the merchant who often bought the loot from his hunts. Borlen advised to not mind the merchant¡¯s shortness, both in height and demeanor. This man was supposedly honest and fair in his dealings. After some checking and weighing, the merchant ordered his men to load the sacks on his cart. ¡°Here is the price at the going market rate,¡± the merchant told Elian, handing him a pouch almost bursting with coins. ¡°Not one coin more or less. Count it in front of me.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Elian said. ¡°I trust you, good sir. Thanks for the business.¡± It wasn¡¯t like Elian intended to cut out Borlen as a middleman of sorts. Borlen himself arranged this. He didn¡¯t have time to peddle Elian¡¯s loot, which Elian would¡¯ve gladly given him a cut, because he and all the other followers of Tharguras were busy preparing for the Tribulation tomorrow. Their camp was mostly empty save for children and the oldest of the group who were too frail to help. Elian hoped Tharguras would succeed in his Tribulation so he¡¯d be equal in score with Faridar. That¡¯d keep parity between the rival groups. The two Champion Penitents might have publicly announced their cooperation, but Elian wasn¡¯t sure how long that¡¯d keep peace if Tharguras fell behind. ¡°I hope the priests let him borrow from the golden hall,¡± Elian said, turning down the road to Energy Hill. It¡¯d be spectacular to witness another legendary suit of armor in action. Elian would be at the Tribulation site before sunrise so he¡¯d get a better view of what was happening. A nice end to the pilgrimage of Borlen¡¯s group if everything went well. The day after tomorrow would be the second mass of the month. And by next week, the blue-robed pilgrims would start leaving. ¡°Our resources will be depleted after the next Tribulation of our Champion Penitent,¡± Borlen had told Elian yesterday. ¡°We¡¯ll need another year to gather more. Penitent Faridar would also prepare himself.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯ll be when we part ways,¡± Elian replied, a tinge of sorrow plucking his heartstrings. Meals with the pilgrims were moments of happy relaxation. The songs and stories, the running children, the stew and roasted meats¡ªthey were his escape from thoughts of the wars to come. ¡°We won¡¯t be parting ways if you come with us to Tellerin. Staying here will benefit your Penitent Path the most, but Tellerin is not without great teachers. Lessons aplenty along the way for we will pass many lands and trade with many people. This is the time to increase the places you have visited.¡± ¡°I have somewhere I need to be,¡± Elian said. ¡°But I promise that someday, I¡¯ll visit.¡± Tellerin was around four months away. Maybe closer to five since the pace of Borlen¡¯s group wasn¡¯t the fastest and they¡¯d have to pass through mountains. He could cut the time a lot if he rode a Gentun Monitor Lizard and traveled with little rest. The problem was that he¡¯d sacrifice training time¡ªhe couldn¡¯t meditate while riding a mount compared to sitting at the back of the cart. And with the Sarnival Port tournament looming, he needed to prepare himself plenty. Another concern was how long it¡¯d take to get the Boon. He had information about how to appease the Tri-Horned Magnam, but the execution had many variables. He didn¡¯t want a close shave when it came to time. Learned his lesson there. Elian didn¡¯t intend to stay long at the Temples of Tribulation after Borlen¡¯s group would leave. The one-month estimate he told Gideon would be shortened if his next mission panned out. Entering Energy Hill, the clothes of the people around turned predominantly red. A large chunk of Faridar¡¯s supporters camped outside the walls of the town. ¡°I hope Naamon didn¡¯t wait for me long,¡± Elian mumbled, jogging to their meeting place by the eastern gate. Elian was set on using the Altruistic Tether Boon. He searched the temple library high and low for any material. What he found was mostly about the Tellerins using it. Problem was Givers rarely upgraded it to a Greater Boon which allowed Tethering many while protecting the user¡ªGivers didn¡¯t care much for these benefits, preferring to use their Favor Points for Bestowals that increased their attributes to share. And with next to no one having its Greater Boon, there was a dearth of information about Melding it. Two Melded Bestowals that might have the Altruistic Tether as a component was all Elian could find. But he couldn¡¯t be so sure. It was sourced from the journal of a Tellerin Penitent who only heard it from others. Borlen and Naamon weren¡¯t much help either. What Elian sought wasn¡¯t common knowledge. However, Naamon pledged that he¡¯d look for an answer to make up for attacking Elian. And it seemed he found someone. ¡°Follow me,¡± Naamon said, waving at the guards of Energy Hill¡¯s gates as they walked past. Elian gasped in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s like another town out here.¡± Stretching before them were rows and rows of red tents bearing the symbol of Faridar on their sides. Covered wagons divided the group of tents into blocks, allowing for paths for people to travel on. As far as Elian knew, the supporters of Tharguras never congregated to this extent; they just formed clusters here and there, everywhere on the hills. ¡°This way to the Tellerin section,¡± Naamon said. ¡°I have informed the Elder Giver Shelomo of our visit.¡± ¡°You told me his Bearer has already died. Er, I¡¯m guessing I shouldn¡¯t mention that later.¡± ¡°Elder Shelomo has had three Bearers. They have all perished, yes. Nonetheless, he is proud of the support he has given them and wouldn¡¯t shy away talking about them.¡± ¡°But Elder Shelomo hasn¡¯t Melded his Altruistic Tether with another Boon, right?¡± ¡°He has witnessed someone who had.¡± Elder Shelomo was a shriveled man wearing several beaded necklaces that didn¡¯t do his posture any favors, especially at his advanced age. He gave them a toothless smile as they entered his tent and sat on purple cushions before him. ¡°Are you the one seeking knowledge of a Giver?¡± ¡°I am Elian Wards of Gilders. I want to learn about the Tri-Horned Magnam¡¯s Altruistic Tether, specifically Melding it. Can you share with me your knowledge? I¡¯m willing to compensate you if it is within my power.¡± Shelomo¡¯s raspy laughter layered Elian¡¯s last words. ¡°I demand no compensation, lad. In my old age, all I want is to share my knowledge before my sands of time ran out. I sense it is not long until it does.¡± ¡°I pray you to not speak of such, Elder,¡± said Naamon. ¡°You¡¯ll live long and support Faridar as an Enlightened Penitent.¡± ¡°I hope so¡­ I hope so¡­¡± Shelomo looked at Elian with cloudy eyes that could probably not see much. ¡°I was there to witness my uncle Meld the Boon of the Tri-Horned Magnm with another¡ªit is the Impel Order of the Peace-mongering Crucible.¡± The Peace-mongering Crucible? Elian came across this Boon in his previous life. He couldn¡¯t forget about it because he thought it was stupid. It protected those who wouldn¡¯t hurt another by generating a field repelling those with intent to cause harm. A bizarre Boon that may just be what he needed this time. 44. Last Day at School ¡°Do you know of this Boon, brother?¡± Naamon asked Elian, noticing his expression. ¡°I¡¯ve come across the Peace-mongering Crucible in a book I¡¯ve read some years back. I don¡¯t know much about it and its Boon.¡± Turning to the Elder Giver, Elian bowed and said, ¡°Please educate me.¡± ¡°Polite and hungry for knowledge,¡± said Shelomo, half-laughing and half-coughing. Elian was worried the Elder would suddenly croak. ¡°That is how the younger generation should be, rather than taking and taking without regard for others. I will tell you about the Peace-mongering Crucible, upstanding lad. It is an ornate ivory pot, gilded in gold and encrusted with gems the color of the rainbow. Large enough to hold a man, it instead contains the essence of a deity of pacifism. ¡°Given the Peace-mongering Crucible¡¯s stance, it is easy to align with the Tri-Horned Magnam. Though not an advocate of nonviolence, the Magnam pushes for self-sacrifice and helping others¡ªideals the Peace-mongering Crucible wants to propagate with its traces on this mortal plane. My uncle had no difficulties Melding their Boons.¡± ¡°The Crucible¡¯s Boon¡­ can you tell me what it is?¡± Elian asked. ¡°The book I¡¯ve read didn¡¯t have any information.¡± It did, but he didn¡¯t continue reading because it wasn¡¯t helpful to his planned Abyssal Eye¡¯s Curse build. ¡°What I know may not be accurate. Dunes of time bury my memories. I was but a small lad back then, several years younger than you, following my Giver uncle and aiding him in any way I could. I¡¯ve seen him use it a few times. The Peace-mongering Crucible¡¯s Boon creates a force against threats. No, not a blow that pushes and hurts others. It is a force that prevents an enemy from striking you. Not a barrier in the normal sense. Picture two lodestones, their similar faces repelling each other.¡± ¡°I think I understand,¡± Elian said. The Elder Giver was talking about the repulsion of similar magnetic poles. It wasn¡¯t a reflected damage of sorts. This Boon¡¯s ¡®pushback¡¯ was purely defensive. Possibly useful. ¡°The Impel Order of the Peace-mongering Crucible requires the bestowed not to do harm,¡± continued the Elder Giver. ¡°This is not a Curse, for it is the choice of the bestowed to walk the pacifist way. And if he does, the deity promises protection¡ªthat is its blessing. The Lesser Boon is¡­ not powerful. Underwhelming, I¡¯d even say. In battle, the repelling force takes time to¡­ what do you younglings say? Ramp up?¡± Elian chuckled. ¡°Yes, ramp up. It takes time to strengthen its opposing force. Other than this effect, I¡¯m assuming the Boon also boosts defenses?¡± ¡°That, it does. The specifics, I cannot recall. And that¡¯s all the bestowed can rely on in a fight, for the repelling force would only count the longer the battle drags on. You can understand why this isn¡¯t an appealing Boon. Unable to fight back. Offering your body as a shield to protect others¡ªmany young men recoil at the thought. Its Greater Boon has more impact. Enemies around you move as if they are in a tar pit, their arms and legs sluggish. Their Attributes are reduced, their senses impeded.¡± ¡°Sounds useful in a large battle,¡± Elian said. ¡°But how does it help against the Tribulation? Your uncle Melded his Boons to support his Bearer, right? Or was it for personal¡ª?¡± ¡°It is for his Bearer¡¯s sake,¡± Shelomo said. ¡°You see, lad, the Melded Greater Boon of the Restful Canopy blooms, expelling threats to the bestowed. The Tribulation of the Bearer, a force that could assuredly kill my uncle, is severely weakened as it enters the protected area. Think of the ocean pushing up those trying to swim to its depths. Powerful the Melded Boon may be, my uncle did not use it save once.¡± Elian raised a brow. ¡°Just once?¡± ¡°Only one time, and no more. And it was against a Tribulation.¡± Shelomo leaned forward as if to share a secret, the weight of his necklaces threatening to break his extended stick of a neck. ¡°My uncle deeply regretted pursuing the Melded Greater Boon of the Restful Canopy. It caused a great rift with his Bearer, one that wasn¡¯t repaired until they both ran out of the sands of times. Can you deduce what happened?¡± ¡°This Melded Greater Boon¡­¡± Elian said, his offer to tank Borlen¡¯s Tribulation coming back to him. ¡°¡­ it required your uncle to stand with his Bearer. If your uncle wasn¡¯t going to get hit by the Tribulation, the Restful Canopy wouldn¡¯t take effect. I¡¯m assuming it had something to do with that?¡± Elder Shelomo nodded. His necklaces tinkled as he did so. ¡°The Giver supports the Bearer but does not and should not physically share the burden of the Tribulation. My uncle thought his Bearer would not be able to handle the next Tribulation, and thus rushed to save him.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Elian had many things he wanted to say, but it was probably better to shackle his opinion as no one asked him for it. ¡°Was my uncle correct in his decision?¡± Shelomo softly wondered. ¡°Perhaps he was right that his Bearer would¡¯ve died without the Restful Canopy. Perhaps not. We do not have the Eye of Foresight to say what could¡¯ve happened. But what did happen was his Bearer took deep offense. Expected. It might not be rational to an outsider like you, lad, but this is the way of our people.¡± I¡¯ve heard that dozens of times, Elian thought, nodding. When he first came to Fellenyr, he had a hard time accepting many of the beliefs of the various peoples and races. Even now, things still surprised him. Or didn¡¯t sit right with him. This whole culture of Tribulation was unlike anything he had seen. However, if he had traveled more back on Earth and got to know other cultures, he probably would¡¯ve found practices that¡¯d seem bizarre to him. Elder Shelomo talking about his uncle also made Elian realize how long Tellerins were connected with the Magistrate. According to Borlen, he converted his tribe. He also had something to do with gathering followers for Faridar before switching his support to Tharguras. But other Tellerin tribes had walked the Penitent Path long before that, a century at the least. Likely more, as they had established the Bearer-Giver culture before the time of Shelomo¡¯s uncle. Continuing the interview, Elian found out that the village where the Peace-mongering Crucible resided wasn¡¯t too far away. Past the mountains where Elian met Borlen¡¯s group were vast plains stretching to the neighboring region of Ohmenstrat ruled by a half-elf, half-human clan. ¡°If riding horse-drawn wagons,¡± Shelomo said, ¡°you¡¯ll reach the Peace-mongering Crucible¡¯s shrine in three weeks. Less if you¡¯re using six-legged horses. Have plenty of endurance potions to keep your packhorses going if you¡¯re in a hurry.¡± If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°That is good to hear,¡± replied Elian, trying to recall if there were any animals by Gideon¡¯s carriage. Was it magically driven? Could he convince the floramage to go to Ohmenstrat? ¡°If you know, Elder Giver, what does the Peace-mongering Crucible require in return for its Boon?¡± ¡°Tales told by my uncle thread through my ears once more.¡± Shelomo had a nostalgic smile as he stared out the flapping entrance of the tent. ¡°Beneath the Shrine of the Peace-mongering Crucible is an ancient city of a lost people buried by time. Infesting these expansive underground ruins are monsters; they could even be called horrors. The Crucible will ask for an item from this city. Brave the challenges and retrieve it without harming a single creature there, and return for the Boon.¡±
The red-robed Tellerins asked Elian to stay for their midday meal. He paid back their generosity with interesting tales about distant lands. Funny thing was his stories were from the future, and they didn¡¯t know. They became more enthralled with him when they found out he could speak Tellerin. He had never been there, only learning their language from Tellerin refugees fleeing the Giants¡ªhe didn¡¯t tell them about that part. Someday, he¡¯d travel to the Seas of Gold, the other name for Tellerin, referring to its deserts of sand under the hot sun. Not only did he plan to get the Boon of the Tri-horned Magnam, but he also promised so many Tellerins he¡¯d visit their homes. ¡°Many thanks for bringing me here.¡± Elian bowed deep to Naamon. ¡°You¡¯ll never know just how much help you¡¯ve given me.¡± And the rest of humanity, he continued in his head. From the red tents, Elian went to Immaterial Hill. He had wanted to spend his afternoon at the library but changed his mind. His stay here wasn¡¯t going to be for long, so he wanted to savor the lectures at magic school some more. Take the opportunity to relax now. Wouldn¡¯t get much of it in the future. But he found it hard to concentrate in class. Instead of taking notes, he was scribbling plans. Should he go to Sabyn Mountains and look for something to strengthen Viney? Was this something actually there? He hadn¡¯t even asked Gideon about this. Or should he go to the Shrine of the Peace-mongering Crucible? Heading to Ohmenstrat was away from Sarnival Port; the earlier he went there, the better. He didn¡¯t know how long it¡¯d take to accomplish the Crucible¡¯s test and obtain its Boon. Also possible that Elder Shelomo remembered some details wrong. ¡°Elian, can you kindly show us your Armor-enhancing seal?¡± Varmisal said, breaking through Elian¡¯s thoughts. Elian stood up. ¡°Right away, Master Varmisal.¡± He conjured three level ten shield constructs. They floated above him facing upward, poised to meet a Tribulation, one on top of the other. On the bottommost shield, he made a seal that increased the Armor of the others by a hundred points¡ªthis took more effort to construct but was worth it for the bonus. Much better than making another shield. ¡°Brilliant work.¡± Varmisal giggled as he clapped, the flesh of his hand not making any sound as it hit the surface of his Aether construct hand. He didn¡¯t know Elian held back much of his proficiency gained from studying restricted Aether Magic books in the library. ¡°Please lift your work,¡± said Varmisal, ¡°so everyone can see the seal below.¡± Elian had been through many desperate battles and witnessed many deaths, and yet, he couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed being used as an example in class. Standing there with everyone watching, he berated himself for not concealing his skills more. Varmisal shot a beam out of his finger to highlight parts of Elian¡¯s construct. ¡°My dear students, always keep in mind to secure your seals in the safest location. You don¡¯t want it destroyed prematurely. Note how Elian has constructed the circuitry to power his seal. It is powered by the Aether from his work instead of absorbing Aether from the surroundings, which is several levels more complicated. ¡°Making Manifested Armors to be your helpers, you¡¯d want them to be self-sufficient. If you used Elian¡¯s circuitry on them, they¡¯ll digest themselves. But if you¡¯re preparing for a Tribulation, everything would need to be as efficient as possible. Redundant seals and circuitry could¡¯ve been another layer of shield, and so on.¡± Jadewell¡¯s hand shot up. She had shed her cocoon after their class left the indoor garden and started to actively participate in class. ¡°Master, what if I make concentric protection seals to multiply defenses? How do I efficiently power them?¡± Elian sat down as the attention of the class left him. Varmisal expertly answered Jadewell¡¯s question, and also others that followed. Now, this is what magic school should be. Unfortunately, as enjoyable as this was, it didn¡¯t help Elian in the slightest. With a set destination in mind, all his remaining time should be spent at the library. He had progressed far in his Aether Magic using Thalman¡¯s recommended books¡ªthe priest left more notes with Marielle for him. Such a great guy. Elian had thought he¡¯d need more time to master the basics of Aether Magic, but he could say he already did. Only the advanced classes of Immaterial school would be of help to him, and he wasn¡¯t going to stay and pay for those. With a heavy heart, he decided this was his last day in school. He didn¡¯t immediately leave when the class ended because Thorren asked for pointers in seal construction. While Elian explained things, he thought of saying goodbye. They had fought together and formed a bond. Probably best to just disappear. Elian wasn¡¯t good with goodbyes. ¡°I¡¯m heading to the Stage of Devotion,¡± Thorren said. ¡°Will you come with me? I¡¯ll buy you meat skewers as thanks for teaching me about seals.¡± ¡°I have somewhere else to go to,¡± Elian said. ¡°May the gods bless your Tribulation.¡± After Thorren left, Jadewell popped up beside Elian. ¡°Where is this somewhere you speak of? Is it the temple library?¡± ¡°Have you been tailing me again?¡± Elian asked. He didn¡¯t recall sensing a presence watching him. Jadewell may have known how he noticed her the previous time and adjusted her strategy. ¡°You could¡¯ve just asked me where I was going.¡± She shook her head to fling away her curtains of black hair. ¡°If I asked, you would¡¯ve thought I was jealous of the speed of your progress. I mean, I am. That was why I followed you to see if you¡¯re getting instruction elsewhere. But I didn¡¯t want you to think badly of me.¡± She peered at him with a mischievous grin. ¡°Not any more badly than the first time,¡± Elian said. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. We¡¯re even after you gave me sleepless nights, beset by horrors of a future that may be true. How are your preparations going, Elian the time traveler?¡± ¡°Are you mocking me?¡± ¡°I wish. I really wish that all your talk of the future were lies. But your skills in Aether Magic can be considered as proof of your tale. I¡¯m not a prodigy, but I can say my skills are above average. I¡¯ve also been taught by my family from the moment I could recognize symbols. Yet, I¡¯m far behind your rate of progress.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not too far¡ª¡± Jadewell held up a finger. ¡°I know what you show in class is far from the extent of your abilities. You¡¯ve told me you were an Energy mage in your past life¡ªit would make sense for you to learn Aether Magic quickly through studying advanced books at the temple library. Isn¡¯t that what you¡¯re doing there?¡± 45. A Twist of Golden Proportions ¡°Uh, yes,¡± Elian said. ¡°So, do you believe me now?¡± He lowered his voice and continued, ¡°About the Giant invasion and other things?¡± Jadewell sighed as she looked at her feet, hiding her face again behind her curtain of hair. ¡°I¡­ I can¡¯t say. I don¡¯t want to say, for the words that¡¯ll leave my lips will change how I look at the world. Waiting for the Giants to come is my choice. It¡¯s probably not the right one but certainly the easiest. I¡¯ll push the burdens to my future self.¡± Elian smiled. ¡°I approve of that strategy because I love to do it too. Thing is, I¡¯m now my future self, and I have to deal with the things my past self pushed to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m rooting for you,¡± said Jadewell with a weak smile, ¡°though I¡¯m adamant in not believing you. My heart tells me I should. Your skills¡­ they¡¯re too impressive for even a prodigy. I should know because my eldest brother is one. Might you have overflowing genius that turned you insane?¡± ¡°Sadly, no. I¡¯m just a normal guy in abnormal circumstances. Humanity would have more hope if I were a prodigy.¡± ¡°I never did get to ask: why did you tell me about, um, your secret, anyway?¡± She looked him in the eyes. ¡°Why chose me as opposed to¡­ Thorren? You two seem like good friends. Have you told him?¡± ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s not well connected like me? I suppose you were thinking it¡¯d be easy to gain the help of the Khaero family with me as your ally. We also fought together well against the jarlion, so you considered me trustworthy enough to share your secret with. Am I right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s those things,¡± Elian said with a nod. Another reason was he wanted to check the reaction of random people if he shared his time-traveling story. Choosing Jadewell, he figured the worst she¡¯d do if she thought he was crazy was just ignore him. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t tell Jadewell that he was testing her. And as a result, he decided to be even more discerning with who he¡¯d involve even though it was the burden of all humans. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for dumping it on you,¡± he added. ¡°When the Giants would arrive, the news would spread quite fast. At some point, I¡¯ll return here to these hills and ask for help from the priests and Penitents. We can talk again by then, and you¡¯ll be sure I¡¯m not crazy.¡± ¡°You speak as if you¡¯re leaving,¡± Jadewell said. ¡°No set date yet. I mean, I¡¯m not going to study Aether Magic here forever. I don¡¯t have money to pay for the advanced lessons.¡± Elian scratched the back of his head, wondering why he couldn¡¯t admit he was no longer going to attend Immaterial school. ¡°We might not meet again. Not here, anyway. Returning to my family is a possibility.¡± Before explaining further, she looked around to find them the only ones left in the room. She gestured for Elian to follow her outside and continued her story as they walked down the hall. ¡°My family reached out to me, you see. Someone informed them I was here.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t me!¡± Elian was quick to reply. ¡°I swear¡ª¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s not you,¡± Jadewell said. ¡°One of the teachers. And it wasn¡¯t like she was reporting me. She wrote a letter to my father congratulating him that his daughter gained Aethersense. An innocent gesture. I should¡¯ve known something like this would happen.¡± ¡°If you could turn back time, a better plan is probably just to hide your identity.¡± Elian smiled to show he was just teasing her. Her frown turned into a smile to reciprocate his. ¡°Even if I could redo my life¡ªmy escape from my life, I should say¡ªI¡¯m set on retaining my name. My goal was to succeed on my own. Be Jadewell Khaero, the renowned Aether Mage, without my family¡¯s help. It wouldn¡¯t be the same if I took on a new identity.¡± Elian nodded, knowing that she wanted her family¡¯s approval. She couldn¡¯t impress them if they didn¡¯t know it was her. ¡°Are they calling you back to Stoneholde?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jadewell said as their footsteps striking the stone floor echoed. ¡°Remember my response to Teacher Lyra about my reason for learning Aether Magic? That was all a lie. But it¡¯s becoming the truth. My family wants me to stay here and become a famous Penitent using Aether Magic, just like my grandfather. In doing so, I¡¯ll be making the family famous again.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ so returning to Stoneholde is your idea?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she simply replied. Elian didn¡¯t question her further, hoping the silence would get her to explain more. After they reached an intersection of passages and headed to the building¡¯s main entrance, she finally went on, ¡°I want to do my family¡¯s will. I want to live up to my grandfather¡¯s achievements. I want to revitalize our school. But¡­ I¡¯m afraid of the Tribulation.¡± Her voice quivered in her last words. ¡°It¡¯s normal.¡± Elian thought of trying to be sympathetic though he had always sucked at it. ¡°Many have died to Tribulations. Not just humans. I¡¯m sure hundreds of catfolk have died¡ªI¡¯m not really helping, am I? What I want to say is that know your limits and don¡¯t gamble. You¡¯re not required to call upon the Tribulation if you think you can¡¯t handle it.¡± ¡°Unlike you?¡± ¡°Yes, unlike me. All of your goals, go for them. But also know that you can stop and rest.¡± ¡°I know,¡± she said. ¡°I want to return to Stoneholde to ask my family for help. If they want me to do this, they won¡¯t hesitate to support me. This might be what¡¯ll unite the Khaero clan again.¡± Elian stopped himself from asking what she meant by that. ¡°What¡¯s more¡­¡± Jadewell hesitantly continued. ¡°¡­when the Giants would attack Sarnival Port¡ªby the way, I haven¡¯t given up hope that you¡¯re crazy¡ªI want to be with my family when we hear about it. They won¡¯t believe it; I know them. Many people wouldn¡¯t. But if I¡¯m there, I can convince them it¡¯s the truth and prepare to¡­¡± She trailed off, probably ashamed to say she wanted her family to flee instead of fight. ¡°If you can convince the people in your area the Giants¡¯ return is real,¡± Elian said, ¡°it¡¯ll be a huge help to me. The more people recognize the threat, the sooner defenses can be organized and the fewer deaths there¡¯ll be.¡± Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. Jadewell perked up at the suggestion that she could be helpful even if far from fighting. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best. Also, I have this.¡± She took out a shoddily-made notebook from her bag and handed it to Elian. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± The notebook¡¯s pages weren¡¯t aligned; some of them were wider than the rest. The threading along the spine was frayed and had untidy knots. He opened the pages and found messy penmanship and splotches of ink. ¡°Dates. More dates on each page. Is this a diary?¡± ¡°I copied the diary of my grandfather before leaving home,¡± Jadewell said. ¡°It¡¯s in the manor library with enchantments binding it to a pedestal. I can only copy a few pages at a time, very hastily at that, before someone notices me. I thought it was going to help in my travels. But since I¡¯ll cut short my lone adventure through the lands of Fellenyr because I¡¯m too scared, I¡¯ll give it to you. Most of grandfather¡¯s recorded experiences might be outdated¡ªit had been decades since he retired as a Penitent. But maybe you¡¯ll find something there still useful. Think of it as my contribution to your fight with the Giants¡­ and a parting gift.¡± ¡°Thank you for¡ªwait. A parting gift? Are you leaving Immaterial school already?¡± ¡°No, but you are,¡± she said. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t give me that look. Too many absences, yet you¡¯ve progressed so much. You no longer need to come here. I don¡¯t know when you¡¯ll attend classes next, if ever, or if I¡¯ll be here by then. Promise me you¡¯ll read the diary. Grandfather talked about a mysterious person who might¡¯ve been Cursed by the Magistrate.¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s truly Cursed. Grandfather didn¡¯t expressly mention so. He only wrote of a Penitent with pointed scale tattoos instead of the usual roundish shape. He never witnessed that person¡¯s Tribulation.¡± Elian thumped his chest with a closed fist and then made the hand signs of gratitude that Yanira had taught him. ¡°I¡¯ll put this to good use.¡± Leaving the school grounds, Jadewell headed in the direction of Vigor Hill. One of her cousins was waiting for her there. Elian stared at her swaying hair until she descended the ramp to the lower tier and was out of sight. As much as he¡¯d like to have many allies, he should also accept that most people were not capable of sharing his burden. ¡°At least she gave me this diary,¡± Elian muttered, flipping through its pages. He found there were maps and illustrations of puzzles, possibly the tests to obtain Boons. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect her to have such a messy hand¡ªwhat?¡± A shadow passed over him. He looked up. More mages flew overhead followed by a giant bird golem. Some shouting. He turned to the ramp. Guards marched up. As they fanned out, the stone blocks paving the road outside of the school gates trembled and rose. Stone crumbled and mixed with the mound of soil that formed a large humanoid shape¡ªa golem. The symbol of a fist on its chest meant it was a creation of Priestess Khalamundi. Something big was happening. Or had happened. One of the guards approached Elian. Elian raised his hands. ¡°What¡¯s happening, sir? I had just left school and¡ª¡± ¡°This way, please,¡± said the guard, ignoring his question. A certain tenseness strained his voice but he was polite. Elian decided to keep his mouth shut and comply. Whatever this was, it wasn¡¯t connected to him. Best to keep it that way. Did conflict between the supporters of Faridar and Tharguras erupt again? He couldn¡¯t think of anyone else if not them. So much for a few days of peace. And the situation must be bad for guards to mobilize in force. I need to return to camp, Elian thought as he followed the guard. Cancel his temple library for the day. Borlen and most of his group were at the Tribulation site, helping prepare for tomorrow¡¯s event; they¡¯d be safe there with their numbers. No way the supporters of Faridar would dare attack them there. Those too young and too old to help were left at camp. They were helpless if red robes would come to stir trouble. The guard led Elian to the towering golem, same as the other guards herding everyone around to form lines. The golem bent down so its faceless head was level with the people. It supported its heavy upper body on its arms and knuckles like a gorilla. Its head split open down the middle and exposed a giant eye. Where did that come from? This golem was made of the road, yet it suddenly had this organic part? The powers of Priestess Khalamundi were fearsome. One by one, the golem scanned the people in line with its eye. It nodded after it was done, and the guards let the person go. No one asked any questions. What was the golem looking for? Someone hiding his identity with illusions? Something hidden in the body? When it was Elian¡¯s turn, he spread his arms and faced the golem. It¡¯s not made of stone, he thought, examining the eye. Veins of blood spread like cobwebs over the white of its eye. He couldn¡¯t tell what magic this was. ¡°Off you go,¡± the guard tersely said. It was more of the same thing on the lower tiers. More guards. Golems checking everyone. There were even golem bugs scurrying on the ground, searching every nook and cranny for¡­ something. ¡°What is happening?¡± Elian loudly asked as the crowd thickened. Yet another checkpoint up ahead bottled the flow of people. ¡°I heard there¡¯s a huge commotion by the temple,¡± said the man to his left. ¡°A fight?¡± someone else asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I¡¯ve heard everyone is shooed away from the temple square. It¡¯s closed now.¡± Good thing I didn¡¯t go there today, Elian though. That was the bright side. He was worried about the not-so-bright side of the situation. The same thing was happening at the Cauldron. Guards and golems of all shapes and sizes were everywhere, searching everyone. People not knowing what was going on. All colors of robes were made to line up before the eyes of the golems. It took Elian awhile to exit the Cauldron¡¯s gates and return to camp. As expected, Borlen wasn¡¯t there. The pilgrims sitting by the fire, making their signature stew, had no inkling of the troubled stirrings on the hills. But just as Elian was about to explain what he passed by, guards arrived at their camp, headed by Priest Thalman. ¡°Keep calm,¡± said the priest as the guards searched the wagons. ¡°This is just a routine search.¡± ¡°What is happening?¡± Elian asked for the umpteenth time. ¡°Is Borlen here?¡± Thalman also ignored Elian¡¯s question like all the other guards. Elian explained where Borlen was. Thalman nodded and disappeared right in front of Elian before he could ask more insistently about details. The guards didn¡¯t find whatever or whoever they were looking for and left. Elian began to suspect this wasn¡¯t about riots. Was it another murder? At the height of the tensions, Elian heard that a leader of the followers of a lesser Penitent was murdered in her tent. They could be searching for a criminal. It was late at night when Borlen and the rest returned. Evident from their faces that they went through multiple checkpoints. And something else seemed wrong. Gone was their upbeat energy for tomorrow¡¯s Tribulation. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Elian asked yet again, hoping for an answer this time. ¡°No one¡¯s telling us anything.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve heard only but rumors,¡± said Borlen. ¡°And the rumors say a complete set of armor was stolen from the golden hall.¡± ¡°Huh? How did that happen? The priests are at the temple. What of the Tribulation tomorrow? Penitent Tharguras was allowed to borrow equipment from the golden hall, right?¡± Borlen gravely shook his head. ¡°The priests declined his request. Many are accusing our Champion Penitent of the vile falsehood of being a thief.¡±